February 2013 Issue #7

Harmony Hearth Brooms And

Faancy Hats

Gensha Publishing

Maxine Byers

Lazy Witch

Ingrid Jeffries

CraftyWitch

Glenn Broughton

Louise Heyden

Lady Ti-Eagle

Alena Orrison

Starhawk

Gertrude Moon

Joanne E. Brannan

Crafty Witch

Maxine Byers

Janie Bass

http://elementalmagick.wetpaint.com/

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CONTENTS

SPRING CLEANING

HOME PROTECTION

FOODS, INCENSE & OILS

MAKE AN ICE CANDLE

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IMBOLIC

IMBOLIC CANDLE RITUAL

MAKE A CORN DOLLY

VALENTINE’S DAY

GIFTS FIT FOR A WITCH

THE WELL AND THE FLAME

From the Editor

February Calendar of

Events

CraftyWitch Book

Review;

Gem of the Month

February Moon Calendar

Aquarius ~ Your Sign

STUCK in Yaxchilan,

Chiapas, Mexico

God/dess of the Month

Plant / Herb of the Month

Dear Gertrude

Family Imbolc

February Astrology

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6

A lot of my practice and spirituality is

inspired by older times instead of modern, so

I tend to be lenient in when I celebrate the

Sabbats (that don’t fall on season-start days).

Because of this, I plan to celebrate Imbolc

tomorrow, Friday, with a ritual a bit different

from what I had planned: spring cleaning.

Yes, I know it’s not spring yet. But where I

am in Seattle, it might as well be. Our winter

has been so mild; I’ve only worn my winter

jacket for a total of two weeks since

November. Yesterday, as I sat on the couch

with my foot propped up, I longed to crack

open my windows and let the glorious almost-

fifty degree weather filter in. Alas, I could

not. And even though tomorrow is only

supposed to be about 35 degrees, I will still

crack those windows open and break out the

cleaning supplies.

Flashback: When I was a little girl, my

mother and I used to clean the house every

Sunday morning. We would put on some

music and systematically go through each

room, taking everything off the surfaces,

cleaning and polishing, and replacing before

moving on. I used to hate it when I was

young, but now for some reason, I look back

on those memories fondly. Particularly

sensory to me are the weekends when the

warmer weather would hit and my mom

would declare it time to start “spring

cleaning”. Many people like to sort and

organize, but not my mom. While we were

usually pretty thorough on our weekly passes,

spring cleaning would be the Mother of all

Cleanings. Blinds would be taken down to

soak in the tub. Floors would be scrubbed and

bleached. Surfaces would be polished

especially well. And, of course, windows

would be thrown open to let the warm spring

air in. I can still see my mother, in her

cleaning clothes of PJ pants and old tee-shirts

of my dad’s, bouncing around the house to the

music of the 60s, cleaning every surface

(including walls!) until the entire house

shined. I’ll admit, cleaning was not my

favorite thing to do as a child (still isn’t), but

secretly, I always looked forward to spring

cleaning.

So for Imbolc this year, as the earth is getting

ready for its rebirth, so too will I make my

life, both material and spiritual, ready for

rebirth as well. Since I tend to focus more in a

clean, uncluttered environment (which you

would NEVER be able to tell if you could see

where I live), I’m going to start with the

material. However, I want to focus on the

intent of my cleaning, so I suppose the whole

experience will be a spiritual one as well.

Cleaning house with a magickal intent is

second nature for any seasoned witch, and

even easy for more fresh-faced initiates to

integrate. Hell, even those of a mindset other

than magickal can clean their house with intent.

It’s all about the will, the energy, and the

affirmations.

My plan for tomorrow is less free-form than I

usually take it, in homage to my mom and our

cleaning days of old. I’ll start with each room

and clean the hell out of it – yes, even the bilge.

If you’re cleaning-with-intent, you want each

scrub to be more than working at the dirt; wash

away the negativity that has settled in your

house over the past year. Holidays, health

issues, money problems, fighting, and more all

leave a negative energetic presence in your

home, and over time it accumulates and can

actually affect your health and energy levels.

You need to banish this out of your life! It’s not

doing anyone any favors by hanging around.

After a room is to my liking, then I get to the

overly-spiritual part. I purify and consecrate.

Personally, I love to do this, and have done it on

some level to every new space I enter for any

extended amount of time. (Apartments, work

spaces, vehicles…) There are so many ways to

do this to a room; I could publish an entire book

on the subject. My favorite way, however, is

very simple and very traditional: crush up some

pure sea salt and mix it in a bowl of water. Light

some sage so you get that awesome smoky

smell. Sprinkle the salt water (I like the Dip-

and-Flick fingers method personally) around the

perimeter of the room, and let the smoke waft

towards each of the four cardinal directions.

That’s it. Simple, right? Sometimes I anoint the

doorway at the top with a firm fingerprint

dipped in the water, depending on how long it’s

been since I last anointed. I usually do all this in

silence, but if I’m in a festive mood, I like to

sing. You’d think I would suggest a traditional

ballad or chant, but no. I sing whatever is in my

heart, whatever makes me feel good. Maybe it’s

traditional, or maybe it’s Bare naked Ladies.

Remember, it’s all about intent.

So this is my plan for tomorrow. Once I get to

my ‘office’ area of the living/kitchen room, I’ll

throw in some sorting and organizing, but for

the most part, my plan is to clean and

consecrate. (Hey, two words that start with C!)

It shouldn’t take all day, after all the boat is only

so big! After the house is cleaned and pre-

springtime fresh, with windows open and

candles lit (each one with a prayer to Brigid, of

course), I’ll get to what I had originally planned

for Imbolc: baking. I love to bake. I have all the

fixings for homemade honey wheat bread in the

cabinet. I may prepare a mini-feast as well, but

usually by this time in the winter, there isn’t

much stocked food left. We’ll see what I feel

like for cooking. And of course, an offering will

go on my altar for Brigid, which I’ll put outside

my door once night falls. (Of course Brigid will

take the form of Otters and Seagulls. LOL)

FEB 2nd - IMBOLC FEB 9th - Dark of the Moon FEB 10th - New Moon FEB 12th - Mardi gras (Fat Tuesday) FEB 13th - Daytime Gathering in Rathdrum, Id. We'll be discussing creative work and design content for our own personal Tarot Cards. You may wish to bring samples of cards you admire or any design work or ideas you've been working on. Also any updates on the May Pagan Bazaar and Fair. Please bring something to share for lunch. 11:30am to approx. 2:30pm. For directions, contact Janie Bass at janie_bass@yahoo.com. FEB 13th - Ash Wednesday FEB 14th - Valentine's Day FEB 25th - Full Moon FEB 27th - Evening Gathering in Spirit Lake, Id. We'll be making Wire Trees of Life (originally planned for January). Wire and beads will be provided but if you have your own, please bring them along. I'll do my best to have understandable written direction for this project along with ones of the Beaded Pentacles we did in January. Please bring something to share for dinner. Contact Janie Bass at the above email address for directions. ANNOUNCEMENTS GOOD NEWS!! We have been offered a space for a Once-A-Month Saturday Daytime Gathering!! Here's the opportunity for all of those who are busy on Wednesdays to get together for a regularly scheduled Gathering for ritual, celebrations, learning sessions, crafting, pretty much whatever you would like. If you are interested, please contact Janie Bass. We would also be very interested to locate someone from within the group that would like to lead/coordinate these Gatherings. BETTER NEWS!! The date for the Spring Pagan Bazaar and Fair has been set (pretty much). We are focusing in on the Second Saturday in May, that's May 11th, in Rathdrum, Id. We're looking at a couple of different sites, one outdoors and the other is a combination indoor-outdoor situation. Booth cost for an approx. 10ft by 10ft area will be $10 (non-refundable) which will be required at least 2 weeks ahead of time (April 27th). Vendors must provide their own tables and chairs and awning set-up if they desire one. The park setting does have tall shade pines but no buildings for protection against the rain. Pagan and Wiccan items or those that can be used as such can be sold. We'd love hand-crafted items but anything that can be used by Pagans and Wiccans should be good. NO SATANIC ITEMS PLEASE. For more information, contact Janie Bass at the above email address.

