Showing posts with label Pagan Friends. Show all posts
Amber ~ Pagan Blog Project 2014
Friday, 3 January 2014
The Pagan Blog Project is back! And this year I am attempting to take part as I re-dedicated myself in Samhain to take my pagan practice up a notch or two. I want to find that inner closeness I have had snatches of over the past few years. So this is my personal journey, and I will be posting about topics I haven't done before or that I haven't done in much detail. This week's post is the letter "A" and I chose to write about AMBER.
Amber is one of the most prettiest stones I have ever seen. I have to admit that it was my Mum who brought my attention to this amazing stone. Mum has always had a close affinity with Merlin, Alchemy and Nature. She still remains in awe at how this beautiful crystal is formed from tree resin which is what gives it that plastic feeling when you rub it between your thumb and forefinger.
Amber is a stone of courage, personal power and harmony - traits every practicing pagan and witch would benefit from and understand just how important they are to have. It's also a great crystal to work with as we approach Imbolc, as we each grow out of the dark and begin to emerge into the lightness of the earths cycle. Amber is also especially brilliant to work with when in our practices, wiccan or shamanic, we are aiming to connect between the realms, amber acts as the gateway.
It's long been associated with the Mother Goddess as it is believed to contain the essence of life - possibly down to the fact that some tree resin Amber's contain insects and the like.
Ways To Use Amber:
On a Healing level, Amber is good to wear upon you for self-healing, and relieving anxiety and depression. It's brilliant for increasing your self confidence and inner radiance. If you are a healer and work with many clients either physically or spiritually at a distance, wearing amber can help prevent you absorbing negative energies. It's a wonderful crystal to aid digestion, and speech problems, it strengthens the spine and encourages cell regeneration.
With Children and Animals, Amber is particularly self healing for animals who are older. I find my Cat like to lie on this crystal which is gentle and comfy and seems to ease her arthritis. For children, you may find it helpful for them if they are prone to being bullied, it creates a barrier against spite (sometimes us adults could benefit from Amber for this reason too).
Protection is what Amber is probably best known for, it gives you the courage to face your enemies be they people, situations, fears, etc. Roman Gladiators used amber for this too! If you place a piece on your altar it will offer power and protection in your rituals.
Money, Money, Money! Amber is a stone of prosperity and success. So it's great to keep some in your purse/wallet, on your desk at work, in your safe at home with your money and valuables, you can even pop a small piece in a money box. I like to keep a piece near my vision board and have even attached it to a vision board.
Spiritually Speaking - Amber is great to use for past life work. Burn an orange candle and hold this crystal whilst gazing into the flame with half closed eyes.
My experiences with Amber
My mum bought me a gorgeous Amber pendant for my birthday one year and it looks truly like a family heirloom. Many people have even asked me if it was my Grandmothers or Great-Grandmothers - yet it is totally brand new. It is just a very experienced stone - at least I like to think of it that way. I've always associated amber with High Priestesses and I tend to work with Jet too when doing magickal work. The deep richness of the colour, I cant help but be transformed to autumnal thoughts of cosiness, and warmth, which is important for self security and inner reflection.
All written content on this blog is the work of © Dawn Brierley, Life Coach, Consultant, Intuitive Angel Therapist, Tarot Lover & Mentor
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Pagan Portals : Hoodoo by Rachel Patterson
Friday, 5 July 2013
by Rachel Patterson aka Tansy Firedragon
ISBN-68-3459876038524
Publication 30th August 2013
Published by Moon Books
£4.99 (available for pre-order from Amazon UK / Amazon US)
I was pleasantly surprised when the manuscript to this phenomenal soon-to-be-released book landed in my email account. Written by a Facebook friend of mine; Rachel Patterson who is also known by her craft name of Tansy Firedragon - a name perhaps many of you may know her as.
Hoodoo is a topic that I have never in my life read anything about, perhaps due to the media mis-conceptions of it all, which I feel is a great saddening cloak to be placed upon society. After reading this book that I feel would be a perfect introduction to hoodoo for beginners, novices, and even more experienced practitioners, I am now intrigued by the implantation of hoodoo into my own life and those of the people around me.
In the past I had had friends who were more knowledgeable about the subject of hoodoo but I chose to allow them to dip their toes or go for a swim in a topic that I personally was not ready for.
So as you can see, I had drawbacks and concerns about such a topic, and for that reason I can wholeheartedly declare to you that Hoodoo as explained in this marvellous book in the Pagan Portals series by Moon Books seems to be a very natural practice of incorporating spirituality and witchcraft into your life in a way that doesn't require you to advertise the fact that you practice it.
