Daily Feng Shui Tip for Jan. 11

These next tips are smoking hot and entirely apropos for ‘Cigarettes Are Hazardous To Your Health Day.’ Some holistic smoking remedies recommend drinking a concoction of a half-teaspoon of cream of tartar and eight ounces of orange juice before bed. The cream of tarter offers invaluable assistance in cleansing the nicotine out of your system. The orange juice replaces the vitamin C that cigarettes rob from your body. Be dedicated and persistent in your quitting efforts, as consistently taking this drink every night will soon see you having less and less cravings. Here are some other tried and true remedies to help you kick the habit. Switch to a brand of cigarettes you don’t like. Doing so will reduce the pleasure of smoking, making it easier to break the habit. Lastly, cut the urge to light up by pressing the acupressure point located in the center of your breastbone, directly between your nipples. Tap it gently seven to twelve times in a row for nine consecutive times. Each time you tap affirm that you are now a non-smoker and before long that prediction will come true!

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com

The Meaning of the Number 2

The symbolic meaning of number Two is kindness, balance, tact, equalization, and duality. The number Two reflects a quiet power of judgment, and the need for planning. Two beckons us to choose. The spiritual meaning of number Two also deals with exchanges made with others, partnerships (both in harmony and rivalry), and communication. Two urges us out of our indecision, calls us to unite with like-minds, and like-ideals. Two asks us to exert our natural flow of judgment to do what is best for our souls.

 

The Spiritual Meaning of Numbers

Your Daily Number for Jan. 11th: 2

You may find yourself more sensitive to the world around you today. Your intuition is heightened, and you may find yourself longing for knowledge. You’re feeling somewhat emotionally exposed to the world, so be careful to guard against insecurity and keep your feet firmly planted on the ground.

Fast Facts

About the Number 2

Theme: Adaptable, Tactful, Gentle, Cautious
Astro Association: Moon
Tarot Association: High Priestess

Today’s I Ching Hexagram for Jan. 11th is 17: Following

17: Following

Hexagram 17

General Meaning: Following brings supreme success. You may not be able to change the direction of the wind, but by frequently adjusting your sails, you can arrive at your destination.

Those who would acquire a following must speak the language of their followers. Those who would be loved must become the envisioned lover of their beloved. Those who would prosper must bend with natural forces and the pressures of society. In matters of principle, stand firm; in matters of style and taste, swim with the current.

In all human affairs, change is constant. In order to stay fresh, old ideas and patterns must continually be discarded in favor of new ones. Only by being adaptable to the demands of the time can the highest good emerge. Only by adjusting to changing circumstances can you prosper. Remain flexible, and you will gain the confidence of those around you. Bend and you shall not break.

Today’s Runes for January 11th is Ehwaz

Today’s Runes

Gold Runes are most commonly used for questions about business, career, and property. Ehwaz is the rune of the eight-legged horse that the god Odin rode into battle. Horses are symbolic of a number of things. Firstly, horses may symbolize vehicles such as cars, motorcycles, planes, or boats. Secondly, horses may symbolize not wealth, but status. Thirdly, horses may symbolize motion towards an objective. As such, this rune suggests a journey or a quest to achieve a goal or improve one’s station in life. On a deeper level, the rune Ehwaz evokes the unique relationship of horse and rider as an inseparable team. To the modern eye this may be the relationship of master and underling, but to the Norse it was a total union. In fact, early representations of Odin are not of a man and a horse, but, of a centaur-like creature – the ultimate symbiosis of Man and Nature.

Today’s Tarot Card for January 11th is Wheel of Fortune

Wheel of Fortune

This Tarot Deck: Moon Garden

General Meaning: The central theme of what is traditionally called the Wheel of Fortune card is cyclical change. The Wheel keeps on rolling, churning events in a ceaseless progression of ups and downs, either way freeing us from the past. No one can escape its cyclical action, which can feel somewhat terrifying — no matter whether we are rising or falling. When one is balanced on top there is a moment of crystal clarity, but the only part of the Wheel not going up and down is the hub, which is your eternal Self, the Source of Freedom.

