This one is a good substitute for a hex, when your fear or anger tempts you in that direction:
“Blood turn black and flesh turn blue,
I will curse if you force me to.
By the left hand and the unclean food,
I’ll curse your eyes, I’ll curse your lies,
I’ll call down a plague of flies.
Blood go black and flesh go blue,
Evil from me and back to you
My soul clean and yours on fire,
You f**k with a witch you get burned, liar! “
Today’s Goddess: ASHERAH
Ta’Anith Esther (Israel)
Themes: Kindness; Love; Divination; Foresight
Symbols: Lion; Lilies; a Tree or Pole
About Asherah: Asherah, a Canaanite Goddess of moral strength, offers to lend support and insight when we are faced with inequality or overwhelming odds. In art, she is often depicted simply as an upright post supporting the temple. This is a fitting representation, since her name means “straight.” Traditionally, Asherah is a mother figure often invoked at planting time, embodying a kind of benevolent, fertile energy that can reinforce just efforts and good intentions. Beyond this she is also an oracular goddess, specifically for predicting the future.
To Do Today: In Israel, this festival commemorates Esther’s strength and compassion in pleading with King Ahasuerus to save her people held captive in Persia. It is a time of prayer when one looks to the divine to instill similar positive attributes within us. For help in this quest, we turn to Asherah with this simple prayer:
Lady, make me an instrument of kindness and mercy; let my words be gentle and true, my actions motivated by insight and fairness. Where there is prejudice, let me be the bearer of tolerance. Where there is uncertainty, let me share your vision. Where there is disharmony, let me sow love. Amen.
Plant a tree today to remember Asherah, and tend it often. As you do, you tend her attributes in your heart.
By Patricia Telesco
Strength
Strength denotes an inner power, mastery of will, development of inner might, and the ability to lead effectively. Through mastering one’s emotions and learning from both success and failure the person Strength represents has reached a place where they are influential without applying physical force, able to weather the roughest of storms, and not likely to abandon the less fortunate. Strength also denotes a large capacity for forgiveness and compassion. Strength is not as much about winning as it is about overcoming hardship, and using well crafted persuasion to ease others to your side.
As a daily card, Strength indicates a period in which your psychological powers are extremely strong. Your mental endurance may well astound even you at this time. Possibly it is time for you to stand up and take command of any loosely run situations in your life. If you take the lead others will follow.
The Tower
As in the game of chess, where the towers stand guard at the corners of the battlefield, The Tower represents a defense and stronghold, perhaps at the edge of life, of change, of sanity. The tower rises out of solid bedrock and is a place to take refuge, to recoup, to meditate upon the next step. United as it is with solid earth, it also rises into the heavens, and it is there the answers appear to us, when we have climbed above daily worldly matters into a higher consciousness. When the Tower appears, seek solitude and cultivate inner strength, prepare for coming challenges.
As a daily card The Tower suggests you are in a time when you are likely to face major challenges. The Tower indicates that the best way for you to face these challenges is to fortify your inner resources and keep yourself solidly grounded.
Today’s Meaning:
A journey that you or someone close to you must make will have a positive influence on this aspect. This trip may be over a great distance.
General Description:
This charm was worn by the ancients to protect the wearer against disease and snake bites. The Jews used it as an amulet for epilepsy and erysipelas. It is still used in Ireland as a talisman against sickness. The Tau is one of the most ancient crosses and the forerunner of the Latin Cross. Moses used the Tau Cross with the brazen serpent attached, to save the Children of Israel in the wilderness from the attacks of the fiery serpents. The Cross has always been the symbol of life eternal. It was this mark, the Tau Cross, that was placed upon the foreheads of those exempted from Divine wrath in Jerusalem.
Your Rune For Today
Kenaz
Kenaz foretells the coming of clarity and knowledge. It is time for you to grow by exchanging knowledge with others. Opportunities are upon you.
The Law of Return means that what you do affects what happens to you. If you do good, good is going to happen to you; if you do evil, evil will happen. The Law of Return exists in every religion in one form or another. In some it’s given a multiplier. Good and bad are said to come back upon you three- or tenfold.
