Spring Sabbat Incense

3 parts Frankincense
2 parts Sandalwood
1 part Benzoin
1 part Cinnamon
a few drops Patchouly oil

Burn during spring and summer Sabbat rituals.

Gemstone of the Day

 

Hematite

 

Calming to the emotions. Worn as an amulet to confer strength and
procure favorable legal judgments. In Egypt, used to reduce inflammation and treat hysteria.  Considered to be a grounding stone. Helps maintain balance between body, mind, and spirit.

Can You Recognize a Pagan or a Wiccan When You See One?

Author: jajlo b

I have only been studying and practicing Wicca (and I say practicing since I’m not perfect) for the last 10 years. I’m very much eclectic, and have had to do much of it on my own. I just haven’t found a teacher that I feel is right. And in all honesty, I’m not looking for one just now. I enjoy my freedom to digest what I read in many forms and what comes to me through my dreams, and mediations.

But I often wonder… can you really tell who is Pagan or Wiccan and who is not, by some outward sign?

I mean I know a lot of people who wear t-shirts with faeries and fey on them. I have seen people with bumper stickers saying, “Give me that old time religion” and a Pentacle right next to the phrase. I have even seen t-shirts in Kansas near where the Wizard of Oz museum is with “Good Witch” on the front. (I actually have that one because I have a strange sense of humor.)

But in all honesty, how do you tell a Pagan or a Wiccan from everyone else you meet in your daily life and travels.

The reason that I ask is because of two separate occurrences that happened to my husband and me.

Okay picture if you will, walking into a truck stop about 11 p.m. one night and the cashier is busy with a line full of costumers. And she is wearing one of those fancy sterling silver pentacles. Not a pewter one, but one that you know is sterling silver and she has a small Pentacle ring on that I notice as her fingers are flying across the cash register keys.

Anyway my husband and me finally make our choices and approach the cashier. “Hi, that is a pretty necklace.”

“Thank you, I’m a High Priestess, and my daughter had me order this from such and such” is the response she gave.

Ok, not exactly the response that I was looking for or expected. I only commented on her necklace. I had to do double-check my appearance; yep my pewter Pentacle was safe inside my uniform shirt. And I don’t have any tats or rings or earrings that have Pentacles on them. So why did she just come across with that answer.

Just then I realize she is still talking about the necklace. She goes on to tell me that she was thinking about doing a consecration ritual when it comes in the mail. But she decided not open it till the night of the full moon. So she could do the whole ritual properly (I still haven’t said anything else at this point) .

She goes on to explain she got her ritual bath and set up her altar and went to her room to get the necklace (This was an outdoor ritual she adds almost in a whisper as there is another customer at the register) . But as she goes to take it out of the tissue paper that is wrapped up she gets a shot of what she can only describe as static electricity.

Just then she says she realized that the maker of the necklace had consecrated it when they created the piece. Her daughter quickly tells her to just put it on, and wear as the artist that created it had to be stronger and more skilled than her and her ritual would only ruin the piece.

I tell her that is amazing and thank you for sharing with me and I walk away with my husband, who looks at me and says, “She’s a High Priestess. You didn’t even tell her you were Wiccan. So how did she know?”

I just look at him and shrug, “Beats me”

About a month later sitting in Montana at another truck stop we are eating. I see the younger couple come in (They look to be in their mid to late 20’s; my husband and I are in our 40’s) with their two children. I’m facing the door so I can see the t-shirt the young woman is wearing” 51 percent Angel/ 49 percent Pagan {don’t push it}.

I laughed. “ I like your shirt” I say while giggling about the thought of it.

“Thanks. I’m a High Priestess, ” she says back to me. And walks past.

I look at my husband; he looks at me, and says, “ What is it about declaring High Priestess status suddenly?”

I shake my head and double-check my appearance. My pentacle is in my shirt, not visible to anyone. So what is the deal with people saying this when I just comment on something they are wearing?

Suddenly the young lady comes back over to my table and she ask me point blank.” Do you know what Paganism is?”

“Yes, I do.” I tell her then I tell her I’m a solitary Wiccan.

“Oh really!” she says with a smile and some excitement in her voice (someone that she could talk for a few minutes) “ I was a solitary but then all my friends started coming to me and asking me to help them figure out what books they should read, so I ask them if they wanted to just start a coven with me.

They all said yes, and I told them we could do this but I would have to be the High Priestess since they came to me for advice in the first place.”

“Did they all agree to that?” I ask.

“Yes they did, ” she informs me. “My husband drives truck and he is heading to take me home so that I can do a new moon ritual and an initiation this weekend. I have to run to restroom. I’ll be right back”

She walked off, and my husband looks at me and asks, “Is that the way it is done in a coven” (I’m Wiccan; my husband is Catholic)

“No, ” I tell him, “ it is not done that way”

The young lady comes back and asks me to hold out my left hand palm down. I did and she places her right hand under palm side up. She looks at me and proceeds to tell me” Your energy isn’t very strong. I think you need to study more”

“ I have a head and chest cold that is eating up a lot of my energy right now trying to heal.”

