Do you know what would have happened if it had been Three Wise Women instead of Three Wise Men?
They would have …
Asked directions
Arrived on time (December 25, not January 6!)
Helped deliver the baby (Midwives are also known as “wise women.”)
Cleaned the stable
Made a casserole, and
Brought practical gifts.
Pass this on to the wise women in your life.
No matter what happens, you can respond in whatever way you choose. So make your response the most positive one for every person it affects.
There’s nothing to be gained by adding more negativity on top of negativity. You have the opportunity to break the pattern.
Instead of responding to anger with more anger, challenge yourself to respond with understanding and compassion. When you’re tempted to respond with frustration, make the more positive choice to respond with patience.
For your world to be a more positive place, you must take responsibility for putting more positive energy into it. Though a positive response may be the more difficult one, it is also the more valuable choice in the long run.
Rather than choosing a response based on what has happened, choose your response based on the direction you wish to go. Even when life has let you down, your best choice is a positive response that creates a more positive future.
Each response to life is an opportunity to make progress. Choose a positive response, again and again, and create a much more positive world.
— Ralph Marston
In the most practical terms, what has traditionally been called the Emperor card represents the highest leadership, a head of state or the most exemplary and powerful person in the realm. This archetypal ruler is responsible for the positive working out of affairs of a society or community, which are directly proportional to his well being and happiness.
The more enlightenment and cosmic perspective this energy brings, the better life is for all. The Emperor archetype masters the world of matter and physical manifestation. When you apply this card to your situation, acknowledge your potentials for mastery. Reinforce a sense of sovereignty within yourself, despite any self-limiting beliefs, habits or appearances to the contrary.
Elder’s Meditation of the Day – November 8
“See how the boy is with his sister and the other ones of his home lodge and you can know how the man will be with your daughter.”
–LAKOTA Proverb
Very early in our lives we form beliefs, attitudes, expectations and habits. We will live by these habits when we are older. The Elders say to watch the boy with his sister. If he is respectful and treats her good, then odds are that’s the way he will treat all women when he is older. Also, watch the young girl and how she treats her brother, for that will indicate what kind of woman she will be to her man. We need to teach our children to respect one another while they are young. The best way to teach them is to show respect ourselves.
Great Spirit, let me be a role model for the children.
November 4 – Daily Feast
At one time or another we have watched someone and wondered how long it would be before we reached their stage of distress. We have been made to believe that if someone in the family has had a problem that we must have it as well. Even with our tendencies to be like someone else, we are still individuals and what we see should teach us to avoid the same pitfalls they had. More is decided in our minds and spirits than we can imagine. We have the creative power of speech, the determination and the grit to stop falling because someone else falls. Deny every thought and every suggestion that we have to be the victims of anything.
~ We were becoming like them, hypocrites and liars, adulterous lazy drones, all talkers, and no workers. ~
MA-KE-TAI-ME-SHE-KIA-KIAK – SAUK AND FOX CHIEF
‘A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II’ by Joyce Sequichie Hifler
October 31 – Daily Feast
Few things are mind-and-spirit-adjusting like putting our hand to a job that has been waiting too long. The bigger the job, the better our concentration. Work keeps the hands busy and frees the mind from raw nerves and injured feelings. A time to talk will come – if it is needed at all. Sometimes busy hands like walking feet can do away with things thought to be unsolvable. Decide to do a thing that no one else can do – a specific move away from pain. It can set the wheel to turn – maybe slowly at first – but soon you’ll be on top again.
~ If white man wants to live in peace with Indian he can live in peace. ~
CHIEF JOSEPH – NEZ PERCE
‘A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II’ by Joyce Sequichie Hifler
October 30 – Daily Feast
In retrospect, we have ignored common sense in favor of doing what we wanted to do. We wish we had not done it, but we said what we wanted to say, spoke out when it would have been better to stay quiet – we have overruled our common sense. Looking back again, when did we get off track? What little thing stung us into action? If we learn to hear the voice of wisdom we can overcome our foolishness. Wisdom never lets us down, but ignoring it will put away from us the best friend we can have.
