Tag: Energy

Sacred Disposal

Sacred Disposal — Diana Olsen

There’s always one detail left over after executing the perfect ritual:
what to do with the residue–the wax that melted on your altar cloth,
the ash left from the incense, the bits of salt either in a bowl or
sprinkled at the perimeter of the circle. All of these may remind you of
a ritual well done, but they do present a problem, both energetically
and physically, when you wish to move on to your next magical act. Few
books really say how to dispose of these items beyond a vague suggestion
to bury them. Since burial may not always prove Earth-friendly, please
consider the following options for disposing of used ritual items.

Convenient Methods

These methods require me to use more than one “sacred vessel” to sort out my
disposal needs. A flowerpot sits on my altar, serving as a ritual litter
basket. In case of overflow, I keep the empty glass holder for a
seven-day candle next to the altar after cleansing it with a salt-water
solution.

I sort the physical debris from ritual into three categories: the
recyclable, the nonrecyclable, and the biodegradable. For those
interested in conserving matter or cost, most items can be reused. I
advocate cleansing and reusing whatever possible as a courtesy to Mother
Earth. Some other occultists may argue that this practice leads to
frustrating energy buildups, but I have never had a problem in my
personal practices.

Among conservation methods, you can try melting down
wax from old candles and reusing the wax to make new candles or figures.
Also, I always save and cleanse my stones unless I am using them for an
offering, in which case I always bury them or offer them in a body of
running water.

I always take time to sort my ritual debris. I usually place recyclable
items, such as certain types of plastic used for wrapping, in the glass
candle container. After the jar is full, I sort out the items into
pieces to send to the recycling plant and pieces to cleanse and reuse.

Fortunately, few of the standard ritual items that I know of are
non-recyclable. Those rare items that are nonrecyclable, usually residue
from package wrappings and so on, I place in a box or garbage bag and
send with reservations to the landfill. A quick sprinkling of salt water
seems to clear any psychic residue I might send along, and I also mutter
a prayer that the items reach sunlight so they have a better chance of
biodegrading.

I think the only items that have ever significantly caused
me this problem was the plastic wrap from candles, but with recent
changes in recycling technology even those plastics now go to the
recycling bin.

Biodegradable items, as much as possible, go in the flower pot on my
altar. I take leftover wax, wet and dry herbs, and even incense dust and
put it in the compost heap in the back of the property where I live.
This way their remains can break down, and they can reincarnate as new
life.

Remaining salt, juice, and wine are tricky as each has a chemical
composition that can damage some plants. These byproducts I try to
consume myself, or else I offer them at some dirt crossroads.

In the process of determining how to handle my ritual byproducts I’ve
also learned how to manage typical household damage from ritual
products.
My favorite technique for removing candle wax from clothing,
cloth, and carpet is to place a paper towel over the stain and then set
an iron on low over the paper towel. After a few moments, the wax melts
into the paper towel and is nicely removed from the inappropriate area.
Red or white wine stains come out nicely with a mild solution of sea
salt, water, and lemon juice.
Burns do not come out well, ever.

 

 

Cleansing

After an intense ritual, I don’t always have the energy to give my altar
the immediate cleansing it deserves. In these cases, I have learned to
apply a “three day rule.” I clean my altar within three days of the
ritual, giving it a good cleansing with salt water, sage, and sometimes
a candle blessing as soon as I’ve completely wiped off all the dust.

There are exceptions to this rule:
If the energy from a ritual was particularly intense or volatile,
I try to have it cleaned by the next day at the latest. Ideally, after such an intense ritual, cleaning
should occur within two hours.

Cleaning up can usually take a small delay, but it is still important
magical maintenance, just as crucial as house cleansings. Energy builds
in all the magical workings you do. By cleaning out ritual byproducts
regularly and promptly, you can better control the type of energy that
surrounds you.

In extreme cases of neglected “housekeeping, ” the buildup
can lead spells astray and make room for some poltergeist activity. In
milder and much more common cases, the energetic “gunk” acts as a
demotivator, leading to a feeling of lethargy or disinterest for the
more psychically sensitive in a living area.

When this occasionally hits
me, I’ve always found a good, old-fashioned house cleansing sets me back
in the mood to do my work. By giving my altar a good scrub, I can
further motivate myself to return to my magical practices.

Don’t limit your cleaning to ritual tools and your altar. I admit that I
personally am a lousy housekeeper, but even then, once a month (New Moon
is a good time for this) I do my best to clean up flat surfaces, dust a
bit, and bring some order to my natural entropic state. Although the
process itself can be exhausting, it eventually rewards me with energy
and a positive outlook. The physical cleanliness will reflect itself in
the astral and make house cleanings and blessings a quicker and more
rewarding process as well.

If you need to clean your altar immediately, a simple solution of water
and sea salt that has been blessed will work. I’ve used this solution in
plastic spray bottles, sometimes enhanced with essential oils like
cedarwood for purification or sandalwood for psychic energy. If I have a
need to perform ritual two days in a row, a quick spritz across the
altar prepares the space for me so I can start on my work before giving
the space the intensive cleaning and attention it deserves.

For full ritual closure, you might want to offer a prayer to an
appropriate underworld, Earth, or reincarnation deity. Here is a simple
prayer that you might want to use:

“Blessed Gaea, all giving Mother
I return these children to you.
Hold them, love them, consume them.
Until again, they are ready for the world.
”

All things, even disposal, should be done with reverence. Humor is
appropriate, too, but keep in mind that these objects served your higher
purpose well and deserve to be honored for that service. All ritual acts
are sacred–even the ritual act of disposing.

Calendar of the Moon for Wednesday, March 21

Calendar of the Moon

Ash Tree Month

Color: Pale Blue
Elements: Water and air
Altar: On a cloth of pale blue set a great bowl of salt water in which are set many shells and stones, a shell full of salt, incense, and the figures of sea-birds and fishes.
Offerings: Wash something clean, or air it out.
Daily Meal: Either fish or seafood, or poultry.

Nion/Anthesterion Invocation

Call: Now is the time of wind and water.
Response: Now is the time of sea and sky.
Call: Now is the time of the Gods of weather.
Response: Now is the time of the great waves.
Call: Now is the time of terrible flooding.
Response: Now is the time of needed rain.
Call: Now is the time of battering gales.
Response: Now is the time of winds of change.
Call: Now is the time of fear of change.
Response: Now, and always, change will win.
Call: The wild winds disturb our dreams.
Response: The wild winds awake our minds.
Call: The heavy rains flood our hearts.
Response: The heavy rains water our future.
Call: The sea will sweep us away.
Response: The sea will bear us up.
Call: The sea is cold and unending.
Response: The sea is the source of life.
Call: We are ships on the lost expanse of the ocean.
Response: We are winds that call to one another.
Call: We will brave the wind and water.
Response: We will bring together mind and heart.
Call: We will come home safely after wandering.
Response: We will anchor safely after our journeys.
Call: We will come through wind and water!
Response: We will come through wind and water!
(Repeat last two lines twice more.)

Chant:
We will come through wind and water
We will come through sea and sky

 

Pagan Book of Hours

Wishing You & Yours A Very Happy & Blessed Spring Equinox & Ostara!

Ostara Comments

“Equal dark, equal light
Flow in Circle, deep insight
Blessed Be, Blessed Be
The transformation of energy!
So it flows, out it goes
Three-fold back it shall be
Blessed Be, Blessed Be
The transformation of energy!”
– Night An’Fey, Transformation of Energy

 

 ~Magickal Graphics~

Confessions of a Solitary

Confessions of a Solitary

by Lisa (Wild Rose) Harris

I contemplated the full moon from my position under the “Triple Goddess” tree. The mountains seemed to glow from the magick of her light. The sounds of the night filled the air: the river’s gentle yet powerful sound enveloping the canyon, the haunting sounds of a great horned owl and coyotes singing from the ridge. The tree in the pasture we had chosen for our site was like no other I had ever seen. She was composed of three trunks of separate trees intertwined, which over the years had grown together to become one, rather than three, trees. I could feel her energy, and anytime I needed to meditate, contemplate or ground myself, I would go to her. Yes, the time and place was right, and there was true magick in the air.

The chilly autumn air of the Sierra Nevada foothills penetrated every part of my body, yet I did not shiver. I looked at my companion, my friend Pauline, who was the only other practitioner of the Craft I knew of in our small mountain town. She was bursting at the seams with energy. We shed our robes, letting them fall to the ground. Neither one of us made a habit of public nudity, yet we wanted to pledge ourselves to the Goddess, naked and unashamed, as we had come into this world. The pasture was well out of view of the road and the few houses that were around. That Samhain midnight, under the full moon, with the animals as witness, was the night I pledged myself to the Goddess and to the Craft.

