In the spirit of house blessings, and because I'm basically a kitchen
witch at heart, and like little projects over serious ritual, I offer
some selections gleaned from Cunningham's The Magical Household. I'm
typing these without permission but with the hope that they'll
inspire you to pick up the Cunningham book, because it's wonderful
stuph... :>
For the doorway:
o Suspend over the door a fresh sprig of dill, tied with a blue cord (or
red, if you prefer), to prevent those who mean you harm from entering.
o Cross two needles, and stick into or tie onto a corner of your
doormat, to prevent evil from entering.
o Grind Dragon's Blood herb into a powder and sprinkle it on door and
window sills, to protect your house from harm.
"Witch Bottles"
o Powder some more Dragon's Blood herb with a small quantity of sugar
and salt, and place in a small corked or screw-lidded bottle. Shake
and seal with red wax, then place it where it won't be found (or at
least not easily seen). This will ensure harmony and peace within
the house.
o Place three new needles, three new pins, and three new nails in a
glass jar. Fill with salt and shake vigorously nine times. Seal with
white wax and place in kitchen cupboard where it will not be seen.
This protects your food from contamination.
o Gather rosemary, along with several needles and pins, into a small
glass jar with a tight-fitting lid or cork. When full, pour in red
wine and shake. Seal with black or red wax, and place in an
inconspicuous place in the apartment. If you own your own house,
bury this at the furthestmost corner of your property. The book
also adds this:
As you're filling the jar, say these words...
"Pins, needles, rosemary, wine,
In this witch's bottle of mine;
Guard against harm and enmity;
This is my will; so Mote it Be!"
Personally, I'm not hip on anything but, "Hey, Gods? It's me again",
but I know, I'm CONSIDERABLY less formal than most!
2568
An Anti-Theft Sachet
o Mix caraway, rosemary, juniper berries, and elder leaves or mistletoe,
and place into white square of cloth. Tie with white yarn and hang
prominently. I'd assume either at the place you think thieves are most
likely to enter--this being an anti-theft sachet--or at every entrance
and doorway. This will require more cloth and more herbs, but most of
the above are fairly inexpensive.
Finally, on Moving Day itself:
o Bring two things into the house first: a small amount of salt, half
to be scattered upon crossing the threshhold, and a small loaf of bread.
Break the bread into as many pieces as you have people moving in, with
one extra piece for the gods' portion. Sprinkle a dash of salt on each
piece; share, when you have a moment. (I'd say have water on hand as
well--at the very least, to clear the salt!) Next, bring in an apple and
do the same thing--Cunningham recommends a fruit and cheese basket--I'd
stick with just the apple and maybe a few slices of cheddar, or
something. Lastly, bring in a sturdy chair and place it either near the
apple and bread bits, or facing the door. This ensures that you will
never know poverty, for there is bread and salt, hunger, for there is
fruit (and cheese), and instability (for there's your stable chair
guarding the door. After that, heave and lift until you're moved in!
-------
A Note: I think ritual is very important, and I do admire rituals I've
picked up here and those I've found on my own. In the long run, though,
I know myself well enough to think that if I have to wait for a certain
day and have a certain robe on, or need a special tool or altar lay-out,
it'll never happen. But I can put my hands on needles, pins, wine and
spices at virtually any time, and can easily make up witch's bottles for
the shelves and cupboards, sachets for the windows, and incenses for
household protection and cleansing. These simple items can have just as
much power as just about any major ritual, and are sometimes easier to
"whip up" for the busy pagan... :>
-------
Cleansing Incense
2 parts Dragon's Blood
1 part Valerian Root
1 part Sulphur
1 part Asafoetida
In conjunction with any banishing ritual this WILL remove ANY psychic or
magical impression from your home. Then you can start fresh filling it
with the energies you want.
It may sound strange but it works! (Though it WILL GAG a Maggot!)
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Money Spell
The Care and Feeding of Crystals
by Matrika
co-sysop of PAN - the Psychic Awareness Network
Crystals have been in the lime-light ever since celebrities such as
Shirley Mcleane and Cher have come out of the closet and admitted they
were "New-Agers". However, along with this public scrutiny, has also
been a whole bunch of misconceptions. The most common of which is
that a person just wears a crystal like jewelry or carries it and it
works like some kind of instant stage-magic or prestidigitation.
This, of course, is not the case. To get the full effect of "Crystal
Power" in your life means, as with so much else, that you must put
into it what you take out of it. So here are a few simple guidelines
for those of you who plan on taking this subject seriously.
1. Selecting your Crystal
To select a Crystal is not all that much different from selecting a
pet or a work of art. When you go into the store to purchase your
crystal - or any other stone used in healing or Psychic work - just
pick the one that "calls" to you. Handle the various stones and place
them, one by one, in your receptive hand. (the one that is not your
dominant hand; if you are right-handed or ambi-dextrous, your
receptive hand is your left. If you are completely left-handed your
receptive hand is your right.) The stone that is right FOR YOU will
"pull" you to it. This may not be the stone that looks the clearest
or the most impressive, either. Our societies materialistic values
and our conditioning to accept them must not enter into our decision,
which is very hard for most of us at first. Our first tendency is to
judge the stone -as we always judge ourselves and everything else in a
constant stream of thoughts- by what we have been conditioned to
believe is "good" or "bad".
