The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

Honour the Goddess



Oh Goddess Mother,

Creator, Sustainer, Changer,

You are the maker of the stars,

And their movement.

You are the beating of my heart,

the journey of my breath and blood,

and their creator.

Submitted and written by Cathryn Bauer

from Terri Paajanen









Today's Tarot - The Hanged Man



The 12th card of the Major Arcana is the Hanged Man, and is associated with water and Picses. The image on this card in most decks is man (or woman) hanging by one foot from a branch or tree. The free leg is bent at the knee to cross the bound leg. Though this does look rather uncomfortable, the person on the card doen't look troubled. The meaning of the card is reflection, sacrifice, meditation, and selflessness. Waiting quietly for revelation to come to you.



Use this today:

You know the drill. Find the hanged man in your deck and place the card on your altar. If you have any stresses or problems in your life that just don't seem to be resolving, use the energy of this card to help you calm your mind. You'd be amazed at what solutions can arise when you're not directly thinking about a situation.

from Terri Paajanen





Today's Herb - Dill



Latin: Anethum graveolens

Common names: Dill weed, garden dill

Besides its obvious use in the kitchen (what would pickles be without dill!), dill has a number of magickal uses as well. Both the herbal parts and the seeds can be used. It's best known for its protective power, but is also used in spells for love (and lust) as well as money and prosperity.



During the Middle Ages, dill was a common ingredient for charms to protect against witches and witchcraft. The most common way to use dill for protection is to hang dried bundles of the herbs around your house.



Crowns of dill were used by Roman emperors to ensure they had a long and prosperous reign.



In very old books of magickal writings, any spells written with ingredients like Hamadryas baboon tears or baboon hair was actually referring to dill seed.

Please excuse the rather lame subject line. I couldn't help myself. Here is a recipe for a simple cookie that goes well at the end of a ritual. Or anytime, for that matter.



Crescent Cakes



Ingredients

1 cup finely ground almonds

1 and 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 drops almond extract

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 egg yolk



Instructions

Combine the almonds, flour, sugar and almond extract until well mixed. With the hands, work in butter and egg yolk until blended. Chill dough. Preheat oven to 325F. Shape dough into crescents. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake for approximately 20 minutes.



http://paganwiccan.about.com/cs/recipes/tp/cookbooks.htm

from Terri Paajanen









A Limerick for Today



There once was a druid from Wales,

Who arrived in a suit coat and tails

The others were nude

and that spoiled his mood

So go skyclad when all else fails.

from Terri Paajanen









Morning Devotion of Thanksgiving

My Great And Eternal Goddess

Thank you for this wonderous day.

Thank you for this glorious home, Our Mother Earth,

Thank you for our brothers and sisters of field, lake and air,

Thank you for the beauty of all living things,

Thank you for the sounds of Nature that bring us Your Sacred messages,

And most of all My Sacred Mother thank you for giving me Your greatest gift,-

The Gift of Life



Written and submitted by Avlad the Phoenix

from Terri Paajanen



The male version of the well-known Charge of the Goddess.







Charge of the God

Listen to the words of the Great Father, who was of old called Osiris, Adonis, Zeus, Thor, Pan, Cernunnos, Herne, Lugh and by many other names.

"My law is harmony with all things. Mine is the secret that opens the gates of life and mine is the dish of salt of the Earth that is the body of Cernunnos, that is the eternal circle of rebirth. I give the knowledge of life everlasting and beyond death I give the promise of regeneration and renewal. I am the sacrifice, the father of all things, and my protection blankets the Earth."





Hear the words of the dancing God, the music of whose laughter stirs the winds, whose voice calls the seasons:

"I who am the Lord of the Hunt and the Power of the Light, sun among the clouds and the secret of the flame, I call upon your bodies to arise and come unto me. For I am the flesh of the Earth and all its beings. Through me all things must die and with me are reborn. Let my worship be in the body that sings, for behold all acts of willing sacrifice are my rituals. Let there be desire and fear, anger and weakness, joy and peace, awe and longing within you. For these too are part of the mysteries found within yourself, within me. All beginnings have endings and all endings have beginnings."







Blessed Be!

from Terri Paajanen

Take a moment today to remember one of the victim's of the Burning Times, who died because of fear and hysteria but in the name of 'witchcraft'.







Anne Hibbins

Hanged on June 19, 1656. In Boston, Mass USA. She was the last person executed for witchcraft in Boston, and she was the sister of the more well-known Richard Bellingham.



http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/burningtime1/

from Terri Paajanen



Craft time again today.









Making a Dream Pillow

If you enjoy working with your dreams, or just want to encourage more interesting dreams, you could try making a dream pillow. All you need is some fabric, needle and thread, and some herbs. Choose a fabric with a fine weave, or the herbs will leak out. Cut 2 squares of fabric (4-5" across). Place them together with the good sides of the design on the inside. Sew around the edges, closing up 3 sides. Turn your pillow inside-out so the good sides are on the outside. Stuff with herbs, and sew the final side. Don't fill too full. It should lie fairly flat under your pillow.



