Happy paper plate day! What? What’s that you say? You don’t know what I mean. Well, I suppose I should explain. Two weeks from now I’ll be moving to a new dwelling. The Fates however have presented a notable challenge… I will only have 33 hours to move from one place to another. Normally I would leave a solid week to move but this time I don’t have the luxury. That being the case my wife came up with the idea to switch to paper plates for these last two-weeks so that we could pack the dishes away early and be even more ready for our journey. I wanted to update the blog and give notice to why my activity has been sparse. I’ll be focusing free time gathering up my belongings moving them a few miles down the highway and unpacking them. It might be some time before another post but if anyone wants to check on me follow me on twitter – @wiccanfriend. As soon as I settle I’ll be able to get back to research and another wordy, hopefully insightful, blog post. On the bright side the new place will offer some office space and it is my hope to be able to use it to my advantage by devoting more time to posting and personal research.
In the mean time I hope everyone is enjoying these last few months of summer. I am starting to notice the sun setting earlier in the evening and that excites me for the coming fall. Or as fall as Texas gets, which is actually closer to slightly cooler (rather less hot) summer. I also want to thank all the readers who have been emailing me over the last month. I have really enjoyed my correspondence with you all. It is always my pleasure to answer email and must admit enjoy any kind of feedback/ connection with readers. Blessings to all.
When I started on this pagan path over 10 years ago I certainly had a different outlook on Paganism and Wicca. In the small town I grew up in everyone was Christian. If there was a pagan presence in that small town it was well hidden. So much so that I gather it probably didn’t want to be found. This compounded with the mentality that seemingly strikes all small town folk that your town is an island. It is the idea that since everything you need is all located with 15 square miles that traveling any distance outside of that is rare and is a hassle. I didn’t know when I first started studying Wicca that there was an established community maybe only 30 minutes away that had worked hard for Pagan rights and awareness. The internet was still young, hand written notes were common, and stopping by a strangers house to use the phone was perfectly ok. Cell phones, email, and broadband internet were definitely around but life moves slower in small towns. People had free time in the evenings to sit and listen to the Earth move. Finding a book about the craft was special. I still could never find one in my town, but had to go to the neighboring town that had a mall to find such things. It was still only a 15 minute car ride. I remember how I felt the first time I read about Initiation in a book. It talked about coven initiation primarily but that really wasn’t an option for me. I had been studying paganism for just over a year and hadn’t met any other pagans. Just like my town, I had become an Island. My only contact with other pagans were angelfire websites that would load on the family’s dial up connection. A coven was far to foreign for initiation but still once I decided that I was pagan I knew I wanted to initiate. I also knew that at that moment I wasn’t quite ready. The want was there but I felt like I hadn’t earn it yet. I needed to live as a pagan and learn more before I gave myself over fully to this path. I started a Book of Shadows, studied correspondence, read about the religion, and slowly came to a point were I had affirmed this faith I had enough to present it to my newly found Gods and Goddesses.
I looked up into the night. My senses on fire and my energy through the roof. I didn’t know what to call them so I referred to Deity as my Lord and Lady. I proclaimed, “Lord and Lady, my name is Keegan. I come to you in humble service. So Mote it Be.” I’m sure there was more but that was all improved and ramblings of a star struck teenager. I remember the warm breeze that night. I remember crying, and finally feeling free. I felt accepted, not by myself or friends and family, but rather acknowledged by the Gods that I was heard and that they were going to hold be to that vow… a vow of service. If anything I felt humbled, and when I took that first step away from my make shift circle and came back into this world and this life I knew things would never be the same. I was no longer an island.
Now I start another beginning and I find myself again at Initiation. Tomorrow I will be initiated into Rose Hollow Coven and will have earned my First Degree. It is as it should be, an acknowledgement of service to my Lord and Lady. There is benefit though to being a part of a coven. I have a wiser HP and HPS to help me walk through it this time and I can offer the coven my service. With their help I hope to become a better pagan and well rounded High Priest. I also hope that I am able to teach them a few things. Knowing the kind of people they are I know they appreciate all of their coveners and are constantly growing as people and pagans themselves. I feel ready at this point to be apart of that relationship. I know I have much room for growth, but also know that will come with further diligent study and time.
About 90 days ago I had the good fortune to be a part of a special panel of men. I am getting a little ahead of myself so let me back up a tad. My wife and our High Priestess get together once a month and host a delightful podcast called Shhh! There are Pagans in Texas. A few months ago they did a short segment over the role of men in Paganism and Wicca. Unfortunately at the time all of the men in their lives were busy so it was a segment on men by women. In all fairness they did have our input via email and were acting on our behalf, but it wasn’t good enough. Their fans and listeners insisted that they have a discussion panel of men to go over the subject again in length. Enter Keegan, 3 High Priests, and a little inspiration.
