K is for Kabbalah

Kabbalah (aka Cabala or Qabala) according to the Llewellyn encyclopedia is "A mystical system which forms the mystical underpinnings for the three major Western religions as well as for modern Ceremonial Magick. The word is transliterated Hebrew, and is spelled in English in various ways...a complete system of knowledge about all the dimensions of the universe and of the human psyche organized into "the Tree of Life" diagram showing the inner construction and the connections between levels and forms of consciousness, energy, and matter. It provides a resource for understanding and applying the principles of Magick, for understanding the dynamics of the psyche, and for interpreting human history and action. The present-day Tarot specifically relates to the Tree of Life."

That's a lot to wrap my head around >.<

To me, Kabbalah is a spiritual belief system and practice that stems from Judaism.
I had never had an interest in Kabbalah until I ran into the book Simple Kabbalah by Kim Zetter. I read it all in one day while vacationing at the lake house and it got my head spinning. If I someone had explained this stuff to me when I was younger in the way that Zetter did in this book I would have probably stayed in church.

The best lesson I've received so far was from that book and it was the Kabbalistic break down of the very first verse of the Bible Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."
This verse took a few chapters to break down, just to give you an idea of the in-depth outlook on the Bible these scholars have. I don't want to copy all of the chapters here but I will say that in the end the true translation should read "In the mind, God created God and the alphabet of the heavens and the alphabet of the Earth." Don't have a clue as to what that means? Read her book - its enlightening.

Ever since reading that book, I have had a further interest in Kabbalah. I'd love to have a set of books called the Kabbalistic Bible, specifically Genesis and Revelations (which notably are the most studied books of the Bible where Kabbalah is concerned).

Looking back at this post, it's not very detailed on the subject but the said subject is so vast and detailed it's hard to put it all in one lil blog post. My suggestion is if this sounds like something you're interested in, learn more either online or through one of the books I've mentioned.

Mayan Astrology

I was so impressed by the Mayan Astrology Reading I just received and read for myself, my husband and my mom-in-law today I just had to share the website with you, Dear Reader!

Simply log in, click on the "Dreamspell Calculator" - this will open a pop-up window so make sure your pop-up blocker allows it - and put your birthday in the calculator. The pop-up will give you your zodiac and a little tidbit about it.
With that information go back to the previous page and look up the zodiac on the listings given and read the further information provided there.

Why do I like the Mayan Astrology?
It seems like most astrology such as the Eastern Zodiac and Chinese Zodiac focuses on your personality while the Mayan focuses on your LIFE PATH!

I'll go ahead and share some of my own astrology reading here:

I am

White Cosmic World-bringer

I endure in order to equalize

Transcending opportunity

I seal the store of death

With the cosmic tone of presence

I am guided by the power of heart

In this life-time you are being asked to release and surrender. Surrender is the opposite of giving up. It is freeing yourself from the desire to be in control, letting go of how you think things should be. Surrender is freedom. You are being invited to release yourself from the bondage of preconceived action, to let everything be all right as it is, so that you can live a more inspired life in the moment!

You are being asked to take action in the process of surrender and release. You are requested to die a symbolic death, to surrender your limiting beliefs. Symbolic death unveils the self by cutting away the outgrown parts of yourself that no longer serve you. In such death, ego structures fall away to reveal the garden of the true self.

White Dog is your Higher Self & Guide.

One of the gifts of White Dog is the calling in and recognition of other companions of destiny. 

White Dog can be seen as an access point for developing relationships with guides, totems, allies and guardians. There are many ways to work with these spiritual guides, including guided visualizations, shamanic journeys, and meditation. A useful construct is viewing them as aspects of yourself, part of your life stream that is asking to be integrated. Remember, there is no 'other'. In this grand adventure, you are being asked to embody all that you are.

Profound insights are garnered through shared purpose and relationship with others who are willing to be in their truth and integrity about the light and shadow aspects they perceive in themselves.

White Dog signals a breakthrough in your life: new beginnings, new perceptions, new allies and friends. As you express more authentically who you are, you draw your true family closer to you.With your guides and companions, you have the ability to manifest your inspired visions and dreams. Recognize the eyes and hearts that spark the remembrance of a sacred trust.

