HEALING CIRCLE-author unknown

The concept of the ‘circle’ is an archetype that dates back to the
beginnings of our current creation in third dimension:

a cycle of time
time pieces - clocks
yin-yang
the egg
completion
coming full circle
the beginning and the end
wholeness
geometry of creation - the flower of life - spiraling back to
source - fibernacci - phi ratio-consciousness
the wheel and hub
celestial objects
crystals and jewelry - rings - bracelets - necklaces - many
gemstones

———————————————————————

A healing circle is a group of like-minded people who pray together
to give or receive healing or energy work - at a specific time each
day. This is a form of ‘distance healing’ as the people/person
praying - is not with the person seeking the healing. This type of
healing does work. As with all healing - the person receiving the
healing has to be ready and willing to accept the healing on all
levels of their subtle bodies.

There are thousands of people who are part healing circles for
planetary healing. They work through harmonics - tones sent into the
grids (crystal bowls, drumming, etc.) at specific power grid points.
Simple prayer by the healing circle each day will send a pulse of
energy to the grids for healing and raising frequency to a higher
pitch - vibration - tone - soul note.

Prayers can be guided for anything needed in the person’s life. They
may include:

psychospiritual and transformational topics
improved physical health, depression,
love
overcoming abuse
career
There is power in group energy. Thought is received by the grids
with a more powerful pulse if send by a larger number of souls.

Many people start their own healing circles. Perhaps you would like
to create a circle of your own.

Healers - such as those who working with Reiki energies - often
create healing circles.

You may contact a healing circle if you wish to request healing-
prayer for someone.

———————————————————————

Humankind has eternally sought inspiration, understanding and
healing from stones and circles. Native Americans honor stones
as ‘the oldest living relatives’. Shamanism often involves a healing
circle.

Jews and Christians alike have gathered near stone tabernacles or
stone temples for centuries to worship and seek guidance.

The ancient Western European cultures believed that stones in a
circle had magical, spiritual and healing properties.

The Hindu religion uses a mandala, or sacred circle, for meditation,
life direction, and healing.

From the statues of Stone Age matriarchal cultures to the ancient
pyramids of Egypt or Stonehenge in England, people have turned to
stones, circles, and rings of stone for aid in the timeless human
struggles with life, growth, and healing.

A healing circle made of stones is based on this ancient and
compelling attraction to the circle and to stones. The circle is a
symbol present across time in all religions and cultures, for the
circle is endless and timeless.The circle suggests an unbroken
wholeness in time and space, repeating over and over without end.The
cycle of our lives moves in repeated and interwoven circles. Our day
moves in a circle, as does our months (moon cycle),and years. The
journeys we take in our lives begin at our home base, move away, and
circle back.

———————————————————————

Plato wrote The soul is a circle.
I see the soul as a circular spark of light energy.

Have you ever seen circles -
sparks of light -
moving between dimensions?

On several occasions I have stared into someone’s eyes
in a dimly lit room
to see their past lives
and have gone back as far as their soul spark!

Try this exercise sometime.
Be patient as it can take time.

You can also stand in front of a mirror
in dark room
place a flashlight beneath your face
focus on your eyes
the widows to the soul
and see your own soul spark!

A Yule Ritual-Author Unknown

This Ritual shall be performed during the evening hours, sometime after Sunset. Sweep area, starting in the North and moving deosil, with your magickal broom to cleanse the Circle area and “sweep away” any lingering negative energies. Set up the Quarter candles (North-Green, East-Yellow, South-Red, West-Blue) and/or other items symbolizing the elements at the Four Quarters. Set up your altar as desired, and face it to the North, covering it with a red or green altar cloth. Place all of the items listed below in their proper places upon it. For this ceremony, decorate the altar with holly, mistletoe, evergreen, pine cones, ivy, berries, ribbons, and whatever else feels right. Having a Yule Tree nearby the altar will add a lot to the ritual. Along with your usual ritual tools and items, have upon the altar:
Red or Green Altar Cloth

Holly Sprig (placed upon the altar)

Mistletoe Sprig (placed underneath the altar, for use later)

Three Candles in Holders for the Triple Goddess
(1 White, 1 Red, and 1 Black - arranged around the Cauldron)

Cauldron with a Green Candle inside

Incense - Any of the following either alone or mixed together to make a Winter Blend:
Cinnamon, Myrrh, Cloves, Frankincense, Aloes Wood, and Saffron
When all is set up, take a shower or bath for purification and don your Ritual Robe or other ritual attire. Be sure to wear your Magickal jewelry, if you have any. Sit quietly and meditate for a little while - to ground and center. When you feel ready to begin, play some quiet peaceful music for the ritual.

