The leg wound that never heals

I had my cancer surgery on the 21st of October, the incision got so infected the stitches popped and now I am left with this...a wound that will not heal. Fun Huh?

Posted by a good friend Merlyn on his blog. What are your thoughts. I personally live it.

What exactly is practicing witchcraft? I hear this said all of the time and it drives my nuts...I put it right up there with practicing medicine...if you have to practice something that means that you are not getting it right! Thus the saying "practice makes perfect".

I say let those who are not sure of their spells practice, or those who are not quite sure how to do a ritual practice! Practice is great if you don't have it right to begin with thus you keep doing it until you get it right. If you are not sure of what you are doing how in the heck is your working going to manifest...if it's born in doubt it wont manifest.

Here is something that was said to me as a child " If you are a practicing witch you aren't ready to do magick, you are not ready to lead a coven you are only learning " Live the craft don't practice it.

Way to many witches practicing and too few living the craft if you ask me! Be a witch, be in charge of your own destiny...bend the universe to your will and stop practicing the craft and start to live it. If you live it devoutly everyday you will understand all that I have just said. The world will be bent to your will, your magick will work and you will lose all doubt!

The first thing to know is that witches do not hold power we are given it by the Goddess to bend to our will. Real witches do not hold power we are given it as we require it! I hear people talk all of the time about their powers...you noticed I used the word "people" and not witch! There is a difference if you have to wonder what it is perhaps your path should be re thought!

We witches only have what the Goddess will allow us to have when we require it..she holds all of the power not us. This post was inspired by listening to a few young pagan girls today at work who's only powers was the power of delusion..I guess they thought I was just a little old man..I didn't change their perception of me..I feel that they was all powerful alright..I sure am glad that they are only practicing instead of living the path.

More Halloween lore

MODERN TRADITIONS
After the Romans' conquered the area, they combined their own traditions of Feralia, a late October day that commemorated the passing of the dead with the Celts' existing tradition of Samhain. Another Roman tradition was Pomona, the Roman goddess of the trees and fruit. The symbol for Pomona was an apple, thus the tradition of bobbing for apples began with the Romans.

As the spread of Christianity enveloped the land, November 1 was named All Saints' Day, a day to honor saints and martyrs, by the Catholic Church. Many believe that the Catholic pope was attempting to replace the evil within this holiday. Later, the church created All Souls' Day on November 2, in which the dead were honored.

The trick or treating tradition began with the All Souls' Day parades in England where beggars would ask for food and they would receive soul cakes for a promise to pray for that family's dead relatives. At the beginning of the 20th century, Halloween festivities began with communities urging parents to take the fright out of the celebrations.

More Halloween lore

ORIGINS OF THE HOLIDAY
Halloween traditions began in modern United Kingdom, northern France and Ireland. These countries celebrated their new calendar year on November 1, a day that concluded the summer harvest period and began the dark wintertime that was directly associated with death. The Celts believed that on the night before the New Year, known as Samhain or the "Lord of Death," that the separation between the living world and the dead one wasn't apparent to the ghosts of the dead.

Throughout Samhain, these ghosts would return to the Earth. They would cause trouble and damage the harvest crops of the past season if food was not provided to them. With their presence, the Celtic priests could effectively make prophecies that were vital to the townspeople's comfort toward the dark winter ahead.

Generally, the tradition of costume wearing began at this time when many people feared the return of these ghosts. They then wore costumes, usually of animal heads or skins, or dressed in others disguises and masks to attempt to look like the dead themselves. This would help put them out of harm's way.

A little halloween lore

The Jack-O-Lantern

The legend of the Jack-O-Lantern comes from Ireland from about the 18th century. With some variations the basis of the Jack-O-Lantern is as follows:

There was a stingy drunkard of an Irishman named Jack who tricked the Devil into climbing an apple tree. Then Jack quickly cut the sign of a cross into the trunk of the tree, thereby preventing the Devil from climbing down. Jack made the Devil swear that he wouldn't ever come after Jack's soul again or claim it in any way. However, this did not stop Jack from dying and when he did he was not allowed into Heaven, because of his life of drinking, being tightfisted and being deceitful. And because of the oath the Devil had taken Jack was not allowed into Hell either. "But where can I go?" asked Jack. "Back where you came from!" replied the Devil. The way back was windy and dark. The Devil, as a final gesture, threw a live coal at Jack straight from the fire of Hell. To light his way and to keep it from blowing out in the wind Jack put it in a turnip he was eating. Ever since Jack and his "lantern" has been traveling over the face of the earth looking for a place to rest.

The moral of the story: Don't mess with the devil.

Ghosts, Bats and other Halloween stuff...

Halloween is based on an ancient holiday 'All Hallows Eve'. It was the one day of the year where dead spirits were allowed to walk the earth.
Bats fingers are actually parts of its wings and their "fingers" are bigger then their body
Bats always turn left when exiting a cave
"Phasmophobia" is a fear of ghosts.
Of the 4000 species of mammals on the planet, there are 900 different species of bats.
Worldwide, bats are the most important natural enemies of night-flying insects.
9% of Americans report having been in the prescence of a ghost.
During WWII, Americans tried to train bats to drop bombs. They failed.
Wiccaphobia: Fear of witches and witchcraft.
Samhainophobia: Fear of Halloween

A Prayer Cup Spell

Prayer cups are rarely used these days, but they produce powerful magic. First, you’ll need a tea or coffee cup and saucer. Wash and bless your cup and saucer according to your spiritual path. Speak words of power over them according to your spell as you hold the cup in both hands. Next, sprinkle herbs in your cup suitable to your wishes. Raise the cup and present it to each direction, plus Heaven and Earth. Cover the cup with the saucer; set them aside and let the spell do its work. When the spell physically manifests your desire, sprinkle the herbs around your magic circle or outdoors. Then wash your cup and saucer. End by rubbing the inside of your cup with a drop of olive oil to show your thanks. Now your prayer cup is ready for your next spell.


James Kambos

I cant beleive October is almost here!

Holy shit people where did the month go? LOL jk, I have been spending most of my time dealing with Doctors and Specialists. How bout you?

By the way here is a pic of my biposy.....Yummy huh?

Spell to balance energy

On this post–Full Moon day, the Sun is in Libra. One of Libra’s characteristics is balance, so you can utilize this solar energy to weave your spell. Begin by taking two sheets of parchment paper and, with black ink, draw a large “plus” sign on one, and a large “minus” sign on the other. This represents the yin and the yang: the positive and negative currents of energy flowing through reality and upholding all of existence. This is the dualistic principle of reality (e.g., up/down, light/dark, god/goddess, etc.). Stand and position your legs together with your arms at your sides. Look to the heavens, close your eyes, and raise both arms at the elbows, cupping your hands. In each hand, hold one of the sheets of paper. This position represents the scales of Libra. Chant:
I summon thee, energy and spirits of Libra, oh great scales of balance! Hear my prayer. I invoke the power of absolute balance, and ask you to balance my mind, my heart, my body, and soul. Ever toward spiritual
wholeness I grow, and forever shall I be balanced in life. This I ask, this I pray. So mote it be.



Raven Digitalis

To heal a friend or relative:

You Will Need:
Purple paper.
White yarn or string.
A pair scissors.
Fresh violets (whole, with stems).
Black pen.
A purple candle.
A small vase or holder (for flowers).

This spell is for healing a friend or family member. It is best done when the moon is full, but you can do it whenever you feel it necessary. Light the candle and fill the small vase with water. Place the freshly cut violets in the little vase and say a chant, focusing on the well being of the person and the healing of their ailment. Cut a heart out of the purple and write the name of the person on one side, and a short but heartfelt "Get Well!" message on the other side. Poke a small hole in the top right side of the heart and thread the white string through it, tie it, and attach it to the vase. Give the little vase of violets to the target person and await their recovery.

Healing someone in your family:

Prepare an envelope from a square of paper that you have folded - If you do not know how to do this, you can use a very small letter envelope.
On the envelope write the word "Health". Then write the name(s) of the person you are directing the healing toward.Enclose the following herbs into the envelope:
Angelica, Burdock, Galangal, Horehound, Elder, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Mandrake, Root, Rose, Rue, Sassafras, and Yellowdock.

Chant the following:
I charge these herbs to aid my spell,
that ............. (name of person) will be well,
That by free will that can be blessed,
with total health and happiness,
I ask the Goddess to hear my call,
that it may be correct and for the good of all.Pass the envelope through your altar candle and catch the envelope on fire. Focus on the smoke and visualize the energy blowing with the smoke toward those in need. Allow the envelope to burn completely.

Chant the following:
I call upon a breath of wind.
Empowered by the Spirit of Air.
To carry my spell toward my kin, and gracefully deliver it there.
By all the power of three times three.
This spell bound around shall be.
To cause no harm, nor return on me.
As I do will, So mote it be!

