April 29th, 2012

Hard to believe that it's almost May! There's been a whole lot of nothing going on here the past couple days, but that's alright. It's given me a chance to catch up with my friends, and spend some time with my family. I've been staring at my screen for a good 10 minutes and have no idea what else of value I can add, so have a picture of Pan instead:

April 26th, 2012

Spring cleaning: not everyone likes it, and some people (including my brother) seem to have no idea what the word "clean" even entails. However, it is truly important to clean the house now and then, as dust naturally harbors negative energy. Further, cluttered, dark rooms provide a hiding place for exactly the kind of astral nasties that we all want to avoid. Cleaning can be as simple as simple as putting away the accumulated clutter of the past week, or as intense as vacuuming and scrubbing down every surface in sight. Frequently, it tends to be a combination of the two. I have been trying to clean up my reading corner, because no matter what I do, it always seems messy. I've been receiving college mail (it's only the beginning), and that too is beginning to pile up. Opening the windows can be cleaning just by itself - raising the blinds lets in the sun and helps negate any negativity that happens to be hanging around. However, spring cleaning doesn't have to be limited to cleaning the house. One can use this time to cleanse oneself spiritually, also. Do something a little extra for yourself: splurge on that new book, meditate on how you can open yourself to opportunities, release the old, take a cleansing bath or shower.

Interested in eco-friendly cleaning options? If you have distilled white vinegar around the house (and you probably do), as well as some baking soda, you've got yourself the makings of a powerful cleaner without harsh chemicals.

• To shine chrome sink fixtures that have a lime buildup, use a paste made of 2 tablespoons salt and 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar.
• Make your own scouring cleanser by combining 1/4 cup baking soda with 1 tablespoon liquid detergent. Add just enough white distilled vinegar to give it a thick but creamy texture.
• Clean the microwave by mixing 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil inside the microwave. Baked-on food will be loosened, and odors will disappear. Wipe clean.
• To clean a grease splattered oven door window, saturate it with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Keep the door open for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping with a sponge.
• Remove mineral deposits from coffee makers with white distilled vinegar. Fill the water reservoir with 1 cup or more of white distilled vinegar and run it through a whole cycle. Run it once or twice more with plain water to rinse clean. (Check the owners’ manual first.)
• To make cleaning the grill easier, spray a solution of half water and half white distilled vinegar on the cooking surface.
  
   

April 25th, 2012

I finished the final book of a quartet that I've been rereading today, one that I feel may be of interest to the Pagan community. As my preferred genre, the books are, of course, fantasy, but I feel that they touch on that Pagan spirit that is so entrancing about good literature. Book one is called The Naming, by Allison Croggon. It is the story of Maerad, a slave girl who is rescued from her misery by Cadvan, a mysterious Bard, possessing magical powers. He realizes that she too is a Bard, and may, indeed, be even more. Book two is The Riddle, book three is The Crow, and book four is The Singing. The books talk about the importance of balance, the magic of music, elemental powers, and more. I found them beautiful works with an entrancing plot, even if the ending was, perhaps, a touch predictable.

April 24th, 2012

The weather was nice again today. It has been fluctuating so much outside recently that it's hard to say for sure, but perhaps spring will decide to stick around now permanently. I have the window open, and, as Nick so eloquently put it, "it smells like wind". I found a poem today that I should like to share. It's called "Thank a Tree", by Michael Mack.

