Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Finding Inspiration Everyday

Tonight at work, I met the most incredible young woman.  Her name is Tori and she is, at this moment, 15 years old.  Like most little girls, Tori dreamed about her Sweet 16 birthday party.  The party, the presents, the friends...she wanted it all.  But as she got older and became more aware of the world around her, that dreamed changed.  One day, young Tori went to her mother and said "Mom, I don't want a party for my 16th birthday.  I want to do something else."  Her new dream?  To raise money to help U.S. Military families in need.  She found an organization called Operation Once In a Lifetime, an organization that donates money to military families for things like plane tickets to see ill family members, help with auto repairs, medical bills and such.  Tori's new dream is raise $16,000 by her 16th birthday (which is in March 2012), and she calls it Operation Sweet 16. If I hadn't been so busy with work, I probably would have cried.  This young woman is one of the sweetest, most sincere people I have ever met.  I support her dream.  And I'm asking you all to do the same.  You can get more information about Tori and Operation Sweet 16 at www.operationsweet16.org.  You can also find her on Twitter at OpSweet16, and on facebook at, you guessed it, Operation Sweet 16.




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Friday, July 22, 2011

Giveaway!!!

So I've decided to run a contest. The prize: A free Amazon Kindle book (to be determined but will be pagan in nature). To play, all you have to do is refer your friends to my blog and my facebook page. Have them "like" the page and "follow" the blog. Then have them leave a comment (on here and blog) saying who referred them. Easy right? Whoever gets the most referrals wins! Contest ends July 31. Okay, GO!




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Friday, July 15, 2011

Tools of the Craft ~ Altar

So you might not think of an altar as being a 'tool'.  But really, it kinda is.  It's a very sacred place for your magickal workings, for holding your other tools, for showing your "Pagan Pride".  In some pagan paths the altar is an outdoor structure, usually made of stone.  For those still in the 'broomcloset', it can be a nightstand or a space on the mantel that doesn't outwardly look pagan.  For me, I have a nice little cupboard type of thing.  It has a drawer that I use to hold candles, oils and incense.  Then there's a door on it with a couple of shelves inside that I use to store the bigger items.  This is the one 'tool' that I personally feel is a must.  I know I said that no tool is absolutely necessary and that you can get by without them.  This one is the only exception.  If you do not have the space to have a dedicated altar, you can use your kitchen table or your coffee table or an end table.  Just be sure to cleanse it before you use it and, if possible, use an altar cloth.  I have a couple of places in my apartment that can be considered 'altars'.  The mantel over my fireplace holds a goddess figure (my husband calls her 'the silver naked lady') and my house guardians, the nightstand in my bedroom holds a framed picture of a goddess with a candle, and then there's my actual altar.  The top of my altar doesn't look very pagan, to me anyway.  It only has two white candles, a very small crystal ball, a couple of seashells (for water), a couple of stones (for earth) a feather and an incense holder (for air) and my athame (for fire).  I think the most pagan looking thing on it is the altar tile (not a necessity but I like it), it's just a small soap stone with the triple moon on it, there's a pentacle inside the full moon.  But it's in my bedroom and really, no one else needs to be in there. LOL

If you have older children that are interested in The Craft, they can have their own little altar spaces in their room (no candles, obviously, unless they're like teenagers or something).  My daughter dedicated a shelf on her bookcase.  My son dedicated a shelf on his.  Simple stuff like stones, feathers, sea shells, unlit cone incense, wickless candles, can all be used on a child's altar to represent the elements and not look too pagany.

The altar is a tool that you can have fun with as a family decorating for the Sabbats.  Make it a family project. just make sure the little ones know that it is a sacred thing and not a toy to be played with.




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Did Someone Say Giveaway??!!!

My friends over at Eye of Nuit sure did!  Swing by the site and check out all the great stuff they are giving away and enter for your chance to win!

Also, there's a new banner on my page for a great online shop called Pagan Stuff Cheap.  I think the name of the place pretty much explains what it is.  :-)





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Monday, June 27, 2011

Tools of the Craft ~ Boline

Continuing the series on the craft tools, we now move on to the Boline.  For those who insist on using a magical tool for cutting objects, that's what this tool is for.  It's not meant to hold or project energy, therefore it's handle is generally white or some other light color.  Plus, the lighter handle helps to mark the difference between your athame and your boline.   Most online magical shops sell these knives with a curved blade, much like a scythe, but it can be a straight blade.  Unlike the Athame, this tool usually is not kept on the altar.  It's sole purpose is for harvesting and cutting herbs, carving candles and things like that.  I don't personally have a Boline.  I use whatever knife is handy.  While this may not be the "correct" way of doing things, I know that by putting my energy and intent into the knife I use is really all that matters.  I do, however, try to use the same knife every time, but this is not always possible.  And I have been known to use a pair scissors.   When carving candles, I've even used an ink pen.  But if you really think you have to have every tool mentioned in whatever book on witchcraft you're reading, then by all means, please please please get a boline for cutting.  I cannot stress enough how important is to NOT use an athame to cut things.  