Herbs for peaceful sleep:

Lavender

Chamomile

Valerian (Use sparingly. Smelly)

Thyme

Vervain







Herbs for psychic dreams:

Mugwort

Chamomile

Sandalwood

Jasmine

Lemongrass







How to use

Just place your herbal dream pillow under your regular pillow at night. I place mine inside the pillow case to keep it in place. And remember not to let your dream pillow go through the wash with the rest of the bed linens.





Blessed Be!

from Terri Paajanen



There is a strange circle of dark green grass on our lawn, that made me think of old stories of fairy rings.











Fairy Rings

Strange rings of grass that are either greener and taller than the rest, or brown and dead. These rings are anywhere from from a few inches to a few feet in diameter. These odd occurances are called Fairy Circles, and the usual folklore explanation is that the circles form where fairies dance. Country folk steered clear of these circles, fearing that they would become trapped inside by the power of the fairies.

Another common story behind these circles (particularly in Scandinavia and Europe) is that the Devil roams the countryside with a bucket, stealing milk from the cows. The rings show where he set his bucket down during his travels.



And the truth is:

Unfortunately, there is a scientific basis for these rings in the grass. There is a variety of mushroom or fungus that grows beneath the soil, and develops outward in a ring shape. Different species of fungus effects the grass in different ways, resulting in the various shapes and looks of the 'fairy rings'.





Blessed Be!

from Terri Paajanen









Today's Element - Water

The element of water is associated with: emotions, sleep, healing, psychic mysteries, love, fertilty, and the unconscious mind. It also corresponds to the West direction.

Water can be represented on your altar by a chalice or goblet, seashells, cauldron, pieces of aquamarine, or herbs like valerian or gardenia.



Use this today:

Start a dream journal, and see what secrets you can find from your own unconscious mind. In the mornings, jot down any details you can remember from the night's dreams. See if you can see any patterns or connections with your waking life.



http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/elements/

from Terri Paajanen









Well-known author

I can't imagine anyone who has read more than a single book on Wicca not having heard of Scott Cunningham. He has written more than 50 books, and is best known for his simple style that brought Wicca to those not belonging to a coven. "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner" is practically required reading for anyone new to the Craft and on their own.

Besides a whole host of books on many aspects of Wicca, did you know that Scott also wrote a number of novels (some under the pen name of Dirk Fletcher).



Scott was born on June 27, 1956 and he died fairly recently in 1993 of AIDS. He practiced and studied Wicca for more than 20 years.



A full biography of Scott's life has been written. It's called "Whispers of the Moon". If you are interested in the history and people who brought Wicca to its present state, you might want to give this a read. I think I might have to get a copy. I was surprised to find very little information about Scott on the Web.

from Terri Paajanen

Ok, I couldn't actually send a song with this email, but as I was listening to some music yesterday I thought the lyrics were worth sharing. This is from the song "Just Because", by Gaia Consort (album Gaia Circles).







From "Just Because"

"I don't need a church man to show me what's holy,

When I see you in the doorway surrounded in light

I don't need a guidebook to paint out my story

I don't need a road to find my way back home....

I don't need a downbeat to dance in the moonlight

With the drum in my bones, I'm naked here too

I don't need a lighthouse to find my way over

Filled to my brim with the wanting of you....



I don't need a songbook to howl up at the moon."



Leading to Today's Thought

You don't need someone else to show you the way to the Divine, or to tell you what you believe is right. You can discover your path on your own, without being bound by the ideas of others.



http://paganwiccan.about.com/library/musicians/blm_list.htm

from Terri Paajanen, your Editor and Guide









Knot Magick

Tying knots is a string or cord is a novel way of trapping energy for your spellwork. Focus on your intent as you tie 9 knots in a cord of the appropriate colour. Traditional words for this kind of spell are:

By knot of one, the spell's begun

By knot of two, I make it true

By knot of three, so mote it be

By knot of four, the open door

By knot of five, the spell's alive

By the spell of six, the spell is fixed

By the spell of seven, the earth and heaven

By the spell of eight, the stroke of fate

By the spell of nine, the thing is mine



Keep the knotted cord on your altar or carry it with you until the spell is complete.



http://paganwiccan.about.com/cs/spells/a/knotmagick.htm

from Terri Paajanen



A humourous and Pagan version of the Night Before Christmas. Watch out for a little bit of mature language. Save this one for your Yule celebrations!







The Eve of Midwinter

'Twas the eve of midwinter, and all through the coven

The Witches were cooking strange things in the oven.

There were mugwart frittatas, and dragon's-blood stew

And mescaline eggnog and mandrake fondue.

