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Showing posts with label Wicca. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wicca. Show all posts

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Well, That Didn't Work!

I wanted to start off by apologizing to my readers for not posting. I've been busy, trying to get my numbers up for Edge of Insanity and working on a blog even Twin & I are doing for our main blogs. I hadn't done an event in years and I had forgotten how much work it was. But the event is June 10-19th to commemorate our Mom's birthday. There will be reviews, giveaways, and of course, pictures/stories/Momisms. So head on over to Edge of Insanity or Ramblings of a Chocoholic Witch (or both!) and follow us so you don't miss a thing!

As far as Weekly Magick goes, I am going to start over with Journaling (reposting it for this week) and go from there. I know it seemed as if I didn't care, but I do. I kept forgetting to post/research everytime I got on, and plus my personal life has been really busy. But with temperatures soaring over 100* lately, there is really nothing to do but stay online or read. So I know I will definitely get things done.

But I do need help. I seem to be forgetting things left and right lately (stress?) and I know it isn't helping those who come here to read what I have to say. So if it seems that I am forgetting to post or forgot an important aspect of a post, let me know! Having my fellow Pagans here will be a major help!

So what do ya say we try this Weekly Magick thing again?

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Weekly Magick: Tarot-Journaling

Whether it is for you or for someone you read for, keeping your readings together will help you in the long run so you can go back and look at any mistakes you made. If your readee (haha) comes back to give you updates, it will be easier to go back to that date for reference. You can keep track of several ways.
One of the ways I keep a track of a read for personal use is in this form.

Date, Day, Time, Weather, Emotions, Health, and the Spread you use. If you are doing a spread for a month, write it for Week 1, Week 2, etc. The same goes for several months but instead of "weeks", you would substitute that for "month". Beside the week/month/year/day, write the name of the card that was received. Then write the card's meaning below that and the result of what happened during that time.

When writing for a week spread, it is better to write the dates of that week. What I mean is if you are doing a read on October 14th (from one of my own records), next to "Week 1", write October 14-21. That way you know EXACTLY how long it will last for that week so you don't get confused.

For the "result" or what happened during those times, it is better to give details of it all. Even if you dropped a pot of boiling water. You may not notice it now, but it will eventually make sense. The card might not say "Bad day coming", but it is possible.

Another way to keep a tarot journal is to do the same outline above but with a section for notes at the bottom. If cards are repeating themselves in certain reads, you need to go back and think about what it means. Write it at the bottom of each read they occur.

If you are reading for someone, make sure to write any contact information at the top of the sheet in case you need to contact them. Write their emotions as well as yours because they both coincide with how things may come about. If you are feeling negative and so is the person, the meanings of the cards and their result may turn negative. So if something goes wrong, you can go back and see.

As far as health, it is inappropriate to strangers "What is your health like these days?" because it is personal business. Instead, ask how their wellbeing is. Are they usually sick, well, or in-between. Usually one can tell if someone isn't well, so if you are unsure they are telling the truth, write that down. They may not be sure themselves.

If you don't want to write during the read, feel free to have someone write it for you or video tape the reading so you can translate it to paper (or in some cases, hard drives) for your record. Ensure the person that only you will video the video.

If you aren't up for writing a journal, take a video of all readers (personal or otherwise) and just write small notes (like the outlines) and file them on disks.

Either way you journal is up to you. Make sure you are comfortable doing it and enjoy your new experience with tarot cards!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Weekly Magick: Tarot- Spells 2

This one was found on Everything Under The Moon. Use any and all spells responsibly. Remember: It all comes back 3-fold.

To Increase Psychic Visions

Tools
3 tarot cards: The Star, High Priestess, and the Hermit
Candle color of your choice


Say:
"I call upon the Source of All things to send me power.
I call upon the God to send strength to my spell.
I call upon the Goddess to give life to my spell.
I call upon the elemental forces to draw the desire of my spell.
I call upon the astral forces to receive the image of my spell.
So mote it be!"

