Your Animal Spirit for August 18 is Turtle

Your Animal Spirit for Today
    August 18, 2013

 

Turtle

Turtle carries his home on his back, and his question to you today is whether your life is weighed down with “things” that serve no purpose. Everyone loves buying stuff, but do you use shopping, spending, and the acquisition of “things” as a substitute for passion, conviction, commitment?  It’s worth thinking about, isn’t it?

Calendar of the Sun for August 18

Calendar of the Sun

18 Weodmonath

Shango’s Day

Colors: Red and White
Element: Fire
Altar: Upon a red cloth lay many red candles and torches, a double-sided stone axe, figures of running horses, a jug of beer, spicy food, cayenne peppers, sausage, red beans, and spicy rice.
Offerings: Spicy food and beer.
Daily Meal: Spicy food and beer.

Invocation to Shango

Dance, God of Fire!
Dance, warrior in the coals
Whose axe is of stone
Cut from the bones of earth’s fire!
Spring forth in flaming energy
That washes through our bodies!
Let us feel your electric presence
Dancing along our nerves!
Dance, Lord of Thunder!
Dance for your very life,
Which once you gave away
To pay the price of red-hot rage.
May we always be as willing
To pay for our anger
To give for our wrongs
To dance forward without hesitation
And have only faith
That life will spring anew
From the coals of your dying fire.

Song: All That Burns

(Shango’s Day should be celebrated with a drum circle, and much dancing, until the beginning of Akte.)

[Pagan Book of Hours]

Your Animal Spirit for August 16th is Hawk

Your Animal Spirit for Today
August 16, 2013

Hawk

Hawk flies into your reading today to bring you an important message. It may come in the mail, e-mail, a casual remark at the grocery store, a randomly selected page in a book, or even a phrase heard on the radio. Be alert, as hawk messages can sometimes be delivered in a subtle fashion.

Your Tarot Card for August 16th isThe Chariot

The Chariot

Friday, Aug 16th, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Traditionally, the card usually entitled the Chariot points to a triumphal feeling of freedom, as if the charioteer is being paraded through the streets as a hero (or heroine). The card reflects congratulations for high achievement, and serves as a sign of empowerment.

Huge wheels and frisky steeds speed the rate at which the driver’s willpower can be realized. This kind of charge makes more of the world accessible to anyone ambitious enough to seize the Chariot’s reins. But there is danger in this feeling of freedom, because of the increased rate of change and its power to magnify mistakes in judgment. As a seasoned warrior, the Charioteer is called upon to be extra attentive to the way ahead.

Do Dogs See The Supernatural?

Do Dogs See The Supernatural?

Whether folklore or fact, many of us would like to believe that our dogs can  detect unexplained or invisible presences, guided by a canine sixth sense. It’s  exciting, and comforting, to think a favorite dog is sensitive to a departed  relative or friend.

But hard evidence of dogs’ extrasensory perception is elusive and anecdotal.  The 2009 book “Tails of the Afterlife,” by Peggy Schmidt, chronicles multiple  instances of unexplainable actions by dogs who apparently interact with  something, or someone, unseen. For instance, she writes about a woman named Del  Johnsen who left seven dogs and six cats when she passed away. Numerous  witnesses believe she still visits her pets daily, and report seeing the animals  suddenly gather in one spot, cats arching their backs and purring, dogs flopping  over for a belly rub, wriggling in enjoyment, all of them sitting at attention  and staring into the air before resuming their own activities. And Schmidt says  her own Jack Russell terrier Pixie has repeatedly reacted to ghosts present in  local buildings rumored to be haunted.

But your pet’s so-called sixth sense may simply be the result of his keen  hearing, exceptional nose, and a dog’s eye view on the world that allows him to  sense small movements that escape our attention. A dog’s senses are keener, and  different, than ours: His eyes detect more delicate movements; his sense of  smell is 1,000 to 10,000 times more sensitive than a human’s. He can hear much  higher frequencies, and at four times the distance of a human with normal  hearing.

