Enchanted Forest Magazine

July 2011 Edition

Articles Submitted by the members of the Forest

Discovering and finding magic in ones self!!!

A Place of Love and Support

~~Believe in Yourself And Make It Happen~~

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The Enchanted Forest Team

~~Believe in Yourself And Make It Happen~~

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Craft class for Beginners every Saturday night Times

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Dirty dozen list of fruits and vegetables

By

Martin Stompingelk

By Sarah B. Weir A new report published by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) might make you rethink that "apple a day" -- if it's conventionally grown using pesticides. According to the group's annual "dirty dozen" list of fruits and vegetables with the highest pesticide residues, apples ranked number one as the most-contaminated item, up from number four last year. Other changes from the 2010 findings: this year, cherries dropped off the list, and lettuce, previously absent, now appears at number 11. The EWG uses data compiled by the USDA to produce these findings. Dirty Dozen 2011 1. Apples 2. Celery 3. Strawberries 4. Peaches 5. Spinach 6. Nectarines (imported) 7. Grapes (imported) 8. Sweet bell peppers 9. Potatoes 10.Blueberries (domestic) 11.Lettuce 12.Kale/collard greens The "clean fifteen" are also included in the report - these are fruits and veggies with the lowest levels of pesticides so there's no need to waste your money on organic versions. Some popular items include watermelon and avocado. The EWG points out that if consumers simply chose their daily recommended five servings of fruit and vegetables from the least contaminated list over five from the dirty dozen, they would reduce the amount of pesticides ingested by 92% - without having to shell out extra money for organics. Clean Fifteen 2011

1. Onions 2. Sweet corn 3. Pineapples 4. Avocado 5. Asparagus 6. Sweet peas 7. Mangoes 8. Eggplants 9. Cantaloupe (domestic) 10.Kiwi 11.Cabbage 12.Watermelon 13.Sweet potatoes 14.Grapefruit 15.Mushrooms Pesticides on produce Conventional farmers use an arsenal of pesticides to protect their crops from insects, bacteria, rodents, molds, and fungi. These substances can end up in the food supply. Washing and peeling fruit and vegetables can lower pesticide residues, but not necessarily. When the USDA tests for pesticides, they wash and peel fruit the same way a typical consumer would. The National Institute of Environmental Health Servicesacknowledges that scientists do not have a full understanding of the health risks associated with exposure to agricultural pesticide residues through food, soil, water, or air. They also report that farmers who use pesticides experience an increase in neurological symptoms and that the harmful effects on children are greater than on adults. Recent studies indicate that pregnant women should also be careful of their exposure to pesticides. Three studies published in 2011 in the Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives suggest pesticide exposure can harm the developing fetal brain. Organic vs. conventional produce Organic produce is grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. However, organics can be harder to find and prohibitively expensive. If you are concerned about consuming pesticides, the EWG's dirty dozen and clean fifteen lists can help you make the safest and most affordable choices.

living in the cosmic swirl, going round and round, singing my song, Dancing my dance... Stompingelk,

RETURN TO FREEDOM
BY

Spellcaster

OH LADY OF THE MOON WHO WHO WALKS THE RIVER OF STARS LET ME NOT BE AN OCEAN APART FROM YOU, BUT JOIN YOU TO BE A STAR WALKER ALWAYS. I HEED YOUR CALLING EVEN NOW AS I REMEMBER NOW IN THE OCEAN OF DREAMS OF YOUR PROMISE TO GUIDE ME, BLESS ME, AND LOVE ME ALWAYS. OH GREAT SATYAWAN BLESS ME AND NURTURE MY SPIRIT TO BE ONE FREE TO LOVE AND SPREAD LOVE & LIGHT TO ALL BEINGS ON EARTH AND OTHER REALMS. I KNOW WE ARE ALL BUT CHILDREN IN TIME SLEEPING ON A DREAMING CLOUD OF TIME AND LIVES PAST. I REACH OUT WITH ARMS OUTSTRETCHED TO EMBRACE MY QUEST SET BEFORE ME TO TOUCH THE SKY TO RETURN TO FREEDOM. THANK YOU O GRACIOUS LADY OF THE MOON FOR LOVING AND GUIDING ME. SPELLCASTER 6-20-2011

The Moons Influence

BY Blazing

Eagletree

AS THE MOON GOES ALONG HER WAY ,SHE MAGICALLY APPEARS AND DISAPPEARS,WAXING TO FULL FROM THE BAREST SLIVER OF A CRESCENT JUST AFTER SHES NEW THEN WANING BACK TO HER INVISIBLE NEW PHASE AGAIN.THE FOUR QUARTERS -----THE NEW MOON--THE SECOND QUARTER----THE FULL MOON---AND THE FORTH QUARTER THEY ALL CORRESPOND TO THE GROWTH CYCLE OF EVERY LIVING THING THE QUARTERS THE FIRST QUARTER -----THIS PHASE BEGINS WHEN THE MOON AND THE SUN ARE CONJUNCT ONE ANOTHER IN THE SKY.AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PHASE THE MOON IS INVISABLE ,HIDDEN BY THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE SUN AS THEY TRAVEL TOGATHER.THE MOON IS OFTEN SAID TO BE IN HER ( DARK PHASE ) WHEN SHE IS JUST NEW.THE NEW MOON CANT ACTUALLY BE SEEN UNTILL 5 TO 12 HOURS AFTER BIRTH.TOWARDS THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER PHASE ,AS THE MOON PULLS FARTHER AWAY FROM THE SUN AND SHE BEGINS TO WAX TOWARD THE SECOND QUARTER STAGE A DELICATE SILVER CRESCENT APPEARS .THIS TIME CORRESPONDS TO ALL NEW BEGIININGS THIS IS THE BEST TIME TO BEGIN A PROJECT. THE SECOND QUARTER-------THE SECOND QUARTER BEGINES WHEN THE MOON HAS MOVED 90 DEGREES AWAY FROM THE SUN.AT THIS POINT THE WAXING MOON RISES AT ABOUT NOO AND SETS AROUND MIDNIGHT.ITS AT THIS TIME SHE CAN BE SEEN WESTERN SKY DURING THE EVENING HOURS ,GROWING IN SIZEFROM A CRESCENT TO HER FULL BEAUTY.THIS PERIOD CORRESPONDS TO THE DEVOLPMENT AD GROWTH OF LIFE AND TO PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING CLOSE TO FRUITION. THE THIRD QUARTER --------THIS PHASE BEGINS WITH THE FULL MOON ,WHEN THE SUN AND MOON ARE OPPOSITE ONE ANOTHER IN THE SKY.ITSNOW THAT SHE CAN BE SEEN RISING IN THE EAST AT SUNSET,A BITLATER EACH NIGHT AS THIS PHASE PROGRESSES.THIS TIME CORRESPONDES TO THE CULMINATION OF PLANS AND TO MATURITY. THE FOURTH QUARTER-------THIS PHASE OCCURES WHEN THE MOON HAS MOVED 90 DEGREES PAST THE FULL PHASE.SHE IS DECREASSING IN LIGHT RISES AT MIDNIGHT AND CAN BE SEEN NOW IN THE EASTERN SKY DURING THE PRE-DAWN HOURS.SHE DOESNT REACH THE HIGHEST POINT IN THE SKY UNTIL VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING.THIS PERIOD CORRESPONDES TO DISINTERGRATION-- A SYMBLOIC DRAWING BACK TO REFLECTON WHATS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.ITS NOW TIME TO REORGANIZE CLEAR THE BOARDS AND PLAN FOR THE NEXT NEW MOON STGE .

BLAZING EAGLETREE

Celebrating the Sabbats as a Vegan; Lammas/Lughnassadh

By AprilRain

This is the best time of year for a pagan vegan to celebrate. All of the hard labor and waiting has finally paid off with the first harvest of the year. Right now the wheat is ready to be harvested. Fruit and berries are ripe and ready to be enjoyed. This is a time to be thankful that last years harvest sustained your family until now and thankful to the Goddess that she has blessed each and every one of us with Earthly abundance. I practice my spiritual path as a solitary, so sabbats, at least for me, dont really require a whole lot of cooking. However, I do like to make enough food to feed the household. Below I will list recipes for the meal that I intend on making for Lammas/Lughnassadh. I will do the same for each sabbat. Included for each will be one main dish, one side dish, bread & a dessert. I am going to try my best to stick to foods that are locally available during that time of year. By this I mean, foods that are grown and available during that time, trying to stick to traditional meals. However, due to my diet restrictions and the wonderful foods now available to us through giant grocery stores, this might not always be reflected in each dish. Also, depending on where you are located some foods may not be available. Please feel free to adjust the recipes to suit your dietary needs or to add/remove any foods that you feel are/are not right for your own sabbat. I do recommend trying to stick to local foods, if not only for the sake of tradition but for the sake of saving the planet. A smaller carbon footprint! YAY! Also, consider buying organic if you can, they are better for you AND the environment. Also, please keep in mind that this is a wonderful time to practice kitchen witchery. Consider magical correspondences for each food item & you can infuse the food with your intentions (make sure you only infuse your portion!) and keep meditating on that intention while making and even while eating it! Often in our busy schedules these days this is the only time we get spend with deity during the day, make the most of it!

Ok, now on to the yummy stuff. The recipes I provide will be for the main meal of the day; however I do have suggestions for foods you can prepare throughout the day. For breakfast fruit pancakes (such as apples or peaches) with maple syrup are super yummy. Lunch can include something like zucchini fries with marinara sauce. Or fried eggplant with marinara served with garlic bread! YUM. Also, corn is ripe these days & corn on the cob is a perfect side vegetable. If youd rather not have something fried, a simple pasta salad or tomato sandwich (there is decent vegan mayo out there! YAY! Or you can try adding lettuce and Lightlifes Smart Bacon for a BLT that is to die for) both are super easy and very good too.

On to the feast! THE RECIPES: Barley Stuffed Bell Peppers adapted from - http://innocentprimate.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/stuffedbell-peppers/#print

Ingredients: yellow onion, finely diced 1 carrot, peeled and diced 1 medium tomato, diced cup frozen corn cup frozen peas 1 to 2 slices of bread, cubed (you can use herb bread or regular white bread up to you) 1 to 1 cups of barley (if you dont like barley, you can use rice or beans) 1 head of broccoli chopped into small florets Salt and pepper to taste 1 TBSP fresh herbs such as sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, etc. You can adjust this to preference, but I recommend you keep it simple and dont mix too many. 4 medium sized bell peppers any color (one of each makes great presentation, but then you have to fight over who gets what color!)

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) and mix all ingredients except bell pepper in a bowl. Cut the top off of the peppers & scoop out the white seeds and flesh, dont obsess over making it 100% perfect. If you want you can keep the tops to cook on top of the pepper, or set aside to eat the little edible bits on a salad. Yum! Or you can give it to your pet bunny or as an offering to the Goddess. In a large pot of boiling water, parboil the peppers until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and dry on paper towels. Stuff the peppers with your filling mix, and place them into a baking dish. Add just enough water to cover the bottom, around 1/8 of an inch deep. Bake. They are done when the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through, approximately 25 minutes. If you have any left over filling you can also bake that like you would stuffing. I have mixed in a tomato sauce base with a some success to make it more traditional.

Tomato & Cucumber salad with basil Ingredients: 4 tomatoes (Roma, on-the-vine or cherry tomatoes mix for an awesome display!) 1 medium cucumber cup fresh basil tsp agave syrup 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil Fresh ground black pepper Directions: Slice the tomatoes into quarters and then into halves. Place them in a medium bowl. If organic or home grown, just slice up the cucumber and add to the salad, if store bought, peel first.

In a smaller separate bowl whisk wet ingredients (or alternatively place in a Tupperware container and shake) until well mixed. You can either use whole basil leaves or chop it up. Mix in with the tomatoes. Pour dressing over top, sprinkle with vinegar & enjoy!

