Inspirational People #10 - Flora Peterson

Flora Peterson

http://www.youtube.com/user/FloraPeterson/videos

https://www.facebook.com/fearlesslyinspired?fref=ts

I don’t even know where to start with this post, in fact, I’ve been meaning to write it for a while - I discovered Flora’s videos on youTube about 18 months ago and was completely blown away. She has the sweetest disposition and a way of making you feel… lighter and more complete; it is a very special talent. It was a revelation to find her and I am a better person because of her videos.

Devoted completely to her family, she even included them in her early videos which gave ideas for family-orientated crafts. In fact she inspired me, with one of these videos to make a rain stick which I gifted to my niece much to the annoyance of my sister. I find her way of incorporating magical ideas into every area of life extremely powerful and a great way of finding your magickal self.

Her path has changed direction over the last several months and her videos now lean more towards life coaching (with a spiritual spin). This is a path that certainly suits her sunny outlook and the yay-ness she brings to every situation. It hasn’t deterred me from her channel at all, in fact when I am feeling a little low, her videos are the first ones I go to.

Rune Magick - Thurisaz

Before I talk about the magicks I have written, I would like to apologise for my delay in posting this; the information has taken a long time to formulate and as Thurisaz is a darker rune, I struggled to accept its energies. I have now written 3 spells with the 4th (a meditation) to be written up either later today or tomorrow. This post will expand and be re-shared as it does, so please bookmark the page and check back regularly.

Blessed Be, AcanthaRayne x

Thurisaz is an unusual rune for practising magick. It has darker connotations than the others which some may find trying to work with but as a darker rune it is perfect for shadow work; purification & protection; it can even be used for the monumental task of dispelling negative energy. These are the magicks I will be exploring and explaining in this post.

Thurisaz Talismans

A talisman is a mobile form of power. My first instinct for a Thurisaz talisman was Shadow Work as its ‘chaotic’ nature would align very well with working on ones inner demons. However, there is more than one way to utilise this energy and shadow work can take many forms; it does not need to be tackled directly.

I have practiced both of these two talismans I have created whilst I have been away from posting, which is actually why I have been away from posting. Thurisaz is a powerful energy and should not be used for magick without proper preparation and protection.

Type 1 – Crystal Talisman

I personally choose to make this at the full moon as I have been using shadow work for a little while and this is to help me with it but if you are new to shadow work and are building tools for it, I would make this at the new moon. Of course, this is a personal preference/suggestion and you are free to adjust it to what feels right for you.

You will need:

• A black organza bag
• 1 clear quartz
• 1 moonstone
• 1 bloodstone
• 1 tsp each - sage, bay & mugwort

What to do:

• Ground, centre and cast your circle.
• Cleanse all items; the herbs will not require cleansing as they are all naturally purified
• Draw the runic symbol of Thurisaz on the bag: X.
• Add the crystals to bag the individually:
• First the clear quartz; hold it in your dominant hand and charge it with the intent of keeping your mind clear. Add it to the bag and recite:

Quartz I place within this spell

To clear my mind and fears quell

• Second the moonstone; again hold in your dominant hand and charge it with the purpose of purifying your heart so that you when you proceed with your shadow work, it is for no motive other than self-improvement. Add it to the bag, and say:

Moonstone made of Goddess light

Restore my heart to shine so bright

• Third, the bloodstone; this stone is to be charged (again in the dominant hand), with its task of keeping you consciously present during a working:

Bloodstone keep my mortal coil

Anchored by roots in the soil

• Meditate briefly on the bag as it is. Held within is the power to clear your mind, purify your heart and keep you anchored to the earth whilst you use shadow work magickally. I charge the bag as a whole at this point before adding the herbs. Mainly because I take every opportunity to add more rhymes into spell work. I find it increases the energy and makes it harder for the energy to dissipate over time. So at this point, after the brief meditation, I recite:

My mind is clear, my heart is pure

So as my spirit does delve or soar

I am present when this power is near

And Thurisaz won’t bring me fear

• Now to the herbs: add them individually or as a mix. It’s really up to you. I find adding them individually makes the intention clearer but adding them as a mix makes it stronger. I like to add them individually, as I recite:

Sage has power cleanse and clean

Bay protects me from what’s unseen

Mugwort strengthens energies round

By these powers, the spell is bound

• The final part of the spell is to bind it; this spell binding is not my own. It is from the ‘Enhancing your Mind, Body & Spirit’ magazine series: publisher – unknown.

Air, Fire, Water Earth

Bind this spell at its birth

From ground below and sky above

May this charm be filled with love.

• I recite this binding 3 times (mainly for emphasis) and knot the bag. As you tie your knot you are binding your wish into the talisman.

HAVE THIS TALISMAN ON YOUR PERSON ANY TIME YOU ARE PERFORMING MAGICK RELATED TO SHADOW WORK. IT WILL KEEP YOU PROTECTED, CLEAR-HEADED AND UNSUSEPTIBLE TO DARKER ENERGIES.

Type 2 – Ribbon Talisman

Thurisaz is a rune of chaos and its dominant polarity is masculinity so I devised this talisman with +Shiann Raven Moon  to gain masculine energy in order to restore balance.

You will need:

3x thin bamboo sticks (2x 3” & 1x 6”)

Bright red paint

Gold Glitter

Glue gun

3x 12”x5mm ribbons – black, red, maroon

Blackthorn or Oak Oil

How to make it:

Shape the ends of the bamboo sticks so they will form a Thurisaz symbol when joined together.

Paint all 3 pieces of bamboo with the red paint, roll them in gold glitter and leave them in the sun to dry.

Anoint the three rods with either Blackthorn or Oak oil – I haven’t seen this oil being sold so I make my own by infusing tree leaves from your chosen tree into your favourite base oil.

Bamboo of protection and strength

Elements amassed within your length

With this oil I charge and anoint

From your centre to each point

Draw in the power it gives

So in you it always lives

Once again leave the oil to dry off in sun light.

Use the glue gun to join the 3 bamboo pieces together into the Thurisaz rune symbol. Leave to one side.

Plait the ribbons tightly so they are a strong force of masculine energy. As you do this, visualise all that masculinity represents to you; all that you feel your own duality of spirit of missing. Knot each end to seal the energy into the plait.

Black, the bringer of obscurity

Red to manifest security

Maroon, all brave and strong

Combine into a masculine song

Ribbon Charge partly written by +Shiann Raven Moon 

Once the glue has dried on the bamboo structure, feed the ribbon plait through the triangular gap in the Thurisaz and tie the two ends together.

PICTURES TO FOLLOW NEXT WEEK-

WAITING ON REPLACEMENT INGREDIENTS TO ARRIVE.

How to use it:

Within circle, mount the talisman upright in a large lump of red plasticine or sticky tack on a flat surface (e.g. your altar).

Take hold of the plaited ribbon loop and pull it taut; but not too tight or it will topple.

Close your eyes and visualise the masculine energy in the plait flowing into your hand and through your body. As the energy travels through you, take it to where you feel you are lacking the balance of duality.

Allow the energy to circulate through your spiritual body before you return it to the plait to recharge for next time.

Thurisaz & Fire

Fire is the most purifying element of them all in some ways. It is ferocious in its application, fast in its delivery and is not prejudice about destroying anything that gets in its way; it is therefore well matched with the rune of Thurisaz. They are both masculine energies and when used in tandem, they can achieve strong magickal ends. This spell is to banish unwanted ‘anything’ and should be performed during a waning moon.

You will need:

• Scissors/template cutter
• 3cm disks made of gold card
• A red pen
• A fire pit/ burning bin
• Birch kindling for the fire

Preparation:

1.          Ground & Centre outdoors

2.       Cast your circle.

3.        Place the birch kindling ready for lighting the fire in the south area of your circle.

4.      Cut out the disks with scissors or a template cutter.

5.        Write on the card disks –the gold side - the ‘things’ you wish to remove from your life (it can be an addiction, a rivalry, a personality trait); on the back, draw a Thurisaz symbol.

Method:

1.          Charge the birch wood with its purpose – banishing by drawing a banishing pentagram over the wood three times whilst reciting the following:

When come the powers of banishing fire

To purify that which must retire

Brings salamanders of the flame

Let them feed, and take and claim

That which marked by Thorn is thrown

To the realms of the unknown

Let them perish, claimed by death

Your smoke to take their final breath

2.       Set a fire burning in the fire pit with the birch wood.

3.        Meditate on the fire and call the salamanders to your aid:

I call forth from the elemental plane

The salamanders through the flame

And ask you aid my quest this night

Rid me of woe, conflict and plight

4.      Throw your disks into the fire, one at a time. With each one, recite:

Elementals in this banishment fire

I ask you take, for I don’t require

This woe and conflict in my life

Take it now, relieve my strife  

5.        Once all of the disks have burned, release the salamanders:

Salamanders, I release, to the Elemental plane

Find your way back through the flame

I give thanks for your aid this night

In my battle against conflict and plight

Release written by +Shiann Raven Moon  

6.        Close your circle and once again, ground & centre.

Reflecting on... Meditation

It is all well and good to explore and enjoy the meditative world but it is also necessary to find a way in and out of it; some may use a door, or stairs, or something more fitting to the their own energies. I have devised an exercise to practice reaching and retreating from the meditative state.

Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Focus on your breathing – inhale slowly and deep, allow your stomach and chest to expand with the air, feel the additional oxygen flood your system and reach every extremity.

As you exhale and feel the air leave your body, allow your muscles, and your bones to relax. That exhale of breath dispels the tension held within.

Repeat this process until your heartbeat slows a little, your mind begins to drift; this is the level of relaxation where your third eye can open and your imagination can expand.

In the darkness behind your eyelids, keep your breathing deep and steady but shift your focus to your creating a staircase in your mind. Visualise it, bring it to your feet, and make it solid so you are standing at the top of it.

Slowly walk down the steps, counting them 1 to 10 as go. Your steps are taking you into a grand garden. As you descend, the steps become lighter and more reminiscent of the pathway to an English garden.

Once at the bottom, spend a little time enjoying the scenery, taking in the calm.

When you are ready to come back to the physical world walk back up the stairs by slowly counting back from 10 to 1.

Reflecting on... Affirmations

I have technically been reflecting on shadow-work as research for my Thurisaz Magick post but shadow-work implies the intent of self-improvement and that is the purpose of affirmation. Whether you use affirmation to increase mental or magickal proficiency, it is an excellent way to help you accept yourself as you are and to expect more from yourself.

There are several ways to practise affirmations but my favourite is to use a notebook. Think of 2 goals you wish to accomplish and form them into positive statements (this should be something within your power to achieve; winning the lottery really doesn’t count). Each night, write each statement repeatedly on a page of your notepad until a page is full of one statement. Date each entry and continue until the goals are accomplished.

Another technique is to record yourself. This is a great way of not only practicing affirmation but learning to trust your voice. Purchase a Dictaphone or use another recording device, such as your phone or laptop; write a total of 5 statements and record yourself speaking them aloud. Say them over and over, or put them on repeat. Play it to yourself morning and night until you feel they have come to fruition.

There is a third option I use, although less often because it takes a high level of self-control. It is the act of listening and recording your thoughts for a full 24 hours and determining the level of negative programming you use. When you have a negative or defeating thought, blast it with a red circle and put a big slash through it. If you discover through this practice that you have a high level of negativity, repeat this process daily until you have your thoughts under control.

The exercises I have brought up here are how I have been practising affirmation for years; since I first started practising witchcraft in fact. They were taken from ‘To Ride a Silver Broomstick’ by Silver RavenWolf and though I am sure there are other ways to affirm, these are the ones that work for me. There is one other that I would like to bring up though, something I have developed over the last few years which I only recently decided was a form of affirmation.

Stand in front of a full-length mirror and undress yourself. As you remove each garment, imagine it is a part of yourself that you give out to other people: remove the layers of personality that you add on for the benefit of those people. When you are left with no clothes in front of yourself, repeat 10 times out loud to your reflection: “I accept you for all that you are”.

Wittering on - Drama, Drama, Drama

This is my 100th blog post - yay!!!!!!!!

I had planned to have Thurisaz Magick posted by now but on the advice of my spirit guides, I have taken it easy for a few days and allowed the information needed to come to me. That information has started coming to me tonight and so I am now hitting the books for specifics.

What has come to me is that instead of creating one talisman as I originally thought, I am apparently coming up with two; the details of these are still ‘downloading’ from my subconscious.

I have 2 days off now to meditate, research, write and create so I am hoping that I can get this magick out of the rune bag and into a few talismans (amongst other things). It makes sense that the Rune of Chaos is causing me chaos… so frustrating but I know that magick comes when it is needed and so I am attempting patience and trying to experience the art of zen. Updates to follow – stay tuned witches!

Rune Interpretation - Thurisaz

Basic Meaning:

Protection – unfortunate events – self-discipline – secrecy - organisation – purification – meditation – conflicts – challenges - chaos

Magickal Application:

BREAKTHROUGH – DEFENSE – CHANGE

Deity Association:

THOR

Characterisation

Possibly the darkest rune in the bag, Thurisaz is the bringer of Chaos; He is a messenger of threat from those in power but may not always bring that threat to fruition. He is a warning of dishonesty and trickery, and offers a warning to resist temptation.

Thurisaz energy may seem unbalanced and swayed dramatically towards evil but this is a fallacy – there is nothing to fear from this rune; its balance lies in perceiving it as the force of the human psyche and a warning of luck changing and possibly protection from that chaos.

The ‘Thorn’ or point is a symbolic weapon – used to stab, tear and pierce but can be used protectively – much like a thorny bush.

Interpretation

Concentrating on the positive of this rune, it does reveal the ability of its reader to overcome current or upcoming obstacles – the capacity and potential to face anything. It is a message to fear nothing as within you lays the authority to claim your own destiny. Take charge and let your search for the truth be unhindered. This is not limited to the physical world and your everyday life; it applies to spiritual authority, how you command your path and the power your command creates. This in turn creates a choice: how you choose to use the created power – for selfish or loving motives. Power has the ability to corrupt if it is not used with a true and honest heart.

The negative connotations of this rune are a little more obvious: imminent chaos, obstacles or danger but keep in mind the positive and know that you can get through difficult circumstance.

Reversed Meaning:

The simplest interpretation of a reverse Thurisaz is that evil can be overcome; obstacles are coming up and will be conquerable. It is a good omen that things will improve in a bad situation. There is also significance with Thurisaz in reverse that a difficult road ahead can be taken as danger is slight.

Converse (face down):

As a converse rune, the evil is hidden or may appear disguised as good. It tells you to be wary of a situation that seems too good to be true.

http://www.runemaker.com/futhark/thurisaz.shtml

Astral Travel Spell - updated

This is a gentle meditative spell, rich in visualisation, to open your mind, body and spirit to the possibilities of life outside of the conscious state. With patience and persistence it is possible to open up the mind to higher states of consciousness and clairvoyance, so if you do not succeed the first time, keep trying.

You will need:

3 candles anointed with a combination of 3, 5 or 7 essential oils of your choice.

My personal favourites are coconut, patchouli and lavender.

Instructions

Note: It may be helpful to do this with a friend or partner.

Light the oiled candles and turn out all other lights. Place them so that you can lie or sit in the centre of them.

Close your eyes, ground & centre, gently relax… releasing your brain from everyday trivia.

Transport your imagination onto the ocean’s horizon; let the misty blue hues envelop you and lead you onto a path of air.

Continue on slowly and note all that you see. Accept all that you are offered but do not try to communicate.

As you go along, you may hear conversations, your senses may be aroused, and fragrances may draw you forward. Go with them, glancing up and down so as to miss nothing.

As the blue fades, slowly begin your return to the earth and as you finally reach this world, open your eyes and stretch.

Join hands with your companion and give thanks. 

My Spin

I do not change this one a great deal, I find it very useful as it is. However, I do find the ocean horizon and path of air. It is a perfectly acceptable way of reaching the location but I am very connected to the element of air and so I enjoy adding a more cyclonic way of travelling; I am also very connected to the earth element and so the path I take begins on the edge of a forest. This means the interactions I encounter are generally from the animal kingdom, the trees or the earth herself.

My other point of difference is earlier in the spell and relates to the candles and oils. The colour of the candles can be adjusted to suit your preference and needs, as can the oils. For example, if I had plans of letting my astral travels take me to the rainforest, I would use a deep green for the vibrant shades of the tropical foliage; a bright red for the stunningly exotic rouge blooms that grow in that environment; and finally, I would use a vivid yellow, which with red, brings to mind the flourish of wings as a parrot flies past.