Tag: Business

Crystal of the Day for June 30 is Bornite

Crystal of the Day

Bornite

 Bornite is known as Peacock Ore in the gemstone trade, because this stone produces a rainbow of blues, turquoises, gold and greens in its copper red colour. Bornite aids the flow of adrenaline in the body and protects against cerebral haemorrhage and heart attacks. This stone may also be used to lower fevers and diminish swelling. Its healing powers spread out to the female reproductive organs, and protect pregnant women and their unborn children, and it also harmonises menstruation. Bornite protects its wearer against negative energy and can be an incredible help during the re-birthing process. This stone stimulates happiness and communication as well.

Crystal of the Day for June 29th is Blue Celestite Crystal Cluster

Crystal of the Day

 

Blue Celestite Crystal Cluster

Connect with your Guardian Angel!

Celestite (also known as celestine) can be found in clear, white, gray, blue, green, yellow, orange or reddish brown. It offers a gentle uplifting energy that will raise one’s awareness. It is an effective stone to use in order to establish and maintain communication with the angelic realm.

This cluster is ideal for placement in the bedroom, or meditation space as an environmental cleanser. Celestite is a soft stone (both physically and metaphysically) and its vibrations radiate in all directions.

Celestite is an elevating crystal that makes one feel as though floating on a cloud.

Today’s Rune for June 29th is Dagaz/ Breakthrough

Dagaz/ Breakthrough

 

This rune signals a major shift or breakthrough in your life. For some the transition is radical.
The timing is right, the outcome will be positive; even if you can’t oversee it now.
Have absolute trust, that there are forces at work that will bring you with a big push on your way.
The darkness is behind you; the daylight is there, reason to rejoice. But don’t sit back yet.
This is just the first step on the way to further growth and achievement.

Today’s I Ching Hexagram for June 29th is 3:Difficulty at the Beginning

3: Difficulty at the Beginning

Hexagram 3

General Meaning: Difficulty at the beginning. The birth of anything new – including any new venture or relationship — is an entry into the realm of the unknown. Strange new feelings can seem to be rushing upon you, and confusion can easily take over. But even chaos is full of potential if you harness it properly. Don’t rush things. Do not let events overwhelm you. Stay calm and persevering, but do take the first step. And get whatever help you can.

Challenges lie ahead. Now is a time to gather your strength and find courage. Like a newborn fawn, the opportunity for rapid development is real, but only by being determined can the fawn rise to its feet and survive to grow to full stature. Keep going despite difficulties and you will manifest the success you desire. One primary challenge is maintaining personal clarity. Avoid lunging at seemingly perfect solutions; wait until a good practical course of action becomes clear. Do not start a new venture before thinking it through. A careless step in the beginning can easily cause events to spin out of control later. Enlist the aid of experienced people.

Lady A’s Spell for June 27: Candle Spell Against Psychic Attack

CANDLE SPELL AGAINST PSYCHIC ATTACK

–white candle red candle black candle
Imagine a blue ball of energy inside the candles. Caress the candles as you chant:
Goddess of Three, I call upon thee,
To protect from those who wish to harm me
Keep them from using the gift from thee
Keep them from using thy gift to harm me
When you finish chanting, imagine the blue ball exploding into lines of blue.
Imagine the lines surrounding you and wrapping you in warm blue energy.
See the blue light as a shield. Know that it is unbreakable.
Think about how it is the Goddess’ Light protecting you.
Then put the candles someplace where they can burn undisturbed and let them burn themselves
out, sending all the energy into your shield. This spell is best performed during the full moon.
For longer effects you can make it a seven-day spell.

Incense of the Day for June 27 is Earth Incense

EARTH INCENSE

Earth is usually associated with the direction of north. This element is feminine in nature, and its attributes include stability, fertility, prosperity, grounding, money, planting, home life, the Mother Earth herself, and many types of healing. For the basic earth incense combine the following:

3 parts patchouli
 2 parts pine
1 part bistort
1 part Vervain

Other earth-related herbs and plants include barley, cedar, corn silk, juniper, magnolia, oak bark, soybeans and wheat.