If the piece you are choosing is for a specific purpose; i.e. for
healing, or to enhance your psychic abilities, or for meditation; it
will help if you keep that purpose in mind while you are selecting the
stone. An interesting phenomena often happens to people who are just
going into the gem and mineral healing or psychic work. Most people
start off with clear quartz, because it has the most applications.
They go into a store or a gem show to purchase a clear quartz and find
themselves drawn to all kinds of other "rocks" (as the collectors call
them) too. Many times they bring a bag of various mineral specimens
home with them. Later they look up the stones in one of the many
reference books on this subject, only to find the stones they were
drawn to are exactly the ones they need to deal with issues or
illnesses that they need to work on.
The very first thing you need to do when you first get a crystal is to
"clear it" from the imbalanced energies of anyone else who has touched
it. Crystals "work" because of their piezoelectrical field.
Researchers in Kirlian photography and other subjects have long shown
us that the body is surrounded by a field of electro-magnetic
energies, which psychics call the AURA. People who have studied this
subject tell us that Crystals help us by attuning their
piezoelectrical charge to the charge of our auras. So we must first
remove the charges from the stone that come from other's handling of
it. This is done by leaving the stone in sea-salt (available at
almost any health-food store) for 3 days. The only time you will have
to use this technique - which is drastic - to cleanse the stone is
Last amended June 11, 1989 -- Page NEXTRECORD
413
when you first buy it. The reason I say the technique is drastic is
because it erases ALL of your energy from the stone too, so the stone
has to be rebonded. (explained later) This piezoelectrical effect of
the stone is the same reason that quartz is useful in making
computers, telephones, watches, and in other electronic devices.
2. the regular maintenance of your stone
The regular care and maintenance of your stone is really quite simple.
First of all a gentler method of clearing the piece should be used at
least once a week and after any uses in either physical or inner
(mental/emotional/spiritual) healing work. This can be done in
several ways. First of all, you can run it under COOL - no extremes
of temperature PLEASE - water in your sink for several minutes, while
visualizing (intensely imagining in vivid detail, from a meditative or
extremely relaxed state) all imbalanced energies leaving it. You can
also leave it in mugwort (an herb) for 2-3 days buried it in
carefully. You can also place it in a flowerpot with an african
violet plant, but you should know that if it has been used to heal any
severe conditions, the plant will die. The stones should also be
re-charged about once a month or after every use. For other stones,
direct sunlight is not such a good idea as it can fade the colors.
You can get the reflected energy of the sun by placing them in the
moonlight during the waxing of the moon. (from one day after the new
moon through the night of the full moon) They can also be charged by
surrounding them in a circle of quartz points that have been charged
by the sun, with the points of the crystals facing inward toward the
stones being charged. Another method is to purchase an amethyst or
quartz cluster and place the stones on it. A cluster is a specimen
with several individual crystals on it. Oh, and if you charge the
stone by a circle of crystals, be sure they have been cleared and
charged themselves before using them to charge anything else. The
circle should consist of at least 4 points, but 8 is best. These
stones used for charging do NOT have to be large at all.
3. Using your stones
Stones are tools in our psychic work and, as in any other object used,
work by focusing the mind's powers. To get the best use out of them,
more than just wearing them or carrying them is required. They should
be used from a state of meditation, while visualizing the goals we
wish to accomplish with them - such as healing, increased Psychic
perception, etc. A good way to do this for to help you focus and a
self-hypnosis tape that relates to your goals and use it. And if you
are using the crystals in healing, be aware that they are NOT meant to
replace the care of a competent health professional - but many people
find them a useful adjunct to it.
by Matrika
co-sysop of PAN - the Psychic Awareness Network
Crystals have been in the lime-light ever since celebrities such as
Shirley Mcleane and Cher have come out of the closet and admitted they
were "New-Agers". However, along with this public scrutiny, has also
been a whole bunch of misconceptions. The most common of which is
that a person just wears a crystal like jewelry or carries it and it
works like some kind of instant stage-magic or prestidigitation.
This, of course, is not the case. To get the full effect of "Crystal
Power" in your life means, as with so much else, that you must put
into it what you take out of it. So here are a few simple guidelines
for those of you who plan on taking this subject seriously.
1. Selecting your Crystal
To select a Crystal is not all that much different from selecting a
pet or a work of art. When you go into the store to purchase your
crystal - or any other stone used in healing or Psychic work - just
pick the one that "calls" to you. Handle the various stones and place
them, one by one, in your receptive hand. (the one that is not your
dominant hand; if you are right-handed or ambi-dextrous, your
receptive hand is your left. If you are completely left-handed your
receptive hand is your right.) The stone that is right FOR YOU will
"pull" you to it. This may not be the stone that looks the clearest
or the most impressive, either. Our societies materialistic values
and our conditioning to accept them must not enter into our decision,
which is very hard for most of us at first. Our first tendency is to
judge the stone -as we always judge ourselves and everything else in a
constant stream of thoughts- by what we have been conditioned to
believe is "good" or "bad".
If the piece you are choosing is for a specific purpose; i.e. for
healing, or to enhance your psychic abilities, or for meditation; it
will help if you keep that purpose in mind while you are selecting the
stone. An interesting phenomena often happens to people who are just
going into the gem and mineral healing or psychic work. Most people
start off with clear quartz, because it has the most applications.
They go into a store or a gem show to purchase a clear quartz and find
themselves drawn to all kinds of other "rocks" (as the collectors call
them) too. Many times they bring a bag of various mineral specimens
home with them. Later they look up the stones in one of the many
reference books on this subject, only to find the stones they were
drawn to are exactly the ones they need to deal with issues or
illnesses that they need to work on.
