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ANGELS OF LIGHTS R BETWEEN WORLDS WITH GOD & FREE

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Last Updated: 7/10/2009

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Gender: Female
Status: Single
Age: 23
Sign: Sagittarius

City: HOUSTON
State: Texas
Country: US
Signup Date: 6/22/2007

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June 12, 2012 - Tuesday 3:40 AM

Current mood:  blessed
Category: Friends
HI THERE EVERYONE , THIS IS ME , THE REAL ME AND ALL YOU WILL GET AND NOTHING LESS . ITS 12:41 AM ON TUESDAY MORNING ....... I CAN BE VERY SPONTANEOUS AND I LOVE TO PLAY POOL AND I LIKE THE OUT DOORS TOO , BUT I  ............. I WILL PUT THIS TONIGHT OR TOMORROW , WHEN I GET BACK ON EVERYONE !
October 18, 2011 - Tuesday 5:44 PM

Current mood:  talkative
Category: Friends
HI THERE , GUYS , YOU WANT TO GET TO KNOW ME , WELL HERE IT GO THEN , I AM FUNNY WHEN I AM IN A GOOD MOOD AND WHEN I AM NOT TOO ( SOMETIMES ) . I LIKE TO TALK YOUR HEAD OFF . I AM SWEET , CARER , LOVABLE , ROMANTIC , I KEEP TO MY WORDS  , I REALLY DO ............ IF YOU WANT TO GET WITH ME , YOU HAVE TO WORK HARD TO GET MY ATTENTION , I DON'T PLAY GAMES , I DON'T LIKE TO BE PLAY WITH , NOT ALL . . . WELL , I WILL PUT LATER TODAY OK GUYS , I WILL OK .
April 21, 2011 - Thursday 2:41 AM

Current mood:  inspired
Category: MySpace
I WON'T BE ON THIS PROFILE THAT MUCH ANYMORE ONLY TO CHECK MY MAIL AND TO UPDATE THE APPS THAT ALL AND I WILL BE ON MINE OTHER PROFILES TO FIXES THEM UP , WHEN I GET THE CHANCE TO GET ONLINE  , SO IF YOU SEE ME ON MY OTHER PAGE , GIVE ME A COMMENT OR A MESSAGE . I WILL GIVE YOU SOMETHING BACK . WHEN I AM ON IT OK ! WELL HERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE WHO READ MY BLOG ON A DAILY BASIC AND I THANK YOU TOO ! ~ ! ~ !

~ * ~
HERE IS AN ANGEL SO BLESSED WITH A GIFT AND WILL GROW WITH THAT GIFT TO SHOW THE WORLD HOW SPECIAL THAT ANGEL IS TO THE WORLD OUT THERE SO BIG . THE ANGEL IS CALLING A NEW COWER TO LIFE AND THAT LIFE IS BRAND NEW TO THE ANGEL , THAT ANGEL IS LIKE A STAR IN THE SKY SO BRIGHT . WIND , FIRE , EARTH , AND WATER ARE THERE TO SEE EVERYONE WITH A ANGEL PROTECTION THEM AT ALL TIME . WHEN WE ARE A SLEEP THEIR IS ANGEL THE WATCHING OVER US FROM HARM .
~ * ~
I WILL PUT MORE ON THIS ONE WHEN I GET BACK OK !


June 19, 2010 - Saturday 2:40 AM

Current mood:  curious
Category: Religion and Philosophy

ok , i want to this from eveyone in myspace .com , alright , well  here it go then ,
i would like to how many people like , love , dislike , my profile ?
and
i would like to know how many people are christian , native American , or other ?
plz tell me i would love to know and add you too , alright people ! ! !
June 5, 2010 - Saturday 5:47 AM

Current mood:  blessed
Category: Life
..
Get your own Myspace Countup

     
June 4, 2010 - Friday 9:17 PM

Current mood:  blessed
Category: Life

Make your own Countdown Clocks

July 8, 2009 - Wednesday 2:25 AM

Category: Art and Photography
June 20, 2009 - Saturday 4:45 AM

Current mood:  accomplished
Category: Religion and Philosophy

Meditation..:

(c) Forest Butera, 2000; rev. 2005

Why meditate?