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Imbolc The Celtic year was divided into eight segments of equal length. The winter solstice (shortest day of the year) and summer solstice (longest day) divided the year into two halves. The spring and autumnal equinoxes (days of equal length day and night) then divided it into four quarters. These quarters were then bisected by the major Sabbats or festival days of Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh and Samhain.

We are now approaching the fire festival of Imbolc traditionally celebrated on February 2nd or the full moon nearest to it. Imbolc in Gaelic means 'in the belly' and some have said this is because we are approaching lambing time, whilst others take a more spiritual perspective and say it means 'in the belly of the goddess' or the Earth Mother and refers to the growing new year that was conceived last November at Samhain or the growing light that started to make a return from midwinter day.

It is also known as Brigid or Bride's day in honor of the Irish goddess of poetry, healing and smith craft. The Christian name is Candlemas, not surprising when we realize that Brigid was also a goddess of fire and a perpetual flame was kept burning at her shrine in Kildare. Hilltop fires were lit and candles placed in windows of every house.

Corn Maidens or Dollies were fashioned

from corn or wheat and were then

dressed up and placed in a cradle or

'Bride's Bed'. These were then kept all

year as a symbol of abundance and

fertility. The home fire was extinguished

Born in England, Glenn Broughton discovered his spiritual path via a circuitous route which included school-teaching, founding and running an inner city community arts center, house renovations and wholesale organic food distribution. Glenn discovered his latent ability to dowse for energies when he entered his first crop circle (where he first met Steve Alexander). He soon realized that Avebury was of major importance so spent a winter there in order to better explore the earth energy currents and has had an ongoing love affair with the area ever since. Glenn trained with the National Federation of Spiritual Healers and the International College of Crystal Healing. Through his fascination, personal experience and research with sacred sites over the past 20 years, he continues to explore the unseen energetic aspects of these places of power and interprets how they affect us in the present times of change. Glenn lecturers internationally on sacred sites, earth mysteries and crop circles, has been the keynote speaker at both the American and Canadian Society of Dowsers Annual Conventions and is the co-founder of Earth Spirit Conferences in the USA

for the first time all winter and the ashes

raked smooth before going to bed. In the

morning the ashes were examined for

marks of Bride's passing through the

house as a blessing and then the fire was

rekindled as a sign of a new start or

rebirth.

In northern New England, from where I

write this, it seems inconceivable that

new growth or even the beginnings of

spring could be marked by this festival as

we still huddle up against sub-zero

temperatures and the skiing season still

has a long way to run.

However, in Celtic Britain where I was

raised and have spent most of my life,

February is an exciting month for

gardeners as this is when the first seeds

of broad beans and garlic cloves can be

planted out into the earth. It is also

when snowdrops and crocuses thrust up

through the earth and come into flower,

the first signs of new growth in the new

year.

So it is appropriate to celebrate by

lighting a fire or a candle and having a

celebratory meal to give thanks for the

blessings of the dark winter now passing

and to welcome the return of the light

and new life. We can also do the same

for our inner life giving thanks for the

time of reflection and self-nurturing

during the hibernation period and

starting to sow the seeds of our wishes

and dreams that we will nurture in the

coming months and welcome into our

lives later in the year.

Blessed be.

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How to Hold an Imbolc Candle Ritual

Hundreds of years ago, when our ancestors relied upon the sun

as their only source of light, the end of winter was met with

much celebration. Although it is still cold in February, often the

sun shines brightly above us, and the skies are often crisp and

clear. As a festival of light, Imbolc came to be called

Candlemas. On this evening, when the sun has set once more,

call it back by lighting the seven candles of this ritual.

** Note: although this ceremony is written for one, it can easily

be adapted for a small group.

6. First, set up your altar in a way that makes you happy, and

brings to mind the themes of Imbolc. You'll also want to

have on hand the following:

Seven candles, in red and white (tea lights are perfect

for this)

Something to light your candles with

A large bowl or cauldron big enough to hold the

candles

Sand or salt to fill the bottom of the bowl/cauldron

Prior to beginning your ritual, take a warm, cleansing bath.

While soaking, meditate on the concept of purification.

Once you're done, dress in your ritual attire, and begin the

rite.

7. If your tradition requires you to cast a circle, do so now.

Pour the sand or salt into the bowl or cauldron. Place the

seven candles into the sand so they won't slide around.

Light the first candle. As you do so, say:

Although it is now dark, I come seeking light.

In the chill of winter, I come seeking life.

Light the second candle, saying:

I call upon fire that melts the snow and warms the

hearth.

I call upon fire that brings the light and makes new life.

I call upon fire to purify me with your flames.

1. Light the third candle. Say:

This light is a boundary, between positive and negative.

That which is outside, shall stay without.

That which is inside, shall stay within.

Light the fourth candle. Say:

I call upon fire that melts the snow and warms the

hearth.

I call upon fire that brings the light and makes new life.

I call upon fire to purify me with your flames.

2. Light the fifth candle, saying:

Like fire, light and love will always grow.

Like fire, wisdom and inspiration will always grow.

3. Light the sixth candle, and say:

I call upon fire that melts the snow and warms the

hearth.

I call upon fire that brings the light and makes new life.

I call upon fire to purify me with your flames.

4. Finally, light the last candle. As you do so, visualize the

seven flames coming together as one. As the light builds,

see the energy growing in a purifying glow.

Fire of the hearth, blaze of the sun,

cover me in your shining light.

I am awash in your glow, and tonight I am

made pure.

5. Take a few moments and meditate on the light of your

candles. Think about this Sabbat, a time of healing and

inspiration and purification. Do you have something

damaged that needs to be healed? Are you feeling

stagnant, for lack of inspiration? Is there some part of your

life that feels toxic or tainted? Visualize the light as a

warm, enveloping energy that wraps itself around you,

healing your ailments, igniting the spark of creativity, and

purifying that which is damaged.

When you are ready, end the ritual.

~ By Patti Wigington, About.com Guide

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10

is

Protection

Spell

Directions:

Sage

Censer

Bell

Perform this spell during a Waxing Moon.

Put some sage in your incense burner (censer).

Walk around your home with the censer.

Circle your home three times (always

clockwise), then in each room of the house.

Pay special attention to doors and windows and

let the smoke filter into the crevices and

openings.

As you walk, recite a prayer you improvise, or

write one ahead of time. Say or write what you

feel. This has to come from deep inside you. It

does not have to rhyme, nor be a great piece of

literature.

