Alone for the holidays

For months I have been planning to go to Alaska to see my daughter and then to Spokane to see my son. So, do to the lack of work ethic of someone else, I am stuck at home alone with no family for Christmas. That is what I get for having to depend on someone else. I get let down again by people who do not do their jobs in a way that seems logical to the rest of the world. If I did my job like the way I have been handled, I would not have a job for long. 

longest night of the year

Here it is the longest night of the year, the Winter Solstice, Yule... and I am reading my Herbal Almanac. Hmmm. Can't tell how much I am into winter, right? Welcoming back the sun sounds like the perfect way to spend the next four or five months.

Mornings

As we start our mornings, remember that today is going to be a beautiful day. There is nothing we can't handle and anything that might change this attitude is just a bump in the road and we all have good suspension. Have a beautiful day!

I'm back!

Life happens, right? Well, I got a job. Started a new teaching contract in August and have been off and moving since. I have been away for a while but things are starting to fall into some semblance of a routine and I plan to be back with at least a little bit of wisdom each day. Yes, stories, anecdotes, etc will also follow in the next few days, weeks, months, and hopefully years.

my quote for the day:

As life happens, we need to use our wisdom to choose what is important and what to leave behind. Take each day with a smile and hope for the future. 

Don't let life run you over, you take it and run with it. 

Enjoy every step of the way and when you can't know it will soon move on again. 

678 words in the last 40 minutes.. yay! Have to go to work now.. chapter one to my book well on it's way! yay!

Inspired!

Here we go! Let's see what comes out of this morning's inspiration! Yay!!! 

Been a while

    

   

Wow, it's been awhile since I have done any real posts here. Not sure why I've been away, mostly just because of life. To much life happening and not enough ... well, not enough something keeping me going and positive and writing. Have sad some amazing things happening though. Some amazing new people in my life. Yes me, new people. Back in March I decided I needed to get out of the house and I found this thing on Meetup.com - the Tacoma Pub Moot. What a great idea! Right! Well, I went, as it turns out, to their second meetup. I pulled up in front of The Swiss on St. Patrick's Day.. I parked, sat outside for a few minutes - or maybe it was many minutes.... Drove away - all the way around the block and then pulled back into my parking place. I did go in. What an amazing experiences. I have been to all of the meetups since. The people were great, so friendly and we all had a great time. Even bagpipers were there, lol. Anyway, have gone every month since and to a Beltane ritual too... Have made some great friends and I am really excited about it... It's been a long time since I have had people to hang out with.

What have I been up to? Well, honestly, stressing, working, stressing, not getting things done that I really need to get done. Stressing a bit more. That is about it. I have taken some time off from reading 'technical' books and reread The Mists of Avalon... Gave me a bit of perspective, think I am ready to delve back into my spiritual studies. Have started back in to finish up my Bardic Grade exercises - finished the year according to their records but need to finish up the final books and do the final "paper" and send it in to get approved my the Ovate grade. I am about ready for that... Have another newsletter due to publish next week and have not even started on it yet. Need to get back on that. Not sure what article I will write this month, have been a bit off lately. I think my book review will be one that isn't even here, Grimoire for the Green Witch by Ann Moura - everyone knows she is my favorite. Also need to start a new book to read, falling behind and feeling a bit disconnected as of late and that falling behind is probably a bit part of the reason why.  Looking at Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft over there on the self, may delve there but a bit unsure as of yet. Not sure if that is where I am being led. 

Here I sit in the middle of my bed. Gotta get up early in the am to hopefully catch myself a subbing job. Not a lot of those during the summer months - summer school teachers seem to actually go to work, strange, right? lol. Interview next Tuesday in Bethel SD - Sped. department. High hopes for this one. Really would love a job in Bethel District - or any district for that matter... Pay is good in Bethel though and that is definitely a plus. Should be getting ready to sleep but here I am writing on my blog for the first time in months. Hmmm. Priorities, right? Lol... 

Anyway, is there a book you would like to see reviewed here? Let me know if anyone reads this. Watch for the newsletter to come out next week, see what I decided to write about. Still not sure though I think there is an idea coming... and idea for a running column... that could be good. keep me from having to make this decision each month. Hmmm - let's see here. Thinking thinking thinking. 

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Summer Work

Yay! So it looks like I will be teaching this summer. Got a call from Firwood and they want me to come in tomorrow to set up a schedule to teach the summer term. Yay! Stress relief totally. Now I don't have to worry about the next couple of months. This school is a school located at a psychiatric hospital for children who live at the hospital and cannot leave campus to go to school. It is very well controled and I love the students, most of whom I already know from subbing there often this past school year. I was totally excited when I got the call from Carolyn last night and am looking forward to meeting with the coordinator tomorrow morning. Yay!!!

Been away awhile. Life gets busy~

So I have been away for awhile, life got busy, working two jobs until the end of the school year. Sylvan has been great and I am also now working a long term sub position that I would love to have as permanent. Interviewed for it about a week ago and am waiting to hear back. I am pretty sure I got it as I was recommended for the long term sub position by the district and many teachers here. Wish they would let me know, would relieve some summer stress if I knew I had a contract for next year.

Because I have been so busy, everything else has kinda been put on hold. I have started the Book of Druidry over again, by Penny Billingston.... Will be posting new info on this soon. Reread and redoing the excersises to get myself back in line with where I want to be. After next wednesday, will have lots of time... No more school until September.

Get to spend the Full moon, the super moon and summer solstice with my son. Havn't seen him in a year. To make it better, we are camping in North Idaho. What a better way to spend Litha and see the Supermoon. Looking forward to doing a full moon ritual with Mike... Going to be great.

Well, that is it for now. Wanted to let everyone know I am still here and moving forward. Should start seeing more from me now hopefully as I intend to come back often and regularly... Bright blessnigs for a wonderful summer...

