God Hades

I had never thought too much about Hades until today.

Watching a squirrel cross over this morning, I asked for my Goddess Hecate to take care of her in prayer, and
Hades made himself known. What suprised me is that as I envision him, I can see no darkness in the sense of
end, but a darkness in the sense of comforting sleep. A welcoming darkness that within holds a dear gentleness and openness with a space for grief but a space for love and hope, as well as rest before the journey begins again.

Hades to me is a comforting figure. I have never been scared of death, considering that I know in my own sense of truth that it is not the end, but the space between old and new, the threshhold. It is the place where my Patron Goddess works (not her only space, but she is comfortable there, and therefore so am I). Hades in his darkness spreads wings of comfort, guides, works with us World Walkers who move in these spaces. He is nothing to fear, neither is death.

I welcome Hades, and am honored that he allowed me to notice him today. May he allow the squirrel that is now in his care to find the rest she deserves.

Thank you, Honored God Hades!

Hail Hecate!

Courage And The Torchbearer

Courage


Remember that courage is not the absence of fear, but an reaction to a situation that might cause fear.
Courage is the sword of a torch bearer, a healer - a priestess (or priest) of our lady.

One of the jobs of being in service of the Lady Hecate to me is to be a torch bearer, one who brings light into the corners of the experience that might bring with it fear, dispear, dis-ease, dis-comfort, and a feeling of being stuck. We light the way by bringing courage to ourselves and to those who seek our guidance.

Courage is a principle that keeps on showing up in honor codes from a variety of paths and backgrounds. Courage is a part of the code of bushido, just as it is a part of the Nine Noble Virtues that the Asatru follow. It goes beyond the traditional courage shown in war, but is a part of our daily life principles, one that allows us to stand up against our addictions, our daily difficulties, stand strong in our convictions and principles.

Speaking ones mind, and encouraging others to do the same is our job as torch bearers. We can not bring light in the service of the one who brings light, without filling our own lives with courage. It is the bravery to do what is right at all times.

I wish you a life filled with courage!

Hail Hecate!

Hestia - Me, Seriously?

 Hestia - Me, Seriously?

Sometimes Our Lady Hecate calls in the re-enforcements.
I am everything but domestic. Yes, I homeschool my children, and yes I am working from inside the home, so to the person looking in it might appear that I am living the traditional home wife life - yeah right.

I am a feminist, I am anti-domestic and I hate cleaning. All right I do what I have to, but that activity is right up there with taxes, and going to the dentist - longing for the time when my side adventures will be able to afford me a cleaning lady. Trust me I will pay well for someone doing something I would never miss doing. Just not quite there yet - getting closer.

So who of all deities do I (Miss - I refuse to wear skirts, as a protest to fundies in the area) run accross and whom keeps on dancing in my head - Hestia of all people, ah Gods.

Domestic Goddess, keeper of the home, veiled one. Not quite sure what to make of her presence in my life. I have been, like a good feminist as I proudly claim to be, ignoring her existence. Yet I keep on thinking about her lately. Digging through other people's blogs for inspirations, most of them my Patron related blogs, she still keeps on showing up.

And this morning I almost heard my Goddess say this sentence out loud. Time to call in the re-enforcements.
Wondering where this exploration of connection to the Goddess of the Hearth and Home will lead me, but I have learned to listen to Hecate, knowing that she will not let me pass until I hear what she has to say - she did not when she brought Kuan Yin into my life, and I know she will not this time.

So it is time for me to be quiet - and listen - at least for a moment. And later write about where this little encounter took me.


Hail Hecate!

Exploring The Triple Goddess - Light, Shadow and Darkness

A comment on my Shrine's facebook page has been  dancing around my head over the last few days. I wished a dear commentar "hugs and blessings" and was told imidiatly how Hecate isn't such a Goddess, and he did not think this has space in a Shrine dedicated to her.

