~ECLECTIC WITCHCRAFT~
By Nixie Vale
(Shared on Green Witch with permission)
What does it mean to be an Eclectic Witch?
When I began following a pagan path, I found that so many things were calling to me, and from learning all of these different things from many different traditions, I have become a better and fuller person.
Being Eclectic means that I don’t follow one specific path with its rules and beliefs. Instead I learn, read and research about a wide range of different paths and traditions, and most importantly, I learn about what feels right to me. Every new thing that I learn, becomes a part of who I am, a part of my own spiritual path, and in doing so, it changes me just a little bit each time.
At this point in my life, I feel like I am the best person I can be, and this is, I think, due in part to the spiritual growth I have attained and the fulfilment it has brought me. Do I want to stop growing? Hell no! I never want to stop learning and discovering new and exciting things. This is one reason I don’t want to give up on ‘The Pagan Tree’, in the short time I have been researching the different paths and traditions I have learnt new things, and I have also remembered things I have seemingly long forgotten.
Sometimes I will read a book, an article, or research a subject and I will take a lot from it and incorporate it into my own practices, but there are other times when I will take nothing from it other than the knowledge that I have gained from doing it.
“There is no right or wrong way to practice being an Eclectic Witch.”
If I feel like I want to study Shamanism or a certain Pantheon of deities I can do that, and I do. If I want to learn a new form of divination, or work on my chakras I can do that too. There are times when I do no studying at all, and I just practice and live what I have learnt, what I already know and believe.
I could never imagine leaving this path, at least in this lifetime. I feel that I can achieve all that I want and desire in my life both physically and spiritually. I will continue to learn and grow.
Being an Eclectic Witch, to me, means that I will never tire of my spirituality, it will never bore me, and it will never become a burden to me.
Nixie Vale © 24-11-2012 - All Rights Reserved
*We, at Green Witch, do not claim any material posted as original works of the admins, nor do we benefit in any way by posting these materials.
(Shared on Green Witch with permission)
What does it mean to be an Eclectic Witch?
When I began following a pagan path, I found that so many things were calling to me, and from learning all of these different things from many different traditions, I have become a better and fuller person.
Being Eclectic means that I don’t follow one specific path with its rules and beliefs. Instead I learn, read and research about a wide range of different paths and traditions, and most importantly, I learn about what feels right to me. Every new thing that I learn, becomes a part of who I am, a part of my own spiritual path, and in doing so, it changes me just a little bit each time.
At this point in my life, I feel like I am the best person I can be, and this is, I think, due in part to the spiritual growth I have attained and the fulfilment it has brought me. Do I want to stop growing? Hell no! I never want to stop learning and discovering new and exciting things. This is one reason I don’t want to give up on ‘The Pagan Tree’, in the short time I have been researching the different paths and traditions I have learnt new things, and I have also remembered things I have seemingly long forgotten.
Sometimes I will read a book, an article, or research a subject and I will take a lot from it and incorporate it into my own practices, but there are other times when I will take nothing from it other than the knowledge that I have gained from doing it.
“There is no right or wrong way to practice being an Eclectic Witch.”
If I feel like I want to study Shamanism or a certain Pantheon of deities I can do that, and I do. If I want to learn a new form of divination, or work on my chakras I can do that too. There are times when I do no studying at all, and I just practice and live what I have learnt, what I already know and believe.
I could never imagine leaving this path, at least in this lifetime. I feel that I can achieve all that I want and desire in my life both physically and spiritually. I will continue to learn and grow.
Being an Eclectic Witch, to me, means that I will never tire of my spirituality, it will never bore me, and it will never become a burden to me.
Nixie Vale © 24-11-2012 - All Rights Reserved
*We, at Green Witch, do not claim any material posted as original works of the admins, nor do we benefit in any way by posting these materials.
![~ via @[215224475274336:274:Doctor Of Laughter] ~
For more fun visit us : www.doctorlaughter.com](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vjhVD8tviYbm40-vBzznTthAyR63dDfkRbx3MCDwuqsr0o8RVpz4i1fqyXy0OBbvYJve9q1Q8k0msGh0XZdPjzSJ-kvNxdaTNqBgUw45nIxOq9cMPeTjVegUJPpUpwN3nN-AF5oBSt_tRTUlLsEn6e0zQQrP0wWR-YaN8=s0-d)
Yule Tree
The Christian tradition of a Christmas tree has its origins in the Pagan Yule celebrations, but using evergreens as a decoration was commonly used in
the Roman and Greek cultures during their winter celebrations. The idea to use in during Christmas originated in 8th Century Germany, where legend has it that St. Boniface was trying to convert a group of Druids. He tried everything that he could think of to convince the Druids that the Oak tree was not sacred or invincible. He finally tried one last desperate measure... he cut the oak tree down. As the tree fell, it took down everything in its path, save but one small evergreen sapling. St. Boniface declared it a miracle and that the evergreen was sacred to the Christ-child, and ever after, trees were brought into the home and decorated for the holidays.
Pagan and Christian families would bring a live tree into the home so the wood spirits would have a place to keep warm during the cold winter months. Bells were hung in the limbs so you could tell when a spirit was present. Food and treats were hung on the branches for the spirits to eat and a five-pointed star, the pentagram, symbol of the five elements, was placed atop the tree. The colors of the season, red and green, also are of Pagan origin, as is the custom of exchanging gifts.
Another reason that trees were first decorated with fruits, nuts and artificial flowers was to bring about the return of spring and fertility, warmth, and light, and to restore and maintain the balance between darkness and light, coldness and warmth, and death and rebirth.
In the earlier parts of the 20th Century (and I'm not sure how long it dates back...) many families would decorate their trees with candles. Then the family would come together for the lighting of their Christmas trees - it was a spectacular event, filled with the beauty of the candle glow from the evergreen branches... but it was also a one time of the year event. It wasn't exactly a safe thing to do, it was very easy for the lovely candles to cause the tree to catch on fire. Still, it sounds like it would have been a lovely sight to behold!
Yule trees are cut and decorated with images of what we wish to receive during the next year, such as love charms to draw love, nuts for fertility, fruits for a successful harvest, or coins to ensure wealth and prosperity.
Chritstmas Tree
Christmas tree lit under a fresh blanket of snow in the pre-dawn light. © Rob Sylvan
The Folded Napkin ... A Truckers Story
I try not to be biased, but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His placement counselor assured me that he would be a
good, reliable busboy. But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee and wasn't sure I wanted one. I wasn't sure how my customers would react to Stevie. He was short, a little dumpy with the smooth facial features and thick-tongued speech of Downs Syndrome.
I wasn't worried about most of my trucker customers because truckers don't generally care who buses tables as long as the meatloaf platter is good and the pies are homemade. The four-wheeler drivers were the ones who concerned me; the mouthy college kids traveling to school; the yuppie snobs who secretly polish their silverware with their napkins for fear of catching some dreaded "truck stop germ" the pairs of white-shirted business men on expense accounts who think every truck stop waitress wants to be flirted with. I knew those people would be uncomfortable around Stevie so I closely watched him for the first few weeks.
I shouldn't have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff wrapped around his stubby little finger, and within a month my truck regulars had adopted him as their official truck stop mascot. After that, I really didn't care what the rest of the customers thought of him. He was like a 21-year-old in blue jeans and Nikes, eager to laugh and eager to please, but fierce in his attention to his duties. Every salt and pepper shaker was exactly in its place, not a bread crumb or coffee spill was visible when Stevie got done with the table.
Our only problem was persuading him to wait to clean a table until after the customers were finished. He would hover in the background, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, scanning the dining room until a table was empty. Then he would scurry to the empty table and carefully bus dishes and glasses onto cart and meticulously wipe the table up with a practiced flourish of his rag. If he thought a customer was watching, his brow would pucker with added concentration. He took pride in doing his job exactly right, and you had to love how hard he tried to please each and every person he met.
