Day: June 12, 2012

Protect Yourself from Psychic Attack

 

by Christopher Penczak

The heart of magick is empowerment. Magick taps into your own personal resources and builds a bridge of harmony with the universe. Fear is the limiting factor of empowerment. Those who seal away their own magick build a wall with their fear. They fear other people’s opinions, the responsibility, danger and ultimately themselves. Fear is a weapon used by those who seek to control the power. Control mongers bombard society with messages of fear to spread their own power.

Healers, midwives and wise women were tortured and put to death during the Inquisition for using their knowledge and talents. The Church and the newly established medical profession wanted to keep their base of power, and the wise folk threatened them. Rumors of pacts with the Devil, evil witches casting curses and demons stealing children in the night were spread. The general public started to fear the wise folk, and newly developing psychics chose not to explore their gifts because of the social stigma associated with them. The lessons of the Inquisition were simple: Fear pain and death more than honoring your power. Learn to obey those in command. The higher power does not exist in you. You need others to tell you the truth. These are old lessons repeated over and over by dominating forces.

Due to present and past life associations with such propaganda, mystical explorers often fear their own power and the ability to do magick. They believe evil things are lurking about, waiting to snatch their souls. They fear being healers and teachers and do nothing, playing it safe. Unfortunately, the world needs healers and teachers, wise women and cunning men more than ever before.

Because of popular horror movies, books and Ouija boards, the world of magick is associated with the dark creatures that go bump in the night, ready to snatch us away. The good magick of fairy tales seems impotent by comparison, and as a society, we forget our ancient mythology. People with strong psychic, spiritual and magickal talents never tap these resources, fearing the worst will happen. First experiences can seem dark and mysterious, but we often encounter our own darkness and shadow selves, enabling us to make peace with them before we continue onward. I have heard many stories of “psychic attacks” from dark beings or even other practitioners, but 90 percent of the time, it is the victim’s own perceptions and fears reflected back. That is not to say there are not dark beings out there in the spiritual realms. There are, but these creatures are far less common than most people think. Fortunately, the techniques of protection work for both “real” and “self-created” attacks.

Psychic Attacks

 

Psychic attacks come in many forms. The simplest is an everyday experience. Someone says something bad about you, makes a judgment, calls you a name, yells or curses at you. The person is directing his or her energy in a harmful way toward you. If you are not strong enough in self-esteem and personal power, these little attacks take their toll.

Do not become paranoid with this information. Do not go running around accusing everyone who does not agree with you of a psychic attack. Such negativity is not meant as an attack. It is an unfortunate by-product of how our society conducts itself. This is a simple, subtle way harmful energy is directed. We all do it at times. Most often, we do it to ourselves. We judge ourselves as not worthy, not attractive, not lovable, and these images become thought forms, packets of energy, filled with a poor self-image. When people experience an “attack,” they usually are experiencing and clearing these thought forms. Be aware and responsible of your own thoughts, directed towards yourself and others.

Other thought forms and astral entities have a life of their own. You might feel a malevolent presence or voice. These are the reported demons and devils plaguing mystics. They take the form of your greatest fears. Their goal is your fear, your attention, your time and energy. They draw energy from you to feed their existence. Ignoring them is an easy way to break their hold. Laughter is even better. If you don’t take them seriously, they will lose power.

Many people believe in “psychic vampires.” They are not the blood-drinking variety from Hollywood movies or Anne Rice novels, but actual people who drain your energy. Psychic vampires are not usually occult characters, but ordinary people who drive to work every day, raise families and go to school. Usually, they are not aware of this problem. A very few are aware of their energy draining tendency, but lack the skills to stop it. We all know people who are tired, drained and depressed, people who latch onto others for their continual support and strength. Not everyone who is occasionally depressed is a psychic vampire. We all get depressed. Vampires are rather rare, and vampirism can grow out of this malady. Remember vampires are not usually consciously attacking you, and once you are aware of the phenomenon, you can stop playing into their games. With your knowledge comes empowerment.

The last kind of psychic attack is the most rare, coming from another practitioner of the magickal arts. These attacks come as curses, wishing bad luck, nightmares and psychic or mental pain. Usually, the person knows you and will have some vendetta against you. My mother’s godmother practiced folk magick in her Italian community and broke curses all the time. Belief and giving into the curse is the worst thing you can do. The more you feel you are cursed, the more the universe responds. No one can curse you unless you let him or her.

