Podcasts Galore!!

My poor iPod is been being filled up lately. Not with music (although I still have a few playlists that I frequently listen to), but with Pagan, witchy podcasts. I was looking to see what is out there in the land of Pagan podcasts, as I was getting a little bored with the ones I was listening to or they weren't recording anything new in a long while. I came across this really great one that I just adore! It's called New World Witchery and it's all about being a witch in America with the culture & beliefs that we have over here. They do talk a lot about folk magic, Hoodoo & conjure, as the 2 hosts, Cory & Liane, are from Tennessee. They both have backgrounds in BTW but felt that they didn't connect with it, but felt a pull from their own backyard in the Ozarks and southern magic. I'm not from the South, but it does hold a lot of mystery to me and I do find it interesting to learn about. I've even made a few mojo bags this week for personal purposes, complete with red flannel and herbs that I had to order off Lucky Mojo Curio (as they weren't avail around here). So, thus begins my rookie attempts at Rootworking.

Another podcast I've been listening to is called Inciting A Riot. Fire Lyte is hilarious, as well as very informative about current events and how they affect us Pagans. His most recent posting on his blog (of the same name) slams Christian Day and the Salem witches for being media whores in the wake of Charlie Sheen's rants about being a warlock. I saw the news videos and the YouTube video posted of their "ritual" I totally agree with him for labeling them media whores and making non-Pagans think we're a bunch of Goth, vampire wannabes practicing magic.

A list of my podcasts I am listening to is on the right side column under the labels cloud. Check them out, they're really good and very informative.

~Rowan
)O(

Springtime!!!

Well, the snow is melting and the air is starting to get warmer and next weekend the time moves forward an hour. That must mean spring must be around the corner. Now, as much as I love winter with all the snow, I think I'm finally ready to put away the snowboots & heavy coats and bring out the rainboots & lighter coats. When out shopping this weeeknd past, the stores were all full of new spring merchandise, from lawnmowers, to backyard furniture and gardening supplies. I came home and weeded my old planters that were out during the winter and pulling out the old dead plant roots, to get them ready for when I get new plants this spring. I also did the same for my poor neglected indoor planters that used to house my herbs. I am very guilty of letting them go this winter as I was pre-occupied with other things.

So, in honour of the coming season, I changed up my gloomy old blog with a fresh new background. I'm not used to 3 column layouts and I had to adjust some of my widgets to accommodate this change. I searched the land of Google for something that was bright, colorful and pretty. Et Voila!! This is what I found. I like it, I can see little Pagan things in the little window (a hare, eggs, etc)

A Leave of Absence

Ok, I know that I haven't posted in a long time. There is a reason for this. As the recession hits the hair industry, I got behind on some bills and since internet is a luxury in my household, I lost it about 3 wks ago. I went through withdrawals, but now I am ok without not having it. I think I was spending too much time on it anyway.

There have been a lot of changes to my life in recent weeks with losing employment, to hunting for a new position to myself working on my spellcrafting. I have been preparing myself for a job-hunting spell, as well as getting things ready for my self-dedicating ritual I plan on doing very soon. I have been making new friends and connecting with old friends and whittling down my Facebook. I've been out & about with enthusiasm and learning new things/hobbies in my craft.

I will be posting as soon as I get the internet bill paid & start working. For now, I'll be utilizing the neighbourhood library for my internet fix.

Blessings to you all,

Rowan
)O(

Cheap & Easy Samhain Decorations

Ok, I'm on a tight budget this year & can't spend a whole lot on Samhain decorations. I've been decorating my home, as well as my workplace. I've been re-using stuff from years gone by and I also came up with some new ideas from things around my house. For instance, you can take an ordinary black garbage bag and make a spooky entrance to you home (mine is on my patio).

Laying out a garbage bag with the open end facing you, cut into strips about 1" in width, without cutting all the way through to the other end. Leave about 1" at the top, as this is what holds it all together. When all the strips are cut, cut along both closed sides of the bag and along the top where the bag is joined. Pull & stretch the strips at varying lengths (careful not to stretch too much). Now this is ready to hang in your home or outside on a porch/patio.



Another thing I make is kitchen-catcher ghosts. These are made from those small Glad kitchen catcher garbage bags. I stuff the bag with crumpled up newspaper, about 1/4 the way up in the bag. Tie it off with some string. Then draw a spooky face on the front and cut strips down the length of the body. You can hang these on trees, from you patio railing, inside from the ceiling, etc. It's way cheaper than buying those ghosts at the store when you already have these in your kitchen drawers.