There were hot mountain oysters and road-kill pate

And spotted-owl kidneys, and wombat flambe.

The circle was cast and the herbs had been smoked

In hopes that the Goddess would soon be invoked.

When out by the hot tub arose such a clatter

I jumped on my broom to see what was the matter.

And what should I see in the blackberry thorns

but a soaking wet Goddess and eight unicorns!

"I was just sitting down with my vibrating phallus

And a good book," she muttered, "You bitches are callous.

I came when you called, over all my objections,

And got lost in the woods--you give lousy directions.

You turkeys invoked me, now look at my dress

My period's late and I've got PMS."

She cursed and she muttered, she looked like a wreck

The unicorns whimpered and shat on the deck.

We gave her some weed and we got her some grub

We brought her clean towels and she soaked in the tub.

Then she rose, hot and dripping, and gave us her blessing

And jumped in her chariot, without even dressing!

"On Isis! On Eris! Oya and Astarte!

On Ishtar! Inanna! Kali and Hecate!"

We heard her exclaim as she climbed through the air

"Thank Goddess there's only eight sabbats a year!"



by Aurora Borealis Medicine Turkey





Blessed Be!

from Terri Paajanen



I couldn't help feeling that there is a spiritual message in this quote.







A sort of spiritual quote



"Look at those cows and remember that the greatest scientists in the world have never discovered how to make grass into milk."

Michael Pupin, inventor



And the moral is ....

Mother Nature is wiser than we will ever be.

from Terri Paajanen



A snippet of wisdom from the classic Taoist text, the Tao te Ching.



From the Tao te Ching

--------------------------------------------------------

Nothing in the world is softer than water,

Yet nothing is better at overcoming the hard and strong.

This is because nothing can alter it.



That the soft overcomes the hard

And the gentle overcomes the aggressive

Is something that everybody knows

But none can do themselves.



Therefore the sages say:

"The one who accepts the dirt of the state

Becomes its master.

The one who accepts its calamity

Becomes king of the world.



Truth seems contradictory.

Verse 78

from Terri Paajanen, your Editor and Guide



I always loved this irreverent take on the classic inspirational poem.



Fun Inspiration



Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

The courage to change the things I cannot accept,

And the wisdom to hide the bodies of those people

I had to kill today because they pissed me off.

from Terri Paajanen





A Goddess for today - Hestia

------------------------------------------

Hestia is the Greek Goddess of hearth and home. She is one of the first Olympian Deities, born of Cronos and Rhea, and She is sister to the other Olympian Gods (Zeus, Demeter, Hades, etc.) but she did not live on Mount Olympus.

She is a very domestic Goddess who never married, and She is best known for Her hospitality to anyone who comes to Her. She was typically honoured in the home at the hearth or fireplace, as well as at local town centers. The hearth-fire is sacred to her, as are the meals cooked upon it.



Use this today:

Invite some friends over for movies or a maybe an informal dinner. Be a gracious host and make your friends feel welcome in your home.

from Terri Paajanen



Get out the dusting cloth



What, did you think keeping your altar clean was a one-shot thing? I'll be sending you these reminders every month or so. Dust off your altar and all its trappings, and remove all the mundane items that have accumulated there.

No altar? I'll bet the top of your refrigerator needs a dusting.

from Terri Paajanen









An Herb for Today - Yarrow

Latin: Achillea millefolium

Common Names: Hundred leaf grass, milfoil, seven year love, woundwort, thousandseal, old man's pepper, devil's nettle

Yarrow flowers are used in rituals involving love, courage or healing. Hanging a bundle of dried yarrow flowers over the honeymoon bed is a traditional charm to ensure a long and loving marriage.



If you are trying to re-establish contact with long-lost friends or relatives, encorporate yarrow into your spells to draw their attention to you. Carrying yarrow flowers with you will help give you courage and dispel fear. A small charm bag with yarrow might be handy before giving a speech, or going to a job interview.



In myth, yarrow was the plant that Achilles used to heal the wounds of his soldiers. The latin name (Achillea) for yarrow comes from this story.





http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/herbs/

from Terri Paajanen









And the Answer is .....

The answer to yesterday's word jumble is:

MALACHITE



Malachite is a beautiful green stone with a rippled, or marbled design through it. It's used in spells and rituals for prosperity, good fortune, business success and sometimes also used for fertility.

from Terri Paajanen









Word Jumble

Unscramble the letters to find a stone with magickal uses:

C L A T E H I A M



Answer in tomorrow's note.

from Terri Paajanen

I know not everyone follows a Goddess-oriented path, but I always liked this version of the Creation myth and wanted to share it. I do believe this was written by the author, Starhawk.







Goddess Creation Story

Alone, awesome, complete within Herself, the Goddess, She whose name cannot be spoken, floated in the abyss of the outer darkness, before the beginning of all things. And as She looked into the curved mirror of black space, She saw by her own light her radiant reflection, and fell in love with it. She drew it forth by the power that was in Her and made love to Herself, and called Her "Miria, the Wonderful".

