January 25th, 2016

I redecorated my altar on Saturday, getting it at least somewhat set up for Imbolg. I'll probably add some more crystals in February, but for now I quite like it. I'm charging my new tarot cards at the moment, so those are sitting on the left side, and I'm also hoping to work more with dragon energies in the near future, so I have some dragon figures over here now in a place of greater prominence.

The red candle to the right of my Book of Shadows is for a SIPA ritual this weekend; we'll be over at Gaia House again, enjoying Imbolg festivities. Otherwise, I have a lot of the same things out, just moved around so they feel more balanced. It took me a while to figure out, but it feels pretty good.

January 14th, 2016

I've been doing some tarot work the last few days. After seeing some ideas floating around on the web, I decided to do a spread to look at each month of 2016. It was... a bit of a trip, I'll just say that. There's a video up on my YouTube page talking about my results a bit more if anyone's interested, but in the meantime, I'll just put down a few suggestions in case anyone else would like to give it a go.

For starters, I recommend you have a journal. If you already have a tarot journal, or a grimoire/BoS you write in regularly, that would work. Otherwise, I suggest either getting one, or if nothing else, writing down your results somewhere you won't lose them so you can refer back later. I plan to reference mine throughout this year.

Feel free to set up your reading however you would normally. I personally like to put out a reading cloth and a crystal, and then cast a Circle, but that's just me. You could burn incense, play some music, meditate first, or whatever else speaks to you.

I went with a pretty simple spread. I just asked, "What do I need to keep in mind for the month of ___ in 2016?", shuffled, and drew a card. I repeated this for each month, reshuffling every time, but you could also just shuffle once and put down 12 cards simultaneously.

From there, it's a pretty simple matter to interpret each card for every month, and figure out how your year is shaping up.

As an addendum, I will say that my reading threw out a lot of reversed cards. I know not everyone reads reversed meanings, but I do, and that to me was suggesting that there's still a lot of blocked energy in my field to deal with, so I did another reading today to figure out the causes.

Essentially, I drew one card to look at the overall problem, and then I drew one card for each reversed card I had in my original 2016 reading, to determine what was blocking my energy in those months.

Also, while I did this with tarot, this kind of a reading may actually be better suited to oracle cards, if those are something you use.

May 6th, 2013

Whew! I had my first AP test today, out of the three that I'm taking this year. It was on Environmental Science, and I think it went okay. I got tendinitis or something similar in my right arm a few months ago, though, so as I was doing the extended response, all the writing was making my arm burn. 'Twas not fun. As they say in Japan: "Shikata ga nai" - "It can't be helped".
In addition to visiting a prospective college on Saturday, my family stopped at the Field Museum. True to form, I expanded my now quite extensive collection of rocks. Kindly bear with me as I expound upon a few of their properties over the next few days, yeah?

Amazonite

 

Physical Characteristics: Amazonite is a blue-green variety of Feldspar, named after the Amazon river, though it is not actually found in the Amazon basin. Apparently, the Spanish explorers got even more wrong than we thought.

In Nature: Feldspars are also microlines, types of minerals that are important in the formation of igneous rocks. Microclines like Amazonite are typically rich in Potassium and Sodium.

Chemical Composition: KAlSi3O8

Mohs Scale Hardness: 6 (middle)

Can be Found: The USA (especially Colorado), Brazil, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Namibia, Russia, and Zimbabwe

Healing Properties*: This stone assists in stopping self-destructive behavior, both physical and emotional, and alleviates stress and exhaustion. Additionally, Amazonite soothes the nervous system and supports the processing of information. It also improves posture and may protect against snakebite, though in modern times, unless you own a grumpy pet snake, you're probably better off working with your stone to protect against bites from other types of animals.

Magickal Properties: Allegedly, the deeper the color of the stone, the more powerful it is; though this is usually true, there's also no need to blow your food budget to get a gigantic piece of gem-quality crystal. Work with what you can get, and the stone will respond to the energy you put into it. Amazonite is a stone of self-respect, confidence, grace, and self-assuredness. Use it to increase understanding and smooth cooperation with others. Another application is to heal emotional trauma and to balance the male and female (or yin and yang) energies in the body. Furthermore, Amazonite draws forth the motivation to reach your goals, and can be used in matters relating to the truth, trust, and integrity. Due to its blue-green color, the stone brings monetary success, while opening the psychic centers. Those performing rune or tarot readings may find the stone's assistance helpful.

