Tag: India

The Wiccan Book of Days for Jan. 31 – Sanskrit’s Source

Goddess Comments & Graphics

Sanskrit’s Source

A fesival dedicated to Sarasvati, the Hindu goddess of education and the arts, is held in the Kathmandu Valley region of Nepal at this time of year, with heartfelt prayers and offerings of fruit and flowers being dedicated to this lovely deity by students who are facing exams. The divine embodiment ofhe Sarasvati River (her name means “She Who Flows”) and the wife of Brahma, the creator God, Sarasvti is depicted with a crescent moon adorning her forehead. Worshipped for having introduced Sanskrit to the Indian Subcontinent, she is called Vac (“Speech” in Sanskrit), and another of her honorific titles is Savitri (“Giver of Life”).

“An Act of Kindness”

Pay your respects either to Sarasvati or to Kwan-yin, the bodhisattva of compassion who is honored by Chinese Buddhists around now. Follow the bodhisttva’s example in carrying out an unsolicited act of kindness in order to improve the lot of someone less fortunate.

~Magickal Graphics~

To bring your enemy evil #2

To bring your enemy evil 2

Ingredients:
Dust from the tomb of an assassin’s victim.
India ink
Vinegar
Aguardiente
Salt
Red wine
Guinea pepper
Chinese pepper
Three needles
Nine pins
Three garlic bulbs
Snake fat
Cooking oil

Write your enemy’s name with India ink on a piece of paper. Pierce the paper with the nine pins and the three needles. Place it at the bottom of a clay pot. Cover the paper with nine pinches of dust, salt and the peppers. Add nine drops of India ink and vinegar, nine spoonful of aguardiente, and the garlic bulbs. Cover the mixture with cooking oil. Insert a wick.

Call a curse on your enemy as you light the lamp. Let it burn for nine days.

Celebration Around The World, Jan. 26th

Spike the Punch Day
Uphellyaa Day (Scotland) – Norse galley burned in Viking sacrifice to sun.
Australia Day
St. Timothy’s Day (patron against stomachaches)
Duarte Day (Dominican Republic)
Republic Day (India)
St. Titus’ Day (patron of Crete; against freethinking)
National Popcorn Day
St. Paula’s Day (patron of widows)
Gone To Croatan Festival
Smeltania (Boyne City, Michigan)
National Peanut Brittle Day
St. Polycarp’s Day
Fond du Lac Winter Celebration (Lake Winebago @)
St. Xenophon’s Day (Eastern)
End of the Fifth Quarter of the Ninth Dozen of the Thirteenth Set (Fairy)

Tu Bishrat: New Year of the trees in ancient Palestine. Families plant a tree for each child born in the year (cedar for boys, cypress for girls).

GrannyMoon’s Morning Feast – Source: The Daily Globe, School Of The Seasons and The Daily Bleed

Daily OM for November 15th – Your Comfort Zone

Your Comfort Zone
Create a Soft Place to Land

Create a soft place to land in your home a refuge from the stress of the day.

Our day-to-day demands can quickly take their toll on our well-being if we are not vigilant about caring for ourselves as best we can. One way we can ensure that we have an opportunity to relax and recuperate each day is to create a soft place to land when we arrive home. This landing pad, whether it is an entire room or merely a small corner of a larger area, can provide us with a safe and comforting refuge in which we can decompress and recover from the day’s stresses. There, we are enveloped in feelings of security that transcend other issues that may be unfolding in our homes. Our landing pads also act as way stations that enable us to shift our attention away from our outer-world concerns and back to our inner-world needs.

To create a soft place to land in your home, begin by scouting potential locations. Or perhaps your entire home is your landing pad in which case you may only need to declutter. Your habits can often provide you with insight into the perfect spot, as there may be an area of your home you gravitate to naturally when you are in need of comfort. Any space in which you find it easy to let go of stress and anxiety can become your landing pad. A basement or attic, spare room, or unused storage area, furnished with items that soothe you, can give you the privacy you need to unwind. If you appreciate the elements, you may find that spending time in a section of your garden or outdoor patio helps you release the day’s tensions. Preparing these spaces can be as easy as replacing clutter with a small selection of beautiful objects that put you in a relaxed frame of mind. Remember to consider noise and activity levels while choosing the site of your landing pad. If you know that ordinary human commotion will distract you from your purpose, look for a secluded spot.