Every one of us will occupy all the points on the wheel at some time or another. The cycle of the wheel is its lesson — and we can learn to take comfort in it (as we do when we celebrate our birthday). If you don’t like the look of things right now, just wait — things will change. Of course, if you do like the look of things right now, enjoy it while it lasts, because that will change too!

Your Daily Horoscopes for Wednesday, Jan. 11th

Our actions don’t seem to elicit the responses that we expected today. Instead, everything takes longer now that energetic Mars in detail-oriented Virgo is moving very slowly, getting ready to go retrograde in a couple of weeks. Mars forms supernatural septiles with Venus and Mercury, turning things weird. Thankfully, dreams can become real as the fearless Leo Moon guides us to overcome uncomfortable situations by maintaining a positive attitude.

 

Aries Horoscope
Aries Horoscope (Mar 21 – Apr 19)

Your ruling planet Mars is held suspended in time today, making it difficult to initiate action. Even if you have a concrete plan, it may be nearly impossible to stick to it. The timing is off now; just as you are finally ready to start a new project, a wave of emotions can sweep over you and catch you off guard. Nevertheless, you don’t need to wait any longer; it’s time to sprint toward your destination no matter what. Concentrate on reaching your goals, even if they suddenly seem far away.

Taurus Horoscope
Taurus Horoscope (Apr 20 – May 20)

Taking action too soon may not seem like your regular style, but you might become so impatient today that you do something without considering what might happen next. You could get hooked by someone who has a specific idea of what you should be doing at work. You’re willing to jeopardize the stability of your current job for a chance at real success. Go for it, but don’t burn any bridges that you will later regret.

Gemini Horoscope
Gemini Horoscope (May 21 – Jun 20)

You want to create a big splash now as you demonstrate how proactive you can be in a tough situation. However, you might not think that revealing your emotions is a good idea. Although finding your center of gravity is useful, acting cautiously actually helps your cause. There’s no need to change everything all at once. Instead, take a few steps backward, breathe deeply and give it your best shot again once you’re ready.

Cancer Horoscope
Cancer Horoscope (June 21 – Jul 22)

You’re motivated to take on a new project today, but as you get closer to starting your excitement might begin to wane. Even if you do jump in, you might not have sufficient stamina to finish it, so try not to waste too much energy. Managing your resources wisely now could be crucial to your well-being later. There’s a lot happening around you, so it’s wise to prioritize your tasks immediately and not after it’s too late.

Leo Horoscope
Leo Horoscope (Jul 23 – Aug 22)

You may not be comfortable with your role as an action hero today as fiery Mars runs into a complex web of aspects. You might feel as if you’re ready to boil over, yet the fire isn’t quite hot enough to do the trick. Cooling your jets until everything is in order may not be an option because the window of opportunity won’t stay open for very long. Even if you don’t have a detailed plan in place, just grab the chance while you can and apply your energy to creating your future.

Virgo Horoscope
Virgo Horoscope (Aug 23 – Sep 22)

You may not feel like seeing too many of your friends and acquaintances today, so your initial impulse might be to withdraw from the action. Unfortunately, this isn’t the healthiest response, especially if your presence is helpful. Think about following through with your social obligations while still leaving some time left over to follow your dreams. You can do it all now if you don’t lose yourself to your fantasies along the way.

Libra Horoscope
Libra Horoscope (Sep 23 – Oct 22)

Nearly everything in your life appears to be growing more complicated again, especially if your friends and associates make demands that raise your anger. You’re not interested in being pushed around now, and if you’re provoked you’re likely to surprise others by stepping into combat mode. It makes the most sense for everyone to leave you alone today, unless they’re ready to play by your rules.

Scorpio Horoscope
Scorpio Horoscope (Oct 23 – Nov 21)

Your traditional ruling planet Mars is the major planetary player today as it surrealistically septiles magnetic Venus and motor-mouth Mercury. This erratic energy can transform a simple conversation into a major conflict or a passionate encounter. Fortunately, you may be more adept now at making peace, not war. However, you must remain vigilant because conscious effort on your part won’t just happen on its own.