An example would be

Three times around, three times about The world within, the world without.

In home and possessions, may good spirits abound Evil and problems will not stay around.

Ring the bell each time a circle, and prayer is

completed. When you are finished inside and

out, place the incense in the doorway. Open all

doors for a few minutes and let the smoke drift

through your home, washing it clean.

Out with the Bad and in with

the Good..

Keeping your Home

Safe and Secure

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The Green Wiccan Book of Shadows

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13

Celebrate the Sabbat

with Seasonal Foods

Incense & Oils

Brighid's Fire Meal Blessing

Returning Sun Spice Bread

1 1/4 cup flour

1/8 cup poppy seeds

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup raisins, plain or golden

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup butter/margarine

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

3/4 cup Karo golden corn syrup

1/2 cup light brown sugar

4 tbs. milk

1 large egg, beaten

1 tsp. mixed spices**

**Equal parts of cinnamon, nutmeg,

and allspice.

Sift the flour, soda, and baking

powder into a non-metal bowl. Add

the mixed spice and ginger. Next add

the brown sugar and raisins. Mix.

Make a well in the center of the flour

mixture. In a small sauce pan, melt

the butter and the syrup over a low

heat, then pour liquid into the well in

the middle of the flour mixture. Add

the beaten egg and the milk, and mix

very well. Pour into a well-greased 2-

lb loaf pan and bake in a preheated

oven at 325 degrees for 40-50

minutes. This bread can be made the

night before as it improves with age.

Winter's Light Creamed

Cabbage

1 lb. pre-cooked ham, 1" cubed or

shredded

1 heaping tsp. flour

1 firm white cabbage

1/2 tsp. each salt & pepper

1 cup cream

grated nutmeg

Cut cabbage in half, then into four

(small head) or six (large head) pieces.

Plunge into a pot of boiling water and

cook for 5 minutes. Drain and run under

cold tap water. Drain again. Slice across

the grain in 1/4 inch strips. Melt a little

butter/margarine in a sauce pan and add

shredded cabbage. Toss well, and keep

stirring all the time. Add salt, pepper,

and a dash of grated nutmeg. Next add

the heaping teaspoon of flour, mix well.

Add cream, still stirring, and let it come

to a boil. Add the cubed or shredded

ham, and lower the heat. Cover the

sauce pan and let the mixture simmer

for about 30 minutes. Serve hot. Makes

6-8 servings.

Imbolc Ritual Cake

13/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup water

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tbs. poppy seeds

1 tbs. grated lemon peel

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tbs. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

powdered sugar

This is all done in one pan, so clean

up is a breeze! Preheat oven to 350

degrees. Mix flour, sugar, poppy

seeds, baking soda, and salt with a

fork in an ungreased 9"x9"x2" baking

pan. Stir in the remaining ingredients,

except the powdered sugar. Bake 35-

40 minutes or until toothpick inserted

in center of cake comes out clean, and

the top is golden brown. Remove

from oven and cool. Sprinkle with

powdered sugar. Makes 8 servings.

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Imbolc Incense 1

• 3 parts Frankincense • 2 parts Dragon's blood • ½ part Red Sandalwood • 1 part Cinnamon • a few drops Red Wine To this mixture add a pinch of the first flower (dry it first) that is available in your area at the time of Imbolc (February 1st). Burn during Wiccan ceremonies on Imbolc, or simply to attune with the symbolic rebirth of the Sun - the fading of winter and the

promise of Spring.

Imbolc Incense 2

1 part Basil 1 part Bay 1 part Frankincense 1 part Myrrh 2 parts Rosemary 3 parts Cinnamon

Imbolc Oil

5 drops Sandalwood 5 drops Vanilla extract 6 drops Jasmine 2 drops Balsam Mix with 2 Tbsp. Grape Seed Oil

Imbolc Soap

1 cup grated unscented soap ¼ cup hot water 1 Tbsp. Apricot oil 1 Tbsp. Angelica ½ Tbsp. crushed Bay ½ Tbsp. crushed Basil 6 drops Myrrh oil

Place grated soap in a heat-proof non-metallic

container and add the hot water and apricot oil.

Leave until it is cool enough to handle, and then

mix together with your hands. If the soap is

floating on the water, add more soap. Leave to

sit for 10 minutes, mixing occasionally, until the

soap is soft and mushy. Once the soap, water,

and oil are blended completely, add the dry

ingredients. Once the mixture is cool, then add

the essential oils (essential oils evaporate quickly

in heat). Enough essential oils should be added

to overcome the original scent of the soap. Blend

thoroughly and then divide the soap mixture into

four to six pieces. Squeeze the soaps, removing

as much excess water as possible into the shape

you desire, and tie in a cheesecloth. Hang in a

warm, dry place until the soap is completely hard

and dry.

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Friendly and humanitarian Honest and loyal

Original and inventive Independent and intellectual

On the dark side.... Intractable and contrary

Perverse and unpredictable Unemotional and detached

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Aquarius About Your Sign...

When some cause or work of this

nature inspires them, they are capable

of such devotion to it that they may

drive themselves to the point of

exhaustion and even risk injuring their

health.

Both types need to retire from the

world at times and to become

temporary loners. They appreciate

opportunities for meditation or, if they

are religious, of retreats. Even in

company they are fiercely

independent, refusing to follow the

crowd. They dislike interference by

others, however helpfully intended,

and will accept it only on their own

terms. Normally they have good taste

in drama, music and art, and are also

gifted in the arts, especially drama.

In spite of the often intensely

magnetic, forthcoming and open

personality of the more extrovert kind

of Aquarian, and of their desire to help

humanity, neither type makes friends

easily. They sometimes appear to

condescend to others and take too

little trouble to cultivate the

acquaintance of people who do not

particularly appeal to them.

They do not give themselves easily -

perhaps their judgment of human

nature is too good for that - and are

sometimes accounted cold. But once

they decide that someone is worthy of

their friendship or love, they can exert

an almost hypnotic and irresistible

mental attraction on them and will

themselves become tenacious friends

or lovers, ready to sacrifice everything

for their partners and be faithful to

them for life. However, they are

sometimes disappointed emotionally

because their own high personal ideals

cause them to demand more of others

than is reasonable. And if they are

deceived their anger is terrible. If

disillusioned, they do not forgive. Aquarians work best in group projects,

provided that they are recognized as

having a leading part in them. They

have a feeling of unity with nature and

a desire for knowledge and truth that

makes them admirable scientists,

especially astronomers and natural

historians. They may excel in

photography, radiography, electronics

- anything connected with the electrical and radio industries -

Aquarians basically possess strong and

attractive personalities. They fall into

two principle types: one shy, sensitive,

gentle and patient; the other

exuberant, lively and exhibitionist,

sometimes hiding the considerable

depths of their character under a cloak

of frivolity. Both types are strong

willed and forceful in their different

ways and have strong convictions,

though as they seek truth above all

things, they are usually honest enough

to change their opinions, however

firmly held, if evidence comes to light

which persuades them that they have

been mistaken. They have a breadth

of vision that brings diverse factors

into a whole, and can see both sides of

an argument without shillyshallying as

to which side to take. Consequently

they are unprejudiced and tolerant of

other points of view. This is because

they can see the validity of the

argument, even if they do not accept it

themselves. They obey the Quaker

exhortation to "Be open to truth, from

whatever source it comes," and are

prepared to learn from everyone. Both types are humane, frank, serious

minded, genial, refined, sometimes

ethereal, and idealistic, though this

last quality is tempered with a sensible

practicality. They are quick, active and

persevering without being self-

assertive, and express themselves

with reason, moderation and

sometimes, a dry humor. They are nearly always intelligent,

concise, clear and logical. Many are

strongly imaginative and psychically

intuitive, so that the Age of Aquarius,

which is about to begin, is much

anticipated by psychic circles as an

age in which mankind will experience a

great spiritual awakening. The

Aquarian philosophical and spiritual

bent may be dangerous in that it can

drive the subjects into an ivory-tower

existence where they meditate on

abstractions that bear little relevance

to life. On the other hand it can help

the many who have scientific leanings

to combine these with the Aquarian

yearning for the universal recognition

of the brotherhood of man, and to

embark on scientific research to fulfill

their philanthropic ideals of benefiting mankind.

