December 31st, 2012

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope 2012 has been full of the brightest blessings, and that 2013 holds even more!
In a brief reflection on 2012, here are some of the biggest events of my year:

• Received a medal for my performance in my school's Group Interpretive rendition of The NeverEnding Story.
• Played a Jet girl in our spring musical, West Side Story.
• Went to New York to see Niagara Falls.
• Designed and constructed the local choral society's parade float for our town's annual Summer Celebration (and won first place for float design!).
• Visited for the first time Styx and Stonez, our local metaphysical shop.
• Got my first job, working at the library.
• Played an eccentric author in my school's fall play, Break a Leg.
• Got the part of Montparnasse in our musical to be performed next April - Les Miserables!
• Got my first-ever metaphysical books that are mine to keep and I don't have to return to the library - Witches Datebook 2013 and Encyclopedia of Spirits. 

Once again, a very happy New Year to you and yours. 

あけましておめでとうございます.

December 25th, 2012

Merry Christmas to any Christians I happen to have viewing my blog today. I hope that you get as much joy celebrating your "son" god as I get from celebrating my sun god. :)

For Yule/Christmas, I got a couple of fabulous gifts - The Witches Datebook 2013 was from a sweet woman who works at my school. From my parents, I got a really pretty faerie calendar that includes already printed in it all of the Pagan holidays, full moons, eclipses, etc., and from Santa, I got Encyclopedia of Spirits, by Judika Illes, which I've been wanting for several months. I started reading it today, and it is so good, I can't put it down!

December 23rd, 2012

I had a most interesting day today. This morning, I read some more out of Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses, by Michael Jordan, a wonderful text that I checked out from the library. If anyone has an interest in various pantheons and the relationships between religions, ancient and modern, I'd look for this one. After work, my dad and brother went shopping with me to get presents for my mom. My dad is a rather frustrating individual to shop with, but in the end we got some nice gifts that I think my mom will really like. We also bought a pomegranate, seeing as no-one in my family but me had ever had one. It was quite an adventure trying to get all the little aerols out of the waxy pith, but we got there eventually, and man, were they tasty little things!

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The pomegranate is common in folklore and mythology. In Greek legend, it was seeds from Hades' pomegranate that Persephone ate, forcing her to live in the underworld several months out of the year. In Egypt, on the other hand, it was a symbol of abundance and prosperity. It is a fruit connected with the Goddess in general, and with the High Priestess card in the Tarot. It is likewise associated with intuition and with the cycle of life, death, and rebirth - it was often pictured with the Greek goddess Hera. Even in monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - the pomegranate is seen as "the fruit of paradise" or of the promised land. In Persia and India, the fruit is a symbol of fertility. Enjoy a pomegranate any time of year, although perhaps most appropriately at Samhain, to get in touch with the above described energies. Pomegranates have health benefits as well, destroying those evil "free radical" ions that can do nasty things to your body.

Celtic Tree Month: Birch

The Celtic name for this month is "Beth", pronounced "beh", and celebrates the Birch tree. Birch is a broad-leafed hardwood of the genus Betula, and is in the same family as Alder, Hazel, and Hornbeam (the first two of which are other sacred trees to the Celts). Birch trees and shrubs tend to be of a medium size, with small samara fruit. They are typically found in well-drained, often acidic, soils, and are considered a pioneer species, meaning that they are often the first trees to return after a fire or other disaster.
Folklore surrounding the Birch is plentiful. In Gaelic legend, the Birch is closely associated with Tir na Nog, the Otherworld of the faeries and the Sidhe. To the Celts, brooms, or besoms, made of birch had a purifying quality and were used to drive away evil spirits. During handfasting rituals, the couple would jump over a broom made of Birch; for a long time, the "besom wedding" was legal. Birch were also used in Beltane celebrations as a living maypole - as one of the first trees to grow leaves in the spring, the Birch is an obvious symbol of fertility. The spring goddess Eostre, from whose name comes both "Easter" and "Ostara", was associated with the Birch, as was Frigga, Thor, and Freya from the Norse pantheon. Siberian shamans make their own use of the Birch, notching a Birch twig nine times during an initiation rite to represent the nine steps to heaven. In North America, some Native Americans prized Birch for its practicality in canoe and paper making, and also used the bark to ritually wrap their dead.
Magickally speaking, many cues can be taken from the Birch tree's mythological background - today, wood and leaves from the tree can still be used to make besoms, to ward negativity, and for aid in love. Birch can be burned at Samhain, Beltane, and Yule, and can form the traditional Yule log and Maypole. The wood can likewise be used in dealings with faeries and nature spirits, whether to call the friendly ones or banish the not-so-friendly ones.
Both the leaves and the inner bark of the tree are edible; either can be eaten raw. The inner bark can be added to soup, or can be ground and used as a flour. Made into a tea, it is diuretic, can help cure other minor illnesses, like fever, and makes a good antiseptic. The leaves have similar properties. Birch sap is also edible, and though it is infrequently tapped (it's less sweet than maple sap), it can be turned into a molasses-like syrup or be fermented into beer or vinegar.

December 22nd, 2012

Well, I'm happy to say that yesterday was not the end of the world, and I'm still here. I'm celebrating Yule officially today, since I had my last day of school before break yesterday, and then we spent the whole evening making cookies. After going to my grandparents' house for Thanksgiving, they're coming here for Christmas on Monday; I'm really excited to get to see them again! I've been working on designing some awesome potpourri sachets to give them as gifts, which I'll likely bless and empower in my Yule ritual today.

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Hummingbird's Winter Potpourri

Supplies:

• Dried and shredded orange peel
• Dried mint 
• Dried pine needles
• Cheesecloth
• Ribbon

Instructions:
In Circle, mix an approximately equal amount of the orange peel, mint, and needles together in a bowl. Ritually sprinkle with a few drops of salt water (holy water) and empower for abundance and happiness (orange), health and prosperity (mint), and success and new beginnings (pine). Then take a square of cheesecloth and put about a tablespoon of the mixture in the center. Tie tightly with the ribbon. If the potpourri is then to be given as a gift, visualize it filling with pure white light and recite a gift blessing, such as this one*:

"Perfect love and perfect peace,

The world will dance as one.