Today’s Rune for Sunday, June 26 is Sowelu/ Wholeness

Sowelu/ Wholeness

ganzheit.jpg (3848 Byte)

This rune gives you an impulse towards self-realization. Get to the core of your individuality and live it.
Your inner voice might tell you now to withdraw, not to serve others, which is your nature.
Do so. Listen to your clear inner voice; it will guide you to your center, to balance.
There will be abundant energy, which you can carry back into the world but don’t do it in excess.
Your strength is a gift, you are not the source of it, so take good care of it and don’t loose sight of that fact.
Nourish your newfound insight and be grateful.

Unblocking Blast

  1. Place  an incense burner filled with frankincense under a straight back chair. Light it.

  2. Sit on the chair, ideally in the nude.

  3. Wrap a plain white sheet around yourself, just under your chin. The chair will be covered up as will you, except for your head. Be vigilant for fire safety.

  4. Sit for between five and fifteen minutes, focusing on the smoke driving your bad luck away.

Yemaya’s Unblocking Spell (2)

If you can’t swim or are afraid of water, you may still petition Yemaya.

  1. Sit down in the sand at the waterline.

  2. As the waves come in, greet them with your hands, gather up the water from the waves, and toss some over your head, some over your body.

  3. Throw seven white roses to Yemaya.

  4. Come out of the water without turning your back to the ocean. Let the candles burn out.

Today’s I Ching Hexagram for Saturday, June 25

28: Excessive Pressure

Hexagram 28
 
General Meaning: Something is out of balance. This hexagram points to some pressure that is threatening stability and needs correcting. But if a dam is about to burst, moving out of the way is the first priority.

When a person in a sagging mine shaft feels the earth begin to tremble, it is time for quick, instinctive action and nimble footwork. At a time like this, only extraordinary measures will work. When the roof is collapsing, run first, choose your destination later.

Extraordinary times bring out the best and worst in people. Natural disasters bring with them stories of great heroism — but also looting and rioting. When the pressure is on, powerful moments present opportunities to make positive gains. Everything is in a state of flux. One can either move towards positive change and improvement or towards stagnation.

This may be the moment you’ve been waiting for. Although a current challenge may seem to be more than you can handle, remember that a flood reaches its high-water mark for only a few brief moments, and then begins to subside. Action must be taken now to ensure opportunities for success later on. You will never discover the true extent of your own abilities until you, at least once in your life, dive into a crisis with complete abandon, dedicating every ounce of your energy, every fiber of your being, to the cause at hand.

Dare to win.

Your Rune For June 23 is Laguz/Flow

Laguz/Flow

You wish for unity and fusion, consolation and satisfaction of all your emotional needs.
This is a time of cleansing and reorientation, a time of contacting your intuitive wisdom, where you find all the answers.
Immerse yourself in that inner knowledge, for you will find there, whatever it is you need.

Today’s I Ching Hexagram for June 23 is 32: Endurance

32: Endurance

Hexagram 32
 
General Meaning: Endurance is fostered when inner constancy is coupled with external flexibility. Long-distance runners must adapt readily to changing conditions, while maintaining an inner determination and strength of purpose. Two trees growing near each other adapt to enhance each other’s survival. A strong image of durability is a stable marriage of intimate partners striking a dynamic balance between involvement in the outside world and nourishment in the home.

True endurance is not based on rigidity, for endurance implies movement, not immobilization. Only by adapting to change can we stay in the race; but only by deepening our sense of purpose can we develop the fortitude to win it.

Continuity is achieved through movement, not by keeping still. That which has ceased to grow is close to death. Stay active, but allow yourself time to stay in touch with your innermost thoughts and feelings.

Cleansing Crystals with Sunlight and Moonlight

The easiest of the cleansing techniques involves using your  stone in a windowsill where the direct sunlight or moonlight will hit it. The number of days or nights you’ll have it will depend on how much negative energy has collected in the stone. Set the stone on a mirror to enhance the effect. Be careful not to handle that mirror so that is flashed the reflection of the light into the eyes, as it can damage eyesight,. Make sure that the reflection doesn’t focus on a flammable surface for an extended time, either.