Sagittarius Horoscope
Sagittarius Horoscope (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

Your day is busy with noisy conversations, too many emails and a phone that won’t leave you alone. You could even lose your temper if today’s data overload becomes too much for you to manage. However, ego battles aren’t useful and have no place in your life. Blaming someone else won’t accomplish anything of value; stop talking about the past and shift your attention to the positive changes you want to make for the future.

Capricorn Horoscope
Capricorn Horoscope (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

You might want to demonstrate your passion to a loved one today and see where the process carries you. However, you could miss a prime opportunity unless you stay true to your feelings and communicate them honestly. You really don’t have to add flourishes to your words or need to embellish your actions. Just tell the truth in a straightforward manner to minimize the possibility of misunderstandings.

Aquarius Horoscope
Aquarius Horoscope (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

Partnerships remain in the spotlight today as the needy Leo Moon’s presence in your 7th House of Companions pulls you toward others. However, Mars is being stressed in your 8th House of Intimacy, prompting you to believe that a friend or lover is crowding your comfort zone. Be courageous and defend your personal space, but don’t take things too far by attacking someone else. Even if you’re a bit worried, you’re probably not in as much danger as you might think.

Pisces Horoscope
Pisces Horoscope (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

You may seem more approachable to others today, which encourages them to trust you with their needs. If someone is trying to finish a project and looking for reinforcement, you’re the go-to person now. Unfortunately, you’re growing tired of having to hold down the fort. But avoiding your responsibilities isn’t a real option, so start right away. The quicker you get rolling, the sooner your work will be complete.

the daily humorscope 

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Aries (March 21 – April 19)
Today you’ll develop a rare mental disorder, causing you to mix metaphors. But don’t you worry — you can’t make an omlette without a silver lining, and in this case, you’ll discover that everyone will confuse mixed metaphors with management potential. BIG promotion in store.
Taurus (April 20 – May 20)
Good day to remember your kinship with all living things. Except perhaps mildew. There’s no point in remembering your kinship with mildew, at least not today.
Gemini (May 21 – June 20)
Excellent day to walk around wearing a white lab coat and carrying a clipboard.
Cancer (June 21 – July 22)
Thrombosis. Beware. Also, your best friend will rush up and indicate by nonverbal means that Timmy is trapped under a log again.
Leo (July 23 – August 22)
Remember: loose lips sink ships. The really strange thing is, nobody’s ever been able to explain to me why ships have lips in the first place, especially if they’re that risky.
Virgo (August 23 – September 22)
You’re fussing with your hair too much. Perhaps you should temporarily cut back on shampoo. Or at least demand real poo.
Libra (September 23 – October 22)
And old friend will call today, who you haven’t talked to in years. He’ll remind you that you owe him money.
Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)
To your chagrin and horror, you will find yourself humming along with “muzac” in the grocery store. It’s the beginning of the long slow slide, I’m afraid. Next stop: collecting “nick knacks”.
Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)
Today you will find a really big piece of lint in your pocket. That’s it, though, for today’s excitement.
Capricorn (December 22 – January 20)
You will make people squirm, today. Surprisingly, some of them will show remarkable talent at squirming.
Aquarius (January 21 – February 18)
Twelve freshly cut rods (made from ash) will be found in a peculiar pattern on the lawn. Two large black crows will watch you solemnly from the top of a parked VW Microbus. The weather will turn colder, and the air, although clear, will seem grey. Don’t worry, though, it’s probably nothing.
Pisces (February 19 – March 20)
You will attain your dream of having your own cooking show, but it will become tiresome when you have to battle your way past people dressed as chickens to get into the studio each day.

