November 25th, 2012

Happy Elder Moon, everyone! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, today is the first day in the Celtic month honoring the Elder tree.
The Elder tree belongs to the genus Sambucus, and can be found in temperate to sub-tropical regions in both the North and South hemispheres. The tree's flowers are found in branching clusters, often white in color, and later produce berries that are a dark blue to black. The berries are a valuable food source for many birds, and planting the Elder tree around the home is an excellent way to support native animal species.

The Elder Mother

In popular folklore, the Witches' association with the tree varies - some stories say that the Elder tree will ward off Witches, while others say that it is under the tree where Witches may congregate. Elder wood is one of those trees mentioned in the Wiccan Rede; unlike its compatriots, however, the Wiccan is warned that "Elder is the Lady's tree; burn it not, or cursed ye'll be". Other stories tell us that instruments made from Elder wood produce a sound that the Faeries find most favorable. Accordingly, it is said that on Midsummer's eve (Litha), one can find the Faerie folk making merry beneath the Elder trees. Like the Rowan, the Elder is considered protective - the Rowan guards the front of the house, and the Elder protects the back. These protective qualities extended to the business world as well - Elder trees were often planted near bakeries and dairies to protect the food and prevent evil from touching it. However, any food actually left under the tree was considered a gift for the Faeries, and couldn't be reclaimed. In Scandinavian mythos, Elder trees had a guardian spirit known as the Elder Mother, and any damage done to the tree could invoke her wrath. It is from this spirit that the tree may have gotten its name.
Many spells for beauty call for elderflowers - and with good reason! The cosmetic industry has gotten clued into this, and employs Elder derivatives in skin cleansers and eye lotions. If you are looking to freshen up your exterior, infuse warm water with a teaspoon or two of elderflowers and chamomile; then empower, and use daily as a facial cleanser. The tree's protective qualities are just as strong today as they were hundreds of years ago, and growing an Elder in your yard invites friendly Faeries while warding off negative influences. Elder wands have the same protective power as the tree does (JK Rowling clearly did her magickal research!), as does music played on an instrument made of Elder wood. Before cutting an Elder branch for any reason, be sure to respectfully ask the Elder Mother for permission, and leave an offering in thanks (a piece of cake, water, a stone, etc.). The leaves and berries can be used in spells to turn away negativity.
The flowers and berries of the Elder tree are edible, and are often used in foodstuffs in European countries. The flowers can be pressed into a drink known as elderflower cordial. An extract from the flowers is turned into a syrup, typically found in drinks, baked goods, and sweets. Both flowers and berries are also found in everything from yoghurt to wine, fruit pies, marmalade, and more. However, it should be noted that the leaves, branches, twigs, and seeds of the Elder tree can contain small amounts of cyanide, that, when consumed in large quantities, can be toxic. Think apple seeds, here.

November 20th, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving! It's on Thursday, folks. And tomorrow, my family and I are going out-of-town to spend the rest of the week with my grandparents. It often seems cliché to write about what we are thankful for; at this time of year, who isn't? But by that same token, it becomes such a rote chore to people that that they don't even think about it. People end up saying the same things over and over again - "my family, my friends, the house, our food..." - so I have decided to create a list of what I really thank the Lord and Lady for, to remind myself why we celebrate.
I am thankful for:

• Parents who support me in everything that I do.
• Siblings who, for the most part, are loving, kind, smart, and fun to be around.
• A pet cockatiel who is the sweetest little thing ever, and my brother's leopard gecko, who is hilarious.
• Great grades in school.
• A part in our spring musical, Les Miserables.
• My part in the fall play (which just passed), Break a Leg.
• All of the volunteering I've been able to do.
• My job at the library.
• My health, which has been pretty good for the most part.
• My mom's health, after getting several surgeries.
• My bedroom, with all of its awesomeness.
• My best friends, who are always there for me, whether I need a hug or someone to crack jokes with.
• My extended family, who stay in contact with me in spite of living far away.

Bright blessings to everyone in this week of thanks!