Found on the internet

Belt

Well, My belt is complete, I now have to wear it for three days continuously.....Wow no shower for three days sorry hon! And unfortunately readers thats the only info I can give on the subject

The big C

So as some of you know I have been diagnosed with malignant melanoma. Well at my visit to Karmanos I was told if my lymphnodes come back clean the only treatment I will require is surgery to remove the cancer.

Salsa canned and ready to go. Extra spicy.

Blanching green beans to put in the freezer from my mother inlaws garden

She is training to be just like her mommy!!! I love the smirk on her face.

Harvest Basket Spell

September 7
Tuesday

Color of the day: Gray
Incense of the day: Cedar

Find a large basket or cornucopia and fill it with a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. As you wash and prepare them for your basket, imagine the life cycle of the bounty before you. Think of the brave farmers who work the land, and the pickers, packers, and produce clerks who have helped this food make its way to you. Strive to appreciate this cycle and imbue your basket with honor and gratitude. When you entertain visitors at your home or prepare meals for family and friends, use the fruits and vegetables from your harvest basket to help share your wealth with those around you. Let this spell remind you of the true bounty of generosity.

MIA

I am so sorry I have been MIA lately. I am just trying to figure out what to post for you guys! Thanks for your patience
LOVE YA ALL
RAVEN

Dust in the wind lyrics - Kansas

Poppet magick, aka voodoo doll

Wax Poppets

This is an intriguing poppet. If you saw the movie "Witches of Eastwick", you saw Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle whats-her-name make one of these.


Take 7 white candles (new candles, not used) and melt down in a double boiler on low heat. You don't want to melt them down to liquid, just soften them so they can be worked with. (If indeed you do liquidize them, just let them cool until they can be handled.) Remove wicks.

Rub lavender oil on your palms and fingers before working the wax. When the
wax can be easily shaped (don't burn your hands!), begin to shape your poppet. Oils, herbs, and personal effects (hair, nails) should be kneaded into the wax. Try to incorporate some of the features of the person. Are they thin? Stocky? Any distinguishing features will help.

When the figure is shaped, place a representation of the heart in the chest area. This can be a piece of copal resin, a small piece of tourmaline, or any other stone or item that represents the heart. Take a pin or other pointed object and draw your magickal representations on the figure.

A variation on this process would be to rub an oil that corresponds to your magickal intent on your hands as you shape the poppet. Rose if it's a love poppet. Patchouli for a prosperity poppet. Any oil that you would incorporate into the spell would be appropriate.


Cloth poppets

My favorite method. Cut two identical gingerbread shapes from fabric. (See
pattern). Felt, cotton, or muslin is suitable, but so is fabric from the subject's old shirt or any piece of clothing. Embroider, draw, or paint magickal symbols, words, anything meaningful to the spell on the right side of one piece of your pattern. Green eyes? Dark hair? This is where you add those details. Right sides together, sew the shapes together, leaving a good sized hole to stuff it with.

Prepare your herbal mixture. For those of you into numerology, one method is
to choose a number that corresponds with your magickal intent and add that number of herbs. I use multiples of three in my poppet blends. Using multiples of three, a prosperity blend might include patchouli, honeysuckle, and basil. If I'm adding honeysuckle flowers, I might add 6 or 9. I mix my personal effects with these herbs (hair, fingernails, a cut up picture, whatever I have.) For a money spell, I might shred a dollar or add three silver coins. For a healing spell, I might add a stone that represents the ailing body part and use herbs that would medicinally treat the sickness. This is where you can get entirely creative. I like to place representations of the heart inside cloth poppets. Again, a piece of copal resin or tourmaline would do nicely if stuffing inside. Some sew hearts on the outside in a color corresponding to the purpose of the spell.

You don't have to stuff the poppet entirely with herbs. You can include a small herbal mixture with other kinds of stuffing -- batting, shredded paper, whatever you have on hand. I just love the smell and feel of poppets stuffed entirely with herbs. Once you're satisfied with the stuffing, sew the poppet up and consecrate.


Paper Poppets

The easiest of all. Cut a gingerbread figure from a piece of clean paper. Write the name of the person for whom you're making your poppet on the paper. Draw your sigils and any other distinguishing signs. This is a very quick, yet surprisingly effective alternative to putting hours into poppet design. Anoint the paper with herbal oils corresponding to your spellwork. For the emergencies or impromptu spells.


Root or Wood Poppets

Several herbal roots and wood are very well suited for poppet magick. Of course, there is the mystical mandrake. This wo/man-shaped root has been used for centuries in sympathetic magick, especially love magick. To activate a dried mandrake, place it on the altar undisturbed for three days. Then place it in warm water overnight. The root will then be activated and ready for any magickal purpose. A human shaped mandrake root is going to be very expensive. Substitute ash roots, apples, root of the briony, or the American may apple if the cost is prohibitive. Ginseng root has a human shape, and is especially good for protection, love, and healing spells. Ginseng is expensive too, though!

Poppet shapes can be carved from wood. Apple wood is a great choice. This can be labor intensive unless you are a wood carver or just happen to find a nicely shaped branch or stick.


Clay Poppets

Buy clay or gather from the riverside. When your figure is formed, hollow out a hole in the heart area to place hair, nail clippings, herbs, or other magickal ingredients. Cover the hole with clay and proceed with spell. Clay poppets may crack if dried too quickly. If cracking occurs, wet fingers and smooth clay over cracks. Repeat daily, if needed, until poppet is dry.


Mr. Potato Head

Potatoes can be carved into poppets. Apples too. A carrot would make a good fertility poppet. Are you getting the idea that just about anything will work as a poppet? Focus and magickal intent are the keys.


CONSECRATING THE POPPET

As with all magick, it's best to perform it when the moon and other astrological signs are favorable. (For a list of moon phases, signs, etc and their magickal correspondences, go here.)

Gather your materials. Cast a circle. Construct a chant to use while making
your poppet. This can be as elaborate as a sigil or as simple as repeating
the name of the poppet's intended or a rhyme stating your magickal purpose.
Visualize your magickal intent as you work.

When the poppet is finished, lay it on the altar and repeat this or
something like it:


Though separate you were,
Now you are one.
The link of unison has begun.

Continue with your spell, visualizing what you intend to accomplish. Close the circle.


CARE OF YOUR POPPETS

After performing your magick, wrap the poppet in a white cloth and store in a safe place. You should keep the poppet safe until the magick has manifested. I've worked magick on the same poppet more than once. I'm one of those witches who sees no harm in repeating spells (as long as you don't obsess over your magick). Some witches are strongly opposed to this.


DISPOSING OF YOUR POPPETS

Take it apart and bury it after the magick has manifested. Be sure to sever the magickal connection between the poppet and the person it represented with this or a similar chant.


By the Moon and Stars
and Goddess above.
I now sever this link
with thanks and love.

REM - Everybody hurts (with lyrics)

DAILY PAGAN DEVOTIONAL

Witch, Please
(borrowed from GreenWoman then from moonfirewolf)


Here are the things I don't care about :

I don't care what the name of your religion is.
I don't care what the names of your gods are.
I don't care how old your religion is.
I don't care if your great-great-whatever grandmother passed down your famtrad Book of Shadows under the watchful eye of the Inquisition.
I don't care if an entire civilization worshipped your Goddess for ten thousand years.
I don't care if you made Her up based on manga or Tolkien or a dream you had.
I don't care where you place your altar.
I don't care which direction you call Earth.
I don't care how psychic you are.
I don't care if you're smarter than me.
I don't care why you eat meat, or don't.
I don't care how many shields you think you need.
I don't care how your childhood trauma made you a powerful magickian.
I don't care if you spell "magic" with a k.
I don't care if you were an Atlantean Magus in your last life.
I don't care if you're brand-spanking new.
I don't care how much you hate Christians.
I don't care how many degrees you have.
I don't care if people call you "Lady" or "Lord."
I don't care if you're King of all Londinium and wear a shiny hat.
I don't care if you can read minds or light candles with your breath.
I don't care how the world owes you a living.
I don't care if you've been studying the Craft for thirty years or thirty minutes.
I don't care what your totem animal is, especially if it's a wolf, raven, or unicorn.
I don't care if you can trace your lineage back to Gardner.
I don't care if you think I'm a moron, fraud, or basket case.
I don't care how many books you've read.
I don't care how much or how little money you have.


What do I care about?

