Pagan Blog Posts(Thursday Pagan blog Prompts & Friday Pagan Blog Project)

Scroll down for all posts, they are dated!

Thursday January 12, 2012...Pagan Blog Prompt:

Do you have a witch/magic name(s)? yes I have one
If more than one, is one reserved for ritual use, with another that you go by to everyone else?

I only have one, I use it for rituals, and for other pagan events

If you do use a witch/magic name, how did you come by yours? Was it 'given' to you? Were you lead to it? Or did you pick it yourself?  I was lead to it and picked it myself. It is part and parcel of my ancestry, my beliefs, my feelings all through my life, and what deity has CHOSEN me. My Magickal name is ForestIsis.

If you don't use a witch/magic name, why not? Unlike other bloggers that I know that are pagan/witches and use their magickal names on their blogs. I do not feel a need to use my magickal name all the time, or as an alias to keep my real identity hidden on the web. To me, that is kind of disrespectful to my beliefs. I also feel it is disrespectful to my parents to not use my given name. It is not an Alias. It is who I am when practicing. I am NOT practicing 24/7. I am NOT in my "sacred space" 24/7.  If I ever get the honor of actually being in Circle, I will be ForestIsis. At my alter I am Forestisis. If I am out communing with nature depending on the "communing", I'll be Forestisis or Susan. Just as I am not MOM to my Husband, or SUSAN to my Children. I am not ForestIsis to the world.  

I am ME-- MOM, SUSAN, DAUGHTER, SUSIE(a long time ago), SISTER, SUNSHINE,WIFE, SUE, AUNT, SUESS (to nieces and nephews when little), ARTIST, DOC, READER, SWEETIE, MA, STUDENT, HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL(though now disabled, I still keep my Continuing educations points and lic. up), MOMMY, GREAT-AUNT, PET OWNER, WOMAN, FORESTISIS,  WITCH!
How about you aren't you more than 1 thing?

Friday, January 13, 2012...Pagan Blog Project

I'd like to talk a bit about Alters. I have only set up 3 so far. Mabon, Samhain (which was pretty much the same as mabon with some additions, like a miniature tombstone, and a Picture of my Dad, and a Black candle) and Yule, which I had a Blast making!  I am a NEWB. I started clearing away my Holly, and evergreen boughs which are both now dry and dying. I was struck by a sudden sense of loss.  The Yule alter was so pretty, I really hated to take it apart.

Here it is, with some deets, early on, and then later after my Yule ritual.

Now here's my YULE Alter, my log is not finished yet, and I haven't put my green tapers out yet, and MY nightly health and healing candle is on the alter. but you get the idea.

 the overall Alter

 close up of my pentacle wreath(where I added evergreen and holly) and "Isis" print

 close up of the "Winter Solstice Queen"

 My "God" candle and the close up of "The Holly King"

 My "Goddess" candle and close up of "The Oak King" print.

 

 looking down onto the alter, my cinnamon healing candle is out front, with a crystal, and there is a white candle with a crystal. Evergreen boughs, holly branches & pine cones.

* the art prints from top to bottom- of "Isis" (as visualized by the artist) "Winter Solstice Queen", "The Holly King" and "The Oak King" are all by the artist Emily Balivet.  here is her Etsy shop.

So now I am at a loss, as I am not sure How my Alter should be decorated for this time of year.  I have to do some research and see what Sabbats and Esbats are coming up. I do not have a calendar of the year yet.

So, Suggestions gladly accepted for the Alter!!

Pagan Blog Prompt, January 19,2012

Today our prompt is TOTEM ANIMALS. I am not really sure if that is the same thing as a "spirit Guide" or not. I did a Facebook quiz for my "spirit animal" and before I even started I said to my hubs that it was going to be a "wolf". I finished the quiz and got my answer...it was Wolf.

I have many a time, meditated, staring into the candle flame asking for a sign of what my "spirit guide" is.

In my mind I kept knowing the word wolf, but I do not know if that was me giving myself my own thoughts or the goddess Isis just agreeing with me. I also asked the Great Spirit and mother Gaia to show me my spirit guide. Nothing has come to me.

 

Germanic Wolf Totem

 So, I am thinking it is a Wolf, but not sure. Can anyone tell me a good way to find out...I do NOT think the quizzes on FB should be taken that seriously, LOL!