Psychic Defenses

All psychic defenses are based in building your own self-esteem, personal power and confidence. Some contain more physical acts, but ultimately it is your will empowering those acts.

 

To purify a space and prevent unwanted, harmful energy from entering, burn purifying herbs. Frankincense and myrrh are a favorite of both witches and the Catholic Church. Native Americans use sage, cedar and sweetgrass. Southern American cultures burn copal. You can also use lavender or cinnamon. These substances naturally clear a space. Salt absorbs harmful energy. Iron grounds the same energy. Horseshoes were pointed down and hung over doors for this purpose. Iron nails are placed in house frames for the same reason. Potions and oils made of these substances are worn for protection.

Magickal symbols of protection can be worn or drawn. Pentacles, crosses, the Star of David and the Eye of Horus are strong protection symbols, and you can usually find jewelry made with these symbols. Wear this jewelry with the intent of protection. A banishing pentagram, a star drawn starting in the lower left corner, dissolves harmful thought forms and removes unwanted spirits. Repeat it as many times as necessary.

During meditation, start by visualizing a shield of clear crystal around your entire body, about three feet away. State “This protection shield protects me from all harm and reflects love back on the source of the harm.” Never send energy back to do harm; it will again return to trouble you. Even if one attacks you first, you are not justified to curse back. By sending love, you neutralize the harm. Wishing good things on your enemies can be the key to defeating them. They will be so happy with what they have that they stop bothering you. Bless your harm away, and more blessings will return to you. Similar protection shield visualizations can be used around your home, car, loved ones and pets.

Sometimes binding spells are necessary. Write the name of the person meaning you harm on a piece of paper. Put it in a bottle, bound with black thread. Fill the bottle with sea salt, protection herbs, iron filings and things like John the Conqueror root. Seal the bottle and ask that this person harm you no longer. As long as you do not open it, the binding will last. You can put the bottle in your freezer or bury it in the backyard.

As a last resort, call upon your guardian spirits. Call on your guardian angel, your spirit guides or the Goddess and God. A student of mine protected himself by asking for help from Mother Earth and drawing Her energy up and directing it to the malevolent spirit. Be creative when protecting.

As you claim your power and grow in your magickal abilities, you will move in harmony with the universe and attract less attention from such darker entities. Others wishing you harm will effortlessly roll off you because you know your place in the cosmic dance of life. Nothing can make you skip a beat of your dance.

Christopher Penczak teaches witchcraft, Tarot and Reiki classes privately in Salem, NH, combining lightwork, chaos magick and multiculturalism into his magickal tradition. He is also the editor of

The Second Road newsletter. For more information, contact him c/o The Second Road, P. O. Box 2252, Salem, NH, 03079, or e-mail torcboy@aol.com.

 

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How I Wish: Consequences in Spell and Wish Making

by blackWing

Do what you will and harm none.

Pagans have seen this message over and over again. We know it, we live it or we strive to live it. For most people, it means don’t carry out a form of magick or spell-casting that will harm anyone, including ourselves. Well, that’s pretty easy. I won’t cast a spell on mean Joe Schmuck, the pagan-hating neighbor, for throwing his garbage on my lawn. It also means I won’t call a curse down on the person who cut me off in traffic. I’m not talking about saying something like, “Damn you,” because in most cases that falls under the category of being an expletive. It doesn’t carry the force of magick or higher energy behind it.

Almost everyone will agree that the above forms of magick (spell-casting and drawing down curses) can harm, and they’re fairly obvious. What is not as obvious are the subtler ways we can harm someone. One common trap is love or attraction charms and spells. Many a “good” neo-pagan book written by upright followers of the path has listed spells that are potentially harmful. To cast a spell that brings beauty to you or makes you more attractive is a beneficent charm. However, there are spells that instruct “write the name of the one you love or want on a piece of paper” and perform a certain ritual. There are several versions, all of which are to attract someone specific and to bind them to you. That’s psychic and spiritual bondage — slavery. Those spells can cause serious backlash.