November 7th, 2012

Well, I regret to say that Samhain was something of a let-down this year. Between work and family obligations, I never had the chance to do a nice ritual like I had planned. I did take some time last weekend to work on typing my Book of Shadows, though. I had hand-written the whole thing, most of it when I was 12, and I finally got so sick of all the spelling errors that I decided to type and print it, complete with some lovely Pagan fonts that I downloaded for free at www.dafont.com. If you go to the website, under the Dingbats heading is the "esoteric" subsection; they have a bunch of zodiac fonts, along with several that are more specifically Pagan. I've also been working my way through a couple books on different religions. I just finished two, one on classical mythology and one on Buddhism. Now I'm reading a text on Japanese mythology, which is especially interesting to me since I'm learning Japanese in school. I've got one to go after this, about different symbols from different cultures. After that, I'll have to raid the library again!

The above is Amaterasu, the Japanese sun goddess. She is holding a snake and a burial sculpture of a female shaman. To learn more about this depiction of the Goddess, visit the GoddessGift website.

October 28th, 2012

Welcome to the month of the Reed! Although some modern Pagans refer to this as the Elm month, the Celts used this time to celebrate their native water reeds. "Reed" is the general term for tall, grass-like plants that inhabit wet places. All species belong in the order Poales. Reed beds are found in waterlogged places such as floodplains and estuaries. Beds with more than 20 cm of surface water during the summer are called Reed swamps, whereas those with water at or below surface level are known as Reed fens. Because the plants grow poorly in acidic soil, succession often takes over in places like bogs, replacing the reeds with a hardier plant.
In mythology, a number of stories relate to the Reed. One Greek legend tells us that the forest god Pan was pursuing a beautiful young nymph. He chased her to a river, where she transformed into the first Reeds. The wind blew, and Pan was so struck by the beautiful noise the wind in the Reeds made that he took some, bound them together, and formed the first Reed, or Pan, pipes. The infamous Pied Piper is also said to have played on Reed pipes; he first led a plague of rats out of town, and then the town's children to punish the townsfolk for not properly thanking him.
Reeds can be used to make besoms, which are then employed in ritual to brush away negative energy.  The same besom can be hung in the house to continue repelling negativity. One can take a cue from the above myths and construct or purchase a set of Reed pipes, to be used in ritual (Samhain, anyone?). This time period is also one for divination, especially scrying, and seances. Spirit and energy work is appropriate at this time. In ancient times, Reeds may have been soaked in fat as a cheap alternative to candles.
From what I have seen online and elsewhere, although Reeds are not usually poisonous, they don't make very good eats, either.

October 21st, 2012

Well, it has certainly been an interesting weekend! Yesterday, having had beautiful weather, my family and our neighbors from across the street drove an hour to Royal Oak Apple Orchard. We picked probably a bushel of apples total, and, because they're essentially organic, they're delicious.

We also got some apple cider and apple cider doughnuts, which were equally delicious. My mom noticed that the farm was having a sale on gourds, squash, and pumpkins - fill a wheelbarrow with anything marked with a yellow flag for only $20. Seeing as we usually pay more than that to get B-grade pumpkins, we lept at the chance to get a gazzilion really awesome ones.

 

I feel like perhaps we overdid it a little... Still, it'll be great for Samhain! I just have to find a spectacular pattern to carve now.

Today, we had a little "incident" with the electricity. As we were eating lunch, my brother and I noticed a weird sound coming from the furnace. Somewhat alarmed, my dad turned off the power and called our electrician, who was kind enough to come check things out even on a Sunday. Apparently, the main power fuse fried itself and was actually melting the fuse box; if we hadn't switched off the electricity, the whole house could've caught fire! Thank Goddess that didn't happen. Unfortunately, we did have to get a whole new fuse box, but the other one wasn't up to code anyway. Things turned out okay, and we even got the power back tonight.

October 16th, 2012

I was at the library last night, shelving books, when I came across a piece entitled Earth Mother, by Ellen Jackson. Intrigued, I took it with me to read on my break. I thought it was really sweet, and enjoyed the emotive illustrations. It's a great book for young children, and parents will like it too, with its message that we all have a place in the world, and that all living things are special and important. Here is Amazon.com's summary:

"The circle of life turns in unexpected ways. Earth Mother awakes with the dawn. As she walks the land, swims the seas, and climbs the mountains, nurturing all of creation, she comes across Man, Frog, and Mosquito. They each give her thanks for nature’s bounty, yet can’t help but give her advice about making their lives better. Everybody’s got an opinion, it seems, and Earth Mother is amused when it becomes clear that the circle of life is not without a healthy dose of cosmic humor."