 Alaskan Wolf Totem

Pagan Blog Project     January  27, 2012

The letter "B"

 BASTET

Info taken directly from: http://www.egyptianmyths.net/

Bastet

(Bast)

Symbols: cat, lioness, sistrum, Udjat (Eye of Horus)
Cult Center: Bubastis
Links: The Name of Bast
The goddess Bastet was usually represented as a woman with the head of a domesticated cat. However, up until 1000 BC she was portrayed as a lioness. Bastet was the daughter of Re, the sun god. It may have been through him that she acquired her feline characteristics. When Re destroyed his enemy Apep, he was usually depicted as a cat. As portrayed as a cat, she was connected with the moon (her son Khonsu was the god of the moon). When shown as a lioness, she is associated with sunlight.
Bastet was the goddess of fire, cats, of the home and pregnant women. According to one myth, she was the personification of the soul of Isis. She was also called the "Lady of the East". As such, her counterpart as "Lady of the West" was Sekhmet.
Bastet seemed to have two sides to her personality, docile and aggressive. Her docile and gentle side was displayed in her duties as a protector of the home, and pregnant women. Her aggressive and vicious nature was exposed in the accounts of battles in which the pharaoh was said to have slaughtered the enemy as Bastet slaughtered her victims.
Her center of worship was in Bubastis (Per-Bast, Pa-Bast, Pibeseth, Tell-Basta), in the eastern Delta. Her chief festivals were celebrated in April and May. Herodotus, the famous Greek historian, provides the following description of one of the festivals:
"When the Egyptians travel to Bubastis, they do so in this manner: men and women sail together, and in each boat there are many persons of both sexes. Some of the women shake their rattles and some of the men blow their pipes during the whole journey, while others sing and clap their hands. If they pass a town on the way, some of the women land and shout and jeer at the local women, while others dance and create a disturbance. They do this at every town on the Nile. When they arrive at Bubastis, they begin the festival with great sacrifices, and on this occasion, more wine is consumed than during the whole of the rest of the year."

Pagan Blog Prompts, a day late--2/3/12

Imbolc, is it a forgotten Sabbat?  Is it true, that many of the Sabbats go by uncelebrated?

I am too new to know the answer to this. I am also a solitary, sadly there are no covens or circle nearby. Apparently there is one up by my daughter, and I have rec'd invites to come join in on Sabbat Circle Celebration and Ritual. I have gone yet...for a while, it was because I still had not renewed my DL (it expired in Aug. when my truck wasn't running, and then after that transportation was an issue...as I would not take the chance to drive to DMV w/o my lic.) Perhaps I will go to the next one, However I will admit I wish I had someone to go with. That sounds soooo 12 year old girl, doesn't it? I am a bit nervous and fearful. The nervous I think is normal. the fearful is probably not, at least not when you hear why I am fearful.  I am fearful that I won't be let in and accepted when I get there, as I have no "witch" attire or no "witch" jewelry...at least not yet. Additionally, what if "circle" is to be stood the whole time? or worse, sitting on the floor?! I can't do the one for long, and the latter is difficult to go down, and near impossible to get back up. I am a very big girl, with bad knees and spinal issues. If that isn't bad enough, I can NOT use my left hand to support my weight, as the wrist is missing 3 bones several ligaments, and a bit of muscle, and the remaining bones are getting "chewed up" as the doc says, because they are being forced into the spots where the first row of bones sat and they are not quite a right fit.(square peg in a round hole) I also can NOT kneel on my left knee, it is a replacement...kneeling is not allowed. While I can kneel on the other knee, it will cause me much distress. That knee was needing replacement 5 years ago already. It is beyond bone-on-bone, my lower leg bone portion of the joint (The tibial plateau) is actually starting to chip away now.  Ok so ENOUGH of that depressing crap.  However, there lie my trepidations.

I did a bit of research and know that Imbolc is a Sabbat that centers around rebirth or the hope of rebirth. A celebration of spring.( to me it is might early) I found it is also Centered around the goddess Brighid (celtic) as a bride, yet I've also read that it is a pregnant goddess, so again to me the timing is off. (shotgun wedding?, LOL)  It later became St Brigid's day, and melded into Candlemas for the Virgin Mary  for the Christians. The festival lasts 5 days ( for me that is good as I am a bit late).  I hope the information I have gleaned thus far is correct.

