LIZZIE'S LOGIC

LIZZIE'S LOGIC

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Tarot Tuesday

The Seven of Cups is all about choices, opportunities and dreams, some are rather fanciful and others are more realistic and grounded. In the Seven of Cups, we see that each cup contains something different....Rainbow = hope; Dove = love; Vine = plenty; Coins= prosperity; Fire =safety; Stars = dreams; Light -=truth. This card shows us that there is an abundance of choices that we can ponder and when making decisions we must take into account how each choice will either hinder or benefit.

When visualizing these objects in the cups we can also find inspiration in them....we can become inspired to write poetry...follow a long thought of dream we have never lost site of...but if they become distractions and take us from the path we are on we must stop and decide if that is the wisest thing to do, a warning perhaps that our heads may be in the clouds a little too much and a good dose of reality is needed.

As with everything in life, we can fall into the trap of "If a little is good then a lot is even better" and that leads us to shocking catastrophe as we have seen in the Tower when our little worlds come crashing down upon our ears. Moderation is always in our best interests whether it be wise or daydream-like decisions and choices

The Gilded Tarot

Ciro Marchetti

Hauntings And Ghosts And Spirits...Oh My!

YOU KNOW YOU ARE A GHOST HUNTER IF...

1.)Your calendar of events has more ghost hunting dates than birthdays and anniversaries.

2.)You have a closet dedicated to ghost hunting equipment

3.)Your computer is book marked with ghost hunt equipment stores and e-bay favorites for ghost equipment

4.)Your address book contains a notation of G.H. or a complete section of ghost hunters

5.)You have at least ten videotapes of ghost investigations.

6.)You have at least two digital cameras and an assortment of tape recorders.

7.)Your idea of a great night out is not dinner but a cemetery at midnight.

8.)You have more ghost and orb pictures than you have pictures of your friends and relatives.

9.)You take more pictures in the dark than in the daylight

10.)Midnight is your favorite hour


But seriously folks....What exactly is a ghost...? Where do they come from..? How does this widely reported phenomenon occur exactly? These questions have been residing in our psyche almost since the dawn of time. Yesterday, I wrote about Summerland....a beautiful place that our energy or soul, as some call it, goes after our bodies die. What we do there... what we experience while there... no one really knows but I have a theory about what happens in the strange and unusual cases of reported ghosts and hauntings.

It is my belief that after passing...our energy... spirit or soul (however you wish to call it) goes on to a higher plane, either that of a higher vibration or state of being and we become part of the collective consciousness, Akashik Record (or Universal Mind as I refer to it)... it is a vast repository of all that has ever been thought or said. But what if one were to leave this world that we exist in now in a violent or emotionally distraught state? Do they go into this Universal Mind or does part of their energy remain behind as place memories, greed or of a life not lived?

I firmly believe that sometimes those who are not satisfied in this world, who are greedy and want more life do stick around and can be rather disturbing and rude pockets of negative energy. I think that those who maybe are not aware that they are no longer alive continue to exist in a state of confusion and maybe even a dreamlike state...wandering; searching, not quite aware of what has happened. Then sometimes, I think that there are those memories of those who were so attached to an object or person leave traces of themselves behind and become what are called residual hauntings.

I have seen what most ghost enthusiasts call "Shadow People" and often caught myself scoffing at the idea that that was a real occurrence....but after starting to step from the bathroom and into the hallway, catching myself and stepping back because something was headed down the hall towards me on a collision course (had I stepped fully into the hall) and realizing it wasn't one of my children because they generally don't vanish in front of my eyes, I swiftly and shakily reevaluated my position and was not quite as taken by surprise the next few times.

I do not claim to know all the answers, these things I have blogged about today are simply theories that my rational yet spiritual mind tells me. I'm not sure what will happen to me after my body dies but I do know there is something out there beyond what our human minds can comprehend, there is so much more than our senses can tell us while we are in this state of being. Maybe one day after I pass on, I will write from the great unknown in a tell all book.

Serenity Sunday

What happens after death? No one can say for sure but I believe that only the body dies.... The soul or energy lives on since energy cannot be destroyed. Some people say that it journeys to a realm variously known as the Summerlands, Land of the Faerie, the Shining. After I die, I believe I will go to the Summerland which is kind of like the wiccan equivalent of heaven, but since I do not believe in the devil, I do not believe in hell either.

It is said the Summerland is where the spirits that presently do not have an earthly body wait for the right time to return to earth to fulfill the lessons we have not yet learned. It is known by many names and is often referred to as the Land of Eternal Summer and seen as a gorgeous, lush green field, with beauty and trees all around you, with a bright blue sky and a few puffy white clouds, cute little animals...

My List:

1.) My kids

2.) my cats

3.) kisses

4.) The scent of my roses drifting in my open window at night.

5.) Holding hands

6.) Dreaming

7.) Tide with bleach

8.) Hyssop and rose petals in the tub

9.) Whispers in my ear

10.) Smiles

Today In Wiccan History

"Call upon the Goddess and God to protect you and teach you the secrets of magic. Ask stones and plants to reveal their powers - and listen. "

Scott Cunningham

June 27, 1956 – March 28, 1993


He was born in Royal Oak, Michigan in the united States of America and published "The Truth About Herb Magic", "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner", "Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic", and "Shadow of Love" and numerous books that are still widely read today.

