Tag: Consciousness

Let's Talk Witch – Honoring and Invoking Deities

Faerie-Guardians

Let’s Talk Witch – Honoring and Invoking Deities

How can you get a god or goddess on your side? Many witches believe that divine is always available to you and that the deities gladly offer their guidance, help, and energy to humans to use for positive purposes. Some view divine beings as higher aspects of human consciousness, which can be accessed and activated through magickal means.

If you aren’t used to considering a divine being as a partner in your spiritual and practical pursuits, you may wonder how to go about petitioning your favorite God or Goddess for assistance. Here are a few suggestions:

Make an offering of some sort to the deity. Burning incense is a popular offering, although you may wish to choose an offering that more specifically corresponds to the nature of the deity whose help you seek.

Place a figurine of the chosen deity on your altar and focus your attention on it.

Use an oracle, such as tarot cards or runes, to access Divine Wisdom and open your mind to messages from the deities.

Pray.

Meditate.

Light a candle in honor of the deity you wish to petition.

Design and perform a ritual to the deity.

Write your request on a slip of paper, then burn it.

Choose a crystal or gemstone that relates to the deity. Carry the stone in your pocket and touch it periodically.

Plant herbs or flowers in honor of the God or Goddess. Choose plants that correspond to the deity’s nature and your intent, such as roses for love or mint for prosperity.

　
The Everything Wicca and Witchcraft Book (Everything®)
Alexander, Skye (2008-07-01).

The Tarot Path of Achievement

THE TAROT PATH OF ACHIEVEMENT
by Hermotimus

The Path of Achievement is charted by the Major Arcana of the Tarot Deck. Each
of us is aware that achievement is based on the accomplishment of goals. The
Major Arcana accurately charts the process of setting and completing goals
through 22 steps, each represented by a Major Arcana card. The understanding of this 22-step process is a very important tool for self-development.

The Path begins with The Fool. This card illustrates each one of us. We walk
along a path with our heads in the clouds, and fall into the abyss. The fall is
normal and almost a part of our nature. The shock of landing in the abyss is,
however, the separation between success and failure. The failures blame this
fall on others, or on circumstances or the Gods and Goddesses. When they pick
themselves up they walk upon whatever path is easily found. The successful
person stops at this point and asks “Why have I fallen?” This question leads to
the realization that one need not have fallen, and that to prevent a future
fall, one must make a change in what one is doing. This realization is the
beginning of the Path of Achievement. The realization that change is necessary
leads us to The Magician.

The card of The Magician illustrates that we have all the tools needed to make a
change in our path. The four tools upon the table are symbolic of the four tools
available to us. The sword symbolizes reason, and the cutting edge of logic that
is the conscious mind. The Wand represents the subconscious mind. The Cup is
symbolic of the superconsciousness, and the Pentacle represents our experience
and knowledge of the world around us. These four tools are all that are needed
on this path. The understanding that we have all we need to proceed along the
path, is the first step on the Path of Achievement.

The High Priestess represents the subconscious mind symbolized by the Wand on the Magician’s table. This is intuition, and the hidden wellspring of knowledge that we have gained from experience. Through this intuition we learn what change must be made to prevent another fall. The knowledge of what change is needed is inherent within us. We must allow what is there to come forth. Quiet meditation is the key to allowing the subconscious mind to tell us things we need to know. This change, suggested by our subconscious, now becomes our goal. This is the second step on the Path of Achievement.

The Empress represents our experience and knowledge, and is symbolized by the
Pentacle upon the Magician’s table. Here, we add up the experience learned in
our life about the world around us, and the nature of existence. This is the
basis that the other tools will use to chart our path toward the goal. Here we
must take time to reflect and remember. This is the third step upon the Path of
Achievement.

The Emperor represents the conscious mind, and is symbolized by the sword upon the Magician’s table. We know the goal. We have our experience to guide us. Now, through reason and logic, we must set forth the necessary course that we will traverse to achieve the goal. The conscious mind will take the goal and what we have learned, and develop the specific acts needed to achieve the goal. Each act must be clearly defined and stated before we can proceed. This is the fourth step of the Path of Achievement.

The Pope represents the superconsciousness symbolized by the cup upon the
Magician’s table. Here is the first test of the goal we have set for ourselves.
Our emotions guide us to understanding the superconsciousness. Does this goal
feel right? Is this what I need to do? Seek quietly within the mind and allow
your emotions to tell you the rightness of this goal. This is the fifth step on
the Path to Achievement.

The Lovers card is the point of decision of whether to proceed with the goal.
Here, we must take all our intuition, our knowledge and experience, our reasoned thought, and our emotions as the basis for this decision. If there is something wrong with our goal or the acts we will perform to achieve it, we will know it here. If there is something wrong, return to the High Priestess and start from that point again. The sixth step is your decision. When your decision is Yes,
the Chariot awaits you!

