Crystal Grids by Hibiscus Moon

My crystal teacher, Hibiscus Moon, just wrote and published her first book. If you've seen my youtube videos, you know what I've been learning in her classes so you can imagine how chock-full of information this book is. It's now available on Amazon and I highly recommend it to people who are interested in crystals, creating crystal grids or who are just interested in the science behind it all!

And while I'm at it . . . CONGRATULATIONS Hibiscus Moon . . . wishing you much success!

Life does that . . .

It was a little chilly this morning when I took the dogs for a walk and it's been cloudy all day. Not that I mind a little bit of coolness after a hot and humid summer, but am I ready for fall? Perhaps, but definitely not ready for winter and the cold and snow that comes with it.

This month has certainly been filled with ups and downs. My dog, Shelby, has transitional cell carcinoma (which means he has bladder cancer). We're ever watchful and have decided to do palliative care rather than put him through sessions of chemo and trips to unknown places with unknown people. He seems to be doing well on the medication given to him by the vet and I'm hopeful he has many more months with us.

On Sunday we came home after being out doing errands and at supper time I noticed that part of Keeya's lower beak was missing. We're not sure what happened, but a trip to the vet was in order for pain meds. I'm amazed at how far avian care has come as they were able to fashion a makeshift beak for her until her's grows back in. Poor little thing!

My dear friend's husband lost his job (but got a new one right away). Still, my trip to Pennsylvania has been postponed indefinitely. Bummer!

On the upside, it's my 21st wedding anniversary this Thursday. We're not celebrating in a big way, but we'll be spending time together and that's what really matters. It's also my friend Carl's birthday this weekend so I've planned a birthday bash for him which I'm really looking forward to.

There are many ups and downs along life's highway, but if we can stay focused and not get derailed by the twists and turns in the road, we'll make it through, hopefully, with a smile on our faces at the end of the journey . . .

Women Reshaping the World

Magical Protection

I'm currently reading a book called 'Reclaim the Power of the Witch - Making Magic Make Sense' by Monte Plaisance. It is an incredible book filled with all kinds of information including the normal stuff you'd find in a book like this, but it also covers information that I hadn't read before or that was maybe slightly glossed over in other books. One of those topics is protection.

Monte states that, next to the athame, the witch's bottle is one of the most important items to be made and it should be done as early in your practice as possible. The witch's bottle is used for protection against another witch's or magician's magick. Also, never let anyone know that you're making the bottle or the reason for doing so.

How to Make a Witch's Bottle

You'll need:

• an empty 6 oz jar with a lid
• a red cloth cut into the shape of a heart
• some of your own hair clippings
• some of your own nail clippings
• 13 iron nails
• 13 black-headed pins
• 1 cup of sea salt

1. Place all the items on your altar and take a few moments to meditate on the task at hand. You are performing a rite of protection for your magical safety.
2. Take the hair and nail clippings and place them into the jar saying: "Here do I present myself."
3. Take the 13 iron nails and place them into the jar saying: "Here are my swords of protection".
4. Take the salt and pour it into the jar saying: "Here is salt to purify me and keep me clean and safe".
5. Take the red heart-shaped cloth - hold it high and say: "Here is the heart of any who wish me harm".
6. Stick all of the 13 black-headed pins into the cloth heart and say: "Let any who wish me harm or any who wish me ill feel the pain of their own heart's hate, rebounded by this witch's will".
7. Place the pin-studded heart into the jar.
8. Next, fill the jar with your own urine. As Monte himself says "I know this sounds rather disgusting, but urine is a very powerful liquid condenser. If you look at your own primal instincts, urinating on something is symbolic of saying how worthless you think it is. This is in effect what you are doing. You are stating, symbolically, that you know any spell that is cast against you is a useless and worthless gesture, and this is the frame of mind you should take while performing this act." Note: If you just can't get past using urine, then it is perfectly acceptable to use wine, apple cider vinegar or blessed salt water.
9. When the jar is filled, or at least halfway so, screw the cap on and paint a protective pentagram in red on the top of the lid. Take the jar out on the night of the new moon and bury it somewhere near your home. As you are burying the jar say: "Blessed Mother of the Darkened Moon, I pray that you grant me this boon. A bottle of protection do I bury here, to protect me from those both far and near. May any curse or magick spell placed on me be dispelled. Rebounded on the sender be. In accordance with the Law of Three".
10. Now cover the jar with dirt and seal the dig by tracing an upright triangle in the soil. Stand up, turn, and walk away without looking back. Once the bottle is buried, it should never be dug up again. To do so would be to release all of the negativity that is has absorbed for you. If another person digs up the bottle, it will have no effect, as the bottle is designed to absorb negativity aimed directly to you. This energy is tied to you and you alone, and cannot affect another person.

