Tag: United States

"THINK on THESE THINGS" for September 29th

“THINK on THESE THINGS”
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

To have the desire to quit in the face of despair is not a new story. As long as time, people have wanted to give up when something hindered their progress. But such adversity is sometimes the right time for people to become acquainted with themselves.

It has been written that a smooth sea does not make a skillful mariner. The storms of human life, like those of the seas, awaken us to sharpening our abilities and strengthening us to overcome these present storms to the point where we seldom have to face them again. Most of living is a lesson, and the sooner we learn to study and develop the sooner we are rid of the teacher.

But in the words of Jeremy Taylor, “It is impossible for that man to despair who remembers that his Helper is omnipotent.” And it is impossible for people not to progress if they acknowledge their Helper in the most minute details of their lives.

Prepared for the worst? Forget it! Only worry prepares for the worst. If problems come to you, meet them with courage when they arrive. And worry has never produced courage. Faith produces courage, and keeps us from crossing all those unnecessary bridges. In fact, we cross bridges that have never been in existence, and have no strength except that which we give them by constant preparation for something that isn’t good.

Promise yourself to cross no bridges this day except those you find immediately before you. And nine times out of ten they will lead only to happiness.

*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*

Available online! ‘Cherokee Feast of Days’
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler.

 

Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones……and also for those who don’t have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com
Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com

Elder’s Meditation of the Day
By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org

Daily Motivator for Sept. 29th – Great power

Great power

You have great power, yet much of that power can easily be wasted on trivial,  meaningless things. Imagine what would happen if you devoted more of your power  to the truly important, meaningful things.

In the moments that fill each day, in your thoughts, words and actions, there  is great power. When that power is purposeful and well focused, you can do  amazing things with it.

Every little action you take changes the world in some way. Over the course  of a day, a month or a lifetime, you end up taking a whole lot of actions.

Momentous achievements come from countless small acts all taken in the  service of a specific purpose. That’s the power of purpose, and you most  certainly have it whenever you choose to use it.

Don’t let the great power of your life be drained by what doesn’t matter.  Make the choice to make intentional and meaningful use of that power.

In the life you live there is great, effective, world-changing power. Find  your very own unique and beautiful way to put it to use.

— Ralph Marston

The Daily Motivator

Will Paganism Survive Beyond Us? We Must Pay It Forward.

Will Paganism Survive Beyond Us? We Must Pay It Forward.

Author: Beth Owl’s Daughter

What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others. – Pericles

Throughout my life, I have been a passionate spiritual seeker. In fact, I might have been born with an extra “God gene.” When I was school age, I would have given almost anything to be able to answer what I felt was my calling – to be an ordained minister. But at that time, such a thing did not exist for girls in the Episcopal Church (my childhood religion) .

After years of exploring many religions and paths to the Divine, (and having no inkling that there were actual living, practicing Druids!) , I declared that I was a “Shamanic Druidic pantheist mystic with Hindu and Buddhist overtones.” And that was pretty much that. Or so it seemed.

As the years passed, however, I gradually discovered that there were thousands, maybe millions, of others on a similar path. And happily, they had a much easier name to call themselves (and, I might note, one that is far easier to fill in, in the small space allotted on medical forms) .

We are “Pagans.” It’s a broad term, so, as I am using it here, it includes Wiccans, Heathens, Witches, Druids, Goddess worshipers, Hellenic devotees, Kemetic practitioners, and so on.

But there are some real challenges that we face as Pagans (surprise!) . The obvious, dramatic one has to do with the many ignorant people who consider us to be evil, in league with the Devil (their creation, not ours) , or, at best, damned for eternity.

Yet there are other, more irksome issues we face. Ours is a new religion. In some cases, we are trying to reconstruct it from antiquity. Much of our liturgy is founded on creative conjecture, old remnants and historic bits and pieces, and wisdom from a long ago world that is nearly alien to the one in which we now live. By and large, we do not enjoy the unbroken, ever-evolving lineage of most other religious paths.