I dream the wish to make it real,

The magick now is done."

Close Circle.

*From Silver Ravenwolf's Solitary Witch. Don't freak out at me if you don't like her writing, just make up your own gift blessing.

December 10th, 2012

I'm rather bummed out today; after taking Japanese for three years, my class was supposed to visit Japan for two weeks next summer. However, they only had 10 people (including me) turn in the money to go, so they were forced to cancel it. Hopefully I can still go the summer after my senior year, but in the meantime, it's disappointing.

In other news, I cleansed, consecrated, and blessed my Book of Shadows today after finishing up with typing the information yesterday. It's all pretty now, and I'm really happy with it!

Mt. Fuji (富士山)

December 9th, 2012

So, today I finished a month-long project to type out all the information in my Book of Shadows. Now I don't have to worry about trying to read poorly spelled rituals in unintelligible handwriting from when I was 12. Instead, everything is well-organized in a pretty, easy-to-read font with color-coded highlighting, black-and-white graphics, and clean paper that wasn't dug out of the depths of my backpack. What a relief!

December 5th, 2012

It's beginning to look a lot like Yuletide...
On Sunday, my family went over to our local Home Depot to get a live Christmas tree for this year. It's an uber-fresh fir (a frasier, maybe?), and it smells like pine sap and oranges. Good stuff. We had to spend forever looking for one, though, since it seems everyone had taken advantage of the nice weather and had bought their trees before us! When we got home, I set up my plastic Yule tree in my room and decorated it (I forgot to take pictures though. Oops.), and also set up my Yule altar. Here's a general picture:

And here is a close-up of the middle. I have some great new items on here this year. The four red candle holders I'm using for my elemental candles were actually a gift to my dad from one of his Indian co-workers. He didn't have a use for them, so he gave them to me. These candle holders were designed as a decoration for Diwali, which I think (and correct me if I'm wrong) is sort of a Hindu equivalent to Imbolc, a Festival of Lights. I also have, holding my center Spirit candle, an adorable ceramic bowl my friend Steph made for me in her Spanish class. It's got a gold pentacle painted on both sides, and here you can just see the little green Hummingbird she made to sit on top of it! Over the summer, Hazelnut and I scored a box of holiday decorations at a garage sale - the box was full of all kinds of goodies that we split between us, this silver snowflake being one of the things I got.

This is the left side of my altar (sorry it's so dark). You can see some greenery, a gourd that I'm still drying, lots of pinecones, etc.

And this is the right side of my altar, with more greenery and my cauldron, which has a red votive for the Sun King in it.

Have a wonderful evening, everybody, and brightest blessings in this season of joy!

November 25th, 2012

Happy Elder Moon, everyone! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, today is the first day in the Celtic month honoring the Elder tree.
The Elder tree belongs to the genus Sambucus, and can be found in temperate to sub-tropical regions in both the North and South hemispheres. The tree's flowers are found in branching clusters, often white in color, and later produce berries that are a dark blue to black. The berries are a valuable food source for many birds, and planting the Elder tree around the home is an excellent way to support native animal species.

The Elder Mother

In popular folklore, the Witches' association with the tree varies - some stories say that the Elder tree will ward off Witches, while others say that it is under the tree where Witches may congregate. Elder wood is one of those trees mentioned in the Wiccan Rede; unlike its compatriots, however, the Wiccan is warned that "Elder is the Lady's tree; burn it not, or cursed ye'll be". Other stories tell us that instruments made from Elder wood produce a sound that the Faeries find most favorable. Accordingly, it is said that on Midsummer's eve (Litha), one can find the Faerie folk making merry beneath the Elder trees. Like the Rowan, the Elder is considered protective - the Rowan guards the front of the house, and the Elder protects the back. These protective qualities extended to the business world as well - Elder trees were often planted near bakeries and dairies to protect the food and prevent evil from touching it. However, any food actually left under the tree was considered a gift for the Faeries, and couldn't be reclaimed. In Scandinavian mythos, Elder trees had a guardian spirit known as the Elder Mother, and any damage done to the tree could invoke her wrath. It is from this spirit that the tree may have gotten its name.
Many spells for beauty call for elderflowers - and with good reason! The cosmetic industry has gotten clued into this, and employs Elder derivatives in skin cleansers and eye lotions. If you are looking to freshen up your exterior, infuse warm water with a teaspoon or two of elderflowers and chamomile; then empower, and use daily as a facial cleanser. The tree's protective qualities are just as strong today as they were hundreds of years ago, and growing an Elder in your yard invites friendly Faeries while warding off negative influences. Elder wands have the same protective power as the tree does (JK Rowling clearly did her magickal research!), as does music played on an instrument made of Elder wood. Before cutting an Elder branch for any reason, be sure to respectfully ask the Elder Mother for permission, and leave an offering in thanks (a piece of cake, water, a stone, etc.). The leaves and berries can be used in spells to turn away negativity.
The flowers and berries of the Elder tree are edible, and are often used in foodstuffs in European countries. The flowers can be pressed into a drink known as elderflower cordial. An extract from the flowers is turned into a syrup, typically found in drinks, baked goods, and sweets. Both flowers and berries are also found in everything from yoghurt to wine, fruit pies, marmalade, and more. However, it should be noted that the leaves, branches, twigs, and seeds of the Elder tree can contain small amounts of cyanide, that, when consumed in large quantities, can be toxic. Think apple seeds, here.