Journey

Life's Mystical Journey Survey

Compiling info for my business plan as I prepare to open my store. Please, if you can spare a few minutes to take my small survey. Thank you.

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So I am in love with a man who cannot love me. Not sure how I get myself into these situations. I wish there was a way that I could get out. He is suffering from the loss of his wife, a wife who chose to leave her family and husband for a life of being single to find, as she told him, "someone to grow old with." I have watched him over the years try hard to save his marriage, even tried to find ways to help him save his marriage, but it ended anyway. Now, here we are, I am seeing him but can't have him. I watch him hurt, a pain that i do not really understand as no one has ever loved me like that. I would not leave him as I would never want to give him the pain of someone else leaving him. The pain in his eyes causes pain in my heart as I have not way to ease his pain. I know that time will heal him, he will and is finding a way back into the world, finding himself and is way to be happy again on his own. But will that ever in the future include me. I am here for him with all that I can give. But I hope someday to be the woman he looks at with love in his eyes as I look upon him. Is it possible? No one else has ever loved me as such. Will this thing happen for me? 

What a day

So this morning I wake up feeling like I just want to cry. Ugh. I get up and check my school site and someone has decided to redo everything so that I have to start my part of the assignment all over again. I find three spiders, which I am completely terrified of in my house. Then - I get to the school where I am subbing and on my walk around to the front door, there is a dead rabbit being eaten by crows. I think I should not have gotten out of bed this morning, should have just stayed there.

Of course this is a long day. I have not had any time to myself to ground and center and will not get any time except in my car on my way to my next job. What a day.

The sub I am subbing for (the regular teacher is on maternity leave) left redicuous plans noting that everything is set up - nothing is. The students are loud and off task (the loud could just be because I am annoyed) and I just want to go home. Can't wait until this day is over.

Still moving forward

So... This week there is no school Friday and a small chance I will not be working tomorrow either. So, going to see if I can meet with someone about doing market research and finding out how to do projections for my store. Gotta get this business plan done so that I can keep moving forward with my shop. 

In the mean time, applied for 6 more teaching positions today, all sped - at the elementary level. Hoping to secure one for next year. This will releive so much stress, give me a way to do everything I want to do. 

Goddess please grant me the strength to do what I need to do and keep moving forward with positive spirits along the way. 

To Stir a Magic Cauldron - finishing it up

Great book. Highly recommended by this little witch. That last couple of chapters talks about knowing who and where you are in the big scheme of things, the pagan community, what is happening around the world, and how we fit into it. Great reading, some additional info, and many many recommendations and references. As noted, i most definitely recommend this book to a newby or anyone who just wants to know more - like me. I love to know what other people are thinking and Silver is definitely a favorite.  Have you seen her book "Solitary Witch"? Great reference material also... Anyway, ending this book, another to finish up on that I already started here. Moving back to Path of Druidry by Penny Billington... Blessed be to you all.. Have a great week! 

To Stir a Magic Cauldron Ch. 8 ~ Conjuring by Circumstance

Keep my words positive - words become my behaviors

Keep my behaviors positive - behaviors become my habits

Keep my habits positive - habits become my values

Keep my values positive - values become my destiny

What great words. I see them floating around facebook often copy and pasted onto various inspirational pictures. I am sure that I have even shared them in the past from someone else's posts. This chapter is opened with them as this chapter deals with using magic as the need arises. There are many reasons to use magic and it can be used for any reason. Remember, however, to stay positive, use it for benefit, and be careful not to try to or even accidentally change the course for someone else when they are not aware. There are many laws and rules floating around but it basically comes back down to our our beliefs and how you see Karma. Don't do things that could hurt others as it may come back and bite you on the butt... Even if you feel you are helping, you really do not know how things will turn out, you do not know the whole story, and you do not want, while trying to do something good, to make things worse. The best rule of thumb, I think, is to just stay away from doing things for people without their permission. 

Anyway, back to chapter 8. This chapters is basically full of many spells and rituals used by Silver at one time or another. It's a great chapter if you are looking for a way to solve a specific problem. We all know that spells are better when written by you, they tend to hold more power, your power, but if this is not something you can do yet, by all means, there are some great ones here. Otherwise, reading spells from another that have worked can be a great basis for ideas when writing your own. Ready them and learn. The chapter includes various banishing spells, divinations, love spells (that doesn't effect the other person), rites of passage, and others. 

The chapter also talks about when to perform spells and when it's better to wait. I wanted to touch on this briefly because I know we have all had moments when we are angry, upset, or hurt and we kKNOW the thing to do right now is to give the guy worts or a sixth finger on each hand or make his hair all fall out but this is not the time. Do not do magic when you are overly emotional. Magic is emotion and strong emotions can make things happen that you do not necessarily want to happen - at least you might not want it to happen tomorrow. And always remember Karma... You don't want some emotional spell coming back on your three fold or ten fold or whatever you believe. That would just not do. If there is a problem, put it away for a while. A day, a week, come back and handle it when you have your wits about you, when you can make a good valid decision and carry it out without becoming "crazy." In the long run you will be glad you did. And also, remember that thing called Karma... It doesn't just come back to bite us witches - it comes back on others too. Someone who does you wrong will get their "come up ins" - of course they will. I will admit though it's much more fun to help Karma along sometimes, isn't it. 

To Stir a Magic Cauldron Ch. 7 ~ Minor and Major works

Spells ~ Prayers ~ Celestial Magic ~ Lunar Magic ~ Days of the Week ~ Planetary Hours ~ Planetary Aspects ~ Minor Magic ~ Petition Magic ~ Eight Gates of Light and Dark ~ Candle Magic ~ Cord Magic ~ Gem Magic ~ Element Magic ~ Trance and Magic ~ Major Magic ~ Tarot Magic ~ Herbal Magic ~  Tallismanic Magic ~ Magical Alphabets ~ Sympathetic Magic ~ Ritual Magic ~ Cauldron Magic ~ along with spells and correspondences.... 

