J is for Justice

Is it ever ok to take justice into your own hands? If so, under what circumstances? This is the question I ask myself this morning.
My partner's bike was stolen last night, right off our back porch. She was so happy when she bought the bike a few weeks ago. She was looking forward to riding it as part of a effort to get back in shape. She rode it several times a week since she got it. We even got a bike trailer so the little ones could ride with her.
She was so devastated. We don't have the money to replace it. We know we live in a bad part of town. That's why we locked it to our porch. They cut through the chain and stole it anyway.
We have reported it stolen to the police. If it turns up they'll return it to us, but it's not like they are going to comb the ghetto to find it.
If you came here from the Pagan Blog Project you probably believe in magic and curses. Would you curse the people who did this?

H is for Helping Others

An important part of paganism, as I understand it, is the belief that we are part of an interconnected world. From the circle of life to karma, there are many explanations of that interconnectedness.  This is why helping others with no expectations of a return is part of my personal path. It's a paradox. Helping others without expecting a return guarantees a return.
I volunteer my time with Rochester Roots. It's a community supported agriculture group that works with the Rochester Public School system to provide education to inner city children and also sells shares of their produce at an affordable cost. If you want to learn more about them, check out their website www.rochesterroots.org
Today they had a work day. Several volunteers, including my family, descended on the garden to help clean it up and get it ready for planting. We all had a blast. And we helped our community at the same time.
When people think of paganism they think of the rituals and holy days. But I find the most meaning in everyday paganism. The littlest moments seem to hold the most magic. The rituals are important, but equally as important is carrying that spirituality and meaning into your daily life and out into the world where it can do it's work.

G is for Gratitude

About a month ago I was feeling stressed out with problems at work and the added workload from nursing school. I was in one of those negativity spirals and it was starting to cause problems at home. After a serious amount of meditating to rebalance everything, I watched a movie called "The Secret". It was a very interesting movie, with much that can be applied to magickal theory. If you haven't watched it, I recommend that you do.
The thing that I really brought away from this movie, was that good thing happen when we are grateful for what we already have. The movie was written for a non magical audience and explained it in terms of the universe giving you what you thought about on a regular basis. If you are constantly worrying about things you believe are out of your control, then you get more of the same, but if you are thinking about all the great things that are happening for you, more great things happen. An example was given of a man who picked up a random stone and put in into his pocket. Every time he touched the stone, he thought about all the thing he was grateful for. Because he put the stone into his pocket every morning and took it out every night, he touched it least twice a day.
I thought that sounded like a great idea and the perfect fix for my stress problem. Instead of a plain rock, I used a piece of rose quartz for its properties of self-love and acceptance. Every time I touch it I think of the things I'm grateful for. I have been carrying this stone around in my pocket for a month now and I can definitely tell a difference. My stress level has stayed low and hasn't gone up since using this technique.
Managing stress is important for everyone, but may be more so for those involved in magic. Stress can affect spell work, and can be especially killer for those using healing magic. Plus, spirits who are attracted to stress typically aren't the most pleasant. Also, the daily expression of thanks really does attract good thing into your life. Telling the people in your life how much you appreciate them doesn't hurt either.
Remember to find the magic in the little things, even if it is just a pebble in your pocket.

F is for Facing my Fears

If you find this post confusing or disturbing, I encourage you to read my post Death and Shamanic Dismemberment for the Pagan Blog Project 2012.
Back in January, I was getting ready to enter the nursing program and was feeling very stressed out. I decided to meditate on it to calm my mind and relax my emotions. I told my guides that I would welcome whatever journey I needed to have since I find that trying to force a journey gets very poor results.
I put on a shamanic drumming CD and got comfortable. I decided to start with visualization. I read about an exercise that was supposed to help you release stress. You were supposed to visualize yourself dropping your stress into a deep well.
So I did just that. I dropped my stress down the well. As I was looking down the well, black tentacles reached out of it and pulled me down the well.
It was pitch black. I was surrounded by darkness so thick I could feel it envelope me. I wasn't alone. I could sense something else circling me in the darkness.
A voice asked me, "What do you fear?"
"The unknown", I replied.
It ripped my left arm off. "What do you fear?" It asked again.
"Not being good enough."
It ripped my other arm off. "What do you fear?"
"Not being there for me family"
Now it tore off my right leg. "What do you fear?"
"Not being able to take care of them"
It tore off the left leg. "What do you fear?"
"Losing control"
What remained of my body was destroyed. I existed without a body. The voice spoke again. "You have faced your fears. They have destroyed your body. Do you feel dead? You still exist. You can exist without your fears to define you. You don't need them."
A small light, like a seed, appeared in the darkness. It began to grow, forming bones, nerves, muscles and organs. "This is what is left of you without fear. Do you see it growing? You no longer need your fears, let them go." The light grew into a new body for me and I possessed it.
The voice spoke to me some more with private instruction that I am not allowed to share.
It was important that I share this journey, because you don't need your fears either. Letting go of fear is a daily process. It may never be complete. But it is a challenge worth taking. If you can let go of your fears, what could possibly hold you back?