October 6th, 2012

Good morning, everyone! I feel like I should still be sleeping, but I have to go and help build the set for my school's fall play, so I'm awake. It's a beautiful morning, but it's cold. The weather has been fluctuating wildly the last couple of days - first in the 80s, then the 40s. I guess we know for sure that we're into Autumn! One of my family's annual traditions is to go to Pumpkin Fest, an event that our town puts on. In past years, they have had pumpkin-pie-eating contests, a race for the grade-schoolers, pumpkin decorating contests, and more. Unfortunately, some of those events have since been canceled, but it still makes for a fun day. I'm hoping mom will let me get some gourds like last year. If so, I'll dry them. One can never have too many dried gourds! They make excellent altar decorations, and most of them will turn into natural rattles as they dry. You can keep them pretty much until the end of time, provided they don't rot before they dry completely. I find that smaller gourds dry out better, so if you plan on creating your own such gourd shakers or decorations, choose vegetation about (or a little smaller than) the size of your hand. Also check to be sure that there are no soft spots, or places where mold is already growing. Pumpkins are great decorations too (although they don't dry out very well; not even the mini ones), and they present all sorts of options: painting, carving, stacking, etc. One can also just leave them plain, if a more natural look is desired. Personally, I love to carve the pumpkins, and spend quite some time looking for innovative patterns that won't be ridiculously difficult to manage. Mine tend to be more secular, as I don't think my parents want a pentacle pumpkin sitting on the porch, but magickal sigils and symbolism can be used as desired. Here's my pumpkin from a few years ago, a design that I still enjoy:

October 5th, 2012

The teachers have some all-day meeting, so my brothers and I have no school today. It was nice to sleep in for a change, let me tell you. I had a most interesting dream, however. Several times in the past, I've had dreams where an aspect of the Goddess came to deliver a message to me. Last night, I feel the same thing happened.
I dreamed I was standing in some sort of ancient cathedral, with parts of the floor submerged in a black lake. I was speaking with a woman; she was tall, blonde, and dressed in white. She also had a visible aura, so that she seemed to glow with white light. She offered help, and transformed her persona into a great being somewhat resembling a giant kraken. She proclaimed herself the primordial Goddess of Water and showed me how I have been allowing circumstances in my life to drown me, figuratively speaking. I then did some research today and found that the goddess-aspect who visited me was most likely Tiamat, who is, word for word, a primordial water and creation Goddess. She also appears as a giant kraken/dragon/merperson. And it's true; between school, homework, play rehearsal, and work, I've been finding myself more and more overwhelmed lately. I'll have to keep the Goddess' advice in mind next time things get too stressful!

Picture from here.

September 30th, 2012

Today is the beginning of the Ivy Celtic Tree Month (in spite of the fact that Ivy isn't actually a tree). The Celts called this month Gort.

The word "Ivy" encompasses 15 species belonging to the genus Hedera, native to Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia. The plants have been introduced to North America as well, though some varieties are considered invasive. On ground level, Ivies are creepers, not exceeding more than 20 cm in height, but once they find a surface to climb, can grow to well over 30 feet tall. Such surfaces include rocks, trees, homes, and other structures where the vines can get a grip on the surface. Young vines are tender and flexible, allowing them to wrap around new material, but as the vines mature, they become woody and firm, much like a small tree trunk. The berries produced are typically bitter and are dark purple or black. Ivy is frequently pollinated by bees and small birds.
Ivy was a plant sacred to the Roman god Bacchus, god of wine and pleasure. According to legend, Baccus' son died, and out of pity, Gaia transformed the boy's body into the Ivy plant. In Egyptian lore, Ivy was connected with the Sun God, Osiris. A Cornish legend recounts the love of the knight Tristan and his betrothed, Iseult. As is typical in most such stories, Tristan was slain in battle, and out of mourning, Iseult died as well. A vengeful king, who had desired Iseult, ordered their graves to be placed far apart, but an Ivy plant grew from each grave. The two plants met, and twined around each other.
Magickally appropriate for Samhain, Ivy is related to rebirth and resurrection. Additionally, one can take a cue from the third myth and use Ivy in matters of the heart and strengthening positive relationships. The plant can be used to create a magickal barrier around your person, shutting out negative influences and energies. It is useful in cooperation, protection, and healing, and ensures fertility. Some folklore recommends boiling Ivy twigs in butter and using as a salve to reduce sunburn; only try this if you can say without a shadow of a doubt that the plant you are using is not Poison Ivy.
Although many birds and other forms of wildlife consume Ivy berries, both the plant and fruit are poisonous to humans, and should not be consumed. The berries aren't deadly, but consumption of them can have unpleasant side effects; luckily, they don't taste good, anyway, so we aren't missing anything.