Their ecstasy burst forth in the single song of all that is, was, or ever shall be, and with the song came motion, waves that poured outward and became all the spheres and circles of the worlds. The Goddess became filled with love, swollen with love, and She gave birth to a rain of bright spirits that filled the worlds and became all beings.



But in that great movement, Miria was swept away, and as She moved out from the Goddess She became more masculine. First She became the Blue God, the gentle , laughing God of love. Then She became the Green One, vine-covered, rooted in the earth, the spirit of all growing things. At last She became the Horned God, the Hunter whose face is the ruddy sun and yet dark as Death. But always desire draws Him back toward the Goddess, so that He circles Her eternally, seeking to return in love.



All began in love; all seeks to return to love. Love is the law, the teacher of wisdom, and the great revealer of mysteries.



Blessed Be!

from Terri Paajanen









Today's Colour is Yellow!

Yellow is not a common colour for magickal work, but it does correspond to communication, education, happiness, confidence, joy, mental abilities, concentration, though and reason.

It's also associated with:

Sunday

East

The Sun

The element air

The third (solar plexus) chakra



Use this today:

Wear something yellow

Put your brain to work today. Combine communication and education, and learn a new word. Use a thesaurus to find a lesser-used term for something you are likely to talk about today, and fit it into conversation.

from Terri Paajanen

It's probably not the Samhain season when you are getting today's note, but trivia is still trivia, and always fun.







Trivia for Samhain

Though it's not exactly a major card-sending holiday, the first Halloween card was created in the early 1920s, and in 1998 over $50 million was spent on Halloween cards in the USA. Tsk, Hallmark needs to come out with a Samhain card!

Ok, one more. Rumour has it that in the original Halloween movie, the mask that Michael Myers wore was actually a William Shatner mask, painted white. I guess that's not very Pagan, but I thought it was hilarious.

from Terri Paajanen









Tarot Card - the Hierophant



The Hierophant is the 5th card of the Major Arcana, and is associated with earth and Taurus. It symbolizes society, long-standing tradition, organized religion, government, routine, convention and authority. This card is sometimes illustrated as the Pope.



A Hierophant thought for today:

No matter how free-thinking and wild-spirited you are, and wish others would be, the world would be chaos and anarchy without some rules, authority and organization.

from Terri Paajanen



Yes, that's right. Today's thought comes straight from the Bible. Exodus 22:18 to be precise.







Thou Shalt Not Suffer a Witch to Live



This one Biblical verse has caused more tension between Pagans and Christians than any other.

But it's becoming more and more well-known that the modern day translation of the verse is flawed, and that the original statement was something quite different. Some say the original word was not witch, but poisoner. Still others say that is also incorrect. The number of views and ideas on how the original text should be translated are many, and varied.



I suggest you follow this link if you are interested in this, as I cannot delve too deeply in this one email message. Some of the research into this verse is quite extensive, but pretty interesting.





And the moral of this story....

You shouldn't judge the tenets and beliefs of other religions until you really take the time to fully understand them. There is usually more to them than what you see on the surface.





Blessed Be!

from Terri Paajanen

A variation to the standard Quarter calls used while casting a circle.









Calling the Quarters

Living Spirit of the East,

We call to You

Airy Sylphs

Powers of Intellect

Strength of the whirlwind

and pleasant scents

of the Dawning Spring

come join us on this night

be witness to this Rite

help our minds to think as one

Welcome and Blessed Be



Living Spirit of the South,

We call to you

Fiery Salamanders

Powers of Will

Wild beauty of lightning

and gentle warmth

of the Summer Sun

come join us on this night

be witness to this rite

help our energy to burn as one

Welcome and Blessed Be



Living Spirit of the West

We call to You

Watery Selkies

Powers of Emotion

Majesty of a storm as sea

and cooling patter

of the Autumn Rain

come join us on this night

be witness to this Rite

help our emotions flow a one

Welcome and Blessed Be



Living Spirit of the North

We call to you

Earthy Gnomes

Powers of Incarnation

Fertility of garden soil

and endurance

of cold ground in winter

be witness to this rite

come join us on this night

help our bodies to work as one

Welcome and Blessed Be

The Three-Fold Law

Most Pagans have heard of the Three-Fold Law, but not everyone interprets it the same way. At first glance, you might think it means that every action comes back to you 3-fold (or 3 times stronger), whether good or bad. But energy would soon spiral out of control if every action was tripled when it came back.



So another way to think of the Three-Fold Law, is not that actions come back 3 times larger, but that they come back to you on 3 levels: physically, mentally and spiritually (or emotionally). Personally, I think this variation is more in tune with how the universe would work.

from Terri Paajanen

I don't know why these lightbulb jokes are so popular with Pagans, but some are pretty funny.









