Your Rune For Today
Naudhiz
Naudhiz may foretell needs unmet and friction in relationships. You may be in a time where you should be very careful in whatever endeavor you take on. Also it may be that you are about to learn some of life’s hard lessons and come out the other side of this period a stronger being.
I hope everyone is having a great day especially since it is Friday! I don’t know if any of you have heard the term “Mabon Season.” I know I hadn’t, it is a term I just made up. Some people start celebrating Mabon today while others celebrate it on the 23rd. So I just figured “Mabon Season” would work because it is celebrated at some many different dates. It is very appropriate for this bunch around here. They start celebrating the morning of Sept. 20th and don’t quit to midnight Sept. 23rd. Seriously, party animals. Mystie is really cutting the rug in the photo I took of her, isn’t she, lol! I should be nice to her. I was really scared to look at the poll she did about me. No telling what that woman can come up with, scary even thinking about it. But she did pretty good on the first one, I just can’t wait to the second or third one :s .
I wanted to give you a heads up. Yesterday while I was working on our Pinterest account. I found out something very interesting. They will now let you have a business on there. They will let you advertise your merchandise for nothing. The only thing is that you have to pull the merchandise from your own site. Well to solve that problem, I am going to have a page called “Featured Merchandise for the Day,” pop up every now and then. That way I will be able to pull the item from here and the individual will come back here to buy it or something else. We will still have the raffles once a month. And having the merchandise is in no way going to interfere with our mission. We will still provide all the same services you are use too. And perhaps an item you have been looking for will pop up some where, who knows? But we will not post the merchandise till we are through with the daily postings. Beside Pinterest has been a great way of just advertising our site. I don’t know how many members have come over from there. Maybe we have the same luck with the items. Oh, I almost forgot, I was able to change the name of our account finally over to Witches Of The Craft. So if you have any graphics or interesting things you might want to share, you can now do so. It is your Pinterest about after all.
The reason I am doing this is because I am tired of bumming off my family, YOU! There are other ways we can stay afloat and I am going to give them a try. All I ask is that you have patience with me. I am a very proud witch and every time I have to post about needing money, it takes a bite out of me. I don’t like it. So this is what is going on. Besides if you need anything, let us know. We have hooked up with a very reasonable wholesaler and have access to almost anything you want. Hey this might turn out to be a good thing! You get the info, the spells, the rituals, plus anything you need to work the spells/rituals. Damn I’m a genius, lmao! But we are going to give it a try for a bit. If it works, fine. If it don’t, we will try something else.
So much for the news……..Now let’s get on with the daily’s what do you say!
I wish everyone of you a very prosperous and blessed Mabon Season!
May the Goddess Bless You & Yours,
Love,
Lady A
By Patti Wigington, About.com Guide
Mabon is the time of the autumn equinox, and the harvest is winding down. The fields are nearly bare, because the crops have been stored for the coming winter. Mabon is a time when we take a few moments to honor the changing seasons, and celebrate the second harvest. On or around September 21, for many Pagan and Wiccan traditions it is a time of giving thanks for the things we have, whether it is abundant crops or other blessings. It is also a time of balance and reflection, following the theme of equal hours light and dark. Here are some ways you and your family can celebrate this day of bounty and abundance.
Mabon is a time of balance, when there are equal hours of darkness and light, and that can affect people in different ways. For some, it’s a season to honor the darker aspects of the goddess, calling upon that which is devoid of light. For others, it’s a time of thankfulness, of gratitude for the abundance we have at the season of harvest. Because this is, for many people, a time of high energy, there is sometimes a feeling of restlessness in the air, a sense that something is just a bit “off”. If you’re feeling a bit spiritually lopsided, with this simple meditation you can restore a little balance into your life. You can also try a ritual to bring balance and harmony to your home.
Many Pagans and Wiccans count Mabon as a time of thanks and blessings — and because of that, it seems like a good time to give to those less fortunate than ourselves. If you find yourself blessed with abundance at Mabon, why not give to those who aren’t? Invite friends over for a feast, but ask each of them to bring a canned food, dry goods, or other non-perishable items? Donate the collected bounty to a local food bank or homeless shelter.
Apples are the perfect symbol of the Mabon season. Long connected to wisdom and magic, there are so many wonderful things you can do with an apple. Find an orchard near you, and spend a day with your family. As you pick the apples, give thanks to Pomona, goddess of fruit trees. Be sure to only pick what you’re going to use — if you can, gather plenty to take home and preserve for the coming winter months. Take your apples home and use them in rituals, for divination, and for delicious recipes that your family can enjoy all season long.
Mabon is a time of giving thanks, but sometimes we take our fortune for granted. Sit down and make a gratitude list. Write down things that you are thankful for. An attitude of gratefulness helps bring more abundance our way — what are things you’re glad you have in your life? Maybe it’s the small things, like “I’m glad I have my cat Peaches” or “I’m glad my car is running.” Maybe it’s something bigger, like “I’m thankful I have a warm home and food to eat” or “I’m thankful people love me even when I’m cranky.” Keep your list some place you can see it, and add to it when the mood strikes you.
Without darkness, there is no light. Without night, there can be no day. Despite a basic human need to overlook the dark, there are many positive aspects to embracing the dark side, if it’s just for a short time. After all, it was Demeter’s love for her daughter Persephone that led her to wander the world, mourning for six months at a time, bringing us the death of the soil each fall. In some paths, Mabon is the time of year that celebrates the Crone aspect of a triune goddess. Celebrate a ritual that honors that aspect of the Goddess which we may not always find comforting or appealing, but which we must always be willing to acknowledge. Call upon the gods and goddesses of the dark night, and ask for their blessings this time of year.