Over time, we learned that he lived with his mother, a widow who was disabled after repeated surgeries for cancer. They lived on their Social Security benefits in public housing two miles from the truck stop. Their social worker, who stopped to check on him every so often, admitted they had fallen between the cracks. Money was tight, and what I paid him was probably the difference between them being able to live together and Stevie being sent to a group home. That's why the restaurant was a gloomy place that morning last August, the first morning in three years that Stevie missed work.
He was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester getting a new valve or something put in his heart. His social worker said that people with Downs Syndrome often have heart problems at an early age so this wasn't unexpected, and there was a good chance he would come through the surgery in good shape and be back at work in a few months.
A ripple of excitement ran through the staff later that morning when word came that he was out of surgery, in recovery, and doing fine. Frannie, the head waitress, let out a war hoop and did a little dance in the aisle when she heard the good news. Bell Ringer, one of our regular trucker customers, stared at the sight of this 50-year-old grandmother of four doing a victory shimmy beside his table. Frannie blushed, smoothed her apron and shot Belle Ringer a withering look.
He grinned. "OK, Frannie, what was that all about?" he asked.
"We just got word that Stevie is out of surgery and going to be okay."
"I was wondering where he was. I had a new joke to tell him. What was the surgery about?"
Frannie quickly told Bell Ringer and the other two drivers sitting at his booth about Stevie's surgery, then sighed: "Yeah, I'm glad he is going to be OK," she said. "But I don't know how he and his Mom are going to handle all the bills. From what I hear, they're barely getting by as it is." Belle Ringer nodded thoughtfully, and Frannie hurried off to wait on the rest of her tables.
Since I hadn't had time to round up a busboy to replace Stevie and really didn't want to replace him, the girls were busing their own tables that day until we decided what to do. After the morning rush, Frannie walked into my office. She had a couple of paper napkins in her hand and a funny look on her face.
"What's up?" I asked.
"I didn't get that table where Bell Ringer and his friends were sitting cleared off after they left, and Pony Pete and Tony Tipper were sitting there when I got back to clean it off," she said. "This was folded and tucked under a coffee cup."
She handed the napkin to me, and three $20 bills fell onto my desk when I opened it. On the outside, in big, bold letters, was printed "Something For Stevie.
Pony Pete asked me what that was all about," she said, "so I told him about Stevie and his Mom and everything, and Pete looked at Tony and Tony looked at Pete, and they ended up giving me this." She handed me another paper napkin that had "Something For Stevie" scrawled on its outside. Two $50 bills were tucked within its folds.
Frannie looked at me with wet, shiny eyes, shook her head and said simply: "truckers."
That was three months ago. Today is Thanksgiving, the first day Stevie is supposed to be back to work. His placement worker said he's been counting the days until the doctor said he could work, and it didn't matter at all that it was a holiday. He called 10 times in the past week, making sure we knew he was coming, fearful that we had forgotten him or that his job was in jeopardy.
I arranged to have his mother bring him to work. I then met them in the parking lot and invited them both to celebrate his day back. Stevie was thinner and paler, but couldn't stop grinning as he pushed through the doors and headed for the back room where his apron and busing cart were waiting.
"Hold up there, Stevie, not so fast," I said. I took him and his mother by their arms. "Work can wait for a minute. To celebrate you coming back, breakfast for you and your mother is on me!"
I led them toward a large corner booth at the rear of the room. I could feel and hear the rest of the staff following behind as we marched through the dining room. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw booth after booth of grinning truckers empty and join the procession. We stopped in front of the big table. Its surface was covered with coffee cups, saucers and dinner plates, all sitting slightly crooked on dozens of folded paper napkins.
"First thing you have to do, Stevie, is clean up this mess," I said. I tried to sound stern. Stevie looked at me, and then at his mother, then pulled out one of the napkins. It had "Something for Stevie" printed on the outside. As he picked it up, two $10 bills fell onto the table.
Stevie stared at the money, then at all the napkins peeking from beneath the tableware, each with his name printed or scrawled on it. I turned to his mother.
"There's more than $10,000 in cash and checks on table, all from truckers and trucking companies that heard about your problems. "Happy Thanksgiving,"
Well, it got real noisy about that time, with everybody hollering and shouting, and there were a few tears, as well. But you know what's funny? While everybody else was busy shaking hands and hugging each other, Stevie, with a big, big smile on his face, was busy clearing all the cups and dishes from the table. Best worker I ever hired.
Plant a seed and watch it grow. At this point, you can bury this inspirational message or forward it fulfilling the need! If you shed a tear, hug yourself, because you are a compassionate person.
Well.. Don't just sit there! Share this story!
Keep it going, this is a good one!
- Share
Holly King/Oak King
We celebrate the light overcoming the dark, as the two are brothers, rivals or the flip sides of the same coin. The Oak King rules from mid
winter until midsummer, and the Holly King rules from midsummer until midwinter. Every year at Yule, the Oak King cuts off the Holly King's head and rules for six months until midsummer, when the Holly King kills the Oak King and the cycle begins again. You can see the vestiges of the myth in the tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Janet and Stewart Farrar devote a whole chapter to these two in their book The Witches' God.
In Celtic tradition, Yule is the time when the Oak King triumphs over the Holly King. The Holly King represents the death and darkness that has ruled since the onset of Samhain. At Winter Solstice, the Oak King brings the opportunity to be reborn and begin new life. The Yule Season raises one's spirit and brings tidings of comfort and joy as the carol goes... It is a period of reflection. During Samhain, one has recognized the lessons given in past experience and now Yule brings the opportunity to be reborn with new light. The customs created at this time are what are now identified with Christmas. A Yule tree is decorated and the house is adorned with holly, ivy and candles to represent the approaching light. Father Winter, complete with a white beard and red coat trimmed with fur, visits each home bringing gifts. The Yule log, which is made of oak from the previous year is burned into the fire to symbolize the Newborn Sun/Son.
Another version of the Oak/Holly King theme is the ritual hunting and killing of a wren. The wren, little King of the Waning Year, is killed by the Robin Redbreast, King of the Waxing Year. The robin finds the wren hiding in an ivy bush (or as in some parts of Ireland - a holly bush).
Yule Celebration Ideas:
Start your celebration well before dawn, so you can be a part of the Sun's birthing process. Kick off the ritual with an apple juice to
ast to the Holly King, saying: "Winter day of longest night, Step aside now for the light. Thank you for the things you've brought. That only darkness could have wrought."
Then name all the gifts of darkness that you can think of - regeneration, peace, dreams, organization, quietude, and so on - before drinking the juice.
To ensure good luck and prosperity in the coming year, anoint a bayberry candle with vegetable oil and roll it in dried chamomile. Light the candle and allow it to burn down completely.
Make a Yule log from a piece of oak and decorate it with evergreens. Light it, saying: "Old King, we thank You for all You've done. For lessons learned, and victories won, We must, however, bid You adieu. For Your reign is finished - it's over and through. Come forth, Young King of newest light. Be born with ease; grow strong and bright, Gain strength and stature in the sky. Shed you warmth on us now from on high."
Be sure to save an unburned piece to start next year's log. Save some of the ashes, too. They make terrific boosters for every type of magick. End the ritual with an orange juice toast to the Sun, saying: "O Newborn Sun of love and light, Rise quickly now, rise high and bright Gain power in the sky above, We grant you our support and love."
After ritual, collect all the evergreen decorations you used there and put them away. You'll need them at Imbolc.
~from Dorothy Morrison's book The Craft
Pagan themed cookie molds and cookie cutters
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/
Thank you to Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom for her Blog
Sharing the Magic
Remember to stay Crafty
Find Your Spiritual Animal
Prepare. Be centered, grounded and ready for a spiritual experience.
Consider your intentions. This is a religious, spiritual, and supernatural exercise. If you go into it with the wrong frame of mind it will have consequences and costs. Make sure you're not doing it for the wrong reasons.
Relax. Find a place that you feel safe and comfortable, and where you won't be interrupted. Treat it as you would a meditation. Consciously follow your breathing.