Seven years later, I am still a solitary. I have met friends, teachers and organizations along the way, but none that I could dedicate myself to with “perfect love and perfect trust.” One self-proclaimed “teacher” from New York, whom I met through the same pagan pen-pal listing where I found my friend Pauline, was obviously interested in using the Craft to manipulate young, innocent pagans into sexual situations, long distance if need be.

When I broke off contact, after catching on what this guy was about, I was deluged with creepy dreams, ravens at my back door and other phenomena that I could only interpret as psychic attack. I did some research on protection spells. Finding nothing I liked, I created one of my own. The object I made and buried near my front door was so strongly charged that the energy it radiated caused a buzzing in my hands that reached up through my arms and into my chest. The words I spoke came from a place somewhere inside myself I was not familiar with. They were powerful and they actually rhymed (which is surprising since I have no poetic talent whatsoever).

Two weeks later, I received a letter from him asking for help. He told me that he was in jail after being lured into a sting operation and arrested because of his religion and his very high-profile promotion of the Craft. He told me that all of the pagan leaders had “turned their backs on him.” I knew that his own energy had turned on him and brought him to justice for what I suspect was some sort of sex-related crime. I burned the letter.

My first experience with magick was swift and strong. I vowed never to misuse power, because when bad energy turns back the power is amplified. I was lucky on two counts: first, that I had recognized the psychic attack, because I had experienced psychic phenomenon ever since I was a child, and second, that I realized there are those who would manipulate others in the name of their god in any religious movement, not just the Craft. I continued on my path, a bit wiser than I was before.

As I have continued, the magick I have created on my own has been so powerful that it has frightened me on occasion. Knowing the power that one can raise and direct has made me ever vigilant about only doing magick for the right reasons. I won’t even send healing energy to someone with out their explicit permission. I also teach my daughter that magick should not be done for selfish reasons, as what we set in motion tends to take on a life of its own. Karma works.

There have been times when I’ve wished that I could become part of a coven and do great magickal and celebratory works with others. There are other times when I am grateful that I have chosen a path that frees me of hierarchy and dogma. To me, the thought of earning degrees and having someone else “bestow titles” on me is too much like the Christian faith I was raised in. I entered the Craft as a spiritual quest, a way to connect with something that I understood, rather than trying to fit into someone else’s religion or dogma. My beliefs would put me at odds with some traditions. Some people may want and need a specific structure and system; I do not do well in such a system. I can’t bring myself to profess to believe in something unless I honestly believe and agree with every fiber of my being. That’s difficult for me to do in anything organized.

Another difficulty I have with working groups is just that, that they’re groups. My personal philosophy on paganism is that most “witches” were solitaries, doing kitchen magick and healing. I believe that this magickal work and connection with the natural world was an everyday way of life, and that witches got together mainly for seasonal festivals and rites of passage. I tend to agree with the theory that coven structure, as we know it, did not enter into the picture until later, during the Inquisition and the like. Since none of us were there at the time, we can only do our best to follow the path as we see it.

Now that I have a family and want a spiritual community for my daughter, I’ve addressed the group aspect of the Craft differently. We belong to a Unitarian Universalist Church in Tacoma, which has no dogma, only basic principles that I can wholeheartedly support, and which give my daughter the freedom to find her own path. When I arrived at the church, I immediately asked who ran their Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) chapter. “Where are your pagans?” I asked the board president. He explained to me that the group had gone defunct and that there wasn’t anyone who had the energy to reinvent the group.

I couldn’t abide by the idea of a Unitarian church without a strong pagan presence. Earth-centered spirituality is one of the many traditions the church’s practices are based on. The first thing I did was to write an article responding to a sermon given by the staunch humanist minister who was serving at that time. It was a pagan view on humanism, which challenged the congregation to find magick and sacredness in their lives, rather than just intellectual stimulation.

Once I stirred the pagan political cauldron, I found myself planning a winter solstice service, and soon people began saying that my energy was just what was needed to get things going again. One day I noticed that I was being introduced to new members as the “chief pagan,” and I was being referred to as “priestess.” I now facilitate the church’s Earth Centered Spirituality Group, which leaves me in the odd position of being a solitary leading a group.We get together to study and celebrate seasonal festivals and rites of passage, as I believe our ancestors did. We also reach out to the congregation and community to teach them about the wheel of the year and to dispel myths and propaganda. I didn’t set out to lead a group; it just happened.

My solitary work has taken a back seat, now that I spend so much time and energy facilitating meetings and rituals. Most of my personal practice involves cleansing, purifying and healing, while the seasonal celebrations seem to fall in with the group. I also recently began networking with other groups in the area. Since I have been thrust into a position of leadership and most of my “knowledge” and practice comes from books and personal experience, I feel that it is important to go out and learn from others. I was afraid that I didn’t have the right to lead a circle or study group. What I found in the community was wonderful people to celebrate with, and a feeling of belonging. I also found the rituals I wrote and organized weren’t any different than anyone else’s. I watched other groups spill, trip, forget words, read from cards and make the most of it just like we do. It didn’t hurt the rituals; it made them real. The Goddess loves a good laugh.

My practices have changed over the years. Rather than chanting under the Triple Goddess tree as a rural pagan, I find myself working indoors as a Northwest city pagan. I do healing work for family and close friends, honor the seasonal cycles with a family altar in the living room and occasionally find time for divination. Much of my time is spent at my computer researching and writing our next ritual. Since I never seem to be able to find a ritual from written sources I like, I write them myself.

For me, working ritual that I have created myself or with the help of others gives me more of a sense of connection than reciting something from a book. My wonderful, supportive husband, who is just now embracing his inner pagan, likes to tease me by calling me “Hemingway” when I write. I decided a long time ago that I am looking forward to becoming a very eccentric old woman, and so as not to shock anyone, I’m starting early. I like to write ritual, articles and homilies naked while drinking a glass of Merlot.

And so the wheel turns. It begins under a tree in the mountains and is continued at a keyboard in the city. Some things stay the same. I still ritually purify the house after an illness or argument. I still infuse candles with herbs, oils and energy to use in healing or personal and spiritual growth. Most of all, I try make spirituality a part of my day-to-day life, not just something I do at the full moon or at a Sabbat.

Although part of me still hopes to someday meet that group of people with whom I fit perfectly, I guess I have the best of both worlds, my own personal relationship with the Goddess and wonderful new friends to celebrate with. As I close this article, I raise my glass to the goddesses and gods everywhere, and to those who explore, celebrate and honor them in whatever way they see fit. So may it be.

FOUR WINDS OILS

FOUR WINDS OILS

East Wind, the wind of intelligence: Lavender
South Wind, the wind of passion and change: Musk
West Wind, the wind of love and emotions: Rose
North Wind, the wind of riches: Honeysuckle
Wear the appropriate oil when desiring a change in that area of your life.
Also wear to boost spells you may also be working.
South Wind is the catch-all; if your wish doesn’t fall into any of the other
categories, use South Wind.

Creating and Using Roles of Power: When Wisely Used, This Ritual Bond Can Multiply Your Energy

Creating and Using Roles of Power: When Wisely Used, This Ritual Bond Can Multiply Your Energy

by George D. Jackson

The establishment and utilization of a pole of power is probably the most far-reaching magickal operation you will ever attempt. A pole of power can be defined as a person or persons joined to you on the five levels of intellect, emotion, creativity, spirit and the physical through empathy and consensus to perform powerful magickal acts. In joining, the other person or persons and yourself form a gestalt, an integrated structure or pattern that makes up a unified experience and has specific properties that can neither be derived from the elements of the whole nor considered simply as the sum of these elements. In short, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

The formation of this gestalt means a pole of power can be viewed as one of the most significant power multipliers available to a magickal adept. This bond is in fact a magickal marriage, and its offspring are magickal operations that the individuals involved would have difficulty performing on a solitary basis. Groups such as covens operate on this principle but utilize numbers to make up for an individual commitment to the circle that is (usually) less than between a paired couple working as poles of power.

Most magick users operate in a solitary mode, occasionally forming temporary group gestalts. The solitary approach is perhaps the least vulnerable and most unhindered from a personal standpoint, but with some notable exceptions it is also the least powerful. Even when practicing magick in the solitary condition, an in-depth personal psychological preparation is strongly advised. Many individual practitioners venture into areas where their power levels are too low to properly cope with what they locate, or where they cannot comprehend the circumstances they find themselves in. Among the unfortunate results of this type of journey can be deep states of depression, as well as from time to time hallucinations. Exploring the magickal unknown on a solitary basis frequently means the practitioner has few resources when it comes to falling back, regrouping and establishing a magickal defense. For such exploration, strength in numbers can be very valuable.