Wild and domestic animals, including dogs, seemed to sense the impending  Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, displaying their distress with behavior changes  and vocal warnings, and either ran for cover or refused to go outside. Some  experts believe they could sense vibrational changes on land from impending the  earthquakes before humans could.

Dogs’ heightened sense of smell is credited with their ability to detect some  cancers in humans. Service dogs who aid seizure-prone people are alert to subtle shifts in body smells and dilated pupils, signs that enable the dogs  to warn their owners of a looming attack.

As for a sixth sense connecting to the supernatural or  paranormal, pet psychologist Marti Miller believes that both dogs and their  owners possess one. “But humans judge or deny what they are feeling,” says  Miller, who is based in Austin, Texas. “Dogs don’t judge what is going on in the  environment. While our own minds start to analyze what is happening, dogs don’t  do that. They feel the barometric pressure change, and may react by shaking,  panting, salivating and feeling anxious, or they may not react at all.”

Miller says dogs’ varying reactions to a shift in the atmosphere or  unrecognized sound or movement can stem from early traumas, such as being caught  in a rainstorm, hurricane or tornado, or from “a cellular memory that they have  brought with them to this lifetime.” For dogs, “sensing the supernatural is  natural because they don’t judge it. People could see auras or spirits, but they  either don’t believe they exist, or think that if they do exist, we could not  see them.” Animal Planet’s own series “The Haunted” includes episodes with  instances of family dogs reacting to the apparent presence of spirits, reactions  that have no easy explanation for the out-of-the-ordinary behavior.

Scientific studies on dogs’ senses offer debatable evidence of dogs’ psychic  and sensory perceptions. In his 1999 book, “Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are  Coming Home and Other Unexplained Powers of Animals: An Investigation,”  biologist and author Rupert Sheldrake presents a five-year exploration into  canine behaviors. His work is based on the experiences of thousands of dogs and  owners whose arrival home at unexpected times did not surprise their pets, who  reacted with anticipation. Sheldrake concludes that “there is a strong  connection between humans and animals that lies beyond present-day scientific  understanding.”

When watching your own dog during activities in your household, or when you  take him visiting, you may see him fasten his attention on something you can’t  see or hear. You may shrug it off as anxiety or reaction to an unfamiliar smell.  Or just maybe, you suspect your own pooch is communing with the unseen.

Because dogs can’t talk to offer their own explanations, there’s no way to  know what exactly is going on. “The simple answer is, we don’t know that dogs  see ghosts or spirits,” Miller said. But she adds, “If you observe a dog  standing in the corner, barking at nothing visible, then there’s a pretty good  chance that he’s barking at an entity, spirit, or energy that doesn’t belong  there.”

A distant noise, an unseen spirit or fresh cut of meat? You decide.

 

 

Your Rune For Tuesday, August 6 is Elhaz

bw-elhaz

bw-elhazYour Rune For Today  

Elhaz       

Elhaz represents your power to protect yourself and those around you. It also connotes the thrill and joy of a successful hunt. You are in a very enviable position right now, because you are able to maintain what you have built and reach your current goals. Enjoy.

Spirit Summoning Spell

Spirit Summoning Spell

You might ask why summon a spirit. If it has been haunting you or just making you feel uncomfortable. You can find out exactly what it wants by summoning it.

Ingredients:   Mint Sprigs

Another technique used to enhance your positive results during a spirit summoning session, is to leave twigs or pieces of fresh mint as an offering during your attempted contacts.   If you are attempting the contact inside a magical circle, the mint should be placed on your altar, in an offering plate.

Which Bird Will Help You Today? Quiz

Which Bird Will Help You Today?

Birds can be powerful allies for becoming our truest selves or for simply  helping us to get through our busy and challenging days. Do you need the  sharp-eyed eagle, merry finch, or something else? Take the quiz and find out,  here:

Answer the following questions TRUE or FALSE.

1. I need the ability to wait patiently until the right time comes to  act.

2. I need to get a clear overview of my life right now; I’m too bogged down  in details to have perspective.

3. I feel like I’m operating in the dark and could really use some help  finding my way.

4. I need to feel more cheerful and optimistic.

5. I want my brain to feel sharp and flexible, making the best possible use  of what I know.

6. I want to feel more loving, gentle, and affectionate.

7. I need to feel that my territory is protected and safe.

8. I need help getting rid of outworn things in my life.

If you answered TRUE to:

1, then Crane will be helpful to you.