Cleansing Crystals with Running Water

If you’re fortunate enough to live near a stream, tie your stone in a pieces of cheesecloth or old pantyhose and with a piece of string fasten it to a branch or stone on the bank. Let the fabric wrapped stone rest in the water for at least twenty-four house. If you’re in an urban environment, you can set the stone in a strainer or colander and put it in your sink. Turn the cold water tap on and leave it three for a while. However, this method wastes a lot of water, so I don’t use it. Instead, I pour bottled spring water in a dish, and set the stones in it. Water absorbs energy whether it’s running or not, the movement simply add more energy to the process and gets it done faster.

Water is an excellent purifier. If you add a pinch of salt to it, it becomes even more powerful. Again, however, if there’s any metal attached to the stone, skip the salt and use pure water. Don’t subscribe earth for that pinch of salt in the technique, or you’ll end up having to rinse off the stone under the tap anyway.

Today’s I Ching Hexagram for June 22 is 57:Gentle Penetration

57: Gentle Penetration

Hexagram 57

General Meaning: The general situation here points to subtle penetration. Reeds bend softly in the wind, symbolizing flexibility and endurance, symbolizing quiet, relaxed effectiveness in action. A gentle influence is at work, but just as the wind is ceaseless in its efforts, so too small forces can persist to produce lasting results.

Gentle penetration bodes well for new relationships of all kinds. Just as a summer breeze slowly penetrates the woods to cool the forest, the brilliant ideas of gifted leaders or the sincere feelings of warm-hearted lovers slowly penetrate the minds and hearts of others. In personal relationships, a gentle beginning is often linked to a long-lasting union.

When employing a force that is weak but persistent, careful aim is necessary, for only when a small force continually moves in the same direction can it have much effect. In human affairs, this kind of influence comes more through strength of character than by direct confrontation or seduction. It’s important to have, and stick to, clearly defined goals. Maintaining a strong vision and following a steady course of least resistance often brings good fortune.

Today’s Tarot Card for June 21 is Justice

Justice

This Tarot Deck: Morgan-Greer

General Meaning: Traditionally, what has been known as the Justice card has to do with moral sensitivity and that which gives rise to empathy, compassion and a sense of fairness. Since the time of Solomon, this image has represented a standard for the humane and fair-minded treatment of other beings.

Often including the image of a fulcrum which helps to balance competing needs against the greater good, and a two-edged sword to symbolize the precision needed to make clear judgments, this card reminds us to be careful to attend to important details. It’s a mistake to overlook or minimize anything where this card is concerned. The law of Karma is represented here — what goes around comes around.

Heating Up Litha With a Bonfire

Heating Up Litha With a Bonfire

article

by C. Cheek

Is there anyone who doesn’t associate bonfires with pagan festivities? Fire is the element of Midsummer, when the Sun King is at his highest. Sweet herbs laid upon coals purify the air, and the smoke from burned prayers or offerings rises to the heavens. Some revelers dance around the fire to infuse the night with life and laughter and lust, others gaze into the flickering light to see what the future holds. What could be wilder, more carnal, more appropriate to the Dionysian festival of Litha than a huge, roaring bonfire? All you need is a little planning and forethought, and you too can set the night aflame.

Location

Most people want to host Midsummer on their own property or in a public park. Keep in mind that not all parks allow fires. In Seattle, for example, only Alki Beach and Golden Gardens allow fires at all. If you’re in a national forest or state park, fires are generally allowed except on no-burn days. You can call the park warden to find out the conditions in advance.

If you’re having a celebration on your own property, you’ll be restricted by your city’s backyard burning rules. Most cities allow small fires, as long as you’re not burning garbage. Call the fire department to find out if a burn ban is in effect, or check your city fire department’s Web site.

Safety

The safest place to have a fire is in a permanent brick or stone fireplace. Second safest is in a covered fire barrel with mesh sides, over a concrete or other non-flammable surface. You have to admit that this doesn’t have the allure of a fire built in a more primitive setting, but safety is still important. You don’t want to chance having the wind or a careless guest spreading the fire. If you have the fire pit on the ground, remove any grass underneath, and replace peat or bark mulch with sand or stones. Make sure there are no trees, bushes, buildings, picnic tables or other flammable objects near your pit.