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Friday, June 24, 2011

Tools of the Craft ~ Athame

Last night I was visiting my friends over at witchschool.com and a young writer, who is not pagan, was asking very simple questions about the tools we use and what they are for, just doing a little research for a book she is writing.  One of the questions she asked was "What is an athame and what do you use it for?"  A young man in the room said that it was used for cutting herbs.  I almost fell off my chair, I couldn't believe he would suggest using an athame to cut ANYTHING.  So, I felt it might be a good idea to write a little bit about the different tools we use and their REAL purpose....because you never use an athame to cut physical objects!!

*UPDATE* So I started writing this post on Thursday morning (it is now Friday morning) and was originally planning on putting all the tools in one post.  However, after thinking about it for a bit (all day and all night giggle) I have decided to break it down.  I'll be posting each tool one at a time so bear with me, this might take a few days. Enjoy!

The tools we use are symbolic.  They are there to help us focus our energy, to put us in "the right frame of mind" for doing magic.  But you do not absolutely have to have it.  If you don't know what it means to "direct energy" or if you don't know what energy I'm talking about, please do not hesitate to let me know.  I'll be more than happy to go in to more detail.  Otherwise, I'm going to assume that everyone knows what I mean and so we'll move on to the tools we use in the craft.

ATHAME ~ The athame is usually a dull, double edged dagger used strictly for ceremonial purposes.  It is used to absorb and direct energy.  Some people refer to it as a 'black handled knife' because most of them have black or very dark handles.  The color of the handle IS important, the darker the handle, the better it will absorb the energy.  The athame represents the god or masculine energy.  Why?  Because it is phallic (penis) shaped therefore, it's male.  The athame should NEVER be used to cut any physical objects.  It does not need to draw blood.  It does not need to cut herbs.  It DOES need to hold and direct energy.  Do you absolutely have to have an athame to perform spells and rituals?  No.  No tool is absolutely necessary.  You can direct energy simply using your finger if you want.

Here is a picture of my Athame.  Yes, I know it says China on the blade.  That's because it was Made in China! LOL  I'm working on getting that off of there.




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Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Litha

So yesterday I had this whole wonderful evening ritual I wanted to do with my kids when I got home from work.  There was even going to be a mini bonfire (I live in an apartment with a small balcony so the fire has to be small) and music.  But alas, no sooner did I get home and out of my work clothes when it began to rain.  And not even a straight rain, oh no.  It was raining sideways!  While that was loads of fun to watch, it unfortunately put a damper (pun intended) on my ritual plans.  And since the husband was home, we couldn't do it inside.  So, I tucked the children into bed, talked a bit about Midsummer and then went to eat my dinner.  I did, however, manage to get a great picture of the amazing sunset earlier in the day while I was at work.

*NOTE *Blogger is being a butthead and not letting me upload the pic I took.  I'll keep trying though.  I am determined to be the victor!

I hope you all had a wonderful solstice.  )o(

*UPDATE* An hour later and I WIN!!!!  Here's the pic.
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Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Pagan Views on Death (and a sample ritual for you too)

So recently my favorite aunt's ex husband passed away.  Long story short, yes we care.  I've been doing some semi grief counseling with my aunt and decided to post my pagan-ish views on death, crossing over, and coming back.

Let me start by saying that death is not something to fear.  We are born, we die, and we are re-born.  We repeat this process until our time is done; at which point our energies return to the Ultimate Energy Source.   Every religion, across the globe, teaches that death is not the end but merely the beginning.  The Irish have the right idea, and I'm not saying that JUST because I'm Irish.  They celebrate their dead, they celebrate the life that was lived.  Now I'm not saying 'don't be sad, don't cry, don't mourn'.  That would be silly.  Of course you're going to be sad.  Of course you are going to grieve.  You will get angry at the person who is now gone.  These things are natural.  It's the knowing that you will most likely see that person again, in your next life, that makes the whole grieving part bearable.
 
The funeral rites are not for the dearly departed.  They are for those that remain.  The funeral rites serve as a ritual of closure.  The family and loved ones need this to let go and move on with their lives. So we do these rituals for ourselves, not the recently deceased.  Most times, the person who is gone, truly is gone.  They don't usually hang around for very long.  Yes, I do believe in ghosts.  I've seen them.  Yes, there are times when a persons' body perishes but their spirit stays behind.  This could be due to several different reasons, but mostly I think it happens when someone doesn't accept that their dead.  Take my uncle for instance; he was alone when he passed.  He probably, given his state of mind at the time, didn't really expect to die so there is a good chance he is still hanging around.  We have rituals for that, too.  When the departed linger, we can very gently let them know that they need to move on to the Summerland, go toward the light, follow the pretty lady in the long flowing gown.