The very first thing you need to do when you first get a crystal is to
"clear it" from the imbalanced energies of anyone else who has touched
it. Crystals "work" because of their piezoelectrical field.
Researchers in Kirlian photography and other subjects have long shown
us that the body is surrounded by a field of electro-magnetic
energies, which psychics call the AURA. People who have studied this
subject tell us that Crystals help us by attuning their
piezoelectrical charge to the charge of our auras. So we must first
remove the charges from the stone that come from other's handling of
it. This is done by leaving the stone in sea-salt (available at
almost any health-food store) for 3 days. The only time you will have
to use this technique - which is drastic - to cleanse the stone is
Last amended June 11, 1989 -- Page NEXTRECORD
413
when you first buy it. The reason I say the technique is drastic is
because it erases ALL of your energy from the stone too, so the stone
has to be rebonded. (explained later) This piezoelectrical effect of
the stone is the same reason that quartz is useful in making
computers, telephones, watches, and in other electronic devices.
2. the regular maintenance of your stone
The regular care and maintenance of your stone is really quite simple.
First of all a gentler method of clearing the piece should be used at
least once a week and after any uses in either physical or inner
(mental/emotional/spiritual) healing work. This can be done in
several ways. First of all, you can run it under COOL - no extremes
of temperature PLEASE - water in your sink for several minutes, while
visualizing (intensely imagining in vivid detail, from a meditative or
extremely relaxed state) all imbalanced energies leaving it. You can
also leave it in mugwort (an herb) for 2-3 days buried it in
carefully. You can also place it in a flowerpot with an african
violet plant, but you should know that if it has been used to heal any
severe conditions, the plant will die. The stones should also be
re-charged about once a month or after every use. For other stones,
direct sunlight is not such a good idea as it can fade the colors.
You can get the reflected energy of the sun by placing them in the
moonlight during the waxing of the moon. (from one day after the new
moon through the night of the full moon) They can also be charged by
surrounding them in a circle of quartz points that have been charged
by the sun, with the points of the crystals facing inward toward the
stones being charged. Another method is to purchase an amethyst or
quartz cluster and place the stones on it. A cluster is a specimen
with several individual crystals on it. Oh, and if you charge the
stone by a circle of crystals, be sure they have been cleared and
charged themselves before using them to charge anything else. The
circle should consist of at least 4 points, but 8 is best. These
stones used for charging do NOT have to be large at all.
3. Using your stones
Stones are tools in our psychic work and, as in any other object used,
work by focusing the mind's powers. To get the best use out of them,
more than just wearing them or carrying them is required. They should
be used from a state of meditation, while visualizing the goals we
wish to accomplish with them - such as healing, increased Psychic
perception, etc. A good way to do this for to help you focus and a
self-hypnosis tape that relates to your goals and use it. And if you
are using the crystals in healing, be aware that they are NOT meant to
replace the care of a competent health professional - but many people
find them a useful adjunct to it.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Crystals
The Care and Feeding of Crystals
by Matrika
co-sysop of PAN - the Psychic Awareness Network
Crystals have been in the lime-light ever since celebrities such as
Shirley Mcleane and Cher have come out of the closet and admitted they
were "New-Agers". However, along with this public scrutiny, has also
been a whole bunch of misconceptions. The most common of which is
that a person just wears a crystal like jewelry or carries it and it
works like some kind of instant stage-magic or prestidigitation.
This, of course, is not the case. To get the full effect of "Crystal
Power" in your life means, as with so much else, that you must put
into it what you take out of it. So here are a few simple guidelines
for those of you who plan on taking this subject seriously.
1. Selecting your Crystal
To select a Crystal is not all that much different from selecting a
pet or a work of art. When you go into the store to purchase your
crystal - or any other stone used in healing or Psychic work - just
pick the one that "calls" to you. Handle the various stones and place
them, one by one, in your receptive hand. (the one that is not your
dominant hand; if you are right-handed or ambi-dextrous, your
receptive hand is your left. If you are completely left-handed your
receptive hand is your right.) The stone that is right FOR YOU will
"pull" you to it. This may not be the stone that looks the clearest
or the most impressive, either. Our societies materialistic values
and our conditioning to accept them must not enter into our decision,
which is very hard for most of us at first. Our first tendency is to
judge the stone -as we always judge ourselves and everything else in a
constant stream of thoughts- by what we have been conditioned to
believe is "good" or "bad".
If the piece you are choosing is for a specific purpose; i.e. for
healing, or to enhance your psychic abilities, or for meditation; it
will help if you keep that purpose in mind while you are selecting the
stone. An interesting phenomena often happens to people who are just
going into the gem and mineral healing or psychic work. Most people
start off with clear quartz, because it has the most applications.
They go into a store or a gem show to purchase a clear quartz and find
themselves drawn to all kinds of other "rocks" (as the collectors call
them) too. Many times they bring a bag of various mineral specimens
home with them. Later they look up the stones in one of the many
reference books on this subject, only to find the stones they were
drawn to are exactly the ones they need to deal with issues or
illnesses that they need to work on.
The very first thing you need to do when you first get a crystal is to
"clear it" from the imbalanced energies of anyone else who has touched
it. Crystals "work" because of their piezoelectrical field.
