The long days of Winter are times when our lives should naturally slow down.
The bare days of Winter are time when we should be able to see the structure and bones of our existence and be better able to see what is worth our efforts when the the world warms up and the trees leaf out.
Take your time and read this Article from Mother Earth News.
The italicized quotes below are from the article.
"No matter how fast we go, no matter how many comforts we forgo in order to quicken our pace, there never seems to be enough time."
"Curiously, there has been scant public discussion about this dramatic speed-up of society. People may complain about how busy they are, how overloaded modern life has become, but speed is still viewed as generally positive — something that will help us all enrich our lives. "
This is so much like my day:
"The alarm rings and you hop out of bed. Another day is off and running. A quick shower. Wake the kid<snip>. Down a cup of coffee. <snip> Hurry out to the car, <snip>. Reaching work, <snip>. You take a couple of deep breaths, then remember that the project you didn't finish last night must be <snip>. Meanwhile, you've got five voice-mail messages and seven more e-mail messages, two of them marked urgent."
Until I got to the seven more email messages! Seven! Seven! Only Seven!
And what about Instant Messages? I stopped taking voice mails a long time ago. People ramble and you just have to call them back anyway to figure out what they really want.
And 1 project due! Please. I never have fewer than 7 project going, any 1 of which might need special handling on any given day. And then there are the walk-ins. And the meetings. The meetings you go to only so that either your time is wasted or you end up with more projects.
Americans have become more productive but I'm not sure how much more we can really take.
“The major cause in the speed-up of life is not technology, but economics,” says Schor. “The nature of work has changed now that bosses are demanding longer hours of work.” Harvard economist Juliet Schor,Author of the 1991 best-seller The Overworked American
I too have found that without concerted effort that it is too easy for anyone "working for corporate america" to end up with a life that just gets faster and faster until it spins out of control. I can speak from experience as I work for a Fortune 500 company.
Then there is Neighborhood Organization stuff which is important and rewarding in that I now have a cadre of amazing friends who care about our city its future... but it's time consuming. Taking photos, posting photos, tracking issues: water leaks, blight (yes we are still recovering from Katrina), potholes, the grinding impracticality of some city services, crime. Tracking successes: Trees planted, streets & sidewalk repairs, Houses renovated and or sold, ....
And then there is my commitment as 3rd degree to the Tradition, the Ways, the spiritual path I walk and an obligation to ensure that it stays alive, is passed on. Which happens to be the primary reason for this blog.
In the Spring of 2012,
after being interviewed and providing documentation for review to someone who was working on his PHD at Oxford (yes the one in England),
I read the draft of his PHD and realized that,
in addition to some very interesting ideas about collaborative government,
this doctoral student had put his finger on my personal issue.
Like many of the other individuals who picked up the neighborhood recovery torch PostKatrina, I was burned out!
Everything I was doing was "Good":
Job=$ to provide for my family and there are days when I really like it,
Neighborhood work = better environment around me, great new friends
Blog = true to my spiritual path
But I couldn't continue the ever quickening pace and ever increasing responsibilities.
"Yet it seems that the faster we go, the farther we fall behind. Not only in the literal sense of not getting done what we set out to do, but at a deeper level, too."
"But it has gotten to the point where my days, crammed with all sorts of activities, feel like an Olympic endurance event: the everyday-athon."
Yes.... I needed a break. Not total abdication but a break.
So I "took a break" in 2012 from some of the responsibilities with which I had burdened myself.
I lightened up on the neighborhood work and either let others take the lead or let go of the need to "participate' as often as requested by city government leaders or non-profits. And as a result some folks stepped up and some things slid by and all in all it all worked out. And I have a better plan for how I encourage others in 2013.
I "took a break" from "StregaNola". I took vacation time with my daughter and visited with my teacher. I set some blog posts up to post intermittently throughout the year and then logged off as StregaNola in March and didn't log back on until 2013. And surprise. It's still hear. Just like I left it.
My pace at work is something I'm still working on ... but everything starts somewhere.
So while we are still in what should be the slow, dark, part of the year, ask yourself:
What can you pare back? What do you want to focus on? What do you value enough to keep and what can you let go?
The 1st step in any Magic, before you ACT, is to meditate on your intent and idea and to listen to the feedback the Universe will give you. But to really do this you have to slow down.
And if you are working with the Gratitude Jar and a Yearly Jar of goals take some time to slow down and pare back and before you just start filling that Jar up with things you want to accomplish this year.
Showing posts with label Magic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Magic. Show all posts
Monday, January 7, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
2013 Gratitude Jar & the Magic of intentions.
But it got me thinking about alignment and intent and magic.
The wonderful thing about the Gratitude Jar is that it helps teach mindfulness. If you have the Jar and you are thinking about what you can put in the Jar then you focus and are mindful of daily blessings, and experiences worth savoring. You also align with the beauty of nature. One of the things my Jar will have on it "Nature as the Great Teacher Moments".
Then there is the alternate approach to using a Yearly Jar. One that is aligned with the secular tradition of New Year Resolutions. It has been said by many (even non-pagans) that writing down your goals makes a difference.
Few have said it better or to as many people as Stephen Covey:
"All things are created twice. There's a mental or first creation, and a physical or second creation of all things. You have to make sure that the blueprint, the first creation, is really what you want, that you've thought everything through. Then you put it into bricks and mortar. Each day you go to the construction shed and pull out the blueprint to get marching orders for the day. You begin with the end in mind."
The "all things are created twice" concept is the essence of all magic work. You build the idea with your energy and mind. And then you free it on the Astral Plane (or release it into the universe if you prefer) and then you work on the physical plane until it manifests. As you write your goals down and place them in the Jar imbue them with your intent. Then release them by placing them into the Jar.
At the end of the year (or Cornucopia) you can open the Yearly Jar, reassess or renew your goals.
I can promise you this: The more aligned you are with the ebb and flow of the universe, the more mindful and aware you are (and the Gratitude Jar helps with this) the easier it is to "make magic".
Sunday, January 1, 2012
2012 the Year to Vote
It's an election year and this is a post about starting the New Year.
But it's NOT about the presidential election.
It is about how we all vote every time we spend a dollar on any thing.
Each dollar you pump into the economy matters. It matters to you. It matters to the business who takes your dollar in exchange for goods and/or services. It matters to the local/state.federal tax base. It matters.
Do you see more organic produce when you have your grocery shopping experience? You know why? Because years ago people, thought fringe or fantic by others, started buying organic.
Do you see reusable bags for sale in stores these days? You know why? Because years ago people, thought fringe or fanatics by others, started using and buying reusable bags.
These are just 2 examples of why I think that each dollar you spend matters. Each dollar is a VOTE for how you WANT the world to work. So even if you don't vote in this year's election, take the opportunity to vote with the dollars you spend. Take just a little bit of the time you will probably spend this year worrying about your bank account or the economy or the environment and before you hand over cash or swipe that card or fill out a webform to buy something THINK about who will be getting the money you spend and whether this is how you really want to be VOTING.
We all know that when we do magic we have to put energy into the process, whether it is our own raised energy or energy that we are drawing in from other sources. You put energy into acquiring the dollars you have. For this exercise, think of the dollar as stored energy (I know that modern currency has more than a few issues). You want to take the stored energy in the dollar and distribute it magically to make changes in the world.
Magic was defined by the British occultist Aleister Crowley as "the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will". When you vote each time you use your dollars that is causing Change to occur in conformity with your Will. Raven Grimassi on page 179 of Italian Witchcraft enhances Crowley's approach.
But it's NOT about the presidential election.
It is about how we all vote every time we spend a dollar on any thing.
Each dollar you pump into the economy matters. It matters to you. It matters to the business who takes your dollar in exchange for goods and/or services. It matters to the local/state.federal tax base. It matters.
