My Book of Shadows

Chant for Past Life Regression - written October 2, 2010

2010-10-02T02:37:00.000-07:00

Raven with your wings of black
Guide my message and send one back
Into the realm of spirits soar
Share the mysteries of its lore

Goddess, Crone, hear my plee
Show me who I used to be
Past is present, give me sight
Show the course of my past life

Circle Casting Chant - written October 1, 2010

2010-10-02T02:34:00.000-07:00

Between the realms where I reside
Contain the power deep inside
Cast it thrice to seal it tight
Boundaries laid with silver light

Animal Ally Invitation Spell

2010-01-21T03:19:00.000-08:00

Lucky Charm Bracelet Spell

2010-01-21T03:18:00.000-08:00

Key Amulet Spell

2010-01-21T03:17:00.000-08:00

Summoning Hecate

2010-01-21T03:16:00.000-08:00

Luck Ball Spell

2010-01-21T03:15:00.001-08:00

Rider- Waite - Smith Tarot Card Meanings - The Elements of Court

2009-09-17T16:06:00.000-07:00

The suit of wands corresponds to the element of fire, so the court of wands consists of fiery personalities who rule the fiery realm of spirit and initiation. The Page usually ferries messages of a spiritual nature; in his role as a student, he might also offer a spiritual lesson. The Knight suggests a spiritual adventure or rescue. The Queen nurtures and protects the spiritual realm, and the King provides spiritual leadership and defence.

The suit of cups corresponds to the element of water, so the court of cups consists of watery personalities who concern themselves with the undercurrents of emotional life. The Page usually bears a message of an emotional nature; in his role as a student, he might also offer a lesson about understanding and controlling one’s emotions. The Knight suggests an emotional adventure or rescue. The Queen nurtures and protects the world of emotions and the King provides leadership and defence in the realm of emotions.

The suit of swords corresponds to the element of air, so the court of swords consists of heady personalities who rule the airy realm of intellect, thought and communication. The Page usually broadcasts messages of a thoughtful nature; in his role as a student, he might also offer a lesson in logic or communication. The Knight suggests an intellectual adventure or rescue. The Queen nurtures and protects the world of ideas, and the King provides intellectual leadership and defence.

The suit of pentacles corresponds to the element of earth, so the court of pentacles consists of grounded personalities who rule the physical world. The Page usually carries messages of a physical nature; in his role as a student, he might also offer a lesson about material reality. The Knight suggests a physical adventure or rescue. The Queen nurtures and protects the physical realm, and the King provides physical leadership and defence.

*** As a side note, the numbers on each card are important too. In the Minor Arcana, aces are viewed as beginnings, while five is about the middle of your journey and tens represent the end of something.

Rider- Waite - Smith Tarot Card Meanings - The Four Royal Families

2009-09-17T15:42:00.000-07:00

Pages are young and enthusiastic. They are students and messengers, children who must learn the fundamentals of the family rule. During the Renaissance, pages were like ferrying members of the royal court. It was their job to study - and to run errands, like ferrying messages from one person to another. When pages show up in a tarot reading, they typically represent young people, students and messengers.

Knights have outgrown their roles as childlike pages: now they are young adults who must make their own way in the world. Traditionally, when pages grew to the age of knighthood, they were tested: they were expected to embark on a quest, master a challenge, and demonstrate that they were not only strong enough and smart enough to succeed, but that they also could live up to the family’s heritage. Essentially, knights were rescuers and adventurers. When knights show up in a tarot reading, they may suggest that a new quest or adventure is about to begin, or that rescue is on its way.

Queens represent women who have proved themselves; they have faced their daemons and shown themselves to be mature and competent adults. Each queen symbolizes an ideal woman - a perfect wife, mother, or role model. The queens also embody the qualities we associate with femininity: they are compassionate, creative, receptive, empathic, and intuitive. They know how to exert their power behind the scenes, convincing - or cajoling - others to adapt their point of view. All told, the tarot’s queens can tap into their feminine qualities to safeguard, nurture, and protect their realms.

Kings are protectors, providers, and seasoned, experienced leaders, who succeed in he missions and quests they undertook as knights. They are skilled commanders who have proven themselves on the battlefield of life. And they are confident in the knowledge and wisdom they acquired during their quests. Kings are also stereotypical masculine: they are authoritarian, assertive, and alert. They can even be aggressive. They guard their kingdoms with passion and force, and they’re not afraid to make executive decisions. When kings show up in a reading, they may suggest that someone is willing to mount an aggressive defence or even wage war.

Rider- Waite - Smith Tarot Card Meanings - Minor Arcana Meanings

2009-09-17T15:22:00.001-07:00

* Wands symbolize spiritual experience. Remember that wands correspond to clubs in a playing-card deck, where the three-leaf clover design is sometimes said to represent a holy trinity.

* Cups represents emotional affairs; like hearts in a deck of playing cards, they’re the very pictures of emotion.

* Swords illustrate thought and communication; they correspond to spades, which have a point to make.

* Pentacles embody physical, material, and financial realities; they correspond to diamonds, which are always worth money.

The Fiery Suit of Wands

Wands are the fiery cards of spirit and initiation, which typically refer to the driving forces of work, career, and special interests that inspire passion. In most tarot decks, wands look like freshly cut branches from leafy trees; that’s your cue that wands can be set on fire and burned. You might want to picture each wand as a flaming torch that can be used for light and heat, or enlightenment and inspiration.

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire: the wand cards can indicate that sparks are about to fly, that passions may be enflamed, and that an affair is about to heat up. Wand cards may suggest that someone is carrying a torch or burning with desire. Wand cards might even revel that an old issue will be rekindled, or that someone is playing with fire.

The Watery World of Cups

Cups hold the watery affairs of emotional life, and they’re especially well suited to issues of love and relationships. Obviously, a cup can hold water, the essence of life. For that matter, a cup can hold any liquid that has sentimental significance, such as wine or champagne. The connection to emotion is clear: We use cups to toast each other in celebration, to commune with others during religious ceremonies, and sometimes, we use cups to drown our sorrows. Because cup cards correspond to water, they serve as a reminder that the well of human emotion runs deep. Just as the human body is 75% water, the human psyche is driven by an overwhelming emotional combination of wants, needs, drives, and desires.

Don’t let the water metaphor slip through your fingers. Cup cards may indicate that emotions are welling up under the surface, or that still waters run deep. When cups are in play, a situation may be fluid, or on the rocks.

The Airy Suit of Swords

Because a sword moves through the air, the sword cards deal with the airy, heady realm of the intellect. They depict the way we think and communicate our ideas to others. The cards in the suit of swords should be near and dear to any serious writer. After all, swords cut through confusion, and they get straight to the point. They can pierce the veil of obscurity and pin down any concepts that seem unclear. The sword cards also demonstrate that language should be handled as a precision instrument. More often than not, the imagery of the sword cards demonstrate how words can be used as weapons of war. The sword cards also seem to depict the troubles we encounter when our ideas come into conflict with others, as well as the problems we impose on ourselves through negative thinking.

The imagery of the sword cards may suggest someone with a piercing glance, a rapacious wit, a sharp tongue, or a cutting remark. Elementally, swords could represent someone with his or her head in the clouds, an airhead, airy-faerie ideals, or someone who needs to come back to earth.

The Earthly Realm of Pentacles

Pentacle cards embody the tangible realities of physical and material life - the fundamental nature of earthly existence. They often represent money or property, as well as the treasures we hold dear on an emotional and spiritual level. In most tarot decks, pentacles look like coins with star-shaped designs. That pattern is symbolic of humanity’s physical nature: when you stand with your arms extended and your feet apart, someone could trace the shape of a five-pointed star around your body, with one point on the top of your head, and the other four points on your outstretched hands and feet.

The suit of pentacles deals with issues that are serious and real - like real estate. The pentacle cards often refer to people who are earthy and grounded. The cards might even hint at grave concerns that haunt those of us on the physical plane. The pentacle cards also embody the dimensions of time and space; in readings, the pentacle cards may strongly imply that time really is money what should be well spent.

Rider- Waite - Smith Tarot Card Meanings - Meanings of the Major Arcana

2009-09-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

0 - The Fool - The happy wanderer who sees the world through the eyes of a child. The Fool represents each of us - naïve travelers through life, off on a grand adventure, out to learn whatever experience the tarot can teach us.

1 - The Magician - The skilled and cunning master of all he surveys. He represents an individual in control of life’s tools and techniques, like those on the table in front of him. Typically, they include a cup, a sword, pentacle, and wand - the four symbols of the Minor Arcana.

2 - The High Priestess - The enigmatic keeper of spiritual secrets. Secretive and guarded, she knows the secrets life holds - but she shares them only with the wise.

3 - The Empress - The archetypal mother who nurtures and protects all of her creation, including humankind.

4 - The Emperor - The authorities protector and provider who rules the known world. A father figure, he brings order out of chaos so that civilization can prosper.

5 - The Hierophant - A symbol of traditional authority and influence. He’s the head of a hierarchy, determined to maintain his religious and cultural traditions.

6 - The Lovers - They embody the twin principles of opposition and attraction. While an appearance by this couple could encourage any hopeless romantic, the card also signifies a choice to be made between two equally strong desires.

7 - The Chariot - A vehicle for forward motion and change. The young charioteer is in command of his physical and emotional drives, even when they seem to oppose each other.

8 - Strength - The lovely lady with the heart of a lion. She gently holds the jaws of a powerful wild cat, patiently controlling a force that could otherwise eat her alive.

9 - The Hermit - A recluse, far removed from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. He reflects on spiritual concerns, and carries the light of wisdom as a beacon for others to follow.

10 - The Wheel of Fortune - The spinning wheel of destiny and fate. Because nothing is certain but change itself, the Wheel of Fortune reminds us all that what goes up must also come down.

11 - Justice - Both the giver and enforcer of laws. As the ultimate arbiter, she holds a two-edged sword - a reminder that fairness cuts both ways.

12 - The Hanged Man - He sacrifices his comfort and passions for a time, knowing that better things will occur as a result. He is the visionary who sacrifices one life to be rewarded with another.

13 - Death - The card of transition. Like the Grim Reaper, who clears away all that cannot survive, the card depicts the turning of a page, the completion of one chapter of life, and the exciting start of a new story..

14 - Temperance - The archangel of balance. With dexterity and grace, Temperance demonstrates that moderation can serve as a bridge to wholeness.

15 - The Devil - The dark and shadowy side of our existence. With tongue firmly in cheek, he demonstrates how a selfish devotion to material possessions and ill-conceived passions can tie us down and keep us from true happiness.

16 - The Tower - A forceful clearing of pent-up energy that strikes like lightening. It’s a bolt from the blue, and it can shake any overbuilt structure to its foundation.

17 - The Star - A shining light in the darkness. Like the Goddess of the night, she’s the blithe spirit who offers hope, inspiration, and guidance.

18 - The Moon - The ever-changing mirror of the sun, and a symbol of the unconscious mind. From its perch in the night sky, the moon represents secrets and mysteries that may not be understood - or even recognized.

19 - The Sun - A symbol of consciousness and action. It’s the center of the universe, and the source of heat, illumination, and life on earth.

20 - Judgement - This reveals all, heralds the dawn of a new world, and stands as a reminder of the power of forgiveness.

21 - The World - It depicts the never-ending, spiral dance of life. It’s a card of completion and success - as well as the chance to start another round.

Poem to the Water Element

2009-08-05T23:54:00.001-07:00

Soothing calm,
And endless ocean
Water Undines
Empower my potion!

Desire Incantation for the Fire Element

2009-08-05T23:52:00.000-07:00

Burning passion,
Element of Fire
Ignite within me,
My soul's desire.

Poem to the Witches

2009-08-05T23:51:00.001-07:00

Blackest night,
Dark as pitch,
The eve is ruled
By the Witch!

Crone Incantation

2009-08-05T23:48:00.001-07:00

Goddess Crone,
Knowing all,
I surrender myself
To your call.
To show the future,
And learn from the past
With a wave of my wand
The spell is cast.

Goal Seeking Invocation

2009-08-05T23:46:00.000-07:00

Seeking knowledge
Open mind
Teach your lessons
And help me find
The reason I'm here
My goal for this life
Provoke my passion
And bind my strife.

Elemental Ode to Fire

2009-08-05T23:45:00.000-07:00

In perfect love
And perfect trust
Guide my path
And feed my lust.

My Personal Circle Casting Chant

2009-08-05T23:43:00.000-07:00

Circle cast
And circle bound
Contain my magick
All around.

Open veils
Between the realms
Create sacred space
Here where I dwell.

My New Raven Pendant

2009-08-05T23:34:00.000-07:00

Since Hecate is my favourite Goddess, I bought this beautiful pendant to remind me of her! (I just wish my camera wasn't giving me a hard time! :P The picture isn't very good!) I wrote this invocation to dedicate the charm in her honour. :)

I dedicate this amulet to you, Hecate,
Goddess of the Witches and Crossroads
In your guise of the Raven,
I shall honour thee.
Upon my breast,
I bare this charm.
Protect me and mine
From all harm.
To thee all roads will lead,
But allow me to remain here on earth
Until I've completed my deed.
Teach me your mysteries,
Expose me to your lessons
Embrace me as a Hidden Child,
To you, I wish a thousand blessings.
So mote it be.

Which Greek Goddess Are You? Quiz Link

2009-07-01T22:47:00.000-07:00

http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/bl/newquiz/blgoddess4.htm

This was a little fun :)

My result was Demeter :)

Dead Man’s Garden

2009-06-25T20:03:00.000-07:00

ANEMONE: Sometimes depicted on a memorial to symbolize the brief flowering of life and an early death.

ASPHODEL: Believed by the ancient Greeks to be the favourite food of the dead, these flowers were thought to grow in one of the fields of the underworld.

CHRYSANTHEMUM: In many European countries, including Italy and France, this flower is associated with death.

HOREHOUND: This plant was one of several listed as sacred to the ancient Egyptian god Anubis and is useful for summoning the spirits of the dead.

LILY: Associated with resurrection, lilies were used widely in Victorian funerary iconography and can be found decorating many modern tombstones as well.

POPPY: A plant sacred to the god Morpheus, the poppy is the source of opium, which relieves pain and induces dreams. Its association with death is two-fold: First, it presents death as a relief from pain. Second, it presents death as a great sleep or dream.

WILLOW: Sacred to Hecate, the willow has ancient ties to the dead in both Western and Eastern traditions.

YEW: A poisonous tree whose dark, brooding greenery seems perfectly at home looming over a lonely grave.

Symbols of Death

2009-06-25T19:54:00.001-07:00

ANCHOR: A symbol of hope that one can cling to through troubled times.

BOOK: The Book of Life, wherein one’s destiny is written.

BROKEN CHAIN: When this symbol appears upon a memorial, it represents the bonds of family that have been sundered through death.

CIRCLE: A symbol of eternity. When complete and whole, the circle represents the hope for unending life in the next world. A broken circle signifies that life has ended.

COVERED URN: A symbol of death and mourning used from Roman times onward.

CROWN: A symbol of glory in the afterlife and victory over death.

LIT TORCH: The flame of life. When upended, the torch indicates that life has been snuffed out.

TREE STUMP: The severing of life, often before its proper time.

Elements of the Death Altar

2009-06-25T19:48:00.001-07:00

* In its most basic form, an altar is merely a table or raised structure that provides a specialized space where matter and spirit converge. The altar will become the focal point of death energies in your home, creating a threshold between the world of the living and the world of the dead where you can more effectively pursue the Twilight Path.

* The first and most basic step is to find a table, desk, or similar structure that can serve as the base of your altar. Consider buying a piece of cloth to drape over it. Good colours include black, purple, and red. Midnight blue can also work.

* Set up the base of the altar in a room that you can close off, so you will not be disturbed in your work, against a western wall. The west was the traditional realm of the dead to Egyptians.

* Find reproductions of the four elements: earth (salt or dirt - dirt from a cemetery is especially effective), air (smoke from incense), water (chalice or goblet - symbolic of both blood and tears) and fire (two candles: black and white; they serve a dual symbolic purpose. The lit wicks will represent the element of fire upon the altar, the element that both destroys and renews. The candles themselves will represent the forces of life and death. Place the white candle on the far right corner of your altar. Place the black candle opposite this, on the far left. Together, these represent the pillars of the threshold between life and death, and this is the conceptual space ultimately evoked by your altar).

* The centerpiece of your altar will be a mirror. This should be relatively large, at least large enough so you can look into it and see your whole face. The mirror represents the Otherside, the realm of the spirits, which is the energetic echo of our own physical world. Hang it securely on the wall above your altar, directly between the candles of life and death. You will also need a piece of lace cloth large enough to completely cover the mirror. This veil should be black or some other appropriately dark colour, but it can’t be opaque. When you drape it over the mirror, it should obscure the reflection slightly, but you should still be able to see partial images through it. The veil represents the point of separation between the world of spirit and the world of flesh.
* Memento mori were objects or symbols used in the Middle Ages and beyond to remind people about the ever-present reality of death in their lives. The phrase is Latin and generally translated, “Remember that you must die.” (Skulls, willow branches or branches of cypress - trees often planted in graveyards; willow is sacred to Hecate, hourglasses - the fleeting nature of life, poppies - the source of opium, symbolize dreams and visions as well as the sleep of death, bones.

The Colours of Death

2009-06-25T19:24:00.001-07:00

BLACK: In Western culture, this has become the colour most widely associated with funerals and mourning. If the Grim Reaper is depicted, he is most often portrayed wearing robes of midnight black.

GREEN: According to certain Irish traditions, green is the colour of faeries and the Otherworld, and is thus related to the spirits of the dead.

PURPLE: In Victorian times, the horses in a funeral procession wore purple plumes upon their heads. Elements of this practice still linger in the purple colour of the flags used to designate the cars in a funeral procession.

RED: The crimson colour of fresh blood, red has associations with violence, death, and passion.

WHITE: The colour of the funeral shroud. In Eastern cultures, white - not black - is the colour of death.

Casting the Circle

2009-06-25T19:17:00.001-07:00

Using the wand, sword, athame or whatever feels comfortable, proceed deosil (clockwise) from North to North:

“I conjure thee, O Circle of Power, that thou beest a meeting place of love and joy and truth; a shield against all wickedness and evil; a boundary between the world of men and the realms of the Mighty Ones; a rampart and protection that shall preserve and contain the power that I shall raise within thee. Wherefore do I bless thee and consecrate thee, in the names of Cernunnos and Aradia.”

Or whatever God or Goddess you’re using).

To strengthen the Circle, now that it has been established through the power of Earth, the bowl of consecrated salt water is carried around the perimeter, sprinkled as you walk.

Next carry the smoking incense burner around the perimeter.

Finally, carry an altar candle around the Circle and return it to the altar with the other items.

The Opening Ritual

2009-06-25T19:11:00.000-07:00

Place the bowl of water on the pentacle atop the altar and put the tip of the athame in the water:

“I exorcise thee, O creatures of water, and thou cast out from thee all the impurities and unseemliness of the spirits of the world of phantasm; in the names of Cernunnos and Aradia.”

(or whatever God and Goddess you’re using).

Place the bowl of salt on the pentacle with the tip of the athame in the salt:

“Blessings be upon this creature of salt;
Let all malignity and hindrance be cast forth
hence from, and let all good enter herein;
Wherefore do I bless thee, that thou mayest
And me, in the names of Cernunnos and Aradia”.

(or whatever God and Goddess you’re using).

Next, pour the salt into the bowl of water.

A Self-Initiation Ritual

2009-06-25T19:03:00.000-07:00

The Preparation

The tools on the altar: sword, athame, white-handled knife, wand, pentacle, censer of incense, scourge, cords, chalice of wine, anointing oil, bowl of water, bowl of salt and a necklace or pendant.

It is best if the initiate is sky clad; any jewellery usually worn should be removed.

The Ritual

Consecrate the water and salt, cast, the Circle, carry around the water, carry around the censer, carry around the candle and summon the Lords of the Watchtowers.

Face the altar with arms raised high and wide.

“I invoke thee and call upon thee, Mighty Mother of us all, bringer of all fruitfulness; by seed and root, by stem and bud, by leaf and flower and fruit do I invoke thee to bless this rite, and to admit me to the company of thy hidden children.”

Stand with your back to the altar and recite the Charge of the Goddess:

“Now listen to the words of the Great Mother, who was of old also called among men Artemis, Astarte, Athene, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Dana, Arianrhod, Isis, Bride, And by many other names. Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month, and better when the Moon is full, then shall ye assemble in some secret place, and adore the spirit of me, who am Queen of all witches. There shall ye assemble, Ye who are lain to learn all sorcery, yet have not won its deepest secrets; To these will I teach things that are as yet unknown. And ye shall be free from slavery; And as a sign that ye be really free, ye shall be naked in your rites; And ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love, All in my praise. For mine is the ecstasy of the spirit, and mine also is joy on earth; For my law is love unto all beings.

Keep pure your highest ideal; Strive ever towards it, let naught stop you or turn you aside; For mine is the secret door which opens upon the land of youth, And mine is the cup of wine of life, And the cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of immortality.

I am the gracious Goddess, who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man. Upon earth, I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal; And beyond death, I give peace, and freedom, And reunion with those who have gone before. Nor do I demand sacrifice; for behold, I am the Mother of all living, And my love is poured out upon the earth.

Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess; She in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven, whose body encircles the universe. I, who am the beauty of the green earth, and the white moon among the stars, And the mystery of the waters, and desire of the heart of man. Call unto thy soul; Arise and come unto me; For I am the soul of nature, who gives life to the universe. From me all things proceed, and unto me all things must return; And before my face, beloved to Gods and of men, Let thine innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite. Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth; For behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, Honour and humility, mirth and reverence within you, And thou who thinkest to seek for me, Know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not unless thou knowest the mystery: That if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, Thou will never find it without thee. For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning; And I am that which is attained at the end of desires.”

Face the altar again with arms raised, giving the “Horned God” salute.

“Great God Cernunnos, return to earth again!
Come on my call and show thyself to men.
Shepherd of Goats, upon the wild hill’s way,
Lead thy lost flock’s from darkness unto day.
Forgotten are the ways of sleep and night -
Men seek for them, whose eyes have lost the light.
Open the door, the door that hath no key,
The door of dreams, whereby men come to thee.
Shepherd of Goats, O answer unto me!”

Sit of kneel in the center of the Circle facing the altar.

