Month: March 2012

The Wicca Book Of Days for March 29th – Mesopotamian Deities

The Wicca Book of Days for March 29th

Mesopotamian Deities

The story of the Goddess Ishtar (or Inanna) and Tammuz (or Dumuzi) was at the forefront of the people of Mesopotamia’s minds at this time of year, for the Spring Equinox was said to have marked the resurrection of Tammuz (and Nature), and to have reunited the lovers on Earth following his ascent from the underworld, Ishtar, the deity of the Morning and Evening Star (the planet, Venus), was the pre-eminent Goddess of the Mesopotamian Pantheon, which included Anu, the Sky God, Ea, or Oannes, the Sea God, Sin, the Moon God Shamash, the Sun God, and Marduk, the Babylonian National God whom the Assyrians replaced with their own God, Ashur.

Take the Lead

Because March 29th falls during the time of Aries, its polarity is masculine, active, or positive, which means that this would be an auspicious day on which to assert yourself, take decisive action, or be pioneering in some way.

I Wish All My Dear Friends, A Terrific Thursday!

Days Of The Week Comments
Today’s Affirmation for Thursday, March 29th

My intuition is the sensitive radar of the Spirit. With its aid I can fly a true course through any storm.  

 

Today’s Thought for Thursday, March 29th 

Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.

 Confucius (951 – 479 BCE)  

 

Today’s Meditation for Thursday, March 29th 

Emotional Squalls

On your journey through life there will be times when troubled feelings threaten to blow you off course. At such times sit quietly in meditation and be aware of the storm. Watch the waves of negative thoughts and feelings as they wash over you. Accept their presence rather than trying to avoid them. By observing the turbulence, rather than identifying with it, you move into the eye of the storm – the stillness at its center. From this vantage point, watch the storm gradually die down, replaced by the clear blue skies of a relaxed mind. 

Magickal Graphics

Spell to Banish Personal Negativity

Spell to Banish Personal Negativity

We have all from time to time experienced feelings and thoughts that there is a negative force around us. To banish these feelings you will need the bowl of water and the salt. Sprinkle some salt on the altar cloth and, using your finger or your Athame, say,

“I bless this salt to make it fit for these my rites. Blessed Be.”

Now add a little salt to the water and hold the bowl up towards the sky. Visualize your past relative being present and say

“I ask … (say the relative’s name) to let this bowl be the receiver of all my negativity, so that I can cleanse myself and became whole again once more. Blessed Be.”

Place the bowl down safely, dip the fingers and thumbs of both hands into the water, and visualize all your negative thoughts and feelings moving through your body, down through your arms and out of your hands into the water. As you do this be aware of yourself becoming lighter, of losing the weight that has been on your mind.

When you are sure that this is completed, remove your hands, shaking the last drops of water from them into the bowl. Take a moment to centre yourself once more, and again, holding the bowl up, say,

“I ask … (say the late relative’s name), to take this negativity through their power of the Elements to keep me safe in their hands. Blessed Be.”

Now throw away the contaminated water into the earth, but not near any plants that you are trying to grow, or down the drain.

A STONE-BANISHING SPELL

A STONE-BANISHING SPELL

To be rid of diseases, unhealthy habits, hurt feelings and any other disturbing manifestations
of life, hold any stone in your projective hand and visualize the problem in detail.
Visualize the part of you that is to be banished as entering the stone. See the problem and its
causes leaving you and infusing the stone.
When you can send no more energy into it, throw the stone onto a hot fire, throwing with it the
causes and manifestations of your problem. Stand back the stone may explode.
If you have no fire or don’t wish to have rocks exploding, throw the stone into the air or into water,
thereby releasing the problem causing energy from your body. It is done.

Break the Powers of A Spell

Break the Powers of A Spell

 
You Will Need

Large Black Candle

Cauldron (Large black bowl will do)

The Spell

If you believe that a spell has been cast against you, place a Large Black Candle in the Cauldron (or Large Black Bowl), the candle must be tall enough to extend a few inches above the Cauldron / Pot’s rim.

