For my beloved Midnight ...

Midnight, Samhain 2015

This Samhain will mark the first major holiday without my sweet Midnight since I lost him earlier this year. He (along with the rest of my fur babies) absolutely loved lying underneath the Samhain (and Yule tree because I use the same tree for both except for the ornaments) every year. Last year, I had decided not put up the tree mainly because I was just too depressed at the time and was going through a lot. Little did I know that it would have been Midnight's very last chance to enjoy the tree he loved so very much.

Looking back now, I sincerely regret it and now that Kiki is not well I refuse to make the same mistake twice! Quite honestly, we never truly know how long we will be blessed with our loved ones be they human or fur baby. 

I would also like to believe that Midnight's spirit is still somehow enjoying his tree and, perhaps, he will even decide to lie underneath it from time to time ...

Since putting up the tree tonight, the rest of the cats are already enjoying it as you can see ...

Tabitha

Leo

 Kiki

Tabby and Kiki

And so it goes without saying that this year, most especially, the Samhain and Yule tree is dedicated to my beloved Midnight.

Fun Friday!!!

My sister, Aurora Skye and her kitty Pumpkin aka "Kitten Mitten" for her poly dactyl feet!!!

Throwback Thursday: Those nasty stink bugs!

Anyone who has been as in undated with stink bugs over the past couple of years as we have here in Eastern Pennsylvania, can well attest to how horribly annoying these things are (not to mention the fact that they will destroy your garden plants and flowers)! The other week while frequenting Home Depot, I asked one of the sales people there if they knew of anything that killed these nasty things (or at least help keep them under some kind of control)!  

He informed me that the house cleaner "Formula 409" was known to knock them out and, in most cases, kill them! And so, having absolutely nothing to lose, I decided to buy a spray bottle and try it at home in our attic where they were the absolute worst ~ and I do mean WORST!

Alas!! I am here to tell you all that this stuff actually DOES work! But why Formula 409 and not any of the other cleaners? After doing a bit of research, I found that the ingredient which separates this particular brand of cleaner from the others is concentrated chrysanthemum blossom tea! Yes, that's right. Stink bugs totally hate this natural herb.

So, if your home is being taken over by these awful insects, the bugs which my cats refuse to even go near, I suggest you give this idea a good try. It honestly does work great!

(https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/garden-pests/stink-bugs/)

Celebrating The Autumn Equinox: Our Ritual

Good evening, my friends! Just wanted to share  few pics from today's Mabon:Autumn Equinox celebration. As usual, my sister Robin (Aurora Skye), Dark Elf, and I got together for our personal group ritual.

Decorative spice-scented Mabon candle and herbal offering ...

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Before ritual pic of the altar

Dark Elf (live from Greece)

My sister, Aurora Skye and me

For those of you who do not know, there is a seven hour time difference between the USA and Greece. We began our ritual at 4PM United States time which meant that it was already 11PM in Greece. We are always happy when Dark Elf can join us and always have a great time while in his company! Thank you, Dark Elf!!!

Brightest Blessings all!!!

Mabon Blessings!

Getting ready for Mabon

In preparation of Mabon, I spent the day cleaning the house and writing the ritual that my sister Robin, Dark Elf, and I will be using this week for our celebration. 

Last month, I found a lovely new item I will be adding to the altar to hold our corner candles from Celtic Myth & Moonlight ...

I also did my shopping for our cakes and ale portion of the ritual along with some festive ritual candles also from the same celtic/wiccan shop ...

And, I found a cool Mabon recipe I would like to try ...

I am really looking forward to it. Have a great rest of the week, my friends!

Odds 'n' Ends ...

Well, this week I am on vacation and I have A LOT to do! Things I do not normally have the time for during the work week (nor the energy to do), I am going to have to get done. I have to help my mother take care of some serious family business at the lawyer's office tomorrow concerning my brother and I also need to clean the entire house.