November 20th, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving! It's on Thursday, folks. And tomorrow, my family and I are going out-of-town to spend the rest of the week with my grandparents. It often seems cliché to write about what we are thankful for; at this time of year, who isn't? But by that same token, it becomes such a rote chore to people that that they don't even think about it. People end up saying the same things over and over again - "my family, my friends, the house, our food..." - so I have decided to create a list of what I really thank the Lord and Lady for, to remind myself why we celebrate.
I am thankful for:

• Parents who support me in everything that I do.
• Siblings who, for the most part, are loving, kind, smart, and fun to be around.
• A pet cockatiel who is the sweetest little thing ever, and my brother's leopard gecko, who is hilarious.
• Great grades in school.
• A part in our spring musical, Les Miserables.
• My part in the fall play (which just passed), Break a Leg.
• All of the volunteering I've been able to do.
• My job at the library.
• My health, which has been pretty good for the most part.
• My mom's health, after getting several surgeries.
• My bedroom, with all of its awesomeness.
• My best friends, who are always there for me, whether I need a hug or someone to crack jokes with.
• My extended family, who stay in contact with me in spite of living far away.

Bright blessings to everyone in this week of thanks!

November 7th, 2012

Well, I regret to say that Samhain was something of a let-down this year. Between work and family obligations, I never had the chance to do a nice ritual like I had planned. I did take some time last weekend to work on typing my Book of Shadows, though. I had hand-written the whole thing, most of it when I was 12, and I finally got so sick of all the spelling errors that I decided to type and print it, complete with some lovely Pagan fonts that I downloaded for free at www.dafont.com. If you go to the website, under the Dingbats heading is the "esoteric" subsection; they have a bunch of zodiac fonts, along with several that are more specifically Pagan. I've also been working my way through a couple books on different religions. I just finished two, one on classical mythology and one on Buddhism. Now I'm reading a text on Japanese mythology, which is especially interesting to me since I'm learning Japanese in school. I've got one to go after this, about different symbols from different cultures. After that, I'll have to raid the library again!

The above is Amaterasu, the Japanese sun goddess. She is holding a snake and a burial sculpture of a female shaman. To learn more about this depiction of the Goddess, visit the GoddessGift website.

October 28th, 2012

Welcome to the month of the Reed! Although some modern Pagans refer to this as the Elm month, the Celts used this time to celebrate their native water reeds. "Reed" is the general term for tall, grass-like plants that inhabit wet places. All species belong in the order Poales. Reed beds are found in waterlogged places such as floodplains and estuaries. Beds with more than 20 cm of surface water during the summer are called Reed swamps, whereas those with water at or below surface level are known as Reed fens. Because the plants grow poorly in acidic soil, succession often takes over in places like bogs, replacing the reeds with a hardier plant.
In mythology, a number of stories relate to the Reed. One Greek legend tells us that the forest god Pan was pursuing a beautiful young nymph. He chased her to a river, where she transformed into the first Reeds. The wind blew, and Pan was so struck by the beautiful noise the wind in the Reeds made that he took some, bound them together, and formed the first Reed, or Pan, pipes. The infamous Pied Piper is also said to have played on Reed pipes; he first led a plague of rats out of town, and then the town's children to punish the townsfolk for not properly thanking him.
Reeds can be used to make besoms, which are then employed in ritual to brush away negative energy.  The same besom can be hung in the house to continue repelling negativity. One can take a cue from the above myths and construct or purchase a set of Reed pipes, to be used in ritual (Samhain, anyone?). This time period is also one for divination, especially scrying, and seances. Spirit and energy work is appropriate at this time. In ancient times, Reeds may have been soaked in fat as a cheap alternative to candles.
From what I have seen online and elsewhere, although Reeds are not usually poisonous, they don't make very good eats, either.

October 21st, 2012

Well, it has certainly been an interesting weekend! Yesterday, having had beautiful weather, my family and our neighbors from across the street drove an hour to Royal Oak Apple Orchard. We picked probably a bushel of apples total, and, because they're essentially organic, they're delicious.

We also got some apple cider and apple cider doughnuts, which were equally delicious. My mom noticed that the farm was having a sale on gourds, squash, and pumpkins - fill a wheelbarrow with anything marked with a yellow flag for only $20. Seeing as we usually pay more than that to get B-grade pumpkins, we lept at the chance to get a gazzilion really awesome ones.

 

I feel like perhaps we overdid it a little... Still, it'll be great for Samhain! I just have to find a spectacular pattern to carve now.

Today, we had a little "incident" with the electricity. As we were eating lunch, my brother and I noticed a weird sound coming from the furnace. Somewhat alarmed, my dad turned off the power and called our electrician, who was kind enough to come check things out even on a Sunday. Apparently, the main power fuse fried itself and was actually melting the fuse box; if we hadn't switched off the electricity, the whole house could've caught fire! Thank Goddess that didn't happen. Unfortunately, we did have to get a whole new fuse box, but the other one wasn't up to code anyway. Things turned out okay, and we even got the power back tonight.

October 16th, 2012

I was at the library last night, shelving books, when I came across a piece entitled Earth Mother, by Ellen Jackson. Intrigued, I took it with me to read on my break. I thought it was really sweet, and enjoyed the emotive illustrations. It's a great book for young children, and parents will like it too, with its message that we all have a place in the world, and that all living things are special and important. Here is Amazon.com's summary:

"The circle of life turns in unexpected ways. Earth Mother awakes with the dawn. As she walks the land, swims the seas, and climbs the mountains, nurturing all of creation, she comes across Man, Frog, and Mosquito. They each give her thanks for nature’s bounty, yet can’t help but give her advice about making their lives better. Everybody’s got an opinion, it seems, and Earth Mother is amused when it becomes clear that the circle of life is not without a healthy dose of cosmic humor."

