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Earth Goddesses – CORN WOMAN

Earth Goddesses – CORN WOMAN 

In Native American lore, it is the Corn Woman who is known as the “first mother.” It is said that there was once a time of great famine. The Corn Woman went to her husband and asked that he kill her. The husband, distraught, went to the tribe’s teacher, who confirmed that he must do as his wife asked. With great reluctance, he complied. He dragged her body around a field and burned her in the center of it. In a few months, corn and tobacco filled the field, saving the tribe from starvation.

In the Pawnee tribe, Corn Woman held rule over the west, while Buffalo Woman held the east. Together they guaranteed that the tribe had both meat and corn.

In one of the earliest tales, we find that the Corn Woman emerged from an older world, one in which animals were not slaughtered for food and hides but rather were treated as kin. The old world had a greater respect for life, be it animal or human. The people began to lose balance and greed crept in. The deer set forth a punishment for any who would eat of its flesh – man’s first known disease. Corn Woman thought it was time to begin again and restore balance and harmony to the people.

She watched her grandsons preparing to go out to hunt and asked them to stay. She said she would cook the finest meal they had ever tasted. The grandsons replied that they were hunters and must hunt, Corn Woman nodded sadly and went about creating her meal, but not before she asked her grandsons to respect the animal life they came across in the forest. The grandsons laughed.

Corn Woman cooked, all the while singing and blessing the food. When her grandsons returned home, she saw that they had killed a wild pig. She said nothing. They sat down and began to eat of her feast. Loudly, the grandsons proclaimed the food the best they had ever tasted and proceeded to eat their fill. They asked her where she had gotten the corn, but she did not answer. She just listened to the compliments and smiled.

The next day, the young men again reached for their weapons. Corn Woman cooked again. The aromas from her kitchen reached them out in the woods as they hunted. That day, they brought home a slain deer. Corn Woman said nothing. The grandsons gifted her with the deer, and she recognized it as an honor and so returned it to the forest. She sang long into the night, invading the dreams of her grandsons.

When they awoke the next morning, instead of reaching for their weapons, the grandsons asked Corn Woman to make them breakfast. She did and they ate until they were sleepy again. When they awoke from their naps, they gathered their weapons and set about preparing to hunt. Corn Woman asked the not to go. She said, “we have so much food already.” The grandsons said they were hunters and set out toward the forest. Corn Woman called after them to respect animal life.

While on the hunt, one of the young men asked the other where Corn Woman got all the corn she was using to cook with. The other man replied that he did not care and the he knew Corn Woman would only give him what was good for him. They returned home with a turkey but once again sat down to a delightful meal of corn.

After many days of wondering, the younger of the two grandsons decided to sneak back to the home and find out where Corn Woman was getting all of the corn. As he watched, she slapped her sides and the corn fell out of her body and into a basket at her side. He ran to tell his older brother. The eldest grandson was upset. He said. “this is a bad thing, an unnatural thing. We cannot eat our grandmother. Something has taken hold of her.”

That night the grandsons returned home in fear. Corn Woman piled their plates high but the two could not eat. Her heart grew heavy as she realized that they knew her secret. She began to age rapidly before their eyes. The youngest started to cry and beg forgiveness. Corn Woman replied, “Listen well, child. For I have no long as I am to tell you all you need know. I am the Corn Mother. I a her for your abundance, harmony, health and peace. When I pass, you are to drag my body through the field and plant me in the center. I will come back to you as tall, glorious plant, with yellow hair at my fruit. Do not eat all of the seeds; save some for the planting again the next year, so that I might be with you forever.” The grandsons swore to do as she wished. Thereafter they refused to hunt unless they were on the verge of starvation. Hence, balance and harmony returned to the people.

In the Navajo tribe, we find variations of the Corn Woman. According to Navajo beliefs, there was a Corn Girl (yellow corn) and a Corn Boy (white corn) sent forth by the creator god to bring corn to the tribe. Corn was sacred and the main food of the people and was also used in religious ceremonies. Shaman’s masks were fed corn meal to “bring them into being,” or animate them.

The Aztecs have their own version of the Corn Woman in Chicomecoatl, the goddess of sustenance. It was thought that yearly sacrifices held in her honor assured a good crop. Each year a young girl was chosen to represent Chicomecoatl and was ritually decapitated. Her blood was poured over a statue of the goddess as an offering. She was skinned and her flesh was them worn by a priest.

