So, I have been thinking about the Wiccan Wheel of the Year. I like the Sabbats that Wiccans observe, as they mark important times in the functioning of the year, such as marking the equinoxes, for instance. Casual observation leads an observer to note that the Sabbats are divided into two categories: the equinoxes and solstices, and the others. I looked further into this and applied some knowledge gleaned from meditation.
If one looks closely at the story of the year as told through the relationship of the god and goddess, one realizes that different aspects come into focus at different points throughout the story. In particular, the god and goddess switch between two themes: at one Sabbat, they are deities of the fields and woodlands, while in the next they are solar deities, symbolized by the sun and moon.
Combining these two observances led me to realize that the switch happens at every other Sabbat, so that the first category (equinoxes and solstices) tell the story of a pair of solar deities, while the second category tells the story of earth-based deities that rule plant and animal life. Each set of Sabbats roughly corresponds to one of the four great stages of life: birth, life/marriage, decline, and death. Applied to an agricultural lifestyle, this would be planting, growing, harvesting, and waiting / planning.
When I have done some further meditation on this, I will post my ideas.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Shield Renewed
So, I have been gone for a while. It seems life caught up to me, and I have had some stuff to deal with. The good news is that I am still alive and should be posting a bit more often.
In other news, I renewed the shield that I put up around my parents' house. This time, I anointed myself with lavender based anointing oil and offered a gift of herbs at each point. I offered sprigs of rosemary, lavender, and sage (all of which had been grown on the property) and meditated at the center with my Faery Gate, a piece of flourite that I enchanted in a ritual with Chelsea over at Inner Sanctum last year. The gate acts as a focus when I am trying to contact / channel energies from the Otherworld. During the meditation, I promised to burn a dedicated candle every night for a week if they would empower the shield for the coming year.
I could feel the energy of the night, and every night that I burned the candle, I (and even my boyfriend, who had no idea why I lit the candle) could feel the presence in the room. The energy / being(s) that answered my call seemed well satisfied, though I could tell it (they) had teeth. I really hope no one sends any bad mojo toward my parents; I have a feeling they won't like what they get in return.
In other news, I renewed the shield that I put up around my parents' house. This time, I anointed myself with lavender based anointing oil and offered a gift of herbs at each point. I offered sprigs of rosemary, lavender, and sage (all of which had been grown on the property) and meditated at the center with my Faery Gate, a piece of flourite that I enchanted in a ritual with Chelsea over at Inner Sanctum last year. The gate acts as a focus when I am trying to contact / channel energies from the Otherworld. During the meditation, I promised to burn a dedicated candle every night for a week if they would empower the shield for the coming year.
I could feel the energy of the night, and every night that I burned the candle, I (and even my boyfriend, who had no idea why I lit the candle) could feel the presence in the room. The energy / being(s) that answered my call seemed well satisfied, though I could tell it (they) had teeth. I really hope no one sends any bad mojo toward my parents; I have a feeling they won't like what they get in return.
Monday, January 31, 2011
The Morrigna, a thought exercise
First of all, sorry for the long break in posts. I have been busy getting adjusted to school life. Taking 18 hours is basically only leaving me with time to sleep. I was inspired to write this post today when I walked under a large oak tree full of crows and sent up a silent prayer to the Morrigan for safety from harm. This led me to really think about the Morrigan and who she really is. It led me to this conclusion:
The Morrigan is often seen as one of three goddesses that make up a trinity of war deities. I do not see her as such. What I see is three goddesses, the Badb, Nemain, and Macha who together make a force known as the Morrigna, which is a plural of the word Morrigan, meaning "phantom queen" or "great queen." This leads me to believe that Morrigan is a title that the three share. There is, however, a story where the Morrigan is given a name: Anann. More on this later.
If we take into account the stories of the Lebor Gabála Érenn, the Morrigna are sisters of Ériu, Banba, and Fódla, the three goddesses for which Ireland was named. According to a 17th century book called History of Ireland, Eriu, Banba, and Fodla each worshiped an individual Morrigan, possibly meaning that these two sets are equivalent. If this is true, then these six could be seen as actually being three dual goddesses with light and dark sides. I'm going to leave off at this point, but I will be posting again later with more details about each goddess.
