When forgiveness becomes irrelevant

Every one of us has have lived through some bad times that we'd rather not remember. It's part of living - that in order to know the good, we also have to experience the bad, and that way we appreciate coming through it all that much more. But so many of these bad times leave a lasting mark upon us, so that we just can't get past them and put them in the recycle bin. Especially when these bad times involve other people.

From a young age, we have it instilled upon us to "forgive and forget", but no one explains just how to do this. They tell us we must forget the hurt and anger, forgive the person that, whether by accident of design, has brought these feelings out. They tell us "you must" but not how.

Personally, I don't think that forgiveness is an automatic right that a person who has harmed us in entitled to. It means that they have carte blanche to do pretty much what they like, no matter who it harms. How many times have I heard people explain their condoning of behaviour with "I'm only doing it to keep the peace"? When you "need" to forgive someone, then they have power over you. It's even harder when it is family and those close to us that cause the situation - which is exactly what they are banking on.

Why? Why should you be blackmailed into a position that isn't comfortable for you, where it is you that suffers and not the bully (and these people are bullies) forcing you into a course of action against your will?

It makes me a bit cross when I see and hear grown adults throwing a tantrum when they don't get their way. They have learned that if they make another person uncomfortable, then they will get what they want easily. But in my view - these people are children still, the grown-ups are the ones that don't let the children have the power.

Anger and hurt are all about Power. The person who invokes an emotion in another person holds a power over that person. This works for positive and negative emotions. When we allow another person to make us angry, to hurt us, we give away our own power, the power we have over ourselves and our choices. We choose to take the options that "keep the peace" rather than the options that would be more beneficial for us. We choose the easy path, the one that divulges of us our own personal responsibility, our personal power.

There is a lot of shadow work involved with dealing with anger and hurt. You truly have to be able to know yourself, your own gifts and your own faults. There are many times when we feel negative about a person, but when we truly look at ourselves, we see that they are exhibiting a character trait that we have ourselves, but don't want to accept. Learning to accept yourself, warts and all, is a huge leap in being able to deal with hurt and anger. You can accept a less-than-desirable character trait in yourself - it doesn't mean you have to display it - knowing it is there, and controlling it yourself, you take back your power.

To me, forgiveness comes when a person no longer has any power over me. There have been situations in my life when I have been angry and hurt, some have affected me over the long-term. When it really doesn't matter any more what happened in the past - then that is when I have come to a point of forgiveness, and even then, the act of forgiving in itself it irrelevant, as it too is unimportant.

Now, I am able to accept the character flaws of other people, as I know that I'm not perfect either. I am able to take responsibility for my actions, and I am able to risk "the peace" when it conflicts with what is healthy for me. It's extremely liberating. I still get angry, and I still get hurt, it's part of being human. But I choose not to let it be important, I move on, I forget, and I forgive...myself.

Love and hugs

Blaidd

No Spoons Were Harmed in the Making of this Article

For some reason, the bending of spoons for the sake of decoration bothers me. I don't know why, and the results were beautiful, but I'm left with a quiet sense of discomfort. I feel that it's disrespectful to the spoon, that it's purpose, it's reason for being, has been stolen from it. Should I really be feeling like this? Is this not just giving an old, rejected spoon a new lease of life? A new purpose? A new respect?

Anyone who knows my home will also know that neither myself or my hubby are any good at throwing stuff out. We're not just hoarders, we're avid collectors. He moreso than I, I just couldn't compete with his ability to accumulate Stuff. Though every so often, I am able to throw out his acculumated Kinder Egg flotsam and jetsam without him noticing. This clutter isn't healthy, the Chinese were onto something with the flow of chi throughout a living space. Clutter creates stagnancy and this leads to decay.

The last time I moved house, I was forced to drastically reduce the amount of Stuff that I had. I could only take with me what I could fit into the back of a transit van - the only things I regret throwing out are some of the baking tins I'd had. I shudder to think of the amount of money I put into the back of a dustcart - but I was moving in a hurry. But I did find a home for the rarely used exercise bike.

There are some things I will never get rid of. It's a very rare occasion that I can bring myself to thin out my bookshelves, and in the loft I still have many of my childhood toys. My collection of dragons pales into insignificance compared with hubby's collection of dragons. And I never had much of a wardrobe in the first place!

We live in such a throw-away society. A friend remarked upon this recently, that we no longer repair things, when something breaks, we buy a new replacement - usually because the cost of replacing is so much less than the cost of repair. Now society is realising that we can't continue this disposable living, that the planet's resources just won't last much longer if we do. Recycling has become the Thing To Do, it's fashionable, all the best people are doing it...

Sending old yoghurt pots into the schools to be made into space rockets, cutting up old pairs of tights to make stuffing for new toys, shredding newspapers to put into compost bins along with the kitchen waste and grass cuttings. Bending spoons to make pretty ornamentations. It's all good.