The Harmonic Wisdom of White Dog is affinity, the attraction of like vibrations or substances for one another.

Blue Eagle is your Subconscious Self and Hidden Helper.

Blue Eagle reminds you to step powerfully into your commitment as a planetary server! Your assignment includes whatever furthers your personal evolution and the evolution of global mind. You are an awakener, a transformer, an empowered gloal visionary. In your vision, you have compassion for others, and your decisions are made in the light of global consciousness.

Imagine the profound impact your loving thoughts have on planetary mind. You do make a difference! As you connect individually with the larger crystal grid network, your power is multiplied exponentially. This galactic grid is also known as the Mayan cobweb.

The greatest gift you can offer to the planet is to simply be the love.

Yellow Warrior represents your Challenge and Gift. 

With maturity and awareness this challenge will turn into a Focus. This is what you desire to learn in this lifetime.

A major shadow of Yellow Warrior is a lack of trust in your inner voice. Oftentimes, in listening for the roar of a lion, you may not perceive the more subtle messages given by Spirit. Divine communication directs transformations on a cellular level, outside the realm of cognition. Self-doubt and fear are blocks to such trust. By creating electrochemical charges and holographic residue in your system, they can block access to cosmic communication. Your true self is always in direct contact with cosmic consciousness. Trust in your ability to receive clear inner teaching.

You know when something rings true and when it does not.

Attune yourself to the vibration of love, and your clear intent will attract the cosmic consciousness you seek.

Red Skywalker is your Compliment - something that comes naturally to you.

Red Skywalker is the skywalker, the time/space traveller who can jump dimensions to assist you in realizing heaven on Earth. RS is unlimited in form but often chooses the form of the angelic messenger.

(I wanted to share that Damon's Mayan Zodiac is the Red Overtone Skywalker and his compliment is the White World-bringer - strange that this is the only astrology reading that puts us together as complimentary instead of being conflicting opposites)

Your Tone is Tone 13 - Cosmic

Wild card, unseen forces, unexpected change, open system, touch of destiny, interdimensional shift.

Thirteen is the ray of universal movement, the foundation of self within the foundation of Essence Self combined with the rhythm of the trinity. The Cosmic Tone of 13 touches you with the hand of unseen forces and radical change. It will catalyze into movement whatever resists change or is unexamined or stationary. You are being touched by fate, moved through identifications of self into open consciousness.

Olin, the Mayan goddess of movement, asks you to surrender to the perfection of the larger pattern of your Essence Self. From the perspective of surrender and trust, what movement is being called for? Pay attention to synchronicities and seeming coincidences that jump into your awareness. Thirteen provides the possibility of a radical "frequency shift," offering you limitless new openings.

Become a skywalker.

Be open and flexible, allowing changing reference points to become dynamic allies. Open to the workings of destiny offered by universal movement.

I hope my reading inspires you to find your own Mayan zodiac and learn how it can aid your Life Path. 

Love and Light,

Dawn

Attunements

There has been a lot of talk in many metaphysical circles lately about ATTUNEMENTS -

Witches, Lightworkers, Sorcerors, Buddhists and more are offering so many attunements today from Reiki 1 2 and 3 to Dolphin Healing Ray.
There is just so much out there that we have to consider what is real for us and what belongs in our sphere of reality; what we need to help us on our path in life.

First - What is an Attunement?
Attunement: (attune) adjust or accustom to; bring into harmony with
An attunement, in the metaphysical sense, is to bring a certain energy into yourself from your higher self, from the Universe, or even another metaphysician (this last one is usually also from the Universe but it simply an energy they have uniquely tapped into)

Many, I'd say most, attunements are based on a template set by Reiki, founded by Mikao Usui. At each stage of Reiki mastery the practitioner is attuned with certain energies and symbols they will use to heal and teach Reiki for the benefit of themselves and people around them.

Other forms of Reiki later came into being such as Kundalini Reiki, which uses the Kundalini energy that rises up from the Base Chakra through all the Chakras to erupt through the Crown Chakra. Another form is Dragon Reiki created by the Order of the Drakontas, which adds a new Blue Dragon symbol to the traditional Reiki symbols.