Researchers in Kirlian photography and other subjects have long shown
us that the body is surrounded by a field of electro-magnetic
energies, which psychics call the AURA. People who have studied this
subject tell us that Crystals help us by attuning their
piezoelectrical charge to the charge of our auras. So we must first
remove the charges from the stone that come from other's handling of
it. This is done by leaving the stone in sea-salt (available at
almost any health-food store) for 3 days. The only time you will have
to use this technique - which is drastic - to cleanse the stone is
Last amended June 11, 1989 -- Page NEXTRECORD
413
when you first buy it. The reason I say the technique is drastic is
because it erases ALL of your energy from the stone too, so the stone
has to be rebonded. (explained later) This piezoelectrical effect of
the stone is the same reason that quartz is useful in making
computers, telephones, watches, and in other electronic devices.
2. the regular maintenance of your stone
The regular care and maintenance of your stone is really quite simple.
First of all a gentler method of clearing the piece should be used at
least once a week and after any uses in either physical or inner
(mental/emotional/spiritual) healing work. This can be done in
several ways. First of all, you can run it under COOL - no extremes
of temperature PLEASE - water in your sink for several minutes, while
visualizing (intensely imagining in vivid detail, from a meditative or
extremely relaxed state) all imbalanced energies leaving it. You can
also leave it in mugwort (an herb) for 2-3 days buried it in
carefully. You can also place it in a flowerpot with an african
violet plant, but you should know that if it has been used to heal any
severe conditions, the plant will die. The stones should also be
re-charged about once a month or after every use. For other stones,
direct sunlight is not such a good idea as it can fade the colors.
You can get the reflected energy of the sun by placing them in the
moonlight during the waxing of the moon. (from one day after the new
moon through the night of the full moon) They can also be charged by
surrounding them in a circle of quartz points that have been charged
by the sun, with the points of the crystals facing inward toward the
stones being charged. Another method is to purchase an amethyst or
quartz cluster and place the stones on it. A cluster is a specimen
with several individual crystals on it. Oh, and if you charge the
stone by a circle of crystals, be sure they have been cleared and
charged themselves before using them to charge anything else. The
circle should consist of at least 4 points, but 8 is best. These
stones used for charging do NOT have to be large at all.
3. Using your stones
Stones are tools in our psychic work and, as in any other object used,
work by focusing the mind's powers. To get the best use out of them,
more than just wearing them or carrying them is required. They should
be used from a state of meditation, while visualizing the goals we
wish to accomplish with them - such as healing, increased Psychic
perception, etc. A good way to do this for to help you focus and a
self-hypnosis tape that relates to your goals and use it. And if you
are using the crystals in healing, be aware that they are NOT meant to
replace the care of a competent health professional - but many people
find them a useful adjunct to it.
by Matrika
co-sysop of PAN - the Psychic Awareness Network
Crystals have been in the lime-light ever since celebrities such as
Shirley Mcleane and Cher have come out of the closet and admitted they
were "New-Agers". However, along with this public scrutiny, has also
been a whole bunch of misconceptions. The most common of which is
that a person just wears a crystal like jewelry or carries it and it
works like some kind of instant stage-magic or prestidigitation.
This, of course, is not the case. To get the full effect of "Crystal
Power" in your life means, as with so much else, that you must put
into it what you take out of it. So here are a few simple guidelines
for those of you who plan on taking this subject seriously.
1. Selecting your Crystal
To select a Crystal is not all that much different from selecting a
pet or a work of art. When you go into the store to purchase your
crystal - or any other stone used in healing or Psychic work - just
pick the one that "calls" to you. Handle the various stones and place
them, one by one, in your receptive hand. (the one that is not your
dominant hand; if you are right-handed or ambi-dextrous, your
receptive hand is your left. If you are completely left-handed your
receptive hand is your right.) The stone that is right FOR YOU will
"pull" you to it. This may not be the stone that looks the clearest
or the most impressive, either. Our societies materialistic values
and our conditioning to accept them must not enter into our decision,
which is very hard for most of us at first. Our first tendency is to
judge the stone -as we always judge ourselves and everything else in a
constant stream of thoughts- by what we have been conditioned to
believe is "good" or "bad".
If the piece you are choosing is for a specific purpose; i.e. for
healing, or to enhance your psychic abilities, or for meditation; it
will help if you keep that purpose in mind while you are selecting the
stone. An interesting phenomena often happens to people who are just
going into the gem and mineral healing or psychic work. Most people
start off with clear quartz, because it has the most applications.
They go into a store or a gem show to purchase a clear quartz and find
themselves drawn to all kinds of other "rocks" (as the collectors call
them) too. Many times they bring a bag of various mineral specimens
home with them. Later they look up the stones in one of the many
reference books on this subject, only to find the stones they were
drawn to are exactly the ones they need to deal with issues or
illnesses that they need to work on.
The very first thing you need to do when you first get a crystal is to
"clear it" from the imbalanced energies of anyone else who has touched
it. Crystals "work" because of their piezoelectrical field.
Researchers in Kirlian photography and other subjects have long shown
us that the body is surrounded by a field of electro-magnetic
energies, which psychics call the AURA. People who have studied this
subject tell us that Crystals help us by attuning their
piezoelectrical charge to the charge of our auras. So we must first
remove the charges from the stone that come from other's handling of
it. This is done by leaving the stone in sea-salt (available at
almost any health-food store) for 3 days. The only time you will have
to use this technique - which is drastic - to cleanse the stone is
Last amended June 11, 1989 -- Page NEXTRECORD
413
when you first buy it. The reason I say the technique is drastic is
because it erases ALL of your energy from the stone too, so the stone
has to be rebonded. (explained later) This piezoelectrical effect of
the stone is the same reason that quartz is useful in making
computers, telephones, watches, and in other electronic devices.