aviation and everything

technical. On the arts and

humanities side their

progressive tendencies can be

expressed in writing, especially

poetry, and broadcasting, or as

welfare workers and teachers.

Some have gifts as entertainers

and make good character actors

(having an ability to mimic) and

musicians. The more psychic

among them possess healing

gifts, especially in curing the

mentally sick. Among the faults to which they

are liable are fanatical

eccentricity, wayward egotism,

excessive detachment and an

inclination to retreat from life

and society, and a tendency to

be extremely dogmatic in their

opinions. Aquarians can be a

threat to all they survey or a

great boon for humanity in

general. Circumstances - for

example, continuous opposition

to a cause they hold dear - may

cause the atrophy of the

openness of mind that is one of

the Aquarian's most attractive

traits. They may express a lack

of integrity in broken promises,

secretiveness or cunning.

Simmering anger and

resentment, rudeness or, worse,

a tense, threatening silence

which may suddenly burst out in

eruptions of extreme temper,

these are all part of the negative

side of the Aquarian. This can

also reveal itself in a sustained

hatred for enemies that is

capable of enlarging itself into a

misanthropy toward the whole

of mankind.

Instructions for How to Make Corn Dollies

In one of her many aspects, Brighid is known as the bride. She is a symbol of

fertility and good fortune, and is seen as yet one more step in the cycle of life,

death, and rebirth. Traditionally, the Brighid doll is made of woven grain such as

oats or wheat. This version, however, uses corn husks.

To make this simple doll, you'll need some corn husks -- and clearly, in January or

February, you probably won't be able to find a lot of those growing outside. Check

your grocery store's produce section to get husks. If you're using dried-out husks,

soak them for a couple of hours to soften them up (fresh husks need no special

preparation). You'll also need some yarn or ribbon, and a few cotton balls.

Take a strip of the husk, and fold it in half. Place two or

three cotton balls in the middle, and then twist the husk,

tying it with string to make a head (See Figure 1). Leave a

bit of husk in the front and back, below the head, to create

a torso

Make a pair of arms for your doll by folding a couple of husks in

half, and then tying it at the ends to make hands. Slip the arms

between the husks that form the torso, and tie off at the waist. If

you like your dolls plump, slide an extra cotton ball or two in

there to give your Brighid a bit of shape [Figure 2].

Arrange a few more husks, upside down, around the doll's waist.

Overlap them slightly, and then tie them in place with yarn -- it should

look like she has her skirt up over her face. After you've tied the waist,

carefully fold the husks down, so now her skirt comes downwards,

towards where her feet would be (Figure 3). Trim the hem of the skirt

so it's even, and let your doll completely dry.

Once your doll has dried, you can leave her plain or give her a face and some

hair, use soft yarn,(as in Figure 4). Some people go all out decorating their bride

doll -- you can add clothing, an apron, beadwork, whatever your imagination can

create.

Place your Brighid in a place of honor in your home for Imbolc, near your hearth

or in the kitchen if possible. By inviting her into your home, you are welcoming

Brighid and all the fertility and abundance she may bring with her.

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19

Lupercalia's Love Lottery: February is a great time of year to be in the greeting-

card or chocolate-heart industry. This month has

long been associated with love and romance, going

back to the days of early Rome. Back then,

February was the month in which people celebrated

Lupercalia, a festival honoring the birth of Romulus

and Remus, the twin founders of the city. As

Lupercalia evolved and time went on, it morphed

into a festival honoring fertility and the coming of

spring.

For part of the celebration, young women would

place their names in an urn. Eligible men would

draw a name and the couple would pair of for the

rest of the festival -- sometimes even longer. As

Christianity progressed into Rome, the practice was

decried as Pagan and immoral, and done away with

by Pope Gelasius around 500 C.E. Although

recently there's been some scholarly debate about

the existence of the Lupercalia lottery, it's still a

legend that brings to mind ancient matchmaking

rituals -- perfect for this time of year!

A More Spiritual Celebration: Around the same time that the love lottery was

being eliminated, Gelasius had a brilliant idea. Why

not replace the lottery with something a bit more

spiritual? He changed the love lottery to a lottery of

the Saints -- instead of pulling a pretty girl's name

from the urn, young men pulled the name of a

saint. The challenge for these bachelors was to try

to be more saint-like in the coming year, studying

and learning about the messages of their individual

saint.

Who Was Valentine, Anyway?: While he was trying to convince Rome's young nobleman to be

more saintly, Pope Gelasius also declared St. Valentine (more on

him in just a bit) the patron saint of lovers, and his day was to be

held every year on February 14. There is some question about

who St. Valentine actually was -- he may have been a priest during

the reign of the Emperor Claudius.

The legend is that the young priest, Valentine, disobeyed Claudius

by performing wedding ceremonies for young men, when the

Emperor preferred to see them roped into military service rather

than marriage. While imprisoned, Valentine fell in love with a

young girl who visited him, perhaps the daughter of the jailer.

Before he was executed, he allegedly sent her a letter, signed,

From your Valentine. No one knows if this story is true, but it

certainly makes St. Valentine a romantic and tragic hero.

The Christian church had a hard time maintaining some of these

traditions, and for a while St. Valentine's Day disappeared off the

radar. In fact, during medieval times the lover's lottery regained

popularity -- chivalrous young men paired off with ladies, and

wore the names of their lover on their sleeves for a year.

Modern Valentine's Day Around the end of the 18th century, Valentine's Day cards began

to appear. Small pamphlets were published, with sentimental

poems that young men could copy and send to the object of their

affections. Eventually, printing houses learned there was a profit to

be made in pre-made cards, complete with romantic pictures and

love-themed verse. The first American Valentine cards were

created by Esther Howland in the 1870s, according to Victorian

Treasury. Other than Christmas, more cards are exchanged at

Valentine's Day than any other time of the year.

20

21

Early Spring Wiccan Gifts inspired by Imbolc;

Valentine’s Day: a Gift of loVe with a Wiccan Touch

Happy Valentine’s Day

STUCK in

Yaxchilan, Chiapas, Mexico

By ~ Lady Ti-Eagle

I was working in Guatemala as a tour guide and wanted to

visit one of my favorite archaeological sites in Mexico. I

wasn't working that week and wanted to visit friends that

worked and lived there. I hitch-hiked in with another tour

guide with his group of French tourists. They had only

planned to stay at the site a few hours, so I stayed, with

the intent of hitching out with one of the working boats

that frequently passed by (maybe one or two a day). All

the workers on the site knew I was looking for a ride out,

so as not to miss my transport. The only way in and out of

Yaxchilan is by boat or small airplane, as there are no

roads and walking out would be way too dangerous.