“Gentle Goddess, powerful God; I am your child, now
And always. Your breath is my life. Your voice, Great Mother, and yours, Great Father, speak within me, as they do in all your creatures, if we will only listen. Therefore here in your Magick Circle, which stands between the world of men and the realm of the Mighty Ones, do I open my heart to your blessing.”

Meditate in silence on the Goddess and God, opening your heart to them.

Once it feels right, rise and go to each of the cardinal points in turn and say:

“Take heed, ye Lords of the East (South, West, North), that I, ____, am properly prepared to become a priestess and witch.”

Stand in front of the altar once more with your right hand on your heart, speaking the Oath:

“I, _____, in the presence of the Mighty Ones, do of my own free will and accord most solemnly swear that I ever keep secret and never reveal those secrets of the Craft which shall be entrusted to me, except it be in a proper person, properly prepared within a Circle such as I am now in; and that I will never deny the secrets to such a person if he or she be properly vouched for by a brother of sister of the Art. All this I swear by my hopes of a future life; and may my weapons turn against me if I break this my solemn oath.”

Bow to the altar and take the anointing oil. Dip your fingers in and say:

“I hereby sign myself with the Triple Sign.
I consecrate myself with oil.”

Make the Triple Goddess sign with the oil over your heart and forehead.

Pick up the necklace and put it around your neck.

“With the Necklace, which is the Circle of Rebirth,
I seal my commitment to the Craft of the Wise.”

Finally, go to each of the cardinal points in turn and, with your arms raised, say:

“Hear ye, Mighty Ones of the East (South, West, North); I, ______, have been duly consecrated priestess, witch, and hidden child of the Goddess.”

I've been thinking about past lives...

2009-06-21T21:56:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking a lot about reincarnation while I've been doing my meditations and I've come up with a few things that I wanted to share... :P

I believe that I was shot in the back of the head and killed in one of my previous lives... I always have this vivid nightmare about kneeling and having a cool gun barrel pressed against the center of the back of my head. The trigger is pulled and for a split second, I can feel the warm blood oozing from the wound and making my hair sticky before I fall forward...

*** I believe that dreams are often memories from previous incarnations that often get mixed up with this life. It's like they bleed through the subconscious when we're sleeping... and sometimes when we're NOT sleeping :) ***

All my family heritage dates back to Europe and I believe that I lived out many lives there as well. In my mind, I believe that a soul in continually reincarnated in a certain place until it dies elsewhere and then it continues to be reincarnated in the new location until it dies elsewhere again. (That is, my ancestors were from Europe, so perhaps I immigrated to Canada and died here. That's why I've been reincarnated in Canada again. If I move elsewhere, I will be reborn there instead).

I also believe that I was a prostitute in a pervious life because my sexuality has such a dominance in my life. (This was a fleeting thought and could find no more available information on this at the time of my meditations).

I've really only begun to give this some serious thought, but i thought it might be interesting to share my discoveries and perhaps others can share their experiences or thoughts on the subject! :D

Blessed be! )o(

Twilight Path Ritual: Earth Burial

2009-06-10T12:29:00.000-07:00

Approach the altar, prepared and attuned for entrance into the sacred space. Stand between the candle of life and the candle of death. Light these, raise your hands, and meet the eyes of your reflection beyond the veil. Address the spirits thus:

“Spirits! Guardians! All you immortal beings who walk the shadows between darkness and light! I call to you and ask that you attend me, here in the twilight. I stand on the threshold between the living and the dead, and I open myself to the secrets you have to share.”

Light incense as an offering. Gently waft the smoke. First, guide it toward your own body, inhaling the mingled scent of precious resins and herbs. Then waft the smoke towards the candles of life and death in turn, and, finally, waft it toward your veiled reflection in the mirror. Listen inwardly for the response of the spirits. When you feel their presence crowding around you, dip your finger in the water on your altar and anoint your forehead, lips and heart, opening each to a better perception of the threshold state.

“I open my mind. I open my lips. I open my heart. Gather round, ye spirits, and witness me in my rite. Tonight I commit my body to the earth, so the earth may receive me and wear away the bonds that tie my spirit to my flesh. Gather round and lend me power as I call to the element of earth.”

Hold in both hands the bowl or other vessel of elemental tokens you have gathered and raise it before the mirror in blessing. Once you have focused your power and intent into this collection of items, set the bowl on the floor. Arrange these items in a U shape at the foot of your altar. The U shape should point out from your altar and contain enough space within the U for you to lie down comfortably without disturbing any of the items. Eventually, you are going to lie down at the foot of your altar, and this collection of items will curve around your head and shoulders. Depending on how many items you have collected and how distantly you space them, the items may run down along your torso as well. Once you have outlines the space where your body will lie, place the small pillow, together with the scented funeral shroud, in the center of the U. Still kneeling before this, cross your arms upon your chest and say:

“Although I have not passed beyond the veil of life, I ask that you receive me as one dead. I commit my flesh to earth, that the earth may accept me and return my body to the dust from which it came.”

Lie down amidst the tokens of the element of earth. Stretch out fully on the floor with your head lying on the pillow at the very foot of your altar. Unfold the funeral shroud, then lay it across your body, covering everything from your feet to your head. Fold your hands on your stomach or cross them upon your chest and close your eyes. Lie there, breathing slowly and evenly, holding yourself as one who is dead.

Imagine that you lie beside an open grave. Family and friends gather round you. It is a simpler time, so there is no coffin and no embalming has taken place. You are simply a body, washed and wrapped in a funeral shroud. The scent of the newly turned earth is strong in your nostrils. You can smell the grass beneath you and the open air above. You feel yourself lifted and placed upon another length of strong cloth. Those who have gathered at the graveside use this to lower your body into the ground. Gently, gently you are eased into the arms of the earth.

The walls of the grave rise around you, and everything is thick with the loamy scent of earth. Then you feel the first few spadefuls of earth falling onto you like hard clumps of rain. The scent of the earth grows ever thicker as the loose soil is returned to the open grave. It descends upon you, blocking out all other scents or sensations. But rather than feeling smothered or crushed, the weight of the earth upon you is like an embrace, the firm arms of a mother holding you tight against her breast.

Around you, the tomb is dark and moist, and, like an infant in the womb, it takes you days, weeks, months to change and develop, trading your flesh for naked bones. Other life gathers round you - insects, moles, mice and worms. Each of these does its work upon your body, helping the earth to reclaim you as her own. And yet, this is not a taking, but a giving. Bit by bit, your flesh is gathered up and becomes part of something more. The earthly part of your body returns to the earth; eventually, even the bones of your skeleton degrade, becoming one with the soil of your tomb.

Feel the weight of the earth and the gentle insistence of this cycle: your physical flesh will remain a part of the physical world, even after your spirit has flown. Let the simplicity of this truth be a comfort as you lie stretched out at the foot of your altar, the funeral shroud soft against your face.

When you feel replete with the knowledge of your relationship with earth, draw the funeral shroud away from your face and sit up. Uncross your arms, and gather some vital energy into your cupped hands. Turn and present this energy in the direction of your altar as an offering to the element of earth.

“Hail to thee, Mother Earth! You are the dark of the grave and the mystery of the tomb. You take our flesh back into yourself, holding us as infants in your womb. May I not forget this lesson when it is my time to surrender up this precious flesh.”

Continue to kneel for a few moments and reflect upon the revelation of earth. Then stand and ask the spirits to depart.

“Spirits of the threshold! All you beings who walk between the darkness and the light! I thank you for attending to bear witness to this rite. As you have gathered, may you freely depart!”

Anoint your forehead, lips and heart.

“I close myself as I close this space. I stand upon the threshold, but for now walk away, passing from death back into life.”

Snuff the candles. Facing the mirror, cross your arms upon your chest and bow your head, then depart. Once you have come down fully from the ritual mindset, go back to your altar and gather up the tokens of earth. If this is a rite you want to perform again, store the tokens in a safe place. Otherwise, find time to cleanse them and use them for something else.

The Ritual of Thresholds (consecration of altar)

2009-06-09T23:45:00.000-07:00

Prepare yourself with a ritual bath taken about an hour before you begin the rite. After the ritual bath, dry yourself off and don whatever mask or other attire you have settled upon to help make a break with ordinary reality and keep yourself in a ritual frame of mind. Approach the altar in silence and light first the incense, then the candles of life and death. Cross your arms upon your chest and kneel down for a moment, contemplating your purpose and intent.

When you are ready, stand before the altar. Stare into your own eyes behind the veiled mirror. You will do this whenever you do ritual work at your death altar, for your veiled reflection represents the spirit aspect of you. When you work at this altar, you are trying to bring both spirit and flesh together, to allow yourself to walk and work as one, so identification with this veiled self is important.

Take three slow, deep breaths and feel the power begin to flow throughout your body. Place your fingers in the vessel of earth and invoke the first element:

“I call upon the earth, which gives and then takes back! You are the foundation of all life, nurturing the young and welcoming the dead with open arms. Lend your power to this space and consecrate it to the element that ground.”

Scatter a pinch of earth across the altar. When you are finished, touch your fingers to your forehead, leaving a streak of dust. Then place your fingers in the vessel of water and invoke the second element:

“I call upon the water, which cleanses and renews! You are my blood and my precious tears, and in the form of the great ocean, you take everything into yourself so it is transformed. Lend your powers to this space and consecrate it to the element that flows.”

Scatter the water clinging to your fingers upon the altar. When you are done, touch your fingers to your lips, tasting the salt of blood and tears. When you are finished, pass your hands over the candle flames, both at once, so there is a balance between life and death. As you do this, invoke the third element:
“I call upon the fire, which illuminates and consumes! You are the shifting flame that shines and then destroys. You are capable of devouring everything, reducing it down to its most basic parts. Lend your power to this space and consecrate it to the element that burns.”

Press both of your palms together in front of your heart. Smell the lingering scent of the flame as it clings to your flesh. When you are finished, waft the smoke from the incense towards you, so it billows up and around you. As you do this, invoke the fourth element:

“I call upon the air, which is both breath and life! You are the essence of a sigh and the voice of a mighty storm. Invisible to the naked eye, if you are absent, all life comes to an end. Lend your power to this space and consecrate to the element that breathes.”

Hold the incense holder in both hands and present the smoke to the left of the altar and then to the right. Finally, present the smoke to the veiled mirror, so curls of incense waft up past the centerpiece of your altar. Put the incense holder back down in its proper place. With the scent of the smoke still clinging to your skin, fold both hands over your belly, just beneath your navel. When you are finished, hold your hands out at your sides, palms turned upward. As you do this, invoke the final element:

“I call upon the spirit, supreme force that binds the rest. You are the essence that remains when the wind falls still. You are the light that shines when the fire has burned down. You are the force that flows when the water has gone dry. You are what remains when all the earth crumbles into dust. Lend your power to this space and consecrate it to the element that survives even death.”

Lift your hands before you and feel energy gathering in your open palms. Radiate this from your hands and your heart into the altar. Still summoning energy and infusing it into the altar, imagine a gate opening up between you and the veiled mirror, a threshold that stretches between the candle of life and the candle of death. Call upon the spirits to help open this gate from their end.

“I call to you, spirits, and unseen powers! I invoke the shadows and the creeping arms of night! Come, stand at this threshold and bear witness to my rite. Lend your power to the gate I now throw open. Join me here in the space between death and life.”

Point the first two fingers of your right hand out. Concentrate all of the energy you have been building in the ritual thus far into the tips of those two fingers. Starting at the floor beneath the left candle, begin to draw the outline of a gate in the air just in front of the altar. Move up in a line parallel to the left candle, arching over the altar, then drawing a line on the other side all the way to the floor, in line with the candle burning on the right.

As you do this, continue to concentrate the energy into your fingers, summoning the power of all five elements you have just invoked. Use this power to cut a gateway in the very fabric of reality, opening a gate between flesh and spirit.

“I consecrate this altar as a space between. When I stand here, I stand between life and death. When I stand here, I stand among you, my spirits, guardians, and friends. This is my threshold, and my will is my key. When I call for this gate to open, nothing will stand in my way.”

Stand before the gate, spreading your arms wide. Briefly invoke each of the elements again, calling the memory of their energy to your hands and imbuing this energy into the space of your altar.

“By flesh and spirit, by earth and air, by fire and water, I open this gate and bind it to me.”

Cross your arms upon your chest and kneel before the altar once more. Silently thank the spirits, elements, and powers for attending your rite, and silently bid them to depart. Continuing in silence, blow out the candles, snuff the incense, and remove your ritual attire. Do not speak until you have left the space of your altar. You may want to eat a small meal to help yourself ground and return to a normal frame of mind.

Daily Meditation: Twilight Path

2009-06-09T23:43:00.000-07:00

Approach the altar and cross your arms upon your chest. Light the candles of life and death and take a moment to gaze into the mirror through the veil, seeing yourself as a being both of flesh and of spirit. Dipping your fingers into the chalice of water, touch them to your forehead, your lips, and your chest. As you do this, say:

“I anoint my forehead, that I may open my mind.
I anoint my lips, that I may loosen my tongue.
I anoint my chest, that I may open my heart.”

The first step opens you mentally and psychically to a deeper experience of this threshold state. The second step opens you so you may better communicate across the veil. The third step opens you emotionally and energetically to the spirits and the forces they represent. Spreading your arms wide, picture the edges of the gate glowing softly around you. Reach out mentally to any spirits that may be gathering nearby. Silently invite them to attend you. Out loud, declare the following:

“Standing on the threshold between darkness and light, I open myself to the mysteries of death and transformation. Gather round, ye spirits, and whisper to me the secret names. Open the path before me and show me the way.”

Close your eyes and allow your awareness to spread beyond the limits of your body. Listen carefully with both your physical and internal ears for any contact or messages. After a few moments, close yourself so you can exit the threshold state and return to the demands of your ordinary life. To close yourself, touch your forehead, lips and heart again, saying:

“The door is closed, but I carry it within. If a lesson presents itself to me, may it open again, so I may see and, seeing, learn.”

Snuff the candles and return to your normal affairs.

A Poem (I didn't write this, but it felt very Wiccan to post!)

2009-06-06T19:40:00.000-07:00

I had come to the end of daylight
and faced the doorway of darkness.
But when I touched my face,
I realized my eyes were closed
and my skin was cold.
All that I thought I loved and needed was gone
And I was naked, shivering in misery.
They were measuring me for a coffin.
Suddenly, I heard a voice calling
from within myself.
I turned my eyes around to look back,
to look down, to look deep
and I saw a single candle.
It drew me closer until I cound reach out
and put my fingers in the flame.
Slowly, meticulously, I burned away my dead body,
And when it was gone,
I was no longer naked.

Northern Mysteries & Magick - Freya Aswynn

2009-05-18T15:46:00.000-07:00

This is, by far, the BEST book that I've EVER read in regards to learning about Runes (their meanings, how to use them in divination, the story that they tell collectively - which is comparable to the idea that the Major Arcana in Tarot cards tell a continuous story)...

Anyone interested in these mystical stones should DEFINATELY buy this book! :D

Basic Divination Meanings of the Runes

2009-05-18T15:40:00.000-07:00

Fehu * Financial strength and prosperity of the present and near future

Uruz * Health matters

Thurisaz * Conflicts and complexities of an aggressive nature; psychological problems

Ansuz * Communications and transmissions; points things back to sources in the past

Raido * What is right or not right; what move to make; decisions; returns

Kenaz * Opening up of new ways; opportunities; information

Gebo * All matters of an exchanging nature; contracts; personal relationships

Wunjo * Gain; accomplishments; what is wished for

Hagalaz * The uncontrolled forces in the unconscious, which are usually of a disruptive nature and which usually originate in the past

Nauthiz * Restrictive forces in the unconscious; fears; anxieties; feelings of guilt

Isa * Blocks; stultified conditions; grievances; anything that the individual is not prepared to let go of; the formation of the personality; conditioning

Jera * Hopes and expectations; turning points; gradual changes; results of earlier actions

Eihwaz * The driving forces in the unconscious; motivation; sense of purpose

Pertho * The deepest creative part of the unconscious; the hidden realm of higher material that is waiting to come to fruitation and birth; hidden talents; occult or psychic abilities

Algiz * The strong, protective side in the unconscious; the influence that will protect you; religious aspirations

Sowulo * Position of the higher self in relation to the unconscious; the direction in which you will be guided by the higher self; the ability to establish contact between the higher self and the unconscious

Tiwaz * Creative energies in the martial sense; where your strengths lie; where to direct your energies in taking initiatives; honour and justice; leadership and authority

Berkana * Fertility; birth; rebirth; growth; maternity; family life; feminine Mysteries
Ehwaz * Adaptability; relationships with others; joint efforts; cooperation; sexuality

Mannaz * People at large; attitude towards others; other people’s attitudes towards you; legal matters; friends and enemies; intellect

Laguz * Emotions; stability; imagination; psychic matters; affections

Inguz * Integration; gestation; expectations; progeny

Othila * Home life; country; spiritual heritage; experience; foundations; fundamental values; establishing

Dagaz * Transmission; opposites; position between light and darkness; initiation; balance between the worlds outside of time and space; cosmic consciousness; change from one thing into its opposite; new beginnings

The Runes

2009-05-18T14:32:00.000-07:00

Fehu

* Meaning: cattle, wealth, movable wealth
* Letter: F
* Deities: Frey & Freyja (fertility gods directly related to livestock)
and Niord (god directly related to wealth)
* Freya wears a necklace called Brisingamen, which is a symbol of fertility. It’s made of gold and amber (both expensive). She earned it by sleeping with 4 dwarves (the 4 elements).
* It represents the creative fire which emerges from Muspelheim.
* Divination: the ability of the individual to create or maintain wealth; the energy to create wealth.

Uruz

* Meaning: the life force of the masculine polarity, the unconscious drive for manifestation.
* Letter: U
* Element: Ice
* contains a primal earth energy - the inextinguishable impulse to be.
* the energy of this rune is indestructible, raw, primitive, and unbelievably strong.
* Symbolism: strength, persistence, durability, adaptability to environmental changes.
* on a higher plane, it represents healing energy, a strong, restorative, recuperative physical process.
* teaches patience, endurance, courage and the application of aggression at the right time and under the right circumstances.
* Associations: growth, the overcoming of obstacles, the force to assert oneself.
* Divination: the condition of your strength, on both the physical and psychological level. New opportunities and encouragement. Sometimes, taking a risk.
* Deity: Thor, the Thunderer

Thurisaz

* Meaning: an ancient name for the god Thor; giant
* Letter: TH
* Element: Fire
* the Giants represent the forces of chaos, and Thor is the one
who keeps those forces under control.
* Active energy directed outwards or passive energy contained or directed inwards.
* viewed as the negative or evil rune.
* This rune is a carrier and can be combined with various other runes to ensure effectiveness in a working.
* It is an easy rune to tap into and the best method for invoking it is through emotion, whatever the nature of that emotion The more emotion, the more success.
* Probably the most dangerous rune in the whole Futhark.
* Divination: the shadow in the unconscious, the repressed collection of garbage amassed throughout life or foisted on us by the environment and its social conditions.
* An excellent rune to use for binding magick.

Ansuz

* Meaning: a god, Odin
* Letter: A
* Represents order
* Element: Air
* It is through air that sound becomes audible.
In an airless environment, sound cannot be heard.
* relates to the ancestors.
* On a higher level, it represents the life energy.
* Used for releasing.

Raido

* Meaning: riding or journey, traveling
* Letter: R
* Divination: creating movement, generating motion, taking charge of situations, being in control, taking the initiative, starting a new venture, decision-making or directing a course of action.
* counsel or advice
* leadership and nobility
* freedom and moral responsibility to the Self (to be in charge of your own path in life).
* the rune of repetitive movement and ritual
* can be used for shamanic traveling to the Underworld.

Kenaz

* Meaning: Torch, light (the torch is a symbol of knowledge, consciousness and intellect)
* Letter: K or a hard C
* Kenaz means “to know, apply and recognize”.
* the ability to seek, gain, apply and recognize, the learning and teaching process
* On a psychological level, the attributes of this tune are clarity of thought, insight, consciousness of the Self, inborn or hereditary knowledge, confidence and trust in one’s own intuition, concentration and determined effort.
* Element: Fire (in its contained form) - fire of enthusiasm and inspiration
* used to gain knowledge, investigate the deeper background of problems, hidden reasons and origins and underlying causes of the effects.
* can function as the light within - a guiding torch when exploring the inner realms.
* can be used as a weapon to expel unwanted influences.
* Divination: the exposure of hidden, unknown, or unacknowledged motives.
* can be used as an astral doorway - a symbol which can be projected through “the veil”.
* can be a beacon that represents our inner light.

Gebo

* Meaning: gift
* Letter: X
* Deity: Odin; sometimes Thor
* marriage contracts, boundary markers
* Element: Air
* Divination: balance and equilibrium (giving and receiving)
* Theme: the preservation of balance, the law of compensation
* agreements, settlements, legal matters; betrothal
* hospitality and generosity
* for each sending, a price has to be paid.
* very useful for binding 2 or 3 runes together for magickal workings.

Wunjo

* Meaning: perfection
* Letter: W, sometimes V
* Deity: Odin, Uller
* Divination: All that is beautiful and wonderful
* one of the most magickally powerful runes
* extremely useful in realizing one’s objectives

Hagalaz

* Meaning: hail (frozen water and air)
* Letter: H
* a negative rune; destructive force
* this rune rules Hel.
* Deity: Hella
* Divination: disruptive forces operating in the unconscious, creating necessary change; unlearned lessons or unresolved problems.
* the realm of Hel can be equated with the personal unconscious, the deepest part of which is connected with the collective unconscious.
* contains a lot of dark feminine power
* a strong connection with negative witchcraft.
* use for extremely negative magick.

Nauthiz

* Meaning: need
* Letter: N
* Deity: Skuld (rules the future)
* can provide a window into what is to come.
* Divination: a person’s own unacknowledged needs (in a reading, what is needed will follow this rune; it can also be a warning)
* can be used to restrict other people
* rules Nifelhel, the realm of the dragon Nidhog, which means “gnawer from beneath”. Nidhog paws at the roots of Yggdrasil in an attempt to destroy the Tree. Nidhog can be viewed as the unconscious shadow, gnawing at the Self.
*teaches us the skill of self-preservation
* relates to the binding of Loki, who is the god of fire.

Isa

* Meaning: ice
* Letter: I
* represents the principle of preservation and resistance to change, counter-force to evolution, slowing down change.
* crystallizes spirit into matter (self-preservation)
* its function is to keep things as they are, to maintain whatever “is”.
* represents the darker side of the Goddess, the sterile barren goddess.
* Divination: a frustrating influence and most often indicates that whatever the question asked or the problem discussed, there is no immediate possibility of change.
* use to cancel any disruptive or aggressive forces, self-defence magick (to freeze someone’s actions).