~ I am tired of talk that comes to nothing. ~
CHIEF JOSEPH – NEZ PERCE
‘A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II’ by Joyce Sequichie Hifler
October 29 – Daily Feast
Something new is always an exciting prospect. It can be anything that changes the face of daily life and brings it into a new pattern that makes us feel better. Drudgery can take over our thinking and then our actions. Sticking too close to one routine and never having a change is an obvious sign we are heading for drudgery. If renewal is to come there must be change – even if it is to walk a short distance, talk to someone out of the ordinary, and do something for someone. These things sound simplistic but if they turn our thinking to more creativity or more relaxation, it is worth doing.
~ I felt that I was leaving all that I had but I did not cry. ~
OLLOKOT – NEZ PERCE
‘A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II’ by Joyce Sequichie Hifler
To build something beautiful and wonderful takes time and effort. Make good use of every moment you have.
You can go a long, long way. To do so, you must be going on that way every chance you get.
What you can accomplish is truly amazing. So work on it with persistence and commitment, and bring all that great value to life.
The minutes and hours of this day will quickly pass no matter what you do with them. Choose to do the highest and best with each of them, and to fulfill your great potential.
Rather than dwelling on the excuses, focus intently on the possibilities. Find great joy in the fact that you can make a difference, and make that difference again and again.
You can do great things. Feel that potential, then get busy and fulfill it.
— Ralph Marston
October 23 – Daily Feast
Opportunities abound to us every day. There is an opportunity to be sick, the opportunity to argue with someone, the opportunity to be discourteous, the opportunity to believe something that is not true. Stop thinking you have no opportunity. You have had every chance to do many things and some of them you have received. You were led astray by thinking you could not help yourself. We can help ourselves. By the words of our mouths, by what we say, how we think, what we believe, we help or break ourselves. Victory comes because we are consistent in saying we are well, we are strong, we are enormously happy.
~ They told us not to drink whiskey, yet they made it themselves and traded it to us for furs and robes. ~
PLENTY COUPS – CROW
‘A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II’ by Joyce Sequichie Hifler
October 22 – Daily Feast
Life is a decision, a personal decision. We can stand on drifting sand and believe that whatever will be, will be, or we can stand firmly on principle that if something is wrong we can change it. Instead of nursing pulse-taking tendencies and listening to every commercial on what is available for medical treatment, remember our instructions: Let the weak say, “I am strong.” We can become victims of temporary relief or we can separate ourselves from the hype and discover renewal that is not temporary – but eternal. Relief by the Spirit is a reality – and totally free.
~ This house, the home of the English, is a medicine house, and you come here to tell us lies. ~
SITTING BULL – SIOUX
‘A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II’ by Joyce Sequichie Hifler
October 20 – Daily Feast
Every person’s privilege is to stand on tiptoe and take a look over the edge. What is the edge? A place where fear lurks and no one dares to get too close. Many a dream has taken us up to the edge and with quaking knees to look over the immense distance between what could be and what is reality. Most people end it right there and refuse to be scared any longer. Change is here. We can fall over the edge or we can believe in something greater than the tangible. Let go of the weak and impossible and stand in the Light that never goes out.
~ Let him be just and deal kindly with my people. ~
DEATTLE – DWAMISH CHIEF
‘A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II’ by Joyce Sequichie Hifler
October 14 – Daily Feast
Contentment happens when our emotions give place to common things that in other times can draw little attention. It is releasing a deep inner peace that heals sadness and lifts a sagging spirit. Contentment is an intensely personal thing, adjusting to different people in its most effective way. It rides a shaft of sunlight to put on the gray bark of a tree, or it rises from laughter, deep and kind. It is nearly always unexpected and settles as softly as a bird lights on a limb. It is a remarkable fact that we simply let contentment happen. Socrates called it a natural wealth, but most have called it a miracle.
~ Kinship with all creatures of the earth, sky and water was a real and active principle. ~
CHIEF STANDING BEAR – SIOUX, 1800s
‘A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II’ by Joyce Sequichie Hifler
In the most practical terms, what has traditionally been called the Emperor card represents the highest leadership, a head of state or the most exemplary and powerful person in the realm. This archetypal ruler is responsible for the positive working out of affairs of a society or community, which are directly proportional to his well being and happiness.