We’re men, MANLY men, we’re men in tights. Yeah!
We roam around the forest looking for fights. We’re men, we’re men in tights.
We rob from the rich and give to the poor, that’s right!
We may look like pansies, but don’t get us wrong or else we’ll put out your lights.
We’re men, we’re men in tights (TIGHT tights), Always on guard defending the people’s rights.
When you’re in a fix just call for the men in tights! We’re butch.
So as I said I had to do this panel with 3 High Priest. I am not easily intimidated but this was kind of heavy. I remember being quite nervous the night before and staying up late to prepare. I wasn’t sure of the format or what kind of questions were going to be asked so I decided to write some of my own. If anything I knew I could fall back on them if needed. In the long run I’m glad I did write out some thoughts because I ended up kind of MC’ing the panel and asking some of the questions I wrote down. So we had Charles, High Priest of Wren’s Nest coven and an active Pagan in the DFW community for at least 20 years. There was Beowulf, High Priest of Rose Hollow coven and my current HP. Next is Nikki Tree High Priest of Circle of the Moon American Tradition of the Goddess, also representing the gay male pagans out there. Finally there is me… not High Priest, Pagan for only one decade but as the others put it maybe I can offer a seeker’s perspective.
So go check it out, then come back and tell me what you think. Maybe share it with some friends, whatevs.
I don’t often get the opportunity to visit Christian churches, but still oddly enough find myself in one around once or twice a year. I know that during the yuletide my wife and I join her parents for Christmas eve services at their Lutheran church both because we knowit is important to them and because they ask us to play music during the service. I grew up in the Lutheran church and can appreciate the service, but sometimes times it is hard to keep an open mind. If nothing else it stands as a reminder to my wife and I of what we left behind re-affirming our own Pagan faith. We leave the service with mixed feelings about the message from the Homily given but proud that as Wiccans we are open-minded enough to subject ourselves to it. It does indeed feel like service putting ourselves aside to be there for other people. Recently however I got a real treat as my niece was Christened in the Catholic faith. It has been ages since I have been in a Catholic church and the ones I remember were no where near this magnificent. The Rite was held in one of the oldest Cathedrals in Texas located in downtown Austin, St. Mary.
Copyright (c) Dave Wilson, 2009
You walk up the short concrete steps and are greeted with massive wooden doors surrounded in gothic architecture that otherwise seems quite out of place in the heart of downtown Austin. The building itself is so moving as a work of art and is steeped in history, symbols, community, amazing art, and lots of care. You can tell as you enter that this is sacred space. You can tell because of the way you are overcome as you pass over the threshold. The church itself greets you both with a hello and warning. I wont say that I felt magick inside, because I know the Church wouldn’t want it to be refer to that, but I certainly felts the hearts and prayers of over a century of religious work. There is also a spacial trick that happens with all of these types of buildings. From the outside they look huge, but when you step inside the space seems to double. It may all be a
matter of perspective but it is a great effect that adds to the experience for sure. The symbolism and religiosity inside is quite overwhelming. Surrounding the great length of pews in the center of the Cathedral are styled walls, stain glass, and statues. 40 foot columns rise from the ground to touch the ceiling which is decorated in Gothic trusses and amazing patterns of light and color. It is simply beautiful, but honestly as I acclimated to the surroundings I began to miss something…
I was surrounded by the supernatural. This was all a great feet of inspired Human ingenuity and religious incitement, but it lacks what really stirs my soul. The cool Earth, an awakening breeze, a warm fire, and refreshing water. Granted all of those things were present in the Church. The stone beneath our feet, the atmosphere of the space, the flickering of the lit candles, and the font filled with fresh water for baptism. Even still, it wasn’t same. The man-made becomes the focal point and the most precious gifts, our natural elements, become the accents. I am opened minded enough to know how amazing this place is and how much it must mean to the people who worship here, but aware enough to be reminded of my own path and what stirs my spirit. There was comfort in those thoughts. It was an exercise to find worship surrounded by dogma.
As for the Rite itself, it was amazing. There is so much imagery and mysticism in the Catholic Church. My wife pointed out to me at the beginning they asked the child’s name and what they wanted to achieve here today. This was so much like every time we as Wiccans enter the circle and are asked for our name and purpose. We looked at one another and smiled, or in her case smirked. She is very smirky. I’m fortunate to be able to share little moments like that with someone. This was a lot of things during the ceremony that I couldn’t agree with, after all I am Pagan for a reason, but I just put that under differences in religion and do what I can. That is be there for my family, shower this babe with love and hopeful energy, and say my own silent prayer to the God and Goddess of thanks.