D is for Divination: an interview with JD Aricchi

For this week’s Pagan Blog Project post, I wanted to do something special. So I interviewed JD Aricchi, a friend of mine who is making his first foray into publishing with The Ethereal Oracle.

Me: Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. You have a new oracle deck coming out soon. When will it be available?

JD: The official release date is 3/11/13, but pre-order specials are going on now.

Me: Tell me more about this deck. What makes it special?

JD: This is an original oracle deck created from a selection of 45 pieces from over ten years of intuitive art as spirit art pieces. The deck is based on universal concepts. The mind/body/spirit balance coupled with color. It has no real boundaries of ideology.  Additionally, the downloadable book that will accompany the deck will include detailed insights on the card meaning or representation in many typical placements or positions and purposes.

Me: You said the deck is made up of spirit art. What can you tell me about your work?

JD: My artwork is created for the purpose of guidance for the individual it is created for. Initially, there was an intended recipient that the piece was created for. However, it is the energy and what the picture conveys on various levels of consciousness that is ultimately at work. Being energy, it can have an equally substantial meaning for any other person viewing or experiencing it. It is similar to interacting with a gemstone. I use a general “map” or guideline to interpret the work which is outlined in the book and in my workshops.

Me: The creation of this art seems to be a very intuitive process.

JD: Indeed, but maybe not how some may think. Initially I wrote the name of the intended recipient on the sketch. I think of the name and close my eyes and I get a general shape to start. I then begin to sketch constantly onto the paper and eventually the negative spaces and the images appear. Many times when I begin a drawing or art piece, I see lines of light or shadow on the paper and literally just follow them.

Me: How did you choose these 45 pieces?

JD: The selection process had many components to it. One component was allowing for purpose, like divine order, to intercede. Visually, which would make for a good card image and has enough depth to apply its meaning to different situations. As opposed to some images that would only have purpose for a specific, or limited, circumstances. I feel the purpose of this deck, as well as my work in general, is to give more information than answers, to empower actively choosing the present moment, and information or guidance to assist our choices in co-creating our internal and cumulative worlds.

Me: Your work is incredible. Where can we get a copy?

JD: On my website, www.infinitecreations.net or on several metaphysical shops listed on my website.

Me: Can my readers contact you for a reading through your website?

JD: Absolutely! They can also contact me through my Facebook page, Infinite Creations by JD LLC. On the web they can order spirit drawing or art. Both include written interpretations.

Me: Thank you very much for your time. Is there anything else you would like to add?

JD: This is the first of three planned decks. This first series of the Ethereal Oracle is going to be a limited quantity. Thank you for your interest.

So there you have it. I encourage you to go online to www.infinitecreations.net and reserve your copy today.  I have already pre-ordered mine and can't wait!

D is for Death and Shamanic Dismemberment

I first wrote this post for last year's Pagan Blog Project. It has been so popular that I thought I would repost it for this year.
If you want to read about my most recent dismemberment, check out F is for Facing my Fears

Death. It is inevitable and unavoidable.

I heard a story once about a man's encounter with Death. The man was in the market one morning when he saw Death staring at him. Fearing for his life, the man bought a horse and rode out of town as fast as it would carry him. Eventually, the horse would go no farther, and the man had to continue on foot. Late that night, weary and exhausted, the man became aware of another presence on the road. It was Death. Unable to run any further, the man turned to Death and asked "Why did you look at me so strangely this morning?" Death replied, "I was confused. I knew we had an appointment here tonight and I wondered how you would make it." Then Death collected the man's life.

For believers in reincarnation, death is a natural part of the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. It is a change that all living brings must eventually go through. It is our egos that fear death. When our bodies die, our souls live on and reincarnate in new bodies. Our egos, however, do not. They fear the loss of identity that comes with death. To conquer our fear of death we must first conquer our ego. Every tradition has some form of initiation designed to force the initiate to assert control over the ego and face his or her mortality.

Those who practice shamanism eventually experience what is called shamanic dismemberment. During this process, a spirit, or group of spirits, destroy the journeyer's "body". It is then remade. This is a type of initiatory experience that simulates death and rebirth. Shaman's will experience this multiple times over the course of their lives. By the time they grow old, a shaman's familiarity with death, partly through this experience, allows them to meet Death as an old friend instead of fearing it as an enemy.

A shaman that I studied with briefly conducted an exercise. She had everyone pair up and do a journey for their partner. Because there were an odd number of us, she partnered with one of us. The woman who journeyed for the shaman said that the spirits told her that the shaman was going to die. The shaman laughed and said, "They are always telling me that." She then went on to explain the dismemberment process and told us that was what the spirits were referring to.

