Well, my friends and readers, here we are, at the end of 2015. I don't know about you but this year has been frantic for me. I've been hit with change after change after change. Most of the ride has been wonderful. Some of it has been negative but on the whole this has been a great year. I'm almost unrecognizable in both physical appearance and mentality, as claimed by my friends and family. I've lost a great deal of weight, have furthered my career (day job), and have met many great new friends and interesting people. I feel 2015 has been blessed for me. I can't wait to see what 2016 has in store!
As we head into the new year we should all strive to identify and remove the "dead" aspects of our lives, be they mental states and attitudes, to even actual relationships and people. Every tree and rosebush needs a good pruning so that new growth can take place. We all need to be healthy and we all deserve happiness. This form of pruning is vital for our well being. While we are at it, if you only do a spiritual cleansing one time a year, then this is the time to do it. Also the time to cleanse the home as well.
New Years is a time filled with great many superstitions and omens with regard to learning or knowing of how the year will progress. The first and foremost rule of New Years that I practice is of taking a true holiday. This means no work at home. If you toil at daily chores on New Years Day then it's believed you will be breaking your back with chores the rest of the year. So take a break and vegetate the whole day. Binge watch some t.v. if you need to. If you aren't doing work at home on New Years Day then you don't have to worry about the other superstitions, such as no sweeping lest you sweep your luck away. Do avoid using scissors, knives and sharp objects lest you cut or sever your luck. Do open the windows and doors to let out the old year and let in the new. Do make noise at midnight to frighten away the devil and do make sure you get your New Year's Eve kiss so that you are ensured love throughout the new year. Finally, make sure to eat your black eyed peas on New Year's Day for luck!
Before I go, I will leave you with the following story. I was at a store and a white haired man and a younger 30 something woman were in the check out line in front of me. The two began to talk about superstitions. The man mentioned that he grew up with his grandmother and that she made him and his sibling thoroughly clean the house between after Christmas and before New Year's Day. He said she would say that if the home was thoroughly cleaned between those dates then the house would be protected from witchcraft in the coming year. I thought that was neat to over hear.
WISHING MY FRIENDS AND READERS A WONDERFUL, JOYOUS AND BLESSED NEW YEARS! HAPPY 2016 EVERYBODY!
P.S. In 4 more years we will be in the 20's again. Let's cross our fingers that it will be just as "roaring" as it was last century! I would love for flappers to make a come-back!
Thứ Năm, 31 tháng 12, 2015
Thứ Hai, 28 tháng 12, 2015
It's "New Orleans Voodoo" Yet Again
The past few weeks a mentally ill man has been stalking me on a certain website and has attempted to attack me left and right regarding the subject of "New Orleans Voodoo" and his claims that it is a traditional, practice of black people from New Orleans.
Now, my readers should know very well what my position on this subject is. Let me make some clarifications for those who are new to my blog.
What is called "New Orleans Voodoo", was invented by white people in the 1950s. It is not a traditional practice of New Orleans. Instead, it was invented by white shop owners and authors in New Orleans as a means of drawing tourism to New Orleans, and thus, drawing tourist money as well.
Factual points of interest:
1. Zora Neale Hurston, famed African-American folklorist and author, traveled to New Orleans in the 1930s and 1940s in search of "Voodoo". She found no trace of it. What she did find was hoodoo and she documented it extensively.
2. Jelly Roll Mortin, the self-described inventor of Jazz music and Creole native, said in an interview (paraphrased), "What you people [white people] call "Voodoo" we [creole and black people] call hoodoo."
http://www.luckymojo.com/hoodoohistory.html
3. Harry Middleton Hyatt traveled the South in the 1930s, 1940s and 1970s, compiling traditional Southern, magical folklore and practice. He employed black informants and interviewed black practitioners. Not a single person ever told him about Voodoo in New Orleans or about Voodoo Queens, Loas, or anything else to do with the religion of Voodoo. Instead, they all spoke to him about hoodoo, and of their knowledge of professional hoodoo men and women operating in New Orleans, Algiers, and other places in Louisiana.
4. Many promoters of "New Orleans Voodoo" have traveled to Haiti in order to undergo initiation into the Voodoo religion. They then return to New Orleans and then use this in order to prop up the myth that New Orleans Voodoo is a real, valid tradition. If New Orleans Voodoo was a real tradition there would be no need to travel to Haiti in order to be initiated. The rituals of initiation would have been adapted to the local area and appropriate herbal substitutions would have evolved to replace traditional plants used in initiation but which do not grow in Louisiana.
5. New Orleans Voodoo practitioners are almost universally opposed to animal sacrifice. Animal sacrifice is a crucial aspect of traditional African religions. It is a vital component of the true and valid Voodoo religion.
6. The majority of practitioners of New Orleans Voodoo are white. Now, there is no problem with white people wanting to join an African religion. However, in New Orleans Voodoo, black people are so under represented that it can be viewed as a sign of the true origin of this practice, i.e., an invention by white people.
