Month: November 2013

The Perfect Athame

The Perfect Athame

Author:   The Redneck Pagan 

As some of you may recall, I have recently decided to go back to the basics of my knowledge and experience and begin a process of going deeper. And for those of you who are scratching their heads and wondering if I spent too much time with the glue cap off, here is an excerpt from an earlier blog post to explain:

“I am beginning to realize how little I actually know (…) I mean I have read probably over a hundred books, but rarely stopped to really read them. I would do one or two exercises and then go to the next. I skimmed over the material without properly allowing myself the time and effort to go deeper.

With that little epiphany in mind, I do believe it is time for me to go back to the basics! (…) I am finding myself digging out those 101 books that have been collecting dust, and have started re-reading them. My next goal is to start doing the exercises, and really documenting my results. Not just the half fast skimming I did before, but really seeking the experiences and knowledge. How successful I will be, I don’t yet know. We shall find out how much determination, discipline and dedication I have. “

So with that primer in hand, forwards we go!

In reviewing the basis, I have discovered something of note… the stuff that used to make my heart race with excitement, the books I spent hours reading (and much time and money locating and acquiring) … are getting rather boring! This has been a far more difficult task than I initially gave it credit for. Now before the fingers start wagging and people start saying, “you said you were going deeper”, I have been doing the work (my mother would be shocked at how well I have been doing my “homework”) . I have diligently gone through all of the exercises in the first third of one of my basic books, which is a primer on craft history and some basic jargon … very important stuff for anybody with an interest in Witchcraft and Paganism. However, after I read Doreen Valiente’s “The Rebirth of Witchcraft”, reading about craft history from a Lady who was present for much of it, well… the 101 stuff is boring.

I decided to review some material on the different tools in the 101 books as, being nine years away from my first introduction, I felt it was important to review and check up on newest teachings and theories.

I stumbled across the usual descriptions: the Athame is a black handled, double edge knife used by Witches to direct energy. Witches typically use it to charge items, cast their circle, and cut astral cords. It is never used to cut anything on the physical plane, and some argue that it looses its power if it ever draws blood. I then read about how it is supposed to be made. Made? Uh-oh!
According one author, a witch should always try to make his/her own Athame! I give this author full credit, he goes into great detail on how one should go about it. He explains the equipment needed, ways to get it done, the proper metals to use, wood in the fire, symbols you can carve onto the blade or the handle and even how to consecrate it. And I have to agree with his reasoning: when a witch takes the time, effort and intention on the creation of the Athame it becomes part of him/her. It becomes part of their power. I can see that and understand that. I just have a problem… I am not what you would call “handy”!

When I was younger and living with my parents, we bought a bunch of IKEA furniture for the house. My mother and I shopped and brought it home, and then my father and I put it together. The reason my father and I had to put it together is because my mother and brother refused to work with us. My dad is a brilliant man, he’s been a teacher for over 30 years now, he has helped revamp parts of the elementary school curriculum and I hate playing Trivial Pursuit with the man because I always get my assets handed to me! But for the love of the Gods… DO NOT give that man a hammer. (When I first brought my husband home to meet my father, he was a little hesitant. My husband proceeded to fix his sink trap and tap and realign some closets on their track. My father turned to me and said, “I love him; keep him!”) I have inherited some of my father’s difficulty with tools.

I can recall one day when my husband and I had first moved in together. He was watching a documentary on TV and I was in the bedroom hanging pictures. There was a picture I wanted hung up that was out of my reach. He said he would come hang it up at the next commercial break. I, being the soul of patience, decided to take matters into my own hands. I stacked some towels on the edge of the bed and standing with one foot on the towels and one braced against the wall I prepared to hammer the nail. Well, the hammer was on the floor (and my perch felt a bit precarious) , so I grabbed the closest thing I had, a high-heeled shoe. As I was about to hammer the nail in, I heard “What the hell are you doing! ` My husband lifted me off my perch (he is six-foot-three-inches and I am five-feet-two-inches) He lifted me under the one arm like a rag doll (an amusing sight for the dogs, I’m sure) and took care of the picture for me.

