We had a lovely ceremony, and the weather was perfect.

I figured I'd share this with all of you :)

Ostara is coming!

Just wanted to leave a little lovely here:

http://www.gwendavies.com/gallery_hare.jpg

bright blessings to us all
 

it is mabon here...


http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...YWeeA5or20qB6M

Hey puddin' I hope your mabon was wonderfully blessed!

Happy Ostara, feminality!

It's been a while
 

It's been a LONG while. I miss having somewhere to talk about Pagan topics. Facebook is okay, but it's such a drain on my energy that I stopped spending much time there.

I had a hellacious time of it last year, was targeted as the favorite victim of a psychic vamp who was beyond skilled. He drained me to the dregs on a regular basis, invaded my dreams and waking thoughts alike, attacked me relentlessly at work and at home. It took us eight months to get rid of him.

In the process I picked up a lot of new Allies, and developed stronger working relationships with some of the Allies I already had. I also lost some of my most beloved Allies. Like I said, it was a hellacious year for me.

This year is interesting, so far. My new Allies are teaching me new ways of working with energy. I think my healing skills are better for it. But I'm discovering the more I do the energy work, the more my body changes, and that is certainly something I never expected. I can't tolerate wheat, rice, or rye anymore, nor any dairy products. I'm more chemically sensitive than ever before, can't tolerate any kind of scented candles now, and most perfumes nauseate me.

I remember reading this years ago, The Indigo Files by Sunfell. http://www.sunfell.com/indigo.htm She talks about Indigo people changing as they grow and develop.

http://www.sunfell.com/octarine.htm This sure seems to be part of the way I'm changing. It did start in my forties, but now that the vampire problem is solved--and that nasty one last year was only the culmination of years of persistent attacks--all the changes seem to be moving much faster.

So I keep a lot of black tourmaline stones around now, because they are excellent protectors and eat all kinds of negative energy, including psychic vampire energy. And I burn Fiery Wall of Protection incense on a regular basis because it also invokes powerful protection against the vamps. I'm still not completely recovered from the draining... but then I do have fibromyalgia, after all, so I may not be able to come all the way back from that.

It was quite a blow, discovering that the fibromyalgia didn't go away when the vamps were gone. Talk about feeling sheepish. Ooops. I guess there are some things a person just can't get rid of no matter how much magic she does.

So, in this Springtime of the year, I'm feeling an inner Springtime and am very grateful to be around to feel it, very grateful to be allowed to live and love and walk in freedom, very grateful to have my Allies and friends.

Hope everything is going well for y'all. May you enjoy the blessings of new growth and burgeoning beauty, and if you're walking in Autumn rather than Spring, I wish you a beautiful season of contemplation and love as well.

Speaking of protection!

I've read up a fair amount of folks making their own incense with herbs and burning them on coal disks in their cauldrons or a closed burner.

I know lemongrass and rosemary are wonderful for protection and clearing negative energy and I bet they would smell amazing together. Anyone ever made their own incense cones or burned loose herbs like this?

No I haven't, but I'm trying to get a booklet on make ones own incense and good blends for magic work. I'll let you know when I do.

Rosemary
 

In CA Rosemary is grown as a hedge. I have access to plenty if anyone in another region needs some.

A Druid by calling, Occasional herbalist, and Wiccan with my Wiccan friends, I seek to embrace nature always. My sanctuary (backyard) was seriously enhanced by Tommi this year - who truly loves to get dirty. *chuckle

In charge of our Grove Beltaine public ritual, Tommi volunteered to build the Maypole! Do any of you have favorite Maypole rituals? And if there is anyone in So. CA interested in that, search for Raven's Cry Grove for announcements of public events.

Hi Dusa, OkieBlu, Kaijira!

We make our own Fiery Wall of Protection. It's easy to make because half the ingredients come out of your spice cupboard. You don't have to do anything complicated.

1 part each powdered Frankincense, Myrrh, and Dragon's Blood resins
1/2 part each Cinnamon, Turmeric, and Chili Powder or Cayenne Pepper
1/4 part Black Pepper

Mix together thoroughly--but gently! avoid the sneezles!--and let sit 24 hours for the scent to blend and develop. Burn on charcoal tablets or melt over a candle in an incense stove.

Cone incense: You can buy makko powder with other incense powders. Mix it with your incense blend as one quarter of the volume. Add water until you have a moldable paste, and form cones from it. Let dry a week or so before burning.

Tips for homemade incense:
Don't grind resins and gums in a coffee grinder; use a morter and pestle
Don't make incense cones too small or they won't burn
You can mix incense with glue to make clay and mold it into scented amulets--but they won't burn right with the glue in them

I organise our local community Beltane celebration in my Brooklyn neighborhood, and have been doing it for the last… I'm not sure. It may be eight or nine years now. My good friends who formerly put it together are lovely straight people, very dedicated to the Goddess and their spiritual lives, but their Beltane ceremony was so rigidly gender typed that it practically gave me hives. Women guarded the hole. Men planted the pole after play acting a little force against the women. Women teased the men by demanding a bigger pole. Men teased the women by demanding a smaller hole. Yikes! Unfortunately, many Pagans play act this way at Beltaine, and they have no idea how offensive it is.

My friends handed Beltane duties off to me and another dyke friend when they moved out of state, and we do it very differently. It's open to all, but we often get a strong queer presence. After the loose ribbons are tied to the top of the pole, we invite all who are feeling their male/masculine/God energy to bring the pole into the circle by passing it between their legs. All who are feeling their female/feminine/Goddess energy are invited to guard the hole. Those who are bringing the pole into the circle approach respectfully, and we who are guarding the hole discuss the merits of the pole they're presenting. After a moment of consultation we decide that it's a beautiful pole, and that we welcome them to plant it in our hole. The group parts, and the pole is planted. Then we do a ceremony and dance around the May Pole.

I currently have a huge collection of May Poles from years past hanging around my backyard because they had to be removed from the community garden where we celebrate every year. They're very pretty, but they are rotting in the rain and snow. I wish I had room to keep them somewhere they wouldn't be so exposed to the elements.

Any pagans or wiccans in OK?The local UU church used to have a CUUPS chapter meet there on a regular basis. It would be nice to get that started again.

Hey angie, my aunt and uncle are pagan. My uncle is even a clergy member (whatever that means). If you are interested maybe i can introduce yall.

If anyone in Arkansas needs some maybe i can be close
Enough to be the pick up and delivery boy!!!

Wiccan
 

I've been into Pagan/Wicca since 2002 learning and studying as I looking to learn more. My past life I was pagan so this life I'm wiccan... My love so to be wife wants to learn more into it so Im teaching her..... BB

Welcome
This thread has been a little quiet, nice to see someone post!

I am pagan but not Wiccan and have been practicing since 1989.