Saturn is going retrograde tomorrow. There's a really good article listed in the Astrology section this week. Today is the First Quarter moon, and you can read up on that as well. We have our usual fare of Pagan Lore, Song of the Week, Birthday wishes and divinations as well.
Some of our new Stew Chefs have cooked up some extra special ingredients. I would be remiss if I didn't put in this little disclaimer. I've invited these folks to contribute to the Sunday Stew as a service to the community. Being that we have a large and varied Pagan commonwealth, we are not all going to see things the same way or agree on everything. So, the views expressed by each individual chef are theirs and not necessarily my own. That being said, I highly respect each of these people and am both thrilled and honored that they have joined up with me for your enjoyment.
In the News
Rosmah Dabbles in Witchcraft
Angry Throng Burns Down Homes Following Witchcraft Accusations in Ihahi
Odisha woman held for torture over witchcraft
Tribal women branded witch; one killed. another humiliated
Documentary:The Power of the Witch (1971)
Four victims accused of witchcraft paraded down street naked in Ambapada
Pagan Lore with Karen Szabo
February 17
On this day, according to Hindu religion and mythology, the fearsome Goddess known as Kali was born and the world entered into the Kali Yuga (or "Evil Age"). Kali, the Destroyer-Goddess, was depicted with black skin, a hideous face, and four arms. In ancient times, human sacrifices were made to appease her and to satisfy her thirst for blood. While Kali is associated with darkness, she is also associated with empowerment., and she possesses a dual nature of Gentle Mother and Fierce Warrioress.
February 18
On this day, a festival of women known as the Spenta Armaiti was held annually throughout the country of Persia. Ancient fertility rites were performed by temple priestesses in honor of the goddess Spandarmat, the Goddess who dwells within all women, was honored and invoked with special prayers and meditations. Spandarmat embodies the divine qualities of love and devotion as well as the social welfare of humanity, animals, and plants.
February 19
On this date (approximately), the Sun enters the astrological sign of Pisces. Persons born under the sign of the Two Fishes are said to be telepathic, tolerant, sensitive, artistic, and often prone to daydreaming. Pisces is a water sign and is ruled by the planet Neptune. According to mythology, the Goddess Minerva was born on this day (which is sacred to the Pagan deities Nammu and Nina). Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and sponsor of arts, trade, defense.
February 20
On this date in the year 1882, the Society for Psychical Research was founded in London, England, by a group of prominent philosophers and physicists. It became Britain's leading organization for research into the world of supernatural phenomena and the paranormal. The SPR has a page on Facebook.
February 21
In ancient Rome, an All Soul's Day ceremony known as the Feralia, celebrating the Roman spirits of the dead, was held annually on this date at the close of the Parentalia festivals. Family reunions were held and the Lares, ancestral guardian spirits, were honored with prayers and offerings.
February 22
On this day in the year 1917, Sybil Leek was born in Stoke-on-Trent, England. She achieved fame and success as a modern Witch, astrologer, and occult author of many books including "Diary of a Witch", "The Complete Art of Witchcraft", and "Moon Signs". Her psychic predictions of the Kennedy assassinations and the election of Richard M. Nixon as president of the United States are documented. Sybil's pet and familiar was a jackdaw she named "Mr. Hotfoot Jackson". She passed away on October 26, 1982 in Melbourne, Florida.
February 23
On this date, the last festival of the ancient Roman year (the Terminalia) was celebrated annually in honor of the god Terminus, a deity who ruled over boundaries and frontiers. During the Terminalia, neighbors whose lands were divided and protected by Terminus would gather together an pour libations of wine, honey, and the blood of sacrificed pigs on their stone boundary-markers.
That's it for this week! Hope you enjoyed it all, and see you next time with a new edition of Pagan Lore!
Karen
Sparkle and Shine with Sosanna
I take commitment very seriously. I do not give my word lightly and I do not lie. Over the past week, I have had my integrity; dare say my ethics as it relates to commitment called into question. As part of a deal to advertise my shop I committed to provide a bit of “hostess” duties to an online social network.
