Webs of Woven Words, Threads, Stitches and Enchantments

Thursday, May 27, 2010

The Rite of Her Sacred Fires



On this full moon, I joined with almost two thousand other devotees to Hekate all around the world and performed The Rite of Her Sacred Fires. This rite was written by the author Sorita d'Este for all those wishing to honor the Goddess Hekate and to celebrate Sorita's newest anthology, Hekate, Her Sacred Fires.


I performed the rite, which you may read here:  http://sacredfires.co.uk/?page_id=64 , and then took offerings and a libation to the hedge circle, as is my usual practice. As I stepped outside my door, there on the walkway ahead was the big toad that lives beneath this area, sitting and waiting. I felt it was a bit of a message. We spent a little time together and then I moved on to the hedge.


Some years ago there was a tree in the center of this hedge which was damaged beyond saving during a hurricane. Today I came home from school to find that a new, young tree, a Poinciana - a lovely and favorite tree, had been newly planted! I was delighted. After my offering and libation, I made a blessing for the tree and dedicated it to Hekate.


A lovely ritual with an especially magical ending.


Blessings nine!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

The Queen's Scepter Tarot Spread


I visited Lunaea Weatherstone's blog:  http://ssbpriestess.typepad.com/lunaea/ and came across a tarot spread (see her April 24th post) that I felt drawn to try, The Queen's Scepter Spread. This spread is about how one will fulfill what the Goddess intends one will do. She has this to say: "I believe that each of us comes into this life with a promise to keep. We promise to fulfill our destiny. It may not be earth-changing, but it is soul-shaping. By the time you reach your Queen years, you have at least laid the foundation for that destiny, but the very fact that you are still here tells you that it is not complete. Unlike Victoria and Elizabeth, you and I were not born queens. The Queen stage of your life has come after many years of focusing on yourself and on others. Now you have a new duty, to look at the larger destiny with which you have been blessed. Will you, like Victoria, be good? Will you dedicate yourself, like Elizabeth, offering yourself sincerely for the rest of your life? Now, as you look toward your Crone years from your queenly vantage point, consider what remains to be accomplished. What is your spirit yearning to undertake?"


Hmm! Sounds like just the information I need because the past year and a half has brought so many changes to my life. And... most recently I am being drawn to make some changes in the way I practice my craft.


Five cards are drawn and laid vertically from bottom to top. My results are interesting and confusing at the same time, but speak strongly about several areas of my life.




I used a newly acquired deck, The Paulina Tarot (www.paulina.ws - a wonderful artist) - I am very drawn to this deck, the images really speak to me and I see a great deal in them. I chose a sixth card, in addition to the five Lunaea suggests, just to pull it all together because I felt strongly inclined to do so - 4 of the 6 cards are pentacles - interesting as they are more about the physical, yet their meanings SO apply to this situation. I placed a significator card to the side - The Queen of Swords.

1. What I was born to do:
Nine of Pentacles - Here is a garden of magic radiating light from the pentacles. Abundance in the garden of my life and being in the company of loved ones and needing their love. Leo energy, born to succeed  as well as enjoying the fruits of my labor. I see, in this card, the maternal priestess - is this what I am meant to be? I feel that I need to appreciate and believe in the gifts I have been given - I am living what I am meant to do.

2. How I have received this divine duty:
Queen of Wands - She stands with a very large cat behind her ( Leo energy?) a tree sprouts from her head and her wand is tipped with what appears to be a sunflower. Enthusiasm, determination. I have been given all that Leo energy and the strong personality it gives to go forward as a priestess. Many gifts including protection, cunning... what else and why?

3. How I can better grasp and understand my duty:
The Fool - Discovery of one's individual path, new beginnings/infinite possibilities and optimism, adventure. Not so strange that this card shows up in this position as I am taking a new direction with my practice, one that I think will enhance my workings and set me where I need to be. This card shows me that I will be the child, possibly irresponsible and inexperienced in this new place so I will have to be cautious. That being said, the divine duty is to follow through, keep going, find the way.

4. The power that is increasing within me now:
Ten of Pentacles - A woman whose dress is decorated with pentacles as well as holding one. A gift - the pentacle being held - from the ancestors (of my way?) Abundance, prosperity, comfort and good fortune, flourishing ventures - all of which can apply to many areas of my life right now, but perhaps indicating that this turning off onto another branch of my path is surely the right choice. That on this path I will find what I am looking for and the energy will be positive and enlightening.
5. How I can best fulfill my queenly duty from this point on:
Four of Pentacles - She sits alone in her tree, a pentacle clasped close to her heart, alone, aloof - no leaves on this tree. No risk, no gain. Material gain and love of power, protection of investments, isolation, blocking change. Being very set in my ways, perhaps I need to overcome those blockages in order to continue and fulfill what the Lady has set on my path. Am I destined to remain alone in these endeavors? Even so, I need to jump into it - that is how I will fulfill the duty set for me.