I found out the hard way many, many years ago when I thought I was practicing harmless witchcraft. I had inadvertently fallen in love with a man who was a customer where I worked.

When I figured out what was wrong with me (I was depressed), I did a spell of attraction. It should have been a spell that just made me more attractive. It might have been a spell that made me more attractive to that particular man, but that would have been manipulating his view and feelings. Instead, it was a spell to make him want me and be attracted to me. And unfortunately, I did a very powerful spell.

Did it work? In spades; I was terribly burned in the process. What I put out came back to me threefold. (Oh yeah, there’s that law for a reason.) I almost became an alcoholic, I had an eating disorder that went completely ballistic and I was dreadfully, emotionally wounded in the process of this guy realizing that he didn’t want me. I had done this in all innocence, believing unthinkingly that I wasn’t doing any harm.

Lucky for me, I woke up after the fact and realized what I had done. I didn’t do it again. Seven years later, with that man as far from here as is possible, I had a chance to mend and heal the old wounds and set things aright with him. No, I’m not with him, but there’s a peacefulness and a wholeness that took many years to accomplish.

We learn a lot from our lessons through life, if we don’t do irreparable harm along the way. That means that you can’t even heal someone unless they want to be healed. Now, on a psychological level, many of us know this to be true. You can’t change someone unless they want to change. But if a person is in a coma or hurt beyond asking for healing energy, what do you do? You can perform rituals to heal, but you have to send them out with the addendum, take the energy if you wish it. Some people don’t want to be healed, even if they are at death’s door. Some people do want to be healed, even if they’re trying to take their own lives and won’t ask for the help.

The ethics of healing with or without permission, even on the purely physical level, is one that everyone, from the medical community to shamans, is debating. It is a larger question for another article. There may never be a completely right or wrong answer. The situation I’m looking at, though, is that of manipulating, threatening or changing someone without their knowledge or permission, or against their will.

Another pitfall for the witch is using magick to get someone to leave you alone or ignore you. Yes, I was caught by this one too but not in as severe a way as the attraction spell. I had had problems with a certain person’s attitude and his behavior, so I did a ritual to take back my power that he was trying to manipulate, and to make sure that he would leave me alone. Well, the first part was fine. The second part fell into the category of me magickally manipulating him. It wasn’t even a problem I noticed until I had to talk with this person and found he did not remember having talked to me on previous occasions, and that he had not remembered even seeing me.

I had been much more careful how I had worded my ritual and in what I was doing, so in the long run there wasn’t as much manipulation or damage. It was essentially a protection and empowerment spell. I should have left it at protecting myself from harm, ill thoughts and so on and not in repelling a specific person. I’ve fixed that one after the fact, too.

Another area of magickal concern that has probably escaped most people’s attention is the Internet. In this day of instant communication, the same idea can fly around the globe in minutes. All of us have probably received the same joke within a day from various people in different parts of the country or world. One noticeable form of communication is the preponderance of chain letters. These take the form of adding your name to a list to possibly get the free trip to wherever, to spreading the news and good wishes for the dying child/man/woman with MS/cancer/brain tumors whose church/hospital/town will donate so many pennies per message, and lastly to the good old-fashioned chain letter. In this letter, there may be a touching story about caring for someone, or some truisms and proverbs or even a humorous little joke. At the end, inevitably, is the direction to send this to 10, 20 or 50 of your friends. If you do this, they’ll send it back to you to show their love or friendship, or more likely you will experience good luck, your fondest dream come true or, if you don’t send it out, you will have some type of bad luck like an elephant falling on your head.

These chain letters abound. Almost every time someone gets an e-mail account or starts discovering the ancestry of e-mail jokes, they pick up the chain mail torch and run with it. I received many and sent a few on. I started sending the jokes on and deleting the good luck admonition at the end. I started deleting them wholesale. I sent one out a while back that had great proverbs. It had the “get good luck and send this to your friends” blurb at the bottom. I deleted that and then added my own letter that said, “I’m tired of being threatened with luck.” That’s exactly what’s happening. Someone who “believes” that chain letters work, and who sends one on, is threatening a person with luck. Call it magick, juju or a spell if you will, but whether it’s good luck, bad luck or no luck, it’s still a threat or a promise.