Jera

* Meaning: year, harvest
* Letter: J or Y
* has an important bearing on time and the divisions of time
* it represents time itself
* Associations: turning of the year at Yuletide, when the sun returns
* Deity: Baldur, Hoder; Frey and Freyja
* everything is on the move, nothing stays the same
* this rune can create gentle change
* Divination: change for the better, the end of a cycle and the beginning of another one; return as a result of a previous action
* contains the mystery of the eternal return
* Element: earth
* strongly connected with fertility
* In magick, it can speed up processes or slow them down

Eihwaz

* Meaning: Yew, the Yggdrasil, the human spine or backbone which supports the rest of the body
* Letter: E
* associated with hunting
* can give you the necessary impetus to take a headlong plunge into the deep end.
* an outgoing rune of action, striving, persistence, and endurance.
* a testing force
* Deity: Odin, Uller
* being in a state of suspension as a result of conflicting emotions or a difficult choice between 2 equally valued opposites
* use in binding magick
* one of the most powerful runes

Pertho

* Meaning: birth, secret
* Letter: P
* the womb of the great Goddess
* Deity: Frigga (goddess who governs birth)
* indicates space
* talents and hidden potential possessed by an individual which have not yet been manifested, as well as abilities inherited from ancestors
* use this rune in meditation
* Divination: an initiation experience, the discovery of a hidden aspect of oneself

Algiz

* Meaning: protection, defence
* Letter: Z
* reminiscent of Tyr’s hand, which he sacrificed to bind Fenris the wolf.
* pointed upwards gives it male influence
* pointed downwards gives it female influence
* females give life; men deal out death
* shielding
* it acts as a powerful conductor, channelling energies from man to the gods
* associated with the Rainbow Bridge (path between Asgard and Midgard - the only way to travel between these two realms)
* use for healing

Sowulo

* Meaning: Sun (as a life-giving force)
* Letter: S
* sun is viewed as feminine to Norse people
* the higher will or intent, the sense of self and self-worth
* the highest force in the self, directing the individual’s evolution along a specific path
* spiritual guidance and leadership
* Divination: direct a course of action or state a positive purpose; it must always be interpreted in conjunction with the adjacent runes
* Deity: Thor (the god of lightning; the symbol resembles lightning); also a connection with Odin because the sun represents one of his eyes (the other represents the moon)

Teiwaz

* Meaning: the god Tyr
* Letter: T
* shape of a spear
* use in magick dealing with gaining justice or to win victory in a conflict
* Divination: legal conflicts, court action
* on a spiritual level, it embodies the values of the spiritual warrior
* associated with death; can be used to design a talisman to communicate with the dead

Berkana

* Meaning: birch
* Letter: B
* a goddess rune (resembles breasts)
* Deity: Berchta (patron of mothers and children)
* the process of gestation and birth
* use for healing, rejuvenation
* very beneficial for women and women’s problems
* birch is one of the sacred trees
* below the birch tree often grows the Amanita muscaria, a well-known “magick” mushroom used in rituals to achieve altered states of consciousness, in which “soul journeys” to the Underworld were taken
* Divination: process of growth, a caring, maternal influence and creativity
* a protection charm for children

Ehwaz

* Meaning: horse
* Letter: E
* implies vehicles and control of vehicles; the persona on a psychological level
* one’s ability to adjust to various situations
* particularly relevant to marriage, partnership, join enterprises of all kinds
* can unify two people in a strong cooperative relationship such as marriage or even a business partnership; co-operation
* the art of adjusting, making the best of a situation
* use in magick to invoke good luck
* represents the astral or etheric body
* Divination: something of a female nature; often relates to one’s own mother or other older females

Mannaz

* Meaning: man, woman, human; ancestors
* Letter: M
* cooperation between people sharing the same environment
* Divination: people in general; the sort of people it means can be figured out by looking at surrounding runes
* use to attract support from one’s peer group in magick
Laguz

* Meaning: lake
* Letter: L
* feminine influence
* Deity: Nerthus (the oldest goddess; worshipped on an island on a lake)
* sorcery
* Element: water ( a transmitting agency or a mediating and conducting principle)
* used to influence others or to evade other people’s dream-states
* waters of life
* Divination: infer whether a particular project has been carried by a favourable tide

Inguz

* Meaning: the god Frey
* Letter: NG
* a fertility rune (female)
* the carrier of genetic material
* can be used as an alternate form to a magick circle
* use it to contain other runic energies within it
* use it for astral projection: imagine this rune on a door and project through it
* Divination: the completion of a situation and the progression to the next stage of the querent’s affairs, depending on the other runes in the reading, transformation, a dark night of the soul
* use during lunar magick

Othila

* Meaning: inherited land; noble
* Letter: O
* Deity: Odin (god of nobility)
* loyalty towards one’s family, tribe or village
* use to invoke Odin in his aspect of wanderer and teacher

Dagaz

* Meaning: day
* Letter: D
* the last rune in the Futhark (usually)
* the dawning of the new day or the midpoint of the day (when the Sun is at noon)
* relates to the division of the day
* a rune of change; cataclysmic change (the situation will change to its mirror image: positive to negative or vise versa)
* the end of an era and the beginning of the next cycle
* it acts as a catalyst initiating change without changing its own nature
* it synthesizes, transmutes and dissolves all opposing polarities
* can function as a Rainbow Bridge in magick
* can transform consciousness
* use for initiation
* use for the 4 or 8-fold division of the quarters to designate the area outside of time and space, or “between the worlds”
* can be used to hide things from view

Futhark Computer Font! :D

2009-05-18T01:22:00.000-07:00

I've downloaded this onto my computer and I LOVE IT!!!! Whenever I'm writing something intimate to my deities, I always write with this alphabet! So this font is absolutely PERFECT for those who write pieces for their Book of Shadows on the computer (You know, to keep things all tidy-looking!) :P

http://www.1001freefonts.com/futhark.php

The site also feats tons of other free fonts (Celtic Garamond is my most favourite!)

This is such a fast and easy way to spice up your magickal pages!

Blessed be! )o(

Meditation: A Spiritual Love Affair

2009-05-17T23:50:00.000-07:00

You are walking on the outskirts of a pine forest, moving away from the secrets held in its darkened recesses. A brilliant full moon flares overhead in the midnight folds of the night. She gifts you with pale light. Your footfalls land quietly on the thick carpet of pine needles that coat the forest floor. Soft, green branches gently brush your face and bare arms. Ahead of you, golden light drips through the tender tree trunks and whispering pine needles, suffusing every inch of air and space. You are drawn to the light by an almost imperceptible tugging in your heart and loins. Your thighs tighten in anticipation as your muscles propel you ever closer to your goal, to the source of your longing. You step through the last remaining foliage, brushing aside a wispy branch, and into the light.

You are on the edge of a large open area in the midst of the forest. The meadow forms a low, softly rising mound, a sleeping woman’s breast, an infant’s gently rounded cheek. Grass grows in verdant abundance on the mound, lush and deep under your feet. If you have shoes on, take them off now, in order to feel the wetness of each blade of grass. (PAUSE). On the top of the mound, a leaping bonfire releases intense heat and warming light. It is this light that led you through the forest, drawing you ever onward. Around the fire, shadows leap and dance. A well-endowed woman, skirts swinging. A muscular farm boy, shoulders moving. A lithe cat, paws scampering. A faint vibration quivers through the soles of your feet, as though coming from the depths of the earth herself, and propels you up the easy incline of the mound.

The vibration grows stronger as you near the fire. Sweat beads on your exposed skin. A band of merry musicians, male and female, plays a fast-paced tune to the driving beat of several large drums. The music pulses in your ears, getting under your sweat-slicked skin. The music is infectious, powerful, passionate, and strong. It spirals through the night, bringing dreams of love and heat and freedom. A soft breeze lifts the hair at the back of your neck.

Without conscious thought, your fingers release your shoes and they fall on the flickering golden ground. The heat from the fire licks at your skin, burrowing into your blood. Your clothes chafe your fire-sensitive skin unmercifully. You remove any unnecessary clothing, dropping it onto your shoes, creating a small pile. As you fling yourself into the circle of dancers around the fire, you vaguely notice many similar piles on the outskirts of the fire. A young fiddler with brown hair and glowing eyes smiles at you and winks.

Faster and faster, the music whirls round and round the steaming dancers. The drums are intoxicating, throbbing deep into your brain, deep into your heart, deep into your blood. Your skin tingles; your eyes sparkle. You and your body are one beautiful instrument of the Goddess as you dance with wild, passionate abandon. (PAUSE).

Just when you feel that your spirit, anchored deep inside yourself, will fly forth and soar far and wide, never coming back… just when your heart hammers against your chest and your skin is stretched taut and expectant… just when you feel that you must truly become the music or die… the drums stop and an eerie quiet descends on the clearing. The fire flares briefly upward, then crackles with repressed energy. You stop dancing and raise your drenched, dream-addled head. You are standing in front of the most beautiful woman you have ever seen.

The fire gilds her skin a creamy bronze, adding mystery and shadow to her beauty. Her hair is blonde, falling below her shoulders in waving fields of wheat. A golden helmet rests on her head, holding back the thick tresses. Cat motifs are stamped into the gold; in the firelight, they seem to move and stretch. The woman is clad in chain mail, a slightly see-through drape that lingers across the breastbone and down her shapely curves and full, round hips. She sits on a small, narrow throne that is made of earth and grass and rises directly from the mound itself. She taps the ground with her heavy golden spear as her turquoise-blue eyes bore into your own. She uncrosses and recrosses her legs, causing the chain mail to jingle, allowing the firelight to caress the contours of her body. She smiles knowingly at you.

“I am Freyja,” she intones, her voice both breathless and reverberating. “Welcome to my celebration.” She flings her arms above her head, and musicians and dancers erupt in raucous cheering. She stands up and the cheering subsides, but you swear you hear the faint moans of an amorous encounter beyond the fire, hidden in the shadows of the forest. Freyja walks toward you and flicks her fingers across your chest. Your nipples harden slightly and she laughs with joy. She licks her lips with her tongue.

“Come. It is time.” Freyja’s fingers trail across your shoulder and down you’re arm to embrace your hand. She leads you back toward the fire, as the music, once again, throbs through the night. An edge of wildness accents the movements of the dancers, as they pair off into couples. Some move together, lips locked, bodies pressed together, in front of the fire, allowing the sweat between them to lubricate their movements. Others sway toward the rounded hillocks of the mound, allowing the cool shadows to cloak their movements. Still others run into the forest, disrobing during their mad dash. Freyja laughs throatily.

“We must find your partner,” Freyja says, clucking you under the chin, “or partners,” she amends, grinning wickedly, a twinkle in her eyes. She rounds the fire, and you see him/her/them. Your spiritual lover. Your Beltane present from the goddess. Your lover is your ideal. Perfection. Mind, body, and spirit. Union eternal. Who is it? What does your lover look like? See every nuance, every muscle, every curve, every colour and shape in the flickering light of the fire. (PAUSE).

The goddess leads you toward your lover, slowly and with much care. She takes your hand and places it on your lover’s palm. “This is your lover for tonight,” the goddess says, caressing your palm. “Live out your greatest sexual fantasy. Touch the spirit of ecstasy. Feel the wild abandon of wanton love and freedom, knowing that you are safe and secure, here within my glade. I will protect you.” Freyja leans forward and kisses you on the lips. She kisses your lover as well, before smiling her secret smile and walking back to her earth throne, across the fire.

With your hand clasping your lover’s hand, you allow yourself to open completely and experience your wildest sexual fantasy. (LONG PAUSE).

At the end of your fantasy, you rise. Your fantasy lover kisses you one last time. You are back in the forest glade. The embers of the fire glow in the night sky, and the first rays of dawn colour the world muted pink and yellow. The musicians are packing up their instruments. The other couples come together once again and separate, dissipating like puffs of smoke into the misty predawn. Your lover leans toward you and whispers a message into your ear. (PAUSE). Then he/she/they turn and walk into the dawning light. You gather your things, donning your clothes, and walk back into the forest from whence you came.

Ritual: An Imbolc Celebration

2009-05-08T21:04:00.000-07:00

Things you will need:

* one large candle (your choice of colour)
* four small candles (one of each: yellow, red, blue, green)
* candle holders for the four candles
* a lighter or matches
* two bowls of dirt
*a small watering can filled with water
* one packet of flower, herb, or vegetable seeds (choose seeds that represent a goal or idea that you’d like to bring into your life)
* freshly made bread
* butter
* a cup of milk
* a libation bowl
* a small hand towel

***************************************************

Place the large candle, lighter, two bowls of dirt, watering can, and seeds in the center of your sacred space. If you are performing the celebration inside, be sure to cleanse your area with sage ahead of time. Put the four small candles at the edges of your sacred space: yellow in the east, red in the south, blue in the west and green in the north. Sitting facing the east, ground and center yourself, taking as much time as you need.

Once you feel relaxed and connected to the four elements, stand and walk to the east. Hold your hands up above your head and say:

“Hail to the Guardian of the East,
The simple Cherry Tree.
Beautiful and gentle, pure and willing sacrifice,
You understand the cycle of life and death and rebirth.
Bring to me the peace to acknowledge the inevitable
And to welcome my growth.
Cherry Tree, Spirit of Air, I welcome you!”

When you feel the presence of the east enter your sacred space, walk to the south, raise your hands, and say:

“Hail to the Guardian of the South,
The quickening Rowan Tree.
Fiery and nourishing, physical and spiritual healer,
Your berries support life while your bark soars with spirit.
Bring to me the knowledge of the ancient ways
And the strength to use it well.
Rowan Tree, Spirit of Fire, I welcome you!”

Feel the energy of the south enter your sacred space. Then walk to the west, hold your hands above your head, and say:

“Hail to the Guardian of the West,
The giving Apple Tree.
Loving and opening, emotional and otherworldly center,
You know the heart is the key to happiness.
Bring to me the acceptance of my inner truth
And the generosity to share it with the world.
Apple Tree, Spirit of Water, I welcome you!”

Once you feel the calming presence of the west in your circle, walk to the north. Hold your arms above your head, and say:

“Hail to the Guardian of the North,
The enduring Holly Tree.
Bright and gay, protective and compassionate partner,
You shift with the currents of change, adjusting to seasons and spirituality.
Bring to me the courage to alter my perceptions
And the ability to persevere through trials.
Holly Tree, Spirit of Earth, I welcome you!”

Be sure to light each candle after you have requested the presence of each elemental tree. Having called for the aid and guidance of the four directions, return to the center of your sacred space and sit down. Think of the goddess Brigid in all her many guises: powerful smith, watery healer, illuminating muse, preserved saint, forgotten goddess, fire, sun, land, divine. When you feel her nearby, place your hands over your heart and say”

“Most blessed Brigid,
Bright Arrow,
Arousing, swirling, teaching,
Direct my words and
Focus my art
To resonate your will
Beneath the sky, beneath the sea.
Goddess of the sun and
Of the eternal fire,
You inspire.

Most sacred Brigid,
Sudden flame,
Shaping, melding, purifying,
Forge my hands and
Guide my heart
To do your bidding
Beneath the sky, beneath the sea.
Goddess of the sun and
Of the eternal fire,
You transform.

Most honoured Brigid,
Living light,
Calming, soothing, restoring,
Mend my wounds and
Allow your love
To shine through me
Beneath the sky, beneath the sea.
Goddess of the sun and
Of the eternal fire,
You heal.

Most blessed Brigid,
Living light,
Bright Arrow,
Sudden flame,
Goddess of the sun and
Of the eternal fire,
Arise like a shining sun
And join me in my circle!

Brigid, goddess immortal, most blessed,
I light this candle
In fiery offering to you.”

Light the large candle and take some time to gaze undisturbed into its flame. Feel its warmth and envision the goddess Brigid welcoming you with open arms. When you feel relaxed and open, put the two bowls of dirt in front of you and concentrate on the holiday Imbolc. When you feel ready, say:

“Imbolc is a time to plant my seeds, to begin anew, forging ahead to create my own destiny. The Goddess, as young mother, protects and nurtures the God, just as the earth protects and nurtures the warming seeds in the ground. May she protect and nurture my inner seed, my inner growth, so that I may flourish in the beauty and vastness of spring. We are all flowers waiting in the gentle arms of the Mother for the soothing warmth of the equinox sun. We are all burgeoning power, waiting for our time to bloom.”

Plunge your hands into one of the bowls of dirt. Feel the dirt between your fingers, warm and dry or cool and moist. Close your eyes and empty your stress, anxiety, concerns, and worries into the soil. Feel your old hurts and old impressions of self seep out of your heart, making their way into your long fingers. They move slowly but deliberately into the very tips of your fingers, and when you are ready, they release into the soil, freeing you from their self-destructive grip. When you have emptied yourself of the negative in your life, in your spirit, and in your soul, shake the dirt from your fingers. Hold your hands over the first bowl of dirt and cleanse them with water from the watering can. (You will have to do one at a time). Wipe your hands on the towel.

Pour the seeds into your hands, holding them tightly. Concentrate on the goal or ideal that you would like to bring into your life. Your goal is like these seeds, burgeoning with possibility, not quite sprouted but filled with the life force of the goddess Brigid. With your mouth pressed tightly to the seeds, say:

“By Brigid, goddess of the forge and transformation, I name thee (your goal or ideal).
By Brigid, goddess of the hearth and healing, I name thee (your goal or ideal).
By Brigid, goddess of bard craft and creativity, I name thee (your goal or ideal).”

Blow lightly on the seeds, placing your energy and essence onto them, melding the two energies into one. Then plant the seeds in the second bowl of dirt and water them with the watering can. Hold your hands over the newly planted seeds, and send them love and support. Be the Goddess to these seeds just as the goddess Brigid nurtures the seeds of your dreams.

Place some bread and butter and milk into your libation bowl as a sacrifice for Brigid and the four elemental trees. While you do this, state:

“I honour Brigid and the Cherry, Rowan, Apple, and Holly Trees for sanctifying and sharing in this ceremony with me. I give you this sacrifice of my hands and my heart as a symbol of my love and connection to you.”

Then eat and drink as much bread and butter and milk as you would like. When you have cleaned up the food and drink, concentrate once again on the goddess Brigid. Hold your hands out to her and say:

“I thank you, Brigid, for your presence here in my circle,
For giving me warmth of heart and hearth.
As the sisters of old, I have honoured you
In the traditional way.
May my love for you be felt through time and space,
Across the universe, upon the earth, and under the sea.
Although the light of this candle goes out,
I carry your flame in my breast.

Most blessed Brigid,
Living light,
Bright Arrow
Sudden blaze,
Goddess of the sun and
Of the eternal fire,
I guard your flame.

Blessed be.”

Quench the fire of the large candle and then say:

“I thank the Holly, Apple, Rowan and Cherry Trees for their presence in my circle. May I forever learn from their generous gifts and hidden, secret knowledge. May their trunks grow tall and sturdy, and may they be honoured for their nurturing, mature wisdom. May their presence be remembered and enjoyed for all time.

Hail to the Holly Tree, tree of courage and change.
(Blow out the green candle).

Hail to the Apple Tree, tree of love and generosity.
(Blow out the blue candle).

Hail to the Rowan Tree, tree of inspiration and healing.
(Blow out the red candle).

Hail to the Cherry Tree, tree of beauty and sacrifice.
(Blow out the yellow candle).

I honour you. Blessed be.”

Return to the center of your sacred space and say:

“My rite is ended. May I go with the peace and love of the Goddess in my heart. Merry Meet, Merry Part, and Merry Meet Again!”

Blessing of Gratitude to Brigid

2009-05-08T20:07:00.001-07:00

I thank you, Brigid, for your presence here in my home,
For giving me warmth of heart and hearth.
As the sisters of old, I have honoured you
In the traditional way.
May my love for you be felt through time and space,
Across the universe, upon the earth, and under the sea.
Although the light of this candle goes out,
I carry your flame in my breast.

Most blessed Brigid,
Living light,
Bright arrow,
Sudden blaze,
Goddess of the sun and
Of the eternal fire,
I guard your flame.

Wiccan Cartoon #9

2009-05-08T18:53:00.000-07:00

Wiccan Cartoon #8

2009-05-08T18:52:00.001-07:00

Wiccan Cartoon #7

2009-05-08T18:51:00.000-07:00

Yule Meditation

2009-05-08T18:50:00.001-07:00

Imagine that the room exists in this “other time and other place”, perhaps as a part of a stone-and-log house tucked far off in the forest…

At the south of this rustic room you see a heavy, old-looking door set into the wall. It is of heavy wood and hung with a wreath of holly. You go over to the door and push on it: the door opens easily and beyond you see snow, trees, and white-covered hills in the distance under a late-afternoon Sun. Although you know the light wind and the snow about your feet must be cold as you step through the door, you still feel warm and comfortable as though the talisman that you wear gives you the warmth your body, your hands, and your feet need from within. You are dressed as you deem appropriate for this trek through a world of snow and magick. You pull the door shut behind you, noting that it is set into a small stone hut with a straw-thatched roof.

The trees are lightly powdered with snow, and there is the sound of distant wind in the trees. A path leads off to the east, away from the declining Sun, and this you take. The snow crunching under your feet is usually ankle-deep, though sometimes drifting more, sometimes blown away to bare ground beneath. There is a chill and a bite in the air, though the cold does not bother you.

The path leads on down into the snowy forest. Overhead low, heavy clouds are moving in, with the promise of more snow likely. There is the sound of wind in the treetops and somewhere a raven calls in the distance. A few flurries of snow swirl about you as you continue on the trail that slants down farther into the evergreen forest. There are tracks in the snow before you, and you can see that others have been here quite recently.

There is a scent of wood smoke in the sharp, cold air, and ahead you can hear the sound of bells somewhere ahead, and distant voices. The trees open out into a clearing ahead, and you can see a small, ornate village; the picturesque type you would expect to see in the mountains and the snowy forest. They are half-timbered, with slanting roofs of thatch and shingle. Smoke rises from the chimneys, and there are candles in the small windows, behind the thick, tinted glass. Your path becomes the one short street in this little village as you continue along. There are people here, dressed in rough, archaic styles; laughing, drinking and singing, with children yelling and running through the snow and hurling snowballs from time to time. Although this is a village of peasants and foresters, it is a joyous one, particularly at this season. Wreaths of holly and ivy are hung on all the doors and the good smells of cooking waft from within.

