I'd just like to wish everyone a happy Ostara or Easter. Whatever you celebrate today I wish you the best! If you don't celebrate anything, well I just wish you a happy day!
Yesterday I took the kids to Yoctangee park in Chillicothe. Enjoy the pictures. :)
What are two of my favorite things in the world? Free stuff, and books! My lovingly witchy friend over on Pagan Culture has published her book, AlmaMia Cienfuegos on Amazon. Today it is a free download for Kindle!
Magaly says:
“AlmaMia Cienfuegos” tells a story where blood deceives, nightmares rot, and sisters wage war on each other.
This post topic is going to be all over the place because I have several things on my mind. First off, if you work with a family member, do they ever get so lazy that you just wish you worked alone sometimes? I mean I could work alone. But the ritual I wrote is for the whole family. Dh has been like that this week. I wrote a very nice Ostara ritual and every night he's not in the mood or too tired. If he doesn't get his sweet little butt in gear by this weekend we'll do it without him.
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Secondly, I have a bit of good advice. I have an interview for a job Monday morning. It's for an answering service position. Hopefully I get it because DH's job reduced his hours to 30 to avoid giving him insurance. That's one downside to Obamacare. Employers will always try to get around the system if they can.
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There's also been some annoying things happen in my life. Some I worry about more than others. The biggest one is that Sierra broke her glasses the other day again. These have been the worst frames ever. They've broken about 5 times now. The tech at the eye doctors broke them twice. So that tells me it's not just Sierra being careless. Which means that my daughter can't see well. She's been very whiny this week and has barely completed any of her work. We will have to work through the weekend to try to catch up.
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Second annoyance. Today someone "helpfully" rewrote one of my chapters of Guarding Humanity. While her intention was pure, her methods were not. She didn't ask first. I thought I was being too sensitive so I asked a few other writers, who assured me I was not acting with little girl panties. I did kindly ask her to stick to reviewing and not rewrites.
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Third and final annoyance. I have had a song in my head for a week now. Every time I sleep I hear it in my head playing over and over. It's just one part of it too. I'll link the video of the song, but its not my fault if it gets stuck in your head too.
Toward the end it starts lyrics talking about many women who join together and walk into the sea. Many years ago when I first heard this song I received a vision. I saw myself and a few other women doing just that. A group of village people were after us. We knew we would not get away. So instead of being burned at the stake we decided to commit suicide by walking into the sea. It was a very powerful and emotional vision. I was in tears by the time it was over.
I've always wondered if the writer of that song was either one of the women, or if there is an historical record of such an event happening. If anyone knows, I'd be grateful if you enlightened me.
There is always bright moments in my day. Enjoy my son saying HI. :)
What are your plans to celebrate the first day of spring today?
We will be reading about Ostara. Wyatt will maybe get to color some Ostara themed coloring pages, I've boiled some eggs to color, and later we'll do an Ostara ritual where we will use egg shells to plant seeds to start. I've chosen sunflowers, because I just love them and I think they are a great representation of spring and the summer to come.
Jamie Ridler studios has a Wishcasting Wednesday. Today's question is, What is your spring wish? I decided to do a video reply this week. But in case you're not able to watch the video from wherever you are, my wish is for us to receive our tax return soon so our cars can be fixed. After that, may Lord and Lady help him to find the perfect (and better) job!
One of the downsides to Obama's healthcare law is that businesses will always try to get around the rules. One of those ways is to reduce employees hours, which my husbands employer has done. Boo for us! So we are in need of a better job and a brand new financial future.
Would you rather be snuffed or blown? If you're a man, you're probably thinking blown. *wink*
In this case I am speaking about your ritual candles. There are certain "rules" that some say one must follow to extinguish candles. (I.E. One must snuff a candle out to properly extinguish it) I however, being Eclectic and hating rules that says what I must do... do not follow this rule.
I've heard all the reasons why snuff is better.
You shouldn't put one element out with another.
You'll upset the Gods
It will ruin your built energy.
I say, HOG WASH.
