The Lovers Holiday: Beltane

The wheel has turned yet again and now we are at Beltane, celebrated on May 1st. This is a time when the young maiden Goddess has found her lover and as people in love often do, are expressing it in a myriad of different ways.

Remember that fast heartbeat when you first looked upon that gorgeous man or woman who was destined to be your mate? What hurdles did you face when you sought to win their love?

I thought we might celebrate Beltane by talking about our love. Past loves, current loves. Love is not just for those special people in our life either. Maybe its an animal? Share whatever kind of love you wish with us.

Love is in the air and I want you to let it out. Show us your love. What in your life do you wish to bloom?


Either post here or use as a blog prompt, then share your link.

Muslim & Pagan Women Sharing a Common Bond - Spiritual Veiling.

Today Cafemom has a post about American Muslim women, and how they are not brainwashed when they convert to Islam and choose to wear a hijab. Not many people realize that other religions believe in covering as well; including some Pagans who worship Hestia, a Greek virgin Goddess often depicted with a veil. 


 

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Covered in Light is a collaboration of bloggers who veil for religious reasons. Just like American Muslim women, they face discrimination based on their veiling practice. Many are mistaken for Muslim women. Most face people who assume because they are veiled they are abused or subjugated by their husband. 

This is of course untrue. As the writer of the Cafemom article pointed out, these women are making a choice to cover. They are not forced to do anything they do not want to do. Abusive men are in every religion and is not dependent upon the clothing women wear.



There has been one or two times where I wore a shaw over my head while doing a ritual privately. I can certainly understand how covering ones head can bring your mind into a state of spiritual focus - much like wearing a cloak performs the same function.




Have you ever veiled for religious reasons? 

I'm a Scorpio

Since there's a lot of posts going on about the full moon in Scorpio today, I thought I'd write about my own sign. I must say, I love this sign. Not only because it's mine, but because I admire its qualities. I've never put much stock in horoscopes. They are always general and never good for anything but entertainment. However the qualities of each sign I've observed are more or less, correct.

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Scorpio is a water sign. That explains how I can adapt so well to changes! It is the Eighth sign of the zodiac and the ruling houses are Mars and Pluto.

Scorpio's are known as intense people. We are passionate, intense, and sometimes jealous. There is a purpose for everything we do. We don't like to waste our energy on fruitless pursuits and hall hath no fury if you piss us off.

But under our hard shell is an intensity for love, loyalty, and compassion equal to no other. The trick is to earn a Scorpio's trust to gain their friendship.

I suppose that's been my problem with making friends. It's not easy to earn my trust, and so few people rarely try now. I can be very intense and blunt to a fault. I feel like a lot of people don't understand me, and that in turn drives people away. So those that do stick around, I appreciate and love with the greatest of loyalty and compassion.

My family's signs:

Lance (DH) sign is Gemini.
Sierra (DD) sign is Libra.
Wyatt (DS) sign is Taurus.

And boy does DS act like the stubborn little bull he is too!

What is your sign? Does your personality match your signs traits?

I Love Winning Stuff!

Awhile back I entered one of Magaly's givaways. She had a lot of givaways going and most of them wasn't for me. But when she posted the giveaway for bath salts I had to enter. I love salty smelly goodness. I don't often get to take a bath, but when I do it's either for a cleansing meditation or relaxation after a long hard day of motherhood.

Sylph Bath Salts by GlitterTart came in the mail today. Actually I didn't even open the package because I assumed it was a book I bought my daughter on Amazon. When Sierra brought it to me I was pleasantly surprised.

The first thing I noticed is that the jar is packed completely full. Some retailers will only bring the product up to the lower rim of the lid. This is filled completely to the top so you get a little extra product. 

It smells delightful. I have a bit of an addiction to this scent. When I was pregnant with Sierra I worked for a pet products company. One of our products was scented with Eucalyptus. Every day I craved the scent of Eucalyptus. So when we had an order to fill the product I'd volunteer to do the work just so I could smell it for an hour. Does that make me a Eucalyptus huffer? lol I kept a small bottle of the product by my bed just to smell. That's how bad I was addicted to eucalyptus. lol  The bath salts remind me of this scent.

Thank you Caroline for this lovely jar of bath salts. And if you dear readers are on the hunt for a bath salt maker, check out the link for Glitter Tart etsy shop linked above.

Blessings, Love, and Light.

SWC

Medicine is NOT Your Enemy

I don't often add pictures of myself. So I thought I'd add one of me today. :)

Reading the news today has saddened me a bit. If you're a long time reader you probably know that I am an energy healer. I use the energy of the universe to urge your body to heal itself. This sort of healing has gone by many names. Laying on the hands - faith healing - prayer -reiki, etc..

In the news today a couple relied solely on prayer to heal their child. This has happened not only once, but twice. The couple is now facing criminal charges in the death of the second child.

