From Evernote:

Blog: Integration of Parts of Self Clipped from: http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usnj&c=words&id=14038

As as magick practitioner, Maggi Setti, writes a great article about integrating all the parts of the self when casting real spells. Enjoy!

Love & Peace! - Tater

Click here for Real Spells!

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Integration of Parts of Self

Author: Maggi Setti [a WitchVox Sponsor]
Posted: September 5th. 2010
Times Viewed: 496

One of the main goals of the practitioner is awareness, control, and integration of the different parts of self. Integration can awaken us; it can give us more fluid power, knowledge of ourselves, and stronger connection to the Divine.

There are several categories these can follow such as:

Reclaiming: Younger Self, Talking Self, and Higher Self
Feri: Sticky One, Shining Body, and Sacred Dove
Hebrew: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, Yechida
Servants of the Light: Physical, Mental, Emotional, Spiritual (planes of existence)
Elemental: Body, Mind, Heart, Soul, and Spirit.

Whatever the names or the exact system, all of these are focused on harmonizing and integrating, becoming aware, and living in a conscious, fluid, and healthy way. The balancing and healing of those parts allow one to reach further through the planes, live more successfully and healthily and evolve on our spiritual path.

Often one reads of awakening into magickal existence or full living. For me, I sought for many years on a hope, a dream, and a wish that there was something more. As my practice broadened and deepened, like a flower opening, existence did the same. There was so much more to be aware of, to learn, to celebrate, share, and work toward.

One thing I have struggled with is letting my conscious self let go in order to let my younger self and higher self take the reins. Last night I found some success with that endeavor. Through music, dancing, art making, journaling, and scrying I engaged the flow of life. The message bubbling up kept urging me "Let go, trust, have faith!"

I stand at the beginning, of a life of so much more engagement. All I have to do is refuse to shut myself off from it. Yes, it is scary. Yes I risk failure, and yet, if I listen to those other parts of me, there is no risk... for it cannot fail.

Even in the still, coldness of winter is life, turning and yearning within the seeds in the ground. Within the DNA deep within the seeds of promise, I look to the future and will walk into my birthright.

My subconscious has been screaming for me to listen, trust, and make change. I've made several large steps to try to turn around my personal boat to make change and head in new headings. It seems that my subconscious does not feel that the change is fast enough. Does it wish for me to dive out of the boat and swim within the waters of life itself? Quite possibly. Entrepreneurs, creative types, those that made big changes in their lives often get to a crisis moment where the status quo or small changes are no longer enough. What is the magick ingredient that makes the big risks worth it? That was the carpe diem call to arms urging me on for most of the night. Jump, dive, let go--go for it!!!

Last night, after a very full day of meetings, socializing, planning, kids, and a completed sewing project, I found myself not hungry, nor lonely, nor bored, but just weepy and generally hormonal. My partner and I had a good time, watching a movie, but mainly talking and spending time together doing nothing. We talked about my feelings a bit, and I had the space to just exist in the feeling without having fear of it taking over, nor really needing to do anything about it. As I let the feeling expand, I realized that the discomfort was from only allowing myself to feel within my physical flesh boundaries. I expanded the feeling a couple of layers out. It started to feel better. I opened up a channel of my chakras and ran the feeling through me and out. I wasn't dispelling or dismissing the feeling, but letting it flow. My hormone level increased, my awareness increased, I felt weepy, but then I also felt tapped in. Much of my problems lately had been from squeezing too much into too small of a space. I am more than my physical form.

This may seem obvious to metaphysical minded folks, but to know it in my head, but then transfer it into energetic practice were two different things. Much like I have allowed myself to be in ritual, I began, in a mundane space, to exist as my magickal self, integrated, connected, flowing, larger, more powerful.

This idea connected to something bothering me in my work life. People who know me personally see me as driven, assertive, and sometimes as a dominate personality or a hot head, and yet at work, I am seen as submissive, eager to please, easy going, and laid back. I feel shy often at work and in personal settings have felt less and less shy or inhibited. Like an insect that has to break open its skin to grow, I have been wearing armor that has been too tight, unyielding, and inflexible. Impervious yes, but not dynamic or adaptive.

Today, at first I still felt melancholy, but as I woke up and began to act in my world, I realized that indeed more of me was active and flowing. I remembered my a ritual experience I had last year in the Qabalistic sphere of Binah, and recalled holding the Pearl of my dreams for this lifetime. I had more time in the morning to accomplish things. I felt empowered to do what was needed in my day and less concerned with the inequities of my job environment or the world. With integration, we know that what that ache within us is saying is our true Will.

Grace. Ah, yes. I drove past a bald eagle and felt as if it was acknowledging me eye to eye. I felt no fear today, nor pain. The frustration of the year of challenges was finally starting to settle in. I was starting to master within myself new ways to approach and use my own energetic fields. The Empress, Strength, and Temperance.