Daily Cosmic Calendar for January 11th

It would be great to report that happy days are here again and that most troubling situations – cosmically speaking – are on permanent hiatus. However, that is not in the 2012 game-plan and even two days from now – on a Friday the Thirteenth! – Mercury will unite with distant, mysterious and secretive Pluto while Venus unites with dreamy and far-out Neptune. With these intense planetary alignments waiting in the proverbial wings, take advantage of the joyful vibes coming from this morning’s Moon-Jupiter parallel (6:25AM PST). If you are not a frequent reader of this calendar, be aware that parallel and contra-parallel alignments are calculated by watching celestial bodies moving north and south of the Celestial Equator whereas zodiacal alignments are calculated in proximity to the great circle known as the Ecliptic. The Moon with Jupiter via a parallel formation is similar to a conjunction of these two bodies in the zodiac, and every lunar union with Jupiter normally offers up golden opportunities, an increase in fortunate tidings, and a reinforcement of the power of positive thinking. If you are awake and alert a few hours before the Moon-Jupiter alliance, it is best to keep your mental faculties serene since Mercury makes a frictional, 45-degree link to Pallas (2:12AM PST). The playful and loving vibrations of Leo Moon continue in force today – although some emotional challenges and psychic tensions can envelope primary partnerships when the Moon opposes Venus (9:29PM PST). Build up dear ones with praise and support instead of criticizing them with words of condemnation.

Calendar of the Moon for January 11th

Calendar of the Moon
Beth/Poseideion II

Birch Tree Moon

Color: White
Element: Air
Altar: Upon cloth of white set the budded birch branches, a single white candle, the rune Berkana carved onto a piece of birch wood, and a bowl of clear water.
Offerings: White cakes with the Berkana rune carved upon them.
Daily Meal: Vegetarian with dairy and eggs.

Beth Invocation

Call: Now is the beginning of the year.
Response: Now is the time of stillness and cold.
Call: Now all is still and waiting upon the earth.
Response: Now the earth sleeps beneath her many blankets.
Call: Now is the time of patience.
Response: Now is the time of our longest wait.
Call: We are at peace with the Earth and with each other.
Response: We are at peace with the Earth and ready to begin.
Call: This is the month of indrawn breath.
Response: This is the time of all beginnings.
Call: May the year grow strong before us!
Response: May we grow strong before the year!
Call: For as the birch tree steps forth into the burned fields,
Response: So do we step forth into the aftermath of our own burning.
Call: For as the soft branches of the birch beat away the old year,
Response: So do we lower our heads for the strokes of the future.
Call: For as the pheasant hunts the snow for food,
Response: So do we seek through the ruins of the past.
Call: For as Frigga spins the clouds into thread,
Response: So do we circle like the spinning whorl,
Call: So do we take up the fiber of what has been,
Response: So do we bring forth the new year from our very hands.
Call: From our open hands,
Response: From our open hearts,
Call: From our open bodies,
Response: From our open souls.

Chant: Silver tree, in your branches
White of snow, stars are dancing
Tree of clouds, like thread of silver
Time runs through our hands.

Calendar of the Sun for Jan. 11th

Calendar of the Sun
11 Wolfmonath

Hecate’s Day of the Midwives

Colors: Red and black
Element: Water
Altar: Upon a black cloth lay many long red cloths, three red candles, a clay bowl of well water filled with stones, and a knife.
Offerings: Give aid to a midwife.
Daily Meal: Bread and soup.

Hecate’s Midwife Invocation

Call: Hail, Hecate, Three-Faced Goddess!
Response: Hail, Hecate, Lady Underground!
Call: Hail Maiden Moon-Pale, leader of the Hounds!
Response: Hail Grandmother of Wolves and Toads!
Call: Hail Old Woman, Witch who stirs the cauldron!
Response: Hail Hecate, Midwife Crone who aids those in need!
Call: It is by this title that we call you today, Lady!
Response: For you are the friend of every mother in labor…
Call: But especially those who have been cast away.
Response: The homeless, the husbandless, the scorned…
Call: Those whose children will not be born into happy homes…
Response: Those whose children may be taken from their mother’s arms…
Call: Those whose children are born in anguish of the heart…
Response: Those who did not wish to see their bodies swell…
Call: Those who did not wish to open the door of life…
Response: Those who find themselves torn with pains unwished.
Call: It is to you that they turn, Old Grandmother…
Response: It is your hands that soothe them, Mistress of Underground Rivers!
Call: It is you who casts no judgment upon them.
Response: Teach us, Grandmother, how to keep from judging!
Call: Teach us how every chance for life is sacred…
Response: No matter how ambivalent the circumstances.
Call: Teach us how every moment of birth is worth assisting…
Response: No matter how unworthy the vessel.
Call: We are all bound by the thread of blood shed at our birth.
Response: We are all bound by the pain of our entry into this world.
Call: Hail Hecate, Grandmother of Blood and Pain,
Response: Challenge us to think beyond our own simple labors.
(Take the red cloths and pass them through your hands until all are joined together.)
Chant: Hecate, Cerridwen, Dark Mother Let Us In
Hecate, Cerridwen, Let Us Be Reborn

Wishing You A Wonderfully Wicked Wednesday, my friends!

