Category: All Regular Daily Posts

Spell Caster’s Affirmation

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Spell Caster’s Affirmation

There is one Presence and Power in the Universe
That manifests to me as Goddess and as God
It guides the stars and the planets
It guides me and moves through my life
For I am a perfect incarnation of God /dess
And a perfect priest/ess of God/dess
I am a complete manifestation of this power
I release all imbalanced energy and it’s effects
I harness harmonious energy
And shape it for the good of all
In accordance with free will
With ease and with joy
With love and kindness
So mote it be

Is Fall Sapping Your Energy? 5 Tips to “Fall” Back On

Is Fall Sapping Your Energy? 5 Tips to “Fall” Back On

By Debbie Mandel, Intent.com

The winds of seasonal change are blowing. There is plenty of orange going around from falling leaves out here in the East to carved pumpkins and mums on  doorsteps. In color therapy, orange is the hue of cheerfulness. Therefore I expect to be greeted with sunny dispositions; instead I hear a few mumbled words  and observe allergic eyes, sluggish gaits and stuffy noses.

Fall compels you to take stock of your home, garden, school curriculum and work. You note what is depleted and what areas require innovation. While change  is stimulating, it can be stressful because for awhile you live in ambiguity to see if things will work out. Instead of rigorously following the tracks you  have carefully mapped out, try not to lose track of living in the moment. Nature is a great teacher. Let nature take you on a walk to be present-alive and  alert-to what is meaningful in life.

To power up:

* Fall back on the things that bring you simple pleasures like laughter, massage, well-prepared hearty food, music, art, good  friends-including people and pets.

* Don’t fall down, fall up! Become a work in progress. And if others ask you questions that make you feel small and unimportant, tell  them that you are still under construction.

* Rake the leaves, fall on the pile and show your true colors. Even if you have been hurt in the past, the more you open your heart  and�reveal your inner child, the lighter and happier you will feel.

* Build an identity totem pole on your desk. What small objects fortify your spirit? On my desk I have a photo of a bee on a rose, a  smooth river rock and an aloe plant- it could be horizontal.

* Find physical exercises which energize your mind. If you have to develop a difficult project at work, walk uphill to mirror your climb  to the summit. If you cannot release a sad situation, then play catch with a friend using a basketball or-for greater intensity-a weighted medicine ball.  Imagine when you throw the ball off your chest, you let go of the negativity. When you catch the ball, you catch the abundance of life.

Regarding those fall allergies, keep yourself in balance to minimize the little stressors that cause that tipping point. If you don’t feel better,  consult your doctor for medication.

Meditation Technique to Clean and Heal the Eyes

Meditation Technique to Clean and Heal the Eyes

By Natalya Podgorny, Yoga+

If you’ve ever been transfixed by a candle flame and felt your mind clear, you may have been tapping into a yogic focusing practice called trataka.    The Hatha Yoga Pradipika defines trataka as “looking intently with an unwavering gaze at a small point until tears are shed.” This simple    technique has a purifying, invigorating effect on the mind and improves concentration, paving the way for a deeper meditation practice. Because it is one    of the shat kriyas, or six cleansing actions, trataka also cleans and heals the eyes.

Though many objects can be used to focus your gaze during trataka, the most common is the flame of a candle. Assume a comfortable meditative posture    with your head, neck, and trunk aligned. Set a candle two feet in front of you, with the flame positioned at eye level. Make sure the room is dark and    draft-free.

STEADY YOUR GAZE

Begin with your eyes closed, surveying the body and watching the breath until it becomes calm, regular, and even. Then open your eyes and rest your gaze    on the middle part of the flame, right above the tip of the wick. Keep your eyelids slightly more open than usual, and maintain your gaze without blinking    or blurring your vision for as long as possible. Observe any thoughts that arise, watching them come and go without becoming engaged.

Close your eyes only when they begin to strain and water, and you can no longer sustain the gaze. (You can cup your palms and place them gently over the    eyes to ease the strain, but do not rub the eyes; because the tears you have shed are carrying away impurities, wipe them gently with a tissue.) Then find    the afterimage of the flame in your mind’s eye, resting your awareness at the ajna chakra, or eyebrow center. If the image moves up and down or side to    side, stabilize it by bringing it back to the center, and continue to fix your gaze until the impression disappears. To delve deeper into the mind, you can    follow this practice with meditation.