When
you are
sitting in
your wooden house
relaxing comfortably
protected from the elements
outside
thank a
t
r
e
e

When
you place logs
upon the fireplace
shutting out what cold may be
as the shadows of the flames dance on the
ceiling,
thank a
t
r
e
e

When
you pour
syrup on your
pancakes or hear robins
sing outside, then thank a tree
for everything it's able to provide

And
when you
look out at
the landscape through
the early morning mist, you
will see a sight that proves beyond
a doubt that God exists...warm sunlight falling
through the branches making diamonds out of dew
If all the things I've mentioned here mean something dear to you

Then
take the
time to come to
my retreat. Share my
serenity and, as the peacefulness
you've searched for, fills you....thank a
t
r
e
e

April 23rd, 2012

It is, in today's modern age, sometimes difficult to adhere to concept of nature worship. Of course we recycle, we tend a garden, we try to use nature-friendly cleaning products, and all that is wonderful. However, as a student, I am constantly besieged by commitments to homework, family, friends, and the omnipresent television shows, apps, and Facebook. Today, I realized that it has been ages since I was outside for more than a few minutes, walking to the car or back from the bus stop. Some of this is due to the weather; it is only just now spring, and after the recent rainstorms, it has been cold. However, it is nevertheless a personal duty and joy to be outdoors, something I'd rather forgotten. So, after an initial argument, Nick talked me into biking to a nearby business district, rather overrun with trash that had blown off the garbage truck. We took some bags, headed over, and picked up as much of the junk as we could shove into our bags. And here's the funny thing, the thing daily life has made me forget: being outside feels good. It's good for everything. The sun causes your skin to produce Vitamin D, your brain releases endorphins (a natural mood booster), and the natural world helps strip us of some of the toxins that comes from being inside all the time. The body feels refreshed, revitalized. When I got home from school today, my backpack had made my shoulders ache horribly. Now I hardly notice. I think if we all got outside a little more, people might find themselves to be happier more often. On that note, I'll leave a song for you to consider...

Moon Garden

In honor of Earth Day, you may consider planting a Moon Garden. Given the choice, I'd probably turn the entire backyard into a garden (but somehow I don't see my parents going for that).
A Moon Garden is one filled with those plants that have white or light yellow/pink flowers, many of which are nocturnal in nature. The best known of these is, somewhat obviously, the Moonflower. The Moonflower is a climbing plant, cousin to the Morning Glory, whose flowers only open at night. The white flowers smell slightly of lemon, and, when open, are about 5 - 6 inches in diameter. Phlox, one of my favorite flowers, has a nocturnal variety, called the Night Phlox. These smell like honey, and open at twilight. A final intriguing such plant is the Angel's Trumpet, which opens in the evening in a horn shape, with a strong, floral scent. One could also consider mixing in non-flowering plants with silver leaves, such as Lamb's Ear, or diurnal white flowers to continue the look in the daytime.
To make your garden, check the planting instructions of all species you intend to plant. Make sure that the garden size you plan on can accommodate your new friends. Then, if not already available, dig the area for your plants, or, if space is limited, purchase pots. Consider making your garden circular or in the shape of a half or crescent moon. Plant your plants, add any stepping stones or statues (preferably keeping to the white and silver theme) as desired, and then hold a small ritual outdoors to dedicate the space to the Goddess.

Feeling creative? Design a Sun garden to complement it!

April 22nd, 2012

Happy Earth Day! Today is beautiful; open the windows and enjoy the sunshine. Here are a few things you can try to make your Earth day a little more special:

• Consider making an offering to Gaia, any local nature spirits, or simply to the earth itself.
• Plant a garden.
• Go out locally and pick up trash.
• Take a walk or a bike ride through a local forest preserve.
• Attend a spiral dance, or make up one of your own.
• Go to an environmental rally, or make a donation.

Stones to Banish Negativity

Since this is an issue we all seem to have been having to deal with of late, here are some stones revered for their ability to beat negative energy.