October 6th, 2012

Good morning, everyone! I feel like I should still be sleeping, but I have to go and help build the set for my school's fall play, so I'm awake. It's a beautiful morning, but it's cold. The weather has been fluctuating wildly the last couple of days - first in the 80s, then the 40s. I guess we know for sure that we're into Autumn! One of my family's annual traditions is to go to Pumpkin Fest, an event that our town puts on. In past years, they have had pumpkin-pie-eating contests, a race for the grade-schoolers, pumpkin decorating contests, and more. Unfortunately, some of those events have since been canceled, but it still makes for a fun day. I'm hoping mom will let me get some gourds like last year. If so, I'll dry them. One can never have too many dried gourds! They make excellent altar decorations, and most of them will turn into natural rattles as they dry. You can keep them pretty much until the end of time, provided they don't rot before they dry completely. I find that smaller gourds dry out better, so if you plan on creating your own such gourd shakers or decorations, choose vegetation about (or a little smaller than) the size of your hand. Also check to be sure that there are no soft spots, or places where mold is already growing. Pumpkins are great decorations too (although they don't dry out very well; not even the mini ones), and they present all sorts of options: painting, carving, stacking, etc. One can also just leave them plain, if a more natural look is desired. Personally, I love to carve the pumpkins, and spend quite some time looking for innovative patterns that won't be ridiculously difficult to manage. Mine tend to be more secular, as I don't think my parents want a pentacle pumpkin sitting on the porch, but magickal sigils and symbolism can be used as desired. Here's my pumpkin from a few years ago, a design that I still enjoy:

October 5th, 2012

The teachers have some all-day meeting, so my brothers and I have no school today. It was nice to sleep in for a change, let me tell you. I had a most interesting dream, however. Several times in the past, I've had dreams where an aspect of the Goddess came to deliver a message to me. Last night, I feel the same thing happened.
I dreamed I was standing in some sort of ancient cathedral, with parts of the floor submerged in a black lake. I was speaking with a woman; she was tall, blonde, and dressed in white. She also had a visible aura, so that she seemed to glow with white light. She offered help, and transformed her persona into a great being somewhat resembling a giant kraken. She proclaimed herself the primordial Goddess of Water and showed me how I have been allowing circumstances in my life to drown me, figuratively speaking. I then did some research today and found that the goddess-aspect who visited me was most likely Tiamat, who is, word for word, a primordial water and creation Goddess. She also appears as a giant kraken/dragon/merperson. And it's true; between school, homework, play rehearsal, and work, I've been finding myself more and more overwhelmed lately. I'll have to keep the Goddess' advice in mind next time things get too stressful!

Picture from here.

September 30th, 2012

Today is the beginning of the Ivy Celtic Tree Month (in spite of the fact that Ivy isn't actually a tree). The Celts called this month Gort.

The word "Ivy" encompasses 15 species belonging to the genus Hedera, native to Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia. The plants have been introduced to North America as well, though some varieties are considered invasive. On ground level, Ivies are creepers, not exceeding more than 20 cm in height, but once they find a surface to climb, can grow to well over 30 feet tall. Such surfaces include rocks, trees, homes, and other structures where the vines can get a grip on the surface. Young vines are tender and flexible, allowing them to wrap around new material, but as the vines mature, they become woody and firm, much like a small tree trunk. The berries produced are typically bitter and are dark purple or black. Ivy is frequently pollinated by bees and small birds.
Ivy was a plant sacred to the Roman god Bacchus, god of wine and pleasure. According to legend, Baccus' son died, and out of pity, Gaia transformed the boy's body into the Ivy plant. In Egyptian lore, Ivy was connected with the Sun God, Osiris. A Cornish legend recounts the love of the knight Tristan and his betrothed, Iseult. As is typical in most such stories, Tristan was slain in battle, and out of mourning, Iseult died as well. A vengeful king, who had desired Iseult, ordered their graves to be placed far apart, but an Ivy plant grew from each grave. The two plants met, and twined around each other.
Magickally appropriate for Samhain, Ivy is related to rebirth and resurrection. Additionally, one can take a cue from the third myth and use Ivy in matters of the heart and strengthening positive relationships. The plant can be used to create a magickal barrier around your person, shutting out negative influences and energies. It is useful in cooperation, protection, and healing, and ensures fertility. Some folklore recommends boiling Ivy twigs in butter and using as a salve to reduce sunburn; only try this if you can say without a shadow of a doubt that the plant you are using is not Poison Ivy.
Although many birds and other forms of wildlife consume Ivy berries, both the plant and fruit are poisonous to humans, and should not be consumed. The berries aren't deadly, but consumption of them can have unpleasant side effects; luckily, they don't taste good, anyway, so we aren't missing anything.

September 29th, 2012

As we approach Samhain, one of my favorite sabbats, I do about a zillion crafts, doing everything from altar decoration to the more secular "spookifying" the house and front yard. I ran across a post by a fellow Pagan blogger the other day, and her Pagan version of a Mexican Dio de los Muertos skull inspired me to make my own. I'm really pleased with how it turned out, and thought I'd share:

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Dio de los Muertos, or the "Day of the Dead" is one of many celebrations similar to the Celtic Samhain. Like All Saint's Day, Day of the Dead's origins have been traced back to Samhain, as well as to an ancient Aztec festival honoring the goddess Mictecacihuatl. The Aztecs, however, celebrated the entire month rather than a single day. Dio de los Muertos is a time of remembering family that has passed, and is celebrated with festivals, parades, and prayers at the graves of loved ones. Ancestor shrines are constructed, and gifts of food and drink are left at grave sites as gifts to the deceased. Flowers may also be offered, especially a Mexican variety of marigold, as well as toys for deceased children, and pillows and blankets, so that the spirits have a place to rest. Skulls are a popular symbol of the day, with candy sugar skulls being made and intricately decorated up to a year in advance. The decorative skull I made is a non-edible version of one of these.
To make your own decorative skull, you will require the supplies highlighted in yellow. The craft itself can take anywhere from an hour to several hours, depending on how intricately you wish to decorate, but be aware that the skull may have to dry overnight before it can be decorated.