HEALTHY GLOW

According to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Trataka eradicates all eye diseases, fatigue, and sloth, and closes the doorway creating these problems.    In addition to improving concentration and memory, trataka cleanses both the eyes and the cerebral cortex, balances the nervous system, and relieves    depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Another yogic text, the Gheranda Samhita, states that the practice cultivates clairvoyance and inner    vision.

Because sight, mental discrimination, and the fire at the manipura chakra are intricately interwoven, trataka also nourishes the subtle flame at the    navel center, promoting vitality and inner health. In its more advanced form, as the Himalayan master Swami Rama said, “The practice of trataka    eventually merges into surya sadhana, meditation on the solar energy.”

STARING AT THE SUN

Under the guidance of a teacher, you can learn how to use a variety of auspicious objects or symbols as the focus of your gaze during trataka, such as a    yantra (a symbolic geometric representation of aspects of Divinity), the symbol Om, the form of a deity, lightning, the moon, your own shadow, or the    glowing orange orb of the rising or setting sun. So steady your gaze, and follow the light all the way to your inner self.

Natalya Podgorny is the editor of Yoga + Joyful Living

The Heart of Unconditional Love

The Heart of Unconditional Love

From the laughter of children at play to the golden rays of the sun
beaming through the sky at sunset, the eternal song of love permeates
all creation. Each beat of our heart pulses to this rhythm in a majestic
and graceful dance connecting us to everyone and everything. Life is
magnificent when we quiet our outer selves and become fully present and
aware of our own loving essence.

To know this grander love is to go beyond the sensation of a first kiss
or a mother’s tender touch in time of need. Although these
extraordinary expressions reveal the existence of love, there is so much
more. This universal love is unconditional and its very presence ignites
our passion and our compassion. It breathes life into our being and
sustains us. It encourages and illuminates the infinite possibilities
while simultaneously providing all that we require to be alive.

It is our heart center that gently nudges us to know and express love in
all that we are. However this does not always come easily. Through eons
of time, the conditioning by our mind to seek logic and reasoning in our
daily affairs has left little trust in the wisdom of the heart. Learning
to once again cultivate our intuition, be intimate with our own unique
understanding of love, and to feel this love deeply, takes both courage
and strength.

Unconditional love is our consistent source of nurturing, inspiration
and potential. Interestingly, we often seek the beauty of nature for its
extraordinary ability to be in constant change while ever expressing its
interconnected uniqueness. This is what captivates and also reminds us
of our own innate capacity to do the same. Nature has the ability to
cycle, recycle, adapt, reclaim and reinvent itself over and over by
simply fulfilling its distinctive purpose with love for all.

When we allow unconditional love to be our personal guiding intention,
our energy flows in the same manner. We stay present in the moment and
share our love without reservation or hesitation. We change, evolve,
expand and express our creativity in new ways ensuring that it benefits
the whole. In this way, life itself evolves through each of us.

You are the heart of unconditional love. What you choose, we all
experience.

 

Chakra Pleasure Attunement

Chakra Pleasure Attunement

 

This attunement is for experiencing pleasure in each of your chakras. Your chakras are energy centers that correspond with your body, emotions, mind and spirit. By experiencing pleasure in your chakras, you bring more pleasure to your life. However, while the primary focus of this attunement is for enjoyment, the opening of your physical, emotional and mental bodies to pleasure often has a clearing, healing and awakening effect.

This Chakra Pleasure Attunement will work with any and all of your major and minor chakras. I recommend starting with your major chakras and working with all of them in one session beginning with the root/base chakra and working your way up. Then if you wish to work with any of your minor chakras you can do that as part of the same or a separate session. If you need a list of major and minor chakras you will find many internet sites, books and other reference material containing that information.

The purpose of my attunements is to help you tune in and become more in-tune with yourself. When you attune using this attunement, you are becoming more aware of the pleasure in each of your chakras. This is not intended as a healing modality, but rather as self exploration, empowerment and life enrichment. I offer no course materials or certificates, only a way to journey into yourself and bring more of yourself into your everyday life.

