The Six Of Pentacles

This card depicts a fox in fine looking garb holding a set of scales in his left hand. Two robed foxes are holding out their hands at his feet. He is giving coins to the one on the right of the image, but not the one on the left. Above are the six pentacles... Three along the top of the card... two more under the left side of the card and one more under the right. This gives a slight impression of imbalance.

This can imply the division between those with resources and those without. Remember, there are many kinds of resources; money, time, power, information, imagination, ability. This card may represent the fact that maybe your resources are limited: you can't do everything, and you can't help everyone, you can't have your cake and eat it. Sometimes you need to make hard choices. Sometimes you don't get something and someone else does. It's not fair, but sometimes there is just not enough for everyone.

In my experience I have found that the two most common themes that clients identify with are...1.) You need to make sure that with your giving ....you do not come across as better than or more important than those you are helping... and... 2.) It is a good idea that you keep an eye on your resources and not over extend yourself and in turn be the one needing help.

Songs For Beltane

Merry, Merry Month of May

(To the tune of "I Was Strolling through the Park One Day")
words by Tina Galfo

Let us sing a joyful song today,
In this merry, merry month of May.
Let us dance the circle round,
And give out a joyful sound,
As we welcome spring the good old Pagan way.

The flowers bloom,
The birdies sing.
Around us is the beauty
Spring can bring.

Let us show our gratitude today,
For this merry, merry month of May.
For our Gracious Goddess grants,
All this beauty that enchants,
So lets us feast, and dance, and sing, and gaily play.

***************
Springtime

(To the tune of "Simple Gifts")
words by Tina Galfo

Tis the time now of Springtime,
And Our Lady fair.
When the birds sing gaily
Flying through the air.
And the sweetly scented flowers
In their garments bright,
Color hills and meadows,
What a lovely sight.
Then dance and sing a joyful song,
While all around us new life sings along.
There's peace, love, and joy everywhere,
Let it in your heart, to abide there.

Beltane Is Coming

Beltane, also known as May Eve, May Day, and Walpurgis Night, happens at the beginning of May. It celebrates the height of spring and the flowering of life. The Goddess manifests as the May Queen and Flora. The God emerges as the May King and Jack in the Green. The danced Maypole represents Their unity, with the pole itself being the God and the ribbons that encompass it, the Goddess. Colors are the Rainbow spectrum. Beltane is a festival of flowers, fertility, sensuality, and delight.

Fun Things To Do:

*Prepare a May basket by filling it with flowers and goodwill and then give it to someone in need of healing and caring, such as a shut-in or elderly friend.
*Form a wreath of freshly picked flowers, wear it in your hair, and feel yourself radiating joy and beauty.
*Dress in bright colors.
*Dance the Maypole and feel yourself balancing the Divine Female and Male within.
*Make a wish as you jump a bonfire or candle flame for good luck.
*Welcome in the May at dawn with singing and dancing.

Fried Honeycakes

These cakes are not unlike those made on the night before Beltane by women around the turn of the century. These cakes were left in the garden to please Faery visitors.

*1/2 cup sweet white wine
*2 tablespoons sugar
*1 egg
*1 cup honey
*2/3 cup flour
*1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
*1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
*Oil for frying
*1/8 teaspoon salt

Beat the wine & egg in a medium bowl. Combine the flour, cinnamon, salt & sugar in a small bowl. Stir into the egg mixture. Let stand 30 minutes. Combine the honey & nutmeg in a small bowl. Heat 1/2-inch of the oil in a frying pan until hot, but not smoking. Drop the batter into the oil 1 tablespoon at a time; fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Dip into the honey.

Yield: 1 1/2 Dozen.

Four Of Pentacles Revisited...

It became evident to me this afternoon, that I had learned another interpretation of the little fox holding on very tightly to his Four of Pentacles, so I decided to blog about it as it is very fitting and needs to be gotten off my chest and done with for good.

Several years ago, I lived through a very devastating and traumatic emotional incident that changed my life and affected my very soul...After the numbness from the shock wore off I had always thought of myself as a survivor and counted my blessings to have made it out with my sanity still somewhat intact.

I swore from then on I had learned some very hard life lessons... and that was that... but never really approached the fact that scars remained and issues that still simmered below the subconcious surface would someday have to be dealt with....This afternoon they bubbled to the surface... and in one shining moment the Four of Pentacles became glaringly obvious.....

