Ostara

Ostara came and went in the blink of an eye! As happens, life has been busy with all its ups and downs and I'm finally finding some time to get to some of the things that have been on my to-do list. Like post Ostara pictures!.

Here are some pictures of my Ostara altar for this year. I left up most of what I had for Imbolc and added a few items like the eggs I had dyed last year. I changed out the crystals adding some pretty ones that I thought represented Ostara.

If you follow my blog you'll know that last year Mary spoke to me saying she wanted to be on my Imbolc altar and so she is here and will stay on the altar through the end of May. As May is the month of Mary, I'll change the altar to reflect this special month.

I hope you all had a wonderful and blessed Ostara!

Yule decorating . . .

Wow! I can't believe we're already at the end of November. Where does the time go? I've been so busy with classes and getting my business up and running that it seems the time has just slipped away. Although, that being said, it also seems as if time has been standing still. I've been waiting patiently (which is a feat in and of itself for me) to move into my new space at the Harbor Wellness Center. The time has finally come and I'm going over today to clean up and do some painting. I'm a jumble of feelings, mostly good and positive, but there's that little creak in the door and I'm trying hard to keep out the nagging doubts.

I have managed to set up my Yule altar and get the lights out on the house. Half of them won't work and so I find myself replacing them, on the cheap. I found two lighted wreaths at ACE yesterday for $2.99 and spent $13 on a new lighted garland for our light pole. We still need to replace (or fix) one of the net lights along the front hedge . . . I'm leaving that mess up to Brian along with stringing electrical cords to my lighted window boxes. Once everything is taken care of, I'll share some pictures.

Here are pictures of my altar . . . hope you enjoy!

Samhain ~ 2011

Do you ever feel like a chicken with it's head cut off? I'm feeling that way lately. I don't know if it's because I feel the need to do some fall cleaning or if it's the myriad of projects I have on the go, or the Samhain/Halloween parties I've committed to. Probably all of the above.

One party that I'm looking forward to is one that my friend Carl and I are hosting on October 29th. My friends have graciously accepted the invitation to partake in Samhain Celebrations with me! We're having a traditional Samhain Feast complete with a roast turkey, Butternut Squash and Apple Casserole, Green Bean Casserole, corn bread . . . okay, I'll stop - I'm making myself hungry.

After dinner we'll revel, share and tell stories and then at midnight we'll be conducting a Samhain Ritual. It's the first time I've shared in ritual with my friends and I'm elated to be sharing it with friends who trust, understand and accept my beliefs. They're a great bunch! I love you guys!

In the Spirit of Samhain, I've posted two rituals to my 'Sabbats and Esbats' page. One is simpler than the other, but both are meaningful and catch the Spirit of this beautiful time of year when the veil is thin and we can connect with our Ancestors and loved ones.

Wishing you all a Blessed Samhain and a Happy New Year!!

Dear . . .

I received an email the other day from someone asking questions about Paganism. She was curious and didn't know where to start. Yes, she'd been on the internet, but wasn't sure she could trust the information she was reading as she really didn't have an idea of what to look for. Here are some of my answers that perhaps might help some of you who are curious, but don't know where to begin.

I have been a Pagan for just a little over a year, although I suspect I've been Pagan all my life. When I decided that Paganism was for me, I started to read, read, read, getting my hands on all kinds of books that I thought could lead me along my path. The first book on Paganism I read was simply titled 'Paganism' by Joyce and River Higgenbotham. This is an excellent book and a terrific place to start if you're new in discovering your path. Another book by Joyce and River Higgenbotham is 'Pagan Spirituality'. I recommend both of these books as a starting point and then go out to the book stores in your area (if you have second hand book stores start there as you can find many of the books I suggest and others there for half the cost of new). And don't forget the library too. Find as many books as you can get your hands on and read them. I like to journal as I'm reading, jotting down notes of things that stand out for me, ideas and what not. This is a good basis for your Book of Shadows too, if you chose to have one.