Hold the cards in your hands. Say:
"I bring forth these symbols for my spell to be cast. Here shall be woven, chance, fortune, and fate, so that my wish be quickly attained!"

Lay out the cards in the following order. Meditate and visualize.
Card 2
 
Card 1
 Card 3
card 1 is The Star for inspiration, guidance, and creativity.
card 2 is The High Priestess for focusing of the mind and intuition.
card 3 is The Hermit for interpreting the knowledge you receive.

Place a candle just above the High Priestess card.
Say:
"I am open and receptive to higher levels of consciousness. Spirits of guidance are here for me and I channel the knowledge they offer. I am open and receptive. My psychic centers are quickened. I open my eyes and ears to all impressions that are coming to me. I spread the veil of being that I may look beyond. I open the windows of 'where' and 'when' and I see beyond."

Hold your hands over the cards.

Say:
"Into these cards I direct the power from within me and the power called upon from the spiritual forces around me. Mark well what I have done here! Bring to me my wish! I place this petition before the God and Goddess. May it be done for the greater good of all! By the power of the God and Goddess and by the forces of the planes...I declare my spell to manifest!"

"I release now the forces of the astral plane. I release all of the elemental forces. I release the God and Goddess. I release the power of the Source of All. Farewell and I bid you thanks!"

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Weekly Magick: Tarot- Spells 1

Tarot decks in spells have been long used ever since the occult have put the 2 together. These 2 spells are just examples of them. One of them I wrote down from a book (long gone) and put it on my BOS and the other is from Everything Under The Moon.

Use these spells only if you need to. Intent will get your further than greed.


To Increase Income

Tools 
Green & white candles
A deck of tarot cards
Object that represents your desire
A pen with green ink & paper

When
During the Waxing Moon


The color green is obviously important in money spells. White, however, can also be useful because it represents understanding.

Put your candles at opposite ends of your altar. Between them, place an object that represents your desire to increase your income. From your deck of tarot cards, remove the suit of Pentacles or Coins, which represents money and the Star, and the 9 of Cups. In front of the white candle, place the Ace of Cups; it symbolizes new financial undertakings and opportunities. In front of the green candle, put the 10 of Coins; it is called the "Wall Street and symbolizes financial windfall. In the middle of the two candles, place the 9of Cups- the Wish card- and the Star, which symbolizes success, among other things.

Now light the candles and say:
"The money I spend
or the money I lend
comes back to me
in multiples of three"

Visualize the figure you have in mind and joy it down on the piece of paper. Imagine what you can do with an increase of your income. The more visit you can make your visualization backed with an intense emotion, the faster it will manifest. This ritual can be as short or as long as you can. End the spell by extinguishing the candles.

On the next time, repeat the ritual but with some changes. First, remove the 2 & 5 of Pentacles from your deck. Light your candles. Say the poem then take the remaining cards and place them between the Ace of 10 of Coins, the Wish, and Star card. Visualize, affirm, and then extinguish the candles.

Keep everything else on the altar as it is overnight.
 
On the 3rd night, light the candles and give thanks for everything you have. Repeat the poem and feel the reality of your income increase taking form around you. Keep saying the poem as long as you need to, as often as you like, even after the increase begins to manifest.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Weekly Magick: Tarot

Welcome to the first week of Weekly Magick! As said in a previous post, this week will be about tarot, starting today with what exactly tarot is.

Now, tarot has different meanings for different people. To some, it can be used to predict the future. For others, it can be a means of finding a solution to a certain problem. Or it can even be a way of figuring out what your week will be like. Finding out what it means to you can be tricky, depending on the type of magick you delve in. Please note that I will not post anything dealing with hostile, black, or agressive magick. I am a firm believer in karma and will not put my readers or others in harm's way.

What is the history behind the tarot? It originally started out a deck with 78 cards, used in the mid-15th century Europe to play card games, like the Italian Tarocchini. By the late 18th century, the tarot found its way into the hands of psychics and occultists alike, who used it for fortune-telling.
No one is 100% sure where the word "tarot" came from, but according to Wikipedia, it came from the Italian word tarocchini, but the origin is unclear. One theory relates the name "tarot" to the Taro River in northern Italy, near Parma; the game seems to have originated in northern Italy, in Milan or Bologna. Of course, there are other theories of where it could have come from. There is also the question of whether the word tarot is related to Harut and Marut, who were mentioned in a short account in the Qur'an. But this has yet to be confirmed.