Simply put, We and only we, are responsible for our own actions. In Wicca, there is no “The devil made me do it.” We don’t believe in devils.
The desire to improve the world around us, guided in part by the Law of Return. Ecology, teaching and preaching tolerance, racial harmony and reverence for the arts and history, and living one’s life toward peace are important examples. Only by being constant in our learning, and growth, do we help prevent intolerance.
Divinity is within us and around us, and becoming in-tune with this power is a major facet of Wicca.
1. We, in our Self, are divine. No one is in control of us except us.
2. The Gods/other powers are divine. The gods/goddesses are more like parents, and less like the god of Christianity.
3. Earth is a living being. Each individual being, plant, animal or mineral on Earth is a part of that being. Everything has a spirit of its own.
taken from ” The Five Points of Wiccan Belief,” laid out by Universal Eclectic Wicca
The Open Door signifies the presence of new opportunities. However, to reap the benefits of these prospects you will have to move beyond where you are now–forsake the comforts and safety of your current life and head out in new directions. Moves like those symbolized by The Open Door require courage, because fresh opportunities signify the chance of gain, but do not guarantee they will be realized. Regardless of the benefits that may be reaped, with the transitions like those required to explore these new found opportunities, something is always lost. Before launching on a voyage down new paths it is a good idea to objectively assess your current state of being and decide whether what you have now is worth jeopardizing.
As a daily card, The Open Door indicates a time that is primed for you to pursue new goals and dreams. For you opportunity exists, but there are no assurances that they will lead to a richer life. Weigh your current circumstances carefully, and if you feel there is a more fulfilling path for you, then this is the moment for you to begin your walk down that path–the moment for you to walk through The Open Door before you.
Today’s Meaning:
A journey that you or someone close to you must make will have a positive influence on this aspect. This trip may be over a great distance.
General Description:
This charm was worn by the ancients to protect the wearer against disease and snake bites. The Jews used it as an amulet for epilepsy and erysipelas. It is still used in Ireland as a talisman against sickness. The Tau is one of the most ancient crosses and the forerunner of the Latin Cross. Moses used the Tau Cross with the brazen serpent attached, to save the Children of Israel in the wilderness from the attacks of the fiery serpents. The Cross has always been the symbol of life eternal. It was this mark, the Tau Cross, that was placed upon the foreheads of those exempted from Divine wrath in Jerusalem.
Components:
A glass of wine
Instructions:
Before those serpent alcohols
That tempt the tongue and soothe the brain
Shall rise and wind their glittering coils
About your feverish fears again,
Treat them firmly, do not fail
Before their clear hypnotic eyes;
Confess their power, yet prevail
Before they learn to turn and tease;
Utter this charm, that wit and will
May stare them down and hold them still:
“Knowledge I have While thou hast none, I can make songs Beyond they tongue, All of thy offerings First were mine: I keep my spirit And need not thine.”Then raise to your lips a glass of wine – spit in it, empty it down the drain.
By Migene Gonzales-Wippler
Updated 7:17 a.m. ET: WARSAW, Poland — Capping a weeklong foreign trip, Mitt Romney on Tuesday praised the people of Poland for marching toward “economic liberty and smaller government” rather than “heeding the false promise of a government-dominated economy.”
In a speech Tuesday in Poland’s capital, Warsaw, the Republican presidential candidate also lauded Poland for its higher living standards and strong military.
The presumptive Republican nominee’s thee-country trip had been intended to project the image of a leader ready to stand on the world’s stage but has been sidelined somewhat over alleged missteps in Britain and Israel.
Romney’s comments in Poland fit into his campaign’s themes of smaller government, reduced federal spending and fewer regulations on business. He says Poland is thriving because it sought to “stimulate innovation, attract investment, expand trade and live within its means.”
Romney said Poland’s success was a reminder that “free enterprise can propel an economy and transform a society.”
Earlier Tuesday, Romney met with Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski. The two men discussed the longstanding ties between the two nations as well as the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan.