In high school he became associated with a girl whom he knew to deal in the occult and covens. This classmate introduced him to Wicca and trained him in Wiccan spirituality. He studied creative writing at San Diego State University, where he enrolled in 1978. After two years in the program, however, he had more published works than several of his professors, and dropped out of the university to write full time.

During this period he had as a roommate magical author Donald Michael Kraig and often socialized with witchcraft author Raymond Buckland, who was also living in San Diego at the time. In 1980 Cunningham began initiate training under Raven Grimassi and remained as a first-degree initiate until 1982 when he left the tradition in favor of a self-styled form of Wicca.

It is difficult to discuss Wicca or paganism without Scott Cunningham's name coming up in conversation and his contributions paved the way for our ability to openly practice the spiritual beliefs we hold dear today. I myself own several of his books, well worn and somewhat dog eared but an important part of my library to which I use as reference quite often.

What Surrounds Me

Sometimes when dealing with the general public, I can be exposed to all sorts of energies and emotions that people can give off. I find that sometimes this exposure tends to leave me drained and just plain cranky when I'm around those who are negative or needy. One thing that I try to include in my morning and evening meditation is include a positive visualization called my "Protection Shield." This little ritual I perform helps me stay grounded and centered without absorbing too much of the emotions or energies of those around me.

Every witch has their own unique version of how they visualize a shield around them so I decided that I would write about how I see mine. What follows is a general outline of my protection shield ritual done just before I ground and center and continue with my meditation time.

The most basic technique for protecting myself magically is to simply imagining myself inside a ball of white light that turns away any energy before it can touch me. When I visualize this ball of light around me, I make sure it appears opaque but solid in my mind's eye and I see the surface as reflective and faceted like a crystal.

This bubble s extends about a foot above my head and below my feet. You don't have to visualize a perfect sphere, just make it fit around your body in whatever shape seems most comfortable or appropriate. I reinforce the energy in the areas above and below to be just as strong as the areas in front and behind me.

While holding this visualization in my mind, I say these words...."I charge this protection shield to protect me from all harm...on any level....and to reflect love back on the source of harm..." I repeat this until I feel a sense of calm and serenity (usually three or so times) and then follow it with "So mote it be." You can use these words or tailor it to reflect your own style, I follow Ariel's words as found on The Witches Primer, a great podcast if you want to see what witchcraft is all about.

Even after I come out my state of meditation, this bubble moves with me without hindrance. Any vibrations that touch it will simply pass over and around me shield like the wind moving around a mountain. In the rare circumstance that my shield comes up against someone else's... it will bend to compensate but not break, much like two balloons pressing together.

I try to hold the image of an impenetrable force field in my mind for at least a good solid minute or two before returning to my everyday life.

Anxiety Show Thy Face

Last week, I started working with the Star of Discovery in "Tarot Shadow Work, using the dark symbols to heal" and the first position was the Tower. This week I will move on to the second position called Anxiety which questions "When do I get nervous, anxious, touchy or sensitive with others?" The card I drew for this point of the star is The World.

The shadow keywords for this card are missing the joy of the moment; looking for happiness outside yourself; wishful thinking; not taking charge of your life and it's choices and hanging on to the past. looking back on my childhood, I can see how these shadows developed but had never addressed them and let them follow me and become larger. I now must fill in the blanks about how fear has caused me to feel anxious.

My anxiety is an issue that I've struggled with for far too long and upon examining that fear I have come to realize that it likes to rear it's head when my routines or habits are interrupted or threatened. I absolutely hate change, probably because as a child there was so much of it and I was never really sure when or how it might occur. As an adult I must accept the fact that life is constantly changing and evolving and often is for my benefit whether I want it or not.

I must realize that when I feel anxious or sensitive around others it's time to step back and think to myself why I might be reacting this way...is it an issue of change that I am trying to resist?.....are there repressed feelings that I'm trying to avoid? I do carry a great deal of sadness but have always thought that the old adage "Time heals all wounds..." applied and sooner or later I would be able to look back on the once painful memories and eventually they would not hurt so much.

I think this card and it's position might take me a couple weeks so I will probably mull these things over and blog next week on anything new I may discover about myself.