After our brief, or for some extended, stay in the Summerland, we are re-born to this world.  New bodies.  New families.  New experiences (hopefully).  When we have formed strong bonds with other people, the chances of meeting them again and again become greater, so we are never really alone in any life.  Your goal, ultimately, is to learn all you can, to be a better you, to be closer to the Divine inside of you.  No one knows how long this will take.  It's really all up to you.  You choose your own path.  You choose your lessons for each life.  You choose which ones you have to repeat.  It all depends on how you live the lives you are given, what you choose to learn.  There is no cosmic power playing you like a puppet, so you cannot live your life blaming anyone for your choices, your path, your lessons...except you.  Your life is not planned out for you.  Everything you do, or don't do, is all YOU.

When we die, we go to a sort of waiting room, for lack of a better phrase, waiting for our turn to be re-born.   As pagans, we don't believe in Hell, Eternal Damnation, Fire and Brimstone...hell we don't even believe in the Christian Devil.  There is no one waiting to torture us for the rest of eternity.  We torture ourselves enough during our lifetimes, we really don't need anyone else torturing us too.  So really, there is no reason to fear death.  Nothing horrible is waiting for you on the other side; however, if that is truly what you are worried about, maybe it's time for you to take a good hard look at yourself and see WHY that idea scares you so much.  What have you been doing all your life?!  If you've been running around, raping, pillaging and burning (too many pirate movies for me), then don't you think it's time you turn your life around?  Because, even though you get another life, or 300, that doesn't give you license to run amok in this one.  If this is the life you've been living, then maybe you do have something to fear, not the death but the re-birth.  Because if in this life you've chosen to be so mean, karma will get you.  And that my friend is enough to keep ME scared straight.

So to sum up...birth, death, re-birth.  Live your life well, every one of them.

 "Bide the Wiccan Law ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust.  
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill, an ye harm none, do as ye will.  
And ever mind the Rule of Three, what ye sends out comes back to thee.  
Follow this with mind and heart, and merry ye meet and merry ye part"


And here's the ritual I promised.  I pieced this together from different sources for my uncles' memorial.  No I do not remember what those exact sources were so let me just say that I DID NOT WRITE THIS all by myself.  Yes there are parts that are me, but mostly, I didn't write this.



INTRO
Most of you will not understand the significance of the ceremony that we are about to perform, so for you who have different beliefs I will explain what will happen. There should be nothing in what we are about to do that can cause offense to anyone, but if you would prefer to wait inside, then I am sure that (deceased) will understand. You will see that there are candles standing at strategic points, each one at a cardinal compass point. Their job is to represent the elements that supported (deceased) throughout his Life. We traditionally begin in the East, which represents Air. In the South is the element of Fire. Then we move to the West and the element of Water, then finally to North and the elemental spirit of Earth. It is of the Earth we are born and upon our death it is to the Earth that we return. At the end of the Ceremony we will again return to the quarters and relieve them of the responsibilities of supporting (deceased). As we believe in Life after life we look forward to meeting with him again.


THE RITUAL
Let us take a few deep breaths to prepare ourselves.
Breathe deeply and remember the love you have for (deceased) and the joy he brought you. And so we begin.

OFFERING OF THE LAND:
Priestess steps to the center, holds up a bowl of blessed water or other appropriate offering and says:
Spirits of this land, of the rocks and trees, of the plants and animals of those who walked here long before us, we bring you this offering. We come with respect, to ask you to receive the body of (deceased). In giving you our beloved dead, we ask to become part of this land. We ask your compassion, and your teaching, so that we who are living may learn to become strong allies of the land and its peoples. May the body of our beloved be a bond between us. Blessed Be

EAST: Spirits of the East, Powers of Air, we call you. We welcome the spirits of the Ancestors and the honored dead not yet reborn. Bring us bright memories of our beloved (deceased) and of the MUSIC that surrounded him. Blessed Be!

SOUTH: Spirits of the South, Powers of Fire, we call you. We welcome our heroes and inspirations. Keep the fire of our love for (deceased) alive in the memory of this lover of the sun. Blessed be!

WEST: Spirits of the West, Powers of Water, we call you. We welcome the Ancestors to incarnate in our children and grandchildren and in our families. Open our hearts, let our tears and love flow. Bring us healing and renewal. Remember (deceased) who loved life, loved his friends and his family. Blessed be!

NORTH: Spirits of the North, Powers of the Earth, we call you. We welcome our deaths and our lives. From you we come; to you we return. Bring us Strength. Remember (deceased) to whom you gave strength and wisdom and embraced in his passing. Blessed be!

CENTER: Spirits of the Center, of change and transformation, we call you into our circle. Guide us through this change, help our beloved (deceased) through the great transformation he faces, help us to remember the true core of our lives. Blessed Be.


