tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67864741199889794652024-03-13T12:13:14.656-04:00 AmethJera's Broom With A ViewAnything and Everything
( Not affiliated with Witchemy.com or the Broom With A View FB community group )AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.comBlogger402125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-88366078993846234402022-04-30T18:58:00.000-04:002022-04-30T18:58:13.100-04:00A New Day<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixNZ2FYsAuuXlwLl0oaZIlBDfDL2k_A8ZD49pC99LnjVUdReVXgOq5yryvDqi-E-Z5R8lXmD92E5OoyituZJWFJAYX4eTyYDDEBa-4E2Hgra9cNlCXgU5TcxnpIo2evEXpwhhfdT5dkrNFfkXZbAP7CAID5Jdc2MROvEGj7Om4AMC9fvQzWKxljqWJtw=s288" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="268" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixNZ2FYsAuuXlwLl0oaZIlBDfDL2k_A8ZD49pC99LnjVUdReVXgOq5yryvDqi-E-Z5R8lXmD92E5OoyituZJWFJAYX4eTyYDDEBa-4E2Hgra9cNlCXgU5TcxnpIo2evEXpwhhfdT5dkrNFfkXZbAP7CAID5Jdc2MROvEGj7Om4AMC9fvQzWKxljqWJtw" width="268" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">As I've said before, the first few days of any new year have always felt a little fuzzy. Maybe it's the " time out of time " aspect, or the uncertainty of a new beginning.( Yes, I know it's Beltane Eve. Still trying to navigate 2022.)<br /><br />Maybe it's that these days are drenched with seasonal superstition and ritual. I love all of it and wish it would last just a wee bit longer...but then again, the fact that it's fleeting and impermanent makes it all the more special. I try to pack as much meaning into these few precious days as I can, and I'm not always successful.<br /><br />Ah, well...we humans often fail with the things we want to hold close. To paraphrase some ancient philosopher whose name escapes me at the moment, "At first you must be willing to let go of that which you wish to hold onto tightly." <br /><br />Pandemic not withstanding, the last couple of years have been a miasma of hellishness, especially in the US where I live.I think it's been a much needed eye-opener for all of us here that the image of America we've presented to the world is little more than a mask. We've been deceiving ourselves as to who we really are, and I for one as a citizen am ashamed to admit that we've foisted that image and perpetuated it onto the rest of the world. <i>We can and must do better in the coming year and moving forward. </i>May we spend time exploring our roots in order for the true story of our history to emerge and replace the inventions wrought by colonization at the whim of our ancestors, no matter how painful that may be.<br /><i><br /></i>So too, we need to take a hard look at who we are in our Occult/ Pagan/ Witch ?/Whatever-you-prefer-to-call-it community. It's not only about how we identify as individuals, but how we are seen in the wider world. ( And yes, this is an old saw, and yes, I am personally a bit nonplussed by the whole subject because we have beaten this dead horse into dust...and yet...yet...we still have to keep coming back to it because we still have lessons to learn.) In fact, Pathos Pagan just posted an article about this very thing today. It's a timely coincidence and worth reading.<br /><br />I will be the first to confess that I have a tart tongue and an armory full of snark at the ready and am not afraid to use them when I feel the situation requires that response. Because sometimes the fuckery is such it demands a heaping helping of bitchiness. Like all things, however, experience has taught me when it's necessary and maturity on what and whom to unleash it. At least I'd like to think so, and believe me, I know I've been mistaken.<br /><br /><b><i>How we approach one another does matter.</i></b> It matters individually, it matters in relation to how we're seen by others, and it matters as to the vibration it sets off in the Universe. It affects our energy and magickal ability- " like begets like" is a very real thing and not just another pap saying. Before being cheapened by New Age clap-trap, the Law of Attraction was and is still a very necessary element of magick because characteristics of particular types of spellwork are symbiotic. Those who think highly of themselves, who think their snarkiness (online in particular) is proof of being a superior or clever, gifted being are in for a very hard fall eventually...because it is<i> a universal truth that you reap what you sow.</i> Constantly being a smart ass may favorably impress a few in a particular fish pond on Facebook, but in the larger scheme of things, does that really matter? It's all ego, smoke and mirrors...so let's all try to mind our manners and be a little kinder to each other in our social media discourse.<br /><br />That's not what I actually wanted this post to be about, but I feel better for getting it out of the way because it's been bothering me.<br /><br />It's a new day, in a new year. It's a clean slate, a blank journal waiting to be written. And guess what? You and I get to write it.<br /><br /><br /><br /> </span><br /><p></p>AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-3559513754022718322021-11-27T18:52:00.001-05:002021-11-27T18:52:28.061-05:00Annual Sun Wheel Ceremony<p> <img alt="Wreath making 2019 personal photo" class="alignleft wp-post-image" height="400" itemprop="image" src="https://www.owlsdaughter.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/img-0772-300x400.jpg" width="300" /><a href="https://www.owlsdaughter.com/2021-advent-sun-wreath-ceremony/"><br /><br /><span style="color: black;">I think this ceremony is so important that I'm giving over this blog post to the post by Beth Owl's Daughter. Please read it carefully and participate in the weekly ceremony.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />https://www.owlsdaughter.com/2021-advent-sun-wreath-ceremony/</a> <br /></p>AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-34748943593274083612021-11-01T19:56:00.000-04:002021-11-01T19:56:17.212-04:00Cyper Craft and Curious Seekers<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RZ9HUuZy5C4/YXw3AfYthxI/AAAAAAAADuo/FL-AKW9EYwQDt2yUwXOvkJ24nBcRwhP0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1300/A%2Bwitch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="931" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RZ9HUuZy5C4/YXw3AfYthxI/AAAAAAAADuo/FL-AKW9EYwQDt2yUwXOvkJ24nBcRwhP0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/A%2Bwitch.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>Let's face it...<i>we were all new once.</i> We were curious, and maybe not so serious in our early days...or we were overly serious because we felt we had something to prove ( mostly to ourselves). We were newbies, dabbling in the unknown,<i> and damn it was exciting as hell.<br /><br /><br /></i>We had no earthly idea what we were doing and were afraid of doing anything and screwing up. Or, we plunged in head-long into an occult practice we knew nothing about, but were too arrogant and stupid to admit it. <br /><br />Yeah, me, too. I didn't know everything then, and I sure as hell don't know it all now. I am still a seeker, still curious, but a lot more cautious because I am much more knowledgeable . We're all students in the Craft. Even the teachers.<br /><br />At least the majority of us were civil. Sort of. Yeah, I'm old. I think we were much kinder to one another 'back in the day'. Common courtesy seems to be in short supply now. Scoring Brownie points for snark rudeness is in high demand.<br /><br /> I'm not saying the Good Old Days were better because they weren't. We were occult in the truest definition of the word. We kept silent about our practice because in some instances it was actually dangerous to be out of the broom closet. We didn't parade around in our ritual clothing and only a few dared to wear a pentagram or other symbol of the Craft in public. Our spirituality was hidden, and in some places it's prudent to keep our sacred symbols tucked inside the collar now. No, that's not fair, but it's certainly safer.<br /><br />In America, Raymond Buckland brought Wicca to the edge of the light , but the Craft was still marginalized. There were some notable others, of course. We had individual camps called traditions, and from those practices covens were formed. Scott Cunningham-love him or hate him- can be credited with placing magickal practice into the blinding light of day. His version of Wicca was simple in it's presentation but complex in results. It was unabashedly nature based and very do-it-yourself, and an abhorrence to Euro-centric and Ceremonial Magick traditions. Self-initiation simply wasn't done then and was an affront to the old guard who followed the degree system that took years to achieve. I learned from Cunningham's books, but later joined a traditional coven. Today, as a solitary who occasionally yearns for the fellowship of group worship, I land somewhere in the middle of the road. <br /><br /><i><b>Enter the Internet</b></i>. In the early days there were a few groups on Juno or AOL which were private difficult to find online. As the Internet grew and social media became the standard, enter the<i> Cyber Witch</i>. We were all over My Space and customized sites like Coven Space. Traditions tightened their organizational models and created individual websites. In a few key strokes you could find a spell for anything. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. Not at all. Especially where no in person teaching available, it's indispensable...but with discernment, because frankly, there are a lot of "teachers" out there who simply don't have the experience, or the <span><span>principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior. In the same vein, there are some simply marvelous unknown teachers out there.<br /><br />My biggest beef with the Internet Craft is the level of nastiness I'm seeing. Personal attacks are openly and flippantly vitriolic. I don't know when smart mouth became a desired characteristic, but it seems to be the basics of certain popular Witches and Big Name Pagans' fan clubs, and it's growing. My opinion, for what its worth, is that it childish and immature, and unworthy of the image of someone publicly representing the Craft. We have enough public relations difficulties without the ego stroking of assholes. You shouldn't be dismissed because you're new to the Craft, or because you're older than dirt. There is something to be said for both. And we need all for the diversity of our chosen spiritual traditions.<br /><br />And while I'm in crabby mode, I absolutely despise the term <i>Fluffy Bunny. </i>It's demeaning and pejorative because we were all in that spot once. It's unnecessary. Be better. Be more tolerant and helpful in cyberspace to curiosity seekers. Chances are those individuals left a mainstream religious tradition ( e.g., Christianity) because of similar treatment.How sad they came to the Craft and received the same thing.<br /><br />I don't have a finger on the pulse of the future of the Craft. I just know what isn't working- for me or anyone else. We are capable of being better.<br /><br /><br /></span></span><p></p>AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-22522179881943048792021-10-29T13:56:00.000-04:002021-10-29T13:56:27.299-04:00When Did You First Fall In Love With Halloween?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dniZrIGUGLY/YWdfFzsMS1I/AAAAAAAADuc/1CZxtsrNUcwYs6o103BEqxsCLDFDcdHXgCLcBGAsYHQ/s720/a%2Bjack.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dniZrIGUGLY/YWdfFzsMS1I/AAAAAAAADuc/1CZxtsrNUcwYs6o103BEqxsCLDFDcdHXgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/a%2Bjack.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><i>When did you first fall in love with Halloween? </i></b>For me, it was when I was quite young. My grandmother spent $2 on a paper fold-out centerpiece of a haunted house( an exorbitant amount in those days) when I was in second grade. 58 years later, I still have it. It's missing the little picket fence that attached to the front, but over the years I have carefully preserved it and packed it away.<br /><br /><br /><br />Halloween is my childhood. It's also the holiest day in my personal calendar. I was seven years old when I hung my first Halloween decorations, and since that time I've had a special affinity for the holiday.<br /><br />Autumn is my favorite time of the year : the colors of changing leaves, cool, crisp mornings, darker nights and the silence that reflects the echo of train whistles and nocturnal animals vocalizations and movements. And the Beloved Dead...<br /><br />I have always known there was another dimension other than the one I've currently inhabiting. I didn't know what to call it or how to describe it, but I instinctively knew it existed. And I have never been afraid of the Dead. Even as a child I knew that Death was a transition, like stepping through Alice's looking glass. I knew there were spirits that were mischievous- some were down right evil- but the majority of those who have made the transition through the veil mean the living no harm. I still hold with that belief.<br /><br />I love the folklore, the stories, the myths and the legends that come out of Halloween's past. The history of the holiday, though often not apparent, has formulated our current celebration. I like the idea of giving out treats because in it's own transformed way preserves the tradition of ' souling' ( children going house to house asking for a specially baked cake in exchange for prayers for the departed of the household). I like seeing the costumes, reminiscent of the living dressing up to fool the malevolent dead so no harm came to them). I give to <i>everyone</i> because it's a small way to spread joy and community...and yes, I even give to the kids traditionally too old to be out trick or treating, because whether or not they know it, they've chosen to retain a bit of their childhood when they could be out doing other more destructive things. It's not really about the candy. Maybe they don't know it, but it's something more, something intangible they don't yet understand.