Healing

I love to find new meditations and visualization techniques to see if I may be able to integrate it into my meditation practice and came across this website that has a few really great ways to relax and focus on healing, relaxing and finding your spirit guide, called "The Meditation Room"
Below is from their Healing Meditation...I encourage you to check out this website.


~~~~

Find a comfortable space, either sit or lie in a relaxed position. As you become settled, begin to focus on your breath.

Inhale, then exhale at a comfortable pace – an even breath.

Close your eyes.

Continue your rhythmic breathing. If you become distracted refocus on your breath.

As you sink into comfort and relaxation, see yourself basking in a waterfall of sunlight and crystal elder water.

As the sun and water cascade over your body you absorb the healing oxygen carried within your blood vessels though your whole system.

The oxygen heals and releases the holding contraction of each muscle. Each muscle becomes taffy… soft and pliable.

All tension gives way to relaxation. The cascade of sunshine reminds you of the source of all energy.

Your whole being sings with release and renewal as the source refuels and fortifies your body and spirit.

In healing all is possible. As you heal your spirit and body your gifts to the universe emerge.

Your loving compassion explodes for sharing with your fellow travelers. As you heal yourself you heal all who cross your path. Your connection to others heals as you move to your new level of evolution.

You are the incarnation of universal healing. It begins with you.

The healing vision of cascading sunshine and water is yours whenever you want it to be. Come back to this space whenever you want to, know that this space is always available even for a moment.

Be aware once again of your breath.

Inhale… exhale as your re-enter the space around you. Open your eyes and carry your renewed energy to all with whom you come in contact.

Tarot Tuesday

Today I drew a card from my Robin Wood deck and the Queen of Wands showed her sunny energetic face to me. I'd been feeling a little sluggish lately and was encouraged to see this queen come up as my Tuesday draw.

In this card, we can see a vibrant, blond woman in a bright orange and yellow gown...in her right hand she holds a golden scepter with a dazzling white crystal at the top. The landscape reminds me of an arid desert area with sunflowers on each side and next to the Queen of Wands is a stretching black cat at the hem of her gown.

This scene brings to mind a radiance and energy flowing outward and fills me with a sense of purpose almost as if to say "Get up and get moving, there are wonderful things in store and the day is wasting."

Although she's never arrogant or full of herself, the Queen of Wands has a deep belief in her own abilities. Her vibrant self-assurance comes from the knowledge that she can do whatever she sets her mind to. This tells me that those times I may lack self confidence, she will be there to cheer me on.

Stranger Than Fiction

Today in history the final witchcraft law was replaced by the "Fraudulent Mediums Act of 1951." "Excuse me?" you might say...Well, after looking it up to see just what this was all about, this is what I learned......

The Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951 was a law in England and Wales which prohibited a person from claiming to be a or other spiritualist while attempting to deceive and to make money from the deception (other than solely for the purpose of entertainment). It was repealed on 26 May 2008. There were five prosecutions under this Act between 1980 and 1995, all resulting in conviction.The Act was replaced by new Consumer Protection Regulations following an EU directive targeting unfair sales and marketing practices.It also repealed the Witchcraft Act 1735. It is sometimes said, erroneously, that until 1951 British law recognised witchcraft as real. In fact, the 1735 Act was the first to recognise that magic is impossible, explicitly stating that it was an act against fraud.

Wow, I had to read that one about three times just to make sure I read it correctly! Sadly though, there are those individuals out there who do use the guise of spirituality in order to decieve those who choose to believe and I understand why this act was drafted. I sometimes wonder when I wear my pentagram necklace out in public, if that's what people may be thinking but then I must stand back and realize that I proudly wear my necklace in order to dispel the misinformation....I gladly tell folks about my spirituality and maybe one by one we can educate the public that we are not all like the few who put us in question.

Serenity Sunday

Fathers young, fathers old
Remembering good times are our gold.

Value earned through guidance given
Helping us go forth in living'.

Each father adding to our trove
A treasure chest of love untold.

Remembering father in our lives
Taking time to realize.

Fatherly love brings wealth to living
Remembering this we go forth in giving.

Fathers young, fathers old
We remember you all
As life unfolds.

Ragini

My List:

1.) My kids

2.) My cats

3.) Laughter

4.) Fond memories

5.) Freckles

6.) Poetry

7.) Fathers

8.) Hugs

9.) Pina Colada yogurt

10.) Hot baths

Father's Day

A few years after my father died, my mom met and eventually married the most wonderful man. He was always loving and kind to me as I was growing, even through those tumultous teenage years when I treated him without the respect that he deserved. He had four other children that came to visit on occasion so I had the brother's and sisters I always dreamed of having.

My mother and I had a falling out several years ago and I stayed away and did not keep in contact with my stepdad as I should have....I remember fondly now.... the time he invested in me...taking me fishing; going to the father/daughter dinner dance in highschool and the timeless advice often needed during the rough times.

So I write this in tribute of my step father Tom...I never told you often enough how much I thought of you and valued your presence in my life...You were the greatest blessing in my life and I want to let you know how much I love you.

Happy Father's Day!

Litha

Summer Solstice (or Litha as it is also called) occurs on or about the 21st of June when the Sun enters zero degrees Cancer. It marks Midsummer for many cultures even though in most of the US summer has barely started and the kids are just now getting out of school. It is the longest day of the year and the shortest night; when the sun reaches his apex in the sky, and the days will now grow shorter as the light begins to wane.

Many legends explain this phenomena as the darkness triumphing over the light. The darker brother kills the lighter brother in these legends, and the brother who dies resides in the underworld until it is time for him to return and slay his brother again, to rule for the next 6 months. The stories of Lugh and Goronwy, and the Oak King and the Holly King are but two of these legends.

Litha celebrates the verdant Earth in summers, abundance, fertility, and all of the beauty and abundance of Nature in full bloom. This is a time of strong magic and empowerment and this time is used a lot for Handfasting ceremonies. It is also used for communication with the spirits of Nature especially the faery folk. This is a time known as the first harvest; Litha represents the pregnant Goddess and honoring the Sun God.

Herbs For Litha and their magical associations:

Basil: Love, Exorcism, Wealth, Protection

Chamomile: Relaxing, Sleep, attracting money, love, purification

Cinquefoil (five finger grass): money, protection, prophetic dreams, sleep

Fennel: Protection, healing, purification

Lavender: Relaxing, sleep, love, purification, happiness, peace

Lemon Balm: Purification and Love

Mullein: Courage, protection, health, love, divination, exorcism

Nettle: Exorcism, protection, healing, lust