To be honest, there is much turmoil going on in my life currently which I am not at liberty to discuss in detail at the moment. I will only say that between my marriage problems (this Friday is supposed to be our 16th anniversary), trying to be there all the time for my mother who only has me to turn to with her own problems since my dad passed away, and my job - needless to say I am dealing with quite a bit, but I am trying very hard to get through it all with some dignity (not to mention my sanity)!

On a more positive note; however, Mabon is this week so my sister Robin and I are planning to get together next Saturday afternoon for our celebration. As in the previous sabbat rituals, Dark Elf is planning on joining us as well via SKYPE. I will most likely write a post after our ritual next weekend.

Dark Elf

 

Until next time, my friends ~ Brightest Blessings!

Food for Thought Friday

Facebook fun app ...  me 'n' Dark Elf (pretty cool, right?) lol

"Yer Jalan Atthirari Anni ("Moon of My Life" in Dothraki)"―Drogo

"Shekh Ma Shieraki Anni ("My Sun and Stars" in Dothraki)"―Daenerys

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!!!

Throwback Thursday ...

Happy 'Throwback Thursday' all!

For this Thursday's post, I decided to share a little something from my "many moons ago" past. When I was in my senior year of High School, I dated a guy whose family was of Greek heritage. His family was awesome and his mom whose name was Maria (aka "Marika") used to be a belly dancing teacher and owned her own business doing belly grams. Oh God she had some gorgeous beaded and silk outfits!

Some pics of us from Wildwood, New Jersey circa 1984

Anyway, I wanted to share this video that so reminds me of that time in my life ... needless to say, much happier times as well ... I hope you enjoy!

Yuliya Lunessia~ Belly Dance to Loreena McKennett's "Marco Polo"

I want my mommy!

Last year, my little girl Kiki was diagnosed by two different vets with Aspergillosis. There are two types of Aspergillus infections, but the type that Kiki has is the nasal form, where the infection is localized in the nasal passages and front sinuses. It is believed that this develops from direct nasal contact with the fungus. For example, if a cat is outside and around dust and grass clippings, the fungus may enter via the moist lining of the nose. The most commonly associated symptoms are nasal discharge and noisy breathing during inhaling.

While there is no cure for this disease, we can give her meds to help keep her comfortable. So far, she is still eating fairly well and so long as she does not seem to be getting worse, we will do whatever we can to help her. 

Two weeks ago, she began vomiting twice a day. After numerous visits to our vet who performed a urinalysis and blood tests, they could not find anything wrong with her. Save from giving her a half a Pepsid-AC twice a day (per the vet), three 5mg tablets of Prednisolone, and an eighth of a 10mg pill of Metoclopramide on a daily basis, we can do little else but to wait and see what happens next. Aside from hating the meds, she seems to be doing better for now as she has not been vomiting every day.

She has been my little shadow and clings to me constantly. She lays and sleeps on my lap every chance she gets. 

Practicing Protection Magick: Freezer Spell

Many years ago, my High Priestess friend and Reiki Master, taught me a very useful protection spell, which incidentally, my spiritual consultant also suggested I perform it as well. It is as follows:

Freezer spells are used to silence someone and freeze them out of your life. Use this spell only against people who are harming you so that they will be frozen out of your world for good. This spell is some serious defensive magic.  

1. Choose the container: This can be as simple as a ziplock bag or an empty water bottle.

2. Prepare the totem: The best choice is a photograph of the person, but failing that, you can simply write their name on a card or draw an image of their likeness. Ideally, a strand of their hair or an object they’ve touched, or even their personal signature written in their own hand.

3. Add water (for extra potency, you may add a pinch of red pepper)

4. Seal & freeze 

5. Finally, place the container in the freezer and watch your magick work. 

Once the spell is complete, you have a few options. 
If your enemy has been successfully cut out of your life and you have no reason to ever fear them again, then you can just unceremoniously toss the spell out with the trash, since they probably don’t deserve much of your energy.  Or, you may bury the bag or container in the ground.

Defending oneself ...

