United We Stand

Yes, he was a Christian, but he was amazing. His spirit transcends religions. Today we honor him.

The Prayer Of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Christmas Traditions

I was going to write a whole post about Christians and Christmas and Jesus. But we all know that story. It isn't new. It's American.

And besides, Santa came!

Merry Christmas To All And To All A Good Night!

On The Wild Hunt

Blessing Of The Holly King!

A happy yule to all of you. Today is the shortest day of the year and therefore the longest night. Tonight we celebrate the winter solstice, the first day of winter. This is also the last seasonal celebration of the year. Or the first if that is how you roll. Yule is right at the North point in the seasonal wheel.

Just a fun fact, did you know Stonehenge was built by ancient Pagan worshipers to align with the winter and summer Solstices?

Anyway, the Yule is a time for letting go, sacrifice and forgiveness. It is a time of peace, rest and reflection.

Now is the time we celebrate the Holly King, Odin, and the return of the Sun. In Asatru traditions it kicks off a 12 day celebration.

For me, tonight I celebrated the return of longer days and shorter nights. The promise of warm weather again. I made a feast with a delicious ham. Lots of rolls for my husband. We made an alter for the Holly King, complete with a holly and ever green wreath and candles, frankincense and myrrh incense, and an offering of delicious treats made by my aunt. We started a yule fire at dusk and burned it until midnight. We had a nice peaceful evening of reflection.

You know I sat here for a long time thinking about what to write on this Yule. What I could write about the meanings and how I could go on and on about all the “Christmas Traditions” are really Pagan traditions, but you know what…

Why not share the spirit? If Christians want to burn the Yule log to honor Jesus, go for it.

There is going to be times ahead where differences are going be used against us to divide us.

To that I say no.

To that I say a Merry Yuletide To All.

AND I MEAN ALL!

Blessed be.

Book Review: Teen Witch

Teen Witch: Wicca for a New Generation by Silver RavenWolf

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


If you go into this book thinking it is for mature adults, you will be disappointed. This book is clearly written for the 11 to 16 age group, depending on their maturity level. Which is fine, because I didn't buy this book for me. I mean really, at my age I would not buy a book for me titled "Teen Witch". I bought it to share with the younger members of my group. But I decided to read it myself first.

I like this book. It was a good way for a kid to get started without providing them too much at once. Yes, it is a little hokey. Yes, it can be a little patronizing. But you know what, at that age and at that level, that is what you need.

It has a bit of a Christian overtone, but the author clearly wrote it for teens who do not come from Pagan families. It is also a little dated. It was written in 1997. So technology has certainly changed since then. Actually, the whole world has changed since then. The author laments that teens who are interested maybe discriminated against. While that certainly may still be true, I believe that it is way less of a problem than maybe in 1997.

I thought it was a good start. I have not read other books by this author, but now I would like to find out what she writes for adults. Should be interesting reads.



View all my reviews

Royal Jewels

Purple has long been considered the color of royalty. For years it was sought out by monarchs to symbolize their wealth and power. Purple symbolizes the soul, the Divine, mystery. It can also be the symbol of serenity and faith. In lighter shades it can bring equilibrium and awakening. It can help to alleviate mental or nervous problems (along with the advice of trained medical professionals) or help in spiritual healing. Too much purple can lead to negative thoughts, tiredness or depression. (If you feel depressed and have suicidal thoughts, contact someone immediately. Suicide Hotline- 1-800-273-8255)

Quartz that has been used for its magick properties since probably its discovery. On a cellular level our bodies and quartz crystal are made of the same minerals. The repeating chemical structure of the atoms that make up crystals are said to invest them with a kind of memory: a power to hold energy. Quartz crystals are naturally receptive to vibrations as they transmit, reflect and store light, and receive energy. The crystal will remember and permeate any environment it is placed.

Amethyst is purple quartz, from the Greek word Amethysos, which means “not intoxicated. So the Greek story goes…

The Wine God Baccus was very angry over being insulted by the Goddess Artemis (Roman Diana), the Goddess of the Hunt. So he vowed vengeance on the next mortal he sees. And for vengeance he plans to have two very large, ferocious tigers devour said mortal. The very next person he sees is the maiden Amethyst who is on her way to worship at the shrine of Artemis. When the tigers sprung out at her she called to Artemis for help. Artemis turned her into white crystal so she would be protected from the tigers and preserve her beauty. Baccus, who the felt guilty over his actions, poured his wine over the crystals as an offering, turning them forever purple. This stone is often associated with Artemis or Diana. The ancient Greeks believed that amethyst prevented drunkenness and they decorated drinking cups with them.

