Pagan Blog Project - U is for Understanding and Unakite

I thought I would use the opportunity of this weeks letter to learn something, to understand another aspect of my craft, and in that quest I was drawn to crystals. One of the best books, at least in my opinion one can have for identifying crystals is Judy Hall's The Encyclopedia of Crystals. That is where I came across Unakite, a crystal I have only seen in passing before today. Here is what I found out about it.

Unakite

A stone of vision, Unakite balances emotions with spirituality and opens the third eye, providing grounding after meditation or metaphysical work. This stone facitilitates rebirthing, bringing to light and integrating insights from the past about the cause of the blockages, and gently releasing conditions that inhibit spiritual and psychological growth. It is also helpful in past-life healing for going back to the source of a problem and refraiming it, clearing a need for vengence if required. Whether it arises in the far or near past, Unakite reaches the root cause of emotional disease at whatever level it occurs, bringing it to surgace for transformation

From "The Encyclopedia of Crystals" by Judy Hall

Besides the fact that I find this stone very beautiful, it is also associated with Scorpio, and as this is my sign, I understand very well while I was drawn to it. Looks like in my next quest to hung for  crystal, I will have to add an example of this stone to my collection.

Goddess Blessings!

In Anticipation Of Samhain

Samhain

Witches dancing slow

'round ritual fires in sync

with Mother Nature

© Claudia H. Blanton 2013 

Just like every year, I am really looking forward to Samhain. In anticipation of what will be, recipes will have to be tried, lists made, decorations applied. The kids are just as exited, trying to figure out what all of the crazy things their Mother Witch will come up with this time. 

In the midst of all this anticipation, I usually revisit the associations for this holiday season. What herbs do I need? Did I forget to get something? Is there a new twist I can put on an old ritual with some changes? 

So that we can all revisit that information together, I am posting the basic list here:

Colors: 
Orange, black, and the colors of twillight, dark reds and yellow (but not the bright kind), as well as deep and dark greens

Herbs and Woods:
Heather, clove, copal, myrrh and gum mastic, wormwood, mugwort, rosemary, hazel, apple wood

Gemstones:
all black gemstones, obsidian, onyx

Foods:
apples, nuts, apple cider vinegar, mulled wine, pumpkin, hazelnuts, ale, and herbal teas


Currently we are working on a new adaptation to a favorite chocolate-hazelnut cake for Samhain. Hazelnuts are hard to come by here in Florida, at least until we get closer to the Winter Holidays. So we are using Walnuts instead. If it comes out as good as it currently smells I will post the recipe.


Goddess Blessings!

Ancestor Altars

Well it is getting closer and closer to Samhain, and we are in the midst of preparations and decorations (we actually decorated a part of the front porch by flashlight last night - the lightbulb went out on us, we were determined!)

Which also included the cleansing, arranging and decorating of our Ancestor Altar. Now I have an Ancestor Altar set up most of the year, but I usually do not decorate it. Around Samhain, I will add something from the season, which this year meant a little Samhain Tree (it's a black tree looking thing) with little pumpkins hanging from it. It still has plenty of space to make offerings, which we will place on it on the coming Full Moon and on Samhain itself.

A Simple Version - Beautful

Ancestor Altars are not only a part of Wiccan Traditions, but also a part of Hoodoo as an example. In Hoodoo, this type of altar is also left up all year round, and is a place for petitions. I find the practice of "adopting" and ancestor specially charming.

This place of honor is usually not used for ritual, and you can include anything that was special to the Ancestor you are celebrating. Also this is not limited
to those whom are recently deceased. For example my Grandfather passed a week after my 12th birthday, and has a special place in my heart and on that altar.

A more elaborate version of an Ancestor altar from http://mentalmohair.blogspot.com/2012_10_01_archive.html

Do you have an Ancestor Altar? What do you have on it?


Goddess Blessings!

Blogs, Blogs, And More Blogs

I think "Blogger" does not like me this morning. I am sure it isn't personal, but apparently linking my blogs, updating the hops and rolls and weekly postings is too much for the darn thing.
Well, no matter in what mood this little hosting site is, it is time for some serious updates!

I have been working like a mad little Witch (okay not so little, but mad as a Hatter) on my writing blog, and finally got it to the way I want it. That means, I have more time for this little gem. Yay!
No matter how much I try to write just about writing or general stuff (like love, loss and killing people - hey I write Dark Fantasy, so there will be dead bodies), I am itching to write about my Witchy life. Which is why I am here today.