I am mostly done with my alter, I await yellow candles (hubs is bringing them home after work)

I have a bright and fun floral and abstract cloth on my alter the flowers are all yellow (the shape is that of a large Gerber daisy or sunflower. There is lots of white and greens also. I know perhaps "modern" is not the proper cloth to use, but to me it screams "I am Alive and Vibrant"  so it is definitely hopeful of rebirth.

I read also, that red is another color used...so I have a fully in bloom BUT also with new life coming forth, Poinsettia on my alter.  I have 3 chunks of cleansed Amethyst crystals. I have a cleansed mini maiden goddess form hanging off my Goddess Candle and my God candle.  I have a picture of a straw Brighid's Cross. I also have a piece of artwork that I snatched from Google, that I printed out 5 x 7 and put in a frame. There will be the 2 yellow candles that will be charged with the proper herbs and or oils. Additionally there is a cleansed Chiastolite Fairy (faerie) Cross Crystal, as I have also read that Brighid is connected to the Fae.  I have 5 smaller pieces of Amethyst but I am not putting them out, now that I have bigger ones. I am working on a Blessing poem. Which after lighting the candles tonight. I will read aloud after Inviting the God and Goddess to my sacred space. Then make an offering of mulled wine, and a small cake and meditate for awhile with the candle flames burning brightly to see what I need most to "Birth" forth in my life.

here are some up close pics of the Picture, the straw cross picture, and a Fairy Cross Crystal (it is not the one I have, which is even cooler.)

These  pictures from a friend's Etsy Shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/thepurpleflutterby?ref=top_trail

Since the Alter is not finished (candles offering and my blessing poem) No pictures of it yet...but you can stop back later and please let me know what you think, and if you celebrate Imbolc and what's on your alter? (please remember to top your comment with the  words pagan blog prompt)

Pagan Blog Project 2/3/12...C

Cleansing your crystals

I just recently learned that your crystals need to be cleaned from time to time. I had no clue.

"How to Cleanse and Charge Your Crystals"

Cleansing is a very important part of crystal care. not only do they radiate energies, they can absorb them as well. If left uncleaned over a period of time they can become blocked, which weakens the Crystal's natural healing energies. New crystals need to be cleansed before using them in any way. There are many ways to cleanse crystals. Some ways are with sound, water, salt, burying in the earth overnight and my personal favorite- smudging. herbs and incenses such as white sage, sandalwood, Frankincense, and myrrh are excellent for cleansing. (my additions- plain sage, cedar, and sweetgrass also)

After each cleansing, your crystals will need to be charged. Sitting them in INDIRECT sunlight (some crystals will fade in the sunlight) for a day or leaving them outside overnight under the Full moon. They can also be placed on a clear quartz cluster, as quartz amplifies the energy of any crystal it comes into contact with. Charge them with your positive thoughts. Once they have been cleansed, hold the crystal in your power hand (usually the hand you write with) and keep your thoughts positive. This will transfer all the positive into the crystal. You can talk to them...yes talk to them!  Either silently or out loud, you can tell them how much you appreciate them and everything they do for you. They may not be able to actually understand the words (or do they?), but your intentions will clearly be transferred into the Crystal.  There is a plethora of information on the internet as well as in books on cleansing, charging and programming Crystals. A couple of real good books (and my favorites) are The Crystal Bible 1 & 2 by Judy Hall, and Love is in the Earth, A Kaleidoscope of Crystals - The Reference Book Describing the Metaphysical Properties of the Mineral Kingdom by Melody.

Directly from Enola's Enchanted Grove- http://www.etsy.com/shop/EnolasEnchantedGrove

she further gives this disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure any illness or disease or take the place of medical treatment of any kind. Please continue to see your health care professional.