I feel their presence everyday. Sometimes it is a nudge and other times a gentle reminder on the breeze. There are even times that they take me over with anxiety or fill me with peace. The Lord and Lady that I know, and that knows me, are more then All-knowing deity held out in front of me at prayer’s length. I know I could never be atheist because of the personal experiences I’ve had while sharing my life with the Lord and Lady.
Click to visit Artist's Website
Often times She is that wind that kisses my face. She brings a wisdom to my heart to remind me of my promise to Her and affirm Herself to me. When I was younger she would remind me of my lost true love by subtle hints of vanilla on the air. I should have listened more closely because now I understand She was speaking through scent, and if I would have had the wherewithal I could have heard a much deeper message. Other times She is the raw emotion that overcomes me, or the spirit of nurture for my loved ones. She comes to me in the form of Awen to help creative pursuits, and lives inside my guilt when I hurt those closest to me. I look out into this world and see Her represented in the feminine, the creative spark, and the nurturing Earth.
My Lord is a rock. He motivates me with His example. He is able to show me how things could be and what it takes to earn and achieve. He provides a pillar of strength to both push me forward and to hold me up. He is both giving and firm like a velvet brick. He holds his values like a shield. They keep him true and right and protect Him from lies and falsehoods. When my Lord speaks life itself listen to his wisdom and takes care to heed his words as they are the foundations of truth. He is the warm sun on my face and shoulders. He is the voice inside me that yearns to be a better Man, Husband, and a wiser person.
Together the God and Goddess represent all things manifest in this mundane world and provide guidance and care to experience this life and the next. For me the greatest lesson they have taught is that as long as I am alive, I can change the situation I am in. This is the very basis of my belief in Wicca and Witchcraft.
So in my Wiccan tradition one of the requirements we are given to allow us to initiate and receive our first degree is to complete an art project. It is to represent our relationship with the God and Goddess. As simple as that sounds it becomes a huge undertaking. You have to plan the media, and the subject, and search very deeply for an answer. An answer to the question, what is my relationship with the God and Goddess.
Interestingly enough my answer would have been different a few years ago. I think that is becauseall relationships change and grow in different ways. Even in the last year, there have been so many things that influence how I view and interact with my Deities. Even the way I define this relationship has changed based on new ways I have found of expressing it.
For me I knew fairly early that I wanted my art project to be a mask that represented both the male and female aspects of nature. To me it gives not only a easy visual reference for the Lord and Lady, but also a very deep comment about our relationship given that it is a mask. Even in my youngest thoughts as a child I can remember seeing the masculine and feminine in my world. It was always right in front of my thoughts. It is one of the reasons I couldn’t reconcile my beliefs as a Christian. The world was polar and all people, objects, even ideas had aspects of male or female. So i set out in my mask to visually represent this.
As you look at it the Left Side being Feminine and the Right side representing the Masculine.
Left:
There are more pieces making up this side of the mask, they represent the ever unfolding layers of the feminine. Complex emotions, and deep passion.
There is moss present on this side to represent the Earth. The most nurturing and growing substance the we see and come in contact with nearly everyday.
The vines that cascade down the side of the mask really reminded me of flowing hair and gave the mask a more feminine quality.
Right:
Here you can see the bark is bigger in both size and weight. I wanted something heavier and robust for the masculine side.
The main feature of this side being the feathers to represent animals. The beast and foul being of the God I thought I would fit nicely within the God theme.
Lastly are the leaves and wood itself which reminds me largely of the Green Man and God of the forest.
Why a mask?
It at the moment accurately represents how I feel about my relationship with the Lord and Lady andsort of my purpose on this earth. I feel I am here to experience life through the eyes of the God and Goddess while at the same time I’m and charged with the God and Goddess experiencing this life through me, my actions, and my eyes. I am to live the best I can, experience this marvel of existence, and bring it back to the Lord and Lady upon my return from this life. A mask was the best way I could illustrate the dual nature of this concept of putting on the God and Goddess so they can experience what I see through their eyes.
How it was done:
I thought I’d add here how I actually made the mask for anyone who is interested in making their own. It was really simple, and uses both natural materials and craft store materials.
What is used:
Bark found from downed limbs or washes ashore on a lake after a storm.
Paintable mask foundation bought at craft store.
Foam sheet bought at craft store.
Plastic vines bought at craft store.
Reindeer Moss bought at craft store.
Plastic leaves bought at craft store.
Bird feathers bought at craft store.
Glue Gun
Crazy Glue
I first took the paintable white mask and added on to it with the foam sheets. I had a basic idea of how big I wanted the mask to be so I cut out a bigger mask pattern and crazy glued it on top of the original craft mask. I used crazy glue because I really wanted this part to be a strong foundation for the rest of the mask. For starting out it gives you a larger canvas to plan out what your mask will look like. Later on whatever you don’t fill with the mask design can be easily cut away using a sharp knife or box cutter.