The soft place to land that you create should inspire within you the mantra, “I can breath here. I can relax here. I know I am safe here.” When you return to your home after braving worldly rigors, you will feel a subtle yet tranquil shift occur inside of you as you settle in to this most personal of retreats and feel centered once again.

Western Dragons

Western Dragons 

In the Mideast, there seems to have been a meeting ground for dragons, some being like Chinese dragons, others more like Western dragons. Phrygian history tells of dragons that reached ten paces in length, lived in caverns near the River Rhyndacus, and moved with part of their bodies on the ground, the rest erect. Islam gives hints of Muhammad’s magick horse rising to heaven with the aid of dragon’s breath. An illustration from a Turkish manuscript now in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris shows this scene.

The Egyptian Apep was described as a huge serpent-dragon that lived in the Underworld. The Canaanite god Ba’al is said to have killed the dragon Lotan and made the world from its body; the Hittites had a similar legend about the dragon Illuyankas. The Mesopotamian god Marduk killed the she-dragon Tiamat and created the world from her body. Ancient heroes of Persia battled with dragons.

In the Classics, the Greeks told of their hero Herakles slaying the seven-headed hydra, a form of dragon. While still in his cradle, he slew two giant serpents sent by Hera. Later the hero save Hesione who was chained as a sacrifice to a sea dragon. Perseus did the same for Andromeda. As a baby, Apollo also killed a serpent (dragon) sent against his mother by Hera. Jason killed a hydra (many-headed dragon) to get the Golden Fleece; scenes of this story can still be seen on Greek dishes from about 480 – 490 BCE, showing a definite dragon creature. Both the Greek Medea and the Roman Ceres were said to ride in chariots pulled by dragons. Ancient Greece and Rome considered the dragon both beneficent and evil, depending upon the activities of the creature. The Purple Dragon became the emblem of the Byzantine emperors. There is a wall painting of a dragon still existing in the ruined Roman city of Pompeii.

In legends from India there was ordinarily no conflict between the gods and the Nagas, or serpent-dragons, as shown by the stories of Krishna and Vishnu. Both of these gods have a fine working relationship with Ananta, king of the serpent-dragons, and the Nagas. The greatly revered Indian god Vishnu was on good terms with Ananta, the Endless One, a giant serpent with eleven heads. Vishnu slept on Ananta while the serpent guarded him. Ananta is considered by the Hindus to be the symbol of cosmic energy which is vital for creation.

The one exception to this friendship between the Nagas and the gods was the slaying of Vritra, a great serpent who coiled around the navel of the Earth, holding back the waters, Indra killed him to create the world-mountains.

The Nagas were known for their great magickal powers and the pearls of great price that they carried in their foreheads. The Nagas, also patrons of lakes, rivers, rain and clouds, lived in wonderful palaces, often visited by the gods. But as with all dragons in whatever form the Nagas were capable of killing people and causing problem when annoyed. There are stories of their creating drought, pestilence, and great suffering when humans broke their rules.

Sometimes the Nagas were pictured with serpent heads and human bodies. They were said to live at the top of Mount Meru, where they had a golden palace full of music, gems that fulfilled wishes, wonderful flowers, and beautiful companions. In the center of this garden, which once belonged to Varuna, stood a dragon-guarded tree of life and reincarnation.

In Africa, the country of Ethiopia was said to be heavily populated with dragons at one time. The Roman poet Lucan and other Classical authors wrote the African dragons could fly, that their brilliantly colored scales shone brightly and that some of them were so huge that they could be mistaken for hills when they lay asleep.

Generally speaking Western dragons were different in physical structure from Eastern dragons. Most of them had two strong hind legs, two shorter forelegs, a thick body and a long tail. Their wings were membranes, like those of bats, and had long ribs or bones. Their wedge-shaped heads were carried on long sinuous necks. Western dragons were fully armed with long claws and sharp teeth, besides their fiery breath. They talked with humans by means of telepathy and were extremely cunning and wily.