Of necessity, obviously, we are finding ways to address the life passages and events that spiritual people need to deal with – birth, marriage, disputes, illness, divorce, death and so on. But many Pagan groups find themselves having to make it up as they go along, probably knowing they are often re-inventing the wheel. And for others of us, even if we have created structures of initiation and scholarship within our tradition, recognition, respect and cooperation from the mainstream is still in short supply.

Furthermore, we are extremely lucky if our Circles and Groves have people who are skilled counselors, or inspiring ritualists, or pragmatic, proactive leaders. To grow and mature, and to survive beyond only a generation or two, it seems to me that we are going to need our people to have actual training in such things.

Imagine if we had leaders who had learned pastoral guidance skills specific to Pagan beliefs. What if our scholars and facilitators trained in the history and development of human interaction with the natural world and its ecosystems, directly from an Earth-based spirituality point of view?

Wouldn’t it be great if we had our own institutions of higher learning that could train our Priests, Priestesses, Bards, and Leaders to competently, creatively facilitate our devotions in harmony with our tradition’s values, and guide us across the thresholds of our life’s journeys, and speak knowledgeably to the media, and nurture our relationships with other spiritual groups?

But then, I offer another question…

Is modern Paganism sustainable?

Our traditions are only now beginning to be tested beyond the lifetimes of the original founders and those directly taught by them. With a wildly diverse number of beliefs, Gods and Goddesses, sacred texts and forms, will our practices have relevance for those born in a completely different context than the elders who established them?

Will modern Paganism grow, deepen and flourish for many generations as a strong, meaningful alternative to the major players now dominating the world’s religions? Or will it simply end up being a footnote to our turbulent historical milieu?

I believe that our ability to survive and thrive as a viable spiritual path for the future depends in large measure on whether we have wise, competent, skilled and well-trained leaders, priests and priestesses.

We need a dedicated clergy that is recognizable, both from within the many traditions of Paganism, as well as to mainstream government and religious institutions. We need highly professional, accomplished, seasoned scholars, leaders, teachers, and chaplains who have been educated at the graduate level – in a Pagan learning environment, by Pagans, and for Pagans.

Of course, many of our traditions are building their own internal systems for training future leaders, and, certainly, such programs are important in ensuring the endurance of their particular customs.

But please — let us not repeat the insularity of Christianity’s denominational systems, which have contributed to centuries of misunderstanding and bloodshed.

Instead, it seems to me that an Earth-based spirituality should see the obvious advantage of the cross-pollination of ideas and practices for its budding Priests and Priestesses. Instead of cultivating a monoculture within each tradition, I think we should encourage diversity and exploration.

Consider how much richer our own traditions could become if, say, our Reclaiming tradition Priestesses and Heathen godhis were also fluent in “Dark Green Religion, ” experienced in Voudon, animism and Druid rituals, and formally trained as grief counselors and dispute mediators.

But how can this be accomplished?

Cherry Hill Seminary is the world’s first and only graduate-level education for Pagans of all traditions. Cherry Hill Seminary offers online distance-learning classes, regional workshops and intensive retreats in religious studies and topics at a professional and graduate level. It is where Pagans from all walks can be nurtured and taught the topics so vital to a sustainable Pagan ministry. We offer courses within a degree program, and also on an ad hoc, elective basis.

Because it is not a “bricks and mortar” university, its students are from all over the United States, as well as other English-speaking countries. This means that as long as they have Internet access, qualified individuals can receive a quality higher education not available anywhere else.

Many of Cherry Hill’s students are already accomplished professionals who are ready to deepen their Pagan practice. They seek both the theory and practical skills that will make them more effective in their communities, within the context of their own traditions.

But Cherry Hill Seminary, like all other institutions of higher learning, needs more than student tuition to support its existence.

It needs you and me.

If you believe, as I do, that the time has come for the next generation of Gaia-loving men and women to have access to higher education that honors their beliefs; that teaches them the critical, sometimes complex skills for serving their communities; that hones them into outstanding, creative leaders and scholars, please become a part of history. We need your donations.

Your gift – large or small – will change lives now, today, by ensuring that students who desire this training have it available at an affordable price.