What can I say about chapter 7? Wow. I am not sure that she could have squashed any more information in one chapter and then you get to the end and three pages of correspondences. 

What are major magics vs minor magics  Well, Silver lists minor magics at petition spells, gem magic, candle magic, cord magic, and element magic. I am sure there are many more but these are the main categories that she lists. She then lists major magics as tarot magic, herbal magic, talismanic magic, alphabets, sympathetic magic, ritualistic magic, and cauldron magic. I am not sure I agree with all of this or that it even matters. I feel that, if you are going to label your magic, the more you put into it or require of it is what is going to magical working minor or major. 

Now I use petition spells often. The first spell I ever cast, one to remove all possible negativity from my classroom at the time, was a petition spell and it worked very well. Most of my spells, despite the types, has  a petition quality to them as I find actually writing my needs or requests on parchment using the appropriate colors of ink, etc, works well for me. I mix the petition spell with meditations, herbal, candle, and gem magics among other things. I do what feels right and maybe because I am a writer, I love to write my wishes down and send them skyward in the form of smoke and ash. 

Choosing the right spell for the job. Yes, this is important though it's not always something you have time for (at least to think about it to much ~ we talk more about that in Chapter 8). When you have the time, it's always good to look at every aspect of your spell that you can. Days of the week, time of day, where is the moon and sun at any given time. What color of candles or ink do you want to use. What Runes or witches alphabet will you use in your inscription or to inscribe your candles? 

This chapter is one to open to again and again just to check thing. Some really great info here... Check it out! 

To Stir a Magic Cauldron Ch. 6 ~ Aspects of Divinity

When you cast our circle, work your spells, or set your rituals, do you call specific deities? Do you call upon the Lady and Lord? The God and Goddess? Or do you just call upon the powers that be? For me the answer to this question varies depending on what I am looking to do, the purpose for my spell or ritual. When I need courage or strength  I call upon the Morrigan, the Goddess who chose me over a year ago through various means. I have written several spells/rituals to call upon specific deities as well as general callings depending on the need. I also have spells and such written specific to call upon he aid of the elements, which I work with often. 

Gotta love the comic book Celtic Gods/Goddesses

In chapter 6, calling Power and the aspect of divinity, Silver talks about many ways to call upon any power you may wish to invoke. She talks about what she calls the ten ways to raise power.

• meditation
• aspecting (a form of possession) and invocation
• trance and/or astral projection
• potions including herbals, incense, and wines
• dancing and or drumming or other music
• blood control (biofeedback)
• working with stellar, earth, sun, astrological energies
• chants and sacred breath
• spells
• sex

These calls can be used individually or mixed together in ritual, as I am sure many of you do. I know that when I attend public or group rituals you see mediation, dancing and drumming, chants, and work with energies. In my own circle, I use mostly mediation, aspecting, potions, energies, chants, and spells ~ often many at once or maybe individual such as a healing mediation. 

This is such a fun and informational chapter... Not going to give details cause I truly think you will want to read it yourself. I will say, however, that you want to read Circle of Stars. Great... The other rituals she gives are fab. Drawing up plants to help them grow is one I am looking forward to trying once I am in a place of my own. Also, living in the Seattle area, I am so going to be trying Conjuring the power of the wind and rain. That one, it seems, like it should have been made for this area specifically. A variation of this one, I am sure, will eventually make it into my own BOS. 

As i have written several callings for the Morrigan and her personalities (Macha, Babd, and Anu), I was thrilled to read the one she included in the book. Her's is nothing like mine but gave me thoughts in possible future writings of my own. Hmm. Interesting... 

Where are my own spells? Rituals? Well, maybe someday I'll write a book too.. Maybe. Working on it? Hmmm. More thoughts. Ya know, I seem to be thinking to much today, lol. 

He could totally be a God, couldn't he? 

She includes rituals for aspecting divinity, The Morrigan, Wisdom, using the power of drumming and rattles, Moon power, sun power, star power (no i don't mean Johnny Depp though I would like to know how to conjure him), and using trance work... Yes, not going into it any more then that. Enjoy!!! 

To Stir a Magic Cauldron Ch. 5 ~ Casting Circles

This was in interesting chapter of not entertaining. She discusses the basics of casting circles but then goes on to talk about some pretty interesting, even funny versions of circles she has seen cast. Exploding circles, misty circles, circles of fear and circles of power. She discusses balance in circles, talks a lot about what she feels is a must in circles (I think that it's great to know what other people do but that you need to decide what you want on your own), and goes on to give examples.

Yes, this is a very quick summary of chapter 5. It's great and if you are looking for some great examples of circle casting to get you started, i highly recommend this chapter. But I'm going to leave it there. Enjoy!

Thinking

Ok, so I keep moving forward, my eyes always on what i really want, what truly makes me happy, even though it seems I have so little time for it right now. What makes me happy? With my druid training and just life, I think about this a lot these days. What do I want with my life. Where do I want to be in a year, five years, ten years? 


Well, it's really quite simple. I want to have my store and know it's doing well. I do not want to be rich or anything, I just want to know that I am self sufficient and not have to go to bed each night wondering how the bills will get paid next month, whether I will be able to make rent, etc. 

I want to be on my own property, or at least property that i will own as soon as I finish paying the bank for it. With my little hobbit house. A place where I can grow my gardens, hold my rituals, solitary, or with others if I so desire. I have met some really great people these past few months and would love a place where I could invite them over for a BBQ or a party, a ritual like the one we are going to at a friend house next weekend for Beltane. It won't be fancy but it will be mine, a place where I can do what I want, be me, without listening to the neighbors party through the wall or the vacuum cleaner at midnight up stairs. A place where I can come home from my store and be peaceful and happy. A place where my kids can visit, my family can visit, and it will be mine... Like I said once I pay the bank for it.... But still mine. 