So having said that.. I really don’t think having me playing with a forge and blacksmithing materials is the best idea. The life I save could be my own, and I think the fire department is busy enough without having to come out and rescue me. So what should I do? Well, another option mentioned is ‘receiving one as a gift from another magical person’… I live in Central Alberta, not exactly the place you will find a lot of practicing Pagans. I was very much a solitary practitioner. Receiving one as a gift would have been ideal… but not exactly practical.

Being eager to begin my practice (and being too new to fully understand where the power lay) , I began to scour the city for the Perfect Athame. Dollar stores, Wal-Mart, Zellers and secondhand stores became my playground. I bought several different types of knives (ranging in price from 50 cents to five bucks) . Nothing seemed to be working and I was getting very discouraged. I was too new to truly understand the idea of ‘magic within’ and was worried that if I was unable to find a real and proper Athame that I would never be a proper witch (silly sounding now, but a huge fear at the time) .

I settled on using one of the knives I had picked up at Wal-Mart; it had the best feel in the handle and wasn’t very sharp. I was having decent success with the knife, but it never felt right. My subconscious was not satisfied with the toy I was using! (This was, of course, nine years ago, before the Internet had really blossomed; sites like eBay were in their infancy and specialty websites were few and far between.) I tried to find Athames online but the only ones I found were well out of a college student’s budget.

One day, I was digging through some of my old treasure boxes (you know, the boxes you keep under your bed, filled with what other people might call ‘junk’) . While digging through the box I came across a knife. This particular type of knife is known as a Sgian Dubh (pronounced Skin-Doo) . They are a type of Scottish small knife kept next to the calf in the socks. I received it years ago from Grandfather. He had bought it when he was visiting his brother in Dublin and at the time he gave it to me, I was playing in a pipe band and was a Highland Dancer.

I wore it for two years in the pipe band and another year and a half as a Highland Dancer. I took it anytime I did a performance of a Sword Dance or Highland Fling for an additional two years after that, and then when I no longer danced, I put it away and had not thought of it for years. When I picked it up again I felt like it almost sang in my hand! I began to toy with the notion of using it as my Athame.

It had many positive characteristics. It was double-edged but was blunted so as not to hurt me. It was in a sheath, so I could put it in a bag and take it with me to outdoor rituals if I wanted. The handle was black and was made of a solid molded plastic. It was a gift from my Irish Grandfather (incidentally my path is most closely related to Irish Reconstructionalism and it was my Irish roots and the mythology of my people that first got me interested in paganism) . It came from my family’s homeland and so had a connection to the land of my ancestors. And I had worn it during high-energy activities that I loved!

I gave it a try for the first time at a Sabbat. It just seemed to click. It felt perfect in my hand. I felt powerful with it, mysterious and magical. In recent years, I have seen some beautiful Athames, many of which have been “properly made” and most at a very reasonable price. But I have never had a desire to get a new one. I have my Perfect Athame.

Yours Humbly

The Redneck Pagan

The Boline

The Boline

The boline is the tool used for cutting things in the physical realm. It usually has a white handle, a blade curved inward, and it’s very sharp, and usually very expensive. It’s used for cutting wands, carving words in them as well as candles, but mostly herbs and branches for wands. In my opinion, as a city Witch, this tool is not really necessary, and just a waste of money (which is why you don’t see a picture of it). You can carve with the tip of an athame, and cut or carve, with magickally charged heavy duty scissors (like the one’s above). But for Witch’s with giant herb gardens and lot’s of trees, the boline may call to you much more than a city Witch.

Old WOTC Yuku Site

The Altar

The Altar

The altar is any flat surface that can hold all your tools. It can be anything from a table of any sort, to a cardboard box, book shelf, or even your floor, if need be. Traditionally Wiccans divide their altar in half. The left side for the Goddess. The right side for the God. Items that are Goddess related tools like your chalice, go on Her side and vise versa wand, Athame etc., for the God. And items representing the elements i.e. incense = Air = South is put in that direction. But I feel that your altar should be a reflection of the individual. Above is a picture of what my ever changing altar looks like. As you can see, I have several gifts from nature, feathers, a squirrel tail (I found lying in the center of a busy side walk!), pieces of wood, and various gems and stones. How you decorate your altar, and what you put on it is only limited by your imagination. You can add purely personal items as well. Just above the word “Witch’s” in the picture, is a tiny porcelain cat. I put it there in honor of my beloved Wolfgang, who passed away in 2005. Be creative and make yours something that reflects you. If you’re lucky enough to be able to have a permanent one, keep it, and the items on it clean. A dirty altar is just plane disrespectful to whom ever you worship.