It was not long after that I had my first experience of shamanic dismemberment. In my journey I met a spirit with the body of a man and the head of a jaguar at the top of a Mesoamerican pyramid. He instructed me to lie down on the altar in front of him, which I did. Then he ripped out my heart and ate it. He replaced the heart with one made of a neon blue light, but the flesh around it smothered the light. He breathed out a swarm of insects that completely devoured my body. When they fell away, I had a new body made of the same blue light. When I returned to my body I  felt a sense of empowerment, like something inside me had been cleansed. Since then I have also been eaten by wild animals and ripped apart by a horde of zombies.

Death is a part of the natural process. It is a consequence that follows the choice to be born. However you choose to deal with it, it is something that you will have to face sooner or later.

C is for Community

Part of what defines a shaman is their community. Shamans use their ability to move between the worlds and effect change for the betterment of their communities. In traditional cultures, the shaman is a respected member of the village who is sought out for his or her knowledge and power.
But what of those of us who are trying to reclaim our shamanic heritage after generations of religious suppression? My neighbors don't believe the way I do. If I explained what a soul retrieval was they would probably think I was crazy. So what constitutes my community?
I have given a lot of thought towards answering this question. The honest answer is that I am still not sure. Right now I would define my community as those I have formed relationships with. My community is my friends, family, and the plants, animals, and spirits that share the land I live on.

C is for Cats

Cats can be very magickal creatures. Cats have been associated with gods in many cultures. In Egypt, they are associated with Bast, a goddess often depicted with a cat head. In Norse culture, they are associated with the goddess Freyja, whose chariot was pulled by two cats.
In Burma, a group of monks, called Kittahs, are believed to reincarnate as cats before achieving Nirvana. And in Japan, Bekoning Cats are used to bring in good fortune, health, and wealth.
I have a cat that literally showed up on my doorstep a few weeks ago. We named him Falkor, after the dragon from "The Neverending Story". He reminds me of the Japanese Bekoning Cats. Since his arrival, my partner and I have gotten a lot of good paying contract work.
Cats have the Sight and often react to things that aren't visible to the average person. Once I was mediating outdoors when I was approached by a wandering spirit of some kind. When it realized I knew where it was, it attempted to hide itself. I knew it was still there, but I couldn't pin down its location. My cats could still see it though, and I was able to track its location by observing where my cats were staring.
Cats have long been associated with magic. The most memorable is when the Christians killed thousands of them believing them to be the servants of the Devil. Ironically, this led to an explosion of the rodent population which precipitated the Bubonic Plague which wiped out a third of Europe's population. Talk about karma.
The witches I have known have all worked with cats in one form or another, either by having them as pets or owning figures of them. I have heard that The Lady of Wicca is based on Freyja, who I have already mentioned was affiliated with cats.
Cat energy can be powerful to work with, but it can also be capricious. Cats come and go as they please, but can also be jealously territorial. As with any other gods or spirits, they can be powerful allies, but care must be taken to not offend them.
Until next time, remember to look for the magickal in the little things.

B is for Bees

My Pagan Blog Project post for "B" week is about bees. Bees are amazing little creatures. They live and work with thousands of other bees in hives. They are very industrious and work very hard at their assigned tasks to keep the colony alive and healthy. Every day they work their tiny miracle of turning pollen into honey. Along the way they pollinate the flowers as they collect nectar. Honey bees do most of the agricultural pollination in the world and it has been said that without them a large portion of the human population would starve.
Honey is worthy of its own post. It's healthy and is a natural preservative because of its anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Honey can remain good for over a hundred years.
I have a bee in my magickal supplies. Bees are associated with fertility, community, and productivity. Some cultures have other associations, but those three are pretty much universal.
In preparation for writing this post, I did a journey to Bee to ask what message it had for me. It took me on a tour of what it did. We gathered nectar from flowers, transferring pollen in the process. We brought it back to the hive and communicated with others about our find. Then Bee told me something powerful. The things Bee does are for its community. For Bee, community is more than itself or its hive. Community is the flowers it pollinates, the other animals that survive by eating the plant, fruit or seeds that grow because of the pollination. It is also the things that survive off the decay of those other things.
Our society is very wrapped up in the individual. It's all about Me. Bee reminds us to let go of our egos and care for others. Even small acts, like pollinating a flower, can have enormous effects. There is magick, even in the little things, if we only look for it.