I would love to have someone... Someone who knows when to hug me when I'm having a bad day. Someone to say he loves me without wanting something. Someone who is there when I need him. Will i get married again?d Oh no! Did that twice, done with that. But I also don't want to be alone. 

I have worked hard my whole life. I raised my two beautiful kids and they have turned out quite well if I do say so myself. They are fabulous wonderful people. I went to school and worked hard to become a teacher, turning out at a bad time to be a teacher. I am currently working on my second master's degree. All in an attempt to just make it... To be self sufficient. To be able to support myself. My credit is bad, in fact I had to file bankruptcy last year. I have no money, I sub, no real job because no one will hire me - I am either over qualified or I require to much money. I deserve a little bit of ease in my life. 43 years, to me, seems like it should be long enough living this way. 

I try hard to give this all over to the Goddess. May days I succeed quite well, others not so much. I have learned from life that if you don't work hard, you get no where. I have also learned in life that often no matter how hard you work, you still get no where. 

Goddess... My Morrigan, please, if you would, tell me when is my turn. What do I need to do to get where I need to be. I want to help people. I want to give people like me a place, a safe place to learn, study, and congregate. I want to give them a place to be free. Can you please give me a sign, tell me how to find the mystery that hides what I need to know to reach my goals in life, these simple goals. 

As Saturday night closes, I sit here in my bed, computer in my lap, thinking about where I am and where I want to be. I can see me sitting there in my shop. I can see people coming and going. Talking, smiling, being happy Friends and customers. Potlucks, festivals, ceremonies  rituals, divinations  all being held in my shop. I try to manifest what I desire, what I need to move forward with what I feel I need to do, moving forward to where I know I belong. I just need to know how to get there. 

To Stir a Magic Cauldron ~ Ch. 4

Ok, jumping right on in on this one.... 

Josephine Wall: Spirit of the Elements

Calling the quarters, the elements, the elementals. What do you want the quarters to do? Witness, protect, add power? Silver noted the importance of telling them, whoever you call, what you need or want them to do. When I go back through my own written rituals, I found I do this anyway, that just came naturally to me when opening my circle, performing my rituals or spells. It's not something I would have thought of having to mention. Maybe it's the teacher in me, make sure everyone knows what they are doing, why they are here. Hmmmm. She gives some great, very imaginative ways to call quarters.... I was I intrigued as I read through them. Enjoyed them. Complicated, I am more for simple but loved them. Some great ideas and visualizations.

The differences between elements and elements was interesting. I did not realize that they were different, always saw one as part of the other, an element is the manifestation of the elemental. Have to think about this one a bit. She compares the elemental to a spirit and the elemental to the actual thing such as Tue element earth a dirt. She does not see the dirt as living thinking being which it's very different then my own druidic way of thinking - everything has spirit, life.

Watchtowers was also a be idea to me. she calls Watchtowers in addition to laments, to guard her circle, again, making sure they know what they are there to do. So read her information, I picture something like gargoyles standing at the corners (yes I realize circles are round, so does she) standing guard protect the rites as they happen.

She tasks some about faeries but I will leave that for you to check out, I had never heard of the Airts so I would rather touch upon this. What's an airt? Well, I learned that an airt is a word that means the point off the wind, at least as far as I can tell. She makes a lot of a sense here, we here in the USA read so much information that comes from elsewhere that we forget to take into account our own environment, what is on out area. Remember, our areas are very different then Europe and other places around the world. When talking about using the winds, we need to study what we each have in our own areas. What does the north wind bring, the south. How often and when do the different winds happen? How do the animals respond to the winds when they come ? How do/should you respond? These are all questions we need to study when working with any elements in our respective worlds. She hours on and I highly recommend this section of reading.

I have always loved this painting.... 

She talks about Angels... How different people from different traditions might view them if they do at all. The differences between the various beliefs in angels is huge depending on who you talk to. Do I believe in angels? Yes I do. Do you?

She then goes on to talk about totems, and them archetypes. The ancient ones is another area she covered briefly before moving on to chapter 5. And I am moving right along.

Ok, so this has been sitting in my drafts box for a while now. Want to get this one posted. Don't think I have it done yet but will come back and add more to it. But, you all can't read it if it's sitting in my drafts box so watch for more... It'll get added hopefully this weekend...

Ok. So something else I felt needed a word or two. Have you ever heard of Airts? I hadn't until now. Webster's defines airt as a "new direction. channel into a new direction." Silver talks of Airts noting that it is a Gaelic term used to describe compass points and the directions of the winds. She makes a great point about using the "airts" from our own areas. As a rule, we tend to study magic and ritual from Europe so when we start to use the winds and directionals  we use them as we seen them in books. Now I had not thought about it before but duh! If course the winds and such would be different here in Seattle then they would be is say, Glastonbury. Makes total sense. She recommends taking time, spending time out side. Making notes in our journals about wind directions at different times year. Noticing what is happening around you at different times of year. This is how you determine what elemental to use, to know what is coming "on the wind" at any given time in the year. To know what the wind bring in the spring when it blows in from the North, or what it brings in July when the slight breeze blows in off the Pacific ocean. It all makes sense, doesn't it? Hmmmm. Truly got me thinking....

I kinda gleamed over it when writing this a few weeks ago but decided today to come back to it. Totems. Do you have a totem? I would love to hear about other people's totems if they would like to leave comments. Things like how do you know. What brought these totems to you or you to them. I find this topic fascinating. My own totems consist of the horse, whom often guides me through the dream world and takes me to areas away from my sacred grove when I'm in mediation (which I am having difficulty making time for lately ~ can't wait until summer).