As practicing pagans who believe “Do what you will and harm none,” it’s time to take responsibility for the power we put behind words, whether written or verbal. Even if they’re not our own, we empower them with our belief. This is the basis of magick and spells — belief. Our belief makes them strong, and if you send willy-nilly to people the good luck wish with “If you don’t send this on you receive bad luck,” then we are harming some.

Let’s put it in another perspective. How would you feel if a person came up to you and said, “I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors, as long as they agree with mine.”? Or: “I wish you prosperity as long as you find the one true religion (fill in the blank here).” There is not much difference between these wishes and a good luck chain letter that says, “Unless you recruit and scare 10 more people with this, your luck won’t improve.”

There are many traps and pitfalls in spell and magick making. I might still get caught, but it happens less frequently. I walk ever more carefully with my eyes opened wider, and questioning with what-ifs all the more. The more adept one becomes, the easier it is to tap into higher power and more of that power. It is therefore more important to be extremely careful and check over rituals and spells for potential harm. As well, even our wishes can influence and change the world we walk in.

Like the Internet joke about the old lady/man who finds a bottle. S/he gives it a rub, and out pops a genie who says, “You have three wishes.” First wish: The old man/lady says, “I would like to be young and beautiful.” Poof, it happens. Second wish: “I would like enough money/wealth to live well and have all that I want.” Poof, it happens. Third wish: S/he looks at her/his cat and says, “Why don’t you turn it into a handsome/beautiful young man/woman?” Poof, it happens. The gorgeous creature walks toward the wishmaker and says, “Aren’t you sorry you had me fixed?”

Be careful what you wish for — you might get it.

About Litha

a guide to the Sabbat’s symbolism

by Arwynn MacFeylynnd

Date: June 20-23 (usually, the date of the calendar Summer Solstice).

Alternative names:                 Summer Solstice, Midsummer, Midsummer’s Eve, Alban Heruin, Alban Hefin, Gathering Day, Vestalia, La Festa dell’Estate (Summer Fest), the Day of the Green Man.

Primary meanings:                  This Sabbat celebrates the abundance and beauty of the Earth. From this day on, the days will wane, growing shorter and shorter until Yule. It is a time to absorb the Sun’s warming rays, and to celebrate the ending of the waxing year and beginning of the waning year in preparation for the harvest to come. Midsummer is another fertility sabbat, not only for humans, but also for crops and animals. This is a time to celebrate work and leisure, to appreciate children and childlike play and to look internally at the seeds you’ve planted that should be at full bloom. Some people believe that at twilight on this day, the portals between worlds open and the faery folk pass into our world. Welcome them to receive their blessings.

Symbols: Fire, the Sun, blades, mistletoe, oak trees, balefires, Sun wheels, summertime flowers (especially sunflowers), summer fruits, seashells and faeries. If you made Sun wheels at Imbolc, display them now prominently, hanging from the ceiling or on trees in your yard. You may want to decorate them with yellow and gold ribbons and summer herbs.

Colors: White, red, maize yellow or golden yellow, green, blue and tan.

Gemstones: All green gemstones, especially emerald and jade, and also tiger’s eye, lapis lazuli and diamond.

Herbs: Chamomile, cinquefoil, copal, elder, fennel, fern, frankincense, galangal, heliotrope, hemp, larkspur, laurel, lavender, lemon, mistletoe, mugwort, oak, pine, roses, saffron, St. John’s wort, sandalwood, thyme, verbena, wisteria and ylang-ylang. Herbs gathered on this day are said to be extremely powerful.

Gods and goddesses: All father gods and mother goddesses, pregnant goddesses and sun deities. Particular emphasis might be placed on the goddesses Aphrodite, Astarte, Freya, Hathor, Ishtar and Venus and other goddesses who preside over love, passion and beauty. Other Litha deities include the goddesses Athena, Artemis, Dana, Kali, Isis and Juno and the gods Apollo, Ares, Dagda, Gwydion, Helios, Llew, Oak/Holly King, Lugh, Ra, Sol, Zeus, Prometheus and Thor.