I care that your religion has made you a kinder, more compassionate person.
I care that you can hold down a job.
I care that you're growing past whatever happened to you as a child or last year.
I care that your gods help you become stronger without coddling you.
I care that you are willing and able to adapt and change as your life does.
I care that you care about the Earth.
I care that you care about someone and something outside yourself.
I care that you practice your religion with devotion and reverence.
I care that you respect others' paths.
I care that you never stop learning.
I care that you can conduct adult relationships with respect and understanding.
I care that you get how hilarious life is.
I care that you know when to ask for help.
I care that you realize that someone will always be smarter, more powerful, and more together than you.
I care that you realize it doesn't matter, because tomorrow you'll be smarter, more powerful, and more together than you were yesterday.
I care that you have reasons for everything you do, even if those reasons are purely intuitive.
I care that you can admit when you're wrong.
I care that you know you're both a tiny speck in a vast universe and a rare, precious jewel in the darkened sky.
I care that you're making a difference.
I care that you know when to speak and when to shut the hell up.
I care that you are seeking a relationship with Deity and with Nature.
I care that you are healthy.
I care that you're contributing to your family and community.
I care that your capacity for love and joy increase with every passing year.
I care that you believe in yourself.
I care that you're doing the best you can.

Racism

While watching Wendy Williams today they showed a clip of kids looking at cartoon pics of kids of different colors. A three year old white girl picked a white blond gilr as nice cause she looked like her. She picked the black girl as ugly and mean because she was dark. In defense of this girl she really hasnt been around people of color, the girls mom was in tears. Remember people teach our little ones young that the color of ones skin doesn't mean anything and that we are all beautiful. When a girl of color was asked the same questions she said does it really matter? to all of them, how wonderful is that? My kids don't even notice color they look at the persons soul and my son has always seen auras. And to those people out there who are racist I feel sorry for you. I know personally if I hear the "N" word I go off it don't matter if you are a 250 linebacker I will kick your ass, or go down trying. I have black family members and it is plain to see I am not nessacarily caucasion. I grew up being called N**ger girl, spic wetback, you name it. It is hard to be judged because of the color of your skin. Lets all make an effort to be better than that. I love you all
RAVEN

Basil & Cinnamon Love Amulet

Basil & Cinnamon Love Amulet

Should be done on a Friday during a waxing moon

Needed:

Large, flat plate

Small picture of yourself

Ground cinnamon

Dried basil

Ceramic or glass bowl

Pink houshold or taper candle

Small piece of pink cotton cloth

Pink yarn or cord

Hold the candle between your hands & envision yourself as a loving, giving person. Fill yourself with feelings of love & sensuality. Infuse those feelings into the candle and then place it in its holder. Light the candle.

Place the plate before the candle. Put the small picture of yourself in the middle of the plate. Pour a small circle of ground cinnamon on the plate around the picture & say:

"Love surrounds me."
Pour a larger circle of basil around the ring of cinnamon, saying once again:
"Love surrounds me."
Now pour a third, larger circle of cinnamon around the basil and say once again:
"Love surrounds me."

Hold your hands, palms down, over the three herb circles and your picture for a few moments. Sense the energies that are rising from the herbs. Raise energy. Visualize again what you want the talisman to accomplish. Carefully pour the herbs and the picture into the bowl. Place your hands into the bowl

and mix the herbs with your fingers, infusing them with your personal energy as you do so and saying these words or something similar:

" Spice and herb, Plant and tree:
send someone to love only thee.
Love we shall share,Equally
As is my will & desire, So mote it be!"

Pour the spices and the picture into the center of the pink cloth. Gather up ends and tie them shut with the pink yarn. Place the love talisman beside the candle. Let sit there for at least 15 minutes or so as you concentrate on what you want it to accomplish for you then pinch out the candles flame.

Burn the candle for at least 7 minutes at approximately the same time each day and carry the talisman with you to attract appropriate love. It is best to make another talisman or recharge this one about every 6 months or so.


Adapted from a spell by Scott Cunningham

Sexual Attraction Spell

Sexual Attraction Spell
Kala Trobe

To increase sexual attraction, cast this spell when the Moon is waxing, and during the season at or near Beltane or the start of Lammas.

To begin, girdle your thigh with a green garter. Become an Aphrodite(entranced by thoughts of love) as you place this erotic symbol about your limb, and light a pink or green candle in honor of the beauteous goddess, saying:

"Venus, Astarte, Inanna, Ishtar, may your power be compounded in this garter I wear."

Imagine the ancient impetus to merge and procreate summarized on your thigh, spreading its irresistible aura about your person. Now say:

"Let only those I choose perceive this charm."

After all, you do not want every Tom, Dick and Harriet harassing you.

Concentrate until you feel your allure. Establish your magnetism with a confident smile.

An Amulet for Peace & Reconciliation

An Amulet for Peace & Reconciliation




On a piece of paper, trace your strong hand (the one normally extended in a handshake). In the center of the tracing, write the name of the person to whom you wish to extend peace. Wrap this carefully around a green olive (or olive leaf), and tie it with two circuits of white thread. Bless this amulet by saying, "I open my hand and heart so all anger can depart. Let peace now grow, between me and thee." Carry this to your next meeting with that individual to encourage resolution. Once the problem is reconciled, bury the amulet so the past remains buried.



If your words with this individual were unusually harsh you may wish to substitute a honey-flavored candy or honeycomb for the olive. In India, honey represents wise words. In this form the amulet stimulates discourse tempered with gentle speech.

Amulet for Opening & Balancing the Third Eye

Author Unknown

(Brow) Chakra

Materials:

4 inch by 4 inch Indigo colored cloth (this is the best) OR 3 inch by 5 inch Indigo drawstring pouch.

A small piece of Lapis Lazuli (Lapis Lazuli is best) OR Blue Sodalite.

A small piece of Moonstone.

White yarn, twine or string.



Instructions:

Place the stones in your power hand.



Sit comfortably and do whatever meditation exercise you do that helps you ground and center.



Once centered visualize a beam of indigo colored energy radiating from your spiritual core and flowing from your center, down your arm to the palm of your hand and into the lapis lazuli or blue sodalite.



Once you feel the energy is into the stone, visualize a beam of white energy radiating from your spiritual core and flowing from your center, down you arm to the palm of your hand and into the moonstone.



Now focus on the energized stones in your palm and visualize the two color energies mixing and swirling together until they have become a pale shade of indigo.



Keeping this visualization of the colors swirling and mixing and moving, place them in the center of the cloth.



Visualize the colors flowing over and through the cloth, completely surrounding it.



Now gather the corners of the cloth to the center, making a small pouch. Bind the tops with the white yarn or string, leaving enough ends so that you can wear the amulet as a necklace if you so choose.



Place the amulet in your power hand and chant three times (or until you feel it is empowered):



"My third eye is opened and balanced.

I accept the gift of awareness.

I am able to see past illusion."



Place the amulet around your neck or in your pocket.

A DAILY PAGAN DEVOTIONAL

I Believe

I believe-
that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I believe-
that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I believe-
that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I believe-
that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I believe-
that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I believe-
that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I believe-
that you can keep going long after you can't.

I believe-
that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I believe-
that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I believe-
that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else
to take its place.

I believe-
that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I believe-
that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I believe-
that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.

I believe-
that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I believe-
that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I believe-
that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do
with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I believe-
that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I believe-
that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I believe-
that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I believe-
that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it
doesn't mean they do.

I believe-
that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I believe-
that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I believe-
that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you..

I believe-
that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

I believe-
that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I believe-
that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

THE LEMON CURSE

THE LEMON CURSE
Items needed:
1 lemon
1 black candle
9 nails
Cursing Oil
Picture of person (to be cursed)
Athame Black bowl
Light the candle.
Cut a slit into the lemon.
Place the picture of the person inside the slit.
Take one if the nails and feel your anger rise.
Visualize your anger.
Pierce the nail into the lemon.
Do the same for the remaining nails.
With each nail your anger should rise for this person getting blacker and blacker.
When you reach the last nail, place the lemon in the bowl.
Pour cursing oil onto the lemon filling the bowl until the lemon is half covered (with oil.)
Let the lemon rot in this bowl on your alter.
As the lemon rots, so too will the life and luck of the person!

Note to self

When making hotfoot powder..... do not touch face or eyes.

PILLOW FIGHT!!!

LOL I love my kids!

Native american sun dance

Many Plains tribes still celebrate the annual Sun Dance.

Sun worship is a custom that has gone on nearly as long as mankind itself. In North America, the tribes of the Great Plains saw the sun as a manifestation of the Great Spirit. For centuries, the Sun Dance has been performed as a way to not only honor the sun, but also to bring the dancers visions. Traditionally, the Sun Dance was performed by young warriors.

According to historians, Sun Dance preparation amongst most of the Plains peoples involved a lot of prayer, followed by the ceremonial felling of a tree, which was then painted and erected at the dancing ground. All of this was done under the supervision of the tribe's shaman. Offerings were made to show respect to the Great Spirit.

The Sun Dance itself lasted for several days, during which time the dancers abstained from food. On the first day, prior to beginning the dance, participants often spent some time in a sweat lodge, and the painted their bodies with a variety of colors. Dancers circled the pole to the beat of drums, bells, and sacred chants.