Poles of power are utilized at three levels. The first is a temporary union of two or more magick users to perform a predetermined magickal act. Practitioners often form poles of power on this level at festivals or magickal gatherings, and the most common usage is the erection of the magickal circle and the wards. The second level is semi-permanent and frequently involves a coven, guild or religious organization. The most common magickal actions at this level fall within the area of invocation (addressing a deity). The third and final level is the state of the permanent pole of power.

The permanent state does not have to be between a male and female, but that formation is the most common. A permanent state is almost always bipolar, with each pole contributing the psychological orientation the other lacks and reinforcing the other’s abilities. To effectively create a permanent state, the magick users involved should view the state as they would choosing a marriage partner in consensus reality.

To create the bond effectively will very likely demand that each partner perform some very honest self-evaluation. This is a formidable type of personal survey. From what participants learn in it about how they relate to themselves and others, they may find it necessary to perform some psychological engineering upon themselves before entering into a permanent pole-of-power relationship. To understand the level of work involved in such engineering, consider how many self-help books are being sold and how many people are undergoing some sort of psychotherapy. The initial groundwork of self-evaluation, empathy and consensus make a permanent pole-of-power state one that is best not rushed into.

It is also well to know at this point that, because the pole-of-power state is a magickal bond, an automatic energetic feedback loop is created on the quantum or elemental level. Once this loop is formed, violating your partner’s sense of propriety is going to have consequences. Also, it is well to know that the subconscious does not forget anything that you do. You will become vulnerable to actions connected to this bond, and the stronger the emotional value of the occurrence the more vulnerable you will be.

Should the participants decide to go forward, the emotional and intellectual status is laid down for a permanent pole-of-power relationship by establishing a state of trust and honor and a desire to work for mutual benefit. This mutual trust and cooperation in turn will provide energy for the spiritual, creative and physical portions of the bond. The process is hinted at in the Wiccan “In perfect love and perfect trust” and the Thelemite’s “Love is the Law, love under Will.”

Once you have done the groundwork, you are ready to perform ritual, and some if not all of the power evoked will remain with you for the rest of your life.

The ritual is performed in the following manner. The first thing to do is establish the statement of intent, which is for both parties to commit to being each other’s pole of power. The next thing is to build a “free space” or place of power in which to perform the ritual. In the male-female mode, it is recommended that the rite be done in the nude, symbolizing that both parties have nothing to hide from one another. A banishing spell is then done to clear the area of hindering forces and is followed by the primary bonding ritual. An example follows:

We are one mind, me and thee, together when apart; near when far;

Thoughts within thoughts, aware when unaware; bound within the circle

Now until whenever!

We are one spirit, me and thee, together when apart; near when far;

Will joined to Will; felt within and without; bound within the circle,

Now until whenever!

We are one body, me and thee, together when apart; touching when separated;

Flesh of the same flesh; bound within the circle,

Now until whenever!

As a form of reinforcement, which is not a requirement, the ritual may be culminated in sexual union. Aleister Crowley frequently used sexual union in bonding rituals, and practitioners interested in including this technique in their ritual are referred to his works. After this step, the wards are then dismissed and the circle is taken down.

I can tell you from personal experience that the pole-of-power circumstance has many benefits outside of being a power multiplier. It can be an excellent early-warning system when the bonded pair explores unknown spaces. What might have a limited impact on one person can affect the other quite strongly, which information can allow both to make a strategic retreat from a threatening situation. A pole-of-power bond is also very good for long-range nonverbal communication. It sets up that “call me” feeling that crops up in the back of one’s consciousness.

There are other advantages that vary with the people involved. While the bond does not prevent the highs and lows that occur in interpersonal relationships, in my experience it very definitely shortens the duration of the lows. Finally, there is a personal connection that persists even when the people involved have drifted apart in time and space. When consensus is joined once more, power is immediately renewed.

George D. Jackson is an Adept V of the Sorcerer’s Guild, a group dedicated to the enhancement of magickal work among its membership that is open to initiates of most magickal traditions.

Powering Up the Circle

Powering Up the Circle

by George D. Jackson

One of the problems I have become aware of in our community is the low level of power we raise in the circles we cast. I have noticed this mainly through listening to and reading a litany of complaints from various practitioners in several magickal paradigms. At first I thought perhaps this problem was just in these people’s perception, but after inquiries among some long-time magickal practitioners in the region, I have found that these people are not alone in this observation. I also found a number of our fellows out there seeking solutions.

Several reasons exist why we may be having difficulty in raising high levels of power within our circles. Sometimes, low power levels in public rituals are deliberate so as to shield neophytes from psychic overload. I have some reservations concerning this, as I was originally drawn to my magickal paradigm by feeling the power present in a series of semipublic circles.

Another significant reason for lack of power is that some of us come from the major religious paradigms where group activities were performed in a follow-the-leader type of approach and the magickal dynamics were never explained. The leader of these activities probably had some concept concerning the methods being used to unite consciousness, but he sure wasn’t going to call them magickal. Also, any power that was raised was directed to the benefit of the religious organization involved. The congregation, powerwise, was left in a dead zone and just accepted that as normal. Because people learn from experience and many magick users go from major religions to being solitary practitioners, attendance of public magickal rituals with low power levels was not remarked on.

Another reason why there are difficulties in raising power in the group environment is connected to the personal psychological defense screens that most of us have installed in our individual subconscious minds over the course of our lives. These are necessary for us to go on with our day-to-day lives without being overwhelmed by outside forces. However, many of us don’t know how to lower these screens when the need comes about. The following is an exercise that can give the individual magick user the ability to drop her or his screens at Will when the circumstances warrant it.

This exercise includes a method used in the Huna (Hawaiian magick) paradigm. It involves using a pendulum to talk to your “basic self,” otherwise known as your subconscious mind. The Huna approach considers an individual as a gestalt entity consisting of three selves existing in the physical body. The middle self is the conscious analytical mind, tasked with aiding the evolution of the basic self as well as its own; the high and basic selves are both contained in the collective unconscious. The high self is the most evolved and is the source of individual power; the basic self is primal and is the source of emotion, as well as storing all memory, processing environmental items into energy and running the autonomic nervous system. It is also the conduit between the high and middle self, and as such it needs to be educated.

The materials needed for this exercise are a pendulum and a piece of paper with a circle drawn on it and a cross within the circle. The first thing one needs to do is set up the parameters of the operation. Suspending the pendulum over the center of the circle by finger and thumb, you tell your basic self that forward and back is “yes” and side to side is “no.” Around the circle is “I don’t know.” Now ask your subconscious to show you yes, no and I don’t know.

Once this agreement is set in place, you are ready to proceed. Holding the pendulum over the circle, you tell your basic self to lower its barriers and allow outside energy to flow through you. You then ask your subconscious if it understands this command and will comply. When it answers “yes,” reward it by telling it how much you approve of this decision.

This exercise is designed to be performed by two or more people who have learned to drop their barriers. The people involved join hands and command their basic selves to drop their barriers and allow the energy flow. Power flows into the right hand and out of the left. It should be cycled at least three times or until one can feel the tingle or surge passing through them. Practitioners can then direct the accumulated power into the center of the group and use it to perform operations agreed on before the gestalt (the whole that is greater than the sum of the parts) was formed. Alternatively, the power can be directed outward to form a cone of power. Once the group’s goals are accomplished, be sure to ground the power and raise the pre-existing personal barriers. This kind of work is a temporary magickal bonding. If it is not dissolved at the end of the ritual, you are going to leave with more than you planned on.

Like most worthwhile things, this exercise takes a period of practice. Once it becomes commonly used, it becomes second nature. One thing it does is allow the user to rate the levels of energy in any circle the user participates in. When among close associates, it allows for a lot of fine-tuning. I use this in my “Path of the Adept” magick course, and my students are strong!

Strengthen Your Magick by Learning Your Personal Color Key

Strengthen Your Magick by Learning Your Personal Color Key

by Melanie Fire Salamander

As I write, the deep green-blue of earliest dawn fades to clear royal blue, which lifts to a hovering grey that turns peach-yellow. Goddess Aurora, the herald of the sun, washes the east with color as every day begins.

For the sighted, color defines the first visual experiences of life. Before we see shapes, we see dappled colors moving before our infant eyes. From these shifting colors, the forms and the meanings of our lives come into focus.

Yet often, pagans take the color meanings for our magick from tables of correspondences. The rich traditional associations for color can certainly help drive your workings. But to work my own color magick, I have found it useful to discover the color meanings that already lie in my own deep symbol-speaking subconscious — the personal meanings that my deep self has accumulated for each color over my lifetime, and perhaps before. My teachers and my own work have shown me that the deep self is one of the main drivers of magick, and I find that my deep color resonances affect what my magick brings me. You too will probably discover that what your deep self associates with each color has resonances that affect your magick.

To discover your own personal meanings for colors, try the simple meditation following.