Customs and myths: One way to express the cycle of the Earth’s fertility that has persisted from early pagan to modern times is the myth of the Oak King and the Holly King, gods respectively of the waxing and waning year. The Oak King rules from Midwinter to Midsummer, the period of fertility, expansion and growth, and the Holly King reigns from Midsummer to Midwinter, the period of harvest, withdrawal and wisdom. They are light and dark twins, each being the other’s alternate self, thus being one. Each represents a necessary phase in the natural rhythm; therefore, both are good. At the two changeover points, they symbolically meet in combat. The incoming twin — the Oak King at Midwinter, the Holly King at Midsummer — “slays” the outgoing one. But the defeated twin is not considered dead — he has merely withdrawn during the six months of his brother’s rule.

On Midsummer Night, it is said that field and forest elves, sprites and faeries abound in great numbers, making this a great time to commune with them. Litha is considered a time of great magickal power, one of the best times to perform magicks of all kinds. Spells and magick for love, healing and prosperity are especially effective now. Wreaths can be made for your door with yellow feathers for prosperity and red feathers for sexuality, intertwined and tied together with ivy. This is also a very good time to perform blessings and protection spells for pets or other animals.

Nurturing and love are key actions related to Midsummer. Litha is a good time to perform a ceremony of self-dedication or rededication to your spiritual path as a part of your sabbat celebration. Ritual actions for Litha include placing a flower-ringed cauldron on your altar, gathering and drying herbs, plunging the sword (or athamé) into the cauldron and leaping the balefire (bonfire) for purification and renewed energy. Giving away fire, sleeping away from home and neglecting animals are considered taboo on this holiday.

‘THINK on THESE THINGS’ for June 12

By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

So much has been written about happiness – the way to it, the reasons for it, the symbols of it – and still people search for that very special something that will assure happiness forever after. Of all the recipes for lasting happiness, we finally have to mix our own. But the one thing everyone has in common is the need for a little bit more. We have this and this, for which we are very thankful, but always the need is extended to that little bit more.

Happiness is like any other part of our lives, we must use wisdom in seeking it. We too often rush headlong into something that seems to be instant happiness, all the time telling ourselves we can right the wrong at a later time. But happiness doesn’t remain happiness for very long when it has such strings attached.

In order to e rightly happy we concentrate on getting, but it is giving that we find most necessary to mix into every recipe. To some happiness will always be elusive, never quite settling anywhere, never quite revealing itself, for they have yet to learn that happiness has the wings of angels, the breath of God, and the love of man, all hidden within Him.

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Available online! ‘Cherokee Feast of Days’
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler.

Visit her web site to purchase the wonderful books by Joyce as gifts for yourself or for loved ones……and also for those who don’t have access to the Internet:

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Elder’s Meditation of the Day
By White Bison, Inc., an American Indian-owned nonprofit organization. Order their many products from their web site: http://www.whitebison.org

Elder’s Meditation of the Day June 12

“Behold, my bothers, the spring has come; the earth has received the embraces of the sun and we shall soon see the results of that love!”

–Sitting Bull, SIOUX

Spring is the season of love. Spring is the season of new life, new relationships. It is the springtime that really reacts to the new position of Father Sun. New life forms all over the planet. Life is abundant. New cycles are created. Mother Earth changes colors, the flowers are abundant. It is the time for humans to observe nature and let nature create within us the feeling of Spring. We should let ourselves renew. We should let go of the feeling of Winter. We should be joyful and energetic.

My Maker, let me, today, feel the feelings of Spring.

 

June 12 – Daily Feast

There is an undercurrent that feeds us false impressions like a gentle trap that tells us we are doing right – because it feels right. Feelings are so easily manipulated they can’t be trusted as a measure in anything. We stay with bad habits because it feels right. The habit comforts our feelings and the familiar touch makes us believe we can’t give it up. But it is the path that winds back through the same experiences – almost like being lost in a jungle. We think we are on the right road out, until we find our own footprints going around and around. Whether it is a habit or a person, or a situation we are trying to escape, we have to know our feelings are not to be trusted. They keep us knocking on a door that seems like home but is simply the same stopping-off, na hna I, familiar place. Beware of feelings that deceive.