We meditate to learn and understand things on a deeper level than we can by mere "thought". Have you every tried for days to figure out the answer to a problem with your mind in a whirl? That is because our conscious minds are not nearly as efficient at solving some problems as our subconscious mind is. Meditation is the process of clearing away conscious thought so that the subconscious can work on our problems.
This "clearing the conscious mind" is often misinterpreted as "clearing the mind" and is the biggest stumbling block to those trying to learn to meditate. It is not possible to entirely clear your mind. If we were able to do that we would probably be brain dead! Instead, we merely clear the conscious thoughts away by an easy process of relaxation which allows the subconscious to take over. By focusing on a specific object or question our every day thoughts fade away and the subconscious begins working on the problem you have presented to it.

Preparation

Pick a safe and quiet place in which to meditate. You will want to pick a place and time where you will not be disturbed. It is very frustrating to be disturbed just as you are receiving some very important message or insight. Some people feel more comfortable if they cast a circle before meditating but this is not necessary unless you believe it is necessary for you. Also be sure you will have enough uninterrupted time. Fifteen minutes is a minimum, but a half hour to an hour is much better.
Choose an object or a question on which to meditate. Objects are the easiest when you are just learning. Pick something from your altar, a piece of fruit, another food item, something you have found outside, or anything else that calls to you. The idea behind meditating on an object is to find all the layers of symbology hidden within the object. In Wicca we learn by paying attention and studying everything around us. Meditating on an object will reveal meanings and uses that mere thought never will.
If you have a question which you have been unable to answer try meditating on that. Visualize any place, object, or action which is contained within the question, and ask the question in your mind as thought you are speaking to the gods, the universe, the elements or all of them together. You may receive an answer to your question right away in the form of a vision or you may hear words, or the answer may come to you later in the day or the next day.
Wear comfortable clothing that won't be a distraction. Dim the lights or light a candle. If you like, choose a type of incense you will burn each time you meditate. A long-burning stick or cone is more practical when meditating than powdered or granular incense which must be constantly added to a burning coal. The important thing is to use the same type each time - at least until you get proficient meditation.
Choose a time of day or evening when you are not too tired. Since its easy to fall asleep while meditating we recommend that it be done in a sitting position. Be sure you are comfortable - but not so comfortable that you fall asleep. Keep your back as straight as possible. If this means leaning against a wall or cushion that is ok.

Relaxation

Begin by centering and grounding. Centering is making your spine straight, and grounding making a conscious effort to relax and allow your stress to drain away while you make a "connection" with the Earth. Do not worry about making your mind "blank" - just relax. If you have difficulty with this part you may find a book or tape on self-hypnosis helpful, but you do not need a particularly deep state of relaxation to begin astral projection. You might want to try counting slowly from one to ten feeling your relaxation get deeper with each number.
Take as much time as you can to meditate. If you can meditate just a little while each day you will quickly find it becoming easier and easier. Begin each meditation session by recalling how you began the last one and how relaxed you felt. This will help you relax more quickly each time.

Gaining Insight

Hold the question, object, (or whatever you have chosen as the purpose of your meditation) in your mind's eye. See it clearly in front of you or held in your hands. Turn it around. Do not try to see or understand anything. Do not force words to come to your mind. If you have relaxed your conscious mind then your subconscious should step in at this time and begin to show you the reality of the object or subject of your meditation. You may receive this information as a series of pictures of a movie unfolding in your mind, and/or you may hear words "spoken" in your mind as the nature of the object is explained, symbolism is revealed or questions are answered.

When you are finished

When you are finished meditating, but before you come back to total consciousness tell yourself that you will remember everything of significance that you learned through the meditation. Then count slowly up from one to ten feeling yourself become more alert and aware with each number. When you reach ten open your eyes, take a deep breath and rub your hands together, touch your face, or feel the floor to "ground" yourself back in consciousness. If you are interrupted suddenly from meditation you might feel dizzy and disoriented, so, if you can, close your eyes again and bring yourself back to consciousness gradually and you will feel just fine.
Be sure to write the results of your meditation in your journal.