• Begin with a piece of aluminum foil that is at least two feet long (the more you use, the bigger your skull). 
• Crumple the foil into a general skull shape - a lot of detail is not required here, but try and create a defined nose and indentations for eye sockets. Everything else can be very loosely defined at this point.
• Tear paper into thin strips. You can use newsprint, computer paper, etc., but I found that paper towel works well for this application.
• Dip the paper towel into a mixture of water and liquid glue. You may want to do this in a disposable bowl, to ease cleanup.
• Wrap the wet paper towel around the foil skull. Continue adding strips until the entire foil shape is covered by two or three layers, at least. At this point, really shape the eyes and the back of the head. You can add a lot of detail to the mouth if you wish, though I kept it simply defined and just added detail with paint.
• Allow the skull to dry completely. Depending on how much paper towel  and watery glue you used, this could take as long as eight or nine hours.
• Paint the skull a base of white. It will look something like this:

• Once the white is dry, use paint to add meaningful symbols. Flowers are a traditional way to decorate the skulls, so if a certain flower holds meaning for you, you may wish to add it. Other possibilities include a pentacle, an Egyptian eye, ankh, patronus animals, etc. Any symbol can be used, provided it has meaning to you. However, if you don't find that an image resonates with you, don't feel obligated to use it.
• For the eyes, glue on paper or silk flowers. If desired, use black paint to define eyes in the flowers' center.

Mine came out like this:

The purple circle in the middle of the ankh is also representative of the O in the )O( symbol.

Here you can see one of the ) in the )O( symbol, as well as a gold spiral for the God, and an owl and fish for air and water, respectively.

On the back of the skull I painted a pentacle with a lotus flower beneath it.

And on the final side, I painted a silver spiral for the Goddess, a bison for earth, and a phoenix for fire (the phoenix was the idea of my friend, Steph). You can also see the final ( to complete the lunar trinity.

September 23rd, 2012

Happy belated Mabon, one and all! It has started again - the insane business that keeps me off my blog. In the last couple weeks, I have been working at the library Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I have had to do all my homework, of course, and I've had practice and setbuilding for the fall play. Thus, I am only now getting around to posting things from some time ago. To begin with, the woodchuck I mentioned a few posts back has been periodically visiting, and I got a picture of him sitting in the grass:

 A few days later, I was waiting for the bus, and noticed the fog rolling over the middle school's football field. I was struck by its appearance, and thought I'd share:

In addition to our woodchuck friend, we were visited by a hummingbird, which pleased me greatly. After stopping for a drink at our zinnias, it hovered in front of our window for several minutes, allowing us to get some pictures:

And then today, I decided to set up my Samhain altar, which ended up as follows:

September 15th, 2012

It's a beautiful Saturday! I had set-build for the fall play until noon, but after that I got outside for a while and re-colored the deck for my dad. I also saw that woodchuck again; he's been poking into our gardens recently, eating our plants. Anyone have suggestions for keeping woodchucks out of a garden?

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Mabon, of course, is next Saturday, and to get in the Sabbat mood I'm still looking for interesting activities to do. Here are some that I've come across on the vast expanse of the world-wide-web:

• If you follow a Druidic tradition, consider cutting willow wands at this time.
• Apples can be left on grave sites and/or burial cairns as a token of honor and blessing.
• Take a walk in the forest to gather dried seed pods and other organic materials for decoration.
• If you grew fruits or vegetables over the summer, pick a piece of high-quality produce and return it to the land with prayers of Thanksgiving.
• In a meditation, offer thanks to each direction - North for finances, the home, and health, East for gifts of knowledge, South for a career and hobbies, West for relationships, and Spirit for spiritual insight.
• Plan a feast using the produce of the season - squash, apples, corn, bread, and cider. 
• For a protective charm, string Hazelnuts on a red thread and empower.
• Make a wreath out of grapevine, wrap with gold ribbon to bring in the God's energy, and add any desired herbs and seasonal flowers.
• Visit an apple orchard, pick grapes, or harvest pumpkins.
• Make rattles out of dried gourds.

Don't forget the "mundane" stuff, either - just because a tradition doesn't take place in a circle doesn't mean that it doesn't have its own magick.

• Fix up anything in the house that needs to be mended before winter.
• Take a look at family scrapbooks and pictures, and remember loved ones, both living and passed.
• Fill up your bird-feeder, and put some of that dried corn out for the wildlife.
• Consider what you can do to reduce your ecological footprint. Can you use less water or electricity? Recycle more?

September 10th, 2012

I saw this earlier and it made me smile.

Hazelnut and I went to Styx & Stonez, a local metaphysical store, on Saturday. She got two new CDs, a piece of quartz, Scott Cunningham's Wicca, and a dozen small taper candles. She also got me a black taper, since I didn't have any. It's a beautiful store with practically one-stop-shopping for most typical metaphysical supplies. 

I've also been working my way through Teen Psychic, by Julie Tallard Johnson. It's full of great information, with personal and traditional stories from around the world. The book has sections on chakras, the Rainbow Body, spiritual empowerment, psychic protection, and psychic visions, among other things. It's great for anyone looking to develop their intuition, teen or not.

Celtic Tree Month: Vine

Autumn is on the way, and with it the Vine month, which focuses specifically on the powers of the grapevine, used extensively by the Celts in wine-making.

Grapevines are one of the oldest plants ever cultivated. Egyptian hieroglyphics show the making of wine, and many historians estimate that wine-production has been occurring for at least 8000 years. The grape is the seed of a deciduous vine, occurring in clusters rather than individually. The grapes can be dark blue, black, yellow, green, pink, and orange, most of which are descended from a European variety. A few rarer species can be found in the Middle East and Asia.
In Christian lore, wine is used in the Eucharist as a symbol of the blood of their god. They are also mentioned at leats twice in the Jewish Torah. In Greek mythology, on the other hand, wine was the speciality of the god Dionysus (also god of revelry and theatre) and his satyr friends. In Roman myths, Dionysus is referred to as Bacchus, leading to the modern word "bacchanalia", meaning a typically alcohol-induced frenzy. Egypt, where wine played a major role in daily and religious life, had its share of vine god/desses, including Geshtinana, also known as the "Lady of the Vine", and Asar, who, in addition to playing a major role in the afterlife, judgement, etc., was a god of agriculture, responsible for wine and beer.
In magick, grapes are a popular symbol of abundance at harvest time, and as a Mabon symbol are second perhaps only to the apple. The vine and fruit thereof increase fertility and mental prowess. The plant is useful in spells both for the garden and money (going back to that overlying theme of abundance). It can be used in workings for balance, to enhance one's goals and ambitions, and, if desired, to connect to the Dark Goddesses.
As I'm sure almost all of you are aware, while we may not eat the grapevine, the grapes themselves are perfectly edible! Grapes can be enjoyed raw, cooked into jellies and jams, dried as raisins, added to fruit salads, fruit cocktail, and jellos - the possibilities are almost endless!