So why am I still left feeling that spoon should still be stirring sugar into tea?

Love and hugs

Blaidd

Ravens & Crows

Raven:


Ravens wisdom includes introspection, courage, self-knowledge, magic, healing, creation, rebirth, keeper of secrets, master magician, shape shifter, mysticism.

Early Europeans feared the Raven and regarded them as bad omens, because they would feed on the corpses of the dead hanging on the gallons. Truth of the matter is, the Raven - like all wildlife and nature - should be respected, not feared.

Ravens bear magic and mysticism, and have a long history of myth enshrouding them. Shamans know the power of an unexpected piercing sound in shifting consciousness. Ravens have this power, giving out varied sounds, and can assist us in shifting our consciousness into various dimensional realms. Hence this is a reason why the raven is referred to as a shape shifter with magical powers. ‘Raven people’ can expect continual changes and spiritual awakenings throughout their lifetime.

Some native tribes refer to them as the ‘keeper of secrets’. They are linked to the void, where universal secrets are kept. Obviously, their black colour is the colour linked to darkness, the place where unconscious fear resides. Ravens are master magicians and represent transformational energy, revealing to us how to rid ourselves of our inner fears. Raven will show you how to go within in yourself, into the dark areas and then illuminate them, making you ‘sparkle’ and bringing out your true self. Inner conflicts should then be resolved, however long buried they are - this is the deepest healing.

If raven has flown into your life, then magic and healing abound. Raven awakens the energy of magic, linking it to our will and intention. With Raven, you have the ability to make great changes in your life - now is the time when you can take the thought and make it reality. Raven knows the mystery of life, they are strongly linked with death and rebirth. Remember not to be fearful of Raven, rather give thanks for the teachings he brings. Raven chooses its student according to their knowledge. They usually stay as long as needed to help transmute karma, returning you to the light. They will lead you into the discovery of your multidimensional self and reunite you with the secrets of the multidimensional universe.

The raven is a member of the corvid family to which belong crows and magpies. In truth, the only significant difference between the raven and the crow is in size, the raven being much larger. The correspondences for crow over lap those of raven and vice versa so…

Crow:

To have a Crow as a power animal is extremely powerful stuff. When we meditate on the crow and align with it, we are instilled with the wisdom to know ourselves beyond the limitations of one-dimensional thinking and laws. We are taught to appreciate the many dimensions of both reality and ourselves, and to learn to trust our intuition and personal integrity.

Crow can also teach us to be mindful about judging people automatically. Be mindful of your opinions and actions. You need to walk your talk, to speak your truth and to know your life's mission. Again, trust your intuition and personal integrity, to create your own standards, whether or not they match those of the world around you. Be an individual, think for yourself, don't necessarily follow the crowd!

Crow is an omen of change. Crows live in the void and have no sense of time, therefore being able to see past, present and future simultaneously. They unite both the light and the dark, both the inner and the outer. Crow is the totem of the Great Spirit and must be held with utmost respected. They are representations of creation and spiritual strength.

Crows are messengers, telling us about the creation and magic all around us, that is available to us just for the asking. Look for opportunities to bring into being the magic of life. The striking black colour of the crow represents the colour of creation. It is the womb out of which the new comes into existence. Black is the colour of the night, giving birth to the light of a new day.

Crows are sly and can be deceptive in their actions. They have been known to build false nests high in treetops to confuse predators. Their nests are built very high up, giving them the chance to watch everything that is going on around them.

As crows are adaptable to all environments and will eat almost anything, they can survive in almost any situation. Crow is surrounded by magic, unseen forces and spiritual strength. If crow enters your life, get out of your familiar nest, look beyond your present range of vision, listen to the message(s) in its caw and act accordingly.



Tansy
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Symbolism of the BEE

Last night I dreamt I was stung by a bumblebee, so I had to look up the symbolism:

Bees:
The ancient Druids saw the bee as symbolising the sun, the Goddess, celebration, and community. At festivals, mead was usually drunk - the main ingredient of which is fermented honey. Many cultures see the Bee as the messengers of the Gods and a symbol of the human soul.

In Greece bees were thought to be the surviving souls of the priestesses who served the Goddess of love, Aphrodite. Native American Indians believe that bees represent immortality and selflessness. The Celts called the bee, beach and they were considered to be single minded and fearless in protecting their hives.

Bees are also the symbol for accomplishing the impossible.

Those with this power animal more often than not have strong past life connections to the ancient secrets of longevity.

All bees are productive, they stay focused on whatever they are doing and do not get sidetracked from their goal. Their legs are one of their most sensitive organs- they actually use them to taste. We are being reminded by the bee to slow down, to smell the flowers and taste the sweet nectar of life.

