E is for Evil, or Lack there of

E is for Evil, or Lack there of - Pagan Blog Project - Week 9

                When we hear the word evil, we are often reminded of red horned imps or the vile antagonistic characters of literature or popular movies. Quite often, these characters lack any real substance of even a personality beyond that nebulous description – evil. These characters are fueled by broad motives like ruling or destroying the world or amassing copious amounts of wealth or power. I often ponder just to what extent Christians believe in the concept of Satan. Do they truly believe there is a being out there vying for their downfall, leading them toward their misdeeds, and pitting them against God?

                I think many of us pagans and witches do not believe in an ultimate evil, or the concept of a being that encompasses all that is wrong in the world. We do not seek to blame our shortcomings on an imaginary puppet master, but instead take personal responsibility for all that we do. We may give thanks for our blessings, or mourn our misfortunes. We may applaud the joyous outcome of our hard work, or curse our failures, but we realize that these things are our own.

When I look at the gods and guides that I follow, I find only nature. Bast is a protector, a fearsome lioness. Her cubs are well versed in the tenderness and security of her love, but I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of those claws. Phoenix burns with pure passion and will, but his flame can be dangerous. My gods are not shining epitomes of purity, nor are they devilish miscreants set on a path of destruction. There is both good and bad in the cycles and systems of life. A rainstorm can make a crop thrive, but a tsunami can destroy a home or even take lives. Fire can do the same, but we can also celebrate the flame for its warmth and cheer on a cold winter night. While these situations can yield good tidings, they can also be destructive. A rabbit may die in the fangs of the wolf, but the wolf is rewarded with life. But Lily, you say, what of senseless death? To what purpose does murder serve? Why do people lie and cheat and steal?

                I’m not sure there is a purpose, but there is most certainly a reason behind it, and I refuse to pin that reason upon a vague term like evil, or a cowardly concept like Satan. Looking at a more recent tragic event, the Sandy Hook School shooting - I have heard countless people labeling Adam Lanza as evil and condemning him to hell. My heart goes out to the families most certainly, but I simply cannot agree with the clamoring masses. His actions were atrocious and sickening, but when I think about the man behind the actions, or anyone who has committed a similar crime, all I can muster beyond sorrow for the senselessness of the crime is simple pity. People are not monsters, but the product of their environment and experiences. But Lily, you chime in again, what of this free will thing you mentioned earlier? What about taking responsibility for your own actions? People suffering from mental illnesses, biologically, psychologically, or environmentally derived, sometimes lack the ability to reason. That’s not to say that every person suffering from depression or bi-polar disorder has the capacity to commit heinous crimes, but there are some disorders which can vastly skew a person’s reasoning and ability to problem solve.

                I came across a story some time ago, about a 40 year old man who’d been a public school teacher. He’d never displayed any deviant qualities, but quite suddenly became obsessed with child pornography. His urges became progressively worse until he was sent to rehabilitation after “making advances toward his stepdaughter”. The behavior persisted, even in the hospital. The rehabilitation failed, and a day before his prison sentencing, he showed up at a hospital claiming he was unable to control himself. It turns out that the man had an egg sized tumor in his brain that was pressed “against the prefrontal lobe…, the area responsible for self-restraint.” After the tumor was removed, his personality reverted to its normal state. A year later, the man began to show the same troubling signs, had another MRI, and found that the tumor had begun to regrow. Again, they removed the tumor, and again, he returned to his old self.

I just couldn't help myself! >.>

While I’m certain this is not the cause in every case, it does make one reconsider the knee-jerk reaction of auto-labeling someone as evil. My awareness of this and other mental illnesses has greatly changed my opinion of people and their actions. We find abnormalities in nature – cancer, disease, and various conditions. I can provide no solid answer as to why these things occur, but I simply cannot attribute it to some form of ultimate evil.

D is for Daily Devotional

D is for Daily Devotional - Pagan Blog Project - Week 8

I know some of you cringe at the idea. When I say daily devotional, I’m not talking about a Christian prayer book or pamphlet, though I’m sure they can be just as effective. I’m referring to a few minutes set aside each day to commune with our deities or guides – a reminder of the things that are important to us, but often get lost in the shuffle of our busy, everyday lives.

