August 29th, 2015

I'm super excited! Today, the Gaia House was having what they called an "Omni Sale" - basically a rummage sale with books, clothes, art, household goods, and more. They are fundraising so they can do some much-needed renovations, and let's face it, I'm a sucker for a good bargain.

To start off with, I got several books. They were all only $1 each!

I first picked up this, The Fifth Sacred Thing, by Starhawk. I read her The Spiral Dance several years ago and really liked it, so I'm interested to see what this one is like. The back synopsis made it sound like it's a work of fiction. I guess we'll see!

Then I got Kundalini Experience, by Lee Sannella, M.D.. I've not read extensively into kundalini energy, and I am interested to see what this has to say.

I also picked up Being-in-Dreaming: An Initiation into the Sorcerers' World. My understanding is that this one is an autobiography of a woman, Florinda Donner, who participated in a Mexican variant of sorcery. Once again, it looked neat! I'll report back with reviews, eventually. 

While I was there I also got a vegetarian cookbook; I think that'll be a Yule gift for my Aunt C.

The last thing I picked up was this fine gentleman:

This dragon is actually an incense burner! One sits a tea light in the receptacle between his wings and then pours essential oil, liquid incense, or etc. in the glass dish above; wax melts would also work. Then one lights the candle, which heats the dish, and causes the scent to be released! I probably won't be using him in this fashion anytime soon, but in the meantime, I think he's going to be a little room guardian. He seemed to like that idea! 

August 16th, 2015

While looking for some other things upstairs, I stumbled across a little BOS my Aunt C gave me when I was six. It's a black volume which she personalized with inserts on the inside cover. When she gave it to me, I only vaguely understood the intended use, so mostly I scribbled all over it. The scribbles, however, were done in pencil, so I was able to erase them and now I can actually use it, after like 13 years. Perhaps there's some significance in that, now that I think about it.

This evening, I decorated the title page. I think I'll use it as more of a spell and prayer book, as opposed to a formal BOS with ritual instruction and the like. Maybe one day I'll even show it to my Aunt.

On the left page, two triquetras frame a pentacle. Below, an insert reads:

Presented to:

{Name}

From:

Aunt C

Yule of 2002

Across the bottom is a triple goddess symbol made of Celtic knotwork, with a Tree of Life in the center.

On the right page, the alchemical symbols for air, water, fire, and earth go across the top. In the middle, another inset reads:

Book of Shadows

What Witches Need 

In Order To Be Witches

{star}

On the bottom is a Green Man face. 

I chose to use the fuchsia as it matches the color of the names which I mostly erased from the photo above. 

Now I'm working on the next two pages, which will hold a sort of book blessing. I am interested in trying to make a sort of scrapbooked BOS (a Scrapbook of Shadows?) - I've seen some beautiful examples, but never really got around to doing anything to that effect.

June 12th, 2015

I've started reading my new book on Celtic mythology (and actually, I also picked up a new text on Native American legends at Goodwill today, as if I didn't already have an enormous waiting list), but I thought in the meantime I might talk about a book which is more personal.

Title: Greek Myths
Author and Illustrator: Marcia Williams

This large paperback was a gift from my Aunt C when I was very young. It tells eight of the Greek legends: Pandora's Box, Arion and the Dolphins, Orpheus and Eurydice, The Twelve Tasks of Heracles, Daedalus and Icarus, Perseus and the Gorgon's Head, Theseus and the Minotaur, and Arachne vs. Athena.

Each story is neatly summarized in easy-to-read text with full-color comic illustrations. Williams does not shy away from the graphic nature of a lot of these myths, and presents them in a way which avoids being unnecessarily gory but does not water them down for young readers. Also, the comics are very sarcastic, which adds another level of delight to the pages. Even labeled "Age 5 and up", I found myself chuckling at a lot of the drawings as I was rereading it.

I've had this book literally for years. I'm not entirely sure when I was given it, but I probably wasn't older than three or so. The corners are dog eared, and for some time it was up in my brothers' room for my siblings to read, but a while back I went searching for it to return to my collection.