Trouble shooting

Q. I always fall asleep when I try to meditate, what am I doing wrong?
A. You probably aren't getting enough sleep at night. Try getting more sleep or try practicing your mediation in the morning just after you wake up.
Q. How do I find time to meditate when my kids/spouse/roommates/parents/dogs/etc. are always demanding my attention?
A. That can be a tough one, but if you can find time to take a bath meditate there. Combine it with a nice ritual bath (candles, incense, bath oil) and it can be as good as a weekend vacation.
Q. I will be doing fine and then a dog will bark, or a police car will go by with the siren screaming...how do I tune these out?
A. If you are not naturally tuning out all outside noises try this before meditating: Tell yourself that each noise you here will be a signal to go deeper into trance and that each noise will only help you relax and not interrupt you. If you do this each time you will soon find that noises do not bother you.
Q. I know I had a great revelation while meditating, but now I can't remember it! What can I do?
A. Meditation occurs in the subconscious mind. Sometimes that is where the messages and thoughts will stay. If you had valuable revelations or answers to questions those experiences stay with you even if you can't consciously remember them. Your mediation will be positively affecting you regardless of whether you can recall all of the details. Many times the answers will come to you 2 to 24 hours following the meditation.
June 19, 2009 - Friday 4:31 AM

Current mood:  creative
Category: Religion and Philosophy
Creating Harmony in Your Office or Place of Business
 
    What we do for a living directly affects how we deal with the world . How we deal with the world directly affects what we do for a living . How we perceive out selves also affect our work and our environment , at home and at our place of employment . If you suffer from low self-esteem , at home life and career will stuffer . Sometimes we blame our low self-esteem on our home environment or on our chosen employment . Just as you learned to cleanse and consecrate your home , you need to bring this type of cleansing process to your job . This is not always so easy . If you have an office of your own , lucky you . Half the battle is over . However , many of us do not have luxury of an office alone . They are either crammed us into cubicles or rows of desks with fifty other co-workers , or we have a job in a factory , at a gas station , in a store , in construction , a hospital , and so on . You may be a mobile worker , where you travel from area to area in a building , or drive from place to  place . Since there are so many different types of employment , let's work on some general cleansing procedures .
    The first item on your agenda entails using the skills you learned in house cleansing . Remember how you walked around the house and made notes of negative energy pockets ? Now you are going to follow this same procedure on the job ; however , you will probably have to be discreet about the process , which could take you more than a day or two . Write yourself a list , then sort that list from the most troublesome spot down to those areas in which you feel comfortable . Since you most likely cannot mill around your place of employment with a tray cluttered by magickal tools , you will have to be a bit more imaginative . Here is a list of tips to break up negative energy and bring magick into your place of employment :
 
* Use a box of those candy Tic-Tacs as a rattle . You can empower anything that rattles . I have found that co-workers think it is funny when I shake my little box of Tic-Tacs . Guess that is because I have blessed the container in the name of Rosemerta .
 
* Draw protection rune symbols under your chair , under your desk , under your name badge , and so on . If you can not draw on the item , slip a piece of paper under the item .
 
* Keep your area clean . When you wash off your desk or wipe the seat of your forklift , no one has to know you are using empowered cleaner . When the next co-worker uses the same bottle , guess what ? They will be cleaning more than they thought !
 
* Cast a magick circle of protection around your desk or other equipment .
 
* Put a guardian on your desk . This could be anything from the statue of an angel to a simple creek stone with your name on it . I have seen great stone with little totem animals painted on one side .
 
* Make good use of holiday decorations by empowering them with intent , such as magicking for peace , harmony , team spirit and the like .
 
* Keep an empowered hourglass ( a 3- minute egg timer will do ) in your desk drawer . When tensions get high , or the stress level is getting to you , turn the hour glass . As the sand slips down , imagine the tensions and stress dissipating .
 
* Sprinkle holy water around the area . Again , be discreet . Ooops , lookie there . . . I dropped a bit of water . . . I will just clean that right up .
 
* Mentally cleanse all paperwork before you touch it . Imagine the paper glowing neon blue or brilliant white .
 
* Put a magick mirror on your desk , in your van , on the work table , et cetera , to ward off negativity and allow you a complete view of things going on around you .
 