Then more and more attunements came out and are offered for different levels of magic workers at different price ranges from free to hundreds of dollars.

I will say that before you decide to obtain an attunement, free or otherwise, be sure to check wiht your higher self, your guides, by dowsing or meditation or whatever that this is something that will AID your LIFEPATH. Always question whether it is beneficial.

Love and Light,
Dawn

Earth Day: Take Action

This month is Earth Day - April 22
Get started today by Taking Action! The Earth Day Network has tons of examples including ways to donate and share the word. Celebrating our beautiful planet and Mother Nature shouldn't just happen 1 day a year, but every day!

G is for Ganesh

I'm 5 days early as far as the Pagan Blog Project prompting is concerned but I'm in the middle of a big move so I'd rather be early than super late...

Ganesh (aka Ganesha or Ganesa, Ganapati, Vinayaka, Pillaiyar) is one of my Patron deities and is one I go to whenever I have a goal I want to achieve of a change that I desire in my life. He is known as the Lord of Beginnings or Lord of Obstacles.

Ganesh is the son of Shiva and Parvati. He is depicted as having the head of an elephant, which sets him apart from the other Hindu gods. How he obtained the elephant head is up for debate as it seems each story of his conception has a different way of explaining it. Some say he was born with it, some say he was born with a human head that disintegrated due to the evil eye or was cut off. Some stories and depictions even show him with multiple elephant heads. Either way, he obtained the elephant head and it, along with his big belly are very distinctive.
Ganesh is shown in many poses. Sometimes he is with his family, other times alone. He is shown standing, dancing, fighting demons, reclining, playing, sitting, elevated, holding a number of objects to show his many aspects, etc. So many depictions and views reflect the fact that Ganesh is one of the most recognizable and widely worshiped deities in the world.

I was first introduced to Ganesh by my dear friend Edward. He suggested I do a mantra to Ganesh 108 times a day for 108 days with a specific goal in mind. I did so and counted the days. To aid my mantra I used a string of rose beads I had bought at an antique store months before that had 110 beads exactly on it. These became my prayer beads.
108 days later of continuous mantras - my goal came through. Not only did it work automatically, Ganesh became an important symbol and figure in my life and I now go to him for any goal and new path I want to take.


I later had a dream of Ganesh. He was truly so large I could not comprehend him. His size was not all that was large about him, his very presence would bowl you over. It was one of the most intense and realistic dreams I ever had. He was golden in color and such a happy, mellow vibe came off of him. I'll remember the dream for as long as I live.


Ganesh Mantra Videos

Traditional Ganesh mantra with beautiful video by Sonu Nigam


Techno mantra (my favorite)

Celtic Symbols in Magic

If you follow a Celtic Pagan Tradition or are looking to get in touch with your Irish roots for St. Paddy's tomorrow, I thought I would share a list of Celtic Symbols and their meanings that can be used in magic. Most of these involve a braided knot work. If you've the skill to recreate these designs I consider you a very gifted person (because I cant >.<).

Celtic Oval: Throughout Ancient Europe, the oval symbolized eternity and unending love.

Celtic Heart: Traditional symbol of love, desire and courage.

Celtic Square: A Scottish design that is part of the traditional Celtic love knot.

Celtic Round: The outer circle symbolizes the sun while the knots represent the elements.

Celtic Four: Represents friendships or love between 2 people who are separate yet together.

Love Knot: Two entwined hearts that represent the eternal union of 2 souls.

Trinity: Power three-sided figure can represent Father, Son and Holy Ghost by Christian Tradition, Maiden Mother and Crone by Pagan, or simply body, mind and spirit.

My all time favorite Celtic symbol is the Claddagh, which represents a heart for love, hands for friendship and a crown for loyalty. When offering a claddagh ring to the one you love it was once customary to say, "I give you my heart, crowned with my love." My husband gave me a claddagh wedding band and we used that saying instead of "With this ring, I thee wed" at our wedding.

Pagan Living

I found Pagan Living and was pleasantly surprised by the free magazine's organization and the number of articles available that I sincerely enjoyed. I'm a subscriber now and wanted to recommend it to you all as well.