I extinguish my candles with my breath, which is an extension of my energy. As I blow toward the candle I think about my intent. My breath transforms the flame into smoke, which then carries my intent away to spirit. I think of it as an extra boost of energy at the end of the ritual. I've certainly never experienced a drop in energy I have raised. Nor have I been spanked by the Gods for some slight I've caused.
Incidentally, if a candle refuses to be blown out, I take it as a sign that the work is not finished. I leave it burning. ;) When all is said and done though, I don't think it matters which one you chose to do.
This question came up when I was talking about my son yesterday. He's watched us do rituals and loves to try to blow candles out. :) At Inanna's yesterday he tried his best to blow out the candle. Though at Inanna's they do snuff out rather than blow.
Wow today has been a long, but good, day. We went to Inanna's Spiritual center today. I tried to sneak away all by myself. Because I'm stuck at home with two kids most of the time, I really wanted alone time. But that wasn't to be. Sierra kept begging to go and I know Lance wouldn't have liked to sit here by himself either. So we end up all going. We had a good time. The topic for today's service was Women's rights and the rise of the Divine Feminine.
I have mixed feelings about the service. On one hand I think its a good thing to encourage our women to stand up for women's rights. We haven't finished fighting for equality. However there was a little bit of man bashing going on. So while I do agree lets keep fighting for equality, make sure we're not going overboard and putting men down. Some of the comments from the congregation were along the lines of, "Women rule the roost and reap all the rewards," and that just isn't healthy. It should be a collaborative effort. We all know there must be a balance to male and female energy. One is not above the other.
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During the service Wyatt was a pain in the butt, and my DH was helpful enough to take him outside and let him calm down for a while. He was tired and had a night terror yesterday so he was being extra rambunctious. He wanted to touch everything and tried to blow out the chalice candle. lol He's learned from me doing rituals at home that I let him blow out the candle when we're done, so he thought he would get to do it there too. I tried to nurse him to sleep but Wyatt wasn't cooperating and there was one guy there that always creeps me out. He stares at me when I feed Wyatt. I am covered by the way, but Wyatt keeps pulling the cover back. So I just gave up on that idea.
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After we left Inanna's we went to eat and then to Goodwill. Let me just say, I'd spend all our money there if I could. lol. I did end up finding a lot of great stuff. I found 6 metal candle molds for $10. You ever find a deal you just couldn't pass up? Well that was me today. I started to not get them because I don't have my candle making supplies. I left it in Kentucky with my mom. But that deal was just too good. So I bought them. Come to find out my MIL had paraffin wax. So she gave it to me, two whole blocks full, which retail for about $20 each. Score! I don't have everything yet to make candles, but hopefully when we receive our tax return we'll visit my mother in KY and get my supplies. Or else I'll end up buying some. That will be my splurge.
Then I found a book on Magickal Names at Goodwill. It's not a book I'd be interested in reading and I thought about doing a book giveaway on here again, but in the end I chose to donate the book to Inanna's. They have a growing library and I think it's needed there.
I also found a book for me to read. It's a Sookie Stackhouse book. Hey I love those southern vampire's. ;) I know I've read the book before but twice is always nice too.
Then to top it off, Wyatt went to bed on his own! Which is why I get to be writing you lovely readers at 11pm instead of 12 or 1am. Life is good when you don't have to deal with your toddlers night time tantrums.
I follow a lot of blogs so I open my Google reader many times per day. I try to read them all even if I don't comment on every one. I opened my reader today and see a notice saying Google is doing away with the reader soon. This makes me sad, hence why the title. :( I downloaded another reader called FeedDemon, but I'm not sure how good it is yet and I appear to not have all my feeds transported from Google. If anyone has suggestions on a better rss reader, please let me know.
For those who haven't liked my blogs Facebook page, do so now so you can make sure you keep up to date on my posts.
Today my daughter said, "Mom I am glad we don't live back when they didn't have electricity." I can relate. Our apartment building was having some electrical work done so we went 5 hours without electric. So what's a writing witch to do when she has no distractions? Write of course!