2, then Eagle is your guide.

3, then Owl is your ally.

4, then Finch will aid you.

5, then Crow is your helper.

6, then Dove will be your companion.

7, then Jay is your friend.

8, then Vulture is your guide.

You may want to put photos or other images of your bird where you can see it  and be reminded of its basic nature, which offers itself to you for help and  guidance. Be sure to put an offering of birdseed outside, if you can, as a  thank-you.

Prosperity and Success Spell

 

Prosperity and Success Spell

Original Author D.J. Conway

Ingredients:

1 small cauldron

1 small green or brown charm bag

3 silver coins

Cinnamon

Cedar oil

A small table to use as an altar

Spell:   Place a little dish or cup inside the cauldron with a small amount of cinnamon   and cedar in it. Lay the three coins next to it on your altar. Tap each coin with the forefinger of the hand you write with (your power hand) and chant:

“Glistening silver coin of the Moon,   Shiny and round, bring me a boon.   Draw to my hands many more of your kind.   Multiply, grow, like the image in my mind.

Place the coins in the cauldron with the herbs and three drops of oil.Using your power hand, stir the air clockwise seven times over the cauldron and chant:

“Earth elements, cunning and bright, Share you treasures here on this night.   Share with me riches of silver and gold, Success, prosperity, all I can hold.”

Place the herbs and the coins in the talisman bag. Carry this with   you until the Full Moon goes through her phases and returns to Full.

Your Animal Spirit for July 16th is The Fox

Your Animal Spirit for Today
    July 16, 2013 

Fox

Fox medicine represents the ability to blend in. She can change colors to blend with the seasons—becoming almost invisible against a backdrop of snow or foliage. Fox also has an amazing sense of smell that enables her to sniff out dangerous situations. Be like a Fox—street smart and safety savvy—don’t call attention to yourself as today is a day of watch and wait.

Is Your Cat a Bully?

Is Your Cat a Bully?

 

America’s schools are all abuzz with bully abatement, but did you know  that cats can be bullies too?  Here are the red flag warnings that your  sweet little kitty is really a big bully to the other cats in your household or  neighborhood.

1. Staring

2. Pouncing on another cat while that cat is sleeping or resting

3. Blocking thoroughfares such as in the middle of a hallway or in front of  the cat flap to deny exit or entry

4. Attacking, growling and hissing at another cat without apparent  provocation

5. Blocking access to indoor litter  box

6. Forcing another cat away from food bowl

7. Claiming resting areas and/or access to human by physically pushing other  cat away

Cats are territorial by nature and in territories where there is more than  one cat (indoors and out) a hierarchy is likely to develop. The biggest cat  often, but not always, will dominate the top rung of the ladder. If you do  observe the above listed behaviors in one or more of your cats, and it lasts for  more than a couple of weeks, then you likely need to intervene.

The first step is to assess whether your dominate cat (the one being the  bully) is getting the respect he/she deserves.  This situation happened in  our household. Sushi, our Maine Coon, who weighs about 24 pounds is the  undisputed top cat in the household. However, he is not the family favorite as  he doesn’t like to cuddle and he is quick to use his claws. The family favorite  is Mittens, our skinny little polydactyl cat that has an amazing personality,  loves to cuddle, and is light enough for the children to pick-up (which he  completely tolerates). Riki Tiki Tabby is also well-loved, but since he doesn’t  like to sit on laps or be held, he takes second place to Mittens. The result is  everyone in our household greets Mittens first, plays with him first, rubs his  belly first and gives him lots of treats. It got to the point where Sushi was  almost being ignored.  I guess Sushi said to himself, enough is enough,  because suddenly one day, he started  attacking Mittens quite aggressively.  I was actually shocked as it seemed to come out of nowhere.