Aside from being a great book (if any of you have kids or siblings you'd like to expose early to mythology, this is a good starting point), it holds a very sentimental place in my heart, knowing that even back then, my Aunt was there to support and encourage my interests. One of my early memories is of sitting on our rough apartment carpet with the bright pages spread out before me, the book almost bigger than I was at the time.

I will be writing more reviews here soon, though I'm not quite certain when. We have a very busy weekend coming up, and then I'll be camping for a week without internet access. In the meantime, here's a little last food for thought.

THIS CANDLEWICK BOOK BELONGS TO:
{Name}
Because you're never too young
to start learning your myths
Love, Aunt C

March 16th, 2015

I realized that I have never posted pictures of all of my dreamcatchers, so I thought I might do that today, and also explain some of their history. In order, from newest to oldest, these are mine:

Made by my friend Destiny, she gave me this as an early birthday gift just last Friday.

A gift from my grandma, I received this one perhaps a year or two ago. She wasn't sure I would want it, so take from that what you will about her understanding of my interests.

If you dig way back through my posts on this blog, you will see that I went to Niagara Falls a few years ago. There was a Native American woman there selling traditional, handmade dreamcatchers, and I was more than happy to purchase one.

A Yule gift from my Aunt C, I've had this one for probably four or five years now.

My oldest dreamcatcher, I purchased this one while on a sixth grade field trip to Springfield. As I recall, I got it in a gift shop located in a reproduction of Abraham Lincoln's home town.

~~~~~

Dreamcatchers were originally created by the Ojibwe-speaking people of the North American Great Lakes region, primarily in Canada, but extending south into the American states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and etcetera. The Ojibwe words for dreamcatcher include asabikeshiinh, the inanimate form of the word "spider", and bawaajige nagwaagan, meaning "dream snare".

In the 1960s and 1970s, during the beginning of the Pan-Indian (later the Pan-Aboriginal) Movement, Native Americans sought to unite their efforts for the protection of the rights of native peoples in the United States, and the dreamcatcher became a symbol of the First Nations. Some Native Americans, however, do see dreamcatcher as being over-commercialized, or even culturally appropriative, and it is important to bear that in mind.

According to Ojibwe legend, Asibikaashi, or Spider Woman, cared for the children of the native people. As the Ojibwe people spread across North America, it became harder for Asibikaashi to look after all of the children, so the mothers and grandmothers made magical webs for the children by tying sinew cord around willow hoops. The dreamcatchers filtered out bad thoughts, only letting good ones enter the mind during sleep.

The willow frames were traditionally either round or teardrop shaped, and the string tied in a fashion similar to snowshoe webbing. They could then be decorated with feathers and beads.

~~~~~

I am not Native American, and the brief history presented above was researched entirely on the web. It is not my place to comment on the trend of non-Natives using dreamcatchers, but I think it is important to remember that they are special objects and deserve to be treated as such. If you want to buy one, support actual Native Americans and purchase from them rather than getting cheap knock-offs, if at all possible.

Litha Altar

It's a bit late now for pictures, I suppose, but I did want to share some insight into my Litha altar from earlier this month because it highlights a couple of new design elements.

If you're familiar with how I usually lay out my altar, it's pretty immediately obvious what one of those changes is - I've got my BOS moved over to the left side instead of centered. I actually don't like that as much, because it feels a little off-balance to me, but I just bought the navy blue altar cloth at Kinkakuji in Kyoto, and I didn't want my binder covering up the design. Naturally, it got covered up anyway. Go figure.

I also bought this little guy in Japan - he's my new (read: only) crystal ball. In actuality, I'm reasonably sure the ball is glass, but it works as a focus point, and it's being held by a precious little bunny, so how could I refuse?

And then there's this. I mentioned it a few posts ago, but this is a (bad) picture of my new chalice from Aunt C. It's hard to tell with the poor lighting, but it has a purple triple moon symbol on it with a triquetra in the middle.

Finally, this little guy is a Daruma doll. I'll probably blog more extensively about them later (especially if and when I use it), but in essence, one paints a single eye black and makes a wish, and then paints the other eye when the wish is fulfilled.

June 22nd, 2014

Well, I celebrated Litha on time, even if my posting about it isn't. Yesterday was the first day of summer, solstice, and longest day of the year. I completely redecorated my altar earlier in the week, developing a new style to incorporate a fancy metal chalice, which was a graduation present from my Aunt C, and several of the things I bought in Japan. Yes, Japan! I finally got to go!