INVITING THE GOD: Now do I call You to this our circle, Great God. I call you as Lord of the Harvest, Lord of Death, Holder of the Keys, Lord of the Underworld; and I call you as the Comforter and Consoler, the Compassionate One Who leads us all to the Cauldron from which we are reborn. Give welcome now to (deceased)  who comes to You in honor and humility to visit Your other lands for a while.

INVITING THE GODDESS: I call upon the Lady as Crone, She Who harvests all that lives, Who has taken (deceased) by the hand and led him into the Summerland, there to rest and reflect and joy in the company of the Gods until it is time for him to be born again to the circle. For She is also the Mother of all things and the Lady of rebirth, and She shall surely grant (deceased) the gift of life again when the Wheel has turned.

STATING THE PURPOSE:  We meet here today in both sadness and joy to say a fond farewell to (deceased). We are sad because a chapter has closed yet we should be joyful by the closing that a new chapter can begin. We meet to commend (deceased) to the blessing of the Gods, that he may rest, free from illusion or regret, until the time shall come for his rebirth to this world.
And knowing that this shall be so, we know too, that the sadness is nothing and that the joy is all.

PRAYER
O Great Spirit, Mother and Father of us all, we ask for your Blessings on this our Ceremony of thanksgiving, and honouring and blessing of (deceased).
We stand at a Gateway now. A Gateway that each of us must step through at some time in our lives. (deceased) has stepped through this gateway already. His soul is immersed in the shining light of the Unity that is the Mother and Father of us all. The sadness and pain that we feel now is in our knowledge and our experience of the fact that we ourselves cannot yet cross that threshold to be with (deceased) until our time has come.


MEMORIES OF (deceased)´s LIFE

(deceased),  you have left us many rich memories. We can never speak of you enough. May the words we offer you help you on your journeys. May our voices become a river of power to help guide you across the river to the Summerland.

Now I ask that you all repeat after me:
May the air carry your spirit gently.
May the fire release your soul.
May the water cleanse you.
May the earth receive you.
May the wheel turn again and bring you to rebirth.


PRAYER
Celtic Devotional by Caitlin Matthews:
You have been called from the place of your dwelling, May blessed soul-friends guide you, May helping spirits lead you, May the Gatherer of Souls call you, May the homeward path rise up under your feet And lead you gladly home.

FAREWELL TO THE GODDESS: Lady, thank you for the presence of (deceased) in our lives. Hold him close to you, love him, heal him, and walk with him in the Summerland until it is time for him to be born again.

FAREWELL TO THE GOD: Lord, thank you for the life and joy you have shared with our friend. Let him find reunion with those who have gone before, and walk with (deceased) in the Summerland until it is time for him to return to this world.

NORTH: Spirits of the North, Powers of the Earth. Thank you for the land that (deceased) walked upon, for the beauty in the plants and trees that gave him so much pleasure. Thank you for sustaining him.. Hail and Farewell!

WEST: Spirits of the West, Powers of Water. Thank you for quenching (deceased) thirst, inspiring and washing him. Hail and Farewell!

SOUTH: Spirits of the South, Powers of Fire. Thank you for the warmth of the summers (deceased) enjoyed and for the warmth of his heart. Hail and Farewell!

EAST: Spirits of the East, Powers of Air. Thank you for supporting (deceased) with every breath that he took, and may the last breath that he took in this life become the first that he took in the next. Hail and Farewell!


BLESSING
May the Blessings of the Uncreated One, of the Created Word and of the Spirit that is the Inspirer be with you all.  The circle is open but never broken. To one another and especially to (deceased), we say: ‘Merry did we meet, merry did we part and merry shall we meet again.”




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Monday, June 13, 2011

Celebrating the Summer Solstice

June 21/22 is the longest day of the year.  This is Midsummer, or the Summer Solstice.  The word 'sostice' is from the Latin word slstitium, which translates to 'sun stands still'.  On this day, the sun will appear to just hang in sky without moving.   Litha is the day we celebrate the polarity between the land and the sky, the earth and the heavens.  It is also a day find a balance between fire and water.  In some 'Wiccan' Traditions, Litha is starts the battle between light (summer's Oak King) and dark (winter's Holly King).
For those with children, like me, Litha is a great day to celebrate outside.  If you can go camping at the lake, this would be great.  You could spend all day in the water and light a big bonfire at night.  If this isn't possible, and you live in the city like I do, here's a suggestion.  My family has this big outdoor 'firepit/fireplace' thingy.   So, we spend the day in the backyard, playing in the sprinklers, or in the blow up kiddie pool, and then light a big fire in the firepit.  It's big enough to have a decent size fire yet small enough to move to the middle of the yard so we can dance around it.  That's the other thing about my family, they have speakers running from the stereo inside to the backyard so we always have music to dance to.  I let my kids stay up late enough to watch the sun go down and then we sit around telling stories and having fun.  Funny thing is, I'm the only pagan in my family, so when we're doing all of this, the rest of them have no idea that they are even celebrating the Solstice, unless of course I tell them, which I usually do.  Luckily, my family is very open minded and are always interested to hear the reasons behind the things we do.  And mostly, once I tell them that it's a certain Holy Day and whatnot, they actually try to remember the things I tell them.  (Can you tell I love my family?  LOL)





