Sunday Surprise- How To Plant Your Garden

How To Plant Your Garden

First, you Come to the garden alone, 
While the dew is still on the roses... 

 

For The Garden of Your Daily Living,
Plant Three Rows of Peas:

 

1. Peace of mind 
2. Peace of heart
3. Peace of soul

Plant Four Rows of Squash:

1. Squash gossip
2. Squash indifference
3. Squash grumbling
4. Squash selfishness

Plant Four Rows of Lettuce:

1. Lettuce be faithful
2. Lettuce be kind
3. Lettuce be patient
4. Lettuce really love one another

No Garden is Complete Without Turnips:

1. Turnip for gatherings
2. Turnip for ritual
3. Turnip to help one another

To Round Out our Garden We Must Have Thyme:

 

1. Thyme for each other
2. Thyme for family
3. Thyme for friends

Water freely with patience
And cultivate with love.
There is much reward from your garden because
You reap what you sow. 
Happy Ostara

Saturday Something – Tarot Reading Tips & History

Tarot Reading Tips & History

The exact origin of the tarot is not known, but it is thought that they originated from somewhere around India and were brought to Europe with the Gypsies. The earliest known deck seems to have appeared around the fourteenth century. During the Renaissance, the tarot was a part of a growing interest in the studies of the mystic arts, such as Qabbalah and alchemy. The tarot saw a revival in the nineteenth century and has been enjoying popularity ever since.

The modern day deck of playing cards is believed to have come from the tarot The face cards of the tarot deck are the King, Queen, Knight, and Page(where in some decks, the Knight and Page are known as the Prince and Princess, respectively). As the modern day playing card deck began to evolve the Knight was dropped and the Page became the Jack. The suits of the tarot are related to the suits of playing cards. The suit of spades is equivalent to the tarot suit of swords, and diamonds corresponds to pentacles. The clubs equals the tarot suit of wands or staves and the hearts corresponds to cups in the tarot deck.

Choosing your own tarot deck is a very personal thing; every deck "feels" different to every person. You should choose the deck whose images really speak to you. For me, I have only found one deck that “speaks” to me, and in turn through me. I have tried many different decks, but have ended up giving them away. That’s another thing – you will find a deck to be much more “effective” when it comes as a gift. If you want to become a collector of decks, then by all means purchase all you want. But you will find that for use, a gift deck will be what you want to use.

I have also found FOR ME that for my deck to be mine, it can only be handled by me. Ever. When I read for someone, I shuffle the deck while they focus on their question. I’ve had it remarked that this would make it harder to achieve accuracy, but for me that just hasn’t been the case. So far, my readings have seemed to be pretty accurate. In addition, when I read for someone, I prefer they not tell me their question until after the reading. If I know what they are looking for it tends to color my readings. The cards may be trying to tell this person something that will be overlooked or misinterpreted if I am only looking for information relating to say love or finances.

After I do the reading of what I see, I then inquire about their specific question, and look deeper, for alternate meaning relating to their question. While there are specific associations for each card, each card can also have numerous meanings. As can the meanings of cards vary in relation to each other. The same exact fall of cards can have drastically different meanings for different people.

I use the picture on each card - I rely on the information gained by doing so quite heavily, which may be part of the reason I only use a specific deck. I dunno – I’ve had some beautiful decks, but just couldn’t “read” them. A good way to pick your own deck is to find a website that carries many different decks. A good one, and a site I shop frequently is Capricorn’s Lair. Go to the site & find decks you like. Then go to search engine like Google and type in the name. You should be able to find examples of the artwork, pictures of the cards. Once you’ve narrowed the selection somewhat, then go find a store in your area that sells many different decks, and see if they have the ones on your list. New Age and metaphysical bookstores are more likely to have a good selection on hand, although many chain bookstores do carry the more popular ones, such as the Rider-Waite, and will be glad to special order any of the other decks. When you visit the store, ask if they will let you look at a deck from the box, but I have a warning note here: if you do not know much about the tarot, you may not think this is a big deal, but many tarot readers will not buy a deck that has been handled by others. A deck is a personal thing, and many tarot readers believe that their decks take on something of themselves. Personally, I would never buy an unsealed deck – even with cleansing, I prefer a few hands as possible to have touched them.

You can also purchase carrying/storage cases for cards, either from a webstore or an actual store, but I personally made mine. Granted I am somewhat skilled at sewing, so it was only natural for me to do so, but making a bag is extremely easy. All you need is a piece of silk the width of your deck plus 2 1/2 inches, by the length of your deck plus 2 1/2 inches. Fold it in half long-ways, right sides together, and stitch up the sides. Fold over the top about 3/4 of an inch, and stitch it where the edge of the fabric meets the rest of it, leaving an opening you can run a piece of leather or a ribbon thru and tie it closed. Again, making your own limits the energies going into it. Place your cards in your case, and put them under your pillow, leaving them there for a couple of nights, to absorb your energy.  

There are many good sites out there in cyberspace. There are also many charlatans. One of the ones I have found that I like is ifate. It shows several layouts, and what each card position represents. It will also allow you to receive a reading, and the one time I did it came back fairly accurate in a generic sort of way : ).

