Fledgewatch - Translations from inside the nest.

My thoughts on what all that squeaking is about…

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01z2vn8/live

“Your beak is digging in my wing”

“Well his foot is on my head”.

“Get your tail out my mouth”.

“You call that singing”?

“When’s mum coming home”?

“I’m hungry”.

“Get off me”!

“I’m getting out of here… Wait! It’s a long way down”.

“But you’re going across, not down”.

“You do it then”.

“I’m hungry”.

“Mum’s back…”

“Me! Me! Me”!

“Feed me”!

“Feed me”!

“Feed me”!

Wittering on... Blue Tit FledgeWatch - Springwatch

Blogging has been completely abandoned for the day (except for this one) because I am addicted to blue tit cam on BBC Springwatch. So close to fledging and I cannot tear myself away.

I will add Blue Tit info here for anyone who would like it, once the little sweethearts have fledged and I am free…

Book of Shadows - Extending the Inspiration

Some of you may remember seeing the inspiration page I created for my Book of Shadows – link here: Book of Shadows - Inspirational Page. Now, no part of my Book of Shadows is one page and so the Inspiration section of my magickal tome will now include the blog posts from my Inspirational People series and it has started with +Shiann Raven Moon 

Reflecting on... Seeking Approval

Everybody wants to be validated; to be patted on the back or to hear ‘Good job!’ It makes us feel approved of. When this happens without it being sought out, there is also a feeling of acceptance and recognition… who wouldn't want that? I myself have fell victim to doing certain things in order to gain someone’s respect, and at other times, I have gained their respect for simply being myself and letting them make up their own mind. Which one do you think felt better? That’s right… being respected and approved of for being myself. This does not mean I have the ‘Screw anyone who doesn't like me’ attitude; it just means that I do not waste my time worrying why someone would put so much effort into disliking me.

Approval of others can be based on many things: if someone lives up to values that you hold; if they do something special for humanity or the planet; these are the larger bringers of respect but it could be as simple as someone who is willing to put themselves out to make you a coffee or put their arm around you when you’re a little low. People interact with each other every day and whether those interactions are friendly, funny, unusual, tense, passionate… being yourself in those interactions will keep you grounded and whether you are judged or accepted by others on those interaction you know you are being honest with yourself. The approval and validation which will then always ensue from these interactions will also be from you.

The idea of self-validation ties in nicely with the practice of affirmations. Knowing who you are and what you stand for makes affirming what you want to achieve an empowering process. Accepting yourself when you stand in front of a mirror and say ‘this is what I want from my life’ will make it much easier to achieve the goals you affirm. My personal affirmations tend to fall into the ‘be more creative’ category and because I know and trust myself to follow through on actively making these things happen, I am confident in the power of affirmation. The approval I have always really sought was my own – it is a part of why I found a pagan path, because there is no other path which embraces self-discovery, freedom of expression and self-approval so much as a pagan one.

I had not intended this reflection to become about self-approval but because I practice self-approval I am okay with it having turned out like that. Much of what I write comes from my spirit guides and I approve of them too – lol! However, I would like to return to seeking approval from others as this article begins to conclude and say that on the pagan path which I walk, I have not always received approval, even from family. For a long time my own mother was very ignorant of my beliefs which was hurtful and limiting to my practice but with time, she came to find her own spiritual path – as a medium of all things – and now we have a very connected spiritual understanding of each other. She still drives me nuts about other things but I accept her how she is and vice versa. This makes for a much higher number of nice moments, and a fewer arguments.

Wittering On 28/05/14 - Post Updates

Good Morning all,

My deepest heart-felt apologies for being absent from posting recently. Work has been non-stop and I just couldn’t fit everything in but I have most of today and all of tomorrow off so I plan to catch up a little bit.

Runes are on hold for a while as getting the magicks together is quite a draining and time-consuming process but I will try to work on them during my holiday at the end of June. I am still waiting for the anointing oil for The Stave of Knowledge but that will be posted as soon as it is received. However, I have by no means given up on runes and I will continue to post my interpretations and magicks as they come to me.