It was available monthly but the owner, Tenae, decided to push it to a quarterly magazine in order to provide more quality while giving herself time to work on other projects such as her blog. I think this is a great idea.

The current issue includes information about Ostara and Beltane including some great recipes and gift ideas. I loved the article about Lavender, it's my favorite herb and perfect for magickal and mundane use.

Pagan Blog Prompts: Magical Herbs

Pagan Blog Prompts asks Do you use herbs in your magickal practice? Do you grow them or purchase them from someone else?

Yes I do use herbs in my practice. I make balms and salves for healing, bath products for beauty, healing, prosperity and more.
I wildcraft, grow and purchase my herbs.

Wildcrafting herbs is something I only recommend if you are 110% positive the herb you are gathering in the wild is one you are familiar with. Also, do not over-harvest an area. I tend to only harvest a very small amount of any herb (usually violets, violas (Johnny Jump-ups)) unless circumstances note otherwise (wild dandelions, clover and plantain are herbs I'm not overly worried about over harvesting as they grow plentifully in my area).

Herbs I've grown include roses, basil and mint.
I use roses a lot in my magickal and mundane practices.

When purchasing herbs I tend to stick to farmers markets and organic markets (Like Good Foods Coop, Earth Fare and Fresh Market) and go to main stream grocery stores only if necessary.

Totem Animals

Alright, so this blog might be a little vague and a little lengthy...there's my warning.

The Pagan Blog Prompt was about totem animals and what they have taught you...wow, what a subject. Whole books are written about these things.
-takes a deep breath-

My main spirit guide and totem animal is a dragon. He is very hard to describe but HUGE is an understatement. When I see him in my mind's eye I feel as small as the pupil of his eye. I know that his neck is longish and slender enough for me to ride upon the nape of his neck and press my hands against the back of his head.
I do not know his name...I don't think I can pronounce it in human tongue. It starts with an Akh.

Akh came to me when I was 13 years old and needed some help physically, spiritually, emotionally. I was under attack for the first time in my life by another witch, a boy who had been studying for a couple of years longer than myself and decided to attack me when I made it very clear I had no intention of working with him or dating him.
I had no one to turn to who would not think I was crazy and I kept having dreams that he would turn into this great naga (man snake) and wrap me in his tail and crush me to death.
Then, one evening I curled up in a ball on my bed and I began to pray to whoever would listen. "Please protect me, please." The prayer slowly began to change in my head, like the words were twisting themselves without my help. Suddenly I was chanting, and I sadly never wrote this chant down nor did I ever use it after that night, so I can't share it with you but it had something about Great Dragon, wings of night then rhymed with flight and might...eh -shrugs-.

That night I had no nightmares. Instead I dreamt I was sleeping against a wall of scaled muscle, perfectly safe and warm. This went on for a week and slowly I noticed the guy who was attacking me looking very, very tired. I never asked him about what happened, but he did call me one night when a mutual friend of ours was in a car accident and in the hospital. We talked for a bit but it was very strained and unnaturally polite on his part.

As for me and Akh. I saw him more and more. Soon I was able to make out the coloring of his great body (all grey and blue and black and purple). His astral realm is dark mostly and when he shows me things its like water reflecting images.

Akh was there for me when I went to the Coptic Conference and Dick Sutfen lead us to meditate and foresee the year 2012. He protected me and assured me that I was safe even though some of the things I saw were frightening.

Something I noticed about dragons, talking to others who have them as guides, is that they sleep for long periods of time. Sometimes months, sometimes years. I always know when he's sleeping and when he is awake. When he is awake I only have to close my eyes and he's there. Even though he is large its like I can feel him inside of me, wrapped around my spine, resting in my heart, throat and third eye chakras.

Damon has met my dragon before. He was astral projecting while I slept and he said it was like a great wall of scales and then it moved and looked at him. He told Damon his name...but he too only received an Akh sound, leaving me to believe we cannot pronounce it. He said that even though the Dragon know he wouldn't hurt me, he was still protective of me while I slept and wouldn't let Damon peek in on me while unconscious.

