Drumroll, Please...

The new background for my blog is going to be this one!! Yippee!!! It's purple (my fav. color!!) I also like how the colors seem to meld really good on here, I was having difficulty with the other 2 with font colors.

Thanks everyone for your feedback!!

)O(

Elemental Chant

The Goddess Song

Something I need to get off my chest

Ok, I really don't want to go here, but I will. The other day I came across a blog where I was being trashed by a fellow Pagan. We had met in RL when I was looking for a mentor, we became friends (or so I thought) and when things started going south, we went our ways. I'm cool with that, I believe people are in our lives for either a reason, a season or a lifetime.

What bothered me was how judgemental she was in her views of me, when I was trying to learn more about the craft. I don't believe in name calling, that's reserved for the children on the playground, but when a 40-something woman feels the need to call a fellow Pagan a "Social Witch" because they're eager to learn new things, I have a problem. I didn't appreciate being called a "know-it-all", "obsessive" and whatever she deemed to call me. I didn't appreciate it when I caught her lying to me early on in our "friendship". I gave it back to her when she did it to me. It's called Karma, if she doesn't believe in it, I do. I also believe that what energy you put forth into the universe, whether it be positive or negative, it will come back to you.

She once gave me a binder full of stuff to add to my BOS. It was appreciated at first, but a lot of the things were familiar to me, so I Googled and found things word for word. She went through a lot of trouble (and paper, how Pagan is that??) to deceive me. When she would visit me, she would criticize my altar layout...most times I didn't even change anything after her last visit. Anyway, an altar is a personal reflection of your relationship with the Gods, it's not up for debate on how you have it laid out. If she was at my pc, she would grab my Pagan music & throw it on her memory stick. Isn't that called stealing?? I don't care if you make a joke of it or not, ask first before you feel free to take things. I do have to give her this, she did give me some pix to add to a folder I have, but most of the pix I already had. I know they say imitation is the best form of flattery, but when I started blogging, within the week she had her blog up. When I would add an element to it, so did she (even this week I saw some of the things I added, on hers). Can you not think of anything original?? I'm the one who does all the work going into programs to get things, or make my own. If she sees something of hers that I take from her (so she knows how it feels), I get a comment.

I know that this is starting to turn into a rant & that's not what I wanted to do. I don't want to come off as being petty, but this has been bothering me for months, she just gave me an opportunity to say my piece. I did notice, however, that after she posted her "rant" I started getting thumb-ups on my Facebook, comments to status updates, etc. Was she feeling bad about trashing me & trying to get back in my good books?? I don't know. She does have this thing about "keeping her enemies close"

One thing I never did, I never belittled her personal problems. Everytime I would talk to her, it was all about her & her stuff she was dealing with. Goddess forbid if I had something bothering me, her problems were bigger, so I stopped telling her things that were affecting me. I found another outlet to sound off my problems to, they know who they are & I thank them for all the support. So, I would talk about something that wasn't personal, like Twilight. I may have come off as obsessive about that, but that was to deflect about talking to her about my personal stuff.

Ok, this is longer than I expected, so I will sign off. Hopefully, someday, we will be friends again, but it will take a lot to regain the trust that was lost (was it even there??)'

)O( Blessed Be

Deities Link is back up

Ok, I put my Deities link back up. I changed the background to a new fresher one. I found (and still gathering) new info on who I honour, commune with and journey with each day. I will be posting more on this page more than I had been previously. I was unsure before, but I feel it in my bones as to who they are for sure

)O( Blessed Be

Vote for your Fav. Samhain Background

Background 1


Background 2


Background 3

♥♥♥ This Witch is in Love ♥♥♥

Yes, it's true. I found someone. He's perfect. I smile thinking about him, I'm smiling now as I write this. I never thought I would meet someone online. In fact, I scoffed at that notion. It all started with a simple status update a while back. I answered that status and started something that has consumed me.

We have so much in common, as well as a couple of things not in common. We are both Capricorns, both are Solitaries, love the same books/movies, we both are single parents, we both have been touched by Autism, we have a lot of the same interests. I could go on listing our commonalities, but I don't want you to become bored. We share the same Deities, we both think they brought us together.

The only thing about our relationship is that he lives a fair distance from me and I don't know if we will ever be together. We do meet each night...online through emails & we meet again on the Astral Plane. I've just recently learned about the Plane & accessing it. I have my own Inner Temple, my alone space and where I meet him...our special place.

