Well, it's a day late, but HAPPY MABON!!

Yesterday is a memory of blurry colors and flying by the seat of my broom stick, so I apologize for not making this post on what is the calender appropriate day. =)

I would like to share the simple ritual that was writing by one of the circle members for our celebration last night, as well as the simple spell we started with once the circle was cast...

Simple Mabon Candle Spell

Created by Mrs. B (from confessions of a pagan soccer mom) Thank you for your lovely words Mrs. B!

Needed Supplies: a candle (fall colors or white)

Paper/Pen

Cauldron

Center yourself and take a few deep, cleansing breaths. Think about the season passing and the one to come. Think of the abundance that you've received and worked hard to obtain. Light the candle and say the following (or words of your own creation):

I light this candle to honor the season and to give thanks for the abundance in my life. I strive to remember these blessings and give thanks for them throughout the entire year. I strive to remember to share those blessings with others not as fortunate as I am, even when I have little to share. I express my gratitude to the Lord and Lady for all my blessings this Mabon, and give thanks for all those blessings that will come to me this glorious fall season. So Mote it be!

Write down your blessings as well as your thanks upon the paper. When finished, fold into a square and light from your candle. Set into the cauldron and send off these words to the Powers That Be.

Mabon 2011

Need: chalice of “wine”; Three candles (white, red, black) set around the cauldron, athame, elemental candles

Creating the Ritual Area:

East: I call upon the Wind, the East, the Power of Thought and Logic.

Inspire us this day as we celebrate Mabon.

Protect us in this time of both Light and Dark.

Blessed Be.

South: I call upon the Fire, the South, the Power of Strength and Ferocity.

Guide us this day as we celebrate Mabon.

Protect us in this time of both Light and Dark.

Blessed Be.

West: I call upon the Water, the West, the Power of Emotion and Intuition.

Bless us this day as we celebrate Mabon.

Protect us in this time of both Light and Dark.

Blessed Be.

North: I call upon the Earth, the North, the Power of Stability and Patience.

Guard us this day as we celebrate Mabon.

Protect us in this time of both Light and Dark.

Blessed Be.

Center: I call upon the Spirit, Beginning and End. Power of Souls and Dreams.

Watch over us this day as we celebrate Mabon.

Protect us in this time of both Light and Dark.

Blessed Be.

High Priest: Mabon is a time of Rest. The harvest has been brought in, and at last we can enjoy the fruits of our labors. The Harvest Lord may lean back and drink from his horn, content in the knowledge that his people are cared for as he prepares to hand over his throne. In this time before Winter, joy and plenty abound.

High Priestess: These are the days when we bid farewell to the Goddess as she prepares for her descent. Persephone goes to join Hades. Inanna prepares to join her sister in the Underworld. These are not a time for mourning, but for quiet farewells and wishes of return. Only in the time of rest can life be rejuvenated. Winter must come for Spring to arrive.

High Priestess: Light the three candles around the cauldron. Say:

We call upon the blessed Lady, queen of the harvest, Giver of life and plenty since before time began. We honor and praise you in your courage and beauty. Bless us with your courage and wisdom to see us through the coming Dark.

High Priest: Salute the cauldron with your dagger or sword. Say: We call upon the Lord of the harvest, sacred King, Giver of riches and protection since before time began We honor and praise your strength and laughter. Bless us with your strength and laughter in the coming Dark. High Priestess: Take the dagger in your power hand, the wine chalice in the other. Say: Always has life fulfilled its cycle and led to Life anew in the eternal chain of the living. In honor of the Gods, We mark the fullness Of our lives and the harvest of this year's lessons.

Touch the dagger to the chalice. All: Walk three times clockwise around the circle, beginning in the east. Chant: The wheel of the year must turn, so too must bounty come.

High Priest: Raise the chalice and speak the following, sip, then pass. To the good seasons that have gone, And to the good ones who will come. Blessed Be! To the Goddess! May she bring peace And fulfillment to all her children. Blessed Be! To the God! May he protect his followers And bring prosperity and happiness. Merry meet, merry part, and merry we shall meet again! Blessed Be.

(It is at this time that any workings you wish to do may be done.)

Center: Powers of Spirit, Protectors whom have watched us. Thank you for joining us this Mabon Day.

Go if you must, stay if you will

Blessed Be.

North: Powers of Earth, Protectors whom have guarded us. Thank you for joining us this Mabon Day.

Go if you must, stay if you will.

Blessed Be.

West: Powers of Water, Protectors whom have blessed us. Thank you for joining us this Mabon Day.

Go if you must, stay if you will.

Blessed Be.

Mabon Day.

Go if you must, stay if you will.

Blessed Be.

East: Powers of Wind, Protectors who have inspired us. Thank you for joining us this Mabon Day.

Go if you must, stay if you will.

Blessed Be.

