A New Year Begins
 

Samhain Lore (October 31st)

Samhain, (pronounced SOW-in, SAH-vin, or SAM-hayne) means "End of Summer", and is the third and final Harvest. The dark winter half of the year commences on this Sabbat.

It is generally celebrated on October 31st, but some traditions prefer November 1st. It is one of the two "spirit-nights" each year, the other being Beltane. It is a magical interval when the mundane laws of time and space are temporarily suspended, and the Thin Veil between the worlds is lifted. Communicating with ancestors and departed loved ones is easy at this time, for they journey through this world on their way to the Summerlands. It is a time to study the Dark Mysteries and honor the Dark Mother and the Dark Father, symbolized by the Crone and her aged Consort.

Originally the "Feast of the Dead" was celebrated in Celtic countries by leaving food offerings on altars and doorsteps for the "wandering dead". Today a lot of practitioners still carry out that tradition. Single candles were lit and left in a window to help guide the spirits of ancestors and loved ones home. Extra chairs were set to the table and around the hearth for the unseen guest. Apples were buried along roadsides and paths for spirits who were lost or had no descendants to provide for them. Turnips were hollowed out and carved to look like protective spirits, for this was a night of magic and chaos. The Wee Folke became very active, pulling pranks on unsuspecting humans. Traveling after dark was was not advised. People dressed in white (like ghosts), wore disguises made of straw, or dressed as the opposite gender in order to fool the Nature spirits.

This was the time that the cattle and other livestock were slaughtered for eating in the ensuing winter months. Any crops still in the field on Samhain were considered taboo, and left as offerings to the Nature spirits. Bonfires were built, (originally called bone-fires, for after feasting, the bones were thrown in the fire as offerings for healthy and plentiful livestock in the New Year) and stones were marked with peoples names. Then they were thrown into the fire, to be retrieved in the morning. The condition of the retrieved stone foretold of that person's fortune in the coming year. Hearth fires were also lit from the village bonfire to ensure unity, and the ashes were spread over the harvested fields to protect and bless the land.

http://wicca.com/celtic/akasha/samhainlore.htm

Happy New Year !!!
 

I enjoyed a wonderful celebration tonight with friends.....very magical & special indeed.

I love being able to burn that which you wish to release in the fire....it was very cathartic & helpful for me...& to burn the manifestation for the year ahead....just a really wonderful riual. I am SO glad I found this group of friends...they have brightened my life & enlightened it at the same time.

Blessed be !

Jonathan

Pagan
 

Arwen,Ty for this post as it so reminded me of the way my grandmother spoke of the beauty of this night and what it represents to the world and those who beleave.She was a hard core catholic but also had srtong pegan roots.Samhine blessing to you and all who are hear.

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Arwen}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} What a lovely Samhain story!

I used to feel so alone, all the time. I was terribly afraid I would die alone. These days, though, I have the sense of always being surrounded by loving family, adopted family, Allies and friends... and yes, the furbabies are family to me, my deeply beloved family.

Now that I think about it, so are the ghosts who live with us, and so are our Allies. I guess that even though my mind makes distinctions, in my heart they are all simply my family. Thank you for opening the trail of thought that led to me to this realization. {{{{{{{{{{{Arwen}}}}}}}}}}} :kissy:

Thank you, honey. It's a solemn night but filled with such beauty for me. I think I would have loved your grandmother.

I read an interesting statement. When they asked Susan B Anthony about the afterlife, she said she was going to stay and pester the feminist movement. :D I think she got it.

I love you, darlin'. hugs.

LOL! We could certainly use a Guardian Pester-er!

Love you too, Arwen my dear.

I had a lovely experience last night, got reminded that one of my neighbors is also Pagan. I remembered it when she called her dog by name: Gaia. Just loved that!

I've never been one to name my furbabies after gods and goddesses. This is probably because they are very much "babies/children" to me. Lady decided early on that she had multiple names. The one that cracked me up was "Baby," because it tells you just how often I called that doglet "babygirl" and "Ladybabybug." I'm not quite so baby-inclined with Trooper, but then he's reminded me of a seven-year old since we got him.

*starts laughing* Well, that is, when he's not busy reminding me of Chewbacca in distress! *takes the hint and shares some tiny bites of apple with him*

It's time for Soulcake!! *bounces* Been waiting all year for this, wooohooo!!!

I know that the song originally--in medieval times--was a Samhain song, an All Souls' Day song, but somehow it just doesn't work that way for me. I suppose that's because it's been cast as a Christmas song in modern times. And certainly I am NOT READY for snow and ice before Samhain! My alltime favorite version of this is Sting's group, in a youtube that was made with pictures of deep winter in Sweden. I swear I start shivering just looking at the pics, lol...

Anyhow, I justify listening to this song for the whole Samhain-through-New-Year season by adding together the original intention plus the modern interpretation; it equals "Play me now!" :cheesy:

BUT... butbutbut....but they're such CUTE asses....
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/mgmedi...cilian-burros/

While I haven't had a decent set of runes for a few years and have used other forms of divination, I used to read them quite frequently. I also found that many of the meanings varied to some degree depending on the source. So I fell back on the advice given to me by my first mentor.

The meaning is important only in that YOU are consistent. If you are most comfortable with Cunningham's meanings then they will work for you. If some of the other sets ring more true for you, use those. All of them have truth, because they are the meanings that were passed down to that person from whomever taught them. Your own intention is the most important determination of any magic.

Long time wiccan/pagan goddess here who is now eclectic. I've walked many paths and have taken a little bit of everything that works for ME. Symbolism has been used since the beginning of time to invoke a state of being or focus for manifestation. There is belief that a collective set of beliefs gives it more power but I can't honestly say this is true unless that collective is all focusing at the same time on the same thing. If that makes sense lol

So for all intent and purposes you could devise your own symbols but the meaning would need to be clearly defined, remembered and only you can give them power. This is why many adopt traditions of others.

Scott Cunningham's symbols have been around a long time. They are clean simple lines.

Ooooohhh!! Look at the stuff you can find :) I shall have to come back to this!

Sorry for the late notice. This is an inclusive NYC Beltane celebration:


All are welcome to join us for the Annual Backyard Garden
Beltane Celebration

Saturday May 4th, 2013

Gather with Us to Drum and Socialize at 1:00 pm

Maypole Dance Starts at 2:00 pm

Remember to Bring 9 Yards of Ribbon and Food or Drink to Share
Backyard Garden on the Corner of Hamilton Avenue and Van Brunt St Brooklyn, N.Y.

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.