The night we first said "I love you" I could hear a buzzing sound, like a swarm of bees, the air was electric. He felt it, too. Said it was because our souls finally found each other. Sounds sappy, but I believe it, too I was all tingling, so was he. We text all the time, my poor cell phone.

For the first time in a long time, I feel happiness, a completion. This coming from a girl who always said I didn't need a man to be complete. He has me wrapped around his finger, and I, too have him wrapped around my finger. We're like two intertwined pieces of ribbon. He has my soul and I his.

Vote for your Fav. Samhain theme

Ok, over the next couple of days, I'll be posting different Samhain themes for my Blog. I want your vote as to which one you want to see. Leave comments, so I will know. This is the first theme. Next theme will be in a couple of days. Thanks

Blessed Be )O(

Deities link is under construction

Just letting you know that I will be putting my Deities link under construction for the next while. Things have changed in that realm for me and I want to do them justice with a much better layout/info.

Blessed Be )O(

My first Blog Award...this is so exciting!!!

I got my first Blog Award today. Thanks to Rayden's Rants for nominating me.





Here are the award rules:
1.) Thank the person who gave this to you.
2.) Copy the logo and place it in your blog.
3.) Link the person who nominated you.
4.) Name 7 things about yourself that no one would really know.
5.) Nominate seven 'Kreativ Bloggers.'
6.) Post links to the seven blogs you nominate.
7.) Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know you nominated them.

Ok, here are 7 things about me:

1.) I love eating peanut butter & bacon sandwiches...sounds gross, but try & you'll see.
2.) I sleep without undies.
3.) I am a closet coffee drinker...shhh, don't tell.
4.) I want another child.
5.) I am happy in my solitude.
6.) I read trashy tabloids.
7.) I love Twilight...Go Team Edward!!!!

Here are my nominations:
1.) Deep Inside My Broom Closet
2.) Dancing Beneath the Moon
3.) The Domestic Witch
4.) 2 Witches Blog
5.) Wiccan Moonsong
6.) Confessions of a Kitchen Witch
7.) Cattra Shadow's Magickal World

Updates

Soon, I will be changing up my background for the upcoming month. I found a cute Hallowe'en/Samhain theme. I'm looking forward to sharing it with you. I've started the painstaking task of decorating my apt. for the holiday. It's going to be different getting to decorate my patio, as I haven't had one before to decorate. The summer furniture will be coming, my sons outdoor toys, as well. It will also be a challenge to decorate my windows & outside door, as my apt. complex is slated to replacing them in the next few weeks. But again, a few dozen window clings shouldn't be too hard to take down, right??

More Samhain/Hallowe'en Goodies

Here are some more things I got over the weekend for my place.



There are, from left to right: A grim reaper gatekeeper, witchy candle holder, Witches Laundry, Witch Tree. In the back is a cackling witch who cackles when you touch her. I also have Witch Hat garland in front.








My new/old Altar cloth I got back in March on clearance.

Mabon: The Second Harvest

The harvest is a time of thanks, and also a time of balance -- after all, there are equal hours of daylight and darkness. While we celebrate the gifts of the earth, we also accept that the soil is dying. We have food to eat, but the crops are brown and going dormant. Warmth is behind us, cold lies ahead.

Some symbols of Mabon include:

• Mid-autumn vegetables, like squashes and gourds
• Apples and anything made from them, such as cider or pies
• Seeds and seed pods
• Baskets, symbolizing the gathering of crops
• Sickles and scythes
• Grapes, vines, wine

You can use any of these to decorate your home or your altar at Mabon.

Feasting and Friends:

Early agricultural societies understood the importance of hospitality -- it was crucial to develop a relationship with your neighbors, because they might be the ones to help you when your family ran out of food. Many people, particularly in rural villages, celebrated the harvest with great deals of feasting, drinking, and eating. After all, the grain had been made into bread, beer and wine had been made, and the cattle were brought down from the summer pastures for the coming winter. Celebrate Mabon yourself with a feast -- and the bigger, the better!

Magic and Mythology:

Nearly all of the myths and legends popular at this time of the year focus on the themes of life, death, and rebirth. Not much of a surprise, when you consider that this is the time at which the earth begins to die before winter sets in!