A bit of information about visiting the site, no visitors are

allowed into the area of the ruins without an archaeologist

or guard. This rule is STRICTLY enforced. So, more than

a day on the site can be a bit boring, as it's not allowed to

just hang out with the energies. Bummer!

My first day there was great, visiting with friends and

talking to the archaeologists. Day two was different. All

the workers were busy so I couldn't go into the ruins. No

sign of any boat motoring by, but I thought I had lucked

out, though, A small airplane was coming in to drop off

more archaeologists and would be leaving empty. Bad

news came when the plane landed and plans had changed.

It was leaving with passengers and no room for me. Ok,

no biggie, books to read, and it was such a calm incredible

place.

Day three, again, no boat, and no plane, either. I was

starting to feel sequestered and a bit claustrophobic. Late

in the afternoon, a guard approached me and said that he

was taking a boat the next morning to a town about 1 hr.

away where I could catch a bus. He was only going to

make the trip IF IT WASN'T RAINING. Hey, this is the

jungle, rain forest. It rains over 120 inches a year! But, I

can HOPE, right?

I woke frequently during the night, listening to the

silence! Yea!, I get to escape! Then at 4am, the deluge

started. The rain immediately washed away any hopes of

my leaving.

At that point, it dawned on me, ASK FOR HELP! So, I

asked my guides (Is anyone there? Is anyone listening? I

want OUTA HERE!) "What am I doing wrong? what am I

not doing right? what do I need to do to get out of here?"

The answer came IMMEDIATELY! "Go into the

labyrinth, alone, and you'll know what to do." I replied, "I

can't go in alone, it's not allowed". So, "they" repeated,

"Go into the labyrinth, alone, and you'll know what to

do." I replied AGAIN, "I can't go in alone, it's not

allowed". Well, don't argue with your guides when you're

asking for help, they can get a bit snarky. They replied,

but with a lot LESS patience, "Go into the labyrinth

alone, and you'll know what to do!"

Ok, I thought, "I'll show you!" I started down the trail,

headed toward the ruins. First person I saw an

archaeologist. "Good Morning" he said, with no objection

to me being there. Next person I saw was a guard, again

with a friendly greeting and no objection. My helpful

guide just chuckled.

So, in the labyrinth, I was guided to the first room and

told to sit in the middle of the room. I stayed there for

maybe five minutes, when I was guided to go to the next

room. There, I needed to face a particular section of wall,

holding my palms against the wall. Again, I was told a

few minutes later that I could go to the next room. This

continued for maybe thirty minutes, always being guided

where to go and what to do. Finally, I was told that I was

finished. Not being terribly confident that this had done

any good, I left the labyrinth. As I left the jungle trail and

approached the living area, I could see a bird flying

toward me, but it was flying strange for a bird. As it got a

bit closer, I realized it was a small airplane. The large

space between the two rows of workers' houses was an

airstrip. I stepped aside, watched the approaching plane,

and the pilot (whom I had never seen before) extended his

arm and gave me a "thumbs-up". I went into the hut where

I'd been staying, quickly packed my backpack and entered

the plane and made my escape out of Yaxchilan.

Lesson learned. Ask for help, then LISTEN!

Light, Love and Blessings

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Gods and Goddesses of LOVE & LUST

Bless their hearts, what would we do without them, those Gods and Goddesses of Love. Some of them push us together; while others make us loose our hearts and minds to someone we just can't live without!! They are found around the world in nearly every religion and path. Their stories are sometimes funny, other times sad and occasionally really disgusting but they've done their jobs very well as we have multiplied and populated the world, still loving and still lusting!! In researching this article it was totally impossible for me to select just one or two deities to write about. I'd like to suggest that my readers select a few that catch their interest and check them out. Their stories are wonderful, heartening and, sometimes funny. You'll come away with the understanding of the phrase, "To each his own!" So here now are some of the more well-known Gods and Goddesses of Love and Lust: Albanian folklore Prende - goddess of love Armenian mythology Astghik - goddess of fertility and love Axtec mythology Xochiquetzal - goddess of fertility, beauty, female sexual power, protection of young mothers, pregnancy, childbirth, and women's crafts Xochipilli - god of love, art, games, beauty, dance, flowers, maize, fertility, and song Tlazolteotl - goddess of lust, carnality, sexual misdeeds Ixcuiname - goddess of the carnality Tiacapan - goddess of sexual passion Teicu - goddess of sexual appetite Tlaco - goddess of sexual longing Xocotzin - goddess of sexual desire Buddhism Aizen Myo-o/Ragaraja - deity who transforms worldly lust into spiritual awakening; his red-skinned appearance represents suppressed lust and passion Canaanite mythology Astarte - goddess of sexual love, fertility and warfare Qetesh - goddess of love, beauty and sex

Moroccan mythology Qandisa - goddess of lust who first seduces men then drives them insane Norse and Germanic mythology Frigg - goddess of romance, marriage, sex and reproduction, married women, household duty and divination Freyja - goddess associated with magic, shamanism, sacrifice, war, death and sexuality Freyr - worshipped as a phallic fertility god, said to bestow peace and pleasure on mortals Sjofn - goddess associated with love Roman mythology Cupid - Roman equivalent of the Greek god Eros Venus - Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Aphrodite Slavic mythology Dogoda - Polish spirit of the west wind, associated with love and gentleness Dzydzilelya - Polish goddess of love and marriage and of sexuality and fertility Lada - folklore goddess of harmony, merriment, youth, love and beauty Siebog - god of love and marriage Ziva - goddess of love and fertility Voodoo Baron La Croix - loa of the dead and sexuality Baron Samedi - loa of the dead, sex and resurrection Erzulie Freda Dahomey - loa of love, beauty, jewelry, luxury and flowers Yoruba mythology Mami Wata - a pantheon of water deities sometimes associated with love and lust Oshun - goddess of love, intimacy, beauty, wealth and diplomacy

Reference: Wikipedia, "Gods and Goddesses of Love and Lust"

Celtic mythology Aine - Irish goddess of love, summer, wealth and sovereignty Cliodhna - Irish goddess, sometimes identified as a goddess of love and beauty Chinese mythology Yue-Lao - Chinese god of love who binds two people together with an invisible red string Tu Er Shen - Chinese deity who manages the love and sex between homosexual men White Peony (Bai Mudan) - Chinese goddess who tempts men, specifically the ascetic Egyptian mythology Bes - god of music, dance and sexual pleasure Hathor - goddess of the sky, love, beauty and music Bastet/Bast/Baast - goddess of felines, love, sexuality, protection, beauty and dance Etruscan mythology Albina - goddess of the dawn and protector of ill-fated lovers Turan - goddess of love and vitality Greek mythology Aphrodite - goddess of love, lust and beauty Hera - goddess of marriage, which is a lifetime of love and compromise The Erotes Anteros - god of requited love Eros - god of love and sexual passion Himeros - god of sexual desire Hedylogos - god of sweet talk and flattery Hymen - god of marriage and marriage feasts Pothos - god of sexual longing, yearning and desire Peitho - goddess and personification of persuasion and seduction Guarani mythology Kurupi - god of sexuality and fertility Hindu mythology Kamadeva/Manmadhan/Kama - god of love Rati - goddess of passion and lust Lithuanian mythology Milda - goddess of love and freedom Mesopotamian mythology Inanna/Ishtar - goddess of sexual love, fertility and warfare