Old WOTC Yuku Site

Tools of the Craft

Tools of the Craft

Tools are visual, symbolic aids that posses no power of their own…whatsoever. If you feel no desire to have some, or any tools that are mentioned, don’t get them. For many years, the only tool I used was a candle, and sometimes a pen and paper to write something down to burn. They were just as effective as the ones I do with tools.

How can you do a ritual or spell with no tools? It’s quite simple, by using your personal power. How meaningful, powerful, and effective any ritual or spell is depends entirely on how much energy YOU put into it. Your personal power is the single most important, and only necessary tool you need. Many who are just starting out feel that they have to rush around going bankrupt to get every fancy looking tool they see in order to perform a ritual. They feel that it can’t be done without them or that the tools themselves contain the energy they need. This is simply not true.

The tools you have should be chosen because you are drawn to them or feel that they will enhance your rituals. They are used as vessels to direct YOUR energy. Something to remember when you begin collecting your tools is that they don’t have to be expensive. An athame can be a black handled common kitchen knife (my 1st was a letter opener). Your pentacle can be drawn on a piece of paper like mine is, or carved in wood or clay. I’ve purposely included photos of tools that are bought or made as well as substitutes of all my tools. I did so to show that you shouldn’t feel obligated to have to purchase fancy, expensive ones. I’m an artist/photographer (among other things), and artists are very visual people. It would seem that while I’ve been at this for over 25 years…I need the visual tools or I wouldn’t have bought, found, like the squirrel tail around the top right hand corner of my crowded altar, or been given most of them. They help me, but that doesn’t mean they’ll help you. Only get, or take home from the earth, what (if anything) calls to you. And if you take something from the earth, do something to give thanks. It could be a peanut, water or even a penny for the fairy folk.

Once you have chosen a tool to use for rituals, it should be cleansed and consecrated. Consecration is the act of performing a small ritual in which you declare it as your tool for magickal purposes. After this is done, it should NEVER be used for other purposes. If you use your athame to do a ritual, and then go butter your toast with it, it no longer carries any meaning. Although the tools posses no power of their own, they do carry a special symbolic meaning and your energy. After consecration, they have a purpose and therefor should be only be used for that purpose alone.

There is one tool in The Craft that surpasses all others. Every other tool, no matter how expensive, will be useless with out it. When it comes right down to it..it’s the only tool you need. That tool is YOUR personal power. To enhance your personal power, you need to exercise it. Practice meditation and visualization techniques, and be able to ground and center yourself. No ritual or spell will ever be successful with out personal power, and you can’t gain any without practicing these methods to be able to have control of your thoughts, and crystal clear visualization which is a MANDATORY aspect of any spell or ritual. Don’t make light of the enormous importance of practicing the techniques of meditation, and visualization, on a regular basis.

Transferred Over From The Old WOTC Site on Yuku

Invocation of Being

topperdivider

Invocation of Being

Long have we wandered and been apart from her shores.
Long have we flown on unseeing wings.

The eagle soars high on boundless feeling.
Long have we felt the groundless without root, or presence.
Long have we been valient in the name of love.
Long have we allowed nameless fears to limit our possibilities.

The forest continues it’s endless cycle of ages.
Long have we felt alone in expectant solitude.
Long have we danced our own lives to the dream of wisdom
to the unbearable void of ourselves.

The tide washes evenly on deserted shores.
Forever we are one. Forever we ignite out being in the elemental fire of our spirit.

The golden age dweller.
The playful sprite.
The hooded wanderer.
The tortured seeker.

The power of being is ours to hold.
The beauty of now is here for the taking.
Forever and tonight,
we bathe in the majesty of wonder.

author unknown

Huffington Post Reports – Leonid Meteor Shower 2013

Leonid Meteor Shower 2013: How To See ‘Shooting Stars’ This Weekend

The Huffington Post  By

Get ready to see some “shooting stars” this weekend, skywatchers.