The more enlightenment and cosmic perspective this energy brings, the better life is for all. The Emperor archetype masters the world of matter and physical manifestation. When you apply this card to your situation, acknowledge your potentials for mastery. Reinforce a sense of sovereignty within yourself, despite any self-limiting beliefs, habits or appearances to the contrary.
The Reincarnation Theory Of Otherkin
Author: Lupa
Otherkin are a pretty controversial group of people, even within the relatively tolerant realms of NeoPaganism. While we live within the same world as everyone else, working and/or going to school, building and maintaining a variety of relationships, paying the bills, and otherwise leading completely mundane existences, we have other aspects to our personal realities that aren’t quite so everyday. We know/believe that there’s something not quite human about us and we can spend this entire lifetime figuring out just who we’ve been and who we are now.
Some identify as nonhuman, relatively humanoid species such as elves and faeries; others believe there is something of the dragon, gryphon or sea serpent about them; and still others identify strongly with animals native to this plane, well beyond the totemic bond. Yes, it can be a bit of a brain-breaker to try to resolve the conflict between what’s commonly divided into “fantasy” and “reality.” That’s why most `kin spend time trying to figure out just why it is we feel that we’re different in a such a….er…different manner.
One of the most common explanations for being Otherkin is reincarnation. This necessitates a belief in a soul, of course, and the belief that the soul is not species-specific. While some people say that once a(n) (insert species here), always a(n) (insert species here), others maintain that the soul is itself neutral and can be incarnated into any body possible.
Neutral as the soul may be, it still tends to carry material with it from life to life, depending on how strongly the experiences of each life imprinted on it. Some souls are better at keeping their egos intact through each death-birth process than others; this is perhaps why some people have thorough recollections of their previous existences while others have just a few tidbits here and there. It just so happens that for a few people the memories that imprint strongly don’t come from this particular Earth-reality.
It’s debatable whether these lives occurred on alternate Earths or physically different planets entirely. Some Otherkin seem to have a really good idea of where they come from, even being able to pinpoint galaxies or individual stars that correlate to our Sol. I’ve also heard people claim the idea that our world and numerous others inhabit the same basic place, but are layered according to energy resonance (think physical vs. astral plane).
It’d be easy to accuse Otherkin of simply being entirely too imaginative. After all, aren’t elves and such meant to be in the realms of fantasy fiction or, at best, the spirit plane? This is where belief comes into play. Even the most solid cases of reincarnation can’t be thoroughly proven, and sometimes we do have to go on faith to an extent. Consistency seems to be the key to a more likely story. Repeated past life regressions that continually bring up the same people, places, themes and identities are a lot easier to argue for than a single wishful thought that the bearer is afraid to test for fear of being wrong. Some Otherkin, particularly among elves, report shared memories with others, including incidents where the two (or more) parties had not previously communicated with each other on the subject.
The truly skeptical can argue against this all day long—what if one or more people were just saying “Yeah, I remember that,” to go along with the crowd? What if it’s a group delusion? What if? What if?
It’s important to stringently question ourselves and not blindly accept whatever comes our way that looks pretty. Yet if we chase away belief entirely we shut ourselves off from a lot of potentially positive developments in our lives. After all, belief is the basis of spirituality and magic, and Gods know that enough Pagans, Otherkin and otherwise, desire or even need these things in our lives. So while we’ll acknowledge the words of the skeptics and keep close watch on ourselves to make sure we don’t convince ourselves that pixie ‘kin really can fly, we will allow ourselves some belief to explore our possible pasts.
As to why we ended up here, there are a number of possibilities:
Because we needed to learn something about being human. Many reincarnationists believe that we enter into the lives that we do in order to learn a specific lesson. There are quite possibly lessons that only the unique experience of being human can teach. Perhaps some `kin are here to better understand humanity so that they can therefore adopt certain human behaviors. Maybe Earth today has a balance of creation and destruction, Nature and technology, that is unique in the Multiverse. Perhaps some of us came here from someplace better as punishment/rehabilitation for some wrongdoing; or maybe from somewhere worse so we can get a breather (after all, this place certainly isn’t all bad!) Just as a soul may be born as a cougar to learn to be more aggressive or a way to learn patience, the experience of being human might be how some souls learn what to do—or not do—with modern technology, or our particular blend of sex and love, or whatever else it is that makes us human.