Cornbread Adapted from - http://www.food.com/recipe/moist-vegan-cornbread-219754 Another note: In this and the next recipe I use agave syrup. If you are unfamiliar with this, it is a sweetener derived from the agave plant. It has been praised a lot lately in local media due to its low glycemic index and its ability to be absorbed by diabetic people making it a safer alternative to sugar. I also used EnerG as an egg replacement. This is binding agent made from potato starch. Ingredients: 1/3 cup maple or agave syrup (or more if this is a dessert bread, Ive even mixed agave & honey with AWESOME results 1/3 cup each) 1/3 cup canola oil 1 egg, I use EnerG(follow the instructions on the box) you can also use ground flaxseeds mixed with water. 1 cup plain almond, soy, or other milk alternative 1 cup whole wheat flour (or regular whole purpose flour) 1 cup self rising cornmeal (OR 1 cup cornmeal and 1 TBSP baking powder) 1 tsp kosher salt (table salt will do also) Directions: Heat the oven to 350F (175C). Stir the first four ingredients together. Whisk all dried ingredients together. Mix wet and dry ingredients together and pour into a greased 9x9 square baking pan & bake for about 30 minutes. If using a loaf pan or cupcakes shorten the time to about 25 minutes. Test with a toothpick, done when it comes out clean. Tip: I have sprinkled blackberries & blueberries on top and baked it. Had to cook a touch bit longer, but came out AWESOME.

Peach Blackberry Crisp Ingredients: 3 cups of blackberries (preferably fresh) rinsed 1 cup peaches (frozen or fresh) peeled, pitted & cut into wedges 8 Tbsp sweetener divided (I used agave syrup) c oatmeal c pecans chopped up in a food processor pretty small Pinch of salt 4 TBSP flour (all purpose, whole wheat whatever I used half & half of those two) 4 TBSP of margarine (vegan margarine such as Earth Balance is awesome) 1 TSP Vanilla extract 1 TBSP cornstarch Water (if using fresh blackberries)

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) Place blackberries & peaches in a medium sauce pan & half the sweetener. Mix the cornstarch and water up really well (I usually put it in a Tupperware container and shake it) and add it to the blackberries & peaches, turn on medium heat. The idea is you want these to cook down a little and thicken up some; the juices should also be clear when done. This will take about 5-10 minutes, but it varies, so watch it & stir often! (If using frozen blackberries then thaw and use the liquid from them to mix with the cornstarch in place of the water or it will be watery. Then cook down like above). Place in oven safe casserole dish. Chop up 1 TBSP of margarine into chunks and sprinkle it on top of the fruit. Mix all of the dry ingredients up. You can add less oats or pecans if you so choose, I add a lot because I like them.

Add the margarine & vanilla in and mix (with your hand or in a food processor if it is easier) until everything is crumbly then sprinkle it on top of the fruit. From here, I take the remaining amount of sweetener and drizzle it over the top of the crisp & bake until bubbly and browned. Timing varies; Id say 15 minutes at the least, 30-45 at the most, you will just have to keep an eye on it. If not browned enough you can probably turn the broiler on for a minute or two, just keep in mind this might not crisp up QUITE like it would if there was brown sugar in it. If you think its not done inside, but worried about it browning too much on top cover with aluminum foil and continue baking until bubbly. I hope all of you have a wonderfully blessed Lammas/Lughnassadh! If you have any questions or comments please dont hesitate to send me a message & I will answer them as well as I can.

Paganopolis
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Craft Class For Beginners

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40 Day Spiritual Birthday Cycle

BY Rev

Carol A.ingle (Raven)

By Maria Shaw I just celebrated another birthday. So have many of my friends. I seem to have lots of friends born in June and July. So I thought I would write an article about how to recognize and work your personal 40 Day spiritual cycles that begins on your birthday each year. There are many references in the Bible about a 40 day cycle. Jesus fasted for 40 days in the mountains. He ascended after 40 days. Noah was safe on his ark for 40 days of rainfall. Obviously, Lent is 40 days long. From an astrological standpoint, there are nine 40 day spiritual cycles within a year, which are designed to help us recognize our strengths and weaknesses, complete soul missions and experiences and become more enlightened. You may want to save this article in your files so you will be aware of the cycles when they start the day of your upcoming birthday. Here are the cycles and what to expect during each: Your Birthday Day 40 after your birthday - Cycle #1 This cycle is very good for new beginnings. It has much to do with your goals and ideas. It is a time to prepare and plan. The emphasis is on "YOU" and what you hope for in the future. It's similar to a period much like the New Year when you make resolutions. During this period, you should be making preparations for the things you want to manifest over the course of the year. On a mundane level, let's say you want a new job. This is the time you would start preparing by updating a resume, talking to potential employers or looking into educational classes to enhance your background. Day 41 to 80 - Cycle #2 During this period, you will begin self-improvement goals. You have a very powerful period here to project what you want to achieve. This is also the time to make positive changes as the universe is working with you. You have the ability; drive and determination to make the changes you seek, happen. Day 81 to 120 - Cycle #3 During this period, your relationships may evolve. Some may end and new ones may take their place. Be very aware of the people who enter your life during this phrase, as they could be quite beneficial in some sort of growth, learning experience or enlightenment. Even the challenging relationships give you a chance for spiritual growth. This is a wonderful time for growth and embracing new experiences that enrich and shape your attitude, perception and life.

Day 121 to 160 - Cycle #4 This cycle gives you the opportunity to lay a solid foundation with the projects you have already begun. You can strengthen the relationships you are in and also the goals you are working toward will become more concrete. You will also let go of things, people and situations that are no longer valid in your life. Day 161 to 200 - Cycle #5 You will have a lot of will power to create the type of life you want. This is the perfect time to strengthen any weak areas of life. You will recognize what needs to be done and how best to do it. Your will power is strong. You feel confident and up the challenges. Day 201 to 240 - Cycle #6 Many of your goals will be highlighted. Different parts of your life will become illuminated so you can clearly see what is working and what's not. This is a time for great expansion and accomplishment. You will let go and allow spirit to work through you more than ever. This is a period in which your faith in God is very strong. Day 241 to 280 - Cycle #7 You become very aware of who you are and where you are going. It's as if a light bulb goes off in your head and you see things as they truly are, not just as merely wish they could be. Things fall into place. Karma happens. Fate takes over. Destiny is the name of the game now. You may also become very social and meet many new people on your path. It's a very good time to meet up with members of your soul group as well. Day 281 to 320 - Cycle #8 From the tests and challenges you face, you will grow spiritually. You see things in a new light and embrace change. If you allow yourself to look at pressure from a spiritual vantage point and understand how it helping you grow, this could be a most productive time. This is the best time for spiritual truths to be revealed. However, you could feel more challenges during this period too. Day 321 - Cycle #9 This is the day of real "knowing". Your spiritual side is very strong and open. Your third eye is open. This may be a very emotional day. You will realize your strengths, weaknesses, limitations and goals. You will also have much insight into your life path. The five remaining days in the calendar before your birthday are meant to be days of rest before your next solar return, in which you will set new goals for the year. There will be new themes and new journeys as you begin your solar return on or within a day of your birthday.

On Relationships
By Davey Dunbar
Having relationships without barriers, ones in which we can be entirely open with our feelings, is something many of us desire. At the same time, the possibility of such intimacy causes us more fear than almost any other situation in life. If we examine what frightens us, we'll usually find that we are attempting to hide an aspect of our personalities that we are ashamed of, an aspect we sometimes haven't even admitted to ourselves. We don't want others to know of our insecurities, our pain, or our neediness, so we simply refuse to expose them. We may imagine that if no one knows about our imperfections, those imperfections will cease to exist. This is the point where our relationships stop. Anyone who enters our lives will not get past the point at which our secrets begin. To maintain intimacy in a relationship, it is essential that we acknowledge our defects and accept them. When we do, the fortress of denial, erected to keep these things hidden, will come crashing down, enabling us to build up our relationships with others...

GODS WILL BY Davey Dunbar

God's will most often happens in spite of us, not because of us. We may try to second guess what God has in mind for us, looking, searching, hypervigilant to seek God's will as though it were a buried treasure, hidden beyond our reach. If we find it, we win the prize. But if we're not careful, we miss out. That's not how it works. We may believe that we have to walk on eggshells, saying, thinking, and feeling the right thing, while forcing ourselves somehow to be in the right place at the right time to find God's will. But that's not true. God's will for us is not hidden like a buried treasure. We do not have to control or force it. We do not have to walk on eggshells in order to have it happen. It is right there inside and around us. It is happening, right now. Sometimes, it is quiet and uneventful and includes the daily disciplines of responsibility and learning to take care of ourselves. Sometimes, it is healing us when we're in circumstances that trigger old grieving and unfinished business. Sometimes, it is grand. We do have a part. We have responsibilities, including caring for ourselves. But we do not have to control God's will for us. We are being taken care of. We are protected. And the Power caring for and protecting us loves us very much. If it is a quiet day, trust the stillness. If it is a day of action, trust the activity. If it is time to wait, trust the pause. If it is time to receive that which we have been waiting for, trust that it will happen clearly and with power, and receive the gift in joy. *from the book the language of letting go*

Manifestation and Banishment majick

By

Sapphire

Manifestation : Using your will to make something happen Banishment : Using your will to make something go away. When witches and energy workers start their training they immediately learn two things. The first one is the theology and practice of the craft in which they are learning. The second is how to raise their self-esteem. You can't work great magick if you don't believe in spirit or your self. You can buy every book, Cd's,Magickal journals,along with an abundance of supplies and tools for the craft but they won't amount to anything if you constantly doubt yourself and your abilities. You must also understand the basics of making the magick first. magick represents your efforts in pushing and pulling energies. You push the negative energies away from you and pull the positive energies toward you. Witches and Energy workers begin using two kinds of positive magick manifesting and banishing. Here are some examples of manifestation magicks. You use this form of magick in spells like healing/health, prosperity,luck, and many others. Visualization is also used in both banishing and manifesting. When you are raising energy you visualize the colors and the shapes that you want the energies to be. For example for healing energy some start out "seeing" a small circular shape that is gold, blue,or white. You might see others but these are the most common ones and by visualizing this you'll be able to perform the spell for healing much easier then just saying the incantation or chant alone.
Now on to banishing. Whether you are just beginning the craft or have been practicing for many years at one time or another you will run into negative energy. This type of energy can show up as many different things. Here are a few examples of the negative energies that can take place. Money trouble,unusual negative feelings,even unexpected and unwanted spirits.

Money troubles aren't always the cause of negative energy but if your are having more then usual then that could be the problem. Below is a technique that you can use at anytime and not just for spell craft. You can use this along with grounding and shielding to aid in your everyday life. This can be done inside or outside what ever works best for you. If you are inside sit in a chair that is comfortable for you. If you are outside I would suggest having a blanket or a soft patch of grass to sit on. I've found that lotus position is ideal for this exercise. I also use this technique before and after any craft/energy work that I do.

Take a deep breath in and imagine the abundance of positive universal energy coming towards you. When you exhale imagine the negative aspects of your life leaving you and dispersing into the universe. Doing this for 5 or 15 minutes a day for about a week to start with you will begin to discover just how quick you will excel in your basic or advanced spell craft or any magickal working that you do. You will also start to feel better physically ,mentally, and emotionally. Each time you use this technique imagine the positive energies coming closer to you until you can feel it washing over you in waves. With each breath you exhale push the negativity away from you and out into the universe where it will simply "go away". This will leave you more energized and ready to take on the day. Keep a journal to track your progress. Note the changes that are happening and notice your environment. I have been keeping one since I started and this has helped me in many aspects. I would love to hear from you when you start this particular exercise just leave your comments below and I'll try to respond with in 24 hrs.

Thank You Sapphire.

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Enchanted Forest News

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Creating Groups
At the Enchanted Forest we try and maintain an "open policy" with this is mind we ask that all Groups created by members are created and open for all - No groups should be set to private. Thank you all for your continued support and input in the Forest. And to be sure is not another group of the same topic..many groups have been here long time and have gathered all sorts of information and we like to utilize them as much as possible.. So before putting one together check through to make sure is not another.. And when putting a group together ..please have info ready or discussions along with picks..have noticed some groups get started ..but without info or description or any discussions..we usually wait a week to give person time to do so..then if nothing is added ..will usually remove the group.. We try to keep them active and share the contents of these groups with members plus we always have new people coming in..also helps to make sure these groups are updated.