A card to bring it all together:
Ace of Pentacles - Almost a tree-like being rising up, swirling, a little nest of eggs, many birds rising with the figure, lots of red berries or buds on the branches. Fresh ideas, inspiration, prosperity, energy, admiration & accomplishment. Not a bad card to finish up with. The energy of this card is security and prosperity - following this path will bring that security? I am a seed that is sprouting on this journey.
As a witch with a deep affinity for the Land, I so identify with the physical world - trees, forest, garden, plants, stones, etc - yet in that physical is the mystical and the many doorways to the other worlds. Is that why I chose all those pentacles? These results require more study for me to truly understand them.

Blessings nine!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

The Hedge Witch Song

The Hedge Witch Song

Bide within the Law you must,
in peace and friendship be you just.
Live you must and let to live,
fairly take and fairly give.
For tread the Earth with care about,
respect within respect without.
To carry songs deep into time,
let them words be sung in rhyme.
Light of eye and soft of touch,
speak you wisely, listen much.
Honour the Old Ones in deed and name,
let the ancestors be our guides again.
Know the names of the moon,
chanting out the joyful tune.
In the night Old Mother Moon has reign,
and dew falls from Her horse's mane.
Mother Night makes the day renew,
She gives rest and dreams to you.
When the moon rides at Her peak,
then your heart's desire seek.
Heed the North winds mighty gale,
lock the door and trim the sail.
When the Wind blows from the East,
expect the new and set the feast.
When the wind comes from the South,
love will kiss you on the mouth.
When the wind whispers from the West,
all hearts will find peace and rest.
Nine herbs in the Cauldron go,
boil them fast and simmer them slow.
Birch bark helps to heal a harm,
bind it round a broken arm.
Oak in the forest towers with might,
make acorn brew to lend insight.
Rowan is a tree of power,
fertility is increased by its flower.
Willows at the waterside stand,
fevers cured by leaves in hand.
Hawthorn makes the sacred hedge,
tread carefully around the edge.
Hazel, the tree of wisdom and learning,
roast the nuts on fire burning.
White are the flowers of Apple tree,
that brings us fruits of fertility.
Grapes grow upon the vine,
giving us both joy and wine.
Fir does mark the evergreen,
to represent immortality seen.
Elder is a curing tree,
extract from the berry and well you'll be.
Each full moon the seasons mark,
celebrate transition in the dark.
Winter's moon sees Summer wane,
Eostre's Moon sees Summer again.
When sun no longer Her face shows,
light the Yule fire and expect the snows.
At Summer's peak it is Her turn,
to rule the skies in bright glory burn.
When the moon shines on Winter's night,
bring in the animals for Blot rite.
When the moon brings Eostre fair,
let the animals out and watch the hare.
When the moon has turned to Yule,
honour the ancestors on Mother's Night rule.
When the moon to Litha turns,
long hours work in the fields as ale churns.
Summer belongs to Day at his height,
Winter belongs to old mother Night.
Day is governed by Lady Sunshine,
Night is measured by old mother Moonshine.
Heed the flower, bush and tree,
by the Wanes blessed you'll be.
Where the rippling waters go,
cast a stone, the truth you'll know.
When you have and hold a need,
harken not to others greed.
With a fool no season spend,
or be counted as his friend.
Merry Meet and Merry Part,
bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
Mind Wyrd's Sisters Laws you should,
return the bad and reward the good.
Cross the Hedge on hobby horse,
under the root and over the gorse.
Know the old gods by face and name,
rest you easy in Hel's domain.

- author unknown-

Blessings nine!

Saturday, May 8, 2010

What Would You Be?