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Wednesday, June 8, 2011

New Directions

It seems my life and my spiritual path are both taking off on a whole new direction....or rather they are finally merging onto one solid path going in the direction that best suits me.  I very recently 'joined' a small coven here in Texas.  What does this mean exactly?  It means that my free time (meaning time not spent being a working mom) will now be devoted to coven duties and deep study as I work toward my furthering myself on my chosen path.  And while this is wonderful news for me personally, I'm not quite sure yet how this is going to affect the blog.  I'm hoping that I'll be able to keep up with it all, but only time will tell.  I do know one thing for sure though, this blog is about to get a lot more random!  As I learn new things, as I remember things that I hadn't realized I had forgotten (after all, I have been studying for over 20 years, so there's bound to be stuff that I forgot I even knew!), I'll be here writing it down.  So...you have been warned.  There's no telling what I might come up with to write about!





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Saturday, June 4, 2011

Let Your Intentions Soar!!!

Most, if not all pagans, are quite familiar with the idea of 'stating your intent'.  It is something we do at the start of every ritual, every spell, and every prayer.  For those who are just starting on their path, and for those who are just now looking for it, let me explain the purpose of 'intent'. 

There are a few reasons we plainly state what our intentions are.  At the beginning of a ritual, we like to state the purpose for that ritual to help us (and those participating with us) put ourselves in the right frame of mind.
For example, we are getting ready to celebrate MidSummer, also known as Litha.    As we begin our ritual celebration, we would say something to the effect of "We are here today to celebrate the ending of the waxing year and the beginning of the waning year, in preparation for the harvest to come. Midsummer is a time to absorb the Sun's warming rays and it is another fertility Sabbat, not only for humans, but also for crops and animals."  Now our intent is set and we can get on with the party.  When we do spell work, or pray, we do the same thing.  Say you want to do a spell, prayer, for a better job.  You would begin by stating just that; "I am here today to ask for help in finding a better job."  Simple, right?  Make sense doesn't it?

But there is another form of 'stating your intent'. It's something like an affirmation.  If you've ever seen the Saturday Night Live skit called "Daily Affirmations" (this was about 15 years ago when the show was still funny), then you might have an idea what I'm talking about.  You wake up in the morning, look yourself in the face (mirror) and state clearly "I am a Divine being and as such I will see the Divine in everyone and everything around me" (or something like that).  Now you've set your intent for the day. 

You can use this for just about anything in your life.  Have an important meeting? Set your intentions. "I am an intelligent woman/man and I am fully prepared for this (meeting/interview/whatever)."  Setting out on a new spiritual path?  "I am a Divine being and I am ready to be one with my Divineness."  You can use this as a little 'reminder' throughout your day, "I am not infallible and I understand that no one else is either.  I will choose carefully how I react to people and situations today and will do my best to not only let my Divine self shine, but to see the Divineness of others."

So, here's my intent....
"I intend to ignite my Divine Spark, consciously.  I intend to really KNOW who I am.  I intend to bring my shadows in to the light and to embrace them, for they are a part of me, not outside of me.  I intend to listen to my intuition, to read the signs that are given to me, and to stop ignoring my premonitions.  I intend to express myself as creativily as possible, through art and music and whatever else inspires me.  I intend to have a closer working relationship with the Divine God/dess.  I intend to be healthing and loving in my relationship.  I intend to unleash all of my hidden 'powers' and to use them to better myself and my world.  I intend to intend more.  I intend to be the best ME that I can be."





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Sunday, May 22, 2011

Sea Priestess Training - Week One

This week's focus is on untangling yourself from allover complications.  Over complication is a time and joy thief, designed to rob you of your free- will, your divine thoughts, and giving you permission to struggle.  We have been taught out entire lives the our 'path' is one long horrible struggle.  But this is only true if you choose it to be.  It is a choice you make at an early age.  It's not a bad or good choice, just a choice that needs to be re-examined.  It is for you to decide if this choice continues to serve a purpose for you, if it is useful for your spiritual growth, or not.  You might consider quietly settling into your own presence, you own journey, your own heart, your own experience, your own path, and your own thoughts.  Some of us don't even know our own thoughts.  We feel we need to wait and find out what other people are saying before we speak.  We can not allow ourselves to enter other peoples drama, other peoples  journeys, other peoples stories, other peoples purpose or others thoughts; they only rob us of our own.