This went on for a few weeks and it was causing our household significant  strife. Mittens was a nervous wreck and developed chin acne ( a sure sign of  stress). My husband was finally astute enough to suggest  that maybe Sushi  was jealous and that he (Sushi) felt he was not getting the respect he deserved  as top cat. So, we started greeting Sushi first when we came home, giving him  lots of chin rubs, and making sure he was the first to get a treat, the first to  get brushed and the first to be fed. Like magic, Sushi suddenly stopped  bothering Mittens!

Other issues that can stimulate bullying behavior in cats include having too  many cats in too small of a territory and/or having too few resources. Most cat  experts will say that you should have at least one bowl of food, one bowl of  water and one litter box for each cat. Some vets suggest even having one extra,  especially in the case of litter boxes. Cats that have not been spayed/neutered or  were fixed later in life, tend to be more naturally aggressive and  territorial.

 

 

5 Crazy Cat Anatomy Facts

5 Crazy Cat Anatomy Facts

  • a Care2 favorite by Samantha, selected from  Animal Planet

 

Curiosity about cats has followed humankind since the days before  Egyptian pharaohs treasured them  as signs of good fortune. Much more is  known today about what makes these  graceful critters tick, yet we’re  still mesmerized by a cat’s nighttime eyes  and find comfort in the  mysterious vibration of a gentle purr. Taken  individually, the bits and  pieces of cat anatomy and behavior are a crazy quilt  of Morse code, text  messaging and DIY survival tips. Together, they’re a medley  of fun  facts that add up to a fur-covered package of intrigue. Let’s look at   five unusual cat anatomy facts.

5. Eyes That Glow in the Dark

Green, gold, blue or yellow, cats’ eyes are  fascinating orbs that gleam in  darkness. Think of the famous Cheshire  cat, whose eyes and grin taunted  Alice in  Wonderland. Use a flashlight  beam to observe your cat in a darkened  room. That spooky shine is  visible even in dim light.

Cats’ eyes have pupils that are larger than humans’, and are  controlled by a  pair of shutter-like ciliary muscles, creating the cat’s  distinctive slit-like  pupil in bright light. In darkness, light hitting  feline eyes is reflected from  a mirror-like membrane behind the retina.  This structure is called the tapetum  lucidum, and is present in the  eyes of cats, dogs, some fish and birds, and  other nocturnal hunting  animals.

When light enters a cat’s eyes, it goes through the retina, where   light-sensor cells, called rods and cones, absorb it. Any unabsorbed  light  reaches the tapetum lucidum and bounces back to the retina,  enabling it to take  in more light.  Animals with the tapetum lucidum have greater night vision  because it  lets them absorb more light. This is a great help when looking for  prey  at night. Cats need only about one-sixth of the light humans need to   function in the dark.

4. The Rough Side of the Tongue

If you’ve received a loving lick from your cat,  you know that sweet pink  tongue feels like rough-grade sandpaper or  Velcro caressing your skin. And a  jungle cat’s tongue is even harsher.  All feline tongues, from tabby house pets  to 600-pound (272 kilogram)  Bengal tigers, are covered with tiny barbs or  hooks, giving the tongue a  rough texture. These microscopic projections face  toward the cat’s  throat, and are the tools that help to groom his coat. The  barbs work  like a comb, catching and cleaning the cat’s fur. In the wild, these  rasps tear the flesh off the bones of the big cat’s prey.

Cats’ tongues may be the busiest part of their anatomy. They lick  their  coats not only to  keep clean, but to regulate their body  temperatures, fluffing up the fur in  winter and wetting it down with  saliva to stay cool in summer.

As cats’ tongues work, they collect flakes of skin, loose fur, fleas  and  dirt. Cats swallow this debris — which is usually dissolved by  stomach acid. Some cats, especially  long-haired or older ones, may  ingest too much hair to dissolve, and upchuck  hairballs. Giving your cat  hairball ointment will help him digest the hair he or she  swallows.

3. Tale of the Tail

A cat’s tail, which contains almost 10 percent  of his bones, acts as a  counterweight in helping him keep his balance  while walking along a narrow  space or making sudden turns. But besides  working as a rudder, a cat’s tail  communicates his mood and messages.  Decoding tail talk is one of the easiest  ways to read feline body  language.