7. New Orleans Voodoo is far too eclectic in nature. Practitioners take, steal or borrow whatever they fancy from other traditions, cultures and religions and then try to claim that is part of their tradition. For example, it is very common for the New Orleans Voodoo crowd to mix and match pantheons, mixing the Voodoo Loa with the Orisha of Yoruban derived faiths, as well as pagan gods having no African history at all. In fact, even Wicca itself has been thrown into the mix. Recently foreign spirits such as Santa Muerte are now claimed by the New Orleans Voodoo crowd as being a part of their tradition.
8. There is no evidence that Marie Laveau was ever initiated into an African Traditional Religion. In the lore, she was taught magic (hoodoo) from Dr. John. Being taught magic and how to make gris-gris does not a priestess make. Instead, it appears that Marie Laveau used the exotic appeal of "Voodoo" in much the same way that people in New Orleans are doing today, to make a name for herself and to acquire money from the gullible.
9. When practitioners of New Orleans Voodoo are confronted with these facts their number one go-to excuse is "That's because the religion went underground and only recently resurfaced!" This is the same excuse that many Wiccans give when confronted with the cold, hard fact that their religion was also invented in the 1950s and is neither ancient nor "the old religion".
For more information, do read Cat Yronwode's take on New Orleans Voodoo. It's actually a good little essay.
http://www.luckymojo.com/hoodoohistory.html#hoodoonot
Now, just to be clear here. I do no hate nor am I opposed to people who want to practice what they call New Orleans Voodoo. Just like I don't hate or are opposed to Wiccans. What I am opposed to is the lies, the mythology that is spread which threatens to wipe out native, traditional practices, the true traditions of an area, as well as to deceive people as to what their heritage actually is. So if you self-identify as being a practitioner of New Orleans Voodoo then we are cool UNLESS you start lying and claiming that what you do is the traditional practices of black or creole people in New Orleans or Louisiana. Because it's most definitely not. The true tradition of New Orleans and Louisiana is hoodoo, a.k.a. rootwork or conjure. You want to do your own thing and call it New Orleans Voodoo? Cool. Knock yourself out. Just don't threaten the native practices by lying and deceiving people into thinking that what you do represents the history of the people of that area.
Since I'm speaking out on this subject, yet again, let me take the time to recommend a show. It's called The Originals. It airs on the CW. It's about vampires, werewolves and witches, all fighting each other and themselves for control of New Orleans. Check it out. It's been on the air for several years now and it's a good show. I love how the practitioners are referred to as witches and not belonging to New Orleans Voodoo. So far only one character was described as being Voodoo but he was only a temporary character that was soon killed off. The rest are definitely witches, and bad ass witches at that. The Originals is a spin off of The Vampire Diaries. In The Vampire Diaries, witches are portrayed as the weak slaves of their vampire masters. So I do love how on The Originals the witches are a force to be reckoned with. If you can, try to watch the series from the beginning. I do believe it's on Netflix, if that helps.
Bastianna Curses The Priest
Bastianna Is Killed By A Vampire
Davina Kills The Witches Hunting Her
Now, my readers should know very well what my position on this subject is. Let me make some clarifications for those who are new to my blog.
What is called "New Orleans Voodoo", was invented by white people in the 1950s. It is not a traditional practice of New Orleans. Instead, it was invented by white shop owners and authors in New Orleans as a means of drawing tourism to New Orleans, and thus, drawing tourist money as well.
Factual points of interest:
1. Zora Neale Hurston, famed African-American folklorist and author, traveled to New Orleans in the 1930s and 1940s in search of "Voodoo". She found no trace of it. What she did find was hoodoo and she documented it extensively.
2. Jelly Roll Mortin, the self-described inventor of Jazz music and Creole native, said in an interview (paraphrased), "What you people [white people] call "Voodoo" we [creole and black people] call hoodoo."
http://www.luckymojo.com/hoodoohistory.html
3. Harry Middleton Hyatt traveled the South in the 1930s, 1940s and 1970s, compiling traditional Southern, magical folklore and practice. He employed black informants and interviewed black practitioners. Not a single person ever told him about Voodoo in New Orleans or about Voodoo Queens, Loas, or anything else to do with the religion of Voodoo. Instead, they all spoke to him about hoodoo, and of their knowledge of professional hoodoo men and women operating in New Orleans, Algiers, and other places in Louisiana.
4. Many promoters of "New Orleans Voodoo" have traveled to Haiti in order to undergo initiation into the Voodoo religion. They then return to New Orleans and then use this in order to prop up the myth that New Orleans Voodoo is a real, valid tradition. If New Orleans Voodoo was a real tradition there would be no need to travel to Haiti in order to be initiated. The rituals of initiation would have been adapted to the local area and appropriate herbal substitutions would have evolved to replace traditional plants used in initiation but which do not grow in Louisiana.
5. New Orleans Voodoo practitioners are almost universally opposed to animal sacrifice. Animal sacrifice is a crucial aspect of traditional African religions. It is a vital component of the true and valid Voodoo religion.
6. The majority of practitioners of New Orleans Voodoo are white. Now, there is no problem with white people wanting to join an African religion. However, in New Orleans Voodoo, black people are so under represented that it can be viewed as a sign of the true origin of this practice, i.e., an invention by white people.