"There are people that desire to experience lessons through the veil of need and/or some form of pain.  There are other people that enjoy the veil of drama.  If that is you, then enjoy that choice; know you will experience life and learn many valuable lessons through these veils, but know it is YOU whom selected your learning method.  All methods are equally valuable.  You will deal with people that think they see reality very clearly and will be glad to tell you all that they know, and tell you how they see your reality.  be patient with these sweet souls; after a while they will run out of steam and look up to see the sublime of what is, and begin to experience what is.  They want to impress people with all they know and all they do, in hopes that people will look up to them.  In reality, they are doing it backwards and by approaching people backwards, they are creating the very opposite results they are trying to achieve for themselves.  Someday they will rest, not within their head knowledge, but within their own Being.  They will see they are already fathomless love, they will begin to ask wonderful questions; not about things outside themselves, but inside the soul."*
 
Consider for a moment a person who is a bragger.  They really want people to admire them for all they know and all they have accomplished.  But no one admires them because they have chosen the 'big ego veil' to learn their lessons.  The 'big ego' needs to be validated every waking moment.  The truth is, they are already validated, they just don't see it.  It is up to you to figure out what your 'veil' is.  No one can do the work but you.  If , in the future, you choose to be an "Un-teacher", or one who helps others to remove their veils, remember that you cannot do the work for others, they must do that for themselves.  You will be putting the spotlight on the student, not yourself.    All of your actions will show that you are focused on your student.   Everyone, deep inside, wants to be the best person they can be.  Some personalities are just trying to figure out how to do that.

For now, focus on yourself, what you need to remove from you.  As yourself if you have outgrown your way of thinking, doing, being.  Are you doing anything to make the necessary changes in your life?  What is holding you back?  We think we know what reality is for ourselves, but we do not.  Some of these thoughts/beliefs were placed on us by our parents, some by our teaches, some by our friends, but most by our own hands.  We think we have insight into other peoples lives, but we are only seeing them through our own veils.  We value or devalue others by our own standards, which only causes people to move farther apart from each other, instead of closer together.  We need to focus on our own veils and allow others to focus on theirs in order to bring all people back together in peace and love.

Remember, for every veil you remove, a gift will rise in its place.  "We find it easier to lay down physicality and replace it with Spirit, yet never losing focus on practicality.  For it is important to have one foot in both worlds."*  Exploring beyond our physicality brings us to a place where our focused thoughts become our reality.  We realize that all realities are mutable.  All physical realities are a veil.  There are no limits of reality.  There are no boundaries!  It is the ego centered mind that is constantly 'reminding' us that there is death, there is an end.  Which is, of course, the biggest cosmic lie of all!  Our ego says "We all die".  The Universe says "How can consciousness die?"  It can't, therefore we can't, it is not possible.  Death is only another veil.  We are taught from birth to fear death.  But how can you fear that which is not real?  Yes, our physical bodies will 'die'.  But we are not our bodies.  We are not our flesh, bones, and blood.  It is only a shell used to experience this world with.  We, what makes us US, is our spirit.  Our consciousness.  We are all a part of the Divine Source.  Therefore, we cannot die.  No one can kill us.  Nothing can make us die, because Divine cannot be killed.  We are made of Divine substance, connected to and part of the Divine.  Even our bodies does not truly die, but transforms to another beautiful frequency...it becomes food for the planet.

If we want to change what we are receiving in this life, we must change how we perceive life.  Begin to see others as they truly are,  Divine.  Yes, love others as you love yourself, love yourself as the Divine creature that you are.  We are all part of the same whole.  "Allow all veils to die, not us.  Allow all hurt to die, not us.  Allow all fear to die, not us.  Allow all resentment to die, not us.  Allow all hate to die, not us.  Allow the veils to fall away, not us.  Allow the water to become clear."*  If we want to change things around us, we must first change the way we perceive things by ridding ourselves of all our veils.  Fear will dissolve into nothing.  Fear will lose its control.  Live this life as if you were immortal, because, in a sense, you are.  Remove all of your fear, all of your veils, all outside influences, all of your excuses.  Realize that you have complete control over your life.  When you do, you become a force of nature.

Ask yourself  what restrictions you place on yourself.  Who are you blaming? (Blame is an excuse dressed up in a blame costume)  Do you allow your past to make your present decisions for you?  Do you allow your fears to decide for you?  There are no excuses that can stop us...NONE!  Even if you think you have nothing, this is still not a valid excuse.  You have everything you need to achieve your goals.  You are connected to everything, do not let this scare you.  Take accountability and find your own answers.  Remove the physical veil that is making you forget what you learned in past lives.  Let go of the fear 'security blanket'!  We all know that we are working on a much larger plan than we can possibly fathom.  We get glimpses of how big we truly are.  All of our aspects of our developments are Divinity's development through us.  We are Her hands, we are Her eyes, we are Her voice, and we are Her movement.  She expands through us as we expand through Her.