Each morning I was up at 6:30 am logged in and greeting members arriving. I logged out at 8:30. In exchange for my presence Monday – Friday a banner ad, that is valued at $20.00 a month was to be shown throughout the day.
The owner of said network decided my services were no longer required and promptly removed my access without so much as a discussion. It was cited that I failed in my commitment by not spending enough time on their system. I was deeply hurt by this. They have a right however to remove me if they feel as though it’s not working out, however I feel that just saying, hey it’s not working out would have been better than challenging my ethical obligation to fulfill my commitment to them.
When I give someone my word, I do exactly what is agreed upon. I submit my stories to Pagan Blog Project as promptly as I can. I send my stories in to meet my deadlines. When I commit, I do so with complete trust that others will hold to their end of the deal as well.
This past January marks the 1 year anniversary of my commitment to the Goddess Hecate. Last year, I completed the Rite of the Red Cord and began doing spirit work with the dead as well as weekly offerings to the Goddess. I've included dark moon rituals and learning to work with herbs as a way to bring myself closer to her. This commitment has been extremely fruitful as I’ve had several prayers to Hecate as well as art work published in Askei Kataskei, the eZine of the Covenant of Hekate.
This past week was Valentine’s Day; a day for all of us to honor our commitments to our loved ones. A little known day, just two days before is February 12th. This say is National Freedom to Marry Day. This holiday was founded in 1999 by Lambda Legal. On this day, Gay and Lesbian couples around the country go to local City Halls and request marriage licenses. On this day in 2004 the Mayor of San Francisco advised his county clerk to begin issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples. Approximately 4000 couples were married during this time. People flew in from all over the country to take part in this amazing experience and to make a commitment to the one that they loved. Those marriages were subsequently ruled null and void from inception.
I've had the honor of being able to marry my soul mate; everyone deserves the right to be able to have the same rights, protections and the commitment I currently share.
These commitments we make, be it as complex as a marriage, or as simple as a blog post define our core. Are we trustworthy? Are we honorable? A commitment is your bond; it is your word to fulfill a promise.
I take my commitments seriously. I am trustworthy and most importantly, I will stand up to anyone who would try to tarnish my reputation by claiming that I do not. You see, I am good at what I do. I follow through on what’s asked of me and I give everything 100%. I will do whatever it takes to make each project a success and they will indeed, Sparkle and Shine.
Namaste & Blessed Be
Sosanna
Sunshine's Meandering with Kathleen Lane
Since most of my beliefs seem to come primarily from what my great grandmother taught me, they are mostly centered on her Native beliefs. They are very similar in many ways to other cultures' beliefs but have a beauty and purity that appeal to me. So I will tell them to you the way they were taught to me:
A very, very long time ago, there was only darkness everywhere and our earth was under water. The only thing that grew in that water was a huge apple tree. One day, the Great Spirit pulled the apple tree up and found a great deep hole where the roots had been. The only animals were water animals. The Spirit called his daughter to him and had her look down into the hole, but all she saw was water and clouds. He lifted his daughter gently and dropped her into the hole.
As she drifted slowly down, the water animals saw the light from her and were frightened and hid. As time went on and nothing happened they came out of hiding and realized that they had to do something to help "Sky Woman" so there would be some earth for her to land on. The first to try to help were the beavers, but they couldn't go deep enough to find earth for her and drowned. The loon came next and he also drowned. Finally the little muskrat tried and although he drowned, too, he had some earth clutched in his claws when his body came up.
The other animals called on a huge turtle and they carefully patted the earth that the muskrat had so bravely found on the back of the turtle. Swans flew up and slowly brought Sky Woman down to the earth created on the back of the turtle. Shortly after coming to earth, Sky Woman gave birth to twins and died doing so. One of them was the Good Spirit and the other the Evil Spirit. The Good Spirit took Sky Woman's head and threw it up into the sky and put her body into the ground. She became our Earth Mother and her head our sun.
The two brothers fought over control of what Earth Mother had left to them and the Good Spirit won, but the Evil brother battles him every inch of the way. He poisons water, put thorns on plants, etc.