Do you see more organic produce when you have your grocery shopping experience? You know why? Because years ago people, thought fringe or fantic by others, started buying organic.
Do you see reusable bags for sale in stores these days? You know why? Because years ago people, thought fringe or fanatics by others, started using and buying reusable bags.
These are just 2 examples of why I think that each dollar you spend matters. Each dollar is a VOTE for how you WANT the world to work. So even if you don't vote in this year's election, take the opportunity to vote with the dollars you spend. Take just a little bit of the time you will probably spend this year worrying about your bank account or the economy or the environment and before you hand over cash or swipe that card or fill out a webform to buy something THINK about who will be getting the money you spend and whether this is how you really want to be VOTING.
We all know that when we do magic we have to put energy into the process, whether it is our own raised energy or energy that we are drawing in from other sources. You put energy into acquiring the dollars you have. For this exercise, think of the dollar as stored energy (I know that modern currency has more than a few issues). You want to take the stored energy in the dollar and distribute it magically to make changes in the world.
Magic was defined by the British occultist Aleister Crowley as "the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will". When you vote each time you use your dollars that is causing Change to occur in conformity with your Will. Raven Grimassi on page 179 of Italian Witchcraft enhances Crowley's approach.
So take your imagination, concentration and your will to visualize
and FULLY EXPECT
that each time you spread your dollars around it will make a difference in the world.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Brains, energy, magic
Listen to it all... It has amazing ramifications for how we use our brains and our energy to do magic.
See the transcript here.
Below is the video that made me look up the one above. Autotune ruins modern music but this is the most appropriate and amazing use of Autotune.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Link - An Ancient Etruscan Love Spell
See La Vecchia Credenza On Line An Ancient Etruscan Love Spell
Some people will do anything for love. Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ died for it. Wars have been fought in its name, kingdoms have been won or lost on its account, and many a family has been either blessed or cursed because of a union of love. The ancient Etruscans certainly went through a lot of trouble to find that perfect mate. Last night, I had dinner with a couple who have been unbelievably happy together for as long as I’ve known them. After almost thirty years, they still behave like newlyweds and have shown a bond of trust and caring that is seldom seen these days. When I had the opportunity, I asked if they had a secret.
The happy gentleman said the secret was to be lucky enough to find a woman as kind, loving and courageous as his wife, which he simply attributed to chance. His wife remained silent (at least until I got her alone while her husband was hailing a taxi).
I repeated my question to her alone this time, hoping to hear something really juicy – perhaps a tale of a wild and twisted affair with an exotic bohemian paramour, much like Harold Pinter wrote about in his extraordinary play, “The Lover”. Instead, she said she would email me in the morning with her secret which she has been silent about since she discovered it.
Early this morning, the email arrived. “The secret” was an ancient Etruscan spell designed to attract the perfect mate, which had been updated first in the 18th century and later in the early 20th by her own grandmother. She swears that this ‘love spell’ really worked, and has never shared it with anyone, including her husband. Today, I share it with you.
The origins of this love spell are obscure, but there is a litany in archaic Italian of which I have provided an English translation. It is a ritual that requires a bit of effort and a lot of herbal materials as well as a profound belief in its success. Otherwise (according to my friend), its nothing more than empty words. The materials can be obtained readily in any food store, herb market or metaphysical supply store.
The courage to actually do this? Thats up to you….
Materials:
Frankincense incense (stick or resin)
Herbal Mixture:
3 parts lavender
3 parts damiana
3 parts patchouly
1 part Dragon’s blood resin
13 gardenia petals
4 parts red clover
3 Saw Palmetto Berries
3 parts peppermint
3 parts Rue
13 drops of your favorite perfume
Mortar and Pestle (for grinding herbs)
Small red drawstring bag or square of red fabric with red thread or cord
THE SPELL
Prepare space to work in by making sure the area is clean and the floors swept. Meditate on power, success and love, and begin by slowly grinding the herbs in a clockwise movement in the mortar and pestle. Do not add the oils at this time. Stirring the herbs in a clockwise direction with your finger, slowly add the oil mixture until it is well blended. Hold the bowl in your hand and enchant with the words:
Diana, bella Diana!
Che tanto bella e buona siei,
E tanto ti e piacere
Ti ho fatto,
Anche a te di fare al amore,
Dunque spero che anche in questa cosa
Tu mi voglia aiutare,
E se tu vorrai
Tutto tu portrai,
Se questa grazia mi vorrai fare:
Chiamerai tua figlia Aradia,
Al letto della bella fanciulla
La mandera Aradia,
La fanciulla in una canina cinertira,
Alla camera mia la mandera,
Ma entrate in camera mia,
Non sara piu una canina,
Ma tornera una bella fanciulla,
Bella cane era prima,
E cosi potro fare al amore
A mio piacimento,
Come a me piacera.
Quando mi saro divertito
A mi piacere diro.
“Per volere della Fata Diana,
E di sua figlia Aradia,
Torna una canina
Come tu ere prima!”
TRANSLATION:
Diana, beautiful Diana
Who art indeed as good as beautiful
By all the worship I have given thee
and all the joy of love which thou hast known
I do implore thee aid me in my love!
What thou wilt is true
Thou canst ever do
And if the grace I seek thou’ll grant to me,
Then call, I pray, thy daughter Aradia,
and send her to the bedside of the man/woman
And give that man/woman the likeness of a dog
and make him/her then come to me in my room
but when he/she once has entered it, I pray
that he/she may re-assume her human form
as beautiful as ever he/she was before
and may I then make love to him/her until
our souls with joy are fully satisfied
Then by the aid of the great Faery Queen
and of her daughter, fair Aradia
may he/she be turned into a dog again
and then to human form as once before
Draw a bath, and light fresh incense. Place the herbal/oil mixture into the red bag, or tie it up in the red cloth spuare. Submerge it into the bath water, and let it steep while you inhale the incense and focus on your desire. Enter the bath slowly, feeling the tingling of the bath on your entire body as you do. Take a deep breath, filling your lungs to capacity, and submerge yourself completely under the water. While underwater, exhale all of the air completely out of your lungs, and visualize any obstacles in the way of your success with this spell leaving your body with the air. Do this three times. Let the water run out of the tub while you are lying in it, and do not get out until all of the water has drained. Let your body dry naturally; do not use a towel. When your body is completely dry, dress yourself and apply your favorite fragrance that was used in the herbal mixture. Leave your home and go out for the evening. Within 28 days, you will have attracted attract the perfect lover.
Some people will do anything for love. Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ died for it. Wars have been fought in its name, kingdoms have been won or lost on its account, and many a family has been either blessed or cursed because of a union of love. The ancient Etruscans certainly went through a lot of trouble to find that perfect mate. Last night, I had dinner with a couple who have been unbelievably happy together for as long as I’ve known them. After almost thirty years, they still behave like newlyweds and have shown a bond of trust and caring that is seldom seen these days. When I had the opportunity, I asked if they had a secret.
The happy gentleman said the secret was to be lucky enough to find a woman as kind, loving and courageous as his wife, which he simply attributed to chance. His wife remained silent (at least until I got her alone while her husband was hailing a taxi).
I repeated my question to her alone this time, hoping to hear something really juicy – perhaps a tale of a wild and twisted affair with an exotic bohemian paramour, much like Harold Pinter wrote about in his extraordinary play, “The Lover”. Instead, she said she would email me in the morning with her secret which she has been silent about since she discovered it.
Early this morning, the email arrived. “The secret” was an ancient Etruscan spell designed to attract the perfect mate, which had been updated first in the 18th century and later in the early 20th by her own grandmother. She swears that this ‘love spell’ really worked, and has never shared it with anyone, including her husband. Today, I share it with you.