Color Meditation

1. Choose the colors you want to meditate on. For my work, I chose five: orange, green, red, yellow and blue.

2. Find a pure, unpatterned example of each color. I worked with sheets of colored construction paper, but use whatever you have handy, for example magazine pictures or plastic color gels. For best results, choose unmixed colors, without too much black or white muddying or clouding the tone. I chose colors that were all of similar intensity.

3. Cut a medium-sized, rectangular swatch of each color, say about five inches tall and three inches wide.

4. Set up your space for meditation. Find a comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed; take the phone off the hook and if necessary shut out your pets. Make sure an even light falls where you will place each color swatch, so you get the best visual image of each.

5. Set the first color swatch at easy eye-level for meditation, and set the others so that they’re ready to trade for the first swatch.

6. Ground, center and get into light trance.

7. Meditate on each color swatch in turn for five to ten minutes, enough time that you feel that you’ve worked through all the meanings your deep self has to bring forward for you. Write down your results, if you so desire.

My Results

One reason I’m glad I performed this meditation is that I didn’t always get what I expected from each color, as you’ll see.

Orange, I found, raised my energy immediately. It made me feel tense and nervous; the feeling was intense and unpleasant. That didn’t throw me, but I was a little surprised at how quickly I felt the energy change and how negative it was, because when just looking at the color I liked it.

Green also changed my energy level immediately and strongly — I felt a strong, pleasurable sexual sensation in my groin, most intense about the level of my ovaries. The color warmed me up physically, and I felt an almost smug pleasure. I had an image of the woods and thought of the god Pan. I felt horny, but not for anyone specifically — just that energy, without an object. I’ve found that green correspondingly works for me in love and sex magick. (Note that, for best karmic results, it’s best not to work love or sex magick to change another person’s will, but rather work to let the universe bring you your best partner or partners, whomever that may be.) Orange and green were probably the biggest energy changers of all for me.

Red wasn’t as intense for me as green or orange. I felt a slight headache, and a change of emotion rather than a strong change in physical energy. The emotion I felt was one of yearning or longing, not so much mine as of an ancient tragedy. I had an image of smoke over a battlefield, and I thought of the goddess the Morrigan. That was interesting to me, because I’ve always consciously associated red with love: Valentine hearts.

Yellow was moderately intense, more so than red, not as much as green or orange. I liked yellow. It raised my energy in a positive way, made me feel cheerful and made me smile. I thought of grassy lanes in sunlight.

Blue I found trancing; it had a reverberatory effect. It didn’t change my energy as the other colors had, because blue had for me the same deep thrumming energy as meditation itself. Blue did intensify and deepen my meditation, and I felt it strongly in my heart chakra. Its strength was on a par with yellow.

Your Own Work

You don’t have to work with the same colors I did, of course. Try meditating on the colors that you like best or that repel you, and find out why you react that way. If you like, you can use meditation to clear a color of negative meanings — simply bring that color up in your mind’s eye and run neutral cleansing energy through it until its energy changes. When visualizing color, I have found it best to work with transparent colors; if you find muddiness or cloudiness in a color you’re working with, try running cleansing energy through it. Check in with colors over time — you may find that their meanings change for you.

Once you know your personal color meanings, try using those in your magick. Find out which colors mean willpower or cheerfulness for you, and wear those to draw those feelings to you, or incorporate them in spell-work. If orange helps you concentrate, use it for your computer desktop and in spells about mental tasks. If blue or purple calms you and makes you trancy, paint your meditation room with it. If a clear pink means sex to you, dress your love rituals and your boudoir accordingly. Knowing your own personal color associations will make color an even more useful tool in your magickal toolbox.

Before I get started today, I have something personal to share….

Daylight Savings Time Graphics
Good Morning/Afternoon or whatever it is? I absolutely hate time change. I got tickled I stuck up the post yesterday reminding everyone to change their clocks and guess who didn’t? Yeap, me! So I am totally screwed up today. Please have extreme patience with me, I beg you, on bended knee, enough or do I need to go on, lol!

I forewarned you that this was going to be a personal post, so if you want to skip over it, you can do so now……..

For all the other’s that stuck around, I love ya’. Most of you know that I am a Hereditary. I have had the opportunity to practice all types of magick and also walk several different Paths. I guess after a while I have begun to think I have my act together. Then something out of the blue catches me and I absolutely loss it. When I loss it, I do not do good magick. The magick I produce is magick that comes from angry and hatred that spontaneously combusts. You think you have your inner magick harnessed and under control but these things can happen to the best of us. Let me fill you in…..

It was last night, I got into a very heated argument with a neighbor. The neighbor made a nasty comment about my helping the local vets care for wild animals in the area. She had even made a comment about me taking one of these wild animals as my own. She told me she knew that I had an affection for wild animals and some I did keep. That’s a lie, I have only kept one and that one was Razzy. She informed me that Mocha (my 15 year companion) was a wolf. Then the bitch even when on to say Razzy was a bobcat (tell me something I didn’t know). She made the comment that started the whole “push over the edge me.” Razzy came from a set of three kittens. Two of those kittens just vanished. I knew what had happened to them but I can’t go to the sheriff and tell them how I know and expect them to believe me. After I told the woman last night, I knew what had happened to the kittens. She admitted they had come over here and got them. She said she got them because they knew what kind of cats they were. After that I got totally angry with the woman and told her a thing or two about staying off my property. I also told her if she ever set foot back over her she would live to regret, I promised her that. I meant it. As the bitch was walking away, she hollered, “Oh, yeah, there is a bobcat just roaming all around. Wouldn’t it be ashamed if it got shot?” I cursed the woman on the spot. (Temper, temper, temper). I came into the house and told my husband about the conversation. While I was talking to him, I heard about 5 gun shots. The darkest feeling came over me. My heart got so heavy and it sank to my stomach. I went to the kitchen and fell to my knees. I knew what had just happened, her husband had shot that bobcat. The rage built-in me so quick, the power was there before I knew. My mind just went. I left this plane and was traveling down a cosmic wormhole. The colors, the speed, I could see the end of the hole, there was nothing but starry sky. I bursted out of the wormhole and with me came a indescribable force of energy. I could see it surrounding me.  It was just a straight, focused surge of energy. Then it was gone. I felt so relieved. I just wanted to drift in the stars. My husband was shaking me and calling me by name. “Good Goddess, what happened to you?” he asked. I slowly came too. I asked him what he was talking about. He told me I was sitting up in a fetus position and light was coming from my stomach area. He told me that I had scared him half to death. Then he heard one explosion after another coming from the neighbors. He said all of the outside lights started bursting one right after another. The garage, the security light, the landscaping lights, the house lights, the porch lights. He said it looked like an energy field had just come over their house and was blowing anything electric. Then he saw me on the floor still out of this world, shaking, the light glowing stronger now, he knew what was happening. That is when he started shaking me. After I grounded, I told him what I had experienced. I told him I had felt it in my heart that nature had lost one of it most divine creatures. I couldn’t take it. It was too much. I went into a rage. The energy just came and I sent it. Am I ashamed of what I did, no. The man had no respect for nature and all of it creatures. He needed to be taught a lesson. But it wasn’t my place to do so. But I realize to raise that type of energy, I had help. So I figure what I did wasn’t all wrong. Today, I am totally wiped out. I just feel very relaxed and totally at peace. Strange isn’t it? How such a violent outburst such as that can leave a person feeling this way.

You might wonder why I am sharing this with you. Several reasons: One, even the Seasoned of us can lose control. We think we have that inner power harnessed  and can wield it at our command. 99% of the time we can. But there is that dangerous 1%. That 1% is just sitting there waiting to be triggered. Most of the times, something you feel very passionate about, a true love, a deep connection with something or someone, a death, something traumatic can trigger it. Last night, it was my deep connection with all the wild creatures of nature and one’s death that triggered mine. That 1% of energy is there, waiting so be aware of it. Second, things happen that sometimes we can’t control or perhaps we can but we don’t want too. Should we feel guilty about what we have done? Is it wrong to go with that sudden impulse? These are questions you will have to ask yourself. I can’t answer them for you. But I do have to answer for myself. My answer to both of these are NO.

There comes a time in every witch’s life were you will have to make choices. You will be put in circumstances, you never believed possible. You will face experiences, that you never dreamed possible. This is the way of the Path we have chosen to walk. We are the chosen. We are suppose to help mankind and their betterment of their lives. Perhaps I did better that man’s life. Perhaps he woke up with a horrible guilty in the pit of his stomach for what he had done. I don’t know but maybe. But as a witch, you will run into these situation, be put in strange circumstances, you must be prepared for whatever is to come your way. You must be able to live with the result of your actions you take.  The Path won’t always be rosy but it will be a Path that only the few and select are honored enough to walk.