The Sun Dance was not held solely to honor the sun -- it was also a way of testing the stamina of the tribe's young, unblooded warriors. Among a few tribes, such as the Mandan, dancers suspended themselves from the pole with ropes attached to pins that pierced the skin. The young men of some tribes lacerated their skin in ritualized patterns. Dancers kept going until they lost consciousness, and sometimes this could go on for three to four days. Dancers often reported having a vision or a spirit walk during the celebration. Once it was over, they were fed, bathed, and -- with great ceremony -- smoked a sacred pipe in honor of the Great Spirit's manifestation as the sun.

10 activities for Pagan Kids!!! ( From about.com)

1. Make a Wand
What's not to love about making your own wand? Take your kids out in the woods for a nature walk, and ask them to keep an eye on the ground for the "right" stick. The wand should be about the same length as the child's forearm. Once your child has a stick, bring it home and decorate it with flowers, ribbons, glitter, even crystals. Hold a consecration ceremony so your child can claim the wand as his or her own.

2. Drumming
Everyone likes to drum, and the louder the better. If you don't have a professional drum, don't worry -- that's why the gods made coffee cans. Let your kids experiment with containers of different sizes and shapes, and see which ones make the most interesting sounds. Fill an empty water bottle with dried beans to make an impromptu rattle. Two thick dowels tapped together make a percussion instrument as well. Have a family drum circle night, and let everyone bang away to raise energy.

3. Meditation
Sure, the idea of teaching a toddler to meditate sounds crazy, but you'd be surprised what kids can do if they're interested. Even if it's just two minutes lying in the grass looking at trees, it's not a bad idea to start your youngsters meditating early. By the time they get to be adults with stressful lives, meditation will be second nature to them. Use breathing as a way of teaching counting to small children. Elementary-school age kids can usually handle a ten- to fifteen-minute guided meditation.



4. My Very Own Altar
If you have a family altar, that's great! Encourage your kids to have an altar of their own in their bedrooms -- this is the place they can put all the things that are special to them. While you may not want a tribe of Ninja Turtles on your family altar, if your son says they're his Personal Guardians, give him his own place to put them! Add to the collection with interesting things your child finds on nature walks, shells from trips to the beach, family photos, etc. Be sure that young children don't have candles or incense on their altar.

5. Moon Crafts
Kids love the moon, and they love to wave at it and say hello to it (my oldest claimed the moon as her own when she was five). If your family does any sort of moon rituals, such as an Esbat Rite or New Moon ceremony, have the kids decorate a mirror with lunar symbols, or make a Moon Braid to hang in a window, and use it on your altar during family moon celebrations. Bake a batch of Moon Cookies to use during Cakes & Ale ceremonies.



6. God's Eyes
These are an easy decoration to make and can be adapted seasonally, simply by using different colors. All you need is a pair of sticks and some yarn or ribbon. Make a God's Eye in yellows or reds for solar celebrations, green and brown for an earth ceremony, or in the colors of your family's household deities. Hang them on a wall or place on an altar.

7. Salt Dough Ornaments
Salt dough is one of the easiest things in the world to make, and you can create just about anything from it. You can follow our easy Salt Dough recipe, and use it with cookie cutters to make your own Sabbat ornaments. After your ornaments have cooled, paint them and decorate with your favorite Pagan and Wiccan symbols.



After you've painted them, seal them with clear varnish. If you're planning to hang them, poke a hole through the ornament BEFORE baking them. Then after you've varnished them, run a ribbon or thread through the hole.



8. Wheel of the Year Journal
Get your child a blank notebook, and have them keep track of the patterns of nature. Note the dates that the first buds appear in spring, when birds begin to migrate, and when the weather changes. If your child is old enough to surf the Internet, have him predict the weather for the next few days and then compare it to your local weather forecast -- and then see who's right! As the Wheel of the Year turns, your child can help you prepare for upcoming Sabbat celebrations.

9. Mythic Tales
Many parents aren't really sure how to incorporate their Pagan beliefs into their children's upbringing, so story time is a great way to do this. Teach your child the myths and legends of your pantheon. Storytelling is an age-old tradition, so why not use it to educate your kids about what you believe? Tell them tales of gods and heroes, fairies, and even your own ancestors.

10. Singing and Chanting
There are a ton of great songs out there for Pagan kids, and most of them are really simple. You can make up your own with some simple rhymes and a little bit of ingenuity. Clap your hands, stomp your feet, and celebrate the gifts of the earth. If you want to find pre-recorded music for your kids, read some of the Pagan and Wiccan magazines; there are nearly always ads for Pagan musicians and their work.

Toilete paper spell ( inspired by Ellen Dugan)

Items needed
Toilete paper
toilete
marker or pen

The idea is to write down on the paper anything that is bothering you, anything that you want out of your life. You then fold the paper up and flush it down the toilete while saying.... " I can't beleive you bothered me so much, you are out of my life with the sound of a flush."
The spell is done!

She is growing up soo fast Trinity 18 months give or take

Blog goals

1 to blog at least half of the month

2 get up to at least 100 followers then 300 and so on and so forth.

3 make more posts about family including pics (example: Trinity's training)

4 I can think of more but this is a good start.

Suboxone

So here is the whole story because I tell my friends everything. I have been on Schedule 3 narcotic pain killers for 5 years now. My body is physically addicted to them I cannot function if I go a day without them. I often think it has become mental as well. Therefore, I have decided to go on Suboxone therapy. I start putting myself into full opiod withdrawl today, and the therapy starts tomorrow. For anyone who has ever gone thru opiod withdrawl I know you understand the boat i am in right now. I will be out of sorts for a few days , so everyone take care of yourselves. I will be back on when I am feeling well again. By the way if anyone lives nearby saint clair and gives massage. I will pay you, lol

A photo shoot in the cemetary

SOME MOJO HAND COMBINATIONS YOU CAN MAKE

Here are a few representative mojo hand combinations, to which it would be customary to add a name-paper or wish-paper signifying the person for whom the work is being done:



To draw money:
A silver "Mercury" dime, a pinch of sugar, a lodestone, and a John the Conqueror root wrapped up in a $2.00 bill, fixed in a green flannel bag with a metal money bag charm and dressed with Van Van Oil.

To attract love:
A matched pair of lodestones covered with magnetic sand -- or the less traditional but equally effective pair of Magnetic Scotty Dogs -- fixed in a red flannel bag and dressed with red Fast Luck Oil or Love Me Oil. (For a variant of this conjure bag, created by a couple to preserve faithful love during absences, see the page of Love Spells.)

"Ole' Conjure Man's" Hand for luck and protection:
The advertisement shown above depicts a popular mojo bag consisting of two lodestones and two horseshoe nails in a red flannel bag that was sold nationally during the early 1930s by King Novelty Company (the occult supply branch of Famous Products, about which see below). The text reads in part: "An old Conjure Man or Trick Doctor of the South used this Curio Charm consisting of a Red Flannel Bag filled with Lodestone, Nails, and Hair. This has been claimed to ward off the Devil, to be a Good Luck Charm against HANDICAPPING and to PROTECT against other 'HANDS.' PROTECT aginst other 'HANDS' means, we believe, to ward off evil intended by someone else..." In place of the owner's hair, the use of this mojo for magical protection against witchcraft would also rendered quite powrful by the inclusion of a pinch of salt, which has a long history in this regard.

To remove a jinx, stop crossed conditions, or drive away evil:
A broken length of chain; a broken ring; a rat bone or toy plastic rat; a catseye shell; a miniature metal, bone, or plastic skull; a pinch of five finger grass; and a miniature dagger; fixed in a red flannel bag and dressed with Stop Evil Condition Oil, Jinx Removing Oil, or Uncrossing Oil.

For luck in gambling:
A Lucky Hand root, a pinch of five-finger grass, a miniature pair of dice, and a John the Conqueror root, fixed in a red flannel bag and anointed with red Fast Luck Oil or with the urine of your lover. An added dried bat heart and an alligator tooth or badger tooth is good here too, as are a rabbit foot or alligator foot.

For the return of an estranged lover:
A black cat bone wrapped in cotton wool, fixed in a red flannel bag and dressed with Follow Me Boy Oil or Reconciliation Oil.



For peace in the home:
An Angelica root, a hair-charm made of family members' hair, a metal dove-with-olive-branch charm, balm of Gilead buds, flax seeds, rosebuds, lavender flowers, and basil leaves, fixed in a pale blue flannel bag and dressed with Peaceful Home Oil.

For a wish to come true:
Seven wishing beans, a rabbit foot, and a piece of parchment upon which the wish has been written in Dragon's Blood ink (or other red ink), fixed in a red flannel bag and anointed with Van Van Oil. Some people write a different wish for each bean, seven wishes in total.