How to make your own Insence

By Roze Mistdancer

Making your own incense can be rewarding. Imagine, being able to customize the fragrance of your incense to fill your home with your personal favorite smell. Incense also make a great gift, especially if it is customized to the interests of the gift receiver.

Instructions
Things You'll Need

Mortar and pestle Sandalwood Ingredients of your choice (vanilla, clove, cassia, etc.) Makko powder Warm water Essential oils (optional)

Use a mortar and pestle to grind your ingredients into a powder. Mix 1/2 cup sandalwood powder with 1 cup of your desired ingredient powder. Add 1 cup of Makko powder. Add in a small amount of warm water to form into a dough. Add essential oils to your wet incense dough to create a stronger scent, if desired. Knead until it is workable to shape into a stick or cone, however you prefer to burn incense. Let dry and place in incense burner

MoonDancers Curiosities
Please contact us at r.haynes@moondancerscuriosities.com or
(570) 447-0487 Please leave a message
This is a picture of the first candle carved for a customer. Candles can be carved to your picture or can be painted. All our pillar candles are poured and carved. This candle is 3 around and approximately 9 high. Candles can be poured to different sizes . The basic pour cost is $5.99 USD*

The cost of carving is additional, please ask for an estimate of what you would like to have carved on it. All artwork is subject to your approval before carving.

Votive candles can also be poured in single colours or multiple colours , also with scent for each layer of colour or single scent for the entire candle.
Votive candles are $1.25 USD*

All candles are hand-dipped/ poured. Candles can be dipped to be 4, 6 or 8 taper candles . 4 Tapers are $ .50 US D* 6 Tapers are $1.00 USD* 8 Tapers are $1.50 USD* Larger candles will be priced according to size
Our current scents include (with new scents being created by our family as we create new candles): Beltane Mulberry Cinnamon Rose Jasmine Unscented Lavender Ocean Coconut Mint

*Shipping is additional based on weight of order.

Shielding protection for the strongly Empathic

By Rev Carol,Ingle (Raven)

The psychic shield this meditation creates will allow you, when it is activated, to filter out strong emotions that can be disorienting or even draining. To start, sit or lie comfortably, and calm your breathing. Feel your body coming to rest. Now, take an extra-deep breath and begin building a mental shield around yourself. Feel layer upon layer building up, wrapping itself around you in a warm protective coating. Feel the shield becoming translucent, even porous. Let it become a part of you, and then visualize yourself reaching out a hand to touch the shield, seeing a static pulse appear under your fingers. Know that when any strong emotions come toward you they will be vaporized in a similar pulse. Let the shield damp itself down, remaining dormant until needed. To activate at any time, visualize the shield powering up around you like a force field brought back to life.

Magick Cat Collar Charm

From the Mystical cat group
By AutumnLight
What you need: 1 yellow candle 1 candle holder matches/lighter 1 Amethyst stone (fairly small) 1 Brown collar apple, peach or lavender oil 5 silver paper clips or jewlery wrapping wire Needle-Noses Pliers

This spell should be done during the waxing moon. Prepare your space for casting, invite your cat into your circle. Light the candle. Take four of the five paper clips and bend them all out as straight as possible (use the needle-nosed pliers). If useing jewlery wire cut off enough to wrap around your stone. More to start with is always better, you can always trim the excess off. Now take the paperclips/jewlery wire and wrap the stone just as you would in making a crystal pendent, making sure to create a loop at the top. This is where you will attach the last paper clip through to afix it on the collar. Chant the following while doing this:

This collar charm I have made by my hand, shall protect my cat-------(insert name), all evil shall be banned far away from my feline friend. It will keep him/her in good health and always loved as it is a source of good luck that is always watching from above. No harm shall ever come to my cat-------(insert name). My will be done, with harm to none, So mote it be!

Anoint the charm and the collar with the oil you have chosen. Attach the wrapped stone to the collar useing the 5th paper clip to do so.

p.s. if your cat is an inside and outside cat, you might want to lightly coat the charm with jewlery glue to fix it secrurly, so it doesn't get hung on anything and the stone fall out. Elmers glue works well too.

Organic pesticide for Herbs

By Soaring Eaglespirit

Growing your own organic herbs is a wonderful way to provide fresh tasting and healthy meals for your family. But, keeping insects away from your plants without using harsh chemicals can be a challenge. Organic pesticides are a safe and effective way of preserving your herbs from insect predators without the worries of chemicals.
Neem Oil

Neem oil is one of the most potent pesticides available. The oil from a neem leaf contains over 50 different pest-killing chemicals, making it difficult for insects to build up a tolerance to the oil. However, it is important to note that neem oil does take time to work. Neem oil causes insects to stop eating and mating. Over time, the insects will begin to die off and not reproduce. Be sure to allow several weeks for neem oil to take full effect.

You can make a neem oil spray by adding 1 oz. of neem oil to a gallon of water. Mix well and apply to plants using a spray container. Be sure to reapply several times a week, especially after a rain shower or watering your garden.
Onion, Jalapeo Peppers and Garlic

Another commonly used combination for ridding your herb garden of insects is onion, jalapeno peppers and garlic. It is important to test the mixture in a small area of the garden first and to reapply it after watering or a rain shower. Make the mixture by combining 1 onion, 3 to 4 jalapeno peppers, 2 cloves of garlic and 2 tbsp. of dish soap in a blender until liquefied. Stir the blended mixture into a gal. of water and pour it into spray bottle.
Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum contains the chemical pyrethrum, which is toxic to an insect's nervous system, making it an effective organic pesticide. Plant chrysanthemums near your herb garden or create an organic pesticide that can be sprayed directly on your herbs.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/220171-organic-pesticides-for-her...

Tarot Teacher To The Site

Hermotimus

We at the Enchanted Forest are delighted and honoured to have Hermotimus in the post of Tarot Teacher to the Enchanted Forest. Hermotimus has been doing Professional Readings since 1975 (35 years) and has taught 5 tarot card reading classes in person (IRL) and 12 classes on line in the last 15 years. He will also be available to answer questions and offer guidance in the Tarot Group http://enchantedforrest.ning.com/group/thelearningtarotandsharinggroup

CLASSES RUN ON A WEEKLY BASIS

Susun Weeds Monthly class on the Forest

2011 schedule of Chats with Susun Weed ~ Third Monday of every month ~ Feb 14 - Mullein March 21 - Comfrey April 18 - Dandelion May 23 - Violet June 20 - Red Clover July 18 - Wild Greens August 15 - Wild Mushrooms Sept 19 - Kelp / Seaweed Oct 17 - Oatstraw Nov 21 - Poke Root Dec 19 - Burdock
Ten Top Tips for Avoiding the Flu
1. Wash your hands. (Rub briskly under hot running water for at least 30 seconds.) 2. Don't use antibacterial soaps. (They encourage the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.) 3. Drink lots of fluids. (Especially hot herbal antibacterial teas such as sage, thyme, rosemary.) 4. Start your day with a cup of cool yogurt or hot miso soup. (Both encourage strong immunity.) 5. Make nourishing soups with the immune-enhancing roots astragalus and eleutherococcus.* 6. Spray your nasal passages with a saline solution or a xylitol rinse. (Kills viral particles.) 7. Be wary of diets that radically alter what you eat. (They tend to depress the immune system.) 8. Eat well-cooked leafy greens like kale, collards, and mustard greens. (Strengthens immunity.) 9. Add lots of arugula and watercress to your salad. (They're antiviral.) 10. Eat garlic. (Even powdered, even cooked.) Eat ginger. (Or drink it.)

If you do get the flu, elder berry (Sambucus nigra) tincture or syrup may shorten its stay. Green blessings Susun S. Weed

Countering Stress and Depression

By the Dalai lama

Posted By

Breeze

At a fundamental level, as human beings, we are all the same; each one of us aspires to happiness and each one of us does not wish to suffer. This is why, whenever I have the opportunity, I try to draw people's attention to what as members of the human family we have in common and the deeply interconnected nature of our existence and welfare. Today, there is increasing recognition, as well as a growing body of scientific evidence, that confirms the close connection between our own states of mind and our happiness. On the one hand, many of us live in societies that are very developed materially, yet among us are many people who are not very happy. Just underneath the beautiful surface of affluence there is a kind of mental unrest, leading to frustration, unnecessary quarrels, reliance on drugs or alcohol, and in the worst case, suicide. There is no guarantee that wealth alone can give you the joy or fulfilment that you seek. The same can be said of your friends too. When you are in an intense state of anger or hatred, even a very close friend appears to you as somehow frosty, or cold, distant, and annoying. However, as human beings we are gifted with this wonderful human intelligence. Besides that, all human beings have the capacity to be very determined and to direct that strong sense of determination in whatever direction they like. So long as we remember that we have this marvellous gift of human intelligence and a capacity to develop determination and use it in positive ways, we will preserve our underlying mental health. Realizing we have this great human potential gives us a fundamental strength. This recognition can act as a mechanism that enables us to deal with any difficulty, no matter what situation we are facing, without losing hope or sinking into feelings of low self-esteem. I write this as someone who lost his freedom at the age of 16, then lost his country at the age of 24. Consequently, I have lived in exile for more than 50 years during which we Tibetans have dedicated ourselves to keeping the Tibetan identity alive and preserving our culture and values. On most days the news from Tibet is heartbreaking, and yet none of these challenges gives grounds for giving up. One of the approaches that I personally find useful is to cultivate the thought: If the situation or problem is such that it can be remedied, then there is no need to worry about it. In other words, if there is a solution or a way out of the difficulty, you do not need to be overwhelmed by it. The appropriate action is to seek its solution. Then it is clearly more sensible to spend your energy focussing on the solution rather than worrying about the problem. Alternatively, if there is no solution, no possibility of resolution, then there is also no point in being worried about it, because you cannot do anything about it anyway. In that case, the sooner you accept this fact, the easier it will be for you. This formula, of course, implies directly confronting the problem and taking a realistic view. Otherwise you will be unable to find out whether or not there is a resolution to the problem Taking a realistic view and cultivating a proper motivation can also shield you against feelings of fear and anxiety. If you develop a pure and sincere motivation, if you are motivated by a wish to help on the basis of kindness, compassion, and respect, then you can carry on any kind of work, in any field, and function more effectively with less fear or worry, not being afraid of what others think or whether you ultimately will be successful in reaching your goal. Even if you fail to achieve your goal, you can feel good about having made the effort. But with a bad motivation, people can praise you or you can achieve goals, but you still will not be happy.

Again, we may sometimes feel that our whole lives are unsatisfactory, we feel on the point of being overwhelmed by the difficulties that confront us. This happens to us all in varying degrees from time to time. When this occurs, it is vital that we make every effort to find a way of lifting our spirits. We can do this by recollecting our good fortune. We may, for example, be loved by someone; we may have certain talents; we may have received a good education; we may have our basic needs provided for - food to eat, clothes to wear, somewhere to live - we may have performed certain altruistic deeds in the past. We must take into consideration even the slightest positive aspect of our lives. For if we fail to find some way of uplifting ourselves, there is every danger of sinking further into our sense of powerlessness. This can lead us to believe that we have no capacity for doing good whatsoever. Thus we create the conditions of despair itself. As a Buddhist monk I have learned that what principally upsets our inner peace is what we call disturbing emotions. All those thoughts, emotions, and mental events which reflect a negative or uncompassionate state of mind inevitably undermine our experience of inner peace. All our negative thoughts and emotions - such as hatred, anger, pride, lust, greed, envy, and so on - are considered to be sources of difficulty, to be disturbing. Negative thoughts and emotions are what obstruct our most basic aspiration - to be happy and to avoid suffering. When we act under their influence, we become oblivious to the impact our actions have on others: they are thus the cause of our destructive behaviour both toward others and to ourselves. Murder, scandal, and deceit all have their origin in disturbing emotions. This inevitably gives rise to the question - can we train the mind? There are many methods by which to do this. Among these, in the Buddhist tradition, is a special instruction called mind training, which focuses on cultivating concern for others and turning adversity to advantage. It is this pattern of thought, transforming problems into happiness that has enabled the Tibetan people to maintain their dignity and spirit in the face of great difficulties. Indeed I have found this advice of great practical benefit in my own life.