The origins of this love spell are obscure, but there is a litany in archaic Italian of which I have provided an English translation. It is a ritual that requires a bit of effort and a lot of herbal materials as well as a profound belief in its success. Otherwise (according to my friend), its nothing more than empty words. The materials can be obtained readily in any food store, herb market or metaphysical supply store.
The courage to actually do this? Thats up to you….
Materials:
Frankincense incense (stick or resin)
Herbal Mixture:
3 parts lavender
3 parts damiana
3 parts patchouly
1 part Dragon’s blood resin
13 gardenia petals
4 parts red clover
3 Saw Palmetto Berries
3 parts peppermint
3 parts Rue
13 drops of your favorite perfume
Mortar and Pestle (for grinding herbs)
Small red drawstring bag or square of red fabric with red thread or cord
THE SPELL
Prepare space to work in by making sure the area is clean and the floors swept. Meditate on power, success and love, and begin by slowly grinding the herbs in a clockwise movement in the mortar and pestle. Do not add the oils at this time. Stirring the herbs in a clockwise direction with your finger, slowly add the oil mixture until it is well blended. Hold the bowl in your hand and enchant with the words:
Diana, bella Diana!
Che tanto bella e buona siei,
E tanto ti e piacere
Ti ho fatto,
Anche a te di fare al amore,
Dunque spero che anche in questa cosa
Tu mi voglia aiutare,
E se tu vorrai
Tutto tu portrai,
Se questa grazia mi vorrai fare:
Chiamerai tua figlia Aradia,
Al letto della bella fanciulla
La mandera Aradia,
La fanciulla in una canina cinertira,
Alla camera mia la mandera,
Ma entrate in camera mia,
Non sara piu una canina,
Ma tornera una bella fanciulla,
Bella cane era prima,
E cosi potro fare al amore
A mio piacimento,
Come a me piacera.
Quando mi saro divertito
A mi piacere diro.
“Per volere della Fata Diana,
E di sua figlia Aradia,
Torna una canina
Come tu ere prima!”
TRANSLATION:
Diana, beautiful Diana
Who art indeed as good as beautiful
By all the worship I have given thee
and all the joy of love which thou hast known
I do implore thee aid me in my love!
What thou wilt is true
Thou canst ever do
And if the grace I seek thou’ll grant to me,
Then call, I pray, thy daughter Aradia,
and send her to the bedside of the man/woman
And give that man/woman the likeness of a dog
and make him/her then come to me in my room
but when he/she once has entered it, I pray
that he/she may re-assume her human form
as beautiful as ever he/she was before
and may I then make love to him/her until
our souls with joy are fully satisfied
Then by the aid of the great Faery Queen
and of her daughter, fair Aradia
may he/she be turned into a dog again
and then to human form as once before
Draw a bath, and light fresh incense. Place the herbal/oil mixture into the red bag, or tie it up in the red cloth spuare. Submerge it into the bath water, and let it steep while you inhale the incense and focus on your desire. Enter the bath slowly, feeling the tingling of the bath on your entire body as you do. Take a deep breath, filling your lungs to capacity, and submerge yourself completely under the water. While underwater, exhale all of the air completely out of your lungs, and visualize any obstacles in the way of your success with this spell leaving your body with the air. Do this three times. Let the water run out of the tub while you are lying in it, and do not get out until all of the water has drained. Let your body dry naturally; do not use a towel. When your body is completely dry, dress yourself and apply your favorite fragrance that was used in the herbal mixture. Leave your home and go out for the evening. Within 28 days, you will have attracted attract the perfect lover.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Protective Charm for your Vehicle
Place the following in a white cloth:
- salt,
- a sprig of rue,
- a tiny gold horn (or cornu)
- if you can't afford or find a cornu consider using a dried chili pepper
- and a small pair of scissors or a small knife.
Tie the ends shut with red ribbon.
Place the charm on the Chariot Tarot Card and charge on a Full Moon.
You must infuse the charm with your will. You should spend sometime thinking about what it means to be in control of your vehicle. Is it well maintained and fully functional? Is it insured? Do you know how to handle in different circumstances. Think about being a successful and safe driver. Envision yourself capable of handling your car safely as you drive.
After the charm is charged under the moonlight and with your intent place it in the glove compartment.
To enhance your own safety and that of your passengers in the vehicle, dab some protective rue oil (charged under the moon for at least 3 days) on the seat belts locks, and then wear them.
If you are concerned about your vehicle being stolen, use rue oil to mark pentcles or the symbol of power inside the door frames and trunk of your vehicle.
- salt,
- a sprig of rue,
- a tiny gold horn (or cornu)
- if you can't afford or find a cornu consider using a dried chili pepper
- and a small pair of scissors or a small knife.
Tie the ends shut with red ribbon.
Place the charm on the Chariot Tarot Card and charge on a Full Moon.
You must infuse the charm with your will. You should spend sometime thinking about what it means to be in control of your vehicle. Is it well maintained and fully functional? Is it insured? Do you know how to handle in different circumstances. Think about being a successful and safe driver. Envision yourself capable of handling your car safely as you drive.
After the charm is charged under the moonlight and with your intent place it in the glove compartment.
To enhance your own safety and that of your passengers in the vehicle, dab some protective rue oil (charged under the moon for at least 3 days) on the seat belts locks, and then wear them.
If you are concerned about your vehicle being stolen, use rue oil to mark pentcles or the symbol of power inside the door frames and trunk of your vehicle.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Magical Yeast
A few weeks ago I got this really great book by Judika Illes titled Encyclopeadia of 5000 spells. It is a great reference book and a fun read. This made me think about the reference books I typically use when ever spell crafting. One of my all time favorites is Tarot Spells by Janina Renee. This book literally changed the way I do spell work. I find that tarot cards are a great way to draw in universal energies and archtypes and help focus the mind for visualization. Also I don't think I've worked a spell in the past 10 years when I didn't reference Scott Cunningham's Encyclopeadia of Magical Herbs..
All that said, I never do spells straight out of someone elses book even when the book is fun and well researched. It is my experience that magical use items (things like oils, candles, color symbolism, incense, tarot cards, herbs, flowers, etc.) are like magical yeast. You use yeast to make bread rise and to create a transformation. Each recipe is unique and your bread won't be *exactly* like anyone else's. How you use the magical yeast depends on what you are trying to make and the conditions surrounding the issue. As any baker can tell you, the environmental conditions might mean that you have to alter the recipe. This is why all magic should be carefully evaluated in context and carefully "crafted", before acting.
They don't call it witchCRAFT for nothin'. This is also why the saying "Be careful what you ask for" is something even "muggles" understand.
All that said, I never do spells straight out of someone elses book even when the book is fun and well researched. It is my experience that magical use items (things like oils, candles, color symbolism, incense, tarot cards, herbs, flowers, etc.) are like magical yeast. You use yeast to make bread rise and to create a transformation. Each recipe is unique and your bread won't be *exactly* like anyone else's. How you use the magical yeast depends on what you are trying to make and the conditions surrounding the issue. As any baker can tell you, the environmental conditions might mean that you have to alter the recipe. This is why all magic should be carefully evaluated in context and carefully "crafted", before acting.
They don't call it witchCRAFT for nothin'. This is also why the saying "Be careful what you ask for" is something even "muggles" understand.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Partial Lunar Eclipse
Weird, but I went out late the evening of the Summer Solstice just this last Monday and looked up at the Moon and the strangest thing popped into my head: There is going to be a lunar eclipse.
So I went inside and thank google, there it was:
Detail on, what is really for those of us in North America a very early Saturday morning, lunar eclipse.