If at some point you move, do NOT dig up the bottle and take it with you. The bottle will continue to work for you. However, it is a good idea to make another bottle and bury it at the new location. If at some point you feel you are under attack, it could be that your witch's bottle has broken. In this case, simply make another bottle.

Another way to protect yourself from attack, in this case psychic attack, is to have a protection bath. Begin by preparing for the bath by cleaning out your tub with one capful of ammonia to a gallon of water and scrubbing the tub down. Ammonia is used because it has the magical quality of removing unwanted energy, both good and bad, from an object or dwelling. Be sure to rinse well.

Next fill the tub with water, as cold as you can stand it (between 65 to 70 degrees). To this add three tablespoons of sea salt and one tablespoon of baking soda. Using your athame, place the tip into the water and say: "I exorcise thee O'Creature of Water. Let all malignity and hindrance be cast forth hence from, and let all good enter herein. In the names of the Great Mother and Father Gods do I purify, bless, and invoke thee." Trace an invoking pentagram on the surface of the water using your wand or index finger of your power hand. The water is now purified and charged to neutralize and cleanse your aura.

You'll need:

• Frankincense
• Dragon's Blood
• Myrrh
• Salt

Use about one teaspoon of each herb placed into a mesh tea bag/ball available from the grocery store. Bring a pint or more of water to a boil and then turn off the heat. Place the herbs into the water, cover, and let steep for about five minutes. Place one cup of the bath tea into your bath water. Kneel in the water, which should come up to your waist, and with a small bucket or large cup begin to scoop up the water and pour it over your head and body. Make very certain that you are complete doused with the water.

While you are pouring the bath water over you, you must visualize yourself as being cleansed and empowered. It is also very important to chant a rhythmic chant stating the purpose of the bath while dousing yourself ~ "A wall of fire around me is twined, Protection and safety now are mine." For the best effect, say the chant and then pour the water over you. Repeat this for several minutes. When done, step out of the bath and dry yourself with a clean white towel.

Another form of protection is to use incense.

You'll need:

• Frankincense
• Myrrh
• Dragon's Blood

Before you begin blending incense it is important to concentrate on why you are doing it. Focus your attention on the purpose at hand and chant the following: "Herbs of Magick do I mix, for (state purpose, in this case protection) these herbs I fix. An incense of mystic scent I blend, its power to my magick lend."

Magical protection is of the utmost importance when practicing and working in magical ways because when performing ritual, the energy you raise is very attractive to a variety of spirits, and they will come and huddle around, waiting to absorb that energy and thereby gain strength.

In most cases, these spiritual entities have no other intent other than to absorb energy, and in most cases are harmless. However, magical protection should be the first type of magical ritual or spell that you learn. And it's not only spirits that you need to be aware of. If you're an out-of-the-broom closet Wiccan or Witch, you will also need to protect yourself from neighbors, co-workers, friends and in some cases, family members, who may be sending negative thought patterns towards you.