• Amber: The fossilized sap of a tree, Amber helps one find the good in bad situations. It can also be used to open the crown chakra, and for purification.
• Apatite: Clears the mind, balances energy, and aids in the teaching of others. It dissolves negativity, and can increase the power of other stones.
• Cat's-Eye: Olive green like the eye of a cat, this stone increases one's personal luck, happiness, and awareness, and has protective qualities. Also, it helps the user sense negativity, so that he/she knows who/what to avoid.
• Chrysocolla: Useful in healing emotionally, particularly from a bad relationship. Helps dispel fear, and also alleviates internal negativity.
• Garnet: The garnet is a stone for relationship commitment, but it is also a stone of protection, especially of children. It is powerful against thievery.
• Granite: Allows one to see past illusions. Wear to ward off negativity and disagreements.
• Hessonite: Gives one courage to complete goals, repels negativity, and helps one focus during meditation.
• Obsidian: Used for protection, divination, peace, and grounding. Flattened, it can be used for scrying. The stone shields the wearer from negativity and physical harm (but still check both ways before crossing the street!).
• Pyrite (aka Fool's Gold): Good for mental and physical healing, as well as warding negativity.
• Smoky Quartz: Creates an energy shield around the wearer, and can open blocked paths of communication. Provides balancing and calmness, and removes negativity from the wearer. For this reason, wash after use in the sink or other source of running water.
• Topaz: Helps the wearer to trust, find joy and peace, and increase desire and attraction. Can be charged to increase intuition, connection with the divine, or to repel negativity.

April 21st, 2012

Okay, Blogger seems to have switched it up a bit, and that threw me off, but I think I've got it figured out now. In any event, today marks the first real "weekend" I've had since September: no rehearsals, no set-build - nothing. I can just stay home and write.
Something kind of funny happened in English class earlier this week. Our student teacher was talking about the idea of archetypes, and how they apply to literature. Then he handed us a list of the more common ones: the Mother, the Chariot, the Fool, the Hermit, the Devil, Death, the Hanged Man, the Lovers, just to name a few. What does this sound suspiciously like? Tarot cards! Indeed, the most common types of archetypes in literature are pulled right from the major arcana! I was so greatly amused by this synchronism that I brought my tarot cards the next day to show him, and he agreed. Never would I have thought that I'd be using my deck in the middle of English class...
On a more serious note, later that week my friend Steph announced to the class that she is atheist, which I was already aware of, but a majority of the class wasn't. Both of us have had some past difficulties where Paganism and atheism are concerned, so we're hoping that our current class is more accepting of her. Positive energy is always appreciated.

Finally, I know I've had posts in the past where I've posted ideas for one of my best friends in a bad situation, but at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I say again: no matter who you are, or where, or what you've done, you always deserve to be loved, by yourself most of all. And whoever you are reading this, whether I know you or not, know that I love you also, and that no matter how hard things get, it will get better. Life moves in cycles, some happy, some sad, and some downright awful. But the happy times come back around; sadness isn't forever. God and Goddess are around you always, but they are inside you also, giving you strength. Whatever happens, they always love you and want you to be happy and safe. On that note, here's a little ritual I compiled out of some ideas I found on the web:

~~~~~~~~~~~

Cast circle and invoke God and Goddess

Place a candle (white or black works best, but use what you have) in each of the cardinal points.

Call the Quarters.

Concentrate on the the healing, and visualize the problem that needs correcting.*

Face the East, light the candle, and say:

"Candle burn
Shine your light
Take what's wrong
And make it right."

Repeat with the South candle and then the West candle, and the the North candle.

Visualize the healing powers generated by these candles flowing into you. Then Chant:

"Dispel the agony,
let these wounds heal.
Banish the suffering,
no suffering to feel."

As you say this, imagine yourself surrounded by a healing, protective light that shines brighter each time you repeat the chant.

Then, write down on a blank piece of paper all the negative thoughts you have. Make it as detailed and as personal as possible.
Place your paper full of negative thoughts in a container which will hold fire safely (don't set you or your house on fire!)**. Set the paper alight, and as it burns say:

Fire burns and takes away
All that causes me pain
Negative thoughts and fears
They will not trouble me again.

Fire burns and turns to smoke
All that once troubled me
These things no longer exist
As I will it, so mote it be!

Bury the ashes in a garden or scatter them in the wind. Your negative thoughts and feelings are no more.
At this point, you could choose to close the circle, or go on to an additional activity to promote peace and happiness. Grab another sheet of paper and write down the intentions, desires, and affirmations that express what you are going to start giving to yourself and cultivating within yourself to brighten your life.
Fold it up and put it in the middle of the candles to be infused with the positive energy.
Say an affirmation of love to yourself. Close your eyes and have a wonderful meditation session (add in some positive music, if you feel so inclined) for as long as you feel necessary. Bring your hands to your chest in prayer position and say, "Thank you" or any other words of gratitude. Keep the positive paper with you at all times, or at least as much as is feasible (in a necklace, perhaps?)

Then thank God and Goddess, release the Quarters, and close the circle.

*Note: this half of the ritual can also be done for another person, if they are in need of it. Just visualize them at this time, and throughout the ritual.

**Some people, myself included, are not allowed to burn things. If this is the case, then tear the paper into tiny pieces, as small as you can make them.

April 15th, 2012

First, a personal update: last night marked the final performance of my high school's spring musical, so I should be home a great deal more now to write up my blog posts. Huzzah!