Message posted on the Traditional Stregheria Yahoo Group
Total Solar Eclipse of the 11th of July, 2010
By Rev. Ariana Darci Clausen – Vélez
So I went inside and thank google, there it was:
Detail on, what is really for those of us in North America a very early Saturday morning, lunar eclipse.
Message posted on the Traditional Stregheria Yahoo Group
Total Solar Eclipse of the 11th of July, 2010
By Rev. Ariana Darci Clausen – Vélez
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Moondance
One of my favorite songs...
from a magical time in my life, when I was aware and growing and changing
from a magical time in my life, when I was aware and growing and changing
In honor of my favorite Taurus on the eve of the full moon.
Well it's a marvelous night for a moondance
With the stars up above in your eyes
A fantabulous night to make romance
'Neath the cover of October skies
And all the leaves on the trees are falling
To the sound of the breezes that blow
And I'm trying to please to the calling
Of your heart-strings that play soft and low
You know the night's magic
Seems to whisper and hush
And all the soft moonlight
Seems to shine in your blush...
Can I just have one a' more moondance with you, my love?
Can I just make some more romance with a' you, my love?
Well I wanna make love to you tonight
I can't wait till the morning has come
And I know now the time is just right
And straight into my arms you will run
And when you come my heart will be waiting
To make sure that you're never alone
There and then all my dreams will come true dear
There and then I will make you my own
And every time I touch you, you just tremble inside
And I know how much you want me that, you can't hide...
Can I just have one a' more moondance with you, my love?
Can I just make some more romance with a' you, my love?
Well it's a marvelous night for a moondance
With the stars up above in your eyes
A fantabulous night to make romance
'Neath the cover of October skies
And all the leaves on the trees are falling
To the sound of the breezes that blow
And I'm trying to please to the calling
Of your heart-strings that play soft and low
You know the night's magic
Seems to whisper and hush
And all the soft moonlight
Seems to shine in your blush...
One more moondance with you
In the moonlight
On a magic night
la, la, la, la, there's a moonlight
On a magic night
Can't I just have one more dance
With you my love?
Lyrics provided
Friday, March 19, 2010
Catholic Saints and New Orleans
Today is St. Joseph's Day and 100's of people, who aren't even Catholic will attend a St. Joseph's Day Altar and get thier Lucky (fava) Bean.
The "use" of Saints in "spell-like" capacity a very common thing in New Orleans and has been for centuries. Granted New Orleans is a very Catholic city but it is also a very Southern European city. We've had our fair share of French, Spanish, Italian, Sicilians, Canary Islanders, Yugoslavians come through and their impact is not small. Combine this with the African influences and you get a city where even those of German and Irish ancestry know about St. Joseph (patron saint of carpenters - help me sell my house), St. Anthony, and St. Ann (St. Ann, St. Ann send me a Man). It's cultural as much as it is "religious".
The Saints are Catholic. The Ways are not necessarily Catholic and were carried here primarily (not solely) by Italian immigrants. Saints and New Orleans are deeply cultural and have a links to ancient Pagan ways. It is this veneer of modern over layers of the past that gives New Orleans much of its appeal and mystery.
Also check out the City of Spirits & Italian New Orleans, German New Orleans, Irish New Orleans DVDs from WYES New Orleans' Public Television
The "use" of Saints in "spell-like" capacity a very common thing in New Orleans and has been for centuries. Granted New Orleans is a very Catholic city but it is also a very Southern European city. We've had our fair share of French, Spanish, Italian, Sicilians, Canary Islanders, Yugoslavians come through and their impact is not small. Combine this with the African influences and you get a city where even those of German and Irish ancestry know about St. Joseph (patron saint of carpenters - help me sell my house), St. Anthony, and St. Ann (St. Ann, St. Ann send me a Man). It's cultural as much as it is "religious".
The Saints are Catholic. The Ways are not necessarily Catholic and were carried here primarily (not solely) by Italian immigrants. Saints and New Orleans are deeply cultural and have a links to ancient Pagan ways. It is this veneer of modern over layers of the past that gives New Orleans much of its appeal and mystery.
Also check out the City of Spirits & Italian New Orleans, German New Orleans, Irish New Orleans DVDs from WYES New Orleans' Public Television
Saturday, January 30, 2010
The power of symbols and myth
I know pagans and football fans, strange bedfellows.
But in case you haven't heard the New Orleans Saints are going to the SuperBowl. For the first time in the teams 40+ year history. The dichotomy between the New Orleans world of 4+ years ago and today would have to be measured in light years. Our New Orleans Saints football team has been a symbol of our PostKatrina journey. The arrival of Sean Payton and Drew Brees the year after Katrina and team's journey to the SuperBowl has, for the people of this city, been traveled in lock step with our city's recovery. The football team loves the city. The city loves their football team.
When New Orleanians were spread across the globe and yearning to be home. The Saints didn't have a home either. There was the talk of the team not returning and finding another permanent home in another US city, say San Antonio. But the repair of the Superdome and the teams first game in Home Sweet Dome put that talk to bed.
We've (the Saints and the City) had our ups and downs since then. But these past 4 years have been mostly good. The Saints fans, who attended games with bags on their heads, but attended! even then the team was loosing, pitifully and painfully week after week, year after year have responded in larger and larger number to this years powerful show of drive, hard work and tenacity.
Now we layer on the fact that the SuperBowl and the New Orleans mayoral, city council, assessor and other election IS THE SAME DAY as the SuperBowl. We have a chance to change the things that haven't worked for us these past 4 years and the Saints have another chance to change franchise history. The mythic bonds between the Saints and the City weave more tightly together.
Now with these bonds of mythical portions associated with a city and a team the NFL decides that it is going to try to be the biggest dog and get their lawyers to say that the chant used by New Orleanians to support their team is trademarked and can't be used by small businesses or others. Who Dat! is part of the local lexicon and has been for longer than there has been a Saints football team. But the NFL, in the throws of SuperBowl sales greed, decided that they were going to claim not only a part of the local lexicon but the Fleur di Lis. Seems they forgot about the French Court or the mythic proportions this symbol already has for New Orleanians. New Orleans is a lot of things but the one thing it isn't is like other places or more specifically in this instance like other NFL cities. The NFL had no idea what it was stepping into. Senators & Representatives came out against the NFL. The ever creative Locals started purchasing what they needed to make their own Who Dat paraphernalia. Then there were the endless letters, eMail, phone calls, and blogosphere buzz about how greedy and ogreish the NFL was being. The hose was turned full force on the big dog and it seems they have backed down a little.
And the mythic proportions of the New Orleans Saints Football Team and their fans and the recovering Greater New Orleans and Gulf Coast Area grow larger. Which brings us back to the power of symbols and myth. Pagans love their myths because myths speak to many people many ways. Myths serve to unify and guide us and give us strength in adversity. The Saints and the City and the Recovery are bound together forever. Ours is a story of devastation and loss, of hope and unity, of family of blood and beyond blood, of the power of the people, of tenacity. It's David and Goliath. It's The Little Engine That Could. It's Persephone rising from the underworld. It's the complex story of Lupercus. It's the power of myth and the magic of a little place called New Orleans.
But in case you haven't heard the New Orleans Saints are going to the SuperBowl. For the first time in the teams 40+ year history. The dichotomy between the New Orleans world of 4+ years ago and today would have to be measured in light years. Our New Orleans Saints football team has been a symbol of our PostKatrina journey. The arrival of Sean Payton and Drew Brees the year after Katrina and team's journey to the SuperBowl has, for the people of this city, been traveled in lock step with our city's recovery. The football team loves the city. The city loves their football team.
When New Orleanians were spread across the globe and yearning to be home. The Saints didn't have a home either. There was the talk of the team not returning and finding another permanent home in another US city, say San Antonio. But the repair of the Superdome and the teams first game in Home Sweet Dome put that talk to bed.