If you feel that you have 'too many' veils, look at each one and decide if it is truly a veil.  Approach the problem from the solution end.  Focus only on the solution, not on the problem.  If you think you don't know what you want, consider this....Have you ever asked yourself what you want?  Do not use your children as an excuse.  Know that you have the highest calling when you are caring for children.  Your children want you to attain your goals.  They are smarter than we think.  :)  Do not think that you have to have a full grasp of the veil concept.  After all, you drive your car without knowing every tiny thing about it, don't you?  If you think that you are completely content with your life, then enjoy!  Are you wondering what was so important about the death topic?  It is one of the great Universal fears shared by most people.  If we look death square in the face, we will see it for what it isn't.  It loses its fear grip on us and allowing us to remove that veil.  If you can remove that fear veil, then you can remove the others as well.  And last, if you want to know how a loving Deity can allow war.....My Deity didn't.

Teachers Mutterings (great little points here that I wanted to share)
~Remove distortions
~Remove filters you think are protecting you, they are not
~You have all control within your life
~You have everything you need to live the life you have chosen
~Most experiences are seen as external events, they are not; instead external events, projections of our life lessons, and our perceptions onto 'reality' we create, internally.
~Create your life on purpose
~Fear, ego and other illusions make it seem there are many 'things' out there, that is un-true
~There is no loss, in reality only change, from life to life, breathing and not breathing, and breathing again
~It is a colossal waste of time to fear


*direct quotes from lesson




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Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Daily Draw Postponed....

So I started a new class at WitchSchool.com called Becoming A Sea Priestess/Priest.  Yeah, I know it sounds a little fru fru.  But once I got past the title of the course, I came to realize that it is all about reclaiming yourself., breaking through all the crap that builds up over a lifetime of being told "That's not real", "You can't do that", getting past all of the self imposed limitations, and getting back to YOU.  We all have gifts from the gods.  This class helps to reclaim those gifts and bring them out of the shadows and back into the light.
Unfortunately the course requires you to put aside all outside tools "that take up your time and power".  What that means is no more tarot until I'm done with the course.  However, I will continue to post about my journey through "Hogworts". *giggle*  There will still be essays, pictures, and other such random musings just like always.
On that note, I will leave you with one last reading, this time a little different.  This one will be a 3 card spread.  I picked up a tip the other day so I'm going to try it out.  Not looking at the book, I'm simply going to write what I see on the cards.  Then I'll see how that applies to my day/life.  Then I'll give the "actual" definition just to compare.  Feel free to grab your cards and see if you 'see' what I 'see'. :) This should be fun!

XI - Justice          IX Cups      IV Rods
Not putting up pics, simply to save room.
I see a woman balancing her spiritual and mundane lives . Achieving this gives her great satisfaction in all aspects of her life; spiritual,
physical and emotional.  I see great joy and well being. 

What this says to me is that I am on the right path.  This road that I have chosen to take, that has chosen me, is the path that will lead to balance, happiness and love.  If I'm right, YAY!


Book Says: 
(1st card) Setting a confused life to order successfully.
(2nd card) Contentment with friends and accomplishments.
(3rd card) Established home, success is well deserved.

Guess I wasn't too far off after all.   :) 




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Sunday, May 15, 2011

Morals vs Ethics in the Pagan Life

Time flies when you're feeling icky.  I've been under the weather for the last week or so and have not been posting like I should.  I do apologize for this.  However, I did venture out last night to my first ever Pagan gathering.  It is my understanding that there was supposed to be a ritual but unfortunately it was postponed.  Instead, we had a little miniature class on Ethics vs Morals.  Very interesting stuff.

You see morals are nothing more that a person conforming to standards of what is right or just in behavior, meaning what others believes to be right or wrong.  Ethics, on the other hand, is a set of principles of right conduct.  You see the difference?  Here's an example:  Sally, a wife, asks John, her husband, for some personal time in the bedroom.  John doesn't feel like performing at the moment because he is involved in an online game of poker and doesn't want to walk away from his online friends.  Sally's friend from Temple comes over to do some studying.  John tells Sally's friend, "Hey, my wife has needs that I don't feel like fulfilling at the moment.  Would you go in there and take care of her for me?"  Now here's the question:  Is it ethical for Sally's friend to do what John asks?  Yes, it is ethical.  He was asked to do it.  Is it moral?  Probably not.  But in the realm of Paganism, we don't deal so much in morals we deal in ethics.  Unfortunately, so many of us come from Judeo-Christian homes and therefore Morals have been drilled into our heads.  So when presented with a situation like the one above, we immediately think "Oh no.  That's wrong.  I can't do that.  It wouldn't be right", because we're thinking morally not ethically. As far as John is concerned, you'd be doing him a favor.

Now I'm not saying this is something that happens every day.  It is simply an example that was presented last night that stuck in my brain.  The point here is to always be mindful of your ethics in any situation.  Do not hold yourself to the morals of others.  To do so will inhibit your magickal workings as well as your daily life. 




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Sunday, May 8, 2011

Daily Draw for Sunday, May 8, 2011 - Mother's Day :-)

Today's card is:
Interpretation:  Deserved rewards.  Triumph.  Eternal life.  Peace and joy in a new home.