Methods for Finding Your Spiritual Animal Meditation. When you feel ready, close your eyes
Create a place that makes you feel comfortable. This could be a natural place like a meadow or a beach. It could also be somewhere man-made, such as a zoo or park. Trust your instincts.
Spend some time experiencing your surroundings. When you feel ready, begin to explore. Go anywhere that arouses your curiosity. Consider the idea that everything you find is something created by your mind to teach you something.
It is believed that after a period of time meditating, ranging from several hours to several days, you will hear your spiritual animal or understand what it is.
Keep a journal of your meditations. Some animals may come and go, and some may stay. Keeping a journal of your interactions with these animals will help you learn more about yourself and your animals.
Call your animal. Ask your animal spirit to come into your meditative state so that you can talk to them one-on-one. Spend time with your animal and learn how the two of you interact. Be open to anything it may have to offer and ask any questions you might feel are appropriate.
Look for reoccurring animals. If you start seeing an animal frequently, this could be your spiritual animal revealing itself to you. (i.e If you see an elk on a nature program, drive past an elk lodge and then hear someone talk about going to Elk Grove, Wisconsin--all within the same day--this could be a sign.)
Consult a Shamanic Practitioner. They may have methods or advice for finding your spiritual animal or helping you to determine what it is. Be aware that finding a Shamanic Practitioner in your neighborhood isn't as easy as doing a Google search or looking in the phone book. You may have to ask around or investigate on your own.
Honor your animal. It is believed in Shamanic Practices that you gain a deeper connection with your spiritual animal by honoring it. In doing this, you're letting it know that its assistance in helping you with your life is appreciated.
(Information from WikiHow)
Posted by Lady Patti
Reposted by request - Hoping this helps those who are still searching for their spirit animals and have asked for this information…
Yes, you may have more than one…I have 4…White wolf, Ravens, Dragonflies and Dragons.
Art: Unknown
O' GREAT SPIRIT
help me always
to speak the truth quietly,
to listen with an open mind
when others speak,
and to remember the peace
that may be found in silence.
Cherokee Prayer
An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy. "It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.
One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too." The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."
Chain of Healing - Please continue the chain...
Light and Love of the Goddess --- Lady Patti
“Love is a chain of love as nature is a chain of life” Truman Cap
ote
Each day we come across those that need our blessings of light from within The Goddess to heal a sickness, to heal a sorrow, to heal a loss. To heal…
...
The blessing below I will post it each day so that you may “like” the posting and comments on the healing needs. Add your healing comments and needs to this chain. By liking the post and comment, those in need will see that you thinking of them and sending your healing energies to them.
Please add your comments, wishes and blessings as needed to the Chain of Healing.
Blessed Lady – healer of our pain, source of our strength.
As I light the candle of white, the healing of this heated light
Give this light and healing love to those that are in need.
Blessings and healing light to those as we call out their names
As You are our Light, You are our Strength, You are our source of love
So mote it be.
Lady Patti
Copyright © 12272011
Artwork/photo: Anne Stokes
"Now what?" is seems to be the 1st thing I say lately. Especially while me are working on out house. :) Wow, it has been another crazy week in our mundane world and it is only Tuesday.
Plus this is just to funny, (in a broken kind of way) not to share.
1.) The water leak and having to have all our hard wood floors replaced… That one is finished.
2.) Having to have a wall replaced and the entire kitchen repainted because they had to rip out and rebuild a the wall.
3.) While putting the refrigerator back into place, the workman pushed it to far in and broke the water hose to the ice maker which started leaking into the basement. So no ice until that is fixed.
4.) Falling down the stairs trying to get around all the clutter from the work stuff… that one we are still working to fix. LOL
Now lets move into this weekend, where in Rick and I decide to paint the main floors of the house, since the kitchen is all new, so should the rest of the wall be… Our thinking anyway.
5.) So we move paint and finishes the living area, (happy dance no worries there.)
6.) While prepping the foyer, stairs and upper landing all the lights and such have to come off the walls.
7.) Guess what, as we are removing the light fixture from the foyer, we find it full of water… yep water.
Seems the roof (new roof) is somehow allowing water into the wall and it is running down into the light.
This is not a good thing.
8.) So all work stops, while we AGAIN wait for the insurance people to come out and see how and what must be done to get it fixed..
9.) My house is again a mess because we have everything moved, covered and started for the painting…Heavy sigh.
10.) If anyone knows how to remove water gremlins from a house nicely … I am ready.
LOL
![Prosperity Candles
from Wheel of the Year: Living the Magical Life by Pauline Campanelli
Burn a pair of bayberry candles on Yule as a charm to insure growth and prosperity for the new year. To enhance the magic of the candles, anoint them with Magnetic Oil (oil in which a magnetite crystal has soaked from New Moon to Full) [Note: In spells and rituals, intent is key! Focus all your energy on what you want, visualizing it coming to pass as clearly as you can.]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_s8IcqrwiMcKsnO5VbH56nv5Uss08PzhHYqab1jkVVjNxK6uidf9QpuIpKmHBy8dZdPvlqJu0eYjPbgmY83JabMWk1rA43ONHeuaqkzkoC23Z1d9D3scm4dakj5wRWSIVQhKwCL4BzBdDk3M5BQsJDR6lZPoP3zFmZZFB7i=s0-d)
Prosperity Candles
from Wheel of the Year: Living the Magical Life by Pauline Campanelli
Burn a pair of bayberry candles on Yule as a charm to insure growth an
d prosperity for the new year. To enhance the magic of the candles, anoint them with Magnetic Oil (oil in which a magnetite crystal has soaked from New Moon to Full) [Note: In spells and rituals, intent is key! Focus all your energy on what you want, visualizing it coming to pass as clearly as you can.]
A Yule Blessing
On this precious Solstice eve,
Thy beginning of winter is now perceived.
And with the returning of the warming Sun.
Our holiday celebration has begun.
We ask thy spirits endow our hearts,
With true gratitude before thee part.
And may the flames rekindle thy light,
With joy and warmth on this holy night.
Lady Abigail
Copyright © 12032011
For simple holiday recipes like this 3 Cheese Mac 'n Cheese & a chance to win a KitchenAid® Cooking Set, visit www.masterholidaychef.com!
Good night and Goddess Bless!!
Bless the sacred moon I see.
Tis a new era from the earth, sky and sea.
I raise my arms to the possibilities.
Allow every human form to see all realities.
Open hearts and minds for a universal healing.
Awaken those who ignore the feeling.
Bless the sacred moon I see as she is part of me.
I thank the sacred directions that surround me. I draw your energy to me so I may help others to see.
Let your moonlight shine a path.
Cleanse all life in one universal bath.
Bless this sacred moon I see.
So mote it be.
Wolf Medicine - What wolves can teach us
Read Native Teaching Here ==> http://bit.ly/
Yule Solitary Ritual
Preparations
If it's physically feasible, fast and pray for three days beforehand. This allows you to enter the New Year's cycle purified
in body and spirit. Also consider a ritual bath with cinnamon, mint and rose petals to improve psychic awareness.
Decorate the sacred space with gold and silver spheres to represent the returning sun, and wreaths to symbolize the turning Wheel. Have oak shavings ready as a base for your incense. Add any other personally meaningful herbs to this mixture and start burning it before the invocation to help prepare the sacred space. Finally, put your sun candle from earlier in the year at the southern point of the circle.
The Altar
Cover the altar with a pale green cloth - the color of early sprouts, which represents continuance. Add red berries for life's blood; holly; ivy; and pine branches as a symbol of longevity. The pine also welcomes sylvan spirits to your circle.
Have a Yule log at the center point, placing there your God and Goddess candles. Always keep a part of the candles or the log itself for future years; this brings good luck, life, health and providence.
