Magick Happens When....

Last weekend was fun, fulfilling and just what I needed.

The ladies of my circle and I ended up having a Blessingway for one of our sisters. She is due at the end of December and we wanted to give her an afternoon of pampering, support and love.

Yes, she felt love and support.
Yes, she got some focal points for her delivery room.

But the most amazing thing, that I didn't even think of happened. 

We all ended up with a gift of replenishing, and support.

I needed to give this afternoon to her.
And more imporatantly, I was supported by other sisters in getting things off the ground and definitely wouldn't have been able to do anything if it wasn't for their help.

Others enjoyed the conversation.
Some liked the creative outlet of henna and prayer flags.
Still others, enjoyed the meditation.
And we all loved the feast. 

Having a laid back, structured afternoon with women focusing on support and love is fascinating!

It was an amazing experience to be surrounded by such a wonderful group of women.

As they say, "When women get together, magick happens."

Pagan Blog Prompt: Coven vs. Solitary Practice

Ivy over at Pagan Blog Prompts posted this last week. And since most of the answers were solitary...at least now, I figured I'd offer an opposite view of things.

Please forgive me if this prompt has been done, but coven vs. solitary practice is something I have always been interested in. I practice in a coven myself, but spent a many good years doing my own thing as a solitary, so I have felt first have the benefits and drawbacks of both situations.
How do you all feel? Do you practice in a group or solitary? Which do you prefer? If you chose one over the other, why do you feel that way? If you are a coven member, would you ever go back to being solitary? If you practice alone, would you ever join a group? Just something to think over. :)
I look forward to reading your thoughts!! 

1. Do you practice in a group or solitary? Currently, I'm an initiated member into a coven (Wiccan).


2. Which do you prefer? It depends. Right now I enjoy having the group around me for ritual and occasional courses. I needed a little more structure than I usually do on my own. Since I'm a wife, and mom of two little ones, plus I work full time I don't have the forethought or diligence to put my own religious/spiritual path in the forefront. Especially since the Hubs is Christian, I don't have another pagan around to remind me..."hey the wheel is turning. We need to do a ritual." Or "Hey, isn't it a full moon?" (Though the Goddess has kindly helped me with the later issue.)

3. If you chose one over the other, why do you feel that way? See above answer. Plus the nice thing about my group is that I can learn about various topics....or not. I'm not pigeon-holed into one specific viewpoint. Sure we have the typical Neophyte year where we learn the ways of the coven, but after that, we can branch out into whatever area we would like to go. We just need to take back what we learn to the group.


4. If you are a coven member, would you ever go back to being solitary? It would depend on a lot of factors. Since my group doesn't require constant attendance at things once you're initiated, I'm much less likely to leave. That said, it would take a lot (of issues, personality clashes, drama, etc.) for me to leave the group.

I tried many other things before, a social pagan group (which was and is fun, but too far away to attend a lot of things) other online forums, even a local group, but nothing really clicked before this current group I'm in. In fact, I probably wouldn't have considered (or even found) them if it wasn't that two new friends were third degrees in the coven. I think knowing someone inside the group helps with drawing people into the fold, if you will. 

Kick in the Ass

So I've obviously not been posting. I was happy in just reading/stalking all of my favorite blogs. But Sara from Sara's Organized Chaos is having a swap. I LOVE swaps. But alas, can't enter because I haven't been actively blogging. So I guess, it's just the kick in the pants I need to figure out what to write. It's crazy how easy it is to slip out of practice of doing it. Honestly, I just haven't felt that there's been anything post-worthy.

Though, come to think of it.

Pros:
* Squeaker turned one last week. Where has the year gone? My little man is almost walking already. Eesh.
* Angel Baby has finished up her first year of dance and has started her SECOND year. Double eesh.
* I've started my second year of advising for my sorority.
* The Hubs and I are doing amazingly better than we were a year ago. Of course, when I'm not the size of a house and either incubating a child or recovering from giving birth to said child, it's pretty easy to feel all romantical and sexy.
* My brother is getting married to a wonderful, beautiful and charming woman that I'm so excited to call my sister. 
* Finally had my job reclassified. So I got a bump up in pay. And I'm actually working in grade instead of above it.
* Have a cruise planned for just me and the Hubs in October.
* I initiated into my Circle in April.

