One Small Step For a Better Smile

Today I had an appointment with a dental surgeon. All of my life I have had bad teeth. I decided since I have the opportunity that I am going to get dentures. There is no saving my teeth. My problems started when I was a child. My teeth came in crooked and my mother never had them straightened. Matter of fact I can remember maybe two times I saw a dentist throughout my whole childhood.

All of my life I have tried not to smile around people. I kind of give this closed mouth grin that just makes me look weird in social situations. But I don't want to give a real smile because I don't want them staring at my mouth, or worse commenting on my rotten teeth. I've had people curl their lips in disgust of my teeth. Yeah I know their nasty, not much I could do!

Well now that's changed and I can't wait till I can give a real smile and not be ashamed of my teeth.

My surgery is in June unless someone cancels and it gets bumped up. Seems like a long time away but I know it will be here before I know it. One thing I have to remember to do is take a picture of me with my natural teeth just as a record. I want to look back and see what was and compare it to what will be.

How To Spiritually Cleanse Your Home

Why You Should Spiritually Cleanse Your Home

Every interaction with natural materials leaves an energy impression upon the material. Over time that energy builds up and gives us an atmosphere that can be positive or negative depending on the person(s) leaving behind the energy. If someone is venting or negative while handling that material, then when an energy sensitive person holds that item they will feel uneasy, depressed, angry, etc... The same for the opposite. If a person is happy and energetic, the items they handle will feel happy and energizing.

Think of two people who are opposites. One person is the happy positive person. The other negative. Which person would you rather spend your time with? If they live in separate houses, the next time you visit pay attention to how the home makes you feel. Are you comfortable there? Do you want to spend a lot of time there? Or do you try to get in and out as soon as you possibly can? Our environment affects our own energy. When we have an unhealthy environment we feel drained, unhappy and unfocused.

When you spiritually cleanse your home you are removing any negativity that has built up and returning it to a positive state.

You may have heard of people "Cleansing their Aura". This is the removal of your negativity that you have built up in your Aura. The same thing happens in your home.

Methods Used to Cleanse Your Home

So how do we cleanse our home? Well there are different methods and which one you use is a personal choice. However don't forget the "mundane" cleaning and decorating. I know my husband is a pack rat, so everything can become cluttered. Cleaning out the clutter can help your flow of energy tremendously. Decorating also sets the mood for any room. If you want a little extra help in setting up a room for its maximum energy potential, check out Feng Shui techniques.

Elemental Cleanse : Salt & Water:

Probably the most common and easiest way to cleanse your home is to use elements like salt and water. When I have a new necklace I wish to cleanse I bury it in salt and set it in the sun for 3 days. At the end of the 3rd day I cleanse it with water.

The same can be done in your home. Spread salt (Any kind is fine) around the borders of your home and property. Create a ritual. What you say during the ritual is up to you as long as your intent is clear. All negativity should be banished and positive energy welcomed. As I do with the necklace, at the end of the 3rd day wash away the salt with water. This can be done during the full moon for maximum effect.  


Smoke:

Smoke can also be used to cleanse. We call this smudging and if your like me, you hate smoke. I know it seems contradictory to think of smoke as a cleansing tool. If you have asthma or young children I would not use this method.  Many cultures view tobacco and herbs such as sage as sacred. Smudging is burning these herbs in a container (I suggest a shell. Nothing metallic that will get hot and burn you) while you fan the smoke with a feather and do your ritual. This is a very effective way to spiritually cleanse as long as you don't mind the smoke and smell it leaves behind.




Any of my Pagan brethren have other ways you like to cleanse your home?

PET Owners: Please Listen UP

To all the ignorant people out there that do not spay or neuter your pets, please listen up. It's OK to be ignorant. Ignorant just means you don't know any better. I was once like you. Then someone showed me the light!

Spaying and neutering your pets is just the right thing to do! As I type this at 6 a.m I hear a cat outside my door meowing for a mate. She'll have approximately 7 kittens who will go on and have even more kittens (possibly inbred). The owner of said cat obviously does not care that those kittens and likely the mother cat will end up in a shelter where some unfortunate person will have to kill them all because there isn't enough responsible homes. Its either that, or they get killed on the road and cause car accidents.

I'm sorry this is a bit of a rant, but I haven't much sleep. Matter of fact I've had zero sleep because of one ignorant cat owner who hasn't spayed his cat.

DON'T be ignorant any more. And if you KNOW you should spay/neuter and choose not to, well you just suck.

And don't say you don't have enough money to do it. There are low cost options. And really, if you can't afford a $50 dollar surgery then you can't afford a pet.

Guess what?! There are health benefits for your pet too such as reduced chances of developing cancer.  A spayed/neutered pet is a happy pet! So just do it.

My mommy loves me. I'm Spayed!

My mommy loved me. I was adopted & neutered!

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Finding My Balance

What does it mean to have Balance in our life? There are plenty of other blogs discussing why it is important to have balance in your life. If you don't understand I invite you to read Madame Molly's Balance post. But this isn't about why balance is important. It's about how it pertains to my life. Crafty Sandi recently did a reading for me and her message was about me finding my balance again. I didn't realized I'd lost my balance, but she's so right. I have!

Lance(DH) and I usually balance each other. He's normally the over the top happy (sometimes impulsive) guy who does everything to excess. He's also normally the leader. I'm more reserved, always thinking ahead, never impulsive and always must have a plan woman. I'm not a natural born leader, so I will give my input on important topics, but generally am willing to allow DH to have the final say. Put us together and we balanced each other out.

Now I find we are no longer in balance. My leader refuses to lead. He's no longer happy, nor impulsive or decisive. I know our move to Ohio was the right thing. I've always had a dream that I'd end up in Ohio and we'd be happier and more financially stable. Honestly I felt we could be "rich" in Ohio but not necessarily "in the millions rich." I felt we'd have a comfortable life and be happy.

Grasping that dream has been more elusive. I find that I must step into the leadership role. Yet it's not one that comes easy to me. Honestly, I'm afraid I will lead, and then make a bigger mess than we already have. I suppose that's the fear of any leader isn't it.