I’d always wanted to be one of those committed sorts who actually walked the talk when it came to spiritual and religious beliefs. I don’t think I truly understood what that meant. For years, I dreamt of a daily practice in which I’d be continuously and fully connected to the divine. I don’t aspire to be a nun, though I have dreamt of a school of priestesses, think Mists of Avalon, in which each day is spent in study and practice in an ever evolving understanding of self and the divine. This may sound wonderful to some, boring to others, but the idea just isn't practical in this day and age. With such an integrated and all-encompassing routine, we cannot remain grounded. While I feel that a strong connection is important, I also feel that it’s crucial to form and cultivate strong roots in the here and now. We need to come back down to earth every once in a while - eat, bathe, make love and so on.

                What can we do to insure a constant connection while continuing to be dedicated to school, career, family, and all the other rigorous commitments of human existence? We can begin a practice of daily devotionals. Most of us don’t have time for a spell a day or extensive meditation, but I think the majority can set aside a few moments to communicate with our gods and guides.

                The daily devotional can be an elaborate affair, done before your altar and complete with an offering of sorts, or it can be as simple as a few words of recognition and gratitude whispered during your daily commute. You can fancy it up with a formal recitation, or take a simple walk around the yard and let them know how you’re feeling that day.

                I constructed a hearth altar a few months ago. I consider it the heart of my home. It contains important statuary, protective and cleansing stones, a few tributes to the elements, and a photograph of my boyfriend and me. This is where I perform my daily devotionals. I've written a rather lengthy speech which I recite each night. This is a formal “thank-you” for the many blessings in my life. I have spoken the words so many times that much of the beginning of the recitation comes directly from memory. If I find myself trudging through the deed in the monotonous drone of a high-school student forced to read in front of the class, I stop, remind myself of why I’m performing the task, and begin again, “once more with feeling”. This portion of the devotional serves two important purposes – an offering of gratitude to my gods and guides, and a reminder on some occasions, that while I may have had a bad day, things are really not that damn bad.

                The second part of my devotional consists of healing work. I ask for aid in channeling healing energies to myself and to the people whose names are in my healing basket. I take a few moments to guide that energy, focusing on immediate issues and then allowing it to flow where it is best needed.

                On a normal day, I would end the devotional by lighting a red candle for my matron, another for my boyfriend’s spirit guide, and a stick of incense in offering to both. I change things up a bit when circumstance calls for it. I may throw in an extra thank-you for additional guidance received, or unload if things have gotten too heavy. I also tend to use that time to ask for aid in tarot readings or any other small working I indent to do outside of circle.

                The point of this exercise is to strengthen your connection. It’s a small reminder, each day, of the path you walk, and why you do it. It’s perfectly permissible to tailor fit a devotional to the needs of your guides, and of course, yourself. While I feel that it is an important part of my day, I don’t want it to feel like a chore. Be flexible, and don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day or two. Whatever you do, don’t give up. You may find yourself enjoying and actually looking forward to the practice.

Mind, Body, and Spirit – Week 1

Mind, Body, and Spirit – Week 1

                This will be my first non-PBP post. I realize that the contents are terribly personal and may be all together uninteresting. However, I feel that it will help to reinforce my objectives and keep me on yonder “straight and narrow”. On with the show!

                The last two years of my life have been rather amazing. I took a step out of my comfort zone and decided to network with a group of like-minded individuals in the immediate area. This group consisted of witches and a few interested parties who were seeking to network and form some sort of community to study with and celebrate Wiccan holidays. The original plan had been to gather once monthly at a local restaurant and share ideas. This quickly transformed into a study group, led by a woman who has become a very dear friend to me. She and her husband are taking the Temple of Witchcraft courses provided by Christopher Penczak. Her work and dedication is of such quality that Mr. Penczak has allowed her to form an offshoot of his studies, while he provides the end certification throughout the courses. This has been a very exciting time for all of us. We've seen our small group, which in the first year began with nine individuals including our teacher and her husband, first shrink down to four, and then explode to quadruple in number of students and participants in our public rituals.

I had, in the past, been in a coven of sorts. We were really just a small group of eclectic solitaires bumbling around and trying to make sense of our spirituality. These women became sisters to me. But eventually, our happy little group split apart. It had nothing to do with a loss of friendship or power struggles. I simply took a job three hours away and had to relocate. The others ended up moving away after Katrina tore our coastal hometown apart. In the eight years following the move, I sort of drifted, unable to make a solid connection with the divine or even with like-minded people.