We've (the Saints and the City) had our ups and downs since then. But these past 4 years have been mostly good. The Saints fans, who attended games with bags on their heads, but attended! even then the team was loosing, pitifully and painfully week after week, year after year have responded in larger and larger number to this years powerful show of drive, hard work and tenacity.
Now we layer on the fact that the SuperBowl and the New Orleans mayoral, city council, assessor and other election IS THE SAME DAY as the SuperBowl. We have a chance to change the things that haven't worked for us these past 4 years and the Saints have another chance to change franchise history. The mythic bonds between the Saints and the City weave more tightly together.
Now with these bonds of mythical portions associated with a city and a team the NFL decides that it is going to try to be the biggest dog and get their lawyers to say that the chant used by New Orleanians to support their team is trademarked and can't be used by small businesses or others. Who Dat! is part of the local lexicon and has been for longer than there has been a Saints football team. But the NFL, in the throws of SuperBowl sales greed, decided that they were going to claim not only a part of the local lexicon but the Fleur di Lis. Seems they forgot about the French Court or the mythic proportions this symbol already has for New Orleanians. New Orleans is a lot of things but the one thing it isn't is like other places or more specifically in this instance like other NFL cities. The NFL had no idea what it was stepping into. Senators & Representatives came out against the NFL. The ever creative Locals started purchasing what they needed to make their own Who Dat paraphernalia. Then there were the endless letters, eMail, phone calls, and blogosphere buzz about how greedy and ogreish the NFL was being. The hose was turned full force on the big dog and it seems they have backed down a little.
And the mythic proportions of the New Orleans Saints Football Team and their fans and the recovering Greater New Orleans and Gulf Coast Area grow larger. Which brings us back to the power of symbols and myth. Pagans love their myths because myths speak to many people many ways. Myths serve to unify and guide us and give us strength in adversity. The Saints and the City and the Recovery are bound together forever. Ours is a story of devastation and loss, of hope and unity, of family of blood and beyond blood, of the power of the people, of tenacity. It's David and Goliath. It's The Little Engine That Could. It's Persephone rising from the underworld. It's the complex story of Lupercus. It's the power of myth and the magic of a little place called New Orleans.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Words of Aradia: Concerning Magick
These words are taken from Italian Witchcraft by Raven Grimassi:
There is a force which dwells in all things, which is called the Numen. The power of an object is the power of its Numen. This essence has, of its own accord, a definite consciousness. If you are in harmony with the Ways, then you may call upon any Numen which you desire, and it will assist you. This is but one aspect of Magickal rapport.
Know that all things of the same nature (or essence) are as links in a chain. Through one you may influence the other. By this law do we make use of clay puppets. Yet even the mind is linked by thoughts and has power to reach out on its own.
The substance of Magick is best controlled and directed through the use of ritual. Ritual attracts power and through repetition it is accumulated.
Certain channels of power are formed through ritual, which becomes a link to a desired response or contact. Thus do we make use of the secret signs, symbols and gestures (which are empowered). Repetition is necessary as well as consistency.
As Strega, we draw power down from the Moon and also do we draw power from Nature. The God and Goddess oversee our works, as do the Grigori. When our Magick does not produce the desired effects, it is because a greater power resists its power. This is often a sign that the nature of the Magick was improper. Yet it can be that another Strega works against you. If this becomes the matter, then seek this person out and resolve your differences.
Understand that you must always work in harmony with the phases of the Moon, under the blessings of the God and Goddess and in accordance with the laws and ways.
The Moon symbolizes the hidden things revealed in darkness. The night is the side of life which is unknown. The light of the Moon is subtle and active on hidden levels. So too is our Magick.
The powers which are obtained through the knowledge of the Old Ways are neither good nor evil,it is only the way in which you use them that is good or evil.
The mind is most receptive to the influence of power when the person is intoxicated or asleep (within two hours of awakening). This is true also of trance, which is induced through chant and dance.
The mind which dreams (the subconscious) is directly linked to the Moon Worlds (the Astral Realms) just as the mind which knows the daylight (the conscious mind) is directly linked to the Physical World. It is through the dream mind that the Moon Worlds are contacted. It is through the Moon Worlds that Magickal influences and Magickal forms, are created. These in turn, influence the Physical World.
It is the purpose of symbols to speak to the dream mind, and plant the Magickal seeds which will manifest. It is the purpose of rituals(and spells) to establish the patterns of power. These patterns are established to either draw upon power or to raise power (or both).
Magickal and ritual correspondences are incorporated to take advantage of the Numen qualities in objects, times of power, links to Deities, and states of consciousness (awareness).
The art of Magick is a blending of inner or personal power with that of the natural powers and divine powers.
There is a force which dwells in all things, which is called the Numen. The power of an object is the power of its Numen. This essence has, of its own accord, a definite consciousness. If you are in harmony with the Ways, then you may call upon any Numen which you desire, and it will assist you. This is but one aspect of Magickal rapport.
Know that all things of the same nature (or essence) are as links in a chain. Through one you may influence the other. By this law do we make use of clay puppets. Yet even the mind is linked by thoughts and has power to reach out on its own.
The substance of Magick is best controlled and directed through the use of ritual. Ritual attracts power and through repetition it is accumulated.
Certain channels of power are formed through ritual, which becomes a link to a desired response or contact. Thus do we make use of the secret signs, symbols and gestures (which are empowered). Repetition is necessary as well as consistency.
As Strega, we draw power down from the Moon and also do we draw power from Nature. The God and Goddess oversee our works, as do the Grigori. When our Magick does not produce the desired effects, it is because a greater power resists its power. This is often a sign that the nature of the Magick was improper. Yet it can be that another Strega works against you. If this becomes the matter, then seek this person out and resolve your differences.
Understand that you must always work in harmony with the phases of the Moon, under the blessings of the God and Goddess and in accordance with the laws and ways.
The Moon symbolizes the hidden things revealed in darkness. The night is the side of life which is unknown. The light of the Moon is subtle and active on hidden levels. So too is our Magick.
The powers which are obtained through the knowledge of the Old Ways are neither good nor evil,it is only the way in which you use them that is good or evil.
The mind is most receptive to the influence of power when the person is intoxicated or asleep (within two hours of awakening). This is true also of trance, which is induced through chant and dance.
The mind which dreams (the subconscious) is directly linked to the Moon Worlds (the Astral Realms) just as the mind which knows the daylight (the conscious mind) is directly linked to the Physical World. It is through the dream mind that the Moon Worlds are contacted. It is through the Moon Worlds that Magickal influences and Magickal forms, are created. These in turn, influence the Physical World.
It is the purpose of symbols to speak to the dream mind, and plant the Magickal seeds which will manifest. It is the purpose of rituals(and spells) to establish the patterns of power. These patterns are established to either draw upon power or to raise power (or both).
Magickal and ritual correspondences are incorporated to take advantage of the Numen qualities in objects, times of power, links to Deities, and states of consciousness (awareness).
The art of Magick is a blending of inner or personal power with that of the natural powers and divine powers.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Magic & Menses & the Moon
Taken from LaVecchia
"I don't know about other traditions of stregheria, but in the Arician tradition, we're taught that a woman, while menstruating, draws magical energy into herself and then sheds it with her menses. So, it depends on the type of magic being done as to whether she should attempt certain workings or be around others while they do one. Sorta like the certain phases of the Moon can aid or hinder your workings, depending on what they are.
For instance, if she is working a healing magic, she could draw out any "negativity" and then shed or ground it, utilizing the natural process her body is experiencing then. But if she were trying to establish or build up something, that energy would be drawn into her and then grounded. For example, during ritual work, if a woman in the boschetto is menstruating, she waits outside the circle while it is being magically established, so she doesn't draw that energy into herself. Once the circle is cast, she then enters the circle to celebrate the ritual.
