~ Our village was healthy and there was no place in the country
possessing such advantages. ~ MA-KA-TAI-ME-SHE-KIA-KIAK ~ SAUK AND FOX CHIEF
.
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler
Lavender Quartz is a mix of Amethyst and Rose Quartz, and also its colour is a mix of these two, a soft pinkish lilac is the result. Because of its ‘mixed’ origins Lavender Quartz combines the healing and magical properties of Amethyst and Rose Quartz, in a similar way as Ametrine, which combines the properties of Amethyst and Citrine in it. Lavender Quartz positively influences the psyche, this stone dispels mental blockages, but it also gives its wearer joy. On the physical level this stone positively influences the metabolism and blood circulation.
Drop 13 rose thorns into a jar or bottle one-by-one.
As each one drops say “Evil presence I banish you”
Cover the thorns with the petals from one rose.
Fill the jar/bottle 2/3 of the way with salted water.
Leave the jar/bottle open and unattended overnight.
Before sunrise close the jar/bottle tightly – evil will be trapped inside.
Wrap in dark fabric and bury it far away
This is about the way I feel today. I was up till 4:00 this morning on a four-wheeler looking for one of the male wildcats. We have had a momma wildcat hanging around, she is about ready to give birth any day now. I don’t know why but this one male has taken up with her. It’s a toss-up on which one I am going to shot first (just kidding, I am an animal lover). After trampling through everything imaginable, we still didn’t see the little bast*&d! I know baby, baby wildcats when they are first-born, a grown male will rip the throats out of the male babies. I am sure this one is too big for that but he is still a kit and couldn’t defend himself against a grown male. So I was a little frantic to find him. But we didn’t. I got up this morning and guess what? Here comes the little basta*d just a’running. Ran up and fell out in my lap. He was pooped but he was fine and that was all that mattered to me.
Now have a little patience with me this morning. I am going to try some different. I am going to type up a quick article on Astral Projection, so hang with me. Ok? ok!
Love you guys,
Lady A
—Synonyms— Japanese Isinglass.
—Part Used—The mucilage dried, after boiling the seaweed.
—Habitat—Japan, best variety; Ceylon and Macassar.
—Description—-A seaweed gathered on the East Indian coast and sent to China, it is derived from the various species of Sphaerococcus Euchema and Gelidium. It is brownish-white in colour with thorny projections on its branches; the best variety, known as Japanese Isinglass, contains large quantities of mucilage. The seaweed after collection is spread out on the shore until bleached, and then dried; it is afterwards boiled in water and the mucilaginous solution strained, the filtrate being allowed to harden, and then it is dried in the sun. The time for collection of the Algae is summer and autumn when the bleachingand drying can take place, but the final preparation of Agar-Agar is carried out in winter from November to February. The Japanese variety is derived from several kinds of Algae and comes into European commerce in two forms: (1) In transparent pieces 2 feet long, the thickness of a straw, prepared in Singapore by treating it in hot water. (2) In yellowish white masses about 1 inch wide and 1 foot long. The latter is the form considered the more suitable for the culture of bacteria.
—Constituents—Agar-Agar contains glose, which is a powerful gelatinizing agent. It is precipitated from solution by alcohol. Glose is a carbohydrate. Acetic, hydrochloric and oxalic acids prevent gelatinization of Agar-Agar.
—Medicinal Action and Uses—Agar-Agar is widely used as a treatment for constipation, but is usually employed with Cascara when atony of the intestinal muscles is present. It does not increase peristaltic action. Its therapeutic value depends on the ability of the dry Agar to absorb and retain moisture. Its action is mechanical and analogous to that of the cellulose of vegetable foods, aiding the regularity of the bowel movements. It is sometimes used as an adulterant of jams and jellies.
—Dosage and Preparations—It is usually administered in small shreds mixed with fruit, milk or any convenient vehicle. It is not wise to give it in powder, as this gives rise to irritation in some cases. 1/2 to 1 ounce may be taken at a time. 1 ounce to a pint of boiling water makes a suitable jelly for invalids and may be flavoured with lemon.