My biggest downfall is that I haven't followed my intuition. I've allowed my husband to stop me from doing that. I feel we are meant to live in or around Chillicothe. I know my DH is healthier when we join with other Pagans. We found a lovely Pagan group there. Yet both of us are naturally solitary creatures so it can be a challenge for us to integrate into a group.

I think to find our balance again, I need to step up. I've always said I don't let fear hold me back. Yet that's what I have done. Time to conquer my fears and step forward.

This article is in response to the Pagan Blog Project.

I selected this post to be featured on Ethics Blogs. Please visit the site and vote for my blog!

Just Started Writing

So last night Wyatt was sleeping peacefully. Normally that would be my time to play a game or watch old reruns of my favorite shows. But I felt inspired by my muse. Not sure where I'm going with it. It's starting to sound like a bad Lifetime movie and even I don't like those! I don't mind sappy romances but my start is not very unique IMO. I'll let you read what I have so far.

I picked steak and baked potatoes for dinner. It's his favorite dinner and tonight is special. I'm bursting with so much excitement that the check out lady looks at me weird when I can't seem to look at her with a straight face. I know she's wondering why I'm acting so funny. But for any woman with the news I have to tell, it's hard to not shout it to the world the very moment you find out. I figure it's OK to tell her.

“I just found out I'm pregnant. Sorry if my huge smile frightened you.” I said.

“Oh, I knew something must be good. Having a celebratory dinner with your man are you? I remember when I told my husband we were having our first. I had five babies, three living. It was always a happy time and we always celebrated with a special dinner too. Eat lots of red meat and you'll grow nice healthy boys. Does your man hunt? Have him hunt a deer for you. Better if the meat came from wild game. It's healthier.” The cashier said.

I smiled, knowing with the elderly it really was impossible to avoid receiving their advice. It is always given, whether asked or not.

“He doesn't hunt, but I'll tell him anyway. Thanks so much.” And with that, I grabbed my bags, fumbled with my keys and was off to tell my man the good news.

Chapter One

I jiggled my key in the lock. It always stuck and if you didn't have it just right it wouldn't open. Keys that have been copied are always slightly wrong in my experience. I opened the door and picked my grocery bags up. I started to say I'm home, when I looked up.

Before my eyes I see my husband laying on the floor in our living room next to his favorite chair with a hand gun laying just beside him. I drop the bags and scream. My feet are stuck to the spot. I know by the amount of blood he's dead, but I refuse to accept it. It was some time, I don't know how long. I vaguely register that a neighbor is beside me with a cell phone. She's telling me to come away, but I can't. He's right there. There's so much blood and other chunky things I don't even want to know what it is. My beautiful husband of just one year is dead.

Some time later I am sitting in the back of a police car with the door open. An older officer approaches.

Kneeling to my level the officer said, “Ma'am, I'm officer Springate. I know you've gone through a horrible shock. But we have to ask you some questions. Does your husband have a history of mental illness? Has he ever tried to commit suicide before?”

“I – I don't think so. He's never told me he was depressed or anything. His mother is bi-polar but she takes medication.” I said, wiping away a tear. Even with the shock, I hate to let anyone see me cry.

“He left a note. When your ready we have a grief counselor you can talk to. Here's her number. Just call and she'll get you in for an appointment ASAP. I'm very sorry for your loss.” The officer stood and began to walk away but I grabbed his sleeve.

“Officer, can I see the note now please? I want to know what he said.” 

“I'm not sure that's such a good idea right now.” The officer hesitated, unsure whether I could handle it or not.

I nodded, “I'm sure, I need to know what he said.”

The officer walked toward other officers and returned moments later with a letter. I recognized it as our letterhead. When we first married we played around with our computer and made a letterhead that said Mr. and Mrs. Davis. He was so proud. My contribution had been two little doves perched on a pair of wedding rings beside our name.

“Dear Juni”

That's always what he called me. It's short for Juniper.

Dear Juni,

I'm so sorry. I love you but I just can't handle this anymore. I know I am going to hurt you. But everyday feels like I have to pretend to be normal. I'm not normal. Inside I know I'm worthless. I'm not good enough for you, for anyone. Please forgive me. I love you.

Jonathan

Officer Springate is still there watching me. My best friend's car is just pulling up. I don't know who called her; probably the neighbor whose been standing to the side watching me the whole time. She's a good lady, though I feel sorry I haven't talked to her much. I don't even know her name.

The officer nods to my friend as Kelly walks up and hugs me.

“Oh Juni I am so sorry. I'm going to ask the officer if I can go pack a bag for you and your going to come home with me OK.”

I nod, knowing if I argued she'd just call her big brute of a boyfriend to come bodily remove me to her home. I cried on her shoulder for a few minutes and then pushed her away. The faster I got out of here the better.

Chapter Two: 2 Months Later

“Are you sure you won't stay? I don't mind you being here.” Kelly asked, holding my hands in a plea for me not to leave.

“No Kelly. You've been great. You helped me through the funeral and the in-laws visiting. The hard parts done. Now I just need to move on.” I said. I never told anyone I'm pregnant. Staying here much longer would be hard to keep it a secret. For some reason I just didn't want anyone to know. I guess I just don't want their pity.

“My auntie Clair has a ranch in Wyoming. I'm going there. I think a change of scenery will be good for me. I'll write of course.” I said pulling my hands away and picking up my two suitcases which is the only possessions I kept. They contained a weeks worth of cloths and one picture; my favorite picture of Jon on our wedding day.

Is Tattooing a Minor, Child Abuse?

This Georgia Mommy didn't think so. When her son Gaquan wanted to remember his brother who died in an accident, her son chose to get a memorial tattoo. This mom thought that if she gave her permission that it was OK. Not according to Georgia state law however. Under the law no one under 18 is allowed to get a tattoo.

While I think there are other ways to remember a lost loved one that doesn't include tattooing a minor, it's up to the child and parent(s) decision on whether a child gets a tattoo. It certainly makes a difference to me that this is a tattoo in remembrance and not something frivolous.  His tattoo will always have meaning.