The bumblebee is a highly important pollinator of many plants, they hold the power of service. When landing upon a flower to collect its nectar, pollen also attaches itself to the leg. This is then passed on to other flowers, creating a fertilisation process. Their movement from one plant to plant represents the interconnectedness of all living things. The bumblebee is a messenger bringing the secrets of life and service.

The Bee possesses many virtues that are powerful and valuable and which any person would be wise to emulate or divine. One who has the power of the Bee will see enhanced focus and fruitful industriousness; a better sense of cooperation allowing one the ability to contribute more resulting in their own and others ultimate success. Travel, friendship, devotion to family, productive hard work and focused determination are all part of this amazing animals totems.

The Royal Bee Totem possesses the following virtues: Messages from higher planes and consciousness, prophetic dreams and visions, industry, wealth, industriousness, diligence, cooperation, productive hard work, sexual attraction, the power of giving back when taking, the ability to turn something unassuming into a wonderful creation, ability to enjoy and savour the sweetness of life, connection with the Earth and living things, divine messages, productiveness, focus, sensitivity, and realizing the fruit of ones labour.

The bee is the reminder to extract the honey of life and to make our lives fertile while the sun shines. The bee reminds us that no matter how great the dream there is the promise of fulfilment if we pursue it. The elixir of life is as sweet as honey, and the bee is a symbol that promises us that the opportunity to drink of it is ours if we but pursue our dreams.

If this is your power animal and your energy is scattered, the bumblebee can show you how to become focused once more.

If you are stung, the message here is - WAKE UP and follow the rhythm of your own heartbeat. Listen to your true self, your higher self. Heed your inner voice and wisdom.

If bumblebee finds you, you must follow its lead. If you do this you will come to the destination most suited for your new life awakening.

Tansy
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Sources:
Shamanism
Ancient Keris
Animal Speak

It's all about me...

I wrote most of this in my personal blog today, but thought I would like to share it on the Kitchen Witch blog too with some additional thoughts:


Today after the school run, I walked on to my local park and sat, just for half an hour. I looked at the trees, the plants, the flowers and I listened to the birds. It was beautiful.

I even discovered on my way out of the park a couple of trees that people had tied ribbons and tags into the branches off, some of them were beautiful colours, some of them were sparkly. I was surprised. I live on the outskirts of a city, I never expected to discover trees near me that people had obviously put offerings and wishes in!

This morning gave me time to think and things to think about, as I sat in the park these words came to me:


In the end there is only me
Myself, my thoughts and divinity
No one else knows how I think or how I really feel inside my heart and head

When I got home I thought some more about how I feel:

The process of learning and growing is a personal one. Others may guide you, show you the way, but ultimately it is your own choice, your own decisions that take you on my path.

Only you can choose the direction, the journey is yours and yours alone.

You make the choices, you make the decisions, you have the power to change your life, your path, your destiny. That’s a lot of power.

If you let someone else’s words or opinions sway you in a direction you are not comfortable with, you am allowing them to take your power away.

This is just taking control of what you choose to believe. Don’t get me wrong the love and support of good friends and family is very important. But there is a point where only you can decide what is best for you.

Sometimes we can find ourselves lost, not knowing which way to turn or what direction to take. It is as if a small pebble has been dropped into a large lake and we are feeling the effect of all the ripples in every part of our lives.

So how do we get back onto the path? Ah that’s the tricky part. I have found the answer for me is to spent some time in my local park, sitting under the trees, listening to and watching the birds. Re-connecting to nature, to mother earth and all that she nurtures. The realisation that this is what it is all about. But that’s just my suggestion, you may have other ideas.

We all have things in life we need to do, chores that need to be done. We just need to remember to put aside a little time to just be…

And I think it’s all about the same thing – the search for balance in life. Do we get the balance right? Not always, in fact sometimes it can feel like an uphill struggle to do so. But in the end the fact that we are trying is the important part.

It is Spring - time to cut old ties, old habits and move forward with a fresh, new and reaffirmed outlook on life and how we choose to live it.

Tansy
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The magick of Daffodils

In the UK here the local hedgerows, gardens and roadside banks are covered in glorious yellow daffodils.

Narcissi is the name given to any flower in the daffodil family, although in the UK we tend to call the small flowers narcissi and the larger ones daffodils.

The name comes from the Greek legend Narcissus, a word which means 'numbness' referring to the narcotic properties of the plant, the bulb contains a toxic substance.

Narcissus in the Greek legend fell in love with his own reflection in a stream. He stayed there transfixed so the Gods turned him into a flower so that he could stay there forever.

They are good flowers for Geminis  who like the cheerfulness of the yellow colour and Pisces who appreciate the delicate scent of the white narcissi.

In Victorian flower language daffodils signified regard and chivalry, whilst narcissi meant self esteem, female ambition or vanity.

The daffodil is the March birth flower and the meaning it holds is friendship and domestic happiness.

Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Powers: Love, fertility, luck

Place the daffodil flower on the altar during love spells, or carry for the same purpose.  Placed in the bedroom the fresh flowers increase fertility.  If a daffodil is plucked and worn next to the heart, good luck shall come your way.

If the very first daffodil you lay your eyes upon in the spring or summer hangs its head towards you, this is said to be an omen of bad luck for the remainder of the year. This herbal superstition is centuries old.

To dream about seeing or picking daffodils is said to symbolize happiness and adoration. In the country of Wales it is believed that daffodils appearing in dreams signify fresh hopes for the future.

And of course the fae love daffodils too!

Tansy
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Sources:
Cunningham
Herbal Magick

Full Super Moon

With today's full moon being called a Super Moon I thought I would gather some information from the net about it:

This Full Moon in Virgo occurs Saturday, March 19 at 2:10 pm EDT (6:10 pm GMT). This Full Moon will be the culmination of those things started with the March 4 New Moon in Pisces.


This Full Moon will also be at perigee, the closest it has been to Earth in nearly two decades, resulting in what some have called a “Super Moon.” Because of this, the Moon will appear much larger in the sky than at other times, and the lunar energy will be extra intense. Now is the time to simply go with the flow of this strong lunar energy. With Virgo’s attention to detail, you can expect this Full Moon to really cement the details of those plans you set forth during the Pisces New Moon (those of enlightenment and altruism).

With the Sun in Pisces in opposition to the Moon in Virgo, there will be a lot of push and pull, give and take, and paradoxical situations. This Full Moon will be about finding that middle ground; let things happen as they will. You will find balance between intellect (Virgo) and your sixth sense (Pisces).

The full moon will appear unusually large in the night sky as it reaches a point in its cycle known as ‘lunar perigee’.


Stargazers will be treated to a spectacular view when the moon approaches Earth at a distance of 221,567 miles in its elliptical orbit – the closest it will have passed to our planet since 1992.

The full moon could appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter in the sky, especially when it rises on the eastern horizon at sunset or is provided with the right atmospheric conditions.

This phenomenon has reportedly heightened concerns about ‘supermoons’ being linked to extreme weather events – such as earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis. The last time the moon passed close to the Earth was on 10 January 2005, around the time of the Indonesian earthquake that measured 9.0 on the Richter scale.


Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was also associated with an unusually large full moon.

Previous supermoons occurred in 1955, 1974 and 1992 – each of these years experienced extreme weather events, killing thousands of people.

However, an expert speaking to Yahoo! News today believes that a larger moon causing weather chaos is a popular misconception.

Dr Tim O’Brien, a researcher at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester, said: “The dangers are really overplayed. You do get a bit higher than average tides than usual along coastlines as a result of the moon’s gravitational pull, but nothing so significant that will cause a serious climatic disaster or anything for people to worry about.”

But according to Dr Victor Gostin, a Planetary and Environmental Geoscientist at Adelaide University, there may be a link between large-scale earthquakes in places around the equator and new and full moon situations.

He said: “This is because the Earth-tides (analogous to ocean tides) may be the final trigger that sets off the earthquake.”

Personally I shall be working with the crystal ball and the scrying dish as all full moons are good for divination!

Tansy
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Ostara - The Spring Equinox

Ostara - Festival of Balance and Potential

The word Ostara is just one of the names applied to the celebration of the spring equinox on March 21.

Ostara is the Spring Equinox, and is celebrated as the first day of Spring, when day and night are equal in both hemispheres. All of nature is now stirring and showing signs of activity after the Winter sleep.

The power of the Sun is increasing, the days are lengthening and the nights are shortening.

We can use the potential and fertility of this time to create opportunities for positive change in our lives and in the world. At this point we are poised between opposite forces, light and dark, receptive and active, unconscious and conscious, inner and outer. These can be united within us so that we are whole and balanced individuals. This gives birth to actions that come from the heart.

For early Pagans in the Germanic countries, this was a time to celebrate planting and the new crop season.

This is a good time of year to start your seedlings. If you grow an herb garden, start getting the soil ready for late spring plantings. Celebrate the balance of light and dark as the sun begins to tip the scales, and the return of new growth is near.

Many modern Wiccans and Pagans celebrate Ostara as a time of renewal and rebirth. Take some time to celebrate the new life that surrounds you in nature - walk in the park, lay in the grass, hike through a forest. As you do so, observe all the new things beginning around you -plants, flowers, insects, birds. Meditate upon the ever-moving Wheel of the Year and celebrate the change of seasons.

At this time of year we can inspire each other with prophecies of hope, the power of ‘we’ and our willingness and power to bring change into the world as we create opportunities for a bright new future. Bring the spark of fertility to your most positive actions, feel the winds of change and the potential we are part of vibrating in every cell in your body!