—Other Species—Ceylon Agar-Agar, or Agal Agal, which is the native name of Gracillaria lichenoides, is largely used in the East for making soups and jellies. Gigartina speciosa, a variety found on the Swan River, was erroneously supposed to have formed the edible swallow’s nest, but it has been ascertained that this delicacy comes from a peculiar secretion in the birds themselves. Macassar Agar-Agar comes from the straits between Borneo and Celebes and consists of impure Euchema Spinolum incrusted with salt.
In case you are wondering what TGIW means it means, “Thank Goddess It’s Wednesday!” Or in my case, thank goodness I lived till Wednesday. First of all, I am sorry I have been running late doing the dailys for you. Yesterday, it was the hubby. He was cleaning out my son’s room (the one’s that been married for 6 years and has 2 kids). He was wanting to know what I wanted to keep, what was all right to throw away. Then today, it is the my three fur babies, the wildcats! They are growing like little weeds and act like teenagers. I know it sounds funny but I thank the Goddess every day for these little miracles. They are a joy and make me smile from ear to ear. Perhaps three little wildcats are the answer to empty nest syndrome that I didn’t know I had, lol!
*Personal note* I was just in the back reading all the comments and I ran across one that indeed flattered me or floored me :s I am still trying to figure it out. But I had someone wanting to buy this web blog? They were disappointed I didn’t have some type of money to something switch program. I don’t know what that is but I am guessing people start blogs, get them built up and then sell them? I don’t know. If anyone is familiar with this please let me know. Oh, yeah, one more thing, I am not selling out. Witches of the Craft or the WOTC as it has been so lovingly called in the pass, is my brainchild and I love it to pieces. So sorry, you have to put up with me, lol!
In a small dish of earth, bury the stone for three days. Most of the time houseplants can be used for this. Put a toothpick or some sort of marker in the surface of the earth above where you’ve buried your stone, though, or you might never find it again. In addition, beware of using houseplant’s earth if the stone contains a lot of negative energy; it will be absorbed by the earth (which is why you’re using the earth to cleanse the stone), but it will in turn be absorbed from the earth into the houseplant, and the house is likely to die.
4 cups rose petals
4 cups distilled water
1 teaspoon sandalwood oil
1 teaspoon rose oil
Finely chop rose petals into an iron pot, adding enough distilled water to cover the petals. Heat, uncovered, for 1 hour without boiling the petals. Cover and leave overnight to set. Repeat the process for 4 more days. Then begin to roll the petals into beads, rubbing your hands with 1 drop each of sandalwood and rose oil first, repeating every 5 beads. Press out any liquid as you roll the beads. Thread with a large needle and thick (or plastic) thread. Allow to dry. Makes 60 beads. Separate every 10 beads with a space and 1 isolated bead.
*Personal note* Rosary Beads are not just for Christians anymore. Their popularity in the Pagan culture is growing and being used. Whether you plan on using a Rosary or not, this would be a beautiful collector’s item. One more thing at the end of the Rosary beads where normally a Cross would go, use a Pentacle (that’s what I did). I kept trying to win a Pagan Rosary on Ebay with no luck. So I made this set. I got some Rose essential oil and sprinkled it on the Rosary and then attached a beautiful Pentacle to it. I believe any Pagan would be proud to own it.
Some minerals form rosette shapes, and selenite is one of these. The selenite rose rock is also called “the desert rose”, and is often confused with the barite rose. The edges of selenite rose are sharper and the crystalline structure is less hard than the barite rose.
Some desert rose metaphysical properties are:
Selenite is named for Selene, Greek goddess of the Moon because of its moon-like glow. Exchanged between lovers, it will bring about reconciliation.
It makes a wonderful protection stone. Place a selenite sphere at the corners of your home to create a peaceful, safe environment that will not be disturbed by outside influences.