This mommy was arrested and charged with child abuse. Do you agree with the states decision? I know a lot of people think Child Protective Services are increasingly out of line on what they label child abuse. While I think CPS does do some good, cases like this continue to prove a point. The Government wants to control your house hold and how you parent.

I see this as similar to other forms of body modification commonly performed on children - piercings and circumcision. Both cosmetic, both I believe should be up to the person receiving them.

I've Been Tagged

I know this game has been going around. And honestly I was feelin' a little left out! But Ms Sandi over at Crafty Sandi remedied that. *wink*

So here's her questions.

Questions for you to answer: 

1. What is your favorite time of year?

Without a doubt, it's Autumn. You know that time when it's not too hot, not too cold. Just right. :) 

2. If you could live in any work of fiction which would you pick and why?

O that is a hard one. With any good book or movie I usually end up dreaming about it and putting myself in some kind of role in the plot. Usually I'm the badass chick who gets to beat up bad guys and bring the hot good guys to their knees in love. lol. My favorite book is Outlander by Dianna Gabaldon. So I suppose that will be my first pick. Come on if you've read it you know you've had wet dreams about Jamie. 

3. You walk in the door after a long day at work and Johnny Depp is standing in your kitchen. What is the first thing you want him to say?

 I am not a huge Johnny Depp fan. I'd probably ask him to take off his eye liner. Any man who wears more make-up than me really can't be on my top hot men list. As far as what I want him to say, hmm. Maybe that he was giving me all his money? lol. Then I might love him.

 

4. Let's say you came home from work and all of your furniture was glued to the ceiling in the exact same place it was on the floor. Who is the first person you would think did it?

 LANCE! My husband. He's a jokester and this would be something he'd love to do!

 

5. On a  scale of 1 - 3 how much do you LOVE Doctor Who? 1: More than my kids   2: More than the kids AND my cat/dog/pet    3: More than life itself (Hint: You should NEVER need more than 3 numbers to chose from) IF you DON'T like Doctor who then Question 5 changes to - WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!?!?!

 Sorry but I guess the question has to be what's wrong with me. Well, my brother use to watch Dr. Who (The original) and I just never quite got it. The show drove me batty. Can't stand it and think its the dumbest show ever written.

 

6. Did you ever put the lime in the coconut and drink them both up? Did it work?

 Nope. Can't say I ever have. My experience with alcohol is quite limited. I married young. Haven't even had a drink in a bar.

 

7. If you could live anywhere real or fiction where would it be?

 Scotland. I just think the country is beautiful. I hope one day I can visit.

 

8. Describe your ideal birthday celebration!

 A private beach, no kids, and my hubby!

 

9. What is the weirdest pagan themed item you own or have seen?

 My mind has drawn a blank. Can't say I've saw anything Paganish Weird.

 

10. If you could hug anyone ever in existence who would it be?

 My granny. She was the kindest woman ever.

 

11. What would you love to see (and purchase) in my shop next time you go shopping for hand made ritual supplies? (hee hee I can't help it the business owner in me is DYING to know!)

 When you don't have $ you don't really look at shops! Sorry. 

 

 

Blogs I'm Tagging

• Pagan By Design
• One Witch's Wonderland
• Cranial Purge
• A Queen's Madness

 I think that's all I'll tag because this things been going around and most of my regular visitors have already been tagged multiple times. 

 

Questions: 

 

1. If you could travel to any time period, where and when would it be?
2. If you could be any celebrity (Past or Present) who would you want to be? 
3. What profession did you want to be when you were a child?
4. If you changed your name, what name would you pick?
5. What would your dream life be like?
6. Your building a house. What do you imagine the view of your front door would look like? (Ocean view, Mountains, etc...)
7. What is one thing you'd like to change about yourself?
8. I'm coming over for dinner, what's on the menu?
9. What is your favorite board game?
10. If you could tell your 16 yr old self one message, what would it be?

 

Is Psychic Ability & Mental Illness linked?

One of the comments on my Hereditary Witches post prompted me to ask this question. Do you believe psychic ability and mental illness has a link? Can one be caused by the other? I am really not sure, so I look at my own family to help me answer my question.

My mother is the first person in my family I've known to have a mental illness. Before I was born she was very suicidal. She has a 3 inch thick (Not even joking here) folder full of her hospital visits and what the doctors diagnosed for her. There are too many diagnosis to remember, but the one I do remember is schizophrenia.
Despite the doctors diagnosis, I doubt my mother is schizophrenic. I've never known her to hallucinate or have delusions. She does go through periods of depression, so I've no doubt some kind of mental disorder is at play here. Regardless of what she has, I know my mother isn't a medium. She has an abnormally high level of focus, and I believe she's lucid dreamed before, but that's about it as far as ESP.

My husband is the second person in my life with a mental illness (Bipolar disorder). And I do know he is a very good psychic. When he was healthy he had such an extremely rare gift for reading people. In his case however, when his mental illness got worse his ability to read people declined as did his spiritual connection. That is because he no longer has the focus required to listen to the spirits. He's often told me he still hears murmurs, but its like someone talking with their hand covering their mouth. They are there, you just can't understand.

So I have two examples. One I know is a psychic but loses his gift, the other no gift but a long list of mental disease. So that leads me to believe that it depends on the individual. I do think mental illness can be linked with psychic ability. That's not to say that psychic ability is a sham and only caused by delusions. Perhaps because the person has something different in their brain its easier to accept a connection with the spirit world. For others maybe it makes it harder.

What do you think? Are there any examples you can think of that show a connection?

PBP: Hereditary Witches

Prompt: All in the Genes?

This may seem a bit weird, but....

Is it hereditary?

I had to think about my wording on this one... I had to leave it vague, because I wanted it to be as open to interpretation as possible.

What I'm referring to here can be magic, witchcraft, spirituality, the things you can do that others around you cannot, etc. Another way to put it might be "Do you come from a family of Witches?" but that only works if you see yourself as a witch. Get what I'm trying to say here?

What you do and who you are - did it come from your bloodline? Or is it something you discovered and nurtured on your own?