Silver talks about using totems animals when calling quarters. This is not something I do. In fact, usually my totems are something completely not associated with my circle casting. Not that they do not appear when I cast, but usually that is on their own accord, not because I call them. My totem animals usually come to me when they feel there is something I need to know or do, or when they feel I am in need. Where I live, there are several old oak trees outside of my apartment, both off my front door and off my patio. At any given moment, there are at least 100 crows in these trees. Early in the mornings when you leave my house, the sound is hypnotizing and they chatter above. It's amazing. the amazing thing is, from what I understand, they were not here before I came. How fun is that? To interesting. They follow me. When I am out and about, i see them everywhere. They stay outside the windows that I am close to when I am inside. When I send healing to others, they start seeing them outside their windows too. Even family members who do not know about my crows have reported seeing them when they know I have done a healing on them. And people insist on not believing. 

To Stir A Magic Cauldron: chapters 2 - 3

Chapter two starts out by talking about sacred space. What is sacred space? Depending on your path or "religion" as Silver calls it, it is where ever you feel the most safe, a place that has been cleansed and blessed as a place for ritual and spell work. Silver is a lot mroe formal in these things then I am in my own practice and she is very into the ritual and all of it's components. She has some great ideas here and a lot can be learned from her.

She discusses shrines to the areas where you sacred space might be. In your home, your yard, etc. I love how she talks about walking the land, your space, getting to know the area where you live. Learn the weather patterns, learn about the energies that are there, learn which way the winds blow and what comes and goes with them. Some really great information here. Introducing yourself and speaking with the earth energies in any given place is a great idea and will help you not only in your work, but also give you a better understanding of the spirit world would have availble for you to work with in your area.

One of the "Your Work" sections in this chapter asks you to think about what makes you feel sacred and what makes you feel no so sacred. This was a difficult task for me an it took a lot of thought. Things that make me feel sacred are the love from my family and friends, but I am far away from my family at the moment and really do not have many friends. Unfortunately, due to axiety issues and being quite shy, friends are difficult for me and I find that I am not a very good friend to even the best of friends. I try, but lately times have been difficult and I find that I tend to be on my own most of the time. I also feel sacred when I am in my grove, when speaking to my druid guide, completely my bardic grade studies through OBOD, and/or working on my own personal studies such as working throught this book. When do I not feel so sacred? When I am angry or frustrated which recently has been often. I do not feel very sacred when I am sick (as I am today) or when I feel that I am not accomplishing or able to accomplish the things I need to do.

In this chapter she also talks about centering yourself and then seeing yourself from outside of your body. I would say that this is the beginning of an astral travel kind of thing. I am looking forward to trying this but am not at a place in my home where I can at the moment. My mom is going to be leaving, going back to Spokane and then I will have more time alone, lots of time alone, where I will be able to focus more on these types of skills. The idea of astral travel has always scared me but I feel that I am ready to try and the way that Silver approaches it is easy and slow paced. Sounds like a plan to me.

She goes on to talk about various salutes and triggers. The salutes are really not soemthing I am intersted it but the triggers, I think, is something that we all do maybe without even realizing that we do it. Triggers are movements of things you can say that bring you to a specific feeling, spot, or idea. For example, to calm yourself you might have a hand movement or a quick prayer or saying that automatically brnigs calm to your being. I love this and know that I do it often.. especially in my car when I am having a bad day... "goddess bless me with peace" does it and I immediately feel that peace and calm throughout my body allowing me to smile a bit and move forward with whatever it is I need to do.

Silver loves speeches and shrines. If I have learned nothing else (I have learned a lot from this book by the way) from this book, I do know this. There is one shrine idea that I love and plan to do myself once my home is all my own. the Eternal Flame House Shrine sounds amazing. Decorating your shrine to your goddess/god of house and home sounds amazing and like a great way to keep things in your home as they should be. My goddess of hearth and home is Macha (one aspect of the Morrigan, my patron Goddess). This will be an amazing project to do.

The information about the meditation fo the five winds was interesting and there is some great information here. I loved reading about it and plan to learn about the winds, the directions they come from, and what each directions does for us. This could be so usful when wanting to bring things into being or rid ourselves of things we do not want. Can't wait to get started on this reasearch project and be able to use it in my own spell work.

Laughter. We all know that laughter has healing powers. When performing rituals, spells, whatever, we need to remember to laugh at ourselves. Everything does not have to be all serious all of the time. I would not start laughing if your priestess is perfomring a great rite that you are part of, but knowing when to laugh, espicially at yourself, can be a wonderful thing. We all make mistakes and the Gods know this. They are not going to strike you donw because you get the giggles during the calling of the directions or the closing of the circle. Don't take youself quite so serious all of the time.

Important: Remember, it's all about intent. What does this mean? It means that reading a ritual from a card means that you are probably going to spend more time on reading it correctly then the feels, the intent, the focus of what you are trying to do. Intent is everything. Not tools, not works. intent. Memorize what you want to do. It's not a race, take your time, visualize, focus, see what you want. Spend time with each aspect of your ritual or spell... It's all about intent. Without strong intent, strong will, your spell or ritual will not have the power you want tor need to do what you desire.

I'm not going to tell you about the Robe of Star because I want you to read about it. it's awesome! Check it out.

This is a full chapter... I have skipped talking about much of it, touching on parts that I found interesting for my own practice or that I found particularly cool... I highly advise reading this book so far so that you can see what I have neglected to discuss here.

Choosing your patron dieties. This, now, is a serious matter. You do not have to choose a patron diety if you do not want to. However, many prefer to have one diety or set of dieties to work with. This can help to bring specific qualities and powers to what you do. I myself was chosen by my patron Goddess, The Morrigan chose me a little over a year ago. Well, actually, she chose me before that but told me who she was a little over a year ago... I call to her three sides, Macha, Anu, and Badb. She covers all areas of my life msot of the time and we work well together. Don't get me wrong, she is touch on me. Definitely not all peaches and cream and she has kicked me in the butt to straighten me out on more then one occassion.. But she also leads me, protects me, and watches over me as I move through my days.