So, no, there is nothing "bad" about doing magic whilst menstruating. Some types of workings would be enhanced while others would be hindered or completely negated. You just have to learn how to work with the process."
And followup from Raven:
"According to the Teachings, the blood flow during the time of the "period" absorbs energy and carries it with the blood. On a metaphysical level, menstrual blood is a form of waning energy, as it is derived from the breaking down of material within the female's body. However, it also contains the essence of fertility transformed into the promise of renewal. So, while it would be a good time to do healing work for others (since the blood will absorb energy from the other person and ground it) it would not be a good time to raise energy intended to send to another (unless the blood itself came along with it, attached to a charged object or something of this nature).
We have noted that casting the ritual circle is sluggish if women are bleeding within the circle. We have also noted that the presence of women on their period tends to drain off energy that we are trying to pass to another during a ritual. Again, this is because the women is absorbing or grounding the energy into herself.
However, there are many "positive" uses for menstrual blood in magick. If you have a copy of my book The Wiccan Mysteries, there are some examples on pages 226-228. In this section I talk about blessing the crops with menstrual blood, anointing the dead, and so forth. This addresses the "captured" fertile essence of the blood that flowed from the womb, connecting it with the renewal of transformation."
The moon's phases are typically divided in Stregheria into Dark, Waxing, Full, Waning. Streghe also say the Moon is Dark (no moon showing) for 3 days and Full for 3 days. The Full Moon is of couse when we do lunar ritual, the Veglione. The Waxing Moon is when energies build, the Waning Moon is when energies ebb. Dark is the time of enchantment and possibilities.
Many people assume that there is an "optimal" menstrual cycle for pagans. A menstrual cycle during a Full Moon can feel wrong. But there is no wrong. When you cycle, you cycle. The feeling of "wrongness" comes from the fact that Full Moon the energies associated with a menstruating woman can feel like they are in opposition. A cycle at the Dark Moon is a bit more easy to take. It is a time of mystery and possibility and power. A women bleeding for days and not dying is one of the original human mysteries. A menstrual cycle in the waning phase of the moon will also feel more aligned with the moon's energies.
My menstrual cycle is naturally longer than the 29 day lunar cycle. This means that my natural cycle will shift over the course of the year and occur in anyone of the eternally shifting moon phases. This perhaps is why no matter what magic I feel the need to work, I can always find a way to work *with* whatever the moon's energies are at the time. The only time I tend to avoid working magic are those times when the Moon is "void of course".
There are some that say that standing in the moonlight will adjust a woman's cycle. But no amount of standing in the moonlight has changed this for me. Nor have I seen my cycle change as a result of being around other women. But this may be related to the fact that I have typically worked and lived with other men more than women. And then there is the ability to control our cycles with birth control pills. What I have done is time my birth control pills such that I now have a cycle in the waning of the moon and am completely finished with my cycle by the time the moon is dark. But should I stop taking the birth control pill my cycle will naturally shift into a longer period, closer to 32 days. Then Over time my cycle will again slowly shift so that it swings in and out of phase with the Moon. And I just have to learn how to work with the process.
Some initiate females who have to work solitary have choosen to celebrate on the 3rd day of the Full Moon if they are mensuating at this time. They feel that it better aligns their physical energies with the Moon's (waning) energies.
"I don't know about other traditions of stregheria, but in the Arician tradition, we're taught that a woman, while menstruating, draws magical energy into herself and then sheds it with her menses. So, it depends on the type of magic being done as to whether she should attempt certain workings or be around others while they do one. Sorta like the certain phases of the Moon can aid or hinder your workings, depending on what they are.
For instance, if she is working a healing magic, she could draw out any "negativity" and then shed or ground it, utilizing the natural process her body is experiencing then. But if she were trying to establish or build up something, that energy would be drawn into her and then grounded. For example, during ritual work, if a woman in the boschetto is menstruating, she waits outside the circle while it is being magically established, so she doesn't draw that energy into herself. Once the circle is cast, she then enters the circle to celebrate the ritual.
So, no, there is nothing "bad" about doing magic whilst menstruating. Some types of workings would be enhanced while others would be hindered or completely negated. You just have to learn how to work with the process."
And followup from Raven:
"According to the Teachings, the blood flow during the time of the "period" absorbs energy and carries it with the blood. On a metaphysical level, menstrual blood is a form of waning energy, as it is derived from the breaking down of material within the female's body. However, it also contains the essence of fertility transformed into the promise of renewal. So, while it would be a good time to do healing work for others (since the blood will absorb energy from the other person and ground it) it would not be a good time to raise energy intended to send to another (unless the blood itself came along with it, attached to a charged object or something of this nature).
We have noted that casting the ritual circle is sluggish if women are bleeding within the circle. We have also noted that the presence of women on their period tends to drain off energy that we are trying to pass to another during a ritual. Again, this is because the women is absorbing or grounding the energy into herself.
However, there are many "positive" uses for menstrual blood in magick. If you have a copy of my book The Wiccan Mysteries, there are some examples on pages 226-228. In this section I talk about blessing the crops with menstrual blood, anointing the dead, and so forth. This addresses the "captured" fertile essence of the blood that flowed from the womb, connecting it with the renewal of transformation."
The moon's phases are typically divided in Stregheria into Dark, Waxing, Full, Waning. Streghe also say the Moon is Dark (no moon showing) for 3 days and Full for 3 days. The Full Moon is of couse when we do lunar ritual, the Veglione. The Waxing Moon is when energies build, the Waning Moon is when energies ebb. Dark is the time of enchantment and possibilities.
Many people assume that there is an "optimal" menstrual cycle for pagans. A menstrual cycle during a Full Moon can feel wrong. But there is no wrong. When you cycle, you cycle. The feeling of "wrongness" comes from the fact that Full Moon the energies associated with a menstruating woman can feel like they are in opposition. A cycle at the Dark Moon is a bit more easy to take. It is a time of mystery and possibility and power. A women bleeding for days and not dying is one of the original human mysteries. A menstrual cycle in the waning phase of the moon will also feel more aligned with the moon's energies.
My menstrual cycle is naturally longer than the 29 day lunar cycle. This means that my natural cycle will shift over the course of the year and occur in anyone of the eternally shifting moon phases. This perhaps is why no matter what magic I feel the need to work, I can always find a way to work *with* whatever the moon's energies are at the time. The only time I tend to avoid working magic are those times when the Moon is "void of course".
There are some that say that standing in the moonlight will adjust a woman's cycle. But no amount of standing in the moonlight has changed this for me. Nor have I seen my cycle change as a result of being around other women. But this may be related to the fact that I have typically worked and lived with other men more than women. And then there is the ability to control our cycles with birth control pills. What I have done is time my birth control pills such that I now have a cycle in the waning of the moon and am completely finished with my cycle by the time the moon is dark. But should I stop taking the birth control pill my cycle will naturally shift into a longer period, closer to 32 days. Then Over time my cycle will again slowly shift so that it swings in and out of phase with the Moon. And I just have to learn how to work with the process.
Some initiate females who have to work solitary have choosen to celebrate on the 3rd day of the Full Moon if they are mensuating at this time. They feel that it better aligns their physical energies with the Moon's (waning) energies.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Words of Aradia: Concerning the Astral Plane
These words are taken from Italian Witchcraft by Raven Grimassi:
The Astral World, through the Plane of Forces, receives the thoughts and vibrations of actions from the Physical World. Just as solid materials are used to create objects in our world Thoughts and vibrations create etheric object on the Astral Plane.
Therefore, what people strongly believe in enough can be created astrally. This is one method by which ritual Magick is performed. Energy is first raised with a specific purpose in mind, then it it given up to the Plane of Forces, where it it drawn and channeled to the Astral Work, and so obtains a thought form.