I then started breaking up my wood. I needed several smaller pieces for the cheeks and forehead, and also a rounded piece of bark for the bridge of the nose. I then took all of those small pieces and started to piece them together like Tetris. I literally had all of the wood pieces trying one and then another until I found a pattern that suited me. I then started gluing down the largest pieces of wood to “frame” the face of the mask.
After some of the larger pieces were down I inserted the moss into and under those large pieces and glue them down to the mask surface or if they were under a piece of bark gluing the bark on top of the moss. This gives the illusion the moss is growing from under and around the bark and gives a simple transition into the smaller pieces of bark. That way your bark edges dont have to match up perfectly and you have a bit of wiggle room to get the form of a human face down.
After all the bark and moss were placed I wove in the vines for the hair. The vines are made from a metal wire painted dull green so fixing them to the top of the mask was easy by weaving it through the top of the bark carefully.
I then shaped the feathers and glued them to the part of the mask I had left uncovered.
All that was left was to fill in some of the empty space on the right side with leaves. I secured those down with some hot glue and was done.
The final result is a really special result that I will keep around for many years, as a reminder of how I related to the God and Goddess during this time of my life.
What has been your favorite Pagan art project? We Pagans tend to be quite the artsy folk and I would love to see what else is out there. Link in the comments below!
Knot magick has been in use since long ago times. Knots can be found in the art and literature of all ancient cultures, ancient Mesopotamia onwards. Reference to knots and knot magick is also found in all the religions of the world.
It was a practice among Catholics to tie a knot when invoking saints as a way to bind the saints to them until they have done their bidding.
Mohammed, founder of Islam, was cursed by a knot and, had it not been found and untied, it is said that Mohammed would have died. Some male followers of the Islam religion would tie a knot in their beard to protect themselves from the evil eye. When at sea, they might tie several knots in their clothing to put an end to violent winds, but when going to Mecca they must not have any knots in their clothing.
In Hinduism, knot tying is often associated with the death gods.
Buddhists refer to the untying of knots as a “process of liberation.” [5]
Knot tying was common in Roman magic as images of lovers were sometimes tied together to keep the couple bound to each other. Solemn oaths were also made to their deities while tying a knot.
In mythology, we have the Fates who wove, knotted, and cut the strings of life. We also have the famous Gordian Knot which Alexander was said to have cut in two with his sword.
In not so long ago times, there were men and women who were called blowers of knots. They would recite incantations while tying knots. The most famous of these incantations were done for wind knots.
Wind knots were three knots made in a string, rope, or rag and sold to sailors. If a sailor were to untie one knot, he would get a moderate wind. If he should untie 2 knots, the wind would blow half a gale. To untie all 3 knots would have caused a hurricane. [2]
Knots are prevalent in wedding lore, where two people are united in marriage which is also known as “tying the knot.” From the Dark Ages to the 18th century, it was forbidden to tie a knot at someone’s wedding for fear that it would prevent a true union between the bride and groom. Another form of knot magic associated with weddings is the wearing of a net over the bride’s head. Today, brides often wear a veil, originally meant to protect them from the evil eye and evil sorcery on their wedding day.
During a woman’s labor it was custom in many cultures worldwide to undo all knots within the house. In black magic, knots can be used to hinder or stop the birth of a child, killing both the mother and infant. It was also believed that a knot could cause a painful and difficult delivery.
To knot a cloth that had touched a man’s penis was believed to bring about his impotence. The same was held true to tying a knot into a man’s pubic hair and burying it in the earth.
When someone was dying, it was once a common practice to untie all knots within the room so as to not keep the dying person bound to life and suffering.
In Russia, knot magick was once very common. There are written accounts of the many types of knot spells including an 8 double-knot curse to use against an enemy in which wool yarn was used. As each double-knot was made, these words were spoken:
“1. I go out onto the road, 2. I throw into the open field, 3. into the distance, 4. between the homesteads, 5. into the fields, 6. into the seas, 7. into the forest, 8. into the quaking bag.” [4]
This cord was then left in a place where its intended victim would step on it.
For protection from harm by a gun or other weapon, 5 knots were tied in a cord and kept about the body.
Red wool thread with nine knots was sometimes worn by children to protect them from getting a fever.
A cord with 40 knots might be kept as an amulet for protection against thieves.
In todays world, knot magic continues to have its place. Examples of this would be in the dream catchers made by the Lakota’s, the “Eye of God”, and shell decorated nets that are hung in homes and businesses.