Demeter and Her Daughter

Perhaps the best known of all the harvest mythologies is the story of Demeter and Persephone. Demeter was a goddess of grain and of the harvest in ancient Greece. Her daughter, Persephone, caught the eye of Hades, god of the Underworld When Hades abducted Persephone and took her back to the underworld, Demeter's grief caused the crops on earth to die and go dormant. By the time she finally recovered her daughter, Persephone had eaten six pomegranate seeds , and so was doomed to spend six months of the year in the underworld. These six months are the time when the earth dies, beginning at the time of the autumn equinox.

Inanna Takes on the Underworld

The Sumerian goddess Inanna is the incarnation of fertility and abundance. Inanna descended into the underworld where her sister, Ereshkigal, ruled. Erishkigal decreed that Inanna could only enter her world in the traditional ways -- stripping herself of her clothing and earthly posessions. By the time Inanna got there, Erishkigal had unleashed a series of plagues upon her sister, killing Inanna. While Inanna was visiting the underworld, the earth ceased to grow and produce. A vizier restored Inanna to life, and sent her back to earth. As she journeyed home, the earth was restored to its former glory.

Modern Celebrations

For contemporary Druids, this is the celebration of Alban Elfed, which is a time of balance between the light and the dark. Many Asatru groups honor the fall equinox as Winter Nights, a festival sacred to Freyr.

For most Wiccans and NeoPagans, this is a time of community and kinship. It's not uncommon to find a Pagan Pride Day celebration tied in with Mabon. Often, PPD organizers include a food drive as part of the festivities, to celebrate the bounty of the harvest and to share with the less fortunate.

If you choose to celebrate Mabon, give thanks for the things you have, and take time to reflect on the balance within your own life, honoring both the darkness and the light. Invite your friends and family over for a feast, and count the blessings that you have among kin and community.

Mabon Video

Mabon

Mabon is one of the eight solar holidays or sabbats of Neopaganism. It is celebrated on the autumn equinox, which in the northern hemisphere is circa September 21 and in the southern hemisphere is circa March 21.

Also called Harvest Home, this holiday is a ritual of thanksgiving for the fruits of the Earth and a recognition of the need to share them to secure the blessings of the Goddess and God during the winter months.

Among the sabbats, it is the second of the three harvest festivals, preceded by Lammas and followed by Samhain.

Mabon was not an authentic ancient festival either in name or date. The autumn equinox was not celebrated in Celtic countries, while all that is known about Anglo-Saxon customs of that time was that September was known as haleg-monath or 'holy month'.

The name Mabon has only been applied to the neopagan festival of the autumn equinox very recently; the term was invented by Aidan Kelly in the 1970s as part of a religious studies project. (The use of Litha for the Summer Solstice is also attributed to Kelly).

Previously, in Gardnerian Wicca the festival was simply known as the 'Autumnal Equinox', and many neopagans still refer to it as such, or use alternative titles such as the neo-Druidical Aban Efed, a term invented by Iolo Morgannwg.

The name Mabon was chosen to impart a more authentic-sounding "Celtic" feel to the event, since all the other festivals either had names deriving from genuine tradition, or had had names grafted on to them. The Spring Equinox had already been misleadingly termed 'Ostara', and so only the Autumn Equinox was left with a technical rather than an evocative title. Accordingly, the name Mabon was given to it, having been drawn (seemingly at random) from Welsh mythology.

The use of the name Mabon is much more prevalent in America than Britain, where many neopagans are scornfully dismissive of it as a blatantly inauthentic practice. The increasing number of American Neopagan publications sold in Britain by such publishers as Llewellyn has however resulted in some British neopagans adopting the term.

The Druids call this celebration, Mea'n Fo'mhair, and honor the The Green Man, the God of the Forest, by offering libations to trees. Offerings of ciders, wines, herbs and fertilizer are appropriate at this time. Wiccans celebrate the aging Goddess as she passes from Mother to Crone, and her consort the God as he prepares for death and re-birth.

Various other names for this Lesser Wiccan Sabbat are The Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Alben Elfed (Caledonii), or Cornucopia. The Teutonic name, Winter Finding, spans a period of time from the Sabbat to Oct. 15th, Winter's Night, which is the Norse New Year.

At this festival it is appropriate to wear all of your finery and dine and celebrate in a lavish setting. It is the drawing to and of family as we prepare for the winding down of the year at Samhain. It is a time to finish old business as we ready for a period of rest, relaxation, and reflection.

Other names for this Lesser Wiccan Sabbat are The Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Alben Elfed (Caledonii), or Cornucopia. The Teutonic name, Winter Finding, spans a period of time from the Sabbat to Oct. 15th, Winter's Night, which is the Norse New Year.