<br /><br />So, a few friends and I stand on the corner of the main street in our little town and hand out treats as the Trick or Treaters run by, barely containing their excitement of dressing up and shapeshifting into the persona of imaginary beings ( we don't want the possibility of a liability issue with the apartment complex, so we move off the property.) Their excitement is contagious, and at the same time, a bit of child-like wonder rubs off on us. I dress up, too! As dour, serious adults, we need this recharging of our psyches at least once a year. Later we normally retire for our own gathering to partake of coffee and cake in someone's apartment, for reminiscing about past Halloweens, and those who are no longer with us. It's a bittersweet moment among the evening's gaiety.<br /><br /> Afterward, I retire to my own sacred space to spent time with my own beloved dead. The ritual begins formally, but becomes a time of joyful remembrance and tears, and I am at once grateful that my spiritual tradition allows me to spend time with those who have gone before. I spend time honoring my ancestors, even those I didn't gravitate to when they were alive, even those who abused and traumatized me, because I believe they deserve recognition for their contribution to who I am, and they deserve their due. There are photos of ancestors I never met, who died long before I was born. I don't even know their names. They were relatives of my grandparents and great grandparents, but they are my ancestors just the same. I confess that I spend more time with my own friends and acquaintances who have crossed The Veil. The list grows longer each year as more people pass on. The first few years I'm a bit sad, actually. This year, Sabrina Underwood Hodges-Sabrina the Ink Witch- is among the gathering. Her sudden death is something I never fathomed happening so soon. I wasn't ready to say goodbye, and neither was she. But the human body is fragile, and we're all subject to failure of it's mortality. But ... my heart and head undeniably know we never truly leave this plain, even if we only return for one night...this night, the eve before All Hallows.<br /><br />My human companions aren't the only spirits invited to visit: I welcome my animal companions, from those of my childhood to the most recent, to spend time with me. I place the ashes of the latest, Kitty Boo, on my ancestor altar, and photos and mementos of others. They were truly my companions ( I no longer refer to animal companions as 'familiars', even those who participated in ritual with me, because as Uncle Birch pointed out earlier this year, that's the name those who prosecuted witches called them.<br />( I understand the propensity to want to continue the cultural reference, and if you wish to do so, that is your choice, just as it is my choice to stop doing so.With me it's just a personal fine point, so, no judgement; I don't have a problem with incorporating changes as our Craft evolves.)<br /><br />So, as I dust off my pointy hat, I wish you prosperity and peace and a bountiful harvest of whatever you need. Happy Halloween, and a Blessed Samhain!<br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p>AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-91091126787134803282021-09-16T14:54:00.001-04:002021-09-16T14:54:58.243-04:00Whispering Leaves <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RqvVOHhcuHQ/YUOA6lc66eI/AAAAAAAADuE/k87DtVOV-f4hmZE4EVjpkgqdfnOv2tH_gCLcBGAsYHQ/s225/A%2Ba%2Bleaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="225" height="224" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RqvVOHhcuHQ/YUOA6lc66eI/AAAAAAAADuE/k87DtVOV-f4hmZE4EVjpkgqdfnOv2tH_gCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/A%2Ba%2Bleaves.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><i><b>"Autumn is an artist who uses an oak leaf to paint a masterpiece"<br /> ~ William Allen Ward</b><br /><br /><br /></i>We sit at the edge of the Veil, leaves of every color dancing round in circles at our feet, a crisp nip in the air in the morning, the sun rising up later and lower each day.<br /><br />It is finally my favorite time of year. I don't mind wearing a jacket when I go to town to shop: you can always take it off if you get too warm while doing errands, but you can only remove so much clothing to stay cooler in the heat of Summer.<br /><br />I have said before that I am not a Summer person. No matter how much or how thickly I slather on sun block, I turn a bright, painful pink within the hour and feel like I'm frying-because I am. No tanning for this redhead! Thankfully I no longer freckle, but subsequent sun burns has left me with a pesky spot or two of pre-cancerous skin lesions that have amounted to little more than a bother.<i> Still, I am careful. <br /><br /><br /></i>I love the dusky smell of fallen leaves that have turned crunchy, and damn it all, I do like the combination of ingredients that make up Pumpkin Spice. Not the commercial stuff : the blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger that you grind into fiery dust with a mortar and pestal and use to flavor pies and quick bread. Mix a little in with ground coffee and make your own version of what cost $5.00 a cup at Starbucks. It's fresher, and the shot of spice will surprise you.<br /><br />That same mixture can be sprinkled around your house, or stuffed in a sachet or used to dress a candle, because those spices ( sometimes along with mace and cloves) are<i> protective. </i>The afore mentioned spices all correspond to the element of fire and deities called upon for safeguarding home and hearth. <br /><br />Mainstream healthcare finally acknowledges the bioactive and healing properties herbalists have known since antiquity. Herbs and spices like rosemary, sage, thyme and spices such as cinnamon, cloves, coriander, nutmeg, ginger, tumeric and mace (among others) are now being recognized for their polyphenol content ( Read up on it yourself, it's too complicated to list here. It's a rabbit hole, but you'll learn something if you do.) Ah, Science...<br /><br />Back to those Autumn leaves that we love...<br /><br />Did you know that the changing colors are a form of <i>chromatherapy</i>? The therapeutic use of color and light to balance the body's energy and vibration has been used for centuries. The vibrant colors of Autumn are a natural expression of this alternative form of healing... and it's free! Take a walk in the park or the woods among the varieties of colored leaves and see if it doesn't leave you revitalized and ultimately happier! The use of color has long been used to elevate mood and relieve anxiety.<br /><br />We finally come to the part about the whispering leaves. The clamoring of leaves and branches in a soft breeze create "white noise" : the frequency of sound masks other distractions and leads to relaxation, much as the sound of rain, the ocean, and other sounds of Nature. ( And although I'm using the term "white noise" broadly here, frequencies of sound are actually matched to colors of light; for example, the sound of rain is technically considered as "pink noise" by auditory experts-which I most certainly am not. You don't need to be an expert to understand the science/theory on a very basic level..)<br /><br />If you have any thoughts on the Autumnal season, I'd love to hear them in the comments.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><table class="rendered small default_table" frame="hsides" rules="groups"><tbody><tr style="border-top: solid thin;"><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="2" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td></tr><tr><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td></tr><tr style="border-top: solid thin;"><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="2" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td></tr><tr><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td></tr><tr style="border-top: solid thin;"><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="2" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td></tr><tr><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td></tr><tr style="border-top: solid thin;"><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="7" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td></tr><tr><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td></tr><tr><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td></tr><tr style="border-top: solid thin;"><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="2" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td></tr><tr><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td></tr><tr style="border-top: solid thin;"><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td></tr><tr><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td><td align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="middle"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-87562110136072084872021-03-29T13:51:00.000-04:002021-04-04T14:14:26.006-04:00Your Path, My Path<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m5GuYA1pzY4/YGH5HpjhnwI/AAAAAAAADrI/dUOoO62R-1AM_ONBYKLKQMwLrNNk59TAQCLcBGAsYHQ/s900/alight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m5GuYA1pzY4/YGH5HpjhnwI/AAAAAAAADrI/dUOoO62R-1AM_ONBYKLKQMwLrNNk59TAQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/alight.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Like many of you, I am tired of , for lack of a better term, "witch wars". Likewise the haughty attitude of "My tradition/magick is better, stronger, more worthy, more authentic, more _______( fill in the blank)."<br /><br /><br />ARGGGH!!!! That was me screaming in frustration because I thought we'd been over this a few thousand times at least.<br /><br />Just stop it. Stop it now. We have better things to do than to spew hatred and negativity at each other. <br /><p></p><p><br />Don't we get enough of that from those outside the Craft and NeoPaganism who don't understand what we do? Isn't it enough we aren't taken seriously by the majority of society? Leave.Other. People Alone. The continual bickering and backbiting looks bad and makes all of us appear ridiculous. Stop the damn in-fighting on Facebook, Tik Tok, and Twitter. It makes us no better that the Christians some of us love to mock. No one tradition, occult/magickal or otherwise is right for everyone; each contain a grain of Truth. <br /><br />Social Media is filled with Witches, Pagans and other occult/magickal practitioners lecturing, degrading and 'correcting' each other of perceived and imagined gaffs in methods, techniques, beliefs and other faux pas regarding particular traditions or practices. I was formally initiated into a Gardnerian coven, so yes, I am well aware of magickal groups having "rules" and a belief system to follow. I also am aware that for the serious and experienced, those rules and beliefs are , unbreakable and static. What it is is what it is, and unyielding to change.This is what you do, and how you do it; there are steps to follow because that's how it's done because it works. I'm not disagreeing with that if that is your tradition, and that is how you practice, <i>then that is right and correct for you.<br /><br /></i>Others have a more eclectic approach, picking from a variety of sources and traditions which meets their needs and suits their intentions because they get results - <i>and that is right and correct for them.. <br /><br /><br /></i>You may not agree with their practice and think it's scatter-shot or appropriation, or whatever popular term is currently in vogue to express your level of personal outrage. That's fine, too. You get to be upset about what you perceive as bastardization of your sacred rites and tradition, and you get to express that outrage as much or as little as you see fit.<i> But what you don't get to do is condemn anyone else for doing what works for them because however you feel about it, you are only a self-appointed expert. </i>You may think that as a follower of a particular spiritual practice or tradition that you know the character or nature of a deity, <u><i>but you are not that deity</i></u>, and I suspect the majority of those deities can and will speak up for themselves without any of us mere mortals putting in our puny two cents worth to someone causing them offense. Bellyaching is a waste of precious energy and time unless you like hearing yourself talk, talking down to the next person doesn't make you superior, it makes you sound like an ass. While it's perfectly acceptable to say, " I disagree and I believe in doing it this way", it's not okay to tell the other guy he's going to be damned by the gods ...because YOU might just end up reaping the result of your vitriol. I'm of the mind to let the gods handle it. We learn from our mistakes.<br /><br /><b>Everyone of us have a different understanding of worship. </b>Everyone of us has an individual concept of how things are or should be.That is what is right and true for the individual. Each of us have developed a personal practice, whether a seasoned devotee or newbie. For what it's worth ( and because it's my blog), my opinion is that an individual's pure intention is more pleasing to the Divine than a few gaffs or false starts, or faltering on the fine points. You may disagree, and you may say so...but you don't get to bitch about my way of doing things because the ultimate truth is that everything we do, in all of our traditions and practices, originates from Mystery. I've heard the simple statement that we all draw from the same well, and for the most part, I believe that to be true because my experience is that all occult practices stem from The Unknown. Poisoning that well with hatred and negativity negates the work of the Greater Good, and it's a fact they you often die from poisoned water.<br /><br />My way of the Craft, how I form it, how I practice my spirituality, is between me and the Divine. What I do to get the results I need to have my needs met, are strictly up to me. If I screw up, well...that's on me. I do what I believe is right because it feels right for me. You do the same. I may not agree with your methods or beliefs, but if it benefits you, then that's all there is to it. <i>To be frank, your opinion of what others do doesn't matter. And neither does mine.</i><br /><br />Last year Witchdoctor Utu published a book about Harriett "Moma Moses"