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The Well and the Flame by Starhawk

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25

Dear Gertrude

you please send out good energy to help her and/or do a spell so the Pig drops dead? Signed, "A Very Worried Loving Mother" Dear "Loving Mother", Thank you for your letter. I know it was a difficult one to write. It's very hard on the whole family when one of its members seems to be in a totally loveless relationship. It's impossible to be totally objective, to look at both sides of a situation and, because of the love we have for our children, most mother can't! First, acknowledge that there is more than one side to any given situation. Your child has her story and her husband has his (which probably has already been expressed to his family). Right now, everyone is in a lose-lose situation and it will only get worse. Perspective is everything here. I know it's hard but it's time for you to change hats. It's time to become an "objective social worker" for your child. Here is where the Magick begins: 1) Make absolutely sure that your daughter truly wants out of this relationship! Is she WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES to get out of this relationship which will probably include losing everything she has, taking just the children and getting out of her home? She must be ready to do this because it will probably come down to this in the end. 2) Make absolutely sure (or at least as sure as you can possibly be, which means you'll need to talk to your son-in-law to find out his side of the story) what is going on within the family (enough money for food and bills, any drug or alcohol usage, physical/emotional abuse, etc.) . Ask easy questions, don't press an argument. Find out all you can from him so you can compare his story to your daughter's. Normally, the truth will fall somewhere in the middle of the two stories. TAKE NOTES ON ALL CONVERSATIONS with your daughter and her husband. Only what they say and if, to your actual knowledge,

"DEAR READER, The following letter is a composite of many such letters, Facebook, emails, and phone calls I have received over the years. As February is the "Month of Love" and all of these correspondences are sent to me out of love, I thought this is a good time to respond to them. If the answer to your question isn't in this letter, by all means contact me by email sent to janie_bass@yahoo.com. Janie will forward your email to me and I will be happy to respond. Thank You. Many Blessings Gertrude Moon, CC Dear Gertrude Moon, I really need help!! I'm writing because my daughter has married a pig!!! They've been together for about 4 years. She has two small babies and is pregnant with her third. There is precious little money for all the necessities and what is left over, he drinks and loses at poker. My daughter is left alone all day long to take care of the children and he never helps her. She's a prisoner in her own home. He won't let her call me or even talk to the neighbors. The Pig moved her back east closer to his family but they won't help her either. He expects her to do all the housework by herself even though she's pregnant and has one baby in diapers and the other is being potty trained. I want to get her out of this loveless marriage but I don't have the money to do it. I know he hits her when he's drunk but is all sorry when he's sober. I worry about her all the time and I don't get any sleep which is putting a lot of stress on my relationship with my husband (her step-father). He won't let me send her any money at all and says it all her own fault but it really isn't!!! What can I do? Can you help me? Can you do a spell that will get this monster out of her life and enable me to get her back here where I can take care of her? Will

he or she has been drinking or taking drugs. It is VERY IMPORTANT TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS A GUN OR GUNS IN THE HOME! 3) You will want to get phone numbers and locations to any and all help agencies in your daughter's area: police/sheriff's office; battered spouse agencies; drug and alcohol out-reach programs, etc. You will need to contact these agencies to make sure what they can, by law, do in a "domestic drug/alcohol situation where there are children" involved. Write all this information down as you talk to them. The information you gather in step 1 will help guide you in what questions you need to ask of the agencies. THINGS TO REMEMBER: 1) Your daughter not having money is not a reason for complaint as long as the bills are being paid and there is food and shelter for the children; 2) Your daughter not having a vehicle to drive is not considered imprisonment, nor is living out in the country without a vehicle. EXCEPTION: If she or one of the children must have immediate access to transportation for medical reasons; 2) Not having a phone is not considered imprisonment UNLESS there is a medical necessity for one. 4) Give the information from the agencies to your daughter. The next steps belong to her. When she can no longer take the abuse and fear in this relationship, she will begin 26

contacting the numbers you've given her. She needs to call them and call them until she finds someone who will help her. If there is a gun in the home, even if he has not threatened her with it yet, she needs to let the police and other agencies know it's there!! If she gets to the end of the list and no one will help, she will need to begin over again, asking for help, begging if she must, but SHE must do this! If she must press charges against him then to get him out of the house so she can get away, she needs to do this and STAND BY THE CHARGES. You have done all the physical actions you can do, short of driving across country and pulling her out of the home with the kids. 5) This is where you MUST focus your MAGICK and LOVE, sending her all the energy you can spare. This is energy for wisdom, knowledge, financial assistance, and protection, just to name a few. Light candles (there are different colors of candles for each of these actions. If in doubt, use white candles and inscribe on the candles what action you want and for whom). Write your prayers or chants (chants are usually short rhyming prayers that are repeated over and over (at least three times) before moving on to the next candle and request. Focus on the flame and see your Daughter's/grandchildren's faces in the flame). Above all else, BE POSITIVE IN YOUR INTENTION OF THE WORDS IN YOUR PRAYER/CHANT!! Be prepared to do this EVERY DAY until the situation is resolved. 6) If you can get other close members of your family to do prayers or chants or even just light candles for your daughter, do so. Even if this individuals are of an organized faith, most family members will say a prayer or light a candle if they think it may in some way help someone in the family. You need all the energy you can get at this point. Thoughts are energy, prayers are energy, and candle flames are energy. Get that energy/Magick moving!!!

There you have it. That's what you and your daughter will need to do to make the Magick move to resolve a rather bad situation. I will be very happy to add my love, candles, chants and prayers to help. This is an uneasy situation for all involved. Right now I know it seems that this nightmare will never be over. Just remember, only those directly involved can begin the action. The courage comes from deep within one's soul. The chances are it won't happen all at once and it's very possible your daughter will got through this more than once before finally ending this relationship. I hope this has been of some help. My prayers are with you and your family. Many Blessings, Gertrude Moon, CC P.S. Dear READERS, These steps work the same for either a son or daughter, man or woman, gay or straight! Guys can get caught up in really bad relationships and are very often charged as the "Aggressor" when in fact they are not. Be sure you really get both sides of the story to the best of your ability and that's what the information you use to get direction from the agencies. Also, if your child is part of a religious cult or a cult marriage and you are concerned about his or her welfare, contact your local police department, religious cult breakers, or, in a pinch, TV station. Give them ALL the information you have and see what they can do. If there is nothing, ask them for suggestions as to where you can go. DON'T STOP UNTIL YOU GET INFORMATION ON YOUR CHILD!! Blessings to All Gertrude "

DeaR GeRtRUDe continUeD…….

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FAMILY IMBOLIC

By ~ Alena Orrison

Greetings, fellow pagan parents! Do you still have your family

altars going that we talked about before Samhain? I hope so!

Imbolc is just around the corner and there are several fun

activities we can do with our children, the results of which would

look amazing on our family altars.