Select Bibliography:
1. Amulets and Superstitions by E. A. Wallis Budge. Dover Publications. 1978.
2. The Golden Bough by Sir James George Frazer. Collier Books. 1963.
3. Taboo, Magic, Spirits: A Study of Primitive Elements In Roman Religion by Eli Edward Burriss. Greenwood Press. 1972.
4. The Bathhouse at Midnight: Magic In Russia by W. F. Ryan. The Pennsylvania State University Press. 1999.
5. The Penguin Dictionary of Symbols by Jean Chevalier and Alain Gheerbrant. Translated by John Buchanan-Brown. 1996.
Components to Knot Magick
Cord or Rope – Honestly it can be anything from thin thread to cotton cord or twine. If you prefer to work with natural materials most craft stores can offer such things. Cotton, Wool, Silk, Linen, and strips of Leather are just a few materials you could use. If you prefer an in depth approach you could even spin and dye your own thread. Additionally the cord can be colored to correspond with your spell work. There is no set length the cord should be although some like to make the length a multiple of 3 or 13 inches. Some people prefer to work with greater lengths and will have a cord 9 feet long. This is helpful if you are doing cord magick as a group. If you are a numerologist if could be any length with numerical significance. This again falls under preference.
Knots – The knots in knot magick absorb the qualities that they are charged with. For energy you want untie the knot there by unleashing the energy contained to come back to you. If you want the energy absorbed to be bound forever DO NOT untie the knot. Burn it or bury it. The knots can be as simple as an overhand knot or as complex as fusion knots (see below). This could even include weaving. This can also be customized to what you want to accomplish. For example, weaving a bracelet or charm would be a good way to ward off the unwanted.
Purpose – Along with will and intent create magick. This is more important than the cord or knots. Be clear on want you are sending into the knots. They are a powerful vessel and will gladly hold onto anything. Mediation can help focus the mind from wondering during Knot Magick work, but avoid distraction as to not muddy your intent in the spell. I also find that chanting or old weaving songs also help when casting to focus the mind.
Practical Application
Knot magick can be simple to understand but it application will test your will and resolve. It is extremely portable and easily concealed. While working the spell it can be worn as a bracelet, necklace, or charm. You can tuck it under a pillow or store it in a pocket. The cord doesn’t have to follow you around but can as a reminder of the magick work.
Spellwork
Knot Magick can be broken down into 3 easy steps. 1. Meditate and raise energy to focus your intent. 2. Cast your magick. 3. Follow through with strength of will.
(Magick work is always best when done within a cast circle)
You should start with what you want to accomplish. What is your intent?
Hold your cord and meditate on the meaning behind your spell. When you have a clear focus on what it is you want tie the knots in the following order. This is called a traditional nine knot spell, and is only one of many tying possibilities. (The x indicates a knot and the – is the string.)
–x—————————————————-
“By knot of one the spells begun.”
mystic knot, one of the eight Buddhist symbols of a happy omen
–x————————————————-x–
“By knot of two, it cometh true.”
–x————————-x———————–x–
“By knot of three, so shall it be.”
–x————x————x———————–x–
“By knot of four, the opened door.”
–x————x————x————x———-x–
“By knot of five the spell is alive.”
–x——x—–x————x————x———-x–
Click me to learn how to tie this knot!
“By knot of six, the spell is fix’d.”
–x——x—–x————x————x—–x—-x–
“By knot of seven, of Earth and Heaven.”
–x——x—–x——x—–x————x—–x—-x–
“By knot of eight, the stroke of fate.”
–x——x—–x——x—–x——x—–x—–x—-x–
“By knot of nine, the thing is mine.”
Make sure when tying the knots that if you plan on untying them later that you don’t tie them too tight. Also, as you tie them charge each one with the energy of what you are trying to accomplish.
If it is a spell for good, growth, or enhancement you want to untie, in backwards order, a knot every 24 hours after you cast the spell. By the time you reach the final knot your goal should be accomplished. This will release those positive energies out into the world guided like a missile with your intent as rocket fuel. I like to do simple visualizations of releasing colored energy out around me when I untie knots. I really like doing growth/enhancement spells with knot magick because for nine days while I untie the knots it gives me something to think about and meditate on every day. It becomes a good reminder of the purpose I was trying to fulfill when I cast the spell.
It is very important that if you are doing Magick to banish something like a bad habit or bind something that you do not keep the cord around you after your spell is done. Bury it away from you or burn it after your ritual. It should be thought of as poison with each individual knot having sucked up the bad energy. I can’t stress enough how powerful this object will be and if you keep it around how it will amplify what you were trying to get rid of or bind.
For more spell ideas visit sacredspiral.com and Eliza Yetter’s post on Knot Spells.
Ritual
Knot and cord magick can be an invaluable ritual tool to store and release energy. During each ritual you can charge the cord with energy and store it to release at a more appropriate time or if you are doing ritual with multiple people charge the cord and then use it like a laser beam to focus the energy when you release it. Many covens and groups have a cord present at each ritual to store energy for those times when the group’s reserves are low or use it as another barrier of protection.