In addition to the properties of white selenite, peach selenite is a transformation stone. It helps to heal old emotional wounds and transforms this negative energy to healing, forgiveness and accceptance. Use peach selenite to increase self awareness and travel a new path.
|
Color: |
white – beige |
|
Element: |
Wind element |
|
Chakra: |
Third Eye, Crown |
|
Energies: |
Healing, Power, Love, Protection |
Good Morning or Afternoon my lovely readers! How are all of you doing today? As you know and probably noticed I have been rather quite since my momma wildcat was found dead in the field. She had been shot and then the people brought her over here for me to find, well on our property. I am dealing with this rather well now. I am still trying to find where my hubby hide the gun cabinet key but life is good. He keeps telling me, “No way in hell are you getting that key now. You will go to the pen.” No, I won’t. Anyway we are having a battle over the key. I know he is right. But you know how we hate for men to know they are right!!!
I have to tell you something funny though, we found the little babies the momma left behind. There were three of the little devils and they are absolutely adorable. I found out something funny last night. I came in the house to get their food to feed them. Stinker was up on the table mad and jealous. So I took the time to love him and reassure him, he was the best cat on the planet. Well he had loved all over my hands and my arms. I didn’t think a thing about it. I went back outside and two of the babies thought I was their mother. They came running, meowing and looking for a tit. When I sit on the ground, I sit Indian style. These two little brats found my toes and they did everything they could to get milk out of them. Well I finally got them to bed. I came up the porch steps and at the back of the porch sit two of the big male wildcats. I came in the house to get their food and by the time I got back out there, they were eating the babies food. I reached for the one shotgun hubby will let me have (because it is filled with rock salt). I took it outside, aimed at their butts and let them have it. Rock salt won’t hurt them just stings like hell and scares them. They ran off. Well I had to come back outside and count the kids to make sure they were all right. When I did, I found two of them sitting on the steps. I noticed another tail under the car where I had been hiding their food. I thought this is strange. I went to check to see if this was the little runt that was missing. I got down on both knees and peeped under the car and looking back at me was the biggest skunk I had ever seen in my life. I screamed the skunk jumped up and hit its head and we both run. After I calmed down and got to thinking about how that skunk looked when he saw me, I started laughing. The poor fella, if he had sprayed me, he wouldn’t have been a poor fella. I thought about that also. What if he had sprayed me? Oh my goodness! I don’t even want to think about it. But this place has turned into wild kingdom. All I can say is, “Wish you where here!”
This lovely handmade lotion can be applied to pumiced elbows, knees, and feet.
4 tablespoons vegetable glycerine
1 cup rose water
4 tablespoons cornstarch
5 drops rose oil, optional
2 drops lavender, optional
Combine vegetable glycerin, rose water, and cornstarch, and heat over a double boiler to thicken. Cool, add rose oil and lavender (optional). Stir and apply to chapped or dry skin. Bottle any leftovers.
Author: Belladonna SilverRayne
I will be 45 on my next birthday. A fact that, when said out loud at first, made me mentally cringe. “Me? 45?? That means only 5 more years till I’m 50!!” After I said it aloud several times, and really thought about it, I could say it with confidence. Yes. Me. 45 going onto 50.
And I love it! I am moving into the Crone stage of my life, and enjoying every minute of it!
I loved the Maiden stage, when I was young, supple, carefree, and self-indulgent. Who among us didn’t? Life seemed so simple, so easy to handle. And it was. My biggest worry was what outfit I’d wear out to the club to dance and make merry with friends.
I sowed my oats, looked out for number one (me, of course) and just basically did my own thing. I moved at the speed of light, never really stopping to appreciate the things around me, never really taking anything in. Just “doing”. As I got a little older, I met the person that would become my husband and the father of my kids and we began our life together.
And I grew.