The ancient Celts had traditions of dragons, considering them wily but wise. Unfortunately so much of Celtic lore was lost to deliberate destruction that we have only remnants of tales and fragments of dragon lore left today from that culture. The Celtic ram-snake or dragon is connected with Cernunnos, the antlered Earth god. This Celtic ram-dragon is also connected with the number eight, this being the number of spokes on the solar wheel; the solar wheel is set in motion by the ram-headed dragon. What few carving we have of the god Cernunnos picture him with a bag of gold at his feet and a double-headed ram-snake belt about his waist. This belt with its two ram-dragon heads symbolizes the spiritual bridge between various planes of existence. The Celtic shaman-magician-priest knew that in order to travel this bridge, she/he must go inward to meet the dragon guarding the bridge. A lack of self-discipline and self-knowledge would prevent any seeker from being able to pass the dragon and enter the realms of the Otherworlds.

Conchobar of Ireland was said to have had both a divine and a human father. He was born at the Winter Solstice with what the story calls a water-worm in each hand. From the description these water-worms were probably baby dragons.

The Irish hero Finn MacCumhaill also killed dragons. Some magickal systems would look at Finn’s activities as not physical but as battling his own destructive inner thoughts.

The dragon has been depicted on the Welsh banner since at least the departure of the Roman legions. And in England, Scotland and Ireland the dragon has been drawn with four legs and the wyvern with two since the 16th century. On the European continent, however, the two-legged wyvern is still called a dragon, the same name given to the four-legged variety. Even today, the dragon, alone or with other designs, is part of the heraldic heritage of some two hundred English families and some three hundred from Euope.

In Scandinavian legend, the hero Sigurd (called Siegfried in Germany) killed the dragon Fafnir. This story clearly details the benefits from a dragon’s blood. Sigurd accidentally swallowed a drop of it and immediately could understand the language of birds. This saved his life from the dragon’ss treacherous brother who was plotting to kill him for the treasure. Sigurd also was bathed with the blood when he struck Fafnir from a pit. This made him invulnerable to weapons, except where a leaf covered a tiny spot.

The god Thorr once caught the World-Serpent while fishing. Considering the power and negativity of the great serpent-dragon, Thorr was fortunate that his companion cut the line. The god did not feel that way about it though and clouted his friend alongside the head for letting his big “fish” get away.

If one reads the very best of translations of the story of Beowulf, it is quickly seen that he fought three dragons. Although the first he killed was described as a young two-legged male monster who was raiding for food among the houses at night, it could have been a wyvern (who has two legs) or a four-legged dragon who walked upon its hind legs or a dragon in human disguise. The second creature was a mature female, finally killed in her spawning ground, who definitely took on human form. The third dragon came later in his life, and was specifically listed as a dragon. This one was a mature flying male with a poisonous bite. Well into middle ages at the time, Beowulf used himself as batitto draw the last dragon out of its lair so it could be killed.

 

“Dancing with Dragons”

D. J. Conway

Feng Shui Tip of the Day for November 8th

I recently released a report called ‘Shape Shifting; Shifting your Thoughts, Changing your Shape.’ I researched this report for well over two years, trying to find both cutting edge medical information as well as ancient medicinal knowledge that will allow people to ‘age backward’ and find a renewed sense of health, happiness and longevity simply by making some lifestyle shifts. One of those involves using different medicinal spices to achieve better health and long life. On ‘Cook Something Bold Day’ I’d like to offer a recipe for ageless living that involves a spice called tumeric. Ayurvedic practitioners have long held that tumeric takes away old age, and if a very little bit is rubbed on the skin, it can take away wrinkles. More philosophical theorists and herbal practitioners once called tumeric ‘the spice of love and luck.’ Hawaiians use tumeric in purification ceremonies, and in India this spice is burned for protection, as it’s believed that demons and other malevolent creatures detest its smell. Today, try to be bold and ageless and cook something tasty by adding no more than an eighth of a teaspoon of tumeric to any traditional savory recipe. Now you won’t be growing old, you’ll be growing bold!

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com

Balancing Light & Dark

Balancing Light & Dark

by Janice Van Cleve

 

At 11 minutes after the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of August, 1999, a total eclipse of the sun began to trace its shadow across Europe, Anatolia, and India. Thousands gathered in Cornwall, England, to witness the event while others spent thousands of dollars to fly in a Concorde jet in the path of the shadow. What did it all mean?

