Looking for Community?

I am now an active member in Sacred Paths DSM.  We have been holding Sabbat celebrations and informal potluck dinners for over a year in the Des Moines area.  I am also attending WiccaCon at the First Unitarian Church on May 12th,  2012 with my spiritual partner and fiance, Aletheas Moonsilver.  Together, we will be presenting a workshop on Creating Sacred Space.  I've suspended activities with The South Central Iowa Pagan Association that I started a couple of years ago.  It may yet be revived at another time, in another location, so drop a comment if you want to find out more about how to join in on Pagan/Wiccan community events in central Iowa.   Look me up on Facebook!  

A Witch's Cauldron

In my personal view, the most important tool for transformation (both physical and spiritual) would have to be the Cauldron. Physically, the cauldron is a vessel that holds the ingredients of your potions, stews and other concoctions with a purpose of healing, nourishing or transforming. I've used my cauldron to hold candles, mash up herbs, and divination through scrying. The cauldron represents all the elements to me: metallic earth, heated by fire, cooled by air and tempered by water. But what about a cauldron for personal transformation?

Many times, I've been transformed mentally and spiritually by the events in my life, but what things have I done purposefully to transform myself with an outcome already predetermined? I've gone about life letting things happen and reacting to them, and I wondered what would happen if I actually set out to determine the steps and the method and the desired outcome, magically through visualization, meditation, ritual and writing. So, that is what I have set out to accomplish. I want to be a better me, all throughout my life. I want to live my life purposefully, and to shed the veils I hide behind.

I have had many 'chapters' in my life, all pretty much defined by relationships I have had in the past, my religious beliefs at the time, and the choices I made to survive and get along without causing too much turmoil for others. From a very early age, this was my conditioning. I learned not to discuss things that were personally damaging to me, and to bury it deep and try to forget. I adopted another "me", the one I presented to the world as the functioning, regular person. All the while I was a confused and lost soul, unsure of who to please and what to ask for myself. Being able to leave my former religion behind and start thinking for myself was the pivotal moment in my life. Ever since then, I have evolved into someone who is slowly learning to ask for what I need, not settle for what I can get. This has caused some strife and turmoil for others in my life, but I had to make a choice, live for others or live for me.

Recently, I was labeled a liar, a charlatan, and a phony. I had ended a relationship because I made a choice to do the least harm, even though I knew I would be causing some turmoil and tension by doing so. Ultimately it came down to being honest with myself and my own needs, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I just couldn't continue on, so I stopped. For this reason, I have been vilified by people I once held in high regard, and I have a desperate desire to defend myself to anyone who would listen. The thing is, no one has come to me to ask me any single question about what truly happened. So, I have to put myself through a reality check time and time again. This is my cauldron.

I conjure up all of the worst possibilities, all of the things that could have been said, or supposed, or outright imagined. Then I have to realistically and logically work through them all, determining the "what if's" of each scenario, until I can settle on just a couple of possible outcomes. In the end, it matters not what has been said, or imagined. It does not matter what one believes about my intentions, or my actions. The only thing that is real is that I know what my own thoughts and opinions are, I know what my own reasons were, and I do not have to justify them to anyone who believes I was a liar from the start. Nothing I say will have any effect on a stalwart opinion that draws me in the black ink of deceit. So, it is likely better to not say anything at all.

My problem is that I can't pretend as if everything is fine, it's all been worked out, and there is no reason for tension. I know it will be there, as long as others wish to carry it around with them, and not work through their own "cauldron". So, I have to wait it out and let the real me show through it all, not run and hide, not put on a front. Eventually, truth wins out, and my real nature will be evidence enough.

It's a difficult task. The cauldron bubbles and boils over at times. The process starts over again. But each time, it gets shorter, easier to deal with. And I have more opportunities to see myself as others see me, and more chances to change my perceptions of others as well.

The Magic of Charms and Symbols

Magical charms can bring powerful, positive vibrations into your life. Most of us use charms without realizing their power. We "knock on wood" for luck, exchange wedding rings and wear the colors of our favorite team while watching a game. These actions originate from a time when everyone believed that the energy of the universe could be channeled into objects and symbols. This is known as "sympathetic magic"-- the idea that carrying a reminder of something imbues its owner with the powers of the original.

Charms are still effective tools today when used with awareness and clear intent. For example, a horseshoe hung with the points facing upward brings you luck as it symbolizes a new Moon; wearing the same clothes as a celebrity allows you to feel as successful as them.

How your magic charms work

Chose a charm that bestows the protection or powers you require.

Symbols, letters and numbers

These ancient symbols tap into a current of magic that has benefited humanity since antiquity. Harness it with runic pendants, Celtic tattoos and ankh earrings.


Lucky objects

Finding a lucky penny and cherishing it attracts wealth; a letter from a friend carried in your pocket becomes a popularity charm.

Plants and crystals

Carrying or wearing plants and crystals brings us into direct contact with the magical energies of nature.

Representation

A symbol of something can contain the qualities of the orginal. A lion can bestow courage; a bear, protection; and a dog, loyalty.

Divine help

Religious images as jewelry carry protection and healing from the spiritual source.

Placing your Charms

There are many different charms you can choose and many ways you can use them. Use this checklist below to give you some ideas.


Herbs and Flowers

Herbs and flowers are known to have healing qualities,which means they make very useful charms.

*Lavender is great for averting worry, and rosemary is protective.

*Coriander makes a romantic love charm.

Hang bunches of herbs in the home, or make an amulet by sewing a small pouch and filling it with an appropriate mixture of leaves and flowers.

Charms in the Home

Where better to experience the beneficial effects of magical charms than at home? Charms can protect our possessions and family, help us sleep, attract prosperity, boost health and create a calm atmosphere.

*Place a statue of Buddha by the main entrance and touch it daily for luck.

*Hang a dream catcher above your bed to allay nightmares.

*Place a cross of elder twigs on your front door to deter unwelcome guests.


Food Charms

When we eat symbolic or charmed foods we literally ingest their power.

*The Yule Feast affirms the prosperity of the year ahead with the currants in mince pies and yule pudding representing money.

*Sharing oysters with your partner gets you both in the mood for love.

Gifts

You can also give charms as presents-- passing on luck.

* A silver cup for a baby at Wiccanning is a symbol of health and happiness.

*A horseshoe charm at a wedding increases the fertility of the union.

*The key that adorns 18th and 21st birthday cards unlocks the secrets of adult life.


Jewelry

Worn next to the skin, the power of the charm affects the wearer all day.

*Jewelry enables a combination of magical elements to work together: metals, precious stones and symbols should be carefully selected to suit your purpose.

*Always charge your charm before wearing it.

*Leave silver jewelry outside on the night of a full Moon in order to refresh its energy. Gold charms, in contrast, need sunlight to activate them and should be left out in daylight.


Follow me to my new blog at The Cauldron and Crucible.

The Magic of Lavender

Lavender has been an essential ingredient in spells and charms since ancient times. You can still use it today in your love, healing and purification magic.

Lavender Folklore

In ancient times, lavender had magical and healing associations. Known by the ancient Greeks as the "witches' herb," it was associated with the goddess Hecate, queen of enchantment. The Romans burned lavender over coals during childbirth to ease labor pains and purify the air. Meditating on lavender is said to heal depression and ensure a long life.

In medieval cosmology, all things on Earth fell under the governance of a planet. Lavender is governed by Mercury, the fleet-footed messenger of the Gods in Roman mythology. Mercury's character is seen as changeable and potent in the areas of intellect and communication, thus mercurial plants are often known for their stimulating and balancing effects on the mind, indeed, lavender has long been renowned for its uplifting and calming properties on body and spirit. This enchantingly scented herb has many associations and traditions in folklore:

* In traditional methods of gardening, it was thought that planting lavender close to beds of crocus bulbs would repel and scavenging birds.

* In folk medicine, chewing lavender seeds was said to purge worms from the body. It was also used as a cure for "cold diseases" of the head, convulsions, and fainting fits.

* Apothecaries named pure lavender oil "Oil of Spike" because of its potent sting quality. It was used on the limbs to treat palsy.

* In the Mediterranean, lavender sprigs were woven into the rim of hats to prevent headaches caused by the Sun.