Really? Disregarding the fact that as a Shrine Keeper, I consider my corners of the social media to be my personal space I invite others to (and therefore make the rules of that space), I am baffled by this one dimensional view of the Great Triple Goddess.

She is a Triple Goddess for a reason - a mover between the worlds of light, shadow and dark, of this plane, the transition stage and our next place. All that happens within these realms, love, pain, consideration, hurt, anger, dispair and hope are included within this vast space, and therefore fall under her juristiction. Limiting her to shadows or the emotions of the darkness is to limit oneself as a follower of her. As a Priestess, I am called to acknowledge the depth of the dark side, but I am also asked to acknowledged the light. She who carries the torches brings light herself within the dark spaces, and in those moments we are reminded to do so the same.

A true connection to any deity requires to explore all his/her aspects and confronting them within ourselves. We all have these three aspects - light, shadow and dark  within our daily experiences, and how we respond to them determines the quality of the path we take. And as followers of the great Goddess we become the torch bearer, the light bringer in the dark times, the comforter, the one who makes the transition easier through a kind word, or a blessings - and a virtual hug.

So yes in the space of my Shrine, virtual or physical, I offer hugs, kind words and hopeful some encouragements to those who are in transition.

Hail Hecate!

Shrine of Hecate - Weekly Update

Hi Everyone!

It is time for the weekly update - ritual info, gatherings, news and everything else that is going on at Shrine of Hecate!

Healing Ritual last night had been a blast. I am thankful for all of you that joined in and added your positive energy to our healing circle. Next week we will be conducting our Atlantis Healing Ritual. If you want to participate and would like to have access to the Quarter Calls, leave a comment or write me at homeschoolwitch@gmail.com

Speaking of rituals, let's get to next weeks online ritual schedule!

Temple of Isis will be holding their ritual on Tuesday September 4th 2012, at 9pm UK/GMT time and at 9pm EST  at our usual online ritual site http://www.wiccanway.org.uk

A Reiki Healing Session will be available at the same site on Thursday September 6th at 8pm UK/GMT and 8 pm EST time - yes we are holding two rituals per day to make it easier for you to join in.

Our regular weekly Healing Ritual is as usual on Friday, September 7th at 9 pm UK/GMT and 9pm EST time. As mentioned above, I will be your ritual leader and will conduct the Atlantis Healing ritual. If you or someone you know are in need of healing, please contact me here, or via homeschoolwitch@gmail.com and leave me the first or nickname of the person in need of healing.

Again all of our rituals are held in the chat rooms at http://www.wiccanway.org.uk - click on chat and choose the ritual or reiki room to join in!

                                                                   ______________

For an interesting read, check out the newest edition of the Correllian Times here: http://www.classes.witchschool.com/library/pdf/ctimessept2012.pdf   - the wonderful members of the tradition that dedicated themselves to creating a free and very interesting publication have done a great job again. Check it out, and share!

                                                                  _________________


If you are on facebook check out our groups! This week I want to feature our newly renamed group Shrine of Hecate - Frugal Witch! Here we share our tips on frugal magickal living - anything related to creating a magickal life while not breaking the bank. Recipes, ideas, simple spell, spell substitutions and do it yourself projects are welcome and appreciated! Join us here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/frugalwitch/


That is it for now! I am glad you could spend some time with us today

Your Shrine Keeper
Claudia
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shrine-Of-Hecate/162063783870576 

Germanic Goddess Sunna

Contemplating Sunna - The Germanic Goddess of the Sun


As I am contemplating the wheel of the year and Germanic Paganism/Folk Magick, I came across an interesting Goddess whom I want to connect with further.

Sunna - the Germanic Goddess of the Sun - whom is known in the Nordic pantheon as Sol, is an interesting character, who's symbolism has been distorted (as it has with many old-germanic symbols) to be tied to the Nazi regime.
As a healer, bright and positive, she comes across as a positive, easy to approach Goddess to me personally. Maybe it is because I have been always drawn to warmer climates - I am constantly cold. In that concept and as a fellow healer, I consider warmth greatly healing and rather bright as I visualize it occuring.