September 29th, 2012

As we approach Samhain, one of my favorite sabbats, I do about a zillion crafts, doing everything from altar decoration to the more secular "spookifying" the house and front yard. I ran across a post by a fellow Pagan blogger the other day, and her Pagan version of a Mexican Dio de los Muertos skull inspired me to make my own. I'm really pleased with how it turned out, and thought I'd share:

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Dio de los Muertos, or the "Day of the Dead" is one of many celebrations similar to the Celtic Samhain. Like All Saint's Day, Day of the Dead's origins have been traced back to Samhain, as well as to an ancient Aztec festival honoring the goddess Mictecacihuatl. The Aztecs, however, celebrated the entire month rather than a single day. Dio de los Muertos is a time of remembering family that has passed, and is celebrated with festivals, parades, and prayers at the graves of loved ones. Ancestor shrines are constructed, and gifts of food and drink are left at grave sites as gifts to the deceased. Flowers may also be offered, especially a Mexican variety of marigold, as well as toys for deceased children, and pillows and blankets, so that the spirits have a place to rest. Skulls are a popular symbol of the day, with candy sugar skulls being made and intricately decorated up to a year in advance. The decorative skull I made is a non-edible version of one of these.
To make your own decorative skull, you will require the supplies highlighted in yellow. The craft itself can take anywhere from an hour to several hours, depending on how intricately you wish to decorate, but be aware that the skull may have to dry overnight before it can be decorated.

• Begin with a piece of aluminum foil that is at least two feet long (the more you use, the bigger your skull). 
• Crumple the foil into a general skull shape - a lot of detail is not required here, but try and create a defined nose and indentations for eye sockets. Everything else can be very loosely defined at this point.
• Tear paper into thin strips. You can use newsprint, computer paper, etc., but I found that paper towel works well for this application.
• Dip the paper towel into a mixture of water and liquid glue. You may want to do this in a disposable bowl, to ease cleanup.
• Wrap the wet paper towel around the foil skull. Continue adding strips until the entire foil shape is covered by two or three layers, at least. At this point, really shape the eyes and the back of the head. You can add a lot of detail to the mouth if you wish, though I kept it simply defined and just added detail with paint.
• Allow the skull to dry completely. Depending on how much paper towel  and watery glue you used, this could take as long as eight or nine hours.
• Paint the skull a base of white. It will look something like this:

• Once the white is dry, use paint to add meaningful symbols. Flowers are a traditional way to decorate the skulls, so if a certain flower holds meaning for you, you may wish to add it. Other possibilities include a pentacle, an Egyptian eye, ankh, patronus animals, etc. Any symbol can be used, provided it has meaning to you. However, if you don't find that an image resonates with you, don't feel obligated to use it.
• For the eyes, glue on paper or silk flowers. If desired, use black paint to define eyes in the flowers' center.

Mine came out like this:

The purple circle in the middle of the ankh is also representative of the O in the )O( symbol.

Here you can see one of the ) in the )O( symbol, as well as a gold spiral for the God, and an owl and fish for air and water, respectively.

On the back of the skull I painted a pentacle with a lotus flower beneath it.

And on the final side, I painted a silver spiral for the Goddess, a bison for earth, and a phoenix for fire (the phoenix was the idea of my friend, Steph). You can also see the final ( to complete the lunar trinity.