Trying to explain the belief system of a Pagan is like trying to count the clouds in the sky. There are many different paths that lead off of Paganism. Some of them are Wicca (the path that I follow), Druidism, Heathenry/Asatru, Faery Tradition, et cetera. Then off of Wicca there is Eclectic Wicca (the path that I follow), Dianic Wicca, Gardnerian, Alexandrian, et cetera. Once you read about Paganism and understand the foundation of it, then you can decide which path of Paganism you want to follow. The internet is a terrific resource for information, and I think once you understand what Paganism is, you'll have a better idea of which sites are good and which are not.

A good first book on Wicca is called 'Wicca Demystified' by Bryan Lankford. It talks about what Wicca is in the first part of the book and then in the second part of the book there are questions and answers which I found most helpful and insightful. Another good starting book is 'The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wicca and Witchcraft'. This book is informative and easy to read. Again, if Wicca is a path you're interested in, read, read, read.

The belief system I have as a Wiccan is this: First there is Spirit, the Creator, the Divine. From the Divine the God and Goddess are manifest. From the God and Goddess there are interpretations of them from different pantheons. For example, Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Celtic, Hindu, et cetera. One would call upon a certain deity (God or Goddess) depending on what is needed or desired. For instance, if you want to manifest money in a big way, you could call upon 'Lakshmi' the Hindu Goddess of wealth and prosperity. As a Wiccan I also work with the elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water.

One thing that most Neo-Pagans have in common is the Wheel of the Year which contains eight Sabbats. The Sabbats are Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lughnasadh, Mabon, Samhain, Yule. You can search the internet for more information on the Sabbats and one book that I recommend is called 'Sabbats' by Edain McCoy. The altars you've seen on my blog are altars that I have set up for each of the Sabbats. Each Sabbat also has certain things associated with it. Like at Ostara, you'd find eggs, rabbits and such; basically anything to do with fertility. At Lughnasadh (or Lammas) you'd find things associated with the harvest, such as pumpkins, pomegranates, grapes, wheat, bread and such. At the Sabbat, a ritual is performed where one would celebrate and give thanks to the God and Goddess for whatever that particular Sabbat represents. Most people don't mind sharing their altars, but normally you wouldn't see one sharing their celebration ritual as they are very personal and private.

The other thing most Neo-Pagans have in common is celebrating the waxing and waning of the Moon, which are called Esbats. These are basically rituals that are done when the moon is either Full or Dark/New and a time when most work magick. Again, the internet is a great resource for more information in this regard. An Esbat is the time when normally you'd just work with the energy of the Goddess. The Triple Goddess represents the Maiden, Mother and Crone. During the Wheel of the Year she is represented as the Maiden at Imbolc and Ostara, the Mother at Beltane and Litha, and then the Crone at Mabon, Lughnasadh and Samhain. [At Yule she'd again be in her aspect of Mother, having given birth to the God.]

. . . As I said before, read, read, read and do your research. There are some excellent websites about Paganism and Wicca too. Just keep one thing in mind . . . if it doesn't resonate or ring true for you, leave it and move onto something that does. The nice thing about being an Eclectic Wiccan is that I can chose how I practice while still keeping the basic Wiccan tenets and principles.

Merry Meet, Merry Part, until we Merry Meet again!

Mabon Blessings!

The Wheel of the Year is turning into fall and with that comes the fall harvest Sabbats. Mabon falls on September 23rd this year and I'm looking for the colors of fall and enjoying the cooler weather after a summer filled with extremely hot and humid weather.

Mabon, which falls at the Autumnal Equinox, is the second harvest celebration. As at the Spring Equinox, it is a time of balance between light and dark. In the autumn, we move from light to dark and from warmth to cold. It is a time to gather the harvest of summer, apples, grapes, corn, wheat, and vegetables such as squashes and gourds, and prepare for the long winter ahead. It is also a time for thanksgiving and enjoying the bounty set before us.

One of the best known 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.

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, by 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.