Cons:
* LUPEC is on hiatus until January.  I need a girls night out like a junkie needs his next fix.
* I've been lax in my cross-stitch project. And I'll have to put it on hiatus and start a new one soon. (Gift for Christmas)
* I haven't lost as much weight as I wanted to. But then again, when have I ever? I'll get there. It's just taking F-O-R-E-V-E-R!!!
* I  haven't had much chance to go to ritual lately. And won't be able to go to Samhain either (due to the cruise). Hopefully, I'll get to go to Yule.
* After LetterMo I really dropped off the Letter Writing Wagon. I hope to get caught up soon with all my pen-pals.

That's really all I can think of right now. So I guess when you put everything together, the pros outweigh the cons. And that's all you can really ask for isn't it?

Well? What's new with you?

The Element Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells: The Ultimate Reference Book for the Magical Arts

A few years ago I bought this book Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells and boy let me tell you it's got an insane amount of great information in it. If you ever wanted to know how to make Holy Water, Dove's Blood Ink, Goofer Dust, Graveyard Dirt, etc. All the recipes are in here. Plus there's all sorts of spells on pretty much anything you can imagine.Excerpt Spell:

Five Eye Spell - (Banish the evil eye)
Five pairs of glass beads, each pair in a different distinct color, are required for this amulet. Dizzying colors dazzle the Evil Eye.

1. String the beads in a double row.
2. Arange them in a circle.
3. Post or wear.

A lot are this simple, some require odd ingredients and yet others are more complex.


The weird thing is, when I bought the book you couldn't get it through the US version of Amazon. Apparently there was some issue. You can still buy it from random sellers. But it's now been reprinted. And the Reprint of Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells is available through Amazon. It was reprinted in March 2009 and since I haven't seen an actual copy I don't know if there have been any additions/deletions or corrections, but I'm sure it's just as handy to have in your collection.

Book Review: Heaven and Earth

I guess I'll actually be reviewing both Dance upon the Air and Heaven and Earth. I mentioned earlier that I was re-reading this trilogy by Nora Roberts. But I never mentioned what the storyline was about in the first book.

Dance Upon the Air
This book gives a bit of the background for the three novels and focuses on Nell Channing. She's on the run from her famous husband who is abusive. She lived in California and ends up in New England on Three Sisters Island. (Hence the trilogy title.) She needs to come to terms with what happened to her, face it head on and possibly fall in love (with the handsome Sheriff Zack Todd). If she doesn't face her tormentor the island will crumble into the sea.

Now Three Sisters Island is named for the three witches that legend says conjured up the island as a way to escape the witch hunts in the late 1600's. Well the three sisters (Air, Earth and Fire) end up falling apart. Air falls in love with a gorgeous man and they leave the island. She has a few kids with him, but he ends up killing her. Earth can't stand that her sister didn't defend herself and wants justice so she ends up going against her beliefs of "Not causing harm" and kills him. And at the end Fire is alone her two sisters end up dying/leaving and her husband ends up leaving as well.



Heaven and Earth

This book focuses on Ripley Todd. She's lived on Three Sisters her entire life. She's deputy sheriff on the island and has turned her back on her gift for the last 10 years. She has to work through her issues with her gift, her friends and the "yummy" Dr. MacAllister Booke (Paranormal Science) who's come to the island to speak with Mia Devlin (the resident witch and bookstore owner.)

Ripley's story also parallels Earth's story from 300 years before. Ripley needs to mete out justice without harm and if she doesn't the island will topple into the sea.