There is however, more to reading the tarot than card meanings and positions. A large number of one type of card can add insight and greater depth to your readings. Here are some examples and their suggested meanings:

• A large number of Major Arcana indicate an important time in the querent’s life. The decisions made and the actions taken will have long term consequences. The Major Arcana holds sway over our spiritual life, matters of our inner being.
• If the cards are predominantly Minor Arcana, the querent’s question is of a mundane matter. Despite how important it may seem at the time, it will have little effect in the long run. Our character or nature will remain as it is.
• A large percentage of Wands can indicate growth and energy. A large percentage of Court Cards that are Wands indicate business transactions.
• An excess of Cups can indicate that the question has to do with love, children or pleasure. An excess of Cup Court Cards indicate delightful company.
• A great deal of Swords suggests aggressive ambition or destructive activities. A great deal of Sword Court Cards indicate conflict.
• Many Pentacles would indicate that the querent’s question revolves around money, goods or material gain. Many Court Cards that are Pentacles indicate politics or high finance.
• Specific Court Cards or numbers have their meanings as well. A large number of Court Cards can indicate the influence of a great many people. A situation that is almost beyond the control of the querent.
• A large number of Kings relate to honors and meetings of those of high rank.
• A large number of Queens can indicate powerful friends and influence.
• Many Knights can foretell haste and unexpected meetings.
• A great deal of Pages denote news and other messages.
• Many Aces indicate power, force and success. They are often the cards of beginnings as well.
• Twos in number reflect partnerships and important conversation.
• Many Threes reflect determination, but one must beware of the truth being bent.
• A large number of Fours represents rest earned through good planning and hard work.
• A great deal of Fives almost always indicates quarrels and difficulties.
• Many Sixes represent gain and pleasure.
• Sevens in number indicate agreements as well as possible disappointments.
• Many Eights can represent news or journeys.
• Nines in number warn of added responsibilities.
• A great deal of Tens can indicate heavy responsibility, commerce and anxiety.

Taken in part from:

The Tarot: A Key to the Wisdom of the Ages by Paul Foster Case
A Complete Guide to the Tarot by Eden Gray

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions / recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog

Wednesday Whatever – Dreams & A Dream Pillow

Why Remember Your Dreams?

Your dreaming mind has access to information that is not readily available to you when you are awake. Your dreams may reveal your secret desires and subconscious feelings. In remembering your dreams, you will have an increased knowledge about yourself, bring about self-awareness and self-healing. Dreams are an extension of how you perceive yourself. They can be a source of inspiration, wisdom, and joy.

You don’t have to interpret your dreams in order to solve your problems. But just as there is the saying that “Death cures cigarette smoking,” you might find that listening to your dreams may help you solve your problems before you run out of time. Dreams are always “true”—it’s just that what they mean isn’t always what we think they mean. Sometimes a dream gives a warning of danger, but if you pay attention to the dream and change your ways the danger won’t necessarily happen. And most often a dream’s meaning will be metaphorical, not literal.

For example, a woman may dream that her husband is having a sexual affair, but it would be a mistake to conclude that her husband is really having an affair. The dream is simply providing the woman graphic evidence that she somehow feels betrayed by her husband. Once she acknowledges that feeling, she can then start examining her life consciously—and honestly—to find out why she feels betrayed and what she needs to do about it. All dreams essentially tell us one important thing: “Wake up!” That is, just as you must wake up from a dream to remember it, the dream itself is telling you to “wake up” to the truth that you try to hide from others—and from yourself. Of course, there is a positive as well as a negative side to remembering and interpreting your dreams.

The negative side is that you may come across a side of yourself that you really don't like or are afraid to know about. You may discover that you aren't (always) the "Miss Goody Two Shoes" or "Mr. Nice Guy" that you profess to be during the day. You may discover that your childhood was not all ice cream, roller-skating and amusement parks. You may end up shedding light on dark places and recall secrets long repressed. This can be scary stuff.

The positive side is that you go through a metamorphosis or catharsis and become - you. You become the “you” that you were always meant to be. You will become truer to yourself and therefore, you will find that you are happier. Learning to recall your dreams may help you become a more assertive, creative person. In remembering your dreams, you are expressing and confronting your feelings. Remembering your dreams can help you come to terms with stressful aspects of your lives. But this may be easier said than done. Five minutes after the end of the dream, half the content is forgotten. After ten minutes, 90% is lost. Dreamers, who are awakened right after REM sleep, are able to recall their dreams more vividly than those who slept through the night until morning. Obviously, remembering your dreams is vital to interpreting them. So, how can you better remember your dreams?

How To Remember Your Dreams

When beginning the steps towards interpreting your dreams, many people find it helpful to keep a notebook – a dream journal, if you will – right next to your bed with a pen or pencil. As soon as you are physically able, begin your journal. Write down your dream as soon as you remember it. Write down everything you remember, even if it doesn't make sense. Most often, the parts that don't make sense or are out of place are the most valuable. Every detail, even the minutest element in your dream is important and must be considered when analyzing your dreams. Look closely at the characters, animals, objects, places, emotions, and even color and numbers that are depicted in your dreams. Ask yourself, "What does this remind me of?" Write down the first thing that comes to your mind. This will likely be the real situation in your life that is symbolized in the dream. What did that real-life situation make you feel like? If this is the same feeling represented in your dream, you're on the right track. Often when there is more than one part to your dream (more than one story line) that usually means there are two things your subconscious is trying to tell you.

Remember that we have between four and seven dreams per night. If you wake up from a dream, write it down. Don’t roll over and go back to sleep. If you don’t write it down, you’ll never remember it in the morning! At the very least, you can jot down the basic premise of the dream and go back in the morning to fill in the rest of the details such as feelings, etc. Suggest to yourself every night as you fall asleep, "I will remember my dreams." Say this over and over. Your subconscious will act on this subtle suggestion. Practice keen observation in your dreams through self-suggestion prior to sleep. When a problem confronts you, you might want to ask by prayer for guidance to be sent to you through your dreams. Trust your instincts! If something seems important, it probably is. Try not to let your logical side take over.

