Imbolgen Ritual ..on line from Salem!, Mass.

                            
Tonight I experienced a heart warming ritual through the Internet from Salem, Mass. , an Imbolic  ritual performed by Rev. Don Shatner of Salem, Mass. He teaches through the Witch School International,and can be heard on Pagan Tonight every Thrusday,He offers educational and books of this writtings from Amazon, for all levels of education.

his voice is a delight to the ears...(bg)

 if your not familiar with the Witch School, you are missing out.They offer much to any Pagan.

Blog cast radio is just one of the growing educational programs offered to Pagans of all levels.

Rev. Don Shatner performed the Imbolc  ritual tonight
leaving me in a state of pure enlightenment.  In areas where the Pagan community has not developed or a Bible belt band, it's hard to be with like minded pagans.

This on line ritual was a goddess send. This was my first on line ritual, and it will not be the last.Ice Moon ~ Storm Moon ~ Horning Moon ~ Hunger Moon ~ Wild Moon ~ Red & Cleansing Moon ~ Quickening Moon ~ Solmonath ( Sun Month ) ~ Big Winter Moon.





Next, I would like to remind that the Moon will be up to her glory and mark the dates.

        Full Moon     February 7th

                                    

Nearer to February  7th let me share with you the history  of the names of the moons names.
                              and now ....

The second month of the Pagan Project week  will have selections for the first of two weeks working with the letter "C".  I have selected the Ceromancy...little know and a lost art in the form of divination.  Many have the Tarot, oracle cards, so let me speak of this long ago art.

                           Ceromancy

This is a name for divination through the dripping hot wax into water.  The use of a candle that you have used in a spell casting has more power than an unused candle.  So we start with a spelled candle.
The bowl of water, if I am planning the ceromancy  in advance I charge water by a full moon energy on the night of a total full moon.

The bowl of crystal also powers the water, but it is not necessary it works just as well in a potter cermanic or a  plain old bowl. (bg)

The intent and the power of your belief is what really is needed.  The same is ture with any divination.  Tea leaves, cards, pendlumn,  a scyring black mirrow .
when special energy for divination presents itself , the occasion is marked.  A spell cast over a session intended to divine information by magical means will improve your results dramatically.

A note here to speak of Quartrains....Quartrains are an intelgral part of basic spellwork and one of the most esential building blocks of a witch craft heritage.  It is a four line rhyme form of poetry ideally suited for chants and incanations. The quality of the poetry is irrelevant as the point is to make an impression on the magical mind or to attract the attention of the elements, deities or other helpers whom you might wish to summon.

When written for the purpose of casting a divination, they are chants to be chanted.  They appeal directly to the subconcious mind especially when repeatred again and again.  minimun three times.My advice to you is to memorize your thoughts and  begin repeating it slowly while  you are studying the water in your bowl, Your subconcious will take over and you will begin to notice a change in the movement of the wax.  From their you begin to read your impressions. 

Pray beads are also a form of quartrains, the movement around the beads allow you to repeat the quartain and release your magical mind.  A felling of calm always swirles it way into my charks and a sence of lightness developes, ask you questions and allow the wax and the water to speak to your subconcious mind.

example of a scurry of a quatrain, remember that a quatrain of  your own is much more powerful to release your seeing ability.

                Book of Shadows, Book of lig bide with me this dark moon light, Magicks, charms and witches dreams All sacred.  Blessed Be

Bend me, shape me, make me fluid, As accomplished as a Druid,  Inner secrets, hshadow athin.  In be out and out be in.
By light of sun, the charm;s begun.  By dark of night the spell is right  Goddess guide my way this hour  lend your daughter witches power.
Each candle I burn tonight releases bad that cause blight  Bid me walk the patach  of light  
Feeling now calm to quite..

I would then select one line to repeat over and over in my  quaetrain...

" Bid me walk the patch of light.Feeling now of calm to quite."
Any line that appeals to you and your subconcious.

In closing I would like to mention Video number 8 has been uploaded For The Seed Journal Project from Milliande Art Community for Women.
You can jump in at any point from Video number to present.  If, you enjoy art journaling...this is the place. 
I will be reviewing a book for Art Journaling in a few days.  I would name the book, but in the clearing and cleaning of my studio, I cannot find it!  But, I will!

Also I have just recieved a shipment of dry watercolor pigments from a company here in the South west called Earth Pigments .  I like to use dry pigments as mixing for unique colors and beauty of intensity of the dry pigments.   Mixed with a binding  medium for watercolors. I had been useing dry pigments from DIck Blicks, and could not justify Indigo for the cost of $85.00  a jar  .. I would  pine over this item and sigh....no...not now.  And as the pigments were in such large amounts I was limited to selections due to the high cost of each jar.