Fall is here, and that means the weather is bearable once more. The nights are becoming crisp and cool, and there’s a chill in the air. Take your family on a nature walk, and enjoy the changing sights and sounds of the outdoors. Listen for geese honking in the sky above you, check the trees for changing in the colors of the leaves, and watch the ground for dropped items like acorns, nuts, and seed pods. If you live in an area that doesn’t have any restrictions on removing natural items from park property, take a small bag with you and fill it up with the things you discover along the way. Bring your goodies home for your family’s altar. If you are prohibited from removing natural items, fill your bag with trash and clean up the outdoors!
In many cultures, fall was a time of celebration and gathering. It was the season in which friends and relatives would come from far and near to get together before the cold winter kept them apart for months at a time. Part of this custom was storytelling. Learn the harvest tales of your ancestors or of the people indigenous to the area in which you live. A common theme in these stories is the cycle of death and rebirth, as seen in the planting season. Learn about the stories of Osiris, Mithras, Dionysius, Odin and other deities who have died and then restored to life.
It’s not uncommon for Pagans and Wiccans to make remarks regarding the “energy” of an experience or event. If you’re having friends or family over to celebrate Mabon with you, you can raise group energy by working together. A great way to do this is with a drum or music circle. Invite everyone to bring drums, rattles, bells, or other instruments. Those who don’t have an instrument can clap their hands. Begin in a slow, regular rhythm, gradually increasing the tempo until it reaches a rapid pace. End the drumming at a pre-arranged signal, and you’ll be able to feel that energy wash over the group in waves. Another way of raising group energy is chanting, or with dance. With enough people, you can hold a Spiral Dance.
As autumn rolls in, we know we’ll be spending more time indoors in just a few months. Take some time to do a fall version of spring cleaning. Physically clean your home from top to bottom, and then do a ritual smudging. Use sage or sweetgrass, or asperge with consecrated water as you go through your home and bless each room. Decorate your home with symbols of the harvest season, and set up a family Mabon altar. Put sickles, scythes and bales of hay around the yard. Collect colorful autumn leaves, gourds and fallen twigs and place them in decorative baskets in your house. If you have any repairs that need to be done, do them now so you don’t have to worry about them over the winter. Throw out or give away anything that’s no longer of use.
Grapes are everywhere, so it’s no surprise that the Mabon season is a popular time to celebrate winemaking, and deities connected to the growth of the vine. Whether you see him as Bacchus, Dionysus, the Green Man, or some other vegetative god, the god of the vine is a key archetype in harvest celebrations. Take a tour of a local winery and see what it is they do this time of year. Better yet, try your hand at making your own wine! If you’re not into wine, that’s okay — you can still enjoy the bounty of grapes, and use their leaves and vines for recipes and craft projects. However you celebrate these deities of vine and vegetation, you may want to leave a small offering of thanks as you reap the benefits of the grape harvest
The Origin of Magick
Author: Crick [a WitchVox Sponsor]
Have you ever wondered about the origins of magick?
By magick I am not referring to the stage tricks employed by various entertainers for our amusement, but rather the energy which numerous cultures and belief systems have tapped into in order to manifest their various objectives.
This universal gift is known by many different names depending on which culture/belief system one looks at. It may be known simply as magick, prayers, miracles, life force, juju, karma and so forth.
For the purpose of this article it will be referred to as energy.
Have you ever wondered if such energy was a latent presence here on earth prior to the arrival of humankind? Residing here as an ancient primordial force, which was patiently waiting for sentient beings to discover its presence and purpose.
And if it was here prior to the arrival of human beings, did it serve an active purpose in the shaping of life and/or the creation of events that allowed for said life to begin? Was this primordial energy an essence that was introduced by Deity by way of a direct involvement with what we know as life? Or was it a side effect that formed as a result of actions taken by Deity during the course of said activities?
Or perhaps it is a development that manifested itself with the advent of humans? Could it be that the life force that we know as spirit introduced this energy into the life process in order to provide us with opportunities to expand our spiritual awareness and/or connection with alternate realms?
And if this is the case, why do you suppose that such a tool for growth and/or communication is so under utilized?
I say this because in society today, folks tend to become less connected with the world around them and more absorbed with the part of the self that is influenced by the individual ego.
And if this is a tool for growth and communication, why is it that those folks who actually use this energy for this purpose are spurned and looked upon with suspicion and in many cases with outright disdain by others in society? Witchcraft in essence, embodies the concepts and principals in the use of such energy.
And yet the word “witch” brings out and runs the gauntlet of emotions and perceptions of humanity as a whole. And depending on which side of the fence one stands, a witch is either an evil and vile creature or a person who is in touch with and resonates with the universal energies of which magick is a major part of.
Where does this fear of the unknown come from?
Was the ego installed into our souls as a balance to such a powerful tool? Has the balance shifted too far to one side of our souls?
As humans we readily employ magick in our various endeavors, but do we really understand its origins and what exactly is that we are using as a tool? Could the ego be a safety mechanism that has been allowed for whatever reasons, to exceed its purpose?
In some cultures, magick known as prayers is used as a means of communication with Deity. Does magick have but one specific intended use? And if so, are all other uses of such energy but an abuse of its original intended use?
Within these same cultures, when an event that is normally beyond the capacity of mere mortals, occurs, it is called a miracle.
Are these so called miracles really but a form of the same energy that others would call magick? Can we as humans in fact manifest these miracles by employing this energy? Or should such manifestations be the sole province of deity?
And while we are on the subject, does this energy have a shelf life?
Does it become stronger with use, opening even more avenues of discovery and power as one venture along the path, or does it weaken from non-use and/or the cultural disbelief in such a power?
Or is it simply a neutral tool offered by the powers to be, with many different attachments waiting to be realized by humanity.