So you’ve got your dreams down on paper. Where do you go next? The next step would be interpretation.

Taken in part from How to Interpret Your Dreams

 

Making an Enchanted Dream Pillow
Dream pillows have been around for centuries. They are filled with herbs and scents that enable the user to sleep peacefully. I am a very lucid dreamer and get most of my wisdom and insight during dream time. I have friends who complain that they can never remember their dreams, and have asked me on many occasion if there is anything I can recommend. With that need in mind, I have come up with a twist on the dream pillow. Why not include magical herbs, stones, or oils to affect the dream-state? Here's what I've come up with:

Constructing The Pillow:
Be sure that the herbs you use have a strong scent. Try to incorporate no more than two herbs within a pillow.

You will need

• 1 yard of natural fabric that has a looser weave. This will make 4 to 6 pillows,  depending on the size (if you don't use them all yourself, they make great gifts).
• Herbs and Stones to Use:
  • To remember your dreams:
  • Herbs: Mugwort, bay, rosemary, lavender, catnip (flowers of these herbs is best).
  • Stones: Adventurine, Celestite, Amethyst, and Fluorite.
  • To guard against nightmares and spiritual evil:
  • Herbs: Rosemary, valerian, frankincense, and lemon balm.
    Stones: Onyx, Obsidian, Moldavite, and Turquoise.
  • For more lucid or vivid dreams:
  • Herbs: Flowers of Mugwort, mint, lavender.
    Stones: Rudilated Quartz Crystal, Aquamarine, Tiger-eye, and Carnelian.
  • For dreams of love or romance:
  • Herbs: Flowers of roses, yarrow, lavender, crepe myrtle, violets, dill, coriander, and basil.
  • Stones: Ruby, Garnet, Rose Quartz, and Red Jasper.
    For dreams of peace and guidance:
  • Herbs: Leaves of sage, sassafras, mullein,  pine needles, and chamomile flowers.
    Stones: Amethyst, Celestite, Opal, and Moonstone.

Cut the fabric into squares. Take two pieces of the fabric, and sew them together on three sides. Turn the fabric inside out so that the loose stitching is on the inside. Stuff in the herbs and/or stones through the open side and stitch them in. The pillow will be placed inside your regular pillowcase when you sleep. If you want to add a little punch to your enchanted pillows, magically charge them under a waxing or full moon, and do it on the day or hour appropriate to the pillow's purpose.

 

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions / recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog

Tuesday Try A New Taste – May Day Maple Bread

May Day Maple Bread
from Spirit Raven

Ingredients:

• 1 Envelope Dry Active Yeast
• 1 TBS Baking Powder
• 1/3 Cup Real Maple Syrup
• 1/2 Tsp. Salt
• 1/4 Cup Warm (105 degree F) Water
• 1 Cup Coarsely Ground Hazelnuts
• 3 Cups Flour
• 1/4 Cup Shortening
• 3 TBS. Packed Brown Sugar

Dissolve the yeast and maple syrup in the water. Mix 1 ½ cups of the flour with the brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and hazelnuts. Cut in the shortening using a fork. Add the yeast to the mixture; stir. Slowly add the remaining flour until the dough is easy to handle. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead for 1 minute. Cover, let rise for 15 minutes. Form into a round or oval; place on a greased cookie sheet. Let rise for 30 minutes in a warm spot. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the image of a heart into the top of the bread. Bake for 30 minutes. The bread is done if the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. If desired, the loaf can be brushed with a little syrup and butter during the last 5 minutes of baking.

Yield: 1 loaf.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Monday Make A - Beltane Paper Plate Flower Decoration

Beltane Paper Plate Flower Decoration

Got the Winter Blues..? Ready for Spring to spring? As I sit here watching the snow fall out my window (Yes, it’s snowing, today April 6 in Indiana…) This is a fast and easy craft you can do with your witchlings to chase away the doldrums :)

You Need:

• 6" paper plate
• You will need the following artificial foliage, available at any craft store – (you could probably get them cheaper at Walmart)
  • 8 leaves, the long skinny ones,
  • 4 oak leaves
  • 1 large flower,
  • 1 daisy
  • 5 small flowers of differing, complimentary colors
• 8” piece of complimentary colored suede cord
• deep lilac, robin’s egg blue, bright pink, or bright yellow paint
• masking tape
• white craft glue
• newspapers

Step By Step Instructions

Begin by covering your work area with newspaper. Using the paint, cover the surface of the plate. Remove the plastic stems from the backs of the leaves and arrange them around the top of the painted plate. Arrange them to your satisfaction – kids seem to have a natural talent for this kind of thing :) Using the craft glue, carefully lift each leaf, apply a thin line of glue to the part that will be on the plate, then put it back in place, pressing lightly to spread the glue and allow the leaf to “set” to the plate.

Cut as much stem from the flowers as you can without causing them to fall apart. Place the large flower in the middle of the plate, when you have it where you like it, apply a generous amount of glue and press it to the plate. Place one of the small flowers in the middle of the large one. Arrange the remaining small flowers around the bottom of the plate until satisfied, then glue the same way as the others.

When the glue is completely dry, cut the cord and secure it to the back of the plate for hanging. Tape it securely in place using the masking tape, and you’re done!