7. New Orleans Voodoo is far too eclectic in nature. Practitioners take, steal or borrow whatever they fancy from other traditions, cultures and religions and then try to claim that is part of their tradition. For example, it is very common for the New Orleans Voodoo crowd to mix and match pantheons, mixing the Voodoo Loa with the Orisha of Yoruban derived faiths, as well as pagan gods having no African history at all. In fact, even Wicca itself has been thrown into the mix. Recently foreign spirits such as Santa Muerte are now claimed by the New Orleans Voodoo crowd as being a part of their tradition.
8. There is no evidence that Marie Laveau was ever initiated into an African Traditional Religion. In the lore, she was taught magic (hoodoo) from Dr. John. Being taught magic and how to make gris-gris does not a priestess make. Instead, it appears that Marie Laveau used the exotic appeal of "Voodoo" in much the same way that people in New Orleans are doing today, to make a name for herself and to acquire money from the gullible.
9. When practitioners of New Orleans Voodoo are confronted with these facts their number one go-to excuse is "That's because the religion went underground and only recently resurfaced!" This is the same excuse that many Wiccans give when confronted with the cold, hard fact that their religion was also invented in the 1950s and is neither ancient nor "the old religion".
For more information, do read Cat Yronwode's take on New Orleans Voodoo. It's actually a good little essay.
http://www.luckymojo.com/hoodoohistory.html#hoodoonot
Now, just to be clear here. I do no hate nor am I opposed to people who want to practice what they call New Orleans Voodoo. Just like I don't hate or are opposed to Wiccans. What I am opposed to is the lies, the mythology that is spread which threatens to wipe out native, traditional practices, the true traditions of an area, as well as to deceive people as to what their heritage actually is. So if you self-identify as being a practitioner of New Orleans Voodoo then we are cool UNLESS you start lying and claiming that what you do is the traditional practices of black or creole people in New Orleans or Louisiana. Because it's most definitely not. The true tradition of New Orleans and Louisiana is hoodoo, a.k.a. rootwork or conjure. You want to do your own thing and call it New Orleans Voodoo? Cool. Knock yourself out. Just don't threaten the native practices by lying and deceiving people into thinking that what you do represents the history of the people of that area.
Since I'm speaking out on this subject, yet again, let me take the time to recommend a show. It's called The Originals. It airs on the CW. It's about vampires, werewolves and witches, all fighting each other and themselves for control of New Orleans. Check it out. It's been on the air for several years now and it's a good show. I love how the practitioners are referred to as witches and not belonging to New Orleans Voodoo. So far only one character was described as being Voodoo but he was only a temporary character that was soon killed off. The rest are definitely witches, and bad ass witches at that. The Originals is a spin off of The Vampire Diaries. In The Vampire Diaries, witches are portrayed as the weak slaves of their vampire masters. So I do love how on The Originals the witches are a force to be reckoned with. If you can, try to watch the series from the beginning. I do believe it's on Netflix, if that helps.
Bastianna Curses The Priest
Bastianna Is Killed By A Vampire
Davina Kills The Witches Hunting Her
Thứ Năm, 24 tháng 12, 2015
Mistletoe
Mistletoe is one of the classic plants we use to decorate our homes during Christmastime. It's also one of the oldest and perhaps the most "pagan" of the lot. In fact, mistletoe is considered "too pagan" so it is either not allowed in Churches or it must be blessed before being allowed inside.
Mistletoe was sacred to both the Celts and the Germanic peoples. The Celts would gather it in complicated rituals that involved a specific moon phase and the use of pure white bulls, Druid priests dressed in white cloth, a golden sickle, and a white cloth used to catch the mistletoe before it hit the ground. After it was gathered the white bulls would be sacrificed to the gods. The Celts believed that mistletoe had the power to heal all diseases and could ward off evil.
The Germanic peoples likewise believed that Mistletoe was sacred. The plant was used to kill their god of light, Balder. According to myth, Balder had dream omens that indicated he would soon die. He went to his mother, Frigga, the Queen of the Gods, and told her about his dreams. As all good mothers do, Frigga went nuts out of fear of losing her soon. So she traveled the earth and asked every single thing in existence to swear an oath that it would not harm her son. Every rock, tree, every grain of sand, every creature, and everything in existence, swore that they would do nothing to harm Balder and thus upset Frigga, whose name means "beloved". Unfortunately, an exhausted Frigga forgot to ask one single thing, the little mistletoe, to swear the oath. She assumed it was harmless. Thus, it was used to kill her son. The Germanic people believed the white berries of the mistletoe were the tears of Frigga, who constantly mourns the death of her son and will never forgive herself for failing to ask the little mistletoe plant to swear the oath. Mistletoe was viewed as the plant of peace and it was said that if two warriors met under a tree bearing mistletoe that they were forbidden to fight and must declare peace.
The modern notion of "kissing underneath the mistletoe" likely stems from the belief that the plant could increase fertility in both man and beast. It's been said that the white, sticky berries of the parasitic plant resemble semen and so this function or belief thereof, is quite understandable. The fact that mistletoe is an evergreen, retaining it's green coloring all year round only furthered the belief in the magical abilities of this odd plant.