Pagan Blog Prompt, February 9, 2012

I am continuing with Imbolc, as you may recall i was waiting for the hubs to come home with yellow tapers. he didn't. there were none to be found in 3 stores. I remembered I had  a "Candle Deco paint kit" by Marvy-Uchida, and I decided to give it a go. (There are 18 colors available, I have  a 6 pack of metallics) it is liquid wax, it takes 24 hours to be completely dry (they say do not burn  before that) It felt dry to me in an hour. I did not burn them though. I used the green, the red, and the gold to make a vine with flowers on 2 white tapers.  I also remembered I had recently purchased a round vanilla candle in the clearance section of target, that is carved in a floral pattern and is kind of like a buttery yellow.. So I charged that by rubbed it with basil. (Vanilla and basil both are good for imbolc)

I also wrote a poem blessing, since Brighid is the goddess of poetry also.

I believe at least for a while, most of this alter can stay in tact. Brighid's cross and the picture might have to go, and I have to check on the crystals, herbs etc for the next Sabbat/Esbat.

Thursday...5/10/12...Pagan Blog Prompts

This post actually should have been for last week, I believe the post is off by a day at the prompt blog. That works to my advantage as I missed it, LOL!  We were supposed to share how we celebrated BELTANE.  I really didn't do anything to celebrate. I read about Beltane, in my son's "The Wiccan Year" book, I was going to do one of the small things they spoke of, (but didn't) and I spend a lot of time speaking with my goddess Isis and Gaia.

I would like to share with you the small celebration listed in the book.

Book: The Provenance Press Guide to THE WICCAN YEAR

Author: Judy Ann Nock, author also of "A Witch's Grimoire"

Pub. Date: 2007

I am directly quoting a highlighted/boxed section in the Beltane Chapter, page 138.

"Spell for Beltane Beauty"

"It was believed that the morning dew of May 1 held special powers. Maidens would gather the dew from plants and anoint their faces with it, believing it would increase their physical attractiveness. Some ladies were also known to disrobe and roll around in the morning dew, allowing it to cover their entire bodies in order to extract the greatest effectiveness from it's beautifying power. Others would run a silver spoon across the grass and bottle the dew. You can imitate this custom by gathering a few dew-soaked leaves on Beltane morning and suspending them in a container of purified spring water. pour this water into a misting bottle and spray over your face and body for a refreshingly simple Beltane observance."

I was going to do the later, but alas insomnia the night before, had me asleep past "dew" time.

I am not Wiccan, but I have found this book to be a good one for Sabbat and Esbat information.

In the Beltane section (as well as others) there are spells listed, history, celebratory ideas and even recipes and crafts. For Beltane specifically, it gave you the instructions for making both types of maypoles, and the correct way to use them. I think perhaps I will make a small scale one next year to put on my alter.

 link to the FB page... http://www.facebook.com/groups/paganblogproject/

Friday June 1, 2012.....Starting to Catch up with the letter "D"--DEPRESSION

Recently a friend has posted this to her blog:

Witches: Are we born or made?

Published on June 1, 2012, by Lyn in Ask a Witch, Confessions.

I received an interesting ‘ask a witch’ question earlier this week. The person concerned wanted to know whether witches are born as witches or whether we are somehow made. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t mean made as in the sense of Frankenstein, although I could be wrong, but rather that our interests and life choices make us who we are.

I came across a definition of a ‘kitchen witch’ recently in a by Mimi Riser. She uses kitchen witch as a modern term for wise women, so I think this description is apt for all witches:

….. is simply an ordinary person who asks extraordinary questions and dares to expect answers. She is, in fact, anyone who views life not as a stagnant noun, but an active verb – not a bitter pill to be choked down, but a rich treat to be baked up, savoured and enjoyed to the last crumb. She is simple, unadorned heroism. Victory over despair. She is unflinching hope, ever questing joy, and unconditional love.

Doesn’t everyone start life like this?
***************************************************
I had an interesting response to her post, and it in turn posed another question.  Can one be a witch/pagan is one is DEPRESSED??