Rose Petals: love, healing, divination, luck, protection

Out Of Control

In any recovery process, we learn about ourselves and how to come to terms with addictions, abuse and neglect issues. Sometimes we are not able to even recognize that there might be damaged areas within ourselves that need this healing process. Most often this part of our self is called "the inner child," Carl Jung referred to it as our "divine child" but whatever we choose to refer to it as, until we start this healing process we will struggle with unresolved issues and conflicts.

In her book "Tarot Shadow Work, using the dark symbols to heal," Christine Jette discusses ways to discover this inner child or shadow as it is called in her book, by using the major arcana to bring to our conscious mind those shadows that have followed us since childhood. By using six cards from the Major Arcana in the layout of a star, she encourages us to examine areas in need of healing.

I did this activity myself recently and I will share the first positional card I layed down, The Tower. This cards shadow meanings include avoidance of change, being conventional to the point of being rigid, seeking permanence in impermanent things and destroying the possibility of new growth by rigidly holding on to ideas or attitudes. The positional question is "Denial, what negatives or positives do people point out to me that I have trouble accepting?" Whew! Now that's a huge can o' worms there buddy!

When meditating on this card and the question, it suddenly came to me that I have always hung on to my outdated ideas or beliefs instead of taking the time to examine why I was even holding on so tightly...which leads me to the "fear of change" shadow meaning. I consider myself to be a survivor after living through a tumultuous childhood but never really caught on that sometimes change is good and the false sense of security I created by keeping these ideas, always led to the Tower effect...imaginary securities came crashing down around my ears and I was left not knowing why.

The problems or conditions that I avoid (like the plague, I might add) are those that force me to change...almost as if I might have some sort of control over these changes that are for the better just because I had no control as a child. I must realize that as an adult, the Universal Mind knows exactly what I need and if I would just let go of that false sense of control, I might find my life richer and more fulfilling.

Last Day

Well, today is the end of the school year and there are four very ecstatic kids in my house. Rest assured there will be boredom afoot in just a week (we're taking bets to see just how long.) I remember those days...I could hardly wait until summer vacation and the by the middle of summer there was positively, absolutely nothing to be done...or so I thought. Looking back I find myself thinking..."If only..."

Summer fun idea: Tie dye T-shirts

Items Needed

Tie dye ( I like to use RIT brand, it seems to hold color a bit better)

* T-shirts... or anything that might be of interest dying

* Large metal pot because the dye does stain wood and plastic

* Water

*Spoon

*Tongs

* Rubber bands

What To Do :

1. Take the clothing to be tie dyed and twist it up and tightly wrap the rubber band around it.

2. Do this in numerous spots all over the article so that circles will turn up everywhere you want.

3. Boil some water in a large pot and when boiling tip dye in . Add article and stir for around 30 minutes on high.

4. When finished... remove with with tongs and run under cold water to make sure all extra dye runs out.

5. Dry and take off rubber bands... iron and your piece is ready to use.

Tarot Tuesday

The Fool (numbered zero in most decks) is a card that somewhat resembles the court jester in medieval times because of his qualities of spontaneity and even a little folly. I look at this card as a beginning, starting out fresh with exuberance in the journey or adventure ahead and slightly naive (which is not always a bad thing but we must always be aware of that which is around us in order to avoid possible disasters headed our way.)

The image of the Fool can vary from deck to deck but is typically seen as a traveler carrying a small pack on a stick starting on his way to the new beginning that awaits him in his future. With no clear idea of where exactly he is headed or why, he is unaware of the fact that there is a cliff directly ahead of him. With him on his journey is also a small dog at his heels and often appears to be barking or trying to get the Fool's attention. One might surmise the dog is attempting to warn the Fool of danger ahead.

When interpreting the Fool, look at the surrounding cards that might give a clue as to whether the Fool in the reading is a warning or omen of good things to come. One of the cards that indicate there may be a warning to be heeded is the Hierophant...meaning you may be restrained by routine and convention...which may find you bored, unfulfilled and unhappy. A more positive card like the Judgement card can indicate new starts and rebirth that can lead you to expect a more positive adventure and beginning that may fill you with a sense of giddy expectation.

The Lo Scarabeo Tarot

Breakthrough

Little by little, over the past few weeks, I have discovered a few rather frightening realizations about myself. While it is true that I carry a lot of baggage, much of it I had always figured that I dealt with it...faced my fears, put them in the light... and examined them under a microscope and came to the conclusion that upon completing this aforementioned process...I was done with them and was ready to move on.

The goddess has a strange way of reaching out and gently (or not so gently, depending on my attention factor) reminding me that although I may have reasoned out that I had made progress, I really had just rationalized this baggage and shoved it neatly back into the file of "Things Yet To Be Dealt With."

Sometimes we are not ready to handle certain issues at that present time until later when we reach a breakthrough point... an "ah ha!" moment so to speak. I've been having an "ah ha!" moment for a few weeks but now as I examine these fears... these little inner demons, it suddenly becomes clear that now is the time that they are ready and willing to be worked through. Patterns that I have been hanging onto out of the fear of change no longer serve me and maybe change is not nearly as scary or insurmountable as I had previously thought.

I have discovered that it is okay to make mistakes... to show that I am human... and that sometimes risking the rejection of another is something I must do in order to live up to my higher purpose and greater good. It may be rocky...as life is seldom smooth sailing but I am now ready to stand up and say "I am ok...This is my skin and I kind of like how it fits." Today, I take my first few wobbly steps into healing old wounds and choosing to become the person the universe intended me to be.

Serenity Sunday

Hope

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

Emily Dickenson

I love this little poem, it cheers me up just reading it. What things give you hope...what little inspiration burns within you that causes you to hold it dear to your heart? Let's not just practice our gratitude but our hopes too....how can you celebrate your hope today?

My List:

1.) My kids

2.) My cats

3.) Good friends

4.) Hope

5.) Fabric softener

6.) Cheese

7.) Cat litter scoop

8.) Fresh soil

9.) Balloon animals

10.) Benadryl cream

Only My Shadow Knows...

A while ago, I bought the book "Tarot Shadow Work, using the dark symbols to heal" by Christine Jette but I hadn't had much time to delve into it with all the activities of school and work vying for my attention. School is winding down now so hopefully I can settle in and start working through the book. The following is an excerpt from this book to give you an idea of what it's all about....