All: This circle is Open, but shall never be Broken. 

The ritual went really well, and I, personally, felt like I was flying on a hot electric storm by the time we were finished. It was great!

I hope that everyone had a blessed day and is making the most of the fine weekend we've been given!

Holy Dreams Batman!

Ok, so many of you have likely seen my previous post on Dream Walking, and I have to say, since I wrote that post and started really working on my dreaming again, my dream time has been virtually over flowing! In the past week, I have been bombarded with many, MANY faces from my past (high school friends mostly) with varying themes and circumstances. Nothing that has struck me as weird or important, but it's like, in making this deeper connection with the unconscious, my mind is filtering through everything I've ever dreamed about and mushing it into something slightly different. I've been filing all these images and conversations away into on online "diary", so I can better keep track of any reoccurring themes, be it a face, a place, a conversation, or whatever. I've found that free online journals are absolutely amazing. Personally, I can type faster than I can write, so it's easiest for me to sit down, zip it all into a computer and call it good. HOWEVER, if I wake up in the middle of the night from a dream, I do have a journal and pen I keep on the head board that I can write key points in (in the dark of course... always fun to decipher later) so I have better recollection of it when I'm fully awake the next morning without waking my system completely up at some ungodly hour that I would rather be sleeping through. =)

Anywho... just thought I would put all this out there for you!

The End of an Era

As a military veteran, and now a military wife, I have spent the better part of my adult life watching the ways of the military and standing proud and strong as I witness those that I care for be stripped of all the rights that the typical American civilian holds dear. I've lost my free speech, given up my family time in order to meet the demands of the military, and for a time, even gave up my religious freedom while we struggled to make the pagan path a recognized faith that was not treated unfairly or mocked by superiors. While I am proud of my service, and the service I continue to give by my husbands side, there are many things about the military that shame me and keep me praying for better.

Well, now I happily sit here and type that I am PROUD of what the government has done TODAY. Today marks the first time in which the motto and way of life bearing the brand "Don't ask, don't tell" has be repealed. My fellow service members and friends, many of whom have struggled to not lose themselves to the demands of the military, are now free to at least exercise one right that has been freely granted to the "average joe"... the right to be homosexual in the military AND have it acknowledged. I'm sure that there will be protests by military and civilian alike, but guess what guys, these people have been among us the whole time... they do their job, and adhere to the standards set by the government just like the rest of us! The only difference is now you KNOW they're gay/lesbian instead of just "having a feeling" about them. HA! Score one for the underdogs. =)

Congratulations to all the service members out there, regardless of current status (retired, active duty, veteran, etc.) on FINALLY being able to be true to your sexual preference! I applaud you and wish I could raise a glass with all of you to toast this historical day!

Mabon Recipe!

Most sabbats are accompanied by food... it just so happens that Mabon is, to me, an extra special food day! This is a recipe I got off of allrecipes.com many years ago, and it is really fantastic for Mabon (I think). In taking part of a blog hop with The Pagan Mom Blog, I figured I would post this fabulous main dish!

Check back for more recipes soon...

Cranberry Glazed Pork Loin Roast!

Ingredients

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1 cup apple jelly
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 4 cubes chicken bouillon, crushed
• 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 (4 pound) boneless pork loin roast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• (I pretty much eyeball all the "extras" like garlic, mustard and all that jazz!)

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Combine the cranberry sauce, apple jelly, mustard, crushed bouillon, horseradish, garlic powder, and thyme in a saucepan; bring to a boil.
3. Line a large baking pan with foil. Place pork loin in pan, fat side up. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Use a pastry brush and a small spoon to completely coat the pork with sauce.
4. Cook until the pork is no longer pink in the center, about 45 minutes, basting every 10 minutes with remaining sauce. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). 

Life is like a box of chocolates...

...and biting into one to decided if you like it or not is perfectly acceptable.

 Hopefully my attempt to "make a funny" at least made you smile. =)

Seriously though. How many times has someone said to you, "Well THAT'S not how you do it," or "You CAN'T do it that way." Well, let me tell you something... you can do whatever you damn well please. Now, that's not to say I will approve of your condone actions that violate certain moral laws/ethics, but it's the honest truth... all you have to do is pick up that chocolate, take a bite, and decide whether or not you like it. Sometimes you may spit right out and wonder what the hell you were thinking, other times you may give it a few nibbles, and decide to reserve judgement until a later point. Oh, and lets not forget those time were you try it, love it, and do it all over again. (Yes ladies, you know what I'm talking about!)

What I'm getting at is that who you are and how your walk your spiritual path is entirely up to you. What works for me, may not work for you, but we can still learn from each other and grow on our paths by expanding knowledge and understanding of the self and others. Really, you can never learn too much... for myself, if a day goes by that I don't learn something new, I will consider the day a sad one indeed (good thing I usually learn something new everyday!).