"Root Doctors' Hand" for good luck:
Another combination sold during the 1930s by King Novelty is shown in the above advertisement. It contained Sampson's snake roots, devil's shoestring roots, a piece of brimstone (sulphur), and a magnetic lodestone in a red flannel bag. As a bonus, the buyer received a good luck ring bearing the image of a horseshoe and a four-leaf clover, plus a copy of the then-popular "Witch's Dream Book," one of a number of similar dream books used by players to predict lucky numbers when betting on illegal lottery games such as policy. The text reads in part: "A HAND made by an old-time Conjure Man contained the following: One piece of Sampson Snake Root and a piece of 'Devil's Shoe Strings.' This was wrapped in a piece of Black Cloth folded always toward the maker and sewed with White Thread and then incased in a Red Flannel Bag. The Conjure Man said that the whole should be thoroughly wet with Whiskey or Camphor [camphorated oil] at regular intervals and should always be carried with you. It was said that such a Bag brings things to you and the twine-like roots of "Devil's Shoe Strings" ties them close and the folding of the cover towards you brings you GOOD LUCK in Gambling..."

For steady work:
A John the Conqueror root, a metal clock charm, devil's shoestring roots, gravel root, salt, and pyrite crystals, fixed in a green flannel bag and dressed with Steady Work Oil. A simpler version, employed by day laborours, consists of carrying salt and gravel root in one's pocket. A bit of the mixture is sprinkled inconspicuously where the hiring boss will step in it.

To keep a man at home:
A detailed desription of this form of woman's mojo hand appears in the page on nation sacks.



LUCKY MOJO

KEEPING THE MOJO HID

Mojos made for an individual are usually carried on the person, always out of sight. They are very rarely worn on a string around the neck, fairly commonly pinned inside a woman's brassiere, and much more commonly pinned to the clothes below the waist or caried in a pants pocket. Those who make conjure bags to carry as love spells sometimes specify that the mojo be worn next to the skin. Mojos intended to purify or protect a location are generally placed near the door, hidden in such a way that they cannot be seen by strangers.



Keeping the mojo from being seen is important because if another person touches it, the luck may be lost. This is sometimes called "killing the hand." The proscription against touching is far stronger in the case of the woman's nation sack than it is in any other kind of mojo.

A song lyric that describes the mojo touching taboo occurs in "Take Your Hands Off My Mojo," recorded in New York on February 17, 1932 by Leola B. Wilson and Wesley Wilson (a husband and wife duo also known as Coot Grant and Kid Wesley Wilson, Kid and Coot, and, singly, as Leola B. Pettigraw and Socks Wilson). This hokum blues number was a follow-up to the couple's double-entendre dance-hit "Get Off With Me," which explains the reference in the first line. It is sung in alternating line form, with a spoken introduction. (Thanks to Frank Sandoval for the recording date and to Bob Dunn for the picture.):

TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF MY MOJO
by Leola B. "Coot" Grant and "Kid" Welsey Wilson

Spoken:
(F) Ah, play that thing! Did you get off?
(M) Come here, honey; I got something to tell you.
(F) Whaddaya want? Don't do THAT! Don't DO that!
As long as you KNOW me, don't you put your hand on my mojo!
(M) Why, honey?

Sung:
(F) Now, the Depression has made me do a lot of things
That i never done befo'
That's why I went to a fortune teller
And got me this lucky mojo
(M) Honey, I done seen your mojo
That thing ain't nothin' but a joke
(F) But if you keep your hands off a' my mojo,
I'm one woman will never be broke

Just keep your hands off a' my mojo, you can't cut off my luck
Now, keep your hands off a' my mojo, if you ain't got a buck
Time's is hard as hard can be
I don't want no broken man messin' 'round with me
Keep your hands off a' my mojo, you ain't got no time for me

(M) Now, me put my hands on your mojo,
Honey, what harm would that do?
(F) Now, it ain't no tellin', red hot Papa,
Mama may start lovin' you
(M) Heh, if...if you EVER start to lovin' me
Baby, won't that be just fine?
(F) But who's got time to love a man
Ain't got one thin dime?
(M) Yeah, but looky here -- I can give you lots of lovin'
'Cause you know I'm a lovin' cat
(F) But times' so doggone hard now, Baby
A woman can't live off a' that

It's time to love, it's time to pray
It's time to moan and shout
It's a time a woman's got other things
That she wants to think about

Now, keep your hands off a' my mojo, 'cause it sure is lucky to me
Now, keep your hands off a' my mojo, I wish i had two or three
I wear my mojo above my knee
To keep you from tryin to hoodoo me
So keep your hands off a' my mojo, if you ain't got no stuff for me


The concealment of the mojo hand is what has led to confusion about the meaning of the word. Many acoustic rural blues songs of the 1920s-30s refer to mojos, among them a dozen that carry a floating verse about "keeping a mojo hid." Here is a sample of such a lyric, from "Scarey Day Blues" by the Georgia-born musician Blind Willie McTell. The reference in the third line to "Georgia Bill" is explained by the fact that Willie Samuel McTell recorded for several competing labels under an assortment of pseudomyms including Georgia Bill, Hot Shot Willie, Blind Sammie, and Barrelhouse Sammy. "Scarey Day Blues" was a "Georgia Bill" recording, cut in Atlanta in October, 1931 for the Okeh label.

SCAREY DAY BLUES
by Blind Willie McTell

My good gal got a mojo, she's tryin' to keep it hid
My gal got a mojo, she's tryin' to keep it hid
But Georgia Bill got something to find that mojo with
I said she got that mojo and she won't let me see
She got that mojo and she won't let me see
And every time i start to love her she's tried to put that jinx on me

Well, she shakes like the Central and she wobbles like the L & N
She shakes like the Central and she wobbles like the L & N
Well, she's a hot-shot mama and i'm scared to tell her where i been

Said my baby got something, she won't tell her daddy what it is
Said my baby got something, she won't tell her daddy what it is
But when i crawls into my bed, i just can't keep my black stuff still

Since the least conspicuous way for a woman to wear a hidden mojo is hanging from a string under her skirt -- or, as Coot Grant put it, above her knee -- a male blues singer is making a double entendre when he declares he's going to find that mojo. It's a sexual joke, but the mojo itself is not sexual.

Astral travel

Per a discussion yesterday When I send energy to someone I usually appear to them in their dreams. Not sure why it happens, sometimes it just does. I am aware when it happens and usually have controll over the events that occur, but not always. so here is a little on astral travel


So what is "Astral Travel" and why are we making such a big issue about it? Well, quite simple, it's very important that you learn how to do this consciously because the majority of you are doing this without knowing it at night. Every night when you are asleep; the majority of individuals, unconsciously leave their actual physical body and travel throughout the night to far-off places. As the majority of people are unaware of this very natural process - religious beliefs or otherwise - we immediately wake up and think it's all just been a dream or nightmare; depending on your nights travels.
Your physical body is not the real you, it's just a shell used to enable the real you to be on this planet; to learn the lessons you came down here to learn. If you study how to “consciously” astral travel you will be able to see the “real world” and life for what it really is; things are definitely not as they appear whilst within the physical. Many true aspects of life cannot be understood or appreciated until you are “outside” of the physical.
On "such-and-such a day" I am going to travel in the astral world, and I am going to remain fully aware of all that which I do, and be fully aware of all that which I see. I shall remember all this and recall it fully when I am again in my body. I shall do this without fail

"such-and-such a day" should be a date, say three to six month's into the future; you decide. The prayer should be repeated just before you sleep and repeated three times. Sit with bare feet together with toes and heels touching, then clasp your hands together so that your fingers of each hand interlock, and so that your hands and feet each form a sort of closed circle. Then call your subconscious by name and then say your prayer, repeating it three times in your normal voice, don't whisper and there is no need to shout. Then one day you will find yourself consciously astral traveling and you will return back to your physical remembering everything.

There is no secret in astral travel; it just needs confidence. It just needs the firm knowledge that you are going to do astral travel while you are fully awake. And the best way to start about it is not to imagine that you are out of the body, but to visualise that you "are" out of your body. This word "imagination" is badly misused, whereas it would be better to say "visualise". So, visualise yourself leaving your physical body, visualise yourself gradually inching out and floating inches above the recumbent physical body. Actually visualise yourself doing it, actually form the strong thoughts that you are doing it, and sooner or later you will do it. You will find, with the greatest amazement, that you are floating there looking down upon a padded, whitish-green or what ever coloured fleshy body. Probably it will have its mouth open, probably it will be snoring away because when you are out of the physical it doesn't matter at all if your body goes to sleep. Because if you get out while the body is awake, you will remember the whole experience.

Remember never to panic even if you do get a few swaying sensations trying because you CANNOT BE HURT and you can ALWAYS get back into the physical once out. When you have finally got out of the physical, rest awhile. Just keep still, you don't need to feel panic nor triumph, just rest peaceably for a few moments. Then - if you think you can stand the shock - and depending on what sort of a body you've got; gaze down on the thing you've just left. It looks all lopsided, it looks lumpy and heavy, it looks an untidy mess. Well, aren't you glad to get away from it for the time being?