MY RESPONSE:

 This is very interesting Lyn, I think about this a lot. After all my readings, I feel anyone anywhere on their path in life can become a witch/pagan. I simply adore watching "Practical Magic", and while of course I KNOW it is fiction, I always find myself wanting just a bit of that.  I recently found myself watching the "Good Witch" trilogy on the Hallmark channel. While a bit cheesy, these movies were MORE "less-fictitious magic" than "Practical Magic", it was more that she was a free spirit and full of hope and optimism. The "magic" she performs, was just well thought out actions, and advice to others.  The movies seem to echo your definition above.  Additionally I was a bit like your daughter MOST of my life.  However slowly since becoming disabled in 2005, I find I am losing myself, and it isn't just the disabilities, it is the system, people etc. I am slowly being erased...some of it is a true removing of my name from stuff due to the not-so-lovely legal system concerning disabilities and student loans, and some is the behavior of my own family, since I am basically a prisoner in my home.  All of this is totally making my depression more and more on the forefront of my life.  I am feeling more and more lonely.  

in Addition, I have no real life friends anymore, my family is split like The Hatfields and The McCoys. My marriage is old, and so is the hubs and starting to show and act it. I have 3 children, The oldest is at war with everyone and getting ready to move out of state for graduate school. the middle (son) lives home but is very detrimental to my over-all well being as he is 26 going on 16, a pot head, lacks ambition, and is outwardly the most disrespectful person I have ever met. My youngest is the child I miss as she is almost 2 hours away and very busy with her job (Shoe store manager) and newly engaged.  More and more I find less and less satisfaction in anything. When i first started walking away from Christianity and reading about the old ways, I felt a calm come over me, and felt I was finally on the right path for myself. Now I am not so sure.

I used to light a nightly healing candle, and spend at least 30 minutes quietly speaking with The Great Spirit, Isis, Gaia and or Hecate. 

Ok, so for the last 3 months it has been nothing but bad news and bad news and worse news and illness and emergencies etc. I haven't changed my alter since Ostara. I haven't been lighting my healing candle regularly. I haven't been smudging or even going out during the full moon to speak to the moon and my goddesses and making a moon wish etc.

How does one  get out of this rut? Can a depressed person be a witch/pagan???  what do you think??

 

Friday June 8, 2012

"E" for Energy.

Overall I am not a person with much overall body energy. (not in great health, physical issues, and obese) However, i have a lot of what they refer to as BUSY energy, and I have a SURPLUS of mental energy, to the point of not being able to sleep.  

I do not meditate a lot (not yet anyway). However when I tell someone I am sending positive energy their way, or healing energy etc. I truly believe it goes to them. I sit quietly for a short while, and think of nothing else but that person, and the type of energy they need. 

Since I have this intellectual, mental, emotional, astral or whatever you want to call it...ENERGY. I truly believe it gets to the person who needs it.

What do you think? Do I need to be doing more? is there a sure fire way to make the energy go to where it needs to go to? 

 

Saturday June 9, 2012

"F" is for friendship and/or friends.

Lately, as in the last 5 years I've noticed that Friends seem to be different than they used to be. It is a much looser term. People refer to acquaintances as friends A LOT. I first noticed this with my children. As they were growing up, more and more they would refer to classmates and other kids as their friends.

To me a friend is someone, that is LOYAL to you, will DEFEND you, accepts you for who you are, and loves you. They or you try to talk to the other as often as possible. You can lean on each other. It is NOT a term one uses loosely.  Sadly also I have found that once one comes out of the "Broom closet" one can lose friends...well i guess that means they really weren't your friend to begin with.

Sadly my definition of a friend has clashed with other people's idea of friendship.  I no longer have any friends in real life. Sadly the 2 good friends that I THOUGHT were my good friends, and told me I was, and swore they would keep my confidences, etc. etc. proved just the opposite. The one I knew for over 15 years through another family member but we didn't start to become friends til about 8 years ago. The other one I knew and was friends with for over 5 years.  The problem-- The one I knew for only 5 years was a fellow scrapbooker, and the other gal wanted to start scrapbooking, and I had a "scrapping buddy"

I introduced all of them, along with my youngest daughter and her friend...both scrappers.

After 5 years, they slowly pushed me out of the circle, at first my daughter didn't see the behaviors I saw, but then she did. The icing on the cake...they both shared confidential information I had shared with them each differently...which each other. the one, who is a family member's friend, passed this info along to the family member. THAT caused a huge war.  I would love to find a new REAL LIFE friend, I NEED a friend...I do not have anyone to confide in or share with etc.

SO...looking for opinions...do you think if I look for a circle to join that I may make a real friend?