Symbolism of Mabon:
Second Harvest, the Mysteries, Equality and Balance.

Symbols of Mabon:
wine, gourds, pine cones, acorns, grains, corn, apples, pomegranates, vines such as ivy, dried seeds, and horns of plenty.

Herbs of Mabon:
Acorn, benzoin, ferns, grains, honeysuckle, marigold, milkweed, myrrh, passion flower, rose, sage, solomon's seal, tobacco, thistle, and vegetables.

Foods of Mabon:
Breads, nuts, apples, pomegranates, and vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions.

Incense of Mabon:
Autumn Blend-benzoin, myrrh, and sage.

Colors of Mabon:
Red, orange, russet, maroon, brown, and gold.

Stones of Mabon:
Sapphire, lapis lazuli, and yellow agates.

Activities of Mabon:
Making wine, gathering dried herbs, plants, seeds and seed pods, walking in the woods, scattering offerings in harvested fields, offering libations to trees, adorning burial sites with leaves, acorns, and pine cones to honor those who have passed over.

Spellworkings of Mabon:
Protection, prosperity, security, and self-confidence. Also those of harmony and balance.

Deities of Mabon: Goddesses: Modron, Morgan, Epona, Persephone, Demeter, Pamona and the Muses. Gods: Thor, Toth, Hermes and the Green Man.

Mabon is considered a time of the mysteries. It is a time to honor Aging Deities and the Spirit World. Considered a time of balance, it is when we stop and relax and enjoy the fruits of our personal harvests, whether they be from toiling in our gardens, working at our jobs, raising our families, or just coping with the hussle-bussle of everyday life.

Treasures from the Dollarstore

Here are some cute little Hallowe'eny things I found while at the dollarstore. I would've gotten more, but time was against me.

The Seelie & Unseelie Courts

The Seelie Court is composed of different fairy creatures, all mainly benevolent, and with mostly beneficent intent towards humans. They are typically seen in the twilight or gloaming hour, and could be called upon for favors, which were granted if it suited them. Regardless, they are still prone to mostly harmless mischief, ad would be fairly quick to avenge any injury or insult. They were not above warning a human who might accidentally or unknowingly insult them, repaying human kindness with favors, or to occasionally seek help from humans.

The Unseelie Court was a wholly different aspect altogether. Usually, the fairies in the Unseelie Court came around only at night, and might attack a traveling as a troupe, or band. The Unseelie Court, unlike the Seelie Court, did not have to first be antagonised before they sought to punish humans. The majority if not all of the fairies in the Unseelie Court were malicious, and were known to be especially mischievous. They might as a group lead a traveler into getting lost, frighten cattle or eat them, destroy or cause defects in tools or machinery, among other various things.

**Credited to M. Mullins**

Wicca, Witchcraft or Paganism

I saw this on a Facebook fan page. I hope you like it, too:

Paganism is a Blanket Term

Wiccans and Pagans generally refer to most Wiccans and Pagans, with the acknowledgement that not all practices are identical. Not All Pagans are Wiccans there are many Witches who are not Wiccans. Some are Pagans, but some consider themselves something else entirely. It can be compared to a Christian as being a Lutheran, Catholic, or Mormon. Examples Pagan can be Wiccan, Asatru, Dianic, or Eclectic Witchcraft.

Not all people who practice craft are Wiccans, or even Pagans. There are a few witches who embrace the Christian god as well as a Wiccan goddess – the Christian Witch movement is alive and well! There are also people out there who practice Jewish mysticism, or "Jewitchery", and atheist witches who practice magic but do not follow a deity.

There are a number of people who consider themselves Witches, but who are not necessarily Wiccan or even Pagan. These are what is known as Eclectic Witches. Typically, Witchcraft is seen as a skill set in addition to or instead of a religious. A Witch may practice magic in a manner completely separate from their spirituality; in other words, one does not have to interact with the Divine to be a Witch.

Most witches do not embrace the concepts of sin, heaven or hell, the evils of sex or nudity, confession, Satanism, animal sacrifice, or the inferiority of women. Wicca is not a fashion statement, and you do not have to dress a certain way to be a witch!

My Witchy Candles

New Postings

Check out the Book of Shadows link. I added some new goodies!!

I Am A Witch

I am a witch.