Finding the new group was like a reawakening, only I've come to realize that I’d been sleep walking even back then. I miss my old friends dearly, especially a lady whom I consider a second mother. But I have forged new friendships and gained even more sisters (and a few brothers) since the onset of this little movement, which has now extended beyond the classes and transformed into a budding spiritual organization. The class that started it all, The Inner Temple of Witchcraft, was presented in an orderly fashion; the information was rather eclectic and fairly unbiased. Through a combination of the exercises, guidance, sharing with peers, massive introspection, and of course the aid of my guides and gods, my mental and spiritual health is vastly improved.

That being said, I realize it isn't quite time to toss confetti and cue up the rainbows and unicorns. I’m having a hard time balancing it all. While mind and spirit have been reaping the benefits of my hard work, body has been suffering. Not that it was terribly healthy to begin with. Being an introvert and a fairly ungrounded Pisces, I never really understood that whole “my body is a temple” thing. I've been an on again, off again (mostly on) smoker for the past twelve years and a yo-yo dieter for even longer. I’m aware of the wonderful resources at my disposal and have educated myself as to what aids one can use to remedy these issues. I’m well versed in the various drugs and techniques used to kick the smoking habit. I’m schooled in portion sizes and fat and calorie counts as well as the dangers of sugar and sodium. Over the years, I have joined websites, bought food scales, frequented gyms, enrolled in programs, and even started a weight loss blog in fruitless attempts to change my unhealthy lifestyle. While these things worked for a little while, they were not able to magically transform my mind so that I was able to enjoy my veggies more than a greasy slice of pizza.

                I tried the Adipex thing for a while. For six full months, my mind and body ran a non-stop marathon. I couldn't sit still long enough to meditate and couldn't sleep more than five or six hours at a time. I went to the gym five times a week and ate like a finicky toddler. I lost thirty pounds and went from a size 18 to a curvy (and very sexy in my opinion) size 10. Being a pear shape, I ended up replacing every bra I owned and my waist had gotten so thin that my rib cage was clearly visible. Unfortunately, becoming thinner did nothing to cure my psychological problems. I thought my self-esteem has improved, but in reality, my ego was far more fragile than when I’d begun the process. I’m not sure how it was even possible, but I became even more obsessed with my weight and looks. I formed a habit of checking myself out in every shiny surface available. I constantly worried that my tummy was poking out, which was ridiculous considering just how much weight I’d lost. I became a narcissistic bitch, teetering between extreme self-confidence and crushing depression. It all came tumbling down when I decided to blame my emotional problems on my boyfriend and nearly left him. I still look back upon that time with shame and even a sense of awe when I consider what he put up with and the fact that we were able to salvage our relationship. Not a high point in my life, to be sure.

                Here we are, going on three years later and my self-esteem is better than it’s ever been. Oddly enough, my weight has climbed right along with it. I’m back in a 16, seams screaming. I suppose it’s healthy to no longer attach my state of mind to my pants size.

                While I’d love to return to that size 10, body image is not my only concern. In fact, it’s not even my first. I’ll be 31 on Friday, and with age comes wisdom, hopefully. Being an overweight smoker can lead to a plethora of health concerns. I've got hearth disease on both sides of the family, and cancer on my father’s. My mum combats high cholesterol while my dad struggles with high blood pressure. With these things in mind, worries about how I look in that all natural cotton or hemp blouse take a back seat. Rocking a healthy heart seems a hell of a lot more important than those skinny leg jeans and UGG boots.

                In my experience, small, slow, and steady changes seem to work the best. In all the times I've raged forward, full steam ahead, I've ended up crashing and burning rather quickly. Admittedly, while the slow changes seem to last longer, I have always ended up reverting back to the same unhealthy choices. I haven’t quite figured it all out yet, but I’m not ready to throw in the towel just yet. I've learned a few things in my Psych 101 class that might be useful. Hilarious, I know! Psych 101 and she thinks she knows it all! I've done some light studying on conditioning and neurons and how they function. I’m going to look at this recent attempt to better my physical condition as something of an experiment. Instead of simply halting my unhealthy behaviors, I’m going to try to actually replace them with healthy ones. Novel idea! I know!

                My first step is a tiny one, though it has proved to be rather challenging in the past. As of yesterday, I have begun to replace my soda intake with water. This change will not only help in ridding myself of empty calories, but actually has an additional health benefit. I have a condition called interstitial cystitis, IC for short. People suffering with IC have pinpoint sized holes in the wall of their bladder which can cause a great deal of discomfort and pain, urgency, and various other embarrassing and seemingly non-related issues. My doctor has suggested that my flare-ups could be linked to a dietary issue and recommended I eat less acidic foods. I have noted that flare-ups occur more often following a period in which I've had more soda than normal. One such flare-up, the worst yet, occurred a few weeks ago. I ended up in her office twice, the later visit ending with a dose of medicine injected directly into my bladder. That is not a good feeling.