~~~

The Shadow Knows

There is a shadow lurking in every person's inner life, a psychic darkness sheltering our inner conflicts and unexpressed emotions. It takes its shape from a menagerie of archetypes, each recognizable throughout time and around the world troubling characters who thrive within our persona. The shadow is the saboteur, martyr, victim, addict, sadist, masochist, or tyrant, all the dark figures that prey on the lighter qualities of the human personality.

The shadow also represents those latent talents and positive traits that were banished from us at some time along our life path: artistic, musical, athletic, or creative talents. An undeveloped ability, a dream that has gone unexpressed, a fantasy of what might have been these, too, make up the personal shadow, the lost parts of ourselves.

~~~

As I briefly mentioned in other blog posts, I came from a dysfunctional family, (Wow! that's an understatement!) Anyhow, growing up was a rocky road indeed and then at the age of nine, my father decided to take his own life and my childhood almost disappeared over night as I was rudely ushered into a very adult world... up until then I had been a carefree, somewhat sheltered, child.

I consider myself a survivor but I realize all too keenly the baggage that I have carried for decades. It hasn't always been easy recognizing these issues in order to resolve them, but the Irish determination I inherited from my father is serving me well after all these years and with a little luck, as I work through this book, I will be able to lay to rest the demons that have long shadowed me on my journey in this world.

Animal Guides

You can't choose an animal guide as your personal spirit guide....the animal chooses you and they decide to whom they will reveal themselves and make their friend. Do not fall into the trap of saying, “Gosh, I think the wolf is a smart, good looking and powerful animal, so the wolf will become my animal guide.” It does not work this way.

Each Animal has its own energy which is unique to that specific creature as gifted by the god and goddess and its spirit cannot be chosen like the color of your new car. Discovering who your animal guides are is a process of paying attention to the spirits around you and following the signs. It is a process of developing your inner knowledge and spiritual understanding.

An individual can not be assigned a spirit guide by another person, regardless of who that person maybe, no more than another person can say how or when the god or goddess manifests in your life. What happens if you want an animal spirit so bad you can taste it (not literally) and one has not come to you? We have two suggestions for this case. First... meditate about it. Second... be satisfied with whatever happens or does not happen. If you have trouble the first time, try again at a different time.

After you understand what type of animal guide has come into your life, it is necessary to educate yourself fully as to the nature of the animal. Learn about its habitat... life cycles... what it eats... physical characteristics... special skills and traits. Go to places where your animal guide can be found in real life. Study it in nature ...gaining insight into the nature of your animal guide will help you to better understand its messages. Meditate on this knowledge and discover its power and significance in your life.

After you learn various ways to work with the medicine of you animal spirit guide, the energy becomes a gateway to connecting with other spirit guides found within its domain. Your animal spirit guide (or those spirits who choose to reveal themselves in the form of an animal) will teach you how to align with other spirit guides and beings.

A spirit guide must be harmonious with the person. Communication with your spirit guide requires reverent respect and knowledge of the ways of the animal guide and you can find new ways to honor your spirit guide. The more importance you give to the spirit guide the more they respond to you. Most spirit guides do not immediately acknowledge themselves to the person as they are leery of your intention and knowledge. A spirit guide is sensitive to moods, current events, and a persons path in life. They must first trust you and learn your needs and wants. You must learn to trust them and understand their needs and wants. It takes time, patience and practice

The Wheel

I subscribe to a few tarot sites that send me regular email about various topics and today, I recieved a very interesting one from Mary K. Greer concerning a video by Rosanne Cash called "The Wheel."(1993) This music video has tarot card symbols all through it and I think I must have watched it a dozen times already. I love this video, it's very entertaining to see just how many tarot cards I can recognize as Rosanne Cash sings....

I encourage you to take a look and see just how many cards you can spot!

Rosanne Cash More CMT Music More CMT Music Videos

Today In History...

Bridget Bishop was one of nineteen people executed for witchcraft in Salem, Massachussetts, in 1692. Born some time in the 1630s, Bishop had was on her third marriage by the time the witch craze began. Bridget had one daughter, Christian Oliver, by her second husband in 1667, and married Edward Bishop, a lumber worker, in 1685.

Bridget was well-known in her neighborhood. She publicly fought with all of her husbands, dressed flamboyantly (although for Puritans, that just meant she liked to wear big hats and a red bodice with her black dress), and was the mistress not one but two taverns. She developed a reputation for entertaining into the wee hours of the night, playing forbidden games such as shuffle board, and generally being the target of much speculation and gossip. In other words, Bridget Bishop didn't seem to care what society thought of her - and because of that, she became a likely target when the accusations began.

In April, 1692, a warrant was issued for Bishop's arrest on charges of performing witchcraft and consorting with the devil himself. When she entered the courthouse, a number of the "afflicted" girls, including Mercy Lewis and Ann Putnam, howled that she was causing them pain. Bishop denied any wrongdoing, swearing that she was "innocent as the child unborn."

Bishop's wild ways were used as evidence against her. Certainly the town dyer's claim that she brought him yards lace to color was proof that she was up to something; after all, no sensible or respectable woman could need that much colored lace. In addition to this damning testimony, and the accusations of the teenage girls, Bishop's own brother-in-law swore he'd seen her "conversing with the Devil" who "came bodily into her." She was executed on June 10.