In the British Isles, the ancient name for the goddess of this time was Modron, which means 'mother'. Sometimes she was pictured as a trio of women, each seated on a throne. Together, they were called the 'Mothers'. They were responsible for abundance and sustaining the life of the people in the Celtic myths, as was Modron's son who was stolen away into the underworld. Whenever we feed the hungry, we honor the Mothers.

This Sabbat takes its name from the god 'Mabon'. He was called 'Mabon, son of Modron', which means 'son of the mother'. Mabon is such an ancient god that most of the stories about him have been lost. All we know is that he was stolen away from his mother when he was only three nights old and imprisoned until he was rescued by King Arthur's companions. Because Mabon knows what it is like to be imprisoned, he is also the god of freedom. He frees animals from their cages and loosens the bonds of all those unjustly imprisoned. He protects all things wild and free. His totem animals are the owl, blackbird, stag, eagle and salmon. We honor Mabon when we protect animals and when we work for freedom for all people.

The Mabon altar can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. For a simple altar you can have an arrangement of some of the things harvested that will keep for a few weeks like winter squash, dried corn, wheat, pumpkins, and pomegranates. Autumn leaves, a bouquet of late-blooming flowers, a picture or figurines of animals are also appropriate for your Mabon altar.

Candles in various shades of autumn colors like yellow, red, rust, and orange are also nice additions. You may also add fresh herbs like juniper berries, sage, campunala and cloves. Crystals are also a nice addition and I've included ones like carnelian, red tiger's eye, garnet, orange calcite, and citrine. You can also include incense such as sandalwood and myrrh.

Be sure to get outside as much as possible now and enjoy the sunlight. All too soon, we will be enveloped in darkness and cold as the wheel turns into winter.

Mabon Blessings!

Lammas . . .

Today is Lammas, or Lughnasadh, the Sabbat where many Wiccans and Pagans choose to celebrate the beginnings of the harvest. This Sabbat is about the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth; the grain god dies, but will be reborn again in the spring. Lammas begins at sunset on July 31st and ends at sunset on August 2nd, although traditionally it is celebrated on August 1st.

Summer is nearing it's end and soon the leaves will begin to change. However, the sun is still bright and the days hot. You can celebrate Lammas by creating an altar using a combination of summer and fall colors; the yellows and oranges and reds of the sun can also represent the turning leaves to come. Add some browns and greens to celebrate the fertility of the earth and the crops being harvested. Cover your altar with cloths that symbolize the changing of the season from summer to harvest time, and use candles in deep, rich colors - reds, burgundies, or other autumn shades are perfect this time of year.

You can also include symbols of the harvest fields on your altar. Sickles and scythes are appropriate, as are baskets. Sheafs of grain, fresh picked fruits and vegetables, a jar of honey, or loaves of bread are perfect for the Lammastide altar. Corn dollies are also a wonderful addition to the alter as are grapes and wine, ears of corn, iron - such as tools or weaponry or armor, fall flowers, such as cornflowers or poppies, straw braids and onion garlands.

A Lammas Ritual
Written by Joanna at Sea Gypsy Magickals

My Gratitude and Blessings upon this day
The Seasons change upon this Spiral Path
Honoring the Bounty of the coming Harvest

At this harvest time
Blessed be Mother Earth
Blessed Be Father Sun
Blessed be this circle of life, death & rebirth

Here I stand, A child of this Earth before you now
Teach & Guide me with your gentle wisdom of light and dark
For there can not be one without the other
Blessed Be the Corn Mother
Blessed be the Grain God
Blessed be the Harvest and bounty of my life.

I honor and respect all living beings, creatures, plants & winged ones
Of this Earth
You and I are One upon this path-as it is, as it always shall be
Blessed be the Mother Ocean
Blessed be the Father Sky
Fire be Flame, The Well be Water
The Mounds be Earth, the Wind be Air
Blessed Be the Harvest
Every seed, every grain is a record of ancient times
May the Ancients Bless me this Lughnassadh
And So It Is.