The only other person to talk to me about my dragon was a man I worked with for a little while named Michael. He said he knew a few others with Dragon guides but few that were as big and strong as Akh. That he had once had a vision about dragons and the relaying message was that come 2012 there will be 9 and 1. Not 10 but 9 and 1. He said he normally didn't tell people about that because he didn't really know what it meant but felt that I should know and that it should mean something to me.
Strangely enough I didn't think about pagan things when I heard it but was reminded of a verse from the Bible,  Revelations about the 10 horns on the head of the beast with the little horn in the middle. It was the first thing that came to mind and still makes me curious. I'd love to know if anyone else has any clue about this from a prophetic or intellectual (and non-evangelical) standpoint.

Other than that, Akh is always with me. I feel him now even as I type. He doesn't seem to care much that I talk about him, heh.

Diet and the Psyche

Happy New Year!

So I'm on Day 1 of my New Years Resolutions to release weight, live healthier and change my eating habits.
The First three days I will be fasting on liquids and give myself my very first enema (I know, TMI).

I had planned on walking today but it rained so I'm reading The Secret Life of Plants, the text book for the Herbalism certification I'm doing.

I posted on my fitness blog (warning, the reason I separated this blog is because it correlates with my BDSM lifestyle, so, if You're not comfortable with me talking freely about my sexuality...you may want to veer away from reading this blog or the one corresponding to the screen name) Slave Girl Figure, about something I read in this text about how one scientist believes that diet effects psychic research and how one rich in veggies, fruit and nuts is perfect for psychic findings.
See this post HERE

I look forward to seeing how my diet changes effect my spirituality and was wondering,
those of you who are vegetarian, vegan or raw vegan, how has that effected your spiritual and magickal practices?

31 Days of Samhain: an over view 11-18

Since I've missed 13 days of the 31 Days of Samhain fun posted by Salem Witch Child...I'll do an overview of some of the posts in the next few blog posts. I don't have kids, so I wont be doing the posts regarding them and I don't put my cat in costumes so I'm skipping Day 15 as well...
That leaves...

Day 11: What's your favorite recipe for Samhain Dinner?
Pumpkin pie of course but there are a few other pumpkin recipes I would like to try and share, most are from
www.PumpkinRecipes.org including
Pumpkin Curry
Pumpkin Stuffed with sausage - I would use a sweet and spicy sausage for this, preferably one that was apple smoked...mmm

And this recipe is not form that website: Pumpkin Risotto


Day 12: How do you celebrate Samhain/Halloween?

I normally go to a party or a club night thats local (there's usually one in Knoxville, TN that has a good goth crowd for Halloween). This year I'm hosting a birthday party for a friend of mine in Halloween style - a Witch's Tea Party ^_^ I'll also be making the cake

For the Samhain part of that, I celebrate alone. I normally set up a small altar, thank my ancestors, specifically my Aunt Venus and my great-grandmother Bertha and my grandfather Walter.
I ask for guidance form the Crone, my patron, and do some divination for the coming year.


Day 13: Favorite Halloween Movie

Oooo...thats tough as I am a major horror movie fan...
I suppose i would choose Nightmare on Elm Street (original), Pet Cemetery 2, Salem's Lot, Dracula...yea i can't pick one...sorry

Day 14: Favorite Costumes for Adults:

I will say I love group costumes

Day 17: What's your favorite scary monster?

Day 18: What God/dess do you invoke on Samhain?

The Crone. She is my patron deity and has been with me since birth. I dedicated my divination to her since i was 14, when she showed herself to me.

More to come in next post...

31 Days of Samhain: Day 8 (belated)

Day 8: What sorts of things do you put on your Samhain altar?

Sadly, my altars are usually pretty sparse and simple, so this post won't be all that elaborate.

For Samhain, I am usually alone in my celebration and will decorate either a blanket on the floor or a small table with black candles in candle holders, a small pumpkin, maybe some maple leaves, a pentacle, my athame, and a black bowl with water for scrying. Also available will be the ritual written out on parchment nearby for me to work off of.

Sorry for the simple and short post. In order to make this post a little more pleasing to read, I'll include some photos of beautiful Samhain altars I've found through a search engine.