Some people have dreams. Now frequently the dreams are rationalizations of what actually happened. The person is a doubter to start with and just would not believe the possibility of astral travel, and so as a solution to what would be a difficult problem the subconscious of the doubter cooks up a fantastic image or dream which truly is stranger than anything that could happen in real life. Dreams, then, are either the rationalization of an astral experience or the mindless wandering thoughts of a body of which the soul or astral form is far, far away - so far that no check is being kept on the mental processes of the sleeping form.

Thank you Brian for this award.

1. What's your all time favorite movie?
I love movies so much I can't really decide, maybe Practical Magic ( I watch it almost nightly). Right now Iron man 2 I have this INSANE thing for Mickey Rourke!


2. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
Easy one of 2 places... Maine or New Orleans, I have never been to either but there has always been a strong pull for me. I am told I am a modern day Marie Laveau ( I wish)

3. If there was only one dish that you had to choose to eat for the rest of your life what would that dish be? Pierogi Mine homemade of course fried in butter and inions, cause if you can only eat one thing for the rest of your life....you want it to be short, lol.


4. What talent (that you don't currently possess) would you like to have?
Learning to ride my motorcycle (I am a sisssy) and playing the guitar

5. Biggest pet peeve?
Too mny to list my hubby should be nominated for sainthood....I really do hate almost anything.

6. What's the one thing that happen in your life that you would like to go back in time a revisit?
Other than having my children and meeting my YA YA's for the first time, nothing beyond a few choice events, my life has been total hell. I was a varsity cheerleader Nuff said, lol

7. Favorite holiday?
Duh, Samhain

8. Cat or Dog person?
Both but hubby is alergic to cats

9. Who is the one famous person in history (living or deceased) that you would like to have a conversation with?
Anton Szandor LaVey

10. Do you believe in plastic surgery just for recreational needs? As in I got a nose job just because I hate my nose compared to someone who's been in a car accident who might plasic surgery?
Yes I am not opposed to making myself look better, but I dont think it should be overdone. Plus I really really want to have a bigger rack!

Now my questions

What do you like most about yourself?

What does magic mean to you?

When did you cast your fist spell if applicable?

What is you favorte holiday and why?

What do you do to unwind?

What is your passion right now?

Wiccan, Pagan, LaVeyist, Satanist, Spiritualist, other ?

Tell us someothing few people know about you?

I ran out of questions deal with it!

Who's getting this.

Brain ( haha cause you couldn't see that coming)

Luna

Domestic Witch (Dawn)

Rosena (you know who you are, lol)

Andréann at Aux Demilunes

A Witches Daily.

FIXING AND FEEDING THE MOJO HAND

Fixing the mojo is not merely a matter of dumping a bunch of items into the bag. It involves a ritual -- which will vary from maker to maker -- of filling the bag and then awakening it to life. It may also be "smoked" in incense fumes or the smoke from a candle, or breathed upon to bring it to life. Prayers may be said, and other methods may be used to accomplish this essential step.

Once prepared or "fixed," the mojo is "dressed" or "fed" with a liquid of some kind. The most common liquids used to feed a hand are alcohol, such as whiskey; a perfume, such as Hoyt's Cologne or Florida Water; bodily fluids, such as spit or urine (or sexual fluids for a love-drawing hand); or with a specially-prepared condition oil. The bag is not generally soaked through, but simply dabbed with the liquid, although some old-time poker players i knew during in my youth, during the 1960s, used to say that to get a gambling hand to really work for you, you had to have your lover pee all over it out in the alley between rounds of play.

Why is the mojo fed to keep it working? Because it is alive with spirit.

One major difference between typical European-style magical talismans and a mojo is that it is almost universally claimed and believed by practitioners of conjure that the mojo is alive, is inhabited by a spirit, and/or contains a fragment of the spirit of the owner. Few, if any, European magicians say that sort of thing about their religious or astrological talismans. Yes, astrological talismans are embued with, or reflective of, the energy of a planet or a fixed star, or a moment of transient vibration between two or more such planets or stars -- but they are not alive, kept fed, and cossetted the way a mojo is -- and for good reason.

A secondary difference between mojos and European talismans is that mojo hands are customarily fed with scented liquids that are themselves derived from various magical herbal ingredients -- herbal conjure oils, magical herbal-floral colognes, and even liquors such as whiskey ("water of life") in which herbs have been soaked. This is nature magic, the use of this earth's spiritual interweb of magically active beings, in which persons, animals, plants, and minerals are bound together in social patterns on an invisible plane.

Gods I am sick of all this pain!

Read me

No creed must be accepted upon authority of Divine Nature. Religions must be put to the question. No moral dogma must be taken for granted, no standard of measurement deified. There is nothing inherently sacred about moral codes. Like the wooden idols of long ago they are the work of human hands, and what man has made, man can destroy!.....Anton Szandor LaVey

HOW A MOJO BAG IS MADE

Although most "Southern Style" conjure bags are made of red flannel, some root doctors favour the colour-symbolism employed in hoodoo style candle-burning magic and thus use green flannel for a money mojo, white flannel for a baby-blessing mojo, red flannel for a love mojo, pale blue flannel for a peaceful home mojo, and so forth. Leather bags are also seen, but far less frequently than flannel; they are associated with West Indian obeah, another form of folk magic closely related to African-American hoodoo.

And what is contained in the mojo hand? Well, that varies a lot, based on what the wearer hopes to accomplish by carrying the amulet and what the maker finds effective or customary to use in preparing it.

A mojo carried for love-drawing will contain different ingredients than one for gambling luck or magical protection.

The objects most commonly found in mojo bags are roots and herbs, minerals, petition papers, name papers, plus a variety of animal parts such as hair, fingernails, bones, or dyed feathers -- green for money, red for love, orange for change or warning, blue for spiritual peace -- rattlesnake rattles, dried frogs, swallow hearts, and bat wings. (Modern urban practitioners may substitute a toy plastic bat for the latter). Coins, metal lucky charms, crystals, good luck tokens, and carved stone amulets may also be added for extra power or for their symbolic value.

Generally there are at least three items in a mojo hand. Many root doctors try to ensure that the total number of ingredients comes to an odd number -- usually 3, 7, or 9, but sometimes 5, 11, or 13. On the other hand, just as many root doctors don't bother counting the items at all; they just compile the traditional items they like to work with, according to the situations, conditions, and needs of their clients.

Some conjure workers who do like to count out 3 ingredients will make sure each item is singular and distinct -- say, one root, one personal item, and one mineral. To other, equally proficient workers, the count of 3 may include one personal item, one petition paper, and two paired minerals counted as one; or one animal curio, one petition paper, and half a handful of mixed herbs and seeds, in which case, no matter how many varieties there are in the mixture, the mix itself is counted as one item.

Some root doctors are known for their use of favourite or "trade mark" ingredients -- one man i knew, for instance, put tobacco snuff in every bag he made; another was famed for his "Good Luck Herb Mixture" and used it in almost every bag i bought from him, as well as selling it in the form of incense and baths; a third man was known to me for his consistent and otherwise unexplained inclusion of a coin -- usually a modern penny -- in every bag he made. But the use of such "trademarks" is not too common, in my experience; most makers vary the contents of their bags quite a bit, depending on the case at hand.

Some root workers top off their mojo bags with parchments upon which are printed medieval European seals and sigils of talismanic import, particularly the seals from the Greater Key of Solomon and The 6th and 7th Books of Moses, both of which are sold as sets of seals printed on parchment paper, and are used without reference to the rituals given in the texts of the books.

These last items surprise many Caucasians, who are unaware that a strong vein of Germanic folklore runs through traditional African-American hoodoo. Still, however strange it may seem to cultural anthropologists in search of "African survivals" in hoodoo practice, it is a fact that John George Hohman's "Pow-Wows or the Long Lost Friend" -- first published in America in 1820 and translated into English in 1856 -- has long been a staple source of inspiration for conjure-workers in both the African-American and European-American Appalachian traditions, and many a black hoodoo practitioner can cite chapter and verse of "Albertus Magnus," "The Black Pullet," "Secrets of the Psalms," "The 6th and 7th Books of Moses," "8th, 9th, and 10th Books of Moses," and other occult books of European origin.

Mojo bag? Gris gris

GRIS-GRIS, JOMO, TOBY, NATION SACK, TRICK BAG
Alternaive American names for the mojo bag include hand, mojo hand, conjure hand, lucky hand, conjure bag, trick bag, root bag, toby, jomo, and gris-gris bag. In the Memphis region, a special kind of mojo, worn only by women, is called a nation sack. A mojo used for divination, somehwat like a pendulum, is called a Jack, Jack bag, or Jack ball.