The Hopi and Pueblo tribes have the Blue Corn Maiden as their representative of Corn Woman. On a cold winter day, the Blue Corn Maiden went out in search of firewood. Normally this was not a task for her. While she was out searching, she ran across Winter Katsina, the spirit of winter. When Winter Katsina saw the Blue Corn Maiden, he immediately feel in love. He took her back to his house, whereupon he blocked the door and windows with ice and snow. He was very kind to her, but she was sad. She wanted to go home and make the blue corn grow for her people.

While Winter Katsina was out one day going about his duties, Blue Corn Maiden sneaked out and found four blades of Yucca plant. She stated a fire. As she did, in walked Summer Katsina, carrying more yucca and blue corn. When Winter Katsina returned, the two fought. Seemingly getting nowhere, they sat down to talk. They agreed that Blue Corn Maiden would live half the year with her people, during the reign of Summer Katsina, and the people would have corn. During the other half of the year, she would live with Winter Katsina, and the people would have no corn.

Edible Earth Magick – Corn Woman’s Magickal Mush

Corn Woman’s Magickal Mush

 
1 cup corn meal
1 cup cold water
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups boiling water
 
Combine the corn meal, cold water, and salt. Pour the mixture into the boiling water. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes, stirring when needed. This mush turns solid when cold. It may then be sliced into blocks about 1/2-inch thich and fried in hot oil. Serve with honey on the side, if desired. You may also dust the slices with a mixture of cinnamon and powdered sugar.

Happy Home Powder (Earth Magick)

Happy Home Powder

(Earth Magick)
 
 
1 eggshell
Pinch of dirt from your garden or a favored plant
Rosemary
Petals from a white rose
Salt
 
Combine the eggshell, dirt and equal amounts of rosemary, white rose petals, and salt in a mortar and pestle, and grind to a fine powder in a clockwise motion. Empower and sprinkle it in the corners of each room.

A Garden Dedication (Earth Magick)

A Garden Dedication

A special god or goddess garden can be wonderful addition to your landscaping with a small amount of planning. As an example, we will look at a garden dedicated to Hecate. Hecate is the ruler of the three-way crossroads, so if it is possible to place her garden close to one, it would be a smart choice. Traditionally, altars dedicated to Hecate were erected at such locations. For plant choices, look up her history and choose plants that have symbolic connection to her, such as the poppy flower, azalea bush, and cypress tree. For decoration, a lantern is a good choice, as Hecate is said to always carry a torch and to be the embodiment of a living flame. A statue is always a wise choice as well.

In your overall landscaping, you can place a small tribute garden to Hecate where the paths meet in a three way-crossroads, if you have no actual roads near your gardens. This is probably the safer choice to avoid toxic fumes from vehicles bothering your delicate plants.

Once the planting is complete, it is time to dedicate the garden. If you included any sort of altar components in your design, simply set it up for use. If you didn’t you can erect a temporary altar from a garden bench or large stone. If you can plan your planting schedule around the moon phases, so much the better. The dedication ritual should ideally be performed under a full moon.

Supplies:

A chalice, filled with a sweet red wine

Several sticks of willow or sandalwood incense

4 clear quartz crystals, programmed with growth and love

Go around the garden and place the incense sticks in the ground. Light them and blow out the flames so that they begin to smoke. Once the aroma begins to drift through the gardens, say something along the lines of, “This smoke consecrates this garden as sacred ground. Only love and light may enter here.”

Next, take the crystals and bury them at the cardinal points while calling upon the universal energies of each direction to aid your garden in its task to thrive. Be specific and ask each direction to bless the garden and leave behind some of its essence. Important note: You are not calling the corners per se, so a dismissal is not mandatory. However, if you feel you should include one, by all means do so.

Now walk the circle with the chalice in hand, and splash the wine about the garden. Say, “I dedicate this land and all it contains to Hecate. Blessed it shall be. May it thrive and hold fast to her honor. As it is sacred ground, no one may pollute it. Hecate, come and dwell in your sanctuary!” Clap your hands three times. The dedication is now complete.