Tubman and the role conjure played in the Underground Railroad. Utu, who
is the founder of the Niagara Voodoo Shrine, was vilified by of
armchair voodoo and hoodoo experts for 'appropriation' of African
spiritual traditions. These haters forgot one very important point in
their criticism - that few direct lines to the traditions of years gone
by exist and that what we now do is reconstruction from history, oral tradition, and myths. Our spiritual practices consist of an amalgamation, a blending,
of beliefs. <br /><br />Seriously, folks...let's go easy one each other. Yes, I do think there's a lot of silliness and grandstanding and bullshit, but there always has been and that's not going to change anytime soon. Go on about your business, do what you do, and give one another space to be who they are.<br /><br />May the Path you're on be blessed.<br /><br /></p>AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-37006549266973917512021-03-29T10:51:00.001-04:002021-03-29T10:51:57.014-04:00Confused?<p> There's a bit of a situation going on with the name of this blog and a new Facebook community calling itself Broom With A View. <br /><br />To be clear, this blog, has been in place as Broom With A View for 10+ years with 10,000 monthly hits globally. To say I am humbled to have readership in places around the world as far reaching as Australia, China, New Zealand, England, Ireland and the Ukraine. That is beyond my wildest imagination, and I am grateful for each of you. <br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><i>This blog is not affiliated in any way with the Broom With A View community on Facebook created by Witchemy.com.</i><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: white;">I have contacted the owner/creator of that page/community and we are currently working things out.<br /><br /><br />There is no harm intended by the other page; no one is stealing content, etc., as some readers have assumed.Thank you for contacting me. This is not like the situation last year where 140 posts were maliciously stolen and claimed as original by another site when I took legal action to have them taken down. <b>I believe this new situation is an innocent mistake that does not require reporting to Facebook or Google. </b>Like I said, we're working things out. Sometimes FB and Google analytics don't work for name approvals when searching and there is a geographical error.. Things slip through the cracks.<br /><br /><br />Thank You for your concern and loyalty, and may you Be Blessed.</span></span><br /></p>AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-16342492178920613532020-10-11T20:10:00.000-04:002020-10-11T20:10:56.290-04:00Standing On The Edge <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H-9QMQ_KfU0/X4OK6TmeQSI/AAAAAAAADpA/kxPy_E6d3II0F1XoG7yxlj0UeI2GFyivwCLcBGAsYHQ/s300/AAspooky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H-9QMQ_KfU0/X4OK6TmeQSI/AAAAAAAADpA/kxPy_E6d3II0F1XoG7yxlj0UeI2GFyivwCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/AAspooky.jpg" /></a></div>Usually at this time of year I write a post about hearing and feeling the Veil opening...well, not this year. The Veil has been open since Spring, and there was no gentle thrumming or humming. The sound was more like the renting of fabric as thousands crossed in a long line, their faces worn, bodies exhausted by the long battle with COVID-19. Mothers, fathers, grandparents, children...and so many healthcare workers. Every loved one reduced to a haggard shade of humanity.<br /><br />How could this have happened? Human nature made us desperately search for something or someone to blame. Thousands dying of a modern Plague, alone, unable to say goodbye through their drug-induced coma, many before their time, their loved one terrified to touch or kiss them in their final moments, a nurse or doctor providing solace.<br /><br />Through the earlier part of this year we've been weighed down not only by helplessness and grief, but anger. A pall of negativity spread over communities thrown into week after week of mourning. Those of us fearful of the possibility of bring this Plague into our home follow the guideline of common sense: wash your hands, wear a face covering, only go out when necessary, otherwise stay at home. Every little cough or sneeze being suspect, we panic and brace for the worst.<br /><br />Our world has been thrown off kilter to tilt toward a dark unknown. We gnash our teeth when our favorite coffee spot is closed, when we have to keep six feet or more apart, when our routine is interrupted by uncertain governmental warnings, by ridiculous, irrational political theater, by armchair Facebook experts and the loss of normalcy.<br /><br />In the blink of an eye and less time it takes to catch our breath, our comfortable routine, our normalcy, is gone. Gone. If anything like normal ever returns, it will be a new "normal". And it will take some getting used to.<br /><br />Meanwhile, our metaphysical communities, occult practitioners, seers, sages, psychics, healers, light workers are all thrown into a type of vertigo. The Unknown, the Mysterious, whatever and from wherever we draw our power, is fuzzy and scattered. It takes every ounce of strength and focus we have to work our craft. But we persevere. <br /><br />We're learning new ways to virtually gather online because it's important to keep in touch. We hunger for a word of encouragement and kindness from those familiar to us...even if it is on Zoom. <br /><br />The single constant we have is the natural world. Despite our planet having it's own share of affliction heaped upon it by selfish mortals, we are still welcomed to walk or meditate in the outdoors, to fill our lungs and ourselves with sun and air. The Earth, our Mother, no matter how we abuse her, still loves us.<br />Bare feet on naked soil still grounds us, and we are invigorated. Watching deer and birds in the wild during these autumnal days reminds us that we are not alone. We share this world with others who keep the spark of life inside. Even more, we are, as the futuristic thinker Buckminister Fuller said, " Passengers of Spaceship Earth". All of us are on a journey. That's hard to remember when surrounded by so much gloom and doom. It's hard to be an enthusiastic traveler in these times.<br /><br />Those of us engaged in Earth-centered spirituality see Death and dying differently. Our worldview is that of Death as transition, a natural part of the cycle of Life. Death is not in and of itself an ending, but linked to regeneration and rebirth. If Life is truly a loop ( and we have seen proof it is) then it is much easier to accept Death, painful as the separation may be, as temporary.<br /><br /> The Wheel of Life and the Wheel of the Year turn in a parallel unity. As we loose friends, family and loved ones to this modern Plague, it is wise to remember that they pass from this life into the Realm of the Ancestors. Our Ancestors are always with us, but especially at this time of year. A practice I've adopted is a ritual to let those who die suddenly go with love, with their memory keep in my heart. Letting go is a gift...yes, I said gift. Their existence in my life, sharing our humanity together, even if that relationship is difficult, gives me a new understanding and expression of who I am. But enough waxing poetic for now. <br /><br />We welcome the Ancestors, new and old, everyday, but especially as we approach Samhain, the Final Harvest. We stand on the edge of the place of passage, where the Veil opens, and welcome those who have crossed with love and compassion. Each of us have our own personal rituals and ceremonies. I'd like to hear about them if you're willing to share.<br /> <p></p>AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-19387261301304006572020-06-22T12:46:00.000-04:002020-06-22T12:46:48.262-04:00Interrupted<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There is nothing I hate more than being interrupted. But...such are the ways of life...<br /><br />I am a creature of discipline. I like routine, and I'm set in my ways. I don't like change. Having said all that...I'm ready for some change.<br /><br />Like many of you, I've been staying safely at home trying to avoid our modern version of the Plague ( Novel Covid-19, like I have to tell you). And to be honest...I'm not going stir crazy. I'm an introvert. I like my privacy and work well being alone. There are plenty of things to do at home and I am perfectly content doing them.<br /><br />And...I rescued a cat. His name is Charlie, and he's a handful. He's a tomcat, and since he's been out on his own, he thinks he's a badass. More on him later.<br /><br />I am committed to moving to a new area a little south of where I currently live by Autumn. I'll still be in the mountains in a small town, but not as isolated and remote. It's larger than the tiny town I currently reside in, but there is a lot more opportunity and I think the charge will be positive. The place I'm currently living answered to my needs at the time, and it's been an experience I don't regret, but it's time for a change. It used to be home; now it's just a place to live. I still love my little apartment which has been home for nearly eight years, but...things are different here.<br /><br /> I'm different, too. The combination has made me dissatisfied and uncomfortable, and it affects my mood and my ability to concentrate, which in turn affects my ability to connect with the Divine...all of this has brought back bouts of depression I've been dealing with all of my life, to the extent that it has even affected writing this blog. It's not that I have writer's block; there are plenty of ideas swirling around in my head. The problem is that I haven't felt like writing... or anything else, to be honest. I've been told by friends who deal with a similar form of depression that it gets better if you give it time. I think they're right, but waiting to reach that place has been hard.<br /><br />But...here I am. I'm grateful for those of you who have stuck with me, who have been asking about the blog, and who have been patiently waiting for me to sit down at the keyboard again. ( I do post at the blog's Facebook page regularly, and I keep in touch with a number of people on my personal page.)<br /><br />Meanwhile...a few loose ends:<br /><br />I've gotten a moderate amount of email asking what to do with our problematic President here in the US. My answer is simple: VOTE him and his associates out of office. I'm not going on a political rant about him right now because I frankly don't have the energy. Just VOTE on November 3rd. Four more years of the Orange Shitgibbon will absolutely guarantee you and I will not only not have the freedom to practice our personal spirituality, we could very well be imprisoned for it if the Dominionist Christian Cult gets it's way. I'm not advocating for any candidate, but please, please, VOTE your conscience for the good of humanity. Until then, I personally am focusing on sending Trump's negativity and ugliness back to him. Since he will never own it himself, I am sending it back to own HIM. I refuse to put energy into cursing this idiot, as he's doing an excellent job of doing that tom himself.<br /><br />Covid-19: Response has been confusing as how to respond and what to do, but the basics are still hand washing, staying in as much as you can, and wearing a mask when you go out. Save the excuses, be a decent human being and just wear the damn mask. Believe me, it beats the alternative.<br /><br />Even though it's been moved off the stove to the back burner, Climate Change is still very real. Our fragile Earth is suffering at the hands of ignorance and greed. Do what you can in your own little part of the world to help in sustainable ways. A little goes a long way. <br /><br />If you're interested in Southern Hoodoo, my friend Carolina Dean has begun a video series on YouTube. Look him up! His engaging personality will charm you.<br /><br />Like many during the lockdown, Sabrina the Ink Witch and her partner, Tina,are struggling to keep their store afloat. Enchantations has become a community gathering place for Witches and Pagans in the South Bay area in California. If you have a few dollars to spare, consider helping them out at their Go Fund Me.<br /><br />The always provocative Christian Day and his husband, Alexandria High Priest Brian Cain are offering a variety of online classes through their shops, Hex and Omen. Classes feature presenters such as Utu Witchdoctor and Michael Correll ( Uncle Birch from Widdershins). Sign up at Hex websites or on Facebook. <br /><br />Finally, if you need a positive way to relax and learn about history and culture, I highly recommend the Pro Walks series on YouTube. My personal favorites are the Roman Forum, and the Path of the Gods. If you've never seen any ProWalks videos, they are first person hikes around popular historical and cultural areas throughout the world at ground level, just like you are doing the hike yourself, but from the comfort of your own home. They're wonderful for meditation and relaxing.<br /><br />And so...here we are at the end of this post. I'm going to be working on the layout of the blog in the next week and putting up new posts ( which I hope to make weekly). Bright Blessings of the MidSummer to you.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />
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AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-6295156770434361172020-02-17T03:40:00.001-05:002020-02-17T03:40:13.770-05:00 Snakes, Oh My !<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There's a theory that totem animals come from deep in the individual's subconscious, that something filters up through a repressed part of our mind to represent us. I'm not going to pretend I know the answer because I'm still working on understanding my spirit allies and where they fit in who I am becoming.<br /><br />A few years back I began resonating with Hare. What came to me from this association was a deeper connection with the Earth and my own instincts. A popular association with the hare or rabbit is sexual, but this has never been the message I've gotten from Hare. It has always been about connecting to the Earth and my own inner wisdom; I'm still exploring that connection.<br /><br />Most recently Snake has come to me. Snake strikes fear in many individuals, but I've never felt one way or the other about the creature. I think they're fascinating and beautiful, but I've never had any real connection to Snake until Rick Springfield came out with a CD titled <i>The Snake King.</i> I'm a lifelong fan, but I'm not obsessed with the guy, and I've never been a camp follower. (I got over the fan girl thing years ago, even though I was featured in a documentary about his relationship to his fan base.) I think he still makes some great music and I can relate to the meaning in his more personal songs. The Snake King has a bluesy vibe and a link to the dark side expressed by a character called The Snake King who's an amalgamation of voodoo's<i> Baron Samedi</i> ( Springfield does, in fact, own a suit coat with an image of the Baron on the back that predates the album, so I suspect he's versed in his meaning) <i>Satan</i>, and <i>other taboo characters</i> including a depression riddled part of Springfield himself. All these characters tell a story throughout the album, and there are actually some upbeat tunes that are ear worm worthy...but this is not an album review, so I'll move on. Back to the Snake King and how he introduced Snake to me as a spirit ally...<br /><br />Snake often travels undercover in places the sunlight doesn't reach: in rocky outcrops, under the leafy forest floor, high among the canopy of trees, underground in holes....places of deep indwelling. The Place of Deep Indwelling is a reoccurring theme with me, especially during the dark Winter months when I settle in to study my Craft and explore my inner being. It would not be an odd occurrence for Snake to come to me under these circumstances, for snakes have an aversion to the cold. Snake appearing in the Place of Deep InDwelling is actually quite natural because he is a figure of renewal and the nature of rebirth. Snake hatches from an egg, sheds his skin in order to grow, and sleeps in a coil - birth, growth and the Divine Spiral. He's a creature of Earth, and among my totems, a natural to spiritually connect to the Earth.<br /><br />Snake also connects to my Celtic heritage that incorporates spirals and coils, and serpents. The opposite side of Snake's character is that he is a healer of body and soul: shedding one's skin (transformation) represents freedom from the burden we must let go of in order to move forward and grow. Snake is symbolic of the cycle of life and death. <br /><br />There was a period of painful transformation in my life that lasted several years that I would have never foreseen as happening the way it did, a shedding of who I thought I was, of my comfortably self-perceived position in society. I lost my job and my wonderfully delightful apartment and moved from the place I grew up in and had lived for the first 40+ years of my life and was briefly homeless and adrift. Thankfully I was never out on the street, but I had no money and no permanent place to live. Friends kept the material possessions most important to me while I explored this phase of life and shed layers upon layers of parental and societal conditioning until I finally became someone I felt comfortable with being. Then I came out of the darkness, realizing that I had been forced to leave the place I was so afraid of leaving. I am by no means fearless now, but I am a lot less fearful of loss in a way understood through deep personal examination and a Buddhist-like understanding of attachment.<br /><br />Then Snake appeared, as they often do, coming out from the dark place to bask in the warm and light.This is my relationship with Snake currently. I respectfully acknowledge it could change again, but right now, things are comfortable and stable. Life is not so bad, and Snake and Hare hang around just make sure I stay connected and awake. The Snake King ( the album and the archetype) keep me thinking about life, society and culture : our currently crappy political situation and what has brought us here, knowing what my personal appetites are and how they help and harm me, and my relationship to the gods. It's not a bad relationship, and I an kinda grateful for the bad stuff because it makes me appreciate the good things when they come around.<br /><br />Meanwhile....I need to get back to a settled spiritual practice. I have allowed mine to fall away while I sit comfortably with my cup of hot tea and the distraction of reading. It's past Imbolc and the light is beckoning me from the Place of Deep InDwelling to the Place of Joyful Being. I am shedding the skin of last Winter and my new one, though still tender and a little raw from the old one being torn away, holds the possibility for something beautiful. <br /><br />*******************************************************************************<br />A bit of lavender added to my sage stick, and the apartment gets a good smudging, followed by a wash down with the citrus and orange, cinnamon and spice of Florida water, to clear out the old and make way for a higher, more positive vibration. How do you get unstuck after the long nights of Winter? <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />
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AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-31865945741366516522020-01-27T00:03:00.000-05:002020-01-27T00:03:28.007-05:00Everyday Pagan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
January always feels a little light and wispy; it's early days confused and lacking substance. Perhaps it's because it's the beginning of a new calendar year. Perhaps it's the hangover from December's many festivals. Christmas, in particular, means less to me as the years go by and any loyalty to a Christian tradition fades. The rampant commercialism has all but killed any spiritual feeling I once had; meanwhile, Yule and Winter Solstice means more, perhaps this year in particular because my ritual partner Lois transitioned across the Veil unexpectedly in early September. We introduced several successful Winter Solstice rituals to the Raleigh, NC area while she was attending seminary and the early years of her interfaith ministry. This year felt a bit hollow and lonesome. I over decorated in my grief and over-compensated with holiday merriment that left me feeling numb and lost.<br />
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Somewhere in all of this January slid quietly into place. Everything feels a bit off. At the first Full Moon of the year, one which many Pagans revere as the strongest and most magical, I begged off with a quiet prayer to the Goddess as I drifted off to sleep. Soon it will be Imbolc and the Feast of Brigid, my main patron. I made my dedication and was initiated at Imbolc to Pagan spirituality after studying a year and a day. In reality I had been Pagan much longer, but I needed this formality to feel legitimate in my own mind.<br />
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I know in the deepest parts of my soul that I cannot, will not ever go back to being a Christian. I have no argument with Christ's teachings: it's the overbearing arrogance of the majority of his devotees who to profess to follow him, those who create him in their own image to justify greed and animosity toward those who do not meet their standard of religious expression whom I roundly reject. I attended an education for ministry program for nearly a decade, earning several post graduate degrees in the process, and much to my chagrin am sorrily disappointed in those who claim to follow the Nazarene. I have a new understanding of the quote attributed to Gandhi: " I very much like your Christ, but not so much his followers". I still wonder how these folks can claim the love and beauty of Jesus' message and claim to worship him while disparaging the rest of humanity. This was not Jesus' way, in fact the most negative thing he had to say was to tell his Apostles to shake the dust off their feet and leave nonbelievers in peace. <br />
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That's folks like you and I. We have our own Beloved Community, no matter how loosely we are organized or how much we pick at scabs. We are a part of the vast Other that includes Buddhists, Hindi, many Asian religions, Humanists, Atheists and even in some cases a few fringe pseudo Christian sects like Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons. I'm sure I've forgotten to include more, but these are the ones that presently come to mind. <i>The point is <u>there are more of us than them</u>, and according to polls from the Pew Foundation, even more who profess no affiliation with any religious tradition at all. </i>I'm sure this is the driving force behind the pissy attitude of the Dominionist Christian Cult which is attempting to turn the United States into a theocracy.( But more about them in another post.)<br />
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Still, I am searching for a definitive to the question of what makes me, and maybe you, an Everyday Pagan. Perhaps the answer escapes me because I have been Pagan for so long that it is second nature and I am so attuned to looking to Nature for answers that it is my norm. I use oracles everyday to explain what is taking place in my world; I research the stories of the Goddesses and Gods of old for applications relevant to modern day life. I see occasions for creating little rituals everywhere, and live a life of gratitude ( even if I do have to remind myself what to be grateful for on some occasions!) None of this makes me feel particularly blessed or special in the scheme of things, and none, to my mind, at least, make me particularly Pagan.<br />
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I do not go about in ritual robes with pentagrams or other occult symbols hanging from my body, I do not dress in witchy black clothing a la Stevie Nicks. Nothing makes me standout physically as a Pagan. Yes, I do have a few crystals scattered around my apartment, and a bit of esoteric artwork, which has more to do with my personal taste than my spiritual leanings.<br />
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But I am still an Everyday Pagan. I hear the voices of my ancestors; I see signs in Nature; I feel the presence of the spirits of the land and spirits of place, and I follow the wisdom of the stories of the multitudes of Gods of Old; I am in awe of the Feminine Divine that exists within me, and I resonate with others who share my convictions. I connect with the Earth and am overwhelmed by the beauty of the Universe. History, Mystery and Jung's Collective Unconscious are my most important teachers. I practice my spirituality without man made dogmas or taboos, I bow to no other human, although there are a few I deeply respect. Life is simply what it is, and the beauty of it appears in the strangest of places. Magick is everywhere. <br />
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Perhaps that's the answer: being free of religious restraints and listening to the wisdom around me, and that that comes from within. I firmly believe that we create our own salvation when we need it, otherwise we are pretty okay just as we are. No one needs to forgive us unless we ask for a boon or a blessing from a particular Deity of our choosing ( or whom we feel has chosen us). Our dealings and relationship with the Divine is individual and unique and not subject to review by others. It is our responsibility to create and build upon that relationship with the Sacred.<br />
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I will still look for those things that define being an Everyday Pagan and I suspect that search will be never ending. I love this journey, even it's occasional hiccups and bumps. If you have any other feelings you'd like to share about what makes you an Everyday Pagan, I'd love to hear from you and appreciate the courage it takes to share. Leave a few words in the comments at the end of this post. <br />
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Be well and be blessed,<br />
AmethJera<br />
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AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-83416561447336377692019-11-29T19:07:00.001-05:002019-11-29T19:08:13.856-05:00At The Border Of Summer's End<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Summer has been a season of loss. Friends have lost husbands, wives, fathers and mothers, companion animals, and time has marched on.<br />
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Despite this, the Veil has been slow to open this year. Friends have noticed the same. What is amiss? Usually I am sensitive to the subtle thrumming as the space between this world and the next thins; this year there has been nothing. Not a single sign of the impending opening that the changing seasons herald. It's hard to miss, and I don't think I have.<br />
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Which means...it's waiting, suspended in the corner of the room like a spider, quietly waiting for the right moment. And I shudder a little.<br />
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What can be the cause? Are the crazed apocalyptic prophets finally right? I very much doubt it, although I do wonder if there is something of cataclysmic proportions about to take place. I have an inkling, and I hope I am wrong. <br />
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Divining the future by a variety of tools and methods have brought no solid answer.And so I return to watching the seasons change.<br />
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As I write this it is still Autumn,in fact, it's the day after Thanksgiving. We've had high winds the last couple of days, so the most stubborned of dried leaves have come down, and the ground is covered with a crunchy carpet of detritus.My favorite place to walk under these conditions (any conditions,really) is the local grave yard.<br />