The true purpose of the Astral Plan is to prepare us for future lives and existences by burning out (purifying) or exhausting, all of our fears, desires and false concepts. These bind us to the lower worlds. So it is our afterlife experiences in the lower astral world which transforms us.
The Astral World is under the Divine Law of Cause and Effect, action and reaction. It is the essence of the Three-fold Law.
The Astral Planes contain all the heavens and hells which followers of all religions believe in. They will experience what they believe awaits them.
On the Astral Plane, thoughts are things. As you believe so shall it be.
The Astral World, through the Plane of Forces, receives the thoughts and vibrations of actions from the Physical World. Just as solid materials are used to create objects in our world Thoughts and vibrations create etheric object on the Astral Plane.
Therefore, what people strongly believe in enough can be created astrally. This is one method by which ritual Magick is performed. Energy is first raised with a specific purpose in mind, then it it given up to the Plane of Forces, where it it drawn and channeled to the Astral Work, and so obtains a thought form.
The true purpose of the Astral Plan is to prepare us for future lives and existences by burning out (purifying) or exhausting, all of our fears, desires and false concepts. These bind us to the lower worlds. So it is our afterlife experiences in the lower astral world which transforms us.
The Astral World is under the Divine Law of Cause and Effect, action and reaction. It is the essence of the Three-fold Law.
The Astral Planes contain all the heavens and hells which followers of all religions believe in. They will experience what they believe awaits them.
On the Astral Plane, thoughts are things. As you believe so shall it be.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Words of Aradia: Concerning the Elements
These words are taken from Italian Witchcraft by Raven Grimassi:
There is a vaporous, subtle and invisible quality to each of these things which are called the physical elements. The ancients have told us that all of creation was brought into being when Spirit drew the four elements unto itself. These elements are called Earth, Air, Fire and Water. And they are controlled by Spirit.
Each of these elements possess an etheric double. It is this essence which gives vitality or fertility to the physical object.
Just as the physical realms or matter contain their own forms of life, so too do the etheric realms. These entities have been personified as the many spirits and creatures of myth and legend. It is their activity which creates and maintains the vital essence within all matter.
The etheric powers of the elements also give potency to spells and works of Magick. It is within their realms that the Magickal powers ebb and flow. Thus are the spirits of the elements summoned to assist us.
There is a vaporous, subtle and invisible quality to each of these things which are called the physical elements. The ancients have told us that all of creation was brought into being when Spirit drew the four elements unto itself. These elements are called Earth, Air, Fire and Water. And they are controlled by Spirit.
Each of these elements possess an etheric double. It is this essence which gives vitality or fertility to the physical object.
Just as the physical realms or matter contain their own forms of life, so too do the etheric realms. These entities have been personified as the many spirits and creatures of myth and legend. It is their activity which creates and maintains the vital essence within all matter.
The etheric powers of the elements also give potency to spells and works of Magick. It is within their realms that the Magickal powers ebb and flow. Thus are the spirits of the elements summoned to assist us.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Remembering my friend on her birthday
Today was Dana (Polly Surette) Pastori's birthday.
On July 27,2009 via a front page newspaper article I found out that she had been murdered in 2002, her body discovered in October 2005 in the PostKatrina chaos, and her boyfriend arrested on a million dollar bond in June of 2008. He was convicted of her murder last week as well and sentenced to live in prison without parole.
To say I was deeply affected only begins to describe how I felt. Some will ask, "But if you had not heard from her since 2002 how close could you have been?" and this is a reasonable question.
I met Dana (before she changed her name to Polly) in the early 90's. She moved to New Orleans after she left her husband. She was with me when I was still searching for my path. She was Italian in some of her heritage and definitely in her looks but Norse, very strongly so, in her pagan practices. She wanted us to be able to work together. She hoped that I would, with my Germanic background, find a home in the Norse/Odinic tradition. We shared a love of learning and talking and practicing what we learned. But we walked 2 different paths.
In me Dana found someone who was open and accepting of who she was, all of her facets and I found the same. With each other we could be fully ourselves. She said once, and I knew when she said it that she was right, that I would always be lonely, even with people who were my friends if I didn't feel as if I could share all of who I was: the corporate woman, wife, mother, scientist, and witch. Dana was my friend because we shared all the aspects of our lives with each other and we trusted and could depend on each other.
I remember telling Dana that I was going to try to have (my daughter) a baby. I said (and this was before Raven Grimassi had published Ways of the Strega) that I wanted to invite the souls of those who had passed but who had positively influenced me a place to reincarnate. Dana asked me, quite surprised, where I had read this. I had to think about it but I said, I really hadn't read about it, but it seemed reasonable that if you believe in reincarnation that you'd want to offer a positive environment for your soul family. She just shook her head at me quite amazed.
I also remember the Shadowfest/Halloween in 1994 when we did a ritual to call this soul family while the veil was thin. Dana carved the rune for fertility on the white candle we burned. I was pregnant by the 1st week in December and 34 years old. I have always believed that the power Dana had as a witch helped make my life what it is today.
Dana loved her daughters. She was separated from them by her powerful and mean spirited ex husband. She had visitation rites before she ended up "stealing them". I saw her 2 daughters. I watched and comforted her as she tried every legal means possible to get "the state" to protect them and give her custody. When she took them they were shadows of what children should be, too thin and needing her.
She was able to protect them for years. But her contact with an old friend from the Czech Republic, lead to the police finding her. She was convicted and sentenced to probation, which she served out in New Orleans. She lived with me and my family until she could get back on her feet. Her solace in all this was that she was able to have time with her children when they were young. They got to know their mother. And as a result of her taking them they were watched by the state to ensure that their father would do right by them.
Dana had a complex life. Her father, the man her mother was married to, abused her when she was young. This of course affected her for life. But this man was not her biological father. She didn't know her biological father until later in life. But once she found him was able to connect. He was always good to her and I know that she loved him and his family. I want to be able to remember the good that there was in her too short life.
I wish she had been able to go to the Czech Republic as she said she was in our last conversation. She was getting away from New Orleans, from the US, until her daughters were old enough to be able to ask for her. It was always her hope to be able to reunite with them.
To "seal our friendship" and thank me for the being there "when there was no other", Dana/Polly gave me a magical box, filled with magical charged items. One of the things in this box was her first pentacle. It was made by a pagan from a piece of her jewelry, a peridot (our shared birthstone) earring. She said it "showed me my craft". I wear it to remember her and to strengthen my pagan practice.
One of the things in the magical box was a bird nest "plucked from a tree by my love", the man who killed her. She said I should use it if I ever needed to renew my life. Just yesterday I took the nest to the Mississippi River and tossed it in. I do want to renew my life. I'm sure Polly understands this perfectly. I also wanted her and me to be free of any connection to her murderer. Watching the nest sink into the river helped me release my friend.
Before her divorce she was in a terrible accident and literally died at the hospital. She always said this changed her. It opened her to the pagan path in a powerful way. I'll always be glad that she and I shared a small part of this lifetime together. She was a unique individual who never stopped learning from her experiences even when they weren't all good. I hope to meet know and remember her in another lifetime to come.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Words of Aradia: Concerning the Law of Return
These words are taken from Italian Witchcraft by Raven Grimassi:
Every act which you perform will draw to itself three times the nature of the act. Such is the Law.
This effects not only the acts of each day, but reaches into the future as well. Here the Law establishes those debts which must be paid.
Therefore consider well your actions. Nothing escapes the Law, nor is anything hidden from it. The Law does not punish nor reward. It only returns the intent of each action to its origin.