A great Tibetan teacher of mind training once remarked that one of the minds most marvellous qualities is that it can be transformed. I have no doubt that those who attempt to transform their minds, overcome their disturbing emotions and achieve a sense of inner peace, will, over a period of time, notice a change in their mental attitudes and responses to people and events. Their minds will become more disciplined and positive. And I am sure they will find their own sense of happiness grow as they contribute to the greater happiness of others. I offer my prayers that everyone who makes this their goal will be blessed with success.

The Dalai Lama December 31, 2010 Originally published in the Hindustan Times, India, on January 3rd, 2011

By Breeze

Life By Breeze

~ There is no Challenge more challenging than the challenge to improve yourself ~

~ You have powers you never dreamed of. You can do things you never thought you could do. There are no limitations in what you can do except the limitations of your own mind ~

~ Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are. ~

~ The true measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience but how he stands at times of controversy and challenges ~

~ To be successful you must accept all challenges that come your way. You can't just accept the ones you like. ~

~ Never underestimate your problem or your ability to deal with it. ~ By

Breeze

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.

What you get by achieving your goal is not as important as what you become by achieving your goal.

Go as far as you can see, and when you get there you will see farther. Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, youll land amongst the stars.

An goal in life is the only fortune worth the finding; and it is not to be found in foreign lands, but in the heart itself. To solve a problem or to reach a goal, youdont need to know all the answers in advance. But you must have a clear idea of the problem or the goal you want to reach.

By

Breeze

Intuition Enhancing Stones and Crystals

By Soaring Eaglespirit

These stones and crystals will improve your intuition and awaken you to new information. Amazonite - Opens the third eye for intuition Amythest - Opens intuition and enhances psychic gifts Azurite - Stimulates the third eye: Facilitates psychic development, spiritual guidance, and higher consciousness. Brings new perspectives and expands the mind. Bloodstone - Heightens intuition and increases creativity Calcite - Opens to higher awareness and psychic abilities, channeling, out of body experiences. Dioptase - Activates the spiritual attainment and psychic vision when placed on the third eye Emerald - Enhances psychic capabilities, opens clairvoyance Flourite - Heightens intuitive powers Herkimer Diamond - Stimulates psychic abilities such as clairvoyance, spiritual vision, and telepathy, linking to guidance from higher dimensions Lapis Luzili - Enhances dream work and psychic capabilities, facilitating spiritual journeying Malachite - Placed on the third eye, it activates visualization and psychic vision Moonstone Enhances psychic abilities and develops clairvoyance. Quartz - Enhances psychic abilities and tunes you to your spiritual purpose Sapphire - Stimulates psychic abilities Snowflake Obsidian - Sharpens inner and outer visions Turquoise - Enhances intuition

By Bill on May 21, 2011 - 7:30am http://www.shamanswell.org/shaman/intuition-enhancing-stones-and-cr...

Enchanted Forest Merchandise

All proceeds received from sales go to site fees

Several members have ordered items from our store and are very pleased with the quality of the merchandise. from the t-shirts, Hoodies, and even the Kool Coffee mugs so get yours now!!

Zazzle ships direct to you!!! Order now!

Be sure to check out our Enchanted Forest Store we have other items there Key chains, Bumper stickers, and you can choose your size when you order!! http://www.zazzle.com/enchanted_forest

We Guardians Of Hope
By Forest Fairy

We guardians of lands, old and between That are now only felt and rarely seen. The lands that require belief and faith; No longer connected, no longer safe, Many hold steadfast with hearts of love, For we know there's a 'tween from here and above. A land of enchantment with many a name, With many a creature who frolic with games. A pure love of nature connects the few With a bridge to the other to create anew A bond that transcends the folly of man, A bond secretely entwining two lands. Children of The Goddess from times untold, The shining Tuatha who entered this world All the way down to the wee garden fairy, The dryads, gnomes, dwarves, and sylphs so airy. All stewards of earth, our mother so fair, They tend to her daily with loving care. Now faded from sight, seperated by mist A great land of mystery so truly missed. Staunchly we stand, guardians of lore Keeping alive the enchantment from days before. Walking together down this path of light, We hold onto our hope with all our might. Blessed Be The Faery Children

Quotes
"People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost." ~~ H. Jackson Brown, Jr.~~
Love & Light,

Shari
Submitted by

MagickalPagan

The study of a simple rose blossom, blade of grass, veined leaf or the whistle of the wind through leafy trees will reveal as much if not more, concerning the true nature of magick than will a hundred dusty Renaissance tomes. From Earth Power (1983) by Scott Cunningham "Real Magick can never be made by offering up someone elses liver. You must tear out your own and not expect to get it back. The true Witches know that. From The Last Unicorn (1968) by Peter S. Beagle

Magick has power to experience and fathom things which are inaccessible to human reason. For magick is a great secret wisdom just as reason is a great public folly. Paracelsus (1493 - 1541)

Rights of parents concerning Religious upbringing of children

BY Rev Carol,Ingle (Raven)

Parents generally have the right to raise their children however they want, so long as that upbringing is not immediately and obviously a clear risk to the child. As such, parents cannot beat their children, no matter how much these think the child deserves the lesson or even that they think their faith calls for it. However, there is an increasingly large range of practices important to certain segments of the population but seen as dangerous by at least some outsiders. Circumcision is a fundamental part of Jewish faith, but it is also a medically unnecessary surgery. Jehovah Witnesses strongly resist blood transfusions, which can sometimes be the difference between life and death. When does the state step in to protect the parents? Who decides exactly where a child's rights are being violated? In some cases, even basic teachings have been questioned. A few years ago, a father in Indiana found himself being ordered not to expose his son to Wiccan teachings. This was not because his ex-wife objected (she herself was also Wiccan), but because the judge claimed it would confuse the child, who also attended Catholic school. (The school actually supported the father on the matter, and the ruling was eventually overturned). What about when parents teach blatant hate? What about when the "hate" is something like "homosexuality is an abomination in the eyes of God"? For me, I generally side for religious freedom and parental rights. If you think circumcision is a bad choice, offer education about it, but don't push for parents to be forced to agree. Potentially lethal issues are much more murky. As for teachings, I pretty much will always side with the parents, even when I find their teachings abhorrent. While children obviously are strongly influenced by their upbringing, they always have the option of choosing to reject it as an adult. And, quite frankly, I would want the same rights accorded to me.

Dont let day to day life preuent you from your spiritual growth.
By Crimson regret

The past two weeks have taken a lot away from me spiritually, but they have also taught me a lot spiritually. First I was dealing with last minute wedding plans, then enjoying the honeymoon, then I got the dreaded stomach virus. Fist off let me say what a way to ruin a honeymoon...after all what says romance more than two people taking turns in the bathroom and hoping no one goes in there for at least thirty minutes after you came out?

About 2 months ago I started aiming for my spiritual goals head on. I had never felt better in my life, and I still dont, but I know I am lacking and I have let life get in my way. I learned a lot from this experience though. I learned that nothing takes away from your spiritual goals more than just regular day to day life taking over. We can get so tired with just the average things we do in a day to maintain a household, taking care of kids, or dealing with a virus, that we forget what is important to us. Luckily I did maintain my devotionals with 365 Goddess and I honestly believe if I hadnt done that I may not be getting back in to my studies as quickly as I am. So I guess my point with this whole blog is, is that if we do need to step back and deal with day to day life for a few days, because of being overwhelmed if we at least keep up with our devotions, or at least some other activity that doesnt have to take long at all that keeps us connected to our deities, or our craft, then it is much easier to ease back into our goals, and reach them. I am really glad to be back on track, but I realize it is gonna take another week to get completely back on track.

Salt of the Earth Home Protection

BY Firewalker

It never hurts to have a little more magical protection for the home and Family theses days. I have used this spell and adapted it over and over around my home for a few years now. What I like about this spell is that it gives me an opportunity to bond and identify more with my craft working wile giving me a creative outlet at the same time. You can make or buy an item to hang up or display some were in your home and then dedicate it and charge it with protective energies. I make a pine and mistletoe wreath around the winter holidays every year and use a variation of this spell to bless and charge the house. I painted this Protection Painting and sprinkled some of my consecrated Sault into the wet paint. I then waited till the next new Moon and chosen hour and placed my alter in the North, casting my circle in my usual way. Calling upon the elements I then cleansed the painting starting with a sprinkle of salt from the North. In the East, I pass the painting through a sage and patchouli innocence. I then call upon Fire and pass the painting above my day candle (corresponding color for the day). I then sprinkle it with moon water wile calling upon the West. Now my painting is cleansed and ready for dedication and charging. I like to use Runes in a lot of my workings, and for this one I chose Othala , ( to represent the House, Home and Family) and Algiz, ( for defense, shielding, and to empower my object as a guardian). I meditate and chant my chosen Runes, visualizing my home and family surrounded with protective light. I then place my painting face down on my alter, and moving clockwise I sprinkle salt in a circle sayingSalt of earth, Guard this home, While Im here Or when I roam. Keep it safe, And all within, For good of all This bond begins. I make the circle of salt and say the chant 3 times, ending with a triumphant--So Mote it Be!!Mostly because its fun and how it makes me feel when I do it. I then go on to any other workings I have and close my circle in my usual way. I then put my item up or out for display, knowing it will do its part in watching and protecting my home.

Bells
by MagickalPagan

A symbol of creative force, it is said that to hear a bell ringing is to dissolve the limitations of ones existence in time. The bell is a passive, feminine principle that many cultures throughout history have worn as a magickal talisman, for it is regarded as protective, capable of warding off or banishing evil/negativity. Said to be particularity effective against the evil eye for it reflects the gaze back to its sender. In many religious doctrines, the bell is the divine voice that proclaims the truth, for sound is regarded as the primordial vibration of divine energy and to ring a bell unleashes vibrations which can cause a powerful effect according to its volume, tone and type of material it is made from. Ceremonially, it can be used to mark various stages (beginning and ending) of a ritual or also that of a spell. In some magickal traditions, the bell is used to call quarters because of its close link to the elemental forces. In fact bells have been used for centuries by magickians (mostly Chinese) to create or abate storms. In Buddhism, the ghanta (Sanskrit) together with the vajra (used to symbolize male principle) symbolize the perfect union of wisdom and compassion (respectively). Used in rituals or chanting, the ghanta is held in the left hand facing up and the vajra in the right hand facing down. The sound can be used as an offering. In some African based religious, bells along with dancing are used to invoke their Gods or Loas. Whatever you do remember the old saying that goes you cannot unring a bell once rung.

Wands
By LilWren

The Enchanted Forest,has allowed me to sell my wands ,in the safe keeping of the forest realm. To keep harmony of good will and honest terms,I myself will only be selling my wands on line,,and sending to those who wish to purchase from me.

##NEWSFLASH##
I have a small batch of special wands and talking sticks The wood is taken from the horrific storms we have had here with most of the wood being taken down by tornadoes. .. so they should be fired up with energy and have been laid out in the light of the full moon and the eclipse. These are special wands !!!! I would like to help the forest with the cost of the site fees with these creations, if someone donates money to the site for site fee costs I will be willing to sell the wand to them for $20 instead of the usual $25 plus postage and packaging. This is a BIG DISCOUNT I will put aside 5 willow and 5 maple pieces of wood for this special thing these are truly powerful tools !!! If you are interested and wish further details on my wands contact me on site

http://enchantedforrest.ning.com/profile/EinNOR

Energy Cleansing Techniques

By Whispr
Energy Cleansing Techniques This past month I have been traveling and working in different places. It has come to my attention that many people are unaware of ways to cleanse and protect their energies. So, this month Id like to concentrate on this important practice. This is something I teach in my five-day workshop. If you are psychically active or sensitive or work with people and their issues on a regular basis then this is probably one of the most important exercises to remember. We are all forgetful of this practice but like taking a shower in the morning or stopping at a red traffic light, remembering can save our skins. Here are a few ways to cleanse and protect yourself and your space.