I do not worship Satan; I am not interested in Satan.
I do NOT go to church on Sunday,
Nor do I have to enter any man made building to feel the presence of the Divine.

I am not afraid of going to Hell because
I don’t believe in Hell any more that I do Satan.

I believe in reincarnation. I believe I will continue to come back to this world or another until I have reached enlightenment and only then will I return to my Maker, to become one with the Universal Energy.

I am not evil.
Telling people that I am a “good witch” or asking me if I am a good witch implies that there are evil witches.
There are evil people who chose to hurt others through their action, those people are NOT witches.

The central law of being a witch is:
“An It Harm None, Do What Ye Will."

Please don’t ask be about sacrificing cats or eating children. Such an idea is foul and disgusting. I love my animals as part of my family, and have respect and reverence for all living things from the herb garden in my back yard to the neighbor next door.

Don’t ask me about desecrating Churches. As I don’t go into churches or synagogues unless a friend from that religion invites me to a special occasion. And if I DO enter a church, I am not struck by lightening. And if a Christian, Jew or Buddhist came to a pagan ritual, our Gods would not strike them dead either.

Isn’t that something to think about?

Wearing a Pentagram is no different than wearing a Cross, Crucifix or Star of David. If you want me to take off the symbol of MY religion (and Wicca is a religion, protected by the same First Amendment rights as other religions) because it’s offensive, you need to make everyone of every religion do the same. The five points of the star signify the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water, and the fifth point is Spirit. This star is then encircled by the Divine, which holds us all together. How that can offend anyone boggles my little pagan mind?

Also don’t ask me if I’m in a “coven” in that half-horrified, half-fascinated tone of voice. If I want to talk about my coven, I will bring it up. If I am a solitary practitioner, I have no coven to discuss. In any case, our rituals or “spells” are merely prayers to our Maker. They involve candles, poetry, food, and drink. We do rituals for healing, love, prosperity and protection. We honor the cycles of the moon, and the changing of the seasons.

We have eight holidays in which we celebrate:
Samhain (Halloween) is the day to remember those who have passed away.
Yule (Winter Solstice) When the Days get longer and the earth is deep in slumber.
Imbolc (Feb 2) When the first signs of spring appear, when new animals are born.
Ostra(Spring Exuinox) When spring has sprung and we have planted our crops.
Beltane (May 1) This is a time of love, and marriage.
Midsummer (Summer Solstice) When the days become shorter and the crops are in full bloom.
Lammas (Aug 2) When we give thanks for the first harvest of the year.
Mabon (Autumn Exuinox) When we give thanks for the big harvest of the year.

I do NOT drink blood. First off that is very unsanitary, secondly I’m not some kind of vampire. I wear black because it keeps away negativity and because it looks better on me than orange and purple polka dots. I do NOT fly around on a broom, although with climbing gas prices wouldn’t it be nice.

If you do want to ask me something related to MY religion, ask me when the next Full Moon is, or the next Blue Moon, or what a Blue Moon IS. Ask me about herbs and crystals.

Yes I would love to visit Salem Massachusetts, but not because any of those poor executed people were witches (I think the jury is still out on some of them), but because there are cool pagan shops there. If there were cool pagan shops in a town called East Cowflop, I’d go there.

Please DO NOT try to make me ashamed of who I worship or what I am. Please don’t try to convert or “save” me. Don’t throw holy water on me or wave a cross at me. Don’t leave little pamphlets on my desk or windshield. I don’t need to be saved. Witches are proud of the fact that we don’t recruit people into our religion. So I will NEVER leave a religious tract with anyone. I don’t have one, unless you count this And I am NOT asking for you to convert by handing you this letter, I am only asking that you understand. And if you don’t want to understand, then just leave me alone.

13 Virtues of A Witch

1. Tolerance: The idea of this virtue is to be able to be fair and broad-minded. There may be people you don't like in this world but at least if you
can tolerate them you will not end up hating people, or judging them
unfairly. To be able to tolerate something means that it won't bother
you. Silly unimportant things in life won't stress you out as you
will be able to accept that people do things differently or sometimes
things just happen.

2. Charity: The ability to give to those less fortunate then you shows two
things. One that you realize your life is not as bad as you may
think. You can recognize the good things you have and the fortunes
you hold. Two you will be able climb the spiritual ladder, knowing
that you can think of others and help them when possible. Being
charitable eliminates being selfish, which only serves to make you
bitter, twisted and unpopular.