A is for Agriculture

I picked agriculture as my Pagan Blog Project "A" topic because growing my own food helps to keep me connected with the universe and the local spirits. It also fits in neatly with last month's "Z" post about finding magic and mystery in the mundane.
When I prepare my garden I speak to the spirits of the land. I whisper words of strength to the seeds as I plant them. I give thanks to the plants as I harvest them for the life that they give to me. It is a mystical experience and I hope it always will be.
A lot of people my age and younger have never grown food for themselves. I've been lucky to have grown up with a garden. My father was the son of a farmer and we always had at least a small garden. Now I have a daughter and I will pass along this tradition to her. Below is a picture of spinach growing in the raised bed she "helped" me build last year. Spinach is a winter crop and it grew until we got almost a foot of snow a couple of weeks shoo.
It doesn't matter who you are, if you trace your roots back far enough you will find a farmer. Creating a garden can not only help you connect to the land, but it can also help you connect to your ancestors.
I find that my garden also helps me to connect with my faith. Many pagan religions are earth religions. The major festivals and holidays revolve around agriculture. As an example, I will use festivals that most on the Pagan Blog Project will be familiar with. Planting is done around the three fertility festivals of Imbolc, Ostara, and Beltane. Fruits and vegetables will be ready for harvest around the three harvest festivals of Lammas, Mabon, and Samhain.
Aside from the spiritual benefits of having a garden, there are practical benefits as well. Growing your own food can be a lot cheaper than buying it in a store, and better for you too. Plus there are the additional health benefits of being outside working in your garden getting fresh air and sunlight.
Even if you don't live where you can plant a garden in the ground, you can still grow things. I've seen gardens grown on rooftops, balconies, and window sills. If you are new to gardening, start small and with something easy, like garden herbs.
I really enjoy my garden and I hope I inspire you to start your own. Remember to always find the magick in the little things.

Zymurgy

I admit, I had to look up words that start with Z to come up with my topic. Zymurgy is the branch of chemistry that deals with fermentation. You might wonder why I chose zymurgy as my topic.
Before the rise of Christianity, many of the things we take for granted today were seen as magical. Most people just drive to the grocery store and pick up some beer or wine and don't give the wonderful process of fermentation a second thought. Through fermentation starches are transformed into alcohol. What could be more magical than the transformation of one substance into another? The process of fermentation, and those who knew how to create with it, were seen as magical.
This is the thought I leave with you. As we move into the New Year, maybe we should add "Finding the magic in the everyday" to our list of resolutions and try to look at the world with the eyes of our ancestors.

Mojo Bags

For this week's Pagan Blog Project post, I have decided to write about a project I have undertaken recently. Actually there are two separate projects. I am creating a couple of mojo bags for some people I know.

In this context I am using "mojo bag" to refer to a generic spell bag. I don't practice hoodoo, nor do I know much about their spell work. For these two people I am creating individualized spell bags customized to the person I am making it for. As in any other magick, spell bags are more potent if you create a new "recipe" for each one. 


We'll call the first person "A". A was recently diagnosed with an incurable degenerative neurological disease. In addition to other work she is doing for herself, and other healing services offered by yours truly, I recommended the creation of a spell bag to reinforce the healing effects between visits. I journeyed to ask the spirits what was needed for the creation of a spell bag for A. 


This is what I was told I needed:
        -green pouch to place other components in
        -mint
        -a walnut
        -bone from A's spirit animal
        -wood cut from a living birch tree freely given for this purpose
        -an item supplied by A


The green of course, symbolizes healing. Mint is good for the nerves. The meat of the walnut looks like the brain, so the walnut represents the nervous system. The spirit animal in question has appeared in all of A's healing sessions. It is a powerful ally in her healing process and including it's bone will add much power to the working. I have the first four items already, but not the last two. Birch is not that common in my area and I haven't had a knife with me to cut off a small branch the few times I have seen one. Also the wood must be freely given by the tree. After I have the wood, I will use my wood burner to inscribe it with the birch rune.


The last item will be the trickiest. A has to supply this item herself. Part of the reason I haven't made the bag yet is because she hasn't provided it. This is one of the most important lessons of magick and healing: You have to be involved or it won't work. Magick is not a cosmic ATM, it takes work. That's why she has to provide one of the items for the bag.


Once I have all the items needed, I will have a ceremony to create the bag. A will need to be present at the bag's creation. During the ritual, I will prick A's finger in order to blood the rune. This serves two purposes. First, blooding a rune gives it power, and secondly, it binds the rune and the bag to A. Once the bag is complete, A will need to carry it on her person and not allow others to touch it. 


The second bag I am creating is much less complicated. My friend "B" has a very stressful work environment. For B, I am creating a bag that contains:
       -hematite
       -an iron nail
       -sage
       -lavender oil


These will be placed in a blue bag because I find blue to be soothing. The hematite and iron nail both attract and ground negative energy. Sage is used to clear energy. Lavender oil is very relaxing. Also, these four things represent the four elements (with the iron nail for fire).

Journey: Part 2

This part is late because I was house sitting over the weekend. Last week I wrote about the reasons to do a journey and some general tips. Today I will write about how to journey.

Before doing any journey work, you should have a goal or question in mind. During the process of entering the spirit world, you should keep this at the forefront of your mind. If this is your first journey, your goal should be to meet a spirit guide. This guide can come in any form, so try to not hold any preconceived ideas about what form your guide should take. I have helping spirits that appear as animals, plants, and human forms. You can learn a lot about your guide and yourself by what form it takes.