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Sunday Surprise - Frith: A Scottish Augury

Frith: A Scottish Augury
by Jon Keeyes; (the link I had is dead…)

Since ancient times, the people of the Celtic culture have sought to know the portents of the future. Mythological and classical literature make reference to many forms of divination, but there is one that is often overlooked. In Scotland, there exists an augury called frith which was still in widespread practice even through the last half of the nineteenth century when Alexander Carmichael scoured the lands seeking the lore for his Carmina Gadelica. Most scholars will agree that Carmichael is responsible for the lasting knowledge of frith as nearly every source on the subject uses Carmichael as reference concerning the augury.

As related in the Carmina Gadelica, frith is translated as meaning augury although divination is perhaps better. Frith is a means of divining the future which allows the fritheir, or augerer, to see the unseen. A belief was held by some in Scotland that the gift of fritheireachd was inherited through the family line. Sometimes the ability appeared in one member of the family, and at other times disappeared, only to reappear in the next generation. Those who are born into a line that has held notable seers are called Clann an Fritheir which means children of the seer. Through evidence, which shall be discussed later, it appears that there were two types of frithier. One being a person who used the second sight as a tool of their frith, and others who simply interpreted the portents of what they saw in the world around them. In either case, frith became a valued gift used at special times.

The people of Scotland held to their old pagan beliefs that there were times of the year when it was proper to seek vision of what the future held. For some, such omens were important in aiding the sick, for others it gave insight into the welfare of the family and home, while for others it gave them guidance in future courses of action. Noragh Jones writes,

"It was fitting to assess whether the tides of fortune in every sphere of life were flowing in favor or dragging against."

Ms. Jones later continues with,

"Augury or the seeing of the unseen was primarily a means of working out the right times for actions and schemes (and for inaction equally) in the affairs of all God's creatures."

The art of frith was only practiced at certain times of the year or under very special circumstances. The Scottish held the belief that frith could only be performed at sunrise on the first Monday following a fire festival, called Quarter Days, or when a person or valuable object was missing. It is not surprising that the frith is associated with the Quarter Days. Such times of sacredness marked shifts in livelihoods as the stages of the year shifted through seasons. Its timing of Mondays is related to the Christian importance of the Sunday Sabbath, but in older times was, in all likelihood, done the sunrise of the Quarter Day itself. The necessity of the frith being performed at sunrise also holds importance to the Celtic belief of "in between places" and "in between times". As the sun rises, the world is "in between" night and day, sunlight and darkness, order and chaos; a time when the border between the physical world and the Otherworld is broken. Sunrise auguries were favored for it allowed the fritheir to see into the Otherworld and receive its messages. The importance of "in betweens" is furthered by the need for the frith to be performed in a door way, "in between" the inside and the outside world.

Frith, and its profound accuracy, can be found throughout folktales in abundance. Stories about the auguries made for finding missing persons or objects are still told with a pride that speaks of the achievements of the Scottish seers and augurers. Carmichael makes claim that frith originated through Celtic Christian lore for it was said that frith was created by Saint Brigid. Says Anne Ross,

"One Gaelic legend has it that when Christ was missing, Mary found out that he was in the temple by means of augury."

As the tale relates, Brigid discovered, through her frith, that Jesus was in a temple arguing with the rabbis. When Mary and Joseph journeyed to the temple, they found Jesus just as Brigid had seen. The tale continues at a later time when Jesus comes about missing once more. Mary had Brigid perform another frith of which Brigid saw Jesus sitting on the rim of a well teaching his disciples. And, when Mary and Joseph went looking, he was discovered just as Brigid had told. These tales have remained alive in Scottish folklore through prayers and poetry. One augury prayer honoring Brigid goes like this:

The augury Brigid made for her Foster-son,
She made a pipe within her palms;
TìI see the Foster-son by the well’s side,
Teaching the people assuredly.
I set the augury towards the well,
And truly that righteous work,
The King of kings teaching the people,
Yonder see I Christ assuredly.

As Christianity and Paganism in Scotland have become as intertwined as Celtic knotwork, it is impossible to determine the true origins of frith. However, in various collections of folklore, many highlanders hold firm to the belief that frith originated with the second sight long before St. Columba had brought Christianity to their land.

Though Brigid is considered the first fritheir she is by far not the only fritheir for folklore abounds with such feats of seeing the unseen. Among Carmichael’s collection he relates the story of a man who had journeyed to Australia seeking his fortune. When his family had not heard from him in three years, the wife went to a fritheir. The fritheir saw the husband safe but poor and said that he would now write of his plight. Within three months the family received his letter. Another tale speaks of four men from Lewis who had been lost at see amidst a storm. Friends had searched unsuccessfully for them and found no signs of the ships wreckage. Through the augury of Duncan MacInnes, it was told that the men were in St. Kilda and would return in March when the bitter winter had receded. As foretold, come March the men arrived home safely.

There is an interesting element which appears in these tales. Such evidence relates that fritheirs maintained a belief in the importance of omens when performing their auguries. Yet, these fritheir simply went into a trance and, upon their return to the waking world, related the events. It appears that the art of frith, for finding lost people and objects, is closely entangled with the second sight for in most of these accounts omens were not utilized. From these tales, it can be determined that there are two forms of frith; one which employs the second sight, and a second which is determined by a persons ability to interpret omens.

It is this second form of frith that the majority of specifics can be discovered. The Quarter Day frith was performed across Scotland, the method used being almost universal. Says Noragh Jones,

"The formal rules urged that divination should be done on the first Monday of the quarter, bare-footed and bareheaded, before or at sunrise, while fasting".