Imbolc marks the sun’s growing strength and honors Brigit, the

Irish Goddess of the holy well and sacred flame. This holiday is

typically symbolized by many candles on our altars. Since the

altar we’re talking about is a family one, and small hands have

access to it, I’ve found that the battery operated flameless

candles are perfect. Children can “light” the candles themselves

each day and won’t get burned. You can find these candles at

any craft store, and most big name stores will have some too.

Some even give off scent. Look for ones that you can replace the

batteries in so they will last you for years. If you have older

children, now is a perfect time to teach them about fire safety

and allowing real candles on the family altar.

Brigit’s Fire In Circle Round, the authors mention Brigit’s Fire. They describe

using Epsom salts and rubbing alcohol to make a cooler fire that

is safer around children - but still use caution! Here is their

recipe and directions:

A cast iron pot of any size, preferably one designated for

cauldron fires as there is residue

A lid that fits snugly on the pot, for putting out the fire

bricks, hot plate or other heat-resistant material to set

the cauldron on

Epsom salts

Rubbing alcohol

Place the pot securely on the heat-resistant surface. Pour Epsom

salts in the pot until the bottom is covered and approximately one

inch deep. Pour rubbing alcohol over the salts until it is about an

inch higher than the salts. Hold a lighted match just above the

alcohol. The liquid will light and produce a strong orange flame.

The flame burns cool, unlike a wood fire, and is difficult to burn

things in. When the flame get slow, snuff with the lid to put it

out completely.

To keep a blaze going for 45 minutes in a 5-quart cauldron, you

need 1/2 gallon of Epsom salts and approximately 4 to 6 pints of

rubbing alcohol.

Speaking of fire, Imbolc is the perfect time to teach older

children how to kindle a fire. Small children can help gather

wood, older children can learn how to lay the fire in different

ways and proper safety techniques. Explain the risks of fire, and

always have a way to extinguish a fire safely. For free

information on fire safety, take a field trip to the local fire station

and forest service office.

Brighid Doll

Another tradition of Imbolc is to make a Brighid Doll.

There are several variations on this, and some are easier for

younger children. Circle Round describes how to make one

using branches of rosemary or evergreen. About.com shows

you how to make one using corn husks. Smaller children

might find making a paper Brighid Doll to be an easier and

less frustrating task. There is a paper doll template at the

end of this article. Print on cardstock, help your child cut it

out, then allow them to decorate it as they want. You can

add yarn or embroidery floss for hair, buttons or beads as

decorations, glitter - the only limit is your craft cabinet.

Brighid’s Cross

Cathie over at Celticai Studio has posted simple and easy to

follow directions for making Brighid’s Cross out of pipe

cleaners, a common, inexpensive, and forgiving material to

work with. Even smaller children can make one - with your

help, of course.

The season of Imbolc has many wonderful traditions

associated with it. One of my favorites is calling on the

Goddess Brighid (Brigit, Bride or Brede) to bless home and

hearth. Traditionally, a Cross was made with wheat or grass

however; I prefer to make them with pipe cleaners. Here,

I’ve included photographs and instructions on how YOU

can make your own too!

1. Collect 15 pipe cleaners. For

this article, I collected three

each of five different colours.

Keep one straight and bend the

other 14 in half. I’ve found that

this makes the crafting part of

the cross much easier! 28

Other Activities

Other symbols of Brigit (or Brighid, Bride, Bridgid, Brigade)

include the cow and the serpent or snake. You can use a

simple salt-dough recipe to make snakes for your altar. Let

them dry overnight then they are ready to paint. Take a trip to

a local farm or dairy if you can and teach your children

where milk comes from and why the cow is important to the

Goddess Brigit.

You can make candles using old crayons and wicks

(remember doing this in elementary school with milk cartons

as the form?), coiled snake candleholders from salt dough,

and Braided Brigit Bread. If you’re not a baker, or lack time,

you can use pre-made refrigerated breadsticks, braid them

together, sprinkle herbs over the top and then bake by the

package directions.

Get outside and look for signs of spring! While most of us in

the north are still staring at snowdrifts, there are places where

flowers are starting to poke their heads out of the ground and

grass is that soft pale green. Maybe there are buds on the

trees or birds returning from their southern migration. Take a

walk with your children and see if you can spot anything

spring. Even if spring is still weeks away, the time spent as a

family will be precious and as fleeting as the apple blossoms.

Works Cited

Baker, Diane. "Brigit." Circle round: raising children in goddess

traditions. Bantam trade

paperback ed. New York: Bantam Books, 20001998. 124-147. Print.

Cameron, Caithe. "Creating a St Brighid's Cross » Celticai Studios

Celticai Studios." Home »

Celticai Studios Celticai Studios. N.p., 30 June 2012. Web. 29 Jan. 2013.

<http://

www.celticai.com.au/2012/07/creating-a-st-brighids-cross/>.

"EARTHSONGS: The Journal of the Society of Celtic Shamans, Volume 6,

Issue 1, Imbolc

2002, Copyright (c) 2002." Celtic Shaman and Society of Celtic Shamans.

N.p., n.d.

Web. 29 Jan. 2013. <http://www.faeryshaman.org/es61/es61arc3.htm>.

Wigington, Patti. "Make a Brighid Corn Doll." Paganism & Wicca -

Pagan and Wiccan

Religion. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2013. <http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/

imbolccrafts/ss/Brighid_Dolly.htm>.

MLA formatting by BibMe.org.

2. Choose one folded pipe cleaner

and slide it over the straight one – to

approximately half way. Hold the

join with your fingers and turn the

whole cross 90 degrees to the left (a

quarter turn).

3. Choose another folded pipe

cleaner and slide it over the two

‘arms’ of the pipe cleaner pointing

up. Hold the join with your fingers

and turn the whole cross 90

degrees to the left (a quarter turn).

4. Choose another folded pipe

cleaner and slide it over the three

arms of the pipe cleaner pointing

up. Hold the join with your

fingers and turn the whole cross

90 degrees to the left (a quarter

turn).

5. Keep adding folded pipe cleaners

by sliding them over all the arms of

the cross that are pointing up.

Holding onto the join and rotating

the cross a quarter turn will help

you keep track of where you are at.

6. After placing all 14 folded pipe

cleaners on your creation, select

the longest pipe cleaner in each

arm. Bend it around the ‘arms’ so

that it twists and secures all

together. Do this for each arm.

You may also like to bend one of

the pipe cleaners and use it as a

hook. Alternatively, you can

thread some ribbon through one

arm so that it may hang freely.

7. Place the

cross on your

altar or hang it

in its traditional

place – near the

heart of the

home, the

hearth or

fireplace. In

today’s modern

age, I usually

place mine near the stove. Enjoy crafting your St Brighid’s

Cross!

Namaste Posted by Caithe on Monday, July 30th, 2012

29

Ingrid Jeffries is an internationally known counseling astrologer with over 25 years’ experience.

She is available for private consultations in office or by phone.