Lightbulb Jokes

How many Gardnerian witches does it take to change a light bulb?



It's a third degree secret.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



How many Pagans does it take to change a lightbulb?



Six. One to change it, and five to sit around complaining that lightbulbs never burned out before those damned Christians came along.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



How many Discordians does it take to change a lightbulb?"



Blue fish Tuesday



http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/lighterside/

from Terri Paajanen

The Eddas are 2 collections of epic poetry of Norse myth or folk tales. There is a prose Edda (the Younger Edda) and a poetry Edda (the Elder Edda)







A quote from the Eddas



The coward believes he will live forever

If he holds back in the battle,

But in old age he shall have no peace

Though spears have spared his limbs



Stanza 16 of the Havamal (the Sayings of Har) from the Poetic Edda



My interpretation: Don't spend your life on the sidelines. Take some chances! You'll regret it later in life if you don't.



http://www.angelfire.com/on/Wodensharrow/texts.html

from Terri Paajanen

A well-known piece of poetry written originally by Doreen Valiente. There have been several adaptations and altered versions over the years, but this is the original. I'll be featuring other versions later in this newsletter.











Charge of the Goddess

Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who was of old also called amongst men Artemis, Astarte, Diana, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Dana, Arianrhod, Isis, Bride and by many other names.

At my altars, the youth of most distant ages gave love, and made due sacrifice. Whenever you have need of anything, once in a month, and better it be when the Moon is full, then shall you gather in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me, who am Queen of all Witches.



There shall you assemble ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not won its deepest secrets; to these will I teach things that are yet unknown. And you shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that you be really free you shall be naked in your rites. And you shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love all in my praise; for mine is the ecstasy of the spirit, and mine also is joy on Earth, for my law is love unto all beings.



Keep pure your highest ideal, strive ever towards it; let naught stop you or turn you aside, for mine is the secret door which opens upon the door of youth. And mine is the cup of the wine of life and the Cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of Immortality.



I am the gracious Goddess who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man, upon Earth I give knowledge of the Spirit eternal, and beyond death I give peace and freedom and reunion with those who have gone before; nor do I demand sacrifice, for behold I am the Mother of all living, and my love is poured out upon the Earth. Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess.



She in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of Heaven, whose body encircles the universe. I who am beauty of the green Earth and the white Moon amongst the stars. And the mystery of the waters, and the desire of the heart of man, call unto thy soul. Arise and come unto me, for I am the souls of Nature who gives life to the universe.



From me all things procees, and unto me all things must return. And before my face, beloved of Gods and men, thine inmost divine self shall be enfolded in the rapture of the infinte.



Let my worship be with the heart that rejoices, for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honour and humility, mirth and reverence within you.



And you who thinks to seek for me, know thy seeking and yearning shall avail you not, unless you know the mystery, that if that which you seek you find not within thee, you will never find it without thee. Behold I have been with you from the beginning and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.

from Terri Paajanen









What Witches Aren't



Pointed hats, black cats

Eye of newt and toe of frog

What stereotypes!

by Pythia

from Terri Paajanen

Though I don't work particularly with Egyptian deities, I've always found them very interesting. Thoth is my personal favourite. This is just a brief snapshot of this God, not a full biography.









Thoth

The God Thoth is usually shown with the head of an ibis (a crane-like bird), or sometimes as a baboon with a dog's head. His other names are Tehuti, Sheps, or Dhouti.

Thoth is the 'scribe of the Gods' and He rules over language and writing, mathematics, engineering, literature, astronomy and other similar disciplines. He is closely related to his wife Seshat. It was She who invented writing, but Thoth was the one who brought the knowledge to mankind.



Thoth is also involved in the judging of souls in the underworld. He manned the scale where a soul was measured against the feather of Ma'at. As the divine scribe, he also recorded the judgment.



Thoth is said to be the original composer of the Egyptian Book of the Dead.

from Terri Paajanen



A visualization technique that can help reduce the pain of headaches.



Healing Energy Work



Place your hands on either side of your head, close but without touching. Visualize the pain in your head as a murky red light. You head is filled with this painful red fog. Your hands on the other hand are producing a bright blue light that's crisp and clean. Envision that blue light coming off your hands and forcing the red light out of your head. Slowly picture the blue light working its way through your head until there is no more red light.



Please remember ....

Healing magick is no replacement for professional medical care. It should be looked at as an addition to treatment rather than an alternative.





Blessed Be!

from Terri Paajanen



Many a profound idea has sprung from Buddhism.



Buddhist Saying

Engineers of canals guide the water

Fletchers make the arrow straight

Carpenters shape the wood

The wise mold themselves.

Traditional Buddhist saying

from Terri Paajanen



Have a Good Day Today

I thought I would wish everyone a happy and productive day today. May the Goddess bless whatever you accomplish today.