We left on Wednesday, May 28th, and stayed through June 11th. Among other memorable activities, we visited several temples and shrines, each of which will warrant their own post, and I bought a number of amulets blessed at these shrines as magickal souvenirs. It was an amazing trip.

Before I left, I put together a little travel-safety amulet of my own. I'll share it here, in case you're looking for a quick and inexpensive spell for before an extended journey or vacation.

Hummingbird's Travel Amulet

Begin with a small drawstring bag. Have on hand a handful each of rose petals and lavender, a piece of turquoise, and a small representation of a bird (if traveling by air), a fish (if traveling by sea), or a horse (if traveling by land), either as a photograph, drawing, or other token.

Then, cast a Circle and cleanse all the items with holy water. Individually empower the items as follows:

- Rose petals: positive relationships between your party and the people in the region you are visiting (rose is an herb of love, after all)

- Lavender: general calm and peacefulness throughout the trip

- Turquoise: safety in travel (a property for which this stone is well-known)

- Animal token: to guide you there and back again

Put all the ingredients in the bag and say a final blessing over it. This could be as simple as presenting the pouch to the elements and Spirit and asking their respective blessings. When you've finished, pack the amulet in your luggage. The best part? The herbs make your clothes smell good.

As per the usual, any of these ingredients can be freely substituted to tailor the spell to your specific needs. If you have any particular worries about the trip, you may add a token to solve them. If you think you may use my spell, send me a comment. I'd love to hear what you thought of it!

January 31st, 2014

WHOOPS. I just found out today, after being informed by my few friends who stalk this blog, that I haven't actually posted anything in 2014 yet. I guess I just had some posts planned out and they never made it up. Sorry about that! In remedy of this sad fact, here's an update on those metaphysical moments that continue to be interspersed with the mundane reality of school, rehearsal, and work.

The holidays are a particularly exciting time of year, but the next few months thereafter still retain some of the gift-giving spirit as we get together with those we could not meet with at Yule. My high school's production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible ran Wednesday through Saturday of last week, and my dear Aunt C and her girlfriend came to see the show. We exchanged gifts with them at the same time, and I received a very fancy new camera (now maybe I can post pictures for all of you that aren't terrible) and a handmade "elf coat". She took pieces of old sweaters and created a somewhat Tim Burton-esque button-down piece. The hood is really long, almost down to the floor - that's it wrapped around my neck like a scarf.

My Aunt also made my mom one (pictured right). It's incredibly cool-looking, super warm, and I think it would make a great dress-coat for wearing in ritual on days where I just don't have the motivation to dig formal robes out of my closet.
Also after the holidays, I found myself left with a ridiculous number of Barnes and Noble giftcards, with which I bought almost a dozen new books. Most of these were fantasy (Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Jim Butcher, etc.), but I also made a purchase of Scott Cunningham's brilliant Crystal, Gem, and Metal Magic, which I consider to be a very comprehensive manual on the subject of working magic with minerals, as well as his Wicca: a Guide for the Solitary Practitioner which is just such a staple title for we Pagans that it seemed a crime I'd never had the opportunity to read it.

December 22nd, 2013

Happy Yule, everybody! (Oops, it was yesterday.) My grandparents came to visit, so I've been enjoying the holiday with them, and felt it would be gauche to sit on the internet and ignore them, hence my lack of posting yesterday.

This image may or may not have appeared on the family Christmas card this year, recreated by me (I'm not the artist, so apologies to the owner):

There's really only so many times one can draw baby Jesus before it all begins to feel a bit contrived. I've tried, for the last few years, to draw something a bit less religion-specific. After all, my Aunt C is getting one of these, too...

Once again, happy Yule to my Pagan followers. To everyone else, enjoy the season and any holidays you may or may not celebrate. It's the spirit of love and happiness that really counts, after all.

Playing Catch-up...

Hello, ladies and gentleman! I'm back! It's been a crazy month here, so let me fill you in on everything.
My family, grandpa, and Aunt C all went camping in Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for a week. We left home on June 29th, and returned July 7th.