2. the regular maintenance of your stone
The regular care and maintenance of your stone is really quite simple.
First of all a gentler method of clearing the piece should be used at
least once a week and after any uses in either physical or inner
(mental/emotional/spiritual) healing work. This can be done in
several ways. First of all, you can run it under COOL - no extremes
of temperature PLEASE - water in your sink for several minutes, while
visualizing (intensely imagining in vivid detail, from a meditative or
extremely relaxed state) all imbalanced energies leaving it. You can
also leave it in mugwort (an herb) for 2-3 days buried it in
carefully. You can also place it in a flowerpot with an african
violet plant, but you should know that if it has been used to heal any
severe conditions, the plant will die. The stones should also be
re-charged about once a month or after every use. For other stones,
direct sunlight is not such a good idea as it can fade the colors.
You can get the reflected energy of the sun by placing them in the
moonlight during the waxing of the moon. (from one day after the new
moon through the night of the full moon) They can also be charged by
surrounding them in a circle of quartz points that have been charged
by the sun, with the points of the crystals facing inward toward the
stones being charged. Another method is to purchase an amethyst or
quartz cluster and place the stones on it. A cluster is a specimen
with several individual crystals on it. Oh, and if you charge the
stone by a circle of crystals, be sure they have been cleared and
charged themselves before using them to charge anything else. The
circle should consist of at least 4 points, but 8 is best. These
stones used for charging do NOT have to be large at all.
3. Using your stones
Stones are tools in our psychic work and, as in any other object used,
work by focusing the mind's powers. To get the best use out of them,
more than just wearing them or carrying them is required. They should
be used from a state of meditation, while visualizing the goals we
wish to accomplish with them - such as healing, increased Psychic
perception, etc. A good way to do this for to help you focus and a
self-hypnosis tape that relates to your goals and use it. And if you
are using the crystals in healing, be aware that they are NOT meant to
replace the care of a competent health professional - but many people
find them a useful adjunct to it.
Smudging
Smudging: How to do it -- how not to do it
Michelle Chihacou White Puma Klein-Hass
I came across a very interesting article from "Shaman's Drum" which was reprinted for Vision Quest Bookstore. I will attempt to convey the gist of it, along with my views, as a student of the Ways of the Teneh, about it. Smudging is a way of using the smoke from burning herbs as a way to cleanse the body, an object, or a given area of negative influences. I myself use smudging to "cleanse" crystals before using them in jewelry projects I may do, and for protecting my home from some recent "bad vibe"-producing events. (landlord troubles!) I imagine that the skillful use of the proper herbs could help in warding and banishing ceremonies as well, if used properly and with reverence. The three most used plant material for smudging are sage of all types, cedar and sweetgrass.
Sage
There are two major genii and several varieties of each genus of Sage that are used for smudging. Salvia, or the herb sage used for cooking, comes in two major varieties: S. officinalis, commonly known as Garden Sage, and S. apiana, commonly known as White Sage. Salvia varieties have long been acknowledged as healing herbs, reflected in the fact that its genus name comes from the Latin root word salvare, which is the verb "to heal" or "to save." Artemisia is the genus commonly considered "Sagebrush", and is more common in the wilds out here in California. There are two major varieties to the Artemisia genus: A. californica or Common Sagebrush, and A. vulgaris or Mugwort. There are many other varieties of both Salvia and Artemisia, and all are effective in smudging. Sage is burned in smudging ceremonies to drive out evil spirits, negative thoughts and feelings, and to keep Gan'n (negative entities) away from areas where ceremonials take place. In the Plains Sweatlodge, the floor of the structure is strewn with sage leaves for the participants to rub on their bodies during the sweat. Sage is also used in keeping sacred objects like pipes or Peyote wands safe from negative influence. In the Sioux nation, the Sacred Pipe is kept in a bundle with sage boughs. I would think special crystals could be so protected this way as well.
Cedar
True cedar is of the Thuja and Libocedrus genii. Some Junipers (Juniperus genus) are also called "cedar", thus complicating things some. Some Juniper varieties are cleansing herbs, especially J. monosperma, or Desert White Cedar. But for smudging, the best is Western Red Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) and California Incense Cedar (Libocedrus descurrens). Cedar is burnt while praying to the Great Spirit (Usen', the Source -- also known to Plains nations as Wakan Tanka) in meditation, and also to bless a house before moving in as is the tradition in the Northwest and Western Canada. It works both as a purifier and as a way to attract good energy in your direction. It is usually available in herb stores in chipped form, which must be sprinkled over a charcoal in a brazier. I like a piece of charcoaled mesquite for this purpose, rather than the commercial charcoal cake.