Regardless of what name we call this energy or by what concept we use to identify with it, this gift has surpassed all boundaries of cultural, religious and societal beliefs. It is found in all aspects and fiber of this existence that we call life. It is a dominant force, often in a passive way, in basically everything that we do as humans. As such we may most likely only achieve but a peripheral understanding of such a complicated and diverse force.
Perhaps one day when we become as one with deity, a more comprehensive understanding of such a gift will be made known to us. But until such a revelation is proffered by the powers that be, we should always strive to understand as much as we are able to in order to effectively use such energy in a way that is both constructive and meaningful to our personal lives and not only our personal lives but to those around us as well.
As members of a diverse community, we have a responsibility to contribute to the health and well being of our community. Because of the diversity of society, there will always be divergent views as to what this energy is or in how it is to be used. But at the end of the day, how we use such energy is still an individual decision.
There are certain pagans, in particular Wiccans, who believe that whatever energy is sent out will return to the originator threefold.
As a traditional witch, I personally am not so sure that such a transfer is so cut and dry, but in general such a concept is a good yardstick or learning curve to adhere to.
I personally do not consider myself a master for I do not believe in such a being outside of deity. Rather I am a student of life with lots of questions. For without such questions there are no answers.
And quite frankly I don’t have answers to many of the questions that I have asked here. What few answers I may have are based upon my personal life experiences.
As pagans we are each individual and thus should answer such questions as they pertain to each person in regards to ones own beliefs and practices…
This ritual occurs when a woman has reached the point in her life when her Saturn has returned twice to her natal point.
This happens to everybody at the age of 56. Saturn is the teaching planet, slow and complete; We celebrate the effects of this celestial event on the woman’s life by the Croning ritual. Others perform the croning ritual once a woman no longer menstrates, after menopause.
Call a party for the young Crone, friends and relatives can cooperate with the invitations. Try to have some entertainment as well; Invite a woman who plays an instrument, or recites poetry. When all arrive, the group holds hands in a circle and sings a song to unify the group soul.
Lady listen to my hearts song
Lady Lady listen to my hearts song
I will never forget you,
I will never forsake you,
I will never forget you,
I will never forsake you!
After a couple of rounds of this, when the time is right, the priestess of the event steps out to address the rest.
This priestess can be anyone who loves the new Crone.
Priestess:(or chosen person)
We gathered together to celebrate (name) becoming (56) years old, and entering the Wise Age. Her proper title is from now on among women “Young Crone”. Who is the Crone you ask? A Crone is a woman who has reached wisdom in her heart, who is called on in disputes to arbitrate, who is called on in despair to sooth the wounds, a young Crone who is everybody’s older sister. Who else is the Crone you ask? a young Crone is the Goddess in her third aspect; she is Magera, she is Hecate, she is the Goddess of unbound power. Folklore has it that Crones bring good luck when you see them on the streets, if they smile on you, you will have a very good day. They appear in important times to show the grace of the goddess. Crones’ wishes must be respected for the Goddess
demands this from the younger generation. . Crones enjoy special favors, their magic is stronger, their spells are faster, their loves are stronger.
All:
Bless you (name) with good health, happiness, and long life!
Now the youngest of the group starts a circle of white candles, previously set out in the middle of the room; 56 of them, one for each year of the Crone’s life. Others can help after the Nymph starts. the woman priestess has a bell with which she will ring out 56 times again for each year that has passed. If the Crone would like to give a speech, here is a good place to do it. When the circle of light is done, the Young Crone steps into it and the bell tolls out 56 times, after which a round of applause from everyone is heard. Congratulations and good wishes are showered on the woman in the circle. As a special feature, the young Crone receives her Crone Jewel. This jewel can be a broach, a necklace, a ring; As long as it has a nice purple stone in it. The color of purple is that of synthesis. It is a royal color, a learning color, and a powerful color.
Priestess:
I present you with your Crone Jewel, to remind you that you are our teacher, our beloved sister, and Crone of the
Goddess.
Young Crone:
I traveled the road from my mothers breasts to Cronehood. I thank the Goddess for the good seasons that passed, and,I toast the good seasons to come! Blessed be!
All enjoy the party, dance, perform, enjoy1
How can you get a god or goddess on your side? Many witches believe that divine is always available to you and that the deities gladly offer their guidance, help, and energy to humans to use for positive purposes. Some view divine beings as higher aspects of human consciousness, which can be accessed and activated through magickal means.
If you aren’t used to considering a divine being as a partner in your spiritual and practical pursuits, you may wonder how to go about petitioning your favorite God or Goddess for assistance. Here are a few suggestions:
Make an offering of some sort to the deity. Burning incense is a popular offering, although you may wish to choose an offering that more specifically corresponds to the nature of the deity whose help you seek.
Place a figurine of the chosen deity on your altar and focus your attention on it.
Use an oracle, such as tarot cards or runes, to access Divine Wisdom and open your mind to messages from the deities.
Pray.
Meditate.
Light a candle in honor of the deity you wish to petition.
Design and perform a ritual to the deity.
Write your request on a slip of paper, then burn it.
Choose a crystal or gemstone that relates to the deity. Carry the stone in your pocket and touch it periodically.
Plant herbs or flowers in honor of the God or Goddess. Choose plants that correspond to the deity’s nature and your intent, such as roses for love or mint for prosperity.
