Summer Solstice Blessings

Summer Solstice Blessings to all.

May Magick and Mystery touch you, 

May all that is Fruitful fill your life.

Blessings Nine!!!

An Old Charm Found in Cornwall

A spell to repel one's enemies, dated around 1700, was found in Cornwall, UK. Here is a link to the story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cornwall/4388248.stm

Urine, salt, and three new nail, points down, all put in a jar - sounds interesting!!


Blessings nine!

Feast of Epona

Epona, Goddess

Epona, the Great Mare, is a Gaulish goddess of horses. Adopted by Roman soldiers, they spread Her cult throughout the world. However, She is also a fertility goddess, a goddess of the moon, a goddess of abundance and prosperity. She is sometimes shown holding bread or other foods of the harvest. She also may be depicted wearing keys, a possible connection to the Underworld, dreams and nightmares. For myself, She assists in crossing into the Otherworlds, Her white horse the vehicle.

Make offerings of seasonal fruits, such as berries, and bread; honeyed milk has always seemed a perfect libation to me. A white candle,  statues of horses, and the offerings, make a fine altar for Her.

Epona, Divine White Mare,

Open the way for me,

Bestow dreams and visions

As I ride along with You

Through the long night and

Into the places of Mystery.

Hail Epona!

Blessings nine!

   

The Vestalia

June comes in with the heat of summer and the time of the Vestalia is upon us, celebrated from the 7th to the 15th. I follow my daily devotions, including some special purification rites and keeping Vesta's flame lit as much as I am able. Life has been very busy, but a friend and I did manage to join together for a formal devotional rite; washing Vesta's statue with scented water, processing with the statue, then placing it on the altar. We made our invocations, lit candles to be used during the year, and let ourselves be overcome with the love and devotion we have for this goddess.

Afterwards, a late dinner, then good conversation, discussion, and the sharing of books, all into the wee hours of the morning. I arrived home and after my evening ablutions, I fell into bed at 5:30 AM! Needless to say, today has been a lazy day, but I have tended my flame and am preparing to make my evening devotions.

Daily devotions are centering for me, they keep things together, heal the mind, open the avenues of communion with the goddesses I am devoted to. Some days, it takes some doing to set aside the time to make my devotions, but, as a priestess, it is what I do; and that doing is a stabilizing force, the foundation of my life. All stays where it needs to be, even the tough lessons, when I am centered in my spiritual life. A good reason, certainly, to keep doing it, but that isn't why I do it, not at all. I do it because my goddesses are deserving of it and expect it of me; I came to that realization after some reading, it just really hit home, why I do what I do spiritually, how ingrained it is in my life. I expect it of myself, and there is no option for not doing it. I have said this many times, to many people, if I can't give of myself and my time to the goddess, why would they continue to commune with me? It is up to each of us how far we wish to take our spiritual practice, but it won't go anywhere if we don't give of ourselves by maintaining that practice.

I will not tell anyone how they should conduct themselves in their spiritual practice, that is up to each of us. I can say, with the utmost certainty, that making the time for these devotions, the giving of one's self to deity, brings a very special and deeply satisfying life.

Blessings nine!

   

  

Pride & Prejudice Documentary

Here is a most informative radio documentary about Jane Austen and her novel, Pride and Prejudice, this year celebrating the 200th anniversary of its publication. A great deal of interesting information with lovely music and clips from various productions pepper the documentary. Something I learned and I didn't realize, there is a Pride and Prejudice opera!!! Jane and opera, I am beside myself that two great loves are combined. This will be a must listen to, at least, if I cannot find a DVD or live performance.

And why am I posting this here, a witchy, goddess blog? Well... in my opinion, Jane was definitely a sorceress, weaving words into magick. Perhaps you agree?




Blessings nine!