Head on over to The Wiccan Pen and read my new story, Destined to Love: Prologue and Chapter One. If you love hunky men who happen to howl at the moon then you'll love this story. ;)
Mommy moment of the day: Sierra fed Wyatt chocolate pudding which he proceeded to wipe all over my couch. So Sierra got some vinegar mixed with water to clean it up. Wyatt threw a fit and wanted to drink what she had. Sierra tried to keep it away from him. Finally I said, "Just give it to him." I wish I had a camera then, because my son gagged and raced to me with the most awesome face a mothers ever seen. hehe. I'll be telling that to all his future girlfriends. Maybe now he's learned a lesson. Be careful what you wish for. ;)
Well, there are many things I'd like to learn. Like how to wink. I just can't do it. I end up looking like a fool. Or how about a new language? I took French in High School, but I think Spanish is more useful. My daughter and I were just talking yesterday about wanting to learn sign language.
I think my ultimate wish, is to just keep learning until the day I die. No matter what I know now, there is always something more to learn.
In our society looking someone in the eyes when speaking to them is seen as the most preferable trait. Perhaps it goes back to basic natural instinct. Those who look straight into your eyes are seen as honest and confident. Essensially the "alpha".
Whereas someone who does not look into your eyes is seen as evasive and untrustworthy - the beta of the group.
I do not often look into peoples eyes, and I think that has really hurt me in some social situations. I know I come off as too timid. My husband is always the opposite, he looks everyone in the eyes.
However I don't do it out of timidity. It's because I see far more than you wish me to know. The eyes reveal much more than we'd like. I can feel your emotions and sense things about other people. I avoid looking at people in their eyes out of respect for their privacy. I don't want to learn info that is not my business.
Do you know how disconcerting it is to be talking with your boss, look them in the eye and get the very strong private thought? It's quite hard to focus on business when you just learned your boss is bitching you out because he's angry at his wife and needs to vent. I'd love to say something to comfort them, but if I do then I'm pressed with questions on how I knew. I can't very well tell my boss I am psychic and when I look into your eyes I see the fight.
It seems some members of the Pagan community is up in arms over the new movie Beautiful Creatures and others like it. They think that these movies spread misinformation about Witches and Wiccans.
I can understand why they'd think that. Anyone whose been apart of the Pagan community for a short time can tell you that there is a lot of misinformation out there. Every Pagan has gotten stupid comments about green noses, pointy hats and eating children.
However, I rather like these movies and similar TV shows. (Charmed was my favorite!). That's because I don't see them as a representation of me. They are just fantasy. Werewolf movies do not represent wolves any more than vampire movies represent pasty white people.
I've used a picture of Maleficent here as a perfect example of a "bad witch" I like. Growing up I certainly didn't think she represented any group of people. Even at 7 years old, I knew she was just an awesome bit of fantasy.
I suppose I give more credit to people to critically think. I hope they can come to the realization that no, real Witches and other types of Pagans can't turn anyone into a toad, nor do we try.
Are you angry with movies that represent Witches and Wiccans negatively?
Our children were spirits before conception and partially during their gestation. That is why when children are young, they are more connected to the spiritual world. They don't just stop seeing spirits when they are born. How often have you seen a baby coo at a specific spot around them? Or have a "imaginary friend" only he or she can see? That's because they can still see and communicate with spirits in a way that older children and adults have lost over time. Unless of course you've worked to maintain that connection with spirit.
I noticed my son communicating with a spirit today. As I was trying to get him to lay down for his afternoon nap, and failing miserably, he was laying back and talking to someone above him. He kept saying the same things over and over. Though my son is almost 2 most of his words are garbled and only recognizable by close family. Some words are very clear though. He kept saying something that sounded like "mop". I think what he was trying to say is Bob. He kept shrugging his shoulders and saying "don't understand" as well. The understand part was a bit garbled again, but I could make it out with his expressions. Finally he got frustrated and held out his hand in a "go away" motion and said "Stop" very clearly. I think there was more than one spirit because he kept looking and pointing at two places in the room. You know how spirits sometimes talk all at once? Well that's what I think was happening.