The Everything Wicca and Witchcraft Book (Everything®) Alexander, Skye (2008-07-01).We Can Change The World
Author: Lady Wolfwind
I am growing older. That’s a fact. I’m still in the Mother stage of my life, but I am fast approaching Crone. I am okay with this. More than most people, I would guess. I’ve learned that part of my contribution to society, as a Crone, is to provide wisdom and guidance to those seekers who ask. I’ve fit into this role flawlessly. Most people don’t want to hear what you have to say and if they do, they don’t listen anyway. I’m sure this is just a natural part of life. I never listened to my elders either. I look back on it now and I remember their words. How I wish I’d heeded their advice. The road would have been so much easier and I would have traveled so much farther.
I think that we’ve all learned some hard lessons on our journey. I believe that it’s what life is all about. I believe that our lessons and experiences have shaped who we are and what we believe to be true today. I wonder what experiences have led all of you to the Goddess’s path? What made us choose to be so different than mainstream society and their beliefs?
I was talking to my husband this morning. He is not Pagan, but he respects me for who I am. I had had a conversation with our daughter the previous night and there were some things that were said that bothered me. It seems that in talking to my children, they expect me to “be” a certain way. They have expectations of who I should be and how I should be living my life and even what I should believe. They are grown and out of all the people in my life, they are the ones I feel pressure from to live the way society says I should. To put on a false face to please them and the world. They don’t live near me so there is no embarrassment that Mom is a Pagan. Most time I don’t think they know what it truly means and they don’t care to ask or to listen. They are caught up in living their lives and making a living.
As children, I put aside dealing with my own life and figuring out what I wanted for my future to raise them. I didn’t let my past life experiences determine how I would make decisions regarding them. I have come to realize, now that they are older, I’ve grown into the woman I was meant to become. All of my life experiences have made me who I am. They don’t seem to understand that I had past experiences before they were born. They don’t understand that I am living my life exactly the way I want to. They don’t’ seem to understand that it’s a person’s choice to not fit in. It’s the way it has to be. They talk about their past experiences and lessons and think that if it is so with them, it must be so with me. I can never be the person they think I should be.
My husband feels that this is a lesson for them to learn. That it takes years of wisdom before you understand what I’m trying to say. I’m so afraid that even he doesn’t understand what I’m trying to say. Maybe he feels that I should live like everyone else as well. He is younger than me. He set my fears at rest when he looked me in the eyes and told me, ” There are not many people who have the courage to live as you do.” I knew then that he understands me. He said it with such a deep feeling of respect and love that it brought tears to my eyes.
I am afraid that my children will wish they’d gotten to know me after I pass to the other side. Isn’t that the way it usually is? Don’t we all stand back and wish we’d said this or that? Don’t we wish we’d listened to one more story or just sat a few moments longer? Is there a time when we have that “ah ha” moment when it all becomes crystal clear and we finally put the final piece of the puzzle in place and understand the whole picture we’ve struggled with for so long? It is a sad realization that we never took the time to get to know the ones we love the most. Why do they feel the way they do? Why do they believe what they believe? Why is Mom so quiet? Why does Aunt Mary not cry? Do we know? Do we care? Wouldn’t it be nice to figure it all out while you’re sitting with them, looking into their eyes?
This is one of those lessons that I know will have to be learned the hard way. One day they will realize that I had a life before they were born. One day they will honor my strength for overcoming the obstacles that could have stood in the way of me being a good mother to them. One day, they will understand what it means to be Pagan and they will honor me for my courage to walk a different path. One day, they will realize how much I love them. One day, I will not be here. I want them to know me and understand me before that time comes. I don’t think it will work out that way. I think we all walk around with the wounds of “what if.” I don’t think it has to be that way. I think we need to take more time with the ones we love. We get so caught up in the daily grind. We get angry at each other for things that don’t even really matter. We need to learn to listen, not just hear. We need to listen to their body language, and we need to listen to the voice inflections. We need to listen to the subtle clues that vibrate through the air currents, which tell us about the other person. We need to take a moment each day and consciously decide to learn one thing about another person. Take the time to tell the ones you love how you feel about them.
I think if we would take a few moments each morning, instead of running out the door, to make a decision to slow down for a little while each day. If we would make the choice to not keep procrastinating about visiting our aging mother who tells the same stories over and over, to sit with our child and understand how their understanding the world around them, we would become better people for it. I believe it would change not only the ones we’ve taken the time with, but also ourselves. We have to stop letting life get in the way. I think we would understand how we all became to be the people we are and how the ones around us became the people they are. I think all of us would be able to let things go easier.
I believe, as a society, we have lost the course we were supposed to be on. Somewhere, we allowed money and instant gratification to become more important than even the ones that are supposed to mean the most to us. I think, as a Pagan community, we need to be different than that. I think we need to set the standards and set them high. I think we should start living as we talk, to be the example of change in our world. One person can make a difference. I feel that our time is coming. We need to be united and to send a message to the world. We need to slow down and let the message come through loud and strong. Pagans are about love and about doing what is right. We’re about caring about each other, even others of different races and beliefs. We have to start at home.
Tonight, call someone you haven’t talked to in awhile and tell them how much you’ve missed them. Reach out to someone who’s made you angry and tell them that you have forgiven them, set up a date with your spouse, dinner with your parents, a movie with your kids. Don’t worry about how much it will cost. It will cost you much more to not do these things. Don’t worry about what others will think. It is up to us to be the example. Today is the time to take the first steps toward a new world; one we all know is possible. I don’t believe we can put it off any longer.
Love to all my fellow witches,
Lady Wolfwind
Mystic Goddess who the night
Lend your wisdom to my sight
Fiery God who lights the days
Guide me in your ancient ways
Earth and water, Fire and air
Come and lend your powers here
As we gather the circle ’round
Guard us on this holy ground
Salt and censor, scourge and knife
Aid us in our magic rite
Stay with us when we must part
Keep the Craft ‘live in our hearts
So Mote It Be
Good Friday Morning, my loved ones! How are you doing today? I hope super-duper again, lol! I don’t know if some of you are lucky enough to have Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday off. Or do you just have Friday off? Or do you just have Monday off? Or do you…….? You tell me, lol!