If I were a day I’d be Saturday
If I were a time of day I’d be Midnight
If I were a planet I’d be the Moon
If I were a sea animal I’d be a Star Fish
If I were a direction I’d be West
If I were a piece of furniture I’d be a cozy, comfy chair 
If I were a liquid I’d be Tea
If I were a gem stone I’d be a Quartz Crystal
If I were a tree I’d be a Willow
If I were a tool I’d be a Tapestry Needle
If I were a flower I’d be a Rose
If I were an element of weather I’d be a Thunderstorm
If I were a musical instrument I’d be a Mountain Dulcimer
If I were a color I'd be Rosy Pink
If I were an emotion I’d be Happy
f I were a fruit I’d be a Strawberry
If I were a sound I’d be Windchimes
If I were an element I'd be Earth
If I were a car I’d be a PT Cruiser
If I were a food I’d be Shortbread
If I were a place I’d be a Mountain Lake
If I were a material I'd be the softest Cotton
If I were a taste I’d be Sweet
If I were a scent I’d be Cinnamon & Clove
If I were a body part I’d be Hands
If I were a song I’d be The Witch In The Wood
If I were a bird I'd be an Owl.
If I were a gift I'd be a Book
If I were a city I'd be Williamsburg
If I were a door I'd be a massive ornate Victorian, opened & welcoming 
If I were a pair of shoes I’d be Ballet slippers
If I were a poem I would be I Am She by Roslyne Sophia Breillat

And what would you be?

(image courtesy of The Graphics Fairy)

Monday, May 3, 2010

May Blessings


May blessings to all. I celebrated May Day by making offerings to Aphrodite of chocolate, strawberries & blackberries and a lovely little sea shell, as well as a sweet libation. I also read tarot and drew some Amulets of the Goddess and Crone Stones after some meditation/journeying. A lovely evening.


Everyday I honor my goddesses, but there are many days through May and June that are or have become associated with various goddesses of many cultures. I present a calendar drawn from The Goddess Book of Days by Diane Stein, compilation by DeAnna Alba and various other sources.



Goddess Days for May & June

May  1   Beltane, May Day, Tana's Day

May  3   Day of Bona Dea (Roman) women's festival for the public welfare

May  4   Irish holiday honoring sacred wells. Fresh water should be placed on your altar

May  6   Day of Dedication to the Star Goddess

May  7   Day of Anukins, Goddess of Fertility of the Nile

May  9   Feast of Artemis

May 11   Rumanian Festival of the Russalilor (Fates). Make an offering to insure Their              
                 blessings and good will

May 12  Day dedicated to the Wild Spirits of the Forest. Leave an offering at the forest's
                edge, at a grove of trees or other sacred or wild place with trees. A spell for the 
                protection of wild things would be welcome

May 13  New Moon

May 14  Festival of Isis, Panagyric of Isis finding Osiris

May 15  Day of Maia (Greek - originally a star goddess) Day of Vesta (Roman)

May 16  Day of Changing Woman - make an offering of sage and honor the changes within
                yourself and a woman's life cycle

May 17  Festival of Hathor - drink and make an offering of milk to honor Her Mother                 
               Goddess aspect and nurturing ways

May 18  Dedicated to Hera - Goddess of Women and Wives, their sexuality and life cycles

May 19  Kallyntara - Nurturance  and purification dedicated to Pallas Athena

May 20  Dedicated to Sekhmet

May 23  Rosalia, Roman Rose Festival. Make gifts of roses to those you love, fresh rose,
                rose scented sachets, etc.

May 25  Day of Fortuna - a good day for luck or success spells

May 26  Day of the Amazons - honor the Feminine Warrior

May 27  Full Moon, birthday of Artemis

May 28  Purification of the Pythia - cleanse & bless your divination tools, as well as yourself

May 29  Festival of the Corn Mother

May 30  Blessing of the Fields 

May 31  Feast of Stella Maris, The Star of the Sea. Place a bowl of salt water on your altar
                in Her honor.

June  3  Festival of Pax, Goddess of Peace. Light a blue candle in Her honor, for peace

June  4  Old Maid's Day - Reclaim this day and honor The Crone Goddesses and crones in 
                 your life

June  7  Vestalia begins

June  8  Feast of Bendis, Thracian Moon Goddess - She may be a previous aspect of Hekate

June 12  Hebrew grain festival dedicated to Ashtoreth
                 New Moon

June 13  Feast of Epona

June 17  Day of Eurydice. Make an offering and request a vision or dream.

June 18  Dedicated to Danu, the Celtic Great Goddess

June 20  Day of Cerridwen

June 21  Summer Solstice

June 23  Day of Anu

June 24  Dedicated to Arianrhod

June 26  Full Moon

June 27  Festival of the Amazons

June 30  Day of Aestas, Roman Grain Goddess of Summer. Bake and make an offering of
                  bread.

Blessings nine!