The 2013 Leonid meteor shower is expected to be visible from Nov. 16 through Nov. 18. Weather permitting, observers around the world should be able to see the brightest “Leonids” streak across the sky from Saturday night through Sunday morning. The Northern Hemisphere will be treated to the prime show, as it has the best view of the constellation Leo, from which the meteor shower derives its name.

Unfortunately, this year’s Leonid meteor shower will not be as visible as the show has been in the past years. Since the moon turns full on Nov. 17 — in the midst of the shower — only the brightest of the meteors will be apparent to most watchers. For some, the “shooting stars” may not be detectable at all.  Read More…

We Are Having A Dazzling Meteor Shower No One Is Talking About, Check It Out…

Observing the Leonids

The Leonid meteor shower has produced some of the most spectacular meteor displays in history, but it is unfortunately periodic in nature.

The Leonids generally begin on November 13 and end on November 21, with maximum generally occurring during the night of Novemer 17/18. The Leonids are barely detectable on the beginning and ending dates, but observers are generally treated to displays of about 10 meteors per hour on the night of maximum. About every 33 years, the Leonids enter a phase of enhanced activity that accompanies the return of its parent comet. During these periods, rates can amount to hundreds and even thousands of meteors per hour. The last such enhanced period occurred during the period of 1998-2002 and the Leonids have been winding down ever since.

Apparently these meteors have been studied since way back in the 1800’s. I have provided a link that contains the full article and also the page has a Southern Hemisphere & Northern Hemisphere chart to find the shower.

Meteor Showers Online

A Little Humor for Your Day – Getting old when (for the men in our lives)

Getting old when

You know you’re getting older when…
Everything that works hurts, and what doesn’t hurt doesn’t work.
You feel like the morning after, and you haven’t been anywhere.
Your little black book only contains names ending in M.D.
Your children are beginning to look middle-aged.
Your mind makes contracts your body can’t keep.
You look forward to a dull evening.
Your knees buckle and your belt won’t.
Your back goes out more than you do.
You sink your teeth into a steak, and they stay there.
You know all the answers, but nobody asks the questions.

Quiz for Saturday – Which Bird Are You?

Which Bird Are You? Quiz

Let your imagination take flight with this fun quiz that can tell you  something significant about your true nature. After all, if you’re a sparrow  you’ll need to beware of hawks, and if you’re a heron, you need periodic times  of stillness in order to thrive. Birds can give us useful information about what  we need and who we most deeply are.

Learn more so you can really soar, here:

Answer the following questions TRUE or FALSE (and be truthful with  yourself!).

1. I do my best work alone.

2. People have told me I am a visionary, capable of seeing the big  picture.

3. I am quick and incisive when it comes to making decisions.

4. I am in a leadership position at work or in my life; people tell me I have  a lot of personal power.

5. I come alive after dark; early rising is not for me.

6. I sometimes need to come to a complete standstill before I make a  move.

7. My nature is extremely quick: my metabolism, thoughts, and actions tend to  be on the fast side.

8. I love to talk and/or sing.

9. Although I am imaginative, I prefer to stay close to home.

10. I thrive under adverse conditions and often find unusual ways of seeing  things.

11. I enjoy interacting with many people at work.

12. If I had to choose one word to sum up the meaning of life for me, it  would be “joy.”

13. I am drawn to watery landscapes and find great serenity beside ponds,  lakes, and inlets.

14. I love a sense of spaciousness; heights don’t scare me.

15. I prefer to see all sides of something before I make a decision. People  tell me I have a well-rounded sense of things.

Take note of the clusters that are mostly true for you: they can tell you  which bird is your guide.

If you answered TRUE to 1, 3, 7, and 12 you are a HUMMINGBIRD.

If you answered TRUE to 1, 2, 4, and 14 you are an EAGLE.

If you answered TRUE to 1, 5, 10, and 15 you are an OWL.

If you answered TRUE to 1, 3, 6, and 13 you are a HERON.

If you answered TRUE to 7, 8, 9, and 11 you are a SONGBIRD.

Feng Shui News for November 16 – ‘Novem’

This may be the eleventh month on the Gregorian calendar but November actually gets its name from the Latin word ‘novem,’ meaning nine. According to Feng Shui, that number is the most powerful of all the single digits. When someone or something is surrounded by the vibrations of the number nine, they are believed to be infused with energies that will encourage them to reached their fullest potential. The number nine also symbolizes the ability to easily manifest health, happiness and prosperity. On this day, put nine coins of any denomination into a red envelope and place it under the welcome mat at your front entryway. This will bring much fortune and good luck right to your door!