Here's something new for me this year. Get an old pair of white pantyhose, stuff it with a paper ball in the toe part. Drop in plastic spiders, cut to a desired length and hang from anywhere in the house. This looks like a huge spider's nest hanging around. Kinda gross. You can also make your own silhouettes for your windows. If you don't have any black bristol board, construction paper, use a black garbage bag. Tape the bag taut on a table, so it won't slip around on you. Use a spooky template or draw freehand a design. Using an Xacto knife, cut out the pattern and tape it to your window. For an extra creepy effect, use some green tissue paper as a backdrop. Just cover the whole window with it and voila!! Instant decoration.

These are some of the ideas I used this year to make Samhain a bit more "festive" in a sombre way. Happy decorating!!

Correspondences for Samhain

Symbolism: Third Harvest, wisdom of the Crone, death of the God, reflection on our place in the Wheel of the Year, New Year, reincarnation, the dark mysteries, Rebirth after Death.

Foods: turnips, apples, nuts, beef, pork, poultry, gingerbread.

Drinks: Mead, apple cider, mulled cider, mulled wines.

Herbs: Angelica, burdock, catnip, pennyroyal, rosemary, rue, sunflower, sage, thyme, wild ginseng, tarragon, mugwort.

Flowers: Calendula, chrysanthemum, cosmos, marigold.

Trees: Acacia, apple, cypress, hazel, hemlock, yew.

Incenses and oils: Bay, cedar, clove, copal, coriander, cypress, eucalyptus, frankincense, heather, mugwort, myrrh, patchouli, peppermint, sage, sandalwood, vetiver, wormwood.

Colors: Black, brown, orange.

Stones: Amber, beryl, bloodstone, carnelian, clear quartz, diamond, garnet, gold, granite, hematite, jasper, jet, marble, obsidian, opal, pyrite, rose sapphire, ruby, sandstone, smoky quartz, steel, tourmaline, turquoise.

Animals: Stag, jackal, cat, bat, ram, scorpion, heron, crow, robin.

Mythical creatures: Goblins, harpies.

Some appropriate Gods: all Death, Underworld, and aged Gods; Am-Heh (Egyptian), Anubis (Egyptian), Arawn (Welsh), Cernunnos (Celtic), Dis (Roman), Hades (Greek), Heimdahl (Norse), Herne (English), The Horned God (European), Kronos (Greek), Loki (Norse), Nefertum (Egyptian), Odin (Norse), Osiris (Egyptian), Pluto (Greco-Roman)

Some appropriate Goddesses: all Crone and Underworld Goddesses; Arachne (Greek), Aradia (Italian), Babd (Irish), Cerridwen (Welsh), Elli (Teutonic), Ereshkigal (Assyro-Babylonian), Eris (Greek), The Fates/Moerae (Greek), Fortuna (Roman), Freya/Frigg (Norse), Hecate (Greek), Hel (Teutonic), Inanna (Sumerian), Ishtar (Babylonian), Macha (Irish), Mari (Basque), Morrigan (Celtic), Nephthys (Egyptian), Nicneven (Scottish), Persephone (Greek), Psyche (Greek), Proserpina (Roman), Rhiannon (Welsh)

Decorations: Autumn leaves, fall flowers, pomegranates, apples, pumpkins, ears of corn, sprays of grain, corn dollies, gourds, nuts, seeds.

Traditional activities: divination, drying winter herbs, feasting and partying to defy the coming darkness (bob for apples, roast nuts, pop popcorn), Witches' Ball.

Spell/ritual work: astral projection, past life recall, Dark Moon mysteries, mirror spells, scrying, protection, inner work, clearing obstacles, transition, culmination, transformation. Releasing bad habits and toxic relationships, illness, failure and poverty; everything you do not want to carry into the new year.

Apples On A String...In this Case, Dental Floss

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to go to a local Mabon Ritual in Point Pleasant Park. It was a beautiful autumn day, the sun was shining, the air was warm, the sky clear. I arrived at the park an hour before the time scheduled, so I could go to my favorite little place where I like to be still with my thoughts. I saw a couple of birds splashing in the cool water a few feet away from me. I could feel the magic in the air already, I knew that this day was going to be special.

I had prepared earlier that day by making homemade mac & cheese for the potluck, some loaves of bread and getting things in order. I slipped into the bath for a ritual bath with some scented water, while my son played his math game on the computer. I did a meditation and asked the Goddess for a blessing. I was told that today I was going to meet some who would have an effect on me. With this is mind, I set out for the park with Heather Alexander on my iPod and a good book to read on the bus.