Then came Mother-hood. My body showed great evidence of the birthing of my children, as did my energy levels, emotional (in) stability, and newfound patience. I now had three other human beings, put on this Earth by me, all looking TO me to provide, nourish, teach, and love. Wow! As they grew, learned, made mistakes, and matured, I did as well. I managed to learn along the way to slow down a bit, to really notice things as they happened around me. I watched and listened a little more carefully now. I loved every moment, good and not so good, watching these amazing people who were once actual, living parts of my own body, turn into individuals, all truly unique within themselves, seeing them overcome hurdle after hurdle. Such a reward in life I will never receive again. Or will I?
I divorced my husband, and watched my kids growing older, going out on their own, and beginning their lives as young adults.
And I grew.
When I first began my Pagan path, I was still in what is considered the Mother stage, my kids were still relatively young and “needed” me in a mommy way. I was still very fertile, and the idea of having another baby sometime was not out of the question. Time passed and that idea faded, along with my monthly menses. (Can’t say I miss them much!)
It took me quite awhile to realize that I was no longer in that stage once the Croning period began. I wanted to fight it, to deny it, all for vain reasons, I’m sorry to say. I wanted to cling to that youth, or at least the image of it. Or so I thought. Now, after having met, gotten to know, and come to love, many admirable women, all in the Crone cycle of life, I am fully aware that I too am at that stage. And come to find out, it’s not so bad after all!
As I move into my Croning time, I don’t look at it as an ending, but a beginning, very akin to giving birth (only this time, I don’t think I’ll need all the medications!) . I will be giving birth to my Self. I can allow my Self to now grow, learn, and experience life, as I once allowed my children to do these things.
I am eager to gain more wisdom as time goes by, as the Great Wheel turns, and as season drifts into season.
I am learning to cherish the lines on my face, as each one stands for some lesson learned, some path walked down, perhaps a hardship suffered and come through stronger because of it.
I have begun to admire my stretch marks as battle scars, won not on the field of some war, but fighting to bring life into this world, one wonderful child at a time.
I now embrace the fullness of my softened body, knowing that even though it may not bring life into this world any longer, or be as taut and supple as it was two decades ago, it can still allow for pleasures, for physical support, and for living life in a healthy, Goddess-filled way!
I am now allowing my mature mind to expand and create in ways that it could not in the past.
I enjoy the younger ones coming to me, asking for my opinion, needing a particular sort of comfort that only someone my age can offer.
I am now ready to walk towards the end of my path in this particular life, knowing that even though it comes towards me quicker than ever, there is still much to gather, much to pass on, but still much MORE to learn and take in.
In Pagan societies (as well as many others) Elders are looked to for advice, comfort, wisdom, and as examples. Who better to follow than a grand Crone or Sage, not past their prime, but fully embracing it, fully aware of themselves as human beings? I so hope to be such an example, to my children, my Pagan brothers and sisters, and non-Pagan friends, alike. I want to show what it is to age gracefully, to accept that life is a never-ending cycle of birth, growth, death, and re-birth, in so many ways. I want everyone to see that while youth has it’s merits and perks, so does growing older and wiser.
Whatever stage of life you may be in as a woman. Maiden, Mother, or Crone, realize the absolute beauty of the moment, embrace it for all it is worth, and live each cycle to the fullest. Know that you have earned all that you are made up of, inside and out. And fear not, for Crone is not the end of the line, it is the goal we, as women, all strive to attain.
Schizandra was popular with the wealthy Chinese and royalty as a radiant skin tonic. It protects the skin from sun and wind exposure, and is used in many aphrodisiac tonics. It is also known to be mildly sedative.
1/2 cup schizandra berries
1/2 cup jujube red dates
1 piece licorice or ginger root
Soak schizandra berries immersed in water overnight; drain and combine with 4 cups of fresh water, jujube red dates, and licorice or ginger root. Simmer, covered, 15 – 20 minutes. Sip on cup daily.