Well, you are not caught up with me in this book, all the way through chapter three. I have actually read chatper four too but will catch you up there next time. Have to say I am loving it so far and wish I could spend more time with it... It will most definitely become a new go to for info along with my my Scott Cunningham and Anne Moura books. Can't wait to delve deeper into Silver's work.

today today today

So here I sit today in a scence class watching a movie... the typical movies you see on education channels at home. Fun stuff here.

So I got a long term teaching position, April 22 through the end of the school year, should get me through the summer as long as I get enough hours at Sylvan. Yay!

What's with the blog post today? Boredom, no other way to put it. Sitting here with nothing to do will do it every time. Lol... Kids are suppose to not talk during the video or they have to write an essay about the movie. That always works.... the same who I am sure talk all of the time are talking but they are quiet, so I just let it go. I know that if I assign the essay, they will not do it anyway.

So for the first time ever I am about to be living along. I have always had someone in my house with me from my family, to my husbands, kids, and last mom. I'm not really worried about being alone, I am however worried about financial stuff... The summers are always so hard I am not sure how that is going to work out. I think I have it under control, with the long term sub position I mentioned, should set me up well for this summer but we will see what happens.

To Stir A Magic Cauldron

Chapter one was great. Along with taking about how this book relates to Silver's path, it discusses devotionals. There is a mediation here, the tapestry meditation, that connects you with the God above and the Goddess below that us amazing. I can't wait to try it.

The definitions of her views of fictional according to her wiccan tradition were wonderful and enlightening. She recommends having meditations, either written by you which is always more powerful, or other, in the morning and evening during times when you know you have a bit of time and will not be interrupted. Then again during the day at some point. Meditations to not have to be formal rituals and such. They can be as much as stepping outside to connect with the Go above and the Goddess below, taking a few quiet moments alone in your office during lunch, or taking a walk in the park during the afternoon. There is no set way to do this, it is up to you and what works for you. 


This book. like so many others, is a bit of a workbook with including activities to try on your own. In this one they are called "Your Work." For this section she wants you to write a few of your own devotionals and start using them during your days. She also would like us to try the devotionals included in this chapter, several of which she wrote for use to use as guides or ideas to write our own. As we know, things that we write ourselves adds and extra power to them as they come from us for us. We should all try to write our own spells, rituals, and devotionals when we can. Of course, journaling about your experiences is the a witchy thing to do. 

To Stir a Magic Cauldron by Silver Ravenwolf

So I needed something different so tonight I started a new book. Well, actually it's an older book that has been sitting on my self I just decided it's time read. I already know that Silver Ravenwolf is funny & writes well so I guess it's about time. I have several of her books that I have picked though but this will be the first I have read through. If you're ever looking for a great book of info and correspondences, Solitary Witch is fabulous. Anyway, if to bed with me and my book.

The Book if Spells by Gregory Branson-Trent

Ok, so this was a quick read as I didn't read page for page through the spells. It's a great book for the basics. It has some wonderful how to information for the person just starting out. What I can add is to remember that this is a very private practice. No matter what book you read, make it your own. What works for one person may not work the same way for someone else so when you find something you like, make changes, make it personal, make it what it needs to be fore your own use.



Some really great info I found that is not always in other books was how to make a BOS. It gives great instructions on how to create the book and what you might wan to put in it. I have always loved the binder idea. As someone who is really over organized, being able to add items in the middle is amazing. However, if you are wanting that leather bound journal look, you just learn to deal with some chaos, lol...



It also discusses how to write spells. It talks about "props" or tools and intent, chants, and other components  However remember. These things are all to show intent to make your will and focus as strong as it can be. That is what spell work is about, intent. If your intent is strong, you can perform spells with only your will. No props are necessary.



The book goes on to give information on simple spells, great places to start. Consecration and cleansing spells are always a great place to start. Though I know people do it all of the time, i was a bit concerned that the astral projection section was right at the beginning. I feel that astral projection is something that is mroe advanced and should be done with care. That is just my opinion however and to each their own. If you do try this, despite the fact that the book states that it's easy and that there is no danger, please be careful here.

The rest was basic simple spells. It's a great resource for ideas, spells to manipulate and change and make your own. If you do decide to pick this book up to read, I hope you enjoy it. It's quick and easy, maybe a couple hours at the most unless your read through every spell.... 

The Book if Spells by Gregory Branson-Trent

Yes, I am reading two books at once along with my Druid studies. Crazy, well, maybe. Honestly, I have this book on my kindle and am reading it when I am away from my house. So much easier to carry around me Kindle then the big book Path of Druidry. So I read that one at home and this one else where.

What do I know about this book? I saw it months ago and thought, that is one I need to read at some point. Why? Not sure, just had a feeling so here we are.

As I have done with other books, I'll tell you about thing that I find interesting and informational and you'll have a good idea of it's something you might want to read yourself.

Enjoy! Hope I do!

The Path of Druidry Ch. 2

Chapter 2 delves more into getting started with communing with nature, getting out into the natural world where ever you may be. If you are in the city, you can still find nature in a park, or even just by having plants, a balcony garden, something of the sort where you can go to be quiet and peaceful.

Walking, as many of you may already know, can be like a meditation. Walk with clarity and open mindedness. See what you cannot see. Listen to the sounds, feel the air, the area, the spirits, the animals and plants as you walk. Refrain from using your eyes so much as we have already learned to depend on them to the point of missing the things that lie deeper. Walk with your "soft eyes" on so that you feel and hear what is around you. Do not depend solely on your vision.