There is an amazing thing about growth and the process of learning. It doesn't have to hurt or be uncomfortable. How often are we given advice by our elders, our loved ones, or even ourselves that we just don't know how to integrate and put into practice until we are ready? It seems so often that we are not ready for this act of integration until we have been exposed to the concept in several ways, hundreds of times, or over the years. I may never know what the catalyst is that finally precipitates into a new realization, but I have found that, thank the Gods I am learning faster and easier as time goes on.

http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usnj&c=words&id=14038 

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Footnotes:
Evolutionary Witchcraft by T. Thorn Coyle
Climbing the Tree Ritual by the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel

ABOUT... Maggi Setti Location: Ridgefield Park, New Jersey Website: http://lettinggoisflying.blogspot.com Author's Profile: To learn more about Maggi Setti - Click HERE Bio: Maggi Horseman has been studying for 10 years as a Celtic and Norse focused Witch. She is a Second Degree Initiate of the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel, a Wiccan Tradition, (www.sacredwheel.org) and is a member of one of its covens Chalice of Living Stars. She is mainly interested in the Celtic and Norse pantheons. She has relationships with Brigid, Herne, Freya, Odin, Artio (Celtic Artemis) , and the Morrigan, but is dedicated to none. Maggi’s interests range from qabala, tarot, astrology, aspecting, Thelema, faery, nature devas, kitchen witchery, herbalism and gardening, shadow work, sacred dreaming, martial arts and warriorship, women's mysteries and empowerment, and magickal painting. Maggi has a BA Degree in Fine Art and Anthropology from Salisbury University. She serves on the council of the Northern NJ Pagan Fellowship a networking, social, ritual, and training group. She is currently teaching and training for 3rd degree in the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel with hopes to start a new Assembly coven in northern New Jersey. Read more of Maggi’s poetry, prose, and commentary on her blog at https://lettinggoisflying.blogspot.com.

From Evernote:

Blog: For Shame - The Hanged Man Clipped from: http://78notes.blogspot.com/2009/01/for-shame-hanged-man.html

For those who are interested in Tarot. The following article by Ginny Hunt, gives a very good perspective (and some advice) on the meaning of the Hanged Man. Enjoy!

Love & Peace! - Tater

Click here for Real Spells!

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From the 78 Notes to Self: A Tarot Journal...

"Last night I stayed up late playing poker with Tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died." -Steven Wright

For Shame: The Hanged Man

Jan 18

This is one of my least liked tarot card trumps. I'm not sure it's anyone's favorite given its uncomfortable depiction of torture, but my main beef with this card is not only does it tell me that what I want requires a very long wait, but in the meantime I'm not going to be enjoying that wait. Unlike the Star that also depicts that my goal is afar off, this card says the intervening time is pretty much going to suck for me, though I will learn a lot from it. Bah. Take your life lesson and hang that from a tree, ok?

To even attempt to understand the meaning of this Major Arcana card, one really does need to get the historical perspective. Times have most certainly changed since the creation of Tarot and this card references something that people of the 1500's would have readily recognized that we in the 21st Century have no current context. Well, we do, but not in this manner. This picture of a man hung upside down by one foot is what was known in Italy as a pittura infamante, a defaming portrait. It was used as a kind of rag publication that showed thieves, traitors, those guilty of bankruptcy or fraud in this punishing position and displayed in centers of public view. Those paintings weren't literal, in that the depicted victims were not actually hung in this manner but were shamed by the portrait. They were akin to our political cartoons except that they were approved and even requested by the municipal civil authorities as a form of public punishment. They began to lose popularity when they began to be appreciated more as an art form, like the political cartoon, rather than be seen as a form of punishment. The intended effect, shame, was lessened, and the practice diminished.

But why use this particular positioning of the figure to shame someone? That answer can be found in even earlier paintings of a more religious nature. Religious art from the 13th through 15th centuries, before the creation of Tarot cards, show various scenes of the Last Judgement and the unrighteous receiving their eternal damnation. In many of these scenes one can see people dangling from their feet over the pit of Hell. In one particular fresco by Giovanni da Modena in the cathedral of San Petronio in Bologna, Italy there is a striking similarity in the figures shown hanging to the modern Hanged Man card. In this picture of a portion of the fresco, you can see the hanged men in the upper right corner and their positions, particularly with the hands bound in back and the leg crossed, mirror the tarot card image almost precisely. Given this painting predates the origin of Tarot, images such as this most definitely had to be the card's inspiration. Or at least the inspiriation for the pittura infamante, from which the tarot card image is likely derived. The inference of showing someone hanged in this position then would be that the person is deserving of hell.

Some have said the card is derived from the story of Judas whose betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver prompted his suicidal hanging, which would align with the cards in which the figure is shown holding bags of money or with coins dropping out of his pockets, but Judas hanged himself by his neck, not upside down. The money bags probably reference the shame portraits of thieves or those guilty of defrauding others out of money rather than Judas. There is another prominent Biblical figure who met his death upside down, but he was crucified rather than hanged. The apostle Peter requested that his death sentence be carried out in an upside down fashion because he didn't feel worthy to be executed in the same manner as Jesus. The humility shown by that act is something often transferred to the Hanged Man's meaning, but the depiction doesn't truly reference that event just as it doesn't reference Judas. The early players of Tarocchi likely did not think of Peter or Judas when they saw that card, but would have seen someone shamed and humiliated for his crimes.