The Chariot begins the second phase of the Path of Achievement. It represents
the drive and self-discipline needed to carry out each specific act set down as
part of the first phase. Here we must set ourselves to the accomplishing the
specific acts needed to reach the goal. This is the key to achievement. The
self-mastery needed to complete what we set out to do is thus the seventh step
on the Path of Achievement.

Strength illustrates that while physical strength is needed, it alone is not
enough. We cannot open the jaws of the lion (nature) without his cooperation. We must work with and cooperate with the natural order in carrying out our specific acts. Many strong people fail because they do not realize that nature must be worked with, and not against. This is the eighth step on the Path of
Achievement.

The Hermit represents the constant need for vigilance as we carry out the
specific acts. It is easy to become distracted by the day to day events of life
and thus abandon our goal. Vigilance is the lonely sleepless watcher who warns
us when we are about to go astray. The ninth step is to be vigilant each day and
remember the importance of what we are accomplishing.

The Wheel of Fortune illustrates the working of fate in our daily lives. We all
experience the daily variations of existence, but allowing these variations to
rule your life is not the path to your goal. Accept that fate has a hand in all
things, and thus all things change. Accept also that we are not ruled by fate,
and our will to succeed can overcome the casual acts of fate. This is the tenth
step of the Path of Achievement.

Justice pictures the need to balance our daily affairs with the accomplishment
of our goal. The need for balance and harmony in the midst of the changes we are under-going must be realized. The single-minded pursuit of a goal leaves too
many routine tasks unfinished. Therefore, we must balance our daily needs with
the specific acts required to accomplish our goal. Proper rest and leisure, an
adequate diet, daily household chores must be part of the balance and harmony of accomplishing the goal. This is the eleventh step upon the Path  of Achievement.

The Hanged Man represents the need for sacrifice. The task of creating something new is always preceded by the destruction of something else. We must sacrifice old ideas and old patterns to achieve the goal. We must be willing to sacrifice, and we are at the point in reaching our goal where certain things must be given up. This realization is the twelfth step on the Path to Achievement.

Death illustrates that the sacrifices we are making from the previous step have
opened the door for new ways. Death is the transformation from old to new. Old
growth must be pruned to allow the new seeds a chance to grow. The destruction
of the old ideas naturally results in the growth of new ideas. This is the
thirteenth step on the Path to Achievement.

Temperance is the time of prudence to allow the new ideas to grow and develop.
Give yourself time to allow your conscious and subconscious minds the
opportunity to set these new ideas in place. Haste is not a sign of progress.
It is a sign of failure. Thus step fourteen is the growth of new ideas and the
putting of these ideas into their proper places.

The Devil illustrates that we are easily chained to our past. It is never easy
to break old patterns and habits. Here we must sift through the ideas which have
grown and chose those of benefit to keep. Not all the new ideas are good, and we
must separate good and bad before we can continue. The task of the Devil is the
separation of good and bad, and is the fifteenth step on the Path of
Achievement.

The Tower Struck by Lightning is a graphic description of our break with the
past. Here we destroy and leave behind all the old patterns and habits. This is
the stripping away of what is no longer needed. The Tower suggests that this
stripping away is not always a painless task. But it is a necessary task. Thus,
the sixteenth step is the final removal of the ideas and patterns that have
hindered us on the Path of Achievement.

The Star represents the calm following the storm. Here one must take stock of
what remains and place it in proper order and perspective. This is not the time
for action but a time for ordering the cycle of our existence. The water in this
picture shows that we are in the emotional storm that gives no outward look. The
stars in the sky each have a definite place and so do we. This is the
seventeenth step on the Path of Achievement.

The Moon illustrates climbing out of the emotional sea and into the heights of
reason. The dark night of the soul is that climb from emotion to reason. Here we
stabilize what has occurred within us. We are emotionally calm and the light of
reason is just a short distance ahead. This is the eighteenth step on the Path
of Achievement.

The Sun shows the new person we have become in the full light of reason and
enlightenment. We are again as children, looking through our garden at the
wonders and delights it holds. We have gained new meaning and new ideas, and
here we can explore all that we have achieved. This is the nineteenth step on
the Path of Achievement.

The Final Judgment. Here we must ask “Have I completed my goal?” This is the
final step. A final judgment of all that has been done along this path. It is
also the judgment of our higher power on what we have done and accomplished
along the way.

The World illustrates the victory of our achievement. We have successfully
negotiated the Path of Achievement, and reached a new summit to our life and
being. But remember, the Fool again waits ahead for us to stumble. We will not
fall so deeply into the abyss next time, and our rise will be to a higher
summit.

Today's Tarot Card for Aug. 26 is The Moon

The Moon

Monday, Aug 26th, 2013

What has traditionally been known as the Moon card refers to a deep state of sensitivity and imaginative impressionability, developed within a womb of deep relaxation. Here we dream and go into trance, have visions and receive insights, wash in and out with the psychic tides, and experience deep mystical and/or terrifying realities beyond our ordinary senses. The full moon and/or eclipse cycle charted by the Magi (as in some of the earliest Moon card images) exemplify this as a mechanism that Nature uses to expand consciousness.

