Basic Herbal Ointment

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Basic Herbal Ointment
This is a basic ointment that you can make with any herb you want to use for a magical purpose. Just choose the herb you want by consulting the correspondences and add it as directed. You’ll need 1 ounce of lanolin or cocoa butter and 1/2 oz of beeswax, 3-4 ounces of apricot kernel oil, 1 ounce of strong herb infusion of your choice, and 5 drops of essential oil of your choice. You can match the infusion and essential oil or use different herbs. Melt the lanolin or cocoa butter and the beeswax in the top of a double boiler. When completely melted begin adding the oil, pouring a very stream into the pan while stirring constantly until all the oil is added. Turn off the heat and slowly add the herb infusion stirring constantly until the cream has cooled. Add the essential oil and stir in completely. Spoon or pour the cream into an opaque white jar or clear jar covered with paper. You may add 6-8 drops of tincture of benzoin to the mixture when you add the essential oil as a preservative if desired.

A Little Humor for Your Day – The 13 Commandments

The 13 Commandments

1. Thou shall not turn thy ex into a frog.
2. Thou shall not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for thou are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.
3. Thou shall not laugh at nekked snow sprites.
4. Thou shall not get drunk with thy Goddess’s wine.
5. Thou shall not sacrifice thy little sister.
6. Thou shall not go running around proclaiming thy witchhood if thy are in times of burning.
7. Thou shall not question the word of thy High Priestess – She is God.
8. Thou shall not laugh at being nekked at coven – thou shall be killed.
9. Thou shall not commit to signing anything that declares any single person as thy lord and savior.
10. Thou shall not invoke thy Watchtowers only to say “never mind”.
11. Thou shall not burn enough candles to burn thy house down.
12. Thou shall not have the magickal name “Sir Stinky Fartsalot”.
13. Thou shall not call coven only for laughs.

Astronomy Picture of the Day – Solar Eclipse Analemma

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.

2016 August 22

Tutulemma: Solar Eclipse Analemma
Image Credit & Copyright: Cenk E. Tezel and Tunç Tezel (TWAN)

 

Explanation: If you went outside at exactly the same time every day and took a picture that included the Sun, how would the Sun’s position change? With great planning and effort, such a series of images can be taken. The figure-8 path the Sunfollows over the course of a year is called an analemma. At the Winter Solstice in Earth’s northern hemisphere, the Sun appears at the bottom of the analemma. Analemmas created from different latitudes appear at least slightly different, as well as analemmas created at a different time each day. With even greater planning and effort, the series can include a total eclipse of the Sun as one of the images. Pictured is such a total solar eclipse analemma or Tutulemma – a term coined by the photographers based on the Turkish word for eclipse. The featured composite image sequence was recorded from Turkey starting in 2005. The base image for the sequence is from the total phase of a solar eclipse as viewed from Side, Turkey on 2006 March 29. Venus was also visible during totality, toward the lower right. If you want to create your own USA-based tutulemma ending at next August’s total solar eclipse, now would be good time to start.

Earth Sky News for August 22: Cassiopeia points to Andromeda galaxy

Cassiopeia points to Andromeda galaxy

 

Article published on EarthSky

The Sun in Virgo

 

 

 

 

 

The Sun in Virgo

Your cosmic guide to life with the Sun in Virgo

Perfection will peak when the Sun is in meticulous Virgo from August 22 to September 22, putting an end to the playful days of the Sun in rambunctious Leo.

When the Sun moves into Virgo, it’s time to take life a bit more seriously. Sure, it’s still carefree summertime, but now it’s also time to focus more on our work, our health and how we can make ourselves useful to society.

Virgo is practical and detail-oriented, so this is also a good time to learn new skills, practice perfecting old skills, and for doing any activities that require paying close attention.

Those born from about August 19-25 were born on the >Leo-Virgo cusp, and those born from about Sept. 19-25 were born on the Virgo-Libra cusp. Being born on the cusp simply means that you were born during the transition time between two zodiac signs, so you retain some qualities from each sign.

All that said, it’s also important to remember that you can have at least a little bit of fun while the Sun is in Virgo. You can work hard and strive for perfection, but take a break once in a while and remember not to judge yourself or others too harshly. Nobody is perfect!

Here’s how to make the most of that Virgo lifestyle:

What to do: Get your work done — perfectly. Then go for a run, get a massage and wind down with a good book and a glass of wine. Virgo is an Earth sign that values sensation and the best things in life, so make sure it’s a deep tissue massage and a very fine glass of wine.

What to say: “Let me double-check that.” Virgo doesn’t let anything go — a quality that is both invaluable and annoying. It’s great to have an eye for the smallest details, especially if you’re an editor or a mathematician. But if you’re double-checking someone else’s work, take it easy on them if you find fault — which you will, because the Sun’s in Virgo!

Where to go: Camping! Earthy Virgo finds comfort and security when surrounded by nature and wildlife, so get out to the country while the Sun’s in Virgo. Such a serene setting will also calm Virgo’s overly anxious tendencies and help you loosen up and relax.

What to wear: A cashmere cardigan and a comfy pair of shoes. Practical Virgo is most at home in luxurious yet comfortable clothing, in earthy tones of beige and tan. Virgo can be fussy sign, so it’s best to keep it clean, cozy and simple when it comes to getting dressed in Virgo season.

What to buy: A vacuum cleaner! Forget “spring cleaning” — we prefer “summer cleaning” when the Sun is in Virgo. For that matter, you might also want to pick up a broom, a mop and a new feather duster, because now is the perfect time to use that meticulous Virgo energy to get your home perfectly spotless.

What to watch out for: Being too critical and judgmental. Virgo can sometimes be too fussy, turning “perfect” into downright picky, which can be annoying and frustrating for others. Strive to loosen up a little and let a few things go — after all, not everything needs to be perfect.

What to look forward to: Getting back on track. Sun in Virgo is an organized and practical period in which to get back to business after a few playful months. It may not be all fun and games, but you will feel fantastic about how much you’ve accomplished by the time the Sun moves on into Libra on Sept. 22.

 

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