Additionally, mistletoe was hung in doorways to repel witches and witchcraft and to protect against lightning. Mistletoe was also an ingredient in various love potions and remedies to restore fertility and especially, the male nature. The most powerful mistletoe is that which is found to be growing on oak trees. This belief likely arose because mistletoe growing on oak trees is a rare occurrence. Mistletoe can grow on oak trees but the thick bark is often too difficult for the mistletoe to penetrate. However, recently I did stumble upon a downed oak tree while out for a nature walk. The poor tree fell during our last ice storm some weeks prior. I went up to investigate the tree and to my surprise I saw tiny mistletoe leaves sprouting from the crooks of branches. These were baby plants and mistletoe takes a long time to mature. In fact, the bough that is shown in the picture above is perhaps 5 years old, if not older. One shouldn't feel bad about harvesting mistletoe despite this. In my state, mistletoe is everywhere. In fact, and believe it or not, mistletoe is the state flower of Oklahoma.
It all started during pioneer times. A young bride of only a year or so died during mid-Winter. Without having any flowers to decorate her grave, her poor husband climbed a nearby tree and plucked as many mistletoe as he could carry and used them instead. From that time onward, Oklahoma has honored the couple by viewing mistletoe as a flower.
If you would like to incorporate mistletoe into your conjure work now is the right time to gather it. In Winter, when the trees have dropped their leaves, mistletoe becomes more identifiable. Leave an offering for the plant and then harvest a bough, preferably one containing white berries. (Mistletoe has two distinct sexes so only the female plants will bear berries.) Decorate the bough with red ribbon and perhaps some jingle bells, which are also used to ward off evil, and then hang above your doorway to protect your home from evil and lightning.
A simple healing rite can be done by placing some mistletoe in a glass of water and then praying over the glass so that your breath falls upon the water. Make the sign of the cross three times and then drink the entire glass of water. Be careful not to consume the mistletoe or it's berries as it is considered toxic. The healing power of mistletoe is currently being explored. It's already said to be effective when used to treat lung cancer.
If you want to explore the love and fertility aspects of the plant, simply grind up some mistletoe and add it to your love powders. A very old recipe for a love powder that allegedly dates from medieval times includes mistletoe, elecampane and verbena or vervain, which have been powdered. This mixture, in olden times, would have been sprinkled in the food or drink of the person one wished to make love one. However, due to the toxic nature of mistletoe is perhaps best to use such powder in the tradition conjure way, in various rites, included in mojo bags, to dress candles, etc. Whole mistletoe can also be added to mojo bags and bottles used in works directly.
Don't have mistletoe growing in your area? If you live in North America, preferable the U.S., then get a hold of a bough of mistletoe that contains berries. You can then "plant" the berries on a local tree. Simply squeeze the berries until the seed pops out. It will be covered in a mucous-like, sticky goo. Next, cram this into a crook of a tree. If the bark is too thick you can use a knife to make a slight wound that penetrates the bark and then cram the seed into the wound. The wound will heal and if you are lucky within a few months you should notice the first stages of growth. One can sometimes find European mistletoe for sale here in the states. It's important that you don't attempt this method with this plant and vice verse, don't attempt to grow North American mistletoe in Europe. Let's try to stop invasive species. The good news is that most growers know this and purposefully remove all berries from their plants for sale so that they can not grow and become a problem. Growers will often put fake berries on their mistletoe for sale to try to compensate for such loss.
If you do decide to hang a bough of mistletoe in your home for protection then it should be removed and replaced each year.
Thứ Tư, 23 tháng 12, 2015
Thứ Ba, 22 tháng 12, 2015
Potential New Picture Of Robert Johnson Found
A potential new picture of hoodoo bluesman, Robert Johnson, who erroneously is believed to have sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads, has allegedly been found. If true this would make only the third picture of the famous musician in existence today.
I am a bit skeptical that the man in the picture is him but if true this would be exciting news.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/music/article/New-photo-of-bluesman-Robert-Johnson-unearthed-6703035.php#photo-9121122
I am a bit skeptical that the man in the picture is him but if true this would be exciting news.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/music/article/New-photo-of-bluesman-Robert-Johnson-unearthed-6703035.php#photo-9121122
Thứ Sáu, 18 tháng 12, 2015
Art Bell Quits Again
Art Bell, who recently came back with a new show after quitting his Sirius deal, has quit yet again. This time he claims that his family has been threatened and that he has been harassed. I'm not sure what all is going on in Art's life but I wish him the best.
A couple of months ago his producer emailed me asking me if I would like to appear on his show to discuss curses but I declined. Too bad. Probably should have done it. I genuinely like Art and his old Coast to Coast AM programs provided me hours of entertainment back in the 90s. Other than the UFO and Aliens shows I particularly enjoyed his shows on witchcraft, spells, the occult and such.
http://pvtimes.com/news/art-bell-halts-radio-show-after-string-alleged-events-residence.html
A couple of months ago his producer emailed me asking me if I would like to appear on his show to discuss curses but I declined. Too bad. Probably should have done it. I genuinely like Art and his old Coast to Coast AM programs provided me hours of entertainment back in the 90s. Other than the UFO and Aliens shows I particularly enjoyed his shows on witchcraft, spells, the occult and such.
http://pvtimes.com/news/art-bell-halts-radio-show-after-string-alleged-events-residence.html
Thứ Bảy, 12 tháng 12, 2015
A Horrible Psychic Fair Incident Followed By A Wonderful Reading!
