Day: January 17, 2011

Crone’s Corner – Celtic Tree Magic

Crone’s Corner – Celtic Tree Magic
 
SAILLE         WILLOW
 
Willows are magical trees with slender pale silver-green leaves. The weeping willow originated in China, where it graced cemeteries as a symbol of immortality, and the tree had spread to the Near East by Biblical times. As Old Testament reference to the exiled Jews hanging their harps upon the willows as they wept beside the rivers of Babylon led to the weeping willow’s classification by Linnaeus as Silax babylonica. In ancient Greece, the goddess Hera was born under a willow on the island of Samos, where a magnificent temple was built to honor her. In the underworld kingdom of Pluto and Persephone, Orpheus touched a willow branch and received the gift of supernatural eloquence. Willow groves are sacred to Hecate, dark goddess of witchcraft.

During the Middle Ages, the willow became a traditional motif adorning tombs. Early 19th-century gravestones throughout New England were decorated with the willow emblem. An old spell uses willow to dismiss love and transform passion into friendship.
At Full Moon snip a foot-long tendril from a weeping willow tree and braid it with equal lengths of bright red and cool green yarn. Tie three knots in the braid and hang the charm in an airy room until the Moon is in its last quarter. On three successive nights untie the knots one by one in privacy and silence while concentrating on your desire. Before the New Moon rises, burn the red strand to ashes and throw to the winds. Coil the willow and green wool together and place in an envelope for safekeeping.
The willow of the Druids was not the weeping willow, but the tree or shrub we know as the pussy willow. The Irish called the pussy willow one of the “seven noble trees of the land.”
The pussy willow is used in love charms as a guard against evil and its wands are often employed in divination. Reflecting the ancient status of the pussy willow, it is the wood to “knock on” and avert bad luck.
Medieval herbalists placed all willows under the rulership of the moon.
GrannyMoon’s Morning Feast, Excerpted From Elizabeth Pepper, The Witches’ Almanac, Ltd.

Spell Of The Day – New Ventures Spell

Spell Of The Day – New Ventures Spell

If you need support for a new venture, fill a small jar or tin with popcorn, and carry it with you for at least twenty-four hours. First thing in the morning and last thing at night, or whenever you think of it, shake the tin and say:

Corn of Kore, oh Goddess grand!
Let my business grow and expand.
I will till and plant the seed.
Goddess Kore, let me succeed!

After one day, pop the corn and visualize your fortunes expanding. Internalize the power of this spell by eating the popcorn. In the spring, plant a small patch of corn in honor of Kore.

By Nancy Bennett

Goddess Of The Day: GUNNLOED

Goddess Of The Day: GUNNLOED

Wassail Day (England)

Themes: Creativity; Wisdom; Health; Protection; Fertility

Symbols: Mead; Poetry; Cauldron or Cup; Apples

About Gunnloed: This Teutonic Goddess guards the mead (a honey wine often made with apples) of sagacity and the muse- a refreshment most welcome at the outset of a new year. In art, Gunnloed is depicted as a giantess; according to stories about her, she stood vigilantly by the magic cauldron of Odherie until Odin wooed her and stole much of the elixir away.

To Do Today: For inspiration and insight, pick out a cup that’s special to you and fill it with apple tea and a teaspoon of honey (a mock mead). Stir it clockwise, saying,

Gunnloed, come to me, put ingenuity in this tea! Drink the tea to internalize the magic. If possible, sip it quietly while enjoying a good book of heartening poetry.

Alternatively, sip some mead, quaff some apple juice, or eat an apple today for health, and give a little of the leftover liquid to nearby trees. In Anglo-Saxon tradition, this festival marked a time to enjoy wassail, a spiced apple cider or mead with herbs. Farmers shared this beverage with the apple groves to keep them fertile. Wassail literally means “be well” or “be whole.” Drink of the wassail cup to ensure yourself of Gunnloed’s gifts of well-being, creativity, and happiness all year

By Patricia Telesco

Daily Goddess Devotion

Daily Goddess Devotion

When you feel a dark sadness pushing into your life. Stop its power before it over takes your light spirit. Seek and find another struggling spirit and lend them your strength to find their light. In this you will quickly discover the light has returned to your life.

Lady Abigail
Copyright © 12122010

Today’s Meditation

Today’s Meditation

There’s so much that we can give in life that has nothing to do with money or material goods.  It’s very kind and considerate to give money and material goods to people who need it, of course, but material and financial needs are not as important as our need for love.  We all need to be loved, and many of the ills of our societies result from the actions of people who haven’t received enough love in their lives.  The feeling of being unloved causes much heartbreak and depression, and can cause people to do things that they probably wouldn’t do if they felt loved.

How can we give love?  I ask myself this question a lot.  Can I give love without making others feel uncomfortable?  Can I give love in appropriate ways?  Can I give love to complete strangers?

I think I can do so, and I try to as much as I can.  I try to spread love with kind words and a smile.  I try to spread love by listening when people talk, without trying to put in my own two cents’ worth.  I try to spread love by performing truly anonymous acts of kindness.  I try to spread love by saying a silent, private prayer when I see people in need.  I try to spread love through service, through encouragement, through compliments, and through anything else that can be seen as a positive contribution to another person’s life–no matter how small or insignificant it may seem to be.