I've always believed that Religion is a choice, not hereditary. But were talking more than just religious beliefs here. Were talking about natural ability to use your will to manipulate energy (Magick). I do think that can be hereditary.

In my family it's common for the women to have lucid dreams; especially as it relates to children and other loved ones. I believe that everyone has psychic ability, though it may be hereditary that someone is more adept than another.

My own mother can be very focused. So much so that what she is worried about often becomes true because she's so focused on it. Unfortunately her focus is on the negative aspects. She's never been diagnosed as a hypochondriac, but I firmly believe she is one. When my daughter was little I hired my mother to babysit for me. This was a huge mistake on my part, but being a nervous first time mom I wasn't too keen on the idea of hiring a stranger. My mother babysat for me for 2 years, and in those two years my daughter was more sick than she's ever been in her life. Every sniffle or slight cough my mother heard, she would spend days where she would tell my daughter DD was getting sick. My daughter would repeat it, believing my mother. And in about a week she would be. My daughter loved to do fake coughs then. She found that if she did it, she'd get attention from my mother who couldn't tell the difference. After we changed to a different sitter and DD was no longer told every few weeks she was getting sick, her health improved. My mothers focus on the negative makes anyone she focuses on sick. Again and again I can give examples of my mother doing this to herself, her animals, and our family. Its gotten so bad that I've banned her from ever speaking about health related problems in my home.

I think the basic talents I have are things everyone can do if they have the belief and knowledge. But they also need to be learned and honed. Like the example of my mother, she has ability, but it is uncontrolled. This can be dangerous and self-defeating.  But there are also a few talents I am better at than others such as my healing ability. Though my methods are different than my past family members, many of expressed their amazement when they prayed over someone for improved health and got results. It seems my family does have a higher level of focus, but because it's untrained it depends on the person on whether they do good or bad deeds with it.

Goddess of the Rising Sun

For this weeks Pagan Blog Project, I'd like to talk about a Goddess well known for her image. She's the daughter of Ra and is said to have protected Ra from the serpent god Apep on his ride to bring the sun everyday. Therefore she is known as the Goddess of the Rising Sun and the All seeing Eye. If your a cat lover, perhaps you already know who I'm talking about.

She is Bast. Other names associated with her are Bastet and  Basthet. I simply call her the Cat Goddess. To the ancient Egyptians cats were protected, probably because they ate vermin which in turn kept the level of disease down. She's said to have great night vision and is associated with both the Sun and the Moon. 


In mythology Bast kills Apep and is then associated with fertility since her deed insured Ra would bring the sun which in turn helped fertilize the land to grow crops.


Bast is seen as a household protector. Her motherly instincts are often called upon to help with fertility, childbirth and protect the young. 


Bast has a reputation for being sensual. She's is said to be the partner of both men and women. (She had three acknowledged husbands) She's associated with the color red, dancing, and music. 


Bast teaches us to dance to our own beat. Just like a cat who comes when they want, not when called. Our beliefs should be decided on our own, not by what others tell us we should believe. I think every Pagan can learn something from her. In a world where we are pressured to fit in, Bast teaches us how to be comfortable with being ourselves and being proud of that fact. 








Source

Blog Follow Clean Up

I have hundreds of blogs I follow, so today I decided to do a little clean up. Many blogs have been deleted by their writers, others have been abandoned for many months. If you haven't written since November last year, I'm un-subscribing from your blog. I know some of you just get burned out and step away for awhile. Others don't write on a regular basis and thats OK too. But in an effort to keep my reading list down and to keep my sanity, I had to do a little pruning.

If you think I've un-subscribed from your blog in error, please post below with your link.

Odd Dreams

It's not abnormal for me to have odd dreams. But this one is a bit out there even for me. I dreamed of cleaning out an old closet. In it were items of my mothers.

First, I was putting things away. Some of it was cloths. I remember seeing my closet (From my childhood) and the walls and doors were gone. I was irritated over that and blamed my MIL for taking the walls and door off. I remember moving around some dishes and thinking after I organized this stuff and put away cloths that I'd do them.

I remember my daughter and a friend of hers playing in the house. I told my DD to put away her things, and somewhere nearby was my son though he was older. I'd say he was perhaps 4 or 5 in the dream.

I put things away and then found an old box with old sticky pads in it. Most of them were written on. Some old receipts were in the box as well. I was going through them. A few were notes on a story, I saved those. Others were just little inconsequential notes that meant nothing to me. I threw those away. I remember seeing a receipt for new carpet, though I don't remember us ever buying new carpet. My mother was saying I didn't even know what most of it was, and I made a bet that I did. I won the bet.

Vintage Razor

Then I started seeing items I remember we actually had when I was a kid. One was my mothers razor. She had an old 70's razor when I was a kid like the one in the picture. There was something else that heated up wax for shaving, and a train that you put a quarter in and it was suppose to do something, but was broken.

These are all so weird to dream of. But it did all revolve around old things of my mothers. Perhaps I should call her and ask about them! Maybe she needs to do some cleaning out.

Does anyone do dream interpretation? My DH does but since he isn't here at the moment and I felt compelled to write about the dream so I don't forget it, I'll ask my readers. Do you find any meaning in that jumble of weird events?

Pagan Art

For this weeks Pagan Blog Project I am focusing on Pagan art. If you do a Google search there are a lot of wonderful artists out there sharing their work. One of my all-time favorites is artist Jonathan Earl Bowser of Jonathanart.com . One of my favorites, and because she is my Patron Goddess, is his picture of Isis.

Artwork © - Jonathon Earl Bowser - www.JonathonArt.com

I love how her dress and wings flow. Mr. Bowser really captured her perfectly as the great mother. All of his Goddesses, women, and the men he draws are wonderful. I highly recommend checking out his website!

I'll leave you with a few quotes about art.


Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.
Thomas Merton

A good painting to me has always been like a friend. It keeps me company, comforts and inspires.
Hedy Lamarr

A sincere artist is not one who makes a faithful attempt to put on to canvas what is in front of him, but one who tries to create something which is, in itself, a living thing.
Giorgio Morandi

PBP: Animal Totems

Pagan Blog Prompt asks:

Animals can teach us a lot about ourselves and the world around us....