3. Humility: To be able to see when you are wrong helps you to build yourself a better character. To see your own faults will allow you to realize
that you are not perfect and therefore not expected to get everything
right. Humility helps us to be modest, to see that we are no better
than anyone else and to be able to accept other people's help when we
need it.

4. Devotion: Devotion allows you to commit to something fully. Devoting yourself to things you believe in gives your life a purpose and meaning. By
devoting yourself to a religion you take on a set of guidelines to
follow that help you live as a moral and decent person that you can
be comfortable with. Devoting yourself to your kids allows you to be
happy in knowing that you have brought them up well and done the best
you can. Devotion to anything will give you a sense of
satisfaction. Your life wont be meaningless as you will have
achieved things that were important to you.

5. Patience: Patience allows you to see the best of things. If you are patient
enough to see a task through to the end you will reap the rewards.
If you are patient enough to work with handicapped kids you will see
the real people in the shells that are often neglected and ignored.
If you are patient enough to hear someone out you may be surprised at
what you learn. If you can be patient you will never miss out on
anything that others may give up on. Patience brings infinite
rewards at very little cost, all you have to do is be able to wait
for the end of a situation.

6. Kindliness: To be able to be kind, considerate, gentle and sympathetic make you all the more attractive. No matter what people will be able to
approach you and you will be able to handle any given situation.
People wont fear you or fear what you will say to them. Filling
yourself with love of this sort will attract the same sort of love
back to you. A person full of kindliness cannot be judged wrongly
for all people will be bale to see is the good in you.

7. Forbearance: Forbearance is the ability to have self-control. There will be times when you want to scream and shout but you need to be able to refrain
from saying anything you may regret. Think things through properly
or you could end up in trouble. Forbearance allows you to wait for
the right moment so that you can sort things out calmly.

8. Sincerity: Sincerity is a virtue that people cannot help but respect. A sincere person acts honestly and without falseness. To act with sincerity
means you wont have to pretend to like something or someone. It does
not mean that you can go around shooting your mouth off or hurting
others feelings; you still have to exercise restraint and diplomacy.
However people will not doubt tings you say if you act with sincerity
at all times. People will know that you are genuine.

9. Courage: Courage in this instance does not mean running off to fight wild
animals or defeat monsters. Courage can be as little as facing a
situation that you have been putting off for a while. To have
courage is to be able to go through life knowing that you did what
you had to do no matter what the cost. Courage enables us all to
face the hard times in life in order to receive the rewards and
benefits on the other side.

10. Precision: To act with precision is to act carefully and with clarity.
Precision allows us to avoid confusion and mistakes and to achieve
the best in any given situation. A precise person will be able to go
about life in an orderly fashion, not getting caught up in tasks that
are unimportant. Precision allows us to know what we want and how
to go about getting it therefore increasing our chance of
achievement.

11. Efficiency: Efficiency allows us to do our best in anything we set out to do. It helps us lead more organized lives. Efficiency is the ability to do
something well and only using the amount of time and energy that is
needed. Being efficient is being able to work quickly and effectively
in an organized way, therefore allowing more time for other
activities in your life.

12. Discrimination: This is not discrimination against certain types of people. This is the ability to see the differences between two actions, two people,
two situations etc. Discrimination helps us think through all
possibilities and decide which is the best course of action. It
allows us to choose the best person for a job or the best object to
be used. It even means being able to discriminate between good and
bad. A person who has good discrimination will be able to see both
sides of everything and work from there. Their judgments will be
fair and based on facts as well as common sense.

13.Wisdom: Wisdom has nothing to do with education. You cannot judge people's
wisdom by how far in school they did or didn't get. Wisdom comes
from life experience. It is the best tool for giving people good
advice and helping them out of tricky situations. Wisdom is the
ability to see what is for the best and when or when not to act.

My Pagan Wishlist

As I receive the items on this list, I will check them off:

• A larger cauldron, so I don't burn myself anymore.


• A wand, preferably made out of Rowan, but if not, that's ok.


• A censor.


• A Boline, to assist with magickal workings.


• More candles, a witch can never have enough.


• A mortar & pestle, so I can make my own insense, grind herbs, etc.


• A Goddess/God statue for my altar.


• Some pretty fabric to make new altar cloths.


• Books on the Craft, I can never stop learning.


• A candle snuffer.


• Runes, I've always wanted to learn them.


• Some more crystals, like candles, I can never have enough.