Poland has also been a significant contributor to military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“On behalf of our countrymen, I express deep appreciation for your willingness to fight with us, to stand with us, and to be our friends in times of crisis and military conflict,” Romney said.
“Poland has excellent ties with the United States, regardless of which American party is in power,” Sikorski said. “We remember Ronald Reagan’s warm feelings for Poland’s Solidarity and also the fact that we joined (NATO) during Bill Clinton’s term.”
The two-day trip to Poland is aimed at Polish-American and Catholic voters in the United States and highlighted Romney’s stance toward Russia. He has labeled Russia as America’s “No. 1 geopolitical foe,” a characterization that’s not unwelcome in a country that still fears Russia. Poles generally have been skeptical of President Barack Obama’s “reset” with Russia, and Romney has cited Polish concerns in his criticism of Obama.
As a former Soviet Bloc nation that has been subjugated by bigger European powers throughout history, Poland remains particularly worried about Russian policy.
Romney received words of encouragement on his visit to Poland on Monday from Lech Walesa, a former union leader and ex-Polish president, who said: “I wish you to be successful because this success is needed for the United States of course, but for Europe and the rest of the world too. Governor Romney, get your success. Be successful.”
But Solidarity, the union led by Walesa in the 1980s that helped topple communism in Poland, distanced itself from Romney, who it said “supported attacks on trade unions and employees’ rights.”
Romney angers Palestinians Earlier, Romney was forced to fight off controversy after he called Jerusalem the Israeli capital and said later that differences in culture powered Israel’s economic success compared with the Palestinians.
Both comments angered Palestinian leaders, just days after Romney annoyed Britons during a stop in London by questioning their readiness to host the Olympic Games.
However, Romney’s comments on Sunday about Jerusalem prompted a strong response.
The Palestinians want to establish a capital in east Jerusalem, captured and annexed by Israel in 1967. Most of the world, including the United States, does not recognize the annexation. Every U.S. administration since Lyndon Johnson has decided to keep the American embassy in Tel Aviv.
But on Sunday, Romney said flat out that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital and strongly suggested he would move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem if he were president, supporting two key Israeli demands.
Previous U.S. presidential candidates, including then-Sen. Obama in June 2008, have referred to Jerusalem as Israel’s capital ahead of elections, only to row back when taking power and suggest the issue should be resolved by negotiations.
Seeking American Jewish and fundamentalist Christian votes, Romney has criticized Obama on Israel, alleging last year that the president had “thrown Israel under a bus” in pushing hard for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.
In 2008, Obama won 78 percent of the Jewish vote, a lead into which Romney’s campaign would love to make inroads.
Romney points to ‘culture’ gap Romney pointed to the big difference in wealth between Israel and the Palestinians and suggested Israel’s culture was the reason for the gap.
“If you could learn anything from the economic history of the world, it’s this: culture makes all the difference,” he told a fundraising event in Jerusalem.
The chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat said that Romney’s comments amounted to “a racist statement that shows a lack of knowledge.”
He added, “Everyone knows that the Palestinians cannot reach their full potential given the Israeli restrictions imposed on them.”
A senior aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Nabil Abu Rdeineh, said Romney’s statements were unhelpful, stood in the way of a peace settlement and “contradict the previous positions held by the American administration.”
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a chief Romney foreign policy surrogate, appeared to differ with Romney even as he tried to defend him.
“I am sure that Gov. Romney was not talking about difference in cultures, or difference in anybody superior or inferior,” McCain said Monday in Tampa, Fla. “What I’m sure Gov. Romney was talking was that the Israeli economy has grown and prospered in a dramatic fashion. And unfortunately, the Palestinians have not had that same economic development.”
McCain continued: “And that goes to the leadership of the Palestinians. … And we also know that the Palestinian people have not been blessed with the kind of government that has lower regulations, less taxes, entrepreneurship, which have caused the Israeli economy to be one of the world’s most successful. It has nothing to do with cultures. It has nothing to do with superiority or inferiority.”
NBC News staff, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Media Ver
Color: Green
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon a green cloth set growing herbs and flowers in pots, a pitcher of rainwater, small dishes of late-sowed seeds such as lettuce (as many as there are people), a flower wreath, and a single green candle.