A group of men in rough, fur-trimmed coats walk and stagger past with steaming tankards in their hands, attempting to sing in harmony some song that is festive and almost familiar. Although there are many people about, none seem to notice you as you walk down the packed snow of the street.

Ahead is a cluster of people of all ages, laughing and shouting together, for something seems to particularly spark their merriment. As you approach the children, women and men happen to move apart somewhat and you see that there is an old, bent woman there, leading a goat about whose neck is a garland of straw and ivy. The old woman is laughing with the rest and is obviously the center of attention. She waves her tankard at some of the men and shouts a suggestion that reduces them to laughter. From a large, old bag, once ornately embroidered but now dirty and tattered, she pulls out a small carved toy and gives it to a child, and another to a young girl who takes it and hugs her. She tugs on the rope about the goat’s neck and pulls him along towards you. Then the old woman looks up and sees you. She grins a near-toothless grin, pulls her shawl closer about her head and beckons for you to come nearer. She swats at her goat, who has begun to butt against her.

She is cheerful, lively and quite ugly, with warts and even a bit of a beard on her angular chin. Her voice is like a crow, but she is obviously much liked here and definitely the life of the festivities with her raucous and bawdy good humour. She comments that you are very obviously a stranger here and that it would surprise the locals if they could see you, as odd as you look. But she welcomes you, then turns toward the forested hills which rise on the other side of the small village; she points with one gnarled, bent finger. The old woman tells you to go on out beyond the town, to the old stone circle on the other side of the hills and wait there. She says goodbye, then cackles with laughter as she turns toward a pair of boys who are pulling on her tattered cloak, threatening to swat them with her broom and turn them into toads. They laugh and run and she talks to her goat, who also has been nibbling on her raggedy clothes. Then she hobbles over to a group of women to begin an animated, loud conversation. You continue on down the street. The people about you seem not to notice you as they celebrate this season, singing and calling greetings to one another.

The tavern, stables and the houses are warm, cozy and ornate, with carved, half-timbered structures and small windows of leaded glass. As we proceed down the street part the last sod-roofed sheds and to the small fields, it once more becomes a path, with snow that crunches beneath your feet.

At the edge of the field the path passes beneath a high portal like an inverted “V”, made of two carven logs. You cannot make out any meaning to the angular letters of the strange alphabet carved on the portal, though where the two logs cross near the top the high ends look like stylized hawks or eagles. The last light of the setting Sun breaks through momentarily so that the high gate seems to shine like red gold as you pass through it.

The trail passes through the snow-covered underbrush and then into the blue-gray shadows of the forest, with snow flurries whirling down from the dimming sky overhead through the snow-covered evergreen boughs to either side. The air is sharp and cold, with the slight scent of evergreens and the delicate touch of occasional snowflakes on your face.

There is the sound of a bird in the distance, a sort of croaking “caw, caw” that must be from a raven, faint at first, then louder as it approaches. You look up through the snow-flecked dimness to see the dark shadow overhead. The bird obviously sees you and swirls down in your direction in a beating of ebony wings that shakes the snow from the trees all about you so that it falls like a miniature blizzard. The big bird lands on the broken trunk of a dead tree next to you, and the wind stirred by her wings is surprisingly strong. The swirling of the snow fades away and the large black raven is perched on a dead branch near to you, about eye level. The bird cocks its head to the side and looks at you with a quizzical, mischievous expression uncannily like the old crone you had met back in the town. You pause for a couple of minutes, looking at the raven as she looks at you. You listen, and perhaps you hear with your mind what the Old One has to say.

(PAUSE UNTIL IT FEELS RIGHT TO CONTINUE).

The raven decides that it is time to depart. With a loud, raucous “caw” she spreads her great back wings and beats them powerfully. The snow swirls suddenly about you so that you cannot see the bird, though you can feel the strong wind of her wings, lessening along with the diminishing sound of their beating as she flies away. The snow flakes, soft and cold on your face, settle about you and the raven is gone, though you can hear her call fading over the dark trees, far away. You continue walking along the snow-covered road.

The trees overhead are higher and thicker, and the evergreen forest darker and more dense on either side. You can hear the sound of some animal off to the side (perhaps a deer) startled by your passing, as it crashes through the undergrowth and snow falls from the bushes to the ground. There is the sound of wind in the treetops far off, then closer. Here and there sheets of snow fall from the boughs of the trees as the wind stirs them, and you are wrapped in the swirling snow for awhile as you continue. You can see little except for the path as you continue.

The wind fades somewhat, and the swirl of snow from the upper branches lessens. In the deepening dimness you can see that the trail has begun to incline upward and the trees are lower and thinning. You continue farther and the darkening sky can be seen more and more. The Full Moon has risen, and floods the sky and the treetops with bright silver light, though the shadows are still deep. The trees thin enough so that you can see you are at the edge of a great, open meadow - perhaps a plain - that stretches far to the north and the east.

A hill rises ahead and to the left of you and, in the still moonlight, you can see a high circle of standing stones atop the hill. You walk toward it through the slightly deeper snow, looking at the symmetry of the standing circle of monoliths and at the sparkling stars beyond, glistening in the bitter night air. All is still, and far overhead you can hear the calling of a flock of birds as they wing south. Their call fades into the distance as you reach the stone circle, to reach out and touch the icy rock of the first monolith. You walk to the center of the great circle and pause to look around. From where you came you can see the dark forest, and farther to the east seems to be mountains and perhaps more forest. Off to the northeast seems to be some clouds and perhaps a misting of snow.

Somewhere, far off in the distance, you can hear the faint howling of wolves and, somewhat closer, what might sound like the baying of hounds: hunting dogs of some sort. The wind begins again, soft at first from the north across the vast, empty plain. It is bitter cold, though the icy breeze does not bother you as it blows harder, whirling the snow before it so that you feel the cutting sharpness of the blowing snow. The wind is harder yet, with snow whirling about the black stone monoliths, the bright moonlight making it all look like whirls of silvery whiteness with icy spangles dancing between and about the great rocks.

Off to the northeast, from out of the blowing, bitingly cold snow you hear the hounds again, closer now. You hear other sounds from other creatures: yapping, howling, caterwauling screams, and, as they draw closer, even some gibbering which do not sound like they come from any animals of which you know. Always, there is the deep baying of the hounds in the distance, drawing closer. You ease back across the stone henge through the driving, sparkling snow to one of the great stone monoliths, and stand against it in the shadows to watch what is approaching this place.

From the northeast to the southwest you can see something dark and shadowy run swiftly and silently across the center of the stone circle. Then others rush past behind it, both large and small. Some call raucously, others howl and shriek in strange voices. They are hard to make out through the driving snow. Most look like some kind of animals, though many are hulking, misshapen creatures with eyes that glow scarlet in the snowy dimness, and white, long teeth that glisten in the moonlight. The ground rumbles with their passing and the snow swirls all the more densely in and around the circle of dark stones. More of the chaotic, bestial things come, stamping with the baying of the hunting hounds ever closer behind them. They scream, bellow and even laugh wildly, though there seems to be no intelligence, no mind, no sanity to any of them. You feel the almost physical waves of raw elemental power, chaotic and uncontrolled, that seems to be all about these strange, fearsome things, passing through the dimness of the whirling snow like a wild waterfall of greys and blacks.

The belling of the hounds is close now, and the horde of fleeing, shadowy creatures begins to thin, for most of the herd seems to have gone past, heading off to the southwest into the driving snow. A few last ones come lolloping through, some seeming almost human, some very bestial, others large, huge, and hulking, their jaws slavering and their harsh breath clearly audible through the icy wind. Then for a few moments the stone circle is empty again.

A group of large animals pause at the edge of the circle, and you can sense that they are looking about, sniffing the air, listening for a moment. Then the deep, bellowing bark of the hounds fills the air and they run through the stone circle, eyes glowing yellow in the darkness. One of them passes nearby, sees you and pauses for a moment. It is a very large, powerfully built animal with a massive, thick neck and sharp teeth; its body is dark, but the head is definitely red in colour, seeming almost to glow in the dimness. The great hound sniffs the air in your direction, regards you closely with its glowing, yellow eyes and runs off to follow the others of its pack, giving a deep, barking voice as it chases after the chaotic horde.

Again all is still and silent in the stone circle, except for the blowing snow and the silver of the moonlight. Then a glistening figure in silver armour, mounted on a large, white horse, appears between two of the great standing stones nearby. You see the rider’s helmeted head, with the broad spread of glistening silver antlers, turn toward you; he snaps the reins and the big horse walks over to halt in front of you in a jingling harness and with breath steaming in the bitter cold wind. The rider looks down at you.

His full armour glistens brightly in the full moonlight, ornate and finely fashioned armour of a very old style, looking familiar as though you can almost remember having seen it somewhere, long ago. The polished helmet has the visor closed, so that you cannot see his face. The helmet is set with antlers seemingly fashioned of pure, sparkling silver and wreathed in holly and ivy. There is a definite sparkling glow in the air about his head and his antlers. A long sword in an engraved, jewelled sheath hangs by his side, as does a large, ornate hunting horn. He lifts his silver-gauntleted hand and raises his visor with an almost musical chime.

In the full moonlight the face of the horned rider is extremely handsome, almost supernaturally so, as befits the rest of his appearance. From what you can see of his hair it is almost like sun gold, (or of silver, for you cannot really tell in the moonlight). He smiles at you and wishes you a joyous Yule, then adds that not many come here any more, and it is good to see those of the Old Ways once again. He laughs in a voice which is rich and musical and tells us to come again at a time when he is not so busy. He points off to the east and says that if you head off in that direction you will find another who will be happy to see you, just over the next hill and through the veil of snow. He tells you to just remember that space as well as time may vary in these lands, for you are beyond the far boundaries of the world of men.

His great white stallion snorts and stamps the ground restlessly. He reaches forward to pat the neck and scratch the mane of his mount. “Now I must be going. These lands have to scoured clean by the rising of the Sun.” He calls farewell, snaps down the glittering visor of his helmet and slaps the reins, nudging the horse with his boot heels. As the great stallion leaps away he waves to you, the glistening silver of his armour and his antlered helmet almost seems to throw off sparkles in the bright moonlight. While the armoured rider disappears between the tall standing stones, he is reaching for the horn that swings by his side. Then he is gone, though you hear the rich, pure tone of his horn, echoing and re-echoing across the snowy plains, and in the far distance the calling of the hounds answers back. Then all is silent and still once more, except for the blowing snow.

You pause for a few moments, listening for faint sounds disappearing in the far distance, then walk in the direction which he pointed. The snow thins as you walk away down the hill from the stone circle, and you see that there is a faint path in the snow; perhaps some sort of a trail which is on the frozen ground beneath. The touch of occasional snowflakes is soft against your face as you continue, the wind fading and the stars coming out more clearly overhead. It is still and silent by the time that you reach the bottom of the hill and start up the next. Looking up at the sky to the north you notice what seems like pale curtains of light, shifting and shimmering, glowing in rays and sheets of yellow, blue, red, orange, green and violet.

Patterns that are vague, yet bright, seem almost to crackle in the moonlit night sky, ever-changing, far off in the star-spangled night. As you reach the top of the next hill you see that the rippling and changing lights stretch from the horizon to far overhead, spreading to cover the entire northern half and more of the sky constantly moving, changing sheets, flowing beams, and sparkling, iridescent curtains of colour crackling above.

The snow crunches beneath your feet and all is bitter cold, though you do not feel the chill. As you start down the hill you see that at the bottom is the edge of a large, hard-frozen lake that extends out to the far northern horizon. The ice is smooth in most places that you can see, and powdered with snow. Far out the ice has broken, by the winds, most likely, and tumbled up into what look like mountains of angular white here and there. These high, tumbled mounds catch the moonlight oddly. Some of them seem to glow from within pale elf-fires, cold and desolate. You are near the edge of the lake now, and begin to walk alongside it. Examining the lake carefully, you see that between the great ice-mounds the lake surface still has broad and far areas which are smooth and unbroken, glistening in the moonlight with the pale colour of the borealis.

You walk farther along the edge of the frozen lake, with the snow crunching beneath your feet. Perhaps it is only a trick of your eyes, but the northern lights seem to grow richer and more vivid in their rippling and flowing colours; although all is silent, it seems as though you should hear a buzzing and a crackling from the brightening colours in the sky.

Looking more carefully out toward the north across the wide expanse of the glittering lake, it seems as though you can make out a sparkling in the north, like stars glimmering just at the horizon. You pause and gaze closely at the sparkling and the glittering, and by degrees we can now make out, far off across the ice, a great, lofty structure which looks to be of crystal, as though fashioned from the ice, the stars and the glowing and shifting lights in the sky.

As your eyes adjust you see it more clearly now, a far distant castle out on the wide lake, or beyond it. Its towers are impossibly high and slender, of pale, icy blue and violet. It is a slender, high sculpture of delicate, crystalline beauty, glistening in the moonlight and the rippling rainbow colours of the northern lights. The great castle is far too delicate, too high and insubstantial a structure to be fashioned by human hands.

There seems a mist of snow out on the lake surface near the castle, and a movement. From out of the mist comes a faint blue-violet glow, brightening as you watch, for out of the glow something is approaching swiftly across the lake. It comes rapidly, and now you can make out that it is a sled of some sort, drawn by animals. You can now see three of them. It draws nearer, and the sound of sleigh bells becomes clearer, jingling and tinkling across the ice. It is a sled, pulled by three large reindeer hitched side by side under a carved and painted wooden arch, harnessed with many bells which sound constantly in the icy air. You see that the sledge is painted and carved intricately, glistening in the moonlight and the aurora.

There is a nimbus of frosty light about the driver and sole occupant of this now slowing sled, about the sledge itself, and about the three antlers beasts which draw it, their breaths glowing in the cold air like blue fire. The driver of the sled is a woman, you now see, with long, blue-white hair, touched with shadows of gold, blowing over her full fur collar as she rides. She wears a long coat of glistening iridescent furs and intricately embroidered gloves. The jewels that she wears catch the fire of the aurora borealis, and of the moonlight, glittering like ice at her neck and scattered through her hair. Her features are perfect and finely chiselled, like a sculpture in pale ice; definitely, this being seems to be “not of this Earth.”

She comes closer,, slowing, and you can hear the thin sound of the sled’s metal runners on the ice. The woman pulls back on the reins as she comes neat to the edge of the lake alongside you, and her horned beasts slow and stop. They are restless but they wait, their breath misting blue in the moonlight and their eyes the colour of the sky-fires above. You walk toward her as she regards you closely, looking at your hammer pendant and magickal jewellery. Then in a clear voice like the sound of crystal she tells you that you are welcome in her realms, as are the worthy ones who truly seek the ancient ways.

She looks deeply into your eyes, for you are close now, and her eyes seem to like deep pools of luminous blue flame, drawing in a portion of your consciousness. No words are needed as you begin to know of her, for she speaks directly to your mind. She knows of the distant stars, and of the vast distances between them.

Though she is inhumanly beautiful, like the far-flung aurora of the northern skies, you have the feeling that nonetheless she is ancient beyond the ages. All unchanging, she has seen the ebb and flow of vast aeons of time. She has known the times when the titanic mountains of ice stretched to the skies, and marched slowly far to the south. She has known the distant times before that even, when these icy lands were warm, and other strange races walked the emerald-green Earth. Then she speaks more to you in the silence. And in the silence, you listen.

(HERE THE NARRATOR SHOULD PAUSE FOR A WHILE, AS YOU LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF THE SNOW QUEEN).

Then she smiles at you, a cold smile, and points with one elegantly gloved hand to where your path now sparkles in the snow before you, as though frost had marked the way for you to go. She waves farewell and, in a voice like the winter wind, gives you her blessing as she slaps the reins and her great deer begin moving, the sled turning and moving rapidly away across the ice toward the crystalline castle in the distance. You watch her as she disappears rapidly toward the high structure.

Then you notice that the rippling and flowing colours spread across the dark sky have shaped into what seems to be a vortex, a column of intense light and power rising from the faceted, glowing castle up high toward a bright star directly overhead. A column of light and colour rising from the very core of the Earth perhaps and flowing on out beyond the very stars. Then the icy wind rises, and swirling snow obscures your view again, so that all you can see is the Moon and some of the colour flowing in the sky.

You begin walking toward your path marked with the glistening frost. Ahead, just above the horizon, is a single very bright star, and the path points directly toward it as you walk on through the swirling snow blown by the bitter cold wind. You walk up the first hill and down the other side, away from the lake, guided by the glittering trail of frost and the star before you. You go on, and it is as though you are in a trance with what you have seen, knowing only the wind and the blowing snow. If you should happen to stray from the path, the lines of frost will unerringly draw you back again on the path which now inclines more toward the south as the wheel of the sky turns slowly with the Moon. You become conscious that there are low trees now. How much time has passed you are not certain, but you are among hills and low mountains again, and evergreen forests have begun to rise on either side.

You hear the sounds of bells, chiming clear in the cold air and the distant sound of sleigh bells, soft and musical in the distance. You rouse yourself as you walk and look about to see that the tall pines about you are laced with delicate, misting snow and glittering icicles. The wind has faded and the air is still again. Sparkles of light glisten here and there in the snow and ice ribbons in the trees, reflecting and refracting every colour of the rainbow. The bells are clearer, and the glistening in the trees are more bright; you realize that they are more than simple refractions of the Moon and the northern lights.

You smell wood smoke ahead, and your path breaks out into a good-sized clearing before you. A large, half-timbered manor house stands there, its leaded-glass windows sparkling with candles and many-coloured sparkles of jewelled lights glistening even along the flowing curves of the old-style, heavy-shingled roof. The yard before it is bustling with activity as a noisy crowd of short, stocky, gnomish men and women hurry about, preparing for what seems to be some sort of celebration, carrying flickering lamps and gaily wrapped packages, talking and laughing. You can hear cheerful singing in the distance. They do not notice you as you walk toward the big house. There are sleds, and antlered beasts of burden hitched to them.

A figure appears at the door before you, sees you and waves for you to come over to him. He is a big, cheerful man, large and heavy, dressed in brightly-coloured, fur-trimmed leathers. His hair and beard are full and white, and when he laughs the windows seem to rattle, so deep and rich is his voice.

He claps you on the shoulders and welcomes you to his place, stepping outside to be with you. He waves toward his many servants, smiling, and says that the place may be rustic, but it’s cheerful, warm and quite a change from his more northern abodes. The big man looks around with a smile. “I was a god before there were gods,” he says, “Yet still of them all, I am remembered a little.” He pauses for a moment and looks off into the light-sparkling distance, wrapped in his own thoughts. He looks back at you with a deep chuckle and reaches for you in his big hand. “Here,” he says, “I have something for you.” You hold out your hands and he puts something into them that tingles and glows bright, warm, and with every colour of the rainbow, its light shining even on the glistening trees about you. You look at it and gaze at the bright, sparkling rainbow light that gives such a feeling of well-being and strength as it rests almost weightlessly in your hands.

He smiles at you through his thick white beard and looks deep within your eyes with his own bright eyes. “Remember,” he says. “From the stars you came, and to the stars you shall return. Know full well of your immortality. Keep your sense of winder, and work your life so that you strive for perfection.” He waves his big hand over yours, and the light settles into you, pervading you with a feeling of well-being, strength, and wonder as though you could see and know all things. Then it is gone, though you know that his gift is now within you.

He says, “Come, I want to show you something.” He turns toward the deep, snowy forest where there are lights and sparkles in the tree, and leads you on the path that goes deep within where elf-lights of every colour and hue sparkle and glow in and over the trees, within the bushes, and on the snowy ground all around you. The path glistens and glows, sparkling in reds, blues, greens, and yellows. There is thick snow on the ground and in the trees the place seems warm and filled with power, growing stronger as you walk onward. The air is filled with sounds of distant bells and music, gentle and sift, like carols you remember hearing years ago.

There is a clearing ahead, and the Ancient King who leads you stops and points at the vast tree, bigger than any redwood, whose base and gnarled roots are before you. Lights and mists are everywhere, as are the sounds of bells, tiny and faint, large and distant. There are scents in the air like incense. The big man points, and you see that the roots of the gigantic tree (lights glisten as high up into it as you can see) enclose a rustic house, stables and sheds as though they had grown from the tree itself. On closer examination, you see that they are indeed part of the gigantic tree.

The glow is bright as the cheerful, big man leads you on into the house within the tree. There are others here, though they are hard to see: people with features so fine and delicate that they could not possibly be human; beings stocky, massive and elementally powerful; animals, and creatures of pure, coloured light. The place radiates strength and power from every wall and nook. The others are going where you are going. Music seems to be everywhere.

You have passed on into the structure so that by now you seem to be at the very core of the vast tree, where the branches might go forever above us and the roots forever below. With all the others, seen and unseen, you enter the inner chamber, where the throne is at the heart of it all, rough like that which has grown out of the Earth, with the small bed nearby.

The light is bright, and the air is perfumed. The Mother is there, she who is at the center of all, holding the new Child in her arms. It seems hard to keep your eyes on the Lady, on the Child, for the light is brilliant, and it seems that vast power rises through the very walls and especially the floors of this rustic place to pervade all. It is as though everything is linked with flowing light that passes into and through you.

You bow and give greeting to the Great Mother. She smiles, and it is as if a forest suddenly burst into blossom. She looks down at her Child, proud of the new life which has come forth to spread everywhere.

Your bearded friend eases back, and you leave with him. You walk back through this place of elemental power and of life, and when you get outside he shakes your hand and clasps you about your shoulders. “It is time for you to go,” he says, “but be sure to come back again, to this, the Source.” He points the way for you on the path that glistens off indefinitely into the shimmering and sparkling dimness of the forest. You bid him farewell and walk away, down the path. It goes on, with the lights of all colours fading somewhat, the singing and then the bells fading into the sift and peaceful, glistening night of the enchanted forest.

You walk on, for how far you are not really certain, and then, abruptly, the path ends at the heavy wooden door set into a small stone hut under a small, thatched roof of straw. There is a wreath of holly on the door, and you realize that this is the place from which you started. You push open the door, and see within the room from where you started your journey. Perhaps hours have passes, or perhaps only minutes. You step into the room and push the door shut, then go over to where you can relax for a much-needed rest.

Talking Boards.... To Use or not to Use...

2009-05-01T23:52:00.000-07:00

I was having an interesting conversation with a coworker last week and it gave me some time to put my thoughts about ouija boards into perspective. I know a lot of people are against using them, claming "they don't work" or "they only attract bad, evil entities". I used to think so too.