If you step off from a high place you will fall, and this is consistent. There is no intent, there is nothing good or evil. It may be good to leap upon your enemy from a high place and surprise hime, or it may be bad to fall and be injured. But the nature of the descent it only a law. So too is the nature of the Law of Return.
Every act which you perform will draw to itself three times the nature of the act. Such is the Law.
This effects not only the acts of each day, but reaches into the future as well. Here the Law establishes those debts which must be paid.
Therefore consider well your actions. Nothing escapes the Law, nor is anything hidden from it. The Law does not punish nor reward. It only returns the intent of each action to its origin.
If you step off from a high place you will fall, and this is consistent. There is no intent, there is nothing good or evil. It may be good to leap upon your enemy from a high place and surprise hime, or it may be bad to fall and be injured. But the nature of the descent it only a law. So too is the nature of the Law of Return.
Friday, May 1, 2009
What a Wonderful World
Listen to native New Orleanian Louis Armstrong sing
Then sit outside today and think to yourself.
I see trees of green........ red roses too
I see em bloom..... for me and for you
And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue..... clouds of white
Bright blessed days....dark sacred nights
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.
The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are also on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin.. how do you do
Theyre really sayin......i love you.
I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
They'll learn much more.....than I'll never know
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world
(instrumental break)
The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are there on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin.. how do you do
Theyre really sayin...*spoken*(I ....love....you).
I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
*spoken*(you know their gonna learn
A whole lot more than I'll never know)
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself .......what a wonderful world.
Lyrics provided by LyricsFreak
Shadow Working is said to be a part of magic working in Stregheria.
Watch as the aritist works his magic and the audience goes from laughing to inspired.
Then sit outside today and think to yourself.
I see trees of green........ red roses too
I see em bloom..... for me and for you
And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue..... clouds of white
Bright blessed days....dark sacred nights
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.
The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are also on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin.. how do you do
Theyre really sayin......i love you.
I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
They'll learn much more.....than I'll never know
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world
(instrumental break)
The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are there on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin.. how do you do
Theyre really sayin...*spoken*(I ....love....you).
I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
*spoken*(you know their gonna learn
A whole lot more than I'll never know)
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself .......what a wonderful world.
Lyrics provided by LyricsFreak
Shadow Working is said to be a part of magic working in Stregheria.
Watch as the aritist works his magic and the audience goes from laughing to inspired.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Nose Twitching @ Spring Equinox
For Streghe the Spring Equinox is one of the points on the Wheel of the Year where your magic can get an extra boost. Magical seeds planted at the Spring Equinox come to fruition by the Fall Equinox.
Part of the ritual calls for a blessing of the seeds. A pouch can be created combining soil, blessed seeds and wine. After the pouch is created it can be hung from a tree for a good hunt or planted in the ground for a good harvest. Or create 2 pouches and do both.
Streghe also have a tradition of doing no more than 3 works of magic at a Treguenda or Veglione.
I did my 3 works of magic for the Spring Equinox and also planted one pouch and hung another from a tree in my backyard to better empower the magical workings.
One of the works of magic was associated with giving us the strength to only use the credit card for those things we NEED and to successfully and quickly pay off the balance.
For anyone who has kids that you will one day want to send to college (or even if you want to go yourself) I highly recommend a UPromise Credit Card. I have one. With all the country's financial crisis mess my current UPromise card is switching from being a Citibank Credit Card to a Bank of America Credit Card. The change over date is March 31. So we got new cards to replace the old ones. I used these new cards in my magic work.
The old card stopped working the day after my magical workings and the new card won't work until March 31st. This meant 2 days without being able to use the card. No big deal really, except that because of how the Upromise Card works (the more you spend on it AND PAY OFF the more money goes in your 529 Account) we got used to using it for the basics like gas for the vehicles and groceries. I think the Gods are telling us we may have gotten a little too used to it.
It seems as if the Gods would prefer for us to use the Debit Card for more purchases. So now that's what we'll do. Since 2 days have already made me more aware of patterns and assumptions, I'm thinking we need at least 6 months.
Extra boost indeed.
As with all magic, be careful what you ask for.
Part of the ritual calls for a blessing of the seeds. A pouch can be created combining soil, blessed seeds and wine. After the pouch is created it can be hung from a tree for a good hunt or planted in the ground for a good harvest. Or create 2 pouches and do both.
Streghe also have a tradition of doing no more than 3 works of magic at a Treguenda or Veglione.
I did my 3 works of magic for the Spring Equinox and also planted one pouch and hung another from a tree in my backyard to better empower the magical workings.
One of the works of magic was associated with giving us the strength to only use the credit card for those things we NEED and to successfully and quickly pay off the balance.
For anyone who has kids that you will one day want to send to college (or even if you want to go yourself) I highly recommend a UPromise Credit Card. I have one. With all the country's financial crisis mess my current UPromise card is switching from being a Citibank Credit Card to a Bank of America Credit Card. The change over date is March 31. So we got new cards to replace the old ones. I used these new cards in my magic work.
The old card stopped working the day after my magical workings and the new card won't work until March 31st. This meant 2 days without being able to use the card. No big deal really, except that because of how the Upromise Card works (the more you spend on it AND PAY OFF the more money goes in your 529 Account) we got used to using it for the basics like gas for the vehicles and groceries. I think the Gods are telling us we may have gotten a little too used to it.
It seems as if the Gods would prefer for us to use the Debit Card for more purchases. So now that's what we'll do. Since 2 days have already made me more aware of patterns and assumptions, I'm thinking we need at least 6 months.
Extra boost indeed.
As with all magic, be careful what you ask for.
Friday, January 9, 2009
The Strangest Secret
You will, your thoughts, create your reality. This is the essence of magic. The rest are trappings. Oh the trappings are helpful. But You, your thoughts, are the key.
The following quotes are from The StrangestSecret by Earl Nightgale
Marcus Aurelius, the great Roman Emperor, said: "A man's life is what his thoughts make of it."
Disraeli said this: "Everything comes if a man will only wait ... a human being with a settled purpose must accomplish it, and nothing can resist a will that will stake even existence for its fulfillment."
William James said: "We need only in cold blood act as if the thing in question were real, and it will become infallibly real by growing into such a connection with our life that it will become real. It will become so knit with habit and emotion that our interests in it will be those which characterize belief." He continues, " ... only you must, then, really wish these things, and wish them exclusively, and not wish at the same time a hundred other incompatible things just as strongly."
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale put it this way: "If you think in negative terms, you will get negative results. If you think in positive terms, you will achieve positive results."
George Bernard Shaw said: "People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them."
The Bible - Job 4:8, "As ye sow, so shall ye reap."
And
The Roman statesman, philosopher, orator Cicero: "As you have sown, so shall you reap.'
Dorothea Brande said: "Act as though it were impossible to fail,"
The following quotes are from The StrangestSecret by Earl Nightgale
Marcus Aurelius, the great Roman Emperor, said: "A man's life is what his thoughts make of it."
Disraeli said this: "Everything comes if a man will only wait ... a human being with a settled purpose must accomplish it, and nothing can resist a will that will stake even existence for its fulfillment."
William James said: "We need only in cold blood act as if the thing in question were real, and it will become infallibly real by growing into such a connection with our life that it will become real. It will become so knit with habit and emotion that our interests in it will be those which characterize belief." He continues, " ... only you must, then, really wish these things, and wish them exclusively, and not wish at the same time a hundred other incompatible things just as strongly."
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale put it this way: "If you think in negative terms, you will get negative results. If you think in positive terms, you will achieve positive results."
George Bernard Shaw said: "People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them."
The Bible - Job 4:8, "As ye sow, so shall ye reap."
And
The Roman statesman, philosopher, orator Cicero: "As you have sown, so shall you reap.'
Dorothea Brande said: "Act as though it were impossible to fail,"
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