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We have a huge graveyard ( 11.5 acres) just on the edge of town; it is a gift from the coal company that mined this area in a bygone era, primarily to bury the unfortunate victims of several mine disasters. It is a unique place due to burial arrangement; most 19th century burying ground were laid out in sections exclusive to ethnicity and social status, but not here. The Irish silently spend eternity next to those of Russian ancestry; Greek Orthodox share space with Southern Baptist, Roman Catholics and those holding no religious belief. The sole mausoleum, presumably belonging to a wealthy family, sits squarely in an area of Hungarian and Polish immigrants. There are more townspeople occupying the cemetery than registered voters. It's a humbling thing to ponder: do we the living rule this quiet little town, or do the beloved dead? So far the cemetery population outnumbers townspeople three to one. <br />
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Although it has now fallen to steady decay, this graveyard was built with the intention of many 19th century cemeteries, that is, as a place to while away the hours in a planned park-like place. Most of the winding paths are paved, there are marble steps leading up and down the hills, a boat pond, and a small outdoor chapel. There used to be picnic tables and benches, and all that's left of the chapel are foundation markers; the grass is rather tall in spots, and the woods have encroached upon some sections. Intentional plantings of yucca have spread beyond their beds, and quite a few of the older headstones have broken, some crumbling to dust. <br />
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It is the perfect place to walk on a cloudy day in late Autumn: it feels right and not morbid. It feels right to shuffle along the paths covered with dead leaves, crows and songbirds vocalizing along with the whistling wind. It is good and old and comforting. It is a place between the worlds, mysterious and wild and yet serene. <br />
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I love walking in these sacred places so much that I always include a local cemetery in my travel plans. You learn a lot about a place by how they keep their burying grounds and honor their dead. And I'm please to know that my weird little hobby has gained in popularity in the last few years. so there is now an international tribe of us plodding through the resting places of the ancestors [<a href="https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/why-always-visit-cemeteries-while-143101095.html">https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/why-always-visit-cemeteries-while-143101095.html</a>] .<br />
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Yule and Christmas loom large before us as these few solemn days of Autumn dwindle down to a treasured few. I entered the Place of Deep In-Dwelling several weeks ago; hunkering down with a cup of hot tea and good book, surrounded by candles and quiet music. It's a respite from the norm, and a chance to recharge before the Winter festivities burst forth clothed in glitz and glitter. As much as I do love the gaiety of the seasonal celebrations. I am thankful for these few quiet days spent remembering those who have left this earthly plane for a new home across the Veil, to recall the sound of voices stilled until we meet again. <br /><br /><br /></div>
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AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-85635775745135439512019-10-30T18:00:00.001-04:002019-10-30T18:08:51.604-04:00Autumn Musing / Thoughts of Samhaim<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div id="docs-internal-guid-5ddcd448-7fff-5ecd-b84c-c92eb01f80e2" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***“Delicious Autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the Earth seeking successive Autumns.”~ George Elliott</span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Ah,yes…the period that you and I love, the time we love as witches and Pagans, <br />those few weeks and days just before Samhain and the beginning of the Celtic New Year. <br />That time when the leaves gain their brightest colors, then fade and fall to the ground. <br />What a stunning metaphor for living and dying.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***“Autumn is the season to find contentment at home by paying attention to what we already have.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~unknown</span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Several years ago I took to calling this time of year the Time of Deep Indwelling, <br />because indeed, this is what it is: crisp evenings to settle in with a hot cup of tea or chocolate, <br />light the candles, and gather yourself close. It is a time to warm both body and soul, and to turn inward. <br />A tiny black and white plaque hangs in my kitchen that states: <i>Gratitude turns what we have into enough. </i>It is my current personal mantra, <br />and I try to live it out everyday, especially as I get older.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***“ And the sun took a step back, the leaves lulled themselves to sleep and Autumn was awakened”~ Raquel Franco</span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I had to think this one through because there is a lot going on in those few simple words.<br /> I have come to the conclusion that this quote is quite brilliant in its description of Samhain. <br />The sun is lower in the sky, the trees begin their cycle of rest before regeneration, <br />but there is a last burst of glory and celebration of Life before preparing for the new life to come.<br /> I framed this quote in terms of the end of life just before transitioning across the veil, and it fits perfectly.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***“ Wild is the music of the autumnal winds among the faded woods:~ William Wordsworth</span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">If you have ever spent time in the woods after the branches have been laid bare <br />and listened to their clacking in the wind, they sound a bit like the clattering of old bones. <br />After they have shed their leaves they are quite naked, stripped down, as it were, to their skeletons. <br />Autumn is full of metaphors for death, and this one is a favorite of mine because it so beautifully illustrates<br /> the Dance Macabre.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***“ I hope I can be the autumn leaf, who looked at the sky and lived. And when it was time to leave, gracefully it knew life was a gift”~ Dodinsky</span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I don’t think I am owed an easy pass when it’s my time to transition to the next life, <br />but like all of my fellow humans, I would prefer to go easy and without suffering. <br />That has already happened once, a few years ago, when I simply faded to black after an embolism. <br />I remember peacefully going to sleep. I hope for that same experience when it is<br /> my actual time to go after a life well lived.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***“ The father we’ve gotten from the magic and mystery of our past, the more we’ve come to need Halloween.”~ Paula Curan</span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To me, this beautifully explains that feeling many of us have had since childhood, <br />when we knew our very soul resonated with something wonderful and old, <br />something tucked far back in our personal history that we couldn’t name or quite grasp, <br />yet we knew came to light within us during the autumn harvest.<br /> It is why we thrilled to see the shocks of corn in the field, the faces of spirits carved in Jack O’Lanterns<br /> that we welcomed as friends, the knowledge that something or someone from the past swept over us. <br />Weird little kids like us needed Halloween – not the candy or parties, <br />but the very act of dressing up as something Other and going about in the forbidden night with<br /> the kindred spirits we knew walked the Earth that night. <br />I still take a few minutes every Halloween night to go outside alone in the darkness and<br /> just stand there while the spirit ancestors walk around me.<br /> It’s usually the time I take a small plate of food out for the Dead or wild animals or <br />whomever comes to refresh<br /> themselves from its essence, or nourish their bodies from my offering.<br /> That moment brings me back into myself and reminds me who I am and my place in the grandness of Living.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I hope you have a wonderful, magickal Halloween, and a Samhain<br /> that connects you not only with your ancestors, but your soul.<br /> Be well and blessed with an abundance of joy and gratitude this night and <br />every night as the Wheel of the Year once again turns and leads you home.</span></div>
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AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-90775948603047431322019-09-30T01:09:00.000-04:002019-09-30T01:09:38.863-04:00All Is Well, And All Is Well<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Summer officially ended here last week, as it did in the rest of the Northern Hemisphere, but more importantly- to me, at least- Autumn began. Autumn is MY season, when the night air turns chilly and there is a whisp of wood smoke in the air, and the leaves stripe the mountains with bands of color. Dusk comes sooner as the sun dips down behind those same mountains, and the night creatures cautiously come out : a cloud of little brown bats swoop and dance, squeeking in delight as they chase insects; the locusts ( foks in this part of Applachia call them 'cadydids') vocalize a catch and call tune; and deer quietly forrage for fallen acorns.<br />
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Life goes on in its own way. To those of us who are a little closer to the Earth and mind the signs of the seasons, it is nearing the final harvest before Winter sets store. We await the opening of the Veil, which for me always begins with a subtle hum and shiver. Death pulls back the curtain many times during the year, but never as wide as when the Beloved Dead cross back into the land of the living for that short yearly period of time at Samhain.<br />
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But until then...Life goes on in its own way. Nights are quiet, yet alive with the creatures who thrive under the shadow of darkness. I spend them mosty reading and sipping hot tea, lilting jazz music playing in th background, buried in the stories of others' lives, or learning new things about this spiritual path you and I have chosen.<br />
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Or is it more accurate to say we have been chosen by the Mysteries? I sometimes wonder which it is, and always come to the conclusion that it's both. My exploration of the Craft often flows along like a river, and with much the same turbulance, and often obstacles to overcome. But all is well, even in the rough patches. I have been a witch long enough to know how to ride the river-when to hold tight to my raft, and when to just let it wash over me. Which ever happens...all is well....and there are no coincidences.<br />
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There is a reason and meaning for everything, as the song goes. Take for example the lovely rosemary plant I found at the grocery store a couple months ago: I watered it with care, and enjoyed its spunky, piney fragrance for weeks until one morning I was trimming up my window garden and realized it had died seemingly overnight. It sat there brown and shriveled, it's little branches still full and intact. I nearly threw it away in my disappointment, until I realized it would go well in some incense. So I carefully preserved it and put it away for use later. 'Later' came sooner than expected with the death of one of my favorite people. The rosemary I had carefully preseved went into a batch of incense I made up to burn in her memory. Normally I would have only had a few spoons of rosemary to cook with and would have had to purchased enough for spellwork. <br />
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As I ground the herbs, it occurred to me that the little rosemary plant knew its purpose long before I did...and thus the Mystery did provide for a need. In the last few days I have made that same protective funeral incense two more times, in memory of a friend taken by cancer, and for another friend's father who passed away just this afternoon. Usualy I made this particular blend no more than once a year, usually at Samhain. But now...I have made it three times in the space of less than a month, and I will curate another batch to celebrate the crossing of the Veil by the Beloved Dead at the end of October. <br />
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It is a simple recipe: 1 part lavendar,1 part rose petals, and two parts rosemary. Grind the ingredients fine by hand, while speaking your intention over the bowl. Add by pinches to a burning charcoal. The incense has a floral, woodsy aroma. You can adjust the ingredients as you like. You can also make an offering oil version with fresh ingredients added to a light carrier oil such as sunflower oil. Let it sit at least a week and strain and shake befoe using.<br />
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And so it is...all is well, and all is well.</div>
AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-43322644952965231542019-07-22T23:48:00.000-04:002019-07-22T23:48:59.903-04:00When A Wizard Comes To Call<br />