After Bishop's hanging, eighteen others were executed for the crime of witchcraft, and one man was pressed to death. Several others died in prison. Within months of Bridget Bishop's death, her husband remarried. Bridget's descendants through Christian Oliver still live in New England today, and her tavern, the Bishop House, still stands.

Article can be found at: About.com, written by: Patti Wigington

Tarot Tuesday

This week I'm using my Faeries Oracle deck by Brian Froud for my draw and up came Arval Parrot. Arval as you can notice is pointing at a bright spot on his throat area with a deep look of compassion and guidance upon his face. You might guess with this description that Arval is all about communication. Not just direct communication that we engage in on a daily basis but communication on deeper more indirect ways.

In the companion book by Jessica Macbeth, she writes "....through words of course but also they speak through the rustle of leaves, the pattern of clouds in the sky, the way flower petals fall." Sometimes in our dreams we can receive subtle communications and maybe even in body language. We should pay attention to unspoken feelings as well, the ones that we make perceive as "gut impressions" all these forms of communication speaks to us if we simply remain alert but still in order to listen and take notice....

"Clear communications are vitally important here. Strive for verbal brilliance. Listen carefully. Be articulate. Be willing to calmly debate the issues and explore ideas with others. Open communication will enhance the chances of success all around. Arval also suggests that the querent watch for body language, incomplete sentences and unfinished thoughts and try to discover what these signals are meant to get across."

Is there someone in your life that may be trying to communicate their needs, ideas or issues with you but may be too timid to approach you or does not know how to begin? Have you made time to be still enough to catch subtle meanings in everyday events? Are you calm and compassionate when communicating to others? Who can you communicate a kind word or comforting gesture to today!

Wiccan Symbols

The Elven Star

The Elven Star or seven-pointed star, is found in some branches of the Faerie tradition of Wicca. However, it has different names and can be associated with many other magical traditions.

The Element Encyclopedia of Secret Signs and Symbols, the Elven Star (or Faerie Star) is also representative of the seven stars called the Pleiades. It is also a reminder that seven is a sacred number in many magical traditions -- it is connected with the seven days of the week, the seven pillars of wisdom, and many other magical theories. In Kabbalah, seven is connected to the sphere of victory. Aleister Crowley used a septagram as the emblem of his Order of the Silver Star.

In modern Pagan practice, this symbol can be used to keep information hidden from the prying eyes of the outside world. Use it on your Book of Shadows, to keep the contents safe, or on an amulent to prevent others from reading your thoughts.


Hecate's Wheel


Hecate's Wheel is a symbol used by some traditions of Wicca. It seems to be most popular among feminist traditions, and represents the three aspects of the Goddess -- Maiden, Mother and Crone. This labyrinth-like symbol has origins in Greek legend, where Hecate was known as a guardian of the crossroads before she evolved into a goddess of magic and sorcery.

According to fragmentary texts of the Chaldean Oracles, Hecate is connected to a maze which spiralled around like a serpent. This maze was known as the Stropholos of Hecate, or Hecate's Wheel, and refers to the power of knowledge and life. Traditionally, a Hecate-style labyrinth has a Y in the middle, rather than the typical X shape found at the center of most labyrinths.

Images of Hecate and her wheel have been found on first-century c.e. curse tablets, although there seems to be some question about whether the wheel shape itself is actually Hecate's domain or that of Aphrodite - there was some occasional overlap of goddesses in the classical world.

Serenity Sunday

The Full Moon tonight generally goes by the epithet of the "Rose Moon," or the "Flower Moon," while people in certain areas blessed with berries prefer to call it the "Strawberry Moon." But even in a month with that many Moon monikers to go around, only the first Full Moon gets granted a formal name. Following the Rose/Flower/Strawberry Full Moon of Saturday, June 1, the Sunday June 30 return, like all second comers, will be hailed simply as the "Blue Moon"

There are in fact two definitions for a blue moon. According to the more recent definition, a blue moon is the second full moon in a calendar month. For a blue moon to occur, the first of the full moons must appear at or near the beginning of the month so that the second will fall within the same month (the average span between two moons is 29.5 days).

My List:

1.) My children

2.) My cats

3.) Dreams

4.) Herbs

5.) Laughter

6.) Periwinkles

7.) Green eyes

8.) Memories

9.) Warm nights

10.) African Violets

An Essay By My Daughter....

Who I Am and What I Value

To help describe who I am and what exactly I value, I chose a specific piece of art. The artwork I have chosen is a statue of a woman. This female appears to be sculpted out of stone, the type of stone is unclear to me. The woman is pregnant, her swollen belly has the image of a globe for skin. Her hair is significantly lengthy and is adorned by butterflies and golden spiders. The look represented on the face is one of contentment and joy, love and possibly pride. The stone skin is covered in cave like marks, which seem to be random in placement. This statue very simply represents my most important values that make up who I am. They are family, education and compassion.

The very first glance at this piece of artwork screams family. The statue is undeniably pregnant, and enjoying it greatly. The image of the earth and the markings on the skin sends the message that the mother is very connected to bringing a child into the world. The markings on her leg make me feel it is also important for her to teach the child to live in the world. This is a very important task. Family is the most important value to me personally for many reasons. First of all family is an individuals beginning to instruction of life. Family is the support system where each individual learns from each other, from each person's mistakes.