When practicing witchcraft, sometimes we need to protect ourselves from those who wish to hurt or harm us for their own personal, messed up reasons. In my case, I am being magically and psychically attacked by a co-worker and her wiccan "sister" who, for reasons known only to them, are trying to get me fired and destroy my life and my livelihood. Very nasty stuff! I always knew that this woman, for reasons unknown to me, has always hated me and she has made this quite clear on numerous occasions. I have always gotten a bad vibe from her every time I see her and I always get a very BAD gut feeling regarding her. 

Recently, my feelings have been confirmed and after doing quite a bit of my own research regarding this co-worker and her "sister", I know now I must do something to protect myself. I do not believe in using any sort of black arts in my practice and I never have, but I do understand that there are certain instances where some kind of serious protection is warranted.

Before I go any further, I would like to explain a few things about protection spells ...

Meanings of the black candle are as follows: 

Banishing negativity, absorbing negativity, transition; the ending of something that is the beginning of something else. Black is the absence of color. In magick, despite what you may have heard, black candles are burned for positive purposes, such as casting out baneful energies or to absorb illness and nasty habits.

Candles have been used in magickal practices for centuries. The flame is viewed as a symbol of light in the darkness. A candle's color is important and dictates its use. Each color sends out special vibrations and attracts special influences. Many believe that black candles are used only for dark rituals, but they are actually used in both black and white ceremonies.

1) Meditiation - Black candles are often used in meditation rituals to assist in clearing the mind and increasing psychic ability. Focusing on the flame induces a state of trance.
2) Hexes -  Black ritual candles are used during hexes to increase the power of the spell. This use is often related to swamp magic and Hoodoo.
3)Uncrossing - Uncrossing rituals often require the use of black candles during the ritual. The ability to banish negativity is necessary to this type of spell.
4) Banish Evil - Black candles may be burned to banish evil influences from an area or building. This is sometimes done along with a spell or ritual. 

The following unhexing spell is one which I had written many, many years ago and have decided to utilize it once again. It is rather simple and easy to use. All it takes is a small black votive candle, a small white votive candle, a piece of paper in which to write the purpose or name of person (or persons) attempting to harm you, a cauldron or heat-proof container and a strong will and intent. Light the black candle and repeat the following incantation:

"Hex of disaster
 I demand you gone -
 Back to the place which you belong;
 By all the powers of the goddess Aige,
 Let the curse be broken - disengage!
 As I banish all evil,
 It shall be gone -
 All negative energy shall be withdrawn
 By wand and pentacle and Law of Three,
 This is my will - So mote it be!"

Take the piece of paper and as you light it using the flame from the black ritual candle, say:

"Back to the caster,
 Take your disaster!"

Allow the paper to burn in the cauldron/heatproof container. Then, light the white candle while chanting the above and medicate using visualization techniques. When finished, release the ashes back out into the Earth. Remember to thank the Lord and Lady.

Coexist?

Many people in paganism are under the illusion that can coexist with other religions, because they themselves are tolerant and talking about "different paths". This "different path" rhetoric may hold for many other religions but not for abrahamic ones for the simple reason that there is a book called "the Bible" ordering the killing of "infidels" - so they call other religious views and atheists - and witches. The Quran just copies the Bible. Therefore we have to be careful and certainly not naive.

Truth is that in England, the Anglican Church made honest steps to the correct directions. It has recognized the Pagans and Druids and is represented in every celebration and festival of the Druids that is the main pagan faith there. Since things were going that good, the worthless politicians had to ruin it of course, so they brought up the muslims to start the bombings and terrorism and shariah zones or no-go zones. I don't care if you call me a racist, religion is no race, it is a choice and an opinion about the spiritual and therefore can be criticized.

Now, they have created a christian - muslim dipole that threatens to crush paganism between these two combatants. I remind you that both religions command the killing of "infidels" and witches. Have no illusions, the muslims will be after us like the christians. It is only a matter of time.

For now the christians are bullying pagans wherever they can. Here is one of many incidents.

Street preachers evangelize outside witchcraft shop.

Don't think that words are empty. Hitler began with antisemitic rhetoric much before the concentration camps...