The fritheir begins by circling the hearth in the center of the home three times in a sunwise direction. As the fritheir circles the flame they are to recite the Hymn of the Frith (which can easily be altered by replacing "God" with "the Gods" for those seeking a stronger pagan theme):

I am going without
To the doorstep of my house
In the name of God
Stronger of sight than all
I go out in the name of God,
I come in the name of the Son
I walking in the path, O God,
Thou O God, upon my doorstep
God before me, God behind me,
God over me, God beneath me,
God within me, God without me,
The God of marvels leading me.

Once the hymn is spoken, the fritheir proceeds to the door of their home with eyes shut or blindfolded. As the door is opened, the fritheir places one hand upon each jamb. Calling once more to the Gods for the ability to "see" the fritheir flings their eyes open and takes in the sight of all that lies before them. It is from this sight that the Quarter's future is foretold (see "Omens" at the end of this article). There are two additional methods that folklore includes depending upon the regions of Scotland. One addition relates that rather than simply standing in the doorway, the fritheir walks sunwise around the home with their gaze held firmly forward. They divine their omens based upon all that is seen in this walk. The second method reveals that the sight is taken in through the means of a "tube". The fritheir holds a stone with a hole in its center to their eye, or forms a tube out of their fingers, and looks through this. The augury of Brigid states that she used this tube to "see Christ" but it is unknown whether this second method derives from her story or vice versa. It is John and Caitlin Matthews opinion that these "seeing tubes" were "widespread in Irish Gaelic usage, where the palms are used to provide a seeing-space or tabula rasa, to block out the light or focus the seer."

Modern folk walking the Celtic path can use the Quarter Day frith as the tool of their fire festival divinations. For those living in the country, this method can remain unchanged as the omens are derived from country folk and their rural landscape. But those living in the city may need to discover new ways, and in some cases new omens, based upon their environment. Having lived in dense, urban areas, I have found several alternate forms which have functioned quite well. In one apartment I lived in, to look out the front door meant staring at a wall three feet away. But my back window looked out across a park. This window became my "door" for seeing the omens. Another alternate method is to actually leave the home and go to an outdoor "in-between" place. This is a location where two opposites meet each other. A popular "in-between" place to the Celtic people (also mentioned by Carmichael as an alternative) is where water meets a shore. This can be found at a nearby lake, stream, pond or the ocean. The fritheir can take a candle, walk three times deosil about it, then proceed to this "in-between" spot. In seeking new places, when city life prevents following the old ways, it is important to maintain the elements of the "in-between time" and the "in-between" place. It is in this otherworldly spot that the future is held in precious balance, allowing the fritheir to see into the unseen.

OMENS

"The signs are many and varied, and only some examples of them can be given. They are called rathadach and rosadach, lucky and unlucky, fortunate and mischievous"

The Carmina Gadelica

• It is a good sign if someone is walking towards you.
• It is a bad sign if someone is walking away from you.
• To see a man or animal rising means good health or a quick recovery from sickness.
• To see a man lying down mean sickness to come or a continuance of sickness.
• It was a good sign if a man is looking at the seer.
• A woman standing up is a good sign.
• A woman walking away means misfortune.
• To see a red haired woman is unlucky.
• To see a black haired woman is lucky.
• To see a brown haired woman is even luckier.
• A bird flying towards the seer means news is coming soon.
• To see a bird flying is a fairly good omen.
• To see a bird flying in a straight line from left to right is a very good sign.
• To see a totem animal is a very lucky sign.
• It means good luck if an animal was rising.
• It means bad luck if an animal is lying.
• If a trip is planned, to see a duck is good.
• If a trip is planned, to see a goat is bad.
• If a sea journey is planned, ducks flying is an especially good sign.
• If a land trip is planned, sheep rising is a good sign.
• To have three sparrows singing near the house is bad and can mean a death.
• If a rooster is crowing at dawn, things will be good.
• If a rooster crows before the light of dawn, sickness is coming.
• A cock coming towards, or looking at the seer, means excellent things to come.
• To see a rook approaching means harm is coming.
• An eagle or a hawk flying deosil means good things to come.
• To see a fox with pups is means fortune is coming soon.
• To see seven swans means peace and prosperity.
• To see a dog or a horse is a good sign.
• To see a black cat is a good sign especially if it crosses before you.
• To see a raven means a death is coming.
• A pig facing away is a bad sign for all except a Campbell.

Note: In divining based upon omens, new omens will need to be discovered for those people not in the country. Keep a record of what you see, listen within for their meanings, and pay attention to how the Quarter runs. Within a year, you will have created new sets of omens for your frith.

Bibliography:

Carmina Gadelica: Hymns and Incantations by Alexander Carmichael; Floris Books, Edinburgh, 1994 (link is to online book)

Power of Raven, Wisdom of Serpent by Noragh Jones; Floris Books, Edinburgh, 1994 (link to online book)

The Folklore of the Scottish Highlands by Anne Ross; Barnes & Noble Books, New York, 1993

The Silver Bough by F. Marion MacNeill; Edinburgh, 1982

The Encyclopedia of Celtic Wisdom by Caitlin & John Matthews; Barnes & Noble Books, New York, 1993

Celtic Heritage by Alwyn & Brinley Rees; Thames & Hudson, New York, 1994

Scottish Lore and Folklore compiled by Ronald Douglas; Bonanza Books, New York, 1982

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Saturday Surprise - Dragon Information

Intro to Dragons

Everybody knows what a dragon is: an enormous, fierce, bloodthirsty creature appearing in fairy tales and legends as an accessory whose main function is to set off the bravery of the knight challenging him. The dragon is an obscure, mysterious character, described in broad terms, and is little more than foil to enhance the hero's valor.

