Solstice Thoughts

I need some sprinklings of healing magick. Every year, after the big days - the Solstice, Christmas Eve and Christmas, I feel this let down. This year is a bit worse - the autumn and Yuletide season just flew by leaving me rushing along behind, never quite catching up.

I'm not alone in these feelings. I've spoken to many folks who feel the same and there are a lot of them out there - where did the time go? Is it that we are older? Is it the fear of 2012 that so many seem to have? I personally have no issues with 2012 because I know exactly what happened with that calendar!

 So... this can't be the problem. ; ) What's going on? Just weird energy swirling around us? I don't know, but what I do know is that this will pass and I will be back to my old, feisty, effervescent self in no time at all. And that's the name of that tune!!!

In other news - and there seems to be plenty - I continue working on my project, A Book of Artes and Charms. I have three gals that want to be students/apprentices and I've decided with my magickal partner that we shall take them on. This is something that we really hadn't been interested in before, but these gals are just the right ones. They have that excitement and enthusiasm, the "I just can't wait" energy, it's quite lovely. Multiple tarot readings have been encouraging this path over the last eight months, so here we go. In addition, my partner and I will continue our "inner court" workings.

Stitching wise, well, I have not two, but three large projects just starting: Sampler Sisters of the Thread as mentioned before and only one line done, Autumn At Hawk Run Hallow not yet started but being carried everywhere I go, just in case, and A Marriage by Lizzie Kate. A Marriage will be stitched in time for our 32nd wedding anniversary at the end of May. I saw this on line, called my local shop and found that they had it. I scooted right over there to pick up the chart which comes with all the threads. It calls for 32 count Lambswool linen which I just happen to have an abundance of. The DH drove over with me which was a good thing as I left my wallet at home!!! However, that curtailed my shopping spree a bit. This is very different from what I usually stitch. I prefer traditional or primitive type designs, reproductions of antique samplers - that sort of thing. This one is much more modern looking, to me, but the verse is exactly what my DH and I always say about our marriage. So.... onward stitches! Of course there are a few smalls thrown in for a break such as "Cake For Jane Austen" by The Sampler Girl and a some others from various magazines and on-line freebies. I really plan to knuckle under and not buy anymore charts - well except the two whizzing there way from Europe, oh and Last Stitch Cemetery by Hinzeit - so adorable, I just couldn't resist, LOL, but it  isn't quite the New Year yet so it's all good. No comments from the peanut gallery, hehehe!

In any event, our Christmas Eve and Christmas day were both quiet, just the two of us and it was quite lovely. Christmas Eve dinner was spinach dip on crackers, pigs in a blanket and mini bagel pizzas along with homemade egg nog, shortbread and fudge for dessert. We then lit the fire and sat side by side, rocking, chatting and dozing a little, Sterling B at our feet. Christmas Day we slept in a bit, exchanged a couple of gifts, relaxed and chatted on the phone with relatives. Not a bad holiday although I did miss my Christmas Eve open house. Oh well, maybe next year, but we shall see. I really enjoyed just the three of us.

I hope much magick was had by all of you and you enjoyed yourselves. May the New Year be a wonderful one!

Blessings nine!

Woman Shaman: the Ancients

This is the trailer for Max Dashu's upcoming film, Woman Shaman, The Ancients. It is about the female spiritual leaders, healers, shamanesses, ecstatic dancers and priestesses who have been forgotten and dismissed by patriarchal historians and archeologists.

You can find more information at Max's website, www.suppressedhistories.net, as well as her Facebook page - just search "Suppressed Histories."

Be sure to turn off my playlist at the bottom of this page before viewing the video.

Blessings nine!

Today I Woke Up...

Blessings nine!

Winter Solstice Blessings!

Blessings of the Goddesses upon each of you and yours. May the return of the light bring fulfillment and peace to us all.

Blessings nine!

December - Introspection and Celebrating

Selenite towers looking wintery, icy and magical.

So much is happening this December. There seem to be so many goddesses to honor while participating in the mundane celebrations as well. Tonight, for example, is the Celebration of Creation, honoring Spider Woman, She who created the world and all within it. Although I do not follow a Native American path, She is a "goddess" who has always drawn my attention - the needlework, the weaving and spinning. I could not possibly not honor Her. She is a Crone, seated at Her spinning, benevolent, although sometimes known to be destructive - as are all Crone goddesses. She bestowed the gift of weaving upon Navajo women, although She is honored by many tribes.  So tonight, I will weave something special and unusual in Her honor, taking on the attributes of the spider to cast my threads, weave and stitch. It is said that Spider Woman guides the hands of those who pursue Her craft. It is traditional to rub the hands of baby girls with spiderwebs so that Spider Woman's gifts will be passed on to the child. For myself, I rub my hands with these webs before beginning a ritual of this sort. Different tribes honor Her differently, but for most, She is considered the Great Creatrix who watches over all Her people and Her world.