So this weekend is psychic fair time again in my area. I went today and took my sister. Now, I've blogged on a negative experience I had there in the past with one reader who was so unprofessional and out-right stupid that she thought she could just sit there and openly offend me and that I would gladly pay her for it. She thought wrong. Well, this time was even worse than that!
My sister and I literally just walked into the joint, signed up for a drawing for door prizes and then noticed that a booth a few feet away was offering various Marilyn Monroe and James Dean items for sale. So I was definitely interested. I go over there and notice that there is this cool James Dean picture I wanted to buy for myself. Then there was this awesome woman's hairbrush with a picture of Marilyn Monroe that I thought would be an excellent Christmas gift for a good friend of mine. So I was going to buy at least both items and probably more as I had money that was burning a hole in my pocket. So I whip out my cell phone to take a picture of the hairbrush so I could text it to my friend to see if she liked it. It's just something we do for each other to make sure that we get gifts we both know we like. Anyway, the woman running the booth starts yelling at me, "EXCUSE ME! JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!" I was shocked but then quickly responded that I was going to purchase the brush and another item and was sending a picture of the brush in a text to my friend. The woman then snapped back at me while being rude as hell that she doesn't allow pictures of her items for sale. So I replied back, "Lady, if you are going to be rude and treat me like this I'm not spending my money with you." I then proceeded to inform her of the laws about taking pictures in public. According to the law, nobody has a right to privacy in a public place. You can take as many pictures as you want in public. It's perfectly legal. The woman didn't even let me finish and "ordered" me to leave. I told her that I would and I raised my voice to her and told her that she would soon be out of business if she continues to treat people like this. There was a man in the booth right next to her that was shocked as hell that she dared talk to a potential customer like that. His eyes were huge and his mouth was open and it appeared that he was going to say something to her but he then decided not to. So thinking this incident over I've come to the conclusion that the reason why this woman was so freaking rude to me was because she was probably selling illegal items. Her Marilyn Monroe and James Dean stuff was likely unlicensed by their estates, meaning she did not have permission to use their images for her personal profit. I should turn her ass in just for being rude to me. But I'm not a snitch.
So this bit of unpleasantry was followed by a very good reading. I chose a reader that I had never seen at past events. I don't recall her name offhand but I do have her card and will look her up shortly. She uses the standard Rider-Waite deck but her interpretation of the cards was unique and spot on. One of the things I liked about her reading method was that she didn't have me shuffle at all and didn't do layouts. Instead, she spread the deck out and when I had a question she told me to pick the card. This is similar to what I do when I am asked to use cards by my clients. Of course I can't have clients pick a card over the phone but I don't use traditional layouts and I interpret the cards almost like they were dream imagery. Anyway, this woman was great. Probably the best female reader I've ever had. I was so pleased by the reading that I almost completely forgot about the rude woman from before. I write almost because I had to pass by her booth on the way out. But I left with a smile on my face and the feeling of gladness that I had come. I can't wait to have future readings with this reader. She will definitely get my repeat business.
My sister and I literally just walked into the joint, signed up for a drawing for door prizes and then noticed that a booth a few feet away was offering various Marilyn Monroe and James Dean items for sale. So I was definitely interested. I go over there and notice that there is this cool James Dean picture I wanted to buy for myself. Then there was this awesome woman's hairbrush with a picture of Marilyn Monroe that I thought would be an excellent Christmas gift for a good friend of mine. So I was going to buy at least both items and probably more as I had money that was burning a hole in my pocket. So I whip out my cell phone to take a picture of the hairbrush so I could text it to my friend to see if she liked it. It's just something we do for each other to make sure that we get gifts we both know we like. Anyway, the woman running the booth starts yelling at me, "EXCUSE ME! JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!" I was shocked but then quickly responded that I was going to purchase the brush and another item and was sending a picture of the brush in a text to my friend. The woman then snapped back at me while being rude as hell that she doesn't allow pictures of her items for sale. So I replied back, "Lady, if you are going to be rude and treat me like this I'm not spending my money with you." I then proceeded to inform her of the laws about taking pictures in public. According to the law, nobody has a right to privacy in a public place. You can take as many pictures as you want in public. It's perfectly legal. The woman didn't even let me finish and "ordered" me to leave. I told her that I would and I raised my voice to her and told her that she would soon be out of business if she continues to treat people like this. There was a man in the booth right next to her that was shocked as hell that she dared talk to a potential customer like that. His eyes were huge and his mouth was open and it appeared that he was going to say something to her but he then decided not to. So thinking this incident over I've come to the conclusion that the reason why this woman was so freaking rude to me was because she was probably selling illegal items. Her Marilyn Monroe and James Dean stuff was likely unlicensed by their estates, meaning she did not have permission to use their images for her personal profit. I should turn her ass in just for being rude to me. But I'm not a snitch.