Spreading love is much like teaching–we usually don’t see the results of our efforts.  If the love is true, though, we don’t need to see the results.  And when we practice spreading our love in these ways, people get to know us as loving people–and then they become much more receptive to the love that we’re trying to give.

Today’s quotation

Today’s quotation:

Let us not be satisfied with just giving money.  Money is not
enough; money can be got, but they need your hearts to love
them.  So, spread your love everywhere you go; first of all
in your own home. Give love to your children, to your wife
or husband, to a next-door neighbor.

Mother Teresa

Power Animal of the Day: Leopard

The Leopard

Preparation          Positioning          Agility

 

Strong and silent, moving with grace and stealth, the leopard knows how to position himself to his own best advantage before acting.  He will give you the ability to seem to disappear when you care to, so that attention is directed elsewhere, allowing you to prepare unobserved for the timely display of your powers. 

The leopard is also highly adaptable, able to live successfully in almost any terrain, from the deserts to the mountains and forests of the world.  He will bring you this strength, so that you will find yourself quickly at ease even in new circumstances.  Just take a deep breath of leopard energy and you will feel instantly at home, no matter where you are.

The leopard will also fill you with physical health and vitality, bringing you his agile grace, whether it is required to climb the tree or swim the river.  Wherever you need to be, you will do well, for you are the leopard and you know no boundaries.

‘May we live in peace without weeping. May our joy outline the lives we touch without ceasing. And may our love fill the world, angel wings tenderly beating.’
 
The Universal Heart Center
 

Runecast for Monday January 17

Today our rune is Jera Jera pronounced “yare-awe” (J or Y: a year or a good harvest) The results of earlier efforts are realized. A time of peace and happiness, fruitful season. It can break through stagnancy. Hopes and expectations of peace and prosperity. The promise of success earned. Life cycle, cyclical pattern of the universe. Everything changes, in its own time.

Harvest-time gives its benefits to those who have worked hard. As you sow, so shall you reap. This rune promises a beneficial outcome if your present projects need a long time to mature before you see any results. So you mustn’t push forward quickly, and instead, work steadily to overcome any difficulties that may arise. You may reap benefits from previous activities, but if your past actions involved hostility to others, in this harvesting period, past wrong-doings could come home to roost. This rune is often connected with legal action and in the same way as a farmer needs the help and knowledge of others to improve his harvest, you are advised to consult legal experts or other professionals and maximize any benefits due to you.

Jera Merkstave (Jera cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Sudden setback, reversals. A major change, repetition, bad timing, poverty, conflict. (Note: the reversed or merkstave definitions are included only for reference as they apply to a multi-rune cast and not to a single rune that’s drawn blind from the pouch)

As with all, take only what feels right to you and disregard the rest.

**a portion of today’s rune meaning/description was kindly provided by Ingrid Halvorsen at sunnyway.com and used here with her gracious permission**

In the Light…

Tom

SoulDiscoveryThruReiki
“Music is a release from the tyranny of conscious thought”
— Kevin Burke
Insanity is inherited, you get it from your kids…

Today’s I Ching Hexagram for 1/17

Today’s I Ching Hexagram for Everyone:

1: Creative Power

Monday, January 17th, 2011

Hexagram 1

 General Meaning: The atmosphere is ripe with imagination, inspiration and energy, symbolized by the flying dragon. The dragon is an ancient symbol of an electrically charged, dynamic, arousing force that bodes well for creative initiatives. If your goals are in alignment with the greater good, your actions will meet with success, but this can only happen if you apply yang energy in a positive way. This hexagram, which consists of all yang lines, indicates a good time to take a leadership role, because Creative Power is with you now. But be forewarned: success turns to failure if you let strength turn to arrogance.

Believe in your vision and persevere; everything around you will flourish. Call upon Creative Power and let it work through you. Stay focused on your goals. Do not let yourself be distracted, or you may lose the power available to you now. And remember that when taking action, successful results require good timing.

Today’s Tarot Card for 1/17 is The Sun

Today’s Tarot Card for Everyone:

The Sun

This Tarot Deck: Gummy Bear Tarot

General Meaning: What has traditionally been known as the Sun card is about the self — who you are and how you cultivate your personality and character. The earth revolves around the sun to make up one year of a person’s life, a fact we celebrate on our birthday.

The Sun card could also be titled “Back to Eden.” The Sun’s radiance is where one’s original nature or unconditioned Being can be encountered in health and safety. The limitations of time and space are stripped away; the soul is refreshed and temporarily protected from the chaos outside the garden walls.

Under the light of the Sun, Life reclaims its primordial goodness, truth and beauty. If one person is shown on this card, it is usually signifying a human incarnation of the Divine. When two humans are shown, the image is portraying a resolution of the tension between opposites at all levels. It’s as if this card is saying “You can do no wrong — it’s all to the good!