Offerings: Seeds to be planted in the garden.
Daily Meal: Vegetarian
Media Ver Invocation
Earth, you have awakened to our touch!
The winds have stirred you,
The rain has nourished you,
The sun has opened your eyes.
Your million mouths open
On the unfolded leaves of every tree.
We glory in your abundance,
In the dance of your youth,
And we dance for your brilliant life
And your new season.
Yet now is the time when the real work begins.
If we would keep what we have sown,
We must not stop here,
But we must labor for the sustenance
Of our creation, as it has always been.
For the first growth is a miracle from the Gods,
But the second growth is the miracle unseen,
From the labor of our hands,
Which is also sacred.
Chant:
Green growing
Green Man knowing
Path of striving
Way of opening
(Each takes a pot of seeds and goes to the garden, and hoes or otherwise prepares a space for planting, and then plants their seeds, chanting while doing so. The pitcher of rainwater is carried out and ritually poured onto the seeds. Weeding should also be done at this time, and the care for plants that have already broken the surface.)
THE LOVE PENDULUM
The pendulum can be used for many things: finding lost objects, discovering hidden treasures,
divining water, communicating with spirits of the dead, diagnosing illness an prescribing medicine…
all these and more. Gypsies use the pendulum quite a lot. One of the uses to which they put it is in
determining whether or not a particular lover is the right one for you.
The pendulum itself should be a ring suspended on a length of red silk thread or ribbon.
Many girls use their mother’s wedding band for the ring. The only other thing you need is a
connection with the one you are wondering about. This can be an article of his or her clothing,
a handkerchief, a watch, ring, or other piece of jewelry, a photograph, or anything similar that has
a direct link with the person.
Simply sit with the object, photograph, or whatever in front of you and hold the pendulum over it.
It doesn’t matter whether or not your elbow rests on the table, but hold the thread so that the ring
is suspended about an inch or so above the object. Allow seven inches of the thread between
your fingers and the ring.
Concentrate your thoughts on the person you are wondering about. Is he/she the right one for you?
Think of all their good qualities, and their bad. Then say:
Av, ml Romani mal,
Pawdel dur chumbas.
Av kitane mansa?
This little verse in Romanes (the Gypsy language) can be roughly translated as
“Come my Gypsy friend, over the hills so far away. Will you come along with me?”
Repeat it, saying it three times in all.
As you say the verse the pendulum will start to swing. If it swings backwards and
forwards, towards you and away from you, then it means “yes,” that person is the
right one for you. But if it swings from side to side, across you, then it means “no,”
they are not right for you. With some people the pendulum may swing in a circle, rather
than backwards and forwards. If it does, then clockwise means “Yes” and
counterclockwise means “no”.
The threefold law of return: We hear much about this, but do we really comprehend the meaning? What you put out comes back times three (or more), means unequivocally that, good or bad, you reap what your actions have sown.
How do we define “putting something out”? A thought, a deed, a word are all actions that contain energy. Think about this: If you disburse money willingly, with the focus that you are contributing to the prosperity of the community, the prosperous energy returns to you. Not always in the exact way that you want; sometimes in the most unexpected ways!
If you choose to live in lack, feel like there is never an adequate amount of anything and attempt to hoard and hold onto everything, the flow stops. It’s akin to putting a dam on the energy flow. If you are broke, give a little away, whether it’s time or energy or money. Doing so will create a vacuum effect, which will then help to get the flow started back toward you instead of away from you.
Money is only paper with numbers on it, it is used to represent energy. You expend your energy for some of it and then give it away for something someone else put energy into. Just like everything else, it goes around in a never-ending cycle; there is an ebb and flow to it. Sometimes you have more, sometimes less, but there is always a coming and going of cash; that’s why it’s called cash flow!
This philosophy also works in other areas of life, love for instance. Do you suppose that you have only a limited amount of love? Is it to be rationed out as you go through life? Will you run out? I think not. The more affection you give, the more you generate, the more you experience, the more you give! Just like that. The cycle turns the wheel.