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com

Your Charm for Saturday, Nov. 16th is The Amulet Box

Your Charm for Sat., November 16th

The Amulet Box

Today’s Meaning:   

There are papers in your near future. This aspect is affect by legal papers of some kind–a contract, a deed or a license of some kind. These papers will bring improvement to your life.

General Description:      

The people of Tibet are most superstitious. It is the custom for almost everyone to wear charms. The Amulet-box illustrated contains small inscribed scrolls covered with magical characters. These magical formulae are written and blessed by their Lamas. The scrolls are believed to be all powerful spells for appeasing evil spirits, keeping the wearers from all physical harm, safeguarding them from every kind of danger, and protecting them from the blighting effects of the evil eye. Many of these charm boxes are of gold elaborately chased, and encrusted with turquoise.

Your Animal Spirit for November 16th is Woodpecker

Your Animal Spirit for Today
November 16, 2013

Woodpecker

Wake up! Woodpecker is tired of trying to get your attention, and will peck and peck and peck until you hear the message. You have received the answer to a major question time and again, but refuse to act on it. It’s okay to ignore a solution—but be forewarned that woodpecker will keep making racket until you make some movement forward!

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Nov. 16th is The Hand

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Today

The Hand

Although the exact meaning may vary, The Hand is a symbol of some form of personal power in many cultures and religions. The presence of The Hand is an indication that your personal powers are at or near their zenith. The Hand suggest a time when you should leave your mark on the world.

As a daily card, The Hand suggest that now is a time for you to leave your mark on the world. Your unique strengths are heightened to a point where you can not only expect to make substantial progress towards your goals, but enjoy recognition for your efforts as well.

Today’s Tarot Card for November 16th is The World

The World

Saturday, Nov 16th, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What has traditionally been known as the World card points to the presiding intelligence, called “Sophia,” or Wisdom, which upholds life on this and all worlds. A more precise title for this card might be “the Soul of the World,” also applicable as a symbol of personal empowerment and freedom. In most Tarot decks it is a female figure that has become our standard World image. She originates in Hebrew, Gnostic and Alchemical lore, and stands between heaven and earth as the Cosmic Mother of Souls, the Wife of God and our protector from the karmic forces we have set loose upon the Earth in our immaturity and ignorance.

Where the Empress energy secures and fertilizes our terrestrial lives, the goddess of The World invites us into cosmic citizenship — once we come to realize our soul’s potential for it. Just as the Chariot stands for success in achieving a separate Self, and Temperance represents achievement of mental and moral health, the World card announces the awakening of the soul’s Immortal Being, accomplished without the necessity of dying.

This card, like the Sun, is reputed to have no negative meaning no matter where or how it appears. If the Hermetic axiom is “Know Thyself”, this image represents what becomes known when the true nature of Self is followed to creative freedom and its ultimate realization.

Your Daily Horoscopes for Saturday, Nov. 16th

There’s an unsettling electric buzz in the air that might not let us feel completely at ease today. We may be swept up in a whirlwind of activity that demands our attention or increases our concern as the Sun anxiously aspects unruly Uranus and powerful Pluto. But beneath the obvious stresses of the day, the calm Taurus Moon empowers us with a sense of inner stability. No matter what we face, staying grounded is our saving grace.

Aries Horoscope

(Mar 21 – Apr 19)

You’ve had your share of excitement recently, so you might pass on an unexpected invitation. You have important issues to handle now and it feels as if your window of opportunity is beginning to close. Thankfully, you are able to do whatever is necessary, even if you have been procrastinating up to this point. Don’t worry if you must miss an exciting social gathering today because you’ll still have plenty of time to get together with your friends in the weeks ahead. Work now, play later.

Taurus Horoscope

(Apr 20 – May 20)

If you have been keeping busy by doing favors for everyone else, it’s your turn to take care of yourself now. Thankfully, the sensitive Moon’s visit to pragmatic Taurus helps to focus your feelings and stabilize your world within the context of larger emotional currents. Don’t waste your energy today pursuing grandiose ideas; instead, concentrate on practical business. Connecting with your heart actually enables you keep your feet on the ground.