* Use magickal powders to aid you in the various ups and downs of work life . Keep your signature powder handy to make the situation or place your own .
 
* Feed co-workered goodies that you have cleansed , consecrated , and empowered with intent , such as love , team spirit , harmony , creativity , and so on . If you worry about ethics , add the rider " that the universe deems necessary for each person . " A candy jar on your desk can work wonders if you are truly imaginative , too .
 
* Empower every piece of paper that that leaves your desk to go to someone else with love and harmony .
 
* Banish negative energies every time you throw a piece of paper away .
 
* Ask your guardian spirit to be with you before every meeting .
 
* Fill every room you walk into with white light , even if it is the stockroom or utility closet .
 
* Every time you punch the time clock , think of a positive affirmation to say in your mind .
 
* Use either a letter on the keyboard , wing-ding , or symbol to end each e-mail . Empower this symbol for protection and harmony .
 
* Create a mini shrine or alter in your desk drawer . A packet of salt , a vial of water , a small feather , and a lighter . . . who would know ?
 
* Empower all pens and pencils and any other tools you may use in your job , such as an air hammer , the keys to the service van , drill , et cetera .
 
* Cleanse and consecrate all manuals .
 
* Write a negative situation on toilet paper and flush it down the commode . You know , the new kind of Bathroom Banish !
 
* Place a bowl of potpourri on your desk .
 
* Keep as many plants in the area as permitted . Of course , this means you have accepted the responsibility of taking care of them .
 
* Hang wind-chimes to break up negative energy and increase the flow of positive energy in the area . Some Feng Shui experts believe that wind-chimes in the house and unlucky , others do not seem to think it matters . Since they can not agree , my advice it to experiment for yourself . Both schools of thought believe that wind-chimes hung outside bring good luck .  
 
* Dress an important document with magickal water ( healing waters , prosperity waters , success waters , et cetera ) .
 
* Hang an empowered air freshener in your work vehicle .
 
* Place empowered gem stones ( rose quartz , turquoise , smoky quartz ) under rugs , seat cushions , in glove compartments , desk drawers , file cabinets , and so on .
 
* Put empowered ribbons in books , desk drawers , In/ Out bins , around plants , et cetera .
 
* Hang empowered photos on walls or place on your desk in a small frame , or clip to the visitor of a vehicle .
 
    As you can see by the above list , there is no limit to being a magickal person at work without letting the world know just how magickal you are . You can also use any of these ideas in the home environment .
 
Magickal Minutes :
   
        Think of fifteen things you routinely do at work that you could change into a magickal application to improve both yourself and the environment . Begin practicing the new magicks you have invented !
 
June 18, 2009 - Thursday 4:29 AM

Current mood:  creative
Category: Religion and Philosophy
Magickal Meanings

Have you always wondered what something meant?  What the meaning of a plant, flower or feather was?  On these pages lay some of these answers.  Click on any of the links at the left to be transported away.

Bathing Rituals:
  Bathing is popular magick because it is a reunion with the element of water. Baths can be effective in helping the ill to recover. To purify the body, mind & soul add some salt or bath salts to the tub and soak. The salt neutralizes the negativity.  Salt also aids in healing. Silver Coins placed in the bath insure money in the future. Collect the first snow of the Winter and add it to your bath.  Helps to keep you healthy. Bathing Hours: Morning - increases beauty. Afternoon - luck and fortune. Night - enhances psychic awareness. Bathing Dates: Mondays - just prior to sleep - increases prophetic dreams Tuesdays - Increases passion. Wednesdays - strengthens intellect. Thursdays - brings money. Fridays - helps find love. Saturdays - brings patience. Sundays - brings strength and health. Winter Solstice  or Beltane - bath with a penny wrapped in a washcloth -brings good fortune. Add herbs to the bath to help with medicinal or ritual purposes.