Cast the Circle
Take up the Athamé and Cast the Circle starting in the West, the region where several cultures believe the afterlife resides, the direction of the Dying Sun.
take a moment to center yourself and begin to cast the Circle. Visualize a white light coming from the tip of the athamé and with arms straight out, turn the blade point out, slowly turning clockwise the light following you.
When you return to the West bring the athamé back to you and say: “As above, so below.”
As you say this, visualize the light going above you and below you forming a perfect sphere.
Invocations
Light the Goddess candle in the Yule log, then move to the Northern point in your Circle. This is the quarter traditionally ascribed to the season of winter.
North
"Ancient Mother, I look for your opulence, but tonight naught but barren trees decorate the land. In this restful moment, let my spirit find healing."
East
"Ancient Brother, I listen for your winds, but tonight they are still. In this quiet darkness, help me find inspiration."
South
"Ancient Father, I look for your fires, but tonight the embers only begin to glow more brightly. May this gentle warmth temper my spirit."
West
"Ancient Sister, I seek your glistening tears, but tonight they are frozen. Beneath this cool blanket, let my emotions find stability."
Center
"Ancient Ones, I seek Your face, but tonight darkness surrounds. Help me find Your spark within to guide my path."
Meditation and Visualization
Winter Solstice is an excellent time to undergo a vision quest to find your magical name, a totem animal, a mantra, or other empowering insights. This meditation is meant to accent that quest by opening your awareness to the power within and without all things.
Begin in a standing position. Center yourself and breathe deeply. Slowly take off your mundane clothes, likewise removing the "world" with each. Wrap a blanket around yourself for warmth, but remain naked for the meditation. You need no trappings to discover personal power.
Sit and close your eyes. Let any remaining tension drain away, then begin listening to the sound of silence. Smell the aromas of oak and herb. Feel the latent energy of everything around you and the magic you've placed there. Know it as your own.
Listen to your breath and your heartbeat. Sense the pulse and ebb within as the same energy without. Listen closely; does it whisper a message to you? Does it whisper a name? Do you hear the cry of an animal? Do you hear words that fill you with energy? Linger in this place between Earth and stars until you receive a message. Then return to normal levels of awareness, and write of this experience in your journal.
The Ritual
Turn toward the northern part of your circle. Think of things that you want to banish, such as bad habits. Say: "I call to the darkness. Come embrace my __________ (fill in with your negative characteristics). Take them to yourself. I release them. As the sun climbs in the sky, take these things with you in retreat, never to return to me again."
Turn to the south of the circle, light the sun candle, and repeat this chant. Let it naturally grow to fill the entire space with positive vibrations: "Strong sun, returning sun; the light burns as the Wheel turns. Strong sun, returning sun; the shadows fade; my magic bade. Strong sun, returning sun; the shadows flee, the magic is free!"
Return to the altar now and light the God candle, using the Goddess candle as a fire source (symbolic of the womb). "Sun Father, Your journey has left you weary. May this light give you strength to reach toward the heavens again with warmth and brilliance."
After saying so, go through your home and light all its candles, lamps, flashlights, or decorative lights to represent the sun's return.
Closing the Circle
West
"Spirit of the West, thank you for cleansing body, mind, and spirit. As you go from this place, likewise purify Earth."
South
"Spirit of the South, thank you for this warmth of body, mind and spirit. As you go from this place, likewise generate love on Earth."
East
"Spirit of the East, thank you for this stillness of body, mind and spirit. As you go from this place, likewise bring peace to Earth."
North
"Spirit of the North, thank you for healing me in body, mind, and spirit. As you go from this place, likewise heal Earth."
Center
"Ancient Ones, thank you for turning the Wheel that enlightens body, mind, and spirit. As you go from this place, likewise edify Earth."
Release the Circle
Release the Circle in whatever manner is most familiar to you.
Post-Ritual Foods
Go with your traditional holiday foods, which for me include many that have solar symbolism. Cookies are round like the sun, eggnog is golden and fertile, gingerbread is hot and spicy, and fruitcake bears red and orange highlights. As a side, try a little flaming brandy to warm you up!
~from Patricia Telesco's book, The Wiccan Book of Ceremonies and Rituals.
![@[392738934076945:274:Fun, love and insanity.]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_u_LIrjPUfBHlTGZq67eLMY4AiRq6P1mEqueHbGGZEHyihWC5ozQ7zfqmwAcGzMQD9UziwHQShdgdVryC-LynKmy245810yw5SsPz5JP8-GZe1_sfNR9O8ZWpzE0McaidYnhIVNzG_aylzfsnA2QRHY6gFJPtbB0xeDpeApJQ=s0-d)
Yule Tree
The Christian tradition of a Christmas tree has its origins in the Pagan Yule celebrations, but using evergreens as a decoration was commonly used in
The Christian tradition of a Christmas tree has its origins in the Pagan Yule celebrations, but using evergreens as a decoration was commonly used in
the Roman and Greek cultures during their winter celebrations. The idea to use in during Christmas originated in 8th Century Germany, where legend has it that St. Boniface was trying to convert a group of Druids. He tried everything that he could think of to convince the Druids that the Oak tree was not sacred or invincible. He finally tried one last desperate measure... he cut the oak tree down. As the tree fell, it took down everything in its path, save but one small evergreen sapling. St. Boniface declared it a miracle and that the evergreen was sacred to the Christ-child, and ever after, trees were brought into the home and decorated for the holidays.
Pagan and Christian families would bring a live tree into the home so the wood spirits would have a place to keep warm during the cold winter months. Bells were hung in the limbs so you could tell when a spirit was present. Food and treats were hung on the branches for the spirits to eat and a five-pointed star, the pentagram, symbol of the five elements, was placed atop the tree. The colors of the season, red and green, also are of Pagan origin, as is the custom of exchanging gifts.
Another reason that trees were first decorated with fruits, nuts and artificial flowers was to bring about the return of spring and fertility, warmth, and light, and to restore and maintain the balance between darkness and light, coldness and warmth, and death and rebirth.
In the earlier parts of the 20th Century (and I'm not sure how long it dates back...) many families would decorate their trees with candles. Then the family would come together for the lighting of their Christmas trees - it was a spectacular event, filled with the beauty of the candle glow from the evergreen branches... but it was also a one time of the year event. It wasn't exactly a safe thing to do, it was very easy for the lovely candles to cause the tree to catch on fire. Still, it sounds like it would have been a lovely sight to behold!
Yule trees are cut and decorated with images of what we wish to receive during the next year, such as love charms to draw love, nuts for fertility, fruits for a successful harvest, or coins to ensure wealth and prosperity.
Chritstmas Tree
Christmas tree lit under a fresh blanket of snow in the pre-dawn light. © Rob Sylvan
Pagan and Christian families would bring a live tree into the home so the wood spirits would have a place to keep warm during the cold winter months. Bells were hung in the limbs so you could tell when a spirit was present. Food and treats were hung on the branches for the spirits to eat and a five-pointed star, the pentagram, symbol of the five elements, was placed atop the tree. The colors of the season, red and green, also are of Pagan origin, as is the custom of exchanging gifts.
Another reason that trees were first decorated with fruits, nuts and artificial flowers was to bring about the return of spring and fertility, warmth, and light, and to restore and maintain the balance between darkness and light, coldness and warmth, and death and rebirth.
In the earlier parts of the 20th Century (and I'm not sure how long it dates back...) many families would decorate their trees with candles. Then the family would come together for the lighting of their Christmas trees - it was a spectacular event, filled with the beauty of the candle glow from the evergreen branches... but it was also a one time of the year event. It wasn't exactly a safe thing to do, it was very easy for the lovely candles to cause the tree to catch on fire. Still, it sounds like it would have been a lovely sight to behold!
Yule trees are cut and decorated with images of what we wish to receive during the next year, such as love charms to draw love, nuts for fertility, fruits for a successful harvest, or coins to ensure wealth and prosperity.