I have started planning the format for my colour magick posts which will begin soon – YELLOW will be first, followed by the other element colours before I expand into the full spectrum.

Also coming up are more Reflecting On… posts; the planned ones are the long promised post about Sex Magick, but also my reflections on Seeking Approval and Walking an Eclectic Path.

More Inspirational People posts… I may concentrate on a few authors… Scott Cunningham will be on that list, Dorothy Morrison, Ellen Dugan, Doreen Virtue, etc…

Also, a few spells will be added into the mix for Spell Spin. I know the spells are very popular and I post them to keep the readers happy but the spells are not the biggest part of my practice, just the sprinkles on top.

Golden Poppy - Money Luck Spell

An American spell to being you luck in money.

Correspondence:

• Thursday
• Twilight
• Waxing Moon

You will need:

• A gold coin
• A silver coin
• Pen and paper
• Poppy seeds

Instructions:

1.          Take the coins and charge them in the moonlight, calling for a blessing from Jupiter for the work ahead.

2.         Light the candle and by its light alone, write on the paper the reasons you need luck in money and the things you would do with it. Take your time – this list is important.

3.         Place the coins on each side of the candle and extinguish it. Put the paper under the candle and retire to bed.

The following evening, relight the candle and check your list – you may wish to amend it. If you feel happy with the contents, meditate for a few minutes on the glow of the candle. Burn the list and collect the ashes. Mix the ashes with the poppy seeds and the coins and plant them in a favourite spot.

Spell Spin

As I’m sure my blog readers are aware, I like to add rhyming to spells that have none… this one is no exception. There are two verses I have added to step one:

Jupiter Call

Jupiter, ruler of wealth and gain

I call you in to ease the pain

Of my monetary ups and downs

And make my balance flow with pounds.

Coin Charge

Moon of wisdom, moon of light

I ask your charge this waxing night

Coin of silver, coin of gold

Be blessed with monetary luck untold

On the second night, during the burial of the spell ingredients, another rhyme:

Blessings of luck from above

I bury deep within earth’s love

To grow and flourish in poppy hues

And with money, my life infuse

Golden Moon - A Spell for Opportunities

This is a spell to make you receptive to opportunities which are within your reach. It has been in my Book of Shadows for about ten years and as I am currently revamping said book, I thought it was time to revamp the spell too.

You will need:

• 2 Mirrors
• 3 orange candles
• A length of orange cord
• Honesty seeds

Instructions:

1.          Place the mirrors opposite each other so that one mirror reflects a moonbeam back into the other.

2.        Take one of the candles and warm it so that you can scratch your initials at the op of the warm wax.

3.        Stand midway between the mirrors with the candles around you, so that you can see your initials on the candle.

4.       Light the candles and return to your place, holding the orange cord in your right hand and the honesty seeds in your left.

5.        Stand in the beam of moonlight and absorb its energy while the candles burn and free the letters of your name.

6.        Turn seven times, clockwise, trailing the cord around you to gather the moonbeams about your body.

7.        Open yourself to all receive all that comes your way; then, retire and sleep with the honesty seeds under your pillow.

8.        Bury them the next day.

This spell is to open you up to opportunities so I feel it necessary to prepare for those opportunities, to be ready and balanced to accept them. For this reason, I added an incense blend to the spell – my ‘Reset Incense’ is charged to rebalance your energy so that when the opportunities come, you can be open to them. I light the incense once the mirrors are in position and let it burn until the end of the spell.

Incense Blend
The amount of each ingredient used can be altered for your specific needs (e.g. if you feel your magickal energy is specifically waning, use more carnation in the incense and tailor the colour of the carnation to correspond to that).