But please know also that your gift will ultimately help shape the legacy of today’s Paganism. Help us build the first living, breathing Pagan-oriented seminary in modern times.

This is an opportunity for weaving enormously important money magic. You can make a gift for our future generations by supporting their mission.

Please pay it forward.

Blessed be.

Footnotes:
The God Gene:

http://www.gnxp.com/MT2/archives/002916.html
Cherry Hill Seminary:

http://www.cherryhillseminary.org/

You Don't Always Need Magick

You Don’t Always Need Magick

Author:   Luna 

Many modern people find their way to Wicca and many other Pagan paths through an interest in magick. My only assumption for why that is would be that there is some sort of inherent appeal in magick. Perhaps it’s the thrill of being able to bring about change in one’s life, or discovering and being able to do things originally deemed impossible. Of course, it might just be the media’s portrayal of various forms of magick, even if you’re aware that throwing fireballs around without exerting any energy is pretty much impossible. While it might not be what keeps us walking the paths we walk, it is certainly an important aspect in our lives for those who choose to work it.

That said, there is an important lesson for beginners to learn should they wish to pass beyond the “dabbler stage.” And no, I’m not going to go on a long-winded speech on the ethical side of magick. While ethics are no less important than they were before you started reading this, they’ve been addressed countless times already. I don’t believe I need to restate them here. Nope, today’s lesson, should you care to hear me out on this, is about deciding when magick is appropriate in various circumstances. To do so, I’d like to give two recent examples from my own life (and, by recent, I’m talking within two or three weeks of writing this) involving protection magick.

So let’s start with the first scenario. I’ve already been working at a summer camp for a couple weeks, the same camp that has been my summer job for the last five years. Now, while counselors aren’t allowed to keep food in the cabins (kids can’t have it either, and we don’t want to attract pests) , we are allowed to keep food in the offices and in our staff fridge in the kitchen. Now, I usually kept my stash in the office, most of it sealed up in a watertight, airtight box. Whatever I couldn’t fit in the box, I kept in a plastic bag near my stuff on the desk. However, one morning I came into the office, ostensibly to get stuff ready for class, and discovered an entire unopened package of Oreo cookies missing. Well, you can imagine how upset I was. I asked around the office and even reported it to the assistant dean of the camp, a very nice man I could trust with basically anything. He was as upset as I was, suggested to me that I label my stuff and inform him if anything else went missing, and told me that, if we found the person, they’d be fired on the spot (as someone had been stealing other people’s food as well) .

After labeling my stuff, I then went about the rest of my day (which included an all-camp dance party in the evening—I had so much fun) . When I went back to the office later that evening, the other package of Oreo cookies, which had been opened and labeled, had been cleaned of all but five cookies, even though I was pretty sure I hadn’t eaten that many. After mentioning again to the assistant dean (who promised he keep an eye out for the thief) , I decided enough was enough. Making sure to choose a time when no one else was around the office, I took two stones. One was a holey stone, which has natural protective properties, and the other was a natural piece of quartz I’d found around the camp. With these two stones, I put up a protection spell not only to protect my belongings but also to illuminate the identity of the thief (though not to harm him or scare him) . Once that was done, I hid the stones in a broken electronic toy shark, set that on top of my box and walked away.

Before I get to what happened after I cast the protection spell, let’s set up scenario number two. This happened much later on in the session, close to the end of the camp for the summer, and it happened back at my cabin. On the last night before all the kids went home, a few of my girls approached me and another counselor. They had overheard rumors of one of the boys’ cabins planning pranks on our cabin that night. Now, this wasn’t too much of a surprise to us. The cabin in question had gone a little crazy with pranks that last week, which went from stealing our shoes off the front porch and hiding them in three different places around the camp to breaking into our cabin in the middle of the night and drawing with toothpaste around the toilets (I was kind of annoyed with the fact that I hadn’t managed to hear them break into our cabin) . While the girls had gotten back at them in a less invasive or destructive way (leaving tampons painted with red nail polish on the doorstep) , they were still concerned that the guys were going to go all out that night. In fact, they described the guys’ mentality as “Hey! We’re going home tomorrow. They can’t punish us!” Yeah, you can imagine how concerned we were.