The variants of the courtly lovers (representing skillful use of the sex force) or the man sleeping it off under the tree (use of drugs to alter consciousness) are also traditional avenues for tapping this primal force. Human interest in higher states propels us to the frontiers of consciousness, where we cannot always control what happens. The Moon card represents the ultimate test of a soul’s integrity, where the membrane between self and the Unknown is removed, and the drop of individuality reenters the Ocean of Being. What transpires next is between a soul and its Maker

Daily Motivator for Aug. 23 – Your awareness

Your awareness

Life can wear you down, or life can lift you up. It all depends on how you  choose to see it and live it.

The primary component of weariness is not age or infirmity or circumstance.  It is attitude.

The main ingredient of enthusiasm is not youth or comfort or good fortune. It  is your attitude, based on your awareness.

What do you look for, think about, focus on and expect? That is what you will  experience.

Focus the bulk of your awareness not on transient trivialities, but on what  truly matters to you, to your dreams, and to your values. Pay much less  attention to the fears and frustrations, and much more attention to the positive  possibilities and opportunities.

Sincerely see life as beautiful and fulfilling, and you will make life  beautiful and fulfilling. Your awareness has awesome power, so use it wisely and  lovingly.

— Ralph Marston

The Daily Motivator

What is the Magickal Self?

What is the Magickal Self?

Author: Robin Fennelly

The building of the magickal personality brings us to something else; each one of us has the actor within him or her. As Shakespeare put it, so beautifully and poetically:

All the world’s a stage
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
and one man in his time plays many parts.”

The Magickal Self acts as the interface and point of transition from the mundane world to the spiritual realms. It is you, in your higher form of vibration that will more closely match the rhythms of the other worlds you are transiting. It is the trained you that as you progress along the Path also grows and expands to encompass more of knowledge and experience you have gained and reflect it back so that it may be recognizable and usable in your magickal workings.

The form your Magickal Self takes will vary in accord with your energetic changes as you move forward in your work and study. For some, they see themselves in a physical shape and form, although it will not resemble their physical coloring, build or stature at all. For others, this form may more easily take a geometric shape that holds the more highly refined state of their energy. In either case, as the physical form is densest in matter that shape will most likely not be the form taken as there is the need for a more refined energy within the astral realms. Whatever form this Magickal Self may take it is recognizable by you because it still remains your consciousness; just in its spiritual form such as:

Younger Self, Talking Self, and Higher Self
In The Feri Tradition: Sticky One, Shining Body, and Sacred Dove
Hebrew/Qabalistic: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, Yechida
Generically in the Metaphysical Paths: Lower Self, Middle Self, Higher Self and Spiritually Evolved Self.

For our purposes we will be working with the three designations of Lower Self, Middle Self, Higher SELF and The Spiritual (or Evolved) SELF.

Lower/Physical Self: I Have
The Lower Self (Lower Mental) is our primal instinctual nature. This is the physical body we inhabit and the conscious self that responds and reacts to stimuli in the physical world through our senses and tactile abilities. This is our place of foundation and the place from which we concretely and tangibly build the world around ourselves. The Lower or physical self obeys the laws of time and because of its density in energy the laws of space and its place within it as well.

Middle/Emotional Self: I Want (to Become)
The Middle self more closely relates to the subconscious mind. The place of dreams and aspirations; of emotions and feelings. We Feel rather than thinking our way through this world. This is the first place of desire and the catalyst that yearns to become more than we are and can experience in the physical self. The Lower Self says “I Have or possess this” and the subconscious feeds it the “want and desire” that enlivens and creates connection to what we have acquired.

Higher/Mental SELF: I Will Become
The Higher Mental self is the super or Higher conscious self. It knows the results of the subconscious desire working upon the conscious mind and has transcended to a place of “knowing it will be”. This Higher Self has developed a state of “awareness” and from that awareness evolves the Higher Will. It is not the will of baser ego, but instead the Will to create, to manifest to exist. This is the part of Self that is not confined by the bounds of linear time and space.

The Spiritual SELF (The Divine Spark) : I AM
The Spiritual SELF is the continued contact and communication with the impulse of the Divine. There is no longer a need to Have or possess. There is no desire for anything for it is all and at once formed and formless. It is the realization that there is no separateness, only union and synthesis from which all other states of form emanate. It is the Divine Spark that is contained within us all and moves with us as we pass from lifetime to lifetime.

The way in which these parts of self interact when creating and calling forth the Magickal Self are multifold. Each is dependent and interdependent upon the other for forming, coalescing and finally birthing that magickal being that is inherent within us all. The subconscious generates the desire to shape and form the appropriate interface that will allow for movement and access to the higher planes. The conscious self, having been stimulated by the subconscious begins the work of creating the shape and image that magickal form will take.