1.The simplest way of cleansing is using thought. I always imagine light cleansing and protecting my personal space and the space I work in. I always say, No darkness can live in the light. Whenever you need cleansing either at the beginning of the day, before you go to bed, between clients, or when you enter a public space imagine light like a waterfall or a spotlight above your head showering down upon you and cleansing you all the way through your body on every level of your being. You will find a regular practice on this link. 2.Smudging is a good way of cleansing. Native Americans believe that sage takes negative energy up to spirit to be transformed. Personally I prefer to use a smudge stick made of sage rather than the loose leaves. Use a large feather to waft the smoking sage into your auric field and the space you in habit. Dried herbs are usually used but you can also use a fresh piece of sage and just move it through your auric field. 3.Incense can be used in the same way by burning a piece of charcoal and placing the herbs or resin on top. Once lit allow the charcoal disc to turn white before placing the incense on top. Also remember to place the charcoal in a fireproof container. I have a brass cauldron I like to use. There are many different kinds of incense but Copal is probably one of the best for cleansing. Again use a feather smudge stick to waft the energies into your auric field and your personal space. 4.Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Take a shower or a bath to cleanse energy. Salt such as Epsom salts are perfect in a bath. You can also use a salt scrub in the shower. Salt is a cleansing agent and is well know in the Craft as a protective agent.

5.Crystals can help protect and cleanse your energy. The most obvious one is quartz crystal, but I remember a lady coming to see me who wore a smoky quartz Vogel crystal. I couldnt get into her energy until Id asked permission of the crystal and it somehow checked my energy out. Amethyst is also a great cleanser if you work on a computer. Place a cluster on or need the computer to neutralize the electromagnetic energy it transmits. One the subject of computers you can also use plants to soak up the vibrations. 6.Although this is usually for grounding it feels like hugging a tree will help to protect you. 7.One day I watched a performance and felt some strange energy coming from one of the performers. I asked spirit to protect me. Immediately two people stood up in front of two either side of me, then someone came to stand behind me. I was protected from all sides. It is something so simple that we tend to forget but very powerful. So, if you feel that you need cleansing or protection just ask your guides for help. They might send a thunderstorm so just be careful what you ask for! 8.I use a wonderful gift from Aura Soma called the Serapis Bey Quintessence. It is in liquid form and cleanses both my auric field and my space. You can make a spray from water and aromatherapy oils such as rosemary, which is cleansing, lavender, also cleansing and protective, or any oil you intuitively feel will help diminish negative energy. 9.From a protective standpoint you can also use a blue bubble with lilac flames on its edges. These are the Guardian Angel colors so will help protect you or you space from harm. 10.Sound is an effective cleanser. Clapping your hands, using bells, chimes, crystal bowls, music, singing, anything that has a vibrational energy that can change stagnant energy helps. 11.Blessing is a simple way to cleanse and protect. You can say a blessing or prayer, you can bless water and infuse it with your light and healing and then drink it, or spritz with it or sprinkle it throughout your space. These are just a few suggestions to help give you some ideas of ways to cleanse and protect. I have some further information on the articles page. Youll find some energy exercises to help you if you work as healers, and a meditation to help bring in protective light, ground and center you for the day.

Letting your Light Shine

By Kate
Seeing Your Perfection We are each born into this world with unique gifts. Within us is a glimmer of the divine, a light that can potentially make the world a more beautiful place. But in many, that light lies dormant, snuffed out by fears and feelings of inadequacy. To spark it is to attract attention, face the possibility of rejection or the responsibility of success, and risk being labeled immodest. Yet when we undermine the light by hiding our aptitudes and quashing our dreams, we deny ourselves and others a wealth of experiences. Your abilities are a part of who you are and when you take pride in them, you affirm the love, esteem, and trust with which you view yourself. Moreover, as you express the light within, you grant others permission to do the same, freeing them to explore their own talents. For some, we are taught to hide our light from the world since childhood. Relatives caution us that the professions associated with our aptitudes are unattainable. Our peers may be envious of our skills and thus overly critical of the activities we instinctively enjoy. And authority figures admonish us to be humble and avoid showing off. But there is a vast chasm that separates those who let their light shine and those who seek only to draw attention to themselves. When you dare to share your light with the world, the beauty and perfection of your soul become clearly visible. You become a whole beingthe literal embodiment of your vast potential. Whether you are a wonderful dancer, a first-rate cook, quick with numbers, or a natural negotiator, youll come to understand that you do the world no favours when you hold yourself back. If you have hidden your light for so long that it has shrunk to an ember, make a list of everything you do well, however impractical, silly, or seemingly inconsequential. Then ask yourself how you can positively utilize those abilities in your daily life. The gifts you were born with were not granted to you arbitrarily. While you may never discover what impact your light has had on others, you can be certain that when you embrace your talents and share them with others, you will spread illumination in the world.

The Land of Task and Responsibilities

By Chay (Tyana)

The land of the tasks and obligations Since the little girl investigates her new world, she started to see how much the people around her suffer under all tasks and obligations. She didnt like it that they try to impose that to her. She saw how they learned little children to suppress the playfulness, and no longer enjoy of what they feel and want to do. They learned the children that they must do first what the parents, told them, what the church told them, what the teachers told them, and that they only can learn from them and books. When the children listen to that they gives the children a little space to play there own game, but also in that they were not really free. She saw how parents the children learn not to follow there own dreams, but to fulfill the dreams of the parents. Were the children first suffer off all the lessons they were learning, later, the burden becomes heavier by all the work they must do, and they forgotten how to play. And so they learned this children to remove them self of the light in them self, and they forget how they really are. However, some children continued to resist against the elderly, including the girl. Even the heaviest penalties were converted into a game. Sometimes she becomes confused by people with beautiful words who told her that everything was done for het and others welfare. And that it was their job, so the girl could let shine her light. However, if the girl looked to the people, she saw how desperate they extinguished the light in themselves. One day, the girl was so tired that she decided to go into the forest, and to connect herself with the beings who lived there, and whose light was as pure as her own light. At last she felt again the energy through her body, since she had again contact with beings that are not carried heavy coats around them to hide their light, and usurped the light of others When she was halfway through the forest, she saw an old man sitting on a tree stump. All creatures off the forest were collected around him. The girl enjoyed the group and listen to the stories what the men was telling and the questions that the others asked them.

Many of the questions of the creatures were about the humans just like her. Then the men look at her, and asked her if she had any questions. She looks deeply in the eyes of the men, and feels that he was different of them who she had meet in her own world. She asked him who he was and he answered: I am your true father and mother; I am the parents off all creatures of this planet. For a while the girl was quiet, but then she asked him, but if you are our parents, why do we have so many tasks, and so many obligations. Why is one more important than the other, and telling that he is handling in your name, when he actually tries to steal the light in the other or to dim the light? The man began to nicker, and asked the girl to sit with him. He asked her to look around to all the creatures that were there. He asked her if she saw one that was suffer in the things they were doing. The little girl looks around and saw how the creatures playfully make the things together. She saw how much joy they have, she feels the happiness of them, and her heart filled with love. She looks again to the men, and asked him, why cant we play on this way? The men told the little girl that in the beginning, they were playing on the same way as all the creatures she sees around her. A game of cooperation, joy and love with all what is on the planet. But then they created a new game. The game of separation and division. The game to forget all. The human started to gives all names. After that they started to gives values on the names and all shapes get a task. They forgot who started the game in time, so they blame him for it. And they used his name to force anyone to play the same game. So every human started to give a shape the name on the way they looked at it. So they created different words for the same shape. Then they started to value it. high low, positive- negative, above under. They separated all. For centuries they played this game, and they forget that it was only a game. But they started to see it as the only reality. A reality that ousted there own light, and the game was seen as duty and obligation. The girl asked him what her people must do to stop this game. He told her that everyone must look again to the names and values that they give on all. They all must remember again that all is part of the game, without any value in good or wrong. Only then the people dont experience it longer as task or obligations, but as a part that helps then to let shine their own light again. All the things what they sees in the game, are only the things that they recognized what they used to hide their own light. No longer will it dim the light of others. The little girl thanked him for his answers and asked him if she can come back when she had new questions. He answered her: You can see me in everything, and if you just asked if I will come to you, I will be there. Your own light will always recognize me. In what kind of shape I appeared

Copyright @ Nederland 2009 Gerda Verstraeten

By Chay (Tyana)

The Land of Task and Responsibilities

Earth Healing Gathering

W/ Ascention148

This group is for those wishing to share earth healing techniques and information about important events and who wish to add there energy to raising the vibration of the planet for the good of all

Come join us every full moon and we will all send healing Energy to Earth at one time a collective conscious activity to help Mother Earth and all those on it.

This group is for all people from all over the world to come "together" every MONTH to focus their energies for a common goal. It is also a place to share with each other HEALING TECHNIQUES and INFORMATION about important events.

THIS GROUP IS HERE TO ACTIVELY MAKE A CHANGE AND RAISE THE VIBRATION OF THE PLANET FOR THE GOOD OF ALL

The Universal laws of Attraction, Intention, and Allowance

By David

Now more than ever, must we practice the universal laws of Attraction, Intention and Allowance. The law of Allowance is the most difficult of the three but once you get a good hold on the first two this one will become more tolerable. We master these laws through conscious awareness. When we become consciously aware of our thoughts and witness the experiences they bring forth we are more in control of our lives. Being the observer of our thoughts is the first step in moving from victimhood to empowerment. When we clarify the quality of life and experiences we wish to have we will brings these into play through thoughts that attract the experiences we desire to have. I am speaking metaphysically here. We have for so long focused our attention on the (physical) external world; earthly pursuits, materialism, needs and so forth, while ignoring our spiritual nature. Well, to begin to focus on the natural aspect of our being, which is spirit, we must begin with thought. As a man thinketh so is he. Be ye transformed by the renewal of your mind. Working from the point of thought, feelings come into play. With mind we think. With heart we feel. When the feeling vibrates within the being at a certain level, it overrides the belief and the being simply tosses it out and follows the feeling to a new conclusion. It is beliefs that cause fear and anxieties. Beliefs are embedded and indoctrinated ideas about ourselves and the world that makes us afraid. It is not the unknown which we fear but what we think we already know, which are beliefs that are not based on true reality which produce fear in many forms. When we take the responsibility for how we perceive ourselves and the world we release our mind to be open, providing the capacity to think a new thought. In turn we will begin to attract new experiences based on new thoughts in our life. We are then utilizing the law of attraction through conscious awareness. Once we have made the conscious choice to have greater experiences in life we position ourselves to use the law of Intention. We decide the lives we want to experience; peaceful, joyous, and happy through balance and harmony are the abundances we strive for when we reach this level of spiritual maturity. We consciously set our intentions by thinking the thoughts that will give us the abundance we seek. Not knowing how our abundance will manifest but are sure that it will because of the universal law of Intention that we are empowering our thoughts with. The law of Allowance is the power to let things be as they are. This is tough. We see much chaos, pain and suffering in the world and we want to do something about it. Our doing is a striving after the wind when it is not utilized with the power of positive thinking. Most times our thoughts that we project out towards injustice and so forth are of a negative nature because our emotions are involved.

When we mature emotionally we allow our thoughts to dominate the outcome for which we desire. This allows the emotions to be balanced while our thoughts are the empowering force. When we begin to tap into the power of the law of Allowance, breathing becomes essential. When something threatens to disturb your peace of mind due to its negative nature, breathe through it. When you hear about injustices to humanity and mother earth, breathe through it while envisioning a brighter and more peaceful scenario. Here it the power of the law of allowance at work. I am not saying that we should not help those who come to us for help. Many times what we believe is help is a hindrance. We should be careful not to attach ourselves to others who choose to remain in the energy of victimhood. We can be compassionate without being sympathetic. Sympathy is of the ego and it states that you believe that the person is a victim too. This helps no one. See no one as a victim because we all have the free will to choose empowerment over victimhood. Do not get pulled into that snare! Hold your intention to be empowered daily with truth and joy, while allowing others to exercise their free will without judgment. The Universal Laws are immutable and are always available to you for your highest good and for the good of all. Use them now!

Namaste,

Invocation and Evocation

By Sapphire

Invocation- The process if inviting the Lord and Lady into your sacred space and asking them to join in your ritual. Also to call on the elements or a god/goddess to aid in raising energy within the universe to aid in your magickal workings.

Evocation- is what witches do when they project energy or forces from within themselves out into the universe. Below are some examples of each starting with evocation.