To get started, concentrate on breathing, bringing yourself into a meditative state. Do not go completely under, remember, you are going to be walking in nature. You need to be safe first and foremost and not watching where you are going is not safe. This is a time to "get out of your head" and focus on what is around you. Hear, touch, and feel what is happening around you as you walk.

Sacred space is a key word in this chapter and it is defined as any space around you which you help high. Any space can be sacred and as a druid, generally we consider all space sacred.

The book goes on to talk about the guardians of the place, the older more mature trees that have been around to watch over all around would be considered guardians of the territory. Are there any in your area? Do the feel different then other trees  Does the space around them feel different? Can you feel what energies stronger from some trees then others?

The chapters discusses it's idea of the different realms, heaven, etc using Annwn, Arbred, and Gwynvyd. It talks about the circle with Annwn in the middle, the cauldron of nourishment and life. Arbred being where we are, the circle around Annwn, and then Gwynvyd being the realm of wisdom and light, around the outside.

So, in completion of this chapter, the Nature Ray is fulfilled by walking every day, even if only for  a few moments, to recharge and get your "green self" moving... The knowledge Ray for this chapters is your walks taking you deeper into your knowledge of your area and your oneness with nature. and the Devotional Ray is your relationship with your landscape, your natural area. 

The Path of Druidry Ch. 1

So, this is another workbook. She starts out explaining what Druidry is and how it can fit into modern day life. Great place to start. We are not all long white beards and grey robes carrying staffs and chanting spells.. Well, maybe we chant spells and some of us have beautiful staff, but i promise I do not have a long white beard. My grey cloak is very cool though. My sister made it for me. :-)

The first exercise is a basic meeting with your/my druid teacher, or my druid in my grove. This is something that I have been doing for a while now so I felt a bit like a cheater but followed the lesson anyway and met with you druid. Yes, he is the white beard and grey robe. Calm, quiet, and wise with an air of peace to him. We sit on either side of the fire burning in the pit surrounded by water with a ring of stones holding it, as is always at the center of my circle. The book wants us to think and meditate on the word Druid. What does it mean to you/me. What experience does this invoke... Then it has you/me wake up and take notes about the experience.

So what came to me. This druid is my teacher, my guide. I did not leave this meditation just to this as I have done this previously. What I hope to get out of Druidry is peace of mind, peace in general and an understanding and way to make it through this world as whole and complete as I can. In this meditation i did, however, ask for guidance as it is what I have been seeking for a long time. I envisioned myself helping someone. Flashes if my shop, which does not physically exist at this point. I still have a feeling of young people or children around me which makes me so happy. and I see myself doing what I want, not what is expected of me. This is exciting for me as I have always ended up doing what is expected, not what I wanted. Even when I try to hard to do what I want.

Notes I took at the end:
What are my goals in the study and practice of Druidry?

• peace within myself and in this world
• security of mind and spirit
• life friends
• confidence and courage
• to be ok and at peace with me. 

Here's the start of something that it seems, did not get finished. 

Hear the rumble deep within

low deep, a tremble, deep sound

resonates, the flicker of a leaf

stone, sing together, a hum of the earth

Chapter 1

The basics of Druidry. sacred space. meditation, Nwyfre - energy connecting us to all things - dragon energy.

This chapter talks about what to keep around you to be druid. What it means, how to start this path, this journey. It talks about talking time each day, green time I think that book called it, to be in nature. Even if you are in the middle of the city, look out the window at a tree. Take time, the book says, three times a day, for yourself to commune with nature, to be one with it. What a beautiful thought but at this point in my life, not really possible. I am, however, working on twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. I have not managed it yet though. For me, committing to something like this is difficult. Why, not really sure, but it just is. I will though. Something I want so badly to do. Hoping that if I don't get it right away, I will once the weather is nicer and it isn't so cold.

A journal of what we see each day during each medition or green time. did you walk in a park, sit under a tree. How did you spend your time. what was the weather like, what did you feel. Keeping a journal will help to bring this all together. you will also start to notice the patterns in the world around you. Over the next year, you will learn the path of the green. When the leaves sprout, fall, when things turn green, yellow, are birthed, die. Everything runs in a circle again and again each year. You will learn this circle for your area.

This course is presented in Rays... as in the rays in the druidic symbol below...

The nature ray - the study of nature and our surroundings, often practiced in the open air.
The knowledge ray - the study of myth and the inner realms
The devotional ray  - developing an appropriate relationship with the worlds.

The exercises will be given pertaining to these three rays...

Watch for the next post for Chapter 2!!!  

The Pulse

The pulse surrounds
I hear the music
Through my feet
The sound of time
The history of being
Moves me along
My path of ages
The rhythm beating
The voices calling
As the leaves spin
And twirl their dance
of longing
Under the touch of the sun
The view from above
The prism of a drop
Of water as it
Travels through the breeze
Crawls down the green blade
To reach the deep dense
Earth as
The pulse surrounds

written by Mystical Journey

The Path of Druidry by Penny Billington

Ok, so I realize I haven't finished writing about the last book, Druid Magic, but here I am all tucked in my nice cozy bed with my computer on my lap typing and I have my books here... I have my OBOD materials here for my next Gwersi, I have my mouse and my orange juice and my bed time tea here for when I'm done... But the notebook with the rest of my notes for Druid Magic is else where, not sure where. Probably still in my bag from work as at work I read on the kindle on my phone. Hmm. Well, not going to go get it now so I'll tell you about the new book I am reading. I so love new books. They smell good and the pages are crisp and unbent. The cover is so bright and shiny... Not for long. Lol... Time to read. I'm reading The Path of Druidy now, written by Penny Billington, who is actually one fo the people who keeps OBOD running. Can't remember all of what she does but she is a big part of touchstone, and other things too... There is a great interview with her in Druidcast ~ episode 55 from October 2011. 


