Elemental Magick July 2013 Issue 12
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Directions to the Shop 313 W Davidson is located in a residential area between Lincoln and Government Way just south the Kootenai Medical Center. Davidson is the second left turn off Lincoln after you cross Ironwood. Then a left turn on Pansy. eclecticworldgems@gmail.com
Gensha Publishing Maxine Byers Lazy Witch Ingrid Jeffries CraftyWitch Emily Brown Don Michael Kraig Gertrude Moon The Pagan's Path, Pagan Spoonie, and Willow Grove Magick Patti Wigington Lady Ti-Eagle Kathryn Crafton Alena Orrison Crafty Witch Maxine Byers Janie Bass http://elementalmagick.wetpaint.com/ elementalmagick@hotmail.com
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DEPARTMENTS
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Questions? Comments? Ideas? If you have something to say, we want to hear it! Letters to the editor can be sent to elementalmagick@hotmail.com
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FROM THE EDITOR I’m delighted to welcome you to the one year anniversary issue of Elemental Magick EZine! It has been an exciting adventure bringing you a whole year of great articles, poetry and more. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our magazine throughout the past year as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together. I personally want to thank to all the friends, contributors and behind-the-scenes helpers who have made it possible for us to keep producing Elemental Magick. Here we are the start of the 2nd year of what began as a simple newsletter. It seems like just a couple of months ago and we had a total of 20 or 30 readers. I just checked and we now reach over 5000 people in 13 different countries. WOW! Not bad growth for a years work, and it has been a lot of work. It’s also a labor of love. I couldn’t do it otherwise. And I could not do it without our talented writers and contributors who grace our pages each month. I LOVE you guys. I’m finding that in the last few months I’m getting all sorts of new ideas about things to add to the magazine. If there’s something you’d especially like to see, or learn about, let me know. We can create content all day long, but it’s not very useful if no one wants to read it. The best stuff is what you want to read and learn about, not what I think you want. By providing unique and diverse articles, I believe we can offer you information that you just can’t get anywhere else. Even if you’re not following a South American Shamanistic Path, reading Elemental Magick can give you a new way of looking at things that you might never have thought of. You never know what might be in an article that sparks a completely new way of looking at things.
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Isn’t that what The Craft is all about? Looking at things in a new, different, and unique way? Realizing that using your imagination doesn’t mean making something up, it means seeing something that hasn’t been recognized yet. Most adults had their imagination removed years ago by parents, teachers, and other kids. We as Witches and Pagans recognize 5 that imagination is the key to making our lives the way we want it to be. As always we are looking for people to provide good, solid content for the magazine. Most people tend to be shy about their writing, even if they are good at it. I am always looking for people who are willing to send regular, or even ‘one-of’ articles. This month we welcome Kathryn Crafton as she takes us on a journey within, Kathryn is a Pagan Author, Spiritualist, and Artisan, who spends her days as often as not out in nature, usually with her son and husband-to-be. When at home she can be found writing, maintaining her websites, painting, sculpting, or crafting with the company of her four cats. Kathryn has been Pagan for 20 years and currently lives in Northeast Pennsylvania, but her home is the Pacific Northwest, specifically, Washington State. Kathryn can be reached through her website, or her Facebook page. http://thirdeyelights.weebly.com/ http://www.facebook.com/TheNotQuiteWickedWitch Thank you to all of our Elemental Magick readers, the best is yet to come. Love and Blessing Maxine Byers Editor
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NO GATHERING ~ HAPPY INDEPENDANCE DAY!!
Annual CdA Bead Stampede, CdA, Id Fairgrounds, Bldg. #3. Good time to get your Winter Beading supplies!!! Check the CdA Bead Stampede website for times, entry fees more information. Crone's Moon ~New Moon ~ Daytime Gathering, Q'emlin Park, 11am-3pm (approx.). Covered Dish lunch from 11-1. Circle at 1pm. Stamping BoS/Grimoires/Journals. Bring yours down and work on it. There will be some provided at cost. Stamps and inks will also be available. Some Wiccan and other nature types will be available. If you have some you'd like to bring, please do. Janie is looking to buy a "Pentacle" stamp if anyone wants to sell theirs. ~ Daytime Gathering, Q'emlin Park, 11am-3pm (approx.). Covered Dish lunch from 11-1. Circle at 1pm. Writing Spells/Spell Swap. Bring your BoS/Grimoires or notebook, a pen, and spells you'd like to offer to group. Also bring your questions concerning "How to Write Spells" or a particular spell. ~ Full Moon. We are planning a "Full Moon" ceremony this month. Keep an eye on our Facebook Wall to see where and when!! ~ Daytime Gatherings, Q'emlin Park, 11am-3pm (approx.). Covered Dish lunch from 11-1. Circle at 1pm. Activity yet to be determined. Watch for this information on our Facebook Wall. ~ "JULYAMISH" CdA Tribe Summer POWWOW at the Post Falls Greyhound Park. Native American Tribal Dances, Handed Crafted Native Items (including drums, jewelry, and recorded music), and FOOD! Parking is usually $5 per car; entrance to the POWWOW activities is usually free. For a time schedule of dancing, please check "Julyamish POWWOW" on the web. Usually on Friday evenings, the audience is invited out to dance the Opening Circle with the Native Dancers. Evenings are usually the cooler times to go if you have trouble with the heat. Children LOVE going to this!! ~ Daytime Gathering, Q'emlin Park, 11am-3pm (approx.). Covered Dish lunch from 11-1. Circle at 1 pm. We're drumming!! Bring along your new drums for a trial run or your old ones!! I will have some "drum substitutes". Also if you have dance rattles, bells or other percussion-type instruments, bring them along! NOTE: ~ "45th Annual Art on the Green", "A Taste of CdA" and "Street Fair" in CdA, Id. Art on the Green takes place on the Campus of North Idaho College (the Old Fort Sherman area). The Street Fair and Taste of CdA are on Downtown Sherman Ave and into the Park area. Check the "Art on the Green" website for more information.
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INDEPENDENCE DAY
Some of us forget about the Revolutionary War and why it was fought, and most assume that the first big July 4th Party was held on July 4th, 1776. But there was no party or celebration on that first July 4th in 1776. July 4th eventually came to be named a national holiday, but not until a year later in 1777. Historically, the Continental Congress of the United States of America adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 2, 1776. In a letter to his wife Abigail, John Adams predicted that July 2 would soon become a national holiday. But, on July 2 the Declaration was still only a draft, signed by just two men: Secretary of Congress Charles Thompson and Congressional Leader John Hancock. Although a revision was written by July 4, 1776, it was printed, and then the new version was sent to each of the US States and all military officers. Still having just two official signatures. People generally ignored the Declaration of Independence as old news. The Declaration was initially disrespected and ignored, even by leaders of the country. John Adams thought it was frivolous and boring. In his words, he stated, "...dress and ornament rather than Body, Soul, or Substance." The Declaration was read aloud from the Philadelphia State House, but not until July 8. Later on the same date, the Declaration was also read aloud as a proclamation in Easton, PA, Trenton, NJ, and to some militiamen around those areas. On July 6 and 8, there were some instances of shouting for joy and some rifles fired, but not much of either. No actual celebration occurred in America for her Independence that first year until after mid-July. The first celebration was like a small corner of the August Buckeye Lake Corn Fest in Ohio, rather than a national holiday. But there was no national celebration of any kind in 1776.
Even that next year in 1777, no government official had yet thought about celebrating or commemorating the Declaration of Independence - until July 3rd. Rushing to save face, a celebration was thrown together for July 4, 1777 in Philadelphia, then the Nation’s capital. Ships in the harbor were gallantly decorated in red, white and blue. 13-gun salutes were shot in honor the 13 Colonies. Thus it was declared July 4 to be a national holiday in 1777. But there were no fireworks. At the time the resources to manufacture fireworks were not yet available, and fireworks would have had to been imported from England. During July 1777, US residents began to light celebratory bonfires, fired rifles, rang church bells, but scrapped was any symbol of England and the King that they could find. It wasn't until 1816, that the US started domestic manufacturing of their own fireworks, so that they no longer had to buy them form England. July 4th today is now an official and recognized American holiday. Today in Phoenix, Arizona and across the nation there are festivities, parades, celebrations, and of course fireworks. Being American is part of our Pagan roots, because it was Pagans who were running from persecution from England. So July 4th is an important Pagan holiday to share with all our fellow Americans. Have a Happy July 4th everyone.
July was named after the great leader Julius Caesar, who was born in this summer month. Because the warm weather continues, activity levels are high, even though the days are beginning to shorten. Consequently, numerous festivals during this month focus on family, friends, and social interaction. For magical purposes, July directs our attention to personal growth and improvements. This includes increasing your knowledge, continuing efforts for prosperity, creating new ideas and works of art, and also taking time out periodically to really enjoy yourself. Our society sometimes mistakes much-needed leisure time for laziness but this months's energies know better. Go and have fun, carrying the Goddess with you for a little extra energy.
Color: Purple Elements: Fire and Water Altar: On a purple cloth set a vase of many flags, a plate of offering cakes, and a great chalice of wine for the libation. Offerings: Offering cakes made with honey and olive oil. Aid in the freedom of another being. Daily Meal: Anything the community wants. Note: This ritual is appropriate for any day that celebrates liberation and freedom, as well as the Roman holiday of Liberalia.