If you have a firmly established Magickal Persona, this process usually occurs at the point of putting on your ritual grab, a sacred amulet or ring. It intensifies and builds in substance as you enter sacred space. And, once the circle is cast, the quarters called and the energy of the ritual space changes its vibration and intensity the Magickal Self comes forth more fully to begin the work at hand. As the conscious self seeks the contact of the Higher consciousness (Higher Mental) this form begins to interact with the energies and planes that are being accessed in the ritual.

If you are just beginning the process, every ritual, every magickal working that is done with focus and intent will strengthen and bring into greater substance that Magickal Self. In those rare moments, when all the parts of self are in alignment and balance with each other the consciousness rises to a place of opening to the Spiritual SELF, sometimes called the Holy Guardian Angel. This of course, is the ultimate goal and is not something easily attained. This contact usually comes through the subconscious mind rather than the conscious waking mind; and can be likened to a brief flash of brilliant light where you are completely at one with the Universe, its mysteries and its source. These moments are quite rare and even with diligent practice towards that end they occur in their own way in their own time (often lifetimes) , if at all.

So what is the importance of knowing about these various selves? And, what does that have to do with a Magickal Self?

Use this analogy and think on what it truly means: As we develop our Magickal Self the physical being becomes something like a cocoon. Time passes and the affects of weather and all manner of outer influence go unnoticed by what is being transmuted within. Eventually, and at just the precise moment in time there is movement within the cocoon- from which the “lightness and grace” of an ephemeral butterfly (or the Magickal SELF) emerges, a completely different form from its original with access to different sets of skill and understanding of other worlds. Its world is different from that of its former state as a caterpillar. It is through a similar state of metamorphosis that each time the call to the Magickal Self is issued the potential for a more enlivened and more refined state of being is held. And as we move through these new worlds, we are as the butterfly, transformed and empowered to soar towards our Divine nature.

Footnotes:
Online Course: A Year and A Day on the Wiccan Path. R.Fennelly

Lord of Lights: The Path of Initiation in the Western Mysteries. W. E. Butler

Quote by William Shakespeare

Today's Tarot Card for Tuesday, Aug. 6 is The Moon

The Moon

Tuesday, Aug 6th, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What has traditionally been known as the Moon card refers to a deep state of sensitivity and imaginative impressionability, developed within a womb of deep relaxation. Here we dream and go into trance, have visions and receive insights, wash in and out with the psychic tides, and experience deep mystical and/or terrifying realities beyond our ordinary senses. The full moon and/or eclipse cycle charted by the Magi (as in some of the earliest Moon card images) exemplify this as a mechanism that Nature uses to expand consciousness.

The variants of the courtly lovers (representing skillful use of the sex force) or the man sleeping it off under the tree (use of drugs to alter consciousness) are also traditional avenues for tapping this primal force. Human interest in higher states propels us to the frontiers of consciousness, where we cannot always control what happens. The Moon card represents the ultimate test of a soul’s integrity, where the membrane between self and the Unknown is removed, and the drop of individuality reenters the Ocean of Being. What transpires next is between a soul and its Maker.

You Are Being Guided

You Are Being Guided

We human beings are instinctively being guided to evolve. As with all creatures, we must adapt to changes in our environment to survive and flourish. We can see evidence of this evolutionary trend in our physiology, our society, and in our technology. Our brains continue to develop, an increasingly large percentage of humanity is becoming literate and educated, and technology has provided immediate access to billions of people’s minds through phone cells and chip sets. Satellite and Internet infrastructure is providing a “global mind” where we see and think the same thing at the same time, as one consciousness. The critical mass of what we think shifts the consciousness of individuals on a global scale. How we think affects the quality of our life, and even our survival.

Each day of your life you are provided experiences where you have to make choices in how you think and behave. The more conscious you are the more those choices bring greater happiness and peace into your life. You have learned from your life experiences what brings greater pleasure or pain into your existence, and have adapted your ways of thinking, feeling and behaving to increase the pleasure in your life and reduce the pain. The more conscious you have become, the greater clarity, happiness and peace you have gained by evolving your conscious awareness.

Your instinct has guided you to learn, and grow, and evolve to your highest potential, and it still is. You have been guided to these words to reflect on them. The more conscious you become of how you are being guided, the more you will see how you are being guided. The more conscious you become of the consciousness that is guiding you, the more conscious you become. Your consciousness evolves the more conscious you become of your consciousness. As you become more conscious you gain greater clarity, happiness and peace. It is only when we become unconscious that we think, say or do things that hurt ourselves or others. Only unconscious people hurt others, lie, cheat, steel, abuse or hate. Only an unconscious society disrespect others rights, destroy its natural resources, overpopulates or wages war.

We evolve through the tests and trials of daily living, both individually and collectively as a society. Lessons learned help to evolve us, but when we are not conscious of what we are being tested in we fail the test and get tested again and again until we learn and either further evolve, or perish. You have been guided to this moment of introspection in order to reflect upon your own place in the evolution of your own consciousness, and the role you might play in awakening the collective consciousness of humanity so that we might all live together in happiness and peace. You are part of a rapidly growing segment of the population that is awakening to full consciousness. Your individual awakening is contributing to the critical mass that is shifting the consciousness of the planet; you are preparing the way for an evolutionary leap in human consciousness. You are building the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.