A relaxed cat’s tail moves gently, occasionally, side to side,  signaling  that he’s up for a little attention. With his tail held high  and straight, a  cat says he’s in charge and happy. If the tip quivers  slightly, the cat is  irritated.  A quick lashing motion, sometimes  accompanied by flattened ears, is  a sign that your cat wants to be left  alone, and may attack if you continue petting him. When  a cat is at play  or watching birds out a window, his crouched posture, with the  tail  flicking back and forth, mimics the behavior of a big cat stalking its   prey.  If a cat’s tail is straight up and bristled, he’s alert and ready  to  attack. A fluffed out, lowered tail signals fear. And a tail lightly  brushing  or wrapping around your legs spells affection and approval.

2. Purr-fection

The thrumming, rumbling sound coming from a cat  as she inhales and exhales  is one of life’s great delights — and  mysteries. Theories about purring are as  varied as the markings on a  calico. Domestic cats purr when they’re content,  often when we’re  stroking their chins or heads, or opening a can of food.  Mother cats  purr so their helpless newborn kittens can find them (and the  source of  dinner), and often purr while nursing. But cats also purr in times of  stress — when  they’re recovering from an injury, or at the vet’s  office. Some cats purr so loudly during a checkup, the vet can’t clearly  hear  the cat’s heartbeat through his stethoscope.

Scientists say that a cat’s purr results from intermittent signaling  by the  diaphragmatic (diaphragm) and laryngeal (larynx or voice box)  muscles, at a  frequency of 25 to 150 Hertz (a Hertz being one cycle per  second).  Research  suggests that sound frequency of this range can promote healing and bone growth. There’s no definitive  answer yet, and the power of the  purr is still a puzzle. Clinically, we may  know how cats purr, but why?  They may purr simply because…they can.

1. Whisker Communication

A cat’s whiskers are like a radar guidance  system, with a bundle of nerve  endings telegraphing details about  everything the cat touches, as well as  shifts in air pressure. His  whiskers are the same width as his body, letting  him know whether he’ll  be able to get through a narrow opening or fit behind  the TV set.

But whiskers are also navigators. These bristly hairs, found above  his  eyelids, around his muzzle and on the lower, inside part of his  forelegs, help  cats move smoothly in darkness. Sensitive to changes in  the air current around an unknown object,  whiskers enable the cat to  avoid the obstacle.

A hunting cat uses its whiskers to zero in on the outline of its  prey,  letting it know where to strike.  Damaged whiskers hamper its aim.  A cat’s  facial whiskers are also mood indicators. Stiff,  forward-pointing whiskers mean  the cat is aggressive.  An angry cat’s  whiskers are tightly pulled back against  its face. And a contented cat’s  whiskers are picture-perfect, forward, with a  slightly downward angle.

Your I Ching Hexagram for February 13th is 52: Keeping Still

52: Keeping Still

Wednesday, Feb 13th, 2013

hexagram09

 

 

 

 

Regular periods of keeping still are an important aspect of personal development and forward motion. The most restful person may not be the one who sleeps twelve hours a day, but the one able to grab catnaps while cruising 600 miles-per-hour at 35,000 ft. Learning to act when it is time to act, and to keep still when it is time to keep still, is the key to obtaining the peace of mind which helps you stay focused when clear focus is needed.

Consider the spine, which serves as a switchboard for all the nerves of the body that mediate movement. When the spine is kept flexible and healthy through proper rest and relaxation, active movement can always be undertaken without strain. When the spine is held erect in a balanced sitting posture, the inner balancing of meditation can take place.

Treat your innate spark of energetic vitality like a candle in the wind you are protecting, as your only light in a dark forest on a moonless night. Avoid external conditions that threaten to snuff out the flame, and be careful not to suffocate it with your own ambitions of worries.

Time out. Relax now, take your shoes off and sit a spell. Let go of thinking. Breathe and meditate on the breathing.