Should be good. It's another like a workbook with activities at the ends of the chapters, discussions, and she has a funny personality stopping to tell you when it's time to get up and take a break
Put the book down for a moment. Shake your limbs to relax yourself. Check that your spine is straight and take three relaxed breaths with your surroundings. 


I am on page 9 right now in chapter one which talks about the Basics of Druidry. It's interesting reading all of the different books because they all give similar information with a personal twist that belongs solely to the author. This is not even all ringing true completely with the OBOD teachings so far which is funny as she is such a big 

part of OBOD. Anyway, love the fact that it's all so personalized and think it's amazing that we can all find our own way and that is ok. 
Time to go... Really should go to sleep but anxious to get into my new weeks gwersi... Check out my notes on the forums where the Gwersi come into play.. Love you all and night night... 

My Studies in Druidry

Chapter 15 talks about Upholding the truth of Sovereignty. To me, sovereignty is our freedom to be who we are. This chapter talks about how upholding the truth of sovereignty helps us to be who we truly are. Lying can create a conflict in us that affects us so completely that it changes our personality, it discolors our aura, it makes us feel that we are not who we truly are. To be true to ourselves, to live in peace and harmony with others and ourselves, we need to hold true to the truth of our sovereignty, we need to tell the truth in all we do and respect the truth of others. Know that like us, if someone else doesn't follow this, they too will live in turmoil. To be true to ourselves and to honor ourselves and all that we are, we need to be truthful in all that we do.

Now, this brings up a question to me, one that I hear from students all of the time. What about a truth that will hurt someone. It’s usually petty things when this comes up like telling someone that you like their shirt or that you are not going to the party because you have home (and you just don’t want to go) but how does this idea fit here? I would love to hear the thoughts of others. For me, I weight the harm either way, if I lie, what could happen. If I tell the truth, what could happen. Hmmm. I look forward to seeing if anyone will respond. There are a few I know will.

Oh, the poem previously posted called teach refers to this chapter.

My Studies in Druidry

Book Review Druid Magic continued.

Chapter eleven talks mostly about how Druids, many Druids view the world. I found this chapter interesting because I always love it what text supports what I have always believed but never really had put a name or word too. I love knowing that other people see things that same way that I do, gives my own belief system a bit of solidity and reality rather than fantasy. 

The book discusses the “Celtic Cosmos” in terms of the land of the living, the fairy realm, and the human world. 

• They describe the land of the living as the “land of youth”, the home for women, and the home of the “blessed ones,” and “our eternal selves” when we are out of our bodies.   To me, this seems much like what Christians view as heaven, what I view as the Summerlands. A place we all want to be, at least I do at this point in my life, lol… It’s a place where we all exist when we are in between lives here on earth, our celestial home, our true home.
• The fairy realm is the place where the Sidhe live, the fairies, the Gods and Goddess.  To me this seems strange. I would imagine the Gods and Goddess’ would live more in the Land of the Living, our home when away from our bodies. Hmmm. Makes you think, right? Wonder how others feel about that? 

• The human world, well, that is self-explanatory. That is here, our day to day lives, magical and mundane. All who are here on earth. 

The four pillars of Druidry are the basic belief system of Druids in general and really. Most I have talked to hold these same beliefs though not all. This is the nice thing about Druidry, it’s personal based on our own experiences and what we know to be true. Our beliefs tend to change and grow and we study and learn  because part of being Druid is being a lifelong learner. Everything is a teaching and learning experience and in life, this is something that we all need to remember. If we stop learning , life becomes stagnant  and we tend to lose our way. 

The Pillars of Druidry are as follows. 

• Multiple lifetimes: The self or anam (Gaelic word for soul) comes and goes in an eternal cycles of lives. When out of body, they dwell in the land of the living. They can incarnate in any form. Detail from each life is lost as we pass from one life to the next but lessons learned from experiences carry on.  This knowledge can manifest as Awen as well as in the decision making process in a future life. 
• Spirit in all things: The idea that all things carry spirit is not claimed by only Druidry. Everything is alive with a presence, a spirit, a goddess, different people see them as different things. I feel that each and every thing has a soul in it. Some things carry a soul that has reincarnated into it, others have souls that have been inside for years, centuries, maybe all time. I believe that the sacred places, the places of power around our great earth are these places with spirits that have existed in that place for centuries or forever. 
• Reverences for our ancestors: As per the book, there is an awareness that each soul brings wisdom with it in each existence, both individual and collective. We carry the wisdom of our ancestors with us from life to life. The books states that in our DNA, we have cells from our ancestors inherited from birth and passed on through generation to generation. This is a new concept for me. I need to think about this more to make an educated decision, and one from my heart and soul.  For me, I think this in that we have the ability to communicate with or ancestors. We can speak with them, ask for guidance and understanding. This knowledge and wisdom we carry with us. 
• Multiple worlds: This refers to the Celtic Cosmos… As seen above… Don’t see any reason to go into this again. 

Chapter 12 discusses what is Druidry… It was an interesting chapter but really did not prompt to much to write here. I did answer the questions at the end, one being “what does Druidry bring to your life?” This is my brainstorming list in the order that it came to me. 
• Truth
• Peace
• Guidance
• Belief
• Magic
• Creativity
• Path
• Leadership

I didn’t write anything about chapters 13 and 14 so I am guessing they were history stuff… Much of what we already know from OBOD. 

Staring at me this morning in precalculus class

Bright shiny faces
Sudden confusion
Deer in the head lights
Numbers letters symbols
Progression of processes
End result
Don't understand
Correct answer
YES!

written by Mystical Journey 01/15/2013

Teach

The word of peace
Love and knowledge
Spread around
The world to whom
Ever will listen
As confidence builds
And people learn
They can control the destiny
Of the world when
We care for her
She in turn cares for us

by Mystical Journey 01/15/2013