The Morrigan is often seen as one of three goddesses that make up a trinity of war deities. I do not see her as such. What I see is three goddesses, the Badb, Nemain, and Macha who together make a force known as the Morrigna, which is a plural of the word Morrigan, meaning "phantom queen" or "great queen." This leads me to believe that Morrigan is a title that the three share. There is, however, a story where the Morrigan is given a name: Anann. More on this later.
If we take into account the stories of the Lebor Gabála Érenn, the Morrigna are sisters of Ériu, Banba, and Fódla, the three goddesses for which Ireland was named. According to a 17th century book called History of Ireland, Eriu, Banba, and Fodla each worshiped an individual Morrigan, possibly meaning that these two sets are equivalent. If this is true, then these six could be seen as actually being three dual goddesses with light and dark sides. I'm going to leave off at this point, but I will be posting again later with more details about each goddess.
Friday, January 7, 2011
It is done.
I finished my ritual in record time. And, I did it right under my parents' noses. It's for their own good anyway. This is basically how the ritual went:
I cast the circle, as I normally do, including summoning the elementals. I then charged nine black plastic beads. I chose black because I find it is significantly connected to protection, and they are plastic so that they will not rot away. I charged the beads, which are on a loop of black yarn, in sets of two. In each set, there is a bead that pulls elemental forces from the Earth, and a bead that is a receptacle for Fey energy. I have made a promise with the Fey that as long as they willingly tend the shield, I will leave them offerings as often as I can. The last bead I charged as a focus for all good energy. I then charged them by the elements: Earth and Water in the tea that I had with me, Air from the incense that I blended for the occasion, and Fire from the flame of the candle. I passed them through the smoke and flame until the tea had dried. I then charged a sweet almond cookie as a preliminary gift to the Fey and a sign of good faith. I then closed the circle as I usually do and cleaned up my space.
The shield that I intend to set up is going to have four arching pillars, one in each Quarter, supported by a central column that is located right outside the front door of the house. The central column is the center point of the whirling spiral of energy contained within the shield. It will draw positive energy into the house, while repelling negative energy so that it may be grounded by the outer perimeter. The shield itself is semi-permeable. All negative energy is grounded or repelled, and all positive energy is allowed to pass through. The shield does not affect and is not affected by physical objects or creatures. If all goes according to my plan, the area contained within the shield will be an area of light and happiness, a place where my family can rest and be protected when they let their guards down.
I cast the circle, as I normally do, including summoning the elementals. I then charged nine black plastic beads. I chose black because I find it is significantly connected to protection, and they are plastic so that they will not rot away. I charged the beads, which are on a loop of black yarn, in sets of two. In each set, there is a bead that pulls elemental forces from the Earth, and a bead that is a receptacle for Fey energy. I have made a promise with the Fey that as long as they willingly tend the shield, I will leave them offerings as often as I can. The last bead I charged as a focus for all good energy. I then charged them by the elements: Earth and Water in the tea that I had with me, Air from the incense that I blended for the occasion, and Fire from the flame of the candle. I passed them through the smoke and flame until the tea had dried. I then charged a sweet almond cookie as a preliminary gift to the Fey and a sign of good faith. I then closed the circle as I usually do and cleaned up my space.
The shield that I intend to set up is going to have four arching pillars, one in each Quarter, supported by a central column that is located right outside the front door of the house. The central column is the center point of the whirling spiral of energy contained within the shield. It will draw positive energy into the house, while repelling negative energy so that it may be grounded by the outer perimeter. The shield itself is semi-permeable. All negative energy is grounded or repelled, and all positive energy is allowed to pass through. The shield does not affect and is not affected by physical objects or creatures. If all goes according to my plan, the area contained within the shield will be an area of light and happiness, a place where my family can rest and be protected when they let their guards down.
New Blog!
Hey, guys, I'm starting up this blog as a way to share my pagan experiences with the world. I think of this as a place to share what is happening in my spritual life with a wider audience. Currently, I am preparing myself to perform a ritual for shielding my parents' house. I plan on setting up a bubble-like shield that will keep out negative forces (gods know my family doesn't need them right now). Anyway, I will post the results after the shield is set up. I also plan on sharing the ritual itself with you guys so I will have it recorded somewhere that I can share. Here goes nothing!
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