Papa Liber Mama Libera We honor you! You who are liberty and freedom, Yet whose priestesses are elder women Because in order to know What it is to be truly free, One must have had experience And understood the many prisons In which life will try to trap us. You who are in the spirit Of the great phallus borne into The marketplace for all to see and touch Yet whose wreath is laid upon it By a virtuous matron whose body
Has not strayed from her wedding vows, Because in order to know What it is to be truly free, One must have had the choice of many chains And freely chosen those bonds In which one wishes to spend one's days. Liberty in all its contradictions, Freedom in all its ambiguities, The state which we can never quite define Your country which we can never find on a map Yet we always know When we have touched its shores. (The libation is passed around, and blessed, and then poured out. )
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Animals in witchcraft Since time began animals have been revered and worshiped as spirits of nature, known to the ancients as power animals or the animal guides of the Gods. Many animals therefore became associated with various deities, such like: Diana and the Hound, Heqet (or Heket) and the Toad, Proserpina and the Raven, Pan with the Goat and Athena with the Owl. Most other deities in one way or another became associated with animals. The ancients believed animals were closer to nature than humans, and would perform rituals and make offerings to their spirits in attempts to communicate with them. Old shamans believed that all things and beings, particularly animals, were possessed of a spirit or soul, and that one could attract parts of their soul, thus their spirit and powers with mimicry. To achieve this they dressed in appropriate animal furs and feathers or wore horns and fierce looking masks while performing dance and imitating their antics. The novice shaman would acquire his animal spirits on completion of his initiation. These he would send out on errands or to do battle on his behalf, however if they failed or died, then so too did the shaman. The shaman would keep and use the same animal spirits until his death, upon which time they would disappear or be passed on to aid his apprentice. Given the animal kingdoms intimate relationship with nature, its not surprising that witches as they evolved should adopt certain animals as their own link to nature, spirits and deities. Wise men and women commonly used animals, while wizards, magicians and village healers used them to diagnose illnesses, sources of bewitchment, divination and to find lost property or treasure. It was not until the Middle Ages and the rise of Christianity that the witches pets and animals became thought of as agents of evil. As the persecution of witches began, so the church started teaching the concept that the Witches’ familiar was an associate of the Christian devil. They became demons and evil spirits in animal form, sent out by the witch to do their nasty bidding. They also believed witches possessed the power to transform themselves into animals, in which guise they committed any number of diabolical deeds. Later they were believed to use animal products in spells, making potions and concoctions to aid transformation, gain power over nature, or even to harm and kill. The most common animals associated with witchcraft were the: Frog, Owl, Serpent, Pig, Raven, Stag, Goat, Wolf, Dog, Horse, Bat, Mouse and of course the Cat, though virtually any animal, reptile or insect would be suspect. Obsession with the witches familiar was most prevalent in England and Scotland and was mentioned in numerous trial records of the period, particularly those related
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to “Matthew Hopkins”, the infamous Witch Finder General (see Matthew Hopkins). According to the ancient Witchcraft Act of 1604, it was a felony to: “consult, covenant with, entertain, employ, feed or reward any evil or wicked spirit to or for any intent or purpose”, an act that Hopkins used with zeal when extracting confessions. He also used the “Malleus Malificarum” the so-called Inquisitor’s Handbook. Though it offers no instruction concerning familiars in the interrogation and trial of witches, it does acknowledge that an animal familiar “always works with the witch in everything”. As such it advises the inquisitor never to leave a witch prisoner alone, “or the devil will cause him or her to kill themselves, accomplished through a familiar”. This in mind Hopkins would tie the witch up in a cell and leave them alone, while watching secretly for their arrival. If so much of as a fly or beetle approached them, it was deemed proof enough that they were indeed witches. Today in contemporary witchcraft any thoughts of animals as “demonic spirits of evil” has been left by the way side, though many modern witches still use animals when working with magick utilizing their primordial instincts and psychic abilities to attune with nature and deities. Animals are sensitive to psychic power and vibrations, and are welcomed into the magick circle when power is being raised or spells are being cast. They are also used to aid scrying, divination and spirit contact. When working with magick animals act as a guard in psychic defence for they react visibly to negative forces and harmful energy.
As the story goes, Molly was born in 1685 and lived in a cottage on the edge of the moors at Burslem near Stoke-onTrent. Molly was a solitary character who never married; she talked to the animals and kept a pet Jackdaw. She made her living selling milk from a herd of cows to travelers and passersby. An eccentric person, the Jackdaw was often seen perched on her shoulder as she delivered milk to the dairy in Burslem. Molly was known for her quick temper and the people of Burslem were suspicious and frightened of her. This was not uncommon in those times, for throughout the country ‘women’ and particularly elderly women who lived on their own in remote places, were labeled as witches. In Molly’s case it was the local vicar the Rev. Spencer who made witchcraft accusations against her. He claimed that Molly sent her Jackdaw to sit on the sign of the Turk’s Head pub, a pub that the vicar frequently visited, and when it did the beer turned sour. She was also blamed for other ailments suffered by numerous townsfolk. Molly died in 1746 and was buried in the Burslem churchyard, but then many claimed that her ghost haunted the town. A short time after her burial, the Rev. Spencer along with clerics from Stoke, Wolstanton and Newcastle went to open her cottage and retrieve her pet Jackdaw. When they arrived they were shocked to see Molly (or an apparition of her), sitting in a favourite armchair knitting with her pet Jackdaw perched on her shoulders (just as she had often been seen in real life). Frightened, the vicar and others returned to the graveyard and reopened her grave. They drove a stake through her heart and threw the living Jackdaw into the coffin. The vicar then decreed that as she was a witch, she would not rest easy until her body was buried lying North to South. To this day, Molly's tomb is the only one that lies at right angles to all the other graves in the churchyard. Many believe that an animal familiar is not acquired through personal choice, more that an animal will choose you as its guardian and companion. One cannot go down to the local pet-shop and choose a familiar simply on its symbolic significances: “I shall take an Owl for Wisdom, a Dove for Peace and a Spider for Imagination and Creativity”. Sorry, but that won’t work. Animals have their own in-built wisdom and intelligence, their own spirit and skills, and a bond needs to be made with them if they are to volunteer to work as your familiar. Most often the animal itself will let you know when this has been achieved. Generally there are four different kinds of animal familiar. The first is our physical everyday live-in pets, most commonly the cat or dog. As with all our other family members an instinctive bond and psychic link is created over time. Silent communication of their needs exists and instinctively we know if they are happy or sad, hungry, hurting or in need of attention. They in turn reciprocate and adapt themselves to our life styles, intuitively they attune to our mood swings and circumstantial changes.
The second type of familiar is an imaginative creature, one you can closely identify with but never hope to own such like a lion, tiger or leopard. This is an animal whose characteristics you admire, and you may collect and hang pictures of it in your home. It resided in the astral plane and because of your intense liking for it; you consciously or unconsciously attract its aid. It’s said that deceased pets with which you had an affinity return in this capacity. The third type of familiar is magickal, an elemental spirit. Witches and Magicians often call upon elemental spirits for aid when working with magick. When making talismans or amulets for specific purposes, they may call upon a particular familiar elemental to inhabit an object to enhance its effect. It is believed the Paracelsus; a medical academic (1493–1541) instilled such a familiar into a large precious stone on the pommel of his ritual sword. The fourth familiar is the spirit of a human being, someone who has died. Many adept magicians will command the appearance of a human spirit but such spirits are hard to control, for instance, a spirit who has been commanded against his or her desires can be troublesome, in which case you need to be sure of your ability to get rid of them and this can be much more difficult than the original calling. Those spirits willing to act as our astral guides or teachers are commonly called ‘Guardian Angels’. The most effective familiars tend not to be our domesticated pets, for due to their life expectancy our pets come and go, though the spirit of a deceased pet can still be used. The use of our domestic animals as familiars is merely a stepping-stone to the raw power and energy of wild animals that are much closer to nature; for instance, a domestic dog is a softened version of its wild counterpart the fox, wolf, coyote and other wild canine creatures. Similarly a domestic cat can be linked to other wild felines such like lions, tigers and leopards. Many witches and magicians start with a domesticated animal as a familiar in the hope that one day they will be able to handle and work more effectively with its true power form, the wild animals of nature. 11
The Blessing Moon The Pagan's Path, Pagan Spoonie, and Willow Grove Magick
The old-timers knew July’s Full Moon as the Blessing Moon, because this is the time when Mother Earth begins to bless us with her richness. The monarda and tall garden phlox fill the flower bed with a heavenly fragrance. Tomatoes fatten and the corn tassels out. By day the hummingbird dashes from flower to flower; by night the mysterious sphinx moth haunts the garden border sipping nectar. At night above the ripening fields, the Blessing Moon of July rises. She glows like a copper disk, shining with a warmth like no other Full Moon. The July Full Moon has several different names including Blessing Moon, Maedmonat (Meadow Moon), Herb Moon, Wort Moon, Thunder Moon, Lightning Moon, Buck Moon, Raspberry Moon, Moon of Claiming, Moon of Blood (because of mosquitoes), Hewimanoth (Hay Month), and Fallow Moon. July is a very masculine moon, so it's a good time to work on the physical things in your life. Either physical in body or things that need some physical attention, like fixing things around the house. The name Buck Moon comes from the male deer that grow their antlers during this month. The names Thunder Moon and Lightening Moon came from the fact that thunderstorms are usually most frequent during this summer month.
Correspondences Herbs: Mugwort, hyssop, lemon balm, honeysuckle, agrimony Colors: Green, silver, blue-gray Element: Water Flowers: Lotus, water lily, jasmine Scents: Orris, frankincense Stones: Opal, white agate, pearls, and moonstones Trees: Ash and oak Nature spirits: hobgoblins, faeries of harvest crops Animals: crab, turtle, dolphin, whale Birds: starling, ibis, swallow Goddesses: Venus, Cerridwen, Isis, Juno, Venus, Cerridwen, Athena, Nephthys, Hel, Holda Gods: Osiris, Lugh, Khepera Power Flow: Relaxing, preparing, and succeeding. Dreamwork, divination, and meditation on goals and plans, especially spiritual ones.
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Because the moon is in Capricorn, it is an excellent time to work on self-discipline, stamina, career advancement and achieving personal goals and ambitions. Do magick that works for advancement, self-discipline, reaching goals (especially career goals), developing structure, and getting finances in order, starting a diet and/or fitness program or anything else that requires hard work and discipline or that has seemed out of reach. This is also the esbat where magical workings are well suited to take inventory of the good things you have in your life, workings related to dreams and divination, taking strolls and relaxing in meadows (hence the name Meadow Moon), and weather magick for or involving storms (hence the names Thunder Moon and Lightening Moon). Because so many places are still experiencing severe drought and three digit temperatures doing some weather magick to bring storms is a very good thing!
As we breathe deeply in and out. It is not just air we take in… It is the soft silver light of the Moon… So we breathe in and out. And so does this circle become a fitting place For our Lady's presence. We are the children of the Moon. We are born of shining light. When the Moon shoots forth a ray, We see within it the Goddess… and ourselves. What we call in our hearts Goes forth everywhere… echoing Beyond the stars themselves. And we have no doubt That we are heard.
How To Celebrate a Summer Full Moon Group Ceremony By Patti Wigington, About.com Guide
In addition to -- or instead of -- holding a monthly Esbat rite, some Wiccan and Pagan groups prefer to have a seasonspecific full moon ceremony. During the warmer months, the summer season begins with the Strong Sun Moon in June, and continues through July's Blessing Moon and ends with the Corn Moon of August. If you'd like to celebrate one or more of these moon phases with a ritual specific to the summer, it's not hard. This rite is written for a group of four people or more, but if you needed to, you could easily adapt it for a solitary practitioner or a family coven. What You Need •Candles for each of the four quarters •A cup of wine, fruit juice or water •Symbols of summer to decorate your altar 1. Summer nights are usually pretty warm, though, so after dark is the best time for an outdoor rituals (be sure to remember the Magical Bug Spray!). Ask each member of the group to bring an item to place on the altar that represents the warmth of the summer growing season. Some ideas would be: •Fresh herbs or flowers •Summer fruits such as strawberries, raspberries •Solar symbols •Sea water, sand or shells You'll want to include quarter candles*, as well as a cup of wine, fruit juice or water. If you're including Cakes and Ale as part of your celebration, place your cakes on the altar as well. 2. Assign a member of the group to call each quarter. Each person should stand at their assigned quarter holding their unlit candle (and a lighter or matches), and facing the altar. If there are more than four of you present, form a circle. 3. The person in the north quarter lights their green candle, holds it to the sky, and says: We call upon the powers of Earth, and welcome you to this circle. The sun's heat has warmed the earth and will bring us the bounty of the soil, when the harvest time comes. Place the candle on the altar.