Spring equinox is a time for fertility and sowing seeds and so nature's fertility goes a little crazy. In medieval societies in Europe, the March hare was viewed as a major fertility symbol -- this is a species of rabbit that is nocturnal most of the year, but in March when mating season begins, there are bunnies everywhere all day long. The female of the species is superfecund and can conceive a second litter while still pregnant with a first. As if that wasn't enough, the males tend to get frustrated when rebuffed by their mates, and bounce around erratically when discouraged.

Eostre was the Saxon version of the Germanic goddess Ostara. Her feast day was held on the full moon following the vernal equinox. One popular legend is that Eostre found a bird, wounded, on the ground late in winter. To save its life, she transformed it into a hare. But "the transformation was not a complete one. The bird took the appearance of a hare but retained the ability to lay eggs...the hare would decorate these eggs and leave them as gifts to Eostre."

Deity: Adonis, Attis, Cernunnos, Great Horned God, Green Man, Mars, Mithras, Odin, Osiris, Pan, Aphrodite, Astarte, Athena, Cybele, Demeter, Eostre, Gaia, Hera, Ishtar, Isis, Minerva, Ostara, Persephone, Persepine, The Muses, Venus

Colours: light blue, red, lemon, pastel colours, pink, light green

Symbols: Eggs, Green Man, Hares, Rabbits

Animals: Chicks, hares, rabbits, snakes, swallows

Herbs: Broom, celandine, cinquefoil, elder, ginger, jasmine, mugwort, sage, St Johns Wort, vervain

Food: Eggs, fish, honey, moon cakes (hot cross buns), leafy green vegetables, sweet food

Incense/Oils: Violet, honeysuckle, jasmine, lavender, lotus, magnolia, rose, strawberry

Plants: Broom, crocus, daffodils, easter lily, gorse, honeysuckle, hyacinth, jasmine, lily, pansy, peony, rose, tansy, violet, cherry, dogwood, forsythia, willow

Stones: Amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone, moonstone, red jasper, rose quartz

Blessings of Ostara!
Tansy

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Main image is by Glennie Kindred prints are available from her website.


Source:


Patti Wigington
Glennie Kindred
Crone-crafts

Ostara Crafts

Some crafty ideas for Ostara.

Crystal Eggs
You will need:
• 1 C. all-purpose flour
• ½ C. salt
• ¼ C. clean sand
• 1 C. used coffee grounds
• ¾ C. warm water
• Crystals or gemstones
• Non-stick cooking spray
• Acrylic paints

Blend flour, salt, sand and coffee grounds together. Gradually add the water, and knead until you've got a thick, gritty dough. Spray a crystal lightly with non-stick cooking spray, and place it in the center of a small scoop of dough. Shape the dough around the crystal to form an egg shape. Bake the eggs at 350 for about 15 minutes, and allow to cool. Once they've cooled, they should be nice and hard, like a rock. Paint the eggs, and allow paint to dry. Hide the eggs on Ostara, and let your kids crack them open to reveal the hidden crystals!

Snake Wreath

St Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland, at least according to legend, but what he really did was eliminate a lot of the old Pagan faiths by introducing Christianity. Many Pagans and Wiccans quietly protest St. Patrick by wearing a serpent pin or shirt on St. Patrick's Day. If you'd just like to do something a bit quirky and different, you can decorate your front door with a Spring Snake Wreath instead.

You'll need the following supplies:

• A grapevine hoop or other wreath form (available at craft stores)
• Spring greenery, such as ivy
• A bag of rubber snakes
• A hot glue gun
• Florist's wire
• Some ribbon

Start by decorating the grapevine wreath with your greenery. Don't use too much, because you'll want to leave room for the snakes. Next, arrange the snakes around the wreath, and hot glue them so they don't fall off. Depending on the size of your wreath -- and your snakes -- anywhere from six to a dozen should be fine. Just a word of caution here - don't touch the tip of your hot glue gun to the rubber snakes. Trust me, they don't like this.

As a finishing touch, tie a length of ribbon into a bow and fix it in place with the florist's wire. Use an additional loop of wire at the top to hang the wreath up.

Ostara Tree

Ostara is a marker of the coming of spring. New life is all around us, showing in the green shoots on the trees, sprigs of grass appearing from the mud, and even -- if we're lucky -- a few flowers poking up. It's a time of chicks and eggs, newborn lambs and calves, and the days are getting a bit longer and a bit warmer. We can smell the freshness of the earth when we're outside. A fun project to do at Ostara is make and decorate a tree for the Sabbat. It doesn't have to be huge or fancy, but it's nice to have one sitting indoors to remind you of the changing seasons.

You'll need:

• Several lightweight branches
• Some florist's foam
• A flowerpot
• Acrylic paints
• Spanish moss
• Small spring decorations

First, paint the pot with spring designs -- flowers, butterflies, ladybugs, eggs, etc. Allow the paint to dry.