Do you have a totem animal? What is it teaching you?

What have the animals taught you in the past? 

 I really can't believe I've never wrote a post on animal totems before! Great blog prompt PBP! Usually when  meditating the animals that most often come to me are horses, snakes, deer, wolf, and some kind of feline (Domestic or Feral). Each has their own individual lesson for me.

Horses, I've written about them recently. They represent freedom. I have a history of being a little too reserved. They remind me to let go and have a little fun horsing around sometimes. 

Snakes, I've always been afraid of. So they represent conquering my fear and transformation. I'm a person who hates change, so when snake enters my life I know I just have to suck it up and get over it!

Deer is my husbands totem more than mine. But to me deer represents abundance, grace, beauty and love. When deer enter my life it's a reminder to look around and see the beauty in my life. With our lives going by so fast, sometimes we forget to appreciate the little things and give thanks for the abundance in our life.

Wolf, also another totem of my husbands. Wolf represents family togetherness and loyalty to me. I know if  a wolf enters my life I can have trust in his wisdom.

Felines represent intuition and deity. They are a very feminine totem that gives off a sexual energy to represent the power of ones self. Felines are associated with moon power and passion.

What have the animals taught you in the past? 

Butterfly

 

Though I do not consider them a totem, butterflies taught me a wonderful lesson as a child that I will never forget. If you notice the banner on my blog, I recently changed it and added a butterfly background. This is to remind me of the lesson of butterflies. 

When I was a child (maybe 5 or 6 years old) I was playing with my best friend, Joey, when we saw a butterfly struggling to fly. It was obviously about to die. It landed hard on the ground and when we went to investigate, we saw that its wings were torn. I picked the butterfly up and though it was still alive, it wouldn't be for long. So Joey and I cupped our hands over it, and we sent energy to it. We didn't know what we were doing at the time. We just thought we were praying for it to live. I don't remember what I said but it was to the effect of "Deity, help me to heal this wounded creature." (I was always a a bit magickal even as a witch-let. *wink*) So after our prayer I put it in a safe place to live or die as the Gods willed it. Within about 45 minutes we saw the same butterfly flying just in front of us. It dipped and rose for a few minutes just staying in the same place. I felt it was thanking us. I said allowed, "Your welcome" and it flew off. 

The butterfly taught me that I could do great things. It taught me magick is real and all it takes is the love I had in my heart for the most gentlest of creatures. How many kids wouldn't have noticed a butterfly dying? Or worst yet, notice and wouldn't have cared? When I began my Pagan path, I didn't need someone to tell me spells work, because I had already lived it.

Circumcision: A Mutilation

I wrote this article in college. I recently re-read my work and though I think I could have done a better job of writing it, it does have some good information to share. Warning, if your uncomfortable with naming correct body parts, don't read. I do not sugar coat the horrors of circumcision.

While I do agree that parents have the right to decide what is best for their children (normally), I also believe in a child's right to integrity. No child (IMO) should be forced to have a cosmetic surgery. That is my stance, and if you disagree that's fine. But I won't keep comments that flame me for it.

Circumcision: A Mutilation

 Robin L. Carpenter

January 4, 2005

Childbirth: Usually this word gives us an image of a joyous time in a family’s lifetime. Rarely though do they think about the atrocities parents allow doctors to perform on their boy’s only 24 hours after their birth. Parents today willingly allow doctors to mutilate their boys without realizing the physical and psychological implications of circumcision. As a result, approximately .20% of newborn circumcisions have complications after the surgery. (Razmus, 2004)

Pain Relief
    During the surgery the infant may or may not receive an anesthetic. Often circumstances such as the infant’s health and doctors preference are the deciding factors for whether the infant receives pain medication. Even if an anesthetic is used the child will feel some discomfort. According to Aldric Hama a lab test performed on animals gives us some insight into circumcision and pain relief. The test showed that even with pain medications animals were still hypersensitive to pain. (Hama, 2004) This finding suggests that infants that do receive pain medication can still feel the pain and will be hypersensitive to pain in their adult life. 

Physical Damage
    Despite the obvious physical pain, circumcision can leave your child physically damaged as a result of the surgical procedure in his adolescent and adult life. Often the damage is not noticed until young teens or into adulthood. The reason why most botched circumcisions go unnoticed is because young men do not understand how an intact penis looks or are unaware of the damage circumcision causes. By this time the damage inflicted is not included in statistics. Botched circumcisions can include skin discoloration, a chapped penis, missing frenulum, loss in size, and skin bridges. (NOHARMM, 2004)
    A chapped penis is often very painful. Sexual intercourse with a chapped penis can cause bleeding and will often crack from the shaft being too dry. This can lead to a higher risk of STD’s because of open sores, even though Trevor Lane says, “Circumcised men have a lower risk of HIV infection than do uncircumcised men.” (Lane, 2004)  Mr. Lane did not take into account the dryness circumcision causes and when cracks in the skin arise.
    A frenulum, as defined in the Webster’s online dictionary, is “a small fold of tissue that prevents an organ in the body from moving too far.” (Webster dictionary. 1988) The frenulum is much like a “g-spot” for men. Sometimes a botched circumcision cuts the frenulum away, leaving no “g-spot” for the man. This can potentially be devastating to men’s sex drive.
     Skin bridges are skin that is connected from the glands to the shaft of the penis. The bridges look like craters in the penis connecting from the tip to the shaft. Some are flat against the penis, while others are not. When the penis is erect they can tighten and even break away from the shaft. As you can imagine, the craters create a problem with hygiene. Dirt and debris can get down into the craters and cause an infection if not properly cleaned. One of the biggest reasons parents chose to have their boys circumcised is the belief that a circumcised penis is easier to take care of. Dr. Paul Fleiss explains,     "The natural penis requires no special care. A child's foreskin, like his eyelids, is     self-cleansing. Forcibly retracting a baby's foreskin can lead to irritation and
    Infection. The best way to care for a child's intact penis is to leave it alone."  (Fleiss, P., 1997) If the penis has not been circumcised correctly and skin bridges or craters form they can potentially be harder to clean, making it easier for the man to develop an infection and more susceptible to STD‘s from open sores.
    Circumcision robs men inches from their penis. According to Dr. Paul Fliess
“Depending on the foreskin's length, cutting it off makes the penis as much as 25 percent or more shorter.” (Fliess, P., 1997) Many men are sensitive about their size. Circumcising your child could lead to your young man being ashamed of the size of his penis.
    Skin discoloration itself is not detrimental to men’s health, however it does have a psychological impact on men. Skin discoloration can cause men to have low self-esteem or be ashamed of their genitals because they look different.