4. The person to the east should light her yellow candle, hold it to the sky, and say: We call upon the powers of Air, and welcome you to this circle. May the wind bring us fruitfulness and togetherness of family and friends, in this season of growth and light. Place the candle on the altar. 5. Moving to the south, light the red candle and hold it to the sky, saying: We call upon the powers of Fire, and welcome you to this circle. May the shining light of this season's moon illuminate our way at night, as the sun has brightened our lives by day. Place the candle on the altar. 6. Finally, the person to the west lights the blue candle, holds it to the sky, and says: We call upon the powers of Water, and welcome you to this circle. Although the earth may become dry and parched during the long hot weeks of summer, we know that again the rains will come and bring with them life. Place the candle on the altar. 7. Have everyone in the circle join hands and say: We gather tonight by the light of the moon, to celebrate the season, and rejoice. May the next turn of the Wheel bring us love and compassion, abundance and prosperity, fertility and life. As the moon above, so the earth below. Go around the circle, passing the wine, fruit juice or water. As each person takes a sip, they should share one thing they are looking forward to. Summer is a time of growth and development before the harvest arrives. What do you plan to manifest for yourself in the coming month? Now is the time to state your intent. 8. Take a moment to reflect on the growth you've seen since Spring. When everyone is ready, either move on to your next ceremony -- Cakes and Ale, Drawing Down the Moon, healing rites, etc. -- or end the ritual.
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A few words of caution about weather magick in general. 1. Don't work to control the weather, but rather to influence it. 2. Use the movement of weather systems and air masses your advantage so that you have to use as little effort to alter the movement or development of such systems. If you work against normal weather patterns your magic isn't likely to succeed. (This may take some research to learn basic weather patterns on your part.) 3. When interfering with long-term weather patterns, such as suppressing a drought, great care must be taken in considering natural climatic patterns and fluctuations. Deviating from these too much for too long can cause disastrous consequences. (Again learning what the ideal patterns for your area are will take some research on your part.) 4. Most people tend to think of how the weather affects the area they live in, limiting their concern for their own town or county to a portion of their state. Storm systems can cover thousands of square miles, so adjusting the impact on one area could effects areas hundreds of miles away. This means you must consider where the rain will continue and what conditions there are in its path. Basically, a few days could mean the difference between a good rain and severe flooding in the next state over, especially if the storm gains strength as it moves on. Also, you don't want to try to make your target area too small. A heavy rain ending the drought in one small town really doesn't benefit many if the drought affects a number of states. 5. This article was clearly written by a non-Wiccan. If you are Wiccan, simply adding "And it harm none" will likely solve the problem of causing unwanted damage from the spell. You may also add my favorite from the non-Wiccan Shatki Gawain: "This or something better now manifests for the good of all." I'm certainly not saying these simple phrases will substitute for doing research on natural weather patterns, but they will add a safety net so to speak to your weather magick. 6. While this article does warn of potentially causing a flood or drought, I have to respectfully say "Get over yourself." Most of us are not likely powerful enough to bring such extreme weather changes. Maybe this could happen if there is an entire coven doing the magick but IMHO, one lil' witch is not going to affect the weather that much. In the end, God/dess will do what God/dess will do when it comes to nature.
Spell to Bring Rain: Broom Spell for Rain The broom end is splashed in freshwater (a river, spring, stream, or basin filled with water from such a natural source) and the drops are flung into the air over your head, face the direction of East and give the wet bristle a shake then say:
Clouds of the East Now head my call, Bring thy rain And let it fall!
Turn to the direction of South. Give the broom another shake and call upon the clouds of the South:
Clouds of the South Now head my call, Bring thy rain And let it fall!
Turn to the direction of the West. Give the broom another shake and call upon the clouds of the West:
Clouds of the West Now head my call, Bring thy rain And let it fall!
Turn to the direction of North. Give the broom another shake and call upon the clouds of the North:
Clouds of the North Now head my call, Bring thy rain And let it fall!
Turn full circle back to the direction of East. Hold the broomstick horizontally in both hand, raise your arms to the sky and repeat the following:
Rain come hither I decree! As it is willed, So mote it be!
Ending a Drought Spell; Look at the sky, and chant:
God of thy sun, you've dried up the earth, now it is time for rain's rebirth. Nourish the crops, Give them life, Let them grow, without strife. Cool the air, Release the warm, Give the earth care, Let rain swarm!
Rain Chant Goddess bring the rain down, giving life to the ground, energy to feed the seed, mother nature gifts to me. God bring the rain down, giving life to the ground, energy to feed the seed, and a healthy harvest bring. So Mote It Be!!" 15
MaMa Em I am a medium. Not in the Theresa Caputo, John Edward, TV life, glorified kind of way – but in a way that I have to make work amidst being a mother with two young children, a wife, having a 9-5 job, taking care of a home, and trying to get a fledgling business off the ground while also talking to dead people kind of way. I have been able to see, sense, talk to, and feel the emotions of the dead since I was very young. As a small child, I had “imaginary” friends – I knew their entire backstories. I could tell you what kind of cars they drove, who their families were, their favorite foods, etc. My parents chalked it up to an overactive and creative imagination, as most parents do. As I got older and started school, the adults in my life encouraged me to let my “imaginary” friends go, and I was taught that these things were considered fantasy, and not real. At some point during first grade, I stopped all communication with my “imaginary” friends. Life went fairly normally for a while, but as I entered middle school, I started seeing and feeling things again. I could hear whispers when rooms were silent, and I often saw shadows or flashes of light. Scared and feeling like I had no one to talk to, I followed my friends to various churches over the course of the next three years, seeking answers. Each time I’d muster the courage to ask a youth group leader or pastor/deacon/priest about the paranormal activity I was experiencing, they’d shush me and tell me that such things were ‘The Devil’s Work’ and that I must not talk about them or acknowledge them in any way. I started feeling like perhaps the Christian faith was not for me, because it seemed like every question I asked about anything related to contradictions or dead ends in the bible (which every leader had suggested I read to find my way ‘away from the Devil’s business’) I was angrily told that Christianity was about blind faith, and that I should ‘just believe’ so that I could ‘save my soul’. By my Freshman year of high school, I had given up. I had chosen a photography course as my elective that year in school, and one of the assignments we were given was to make a contact sheet of a foreign object. The idea was to put an object onto a piece of photo paper, then expose it to the light and develop it normally. The end result should be a black background and white masses wherever the objects had been. I was having trouble figuring out what to do, and while trying to kill time in class, I put my hand on the photo paper and exposed that. Haphazardly, I ran the paper through the developing chemicals, and then as the bell ring, shook it dry and threw it into my backpack. That afternoon at lunch, I was digging through my things looking for a pen, and out fell the photo. A friend picked it up and complimented me on my artwork. I laughed at what I thought was a wisecrack, and grabbed the photo to shove it back into my bag. I glanced at the handprint on the paper and stopped in my tracks. Very clearly, as if someone had taken hours to draw it out, was a woman in a turban, sitting at a round table, gazing into a large crystal ball. She was grinning, and her eyes seemed to draw you into her world. The tablecloth beneath the ball was intricately designed, with patterns of swirls and shapes. In my finger areas were smaller, equally detailed images. There was one of a shadow walking through an open doorway, and another that looked like an eye. The photo was mesmerizing, yet terrifying. I knew it meant something, but I wasn’t sure what. I took it home and showed it to my parents, both of whom again complimented me on my artwork. I explained that I had not drawn this, that it had appeared this way on its own. Fascinated, yet confused and a little worried, we burned the photo in our fireplace. I took it home and showed it to my parents, both of whom again complimented me on my artwork. I explained that I had not drawn this, that it had appeared this way on its own. Fascinated, yet confused and a little worried, we burned the photo in our fireplace.
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However, the activity in my life had skyrocketed by that point, and there was no turning it off. It was a daily struggle to tune it out just so I could deal with normal high school problems. In a last act of sheer desperation, I found myself on the floor of the religious section of the public library, surrounded by piles of books on everything from Hinduism to Buddhism to Islam and beyond. I needed answers, and I was determined to find them. Just when I was about to give up hope, a book on Paganism literally fell off of the shelf and into my hands. Three pages in, I was home. I am blessed and lucky to have a family who asks questions, educates themselves, and encourages each other in their individual paths, so telling my folks that I was studying Paganism wasn’t a huge ordeal. Telling them I could talk to the dead, was a little scarier. Through Paganism, I learned to meditate, how to open my spiritual self to figure out what exactly was going on with these paranormal experiences, and not to fear them. Soon I was able to listen, and relay messages fairly easily. Each spirit is different. Some pop up and start chatting away, telling me exactly who they want to talk to and what they want to say. Some are silent, spending days at a time just sitting on my couch or wandering in and out of my house, never really saying anything. As a Pagan, I don’t believe in negative entities, demons, or harmful spirits. Some spirits, like some humans, can be jerks. So I surround myself and my home in white light, and smudge with white sage often to clear spirit buildup. By the time I turned 28, I realized I was also empathic. So nowadays, it’s common for me to feel the symptoms of cause of death before I even see the spirits themselves. Just the other day, I was unloading groceries in my kitchen, and I got very hot, felt sick and dizzy, and started coughing uncontrollably. Within minutes, I turned to my husband and said “someone died in a fire, from smoke inhalation.” After some digging, I found out that a friend of mine had lost her best friend years ago in just such a manner. Then the messages started flowing, my friend gave me a tearful thank you, and the symptoms I was feeling subsided. All of the experiences and challenges I’ve faced in my life have led me to make it my mission to help others in my shoes fine tune their abilities, and feel accepted and normal. I’m about a month away from completing a book about a year in my life – what it’s really like to be medium and try to balance that amongst the everyday challenges of being a mom, a Pagan in a small town, a wife, etc. I am vocal and very public about my story so that others may not be afraid to be themselves as well. With the encouragement of my family and the spirits who hang out with me often, I’ve started a metaphysical store (online for now, brick & mortar store to come!) and can now offer supplies, jewelry & décor to my fellow Pagans and also the curious non-Pagans at prices that don’t break the bank. This is my life, and it’s something I am proud of! -Emily Brown- Psychic Medium for over 16 years, and lives in Minden, Nevada. To stay in contact and keep informed of what’s going on in my world, check out www.mamaemsworld.com or follow my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/readingsbymamaem She stood on the platform taking time to prepare For the messages she recieved must be passed on with care Loved ones in the audiance looked up with delight As she picked from the congregation, guided by Spirit light.
Her path is certainly no easy course It's rather like riding a wild prairie horse Challenging but some how magical and right But only if guided by Spirit Angels ,in their powerful light.
Visitors from across the veil Spoke of times on earth with accurate detail 'Yes that's my Uncle Douglas, he always wore blue He so loved that hymn and his allotment too'.
All that she says is not for her glory and fame All must be dedicated in the Great Spirits' name For Father, Mother, God, has given this gift To mend broken hearts and seal family rifts.
Love travells all space and time Those in the Spirit world are now well and fine They often appear to the Medium with passing ails To prove to the living she's not telling tales
If it's proof you need beyond a shadow of doubt Perhaps your faith is weak and you'll leave with nowt If you are happy for others to recieve messages true Love will come back ten fold to you.
Her once hidden gift she now happily shares No more the outcast, here everyone cares She has opened her heart for love to pour in She has blended with Spirit from deep within
Our Spirit friends and family are just a breath away As you too will find on your final day In the Summerland you will be a welcome guest Reunited with loved ones to start a new quest.
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The Crab June 22 to July 22 Traditional Cancer Traits
On the dark side....