What uses are there for tarot cards? As I have mentioned before, it has a variety of uses, depending on the person. But tarot cards are widely popular for "fortune-telling". Whether you believe in fortune-telling is a moot point. But it is something that is gaining popularity as many people seek to find some sort of truth in religion. I personally use tarot cards as a means of helping finding a solution to a problem. But you can use the tarot cards for fortune-telling, suggestions, meditation, spells, rituals, or even as an altar tool. Find if they fit into your life and use them accordingly.

Can you really predict the future with tarot cards? I've tried on numerous accounts to use them to find out what my week, month, or year will be like. I had even written the card and its meaning down on paper. But I eventually forget to look it up as time goes by and forget what that week/month/year was like. So it doesn't work for me. It could for some, but be real careful if you go to a reader. Many are scam artists. Not all are but there are quite a bit of people who say they can predict the future with tarot cards just to take your money. Find a reputable reader. Many scam artists don't disclose that they're Pagan or will even go as far as saying that they are Christian readers. Many Pagans are readers and can be the best in the business. Do your homework before deciding to get your "fortune read".

What is included in a deck? As it has been mentioned before, there are 78 cards in a tarot deck. There are 22 Major Arcana without suits: The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Hierophant, The Lovers, The Chariot, Strength, The Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Justice, The Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon, The Sun, Judgement, The World, and The Fool. The Minor Arcana consists of 56 cards, divided into four suits of 14 cards each; ten numbered cards and four court cards. The court cards are the King, Queen, Knight and Page/Jack, in each of the four tarot suits. The traditional Italian tarot suits are swords, batons/wands, coins and cups; in modern tarot decks, however, the batons suit is often called wands, rods or staves, while the coins suit is often called pentacles or disks.

Picking the Right Deck

If you look at any Pagan shop online, you will see that they offer TONS of tarot decks. It can be a bit confusing. If you're new to tarot, then your best bet would be to get Tarot Kit for Beginners by Janet Berres. When I first started out, that is what I got. It explained everything to me in terms that I could understand. It even has the cards meanings and spreads for beginners. It comes with the deck, book, box, and even a tarot bag to hold the cards.

If you aren't new to tarot but want update your deck with a new one, do your research. Not all decks offer the same meaning or purpose. Some themes (meanings, etc) include dragons, vampires, Merlin, or even 2012 (the whole "end of the world" date). Don't get a deck just because you think it looks cool. It can harbor a new meaning for every card, making you research every card to find its meaning. Unless you are looking for new meanings, find one that suits your current ideas.

You can find tarot cards EVERYWHERE, even on Amazon. Buy from reputable dealers that know what they are doing. If it is a new deck with different cards, make sure to get a booklet for that deck. It'll cut down on searching through the Internet, hoping to find what you need.
You can even ask friends for help. Many Pagans and professional readers will suggest decks/books to help you on your quest. 9 times out of 10, they will recommend the deck they have. That's isn't a bad thing! In fact, if you do happen to purchase the same thing, they can help you get comfortable with the tarot.

Learning the tarot can be scary but thrilling at the same time. As long as you find out how you will use it, you will find that it can be quite an experience!

Monday, March 28, 2011

Construct Your Inner Altar

Some Wiccans have an inner altar (like me) while some do not. Some don't want it and some don't know how to do it. So this may help!



The first step you need to do is center and ground yourself. Once you get used to visiting it, you won't have to center and ground every single time (unless you want to, of course). Do the square breathing and all your heart rate to slow a little bit. Make sure to clear your mind, otherwise it won't work or you won't get all the information you need.

Imagine you are walking on a paved road. You eventually come to a fork in the road, one going east, one going west, and one going straight. These represent the North, East, and West. Since each one is associated with an element, take the road that is associated with your element.

