February 14th, 2015

I had been going to compose a post today about how St. Valentine was not only the patron saint of love but also pestilence and bees, and then I got distracted by the realization that the Roman festival of Lupercalia runs from February 13th through the 15th.

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Some scholars are of the opinion that Valentine's Day was introduced by the Catholic church to try to supercede Lupercalia, but given that there's little to no evidence actually supporting this claim, it sounds like that theory's been pretty well disproven. That being said, there are some thematic similarities, which we will explore next.

Lupercalia was observed to banish evil spirits from the city of Rome, and to purify the city by invoking health and fertility (seeing the "love and romance" correlation yet?). It replaced the earlier spring festival of Februa, which was also a cleansing festival held at the same time (a later Roman god, Februus, personified both the month and the cleansing; the month of February is named for the festival, not for the deity).

The word "Lupercalia" is believed to have come from the Roman "lupus", meaning wolf. Lupercus, a Roman god

often identified with Faunus (the Roman Pan), was god of shepherds, and his festival on the 15th honored the founding of his temple. Ceremonies were held in the Lupercal, a cave on the south side of Palatine Hill, where it was believed Remus and Romulus (the founders of Rome) were raised by a female wolf.

Lupercalia, which literally translates to "Wolf Festival", was directed by priests of Faunus called the Luperci. They dressed in goatskins and officiated the ceremonies. In the Shakespeare play Julius Caesar, Mark Antony (historically, the head of the Luperci) bestows a ceremonial crown on Caesar to foreshadow his intent to become king during the Lupercalia rituals.

The festivities themselves involved the sacrifice of two goats and a dog. A pair of young Luperci were then anointed with the sacrificial blood, and the hides of the animals were cut into thongs. The Luperci dressed in the remnants of the skins and ran around the old Palatine city. The citizens would gather to be struck by the thongs - getting hit with one was meant to ensure fertility and ease the pains of childbirth.

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Interested in celebrating something a little more Pagan with your partner? I'll grant you, spring cleaning doesn't make for the most romantic of dates (and if you're into getting whipped with thongs, that's your prerogative, but I can't give you a whole lot of advice there, myself). Still, there's nothing stopping you from skipping out on all the hype of the 14th, buying a boat-load of half priced chocolate tomorrow, and then going out to dinner or a movie the evening of the 15th when places will be much less busy. Then there's always the option for a formalized ritual of romance - this asexual hasn't got much for you in the way of sex magick tips, but again, if that's your thing, I imagine there's all kinds of advice out on the web for coming up with creative costuming and dialogue for one heck of a night in.

Whatever you do (or don't do - focusing on yourself and self-care is just as important this weekend as ever), be safe, and have a good time!

September 15th, 2014

So after buying a boat-load of crystals this last weekend, I've been trying to sit down and identify them and realized that I've never done a post about Amethyst. Really? But 'tis so. I don't even have an entry in my notebook about it yet. If that isn't a glaring oversight, I don't know what is. Allow me, then, to remedy this egregious error on my part with this:

Amethyst

Physical Characteristics: Amethyst occurs in colors ranging from pink to deep purple. It may also posses red and/or blue hues. These colors are products of iron and other trace elements in the silica structure, as well as natural irradiation. Artificial irradiation may be used to turn Amethyst into false Citrine.

In Nature: This crystal can be found in numerous forms, but most typically as clusters or geodes. Some underground caverns have been opened which are totally filled with Amethyst points.

Chemical Composition: SiO2

Mohs Scale Hardness: 7 (middle-high)

Can be Found: Brazil, Uruguay, South Korea, Austria, Zambia, USA

Healing Properties*: This stone may be employed as a pain reliever for conditions like arthritis. It also addresses diabetes, circulation, and fatigue, as well as asthma. Pregnant mothers may wear it to ensure a safe childbirth and to prevent miscarriage. Those who suffer strong premenstrual symptoms can get relief from an Amethyst. Although Amethyst can be used to accelerate the healing of illness and injury, its primary powers are focused on substance abuse. In fact, the name "Amethyst" comes from the Greek "Amethustos", "a-" being a prefix used still in modern English to mean "not" and "methustos" being "intoxicated". One myth describes how the titan Rhea gave Dionysus (Greek god of wine, theatre, and revelry) an Amethyst to preserve the wine drinker's sanity. In the 1500s, a French poet expanded on this theme by describing how Bacchus (the Roman version of Dionysus) pursued a woman named Amethyste, who refused his advances. The girl prayed for chastity, and Diana answered her, turning her into a beautiful white crystal, because this was how the Greek and Roman deities dealt with mortal problems. Remorseful, Bacchus poured an offering of wine over the stone, staining it purple. Whatever the origin of the crystal's association with liquor, it is a significant one which went so far as to influence some Christians - Western bishops may wear a ring set with Amethyst, alluding to Acts 2:15 wherein the Apostals manage to be sober at 9:00 in the morning for Pentacost. If overcoming alcoholism is one's goal, Amethyst is a tool which will work to your benefit. 

Magickal Properties: When I think "Amethyst", I think "calming". This stone is one of the most powerful emotional soothers in the mineral kingdom. Practically sedative in nature, it promotes calm, happiness, and contentment, easing anxiety and fear. It builds inner fortitude as well as flexibility, changing how its bearer responds to mental and geopathic stressors. With its extremely high vibration, expect Amethyst to clear negativity from the aura. A cluster set in a room will affect the energy of the entire space (I never put mine away!). Not only does this crystal soothe, but it also guards against danger, helping its bearer feel even more at-ease. Worn by travelers, it wards off those who may seek to take them at their advantage, while soldiers wear it to remain clear-headed in the heat of battle. If psychic attack in any form is a concern, Amethyst will divert the negativity. Powerful also in other psychic endeavors, use the stone to open the Third Eye, to meditate, and to lucid dream. Further prescribed uses include telepathy, past-life regression, clairaudience, and communing with spirits, angels in particular. The stone prevents insomnia, and is one of the best stones with which to banish nightmares, especially those which are recurrent. Dionysus was not just the god of alcohol - he was also the patron of the theatre and other visual and performance arts. His connection to the Amethyst therefore makes it an artist's stone, engendering creativity. 

Chakra Association: Sixth (Third Eye) and Seventh (Crown) chakras

Element: Water

Energy: Receptive

Planetary Association: Saturn

*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!

A side note:
There are other forms of Amethyst. For one example, check out Ametrine. Another kind, which came in the box of assorted crystals I just purchased, is called Chevron Amethyst.

• Physical: Alternating bands of white Quartz and Amethyst in a chevron (V) pattern.
• Magickal: A powerful spiritual stone, and one of the best for working with the Third Eye. It deepens meditative states and opens access to higher realms. Any psychic venture will benefit from a Chevron Amethyst.

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!