Sweetgrass
Very important to the Sioux and Cherokee nations, its botanical name is Hierochloë odorata. In these tribes, the sweetgrass is braided like hair braids. It could be burnt by lighting the end of it, or (more economically) by shaving little bits of it onto charcoal in a brazier. Again, use charcoaled Mesquite (I believe it comes packaged for barbecue use under the brand name "Red Arrow") to burn it, not pressed charcoal tablets. Sweetgrass is burnt after smudging with sage, to welcome in good influences after the bad had been driven out. Sweetgrass is very rare today, and traditional Plains people have been attempting to protect the last of it. Myself, I believe that Cedar, which is not endangered, can safely be used this way. Also Piñon pine needles (used more frequently by the Southwest Teneh, like the Navajo and Apache as well as the Pueblo people and the Zuni) and Copal (used by the Yaqui and in ancient times by the Azteca and the Maya) have similar effect. The three mentioned here are readily available either through gathering yourself or, in the case of copal resin, from any good herb shop.
Using Smudging
Burn clippings of the herb in a brazier... not a shell as some "new age" shamanic circles do... it is an insult to White Painted Woman (The Goddess) to do this, especially with the abalone shell which is especially sacred to Her. If the herb is bundled in a "wand", you can also light the end of the wand that isn't woody and use that. I like the latter way. Direct the smoke with your hands or with a Peyote (feather) wand over the person or thing you wish to smudge. If you can see auras, look for discolored places in the aura and direct the healing smoke towards those places on the patient's body. For cleansing a house, first offer cedar smoke to the four directions outside the house. Then, take a sage bough and go throughout the inside of the house, making sure the smoke penetrates every nook and cranny of the house. It might help also, if you have a power animal, to visualize your animal doing these things, to also dance your animal, and if you have a power song, to sing that too. Then finally, run through the house with a white candle that is well protected, to "light up" the house. Careful not to burn it down when you do it!!!
Final Thoughts
Smudging should be done with care, with reverence, and in an attitude of LOVE. Show your respect and honor to the plants that Usen' has given us for our healing, and they will return the favor by keeping us well and free from disease and negative energy. Aloe Vera plants, though not to be burnt, are good for the cleansing angle as well. Keep one or more potted Aloe Veras in the house (modern varieties are too tender to plant in anything but full shade outside) in organic (wood or ceramic, never plastic or metal) pots. To honor the plant when you transplant it, sprinkle the roots with corn meal and smudge it with cedar once it is transplanted. The spirit of Aloe Vera is a good protective spirit, and if you burn yourself, can also be used to heal your skin. Be sure to ask the plant's permission before cutting part of the leaf off for the healing juice. If you don't, the protective power of the plant will cease, and you will be left with but an inert houseplant... and perhaps some bad karma to boot.
Hi-dicho, it is finished.... ENJU!
Michelle Chihacou White Puma Klein-Hass
I came across a very interesting article from "Shaman's Drum" which was reprinted for Vision Quest Bookstore. I will attempt to convey the gist of it, along with my views, as a student of the Ways of the Teneh, about it. Smudging is a way of using the smoke from burning herbs as a way to cleanse the body, an object, or a given area of negative influences. I myself use smudging to "cleanse" crystals before using them in jewelry projects I may do, and for protecting my home from some recent "bad vibe"-producing events. (landlord troubles!) I imagine that the skillful use of the proper herbs could help in warding and banishing ceremonies as well, if used properly and with reverence. The three most used plant material for smudging are sage of all types, cedar and sweetgrass.
Sage
There are two major genii and several varieties of each genus of Sage that are used for smudging. Salvia, or the herb sage used for cooking, comes in two major varieties: S. officinalis, commonly known as Garden Sage, and S. apiana, commonly known as White Sage. Salvia varieties have long been acknowledged as healing herbs, reflected in the fact that its genus name comes from the Latin root word salvare, which is the verb "to heal" or "to save." Artemisia is the genus commonly considered "Sagebrush", and is more common in the wilds out here in California. There are two major varieties to the Artemisia genus: A. californica or Common Sagebrush, and A. vulgaris or Mugwort. There are many other varieties of both Salvia and Artemisia, and all are effective in smudging. Sage is burned in smudging ceremonies to drive out evil spirits, negative thoughts and feelings, and to keep Gan'n (negative entities) away from areas where ceremonials take place. In the Plains Sweatlodge, the floor of the structure is strewn with sage leaves for the participants to rub on their bodies during the sweat. Sage is also used in keeping sacred objects like pipes or Peyote wands safe from negative influence. In the Sioux nation, the Sacred Pipe is kept in a bundle with sage boughs. I would think special crystals could be so protected this way as well.
Cedar
True cedar is of the Thuja and Libocedrus genii. Some Junipers (Juniperus genus) are also called "cedar", thus complicating things some. Some Juniper varieties are cleansing herbs, especially J. monosperma, or Desert White Cedar. But for smudging, the best is Western Red Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) and California Incense Cedar (Libocedrus descurrens). Cedar is burnt while praying to the Great Spirit (Usen', the Source -- also known to Plains nations as Wakan Tanka) in meditation, and also to bless a house before moving in as is the tradition in the Northwest and Western Canada. It works both as a purifier and as a way to attract good energy in your direction. It is usually available in herb stores in chipped form, which must be sprinkled over a charcoal in a brazier. I like a piece of charcoaled mesquite for this purpose, rather than the commercial charcoal cake.