From the heart, Steven S. Sadleir

Your Tarot Card for July 17th is The Moon

The Moon

Wednesday, Jul 17th, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What has traditionally been known as the Moon card refers to a deep state of sensitivity and imaginative impressionability, developed within a womb of deep relaxation. Here we dream and go into trance, have visions and receive insights, wash in and out with the psychic tides, and experience deep mystical and/or terrifying realities beyond our ordinary senses. The full moon and/or eclipse cycle charted by the Magi (as in some of the earliest Moon card images) exemplify this as a mechanism that Nature uses to expand consciousness.

The variants of the courtly lovers (representing skillful use of the sex force) or the man sleeping it off under the tree (use of drugs to alter consciousness) are also traditional avenues for tapping this primal force. Human interest in higher states propels us to the frontiers of consciousness, where we cannot always control what happens. The Moon card represents the ultimate test of a soul’s integrity, where the membrane between self and the Unknown is removed, and the drop of individuality reenters the Ocean of Being. What transpires next is between a soul and its Maker.

The Witches Almanac for Wednesday, July 17th

Gothic Comments


The Witches Almanac for Wednesday, July 17th

Wednesday (Mercury): The conscious mind, study, travel, divination and wisdom.

Rivera Day (Puerto Rican)

Waxing Moon

The Waxing Moon is the ideal time for magick to draw things toward you.

Moon phase: Second Quarter

Moon Sign: Scorpio

Scorpio: Increases awareness of psychic power. Precipitates psychic crises and ends connections thoroughly. People tend to brood and become secretive.

Incense: Marjoram

Color:  Green

The Witches Almanac for Wednesday, February 20th

Wiccan Images

The Witches Almanac for Wednesday, February 20th

Wednesday (Mercury): The conscious mind, study, travel, divination and wisdom.

Installation of the New Lama (Tibetan)

 

Waxing Moon

The Waxing Moon is the ideal time for magick to draw things toward you.

Moon Phase: Second Quarter

Moon Sign: Gemini

Gemini: Things begun now are easily changed by outside influence. Time for shortcuts, communication, games and fun.

Moon enters Cancer 5:45 am

Cancer: Stimulates emotional rapport between people. Pinpoints need, supports growth and nurturance. Tends to domestic concerns.

Incense: Bay Laurel

Color: Topaz

“To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring — these are some of the rewards of the simple life.”
– John Burroughs

February 20th is Best for….

Cut firewood, Mow to increase growth, Dig holes, Travel for pleasure, Write

Gardening Calendar

February 19th – February 20th

Any Seeds Planted Now Will Tend to Rot

Fishing Calendar

February 20th    Fishing Is Forecasted Poor in the Morning

Moon Astrological Place in the Zodiac and the Body

February 20th     Gemini    “Twins”    Sign is in the Arms

Philosofact of the Day

“We are not what we think we are, but what we think, we are.”

Wiccan Pictures – Quotes – Photobucket

Your Tarot Card for February 7th is The Moon

The Moon

Thursday, Feb 7th, 2013

What has traditionally been known as the Moon card refers to a deep state of sensitivity and imaginative impressionability, developed within a womb of deep relaxation. Here we dream and go into trance, have visions and receive insights, wash in and out with the psychic tides, and experience deep mystical and/or terrifying realities beyond our ordinary senses. The full moon and/or eclipse cycle charted by the Magi (as in some of the earliest Moon card images) exemplify this as a mechanism that Nature uses to expand consciousness.

The variants of the courtly lovers (representing skillful use of the sex force) or the man sleeping it off under the tree (use of drugs to alter consciousness) are also traditional avenues for tapping this primal force. Human interest in higher states propels us to the frontiers of consciousness, where we cannot always control what happens. The Moon card represents the ultimate test of a soul’s integrity, where the membrane between self and the Unknown is removed, and the drop of individuality reenters the Ocean of Being. What transpires next is between a soul and its Maker.

The Witches Almanac for *Wednesday, February 6th


Witchy Comments

The Witches Almanac for *Wednesday, February 6th

*Wednesday (Mercury): The conscious mind, study, travel, divination and wisdom.

Bob Marley s Birthday (Jamaican)

*Waning Moon

*The Waning Moon is a time for study, meditation, and little magickal work (except magick designed to banish harmful energies).

Moon Sign: *Sagittarius

*Sagittarius: Encourages flights of imagination and confidence. This is an adventurous philosophical and athletic Moon sign. Favors expansion and growth.

Moon enters *Capricorn 12:55 pm

*Capricorn: Develops strong structure. Focus on traditions, responsibilities, and obligations. A good time to set boundaries and rules.