When I was in junior high, a friend came over on Halloween night and we decided to try to ouija board. We were in my bedroom, sitting on the carpet, our anticipation rising as we asked, "Is anyone there?" Moments passed and there was nothing. The planchet never moved. The minutes ticked on and still there was nothing. Then, a wind up music box that I had bought BROKEN began to play! We were frozen in our positions as the tiny notes filled the room. I went white and my heart was beating a mile a minute! When it was finished playing, we immediately put the board away and she destroyed it the next day.

Now, I've been thinking a lot about whether to use a ouija board again or not. Truthfully, they really do scare the crap out of me! :P

But through all the reading I've been doing of Wicca books, the odd one touches on the very subject of spirit boards and I've changed my view of them. I believe that they are safe to use, so long as you know what you're doing and how to protect yourself.

The analogy I gave my coworker was that using a ouija board is like driving a car: You don't get behind the wheel of the car for the first time and drive into heavy traffic! You need to learn what you're doing first because it can be dangerous to you and those around you!

In the same way, learning to respect the spirits to whom you are trying to contact is a VERY useful thing! (And knowing a protection spell or two doesn't hurt one bit either!) :) The intent of your contact also helps to funnel the type of spirit you wish to contact.

But I invite those to share their own views about spirit boards and their experiences with them! :)

Blessed be! )o(

Rite of the Flaming Spear Chant

2009-05-01T23:51:00.000-07:00

“Hear me, O High Ones!
With this rite I do shield myself
And throw back all which is against me.
May this weapon be cast with flames of the spirit,
Sparked from far Valhalla
To burn brightly between the worlds
And which I shall see in the eye of my mind.
Thor, give me strength and a steady hand,
Freya, give me seid to overcome all obstacles,
Odin, grant me wisdom and victory,
So mote it be!”

Handfasting Vows

2009-05-01T23:35:00.001-07:00

Handfasting Vows

“My most beloved,
Accept the oath of love which I offer thee.
I vow this jewel, as I vow my soul,
Ever to be at thy service.
Like its beauty will my heart be strong,
Like its value my love will endure.
Accept it, my chosen one,
For all which is mine
Will now be thine.”

*****

“Above thee are the stars,
Below thee are the stones.
Remember always,
Like a star should thy love be constant,
Like the Earth should thy love be firm.
Possess one another, yet be understanding.
Have patience, for storms may come and go.
Be free in giving of affection and of warmth.”

Ten Ways to Piss off a Pagan

2009-04-27T22:15:00.000-07:00

* Be considerate, rearrange their altar so it will look neat.

* Blow out their altar candle if it is still day light. (No need to waste a good candle!)

* Pick up their gems for a closer look.

* Sharpen their dull black-handled knife.

* Witness to them about the "true religion".

* Untie the knots in their cord.

* Take hold of their jewelry for a closer look.

* Play card games with their Tarot cards.

* Ask them if they are Satan worshippers.

The Symbolic Great Rite

2009-04-25T21:23:00.001-07:00

“As our beloved Lord is to our beloved Lady
So is the athame to the chalice
That union being the Creator
That union being all that has been created
That union being my love and I.”

Invitation to the Lord and Lady

2009-04-25T21:21:00.001-07:00

“Here do I invoke to aid my goal
My Father above and Mother below
Here do I invoke to bless this rite
Our Lord and Lady upon this night.

Here do I invoke that I may be whole
Their love into
My mind, body and soul
For thou art the gods that were
Thou art the gods that will be
And thou art the gods that are.”

Lustral Baths and Recipes

2009-04-25T21:18:00.001-07:00

* Mix equal amounts of each herb with sea salt.

* Bundle it into cheesecloth and fill the tub with scalding water. Get in when the temperature is comfortable.

* When having the bath, try to think of nothing. Empty your thoughts.

* Take a palm full of sea salt and slowly let it run from your hand into the water. As you do, see the union of sky and Earth in your bath.

* Watch the water go down the drain, taking all your problems, worries and stresses with it.

* Infusion: Boil the ingredients over the stove. Allow to cool, strain and set aside for when needed.

Initiation Bath
2 parts rosemary
1 part sandalwood chips

Divination Bath (simple)
2 parts rose
1 part yarrow

Divination Bath (better)
3 parts damiana
2 parts thyme
2 parts yarrow
1 part rose
1 part nutmeg
1 part cinnamon (can be a skin irritant)

General Lustral Bath (for Sabbats)
3 parts rosemary
2 parts galangal
1 part ginger
1 part cinnamon
* Used to clean the soul as well as the mind.

Habit Breaking Bath
3 parts lemongrass
2 parts sage
2 parts rosemary
1 part lavender

Healing Bath
3 parts rosemary
2 parts peppermint
1 part rose
1 part lavender

Love Bath
3 parts lovage
2 parts rose
1 part orris root
1 part dill seed

Lust Inspiring Bath (for men)
2 parts jasmine
1 part rose
2 vanilla beans

Lust Inspiring Bath (for women)
2 parts patchouli
1 part rose
1 part myrtle

Prosperity Bath
3 parts patchouli
2 parts basil
1 part cedar
1 part clove

Protection Bath
2 parts pine needles
1 part bay leaf
1 part basil

Sleep Bath
3 parts lavender
1 part rose

Writer Talisman: A Ritual

2009-04-25T20:08:00.001-07:00

Select a stone of your choice - it can be one with a writing correspondence, or simply one that you find pleasing. Cleanse the stone, then charge by placing it on your altar or under sun/moonlight for another 24 hours.

When you are ready to empower the talisman, dissolve some sea salt in a small bowl of water, and light a candle. Dip your fingertips into the sea salt water and anoint the stone as you repeat the following:

I bless this stone with water.
May the waters of inspiration flow through me!

I bless this stone with the salt of the earth.
May earth s constancy embolden me!

Now pass the stone above the candle flame as you repeat the following:

I bless this stone with air.
May air s transcendence blow through me!

I bless this stone with fire.
May the passions of fire inspire me!

Earth, air, fire, and water, now held within this stone.
May they gift me with energy and joy as I ply my craft.

Set the stone on your desk. Apply it to your crown chakra for inspiration.

Writer Charm

2009-04-25T19:54:00.000-07:00

1) Begin with a 6 inch square of white fabric (the four sides represent the four elements).

2) On that fabric, place one or two pieces of citrine or hematite, a sprig of rosemary, and some fresh shavings from a pencil you write with.

3) Add a small piece of paper on which you’ve inscribed several stars. Recite the following:

Gathered here, within this square,
Signs of creative power.
Embolden thus my magick craft,
That I may write for hours.

4) Tie the fabric square shut and place it on your desk, or in the location that you do most of your writing. When you sit down to write, imagine that energy is pouring from the charm, ready to inspire your writing.

5) Each time you sit down to write, hold the charm in your hand and repeat the above rhyme. This will recharge the charm, allowing it to work indefinitely.

Solitary Affirmation Ritual

2009-04-17T23:05:00.000-07:00

Place a flame at the north point of the stone circle, saying:

“I give honour to the Lands of my Gods,
Ancient and good.
And the power that is within them.
Hail Odin!”

Put a flame at the east point, saying:

“I give honour to the Winds of my Gods
Ever fresh and new,
And the power that is within them.
Hail Odin!”

Put a flame at the south point, saying:

“I give honour to the warm Sun of my Gods,
Ever giving of new life,
And the power that is within.
Hail Odin!”

Put a flame at the west point, saying:

“I give honour to the seas and lakes
And rivers of my Gods,
And the power that is within them.
Hail Odin!”

Stand before the altar and place a light before the Rune of Odin, saluting and saying:

“hail Odin, giver of victory,
Thou who knowest the runes of wisdom,
And of power.
Bring me again to be with thy people.
Those who know the strength of thy
Ancient ways.
Give me of thy wisdom.
That I may better honour thee
As I prosper in thy name.
Hail Odin!”

Add any other items which you might wish to mention to Odin, and then drink in his honour. Next place a light before the Rune of Thor, saluting and saying:
“Hail Thor, laughing, red-bearded
Thundered and guardian.
Bring me again to be with thy people.
Those who know the joy and robust power of thine
Ancient Ways.
Give me of thy might, and of thy laughter
That I may better honour thee
As I prosper in thy name.
Hail Thor!”

Add any other items which you might wish to mention before Thor, and then drink in his honour. Next place a light before the Rune of Freya, saluting and saying:

“Hail Freya the Fair One,
Beautiful enchantress, jewel of the Gods
And chooser of the mortals who are most honoured.
Bring me again to be with thy people.
Those who know the magick and beauty
And triumph of thine Ancient Ways.
Give me of thy pride and persuasion
That I may better honour thee
As I prosper in thy name.
Hail Freya!”

Add any other items which you might wish to mention before Freya, and then drink in her honour.

Stand silently for a long while, meditating on the presences of the Old Ones, the Gods of our folk who are eternally young, eternally powerful, and returning again here and now to cast their sacred presences about you. Sense their power about you. Now is the time to add any words which you would deem appropriate, for yourself or for others.

When you feel that the rite should end, face the runes of the Gods and take up the chalice one last time, saying:

“O Great Ones of High Valhalla,
I give honour to thee
For being with me here.
May some of thy presences
Remain within me as I leave.
And be ever near me, as well as with
Those who are my true people.
To thee do I drink this toast,
And pour this libation.
Hail Freya! (salute)
Hail Thor! (salute)
Hail Odin! (salute)

Pour some of the drink out before the altar, and drink what remains. Then put out the candles at the North, East, South and West. Stand before the altar with your arms out, saying:

“I thank thee, O Great Ones.
The rite is ended.”

Maiden’s Day (February 2)

2009-04-17T22:45:00.000-07:00

Set up the ritual so that you face North. Take eight stones and lay them down at equal intervals starting from the north and working sunwise. Between the altar and the stone marking the north-point of the circle, place or draw the runes of the Gods: Odin at the center, Freya to one side and Thor at the other. Have a full chalice on the altar as well.

Light the candles at he four quarters and recite:

“I light here a flame
In honour of the coming season
Of chill, and of solitude.
Be with me now Odin, Freya, Thor!”

Light the candle on the altar.

“O Great Ones, I dedicate this place
In thy honour and for thy magicks.
Be with me, and in me, and of me,
Odin the Wise,
Freya the Beautiful,
Thor the Mighty.”

Sit before the altar and then raise the chalice.

“I drink to thee, O Great Ones.
Though I am the only one of our people
Here in this place, it is still
A place of the Gods.
So long as thy magical flame
Burns in my heart.
Hail Odin! (drink)
Hail Freya! (drink)
Hail Thor! (drink)
Hail Hulda! (drink)
I salute also the spirit of the Vala,
The far-seeing prophetess
Who sought out the patterns
Of the future for Great Odin.
Grant me thy clear vision,
O Wise Woman! (drink)”

Lay out the runestones which are symbolic of the coming season. Then take up pen and paper and write the runes which best summarize why you feel guilty, and all that you feel you have done wrong in the past. Scribe the runes, and write plainly all that bothers you the most about yourself. Spend a lengthy time looking at the runes and meditating on them all, looking for the link between the symbols and the season and what you wish to accomplish. Finally, fold your paper with your own personal desires runed on it, and burn it in the cauldron, saying:

“Hear me, O Hulda,
Dark Goddess of times for distant.
I place before thee the symbols
Of all which hinders,
Harms, and makes guilty
Within my own soul.
As this flame burns, O Ancient Norn,
I ask thee to consume all my guilt, all my pain,
That it be gone forever.
And leave me pure
In thy holy Name.
I swear by the Sun, O Dark One,
That I shall do all within my power
To build myself stronger, better,
And more noble
In the year to come.
And I thank thee,
O Goddess before the Gods.
Hail Hulda!”

Gaze into the flames for a long while to see if you can perceive impressions, images or patterns which might give some hint of the future. If so, write them down.

Next this time you may perform any other observances or meditations which you feel are appropriate.

When you feel that the rite should end, face the runes of the Gods and take up the chalice one last time, saying:

“O Great Ones of High Valhalla,
I give honour to thee
For being with me here.
May some of thy sacred presences
Remain within me as I leave.
And be ever near me, as well as with
Those who are my true people.
To thee I drink this toast,
And pour this libation.
Hail Hulda! (salute)
Hail Freya! (salute)
Hail Thor! (salute)
Hail Odin! (salute)

Pour some of the drink out before the altar, and drink what remains. Then put out the candles at the North, East, South and West. Then stand before the altar with your arms out, saying:

“I thank thee, O Great Ones,
This rite is ended.”

The Festival of Lights (December 24)

2009-04-17T22:21:00.000-07:00

“I light my candle in honour
Of the Child of Promise,
Of a magickal time,
And a magickal night.

This is the time for wonder,
For living again the time of beauty
And of joy.
On this beautiful night I again
Renew, within myself,
The promise of hope and joy
For the seasons to come.

This is the time for wonder,
For magick, for enchantment,
And for love.
On this beautiful night I who am grown
Can once more remember a child’s joy,
And children can touch the sky!

May the Holy Lady bless my home,
My family, and all I own.
So mote it be!

May my Lord and my Blessed Lady
Give blessings upon me.
Let me give joy and good friendship
Before the Great Ones,
And in doing, honour them.
This rite is ended.
The Gods be with me!”

Festival of Odin (November 12)

2009-04-17T22:15:00.000-07:00

“Let us give thanks
For the foods of the harvest, and
For the challenge of the hunt.
May the wise Allfather bless my home
And bless my animals, one and all.
So mote it be.

Let me give thanks
For the fullness of this time,
For the rich promise of the harvest time,
And for the love which binds my family
And my people.
May the Holy Lady bless my home,
My family, and all I own.
So mote it be.”

The Week of the Spirits (Halloween)

2009-04-17T22:09:00.001-07:00

October 24 - Festival prelude. The children put up seasonal decorations,
and parents set up the family shrine.

October 25 - The Night of the Heroes. Remembering those of the family who have done much in war and in peace, and recounting their deeds.

October 26 - The Night of the Seers. Remembering ancestors who have dealt with the supernatural, who have foreseen the future, and telling stories of their adventures.

October 27 - The Night of the Martyrs. Those of our people who have died for their faith, their convictions, their freedom or for our people.

October 28 - The Night of the Bards. Artists, musicians and others who have spoken of or pictured the Old Ways, and those others whose work evokes magick.

October 29 - The Night of the Recent Dead. Remembering relatives and friends, and telling about their lives.

October 30 - The Night of Remembrance for Family Pets. Pets are family members; they must be recalled and their memories cherished.

October 31 - Family Fire Festival. After the mundane celebration of the night, conduct a prayer ceremony for souls still undergoing purification. Children relight the hearth and pilot lights. A commemorative midnight dinner is held, at which the dead are welcomed.

Winter Solstice Ritual

2009-04-17T21:59:00.001-07:00

“The Ring of the Year continues,
Without beginning and without end.
The second half-year has passed.
This time of old was called the Wolf Season,
In our old lands a time of cold and harshness.
But surely as the warm seasons
Shall follow this,
So also shall out Gods be with us.

The times that shall come are cold,
Yet look to the sky
And see the promise that the High ones
Have made to us:
The stars which we call “Freya’s Gown”
Are high in the winter sky,
And the winter way winds from her feet
To mark the path of souls across the sky.
So also, in the coldest of seasons,
Is the promise of life and plenty to come.”

Prayer of the Dead

2009-04-17T12:46:00.001-07:00

“We come from beyond the stars,
And beyond the stars we shall return,
Ennobled and possessed of great powers,
If we each prove ourselves worthy.
To one who is a hero of our people,
One who has done great things, learned much,
Death is but a portal to the Godhead
Which each of us can attain, in the fullness of time.
It is said that the Great Lords of High Valhalla
Once trod the sacred groves, and were as us.
Saluted the fierce and honourable wolf,
Honoured the raven as messengers of the Gods,
And learned wisdom. So shall it be with us.
Know that though we change form and essence
We shall be ever yet the same.
Know that, sooner or later, for each and all of us,
Our own divine and everlasting Sparks of life
Shall go beyond.
Shall range among a million million worlds.
Like great Odin himself, we shall eventually become as Gods,
To be in all times, and in all places.
This is Odin’s message to each and all of us.
Hail Odin!”

Samhain Ritual

2009-04-17T12:34:00.000-07:00

“Ever-present at this time is the beautiful,
Yet dark and fearsome Ruler of the Realms
Of the Dead, known to men as Hellia or Hel.
She gathers in the souls at twilight’s end,
And gives to each, what each deserves.
Without hate, without love, without pity.
Hail, Queen of the Dead!

Let me now place flames before the
Portals of the East and West,
For at this night the veil between
The living and the dead are thin,
And in times long past did the Dark Queen
Lead the spirits and the shades on procession
Through the dark forests, the night,
And the storms
Of this Middle Earth of humankind.
So let me now, in symbol, open the path
That leads between the worlds.”

Light the candles in the appropriate colours in the West and East.
Pour the drink into the chalice.

“On this night, O Great Ones,
Do I offer thee mead in lieu of blood,
For the times have changed.
Yet our honour and reverence to Thee
Remains as unchanged now
As it was in ages past.
On this night may we drink to welcome
The Gods of High Valhalla, and the ghosts
Of those who were of our people
In times past.”

Drink now in honour of the dead, those whom you have loved, and those you know not, yet all who were your kindred.

Personal Cleaning Ritual

2009-04-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

“Take now the parchment from the altar,
And writing implements.
In silence, put on thereon the symbolic runes
Of all within yourself which hinders,

Harms and makes guilty.
Think upon it, yet let it be known
Only to the Gods, and then it before
The Ancient One.
And afterward look into the flames,
And search for the future.”

Write or draw that which symbolizes your weaknesses and guilts. After you’re done writing, read the sheet aloud to yourself and burn it.

“Hear me, O Hulda,
Dark Goddess of times far distant.
I place before thee the runes
Of all which hinders,
Harms, and makes guilty
Within my own soul.
As this flame burns, O Ancient Norn,
I ask thee to consume all which weakens me,
That it be gone forever, and leave me
Cleansed and strong
In thy holy Name.
I swear by the Sun, O Dark One,
That I shall do all within my power
To build myself stronger, better,
And more noble
In the year to come.
And I thank thee,
O Goddess before the Gods.
Hail Hulda!”

When the paper is completely turned to ash, look into the flames for images, signs and the like that might attribute to the future.

Personal Blessing Prayer

2009-04-17T11:54:00.000-07:00

“At this time, as in times far past,
Are those of us who follow the Old Ones
Blessed and consecrated in their sacred presence.
May the strength, power, magick, and wisdom,
The courage and the steadfastness
Of the Gods themselves
Remain forever within me.
Hail Odin!”

The Worshippers Chant

2009-04-17T11:48:00.001-07:00

“I tread the path to the Rainbow Bridge
With joy in heart and flame in hand.
Call to the Gods and spread the word,
The Old Ways return across the land!”

Prayer to Gaia (Mother Earth)

2009-04-17T11:41:00.000-07:00

“Since the first dawn I have been
A child of the good Earth.
Giver of life, giver of home
Giver of mysteries and magicks
That echo in our legends.
Care for me, O lands of my people
As I do love and care for thee.
Hail Earth, Mother of All!”

Invoking Freya

2009-04-17T11:30:00.000-07:00

“O Noble Freya, Lady of the far Shining Realms,
Goddess of Power,
Leader of those who come for
The spirits of the noble dead,
Thou who takes away to thy realms
When day is done,
Beauteous Lady with thy necklace of enchantment,
Co-ruler with out great Chief Odin
Of the shining Lands of the Gods.
I call on thee, O blessed Freya
Be with me here, in this rite.”

Invoking Odin

2009-04-17T11:27:00.000-07:00

“O Great Odin, Azure-Cloaked Wanderer
From the far, ancient lands of my people,
Lord of the Shining Ones
Who do protect my land, my folk and my family.
I call to thee to be with me here.
I call to thee across all of time
And all the worlds of the Gods.
Thy people are still here, O wise One,
Come to me again, and give me to drink of thy
Horn of life and of inspiration
That I may prosper once again.
Come to me now and be with me here.
Great Odin!”

Birthday Faerie Prayer

2009-04-17T11:21:00.001-07:00

“Once upon a time,
On this special day of mine,
A rainbow spanned from heaven to Earth,
A bridge of light to bring my birth.
A childe of the heavens I used to be,
Now of the Earth I’m Blessed Be.
To celebrate my birth here today
I wish to make merry in the faerie way.
So sylph of air, salamanders of flame,
Come together and dance from Elphame.
Undines of water and gnomes of earth,
Welcome to my circle, on the day of my birth.
Birthday cake and mead so sweet,
I share with you to drink and eat.
So, faeries, now I invite you to tea,
To celebrate my birthday and Blessed Be.”

Ritual: Faerie Treedom

2009-04-17T11:14:00.001-07:00

Prepare yourself, your altar and your circle for the ritual. The method of raising the power most suitable for this rite is “treading the spiral”. Sit before your altar in a comfortable position and say an invocation to the gnomes:

“To the gnomes I invite your King
Into the circle, please come in.
To follow a path I go seldom,
To tread the dream of faerie treedom.”

Now visualize the King of the Gnomes descending into your circle. He wears garments of brown and green and a crown of acorns. He carries a staff of twisted oak and comes with the energy of benevolence and the wisdom of the earth. He has a long grey beard which tapers down to his waist. Once you have visualized him entering the circle, then welcome him:

“Welcome to my circle divine,
A place of light, cast by thine.
Wise King of the Gnomes,
Take me to your home,
Right through the oaken door,
To the place that you do adore.
Blessed be.”

Now visualize the Gnome King placing a crown or tiara of acorns and leaves upon your head, a symbolic key for you to enter the realms of the gnomes. Now the King of the Gnomes will take you on a journey.

Imagine a majestic oak tree in the center of your circle. In the trunk is a small wooden door, carved beautifully into the oak. The Gnome King opens the door and enters, and you follow him.

As you close the door behind you, you feel that you are in the safest place you have ever been. The walls are rooty and meet the earthen floor, which is a rich red colour. There are torches flaming in the brackets on the walls, producing a warm orange glow throughout the inner tree trunk. You feel totally secure and held by the earth.

The Gnome King has started to walk down an earthy tunnel, rather like a large rabbit warren. He beckons you and you too start to make your way down the pathway. It is lit by torches and as you walk down it you spy glinting amethyst and rose quartz crystals bejewelling the walls. Everywhere is warmth and beauty.