Is there a stack of mail teetering toward a disaster on your counter? Do you have stacks of magazines from the 1980s that you haven’t looked at since? Find your clutter quotient with this quiz from Unclutter Your Home (Storey Publishing, 1999) by Donna Smallin.
Choose a number between 1 and 4 that best describes your response to each of the following statements.
1: Never or almost never.
2: Sometimes.
3: Usually.
4: All the time.
Then add them up and see how you score below.
1. When I have free time I like to shop.
2. I keep bills, bank statements and other mail in piles, until I have time to file.
3. I have more than 10 plastic bags in my house.
4. I save magazines with interesting articles/recipes.
5. When I look around, I get tired just thinking about what it will take to unclutter my home.
6. I have two or more craft projects going on at any one time.
7. My house may look messy to some people, but I know where to find everything.
8. If someone stops by unexpectedly, I try to avoid letting them in.
9. I leave things out so I know where they are or as a reminder to myself.
10. Time keeps me from getting or being organized.
11. When it comes to clutter, I think, “Why bother? It will just get cluttered again.”
12. I can’t bear to part with things and I consider myself a pack rat.
13. The stress level in our house is directly related to the clutter level.
Next: How did you score?
Cooking Dinner Does Not Make You a Kitchen Witch
Author: Deborah
I spent my twenties fighting against who I really was in oh so many ways. I didn’t want to be a kitchen Witch. I thought that was the least impressive, most Holly Hobby branch of magic there is.
You have to picture me from ten years ago: I’m constantly listening to NIN! I wear boots with sparkly laces to my corporate gig! I’m thrashing around on top of tables pumped full of piss and goldschlagger! I’m trying to break glass ceilings! I’m smoking cigars with the boys! I’m demanding my place at the occult table at occult events! I’m getting tats! I’m going through Shamanic trials! I’m punk rock and . . . you want me to bake a cake? Really? Really?
So I fought against it for while, which is why I wasn’t terribly successful in my own personal magic for quite some time. Somewhere around 27? 28? I started really embracing it. Once I bought my own home, my own hearth, I *really* started embracing hearth Witchery. I had the tools all along, it turns out. I just needed to know how to use them.
When I first started blogging, I wanted to bff (best friends forever!) a variety of people in the magical world. But let me be honest, most of all I wanted to befriend fellow kitchen Witches. Sisters/brothers unite! Let’s get some spit, blood, hair, dirt, and basil and get this party started!
But I didn’t find too many. I Googled. I tried tracking down people. I tried a lot of different key words. Honestly, I found a lot of people who claimed to be kitchen Witches, but in scanning their blogs all I generally found were recipes and chatter about their kids. Now, there’s nothing wrong with any of that, but there are some flaws to it.
What Doesn’t Make You a Kitchen Witch Per Se (in my opinion) :
A recipe isn’t magical in and of itself. Just dumping a bunch of recipes on your blog doesn’t make you a kitchen Witch anymore than it makes Wolfgang Puck a kitchen Witch. If you said I use honey in my Chocolate Lavender Mousse to sweeten my mother-in-law towards me because she’s a complete bitch on wheels to me by that point in the meal or I put menstrual blood in my spaghetti sauce so my husband still thinks I’m dropping it like it’s hot even when I’m tired and in sweats, rock! Those are magical acts. Bring on the recipes!
Having children. While yes, it is a very specific way to mark your transition into motherhood (sometimes) , kids don’t really make you a practicing magic type person any more than it makes SuperNanny Mary Poppins. Things that would: Using magic to help soothe a baby/get a baby to sleep (I will only slightly guiltily confess to having done this before) , protection magic, detailing tiny rituals you do with your kids.
Being a Homemaker. I do very much think that unpaid labor in the home needs to be appreciated and ideally compensated (please see here for more clearly articulated thoughts on the matter, it’s applicable for both mono/poly people) , but it’s a job. And just like going to work in an office is not a magical act in and of itself, neither is taking care of your home. If you were talking about cleaning/organizing in a magical blog and discussing how to be more green (because we need to take care of Mother Earth of course and she’s a goddess in and of herself) , discussing what oils you use to scent your house and why, what you do to keep the house spiritually/magically clean, rock on.