Cut a chunk of florist's foam to fit into the pot and then insert the branches into the foam so that it forms a tree shape.

Hang the decorations -- eggs, ribbons, flowers, etc. -- on the branches. Use salt dough and cookie cutters to make ornaments to hang, if you like.

Use the Spanish moss to cover the florist's foam in the top of the pot. Place your tree on your altar during ritual, or use it as a tabletop decoration.

Note: Try to use branches that have already fallen on the ground, rather than taking them from a live tree. If you must cut from a living tree or bush, make sure you do so in a way that will allow for new growth on the plant. If you have forsythia bushes, they may be blooming right now - their branches are perfect for this project!

Ostara Eggs

Ostara is a time of fertility and rebirth, and few things symbolize this as well as the egg. By coloring them with bright pinks, blues and yellows, we're welcoming the colors of spring back into our lives, and saying farewell to winter. However, a lot of commercially available egg-dying products are made from chemicals. They may not be toxic, but on the other hand, you might not have a clue what the ingredients are. Why not try using natural sources to get a variety of shades, and REALLY celebrate the colors of the season?

1. First of all, plan on only doing about 3 - 4 eggs at a time. You'll want them to have room to bob around in the pan, and not be piled on top of one another. Before starting, poke a small hole with a pin or needle in the end of each egg. This will help keep them from cracking while they boil. You'll really want to have at least a dozen eggs, just because it's a lot of fun to experiment with different colours.

2. Start your water boiling. Use enough to cover about an inch over the tops of the eggs, but don't put them in the pan yet. Add 2 tsp of white vinegar, and bring the water to a boil. Once it's boiling, add 3 - 4 eggs using a slotted spoon (helpful hint: do NOT let your kids drop them in the water. Trust me on this one). Next, you'll add your colouring material. Here's where it gets really fun!

3. To colour your eggs, add one of the following items. You'll have to experiment a little to see how much to add, but try different amounts to get different shades of each colour. Once you've added your colouring, allow to simmer for 20 minutes.

Red/pink: paprika
Purple: concentrated grape juice
Yellow: Skins (only) of a half dozen yellow onions
Gold: Curry powder or turmeric
Beige: coffee grounds
Light green: frozen chopped spinach (1/3 to 1/2 package)
Blue: 1 Cup frozen blueberries (with juice)

4. After they've boiled, carefully remove the eggs from the pot with your slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel to dry. If you'd like them darker, you can allow them to sit over night in the pot of dye, but the vinegar can weaken the eggs' shells. When the eggs have dried completely, dab a little bit of vegetable oil on a paper towel and "polish" the eggs to give them some shine.

5. Keep your eggs refrigerated until it's time to hide them, eat them, or show them off to your friends. Remember to never eat eggs that have been sitting at room temperature for more than two hours.

Tips:

1. If your kids are more into the colouring than the eating of Ostara eggs, consider brushing your coloured eggs with a thin layer of glue, and then sprinkling some glitter on top.
2. Eggs can take on the flavour of whatever you use to dye them, so unless you enjoy coffee-flavoured eggs, put some thought into using dyed eggs in recipes.
3. Use a wax crayon to make designs and sigils on the eggs before dying -- the waxed area will appear as white once you've finished.

Have fun!
Tansy
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Source – about.com

A Faery Seguro

Making and using your own Seguro


Seguro is a Spanish word meaning safe or sure. Faery seers use the word to refer to a tool, sent to a specific shaman from the faery world, that takes the faery shaman into the world of visions. Seguro may be a Spanish word, but its concept as a healing tool is also part of Western European folklore.

Over a century ago in Ireland lived a woman named Biddy Early. This elderly rural woman was gifted with a blue glass bottle from the faeries – a seguro. When neighbours came for her healing help, she would peer into the bottle, get the right diagnosis and be told what herb, plant, tea or ritual was needed to heal those people. Her fame spread, and soon people from all over Ireland migrated to Biddy Early’s door to ask for her services. As she continued to heal more and more people of diseases no doctor at that time could manage, her own health deteriorated. She was plagued with rheumatoid arthritis for the last half of her life. Today the blue bottle is said to lie at the bottom of the lake near her home. From time to time divers have searched vainly for it but it is buried in the silt at the lake bottom, or has been reclaimed by the faeries.

Most regular adventurers in the world of faery are eventually given some gift, which may either help in healing, diagnosing or by offering safe passage throughout the otherworlds. Until such a gift is presented a simple bottle oracle known as the seguro – made with thought and care by your own hands can fulfill this role.