• Black pepper (Mental alertness)
• Carnations (protection; strength; healing; vitality; physical energy, love, health, magickal energy)
• Frankincense (spirituality; protection; banishing of negative entities; consecration; meditation)

Correspondence & Associations from ‘The Pocket Spell Creator’ by Kerri Connor

Charge

Time for reset, restoration

Pepper, frankincense, carnation

Blended strong with my intent

Prepare me for any event

And every opportune moment found

I will embrace as if I’m bound

Reflecting on... Semper Fidelis

Semper Fidelis, often shortened to ‘Semper Fi’ is the motto or ‘words to live by’ of the United States of America Marine Corps but it is so much more than that – the Marine Corps is the embodiment of this adage; it is who they are, what they do, why they fight, why they survive and why they are a force for good. The direct meaning is ‘Always Faithful’ or ‘Always Loyal’ but quantifying that loyalty, especially in this context is unfathomable. These people are dedicated beyond loyalty to their country and I have a great admiration because of this. I have no associations with the heroic men and women of this benevolent force, or any other government assembled agency or organisation is the USA or anywhere else; however, I identify with their loyalty to cause. These words are sacred to Marines; words to live and to die by… a loyalty worthy of defending. I can’t imagine the bond that these words form between members of the military that are currently fighting for peace; the camaraderie and bravery it inspires. My understanding of this loyalty is at best empathetic but how I can identify with it is my loyalty to the earth.

I chose to write about this initially because I am addicted to TV shows such as NCIS and when I hear the words “Semper Fi” in the script, it fills me with something – pride and comfort; as I’m not American or even military, for any words to do that, they mean something special. Now, as I write this, it has taken on another meaning – hope! This world, our world, needs words like that right now. Humanity needs hope because it is fading from the world and any words which bring it back, whether fleeting or sustainable are worth highlighting and sharing. Most people, if asked, would consider themselves ‘good’, determined by a moral compass, devotion to deity or just a conscience which is why it is so unbelievable that on a global scale, famine, poverty, disease and war are more prevalent now than ever before. Semper Fidelis won’t eradicate the evil in the world, but it will provide the hope that things can get better.

Book of Shadows - Inspirational Page

I have tried to make my Book of Shadows as diverse, different and special as possible by personalising in unusual ways. I do this by adding items, entries and ideas which I haven’t seen before on videos or in books.

The idea of an Inspiration page came from the series I write for my blog, called Inspirational People. Being Eclectic in my path means that I can find and draw inspiration from many sources, the people I have included of my Inspiration page are just a handful of those who have enriched my spiritual path over the past few years.

I like having these people in my Book of Shadows; especially under the headings of Inspirational, Magickal, Beautiful & Enchanting. My practice would not be what it is now without these people and I am proud to say they are sister/brother witches and they take pride of place in the first section of my Book of Shadows – amongst my beliefs, charges and dedications.

Sabbat Discovery - Beltane

Samhain  Yule  Imbolc  Ostara  Beltane Litha  Lammas  Mabon

This celebration of transition into the warmer months is the third Spring festival on the Wheel of the Year. It marks the peak of Spring and the beginning of Summer; the time when light is dominating the dark, the abundant life force of the earth is bursting forth in every shade of every colour.

The Cycle of Life

Beltane precedes the Summer Solstice (Litha) on the Wheel and is traditionally a festival of fire and fertility. Many take this quite literally and can be found dancing around a Belfire to celebrate the virile young Lord and the fertile maiden celebrating the evident consumption of their relationship. It is the transition from Maiden to Mother through the mystery of sexuality as the young Lord, overcome with desire for the Goddess falls deeply in love with her and among the grasses and blossoms they unite. This union and the Goddess to bear the reborn God is the celebration of Beltane – Her symbolic fertility and His virility.

Traditions

Belfire

The Beltane Fire or the Belfire is a symbolic reference to the Celtic God Bel, meaning Bright One and the Gaelic word ‘teine’ meaning fire. Combined they mean Bright Fire.

This translates into celebration by lighting a bonfire to encourage and support Bel and the sun’s light to nurture the future harvest and protect the community. The people would douse all fires and especially kindle only the Belfire to blaze; this was the ‘need-fire’. The people of the community would then jump the fire to purify, cleanse and bring fertility.