Chakra Association: As it deals with emotions and communication, Amazonite is connected to the Fourth (Heart) and Fifth (Throat) chakras.

Element: Earth

Energy: Receptive

Planetary Association: Uranus

*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?

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.

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:

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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.

February 26th, 2012

The 24th - 25th were simply amazing. I picked up Raincloud and her cousin, Lara, after school on Friday, and we then drove to Hazelnut's house. We had pizza and an awesome cake:


And Hazelnut opened presents from her family. I also gave her a little gift; a clay "pencil dragon" I had made.


Then, the four of us headed upstairs and I gave Hazelnut a second, more magickal, present.




I hadn't thought mom would let me buy Hazelnut tarot cards, but she ended up not caring, so I got The Wildwood Tarot from Barnes and Nobel. The illustrations seemed really Pagan and earthy, from what I could tell from the box, and Hazelnut had been hinting that she'd been wanting tarot cards for a while. I suppose I underestimated her in that aspect, she nearly exploded when she pulled off the wrapping paper. :D The four of us hung out all evening, reading everything from Rupert's Tales to various poems. The morning of the 25th, we woke up bright and early (6:00), and took the train to Brookfield Zoo, where we spent the day. Talk about trippy. We had been there hardly an hour when all of a sudden we heard this eerie howling. The wolves were more than out and about; the big alpha male was seated on a rock, calling away for a good 20 minutes, with the others gathered around, listening. They were beautiful creatures; shaggy and grey with pale faces and darker legs and tails. Later, we were searching for the penguins in their exhibit, when we realized that they were literally right in front of us, directly up against the side of the enclosure, and that we'd been looking over their heads the entire time. Indeed, all the animals seemed over-active, as though determined to put on a good display for Hazelnut's birthday. The sea-lions were practically doing flips for us, and an African Wild Dog walked directly up to us and touched the glass with his nose. On the other hand, the Grizzly Bears were most decidedly asleep, curled up in a giant mound of hay so that they looked like great lumps of brown fuzz. We also saw the peacocks; two or three males and at least as many females, being trailed by a horde of guinea fowl. A while back (was it last summer? The summer before?) a peahen adopted a bunch of guinea fowl chicks, so I think the ones we saw must have been the same ones, all grown up. As we were on our way out of the zoo, Hazelnut stopped by a gift shop and got replicas of two amazing instruments: an Andean Flute, and a miniature African drum. Not only will they be great for rituals, they're fantastic looking, and can also be employed for fun, or for meditation. We were passing out the zoo gates, when a most enterprising peacock decided zoo life bored him, and walked right out the gate himself. We were quite panicked at the thought of an escaped peacock, but were assured that the bird was allowed to roam as he pleased, and that he was perfectly all-right. "Escaped" peacock taken care of, we proceeded to return home. I didn't want to leave, but unfortunately, I had church this morning, so I couldn't spend another night with my friend.

Today, I haven't done much besides church and homework, but I just thought I'd mention: the Forget-Me-Nots I planted just started to germinate; I've got one itty-bitty plant! Good thoughts for him, please!

Tarot Cards: The Major Arcana, 18 - 21

Today's tarot post will encompass yesterday's as well, as I was unable to access the computer.

18 - The Moon: fear, anxiety, believing illusion, chasing fantasy, dreams, visions, destination, the doorway to hidden unknowns


19 - The Sun: enlightenment, understanding, glory, achieving prominence, joy, energy, invigoration, good health


20 - Judgement: release, renewal, a new start, the necessity of hard choices, reawakening, birth and death, knowing what must be done


21 - The World: satisfaction, peace of mind, successful conclusion, balance, realized goals, prosperity, hard work achieves desired end, culmination of effort

Tarot Cards: The Major Arcana, 16 and 17

16 - The Tower: catastrophe, sudden change, crisis, releasing all emotion, blow to the ego, revelation, seeing through illusions, necessary disruption to the status quo


17 - The Star: regaining hope, faith in the future, inspiration, serenity, tranquility amid trouble, harmony, offering without reservations, sharing, generosity, peace, releasing doubt and fear

Tarot Cards: The Major Arcana, 14 and 15

14 - Temperance: Harmony, equilibrium, balancing of opposites, healing, moderation of extremes, self-restraint, harnessing opposing forces, synthesis


15 - The Devil*: losing independence, addiction, enslavement, materialism, overindulgence, hopelessness


*This card has little to do with the Christian Devil, and more to do with negative energy, regardless of one's religious preference.

