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May is all about Joy! So far we have looked at the first four of our year of values. January’s simplicity, February’s love, March’s order and April’s Faith moves us into May’s joy! Joy can seem very superficial but to feel deep contentment and grounding is joy at the core of our being. Do you sometimes feel guilty for being happy when so much heartache surrounds us? It is easy to join in the chorus of “woe is me” when everyone around us is complaining. And with the terrible economy and job losses there are serious issues facing us and those we know. Fear is quick to steal joy. So…

A Sacred Union Beltaine is a time of pleasure, joy, and sacred sexuality.  It is the marriage and consummation of the Goddess and the God according to Wiccan and some other Pagan mythologies.  This meditation seeks to unite the God and Goddess within you. You need a quiet comfortable space, uninterrupted time, and possibly something to write with and on.  You may choose to have someone read this to you, or to record your own voice reading it with appropriate pauses so that you can meditate with your eyes closed. Imagine you are lying in a hammock strung up between two palm trees on a Caribbean beach.  Sunlight sparkles on…

The Picture of Your True Self The only black and white that exists is within the conscious interpretation. Outside of this the essence of the right from wrong and the equality of karma is all about balance; harmony. What goes up must come down but this does not make it black or white. Magic, spiritualism, and everything in between is not defined by colour but rather, by intention. What may seem one thing on the surface does not necessarily define the colour; intention of the energetic self. Consider the analogy of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. When being true to oneself the sheep is the sheep internally and externally. The…

I figured I would share with you some thoughts that crossed my mind as I phase into the 2nd month of my ceremony to obtain the Holy Guardian Angel and some key things that may help you out. I found the Ingredients of the ceremony are in your dedication to the Divine right, acknowledge the Divine, work to know yourself, never become a egocentric person, and take the blame for your mistakes because you manifest realities through your actions. These just scratch the surface of what I have learned. I have found that dedication to the Holy Guardian Angel is the hardest thing to do do in this ceremony sometimes,…

The Dry Spell Continues Several months ago my parents invited my brother, husband, and I to dinner and announced over dessert that they were combining years of holiday and birthday presents into one spectacular gift: they were taking all of us on a cruise to the Caribbean! There was a collective thud as three jaws hit the dining room table. And so, during the middle of December, my mom, dad, brother, husband, and I set sail from snowy Colorado to warm tropical islands. Even though I’m an Aries I’ve always had a great fondness for water. Spending 7 days on the ocean made my heart flutter in delight and during…

Making Your Beltane I’m going to do something a little different for this month. Because Beltane is so close to a lot of us, it’s all about releasing that creative fire! Which is why I’m not going to be doing a set ritual this article, instead I’m going to give you, my readers, all the tools necessary, to create, preform, and celebrate this lovely Sabbat. A lot of the lore around this time of the year involves sex, Beltane being one of my personal favorite Sabbats what you would find around this time of the year normally includes, bright colors, bonfires, balefires, maypoles couples jumping the Beltane fire, and fire…

There is a part of the trad Craft that no one talks about, that no one shares with you beforehand.  Those who came before me knew it well and shared it not. Those of us who now walk its winding and rutted roads know of what I speak.  I tell this in hushed tones. Let the wise hear. It is that sense of loneliness that pervades our workings-that solitary nature that can influence our whole existence to be that of an overly eccentric recluse, denying ourselves communal interaction and superficial social mores; the purpose being having more personal time to focus our will, time and energy towards more mystical pursuits.…

Essential Oils and Their Uses Aromatherapy is a great abundance from the Earth. Most of us may not realize how versatile the oils can be. The term “Aromatherapy” comes from a French chemist who worked in his families perfumery business in 1928. The oils themselves are extracted [taken from the desired plant material] in different ways. You have to be careful with what you decide to use…for example~ If you have hay fever, you might want to steer clear of flowery scents or If allergic to nuts, you will want to do the same with nut oils. As with many other things, the ancient peoples of the world once used…

Ogma Ogma, Also known as Oghma, Ogmios or Ogmious is an Irish and Scottish deity. His nicknames are Grianainech, which means “Sun-faced” and Cermair, which means “ Honey-mouthed”. He is depicted as very wise and athletic and is the god of music, spells, arts, eloquence, trees, wisdom and speech. Chains of gold and amber lead from his tongue to the ears of his followers, and some depict that the chains are also connected to his own ears as well. He is one of the “three gods of skill” along with Lugh and Dagda. And he played a special role in several major mythological battles. He was a warrior of Tara…

Also known as: May Day, Bealtaine, Beltane, Bhealtainn, Bealtinne, Festival of Tana (Strega), Giamonios, Rudemass, and Walburga (Teutonic), Cetsamhain (opposite Samhain),Fairy Day ,Sacred Thorn Day, Rood Day, Roodmas (the Christian term for Rood Day, Old Beltane, Beltain, Baltane, Walpurgis Night, Floriala (Roman feast of flowers from April 29 to May 1), Walpurgisnacht (Germanic-feast of St. Walpurga), Thrimilce (Anglo-saxon), Bloumaand (Old Dutch) Date: May 1 Animals: Swallow, dove, swan, Cats, lynx, leopard Deities: Flower Goddesses, Divine Couples, Deities of the Hunt, Aphrodite, artemis, Bast, Diana, Faunus, Flora, Maia, Pan, the Horned God, Venus, and all Gods and Goddesses who preside over fertility. Tools: broom, May Pole, cauldron Stones/Gems: emerald, malachite, amber,…