I will also make offerings and pay homage to Sapientia, the Roman goddess of wisdom on the 16th. Her festival was held each year on the eve of the Saturnalia, which I do not celebrate, but honoring Sapientia is very important, especially this year. I feel that I have been given many insights, lessons, much wisdom and many blessings throughout this year - some painful and tough to get through, but most joyously amazing. I have had a change in my journey that is so very important and is bestowing incredible experiences upon me, giving thanks on many levels, to many goddesses and spirits take precedence over everything else.

My annual Nine Nights Hallowing of the Winter Solstice will begin on the 18th, three nights of dusk, three nights of darkest night, the second night of this, the actual Solstice, and then three nights of the dawning. I've changed the days a bit and made some other changes in my ritual aslo, accommodating the changes in my path.

Of course there is Christmas Eve and I still haven't really decided what I will be doing. We usually have a large open house, but with other commitments, I think I will just invite a very few friends to enjoy some savories and sweets along with good conversation. This means we WILL have enough lasagna for Christmas day! In the past, when serving it Christmas Eve, my quests ate almost the whole pan!

My solstice tree is still not up, despite my best intentions, but will be by Friday. Why, you may ask? A very good reason. A special little being - 38 inches long and quite beautiful - has joined our family, a Ball Python I've named Circe. Due to the creation of a special home for her, I had to pull apart book cases and move furniture. Finally, everything is settling in, including Circe who has given her first shed to me. I can now make some interesting charms. She has a very sweet energy and I hope we will be doing some interesting work together. I know, I know, some of you are saying eew, yuck among other exclamations!

In addition to the above, more mundane tasks of baking, candy making and making sure those I love have wonderful goodies for the holidays. So... onward with this joyous and lovely season!

Blessings nine!

Let It Snow!

I thought this was rather cute! Be sure to turn off my play list at the bottom of the page before watching.
Enjoy!



Blessings nine!

Goddess Remembrances for December!

December 1st is a day to celebrate and honor two goddesses: Athena, the wise one of the Greek pantheon and Pietas, the Roman goddess of virtue and duty.

In honor of Pietas, consider what your duties are; to yourself, family, friends. Your most important duty is always to yourself, If you are not true to and honor yourself, you will never be able to do so for another. Light a candle and some incense as an offering and ask Pietas' blessings that you may fulfill that which is your duty.

Athena is also honored on December 1st, in Her aspect as Pallas Athena. Offer cake, barley cake if possible, rosemary and wine. For me, Athena is very much the weaver - a weaver of women's strength. Call upon her to aid you in standing up for yourself and speaking out for what you need.

On the 3rd, we celebrate Bona Dea, the Good Goddess, mother, nurturer, bestower of blessings. Apples, incense of sweet spices, honeyed, spiced wine make very good offerings. Be sure to give a little something to those less fortunate.

This day is also sacred to Cybele and Rhea, Great Mothers of the Earth. Call upon Them, honor Them with hymns, poetry and prayers. Milk with honey and spices make a lovely libation for Them.

December 7th is the Haloia of Demeter, a bit somber as She mourns the loss of Her Kore, wandering the earth in search of Her daughter. Light candles, offer barley and herbs as well as sweetened wine. Mourn with Her, but remember, as the seasons turn, Kore, the maiden, becomes Persephone, the Queen and Mother of the Dead. She will return to Her Mother in the Spring. Offer prayers and poetry of comfort to Demeter.

And that should keep you busy for a few days - it certainly will for me!

Blessings nine!

 

This and That

So... I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving. Mine was nice. We went to my husband's cousin's club - an incredible spread - turkey, ham, salmon in a cider glaze and probably the best prime rib I've ever had. There were all the traditional trimmings - stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravy, real cranberry sauce, green bean casserole and other side dishes I didn't/couldn't try.

The really phenomenal part of the meal was dessert. OK, for some this is always the best part; for me it just depends if there are mashed potatoes. If there are mashed potatoes, well that's the best part. But I'm getting away from the dessert - two rooms of desserts. Yes, really.