Moon Phase: Fourth Quarter

Incense:  Marjoram

Color: Brown

The Witches Almanac for *Wednesday, January 16th

The Witches Almanac for *Wednesday, January 16th

Wednesday (Mercury): The conscious mind, study, travel, divination and wisdom.

Apprentices s Day

*Waxing Moon

*The Waxing Moon (from the New Moon to the Full) is the ideal time for magick to draw things toward you.

Moon Sign: *Pisces

*Pisces: The focus is on dreaming, nostalgia, intuition and psychic impressions. A good time for spiritual or philanthropic activities.

Moon Phase First Quarter 4:00 am

Moon enters *Aries 11:07 am

*Aries: Good for starting things, but lacks staying power. Things occur rapidly, but quickly pass. People tend to be argumentative and assertive.

Incense: Marjoram

Color: Brown

More Wednesday Comments

The Daily OM for January 14th – Circling the Wagons

Circling the Wagons

Surrounding with Protective Light

by Madisyn Taylor

 

As we join our energy with those in circle, we become part of something that is more powerful than the individuals within it.

There are times when we may know of someone who is in great need and wants help, but we may feel at a loss about how best to help them. It is at such times that we can ask for help in surrounding them with support and protection, just like the pioneers once circled their wagons in the middle of unknown territory. Whether this means turning to an already established community such as a service organization or gathering support from diverse sources, a group of people can be brought together to help an individual or an entire community. It doesn’t always take money to help someone either–cooking, cleaning, driving, fund raising, or offering emotional support are all valuable and have the added benefit of the closeness of the human touch. In any case, the universe sends angels in the form of willing friends or strangers to gather their individual lights to surround those in need with the warmth of compassion.

Some people may have difficulty accepting or even recognizing aid when it appears in unexpected guises from unlikely sources. All we can do is to follow our inner guidance, give when we are moved to do so and shine our light to the best of our ability. As we join our energy with those in the circle, we become part of something that is larger and more powerful than the individuals within it.

When we act as part of a community of service like this, we are reminded that we are not only assisting an individual or select group in the moment, but we are serving the greater good. We are creating a better world, and can rest assured that help will be there for us as well. As we offer our own light to the collective glow to help someone through a time of darkness, all of our lights become brighter. We can live every day from this place of light, knowing the freedom from fear and worry that allows us to receive and share the protective and supportive light of life.

The Daily OM

The Witches Almanac for *Wednesday, December 9th

Witchy Cat Graphics & Comments

The Witches Almanac for *Wednesday, December 9th

*Wednesday (Mercury):  The conscious mind, study, travel, divination and wisdom.

Feast of the Black Nazarene (Filipino)

Moon sign: *Sagittarius

*Sagittarius: Encourages flights of imagination and confidence. This is an adventurous, philosophical and athletic Moon sign. Favors expansion and growth.

*Waning Moon

*The Waning Moon is a time for study, meditation and little magickal work (except magick designed to banish harmful energies).

Moon Phase: Fourth Quarter

Incense: Honeysuckle

Color: White

Nine Very Effective Astral Projection Techniques

Nine Very Effective Astral Projection Techniques

by Agarwal

      Astral Projection is one of the most amazing experiences you can have.  It is a process by which the human consciousness temporarily leaves the  physical body and functions independently, while the physical body  remains still and passive throughout.

There are hundreds of techniques available that induce Projection. But since there is no universal method that would work for everyone to attain conscious projection, we will discuss some different kinds of techniques. You should know them all to decide which one suits you best.

In this section we will discuss some most popular and widely used techniques of experiencing an OOBE.

1. Rope Technique : This technique has been formulated by Robert Bruce  and is one of the most effective techniques around. A key ingredient to this projection technique is an invisible, imaginary rope hanging from  your ceiling. This rope will be used to exert dynamic pressure at a  single point on your astral body to force its separation from the physical.

Reach out with your imaginary hands and pull yourself, hand over hand, up the strong, invisible, imaginary rope hanging above you. You will feel a slight dizzy sensation inside you as you do this. This feeling of vertigo will intensify the more you pull on the rope.

Keep climbing, hand over hand, ever upwards, and you will feel the vibrations start. Your whole body will seem to be vibrating and you will feel paralyzed. Concentrate single minded, on climbing your rope. Don’t stop.

Next you will feel yourself coming free of your body. You will exit your body in the direction of your imaginary rope and will be hovering above  your body. You’re free at last!

2. Watch Yourself Going To Sleep : Lie down comfortably on your back,  facing the ceiling. Relax your body and clear your mind of unwanted  thoughts. Relax even more.

Tell yourself that you are going to watch yourself in the act of going to sleep. You must be very clear about your intent. You’re going to let  your body sleep while your mind will remain alert throughout the entire  process. Tell yourself you will retain consciousness even while your  body is going to be in complete “trance”.

As you relax completely, you must learn to recognize the rather strange, distinctive sensations you feel as your body moves into the sleep state. You MUST stay aware as this unfolds. At a certain point, you will feel that your body is feeling heavy and numb.