Tarot Cards: The Major Arcana, 12 and 13

12 - The Hanged Man: letting go, surrendering to experience, emotional release, accepting what is, giving up control, suspending action, sacrifice


13 - Death: Opening a new door, shutting out the past, transition, changing status, shedding the old

Tarot Cards: The Major Arcana, 10 and 11

10 - The Wheel of Fortune: destiny, fate, turning point, movement, change, patterns and cycles, interconnection, step back to see the bigger picture

11 - Justice: balance, harmony, equilibrium, assuming responsibility, weighing all sides of an issue before deciding, logic, choosing with awareness, morality, duty, truth

Tarot Cards: The Major Arcana, 8 and 9

8 - Strength: courage, calm, composure, patience, persuasion, soft control, measured force, faith in success, unshakable resolve is necessary


9 - The Hermit: Being introspective, withdrawing, giving or receiving guidance, inspirational friend or teacher, making the mysterious clear, peace, tranquility

Tarot Cards: The Major Arcana, 6 and 7

6 - The Lovers: union, balance, energy, flow, love, desire, passion, melding of heart and mind, marriage; union may or may not be romantic in nature.


7 - The Chariot: triumph over obstacles, achieving victory, focused intent and will, self-confidence, discipline, power, authority, control

Tarot Cards: The Major Arcana, 4 and 5

4 - The Emperor: creating order out of chaos, authority, leadership, strength, law and order, structure


5 - The Hierophant: secrets, tradition, ritual, ceremony, pursuing knowledge, manifestation of spiritual, solving mysteries

Tarot Cards: The Major Arcana, 2 and 3

Here are today's tarot cards and their meanings. Remember, if you use regular playing cards as your tarot deck, both of these will be in the extra 22 cards set aside and marked for the Major Arcana.

2 - The High Priestess: Wisdom, knowledge, learning, virtue, purity, a full cycle


3 - The Empress: Creativity, generosity, patience, love, abundance, experiencing the senses, embracing the natural, creation, life

October 17th, 2011

I have covered divining with pendulums before, but that has been the only tool I have yet to venture into a post about, so I thought I would begin having a daily post about different tarot cards, in addition to my regular posts. The tarot is an interesting topic, because it allows one to ask far more in-depth questions, and examine the various levels and factors in a situation. If you already have a tarot deck, that's brilliant! My deck, a gift from my lovely Aunt C, was illustrated by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law, and is absolutely gorgeous. If you don't, do not despair. In the event that you are unable to purchase one, you could draw your own deck (you don't have to be a master artist), or use regular playing cards. The tarot is divided into a Major and Minor arcana. The Major indicates major events, while the Minor indicates smaller or more subtle events. The Minor arcana is further divided into four suites: wands, cups, swords, and pentacles. I will begin with the Major arcana. These are 22 cards, each symbolizing a unique event or characteristic. I will list the meanings commonly associated with each card, but that may vary depending upon the reader. If your gut instinct goes against what I have written, trust it.

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0 - The Fool: new beginnings, pleasure, passion, thoughtlessness, rashness, doing before thinking, adventure, unlimited possibilities.


1 - The Magician: Originality, creativity, skill, willpower, self-confidence, manifestation, the elements.

My crummy pictures hardly do the cards justice, but these are sample cards one could reference. If you are using a deck of playing cards, one would need a regular deck of 52 cards, as well as another 22 cards that could be marked for the Major Arcana. If you choose to do this, simply write the Major arcana titles on the bottom of those selected cards. The rest you could choose to mark, or have the correspondences (which I will cover later) recorded elsewhere.