This support system is always there for you. From family a child learns to socialize and how to emerge into the world once ready. Having many individuals together all the time forces socialization. This effectively teaches one how to handle many different real world situations properly. It is important to learn social skills in order to function in society, if nobody learned to socialize we would have no society. I myself have two children, this increases the value of family to me. I value the fact that I need to teach my girls to be a productive member of society, and I take this seriously.

My family is part of what makes me who I am. My life revolves around making sure my family can properly function and succeed in society.Another image quickly evident to the eye is the globe that is the pregnant belly. Immediately one thinks of education, or knowing the world inside and out. I believe education is as important as food and shelter. This is because knowledge or education is the means of obtaining power, controlling your destiny and achieving what you want out of life. In the society of today you need education to achieve an admirable and enjoyable yet profitable career. Education equips a person with the ability to achieve their dreams.

It is education that builds in every individual, the confidence to take decisions, to face life and to accept successes and failures, and move forward. This is an important value because I would like to be a nurse in the future. As a nurse every year you need to renew your education and keep up with constantly changing medical technology. Also learning is extremely fun to me, I like to think of myself as an intelligent person and pride myself upon that. I plan to instill a great education in my children in order for them to be able to achieve all their dreams and goals. Education opens so many doors, while ignorance closes many. I want the world to open to my children and I ,therefore it is important to me that my family has all the means necessary to make life what they desire. This leads to my final value which is compassion.

The look on the pregnant woman’s face is one of extreme compassion and love for her child. The look on her face is what instantly drew me in to the piece of art and ultimately lead to using it as my medium for this essay. I feel compassion is an important value to have because it gives a person a desire to help those who are suffering. This is also an important trait to being a nurse, mother, wife or productive member of society. Compassion requires a “do unto others” mentality, which I believe benefits society greatly. If more people cared about one another society might run more smoothly. The reason I value this so much is because compassion makes me who I am.

Everything I do in life, and enjoy doing involves compassion. Raising my two children requires so much compassion, in order to understand how they are feeling and parent accordingly. It makes me a better mother to be able to feel for my children and have the desire to help in any way possible. There is nothing in life that gives me as much satisfaction.

Another important part of who I am that requires compassion is a health care worker. With my desire to become a nurse a great deal of compassion is needed to be excellent in my career. I cant stand to see people suffering and want to do everything I can to make them more comfortable. Having compassion allows me to empower my children or residents to regulate their emotions and behaviors to function better in society. I want to help everyone I possibly can, I feel for those in less fortunate situations, and I absolutely love every minute of it.

Compassion makes me a better person, able to effectively function in society, trying to improve the overall experience of life. All three of these values are very important to me. I live my life with these values on the forefront, I practice them everyday. In the end my values are what makes me who I am. They develop my identity, if you take any of these away from me I become a completely different person.


"Wow!"... I thought, "This is MY child that wrote this!" this!

Oh, The Humanity...

These were the tragic headlines Monday as reported by CNN:

PARIS, France (CNN) -- The jet carrying 228 people from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, that disappeared overnight as it entered an area of strong turbulence probably crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, the CEO of Air France said Monday. Brazilian and French ships and planes were looking for any sign of the missing plane, authorities said. The chances of finding any survivors were "very low," French President Nicolas Sarkozy admitted Monday.

What follows as the article continues, is far more disturbing than the disaster itself...

The airline company identified the nationalities of the victims as two Americans, an Argentinean, an Austrian, a Belgian, 58 Brazilians, five British, a Canadian, nine Chinese, a Croatian, a Dane, a Dutch, an Estonian, a Filipino, 61 French, a Gambian, 26 Germans, four Hungarians, three Irish, one Icelandic, nine Italians, five Lebanese, two Moroccans, three Norwegians, two Polish, one Romanian, one Russian, three Slovakian, two Spanish, one Swedish, six Swiss and one Turk. An official list of victims by name was not available late Monday.

As I sat listening to the nightly news, the same phrases were used over and over until my bloody ears were ringing..."Among the victims were two Americans...." Hello...news dudes...did anybody notice that in this crash there were 228 PEOPLE that perished?! Does it really make it so much worse because there were a couple of Americans on board...is it not quite real unless there are Americans involved?!

Hey, life lost is life lost and no matter what nationality these passengers were... there are families left grieving their loved ones...Wondering how this could happen and planning funerals that are way too soon... Wishing they could see them just one more time, just one more hug or kiss or even to hear them say "I love you" one last time. Has society lost it's ever loving mind? Sadly this is not a recent observation...I've heard it time and again for as long as I can remember, every time such a tragedy occurs... Among the dead were Americans....

Tonight, I keep in my heart those that perished before their time and the devastated family members they left behind, may the love of the goddess heal your anguish and lessen your pain.....

Black Cats And Good Friends

I went and got another tattoo yesterday, a black cat with bright green eyes (of course) on my lower right calf. This one smarted a lot more than the other one on my lower back, probably because of standing on my feet in the hot, humid weather but I'll suck it up and walk it off....no pun intended. Because of the nature of new tattoo's... the picture I took does not look very good right now but it will heal in about a week