This was the last solar eclipse of the millennium. Some predicted that it heralded the fulfillment of biblical revelations, others said it marked the beginning of Armageddon — the last battle before the end of the world. Some looked for aliens from other planets to appear or for a shift in the earth’s magnetic fields that would cause catastrophic earthquakes or floods. For myself, it was an energetic day of creative writing which I attribute more to the extra coffee than to celestial events.

Yet an eclipse is an awesome occurrence. To think that an object far out in space could throw its shadow across our earth somehow shakes loose our narrow focus on the mundane and underscores our connection to a greater universe. The immensity of this phenomenon dwarfs our puny existence and forces a humbling awe. Those who fear what they cannot control are driven to spread their fear in dire prophecies and ludicrous interpretations. Still others, seeking escape from temporal reality, see in the eclipse a sign of alternative worlds where they might fare better.

There is another aspect of eclipses: they are beautiful to behold. In a world flush with beauty which unfolds daily in the sheer joy of its own existence, the solar eclipse is one more delightfully exquisite manifestation of pure joy. The eclipse does not have to be either mechanical science or holy creation or portent for the future. It just is, for its own sake, with no purpose other than to be. Like the yellow mountain lily or the fingerling salmon in the sea, like a graceful waltz or reading to a little child, the sun’s diamond ring around the moon is a delight to the open heart.

The eclipse can also provide a symbolic reference for a deeper truth. The moon, which brings light to the darkness, now brings darkness to the light. The moon reflects the sun’s light during the night and, during a solar eclipse, it is the moon that hides that light from us. It is a symbol for the principle of universal duality. Dark cannot exist without light and light cannot exist without dark. Light and dark are coequal twins, like life and death, love and fear, joy and sorrow.

Patriarchal religions attempt to break up universal duality. They fear darkness and shun it, seeking in its place eternal light. Pagans, however, can embrace both the light and the darkness. They can appreciate each one for its own sake and for the anticipation each creates for the other. Bliss is the happy balance of both, in perfect love and perfect trust.

The happy balance of light and dark is the theme of autumn equinox when day and night are of equal length. The expressive and expansive days of spring and summer give way necessarily to the introspective days of autumn and winter. It is no accident that this is the time of Libra, the scales of balance.

Now we gather that which is of lasting value and let go that which is no longer useful. Debts are settled, produce is harvested, and we look back at summer’s accomplishments with a sigh of both satisfaction and relief. Now we begin to draw inward and to take stock and give thanks for how far we have traveled since we made those promises at Imbolc and planted those seeds at spring equinox.

An eclipse gives us a quick vision of the interchangeability of light and dark. The equinox bears out the vision in the wheel of the year. We are the children of the light and we are equally the children of the dark.

National GEO Photo of the Day for 8/23: Babysitting

Babysitting Langurs, India

Photograph by Stefano Unterthiner, National Geographic

This Month in Photo of the Day: National Geographic Magazine Features

Are these the monkeys’ mothers? Not always. Langurs often share babysitting duties within a close-knit group of females and their offspring. The young are born with thin dark fur that turns thick and grayish gold after a few months.

Ayurveda

Having existed in India for at least 2,000 years, Ayurveda (Sanskrit, “science of life”) is one of the world’s oldest systems of medicine. A holistic tradition that integrates massage, exercise, diet and meditation, Ayurveda accords a special role to gemstones. According to ancient texts, the light of the Creator is transmitted to Earth by the planets; gemstones collect and then radiate this energy. If a person’s well-being is affected by in harmonious influences, an ayurveda healer can identify which planet is responsible and prescribe the appropriate gem to wear in order to correct the disruption.

The list below shows for each ayurvedic planet, the aspects that it represents and the principal gemstone associated with it.

