Tag: Environment

Calendar of the Sun for November 13

Calendar of the Sun

 

13 Blutmonath

Fontinalia

Colors: Blue and clear
Element: Water
Altar: Set with a blue cloth, a large earthenware bowl of spring water in which has been placed several stones, an earthenware chalice, a dipper, and possibly a small fountain.
Offerings: Coins, to be tossed into the fountain or bowl afterwards. These should then be added to a charity fund.
Daily Meal: Nothing to drink but spring water all day. River fish. Watercress. Lotus root.

Invocation to Fons:

Hail, Spirit of the Fountain,
Spirit of wells and springs,
Gift of the Earth!
So much of our world is water,
So much of our bodies are water,
So much of the air we breathe
Is laden with water,
And yet so little of it
Will quench our thirst.
Let us never forget the generosity
Of the Earth beneath us
Who gives forth blood
In a form that we can drink of.
Hail, Spirit of the Fountain!
You who are the pure water
Blossoming forth from the Earth,
Let us remember how purity
Can come forth from that
Which is made of cold stone
And that which rotted into the mould.
With every taste of water,
We will remember your gift.

Chant:

Born of water, cleansing, powerful, flowing, healing, we are….

(Let one who is chosen to do the work of this ritual ladle out the spring water into the chalice, and pass it about to all present, and then pour the rest back into the bowl. After the meditation is over, the water should be returned to the Earth as a libation, and the stones set aside until the next year. One stone should be added each year thenceforth.)

 

[Pagan Book of Hours]

Today’s Runes for July 10 is Laguz

Laguz is the most strongly feminine of runes, representing water. Deep sexuality is suggested by this rune. Through Laguz, water is seen as the ocean – vast, uncontrollable, ever-changing, and vital. When interpreted as the returning tide, Laguz can also predict the inevitable return from a long journey.

Self Purification Spell

Self Purification Spell

Items needed: salt a bowl of bottled spring water or New Moon Water jasmine or lavender incense

Procedure:

Cast a circle, then invoke the elements and the Gods.

Sit quietly and think about what you want to clear out of your aura.  When you are ready, add three good-sized pinches of salt to the water and stir widdershins (counter clockwise). Breathe deep into the bowl and as you do, let your fears and doubts  pour into the water. Breathe them into the salt water where they will dissolve away.

Do this until you feel that the negative energy has passed out of your body.

Hold the bowl into the air and visualize a gold or white light flowing into the water,  transforming the negative vibrations and cleansing them.  Carry the bowl to the sink and flush the water down the sink with cold, running water.  Smudge yourself with either jasmine or lavender incense (or another scent that promotes  peace) and open the circle.

Infusion Purification Spell

Infusion Purification Spell

 

Collect equal parts (about a handful each) of dried marjoram, bay and rosemary.

Heat a gallon of water until it is almost boiling, remove it from the heat and toss the  herbs into the water. Cover and allow to cool.

Strain the herbs from the water and, using your fingers, sprinkle the infusion throughout the house.

Move in a clockwise direction, visualizing evil and unwarrented influences leaving the area and say something like the following:

I banish evil and negativity; This is my will, So Mote It Be!

 

Touch the water to the doors and windows, appliances and furniture, outside around the  home and on the surrounding property. Be sure to pour some down the drains as well.  Visualize the water cleansing the whole area.

Daily Motivator for June 20 – Out of your rut

You don’t have to continue doing things the way you’ve always done them.  Today is a new day, filled with new possibilities, so remember to treat it as  such.

You don’t have to be held prisoner by your old, familiar habits and  assumptions. There’s a whole world of goodness and abundance beyond what you  already know, so get out there and experience some of it.

Does it seem like you’ve run out of energy and enthusiasm? Maybe you’re just  tired of the same old things.

Does it feel like you’re stuck? If you’re just living on autopilot, then you  are indeed stuck.

Take the helm of your life and steer it in some new, exciting, fulfilling and  energizing directions. Discover again and again how adaptable and interesting  and joyful you can be.

The world is a never-ending source of beauty and wonder. Climb up out of your  self-imposed rut and live the richness.

— Ralph Marston

Daily Motivator

Daily OM for June 13th – Silent Change

Letting Nature Work

by Madisyn Taylor

Change can enter our lives silently and this change can be just as important as change we have worked hard for.