If the punishment was implied and not literal, as would be the case in the shame portraits, the idea would be towards rehabilitation, in a sense. The warning would be clear, that the subject is in danger of eternal damnation unless he gets a clue and changes his ways. Hence in the later renditions of the card we see the spiritual illumination that surrounds the head and the more meditative, serene facial expression. The card was to be taken as a life lesson, a warning, especially because the next card in succession is Death, which all knew to be the "wages of sin." This card would then be a prompt to take a moral inventory because none of us know when the Grim Reaper will call, so rather than end up singeing your head in hell's flames, maybe you need to rethink your actions and direction in life.

Meanwhile, I have no doubt that 16th century card makers would have politicized this card depicting a particular public figure as the Hanged Man that those using the cards might easily recognize, just as a political satirist might do today, less for punishment than humiliation and to bring a recognizable face and circumstance to the meaning of the card. And just for laughs.

Understanding the historical, artistic, and symbolic roots to the imagery of the Hanged Man allows us to be more precise in the given meaning to the card and then permits us to extrapolate to the reading and circumstances at hand. If someone was to be hung in this position unto death, it would take an exceedingly long time for the person to die. If it was merely for punishment's sake, hanging there for any amount of time in a public square would be torturous. To bear one's body weight only by one's ankle would tear the ligaments and joints, break the skin, rush the blood to one's head and generally mess with the spinal alignment and heart functioning. And it's just a very demeaning position to be in. Embarrassing. Humiliating. Helpless. For these reasons the card's meaning implies a longer time period during which one is relatively helpless to change anything about one's situation and which is fraught with discomfort and pain. Is there anything to like about this card?

Well, yeah, though it is small comfort. The warning the shame portraits give is similar to this card's advice. Though you may have wound up in this position by your own unfortunate choices and decisions, and though you may not have much or any control over how things are playing out for you now, you can use this time for good as you re-evaluate how you got here and what you will do when you get down from here. Hanging upside down might be uncomfortable but it offers a very different perspective on things. One certainly gets a different view on life and circumstances and people while upside down. Haven't you done this as a child? Hanging by one's knees on the playground monkey bars or, like I used to do, hang upside down over the edge of the living room sofa, watching everyone walking on what now looks like the ceiling and you alone are walking "upright." Everything around me looked like Alice's view through the looking glass. So while you're dangling, give yourself a chance to see things from a different point of view. Only in this way will you be able to gain the objectivity, while in pain, to come away from this time with the necessary change in your thinking that will allow you to avoid these kinds of humiliating experiences in the future.

The Hanged Man illustrates one of those life learning experiences that none of us really choose to endure but, through our own previous choices, have landed ourselves in nonetheless. We can simply endure it and learn nothing, blame those who strung us up, and feel utterly victimized or we can use the experience to our betterment. I really hate that kind of advice when I'm in the midst of some really hard emotional experience, so I hesitate to give it, at least without first empathizing with the pain being endured. It sounds canned and patronizing, too. "What doesn't kill us will make us stronger," blah, blah, blah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Shut up. Which is another reason I'm not pleased with this card because, as a reader, it sort of forces me to, while explaining its meaning, give that sort of advice. And it's not that it's Bad Advice, not really, it's just that we don't like to be told that in the throes of agony and helplessness. Because the person in the Hanged Man's position is likely to be feeling quite victimized, it almost feels like blaming the victim, which I really do not like to do.

So there you have it. While there are other nuances of the Hanged Man that I haven't begun to cover, this at least explains the "Ugh!" reaction that many have to the card. Because even the positive aspect feels a bit humiliating. What do you do with a card like that?

By Ginny Hunt

Ginny Hunt is a Professional Tarot Reader from Maryland. Her interest in the spiritual and metaphysical has been a lifelong passion. She has been a practicing counselor, both professionally with adolescents and para-professionally as a volunteer with abused women. She offers professional reading services through 78 Notes to Self.

From Evernote:

Blog: A Successful Scrying Session Clipped from: http://www.spellsofmagic.com/read_post.html?post=258973

If you are interested in Scrying or Crystal ball gazing, I found this forum thread very helpful. Enjoy!

Love & Peace! - Tater

Click here for Real Spells!

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A Successful Scrying Session

by ginseng

A successful scrying session largely depends on the atmosphere and mood that you set.

It is important to never force a reading if your not feeling up-to or in the mood.
This will only result in a false reading .

Crystal ball gazing is best done in a dimly lit room , you can burn incense and light candles ect., play soft music , making sure that you will not be disturbed is also a good idea.

Before you use your ball make sure it is clean and dust/fingerprint free .

You can do this by wiping it with a damp soft cloth , however if your ball is new it is important to cleanse it making sure it?s free from negative energies , there are a few ways of doing this .