• Some essential oils & herbs


• A chrystal ball for scrying

Mabon Video

Another Chant I found

Ok, I've been on a chant-kick lately. Here's another one I found while surfing YouTube. Enjoy :))

My Weird Dream From the Full Moon

This is my dream I had early this morning after I fell back to sleep. I wrote it in my dream journal as soon as I woke up.

In my dream, I was walking with Mark on a sunny afternoon next to a lake in the city (this lake has been in other dreams, too). The sidewalk was on the right side of the lake as we walked in a eastward direction (the sun was at our backs). It was a nice walk, Mark was being his usual inquisitive self. We came upon a non-descript beige house. There was nothing fancy about it except its front steps. There were 6 steps leading up to a landing & 6 steps down the other side, like a pyramid. In front of the steps, there was a stone walkway shaped like a C. I noticed some Pagan-type house decorations near the house. I took Mark & we went up to the front door. We were greeted by a woman who has light brown hair, either pulled back or short, who was about my age. I told her I liked her house decorations. She smiled & showed me what else she had. Mark went outside to play.

She did introduce herself to me, but I can't remember her name. I said that she reminded me of a girl I knew in school back in Truro. She said she was from Truro, too, but I didn't know her. Her house was full of mystical things: books, artwork, jewellry she made. We sat down at a huge round wooden table with a floral centerpiece. There was a slightly older couple sitting waiting for me. The woman was in her mid-forties with shoulder length blonde hair, dressed in a simple dress with little pastel flowers on it. The man seated next to her had dark hair thinning on top, dressed in a light blue crew neck sweater, they all looked very suburban.

We talked around the table, drinking tea. The man smiled & listened mostly. The brunette woman sat to my right, the blonde across from me & the man to my left. The brunette took my hand & told me that I come from a very magical line of people. It skipped a generation or 2, but I am definitely one, as well as Mark. The the blonde said something strange. She told me that my family knows about me being a witch (still in the closet, btw), that my older brother told them his suspicions. **NOTE: I was asked by my father back in the early spring when my brother started saying stuff about me. My "friend" told me that her 2 Elders of the Craft told her my mom went snooping in my stuff when she came for a visit shortly after, this was when I had to pick Mark up from school & left her alone in my apt. I had moved my stuff to another hiding spot before she came, not where these 2 "Elders" said she snooped.**

They also said something about a mark on my right eye, something like a magical mark (???). I didn't understand that, but then I woke up when I felt Mark crawling into bed with me, so I couldn't ask them what they meant. I don't know who these people were, if they are my spirit guides, Deities, or what. Any thoughts??

The Full Corn Moon

Like the fruits of the vine, lives too can change & ferment. As you gather the late fruit harvest of your labour, give thanks for the sweetness of life. From such sweetness comes pleasure & treats, but also fermentation and "spirits". Celebrate the ever-changing nature of life, dreams,& goals as you toast the sacred ingredients-friends, family & familiars-their loving friendships that mellow & ferment you. Honour Dionysus god of wine & ecstasy. Invoke the balance of the light & dark, and evaluate the balance within your life. As you prepare for the growing darkness, readying yourself to move within, clean & declutter yourself physically, mentally, emotionally & spiritually. Balance will bring you steady footing throughout the challenging journey ahead.

**Borrowed form Llewellyn's Witches' Datebook 2009**

Honey Cake recipe for the Esbat

I found this on this site: http://everything2.com/title/Welsh+honey+cakes I'm going to make them tomorrow when I get home from work.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) honey
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• sugar
• a little milk

Directions:

Sieve together the flour, cinnamon, and baking soda. Cream the butter and sugar in another bowl. Separate the egg and add the yolk to the butter/sugar mix (reserving the white). Add the honey gradually and mix thoroughly, then mix in the flour mixture with a little bit of milk so that the batter is stirrable but thick. Whisk the egg white into a stiff froth and fold it into the batter. Half fill muffin tins with the mix. Sprinkle a little sugar on the tops. Bake at 425º F for 12-15 minutes, longer if needed to be cooked through.

Yield: 12 muffin-like cakes

Some More Chants I Found

A Smile for You

I got this off a discussion board on Facebook:

A Letter From A Third Grade Teacher Sent Home To Pagan Parents

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Thomas,

I write this letter in concern of your daughter, Aradia Moon. Please don't take this the wrong way, however, although she is a straight A student and a very bright child, she has some strange habits that I feel we should address.

Every morning before class, she insists on walking around the room with her pencil in the air. She says she is "drawing down the moon." I told her art class is in an hour and to please refrain until then to do any drawing.

And speaking of art class, whenever she draws a night sky, she insists on drawing little circles around all the stars and people dancing on the ground. And that brings up dancing, I had to stop her twice for taking off her clothes during a game of Ring Around the Rosey! By the way, what does "skyclad" mean?

Aradia has no problem with making friends. I always find her sitting outside during recess with her friends sitting around her in a circle. She likes to share her juice and cookies. It is nice how she wants no one to ever thirst or hunger. However, when I walked over to see what they were doing, she jumped up and told me to stop, pulled out a little plastic knife and started waiving it in front of me. I thought this a bit dangerous, so I took her to the Principal's Office. She explained to the Principal that she was "opening the circle" to let me in. She also said that her Mommy and Daddy always told her not to play or run with an "athame" in her hand, that she could put someone's eye out. I don't know what an "athame" is, but I'm glad she keeps it at home.

As for stories, your daughter tends to make up some whoppers. Just yesterday while I was talking sternly to Tommy Johson and shaking my finger at him, he started screaming and ran from the room. When I finally caught him, he told me Aradia told him and the rest of the class that the last time I shook my finger at someone, they caught the chicken pox. I explained to him that the Sally Jones incident was just a coincidence, and that things like that don't really happen.

One of the strangest things that happened was when I asked the children to bring in Halloween decorations for the classroom. Aradia brought in salt, incense, and her family album. I see she has quite a sense of humour.

One of Aradia's worst habits is that she is very argumentative. We were discussing what the Golden Rule was (Do Unto Others as you would have them Do Unto You), she firmly disagreed with me and stated that it was "Do As you Will, but Harm None" and she will not stop saying "So Mote It Be" after she reads aloud in class. I try to correct her on these matters and she got very angry. She pointed her finger at me and mumbled something under her breath.

In closing, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas, I would like to set up a parent/teacher conference with you sometime next week to discuss these matters. I would like to see you sooner, but I have developed an irritating rash that I am quite worried about.

With deep concerns,
Mrs. Livingston

P.S. Blessed Be. I understand this is a greeting or closing from your country that your daughter informs me is polite and correct.

Homemade Apple Crisp

This a recipe my Gram used to make every fall.

Pre-heat the oven to 350

Mix together:
1C all purpose flour
1C rolled oats
1C lightly packed brown sugar
1tsp cinnamon

Cut in:
1/2C butter (or margarine)

Set aside

Wash, peel & slice apples to make 4C

Mix about 1/4 of the crumb mixture with the apples & spread in a buttered 8"X12" baking dish. Cover with remaining crumbs & pat down slightly.

Bake in preheated 350 oven for 35-40 minutes or until apples are tender.

Serve hot or cold, with your choice of ice cream (I like French Vanilla on mine)

Makes 6-8 servings

Introduction to Pagan paths

So, I went to my class last night at Little Mysteries. It was just a one-class only thing, talking about the various paths there are in Paganism. It started at around 6pm and got over with close to 8pm. So, with saying that there wasn't a whole lot of time going through the different types of Pagan beliefs (Wicca, Druidry, Heathenism, etc).

It was pretty much about the commonalities they all have with being under such an umbrella term. I do think Vanessa, who was teaching the class, is Wiccan, I say that because she always used it as her examples and she kept going back to the Wiccan Rede as a standard code of ethics for Pagans. She did say, however, that not all the various beliefs out there necessarily go word-for-word of the Rede, but use something like it in their belief system.

We went through the Wheel of the Year, briefly explaining what each Sabbat was. The differences between the manifestations of Deity -Dualistic, Polytheistic, Animistic and a little on magic. She talked about prayer to the Deities as a form of magic, something like how some Christians pray to a saint for something. We also did a group meditation near the end of the class, it was a grounding meditation, quite relaxing, even though the remnants of incense still hung in the air from when the shop was open.

People asked about how to get in touch with Pagans in the community, she listed a few places. I've tried those places & I have yet to connect really with some Pagans. I do try to go to some monthly meetings with the NSPA, but I never get anything out of them, it's usually a discussion on environmental issues, making plans/topics for upcoming meetings, and it's usually the same group of 6 that are there and they are a lot younger than myself (college-age). I go feeling optimistic, but leave empty. But I digress on that.