Tend this garden faithfully but allow for nature to run its course. Hecate may have plans to add a plant here and there, and this should be allowed. However, you should remove any weeds (especially those that are not related to Hecate) and, if necessary water the ground. Accept the notion that Hecate will reside with you as long as this area is maintained properly.

You can create a generic goddess garden by following the basic outline of a moon garden. Moon gardens frequently include all the silvery herbs as opposed to the greener varieties. They often feature gazing gloves, wind chimes, white stones for pathways, and white stone benches for relaxing. Moon gardens often delight scents, as most of the flowers are very aromatic.

If you decide to incorporate lighting into a moon-garden design, keep it subtle and stick to pathways only. You want the moonlight to reflect off of the white and silvery plants, creating a glow. Important note: When sitting in a moon garden at night, it is not unusual to be attacked by insects. Prepare yourself beforehand with a solution of mint essential oil diluted in rubbing alcohol.

Magickal Gardening (Earth Magick)

Magickal Gardening

 Magickal and healing herb gardens are sanctuaries of the soul. Indeed, any garden is a magickal on to the Witch.

The earliest formal record of gardening dates back to a stone tablet from Mesopotamia circa 4000 BC. It describes how Enki, the Sumerian God of Water, provided fresh water to the dry land and thereby produced fruit trees and fields from a desert like land. By 2250 BC, the famed Hanging Gardens of Babylon were well established in the capital of Sumeria. These are considered to be the forerunners of gardens today.

In Ancient Persia, (modern day Iraq), gardens were the playground of life. They serves as a place of solace, a gathering place for friends and family, and a formal extension of the home outdoors. These gardens were called “Paradise” and were thought to be an earthly view of what heaven must be like. They were cultivated carefully and tended to lovingly. Due to the desert conditions of the area, the gardens were usually enclosed by high walls. Many had aqueducts installed to maintain the irrigation needed for the gardens to thrive. Most often these gardens were formed into a square pattern and further divided into four smaller squares. Fountains and water channels were an important part of the architecture of the gardens. The gardens were said to have two of every fruit tree and plenty of places for sitting so that one could rest and enjoy the view.

Zen gardening is considered an art form by many. A Zen garden is a dry-landscape style of garden consisting of sand trails raked into intricate patterns. Often, the trails are not made of sand at all but rather a crushed type of granite, a very fine gravel. Many times the gravel pathways circle a rock or bush. The purpose of Zen gardening (the raking of the gravels) is to provoke contemplation and meditation. These gardens are thought to be very peaceful and restful to the eyes.

Traditional Japanese gardens invoke a sense of peace and tranquility in both the gardener and the person lucky enough to view the garden. According to the principles of Japanese gardening, each element introduced must be something that could occur naturally. For example, you can find a waterfall in nature, but not a fountain. Hence, a fountain has no place in a traditional Japanese garden.

Knot gardens are by far one of the most fantastical types of magickal gardens. They can weave a spell right into the landscape. A know garden is a very formal, precise arrangement of plants and tress. To create a magickal knot garden, choose an herb that corresponds to your intent and plant it in a pattern. The pattern can be as intricate or a simple as you wish. It can be a symbol, meant to reaffirm the spell, or any pattern that you like.

The ancient Romans brought their gardens inside the home and invented the atrium. Many times the atrium was placed in the center of the home. The area was left roofless and was usually surrounded by walkways. It may have held reflecting pools, herbal gardens and fruit trees.

One of today’s most popular magickal-gardening practices is moon gardening. This technique uses an ancient system of moon phases and astrological placements to calculate planting and harvesting times. In a moon garden, white and night blooming flowers are the main ornaments.

New Moon Vitality Potion (Storm Moon)

New Moon Vitality Potion

(Storm Moon)
 
 
Drink this potion to bring new vitality to your body, mind, and spirit.
 
You will need a blender, one cup of apple juice, one banana, one tablespoon of honey, three tablespoons of vanilla protein powder, four tablespoons of vanilla yogurt, four ice cubes and a straw.
 
Blend this apple juice, banana and honey together. As you do, chant:
 
“Fruit and flower nectar of the divine,
Please strengthen my spirit, body and mind.”
 
Add the protein powder and yogurt, and continue to chant:
 
“Fruit and flower nectar of the divine,
Please strengthen my spirit, body and mind.
 