May the Goddess Always Guide Your Path,

Lady A

Understanding Negative Energy: Choose Your Words Wisely!

Understanding Negative Energy: Choose Your Words Wisely!

Author: Ryan Hatcher

How often, as energy workers, are we told that negative energy is ‘bad’? “Cleanse it of all negative energy!” “It’s been tainted by negative energy.” “I can feel a lot of negativity here” and so on. Personally I feel this use of the word ‘negative’ to be wrong.

Let’s look at the word negative, and then you might see what I’m getting at. The word negative is the opposite of the word positive. In terms of physics, negativity is a description of a charge, such as positively charged particles and negatively charged particles (protons and electrons respectively) . The poles of a battery are labeled + and – or positive and negative. However, as energy workers we generally consider ‘negative’ to mean ‘bad’, ‘harmful’ and, in an extreme, ‘evil’.

Does this mean that half of a battery is evil? Or since electricity is a flow of electrons and so has a negative charge, does that mean electricity is inherently evil? Well…no, if we think about it, they’re not inherently bad, harmful or evil, although electricity can be harmful if it is misused, like any other energy.

If we look to the Far East, we can look at the ideas of positive and negative from a more spiritual perspective. What I refer to is the concept of Yin and Yang from Taoism and traditional Chinese medicine. Yang, roughly meaning Sun, is positive, masculine overt and open in Chinese. In the Taijitu (the typical Yin-Yang symbol) , Yang is represented by the white section. The concept of Yang energy is that of active, dynamic, masculine aspects, the sun and fire are forces associated with Yang as well as the God principle. Yang is the positive side of the polarity.

In Chinese medicine the Yang part of our body is the right side of our body. There are also Yang organs in the body, associated with active and energizing attributes. Yang is the energy within us that drives us forward, is our passion, and keeps us energized. But if we have too much Yang in our lives, we can end up feeling hyperactive, aggressive, suffer insomnia and eventually burn ourselves out.

Yin is roughly translated as shade, moon, feminine, negative, lunar and hidden in Chinese. In the Taijitu, the black section represents Yin. The concept of Yin energy is that of the passive, stillness and the feminine. The moon and water are forces associated with Yin, as well as emotions, intuition and the Goddess principle. Yin is the negative side of the polarity.

In Chinese medicine, the Yin part of our body is the left side of our body and, as with Yang, there are Yin organs in the body associated with passive, fluid attributes. It is the serenity within us that keeps us calm, allows us to sit and just observe the world around us, are the deep waters of our mind and keep us grounded. However, too much Yin in our lives leaves us feeling lethargic, depressed, lonely and alienated, suffering from hypersomnia and getting nowhere in life.

A balance between the two is imperative to be able to experience life to the fullest and to feel as present in the now as is possible for us as human beings at that moment. The Yin and Yang, together in the Taijitu, are inseparably linked, entwined together to form the whole, the perfect and infinite circle. One cannot exist without the other, just as a shadow cannot exist without a source of light. Also, if we look at the Taijitu we can see that the individual Yin and Yang parts contain a part of the opposite. This shows that opposites exist within everything and the importance of a balanced polarity.

There, polarity, that is the point I’m trying to aim for. Is it possible, looking at the Yin-Yang model to see negative as inherently bad as we have done for so long? If we did, it would mean that everything feminine, including the Goddess, would be bad, harmful and possibly inherently evil. I’m sure no one has any intention of doing that any time soon.

Positive and negative, light and dark. They are just opposites in the balance of polarity and have no sense of moral right or wrong, any more than do the poles of the aforementioned battery or the north and south poles of a compass, or even the earth. They’re just opposites of the same force.

So what do I propose we use instead of the word negative? Personally, I use the words ‘impure’, ‘unclean’ and ‘harmful’ when it comes to describing unwanted energy because that is really what we’re talking about isn’t it? Unwanted energy. Unwanted because it is harmful, impure and unclean. It is the energy that taints our work and our tools, whereas simply ‘negative’ energy could in fact be beneficial, providing a feminine aspect to our tools and working, and thus providing that balance of polarity which is what paganism and ‘the great work’ is supposed to be all about: unifying opposites to create a balanced whole.

Sometimes I feel that, though we understand thoughts and words have power, we still need to choose our thoughts and words more carefully when working directly with the energies of the universe. We need to make sure we know exactly what it is we are asking and that the words we use match our intention and directed will. The universe has a cruel, and sometimes ironic sense of humor (for a non-corporeal, non-specific entity anyway) , and sometimes you get what you’ve asked for, and if you’ve asked using the wrong words, then you’re likely to get a nasty surprise!

So from this moment I ask that we are all more mindful of the words we choose to use, both in our day-to-day lives as well as in our magical lives. Doing so we may just find things flow in the way we want them to and we can each live a happier, more peaceful existence.

Blessed be

Footnotes:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_and_yang

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taijitu

Dragon of Air Chant

The following call or brief ritual are meant to be included in your other rituals, within a cast and sealed circle. They are used to add greater power to any spell working because they specifically call the elemental dragons of Spirit. This taps into a vast reservoir of power current which can amplify any other power raised within the magical circle.

Dragons of Air

Choose music that represents to you either storms or light, breezy conditions, depending upon the atmosphere you wish to create. Your dancing and singing should make you think of wind blowing across the land, stirring the plants, whistling over the mountain tops, pushing the clouds through the sky.

Note: Use candles or other objects of a pure yellow color. Choose herbs and oils that are listed as of the element of Air.
Repeat this chant three times:

Dragon Ruler of Wind and Cloud,

I call your secret Name aloud.

Sairys (sair-iss)! (Ring gong once)

Quicken my mind, renew my Life.

Grant me joy free from strife.

Sairys! (Ring gong once)

Calendar of the Sun for Tuesday, March 6th

Calendar of the Sun
6 Hrethemonath

Day of the East Wind

Colors: White, ivory, and pale yellow
Element: Air
Altar: On cloth of shades between white and yellow, place four white and yellow candles, a vase of flags and banners in the colors of dawn, a bell with a clear tone, a knife, a glass of white wine, and apple blossom incense.
Offerings: Blowing curls of paper into the wind. Ringing bells or wind chimes. Study and learning, especially giving more depth to a field of knowledge you are already familiar with.
Daily Meal: Raw cold food.

Invocation to the East Wind

Breathe in!
Breathe in the wind of the East,
Piercing and clear,
Eye-opening breeze that comes
With the light of the rising sun,
Wind of voices that sing and chant,
Wind of voices that speak to our souls,
Talking wind that carries our words
To far corners of the world,
Wind of spring, wind that lifts the scent
Of the opening earth out of the chill snow,
Playful wind that teases the edge
Of our consciousness,
Sing to us!
Breathe in
And clear your mind.

Chant:
Eurus Eurus Breath of the East
Clarity Clarity

Song: Wind’s Four Quarters

(Wind chimes and bells are rung. Wine is poured as a libation. All process outside and release messages on small curls of paper into the east wind.)

The Origin of Magick

The Origin of Magick

Author: Crick

Have you ever wondered about the origins of magick?
By magick I am not referring to the stage tricks employed by various entertainers for our amusement, but rather the energy which numerous cultures and belief systems have tapped into in order to manifest their various objectives.

This universal gift is known by many different names depending on which culture/belief system one looks at. It may be known simply as magick, prayers, miracles, life force, juju, karma and so forth.
For the purpose of this article it will be referred to as energy.

Have you ever wondered if such energy was a latent presence here on earth prior to the arrival of humankind? Residing here as an ancient primordial force, which was patiently waiting for sentient beings to discover its presence and purpose.

And if it was here prior to the arrival of human beings, did it serve an active purpose in the shaping of life and/or the creation of events that allowed for said life to begin? Was this primordial energy an essence that was introduced by Deity by way of a direct involvement with what we know as life? Or was it a side effect that formed as a result of actions taken by Deity during the course of said activities?

Or perhaps it is a development that manifested itself with the advent of humans? Could it be that the life force that we know as spirit introduced this energy into the life process in order to provide us with opportunities to expand our spiritual awareness and/or connection with alternate realms?

And if this is the case, why do you suppose that such a tool for growth and/or communication is so under utilized?

I say this because in society today, folks tend to become less connected with the world around them and more absorbed with the part of the self that is influenced by the individual ego.

And if this is a tool for growth and communication, why is it that those folks who actually use this energy for this purpose are spurned and looked upon with suspicion and in many cases with outright disdain by others in society? Witchcraft in essence, embodies the concepts and principals in the use of such energy.

And yet the word “witch” brings out and runs the gauntlet of emotions and perceptions of humanity as a whole. And depending on which side of the fence one stands, a witch is either an evil and vile creature or a person who is in touch with and resonates with the universal energies of which magick is a major part of.