BLESSED BE!

from Terri Paajanen





Cauldron Fires



In my lap the cauldron lays,

Though scalding hot

It harms me not

burns not in the usual way.



Around me the dancing fire burns,

by flesh it is fueled,

by knowledge is ruled,

Awakened, my spirit returns.



Within the cauldron dwells a golden light

As in is tossed,

Unwanted dross,

Which with the fire does fight.



Around me then, the fires surge,

As slag is burned,

To gold is turned,

From within does wisdom emerge!



By AeisLugh SilverOak

from Terri Paajanen



The Wiccan Rede



Bide you the Wiccan laws you must, in perfect love and perfect trust.

Live and let live, fairly take and fairly give.

Cast the circle thrice about, to keep the unwelcome spirits out.

To bind the spell every time, let the spell be spake in rhyme.

Soft of eye and light of touch, speak little and listen much.

Deosil go by the waxing moon, chanting out the Wiccan rune.

Widdershins go by the waning moon, chanting out the baleful tune.

When the Lady's moon is new, kiss your hand to Her times two.

When the moon rides at Her peak, then the heart's desire seek.

Heed the North wind's mightly gale, lock the door and trim the sail.

When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss you on the mouth.

When the wind blows from the West, departed spirits will have no rest.

When the wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast.

Nine woods in the cauldron go, burn them quick and burn them slow.

Elder be the Lady's tree, burn it not or cursed you'll be.

When the wheel begins to turn, let the Beltane fire burn.

When the wheel has turned to Yule, light the log, the Horned One rules.

Heed you flower, bush and tree, by the Lady, blessed be.

Where the rippling waters go, cast a stone, the truth to know.

When you have and hold a need, harken not to other's greed.

With a fool no seasons spend, or be counted as his friend.

Merry meet and merry part, bright the cheeks and warm the heart.

Mind the Threefold Law you should, three times bad and three times good.

When misfortune is enow, wear the blue star on your brow.

True in love you must ever be, lest their love be false to thee.

These words the Wiccan Rede fulfll: An it harm none, do what you will.



BLESSED BE!

from Terri Paajanen



What is the Extra Full Moon Called?



Yesterday's question was: Most months there is 1 full moon, but sometimes there is 2. What is the 'extra' full moon called?



And the answer is: a blue moon.

from Terri Paajanen



Some Lunar Trivia



There is typically one full moon each month, but since the lunar cycle is 28 days and our months are 30 or 31 days long, there are some months with 2 full moons. What is the 'extra' full moon called?



Stay tuned tomorrow for the answer

from Terri Paajanen









Tarot Card - the Devil



The Devil is the 15th card of the Major Arcana, and is associated with earth and Capricorn. Though many decks portray a stereotypical Satan figure for this card, it more accurately represents our bondage to material things rather than any evil persona. It also indicates an obsession or addiction to fulfilling our own earthly base desires.



Use this today:

If you have a Tarot deck, shuffle through it and find the Devil card. Set it on your altar or someplace prominent. Do you have any bad habits that you could try to let go of today? From now on, whenever you feel that something in your life has taken control of you, use the Devil card to remind you that material desires can be a trap.

from Terri Paajanen



Number of Pagans in the USA



Ever wonder just how many other Pagans are out there? Well, there have been many attempts to figure that out, but since our religions are so often discriminated against, it's assumed that a large number of people do not publicly identify themselves as Pagan. The good people at the Religious Tolerance website (link below) have done their research and made some estimates. They based their numbers on a nation-wide American religion survey in 2001. They've estimated that there are 408,000 Wiccan adults in the United States. That number puts us among the top 10 religious groups, and Wicca/Paganism has often been referred to as the fasted growing religion in North America. They also estimate that a the rate we are growing, Wicca will be the third largest religious group by the year 2012 (after Christianty and Judaism).

from Terri Paajanen



Recite these words while burning white sage or sandalwood incense. A lit white candle would also be suitable addition. It's a blessing to bring peace and harmony to your home.









House Blessing

The Kind Fates have Blessed My Home

The kind Fates have blessed My Heart

The kind Fates have blessed my Loved Ones

On this Full Moon I ask to Start

Speaking with Love and Truth and Peace

May Kindness and Joy

Never Cease

Blessed be all

Who Enter and Dwell

Mother Goddess Hear my Call

Protect this Family with Love

Within these Walls

I thank You Goddess for Blessings from Above

Praise the Fates, So Mote it Be.

from Terri Paajanen

Take a moment to remember one of the victim's of the Burning Times, who died because of fear and hysteria but in the name of 'witchcraft'.







Elizabeth Bennet

Elizabeth Bennet was hanged in 1582, in St. Osyth, England.

from Terri Paajanen









Thought for Today

"When we blindly adopt a religion, a political system, a literary dogma, we become automatons. We cease to grow."