Although it is common to attribute the attunement to someone or something outside of yourself, what I offer through my attunements is an understanding that everything you wish to attune yourself to is already present inside of you. When you follow the written instructions in this attunement, I am working with you to help you tune into and experience your pleasure as it already exists inside of you. I am not adding anything to you, I am simply helping you to focus your awareness. However, if while working with any or all of your chakras, you would like to add my pleasure energy to yours, all you have to do is intend to experience it and it will be present.

To Attune: relax and close your eyes. Starting with your root chakra, intend to experience the pleasure that is there. Then just go with the experience. When the sensation subsides or moves to the next chakra, it is time to intend to experience the pleasure that is there. All you need to experience this attunement is intent. These written words are merely information and instructions. When you intend to attune, your intent is assisted by mine and the attunement takes place. Nothing more is needed so please do not ask me to send you the attunement, everything you need is inside of you and supported by the words on this page you are currently reading

This attunement will work one time for each chakra. After that my assistance in attuning, and the addition of my pleasure energy will no longer be available. However, you will still be able to tune in on your own because tuning in is a natural process that you do all the time. This attunement helps strengthen your intention and the results, but even more importantly it teaches you that you are an empowered being, capable of tuning into anything you desire.

Reclaiming: The Etiquette of Witchcraft

Reclaiming: The Etiquette of Witchcraft

The Etiquette of Witchcraft

This article by M. Macha NightMare appeared in the Summer issue of the
Reclaiming Newsletter.

The Etiquette of Witchcraft, Reclaiming Style

The greater community of Witchcraft- throughout the U.S. and abroad- has a few
rules of etiquette of which to be cognizant. I am well aware that ours is not
a religion of “rules” (especially in the ecstasy-based Reclaiming Tradition),
but in order for us to be free of inhibitions, to feel we are in “safe space,” to get the most out of what we are doing and to protect those whose identity as
Witches were it revealed, would compromise them in their mundane lives, it is
imperative that everyone know and agree to abide by the following general
policies:

1. First and foremost, a magickal circle is not for observers; it is
participatory and experiential. A circle is a religious rite and all
participants should conduct themselves in a manner respectful to the Goddess.
If one is not prepared to focus and contribute his/her attention and efforts to
the ceremony, one does not belong in the circle. If one does not wish to
participate, s/he should excuse her/himself before the pre-rite meditation and
grounding begins.

2. The taking of photographs is inappropriate and impermissible. As noted in
item 1 above, the ritual, and memories of it, are to be carried in one’s heart;
they are not a proper subject for objective observation and documentation. The
exception to this is when all participants have been asked before the ritual
has begun, and all agree; or when the ritual is “staged” specifically for the
taking of photographs, filming or videotaping. Photographing rituals requires
special tact and sensitivity.

3. Craft groups and circles are not inviolably solemn, but they are serious in
central purpose. Inappropriate talking, joking, laughing, etc. are not only
rude and disrespectful of the Goddess, the Mighty Ones, the priest/esses of the
ritual and other celebrants, but also they interfere with concentration and
continuity of the ceremony. She commands us to have mirth and reverence; humor
and laughter are gifts of the Goddess. Our attitude, conduct and energy should
reflect both the joyousness and the solemnity of this our celebratory religion.
There will be a period within the ritual for the sharing of food, drink and
good wishes, and time for conversation and merrymaking.

4. Since traditional lore teaches that consecrated object easily absorbs
energy (becomes “charged”), tools, such as wand, chalice, athame, jewelry, drum
and other ritual regalia, should not be touched by someone other than the owner
without the owner’s express permission.

5. Once the circle is cast, all celebrants should consider themselves in it
for the duration. It is preferable for one to take care of personal needs
before the ritual is begun, but if one finds it necessary to use the toilet,
feels faint or whatever, one can either ask for assistance or “cut a door” in
the circle and leave, carefully closing and sealing it afterwards. The circle
is intended to contain the energy and focus, and when it is casually entered
and exited, that energy can become dissipated or lost and focus shattered.