I don't believe I know a Bob. At least I can't think of one right off hand. I wish I knew what they wanted. I definitely felt them there after I took the time to open up and feel them. But they have no interest in talking with me. Perhaps they are Wyatt's spirit guides. Whatever the case, I hope that he will retain this ability to communicate into his adult life. Of course we'll be there to guide and teach him how to handle spiritual encounters should he wish to learn.
My daughter use to speak with spirits in our household when she was younger as well. However as she grew older and focused more on the physical, she lost the ability. That's true for most people.
I remember my own childhood seeing, hearing and talking with spirits. There was a small girl always around me. She kept me safe when I would wonder too far from home. Remember these were the early 80's. Moms didn't hover over their kids then. I was aloud to go outside and play without supervision as long as I checked in at lunch and home by dinner. I often wondered a mile or so away from home and knew exactly how to get back.
There came a point in my life where I told my grandparents about my "friend" and I was told that she didn't really exist. After that I don't remember ever seeing a spirit again until I was about 15 and opening up again to Pagan ideals and learning that what I believed had a name; Wicca.
Have your children communicated with Spirits or have an Imaginary friend?
Since we are close to spring time, and spring means fertility, I thought I'd share a few words I wrote to bring fertility to me. At the time I was coming off birth control and I used this rite to urge my body to release the chemicals and return to a fertile state.
I am no longer in the baby making business, but there are other types of fertility. Perhaps you wish to plant the seed for change or opportunity. Whatever your purpose, here are a few words I hope will inspire you with your own fertility rite.
Cleansing thought are what is needed,
to purge my body of chemicals no longer needed.
Freshness of body,
Freshness of mind,
Freshness of spirit that intertwines.
When all is said and done,
Fertility shall be mine.
You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy.
Answer the wish prompt above on your blog and then add a direct link
to your post in the box below. Support wishes by visiting other
participants, leaving a comment saying “As (insert name) wishes for
her/himself, so I wish for her/him also.” It’s that simple.
There is great power in wishing together.
I think it's a great idea to create a link of wishes.
Lets see, mine are:
I wish to become financially stable. I don't need riches, I just need comfort and a little wiggle room.
I wish for a cure for mental illness, especially Bipolar disorder. I miss the way my Dh use to be more spiritual before his struggles with BP.
Once we're financially stable, I wish for a home, with land for my animals and a orchard/garden.
Since the "theme" I suppose is bravery, I wish to be brave in regards to a new fear of mine.
Kara Kay on My Pagan Opinions has done a video on curses and hexes. She's inspired me to write on this subject. Before I talk about my views, lets watch her video.
Kara talks about curses being nothing more than negative energy that you accept because you are not centered. You've allowed the negative energy to affect you. I absolutely agree, even though I am guilty of doing just that from time to time. Nobody is perfect all the time imo. I am a very sensitive empath. If I am not shielding yes I'll feel every one's emotions and I find it harder to do that when I am exhausted.
Kara also makes an analogy of defensive and offensive driving in regards to energy. There are times when you cannot avoid negative energy. It comes at you whether you like it or not. So what is a witch to do when avoidance techniques do not work? Well that's where Assertive magick comes into play.
Years ago I was a supervisor of a printing company. One of my employees came to me and asked if I could curse her ex-boyfriend who was stalking her. She knew I am a witch but didn't exactly know "the rules" or specifics. I of course refused. After giving it some thought though, I knew that I could help her in a way.
What I did was create a magickal "booby trap". In my spell it was worded so that nothing would happen to the ex-boyfriend if he chose to leave her alone. If he chose not to leave her alone, his own negative actions resulted in the negativity to be turned on himself.
Within two hours of making a threatening phone call to my friend, he was in jail. It was a separate charge that the county did not see fit to arrest him for until that day. It had nothing to do with stalking, but the result was that he had to leave her alone while he dealt with his legal matters.
Because his own actions were the negative force, I nor my friend had sent out negativity, so we were not "cursing", but protecting by using an assertive spell.
Note that assertive is not aggressive. It is to make a stand with confidence but not violence. You maintain control and never go against your ethics even if its tempting. Harming/cursing someone is always wrong and even as a last ditch effort, will still result in negative karmic return.
Barbara De Angelis