Question of the Day or even the Century for that matter…..
*You will see this question reappear throughout today’s postings. Just a little reminder that we have quite a few new ones are going to be looking for the answer to this question.*
Begin each day with protection magick in the form of Words of Power accompanied with visualizations. This will help ground and center you. You may charge yourself and your living space with words such as: “There is one Power. The Power is perfect protection, and I am perfect manifestation of this Power.”
Visualize anyone you wish to be protected as you speak your intention. Raise your power hand and turn clockwise. In your mind’s eye see a white light radiating from you hand. See this light sealing your home within a protective aura.
Throughout the day, if you should encounter any negative situation or person, “see” that same light surrounding you. You’ll be surprised how it will neutralize any negativity near you. This invisible barrier will protect you at a busy mall or as you’re driving in a crowded parking lot. It will even keep you centered if the office gets out of hand after a celebration such as the upcoming Labor Day celebrations that will be going on.
Any positive magick must begin with you. These simple morning meditations will help you deal with holiday stress and provide a psychic shield. Let this be the basis for your magick.
Excerpt from:
“Jingle Bells & Witches’ Spells” By James Kambos Llewellyn’s 2013 Witches’ Companion
Some witches examine their birth charts when planning important magickal events such as an initiation or eldership rite. They might also consider how their charts relate to the charts of other members in a spiritual group they wish to join. Each natal chart is unique, with special strengths and weaknesses that affect the individual’s magickal life as well as his mundane life.
Many good books exist that explain the personality traits of the twelve sun signs. The following paragraphs describe some magickal proclivities of people born under each sign. Look for your birth sign and read the generalized description. Does it ring true?
Aries
These independent people often become spiritual leaders and pioneers, seeking enlightenment in their own way rather than following established traditions. They may devise new magickal approaches or explore uncharted territory.
Taurus
People born under this sign love earth-oriented magick and make excellent druids. They also have a knack for expressing magickal ideas through art, food preparation, herbalism, gardening, and healing.
Gemini
These individuals may take an eclectic approach to witchcraft. Their quick minds and communication skills enable them to learn magick quickly and teach it to others. Chanting, incantations, and affirmations are among their favorite magickal practices.
Cancer
Intuitive Cancers frequently possess divination and dowsing skills. Many excel as kitchen witches and healers, for they enjoy nurturing and caring for other people.
Leo
People born under this sign have a strong sense of drama. These natural leaders enjoy performing rituals and may gravitate toward ceremonial magick. They may also turn their talents toward spiritual art or music.
Virgo
Natural healers, Virgos frequently apply their magickal abilities to herbalism and working with the plant kingdom. Let them handle the details of rituals and spellworking. Some are skilled artisans who craft lovely magick tools.
Libra
These sociable people like handling the logistics and atmospheric elements of ritual celebrations and spiritual events, especially the décor. Usually they prefer to work with a magickal partner or coven, rather than solo.
Scorpio
Scorpios are instinctively drawn to occult knowledge and the unseen realms. Many possess keen intuition and divination ability. Their strong wills can help them succeed in all forms of spellworking.
Sagittarius
Spiritual subjects and higher knowledge appeal to Sagittarians, who are often great students of magick as well as teachers. Many enjoy the drama of ritual and make colorful, inspired leaders.
Capricorn
Let the Capricorns in your magickal group handle the money. They also excel at planning, organization, and the practical aspects of the Craft. Prosperity magick, in particular, may appeal to them.
Aquarius
The ideal chaos magicians, Aquarians tend to be unconventional in life and in magick. These innovative people may reject the formality of high magick, preferring to create their own rituals and spells. Many have a natural proclivity for astrology.
Pisces
These sensitive individuals are adept at visualization and usually have highly attuned psychic abilities. Music or art may play a part in their magickal work.
Although your sun sign is certainly important, it’s only part of your astrological makeup. Other factors in your birth chart will also influence your magickal talents and learnings. Consider the whole chart and all its distinctive features in order to understand the big picture.
You might be practicing Bubba Wicca if …
You are out in the woods and the Horned God appears to you and it takes you more than 30 seconds to put down your deer rifle.
You’ve ever duct-taped an outhouse and called it a sweat lodge.
You run out of candles and then get the emergency flares out of your trunk.
Your altar is made from the hood of an old Chevy pick-up.
You begin your Circle by calling for quarters to be placed in the beer fund jar.
You enter a skyclad circle with the words, In Perfect Love and Perfect Lust.
You close a circle with the words “Hot damn, let’s party!”
You get most of your spiritual wisdom about the cycles of nature from Bill Dance bass fishing shows.
You watch NASCAR for its karmic revelation.
Your ritual robes are made of weatherproof camouflage.
Your revel fire causes the smokejumpers to fly in. The only herb you use has to be planted in the middle of nowhere.
You think “The Reclaiming Collective” is a great name for a used automobile parts business. Before you can use your ritual cauldron, you have to wash out the bones from your fish stew.
Because we spend so little time living in synchronicity with nature, we are also removed from rituals that help us understand and live in rhythm with the ebb and flow, the little and big “deaths” that occur in our lives.
Much of our uneasiness with endings comes from our distrust in natural processes. Having rituals that acknowledge and celebrate the earth’s natural processes can go a long way to easing our discomfort and having us fully appreciate the paradox of endings.
Many articles could be devoted to ways in which we can celebrate endings through ritual, but for now. I will simply say that any ritual that celebrates the seasons, elements or natural processes will help us to grow more deeply aware of the inherent beauty of endings. Consider that the sunniest day of the year wouldn’t stand out if every day were just as sunny. Similarly the bloom of a rose is special because we know its beauty cannot last forever. This sentiment is echoed in the words of a well-respected educator about dealing with grief in our modern secular society.