There are so many really cool blogs, blog directories and blog rolls out there that are not Pagan related, but I finally came across one that is! Again, Yay! (I told you I am crazy!).
So there is not only going to be a weekly schedule of postings on my writing blog, but also here. That is a lot of writing - 'cause did I tell you I am also writing a pretty bad #@! dark fantasy novel series? No? Well, now I told you.

Alright, time to get this blog posting party, schedule thingy moving. And I will see you on the other side, with lots more links and banners, and pictures, and other crazy, witchy stuff.

Goddess Blessings!

Noumenia

Noumenia is celebrated when the moon's first sliver is view-able in the sky, and marks the beginning of the traditional Hellenic month. On this day all of the household gods are honored, as well as the spirit of your ancestors. This day is also a great day to begin or reaffirm any vows or oaths one has taken.

The hymns and rituals called upon this day depends on which Gods and Goddesses you work with one a regular purpose.  You can create a ritual which includes all of them, or honor each individual deity
separately, making sure to take a moment to connect with each one of them.

Libations are traditionally poured, which can be wine, milk and/or honey.

Please note that at this Shrine we do not follow a Hellenistic calendar. Our main focus is our Lady Hecate, while working with other Gods and Spirits of our choosing. This day is a celebration to touch bases with all of them, and will be in the future a day of gathering, once our physical Shrine location is completed for visitors.

What is Hekate Deipnon?

WHAT IS HEKATE DEIPNON?
Hekate's Deipnon takes place during the dark phase of the moon: the end of the lunar month (any time before the sliver of the new moon has been sighted).   Hekate, according to the Liddell and Scott Greek-English Lexicon, means "bringer or giver of light" ('Ekate phosphoros).  At the darkest part of the month, we prepare our homes for the transition to a new month. Hekate's Deipnon is a time of purification of self, home, and affairsThere are differing theories as to if Hekate's Deipnon is solely a meal offered to Hekate, or if there is a secondary intent of the meal offering going to the less fortunate.  For example: Aristophanes, Plutus 410 ff (trans. O'Neill) (Greek comedy C5th to 4th B.C.) :
"Ask Hekate whether it is better to be rich or starving; she will tell you that the rich send her a meal every month [i.e. food placed inside her door-front shrines] and that the poor make it disappear before it is even served."

For this reason a very popular way to mark the Deipnon is to make a donation of food or money to a local food shelf or other charitable group.


Traditional offerings include:
sweepings from the home
garlic
eggs
leeks
"things you don't want to bring into the next month"

Some modern Hellenes choose to put the more traditional offerings onto an altar, offer them at a 3 way crossroads, or place them at an intersection of air, water, and land - such as a rock jutting out of the water or a bridge over a stream or pond.  Donations of food, money, or time serving meals at a local food pantry or soup kitchen are an increasingly popular offering.  Additionally many find this is the perfect time of the month to clean out the refrigerator.  Some may find it's also a good time to tend to the worm composter.  Others dispose of the previous month's contents of the Kathiskos* while cleaning out or taking stock of what's in your kitchen pantry.  Making sure you have fulfilled your previous month's obligations, duties, promises, and paid off all debts (financial and emotional) is another activity some perform to 'close the books' on the previous month and prepare for the new one.  Some also find this is a good time to review your notes and see if one has missed a promised thanks-offering in return for a prayer, or to check offering dishes and burners for stray remnants (barley as been known to roll to into nooks and crannies of hestias and grills) to be burned off or placed in the composter or cross roads.


Source: Temenos

Shrine of Hecate: Focus and Important Dates for July 2013

Shrine of Hecate

Focus and Important Dates for July 2013

This months main area of focus is organizing ritual and spiritual space,
Altars, and tend to our Book of Shadows
Traditionally in our Shrine, our month begins on the Dark Moon or Hecate Deipnon, which for this month is on the 7th of July and ends the day before the next dark moon, which will be August 4th.

The main celebrations of this month at our Shrine are:

Hecate Deipnon (the Dark Moon) July 7th
New Moon/Noumenia July 8th
Agathos Daimon July 9th
Feast of Kuan Yin July 19th
Full Moon July 22
Lughnasadh/Festival of Lugh August 1st


Information about the individual festivals will be posted on the Shrine Blog over the next few days.