What a wonderful card to draw today!  Rewards....Triumph....Eternal life....Peace and joy.  Oh I can hardly wait for this one.  I'm wondering if this is a sign that the decisions I've made recently concerning my relationship and my future.  Or maybe this card is simply telling me that the things I have suffered recently are about to end and a new, happier life awaits me.  Either way, I am content knowing that the end is near and that things will begin to look up.





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Saturday, May 7, 2011

Daily Draw for Saturday, May 7, 2011

Today's card is:
Interpretation: Fearless and confident young man who is career-minded and a conqueror.  He will stop at nothing and sacrifice anything to get what he wants.

Not entirely sure this card makes any sense today.  I haven't met any new people, mostly because I don't get out much, and I don't know anyone that fits this description.  I don't really see myself this way either, plus I'm a girl and this card refers to a guy.  I suppose that part doesn't matter but still.  So, if I don't know this person now, it stands to reason that I should be on the look out for him in the near future.  Always nice to know what to look for.






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You Call Me a Witch Like It's a Bad Thing..

I'm feeling very poetic today.

You call me witch like it's a bad thing
And this I don't really understandI
I pray for fertile crops
And the ending of wars
And for love in the heart of all men.

You call me witch like its a bad thing
But we're not so different, you and I
We both love our planet
And our families and friends
And even the strangers that pass by.

You call me a witch like its a bad thing
But still I try with all of my might
To think not but of good things
Of you and and you friends
And to bless you with love and with light.





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Maiden, Mother, Crone - A Poem

Maiden, Mother, Crone

Artemis, Maiden of Beauty
Shine your moonlight
On me when I'm young.

Hera, Mother of All
Smile on me
When your song is sung.

Hecate, Oldest and Wisest
Take my hand
When life is done





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As Above, So below

I wrote a paper for my 1st Degree studies at WSI on the concept of 'As Above, So Below' and thought I'd share it with you. 


As Above, So Below
Keaira Shadow Wolf

The principle "as above, so below" was first taught by Hermes Trismagistus in ancient Egypt.  His teachings led to the renowned magickal traditions we know today as Hermetic Theosphy, or Hermetics. Hermes explained the idea that all things we think and feel, as well as all minor objects and events in the universe are mirrored in the larger universe as a whole.  The idea is also portrayed by the phrase of "the macrosm" (the entire universe) is equal to the microsm (each of the tiny universes in existence).

It is said that every being in creation is like a mirror image reflecting the divine qualities of the Goddess and God .  As each cell in a person's body contains all the genetic code necessary to make an entire person, so does a person contain all the information within herself that is present in the deepest and most secret corners of the universe.

The two halves of the above/below (macrosm/microsm) complex, though seemingly different, are really just twins in disguise.  This principle is especially useful to people who perform any type of divination as well as Natural Magick.  By using certain herbs, oils, or gems, he is able to manipulate a small universe (his desires) and force the whole universe (physical reality) to reflect it.  For example, a witch might use Cinnamon as an amulet to draw money to himself.  By using an herb with the natural energy attuned to drawing money, he has set up his small universe in accordance with his desires.







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Friday, May 6, 2011

Daily Draw for Friday, May 6, 2011

Today's card is:
Interpretation:  Inspiration, insight and understanding. Mental and physical health. A new life and openness to new ideas and concepts. Guidance from above is found within. Eternal life.

So, I know I've missed the passed couple of days.  So sorry.  Life happens. 
I like this card.  Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, I love the meaning of it too.  It has been a very productive day for meI spent it getting caught up on my studies at WSI and got a little work done on my BOS.  And I recently began interacting with other people from my 'Church' online and have had the opportunity to help others who are new to the Pagan path.  Quite fulfilling actually.  You don't realize just how much you've truly learned until someone new asks you a question.  I like helping people.  Just found that out about myself.  :-)




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Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Daily Draw for Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Today's card is:




Interpretation: Fate, chance and destiny.  Cause and effect.  Karma. The future depends upon that which has been done before.  The laws of nature and probability.  The continuation of an ongoing pattern.

Well ain't that a kick in the head.  Woke up this morning, got the kids up for school and while I was making myself a cup of coffee...in walks my husband.  Says he just quit his job.  He then proceeds to sit in his chair and play video games, which he has not stopped doing all day.  Usually, when a person quits one job it's because they already have another.  And if they don't, they go look for one.  Guess that means it's up to me to take care of my family's finances again.  Not a problem.  I was getting bored sitting at home.  I'm thinking that it might be time to change this pattern though.  





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Monday, May 2, 2011

Daily Draw for Monday, May 2, 2011

Today's card is:




Interpretation:  Established home and financial life.  Success is well deserved.

Today was a good day.  Husband was in a good mood.  Kids didn't misbehave too terribly much.  Bills are paid.  That's always a good thing.  I don't really have anything else to say about this card/day.  Just ready for bed and hope tomorrow is as good.   






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