~~~~~~~~~~

In other news, I shall continue my monthly saga of the Celtic tree months. Today begins the month of Willow, called Saille (Sahl-yeh) by the Celts. The Willow belongs to the genus Salix (from Latin sal-, meaning near, and -lis, meaning water), which includes approximately 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs. They grow in moist soil, are found primarily in the northern hemisphere, and are extremely cross fertile, meaning that both natural and cultivated hybrids are common. The most popular example of such is the Weeping Willow, which is a cross between the Peking Willow from China and the White Willow from Europe. All Willows have sap heavily charged with salicylic acid (similar to the active ingredient in aspirin, and used in many acne treatments), and the roots are typically stoloniferous, or runner-producing. Indeed, the roots of the willow are extremely tough, and in some varieties will happily grow even from parts of the plant well above the ground. With regard to flowers, the willow produces catkins that are both male and female, and are generally purple or orange.
The Willow is prevalent in mythology and legend from across the globe. In Japan, the tree is associated with ghosts, and the Japanese believe that wherever one grows, a ghost may appear. Similarly, the Willow is frequently planted in or near European graveyards, and in China, the branches of the Willow are employed during the Qingming, or "tomb-sweeping", festival. At this time, the god of the underworld allows the dead to return temporarily, and as these spirits may not always be welcome, the Willow is said to ward them off. Some Christian churches in northern Europe use Willow branches instead of palms on Palm Sunday, and in Wicca, the Willow is mentioned in the Rede as being one of the Nine Sacred Woods, and is used to guide the dead to the Summerland. It is also common in rites of fertility. In ancient Greece, for example, willow leaves were placed in the beds of infertile women, which was believed to call mystical snakes from the underworld to cure them. In later times, the association was switched, and willow was used to drive snakes away. Today, a pregnant woman may place an article of clothing under a willow tree, and if that night even a single leaf falls on the cloth, the woman will be granted an easy childbirth by the spirit of the Willow. The tree is also sacred to poets, as the wind whistling through the branches is said to inspire the mind.
Because of its connection to the dead, Willow is commonly associated with the element Spirit. Burn Willow to help ease the spirit of the deceased, and use it to bring new energy to the elderly or sick. Since the tree deals with the cycles of life, change, and will, it can be employed in magick dealing with those things. It is also associated with the element Water, and is an excellent wood to use in making a water-dowsing rod. Further, it is tied to feminine energy, and can be employed in love spells, or spells to aid in womanly matters. According to tradition, willow bark is to be used to bind sacred and/or magickal objects together. A besom, for instance, will traditionally have an Ash handle and Birch twigs for the broom, bound with Willow. It is also a popular wood in carving wands and talismans.
Willow bark is edible, and is frequently made into teas to reduce rheumatism, indigestion, and whooping cough. To make a willow decoction, useful for soothing inflamed tonsils or gums, soak three teaspoons of willow bark in cold water for two to five hours, before boiling. Then strain, and drink a glass daily.