Try this in another area. Have you ever been frightened of having something happen and then had it happen just as you hoped it would not? Or have you ever said “I will never ______ (fill in the blank)” and found yourself doing just that shortly thereafter? Magickal components are a part of everyday life. You have an intent, put emotion (energy) into it, take action and bring it into being. You begin to create with nothing more than a word or thought. It works remarkably well for those things that you say never about, because you feel intensely about them and put a lot of energy into them. What do you think would have more power: “I wish I could win the lottery!” or “I will never have enough money!”?
Your subconscious mind does not recognize the word “not”; it’s a non-word. When you say “I do not want to do that,” it is a direct command to your brain; you are basically saying that you really do want to do whatever it is. If someone says to you, “I do notwant to hurt you,” be careful!
If you sit around all the time, agonizing about your bills, your job, your health, your love life… what kind of energy are you putting out? How might that energy be contributing in a magickal sense to your circumstances? Would you do a spell to get a job you hate, or to get into a bad relationship? Of course not! So why sit around and put energy into negative crap when you could be furthering your positive wishes? The universe is a bountiful place; the Goddess is generous with her gifts. There is plenty for all. Does this ring true for you? If not, you might ask yourself, “Why not?” What beliefs that you hold to be true are sabotaging you?
“Try” is another one of my pet peeves. When a person says they will try to do something, it is just an excuse for not doing it, as in “I tried! I just couldn’t.” Think about what you say. Instead of saying “I will try,” see how much power there is in actually committing. Say “I will do it!” Also, how much power is there in saying no to those things you really don’t intend to do. Wow, what an enormous amount of energy you free up by just saying no in the first place! Then you don’t have to worry till the last minute whether you should actually do it, then have to make an excuse for not doing it – not to mention maybe having to do something you’d really rather not. You will find people will respect you more and value your energy more when you can be believed and counted upon to do what you say, as well as for your being in control of your boundaries.
Finally, be careful what you wish upon someone else, because just as positive thoughts come back to you, so do the negative ones aimed at others. Don’t wish on someone else something you would not like to have happen to you and yours. Be careful of those things said thoughtlessly or in jest. How might you feel if the nasty thought you thought when you were angry at your friend or mate were to happen?
Make your statements in the positive. Strive to be conscious of your every thought and word and the energy around them. Focus on the here and now and what’s happening. If you can accomplish this, the law of return will work in your favor and only good things will come to you.
Be careful what you ask for; you just might get it!
| Your Charm for Today | |||
The Tau Cross |
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Today’s Meaning: A journey that you or someone close to you must make will have a positive influence on this aspect. This trip may be over a great distance.General Description: This charm was worn by the ancients toprotect the wearer against disease and snake bites. The Jews used it as an amulet for epilepsy and erysipelas. It is still used in Ireland as a talisman against stickness. The Tau is one of the most ancient crosses and the forerunner of the Latin Cross. Moses used the Tau Cross with the brazen serpent attached, to save the Childrenof Israel in the wilderness from the attacks of the fiery serpents. The Cross has always been the symbol of life eternal. It was this mark, the Tau Cross, that was placed upon the foreheads of those exempted from Divine wrath in Jerusalem. : |
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The Truth Is In The Experience.
Author: Snowdragon
My religion, if it can be called a religion (it’s more a way of life for me), is full and fluid and like the ocean. It never stays in one place, it is ever changing and evolving like spring to summer and summer to fall. And I grow and change with it, adapting new ideas, establishing a greater sense of myself with every footstep.I send my roots down into the fertile soil and drink of the un-ending knowledge that this earth holds before me. And like the gardener whose careful hands tend the living, breathing earth I propagate my own experiences with grace and determination. There is no formula for magick, it is not an exact science, nor is it an ancient unbending truth; it is an experience. It is the wisdom that is established from this experience that helps us to define the meaning of the word ‘magick’. I have a very long and deeply embedded ancestral link to Israel but as a child this link was not made evident to me and it wasn’t until I reached adult hood that I could better understand the connection to my Jewish roots.