Psychological Damage
    Psychological issues arise immediately after the surgery and last throughout adult life. However, most mental issues are never connected to circumcision. Immediately following the surgery the infant is less likely to bond with his parents. He is often slower to accept food and is more sensitive to shots or other pain. (Hama, 2004) During adult life Aldric Hama explains, “ Seeking medical attention may be, in part, due to circumcision-induced hypersensitivity.” Meaning that circumcised men are quicker to seek medical attention. (Hama. 2004, p 40)

Reasons Why
    Even with the evidence showing that circumcision can be detrimental to men’s health, it is still a common practice. The reasons why parents opt for the surgery range from religious beliefs, hygiene, family tradition, and ignorance. Often families think that circumcision is a routine procedure that is always done, despite the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) statement saying, “Benefits are not significant enough for the AAP to recommend circumcision as a routine procedure.” (AAP, 1999)
Benefits
    Circumcision is believed to come with some benefits.  Among the medical world it is believed that circumcision can be used as a preventative measure for Urinary Tract Infections (UTI’s), a decreased risk of penile cancer, easier to maintain good hygiene, and the treatment of balanitis, phimosis, and paraphimosis. (WebMd Health. 1995-2004) The only benefit circumcision provides at infancy is a less chance of developing UTI’s. All other benefits come at a later age. It is believed that circumcision can reduce the risk of penile cancer. However the American Cancer Society released a statement in 1998 stating that,
    “Penile cancer is extremely rare in the United States and accounts for less than     one half a percent of cancers diagnosed among men and less than one tenth of a percent of cancer deaths among men. Circumcision is not of value in preventing cancer of the penis.” (ACS.1998)
If penile cancer is so rare and the AAP thinks that circumcision is not a preventive measure, then why would we bother to worry about such a rare disease?
Legal Situations
    There are people who consider circumcision as child abuse and against human rights. Dr. Paul Fliess states, “The concept of informed parental permission allows for medical interventions in situations of clear and immediate medical necessity only, such as disease, trauma, or deformity. The human penis in its normal, uncircumcised state satisfies none of these requirements.” (Fliess, 1997) To date lawsuits have been successful only when it is deemed that the doctor has performed a botched circumcision. (CIRP. 2004) So why are circumcisions legal? William Brigman answers this question by stating, “The United States Supreme Court has upheld the fundamental rights of family integrity and recognized that there exists a private realm of family life beyond state control.” (Brigman, 1985) No one wishes to go against a family’s right to make decisions for their children.
    The bottom line is that medical society wants you to think that circumcision is best. My belief is that they want you to alter your child because it is an out of pocket expense. By reviewing the material I have here it shows that there are many con reasons, and little pro’s for this major alteration to be performed on un-consenting children. It is time that we stand up to our doctors and let them know that it’s not OK to mutilate our boys by saying no to circumcision. They came into this world with foreskin, and they
should go out of this world with foreskin unless it is by their choosing that it be removed.



References

Hama, Aldric (Fall 2004). Long-Term Behavioral Effects of Injury at Infancy: The case     against Circumcision. [Electronic version]. Mankind Quarterly. Vol. 45 Issue 1,     p35, 11p

NOHARMM. (November 23, 2004). December 4, 2004. How to Identify Circumcision     damage in the adult male.     http://www.noharmm.org/IDcirc.htm

Lane, T. (June 2004). Circumcision Lowers risk of HIV, not other STI’s. International     Family Planning Perspectives, v30, i2, p56 (1).

Webster's NewWorld Dictionary. (January 1, 1988) [electric version] December 19, 2004
    http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definition/Frenulum

Razmus, I., Dalton, Madelyn. Wilson, D. (2004) Pain Management for Newborn     Circumcision.     Pediatric Nursing, v30, i5.

American Academy of Pediatrics. (March 1, 1999). New AAP Circumcision Policy     Released. December 19, 2004     http://www.aap.org/advocacy/archives/marcircum.htm

WebMd Health. (1995-2004), Circumcision Topic Overview. December 19, 2004.
    http://my.webmd.com/hw/raising_a_family/hw142452.asp
   
American Cancer Society. (1998) Misleading Information Dispelling     Miscommunications. December 19, 2004     http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_Misleading_Informatio    n.asp

Paul M. Fleiss, M.D. (1997) The Case Against Circumcision. Mothering, p. 36-45,     December 19, 2004 http://www.noharmm.org/mothering.htm

CIRP (May 2004) Circumcision. Legal Issues. December 19, 2004     http://www.cirp.org/library/legal/

William E. Brigman. (1985). Circumcision as Child Abuse: The Legal and Constitutional     Issues,     23 J Fam Law 337.

 
NOTE: It seems some of my research links are no longer valid. I've kept them as they were originally written.

A little Something Missing

When I was a kid I grew up poor but that didn't stop my mother from having horses. Actually it's a subject that is a bit sore between us. Though I loved having horses, we had less because we couldn't afford to take care of them and ourselves properly. I'm someone who will not have an animal if I can't reasonably afford to provide it and myself basic needs. I grew up in a trailer park with raw sewage running behind the trailer. Think of the stink in the summer time! But the rent was cheap so hey, all was good for my mother.