Beltane

Beltane is one of the four fire-festivals, celebrated on May 1st. It is named for the god Bel, meaning "fire". In Ireland, the same god went by the name Beli, possibly making the name of the sabbat "tree-fire". One of Beltane's other names is Cetsamhain, or "first Samhain", and it is opposite Samhain on the Pagan calendar. Unlike Samhain, however, which honors the spirits of the dead, Beltane focuses on all that is alive. Along with Ostara, and, to an extent, Imbolc, Beltane is a fertility sabbat. In Pagan mythos, Beltane marks the point where the God is first unioned with the Goddess, bringing her into her phase as the Mother. From their union, then, springs the life that now flourishes. Also, as it is a fire-festival, the element plays a major role in the celebration of the holiday.
According to tradition, on Beltane Eve, all fires are extinguished. Then, on the day of, "need-fires" are kindled using the nine woods sacred to the Celts, and all other home fires are relit from these. Then people would run through the smoke of the need-fires to purify themselves, and their cattle were driven through the smoke for the same purpose. On the same day, the cattle were moved to their summer pastures. Another well known tradition, even to non-Pagans, is the dancing of the Maypole. The pole itself is symbolic of the God's fertility, and the ribbons, once wrapped around said pole, signify the Goddess. The dancing is said to bring abundance and good fortune, and receives relative popularity to this day.
Personally, I am a decorator, so one of my favorite things to do for each sabbat is get my altar set up. At Beltane, any symbol of spring is appropriate, but more commonly one sees flowers, miniature maypoles, candles (it is a fire-festival, after all), chalices/cauldrons, swords/athames, wreaths of flowers, antlers or other horns, and any other fertility symbols. Goats, rabbits, bees, faeries, pegasi, and satyrs are all associated with Beltane, so pictures or other representations of the creatures are appropriate. In particular, Beltane has a strong connection with faeries, so if you follow a tradition honoring them in any way, now is a great time to do so, either by including faerie statues or pictures, or by leaving them offerings.
This lovely little recipe is one I found on the 'net here, and can be left as an offering to your faerie friends, or enjoyed by your family as Beltane fare.

Fried Honeycakes

1/2 cup sweet white wine
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1 cup honey
2/3 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Oil for frying
1/8 teaspoon salt
Beat the wine and egg in a medium bowl. Combine the flour, cinnamon, salt and sugar in a small bowl. Stir into the egg mixture. Let stand 30 minutes. Combine the honey and nutmeg in a small bowl. Heat 1/2-inch of the oil in a frying pan until hot, but not smoking. Drop the batter into the oil 1 tablespoon at a time; fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Dip into the honey.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen

April 8th, 2012

Hazelnut had some very exciting news for me early last week. Apparently, there is a holistic center near her house practicing everything from reiki and massage therapy to acupuncture and chakra balancing! Even more exciting, the building holds a free drum circle the first Saturday of every month, so we decided to go and check it out. The group is led by a woman named Wendy, who follows a Native American-based path, so before the group opened she led a small blessing outside the place, calling upon the spirits of each direction and giving an offering of ritual tobacco. Then, Hazelnut and I, along with the other group members, of which there were about 10, got into a circle and drummed for about an hour and a half. It was moving, both physically and spiritually, and was an all-around great experience. Many of the drums there for use had been made by Tom, a group regular, and were simply gorgeous. None of them were extensively adorned, but the simple naturalness of the drums was beautiful. He also made a number of drumsticks, and little feather decorations. He had tied the feathers with rawhide, and each came with a glass bead that he had also made. Everyone received one of these to take with and enjoy. I'm putting mine on my altar, perhaps with my BOS. The group ended at 8:45, at which point I returned home. Has anyone else had the opportunity to go to something like this? If so, what were your thoughts?