6. Anyone who is drunk, stoned or otherwise inebriated does not belong in
circle. In addition, the use of drugs or alcohol (this includes the smoking of
cigarettes) in circle is unacceptable behavior; it can show disrespect and it
puts the user(s) on another wavelength than the nonuser(s). The exception to
this is when the use of chemicals is sacramental and understood and accepted by
everyone in the circle.

7. People who invite others to rituals are responsible for preparing the
guest(s) as to what is expected of them, how to behave, etc. Guests cannot be
expected to know what’s going on all on their own, especially if it’s their
first Craft ritual, but much can be done by the person who invites them to make
them feel more comfortable and included by giving them some information ahead
of time about how things work and how people are expected to behave.

8. What occurs in circle is sacred and not to be talked about with those who
were not part of the circle. This mainly applies to small, private rituals,
and we in Reclaiming are more casual about rehashing big public ones, but if
one is invited to a ritual presented by another Craft tradition, this rule is
inviolate.

The above guidelines are freely adapted from archival material graciously
provided by Valerie Voigt.

Many thanks for reading and observing these few, simple, common-sense, but
essential, guidelines.

The Witch

The Witch

Women have strange powers men do not: the power to bear children and feed them from their own bodies, to bleed without being hurt or sick, and to provoke
erections in heterosexual men. Perhaps these strange beings have even more
remarkable powers.

Or perhaps when the image of a Goddess dwindles until all that remains is the
memory of Her uncanny powers, She becomes a Witch.

Witches have been credited with such magical feats as blasting crops, cursing
people to sickness, lameness or death and causing men to become impotent or
even stealing their penises.

The Renaissance Christian myth of the witch is complex and grotesque. Most
witches were women, the Malleus Maleficarum stated, because “All witchcraft
arises from lust, which in women is insatiable.” Their lust was supposedly for
the Devil, who initiated the witch at the Sabbat and copulated with her often,
according to the accounts of the churchmen.

These witches gathered at mass meetings called Sabbats, to which they flew via
brooms or animal companions. There, the Devil appeared, usually in the form of
a black goat. They kissed his buttocks in greeting. Then they informed him of
all the harmful spells they had done since the last Sabbat. Wild dancing and often sex with gathered demons followed, along with a feast often consisting of
the corpses of babies.

There is no evidence that a real conspiracy of witches who worshipped the Devil
ever existed. But many European clergymen devoutly believed in it during the
great Witch Hunt. Estimates as to how many people, mostly women, were burned or hanged for witchcraft range from a few thousand to nine million.

But the witches of pagan stories had no need for a male Devil. Long before the
great Witch-Hunt, European women were accused of believing that they travelled with the goddess Diana or Signa Oriente or Herodias at night, entering people’s homes and being given food. Roman witches were thought to worship Hecate.

Morgan Le Fay tormented King Arthur and his knights. Circe turned the men who invaded her island into pigs. The volva told Odin how the Aesir gods would
fall. The witches in The Golden Ass can command even the Greek gods with their
spells.

The myths have led to a real Witchcraft religion springing up — one that worships Goddesses, not the Christian’s Devil.

Many other cultures have known the fear of the witch, which may date back to
the Stone Age. Some Native American tribes feared witches, such as the Iroquois
and Navajo (Dina). Certain African tribes believe in female witches who ride
trained hyenas to meetings and cast evil spells.

The urban legends of child-molesting Satanist conspiracies that spring up even
today show how enduring the myth of the witch is. As in Renaissance times, most of the accused are women.

Above: “The Witches’ Sabbat”, by Francis Goya. Below: From a collage.

Further Reading

* Europe’s Inner Demons: The Making of the Great European Witch Hunt. Norman
Cohn.

* Witchcraft and the Gay Counterculture. Arthur Evans. Fag Rag Press, 1971.

A Little Humor for Your Day – ‘Jail vs. Work’

Jail Vs. Work

IN PRISON…you spend the majority of your time in an 8X10 cell.
AT WORK … you spend the majority of your time in a 6X8 cubicle.

IN PRISON…you get three meals a day.
AT WORK…you only get a break for one meal and you pay for it.

IN PRISON…you get time off for good behavior
AT WORK…you get more work for good behavior

IN PRISON…the guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you.
AT WORK…you must carry around a security card and open all the doors for yourself.

IN PRISON…you can watch TV and play games.
AT WORK…you get fired for watching TV and playing games.