The seguro also has roots in Afro Latin American syncretic religious practices where the bottle is not just a diagnostic tool, but also a spirit ally. In Latin America, and in some Caribbean spiritual practices, these healing bottles are created by the faerie shamans themselves. The bottles contain specific plant or herbal totems who help the shamans focus attention on a cure for an ailment. This is a tool for diagnosing and treating illness almost identical to the given to Biddy Early.

A shaman might use on seguro for an entire lifetime, or might have several he or she consults depending on the situation. Some shamans will add to a seguro over time, or they will sometimes reconstruct the seguro from the same bottle so as not to disturb the vibrations the bottle has absorbed that have worked well for so long. With use, and with each item added to the seguro, it begins to shape its own personality, eventually creating its own spirit.

Some say the shaman who uses the seguro will learn a song that only he or she can sing to summon greater healing power and connect more deeply with faery. The seguro will launch you into discovering other magickal melodies, too. Song magick, is an essential part of shamanic work with faeries.

How to make your own seguro:

As you develop a deeper partnership with faery, you can experiment with making your own seguro. You will first need a nice apothecary jar. It should be made of glass, in a shape and style you like, have a corked, wire sealed or glass stopper lid and be big enough to peer into or listen to when held up to your ear. You can reuse a dark glass jar that previously held food or beverage, but wash off the labeling and give it a good cleansing before creating a seguro. Or a glass jar that held a candle would be good too (like the Yankee candle ones).  Metal and rubber lids should be discarded. Once you have found a bottle you feel matches you in temperament and energy, clear the bottle of any existent energies it may carry. The older the jar the more cleansing it will need.

Rinse it with lots and lots of water. As you rinse the bottle, visualize the old energies the bottle has collected being washed away. When you feel the bottle has been cleared of all previous energies, keep rinsing it in the water as you run your hands over the glass, imbuing it with your personal energies and healing wishes.

You may feel the urge to hum. This may be your seguro’s soul song. The seguro is going to be a very real and unique personality. Get to know it as well as possible. You will want to learn the bottle’s melody. Faery will inspire what goes into your personal seguro.

When you feel you and the seguro have merged your energies, dry it off and allow it to sit out so the inside can dry too. Each day spend some time holding the seguro. Hum its song again if you think you hear it. As you do this, keep your mind focused on the goal of this magickal entity you are creating: a seguro to help you in healing.

Meditate with the seguro resting on one of your chakra areas. Visualise the relationship you and the bottle will have. Your seguro is

Your healing partner
A way for the fey to communicate with you
A source of healing and/or faery song
A friend who keeps your secrets
An ally who checks your fear
A source of knowledge when all other means fail

As the days pass, start thinking about what you want to put in your seguro. Begin to collect natural objects that resonate with you and that you feel would enhance your healing powers. What and how much you put in is up to you. It is best to be able to see light coming through the glass at some point, so don’t fill it up completely. You really only need a small amount of each item, enough so that the total mixture covers the bottom of the bottle. You can always add new items later, or empty it and start over.

The basics of the seguro are ashes or salt, oil and plants or herbs. Ashes and salt are used for grounding and they will keep the healing images and words that come to you inside the bottle, always available to you. They also keep your soul and that of the seguro rooted in the earth mother. Ashes and salt are also items with protective energy.

The herbs and/or plants you add will be communicated to you by faery.

If your forte is emotional healing you might include water related or water grown plants and herbs. An essential oil or some rainwater or spring water might be suggested. You should only use minute amounts of each, it doesn’t take much to capture the energy. Or faery may recognize a place where your skills are weak and suggest a plant that will help you fill the gap. Faery may give you all you need to know, or they may instruct you to go out into the natural world and seek the recommended items. Follow their instructions.

After you have gathered all the items to go into your seguro, spread them on a flat surface around the bottle. With your eyes moving deosil around the circle, say out loud what each item’s function will be. On your second pass around the circle, ask each item if it is willing to fulfill its role. If you feel a negative answer, set that item aside. On your third pass around the circle, place each item into the seguro. State aloud what its function is, emphasizing the healing partnership between you, the seguro and faery.

When you have your seguro is complete, cap it. You will only peer into it or hold it to your ear when you need guidance for healing.

When you feel your seguro is ready to serve your current needs, dedicate it to the deities of healing and to your partnership with the healing spirits of nature. Hold the seguro up to the sky and consecrate it by saying:

Behold! Ancestors, deities, spirit guides and fey
I hold aloft my seguro today
Bless it with insight, bless it with power
My partner in healing as of today, this hour

Next, hold your seguro against Mother Earth and consecrate it by saying:

Earth mother, bless this partner of mine
A seguro strong with ingredients fine
Help me to hear, help me to see
All that you expect of me

Hold the seguro out toward the faeries and consecrate again by saying:

By faeries of day and faeries of night
Grant to me your healing sight
To heal show me what I need to know
Help me as a faery shaman to grow

Lastly, hold the seguro close to yourself, preferably against the bare skin of you solar plexus and say:

I consecrate this seguro to healing tasks
I promise to listen and do what it asks
I promise to heed what I see inside
And as my partner it shall abide
From me, from faery, and back again
The powers of my seguro never can end
By powers of faery this spell is sealed
All who ask me shall be healed
By earth, water, air and fire
Which bring me what I desire
And by the power of three times three
By my will, so mote it be!