You can evoke loving energies from yourself to those in need.You can also send out healing energies to friends or family who are in need. Start this process out on a small scale if you aren't used to doing it especially if you are new to the craft or to this type of magick. Say a friend or family member living close to you is in need of healing and you feel "worn" out I would suggest wait till you have had time to rest and recharge your personal energies and life force. Be careful not to overextend your energies and burn yourself out. Beginners tend to do this until they become adept in Invocation as to not use up precious life force needlessly. In most cases if you are more tired after any magickal working then instead of invoking that energy you have evoked it instead. After any ritual or any spell work you should feel energized or revitalized and more balanced within yourself and more attuned to the universe and it's infinite energies. NOT over tired fatigued exhausted and very crabby or cranky. Sometimes even the most experienced witch or energy worker can sometimes evoke too much energy especially if he/she try to heal to many people at one time. Also if you are doing a ritual or some spell-craft and you are sure you invoked the energies needed but still feel like you have ran a marathon in the middle of the hottest day of the year chances are most likely that someone in your home or even someone close to you noticed that immense amounts of energy were flowing near by and tried to vamp that energy from you.

I got some of the information above from Teen Witch a book by SRW. and are intended for information purposes only. I also added my own words to this as well.

Shamanism to Retrieve lost pieces of the Soul

By Davey Dunbar

I found this article/website this morning. Isnt it funny how things...words find you at the exact time you need them the most? Hmmmmmm I had a snake experience recently and gradually have been led here, to where I stand and await direction. Shamanism is also known as snake medicine and this article describes a soul retrieval done by an experienced Shaman.* Snake Medicine Shamanic Healing through Soul Retrieval by Victoria Marina-Tompkins

In contemporary society it is not uncommon for us to arrive in adulthood with a pervasive sense of loss of trust accompanied by a long list of betrayals and disappointments. While there are currently a wide range of therapies available to assist us in the healing process, many are turning to the ways of the indigenous peoples in an effort to find health once again. Shamans view most psychological imbalances as an indication that soul loss has occurred. Traditionally, if a community member experienced depression, loss of energy, sickness, or malaise, the Shaman would immediately consult with his Spirit Guides to determine if soul-loss had indeed occurred. In addition, he might ask very specific details about the individual's life, including stories from early childhood through adulthood. The shaman would listen for clues leading to either an event or a series of events where the loss may have occurred. Or he may choose to work directly with his spirit allies without hearing any of the client's story. If he determined that a soul retrieval was in order, the Shaman would prepare during the day and typically journey for the lost soul during the night in total darkness. This was usually done inside the client's house or dwelling. In North America the Shaman would usually prepare through prayer, meditation, fasting, and the avoidance of certain foods and other impurities. One or more assistants were there as well, to drum and to watch over the Shaman's physical body while he journeyed into the Spirit World. After all the preparations had been completed (which may have included burning sage, gathering witnesses, singing, and chanting) the Shaman would journey to the Lower, Middle, or Upper Worlds, being guided and protected by his helping allies. He would look for the lost piece or pieces of the recipients soul. When he had fully recovered them, the Shaman would blow the energy back into his (client's) body, often into the heart area and the top of the head. At this point, any necessary instructions would be communicated, and most likely the client would be given into the care of his family and friends, while the shaman retired to a resting place. Soul-retrieval today is based on the same principles. The primary difference is the function of the support system after the retrieval has occurred. In tribal communities, most families lived together, often in one dwelling. Sometimes the men and women lived in separate housing, but there still existed a strong familial bonding which served to support the member who was experiencing the loss. This arrangement also provided a safe environment for physical and emotional recovery and the integration of the energy which had been retrieved by the Shaman.

In today's Western Culture, it is often left up to the individual and her small group of supporters, to weather life transitions. We are expected to 'maintain appearances' even during times of extreme stress. Even illness or death of a loved one doesn't excuse one from the daily responsibilities of being in the world, or if it does, it is only briefly. It is in early childhood that we learn society's expectations of 'appropriate behavior' (which varies culturally) and we then internalize those rules. The family itself has a great influence on how the child will choose to incorporate these guidelines, for while one family may adhere rigidly to the norm, another may reject traditional values and structures in favor of a more open and flexible system. It is often at mid-life when these expectations are seriously evaluated and one decides whether to keep them or not. This internal struggle between what has been taught and what is 'truly one's own' is often what brings on the awareness that soul-loss has occurred. Many times the child willingly gives up a 'piece of her soul' in order to be loved and accepted in the family of origin. In other circumstances it just leaves; unable to witness and endure the horrors of abuse and neglect. One such client was a woman named Jennifer. Her background was tragic. Jennifer's father had been extremely abusive and violent to her, dating back to her infancy. Her mother had all but been absent emotionally, for she suffered as well under the grip of terror which held her mercilessly and kept her in passive submission. Daily threats of violence were commonplace in this family and, to compound an already horrible scene, Jennifer's father also subjected her to daily rituals which involved sexual and emotional abuse. There was no place in the house where she was safe and by the time she was a teenager, she was already using drugs and alcohol to try to numb the pain which became more and more intolerable by the day. Along with the drugs and drinking, she became sexually promiscuous and spent as much as several days away from her home, finding 'peace' at any price. As an adult she went from relationship to relationship, unable to maintain intimacy on any level, frequently changing jobs, homes, and suffering from chronic physical symptoms including stomach aliments. When Jennifer called me and asked me to do a session for her, she said that she wanted to make a 'leap forward' and there was something holding her back. She was enthusiastic about the possibility of the healing that a retrieval potentially held, and asked if we could do it immediately. I told her I would have to meditate about it and I would get back to her. I considered it, talked with my allies, and decided to do it for her. I also knew that the soul would probably be, not only reticent to return, but also reluctant to stay. We discussed these possibilities at length. In fact we spent several sessions preparing for the retrieval, talking at length, and also doing ceremony to prepare for her soul's return. We worked with her allies to insure their support and active participation. At the session as I began rattling to call my allies, when I was ready, I lay down beside Jennifer and began the journey. I walked towards the World Tree, accompanied by Hawk and Panther. They told me to pull my cape up around me and walk very quietly. I entered the Tree in my usual way by climbing in the hole and down the rungs on the inside wall. Once inside and standing on solid ground, I looked around for the entrance that I would use today. Panther motioned to the right. I didn't remember having been that way before, but I followed, first sitting down and then sliding down the tunnel into the Lowerworld. The tunnel seemed to go on forever, winding its way down through many levels. It was very dark. When I finally emerged, I was standing on the shore of a large lake near a boat sitting by the shore. I pulled my hood over my head even more, knowing now that my journey was to the Land of the Dead. Stepping into the boat and sitting down, I waited. The boat began to move slowly, and as it did, I noticed that the boat was being navigated by a tall 'man' dressed in black. I could feel the fear inside of me. Of course I couldnt take my allies with me on the boat, for it would give me away. I realized that in order to cross the great waters, I had to appear dead and could not show any life.

I concentrated on my task, knowing that I had to find the lost soul and return it to Jennifer. I kept that thought in my mind, repeating it over and over again as the boat reached shore. What I saw before me was beyond description. It appeared to be an island, but this was no tropical paradise. There were hundreds, perhaps thousands of 'lost souls', wandering aimlessly, without purpose or direction. They were of all ages, but they shared the same lack of life energy. I thought, " How will I ever find Jennifer?" I moved out of the boat, hoping that I would not be asked for anything. (I had no money and remembered that in Greek mythology there is often a fee for crossing the river.) I slowly stepped forward and didn't look back. I began to move toward the people. I heard what sounded like sobbing and wailing and after some time I saw a young girl of about 5. I was beginning to feel very tired, as though the life was being drained out of me. I had begun to feel discouraged and defeated, and upon seeing this child held once again to the hope that I could return Jennifer's soul to her. I whispered to her, asking her if she was the child I was looking for. She barely nodded, but I knew that she was the lost soul. There was almost no energy at all in her, which seemed different from the others around. I suspected that this was true because she was a 'missing piece' of someone who still lived in the Middle World. Many of these souls were somehow lost or stuck during the death process. Their souls had not been able to move to the middle astral plane where the reevaluation between lives takes place. I felt elated that I was able to find Jennifer but the primary problem now was how to leave the Land of the Dead without being detected. We moved slowly together toward the boat, but I realized that the boat was probably not the way we could return. Only my ally the Hawk could assist me at this point which was unfortunate since I had left her back on the other side of the river. I concentrated as much as I could, visualizing us flying back over the river to safe ground. My allies were waiting and quite anxious to attend to both of us. I quickly 'shrank' Jennifer and put her energy inside my Retrieving Crystal. I placed the Crystal in my Medicine Bag and began my journey back up to the light of the Middle World through the Great Tree, emerging into the green meadow that I had left just moments before. I took a deep breath and pulled down my hood as I let the sun shine on my face once again. My allies told me that retrieving Jennifer's child self was all the work I could do today. I agreed, and prepared to blow the lost energy back into the waiting adult Jennifer who was still lying beside me. Upon my return I blew the child self into Jennifer, first through her heart and then through the top of her head. I rattled around her to seal the energy and welcomed her back. I shared my journey with her. She seemed happy and full of energy. We arranged to meet 2 weeks later for a follow-up session. Several days later I received a call from Jennifer. She said she had so much energy that she was literally bouncing off the walls! She was having a great time with her newly found inner child. She had bought crayons, paper, and toys. She was feeling a tremendous resurgence of vitality and optimism. She said she hadn't felt this good in years. During the upcoming weeks she would continue to work integrating her renewed energy. There was still more work to do, but this was, as she later told me, the great leap she had been looking for. 1997 by Victoria Marina-Tompkins

Quartz meditation
By Gypsywitch
One of the input channels for higher information is through the right cerebral hemisphere. - Dr. Richard Gerber, Vibrational Medicine

Meditation & Enlightenment with Quartz Crystals

by Yogi Sharanananda
"What is meditation and how does enlightenment happen?" you might ask.

According to Dr. Richard Gerber, another more powerful form of inner communication with the Higher Self is meditation. Meditation clears the mind of conscious thought programs to allow higher vibrational sources of information to enter into the biocomputer for processing and analysis. In addition to allowing access to the Higher Self, the process of meditation causes gradual changes in the subtle-energy anatomy of the human being over a long period of time. Specifically, the chakras are slowly activated and cleared, and the kundalini energies within the root chakra eventually make their climb up the subtle pathways within the spinal cord to reach the crown chakra. The real reason to meditate is to achieve enlightenment. Enlightenment might be defined here as a more cosmic or energetic perspective of the structures of consciousness, a feeling of unity with all lifeforms, and an understanding of the spiritual workings behind physical reality. This higher level of perception will ultimately allow the individual to comprehend the meaning of his or her life in relationship to others and to the universe in general. This is what is referred to as a more cosmic perspective. Meditation may ultimately allow humans to come into closer relationship and greater comprehension of God the Creator. In human beings the process of enlightenment is intimately tied to the proper alignment and normal functioning of the major chakras of the body. When all of the major chakras are open and active and when there is adequate etheric vitality in the body, the human being begins to function at optimal levels of health and higher consciousness. Meditation merely amplifies this gradual process of awakening. It accelerates the opening of the chakras and their alignment with the physical and subtle bodies in special ways that devotion and prayer alone do not achieve as quickly and directly. According to Dr. Richard Gerber's Vibrational Medicine book, wherein he stated, An individual's ability to connect with his or her Higher Self is partly a function of specialized energy links within the crystalline network of the physical body. This crystalline network helps to coordinate the energetic structures of the higher subtle bodies with the consciousness of the physical personality. Gurudas brings out new and important information that may explain certain aspects of right-hemispheric functioning and psi abilities. Psychic abilities are mediated by special biocrystalline and energetic pathways through which the Higher Self may interact with the consciousness of the physical personality. One particular crystalline structure that is important to our psychic receptivity is the pineal gland and, more specifically, the pineal calcification: a crystal that lies in the center of the brain.