I leant so much from this book and I am sure that anyone can benefit from Rachel's words of wisdom even if it just to try a different blend of creating oils, incenses and such.
Here's a few things I learnt:
- how to cleanse your house spiritually and physically correctly
- just how magickal fluids can be ;)
- how to uncross and protect myself
- numerous oil blends, incense recipes and candle usage
- how to create my own candles
- the difference between a petition paper and name papers
- hoodoo deities
- and foot track magic to name only a few!
I was so impressed with this book and also excited by all the wonderful information one book contained that I simply had to catch up with the author herself and find out more about Hoodoo. Luckily for you, we created the whole interview just for you!
About five or six years ago I read a book on hoodoo that was recommended to me, as I read it I realised that it echoed a lot of the European folk magic that I already used within my witchcraft so it inspired me to research more and I have been working with it ever since.
2.) What is it about Hoodoo that appeals to you and you feel will appeal to readers?
The simplicity of it, when you take it down to the basics it is traditional folk magic. It uses natural ingredients and objects that are easily found and readily available and it uses a lot of symbolism – it just makes sense!
3.) What inspired you to write the book; "Pagan Portals : Hoodoo"
Having already written Pagan Portals: Kitchen Witchcraft I suggested Hoodoo as a subject that would fit in with the Pagan Portals theme of ‘introductions to pagan pathways’ thankfully Moon Books liked the idea! It is such a fascinating subject and works very well with witchcraft. I wanted to share how I use it within my own craft.
4.) What do you hope the book will achieve in it's readers eyes?
Hopefully it will take away some of the mis-representation that the media and Hollywood have given to the art of hoodoo and encourage people to investigate folk magic more and see how effective it is.
5.) Do you have any exciting plans for another book?
Happily I have another Pagan Portals book at the publishers already, this time on Moon Magic which is very exciting as it is such an important area within witchcraft and who knows after that? I have lots of ideas whizzing around!
6.) You do many things aside from writing fabulous and insightful books, can you tell us a little about them?
I am blessed to have such wonderful friends and supportive family that allow me to do what I do. I am High Priestess of the Kitchen Witch Coven, we meet regularly in a local forest to hold rituals, I am also part of the Leadership Team for the Kitchen Witch online School of Witchcraft, we also run workshops in Chi Coffee (a spiritual café locally where I am also involved in lots of other workshops and gatherings) and I am honoured to be able to give talks on witchcraft for various local groups.
7.) Lastly, how can people contact you to find out more about the work you do, work / learn with you, and really just get to know more about you?
I have a website www.rachelpatterson.co.uk
And a facebook page www.facebook.com/rachelpattersonbooks
And the school website & free forum is www.kitchenwitchhearth.com
School facebook page is www.facebook.com/kitchenwitchuk
I am always happy to help and answer any questions that I can for anybody on this path either via the websites or facebook pages.
Thank you so much Rachel for taking the time for the interview, I sincerely wish you many blessings for the publication of this book, and I am already eagerly awaiting your next upcoming book!
If this book sounds like something that would definitely add sparkle to your life, use the links at the start of the review to pre-order /purchase your copy, and don't forget to let us know what you think of it, Rachel and I would love to hear your reviews.
All written content on this blog is the work of © Dawn Brierley, Life Coach for Sassy Women & Celestial Life Coaching CEO. No written contents of this blog may be reproduced in any way (in part or in entirety) without the express written permission of the author, © Dawn Brierley
Pagan Blog Project 2012 -Wk 5 ~ CRAFT NAME
Friday, 3 February 2012
Merry Meet,
Week 5
greets us not only with the energy of a wonderfully blessed Imbolc but of the
Pagan Blog Project – C part 1.
I had
initially thought of blogging about the Magickal circle we Pagan folk use when
conducting a ritual and spell casting, but the Goddess came to me late last
night just as I was about to drift off to Fairyland for a meeting with Queen
Mab, and told me to write about the Magickal Names we sometimes chose or have
given to us as we walk a moonlit pathway of the Goddess. So I will honour the goddesses’
guidance and write about “CRAFT NAMES”.
When I first
read about the art of having a craft name I must have been about 14 years old
when I read it in Silver RavenWolf’s book (Love or loathe her – I appreciate
her writing style). I felt excited at
the prospect of having a name that I chose all for myself. I had always fancied
myself as a Crystal MirrorWind or Amethyst RavenMoon, but however lovely those
names sounded, it wasn’t for me. I began to think about things and aspects of
myself that were true to me. A long soul search later I was dedicated to the Lord
and Lady as; Opal AutumnWynd. Let me explain;
Opal ~ my
birthstone, Autumn ~ my favourite time of year along with also being the Season
of my Birth, and Wynd ~ A spin off of ‘wind’ the element I belong to being of the Sylphs
and being a Libran.