Hunting and Magick

Its hunting season here in TN and my husband, as I type, is outside practicing shooting his bow. I was picking up a broken bow of the kitchen table earlier and thought, "This would make a decent wand." This led to many other ideas about how magick and hunting could easily be integrated.

A witch that hunts, or has loved ones that hunt, could do spells that vary from ensuring a kill to protecting the hunter to preventing bad weather.
While I haven't put that much thought into it, I did come up with what I feel are good ideas to integrate into hunting spells.

Use an arrow for a wand or athame.
Consider making camo print robes...could be cute if you go for that sort of thing, plus, they certainly call to the earthier side of magick.
Bless all the hunting clothes they will wear with both protection and health spells
Bless weapons with victory and protection (that they don't hit anyone else other than their intended target)
Blessing the kill after the hunt and giving thanks not only to the gods but also to the animal.

Gods and Goddesses of the Hunt that you can call upon in your spells include:

• Artemis or Diana (especially for bow hunting)
• Cernunnos (especially for deer hunting)
• Skadi (especially for winter hunts)
• Neith (Neit) (especially for bow hunting and Egyptian fans)
• Herne (especially for protection on the hunt or night hunts)
• Sarbanda (an assimilation of Ishtar)
• Horus is also said to be an Egyption God of the hunt

What are your ideas? Do you hunt? Do you use magick while hunting or preparing to hunt?

31 Days of Samhain: Day 5 (belated)

Day 5: A Short Biography of an Ancestor

My Aunt Venus aka Jodi was one of my favorite aunts. She was my grandfather's only sister and 1 of 8 children.
She never married and there have been many comments just in my lifetime about how she was called Jodi, rather than Venus, because she was not nearly as pretty as her namesake implied.
Though my aunt was not a beauty, she had a beautiful heart.

Aunt Jodi took care of my of her family from her grandparents to her brothers' grandbabies.
It was stated after she died that though she had no children of her own it seemed like she was the mother of many.

I am told I am very much like my aunt. We are both crafty women, making everything from our own jewelry to up-cycling clothes. We also shared a love of herbalism.
When I was sharing the recipe for the Essiac cure and speaking about Sheep's Sorrel, my mother commented on how Aunt Jodi would make the children go harvest sheep's sorrel for a cleansing tea.

I celebrated the life and blessed the after-life of my dearest aunt last Samhain, asking that she in turn bless me and my works as I follow in her footsteps of creation and healing. I will do so again this year.

BB
Dawn

31 Days of Samhain Day 3 (belated)

Day 3: What do I want to Teach people about Samhain?

That its not a commercialized party but a true religious holiday...

Remember in the movie, Hocus Pocus, where the boy was talking about how Halloween was created by the candy companies? Well, it seems that this is the accepted belief by many and is encouraged, sadly, by the chuches around me as they discourage people from going to parties and taking their children Trick or Treating. I hear most churches are doing "Harvest" celebrations at the church, which involve candy and food and a little bit of preaching for your immortal soul. It just makes me a lil sad.

And then theres this little anecdote:

I'm sitting at work earlier this week and learn that I get Monday off for Columbus Day...a day celebrating a person who did not do anything. He did not found the Americas, they were already found by Europeans, he did not even set food on American soil!.
I playfully asked, what were we supposed to do on this day, apologize to Native Americans?
Another pagan I work with asked if we got Halloween off.
Answer: No...we work overtime that Monday...
So we get off for a holiday celebrating someone who didn't really do anything to warrant celebration...but we don't get off for a holiday that is thousands of years old...has a religious background...and is actually celebrated?

I would like to teach people that Halloween isn't just some excuse to get candy, dress up and party. Its an actual religious celebration, the most important holiday for many.

Sorry for my rant, I try not to do many of those.

Pagan Prompts: Artwork (Body Art)

For the Pagan Prompt I thought I would do something a little different and share some Pagan Bodyart that I found appealing and inspiring:

I just love the coloring!