What do you like to do when you're prepping for a ritual or spell work? What's your niche? We know tools aren't a necessity, but often function as an extension of self... do you have a favorite? Something that you always find yourself using or doing?

Me? I love incense. Really. It doesn't matter if I'm meditating, in ritual, dream walking or just doing my night time ritual of thanks. I always have incense. I have two main altars in the house... the big one, which is in my room, and a smaller one in the living room. There is a good stock of incense for both that has to be regularly replenished. And I love candles. Mmmmm... especially ones I've made myself. I have other objects which are sacred to me (like my wand- which was the very first tool I owned/made and came to me from the bowels of the sea), and while they have a place of honor on my altar(s), still, I most frequently use the incense...

The Art of Dream Time

YES! I finally remembered one of the topics I've been wanting to write on... DREAM WALKING!

Dream walking is something that I've been working on (off and on) for the past couple of years. I had a great dream last week which triggered another onslaught of study and work, and so far, I seem to have made great progress. There are certain people that I have always been able to dream walk to... people that I have a really good connection with. There are others that are hit and miss, more often than not due to different sleeping times. =)

However, my dreams are not what I'm here to type on, but more of how those dreams are achieved. Without a doubt, sometimes it is totally random and unexpected, but other times it is a thought out plan, consciously made before heading to bed. I have found that one of the best methods for me starts with playing the dream in my head before I sleep. That is, the dream I want to take someone into. For instance, if I wanted to take my husband into a dream, before falling asleep I would create the entire dream. The location, the color of the sky, time of day, clothing, etc. would be know to me. From there, its a matter of meditating on that dream and letting my body drift into sleep while doing that. Once that happens, it's pretty much like the mind says "Ok, here we are! Let's go find Stephen and have some dreaming fun!". Granted, there are times when that doesn't always work, and also times were I won't remember the dream, but the recipient will (which is super annoying). Something that is also helpful is keeping a notebook and pen by the bed. I have discovered that I tend to wake up after dream walking, and if I don't write my dream down in the time, I will often loose some of the finer details and be left with hazy remnants when I wake up for the day later.

So what works for you? I'm a sucker for incense and some soft music. I even have play lists designed to cater to certain types of dreams. If I'm going into my "dream scape" (which is by a river a nearly lived on in high school) I will play music that reminds me of running water, so on and so forth. If you have never tried dream walking or seem to not be too good at it, I would highly recommend reading Psychic Dreamwalking: Explorations at the Edge of Self by Michelle Belanger. It is an excellent resource!

Well, speaking of dreams, it is time for me to go get ready for bed and see about making some new dreams!

A new blogger!

I would like to ask you all to go check out this new blog:
http://irishrogue13.blogspot.com/

My little sister is new to her path and has started her own blog. As I remember well from when I just started mine, I know she would be thrilled to have some visitors and your kind remarks that you're all always so good with!

Thank you everyone! Brightest Blessings!

It's been one of those weeks...

So, I've started and stopped several posts for my blog this week. It turned into a busy week to one of those utterly stupid weeks that makes you wonder home humanity has managed not to die off yet due to their own stupidity. Really, my faith in man kind has wavered a lot this week.

On a whim, I decided to see what today's Tarot had in store... and I came up with Justice. How fitting!

One hand holds a feather (symbolic of Ma'at and the weighing of the heart), the other holds scales, to show that her judgement will be fair. Justice wears no blindfold - nothing will be hidden from her.
Justice can be cold and implacable, but is scrupulously fair. It is a reminder that there are consequences to all of our actions, and that physical concerns must be balanced by spiritual growth. It can also mean a judgement in your favor, and that a turbulent time is coming to an end.

I don't know how this fits in with everyone elses life at the present moment, but for anyone that has read my blog for a bit, you know that my time with the circle I currently lead is coming to an end next month. The majority of the issues I have dealt with this week have stemmed from circle and this card is reminding me that my turbulent time is quickly coming to an end, and that I must remain fair and consistent until then (as much as I REALLY don't want to sometimes).

Anywho.. this is my little blurb for now. I'm sure there are a million thing I could right about, but all are presently escaping my mind.

Today = Terrible Three's

Well, today is my beautiful, sweet little girls third birthday... and I want to lock her in her room, put on some head phones and take a three hour bath while downing a bottle or two of wine. I swear, over the past week, it's like a switch has flipped and we've gone from having our "moments" to having constant meltdowns, tantrums, and back talking. I mean... HOLY SHIT. Stupid terrible three's.

Great Goddess, bestow upon me your strength and compassion so I do not go postal on my child for pointless and consistent temper tantrums and non-listening ears...

I can see I'll be talking to Kuan Yin and Isis a lot about parenting and how to keep what few shards of sanity I have left. =)

Happy Birthday Jaelynn!