However, in spite of that concern for the girls, I wasn’t sure protection magick was the best answer to this situation. I mean, this wasn’t just my stuff we were talking about. This was my entire cabin, campers and counselors alike. While I’m sure they would’ve appreciated the sentiment (they seemed to like me a lot and knew I had their safety and best interests in mind) , it would’ve been too much of a hassle to get permission from all the girls and the counselors to work a little protection magick. Plus, I can’t see too many of them being okay with the fact that one of their counselors were a Witch. On top of that, it had been a long day, and I had just recently gotten sick. I had enough materials to work another spell (I had lots of holey stones that I’d collected from the rocky paths around the camp) , but, physically, mentally, and emotionally, I was not in a good enough state to be working magick. So what did I do? I instead acted on a suggestion the girls gave me: to sleep in our front hallway near the door to prevent access to unwanted intruders.

So how did everything work out in each scenario? Well, in the first scenario, two things happened. First, the assistant dean bought me a new package of Oreos to replace the ones that had been stolen (such a sweet guy, I can’t remember how many times I thanked him) , and no more of my food was stolen. Second (and more importantly) , one of the other counselors began acting strangely, and some of the other counselors began to talk about recent changes in him. I’d even seen him run out into a terrible storm during a tornado watch with no rain coat, then just stand out there letting out a Tarzan yell. That freaked me out. After hearing how clingy he’d been with one of the other counselors and hearing some of the things he’d done and said to her, I let the assistant dean know. After that, more people began to speak up about his behavior, and the dean and the assistant dean confronted him about it. While I’m not sure exactly what happened between them, I know that he had decided, with suggestion for the dean and assistant dean, to return home and seek help. From what I heard later, it turns out that he had not only been stressed about entering college that fall but had also gotten into marijuana, which, according to my mom, gives you the munchies after the high. And, seeing that he didn’t have his own food stash in the office and my stuff was closest to the door, my guess is he was the thief as well. At any rate, after he left, my stuff was left alone.

But his story doesn’t end sadly, and it brings up what resulted from the second scenario. After a late night spontaneous dance party suggested by the dean to get the kids too tired to play pranks, I set up my sleeping bag out in the front hallway, close enough to the front door that anyone trying to get to the girls’ rooms would have to, quite literally, go through me. Later on, another of our counselors joined me in the hallway, a good friend of mine whom I cared about deeply. We spent the time until we both fell asleep quietly chatting about what had happened over the previous week, how we had enjoyed this cabin much more than our previous cabin (not to say we didn’t love our previous cabin too, but spending two weeks with twenty-five girls between the ages of seven and fourteen can drive you crazy—my room in that cabin was actually dubbed the “madhouse” by the girls I shared it with) , and what we planned to do after we went home.

However, it was during this time that I found out about the counselor who had left. My friend had been probably the closest to that counselor while he was going through the worst of his issues at camp and was the only person I knew of who still maintained contact with him. She let me know that he was doing a lot better, had managed to get help from his parents and some doctors and was drug free. According to the texts she received from him, he was grateful that things unfolded the way they had and that he was getting the help he needed. And, quite honestly, I am too. For everything that he went through, I couldn’t have picked a better ending. I also couldn’t have picked a better ending for the night I spent sleeping in the hallway. No one tried any pranks, and, aside from being woken up at around 7 to make room for the girls leaving early on the bus and crashing on the couch, the only person to sneak past me was one of our cabins counselors who was trying her best not to wake the rest of us up (we joked about her being a ninja) .

So what was the point of these two stories? Well, remember how I started out by mentioning that not all situations call for some kind of magick? I could’ve used protection spells in both those scenarios, but I didn’t. I didn’t need to. They were two completely different situations that needed to be resolved in two different ways, yet both stories have happy endings.

Probably one of the biggest traps that novice Witches and Wiccans can and sometimes do fall into (speaking from personal experience, and I’m sure many of you can relate to this) is thinking that every situation can be resolved with some sort of spell. While magick definitely carries its own sort of charm (pun intended) and can certainly be effective in any situation, not every situation needs magick to be resolved happily. The protection spell I used in the first scenario was something I did because I felt I had exhausted all other options. I never intended for the outcome of it (and I only asked to illuminate the thief’s identity, not to mess with him or scare him off) , but the fact that the thief ended up getting help for some of his own issues brings a little more warmth to my heart. In the second scenario, I was in no shape to work any spells and I still had options at my disposal, one that was even asked for by some of my campers. And, as you guys read, everything still turned out okay (aside from being sore from sleeping on the floor, but I can live with that if it means my girls feel safe and secure) .

So, the lesson for today: there is nothing preventing you from using magick to help out in any situation, but you should carefully consider whether or not magick would be the best option. Take into consideration every factor you can think of and everyone involved, including others and you. People might not want the spell worked, and their wishes could affect the outcome. Look at your own condition. If you’re working magick when you’re sick, angry, depressed or in any way not feeling your best, chances are that will affect your magick. Magick is a wonderful aspect of life, but not every situation calls for magick. You’ll know when one does.

Good Sunday Morning My Beloved Family & Friends!

Witchy Comments & Graphics
I hope everyone is having a very Blessed Sunday Morning. It is rather rainy and dreary here today. But we need the rain so I won’t complain.  I got up this morning took my medicine and went back to sleep. I had the TV on when I fell asleep. I woke up to something that made me say, “Thank The Goddess Alive, I am a Witch!” The TV has a church broadcasting on it. The preacher was preaching his hell and brimstone passages as usual.

You ever truly want to be thankful that you are a Witch, Wiccan, Druid or any other Pagan tradition, watch a televised preacher. I am not being nasty or mean, I am being truthful. They fascinate me. They are either preaching their fire and brimstone or wanting money. After listening for a minute or two, I always change the channel. But in those few minutes, I am ever so grateful for our Divine Mother. I am not going to say we don’t have rules and Laws that we don’t have to live by cause we do. But nothing like I learned going to church every Sunday when I was little and what I hear on the TV now. In case I shocked some of you, I grew up in a family with two religious beliefs, one Baptist (my father) the other Witchcraft (my mother).  I guess listening to the Baptist when I was growing up and now today, their story never changes. But our religion is constantly changing. We continuously are learning and growing. We are taught everything about the Universe and most of all the Goddess’ Divine Love.

There is a big difference between the two religions that I can see now. I know the other Religions say their Gods are ever loving. But unfortunately where is the truth in that. Christianity happens to be one of the most bloodiest religions there ever was. Has our Goddess ever asked us to kill anyone in Her Divine name? No. All She has asked is that we find the power within us. The power She gave to  us.  Yes, she gave us power. Power to find, harness and use for the goodness of mankind. Can any other religion say that? I don’t think so. They talk of miracles. Growing up, I never saw any. But with the Goddess, She has given us the power to make our own miracles occur. We can perform magick beyond anyone’s belief. All we have to do with our Holy Mother is just ask and it is done. Thank Goddess, SHE IS ALIVE!!!!

I have always been respectful of other religions. In turn, I expect them to be respectful of my own religion. Tell someone you are a Witch. Go ahead and see what happens. I know. They immediately think you are a Heathren. You don’t have a God or Goddess, you don’t believe in anything. They must save you immediately. If not, you are going straight to hell. If nothing else comes out of this site, I want the world to know that Witchcraft is a religion. We have an almighty Goddess that we worship. She is very much alive.  She grants us the power to do the things necessary in life. She grants us power for the betterment of mankind. Our Goddess is alive. No matter who wants to say all other Gods are dead. This is a lie.  I can feel my Divine Mother all around me. She gives me the words to put on this blog for you to read. She loves each and everyone of us without threatens of hell’s fire and damnation. She loves us because we are Her children. She cares for us in our darkest hour and our finest moments. She is the All.

Witchcraft is one of the most popular and fastest growing Religion in the states. Why? Because people are starting to understand the truth about the Craft. They are starting to come to know the Goddess.  How real She truly is. How all you have to do each day is look around you and you will see Her. She is in everything, every where and every place you look. Her Love for us overflows. People are tired of the mainstream religions. They are looking for something new. They turn to Witchcraft as if it is something new. I hate to burst their bubble but Witchcraft is the oldest religion known. It has not always been known as a religion but thanks to us, people are starting to recognize it that way. We have had I don’t how many come over to our religion in the past month. Just in a month’s time, now! The ones I have talked too are worried about our Religion not having a Divine Being. I want to put your mind to ease, once and for all. We have a Divine Goddess and a God. We are not a Godless religion. We have a Divine Mother. In fact, I consider myself very lucky. I have three Mothers. I have maternal Mother who has passed on, then I have my Deity and I have my Goddess. What  other religion can say that?

But for those of you that are new and scared that you might have made the wrong decision about switching Religions.  Rested assured you didn’t. The Craft is the most beautiful Religion you will ever know. The ones that worry about Witchcraft being a Godless religion, who do you think put that interest in your heart? Who do you think is calling you to this religion? It is our Divine Mother who has done these things. She is the Universe. She is pure Love. All you have to do is open up your heart to Her. Let Her Love fill your heart, your body and your very soul. You will never know such a Love as Hers. I know I haven’t and the others here haven’t either. I believe there is only one thing left to say……..

“Thank The Goddess Alive, I am a Witch!”

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Sept. 25th is The Sun

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Today

The Sun

The Sun is our Cosmic Nurturer. Life flourishes under its radiant beams. It provides the illumination to find Truths and lights one’s path so we do not get lost. To stand in the rays of The Sun is to shine. To absorb its energy promotes growth, exceptional physical and mental health, and good fortune. The Sun is empowering, elevating and fills those who bask in it with confidence and sense of self-worth. While The Sun certainly doesn’t promise a life’s path without some bumps in the road, The Sun indicates all will be well.

As a daily card, The Sun indicates a time when you should be at your zenith. At moments like this all should be very clear to you. Solutions to dilemmas that have confounded you will become obvious. The opportunity to take giant steps towards attaining your goals is upon you.

We wish You & Yours A Very Blessing Wednesday!

I apologize for running late. Lady A and myself have been having a debate of sorts. Neither one of us won, an office girl stepped in and told us to both be quiet and get to work. Then she had to go home and change her pants after she realized who she told to get to work, hee, hee, hee! Well, we all know you never tell the boss to be quiet and get to work!!!

Now here come the daily’s…..

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Sept 24 is Magus

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Today

The Magus

The Magus is the physical embodiment of decisive action based upon knowledge and aimed squarely at specific goals. Thoroughly Yang by nature and firmly set in the material world, he none-the-less has a powerful spiritual connection as well. His knowledge, wisdom and skill are all encompassing. He is complete. His power as a creator is unmatched on our earthly plane. He is self-aware and unafraid to act. His enormous strength gives him the freedom to act as he chooses. However, responsibility comes with that freedom. Because he is not bound to the restraints of others he must choose how to act. The question that always lies before him is should he act morally, or forsake ethics for personal gain.As a daily card, The Magus suggest you currently possess a tremendous power and freedom to move your life in any direction you choose. In short, you can make things happen. Your true challenge at the moment is to move forward without trampling the dreams of others. Fortunately your moral fiber is strong as well, and will guide you down the right path.

Celebrating Our Spirituality 365 Days A Year – Festival of Poets

Witchy Comments

September 24

Festival of Poets

This annual event takes place around this date in Japan. Poets come from all across Japan to visit the Imperial Palace, share their local legends, and compose verses. After the usual pleasantries, the guests are seated and served a cup of sake, after which each attendee is expected to create a verse pertaining to his or her visit. The poems are then read and the winner becomes the nation’s poet laureate.

Good Blessed Tuesday Morning WOTC!

Live and learn, learn to live

I strive to get what life can give

Send to me the lessons true

And help me know just what to do

Amid the mess and chaos fierce

Shine a light to darkness pierce

Show the way to knowledge deep

Which to let go and which to keep

Clear the way so I might heed

The lessons that I truly need

Show me what I need to learn

As life’s pages I do turn

Blessed Be

Your Animal Spirit for September 23 is Hummingbird

Your Animal Spirit for Today
    September 23, 2013 

Hummingbird

Sorrow and worry have no place in your life today, as Hummingbird’s message is one of absolute joy. Hummer’s darting movements, flashes of brilliant reds and greens, and unmistakable whirr are all guaranteed to bring a smile to the face of even the most dour among us. If live has been difficult of late, know that joy is whirring your way.

Mabon Comments & Graphics
The High Priest Faces  West:

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!

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Blue Sage Smudge Stick 3 Pack

 $9.95

Offering a bargain for anyone who enjoys smudging, this 3-pack of blue  sage smudge sticks is quite a steal! Smudging is the sacred art of  burning sage and similar herbs to create a purifying smoke that can be  used to remove negative energies from individuals and places. Made  specifically for this purpose, each of these smudge sticks is a 1″  diameter and 4 3/4″ long bundle of tightly packed blue sage, offering  you a convenient way to fill your sacred space with its cleansing smoke.  Please allow for exact sizes to vary slightly. Made in the USA.

With Shipping & Handing @ $5.95 = Your Price of $15.90

 

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Celebrating Spirituality 365 Days A Year – Laguna Indian San Jose Day

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　18 and 19 September

Laguna Indian San Jose Day

During the late Summer and early Fall, the southwestern part of the United States supports an array of fiestas that honor various Catholic saints and feature elaborate processions, markets, dancing, and entertainment. The Laguna festival honoring Saint Joseph is a prime example. The pueblo of Laguna, some 45 miles west of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was established in 1697. Soon after, a Catholic mission was built there and became the official site of the festival. The origins of the festival have been lost over time, but more than likely they revolved around the mission’s patron Saint Joseph and the plentiful late Summer harvest. Today the festival still attracts thousands of people for the two-day celebration. The fiesta begins with a procession for Saint Joseph from the mission to the fairgrounds, which is followed by a noontime harvest and corn dance. After the official opening of the festival, the adults flock to the enormous market for the exchange of local products and food, while the children enjoy carnival rides and games. The fiesta concludes with demonstration dances performed by local Indian tribes and the return of the statue of Saint Joseph to the mission.

 

Celebrating Wiccan Spirituality: Spells, Sacred Rites, and Folklore for Each Day of the Year
By Lady Sabrina

Daily Feng Shui News for Sept. 17th – 'Time's Up Day'

Today’s ‘Time’s Up Day’ reminds me to tell you about timekeepers and Feng Shui. This tradition says that you should never gift anyone with a watch or any other type of timepiece, as you’re basically wishing them limited time in their lives. You also need to be careful where you position clocks in your household, office and bedroom. Hanging clocks on any of the walls that would be considered within the confines of the Bagua map (the map we use to locate major life aspirations) will bring limiting energies to those same spaces and intentions. Rather, keep clocks in innocuous places to limit the limits that they can attract.

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com

Your Animal Spirit for September 17th is the Eagle

Your Animal Spirit for Today
    September 17, 2013

Eagle

Eagle soars high enough to see the grand panorama of life, and yet has vision keen enough to spot a fish a mile away. How’s your vision? Are you seeing the big picture or are you only concentrating on the fish? Eagle is asking you to take a step back so you can once again see the whole. You’ve gotten so lost in the trees you’ve forgotten the forest.

Great Goddess


Sympathy Comments

Great Goddess

Be with me in this time of sorrow

Ease the pain of my heart

And soothe my battered spirit

Bless my nights and restful sleep

So I might cope with the long days ahead

Enfold me in your compassionate arms

As I learn to live with my loss

Help me to move forward with life

And let the pain grow less as time passes

Bless me with your love

And watch over me

And the one I have lost

So Mote It Be

Something To Think About & I Want Your Input, Please!

You can tell you are growing when you have request to branch out. We have had such a request. I have had such a request. It is for us to start a prison ministry. I have received several letters from inmates all over the U. S.,  requesting that we do so. Some request old books of ours that we are through with. One inmate I received a letter from told me he can’t get any Pagan material in his prison. The latest book he has read is “A Witch’s Notebook,” by RavenWolf. Then there are others who want just penpals. Someone knowledgeable in the Craft that they could ask questions (sort of act like a teacher). Then I have others who want us to put out a monthly bulletin. I would love to do this but our budget does not let us do so right now.

 

It is up to you if we go through with this idea. If we are in agreement on going ahead with this project, I will put up a page called “Prison Ministry.” On this page, I will list the inmates and what they have requested. If you can meet that need then you will let me know and I will strike that inmate out. I give you my word as a Witch, I will never let any of your private information available to anyone. I know that these inmates have committed crimes or else they wouldn’t be in prison.

 

There are several old quotes I could use at this time but I won’t. I will confess that I wasn’t really keen on this idea to start with. Then the Goddess spoke to me. “Did I not realize how great Her Love it.”  Was I not the one that insists on spreading our Religion? This avenue has now opened for you and you aren’t going to take it? These inmates are crying out for information on Paganism. There is no one to answer their pleas.

 

I have always said this is your site, I am just the caretaker. Now it is up to you, do we start this Prison Ministry or not? If we start it, it will be something that grows and grows. Are you ready to make a commitment to stick to this Ministry for the long  haul?

 

 

Feng Shui Tip for September 12 – 'School Year Clutter'

By now, you should be starting to nip that new school year clutter right in the bud. Start like this: Keep all school books in a single space per student. Put all the things needed for work into another specific space. Donate any books that don’t fit into your current lifestyle. And except for the most recent issues, recycle all magazines, catalogs and circulars. Even get rid of the articles that you’ve been meaning to clip. Trust your Higher Power to always provide you with the information you really need to live your luckiest life. Once the clutter is cleared, feel your incredible lightness of being, and then enjoy your Ahhhhh-Ha moment!

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com

"THINK on THESE THINGS" for September 11th

“THINK on THESE THINGS”
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

The truly humble are those who have no thought of using other people to their own avail. They are aware from their own intelligence and abilities, but because somewhere along the way they have acknowledged how inadequate they are alone.

The day of the self-sufficient person has never truly been. Without other people, without a sense of humility, success is lost to the overambitious.

English critic John Ruskin once said that the first test of a truly great person is humility.

There is greatness and sincerity when we can say to ourselves that we are only human and except for the grace of God we would even lack those qualities. We realize that the world owes us nothing, and no person owes us anything but love. It is not simply our job to serve ourselves, but it is our duty to serve others.

Humility is one of the finest qualities found in human nature. Without it we are nothing but a brash machine, with it we are warm and kind and always respected.

If we want to be friends to others, we must meet them on their level. This isn’t to say we have to be the type they are, but understand them and realize that it is a good thing that we are not all alike. This is the beauty of humanity, the variations that keep the human race from being monotonous.

And there is nothing sweeter to the human ear than to hear someone talk its language. Great persons have realized this and have made themselves adaptable to the little and to the big, to the learned and to the unschooled, in order to be more widely understood.

Who knew better than the Wise Master the importance of meeting others on their own level? The Master looked into the lives of every type of person and saw many changes that needed to be made, but also saw much to love and to waken. And in this gentleness and compassion the Wise Master could meet us all and speak out languages, then to be understood and followed.

We live in such narrow existence’s when we cannot communicate with anyone except those on our own level of thought and action. And if we only have one level on which to operate, there’s danger of it becoming a shelf for immovable objects.

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Available online! ‘Cherokee Feast of Days’
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler.

Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones……and also for those who don’t have access to the Internet: http://www.hifler.com
Click Here to Buy her books at Amazon.com

Elder’s Meditation of the Day
By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site:http://www.whitebison.org