So this bit of unpleasantry was followed by a very good reading. I chose a reader that I had never seen at past events. I don't recall her name offhand but I do have her card and will look her up shortly. She uses the standard Rider-Waite deck but her interpretation of the cards was unique and spot on. One of the things I liked about her reading method was that she didn't have me shuffle at all and didn't do layouts. Instead, she spread the deck out and when I had a question she told me to pick the card. This is similar to what I do when I am asked to use cards by my clients. Of course I can't have clients pick a card over the phone but I don't use traditional layouts and I interpret the cards almost like they were dream imagery. Anyway, this woman was great. Probably the best female reader I've ever had. I was so pleased by the reading that I almost completely forgot about the rude woman from before. I write almost because I had to pass by her booth on the way out. But I left with a smile on my face and the feeling of gladness that I had come. I can't wait to have future readings with this reader. She will definitely get my repeat business.
Anglo-Saxon Charms
The following link below is, The Anglo-Saxon Charms by Felix Grendon, written in 1909. It is a collection of Anglo-Saxon Christian folk magic charms primarily geared toward healing. Unfortunately, I do not speak Old English, the Germanic tongue spoken by the Anglo-Saxons, but luckily some of the charms have been translated by the author. The observant reader will take notice of themes still found in modern folk magic practices. For example, here is a charm against and enemy that reflects a basic "shrinking" effect of reducing the influence and power of the enemy until they are forgotten. This type of charm has modern parallels in almost every true traditional folk magic practice.
"May you be consumed like a coal in the hearth fire
May you shrink as shit upon a wall
May you dry up as water from a pail
May you shrink as small as a grain of linseed
May you shrink smaller than a mite's hip-bone
May you shrink so small that you completely disappear."
Now, listen up conjure folks! This would be a POWERFUL chant to incorporate into enemy work.
Before you go on to read the text at the below link I should probably tell a little bit about the belief in elves and dwarves. The pagan Anglo-Saxons, as well as the rest of the Germanic tribes, believed that elves and dwarves were dangerous to humans. Unlike modern Wiccans and the like who actively seek to communicate with and "befriend" fairy folk, our actual pagan ancestors believed it was best to keep our distance from each other. The elves and fairy beings could cause disease. They could even kill people and for no good reason. Because elfish morality is far different from human morality. Merely trespassing onto elfish territory was often considered worthy of the death penalty, or so the legends go. Elves were known to shoot small arrows at humans. If a person was struck by such an arrow they were called "elf-shot". The symptoms of elf shot are remarkably similar to what we know call heart attacks, strokes and paralysis. Dwarves, had the nasty reputation of possessing unfortunate people, taking residence in their skulls and causing migraines and seizures with their constant clamoring. The solution for being possessed by a dwarf was, quite naturally, an exorcism. In the pagan past the exorcism would have been a pagan ritual. With the coming of Christianity new Christian rites were used. It was a natural leap for the Christian Anglo-Saxons to equate elves and dwarves with demons. It's kind of hard to argue against such a belief when both types of spirits are said to possess a hapless victim and inflict damage upon them. So keep that in mind when reading the text at the below link.
https://archive.org/details/anglosaxoncharms00gren
"May you be consumed like a coal in the hearth fire
May you shrink as shit upon a wall
May you dry up as water from a pail
May you shrink as small as a grain of linseed
May you shrink smaller than a mite's hip-bone
May you shrink so small that you completely disappear."
Now, listen up conjure folks! This would be a POWERFUL chant to incorporate into enemy work.
Before you go on to read the text at the below link I should probably tell a little bit about the belief in elves and dwarves. The pagan Anglo-Saxons, as well as the rest of the Germanic tribes, believed that elves and dwarves were dangerous to humans. Unlike modern Wiccans and the like who actively seek to communicate with and "befriend" fairy folk, our actual pagan ancestors believed it was best to keep our distance from each other. The elves and fairy beings could cause disease. They could even kill people and for no good reason. Because elfish morality is far different from human morality. Merely trespassing onto elfish territory was often considered worthy of the death penalty, or so the legends go. Elves were known to shoot small arrows at humans. If a person was struck by such an arrow they were called "elf-shot". The symptoms of elf shot are remarkably similar to what we know call heart attacks, strokes and paralysis. Dwarves, had the nasty reputation of possessing unfortunate people, taking residence in their skulls and causing migraines and seizures with their constant clamoring. The solution for being possessed by a dwarf was, quite naturally, an exorcism. In the pagan past the exorcism would have been a pagan ritual. With the coming of Christianity new Christian rites were used. It was a natural leap for the Christian Anglo-Saxons to equate elves and dwarves with demons. It's kind of hard to argue against such a belief when both types of spirits are said to possess a hapless victim and inflict damage upon them. So keep that in mind when reading the text at the below link.
https://archive.org/details/anglosaxoncharms00gren
Thứ Hai, 7 tháng 12, 2015
From Runes To Ruins - The Often Ignored Anglo-Saxon And Germanic Herritage
So I recently watched this documentary titled, From Runes To Ruins, which is based on the Anglo-Saxon contribution to England and how it's mostly been forgotten.