I've done the switch from soda to water a few times with varying degrees of success, but have always ended up back on “the coke”. I don’t understand why I revert back to this unhealthy habit after kicking it for so long. I've found that drinking a soda after abstaining for a week or so is actually an unpleasant experience. I can taste the sodium in the cola. It takes a special kind of stupid to continue drinking it long enough to re-deaden the taste buds. I vow to be more mindful of my slip-ups, and set the can aside if it happens again.

                To aid against the physical struggle, I will also combat the cravings in the spiritual. In the next day or two, I will do a binding spell. I know it may sound kind of odd to do a binding against a beverage, but I honestly cannot think of a scenario in which I’d be regretful of the decision. The easiest thing to do would be to remove the offensive product from my home. Unfortunately, it’s the only thing my boyfriend will drink. I may brainstorm a bit and see what other measures I can take, and I will of course ask my guides and gods to help me with the issue. I've spend the better part of my life programming my brain to enjoy Coka-Cola. I realize it will take a bit of time to get over this breakup. I’m giving myself a full month before evaluating how I feel. If all is well, I’ll move on to phase two, the dreaded cigarette addiction.

D is for Determination and Dedication

D is for Determination and Dedication - Pagan Blog Project - Week 7

                We set goals in our lives. We have dreams, grand visions of how we would like things to be. I think this is an essential part of human existence. Without aspirations, we’d have nothing to strive for. We’d become bored or perhaps even depressed. Change is the only combatant against stagnation.

                Unfortunately for some people, the stagnation sets in during the dreaming process. They languish in their desires, unable to muster the courage or will to make that vision a reality. We find this block in every aspect of life, whether it’s a lack of drive in the pursuit of a new career, or that extra umph it takes to get up off the couch and light a candle at the altar. This is where the striving part comes in.

It takes determination and dedication to start a regular religious or spiritual practice. For some, this comes easily, for others, not so much. When I first began my journey into Wicca and Witchcraft, I lacked the double D’s (I’m not talking about cup size people!). I pretty much lacked them in every aspect of my life. This lead to a great deal of bitching and a whole lot of nothing else. For some strange reason I thought that carrying the dream would be enough to actually manifest it. I was sorely wrong.

                If you’d like to forge a strong connection with your gods or guides, then you have to communicate. If you want to learn how to read the tarot, then you should start by actually picking up the deck. Dreams are wonderful, but you must follow up with determination and dedication to transform them into reality.

                I suppose another good word for this week would be “DO”.

DO

v  Start a regular practice of meditation and introspection. Spending time with self will reveal our strengths and weaknesses. With the double D’s, we can fortify our gifts while striving to understand, accept, and even work past our shadows. Meditation is a great tool for this, and will also help to establish new and stronger bonds with divinity.

v  Build an altar. I realize that some people do not think an altar is necessary. We should always do what feels best for us. But I will submit that an altar can help greatly in the dedication department. Situating it in a high-traffic area of your home, the altar will serve as a constant reminder. You’ll be more likely to make a stop there if it’s constantly in your face.

v  Being a practice of daily devotions or prayer. Take a few minutes each day to commune with your gods or guides. This can be a formal recital or a simple conversation. Tell them how your day is going, celebrate your accomplishments, or blow off some steam. Let them know that their presence in your life is welcome and appreciated.

v  Make an offering. Pour a glass of wine, prepare a plate for your ancestors, or light some special incense. If you've started a practice of meditation or devotion, chances are you’ll know what they want.

v  Keep a detailed journal or Book of Shadows of the things you've done and experienced. This might help to keep the momentum going and has the added bonus of displaying how your practices have changed and grown.

v  Seek out ways to commune with the Earth and all her systems and cycles. You don’t have to celebrate the Wiccan Sabbats to enjoy the changing of the seasons. Take a walk around the yard or visit a local park. Even concrete jungles hold their own sort of beauty while fostering as much spirit as the rural areas. Open yourself to the energy around you.

v  Write and perform a spell. I know that not all pagans are witches, but if you aspire to be one, get out there and start moving the energy around. Wield that determination and dedication. Research, find a spell aligned with your goals, or write your own, and then just do it. Fear can be a major block when it comes to spell work, but you’ll never move past it if you don’t experiment.

Life is busy, frightening, and even exhausting at times. If you want to break the cycle and free yourself from stagnation, you must gather the courage and willpower to make a change. Whatever path you choose to walk, do so with determination and dedication. 