About the time when the ritual was set to start, no one was where I was waiting. Did I go to the wrong place in the park?? It seemed so, I looked on a map and saw that I needed to go to the other side of the park to get to the rit on time. It's a fact in the Pagan community that nothing really starts on time, but I still don't like to be late for anything. So, I hustled my butt across the park, uphill carrying my food. I finally found where I was to go, thanks to a couple dressed in their robes setting up the ritual space. I went over to a picnic table and set down my food and sat down where a friend offered me a bottle of water. I was kinda sweaty & out of breath from rushing to get there.

After a bit, we got things rolling by casting the circle, whilst chanting. This was a different take on the ritual as it was a Dionysian type ritual. At one point after hearing the story of Pomona, we all were given an apple half with a coin (wrapped in saran wrap) pushed inside the core, hanging by a thread. We had to try to get the coin out of out neighbor's apple with as few bites as possible, taking turns. What a way to get to know the person standing next to you...mine just happened to be the guy I was on a blind date with.

After the ritual ended, we all sat down to where ever there was a spot free to eat all the delicious food from Earth's bounty (or the local grocery store). There were meats, cheeses, breads, hummous, corn bread, etc. This was a feast!! For the desserts there were apple crisp, cinnamon rolls, cake, apples, etc. My poor stomach was not a huge as my eyes, but I tried a bit of everything.

The people at the ritual were very nice, and someone from my facebook came over to talk to me. She was cool, we shared a few laughs while we ate. Talked about the joys of dating again, in front of my blind date. I just hope he didn't feel awkward about out discussion. I don't think he did, as he was putting his 2 cents in, too. So, overall, I had a great day at the ritual, learned some new things, met some cool people (blind date incl) and lots of laughs (even during the ritual).

~Rowan

Mabon

Ok, so I have been thinking a lot about what I am going to do this year for Mabon. I may be going to a public ritual this Saturday, if I can get my son's father to look after him for a little bit while I go do this. I usually don't do the whole public ritual thing, as I usually practice solitary, but I think it would be interesting to see how others celebrate the harvest (this is the 2nd harvest celebration on the Wheel). I was at the location the other night, a bit breezy with wind coming off the water, hoping my new robe I made won't get lit up ☺

I have also been invited to a little ritual on the day of the actual Sabbat, next Thursday, with a few friends. Not sure if I can make it. I would like to go, but I still have my son with me. It also is a full moon that evening and I have some things I need to do, that I usually do solitary when I combine Sabbat rites with Esbats. Just a little dilemma for me. Don't get me wrong, I love being with friends, but I am a little self-conscious about how I do my thing. I know, get over it, right?? This is something I am trying to do. Under my skin is still a shy person lurking.

The Burning Times Documentary

Ok, last night I was a little bored, so I started surfing around on YouTube. I found a 6-part documentary from the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). Looks like it was made in the 80's or the early 90's. I thought that I would share this with you all. The beautiful music is performed by Canada's own, Loreena McKennitt. Enjoy!!

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4


Part 5


Part 6

Enhancements or Fluff??

NOTE: This is my opinion, not the way it should be. If you get offended, this is an opinion only.

I've been on this Pagan journey for the better part of 18 yrs, while actively practicing for the past 4. Back when I was in college & exploring this path, I became enthralled with it. The mythologies, Deities, pantheons resonated with me on a level I never knew in my strict Anglican upbringing. I eagerly gobbled up what I could find on the Old Ways. In my naivete, I read books by less-than-stellar authors ($RW, for example) and in those early days of the internet, whatever I could find on the slow dial-up at the library.

There was a few things that I couldn't grasp in Paganism. Why was everyone so eager to jump on the crystal bandwagon?? When I look back to history and how the cunningfolk did things, they used what was around them: plants, kitchen implements, etc I don't think that they had access to crystals, like we do today and the means to extract crystals from the Earth is a harmful method. Why should we do harm to the Earth in order to aide on our path? Seems pointless to me. During the 20th century it has crept into Paganism from the New Agers. I do understand that there is a fine line between Neo-Paganism & the New Age movement, even books on Paganism are found in the New Age section in bookstores. Even in the Pagan bookstores, there is a huge crystal section. I try to honor the Deities with how I live, I am not be a person who has to do a ritual for everything or for every Esbat & Sabbat, but I do things that I feel are right for me.