 

We all see things about ourselves, our relationships, and our world that we want to change. Often, this desire leads us to take action toward inner work that we need to do or toward some external goal. Sometimes, without any big announcement or momentous shift, we wake up to find that change has happened, seemingly without us. This can feel like a miracle as we suddenly see that our self-esteem really does seem to be intact, or our partner actually is helping out around the house more. We may even wonder whether all of our hard work had anything to do with it, or if it just happened by way of grace.

As humans, sometimes we have relatively short attention spans, and we can easily lose track of time. We may worry about a seedling in a pot with our constant attention and watering for several weeks only to find ourselves enjoying the blooms it offers and wondering when that happened, and how we didn’t notice it. Nature, on the other hand, has infinite patience and stays with a thing all the way through its life. This doesn’t mean that our efforts play no part in the miracle of change—they do. It’s just that they are one small part of the picture that finally results in the flowering of a plant, the shifting of a relationship, the softening of our hearts.

The same laws that govern the growth of plants oversee our own internal and external changes. We observe, consider, work, and wonder, tilling the soil of our lives, planting seeds, and tending them. Sometimes the hard part is knowing when to stop and let go, handing it over to the universe. Usually this happens by way of distraction or disruption, our attention being called away to other more pressing concerns. And it is often at these times, when we are not looking, in the silence of nature’s embrace, that the miracle of change happens.

Daily OM 

 

10 Tips for Creating a Zero Waste Home

By Erica Sofrina,  Author of Small  Changes Dynamic Results! Feng Shui for the Western World

I do my part to recycle and bring my own bags for purchases, but I am far  from producing zero waste. While lugging multiple recycling bins to the curbside  every week it has occurred me that I have a lot of recycling for only one  person. I never totally connected the dots that the goal should be to have a  system where all of the wrappers, junk mail, jars and cans don’t enter my home  to begin with!

I was recently inspired by a television show where Bea and Scott Johnson of  Mill Valley, California talked about their Zero waste lifestyle. They produce the equivalent of a quart  jar of waste per month for their entire family of four. Now that is pretty close  to zero waste and a goal I am going to aspire to!

In a recent article about them in Sunset magazine, I was inspired by their commitment  as a family to leave a lighter footprint. Their children are just as committed  to the cause, and wrap their lunches in large cloths which they roll up and  carry to school and reuse the next day. They have simplified their lives so  completely that they are able to pack up on a dime and spend extended periods of  time traveling and doing things they love. They are able to pay for the trips  because of the 40 percent less they are spending on living expenses! They also  rent their home while they are gone and use it as a teaching tool with detailed  instructions for the renters on how they can create a zero waste lifestyle.

I yearned for the freedom from encumbrances that they have achieved, and the  good feeling that comes from knowing my lifestyle is completely in alignment  with my ethics about sustainability for the planet. I am inspired by their  example to do more!

In Bea’s recent article in Yes magazine, she outlines 10 tips to help the  average person get on board and move closer towards zero waste. Here are some of  her great suggestions:

  • Refuse what you do not need.
  • Reduce what you do need.
  • Reuse by using reusables.
  • Recycle what you cannot refuse, reduce or  reuse.
  • Rot (compost) the rest.

Refuse

1. Fight junk mail. It’s not just a waste of resources, but also of time.  Register to receive less at dmachoice.org, optoutprescreen.com and catalogchoice.org.

2. Turn down freebies from conferences, fairs, and parties. Every time  you take one, you create a demand to make more. Do you really need another  “free” pen?

Reduce

3. Declutter your home, and donate to your local thrift shop. You’ll  lighten your load and make precious resources available to those looking to buy  secondhand.

4. Reduce your shopping trips and keep a shopping list. The less you  bring home, the less waste you’ll have to deal with.

Reuse

5. Swap disposables for reusable (start using handkerchiefs, refillable  bottles, shopping totes, cloth napkins, rags, etc.). You might find that you  don’t miss your paper towels, but rather enjoy the savings. [Noted!]

6. Avoid grocery shopping waste: Bring reusable totes, cloth bags (for  bulk aisles), and jars (for wet items like cheese and deli foods) to the store  and farmers market. [I always keep reusable totes in my car.]