IN PRISON…you get your own toilet.
AT WORK…you have to share with some idiot who pees on the seat.

IN PRISON…they allow your family and friends to visit.
AT WORK…you can’t even speak to your family.

IN PRISON…the taxpayers pay all expenses with no work required.
AT WORK…you get to pay all the expenses to go to work and then they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for prisoners.

IN PRISON…you spend most of your life inside bars wanting to get  out.
AT WORK…you spend most of your time wanting to get out and go inside bars.

IN PRISON…you must deal with sadistic wardens.
AT WORK…they are called managers.

Quiz of the Day – What Kind of Aromatherapy Do You Need?

What Kind of Aromatherapy Do You Need? Quiz

Stressed? Craving peace or a good night’s sleep? This quiz can help you choose the right  scent. There is even an essential oil that can help you avoid overeating!

Take this fun and easy quiz to discover which essential oils you need in your  life right now!

We also include a great, easy formula for a simple cologne base that you can  start making now to customize later for yourself, or as a gift for family or  friends in the season of gift-giving.

1. Do you feel tired a lot?

2. Are you sometimes sad and moody?

3. Do you feel as if you could really use a lift?

4. Do you need to feel more energized?

5. Do you sometimes overeat?

6. Have you been having some pretty big mood swings lately?

7. Do you sometimes wake up in the middle of the night, unable to get back to  sleep?

8. Do you feel anxious?

9. Do you feel stressed and pressured?

10. Are you sleeping poorly?

11. Could your sex life use a little more sparkle?

If you answered yes to questions 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, or 10 try  these anti-depressant oils: Bergamot, Clary sage, jasmine  absolute, lavender, lemon, sweet orange, patchouli, peppermint, rose, rose  geranium, rosemary, rosewood, sandalwood, ylang-ylang.

If you answered yes to number 5, try this oil to avoid  overeating: Grapefruit oil.

If you answered yes to 2 or 6, these oils help to balance mood  swings: Bergamot, Grapefruit, Jasmine absolute, juniper, sweet orange,  rose, rosewood.

If you answered yes to 11, these oils are considered to  be aphrodisiac: Clary sage, jasmine absolute, patchouli, rose,  sandalwood, ylang ylang.

If you answered yes to number 1, 7, or 10, try these oils to aid in  deeper sleep: Clary sage, lavender, rose, rose  geranium, ylang ylang.

If you answered yes to 5, 7, 9, or 10, try these oils to reduce stress  and tension: Grapefruit, lavender, rose, rose geranium, rosewood,  sandalwood, vanilla, ylang ylang.

If you answered yes to 7 or 10, try these oils to reduce  anxiety: Jasmine absolute, lavender, lemon, sandalwood, ylang ylang.

If you answered yes to number 1, 3, or 4, these oils are  considered rejuvenating: Lemon, peppermint.

Feng Shui News for Nov. 4th – ‘Candles & Birthdays’

Today is my son’s eighteenth birthday and I am truly honored to be his mother. Today, I will bless him with protection by using the glow of fire. Feng Shui says that burning a white and rounded candle for the first seven days of a baby’s life, or on any birthday and the six days that follow it, will help to ward off illness, injury and disease. This wisdom says that the fire from this light will burn away energies that might bring serious sickness and that protection from illness would prevail. Parental protection from upset and harm is one of the best gifts I can think of to give my birthday boy. Well, that and some cash.

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com

Your Charm for November 4th is The Serpent

Your Charm for November 4th

The Serpent

Today’s Meaning:     

This aspect will be affected by someone’s illness being shed. Their healing will cause positive changes within this aspect for you.

General Description:  

In primeval days the Serpent deeply appealed to man’s imagination, and owing to its length of life was used as the emblem for wisdom and eternity. It was a household god in ancient Rome, and sacred to their god of medicine. The Romans believed that the Serpent renewed its youth by casting its skin, and it became their symbol for long life and vitality. In India the Serpent symbolizes the infinite duration of time and wisdom. Serpent rings were worn to ensure health, strength, and long life. The rings were also believed to possess great protective and enduring virtues. The Serpent was a mark of royalty in Egypt, and worn as a head dress or UR.AEUS.