However as I
grew in both age and craft knowledge I received a visit from the Moon Goddess
Artemis one night as we experienced a Waxing moon and she told me that my new
craft name was *Aurora MoonMaiden*. She explained the reasoning behind this and
it resonated within me. So I have transitioned from Opal AutumnWynd to Aurora
MoonMaiden.
I use my
craft name sometimes when signing articles or writing blog entries, or
emails/letters to fellow Craft friends but mainly use them when speaking with
the Goddess or performing a ritual.
I do have a
secret craft name that only the Goddess, God and I know, and I like it that
way. Sometimes it really is nice to have that little corner of sanctuary in
your own life where only you and the Gods know. I know I value the secret of my
Craft name and I assume many more of us out there also value it for perhaps the
same reasons, or perhaps a more varied reasoning applies. That’s fine.
If there is one thing that I have learnt on my pagan pathway, it is that you absolutely follow your heart in all you do. You do what feels right to you and you honour the God & Goddess within, by doing so, you truly are being the Witch Inside.
If there is one thing that I have learnt on my pagan pathway, it is that you absolutely follow your heart in all you do. You do what feels right to you and you honour the God & Goddess within, by doing so, you truly are being the Witch Inside.
Blessed Be,
Aurora MoonMaiden
Aurora MoonMaiden
All written content on this blog is the work of © Aurora Brierley, The Faerie Whisperer & The Witch Inside. No written contents of this blog may be reproduced in any way (in part or in entirety) without the express written permission of the author, © Aurora Brierley, The Faerie Whisperer & The Witch Inside.
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Witch Inside Update
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Merry Meet,
I haven't blogged in a couple of days because I've been at work teaching some glorious children about *temptation* and baking cookies for selling to raise money for WaterAid!
It's been 35 years today since my wonderful Grandpops went home to the Summerlands. Even though I never met him physically, we've met many many times spiritually and being "A chip off the old block" and getting my "fighting spirit" from him, I can say we are very close. I miss him and Love him with all my heart until the Day I go home to the Summerlands and hug him for the first time <3 Grandpops, I Love you so much <3 This Witch also has some Magickal news to share with you all!!! Jeez I'm so excited. I am on fire this year!!! But it's my DRAGON power coming through. I am going to be a Pagan Columnist for Pagan Friends online magazine where I will be doing a seris of columns based on helping you all find that Goddess within!!! I asked the Goddess for a way of teaching you all how to connect with her power that resides in each of us and she came through for me (As I knew she would). She promises me that there is sooooo much more to come, and being on day 11 of 2012.... and already having achieved so much!! I believe her!!! My first issue will be in the Ostara issue! Yay!!! I am also going to be featured in a UK mainstream Spiritual magazine called *Soul & Spirit* magazine. A special article of mine will be featured in the February issue. Of course I shall post details and links when they are released. Don't forget, my monthly columns with *Magickal Media* which follow my Witchy Pathway, and also Imbolc.... my column as *The Faerie Whisperer* is released, published, and printed in FAE Magazine.
So lots to keep you busy right up until March/April this year! But there will be more!!! Oh so much more!
I am on a mission this year to teach you so much about Inner Goddess Power, Wicca, Magick, Faeries, Angels, Ascended Masters....the list goes on!
So keep your eyes on my pages/websites and blog (No need to turn all *stalkerish* on me though haha)
BTW, the stalker... well she loves my blog.... so freeking much, she's noticed that I've been HEAVILY teaching about my Wiccan Pathway, and Goddess Power that... yep, you guessed it... She has started too!! Gosh I must so inspire her to even get out of bed on a morning! :D It's nice to know that someone only gets out of bed to tap on the pc to see what i've been upto... I think I understand how some celebs must feel being stalked by the paps. But she just needs to learnt to credit me for her so called **Inspirations**... that would be nice, :D But I won't hold my breath although I secretly thinks she wishes I would! ha!!! I'm a good witch.... not one of those negative... let me copy that person and try to bring them down and push myself up kinda witches.... That's bad and certainly in my eyes has nothing to do with walking a true pathway of *Perfect Love, and Perfect Trust*.