C is for Creation, the Art of

C is for Creation, the Art of - Pagan Blog Project - Week 6

Thanks Nasa.

                Creation begins with an idea, an intention. In many of mythology’s creation stories, we find that the world began of nothingness or chaos. From the primordial waters or the darkened void springs forth an idea. This idea is given form, a shape, a name, and a purpose. The gods are born, and from them, everything else.

                Humans create in much the same way. First comes the idea and followed by action, something great or beautiful or simply useful is born. In my journey as a witch, I've taken the vital steps toward creating my own life. No longer do I sit ideally and allow time and circumstance to mold my path. If I wish for something better, something more, I reach out and grab it. Through introspection and action, I am no longer a passive bystander. My life, my world, is not a movie. This is the live action version, and I am the director, the star role, and the audience all rolled into one.

                Some of us are born with that realization. It doesn't take a magick wand to motivate people to strive for their own version of greatness. Others, like myself, need a little extra push. I've been an on again off again practitioner since December of 2000. It wasn't until two years ago when I began a daily practice of self-exploration (not that kind, you perverts!) and meditation that it finally clicked. Witches are weavers, energy workers, and the very nature of what we do is a form of creation. While we use what is readily available, the energy around us, we direct this energy toward our own desired outcome. We start with an idea, an intention, the wish for a new job or the yearning of a romantic partner. We follow this with action, a spell, the statement of our desires. We raise the energy, a dance or drumming, and then release that energy into the universe. Of course we follow this with more action, submitting applications, networking, etc. Thus, we direct and create our lives.

Shameless self-promotion!
Check out my Etsy shop at
The Eccentric Muse

                And then there is the fun stuff. People create for pleasure. Sometimes we take our pleasure and end up creating, but that one is self-explanatory. In my strolls through the PBP I've run across a plethora of talented artists, musicians, and writers. Their creations are meant to entertain, to enlighten. Their art is a form of personal expression or made in dedication to their gods or spirit guides. Some of us are born with artistic talent, a calling which we cannot ignore. We channel this energy and display it in our words, with the stroke of a brush or pencil, or the strumming of fingers against taunt strings. I like to write; I also enjoy crafting. While I couldn't draw a straight line if Bast demanded it of me, I feel compelled to create beautiful things. In this respect, I’m something of a thief. I like to mix and mingle others’ creations. It begins with something that was already there, but transforms into something new, something I created.

I REALLY appreciate the TP.

                People tell me all the time that they aren't creative. To them I say, “Bullshit.” You don’t have to be an artist, writer, or musician to create. We do it every day, in every decision that we make. I've recently met several talented cooks in the local pagan community. Their baked, stewed, and fried concoctions are as appreciated and enthusiastically welcomed as any good book or treasured sculpture. Factory workers create the products that aid our daily lives, police officers and judges create peace (yes, I acknowledge that they can also create discord), and even custodians have a hand in creation by producing a cleaner and healthier environment. These things may not be as widely celebrated as Beethoven’s 9^th or the latest teeny-bopper Bieber craze, but they are appreciated. I can certainly live without hearing Justin’s “Baby” again, but I’d sorely miss toilet paper if it were to suddenly stop being produced. Maybe I’d embrace that weird French invention, the bidet, but you get the point.

We are all creators in our own right. Take a moment to consider what you've created today and celebrate your accomplishment. Bieber will be gone tomorrow, replaced by another teenage heart throb, but your creations will leave a lasting impression without your own life and lives the of the ones closest to you.

C is for Cleansing and Consecrating

C is for Cleansing and Consecrating - Pagan Blog Project - Week 5

When I speak of cleansing and consecrating, I’m referring to ritualistic purification and the charging or blessing of an item. The process is used to remove discordant energies by raising vibration and then to imbue the item with your own intention and energy. If you've researched the topic, you know that there are several ways this can be done.

I know some of you may cringe at the old proverb about “cleanliness being next to godliness”, but it’s very appealing for an anal retentive, somewhat perfectionistic, obsessive compulsive. More often than not, my entire house must be in order before I even begin to think about doing any kind of magickal working, whether it is a simple meditation, a devotion, or full blown spell work. Cleaning the cobwebs from my home is like cleaning them from my mind. For me, getting hardcore with the broom and dustpan can be just as rewarding of an experience as journey work. I realize that not everyone holds the same values as I do when it comes to physically cleaning your space, but it is a good idea to keep that pile of mail off your altar and take a feather duster to your divine statuary once in a while. I don’t think Hecate or Brigid would be terribly pleased to find their likenesses buried under a pile of dust.