Anais Nin, writer

from Terri Paajanen

A humourous (and Pagan) revision of the classic Footprints in the Sand poem. Credit for the original is often cited as Anonymous, but there are some references to Mary Stevenson as the author. I still don't know who wrote the Buttprints version.











Buttprints in the Sand

One night I had a wondrous dream,

One set of footprints there was seen,

The footprints of the Goddess they were,

But mine were not along the shore.

But then some stranger prints appeared,

and I asked Her, "What have we here?

These prints are large and round and neat,

But much too big to be from feet."

"My child," She said in somber tones,

"For miles I carried you alone.

I challenged you to walk in faith,

But you refused and made me wait."

"You would not learn, you would not grow,

The walk of faith, you would not know,

So I got tired, I got fed up,

And there I dropped you on your butt.

"Because in life, there comes a time,

When one must fight, and one must climb,

When one must rise and take a stand,

Or leave their butt prints in the sand."



Author unknown

from Terri Paajanen

Get to know one of the 4 elements that surround us and make up our world.









The Element Air

The element of air is associated with: travel, freedom, intellect, finding lost items, imagination and new beginnings. It also corresponds to the East.

Air can be represented on your altar by incense, feathers, bells, pieces of clear quartz, or herbs like lavender or mint.



Use this today:

Start something new today. Doesn't have to be anything life altering. Maybe a new book, sign up for a new class, think of a new topic for study, or even just start watching a new TV show.

from Terri Paajanen









Dettmer vs. Landon

Anyone interested in the legal standing of Wicca as a religion has likely heard of this landmark case. Here is a summary of that case:

Between the years 1983 to 1985, a prisoner (Herbert Dettmer) in Virginia made repeated requests for certain items to be allowed for him to pursue his Wiccan religion. Items such as incense, candles, a robe, statues and salt. He was repeatedly denied, even though he amended his requests to conform to security standards for the prison. It's important to note that at the same time, inmates of other religions were allowed to have candles and incense with no difficulty.

The matter went to court, and it was decided that the religion of Wicca (specifically, members of the Church of Wicca) have complex spiritual doctrines and should be treated like other mainstream religions. Dettmer could have the items he requested.



Prison officials appealed this decision, and Wicca was again recognized as a legitimate religion, but Dettmer was denied his items for security reasons. As it turns out, the other prisoners didn't actually have free access to incense or candles either. Priests did, but the prisoners themselves were unable to use them.



The link leads to an off-site page with further details about this case and others.



http://www.totse.com/en/law/high_profile_legal_cases/165203.html

from Terri Paajanen









Commit your Book of Shadows to Memory

Ok, not the whole thing (scared you!). Chose something in your Book of Shadows that isn't too long and copy it to a piece of paper that you can carry with you today. Anything at all; the Rede, a piece of poetry, some correspondences etc. Whenever you're standing in line, sitting on a bus or just doing nothing, read over your material and memorize it.



BLESSED BE!

from Terri Paajanen



Add a little colour magick to your day.







The Colour Blue

Blue corresponds to many things, such as friendship, peace, inspiration, spirituality, harmony and wisdom.

It's also associated with:

Thursday

West

The planet Jupiter

The element water

The throat chakra



Use this today:

Wear something in blue (not necessarily suede shoes)

Don't let yourself get angry or frustrated today, rather be calm and peaceful in the face of your problems.





Blessed Be!

from Terri Paajanen



A Pagan alternative to the Lord's Prayer.







The Lady's Prayer

Our Mother who art all things,

Our Lady who art the moon, sun, and heavens,

Hallowed be thy name

By thy sovereignty of the sacred land,

Thy divine will be done

On Earth as it is in all realms

Give us this day our daily bread

Bless and guide us, Great Goddess

And protect us from all harm and evil

For thine is the power, beauty, and love

Forever, and a day. Ayea!



by Sirona Knight

from Terri Paajanen

I love these red-neck Pagan jokes. I hope they don't offend anyone.







You might be a Red-Neck Pagan



If you call the Quarters by invoking "Billy, Joe, Jim and Bob"....

If your favorite robe has the logo of a manufacturer of major farm equipment on the back....



If you call the Gods by hollerin' "Hey y'all, watch me!"....



If you've ever harvested ritual herbs with a weed wacker....



If you've ever blessed chewing tobacco ....



You might be a red-neck Pagan!

from Terri Paajanen









Tarot - The Moon



The Moon is the 18th card of the Major Arcana, and is associated with water and Pisces. It symbolizes dreams, creativity, illusions, imagination, psychic abilities and your unconscious thoughts.



Use this today:

If you have a Tarot deck, shuffle through it and find the Moon card. Set it on your altar or someplace prominent. Think lunar thoughts. From now on, whenever you work with dreams or need some creative inspiration, place the Moon card on your altar.