Talisman of Love and Protection

Lavender is important in love magic and was traditionally worn by prostitutes to attract customers. Wearing a sprig of lavender is said to offer protection from violence and cruelty, while combining it with rosemary is an ancient remedy to preserve chastity. According to folklore, if you place lavender under your pillow and make a wish, your dreams will reveal whether it will come true. Lavender is also thought tot help you get in touch with the spirit world.

How to use Lavender in Spells

Lavender can be used in magic the following ways:

* Spell Bags
* Charms
* Anointing
* Love Spells
* Purification


Working Lavender Magic

Lavender candles can be powerful ingredients. Follow the step-by-step examples below to see how you can use a lavender candle in castin your own spells.

Casting a Spell to Attract Love

You will need:

* A Lavender Candle
* A Small Mirror
* A Red Makeup Pencil
* A Pink Pen
* A Pink Piece of Paper
* A Sprig of Lavender

1. Sit in a quiet place and imagine your ideal partner, then rub the paper with the lavender flowers.

2. Hold the candle in your right hand and visualize your ideal lover. Imagine what qualities you would like them to possess. Make sure you don't picture a real person; concentrate instead on the aspects that are important to you (for example, "he must share my passion for dancing").

3. Light your candle while saying, "Hecate, queen of enchantment, I ask for my soul mate to join me. Blessed Be".

4. Draw a heart with the makeup pencil around your reflected face in the mirror. Say, "I am in love."

5. Write a letter to your soul mate, explaining what kind of relationship you would like to have with him. Burn it in the candle flame and say, "I send you this letter, my true love. May you come to me swiftly."

6. Carry the lavender sprig in your pocket until you meet your lover- it may well happen soon!


Candle Wish Spell

You will need:

* A Lavender Sprig
* Some Olive Oil
* A Glass Jar
* Some Dried Lavender

1. On a full moon, hold the lavender to the Moon and say, "Lady Moon, I call your magic into this herb."

2. Put the herb and oil in the jar. Seal the jar and store in a dark place.

3. On the New Moon, when the first sliver of crescent is visible in the sky, fetch the jar and the candle.

4. Hold the candle in your right hand and visualize your wish, clearly using all of your senses. Starting at the center, anoint the candle with the oil, working first left and then right. Say your wish out loud.

5. Light the candle and visualize the flame going out into the universe to make your wish come true.

We are NOT a Christian Nation

House Resolution 397, recently introduced to Congress (May 2009), implies that the beliefs of our nation's founders were uniformly Christian, and that Christian beliefs are required for moral governance and societal cohesion.

From the New York Times (Oct 2007): A Nation of Christians is NOT a Christian Nation

An article of faith among many American evangelicals is “the Constitution established the United States of America as a Christian nation.”

According to Scripture, however, believers are to be wary of all mortal powers. Their home is the kingdom of God, which transcends all earthly things, not any particular nation-state. The Psalmist advises believers to “put not your trust in princes.” The author of Job says that the Lord “shows no partiality to princes nor regards the rich above the poor, for they are all the work of his hands.” Before Pilate, Jesus says, “My kingdom is not of this world.” And if, as Paul writes in Galatians, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus,” then it is difficult to see how there could be a distinction in God’s eyes between, say, an American and an Australian. In fact, there is no distinction if you believe Peter’s words in the Acts of the Apostles: “I most certainly believe now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is welcome to him.”

The kingdom Jesus preached was radical. Not only are nations irrelevant, but families are, too: he instructs those who would be his disciples to give up all they have and all those they know to follow him.

The only acknowledgment of God in the original Constitution is a utilitarian one: the document is dated “in the year of our Lord 1787.” Even the religion clause of the First Amendment is framed dryly and without reference to any particular faith. The Connecticut ratifying convention debated rewriting the preamble to take note of God’s authority, but the effort failed.

A pseudonymous opponent of the Connecticut proposal had some fun with the notion of a deity who would, in a sense, be checking the index for his name: “A low mind may imagine that God, like a foolish old man, will think himself slighted and dishonored if he is not complimented with a seat or a prologue of recognition in the Constitution.” Instead, the framers, the opponent wrote in The American Mercury, “come to us in the plain language of common sense and propose to our understanding a system of government as the invention of mere human wisdom; no deity comes down to dictate it, not a God appears in a dream to propose any part of it.”

While many states maintained established churches and religious tests for office — Massachusetts was the last to disestablish, in 1833 — the federal framers, in their refusal to link civil rights to religious observance or adherence, helped create a culture of religious liberty that ultimately carried the day.

Thomas Jefferson said that his bill for religious liberty in Virginia was “meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and the Mahometan, the Hindu, and infidel of every denomination.” When George Washington was inaugurated in New York in April 1789, Gershom Seixas, the hazan of Shearith Israel, was listed among the city’s clergymen (there were 14 in New York at the time) — a sign of acceptance and respect. The next year, Washington wrote the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, R.I., saying, “happily the government of the United States ... gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance. ... Everyone shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.”

Andrew Jackson resisted bids in the 1820s to form a “Christian party in politics.” Abraham Lincoln buried a proposed “Christian amendment” to the Constitution to declare the nation’s fealty to Jesus. Theodore Roosevelt defended William Howard Taft, a Unitarian, from religious attacks by supporters of William Jennings Bryan.

The founders were not anti-religion. Many of them were faithful in their personal lives, and in their public language they evoked God. They grounded the founding principle of the nation — that all men are created equal — in the divine. But they wanted faith to be one thread in the country’s tapestry, not the whole tapestry.

In the 1790s, in the waters off Tripoli, pirates were making sport of American shipping near the Barbary Coast. Toward the end of his second term, Washington sent Joel Barlow, the diplomat-poet, to Tripoli to settle matters, and the resulting treaty, finished after Washington left office, bought a few years of peace. Article 11 of this long-ago document says that “as the government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion,” there should be no cause for conflict over differences of “religious opinion” between countries.

Democracy Requires Minority Rights

Majority rule can not be the only expression of "supreme power" in a democracy. the majority would too easily tyrannize the minority. Thus, while it is clear that democracy must guarantee the expression of the popular will through majority rule, it is equally clear that it must guarantee that the majority will not abuse use its power to violate the basic and inalienable rights of the minority. For one, a defining characteristic of democracy must be the people's right to change the majority through elections. This right is the people's "supreme authority." The minority, therefore, must have the right to seek to become the majority and possess all the rights necessary to compete fairly in elections—speech, assembly, association, petition—since otherwise the majority would make itself permanent and become a dictatorship. For the majority, ensuring the minority's rights becomes a matter of self-interest, since it must utilize the same rights when it is in minority to seek to become a majority again.

The Constant Threat

The American founders—Anti-Federalists and Federalists alike—considered rule by majority a troubling conundrum. In theory, majority rule was necessary for expressing the popular will and the basis for establishing the republic. The alternative—consensus or rule by everyone's agreement—cannot be imposed upon a free people. And minority rule is antithetical to democracy. But the founders worried that the majority could abuse its powers to oppress a minority just as easily as a king. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison both warn in their letters about the dangers of the tyranny of the legislature and of the executive. Madison, alluding to slavery, went further, writing, "It is of great importance in a republic, not only to guard the society against the oppression of its rulers, but to guard one part of the society against the injustice of the other part."

Democracy therefore requires minority rights equally as it does majority rule. Indeed, as democracy is conceived today, the minority's rights must be protected no matter how singular or alienated that minority is from the majority society; otherwise, the majority's rights lose their meaning. In the United States, basic individual liberties are protected through the Bill of Rights, which were drafted by James Madison and adopted in the form of the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. These enumerate the rights that may not be violated by the government, safeguarding—in theory, at least—the rights of any minority against majority tyranny. Today, these rights are considered the essential element of any liberal democracy.

One of the most common statements from the "Religious Right" is that they want this country to "return to the Christian principles on which it was founded". However, a little research into American history will show that this statement is a lie. Most of the men responsible for building the foundation of the United States had little use for Christianity, and many were strongly opposed to it. They were men of The Enlightenment, not men of Christianity. They were Deists who did not believe the Bible was true.

When the Founders wrote the nation's Constitution, they specified that "no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." (Article 6, section 3) This provision was radical in its day-- giving equal citizenship to believers and non-believers alike. They wanted to ensure that no single religion could make the claim of being the official, national religion, such as England had. Nowhere in the Constitution does it mention religion, except in exclusionary terms. The words "Jesus Christ, Christianity, Bible, and God" are never mentioned in the Constitution-- not once.

The Declaration of Independence gives us important insight into the opinions of the Founding Fathers. Thomas Jefferson wrote that the power of the government is derived from the governed. Up until that time, it was claimed that kings ruled nations by the authority of God. The Declaration was a radical departure from the idea of divine authority.

None of the Founding Fathers were atheists. Most of the Founders were Deists, which is to say they thought the universe had a creator, but that he does not concern himself with the daily lives of humans, and does not directly communicate with humans, either by revelation or by sacred books. They spoke often of God, (Nature's God or the God of Nature), but this was not the God of the bible. They did not deny that there was a person called Jesus, and praised him for his benevolent teachings, but they flatly denied his divinity. Some people speculate that if Charles Darwin had lived a century earlier, the Founding Fathers would have had a basis for accepting naturalistic origins of life, and they would have been atheists. Most of them were stoutly opposed to the bible, and the teachings of Christianity in particular.

Yes, there were Christian men among the Founders. Just as Congress removed Thomas Jefferson's words that condemned the practice of slavery in the colonies, they also altered his wording regarding equal rights. His original wording is here in blue italics: "All men are created equal and independent. From that equal creation they derive rights inherent and inalienable." Congress changed that phrase, increasing its religious overtones: "All men are created equal. They are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights." But we are not governed by the Declaration of Independence-- it is a historical document, not a constitutional one.

If the Christian Right Extremists wish to return this country to its beginnings, so be it... because it was a climate of Freethought. The Founders were students of the European Enlightenment. Half a century after the establishment of the United States, clergymen complained that no president up to that date had been a Christian. The attitude of the age was one of enlightened reason, tolerance, and free thought. The Founding Fathers would turn in their graves if the Christian Extremists had their way with this country.

Consider this: IF indeed the members of the First Continental Congress were all bible-believing, "God-fearing" men, would there ever have been a revolution at all?

The New Testament gives clear instructions to Christians on how to behave when ruled under a monarchy, as were the Founders.

1 Peter 2:13: "For the Lord's sake accept the authority of every human institution, whether of the emperor as supreme, or of governors, as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right."

Paul wrote in Romans 13:1: "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resist authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment."

The Founders clearly did not heed what was written in the bible. If they were in fact "good" Christians, there would never have been an American Revolution. Compare the above passages with the Declaration of Independence:

"...when a long train of abuses and usurpations... evinces a design to reduce (the people) under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security..."

Anyone who can think for themselves can see that the Founders were not Christians.

***MY THOUGHTS***

Talk about picking and choosing! The House bill selects quotes useful for their argument, and implies that every member of the Continental Congress felt exactly the same way. No one has ever argued that there were Christians among the founders of this country. But implying that each and every one of them had the same beliefs and set about to purposefully create a Christian nation is preposterous to say the least.

Lots of things that have passed through Congress do so much more because of tradition, not out of uniform belief in those things. For example, continuing on with the words "In God We Trust" on the coinage does not imply that every member of Congress is also Christian. The majority may rule, but they do not represent everyone in the nation. We have dissent, we have opposing views, and we are allowed to express those opposing views through the power of voting, speaking out in public, wearing symbols, and writing blogs such as this one.

I'm opposed to labeling this country as a Christian Nation simply for the fact that it implies uniformity of belief of the citizens. That is catagorically untrue. I have to wonder what our Jewish members of Congress have to say about this. I would fear a majority rule, and a silence of the minority. That is what our Constitution is about, allowing everyone equal protection, equal voice, and equal freedom. The implication that we cannot have morals or ethics without being Christian is something I am going to speak loudly against whenever I have the opportunity to do so.

Why is there such a rush, such an emphasis on getting the U.S. declared as a Christian Nation? What does it do but serve to alienate us from the rest of the world, especially Muslims and Jews? I fail to see for the life of me what possible good it would do to declare an allegiance to any one faith, and to insist on conformity of values and beliefs. Some of the founding fathers may have been Christian, but we need not jump to any conclusions about their intent when it comes to the Constitution. Clearly, in a democracy, the rights of the minority must be protected, or the majority rule becomes the oppressors, the tyrants that the pilgrims and immigrants to this country were trying to get away from in the first place.

The New Start

I've been gone for a long time from this blog, I know. Well, 2009 wasn't so kind to me, but I've changed a lot of bad things and moved to a new place, and got away from a negative vibe that was haunting me. So, on with the show.

My focus lately has been on Gnostic teachings of the original Christians, the Nag Hammadi Texts, and a new interest in Astro-Theology. And I recently went back to one Sunday of Mormon Church. One Sunday in 7 years, not counting the two funerals I attended. Wasn't much difference. Except all the hugs and "we miss you's" etc. That was to be expected. The little kids I used to teach in Primary are teenagers now. I don't know how many times I recited that my oldest child was 20 now, and my youngest almost a teen. I was only there because I felt like doing something nice for my mom, who was injured and couldn't drive for the past month. But everyone there looked so hopeful, so sure that I had an epiphany and was returning to their fold. There I was, sitting in the meetings with my pentagram ring and my triquetra-hematite necklace. I didn't feel anything but awkward at all the attention. I also didn't feel shame, guilt or remorse for the decision I made to leave the church. I'm on the right path for me, and I know it.

If I were to continue attending, just to be there with mom and take her to church, there is no doubt in my mind that sooner or later, the bishop would be asking to speak with me. There is a file on me in the office. I am a Resigned former member. There was no "court of love". There was no process of excommunication in the works. I simply wrote a letter and told them to remove me from the membership list. That was November of 2002.

I jumped through all the flaming hoops they laid out for me and still they could not give me what they promised. I will have to wait till the afterlife just like everyone else. And I am not going to spend THIS life sitting in endless meetings, and feeling guilty and ashamed of myself. Does that mean I'm going to do the exact opposite? If you ask a staunch Mormon, the answer would be yes, naturally. If I'm not in church feeling guilty, what would be the exact opposite? Sitting in a bar whoring around? Joining a BDSM club and hitting the Swinger's scene? Would I naturally be smoking and drinking and doing drugs, smacking around my kids, and living with STD's?

I'm really shocked at the assumption that morality and religion go hand in hand. Is there no such thing as a moral, ethical person without the Judeo-Christian stamp? Are all non-Christians immoral and unethical people? Have we no moral compass or sense of right and wrong? Really?

One of my favorite quotes is attributed to Abraham Lincoln, although I don't know for sure he said it. "When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That is my religion."

What sets us apart from animals? Our sense of right and wrong. An INBORN moral compass. A gift from the Creator. The power to use logic and reason in our choices. And what does religion do? It seeks to take credit, to squash down our abilities to think for ourselves, to hand over autonomy in exchange for the promise of eternal life. We are not allowed to question, to doubt, to haggle over details, or even have hurt feelings about the way we are shuffled through like sheep. If the Brethren have decided, have chosen, and have pronounced it, then there is no more debate. The thinking has been done. It is left to those in charge, and doubting them is equal to doubting your god. Wow. No thank you. I prefer to muddle on through with my own thoughts and opinions and reason and logic. What I have discovered is that I flow through life like a river flows to the ocean. My thoughts and opinions change with the ebb and flow of life's experiences. I am not secured in a walled-in shelter. I am taking huge risks in being disappointed, in being shocked or confused. But I'm not living under a threat of eternal doom either.

Has anyone stopped to consider that we are all asleep and need to be awakened to the full knowledge and understanding of our divine nature? This is what the Gnostic Christians taught, generations before Jesus. The "resurrection" we need is not from death back to life in a literal sense. It is a transformation between ignorance and truth. Our 'resurrection' comes from gaining knowledge. The only good in this world is knowledge, and the only sin is ignorance. Yet the Mormon way would keep us all dependent upon others for all our wisdom and knowledge, and slam the door on anything that would cause us to question, to reason for ourselves, or to doubt.

If I were to have a vision, right now in this very room, of Joseph, Jesus and God, all together commanding me to take up a pen and write down their words and then go out in the world and tell everyone I know, no one would believe me. Even if it was true, it wouldn't matter. It would still be up to me to get others to believe and trust in me, in my character, and in my ability to relate the experience. If I was extremely good at charisma and charm, I could gather a small following. If I continued to claim more visions and experiences that only happened to me, and I was able to convince a few people that I had seen and spoken with Deities from heaven, it would still be balance upon the precipice of my word, my character, and my ability to convince others. There would be no magical, mystical quality about it. And it wouldn't even have to be true in order for me to accomplish it. I could do just as well with a lie as the truth. Real miracles are subject to the same fate as a lie, and I question and doubt that the Creator would use such means to convince us of anything. Is it more probable that a miracle might have occurred, or that a lie was told?

To quote Thomas Paine in The Age of Reason :

"In every point of view in which those things called miracles can be placed and considered, the reality of them is improbable, and their existence unnecessary. They would not answer any useful purpose, even if they were true; for it is more difficult to obtain belief to a miracle, than to a principle evidently moral, without any miracle. Moral principle speaks universally for itself. Miracle could be a thing of the moment, and seen but by a few; after this it requires a transfer of faith from God to man to believe a miracle upon man's report. Instead of admitting the recitals of miracles as evidence of any system of religion to be true, it should be considered as symptoms of it being fabulous. It is necessary to the full and upright character of truth that it rejects the crutch; and it is consistent with the character of fable to seek the aid that truth rejects."


So, if we want to put anything to the test, it would be a man's character. His ability to see a vision, relate it to others, and become a prophet rests on his moral character. It would not matter if the vision or miracle was true one whit. Because he was the only witness to it, then we would all have to rely upon his word. Having never met Joseph Smith personally, I would then have to rely upon accounts from others, and put my faith and trust in their character. It still would not matter if it was a lie or not. My belief would rest upon witnesses, not upon whether or not I believed such a miracle could occur at all. It is a thousand times more likely that no such miracle ever occurred. And I get that understanding from studying the character of the man who made the claim. This is why it is so upsetting to read volumes of Mormon history, to read the history of polygamy, of other "vision" claims from the same man. It's upsetting to discover just ONE lie in the story. It casts doubt upon the man. That's why there is such a movement in the church to maintain their beliefs and stand firm against any doubts. How would that be accomplished? Willful ignorance. The desire to NOT know any different. The desire to keep believing because so much time and effort has been invested in the cause and it would be TOO painful to realize it was based on a lie. Some people would rather live this way. And to me, that is the real sin. Turning down the use of the one gift our Creator gave us, the use of REASON.

Casting Spells

Spell Casting is a safe and simple way to improve a situation by using your wishes to harmonize natural energies.

A spell is the combination of words and objects used to focus magical energy and direct it into ensuring the desired result. Casting spells can help you deal with areas of your life that cause problems and give you the confidence you need to overcome them. By working with words and objects that symbolize the goal you are seeking, you can direct and focus your won natural energies.

The Ethics of Spell Casting


All true Wiccans follow the ethic, "An it harm none, do as ye will", meaning you should not cause harm to anyone with your spells, including yourself. By using the power of your imagination, focused and heightened by concentration, will-power and belief, you can start to cast spells safely and positively.

Spells help your unconscious mind focus on your wishes and attract the outcome that is right for you. Use natural ingredients to harness the magical energies around you.

Spell Casting Through History

Witches and their beliefs have been demonized in recent times, but for thousands of years spells were used to help protect people from life's sorrows and pains. In the Middle Ages, local witches combined the roles of doctor, midwife, and vet, dispensing herbs to heal human and animal ailments and to aid births. Without a local pharmacy, they found their own ingredients, and an extensive knowledge of herbalism was essential. The traditions of herb and Moon lore, learned by witches, were usually oral. These were passed down and adapted through time.


Spells can be divided into three broad categories: Blessing, Wishing, and Protection.

Blessing Spells

Blessing spells are used to improve existing conditions. Within a rural community, such spells may include blessing crops and encouraging the appropriate weather to ensure a good harvest. Blessing spells can also heal people and animals, bringing more happiness and positive influence into a person's life. They can be used to purify places and buildings, removing unwanted influences. Blessing spells remind us of our connection to the people around us and our environment--for example, you may cast a blessing spell for along and happy life on a newborn baby or on a newlywed couple to ensure their future happiness.


Wishing or Attraction Spells

Wishing spells are cast to improve your quality of life. They include:

*Spells to improve your current job situation or help you find a new one.

*Spells to help you overcome nerves and perform well during exams.

*Spells to improve your luck.

*Spells to attract love into your life.

When you perform wishing spells, remember you are seeking to attract what is right for you. It is better to do spells to attract the "right" job or lover rather than a specific person or career, which may not in fact be right for you.

Protection Spells

Protection spells were among the most popular kind cast in ancient times. These can include:

*Protection when traveling

*House protection from burglary or negative influences.

Binding Spells

Binding spells are cast to stop an individual acting maliciously or negatively in a manner that causes harm. Such spells also help the person causing the problem to realize the harm they can do. They are NOT curses.

For example, if you are sexually harassed at work and wish to prevent the perpetrator from behaving in this manner, a binding spell would reflect their negative energies back on them and make them realize how they are harming others.

Using Magic Wands

Magic wands can help you to channel the mystical forces surrounding you and focus this power into the object of your spell.

A wand functions as an antenna. When pointed upward and used with ritual and focus, it enables you to draw down magical energy. When spell casting, you can then point the wand at an object to release this power down your arm and into the wand, where the energy is intensified by its crystal tip. You can also focus on directing your own energy into the wand. Thus, double-pointed crystals work very well on wands, enhancing power from yourself and external forces.

Harnessing tree magic

A wand is imbued with the properties of the tree from which it is make. Willow is the most popular choice of wood, but you can make wands from most trees and reserve individuals wands for specific purposes. Birch trees, for example, signify renewal and a birch wood wand could be used in spells to bless new projects.

The Uses of Magic Wands

You can use a wand for a variety of purposes when practicing magic and rituals and casting spells.

*Sleeping on a willow wand is said to make your dreams more vivid and meaningful.

*Rowan wands can help to enhance your clairvoyant abilities.

*Wands can be used to cast sacred circles, which you can then step into and cast a spell.

*Place a wand on an altar at a Wiccan celebration as your offering to the ritual.

*Enhance the power of your spells by using wands to focus more energy on your intent, whether it be for love, prosperity or healing.

*Use a wand made from a specific wood to celebrate a seasonal festival. A holly wand, for example, could be used to perform magic at a Winter Solstice ritual.

How to Make a Magic Wand

Follow this simple and fun step-by-step exercise to create your own magical wand, adorned with brightly colored ribbons, pretty gems and elaborate feathers.

Wand Materials

To make your magic wand, you will need:

*a 10-12 inch long stick of willow or other wood

*a knife

*a double-pointed quartz or other preferred crystal

*sandpaper--coarse, smooth and very smooth

*almond or linseed oil

*a brush

*copper wire

*needle and cotton thread

*PVA glue

*ribbons, feathers, beads and shells


1. Ask permission from a tree to take its wood. Then cut a 10-12 inch piece. Thank the tree and leave it a gift.

2. Strip off bark with a knife, while the wood is "moist" and easy to peel. Later, return the shavings to the tree.

3. Sand the wood, first with the coarse paper, then again with the smooth. Finally, use the very smooth sandpaper.

4. Allow the wood to dry out for a few days. Then lightly brush it with oil until it is soaked through. Leave it to dry.

5. Glue the crystal you have chosen onto the top of your wand and wrap with the ribbons securing it with glue.

6. Now, you are ready to personalize your wand. Use a needle and thread to attach other magical items, such as beads, feathers and shells to the ribbons.


Using Advanced Wands

The more practiced you become at magic, the less elaborate your wand needs to be. Many experienced witches will used a plain wooden stick and do not worry about dressing it up.

Decorating your wand does not increase its magical powers, but the ritual of spending so much time on the tool's creation helps to forge a psychological connection, encouraging the flow of magical energies between you. Many beginners find this useful.

Using a Ritual Blade

Other rituals associated with creating your own wand include setting aside a special knife, which you use only for this purpose.

How to Harness Your Inner Power

Following the path of Wicca means learning how to listen to a well-spring of inner knowledge and discovering how to use it in spell and ritual.

Within all of us is a deep reservoir of untapped potential filled with knowledge about the physical and spiritual worlds. Part of Wicca is about getting in touch with that "inner knowing"--learning how to read the signals, which may be competing with all manner of noise to be heard. Some people such as clairvoyants naturally hear these signals very clearly, but you may have to work at it.

Coincidence or Telepathy?

You may have experienced telepathy without even being aware of it--it's what happens when you think of a friend and suddenly they call you. You may even have experienced clairvoyance--how many times have you said, "I knew that would happen?" There are tools to help develop these divining gifts, such as a pendulum or dowsing rods, as well as wands that help direct the energies of your inner power.

Listen to the Voice Within

When you tap into your inner power you are also exercising your intuition and when you use your intuition you are really entering into the universal psyche--bypassing your own personal views and touching upon the universal truth. This is because your intuition is largely based upon what you "feel" about something, and as well as drawing upon the wisdom that has been taught to you by life experience, intuitive feelings are guided by that deep, hidden inner voice.

Quiet the Noise

Your brain is constantly making a racket and throwing up all manner of things to distract you from your inner truth--doubts and fears as well as logic and reasoning are all blocks to hearing your intuition and to harnessing the power within. Meditation is the art of learning to bypass this noise, so that the quiet voice of truth can be heard.

Using the Power Within

You can learn to access your inner power by employing techniques such as dreamwork, meditation, dowsing and working with magic wands.


A Dream Diary

The unconscious has many messages for you, but it speaks through symbols and dreams rather than directly.

Coded Messages

Unless you are already finely tuned to listening to your inner voice, many of the signals that are trying so hard to be heard can only bypass the everyday clatter by working at night. Unconscious messages appear in you dreams in the form of coded symbols. You can become more open to the messages from the unconscious by recording your dreams and by familiarizing yourself with the workings of your mind. Keep a notebook and pencil by your bed, and upon waking write down your dreams. Over time you will uncover more and more and open an easier dialogue between the unconscious and conscious mind.


Meditative Herbs

During a meditation session, use incense that helps to develop clairvoyance by clearing away mental debris. Frankincense, sandalwood and star anise are all good fragrances.

State of Peace

To enter a serene state, sit cross-legged and close your eyes. Focus your breath into your belly and concentrate on breathing. As thoughts arise, try not to pay attention to them, but let them float by. With practice you may notice that the scent of the herbs helps you to "drift away." Notice that this is happening and just gently come back to your breathing. Do this for 20 minutes and then notice how your inner voice is free to speak.

Practice Dowsing

A good time to try your first go at dowsing is when you are felling centered after a meditation session. With dowsing, the mind can be tempted to exercise logic and impose its will, but when you are feeling very still you are more likely to allow the intuitive mind to be heard. Before you start dowsing, establish the signals your dowsing tool provides for answering "yes" or "no".

Find the Answer

Holding a pendulum gently, establish what is "yes" and "no" answers are by asking, "Is my name _____?" The way it swings will be the "Yes". Check its "No" answer too, and you will then be ready to start dowsing. See if you can find a lost object in the house by asking simple "Yes" or "No" questions to the pendulum. It may be helpful to use a piece of paper with the words "yes" and "no" written on opposite sides, and then hang the pendulum over the paper with your receptive hand. (Right hand--projective, Left hand--receptive).

Working with Wands

Once you have opened up the pathway to your inner powers and can recognize when they are working, you are ready to practice directing these energies at will. This will take much time and effort, and you may initially find that directing your energies to charge objects for spells and rituals is quite draining.

Direct the Power

You should use a crystal-tipped wand for this exercise. (I will post more about making your own wand in the next post). Choose an object in a room and draw a circle clockwise around it with the tip of your wand. Point the wand at the object and concentrate on a musical note in your mind.

Direct the note from your head down your shoulder, arm, wrist, and hand and continue it along the length of the wand and into the object. Practice this daily until you hear the musical note whenever you enter the room with that object.

Setting Up Your Sacred Altar

Creating a magical altar is an essential part of being a Wiccan. It provides you with a special place in which to practice magic.

All religions use altars, and the items that are placed there, such as cups, plates and candles, are imbued with a holy significance. The altar is a place "set aside" from daily life and is used as a focus for the meeting of spiritual and material worlds.

The Role of an Altar

Altars are used for different means. You may have a permanent altar set up in your house. You could also create a permanent altar outside in your yard, with statues of deities surrounded by beautiful flowers near a small pool. Or you may choose to construct a temporary altar for a specific magical purpose--perhaps for a seasonal spell or a ritual with friends.

Altars in Ancient Times

In ancient times, the hearth was the first altar. It was the "lifeblood" of the home, a place where the family would gather as the fire provided light and heat. Even today, people still keep their family photographs and other mementos on the mantlepiece above the fireplace--unknowingly maintaining this tradition.

Pagan Shrines

In Ancient Rome, people maintained shrines in their homes dedicated to the household deity. They worshiped there at ever lunar quarter and decorated it according to the phases of the Moon and seasons.

The Wiccan Altar

In the same way, Wiccans maintain altars and keep their magical tools there. The flames of the hearth are recalled in the lighting of the ceremonial candles.


Setting Up Your Altar

There are many ways of setting up an altar, for which the sequence below serves as a guideline. The most important ingredient for any altar is magical intent.

You will need:

*Colored cloth--The color of the cloth may be appropriate to the purpose of your spell, such as pink for a love spell, although white is a good choice for most magic.

*Candles--The four elements should be marked out in the four directions: North/Earth (Green candle), East/Air (Yellow candle), South/Fire (Red candle), West/Water (Blue candle). This is a typical Wiccan set-up, other colors or correspondences could be used depending on traditions followed or the particular hemisphere you reside in.

*Pentacle--I used a flat disc of wood and burned my own pentacle into it with a woodburner knife, I have also used a smooth, dark, flat stone that fit the palm of my hand and marked a pentagram on it with silver marker. You can also purchase brass altar pentacles online or in metaphysical shops.

*Salt (represents Earth)--I use Sea Salt, which is readily available in the spices/baking aisle at most grocery stores.

*Feather (represents Air)--I have also used a pumice stone in place of this, since it is full of air. A censor (a type of incense burner that hangs from chains) is also proper to represent Air.

*Wand (for Fire)--I have used an athame (ath-a-may), which is a dark handled, double-edged (dull) blade, used for directing energy when casting a circle. I also have a wand that I made myself from a fallen branch of an oak tree.

*Bowl of Water--should be self explanatory. I tend to use lunar water, which is simply water I have left out in the full moon light for a few hours and then store in a special container for ritual use.

*An incense block, as an altar offering, and an item to hold the incense, such as a shell, or a censor.


The items you choose for your altar should only be used for magical work.

1. First purify yourself by having a bath. This will help make the break from everyday activity to magical work. Focus while bathing on the purpose for which you are setting up the altar.

2. Decide if the altar is to be placed centrally so that everyone can see it, or if it is to be at one end of a room or garden so that the energy is more focused. Choose whether the altar will be raised on a table or on the floor (closer to earth energies), then locate the four cardinal directions: North, East, South, and West.

3. Lay the cloth on the altar and mark out the four directions with the green, yellow, red, and blue candles. Place the salt, feather, wand and bowl of water next to the appropriately colored candle.

4. Place the pentacle in the center with a candle in the appropriate color for your spell, such as blue for a protection spell. Place the incense block in a shell between the center and the south. Light it so that it just smolders.

5. Dip the wand in the water and the salt, and walk around the altar, pointing the wand at the ground to make a magic circle for your spell. Imagine a shield of light from the ground creating a bubble around you and your altar.

6. You're now ready to start your magic work. When you have finished, "close down" your altar by reversing all five steps. Take away all your tools, to clean and store them away for next time.

The Magic of Wiccan Rituals

Wicca is a modern term that is often used in place of "Witchcraft" to get away from the negative images associated with that word. It is helpful to think of Witchcraft as the spell crafting part within a Wiccan Tradition, and also to remember that all Wiccans are Witches, but not all Witches are Wiccans. Wicca is more of the religious observance side, and Witchcraft alone is more about creating spells and working through issues in life using specific tools, herbs, candles, and other items to help focus an individual's will. Nearly all Wiccans will use perform some sort of spell work within their ritual space, and those who are not particularly religious will focus more on just the spell work without creating ritual space.

Performing your Rituals

Thanksgiving, Christmas, weddings and birthdays allow communities and families to celebrated things they see as important: religious or historical events or just time spent together. Like these, Wiccan rituals can be observed by a community, a small group or just one person.

Wiccan rituals help us to harness and direct the power of nature and our own energy. They are simple to practice and many can be performed without any special equipment.

Rites of Affirmation

Formalizing practice into rituals can help to act as a "checklist," making sure that all the necessary steps are followed in the correct order and that nothing is forgotten. It also allows the people involved time to stop back and think about what they're doing, giving them a chance to change their minds!

Rituals can be an important tool for making formal statements to others that cannot be misunderstood.

Modern-Day Rituals

Rituals that are practiced today to affirm or acknowledge something of importance include weddings, which formalize the relationship between a couple, or graduations, which mark the passing of exams.

Following step-by-step identity or community rituals helps you to focus your energy and tune into people who are following the same path, as well as connecting with those who have gone before you.

Choosing your Rituals

The kind of ritual you perform depends on whether you are hoping to honor the cycle of the seasons, marking your passage through life or forging your identity.

Community Rituals

Honoring nature is at the heart of Wiccan tradition. In ancient times, the entire community would gather together to celebrate eight festivals in the "Wheel of the Year." These rituals, known as Sabbats, fall as seasons change and at the midpoint of each season.

By observing these festivals we can tune into the rhythms and cycles of nature.

The Eight Sabbats

*Samhain (Pronounced SOW-in) Oct 31
*Yule (Winter Solstice) Dec 21-22
*Imbolc (Groundhog Day) Feb 1
*Eostara (Spring Equinox) Mar 21-22
*Beltaine (May Day) May 1
*Litha (Midsummer or Summer Solstice) June 21-22
*Lammas (Last Harvest) Aug 1st
*Mabon (Autumn Equinox) Sept 21-22


Personal Rituals

Personal rituals focus your energy, helping you on the path of witchcraft. Rituals of this kind can include:

**Choosing a Witch name: People often choose a "witch name" to give power to their witch identity.

**Setting up an Altar: This is a space in your home where you can practice rituals and spell casting.

**Ritual Tools: Many witches use ritual tools during spell casting. Making your own tools rather than buying them can imbue them with your personal energies.

Working with Ritual

Following the path of witchcraft, or Wicca as it is often known, helps many people to develop personal and spiritual qualities.

A Difficult Road

Ritual can be especially difficult when you are just starting out on your path. When you are spell casting, for example, you will have to think things through carefully--considering all possible consequences. You will have to learn to distinguish between helping people and interfering with their free will.

Remember that performing witchcraft rituals is a way of practicing magic. This focuses the mind, which is a vital skill to hone when working magic.

Don't Rely on Wishes

Wishing for something will not make it happen unless you've done everything you can to help it along. Just as someone who wishes to be a violinist must study and practice hard, so witches have to study and practice. The more you practice the more you avow your intent--your belief in your work.

Rites of Passage

Rites of passage are celebrations of ourselves. Just as we honor and celebrate the Earth's seasonal Wheel of the Year, so too can we celebrate the important landmarks in our lives. The most important ones are as follows:

*Birth
*Menarche (first menstruation)
*Handfasting (marriage)
*Menopause (last menstruation)
*Requiem (death)

Social Rituals

Observing these rituals affirms our part in a community, announcing our arrival to the world, allowing our Friends to celebrate with us along the journey, and giving our loved ones a chance to say goodbye when we move on.

The Magic of Rose Quartz

With its serene and delicate beauty, rose quartz is a crystal that always draws admiration, but its subtle beauty hides powerful healing qualities.

Beads made of rose quartz dating back to 7000 BC in ancient Mesopotamia show how long people have used the beauty of this crystal in jewelry. Rose quartz was also popular in the ancient world for making seals used to mark ownership of items--indicating how it was valued.

The ancient Egyptians used rose quartz in funerary masks, and both the Egyptians and Romans added powdered rose quartz to cosmetics to prevent wrinkles and encourage a good complexion.

The Stone of Love

The color of rose quartz is the same shade as the pink aura given off by the heart Chakra, and it is sometimes called the "love stone". The crystal is associated with unconditional love, beauty, serenity and tranquility. Of all crystals, rose quartz is the one that is most appropriate to give to your loved one on Valentine's Day.

Choosing Quality Crystals

Rose quartz varies in color from very pink to almost white and, as a rule, beads of one type of crystal should always show irregularity. If you buy rose quartz jewelry, be sure to check the color--a set of beads all the same shade have probably been dyed to give uniformity.



Powerful Healer

If you are very lucky, you may come across "star rose quartz". This formation of rose quartz contains needles of rutile (a crystal that may be found by itself or in rutile quartz, of as needle-shaped pieces in star rose quartz) When cut, star rose quartz shows a white star effect in natural light that is both beautiful and powerful, strengthening the crystal's healing effects.



Using Rose Quartz

Rose quartz has gentle yet powerful healing properties that you can use to heal heartbreak, banish nightmares and achieve your goals.

Aid Sweet Dreams

Rose quartz can help to ensure your sleep is deep and restful. Place a piece under your pillow to receive its beneficial effects during the night.

*Rose quartz can help you to overcome insomnia by ensuring that you relax deeply into sleep.

*If you suffer from bad dreams and wake anxious, place a rose quartz crystal under your pillow to deflect the negative emotions that cause nightmares.

*Utilize rose quartz's healing properties at night to help you release emotional pain from you past through your dreams.

*Cleanse your rose quartz regularly if you use it for healing. This will remove the negative energy it has absorbed. Clean it once a week by holding it under fresh, running water, then leave it to dry in the sun.

Boost Confidence

As befits a stone associated with unconditional love, rose quartz is good to use for boosting low self-esteem or self-confidence.

*Carry a piece of rose quartz in your pocket or wear some in jewelry for a heart-warming effect.

*For an extra power boost to your ego, affirm the crystal's positive energy as you pick it up each morning by stating: "I am strong and confident and as worthy as any person. I will perform my work well and not be influenced by negativity from any of the people around me."

Heal a Broken Heart

As the "stone of love", rose quartz can work to release the pain of a broken heart and bring new love and friendship into your life.

*In a time of emotional trauma, such as after a breakup with a friend or partner, wear or carry rose quartz (or both), or keep it in the rooms in your house.

*By keeping the love energy of rose quartz around you at all times, you can begin the process of emotional healing while letting friends support you.

*Remember to share the positive energies radiated by this stone by lending a piece of rose quartz to a friend when they are in need of comfort.

Strengthen Resolve

In crystal healing, rose quartz in also believed to be a purifying stone. For this reason, it is a good crystal to carry around if you are thinking of detoxing and toning up for the summer months.

*The presence of rose quartz in your home can help strengthen your willpower, which will help you stick to your new routine.

*Rose quartz has a positive, balancing effect on the emotions. It will stop you from feeling guilty, an emotion that can prevent you from sticking to your guns.

*It encourages relaxation and is well-known for its calming effect. Its reassuring energy will help to take the edge off your feelings of stress about achieving your goals.

*Keep chunks of unpolished rose quartz in the kitchen and dining room to benefit from its cleansing energy.

Using the Bible to Rebuke Witches

I received an anonymous comment to my blog recently, quotes from Deuteronomy in the Bible that are supposed to make me rethink my spiritual path.

And if I now turn to MY favorite spiritual guide book and quote from it passages to make the Christian Warrior rethink HIS path, would that make any difference to him?

I am no more scared or concerned about quotes and sayings from old dead men as he would be of my crystals and black robes. He can wail and carry on all he wants to about the Wrath of God upon those who practice divination and witchcraft, and we will still be here, unharmed, quietly passing the time. The only way "God" is going to visit any kind of wrath on me, is through some right wing religious zealot who is "inspired" (read: psychotic) enough to deal with me in the way that the Bible teaches all Good Christians to do.

To all you Bible Thumpers out there: Take a look at Leviticus sometime, and tell me which one of those laws you follow.

On Punishing "Immorality":

Leviticus 20:9
If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death.

Leviticus 20:10
If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife--with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.

Leviticus 20:13
If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death.



On Slavery & Subjugation of Women

Leviticus 25:44-45
Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property.

Leviticus 20:18
"If a man lies with a woman during her sickness and uncovers her nakedness, he has discovered her flow, and she has uncovered the flow of her blood. Both of them shall be cut off from her people."

How to groom yourself:

Leviticus 19:27

"Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard."

What kind of clothes do YOU wear?

"...do not plant your field with two kinds of seed. Do not wear material woven of two kinds of material." (Leviticus 19:19)

On what you Can and Can NOT eat:

"...and the swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you." (Leviticus 11:7)

"But all in the seas or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, all that move in the water or any living thing which is in the water, they are an abomination to you." (Leviticus 11:10)

"They (shellfish) shall be an abomination to you; you shall not eat their flesh, but you shall regard their carcasses as an abomination." (Leviticus 11:11)

"Whatever in the water does not have fins or scales; that shall be an abomination to you." (Leviticus 11:12)

So, go on picking and choosing what you will and will not obey from your God, who will curse you, smite you, send you to the depths of hell for not following these SIMPLE rules to live by.

I have a couple toads to boil in my cauldron....

February---Moon of the Seer

The following information is from "Witchery" at Wordpress.com

http://witchery.wordpress.com/2008/02/05/february-full-moon-esbat/

This is the one of the best pagan/witch blogs out there. I haven't had the dedication or the time lately to think of a good ritual on my own, so I would like to share her post and information with you. Please Note: I did not write this. This was taken from another blog, and I'm simply giving it a "thumbs up" rating and passing it along.

The Magic of Moonstone

The beautiful sheen of moonstone seems to wax and wane like its namesake - and this crystal has featured in much lunar folklore.

Moonstone is considered a sacred link to the Moon in many cultures. In ancient India, people thought that the stone grew under the rays of the Moon and absorbed its mystical qualities, while a curious Sri Lankan belief recounted that every 37 years waves influenced by the Moon hurled opalescent moonstones onto the seashores.

Lunar Associations

Many qualities are attributed to this crystal in connection with the Moon. It is thought to protect those traveling by moonlight and is sometimes known as the Traveler's Stone. Moonstone was used in the Middle Ages to treat consumption (on a waxing moon), for divination (on a waning Moon), and to reconcile lovers (on a full Moon). The Romans also believed that the stone had the power to endow love, wealth and wisdom.

Moonstone in the Mouth

In the Middle Ages, it was believed that placing a moonstone in your mouth improved your memory. The stone was rinsed in water and placed on the tongue. You would then think about your affairs, while the stone fixed important issues in your mind and let more trivial problems slip away.

Oral divination

This is similar to the Indian belief that placing a moonstone in the mouth during a full Moon would enable lovers to divine their future together.

Another old legend says that if a person is unsure about a situation he should hold a moonstone in his mouth and concentrate on the matter. If attempted during a waning Moon, a solution will come to him.

Using Moonstone

The benefits of moonstone are many fold: use its powers to divine the future, strengthen you psychic abilities and relieve the discomfort of water retention.

Moonraking

Moonraking is an old technique used in magic to charge water for scrying or spells. Under a full Moon, a silver or crystal bowl is half filled with dew or spring water. A moonstone is then placed in the water.

Charge the Water

Using hand gestures, imagine you are "raking" the rays of the full Moon into the water in the bowl. Visualize silvery light filling and charging the water. The "moonwater" may then be used for scrying, cleansing your crystals or casting lunar spells.

Psychic Work

Use moonstone to help develop your psychic abilities. During meditation or attempts at astral projection, place a moonstone over your third eye Chakra. This will enhance the energies of your mind and sharpen your focus. It is best to practice this exercise with the Moon's light shining on you.

Lunar Lens

Imagine the moonstone acts as a lens, focusing the Moon's rays into your mind to enhance your intuition and psychic abilities.

Gardening Spells

Moonstone is associated with the growth of plants through its connection with the Moon. It is a good stone to use to help your garden bloom.

* To boost plants and trees that refuse to grow, place a moonstone at teh base of the stem or hang it from the branches. The crystal will draw the energy of the Moon to encourage growth.

* You can also water plants with the 'moonraked' water to promote growth.

Easing Water Retention

With its lunar connections, moonstone is a good crystal to use for relieving the discomfort of water retention.

* Carry a moonstone in your hip pocket or attach it to a hip chain. This will allow the crystal's lunar influence to easily reach the stomach area and help encourage the body to release excessive water stored there.

* During the waning phase of the Moon, take a moonstone and place it on a windowsill. The Moon's rays will recharge the moonstone and attune its energies to the receding tides.

The Ivy Moon-- October

The lunar month of Ivy offers the opportunity to give thanks for life's blessings and to prepare for a period of spiritual growth.

The Ivy Moon coincides with the end of the harvest season when successes and losses must be accounted for. In ancient times, intoxicating ale was brewed from ivy and was used to induce visions of the battlefield.

The plant teaches us that restrictions are necessary to help us hone our skills. During this month remember that your enemies are your teachers and that opposition is a blessing in disguise. Focus on magic that strengthens your resolve.

Prepare for the Future

Spells that boost your sense of responsibility will make you ready for what lies ahead. Be prepared to take the long-term view and accept and celebrate your life as it is right now. Trust that the Ivy Moon will prepare you to receive an answer to your prayers at exactly the right time.


The Ritual of the "Ivy Girl"

Ivy grows in a spiral formation reminding us that each cycle of the seasons brings us closer to the center, to the spirit. The last harvest sheaf to be cut in the village was once bound with ivy and called the "Ivy girl". This was given to the farmer whose harvest was last, as a reminder of his responsibility to the spirits of the land.

Ivy Mythology

Ivy is ruled by the planet Saturn and is often linked with horned gods such as Pan and Dionysus, and as such, is a plant of protection, sexuality, property and faith. Ivy was also believed to protect from alcoholic intoxication. For this reason, intertwined vines of grape and ivy, representing balance, were depicted in ancient images of Dionysus.

Ivy Moon Magic

You can use the month of the Ivy Moon for spells and rituals for protection, or harness its energy to make charms that will strengthen resolve and help you face challenges.

House Protection Spell

Utilize the magic of Ivy to protect your home form negative influences.

You will need:

*A black candle
*Lots of ivy stems

1. Light the candle and say, "I call upon the spirits of this place, come in peace."

2. Make a circle of ivy stems on the floor and step into the center.

3. Turn to the east and recite, "Spirits of the Air, protect me."

4. To the south say, "Spirits of Fire, protect me."

5. To the west say, "Spirits of Water, protect me."

6. To the north say, "Spirits of the Earth, protect me."

7. Place the stems that formed your circle at the boundaries of your property.


Women's Ivy Charms

Ivy is a feminine plant and it is particularly lucky for women. Use the following ivy charms all year around to utilize ivy's powerful magical properties.

*Brides who carry or wear ivy will have a long committed and prosperous marriage. Sew an ivy leaf into a small pocket of white linen, and give this to a bride to slip into the hem of her wedding dress for luck.

*To guard against accidents while driving, carefully secure an ivy leaf on your car's dashboard.

*Grow ivy vines around the front door of your house to prevent negativity from entering your home.


Facing Challenges

Performing this ritual during the Ivy Moon will help you to learn from difficult circumstances and move on. To perform this ritual you will need:

*A piece of paper
*A pen
*A white candle
*A fireproof dish

1. Write a list of the troubles that you are experiencing

2. Next to each one, write what you have gained from it, for example "It made me stronger".

3. Light the candle saying, "This flame represents my faith in the universe. I give thanks for the lessons I have learned."

4. Burn the paper and feel yourself grow stronger.


Ivy Spell Bags

Use the magic of Ivy to strengthen your willpower.

* Ivy leaves, ginger and echinacea (ek-in-AY-sha) placed in a yellow spell bag will guard against addictive behavior.

* Ivy leaves, chicory, sea salt and sage in a navy blue bag will guard against overspending.

* A charm of ivy leaves, hawthorn leaves, and red chili seeds placed in a white spell bag will help to keep you faithful to your lover.

* Placing ivy leaves, lily petals and lilac flowers in a blue spell bag will prevent you from returning to a destructive relationship.

The Autumn Equinox and Mabon September 21st

From the book "Mabon: Celebrating the Autumn Equinox" by Kristin Madden

What is Mabon?

Mabon is a relatively recent term for the neo-pagan festival celebrated on the Autumn Equinox, generally around September 21. This is the second of the three harvest festivals; a cross-quarter day midway between Lughnasadh (Lammas) and Samhain (Halloween).

In many modern Wiccan traditions, this is considered to be a Lesser Sabbat, along with the Vernal Equinox and the solstices that were the only annual celebrations of the early Recreationist Druids.