Cast the Circle… Light the God and Goddess candles. Leave all the other candles unlit until the appropriate time within the ritual. Have the green candle placed inside the Cauldron, surrounded by the white, red, and black candles. Also have the sprig of Holly upon the altar, and the Mistletoe sprig tucked away underneath the altar. Sit quietly meditating within the cast Circle for a little while… When you feel ready, begin your ceremony with these words:
“Blessed be the season of Yule.
This is the Winter Solstice,
the longest night of the year.
Darkness reigns triumphant,
yet gives way and changes to Light.
The Sun King has gone into the realms of Death —
yet, within the Sacred Cauldron of Rebirth,
he is once again transformed into
the Newborn Divine Child of Light.
Blessed be the young Virgin Goddess
who gives to her people tonight
a Newborn God.
Blessed be the Newborn Sun King.”
Pause and reflect on the meaning of this spoke in the Wheel of the Year for a few moments, then continue… saying:
“All is cold, and I await the coming of Dawn.
As the Sun rises, the Triple Goddess once more
gives birth to the Divine Child.
In silence and wonder I stand before
the Sacred Cauldron of Rebirth,
knowing that one day I too must pass
through the Cauldron to be reborn.
For this I now give honor to the Triple Goddess.”
Light the White candle near the Cauldron, saying:
“White is for the Maiden.
Blessed be the Virgin, innocent and fresh.
May you plant your seeds of joy and
new beginnings within my life.”
Light the Red candle near the Cauldron, saying:
“Red is for the Mother.
Blessed be the Mother, fertile and loving.
May you grant me gifts of creative ideas and
the strength to bring them to completion.”
Light the Black candle near the Cauldron, saying:
“Black is for the Crone.
Blessed be the Crone, powerful and wise.
May you give me wisdom to
understand the Magickal Mysteries.”
Light the Green candle inside the Cauldron, saying:
“Green is for the Newborn Lord of the Forests,
the Divine Sun Child who comes once more into the world.
I welcome you, Child and Consort of the Triple Goddess.”
Face the North, raise your arms and say:
“Rejoice, O Powers of Earth!
Welcome the Divine Child.”
Face the East, raise your arms and say:
“Rejoice, O Powers of Air!
Welcome the Divine Child.”
Face the South, raise your arms and say:
“Rejoice, O Powers of Fire!
Welcome the Divine Child.”
Face the West, raise your arms and say:
“Rejoice, O Powers of Water!
Welcome the Divine Child.”
Take up your Athame and banish the Old Year by drawing a banishing Pentagram in the air, saying:
“Farewell to the Old Year.
Farewell to the Holly King.”
Now draw an invoking Pentagram in the air and say these words:
“Welcome to the New Year.
Welcome to the Oak King.”
When you are done, replace your Athame on the altar.
Next, remove the Holly from the altar and place it out of sight. Then place the Mistletoe, the symbol of the Oak King, on top of the altar in a place of honor. Say these words:
“Blessed be the King of the Waxing Year.
I pray you will guide your children safely
through to the season of warmth and light.”
Take the Goddess candle in your left hand and the God candle in your right, saying these words:
“Tonight the Goddess and God are reunited.
Tonight Life begins anew, and Light begins anew.
Blessed be the One Light.
Blessed be the Divine Force of Creation.”
Move the candle flames together so that they are one. Spend a moment reflecting on its meaning, and then replace the candles side by side on the altar. Continue with these words:
“Hail, O God of the Woodlands and New Life!
I give you honor and ask your blessing.”
Sit in silence to receive His blessing… then continue, saying:
“Hail, Triple Goddess, bringer of Light out of Darkness
and New Life out of the Cauldron of Rebirth.
I give you honor and ask your blessing.”
Again sit in silence to receive Her blessing. Drink from the Chalice, pour a Libation to the Lord and the Lady and save some to be put outside for the little people. When you are finished, proceed with the Cakes and Ale Ceremony. followed by Releasing the Circle in your usual manner.

Please note this ritual is based on the Northern Hemisphere correspondences of elements and their colors, and directions and so on.

Spring Purification Ritual with Incense

By Cait Johnson, author of Earth, Water, Fire, and Air (SkyLight Paths,
2003).