That being said, we can move on to the “fun” stuff. While lengthy, this is not a comprehensive list. Do what works best for you and remember that it is important to concentrate on your intent when using any of these methods. Call your Gods and Guides to aid you, and meditate on the cleansing process as well as the consecration.

Incense and smudging are probably the most commonly used techniques when it comes to ritualistic cleansing. The item is simply passed through the smoke. You can probably find a premade blend of incense for this intent on just about any store website that caters to witches, or you can try your hand at making your own blend. I personally like to make my herbal incense because I can imbue it with my intent as I make it. For me, the process has the added benefit of being incredibly soothing. White sage bundles seem to be the most popular smudging tool and are easy to find, though I personally enjoy the scent of sweetgrass more. Always be careful when working with anything you are lighting on fire. Smudge bundles tend to break apart easily, trailing little fire pixies onto your altar or carpet. When working with smudges it’s best to have a fireproof container handy. An abalone shell or cauldron work perfectly in my opinion. Charcoal hookah tablets are excellent for burning your homemade incense blends, but again, please make sure you nestle them into a fire proof container before lighting up.

Sage Goddess offers a lovely video tutorial on cleansing. Scott Cunningham’s The Complete Book of Incense, Oils, and Brews is a great resource that I use often. Unless otherwise stated, the various blends listed were taken from the book.

Altar Incense	Consecration Incense
3 parts Frankincense	2 parts Wood Aloe
2 parts Myrrh	1 part Mace
1 part Cinnamon	1 part Storax (or Gum Arabic)
	1 part Benzoin
Crystal Purification Incense
2 parts Frankincense
2 parts Copal
1 part Sandalwood
1 part Rosemary
1 pinch finely powdered Salt

The Altar incense is used for general purification. I use this one often because it works, the ingredients are easy to get, and I enjoy the scent. The Consecration and Crystal Purification blends are self-explanatory.

Another commonly used technique is to cleanse with “holy water” or an oil blend. Both of these items can be purchased from just about any witchy shop, but again, I’d rather make my own. If you are working with oils, simply anoint the object. If you choose to cleanse with holy water you may submerge the item if permissible. If the item is made of metal or is water soluble, simply aspurge (sprinkle) with a few drops while holding the intent in your mind.

Purification Blend	Christopher Penczak’s Magickal Wash
½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar	1 tablespoon Vervain
1 handful fresh Eucalyptus leaves	1 tablespoon Rose Petals
1 handful fresh Rue leaves	1 Tablespoon Yarrow
3 pinches Salt	1 Tablespoon Mugwort
1 quart Water

For the Purification blend, the herbs are to be added to the vinegar and left to sit overnight. Strain through a cheesecloth and add the water and salt. It can be used to purify objects, or you may add ½ cup to your bath water. For Christopher’s wash, he asks that you place the herbs into two cups of boiling water, along with a stone from your sacred place. Allow to sit for twelve hours in a sealed glass jar, then strain. Add one to two tablespoons of high-quality alcohol or preserve, then bottle. I tend to make my holy or blessed water by simply adding sea or kosher salt to a decanter of water and leaving it out overnight during a full moon.

I’m currently taking classes in the Temple Tradition. In Christopher Penczak’s book The Outer Temple of Witchcraft, he outlines a way in which to cleanse your tools via fire. The process calls for you to first cleanse and consecrate a candle. The item to be cleansed is to be held above the flame while you imagine the heat and light surrounding the object and burning away the unwanted energies. I personally feel that this is too much work. Why go through the trouble of c&cing the candle just so you can do the entire process again with another item? However, I realize it has its purposes. I might try this the next time I am cleansing a tool connected with the fire element.

There are several simpler and more natural ways to cleanse your tools. They can be left in sunlight, moonlight, hung out on a windy day, or even bathed in a running stream or the ocean. Some people cleanse their tools by setting them in a bowl of salt, others bury them. I’m not terribly fond of the burying thing. I’m far too lazy to dig a hole, and then there is that whole process of digging it up again.

One of my favorite techniques, which I tend to combine with the trusty ole incense/smudge technique, is to imbue the item with a white, cleansing light.