Dragon is a legendary beast in the folklore of many European and Asian cultures. Legends describe dragons as large, lizardlike creatures that breathe fire and have a long, scaly tail. In Europe, dragons are traditionally portrayed as ferocious beasts that represent the evils fought by human beings. But in Asia, especially in China and Japan, the animals are generally considered friendly creatures that ensure good luck and wealth. According to some medieval legends, dragons lived in wild, remote regions of the world. The dragons guarded treasures in their dens, and a person who killed one supposedly gained its wealth. The English epic hero Beowulf died in a fight with a treasure-guarding dragon. In China, the traditional New Year's Day parade includes a group of people who wind through the street wearing a large dragon costume. The dragon's image, according to an ancient Chinese belief, prevents evil spirits from spoiling the new year. Another traditional Chinese belief is that certain dragons have the power to control the rainfall needed for each year's harvest.

However the dragon is something else. He is admirable, intelligent and educated creature, who leads a most interesting life. He has some fascinating characteristics in addition to those occasional glimpses we are given through fairy tale and legends.
In the world of fantastic animals, the dragon is unique. No other creature has appeared in such a rich variety of forms. It is as though there was once a whole family of different dragon species that really existed, before they mysteriously became extinct. Indeed, as recently as the seventeenth century, scholars wrote of dragons as though they were scientific facts, their anatomy and natural history being recorded in painstaking detail.

The naturalist Edward Topsell, for instance, writing in 1608, considered them to be reptilian and closely related to serpents:

"There are diverse sorts of dragons, distinguished partly by countries, partly by their quantity and magnitude, and partly by the different form of their external parts."

Personifications of malevolence of beneficence, paganism or purity, death and devastation, life and fertility, good or evil. All these varied, contradictory concepts are embodied and embedded within that single magical word.

The dragon has always been slandered and misjudged, persecuted and hounded by man, simply because they are different. Like so many other living beings, he has experienced death and persecution in the name of so-called superiority of civilized man. Perhaps, in the future, man will learn with the death of a single animal or plant species an irreplaceable asset - something more precious than all the wealth in the world - is lost. Only then will the Earth continue to be a brilliant blue jewel in the universe, for in i’ts heart will be locked the priceless treasure of the diversity of the species, and man will have recognized his duty to cherish every single one.

Our dragon populations have declined considerably in recent years. Not only have dragons been excluded from all neighborhoods and driven out of most states, but they are hated almost everywhere. This is usually due to the prejudice of humans, because of a dragon’s appearance and culture. This does not mean to say that no one is willing to join the fight for dragons rights. Recently there has been evidence of an increasing public tolerance of dragons. People are realizing the importance of dragons in the preservation of worldwide ecosystems and the protection of our faunal diversity represented my these magical beasts. Although dragons have little reason to believe in us, the least we can do is believe in them.

Dragons are one of the greatest of the otherworldly creatures. Although many people think they live only in books and myths, but in the spirit realm they are very real. There are many different kinds of dragons including Green, Blue, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Red, and others. Dragons can also come to the physical world in the form of vast fields of energies, apparitions, and in some rare cases they even mundane creatures. Not only are there different kinds of dragons, but there are dragonlike creatures. They include but are not limited to Draconcats, Dracondogs, and other dragon related creatures. Although these creatures technically aren't dragons, they are the closest related creatures and sometimes even pack together with them.

If you happen to sense a large energy field, chances are its a dragon. They are attracted by people with compatible virtues such as honor, sincerity, and courage. They also like people who are very interested and dedicated to dragons. There are even people who practice Dragon Magic, which is its own deified religion. Try talking to them if you sense them. If you can't speak out loud then try doing it to somewhat of an effect of telepathy. Although it takes practice to contact other people with telepathy, otherworldy creatures can be contacted with much ease

The Truth About Dragons

Despite popular belief, Dragons are not mean, evil, damsel eating monsters whose only purpose is to ravage villages and hoard gold. They are wise, ancient, and usually kind. Dragons do, however, avoid negative humans who might hurt or try to control them. If a human does try to hurt or control a dragon, they will  wish they hadn't! If you try to hurt or control a dragon, there are great consequences. The most drastic of these is death, although it is rare, for most Dragons do not wish to kill or harm other beings.

Dragon Magic is not for beginners, and most certainly isn't for dabblers. Only those who are most sincere in their work with Dragons will succeed. Dabblers and those who are not sincere will suffer the consequences listed above. I hope that your experience with Dragon Magic is enlightening and delightful!

Different Types of Dragons
Dragons come in many different forms. Small, large, furry, scaly, some winged, some not winged, some with horns, some with antennae, and the list goes on. Listed below is a sample of the different types of Dragons.

• Air Dragons
• Earth Dragons
• Fire Dragons
• Water Dragons
• Dragons of Light
• Dragons of Darkness (not evil)
• Dragons of the Seas & Various Waters
• Dragons of the Mountains & Forests
• Dragons of Wind, Storm & Weather
• Dragons of Desert & Arid Regions
• Dragons of Fire & Volcanoes Dragons of Chaos & Destruction
• Guardian Dragons
• Dragons of the Planets
• Dragons of the Zodiac

For descriptions of the Dragons and more information, you must buy the book. It's called "Dancing with Dragons" by D.J. Conway

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Friday Form A Circle – Healing Magic Ritual

Healing Magic
Source Unknown (by me…if you know, please tell me *grin*)

 
This is a ritual for healing any problem. This is usually best performed on a waning moon, when it is almost new moon. You cannot perform this ritual on someone else without them being present. You can, however, guide the person who needs healing to do this ritual on their own. It is only effective if the person with the ailment performs it, so it is ideal to heal yourself. Your primary ritual tool will be an element. Choose one from the list that is most appropriate for whatever area of the body you will be healing:

• Abdomen: Fire
• Arms: Earth
• Blood: Air
• Bones: Earth
• Chest: Air
• Ears: Water
• Eyes: Water
• Feet: Earth
• Genitalia: Fire
• Hands: Earth
• Heart: Fire
• Legs: Earth
• Lungs: Air
• Mind: Fire
• Nose: Air
• Skin: Earth
• Stomach: Water
• Teeth: Earth
• Throat: Air
• Uterus: Water

You should prepare for the ritual with a ritual bath. Once you are ready, you can go to your magical place and get ready. Your working area should be equipped with whatever is needed to invite the element of choice into the magic. You can use any method you want to have the element present, but if you need ideas, here is some help:

• Earth: Stones, crystals, a dish of earth, or salt.
• Fire: Candles or a small bonfire (be careful and keep a bucket of water handy for emergencies!).
• Air: Incense
• Water: A dish of water will suffice, but if you can perform the ritual near a body of water like a river or lake that would be ideal.

You only need to have the element pertinent to your ritual at hand. However, if you want to invite all the elements, that is fine too. Just keep the focus on the one vital healing element. You should dress is all white if at all possible. Cast your circle around your entire prepared ritual area. Sit in the center with your element before you. Inhale and exhale deeply and slowly to reach a meditative state. With your eyes closed, envision a pure white light surrounding you. Now that you have entered your magical state, take the element into your hands (if it is water, hold it in a container; if it is fire, hold the candle; if it is air, hold the incense stick, etc.). Feel the energy of the element flowing through you. Hold the element over the general area that needs healing and envision the energy flowing into that area. See it being healed. Continue to allow the elemental energy to flow into the area until a feeling of peace comes over you. It is done! Close the circle and return the element to nature.

***Note: Do not blow a candle out! Pinch it or extinguish it with a bit of water.

Have an after-ritual meal of cakes and wine (or bread and juice). This ritual will begin doings its work immediately, but it will not cure anything instantly. Allow it a good amount of time, a week for a minor ailment, a month for a major illness. If you are using any medications or supplements for your illness, it helps to have those present during the ritual. They will be charged with magical energy so that when you take them they will be doing twice the good!

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Thursday This Is Your Spell – A Silver Spell

A Silver Spell
from ShadoeRose

This spell takes 1 week to perform.

Needed:

• Small bowl
• Green candle
• Candle holder
• Seven shiny dimes
• Matches

Situate a small bowl of any material in a place of prominence in your home, somewhere you pass by every day. Each day for seven days put one dime in the bowl. Next, obtain a green candle, any shape or kind. Before you begin, fix in your mind the idea that you are a prosperous person. See money as being no problem. Imagine money coming to you, as you need it. Place the bowl of dimes, the candle and a candle holder on a flat surface. Hold the candles in your hands and feel the power of money. Feel the avenues that open to you when you have it. Sense the energy within money which we as human beings have given to it. Place the candle in the holder. Pour the seven dimes into your left hand. You will create a circle surrounding the candles with the dimes. Place the first dime directly before the candle. As you place it say these or similar words:

"Money flow, money shine
Money grow, Money's mine."

Repeat this 6 more times until you've created a circle around the candle with seven gleaming dimes. As you say the words and place the dimes, know that you're not just reciting and fooling around with pieces of metal. You're working with power - that which we've given money as well as that which is within yourself. Words, too, have energy, as does the breath on which they ride. When you've completed this, light the candle. Strike a match and touch its tip to the wick. As it puts up the fire, sputters, to a shining flame, see money burning there. See the power of money flowing out from the seven dimes up to the candle's flames and then out to the atmosphere. Blow out the match and settle down before the glowing candle and money. Sense the feeling of money in your life. Visualize a life with money to spare - a life in which bills are quickly paid and money will never again be a problem. See yourself wisely spending money, investing it for your future needs. See money as an unavoidable and beautiful aspect of your life. Kill off any thoughts of debt, of taxes, of doubt that you can achieve this change. Simply see what will be. After ten minutes or so, leave the area. Let the candle burn itself out in the holder. Afterward, collect the dimes, place them back in the bowl, & "feed" it a few coins every day from then on. Money will come to you.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Wednesday Whatever – Dreams / Nightmares

Nightmares

A nightmare is a dream which causes a strong unpleasant emotional response from the sleeper, typically fear or horror, being in situations of extreme danger, or the sensations of pain, bad events, falling, drowning or death. Such dreams can be related to physical causes such as a high fever, turned faced down on a pillow during sleep (most often in the case of drowning nightmares), or psychological ones such as psychological trauma or stress in the sleeper's life. Nightmares can also have no apparent cause. If a person has experienced a psychologically traumatic situation in life—for example, a person who may have been captured and tortured—the experience may come back to haunt them in their nightmares. Sleepers may waken in a state of distress and be unable to get back to sleep for some time. Eating before bed, which triggers an increase in the body's metabolism and brain activity, is another potential stimulus for nightmares

Children, especially, are prone to nightmares. Nightmares are common in children, typically beginning at around age 3 and occurring up to age 7-8. People with anxiety disorder might also experience what experts term “night terrors”. These are actually panic attacks that occur in sleep. It is especially difficult to remember these types of dreams since they conjure up terrifying images that we would just as soon forget.