I've tried to read books on crystals & their properties, what their correspondences are, which Diety they go with, but I never "got it" It never made sense to me. I know that to a lot of you, having a quartz or a piece of selenite as part of your workings works for you and that's great if it does. To me, they look pretty on an altar. I have tried working with crystals, but there was no spiritual connection there for me. So are crystals an enhancement to your practice, or something that was read in a book suggesting that you use them?

Ok, if that didn't squish your toes enough, how about Reiki. I see a lot of people using this form of Japanese healing to go along with their Pagan path. Reiki is great, I've tried it, very relaxing and refreshing to the energy field. But, along with crystals, it became popular with the whole New Age movement, where bodily energy fields became the "thing" to work with. I do know that in the Craft, we work with energy fields, but did the cunningwoman use a form of "laying on of hands" (to borrow a Christian term) to help those in need of her wisdom? I see that she may have used the herbs & plants around her to help with her workings/healings. Magic is working with the energies around us for a multitude of things. Reiki is a relaxation technique that also promotes healing. It was developed in 1922 by a Japanese Buddhist and is used by a multitude of Pagans, but is not Pagan in origin, nor is it an ancient practice. So, I ask my question again, is this an enhancement to the Craft or just more New Age fluff that is making its way into Paganism? I find a lot of Pagans using things to enhance their path, but I wonder if this due to the large influence the New Age movement of the past century had on modern Paganism. Besides crystals, I have heard of the use of pyramids to keep one centered, the idea of people being defined as Indigo, Crystal & Rainbow, to use as some examples.

I was asked why I am against Paganism & Wicca. I'm not against Paganism, just the fact that it has gotten away from its roots. I'm also not against Wicca, just I have issues with Gardner & his thievery of other Hermetic orders to come up with a religion that is as rigid as some Christian faiths. As I stated at the start of this posting, this is my opinion and not the way it has to be, I may have stepped on toes, I may even have offended some, but I see no use for New Age things in my beliefs. I come to honor the Deities, live in harmony with Mother Gaia and I don't need pretty colored rocks to aid me or someone to place their hands in my energy to heal me. Does that make me cynical? Perhaps, but I like to think of it as getting back to the good old days of being Pagan, which a lot of us have forgotten to do.

Lammas or Lughnasadh

This festival celebrates ultimate sacrifice. The Goddess gives all of her energy, all of her life, so that the children are fed. The date is August 1, when the Sun is in Leo and the days have begun to shorten. Lammas is a major festival and is celebrated mid afternoon.

The Festival

The world has subtly changed since the verdant climax of Midsummer. At the roadside, the grass is going to seed and no longer looks green. This very thing is happening to many plants, and the colours are changing to beige and yellow and brown. The Goddess is giving us her first fruits, the first harvest of the Year. And at the same time she is still working, working hard and using her amazing energy to ripen the fruit. She surrenders herself to us at this time. And we honour her for it.

Witches and Pagans honour the self-sacrifice of the God, who is the corn. He sacrifices himself in the harvest for the good of the people. That is why very often a loaf of bread plays an important part in the Lammas ritual. The word Lammas also means 'loaf mass'. To me, the corn grows out of the body of the Goddess. She is the Earth and what grows on it.

A Lammas Ritual

Lammas corresponds to the South Western point of the Circle, and that is where I place my altar. On it are symbols for each of the Elements. The focus of the magic is the Lammas loaf this time, and I place it at the centre of the Circle. I cast the circle and invoke Brigit, the nurturing Grandmother for the first time.

My rituals have changed over the last few Moons, turned upside down. I don't raise power straight away, but do the divination for the coming season first. My question is: 'What does the Earth need from me this season?' I have often felt that my magic and my work is too self-centered, and that it is time for me to start working for the outside world. I am convinced that my healing will come if I work to heal the world - or at least my corner of it. I want to give my abundance to the world, like Brigit does.

The answer to my question consists of three qualities I have to work on this season. I go deep inside in meditation and find those virtues within myself (after all, we all already have all that we need present within ourselves). I call upon the spirits present to help me find these qualities.

When I have found them, I raise their energy with a dance and a chant. I direct it into the bread at the centre of the Circle. I then cut a slice of wonderfully crusty bread from the loaf and eat it, taking the qualities I have invoked inside me. I also crumble some bread to scatter in the four directions later, so that this energy is spread into the world.

Then it is time to celebrate, with some more bread and some beer. Beer seems like a more appropriate drink at this festival of the corn. Thanking Brigit, the generous one, I open the Circle. I take my positive energy out into the world with me.

*Note: I got this off a site, but I forget which one. If this is yours, I need the correct URL for proper credit to you.