Chritstmas Tree
Christmas tree lit under a fresh blanket of snow in the pre-dawn light. © Rob Sylvan
The Folded Napkin ... A Truckers Story
I try not to be biased, but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His placement counselor assured me that he would be a
I try not to be biased, but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His placement counselor assured me that he would be a
good, reliable busboy. But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee and wasn't sure I wanted one. I wasn't sure how my customers would react to Stevie. He was short, a little dumpy with the smooth facial features and thick-tongued speech of Downs Syndrome.
I wasn't worried about most of my trucker customers because truckers don't generally care who buses tables as long as the meatloaf platter is good and the pies are homemade. The four-wheeler drivers were the ones who concerned me; the mouthy college kids traveling to school; the yuppie snobs who secretly polish their silverware with their napkins for fear of catching some dreaded "truck stop germ" the pairs of white-shirted business men on expense accounts who think every truck stop waitress wants to be flirted with. I knew those people would be uncomfortable around Stevie so I closely watched him for the first few weeks.
I shouldn't have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff wrapped around his stubby little finger, and within a month my truck regulars had adopted him as their official truck stop mascot. After that, I really didn't care what the rest of the customers thought of him. He was like a 21-year-old in blue jeans and Nikes, eager to laugh and eager to please, but fierce in his attention to his duties. Every salt and pepper shaker was exactly in its place, not a bread crumb or coffee spill was visible when Stevie got done with the table.
Our only problem was persuading him to wait to clean a table until after the customers were finished. He would hover in the background, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, scanning the dining room until a table was empty. Then he would scurry to the empty table and carefully bus dishes and glasses onto cart and meticulously wipe the table up with a practiced flourish of his rag. If he thought a customer was watching, his brow would pucker with added concentration. He took pride in doing his job exactly right, and you had to love how hard he tried to please each and every person he met.
Over time, we learned that he lived with his mother, a widow who was disabled after repeated surgeries for cancer. They lived on their Social Security benefits in public housing two miles from the truck stop. Their social worker, who stopped to check on him every so often, admitted they had fallen between the cracks. Money was tight, and what I paid him was probably the difference between them being able to live together and Stevie being sent to a group home. That's why the restaurant was a gloomy place that morning last August, the first morning in three years that Stevie missed work.
He was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester getting a new valve or something put in his heart. His social worker said that people with Downs Syndrome often have heart problems at an early age so this wasn't unexpected, and there was a good chance he would come through the surgery in good shape and be back at work in a few months.
A ripple of excitement ran through the staff later that morning when word came that he was out of surgery, in recovery, and doing fine. Frannie, the head waitress, let out a war hoop and did a little dance in the aisle when she heard the good news. Bell Ringer, one of our regular trucker customers, stared at the sight of this 50-year-old grandmother of four doing a victory shimmy beside his table. Frannie blushed, smoothed her apron and shot Belle Ringer a withering look.
He grinned. "OK, Frannie, what was that all about?" he asked.
"We just got word that Stevie is out of surgery and going to be okay."
"I was wondering where he was. I had a new joke to tell him. What was the surgery about?"
Frannie quickly told Bell Ringer and the other two drivers sitting at his booth about Stevie's surgery, then sighed: "Yeah, I'm glad he is going to be OK," she said. "But I don't know how he and his Mom are going to handle all the bills. From what I hear, they're barely getting by as it is." Belle Ringer nodded thoughtfully, and Frannie hurried off to wait on the rest of her tables.
Since I hadn't had time to round up a busboy to replace Stevie and really didn't want to replace him, the girls were busing their own tables that day until we decided what to do. After the morning rush, Frannie walked into my office. She had a couple of paper napkins in her hand and a funny look on her face.
"What's up?" I asked.
"I didn't get that table where Bell Ringer and his friends were sitting cleared off after they left, and Pony Pete and Tony Tipper were sitting there when I got back to clean it off," she said. "This was folded and tucked under a coffee cup."
She handed the napkin to me, and three $20 bills fell onto my desk when I opened it. On the outside, in big, bold letters, was printed "Something For Stevie.
Pony Pete asked me what that was all about," she said, "so I told him about Stevie and his Mom and everything, and Pete looked at Tony and Tony looked at Pete, and they ended up giving me this." She handed me another paper napkin that had "Something For Stevie" scrawled on its outside. Two $50 bills were tucked within its folds.
Frannie looked at me with wet, shiny eyes, shook her head and said simply: "truckers."
That was three months ago. Today is Thanksgiving, the first day Stevie is supposed to be back to work. His placement worker said he's been counting the days until the doctor said he could work, and it didn't matter at all that it was a holiday. He called 10 times in the past week, making sure we knew he was coming, fearful that we had forgotten him or that his job was in jeopardy.
I arranged to have his mother bring him to work. I then met them in the parking lot and invited them both to celebrate his day back. Stevie was thinner and paler, but couldn't stop grinning as he pushed through the doors and headed for the back room where his apron and busing cart were waiting.
"Hold up there, Stevie, not so fast," I said. I took him and his mother by their arms. "Work can wait for a minute. To celebrate you coming back, breakfast for you and your mother is on me!"
I led them toward a large corner booth at the rear of the room. I could feel and hear the rest of the staff following behind as we marched through the dining room. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw booth after booth of grinning truckers empty and join the procession. We stopped in front of the big table. Its surface was covered with coffee cups, saucers and dinner plates, all sitting slightly crooked on dozens of folded paper napkins.
"First thing you have to do, Stevie, is clean up this mess," I said. I tried to sound stern. Stevie looked at me, and then at his mother, then pulled out one of the napkins. It had "Something for Stevie" printed on the outside. As he picked it up, two $10 bills fell onto the table.
Stevie stared at the money, then at all the napkins peeking from beneath the tableware, each with his name printed or scrawled on it. I turned to his mother.
"There's more than $10,000 in cash and checks on table, all from truckers and trucking companies that heard about your problems. "Happy Thanksgiving,"
Well, it got real noisy about that time, with everybody hollering and shouting, and there were a few tears, as well. But you know what's funny? While everybody else was busy shaking hands and hugging each other, Stevie, with a big, big smile on his face, was busy clearing all the cups and dishes from the table. Best worker I ever hired.
Plant a seed and watch it grow. At this point, you can bury this inspirational message or forward it fulfilling the need! If you shed a tear, hug yourself, because you are a compassionate person.
Well.. Don't just sit there! Share this story!
Keep it going, this is a good one!
I wasn't worried about most of my trucker customers because truckers don't generally care who buses tables as long as the meatloaf platter is good and the pies are homemade. The four-wheeler drivers were the ones who concerned me; the mouthy college kids traveling to school; the yuppie snobs who secretly polish their silverware with their napkins for fear of catching some dreaded "truck stop germ" the pairs of white-shirted business men on expense accounts who think every truck stop waitress wants to be flirted with. I knew those people would be uncomfortable around Stevie so I closely watched him for the first few weeks.
I shouldn't have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff wrapped around his stubby little finger, and within a month my truck regulars had adopted him as their official truck stop mascot. After that, I really didn't care what the rest of the customers thought of him. He was like a 21-year-old in blue jeans and Nikes, eager to laugh and eager to please, but fierce in his attention to his duties. Every salt and pepper shaker was exactly in its place, not a bread crumb or coffee spill was visible when Stevie got done with the table.
Our only problem was persuading him to wait to clean a table until after the customers were finished. He would hover in the background, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, scanning the dining room until a table was empty. Then he would scurry to the empty table and carefully bus dishes and glasses onto cart and meticulously wipe the table up with a practiced flourish of his rag. If he thought a customer was watching, his brow would pucker with added concentration. He took pride in doing his job exactly right, and you had to love how hard he tried to please each and every person he met.
Over time, we learned that he lived with his mother, a widow who was disabled after repeated surgeries for cancer. They lived on their Social Security benefits in public housing two miles from the truck stop. Their social worker, who stopped to check on him every so often, admitted they had fallen between the cracks. Money was tight, and what I paid him was probably the difference between them being able to live together and Stevie being sent to a group home. That's why the restaurant was a gloomy place that morning last August, the first morning in three years that Stevie missed work.