Things that can be held onto with an iron grasp can also include past unresolved conflicts and emotional injuries, whether real or imagined, and are quite tangible as the little fox's pentacles are to him. This may or may not come as a suprise to many of you but I really had never considered this to apply to this type of situation... I started to question myself...Why was I hanging on to this sadness...what did I possibly hope to gain by keeping it for all these years?

So, when you look back upon events in your past, what are you clinging to unnecessarily...outmoded ideas or ways of being that can be let go to the universe in order for them to be healed? Those hurts to your heart that really have no place in your life and simply take up room that can be used in more positive ways?

Today I choose to let go of my sorrow that took up residence in my soul for far too long and I resolve from this day foward, by releasing the old, I will make room for the new more uplifting experiences in my life.

Four Of Pentacles

In this card we see a little fox looking as if he might be clinging tightly to what he has. He fears that if he lets go even a little that he may lose everything. That mindset can lead to conditions of limit and lack. Where we shift our focus determines what we perceive. This little fox serves as a reminder to focus on abundance not lack. Time to surrender that false sense of control that comes with centering ourselves too much around the material world.

Focus on gratitude and abundance, not only on an intellectual level - but partake in prayers and ritual that allow you to feel that abundance and gratitude in your heart... these are the things that we need to cling to...not to conditions or things of the material world. By focusing our whole being on abundance we draw it to us on all levels materially, spiritually, emotionally, and we become a vessel of true wealth.

Sometimes we have to move into the new and unknown even when it is scary if we want to further our growth and progress. Sticking with old ways out of fimiliarity is stagnation. Don't be so hard on yourself over "failures" that you talk yourself out of getting up and trying again. Release the need to try to control situations out of fear. Let the Divine will step in and lead you into the proper direction. Now is not a good time to become to fixated on the material world... doing so will keep you in a perpetual state of feeling that "something's missing"

I usually find that if this card appears in a reading for myself, I need to focus on what I can do for others. By focusing on this aspect, things beggin to unstick and flow much easier.

Serenity Sunday

Food has magical properties – both in its nutritional value, but more importantly in how it makes us feel when we eat it. Living in a magical household means paying attention to the every day activities in our lives. When we go into the kitchen and prepare food it turns into an act of love for ourselves and our families – and it is magic.

We turn ordinary ingredients into fabulous meals using wooden spoons and spatulas as our wands. We perform simple alchemy to change base materials into “gold”. All good cooks know they are magicians in the kitchen, but for Pagans this daily work is as important as casting spells in the sacred circle.

A simple blessing I use before meals:

Blessings upon this food...

Blessings upon this family...

Blessings upon all who need...

May no one hunger.

My List:

1.) My children

2.) Good friends

3.) Beautiful colors at sunset

4.) Yorkshire pudding

5.) My t.v. remote

6.) A hot bath

7.) The smell of lavander

8.) Small pots of herbs growing on my porch

9.) Loreena McKennit

10.) Rainbow trout

New Moon.....Dark Moon

The other day I was listening to Ariel's podcast "The Witches Primer" when he used a term that I hadn't heard in many, many moons...(pun intended)..."Dark Moon". I remember my grandmother using that name when I was a child and really never thought too much about it then... but nostalgia has bitten me and I thought I'd explain the meaning of the terms "Dark Moon" as opposed to "New Moon" which we are all familiar with on traditional calanders.

The "New Moon" as we all know, is the phrase most often used when the last cresent of the waning moon has disappeared and the moon is all but invisible. It is still there of course but for roughly 1.5 to 2.5 days hangs in the sky, silently unseen by our naked eyes just before it starts on it's movement towards it's cycle of full.

Many modern witches and pagans as well as most astrologers call this phase the "New Moon" but some of us following a more traditional path of the "Old Ways" call it the "Dark Moon" as it is quite literally dark ( I mean no disrespect to any of the paths one may be following, I simply want to show that all beliefs and their terms used are not always the same). The first tiny cresent of the moon that we can see just after the "Dark Moon" is what many of us witches call the "New Moon." The words that are used in any case may seem to be very important but when it comes to timing our spells it makes a difference.

It was good to hear Ariel say "Dark Moon," since I have been on my spiritual path I always assumed that it was a lifestyle I had picked for myself but as I grow older I'm noticing that I have been handed down the groundwork from my grandparents and probably even their grandparents.

I hesitate to claim that it's a family tradition as my grandparents, even though as in tune with nature and the world as they were, were also church going...god fearing folk but no one is perfect and I loved them with my whole heart and being (again, please do not take offense, I was a church goer at one time in my life too, but that's a whole other blog!).