In poetic myth, the Nightmare is actually a “small nettlesome mare, not more than thirteen hands high, of the breed familiar with the Elgin marbles: cream-colored, clean-limbed, with a long head, bluish eyes, flowing mane and tail.” She builds nests, called mares’ nests, and “when one comes across them in dreams, lodged in rock-clefs or the branches of enormous hollow yews, are built of carefully chosen twigs lined with white horse-hair and the plumage of prophetic birds and littered with the jaw-bones and entrails of poets.”

Thus, in a pagan world of myth and blood sacrifice, the Nightmare was a cruel, fearful creature. Our modern word nightmare derives from the Middle English nihtmare (from niht, night, and mare, demon), an evil spirit believed to haunt and suffocate sleeping people. And so, in today’s world, when we speak of a nightmare we mean a frightening dream accompanied by a sensation of oppression and helplessness. The blood-thirsty aspect of the mythic Nightmare, however, can give a good clue about nightmares in general, for in psychodynamic terms nightmares are graphic depictions of raw, primitive emotions such as aggression and rage that have not been incorporated into the conscious psyche. Thus we tend to encounter these “ugly” aspects of our unconscious lives as terrifying dream images in whose presence we feel completely helpless.

Nightmares are quite common in childhood because this is a time of our emotional development when we all have to come to terms with, well, raw, primitive emotions such as aggression and rage.

Traumatic nightmares can also occur as one of the many symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Repetitive, intrusive nightmares following a trauma often contain symbolic themes that mirror the original trauma and relate to threat to life, threat of abandonment or death, or loss of identity. Therefore, traumatic nightmares need to be treated differently than other dreams. It’s not enough just to “know” intellectually the psychological reasons why you have these nightmares. An event is traumatic because it disrupts your previously secure—and illusory—sense of “self.” And so, to heal from a trauma, you must take the initiative to make conscious changes in your life to accommodate the traumatic shattering of your illusions about life and identity.

Some believe that nightmares have a physiological nature as well. Edgar Cayce believed that Nightmares, which bring with them an inability to move or cry out, usually indicate the wrong diet. To end the nightmarish dreams change your diet. Occasional nightmares are commonplace, but recurrent nightmares can interfere with sleep and may cause people to seek medical help

We found a technique online that can help people who suffer from recurrent nightmares. It is not meant to be a cure-all. It is just a suggested treatment to deal with frightening nightmares. The idea is to use this therapy every night until the nightmare has been resolved. It is called Imagery Rehearsal Therapy.

Here are the steps of Imagery Rehearsal Therapy:

Write out the text of the nightmare. Tell the story, no matter how frightening, in as much detail as you can remember. Create a new ending for the nightmare story and write it out. Be careful, however, to make the new ending peaceful. Remember that the nightmare is grounded in emotions such as raw anger that have been provoked by a trauma. The point of a new ending is to “tame” the emotions, not merely vent them in violence and revenge.

Rehearse the new version of the story in your imagination each night just before going to sleep. Do this as close as possible to your falling asleep without any other activity between the rehearsal and sleep. Perform a relaxation exercise. Do this immediately after the rehearsal, as a way to fall asleep peacefully. You may use any technique with which you are familiar. This could be meditation, yoga, or breathing exercises.

Taken in part from How to Interpret Your Dreams

Also contains information from Wikipedia

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions / recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog

Tuesday Try A New Taste – Chicken Barley Stew with Herbs & Irish Soda Bread

Chicken Barley Stew With Herbs
From University of North Carolina Recipes

Comment: This is originally an Anglo-Saxon recipe. The original calls for rabbit, but chicken is just as good.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 LB chicken breasts on the bone
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 LB leeks (3-4 large ones, 4-5 little ones) thickly cut. May substitute onions
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 6 oz barley
• 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 3/4 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Tablespoon dried sage

In a large Dutch Oven, melt the butter, then fry the leeks and garlic in the butter. Add the chicken and brown. Add remaining ingredients, reserving the sage. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Remove chicken from pot and let cool. Remove meat from bones and add back to the pot. Add sage. Stir well and serve. Leftovers freeze well.
Serves 8.

Irish Soda Bread (Cuz stew needs biscuts!)
From The Website of Ireland

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour -- unbleached, enriched
• 1 1/2 cups Whole wheat flour -- stone-ground
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
• 1 1/4 cups Buttermilk

Set the baking rack in the center of the oven and place a baking stone (if available) on the rack. Preheat the oven to 375. In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Mix to incorporate. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk. Mix quickly to incorporate the milk evenly. It may be easier to mix with the hands than with a spoon. Form the dough into a loaf shape and place in a nonstick 8 1/2-x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2" loaf pan. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, until well browned and a skewer inserted in the center comes out dry. Remove from the oven and the baking pan. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Monday Make A - May Basket

May Baskets
Found at Gingerbread Grandma’s Cauldron

Materials:

• Paper doily or other paper cut in a 9" circle
• Stapler or glue
• Pipe Cleaner
• Hole Punch
• Scissors
• Small fresh cut flowers with stems about 4" long
• Paper towel
• A piece of aluminum foil or plastic wrap

Cut a slit in the paper from one edge to the center of the circle. Overlap the cut edges and twist the paper so that a cone is formed. Staple or glue the edge to hold the cone shape. Punch holes on opposite sides of the top of the cone. Form hooks on both ends of the pipe cleaner and put the ends through the punched holes to form a handle. Twist the ends of the pipe cleaner around so that they stay in the holes. Dampen the paper towel and squeeze out most of the extra water. Wrap the ends of the flower stems with the paper towel, then wrap with the aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Slide the wrapped flowers into the cone.

On Beltane morning, hang the May basket on the doorknob of friends or neighbors. Ring the doorbell and hide to watch your friend's reaction to the flowers. : )

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions / recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog