Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!

Especially to my husband.

Orlando

Please join me in keeping all those affected by the mass shooting tragedy in Orlando in your thoughts and prayers. More than 50 individuals lost their lives and more than 50 were injured. Now more than ever, we need to stand together in solidarity to honor those that have lost their lives due to a senseless act of violence. We need to come together and through kindness and empathy, bring the community together. This is a time for community to stand against hate and conquer it with love.

May justice and mercy be both experienced and honored as investigations continue and loved ones mourn. Given all those killed and injured, it is very possible that someone you know may be affected by this tragedy. We lift up special prayers for those offering care and ministry in the Orlando area, especially to the LGBT community of Florida.

We offer prayers of thanks to those first responders who run toward what others run from. May they be watched over and blessed. Please remember, they too are humans and will require support during this difficult time.

Let us be present and available to stand with community members who are experiencing grief and shock from these hateful and terrorist acts. May we all seek to be further beacons of light, love, care, and justice in our lives and in the world. For light, community, and love continues to cast out all fear.

Peace and Blessings...

In Honor Of Our Brothers and Sisters...

Today begins the first day of the Islamic month of Ramadan. Muslims all over the world are spending the next month or so in prayer and fasting. We wish them the best and may they be blessed.


For more information about Ramadan, check out this website.


Why Islam

Minty Fresh

Happy New Moon to all you happy people. Today brings us through another opportunity to begin again. And as such, I am bringing you today a new topic. A new experience. And a new use for Mint. It is not just for toothpaste or an after dinner treat.

I love the smell of mint. When I was a teen my mom always had Pep-O-Mint Lifesavers in her purse. (Probably to cover up the smells from her dentures and smoking, but still.)

The smell of mint takes my mind to place that is clean. A place that is fresh.

Mint is super easy to grow, comes in a ton of varieties and has a million uses. A witch’s garden is not complete without some mint.

In Greek lore, Minthe was a nymph lover of Hades who was jealous when he chose Persephone for his Queen instead of her and made some trouble so that either Persephone or Demeter turned her into a plant. Alternatively, they trampled her into dust and Hades made the plant grow from the dust. Either way, mint was used in Greek funerary rites to mask the smell of the body and so was associated with the kingdom of Hades.

I use it in a variety of ways. It makes a great tea. The tea can alleviate a stomachache or heartburn. The smell of it can help with headaches. It can help pregnant women with morning sickness. Drunk as a tea, mint adds strength to our words, increasing the success of all oratory, including, prayers, spells, speeches and presentations, vows of love, legal arguments- or any arguments, political debates, business negotiations, and performances.

Mint is a powerful herb that can be used to increase personal strength and build up the fortitude needed to overcome difficulties and restrictions placed upon you whether through magical or mundane means. Thus, it is an excellent addition to uncrossing mixtures as well as working for courage and strength to prepare for upcoming challenges in the workplace and in relationships. It can be for breaking streaks of bad luck of all sorts and jinxes, whether self-inflicted or otherwise and it can be carried to protect from falling victim to streaks of bad luck or trickery from other people by keeping the mind alert to those "red flags" that tell us that a person or situation might be trouble down the road and helping to give us the strength to walk away before things get too bad.

Mint can be used as a floor wash or grown in and around the house to keep away trouble and troublesome people. After a disruption in the household, such as a family argument or break up, this floor wash can help return the home to calm and harmonious energy and encourage normal and fruitful communication.

I used it to make a massage oil. It was nice. I use it in spaghetti sauce. It is good with fruit or chocolate or in a mojito.

Carry mint in your shoe or your pocket to prevent bad luck and other obstacles from interfering with your goals and success. Keep some in your wallet to keep your money flowing smoothly.

Combine mint with High John the Conqueror Root and Calamus to increase your fortitude when you're getting ready to address whatever situation is getting in the way of your success. (Whether it be curses, crossed conditions, petty people, legal issues or red tape.)

Mint can be added to psychic-enhancing tea, incense and fragrance oils. Placing mint under your pillow is said to encourage prophetic dreams.

You can find out more here on this website.

Mint Information

Enjoy the darkness tonight. :)

On A Shopping Spree

A Flower Moon... a good time to get out in the garden. Grow some herbs. Do some magic. That is what I am going to do. I have some great spells in mind.

How about you?

So...

Ever need a witchy item and be all like…

“Where does one even get one of those?”

Well, Amazon has a ton of options you can order right from home. I have ordered candles, a candle snuffer, a tiny cauldron, some charms and various books right off Amazon. Even better, you can buy used books for cheap. I got a couple for a penny plus shipping.

But if you are looking for something a little more specialized, I use Azure Green.

Check out their website.

They have a ton of great stuff. Their staff is awesome and the items ship quickly. I have purchased several candle holders, a bunch of great incense, some charms and a little bell. They have a great selection of runes and tarot cards. There are so many wonderful little boxes and a wide array of alter cloth. I could spend hours on the website just shopping.

Not only do they offer a ton of stuff for Wiccan practices, they also offer items for Asatru/Odinist Pagans, Buddhists, Hindu, and even Santeria.

Now I just want to buy stuff. Look what you made me do. So when this little jewelry box arrives, I am telling my husband it is your fault.

Blessed be.

The Eye of Jasper

A new moon is here. And it was a pretty awesome day. I did have to work, but it wasn’t so bad.

Recently I got a new necklace made of beads of green jasper. I really like it and have been wearing it a lot. If you don’t want to put yourself out there by wearing a pentagram around your neck, you can wear something simple as a beaded necklace. (Or you can wear it under your clothing as it is better closer to your person. I wear mine where ever. I have several with pentagrams and moons and goddesses.)

Green Jasper is a very nice earth stone. Green is the rarest form of jasper. More common colors include red, yellow, brown and grey.

Green jasper is the ultimate and most reliable stone for rain bringing. I live in the desert so I can always use that. Besides, I love the sound of rain. I use a rain sounds soundtrack when I meditate, study or to help me sleep.

It is also a sleep stone. It can be a talisman for those coping with paranoia or who are overwhelmed by nightmares. It can ward off negative energies, bring reassurances and restore inner calm. (Although if you are having problems sleeping or are coping with paranoia, please see a qualified health professional.)

Jasper can drive away evil spirits, ghosts, harmful fantasies and evil witchcraft. (Although, no witchcraft should be evil.) It can be protective against venomous creatures or protect you from drowning. (So does common sense. Stay away from venomous creatures and large bodies of water if you do not know how to swim.)

Jasper can provide good health; make one amiable and brave, and even ward off sorrow. It is said to heal fever and edema, as well as diseases of the stomach, lungs and chest. It can increase fertility and aid women through pregnancy and childbirth. (Again, with the aid of a qualified medical professional.)

Jasper can balance obsessive tendencies and restore harmony to the emotional body. Because of those qualities it is used to aid with addictions, such as smoking or alcoholism. (Again, seek a qualified medical professional if you are seeking help.)

Green jasper is associated with Persephone, Greek Goddess of Spring and Re-Birth; Gaia, the Greek Earth Mother Goddess; Bona Dea, the Roman Goddess of Earth and Fertility; Callisto, the Greek Moon Goddess, Chirakan-Ixmucane, the Mayan Creator Goddess; and Clota, Goddess of the River Clyde.

With all of those amazing qualities, it is no wonder I enjoy wearing it so much. I hope you to have found something that is special to you.

Blessed be.

Love Conquers All

Happy Beltane all you lovers out there! I hope you enjoyed this fine Sunday enjoying the outdoors and stopped to smell the roses at least once.

Unfortunately, I did not get a chance today. I was at work and when I came home, I found that some kind person had smashed the back window of my car. Therefore, I spent the evening waiting for police to come and take a report. Let this be a lesson to those people… Always remember the rule of three…

So what is Beltane you ask?

Beltane is another name for the Gaelic May Day festival. Most commonly, it is held on 1 May, or about halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. Beltane is mentioned in some of the earliest Irish literature, and it is associated with important events in Irish mythology. It marked the beginning of summer and was when cattle were driven out to the summer pastures. Rituals were performed to protect the cattle, crops and people, and to encourage growth. Special bonfires were kindled, and their flames, smoke and ashes were deemed to have protective powers. The people and their cattle would walk around the bonfire or between two bonfires, and sometimes leap over the flames or embers. All household fires would be doused and then re-lit from the Beltane bonfire. These gatherings would be accompanied by a feast, and some of the food and drink would be offered to the spirits. Doors, windows, byres and the cattle themselves would be decorated with yellow May flowers, perhaps because they evoked fire. In parts of Ireland, people would make a May Bush: a thorn bush decorated with flowers, ribbons and bright shells. Holy wells were also visited, while Beltane dew was thought to bring beauty and maintain youthfulness. Many of these customs were part of May Day or Midsummer festivals in other parts of Great Britain and Europe.

Beltane celebrations had largely died out by the mid-20th century, although some of its customs continued and in some places, it has been revived as a cultural event. Since the late 20th century, Celtic neopagans and Wiccans have observed Beltane, or something based on it, as a religious holiday. Neopagans in the Southern Hemisphere often celebrate Beltane at the other end of the year (around 1 November).

There is so much history and ritual to this holiday and it is one of my favorites. This is just the generic Wikipedia version.

In addition, since I have not had too much time today, here I offer you some great websites where information was already written. Enjoy them.


Wikipedia- Beltane
Beltane
Beltane- ThoughtCo.
Beltane- Circle Sanctuary


Tomorrow I will go out and smell the roses myself. I promise.