Gemini Horoscope

(May 21 – Jun 20)

You may want to withdraw from social interactions and to spend more time by yourself now that the Moon is moving through your 12th House of Privacy. But don’t worry if people get on your case because you’re missing out on the fun. There’s no reason to waste energy defending your current behavior. Even with a sensible explanation, they won’t likely understand why you need to recharge your emotional batteries before engaging in another round of activity. Simply do what’s best for you.

Cancer Horoscope

(Jun 21 – Jul 22)

You’re willing to face any fears that get in your way of finding the pleasure you seek today. Fortunately, the nurturing Moon’s visit to sensual Taurus probably feels quite reassuring to you emotional Crabs, enabling you to take a social risk and reveal your desires. However, you don’t want others to assume that your current vulnerability is a sign of weakness. Nevertheless, the possible rewards are great if you have courage to lower your boundaries and open your heart.

Leo Horoscope

(Jul 23 – Aug 22)

You intuitively know exactly what you need to do today, and you can be quite determined in the execution of your duties. You are extremely busy with the Moon traveling through your 10th House of Social Responsibility now. However, caution is advised because you could be so stubborn that your agenda actually stands in the way of your progress. Modify your strategy as you go along; being more flexible enables you to keep moving in the direction of success.

Virgo Horoscope

(Aug 23 – Sep 22)

Your head may be filled with fantastic ideas today, but many of them might not relevant. At least it’s possible to filter out the most superfluous thoughts and concentrate on those that can have real impact. Meanwhile, the Moon’s passage through earthy Taurus is a pleasant reminder of your own attachments to the practical side of life. Nevertheless, don’t get lazy today or you could miss a significant opportunity. Pick one and take your best shot.

Libra Horoscope

(Sep 23 – Oct 22)

You want to make deep and lasting personal connections now that the Moon is occupying your 8th House of Intimacy. But magic typically doesn’t happen overnight; you need to aim high and do the psychological and spiritual work that is required first. Avoid being distracted by superficial interactions. You can benefit the most by holding out for something real. Just remember that true love begins with loving yourself.

Scorpio Horoscope

(Oct 23 – Nov 21)

Others are likely to make you feel a bit out of sorts now, especially if they aren’t moving as fast as you want. Unfortunately, nothing you try seems to speed them along. Meanwhile, you aren’t interested in wasting time and dislike the idea of having to wait for anyone else. Take a deep breath and practice being patient. What seems like a good idea today should be much easier to manifest tomorrow.

Sagittarius Horoscope

(Nov 22 – Dec 21)

Your current strategy to avoid a deep discussion about your feelings might actually help you make it through the day. You realize that if you say what’s on your mind today, your disclosures could stir up powerful emotions that only lead to an unsolvable disagreement. For now, it’s wiser to steer clear of abstract philosophical debates. Focus on the most practical subjects possible to keep the peace.

Capricorn Horoscope

(Dec 22 – Jan 19)

Getting back to basics makes sense because you are building a foundation over the next several weeks. The Moon is moving through dependable Taurus, a fellow earth sign, and her current visit to your 5th House of Spontaneity could bring you the creative boost that you need. The more you simplify your life now, the easier it will be when the pressure for change returns over the days ahead.

Aquarius Horoscope

(Jan 20 – Feb 18)

Your inner resolve is strong today and the Moon’s sweep through your 4th House of Roots enables you to get in touch with the source of your inflexible feelings. However, this transit might also provoke a bit of anxiety, since you’re not necessarily comfortable with such intense emotional encounters. Luckily, you don’t need to initiate any particular action-plan yet. The key is to continue digging into your past to recover memories that can teach you something useful about the present.

Pisces Horoscope

(Feb 19 – Mar 20)

Although the pace of life might seem to be slowing down a bit, a complicated situation may be intensifying, causing you to worry about it growing out of control today. However, nearly everything becomes more manageable as the steadfast Taurus Moon wends her way through your 3rd House of Immediate Environment. Hold on to your most core values and use them to set your course. If you find yourself engaged in a petty conflict now, remember that this, too, will soon pass.