I really like both of these books since they deal with magic and family and friends. Plus besides being a quick and fun read, they just remind me of the inner struggle I had in coming to terms with my own spirituality. Do I believe? What do I believe? What does that mean if I believe? Am I really that strong to face my beliefs, fears, etc.?

I'm currently reading the last book Face the Fire which focuses on the last member of the three Mia Devlin. I'll post a review on that as soon as I finish.

Witch, Please

(borrowed from GreenWoman then from moonfirewolf then from Kelly)


Here are the things I don't care about :

I don't care what the name of your religion is.
I don't care what the names of your gods are.
I don't care how old your religion is.
I don't care if your great-great-whatever grandmother passed down your famtrad Book of Shadows under the watchful eye of the Inquisition.
I don't care if an entire civilization worshipped your Goddess for ten thousand years.
I don't care if you made Her up based on manga or Tolkien or a dream you had.
I don't care where you place your altar.
I don't care which direction you call Earth.
I don't care how psychic you are.
I don't care if you're smarter than me.
I don't care why you eat meat, or don't.
I don't care how many shields you think you need.
I don't care how your childhood trauma made you a powerful magickian.
I don't care if you spell "magic" with a k.
I don't care if you were an Atlantean Magus in your last life.
I don't care if you're brand-spanking new.
I don't care how much you hate Christians.
I don't care how many degrees you have.
I don't care if people call you "Lady" or "Lord."
I don't care if you're King of all Londinium and wear a shiny hat.
I don't care if you can read minds or light candles with your breath.
I don't care how the world owes you a living.
I don't care if you've been studying the Craft for thirty years or thirty minutes.
I don't care what your totem animal is, especially if it's a wolf, raven, or unicorn.
I don't care if you can trace your lineage back to Gardner.
I don't care if you think I'm a moron, fraud, or basket case.
I don't care how many books you've read.
I don't care how much or how little money you have.


What do I care about?

I care that your religion has made you a kinder, more compassionate person.
I care that you can hold down a job.
I care that you're growing past whatever happened to you as a child or last year.
I care that your gods help you become stronger without coddling you.
I care that you are willing and able to adapt and change as your life does.
I care that you care about the Earth.
I care that you care about someone and something outside yourself.
I care that you practice your religion with devotion and reverence.
I care that you respect others' paths.
I care that you never stop learning.
I care that you can conduct adult relationships with respect and understanding.
I care that you get how hilarious life is.
I care that you know when to ask for help.
I care that you realize that someone will always be smarter, more powerful, and more together than you.
I care that you realize it doesn't matter, because tomorrow you'll be smarter, more powerful, and more together than you were yesterday.
I care that you have reasons for everything you do, even if those reasons are purely intuitive.
I care that you can admit when you're wrong.
I care that you know you're both a tiny speck in a vast universe and a rare, precious jewel in the darkened sky.
I care that you're making a difference.
I care that you know when to speak and when to shut the hell up.
I care that you are seeking a relationship with Deity and with Nature.
I care that you are healthy.
I care that you're contributing to your family and community.
I care that your capacity for love and joy increase with every passing year.
I care that you believe in yourself.
I care that you're doing the best you can.

Lent

I know I should have posted this yesterday, but oh well. I'm posting it today.

Now, I know many of you know that I am not Catholic, however I do observe Lent. Albeit not in the traditional way. I do it to see if I can. It's a matter of willpower for me. This year, I'm giving up sweets....unless I've already worked out a half hour before. And that's a half hour for each sweet. Again, I realize this isn't a traditional thing. But it's a way for me to eat healthier, and possibily work out more. Granted, once my training for the 3-day Walk starts I'll have no problem here.

So, do you celebrate Lent? I saw a great history piece on Domestic Witch's blog today. And in my research on the history of Lent found out that many Christian denominations don't follow it, primarily for two reasons.

1. It's not in the Bible.
2. It was originally a Pagan holiday/idea.

I'm surprised at the latter since they most definitely celebrate Christmas and we all know that Christ wasn't born on Dec. 25th.