He was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester getting a new valve or something put in his heart. His social worker said that people with Downs Syndrome often have heart problems at an early age so this wasn't unexpected, and there was a good chance he would come through the surgery in good shape and be back at work in a few months.
A ripple of excitement ran through the staff later that morning when word came that he was out of surgery, in recovery, and doing fine. Frannie, the head waitress, let out a war hoop and did a little dance in the aisle when she heard the good news. Bell Ringer, one of our regular trucker customers, stared at the sight of this 50-year-old grandmother of four doing a victory shimmy beside his table. Frannie blushed, smoothed her apron and shot Belle Ringer a withering look.
He grinned. "OK, Frannie, what was that all about?" he asked.
"We just got word that Stevie is out of surgery and going to be okay."
"I was wondering where he was. I had a new joke to tell him. What was the surgery about?"
Frannie quickly told Bell Ringer and the other two drivers sitting at his booth about Stevie's surgery, then sighed: "Yeah, I'm glad he is going to be OK," she said. "But I don't know how he and his Mom are going to handle all the bills. From what I hear, they're barely getting by as it is." Belle Ringer nodded thoughtfully, and Frannie hurried off to wait on the rest of her tables.
Since I hadn't had time to round up a busboy to replace Stevie and really didn't want to replace him, the girls were busing their own tables that day until we decided what to do. After the morning rush, Frannie walked into my office. She had a couple of paper napkins in her hand and a funny look on her face.
"What's up?" I asked.
"I didn't get that table where Bell Ringer and his friends were sitting cleared off after they left, and Pony Pete and Tony Tipper were sitting there when I got back to clean it off," she said. "This was folded and tucked under a coffee cup."
She handed the napkin to me, and three $20 bills fell onto my desk when I opened it. On the outside, in big, bold letters, was printed "Something For Stevie.
Pony Pete asked me what that was all about," she said, "so I told him about Stevie and his Mom and everything, and Pete looked at Tony and Tony looked at Pete, and they ended up giving me this." She handed me another paper napkin that had "Something For Stevie" scrawled on its outside. Two $50 bills were tucked within its folds.
Frannie looked at me with wet, shiny eyes, shook her head and said simply: "truckers."
That was three months ago. Today is Thanksgiving, the first day Stevie is supposed to be back to work. His placement worker said he's been counting the days until the doctor said he could work, and it didn't matter at all that it was a holiday. He called 10 times in the past week, making sure we knew he was coming, fearful that we had forgotten him or that his job was in jeopardy.
I arranged to have his mother bring him to work. I then met them in the parking lot and invited them both to celebrate his day back. Stevie was thinner and paler, but couldn't stop grinning as he pushed through the doors and headed for the back room where his apron and busing cart were waiting.
"Hold up there, Stevie, not so fast," I said. I took him and his mother by their arms. "Work can wait for a minute. To celebrate you coming back, breakfast for you and your mother is on me!"
I led them toward a large corner booth at the rear of the room. I could feel and hear the rest of the staff following behind as we marched through the dining room. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw booth after booth of grinning truckers empty and join the procession. We stopped in front of the big table. Its surface was covered with coffee cups, saucers and dinner plates, all sitting slightly crooked on dozens of folded paper napkins.
"First thing you have to do, Stevie, is clean up this mess," I said. I tried to sound stern. Stevie looked at me, and then at his mother, then pulled out one of the napkins. It had "Something for Stevie" printed on the outside. As he picked it up, two $10 bills fell onto the table.
Stevie stared at the money, then at all the napkins peeking from beneath the tableware, each with his name printed or scrawled on it. I turned to his mother.
"There's more than $10,000 in cash and checks on table, all from truckers and trucking companies that heard about your problems. "Happy Thanksgiving,"
Well, it got real noisy about that time, with everybody hollering and shouting, and there were a few tears, as well. But you know what's funny? While everybody else was busy shaking hands and hugging each other, Stevie, with a big, big smile on his face, was busy clearing all the cups and dishes from the table. Best worker I ever hired.
Plant a seed and watch it grow. At this point, you can bury this inspirational message or forward it fulfilling the need! If you shed a tear, hug yourself, because you are a compassionate person.
Well.. Don't just sit there! Share this story!
Keep it going, this is a good one!
- Share
Holly King/Oak King
We celebrate the light overcoming the dark, as the two are brothers, rivals or the flip sides of the same coin. The Oak King rules from midwinter until midsummer, and the Holly King rules from midsummer until midwinter. Every year at Yule, the Oak King cuts off the Holly King's head and rules for six months until midsummer, when the Holly King kills the Oak King and the cycle begins again. You can see the vestiges of the myth in the tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Janet and Stewart Farrar devote a whole chapter to these two in their book The Witches' God.
In Celtic tradition, Yule is the time when the Oak King triumphs over the Holly King. The Holly King represents the death and darkness that has ruled since the onset of Samhain. At Winter Solstice, the Oak King brings the opportunity to be reborn and begin new life. The Yule Season raises one's spirit and brings tidings of comfort and joy as the carol goes... It is a period of reflection. During Samhain, one has recognized the lessons given in past experience and now Yule brings the opportunity to be reborn with new light. The customs created at this time are what are now identified with Christmas. A Yule tree is decorated and the house is adorned with holly, ivy and candles to represent the approaching light. Father Winter, complete with a white beard and red coat trimmed with fur, visits each home bringing gifts. The Yule log, which is made of oak from the previous year is burned into the fire to symbolize the Newborn Sun/Son.
Another version of the Oak/Holly King theme is the ritual hunting and killing of a wren. The wren, little King of the Waning Year, is killed by the Robin Redbreast, King of the Waxing Year. The robin finds the wren hiding in an ivy bush (or as in some parts of Ireland - a holly bush).Yule Celebration Ideas:
Start your celebration well before dawn, so you can be a part of the Sun's birthing process. Kick off the ritual with an apple juice toast to the Holly King, saying: "Winter day of longest night, Step aside now for the light. Thank you for the things you've brought. That only darkness could have wrought."
Then name all the gifts of darkness that you can think of - regeneration, peace, dreams, organization, quietude, and so on - before drinking the juice.
To ensure good luck and prosperity in the coming year, anoint a bayberry candle with vegetable oil and roll it in dried chamomile. Light the candle and allow it to burn down completely.
Make a Yule log from a piece of oak and decorate it with evergreens. Light it, saying: "Old King, we thank You for all You've done. For lessons learned, and victories won, We must, however, bid You adieu. For Your reign is finished - it's over and through. Come forth, Young King of newest light. Be born with ease; grow strong and bright, Gain strength and stature in the sky. Shed you warmth on us now from on high."
Be sure to save an unburned piece to start next year's log. Save some of the ashes, too. They make terrific boosters for every type of magick. End the ritual with an orange juice toast to the Sun, saying: "O Newborn Sun of love and light, Rise quickly now, rise high and bright Gain power in the sky above, We grant you our support and love."
After ritual, collect all the evergreen decorations you used there and put them away. You'll need them at Imbolc.
~from Dorothy Morrison's book The CraftPagan themed cookie molds and cookie cutters
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/confessionsofapagansoccermom/ 2010/11/ pagan-themed-cookie-molds-and-c ookie-cutters.html
Thank you to Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom for her Blog
Sharing the Magic
Remember to stay CraftyFind Your Spiritual Animal
Prepare. Be centered, grounded and ready for a spiritual experience.
Consider your intentions. This is a religious, spiritual, and supernatural exercise. If you go into it with the wrong frame of mind it will have consequences and costs. Make sure you're not doing it for the wrong reasons.
Relax. Find a place that you feel safe and comfortable, and where you won't be interrupted. Treat it as you would a meditation. Consciously follow your breathing.
Methods for Finding Your Spiritual Animal Meditation. When you feel ready, close your eyes
Create a place that makes you feel comfortable. This could be a natural place like a meadow or a beach. It could also be somewhere man-made, such as a zoo or park. Trust your instincts.