Days Of The Week Comments

How ya’ doing today? I have been working on a new template to my eyes are crossed. I think I might eventually get all the bugs worked out of it. It is unusual, the template has a menu, then it has a place for all your daily posts and it scrolls. Instead of having to dig through all the posts today, to say find the horoscopes. You would seemly scroll to the Horoscopes section at the top, click and there they are. Like I said if I ever get the bugs out, I am going to give it a try here. When it gets over here, I honestly want to know if you like it or not. I don’t want to lose any readers and friends because of the layout. Enough about that, you now know what eventually will be here.  I hope, if I don’t pull my hair out first, lol!  

Now on with the Magick………

  

Correspondences for Wednesday

Magickal Intentions: Communication, Divination, Writing, Knowledge, Business Transactions, Debt, Fear,Loss, Travel and Money Matters
Incense: Jasmine, Lavender, Sweet Pea 
Planet: Mercury and Chiron (though this is a moon of Pluto)
Sign: Virgo
Angel: Raphael
Colors: Orange, Light Blue, Grey, Yellow and Violet
Herbs/Plants: Fern, Lavendar, Hazel, Cherry, Periwinkle
Stones: Aventurine, Bloodstone, Hematite, Moss Agate and Sodalite
Oil: (Mercury) Benzoin, Clary Sage, Eucalytus, Lavender
This day is governed by Mercury. Wednesday’s vibration adds power to rituals involving inspiration, communications, writers, poets, the written and spoken word, and all matters of study, learning, and teaching. This day also provides a good time to begin efforts involving self-improvement or understanding.  

Spellcrafting for Wednesday

VISION SPELL

If you wish to have a vision true, then put together this witches brew.
Mix this oil, this sacred potion, charged with power and devotion,
filled with Marigold, Rosemary, Clove, Mugwort, Lavender, Jasmine and Rose.
Make an incense of the same, to ignite the mind, the mystic flame.
Smudge with incense and anoint with oil, to cleanse yourself of mortal toil.
Chant this chant to start your mission, as a trigger for your vision:
Vision, Sight and deep perception, mystic light and meditation,
trance or conscious my eyes shall see, the other side shall come to me.
Now sit in thought, in meditation, lost in mind, in concentration,
wait for the vision that you desire to come to you within the hour

  
Magickal Graphics

Earth Witch Lore – Crossroads

Earth Witch Lore – Crossroads

 

Crossroads are considered sacred in almost all magical traditions. A crossroads is a universally accepted place to hold rituals, leave offerings, or dispose of items you wish to be rid of. While this is not a natural creation but one that is homemade, it still falls in the realm of earth.

 

It is believed tat Hecate rules over the three-way crossroads. She can see the past, present and future, It is said that if you should approach a three-way crossroads at night, you would hear her black dogs howling. Her altars have been erected at such places for centuries.

 

The four-way crossroad are considered to be powerful because all four directions meet at one point. Dirt, rocks and sticks gathered from such a crossroads are said to have powerful spiritual connections, albeit tricky ones to master. In Greek myths, Oedipus met his fate at the crossroads. From the Yoruban people we have Legha (a god known for his clever tricks) ruling the crossroads.

 

Ancient people were afraid of what it meant when one direction met another direction. All manner of folklore is available concerning the crossroads. Fairies are said to hand about there, along with ghouls and goblins. Even the Christian Satan is said to roam the crossroads.

Earth Witches know that a crossroad is actually a place of sacred transformations, manmade or not. Frequently they see them as a metaphor for transformational points in our lives. In such a capacity the crossroads relate to time.

