February 26th, 2013

My grandma and uncle are visiting my family this week - we didn't get to see them at Christmas/Yule, so it'll be great to have them. In addition, I got my ACT results today, and I got a 33 as my composite score! I had gotten a 32 on the practice version, and knew I wanted to get that score or better on the actual test. To achieve that goal, I studied, of course, and also empowered my emerald chunk for memory and intelligence. It seems to have been effective - I went up in all areas!

Finally, I'd like to share a picture of the necklace and Hummingbird stone I got while at the mall the other day:

February 24th, 2013

I had a fabulous time at Hazelnut's birthday party yesterday - after a mind-numbing two hours doing a mandatory charity walk for National Honors Society (couldn't we have done something more useful to help people?) she picked me up and we went with her other Pagan friend, Haley, to the mall to do a bit of shopping. Hazelnut got a bunch of cool Hunger Games memorabilia on clearance, Haley found an adorable stuffed dolphin, and I got a Goddess necklace and Hummingbird worry stone from a store selling Native American crafts.

Here's Hazelnut and Haley trying on hats in an anime/movie store.

Drinking bubble tea. Mmm....

One of my presents to Taylor - a Triple Goddess Washcloth that I knitted. I also took a tiny wooden treasure chest and painted elementals all over it for her. It was really cool, but I forgot to take pictures - I'll have to do that next time I'm at her house.

Happy birthday, Hazelnut, and brightest blessings to you and yours! )O(

February 18th, 2013

A very happy early birthday to my friend Hazelnut! I've been working on some (hopefully) cool presents for her, but as per last year, I'll have to wait until after her party to post pictures - don't want her coming on here and finding out what they are early!
Since today is President's Day, I've been off from school and am just relaxing at home. I spent most of the morning reading, and I painted some pictures as well. I have to work this evening, but on the whole its been nice to just reconnect with my creative side. My brother is feverishly preparing for spring, reading and rereading seed catalogues, looking for interesting vegetables to grow in our garden. Everywhere, the snow is melting and the animals are coming back out. Even so, we're supposed to have another winter storm coming thorough here in the next couple of days. Spring is on its way, but it sure isn't going to get here without a fight!
Speaking of spring, I don't think I ever shared pictures from my Imbolc altar.

I actually really like how this altar came out - I think I finally got the right balance of color!

February 13th, 2013

I got an Ammonite shell while on a field trip at the aquarium the other day, and, as per the usual, I am going to post my research on it here. Fun, huh?

Ammonite

Physical Characteristics: Ammonite is the fossilized shell of a prehistoric animal, characterized by a spiral shape. The Ammonite is named after the Egyptian god Ammon, as the god was depicted with curling rams' horns, and the Ammonite resembles these. They have also been called "draconites" (linked to dragons) and "snake stones".

In Nature: In the Devonian period (about 400 million years ago), these were aquatic creatures found throughout the world's ocean. When the animals died, their shells fell to the sea floor, and over millions of years were turned into fossils. Different varieties can be as small as an inch to as large as almost 7 feet in diameter.

Chemical Composition: Variable

Mohs Scale Hardness: 6 - 6.5 (middle)

Can be Found: England, United States, Canada, Madagascar, Alberta

Healing Properties*: Ammonites are not connected with any one particular disease or part of the body; instead, they can be used for general good health. They can assist in childbirth, and may alleviate depression. The "stone" helps repair the body's aura and natural energy centers - it turns negative or blocked energy into positive energy that flows smoothly.

Magickal Properties: Associated with the ram, Ammonites are sacred in many cultures; in Ethiopia, they were used to aid prophetic dreaming. They were also employed to reach a deep meditative state. Ammonite helps one find one's way in the "spiral dance" of life, and can be useful to those wishing to perform past-life regression. These fossils radiate positive earth energy and draw prosperity. Use Ammonite to let go of karmic debts and harmful thought patterns. It stimulates one's instincts and builds personal power. These fossils are representative of time and eternity; they can be worn as protective amulets and may increase life span.

Chakra Association: Ammonite is most associated with the First (or Root) chakra, and may be used to activate Kundalini energies.

Element: Akasha (Spirit)

Energy: Receptive

Planetary Association: None noted

*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!

February 11th, 2013

I am absolutely exhausted today - I went to bed a little late last night, and then could not fall asleep. So I'm very grateful that I finished all my work in class and don't have rehearsal. My weekend was really busy too; I had to go to a birthday party for the son of my mom's friend, and all their cousins were over and were messing around, being loud and annoying. I also had to take the ACT that same day, and then was at my friend's house until 11:00 working on a project. The one highlight of my weekend was an idea for a story based off the major arcana of a Tarot deck - I wrote a little intro to it today and really liked it. I'll probably wait to write more until after I finish the story I'm currently working on, though. Has anyone else used the Tarot as the basis for a story? Thoughts?

February 5th, 2013

Recently, the library where I work was getting rid of several cartfuls of old books (they were donating them to another organization), and they gave employees about a week to go through said books and take any they wanted, free of charge. I hadn't been expecting to find anything of interest, seeing as metaphysics isn't the world's most popular genre, but actually, I found probably six or seven that looked good! One of these is The Power of Creative Dreaming, by Pamela Ball.