Affix the candle to the bottom of the Cauldron / Pot so that it will not tip over, and fill the Cauldron / Pot to the rim with fresh water without getting the candles wick wet.

Deeply breathe, or meditate, clear your mind and light the candle, visualize the suspected spells power residing within the candles flame, sit in quiet contemplation of the candle and visualize the power flowing and growing within the candles flames. (The power against you)

As the candle burns down, its flame will eventually sputter and go out as soon as it contacts the water, as soon as the flame has been extinguished by the water, the spell will be dispersed.

Break your visualization of the spells power; see it explode into dust, becoming impotent.

Pour the water into a whole in the ground, a lake or stream and bury the candle.

TO BANISH ILLNESS

TO BANISH ILLNESS
Burn a black candle anointed with banishing and burn banishing incense.
Concentrate on removing whatever the health problem may be by saying:
As this candle burns, so the illness turns,
melted like this wax, cut like with an axe,
remove and banished, all disabilities vanished,
as my word you see, radiant health blessed be.
Let the candle burn until done, then bury ashes from incense and leftover wax.

TO MAKE AN ENEMY MOVE

TO MAKE AN ENEMY MOVE

When the moon is in a waning phase, write on white parchment paper (or whatever you
have) the full name of the person you want to move, along with birth date if known.
Roll up the paper, with a photo if you have one, place inside a bottle of vinegar, then
toss into a body of running water, visualize your enemy moving away as the bottle
is washed away.

SPELL TO RID ONESELF OF A BOTHERSOME SPIRIT

SPELL TO RID ONESELF OF A BOTHERSOME SPIRIT


Say “What is dark be filled with light, remove this spirit from my sight.”
Before starting place your hand before you, and start the flow of power out of your hand
and then say the words, letting the envisioned blue-white light from your power hand
fill the room or house or any other place that you might be.

BANISHING A TROUBLESOME PERSON

BANISHING A TROUBLESOME PERSON


Use a black candle, with a picture of the person (if obtainable) placed underneath,
also a piece of parchment with the person’s name on it.
Carve the Divine Names “Eel kanno taf” onto the black candle.
Anoint the candle with Banishing Oil. Burn for nine nights, each night reading Psalm 94.
Put the candle out after Psalm is done (NOT by blowing it out).
On the last night let the candle burn all the way down.
While the candle burns (on each night), meditate and focus strongly on the aim in mind.
Imagine strongly the person leaving you alone; imagine strongly their evil deeds turning
back onto themselves. Do this for about 5 minutes each night before you pray the Psalm.
(Note: a purple candle could also work for this, but used black if this person had
been very harassing in a serious way).

SPELL FOR BANISHING AND NEEDED CHANGES

SPELL FOR BANISHING AND NEEDED CHANGES


Instructions: Sit in a quiet place that is special to you.
Hold a white or cream candle in your hands and visualize the area of your life that this
candles energy is needed in. After you light this candle the energy will come to you.
It may come right away or when you lease expect it.
When you are ready recite the spell or use your own words of power.
This candle I see before me, its color so bright,
Holds my needs of change in its light.
I call in the forces higher than I
To release the energy that is held inside
May it work for me in the most correct way,
Harming none and helping all as it leaves my stay.
I call on thee in perfect trust and love sending me guidance from above.
This I make happen and so be it will.

Take away this thing that brings me ill.
So mote it be.3x3x3

ANGELIC BANISHING

ANGELIC BANISHING


Shout this Mantra
“Angels of Protection,
Angels who clear
Remove all spirits
Who don’t belong here!”
Call upon your highest teacher, angel, or God to clear the spirit.
To increase the potency of this spell, burn sage incense and white candles.
Use a glass of water to collect negativity, then flush the water.
Also, wear any jewelry that is sacred to you. Express power and strength, show no fear.
While you meditate after the chant, know that the atmosphere around you has been cleared
of all evil spirits.

‘THINK on THESE THINGS’ for March 28th

‘THINK on THESE THINGS’
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

In this day of emphasis on right connections with the right people, in the right places, at the right time, we must have truly extraordinary qualities to become successes on our own.