1: Smudging
Sage, frankincense, sandalwood, cedar , are all good for this , or use a smudge stick.
Simply pass your ball through the smoke of the incense /smudge stick , let the smoke carry away any unwanted energies until you feel it is cleansed

2:Dry salt
Fill a large bowl with sea salt and place your ball in it . burying it for 24 hours .
Remove the ball and wipe clean, DO NOT add water to the salt , this will damage your ball , ONLY use DRY SEA SALT .

3:Sound
Sound vibrations are a quick easy way to cleanse your ball , simply sing/chant whatever inspires you , wind-chimes , gong, bell, are also great to use .
sing/chant or ring your bell close to your ball until it feels cleansed to you .

4; Sun/ moon
Place your ball on a window ledge or somewhere safe outside , leave for 24 hours to absorb the energy of the sun/moon

Preparing your space :
Prepare your spiritual space , burn some incense and candles if you wish , do what feels right to you after all this is your space .
Ground and center yourself , this is important then allow your energy to flow outward encircling you and your ball.
Cast a circle , place your ball on its stand or a table at a comfortable height., approx chest height.

Technique
1: Meditate on your purpose ect.
2: Sit crossed legged or in a comfortable position , relax and place your hands on the ball allowing your energy to flow in-to it.
3: Visualize your question or ask it out loud if you prefer .
4: Remove your hands from the ball, stare deeply into the ball allowing your eyes to become unfocused slightly.
5: You will see a mist forming in the ball allow the mist to grow and fill the ball .
6: Visualize the mist clearing allowing the images to flow within the ball .
7: Let the images flow to you taking you wherever they choose.
8: When all the images have been shown affirm what they might mean , but do not concentrate to hard on this as you can do this later by writing down what you saw.
9:Visualize the mist coming back into the ball and covering the images and the ball returning to normal .
10: Thank your ball and place it in-to its bag or protective cloth putting it somewhere safe.
11: Close your circle .

Color meanings in your ball

Red: An energetic or violent action being taken in the near future. Usually and omen of something good and bad.
Orange: Spiritual powers are working on improving the existing situation.
Yellow: A message can be expected soon that will bring about a positive change.
Green: An improvement in health and physical well being.
Blue: Love, friendship or romance will be affected in a positive way.
Indigo: You will feel peaceful vibrations.
Violet: Spiritual and material good fortune.

Blue clouds may symbolize success of career or business,
Gold clouds symbolize prosperity, steady cash flow and possibly new romance.
Gray/Dark gray or Black may symbolize sadness or ill fortune.
Green clouds symbolize health, happiness .
Orange clouds may symbolize hidden aggression and anger, or troubled emotions.
Red clouds symbolize danger to come.
Silver clouds symbolize troublesome times ahead followed by good times.
White clouds symbolize very good fortune ahead.
Yellow clouds symbolize upcoming obstacles.

Symbols meanings.

Anchor - Safety
Beetle - Long life
Bird Message - An eagle brings good fortune, a brightly colored bird - happiness and a vulture or similar, problems.
Clouds - When rising positive, when descending, negative
Crown Status - power
Cup Love - relationships
Dragon Good Luck - strength
Eye - Fate for better or worse
Frog or Pig - Prosperity, fertility
Fruit separately - children or on a tree, children to come
Horse Change - movement
Lighthouse - Warning to take care
Lion - Strength recovery
Moon - Peaceful life, family
People A large crowd or party - vitality a small group, friends
Scales - Justice
Snake - Knowledge
Star - Success Fame
Swan - Good news
Tower - Masculinity, Ego
Unicorn - Purity, innocence
Water - Communication, contacts
Waves - physical love
Wheel - Changes, new

Also please remember that the symbols you see inside the ball are significant to you and can only really be interpreted by you regarding the questions you ask and seek answers to. Look at the symbols and ask yourself how these can relate to you at this given moment in time.

For more on this thread go to http://www.spellsofmagic.com/read_post.html?post=258973 

From Evernote:

Blog: Ten Ways to Celebrate Mabon

The celebration of the autumn equinox, also known as Mabon, begins on or around September 21st. The following article has 10 ways to celebrate Mabon. Enjoy!

Love & Peace! - Tater

Click here for Real Spells!

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Ten Ways to Celebrate Mabon

By Patti Wigington, About.com Guide

See More About:

• mabon
• harvest celebrations
• september holidays

Mabon is the time of the autumn equinox, and the harvest is winding down. The fields are nearly bare, because the crops have been stored for the coming winter. Mabon is a time when we take a few moments to honor the changing seasons, and celebrate the second harvest. On or around September 21, for many Pagan and Wiccan traditions it is a time of giving thanks for the things we have, whether it is abundant crops or other blessings. It is also a time of balance and reflection, following the theme of equal hours light and dark. Here are some ways you and your family can celebrate this day of bounty and abundance.