No matter where you put your fire, you’ll need something ready to put it out. A fire extinguisher is good for emergencies, but you won’t want to use a fire extinguisher every time. Not only are they expensive to purchase and recharge, but some of them contain toxic chemicals. For a campfire, water is best. A single gallon isn’t enough. Have a hose or several large buckets of water ready. It may seem like a good idea to put sand or earth on a fire instead, but earth or sand can bank the coals, keeping them dormant until the wind stokes them up again. Every year, people who fail to completely extinguish their campfires start forest fires. Don’t be one of those people. If you leave a fire unattended, your karma will get so bad, you’ll be audited yearly for life.

Fuel

Bonfires are communal events, so your best bet is to make everyone bring a little bit of wood — like a flammable potluck. That way everyone has contributed to the event, and the burden of gathering or buying wood isn’t all on the host.

Many people like to use Duralogs, firewood made from compressed paper. These are good because they burn cleanly and are made from recycled materials. Duralogs can help you start the flames, but cost about a dollar an hour per log to burn. They also aren’t structurally sound once they start burning, and you won’t be able to stack them very high.

Cordwood is a good choice, because most wood sold for fires has been well dried and comes from ecologically sustainable forests. Places that sell camping goods often sell small bags of firewood, but you’re paying for the convenience. Like many things, wood is cheaper in bulk. Depending on the type of wood you get and where you live, it will cost $100 – $200 per cord. (A cord is a stack of wood that measures 4′ x 4′ x 8′) Check the classifieds, or visit www.firewoodcenter.com for a list of dealers near you. The disadvantage of buying cordwood is that you usually have to buy at least half a cord, and you may need to pay delivery fees as well.

Another option is to use gathered branches. If you are having a fire in a national or state park, you are not allowed to gather wood for fires. If you are on private land, you can do it as long as you respect the wishes of the owner. Don’t cut down living trees. Not only is it bad karma, the wood will remain green and wet for far too long. Gather only dead branches. Dead wood is free and removing it helps the tree grow better. You’ll know it’s dead when it snaps off sharply. If it bends, it’s still too green.

If you’re on the beach or near a river you can gather driftwood. It burns much hotter than normal cordwood, and is generally free of rot and insects. Driftwood from a river will gather on the banks, especially on a curve, after floods. Don’t count on finding all the wood you need at one time or in one place. Plan ahead, and pick up a little at a time. It will add up.

If you are willing to invest the time you can get free wood in your city. It’s too late for this Midsummer’s bonfire, but next autumn, walk around your neighborhood, especially on days when trash collectors pick up yard waste. With a saw or a pair of loppers cut pruned branches into manageable sized pieces (one to two feet) and store them in a dry location, such as a garage or carport. In a few months, your yard waste will be burnable timber. The advantage of gathering the wood yourself is that it’s free, you can get to know your neighbors better and you can choose woods that have magical or emotional importance. Also, since you put more foresight and work into your fuel, the fire will have more meaning. Meeting the tree, cutting the lumber, and anticipating your fire for months and months is very different from picking up a couple of Duralogs at Circle K on the way to the park.

Don’t burn broken furniture, cardboard boxes, or other trash. Most city laws prohibit burning garbage, and with good reason. Plastic, varnished wood and even some papers release harmful gasses when burned. If you have mementos or items of spellwork that you want to burn for ceremonial reasons, either make sure they’re clean and free of chemicals, or use only a tiny portion.

Firebuilding

A fire needs fuel and air. Place the fuel in such a way so that the air can get to the flames without extinguishing them. If you have patience, you can start with just kindling. Light a match under grass and slowly add small twigs. When you’ve got a decent flame, but before the fuel turns to ash, add larger thumb-thick sticks to the pile. When those sticks have lit, you can gently teepee or stack the larger logs on top. That’s how experienced campers do it. The rest of us use an entire box of matches, curse at everyone nearby and blame the damp earth and the wind for our failure.

If you’re one of those, try the cheater’s way. Clean and prepare your fire pit, whether metal or a hole in the earth, and pour in a pile of charcoal briquettes. Douse them with lighter fluid and toss a match on top. When the coals have been burning for a while and glow red, stack logs on top and fan the coals till the wood catches. If you do this well before your guests arrive, you can tell everyone you started the fire by rubbing sticks together. Hide the briquette bag and they’ll never know.