Planet and gemstone correspondences

Sun (male aspects, vitality, success) – ruby

Moon (feminine aspects, peace of mind, comfort, well-being) – pearl

Mercury (education, intelligence, speech, humour) – emerald

Venus (love, beauty, art) – diamond

Mars (courage, confidence, physical strength) – coral

Jupiter (philosophy, spiritual growth, wealth, learning) – yellow sapphire

Saturn (fame, longevity, sincerity, justice) – blue sapphire

Rahu, the ascending node of the moon (restlessness, worldly success, force, selfishness) – zircon

Ketu, the descending node of the moon ( passivity, spirituality, non-attachment, selflessness) – cat’s eye chrysoberyl

ACACIA

Folk names:  Cape Gum, Egyptian Thorn, Gum Arabic Tree, Kikwata, Mkwatia, Mgunga, Mokala

Gender: Masculine

Planet:  Sun

Element:  Air

Deities:  Osiris, Astarte, Ishtar, Diana, Ra

Powers:  Protection, Psychic Powers

Ritual Uses:  The wood is used as fuel in sacred fires in India, and is also used in building temples.

Magickal Uses: A sprig of the tree placed over the bed wards off evil, as it does when tucked into the turban in Eastern countries. When the wood is burned with sandalwood the psychic powers are stimulated. Acacia is also used in money and love spells, although in the latter case the outcome would be a platonic love.

Anti-Evil Eye Conjure Bag (1)

Anti-Evil Eye recommendations from India suggest filling a red bag with some or all of the following:

  • Crocodile teeth
  • Pottery shards or bits of terracotta pottery found in a cemetery
  • Protective verses and sacred texts
  • Chili peppers, lemons or limes, to be replaced with fresh ones weekly or as needed.

Wear or carry the bag with you.

Your Charm for May 13 is The Dorje

Your Charm for Today
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The Dorje
 
Today’s Meaning:
You are at a physical peak–particularly from a sexual perspective. Enjoy the next few weeks, for they can be remarkable if you let them.General Description:
In India and Tibet the Dorje or Thunderbolt of Jupiter, is a favourite and greatly valued talisman. It is worn to protect against magic, all spiritual evils and to bring abundance, fuitfulness, and riches. The Dorje is shaped much like a dumb bell with pointed ends, and is the symbol of power and indestructiblility. It is supposed to overcome the Buddhist gods Ahi and Vrittra, the serpents, which the Buddhists believe swallow up the waters and cause drought, starvation and death; compelling the serpents to disgorge the waters, and to pour down the fertilizing showers.

Your Charm for May 11th is The Serpent

Your Charm for Today
 
 

The Serpent
 
Today’s Meaning:
This aspect will be affected by someone’s illness being shed. Their healing will cause positive changes within this aspect for you.General Description:
In primeval days the Serpent deeply appealed to man’s imagination, and owing to its lenth of life was used as the emblem for wisdom and eternity. It was a household god in ancient Rome, and sacred to their god of medicine. The Romans believed that the Serpent renewed its youth by casting its skin, and it became their symbol for long life and vitality. In India the Serpent symbolises the infinite duration of time and wisdom. Serpent rings were worn to ensure health, strength, and long life. The rings were also believed to possess great protective and enduring virtues. The Serpent was a mark of royalty in Egypt, and worn as a head dress or UR.AEUS.

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Your Charm for April 26 is The Bulla

Your Charm for Today
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The Bulla
 
Today’s Meaning:
You are distracted from this aspect by other areas of your life you feel are more pressing. This aspect is suffering from this lack of attention. You must ask yourself how much more you can let it suffer before you give it due attention.General Description:
From remote times the terrors of the arts of fascination have been dreaded, and by wearing this charm, which contained a written invocation to their gods, it was believed that full protection was obtained. The Bulla was popular in Rome from a very early period. It was worn on a necklace, or upon the girdle. The Gorgons head, with hair of writhing snakes, was believed to terrify and drive away the power of the bewitcher. Even today in many countries, the magic power of the evil eye is still believed in.

Your Charm for April 25 is Leo the Lion

Your Charm for Today
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Leo the Lion
 
Today’s Meaning:
This aspect of your life will be strongly influenced by a person who is generous, warm-hearted, creative, enthusiastic, broad-minded, expansive, faithful and loving. This person is most likely a relative.General Description:
Fifth sign of the Zodiac, July 23rd to Aug. 23rd. Ruled by the Sun; correct metal, Gold. Those born under the influence of Leo were believed to be enthusiastic, high spiritied, affable, generous, strong, quick tempered, artistic, inventive, generally successful and proverbially lucky. The Leo stones are the Peridot and Onyx, also Amber. The Peridot was in former times valued more than the Diamond. In Rome it was worn as a charm to drive away evil spirits, despondencey and illusions. Peridot amulets enjoyed a great reputation in the Middle Ages for inspiring wisdom and eloquence. Many medicinal properies were atrributed to Amber, and its supposed virtues are still relied on in the East.