The guy who did my tattoo asked me why I wanted a black cat on my leg and I couldn't help but smile when I proudly informed him that it is my way to take my cat Binky with me wherever I go and besides, all witches need a black cat....duh! ( my idea of a funny.) I named my Binky in honor of my good friend Peggy's cat, now at the Rainbow Bridge waiting for her...along with Lilly and Cerise. ( blessed be their furry little souls)

Peggy was there when I first started my web cam for my cats and we've been good friends ever since...she even risked life and limb (or maybe just embarrassing questions, a stern lecture from the tour guide and really strange looks from the other's in her tour group ) in bringing back a stone and shell from Ireland for me. Now that's what I call a true friend!

I will wear my little black Binky with the green eyes proudly on my leg and gladly share my love of my spiritual path, my cats and very dear friends with anyone who asks.... "Why?" It reminds me that we are all connected in this crazy world and each and every one of us has a great story to tell.

A Very Witchy Garden

Well, I finally made time to get that herb garden going that I've been thinking about for months. I removed the stinky, obnoxious juniper bushes and went out this last weekend and pretty much bought up the local Fred Meyer herb stock but it's really going to look nice after I finish getting some rocks to go around the pond and a few for the border.

Although they may be small now, once they start growing, all the herbs will blend in to each other and the pond will make a wonderful hidden water feature in the center. I planted two different types of Sage, an Apple Mint, a variegated Pineapple Mint, three types of Basil, two kinds of Rosemary, three kinds of Lavender, two types of Thyme, one Rue, one Lemon Balm an Italian Tarragon, Stevia (a natural sweetener) and Sweet Marjoram. Whew...quite the list! Once it starts growing nicely I'll put in a few pictures to show the progress.

It's very difficult to express how it feels to get down on my hands and knees and dig down into the soil, I like to consider it as something I have to do.... not out of necessity but because it's part of what makes me who I am. I think if I were not able to dig or nurture plants I would probably have a very short life. I put all my energy into my little Eco-projects and the rewards I receive are more than any coin or precious gem can begin to offer.




The Inward Garden

I have found, through years of practice, that people garden in order to make
something grow; to interact with nature; to share, to find sanctuary, to heal,
to honor the earth, to leave a mark. Through gardening, we feel whole
as we make our personal work of art upon our land.


~Julie Moir Messervy~

Tarot Tuesday

The Ten of Swords appears to be a card of terrible misfortune but surprisingly it often represents troubles that are more melodramatic than real. The man on this card has quite a few swords in his back. Wouldn't one be enough...... isn't ten a little excessive.... maybe this gentleman's suffering is exaggerated as well.

One meaning of the Ten of Swords is hitting rock bottom. When one disaster or disappointment follows another, we feel devastated at first but eventually we throw up our hands and laugh. "What else could possibly go wrong?" we say as we could possibly expect a bucket of water to fall on our head. When you see the Ten of Swords know that the last bucket has fallen and you can expect a turn for the better.

This card can also show when you're in victim mentality. You're certain that the whole world is picking on you just to make your life difficult. When we're in victim mentality, we think everything is horrible, hopeless and impossibly unfair and must pull ourselves together and walk it off.

Being a martyr is also a favorite Ten of Swords activity. In this case, the man would say with a weak wave of his hand, "No...you go on. Have fun. Don't think about me. I'll just stay here with these swords in my back...but I want you to enjoy yourself." Being a martyr in this sense is not the same as making a sacrifice for another with no strings attached. With the Ten of Swords, either is possible, but doing a good turn for someone else is more satisfying without the strings.

Most of the time the Ten of Swords has a lighter side. It is as if your Inner Guide is gently kidding you about how you are handling your own personal tale of woe. When you see the Ten of Swords, check your attitude and know you've reached the point where things will definitely begin to look up.

---

The True End Of An Era

Millvina Dean, the last survivor of the legendary ocean liner Titanic, which sank on its maiden voyage in April 1912 after colliding with an iceberg in the North Atlantic, has passed away. She was 97.

She died at a nursing home near Southampton, England, the port where she and her family boarded the ship on its only voyage, according to Charles Haas, the president of the Titanic International Society. Her death came on the 98th anniversary of the launching of the Titanic on May 31, 1911.

"She was a remarkable, sparkling lady," Haas told the Times Sunday. "She knew her place in history and was always willing to share her story with others, especially children. She was the last living link to the story."

Dean was about 8 weeks old when she and her family set sail, third class, on the luxury ocean liner on April 10, 1912. Five days later, she was among some 700 passengers and crew rescued off the coast of Newfoundland. She and her mother, Georgetta, 32, and her brother Bertram, 23 months old, were put into lifeboats. Her father, Bertram, 27, stayed on board the ship and was among more than 1,500 passengers and crew members who went down with the Titanic.

She had no memory of the disaster, but at age 8 her mother told her what happened. "It was so awful for her that she never wanted to speak about it," Dean said of her mother in a 2002 interview with the Irish News. Georgetta Dean suffered severe headaches every day for years after the ship's sinking.

In 1998, Dean finally completed the sea voyage from Southampton to New York City that she had set out to make 86 years earlier. She traveled on the Queen Elizabeth II, compliments of Michael Rudd, a Titanic enthusiast and travel agent in Missouri. He and Dean gave a presentation together during the QE II sail. "She hadn't been on a ship since 1912," Rudd said in a 2007 interview with The Times. "People crowded around her, they just wanted to touch her."

As part of that same trip, Dean went to Missouri to see the house where her parents planned to begin their new life, an experience she described as eerie.