Recycle

7. Know your city’s recycling policies and locations—but think of  recycling as a last resort. Have you refused, reduced, or reused first? Question  the need and life-cycle of your purchases. Shopping is voting.

8. Buy primarily in bulk or secondhand, but if you must buy new, choose  glass, metal, or cardboard. Avoid plastic: Much of it gets shipped across the  world for recycling and often ends up in the landfill (or worse yet, the  ocean).

Rot

9. Find a compost system that works for your home and get to know what  it will digest (dryer lint, hair, and nails are all compostable).

10. Turn your home kitchen trash can into one large compost receptacle.  The bigger the compost the more people will use it. [I will add that you  want to have a bin that has a lid and is an attractive receptacle.]

I hope you will join me in working toward these zero waste goals in your own  household. I am going to start today with stopping the junk mail, which has been  a goal of mine for ages and I am ashamed that I haven’t gotten around to  it….Done!

 

Daily OM for June 6 – Centered and Safe

Keeping Your Energy Strong

by Madisyn Taylor

Keeping our energy strong and pure throughout the day is vital to somebody that is sensitive.

 

Being a sensitive person in this world can sometimes feel very draining due to the fact that we are very receptive to the energy of the people and environment around us. Still, we want to be part of situations that involve small or large groups of people, and we would like to do it without becoming overwhelmed or exhausted. With a few simple strategies we can entertain at home and socialize in the world without running the risk of losing ourselves in someone else’s energy or giving our energy away. All this takes is a little time and practice, and the result—being part of social events without ending up depleted—is well worth the effort.

The whole purpose of this self-care ritual is to help keep yourself strong energetically when you are in a situation that could potentially be draining. For example, if you are having a party, you might take some time to prepare beforehand. Just as you spend time cleaning your home and preparing food, it is essential to prepare your inner home for the event. This can be as simple as taking a mindful walk or a cleansing bath, or engaging in any other activity that gives you energy. You can even just sit alone for a set period of time, tuning in to your energy and connecting to yourself so that you are less easily carried away by the energy outside of yourself. You may employ a mantra such as “I am centered and safe in the home of myself.” You can also charge a crystal or gemstone or any piece of jewelry with protective energy and wear it or carry it with you. This can be helpful during the event when just seeing it or touching it can remind you that you are centered and safe.

Keep in mind that it is always acceptable to excuse yourself for a bathroom break or to step outside for a moment. This can give you the time and space you need to check in with yourself and correct any energetic imbalances you detect. Whether you are at home or out in the world, taking care of yourself in this way enables you to keep your energy strong, even as you open yourself to others.

 

Water Magick – Holy Waters

Holy Waters

 

The Water Witch puts great store in the powers of her holy waters. Natural waters on which she performs a blessing are usually the best for use as holy water, as they are pure. Clear quartz is often added to boost the power of the water even more. A blessing from a Water Witch removes all negative vibrations and recycles them within the water. In effect, she is using the power of water to cleanse the water. The Water Witch knows that all water is blessed from the start by the Goddess. All that is required of a Witch to bless water is a simple statement of intent, something along the line of, “I cast out all negativity and proclaim this water as pure and good. Blessed am I to have access to it, and blessed is it, for it is my mother’s tears and love.” She might choose to be more eloquent at times, but usually she goes with the flow and follows her instincts.

Water collection methods can be elaborate or simple. A jar placed outside during a thunderstorm, a special gourd dipper used to pull water from a crystal-clear brook, or simply cupping your hands under a natural spring-all of these methods are proper. 

Water Witch Lore – Water Horses

Water Horses

Here is yet another dark little tidbit about water. In Celtic regions, there was a creature called a water horse. This creature was so powerful-looking and enchanting that once see, a person could not help but wish to ride on its back. If he tried, he would soon regret it. It would run so fast that a human would not be able to catch his breath, whereupon the horse would plunge back under the water, carrying the rider with it to a watery grave.

Thought to be most prevalent in the month of November, these magnificent creatures could shapeshift into human form. In this capacity they were known to eat their victims. It was said that the only way to kill a water horse was to hold it over a roaring fire until it melted.

In Scotland, this creature was known as the water bull and was a guardian of the entries into the fairy realm.