Spend some time experiencing your surroundings. When you feel ready, begin to explore. Go anywhere that arouses your curiosity. Consider the idea that everything you find is something created by your mind to teach you something.
It is believed that after a period of time meditating, ranging from several hours to several days, you will hear your spiritual animal or understand what it is.
Keep a journal of your meditations. Some animals may come and go, and some may stay. Keeping a journal of your interactions with these animals will help you learn more about yourself and your animals.
Call your animal. Ask your animal spirit to come into your meditative state so that you can talk to them one-on-one. Spend time with your animal and learn how the two of you interact. Be open to anything it may have to offer and ask any questions you might feel are appropriate.
Look for reoccurring animals. If you start seeing an animal frequently, this could be your spiritual animal revealing itself to you. (i.e If you see an elk on a nature program, drive past an elk lodge and then hear someone talk about going to Elk Grove, Wisconsin--all within the same day--this could be a sign.)
Consult a Shamanic Practitioner. They may have methods or advice for finding your spiritual animal or helping you to determine what it is. Be aware that finding a Shamanic Practitioner in your neighborhood isn't as easy as doing a Google search or looking in the phone book. You may have to ask around or investigate on your own.
Honor your animal. It is believed in Shamanic Practices that you gain a deeper connection with your spiritual animal by honoring it. In doing this, you're letting it know that its assistance in helping you with your life is appreciated.
(Information from WikiHow)
Posted by Lady Patti
Reposted by request - Hoping this helps those who are still searching for their spirit animals and have asked for this information…
Yes, you may have more than one…I have 4…White wolf, Ravens, Dragonflies and Dragons.
Art: UnknownO' GREAT SPIRIT
help me always
to speak the truth quietly,
to listen with an open mind
when others speak,and to remember the peace
that may be found in silence.
Cherokee PrayerAn old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy. "It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too." The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."Chain of Healing - Please continue the chain...
Light and Love of the Goddess --- Lady Patti
“Love is a chain of love as nature is a chain of life” Truman Capote
Each day we come across those that need our blessings of light from within The Goddess to heal a sickness, to heal a sorrow, to heal a loss. To heal…
...
The blessing below I will post it each day so that you may “like” the posting and comments on the healing needs. Add your healing comments and needs to this chain. By liking the post and comment, those in need will see that you thinking of them and sending your healing energies to them.
Please add your comments, wishes and blessings as needed to the Chain of Healing.
Blessed Lady – healer of our pain, source of our strength.
As I light the candle of white, the healing of this heated light
Give this light and healing love to those that are in need.
Blessings and healing light to those as we call out their names
As You are our Light, You are our Strength, You are our source of love
So mote it be.
Lady Patti
Copyright © 12272011
Artwork/photo: Anne Stokes"Now what?" is seems to be the 1st thing I say lately. Especially while me are working on out house. :) Wow, it has been another crazy week in our mundane world and it is only Tuesday.
Plus this is just to funny, (in a broken kind of way) not to share.
1.) The water leak and having to have all our hard wood floors replaced… That one is finished.
2.) Having to have a wall replaced and the entire kitchen repainted because they had to rip out and rebuild a the wall.3.) While putting the refrigerator back into place, the workman pushed it to far in and broke the water hose to the ice maker which started leaking into the basement. So no ice until that is fixed.
4.) Falling down the stairs trying to get around all the clutter from the work stuff… that one we are still working to fix. LOL
Now lets move into this weekend, where in Rick and I decide to paint the main floors of the house, since the kitchen is all new, so should the rest of the wall be… Our thinking anyway.
5.) So we move paint and finishes the living area, (happy dance no worries there.)
6.) While prepping the foyer, stairs and upper landing all the lights and such have to come off the walls.
7.) Guess what, as we are removing the light fixture from the foyer, we find it full of water… yep water.
Seems the roof (new roof) is somehow allowing water into the wall and it is running down into the light.
This is not a good thing.
8.) So all work stops, while we AGAIN wait for the insurance people to come out and see how and what must be done to get it fixed..
9.) My house is again a mess because we have everything moved, covered and started for the painting…Heavy sigh.
10.) If anyone knows how to remove water gremlins from a house nicely … I am ready.
LOLProsperity Candles
from Wheel of the Year: Living the Magical Life by Pauline Campanelli
Burn a pair of bayberry candles on Yule as a charm to insure growth and prosperity for the new year. To enhance the magic of the candles, anoint them with Magnetic Oil (oil in which a magnetite crystal has soaked from New Moon to Full) [Note: In spells and rituals, intent is key! Focus all your energy on what you want, visualizing it coming to pass as clearly as you can.]A Yule Blessing
On this precious Solstice eve,
Thy beginning of winter is now perceived.
And with the returning of the warming Sun.Our holiday celebration has begun.
We ask thy spirits endow our hearts,
With true gratitude before thee part.
And may the flames rekindle thy light,
With joy and warmth on this holy night.
Lady Abigail
Copyright © 12032011For simple holiday recipes like this 3 Cheese Mac 'n Cheese & a chance to win a KitchenAid® Cooking Set, visit www.masterholidaychef.com!
Good night and Goddess Bless!!
Bless the sacred moon I see.
Tis a new era from the earth, sky and sea.
I raise my arms to the possibilities.Allow every human form to see all realities.
Open hearts and minds for a universal healing.
Awaken those who ignore the feeling.
Bless the sacred moon I see as she is part of me.
I thank the sacred directions that surround me. I draw your energy to me so I may help others to see.
Let your moonlight shine a path.
Cleanse all life in one universal bath.
Bless this sacred moon I see.
So mote it be.Wolf Medicine - What wolves can teach us
Read Native Teaching Here ==> http://bit.ly/Wolf-Medicine-What-wolves-can-t each-us
Yule Solitary Ritual
Preparations
If it's physically feasible, fast and pray for three days beforehand. This allows you to enter the New Year's cycle purifiedin body and spirit. Also consider a ritual bath with cinnamon, mint and rose petals to improve psychic awareness.
Decorate the sacred space with gold and silver spheres to represent the returning sun, and wreaths to symbolize the turning Wheel. Have oak shavings ready as a base for your incense. Add any other personally meaningful herbs to this mixture and start burning it before the invocation to help prepare the sacred space. Finally, put your sun candle from earlier in the year at the southern point of the circle.
The Altar
Cover the altar with a pale green cloth - the color of early sprouts, which represents continuance. Add red berries for life's blood; holly; ivy; and pine branches as a symbol of longevity. The pine also welcomes sylvan spirits to your circle.
Have a Yule log at the center point, placing there your God and Goddess candles. Always keep a part of the candles or the log itself for future years; this brings good luck, life, health and providence.
Cast the Circle
Take up the Athamé and Cast the Circle starting in the West, the region where several cultures believe the afterlife resides, the direction of the Dying Sun.
take a moment to center yourself and begin to cast the Circle. Visualize a white light coming from the tip of the athamé and with arms straight out, turn the blade point out, slowly turning clockwise the light following you.
When you return to the West bring the athamé back to you and say: “As above, so below.”
As you say this, visualize the light going above you and below you forming a perfect sphere.
Invocations
Light the Goddess candle in the Yule log, then move to the Northern point in your Circle. This is the quarter traditionally ascribed to the season of winter.
North
"Ancient Mother, I look for your opulence, but tonight naught but barren trees decorate the land. In this restful moment, let my spirit find healing."
East
"Ancient Brother, I listen for your winds, but tonight they are still. In this quiet darkness, help me find inspiration."
South
"Ancient Father, I look for your fires, but tonight the embers only begin to glow more brightly. May this gentle warmth temper my spirit."
West
"Ancient Sister, I seek your glistening tears, but tonight they are frozen. Beneath this cool blanket, let my emotions find stability."
Center
"Ancient Ones, I seek Your face, but tonight darkness surrounds. Help me find Your spark within to guide my path."