I find this creation story speaks to something in me. Probably since it is the first one I heard and I liked the pictures it painted in my mind far better than the ones that the Quaker side of the family generated. Their creation came from a man rather than a woman and got angry at his creations and threw them out. Not exactly a "fatherly" image.
This week in Astrology
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| Pisces by Josephine Wall |
Today: Feb 17, 2013 3:31 PM EST Sun Square Moon (First Quarter Moon)
Feb 18th: Sun enters Pisces 7:02 AM EST
Feb 18th: Saturn Retrograde 12:02 PM EST (lasts until July 8)
Moon VoC Calendar for February
Uncharted Seas with Cap'n Dave
Last week, I spoke of walking a “gray” path, as it were. A path of balance, not necessarily neutrality. A path working toward the positive while understanding the negative, and using the “darker” energies toward that which promoted “light” — not “evil”, not “black magic”, just energies that were meant to cause harm, reflecting them back and stripping them of their power whilst surrounding yourself with purity.
In my ritual, I did this through the use of chant, herbal magic, candle magic, and above all — sympathetic magic (in specific, a black skull candle and nine pins). It is this last that I wish to discuss today.
Yes, we are talking about “voodoo” here. Well, “hoodoo” (hodou) at any rate. Vodou is the religion, whereas hodou is primarily folk magic — sort of like Wicca is to witchcraft. As I mentioned, I blend aspects of such into my own workings. My workings are more akin to Vodoun in their structure, meaning that I call upon Yemaya and Papa Legba (Eshu/Elegua), yet remain more associated with hodou given that my religious path is still primarily rooted in Alexandrian Wicca. However, whether Vodou or hodou, the mere mentioning of such tends to create a certain image in the minds of many people. Drumming, chanting, possessions, a black rooster...now then, throw in any sympathetic workings involving black skull candles or poppets? Yeah, I think you can see where this is going. (To read the rest of this article on Cap'n Dave's blog site, click here)
Song of the Week with Kestril Trueseeker
Journey to the Faerie with Vickie Lesperance
ORIGINS OF THE FAERIE (note: this is fiction and not the origins of the Fae according to Celtic tradition)
In the beginning, there were the Ancient Ones... They are the 'evolved' or 'enlightened' souls. Souls that need not change. They are the First Children of the Earthmother. The Ancient Ones are the Fauna and Flora of the Earth.
If you are thinking one must have consciousness and intelligence to attain 'enlightenment' ... maybe plants, trees, animals have their own form of consciousness, one that is not recognizable by most humans. For those who can communicate with the plants and animals, no more proof of consciousness is needed. And intelligence is not so important. It is through your heart... that you will find the path to enlightenment.
Next came The First Born. The First Born tends, cares for and loves the Ancient Ones. The First Born, are the Fae, as well as the Dragons, Unicorn, Gnomes, Pixies, Sprites, Nymphs, Dryads, Elves and a host of Beings rarely seen or heard. Gaia, the Ancient Ones and The First Born are all inter-dependant and part of one another.
The next People to appear were called the New Born. The New Born are the Humans. This marked the beginning of the First Age of Man. When the New Born first appeared, they were innocent but also without knowledge of how to live and grow in harmony upon the Earth and with the others that came before them.
It was given to the First Born, the task of teaching the Humans how to live in harmony, and prosper as a people.
The Fae gathered these early Humans in a place set aside in the Faerie Realm, for teaching, in an area that was in essence, a school. This school was run by a particular clan of High or Noble Faerie. This clan is remembered today, as the Tuatha De Danaan. The Tuatha are still with us today, in the Faerie Realm of course, waiting to resume their teachings.
Over time, this place was given a name by the Humans who were being taught there. It came to be known as... Avalon...
Avalon was, and still is, a part of the Faerie Realm. It has been reserved for the time when the Veil between Realms will part, and the teaching will begin anew. The Fae who were the teachers, are preparing to once again, welcome new Human pupils. This will mark the beginning of the Third Age of Man.