The reason you search for a guide first, is because your guide will help you with all other journeys. The guide knows all the paths of the spirit world and the locations of other spirits you want to meet. If you want to talk to a specific god or goddess, your guide can take you there. If you need help with a problem, your guide knows the best spirit or spirits to help you.

Once you have a goal, the next thing you need is a way to exit your body and enter the spirit world. Creating a ritual is a great way to approach this if you have no prior experience with the journey process. Set it up as you would any other ritual. Take a ritual bath, wear special clothing, clear the space and call a circle. These things tell your mind that you are about to do something special. After you have experience journeying, going through the whole ritual won't be necessary, but it will still make it easier.

There are many different methods of detaching your mind from your body. Some physically push your body to extremes. Examples of these are dancing (very energetic tribal), fasting, pain, sleep deprivation, and anything that would cause exhaustion. Others affect your mind more directly. These include entheogens, meditation, drumming, rattling, binaural beats, chanting, and other forms of brain entrainment. You should use the method that is most appropriate for you. Entheogens are commonly classified as hallucinogens and are illegal in many countries. If you are not physically capable of handling the rigors of the more physical methods, you should try less stressful means. The most commonly used method is the steady beat found in shamanic drumming. There are many good CD's out there. Sandra Ingerman's book "Awakening to the Spirit World" comes with one that I use frequently.

So you have your goal in mind, you started the journey ritual, called the circle, and put on your drumming music. Now what? This is the tricky part. Sometimes you have to help things along. You can start with a guided meditation.

Picture yourself entering a cave. The cave extends deep underground, yet there is enough light for you to make your way down into the earth. the cool moist air envelopes you as you do deeper into the cave. You hear the sound of running water and soon come to an underground river. A small boat is tied to the bank. You step into it and it floats out into the river and the current carries it downstream. The gentle rocking of the boat calms you, and you release all your cares and worries, focused only on the task at hand. Soon, the river carries you out of the cave. At this point, let the images come to you instead of creating them yourself. What kind of landscape are you in? Do you hear anything? If you feel drawn to do so, land your boat and walk around.

That was the guided imagery used when I first journeyed. Feel free to personalize it. Anything involving going into the ground to come out in a new land will get you to the Underworld. Climbing down the roots of a tree, going through a cave or other hole in the ground, descending a stairway, etc will all work. If you feel you should search in the Upperworld, choose ways that take you up. Climb into the branches of the world tree, take a balloon, ride a broomstick, or just fly up into the clouds to the lands beyond.

Once you are in the spirit world, speak your intention. Someone or something should come to you. Ask if it is your guide. If it is your guide, get to know it. Ask questions, talk, build a relationship. This being is going to be by your side for a long time.

If at first you don't succeed, don't worry. Try again later. I was once told that all someone else can do is show you the door. They can't help you step through it. I've found this to be true. There was a man who joined the journey circle I attended. He had read about shamanism in his spiritual searching and was very enthusiastic. But for the last couple of months that I was there before I moved, he was unable to leave his body and mind to travel the other worlds.

I think I covered the basics. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below.

Journey: Part 1

When I started this project I had every intention of posting every week. That hasn't happened. But I was not going to let J week pass me by. For me J is for journey and it's so important that I am doing two posts about it.

As a shaman, journeying is at the core of what I do. What is a "journey"? A journey is a type of out of body experience. The shaman leaves his/her body and journeys to the spirit realm. While there, he/she meets and communicates with various spirits. The reasons for journeying are as varied as the reasons for magick. Journeys can be done for divination, healing, blessing, learning, etc. I've even done journeys to receive spells direct from the spirits I partner with.

A disclaimer. Journeying, like magick, can be dangerous. It is recommended that you are trained by someone who knows what they are doing before trying it on your own. I was once in a journey circle with a girl who almost didn't come back. Not that I ever had what you would call formal training. If you haven't noticed, there is a distinct lack of traditional shamans of European descent. Something about most of them being killed by Christians. I did have someone help me with my very first journey, but most of it after that was self taught from books and direct from the spirits themselves. Luckily, I managed to not screw anything up. I always come back and I don't leave pieces of myself scattered from here to the Underworld.

Second big piece of advice. And this one isn't optional. BE POLITE. You ever read fairy tales? Magickal beings get down right hostile when people are rude to them. If you are polite and show them common courtesy they will at the very least not attempt to smite you. They may even help you. Rudeness always results in cursing. During a journey, you are in their world. Which is not to say that you have no power there. Far from it. But until you learn enough to take the training wheels off you probably won't be able to stop them if they decide to have their way with you. Remember, they've been spirits for centuries longer than you've been human.

Don't worry. The bad news is also the good news. Every single person has spirits who take an interest in their well being. Guardian angels, totems, guides, what ever you want to call them, they're just waiting on the other side to help you along. As long as you don't grievously insult them in some way and manage to piss them off, they will make it their job to try to keep you out of trouble. They won't do everything for you and they can't stop you from being an idiot, but they'll do their best.