Amethyst was added to ancient European helmets in order to keep a cool head in battle. They believed it would bring good fortune in war or on the hunt. It is said to drive out evil spirits and inspire intellect. It was used to protect crops from locusts and as protection from snakebites as well as cures for stomach aches, insect bites and to beautify skin. It is even said that eagles, the birds of gods, used amethyst in its nest to protect its young from harm. Ancient Egyptians used it as protection during travels.

Amethyst is considered the stone of St. Valentine and a symbol of faithful love. (My engagement ring has an amethyst stone in it.) It is the Gem of Fire, once more valuable than diamonds. It spews with the energy of fire, passion, creativity and spirituality, but with the logic of temperance and sobriety. It has a sobering and cleansing effect and can aid with loss and grief. It is also the common birthstone associated with February.

It is the Stone of Friendship, a symbol of trust and piety. It is thought to put the wearer in a chaste state of mind. The Catholic Church calls it the “Bishop’s Stone” and it is worn by Bishops and Cardinals going back centuries to keep their minds pure and protect them from evil. Buddhists use it for prayer beads (Mala). Catholics have made Rosaries from it. Moses described amethyst as a symbol of the Spirit of God. It is found on the breastplates he was instructed by God to have made, the third stone in the third row. (Exodus 39:12) It is also used in the Bible as the 12th stone set into the foundations of New Jerusalem. (Revelation 21:20) The Russian Empress Catherine the Great loved it so much that she sent thousands of miners in search of it.

A new moon is upon us tonight, the night before Samhain. It’s a witchy night.

And why, you might ask, have I just filled your brain with all of this wonderful information about amethyst?

Because it called to me.

I have been learning to read runes. I have always been more of a tarot card kind of witch, but runes are smaller and there are less of them. I was introduced to them this summer and have been studying them since. I finally decided I was in need of my own set. And when presented with options, amethyst runes said “Pick Me!”

And I did.

And since they were not always mine, tonight, under a new moon, I said a prayer and lit a candle over them. I feel they will need to sit there until the full moon comes. Then they will be mine to use in divination.

For blessed are those who never stop learning.

Sort Of, But Not Really

It’s Easter Sunday.

No, wait it isn’t really. We did that already.

However, for all of my Christian and Catholic friends, it is Resurrection Sunday.

And they still call it Easter. The Easter Bunny still comes. He leaves eggs at church.

A PAGAN SYMBOL IN A CHURCH! EGADS!

But there it is. What can you say? It’s a tradition.

So to all of you fabulous people celebrating Easter today, Happy Easter.

Truthfully, as it is an American Holiday, the Easter bunny came by here too. My little one put on her fancy new Easter dress and hunted for eggs in the yard. I made a ham. It was delicious.

When I was little, my grandpa used to take me to church on Easter. I got to wear a fancy dress and sing songs and get candy. It was awesome. I felt all grown up going to church with grandpa.

Anyway, to all of you out there celebrating, whatever you are celebrating, have a great day!

One Night With The King

Today my Jewish friends celebrate Purim. Of all the Jewish holidays, this is one of my favorite stories.

It all starts with Esther; a lovely young Jewish girl living in Persia with her dear cousin. She ends up taken in by the King Of Persia as part of his haram. And she is such a hottie he makes her the Queen. Of course, he does not know that she is Jewish.

The King has this right hand man called Haman. He is not a nice fellow. One day he meets Esther’s cousin and Ester’s cousin refuses to bow down to him. Maybe because Haman was such a jackass. Yeah, that was probably it.

Anyways…

Haman gets all in his feelings and decided to exterminate the Jews. Total Nazi. And he feeds the King a line so the King goes for it.

Well Esther, being a Jew, can’t have that. All her people don’t need to die. Not for that jerk Haman.

So she has a plan. She will go see the King and she will convince him to stop this. But you can’t just go see the King uninvited. That is a good way to lose your head, even if you are the Queen.

So she prays and fasts for three days. So did every other Jew. Then she went to see the king.