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Oberon Zell stopped over on his walkabout in March.( Okay, I am still a little stunned to hear myself say that.) Earlier in the year I was reading his Facebook page, and he mentioned that he was making a walkabout to various festivals and appearances and would be needing lodging to make his way more affordable . It would also give him the opportunity to meet people and make new friends.<br /><br />I have been an admirer of Oberon and Morning Glory's writing for nearly all of my journey through Paganism. They were there in the beginning with the first legally registered Neo-Pagan Church (Church of All Worlds, or CAW). <br /><br />Church of All Worlds is a remarkable concept in spirituality which allows for individual spiritual exploration while providing a like-minded community from all over the United States and the World.<br />I have used texts from CAW and HOME ( Holy Order of Mother Earth) for many years in my own and public rituals and because of their wonderful diversity and viewpoints that have always worked beautifully. Oberon writes in the congenial voice of a beloved elder...which he most certainly is.<br /><br />Long story short...I PMed him and offered a place to rest and share a few meals on his journey, and much to my surprise, one day he called. During the conversation, and considering that people have all sorts of dietary preferences these days, I asked what he ate. "Oh, food." he replied mischievously. I swear I could see the twinkle in his eye over the phone.<br /><br />I am not usually star struck because I have worked as a production assistant in the entertainment business for many years. Celebrities are a unique breed of individuals, and their needs ( and demands!) are equally unique. I have become quite unflappable and immune to the wonderful weirdness that spills over from celebrity....but I was totally tongue tied ( and embarrassed to be so) with the Wizard OZ on the phone. I was gobsmacked that he actually called because my little corner of Southwestern Virginia is rather remote. But call he did and we made arrangements for his visit in late March.<br /><br />As we don't have too many universally accepted elders in our Pagan community, I am quite honored to have shared my home with a man I consider to be the Father of the Neo-Pagan movement. Hopefully I don't sound too gushy, but it was an absolute thrill to have the unique opportunity to share the evening with such a charming and knowledgeable man. He is truly a scholar, a treasure trove of history and science...a humble and a wonderful conversationalist, a bawdy trickster, with not a pretentious bone in his body. He is kind and appreciative, and throughout dinner ( at which I served some truly awful wine-sorry!) we plumbed the depths of one another's respective intellect through lively, serious and sometimes silly conversation. What did we talk about? Everything! Mermaids and Paganism, people who are mutual acquaintances, his art work, love, aliens, the Grey School,religion, CAW...and Morning Glory. Out brief conversation about her was especially poignant for me, as I have always held her as the embodiment of the Goddess. How I wish she could have been at the table with us, but actually, in hindsight, she was. I wish I'd set a place for her.<br /><br />It was a night to remember, at least for me. Not the last, I hope. The Wizard OZ is a rather enchanting fellow. I am pleased to have been able to have given back just a little to one who has contributed so much to the person and spiritual practitioner I have become.<br /><br />Bright Blessings, my Friend! There is a light in the window for you, and the door is always open.AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-82876298929370352772019-07-22T22:26:00.000-04:002019-07-22T22:26:40.676-04:00Good Journey Home: Rosmary Ellen Guiley Dies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So sad to hear of the sudden passing of beloved author Rosemary Ellen Guiley, a pioneer of paranormal exploration and occult subjects. If you aren't familiar with her work (who isn't?) look her up. The author of too many books to mention her, she also wrote several encyclopedias. I cannot fathom what a huge undertaking that must have been for a single encyclopedia, much less several.<br /><br />Visit her Facebook page for remembrances from around the world. As we grieve her passing there unfolds a certain beauty in knowing that she's finally found the answers to many of the questions she had about the realms of existence in our universe and beyond. Rosemary now knows the Great Unknown Mysteries. <br /><br />Hail the Traveler and Good Journey to her as she transitions to the next wonderful life in the Summerland.AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-92045273372621487662019-07-22T01:17:00.002-04:002019-07-22T01:17:59.850-04:00A Few Words On Sacred Waters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As a Pisces, I am naturally drawn to the element of water. Running water is among my favorite sounds. I have sat mesmerized by a stream watching the water rush over rocks and carrying leaves downstream. I love all manner of water: the a fore mentioned rushing streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, oceans, and rain. The place I'm most drawn to are spots where the water bubbles up through the aquifer to form what many call a "sacred well".<br /><br />All water originating from a natural source is sacred. There is no need for it to be blessed by anyone- it has been blessed by the Goddess at the moment of Creation. The act of ritual blessing is a reaffirmation of that original sanctification. <br /><br />We are born from the depths of our mother's womb in water, and before that at our primordial emergence. I won't argue theology or dogma about the subject, because I believe all the creation stories - most featuring the element of water- are true. I believe they come together, as many of our stories do, each contributing an essential part in our history.<br /><br />There are few places we can drink the water unfiltered and unprocessed. I mourn for the state of our natural waters, particularly the oceans where so many creatures I consider relatives dwell. Humans have done more unintentionally and through outright denial and ignorance to pollute and defile our precious oceans. We continue to do this, through sheer greed and want of financial gain.To be perfectly honest, I don't have an answer about how to really reverse the damage we've done other than to encourage each of us to do what we can to restore this shared habitat. You do whatever you can, and I will do what I can by actively and individually working to hold these places as unique, special and holy. If that means going down to the local stream once a week and picking up trash and debris, or participating in an organization that focuses on environmental issues through protest or monetary donation...do the work. Then bring it to your altar so the gods can see you are doing the work. <br /><br />Meanwhile, remember that your purification bath is much more than washing away negativity before ritual...it is a blessing, because water is a sacred thing.<br /><br />AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-2860061100039037932019-07-06T19:49:00.003-04:002019-07-24T01:25:05.081-04:00Under Attack<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For the last several months I've been battling a form of malware called "Widget Server", which redirects my blog when I sign in. Sometimes...like now...I can beat it to open the page and post, other times I'm blocked accessing my own blog.<br />
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It's getting rather old. There are ways to remove it, but I haven't been successful, so I'm currently leaving the page up so I can write and post. Blogger seems to offer no solutions, but frankly, I like the format and don't care for the others I've seen, including Word press. I don't want adds on my blog unless I put them there myself ( occasionally I will post in support of a friend's business).<br />
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Malwarebites says the fix ix simple, but so far I haven't been able to fix the problem. <br />
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Hang in there, gang. I'm not easily beaten.</div>
AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-56842700963667618472019-04-13T17:12:00.000-04:002019-04-13T17:12:29.130-04:00The Hare In The Moon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Manitou,the Great Spirit to the Algonquin tribe manifested himself as a hare. Great Hare, also known as White Hare, was thought to live on the Moon ( another version says he lived with his Grandmother, and that <i>she</i> was the moon). Great Hare was visible to his people from earth on the face of the moon and as he looked down over all, he was considered to be the Provider of All Life - water,wind,fire and soil and all that came from them.<br /><br />Yet in other traditions, Hare was a Trickster figure,wiley,quick and mystical. He is credited with the creation of the Midewiwin<b>, </b>or Grand Medicine Society<b> </b>of the Northeastern native tribes<b>, </b>a secret magical lodge<b>. </b>Their gathering places are in open spaces beneath the moon, or in domed structures which mimic the shape of the moon [<span style="color: red;"> </span><b><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midewiwin">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midewiwin</a></span>].<br /></b>The hare is associated by most tribal peoples with birth and rebirth (partly due to its relatively short gestational period of 30 days)<b>,</b> an auspicious creature<b> </b>sacred to their culture because of its fertility and abundance.<b><br /></b>However, not every ancient culture thought so highly of them: the Biblical book of Leviticus called the hare or rabbit "unclean".<b> </b>Others thought the creature so taboo that it was unlucky to even speak its name.<b> </b>The Greeks of antiquity protected the hare " ...for the sake of Artemis" because it was one of her symbols and therefore refused to hunt it. Superstitions were frequently associated with the hare or rabbit because they were believed to be a common disguise for witches and commonly witches' familiars ( a close second to the black cat)<b>. </b>It was purported that the only way to kill a witch who had shape shifted into a hare or rabbit was with a bullet made of silver-the moon's metal. ( Much like the werewolf myth.)<b><br /></b>The hare was lucky or unlucky at various times in history, as folk lore associated with them morphed and changed<b> </b>in public opinion.<b> </b>During World War I, it became the fashion for loved ones to give a soldier going off to war "a lucky rabbit's foot" ( But not so lucky for the rabbit, eh?) Mothers hung the amulet above their children's beds for protection throughout the night. With this new positive association came the habit of saying " White Rabbits, White Rabbits, a pinch and a punch for the first of the month" ( or variations such as " Rabbit, Rabbit") to wish others good fortune throughout the month.<b><br /></b>AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-16647988083715658382019-04-11T20:47:00.002-04:002019-04-11T20:47:42.238-04:00The Spiritual Meaning of the Blue Porch Ceiling <br />
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<br />Haints are the malevolent spirits of the dead trapped between this world and the next.The word <i>haint</i> is a variation of another word-<i>haunt</i>- and comes from the Geechee Gullah language/culture of
the South Carolina-Georgia coasts and barrier islands. It's primarily
used throughout the old South, although I have heard it occasionally used in New England also. Despite it's muddied origins, it's still understood that a<i> haint</i> is defined as meaning a ghost - but a type of ghost unlike any other... haints are vengeful, violent... the undisputed mischief makers of the Shadowlands.<br /><br />Haints are right up there at the top of ghostly entities in the Southern US, and like all apparitions and superstitions, they have an Achilles Heel: they cannot cross water. Short of building a moat around the old homestead, citizens of the Old South have a much more practical and stylish solution...they paint their doors, window sashes and porch ceilings blue. Not just any blue, but a particular shade that reflects the hue of the sky and water that has become known specifically as<i> Haint Blue. </i>The original paint was made with lime and milk<i> </i>and whatever blue pigment was available, adjusting it until it was a shade they thought matched the sky and water in their area. The idea was to trick the haints into thinking they had come upon water, which they could not cross. A blue porch ceiling served a similar purpose, where the haints would be confused into believing they were flying into the open sky. Therefore, on either account, they did not enter the dwelling and vex the residents with their mischief.<br /><br />Using the color blue is a universal method of deflecting spirits. It's not only used by the Gullah descendants of freed African slaves in the coastal South, but by some Scot Irish in the Appalachians as well. For the mountain dwellers, woad, used in their homelands as a blue dye, was mixed into milk paint and applied to porch ceilings to not only keep out ghosts and malevolent spirits, but the lye added to the paint had an added bonus of keeping out insects as well. Sometimes the ingredients would ferment, which also acted as a natural insecticide. <br /><br />Nowadays any variation of sky blue, aqua, baby blue, light teal blue or green, or a color representative of water/sky can be used. The major paint manufacturers all have their own version of haint or porch ceiling blue. It's now up to the tastes of the individual which shade to use to complement the color scheme of their home. It's interesting to note that the shade will darken in the light during the day, following the path of the sun. Sometimes it looks like the sky, and other times a body of water.<br /><br />Notably, the belief that the color blue repels evil is not limited to the Southern US: in the Western US, turquoise painted doors serves the same purpose, while across the ocean, a stripe of azure blue was often seen painted across the top of doorways in ancient civilizations. Evidence of this can be seen in Greece and Italy today.<br />
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<br />AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-61839821545419657702019-02-09T12:04:00.001-05:002019-02-09T12:04:05.155-05:00Wash Me Clean<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I like to start the New Year by physically cleaning my apartment followed by a spiritual cleansing. I feel that there is residual stale energy left after the holidays ( and then there is always that one elusive strand of tinsel that you missed when taking down the decorations!) Tiny crumbs of this and that find their way into places you'd least expect, under the furniture where you cannot readily see...<br />