They who have worked hard and achieved success often carry a double burden by wrongful accusations of being privileged characters. Perhaps some to whom doors automatically open because of right connections seem to be privileged characters, but they, like dictators, have a limited existence.

Having connections may help us on the ladder of life, but it will never keep those rungs steady beneath our feet. Only our own greatness keeps us tall, sun-crowned. We must have something to give, something to offer before we can expect to be truly privileged characters. And then, we will have earned the right to our privileges. We are somewhat like God, blamed for much we don’t do and seldom given credit for the good we have done.

Whatever the future, the world still needs citizens like those J.G. Holland wrote about nearly a century ago: “God give us men. The times demand strong minds, great hearts, true faith, and willing hands…..Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog, in public duty and in private thinking!”

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Available online! ‘Cherokee Feast of Days’
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler.

Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones……and also for those who don’t have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com
Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com

Elder’s Meditation of the Day – March 28

Elder’s Meditation of the Day – March 28

“Sacred sites and areas are protection for all people – the four colors for man – and these sites are in all areas of the earth in the four directions.”

 

–Traditional Circle of Elders, NORTHERN CHEYENNE

The Elders say that values come from the Mother Earth. Different places and areas around the Earth have different values. The Water people live in harmony and know the values that correspond to that particular part of the Earth. The Desert people know the values of the desert and respect and live in harmony with that part of the Earth. The Woodland people know the values of their part of the Earth and live in harmony. If you live in harmony with the Earth, you will live a life that is full of values. We should have great respect for the Mother Earth.

Grandfather, today, let me learn values from Mother Earth.

 

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March 28 – Daily Feast

March 28 – Daily Feast

Few sounds in nature are harsh. Even the rolling thunder that rumbles across the sky has solemn beauty. The wind makes whistles in the treetops and wild birds warble like rivulets of water that make harps among the shallows. The frenzied crash and blare come from man. The woods comfort with their sounds. A tiny yellow warbler with black wings sits in the redbud tree and makes the sound of an astral flute, a clear call for peace and harmony. If the bird wants a tranquil place – how much more we need it. A wet-weather spring feeds the ground from beneath, giving ferns moisture and life. In the rainy season the water flows and the delicate fronds mingle with the water creating a swishing sound. Surely we can absorb the serenity to heal and soothe our souls.

~ Creator of the world, Maker of all men; Lord of lords, my eyes fail me…..for the sole desire to know thee. ~

INCA HYMN

‘A Cherokee Feast of Days’, by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

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Daily Motivator for March 28 – Take a step back

Take a step back

Step back from the loud and pressing concerns of the moment. Step back, get some perspective, and remind yourself of how good life can be.

Many of the things you see as problems would have been considered to be blessings by people in an earlier era. Think of how good you have it, and of how you can make good and fulfilling use of what you do have.

You are able to make a difference, and that ability can literally take you anywhere you wish to go. Though your efforts may be difficult and challenging, those efforts give you some extremely valuable options.

Don’t take those options for granted by letting them sit idle and unused. Instead, take them to heart and consider how you can make life richer and more beautiful by making use of what you have.

Take a step back, and look objectively at where you are. What you will see is the great and wonderful opportunity that is your life.

Now, while you have it, seize that opportunity. Life is always good, because you can always make it better.

— Ralph Marston

The Daily Motivator

Daily OM for March 28th – Seeing Inside

Seeing Inside
Sight Versus Vision

Vision comes from within and shows us how to navigate the realms of thought, feeling, and emotion.

Sight is the ability to see the physical world while vision is the gift of seeing beyond it. Sight enables us to take the physical world in so we can participate in it with knowledge. It brings us pleasure through our eyes, which perceive the colors and shapes of all the myriad expressions of nature and human beings. It helps us feel in control, allowing us to see what is coming toward us, which way we are going, and exactly where we are standing at a given moment. We are able to read signs and books, navigate the interiors of buildings with ease, sense and perceive how a person is feeling by the expressions that cross her face.