Where does this fear of the unknown come from?

Was the ego installed into our souls as a balance to such a powerful tool? Has the balance shifted too far to one side of our souls?

As humans we readily employ magick in our various endeavors, but do we really understand its origins and what exactly is that we are using as a tool? Could the ego be a safety mechanism that has been allowed for whatever reasons, to exceed its purpose?

In some cultures, magick known as prayers is used as a means of communication with Deity. Does magick have but one specific intended use? And if so, are all other uses of such energy but an abuse of its original intended use?

Within these same cultures, when an event that is normally beyond the capacity of mere mortals, occurs, it is called a miracle.

Are these so called miracles really but a form of the same energy that others would call magick? Can we as humans in fact manifest these miracles by employing this energy? Or should such manifestations be the sole province of deity?

And while we are on the subject, does this energy have a shelf life?

Does it become stronger with use, opening even more avenues of discovery and power as one venture along the path, or does it weaken from non-use and/or the cultural disbelief in such a power?

Or is it simply a neutral tool offered by the powers to be, with many different attachments waiting to be realized by humanity.

Regardless of what name we call this energy or by what concept we use to identify with it, this gift has surpassed all boundaries of cultural, religious and societal beliefs. It is found in all aspects and fiber of this existence that we call life. It is a dominant force, often in a passive way, in basically everything that we do as humans. As such we may most likely only achieve but a peripheral understanding of such a complicated and diverse force.

Perhaps one day when we become as one with deity, a more comprehensive understanding of such a gift will be made known to us. But until such a revelation is proffered by the powers that be, we should always strive to understand as much as we are able to in order to effectively use such energy in a way that is both constructive and meaningful to our personal lives and not only our personal lives but to those around us as well.

As members of a diverse community, we have a responsibility to contribute to the health and well being of our community. Because of the diversity of society, there will always be divergent views as to what this energy is or in how it is to be used. But at the end of the day, how we use such energy is still an individual decision.

There are certain pagans, in particular Wiccans, who believe that whatever energy is sent out will return to the originator threefold.
As a traditional witch, I personally am not so sure that such a transfer is so cut and dry, but in general such a concept is a good yardstick or learning curve to adhere to.

I personally do not consider myself a master for I do not believe in such a being outside of deity. Rather I am a student of life with lots of questions. For without such questions there are no answers.
And quite frankly I don’t have answers to many of the questions that I have asked here. What few answers I may have are based upon my personal life experiences.

As pagans we are each individual and thus should answer such questions as they pertain to each person in regards to ones own beliefs and practices…

Astral Magic: How It Can Improve Your Life

Astral Magic: How It Can Improve Your Life

Author: Nita

There are a few simple methods that anyone who can astral travel can use to improve their life. Astral travel can be used in many different ways to achieve this.

Man has used the astral planes and alternate realities to affect the physical world from the earliest times. Shamans enter astral realms to help, cure and protect people from things they could not see. Shamans can bring elements or parts of alternative realities into existence for short periods of time. The degree of enduring change possible depends upon the Shaman’s skill, how much energy is used, and how big a change is attempted.

Magic can be used to manipulate the unseen forces that are at work in and around your life. Everyone knows what makes him or her happy or unhappy. Many times I have looked at what was going on in my life and wanted to change things. I’m sure you have too. But how do we go about changing things to make life better for us?

The first thing to do is write down what would make you happy and what is causing you problems. The easiest things to work on are things like a new vehicle or material objects to resolve problems.

I once had a car that really was a problem. Every time I started to get ahead, the darn thing broke down and took all my hard-earned money for repairs. I was tired of these recurring problems, but I could not afford another as my current car was doing such a good job of taking all my money.

Finally I decided to use astral magic to get rid of that lemon of a vehicle. I carefully planned out what I was going to do. There is a real time plane when you astral travel. This is the plane most similar to real life. You can form and shape anything you want in the astral plane because it is a fluid environment that is affected by the power of mind.

I astral traveled to the real time plane near my home. I then visualized myself walking out of my house and going to my car. I made sure that the car on the real time plane was different than my present vehicle. I pictured a dependable vehicle; one I could afford that would have me be happy and not take all my money and time fixing it. I did not picture any particular model or make of car. I wanted something that could be pulled into my life easily. Being non-specific about fine details like this makes it easier for life to bring you what you want in a short time. I picked my end result as being happy and unworried about driving my dream car anywhere I wanted to go.

I took my created image and placed it over my present vehicle. I made sure the image kept repeating itself endlessly into the future. I did this by matching the colors and feeling of the energy. I also matched the vibrations and musical notes I received from the image. You can do this by observing things closely in the astral. Everything has colored energy around it. This energy tells you whether it is something good or bad. The pitch of the energy is also a good indicator. The pitch is like the tone you get when you strike a tuning fork. The musical notes of astral energy can form a little tune or medley. If you like the tune and pitch of an astral object’s vibrations and colors, it will usually be good for you in real life. Anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or uneasy should be removed or left alone.

I checked all these things and made sure they felt right for me. I then hooked it all up to my old car. I wanted it to feel like the car I wanted and had created on the real time plane. A week later, I was given a car by a lovely retired couple I hardly knew. They had been sympathetically watching me struggle with my problems. It was an older vehicle but had been well looked after and was dependable. It was just what I wanted. The couple had just received a big settlement and bought a new car. They wanted to do something nice for someone. They had been looking for someone who really needed help and would thus appreciate the gift of their old car.

We can create changes in our physical lives by thinking and doing positive things. This is the power of positive thinking. Bad things and bad luck are caused by discordant energies and negative patterns of thought. These are the underlying causes of bad luck. Unfortunately, many people take bad luck for granted and accept it into their lives, expecting it at every turn. Thinking like this causes you to become stuck in an unhealthy mental pattern where disharmony and a continual stream of problems are manifested in your life. In an astral sense, it could be said you are creating and thus attracting more and more discordant astral colors and tones around you.

Negative astral colors and tones can be cleaned away by positive thinking and regular astral housekeeping. To do this, I perform a simple mental exercise every night before going to bed. This only takes a few minutes.

First I visualize myself going to the real time astral plane. I picture the things I want to have around me or need and visualize them making my life easier. I populate my space with these and hook them over the things in my present space. I feel good colors, vibrations and musical notes replacing those on the physical plane. I see these energies and tones repeating endlessly into the future. I give my own mental image the energies and tones of good health, good luck and happiness. It really does help your life if you do this wholesome practice every day.

When someone you care about is ill or having problems, you can astral project to where they are in the real time plane and help them. You can see the colors and tones of a person’s energy when you are in the astral. It helps if you temporarily change part of your shape when working on a friend or loved one. Extend the length of your arm and fingers and use them to go through your patient’s energy field. Remove any energy that seems wrong or bad and then banish it from the person.

You banish the energy by changing it to a pure white color with different tones. You can also send it to an energy level that will disassemble the negative energy. A high- pitched pure white energy will destroy the components of anything negative. You will find that they do feel better the next time you talk to them. Sometimes they are so used to negative energy that it is drawn back to them. I have found that is because that the inner them feels that is the way it should look in their aura. They have to find the root cause of this and that is where my articles on letting go, forgiving yourself, and finding out if something else could be causing the problems come in handy.

You can repeat this astral cleansing as often as necessary. You can also add pure white or pure light blue energy in a pretty shade to their energy. You can notice the different energy that it creates around them. They will heal quicker and feel better quickly. Cleansing with an electric purple color is akasha flame and will destroy unhealthy and unwholesome energy. You can do all of these methods for yourself or others.

I once had a friend who was really ill. I saw some really strange, discolored spots in her aura. In an effort to help, I astral traveled to her home that night. I again saw the same discolored spots in her aura. I combed these out with my extended astral fingers and removed them. I then filled her aura with bright-blue energy from head to toe. I saw her the next day and she told me she had experienced a burst of energy that morning. Her disorder healed rapidly and I repeated the astral healing each night until I was sure she was healed.

The astral dimension is also the best place to pray and contact God, in any shape or form that a person may worship. The restrictions of the physical planes are removed and you can contact and receive their true essence. You can use this connection to ask forgiveness for anything you might have done wrong, or to ask for help with problems.

You can also thank whatever forces have given you help or assistance. Joining to the principles and virtues of God or the great Now is the best way to resolve any problems and restoring the Good to your life. Your Good is there and waiting for you no matter what mistakes you have made because of the energies of divine love and kindness.

I also use dreams to get advice to solve seemingly unsolvable problems. I ponder and meditate on my problem before sleep and ask for help. I then dream up solutions while I sleep, and know the answers in the morning.