What Qualifies You as a Kitchen Witch/Hearth Wo/man/Someone Who Does Hedge-Like Magic (in my opinion) :
If the Personal is Political, then the Every Day is Magical. Look, you don’t have to cast +5 magic every time you make hotdogs for dinner on a Tuesday night. But what can you be doing in your every day life in your hearth to make it more magical? Smudging with sage every few days to clear out the energies? Spray bottling your bed with a water based mist you made that has come to me oil in it? Choosing your cooking herbs based on magical purposes? Go crazy.
Deb’s Example Rite for Making the Every Day Magical: I had been hemming and hawing about starting my current novel because (a) I’ve never finished writing one and (b) it’s a little silly in a genre that’s already a little silly. But it came to me in a dream and it feels right. So I started by not just slap dashing it together, I took my time. I did research on names, other books in the genre, brainstormed and I made a mood board for it. When I knew it was time to start writing, I wanted it started right. I wanted my surroundings perfect, like giving birth (which is what I do with writing) . I made sure my house was clean, went to brunch (appropriate for the kind of novel it is) and then I put on mood music and wrote. When I finished the beginning, I sealed it with eating a really posh chocolate (salted dark chocolate with balsamic and caramel) from the best chocolatier in NJ, which was also appropriate for my novel’s genre. It wasn’t about me putting together a mojo bag in this case; it was about choosing my actions carefully and doing everything with intent. There would have been nothing wrong with making a mojo bag, but it was more important in this situation to write in a magically charged environment for me to get this show on the road.
Get a Base Education in the Lower Arts. Yeah, yeah, you like to put on your robes and call on all the archangels and whatever. Cool. But sometimes for whatever reason, you’ll need to know how to do things quick and dirty, so learn how. Learn what salt and kitchen herbs can do for you, learn about mojo hands and honey pots and spirit bottles. I recommend of course the incomparable cat yonwode’s Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic as your Idiot’s Guide. Test yourself if you’re super structured magically, pretend a friend needs a fertility charm tonight and you need to get to her just using stuff around your house. What do you do?
Get a Base Education in House Wifery. Some men back in the day got married because they had no clue how to take care of themselves. While that’s not so common in this day and age, you still need a base education in house wifery to be a successful hearth wo/man. Thanks to most of the first world being a convenience culture, you may have been getting by on relying on take out, a dry cleaner, and a cleaning service. That’s all well and good, but you’re missing pieces you need to be a successful hearth wo/man. If you are missing any of these things, that’s okay, don’t feel bad about it. But a lot of people cry, ‘Oh I’m no good at it’! Or, I don’t know how! Ignorantia juris non excusat. Ignorance of the law excuses no one, so get to work. It won’t be perfect from the gate, but nothing is. Ask someone better versed for help, if you know someone. Worst case you burn a few casseroles and shred a few shirts; it’s no big deal. Even if you won’t use it for a while or ever (though you’d be surprised) , these are all good life skills to have that will translate over into your magical life. Think of them as Hearth Meditations.
Can you:
* Do your own laundry?
* Have your house clean enough to have your mother or mother-in-law or Miss Martha over without them making a face?
* Cook a dinner for yourself and others?
* Meal plan?
* Budget and financially plan?
* Be able to make a casserole quickly for an emergency?
* Host/ess a party?
* Know how to bake something from scratch?
* Know how to do your own grocery shopping that’s more than just “box food”?
* Know how to do basic clothing repair?
* Know what to bring as a hostess gift?
* Know how to conduct yourself socially at various social obligations?
* Know how to give yourself self-care?
* Know v. basic first aid?
* Know how to care for small children for a day?