Candle Colors for the Zodiac:
Aries           Red, Scarlet
Taurus         Red-Orange, Pale Green, Olive, Brown, Indigo
Gemini        Orange, Turquoise, Silver, Mauve
Cancer        Yellow-Orange, Pale Blue, Silver, Pale Green, Amber, Maroon
Leo             Yellow, Orange, Gold, Purple, Greenish Yellow
Virgo           Yellow-Green, Grey, Navy Blue, Brown, Multicolor, Plum
Libra           Green, Blue. Emerald
Scorpio       Blue-Green, Blood Red, Dark Brown
Sagittarius   Blue-Violet, Amethyst, Dark Grey
Capricorn    Turquoise Blue, Black, Iris
Aquarius     Violet, Electric Blue, Blue Mauve
Pisces        Red-Violet, Violet, Indigo, Green, Crimson, Pinky Brown...:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O />..:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O />

Colors of the Week :
 
Sunday - Yellow, Monday - White, Tuesday - Red, Wednesday - Purple , Thursday - Blue, Friday - Green, Saturday – Black

The Significance of Colors:
  When you apply color to Candle Magick, the meanings of each color can be quite specific.
White - Spiritual Enlightenment, Cleansing, Healing, Truth Seeking.
Yellow - Activity, Creativity, Concentration and Imagination.

Gold - Beneficial in Rituals intended to bring luck or fast money.
Pink - Romance, Friendship
Red - Health, Passion, Love, Fertility, Strength, Courage, Willpower.

Silver - Helps develop Psychic Ability, Removes negativity, encourages stability.
Purple - Power, success, idealism.
Royal Blue - Promotes laughter and loyalty.
Light Blue - Peace and Tranquility.
Blue - Rituals to obtain Wisdom, Harmony, inner light or peace.
Emerald Green - Attracts Love, fertility.
Dark Green - Counteracts greed, jealousy. When used in a Ritual.

Green - Prosperity, Success, Luck, Money.
Black - Helps open up deeper levels of consciousness, use in Rituals to banish evil or negativity.
Planetary :
 
Jupiter - Meditation, prosperity, spirituality, money. Mars - Sexual/Physical energy, protection, courage. Mercury - Eloquence, self-importance, mind, study. Moon - Prophetic dreams, spirituality, peace, love. Saturn - Longevity, vision, purification, protection. Sun - Energy, protection, success, illumination. Venus - Love, joy, happiness, friendship, meditation.

 Zodiac:
 
Aquarius - Inventive, outgoing, progressive, air. Aries -  Adventurous, pioneering spirit, fire. Cancer - Sympathetic, resourceful, imaginative, water. Capricorn - Patient, practical, efficient, earth. Gemini - Communication, versatile, logical, air. Leo - Generous, expansive, creative, fire. Libra - Harmony, diplomatic, easygoing, air. Pisces - Fluidity, intuitive, compassionate, water. Sagittarius -  Dependable, jovial, optimistic, fire. Scorpio - Emotion, determined, healing power, water. Taurus - Affectionate, reliable, endurance, earth. Virgo - Discriminating, modest, meticulous, earth .

Holidays:
 
Sabbat - Holiday, celebration, general ritual use, feast day. Beltane - April 30th/May 1st May Day festival. Imbolc - February 2nd Candalmas, Festival of Fire. Litha - Summer Solstice. Lughnasadh - August 1st. Mabon - Autumn Equinox. Ostara - Spring Equinox. Samhain - October 31st/November 1st. Yule - Winter Solstice .
Elemental:
  Air - Intellect, communication, travel, wisdom. Earth -  Fertility, money, stability, promote peace. Fire - Courage, will power, purification, Magick. Water - Love, dreams, psychic, healing. Spirit -  Increase awareness of spiritual realm.
 