You may sense faery beings closing in around you to add their blessings to the bottle. Do not be scared away by this press of their energy. Allow faery to enjoy and admire your new healing tool as much as you do.

To use your seguro, take it with you in meditation to fairyland. Or simply pick it up and ask it what you want to know about a healing issue. The seguro may speak, give you a visual imprint or sing a healing song. If you are uncertain about what it is telling you to do, keep asking questions until the meaning is clear. The seguro has eternal patience and the longer you work together the better partners you will be.

When you are not using your seguro, keep it in a safe place, preferably covered with a dark, soft cloth and out of direct light. Even when not using the seguro you should commit to making thrice weekly visits to converse with it and sing together. This will strengthen the bond between you and this powerful healing object. A seguro is a very personal talisman, not to be handled by other earth plane creatures!

Tansy
x


Taken from The Healing Power of Faery by Edain McCoy

Crystals - Attuning

Attuning to a crystal:

I like this exercise to get the feel of the stones I have have in my collection.


Cup the chosen stone/metal in the palm of your projective hand (your receptive hand is one you naturally use to accept a gift) and close your eyes. Breathe deeply, extending all of your senses toward the stone. Open all your spiritual awareness to feel and hear the stone’s vibrations. (This often manifests as heat, static or musical tones). Make a mental note of any impressions you get.

Next, move the stone to your receptive hand. Wait patiently to see if you get a word or image from the stone that will help you determine its use later. Also take note of how the stone makes you feel. Do you feel grounded? Energised? Alert? Introspective? These are also important clues to the stone’s basic matrix.

When you are done, make notes of your experience in the magical diary portion of your spellbook. Refer to them any time you want to use that particular stone in magic.

Creating a crystal place:

Crystals are magickal anywhere. However, if you create a special crystal place in your home for meditation, contemplation and healing work, it will increasingly become an oasis of calm and healing power that can restore your inner harmony after the most fraught day.


You will need a small table with a cloth to serve as an altar and comfortable seating, perhaps floor cushions if it is a low table.

On the altar set white candles, an all purpose incense such as sandalwood, lavender or rose, fresh seasonal flowers and a stature or picture of a favourite deity.

You can display large crystals, spheres, geodes, crystal point formations or clusters and wands and the unpolished pieces you may have.

In the centre, keep a dish of your favourite crystals, through which you can run your fingers or create patterns with the crystals on the altar, the floor or in a special sand box (use a large tray and childrens play sand).

Make crystal grids, mandalas (regular circular patterns), labyrinths, medicine wheels or any formation that intuitively seems to bring power and healing. Touch each crystal in turn and send a blessing or healing to a person, animal or place.

When you have the time, explore the energies of an individual crystal by setting the altar with the related incense, relevant candle colour, a dish of its herbs or oil and its flowers.

Tansy
x


(ideas sourced from Cassandra Eason & Patricia Telesco books)

Balancing your elements

I love this exercise, it is well worth doing to see if you can get a bit more balance in your life.



Balancing the Elemental You:

We all have elements in which we feel most at home. We also have some with which we feel less comfortable.

On a piece of paper make four columns for the elements – earth, air, fire and water. Under each heading write the name of something in your world that strikes you as being closely related to that element. Other people, even characteristics of your own personality might remind you of that particular element.

Note all the correspondences that come to mind. When you have finished your list, look for overlaps between elements.

Next, contemplate the various aspects of your life – home, family, friends, work, school, commuting, exercising, sports, hobbies, bad habits, strengths, weaknesses etc. As you analyse your completed list, see if any one area of your life seems weighted more toward one element than the others. This is not a bad thing. Most of us have a special affinity for one or two of the elements.

Count the number of entries in each column and compare them. Just how weighted toward one element is your list? Can you think of other things in your life that you are leaving out of the list that might fall under the other elements?

If there is a marked difference, allow the elemental rulers to help you find a better balance. For example, if you like to cook, camp and set off fireworks you are an obvious fire person. Adding one of the other elements to balance you takes simple logic. Adding air will fan your fire out of control. Water your fire and you have steam. Put earth on your fire, or your fire on your earth and you produce a warm environment that feels safe. Fire warms your earth, earth puts out your fire.

Bringing your life into balance will make you a happier, healthier person. Keep in mind that there is no quick fix however. Enjoy your time with the elements you add to your life and see if you don’t notice a change for the better in both health and happiness.

Tansy
x



Source – The Healing Power of Faery by Edain McCoy