Earth Spirits: Gnomes, Elves, Dwarves and Leprechauns

Earth Spirits: Gnomes, Elves, Dwarves and Leprechauns

 

It is recommended approaching earth spirits with caution. They are of the elemental race and inhabit a completely different realm, so it is hard to impossible for a human to understand how their minds truly work.

 

Gnome statues in the garden add a touch of whimsy to the décor, but the legend behind their popularity is quite intriguing. It was said that a single ray of sunshine would turn a dwarf to stone. Somehow, this myth crossed with information about gnomes, and the trendy garden gnomes statues came to be. Since gnomes are consider helpful to one’s garden, placing gnome statues there is tradition in a well-tended garden.

 

Gnomes are actually a dwarfish race of earth spirits. They are the guardians of the hidden treasure of the Earth. Some legends maintain that they can be playful and mischievous and love to pull pranks on unsuspecting humans.

 

Elves were originally considered to be of a small stature as well. They were thought to be fairly playful and helpful. The legends of elves run the gamut from Santa’s toy-making helpers to the more romantic portrayal popularized by the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Dwarves are said to be the possessors of two types of magical stones: one that will make the owner invisible and one that will grant the owner great strength. Dwarves were well-known in Norse myths for their wisdom. On a least one occasion the gods themselves went to the dwarves for aid, due to their cleverness.

 

Leprechauns are known to be tricksters, because greedy humans are always trying to get their legendary pots of gold. Leprechauns are Irish in origin and are thought to be cobblers.

Earth Witch Lore – Mountains and Mounds

Earth Witch Lore – Mountains and Mounds

 

Legendary mountains and mounds fall within the domain of the Earth Witch. While mountains are natural formations, mounds are human-made. Both are considered sacred space. The prevailing argument as to the purpose of the mounds is that they are sacred burial grounds.

The Navajos have an old legend that describes the creation of the six sacred mountains. The First Man and First Woman formed the mountains from a bag of dirt that they carried with them from the third world (spirit realm). They sent Turquoise Boy to one mountain. Abalone Shell Boy to another, Jet Boy to another, and White Bead Boy to another. The mountains were not satisfied with that arrangement and would rumble loudly with displeasure. Only two of the six mountains were happy. First Man and First Woman sent the beautiful Mixed Stones Boy and Girl to those mountains. They then sent the rest of the holy ones, including Grasshopper Girl and Yellow Corn Girl, into the mountains.

First Man and First Woman then fastened the mountains to the land with lightning bolts, stone knives and sunbeams. They decorated them with shells, eggs, mists and rain. They then blessed the mountains with chants and prayers. They believe that keeping the land beautiful pleases the ancestors, and pleasing the ancestors, make for a happy tribe.

The Earth Witch agrees with this philosophy. She makes regular use of eco-magic and often gets involved with environmental issues. She understand the true beauty and blessing of the Earth and does not take them for granted. She considers keeping the land clean a sacred responsibility.

Earth Witch Lore – Bridges

Earth Witch Lore – Bridges

 

Rivers belong to the Water witch, but bridges, and the superstitions that surround them, belong to the Earth Witch. As one who finds solutions and builds foundations, who else could conceive of a way to cross running water while remaining earthbound?

 

There are a few mythical bridges that relate to other elements, such as Bifrost (the rainbow bridge leading from Midgard, the realm of the mortals, to Asgard, the realm of the gods, in Norse mythology), but more often bridges belong to the realm of earth.

 

A bridge is a gateway, because it rests between two bodies of land mass. While crossing it, you are neither in one space nor the other. The bridge transcends the two objects it connects in this manner; hence, it is a very magical and powerful place. It has been said that time does not work the same way on bridges as it does elsewhere. Some say that time moves more slowly when on a bridge, while others say that time ceases to exist all together and does not begin again until one has crossed completely over. Because of the time factor, a bridge has the ability to bring one back to a childlike state.

 

In many myths, a bridge is the path one must take after death to reach the other side. Some of the mythical bridges were treacherous, in order to keep out the living. Native American lore speaks of a shaking bridge one must cross to reach the other side. Often these mythical bridges are said to not tolerate the weight of a sinner and will cast the sinner off the bridge into the water below.