It’s okay to have untargeted kitchen Witch practices. Look, I’m the first to say that some of my more focused practice is lacking. You don’t have to use every bread baking experience as a magical attempt to influence a situation. You can use it as a meditational practice and focus on the magic of the experience, that’s perfectly valid. Think about why whatever is you’re doing – baking, cooking, cleaning, sewing, whatever is a magical experience for you. This is a free form essay, you’re not being graded, whatever reason you have for it being a magical experience for you is right. There are things in everyone’s life I think (I hope!) that are magical to him or her but not targeted for results. It’s good to have and share those experiences too.
You need to know how to do this stuff. That does not mean you need to do it all the time. I had suggested a base education in house wifery, but that doesn’t mean that you’re responsible for it all the time in some kind of psychotic Valium laced Stepford scenario. I know how to do laundry, but my significant other does it in our household. If he ever said, do your own laundry, I could. If you know how to clean your house sparklingly clean but chose to not live in a constant Miss Martha police state, that’s okay. If it’s part of your strategy as a hearth Witch, well then you must be a clever kitchen Witch! My house would not pass Lakshmi inspection at all times (or really like 29 days out of the month) either. If you have the means to send out your laundry or order take out every night, rock out. You just need to know how to perform these functions should you ever need to. It’s sort of like knowing how to do long division. It’s good to know how to do by hand, but the gods made calculators for a reason.
Sometimes, simple is best. I suggested a basic practice in kitchen/hearth Witchery for people who work primarily in “higher” magic because like a proper dilettante, I believe in being well rounded. And frankly sometimes if you need to do something on the fly, it’s a lot easier to pour some salt into a bowl and spit into it than to do a long formal practice. I also think it’s good to know simple magic in order to be able to obtain simple things. You need fifty bucks to make your bills this month? You could do something v. formal or you could do something quick and get on with your life. Formal magic often requires a lot more time, energy, and effort. And there are certain things that are better suited to those practices, but you need a quick little something, low magic just seems like a better way to do so.
Furthering the math analogy, you may become so accustomed to Calculus and using a calculator to do so, you forget how to do basic level math. This is not going to help you when it’s your job to do bistro math for the table ’cause you’re the math chick and you left your cell phone at home.
Some of what I suggest needing to know may seem unnecessary and sort of Mr. Miyagi, but look at it from a kitchen Witch’s perspective: You claim to be a kitchen/hearth Witch, I’m supposed to trust you to do a love spell for me using hearth magic, but . . .you don’t know how to take care of your hearth which functions as your temple, your magical work space? Fill in your own mechanic/gyno joke here.
Footnotes:
http://www.polyamorousmisanthrope.com/2007/07/15/being-used/ – Article referenced in “Homemaker” section
Spirit of Spring
Author: Ceru
It’s an odd time of year to share a ‘ghost’ story but springtime reminds me of an experience I’d like to share as the trees bud.
In the early spring of 2008, I was asked to housesit at the family home of a dear friend. They were going to leave for the week and visit grandparents some distance away and felt uncomfortable leaving the house and the dog alone for that long. I gladly accepted thinking it would be like a mini vacation, it ended up a disturbing job.
My first clues should have been the event of the week before when my friend (we will call him Jake for confidentiality) and I were watching a movie. The both of us heard glass shattering and I was sure the carnival glass his mother collected had fallen off of the shelf and broken in the computer room. When I checked, there was a pile of green iridescent shards in the floor, the neat pile should have struck me as odd but the only thing on my mind was his mother and how she might cut her feet if she got up. I walked around the jagged threats and woke his mom up to tell her about the incident and told her I’d clean it up. She got up to help me but when we returned to the spot all of the glass had simply vanished.
I stared blankly at the floor unsure of how to react. I’m sure you can imagine how insane I felt. Jake still sat on the couch. I told him what happened but he shrugged it off saying that maybe we heard it coming from outside but it still didn’t explain what I seen. I analyzed it and decided I seen the glass because I thought that it would be there.
Before Jake left with his family he said to me “If the dog wakes up and starts barking late at night just ignore her, she does that sometimes.” The comment should have been red flag number two but it never went up.