Simple Solution

Many indigenous people know the power of natural incense as a means of
purification, prayer, and transformation. As we watch incense smoke rise
up to the realm of clouds, birds, stars, and sky, we can’t help but be
uplifted as we envision our intentions and prayers rising up as well.
Here is a simple incense purification ritual based on native ways:

1. Choose 1/8 cup or so of any of the following, or use a combination:
Dried needles of–

Cedar

Juniper

Pine

Dried flowers or leaves of–

Lavender

Peppermint

Rosemary

Sage

Thyme

If no dried natural material is available, use an all-natural incense
stick in a scent that is pleasing to you.

2. Find a flameproof container, such as an ashtray, and take it, some
matches, and your incense to a place with adequate ventilation and a
container of water nearby (just in case your flame gets out of hand).

3. Heap the dried materials you have chosen in the middle of your
container, knowing that the ritual you are about to perform has been
used by people for millennia. When you do this, you are making a
connection to your ancestors, and to the traditional earth-based ways
that have comforted and connected humans since before the dawn of
history.

4. Make a clear intention, silently or aloud, for purification, a fresh
beginning for this new growing season. Light the incense materials until
they flame, then gently blow out the flame so that the incense smokes.

5. Visualize placing your deep desire for a clean start into the smoke.
Watch it for
a time as it curls upward. Imagine that the smoke is carrying your
prayer to the sky, to the great Above.

6. When the incense has burned out (you may need to relight it a few
times to accomplish this), give thanks, and use the ashes to fertilize
your houseplants.

The Charge of the Crone

Hear the words of the Grandmother of Time:
She who has been known as Hecate, Erishkagel,
Cerridwen, Kali-Ma, Anna, Perenna, Spider
Woman, and many other names - some feared, and
Some loved, but none ever ignored. She it is who
Brings wisdom and the awareness of eternity.
She has been the Maiden, and remembers that joy.
She has been the Mother, and recalls that pleasure.

But age has changed her, and taught her the
Mysteries of the Wheel that is ever turning, the
Wheel that is life, death, and rebirth. She is the
Whirling tornado, the erupting volcano, the rising
Tidal wave, the trembling of the earth’s crust. With
Age comes an understanding of the past, and a
Glimpse of the future.

For, in the turning of the Wheel, the past is the
Future, and the future is the past. She is the Learned
One, the Teacher, the Bringer of Inevitable
Change. She is the Dark of the Moon, the Hidden
One, the invisible unknown that lies ahead. But do
Not fear her for she is not malicious, and her touch,
However harsh, is love.

Only in ignorance is she scorned and reviled. Those
Who do not know her, parody her as the ugly old
Woman whose powers were said to blight crops
And sour the milk in the cow. It is fear that turns her
Age into abomination, her wrinkles into hideous
Deformity, and her voice into an evil and
Manipulative cackle. For those who sought power
Over the earth were afraid to face her wisdom and
Her unalterable truth.

But in the old days, we sat at her feet to learn the
Most ancient lore. From her came the knowledge of
The healing herbs, and the chants and songs that
Shaped our lives. She sat in honor at our councils,
Our marketplaces, in our homes. She governed our
Governing, and interpreted our laws. She gave
Focus to our changing seasons. She was our
Teacher, our oracle, our promise of rebirth.

Come, honor her as of old, listen now to the
Words of Wise One, the ancient Seer, the Crone!

 

Imbolc Cream Cheese Pound Cake 

3 cups sugar

3 sticks butter

3 cups cake flour

2 tsps vanilla

6 eggs

1 8-oz cream cheese

Cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add sugar; cream well. Add eggs 

one at a time and beat well. Add vanilla, then add cake flour slowly, 

creaming well. Pour into greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 325° 

for 1 hour 10 minutes.

 ~author unknown ~

Going Skyclad

Going skyclad is a traditional expression for performing rituals naked,
in the nude, in your birthday suit, in the buff, unclothed, disrobed…
you get the picture. It’s not as common a practice today as it once was,
but many traditional (Gardnerian) covens still operate this way.

The reasons for going skyclad are many and varied:

Clothing blocks energy (according to some people)

Being nude represents the deep trust between coven members

Lack of robes removes all indications of rank, and therefore places all
members as equals

Shows the level of commitment to the Craft and one’s coven

There is nothing sexual about performing rituals in the nude

You or your coven may agree with one or more of these reasons, or have
other reasons altogether.

The original reference to the practice of skyclad rituals comes from the
1897 text by Charles Leland, “Aradia, Gospel of the Witches”. It’s
reflected again in the more modern version, “The Charge of the Goddess”,
by Doreen Valiente. The line reads: “…as a sign that you are free, you
shall be naked in your rites.”