“Well I can tell when people aren’t that strong of a Witch. I was doing a tarot reading on a chat line and for a woman in Ireland and she left in the middle of her reading to talk to her High Priestess”, she says

“Why did she go talk to her High Priestess? “ I asked

“Well when she came back she told me that her High Priestess told her that if I was able to pick up on the things that I was that I was one of the strongest High Priestess she had ever heard of.”

“And the woman told me that her High Priestess was now afraid of me”

I just smile and say, ” That is wild that another High Priestess in another country would be so afraid of you.”

She smiles and says” But I know that I’m that powerful and can do that, so that makes me one of the strong elders in this life”

She says she has to go; her husband is motioning for her to come on and help with the kids.

My husband and I get up and walk up to pay for our food, and my husband ask me, ” How do people just know that you are Pagan or a Wiccan?”

“I don’t know, ” I tell him.

To this day, I often wonder. Can you really tell a Pagan or Wiccan from some other outward sign?

Or were these two women just trying to startle me because I made a comment about their religious items?

If The Kindred Wrote Us a Letter

Author: Lesley Gary

If the Kindred wrote us a letter, what do you think that it might say? Do you think it would be all good? Or do you think it maybe all bad and that we need improvement? I found myself blogging what one might consider as such a letter. I had spent much time in meditation and had witnessed many things that were bringing my spirit down. I was looking to the Kindred for comfort and guidance. And here is what came over through the meditations.

Dear Children of the Earth,

The Kindred have come together and decided it was time for a letter from the three of us. We have witnessed many things over the years and want to draw your attention to the things we feel need work. It is nothing bad, but we want you to be future kindred with us and therefore we need to ask you to correct some things. Each of us will take a part in this letter to you. And please take each part into consideration.

Nature Spirits here and though we know you were not the ones who started the ball running for the trash on Earth, we need your help to clean it up. There is more pollution these days then ever could have been imagined and our natural garbage disposals are getting clogged up. Just the other day a goat could not digest some of the new products out there. And because some cleaning aides had to move to the marshes, the food chain is all out of whack. Oh, and our polar bear brother wants to know where you will help him move to when the ice caps are gone. If the Children of the Earth cannot get things turned around, we will have to do more drastic measures. Also, you use to listen to us, spend time with us. We miss you as our friend. Take a walk in the forest or on the plains, swim in our lakes, rivers, or oceans. Come see your old friend and get out of the concrete walls you call work and home.

Ancestors here! What are y’all teaching them kids? No ones words are matching actions. No one respects the elders. No one respects any one. In our days, there would be punishment. But now, you seem to fear telling some one no. You fear coming down on those younger. Kids are your future. What kind of role model are you being? Where are your morals and virtues?

Did you forget the ways of old? Did you forget what we have taught you? Also, speaking of that, why have you closed your ears to the lessons we so earnestly try to give you? Spend time with us. Go to our resting place and clean it up! There are some that are falling apart and no one seems to care. How can you expect us to rest in peace if our area is destroyed or being destroyed? Speak to us. Tell us your concerns. Remember also the oaths you took. Make good to your word and be a person of honor!

Shining ones, the Deities. There are so many different things that we wish to say. Why have we become a burden to go to? Why do you mourn worship in any faith? All we ask is that you remember us. You gift to us, we will gift to you. You be our friend, our worshipper, and diligent and we will be behind you all the way. Teach the others that actions are more important than words. Teach them the ways of us. Be true to heart. Come and spend time with us, dance with us, sing with us, play with us! And for goodness sake, remember that we are bigger then any religion out there. Stop this my God is better then your God battle.

All we Kindred have concerns. Do you remember your oaths? Your promises? Not just to us but others? Why do you not keep them? Why must you speak one thing and do another? When will your heart and soul speak as one with the mind and body? Things are not looking good and you are the only one that can change it. All of you have potential to be Kindred when your time is up. Act like it!

Be true of word and action. Don’t be ill will of any one. Speak truth and let your actions back it. Don’t try to hurt others or bring them down. Reach out to those that are trying but still need that helping hand. Remember that what company you keep will also reflect on you. Remember what you do will also affect that company. And lastly, remember to live your faith and path, not just teach or preach it to others. Words are nothing; actions are everything. Do not use your positions in life to get ahead or have power, we will take it back.

Remember we love you! Many of you are doing well in one form or another. We applaud your works. We see the clean ups that have already begun, but a few cannot fix what the majority broke. We applaud how you find ways to give back to the community. You are good people with good hearts. You just need reminders at times.

So we leave you with a challenge: Prove that you want to be a better person. Prove you can help where needed. Prove you can hold true to the virtues. Prove you can help heal a broken world of people and spirits. And this place will become beautiful again; you will know the gratitude of giving back and the blessings of our gratitude for you.

Always,
The Kindred

Now I leave it in your hands. Chew on it. Think about it and form your own opinions. This is what my Kindred brought to me when I sat down and wrote it. Now, sit down and write what you feel yours would bring to you in a letter. Are you up to my Kindred’s challenges or up to finding out what challenges your Kindred have for you?

Each religion has it’s own views on things, but when it comes down to taking care of the Earth, it is a human problem. We all must take up responsibility of our own actions and be willing to improve them. Let us stop the blame game and stand up to take on our own credit of our own wrong doings. Let us then correct them.

Thank you kindly for your time and may the Kindred bless you.