A "New" Video To Share

Found a link to this on Facebook, thought it was interesting that a Christian minister finds nothing wrong with Witchcraft in her parish. The lady in the giftshop, she's another story.

Welcome Spring!!

Well, it's almost here. That time of year when the Earth wakes up from it's winter slumber to bring forth new life. It's also my 1 year anniversary blogging...Yay!! Time does fly by when you're having fun.

I've been busy lately, now that my cold is history, I've been out hitting the streets looking for work and I may have found the perfect job for me. It's in a cute little salon dwntwn, I can set my own hours (perfect for a single working mom as myself), the boss seems really cool and it's mucho busy. ☺

My little salt dough crafts that I made in my last posting are just waiting to be painted now. It took a bit to get them completely dry, and I haven't had the time to paint them yet. I know, I'm procrastinating, a nasty habit I picked up while unemployed. Can I use the Olympics as my excuse?? I was hooked on them as my Team Canada outdid themselves.

So, I haven't forgot all about my little blog, winter brought out the blahs in me and there really wasn't a whole lot to write about, but as I see the sun hanging around a bit longer each night, robins flying in the trees, hints of green in the grass, snow melted away,I will feel more inspired to blog more often.

Love & Light,
Rowan
)O(

Oh, The Wheel, It Is A Turnin'

I'm always trying to be aware of the Wheel as we go through the year. I really noticed how much it's turning this winter. Is it me, or is it moving along faster?? I always pick up my son from his after school program at 4:30pm everyday. He used to hate it when I would come and the sky would be dark. This was December til mid-January. I noticed today when I picked him up that it was still daylight, not daylight where the sun will be gone by the time we get home daylight. That was a little over an hour ago and now I see the streetlights starting to come on. Pardon the cliche to my favourite books, but it's now Twilight time. That magical time between day & night when things are slowing down (except rush hour traffic), that shift in the day that I love. This is how I know the Wheel is a turnin'. We may be in the middle of winter, the snow is piled on the ground and we still have 5 more weeks of winter til Ostara.

Yes, I have changed the background of my blog. I chose a cliche Valentine's theme and I made another little Valentine's slideshow in the upper right corner. Included with that are pictures of Cupid/Eros and his mother, Venus/Aphrodite. Something seasonal for you all to enjoy. ♥

I am still addicted to my little game over on Facebook, YoVille. My avatar has a new house, a treehouse, that I have been busy decorating. I recently found out that the mystery bookcase is actually a secret library. I turned that into a Ritual room, complete with a virtual altar, with lots of candles and a bubbling cauldron in the middle of the room. I have plants everywhere in my little virtual house. Hey, if I'm lousy growing plants in RL, YoVille is making me a Queen of Green Thumbs. I even have an indoor garden room, complete with a babbling brook.

Ok, too much talk of my game, but I am in a club called, the Goddess Sanctuary. We get together and have discussions, swap items and share our witchy ways with each other. It is fun to be a part of an online community that doesn't attack you if they don't agree with what you have to say or ask. I find that with a number of fb groups (P&W). Anyway, I digress again.

I had a quiet Imbolg last week. I did a very small ritual and made a petition to Bridghid in my quest for a job. I had a job interview that day and I am waiting to hear back from them. 2 months of unemployment is driving me crazy. I am lucky to have been able to do a few haircuts at home for some friends (thanks, Lisa & Karen) but I miss working in a salon with others, sharing some laughs, helping each other with things and clients. I hope I get this job. My fingers are starting to cramp from all this finger-crossing I've been doing.

Well, this is what's been going on with me. I am going to try to be more diligent with blogging, but there are times when I don't feel inspired to blog. I hope you can all understand...maybe it is the winter. I'm going tomorrow to get some tanning sessions, anything to ward off SAD, which this year, I am again unaffected. No depression for me this year (YAY!!) but I am a little tired of looking at my pastiness. A good base for this summer, cause, if I'm going to be working, I won't be outside.

Blessings to you all,
Rowan
)O(

Women of Witchcraft Tribute

Saw this on my friend, Sandy's profile. Thought I'd share it with you. Enjoy:

Imbolg Incense

For thousands of years, we've been burning dried plants and berries in our homes or outside, as part of ritual. When Imbolg rolls around, we've been cooped up in the house for a couple of months, and although we know spring is around the corner, it's not quite close enough for us to get out and enjoy just yet. Make up a batch of Imbolg incense that combines the scents of the season with the anticipation of the warmer weather to come.