Spirits are the allies of the shaman. It is from them that the shaman receives the bulk of his or her training. Some are generalists, others specialize. There is a spirit that I only ever see in divinatory journeys. Over the years, shamans build up a network of spiritual allies. They are his/her greatest strength. They guide the shaman on his/her journeys, ensuring the shaman does not become lost in the shifting realities of the spirit world. They help with healing, give advice, and if it ever comes to a fight with another spirit, they have your back.

Unlike the physical world, the spirit world is a subjective reality. If you take ten people and show them a big oak tree, they will all agree that they see a big tree. Some of them might even know it is an oak. But, send ten people on a journey to the Underworld, and they will come back with ten different descriptions on what it looks like and what they found there.

Once, the shaman leading the journey circle I was in had us divide into pairs and journey for our partner. The person that journeyed for the shaman returned shaken. She said she had gone to a place that was pitch black. The shaman encouraged her, "Yes, that is the place that I go when I journey." Then she said she was approached by something that looked like a glowing triangle. The shaman said it was one of the spirits that she often worked with. "What did he say?" asked the shaman. The woman was almost afraid to answer, but finally said, "He said you have to die." "Don't worry", the shaman laughed. "They tell me that all the time."

Which brings me to another good point. Things are not always what they seem. The woman from the journey circle thought the spirit meant the shaman was going to have a literal physical death. The shaman explained that the spirit was actually talking about a type of spiritual death and rebirth. It is a very positive experience. It cleanses away negative energies and often accompanies initiatory journeys. I myself have experienced several of these "deaths".

Lastly, you are the best person to interpret your own journeys. Your consciousness filters the spirit world into something you can more easily understand, assigning symbols to meanings. The message is customized to the journeyer. Your symbols are different from mine.

That's all for this week. Until next time.

Hexes

It has been several weeks since I last posted on the Pagan Blog Project. It's been a crazy month. I lost my job, traveled across the country to visit in-laws, and spent time playing with my baby girl who is finally starting to crawl. But you didn't come to my blog to read about how hectic things are. You came here to read about Hexes.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Look up Hex, hex, or hex- in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

"A hex is a magical spell, usually with malevolent purposes such as a curse. The term is derived from the German word Hexe for a witch."

In the context of the post, hex refers to a curse. Traditionally, hexes could result in a range of afflictions including: illness, disease, deformity, loss of fertility (the victim's or the victim's land), or even death. The effects of the hex are limited only by the imagination of the one performing the hex. The reasons for hexing someone vary as well, usually to avenge a personal wrong. 

The methods of placing a hex also vary dramatically. The bards of Celtic culture were able to hex using only the power of their words. The evil eye, a type of hex, can be cast merely through envy. In the case of ritual hexing, something personal of the victim's is used, preferably something coming from his or her own body. It is for this reason that people in cultures where various forms of magic are still widely practiced, take pains to prevent any of these things from being taken by their enemies. In some indigenous tribes, they go into the forest alone to cut their hair and trim their nails and bury the trimmings afterward.

I am not going to give any specific spells or rituals. You won't see them on any of my other posts either. I believe spell work is strongest when it is your own. The energy you put into designing your own spells and rituals empowers them. If you want to find a hex to copy, just search for a love spell. There are plenty of them online and in books, and they are basically hexes designed to subvert the free will of another.

Now we move into the murky world of ethics. Is cursing bad? Should it be avoided? Some say that all negativity should be avoided, especially in spell work. Hexes, being inherently negative are therefore universally banned. A fine example of this is the Wiccan Rede, which states: "An ye harm none, do what ye will." Others are more grey, believing that there is a time and place for everything, even hexes. Still others embrace the darkness and freely hex anyone who gets in their way, and even take money to hex the enemies of others.

Personally I see too much grey in the world to say that hexes should never be cast. I think there may be times when it is even appropriate. As the Buddhists say, life is pain. Anyone who tells you different is trying to sell you something. Death and other "negative" things are a necessary part of the delicate balance that allows life in the first place. I have developed a rule of thumb that I use to determine if hexing is called for. If I am not willing to physically harm  the person, I should not hex them either. I've never been one to get into fights, so that is a hard line for me to cross. So far I've never hexed anyone. 

When I was first learning magick, I got a letter from an acquaintance of my mother's, threatening me physical harm if I did not stop defying my parents. He said he was going to come to my work place and "kick my ass". The letter was handwritten. Idiot. I really struggled over whether or not to hex him. Having his hand writing was precisely what I needed to make a ritual hex work. In the end, I simply threatened to call the cops if I ever saw him again. I also informed my employer about the threat, just in case he did show up. I still have his letter. A reminder of why I left, and something to show my daughter when she asks why she doesn't have a grandmother like other kids.