Calendar of the Moon for February 12th

Calendar of the Moon

12 Nion/Anthesterion

Anthesteria Day 2: Khoes

Color: Purple
Element: Earth
Altar: On a purple cloth set a pitcher of wine, the ship of Dionysos, some children’s toys, six , and a wreath of grapevines and .
Offerings: Ritual sex. Giving up of things left over from childhood. Wine libations.
Daily Meal: Goat or lamb. Lentils. Greek food. Wine.

Khoes Invocation

On this day comes the child to his adulthood.
On this day comes the child to her readiness.
On this day he tastes the sweetness of maturity.
On this day she tastes the joy of ripening.
On this day we honor that which has come to fruition
And that which can no longer be protected.
We give up our self-enclosed innocence
For the promise of the deeper experience.
Come forth and join the rite of passage
That you may give up that which was before
And come to that which will be.
Io Dionysos!
Fair-Flowering, Reveller, Stormer,
Twice-Born, Lord of the Dance,
We who kneel before you pray
That you will be gentle with our
Little madnesses, and if you must
Drag us by the hair
To some new understanding,
Let it be done soon, and quickly,
For we would rather leap to doom
Than delay on the edge of the cliff.

(Let all make a circle, and let cups of wine be passed around to everyone. Let two who have been chosen from inside or outside the community come forth and lay in the center of the circle, and perform the hieros gamos, whilst the others turn their backs and chant wordlessly. Afterwards, let the wine be poured out in a libation, with the last two cups used to anoint the couple, and have them drink in a toast. Later that night, sex is appropriate between those whose vows do not exclude it, but those who would lie together must meditate on the responsibility inherent in being a sexually , and how it brought them out of childhood and into adulthood.)

[Pagan Book of Hours]

the_goddess_morrigan_by_wintersmagic

Hymn to the Morrigan

by Isaac Bonewits

O Morrigan, we call your name Across the dusty years.
You speak to us, of blood and lust. You show us all our fears.
You are a goddess, old and wise. Of holy power you have no dearth.

 

Beneath your wings : Black, Red and White, We learn of death and birth.

You walk about, this ancient land, Your hungers raw and clear.
You make the crops, grow rich and strong, As well your geese and deer.
A flirting maid, a lusty hag, A mother of great girth :

 

Without the touch of your black wings, We cannot heal the earth.

You float upon, a blood red wave, Of swords and spears and knives.
Your voice inspires, fear and dread, That you’ll cut short our lives.
You try the warriors’, courage sore, Our inner souls unearth.

 

Without the touch of your red wings, We cannot know our worth.

You fly above the silver clouds, To Manannan’s shining Gate.
You lead the dead along that path, To meet our final fate.
The joke’s on us, we find within, A land of laughter and of mirth.

 

Without the touch of your white wings, We cannot have rebirth.

 

Your I Ching Hexagram for February 11th is 53: A Steady Pace

53: A Steady Pace

Monday, Feb 11th, 2013

hexagram09

 

 

 

 

Like an ancient old-growth forest — where the subtle play of light, texture and shadows is the product of a process measured in centuries and inches — most things of lasting value develop gradually, at their own pace. The ability to learn from experience — one of humanity’s greatest capacities — implies constant yet gradual progress. The combination of stillness within and determination without are the essence of this dynamic. Good things sometimes sprout quickly; the truly delightful take much longer.

The principle of gradual development applies also to human relationships. For love and marriage or any important partnership to endure, progress must be slow but steady: slow enough to allow for the bonds to knit properly; steady enough to keep moving in the right direction.

You can’t expect to have everything all at once. Development must be allowed to take its proper course and allotted time; events must neither be rushed nor manipulated, but allowed to unfold naturally. In this way, you will come to enjoy long-lasting relationships and achieve success.

Calendar of the Moon for Monday, February 11th

Calendar of the Moon

12 Nion/Anthesterion

Anthesteria Day 2: Khoes

Color: Purple
Element: Earth
Altar: On a purple cloth set a pitcher of wine, the ship of Dionysos, some children’s toys, six , and a wreath of grapevines and .
Offerings: Ritual sex. Giving up of things left over from childhood. Wine libations.
Daily Meal: Goat or lamb. Lentils. Greek food. Wine.