The Faeries who taught at Avalon were remembered, only through myths and legends. Some of these Faeries through the ages have been deified. A few of their names can be found in the Celtic pantheons and with an ironic twist in Catholic Sainthood as well.
It needs to also be understood, that the clan of Faerie who were the first teachers, did not call themselves Tuatha De Danaan. The Humans gave them this name. And when the Veil separated the Realms, these first Humans took this title as their own and were remembered as the "Tuatha" and this... is where the myths and legends become confused.
The individual Faerie, who was in charge of Avalon, came to be called by the Humans, "The Lady of the Lake".
After the Veil was raised separating the Realms, the Humans who were taught tried to continue these lessons, and developed a school of their own. This marked the end of the First, and the beginning of the Second Age of Man.
Through the years, every new leader of this school was known as the Lady of the Lake. This is how there came to be successive 'Ladies'.
There is only one Lady of the Lake. She is still in charge of this school. And she is waiting to teach once again...... when the Garden of Eden returns..........
It is here........ that many myths and legends find their origins.... "The Tree of Knowledge" ... "Paradise Lost" ... "The Garden of Eden" ... "Heaven" ......
Eliora's Magickal Life
When Deity Knocks . . .
I am a Pagan Artisan. It seems the question that most intrigues people about my work has to do with how I am inspired to create. Many things inspire me - the glory of nature that sits right outside my windows, colors, and sounds. But most frequently, I receive inspiration in the form of mental images - the interesting thing is that they usually come to me in my sleep. I am one of those people who’ll swear they never dream, or at least rarely ever remember their dreams. But, several times each week, as the haze of sleep is lifting, I see wonderful ideas with which I cannot wait to work.
Often, these images incorporate elements symbolizing specific deities. When I am working on an item intended to honor a specific deity, I always feel their presence as I work. Beginning with the very first step, which is usually to research the lore and correspondences of the Goddess or God, so that I can appropriately incorporate symbols, colors, and gemstones. Almost all of these are deities whom I do not personally follow in my spiritual path, nonetheless, they entrust me with honoring them.
And, sometimes deities do make their wishes known in other ways. One day, as I was painting the glass divination board for a pendulum set, the goddess Hecate popped into my consciousness to suggest I create a pendulum set to honor her. Apparently, I was not taking her seriously enough, because my ability to concentrate on what I was doing evaporated completely. Once I realized what was happening, and I directed my attention to Hecate, she gifted me with the concept of what she wanted. I cleared my worktable and brought out new materials; my concentration and momentum returned; and Hecate hovered as we completed her design, together.
Most recently, I was working on a gift for a special friend, whom I know to be a follower of the Morrighan, that awesome Celtic Goddess whose predominant symbol is the Raven or Crow. As I was painting, thinking about my friend, it began to snow, the wind blowing the large flakes into frenzy. In the midst of the flurry, three large black birds walked about on the forest floor, just outside my window. That this was an omen was not lost on me, but I turned to my online friends for validation. Who should be the first to offer information, but the friend for whom I was creating the piece. After our short online chat, I returned to my work, thanking the Goddess Morrighan for her blessing.
Up until now, I have created items honoring several deities: some more often than others simply because they have larger followings. I have worked with deities from the Celtic, Greek, Roman, and Egyptian pantheons. And, the Goddesses Inanna and Yemaya have just recently come to call.
But new (to me) Gods and Goddesses are always stopping by in my dreams, or knocking on my awareness. Always welcome, they honor me with blessings and spiritual growth as I strive to honor them with my work.
Weekly Tarot: Ace of Swords
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| Druidcraft Tarot |
"The seed of victory - perhaps as yet unseen. A challenge to be met and solved through the invocation of force. An opportunity to bring reason and intelligence to bear in the pursuit of justice and truth. An excessive power that must not be abused. May suggest new ideas or information that can reveal a solution to the problem at hand." ~ facade.com
"The Ace of Swords is a symbol of possibility in the area of intelligence, reason, justice, truth, clarity and fortitude. In readings, it shows that a seed of clear understanding has been planted in your life although you may not yet recognize it. When the seed sprouts, it could take almost any form. It might be a compelling idea, desire for the truth, call to justice, or a need to be honest. On the outside, it could be an offer, gift, opportunity, encounter or synchronistic event.