If you are a solitary, the choice is yours. Do not feel that you must go
skyclad, because that’s what ‘real’ witches do. Feeling uncomfortable
during ritual will only detract from your purpose. So if you feel
awkward being naked even though you are alone, then cover up.

If you are considering joining a coven and they perform their rituals
skyclad, but you do not feel comfortable with it, find another coven. Do
not expect any group to bend their rules for you. Also, a coven that
follows this practice should be upfront about it when you first approach
for membership. Any group that springs this on you after you have joined
is unethical and not a group you want to be involved with.

CLEANSING AND CONSECRATING SACRED SPACE

Pick up broom and sweep the circle as you walk inside deosil. Repeat:

Sweep, sweep, sweep this place

By Powers of Air, I cleanse this space.

Pick up the incense and walk around the circle. Repeat:

Light, light, I light this place

By Powers of Fire, I cleanse this space.

Pick up the Chalice. As you walk deosil, sprinkle water and repeat:

Liquid. liquid I wash this place

By Powers of Water, I cleanse this space.

Pick up salt. As you walk deosil, sprinkle salt and repeat:

Salt, salt, as I walk this place

Powers of Earth, cleanse this space.

Return the salt to the altar. Stand in center and repeat:

Spirit, Spirit, fill this place

Powers of the Ancient Ones, consecrate this space.

I now direct the energy of the Universe to forever fill and

bless this place.

Lay hands upon altar and say:

This altar is dedicated to the Lord and Lady of light.

May it serve me well.

~author unknown

Beltane Ritual
Lady Bridget and Lady Therese 1997

Cleanse area with besom.

Cast the circle in your usual manner.

Cleanse and bless the participants in your usual manner.

INVOKE WATCHTOWERS:

EAST - water

All Hail to thee, Guardians of the Watchtowers of the

East, the powers of water. The tides of the ocean, where

all life began, the rivers and streams that feed and

nourish the earth. When we thirst, let your tears fall

upon us as gentle rain. Thou art the dark sea from which

all life comes, and unto which all life returns. We call

you now to aid us in our rites. So Mote It Be.

SOUTH - air

All Hail to thee, Guardians of the Watchtowers of the

South, the powers of air. The gentle breezes that soften

winter’s chill and the cleansing force of the gale

winds. Oh, ye of the South Wind, place of storms and

breath of life. In the coolness of the breeze we hear

your sighs, and in the rushing of the wind. We call you

now to aid us in our rites. So Mote It Be.

WEST - fire

All Hail to thee, Guardians of the Watchtowers of the

West, the powers of fire. The spark of lust which leads

to all Creation, the Sacred Fire of Life. Flame of

power, burning bright, giving guidance in the night.

Love is the inner spark, the light that burns without

flicker, the amber glow within. We call you now to aid

us in our rites. So Mote It Be.

NORTH - earth

All Hail to thee, Guardians of the Watchtowers of the

North, the powers of earth. The womb of the Earth

Mother, dark protection of the new seed. The shelter of

the stag and the new born fawn. Carpet of fallen leaves

be our bed. The soil that is the flesh, the mountain

that is the breast, and the earth that is the bone of

the world. We call you now to aid us in our rites. So

Mote It Be.

(At this time the watchtowers have been called in and we

now prepare to call upon the Gods and Goddesses. We have

called upon a Goddess and God from each direction for

this ritual.)

INVOKING THE GODDESSES AND THE GODS

(face east)

Oh, Goddesses of all beginnings, Cybele, Astarte,

Yameya, Isis, be among us now in your aspect as Maiden

of the Forest and Sea. The fair one who brings joy and

new life to break the winter’s stillness and silence. Oh

virgin child of sunrise, wild mistress of the hunt,

Artemis of the mountains, and Aphrodite of the oceans,

we ask that you join us if for but a moment to witness

our rites and bless your hidden children. Blessed Be.

(face south)

Oh Goddesses of nurturing and fulfillment, Bridget,

Demeter, Cerridwen, Diana. In full knowledge of the seed

that you bear, we await your life, your freedom, and

your light, as part of all light that flows eternally.

You, the mirror of the whole kindred, of star, of stone,

and of greenwood tree. Turn life’s great wheel and make

us ever better from life to life to life. We ask that

you join us if for but a moment to witness our rites and

bless your hidden children. Blessed Be.

(face west)

Oh Warrior Gods of protection and virility, Osiris,

Llew, Pan. Oh laughing God of the greenwood, with your

pipes and cloven hooves, shepherd of creatures free and

wild. Beyond the doorway of time and out into the night,

in search of mystery and the wonder of light. Crackling

with energy under our skin, red lion roaring, pulses

racing, we are open - Come in! Join us, if for but a

moment, to witness our rites and bless your hidden

children. Blessed Be.