When I was told about Earth Pigments and went to their on line shop, I was delighted to see the pigments were sold in small amounts for as little as $3.There selections are vast and I found an intro kit Introductory French Pigment Set for $28.95 plus $5.22 shipping..(I used to pay $30.00 to $40.00 for one large jar ....one color! 
They are very generous jars and in this into the selection is glorious.   TWELVE JARS!

If, like myself you like working with dry pigments  skip on over to Earth Pigments and
view their entire line of types and shop to your hearts content..I know I will be returning again and again!

http://www.eaarthpigments.com/

P.O. Box 1172 Cortaro, Arizona
info@earthpigments.com
 (520) 682-8928


So in closing

May the light shine through you on the Candlemas Night, fulfilling your life with thoughts of life. 
Kindness give return to the, three by three folds to the.

Wishing everyone a Happy Night and glorious tomorrow

As always,
May you walk in the moonlight till the wind sets you free.

Sierra

                                 
                 Bridgits Cross show on an alter cloth
                 available from SilveryMoonbeams@Etsy.com
                 Need a custom item, your design or mine
                 available also from esty shop.

                           
                     In loving  memory of Miss Kitty Kat , my Malkin.  I miss you
                                                                         little one
                                                            January 18, 2011 



                                  

 
Blessed Candlemas ..

Tailsman Moon February 2, 2012 IMBOLGEN or Ground Hog Day

Brigid (Celtic)

I am she

that is the natural

mother of all things,

mistress and governess

of all the elements

the initial progeny of worlds,

chief of the powers divine,

Queen of all that are in the otherworld,

the principle of them

that dwell above,

manifested alone

and under one form

all of the gods and goddesses



Lucius Apuleius

Gospel of the Witches, 1899,

controversial book by Charles Godfrey Leland
 
 
 
Bridgid is particularly germane to modern witches, because she is thought to be the bridge between Celtic-based branches of witchcraft and the old ways.


Her reputation for traveling between worlds makes her particularly sympathetic to witches on Qwest. In other dimensions for scholarly witches to seek to restore and to preserve a history of Magic. She is supreme God, to midwives and healers. In a version of "if you can't beat them, join them" she was made to St. by Christians, because the Irish, could be persuaded to relinquish most pagan practices, would not budge regarding worship of Bridget. In welcome to domestic matters
 

                                                
 
Whiches's holy days




As a rule, witches honor nature. Even cyber witches notice the change of seasons. Based on the reconstruction of the old ways of Western European pagans, there are eight festivals, or Sabbats, that Mark the year , as it moves through a revolution of seasons. This cycle is often called the wheel of the year, the eight festivals . Each representing a spoke, the four major Sabbats are important astronomical event.

The four minor Sabbats help mark time and occasions. The four major Sabbats, high holy days, are:

the day of shortest light, Yule

the day of longesrt light Litha,

today is of equal day and night:Ostra and Mabon



the four minor Sabbats occur on fixed dates at Cross quarter points, each halfway between the major Sabbats.



Imbolc is a cross quarter fixed date , February 2
 
My topic for the weekly pagan project, I would like to talk about Bards, recently I ran across stories and music from the Celtic world by Hugin the . Stories and music from the Celtic world. Published in 1998 by Llewellyn publications, St. Paul, Minnesota USA.




The author of this book and songs, sheet music included Hugin the Bard was born under the sun sign of Leo in the year the English repealed their witchcraft laws. 1951. His birthplace Minneapolis, Minnesota is a land with a full range of seasons, per-person winters, scorching summers.



He was born into a large family, many of whom share the gifts of psychic ability, to one degree or another. Some of his family members, praying, study and worship together in the arts, magically.



Hugin has studied both Wiccan and Native American. He has been a musician since 1963, sometimes performing professionally with the likes of Pete Seeger and country Joe McDonald.Hugin has always been ready to share his music with those wanting to hear it. On the solstice, that may be a group of modern pagans or a group of Native Americans at a powwow at other times, his audience has been workers struggling for their rights on a picket line, inner city youths trying to avoid the dangers of substance abuse, seniors caught in societies that neglect, or just a small group of friends around a camp fire.



A Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War era. Hugin knows what it means to be a peaceful warrior or a warrior for peace which he is in his heart and spirit



Bardic Copyright



I declare before the gods that I Hugin the Bard , did write the songs, lyrics, and arrangements set forth.