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A little vinegar and baking soda with a squirt of Dawn detergent takes care of nearly everything except wood finishes, on which I use lemon oil.<br />
The spiritual cleansing comes after, usually a warm floor wash made with Florida Water or Rose Water. I finish by going around the room with sage and what other herbs I feel appropriate at the moment. If there is a heavy vibration or energy still present, I make another pass with a spiritual spray made with citrus oil and distilled water. <br />
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I also recharge my stones or crystals, and clean their bowls ( I use large shells as holders ) in salt water and dry them with a soft cloth. The crystals themselves are either left in distilled water overnight ( no salt or herbs, which may damage them), or buried in a pot of fresh earth then wiped off, or in sunlight, or moonlight. It's wise to note here that some stones or crystals are reactive to sunlight and may fade. If you place them in a windowsill to take advantage of the light, be mindful of the temperature: some crystals crack in variation of heat or cold.<br />
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Water is a wonderful purifier alone or combined with herbs and oils for yourself as well as the household. Lavender or rose, either in herb or oil form, are lovely for a spiritual bath. Toss in a couple handfuls of Epsom Salts for added health benefit and purification. Visualize what is detrimental or negative from your day melting off you as you pour handfuls of the water over you.<br />
( Don't worry about sitting in the water, the negative vibration/energy will be neutralized by the water, salt and herbs.) If you use an essential oil ( or oil of any kind) in the bath, be sure to wash down the tub afterward so it's not slick or sticky.<br />
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I found some lovely Himalayan salt and Rose oil soap made locally to be used in the shower. The same supplier also makes a wonderful teatree and mint soap which is healing to dry skin. <br />
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Florida Water diluted with water makes a fine finish to a bath or shower. It's a great toner for the skin, and a terrific body spray. It's spiritual benefits are that it repels negativity and attracts good spirits. It also releases anxiety and tension from the body, and the scent is relaxing.<br />
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A word here about candles: as always, be careful with open flames. Shower curtains and towels are highly flammable, as are some liquids such as oils. Use Florida Water with extreme caution where there is a source of fire and <i>because it will ignite even if the vapor comes near a flame</i>. Be aware of your surroundings.<br />
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Another word of caution: mind what herbs or oils you inhale or put on your body. Allergic reactions are always a possibility, particularly when your pores are open, making your skin extra sensitive. <i>Inhaling something your are potentially allergic to can cause severe respiratory distress ( even death). </i><br />
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You can end your home or personal cleansing with a blessing or ritual. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or wordy, just something simple and heartfelt to seal the work you've done.<br />
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<br />AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-51443450060297503022019-01-31T19:42:00.001-05:002019-01-31T19:43:15.492-05:00Magickal Ice and Snow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow..." </i><br />
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Oops. Sorry.<br />
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In the midst of the worst polar vortex in recent memory, it probably will not a popular thing to admit that I like snow...but I do like snow, and collaterally, cold weather. <i>It is, after all Winter.</i> <br />
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I don't mean the kind of snow that socks you in for weeks at a time, but the subtle storm that leaves the ground covered a few days. I like the stark beauty of bare, clattering branches in a brisk micro-burst of wind. <br />
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A brief trip outside in Winter (appropriately dressed in layers of warm clothing) is invigorating. It clears the mind, too. <br />
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Incorporating ice and snow into spiritual/magickal practice is easy (and essentially free!) because the majority of us already have the few materials used lying around: scraps of paper, something to write with on the paper, a bowl, herbs of choice, ziplock bags...and of course, that freshly fallen snow just outside the door.<br />
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The only hard and fast rule here is to use clean ice and snow, and be clear in your intention.<br />
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<b>To "put a situation on ice"</b>: You'll need a small scrap of paper, a pen, a small ziplock bag and some snow for this spell. Write the name of the person or thing you wish to "cool off" or "put on ice". Fold the paper away from you three times. If you wish, you may wrap a length of thread around the paper three times to bind it, but normally it's not necessary. Fill a small resealable plastic bag with snow and make an indent in the snow big enough to tuck the paper inside. Close the bag and place in the freezer. ( After you achieve your result, let the snow melt and dispose of the other contents. This spell is also useful for gossips or those speaking ill of you.<br />
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<b>Ritual water</b> : Collect a bowl of fresh, clean snow and bring it inside to melt. Use the resulting water in ritual or on a personal altar.<br />
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<b>To watch a problem "melt away"</b>: Make a snowball and place it in a bowl. Bring it inside and place it on your altar. Project the situation/ intention into the snowball. Imagine it glowing or sparking, and sit quietly until the snowball melts. When it is totally melted, pour the water away outside. <br />
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<b>To "hammer home" an intention :</b> Find a substantial icicle and carefully break it off. Send your intention into the icicle. You will need a rock or hammer to drive the icicle into the ground to earth it, which will neutralize the intention by absorbing the negativity.<br />
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<b>To "cool down" anger or negativity</b>: Send your anger or intention into a bowl of snow, then rub your hands in the snow or rub it on your body. <br />
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<b>Using fog on a cold day : </b>I you need clarity of mind, go outside and breathe in the cold air for a few minutes ( obviously don't do this if you have a physical condition that will be aggravated by breathing cold air!) Focus your intention into the fog and scry for an answer. An alternative to this is to find a small stone, send your intention into it, and toss it away into the fog far enough it will be lost.<br />
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Snow, ice and cold fog are essentially water, which is most often used for cleansing, healing and purification. The correspondence for water is the West, also associated with emotion. A bowl of new snow can be worked into any spell for peace and tranquility. Symbols and sigils can be traced into the snow and allowed to work as the snow melts. A temporary poppet can be made from snow molded into the shape of a person with a few key ingredients tucked inside. Ice candles can be made to use to light your ritual space outside, or for spellwork. Think about other ways to use these water-related elements in your practice ( and feel free to share them in the comments below! )<br />
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And remember...if it's sunny and warmer on Imbolc, the Cailleach is out collecting firewood to keep warm because there will be a few more weeks of cold weather. However, if Imbolc is cold and dusky, the Cailleach is still sleeping because she knows the winter will end soon.<br />
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Bright Blessings to you!<br />
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<br />AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-48298018422689254752018-11-24T16:52:00.001-05:002018-11-24T16:52:06.242-05:00World Wide Solstice Sun Wreath Ceremony<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><br />My friend Beth Owl's Daughter has graciously hosted this ceremony for the last 14 years. and each year it's been growing. It's now pretty much world wide. Please follow the link for more information on this event which begins TOMORROW night at dusk and continues through the holiday season.<br /><br /><br /><br />I'll be back soon with a new post.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://www.owlsdaughter.com/it-is-time-for-the-2018-solstice-sun-wreath-ceremony-year-14/?fbclid=IwAR0S0hg7OGajzoY0YKrkCFZE30XyxoszhkdyAV0k6czDkkzvvvEZjfCfaes">https://www.owlsdaughter.com/it-is-time-for-the-2018-solstice-sun-wreath-ceremony-year-14/?fbclid=IwAR0S0hg7OGajzoY0YKrkCFZE30XyxoszhkdyAV0k6czDkkzvvvEZjfCfaes</a>AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-69131636411017795142018-10-14T02:41:00.000-04:002018-10-14T02:41:30.864-04:00Not Just Some Old Cat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BrC1zBN1078/W8LMhz0KqfI/AAAAAAAADf8/9hUIGljGUKIh595ESfOCEa6U1WvY8_6tgCLcBGAs/s1600/yal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="412" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BrC1zBN1078/W8LMhz0KqfI/AAAAAAAADf8/9hUIGljGUKIh595ESfOCEa6U1WvY8_6tgCLcBGAs/s200/yal.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
My beloved feline companion and familiar Kitty Boo passed away at the local vet hospital sometime during the night of September 21st from kidney disease. She was approximately nine years old; I'm not exactly sure how old she was because she was adopted as a rescue. Her first human Mum had drug and alcohol abuse related issues and she was suddenly found dead two apartments down from me. Her daughter lived thousands of miles away and was allergic to cats; she was willing to take Boo, then named Muffin, but said the poor little creature would have to live outside-something she'd never done in her life. <i>Ragamuffins are simply not outdoor cats.</i> So together- and with Boo's permission- we made the decision that she should come to live with me.<br /><br />I had been living a cat-less life for over twelve years after the death of my first familiar, Tinker. And frankly, as much as I loved and missed Tinker, I was enjoying not having the responsibility of caring for another and only myself. I was just coming out of a very rough period of my life. My emotional energy was limited at best. Gathering myself together and evolving into the person I have become took a lot of effort...and then this wonderful creature came along. We both needed each other. I think Boo rescued me and brought me home as much as I did it for her.<br /><br />I often said that if Boo could talk she would have some fabulous stories to tell; even though she was never physically abused ( to my knowledge), she'd been emotionally neglected as her first Mum struggled with her addictions.The drugs had made her Mum neurologically sensitive, and she'd push Boo out of her lap. Boo lived the first five years of her life cowering in the bath tub or crouched on the bedroom window sill. When she did come out to eat, she'd quickly scurry from the kitchen and hide to stay away from the constant stream of drug addicts, police and paramedics and all the other traffic that rambled through the apartment.<br /><br />I was sure that I really didn't want another cat. For ten days after her Mum's death, while the apartment manager feed and cared for her, Boo spent her time crouched in the window between the blinds and the glass, her head bowed, curled into a ball of fluff. I approached her one day and asked through the window if she'd like to come home with me, and she looked straight into my eyes and cried out. The next day, as the manager continued to clean out the apartment, she was brought to me wrapped in a bath towel and put into my arms. She didn't struggle to get free- but she did cry...really, actually cried, vocalizing repeatedly with tears running from her eyes. We cried together. She became known my many affectionate names: Madam Muffin von Wigglebutt, Boo Boo, Kitty Boo, and I made up silly songs to sing to her.<br /><br />A little over two years ago, when I had emergency heart surgery, I had to spend three months in rehabilitation recovering and the thing that kept up my desire to come home was knowing Boo was there being cared for by a neighbor. The night I returned, Boo sat on the back of my chair with deep concern in her eyes, connecting with me. She climbed down into my arms and touched my face with her paw. My neighbor took a photo of us. It is now one of my treasures. From then on, Boo would climb up into my arms several times a day to be held and talked to; when I returned home from shopping, she leaped into my arms from the floor. She'd often sit on my shoulder when I sat down to a meal. She liked to sleep alone in the living room in her kitty bed, but when she heard my alarm clock, she'd come into the bedroom, hop up on the bed and " make biscuits" on me to make sure I was getting up to feed her. She had the odd habit of dipping her paw into her water bowl ( and any glass of water I had) to drink from it. No glass of water was safe from this ritual. She even drank from my water offering bowl placed before the Buddha.