A good third of the various desserts were chocolate - chocolate covered everything - pretzels, fruits of all kinds - grapes - I couldn't eat those for some reason. I only took one because I thought it was a truffle. Why chocolate covered grapes seem so weird to me I cannot tell you. There were also kiwi slices, pineapple, strawberries and, believe it or not, carrots. The carrots were dipped, as were the fruits, half in chocolate. No, I didn't have any chocolate covered carrots or fruits. If I'm going to overdose on sugar it won't include slices of fruit.

There were cakes, pies, cookies, candy, custards... on and on - enough to overdose on in the most spectacular fashion. The coffee was especially good and finished off the meal nicely. I showed off photos of  my little, cutest baby on the planet, grand nephew over that great coffee. He's six months old and is standing already, yelling for his dada. His father's response to the post on FaceBook was "Oh sh*t." The older adults of my family - me included - are laughing madly!

There was one big problem on Thanksgiving; my husbands cousin, the host of our dinner, did not or actually could not attend - he has kidney stones and was passing one as we feasted. Really. His wife was with us and kept tabs on him via cell phone. He has many more stones. My husband went through this a month ago. A kidney stone gives men a taste of giving birth, or so I am told, never having experienced either - and by the blessings of the goddesses, never will. We spent the remainder of the evening with my husband's aunt, 89 and sharp as the proverbial tack - seriously, she's quite brilliant and we love spending time with her.

My mother went north this year to be with her youngest sister as my uncle, her husband, died on the 14th. I can remember being a very little girl when he and my aunt were dating and my sister and I both wanted to marry him. We were only 4 and 5 years old, I think. He was quite wonderful to us, but in our teens, teased us unmercifully. I married a man very much like him in that respect. They became good friends. My uncle was a great fan of Frankie Valle and the Four Seasons, so I've always loved them too. Very strange, my aunt and uncle became engaged in December, 1963. Many years later, Frankie Valle and the Four Seasons recorded "December, 1963, Oh What A Night" - now that is pretty interesting. We're very sad and miss him. I hope he and my dad are having a heck of a time together.

Into the shop Friday morning - the first time in almost thirty years that I've worked the day after Thanksgiving. Quite a day, as was today. Even in the magickal world, Black Friday and Small Business Saturday are important days. People certainly bought gifts for others, but we still sold a lot of ritual and magickal-type goods, the usual. I went to the grocery store early Friday morning to buy mineral water, but otherwise I didn't want to be near shopping centers, malls, etc. other than my own little place.

I only performed a short ritual for the Dark of the Moon and left offerings at the hedge, nothing very elaborate. While dedicated to Hekate, I am hearing the call of Neolithic goddesses once again and researching and experiencing some different ritual. I am also experimenting with some different magick. Someone from a cyber-group I belong to called Hekate the flavor of the month because so many people seem to be drawn to Her. She does seem to be making Herself known to many, but I think that expression, flavor of the month, is rather disrespectful. Neither here nor there for me, but I do feel She is steering me in other directions. I will just have to see.

Sunday I will begin getting the Toadstool into order for the winter holidays. There are some new magickal powders that need making, spell kits for Solstice gifts, winter pot pourri to mix up and other holiday tasks, including the Christmas pudding - an apricot delight with a couple of pounds of butter in it. This pudding of all puddings will sit in the fridge, being doused in rum every Sunday, until Christmas Eve. On that night, with one more good dousing, we set it alight and then pour on the potent hard sauce and enjoy. Sensitive individuals have been known to get drunk on that pudding! Pair that pudding with my Sleigh-Ride Punch - hot and also full of rum, well... that's what brought on the screaming with laughter and playing with those funny little ball and basket things until three AM last Christmas!

The winners of my give-away should have their packages sometime during the week. I am preparing for my Divine Feminine Discussion and Meditation group at the shop on Tuesday. So... there we are, up to date and ready to move along. What a ramble!!! And no rum was involved, I swear!

Re: River of Stones, here's another:

Rose quartz - weighing and pricing for the shop - what a life!

Cotton candy pink crystal, rainbows peeking from within, here and there,

the energy of love vibrates all around me.

copyright 2011, E A Kaufman

Blessings nine!

Thanksgiving Blessings!

The year has turned its circle,

The Seasons come and go.

The harvest all is gathered in,

The chilly north winds blow.

Orchards have shared their treasures,

The fields, their golden grain,

So open wide the doorway,

Thanksgiving comes again!

(author unknown)

Thanksgiving blessings to all!

Hail Demeter, I thank Her for all the bounty She brings!

May your day be filled with love, gratitude and abundance.

Eat, drink and nap joyfully!

Blessings nine!