The word "gris-gris" looks French (and in French it would mean "grey-grey"), but it is simply a Frenchified spelling of the Central African word gree-gree (also sometimes seplled gri-gri). Gree-gree means "fetish" or "charm," thus a gris-gris or gree-gree bag is a charm bag. In the Caribbean, an almost-identical African-derived bag is called a wanga or oanga bag, from the African word wanga, which also means "charm" or "spell" -- but that word is uncommon in the USA.

The word "conjure" -- as in "conjure work" (casting spells) and "conjure woman" (a female herbalist-magician) -- is an old alternative to "hoodoo," thus a conjure hand is a hoodoo bag, one made by a conjure doctor or two-headed doctor. Likewise, the word trick derives from an African-American term for spell-casting -- "laying tricks" -- so a trick bag is a a bag that contains a spell. Similarly, "wanga" is a West African word meaning a spell, hence a wanga bag is a bag containing a spell.

The word "hand" in this context means a combination of ingredients. The term may derive from the use of finger and hand bones of the dead in mojo bags made for various purposes, from the use of a rare orchid root called Lucky Hand root as an ingredient in mojo bags for gamblers, or by an analogy between the mixed ingredients in the bag and the several cards that make up a "hand" in card games.

Luckymojo.com

MOJO HAND and ROOT BAG

Everybody in America seems to have heard the word "mojo," but darned few white folks know what it means. Cecil Adams, author of "The Straight Dope" series that purports to give truthful answers to often-asked trivial questions, mumbled his way through theories that "mojo" means the sex act or a male sexual organ, even giving space to the drug-addled white singer Jim Morrison's self-applied sobriquet of "Mr. Mojo Risin'" as an indication that a mojo may be a penis. By the end of the 20th century, the second Austin Powers movie, steeped in white retro-culture, reinforced the idea of the mojo as a sex organ, but other white people took the idea in different directions, giving rise to a brand of mountain bike called a Mojo, a brand of cookies called Mojos, and numerous pets (especially cats) named "Mojo" by their loving owners.



For the record, "Mr. Mojo Risin'" is nothing more than an anagram for "Jim Morrison" and it came about because during the 1960s, Morrison apparently heard the word "mojo" on a recording by the Mississippi-born Chicag-style blues singer Muddy Waters [McKinley Morganfield], shown at right, one of whose most popular songs was "I Got My Mojo Working." Here are the lyrics which so impressed Mr. Morrison:

I GOT MY MOJO WORKING
by Preston Foster
Recorded by Ann Cole, Muddy Waters, et al

I got my mojo workin' but it just don't work on you
I got my mojo workin' but it just don't work on you
I wanna love you so bad, child, but i don't know what to do

I'm going down to Louisiana, gonna get me a mojo hand
Going down to Louisiana, gonna get me a mojo hand.
Gonna have all you women under my command.

Got my mojo workin'!
(Got my mojo workin'!)
Got my mojo workin'!
(Got my mojo workin'!)
Got my mojo workin'!
(Got my mojo workin'!)
Got my mojo workin'!
(Got my mojo workin'!)
Got my mojo workin', but it just don't work on you!

I got a Gypsy woman giving me advice.
I got a Gypsy woman giving me advice.
I got a whole lot of tricks keeping our love on ice

Got my mojo workin'!
(Got my mojo workin'!)
Got my mojo workin'!
(Got my mojo workin'!)
Got my mojo workin'!
(Got my mojo workin'!)
Got my mojo workin'!
(Got my mojo workin'!)
Got my mojo workin', but it just don't work on you!
How the failure of Morganfield's mojo was cast into the phantasy of a male sex organ is a tale only white musicians and newspaper columnists can unravel; after all, the first recording of "Got My Mojo Working" was made by Ann Cole, a woman, and the famous blues singer Robert Johnson had written about a woman's mojo in "Little Queen of Spades," way back in the 1930s. The truth is, the word has nothing to do with the sex organs of either gender and never has.

So what is a mojo? It is, in short, the staple amulet of African-American hoodoo practice, a flannel bag containing one or more magical items. The word is thought by some to be a corruption of the English word "magic" but it more likely is related to the West African word "mojuba," meaning a prayer of praise and homage. It is a "prayer in a bag" -- a spell you can carry.

Four theives Vinegar....Always have a huge jar.

Four Thieves Vinegar is a concoction of wine vinegar, herbs, and garlic that was believed to protect users from the plague. Its creation is credited to four thieves from Marseille or Toulouse, depending on the story. In the 17th or 18th century the four were arrested for stealing from the homes of dead victims of the plague and sentenced to death. They were given their freedom in exchange for the recipe of their concoction, which they used in cotton masks over their faces and to cover their bodies.

Modern day versions of Four Thieves Vinegar include various herbs that typically include sage, lavender, thyme, and rosemary, along with garlic. Additional herbs sometimes include rue, mint, and wormwood. One version called Vinaigre des Quatre Voleurs is still sold in Provence. It is also used by modern practitioners of witchcraft to ward off the spells of other witches

Four thieves vinegar is used by modern witches, magicians, and hoodoo practitioners for personal protection against psychic attack and to banish an enemy from their surroundings. Being easy and cheap to whip up in the kitchen has made it a popular magical item.

Legends of the Four Thieves
There are several legends associated with the use of the vinegar. Perhaps the most well known is that of four thieves who lived during the time of the plague in France. They were caught for their thievery and imprisoned but were promised that if they buried the dead and lived, they would be set free.

The legend says that one of these thieves knew the art of herbalism well. He made some of the magical elixir to keep he and his friends safe from the plague as they were busy burying corpses. Other legends place this tale in Italy.

These legends have woven their way into folklore and permeated magical culture. A French origin is plausible since this recipe was and still is popular in hoodoo, which has strong ties to New Orleans, a city heavily influenced by the French.

Common Four Thieves Vinegar Ingredients
Just as legends vary about the vinegar's origins, so do the recipes. Basically, at least four protective herbs are needed, one for each thief, and apple cider vinegar. Garlic is usually among the five ingredients. It wouldn't be too far fetched to assume these were used because garlic has long been known as a protection against evil and vinegar as a cleansing agent.


http://magick-voodoo.suite101.com/article.cfm/four_thieves_vinegar

Excuse me while I laugh my ass off.

Hiding

I promise to post very soon I have been doing some spellwork for others so it has been consuming my time and energy.

Black salt

Domestic witch and I were mulling over some idead on how to make black salt we came up with these few.....Scrapings from a cast iron skillet, Food coloring, or coal that we gather when we are in Kentucky ( I just read coal is good for prosperity so that is an added bonus.) Earlier today i thought of a few more options. Lamp Black ( it is the black powdery stuff that satains your glass candle containers when burning candles). I figure that mixed with salt, or buying black chalk whih is also used for protection spells and mixing it with the salt. All I have to say is this... I am going to be making some hoodoo and hard to find spell componants and I am gonna have a giveaway soon!! So keep your eye out for my blog.

Crystals and stones

This lesson focuses on the magickal properties of stones, not the healing properties.

Crystals, stones and metals have been used by humans for tens of thousands of years. They are used to make our homes and have been made into weapons or used to sharpen them. They also have been used as tools of magick and religious ritual and as talismans and offerings to the Gods. We may not notice them, but they are everywhere in our lives. It is not uncommon to find the even the most skeptical non-believer wearing a birthstone ring, the stone considered lucky for a person born during that month. Today, the natural energies of stones and crystals are being rediscovered by a whole new generation.

As tools of magick, stones lend us their energies and provide us with places to store our own energies. They are like natural batteries, storing within them the energies of the Earth. They come in a rainbow of colors from ice clear to solid, glossy black and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and textures. They are a direct connection to the Earth that provides us with all we need for existence. They are found within the Earth, a true gift of the Goddess and God. Stones are used as talismans to protect from the unknown and are returned to the Earth to insure the fertility of the fields and the success of the crops. Stone magick covers all aspects of life: health, love, prosperity, spirituality, wisdom, just to name a few.

In conjunction with candle magick, stones add their energies and concentrate the purpose within themselves. Because of this, the stone used for a positive spell is retrieved and used as a talisman. For a negative or banishing spell, the stone is never touch and carefully returned to the earth far from your home.

Before a stone is used in a spell, the stone should be charged with the purpose of the spell. This is done by holding the stone in your projective (right) hand and letting the energy that is within you pour into the stone while visualizing the purpose.

Some say the best stones are the ones you gather yourself. For most of us, this is not very realistic, but if you can, try to find stones in stream beds or lake bottoms, maybe from a wooded path or even in your own back yard. Remember, when you do gather stones, ask the Earth first and then thank it for its sacrifice. Some witches perform a small ritual before they go on stone gather expeditions, making offerings to the Earth and praying for a good hunt.

CLEANSING YOUR STONES

Keep in mind that the stones you buy from whatever source, the stones need to be cleansed of any negativity or lingering psychic clutter. You have no idea how many people have handled the stones before you or how they were claimed from the Earth, but you can probably guess that the Earth was not asked or thanked for its sacrifice.