You may want to consider spells or rituals to protect your home, business or place of employment (ie your cubicle), against enemies both open and secret, and to remove the effects of bad gossip.

These are just some of the ways you may want to consider in your practice to protect yourself physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

Source: Reclaim the Power of the Witch - Making Magic Make Sense ~ Monte Plaisance

Blog Parties!

It's been a long time since I participated in a blog party, but these ones I just couldn't resist! Who doesn't want to let their hair down and dance and sing like a gypsy amongst like-minded gypsy souls? And I'm always up for some Practical Magic!

So, I cordially invite you to join me on September 10th for the Gypsy Dreams Blog Party and then again on September 24th for the Practical Magic Blog Party . . . it's going to be a magickal month!

Green Tara Against Animal Cruelty

While browsing around the internet today I came across a site that tore my heart out. And while I didn't watch the videos of animals being mistreated, I just know that the images would stay with me and haunt me. In fact, I don't even have to watch them, I intuitively know and am saddened by the cruelty animals face every day.

And so I want to spread the word that there is something you can do, especially if you're a Green Tara devotee like me. Something that is so simple that can make a multitude of difference.

Simply print out this beautiful picture of Green Tara and repeat her mantra 1000 times.

"OM TARA TUTTARE TURE SOHA"

When you print out the image, you are making a COMMITMENT to complete 1000 recitations of Green Tara’s mantra. While reciting the mantra, focus on generating merits for all animals to take a good rebirth, and to stop animal cruelty.

DEDICATE IT to the dancing bears of India and the dolphins stabbed in Japan.

DEDICATE IT to the suffering dogs on the farms of Korea and to the bulls of Spain.

DEDICATE IT to abused working horses and to the chickens in battery farms all over the world.

Think of all the animals in the world who suffer every single day because of human selfishness. Dedicate it because YOU CARE.

Here’s another thing you can do, pass along the Green Tara image to your friends and family and ask them to do the same! Give it to them because you know they too can help reduce animal cruelty around the world. Do something about animal cruelty NOW.

Source: Kechara Animal Sanctuary (www.kechara.com)

Blogger Comments

So I've been travelling around to some of my favorite blogs and trying to leave comments and all I get is bounced around from word verification, to sign in, to comments posted as anonymous, yada, yada, yada. What the heck is going on? Why do these companies always think that bigger is better and that they're going to 'improve' on what is already available? And why don't they sort out the kinks first before subjecting us to pulling out our hair?

So, if you haven't seen any comments from me it isn't for lack of trying. I just decided to quite while I was behind . . .

Lughnasadh

Lughnasadh is just around the corner on August 1st. This Sabbatt is especially meaningful for me as it completes a full turn of the wheel in my journey as a Wiccan. I've come so far and learned so much and am looking forward to continuing my journey with the turn of the wheel for the coming year.

Lughnasadh is the first of three harvest festivals. It is a time to celebrate the fertility of the Earth and the abundance she provides. It is a time to honor the Sun God in all his glory as he starts now to make his decline.

I spent a considerable amount of time putting together my altar. As I took down my Midsummer altar and put things away, I gave thanks for all the blessings that have come during this time. I spent time contemplating each item I placed on my Lughnasadh altar making it a spiritual journey into the meaning of Lughnasadh and what it means to me personally. Listening to my intuition yielded some great additions, like the Vanadinite crystal I've been working with.

I enjoyed taking the time to set up my altar for Lughnasadh and I'm looking forward to celebrating the Sabbatt with fires blazing!

Have a Blessed Lughnasadh!

In the Garden . . .

I was in the garden yesterday and to my suprise the rose mallow I just planted this year is blooming. Along with the lilies and other July/August blooming plants my garden is coming alive once again.

I hope you enjoy these images from my garden . . .

Camping

This past weekend I went camping with some friends to Tower Hill State Park. I was anticipating getting away, relaxing in nature, having fun with friends, and coming back home again rejuvenated and ready to go on with the real world.