Khoes Invocation

On this day comes the child to his adulthood.
On this day comes the child to her readiness.
On this day he tastes the sweetness of maturity.
On this day she tastes the joy of ripening.
On this day we honor that which has come to fruition
And that which can no longer be protected.
We give up our self-enclosed innocence
For the promise of the deeper experience.
Come forth and join the rite of passage
That you may give up that which was before
And come to that which will be.
Io Dionysos!
Fair-Flowering, Reveller, Stormer,
Twice-Born, Lord of the Dance,
We who kneel before you pray
That you will be gentle with our
Little madnesses, and if you must
Drag us by the hair
To some new understanding,
Let it be done soon, and quickly,
For we would rather leap to doom
Than delay on the edge of the cliff.

(Let all make a circle, and let cups of wine be passed around to everyone. Let two who have been chosen from inside or outside the community come forth and lay in the center of the circle, and perform the hieros gamos, whilst the others turn their backs and chant wordlessly. Afterwards, let the wine be poured out in a libation, with the last two cups used to anoint the couple, and have them drink in a toast. Later that night, sex is appropriate between those whose vows do not exclude it, but those who would lie together must meditate on the responsibility inherent in being a sexually , and how it brought them out of childhood and into adulthood.)

[Pagan Book of Hours]

Emergency Poppet on the Fly

Emergency Poppet on the Fly

Material: Aluminum foil

Perhaps something has come up in a hurry, and you feel it needs immediate magical attention. Use a piece of aluminum foil to whip together a quickie poppet — shape it into the figure of a person. Fill with any magical components that might be handy — bits of wood, dirt, grass, even a name scribbled on a piece of paper — and personalize the poppet.

Calendar of the Moon for February 10th

Calendar of the Moon

11 Nion/Anthesterion

Anthesteria Day 1: Pithogia

Color: Purple
Element: Earth
Altar: On a purple cloth set a bottle of wine that has not yet been opened (preferably last year’s homemade), a chalice of water, many cups, a wreath of pruned grapevines, and three purple candles. All should enter the sanctuary bearing the model of a Greek ship with purple sails, entwined with grapevines, which should be carried with all ceremony to the altar and set thereon.
Offerings: Libations of wine to Dionysos. Opening yourself to experiencing Him.
Daily Meal: Goat or lamb. Lentils. Greek food. Wine.

Pithogia Invocation:

Behold the ship of Dionysos!
He sails into each safe harbor
Like a wind of change that cannot be denied.
Be warned, you who have become
Too comfortable, for he will cast up
Your safe life and show you
All the thorns you have pretended not to see.
Honor the god of the Lesser Madness
Lest the Greater Madness swallow you whole!
Taste his gift and wonder, that raw juice
Left to age can slowly ferment
And turn into that which gives delight
And terror both.
Tremble, for he is coming for you!
Whether you drink his gift
Or give it back to him,
It matters not; your days of
Blind unquestioning comfort
Are numbered none, and end today.

(Each comes forward and selects a cup, into which is poured equal parts water and wine. Each may taste of the wine, if they wish, and then pour out the rest as a libation, or they may pour it out entirely. As the pour the libation, each says, “Io Dionysos!” The ship remains in the sanctuary for three days, until Anthesteria is over.)

Chant:
Flower of the vine
King of the wine
Dancer in the soul
We gladly pay your toll

 

[Pagan Book of Hours]

A Charm Bag to Increase Love

A Charm Bag to Increase Love

Items You Will Need:

Adam Root

Eve Root

Pair of Lodestone grits

Magnetic sand

Mated pair of blood root chips

Red flannel bag

Paper

Red Ink

Attraction Powder

Love Me Powder

The Spell:

Gather all of your ingredients together and spread them out on a table. Have your red flannel bag with you and place inside it: a pair of lodestone grits clothed in magnetic sand, adam root, eve root, a mated pair of blood root chips (female – pink, male – brown). Take the paper and with the red ink write your lover’s name on it with your name crossing over the top of it. Place this also inside the bag. Before placing the bag on yourself everyday, lightly dust a small amount of attraction and love me powder inside the sachet. Carry the bag on you to increase love.