Very simple but beautiful

Gorgeous tree work

I just love this one, its like the YinYang gone Wiccan

I love the whimsy of this one, makes me want one similar to it

Personal Tarot Reading: Change in Job

So I've been offered a change of job today and I do have time to make the decision so I'm trying not to freak out. Thing is, the job I currently have, I don't really like BUT its stable and has insurance. The job I'm being offered I think I'll love BUT its not all that stable in that I depend on commission style work and doesn't offer health benefits. SO I did a tarot reading to guide me:

Card 1 Strength
Despite the challenges I have faced, I have the strength and courage to succeed. I have recovered from an ill relationship (with the person who offered me the job) and am ready and willing to move on.

Card 2 The Chariot
What I want most is to succeed and not give up the fight. I am assertive in most things and if I haven't yet gotten what I want I will soon.

Card 3 The Hierophant (could not find a picture)
I doubt my own counsel and seek the advice of others - even though they will tell me the same thing.

Card 4 The Fool (could not find an adequate picture)
A time of excitement and potential. In consideration of a change for a new job, take the leap and do not worry about the safety net.

Card 5 Temperance
Life will seem hectic and full of challenges, you will need to find the right perspective on things.

Card 6 Death (could not find picture)
Change and transformation - No matter how turbulent this time may be, endings always make way for new (and sometimes better) beginnings. It is time to make a fresh start!















So What do you all think? Should I throw caution to the wind like the Fool and go for the job I'll love or should I hold on to the stability of a job I'm unhappy with?

BB
Dawn

Happy October!

Its 52 degrees outside, fall leaves are whirling on the autumnal breeze, there's news of snow upon the mountains surrounding our little 'holler' of a neighborhood - we have a fire on the hearth crackling away and filling the house with the sedative aroma of wood smoke.

I spent the day canning a fall harvest of spiced pears and just tasted the literal fruit of my labors - delicious.

My astrology reading for the month says that I shall reach a spiritual awakening in the coming days and I look forward to it. Turns out I am not the only one...

Last night, Damon and I hooked up with some friends of ours (also a married couple, which is rare in our circle) and went to Perkins (a restaurant and bakery that is open 24 hours) where we had a waitress who shared similar faith paths (we recognized each other by kind and jewelry). It was a moon-blessed meeting as I learned that she also has her own business - we exchanged business networking and I obtained her personal contact information.

After dinner (the only downfall of which was that they did not have the Pumpkin muffins I was looking forward to), we went back to our friends' home where I processed to give them a tarot reading - as I am a little rusty on giving them to friends and family (which I find harder as I have to separate myself form them and any biases I may have).

In the reading of the husband, I learned that he too is on the brink of a spiritual awakening and growth - how blessed!

October is such an amazing month and I look forward to it all year for the harvest of the years many blessings (both physical and spiritual).

Divination Tools Etsy List

Divination is an aspect of the Craft that I am very drawn to and I love all the different ways witches have to scry and divine past, present, future, answers to questions, inner conflict, etc.
My favorite means of divination are via cards (Tarot and oracle), a bowl of water, or my black Rainbow Obsidian sphere. I also scry using fire either by candle light or at the hearth.

I would like to learn to read tea leaves at some point - a combination of two of my favorite things Tea drinking and Divination!

Playing around on Etsy I decided to make a treasury list of some very nice divination tools I've come across.

Here

Do you scry or divine? What is you're favorite way to scry? What have you used and what has worked or not worked for you?

Bad Economy Bloggery

So, I work in Short Sales, which means every day I go to the office, to my little cubicle, I log into a phone, sip my tea and I talk to people who are looking for alternatives to foreclosure. Sometimes  can help these people with short sale of their homes, other times I have to tell them, unfortunately, that they will lose their home and there is nothing to be done about it.
I work very hard at not getting trapped n the guilt and shame and anger that comes with this job and focus on trying my best to help people and moving on if I cannot.

That being said...there are a few Pagans on YouTube who have done videos in regards to foreclosure, bad economy, etc. I thought  would share a few here:

I love Madame Dubois and her Real Witches of Orange County Videos and she did a very genuine video about foreclosure here:



Mrs. Fiendish Bat has a few political, economical, talking videos on her channel but I wanted to share her Get a Job Spell for those of you interested in prosperity magick:



And of course a Witch Bottle ^_^