Here's a pretty sunset - isn't it gorgeous? We saw a plethora of wildlife, including turtles, toads, snakes, eagles, and a mink or a weasel.

We stayed in tents, of course. Aunt C and I were in this one, grandpa was in his own, and everyone else slept in a larger tent. I was asked upon my return what it's like to sleep outdoors. I was rather dumbfounded by the question; it' hard to describe. For readers who have never had the experience, it is hot and muggy, even when it's cool outside the tent, and if it rains, it's damp. You can also hear everything through the canvas, so you get woken up by the birds in the morning, and you go to sleep hearing the drone of the mosquitoes.

Our street had a block party last weekend, which was a lot of fun. A fire truck and police car stopped by to visit and give demonstrations; the little kids (and some of the bigger ones) all got to spray the fire hose. We grilled out, got to know each other, and the dozen or so younger kids raced each other on tricycles and played on the water slide.

I got dragooned into helping with my mom's church's annual Vacation Bible School, but luckily, I got to avoid all the religious drama by volunteering in the Arts and Crafts department. Over the course of a week, the kids made swords, shields, tunics, catapults, and more, in accordance with this year's Medieval theme. I've been doing art with VBS for years now, and usually I'll make a couple of the crafts for myself. This year, however, I didn't really care for a lot of the designs. Yesterday, though, they made lanterns, complete with little electric candles. I thought it'd make a nice altar addition, especially because I'm not allowed to burn my real candles, and since there were extra kits, I made one.

Last but not least, our town puts on an event called Summer Celebration at the end of July every year. Among other things, one major attraction is the town parade, in which different clubs and companies enter floats. My mom and I are members of our local choral society, and have been working on the society's parade float. Since the parade's theme this year is Broadway, it was right up our alley. I can't post pictures of the completed float yet, but here's me with the topper for the giant Tony award we're using as the proverbial icing on the cake. I drew the design on both sides and painted it. Quite the production.
You can also see in this picture that my arm is in a splint. I've had tendinitis since March, and am now seeing an Occupational Therapist to get my wrist healed up. Send positive energy, please; I want to get back to having full use of my thumb ASAP!
Whew! I think that's about everything. On with the regularly scheduled program!

June 20th, 2013

My family went out of state last weekend to visit with my grandparents for Father's Day, and to see my Aunt C's new house. It's pretty fantastic, even though she's not all situated yet - the garden alone is awesome! On the drive up there, we stopped at a rest station for lunch and I got myself a pretty pewter faery statue while I was at it. I think it's just perfect for my Litha altar, don't you?

My grandma had some other exciting goodies for me, one of which had been meant as a Christmas present: a Selenite candle holder! It's really good-sized, and a perfect centerpiece for ritual. 

The picture isn't the greatest; my apologies. I'm sure I'll put together a post about the various properties of Selenite sometime in the next few days.

January 11th, 2013

Aunt C and her friend Leah are here for the weekend! Since they couldn't come at Yule/Christmas, we opened presents tonight. I got a gift card for Barnes and Noble, and a FANTASTIC set of faux horns and a Green Woman mask. I gave them a potpourri sachet I made, as well as lots of other presents from my family in general. It's great to see them again!

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 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.

 ~~~~~~~~~~

 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!

Gaia Mask

Yesterday was my beloved Aunt C's birthday. As a gift from all of us, mom ordered her this mask off etsy. I'd never gotten to see a picture of it though, until yesterday when Aunt C posted this one. I was immediately struck by what an apt gift this was for her (and reminded mom that my birthday is next month). It practically screams Gaia, and the pendant it came with is gloriously Pagan too. Just thought I'd share with everyone. What gorgeous work!

October 28th, 2011

I'm so excited! Today is going to be amazing. At 7:00 tonight, I'm having a Halloween/Samhain party with a bunch of friends, and my amazing Aunt C is coming to visit after lunch. My mom and I started getting food for the party ready yesterday (along with Wednesday's Meringue Bones), and so far we have two types of cupcakes, a brain-shaped jello, and the aforementioned bones, not to mention the rest of the stuff we're going to make today. I shall be posting the recipes for these things later, along with pictures of the finished products. :)