September 2nd, 2012

Happy Sunday, everyone! 'Tis the first weekend of the school year, for us at least, and personally, I'm quite enjoying the peace and quiet. It's a rainy day, and that too adds to the calm. Something about rain is soothing; I've heard that science attributes it to the negative (as in a + or - charge) ions that water releases - they cause the body to relax.

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Mabon is on the 22nd this year, a Saturday. I've got a ritual planned out, of course, but as always, I look for fun activities I can do up to that point to get in the Sabbat mood. Part of that is the decorating - anyone who knows me can tell you that I love to decorate, and though I can't put Mabon symbols all over the house, I can add to my altar. Here are some ideas to consider:

• Use colors like red, orange, maroon, brown, yellow, and indigo.
• Use acorns, fall leaves (especially oak), and statuary of the Mother Goddess.
• Other plants of the season include marigolds, yarrow, sage, rose hips, and apples
• If you like tarot cards, consider using imagery from Judgement and The World.
• Add gourds and cornucopias.
• Stones ruled by the sun can be included (i.e. citrine, clear quartz, gold, peridot, diamond, yellow topaz, and adventurine).
• Animal statuary (or pictures) can include birds of prey, salmon, owls, wolves, stags, and blackbirds.
• Mythical creature imagery can include Gnomes, Sphinxes, and Minotaurs.
• Incense can include sage, frankincense, myrrh, cinnamon, pine, and apple blossom.

Picture from About.com.

September 1st, 2012

The first of September! Where did summer go? Funny how that happens, isn't it? Anyway, today I did my Blue Moon/Esbat ritual. I had hoped to do so yesterday, but just as I'd started, mom and dad called me to do something else.

Today we discovered that we have a new resident in our backyard - a chubby little woodchuck found the abandoned rabbit hole under the shed and seems to have moved in. He's been busy all morning eating the tall grass around the shed.
The word "woodchuck" actually comes from the Native American name for the animal: wuchak. According to the mythology of the Algonquin Native Americans, Grandmother Woodchuck was a very wise creature who adopted Glooskap, an Algonquin equivalent to Hercules, who frequently fought monsters to make the world safe, but ended up getting into trouble from which Grandmother Woodchuck had to save him.
Because the groundhog (another name for the woodchuck) hibernates during the winter, the animal is symbolic of understanding the cycles of life, death, and rebirth. It is further representative of the ability to know when to "go underground", or to back up from a situation.
Do you have a groundhog living in your neighborhood? Consider what he might be trying to tell you.

August 31st, 2012

A very happy Esbat and Blue Moon to all! A Blue Moon, for those who don't know, is the second full moon to occur in a month, something that happens every two to four years. The term "Blue" Moon comes from ancient calendar makers. They denoted the full moon in red ink, but on the rare occasion that two full moons happened in the same month, the second moon was colored in blue. It is a time of exceptional power, and so is best used in regard to long-term goals or projects. It is also an excellent time for divination. So go out tonight, my friends, and revel in the Lady's glory. Remember:  

"If if that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without.

For behold, I have been with you from the beginning, and I am That which is attained at the end of desire."

August 19th, 2012

So many exciting things to write about today. First of all, Hazelnut will be coming for a visit on Tuesday, before we're both back to school the day after. Summer went by so quickly.
I also started my first official job today, working as a page/book shelver at the local public library. I'm still not sure how that's going to play into my busy schedule, but it'll work out somehow.
On a more magickal note, I've been interested in the local flora ever since a presentation I saw last week on edible wild plants. Not only is harvesting wild edibles an interesting task from a culinary perspective, being able to identify natural growing herbs and flowers can be most useful in creating one's spells. It seems to me that it makes the most sense to work with what grows around you, naturally, rather than some dried flower shipped here from the other side of the planet. The energy just isn't the same. I'd like to get a real field guide, but in the meantime I'm making do with an app on my phone, called NatureGate. It allows you to look at a wild plant and choose from a wide variety of characteristics that describe it. Then, it calculates the potential species of what you're looking at, based on what you specify. It's a neat idea, but I'm not sure how useful it will be for me; it's based in Finland. Still, it says that many of the species are found worldwide, so we'll see.

August 18th, 2012

I just finished cleansing the house! After the events of yesterday, and the passing of one of my dad's good friends, I thought the energy really needed to be cleared, and it already feels way better in here! Energy cleansing is an important part of regulating the health of a household, and should be done after a bad fight, break-up, divorce, death, or other negative occurrence. It can also be done even when nothing bad has occurred, to keep the positive energy fresh and flowing. All you need is some salt, water, and a bell (but you don't even need that if you can clap your hands). Bless and cleanse the first two. Put three pinches of salt into the water and stir, while consecrating the mixture as holy water. Then walk into the room where the most negative energy is clinging (if, for instance, you are cleansing after an argument, go first to the room where the argument took place). Dip your fingers into the holy water and draw a banishing pentagram in the air. Say something along the lines of:

"I cleanse this space of all negativity, in this world and in the astral. Nothing evil or nasty, real or imagined, can ever abide here. So mote it be." 