For those who don't know, the Anglo-Saxons were Germanic peoples who settled in Britain after the fall of the Roman empire. They are important because it is they who basically created England. The name England itself means "Land of the Angles", and of course, English, in the form of Old English, began as a Germanic tongue that would evolve into Middle and Modern English.
The Anglo-Saxons were pagans when then arrived in Britain and it is through them that we get our days of the week. All but Saturday is named after an Anglo-Saxon god.
Sunnendaeg - "Sunna's Day" (Sunna, pronounced "soo-nah", is the goddess of the Sun.)
Monandaeg - "Mona's Day" (Mona, pronounced "moo-nah", is the god of the moon.)
Tiwesdaeg - "Tiw's Day" (Tiw, pronounced like the number 2, was the god of war.)
Wodnesdaeg - "Woden's Day" (Woden is the king of the gods.)
Thursdaeg - "Thunor's Day" (Thunor is the god of thunder.)
Frigadaeg - Frige's Day (Frige, pronounced "free-gah", is the goddess of love, sex, beauty and fertility.)
Saeterdaeg - Saturn's Day (Saturn is the Roman god of harvest.)
I've been fascinated with the Germanic culture since I started watching the History show, Vikings. It's a really good show which I do recommend. What really confuses me is modern Wiccans and Neopagans. When it comes to Germanic paganism, the majority of Wiccans, Neopagans and self-styled witches seem either to be ignorant of the subject or else have a hatred or intolerance of it. Such peoples tend to be fascinated in all things Celtic, which itself is odd since the very word "witch" is in fact Germanic, stemming from the Anglo-Saxon word "wicca" and "wicce", pronounced "witcha". Even the word "hag" comes from the Anglo-Saxons. Hag, meaning an old and often ugly woman, as well as a synonym for witch, stems from the Anglo-Saxon word "haegtesse", meaning female practitioner of witchcraft or sorcery.
I'm betting ignorance is probably the greater culprit here because most people don't even know what is meant by the term "Germanic". Germanic means all the tribes that evolved in the area the Romans called "Germania". These tribes then spread out to what is now the countries of Germany,Austria, Denmark, Liechtenstein Switzerland, Sweden, Luxembourg, Belgium, Iceland, Greenland, Norway, Netherlands, England, France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The Germanic people share common tongues, common culture, and a common former paganism. Unlike with the Celts, the Germanic pagan gods tended to be the same across various Germanic tribes with only slight spelling difference of their names. For example, whom the Norse called Odin, the king of the gods, was also known as Woden, Wotan, Woen, and Godan, depending on the tribe.
The Anglo-Saxons were only pagans in Britain for a couple of centuries before they were Christianized. The Anglo-Saxon magical practices reflect the change from paganism to Christian. All practitioners did was use the same charms to heal or curse but merely swap out the names of the old gods with Christ, the Virgin Mary or a Saint. In the future I will probably post some Anglo-Saxon charms for my readers.
So to my pagan friends out there, and yes, I do have pagan friends, why not research what is probably your actual ancestry? Not everyone can be Celtic. I'm not going to dis the Celts as all I think they were cool as well. It's just that I'm convinced that the overwhelming majority of white people involved in Wicca and modern Neopaganism probably don't realize that they are likely of Germanic ancestry and not Celtic.
FYI: Modern Neopagans who follow Germanic paganism use words like "Heathenry", "Odinism" and "Asatru" to describe their religion.
If you haven't seen the show, Vikings, do check it out. Here's a sample of the human sacrifice scene below.
If you are interested in watching the documentary, From Runes To Ruins, click on the link below. It's $3.99 to watch but it's worth it.
http://fromrunestoruins.vhx.tv/
Another FYI: As we head into the Christmas season, please be aware that nearly all of our Christmas traditions come from the Germanic people. The word Yule, which is used as a synonym for Christmas and which is used by Wiccans and Modern Neopagans, was the official name of the Germanic pagan mid-winter festival. Christmas trees and evergreens, as well as mistletoe, which was never strictly Celtic, were all part of Germanic Yule celebration. Christmas drinking of alcoholic beverages such as wassail and eggnog are Germanic, and even the traditional Christmas ham is as well. Even Santa himself is a blend of St. Nicholas and the god Odin/Woden/Wotan.
For those who don't know, the Anglo-Saxons were Germanic peoples who settled in Britain after the fall of the Roman empire. They are important because it is they who basically created England. The name England itself means "Land of the Angles", and of course, English, in the form of Old English, began as a Germanic tongue that would evolve into Middle and Modern English.
The Anglo-Saxons were pagans when then arrived in Britain and it is through them that we get our days of the week. All but Saturday is named after an Anglo-Saxon god.
Sunnendaeg - "Sunna's Day" (Sunna, pronounced "soo-nah", is the goddess of the Sun.)
Monandaeg - "Mona's Day" (Mona, pronounced "moo-nah", is the god of the moon.)
Tiwesdaeg - "Tiw's Day" (Tiw, pronounced like the number 2, was the god of war.)