Sweetgrass
Very important to the Sioux and Cherokee nations, its botanical name is Hierochloë odorata. In these tribes, the sweetgrass is braided like hair braids. It could be burnt by lighting the end of it, or (more economically) by shaving little bits of it onto charcoal in a brazier. Again, use charcoaled Mesquite (I believe it comes packaged for barbecue use under the brand name "Red Arrow") to burn it, not pressed charcoal tablets. Sweetgrass is burnt after smudging with sage, to welcome in good influences after the bad had been driven out. Sweetgrass is very rare today, and traditional Plains people have been attempting to protect the last of it. Myself, I believe that Cedar, which is not endangered, can safely be used this way. Also Piñon pine needles (used more frequently by the Southwest Teneh, like the Navajo and Apache as well as the Pueblo people and the Zuni) and Copal (used by the Yaqui and in ancient times by the Azteca and the Maya) have similar effect. The three mentioned here are readily available either through gathering yourself or, in the case of copal resin, from any good herb shop.
Using Smudging
Burn clippings of the herb in a brazier... not a shell as some "new age" shamanic circles do... it is an insult to White Painted Woman (The Goddess) to do this, especially with the abalone shell which is especially sacred to Her. If the herb is bundled in a "wand", you can also light the end of the wand that isn't woody and use that. I like the latter way. Direct the smoke with your hands or with a Peyote (feather) wand over the person or thing you wish to smudge. If you can see auras, look for discolored places in the aura and direct the healing smoke towards those places on the patient's body. For cleansing a house, first offer cedar smoke to the four directions outside the house. Then, take a sage bough and go throughout the inside of the house, making sure the smoke penetrates every nook and cranny of the house. It might help also, if you have a power animal, to visualize your animal doing these things, to also dance your animal, and if you have a power song, to sing that too. Then finally, run through the house with a white candle that is well protected, to "light up" the house. Careful not to burn it down when you do it!!!
Final Thoughts
Smudging should be done with care, with reverence, and in an attitude of LOVE. Show your respect and honor to the plants that Usen' has given us for our healing, and they will return the favor by keeping us well and free from disease and negative energy. Aloe Vera plants, though not to be burnt, are good for the cleansing angle as well. Keep one or more potted Aloe Veras in the house (modern varieties are too tender to plant in anything but full shade outside) in organic (wood or ceramic, never plastic or metal) pots. To honor the plant when you transplant it, sprinkle the roots with corn meal and smudge it with cedar once it is transplanted. The spirit of Aloe Vera is a good protective spirit, and if you burn yourself, can also be used to heal your skin. Be sure to ask the plant's permission before cutting part of the leaf off for the healing juice. If you don't, the protective power of the plant will cease, and you will be left with but an inert houseplant... and perhaps some bad karma to boot.
Hi-dicho, it is finished.... ENJU!
Making Contact with the Lord and Lady
Making Contact with the Lord and Lady
(Pre Self Initiation Exercise)
By Karnayna Lilly
An Official Document of
The Green Man Craft Tradition
Copyright© 1999
I. Physical Preparations
In a convenient place, preferably in the North, set up a small altar. Cover the altar with a cloth of your choosing. Upon this altar have at each rear corner a candle. Use white at this time. Between these place a censer or incense burner. For this purpose a stick burner will work very well. Use incense that gives you a sense of power and connection with the Greenwood.
Images of the God and Goddess are a bonus however they are not mandatory. Framed images in this case work quite well. If you do not have images I will e mail you some to print. If you use them always remember that the Left side is for The Goddess and the Right, the God.
You will need a small bowl of water and one of salt.
Also a glass of wine or other suitable beverage. Any fruit juice works well however a good wine of your choice is best.
Finally you will need anointing oil. For this use Patchouli.
Your matter of dress is your choice. It is best to work in loose comfortable clothing and as you know Gardnerians work skyclad. At this point I want to make clear that my instruction will not make you an official Gardnerian because there is a strict rule that self initiation is an apostasy. You will however eventually self initiate yourself in the Green Man Craft Tradition.
II. The Ritual
Each evening approach your altar and sit before it. Use a chair if you must. Light the candles and incense and say:
“I welcome you Great Lord and Lady and invite you to attend my ceremony”
Now, to the best of your ability imagine that you are surrounded by a sphere of white light. Not just a circle. When this is accomplished take the salt and lift it as in offering and say:
“Lord and Lady (Your Choice of God Names will come later) I, a seeker of Thy mysteries do pray Thee, bless and purify this salt that it may be used for the good of all. So mote it be.”
Replace the salt and repeat the above with the water. Now place three pinches of the salt in the water. Hold up the mixture and say:
Lord and Lady Bless this union of earth and water that by Thy power all that is unclean will be cast away.”
Sprinkle the mixture in a CLOCKWISE direction three times. Replace the mixture and say:
“Blessed Be”
Take the incense and say”
“Lord and Lady Bless this union of fire and air that by Thy power all that is unclean will be cast away.”
Cense the incense in a CLOCKWISE direction three times. Replace the mixture and say:
“Blessed Be”
Now return to your place in front of the altar. Meditate for a moment on why you feel that you are being called to the Lord and Lady. Take your time. You will find that each night you will learn something different. When you feel ready begin the invocation:
“I invoke thee and call upon thee, O Mighty Mother of us all, bringer of all fruitfulness, by seed and root, by stem and bud, by leaf and flower and fruit do I invoke thee to bless me and admit me into the company of Thy hidden children, So Mote it Be!”
Make a pentagram before the altar with the words:
"Of the mother darksome and divine,
mine the scourge and mine the kiss;
here I charge you in this sign,
the five point star of love and bliss."
Anoint yourself with the oil (forehead, solar plexus and above genital area)
Now invoke the Horned Lord:
Great Horned Lord, return to earth again!
Come at my call and show thyself to men.
Shepherd of Goats, upon the wild hill's way,
Lead thy lost flock from darkness into day.