<br /><br />Kitty Boo showed no signs of her final illness. Cats are notorious at hiding sickness and pain. She simply stopped eating one day and by the next day I took her to the vet, even though she'd ate a few bites and drank some water that morning. She seemed to be rallying and followed me around the apartment. Dr. Wallace made a lot of tests, took x-rays, and came back with the news that Kitty Boo was gravely ill, but that she could recover. She did have hope that a weekend of IVs and medication would improve my furbaby's condition, but cautiously told me it could go either way. Had I known Boo was going to die, I would have taken her home with me until the end came so we could have been together. It was not meant to be. The tech on duty assured me she'd been in no pain, that she'd even eaten a few bites of food...but that she'd gone to sleep and simply never woke up. The best way, I think for both of us...a simple crossing to the next world. I am relieved it did not come to the point of euthanasia, which was my biggest fear.Still, I feel as if I deserted her to the kindness of strangers and bare a degree of guilt in that regard. I am grieving her loss deeply.<br /><br />The evening she died, several odd things happened- things that reaffirm my belief in the afterlife. Around 10:30 P.M. I hear a cat meow. I am sure it was Kitty Boo, who had a soft, distinctive voice. It was only one meow, just enough to get my attention away from the book I was reading. I'd lit a prayer candle earlier for her, a candle of hope that the call I got from the vet in the morning was good news. There was no movement in the room and the windows were closed; no breezes stirred. I'd looked up from my reading when I heard that single soft meow, and the flame of the half burned candle got smaller and smaller until it went out. From the corner of my eye I saw Boo's long fluffy tail go around the corner into the kitchen. I got up to investigate and found nothing. The apartment was still. I went around turning on lights to examine every little place, including all of Boo's favorites. I honestly didn't expect to find anything, but felt I had to look anyway. Later that night I went to bed with no further incident. The next morning around 9:30 A.M. I received the sad news. Dr. Wallace relayed the details, assured me that we'd all done the very best we could have given the situation. We agreed upon a private cremation so I would have her ashes returned to me.<br /><br />It is said that the mind plays tricks under times of severe stress, and because of my psychological training I do believe that happens in some circumstances. I don't think that was the case that night; I think my faithful, loving companion let me know she was crossing the Veil and came back for a last goodbye. It was not a sad parting, but bittersweet. Death, after all, is a part of Life. Two years earlier my kitty loved me back from a near death experience; if it weren't for her fierce devotion and constant love, I would have given up and withered away.<i> I believe this was the reason she came to me, and that when her mission was over, her short life ended and she returned to the place we all come from. </i>I do not believe in the theology that states that animals have no souls. I believe exactly the opposite, <i>that animals are completely integrated beings and have sentience accordingly.</i> I believe they are much more evolved than humans in regard to spiritual beings. I think that's why they have limited lifespans- because they have less to work out than humans in their spiritual growth. They come into the world knowing much more than we do, and leave when they have taught us the lessons we need.<br /><br />That was certainly the case with Boo, who shared everything with me : the joys of the first buds on the trees just outside our favorite window, of the sound of birds and rain and feeling gentle breezes that lightly caressed us. The pleasure of sharing her favorite snack of a bit of tuna when I opened a can to make a sandwich, and all those messy drinks of water I cleaned up. The unexpected leaps into my arms and wanting to be held, which were not so much demands for attention on her part as her wanting to love me. I will miss all of that and will continue to in the coming days.<br /><br />In the meantime, as the Wheel turns, the Veil is thinning and Samhain approaches. I am currently planning my annual ancestor altar and ritual. There will be a new photo added to the collection of loved ones and those who have touched my life. It appears at the top of this story. Good Journey, Beloved Friend...wait for me.<br />
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AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6786474119988979465.post-10534644856257387532018-09-13T14:59:00.001-04:002018-09-18T20:15:14.031-04:00Sacred Uses Of Salt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We put it in our food; it's used as a cleaning agent. In many faith traditions,it holds mystical qualities.It repels and protects. Truly, salt is one of the Earth's most useful substances.<br />
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Known as NaCl on the periodic table, salt is a natural substance formed by the combination of sodium and chlorine. Salt forms in crystals and in it's natural state is known as 'rock salt' or halite. Halite, along with other trace minerals, is a substance formed by the evaporation of water found both underground and on the Earth's surface. Vast amounts of the mineral are found throughout the world, many found near petroleum deposits. Salt has a lower freeze point than water, which is why it melts ice. Rock salt is found in a variety of colors: white, pink, blue, purple, grey and green. Sea salt is ground fine and used in cooking and as a condiment. Salt is also used as a curing agent to preserve food. However, comparatively, little of the salt taken from Nature is used in food: it's used in processes such as water conditioning and manufacturing of other materials. <br />
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My main focus in this post is the use of salt as a metaphysical tool, because it seems that salt has been used for spiritual purposes since the beginning of recorded history. It is frequently combined with water and sanctified ritualistically in countless religions as a spiritual tool used for blessing and protection. This sanctification is usually a type of exorcism performed to cast out any absorbed negativity. Salt is also an ingredient of holy incense, as stated in the Christian Bible ( Exodus 30:35 "And thou shalt make of it incense, a perfume after the art of the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy..."). The process used in the Jewish tradition of koshering meat is a rather complicated series of actions which ensures the product adheres to strict religious dietary laws known as <i>kashrut</i>. The meat is washed and coated in koshering salt to draw out the blood during this preparation (consuming blood is prohibited by most forms of Judaism). Kosher salt is certified through vetting by the proper religious authority; not all sea salt is kosher because it is 'natural'. Just because this particular variety is kosher, that does not mean it has been blessed by a Rabbi.<br />
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It is widely known by occult practitioners that salt alone can neutralize and disperse malevolent energies. As a cleanser, it removes what is toxic and transforms what is corrupt through purification. Numerous cultures use salt as a talisman for warding off undesirable spirits. Charms using salt are created by placing a pinch in a pouch or small bottle to be carried or worn around the neck. A bit of fabric can be rubbed with salt or sprinkled with holy water containing salt and used as a prayer cloth ( the modern version used by various Evangelical/Fundamentalist Christian sects). An old world tradition of Roman Catholicism is to carry a saints' medal or scapular that has been blessed with salt and water. A ritual popularized by the Hebrew tradition with roots in the Old Testament known as a <i>Covenant of Salt</i> is the act of combining individual grains of salt into a bowl or jar during the wedding ceremony to be kept in the home thereafter because it represents a perpetual vow to both keep God in the home and to be kept by Him based on the knowledge of salt as a preservative. <br />
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If you've been watching the TV series Supernatural for any length of time, then you've seen primary characters Sam and Dean Winchester salt and burn a body in a grave ( or less frequently, another location). The grave is opened, a few appropriate prayers are said, and the body is purified by pouring copious amounts of salt over the bones and the corpse set on fire to destroy a hostile spirit. That ritual follows the custom of salting the ground of a conquered city so nothing would grow there. ( The Romans, I believe, did this with Carthage.)<br />
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For centuries, salt has been used as a talisman to ward off undesirable spirits, pieces being worn around the neck. Modern day believers in the occult draw a line of salt across window ledges and thresholds to keep away nativity and to keep spirits from entering. <br />
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Himalayan salt lamps have become popular for deflecting negativity. Users swear that they also cleanse the space they're used in and aides in promoting a good nights rest. I've had one for years. Does it work? I can't say that I've noticed a difference other than it does wick moisture from the surrounding air; so much, in fact, that I've poured off the accumulated fluid from the dish it sits in and dried it, then used the remaining salt in ritual. I've also poured it into my bath water. I'm frugal that way. Also, it's growing some very nice crystals around the bottom. It gives off a lovely pink/yellow light when the candle inside is lit,which is very calming. I've used salt alone and combined with herbs in ritual baths for a long time, and I do believe salt alone or in combination does remove negativity. Himalayan salt (color really doesn't matter unless you want to ascribe a color correspondence to it) is best because it's processed the least. Common table salt would work, too, but I like the Himalayan salt because of it's purity and esthetics. In my experience, it seems to work better with aromatherapy oils and herbs.<br />
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But what about black salt? Hawaiian black salt, or black lava salt is simply common sea salt which is combined with activated charcoal as a coloring agent. It's main use in cooking is as a garnish. In occult terms, because it is black, it is said to absorb negativity. A segment of the magical community prefers to use it in their spell work. As always, it's about intention, adaptation and preferences.<br />
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<u><b>How to Make and Use a Salt Jar</b></u>Any jar or bowl with a lid can be used, just make certain it's clean and dry. It can be as plain (like a mason jar), or ornate as you wish. The traditional color vessel used for this tool is either red or blue, but you may choose any color you like, or correspond the color to your intention. I recommend using course salt; kosher or pickling salt is fine. If you want something different, you can use colored Himalayan, which comes in white, pink, red, grey, blue and green of varying intensities depending on the trace minerals left in the salt after evaporation.. If you're searching at the grocery store, these are also known as <i>finishing salts </i>because they're used mainly for garnish.<br />
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On a small piece of paper, write out your intention or petition.fold the paper away from you into quarters or thirds and place it in the jar you're using. Pour enough salt into the jar to cover the paper completely, leaving a bit of headspace between the top of the jar and the lid. Holding the jar in both hands, breathe into the jar to fill it with your essence and seal it. You may place any herbs ( onion/garlic for protection or to absorb negativity;sugar to keep things sweet or favorable; rosemary for blessing/ peace are a few) you wish into the jar along with the salt to boost the vibration. Other things, such as a bit of precious metal ( gold, silver, copper) or a stone/crystal ( your choice) may also be added. Salt jars are used primarily for blessing and cleansing. They work by sympathetic magic, just as a sugar or honey jar would. There is a lovely Jewish tradition of keeping a salt jar in the home in a place of honor to bless the home and its inhabitants. <br />
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Salt jars are worked in much the same way as a sugar jar [ see my earlier post, <i>Sweetness and Light</i> ]. If you use a jar with a metal lid, you can add a candle to burn on the top. If you use a secure lid you can use the jar as a shaker (without the candle!) as a meditation aid. I know practitioners who fill their jars with salt and edible herbs and use the contents in cooking to take the blessing into their bodies. Personally, I don't recommend this, because even though salt is a preservative, there is still a change of something growing in the jar which will taint the contents and render it inedible. You can, of course, do as you wish, but I'm not comfortable with the idea.<br />
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<b>Other ways you can use your salt jar:</b><br />
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In a sick room instead of burning sage<br />
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Sprinkling some of the salt in the corners of a room to cleanse and raise vibration<br />
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Give one as a house warming or wedding gift<br />
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Have any other ideas? Leave them in the comments section of this post or email me.</blockquote>
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<br />AmethJerahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09575410695782447489noreply@blogger.com0