I use a combination of incense or smudge (air and fire) along with aspurging (water and earth) to ritually cleanse my home. I've even used music on some occasions. Sound is a cheap, easy, and less smelly way to raise the vibrations in your home. I tend to pop a Native American drumming cd in when I’m doing my housework. I’m rhythmically challenged, but for those of you who are not, you can use drums, rattles, bells or singing bowls for the same purpose. Even if you aren't a fan of regular housework, it’s a good idea to periodically remove any nasty energy that may have built up. No matter how well rounded your family is, chances are someone will bring something discordant into the home. From disagreements to full blown arguments, these things produce nasty vibrations that hang around and pile up in the corners.

House Purification Incense	Clearing Incense
3 parts Frankincense	3 parts Frankincense
2 parts Dragon’s Blood	3 parts Copal
1 part Myrrh	2 parts Myrrh
1 part Sandalwood	1 part Sandalwood
1 part Wood Betony
½ part Dill seed
A few drops of Rose Geranium Oil
Citrus Purification Oil
3 drops Orange
2 drops Lemongrass
2 drops Lemon
1 drop Lime

Cunningham suggests that the House Purification blend be used for house cleansing once a month, perhaps on the Full Moon, and before moving into a new home. The Clearing Incense is to be used after an argument or when the house’s energy feels heavy. Windows should be opened when burning this blend. The Citrus Purification oil is to be anointed on white candles which are burned to purify the home.

Our beloved Mr. Cunningham suggests that the essential oils be mixed with a base oil. He asks that you add 1/8 of a cup of one of the following to a sterilized glass jar (the jojoba being the being the best as it is not truly an oil but a liquid form of wax which never becomes rancid):

Safflower	Jojoba
Sunflower	Almond
Coconut	Hazelnut
Apricot Kernel	Grapeseed

• ·         Use an eye dropper to add your essential oils in the proportions recommended
• ·         Swirl the essential oils into the base oil, don’t stir.
• ·         Store away from heat, light, and moisture, in an airtight, opaque or dark-colored glass bottle.

And lastly, we come to cleansing ourselves. Sometimes I take a nice long shower before doing my magickal workings. While the sweat and dirt of the day circles the drain, I release the things that do not serve, washing them away with the rest. Ritualistic baths have the same effect, washing away our anger and anxiety along with the work funk. We can anoint ourselves with purifying oils (please test the blend before rubbing it all over your skin), smudge our bodies, or release tension by grounding into the earth. One of my favorite methods to spiritually cleansing myself is to hold a pumice stone. Sounds kind of weird, I know, but the pumice stone is amazing. I originally bought it with the intent of using it on my hearth altar to help grab the nasties out of the air. I decided to do a meditation with it one night, and wow, was I blown away. The stone acts as a vacuum, literally sucking discordance from the body. I sit with it for a few moments after a particularly challenging day at work or in those moments when I've been pushed to near homicide.

"Let Dreams Come" by EmiliaPaw5 of deviantart. I am using this without permission  and hope I don't get burned. ;p

Purification Oil	Purification Oil # 2
4 drops Frankincense	4 drops Eucalyptus
3 drops Myrrh	2 drops Camphor
1 drop Sandalwood	1 drop Lemon
Ritual Purification Bath
4 parts Lavender	2 parts Hyssop
4 parts Rosemary	1 part Mint
3 parts Thyme	1 part Vervain
3 parts Basil	1 pinch Valerian root
2 parts Fennel

The two oil blends can be added to your bath water or worn. Please remember to follow the directions listed above when making oil blends. For the Purification bath, add the herbs to a sachet and then toss into your bathwater. It was adapted from The Key of Solomon, and Mr. Cunningham cautions against using more than a pinch of Valerian root. It smells like dirty feet!

What are you favorite c&c methods?

B is for Broom Closet

Pagan Blog Project - Week 4 - B is for Broom Closet

                I was in the twelfth grade when I first discovered Wicca and actually realized that Witchcraft was a real thing and not just a fantasy found in the tragic stories of history books or in the Sci-fi section of the local Barnes and Noble. I was immature to say the least. The idea of hiding my new found religious and spiritual beliefs was never a consideration. I flaunted them, proudly displaying my pentacle outside my shirt and chatting to everyone I knew about it. The immaturity also extended to my immediate and loud distaste of all things Christian, but we will leave that for another topic. I’m not proud to say that my behavior was nothing short of obnoxious. But hey, you know what they say – you live, you learn…hopefully.

                In the thirteen years since, I've learned a few things. There is nothing wrong with “coming out of the broom closet”, but it is well advised to do so gently, and with a grace. I don’t feel that people should hide their beliefs. You should be proud of what you are. However, there are some situations in which it is best to just keep your mouth shut.