1. Find Some Balance

Image © Getty Images

Mabon is a time of balance, when there are equal hours of darkness and light, and that can affect people in different ways. For some, it's a season to honor the darker aspects of the goddess, calling upon that which is devoid of light. For others, it's a time of thankfulness, of gratitude for the abundance we have at the season of harvest. Because this is, for many people, a time of high energy, there is sometimes a feeling of restlessness in the air, a sense that something is just a bit "off". If you're feeling a bit spiritually lopsided, with this simple meditation you can restore a little balance into your life. You can also try a ritual to bring balance and harmony to your home.

2. Hold a Food Drive

Image © Anthony Masterson/Getty Images

Many Pagans and Wiccans count Mabon as a time of thanks and blessings -- and because of that, it seems like a good time to give to those less fortunate than ourselves. If you find yourself blessed with abundance at Mabon, why not give to those who aren't? Invite friends over for a feast, but ask each of them to bring a canned food, dry goods, or other non-perishable items? Donate the collected bounty to a local food bank or homeless shelter.

3. Pick Some Apples

Image © Getty Images

Apples are the perfect symbol of the Mabon season. Long connected to wisdom and magic, there are so many wonderful things you can do with an apple. Find an orchard near you, and spend a day with your family. As you pick the apples, give thanks to Pomona, goddess of fruit trees. Be sure to only pick what you're going to use -- if you can, gather plenty to take home and preserve for the coming winter months. Take your apples home and use them in rituals, for divination, and for delicious recipes that your family can enjoy all season long.

4. Count Your Blessings

Image © Getty Images

Mabon is a time of giving thanks, but sometimes we take our fortune for granted. Sit down and make a gratitude list. Write down things that you are thankful for. An attitude of gratefulness helps bring more abundance our way -- what are things you're glad you have in your life? Maybe it's the small things, like "I'm glad I have my cat Peaches" or "I'm glad my car is running." Maybe it's something bigger, like "I'm thankful I have a warm home and food to eat" or "I'm thankful people love me even when I'm cranky." Keep your list some place you can see it, and add to it when the mood strikes you.

5. Honor the Darkness

Image © Paul Souders/Getty Images 2006

Without darkness, there is no light. Without night, there can be no day. Despite a basic human need to overlook the dark, there are many positive aspects to embracing the dark side, if it's just for a short time. After all, it was Demeter's love for her daughter Persephone that led her to wander the world, mourning for six months at a time, bringing us the death of the soil each fall. In some paths, Mabon is the time of year that celebrates the Crone aspect of a triune goddess. Celebrate a ritual that honors that aspect of the Goddess which we may not always find comforting or appealing, but which we must always be willing to acknowledge. Call upon the gods and goddesses of the dark night, and ask for their blessings this time of year.

6. Get Back to Nature

Image © Martin Ruegner/Getty Images 2006

Fall is here, and that means the weather is bearable once more. The nights are becoming crisp and cool, and there's a chill in the air. Take your family on a nature walk, and enjoy the changing sights and sounds of the outdoors. Listen for geese honking in the sky above you, check the trees for changing in the colors of the leaves, and watch the ground for dropped items like acorns, nuts, and seed pods. If you live in an area that doesn't have any restrictions on removing natural items from park property, take a small bag with you and fill it up with the things you discover along the way. Bring your goodies home for your family's altar. If you are prohibited from removing natural items, fill your bag with trash and clean up the outdoors!

7. Tell Timeless Stories

Image © Getty Images

In many cultures, fall was a time of celebration and gathering. It was the season in which friends and relatives would come from far and near to get together before the cold winter kept them apart for months at a time. Part of this custom was storytelling. Learn the harvest tales of your ancestors or of the people indigenous to the area in which you live. A common theme in these stories is the cycle of death and rebirth, as seen in the planting season. Learn about the stories of Osiris, Mithras, Dionysius, Odin and other deities who have died and then restored to life.

8. Raise Some Energy

Image © Ghislain and Marie David De Lossy/Getty Images

It's not uncommon for Pagans and Wiccans to make remarks regarding the "energy" of an experience or event. If you're having friends or family over to celebrate Mabon with you, you can raise group energy by working together. A great way to do this is with a drum or music circle. Invite everyone to bring drums, rattles, bells, or other instruments. Those who don't have an instrument can clap their hands. Begin in a slow, regular rhythm, gradually increasing the tempo until it reaches a rapid pace. End the drumming at a pre-arranged signal, and you'll be able to feel that energy wash over the group in waves. Another way of raising group energy is chanting, or with dance. With enough people, you can hold a Spiral Dance.

9. Celebrate Hearth & Home

Image © Fumoto Yasuhide/Getty Images

As autumn rolls in, we know we'll be spending more time indoors in just a few months. Take some time to do a fall version of spring cleaning. Physically clean your home from top to bottom, and then do a ritual smudging. Use sage or sweetgrass, or asperge with consecrated water as you go through your home and bless each room. Decorate your home with symbols of the harvest season, and set up a family Mabon altar. Put sickles, scythes and bales of hay around the yard. Collect colorful autumn leaves, gourds and fallen twigs and place them in decorative baskets in your house. If you have any repairs that need to be done, do them now so you don't have to worry about them over the winter. Throw out or give away anything that's no longer of use.