Celtic Knotwork
The use of interlaced knot work as decoration can be found in many cultures that pre-date Celtic design motifs. The earliest example of this being roman architecture around the 3 and 4th centuries AD. It is not known for certain when the Celts started their use of knot work design, called plait work, but it is believed that the practice of broken and reconnected plait work spread from northern Italy and the southern Gaul area by the 7th century.
Much of the popularity of Celtic knot work design we owe to the reconstructionists of the 18th century, who as a conscious effort began to re-establish this type of design with Ireland and Modern Celts.
According to George Bain, a 20th century Scottish Celtic art professor, Celtic knots that have aclosed path, (no end or beginning), are considered to be a symbol of eternity, or represent the infinite. Those with open paths are said to signify a journey (both physical and otherwise).
Magickally Celtic knot work can be use like a labyrinth to aide in meditation. Many Celtic knot work designs can be tied with cord as well, making it possible to create amulets or do Knot Magick through weaving.
Fusion Knotwork
Fusion knots are amazing works of art that can dazzle the eye and stir the soul. I never realized, until I got deeper into knot tying, that most Celtic designs can actually be tied with cord or rope. I really find this form of knot tying very closely related to weaving. These knots take time to tie and lend themselves well to old weaving songs or chants. They are a good way to clear the mind and meditate almost like you were tying a labyrinth.
The best resource I can give for Fusion Knots is www.fusionknots.com and Tying it All Together from Youtube. Both were created by J.D. Lenzen who has been formally recognized by the International Guild of Knot Tyers (IGKT) for his contributions to knotting, and is the originator of Fusion Knotting–innovative knots created through the merging of different knot elements or knotting techniques.
Below is only on example of the over 100 videos J.D. posts on his Youtube channel. If you find this interesting please visit his website.
I hope you enjoyed the post and found it informative. Thanks for your support and if you liked this post spread the word about my blog. All the kind words and emails keep me moving forward to post new content.
Obvious as it may seem I did in fact take a hiatus from this small corner of the internet. Every year about this time, March – July, my brain and creativity always seem to just shut down. This year I decided to take some time and dwell in it. I usually try and fight it and stay active and “pound” out whatever projects I have going on in life, but this year I tried something else. I just went with it. You know, I feel a lot better than I usually do this time of year and mentally feel pretty refreshed.
Whats been going on?
I have been really fortunate the past few months. The business that I run was not doing very well, but it gave me ample free time and the opportunity to get both in and out of a funk. In many ways that contributed to the funk, but at some point I had to remind myself that I have never run out of money. I had to remind myself that the Fates have always provided me with ways to take care of myself financially. I just had to take charge of it all and notice the signs. I also owe a huge debt of gratitude to my wife who worked her tail off everyday to get us through the rough patches.
I did have the opportunity to semi-host a panel of Men on the podcast “Shhh! There are Pagans in Texas.” The topic for the panel was men in paganism. It was terribly interesting panel because of all of the different parts of the community we had represented. On the panel were three High Priests and myself. All fairly active in the community and readily voicing their opinions about the current and past state of the Role of Men in paganism today. Since I was the only non-High Priest and the youngest of the group I took it upon myself to write out the questions, or topics, for the panel to speak about. It was a great experience all around and I’ll let you readers know when it posts over at Shh! There are Pagans in Texas.
Image via Wikipedia
I also got off my ass, finished my “Major” for the year, did my required Art project, and asked for Initiation into my Coven. To explain a bit more, last year my High Priestess had the coven choose a Major of sorts. Some topic or area of Paganism, Wicca, or Witchcraft to put focus into over the course of the year. I chose Knot Magick. I chose it because it was the first magick I had ever done with result, and what really open my eyes to the possibility of magick. I explored it a lot over the last year and learn some valuable lessons. My next post to this blog will be over Knot Magick so I can share with you wonderful readers what it is and how to go about safely doing it. Interestingly enough this year I decided to focus on Music Magick. Which I really have to thank this blog for the direction. It was a comment on an older post where someone asked me if I had any musical correspondences. It opened a door and I am going to spend the next year exploring exactly what is on the other side of that door.
Not my mask, but very cool
As far as initiation is concerned, one of our requirements is the create a piece of art that represents our connection with deity. It took me forever to find the right materials for my project but after I got what I wanted it inspiration struck me hard. I ended up making a mask out of bark, moss, fake leaves and vines, and feather. The creation of it was truly inspired and I am very happy with the result. I will however save the story and go into great detail in a future post with pictures and what not. After the experience I can really appreciate our High Priestess giving us the requirement. It is certainly something I will do if I ever have a coven of my own.