Diablo

All was not well for me, and when I moved out and married I knew my dream of owning horses had to go. The last horse I owned was a horse named Diablo. My mother had taken me to a horse auction and bought a paint gelding for me when I was about 15 yrs old. I was excited to have my own horse again. Unfortunately days later it became apparent that my horse had been given Bute (A drug that makes horses forget their pain for a short time). Diablo was suffering from Laminitis. If a horse can't walk, its a dead horse. He also developed kidney failure after a pasture mate kicked him on his side. We tried to help him but in the end the vet recommended a very expensive surgery we couldn't afford with little hope for success. So we did the only other choice we had, which was say goodbye to Diablo. I only rode him one time for about 30 minutes. He had a short time when he seemed to pick up in spirits and health and I took the advantage of riding him bareback. We only walked, but it was a good last ride.

My husband is not a horse person. He calls them big ugly dogs. But I've always planned for when I get that fantasy life where money grows on trees. I will get my farm. Doesn't need to be that big. Maybe a 5 horse barn and 20 acres or so. And Dh can have his classic cars; 1978 Trans Am included. (His favorite).

So when I'm dreaming about having my own horse again, I go on equine websites. Sometimes I look at The Bureau of Land Managements (BLM) Mustang auctions. I really find it sad that their pulled out of the wild and thrust into pens.

Freeway

But most of the time I look for my dream horse. Before I moved to KY I had my dream horse and I want him again! The one I had is long dead. His name was Freeway. He was a big red and white Medicine Hat gelding and all push button. The slightest move of my foot or pressure on the reigns and he'd turn, lope, gallop, whatever I asked it was done with the slightest touch or pressure. Put a child on his back and his head would drop and he'd be the most docile horse. Put an adult on his back and he had the energy to go. When we moved we had to sell him. I helped sand and paint a truck and horse trailer for him. And in a short 6 months he was sold.



So now, I search for horses like him. I love Reining. One of my favorite videos to watch is Stacy Westfall's ride that is dedicated to her dad. I can't imagine doing a competition just 24 hrs after his death. If you haven't watched this video before, prepare for a tear-jerker.


So since I can't buy a horse of my own, I play silly little kids games with horses. Yeah I know its a bit childish. But hey what can you do?

The one I go on the most is A Virtual Horse . I like the graphics better there. Though the monotony of entering shows is a bit boring. I'm waiting for them to make a game where you can actually ride the horse in shows instead of just entering a bunch of shows by link.

OK so now ya know if I ever win the lottery I'll need about a 20 acre farm. And lets not forget, DH's cars to make him happy.

If you had all the money you needed, what would be your dream come true?

Waste Not Want Not

Tonight I watched a special on the Food Network called "The Big Waste". Four popular chefs were challenged to cook a meal worthy of fine dining for 100 people. The catch, all ingredients are to be foods that were on their way to the garbage bins.

It's amazing the kinds of foods sitting in the back of stores just waiting to be trashed. These items are not always cheap either. Expensive foods like Halibut, Clams, Beef ribs, and loads of fruits and vegetables all thrown away because they have a tiny nick or they've simply been returned to the store.

Think about when you shop for your groceries. When picking out a peach, will you pick the one that has a small pinkie finger sized cut, or the unblemished perfect peach? That one with the small cut gets thrown away because no one wants to buy it. There is absolutely nothing different about it besides that very tiny area.

Now think about all the homeless, starving people in the world. Instead of using this unwanted food it's thrown away. We are a spoiled nation. We've been taught to expect the best of everything. Foods oddly shaped or simply fruit picked from an orchard that's fallen from the ground is ignored. If it's not normal or "pretty" its got to be bad right? Wrong!

If you haven't watched this special I highly recommend it. It really makes you think how wasteful we all are. I'm sad to say I'm just as guilty. I use to throw out meat all the time because I was forced to buy more than I really needed to. I either had to cook it all and eat it over several days, or throw away uncooked meat. Freezing it always resulted in freezer burn and less room in my fridge.

My MIL has a vacuum sealer so when she buys her meat she cuts the large packages into portions before they are frozen. That way when she cooks she isn't using more than whats needed. When we are on our own again I see that we are going to save a lot of money by having one of them.

What do you do to avoid wasting food?

Into Salem's Creations Past

I've got a lot of new followers lately due to the Pagan Blog Project. I'd just like to welcome my new readers! I know we are all following each other to read PBP posts. But I'd also like to invite everyone to check out my past posts. There are some really great ones that shouldn't be missed!

If you notice the bar on the bottom of every page, there is a search function. Put in any Pagan buzzword and if I've written about the topic, that blog post will come up.

Here's a list of posts I invite you to check out.

• The Unclear Path (Poem)
• Combining Faith & Marriage
• Living with a Bipolar Spouse: How to support your loved one.
• Spiritual Protection
• Energy Healing: My Way
• The Importance of Grounding during Magickal work
• Psychic Readings Without Permission
• My Breastfeeding Mommy Weakness
• My Writing: A compilation of my fictional stories.
• The Journey (A Poem)

Those are just a few posts. There's a lot more great posts here. Thanks for following. Btw, I try to follow everyone's blog if they've followed me. But sometimes I can't find your blog or you have so many I don't know which blogs are your Pagan ones. So if I've not followed your blog, include the link in your reply or email it to me so I can read your lovely posts.

Blessings, Love, and Light

SalemWitchChild

Herbal Dreams

It's not often I remember a dream so when I do I pay special attention to it. This isn't so much a dream as a word stuck in my head. I'm sure the word came from a dream I just don't remember. Well there was two words I remembered in the early morning hours, but I've forgotten one. That's what I get for not writing them down at 3 a.m. But I was busy with the baby, so at least I have a good excuse.

Yarrow Plant. Image Source

The one I do remember is Yarrow root. I didn't know much about it, so I did a little research. Turns out this is a flower I recognize. I've picked them on quite a few occasions. And I'm pretty sure there are some out in the field next to our house. At least there were in the summer.

This plant has been known to help staunch blood so its been used since Greek and Roman times to help heal woods. Its said to have antiseptic and astringent properties.

It also helps relax muscles. Particularly the uterus and digestive system. I've never been a woman who cramps a lot during AF, but I can see where this might help. Though the thought of making this into a tea is not at all appetizing! I'm sure you can find it in pill form at your local herbal store though. If your pregnant beware of taking Yarrow root since this can increase your chances of miscarriage. And because of that I'd caution breastfeeding moms on taking it too.

