Tag: Gatherings

Ancient sanctuary used by Roman soldiers nearly 2,000 years ago found in the Netherlands

One of the most extensive ancient Roman temple complexes in northern Europe, which includes sacrificial altars used by soldiers on a far frontier of the Roman Empire, has been unearthed in the Netherlands.

The first century A.D. site — known as a temple sanctuary — was located near the fork of the Rhine and Waal rivers and a short walk from Roman forts along the Lower German Limes, which was then the northernmost border of the empire. It now lies near the Dutch city of Zevenaar in the eastern Gelderland region, near the border with Germany.

The sanctuary consisted of at least three large temples and many smaller altars dedicated to particular Roman gods and goddesses, and would mainly have been used for sacred vows by Roman soldiers stationed at the nearby forts, project leader Eric Norde, an archaeologist at the Dutch archaeology agency RAAP, told Live Science.

Hundreds of artifacts have been found at the site, including coins and jewelry; while the tips of spears and lances, and the remains of armor and horse harnesses, emphasize its military nature, he said.

The discoveries give a glimpse of the lives of soldiers stationed on the frontiers of the empire, far from the Roman heartlands.

“It’s the best-preserved Roman sanctuary in the Netherlands, and perhaps in a much larger area,” Norde said. “It’s quite extraordinary.”

The central government of the Netherlands and the provincial Gelderland government have contracted RAAP to excavate the site, which was first unearthed during commercial clay extraction works in 2021, according to a statement by the Dutch cultural ministry (opens in new tab). The clay extraction has been stopped for the excavations but is continuing nearby, and so the archaeological site is closed to the public for now.

Votive altars …

Click here to read the rest of this article

Public Service Announcement – Security flaws in a popular GPS tracker are exposing a million vehicle locations

Security vulnerabilities in a popular Chinese-built GPS vehicle tracker can be easily exploited to track and remotely cut the engines of at least a million vehicles around the world, according to new research. Worse, the company that makes the GPS trackers has made no effort to fix them.

Cybersecurity startup BitSight said it found six vulnerabilities in the MV720, a hardwired GPS tracker built by MiCODUS, a Shenzhen-based electronics maker, which claims more than 1.5 million GPS trackers in use today across more than 420,000 customers worldwide, including companies with fleets of vehicles, law enforcement agencies, militaries and national governments. BitSight said in its report that it also found the GPS trackers used by Fortune 50 companies and a nuclear power plant operator.

But the security flaws can be easily and remotely exploited to track any vehicle in real time, access past routes and cut the engines of vehicles in motion.

Security vulnerabilities in a popular Chinese-built GPS vehicle tracker can be easily exploited to track and remotely cut the engines of at least a million vehicles around the world, according to new research. Worse, the company that makes the GPS trackers has made no effort to fix them.

Cybersecurity startup BitSight said it found six vulnerabilities in the MV720, a hardwired GPS tracker built by MiCODUS, a Shenzhen-based electronics maker, which claims more than 1.5 million GPS trackers in use today across more than 420,000 customers worldwide, including companies with fleets of vehicles, law enforcement agencies, militaries and national governments. BitSight said in its report that it also found the GPS trackers used by Fortune 50 companies and a nuclear power plant operator.

But the security flaws can be easily and remotely exploited to track any vehicle in real time, access past routes and cut the engines of vehicles in motion.

Click here to read the rest of this article

Spell for Today – HELP LIFT HARD FEELINGS AND HEAL EMOTIONAL RIFTS

Item needed:

1 Quartz crystal

Find a nice quiet place where you can lay down, place the quartz crystal on you third eye and say:
“I call upon Gula, great goddess of Healing,
Guide the help to direct any bad feelings,
See this dark specters reeling.
By the grace of your power I ask you to heal them.
Teach each to feel what the other feels,
By the power of three, I wish it to be.”
If you focus on one person the spell will affect that person a little better than just doing in general.

Spell for Today

Thursdays are good days for travel and change. It’s the perfect day to re-arrange the furniture of your house and gain a new perspective on something. Even if you are not able to do any traveling on this day, you can still use Thursdays to do spells for travel. You can even do spells for positive change, and re-arrangement of your life. It’s a good idea to exercise on this day, as well. That way, your body can be in-shape by the time Friday comes

 

Positive Change Spells – Write Change Spells

Things you will need:
1 sheet of paper
1 pen or pencil
1 green candle
1 lighter or match
Light the green candle and think about how you want your life to change. When you are ready, draw a cross symbol on the sheet of paper with the pen or pencil. Label each corner of the cross with the first letter of the four directions on Earth. For example: “N” for North and “E” for East. Above the cross, write the word, “CHANGE.” Now, take your pen or pencil and place it in the center of the cross. Draw a swirl, counter-clockwise, three times. Then, take the pen back to the center of the cross and draw, clockwise, three times. Now, blow out the candle. After doing that fold the paper up and safely burn it or toss it in a body of water. After a few days, you should feel the changes you wanted to start happening.

 

Re-arrange Spells – Bouquet Re-arrange Spell

3 different kinds of flowers
1 vase
Get three different kinds of flowers and place them in a vase. Take a deep look at them and, then, step back for a few minutes. Walk back up to the flowers and re-arrange them. Then, say this chant three times:

 

“Flowers to move.
Life to re-arrange.
I need things to be different.
I need things to change.
What was over here,
Now, is over there.
What I need to spin around,
Soon, will have new flare.”

 

After about a week or so, you will notice a good deal of the re-arrangement you wanted.

A Witch’s Week of Spells and Activities
Helga C. Loueen

Spell for Today – Printable Friendship Spell

A Thought for Today

Until we meet again dear sisters, brothers, and honored guests may your life be filled with all things positive!