(face north)

Oh Father Gods of death and hunting, Cernunnos, Ra, and

Herne. Even as you dwell within the temple of death, so

you dwell within the Secret Seed, seed of the grain,

seed of the flesh, hidden of the earth. For you are He

who is the gatekeeper at the end of time, we hear the

thunder of your hooves upon the shore. You are He whom

all must face at the appointed hour, yet you are not to

be feared, for you are father, brother, lover and son.

We ask that you join us if for but a moment to witness

our rites and bless your hidden children. Blessed Be.

(At this time it is appropriate if you wish to do a

maypole dance to go ahead to this section on erecting

the pole and doing the dance. If the dance is to be done

at another time, then go straight on to the lighting of

the Bel fires.)

HPS - Before we begin this glorious age old dance of the

maypole, it is customary to bless and consecrate both

the pole, which is the representation of the God’s

regenerative life force, the phallus, and the earth,

which represents the fertility of the Goddess, the

vagina.

CONSECRATING THE EARTH

(dig the hole now if it is not already there.)
(pour a libation of oil or wine into the hole)

Earth Mother, may this offering prepare you to receive

this symbol of your consort, our Lord.

CONSECRATING THE POLE

(the men bring the pole in, marching in a rhythmic

manner, two steps forward, and rock one step back, as is

usual in a courtship! It is also appropriate for them to

grunt. They turn the pole over to the HPS)

Blessed be this tree, vehicle of our Lord, which shall

soon enter our Mother the Earth.

(at this time all ladies come forward and rub the oil

all over the pole, chanting is appropriate, as are other

more suggestive sounds! Each person then comes forward

and ties a ribbon to the end of the pole, the color of

the ribbon should have significance to the person. The

pole is then erected into the earth, with as much

flourish and noises as is deemed appropriate to those

present.)

This is a time for joy and a time for sharing. The

richness of the soil accepts the seed, and now is the

time that seeds should be spilled. Togetherness brings

joy and abundance fills the Earth. Let us celebrate the

planting of abundance. All of you friends look upon the

pole, seeing in your mind’s eye the pure life force

rising through it from the earth, blossoming overhead,

and cascading down through us…flowing out from us to

the Lady’s world beyond…Look…and see Life!

(start the music, and dance the maypole! For directions,

see the intro file)

(can now light the Bel fires)

HP - Now, as in ages past, it is the pleasure of the

Lord who longs for the touch of His Lady, to light the

Bel fire, as a signal to all, that this is the season of

Beltane! Tis spring now, and the time for all of field

and forest to be fertile!

(he lights the fire, and the HPS comes up to him holding

a long green scarf)

HPS - Now, as in ages past, it is the pleasure of the

Lady to arouse the passions of the Lord, to cause the

sap in the trees to rise, to cause the very breath of

the earth to sigh in anticipation!
(she teases him with the scarf)
Come, my Lord, and let us be together once again!
(she drops the scarf at his feet and quickly walks or

runs away, not too fast. The HP picks up the scarf and

follows her, she does not allow him to catch her too

quickly, and if possible, other young ladies block his

way. Finally after traversing the circle at least 3

times, he catches her and they kiss.)

(the HPS then hands the scarf to another young lady, who

goes around the circle till she sees a man she likes,

and drops the scarf at his feet, he then chases her in

the same manner. This can go on as long as wanted.)

(Can do the Great Rite now, or after jumping the fire.)

HP - The Bel fires are a symbol also of purifying

energy, and also the energy of the fertility of this

season.

“Nine woods in the Bel fire go
Burn them fast and burn them slow”
Oak for the God
Birch for the Goddess
Fir for birth
Willow for death
Rowan for magick
Apple for love
Grapevine for joy
Hazel for wisdom
And Hawthorne for purity and for the May.

(at this time dance the spiral dance, chant, sing,

and jump the fire.)

(can do the Great Rite now, if not done after the

scarf chase.)

THANK THE GODS AND GODDESSES

(face east)

Great Goddesses of all beginnings, Cybele, Astarte,

Yameya, Isis. Grant that our beginnings be fertile and

fruitful. The beauteous Sacred Queen in the full

knowledge that times of joy shall return always, as

lusty as before. Virgin Queen of the Sea, and of the

desert, and rain, and of the deepest untouched forest.

As you leave, fill our hearts with your light and love.