Modern western medicine isn't perfect, but it isn't something that should be shunned either. Does the Lord & Lady want to help us heal our sickness and injuries? Yes I firmly believe they do. Do we have to take steps beyond simple prayer, spells, energy work, to make it happen? ABSOLUTELY! This is true for all types of spell work. You can't just sit back and wait for change. YOU make it happen.

Should you pray for your child to get better? By all means do so. Do whatever faith healing you want to do. But your child also needs to be seen by a medical professional. Modern medicine works WITH folk medicine if given the chance.

Do you believe these parents should be convicted of a crime because their children died from faith healing?

Incense for the Soul

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Incense is one of those tools that almost every Pagan uses, yet we don't talk about it much. So why do we use incense? Is it important to add it to your magickal toolbox?

The Why Of It

We use incense because it stimulates our senses; in this case our sense of smell. Even in our every day life, we have certain scents that remind us of a events, person, or things in our life. Symbolism during ritual is important for our connection to our Ancestors and Deity. Roses for instance remind me of my mother and grandmother.

Incense brings our mind into a state of relaxation and focus. Of course the scent of the incense does matter for how relaxed and focused you can be. A scent that you don't particularly like isn't going to help you as much as one that you do like.

Depending on the scent, incense doesn't always relax and focus you. Scents that invigorates your body and mind can be used when you need a high amount of energy during your magickal works.

For me, the scent I choose cannot be overpowering. Strong smells often give me a headache. So I stay away from incense that are overpowering and smell like musk or very fruity.

Sandlewood is a particular favorite of my husbands. Over the years I've gotten use to the smell, but it's not one I choose for myself. I'd rather use jasmine, rose, or some other flowery scent.

When to use incense?

I don't often keep incense on my altar, only because I burn sage on the altar and I don't like the mix of the two. I find it unnecessary. However I do use incense when I am meditating or doing a psychic reading. It can also be burned when cleansing the home. Often when I am cleaning I will choose a scent that is invigorating, to help give me energy while working.

Different scents can have different meanings attributed to them. To see a list of those meanings, visit the Incense Correspondence Table. 

What do you use Incense for? Is there a particular scent you use more than others?

The Art of Writing Spells

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When a new witch comes to me and asks for a spell to be given to them, I usually tell them no. It's not that I am being mean.  It's just that if someone writes the spell for you then you never learn to do for yourself. The best spells are the ones you've put your heart and soul into writing. I can't do that for you.

Nevertheless, I remember when I was a young witch and the thought of writing a spell is daunting. That's why there are plenty of examples online. I don't feel the need to add even more examples into the Internet ether. I'm sure there's enough to teach the basics. But here is a description of my method.

When I write a spell I first ask myself a few questions.

1. Can I achieve my goal without spell work?
2. What is the intent of my spell and my likely outcome?
3. Will I harm myself or others?

If I can answer those three questions clearly and without any negatives, I go ahead and write my spell. 

Then comes the question, what symbolism do I need? Do I want to call upon any Gods? What time of the month is best to perform this rite? Do I need herbs, oils, incense, etc...

I'm very much a "Do what feels right", kind of person. I don't believe doing a spell during the "wrong time" of month will ruin your spell. It may not have as much power as possible, but it won't ruin it.

Calling upon specific Gods or Goddesses is something I do once in awhile - usually when working alone. Most of the time, because I work with my DH, I keep the terminology to just "Lord & Lady". I don't name God(dess) often since he is not Wiccan. Dh leans toward a more Native American Shamanic path. When you are blending two methods together you both have to compromise. Other times, I find that calling upon a power of an animal works better than calling upon a God.

Sage is always on my altar. It's used to cleanse my space. Depending on my purpose I may have other herbs. Incense I usually reserve for meditation or during readings. It's my way to focus.

I admit, I don't always anoint my candles. Yes, bad me. But if you don't have oil handy, you can anoint with salt water. :)

I think the most popular question from a newbie witch is, "Does it need to Rhyme?" Here's the thing, it doesn't need to, but I believe it works better if it does. That's because when you are performing your ritual that rhymes, it flows better. If you are stumbling over words you are going to loose your focus. If you choose to perform a ritual without rhyming, just make sure you won't be stumbling over the ritual when you perform it. 

Do you share your spell work with others? Why or why not?

Shopping Therapy

I won't say that I often indulge. As a matter of fact I rarely buy something for myself, even the small things. That is why when tax season comes around DH and I always set aside some money to spend on ourselves. We haven't been able to do that for two years, so this year we're making up for it. lol

My old computer is about five years old and it only works if you have the screen in a certain spot, which is leaning toward you. So it's very hard to see the screen. It also overheats occasionally. So I got a new laptop. :) Yay me. It's an HP Pavilion TouchSmart. I'm getting use to Windows 8. There's a lot of new things and it's all a bit tricky.

Sierra got a bed, cloths, and a new desk. Wyatt got cloths and a couple toys. DH got himself a computer, though he goes for desktops.