Before you begin making your incense, first determine what form you’d like to make. You can make incense with sticks and in cones, but the easiest kind uses loose ingredients, which are then burned on top of a charcoal disc or tossed into a fire. This recipe is for loose incense, but you can always adapt it for stick or cone recipes.

As you mix and blend your incense, focus on the intent of your work. This particular recipe is one which evokes the scents of a chilly winter night, with a hint of spring florals. Use it during a ritual, if you like, or as a smudging incense to purify a sacred space. You can also toss some into your fire just to make the house smell like the Imbolg season.

You’ll need:

• 2 parts cedar
• 2 parts frankincense
• 1 part pine resin
• 1 part cinnamon
• 1 part orange peel
• 1/2 part rose petals

Add your ingredients to your mixing bowl one at a time. Measure carefully, and if the leaves or blossoms need to be crushed, use your mortar and pestle to do so. As you blend the herbs together, state your intent. You may find it helpful to charge your incense with an incantation or chant as you blend it. Store your incense in a tightly sealed jar. Make sure you label it with its name and date. Use within three months, so that it remains charged and fresh.

~Courtesy of About.com:Paganism/Wicca

Blue Moon Water

So, the other night, during the 2nd full moon of Dec. I did what I usually do, set out a jar of water to be blessed by the light of the moon. Thursday night was extra special as it was a Blue Moon. My usual glass bottle was full, so I did have to settle for a glass spaghetti jar to have my water blessed. I set it before heading off to bed. When I awoke yesterday morning, I went outside in the cold to retrieve it. Of course, it had frozen overnight. The crystal pattern inside was amazing!! Here are 2 pix of my special 'Moon Water":

Imbolg Postings

Well, another year has past & a new one has arrived. I spent my day de-decorating my place, as my son is at his father's. This has always been a tradition in my family to take down our holiday decorations on the 1st day of January. When I was still living at my parents', we always did it with the Tournament of Roses Parade on TV in the background. We would occasionally stop to glance at the wonderfully decorated floats, going along the road in Pasadena, CA. I could never get over seeing the sun shining bright, looking like summer on the TV. Today, the air was chilly, the sky was overcast and as I took things down & packed them away, the snow started. Fast forward to 4 hours later, the snow is still coming down ever so gently. There is a calm in the air.

I got an email last night from my friend, Lisa, I had posted on my Facebook that Imbolg was only 32 days away. She sent me a link to a video from Lisa Thiel. So, that got me started. I know we just finished with Yule/Solstice, but as we all know, Sabbats occur every 6 weeks. I dug around in my BOS for some info on this Sabbat. I have tons of stuff on it, that I will be adding as it gets closer. I have recipes, chants, lore, crafts, etc. It was my 1st major Sabbat that I observed last year. I have plans for making a wreath this year to hang on my new front door. I will be posting a new slideshow in the upper right-hand corner with some beautiful Imbolg images I've been collecting throughout the year.

I am a blogger who will be trying to post at least once a day, but if I miss a day...no worries. That's why I have a button about "Blogging without Obligation" I don't do the whole automated blogging. It's not me. It's an impersonal way to blog. You can copy & paste info months ahead and on a scheduled date, it magickally appears. There's no personality to it. If you do it, good for you, but I think blogs should have a bit of you in it. Automated blogging is a lazy way of blogging, in my opinion. I can see using once & a while, but for all your postings??

Anyway, I'm sitting at my pc, sipping my Cranberry Green Tea, watching the snow fall. What a perfect way to start the new year off. I hope that you all had a most Blessed New Year's last night and that the Blue Moon energized your spirit.

Love & Light!! )O(
Rowan

Fire Festival- Imbolg

Imbolg is one of the four principal festivals of the pre-Christian Celtic calendar, associated with fertility ritual, was subsequently adopted as St Bridghid's Day in the Christian period, and in more recent times has been celebrated as a fire festival, one of eight holidays, festivals (4 Solar and 4 Fire/lunar) or Sabbats of the Witch's Wheel of the Year. Imbolg is arguably one of the predecessors of the Christian holiday of Candlemas.

Celebrating Imbolg

Imbolg is conventionally celebrated on 1 February although the Celtic festival commenced on January 31. In more recent times the occasion has been generally celebrated by modern pagans & witch's on Feb. 1 or 2. Some pagans relate this celebration to the midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox, which actually falls on Feb. 4 or 5.