Meditation and Visualization
Winter Solstice is an excellent time to undergo a vision quest to find your magical name, a totem animal, a mantra, or other empowering insights. This meditation is meant to accent that quest by opening your awareness to the power within and without all things.
Begin in a standing position. Center yourself and breathe deeply. Slowly take off your mundane clothes, likewise removing the "world" with each. Wrap a blanket around yourself for warmth, but remain naked for the meditation. You need no trappings to discover personal power.
Sit and close your eyes. Let any remaining tension drain away, then begin listening to the sound of silence. Smell the aromas of oak and herb. Feel the latent energy of everything around you and the magic you've placed there. Know it as your own.
Listen to your breath and your heartbeat. Sense the pulse and ebb within as the same energy without. Listen closely; does it whisper a message to you? Does it whisper a name? Do you hear the cry of an animal? Do you hear words that fill you with energy? Linger in this place between Earth and stars until you receive a message. Then return to normal levels of awareness, and write of this experience in your journal.
The Ritual
Turn toward the northern part of your circle. Think of things that you want to banish, such as bad habits. Say: "I call to the darkness. Come embrace my __________ (fill in with your negative characteristics). Take them to yourself. I release them. As the sun climbs in the sky, take these things with you in retreat, never to return to me again."
Turn to the south of the circle, light the sun candle, and repeat this chant. Let it naturally grow to fill the entire space with positive vibrations: "Strong sun, returning sun; the light burns as the Wheel turns. Strong sun, returning sun; the shadows fade; my magic bade. Strong sun, returning sun; the shadows flee, the magic is free!"
Return to the altar now and light the God candle, using the Goddess candle as a fire source (symbolic of the womb). "Sun Father, Your journey has left you weary. May this light give you strength to reach toward the heavens again with warmth and brilliance."
After saying so, go through your home and light all its candles, lamps, flashlights, or decorative lights to represent the sun's return.
Closing the Circle
West
"Spirit of the West, thank you for cleansing body, mind, and spirit. As you go from this place, likewise purify Earth."
South
"Spirit of the South, thank you for this warmth of body, mind and spirit. As you go from this place, likewise generate love on Earth."
East
"Spirit of the East, thank you for this stillness of body, mind and spirit. As you go from this place, likewise bring peace to Earth."
North
"Spirit of the North, thank you for healing me in body, mind, and spirit. As you go from this place, likewise heal Earth."
Center
"Ancient Ones, thank you for turning the Wheel that enlightens body, mind, and spirit. As you go from this place, likewise edify Earth."
Release the Circle
Release the Circle in whatever manner is most familiar to you.
Post-Ritual Foods
Go with your traditional holiday foods, which for me include many that have solar symbolism. Cookies are round like the sun, eggnog is golden and fertile, gingerbread is hot and spicy, and fruitcake bears red and orange highlights. As a side, try a little flaming brandy to warm you up!
~from Patricia Telesco's book, The Wiccan Book of Ceremonies and Rituals.
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In a way, we are magicians. We are alchemists, sorcerers and wizards. We are a very strange bunch. But there is great fun in being a wizard. Billy Joel
TO WALK THE RED ROAD
(Author Unknown)
Long road winding began in the stars,
spilled onto the mountain tops,
was carried in the snow to the streams,
to the rivers, to the ocean…
It covers Canada, Alaska, America,
Mexico to Guatemala,
and keeps winding around the indigenous.
The Red Road is a circle of people
standing hand in hand,
people in this world, people between
people in the Spirit world.
star people, animal people, stone people,
river people, tree people…
The Sacred Hoop.
To walk the Red Road
is to know sacrifice, suffering.
It is to understand humility.
It is the ability to stand naked before God
in all things for your wrong doings,
for your lack of strength,
for your uncompassionate way,
for your arrogance - because to walk
the Red Road, you always know
you can do better. And you know,
when you do good things,
it is through the Creator, and you are grateful.
To walk the Red Road
is to know you stand on equal ground
with all living things. It is to know that
because you were born human,
it gives you superiority over nothing.
It is to know that every creation carries a Spirit,
and the river knows more than you do,
the mountains know more than you do,
the stone people know more than you do,
the trees know more than you do,
the wind is wiser than you are,
and animal people carry wisdom.
You can learn from every one of them,
because they have something you don’t:
They are void of evil thoughts.
They wish vengeance on no one, they seek Justice.
To Walk the Red Road,
you have God given rights,
you have the right to pray,
you have the right to dance,
you have the right to think,
you have the right to protect,
you have the right to know Mother,
you have the right to dream,
you have the right to vision,
you have the right to teach,
you have the right to learn,
you have a right to grieve,
you have a right to happiness,
you have the right to fix the wrongs,
you have the right to truth,
you have a right to the Spirit World.
To Walk the Red Road
is to know your Ancestors,
to call to them for assistance…
It is to know that there is good medicine,
and there is bad medicine…
It is to know that Evil exists,
but is cowardly as it is often in disguise.
It is to know there are evil spirits
who are in constant watch
for a way to gain strength for themselves
at the expense of you.
To Walk the Red Road,
you have less fear of being wrong,
because you know that life is a journey,
a continuous circle, a sacred hoop.
Mistakes will be made,
and mistakes can be corrected
if you will be humble,
for if you cannot be humble,
you will never know
when you have made a mistake.
If you walk the Red Road,
you know that every sorrow
leads to a better understanding,
every horror cannot be explained,
but can offer growth.
To Walk the Red Road
is to look for beauty in all things.
To Walk the Red Road
is to know you will one day
cross to the Spirit World,
and you will not be afraid…
to the rivers, to the ocean…
It covers Canada, Alaska, America,
Mexico to Guatemala,
and keeps winding around the indigenous.
The Red Road is a circle of people
standing hand in hand,
people in this world, people between
people in the Spirit world.
star people, animal people, stone people,
river people, tree people…
The Sacred Hoop.
To walk the Red Road
is to know sacrifice, suffering.
It is to understand humility.
It is the ability to stand naked before God
in all things for your wrong doings,
for your lack of strength,
for your uncompassionate way,
for your arrogance - because to walk
the Red Road, you always know
you can do better. And you know,
when you do good things,
it is through the Creator, and you are grateful.
To walk the Red Road
is to know you stand on equal ground
with all living things. It is to know that
because you were born human,
it gives you superiority over nothing.
It is to know that every creation carries a Spirit,
and the river knows more than you do,
the mountains know more than you do,
the stone people know more than you do,
the trees know more than you do,
the wind is wiser than you are,
and animal people carry wisdom.
You can learn from every one of them,
because they have something you don’t:
They are void of evil thoughts.
They wish vengeance on no one, they seek Justice.
To Walk the Red Road,
you have God given rights,
you have the right to pray,
you have the right to dance,
you have the right to think,
you have the right to protect,
you have the right to know Mother,
you have the right to dream,
you have the right to vision,
you have the right to teach,
you have the right to learn,
you have a right to grieve,
you have a right to happiness,
you have the right to fix the wrongs,
you have the right to truth,
you have a right to the Spirit World.
To Walk the Red Road
is to know your Ancestors,
to call to them for assistance…
It is to know that there is good medicine,
and there is bad medicine…
It is to know that Evil exists,
but is cowardly as it is often in disguise.
It is to know there are evil spirits
who are in constant watch
for a way to gain strength for themselves
at the expense of you.
To Walk the Red Road,
you have less fear of being wrong,
because you know that life is a journey,
a continuous circle, a sacred hoop.
Mistakes will be made,
and mistakes can be corrected
if you will be humble,
for if you cannot be humble,
you will never know
when you have made a mistake.
If you walk the Red Road,
you know that every sorrow
leads to a better understanding,
every horror cannot be explained,
but can offer growth.
To Walk the Red Road
is to look for beauty in all things.
To Walk the Red Road
is to know you will one day
cross to the Spirit World,
and you will not be afraid…