Then sprinkle some of the water three times in a counter-clockwise circle. Ring the bell or clap your hands until the energy in the room has been raised to a normal, positive level. Repeat the procedure in every room of the home. Note: energy should always be cleansed after a new home, apartment, dorm, etc. is purchased. Old negativity from the previous owners can hang around otherwise.
Now that I'm home, and have some time to do so, I can finally finish off my running gemstone presentations with today's final stone (for now), Unakite.

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Unakite

Physical Characteristics: Unakite appears as a pink stone mottled with an  olive green. It may look almost mossy, and have little pink showing. If there is no pink, however, the stone may not be Unakite, but green Epidote.

In Nature: Unakite is an altered granite composed of pink feldspar and green Epidote, mixed with clear quartz.

Chemical Composition: SiO2 + Ca2(Fe,Al)Al2

Mohs Scale Hardness: 6.5 (middle)

Can be Found: South Africa, the USA, Brazil, and China

Healing Properties*: By releasing emotional trauma, the whole body is impacted, with healthier organs, muscles, and other tissues. Unakite is important to a safe pregnancy, aiding healthy growth of the infant, and, if one is underweight, can help one reach a safe body mass.

Magickal Properties: Unakite provides balance between the mundane and spiritual lives. It helps remove obstacles to personal growth, allowing one to let go of pain and anger. The stone builds self-confidence, strengthens courage, and allows one to really take control of one's life. Additionally, Unakite can be taken into difficult situations, to retain one's personal power. Unakite also has associations with finding lost objects, gardening, and attracting spirit guides.

Chakra Association: Unakite is best synchronised with the Third, or Solar Plexus Chakra, and the Fourth, or Heart Chakra.

Element: Fire, Water

Energy: Projective, Receptive

Planetary Association: Mars, Venus

*Magickal healing should never take the place of seeing a doctor and following any recommended prescriptions, actions, or other advice. Magick works best in tandem with physical efforts, anyway, so don't skimp on those check-ups!

August 17th, 2012

I have some really sad news today. Last month, Nick got a pet frog named Dot from a family friend. While we were on vacation, dad called to tell us that she had escaped. He searched for a long time, and set out plates of water, but never caught sight of her. Then last night, I had a dream that Dot had died. Today, as we returned home from our trip, I really hoped that it had only been a dream, and that we'd find Dot alive and okay. Unfortunately, it seemed she never found the water, or perhaps it had been too late even after dad set it out, because we found her dead under Nick's window. Nick was positively devastated, of course, and the rest of us were very sad as well. We buried her in the backyard, in a flower bed by the pool and marked the spot with a stone and some chamomile flowers. Later, I also made a circle around the area with some dried lavender I had harvested. Tomorrow, when I'm less worn out, I'll do a ritual to cleanse the house of negativity. In the meantime, I'm wearing my rose quartz and am trying to keep a positive attitude around Nick.

Dot, you were much loved. You were too young to go, and I hope that in the Summerland, you find a brilliant pond waiting for you.

Merry did we meet, and although our parting was perhaps not the merriest of occasions, I take comfort in knowing that we will merry meet once more.

August 16th, 2012

Yesterday was really busy, as my Aunt C and her friend Leah took us to the State Fair. We saw everything from animals carved of chocolate and butter, to quilts and knitted items, to animals (from the farm and the wild). There was a presentation on wild edibles and how to collect outdoors, as well as one on Midwestern wild canines - foxes, coyotes, and wolves. We actually got to see and pet a sweet little wolf pup, who was only a year old.

Once the day was done and we'd eaten dinner, we returned to Aunt C's place. I love her house. She has hand made wooden, clay, and fabric masks hanging from the walls, replicas of Egyptian and Roman statuary, and dozens of other art pieces. She also has four cats: Wiccan, Skylla, Tinkerbell, and Onyx. Skylla is really shy; I saw her for about 10 seconds, and she's been hiding the rest of the time. The other three are quite playful, though, and more than happy to climb into bed with you, as I discovered last night. Onyx sat next to me for the longest time, waking me at 3:00 this morning when he started bathing my fingers. Today, we met my mom's friend, Tara, at the Botanic Gardens. They had a stunning selection of plants: orchids, banana palms, cacti, and even some wee bonsai trees.

August 14th, 2012

It's a beautiful day at grandma's house! I'm seated on their porch as I write this, enjoying the smell of fresh-cut grass, and keeping an eye out for the Hummingbirds who visit my grandma's feeder. We went for another walk today along a shadier path next to the creek and saw a very silly squirrel loudly chewing on a nut.
Having caught a bit of a respite, I finally have time to add information on a new stone, Red Jasper.

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 Red Jasper

Physical Characteristics: Red Jasper is, as one might expect, a scarlet red. It is typically striated with brown and/or dark red stripes. Jasper comes in many other colors, and that affects their uses, so the following may not be true of all Jaspers.

In Nature: Jasper is a form of chalcedony, like Bloodstone. It is opaque and colored due to iron oxide in the stone.

Chemical Composition: SiO2 (Silicon Dioxide)

Mohs Scale Hardness: 7 (middle-high)

Can be Found: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, India, Kazakstan, Madagascar, Russia, Uruguay, and the USA.

Healing Properties*: Therapeutically, Red Jasper stimulates sexuality and fertility. It is beneficial in treating the liver, spleen, and pancreas. Drinking Jasper water before every meal promotes weight loss. On the other hand, the stone helps battle anorexia and bulimia, as well other stomach disorders. Jasper water is further beneficial in easing constipation.

Magickal Properties: As a decorative stone, Jasper combats exhaustion. It aligns the chakras, balancing yin and yang energies, and may be used to bring rain. In the past, Jasper warded off snake and spider bite. Although not a great concern today, these ancient associations imply that Jasper can protect against modern dangers, from car crashes to harassment. Jasper promotes mental processes and restrains dangerous whims. Worn by young women, it promotes beauty and grace. This is another lucky stone for actors, and it gives one the courage to speak out. It is a stone of stability and strength. Red Jasper enhances dream recall and dream work, and assists in unjust situations.