Last but not least I started a Jazz Combo Band. I always said I would never start my own band, but I really needed the creative output and so I put out an ad on Craigslist and started putting a band together. I don’t have any music samples yet but might soon. So stay tuned!
So recently I was checking out some postings of fellow pagan bloggers and read over on Saga Parva that the author, Artista Oscura, was looking for some suggestions on house blessing charms. I thought it would be an awesome blog post to put out there and give me a chance to share with my readers a house blessing along with two charms I have in my house. If you have the chance check out Saga Parva, I find Artista Oscura’s writings interesting.
So you got yourself a new pad? Moving feels good doesn’t it? For me it is like a fresh start in a new space. New rooms, new energy, new possibilities. I find it extremely important to protect the things that we love so much. Not only should this include warding the space to protect against unwanted energy and visitors but also to allow the things we do want in our lives passage into our space. This can be as simple or complicated as you really feel is necessary. It really doesn’t have to be much more than sending out positive energy and asking the gods to watch over the space. If that is what feels right, then it is. Personally I enjoy ritual and like finding corresponding elements and items to attract those things which I want in life, and banish or bar the things that I don’t like. So I’ll describe one way of going about this.
Things you’ll need:
Smudge Stick – usually made of sage but I’ve seen other made from various other grassy herbs. This will be used to purify the space.
Small cauldron filled with a mixture of appropriate herbs, incense, or a salt and alcohol mixture.
Care – please be VERY careful when handling anything that is on fire. Have an extinguisher handy just in case.
Start at the entry inside your new home and light the smudge stick and herbs/salt. Walk clockwise around the perimeter inside your home and while doing this put out energy of the things you want to attract to your space. This should be things like peace, love, understanding, consistent flow of money, happiness, and the like.
To explain, the smudge stick purifies the surroundings with the element of air and fire, as well as helps get the participants into a better state of mind. I know that whenever I smell burning sage I find getting to an alpha state is much easier. The herb or salt mixture purify with water (the cauldron) and earth. This could also be done with salted water but I just know that my cute little dog would probably just find those spots and try to re mark them… *sigh*. We travel clockwise because not only are we purifying the space but also projecting into it new energy. If we were banishing something we knew was in the space that might be different.
When you arrive at a window you should pass your tools counter clockwise around the window and imagine barring out the things that you do not want in your home. I also find that if before hand you come up with a simple symbol or sigil you can draw it into the air in front the window as well.
When you arrive at a door you should pass your tools counter clockwise but avoid barring it like the windows. Instead maybe saying a few words about protecting you from harm and granting passage to good. Symbols and sigils are also appropriate here.
After you have traveled the perimeter follow the ritual with a nice meal while leaving the herbs/salt in a central location. If you have a fireplace, it would make a good place for this as the cauldron will eventually heat up and become very hot. Leave some food and drink from the meal to offer up as a sacrifice.
After the ritual:
There is a world of things one can do with charms to keep one’s house and space safe and magickal after the house cleansing. Satchels, poppits, and small bags full of purpose appropriate dried herbs make a great way to attract good things into your home. Also creating a Sigil that is unique to your home could be useful as well. It would be almost like giving you new space a name and purpose. You could then paint or draw it and then frame it for your new walls.
I have two things that I leave out consistently leave out that would fall under the charm category. Neither were made by me, but by other members of my coven as an herbal gift. The first is a small bottle filled with an herbal concoction to attract a steady flow of money into the house. This was done by adding herbs to a pot of water and basically making a tea then bottling the result and charging it with energy and purpose. Every now and again I will grab it and charge it more just to reinforce its properties. Otherwise I keep it perched in a window sill so sun light can reflect through it. The second is a protection satchel with various herbs and stones inside. This smells amazing and currently I keep it in a drawer with my most often used magickal things like my tarot cards and BoS.
Hopefully this might inspire some of my readers to create something for their home. Feel free to share what charms you have in your home.
Texas. Texas is a funny place when it comes to winter time and colder weather. With less than 2 inches of snow/wintery mix on the ground schools and businesses and life in general have closed down for the entire week. It is funny that just a few weeks ago my wife and I were talking about how we wish life were a little slower moving. Well it looks like we got our wish. Indoors for the last few days, not counting the daily walks with the dog or trip to a nearby grocery store, we have settled in to madness quite nicely. Personally I prefer the short cool winters over the blazing hot never ending summer, but when the temp hovers in the teens and lower it really starts to get to me. I remember growing up we had a quarter basket ball court in our back yard and every time the weather would threaten to snow or freeze we would go out late at night and spray it down with water. It was our hope that a few Texas boys would be able to enjoy not only a day off from school but that we could have a home made hockey rink by morning. The next day we would put on our warmest clothes, or actually just more of our everyday clothes, and head out to the back yard. With gardening tools for hockey sticks and a tennis ball as a puck we would awkwardly slip around pretending to play hockey with the pros. Only now am I old enough to realize this probably scared the hell out of our mother. I can see her standing in the kitchen window looking out at the wintery scene and all of us falling down on the iced over concrete like a bunch of new born baby dear. Now however I take the weatherman’s advice to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary. I did get two new mandolin books via mail right before the weather turned south, and have been enjoying sleeping late and taking long hot showers. I wish I could count on the power to keep me entertained but the power company has been “balancing the system load” with rolling blackouts. Thats right folks, in Texas they have to start turning off your power if it stays in the teens for more than a day. With Imbolc here and March right around the corner I glad to see the snow, but I won’t miss it when its gone.