It's also a cold remedy! Now isn't that useful. It promotes sweating (Yucky). But Sweating helps bring down a fever.

To learn more about Yarrow root, and a recipe for making Yarrow root tea, visit my source here.

The Pagan Afterlife

This is my first post for the Pagan Blog Project.  For the letter A I'd like to talk about the Pagan Afterlife. I've already discussed my Thoughts on the Afterlife. But this isn't a repeat of why I believe in reincarnation or what the meaning of life is. I'd like to delve into how we picture the afterlife to look. Is it a meadow where we can run around picking daisies to our hearts content? Is it a vortex where we meet our lost loved ones? Is it a bridge with rainbows? How do you foresee the afterlife to look, feel, taste, smell? Is it just like life? Are we always happy or can we be sad there too?

Ultimately we all must answer these questions ourselves. And I don't believe there are wrong answers because I believe our perception is what dictates our reality in the afterlife.

My perception of the afterlife is just a group of friends sitting around a table talking about what is important to us. Helping one another and working a little witchy magick when needed. Perhaps in the afterlife instead of helping one another we'll be looking down on our descendants and helping them. Whatever the afterlife is, I hope it won't be a boring meadow. I really hate daisies.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

So maybe possibly we are seeing light at the end of this very long tunnel. Today (Or rather yesterday since it's 1 a.m.) we went to see the housing department. We had gotten a notice that we are on the top of the list for housing. The problem is when DH and I separated last year in January, the help we thought I'd have backed out. Leaving me very pregnant and unable to properly clear and clean the house. We also didn't have that months rent. So we have a very unhappy landlord. I did the best I could given the circumstances. And we explained that to the lady we met with. She said she'd take those things into consideration, but no promises.

Before our interview with the housing association, I charged an amethyst. I kept the stone in my hand throughout the interview and held hands with DH with the stone in our palms so to include his energy too. It's just a little witchy thing I do when I'm hoping for an outcome. I kept focusing as best I could on my own home. How I'd decorate it when I got the chance. Having my own kitchen again. My own living room. My own bedroom. The kids bedrooms. etc.. I find that if I think of small things it helps me to focus.

I don't know what will come of it. Seems like we've been waiting forever. Almost a year in fact. But I do feel we are close to moving past this lull in progress.

In the next few days I need to find the time to do a ritual with the stone. That will be difficult to find the time. But I think right now it's a must do. And before the week is out too because I know I'll not find a moments privacy during the weekend.

So that's it for now. I hope everyone had a wonderful Tuesday! And enjoy tomorrow (or rather today). My days are all mixed up since I stay awake so late.

Go away Jack Frost

The first snow of the season is officially here. And now is about the time I start complaining that its cold and wet and nasty outside. I'm not a winter person. I really am not a snow person. I will not drive on the stuff. I've had too many close calls to be comfortable driving on it. So it figures I'd have to move north where we'll get more of the stupid fluffy stuff!

Here's the view from my front door. Nope folks I won't even step outside to get a good picture for you! lol

OK so your saying to yourself that's not a lot. Well no it isn't. It just started. But to me one little millimeter of snow is too much! I really should live further south! Realistically I know it's natural and needed in the grand scheme of life. But I really could do without snow.


But just in time for the cold weather, I've completed a scarf for my daughter. You may recognize the yarn choice. I used it on her slippers too.

I used the afghan stitch. I think it's my favorite stitch. So easy to do! Now I have to figure out what's next. I think maybe I'll attempt making a purse.

I've also joined One Witches Way Pagan Blog Project. I think this will be a fun way to bring more Pagan topics of interest to my blog.

Welcome to the New Year

Hail fellow and well met to the New Year and to my readers. It's 2012 and that means new beginnings. I'm really needing a new beginning so I hope January will be our month for moving forward in our life. Last year was about big changes and a lot of them were hard on us. Now that were over the shock, were trying to settle down into our new life. With a lot of positive thinking and maybe a bit of luck, hopefully soon we'll have a place of our own.

I had applied for housing many moons ago, but never received a reply other than we were on the list. Well last week we did get a reply that we are on the top of the list. The problem we've had in getting housing is that our ex-landlord isn't too happy with us. So he's not giving us a good reference. So I hope we can overcome that.

I've also decided that I need to do something about my teeth. Growing up poor meant I only saw the dentist a handful of times in my life. I'm sure it was no more than maybe 4 times until I became an adult. And then I didn't have insurance or money for the dentist so the only time I went was when I had a toothache. Needless to say my teeth are bad. I needed braces as a child and never got them. I don't smile because I hate my teeth. Many are broken and just plain nasty. I went to the dentist the other day and he confirmed what I already knew. Most are not worth saving. And even if we could save them, the insurance I have right now wouldn't pay for it. But it will pay for dentures so that is what I'm going to do. I feel a bit scared. I've always had a phobia of dentists. It resulted from a very bad experience with the first dentist I ever saw. He was just plain mean.

OK enough of that topic. I have made a few changes to the look of my blog. I've also changed my button though you shouldn't see much of a difference. I've changed it from a JPG to a PNG and made the background transparent so you don't have that ugly white background behind it. I've also got a new banner and background on my blog. I think it looks nice. Tell me how it works for you? 

Well I spent my New Year like usual. Sitting here playing on the Internet and half paying attention to the TV. I am so boring! lol

I also joined Pagan Cultures 2012 book challenge.

I got books for Christmas so I've been reading them. Right now I'm reading "Once Touched, Never Forgotten" by Natasha Tate. It's not one of my favorites, but it is a romance and if you've learned anything about me over these past few months is that I'm all about love. *wink*

But I can't wait till I can dive into the book I won from Magaly's giveaway. I won Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon. And it's a testament to my strength of will that I haven't devoured it already. But I didn't want to start another book while I'm reading the first.

So what did you do for New Years? Did you kiss your honey? Dh quickly gave me a smooch and then went to bed. He's not a night owl by any means. lol But I stayed up till 3 am this morning. My son certainly takes after me because he hates to sleep!