Once you’ve got your fire going, what to do with it? An old German tradition is to burn Sun wheels: everyone would bring a handful of straw, tie it to a wheel, and set it on fire. The men would roll it down the hill, past cheering women. Your local fire warden will not approve of this. An even older tradition (decried by the Romans) is to cage condemned men and women in a wicker effigy and burn them alive. This is also a bad idea.

Instead, give everyone an unlit torch. The leader begins a prayer, then lights each torch as they pass in procession. The torchbearer joins in the prayer as soon as his or her torch is lit. As the firelight rises, the chanting will grow louder. Once everyone holds lit torches, use them to light the bonfire simultaneously. As the bonfire burns, have everyone join hands and dance a simple grapevine step in a circle. Your coven leader can sing out couplets for all to repeat, other members can offer songs of their own, or people can simply sing whatever nonsense is on their mind. The important thing is to make some noise and loosen up. There’s nothing like the flickering glow and heat, the communal voices rising like sparks to the sky and the warm grip of palms on either side to make anyone feel fiery and sensual.

Some people might want to jump over the bonfire, but unless it’s very small, discourage them. Loose clothing and open flames don’t mix! I once had a cloak catch on fire while I was wearing it. Cotton lights quickly, hair burns faster than paper and synthetic fabrics melt and stick to skin. This is not fun.

Another ritual that’s great for bonfires involves preparation. Ask the guests to prepare a sacrifice (homemade incense works well) as an offering. Say whom the offering is for as you toss it into the fire. Conversely, you can invite your guests to burn that which they don’t want anymore: mementos of an ex, their pink slip, strands of pre-diet clothes. As they toss it into the flames, they ask the gods to remove it (and its implications) from their life.

Once the party gets going and the mead starts flowing, people might feel inspired to toss clothing too. As long as they don’t toss stinky polyester into the fire, why not? Hey, it’s Midsummer! What better time to go sky clad?

Enjoy your bonfire!

 

Safety Checklist

· Have the fire only in designated areas, and keep flammable materials away from your fire pit.

· If your wood has been stored outside, wear gloves and watch for wildlife. Snakes and spiders love woodpiles, and they might bite you for disturbing their home. Also, build and burn your fire on the same day so that you don’t unwittingly kill innocent creatures.

· Make sure you have a sufficiency of water and/or a fire extinguisher. It’s easy for a fire to get out of control.

· Don’t have fires on windy days, or when the land has a lot of dry brush. Sparks can fly.

· Keep children away from the fire. Watch the adults too. There’s often a joker who thinks he’s invincible, especially when he’s had a few beers.

· Don’t have fires under trees or other flammable structures.

· Don’t pour lighter fluid or any other flammable liquid onto an open flame. Flames can travel back to the source of the fuel, causing explosions. Also, never ever use gasoline to start a fire unless you want to see the inside of a burn unit firsthand.

· Keep the fire attended at all times.

· Make sure the fire is completely out before you leave. A cold puddle of ash is good. A smoking heap of coals is not.

Cleansing Stones Using Earth

In a small dish of earth, bury the stone for three days. Most of the time houseplants can be used for this. Put a toothpick or some sort of marker in the surface of the earth above where you’ve buried your stone, though, or you might never find it again. In addition, beware of using houseplant’s earth if the stone contains a lot of negative energy; it will be absorbed by the earth (which is why you’re using the earth to cleanse the stone), but it will in turn be absorbed from the earth into the houseplant, and the house is likely to die.

Cleansing Stones Using Salt

In a small dish of salt, bury the stone you wish to cleanse and leave it for at least twenty-four hours. Depending on how deeply the stone requires cleansing or purification you might wish to leave it buried in the salt for up to a week. Be careful what kind of stone you’re burying: stones with a high iron content react poorly to salt. If the stone is set in metal, do not use this method, as the salt will corrode the metal setting.

If all you have on hand is table salt, it will do. However, if you’re serious about spellcraft, it’s a good idea to invest in sea salt, a more natural form of salt. The less refined the salt is, the more natural energy it contains. Sea salt is only a bit more expensive than table salt, and easily found in most supermarkets now, as well as drugstores or health food stores. Kosher salt is good, too. Never use rock salt designed for outdoor use in winter, as it is toxic.