It has been said that there is no deceit in touching the pen to sign a treaty, but I have always found it full of deceit. ~

STANDING ELK

‘A Cherokee Feast of Days’, by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Daily Motivator for June 12 – Move ahead with no regrets

Excuses are easy, and consequently they are worthless. Real, focused,  sustained work is difficult and challenging, and can achieve magnificent  results.

What is easy and carefree in the short term becomes painfully, desperately  difficult in the long run. Because when you waste today with excuses, you fill  tomorrow with regret.

Work can be tedious, frustrating, inconvenient and draining, and yet you  absolutely can get it done. Regret, on the other hand, is impossible to escape  once you’ve created it.

So without question, it is far better to use your time to create value rather  than regret. Instead of taking the seemingly easy way out, take the truly best  way forward.

This hour, this day, this week, you are depositing the fruits of your efforts  into the lasting experience of your life. Be sure to fill those deposits with  meaningful, positive value rather than with painful regret.

You have the opportunity right now to make an effort that will make a  difference. Make the effort, do the work, create real value with your time, and  move ahead with no regrets.

— Ralph Marston

The Daily Motivator 

Daily OM for June 12 – Roles of Support

Doing Our Best Work

by Madisyn Taylor

 

Each one of us is very much needed and we all have our role to play adding to the success of the whole.

 

In the great symphony of life, we all have important parts to play. While some people are best suited to be conductors or soloists, their contributions would be diminished considerably without the individual musicians that lend their artistry to the fullness of an orchestra. The magical accents of the percussion section might sound random and out of place without the music they accompany. But any one member of an orchestra, doing less than their best at their particular part, can destroy the harmony of the whole piece, such is their importance. So although we may not receive the same amount or quality of attention as another, all of our contributions are valuable and integral to the success of the whole.

When we do our tasks well, we infuse them with our unique energy, making each act a gift. Each of our personalities and talents are suited to different roles of support. Even leaders and star performers support others in their own way. We can look around us at any moment to see that while we nurture some people with our work, others are supporting us with their gifts. Doing any job from this place within us allows us to do our part with humility and gratitude, while also learning lessons that move us steadily toward our goals.

When we can be fully present in every job that we do, we bring the fullness of our bodies, minds and spirits to the moment. Our contribution is enhanced by the infusion of our talents and abilities, and when we give them willingly, they attract the right people and circumstances into our experience. Anything we do begrudgingly limits the flow of our energy and closes us off from the good that is available to us in every situation. But by giving the best in us to make the world around us better, we open ourselves to receive the best from the universe in return.

 

Daily OM 

Lighten Up – 9 Easy Steps to Becoming A Witch

Want to be a Witch, yet don’t want dangerous items in your home? We’ve assembled this comprehensive kit to meet the beginning Witch’s needs, without compromising safety.

Includes:

1 Rubber Athame.

Painted black handle, silver blade. Very flexible. You can swing this about in Circle with no fears about hurting anyone!

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Hand-wrought of authentic wood-grained expanded foam, with a special adhesive patch for attaching the Power Stone of your choice (see below).

2 Battery-operated Candles (1 black, 1 white).

No more concerns about flowing gowns catching fire.

1 package Glade Stick-ems.

Fresh, floral scent, without the concerns of burning incense. No messy ash to clean up!

1 shaker Mrs. Dash.

Get all the flavor and zip of salt, without the sodium!

1 Quality Fold-a-Cauldron.

Easy-to-assemble, genuine simulated cast iron corrugated material. Complete instructions.

1 Fabric Rainbow Disk.

No sharp corners to be concerned about. The perfect centerpiece for your own Altar. No worries of offending anyone, as could happen with those misunderstood pentagrams.

3 Assorted colors soft vinyl “Power Stones.”

Focus the energy of crystals. Perfect for attaching to your Collapse-a-Wand!(Choking hazard. Not recommended for children under 3 years of age)

1 Booklet

, “How to Be One with the White Light, Because There Is No Dark Side, Luke” subtitled: “The Absolutely, Completely Comprehensive Guide to Everything Possible that a Witch Needs to Know to cast Any Spell at All”

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Order now, and we’ll send you our exclusive Fill In The Blanks Book of Light! All the spells you’ll ever need, and YOU fill in the names and dates! Quality softcover binding.

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— by René Friberg, aka RaeVynn Sands