Blessed Be.

(face south)

Great Goddesses of nurturing and fulfillment,

Bridget, Demeter, Cerridwen, Diana. Grant us your

patience and guiding wisdom. Both within and without,

fill our souls with rebirth, that we may walk a little

further, reach a little higher, that we may strive for

the far horizon. Thou art the the cauldron of

inspiration and the womb of the immortal mother, and as

you leave, fill our hearts with light and love. Blessed

Be.

(face west)

Great Gods of protection and virility, Osiris, Llew,

Pan. Grant us your determination and bravery. Prince of

twilight, pearl grey warrior, with a silver foot, go

silently as long as the moon shall rise and the star

shall turn. For we are ever a star, to us is given the

secret of the Winged Flame. Oh, keeper of the Sacred

Forest, as you leave, fill our hearts with light and

love. Blessed Be.

(face north)

Great Gods of Death and Hunting, Cernunnos, Ra, and

Herne. Grant us the promise of renewal, that through

death we are reborn. You reign supreme within your

lands. Give us fair woodlands and green fields,

blossoming orchards and ripening fruits. Your seed that

is sown in spring will become the flower of the harvest.

As Nature flourishes, so also do we. All upon the Earth

is at one with the Divine Union, the fruit of magick. As

you leave, fill our hearts with light and love. Blessed

Be.

(We have a simple prayer at this point which states

that we have honored the Great Ones, your group can do

something similar here, or skip right to dismissing the

quarters.)

DISMISSING THE WATCHTOWERS

EAST - water

Hail to thee Guardians of the Watchtowers of the

East, the powers of water. We thank thee for the life-

giving nourishment you have given to Mother Earth and

the crops. Soft is the rain that gently falls upon the

fields beneath, it patters down so gently that it hardly

bends a leaf. We bid thee Hail and Farewell, as you

depart to your mighty realms, and harm ye none on your

way. So Mote It Be.

SOUTH - air

Hail to thee, Guardians of the Watchtowers of the

South, the powers of air. We thank thee for life-giving

breath, and the wings of our thoughts, wishes, and

dreams. As you blow the staleness of winter away, help

us fill our lungs with the freshness of clear skies and

clear minds. We bid thee hail and Farewell, as ye depart

to your mighty realms, and harm ye none on your way. So

Mote It Be.

WEST - fire

Hail to thee, Guardians of the Watchtowers of the

West, the powers of fire. We thank thee for the flame of

passion, and the cleansing Balefire. Blessed warmth give

comfort and brightness and strength. Though these flames

of the material world be darkened, they shall ever burn

in the worlds beyond. We bid thee Hail and Farewell, as

ye depart to your mighty realms, and harm ye none on

your way. So Mote It Be.

NORTH - earth

Hail to thee, Guardians of the Watchtowers of the

North, the powers of earth. We thank thee for the

stability in our lives which grounds us and gives us

strength. Rock of life, salt and granite, ever-living,

blessed planet, green grass, and leafy tree, vines as

trailing hair, may you bring peace back in to the world.

We bid thee Hail and Farewell, as you depart to your

mighty realms, and harm ye none on your way. So Mote It

Be.

Open the circle.

Group Hugs!!

Athame and Sword Care
by David Nelson

Aside from your broom, few tools need as much special care as your
athame and sword.

Though mostly ceremonial and decorative, the blades of most athames and
swords will be carbon or stainless steel. Both kinds of steel will
oxidize, but at different rates.

Carbon-steel blades — especially if they’re being handled frequently –
should be cleaned properly at least every month or two. While
stainless-steel blades should be cleaned properly only every six months,
if you’re unsure which kind of steel your blades are made of, err on the
side of caution and presume they’re
carbon-steel.

Prepare your blade by cleaning dirt, dust and oil from it with a clean
cotton cloth and clear warm water. Dry the blade with another cloth.

Apply a thin layer of cutlery-steel or metal polish to the blade by
daubing with a small dry sponge until the blade is evenly covered , and
let the polish drycompletely. Avoid putting polish on any jeweled or
painted areas of the blade. Buff the blade with another cloth to remove
the dry polish. When the blade is buffed, apply and leave a thin layer
of mineral oil to the blade with another
cloth and a small amount of oil. Apply a thin layer of linseed oil to
any wooden parts of your athame or sword like the grip.
With this kind of care, your blade will serve you for many years and
might become a future heirloom to another blade caretaker.

RITUAL: HOW TO MEET A FAERIE

Don’t take this lightly. The Fey Folk are wild, and their integrity so
strong and unusual that you must be careful with them. However, if you
approach one correctly, he\she can be an honorable, powerful and
delightful friend and ally.