It’s only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth–and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up–that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had (Elisabeth Kubler-Ross).
Cultivating a deep appreciation of every moment–every pleasure we experience–can be a path that helps us embrace life’s endings. Remaining conscious that only moment that the only moment that truly “exists” is the moment in which we currently live helps us appreciate that the passage of time, experiences, and our lives is simply an integral aspect of life itself.
Many of us are comfortable with a form of prayer or meditation that involves giving thanks. One way of becoming more comfortable with endings is to incorporate your awareness of the passage of time in these prayers. “Thank you for this beautiful day; this day that exists only in this moment and will, with the arrival of another moment, be gone forever. Fill my heart with deep appreciation for the fleeting nature of life and all the gifts it brings.”
Reference:
Embracing Endings By Harmony Usher
Spell to use prior to any psychic work you do. Recite the following
“A sacred circle made for me With witches wands six times three Witches chant with lowered voices Witches chants do powers unleash Power within the universe Power does surround me safe Power in which I take my place Golden orb now held aloft Wizards two project their magic Angel’s wings do now embrace I am safe within my power circle Safe with all my spirit guides They do ensure that all is well My hands are held by witch and wizard They place within enchanted spell Spell now mine a safety haven Spell now mine to control well It is to be a place of safety A place for me will always be My magic I do practice there A can surround when the need be A safety circles just for me My hands are held by witch and wizard They place within enchanted spell Spell now mine a safety haven Spell now mine to control well A place now mine will always be A place throughout eternity I am within So it is to be Awaken all the power within A sacred circle made for me With witches wands six times three Witches chant with lowered voices Witches chants do powers unleash Power within the universe Power to surround me safe Power in which I take my place Awaken all the power without I am protected I am safe Surrounded by my ring of light Safe within my ring this night”This is the perfect spell to use before any occult or psychic work, when working within certain spiritual elements you can create a ring of protection around yourself, and after you have finished allow yourself to be still for a few minutes.
Waning Moon
Moon Sign: Aquarius
Moon Phase: Third Quarter
Moon enters Pisces 12:43 am
Incense: Marjoram
Color: Yellow
Wiccans and other followers of modern religious Witchcraft use magic extensively. Wiccans and Witches define magic in many different ways and use it for a number of different purposes, but despite that diversity of opinion finds that the general result upon the practitioner is a positive one. Its power may come mainly by suggestion and the focusing of attention.
It can be characterized as assertion of the will. Working of magic is often dependent upon being part of a social group which supports the belief. We tap into the essence of the divine when we attempt to get closer to our gods, or when we work magic.
In “Power of the Witch”, Laurie Cabot writes:
Certain things are everlasting. Magic is one of them. It comes from the Persian and Greek roots Magus and Magos which means wise. The English word “magi” meaning wise men, comes from them. (1)
She also writes:
Magic is knowledge and power that come from the ability to shift consciousness at will into a nonordinary, visionary state of awareness. Traditionally certain tools, song, music, colors, cents, drumming, fasting, vigils, meditation breathing exercises, certain natural foods and drinks and forms of hypnosis. Dramatic, mystical environments, such as sacred groves, valleys, mountains, churches, or temples will also shift consciousness. In almost every culture some form of visionary trance is used for the sacred rituals that open doorways to the Higher Intelligence or for working magic. (2)
Wikapedia.com offers this explanation:
Natural forces that cannot be detected by science at present, and in fact may not be detectable at all. These magical forces are said to exist in addition to and alongside the four known forces of nature: gravity, electromagnetism, the strong nuclear force and the weak nuclear force.
Intervention of spirits similar to these hypothetic natural forces, but with their own consciousness and intelligence. Believers in spirits will often see a whole cosmos of beings of many different kinds, sometimes organized into a hierarchy.
A mystical power, such as mana, that exists in all things. This power is often said to be dangerous to people.
A mysterious interconnection in the cosmos that connects and binds all things, above and beyond the natural forces.
Manipulation of symbols. Adherents of magical thinking believe that symbols can be used for more than representation: they can magically take on a physical quality of the phenomenon or object that they represent. By manipulating symbols, one is said to be able to manipulate the reality that this symbol represents.
Like produces like, or that an effect resembles its cause; and, second, that things which have once been in contact with each other continue to act on each other at a distance after the physical contact has been severed. The former principle may be called the Law of Similarity, the latter the Law of Contact or Contagion. From the first of these principles, namely the Law of Similarity, the magician infers that he can produce any effect he desires merely by imitating it: from the second he infers that whatever he does to a material object will affect equally the person with whom the object was once in contact, whether it formed part of his body or not.
Concentration or meditation. A certain amount of restricting the mind to some imagined object (or will) produces mystical attainment or an occurrence in the brain characterized essentially by the uniting of subject and object. Magic, as defined previously, seeks to aid concentration by constantly recalling the attention to the chosen object (or Will), thereby producing said attainment. For example, if one wishes to concentrate on a God, one might memorize a system of correspondences (perhaps chosen arbitrarily, as this would not affect its usefulness for mystical purposes) and then make every object that one sees “correspond” to said God.
The magical power of the subconscious mind. To believers who think they need to convince their subconscious mind to make the changes they want, all spirits and energies are projections and symbols that make sense to the subconscious. A variant of this belief is that the subconscious is capable of contacting spirits, who in turn can work magic. (3)
However you define it magic requires dedication, concentration, and belief. Prayer, miracles, and magic are all pretty much the same thing. Whether you pray to God in a church or cast a circle and invoke the Goddess, you are still directing divine attention.