Astral projection can also be used to meditate on the types of energies you would like to bring into your life. A little research will unearth a wealth of symbols, runes for example, each of which has a different meaning. I project out and then visualize and create a doorway. I visualize the most appropriate rune appearing on the door. I have the door attached to a wall, with a doorknob so I can get in and out easily. I walk through the door in my astral body and enter the realm of that symbol.

I ask for help with problems, ask specific questions, or simply ask to learn what I need to know. I feel what energy, vibration and pitch the symbol has, so I can draw it into my life in the real world. I then try and absorb what the experience has taught me, so I will remember and realize it better. This can be an amazing and enlightening experience.

Every symbol has its own realm. If you open yourself to its energies, it brings you into an understanding of the elements it is composed of, and of what can best help you in your life. It also opens you up to the elements involved with that symbol, so never use anything symbolizing something you do not want to experience. Many shamanic type symbols involve birth, death, and rebirth. You can almost duplicate the elements of a near death experience by using them. This gives you a way to review your life and decide what directions you would like to go in and the things you would like to experience. You can also use this to talk to Saints and Angels. You write their name upon the doorway and the symbol of the cross. You can use this for any God or Goddess or Buddha depending upon your beliefs. I feel this method has much to offer for everyone.

You can use the symbol energies in these planes to accomplish the goals they represent. It takes careful research and thinking to pick the symbols that relate best to you, your life and its problems, and your dreams and aspirations. Some of the symbols I have used are the cross, ankh, Buddha, pentacle, and the curved spiral of shamanism.

It is important to erase and remove each doorway you create when you have finished using it. This cleans up your personal space and makes it so you don’t have conflicting symbols that might cause you problems. I suggest keeping a diary of everything that you do, and rating the effect it had upon your life when you used any symbol or method. This helps remind you which symbols you have used, so with hindsight you can link it to the effects it had upon your life at that time.

A good book with meditations and exercises for each rune symbol is “Esoteric Rune Magic” by D. Jason Cooper. The Germanic runes are excellent examples of shamanic symbols. Using these will show what I mean about their different aspects, energies and the effects these can have upon your life.

All these methods are easy to do once you are capable of astral traveling. These practices can make your life easier and richer and prevent problems before they happen. Ignoring problems, or potential problems, will not make them go away. Being aware of your life, working on yourself, thanking the forces that help you and asking for advice can solve far more problems than ignoring them ever will. I believe in taking an active role in my future and helping myself along my life path. I hope that you enjoy and benefit from these methods as much as I have.

Footnotes:
Further Reading
“Esoteric Rune Magic” by D. Jason Cooper, 1994, Llewellyn Publications, St Paul MN, USA, ISBN 1-56718-174-0.
“Tree of Life, A Study in Magic” by Israel Regardie, June 1983, Samuel Weiser, ISBN 0877281491.

Designing Labyrinths

Designing Labyrinths

 

 

Labyrinths can be complex or as simple as a rock spiral. The rock spiral can be a simple as a widely spaced line of small stones that curves inward until a center is reached, rather like the design of a snail’s shell. The best way to provide for a working center is to first establish a circular space big enough to stand and move around in; center this over a power spot if you are fortunate enough to find one. Surround this center with a border of rocks, leaving an opening on one side. Then curve your spiral path out from this at least three times around the center. Be sure that the path is wide enough to comfortably walk in. Make the path turn clockwise.

In the very center of the spiral, you can place a flat stone. It does not have to be very large. Whenever you find such a stone, before placing it within your power area, cleanse it with a bath of salt and water. This flat stone can do double duty as an altar and also to stand or sit upon when you are working within your sacred space. There are some human-constructed flat stones used for facing buildings that work quite well. Stay away from plastics. Several bricks set up in a square or oblong pattern can be substituted; however, they are not very good at conducting energy into your body. The real stones can become power-sinks in their own right, drawing in and storing Earth dragon power or even the power produced by repeated rituals.

Much more elaborate labyrinths can be formed if you first plan them out on paper, but I cannot say they are any more effective than the simpler design. One side effect of such a spiral is an improvement of the atmospheric vibrations thought the immediate neighborhood, as well as on your own property.

Circle of stones will work in the same manner, especially if they are built over lines of dragon power. In Circles, Groves & Sanctuaries(Llewellyn 1993), Dan and Pauline Campanelli wrote of a man who built a wooden henge, as in Stonehenge, in his yard. This circular structure would work on the same principle as a stone circle or labyrinth.

Although the mere laying out of the spiral or circular rock pattern will activate and center the dragon’s breath energy, you might want to specifically tie it to your own energy vibrations. This can be done with a simple welcoming ritual. Using your staff, walk along the spiral path into the center. Take with you a small gift of herbs. If you have laid out a circle, choose one particular direction to use as a consistent entrance place. Stand in the center facing north and tape the ground three times with the staff, saying;

Arise, O breath of dragon.

Fill this land with goodness.

Bless me and mine with your positive energies,

And repel all those who wish to harm in any form,

I welcome all dragons who come to this place of power.

May we work in harmony and in love.

May this sacred spot become a haven of centeredness,

A refuge that revitalizes,

A door that leads to Otherworld knowledge.

May your power become one with mine (kneel and

Touch the ground with palm of your hand).

That I, my family, my community, my country, the

World,

May become whole and healthy again.

 

 

Tap the staff three times on the ground. Sprinkle the gift of herbs about your center space. Exit the circle or spiral with dignity and thanksgiving, knowing you have begun a neighborhood change in vibrations for the better.
Sometimes you will find a house or building that sits on a line of dragon’s breath energy. Some of the older houses that exude an atmosphere or either welcome or repulsion are often situated on such lines. Disembodied spirits or ghosts are frequently seen in these building, and not just by psychics. If the energy stream is a positive one, the ghosts will not be troublesome. However, if the sits over a black stream, one finds poltergeist activity, malicious ghosts, and a general set of negative vibrations that harass the family living there. It may be that these ghosts are trapped by the negative energy flow or that they use it to boost their own power.

I rented such a negatively situated house once and never was able to stake the energy line right or get rid of the hateful ghost who stayed there. One of the two stairways in that house was always as cold as the inside of a freezer, even on the hottest days of the year. The evil that was felt on that stairway made everyone, even nonbelieving visitors avoid going that way. I found out that forty years before, a teen-aged boy had died in the room at the top of the stairs. What his reasons were for staying on after death, I do not know, but the noises, evil feelings and trouble he caused were unwelcome. No renters stayed for any length of time.

Tracing flows of “dragon energy” is an excellent exercise for strengthening your psychic energy. The vibration of such power is quite similar to that felt when dragons are in the vicinity, so it helps the magician become familiar with the feeling of arriving dragons. Best of all, it is just plain, inexpensive fun.

“Dancing with Dragons”

D. J. Conway

Dragon Fire

Dragon Fire

 
 
Almost all dragons breathe out a type of energy we humans call fire. This fire-breathing from the nose and mouth was and is usually employed as a warning or a protective measure. However, there are a number of stories of dragons who, after being hunted and/or provoked to extremes, burned up all the houses and crops of a town as punishment and a warning to leave them alone.
 
A great many dragons are attracted by physical fire, which produces a form of energy. Burning candles in a ritual way is certain to attract dragons. If the magician does not have the time, opportunity or energy to perform a complete dragon ritual, candle burning is a quick, effective form of magick. It is the quickest ritual to learn and to do.
 
Do not become lazy, however, and substitute candle burning for every magickal occasion. If you are new to the field of magick, begin with candle burning and work up to the other, more involved rituals. A good magician constantly seeks to expand his/her field of knowledge and expertise.
 
This is a candle burning ritual using dragon magick. To increase the potency of the candle, time the burning to the correct lunar and/or solar phases. For increasing and obtaining desires, burn during daylight or the waxing Moon (from after the New Moon until the Full Moon), with the Full Moon being strongest. For banishing or cursing, burn during evening hours of the waning Moon (from after the Fulll Moon until the New Moon), with the New Moon being strongest.
 
A cast circle is not imperative with this ritual. Choose appropriately colored stones to draw the attention of the dragons with which you desire to work: arrange them about the altar. With your ritual dagger, carve your exact wishes on the candle. Dragon script is very good for this, but if it proves too difficult to carve into the wax, use your ordinary language. Then anoint the candle with an appropriate oil. For moving something away from you, anoint from the end up to the wick. For obtaining something, anoint from the wick down to the end. To further strengthen the spell, roll the candle in crushed herbs chosen to further correspond to the spellworking. Either tapers or votive candles can be used.
 
To further concentrate the appropriate power into a candle burning, make a wide circle of your robe-cord around the candle on the altar. For safety, choose a metal or non-flammable holder and set it in a safe place.
 