As a strange coincidence, (which I don't believe in, by the way) a friend of mine received a phone call today. It was from the Department of Social Services. They called because his daughter, who lives with her mother,  showed up to school today with bruises indicating that she was physically abused by her mother. Now, for the second time in my life I am seriously considering hexing. Right now, I'm not sure what I will do. A lot of it depends on what my friend plans to do about it. Since I am not personally involved, I won't do anything without his permission.

Ultimately, to hex or not to hex is a personal decision. One whose consequences you will have to live with.

Fertility and Sex Magick

WARNING: this post contains descriptions of sex and sex magick. It also contains pictures. If you are not legally old enough in your country or find such things offensive, please check out my other posts. By continuing to read you acknowledge that you are old enough to legally view this post.



For today's post I am writing about a ritual that Heather and I did last full moon.

Every year we plant a garden in our yard. It's not very large, maybe 500 square feet. In it we plant a variety of vegetables and kitchen herbs. This year we decided to use sex magick in our seed blessing ritual. I was exited about this because I had never used sex magick before.

We began by setting up the altar. The main thing was putting all the seeds we had just purchased on the altar. We chose a time when the baby was napping so that she wouldn't interrupt the ritual.

We called the corners and the god and goddess. We work with Brigid and Cernunnos. We stated our intent for the spell, then we invited the god and goddess into our bodies. In some traditions this is called Calling Down the Sun and Moon. It's not a full possession, but I could feel the difference when Cernunnos entered me.

We had very intense sex. We channeled the energy from the sex into the blessing for the seeds. When we had finished, we thanked Brigid and Cernunnos and dismissed the corners.

The ritual and blessing were done on Thursday, March 8. We planted the seeds on Sunday, March 11. By Tuesday the 13th, we already had sprouts. A week later on the 19th our plants looked like this:

Ethics

According to Merriam-Webster.com:

"Definition of ETHIC

1 plural but sing or plural in constr : the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation
2 a : a set of moral principles : a theory or system of moral values —often used in plural but singular or plural in construction b plural but sing or plural in constr : the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group
c : a guiding philosophy
d : a consciousness of moral importance
3 plural : a set of moral issues or aspects (as rightness) "

I once attended a meeting about ethics in shamanism. There were a variety of levels of experience represented, including students who had recently found shamanism. It was the position of the shaman holding the meeting that, among other things, ethics prevented shamans from interfering with the lives of others without their permission, even when we believe it would be in their best interests. For example, if a hurricane were headed for Haiti, it would be unethical to attempt to divert it without the request of the people of Haiti.

One of the students disagreed with the shaman. The student asked if she saw person A abusing person B, shouldn't she try to stop it? The shaman replied that she should only get involved if person B asked for help.

What are your magickal ethics? When is the use of magick, healing, curses, etc appropriate? Do you need the permission of the people involved? Is using magick to get a job, win the lottery, or find a lover cheating? If you are in a coven, does your coven have a code of ethics?

I'm interested in what you think. Leave a comment telling me about your or your coven's code of ethics. My ethical rule: don't bash other comments. If you do, your comment will be removed.

Energy Work and Shamanic Extraction

From the shamanic perspective, there are three main causes of illness: power loss, soul loss, and energy intrusions. Intrusions are harmful or misplaced energies that become stuck in already weakened energy fields.
People, places, spirits, even plants and animals, all give off psychic energies. Healthy energy fields keep out these random intrusions. There are many reasons why energy fields become weakened. Power loss, soul loss, and stress are some of the most common causes.
Sometimes intrusions are not random energies. Intrusions can be caused by hateful or jealous words or actions. "If looks could kill" is not a meaningless saying. They can also be caused by negative self image or magical attack.
The process of removing energy intrusions is called extraction. First the shaman enters a trance state. Then he or she locates the intrusion. This is a very intuitive process.
Once the intrusion is located, the shaman works with his or her guides to remove it. Two of the most common ways to remove the intrusion are pulling or sucking. The physical movements mimic the actions of the shaman on the spiritual level. Once removed, the intrusion is placed into another object, such as a stone, insect, crystal, or piece of bone. This is very important. The healer should NEVER take the energy into themselves. The energy is instead put into the object. The object is then destroyed, buried, or cleansed.
The next step is to prevent a new intrusion. Nature abhors a vacuum. With the intrusion gone, a space is left in the energy field. Once the intrusion is removed, the shaman fills the space with healing energy. Lastly, the shaman cleanses him or herself and ends the ceremony.
The ceremony may have to be repeated more than once to remove all of the intrusions.

Dreams

Every culture recognizes the importance of dreams. It is through dreams that the gods, spirits, ancestors, and the subconscious speak to us. It comes as no surprise that there are many books and techniques for dream work. Below are some techniques that I have tried.

Dream interpretation can be a very tricky thing. The message of the dream, if there is one, is meant for the dreamer and is best interpreted by the dreamer. The symbols in the dreams are tailored to them and attempted interpretation by others can be difficult. The presence of a squirrel in my dream can have a totally different meaning than if the same squirrel appears in your dream. This is why I don't use books on dream interpretation. The interpretations in books are based on cultural generalizations and may not reflect my personal symbology. I usually meditate or journey on my dreams to get a more intuitive read on them.