You are on the right track! Pay close attention to all your bodily sensations. You may feel yourself swaying or floating. You might even find certain parts of your body tingling. There might be vibrations  running from your head to toe. You might even hear a strong buzzing sensation in your ears. Whatever the sensations, do not panic as these are very good signals that you are on the verge of experiencing an OOBE.

You have to then visualize that you are rising up from your bed and floating towards the ceiling. How would it feel if you could actually float? Try to make the experience as real as possible. Hold this image for as long as you can. If everything goes on well, you might suddenly find yourself outside the body, floating near the ceiling!

3. Monroe Technique : Robert Monroe, one of the foremost authorities on Astral Projection devised this method.

You have to first relax your body. This is a very important step.

Then try to go to sleep, but don’t fall asleep. Maintain your awareness  between sleep and wakefulness. This is known as the hypnagogic state. Then deepen this hypnagogic state and start to clear your mind of unwanted thoughts. Simply look through your closed eyelids at the  blackness in front of you.

Then you must enter an even deeper state of relaxation. The next step is to induce vibrations throughout your body and intensify them. These vibrations have to be controlled and intensified further. This is the moment when the Astral body will separate from the Physical body. You then simply have to “roll-over” and you will find yourself out of your body.

4. OOBE from Lucid Dreams : Lucid dreams are dreams in which the dreamer is aware that he is dreaming. In a Lucid Dream a person is already “out” of his body.

In order to achieve Astral Projection from Lucid Dreams, you have to first become obsessed with OBEs and you must really DESIRE it. You must read everything you can about it. You must think about it every free moment that you have.

Once your mind is besotted with the thought of OOBEs we will need triggers and affirmations so that you have a Lucid Dream. During the day keep thinking: ‘Tonight I’m going to have a Lucid Dream’. Remind yourself of this all day long. And – and this is the important part – keep asking yourself during the day “Am I dreaming now?”

With a few days of practice, you’ll have programmed your sub-conscious to induce a Lucid Dream.

Once you are in a Lucid Dream, and know that you are dreaming, you would also know that you are not in your body. You can then will yourself to see your bedroom. In most cases, when you do this, your dreamland will suddenly disappear and you will find yourself in your bedroom, floating above your body.

5. Displaced-awareness Projection : Close your eyes and get into your usual trance-state Try to sense the entire room, at once. Feel yourself just above your shoulders and seeing all around. Be very passive about what is going on.

Then imagine that your Astral Body is slowly rotating by 180 degrees. Once you finish your mental rotation, your Astral head should be where your physical feet are, and your Astral feet would be where your physical head is! With this firmly in your mind, try visualizing the room from this new direction.

The idea is to forget about where you really are, and displace your sense of direction. When you do this correctly, you will find yourself  getting dizzy. This is normal.

When you are comfortable with this, the next step is to imagine floating towards the roof. Try to make it as real as possible. You may suddenly find yourself “popped” out of your physical body!

6. The Jump Technique: The Jump Technique, when done well, can wake up anyone in their dreams and make them Lucid. However, it does need to be done well.

This is how the technique works: We repeatedly need to ask ourselves during the day whether we are in a dream or not. It is important that we do this not just for the sake of asking ourselves the question, but because we really want to know where we are. We should really doubt that we are in the Physical. So in order to prove where we are, we jump as if we were going to fly. If we are in the Physical, we will land back on the ground. But during a dream, when we jump, we will defy gravity and float.

When this is done for a few days, you will soon find yourself in a dream in which you are jumping to check whether you are in a dream or not. As soon as you jump, you will find yourself floating, thus triggering a Lucid Dream and an OOBE.

7. Muldoon’s Thirst Technique: This is not one of the most pleasant or effective methods designed by Sylvan Muldoon.

In order to use this technique, you must refrain from drinking for some hours before going to bed. Throughout the day increase your thirst by every means you can. Keep a glass of water in front of you and stare into it, imagining drinking, but not allowing yourself to do so!

Then before you sleep, eat a pinch or two of salt. Place the glass of water at some convenient place away from your bed and rehearse in your mind all the actions necessary to getting it: getting up, crossing the room, reaching out for the glass, and so on. You must then go to bed, still thinking about your thirst and the means of quenching it. At night, you might awaken in your dream and you will find yourself walking  towards the glass of water. With any luck the suggestions you have made to yourself will bring about the desired OBE.

8. The Stretch-out Technique: Lie down, shut your eyes and relax your body. Imagine your feet stretching out and becoming longer by just an inch or so. Once you have this picture in your mind, let your feet go back to normal. Do the same with his head, stretching it out an inch beyond its normal position. Then, get it back to normal. Then alternate all between head and feet, gradually increasing the distance until you can

stretch out both your feet and head to about two feet or more. At this stage imagine stretching out both at once. This exercise will make  you feel dizzy and often start the vibrations.

      After some practice, you will experience floating sensations and you can then tell yourself to rise up towards the ceiling. You are out!