She can be reached at 303 697-8309. To find out more about her classes and sessions go to

www.NorthStarAstrology.net

February’s Astrological Sky North Star Astrology

By: Ingrid Jeffries AAFA

February opens with the Sun, Mercury, and Mars traveling through the friendly sign of Aquarius. Venus also enters this sign on the 2/2. With Jupiter in Gemini we have five planets in the gregarious air signs, emphasizing social activities, travel, community relations and pioneering endeavors especially the first two weeks. Aquarius is a sign associated with teamwork and collective power. It is through alignment with others that we can manifest the greatest achievements. The Aquarius New Moon is on 2/10. New Moons are the time to plant the seeds of intention. This New Moon is the Chinese New Year. In the sign of Aquarius innovation is more essential to us. We become more aware of what is outdated in our lives, and strive to find new perspectives and ways to do things. Individual freedom is more important to us. We strive to free ourselves from some of the restrictions, inhibitions, and limitations that now feel constraining rather than safe. This lunar cycle encourages us to take risks exploring the extraordinary, to move into the future, and to focus on the positive. Unresolved relationship matters may need to be dealt with, but again focus on the positive, and deal with the negative. The square from the Sun and Moon to the nodal axis may at times challenge social harmony due to differences in values, yet with a willingness to support compromise and create a win /win dynamic creativity is stimulated and success likely. On February 18th the Sun enters the gentle water sign of Pisces. People born into this sign are often very sensitive and intuitive. They are compassionate and romantic with an artistic flair. Many gifted musicians have Pisces or the planet Neptune, Pisces planetary ruler, strong in their birth charts. Saturn moves in retrograde motion from February 19th to July 7th. This can promote a re-evaluation of a key business matter or commitment. Saturn requires us to be realistic about limitations and what needs to be restructured or released in order for something more vital flourish.

On February 23 Mercury goes retrograde until March 17th. During this time, from our earthly perspective the winged messenger appears to move counter clockwise in the sky. Traditionally, this is not a good time for communications or travel. Misunderstandings and delays are more likely. It is also considered an unfavorable time to buy appliances, computers, cars, or sign contracts. It is good for re-negotiating, researching, reconnecting with those we have not seen for a while, and catching up on projects that were put aside earlier. Communications and information can be puzzling and /or incomplete. It is best to make major decisions after the retrograde period. The Full Moon occurs on 2/25. The Sun in Pisces is conjunct Neptune opposing the Moon in Virgo and both square Jupiter in Gemini. This is a very inspired and restless planetary combination depending on how these planets align with your natal horoscope. It can be wonderful for a romantic getaway, artist projects, or long philosophical conversations. Full Moons are the time to focus on relationships. Notice who are the people you find yourself with during this moon phase. What is the consciousness they support and mirror within you? Are you being present to who you are with or does your heart long for someone or something different. This is the time have the courage to pursue and/ or heal heart connections. Relationships will suffer if we take things too personally now, expecting others to follow a certain script that we have unconsciously written for them. The Pisces Full Moon cycle is the time to focus on love, compassion, and harmony.

Remember, “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” Rumi

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Aaahh, the Rose. Beautiful, regal, fragrant, ancient. The rose has been a part of human culture for centuries! Roses were introduced to Europe during the Roman occupation and were predominantly used for decoration. They were first cultivated over 5,000 years ago in Asian gardens. Confucius declared that the Emperor of China had more than 600 books on the cultivation of Roses. Its name is thought to be of Germanic origins. The Rose was used by the Great Ruling Houses of England as identification symbols. As far as exactly when Roses began being used in spells and magick is any ones guess but their effect in romance was well noticed in Roman. The fragrance seemed to lead to love and what early Witch wouldn't cook up some magickal love potion with something that was so perfectly represented love and sexual allure! Roman writings have been located the reference Roses being used in Love Salves, recipes for making Rose Water for Love and other such wonderful uses. The real love of Roses in Europe began during the Golden Age, roughly beginning in the 16th Century, when the Royal households developed and nurtured lavish gardens for the courtship of their lady-folk as well as having someplace sweet smelling to talk, walk and listen to music during a time when most of those at court took a bath maybe once a year!!! Rose petals were harvested from the gardens when they were nearly spent and strun in beds, on tables and floors in an attempt to keep the foul body odor at bay. Over hundreds of years, the Rose has been hand bred and developed for its fragrance, color and overall beauty. By the Victorian years, the Ornamental Rose and Flower Gardens became so popular that flowers in general and Roses in particular were given their own language - the language of love and friendship. Somewhere in my religious studies I remember the history of the Catholic Rosary. Though rosaries themselves date back to way, way back. Early Christian were unable to afford the beautiful stone beaded chains used by the clergy. Again, Rome probably played a part in the development of beads made of rose petals and other very fragrant flowers along with fragrant tree resins, all crushed and mushed together into a paste then formed into round beads, threaded onto cords and dried.

When used in prayer, running the beads through their fingers released a pleasant fragrance, aiding in their meditative state and keeping the smell of the person next to them reasonably contained. Don't forget Roses can be added as garnishes to salads, soups and even ice cubes to add a delicate flavor and beauty to your meal. REMEMBER, USE ONLY ORGANICALLY grown roses so you aren't putting any poisons into your food!! While the overall meaning of Roses is Love and Romance, here is a short list of the color meanings of roses. There will be a much longer list on our website at http://elementalmagick.wetpaint.com/. Search for "Language and Magick of Roses". Red Rose - Romantic Love, Beauty, Courage and Passion White Rose - Purity, Reverence, Heavenly, Humility, Youthfulness and Innocence Pink Rose - Appreciation, Grace, Admiration, Thankfulness Yellow Rose - Joy, Friendship, Delight, Happiness Orange Rose - Enthusiasm and Energy, Desire Rose petals can be used by color using their language meaning. Be sure to focus on your intent (i.e., for your daughter to preform gracefully in her dance recital you would use Pink Roses in your spell.). When I went looking for the Magickal properties of Roses on line, I found lots and lots BUT upon closer examination I found that almost everyone had copied their information from one of my all-time favorite Wiccan writers, Scott Cunningham from his book, "Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs". Surprise, surprise. So here's Scott's information: ROSE rosa species PARTS USED flowers, petals, leaves (Note: I've found that old rose wood canes make wonderfully powerful wands) GENDER: Feminine ELEMENTS: Fire and Water PLANETS: Mars and Venus

POWERS Love Love Divination Ultimate Love Healing Luck Protection Psychic Powers DEITIES Adonis Aurora Cupid Demeter Eros Harpocrates Hathor Hulda Isis The ultimate in love wishes, Roses will aid in bringing a true lasting love and help to mend any spats between you in an already committed relationship. The petals can be used in bathing while thinking a new love will come to you. Dried flowers are burned when making love wishes. Sleeping with the flower petals will protect your dreams. Carry a sachet or amulet of petals for protection against bodily injury or when working healing wishes. Roses have long been used in love mixtures; owing to the flowers' association with the emotions. A chaplet of roses worn when performing love spells (remove the thorns first), or a single rose in a vase on the alter, are powerful love magic aids.

Rose water distilled from the petals should be added to love baths. Rose Hips (the fruit of the rose) are strung and worn as love-attraction beads. A tea of rosebuds drunk before sleep induces prophetic dreams. To discover their romantic future, women used to take three green rose leaves and name each for one of their lovers. The one that stayed green the longest answered the question of "Which One?". Rose petals and hips are used in healing spells ad mixtures, and rosewater saturated cloth laid to the temples and across the forehead will relieve headache pain. Roses are added to fast luck mixtures and, when carried, act as personal protectants. Rose petals sprinkled around the house calm personal stress and household upheavals. Roses planted in the garden attract fairies and are said to grow best when stolen. REFERENCES: "Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs" by Scott Cunningham Landscaping at http://about.com Witches Lore at http://witcheslore.com

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