Tiger's Eye

My youngest daughter, Meaghan, is turning out to be quite the little wiccan rock hound and I couldn't be prouder! Yesterday for "take your child to work day," she went with her dad to his job (which is scrapping at the moment...long story) when the person he was doing a pick up for noticed that Meaghan was admiring an old bucket of miscellaneous stones.

To make a long story short...the lady's late husband was a rock hound and had this bucket laying around and she gave the bucket and all of it's contents my daughter. Among the semi tumbled stones was a perfect, shiny tiger's eye stone which she proudly gave to me when she got home....wow... my daughter payed attention to me when I spoke about various stones and what they signify! Anyhow...here's a little of what it means to me....

For those who believe there are healing powers, and a source of energy that lie in quartz and other stones the Tiger Eye crystal is a must have. You can purchase the Tiger's Eye crystal in many different forms of jewelry including bracelets, pendants, and necklaces. Whether you choose to purchase them for yourself or to give as a gift it's money well spent.

By wearing the Tiger's Eye crystal helps clear your mind of any annoying thoughts or stress. It's recommended that you carry it with you everywhere including when you drive to help keep yourself safe from any harm that may come your way. Also its power has the ability to attract wealth, good luck, keep away evil, and protect one's family and friends.

The Tiger Eye crystal can be cleansed before ever sending it to someone as a gift or shipping it to a new location. This will help to prevent it from carrying negative energies along with it. To cleanse it, the Tiger Eye crystal should be kept in salt water overnight as a way to recharge its energy. Once it has been taken out of the salt water it should then be washed in fresh water and placed in the sun for 2-3 hours. This process should be done every 3 months at least. This allows the user to find their inner strength and light. The Tiger's Eye crystal should be protected from sharp blows or scratches so make sure to keep it in a safe place when it's not being worn or used.

Beautiful Artistry

I've had a Facebook account for a few years now but really didn't use it much until one of my friends that watches my cats' webcam (Hi Ruth!) looked me up. It's actually pretty fun and I've been able to stay in touch as well as make new friends from all over the globe.

There's always cool applications that can be added and I have my favorites like YoVille and Pet Society but not to leave out the addictive Hatchlings either...Anyhow, one of my friends put up some pictures of handmade jewelry that a friend of hers makes and I have to say that her work is absolutely incredible!

I'm always looking for unique handmade pieces to add to my collection and earth based themes are a prerequisite with my tastes. I love the Celtic and pagan looking jewelry and Mel's creations certainly fit the bill. She has even started a new blog called Mel Kickland which has an example of a necklace that she has on her Etsy page where you can view her work. I super encourage you to check it out, pagan or non pagan...I myself plan on looking closer at a necklace that she's made.....and a pair of earrings...and....well, let's just say I really like what I see!

Carbon Footprints And Global Warming

Global warming isn’t opinion. It’s a scientific reality. And the science tells us that human activity has made enormous impacts to our planet that affect our well-being and even our survival as a species.

The world’s leading science journals report that glaciers are melting ten times faster than previously thought, that atmospheric greenhouse gases have reached levels not seen for millions of years, and that species are vanishing as a result of climate change.

They also report of extreme weather events, long-term droughts, and rising sea levels. Fortunately, the science also tells us how we can begin to make significant repairs to try and reverse those impacts, but only through immediate action. . By spreading the word and sharing this with others, our collective power will force governments, corporations, and politicians everywhere to pay attention.

Things we can do:

*Use Compact Fluorescent Bulbs:
Replace 3 frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Save 300 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $60 per year

*Inflate Your Tires :
Keep the tires on your car adequately inflated. Check them monthly. Save 250 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $840 per year.

*Change Your Air Filter:
Check your car's air filter monthly. Save 800 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $130 per year

*Fill The Dishwasher:
Run your dishwasher only with a full load. Save 100 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $40 per year

*Use Recycled Paper: Make sure your printer paper is 100% post consumer recycled paper. Save 5 lbs. of carbon dioxide per ream of paper.

*Adjust Your Thermostat:
Move your heater thermostat down two degrees in winter and up two degrees in the summer. Save 2000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $98 per year.

*Install a Low-Flow Showerhead:
Using less water in the shower means less energy to heat the water. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $150

*Buy Products Locally :
Buy locally and reduce the amount of energy required to drive your products to your store.

*Plant a Tree:
Trees suck up carbon dioxide and make clean air for us to breathe. Save 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.

This is just a sample of all the ways we can fight global warming together, let us try at least three of these ways and the savings alone is enough incentive to help in the fight.


HAPPY EARTH DAY EVERYONE!