With your wand, circle the candle three times clockwise for increasing magick (three times counterclockwise for decreasing magick). Hold the dragon pentacle facing the candle and say:
 
Draconis! Draconis!Draconis! Hear my call.
Three times I hail You, Listen, All!
This candle’s flame is like Your fire.
Dragons, bring my heart’s desire.
Dragon Power, come to me!
Hear my words. So Mote It Be.
Draconis! Draconis!Draconis!
 
If you have been given a dragon’s name and particularly want to call upon him/her, use this name instead of the word “Draconis” at the end of the Call in this ritual.
 
Visualize the dragon power and fire streaming from the dragon pentacle and entering the candle. After several moments, light the candle. For the fullest benefit, the candle should be allowed to burn completely out after the ritual is ended.

Power Spots

Power Spots

 
 
Power spots range in size from fairly small to large enough to lie in, can be anywhere. Sitting on or within such an area is a great aid for meditation or simply contacting your dragon allies. The radiating power amplifies a magician’s ability to make contact with the astral.
 
There are many such power spots, well-known in Europe and beginning to be recognized in the U.S.A. One such large spot with which I have had personal experience is the Oregon Vortex. Although you first must go through the area with a guided tour, you are allowed to freely look about afterwards. Some people find they cannot tolerate the energy fields within the Vortex; they get headaches or nausea. I experimented with a crystal pendulum there and had strange but wonderful results. At first the pendulum refused to move at all. It merely hung straight down and quivered; this quivering was visible as well as being strongly felt all through my arm. When I stuck my arm in through the open window of the old assay shack, the pendulum came back in a straight line nearly touching my arm. It stayed in that position until I withdrew my hand from the window. At no time could I get the pendulum to move normally within the Vortex area. However, as soon as we left, it worked as it always does.
 
At one time, power spots in the U.S.A. were probably well-known by the Native Americans. Since these peoples rarely built permanent structures on these sites, there is no way to readily recognize them, as we can in Britain where stone circle and monoliths, not to mention ancient Christian churches, cover the landscape. Machu Picchui in South America is such a power spot, as are Mount Shasta and Mount Tamalpais in California.
 
I plan to study further on the connection between dragons and these power spots and energy lines. I know that dragons can be seen either within the spots themselves or moving along the lines. They tend to be particularly visible at night. It is not uncommon for people to see “ghosts” in connection with these places. I assume they are seeing both disembodied and astral entities, with the dragons being mistaken for ghosts. Few people take the time or effort to discriminate. Most people are programmed with too much fear of the subject.
 
Dragons use the projected power of these energy lines and spots, probably in much the same way they do energy given off by rituals. Having an energy line in your back yard is not a prerequisite for dragon magick, but you may discover that you find a disruption of flow. If you do find what you think is a black stream, consider whether you have trouble growing plants within or near that area. Do animals and people avoid that spot in favor of other places in the yard? Have you had difficulties with Earth slippage or unusually swampy ground? Do you just feel uncomfortable in that area? Be very careful about designating such a place as a disrupted power line until you are more familiar with the idea, because first contacts with dragon’s breath can give you some very strange sensations.

If you decide that there definitely is a disrupted line of energy, you can take active steps to help correct it. A few carefully placed stakes, whether wood or iron, can change the atmosphere in such conditions. If you have underground water or other utility lines, be very careful about driving stakes anywhere near them. If you decide to use iron rods, do not go anywhere near them during a thunderstorm; they are capable of acting like lightning rods! Take your time deciding about staking, though, because you do not want to worsen any possible existing problem. And use a lot of forethought before you do any major excavation or dirt moving, even though you do not detect an existing break in the power flow.
 
If you locate dragon energy lines on your property, you can guide the energy into a central place much as the ancient did by laying out a simple spiral pattern with rocks. Even if you think you do not have such energy steams, a rock patterned spiral may very well collect energy and concentrate that power into its center.

“Dancing with Dragons”
D.J. Conway

Water Magick – Energy Boost Elixir

Energy Boost Elixir

1 clear quartz crystal

3 ounces orange juice

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Charge the crystal with intent. Clearly state that the crystal will absorb positive energy, which it will impart to you at a later time. Mix all the ingredients together. Say, “I call the universal energy of white light and love to impart energy into this drink.” Drink it quickly but do not allow the crystal to flow into your mouth, to avoid choking. Say, “So it is done!”

The Path of Wisdom

The Path of Wisdom

Author: Crick

As I walk along an unexplored trail through the forest, I take notice that there are no obstructions in my way. There are no brambles waiting to snag me with their thorns. There are no fallen trees to stumble over. There is no wayward stream forcing me to forage across. There is only the solitude of the woods and the associated sounds of woodland life.

Above me in the branches of an old Elm tree are a couple of birds that are singing a morning duet. It is a song about joy and the happiness of life. Could this be a romantic tryst? Up ahead of me a King snake goes slithering quietly across the path. He emanates an indifference to his surroundings as he ponders solitary thoughts. Alas, a creature of stealth and mystery that one is.

In the creek that runs parallel to the path, are shiny black salamanders, gleefully enjoying the gentle currents of cool water. It glides over them, while they undulate like strands of dark grass beneath the surface of the shallow stream. Their thoughts may be minute but their existence is in tune with their surroundings.

As I pass an old Oak tree, I can see the tracks of a raccoon leading to a well-used hole situated in the base of the tree. Without a doubt, this young denizen is nestled deep within the trunk of this abiding oak, lost in a deep slumber. For a moment I wonder what it may be that she is dreaming of.

Suddenly I hear the splash of a small fish as it propels itself out of its natural environment into a momentary altered state of experience. Much like a human who has astral projected for the first time. I wonder if there is a change in its sense of reality as it briefly goes from one element to another. Or is it a fleeting experience that passes by un-noticed?

These thoughts lead me to think of my spiritual path which unlike this forest trail is fraught with obstacles placed by fellow humans. For unlike the many denizens of this quiet forest, humans do not adapt well to the environment in which they live. For as long as I can remember I have walked my personal path as an individual and yet many have been the obstacles placed before me by others who have stumbled across my path. The light glows before them but their eyes remain tightly closed.

Spiritual growth is the unique experience of each who walks such a trail and yet many are those who would insist otherwise. The mysteries of life are an experience that is related to the lessons each individual person requires to move forth. And yet there are many who will posture and claim to know the answers that are hidden from them within the mists. Fear of such unknowns spawns a false sense of arrogance and thus limits the ability to truly experience and thus find the understanding that is there for us all.

A spiritual path requires the freedom of mind and heart and the willpower and desire to achieve it. Empty words cast forth from a mass of humanity, is akin to a lonely sigh on a secluded mountaintop. No one truly hears it for there is none about to listen. For those who speak little but listen much, indeed, they will hear the whisper of wisdom as it goes quietly by like a soft springtime breeze. And yet there are many who would gladly lend their voices to the maddening din of transparent experiences, egos rising like a flock of geese, thus offering naught but another obstacle to one’s spiritual path.

We are each as different as the blades of grass that make up a vast field. Perhaps the sage approach is to listen as we each have a unique tale to tell. Though we may each walk a spiritual path our footfalls will not be exactly identical, each step along the path an experience within itself. But rather then live in synchronicity with each other, each of us striving to attain an awareness and understanding of our purpose in life, we would rather place obstacles one before the other.

And woe, are our bitter fruits, given to us by those who would choose to take shortcuts along the path of life. Such folks as these are the loudest of all who seek to place obstacles before others. And little do they care to be listening as the lessons of life present themselves to each of us whom walk this path. For such folks are spiritually apathetic and as such they continually seek the shortest route.

But as I walk along this unexplored path through the forest, I realize the parallels inherent between this woodland trail and my spiritual path. Knowing not where the shortcuts may lead, would I not prefer to follow the trail in its entirety and thus have the opportunity to absorb the experience of life as a whole?

Would I personally want to chance on missing out on important lessons that may advance my understanding of life and thus my spiritual growth by taking shortcuts? And would I choose to hide my lack of such knowledge gained through such an experience by being loud and boastful and eager to set obstacles before others who may be walking beside me? Or would I choose to be silent and let the sounds of this forest and in essence of life, make their presence known to me?

Alas, if I am to be true to the tenets of being an individual who is walking the path of life, then I can only answer for myself. I cannot pretend to be able to answer for others, for though their life experiences may be similar, they are still unique to that traveler. And the only way for me to learn from the experiences of others is to be silent and willing to listen.

Balancing one’s ego is a difficult task, but then the ego is attached to the earthbound soul and once freed from the path of humanity, it is left behind as the spirit sheds such obstacles and flies freely back home. And so as we travel our spiritual path, each individual must decide which is more important, the short-lived desires of the mundane human existence or the long-term goal of spiritual growth.

And so as I walk the last remaining yards of this forest path free of any obstacles, I know that within my heart I will continue to bypass and overcome the obstacles that my fellow humans will surely present me on the path of humanity.

Will you?