Do Not Piss Off The Witches

In Romania, some witches are not happy due to a new law which requires them to pay taxes on the little they make for their magical work. Their response? They are planning to curse the government. It was not long ago that a woman could be jailed for being a witch in that country. At least one witch is glad because it means her practice is accepted and she can openly have a shop offering her services. Read the article here:

Romania's witches curse income tax ruling

Blessings nine!

When The Drummers Were Women

The Lady of Shalott

I have long had a fascination with the various depictions, poems, and stories about the Lady of Shallot. A couple of months ago, at the Divine Feminine Discussion and Meditation group that I facilitate, we made collage shrines; mine featured a piece of a calendar page from some years ago that showed a modern illustration of her. Unfortunately, I do not have the artist's name, nor the title of the painting. In fact, I cannot even recall which calendar or year it is from, so if anyone recognizes it, I would appreciate having the information.

Why does the Lady of Shalott make such an impression upon me? Why am I so drawn to her and all the art she has inspired? I don't know. I see her as a sorceress of the loom and her threads, weaving magic. I think there is more to her than we have been told and, perhaps, she had a more important role in the Arthurian legends than we will ever know.

I share here some of my favorite Lady of Shalott things: music, art, poetry, and my own collage shrine, a tribute to her. Does she inspire you? What do you think about her and her story? Was she a sorceress, a shamaness of threads, moving from nearby Camelot to some other world? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Deborah Rose's version of The Lady of Shalott:

William Holmes-Hunt's paintings of The Lady of Shalott, my favorite.

Loreena McKennitt 's version The Lady of Shalott

One of John William Waterhouse's paintings:

Emilie Autumn - Shalott, an interesting version.

And one more Waterhouse painting of The Lady:

Tennyson's poem:

I do not know the artist, but this is lovely.

The film, The Lady of Shalott, recently released.

There are many fine art depictions of the lady. I like to browse through them all while listening to Loreena's version of the song. I look forward to the release of Deborah Rose's CD so I can add that to my collection of mystical needlework music. Threads, yarn, weaving, embroidery, all are part of my sorceress artes as well as the art I create. I suppose that is the reason I am so drawn to this lady.

There she weaves by night and day

A magic web with colors gay...

Lady of Shalott Shrine, E A Kaufman

Blessings nine!

The Witches' Creed

The Witches' Creed

Hear now the words of the witches,
the secrets we hid in the night,
When dark was our destiny's pathway,
that now we bring forth into light.

Mysterious water and fire,
the earth and the wide-ranging air,
By hidden quintessence we know them,
and will and keep silent and dare.
The birth and rebirth of all nature,
the passing of winter and spring,
We share with the life universal,
Rejoice in the magical ring.

Four times in the year the Great Sabbat,
Returns, and the witches are seen
At Lammas and Candlemas dancing,
On May Eve and old Hallowe'en.
When daytime and night time are equal,
when sun is at greatest and least,
The four Lesser Sabbats are summoned,
And Witches gather in feast.

Thirteen silver moons in a year are,
thirteen is the coven's array.
Thirteen times at Esbat make merry,
for each golden year and a day.
The power that was passed down the age,
each time between woman and man,
Each century unto the other,
ere time and the ages began.

When drawn is the magical circle,
by sword or athame of power,
Its compass between two worlds lies,
in land of the shades for that hour.
This world has no right then to know it,
and world of beyond will tell naught.
The oldest of Gods are invoked there;
The Great Work of magic is wrought.

For the two are mystical pillars,
that stand at the gate of the shrine,
And two are the powers of nature,
the forms and the forces divine.
The dark and the light in succession,
the opposites each unto each,
Shown forth as a God and a Goddess:
Of this our ancestors teach.

The master and mistress of magic,
that dwell in the deeps of the mind,
Immortal and ever renewing,
with power to free or to bind.
So drink the good wine to the Old Gods,
And Dance and make love in their praise,
Till Elphame's fair land shall
receive us in peace at the end of our days.

And Do What You Will be the challenge,
so be it Love that harms none,
For this is the only commandment.
By Magic of old, be it done!

- Doreen Valiente -

Blessings nine!