The tunnel twists and turns, weaving and wending its way down on a slight incline all the way. At last the Gnome King reaches a jewel-studded door, glittering and shining with rubies and garnets. He opens the beautiful door and walks into a crystal chamber. It is glimmering with crystal pools of water and waterfalls running gently over sparkling semi-precious stones. There are also crystal caves within the chambers, with clusters of gnomes within them.

The Gnome King gestures for you to enter one of the beautiful caves. The gnomes within the cave part as you enter to reveal a stunning altar, fashioned by the roots and leaves of the oak tree. It is an obvious faerie altar with a chalice, crystal wand, plate of cakes, pentacle, smoking sweet-smelling incense and brown candles with flickering flames. You instinctively reach into your pocket and find a stone in your hand. As you bring it out you see that it is a stunning uncut ruby. You know that you must leave it on the altar as a gift to the gnomes.

Also on the altar is a gift for you. It is a piece of parchment with a painting of a gnome on the front. You pick it up and turn it over. On the other side is a message written flamboyantly in deep brown ink. It is a message for you and you alone are able to read it. It is a personal message from the gnomes to help you in some way. You may stay there and ponder on your message as long as you like.

Once you are ready to leave the crystal cave, the Gnome King goes through the jewel-studded door and leads you through the wending, winding earthy passageway once more. Soon you reach the oak tree entrance hall and the Gnome King indicates that you should leave through the wooden doorway.

You close the door behind you and visualize yourself back before your circle faerie altar once more. Visualize the oak tree in the middle of your circle dissolving and disappearing into thin air. Now complete your faerie Treedom experience by thanking the Gnome King:

“Wise King of the Gnome,
I came to your home,
I went through the oaken door,
To the place we do adore.
Now I bless and honour thee,
Revere the earth and Blessed Be.”

When you feel ready, you can open your eyes. If you are in need of a spell, now would be a good time for spell craft and if your rite is taking place on a waning moon, a banishing spell would be appropriate.

Once you have completed the work of your rite, then bless your cakes and mead and close down your circle, eventually ending up with your feast and not forgetting to leave an offering from it on your faerie altar or in your garden.

Faerie Blessing for Cakes and Mead

2009-04-17T01:35:00.001-07:00

“Blessed Faerie King and Queen,
I have trod your land of dream.
Now I seek to honour thee
With Elphame food that blessed be.
With this mead and honey cake,
Of faerie food I do partake,
Two worlds are one within this rite
On this a most enchanted night.
Blessed be.”

Calling the Faerie Elements

2009-04-17T01:31:00.001-07:00

“I call upon the Guardians of the East,
The sylphs of air,
I invite and invoke you,
By the whispering wind.
I call upon you to commune with me
And protect my rite.
So mote it be.”

“I call upon the Guardians of the South,
The salamanders of the flickering fire.
I enchant and invoke you,
By the summer’s warmth.
I call upon you to commune with me
And protect my rite.
So mote it be.”

“I call upon the Guardians of the West,
The undines of the shimmering water.
I beseech and invoke you,
By the sparkling rain.
I call upon you to commune with me
And protect my rite.
So mote it be.”

“I call upon the Guardians of the North,
The gnomes of the fertile earth.
I call and invoke you,
By the seed sower and the moonrise,
By the earth that is her body.
I call upon you to commune with me
And protect my rite.
So mote it be.”

“Of all the elements far and near,
Witness, bless and be present here.
Hail and welcome.”

Healing Past Life Regression

2009-04-14T23:15:00.001-07:00

1) Go to your Inner Temple, and connect with the guides and spirits that are appropriate for this healing. Reaffirm your protection shield, and feel the protection and love of your guides.

2) Ask to find the gateway of memories. Ask for the past life experience in need of healing that is correct for you. Once you are standing before the doorway, open it up. It will lead you through a long tunnel with many doors.

3) One door in particular will stand out to you, perhaps because of its colour or a symbol. This door leads to the past life correct for you. Go to that door and open it up. See the staircase descending, and walk it, counting each of the 22 steps backward, from 22 - 1.

4) Jump off the last step, and feel yourself jumping into your past life. Immediately look down at your feet. What are your impressions? What do you see? Are you wearing shoes? Scan your body upward and describe what you are wearing. Are you a man or a woman? Look up and around at your environment. What do you see? Do you recognize the time period or location? Access the memories of this person. Who are you? Where are you? What is the season? What is the year?

5) How do you feel in this life, physically and emotionally? Are you healthy? Are you happy? If you are uncomfortable or in any pain, you can step out of your body and observe the events like a movie on the screen of your mind. Try to remain focused on the life, yet detached. You are experiencing something in the past that can no longer hurt you. Witness and observe your feelings, but do not attach to any unwanted emotions or thoughts.

6) Is there anything in need of healing here for you? Ask your guides, healers, and higher self what to do to help heal this situation. They will guide you to the proper techniques, from simple compassion to healing light or spirit medicine. Perform what your guidance tells you to do.

7) When done, release your awareness and go back to the stairs leading to your inner temple. Walk up the stairs, counting from one to 22 as you go. Walk the hallway back to the center of your temple, and close the gate of memories. Listen for any messages your guides have, and ask any further questions.

8) Once done, return through the World Tree tunnel and stand before the World Tree. Step back through the screen of your mind’s eye, and let the World Tree gently fade from view.

Dream Herbs

2009-04-14T22:56:00.001-07:00

* apple leaf and blossom

* chamomile

* catnip

* comfrey

* elder

* eucalyptus

* heather

* jasmine

* lemon/lemon balm

* vanilla

* lilac

* lily/lily of the valley

* valerian

* may flowers

* mugwort

* orris root

* rose

* sage

* sandalwood

Dream Gemstones

2009-04-14T22:52:00.000-07:00

* aquamarine

* beryl

* blue aragonite

* blue calcite

* clear quartz

* Herkimer diamond

* laboratories

* moonstone

* mother of pearl

* opal

* pearl

* red jasper

* rhodochrosite

* selenite

* silver

* sugilite

Invocation of the Horned One

2009-04-14T22:46:00.001-07:00

By the flame that burneth bright,
O Horned One!
We call thy name into the night,
O Ancient One!

Thee we invoke, by the moon-led sea,
By the standing stone and the twisted tree,
Thee we invoke where gather thine own,
By the nameless shrine forgotten and lone.

Come where the round of the dance is trod,
Horn and hoof of the goat foot God!
By moonlit meadow, on dusky hill,
When the haunted wood is hushed and still.

Come to the charm of the chanted prayer,
As the moon betwitches the midnight air,
Evoke thy powers, that potent bide
In shining stream and the secret tide.

In fiery flame by starlight pale,
In shadowy host that rides the gale,
And by the fern-brakes faerie-haunted
Of forests wild and woods enchanted.

Come! Come!
To the heart-beats drum!
Come to us who gather below
When the broad white moon is climbing slow
Through the stars to the heaven’s height!
We hear thy hoofs on the wind of night!
As black tree branches shake and sigh,
By joy and terror we know thee nigh.
We speak the spell thy power unlocks
At Solstice, Sabbat and Equinox.

Tree Breathing

2009-04-14T22:12:00.000-07:00

1) Get into your magickal mindset.

2) Focus your attention on your heart. Bring all your awareness to your heart and remember that it is the center of compassion and unconditional love, the witch’s Perfect Love.

3) Imagine planting a seed in the fertile green light, the spiritual “soil” of your heart. Plant a seed of the same type as your World Tree.

4) Feel the water of your love nurture the seed. Feel the air of your mind coax it. Feel the light of your soul appear like sunlight and guide its growth. Feel the tree in your heart grow, with its trunk within your body, parallel to you spine.

5) Focus on the world below. Feel your inner tree’s roots reach down through your legs and feet and into the earth, connecting you to the heart of the earth and into the Lower World. As you inhale, feel yourself drawing up the energy below into your roots and into your body. Feel the energy below you. Breathe steadily for a few minutes.

6) Now focus on the world above. Feel your inner tree’s branches reach up through your crown and touch the stars in the heavens of the Upper World. As you inhale, feel yourself drawing down the energy of the sky realms into the branches. Feel it flow down into your crown and body. Feel the energy above you. Breathe steadily for a few minutes.

7) Alternate each breath, focusing on the world below for one full breath, and then the world above. Bring the energy into your body.

8) Simultaneously draw in energy from above and below with each breath. Breathe steadily for a few minutes.

9) As you breathe in the energy, will it to your heart chakra, and say to yourself the affirmation of “Perfect Love, Perfect Trust”, infusing the energy with this intention. As you exhale, feel the qualified energy fill your body. As you continue to qualify the energy and exhale, feel it expand into your aura, the energy field around your body.

Pathworking of the Enchanted Sherwood Forest

2009-04-14T18:09:00.000-07:00

It is early autumn and the time is twilight. You are at the edge of Sherwood Forest and you can hear the strains of merry music coming from deep within the wood. You begin to walk along the well-trodden pathway, following the sounds of the music and laughter. As you walk, newly fallen leaves scrunch underfoot. You carry a candle lantern on a stick before you and feel quite safe walking alone on such a beautiful evening. The air is warm and the forest feels like a merry, welcoming place.

As you walk farther into the forest, the music and laughter gradually become louder. You feel that very soon you will be among the revellers. There is a sense of excitement in the forest, and you too feel excited at the thought of what you will find. You notice the nocturnal animals and birds of the forest beginning to emerge as the evening draws in. An owl hoots softly from a tree as you pass, and you see hedgehogs scurrying noisily and busily through the pathway of leaves.

All of a sudden the music stops and so does the laughter, just as you thought you were about to come to the woodland party. Instead you turn a corner, and before you is an enchanting sight to behold. You have come across a forest clearing, but it is illuminated with what must be a hundred lanterns suspended from branches, tucked in nooks of trees and forming a circle in the magickal glade. There is an air of mystery and enchantment, as if you have stumbled upon a faerie grotto. You also have the feeling that you are being watched, not in a sinister way but with curiosity and mischievousness.

In the center of the forest glade is the most enormous tree that you have ever seen. It is an oak. Its girth is huge and there is a cavernous entrance in the trunk, large enough for several men to enter at once. This entrance is lit by lanterns hanging on branches that are stuck in the earth. Suspended around it are little bells that tinkle in the breeze, acorns threaded on string and wooden wind chimes clanking gently in the autumn wind. This entrance sight seems to be a bewitching invitation to enter the tree.

You walk into the glade, illuminated by the lanterns, and all at once you feel as if you have entered another realm, a magickal place, not of this time or this Earth. As you walk into the tree, again you feel a shift in the atmosphere and now you are in a different realm entirely. The tree trunk is completely hollow and the woody walls are lit by torch flames. You feel safe in the tree, encircled and held by the earth and all its magick.

As you look around you, you see things that you feel could belong to Robin Hood in nooks and crannies in the tree trunk. In a knotty alcove lies a quiver of arrows, as if waiting to be used. Hanging from an inner branch is a green velveteen hat, almost moss-like, with a single feather in its side. In another woody nook is a goblet fashioned entirely from wood. You touch the goblet and it is exceptionally smooth, something only elfin hands could have created. On another wooden hook hangs a horse’s bridle made from the finest and softest leather and trimmed in moss-green velvet. You feel honoured to be in Robin’s realm and you feel that he could have just left the tree trunk hideout seconds before you arrived. You can almost touch his presence in the hideout, yet you instinctively feel that he and the rest of the forest revellers do not with to be seen.

You leave the tree hideout and walk back into the glade. It is totally night now and the tree lanterns sparkle and wink in the moonlight, swaying in the breeze.

As you leave the woodland clearing you hear music and laughter once again. Their revelling had been suspended for you to enter at least part of the forest magick. As you walk along the pathway, back to where you first began your journey, you feel something in your pocket. You reach in and pull out the feather that had been in Robin Hood’s moss-like cap. Taking this piece of magick home with you, finally you reach your destination, the edge of the forest.

Calling the Faeries to the Circle

2009-04-14T17:48:00.001-07:00

“Dearest Faerie King and Queen,
My elfin mentors who are unseen,
To learn the magickal faerie art
Is the wish within my heart.”

*****

“Dear Faerie King and Queen,
Take me to the land of green,
To the realm where no one knows
Of the land of elves and trows.
Faerieland is not quite here,
Through the arch in another sphere.
An enchanted place,
Through time and space.
Take me away.
Be sure to bring me back today.
Blessed be.”

*****

“I claim the faerie priesthood.
With you I follow, pixie-led,
To use this gift for only good.
A magickal path to faerie tread.
Blessed be.”

Opening Your Faerie Wings

2009-04-14T17:39:00.000-07:00

Imagine that you are walking towards a misty green veil. You are quite safe and no harm will come to you. Proceed towards the green veil, made of the finest fabric you have ever seen, and push your way through it. You will find yourself in a beautiful place belonging to fair Elfland.

A serene garden awaits you. Here there are many varieties of roses, all in full bloom. Lavender bushes adorn the perimeter of the lovely garden and you can tell that the garden is regularly tended. All the elements are represented here: there is a small ornate pool with a white cat sitting at the edge and occasionally tapping the surface of the water with her dainty paw, there are garden lanterns with flickering candle flames around the pool’s edge, there are little ornate windmills turning in the breeze and there are smooth pebbles and crystals at the pool’s edge. The elemental faeries are hidden, but this is their place and they will assist you in your work.

Today you require the help of the sylph faeries of the air. In your mind, call upon them politely to assist your Pathworking. Ask them to be with you in this winged meditation.

After you have done this you may feel their presence in the garden. If you do, then in your imagination reach into your pocket, where you will find a feather. Place the feather by the windmills as your acknowledgement of the faeries and your offering of thanks.

Imagine that you are sitting down on the grass by the little windmills. Take a few deep breaths of the sweet-smelling air and concentrate on being really relaxed. You are going to focus on your body. Imagine a lovely green light surrounding it. This light raises your spiritual self to a higher vibration and brings you more in tune with the garden and all of nature.

Now focus on your skin. Imagine that it is sparkling all over, as if a faerie had painted you with rainbow glitter. Now you are a being that resonates with the beauty and magick of the garden. Visualize them enhancing your psychic awareness and making it possible for you to metamorphosize.

Now focus on your back and visualize a green bud on either side of your shoulder blades. These buds are bursting with life and you can see and feel them quivering, waiting to unfurl. They contain your faerie wings, but before they unfold you need to decide how you want them to appear. You may feel drawn to grow wings fashioned from gossamer thread, dainty and easily carried by the wind. Alternatively, you may desire wings which align you to a particular insect or bird - butterfly, moth - or the feathered wings of a blackbird or dove perhaps. The choice is yours, but each of these wing types comes with its own special energies, and you need to feel comfortable with your own wings’ magickal personalities. Choosing wings that you feel especially drawn to and can imagine easily is important, as they will become part of your own etheric body.

Focus on your wings buds again and then visualize your wings, crumpled and damp at first, slowly emerging from the bud kernels. Use your mind and will to move them. Unfold them fully, so that their span reaches out to the very tips. For a few moments, let them be still to dry out in the breeze and the sun. Take this opportunity to really feel that they are part of your etheric body. Feel the weight of them on your back and imagine you have sensations in them. If you have feathered wings, you can feel the breeze ruffling through your feathers. If you have insect or gossamer wings, you can feel the sun drying them out and making them first and taut, ready to take flight.

Once your wings have dried in the sun, extend them skywards and reach the tips to the sky. Go on, give them a stretch! Feel how beautiful you are with wings and sense the opportunities that they give you. Feel free to embellish them. If they are butterfly wings, give them a pattern, for example. Let your vision have no boundaries, for these are your wings and they are the embodiment of your freedom in every sense.

You need to become accustomed to your faerie wings and also the way your body feels with them extended. Give your wings a ripple. Flutter each in turn and watch them too, feel happy at their appearance. Be joyful to own faerie wings. Flap them about as much as you like and have a good giggle at the same time if you want. Really revel in the experience.

When you have had enough of exercising and playing with your faerie wings, then it is time to put them away for now. In future pathworkings you may eventually fly with them, when you feel that the time is right. However, you need to become fully accustomed to their sensations before you do.

Imagine your wings are folding up very tightly into the wing buds until all you can see are the green buds on your back. Dissolve the green light around your body and brush the glitter away with the palms of your hands. Bid the garden farewell, stand up and walk towards the green veil. Once you have walked through it, you find yourself back in the everyday world.

The White Faerie Mare’s Spiral

2009-04-14T16:51:00.000-07:00

Imagine that you are standing at a gate which leads into a meadow. The time is midsummer and it is duck. The meadow is full of long grass, be speckled with wild flowers, buttercups and clover. In the center of the meadow is a white mare. She has a flowing mane and tail and her white coat shines under the moonlight. You watch her as she grazes for a few moments. She is completely at peace and is an enchanting sight. The mare wears a white velvet bridal and the reins hang loosely around her withers. Attached to the reins are many tine bells.

After observing her for a while, you climb over the five-barred gate into the field. You are wearing light summer clothing and your feet are absolutely bare. Before you reach the mare you stop at a cluster of daisies. You feel an impulse to make a daisy chain, so you sit down in the long grass and become absorbed in the activity of splitting the little stalks and threading.

When at last you complete the daisy chain, you look up and see that the mare has wandered over to you. You stroke her soft white muzzle and it is like velvet to the touch. You say, “Hello”, and pat her strong white neck. She appears to be very friendly and loving, and as a special gift you give her your daisy chain by placing it over her head.

You spend a few moments patting, stroking and generally becoming acquainted with the mare. She has a wonderfully gentle and wise energy about her, and you feel relaxed in her presence.

When you feel that you are comfortable with her, you gather up the velvet reins and climb upon her bare back. The evening has waned to night now, and the full moon’s light leaks gently into the meadow and dapples through the trees that surround the field. It is a good, safe feeling being astride the hose as you hold the reins and look across the meadow as the grass and wild flowers sway in the breeze. You suddenly become aware of the elements and feel as if you are experiencing a heightened state of awareness. Each second is a minute, each minute is an hour and you are very mindful of the breeze. It is a soft, light breeze and very pleasant on this warm summer’s evening. You feel the breath of the wind running across your face and body and you see it ruffle the horse’s long white mane. It tickles your toes and makes you feel alive and free. That is where the white faerie mare wants to take you, not to a place, but to a feeling. She is aliveness, the embodiment of a free spirit. Let her take you to the place where your spirit can soar. Succumb to the sensations of freedom and be totally and utterly in the bliss of tranquility and oneness with nature.

The bells on the reins tinkle beautifully in the fine breeze and the mare begins to walk slowly and deliberately in a large clockwise spiral. She seems to know exactly where she is taking you. Trust her to take you on the journey and just relax into the experience. Take in the enchanting stillness of the night and as the mare walks in her spiral, feel the tips of the long grass touching the soles of your feet. This is a sensory journey, and your body is attuning itself to the small and beautiful details of the meadow and the mare. Feel relaxed and in control, feel the breeze, the grass on your feet, the moonlight on your eyelids, hear the bridle bells tinkle. This is all for you. Care not where you are heading, but drink in the experience of the moment.

The faerie mare is treading a spiral in the meadow, but also a spiral in the universe. She is treading the dream, taking you from one world to another through the portal of your senses. Everything feels calm and you may feel a sense of bliss and oneness with the universe.

The mare’s steps start to become smaller as her spiral brings her to the center of the meadow. You begin to see small winged faeries surrounded by light dancing on the spiral path that she has trod. You also notice that the spiral pathway has made the grass a darker green than the rest of the field.

Once she has reached the very center of her spiral, the faerie mare stops walking. The stillness of the meadow and the night touch you and you begin to feel lulled by the whole experience. You feel safe enough to lie back on the mare’s body and close your eyes. For a few moments you can freefall and just listen to your senses and the calmness within. With your eyes still closed, feel the breeze on your face and the measured breathing of the horse beneath you. Feel held by the universe in these moments. Your body is safe with the faerie mare, so let your spirit wander in the tranquility.

The white faerie mare nods her head gently, causing her bells to ring. This brings you back to the meadow and to yourself. You open your eyes and sit up on the mare’s back.

Once you are comfortable and ready, the mare begins to retrace her steps back along the spiral. You feel relaxed and refreshed as you let her carry you on the spiral pathway.

Continue to take in your surroundings as she treads the pathway. You are becoming aware that the mare is no ordinary horse. It feels as if she is a faerie queen in a horse’s body, as if you are being carried by an aspect of the goddess, a beautiful being for whom your spiritual well-being and happiness are the utmost concern.

Soon the circle becomes more expansive, and as it does so do you feel more and more alert and less aware of the microcosm of the sensory world.

The mare eventually halts at the meadow gate, and you pat her neck and reluctantly slide down from her back. You stroke her muzzle and kiss her forehead before you climb over the gate to end your Pathworking. The faerie mare wanders contently back into the depths of the meadow and grazes once more at the nucleus of the spiral pathway.

The Snow Queen’s Procession

2009-04-13T20:23:00.000-07:00

You see before you a field at twilight covered in virgin snow, in the field is a mound, or hollow hill as it is known, and beyond that are snow-covered woodlands. It is the night of the full moon and the stars shine sharply in the darkest blue sky. The snow glitters in the moonlight as the sky slowly creeps to black. You stand all alone in the tranquil surroundings.

When it is completely dark, you begin to walk through the snow towards the hollow hill, leaving deep footprints as you go. You are dressed warmly, all in white.

As you approach the hollow hill, you see something sparkling and glistening next to it. It seems to be transparent and quite beautiful, and if you are not mistaken it is a sleigh. It seems to be a solid object and is one of the most beautiful and engaging sights you have ever beheld. Sparkling around it are coloured lights that appear and disappear in the darkness. You recognize them as faerie lights and you feel in a very magickal and special place.

The faerie lights gravitate to the ground before your eyes. As you watch them, they begin to transform into faerie beings, lantern-bearing snow spirits.

You have hardly had time to take in this astonishing sight when you hear the sound of excited dogs playing and barking in the woods next to the field. You can also see the bobbing and swaying of a large lantern being carried through the dense woodland. The snow sprites around the sleigh start to chatter excitedly and gather upon the glistening sleigh, lighting it up with their tiny lanterns.