The pineal gland in esoteric literature has long been associated with the third eye. Our early biological ancestors actually had a rudimentary but functional third eye, complete with lens, as exists today within the tuatara (a lizard found in the southern hemisphere). The pineal gland is associated with the phenomenon of light from a variety of different biological and energetic perspectives. This esoteric association of the pineal with the third eye in humans stems from the pineal gland's link with the third eye (or brow) chakra. The pineal gland is linked to the chakra system by way of a special energetic circuit which has developed in human beings over the course of time. The function of this specialized energy system is uniquely involved with raising the energies of the personality toward a higher, more spiritual level of consciousness. In addition, this same energy system is responsible for awakening an individual's full creative and evolutionary potential. According to the channeled material by Kevin Ryerson from his book Flower Essences and Vibrational Healing, the kundalini activation process utilizes the crystalline circuitry of the body, especially the pineal gland, as well as a special resonant energy reflex arc extending from the coccygeal region to the brain stem. Although energy flow through this pathway is primarily involved with the ascension of the kundalini, it appears that this circuit also functions on a more day-to-day basis to allow us to communicate with our Higher Self.

The pineal gland is a crystalline structure that receives information from the soul and subtle bodies, particulary the astral body. The subtle bodies often act as filters for teachings from the soul and Higher Self. From the pineal gland information travels to the right portion of the brain. If there is need to alert the conscious mind to this higher information, it passes through the right brain in the form of dreams. Then the left brain analyzes it to see if the information can be grasped. This often occurs with clear dreams that offer messages. From the left brain information travels through the neurological system, specifically passing through two critical reflex points - the medulla oblongata and the coccyx. There is a constant state of resonancy along the spinal column between the medulla oblongata and coccyx; properties of the pineal gland resonate between these two points. Then the information travels to other parts of the body through the meridians and crystalline structures already described. The life force of vibrational remedies activates this entire procedure. This is a key process the soul uses to manifest karma in the physical body. The crystalline circuitry herein described actually contributes to the physiological basis for the kundalini process. Additionally, this circuit permits the step-down transduction of information from the Higher Self to various levels of awareness experienced by the physical personality. It is most interesting that the right cerebral hemisphere, working in concert with the pineal, acts as a primary relay point for information moving from the Higher Self to the waking personality. "What is the function of quartz crystals in meditation?" you might then ask. Quartz crystals are amplifiers of the energies of consciousness. The energy taken in from meditative visualizations causes a raising of the vibrational rate of the body and an upliftment of consciousness to higher frequency levels. Meditative techniques which employ the use of visualization allow one to utilize natural right-hemispheric abilities to link more directly with the quartz crystal. BB

Helping a Spirit Crossover

By Gypsywitch Helping a spirit cross over,it can be somthing you even just stumble into the meeting of a spirit who needs to cross be it there afraid or confused though i have no answers to why the moment to cross is missed but i have personaly been in the situation one needs too and im the one who is stuck in the spot of hearing the need or sensing the frustration of not unnderstanding or even in some cases knowing there dead, This has been what personaly has happened and worked for me well even spontanious guidance the first time even and since that time its always worked and bbeen a beautiful experiance, First of all keep in mind your religion or belife cannot be imposed to help a spirit cross for in its unexplainable beauty its so very mysterious yet simple, For me i call out to the divine light (not a god or personal patheon will quote on that at end)as i fill with light my own light the light will come with just you genuine intent to help this spirit call out that a friend or family member best suited thats past before please step through the light and aid( ) in the crossing now needed, and someone will and its always one the spirit will recognise and dearly trust,give your thankyous for there help and bye to the spirit and watch them disappear into the light, withdraw your own energy and watch light pass close ,close space with your own blessing and thanks and immediatly ground out, in an emergancey take off shoes and put feet barefoot on the earth,or by your personal means you deem nessesary,

many blessing all love and light to you and yours)0(

To conclude on this with the reason of keeping personal dietys or personal religion out of it is to notconfuse the spirit your helping pass so the divine light is a safe a basicaly consistant safe way to assist a spirit without creating anything to slip there focas in the moment or yours either for that matter...................had to add left in a hurry and missed this ending lol blessings and light to all

Finding your Animal Totems

By Rev Dr Theresa F Koch M.S. The most common misconception about totem animals is that the person chooses the animal. In reality, it is the other way around, the animal chooses you. So, start by looking at the animals you see every day. Don't spend a lot of time thinking about the answers at first. Just see what pops into your mind. What animals have characteristics that you admire? What qualities do you have in yourself that others most often admire? If you could be an animal, which one would you be? Why? Is there a particular one that you see often, or that seems to turn up in unexpexted places? Is a particular animal trying hard to get your attention? What animals do you notice on the drive to work or school? What do you see in your neighborhood? Your own back yard? When you take a trip, what animals do you notice? When you walk in the woods or a remote place, what animals do you encounter? What is your reaction to those encounters? If you visit a zoo, what area do you generally head for first? What animals do you notice in magazines, on TV, in films? What kinds of pets do you have? Who are their wild ancestors? What creature do you fear most? What are your own bad qualities that others say you need to improve upon? Which animals do those things well? The things we fear often have the most to teach us. Ask yourself what your own deepest innermost fears are. What animals most closely represent the qualities driving those fears? Learn all you can about those animals. Often, we fear what we do not know, or what we don't understand. Ask yourself what animals you are drawn to. What animals are featured on your choices of clothing, jewelry, art, trinkets, the toys you buy for your children, or in home decorating items? What animals are included in your usual choices of reading material, if any? Ask yourself what your choices are when choosing a vacation destination. What type of terain do you generally prefer? Is it urban, rural, remote wilderness, exotic foreign lands? Are they near the sea, on the plains, high in the mountains? Is the climate cold, hot, or temperate? What animals live in those places? Which ones have you seen when you have visited those locations? What animals have you seen in dreams? Are there any animals which show up in your dreams often? Are they pleasant dreams or nightmares, or something in between? Do you have a particular dream that reoccurs or changes but has basically the same elements, terrain, or animals?

Which animals do you like to touch or have always wondered what it would be like to touch them? Are there any animals that seem to particularly like you, or that you are good at soothing? Being in the presense of what animals do you find soothes you? When you look at a particular animal how does it make you feel? Are you excited, calmed, attracted, repulsed, nervous or serene? Do you see beauty or ugliness? By the time you have answered these questions, you should have a fairly substantial list of animals. You can then begin to study the animals on your list. As you study and learn about these animals in more detail, it will become clear to you which are incidental, and which have true importance to you personally. Each animal has it's own special power and message. Animals come to us because they have a lesson we need to learn, a power they are willing to share, or wisdom they wish to impart to us. Many times this is wisdom that was born within us, but it needs a nudge to be awakened in the conscious state. The Animal Totem that comes to you offers you power to create this awakening, if you will learn to communicate with it, with respect, trust, and patience. Understanding will come to you when you are ready and open to receive it.

Candle purpose color and oil combinations

By Rev Carol ingle (Raven)

Compassion ~ Orange Blossom, Vanilla, Chamomile ~ Use to enhance your level of understanding and sympathy towards others. Use in combination with Peace to create a tranquil environment. Color Light Orange Housewarming ~ Cinnamon, Apple, Orange ~ Use to create a home filled with love and caring. Use in combination with Love and Harmony to bless a new home. Color Burnt Orange Motivation ~ Sunflower, Myrrh, Frankincense ~ Use to enhance your self-confidence and desire to complete tasks and overcome obstacles. Use in combination with Problem Solving to boost your ability to focus on a particular area of your life. Color Wine Friendship ~ Musk, Carnation, Wisteria ~ Use to attract new friends or strengthen existing relationships. Use in combination with Laughter to have more fun. Color Ivory Pink Laughter ~ Citrus ~ Use in combination with Spirit Candle - New Millennium to celebrate the Age of Aquarius. Color Sparkling Iridescent Yellow Spirit Candle ~ New Millennium ~ Use to assist your focus on the spiritual side of life. Use in combination with Positive Energy to create success in the new millennium. Color Sparkling Iridescent White Abundance ~ Clove, Citronella, Lemon Balm, Cinnamon, Nutmeg ~ Use to attract prosperity, increase success and obtain material possessions. Use in combination with Problem Solving candle when starting a new business. Color Lime Green Good Health ~ Clove, Nutmeg, Lemon Balm, Poppy Seed, Cedar, Honeysuckle, Juniper ~ Use to heal the physical body. Use in combination with Harmony candle to heal pets. Color Dark Blue Motivation ~ Sunflower, Myrrh, Frankincense ~ Use to enhance your self-confidence and desire to complete tasks and overcome obstacles. Use in combination with Problem Solving to boost your ability to focus on a particular area of your life. Color Wine Angel's Influence ~ Honeysuckle, Sweet Heather, Rose, Peppermint ~ Use to honor and call upon our Angels. Use in combination with Ascended Master and Guides to know you're supported and loved. Color Turquoise Harmony ~ Orange Blossom, Rose, Sassafras, Juniper, Myrrh, Dragon's Blood ~Use to create a harmonious and happy environment. Use in combination with Abundance candle to bless a new home. Color Lilac Peace ~ Vanilla, Clove, Myrrh, Ginger Root, Caraway Seed ~ Use to create tranquil environment and quiet the mind. Use in combination with Harmony candle to create a loving home environment. Color Dark Green

Ascended Masters & Guides ~ Dragon's Blood, Olive Oil, Saffron, Peppermint, Musk ~ Use to honor and call upon our Ascended Masters and Guides. Use in combination with Problem Solving candle to learn what the masters have to teach us. Color Light Blue Healing ~ Cedar, Ocean, Lemon Balm, Heather ~ Use to heal the body, mind and soul. Use in combination with Peace to heal Mother Earth, animals and 4 elements. Color Dark Purple Positive Energy ~ Frankincense, Dragon's Blood, Sandalwood, Saffron ~ Use to attract positive energy into your life. Use in combination with Good Health candle to correct nerve or muscular problems. Color Yellow Astral Journey ~ Rosemary, Frankincense, Myrrh, Citronella, Cypress ~ Use for protection when doing astral traveling or past life regressions. Uses in combination with Love candle when discovering past lives with people you know. Color off White Housewarming ~ Cinnamon, Apple, Orange ~ Use to create a home filled with love and caring. Use in combination with Love and Harmony to bless a new home. Color Burnt Orange Power ~ Clove, Musk, Patchouli ~ To increase the power of all other herbal magic candles. Color Pastel Silver Confidence ~ Pine, Patchouli, Salt, Cypress ~ Use to boost your confidence and bring in stability. Use in combination with Good Health candle to correct skin and bone problems. Color Gold Problem Solving ~ Rosemary, Honey, Honeysuckle ~ Use to discover a new path and gain knowledge about a problem. Use in combination with Abundance candle when starting a new business or to bless a new home. Color Brown Love ~ Olive Oil, Patchouli, Rose, Clove, Lavender, Dragon's Blood ~ Use to attract someone to you. Use in combination with Harmony to find a compatible roommate. Use in combination with Abundance candle to attract clients to your business. Color Pink Protection ~ Frankincense, Sandalwood, Rosemary, Clove ~ Use as protection from outside forces. Use for protection prior to a journey to ensure a safe trip. Use in combination with Problem Solving candle to find where negative energy is coming from in your life. Color Black Dreams ~ Lavender, Rosemary, Ylang Ylang ~ Use to enhance your dream. Use in combination with Ascended Masters and Guides candle to call upon them in your dreams. Color Pastel Blue Manifest A Miracle ~ Magnolia, Honeysuckle, Rose ~ Use to aid and enhance your love and desire. Use in combination with Angle Influence candle to manifest a miracle!! Color Pastel Pink Seduction ~ Musk, Patchouli, Pine, Cedar, Juniper ~ Use to attract a lusty relationship. Use in combination with Love candle to put a spark back into a tired relationship. Color Red Money ~ Clove, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Myrrh, Citronella, Rain ~ Use to attract lotteries, raises and cash. Use in combination with Abundance for business moves, career moves or starting new projects. Color Bayberry Green