Carl after putting up his tent.

Okay, so it was a little too in nature for me, not being acclimated to the world of camping in a tent for the last 20 years or so. Not to mention the outhouse with three stalls and a spongy floor and no hot showers to wash it all off with at the end of the day. That resort down the road was starting to look pretty appealing.

Here's my journal entry penciled in at 5:30 in the morning after not sleeping ALL night . . .

"All is finally quiet at six o'clock in the morning. I have only the birds and squirrels to keep me company.

The night was spent trying to sleep amongst partiers two campsights over who insisted on talking loudly over each other with guitar riffing music as a backdrop. The air mattress that Kelly inflated for me was as flat as a pancake when I finally laid my weary head down after midnight.

I am distracted to my left as I hear a very large branch from a tree crack and then fall to the ground through the trees. A metaphor for my experience thus far?

Squirrels are jumping from limb to limb in the trees above me and I marvel at their seeming indifference to the heights they are playing at.

On the way to the outhouse this morning bats were flying about not aware of how close they came to landing in my hair - bats really freak me out! Mosquitos are buzzing around my ears - and finally rest on a tasty tidbit of skin - are enough to drive even the most ardent of campers to hide their body, head to toe, under the covers despite the heat and humidity.

The sun is slowly making its way up in the sky bringing with it the light of a new day . . ."

All that after only one night of camping! The next morning our friend, Patricia, woke up ill and had to be taken to the hospital. We all felt so bad for her and decided that we wouldn't attend the show we had planned for that evening, deciding instead to go later in August when she could attend with us as well.

We had all planned to go tubing and piled into the car anticipating a day floating luxuriously down the Wisconsin River. However, we hadn't made reservations (who knew?) and so tubing was out. Instead we went back to the campsite, filled up the car with snacks and drinks and headed to the beach at the river. We enjoyed the day in the water and had a great time.

From left to right - Eli, Kelly, Carl and me.

Come Saturday night I was sure I would fall asleep once my head hit the pillow, however, a possum outside my tent had other plans. He was really freaking me out! I thought for sure he was going to make it into the tent and proceed to nibble off my toes! Okay, so I have a vivid imagination. And then an owl started whooing, which I didn't mind so much, but I had to laugh at the symphony going on outside my tent and I wondered if I'd ever fall asleep. Two nights without sleep was more than I could bear!

And it didn't help that the partiers down the road were up to their antics again, but to make it even more fun they started throwing firecrackers on their campfire. Then I had to go the bathroom - I was in a quandry - do I go out and face that possum or hold on until morning. No contest - I had to go! So I put on my big girl panties and headed out into the night. Other than meeting a policeman on the road (who had come because of a complaint of firecrackers) my trip to the outhouse was uneventful.

So let's see mosquitos, flies, bats, racoons, a possum, and an owl - I'm sure there's a story in there somewhere . . .

Suffice to say that I did fall asleep at some point and awoke the next morning thankful that I would be heading home soon. All in all I had a really good time and enjoyed being with my friends. We're planning another outing in August so that we can take in that show we missed, but remember that resort I mentioned earlier? Oh ya, I'll be staying there!

Opera in the Park

This past Saturday I attended the Madison Opera in the Park. I was invited by my friend Carl, and along with some of Carl's other friends and acquaintances we enjoyed a feast of cheeses (provided by Ken of Fromagination), bread, crackers, salad, fruit, wine and other assorted goodies. My tummy was well satisfied.

Carl and me.

A nice slection of cheeses courtesy Ken from Fromagination.

It was a lovely evening and the weather couldn't have been more perfect. There were several soloists but I have to say my favorite was 'Some Enchanted Evening' sung by Scott Ramsey. He has a voice that would make any woman swoon under his spell. Not only was the song incredible, but the moon was rising through and up over some trees. It was truly magickal!

It was a wonderful evening of good company, culinary delights and enchanting music . . .