Emotional and loving Intuitive and imaginative Shrewd and cautious Protective and sympathetic
Changeable and moody Overemotional and touchy Clinging and unable to let go
Cancer! About your sign... The Cancerian character is the least clearcut of all those associated with the signs of the zodiac. It can range from the timid, dull, shy and withdrawn to the most brilliant, and famous Cancerians are to be found through the whole range of human activity. It is a fundamentally conservative and home-loving nature, appreciating the nest like quality of a secure base to which the male can retire when he needs a respite from the stresses of life, and in which the Cancerian woman can exercise her strong maternal instincts. The latter tends to like and to have a large family. `Nest like' is an appropriate adjective for the Cancerian home, for its inhabitants tend to favor the dark, mysterious but comfortable type of house which has something of the air of a den about it, a place which belongs to the family rather than existing as a showcase to impress visitors. That is not to say that the Cancerian is unsociable, just that for them there is a time to socialize and a time to be solitary, and this is part of the apparent contradiction in their nature. Outwardly they can appear formidable - thickskinned, unemotional, uncompromising, obstinately tenacious, purposeful, energetic, shrewd, intuitive and wise, sometimes with a philosophical profundity of thought verging on inspiration. Their intimates, however, may see a very different character, one with a sympathetic and kindly sensitivity to other people, especially those they love. They are able to identify with the situations of others because of the keenness of their imaginations. They are often overimaginative and prone to fantasy, sometimes trying to shape their lives to fit some romantic ideal. They are appreciative of art and literature, and especially of drama, where the spectacle and ebb and flow of action and feeling particularly excite them. They may themselves possess considerable literary, artistic or oratorical talent. Their sharp ears and talent for mimicry can sometimes give them success on the stage, though their tendency to be emotional may make them overact. Interestingly - because they give the impression of being down-to-earth - they are often fascinated by the occult and are
more open to psychic influence than the average. If they can reconcile the personal conflict of their urge to be outgoing with the reserve that causes them to withdraw into themselves, then at best they can inspire a generation, especially the youthful part of it, by their idealism. A job in which they can express this, and in which they can do well, would be as a leader in a youth organization. In their personal relationships they are mentally a mixture of toughness and softness, often emotional and romantic to the point of sentimentality in their fantasies; but in real life and in marriage, their loving is not so sentimental but tenaciously loyal. Even if they have affairs (and they may do so, for the male in particular is open to sensual stimulation), their first loyalty remains to spouse and family, of whom they regard themselves as the protector. Both the Cancerian man and woman love unreservedly, giving much and asking little in return - in fact, one of the most important lessons they have to learn is how to receive gracefully. They are too easily influenced by those they love and admire, and swayed by the emotion of the moment. They are also loyal friends, the negative side of their faithfulness being clannishness, the narrow patriotism of "my country right or wrong"; and closing ranks in suspicion and coldness toward outsiders. Cancerians have a retentive memory, particularly for emotionally laden events which they can recall in detail for years afterwards. they are strongly governed by childhood memories and since they live intensely in the past in memory and in the future in imagination, a chance meeting with someone for whom they had an unrequited love, even if they thought they had conquered the feeling, will easily rouse the emotion all over again. The Cancerian has many potential faults. They can be untidy, sulky, devious, moody, inclined to self-pity because of an inferiority complex, brood on insults (very often imagined), yet are easily flattered. They can be tactless and difficult yet, because they are normally ambitious, they will curry favor by
floating with majority opinions, outlooks and fashions of the day. As a result they often change their opinions and loyalties and, indeed, their occupations, and lack stability. They are easily corrupted and, because they are convincing romanticizers, can make successful confidence tricksters. Their romanticism in another sense make them ardent supporters of causes, for example a football team with whose heroes they can identify in a world of fantasy. Their abilities fit the Cancerian for a wide range of occupations. As they are interested in what people are thinking and able to judge what they can safely be told, they can be good journalists, writers or politicians, though in this last capacity they are more likely to remain in the background rather than attain prominent positions of power. They may, indeed, change their party affiliations. They can serve in other departments of public affairs, especially those which involve looking after others, for example in any kind of service from welfare and nursing to catering - their own love of comfort and good living makes the Cancerian an excellent chef or housekeeper. They sometimes have a penchant for trade or business and are often successful as a captain of industry. This is because they are excellent organizers with a good sense of value and economy which they may combine with a flair for inventiveness and originality. The romantic side of their natures make them enjoy grubbing about in places where exciting discoveries may be made (old stamp collections in attics, etc.), and if they can do this professionally as a secondhand dealer or specialist in antiques, they will be happy. More common occupations which suit some subjects of Cancer are real estate broker, gardener and sailor. Physically they are average to below average in height, with a fleshy body and short legs in comparison with the rest of them. Their hair is usually brown, their faces round, their complexions pale, their foreheads prominent, their eyes small and blue or gray in color, their noses short, perhaps upturned, and their mouths full. They sometimes walk clumsily.
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Leo is the fifth Sign of the Zodiac. Moving past the exploration of the world and the need to nurture of the first four Signs, Leo's great need is to create. Creativity is one of Leo's keywords, and people born under this Sign have the vitality and ambition to be successful in their creative endeavors. Leos are especially prominent on stage and in Hollywood, as their natural ability to act and their flamboyance and love of attention make them naturals at fame. Additionally, Leos love romance, and take pride in their warm hospitality. As the fifth Sign, Leo also rules the fifth House: the House of Pleasure. The Astrological Symbol of Leo is the Lion. The Lion is the King of Beasts, and Leos enjoy being treated as the kings and queens of the Zodiac. Like the Lion, Leos have great physical strength and stamina. They tend to be opinionated, but they have a strong ability to see their projects through to the end. In this way, Leo exemplifies the Fixed Quality assigned to it. Leos may be arrogant or egotistical, but they are good organizers and tend to be popular and even inspiring. Within the Zodiac, Leo is opposite Aquarius, the Sign of Friends. Leo tends to be about self and personal popularity rather than group goals and sharing of ideas. Despite their tendency to patronizingly interfere in others' plans, they are leaders, confident and dignified. Leo is ruled by the Sun. In ancient times, the Sun was believed to be the center of the Universe, the core of existence, the Father. Today, the Sun is important because it generates warmth and keeps life on Earth moving. Leos, too, sometimes feel they are the center of the universe, and sometimes they are! They are gregarious and social, fun-loving, and live life with enthusiasm. Despite their tendency toward bossiness and pretention, the natural leadership of people born under Leo and their administrative prowess helps ensure that their projects are successful. As leaders, Leos are decisive and direct, optimistic that they will succeed. Sometimes they exaggerate problems and overreact to stumbling blocks, but generally they are positive and their natural pride and stubborn streak keep them from giving up. They can be demanding leaders, but they are also generous.
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The Element associated with Leo is Fire. Fire Signs are physical: they tend to respond to the world through action, rather than practicality, intellect, or emotion. Leos jump headfirst into life, without worrying whether their latest goal is realistic or practical. For them, everything about life is Big with a capital B, and if drama and courage is required to do what they want to do, they have both in abundance. Like Fire, Leos are always moving and quick, and their warm-hearted and outgoing personalities are similarly fiery. They tend to seek power more than other Signs, and because of this people sometimes feel they are obnoxious, boastful, self-centered, or rude. But despite their sometimes hotheaded or cutting response, Leos are cheerful and self-assured, sometimes to the point of living in a fantasy world. They are always happy as long as someone is paying attention to them! Leo rules the fifth House, which besides romance and children also involves gambling. Many Leos love to gamble, and may be brash and extravagant at the gaming table. They see it as their natural due when casinos treat them as royalty! Pleasure is important to people born under Leo, and they like to spend money to feel good. At their extreme, some Leos can be vain and childish or overbearing in their reactions, but generally they're happy so long as they are comfortable. In their leisure time, Leos prefer to play in groups rather than solo. They are too gregarious to enjoy solitary running or weight lifting, and they much prefer team sports or group exercise. In love relationships, Leo tops the charts in almost every area, from devotion to romance.
Welcome to Blackcats Jewellery. Where the word of beauty melts with the world of Pagan mystery. Each piece of Jewellry is hand crafted in Australia to provide our customers with the most unique and beautiful Jewellry available. With something for everyone your choices are endless. Here you will find pendants, necklaces’, bracelets’, sun catchers, earrings and much more. Visit me on Facebook @ Blackcats jewellery to see the collections I have "Albums" in my "photos" of all my goodies. (LINK PROVIDED BELOW) They are separated in categories: necklaces, silver toned earrings, bracelets etc. . . . Just click on the category and browse, if you see something you like, click on the picture. You can then comment "SOLD”. I will contact you with details (mailing and PayPal email). It's that easy http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blackcats-jewellery/466309883386768?ref=hl&sk=photos_album Chain Bracelet (made to measure)
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July God of the Month ~ by Lazy Witch
The Almighty, The All Powerful "RA, the Almighty, the All Powerful, God of Light, God of the Sun! All praise Ra, the Great and Powerful!" . . . I'm not certain what movie that comes from, something I say in my childhood no doubt or perhaps something in my long distant past but it has always stuck with me. It sounds like such a wonderful way to greet a god. I'm sure I didn't know at the time what a force Ra was to the ancient Egyptians or what a stinker he could be. And, I must admit, I've never taken much time to delve into him. Ra (or Re, as he is also known) was the Egyptian God of Creation and the God of the Sun (often depicted at high noon with the head of a falcon and the sun-disk resting on his head, surrounded by the serpentine form of the cobra-goddess Wadjet.) though he is also depected in other forms. Other Greek and Roman names for him were Re-Atum, Re-Khepri, and Amun-Re. His cult was found in Heliopolis (Iunu or "Place of Pillars" in Egyptian), and elsewhere through the Nile Valley region from circa 3000BC until the end of Egyptian Pharonich History, circa 400AD. Ra was also seen as the first being and the originator of the Ennead, a group of god-like beings, which consisting of Shu and Tefnut, Geb and Nut, Osiris (God of the Dead), Set, Isis (Goddess of the Moon) and Nehthys. I could find no female/goddess counterpart to Ra, though he was often at odds with daughters Isis, Bastet (sometimes known as the "Cat of Ra"), Sekhmet (also known as the "Cat of Ra" as well as Ra's Vengeance") and Hathor (again used as the "Eye of Ra"). Isis is often considered his opposite as she is the Goddess of the Moon and capable of using all her power against him, making her nearly as powerful as Ra. He has been depicted in art thru sculpture, stone reliefs, carvings, wall paintings and papyrus illustrations. His power laid out in pyramid texts, coffin texts. Two of the best known of these are the Westcar Papyrus and the Egyptian Book of the Dead. According to legend, Ra created himself out of a mound that emerged from the primeval ocean. In other depictions, he arose as a child from the primeval lotus blossom. As well as a representation of the Sun, Ra is also perceived as the God of the Underworld. He is known in some inscriptions as "Re in Osiris, Osiris in Re," in which case he often rides in his boat as a human figure with a ram's head surmounted by a sun disc and accompanied by Wadjet. The notion of the