Add the ice cubes and blend thoroughly. Pour the Wellness Potion into the glass and sip slowly with the straw. Before you take each sip, repeat:
 
“Every drop of this potion vitalizes my every cell
And keep my spirit, body and mind well.”

Crone’s Corner – Winter Afternoon Tea

Crone’s Corner – Winter Afternoon Tea
……
Ingredients:
1 tsp. dried chamomile
1 tsp. dried mint
1 tsp. dried lavender
honey
…
Combine the herbs in your warmed tea pot and add 2 cups boiling water. Steep for 5 minutes and strain. Add 1 tsp. of honey to each cup of tea. Notes: I put together this simple mellow tea one winter afternoon. I like it with the honey, but lemon would be fine too. This makes 2 cups of tea, but it can easily be doubled and tripled.
…
Courtesy of Brenda Hyde of OldFashionedLiving.com

Dog-gone Doggie of the Day for February 5th

Rosie, the Dog of the Day
Name: Rosie
 Age: Three and a half years old
Gender: Female Breed: Newfoundland
Home: Italy
Rosie’s full name is Rosabelle degli Angeli Neri Kennel in Italy. She was born with a miniature front paw which was later reabsorbed into the wrist. When she was born her breeder, Emmy Bruno, was very sad because she thought that no one would have liked a three pawed, four legged dog, but when we went to see her sister Nana (Rosalinde degli Angeli Neri), we fell in love with Rosie and decided to take her too.

Rosie is beautiful, and if it had not been for her handicap, her breeder would have kept her for breeding. Emmy was (and is) very fond of Rosie, and spoiled and pampered her a lot while I was waiting to take her home. Rosie still thinks she is a lapdog, and now and then she half jumps on my knees, keeping her hind legs on the ground, wrapping her only paw around me, and laying her big head on my breast, looking at me as if saying “I love you, Mom”. We thought that she would never be able to lead a normal life at the beginning. She had problems getting up, and when she wanted to lay down, she circled and circled around like a cat on a cushion , and then literally dropped down face first, with her butt in the air and her tail wagging. She still does it even now, minus the floor hitting with her face.

Her sister was a pest with her when they were pups. She bullied her and pulled her around by the tail. But little Rosie (we still call her Rosina, little Rose, even if she weights 56 kilos), learned to get up very quickly, and to wrestle with Nana and to jump on her and push her down.

She is a very brave and sensitive dog. She still spends most of her day laying on the floor, but if she wants to run and romp with Nana, she is as quick as her sister. The day she learnt to climb stairs was a great day in our house! She never gives up, and having been rather spoiled because of her handicap, at times she is very stubborn. She likes to go to the seaside to my Mom’s even if she does not like water very much. I think it is because she feels unbalanced and knows swimming is not for her.

This summer we almost lost her to an infection, and she was emergency spayed, but her kidneys were damaged. I slept three nights on the floor with her after the operation because she was too restless and was supposed to be resting.

Notwithstanding all this, she is as loving and sweet as she has always been. She is very funny when she sleeps on her back, her stump tucked to her breast. She is very protective of the house and of me, and her deep, husky bark is very intimidating. If anyone arrives she does not know, she hops in front of me and puts herself between me and any possible danger. I love her determination never to be left behind or excluded from anything, her love for life, her courage.

She is a philosopher dog. You can see her thinking while she is looking at you. She loves fish and little treats, and when she was a pup she was a formidable wood chewer, but she never destroyed anything in the house. I love her, and hope that notwithstanding her kidney problems, she will be with me for a long long time still, because losing her will mean the world would have lost a very exceptional being, and I a part of my heart.

Violet Ointment

Violet Ointment

 
For this you will need two bars of cocoa butter, violet leaves and a bit of lanolin. Melt the cocoa butter in the top of a double boiler. Add as many violet leaves as you can mash down into the cocoa butter and cook till the leaves wilt. Add as many more leaves as you can mash into the cocoa butter and wilt again. Do not boil, but simmer over the hot water for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add two teaspoons of lanolin. Stir, then pour through a sieve into a glass jar. If the ointment is too hard, remelt in a water bath and stir in a bit more lanolin. This ointment is good for any minor scrapes and cuts you might get. It helps them heal faster and keeps them from getting infected.