10. Welcome the Gods of the Vine

Image © Getty Images

Grapes are everywhere, so it's no surprise that the Mabon season is a popular time to celebrate winemaking, and deities connected to the growth of the vine. Whether you see him as Bacchus, Dionysus, the Green Man, or some other vegetative god, the god of the vine is a key archetype in harvest celebrations. Take a tour of a local winery and see what it is they do this time of year. Better yet, try your hand at making your own wine! If you're not into wine, that's okay -- you can still enjoy the bounty of grapes, and use their leaves and vines for recipes and craft projects. However you celebrate these deities of vine and vegetation, you may want to leave a small offering of thanks as you reap the benefits of the grape harvest.

http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/mabontheautumnequinox/tp/TenMabonIdeas.htm 

From Evernote:

Blog: Bad Hypnosis = Bad Magick

This article is from a Hypnotist's point of view about using someone else's script instead of making your own personal script. There is power in creating something personal especially in casting real spells. Enjoy!

Love & Peace! - Tater

Click here for Real Spells!

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Bad Hypnosis=Bad Magick!

from Llewellyn Unbound 

by Donald Michael Kraig

For those of you reading this who don’t know, for the last decade I’ve spent a great deal of time studying, being trained in, and practicing hypnosis. I’m certified as a hypnotist by several organizations and have advanced certifications in several specialties. I’m also certified to teach hypnosis. 

When people ask me to teach them hypnosis, they generally have two questions or interests. The first is about inductions—the ability to lead someone into a trance. They either want to learn numerous inductions or “the best” induction. If you check the internet you will find dozens of people offering special and unique inductions that only they can teach.

The second thing people want to learn about is the “best” script to achieve some change in a person’s behavior. A script is simply a written monologue with specially-worded suggestions that supposedly encourage a person’s subconscious to make a change.

These requests seem fine, but the answer is a bit complex and many people get rather upset when I don’t give a simple and simplistic response.

The Hypnotic Paradigm

The way trained hypnotists approach the world is by seeing each person as a unique individual. That means there is no “best” induction that works on everyone. However for every person there is an induction that will result in reaching hypnotic trance. For some people there may be several inductions or variations on inductions that will achieve this goal. In reality, there are actually only a few basic underlying concepts for inductions, but an infinite number of variations. Some people claim they have invented a “new” induction, but I have never seen one of these inductions that is not a variation on one of the basic concepts. (For those who are interested, the basic inductions include confusion, pattern interrupts, focus, boredom, etc.)

Virtually all introductory books on hypnosis include scripts of what to tell others (or yourself) during a hypnotic trance in order to obtain desired change. I also own some books—some of which are very expensive—that are nothing but such scripts. The error beginning hypnotists make is that they think they should memorize or read these scripts to people who are hypnotized. This is completely wrong. Scripts are intended to be studied for concepts and approaches, not to be repeated by rote. That’s why I have all of those books—to see what others do and how they approach issues. I then combine these ideas with what I’ve learned from talking with a person before  the induction.

In order to alleviate allergy symptoms a person who developed allergies after a death in the family may need a different set of suggestions than a person who developed allergies after moving to a new location. A predetermined script of suggestions may not work for people with these different causes of allergy.

In sum, good hypnotists create inductions that will work for a specific individual and then use specific suggestions to meet the needs of that individual. These may be based on traditional concepts, but they are modified for the needs of the individual.

Magick is Individual, Too

Certain types of rituals, such as those that honor the God and Goddess or the Wheel of the Year, involve magickal or non-ordinary aspects, but as a goal tend to be celebratory or honorific in nature. They often follow a set plan and, in some cases, simply repeat themselves. In some Wiccan traditions, the celebrations of the Sabbats are the same each year. In the Golden Dawn, the initiation ritual for each degree and the rituals of the Equinox and Corpus Christi remain the same.

However, when it comes to practical magick—creating a specific change not associated with initiation or celebration—rituals should be individual and designed by the magician for specific needs. As I wrote in Modern Magick, “merely repeating what others had done wasn’t magick, it was hero worship.” I have, unfortunately, seen many people trying to do magick and merely repeating what others have done without success. And they’ll do this over and over, always hoping for a different result.

Just as the great value to hypnotists of script books is to learn from what others have done without copying by rote, so, too, should all the books of rituals and spells be sources for magickians to learn what others have done and learn from them.

Bad hypnotists simply recite scripts. Poor magickians simply copy spells and rituals that others have written. Good hypnotists learn from scripts and develop their own suggestions. Powerful magickians learn from spells and rituals others have shared and go on to create their own effective magick.