Israel is a profoundly spiritual place, rich in history and ceremony. And it seems that every little mundane chore such as the making of the first meal of the day, washing of the hands and face and the general tidiness of one’s home is ripe with spiritual significance. It is the pervasive conception that god is in the details that allows the Jewish people to maintain a consistent and unwavering connection to the spiritual realm in daily life. Perhaps it is this practice of acknowledging the spiritual when engaging the practical that will help us to truly experience magick.
It is my purpose to try to establish a greater connection to the spiritual within my mundane life so that the question isn’t whether or not I should practice magick and how I practice magick but more importantly, why?
I feel that life is a magickal journey and that it is the in-between moments where our attentions are diverted to material matters such as clothing, shelter and food that cause us to lose our sense of who we are as spiritual beings. Bread may be bread and hunger may be the driving force in its creation but it is the ceremony in its preparation, the transformation of cooking it, and ultimately the sharing of it in a social setting that makes the whole process a physical representation of a greater spiritual experience. This is the essence of magick and thus where our truest spell work can be done. Just as we would study for a test or exam one must first conceptualize of the desired outcome, establish a methodology for creating said outcome and then set out with the appropriate tools to materialize the goals we wish to achieve. In doing so, we open ourselves to our greatest potential, increasing our connection to our higher selves. It is here that we define who we are, recognize our strength’s and weakness and determine whether or not we are willing to overcome them. For, we are always able. We have the very tools we need in our hands the trick is learning how to use them effectively and with true purpose and intention.
In effect spell-work is the physical act and magick the driving force. So there can never be a lack of magick in one’s life if one is willing to acknowledge the spirit that whispers underneath. The simple act of “stopping to smell the roses” is an expression of connecting to the spiritual self, the desire to know god, to touch with the hands of creation and to be an infinite part of it. But like all good things there is danger of obtaining too much or over indulging in the material benefits. I find this particularly true when it comes to religion. We often find ourselves becoming fanatical about our approach to spiritual matters, and instead of obtaining a greater understanding of our spiritual selves and having the foresight to trust its existence we become greedy and disenfranchised with the spiritual truth of those around us. We cling to our ceremony as though without it our very souls would cease to be instead of allowing it to grow, evolve and breath like the very earth in which we live. In fact I find no greater representation for the spiritual realm then the earth beneath my feet and the sky above my head and it is in this world where I have discovered some of my greatest spiritual explorations. With the people that I meet, the challenge of a new relationship and within the dynamics of those that already exist.
If we wish to continue to deepen our connection to the spiritual we must be willing to let go of it. If we cling too tightly we damage the fragile nature that makes the quest for spiritual truth so imperative. Like a clear crystal stone, if we hold it to the light we can see the internal structure that makes up its formation but if we set it down in the shadows we can not acknowledge its beauty then the very purpose of its creation is lost and its existence irrelevant. The search for spiritual relevance is what separates and defines us as human beings. We have our very basic nature still intact, eating, sleeping and procreating but it is the unseen internal struggle for knowledge that makes us the truly remarkable beings that we are. For there is no right answer, life isn’t a test or quiz and unlike our academic quests we are our own best teachers. Each of us retains the right to a spiritual truth, whether it is through Paganism, Christianity, Buddhism or all of the above the journey is yours to experience. Embrace your spiritual self with the ceremony that fulfills you the most and magick will never be too far behind you.
| Your Charm for Today | |||
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The Tau Cross |
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| Today’s Meaning: A journey that you or someone close to you must make will have a positive influence on this aspect. This trip may be over a great distance.General Description: This charm was worn by the ancients toprotect the wearer against disease and snake bites. The Jews used it as an amulet for epilepsy and erysipelas. It is still used in Ireland as a talisman against stickness. The Tau is one of the most ancient crosses and the forerunner of the Latin Cross. Moses used the Tau Cross with the brazen serpent attached, to save the Childrenof Israel in the wilderness from the attacks of the fiery serpents. The Cross has always been the symbol of life eternal. It was this mark, the Tau Cross, that was placed upon the foreheads of those exempted from Divine wrath in Jerusalem. |
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Witches Of The Craft® 
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