Daily Horoscopes for 1/17

 

General Daily Horoscope

 

The universe gives us mixed messages today, making it tough to choose a single path. Though we start with a jumping Gemini Moon, she slips into watery Cancer at 2:28 pm EST to soothe our restless souls, reminding us of the joys of an emotionally-nurturing relationship. However, a radical Sun-Uranus sextile informs us that settling down is boring and urges us toward risky behavior in search of excitement. Ultimately, variety is the spice of life.

 

Aries Horoscope
Aries Horoscope (Mar 21 – Apr 19)

You may be surprised if you discover that you’ve been running around so fast lately that you forgot to do something that was very important. Hopefully, you’ll have this realization early enough in the day to remedy the situation. However, instead of overextending yourself today, you can make a conscious decision to set priorities before you run into trouble.

 

Taurus Horoscope
Taurus Horoscope (Apr 20 – May 20)

You might believe that your cautious approach to making plans will be enough to prevent any problems from surfacing, but it’s nearly impossible to think of everything in advance. Don’t worry if something pops up unexpectedly today. Instead of reacting fearfully, consider what this new information can teach you and respond as openly as possible. Integrating a different perspective now places you in an even stronger position than where you were before.

 

Gemini Horoscope
Gemini Horoscope (May 21 – Jun 20)

Your moods are changing so quickly this morning that it’s difficult for you to explain what you’re feeling. By the time you begin talking about your emotions, they have already begun to shift. You may become anxious and try to say too much too fast because you want to catch the wave, but this strategy will only add to your frustration. Paradoxically, saying less will help you gain clarity so you can speak with more authority later on in the day.

 

Cancer Horoscope
Cancer Horoscope (June 21 – Jul 22)

It’s not easy for you to be patient today because you’re expecting something good to happen. The Moon’s midday return to your sign empowers you, but you’re still not likely to tell anyone what you need. You see no reason now to waste energy with words when a more direct approach of initiating action can lead you to your goal. Even if it’s not your regular style, don’t miss the current opportunity to pursue happiness.

 

Leo Horoscope
Leo Horoscope (Jul 23 – Aug 22)

Although you have been socially active during the past couple of days, you may feel the need to retreat today as the Moon enters your 12th House of Privacy. But even if you want to be alone, you still can benefit from collaborating with others. Completely shutting yourself off from everyone isn’t your best move now; instead, finding common ground while also establishing clear boundaries is a smart alternative.

 

Virgo Horoscope
Virgo Horoscope (Aug 23 – Sep 22)

You can be extremely picky when choosing who to hang out with, but it’s easy to let down your guard once someone has received your stamp of approval. Your openness can be disarming now, for you are able to shift gears quickly. Your friends and colleagues might be very surprised if they judge you only by your appearance, for your aloofness disappears quickly once you make the choice to warm up. Nevertheless, don’t wait too long to show your interest or it could end up being too late.

 

Libra Horoscope
Libra Horoscope (Sep 23 – Oct 22)

You might resent the responsibility that co-workers place on you today. You really don’t want to be the one in charge, nor do you want anyone else to depend on you. But it’s not so easy to avoid your obligations now, especially if you’ve led others to believe that you would be there for them if they needed you. Stop fighting against the pressure to perform your job and rise to the occasion, instead.

 

Scorpio Horoscope
Scorpio Horoscope (Oct 23 – Nov 21)

You may be feeling jittery, yet increasing your physical activity doesn’t seem to do anything to settle your nerves. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to work off your excess energy. Instead, you may be better off by pursuing self-expression through creative endeavors now. Rather than trying to prove yourself by being productive, focus on something that brings you pleasure. You can always pick up your work tomorrow where you left off today.

 

Sagittarius Horoscope
Sagittarius Horoscope (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

You’re tired of trying to keep up with others who are so wrapped up with their performances that they miss the point. You just aren’t that interested now in people who don’t share your goals. Instead of going out of your way to discuss things that don’t matter to you, save your energy for a truly meaningful interaction. Remember, you’ll be happier today with one significant connection over a multitude of trivial ones.

 

Capricorn Horoscope
Capricorn Horoscope (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

You can feel the shift in your energy today as lighthearted interactions with co-workers begin to tire you out. You are growing bored with shallow conversations and begin to seek more depth from others. You’re ready to break out of the safety of your current relationships and explore new ways of communicating. Thankfully, you don’t need to have a detailed plan. Just expressing your intentions is enough to start the ball rolling.

 

Aquarius Horoscope
Aquarius Horoscope (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

The calculating Capricorn Sun is rattled by your key planet Uranus the Awakener. Although you may not be looking for new information now, you could be confronted with an idea that contradicts your prior assumptions. Don’t be so quick to reject today’s news, even if it temporarily turns your life upside down. Once you realize the truth, you’ll be glad that you had the courage to change your point of view.

 

Pisces Horoscope
Pisces Horoscope (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

Normally, it’s wise to consider the source of incoming information, but today, being overly discerning isn’t necessarily useful. It’s not about whether something is truthful or not; it’s more about your reaction to whatever comes your way. Nearly anything that stimulates your creativity is good; you can always sort out the facts later on. For now, take a risk and dare to express yourself in a new and exciting way.