Feasting

One of the most wonderful ways to diversify the celebration of the Sababts is with food and drink. Feasting is a very enjoyable part of festivities and with Beltane the feast is fresh, indulgent & sumptuous. Incorporate the natural world by using edible herbs, plants and flowers. Also, as a means to further the fetility theme of the Sabbat, include foods with aphrodisiacal properties, such as oysters, strawberries, chocolate, etc…

A chocolate maypole (made like a Yule Log) is a great idea, filled with sweetened cream and fresh halved strawberries; serve it vertically using ribbons or coloured icing strips to decorate.

The Maypole

The Maypole is one of the oldest traditions of Beltane and the decorative ribbon dance was performed ‘skyclad’/nude to promote arousal and in turn, fertility.

The pole itself was traditionally made of Birch and inserted into the Earth as a representation of the God’s potency and virility. A ring of flowers encircles the top as a symbol of the fertile Goddess. The ribbons are twisted, spun and weaved between and around each other by the participants dance as the sacred union of the God & Goddess, the union between Earth and Sky is celebrated, enjoyed and witnessed.

Hand fasting

With the love of the God & Goddess in the air and Beltane being the time of The Great Wedding, their wedding, it is a wonderful and popular time for a hand fasting which for those who do know is a pagan wedding ceremony. A hand fasting is performed to last for a year and a day, after which time the couple can choose to stay together or part without malice.

The handfasting ceremony is usually highly unique to the couple but will hold several traditional elements, such as the exchange of vows and rings (or other token of value). Also, there is always the name sake part of the ceremony which involves the hands of the bride and groom being tied together in a figure of eight with red cord or ribbon – the tying of the hands is symbolic of the couple having come together and when it is untied, represents their desire to stay together of their own free will.

Activities

A-Maying

Going A-Maying is a term used for a a tradition of couples spending the night in the woods and fields to make love and bring back armfuls of the first May and Hawthorn blossoms; these are then used to decorate homes and altars. All participants were free to enact the Sacred Marriage of Goddess & God which led to an accepted tradition of ‘Beltane Babies’ arriving nine months later.

Another traditions of going A-Maying is for young women to wash their faces with morning dew and to make Flower Crowns and May Baskets.

Other Suggestions

Dress up especially to celebrate the Great Wedding of Goddess & God

Watch the sunrise & make love

Befriend a tree – sit with it, talk to it, dance around it, decorate it

Make a Flower Crown

Make Hawthorn Brandy

Make a wreath of fresh greenery and flowers for your door

Serve an evening meal of breakfast foods to invoke the Sun God. Make an extra plate for the Sun God and leave outside (in the East) when the meal is finished.

Beltane Observance - May Eve

I celebrate the Sabbats quite physically with ritual and tree walks, crafting and decorations; this aligns nicely with my spiritual honouring of the festivals which are often expressed through meditation and spell work. I am always inspired by the Beltane celebrations to do something different and so this is my Beltane 2014 journey…

Last night, I spent time in my garden to enjoy the enchanting scent of Beltane Eve the gentle breeze which caressed the night, mirroring the touch of the virile God seducing the fertile maiden Goddess from her virginity. As these thoughts wondered into my mind, I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply – the sweet aroma of early blooming honeysuckle from a neighbour’s garden overtook my senses and my consciousness drifted into the pre-meditative state where the unseen world begins to move from blur into focus. That floral scent brought with it, at image of my Lord and Lady at the beginning of their annual Spring union. It was only a glimpse but it inspired me to write, by candle light, in the garden:

The great Wheel turns deosil into the Sun

Fertility heightened for Beltane is come

Our maidenly Lady disrobed to receive

The virile young Lord bringing his seed

Embraced in the aether, a dance is begun

The dance of lovers for the birth of a son

As time was reaching midnight, I came to my altar. All indoor Beltane activities I practice skyclad. I spent time renewing my altar set up so that the essence of Beltane shone from it. I cast a circle of flower petals, lit jasmine incense and placed my Beltane candle (a thick red taper) on my Sabbat observance shelf. Lighting the candle at midnight, I sat silently, focusing on it and observed the coming of Beltane. From this candle I lit a white candle for our young Lord, and a second red for out virgin Lady and held the candles together, focusing on the joint flame. In that flame, I watched the divine union as the ritual Spring mating was magickally revealed to my awe-struck vision.