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"Eye of Ra" is a very complex on, suggesting several things including, in essence, his power and perfection. All forms of life were believed to have been created by Ra, who called each of them into existence by speaking their secret names. Alternatively humans were created from Ra's tears and sweat, hence the Egyptians calling themselves the "Cattle of Ra." In the myth of the Celestial Cow it is recounted how mankind plotted against Ra and how he sent his eye to Goddess Sekhmet to punish them. When she became bloodthirsty she was pacified by mixing beer with red dye. Ra was highly feared and his cult reached its height during the 5th Dynasty when the Rulers considered themselves a direct descendants from the sweat and drops of blood coming from his penis (I guess you can't get much holier than that!). To the Egyptians, the sun represented light, warmth and growth. This made the sun deity very important, as the sun was seen as the ruler of all that he created. The sun disk was either seen as the body or the eye of Ra. In the Underworld, Ra was thought to travel on two solar boats call the Mandjet (the Boat of Millions of Years), or morning boat and the Mesektet, or evening boat. These boats took him on his journey through the sky and the Duat, the Underworld of Egypt. While Ra was on the Mesektet, he was in his ram-headed form. When Ra traveled in his sun boat he was accompanied by various other deities including Sia (Perception) and Hu (Command) as well as Heka (Magic Power). Sometimes members of the Ennead helped him on his journey, including Set who overcame the serpent Apophis (the God of Chaos also known at Apep) and Mehen who defended against the monsters of the Underworld. When Ra was in the Underworld, he would visit all of his various forms. It was believed that the Mesektet (Night Boat) carried Ra through the Underworld and back towards the East in preparation for his rebirth every morning. We honor Ra and his light and warmth this July. May he forever shine his love and approval upon us! REFERENCES: "Encyclopedia of Gods: Over 2,500 Deities of the World" by Michael Jordan. Published by Fact on File, Inc. "Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead", translated by Raymond O. Faulkner. Published by Fall River Press "Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia" reference "Ra"
In Praise of Ra
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Llewellyn Worldwide:
Is the Wiccan Rede Ethical? In his latest blog post, Don Michael Kraig asks whether it's truly possible to live by the Wiccan Rede: An it harm none, do what ye will. What do you think? While most of you saw this Don Michael Kraig post last month on Facebook and Llewellyn Worldwide, I felt it was worth a second read. Mr. Kraig indicates that unless you live by yourself and completely “off the grid” using no public services of any kind, actually following the Rede is not only impossible, it’s Unethical. This post was written by Donald Michael Kraig On June 14, 2013 Modern Paganism embraces a wide variety of spiritual traditions. One of the challenges of these traditions is that in some instances they are not thoroughly considered. An individual tradition may leave out large swathes of concepts and limit themselves to small sections of reality. There is often the worship of deities, the practice of magick, divination, and healing, the celebration of festivals and holidays, but little else. As a result, for many people their spiritual tradition is merely a part-time practice rather than a way of living. (I wouldn’t limit this to Pagans, either.) In fact, for many Pagans, when asked how their spirituality flavors their lives, they have little to say, often responding not based on their spiritual paths but according to their sociopolitical beliefs. Some other Pagans—even those who do not identify themselves as Wiccans—fall back upon the Wiccan Rede: Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill, An it harm none do what ye will. The source of the rede (rede is a Middle English term meaning “counsel” or “suggestion”) is highly questionable. Some date it back to Bible (Romans 13:10 can be interpreted as similar to the rede in concept), Saint Augustine of Hippo (“Love, and do what you will”), John Stuart Mill’s “Harm Principle,” French author Pierre Louÿs’ 1901 book, The Adventures of King Pausolus (“Do not harm your neighbor; this being well understood, do that which pleases you.”), or Aleister Crowley’s famous “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.” Perhaps it was derived directly from one of these, perhaps indirectly, or perhaps it was just the founders of modern Wicca expressing their libertarian views. Whatever the source, as related to Wicca it first appears in a speech by Doreen Valiente in 1964. Various versions of it, including ones that are much longer, have appeared over the past half century, but the essence remains those eight words: An (Middle English for “If”) it harm none, do what ye will. This seems like a magickal mantra for modern-day Objectivists and libertarians: As long as you leave me alone and don’t affect me in any way, do whatever you want. The Practical Impact of the Rede Unfortunately, unless you live by yourself and completely “off the grid” using no public services of any kind, actually following the Rede is not only impossible, it’s unethical. •If you buy clothes of any kind, chances are they were made in third-world countries by people in terrible conditions. You’re hurting them. •If you buy food in a grocery store, chances are the fruits and vegetables were planted, raised, and harvested by underpaid and overworked temporary workers. You’re hurting them.
•If you see a person such as a child or someone who is elderly being attacked or abused, you can’t use force to stop the attacker or abuser. That would be hurting them. To completely follow the rede requires you to either raise your own foods or know where it came from during every step of its production, not buy any clothes that might have been made by workers who are laboring under horrible conditions, and certainly not use force to defend the health, safety, and well-being of the weak or powerless. If you have a pet that is suffering intense pain from age or disease, the rede requires you to let them suffer until they die on their own. You could not euthanize them to prevent further suffering. And since the rede is usually associated with treating yourself well, if you’re suffering intense pain from some disease or other ailment, and there is no possible cure or way to alleviate your pain, making the conscious decision to end your own misery is not allowed. Silver RavenWolf clearly understands the problem of actually following the letter of the rede. In Solitary Witch she writes that “if you lived by the ‘an’ it harm none’ rule to the letter, you couldn’t even work against disease!” Her workaround is to acknowledge that by not acting to stop someone from doing evil, you are allowing greater harm to manifest. Your goal should be to minimize harm to everyone. Okay. That’s a way of working around the rede. But that’s what it is: working around the rede. The rede doesn’t say act to limit harm to all; it is an instruction to you not to do harm. Period. You can choose not to follow the rede and work to limit harm to all. That might be a good solution. However it should be made clear that you have abandoned following the rede and are replacing it with something that allows for what I would consider to be a more ethical response to the real world. Fully following the rede in our current culture is simply not possible. You would have to act like those who follow the Jain religion in India, living a life where they even avoid stepping on an insect. Some Pagans simply add a clause to the eight-word rede to cover modern reality: “An it cause harm, do as you must.” This basically negates the rede and changes the context to following RavenWolf’s interpretation of limiting harm to all. The Missing Part of the Rede There is also something important missing from the rede that makes it irrelevant: the result of not following it. If you harm someone, what happens as a result? As written, there is no negative impact on you. You may as well say, “try to live a harmless life, but if you harm someone, well, YOLO. That’s the way it goes.” So what is it that’s missing? Although not originally directly associated with the rede, Gerald Gardner first wrote about it in his Wiccan novel (1949) entitled HIgh Magic’s Aid. It’s later described as a “law” by Monique Wilson and was popularized as a law by Raymond Buckland. This is the “Law of Three” or “Three-fold Law.” Simply put, this “law” states, “whatever energy a person puts out into the world, be it positive or negative, will be returned to that person three times” (Wikipedia).
Really? So if you break someone’s arm, does that mean you’re going to get your arm broken three times? If you trip someone does that mean someone is going to trip you three times? If you kill someone does that mean you’re going to be murdered three times? How could that work? It would have to imply a belief in reincarnation and multiple lives. So isn’t it great, then, that you have your own murder to look forward to? I don’t think so. Some people refer to this as the “Law of Return” and state that the concept is valid, but it may not necessarily have a threefold return. So does that mean if you murder someone you’re only going to be murdered 2 1/3 times? How does that work? And if we follow the Law of Return, do we need the Wiccan Rede at all? Others have different versions of this “law.” One older version is usually presented, “As you sow, so shall ye reap.” That comes from Galatians in the Bible. So are the ethics of Wiccans, Pagans, and magickal people who follow the rede ultimately based on the Bible or is there another alternative? The Reluctant Messiah In Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah, author Richard Bach confronts the situation. A movie Dracula-like vampire asks to feed on the story’s protagonist. The protagonist refuses. His mentor points out that he’s hurting the vampire by not letting him feed. He leads the protagonist to understand that we are all free to do whatever we want. Period. But wouldn’t this ultimate freedom lead to pure narcissism and anarchy and not caring about anyone other than ourselves? Possibly. But there is an even older Pagan solution. The Tantric Solution Most people think of Tantra as being “that sex stuff.” In actuality, Tantra is one of the world’s oldest Pagan spiritual traditions. Tantra is the source of such concepts as the chakras, kundalini, acupuncture, the Tattvic Tides, a God and Goddess, etc. Some authorities (see, for example, Ann Moura‘s book on the history of Witchcraft) even believe that it was people from early India who came West into Europe where they became known as (or influenced) the Druids. The ancient Tantrics also discovered the concept of karma. Most people reading this will have some idea of karma, and I describe it more fully here. Basically put, karma has nothing to do with intent. It only has to do with actions. If you do something, there will be a result. Your intent is irrelevant.* Contrary to popular belief, the purpose of karma is not to punish or reward; it is to educate. Once you learn the results of what you do, enlightened self-interest will encourage you to do good so that the response from the universe back to you will be good. This process will help you on your personal spiritual evolution. This traditional concept of karma makes clear that: You are free to do whatever you want in life, but you are responsible for whatever you do. A karmic response to any action may come through the actions of friends and family, governmental organizations, or from the universe itself with new opportunities or a removal of positive things in your life. It may take several lifetimes for you to learn what you need to do to make your life the wonderful thing you want it to be. Continued on page 46
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Dear Gertrude, Can you help us!! A bunch of us want to form a coven during summer break. We want to do all kinds of magic and study the old ways. How do we start and where can we go for good information? Who can we turn to since none of us can find covens in our area? What tools are best and what herbs should we use? We have a few people we need to work on with magic but just don't know what to do. Will you help us, please? We found you on face book and you said you could. Sincerely, Needing Help My Dear "Needing Help" and Friends, Thank you for writing. And thank you for asking for help. I'll do my best to be constructive and as helpful as I dare but I'll warn you all now that you may not like everything you are about to read. What I will tell you WILL help you to begin your studies as well as understand better the "Olde Ways" but I suggest you do not attempt any magick against anyone or anything, at least until you have a much better understanding of magick, what it is and what it can do to not do. Also, what you will be reading IS NOT stage magic, slight of hand or the "magic" you see in films. This is Natures' Magick, the Olde magick. The magick and the path of the Ancients. I will not give you any spells or direct instruction here as. This is something you will need to find out for yourself. I do not wish to place this e-zine or myself in any situation of direct conflict where we could be charged as attempting to draw an under aged child away from or interfering with parental rights. As a minor, if you are one, you are under the direction, care and educational guidelines of your parent(s) or guardian(s). Please do not go against your parents or guardians. You will have plenty of time when you are older. PLEASE, PLEASE keep in mind that Wiccans, most Witches and Pagans DO NOT believe in Satan or any form of Satanic beings. To us Satan is considered a Judaic/Islamic/Catholic/Christian being and has nothing to do with our worship of Nature and the workings of the Universe. I understand your curiosity and desire to find out more about Wicca, the Craft and magick. Though there are many, many books out there to read, Scott Cunningham (wrote specifically for Beginning Wiccans) comes to mind right off the bat, as does Silver RavenWolf's book, "Teen Witch: Wicca for a New Generation". There are many others but these a really good for starters. There are also some good websites; however, I'm afraid many repeat what you'll find on other sites as well as from some very well written books. It's hard to tell their differences and similarities until you begin to read so study and see what you find out.