Because this world needs our help. Let’s face it—to a lot of folk in the magical and Otherkin subcultures, this place is in trouble. The environment is constantly under siege, millions of humans live in poverty-stricken, war-torn areas, disease is rampant and some days it just seems like the whole biosystem is about to collapse under the pressure. There are Otherkin who feel they came here with the purpose of alleviating some of the pain. There’s the theory that other sentient places in the Multiverse are well aware of us and want to try to help us, if for no other reason than to keep us from destroying everything around us. So souls come from these places in order to help out what is seen as a state of emergency. Take the concept of thinking globally, and expand it across the Multiverse. Predictably many of the Otherkin under this heading dedicate themselves to social, political, spiritual and related causes meant to make a positive impact.
Because we walked in. Walk-ins are a unique group among Otherkin; they’re not really so much a category as another explanation. A walk-in is a soul that enters a body well after birth. In some cases this happens at a point when the original soul abandons it (often at a time of great physical/emotional/etc. trauma, though this is not always the case). Other times the walk-in soul shares the body with the original soul. The souls involved may all have had nothing but human lives, but they show up in the `kin community commonly because it’s a safe haven for them to be open about who and what they are. Walk-ins may come in with a purpose, or simply with a curious desire to have a body again but not wanting or being able to enter a newborn body.
Oops. Species dysphoria does occasionally occur among Otherkin. This means that there are those who fully believe they were born into the completely wrong body. I’ve seen this most commonly among therianthropes—those who identify as nonhuman, Earth-native animals—but it happens in other groups as well. Stories vary as to why the soul ended up in the wrong body, ranging from “Well, I thought I was headed into a fox kit, but I guess I missed” to “I’m here against my will because of something I did in another life” (see the first theory listed above).
I dunno. You tell me. There are plenty of Otherkin who have absolutely no idea how they got here. While some do search for answers, many just shrug, chalk it up to unknown forces and go on with their lives.
Again, it’s entirely possible that we’re all just over-imaginative or even delusional; but then again, the same could arguably be said for anyone who claims to believe in reincarnation, spirits or magic. No doubt there are probably plenty who claim the Otherkin label who probably do need to do a lot more seeking before they come to this conclusion; after all, when you don’t feel you fit into this world, escapism can become an extreme behavior in a tiny fraction of individuals. Needless to say, there are thousands of people in this world who are Otherkin, who identify as such and who live perfectly functional, happy lives with no ill effects from their identities. The theory of reincarnation offers many of us a way to explain this feeling of being Other, so we can find peace with ourselves in our entirety.
The High Priest Faces North:
Guardians of the watchtower of the north, we do summon, stir,
and call thee up to protect us in our rite. Come forth from the fertile bosom
of our Blessed Mother Earth, and nourish us so that our hopes may grow to
fruition. So mote it be!
Guardians of the watchtower of the west, we do summon, stir, and
call thee up to protect us in our rite. Come forth from the rainbow hued
morning dew that covers the fields, and is soon to be frost. Asperge us with
your diadems and water our deepest roots that we may find peace of mind. So
mote it be!
Guardians of the watchtower of the south, we do summon, stir,
and call thee up to protect us in our rite. Come forth from the cook fires
and smokehouses where food is being made ready for the coming cold months.
Kindle within us the flame of spiritual awakening. So mote it be!
The High Priest now approaches…..
The Quarter Invocations Will Now Be Preformed
The High Priest Facing East:
Guardians of the watchtower of the east, we do summon, stir, and
call thee up to protect us in our rite. Come to us now on the cool breath of
Autumn’s sigh which heralds the advent of Winter and the close of harvest
time. Breathe into us the spirit of the pure joy of life. So mote it be!