If you find you cannot handle the power of this rite, courteously end
the visit. If an evil entity arrives by accident, end the visit, either
with courtesy or rudeness, whichever is safest and most effective.
Do each numbered step before going onto the next.

1. Focus on the darkness of the mind’s eye, the darkness that’s
automatically there when your eyes are closed.

2. See that darkness filled with a glowing green, a Faerie green, a
magic glow.

3. Feel that magic, green, Fey glow start swirling around you, bathing
you in its beauty, bathing you in its magic.

4. Enjoy drinking in that magic for a minute.

5. Let that Fey power feed you, cleanse you, and give you things you
need. Let it work its magic on you.

6. Into that green mist, call out for a Faerie friend. Don’t demand a
visit, for we do not control the Fey Folk. Invite with warmth, courtesy,
good will and good cheer.

7. Greet and welcome your visitor with dignity and courtesy. Ask his\her
name and his\her need of you. If no name is given you, usually you
should end the visit. When you meet someone on the physical plane who
will not tell you their name, there is usually something awry, right?

8. Never lightly make an agreement with a Faerie. They take commitments
seriously. And are tricksters, who often have an unusual view as to what
life should be like. You may not want the same goals as they.

9. Visit. Then do the following steps. If you fall asleep, your visit
might be happening on an unconscious level so you wouls still need the
following steps upon awakening.

10. If you would like, ask your visitor for something you need.

11. Make thanks for the visit, and for any help you were given. At this
point it may be appropriate to give or promise a gift, EG a bit of food
and drink left out at night.

12. Perhaps this spirit will become your friend for a while or even a
lifetime. You can use this ritual to visit with him\her again. But for
now say “Farewell.”

13. After doing something like this ritual, one might be in an altered
state without realizing it. If you then do something like drive, walk at
night along a city street, or cook, you could possibly go through a red
light, get mugged, or burn yourself, all because you were off in another
world! So, after you finish step 12, do the following two steps:

A. Spend some time consciously focusing on the embodied, mundane plane
by making your mind concentrate on physical things.

B. Then continue this focusing by looking both ways carefully when
crossing streets or paying special, conscientious attention to kitchen
safety or whatever focus is appropriate to the activity in which you
become involved. Use these two steps until you are well focused onto the
embodied plane.

You may feel very sharp and alert, so think there is no need for step

13. Please do it anyway. For one thing, alert as you are, you might be
alert only to the SPIRIT plane! Take the time to become alert to the
physical realm. If you’re feeling really spacy or “out there” add body
stretches or do some other very physical but safe activity that will
focus you onto your own body.

by Francesca De Grandis, copyright 1994.

This study has brough much conterversey in the Religious community.  I found it interesting.  My experience in Spiritual matters has brought me to the opposite conclusion of the studies findings but I enjoy watching the religious community getting a little defensive.-L

Study: Intercessory Prayer Has No Major Effect on Recovery
By Adelle M. Banks

Religion News Service
A major study of Christian intercessory prayer for cardiac patients has found no significant effect on reducing complications but patients who knew they were receiving the prayer had a slightly higher rate of complications.

The study comes after at least five previous studies that found varying results. Three did not report success with intercessory prayer but two did.

The latest study, released Thursday (March 30), was the most extensive. It involved 1,802 coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients from six hospitals who were divided into three groups: 604 received intercessory prayer after learning they might or might not be prayed for by others; 597 did not receive prayer after being told they might or might not receive it; 601 received intercessory prayer after learning they would receive it.

Investigators found that complications occurred in 52 percent of the first group, 51 percent of the second group and 59 percent in the third group.

“Our trial cannot be generalized to all forms of intercessory prayer,” cautioned Dr. Charles F. Bethea, a principal investigator from Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City, in a teleconference with reporters on Thursday. “But the role of awareness needs careful further study.”

He said it is possible that patients’ knowledge that they were the subject of intercessory prayer “might have induced a form of performance anxiety or made them feel doubtful about their outcome.”

The Rev. Dean Marek, director of chaplain services at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said another possible cause for the different results is that patients who were prayed for “thought they were home free and discounted the traumatic effect that surgery has upon the body, so were ill-prepared for it.”

The study, to be published Tuesday (April 4) in The American Heart Journal, analyzed patients between January 1998 and November 2000. Two Catholic groups and one Protestant group were given patients’ first name and the first initial of their last name and asked to pray for them for two straight weeks, starting the night before the scheduled surgery.