Reference:
Wicca for the Solitary Practitioner, 1988, pg 151)
Many of us were raised in religions that taught us that there was only “one right way” and that any other spiritual paths were false at best and sinful or damning at worst. And I’d venture to say that—regardless of our family’s religion or lack thereof—almost all of us were raised in a culture in which these “one right way” type of religions seems to dominate the mainstream spiritual landscape. The big problem with this type of fear-based thinking is that it can innately give rise to conflict and even give people license to completely discount other people’s intrinsic value and worth. Taken to the extreme, this is the dynamic that fuels many wars and hate crimes.
When I first began consciously walking the magickal path, because I didn’t know any other way. I remember naturally falling into this pattern without even realizing it. What I mean is, I just sort of assumed that by claiming I was a Witch, it meant that I was supposed to believe my way was the only right way and other ways were “false” or “evil” or “misguided.”
The truth is trying to figure out who’s superior to whom (or who’s right and who’ wrong) is not only missing the point, it’s also a total waste of time. While of course we’re going to have thoughts and opinions about other people’s beliefs and practices, or what precise path will be most beneficial to his or her most ideal unfolding. Not to mention, our opinions about what other people believe or practice has nothing whatsoever to do with our personal, direct experience of the Divine and our unique magickal path.
Letting go of the “one right way” paradigm not only brings us peace and helps us to focus on what really important but also, since everyone’s consciousness is interconnected, it might be seen as the most powerful way that we can begin to shift the tide and heal the type of divisive religious thinking that has historically led to so much discord and violence.
Reference:
Excerpt from “Witchcraft Is Not My Religion” by Tess Whitehurst Llewellyn’s 2013 Witches’ Companion An Almanac for Everyday LivingWhy Do We Get In Our Own Way?
Author: Aidan Odinson
Some years ago when I was heavily involved in motorcycling, a certain motorcycle dealer made a remark to me about his competitor in a neighboring city. “I really like them,” he said. “They couldn’t do more for me if they were on my payroll!” The principle can certainly apply to Witches and Pagans. Do we help anyone besides our enemies by bickering among ourselves? Do we accomplish anything in so-called “Witch Wars” other than standing in the way of what we really need and want?
I am addressing the fact that we, as Witches and Pagans, have not yet figured out how to put aside our differences in order to accomplish something. At any rate, that appears to be the case too often. Please bear in mind that I am definitely not suggesting that we should even consider merging together into something as meaninglessly homogenized as some Christian denominations that I could mention. I am also not talking about giving up our differences. I am talking about keeping our differences in their proper perspective so that we can accomplish more, on a broader scope, than we have been able to achieve so far.
One of the most nagging problems we have is that too many of us let differences get in the way of accomplishing anything beyond the level of the very local group. Any number of Internet mailing lists and other efforts prove that some people cannot seem to rise above such disputes as “my tradition is better than yours,” or “your definition of that word is wrong, mine is the only right one,” or “your initiation isn’t as valid as mine.” My first reaction is to wonder why anyone would insist upon making an issue of something that is actually none of their business.
At this point, there is an opportunity for three reality checks. The first is that unless laws are being blatantly broken or basic tenets that we all agree upon are being violated, what a solitary does or what happens within a coven or similar group is their own business and nobody else’s. The second is that if people in any kind of position in Wicca or Paganism expect any degree of respect beyond their own little group, it will only happen as a result of their offering the same respect to others in similar positions in other groups. The third is that any religious group that has gained any degree of acceptance has done so by learning how and when to work together as a whole.
We have grown and are growing. Almost any town large enough to have scheduled airline service is also able to have at least one Pagan/Wiccan shop that does enough business to remain in business over a reasonably long term. I’ve seen one professor’s claim that we are the seventh largest religious group in the US, and the fastest growing. Someone else has made the claim that by 2010 we will be number three. If the latter is true, then that will mean that we will be ahead of at least one group which is already well-accepted by most of the religious mainstream in the United States and elsewhere.
So, why do we sometimes have difficulties in claiming the rights that other faiths seem to enjoy as a matter of course? Why do we have to raise issues in court that other faiths do not have to take to court? Why do we see ourselves portrayed so inaccurately in the popular media when a similar error concerning another faith would end someone’s career? Part of the problem might well be the fact that we are growing, and some other faiths do not appreciate the fact that many of our people used to be their people. But the bigger problem is that we have not yet learned to come together and work together when the need arises. There are times when we need to present a united front.
A quick look at a newspaper or a television news program reveals what happens when someone slanders or harms some other religious group. A top official (President, governor, mayor – and not a substitute assistant flunkey) meets with a group of their senior clergy, and things happen to correct the problem. A perfect example is the situation with Muslims since 9/11, insuring that those who follow Islam did not receive the same fate as Americans of Japanese ancestry in the US suffered in the wake of Pearl Harbor.
Whom would we send to such a meeting? I don’t know, and I am not sure that we would be able to agree on who would be in such a delegation. To begin with, there is no coalition, association, or even an informal network to form a delegation and request a meeting.
There have been times when such a meeting should have happened. Several of us remember the time when Governor Dubya of Texas claimed that he did not consider “Witchcraft” a legitimate religion. There were recent remarks about Pagans that were made by a certain White House official managing the “Faith-Based Initiatives.” Between those incidents, there was a young girl driven to suicide by her classmates in the same school district that had to be taken to federal court on another issue of religious discrimination against Witches. Anyone reading this is probably in a position to name a long list of such incidents. I promise you that if the victims had been Jews, Muslims, Hindus or Buddhists, there would have been such a meeting, and it would have happened quickly. Why did we have no such meetings? Because we have nobody, or even a selection of somebodies, who could be seen as being in a position to represent us as a whole!