Have you started creating your own magick?
Share some of your successes!

http://www.llewellyn.com/blog/2010/08/bad-hypnosisbad-magick/ 

From Evernote:

Blog: Mugwort, the "witchy" herb Clipped from: http://wildernesschilde.blogspot.com/2010/08/mugwort.html

I found this great article about Mugwort, the "witchy" herb. I bought some yesterday and tried it last night to help with dreaming. My dreams were very productive!

Love & Peace! - Tater

Click here for Real Spells!

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Mugwort

Published by Diana Renata under on Friday, August 27, 2010

Mugwort. It's the quintessential "Witchy" herb. Just the sound of it- "Mug-WORT" sounds Witchy. You don't very often find non-Pagan folk talking about it either. After all, it's not something most people use regularly. It's not much of a seasoning or a spice. Usually when mugwort makes an appearance, it's for a reason.

Mugwort is a recent addition to my kitchen. I sort of struggle with keeping plants alive. A green thumb I have not. So far though, with the help of JP, many of my herbs are surviving, if not thriving. The poor mugwort though, has been struggling a bit and it seems to be an abundance, rather than a shortage, of water that's the culprit.

From what I've read on mugwort, in many parts of Europe, Asia, North America and Africa, it's little more than a common weed. It grows abundantly in hedgerows and waysides and its weedy personality indicates its habitat of choice- well drained, less "pampered" soil. Its name should have given that away. Artemisia vulgaris. It's funny... I like most plants whose Latin name includes "vulgaris." Interestingly enough, after my initial draw to the herb, I discovered "Artemisia" was its name- and I, being dedicated to the goddess, Artemis, was delighted. Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort) and its more potent cousin Artemisia absinthium (the famous Wormwood used to make absinthe) are two of my favorites.

Mugwort is a tall "woody" herb, often growing in excess of 3 feet, with dark green leaves that take on a silvery appearance due to dense, fuzzy hairs on the undersides. When it flowers they come out either dark red or yellow. Mine has not yet flowered, but I'm hoping it does. Since it flowers in late summer, from July to September, chances are I won't see any petals this year.

It was once commonly used to flavor drinks, hence the name "mug"wort. It was commonly used to flavor beer before the prevalent use of hops. The plant was gathered only after flowering, and the leaves were dried. Many believe that the fresh plant is unsuitable for this use. In recent years it was still used in some areas to flavor home brews. Sixty or seventy years ago, in Cromwell, the working classes began using the dried herb as a substitute for the then expensive tea. One of the few culinary uses I have found for mugwort is to use the fresh greens to stuff geese before roasting.

As you can imagine, it has a range of magickal uses. Some of the old tales recount the many ways it can be used. In the Middle Ages the plant was called Cingulum Sancti Johannis, and it was believed that John the Baptist wore a girdle of mugwort while in the wilderness to protect him. It's believed to protect travellers from fatigue, sunstroke, wild animals and evil spirits. A crown made of mugwort leaves was worn on St. John's Eve to protect its wearer from possession, and in some places it was thought that if it was gathered on St. John's Eve it would give protection against diseases and misfortunes. *Note: Mugwort, while sometimes called St. John's Plant, should not be confused with St. John's Wort.

Uses for mugwort tend toward either the medicinal or the magical. It's said that the name "mug"wort may have actually derived from moughte (moth or maggot), because the plant has been regarded (like it's cousin, Wormwood) as being helpful in repelling moths. Used to repel insects, it can either be by hanging the plant around the home, or by applying the tea to your skin. Place sachets of its leaves in closets or bureau drawers to keeps moths away from your clothes.

In connection with Artemis and her role in child birth, mugwort is believed to stimulate the uterus and aid women in labor. It has also been used as an emmenegogue, meaning it stimulates menstruation when taken by those with irregular or suppressed menses. Because of its ability to induce menstruation, it has also been used as an abortifacient to induce miscarriage, so it should certainly NOT be used by pregnant women. Mugwort has also been used in treating epilepsy, colds, fevers, bronchitis, colic, kidney ailments and as a diuretic. The volatile oils. It has been suggested that mugwort stimulates the uterus, which agrees with some of its other uses as a tonic during labor and to relieve menstrual cramps. Because of its ability to induce menstruation, it has also been used as an abortifacient (to induce miscarriage). The volatile oil in the leaves make a good remedy for indigestion, upset stomachs, and other stomach ailments. Research shows it may lower blood sugar.

Magically speaking, mugwort is most famous for its dream-inducing properties as well as supporting psychic development. It is known to enhance dreaming, both in sleep and in meditation. Medicinally, it's a fantastic nervine, which makes it perfect for dreaming, as well as treating insomnia and nervousness. While mugwort is used to promote lucid dreaming, it may cause nightmares or restless dreams. In addition to its use with dreams, mugwort is associated with psychic powers in general, and is often burned before crystal ball gazing and other forms of divination, and used for astral projection. Some people rub the plant over their ritual tools in consecration or to increase their powers, particularly divination tools.