Chakra Association: Red Jasper aligns all the chakras, but is especially helpful to the First, or Root Chakra, and the Second, or Sacral Chakra.

Element: Fire

Energy: Projective

Planetary Association: Mars

*Magickal healing should never take the place of seeing a doctor and following any recommended prescriptions, actions, or other advice. Magick works best in tandem with physical efforts, anyway, so don't skimp on those check-ups!

August 13th, 2012

Greetings! My family and I have been rather on-the-go the last few days, beginning the night of the 11th, when we sat outside to watch the meteor shower. We saw a few dozen smaller ones, and two that were really bright against the night sky.
Then on the 12th, we drove to my grandparent's house, getting there around 2:00. Their internet was down, hence my lack of posting, but I worked on a few fairy drawings that I'm putting in my school binders. This morning my grandma went on a hike with us around a nearby lake, where we saw all kinds of beautiful wildflowers and several turkey vultures.
Later, my grandpa took us to the Reiman Gardens, which was doing an exhibition of garden-themed Lego sculptures. My favorite was, of course, the Hummingbird.

I also went into the butterfly house, and enjoyed several varieties landing on me, while stalking the gorgeous Blue Morpho butterflies, who proved to be great teases, refusing to let me get a good picture of their blue wings.

I ended up just taking video of the Morphos, and when I got home was able to pick out this shot:

August 11th, 2012

I'm looking at an exciting upcoming week to round off my summer vacation - tomorrow my mom, Ben, and I are all heading to our grandparents' house for a few days (Nick is there already). Then, rather than just coming home, we'll be with my Aunt C and her friend Leah until Friday. I should still be able to update my blog, though. By way of interest, I will be taking my travel altar, but I'm not sure how much of an opportunity my grandparents are going to give me to use it, as I'm not openly Pagan with them and would like to avoid awkward questions. The stone-o'-the-day is Bloodstone, which is rather appropriate, as I've been working with it today and yesterday.

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 Bloodstone

Physical Characteristics: Bloodstone, or Heliotrope,, as it is sometimes called, is a very dark green stone that may have small white or blue splotches. It is most notable, however, for the flakes of metallic red or yellow layered over the green. Sometimes the color is very noticeable, and sometimes it's a very subtle effect, better seen under direct light.

 

In Nature: Bloodstone is a form of chalcedony. When green chalcedony contains flecks of red jasper or iron oxide, it is know as Bloodstone. When the spots are yellow, it is often given the name "Plasma".

Chemical Composition: SiO2 (Silicon Dioxide)

Mohs Scale Hardness: 6.5 - 7 (middle-high)

Can be Found: India, Brazil, China, Australia, and the USA.

Healing Properties*: The stone helps with cleansing the blood, thus detoxifying the body, and supports all organs that do the same. Bloodstone's most famous use is in halting bleeding, especially small cuts and nose-bleeds. Obviously, the more serious the cut, the more difficult it becomes to heal it quickly. For pregnant mothers, a Bloodstone worn on the arm can prevent miscarriage, while one on the thigh eases childbirth and reduces the risk of hemorrhaging.

Magickal Properties: In addition to its healing potential, Bloodstone gives one protection from negativity. The stone brings adaptability, especially in survival situations, but also in daily life. It is cleansing on all levels, working emotionally to ease sorrow and depression. Bloodstone is also used to bring courage, strength, victory, and wealth, and is an excellent stone to have on hand in business and legal matters. The stone increases the body's energy circulation and removes blockages. Additionally, Bloodstone provides a figurative invisibility when one is looking to blend in with the crowd.

Chakra Association: Bloodstone is tied to the First, or Root Chakra.

Element: Fire

Energy: Projective

Planetary Association: Mars

*Magickal healing should never take the place of seeing a doctor and following any recommended prescriptions, actions, or other advice. Magick works best in tandem with physical efforts, anyway, so don't skimp on those check-ups!

August 10th, 2012

There's honestly not a lot going on here today, so I'll skip the usual introduction and just get on with it. I shall be discussing Sodalite today, this being one of the seven stones I purchased at the Faery Fest.

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Sodalite

Physical Characteristics: Sodalite is a stone with a similar appearance to Lapis Lazuli, although it lacks the sparkles of pyrite. Typically, Sodalite is a mottled blend of dark and light blues, mixed with streaks of white.

In Nature: Found as vein fillings in plutonic rocks. Associated with other minerals common to undersaturated environments, such as leucite, cancrinite, and natrolite.

Chemical Composition: Na4Al3Si3O12Cl (Sodium Aluminium Silicate Chloride)

Mohs Scale Hardness: 5.5 - 6 (middle)

Can be Found: Greenland, Canada, the USA, British Columbia, Brazil, Bolivia, Russia, Romania, and Burma

Healing Properties*: Carried constantly on one's person, Sodalite reduces blood pressure. It further calms the thyroid gland, the nervous system, and all glandular functions, while heightening metabolism.

Magickal Properties: Sodalite is the stone of artists, as it inspires as it protects. Sodalite brings inner calm, and ought to be used throughout the house. It harmonizes the conscious and subconscious minds, and stimulates thought. It is wonderful for healing breaches in communication, and is a stone of truth. It increases intelligence, knowledge, and learning, and balances the logical mind with the spiritual. The stone reduces stress and prolongs physical endurance. Particularly when used with Lapis Lazuli or Clear Quartz, Sodalite is excellent for improving one's ability to meditate and receive psychic information. It can be used in grounding excess energy, as well as in improving self-esteem.

Chakra Association: Sodalite is most effective when used with the Second, or Sacral Chakra, the Fifth, or Throat Chakra, and the Sixth, or Third Eye Chakra.

Element: Air, Water

Energy: Receptive

Planetary Association: Venus

*Magickal healing should never take the place of seeing a doctor and following any recommended prescriptions, actions, or other advice. Magick works best in tandem with physical efforts, anyway, so don't skimp on those check-ups!