The sad thing is, the past week I had genuinly started to feel really sorry for her and even considered letting her know that fact... I know! All my friends and family (including some of Dad's Police friends & solicitors) asked me how I could feel sympathy and sorrow for someone who has quite clearly set out to hurt me and *damage* my reputation... I said to them, and btw they are monitoring my pages for me, because I'm a nice person, I hate to see people upset and lost in life... quite clearly she's lost hence why she switches pathways to follow mine quicker than .... well... (I was going to be rude then...) quicker than.... a comet flies through the sky. And we all know how a comet ends up :/
So, for my stalker... ***HIYA!!!!! *** (waves) ***Thanks for getting out of bed and following my blog! Even if you are too shy to click the follow button*** No need to be shy!!! I might breathe fire but I dont bite! :D Let me know if you see anything on here that you want to twist and turn and change a few sentences or even well, write a blog entry or facebook page about.... I'd gladly help you! I like helping those in need.
So..... for all my other wonderful **Official followers**, I hope you've enjoyed the update, and don't forget that my Pagan Blog Project post will be posted up Friday too <3 Lots of Goddess Blessings, Aurora & her Familiar
I haven't blogged in a couple of days because I've been at work teaching some glorious children about *temptation* and baking cookies for selling to raise money for WaterAid!
It's been 35 years today since my wonderful Grandpops went home to the Summerlands. Even though I never met him physically, we've met many many times spiritually and being "A chip off the old block" and getting my "fighting spirit" from him, I can say we are very close. I miss him and Love him with all my heart until the Day I go home to the Summerlands and hug him for the first time <3 Grandpops, I Love you so much <3 This Witch also has some Magickal news to share with you all!!! Jeez I'm so excited. I am on fire this year!!! But it's my DRAGON power coming through. I am going to be a Pagan Columnist for Pagan Friends online magazine where I will be doing a seris of columns based on helping you all find that Goddess within!!! I asked the Goddess for a way of teaching you all how to connect with her power that resides in each of us and she came through for me (As I knew she would). She promises me that there is sooooo much more to come, and being on day 11 of 2012.... and already having achieved so much!! I believe her!!! My first issue will be in the Ostara issue! Yay!!! I am also going to be featured in a UK mainstream Spiritual magazine called *Soul & Spirit* magazine. A special article of mine will be featured in the February issue. Of course I shall post details and links when they are released. Don't forget, my monthly columns with *Magickal Media* which follow my Witchy Pathway, and also Imbolc.... my column as *The Faerie Whisperer* is released, published, and printed in FAE Magazine.
So lots to keep you busy right up until March/April this year! But there will be more!!! Oh so much more!
I am on a mission this year to teach you so much about Inner Goddess Power, Wicca, Magick, Faeries, Angels, Ascended Masters....the list goes on!
So keep your eyes on my pages/websites and blog (No need to turn all *stalkerish* on me though haha)
BTW, the stalker... well she loves my blog.... so freeking much, she's noticed that I've been HEAVILY teaching about my Wiccan Pathway, and Goddess Power that... yep, you guessed it... She has started too!! Gosh I must so inspire her to even get out of bed on a morning! :D It's nice to know that someone only gets out of bed to tap on the pc to see what i've been upto... I think I understand how some celebs must feel being stalked by the paps. But she just needs to learnt to credit me for her so called **Inspirations**... that would be nice, :D But I won't hold my breath although I secretly thinks she wishes I would! ha!!! I'm a good witch.... not one of those negative... let me copy that person and try to bring them down and push myself up kinda witches.... That's bad and certainly in my eyes has nothing to do with walking a true pathway of *Perfect Love, and Perfect Trust*.
The sad thing is, the past week I had genuinly started to feel really sorry for her and even considered letting her know that fact... I know! All my friends and family (including some of Dad's Police friends & solicitors) asked me how I could feel sympathy and sorrow for someone who has quite clearly set out to hurt me and *damage* my reputation... I said to them, and btw they are monitoring my pages for me, because I'm a nice person, I hate to see people upset and lost in life... quite clearly she's lost hence why she switches pathways to follow mine quicker than .... well... (I was going to be rude then...) quicker than.... a comet flies through the sky. And we all know how a comet ends up :/
So, for my stalker... ***HIYA!!!!! *** (waves) ***Thanks for getting out of bed and following my blog! Even if you are too shy to click the follow button*** No need to be shy!!! I might breathe fire but I dont bite! :D Let me know if you see anything on here that you want to twist and turn and change a few sentences or even well, write a blog entry or facebook page about.... I'd gladly help you! I like helping those in need.
So..... for all my other wonderful **Official followers**, I hope you've enjoyed the update, and don't forget that my Pagan Blog Project post will be posted up Friday too <3 Lots of Goddess Blessings, Aurora & her Familiar
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