I am happy to introduce to you my latest creation, a new tarot spread which I have named “The Road Less Traveled”. I will have it posted in the Tarot section along with a reading soon for myself using it for examples sake. So here is the background on it… Being self employed with no boss or set in stone schedule can be tough from time to time. Lately I have found it difficult to find the motivation to pick myself up and go into the office to get some real work done. I do have the luxury of working from home but I am never as productive when I do that. I really needed motivation and was having a hard time finding it on my own so I turned to the Tarot. Over a couple of weeks I started to think of a creative solution to find that motivation, or rather a way to explore the benefits to putting in a little extra hard work to get the job done. What came out of that was this spread.
1: This card represents your current situation. You may be just starting the journey or may be well on the way to your destination but this describes the state of things.
2: This card represents how you arrived at your current situation or what “crosses” or affects the current situation.
3: This card represents your destination. What is waiting for you when your goal is complete. If you know what the goal is this card with tell us about it, if you are not sure about the destination this card offers a possible end and may reveal a goal you haven’t thought of yet.
4: This card is the easy way or path of least resistance. It might very well lead to your original goal, but what of it effects? Is the short cut always worth making up the time to an outcome?
5: This card is the road less traveled. Is it full of heartache and hardships, or does it offer an rich experience more important than getting to the end of your journey? I turned this card sideways to represent the fact that its harder to traverse and sometimes out of the way.
From using this spread I have seen some interesting insight. Ultimately I am finding that inspiration I need to self motivate. It has acted as a good reminder that it may be more effort and harder work to get to the same result but that I am better off and that sometimes I should focus on the how and not the what.
Well here it is, my first post of the new year. What a weird year it has been. This time last year I had just started this blog. I wanted a blog because it was part of an affirmation to actually be pagan. You see about this time last year my wife and I decided that we really wanted to share this religious thing with one another. We had tried a few times in the past but had never really found a way to break that wall and let each other in. The solution was to find a coven. That way we could fulfill a lot of the goals that we shared; make pagan friends, be more pagan, and share rituals with one another amongst other things. We also both started blogs. For me it has been a place to collect some thoughts. I wanted to put some things out there into the unknown and share my journey. Romantically it was maybe the hope that there were other people out there, like me, looking for a wiccan friend. Maybe that is vain for me to think that way. Now, here we are one year later. Its time to reflect on the journey.
What have learned about blogging:
If you have never done it before, there is a hurdle to overcome.
Regular time has to be set aside for research and writing.
An idea about what you want to accomplish with the blog is a must.
Don’t expect people to read what you write.
It is ok to write how you talk and keep things real. Personality trumps grammar.
If you want more readers, blog about the shallow things like tv and movies.
Don’t expect people to respond to what you write.
If you have a theme, stick to it.
Content can be hard to come up with.
Time when you have too much content to write can be hard to come up with.
I suppose I could go on and on. I had never seriously kept a blog before. I remember having a live journal back when LJ was new and cool. It was so 2000. I never said much on it, but check it out if you like. Whined a little, but never cared much to really say anything important on it. It is funny looking back on it now like some kind of Time Capsule. After 37 post last year I have come to some conclusions about this blog/site.
Looking Forward:
I really like some of the posts I did last year. I think that I should remember to post some of the more mundane stuff. While working on larger projects I should check in and post some nice random tid bits.
I want to empty my drafts box. It is where I store all my ideas for new post. I need to go through those topics and just empty them out.
I really want to post more music. I am fortunate to have something that I am really good at, and I should share that.
I have notice the the #1 way people find my site is by searching for Tarot. I should really develop that section of the site more.
Overall I really like the fact this is more of a Blog, but a compendium of different things like the Music section and the Book of Shadows. I am committed to that format moving forward as it gives me multiple ways of reaching out when I get bored.
You are few but I appreciate knowing that there is a handful of people out there interested in what I have to say. What would you guys like to see more of? Random everyday bloggy kind of stuff, more witchy things, tarot, just name it and I’ll keep it in mind.
Mesopotamia onwards. Reference to knots and knot magick is also found in all the religions of the world.
Wiccan Friend 