This is the Pagan Thanksgiving: a time of reflection, sharing balance, and celebration of the bounty of life. While our modern lives may not revolve around an agricultural way of life, this is one of the eight times each year that we consciously attune ourselves to natural cycles.

Mabon is the time to meditate on the fruits of our own labors as well. What have you sown in this year? Are you reaping healthy and constructive fruits or are you paying the price for not nurturing your seeds, or for attempting to plant them in poor soil? This is the time to begin to consider what we want to change and the gardens we plan to sow in the coming year.

This is a time of community and kinship with the land and all creatures. Many modern pagans will volunteer their time at soup kitchens or bless and donated wild animal food as part of their Mabon rites. It is also a time of community with all beings in all worlds. As such, we offer special honor to the dead and our spirit allies during this time.

Myths and Deities

Egyptian

Osiris has been associated with Dionysus (Roman) and Bacchus (Greek). He taught the Egyptian people agriculture and the making of beer and wine, among other things. He is the god of vegetation, who is killed and resurrected by the goddess, in this case his sister and daughter of the earth god, Isis.

Isis, the Great Mother and goddess of magic, beer, life, agriculture, and beauty, she has also been associated with Demeter, for reasons that are obvious after reading the story of Osiris. She has also been identified with Persephone (Greek) and Aphrodite (Roman)

Sumerian

Dumuzi was a vegetation god, ruling over fertility and the Underworld. He was called "the Shepard" and is the patron god of Shepherds and their flocks. Dumuzi is a gate-keeper at the doors of Heaven. His marriage as a human king to Inanna, Queen of Heaven, ensured the fertility of the lands and the people, an association we find in many other cultures. He was chosen to rule over the Underworld for half the year. His time below was during the hot, barren summer and he returned to the earth on the Autumnal Equinox which marked the Sumerian New Year.

Inanna is without question the most important of the Sumerian goddesses. She is the Queen Moon, Queen of the Universe, Mistress of Heaven and Earth. She personified the planet Venus. She presides over love, fertility, grain, the natural world, and war, among a wide variety of other things. Inanna's descent into the Underworld is known throughout literary, psychological, and neo-pagan circles across the world. It is said that the original Dance of the Seven Veils told the story of Inanna's descent, where an article of clothing or jewelry was removed at each of the seven gates, until she arrives completely naked. While Inanna was in the Underworld, all fertility and procreation ceased on Earth. When she returned to life and passed back out through the seven gates, her lover Dumuzi was sent to replace her for half a year to appease her sister Ereshkigal, Goddess of the Underworld. This is similar to the myths of Ishtar/Tammuz (Babylonian)


Norse

Freyja presides over love, marriage fertility, and childbirth. She offers protection in battle and peace. She also watches over the dead along with her brother, Freyr. Freyja has been associated with Ishtar and Inanna, not only due to her role as a goddess of both love and war, but because her greatest treasure, the necklace Brisingamen, has been linked to one of the famous pieces of jewelry Inanna had removed at the gates to the Underworld. Brisingamen brings protection and fertility to the world.

Freyr is known as the Harvest God, among his many titles. He rules over the rain and sunshine, which are vital to growth of the land. When Freyr rode his golden boar across the skies, the light penetrated the shade, increasing the bounty of the land. Freyr and Freyja are of the Vanir race of gods, peaceful keepers of gentle rains, mild winds, and fertility.

Celtic

The most recognizable myth involved in this festival is that of the Mabon, the Child of Light and the son of the Modron, Great Mother. It is from this Welsh myth, found in the tale of Culhwch and Olwen, that the neo-pagan Mabon festival receives its name. Mabon son of Modron was stolen from his mother only three nights after his birth at the beginning of time. Her light disappears as she grieves for her lost child. The autumn equinox begins the seasons of cold and darkness in the northern hemisphere, paralleling the grief of the Modron.

Cernunnos is the god of fertility, animals, and the Underworld. he is our guardian in this world and the Otherworlds. He is the lover and often the son and protector of the Great Mother. In many myths, he is born at the winter solstice and dies at the summer solstice. Yet in many agricultural areas, he is one and the same as the spirit of vegetation that dies with the end of the harvest, often around the autumn equinox. In many neo-pagan artwork and experiences, he is another aspect of the Green Man and of Herne the Hunter.

Ceridwen the barley goddess, is the brewer of the cauldron of wisdom that enlightened Gwion Bach and turned him into the great bard, Taliesin. She is the Autumn Crone, the Nurse of Seeds, and the visionary sibyl. An older form of the Great Mother, Ceridwen is the dark Mother of the Mysteries as well.

Symbols of the Season

Acorns

Each acorn holds within its small shell all the potential of the great oak tree. This is an ideal symbol of the cycles of life, the seasons, and immortality. The Oak King may be defeated by the Holly King in the winter to come, but he is reborn, replacing the Holly King in the coming spring.

Apple

The apple is one of the main symbols of this season and there is a rich folklore surrounding this simple fruit. The well-known story of Johnny Appleseed recounts how the real-life John Chapman planted a great number of seeds throughout Ohio and Indiana.

Like many historical people, early settlers used apples for food and drink, as well as for fun and medicine. Healing superstitions from England include this one from Devonshire: To cure warts, cut an apple in half, rub it on the warts, tie the apple back together and bury it.

Fun Apple Facts:

* Apples are members of the rose family

*Apples float because they are 25% air

*Placing an apple in a bag of potatoes will prevent the potato from sprouting

*Eating raw apples eliminates more than 95% of the bacteria that cause tooth decay

Apple Superstitions:

* If an apple contains an even number of seeds, marriage is not far off. If the apple contains an odd number of seeds, marriage is not in the foreseeable future.

* Rub an apple before eating to remove evil spirits that may be hiding inside.

Corn

The Corn Mother is a goddess of fertility throughout the world. Corn is associated with the planet Venus and has been called the Giver of Life and Sacred Mother. The first of the Egyptian corn harvest was given to a local deity known as Wapwait. It is used in blessing ceremonies and as an offering to the spirits.

Corn superstitions:

* Pick an ear of corn at random. Count the kernels and divide by twelve to find out how long you'll live.

* An ear of corn in the cradle will protect a baby

* Cornstalks hung over the mirror will bring good luck to the household.

Mabon Cornbread

Cornbread is customary for this time of year and it is the perfect addition to a meal of stew. It is also traditional native bread and as such honors the original peoples of several lands. If you can get blue cornmeal, try that in place of the everyday cornmeal we find in all grocery stores. You might also try adding a teaspoon of cinnamon or sage for a distinctive autumn taste.

You will need:

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

2 Tbs baking powder

2 cups cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

1tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup general purpose flour

1/3 cup melted butter or bacon fat

Heat oven to 425 degrees

Mix all ingredients together, beat for 30 seconds.

Pour into a round 9-inch greased pan (1 1/2 inch deep). Cut a sun symbol into the center of the bread. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown, checking at 10 min to recut sun symbol if necessary.

A Magical Mabon

While some may feel that magick should be avoided during the equinox times, most of us work toward balance, harmony, protection, and prosperity during these periods. The Autumn Equinox is the beginning of the dark half of the year, and as such, it is beneficial to begin turning within during our magick and meditations.

A Protection Bottle

Protection bottles are either kept in a windowsill or buried, either outside the front door or at the four directions around one's home. If you have a young child, a protection bottle in their window or kept under the bed may be just the thing to keep nightmares and bedtime fears at bay.

You will need:

--A clean, clear glass bottle with a cap
--sand
--herbs, such as angelica and rosemary
--other items that symbolize protection, such as salt, specific stones, broken glass, etc.

Fill the bottle part of the way with sand. Add the protective herbs or items you have chosen and fill to the top with more sand before sealing the bottle with its cap. As you add each of these items, visualize it keeping negativity away or destroying destructive and fearful energies.

Once it is filled and capped, offer it to the Great Spirit, or God and Goddess. Ask that all the ingredients work together to keep you safe and sound. Thank them for their protection and place it in your windowsill or bury it. If you choose to bury it, carve a pentagram or spiral into the earth above it and ask that the Earth ground and purify all negativity drawn in by this bottle. Be sure to periodically offer water sacred herbs or cornmeal to the earth and the spirits of your land as thanks for their grounding and protection.