Your Charm for April 18th

Your Charm for Today
 
 

Capricornus the Goat
 
Today’s Meaning:
This aspect of your life will be strongly influenced by a person who is practical, prudent, ambitious, disciplined, patient, careful, humorous and reserved. They could be someone you know in the medical field–a nurse or doctor perhaps.General Description:
Tenth sign of the Zodiac, Dec 22nd to Jan 19th. Ruling planet, Saturn; correct metal, lead. Those born under Capricornus influence were believed to be prudent, deep thinkers, prosperous in financial affairs, generous, with strong and foreible tempers. The capricorn stone is the Ruby. The Ruby was a favourite talisman in the Orient. In India it was worn to guard against attacks of enemies, foretell danger, supposed to change colour in presence of poison, and attract friends and good fortune; China and Japan health, Happiness and long life. The Romans believed that the Ruby preserved health and strength, averted danger, plauge and fevers.

Herb of the Day for April 11th is Black Cohosh

Herb of the Day

 
Black Cohosh
Botanical: Cimicifuga racemosa (NUTT.)
Family: N.O. Ranunculaceae

Synonyms—Black Snake Root. Rattle Root. Squaw Root.
Bugbane.
Part Used—Root.


Habitat—A native of North America, where it grows freely in shady woods in Canada and the United States. It is called Black Snake Root to distinguish it from the Common Snake Root (Aristolochia serpentaria).

Description—The seeds are sent annually to Europe, and should be sown as soon as the season will permit. It flowers in June or early in July, but does not perfect seed in England, though it thrives well in moist shady borders and is perfectly hardy. It is a tall, herbaceous plant, with feathery racemes of white blossoms, 1 to 3 feet long, which being slender, droop gracefully. The fruits are dry.

The plant produces a stout, blackish rhizome (creeping underground stem), cylindrical, hard and knotty, bearing the remains of numerous stout ascending branches. It is collected in the autumn after the fruit is formed and the leaves have died down, then cut into pieces and dried. It has only a faint, disagreeable odor, but a bitter and acrid taste.

The straight, stout, dark brown roots which are given off from the under surface of the rhizome are bluntly quadrangular and furrowed. In the dried drug, they are brittle, broken off usually quite close to the rhizome. In transverse section, they show several wedge-shaped bundles of porous, whitish wood. A similar section of the rhizome shows a large dark-colored, horny pith, surrounded by a ring of numerous pale wedges of wood, alternately with dark rays, outside which is a thin, dark, horny bark.

Constituents—The chief constituent of Cimicifuga root is the amorphous resinous substance known as Cimicifugin, or Macrotin, of which it contains about 18 per cent but the bitter taste is due to a crystalline principle named Racemosin. The drug also contains two resins, together with fat, wax starch, gum, sugar and an astringent substance.

Medicinal Action and Uses—Astringent, emmenagogue, diuretic, alternative, expectorant. The root of this plant is much used in America in many disorders, and is supposed to be an antidote against poison and the bite of the rattlesnake. The fresh root, dug in October, is used to make a tincture.

In small doses, it is useful in children’s diarrhea.

In the paroxysms of consumption, it gives relief by allaying the cough, reducing the rapidity of the pulse and inducing perspiration. In whooping-cough, it proves very effective.

The infusion and decoction have been given with success in rheumatism.

In infantile disorders, it is given in the form of syrup. It is said to be a specific in St. Vitus’ Dance of children. Overdoses produce nausea and vomiting Preparations—Fluid extract, U.S.P., 15 to 30 drops. Fluid extract, B.P., 5 to 30 drops. Tincture, U.S.P., 1 drachm. Tincture, B.P., 15 to 60 drops. Cimicifugin, 1 to 6 grains. Powdered extract, U.S.P., 4 grains.