A dream journal is an excellent tool for those interested in dream work. To keep a dream journal you need to place it next to the bed so you can write down your dreams as soon as you wake before the dream slips away. I used to keep a separate journal for dreams, but now I record significant dreams in my shamanic journal. keeping a dream journal will allow you to look back at dreams later and sometimes that hindsight will give you a clearer understanding of the dream.

Lucid dreaming is the technique of taking control of the dream from the inside. Lucid dreamers are then able to reshape the dream as they see fit as in the Matrix "there is no spoon", or Dark City's "tuning".  I haven't set out to try lucid dreaming, but I have recently been able to spontaneously achieve this state. I think it may be related to my shamanic studies. Dreams and shamanic journeys are very similar and my familiarity with the state needed for journey work allows me to recognize this state in dreams and take control.

Recurring dreams usually carry an important message. I had a series of dreams that started before I began studying shamanism. The settings of the dreams were always different. What was the same was that in all the dreams I was held immobile by an outside force. My attacker appeared in various forms. in some dreams it was a ghost. In others, it was invisible. The last time I dreamed of it, it manifested as a swirling shadow. In the dreams I knew that if  I could command it to let me go, it would have to obey. However, I could not speak. So the dreams became a contest of wills between me and it.

When I began studying shamanism, I learned about the shadow. There are many different names for it, and there is a great blog post about it on Standing At The Centre. Basically, it is the parts of you that are denied and repressed. But repressing things doesn't make them go away. Instead, because you are ignoring them, they get to run amok, influencing you in ways you don't realize. I believe the dreams I had were an initiatory experience of sorts. They alerted me to the presence of my shadow, and showed me that if I did not control it, it would control me.

After I began working with my shadow, the dreams stopped. I still journey to check in with my shadow from time to time, especially if I do or feel something and I don't quite understand where it is coming from. I have made the process an important part of knowing myself.

This is by no means a complete list of dream techniques. These are only the ones that I personally have experience with. There are stones, charms, herbs, and spells for working with dreams. Working with dreams can be a big undertaking, but it can really pay off. If you want to learn more about dreams, dream interpretation, and dream magick, there are many books on the subject. I really like Christopher Penczak's book "The Temple of Shamanic Witchcraft". Among other things, it has a chapter on dreams.

Death and Shamanic Dismemberment

Death. It is inevitable and unavoidable.

I heard a story once about a man's encounter with Death. The man was in the market one morning when he saw Death staring at him. Fearing for his life, the man bought a horse and rode out of town as fast as it would carry him. Eventually, the horse would go no farther, and the man had to continue on foot. Late that night, weary and exhausted, the man became aware of another presence on the road. It was Death. Unable to run any further, the man turned to Death and asked "Why did you look at me so strangely this morning?" Death replied, "I was confused. I knew we had an appointment here tonight and I wondered how you would make it." Then Death collected the man's life.

For believers in reincarnation, death is a natural part of the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. It is a change that all living brings must eventually go through. It is our egos that fear death. When our bodies die, our souls live on and reincarnate in new bodies. Our egos, however, do not. They fear the loss of identity that comes with death. To conquer our fear of death we must first conquer our ego. Every tradition has some form of initiation designed to force the initiate to assert control over the ego and face his or her mortality.

Those who practice shamanism eventually experience what is called shamanic dismemberment. During this process, a spirit, or group of spirits, destroy the journeyer's "body". It is then remade. This is a type of initiatory experience that simulates death and rebirth. Shaman's will experience this multiple times over the course of their lives. By the time they grow old, a shaman's familiarity with death, partly through this experience, allows them to meet Death as an old friend instead of fearing it as an enemy.

A shaman that I studied with briefly conducted an exercise. She had everyone pair up and do a journey for their partner. Because there were an odd number of us, she partnered with one of us. The woman who journeyed for the shaman said that the spirits told her that the shaman was going to die. The shaman laughed and said, "They are always telling me that." She then went on to explain the dismemberment process and told us that was what the spirits were referring to.

It was not long after that I had my first experience of shamanic dismemberment. In my journey I met a spirit with the body of a man and the head of a jaguar at the top of a Mesoamerican pyramid. He instructed me to lie down on the altar in front of him, which I did. Then he ripped out my heart and ate it. He replaced the heart with one made of a neon blue light, but the flesh around it smothered the light. He breathed out a swarm of insects that completely devoured my body. When they fell away, I had a new body made of the same blue light. When I returned to my body I  felt a sense of empowerment, like something inside me had been cleansed. Since then I have also been eaten by wild animals and ripped apart by a horde of zombies.

Death is a part of the natural process. It is a consequence that follows the choice to be born. However you choose to deal with it, it is something that you will have to face sooner or later.