In mythology Sunna drives a chariot across the sky every day, being pulled by two horses. Allsvinn - who's name translates to "very fast" -  and Arvak - meaning "Early Rising" pull the Goddess across the heavens as they are persuit by the Wolf Skoll. Myths declare that at times he catches up with them, taking a bit out of the Sun, creating an eclips.

Her symbol - the "Sonnenrad" or sunwheel - has been found as decoration pieces in many archeological sites throughout parts of the German state Schleswig Holstein, and is now a part of the city symbol of the town Suederbrarup.


How to connect with Sunna

Time of the Year: Midsummer to Mabon

Time of the Day: Sunrise

Symbols: The sunwheel, any image of the sun, candles, bonfires

Colors: Bright Yellow, Orange, Fire red

Foods:  any type of berries (traditional), citrus fruit (non-tradition)

Herbs:  rosemary, daisy, marigold, butter cup, angelica


Prayer to Sunna


Goddess of the Sun
so brightly shinning
your warmth and healing eases our days

Hail to you, dear Lady
may your firy powers
lead us to a future bright
full of abundance and hope
now and forever more.

Celebrating Hermes

Celebrating Hermes

I love the player aspect of Hermes - not in the aspect and thought of gambling for money, but playing a game of chance for fun. Celebrating Hermes gives me the opportunity to schedule a game night - a special night spending time together with my kids and husband, playing a card, board or dice game, a game of chance, but a ritual that ties us together. In this aspect we are all honoring the God - he who loves tricks and fun, but also games and chance, without necessarily refuting to gambling in a more traditional sense.

 Surely the occasionally bought lottery ticket in his honor is not wrong, but gambling has its down side, as we all know from the addictive behavior of some people who loose everything they have in a game of chance. Just like everything should be practiced in moderation, this adjustment from destructive to family oriented is a moderate way to explore this side of the playful Deity.

Blessed Be!

Being A Rebel

Being a Rebel

I am a rebel at heart - just try to restrict anything I want to do, and I will give it more attention!
This is one of the reasons why book religions do not work for me. Surely some people thrive on rules,
obligations and restrictions, but I need and I mean NEED the freedom to be able to choose, to use my
intellect and my experience to make decisions rather then base them on some outdated model of right or wrong.

As I am still spending some time with the hellentic thought (I will move on to the study of runes in a couple
of days after the books get here), I came accross the the 147 maxims of Delphi.  Granted, less restrictive
then what we are used to from the traditional 10 commandments, or the 5 pillars (obligations you might as well call them) of the Islamic faith, they are still rules. And sometimes rule do not apply.

For example, the maxim "Respect your parents" warrents that we should always respect our parents - even if they do not deserve our respect. Let's face it, not all parents have the skill sets to be good caregivers, and that is fine, but I am talking about those who are borderlining neglect, abuse or going over the line. Those parents do
not under any circumstances deserve our respect. And neither do grand parents.

I am fortunate to have had wonderful grandparents, and parents who have taught me well. Having married into a family where this is not the case, and where my kids will not have the luxury of connecting with their grand parents from my husbands side, I do not apprecciate this sentiment. Nor do I honor the guilt that my husband feels because he was brought up with this maxim (or in his case commandment), and now struggles as he sees the abusive  and negletive nature of his parents. Still he hangs on to that relationship due to the honor and respect he is suppossed to give him.

They do not deserve his time.

As a rebel, I do get myself in trouble on occassion, but it has also led me to find welcoming arms in this spiritual path of Wicca. While I was raised with Pagan principles and practicing Witchcraft, I was not raised Wiccan - we went to Church to fit in, and to be eventually burried next to each other. Religion was not a topic of discussion, neither where commandments and maxims - doing the right thing, and honoring tradition and our planet on the other hand where a daily conversation piece.