And the king is delighted to see her. From what I understand, she was probably made up like a little lady treat. And the king decided to indulge. And whatever happened after that must have been something because the King offered Esther anything her little heart desired. And what did Esther want? To save her people. And have Haman hanged from the very gallows he built to hang the Jews. And for good measure they hanged his kids too.

And so the Jewish celebrate their triumph over evil.

And to celebrate, they generally fast the day before Purim and the day of they are commanded to “eat, drink and be merry.” They have feasts and give food to others. They give to charity. They read the story of Esther aloud and boo and hiss when Haman is mentioned. They eat cookies called Hamantashen witch are triangular and fruit filled.

Sounds like a fun time.

(FYI… the story of Esther is in the bible as well, but I am pretty sure she keeps all her clothes on.)

And why should witches care?

Because those who are accepting of others will be accepted themselves. Karma. What you give, you get returned to you threefold. Remember that.

Blessed Be.

Spring Has Sprung!

Happy Spring!

Happy Ostara!

Blessings upon you all as the sun begins to come out and warm us up again. Extra blessings to those of you who live in cold climates. Spring is here! Feel it!

Ostara is one of the eight main holidays on the Wheel of the Year. Some scholars believe it was a festival for an old German Goddess, Ostara or Eostre. She was the Goddess of the Dawn, the Daughter of the Heavens. Some also believe she was the goddess of fertility and birth. She was celebrated during her namesake month on the old Germanic calendar, which fell near what is now April. She is considered the namesake for the festival of Easter. Her name is the derivative for the word “estrogen”. Her symbols included eggs and rabbits or hares. Some even have said it was hares or rabbits that pulled the Goddess’ chariot as she brought the dawn, although there are no writings supporting that. There are a few suggesting animals and possibly cats. Both cats and rabbits have been common animal familiars.

It is also said that it could have started form a cult following the old Norse Goddess Austra. They had long died out before Christianity hit the area. But perhaps her legend remained.

Experts agree it probably derived from ancient Celtic or Saxon spring holidays that were woven into the Christian traditions of the same time. Christians who came to the area probably realized the value of Easter to the Pagans there and tolerated the name for one of their own grandest anniversaries in order to convert people to Christianity. A lot of the traditions are similar, to include the inclusions of rabbits, eggs, sweets, baked goods and bonfires. Other religions, such as Jewish (Purim and Passover), Hindu (Holi) and Sikh (Hola Mohalla) all have important celebrations during the spring.

Modern Pagans generally celebrate it on the vernal equinox, or the first of spring, as we are right now. It is a time of renewal and rebirth. The bunnies are out enjoying fresh green. Baby chicks are hatching. Flowers are blooming. The days are getting longer. It’s a good time to plant a garden or go on a nature walk or go hiking. Open the windows and let some spring air into your homes. Have a meal of fresh vegetables and fruits. Enjoy some artichokes or asparagus; so many delicious greens and sprouts. Spring onions. Strawberries. Cherries. I am getting hungry.

Another option... Try a springtime fast to cleanse your body of winter’s toxins.

Bring in some flowers from the garden. Roses are starting to bloom. The tulips and daffodils are coming out. Bring some in and let spring inside. It’s time to wear the colors of spring. Get your pink on, your lavender, your pastels.

It is a very powerful time for magic. Incense in floral aromas like lilac and rose can help. Or try a strawberry aroma.

For me, who had to work, I got outside as much as I could and filled my office with lavender incense. (I really love my job sometimes.)

For all the rest of you… Enjoy your day and enjoy your Spring! Spring is here!

Blessings!

The Wearin’ O’ The Green

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Yeah, I am Irish. I have the red hair and freckles to prove it.

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on the anniversary of the death of Saint Patrick, widely recognized as the patron saint of Ireland. It is celebrated by Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and Eastern Orthodox churches to mark the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is said he traveled around Ireland and used the 3 leaf shamrock to explain to Holy Trinity to pagans. It is also said he drove the “snakes” from Ireland; “Snakes” being the heathen Irish pagans.

HA HA HA HA HA HA!

He missed!

While Christianity is quite wide spread, it certainly isn’t the end all of religious preference. In the chapel I work in we accommodate no less than 18 religious preferences.

Anyway…

St. Patrick’s Day is more about celebrating Ireland than anything else. And drinking. Irish whisky and a nice Guinness. And eating Irish food. Bring on the corned beef. The potatoes. (Lent restrictions are lifted during St. Patrick’s Day.)