Wodnesdaeg - "Woden's Day" (Woden is the king of the gods.)
Thursdaeg - "Thunor's Day" (Thunor is the god of thunder.)
Frigadaeg - Frige's Day (Frige, pronounced "free-gah", is the goddess of love, sex, beauty and fertility.)
Saeterdaeg - Saturn's Day (Saturn is the Roman god of harvest.)
I've been fascinated with the Germanic culture since I started watching the History show, Vikings. It's a really good show which I do recommend. What really confuses me is modern Wiccans and Neopagans. When it comes to Germanic paganism, the majority of Wiccans, Neopagans and self-styled witches seem either to be ignorant of the subject or else have a hatred or intolerance of it. Such peoples tend to be fascinated in all things Celtic, which itself is odd since the very word "witch" is in fact Germanic, stemming from the Anglo-Saxon word "wicca" and "wicce", pronounced "witcha". Even the word "hag" comes from the Anglo-Saxons. Hag, meaning an old and often ugly woman, as well as a synonym for witch, stems from the Anglo-Saxon word "haegtesse", meaning female practitioner of witchcraft or sorcery.
I'm betting ignorance is probably the greater culprit here because most people don't even know what is meant by the term "Germanic". Germanic means all the tribes that evolved in the area the Romans called "Germania". These tribes then spread out to what is now the countries of Germany,Austria, Denmark, Liechtenstein Switzerland, Sweden, Luxembourg, Belgium, Iceland, Greenland, Norway, Netherlands, England, France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The Germanic people share common tongues, common culture, and a common former paganism. Unlike with the Celts, the Germanic pagan gods tended to be the same across various Germanic tribes with only slight spelling difference of their names. For example, whom the Norse called Odin, the king of the gods, was also known as Woden, Wotan, Woen, and Godan, depending on the tribe.
The Anglo-Saxons were only pagans in Britain for a couple of centuries before they were Christianized. The Anglo-Saxon magical practices reflect the change from paganism to Christian. All practitioners did was use the same charms to heal or curse but merely swap out the names of the old gods with Christ, the Virgin Mary or a Saint. In the future I will probably post some Anglo-Saxon charms for my readers.
So to my pagan friends out there, and yes, I do have pagan friends, why not research what is probably your actual ancestry? Not everyone can be Celtic. I'm not going to dis the Celts as all I think they were cool as well. It's just that I'm convinced that the overwhelming majority of white people involved in Wicca and modern Neopaganism probably don't realize that they are likely of Germanic ancestry and not Celtic.
FYI: Modern Neopagans who follow Germanic paganism use words like "Heathenry", "Odinism" and "Asatru" to describe their religion.
If you haven't seen the show, Vikings, do check it out. Here's a sample of the human sacrifice scene below.
If you are interested in watching the documentary, From Runes To Ruins, click on the link below. It's $3.99 to watch but it's worth it.
http://fromrunestoruins.vhx.tv/
Another FYI: As we head into the Christmas season, please be aware that nearly all of our Christmas traditions come from the Germanic people. The word Yule, which is used as a synonym for Christmas and which is used by Wiccans and Modern Neopagans, was the official name of the Germanic pagan mid-winter festival. Christmas trees and evergreens, as well as mistletoe, which was never strictly Celtic, were all part of Germanic Yule celebration. Christmas drinking of alcoholic beverages such as wassail and eggnog are Germanic, and even the traditional Christmas ham is as well. Even Santa himself is a blend of St. Nicholas and the god Odin/Woden/Wotan.
Thứ Sáu, 4 tháng 12, 2015
Interesting Walmart Find And Scented Candles
It seems Santa Muerte, in the form of a t-shirt, has finally reached Walmart.
Also, this is the time of year where a lot of cool scented jar candles come out that workers might want to use in their practice. Here is but a sample of scented candles I saw at my last visit to Walmart and their possible or suggested uses:
Apple, Apple Pie and/or Apple and Cinnamon - For love work
Pumpkin and/or Pumpkin Spice - For money drawing and prosperity work
Pine, and/or Evergreen, Balsam, Cedar, Christmas Tree, etc., - For money drawing and uncrossing/cleansing
Herb, and or individual herbs, such as mint - For money drawing, uncrossing/cleansing, or in the case of individual herbs then use them for the conditions such herbs are good for.
Sugar Cookie, Christmas Cookie, Merry Cookie, etc., - Love and sex work. (My favorite holiday scent. I find it irresistible.
Vanilla, standard or mixed with other scent, - Love, Peace, Family, Friendship
Cinnamon Candy - Love, Sex, Passion
Caramel and/or other candy scents - For love and sweetening work
Holiday Spice - Money drawing
Moonlit Night, Black Tie, etc. - Black candle that can be used in enemy work
Winter, Snow, etc. - Usually a crisp, clean scent that can be used for uncrossing/cleansing unless the symbolism of snow is too much for you as snow may symbolize "freezing" something in.
Any scented candle can be marked and dressed with oil. They can also be carefully loaded, though I prefer to load the larger pillar varieties. When I work with scented jar candles I tend to favor using blessed olive oil as it is neutral and doesn't interfere with the scent of the candle.
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