The groups were faxed the names of the patients and asked to include the phrase “for a successful surgery with a quick, healthy recovery and no complications” to their usual prayers.

The study team also included participants from the Mind/Body Medical Institute in Chestnut Hill, Mass., Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston; St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, Fla.; and Washington Hospital Center in the District of Columbia.

A Solitary Full Moon Ritual

Tonight is the Full Moon.  Here is a Solitary Ritual for the Full Moon.-Loki

You will need:
Two white candles
A bell
Wine or lunar liquid
Your chalice (or cup)
Spell material if you are doing something afterwards.

Cast your circle. Stand before the altar facing East and say:

“This is the time of the full moon,
A time of great power for positive manifestation,
A time of increasing and gaining.
The tide of Moon-power is strong.
I am of the Goddess.
I stand before You at Your altar,
In love and adoration.
Be with me Goddess.
Let me feel your presence here tonight.”

Go to the East. Ring the bell once and say:
“Hail Aphrodite. Help me feel the Lady’s power and presence within my body.”
Go to the South. Ring the bell once and say:
“Hail Cerridwen. Help me feel the Lady’s power and presence within my spirit.”
Go to the West. Ring the bell once and say:
“Hail Athene. Help me feel the Lady’s power and presence within my emotions.”
Go to the North with the bell. Ring it once and say:
“Hail Selene. Help me feel the Lady’s power and presence within my mind.”

You will probably have an amazing wave of feelings come over you. Let them
sink into your body and soul. When you are ready, return the bell to the
altar, face East, and raise your arms high above your head. Say:

“Hail Goddess! Moon Mother, Lady of Light,
Mistress of Magick and Animals.
You are the white light of the Moon
Upon the Earth, the brilliant rays of Sun upon life.
You are the beginning and ending,
The One who creates and takes away.
Within You, I see myself and all women.
In this time, You come to me and fill me with your presence.”

Communicate with Her now. Tell Her your problems, wishes and anything you
wish to tell her. When you are finished say:

“All honor and love to the wonderful Goddess,
For She is the power behind all powers,
The Goddess behind all Gods,
The Eternal Life behind Death.
I see Her loving face within the Moon and rejoice.
All Hail Queen of the heavens and the earth, the eternal on of Wisdom!”

Raise the chalice to toast her and say:

“To Diana and all the Goddesses!”

Now is the time for divination, meditation, and spellwork of any kind.

Close the circle when done.

Dark Moon Ritual

The dark moon is a good time to do protective magick and to banish things from your life.

Supplies you will need: two black candles, cauldron, paper and pen.

Place the cauldron in the center of the altar and put the paper and pen beside it. Cast the circle in a counter clockwise way. When it is cast, return to the altar and face the North. Light the black candles. Say:
The moon is dark. She hides her face from humans. Only women can know the true secrets of the Dark Mother. Wise one, let me feel Your presence and power. I need Your wisdom of releasing and removing. If Consequences be needed by those who work against me, I leave it within your hands.

Move counterclockwise to the East and say:
Remove all negatives from my thoughts and mind, Dark Mother. Let them bear no fruit within my life.

Go to the North and say:
Remove all negatives from my body, Dark Mother. Let them bear no fruit in my life.

Go to the West and say:
Remove all negatives from my emotions, Dark Mother. Let them bear no fruit in my life.

Go to the South and say:
Remove all negatives from my spiritual life, Dark Mother. Let them bear no fruit in my life.

Return to the altar and stand facing North. Say :
I accept no negative thoughts, words, or deeds from others. They are destroyed by the powers of the Dark Mother. If these negatives come from within myself, turn them into lessons of good. Help me to become balanced, a true Goddess-daughter/son of light and wisdom.

Face the altar now. Write down on the a paper negative things you wished removed from your life (ie.. negative thoughts about yourself, bad habits, negative influences of people.) Read each one out loud to the Dark Mother to release them to Her. Light the paper from one of the black candles and drop it into the cauldron and watch it burn. Say:
I release these unto Your keeping. Show me how to move beyond these negatives into a position of light and power.

burn the paper until it is reduced to ashes. Raise your arms in reverence to the Goddess when the paper is finished and say:
Dark Mother, Crone Goddess, Wise and Elder One, teach me Your deep mysteries, the Ancient Goddess magick known to my foremothers and fathers. Guide and protect me, Dark Mother.

Now would be a good time to meditate and see what insight you may receive from the Mother. Or do a spell of some sort. When finished, release the circle as usual. Bury the ashes of the paper somewhere off of your property.

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