Overall I'm happy. Though of course we haven't blown it all on things we don't need. We are repairing our cars and doing routine maintenance on them. We've renewed our tags and I hope we'll get to go visit my mother in KY.

It's so nice to indulge once in awhile though! I really needed this. Better than sex right now. And we all know Scorpios love sex. lol

How was your Friday?



http://shopping.hp.com/en_US/home-office/-/products/Laptops/HP-Pavilion/D7Q94AV

Mirror Magick

Mirror magick is probably one of the easiest and versatile forms of magick. I rank it right up there with candle magick as an easy go-to method.

One of my earliest experiences using magickal mirrors was to increase my self-esteem. This method always reminds me of the evil witch saying, "Mirror mirror on the wall..." I was always bullied in school and never felt beautiful. Ever the good witch, instead of cursing the more beautiful girls of my acquaintance, I stood in front of my mirror and asked it to reveal the beauty within. As I stared at myself I took stock of my appearance and noticed the things I love about myself - both physical and non-physical attributes. Over time my self-image became healthier.

Another reason to use mirrors is when you wish to reflect a persons energy. This works best if you work in an office setting and is especially handy in the work place when other metaphysical items may be questioned by your co-workers. No one ever questions a small mirror on your desk.
The night before bringing it to your work place, charge it with the task of reflecting negative and chaotic energy. Just place it on your desk and let it do its job. Recharge it once a month during the full moon. If you do not work in an office setting, try carrying a small mirror in your pocket or purse.

Scrying is probably the most well known magickal use for a mirror. I've never been into using a scrying mirror, but my husband made one several years ago and it remained in our altar room for a long time; until we moved. Scrying mirors have a black reflective surface and are used as a divination device. 


Do you use mirror magick? For what purpose?

For Boston

No doubt you've heard the news about the bombs in Boston. I'm lighting a candle for those affected by this tragedy.

WishCasting Wednesday: Tending Spirituality

Jamie Ridler asks, What do we wish to tend?

~Magickal Graphics~
Some people explain Paganism as something they "Live and breath". It's a lifestyle, not something they "do". I disagree to a point. I think it is both something they do and something they are. I understand what they mean when they say it's apart of them; not just an activity. What we do comes from the soul. These daily activities are the way we "tend to our spirituality".

Tending Spirituality

I've been searching for a Pagan topic to write about and coming up blank all week. I have a working post about Mirror magick, but it wasn't inspiring me. What is inspiring me is the need to tend to my spiritual nature. It's the part of me that has a need to pass on knowledge to others, both family and to you dear readers. It is a need to write/teach about Eclectic Wicca. 

So you can help me out now.

• What topics would you like to see more info on?

• What topic do you think is largely ignored by the Pagan community? 

Later today I am doing a psychic reading and healing for a friend. I don't normally do readings because they are exhausting and honestly, readings are not something I'm big on. I like to get one for myself once or twice a year. I just think readings can and often do become a craving. I've had a few bad experiences where I've done readings and the client kept coming back not out of need but because they craved more. No one needs a reading once a week (or more). When refused I was insulted. So that is why I don't often do them. Yet I do think giving a reading is a part of tending to my spirituality. Each time I do one I gain more confidence in myself. That is an awesome feeling. 

Another way I wish to tend to my spirituality is to pass on knowledge to my daughter. As she's growing older she is more curious about Wicca. She loves when I do a ritual and involve her. Though she's still a bit shy about working in a group. Last week a girl attacked her. Being a hot headed witchy mama, I had to take a step back before I did something stupid. I may have spouted a few witchy jokes in regards to toad children. (grin). In the end I chose to make my daughter a spiritual pouch with several crystals for protection. She's proudly wearing her crystals and it's given her some new confidence in herself as well. Yay. :) 

So what is it you wish to tend?

Wallowing in the Dirt of Self Pity

Tears are words that need to be written.”
― Paulo Coelho

“there are two types of people in the world: those who prefer to be sad among others, and those who prefer to be sad alone.”
― Nicole Krauss, The History of Love  

“You cannot protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness.”
― Jonathan Safran Foer 

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.”
― Mahatma Gandhi 

As a witch I understand the way energy flows. Right now, my energy isn't so good. I know that I should be positive, keep busy, cleanse and ground my energy. I'm doing none of that. Right now, I'm hiding my head in my favorite books and pretending the world doesn't exist; that my troubles aren't there.

I can't even tell you why I feel this way, other than the usual crap I deal with. But today it just seems like too much. At night I'm constantly thinking of our troubles. Of how to move on in our life to a positive outcome. I don't see it happening. And so I dream of drastic changes too painful to bear.

So those are my tears, written on this page. Tomorrow I'll forget they exist and go on with my life. But today, I get to wallow in them for today. Like the ostrich who buries its head in the sand, eventually it lifts its head and moves on. This too shall pass.