As anyone who has lost their eyesight can tell you, though, there are things that are clearer when you cannot see the world through your eyes. One of the reasons many meditation instructors advise sitting with the eyes closed is because we automatically become more in touch with our inner world when we are not distracted by the outer world. It is in this state that vision becomes our mode of seeing. Vision comes from within and shows us how to navigate the realms of thought, feeling, and emotion. It enables us to see things that aren’t yet manifested in the world of form, and it also connects us to that part of ourselves that exists separately from the world of form.

As we age, even those of us with perfect eyesight will generally lose some of our acuity, but this loss is usually replaced with inner vision. This is the time of life when we are meant to turn inside and take what are sometimes the very first steps of a journey that cannot be traced on a map. We call upon intuition and feel our way along a path that ultimately carries us beyond the realm we can see with our eyes and into the land of spirit.

Astronomy Picture of the Day for March 28th

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2012 March 28
See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available.

Earthshine and Venus Over Sierra de Guadarrama
Image Credit: Daniel Fernández (DANIKXT)  

 

Explanation: What just above that ridge? The Moon. Specifically, the Earth’s Moon was caught just above the horizon in a young crescent phase. The familiar Moon might look a bit odd as the exposure shows significant Earthshine — the illumination of the part of the Moon hidden from direct sunlight by the sun-reflecting Earth. Also captured in the image is the bright planet Venus on the right. Venus and Jupiter passed only three degrees from each other last week during a photogenic planetary conjunction. The above image was taken two days ago near Madrid, Spain. The foreground horizon silhouette includes some of the Seven Peaks of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range. Just a few minutes after this picture was taken, the Moon set.

Special Kitty of the Day for March 28th

Spazz, the Cat of the Day
Name: Spazz
 Age: Two and a half years old
Gender: Female
 Kind: Siamese, Calico
Home: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Spazz is a Siamese Calico cross. We adopted her as a kitten about two years ago. She has added much joy to our household. She is social and greets everyone who comes into our home. She also loves to torment her older “sister” Stryper, who is a six-year-old Tabby.

Spazz is now two and a half, an you can see her coloring has gotten darker. Spazz is small and sweet, agile and absolutely fearless. She has the softest coat, everyone who pets her remarks on this. She has no fear of puppies and will play with them and even has some adult doggy friends. Spazz is a much more active cat than Stryper and keeps Stryper on her toes playing hide and seek and leaping on her from hidden spots.

When she is not chasing Stryper around, Spazz is following her Daddy and nearly the only time she meows is when she can see Daddy, but not get to him. She is an accomplished mouser, but tries to avoid killing them right away so she can get more playtime from them. Spazz is also our bird Rugby’s favorite companion. They spend a couple of hours each day rolling around on the floor playing together. (I also included a kitten picture as well, in which she is fearlessly crossing our pool on a floaty!)

Precious Pup of the Day for March 28th

Henry, the Dog of the Day
Name: Henry
 Age: Four and a half years old
Gender: Male Breed: Spaniel mix
Home: Forchtenberg, Germany
My dog has different colours and he has a soft coat. When he is curious, he holds his head tilted. So I like my dog. But he’s small, very small. In the winter he likes eating very much, so he is getting a little bit thick.

My dog is from Spain, and he’s a mixed breed. He can do lots of good tricks (give five, go slalom ). What I like about my dog is that he looks sooooo sweet and lovely. He’s a independent type. He goes in the forest and then he sniffs everywhere. He favourite game to play is the apple-game! I throw a apple and he runs and then he bites into the apple and he looks like he wants to say ” I think I’ll keep it …” Somentimes he brings back, though. He likes this game. He’s sooooo happy and funny. I like my little dog.

Paying for Wisdom

Paying for Wisdom

Author: Sarrestia

Recently I moved to Sierra Vista, Arizona and worked to find people of similar beliefs to surround myself with, and learn of new perspectives and gain experiences and, hopefully, wisdom of our elders. I even searched through Witchvox’s local pagans to determine if there were, at all, any pagans in the area. Thankfully, there are, but they are very difficult to find and meet. I’m not one to bounce right into someone’s life and seek his or her friendship, as I’ve always preferred the more subtle approach.

I was shocked in locating a spiritual center within the city and immediately called to find out where they were and what they did. Sadly, there were no pagans there. The ‘Reverend’ said that there used to be, but they seemed to have all disappeared.