                Unveiling before the family and friends can be a tricky subject. There are some of us that have very opinionated family members, those that might be so worried about our unsaved souls that they forget their own values and disown the offender. My own father, while not as fanatical as some, is nonetheless rather disturbed by my beliefs. I didn't speak of my pagan ideals for a long time, and will never admit to him that I practice witchcraft. However, I do NOT hide my altar when he comes around, or rearrange my household, which is speckled with witchy paraphernalia including a lot of witch statuary. After I revealed that I was a pagan, he went into what I call “preacher mode” on several occasions. We eventually agreed to disagree, or maybe he’s just given up. We remain close and I even share some of my activities with him, though I refer to them in a gentle manner, speaking of things like meditation and “spiritual group meetings”. He doesn't seem to mind and I feel that perhaps he’s begun to realize that my connection with God is no less valid than this his. Maybe that’s just wishful thinking.

                My mother, on the other hand, was an entirely different story. As a teenager at the time of my shift, I simply handed her a copy of Mama Silver’s Teen Witch and gave her a few moments to read the introduction. While I don’t remember her initial response, she told me at some point that her grandmother used to call herself a “white witch” and often got drunk on the weekends and levitated the coffee table while singing old Irish folk songs. My mum is one of those people that seems to have no religious beliefs, and yet allows me to do spell work for her and has even asked me to a bike blessing for her motorcycle. My mum is pretty damn cool.

                For those of us who are not blessed with an open-minded family or group of friends, it may be best to exit the broom closet very slowly, and in some instances, not at all. You should probably tuck away any jewelry that might be found offensive, pentacles tend to raise alarm bells, and refrain from chatting about your spirit guides at the dinner table. Actually, it’s probably a good idea to keep the spirit guides away from the dinner table indefinitely.

                First and foremost, you should make sure that you are able to answer any questions that will come your way. There will more than likely be many. Begin by feeling out the situation and trying to gauge how a specific person would react to the information. Start a casual conversation to find out how much s/he knows about the subject. “I know this chic from work…” or “I met an interesting guy on the bus today…” Not only does this allow you to gauge a response, it might also allow you the chance to correct misinformation. Argue the merits of the idea before s/he has the chance to oppose you.

When you are ready to actually throw open the door, start small. Push the little things from the closet first. If you like to light candles and incense, do it in their presence, but keep your spells and prayers in your head. Wear your crystals or other jewelry of a less obvious nature. If you want to start dropping conversational bombs, meditation and affirmations are great subjects. Both practices are used by a variety of people, including those who are not religious, and information on these subjects can be acquired from places where our close-minded relations can feel safe. Displaying ancestral altars is another idea. While it’s true that some people would not be comfortable with the idea, most seem to have no problem with honoring loved ones who have passed on.

Your work situation can also be an issue. I wear my jewelry without fear and upper management knows of my beliefs because of a conflict in scheduling on Sabbat celebrations. I follow a simple rule when it comes to my co-workers. I do not talk about my religious and spiritual beliefs unless specifically asked. And people will ask. Just the other day I was approached by a coworker who asked if I “read my bible”. I told him that I did not. “Why not?” he inquired. “Because I’m not Christian,” I responded. I told him that I was pagan and when he asked me what that was, I told him it was even older than Christianity and left it at that. He took it pretty well and continues to chat with me on a daily basis.

“But how do you network if you don’t put yourself out there?” you ask. Be patient. Network through the internet and look for local stores and social gatherings that pertain to your beliefs. They are out there. Farmers markets, green grocers, bookstores, and metaphysical shops are great places to find like-minded people in your local area. Witchvox, the Pagan Blog Project, and countless forums are a good outlet for conversation when you feel as if you can no longer hold it all inside.

                Even if you take your time when exiting the broom closet, you are likely to find others in hiding. Simple conversation recently unveiled a like-minded individual at work. We began with topics about nature and animals. He came to me one day with an amethyst and asked if I knew what it was. A few days later, he brought me a handful of other semi-precious stones that he’d dug out of the ground near his home. I told him that I knew people who could probably identify them for him, and if they couldn't  I could take them to a shop that could. He eventually inquired about astral travel.

                The point is, take your time. If you are worried about the reactions of those around you, crack the door and take a peek outside before slowly exiting the closet. Remember to take into account who you are coming out to and how that person will react. Gage the situation, and be gentle. Ask your gods and guides for help and don’t forget to use common sense. Good luck and Goddess Bless!