Celtic origins

Evidence of how Imbolg was celebrated in Ireland derives from folklore collected during the 19th and early 20th century in rural Ireland and Scotland, compared with studies of similar customs in Scandinavia. Like other festivals of the Celtic calendar in Irish mythology, Imbolg was celebrated on the eve of 1 February, which marked the beginning of the day according to Celtic custom. The festival was traditionally associated with the onset of lactation of ewes, soon to give birth to the spring lambs. This could vary by as much as two weeks before or after the start of February. The name, in the Irish language, means "in the belly" (i mbolg), referring to the pregnancy of ewes, and is also a Celtic term for spring. Another name is Oimelc, meaning "ewe's milk"; also Bridghid, referring to the Celtic goddess of smithcraft, to whom the day is sacred. That Imbolg was an important time to the ancient inhabitants of Ireland can be seen at the Mound of the Hostages in Tara, Ireland. Here, the inner chamber is perfectly aligned with the rising sun of both Imbolg and Samhain. The holiday is a festival of light, reflecting the lengthening of the day and the hope of spring. It is traditional to light all the lamps of the house for a few minutes on Imbolc, and rituals often involve a great deal of candles.

St. Bridghid's day

In the modern Irish Calendar, Imbolg is variously known as the Feast of St. Bridghid (Secondary Patron of Ireland) and Lá Feabhra - the first day of Spring. One view is that Christianity in an attempt to reconcile the popularity of this festival with its own traditions, took over the feast of Imbolg and effectively redesignated it as St Bridghid's day. One folk tradition that continues in both Christian and Pagan home on St. Bridghid's Day (or Imbolg) is that of the Bridghid's Bed. The young girls of the household or village create a corn dolly, adorning it with ribbons and baubles. The older women then make a bed for Bridghid to lay in. On St. Bridghid's Eve (Jan. 31), the young women gather together in one house to stay up all night with the corn dolly, and are later visited by all the young men of the community who must treat them and the corn dolly with respect. Meanwhile, the older women of the community stay at home and perform other ceremonies. Before going to bed, each household completely douses its hearth and rakes the ashes smooth. In the morning, they look for some kind of mark on the ashes, a sign that Bridghid has passed that way in the night or morning. On the following day, the Bride's Bed is brought from house to house, where she is welcomed with great honor. Since Bridghid represents the Life Force that will bring people from the backside of winter into spring, her presence is very important at this time of year. People often will tap her effigy with an ash wand as well, perhaps an old remnant of more potent fertility rites that were once practiced.

Modern Day Imbolg

Today, most modern neopagans celebrate it on the 1st or 2nd, the 2nd being more popular in America, perhaps because of the holiday's later identification with Candlemas. In the southern hemisphere it is celebrated in August. Some modern Pagans argue that the Christian feast of Candlemas, whose date depends upon Christmas, was a Christianization of the feast of Imbolg. On the other hand, there is no evidence that Imbolg was celebrated in pre-Christian times anywhere other than in Ireland whereas the celebration of Candlemas began in the eastern Mediterranean.

Roots of Imbolg

Imbolg is often defined as a cross-quarter day midway between the winter solstice (Yule) and the spring equinox (Ostara), and the precise midpoint is half way through Aquarius (in the northern hemisphere) or Leo (in the southern hemisphere). By this definition Imbolg in the northern hemisphere coincides with Lughnasadh (Lammas) in the southern hemisphere. Fire is important for this festival as Bridghid (also known as Bride, Brigit, Brid) is the Goddess of fire, healing and fertility. The lighting of fires represents the increasing power of the Sun over the coming months. References to the festival of the growing light can even be traced to modern America in the Groundhog Day custom on February 2. If the groundhog sees his shadow on this morning and is frightened back into his burrow, it means there will be six more weeks of winter. The custom comes directly from Europe, and Germany in particular, where an old couplet goes: If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year.

**Not sure where I got this, but it was in my BOS from last year**

Correspondences for Imbolg

Imbolg is the time to welcome spring, and celebrate the festival of the end of winter. It is a Festival of Light and Fertility. Imbolg is the recovery of the Goddess after giving birth to the God. The lengthening periods of light awaken her. The God is now young and lusty, but his power is felt during the longer days. Marking the return of Spring, the Earth feels his warmth. Imbolg represents new beginnings, spiritual growth, and the “sweeping of the old”.

Other Names: Imbolg, Candlemas, St. Bridget’s Day, Brides Day, Lady Day, Imbolc, Lupercus, and the Snowdrop Festival.

Correspondences and Associations:

Colors: White, Pink, Red, Orange, Yellow, Light Green, and Brown.

Foods: Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Muffins, Dairy Products, Peppers, Onions, Raisons, Garlic, Poppy Seed Bread and Cakes, Herbal Teas, Spiced Wines, Potatoes, and Turnips.