Any who would share these songs with friends, covins or other like kindred may rest assured they are complying wishes of the author and the Muse. If you would also share the origin of the songs , the ego of the author would be well fed. Those who would reproduce any of this material for profit are advised to consult the federal and international copyright laws and the publisher of this manuscript leaves the weight of a karmic retribution fall heavily upon all aspects of our lives. I of sierras Creations blog , seek no profit, and only wish to share this author at his beautiful music. So mode it be
 

If interested to join in the Pagan Project please click on One Witches Way.

Candlemas IMBOLIC Oimealg

O glorious choise star, o tree in bloom, mighty torch for whom all would choose, sun who warm everyone from Murphy, early Irish lyr



For the stars and the winds unto her

as rainment, as songs of the harp player

for the risen stars and the fallen cling to her,

and the southwest wind and the West wind, sing.

Alegermon Swinburne " When the Hounds of Spring"



Imbolic , the festival of the lactating ewes, marks the midpoint of the dark half of the year. The fire that Brighid first kindled at Yule burns bright in this swollen bellies of pregnant herd animals, and rivers of milk began to glow in swollen teats and utters. Agricultural tools are consecrated for the work of the year ahead, household fires or put out and relit, and fires of the smithy are blessed by a woman acting on Brighid's behalf.



Brighid's crosses, woven of wheate, are made and given a protective charms for the home.Brighid's snake emerges from the womb of the Earth mother. To test the weather (this is the origin of ground hog Day) . Even the climate seems to mark the festival; the first week of February, typically brings a temporary thall. Corn dollies are fashion from oat straw or wheat, and dress and carry from door to door by young girls onImbolic Eve. Each household bestows a small present on the image of the bride. Special cakes are baked for the occasion, and a feast and a dance or held for all. The older women of the community gather "brides beds" or cradles for the corn dollies to sleep in, and magic wands for the dolls to hold. The morning after the feast, everyone examines the ashes of the hearth to see if a magic wand has left marks. If so, it is a good omen for the following year.



In some areas,Imbolic , marks the first official day of ploughing, and a decorated plough is dragged from door to door. Children in costumes, follow the plough and ask for gifts of food, money, or drink at every home. Any household that refuses them is pay back by having his front garden ploughed up.



The ploug itself is a significant symbol of the Imbolic ceremonies. Whiskey, the water of life is poured over the blade or pieces of bread and cheese are left on it to become food for nature spirits. Offerings of food or drink or placed in the new furrows or thrown into the fields



Some Ledgens for Imbolic:



If, Candlemas Day is fair and bright,

Winter will have another flight

If, on Candlemas Day be showers and rain,

Winter is gone, and will not come again.



Also



If the sun shines bright on Candlemas Day,

The half of the winter's not yet away



Or

If the headge hog in Pa. sees his shadow....winter is still .



These sayings agree with those about Groundhog Day. That link the length of winter to weather or not the groundhog sees his shadow on this day. 
 
                                                   

OUT OF THE COULDRON

I would like to mention another project that I have started this year and a day. A web site for women artists, Milliande  and her seed journal project.  She has videos from day one ....Being A Seed ... to number 7 just published yesterday.  You can start your journal of Seed Art anytime you select, all that is needed is a little watercolor journal or journal of your selection, some inks, watersolors, pencils, wee, art supplies of your favorite and log onto her web site, view her videos and view the gallery from its members....start your own with the inspritation from others  to whom the journey from a seed in yourself grows and becomes ....a year and a day of self discovery.  Several of the journal pages from Being A Seed.
 
 

In Memory of my little kitty, January 18,2012    She came into my life 15 years ago, I worked in the gardens of our home in Medowlark, Kitty used to visit and as the year wore on she hung around more often, When we moved to the current house we are in now, Kitty came with us.  Her story was when she was a kitten, a family of mother, father and 2 little girls lived in the Medowlark house before us.  SHe wondered off when the movers came to collect the families items...they moved away and kitty was left for 5 years on her own.  You would never know it as her heart was then as when she passed, as big as the moon.  I had never owned a cat, but found she was much more human than kat.  She was my shadow.  The children called her shadow.  She was as black as night, and a big 15 pounds.  When she developed Kidney infection she went from 15 pounds to 2 pounds and unable , as she was so very weak to even have a voice.
She left me that night, but she will always be deep in my heart, I do not love much and I know it was kinder to put her down than for her to remain.

So, I dedicate this to my special little Malkin cat always in my heart.  Forever to be loved.  I miss you Kitty Kat.