The dogs seem to be drawing nearer, together with the luminescent lantern. At last you can just about see through the darkness of the trees who the lantern-bearer is. You recognize the Snow Queen herself, Holda, grasping a long spiralling stick with her magick lantern suspended on it. The lantern seems to emanate a silvery white light, quite unlike a candle flame. The queen is tall and slender and has bountiful dark hair which reaches in cascades of curls to her knees. She wears a striking white dress with a fur-edged train at the back which glides across the snow, creating a swift swishing sound. She also wears a heavy white velvet cloak with a fur-trimmed hood. Her face is animated and vivacious. She is a beautiful creature with a twinkle in her bright blue eyes and a smile on her red rosebud lips. She comes with a kindly energy and being in her presence feels magickal.

When the Snow Queen reaches the sleigh, her pack of husky dogs gather quickly into their respective places at the front of the sleigh. They do this without fuss, as if they know exactly what is coming next. The snow sprites buckle the dogs into white leather harnesses. The Snow Queen gestures with her hand for you to get into the sleigh. You sit down on the sheepskin-covered seat and she seats herself next to you.

You have a feeling of excitement and suspense as everything feels so enchanting. All at once it begins to snow in moonlit flurries and you are transfixed by the falling flakes. As though that were the cue to begin, the Snow Queen rings a little bell on the sleigh. At this sign the dogs begin to pull the sleigh swiftly and smoothly across the snow meadow. They are enthusiastic in their endeavours and seem to be enjoying every minute. For you too the sleigh ride is a joyful experience; the breeze flies through your hair and the sleigh is lit up by the many tiny lanterns which the snow sprites hold. It is an exhilarating experience. You sit back and revel in the fun of it all.

Then the Snow Queen rings the little bell once again and without warning the sleigh glides up into the air, the dogs pulling it upward into the starry sky. The Snow Queen whoops with delight and, like you, seems to be enjoying the whole journey immensely.

You ascent becomes steeper as the huskies climb higher into the clear night sky. The flurries of snow still whirl all around the sleigh, even though there appear to be no clouds. It is as if this were the Snow Queen’s own personal snowfall that follows her wherever she goes. Although you are high in the winter sky, you do not feel the slightest bit cold, but surprisingly warm.

The snow flurries seem to be getting more intense, and for a few moments you cannot see where you are going. Then the snow whirls suddenly disperse and everything has altered. You seem to have entered another place. You are travelling over another landscape entirely. The woodlands are no longer English, but Scandinavian forests of tall spruce trees, topped with caps of snow. The landscape is dramatic and the countryside expansive.

The Snow Queen rings the little bell once more and the huskies begin to descend into a clearing in the forest. You cannot see exactly where you are going to land, but you do see hundreds of coloured faerie lights twinkling below. After a few moments it becomes clear that you are heading for a glorious lantern-lit frozen lake in the middle of the dense forest.

The sleigh glides gracefully and smoothly down to land on the ice. As you look around you, you realize the place is utterly enchanting. There are hundreds of snow sprites bearing lanterns around the perimeter of the frozen lake. In the center of the ice is a gorgeous faerie altar, decorated with swathes of white velvet, tiny white flowers and lanterns, emanating the same silvery white light as the Snow Queen’s lantern. At the center of the altar are two icicle crowns. One is large and ornate and rests on a circlet of white velvet. Eight snow sprites glide over and, taking hold of the crown, place it on the Snow Queen’s head. She kisses them all and they seem to find this very amusing and giggle a lot! They then glide to the smaller, more intricate icicle crown. This time they place it on your head. With this gesture you have been honoured by the faeries and granted entry into their realm. The Snow Queen kisses you on both cheeks. Her kiss is not cold, as you would expect, but extremely warm, so warm that you feel filled with love.
She climbs back into the beautiful sleigh with you by her side and rings the tiny bell once more. Suddenly a flurry of whirling snowflakes encompasses you both, the huskies and the sleigh. It is not an unpleasant experience and you can see the pattern of each individual snowflake as they swirl before your eyes. For a few moments, there is nothing except glittering snowflakes. Then you hear the little bell once again and the flurry subsides. Although you had no sensation of traveling anywhere, you are now sitting in the sleigh in the field next to the woodland where you set off. The Snow Queen is standing next to the sleigh with her lunar lantern, surrounded by her excited huskies. She smiles and blows you a kiss and then begins to walk into the woodland, disappearing a few moments later. The snow sprites take your hands and guide you out of the sleigh. You step out and take one last look at the enchanting faerie sleigh.

Your journey to the faerie realm is complete. Bid the sprites farewell and when you feel ready you may open your eyes.

The Norse World Tree of Nine Worlds, Yggdrasil

2009-04-13T12:44:00.000-07:00

Upper Worlds

1) Asgard - The realm of the ruling gods, the Aesir. Gods such as Odin, Thor, and Balder belong to this tribe. In our soul cosmology, the first world represents our god consciousness, the higher self.

2) Alfheim - the realm of the light elves. Though not the Aesir, they are Upper World spirits of enlightenment and awareness. Some think of this realm as a world of the semi divine, of demigods and enlightened ancestor spirits who live with the elves. In our personal inner tree, Alfheim is our intellect and awareness.

Middle Worlds

3) Midgard - the realm of mortals. Humanity is found in the center of the tree. Some gods are more concerned with the realm of the mortals than others. In our inner anatomy, Midgard is the middle self and the body. Here we find our day-to-day consciousness.

4) Niflheim - the realm of ice energy, one of the primal forces in the Norse cosmology. Ice is the power of stasis and solidity. Many would equate it with the earth elemental principle.

5) Jotunheim - the realm of the giants. Mythically the giants are in battle with the gods. They represent the forces of motion and change within all things. This force could be equated with the air elemental principle.

6) Muspellsheim - the home of the other primal polarity - fire. Paired with ice, the two forces provide the dynamic motion of Norse myth and magick. Muspellsheim has obvious associations with the elemental quality of fire.

7) Vanaheim - the realm of the Vanir, a tribe of gods more attuned to earthly concerns than with heavenly ones. In a war with the Aesir, the Vanir were defeated. As part of the truce, the tribes exchanged gods. The Vanir gave the Aesir custody of Freya and Frey, the two primal gods sometimes seen as embodiments of the Lady and Lord. The realm of Vanaheim is one of natural balance. Vanaheim is sometimes connected with the forces of elemental water by modern pagan practitioners.

Underworlds

8) Svartalfheim - the mirror image of Alfheim, being home to the dark elves, the dwarves, and the spirits of nature that dwell below. They are considered mischievous and sometimes even malicious. Svartalfheim, in our inner world, is the realm of emotion.

9) Hel - the lowest of the worlds. Hel is the realm of the Underworld, the realm of the dead ruled by the goddess Hel. This is simply the realm of the dead, not of punishment or torture. In our inner tree, Hel is the unconscious realm. When you become more aware of the lower energies of Svartalfheim and Hel, you are in contact with your lower self.

The Gnome Pathworking

2009-04-13T00:12:00.000-07:00

As you enter the woods, you notice a magnificent tree. It is a glorious old oak with twisting vies and ivy growing all around its wide trunk. Its roots spread out, spanning the earth all around it and giving a sense of expansion and security. Such is the friendly nature of the tree that you feel invited to sit beneath its majestic boughs.

You sit down on the cushioned moss-covered ground with your back leaning against the trunk of the tree. This in itself is a pleasant and peaceful experience and you are lulled into repose by the tree’s serenity. You enjoy the relaxation that being in the company of the oak brings.

Gradually the tree becomes the centre of everything, the only thing that matters in your slumbering mind. After a while you feel a glowing warmth next to you. You look down to see an orb of amber light, glowing and pulsating by a thick root. Slowly the light fades and in its place, still surrounded by an aura of amber light, stands what you instantly recognize as a gnome. He is about six inches tall and wears a moss-green jacket with matching trousers. He wears no shoes and his pointy hat is also green. He has a kindly face and of course a beard, which is very fluffy and more like the ‘old man’s beard’ which blows off trees in the autumn than a human beard. He seems to be very preoccupied with sewing a blanket that appears to be torn in the middle. The blanket is made from leaves, all sewn together with minute stitches, intricately worked.

You watch him for a few moments sewing his little faerie stitches. He seems to be concentrating so deeply on his task that he is completely absorbed, almost as if it were a meditation. You also become drawn into the methodical sewing and you wonder if he is aware of you sitting next to him. As if in reply to your thought, he looks up from his sewing, smiles and nods you a greeting. Then the orb of amber light around him begins to shimmer and glow. It pulsates for a moment and then suddenly disappears, as if it were a bubble that has burst.

Your faerie bubble has also burst as you find that with the gnome’s disappearance the woods appear normal again. The tree no longer dominates everything and seems to be just an ordinary tree. You get up and walk out of the woods into the sunshine, your Pathworking now complete.

The Undine Pathworking

2009-04-12T23:55:00.000-07:00

You enter the beautiful woodland on a fine midsummer’s day. As you do so, you hear a lovely woman’s voice singing in the distance and you are instantly drawn to it. You begin to follow the woodland pathway in the direction of the entrancing singing. The song sounds joyous and full of feeling and you have never before heard a voice so exquisite. You long to find out whose it is.

As you make your way along the footpath, all sound seems to be accentuated. You notice the birdsong more than ever before, the rustle of the breeze among the trees and the bees buzzing among the wild flowers. You pass the clearing where you sat with the sylph butterfly and continue on your journey. All the time the voice seems to be getting louder and you believe that you must be getting nearer to the singer.

Quite suddenly you turn a corner and find yourself beside a still pool. The water seems cool and inviting, and you realize that the singing has faded away. You sit down beside the woodland pool. There are dragonflies skimming the surface of the water, their shimmering bodies catching rays of sunlight. You take your shoes off to feel the cool damp moss beneath your feet and it is a pleasant experience.

A dragonfly skims very close to your feet, which makes you look up. You immediately notice a very beautiful young woman sitting on the opposite side of the pool. She could almost be human, but there is something a little fey about her. So striking is this feeling that you feel honoured to be able to see her. She sits on the wet moss as you do, but she is naked, with a pale slender body, almost tapered at the ends. Her hair is the most amazing sight, for it is black, wavy and luxuriant and reaches down to her knees, draping most of her body. A little frog sits beside her. She seems to be talking to him and he seems to be listening. You do not think that she has noticed you until she looks up from her tete a tete with the frog and gives you a little smile. She then slips effortlessly into the water and disappears, apart from her hair, which splays out on the surface of the water. You reach out to try and touch a thread of it and feel water weed slipping through you fingers. With faerie glamour, she has become her element.

Feeling as if you have witnessed a very special faerie, you leave the poolside and retrace your steps to the pathway. As you walk back along the footpath you begin to notice things that you don’t think were there before: little coloured orbs of light in the trees, spiders’ webs glistening in the sun and a feeling of the consciousness and interconnectedness of nature.

After a magickal walk you reach the end of the pathway and emerge into the sunshine, bringing an end to your Pathworking.

The Salamander Pathworking

2009-04-12T23:32:00.000-07:00

Imagine that you are in the woodland once more, but this time following a different footpath. This is a steeper pathway carved into a hill. The uphill walk is made easier by some steps made from wood build into the earth at intervals. You begin by following the steps and the sun beats down, as this pathway is less shady, being at the edge of the woods.

As you reach the top of the path, you see a stable and a barn. There are two chestnut horses in a meadow beyond, grazing contently. Outside the stable you notice a small smouldering bonfire where stable waste and dry hedge clippings are being burnt.

The smoke spirals upwards into the sky as if it has a consciousness of its own. This catches your eye and you stop and watch. The smoke seems to be spiralling in the most peculiar and beautiful patterns, quite unlike any smoke you have seen before. This entrances you and you sit down on a tree stump to watch it.

After a few moments you begin to see a form within the smoke. It is a long, thin tapered faerie form, its limbs are lithe and seemingly flow into the rest of the smoke.

Suddenly you become more aware of the breeze; it is accentuated in your mind and senses. It must have been there before, but you do not recall it. You think you hear tinkling bells on the breeze, but you cannot be sure where they are coming from. It is a smoke salamander. Your attention focuses on the smoke salamander once again and she seems to be dancing to the faerie bells on the breeze. She is enjoying every movement of it and you take pleasure in observing her. As she dances her body elongates and then comes back to its original shape (such is the nature of smoke) changing its form continually. She seems to be aware that you are watching her. Your senses are heightened and you are experiencing the natural world in a timeless bubble of bliss.

After you have watched the smoke for a while, the faerie fades and the smoke once again spirals with no particular form. You turn and retrace your steps down the wooden stepped hillside until you come out into the sunshine outside the woods.

Your Pathworking has ended and you may now open your eyes when you are ready.

The Sylph Pathworking

2009-04-12T23:17:00.001-07:00

Imagine that you are in an English woodland with many varieties of trees. There is a pathway wending its way through the trees, flanked by moss and trailing ivy. The time is mid-summer and the woods are at their most lush and vibrant.

Follow the pathway into the woods. You are completely alone and the only sounds come from the birds singing, insects buzzing and your own footsteps. Take in your enchanting surroundings as the late afternoon sunlight dapples on the green leaves and the pathway.

After a short walk along the footpath, you come to a pleasant clearing. A fallen tree lies here amidst an array of wild flowers. The tree trunk is luxuriantly covered in moss, so you may take a seat there. Sitting down, you can watch the many butterflies which are fluttering and flitting among the charming wild flowers. You sit for a while, taking in the fresh air and watching the butterflies in the beautiful clearing.

After a while one butterfly in particular catches your attention. The sunlight seems to catch it most mysteriously, almost as if it is surrounded by an aura of golden light. You become very interested in this particular butterfly and focus upon its movements. Sometimes it flits very close to you and you can actually see it taking nectar from the flowers. It is a red admiral butterfly and the patterns on its wings are incredibly detailed.

Suddenly your special butterfly comes to land on the mossy tree next to you. Although you have seen no actual transformation, it appears that it is not a butterfly after all, but a sylph faerie. He has the exquisite wings of a real admiral butterfly and the slender body, but he is definitely a faerie. He is slightly furry all over his body and face and his eyes are velvety black. He blinks a few times and definitely looks at you as if he has something important to say: a message perhaps, or a question. A breeze rustles around the trees and the woodland clearing, the sylph faerie takes off to join the other butterflies and now, quite strangely, becomes indistinguishable from the other butterflies tending the flowers.

You get up and retrace your steps back to the footpath. As you walk along the track, you wonder what the faerie wanted to say to you. Perhaps you will find out when you visit the clearing once more. When you have reached the end of the pathway, come out of the woods and into the sunshine. Now you can open your eyes in your own time. Your Pathworking is completed.

The Angel Wings Visualization

2009-04-12T22:59:00.001-07:00

See yourself surrounded by sparkling white light, a light that could only be celestial in origin. The light fills your aura, shimmering and twinkling, as if it contains a million tiny stars. As you become bathed in the luminescent glow, it emanates a feeling of peace. Allow yourself to feel at peace and rest in the radiance of its beautiful energy. Know that you are safe and being held by the goodness of the universe. Relax into a peaceful state for a few moments and concentrate on the enveloping light.

After a while the white light begins to become energized and almost pulsates. Behind you, you sense a loving presence arriving. Very slowly you feel two enormous feathered wings reach around your body, as if they are screening and protecting you from any negativity. Allow the wings to enfold you and softly bring a feeling of pure love and devotion. You are in the arms of your guardian angel.

You may wish to see more of your angel at this stage or you may not. If you would like to, you may visualize yourself looking up to see them above you. They may show themselves to you in this visualization or they may leave this for another time. Just accept what happens and know that they are working with your best interests at heart. You may stay within the wings of your angel for as long as you like.

When you feel that it is a comfortable time to move on, you can visualize your faeriecraft pathway. See a footpath in the countryside before you. You may be walking through a meadow of wild flowers and sweet grasses or a woodland pathway covered in scrunch leaves and flanked by trees. The type of pathway is your choice, but it does symbolize your spiritual pathway with the faeries, so make it a beautiful image, perhaps filled with butterflies and crystals, running streams and spiders’ webs glistening with dew. Make it a pathway that you would definitely delight in treading.

Now visualize yourself walking along that footpath, and see your guardian angel walking by your side. Visualize this image strongly. See yourself and your guardian angel surrounded by the lovely luminescent white light. Stand back and see yourself and your angel both walking along the pathway until you have disappeared over the horizon. By going through this process, you are symbolically calling upon the assistance and protection of your guardian angel.

Now free your mind of the pathway visualization and come back to yourself, with your angel ever present behind you. Thank you angel, either mentally or verbally, and send out loving thoughts to them. Feel the angel’s wings gently releasing you from their enfoldment and as they do so the glow of the celestial white light begins to fade. After a few moments, you see yourself as you were before you began to visualize.

When you are ready, you may open your eyes and eat and drink. You can also leave a little thank you on your faerie altar to acknowledge your experience with you angel.

Meditation: Contacting the Gnomes

2009-04-10T22:50:00.000-07:00

A little boy is walking in the woods in winter with his parents and he has brought with him a present for the faeries. At his favourite tree he stops and places a tiny piece of cake in a hidden nook within the roots. He stays a while talking to the faeries that he knows live in the beautiful old gnarly tree. He also leaves a sparkling stone from his garden that he has found and polished.

At last his parents call him, as they are walking deeper into the woods. The little boy reluctantly says farewell to the faeries and hurries on to his parents. Once he is certain the boy has gone, a white-bearded gnome pokes his head out from around a root. He has been there all the time, in fact his boots have been sticking out of a hole in between two crossing roots, but they have been very well camouflaged. He takes the cake and scatters it around the roots of the tree for the squirrels and birds. He then picks up the stone and smiles and places it in his waistcoat pocket. A shrew comes to sit next to him and he strokes it as if it were a cat. He seats himself on a mossy part of the tree and take out some knitting from his jacket pocket. He is knitting himself a pair of socks and methodically knits with the shrew curled up at his feet. He smiles as he knits and a purple light glows around his waistcoat where the stone lies in his pocket.

Meditation: Contacting the Undines

2009-04-10T22:30:00.001-07:00

A young woman with long dark hair is sitting by the loveliest well she has ever come by. In fact she comes here whenever she can get away. If you could see the well, you would know why. It is in a lonely lush woodland and is made from stones, now covered in moss and lichen. The young woman is not the only one to have discovered the well, for it is believed to be a sacred place, associated with the goddess. Today around the walls, visitors have placed sprigs of primrose, feathers, stones, seashells, bunches of herbs and ribbons, all in honour of the goddess and the spirit of the well.

The young woman does not know why she is drawn here and why she feels a sense of peace when she visits. She could not tell you the reason why she has come here on a drizzly day, the air smelling of wet ferns and damp moss. As she sits beside the well she places her own bunch of primroses with the other offerings. She takes a deep breath and instantly feels at peace with her verdant surroundings and in turn with her inner self. She feels the breeze running through her waist-length hair and thinks for a split-second that she hears a woman singing on that breeze. She wonders if someone else is coming to visit the well. She listens for the singing again, but only hears the sounds of the woodland. She drops a primrose petal into the well water and watches the ripples spread across the sun-speckled water. When the ripples have ebbed away she looks down at her own reflection.

In the well water she sees a beautiful young woman with waist-length dark hair. She smiles when she smiles, she blinks when she blinks, so she thinks it must be her reflection. And yet there is something different today. She drops another petal into the water and the reflection ripples. She whispers her goodbyes to the well and starts to make her way back home, down the public footpath. She ponders on her reflection, not knowing why she is dwelling upon the image. Until she realizes one thing: her undine reflection was naked, whereas she had peered into the well fully clothed. The reflection could not have been her.

Meditation: Contacting the Salamanders

2009-04-10T22:18:00.001-07:00

An old woman sits before her fireplace in a velvet armchair. She is so close to the fire that her slippered feet are almost touching the hearth. But she feels the cold, and evenings by the fireside knitting are her favourite form of comfort. Her contented tabby cat sits upon the arm of the chair and purrs contentedly at the all-encompassing heat that emanates from the fireplace.

The wood spits and crackles from within the flames as the fire gently roars. The coals glint and gleam with red heat and periodically tiny sparks from the dry wood flit from the flames onto the hearth tiles. The old woman gradually knits more slowly, until finally her hands rest motionless on her lap. The soporific gentle heat has lulled her to sleep. She falls willingly into dreams, while the cat is mesmerized by the flickering flames.

As the cat watches the blaze, entranced, the flames begin to take shape and look like long golden curls and wisps belonging to raptures of fiery-coloured hair. Through the center of the flaming locks slowly emerges the mischievous face of a captivating young girl. She throws her head back and appears to be totally absorbed by her own being. She has a warm and loving feeling radiating from her. She peers out at the cat, who is mildly interested in her appearance. She blows a kiss to him and as she does so, several sparks spit from the coals onto the hearth. When the cat receives the salamander kiss his eyelids become heavy and eventually he too succumbs to the blissful warm sleep that the old lady rests in.

With no one to add more logs to the fire, it slowly dies down. The salamander’s hair becomes less ravishing as the fire diminishes to a flameless heat of hot coals, twinkling red stars into the room. The salamander rests her head on the coals and closes her eyes, preparing herself to be reborn from the ashes tomorrow.

Meditation: Contacting the Sylph Faeries

2009-04-10T22:05:00.000-07:00

Imagine a garden in the autumn. A little girl is there, dressed in a woolly hat and coat. There is a blackbird sitting on the fence whistling its morning song. The little girl calls to the blackbird, whom she visits every morning before she goes to school. The blackbird is singing as if to her, watching her from the fence with an extraordinary knowing look in his eye. The little girl has a small piece of folded paper in her hands, which she holds up as if to show the blackbird.

Her mother’s voice calls from inside the house, telling her that it is time for her to get ready to go to school. She puts the little letter she has written to her blackbird friend under a heavy stone, then she runs inside.

When the blackbird is sure that the little girl is inside the house, he hops down from the fence, landing on the large stone. His wings begin to shimmer with a green light which then surrounds his whole body. The beautiful sleek black feathers on his body transform into feathered garments draping a faerie form. The sylph boy looks an enchanting creature with his slanting green eyes and long black hair. His shoes are lined with feather down and his trousers and jacket are the green-black of a blackbird’s sheen. He tugs the letter out from underneath the stone and tucks it in his black jewelled crown. He pulls out a feather from his wings and leaves it under the stone for the little girl to find. He raises his wings to their full span and all at once he is encircled by a whirl of green light. He takes flight to a nearby tree and there he stands on the edge of a blackbird’s nest and takes the letter from under his crown. He places the precious letter in the nest, among the moss and down, as if it is a piece of treasure.