Sometimes this Ace stands for a challenge that will test you in some way. Life never goes smoothly for long. Sooner or later a hurdle shows up, and the Ace of Swords can tell you when one is coming. This card is also a reminder to you to face your challenge, whatever it is, with courage, honesty and a firm resolve. In every challenge, there is opportunity.
When you see the Ace of Swords, examine your life to see how its clean, sharp energy could work for you. Think about your problem objectively. Look for situations that are unjust or confusing and resolve to set them right. Above all else, commit to being honest and ethical. This card tells you that you do have the inner resources to overcome all obstacles and find the truth of your situation. That is the promise of the Ace of Swords." ~learntarot.com
Weekly Totem: Whale
It's been interesting this week.. so many of my close friends have been connecting with the Orisha Yemaya. It seems only fitting that one of her creatures turns out to be this week's Totem messenger.
Whales are the world's largest mammals, and the Blue Whale is the largest creature on Earth. These warm-blooded creatures have blubber to insulate and store food they need. Whale bones are soft and porous, enabling them to store food in the form of oil, unlike land mammals whose bones are hard. The softness of their bones enables them to grow to an enormous size and still float in the water.
Underwater, whales do not see well, but they have excellent hearing and use echo-location to communicate with other whales. By using their powerful tail flukes to steer and propel them, they are able to utilize their fins to twist and turn about in the water.
Having been born with a protective coat of blubber, whales know how important insulation can be. They understand the sacred power of water and realize the importance of taking time out to breathe. Their sensitivity to sound and movement connects them to the core energy of primal life.
The Native Nations of South America and the Pacific Coast of North America all honored the whale. Many tribes had elaborate ceremonies to choose warriors who were worthy to hunt the whale.
Europeans considered whales to be symbols of the world, the body, and the grave.
Whales seen swimming are a sign of good luck for many peoples, while a beached whale meant ill tidings for the entire community, even disease, since a decaying corpse could spread sickness.
Whales are associated with compassion and solitude, and knowledge of both life and death. They are also associated with unbridled creativity. The exhalation through the blowhole symbolizes the freeing of one’s own creative energies. Sound is also a creative force of life. Whales use sonar and echo-location, linking them to the tutelage of direction and response to feedback. Though whales are symbolic of free use of creativity, they are also teachers of how to use creative energies more conservatively.
Whale reintroduces us to our creative and intuitive energies to show us a talent we've forgotten about or haven't been aware existed. People with this totem are able to understand the ancient language of "energy vibrations," and are able to distinguish where others are truly coming from. Whale asks us to recall our past and listen to its stories so we can creatively heal old wounds.
Whale is the keeper of Akashic records. Those who carry whale medicine are said to have its medicine of utilizing sound to bring up memories of ancient knowledge encoded in their DNA. "To recall why the shaman's drum brings healing and peace is to align with whale's medicine" (Animal Medicine Cards, Jamie Sams and David Carson).
Whale's messages bring:
Deeper Awareness
Cosmic Consciousness
Emotional Rebirth and Understanding
Nurturing and Devotion to Community
Appreciation for Beauty, (especially song and dance)
The Importance of Balance (emotional and otherwise)
Use sound in your workings and meditations this week.. whatever you like.. spend some time recalling your ancestral knowledge and using it for your best good.
The Return of The Inspiring Pagan Award
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me. I'm always happy to respond.
That's it for this week's stew! Mull. Digest. Enjoy :)
What did you think of this week's stew? Leave us a comment on the blog here (remember, they are moderated, so it may be a little while before you see yours there). We want to know how we can best serve our community here. Thank you!
What did you think of this week's stew? Leave us a comment on the blog here (remember, they are moderated, so it may be a little while before you see yours there). We want to know how we can best serve our community here. Thank you!