Forgotten are the ways of sleep and night -
Men seek for them whose eyes have lost the light.
Open the door, the door which hath no key,
The door of dreams, whereby men come to thee.
O Mighty Stag, O answer to me!”
III. The Proclamation
“Gentle goddess powerful god: I am your child, now and always. Your breath is my life. Your voice Great Mother and yours Great Father speak within me, as they do in all creatures, if we but only listen. Therefore here in your presence and before the Mighty Ones do I open my self to your blessing.”
Lift up the cup of wine and say:
Bless this wine with your essence Great Lady, Great Lord that by partaking of it I may also take part of you. Make a toasting gesture and drink. After consuming the wine lift up the cup and say:
“Flax Flags Fodder and Frig” (this is an old blessing )
Sit for a while in silent contemplation. Listen. You will hear the Gods within you. Speak with them and tell them why you wish to follow them. Afterwards put out the candles and thank the Lord and Lady for hearing you. Then Say So Mote it Be.
NOTE* Listen to your inner thoughts, feelings and dreams at all times while using this simple rite. The Lord and Lady will speak in many ways.
Do not underestimate the importance of this rite. It will prepare you for all further work.
(Pre Self Initiation Exercise)
By Karnayna Lilly
An Official Document of
The Green Man Craft Tradition
Copyright© 1999
I. Physical Preparations
In a convenient place, preferably in the North, set up a small altar. Cover the altar with a cloth of your choosing. Upon this altar have at each rear corner a candle. Use white at this time. Between these place a censer or incense burner. For this purpose a stick burner will work very well. Use incense that gives you a sense of power and connection with the Greenwood.
Images of the God and Goddess are a bonus however they are not mandatory. Framed images in this case work quite well. If you do not have images I will e mail you some to print. If you use them always remember that the Left side is for The Goddess and the Right, the God.
You will need a small bowl of water and one of salt.
Also a glass of wine or other suitable beverage. Any fruit juice works well however a good wine of your choice is best.
Finally you will need anointing oil. For this use Patchouli.
Your matter of dress is your choice. It is best to work in loose comfortable clothing and as you know Gardnerians work skyclad. At this point I want to make clear that my instruction will not make you an official Gardnerian because there is a strict rule that self initiation is an apostasy. You will however eventually self initiate yourself in the Green Man Craft Tradition.
II. The Ritual
Each evening approach your altar and sit before it. Use a chair if you must. Light the candles and incense and say:
“I welcome you Great Lord and Lady and invite you to attend my ceremony”
Now, to the best of your ability imagine that you are surrounded by a sphere of white light. Not just a circle. When this is accomplished take the salt and lift it as in offering and say:
“Lord and Lady (Your Choice of God Names will come later) I, a seeker of Thy mysteries do pray Thee, bless and purify this salt that it may be used for the good of all. So mote it be.”
Replace the salt and repeat the above with the water. Now place three pinches of the salt in the water. Hold up the mixture and say:
Lord and Lady Bless this union of earth and water that by Thy power all that is unclean will be cast away.”
Sprinkle the mixture in a CLOCKWISE direction three times. Replace the mixture and say:
“Blessed Be”
Take the incense and say”
“Lord and Lady Bless this union of fire and air that by Thy power all that is unclean will be cast away.”
Cense the incense in a CLOCKWISE direction three times. Replace the mixture and say:
“Blessed Be”
Now return to your place in front of the altar. Meditate for a moment on why you feel that you are being called to the Lord and Lady. Take your time. You will find that each night you will learn something different. When you feel ready begin the invocation:
“I invoke thee and call upon thee, O Mighty Mother of us all, bringer of all fruitfulness, by seed and root, by stem and bud, by leaf and flower and fruit do I invoke thee to bless me and admit me into the company of Thy hidden children, So Mote it Be!”
Make a pentagram before the altar with the words:
"Of the mother darksome and divine,
mine the scourge and mine the kiss;
here I charge you in this sign,
the five point star of love and bliss."
Anoint yourself with the oil (forehead, solar plexus and above genital area)
Now invoke the Horned Lord:
Great Horned Lord, return to earth again!
Come at my call and show thyself to men.
Shepherd of Goats, upon the wild hill's way,
Lead thy lost flock from darkness into day.
Forgotten are the ways of sleep and night -
Men seek for them whose eyes have lost the light.
Open the door, the door which hath no key,
The door of dreams, whereby men come to thee.
O Mighty Stag, O answer to me!”
III. The Proclamation
“Gentle goddess powerful god: I am your child, now and always. Your breath is my life. Your voice Great Mother and yours Great Father speak within me, as they do in all creatures, if we but only listen. Therefore here in your presence and before the Mighty Ones do I open my self to your blessing.”
Lift up the cup of wine and say:
Bless this wine with your essence Great Lady, Great Lord that by partaking of it I may also take part of you. Make a toasting gesture and drink. After consuming the wine lift up the cup and say:
“Flax Flags Fodder and Frig” (this is an old blessing )
Sit for a while in silent contemplation. Listen. You will hear the Gods within you. Speak with them and tell them why you wish to follow them. Afterwards put out the candles and thank the Lord and Lady for hearing you. Then Say So Mote it Be.
NOTE* Listen to your inner thoughts, feelings and dreams at all times while using this simple rite. The Lord and Lady will speak in many ways.
Do not underestimate the importance of this rite. It will prepare you for all further work.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)