Sponsored Links

from Terri Paajanen





Eileithyia



Eileithyia is the Greek Goddess of childbirth, though you rarely hear her name. Though little-known, she is the daughter of Hera and Zeus, and therefore a sister to Ares. In myth, Eileithyia was involved in the birth of Hercules, as well as the twins Artemis and Apollo. Her Roman counterpart was Lucina.

from Terri Paajanen



A Meal Blessing



Holy mother earth,

yours is the power

to grow,

to destroy,

to give birth.

We conjure you now,

by seed and by shoot,

by flower and fruit,

by light and by love,

from below and above,

in your ancient names:

Kore, Demeter, Persephone.

Grant us the blessings of your body.

Thank you for the blessings of your body.

from the Church of All Worlds





Blessed Be!

from Terri Paajanen









Stichomancy Today



Stichomancy is a rather obscure form of divination that uses random words from a book. It's also called bibliomancy. We tried some pendulum divination last week, so let's give this a test.



Pick a sizable book from your bookshelf (Pagan or otherwise) and close your eyes. Think about something you will be facing today and concentrate on it for a moment. Keeping your eyes closed, open the book and flip to a random page. Place your finger on it and see what word you've chosen. If you've struck a spot that is just white space or you got a useless word like "the", try it again.

Keep this word in your mind during the day and see how (or if) it applies to the situation you were thinking about.





A-Z of Divination

From Terri Paajanen,

Your Guide to Pagan / Wiccan Religion.



Beyond Tarot cards and runes.

Looking at seemingly natural and random events in search of portents and omens of the future is a practice as old as time. I'm sure you've heard of tasseography, or the reading of tea leaves. Well, there are many other kinds of scrying that are much stranger.



Aeromancy - divination from the air and sky, particularly concentrating on cloud shapes, comets, and other phenomena not normally visible in the heavens.

Alectryomancy - a bird picks corn grains from a circle of letters.

Alomancy - using table salt.

Austromancy - studying of the winds.

Axiomancy - the observation of how an ax or hatchet quivers or points when driven into post.

Belomancy - performed by tossing or balancing arrows.

Botanomancy - burning tree branches and leaves.

Capnomancy - the study of smoke rising from a fire.

Catoptromancy - an early form of crystal gazing with a mirror turned to the moon to catch its light.

Causimomancy - the behavior of objects placed in a fire.

Cephalomancy - using the skull or head of a donkey or goat.

Ceraunoscopy - draw omens from the study of thunder and lightning.

Ceromancy - melted lead was is poured into cold water.

Chirognomy - the study of the general hand formation.

Cleromancy - casting lots, similar to using dice but with more natural objects such as pebbles or sea shells.

Cleidomancy - using a dangling key.

Critomancy - the study of barley cakes.

Cromniomancy - using onion sprouts.

Cyclomancy - finding omens from a turning wheel.

Dactylomancy - using a dangling ring.

Daphnomancy - listening to laurel branches crackling and spitting in an open fire.

Dendromancy - using either oak or mistletoe.

Geomancy - the study of figures on the ground and the influence of the Earth's movements.

Gyromancy - a person walks in a circle marked with letters until they become dizzy and stumble at different points, thus spelling out a prophesy.

Haruspication - inspecting the entrails of animals, popular with the priests in ancient Rome.

Hippomancy - the stamping and neighing of horses.

Hydromancy - with water including the color, ebb and flow, or ripples produced by pebbles dropped in a pool.

Ichthyomancy - using fish.

Libanomancy - the study of incense and its smoke.

Lithomancy - using precious stones of various colors.

Margaritomancy - using bouncing pearls.

Molybdomancy - the hissing of molten lead.

Myomancy - the study of the prophetic meaning of behavior of rats and mice.

Pegomancy - spring water and bubbling fountains.

Phyllorhodomancy - slapping a rose petal against ones hand and finding an omen by the sound.

Pyromancy - any form of divination with fire or flame, often assisted by substances thrown onto the flames.

Radiesthesia - using a dangling tool such as a bob or pendulum.

Rhapsodomancy - using a book of poetry whereby the book is opened at random and a passage read.

Sideromancy - burning of straws with hot metal, the resulting burn marks having divinatory properties.

Spodomancy - using cinders or soot.

Stichomancy - throwing open any book and selecting a random passage.

Tephramancy - using tree bark ashes.

Tiromancy - using cheese.

from Terri Paajanen

I think I am a better haiku writer than a limerick writer. My apologies. :)











There Once was a Witch from .....





There once was a witch from Gibraltar Who couldn't set up her altar First it faced west but that wasn't the best And from there she continued to falter



by Pythia



And the moral of this tale:

Don't let yourself get caught up in having everything perfect. I think the Goddess delights in a little ad-libbing now and then, and She certainly doesn't expect perfection.





Blessed Be!