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This is a good time to bring up your very own "Book of Shadows" (BoS) or "Grimoire". This is YOUR book if information in which you write down anything and everything you find important or necessary for you to be a Wiccan. This doesn't have to be anything fancy. An old notebook will do nicely to start. I do not suggest looking for a coven at this time OR forming one of your own as there is much to be learned and each individual needs to learn and understand their own abilities. BEWARE of covens or individuals that say you "must" do something or you "can't" do something else. Always look to what you feel in your "gut" is right or wrong. Some covens or groups like to practice their ceremonies "Skyclad" or nude. I would strongly suggest avoiding these groups until you are at least 21 years old if not older as these can be very dangerous for younger individuals. Very few covens or groups will allow any members or participants under the age of 21. What I would suggest is forming a reading or study and discussion group, getting together once a week or whenever you can at a park or some nice outdoor place to discuss what you've learned and read on your own. This would allow you, as a group, to exchange information, question what you've read, discuss it at length and to share any books you may have come across (there are many used bookstores that carry Wiccan, Metaphysical and/or Occult books which are much less expensive than new ones. You might also find some in Thrift Stores). This would also allow you to share the books you do locate. WORD OF CAUTION: Be sure you take the name of the individual who borrows your book(s) so you don't "loose" it. Also, make certain that anyone borrowing you book understands that if they lose it, misplace it, or have it confiscated that they are responsible for replacing it!!! This is very important and makes each individual RESPONSIBLE for their actions ~ an extremely important lesson to learn before beginning any magickal practices. I DO strongly encourage learning about other religions. I understand that organized religion is not for everyone but it does have things to teach us. Modern Wicca (developed in England in the 1930-40s, has a basis in Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and Christianity (little of Modern Wicca is based on the Olde Wisdoms), so knowing and having some kind of understanding of these four religions will help when learning the responsibilities involved in Wicca. You may know or have read the "Wiccan Rede". It is a personal chant/promise to the Great Goddess or Deity, to the Universe and to all living things that you will not harm another living thing. In fact the opening of the Rede states, "Bide the Wiccan Law you must, In perfect love and perfect trust. Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill: An' ye harm none, do what ye will." In other words, you are to harm no one and nothing. Many believe that Wicca forbids using magick AGAINST anyone or anything as you are pressing YOUR will on someone else. This can be a very dangerous thing to do and I do not advise it for most Wiccans, Witches or Pagans until they fully understand how to write a proper spell and what might happen to the spellcaster who presses their will upon someone else.
I also advise against trying to do "Love Spells" as you are dealing with someone else's life, which is not advantageous for the spellcaster. Study and learn the ways to write spells so they will perform the best action you wish to achieve. I prefer simple and straight forward spells but many Wiccans like or prefer to make spells in rhyme (though this isn't necessary). The best way to start writing spells is to FIRST READ lots and lots and lots of spells. This will give you an idea how others put words together. BEWARE!! Many spells you read on-line (and even in many books) have never been tested. I would say this is true of most spells found on blogs as well. Also, the "spells" that were used in movies like "Practical Magick", "Hocus Pocus" and some television shows like "Charmed" are written to sound good but are not necessarily written to function as real spells. Surprisingly, many Old English Nursery Rhymes are old spells. Think of something like "Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day." I've used this often when needing fine weather for an important activity being held outdoors. We usually still have clouds but when I release the spell (which is something only the really good books will tell you to do) we usually receive our rain or snow.
Altar tools and magick items you will gather slowly and, I hope, you will make yourself. As you read from authors on beginning Wicca you will probably be encouraged to make your own to use items. Making your own tools and altar items increases their energy as well as your own. Using items you already have gives you an instant connection with your tools that would take time to build up if you purchased them. What I will suggest is to read "Elemental Magick" e-zine each month. It's free, it can be shared with your friends and there is lots and lots of really good information in it each month. Some things will make sense to you and others won't. That's okay. The same goes for the books you read. Take with you what makes sense and what you are comfortable with. Leave the rest behind. Wicca is a path that is always changing, always improving, always enlightening. Enjoy your path and if you find it isn't for you, that's okay. You may not be ready for Wicca yet. Go where you need to and, should you decide to return to this path, know that you can. Many Blessings to you all and may the Goddess guide you. Yours fondly, Gertrude Moon, CC
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With empathy and solace, with magick and with care, with foresight and with harmony, The witch her soul will share. With charity and knowledge, With nature and with song, With healing and with harvest The witch will do no wrong. With laughter and with pleasure, with comfort and with hope, with gentle words of wisdom, The witch will help you cope. ~Kathryn, The Not Quite Wicked Witch 27
The use of Lavender has been documented for thousands of years. Pliny the Elder says that its blossom, called Asarum, sold for a hundred Roman denarii. The Greeks called it Nardus, after a city in Syria on the banks of the Euphrates. It was used by the ancients in perfuming bathwater, and for strewing on the floors of temples and houses. It was cultivated in England for the first time around 1560, and is mentioned in the writings of William Shakespeare. Medicinally, lavender has many uses. Noted herbalist Nicolas Culpeper recommends "a decoction made with the flowers of Lavender, Horehound, Fennel and Asparagus root, and a little Cinnamon" to help with epilepsy and other disorders of the brain. Tincture of lavender has been officially recognized as a treatment in the British Pharmacopceia for two centuries. Judith Benn Hurley writes in The Good Herb that during the sixteenth century, English herbalists used lavender tucked into a cap as a cure for headaches, and advocated the use of its oils as a method of keeping wounds clean and avoiding infection. Magically speaking, lavender is often included in love spells and rituals because of its attractive scent, and is used as an ingredient in spells for attracting money.. To bring love your way, carry lavender flowers in a sachet on your person, or hang stalks of it in your home. Lavender is bound to Mercury and Air. Because of its delightful fragrance and its light, flowery taste, it has been used for thousands of years magically for its calming, peaceful, and sedating effects. To get a good night's sleep, with calming dreams, stuff a pillow with sprigs of lavender. It can also be used in a purifying bath or smudging ritual. For love, peace and good health, place Lavender flowers in a sachet to be carried on the person. Carrying a sachet or amulet containing lavender is also said to attract spirits or otherworldly entities. Fresh flowers can be rubbed on clothing for attracting love. For peaceful sleep, use a few drops of essential oil on the sheets or pillows before bed. For relaxation, purification baths, or aromatherapy purposes, run bathwater over fresh sprigs or place a few drops of oil in the bath. If bathing is not convenient, simply inhale the scent from a bottle of essential oil for the same effects. Make a tea from fresh or dried lavender flowers for relaxation, peace, health, longevity, protection, and love however, do not use a tea directly before a night of passion, as due to its relaxant and sedative properties, it will decrease sex drive.
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Dried lavender stalks burn like incense sticks, and can be included in spells and rituals aimed attracting money, love, protection, and success. Individual flowers can also be dried and burned similarly for the same purposes. For sleep divination, place lavender sprigs under the pillow before bed while thinking about your desire. If you dream about anything related, you will get what you desire. Other Names: Nardus, Elf-leaf Gender: Masculine Element: Air Planetary Connection: Mercury
Ingredients:
Method
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Stevan, a friend of mine approached me and said that he was taking a five week trip to Mexico and wanted to know if I wanted to join him. My first reaction was, "I can't go! I have a job, I have an apartment, I have stuff, and I have NO MONEY". "No worries", he said, "quit your job, you can find another one, leave your apartment, you can find another one, put your stuff in storage and I'll pay all the expenses of the trip". "I still can't go. It's just irresponsible to just pack up and leave." This conversation had happened out in the desert at a hot springs that was a popular get-away. When I got home, I thought about the offer. He was right. I had actually turned in my notice at my job and my new job could be postponed until I returned, I could easily find another apartment, storage was no problem and I didn't have to worry about paying expenses. I called and left a message, hoping Stevan hadn't found another travel partner. A few weeks later, our adventure began. We weren't traveling FAST, as we were enjoying the sights and talking to the locals. Three days and three hundred miles into Baja California, Mexico (as I said, NOT a FAST TRIP) we were starting out from the hotel and the VW van engine started making a horrible commotion. Stevan pulled over and began to investigate the cause. Evidently one of the pistons was self-destructing. He disabled it and explained that we could proceed on 3 cylinders. We could continue south to the next large town, about 150 miles, or return to the States. I had no desire to go further into unfamiliar territory, so voted that we return to the border. All seemed to be running smoothly, although VERY slowly. I had been driving awhile, when I heard a terrible racket coming from the engine compartment. I pulled over immediately and turned off the engine, not wanting to cause further damage. He traded me places, started the engine and pulled back onto the highway. What a terrible commotion! Then, as suddenly as it had started, it QUIT! We were both a bit dumb-founded, and he said something like "I wonder what happened".
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I started speaking, "Do you know how hard it is to fix a VW engine while sitting in the front seat and WITHOUT getting dirty?" I couldn't believe I heard those words coming out of MY mouth! but he looked at me and said "What did you say????????" I repeated, "Do you know how hard it is to fix a VW engine while sitting in the front seat and WITHOUT getting dirty?" I looked around, thinking "Who said that?� Neither of us said anything more for a long time, and nothing at all was mentioned about my insane statement. I did, however, keep reassuring him that I would get him to the border. That was all I would promise,,,,, to the border, not beyond. Again I was thinking "where in the world did that come from???? How can I promise that? I don't speak Spanish, I have no money and I'm NOT a mechanic". However, there was no doubt in my mind that I could get him to the border. Great! Not sure how I'm going to pull that one off! About 100 miles from the border, the engine started the same terrifying ruckus. He simply looked at me and said, "I don't know what you did before, but would you PLEASE do it again". I had no idea what I'd done before, but said silently to whoever was helping us "PLEASE make that noise quit and get us to the border". Seconds later, the horrible noise quit and the engine was once again running as smoothly as it could, on only 3 cylinders. All Stevan said was "You're a WITCH". At the time, I could neither confirm nor deny the accusation (compliment), I just wanted to get to the border! We made it safely to the border and passed through immigration. Just as I had promised, the VW van made it to the border and just had enough energy to pull safely into the first parking lot we came to. That is where it died. The idea of me actually being a Witch didn't totally sink in for a few more years but I never forgot the trip and still wonder who was working on the VW engine!
Blessings, Lady Ti-Eagle
Please write to me at ladyti_eagle@aol.com with any comments or feedback. I'd love to hear from you.
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MYSTIC WISDOM One fundamental aspect of being Pagan is an affirmation of our symbiosis with Nature. Pagans co-exist with the planet Earth; we do not have dominion over it. From our ancient beginnings Mankind has foraged the Earth to satisfy our three basic necessities of life: Food, Water, and Shelter. Without these things, we would perish. This is a basic fundamental truth we must never forget. Without Mother Nature we would not exist. We are a part of Her, and She is a part of us. In order to survive and flourish we must appreciate and revere the bounty She provides. We must not destroy that which we need to exist. Paganism offers us the opportunity to recognize the very essence of our Being as it relates to our environment. What we are today is a result of many millennia of symbiotic evolution with the plants and animals that we consume, utilize for our clothing and shelter, and then replenish with our advances in agriculture, farming, and the raising of livestock. That very word "livestock" indicates our need for living creatures and our need to keep them in supply. When we mistreat those creatures, we are essentially mistreating ourselves. Currently, the non-organic farming culture that has developed in America and elsewhere piles thousands of pounds of flesh into meager accommodations, then injects dangerous chemicals into every flank in order to mass produce dubiously nutritious meat for our consumption. We also have Monsanto creating new and frightening breeds of hybridized plant life for that same mass consumption. This is all due to an overly large population that relies not on themselves and their communities for sustenance, but instead on multinational corporations protected by a corrupt government, whose sole consideration is the accumulation of wealth. This malignant hoarding has caused a huge diversity in economic status among human beings, where many live in abject poverty while those who ravage the planet live comfortably in draconian castles of their own design. The true wealth on this planet is Her resources, which are being raped and squandered by this desire for paper money that intrinsically has no value at all. The Pagan way of life and an honest, healthy response to this pillaging of resources is to always buy Organic whenever possible, support your local farmers and local
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businesses, and to boycott GMO plant foods and modified livestock. This is not an easy task for those impoverished by the corporate jungle; the monetary costs of health are rising dramatically while the cost of simply obeying the law of the land is minuscule in comparison. An organic apple costs as much or more than a McDonald's cheeseburger. The corporations have engineered agronomics this way to prevent us from leading healthy, fulfilling lives. As Pagans, we must fight this biological tyranny, because the long-term cost to our collective soul is far greater than any immediate monetary concern. Therefore, we must all strive to do whatever is in our powers to do to prevent the loss of our natural way of life. Another Pagan fundamental is the merging of Science with Religion. The two do not have to be mutually exclusive. Understanding the science of the soul and the theology of physics are part of most Pagans’ lives. For instance, all of our rituals are methodical and based on an elemental science. The five elements known to exist by all Pagans are Earth, Fire, Water, Air, and Spirit. Applying the laws of physics to our daily Pagan lives is a matter of course, because we are simply obeying the laws of Nature. Speaking of matter, what we define as "Matter" is anything that takes up space and has a measurable mass. Matter has three states of existence, solid, liquid, and gas. Earth, Water, and Air. All matter is made up of energy, which also comes in many states of existence. Kinetic energy and Potential energy. Reactions that give off energy are called exothermic, and our fourth element, Fire, is an exothermic chemical reaction among compatible elements. The law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created, or destroyed. So the final element we have yet to discuss, Spirit, or the human Soul, can be scientifically defined as a potential energy, called stored mechanical energy, which is energy stored in an object by the application of force. The force is our kinetic energy, the electrical impulses of our brains and endocrine systems, our ability to make motion and sound waves, our internal thermal core. The force that binds us all together is the other forms of energy combined to make up our physical corporeal being. Therefore it begs to reason that when the trappings of that physicality are no more, our stored mechanical energy is released, yet still held together by the shared electrons, protons, and neutrons, free to seek
out another vessel within which it can be stored again. To put it another way, humans exist by way of a complex neuronetwork of electrical impulses and stored mechanical energy, our molecules held together by an unseen force which keeps our heart pumping and our brain activating. Schrรถdinger used the term "negative entropy" to describe the physics behind this integrated energy. Negative entropy states that in an open system, energy can be drawn from outside that system, like the Earth drawing energy from the Sun, and will form matter that integrates into increasingly complex arrangements. Essentially, all life on Earth evolved from this integration of matter, energy drawn from the Sun; therefore our every molecule is infused with the energy of the Earth, and the energy of all things in our Universe. Our bodies are also "open systems." The energy we incorporate from outside that system forms the complex interplay between brain neurons and inspires the release of chemical impulses in our endocrine systems. This all leads into our next fundamental truth, Duality. Balance. The masculine and feminine in Nature and in Deity. We are borne into a world where there are two separate and distinct aspects of Creation. The Male, the giver of life, personified by the Sun, and the Female, the receiver of the seed, which is the Earth. Life forms have evolved on this planet due to the interactions between those two forces, exemplifying this fundamental law of Duality. Hence why there are two sexes in most all living creatures. Wherever asexual reproduction has occurred, as in some lizards, sharks, snails, a few insects, and various single-celled organisms, an imbalance transpired long ago during their evolution which prompted the organisms to adapt themselves to survive. Balance was still achieved, albeit in a unique way. Survival is an instinct all living creatures share in abundance, and every living organism spends its entire lifetime in the attempt to insure its continued existence. We know also that physics decrees "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction," which indicates that both kinetic and potential energy is somehow always in balance. This balance of action/reaction can be found evidenced in every life form, every shape, every element, and every interaction among them. When an imbalance occurs, there is a responding force aimed at correcting it. Achieving that balance is crucial to the success of any species. This brings us to the final and most controversial of fundamental beliefs. When we try to define "Good" and "Evil" we come into a lot of theology. Take a step back and look at this objectively. Someone is "good" when they do good things, when they empathize with their fellow beings, and show compassion and composure in their interactions. Someone is "evil" when they do evil things, when they are unscrupulous, are bereft of feeling, and show no mercy. Goodness is intrinsic to the natural
order of mankind, to be communal, to be symbiotic with each other and our environment. Love is the binding force in all of Nature. Evil is created by an imbalance in that natural order. A person who perpetrates evil does so because they become the responding force to correct an imbalance in their own environment. The imbalance occurs in thought, word, and deed. More and more evil exists because this imbalance on our planet has been increasing exponentially for centuries. The human brain is made up of billions of interconnected neurons, and every interaction between these neurons creates a miniscule electrical discharge. Electrical energy is a kinetic energy, meaning it is not stored, it is released. Brain waves can be measured by their frequency or their amplitude. If you picture thought as having mass, (it can be measured, and it takes up space,) you can allow for the possibility that evil thoughts are released into our atmosphere, accumulating in frequency and amplitude, and being reabsorbed by vessels which are open to those frequencies. Much of our planet is afflicted with a buildup of this negative energy, which accounts for a lot of the evil perpetrated in this latest century. It is a fact that all electronic devices emit a certain level of ambient "noise," which has the distinct ability to interrupt brain waves. As more technology is created and more electronic devices in use - and not just cell phones and computers, but the thousands of satellites that orbit our planet - the more that our brain waves are interrupted and scrambled. Our ability to interpret the good from the bad is vastly diminished by the advents in technology in recent history. Not only have our ancient instincts been virtually snuffed out, but our ability for creative sentient thought has also fallen victim to technological progress. For eons mankind has done evil to itself, and to its Creator, the Goddess Earth. This lengthy trail of darkness has its consequences. We cannot correct this imbalance of evil in this world without a profundity of goodness, love, compassion, and empathy, and a reduction in the electrical impulses we are currently subjected to. This may mean a return to more simple practices, or it may mean even more advances in technology which prevent our minds being affected by the electrically charged atmosphere. To review, the Fundamentals of Paganism are as follows: respect for Mother Nature, a scientific spiritual understanding, duality of all things, and a perception of the balance or imbalance present in our world. If we start from these basic tenets of our consciousness, we can reestablish our symbiosis with our environment, and perhaps heal the vast rift that has developed between us. ~ by Kathryn Crafton
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PAGAN PARENTING ~ By Alena Orrison
Author’s Note: We’ve been focusing a lot on what to do as a family or with smaller children. This month and next, I wanted to include the pre-teens and younger teens. This month we will focus on the young women, and next will be about the young men. Menarche Ritual Menarche (pronounced MEN-ar-kee) is when a girl has her first menstrual period. It can be a scary time, but it is also a time to be celebrated as the young woman is going from a child to a Maiden. A ritual can make the young woman feel special and also carry connotations of her responsibilities as a potential mother. However you choose to recognize your daughter’s (or granddaughter’s or niece’s) menarche, remember to make it a celebration of change. The focus is the girl - she must be the center of attention - and she must be consulted on what and who she wants for this ritual. Emphasis should be placed on her being a woman, women's mysteries, women's responsibilities. Chose the first full moon after the girl's first period for the ritual (that or quarter moon)--or when the girl wants it. You want to invite any adult women the girl wants, the girl's Goddess-Mother, and any friends of hers that are also of age. Decorate depending on the girl's taste, with an emphasis on moon decorations/party decorations. Get a cake and make it festive and special! Red or white candles are the traditional colors but again, make it the girl’s choice. To give the men something to do, you can have them help in decorating, and making up the pot-luck dinner, tea, or picnic lunch for after the ritual. I like this idea because it allows Dad and friends to give the girl a gift even though they're not going to be there. Otherwise, the male relatives and friends need to make themselves scarce as this is a time to celebrate woman’s mysteries. All the women invited should bring gifts - gifts related to womanhood, not menstruation. The mother or other close relative could buy the girl a moon, crystal, goddess or pentagram pendent for herself. Place that on the altar. A new dress, ritual robe, etc., might be in order for the occasion as well. The ritual can take place wherever the girl likes as it's her show. One menarche I heard about was a hot tub party, another occurred on the beach, another up along a hiking trail in the woods. Near water is a good idea. The night or that morning before, it's time to have that mother-daughter chat. I know she already knows it all, but tell her again just the same.
Let her know where the contraceptives are, and tell her know how you feel about sex and what your rules are (if she is allowed to have sex in your home if you are okay with her having sex before marriage, etc.). Talk to her about the dangers of unprotected sex, including pregnancy and remind her that she's not old enough to drive, vote or leave home, but she is old enough to have a baby. Now that she is a woman, she will have new, adult privileges, but she will also have new and very serious responsibilities such as not getting pregnant until she's wants to and she's ready. Let her know that you're there for her, that she can come to you about anything. After that, the girl might like to meditate till the ritual, or go through a self-cleaning ritual. You can help her as she wants, or allow her to be alone and focus on her inner self. After the circle is cast, placing emphasis on the Maiden aspect of the Goddess, each woman, one by one, should welcome the girl into womanhood and hand her their little gift. Each gift should be opened and talked about. After the gift-giving, the girl's new pendant should be passed round, and each woman should talk about her Menarche, offer advice, a secret, or a funny story. Words short and sweet, upbeat and then they should bless the pendant. Once the pendant has been passed round, Mom, who should be last, tells her story, and then hangs it round the girl's neck. The HPS should then question the girl if she understands the responsibilities of Womanhood. After the girl answers, the HPS should then present the girl to the Goddess as a new woman, a reflection of the goddess. Other things you can do: A Tarot reading for the girl or a scrying, dancing, singing, storytelling. End with a very positive cone of power--celebrating the girl's womanhood (and then have that picnic). Unknown original source, modified by Alena Orrison Gift Ideas Pentacle necklace Book of Shadows Candles & holders Fairy Cards or Tarot Deck Altar cloth Stones and Crystals Spells, rituals or magical inforamtion for her new Book of Shadows Scrying mirror or bowl Cauldron
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6
When You Leave a Pagan Group By Patti Wigington, About.com Guide
Lammas, Lughnasadh, Summer Fest, First Harvest Celebration The grain to harvest’s cutting falls
to make the bread for banquet halls.
We’ll save some seeds where life’s waiting, and plant a new field come next Spring. We shared the work we needed to do, and now we’ll share the eating too!
Thank you, fruit, and thank you bread, for making sure that we are fed.
- Asleen O’Gaea, Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon
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The Astrological Moon North Star Astrology By: Ingrid Jeffries AAFA
Ingrid Jeffries is a counseling astrologer, writer, teacher, and retreat facilitator working in the Denver, Colorado metropolitan area. She's provided individual, relationship and career counseling for over 20 years. She teaches classes on Astrology, Tarot, Dream Interpretation and Carolyn Myss’ Sacred Contracts. She offers phone and in office sessions. For more information on her classes or sessions go to:
http://northstarastrology.net
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"Once more the Wheel of the Year does turn, the spirits and people now dance and yearn, to the sounds of nature’s music once more, celebrate now! I do implore." Yes, it's that time once more, fellow Pagans and curious minds; it's time to celebrate another turn of the wheel as the year moves on. For those that wonder what this means, read The Wheel of the Year. For those who are akin to our customs, continue reading! One never stops learning. Lughnasadh, pronounced loo-nas-ah, is a traditional time of the year that was dedicated to the Irish Sun God Lugh. During this time, the people of Ireland joined together for the Celebration of the Harvest, during which Lugh was said to rain down a golden light upon the year's crops, blessing them for harvest. In honor, the Irish played many games and sports for Lugh and his well-received blessings; this acted as a way to send the participants' energies and wishes up to the Gods, as well as give themselves a well-needed break before the upcoming toil of harvesting and surviving the cold, harsh winter ahead. Essentially, this is the Thanksgiving of ancient Ireland.
It is said that Lugh dedicated his Celebration of the Harvest to his mother Tailtiu, the last queen of the Fir Bolg, who had died in order to clear a forest for more crops in Ireland. According to legend, she asked the men at her deathbed to always host funeral games in her honor; thus naming the celebration "Lughnasadh," or "Funeral Games." Over time, Lughnasadh became known as Lammas, or Loaf-Mass by many other countries and Neo-Christians of the time, and the act of placing fresh-baked bread upon the altar became a popular thing to do. Currently, both games and bread are a part of the tradition each year, so this holiday may be called Lughnasadh or Lammas. Depending on what tradition you follow, Lugnasadh/Lammas is celebrated on any day between July 31 and August 5. Wiccans and most Pagans tend to celebrate this day on August 1; however, some covens/groups like to celebrate it on Old Lammas day which is the day when the sun reaches 15 degrees Leo.
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Naturally, you’ll want to put candles on your altar to celebrate this Sabbat. Why not use vegetables and fruits symbolic of the season to make a candleholder? These easy candleholders are perfect for holding a taper-style candle. First, you’ll want to select some firm fruits. Red apples, early acorn squash, even eggplants work well -- apples seem to last the longest. Rinse and dry the fruit or vegetable thoroughly. Polish the outside with a soft cloth until the apple is shiny. Stand the apple up on its bottom, and use a knife or a corer to make a hole in the top where the stem is located. Go about halfway down into the apple so that the candle will have a sturdy base. Widen the hole until it’s the same diameter as your candle.
Smudging is a great way to cleanse a sacred space, and most people use smudge sticks made of sweetgrass or sage for this purpose. Although they are available commercially -- and are fairly inexpensive -- it's easy to make your own if you've got herbs growing in your garden, or if there's a place nearby where you can go wildcrafting. You'll need: Scissors or garden clippers Cotton string Plants such as sage, mugwort, rosemary, lavender, or juniper Cut off pieces of the plants in lengths about 6 - 10 inches long. For more leafy plants, you can make the pieces shorter, but you may want to use a longer piece for a plant that has fewer leaves.
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Our Family’s Faery Houses By Alena Orrison I thought after last month that you all might like to see what we did for our faery houses.
During the summer we go on our faery houses earlier this year than normal because the area we were in on this particular day reeked of faeries.
There was a plethora of flowers and butterflies, the birds would sing back to us when we whistled, and my youngest son said the creek sounded like drums. Plus we had a rubber boa snake pay us a visit. It was definitely a place filled with magic! The terrain was rocky, and while there were trees there weren’t many usable branches on the ground. So we ended up building our houses out of rocks. The kids really got into it and I had to tell them to quit building because we were still up on the mountain at 6pm. I think total we left behind twelve faery houses.
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Our main house we built along the stream up against a fallen tree. I don’t know if you can see inside but we made a little bed of moss and a stone table. The stick across the top is a landing perch the boys thought would be helpful for the faeries
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(Helianthus species)
The common annual sunflower, Helianthus annuus, is a very useful plant. The seeds are edible- and very high protein!- by people, birds and animals. The smaller flowered varieties make good cut flowers. The yellow petals make a nice fabric dye. The stems, when treated like flax, yield a soft fiber. The dried leaves have been used as a tobacco substitute. The flower petals are edible, and are pretty in salads. And they have several garden uses, beyond just what they yield to us. This can be a ‘use it all’ plant if you’re determined enough. And they are not just useful to humans; they are beloved of bees, both honeybees and native pollinators. The sunflower is in the daisy family; the ‘Russian Mammoth’ type may well be the world’s largest daisy! One look at the flower and there is no doubt where the common name came from. This plant originated in Mexico , and spread north and south into the Americas . Later, in the 1500s, it was taken to Europe by the Spaniards and it spread from there, becoming very common in Russia . These days, there are many varieties of sunflower available. If you want the seeds for humans to eat, you want the large headed types that have striped seeds, like ‘Russian Mammoth’. If you want to feed the birds, choose one of the types with small black seeds, which yield far more oil than the striped ones and hence more energy for the birds. Most of the multi-stemmed, smaller flowered types have these seeds- and they are very decorative. These multi-stemmed types come in yellow, cream, terra cotta, orangey, dark burgundy, and bicolors with rings of color. They also come in many heights, from the 18” ‘Teddy Bear’ to the towering ‘Sunzilla’ that can get to be 17’ tall. The flower shapes vary, too, from the traditional single, to doubles, to ones that have a ring of regular petals around the outside and a fluffy center, to the super full ‘Teddy Bear’ which is nothing but tightly packed petals. Sunflowers need 120 to 140 growing days to produce mature seeds. While sunflowers do best when direct seeded into the ground, in some cold areas with short summers (like my zone 4 garden), it helps to start some inside.
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If you start sunflower seeds in containers, never let them get even slightly root bound. Transplant them, either into a larger pot or outside into the ground, as soon as the roots touch the walls of the container. Keep them well watered; they use a lot of water when small and wilt easily. Outdoors, sunflowers can be direct seeded two weeks before the predicted last frost. Plant them ½” deep. As they come in all sizes these days, follow the packet directions on how far apart to plant them. They do best in a deep, fertile soil. They prefer a neutral to slightly alkaline soil rather than acidic. The fact that they grow in so many places in the world, however, shows that they aren’t terribly picky; they will grow in most soils except for standing water- you’d want the perennial swamp sunflower, Helianthus angustifolia, for that. Fertilize using a balanced fertilizer; too much nitrogen and you’ll get a big, leafy plant but few flowers. As they mature, the large headed types will need support, but they in turn can support pole beans- Scarlet Runner beans are particularly attractive growing on them. The multi-headed, branching types make a good temporary hedge or windbreak when planted close together. The tall varieties planted close in a circle grows into a natural hiding place for children- or an adult who wants a quiet place to read! How you treat the plants after they start flowering depends on what you are growing them for. If you are growing them just for the birds, allow all the flowers to go to seed. If you are growing them for garden color, the flowers need to be cut off (dead headed) after the petals fall to encourage more blooms to form. I compromise and dead head the early blooms, then stop around the first of September to allow seed to form for fall and winter bird seed. Used this way, as bird feeders left where they stand, you will frequently get volunteers coming up the next year. If you want to collect the seed for human eating (or to save seed for planting next year), you will have to beat the birds to them. After the petals fall, wrap the flower head in a nylon stocking or cheese cloth. When the back of the sunflower is brown and dry, cut the head off and bring it inside for harvest. If wet weather is coming, wait as long as possible, then cut the flowers with a foot or two of stem attached and hang them upside down in a well-ventilated area until dry. As with all my plants, I thank them when I cut them for use. Sunflower meats are very high in protein; they are great ground into baked goods or even used whole in bread or as a bread topping.
Sunflowers are great plants for beginning gardeners and children as they grow so big and fast. They are great decorations for solar festivals. If you have a circle in your garden, they are a good marker for Fire in the South (but in the vegetable garden, plant them on the north side so they don’t shade the other plants). In some areas, this flower was used as the symbol of the sun god. It’s also a symbol of protection and success. Those tall varieties are like sentinels in the garden while the multi-stemmed type can create a wall of spiritual protection; plant them with intent when you wish to use them this way, visualizing them as wards. To internalize their success aspect, eat them while meditating on the way they grow exuberantly and create so many seeds, and apply that image to yourself in whatever area you want success in: lots of money, lots of creativity, and lots of love.
Take a good look at the flower; the true flowers are those thousand little things in the center that will fall off to reveal seeds. They are arranged in a Fibonacci spiral, which math has shown to be the most efficient way to get the most items into a round space- the sunflower can give so much, and it’s efficient, too! And who can look at a sunflower and not smile?
~ by Laurie Brown
Herb and Root, Seed and Flower, Bring to me your Ancient Power. Growing deep from moon to moon, Mother hear m ancient tune. A pinch of this, a pinch of that, Make magic in my witch's vat!" Barbara Morris, 2002
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Is the Wicca Rede Ethical ~ Continued… However, you are free to do whatever you want. The ancient Tantric term for this is svecchacharya (pronounced svek-cha-car-ee-ya), Sanskrit for “The path of doing one’s Will.” You are free to do whatever you want, but you are responsible for whatever you do. If I see a child being abused, someone weak or frail being abused, a woman being raped, someone being bullied, etc., I’m going to stand up to the bully, the abuser or the rapist. I’ll try to stop them without hurting them. However, if I must, I will use force. That will have a negative impact on my karma. But I’m aware of that and it’s my choice. In my opinion, freedom without the awareness of the results of that freedom is ethically worthless. So what do you think? Is it time to abandon the Wiccan Rede and Three-Fold Law as unobtainable and unrealistic goals? Would moving to the concepts of svecchacharya make more sense?
Harmony Hearth Brooms And
Faancy Hats
* Some New Age writers disagree and claim that there are “Lords of Karma” who determine the degree of reward or punishment for an action based on some sort of mystical or clairsentient interpretation of your intent. There is no traditional source that holds this position, nor is there any traditional understanding of karma indicating that intent affects the karmic process.
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For more information and pricing please contact Anne at HarmonyHearthBrooms@ya hoo.com
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Fairy Incense Incense to attract fairies: 1 part violet flowers 1 part rosemary leaves 1 part rose petals 1 part lavender flowers 1 part bluebell flowers 3 parts oak bark 3 parts frankincense 1 part acacia Few drops of lavender oil Method: Blend together and burn on charcoal. Use when meditating on fairy contact.
The Fairy Folks are also particularly fond of rosemary and the incense attracts them. Simply burn a few dried rosemary leaves on charcoal. ~ by Alena Orrison
(information from Anna Franklin/Working with Fairies)
Candle Magic for Fairies Magenta- This is a good candle to burn with other candles when you need a speedier result. Yellow- Good for working with the air elemental Fae- bringing quick changes, mental creativity and developing your mind. White- calm and peace, spirit guidance, direction Red- Use with Fire elementals, courage, sexual relations Gold -Solar Fae, money and prosperity, good luck Black -good for binding spells. Blue-ending depression, changes in your spiritual dealings light, use when working with water faerie and elementals, peace, healing. Green- good luck, good when working with earth faerie such as leprechauns, gnomes and elves bringing balance, fertility, quick money Orange- renewing confidence, changing your luck for the better Pink- love, healing, emotional matters (from efairies) Art: Fairy_Magic_by_Evenstar87
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