My first day in the house went well. Jake’s family had bought the house next door and started renovations (Now that I think about it I guess I was double house-sitting) . They were paying me to paint Jake’s room and do some cleaning which helped to pass the time. After a days worth of painting, I went back to the main house, peeled the paint cloths off and took a hot shower. By 8:00 p.m. my little girl was tired from playing and watching cartoons and dancing while mommy painted so I put her on a sleeping mat in Jake’s bedroom and sang her to sleep; I put myself to bed shortly after.
At 2:15 a.m., I woke up hearing my little girl wondering through the house. The sleepwalking wasn’t unusual and two-year-olds have a reputation of waking at random hours looking for ‘momma’. So I wondered into the dark living room and called out to her. I heard her little feet running. I followed them into the kitchen and called for her to come to me. Then there was laughter aS she managed to get around me and head to where the kids slept. I followed again and told her to come to mommy. The pitter-pattering of feet were then suddenly on the other side of the house. Without a doubt, fear struck me. I thought to myself she couldn’t move that fast.
In a dire attempt to check my sanity, I ran back to Jake’s bedroom and crawled around on the floor looking for my daughter. She had simply pushed herself into the doorway of the closet; she had been there the entire time. Fear struck me again. What had I been chasing? I feel asleep beside her, asking my guardians to protect and shield us.
Morning came and so did a visit to Nanna’s house. I took my little girl to stay with family while I finished housesitting. I returned with the intention of discovering what exactly was going on in the house. I wasn’t disappointed. The second day went completely normal. There were no disturbances in the house but I found it hard to sleep and woke every few hours.
At 2:22 a.m. the next morning, the dog growled under the blankets. In fact she didn’t just growl she came completely unraveled jumping from beneath the blankets, and her hair stood on end. My first thought was someone was trying to break into the house (as I’d been through that before and I wasn’t too far off) . I checked the doors and windows, and in the stillness of a dark room, I listened but by this time all was quiet -including the dog.
Approximately an hour later, it was a repeat experience but I didn’t bother checking entrances. The ‘logic’ was thrown out the window and I did what I should have done in the first place: I followed my intuition and followed the dog.
Growling and dashing here and there, she steered me through the kitchen to the doorway that led to the computer room (the same room where the broken glass was piled) and there in the door way was a looming, smoky shadow. The dog was growling at it ferociously. It felt angry and towering and it communicated with me both through the pain in my stomach and striking mental images that didn’t make bit of sense to me immediately.
In my mind I saw the house next door and the yard. The focus was the work being done to the property. I didn’t sleep at all for the rest of the morning but with coming light and a few cups of coffee, I managed. The smoky figure had dissipated from my vision but I still felt its presence. When the sun came up I took my cup of coffee and in bare feet and walked to the house next door. The presence didn’t seem to be anywhere in the house.
I exited through the back door and started to walk the property; the visions returned to me. An extremely large hole had been dug on the property and Jake’s parents were filling it with trash they had found in a storage shed that they intended to demolish. Several trees had been completely pulled up and one tree, a walnut tree and the largest on the property had been terribly burned on one side from the burning of the trash.
My stomach ached standing before this tree and I found myself very upset as tears started streaming down my face. Without any words, it had told me. I could see that this spirit was trying to get the attention of Jake’s family for some time and they ignored it. When it realized I could sense it, it lashed out desperately this is what I could hear and feel.
I left but returned later with small tokens, water, milk, honey, silver and energy for healing. I promised to tell the family what I had learned.
The spring time is the awakening of the plants, nay, for the very earth itself. It is said that the Morrigan wakes them by striking them at Imbolc but perhaps the next time we carelessly pull up a plant or knock over nature in any form we might consider those beings who are a living part of their physical element and treat them as we would a deer slain for food, with respect, an offering and a prayer.
Witches Of The Craft® 
You must be logged in to post a comment.