We may be confused by our own desires today because they don’t necessarily fit neatly into our current set of circumstances. The Moon drifts into psychic Pisces at 9:57 am EDT, opening our intuitive channels and sensitizing us to other people’s unspoken feelings. It’s tricky to separate our emotions from those we pick up from everyone else. Fortunately, our actions reflect our words as mental Mercury forms a supportive sextile to physical Mars.
It feels as if someone is keeping a secret from you today, yet the more you try to figure it out, the farther away the truth seems to get. Instead of worrying about what you might be missing, concentrate your attention on what you do know and act accordingly. Save your detective work for another day when others are more willing to communicate. Take the high road and see who follows.
Your current dilemma requires balancing your personal desires with the needs of others at work. Fortunately, you can rely on your ability to logically analyze the differences and then make decisions based upon what will work best for a larger group. Being selfish now will only create additional problems. There’s no need to panic since you’ll probably get what you want soon enough. In the meantime, show others that you can be a valuable team player by jumping in to help.
You may not have the freedom to express your feelings at work today. There could be unexpected consequences if you go ahead and say what’s on your mind, but you might choose to speak your peace anyhow. Although you aren’t responsible for the reactions of anyone else, you still need to get your job done on time. If you want other people’s cooperation, take a deep breath and consider their feelings first.
Making travel plans for the future is tricky business today since you are likely to aspire toward more extravagance than you can actually afford. Unrealistic dreams could come crashing down to earth if you try to cover too much ground or spend too much money. Instead of running into an insurmountable obstacle, it’s smarter now to rein in your vision of an idealistic getaway. Keep it real in order to make it possible.
Your need for intimacy might create situations that ultimately make you feel uncomfortable today. It’s not that you want to avoid getting closer to someone you truly admire; it’s just that you don’t like limiting your options. Focus your attention on what you are experiencing in the present moment instead of dreaming about indefinite possibilities that may or may not happen sometime in the future. Be here now.
Although you logically know what’s best for you, you’re still confused when people tell you what they want today. But listening to someone else doesn’t have to change what you already know about yourself, even if you are more sensitive to the needs of your partner now than to your own desires. Remember, you can be available to others while still taking care of yourself.
It’s complicated to figure out what is expected of you at work today, but that might not prevent you from trying to do what’s right. Don’t worry about the reactions of your associates, since they probably won’t tell you what they’re really thinking anyhow. Accept the fact that others may hide their true feelings because they don’t want to stir up the waters any more than necessary. You can’t go wrong if you act for the greater good of everyone involved.
A romantic attraction might make you feel a bit unstable today as the Moon slips into your 5th House of Love and Play. It’s natural for your feelings to swing one way and then the other as you play out the possibilities in your mind. It’s okay to acknowledge that you really don’t know what’s best, even if you want to arrive at a final conclusion now. Ease up on the controls for a while and just observe your changing moods. You’re better off postponing a relationship decision for a couple of days and enjoying the ride.
Unresolved feelings about a family member may instigate a minor crisis at home today. You might try to ignore the issue by focusing on your work responsibilities, but this will probably just make matters worse. There’s no need to add to the tension with your denial when you can simply discuss your concerns without taking control of the situation. Remember, you don’t need to have all the answers at this time; just showing up is enough to make others happy.
Your desire to micromanage your schedule today creates more problems than it solves. Unfortunately, others may not be willing to blindly go along with your plans and there isn’t a lot that you can say or do to change their minds. Ironically, loosening your grip on the reins could actually help you to get what you want faster than you might expect.
A financial decision that has been weighing heavily on your mind might be resolved today in a single instant. You may have a sudden flash of inspiration that enables you to clearly see the solution that you were missing. When you realize that the issue is less about money and more about what you value, the logical choice will become crystal clear. It’s not the bottom line that counts now; it’s the feeling you have at the bottom of your heart.
Your emotional inconsistency could be driving someone crazy today, even if you aren’t aware of your erratic behavior. Others might currently see you as irresponsible; however, you think that you know what you want and are willing to follow through with your plan to accomplish your goals. Nevertheless, your feelings are unsettled now that the Moon is back in your sign, and it would be wise to wait until after the Full Moon on Thursday before you make a major commitment. In the meantime, cultivate your dreams and see what develops.
Witches Of The Craft® 
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