One of the best uses for mugwort is to create a smudge. When used for smudging and incense, it can be burned near your bed before sleep for both protection and dream enhancement. It's also useful in clearing negativity from your home. When smudging with mugwort it leaves a bit of magickal energy behind, infusing all acts that take place in the home with magick. Whether performing a spell, or simply washing the dishes, burning mugwort will heighten your work. *Note: If you do use it as a smudge, keep in mind it does smell more like marijuana than most other plants. Be mindful of where or when you use it. Your car, for example, might not be a good place to smudge with Mugwort.

Other fun, Witchy uses for mugwort include stuffing pillows with the herb to make dream pillows, or store the dried herb with your scrying tools or any tools you use for dreaming your journeying, such as drums and rattles. Oils made from fresh leaves can be made to anoint these objects also, or alternately use an infusion to wash your tools. Swags or wreathes made from dry or fresh branches, when placed over your doors will protect against negative energies. Many believe it will also ward off negative entities. Toss the dried herb into a burning fireplace or wood stove and it will protect you from lightening.

For right now I'm going to cultivate my little mugwort and let it grow. I can't wait to start putting it to use around my home. I think this is one of the first things I'm going to do when I decide to start harvesting...

Remember Your Dreams Potion

This deceptively simple technique is highly effective, although it may take a little time to get the hang of it. Practice and persistence will be rewarded. Mugwort tea is deemed most effective; however, any beverage may be used.

1) Bring a cup of tea or glass of water to your bedside before going to sleep.

2) Have a sip and tell yourself, "When I awake, I will have another sip and remember my dreams."

3) When you wake up, do so.

http://wildernesschilde.blogspot.com/2010/08/mugwort.html 

From Evernote:

Blog: Readying Yourself for Magick - An Internal Elemental Balance Clipped from: http://paganismwicca.suite101.com/article.cfm/readying-yourself-for-magick--an-internal-elemental-balance

Readying Yourself for Magick - An Internal Elemental Balance. This article by Leigh-Ann Andersen is a great way to balance yourself and your magickal work using Elemental power. Enjoy!

Love & Peace! - Tater

Click here for Real Spells!

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Readying Yourself for Magick – An Internal Elemental Balance

Aug 30, 2010 Leigh-Ann Andersen

The Pentacle is the Symbol of Elemental Balance - Leigh-Ann Andersen

Working effective magick requires an internal balance. For many magicians, the visualization of this balance is best achieved through the elements.

The practice of magick is a mysterious and complex art. There are many tools and accessories that can be used to enhance its practice, including athames, wands, cauldrons, and ritual robes. However, all of these are useless without the most important tool of magick – you.

The Elements Within

Most people, including most magicians, are elementally imbalanced. There are five elements, and each of these corresponds to a point on the pentagram and certain human qualities. The elements are:

• Earth – physical and practical concerns;
• Air – intellect and imagination;
• Fire – passion and will;
• Water – emotion and intuition; and
• Spirit – relationship with the divine.

If you want to be at your best as a magician, then your own five elements must be balanced within you. Very few people are truly balanced, and if you look at your life, you’ll probably see that you are actually lacking balance.

Perhaps you’re obsessed with earning money, but have difficulty with relationships. Maybe you have a hard time getting passionate about anything, but you’re incredibly smart. Whatever the combination, it is important to rebalance yourself for your magick to be at its most effective.

Achieving an Elemental Balance

Finding an elemental balance isn’t as hard as is might sound. With some meditation and personal exploration, identifying imbalances should occur quite quickly. After this, rectifying them is simple enough, though it usually takes quite a bit of time and energy.

Select one elemental area of your life at a time. Don’t try to tackle too much at once, or you might become overwhelmed.Once you have selected one particular area of you life, try the following steps:

• Be very clear about your goal. Write it down.
• Chart your progress using a diary or journal, otherwise you won’t know when you’ve achieved your goal
• Break down your goal into simple, attainable, steps. This will help to keep you motivated.
• Think about what obstacles you might encounter and decide how best to remove them.
• Evaluate the resources you already have, including friends, family, spiritual counselors, etc.
• Set dates for progress, and keep them.
• Look at your list of steps every day, and try to accomplish something, even if it’s only a small thing.
• When you finally achieve your goal, have a celebration to acknowledge your achievement.

Repeat these steps for each area of your life, until you’re satisfied that you are more elementally balanced that you were previously. This balance will enhance the effectiveness of your spells and rituals. Revisit the idea of finding your balance one a year, and you will truly empower the magick within.

Read, on 

• Wiccan Magick Explored
• Wiccan Magick — What Magick Is and What It Is Not
• Preparing for Magick — How to Cast Spells

References:

Buckland, Raymond, Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft. Llewellyn Publications, 2007.

Buckland, Raymond, Witchcraft … The Religion. Buckland Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, 1966.

Cunningham, Scott, Wicca, A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner. Llewellyn Publications, 1999.

Cunningham, Scott, Living Wicca, A Further Guide for the Solitary Practitioner. Llewellyn Publications, 2000.

Leek, Sybil, The Complete Art of Witchcraft. World Publishing, 1971.

Copyright Leigh-Ann Andersen. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.