      9. The Hammock Technique: Visualize yourself lying in a bright white hammock, stationed between two palm trees on a secluded beach. Imagine the feeling of swaying in the wind, and recreate that feeling now as you visualize yourself swaying from side to side in the hammock. Repeat this  visualization for as long as it takes to bring forth the vibrations, and when you feel the vibrations, just “roll-out” of your body.

      Whichever technique you choose, you are unlikely to get a result on the very first night, or even on the first few nights – so take your time with them and try not to get frustrated when nothing happens at first. But I promise you will soon start to see some results.

Life As The Witch – Kitchen Alchemy

Kitchen Alchemy

 

Kitchen alchemy is really a very simple form of magickal work: it doesn’t require circle casting or the invocation of elements, and you don’t even need to use a spell for most basic everyday dishes. (You may want to use one of the truly important occasions, like having your boss to dinner or the first meal you cook for a new lover, but that’s up to you.)

Like all magick, kitchen alchemy is primarily a matter of intent, focus, and will. You start by choosing your intention–increasing prosperity, for instance, or creating an atmosphere of love and peace in your home. Then, as you are cooking, you add the magickal ingredients you have chosen to use while focusing on your intention and directing your will into the dish. As with other magickal workings, the more intent, focus, and will you bring to your food preparation, the more effective your kitchen alchemy will be.

Almost everything in your refrigerator and kitchen cabinets has some magickal association. Here are a few of the most common and easiest to integrate into everyday meals. These associations are based primarily on “Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen”– if you only get one resource. I highly recommend this one. But different sources gives various other associations; always follow your own internal wisdom when it come to witchcraft.

Apple:  love, health, peace

Basil:  love, protection, prosperity

Beans:  prosperity, sexuality

Black pepper:  protection, purification

Cayenne pepper:  energy, creativity

Chocolate:  love, prosperity

Cinnamon:  love, psychic awareness, prosperity

Coffee:  conscious mind, physical energy

Dill:  conscious mind, prosperity, weight loss, love

Garlic:  protection, health

Ginger:  love, prosperity

Lemon:  love, happiness, purification

Milk:  love, spirituality

Olives:  health, peace, sexuality, spirituality

Parsley:  prosperity, protection, sexuality

Peppermint:  healing, purification, sexuality

Pomegranate:  creativity, fertility, prosperity

Potato:  protection

Rosemary:  conscious mind, healing, love, protection

Sage: health, protection

Salt:  grounding, protection

Spinach:  prosperity

Sugar/honey/maple syrup:  love, prosperity

Thyme:  love, psychic ability, purification

Tomato: health, love, prosperity, protection

Vanilla: love, sexuality

Reference:

Simple Kitchen Alchemy
By Deborah Blake
Llewellyn’s 2012 The Magical Companion

More Dream Catcher Comments

The Witches Almanac for *Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Witchy Comments~Magickal Graphics~

The Witches Almanac for *Wednesday, January 2, 2013

*Wednesday(Mercury): The conscious mind, study, travel, divination and wisdom.

First Writing Day (Japanese)

Moon Sign:  *Virgo

*Virgo: Favors cooperation, social activities, beautification of surroundings, balance, and partnership.

*Waning Moon

*The Waning Moon is a time for study, meditation and little magickal work (except magick designed to banish harmful energies.

Moon Phase: Third Quarter

Incense: Lilac

Color: Brown

The Witches Almanac for *Wednesday, December 26th

Witchy Comments~Magickal Graphics~

The Witches Almanac for *Wednesday, December 26th

*Wednesday (Mercury): The conscious mind, study, travel, divination and wisdom.

Kwanzaa Begins

Moon Sign: *Gemini

*Gemini: Things begun now are easily changed by outside influence. Time for shortcuts, communication, games and fun.

*Waxing Moon

*The Waxing Moon is the ideal time for magick to draw things toward you.

Incense: Lilac

Moon Phase: Second Quarter

Color: Brown

Charm for Lucid Dreaming

Charm for Lucid Dreaming

 

Items You Will Need:

Peppermint

Light blue mojo bag

Cinnamon

Lemon balm

Calendula

Vervain

Hops

 

Instructions:

If you find you need a little help in lucid dreaming, or you want to learn the answer to a specific problem, this charm bag is a great tool It soothes the waking mind and helps your sleeping mind to focus. The ingredients can also be used to feel a dream pillows as well. Make or buy a light blue Mojo or talisman bag. Put in a pinch or two of each of the following:

Peppermint

Cinnamon

Lemon Balm

Calendula (Marigold)

Vervain

Hops

 

During the Full Moon, put the bag together, then consecrate and charge it. Make certain it is tied tightly. Before sleep each night, rub the bag over our third eye (center of forehead) and concentrate on the question, problem or situation. Then place the bag under your pillow. Continue to concentrate on the situation as you drift off. When you wake, jot down whatever you remember in your dream journal. Your question should be answered within the first few nights. This pouch can also help increase your skill at lucid dreaming, by keeping your mind focused on the fact that you are just dreaming.