The stones can be cleansed using several methods. Set the stone in direct sunlight, preferable outside, and let the Sun's energies do the work. The stone should stay outside for anywhere from one day to a week, depending on how much other energy the stone's absorbed. The stone should be brought in every evening at dusk. Check the stone by placing it in your receptive hand (left). Does the stones natural energy vibrations feel normal? Once they do, the cleansing is finished.

If you happen to live near a stream or river or maybe on the ocean, you can use the running water to cleanse the stones as well. This is done by placing the stones in a mesh bag, tying them off somehow so as to not loose them and let the running water cleanse them overnight. If one night is not enough, leave it for another.

The Earth can also be used, although this method is much more time consuming. Take the stones and bury them in the earth. Remember to mark where the stones are buried! Leave them there for a week or two. Check them to see if they are cleansed. If not, rebury them and wait another week.

If none of these methods are possible, a small ritual can be performed using a bowl of fresh earth (North), a small basin of water (West), incense (East) and a red candle (South). Pass the stone through each of these elements while asking the element to aid in cleansing the stone of all negativity and unwanted energies.

RECEPTIVE AND PROJECTIVE STONES

There are two basic energies that stones possess. They are either projective, or receptive. Projective stones tend to be strong, bright, forceful. Receptive stones are calm, inward, peaceful.

PROJECTIVE stones are masculine in nature and can be used in healing, protection, intellectual powers, luck, success, will power, courage, and for self-confidence.

Some projective stones are Black, Brown and Red Agate, Amber, Apache Tears, Aventurine, Bloodstone, Carnelian, Cat's-eye, Citrine, Cross Stone, Diamond, Garnet, Red Jasper, Lava, Obsidian, Onyx, Opal, Ruby, Sardonyx, Sunstone, Tiger's-eye, Red Tourmaline, Zircon.

RECEPTIVE STONES are feminine in nature and can be used for soothing, love, wisdom, compassion, eloquence, sleep, dreams, friendship, growth, fertility, prosperity, spirituality, psychism, mysticism.

Some receptive stones are Blue Lace and Green Agate, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Azurite, Blue Calcite, Pink Calcite, Chrysocolla, Chrysoprase, Coal, Coral, Cross Stone, Quartz Crystal, Emerald, Fossils, Jade, Brown and Green Jasper, Jet, Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Moonstone, Mother-of-Pearl, Olivine, Opal, Pearl, Peridot, Salt, Sapphire, Blue, Green and Pink Tourmaline, Turquoise.

ELEMENTAL STONES

Some people place four stones on the four corners of their altars to represent the four elements. Listed below are the four elements and some stone correspondences.

Element
Stone/Crystal

Earth Green Agate, Green Calcite, Cat's-eye, Chrysoprase, Coal, Emerald, Brown and Green Jasper, Jet, Malachite, Olivine, Peridot, Salt, Black and Green Tourmaline, Turquoise
Air Aventurine, Mottled Jasper, Mica, Pumice
Fire Banded, Black, Brown, Red Agate, Amber, Apache Tear, Bloodstone, Carnelian, Citrine, Quartz Crystal, Diamond, Garnet, Hematite, Red Jasper, Lava, Obsidian, Onyx, Ruby, Sardonyx, Sunstone, Tiger's-eye, Topaz, Red and Watermelon Tourmaline, Zircon
Water Blue Lace Agate, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Azurite, Blue and Pink Calcite, Chrysocolla, Coral, Quartz Crystal, Jade, Lapis Lazuli, Moonstone, Mother-of-Pearl, Pearl, Sapphire, Selenite, Sodalite, Sugilite, Blue, Green, Pink Tourmaline

all info from earthwitchery.com

BELTANE

Lore

May is the time of fertility and new beginnings after a long winter. The Faeries are afoot! They dance in the hills and roll in the grass, reveling in the joy of warm May breezes. Our spirits are high with the lust and heartiness of spring. New life is stirring and appetites are keen. -Laurie Cabot, Celebrate the Earth

In Celtic tradition, the two greatest festivals of the solar year are Samhain and Beltane, celebrations of death and rebirth, respectively. Love is in the air at Beltane. In our rituals, we celebrate the union between the Great Mother and her young Horned God. Their coupling brings fresh new life on Earth. Some form of this Great Rite is enacted on this sabbat in nearly every modern pagan circle. The Great Rite symbolizes the sacred marriage, or sexual union, of the the Lord and Lady. Often the rite is performed symbolically by a male and female who place a knife (a phallic symbol) into a chalice (a female or yonic symbol). In Old Europe, whole villages would celebrate May Day by slipping away into the woods for indiscriminate sexual encounters. Any children conceived during this occasion were known as "merry-begots" and were considered children of the gods. These "greenwood marriages" were acts of sympathetic magick believed to have a positive effect on their crops, animals, and themselves. (In this age of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, however, we must exercise responsibility -- by means of safe sex, monogamy, or even abstinence. Use your better judgment.)

Crop fertility was a strong theme at this sabbat. Besoms were ridden hobbyhorse-style through fields by women in symbolic fertility rites. Menstruating women ran and danced naked in the newly-sown fields. Cows were led to the fields to calve, and ritually consecrated chalices of sheep's blood and milk were poured on the crops, as were ashes from the balefire.

The Altar
Drape the altar in a green cloth and decorate it with blooming flowers and herbs.

Herbs
All-heal, blessed thistle, broom, curry, daffodil, dogwood, coriander, dragon's blood reed, fern, fireweed, nettle, flaxseed, hawthorn, marjoram, paprika, radish, rue, snapdragon, mushroom, almond, meadowsweet, rose, woodruff, tansy, elder leaves.

Incense
Rose, jasmine, ylang, ylang, peach, musk, or vanilla.

Stones
Malachite, garnet, rose quartz, emerald, beryl, tourmaline.

Magick
Spells to ensure prosperity, conservation, safety, and love.

Activities
Jump the balefire. The bonfire, or need-fire, is one of the oldest Beltane traditions. When lighting the fire, use nine sacred woods from the following list:

oak, apple, hawthorn, birch, elder, ash, blackthorn, grape vine, mountain ash (rowan), holly, willow, cedar, yew, and hemlock.

Ashes from the balefire can be scattered in the fields as a fertility charm. Women wishing to conceive can tie a bag of the ashes around their necks. Traditionally, cattle and other animals were driven between two fires for protection, healing, and purification. Modern pagans can ritually purify tools or other things in the balefire. Jump the dying embers of the fire for summer blessings.

Dance around the maypole.

Gather the first wild herbs of the season.

Go a-Mayin' by going to the woods and fields to gather flowers. Take a picnic.



Wash your face in dew at sunrise on Beltane for beauty in the coming year. (Traditionally the dew from the hawthorn tree, but dew from grass and flowers will do.)


Make daisy chains and fresh flower wreaths and chaplets (head dresses) to wear and to place atop the maypole. Braid flowers in your hair. Make and wear leafy green masks to represent the Green Man who has returned.

Make a wish at the hawthorn tree, a tree associated with faeries. Place strips of cloth symbolizing your wish in the tree (the color should be appropriate to the nature of your wish, i.e. blue for health, pink or red for love, green or gold for prosperity). Take some time to attune to the tree. When you feel you have contacted its spirit, visualize your wish coming true as you hook the cloth on one of the tree's thorns, chanting your wish. When you have finished, leave a gift for the tree.

Make love in the woods. Beltane is the time of year when the Goddess and God consummate their passions. Traditionally it is a time when lovers pledge to live together for a year and a day. At the end of the period, they may part ways if things haven't worked out. If all has gone well, they may make plans for a handfasting at Midsummer.

Commune with the faeries.

Mark the boundaries of your circle with oatmeal, a traditional Beltane grain.

Food
Oatmeal and dairy products. Begin the day with a hearty bowl of Irish oatmeal topped with cream and brown sugar or country butter. Oatmeal brings good fortune and encourages the power and magick of the faeries. We always have warm oatmeal cookies and vanilla ice cream as a Beltane treat.

May Wine
from "Dancing with the Sun" by Jasmine Yalenorn

1 cup sweet woodruff
2 bottles rose' wine
4 dozen rose petal ice cubes
1 quart strawberries
1 quart chopped peaches
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup white rum
2 bottles champagne
1 bottle white wine
1 liter lemon-lime soda

Two weeks before serving: clean woodruff and pack into one bottle of wine. Cork and let sit.
The day before serving: make four dozen ice cubes by placing rose petals in the compartments before adding water. Freeze until solid.
Hull and wash the strawberries. Slice. Mix peaches and strawberries. Add sugar and rum. Marinate overnight.
An hour before serving: Strain woodruff out of wine and discard leaves. Mix champagne, all remaining wine, lemon-lime soda, and fruit in a large bowl. Stir.
Add ice cubes 15 minutes before serving. Serves 20.