Wiccan Cartoon #6

2009-04-10T03:03:00.000-07:00

Meditation: Lift up your elbows

2009-04-09T13:44:00.000-07:00

Take a deep breath, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Take another deep breath, filling your stomach, your diaphragm, and finally your lungs. Hold this breath for five seconds…1-2-3-4-5... And exhale, allowing the breath to exit your lungs first, then your diaphragm, and finally your stomach. Take one more deep breath, and as you breathe in, feel the energy of a misty morning enter you, supporting your fingers, your toes, your legs and shoulders, even the top of your head. Hold the breath for seven seconds…1-2-3-4-5-6-7. As you exhale, feel all tension leave your fingers, your toes, your legs and shoulders, even the top of your head. Continue breathing deeply, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Feel the prickling of drying dew on your hands and face. The grass slicks wetly against your boots. A pink and lemon-yellow light peeks tentatively over the bare tree limbs of a nearby forest. The sunrise tints the lowering clouds a muted amber and salmon and then disappears behind the darkened cloud mass. The earth reverberates with strength and surety, and you relax against her as you stride forward through the mist toward your destination. The mist settles around you, wispy yet with a force almost beyond comprehension. Allow the mist to dissipate any remaining fear and anxiety as the world around you relaxes in the gray light of the dawn. You have never felt so relaxed, so secure, so calm.

As you walk through the gray mist with the green earth beneath your feet, a building begins to take shape, rising stealthily out of the fog. It is a fairly large lean-to barn, constructed from old wood and burned-out beams, uneven rocks and smooth stones. The leftovers from other buildings, some long gone, form the structure of this barn. The planks are gray from ceaseless rainy days, weathered and broken in places. Patches of whitewash cling to the recesses of the stones, allowing their virginal, natural beauty to shine. The thatched roof, however, gleams in the gray light of morning, sparkling and bright. There are no windows in this barn, but as you circle the structure, you see a golden light emanating from the open doorway. You are drawn to it and stand at the edge of the barn, looking in.

The barn is dark, so you have to wait several minutes before your eyes adjust to the diminished light. You hear a snuffling sound to your left and a scratching straight ahead. Remnants and patches of straw litter the ground by your feet, trailing thickly into the barn. To your far right, a large pile of hay rests softly against the ancient barn boards. As your eyes clear, the darkness receding, the mist lifting, you see a pitchfork leaning lazily against the wall, sticking randomly into the hay pile. The soft sound of a bleating sheep draws your attention away from the far wall and to the space directly in front of you.

You see a large, fleecy white sheep lying in a protective pen. Her eyes roll toward you with a look of pain and surprise, sleep and patience. Her stomach is distended and moves with a mind of its own. The sheep bleats plaintively and tries to get up, but a strong hand holds her down, comforting and soothing. The hand is reddened from hard work. A slight hiccup or cough, a sound made in the back of the throat, wakes you from your study of the hand, and your eyes fly to the face attached to the hand. It is twisted in a wry smile, a grin just hovering on the edges of a wide mouth.

Hazel eyes, the colour of a winter storm, tighten slightly, looking at you, taking your measure. The face is delicate yet strong, with a straight, thin nose and high cheekbones. A riot of red hair tumbles down her back, held in place by a rough, rawhide leather strap. A stray piece curls against her cheek, and the woman impatiently casts it behind her ear. She is dressed in a long, green, woollen skirt with a heavy, gray, woollen coat protecting her from the early morning chill. The coat is too big for her, as if, in her haste, she grabbed the wrong coat from the hook next to the door and didn’t have time to get another. Underneath, she wears only her white shift, with no adornments or outer bodices. She is wild and spirited, but her voice and movements comfort and soothe.

“We have been waiting for you,” she says, her voice deep and rounded, melodious to your ear. “Trixie here will be birthing a little lamb soon.” She smiles then, her hand patting the sheep warmly. The light from a lantern flickers in her eyes. “Her time is soon,” the woman continues, turning her sparkling eyes to you. Their warmth reaches into your soul, drawing you immediately into the intimate embrace of this woman who kneels, hunched on the ground, beside a birthing sheep. “Could you bring us some water from the well?” she requests, holding out a bucket to you. You nod mutely and take the bucket from her outstretched hand, retreating back into the gray-tinged morning.

Not knowing where the well was located, you circle the barn until you stumble across a thin, worn pathway leading into the woods. You decide to follow the pathway, thinking it might lead you to water. As you walk, you notice small details on either side of the path: The trembling of a drop of dew on a blade of grass. The soft sloughing of your booted feet. A simple white snowdrop flower. A sighing birch tree. And as you look, a single ray of sunlight shines down from a break in the clouds. It illuminates something on the side of the path. What is it? (pause) Stop to look and study the object, remembering it for later. (pause) This is your key to understanding your relationship to the goddess Brigid.

Having received this divine information, you find yourself at the edge of the woods. Peering into its dark, shadowy depths, you see a simple stone structure among the trees. It is a well, hidden in the depths of the darkness, stalwart and alone, life-giving and healing. Taking a deep breath, you plunge into the recesses of the forest, walking with purpose to the well. You tie your bucket to the end of the frayed rope and drop it over the side of the well, listening for the satisfying plop. The silence spins out forever. “Where is this water?” you wonder, hoping you do not have to delve deeper into the forest in search of another well. And then a voice comes to you, from deep within the well.

“Look inside the well,” it beckons in a warbling voice. It is thin and cracking, as though unused to speaking. “Look inside my depths, for they are your depths. Look inside my darkness, for it is your darkness. Look inside my heart, for it is your heart. I offer you healing and peace, comfort and cure. Trust me. Trust yourself. And look inside.” You glance over your shoulder to make sure no brigands or robbers lurk behind you. No one is there. You are completely alone except for the trees and the well and the voice. Taking a deep breath, you lean over the well and look inside. In the darkened depths of the well, an image forms - a part of yourself to be healed. What is it? (pause) The image disappears beneath the waters of the well, and the bucket floats up so you can easily grasp it.

A powerful voice says, “Drink some water and be healed,” and you do. The water is clean and crisp and cool. It slides down your throat, sweet and soft. It is liquid candy. It is springtime. It is sunshine and blue clouds and blooming flowers. It is all that is good and beautiful and innocent in the world, and for a split second, the forest darkness lifts and the light shines amid the tall trunks. “Go now,” the voice says, and you do, tripping over your feet, sloshing water out of the bucket, hurrying down the narrow pathway until you stumble into the golden light of the barn.

“Quickly<“ commands the red-haired woman next to the sheep as you walk in the door. She is crouched next to the sheep, her hands feeling the animal’s stomach. “Bring the water,” she says, “and then hold up the light.” The sheep’s upper legs have been tied to a post to keep them from thrashing and injuring herself or the shepherd woman. The woman washes her hands in the water and dries them on her stained skirt. “We’ve got entwined twins here,” the woman says briskly, easing her hands into the belly of the birthing sheep. Her gray eyes narrow as she begins, by touch, to sort out the eight legs and two heads of the baby lambs. “I’ve got to get them going the same way,” she grunts. The sheep’s belly moves fluidly with the ministering actions of the woman. “I need your help,” she says, grasping your hand quickly and lithely, snakelike in movement. She gives you no time to refuse her request. She thrusts your hand against the left side of the sheep’s uterus, placing two spindly, firm objects into it. The sheep grunts her displeasure.

“These are the lamb’s front legs,” the red-haired woman explains. “You need to keep them here, away from me but near this object.” She pushes your hand against a rounded, heavy object. “That’s the lamb’s nose,” she says, turning back to her work. You hear her muttering under her breath, talking to the sheep, to the lamb, to the forces of nature, and the faerie folk. But you cannot make out more than a few words here and there; your concentration is divided between holding steady the lamb’s front hooves and head and holding high the wavering lantern.

“Take your hand out,” the woman says urgently but quietly. You remove your hand, just as she does, and within minutes, two newborn lambs lie nestled in the hay, next to their mama. The shepherdess unties the mother sheep and cuts the umbilical cords. With steady hands, she coaxes the lambs to feed. Never faltering. Never wavering. Never rushing. Secure in her knowledge of what to do next, she cares for her animals as you stand by, amazed, touched, and honoured to be witness to this scene. You hold the lantern high with one hand, as the other drips sheep fluid on the toes of your boot.

The woman washes her hands in the water bucket and then offers it to you. You place the lantern on its hook and sit on the rough, hay-strewn floorboards. You are tired, more tired than you can ever remember being. You wash your hands in the water and dry them on a towel handed to you by the red-haired woman. As you sink down into the floor, pillowing your head on a pile of hay, the face of the shepherdess swims into view.

“By the way,” she says, grinning, “I’m Brigid. Nice to meet you.” And she shakes your hand as you descend into a much-deserved rest.

Now, take a deep breath, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Take another deep breath, filling your stomach, your diaphragm, and finally your lungs. Hold this breath for five seconds…1-2-3-4-5... And exhale, allowing the breath to exit your lungs first, then your diaphragm, and finally your stomach. Take one more deep breath, and as you breathe in, feel the energy and the wonder of the world around you in your fingers, your toes, your legs and shoulders, even the top of your head. As you exhale, wiggle your fingers and toes. Shake your legs and move your shoulders up and down. Take another deep breath and, as you exhale, move your head from side to side. Feel the ground under your body touching every nerve ending and muscle. Hear the rustlings of the people around you. Notice the movements outside. Continue breathing. Stretch your arms out above your head. You are returning to the present, to the here and now. Continue stretching. Continue breathing. When you are ready, open your eyes, blink and focus, and sit up.

Wiccan Cartoon #5

2009-04-03T22:06:00.000-07:00

Wiccan Cartoon #4

2009-04-02T23:20:00.000-07:00

Wiccan Cartoon #3

2009-04-02T08:39:00.000-07:00

Wiccan Cartoon #2

2009-04-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

Wiccan Cartoon

2009-03-31T09:43:00.000-07:00

Just some wiccan humor! :)

A Winter Solstice Celebration

2009-03-30T10:36:00.000-07:00

Things you will need:
* a Yule log
* a white candle, a red candle, and a black candle
* candle holders for the three candles
* a plate of bread and butter
* birdseed and sunflower seeds
* an apple
* a small bell
* several cookies in the shape of snowflakes or suns
* juice or wine
* a medium-sized bowl
* mood music (optional)
* any solstice decorations for your altar (optional)

Place all of your items on the altar, grouping the three candles together and making sure you have a place to burn your Yule log, either in a fireplace or fire pit. Standing in front of your altar, ground and center as you usually do. Walk to the east and, with your arms extended, say:

“Hail to the Guardians of the East, Powers of Air!
I ask for your light and warming breath
On this most sacred of nights, Solstice Eve.”

Once you feel the presence of the knowledge of the east and the freedom of air, move to the south, extend your arms, and say:

“Hail to the Guardians of the South, Powers of Fire!
I ask for your heat and burning love
On this most sacred of nights, Solstice Eve.”

Noting the warmth of the south and the heat of fire, move to the west, extend your arms, and say:

“Hail to the Guardians of the West, Powers of Water!
I ask for your depth and fluid emotions
On this most sacred of nights, Solstice Eve.”

Feel the emotions of the west and the wetness of water on your face and in your heart. Then walk to the north, extend your arms, and say:

“Hail to the Guardians of the North, Powers of Earth!
I ask for your strength and sturdy comfort
On this most sacred of nights, Solstice Eve.”
Sense the power of the north and the strength of earth and return to your altar. Take a few moments to conjure up an image of the young Maiden Goddess and then say:

“Maiden Goddess,
Protectress of youth and innocence,
Sweet and pure and lovely above all things,
Join me this Solstice Night.
The God is reborn;
The sun returns.
The Maiden Goddess comes and walks among us!
Hail and welcome!”

Feel the innocence and beauty of the Maiden settle at your feet and in the palms of your ahnds. Then light the white candle. Breathe deeply three times, allowing an image of the nurturing Mother Goddess to flood your mind. When the image is complete, say:

“Mother Goddess,
Protectress of babies and animals,
Creative and giving and lovely above all things,
Join me this Solstice Night.
The God is reborn;
The sun returns.
The Mother Goddess comes and walks among us!
Hail and welcome!”

Sense the fruitfulness and creativity of the Mother settle in your womb/belly and heart. Then light the red candle. Again, take three deep breaths, seeing the image of the knowing Crone Goddess in your mind’s eye. Once the picture is finished, say:

“Crone Goddess,
Protectress of light and death,
Wise and powerful and lovely above all things,
Join me this Solstice Night.
The God is reborn;
The sun returns.
The Crone Goddess comes and walks among us!
Hail and welcome!”

Feel the wisdom and clarity of the Crone settle in your third eye, and then light the black candle. Take your bread and butter from the altar and hold them above the three candles while stating:

“On this, the longest night of the year, I celebrate and revel in my connection to the faerie folk. I offer bread and butter to them as a symbol of my wish to continue as friends. In honour, in trust, in fun, and in frolic, I pay homage to their spark of life.”
If inside, place the bread and butter back on the altar so that you can dispose of them outside after the ritual. If you are outside, place the offering anyplace that feels right to you. Take the birdseed and sunflower seeds from the altar and hold them above the three candles, saying:

“On this, the longest night of the year, I celebrate and revel in my connection to the animals on earth. I offer birdseed and sunflower seeds to them as a symbol of my wish to continue as friends. In honour, in trust, in hope, and in faith, I pay homage to their spark of life.”

Place the gifts to the animals either back on the altar or, if outside, someplace on the ground. Lift the apple from the altar and hold it above the three candles, stating:

“On this, the longest night of the year, I celebrate and revel in my connection to the priests/priestesses who have gone before me. I offer the fruit of life, the apple, to them as a symbol of my wish to continue as friends and to learn and grow from their example. In honour, in trust, in love, and in commitment, I pay homage to their spark of life.”

Return the apple to the altar or, if outside, place it on the ground. With reverence, pick up the Yule log and hold it up to the sky while saying:

“Since the beginnings of time, people of the earth have gathered in this season to celebrate the rebirth of the Sun. On the winter solstice, the darkest of nights, the Goddess becomes the Great Mother, and once again gives birth to the Sun - beginning the yearly cycle anew, bringing new light and hope to all the world. On this, the longest night of winter, the spark of hope flares strong and bright. It is the Sacred Fire, the Light of the World. I gather here to welcome the new light, midwife to the Goddess. As I join the Goddess in birthing the renewed Sun, I also welcome the new light within myself.”

Place the Yule log back on the altar. Keeping one hand on the log, ring a small bell with the other hand after each of the next four lines:

“Blessed be the Lady, giver of life!
Welcome, Lord, bringer of warmth!
Tonight darkness has reached the limit of its power.
Now the light of our God is victorious over darkness!”

Take your Yule log and bring it to your fireplace or fire pit. If you have a fire already going, then place the log in the flames. If you need to start one, wait to add the Yule log until the fire is very hot and bright. Once the Yule log has caught fire, exclaim:

“I light this flame for the infant solstice sun,
The light of hope that pierces the winter darkness.
He arises pure and beautiful
From the depths of the Mother’s womb,
Bringing warmth and love and joy.
May his gifts spread hope throughout the world!”

The Sun King will be reborn this night, returning to the world in brilliance and glory. As the Goddess’s helper on earth, aid his passage through her and back to the world by chanting:

“Hoof and Horn
Hoof and Horn
All that Dies
Will be Reborn.

Corn and Grain
Corn and Grain
All that Falls
Will Rise Again.”

Say this chant over and over again in order to raise power and activate the magick. You should go faster and faster with each round. You may wish to drum and/or dance around the fire as well, or play music. Once the power has reached its apex, place your hands over the fire, sending the power to the birthing Mother and the newborn God, and say:

“Tonight our God is reborn!”

Feel the energy pulse into the fire, and when your fingers stop tingling, return to your altar. Take the place of cookies and hold them over the candles and then over the fire.

“As the Mother births the Son, I toast her power and strength with food. Hail the Mother, giver of life!”

Place a bite of food in the libation bowl and feel free to eat some yourself. Then return the cookies to the altar and pick up the juice or wine. Once again, hold it over the three candles and the roaring fire.

“As the Mother births the Son, I toast her power and strength with drink. Hail the Mother, giver of life!”

Pour a small amount of drink in the libation bowl and drink some yourself. Then return the juice or wine to the altar. After you have savoured your food and drink, turn to your altar. Calling up the image of the Maiden Goddess, state:

“Maiden Goddess,
Protectress of youth and innocence,
Sweet and pure and lovely above all things,
Thank you for joining me this Solstice Night.
The God is reborn;
The Sun return,
Hail and farewell!”

Snuff out the white candle. Thinking of the image of the Mother Goddess, say:

“Mother Goddess,
Protectress of babies and animals,
Creative and giving and lovely above all things,
Thank you for joining me this Solstice Night.
The God is reborn;
The Sun return,
Hail and farewell!”

Snuff out the red candle. Recalling the image of the Crone Goddess, say:

“Crone Goddess,
Protectress of life and death,
Wise and powerful and lovely above all things,
Thank you for joining me this Solstice Night.
The God is reborn;
The Sun return,
Hail and farewell!”

Snuff out the black candle, turn to the direction of the north, and say:

“Guardians of the North, Powers of Earth!
Your presence this night has anchored and strengthen me.
I thank you for your many blessings.
Stay if you will, go if you must.
Hail and farewell!”

Turn to the direction of the west, and say:

“Guardians of the West, Powers of Water!
Your presence this night has soothed and cradled me,
Connecting me to my first home - the sea.
I thank you for your many blessings.
Stay if you will, go if you must.
Hail and farewell!”

Turn in the direction of the south, and say:

“Guardians of the South, Powers of Fire!
Your presence this night has opened my heart to life and to love.
I thank you for your many blessings.
Stay if you will, go if you must.
Hail and farewell!”

Turn to the east and say:

“Guardians of the East, Powers of Air!
Your presence this night has brought the first stirrings of the new Sun.
I thank you for your many blessings.
Stay if you will, go if you must.
Hail and farewell!”

Turn back to your altar, and say:

“Blessed be the Goddess and God.
Blessed be creation.
Blessed be the darkness.
Blessed be the light!”

Lesson: Emotional Body Training

2009-03-20T22:17:00.001-07:00

1) Conjure up a strong feeling from your past. Think of a particularly difficult situation or relationship that will bring up some reaction in you. Focus on emotional patterns that you consider harmful or difficult rather than happy.

2) Bring your attention to your body. Focus on the sensation that the emotion conjures up in your body. Don’t analyze it or try to mentally figure it out. Simply scan your body, bringing your attention to your head and then down your entire body. Where do you feel the emotion the strongest? There may be more than one place.

3) Disassociate the memory or situation from your bodily sensation. Don’t worry about how you will resolve the situation, or worry about what you regret or would do differently. You can worry about resolving it later. Just focus on the sensation, the feeling itself. Characterize the feeling. How would you describe it? Is it painful? Does it have a temperature? Does it feel electric? Magnetic? Pins and needles? Heaviness? Just describe it to yourself. It probably won’t feel good, but that’s okay because you will be releasing it soon.

4) As you breathe, will this energy from whatever part of the body it is in to move into your chest. Feel it move. As you command, it will move because all your attention is on it. Imagine your heart chakra opening with green or green and pink light. Feel the power of love in your heart. Feel the energy of your trauma pass through the gates of your heart, transmuting it. All uncomfortable sensations cease, and the energy passes out of your heart like a beam of pure light, transmuting into divine love and beaming out to the universe. The love you send out will return to you threefold.

5) Afterward you can do anything else you need to do to restore your inner balance.

Meditation: Journeying to the Realm of Earth

2009-03-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

1) Conjure up the World Tree, enter it and go into your Inner Temple.

2) Orient yourself in the center of your sacred space. You will notice four doorways around you. You may have never noticed them before, but they will be very clear to you now. Each of the doorways leads to a different elemental plane. Each one will be in a different colour and have a different symbol on it for the element, such as the elemental triangles. By its markings, find the doorway that leads to the realm of earth, and stand before it. Usually the earth doorway is oriented to your northern direction in the temple, but your Inner Temple is beyond direction in the physical world, so go to whatever door calls to you as earth.

3) Hold the intention to enter the realm of earth and in your silent, magickal voice, ask permission to open the door. You are asking permission of the highest aspects of yourself, and the realm of earth.

4) If you get a yes response, open the door of earth. If you know the invoking pentagram of earth, you can use it as your key. Feel the heavy earthen door slowly sway open. In the doorway is a dark tunnel, digging deep to the earth plane. Enter the realm of elemental earth.

5) Feel each step as you walk deeper into the darkness without fear. Feel your body move into the unknown, growing quiet, immobile, and solid. Smell the fresh earth. Feel the sacredness of the land around you.

6) As you move deeper into the tunnel, you lose sight of your inner temple and immerse yourself in the earth sensations. Ahead you find a light, leading you out of the tunnel and into the realm of earth. You find yourself at the edge of a primordial forest, a place of power. This is the edge of the realm of earth, the realm of gnomes and dwarves and their ruler Ghob.

7) Before you there is a path into the heart of the forest. The path pulls you deeper. Take notice of the plants and animals you see in the forest. Walk deeper into the place of earth power. At the end of the path you arrive in a clearing with a mound and an opening. You enter the mound and find yourself in another deep tunnel. The tunnel has minerals and crystals shining in it as you descend into the land.
8) At the end of the tunnel is a cavern, and in the center of the cavern, a figure, your personal guide to the element of earth. It could be an elemental being, animal, deity, or angel, there to guide you on the path of earth. Introduce yourself, and ask the guide its name and function. Follow this guide, and receive what your guide has to offer. Since touch is the sense of earth, this experience could be very tactile. Follow your feelings and impressions. Take this wisdom in, and ask any questions you have.

9) Ask your guide upon whom shall you call as your guardian of earth in ritual. Sometimes it is the guide itself, but often the guide will point you to a deity or other being of power.

10) Your guide will lead you back through the mound tunnel, back through the forest, and to the tunnel of earth leading you to the inner temple. Your guide will bid you farewell. Thank your guide for this time and knowledge. Know that you now have a link in the realm of earth. The guide may give you a gift to inspire your own grounding and mastery.

11) Return through the tunnel of earth, feeling each step as you return. Come back to the inner temple, and close the gateway of earth as you opened it. Orient yourself in the temple. If you have a gift from the earth realm, you can put it in your temple space if you desire.

12) Return back through the World Tree tunnel, and stand at the base of the tree. Thank the World Tree. Step back through the screen of your mind’s eye and let the World Tree gently fade from view.

13) Return yourself to normal consciousness, counting up, giving yourself clearance and balance. Do any necessary grounding.