Hov to Help Someone vho vont help Themselues

By Soaring Eaglespirit

By Lori Deschene We work on ourselves in order to help others, but also we help others in order to work on ourselves. ~Pema Chodron Recently I got into a hypothetical conversation with someone who very quickly turned hostile and accusatory. Lets call her Jane. My first instinct was to get defensive, but then I realized this subject was quite raw for Jane, and there was likely something going on below the surface. Usually when people are combative seemingly without cause, theres some underlying pain fueling it. As we got to the root of things, I learned that Jane was holding onto anger toward someone she once loved; and she felt a strong, driving need to convince people that this other person was wrong. Since she acknowledged that shed been feeling depressed, lonely, and helpless, I felt obligated to at least try to help her see things from a different perspective. But that ultimately proved futile. She was committed to being angry and hurt, and all she wanted from me was validation that she was justified. I kept thinking back to how I felt at 18 years old, reliving scenes of adolescent abuse that I refused to let go of well into my 20s. I spent years stewing in anger because I felt like a victim, and any threat to that comforting sense of righteousness only made me angrier. Remembering how badly and unnecessarily I hurt myself, it felt imperative that I help her let go. I wanted to help her get out of her own way. I wanted her to do what I had failed to do for far too long. Seeing that stubborn, bitter commitment to pain reminded me of how angry I was with myself when I realized Id hurt myself far worse than anyone elseand how ashamed I felt when I realized I enjoyed being a victim, receiving pity, attention, and (what felt like) love. Suddenly I recognized that I wasnt just trying to help Jane; I was also judging my former self. That internal conflictthose confused feelings and mixed motivationswould make it really difficult to offer the type of unbiased, loving support that would allow her to form her own insights if, in fact, she was ready to form them. Very rarely do people open up to genuine help when they feel like someone is looking down on them or projecting onto them. None of us want to feel judged, misunderstood, or coerced into believing something when were not ready. So what do we want? What is it that helps people create change when theyre struggling and resistant to help?
Since I have been on both sides of the tableand I have felt equally powerless on bothI decided to ask the Tiny Buddha

How do you help someone who wont help themselves? Some of the answers that resonated with me include: 1. First, check yourself. Do they really need help, or are you pushing some agenda subconsciously or otherwise? Second, let them know youre there. Third, give them an example to follow. ~Carl B Salazar 2. People have to come to where they need to be to get their lessons. You cant help someone who is not willing. But you can love them through it. Send light and love and hold them in your heart space. I had to hit my own bottom and dead end to turn around and climb back upwhen I was ready and willing. ~Karen Blake 3. We can stop judging people assuming that they are not helping themselves. Perhaps the helplessness is the sign of their being out of their comfort zone. If we want to help, we can do some positive things like: Give some encouragement or discuss the situation with them and let their own intuition discover the best way to help themselves. ~ Santosh Nag 4. Examine your attachment to their choices. Their challenges and choices are their life lessons, not yours. Is your wanting to help them saying something about you that you need to learn? ~Susan McCourt 5. You can help them by just being there and being supportive. You can still plant seeds. Most minds are so conditioned it is almost impossible to shed any light on their world. So just smile, nod, suggest, and if it does not help then move on with no regret because you tried. ~Skip Blankley 6. Dont enable them. Put the tools in their hands to help themselves, show them how to use them, step back, and be there when they trip. Love them when they fall. Repeat repeatedly. ~Crystal Boudreau 7. You cant make people be what you want them to be and you cant decide what is best for them. You can only choose for yourself. There is a huge difference between cant and wont. Cant might be open to help. Wont cant be your problem. The best thing is wont might not always be wont. Hope for that. ~ Melodee Luka Kardash 8. Love them until they learn to love themselves. ~ Amber Weinacht 9. Stop trying to make them live as you think they shouldHow others live is not for us to control, but to learn from. ~ Crystal Sverdsten 10. Let go. They have to help themselves and accept responsibility. ~Viengxay Jimenez 11. Their path is not yours to blaze, and whos to say theyre not exactly where they need to be at this very moment? ~Fiona Berger Maione 12. Focus on your own well being (boundaries) so that you can provide stable support when they ask for help. Allow them their process no matter how difficult it is to watch. It is neither our right or responsibility to manipulate their journey. ~Robyn Williams 13. People who wont help themselves usually dont trust others or themselves. Until they do, help them along by being a friend, but dont engage in crazy behavior with them. ~Jerelyn Allen

14. How do we know, when were in our own little egos, that that person isnt already doing their work? Sometimes, helping someone, means leaving them alonesometimes, you help just by being yourself and healing your stuff so that others can see the change and know that its possible. The best way Ive found to help others is to try and be as authentic as I possibly can. The rest, well, is just none of my business. ~Amy Scott 15. Dont turn your back on them. Just accepted them for who they are, flaws and all, then decide for yourself if it is worth it to you. If it is, patience is a virtue. If not, then keep a hand out but watch out for yourself as well. No need for two people who wont help themselves. ~April Spears 16. Support is important. Talk to your friends dont leave them when they go through hard times, youll need them when youre going through a hard time. ~Rosemin Bhanji 17. Help them see how their actions impact others (children, spouse or parents). ~Eloise Cabral 18. Open the door. Theyll walk through it when theyre ready. ~Devon Palmer 19. Be a role model. Show them what life is like when you cultivate and cherish the self. ~Steven Lu 20. Stay strong! Use your strength to combat their weakness. It takes time. ~ Laurie Stahl Sturgeon I ended up telling Jane exactly what was going on in mindhow Id clung to unfairness for years and missed out on a lot of life in the process. I acknowledged that she is a different person. I then told her that I make no assumptions or judgments about whats going on with her and whats right for her, but Im here if she wants to talk. Id like to think that in owning my own stuff I may have inspired her to do the same. Sometimes all we can do to help other people is continue to help ourselves.

Texas woman Joann Parks talks to Crystal Skull (and said sometimes it talks back) Max the Cry
By kim

Erie, Penn. -- His name is "Max." He is made of clear quartz and was discovered nearly 100 years ago in a Mayan tomb in Guatemala. Max is believed to be between 5,000 and 36,000 years old, and ancient legend has it that Max is one of 13 lifesize crystal skulls that exist in the world. It is also known for partly inspiring the crystal skull in the most recent Indiana Jones film, according to his keeper, JoAnn Parks. Parks, a resident of Houston, Texas, is currently on tour with Max. AOL Weird News caught up with her Sunday in Erie, Penn., where she had given a lecture and was offering private hands-on sessions with the crystal skull. "There are many people who think hes from another planet and is encoded an encoded messenger," Parks told Weird News. "Some believe he was part of Atlantis as well. I think he's been in cultures that have come and gone that we didn't even know existed." Whatever his origin, Max is known nationally and internationally. He has been featured in documentaries by A&E Network and the Discovery Channel and was once researched by the British Museum for a TV special that aired on the BBC. "The British Museum authenticated Max with a 'no comment' because they couldn't figure out how he was created," Parks said. "They know he is very old because [he is made up] of the five different growth patterns and two matrixes." Many people who come into contact with Max claim to have profound visions and psychic experiences.

"The first time I sat down with him ... I went into a trance state. I don't know what happened after that," Erie resident Bubba Suprynowicz told AOL Weird News. Suprynowicz and his wife, a local spiritualist, helped arrange for Max and Parks' visit. According to Parks, Max does not represent "anyones religion." "He's not about religion," she said. "He's not here to help someone find a religion or a church. He's here to help and guide each individual who's come into contact with him to find peace, harmony and forgiveness within one's self." How did a housewife in Houston become the keeper of an internationally known skull? According to Parks, she and her husband, Carl, were introduced to an American Tibetan healer named Norbu Chin in 1973, when their 12-year-old daughter, Diana, was dying of bone cancer. Chin, a former American spy turned Red Hat llama, had come to Houston in the early 1970s and founded the Chakpori Ling Healing Foundation, Parks said.

When her daughter died three years later, Parks ended up working for Chin for the next four and a half years. During that time, Parks said she watched monks talk to the skull and use it in healing practices. She learned Max had been discovered in 1924 in a tomb under a Mayan temple in Guatemala. In the 1970s, a Shaman in Mexico supposedly gave it to Chin as a gift. "[Chin] was backed by Apollo 14 astronaut Dr. Edgar Mitchell, the late Doris Duke, of Duke University, the late actor Yul Brynner, and Tom Selleck Jr., son of Texas billionaire Tom Selleck Sr.," Parks claimed. WATCH: Before he died in 1977, Chin gave Parks the crystal skull and, according to her, said, "Take this and someday you will know what it is for." So, Parks said she took it home and put it in a box in a closet for ten years. "It appeared to me in dreams," she said. "Can you imagine going to your closet and talking to a rock for 10 years? So, I pushed it a little further back in the closet, put some pillows on it and said 'I don't want anything to do with you.' But the dreams kept coming." Parks said she was watching TV in June 1987 when she saw a TV show about F.R. 'Nick' Nocerino of California -- a man who, according to Parks, is considered the world's foremost expert on ancient crystal skulls. The show prompted her to go to the Houston Museum, where she learned of several other skulls that are in museums in France and England. "[The Houston Museum] said they are so unusual that little is known about them and they wanted to put [it] on display," Parks said. "I said, 'No. You don't know what it is and I don't know what it is, so I'm not going to put it on display. "So, I brought it home and put it back in the box. I patted 'Skull,' -- that is what I called him -- on the head and telepathically, through my mind, I heard him say 'my name is not Skull, my name is Max.' "I jumped up and I said, 'Holy Moly, I got a rock in a box in the closet and he's got a name.' So I pushed him further back and I said 'No, I don't want nothing to do with you.' He said, 'I'm a tool. I'm a teacher. I will serve mankind in a unique and special way.' " Since that time, Max and Parks have traveled across the United States and to several countries, including France, Holland and England. Along the way they have met thousands of people and even a few notables, including actress Shirley MacLaine, singer-songwriter Willie Nelson and folk singer Arlo Guthrie, Parks said. The concept of the crystal skull has been used in various works of fiction, most notably "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" -- a fictional film that revolves around the lore of crystal skulls. "Max was part of the inspiration [for the film]," Parks said. "They used to come and listen to my lectures, and I did meet one of the producers, Frank Marshall."

The ancient legend that holds Max is one of 13 ancient crystal skulls of the world dictates that one day all of the skulls will be reunited and their collective wisdom shared. That same legend, however, cautions that it will only happen if the human race has sufficiently evolved, so that the power is not abused. Will the legend someday become prophecy? Only time will tell, Parks said. For now, she relies on her own interactions with Max and offers the following interpretation: "To me, Max is in the shape of a skull because it's the universal symbol of man. Human skulls are keepers of knowledge, [a] reflection of man and extension of ones own self," she said. Parks and Max will next be making an appearance in New Hampshire. For information on dates and times, or to find out when they might be in your area, you can write to Parks at maxandjoann@hotmail.com or visit their Facebook page.

JoAnn Parks and Max

Houston, Texas native JoAnn Parks has been traveling around the world with Max since the late 1980s.

Mid Summer Garden Majick

By Rev Carol Ingle (Raven)

As Litha is a celebration of the God's power and blessings on the crops, Garden Spells are popular at this time. A Chant for an Herb Garden on Solstice Most every Witch has at least a small herb garden- this is a wonderful little chant to be said over your herb garden on the Solstice sunrise. I like to say it while watering my Herbs, too. "Thyme and sage for sore throats, Rosemary to darken hair, Bergamot to make a tea, Flax for me to wear. Cecily for sour fruit, Lemon balm a cake, Chive to mix with salad and egg, Mint a thirst to slake. The Wise Women of old with loving care Grew herbs and gave poor folk a share, And cottage gardens still are found Where natures' medicines abound." A Litha prayer for the Earth "Great God, Father of the Earth, Shine down on this, your strongest day. Blessed Goddess who gave us Birth, Bless us who honor your ancient way. As Summer's light falls to the ground, lending crops and trees it's power, the Summer winds blow warm and round, touching the corn silk and the flowers. We give you thanks, our Mother Earth, We praise you, fire of the Sun. We dance this Solstice day with Mirth, from dawns' first light 'till the day is done."

Summer Days
By Shadow_Owl

The sun so high in the sky Turning world spinning through space Shores with warm sea Ever moving sand dunes with delicate peddles on tiny flowers The bright sunshine warming your face Fruit and nut on every tree Flora and fawner in majickal harmony The last of the nesting birds have all but flown away The feisty badger and frog the worm you never see The rose and nettle The blessed bee that gives us honey The sacred cow that gives us milk Turning seasons before our eyes Wont be long till darker skies

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