Symbols: White Flowers, Candle Wheels, Yellow Flowers, Lamps, and a Dish of Snow.

Incense: Basil, Bay, Cinnamon, Violet, Vanilla, Rosemary, and Wisteria. Candles: Brown, Pink, and Red.

Gemstones: Amethyst, Garnet, Bloodstone, and Onyx.

Deities: Bridghid, Aradia, Gaia, Dagda, Pan, and Herne.

Herbs: Angelica, Basil, Bay, Blackberries, Celandine, Coltsfoot, Heather, Iris, Myrrh, Tansy, Snowdrops, and Violets.

Animals: Sheep, Wolves, Bears, Stags, Eagles, Ravens, Groundhogs, Owls, and Snakes.

Work: Blessing the Seeds for this years Garden, Fertility and Purification, All Virgin and Maiden Goddess are honored, Candle Lightings, Stone Gathering, Searching for signs of spring, and Rituals of Initiation.

Tools: Plough and Garden Implements.

Blue Moon Lore

As we all know, this Thursday, as being New Year's Eve, is also hosting another event: a Blue Moon. We all know that a Blue Moon is when a 2nd full moon occurs in the same month, but what about the term, "once in a Blue Moon"?? I found a great article over at Suite101.com, that explains some of the lore of this phenomenon.

According to folklore, the term "blue moon" has been around for at least 400 years. The earliest known reference to this lunar event referred to an unlikely occurrence or something that could never happen. Over time the expression has evolved to mean something that rarely, if ever happens, thus the expression "once in a blue moon" became common place.

What is a Blue Moon?

Contrary to the name there is no physical difference in appearance during this lunar occurrence, the moon does not actually appear to be blue. According to most sources, a blue moon occurs when there is a second full moon in the same calendar month. But there are a few sources out there who claim that originally the name blue moon was given to the third full moon in a season where there were four full moons. A blue moons cycle is approximately once every two and a half years.

This lunar event occurs because a complete lunar cycle, the time between the new moon and a full moon, is 29.5 days. Since each calendar month is a little longer than the moons full phase, the full moon occurs little earlier than than the previous month. Approximately every two and a half years, there is a month with two full moons. The second full moon is called the blue moon.

Once in a Blue Moon

The origin of the term "blue moon" is not truly known but is steeped in folklore and its meaning has changed several times. Historically, each full moon throughout the year was given a folk name to help people remember to prepare for the upcoming season.

For example, the name harvest moon was given to the full moon that occurred closest to the autumn equinox. This usually occurred at the peak of harvest and the light of the full moon allowing farmers to work late into the night. This also signaled the time to gather the season’s harvest and to prepare for the upcoming winter.

Many folktales place significance on the blue moon. According to some folktales during a full blue moon, the moon was said to have a face and talked to those in its light. Some pagan beliefs hold the second full moon in a calendar month holds the knowledge of the Goddess and contains very powerful three-fold the energy of a regular full moon. Special rites and rituals were held only on a blue moon night.

Sill other traditions believe the different moon phases represent the transition of knowledge within the Goddess. The maiden is represented by the quarter moon, the new moon represents the mother goddess and the full moon the grandmother goddess or crone. When the blue moon enters a cycle it is said to be the transition of the crone to the divine level of existence or the great transition.

When is the Next Blue Moon?

The next blue moon will be visible on December 31, 2009 – New Year’s Eve. The next time this beautiful celestial event will occur is in the year 2012.

Very rarely there will be a year of two blue moons. Due to February being a short month, this event usually occurs during the months of January and March. The last time there was a year with two full moons was back in 1999. This rarity is not scheduled to happen again until the year 2018. The following dates are when the next blue moons are scheduled to occur.

• 2009: December 31 (Blue Moon on New Year's Eve)
• 2012: August 31
• 2015: July 31
• 2018: January 31 March 31(Two Blue Moons in One Year)
• 2020: October 31

Astrology and the Full Moon

Astrologically the energy of the full moon works to integrate and harmonize the contradictions in the self and others. During a full moon, the seeds sown at the last new moon are ready to be harvested and utilized. Traditionally, the full moon is seen as a time for meditation and particularly for personal issues and global concerns.

During the blue moon this vibration is said to be three-fold. In some cultures the second full moon was considered a very holy and auspicious day. A time when the veil between heaven and earth is thin and the ability to communicate with the gods and goddess is very powerful. It is considered a very spiritually significant time for prayer and meditation going back thousands of years.