I was raised a rebel within the framework of tradition. Yes, tradition and being a rebel work well together - tradition as long as it makes sense does not have to be restricting, not in the way rules are. Tradition can and is a useful tool to tie us together, to give us a sense of belonging. It is in this tradition of freedom and togetherness I raise my children.

To hell with commandments and maxims.

Hail Hecate!

Blessed be!

Evolving Wicca

Evolving Wicca

 As I travel through my journey as a Wicca , embracing and connecting with different deities and flavors of Paganism, connecting and un-connecting, emerging and distancing myself from their different ways to connect to deity - with the only constant remaining, my Patron Hecate, - I discover Gods and myths that leave a deep impression on my Self - staying with me longer, and sometimes even staying with me through months and years of my spiritual expression. Hestia and the celebration of Noumenia is one of those.


Traditionally in Hellenism Noumenia is the celebration of the New Moon in which the Gods (sometimes the 12 Household Gods, others those who share your personal path) are honored. One of the observances is that in honor of Hestia, the Oikos ( household) is brought in order, usually that means cleaning, organizing and preparing for the coming lunar month in conjunction with planning and goal setting. This cleansing of physical space in preparation for ritual, extending not only to the altars but to the entire home, specifically the kitchen as well as the planning and goal setting resonates deep with me. While cleansing space is common place in Wiccan practice, this goes slightly further by moving through the mundane act of deep cleaning with a focus of reverence to the Goddess of Hearth and Home. While it is not necessary to consider the Greek Pantheon’s Hestia to be honored that way - one can substitute a Goddess of the Home of ones choosing, such as Brighid, or Vesta - or even some of the Grain and Harvest Goddesses such as Ceres, or Ashnan.

 The principle of cleansing and preparation for the coming time as a ritualistic act, one done in the communion with the Gods rather then a separate act to prepare for time with the deities is profound and moving. One’s focus changes from a motion of necessity to an motion of honor and devotion, and with that intention the house is filled with a completely different energy. Each moment of this day becomes now a spiritual act, rather then a few minutes or hours at one particular point of the day. It infuses the day with holiness and moves it closer to the real meaning of holy-day. While my time spend with the rituals and hymns of the Hellenistic Traditions will not move me away from my path as a Wiccan it allows me (as do all connections with other paths) to evolve in my spiritual practice. I urge you to take a closer look at the traditions of our pagan brothers and sisters, to learn from their rituals, songs and devotions.

 Hail Hecate!

 Blessed Be!

Shrine of Hecate News - Week of August 8th

Hi Everyone!

I am beginning this blog post by welcoming and re-welcoming my readers. This blog had been due to
time restrains rather quiet, but new projects and interesting developments in the near future, will allow more
time for posting and more time for sharing with you hear in this format.


Off to the News:

Weekly Healing Ritual:

Shrine of Hecate, with your humble servant and priestess, myself , is hosting a weekly healing ritual in the cooperation with the Correllian Tradition. This healing ritual is available every Friday at 9 pm EST, and you can leave me healing requests here, on our facebook Shrine Page and via email at homeschoolwitch@gmail.com.
Our current ritual site is not working and for this week until further notice the ritual will be held at http://www.chatzy.com/68580177685827 .

Monthly Online Meditation

Our Shrine is also hosting a monthly online meditation at the same website (until further notice) at the link above - every second Wednesday of the month at 9pm EST time. This weeks subject is a Kuan Yin Healing meditation.

Celebrations and Sabbats:

August 13 is the Day of our Goddess and Patron Hecate!

As a part of our celebration we ask you to please consider making a donation to one of your local food banks. This year too many people around the US and around the world are struggling to make ends meet. Anything we can do to serve our community is important and a vital part of our service to our Goddess. Drop of as much or as little as you can, and if you have the time volunteer.

Teaching:


For anyone looking to learn more about Alternative Medicine and Healing practices you can join us at our Shrine of Hecate - Alternative Healing Facebook group. You can find us here:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/shrineofhecatehealing/ 

Hail Hecate!

Claudia