Of course, part of the problem is that we are not yet an “organized religion” in the manner that most people think of religions. If we were to get organized based on the organizational models currently in use, we would be in danger of having our descendants criticize what we built. Worse yet, they would use the same criticism that we currently aim at some of larger present-day churches.
As a general rule, we comfortably do without the person some folks describe as “the fat bald guy behind the pulpit, telling us what to think.” Continuing that image, we also don’t have a hierarchy of people above that “fat bald guy” whose appointed duty is to insure that our own local “fat bald guy” follows the same party line as all of the other “fat bald guys.” Our covens and groves are as sovereign as our solitaries, and they need to remain so. It’s a major part of that which makes us what we are. But we must learn to work together, and come together when necessary. Witches are known for imagination and creativity, and so designing a structure that would meet the necessary goals while avoiding the known dangers should be within our grasp. That is not to say that it will be an easy task, but it can be done.
Learning to come together and work together is the first step.
Alas, All Barrels Have Their Bad Apples
Author: Ginger Strivelli
It is sad but true; all barrels have their bad apples hidden within.
The Pagan community is not immune to ignorant and/or immoral idiots who call themselves one of us, and then go on to be the worse kind of bad example, spewing bad PR and worse damage in the wake of their stupid if not outright evil behavior.
The problem is, most people do not judge all Muslims by the “bad example” of Osama Bin Laden, or all Christians by the bad example of David Koresh, nor all New Agers by the bad example of the Heaven’s Gate cult. Nonetheless, it seems painfully clear that too often too many people still judge all Pagans and Witches and Wiccans and Druids and other Earth Religionists by the crimes of our few bad apples. Admittedly we’ve had some real rotten-to-the-core ones…and will sadly continue to in the future, most likely. We are open and accepting and loving people and we tend to embrace everyone, even those we shouldn’t. In our inclusive accepting ways we sadly include and accept those who we should not to start with. However, once those bad apples have been pointed out to us, we should stop including and accepting them! That seems simple, but often it is not so clear to Pagan leaders, clergy and communities when faced with a situation where one within their circle surprisingly turns out to be a bad apple.
How can we as a community distance ourselves from these types of bad examples? It is a question we ask each other often. A question we are forced to address way too often when such situations arise where someone within our local Pagan Circles turns out to be an idiot, mentally ill, or actually evil. Woefully, we tend to have some people who call themselves “Pagan” who fit all three categories. Perplexingly, some of our fellow Pagans will balk at denouncing these people…they will urge us to be “understanding” or “forgiving” or “tolerant.” The fact is some things, some people, some behaviors and some crimes are just wrong and not understandable, forgivable, or tolerable. That is a hard lesson: For some of us who have fought long and hard for tolerance and acceptance to realize that everything is not tolerable and acceptable! Some things are just wrong. There is still a line between right and wrong. Just because you are trying to be progressive and open-minded and tolerant doesn’t mean you can just not draw that line between right and wrong…you must draw it somewhere. Even if you draw that line at a different place than the (in your view) narrow-minded greater community, you still must draw the line somewhere!
We in the Pagan community try so hard to be open-minded, we often get so open-minded our brains start to fall out. It is a hard lesson for us to face that we can’t and shouldn’t blindly accept everything and anything, just because we preach acceptance and tolerance of our faith.
An ancient and honorable faith like Witchcraft, Paganism, Druidism, Shamanism, or modern variations thereof, like Wiccans and such, should naturally be accepted; a religion is not intolerable. However, some things, some behaviors, some people are intolerable, and we should stop preaching acceptance when we are faced with such stupidity and/or evilness. Those things do not deserve acceptance. People who practice such behaviors should not be “accepted” or “understood.” They should not be excused with the wand of “tolerance.” They should be exposed, exiled, and executed in some extreme cases with the Athame of Lady Justice and Lady Karma instead. We real Pagans should not feel obligated to explain or excuse or expunge such behaviors and crimes. We should stand up and loudly and proudly be intolerant in such cases!
The Pagan community’s bad apples range from just the misguided and stupid bruised-apple types to those who are evil mutations of nature and are rotten-to-the-core types… and none of them should be protected or covered up for by the legitimate Pagan community, just because they call themselves one of “us.” That does not make them one of us; it does not make them representative of our religion or our community. However if we stand behind these bad apple bad examples, and “accept” them and embrace them and forgive them, then we should not be surprised when our whole community gets judged by their bad example. What is the greater community to think if we ourselves allow and foster such fools and monsters amongst us? Naturally they will think us all as ignorant and immoral as our fosterlings.
The phrase goes, “One bad apple spoils the barrel;” that is why a good farmer doesn’t let any bad apples stay in any barrel. We as Pagan clergy and leaders need to listen to the wisdom of that farmer. We need to kick such bad apples out of our barrels as soon as we know they are bad. That doesn’t make us “intolerant” or not “accepting;” that makes us a religious group with a code of honor and morals that we hold ourselves to. It is shocking that many of our Pagan clergy and Pagan group leaders hesitate to show this bit of wise leadership. In their defense, often they are trying to be all-accepting and all-inclusive, for they fear being seen as un-PC. Or perhaps they have just become so open-minded their brains are falling out.
Pagans need to encourage their leaders to set limits on what is acceptable and tolerable and what is not. We need to start drawing that line between right and wrong somewhere, instead of just arguing that everyone else has it drawn too conservatively so we are going to erase it altogether. The line is there for a good reason, so when people go over it, we know to stop associating with them and to punish them or see that the greater community punishes them before they cause any more harm to others around them.
We preach, “And ye harm none.” But perhaps we should add, “And ye let no one else do harm either.”
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