So put on your best green and show your Irish pride, you Snakes. 

Love Bites

Happy Valentine’s Day!

There are a number of saints called Valentine that are honored on this day. Most likely candidate is a St. Valentine of Rome. He was said to have died mid-February A.D. 270. He was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden from marriage.

Or for ministering to Christians who were persecuted under the Roman Empire.

Or both.

Or two different people.

Even more likely…

St. Valentine’s Day was given as a way to Christianize the Middle Ages Pagan fertility festivals held all over Europe as the winter ended. Those festivals such as the Roman festival of Lupercalia.

So there is that.

Lupercalia was a very ancient pastoral festival, observed on February 13 through 15, to avert evil spirits and purify the city, releasing health and fertility. Lupercalia subsumed Februa, an earlier-origin spring cleansing ritual held on the same date, which gives the month of February (Februarius) its name.

In Roman mythology, Lupercus is a god sometimes identified as the Roman equivalent of the Greek god Pan. Lupercus is the god of shepherds. His festival, celebrated on the anniversary of the founding of his temple on February 15, was called the Lupercalia. His priests wore goatskins.

Historians mention an image of a god whom the Greeks call Pan and the Romans Lupercus, nude save for the girdle of goatskin, which stood in the Lupercal, the cave where Romulus and Remus were suckled by a she-wolf. There, in mid-February a goat and a dog were sacrificed, and salt mealcakes prepared by the Vestal Virgins were burnt.

The Lupercalia festival was partly in honor of Lupa, the she-wolf who suckled the infant orphans, Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, explaining the name of the festival, Lupercalia, or "Wolf Festival."

And Now A Little History…

Today is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of a period called Lent. Not being a Christian or a Catholic, I was unaware of what the fuss was all about. However, in the course of my fabulous job, I spend time with a Catholic priest so I took some time to get to know it this year.

Lent is celebrated by Roman Catholics as well as some Protestant faiths. (Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists and Presbyterians) It is a time of fasting and penance beginning Ash Wednesday and ending Resurrection Sunday, or Easter.

Jesus was Jewish. People of the Jewish faith regularly have periods of fasting and penance proceeding a holy time. So it must have seemed fitting that those following Jesus do the same.

It all starts on Ash Wednesday. Ashes from palm branches blessed on Palm Sunday of the previous year are used in a blessing given. Something along the lines of “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” (Bible Verse- Genesis 3:19) In English speaking countries they make the mark of the cross on one’s forehead. In other places the ashes are simply sprinkled over the head. And thus begins 40 days and 40 nights of Lent.

Wait… I know you just counted. There are 46 days between now and Easter. Apparently Sunday’s do not count.

Anyway, back to Lent.

Generally, during the period of Lent people do a lot of fasting and prayer. Luxuries are given up. Many give up meat or animal products. It helps them to be closer to Jesus as they prepare to celebrate his resurrection as their Savior.

Why 40 days? Well, it seems that 40 days and 40 nights is kind of a trend. No section in the Bible that I can find does it give instructions for Lent. However, it does say that for 40 days and 40 nights heavy rain poured down on the earth after Noah built the Ark. (Bible Verse- Genesis 7:12) Then it says that Moses went up into the fire on Mt. Sinai unharmed. And there he stayed for 40 days and 40 nights and he spoke to the Lord. (Bible Verse- Exodus 24:18) The number 40 is even significant in the fact that the Israelites wandered the desert for 40 years. (Bible Verse- Deuteronomy 8:2)

But mostly, Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights in the desert where he was tempted by the Devil. And unlike Eve (Bible Verse- Genesis 3:6), he resisted. (Bible Verse- Matthew 4:2)

So why does a witch care one bit about Lent?

Lent… shortened from an Old English word meaning “Spring Season”. It leads right up to Easter, a Pagan celebration of fertility.

In solidarity with my friend the Catholic priest, and as a way to myself become closer to my own unique spirituality, I have given up eating out at lunch time for Lent. Not only will this help heal my body, (Fast food is not great for you.) but will help me save money for my family. It will also give me more time to get things done as I won’t have to go anywhere. My husband has given up pizza for basically the same reasons. And as my friend the Muslim Imam says, God cares only for your intent.

It’s better than sacrificing a goat. And less messy.

“Every human is descended from a Pagan ancestor because the whole world was Pagan at one time.”

Just a thought....