A Laugh for Today

Spell for Today – Financial Fortune and Good Luck

Spell for Today – A Bloodstone Protection and Courage Spell

 

Now that you are starting to get into the passionate, courageous, and daring qualities of Tuesday, here are a few more spells for you to experiment with. Don’t be afraid to adapt these spells to suit your needs. Add some tarot cards, herbs, scents, crystals, or essential oils to these Tuesday spells, and crank up the volume on your own witchery! As long as your intentions are honorable, I am sure they will work out beautifully

 

A Bloodstone Protection and Courage Spell

The bloodstone, when worn or carried, brings courage and eliminates fear and anger. The bloodstone was often used as a talisman for athletes and warriors. When you need a little extra courage and bravery to face challenges and stressful, scary situations, give this practical Witch’s spell a whirl.

For this particular crystal spell, you will need a few supplies: a red spicy-scented votive candle, a votive candle cup, three bloodstones (inexpensive tumbled stones are perfect), a photo of yourself or a small snip of your own hair, a small cast-iron cauldron, and matches or a lighter. Set up on a safe, flat surface.

Place the photo or snip of hair in the bottom of the cauldron. Now place the candle inside of the cup. Set this in the center of the small cauldron, on top of the photo or the hair. (If you are worried about the heat damaging the photo, then set the photo beneath the cauldron.) Next, arrange the three bloodstones around the candle cup. Ground and center yourself. Then, when you are ready, light the candle and repeat the following spell three times:

On this Mars day, there is fiery energy to spare

I call for courage and passion to know, to will, to dare

Three green bloodstones and a burning candle of red

I call for bravery and banish fear and dread.

Focus on the flame for a few moments. Believe in your ability to handle the situation, whatever it may be.

Close the spell by saying:

For the good of all, with harm to none

By Mar’s energy, this spell is done.

Let the candle burn until it is consumed. If this is an ongoing problem or conflict, then repeat the spell every day for one week (in other words, from a Tuesday until the following Tuesday). Clean out the votive cup and light a new red votive candle for each day of the spell. When you are finished working this, clean up your setup, and put away all of the spell components. If you like, you can carry those tumbled bloodstones with you to help reinforce your convictions.

 

 

—Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week

Ellen Dugan

Mysterious ‘Lord of the Universe’ Deity from Ancient Palmyra Finally Identified

The identity of an unknown god described in inscriptions from the ancient city of Palmyra, located in modern-day Syria, has long baffled scientists. But now, a researcher declares that she has cracked the case.

Palmyra existed for millennia and the city flourished around 2,000 years ago as a center of trade that connected the Roman Empire with trade routes in Asia, such as the Silk Road.

The anonymous deity is mentioned in numerous Aramaic inscriptions at Palmyra and is referred to as “he whose name is blessed forever,” “lord of the universe” and…

Click here to read the rest of this article

A Thought for Today

Until we meet again dear sisters, brothers, and honored guests may your life be filled with all things positive!

Spell for Today – Shield Spell Printable

A Laugh for Today

I bought myself a tank top that says, “More Naps.” I think this is a good day to wear it…lol

Spell for Today – A Garnet Meditation

A Garnet Meditation

Garnet, the birthstone for January, is also a great all-purpose gem to use as an aid during meditation. It can be used to help make decisions or bring order to your life.

For the meditation, you’ll need a garnet gem or a smooth garnet stone. A string of garnet prayer beads would also work. Select a deep red garnet or one with a brown tint. You’ll also need a burgundy candle. Begin by lighting the candle, then relax and center. Hold the garnet and breathe deeply. Concentrate on your concern and then hold the garnet to your heart. You’ll begin to receive messages. Let them come, even if they don’t make sense. When youfeel ready to return to your everyday world, extinguish the candle. Thank the garnet for its help. Your thoughts should be clearer now so you can make any decisions.

James Kambos
Llewellyn’s 2017 Witches’ Spell-A-Day Almanac

Save

Save

A Thought for Today

Until we meet again dear sisters, brothers, and honored guests may your life be filled with all things positive!

A Laugh for Today

Esbat Soap

Esbat Soap

This take (the cleansing recipe a step further in that it is designed to prepare you for the working elements of ritual and Magick, when you will need the additional ability to focus and control.

Add the following to liquid shower gel:

tbsp rosemary leaves

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

6 drops frankincense oil

6 drops sandalwood oil

4 drops jasmine oil

4 drops oil of orange

(you can literally scrape the oil from the outside of an orange using a blunt knife)

Spell for Today – Banish Procrastination – Printable

Charming Something to Use for Personal Protection Workshop

I have had more requests than usual on how to make a personal protection talisman. So, I decided to do a witchy workshop on the topic. It will cover why everyone should always carry personal protection talisman along with a discussion about the topic. We will also make a personal protection talisman during the workshop. The workshop should last about 90 minutes depending on the Q & A part. The circle to make your personal protection talisman will take no longer than 30 minutes. 

Email High Priestess Lady Beltane at ladybeltane@aol.com to reserve your place for this workshop. Workshop will be held on Saturday, July 9 at 11:00 AM CDT. Workshop limited to 10 people. The donation for this workshop will be $20.00 USD.

You can use this link to find out what YOUR local time will be.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

An object you will wear or carry with you daily

Bowl of water large enough to dip your object in

A red candle to run the object through the flame

Small amount of table salt or dirt to lightly sprinkle on the object

RITUAL:

Lady Beltane will cast a sacred circle and call the quarters

First, we will cleanse the object with the objects that represent the elements

Second, we will charm the object

Lastly Lady Beltane will open the circle and dismiss the quarters

A Thought for Today

Until we meet again dear sisters, brothers, and honored guests may your life be filled with all things positive!