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Creative dreaming, or "lucid dreaming", as it is more commonly known, is essentially where one recognizes that one is dreaming while dreaming. In this instance, one of two things happens - the dreamer wakes or the dreamer succeeds in remaining asleep and is able to alter and control the events occurring within the dream. How much control one actually has depends on the individual - practice, after all, makes perfect. Lucid dreaming is a lot of fun on its own, as one has the opportunity to do things that are otherwise impossible, like fly, walk through walls, explore outer space, etc. However, from a metaphysical perspective, there are a lot of other applications for lucid dreaming. One could, for instance, use such techniques to contact a spirit guide or patronus animal, or work with images in the dream to create inner peace and healing. Through lucid dreaming during a nightmare, for example, one has the chance to face the frightening images in the dream, shrinking the problem down to size and getting rid of it. Such actions in the subconscious can have an exponential impact on one's waking life. A particularly vivid, non-lucid dream could indicate the onset of an illness, a problem that you are avoiding, a chakra imbalance, or other issue. By later using lucid dreaming to look at the problem, one can more fully asses the issue and deal with any mental factors - stress, for example, is often the initiator for disease and illness. Lucid dreaming can help deal with and find solutions to that stress. So go ahead, give it a try - use a combination of focus on your desire to dream lucidly, affirmations, and sleep (that is a sort of essential component) and wait for dreaming awareness to set in. Don't push yourself. Results may not be immediate, and that's okay - "all good things to those who wait". Taking note of your dreams in a dream diary can improve both your dream recall and your ability to dream lucidly, and also gives you a record to look at later, examining your dreams for reoccurring themes or images. Sleep tight!

February 3rd, 2013

As part of a birthday present for my brother, my family went to the zoo yesterday. We had a ton of fun seeing all the animals, and since it's February, there was hardly anyone else there - no lines! A lot of the animals were really active, too. A wolf was running around his enclosure looking for a place to bury a bone and came right up to the glass twice.

The penguins were also right next to the glass, as was a lion and lioness - the lioness actually sat up on her hind legs and batted at the glass for a good ten minutes, "playing" with my brother. I've never seen them do that before!

Just a note - the gentleman in the picture is not my brother, he was just another zoo patron who happened to be in one of my not-blurry pictures. In related news, I was able to purchase a piece of uncut emerald from a zoo giftshop for just $3.50! It's not gem quality or anything, but that certainly doesn't matter for magickal applications.It's a stone I've been wanting for some time, so I'm super psyched.

Emerald

Physical Characteristics: Emerald is a stone that can range from a yellow-green to a sea-foam color (like mine) to a very dark, almost-black shade of green.

In Nature: A type of Beryl, Emerald is colored green because of traces of chromium and vanadium in the crystal. Although Emerald comes in many shades, the essential component is that it is green. If it doesn't have a green hue, it isn't Emerald, even if it is Beryl - a blue Beryl is also known as Aquamarine, for instance, not Emerald.

Chemical Composition: Be3Al2(SiO3)6

Mohs Scale Hardness: 7 - 8 (middle-high to high)

Can be Found: Egypt, India, Austria, Colombia, and Zambia

Healing Properties*: Emerald is useful for healing ailments of the physical heart and also supports the back, eyes, nervous system, and immune system. The Emerald was used in the ancient world as an antidote to snake venom (anyone who has read Emily Rodda's Deltora Quest may recall this). The stone can also prevent or alleviate insomnia.  

Magickal Properties: A stone of love and romance, Emerald enhances joy, clairvoyance, memory, and faith. Being the sacred stone of Venus, it is most associated with relationships. Still, the stone supplements intuition and communication, relaxes a troubled mind, enhances prophetic abilities, and brings both wisdom and reason. Emerald wards off negativity and strengthens spiritual insight. It can be used for scrying, and works best when paired with copper or silver. This stone is allegedly most powerful during the spring season. To charge an Emerald, burn a green candle while holding the stone and focusing on your intent.

Chakra Association: Emerald is connected with the Third (Solar Plexus) and Fourth (Heart) chakras.

Element: Air

Energy: Receptive

Planetary Association: Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury

*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!

February 1st, 2013

Happy February, everyone! Happy Imbolc, too (I know Imbolc is tomorrow, but we're going to the zoo, so I probably won't have time to add a post). Imbolc is a fantastic time to expel all the negative energy that has been building up in the house over the winter. First, clean the house really well physically - vacuum, mop, sweep, wash the windows, and put away all that junk that you know is piling up on the desk. Then, if you have a besom you use only for magickal purposes, grab it. Otherwise, make one. Try binding some birch branches or broom together with white ribbon. Sprinkle every room in the house liberally with salt and blessed water, and then sweep every room in a counterclockwise fashion to banish negativity. Repeat a banishing chant if desired. Finally, sweep the room again clockwise, invoking positive energy to fill the space. Don't forget to do the garage, and if possible do the closets as well. A very blessed sabbat to everyone!