I also drove down to Bisbee, near to Tombstone and up to Tucson to the pagan stores there, which obviously, would have at least one or two pagans around. Not only saddened and disappointed, I left each of these places with the great unease that these people were friendly in the extent that they really didn’t want new people around. Rather, they were happy to point me somewhere else. I will say, though, that Tucson was very nice, but it is such a long drive to attend rituals and group gatherings; suffice to say, it is something that will occur every now and then.

I know this, so far, has nothing to do with the title…but I’m getting there, as some things need ladders to reach rather than sudden jumps from one level to the next (you might lose someone in the jump) .

After searching for pagans and coming out empty handed, and wondering if there was a reason for this, I decided to visit this spiritual center to see if maybe another pagan will be drop in.
I will not be negative towards these people, as they are on a path quite different from mine, and I greatly respect their lives and their choices; but they are not pagans, not even Christian pagans.

My arrival was greeted with the usual “Who’s she?” looks and whispers, though not at all quiet because I could hear them quite well from outside the door. I introduced myself to the reverend, whom I had talked to on the phone. They were quite welcoming. Though as more and more people arrived, I became a little dismayed by the age difference. I believe I was the only one under the age of 50 and as I am only 25 that does say quite a bit.

The night consisted of them playing a DVD of a medium channeling spirits, pausing and talking about what they saw. The medium was a woman named Esther Hicks, who channeled the spirit, or spirits, of Abraham. Being completely pagan, without a Christian background, I was a little wary, but stuck it out in hopes of determining pagan tendencies in these people.

The words from these spirits were quite good, and displayed a good sense of humor towards the people in the audience, but I was struck by something that starting itching in the back of my mind as I watched: all of these people had to pay to see these spirits (I wondered, too, if they had to pay extra to actually ask the spirit a question) .

I heard later by the woman who owns the DVD that she has been on multiple cruises, plenty of visits to Phoenix and Tucson, and to various retreats that this woman channeled her spirits. I would have brushed it off, but I was told, by the Reverend, of the other activities at the center. That weekend they would have Reiki healers, but you had to pay for it. The next week they would have Deeksha healers, but you had to pay for it.

Before I continue, I greatly understand that in a world ruled and run by money that there is just no way that someone can do anything without requiring something from other people. It is irritating, this part of our civilization, but as I live in it, I understand it.

I began to think about how it seems we must pay in order to learn something, especially if it is spiritual in nature. This is even more so if you are unlucky to have a well-ordered and well-established coven/group/whatever near you.

It is a struggle to write this essay, knowing the rebuttals that follow (even in my mind: but they have to charge for it or else how can they pay for the materials; of course they charge a fee, if they choose to do nothing else with their lives, how else will they pay the bills?) . But it still gets at me that in order to learn something about ourselves, or to develop a spiritual nature, you have to pay for it. In order to learn Reiki, you will be paying for it. I found a website that offers the eventual reach of all degrees of Reiki for 350 dollars. Another website offered Wiccan degrees starting from 175.

Aside from paying bills and for materials: why do we pay for wisdom? Why do we fork over so much money, and even travel to far places, to meet with someone to give us a piece of wisdom – and if you want more wisdom, you can come to this retreat, as long as you pay this amount of money.

Even the main religions require you to give money for their wisdom. Especially if you’d like the wisdom to come out of a really fancy and modern building, wisdom doesn’t just pay for itself.

If you want to learn the wisdom of healing with plants…talk to the plants, meditate with the plants. No person will be able to tell you their wisdom, ‘cause they ain’t plants. This goes with anything else. We forget that we carry the wisdom deep within ourselves. That all it really takes is for us to quiet the consensus thinking (societal thinking) and listen to our inner selves, our deeper souls…and the wisdom is there. And not just any wisdom, the wisdom that is truest to ourselves and is individually ours.

Pay for the ideas if you want; pay for the time and travel if you want…but if you are in a position where money just isn’t something you can toss around here and there, stop and look inward and the wisdom you would have paid for will reveal itself, for free.