 

There is a tale in modern folklore that relates that you will hear a heartbeat if you stand quietly on a bridge. I have heard about a million variations of this urban legend with one common theme: that of the heartbeat belonging to a deceased person. While it is possible to hear a heart beat-type noise on certain bridges through out the United States, this is normally due to a nearby gas pipes or some other human invention. Yet the tale lives on because of the spooky reputation of bridges.

Because of the association with death, bridges are often said to be haunted. Celtic tradition warns that you should hold your tongue while crossing or passing beneath a bridge. The Isle of Man is home to the famed Fairy Bridge. Local legend says that if you cross the bridge without wishing the little people that live there a good day, you will not have a safe or happy visit. There is also a universal belief that two people who part on a bridge will never meet again.

 

Earth Witches know the lore to be true to this point–there is magic aplenty contained in the bridge. Spell work performed on a bridge tends to take effect immediately. Any type of magic that involves time manipulation will gain a boost by being performed on a bridge.

Earth Witch Lore – Trolls

Earth Witch Lore – Trolls

 

Trolls, or trows as they are sometimes called, are often thought to live under bridges. They are said to be ugly little creatures, but there are some old myths that claim that trows could pass for human. Some of the myths infer that trows are nocturnal and can only move about at night, while others say they are invisible and therefore simply unseen. Folklore from the Shetland Islands in Scotland lays claim to one distinguishing character trait carried by trolls; they walk backwards. Trolls has a distinct hatred for locked doors and are known to sneak into people’s homes at night if the occupants have locked the door before retiring.

While the tales of the trolls feature in folklore contain both gruesome and nonsensical elements there is little doubt that the troll relates to and falls under the rule of earth. Trolls were known to have magical powers. It was said that they could fly and enchant the wind and were masters of mixing healing potions, ointments and elixirs.

Earth Witch Lore – Caves

Earth Witch Lore – Caves

 

Most caves have local folklore surrounding them, with one common theme; they are inhabited by spirits or dragons and are forbidding places, desolate and dank. So many legends tell of ghosts haunting caves. These legends were perpetuated by pirates and the like to scare people away from their hiding places and thereby keep their loot hidden. They also stem from ancient days when bears and lions might be found in the caves.

 

For ages, the members of ancient tribes lived their entire lives in caves. In Sweetwater, Tennessee, there is a cavern known as “the Lost Sea,” which features an underground lake with its own variety of plant life (which only grows underground). It is said to be the home of the white jaguar. This cavern is a world within the world. The hauntingly beautiful columns of stalagmite drip healing waters upon those who stand beneath it. Not surprisingly, this cave is also thought to be haunted. It was sacred to the Cherokee tribes.

The Earth Witch knows and understands that caves actually relate to the process of birth. Spirit haunts a cave as a “pregnancy,” or a continuation of life. Therefore, a cave is sacred ground. All that it holds within relates to life and death, as it all stems from the cave. The cave is the birth canal of Mother Earth.

Meditation to Meet Your Earth Guide

Meditation to Meet Your Earth Guide

 

Set up a simple altar with a green or brown candle and herbal incense. You may wish to use a green altar cloth and your pentacle. Cast your personal circle. Take several slow, deep, cleansing breaths and relax your whole body. Close your eyes. Allow your breathing to show and become regular. Take deep, slow breaths. Visualize the gateway to earth. Make the gate as elaborate as you wish, using any material that you desire. To open, does it swing wide? Does it lift up? Does it dissolve? Keep focused on your breath, and allow the gate to open. Relax. Walk through the gateway and down the path. Take a moment to observe the world around you. The grass is a beautiful emerald green. There are flowering tees and shrubs everywhere you look. The nearby hillsides are covered with flowers and green healthy grass. As you walk, you notice a figure in the distance. Walk toward it. Stay focused on your breath. Standing in front of you is your guide for exploring the elemental realm of earth. It could be an animal, a human or a mythical creature. Greet your guide. Listen to what he has to say. When you have heard all you wish, thank him. Always respect your guide, as he will be with you a long time. Slowly walk back up the pathway to the gate. Focus on your breath. Walk through the gate and see it close. Allow yourself a few more deep breaths and then open your eyes. Write down what you learned in a journal for safekeeping. Close your circle.