After a little while, you finally come up on your building that contains your altar and meditation area. It will vary from person to person, depending on your element and what makes you comfortable. While my element is Water, my altar is out in the country somewhere with just a shed to house my altar. Walk in and observe your surroundings. Make sure you know where everything is and you will see that everything you need, including your Book of Shadows, are already there and ready for us. It may not look like your altar at home, but then it again, it is possible.

Now, don't do any magick this time. It is just to get you accustomed to the inner altar Feel the floor through your feet. Feel the air. Touch the altar and tools. Stay as long as you want. When you are ready to leave, walk out the door and face it. Draw a purple pentacle with your hand over the door to protect and lock it. If it is out in the country, just draw a purple circle around the area. Walk back the same way you came.

You have now constructed your inner altar! You may have to center and ground once or twice more until you are used to visiting the altar and then, you don't have to ground unless you want to.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Spring is Afoot!- Info

Any section marked with an asterisk (*) is via Witchology.com.

I was curious about what makes the first day of Spring the equinox. So I thought I would share my findings!


An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the center of the Sun being in the same plane as the Earth's equator. The term equinox can also be used in a broader sense, meaning the date when such a passage happens. The name "equinox" is derived from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night), because around the equinox, the night and day have approximately equal length. (I personally was not aware of that.)

* Today, Ostara is one of the eight major holidays, sabbats or festivals of Wicca. It is celebrated on the Spring Equinox, which in the northern hemisphere is around the 20th or 21st of March and in the southern hemisphere around the 23rd of September. But many other religions also celebrate the Spring Equinox, under another title, of course.

* Etymologically, Eostre, or, as it is sometimes called, Ostara, may come from the word 'east', meaning dawn. Others have also tried to link Eostre with 'estrogen' and 'estrus'. These words, however, are more widely considered to be derived from the Greek oistros, meaning 'gadfly' or 'frenzy'. Interestingly, the word 'spring' (from to spring, to leap or jump up, burst out, 0ld English springan, a common Teutonic word, ccompare German springen), primarily the act of springing or leaping, is applied to the season of the year in which plant life begins to bud and shoot.

Goddesses: Virgin Goddesses, Moon Goddesses, Goddesses of Love, Androgynous Deities, some Fertility Goddesses. Some Ostara Goddesses are: Aphrodite (Greek), Eostre (Teutonic), Ma-Ku (Chinese), Lady of the Lake (Welsh-Cornish), Minerva (Roman), Isis (Egyptian), Rheda (Anglo-Saxon), Coatlicue (Aztec).

Gods: Gods of Love, Moon Gods, Gods of Song & Dance, some Fertility Gods. Some Ostara Gods are: Adonis (Greek), Lord of the Greenwood (English), Ovis (Roman Etruscan), Dylan (Welsh), Odin (Norse), Osiris (Egyptian), Attis (Persian), Mithras (Greco Persian). 

Altar decorations: Colored eggs, seeds, earth, flowers and herbs appropriate

Traditions:  Planting seeds, working on magickal or herbal gardens, herbal work, taking walks through gardens, parks, woodlands, decorating and coloring eggs.
Foods: Eggs, honey, bread, seeds, sprouts and green leafy vegetables 

Drinks: Eggnog, wines, dandelion, linden teas,hyssop

Flowers And Herbs: all spring flowers. Irish moss,crocus flowers, daffodils, Easter lilies, honeysuckle, iris, jasmine, roses, strawberry, tansy and violets. Acorn, Celandine, Cinquefoil, Dandelion, Dogwood, Honeysuckle, Iris, Jasmine, Rose, Tansy, Violet

Incense: Floral of any type. jasmine, African violet, rose, sage, strawberry, violet flowers, orange peel, rose petals, lotus, magnolia, ginger .

Oils: Magnolia, ginger, lotus.

Colors: all pastels, yellow, pink, green, blue

Stones: Rose quartz, aquamarine, amethyst, jasper and moonstone.

Animal: Hares, rabbits, snakes, unicorn, Pegasus