Gemstone Meanings -- From Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem and Metal Magic By Scott Cunningham
Amethyst
FOLK NAME:
ENERGY: Receptive
PLANETS: Jupiter, Neptune
ELEMENT: Water
DEITIES: Bacchus, Dionysus, Diana
POWERS: Dreams, Overcoming Alcoholism, Healing, Psychic, Peace, Love, Protection Against Thieves, Courage, Happiness.
MAGICAL/RITUAL LORE: Headaches; blood sugar imbalance; L brain imbalances; edginess; facilitates healing; inner peace; psychic insight; stimulates third eye; aid for meditation, spiritual opening & internal surrender
MAGICAL USES: Amethyst, purple quartz, is a stone steeped in ancient magic. It is, perhaps, as popular today as it was two thousand years ago. Placed beneath the pillow or worn to bed, it drives off insomnia and nightmares. It produces a peaceful sleep and pleasant, healing, even prophetic dreams; however, it will also ensure that its wearer doesn't oversleep. A spiritual stone, with absolutely no negative side effects or associations with violence, anger or passion, the amethyst is the tone of peace. When the stresses of everyday life well up within you, hold an amethyst in your hand. Let its soothing, de-stressing, calming, peaceful vibrations sink into you. The amethyst calms fears, raises hopes, lifts the spirits and promotes thoughts of the spiritual reality behind our lives. Worn, it wards off guilt and self-deception, helps overcome addictions such as alcoholism, curbs overindulges and bestows good judgment. Amethyst is also used to increase psychic awareness and to sharpen the 'sixth sense' it is naturally, worn during psychic or divinatory acts. Since it is also a stone of wisdom, it allows the information received through the psychic mind to be appropriately utilized. The beautiful stone also sharpens the conscious mind, quickening the wit and enhancing mental powers. It is utilized to improve the memory to relieve headaches and to keep thoughts in line with life goals.
A stone of pure, true emotional love, it is often exchanged between lovers to strengthen their commitment. Amethyst is also one of the few stones specifically prescribed for men to use for attracting women. Worn by a man, the stone draws "good women" to love him.

FOLK NAME: Volcano Spit
ENERGY: Projective
PLANET: Saturn
ELEMENT: Fire
POWERS: Healing, Grounding, Divination
MAGICAL/RITUAL LORE: Hematite is a strange stone. It is heavy, solid, and silvery black. Its name alone is something of a mystery. To ancients, hematite was what we now know as bloodstone, so virtually all magical information relating to "hematite" in old books refers to bloodstone. This hematite, though, when worked on a lapidary wheel, "bleeds" and produces stains that look much like blood. Hematite is a fine, showy stone. In Italy and elsewhere, it is fashioned into necklaces which are sold as "volcano spit." Magical information relating to this stone is scarce. Hematite possesses the curious property of "healing" itself. Make a small scratch on the surface of the stone, and then rub your finger over it. The scratch may disappear.
MAGICAL USES: Hematite is said to be powerful in drawing illness from the body. As with all stones, it is held in the hands while visualizing, then placed on the skin directly over the afflicted area. A necklace of small stones can also be worn for healing. Hematite is worn for grounding and stabilizing purposes, and to focus the attention on the physical plane. A Scrying: In a darkened room, light a red candle. Settle before it and hold a large piece of hematite so that the candle's flame is reflected on it. Gaze at the reflection and visualize a question. The answer will come to you.

Obsidian
ENERGY: Projective
PLANET: Saturn
ELEMENT: Fire
DEITY: Tezcatlipoca (Aztec, "Smoking Mirror" or "Shining Mirror")
POWERS: Protection, Grounding, Divination, Peace
MAGICAL/RITUAL LORE: Obsidian is simply lava that cooled so fast that the minerals contained within didn't have time to form. It is a naturally occurring glass.
  The Ancient Aztecs fashioned flat, square mirrors of this black glass for use in divination. According to legend the famous Dr. Dee, a magician-alchemist hired by England's Queen Elizabeth I, may have used one of these mirrors in his scrying sessions. It was a popular material for fashioning stone knives, spear points and arrowheads, and when used for these purposes, it is often known as "flint." Such arrowheads have magical properties.
MAGICAL USES: Obsidian is grounding, centering stones. Hold it in your hands or place your bare feet on two small, polished pieces when you're flighty or can't seem to get your physical life in order. Remember - the physical is the path to the spiritual. Each is a reflection of the other. Obsidian is effective when carried or used in protective rituals. One involves surrounding a white candle with four obsidian arrowheads that each point to one of the directions. This sets up aggressive energies which guard the place in which it is set up. Spheres of obsidian, still fashioned in Mexico, are fine scrying tools. If you don't have good results with quartz crystal, try a piece or sphere of obsidian. For some, the blackness of the stone allows easier access to the subconscious mind.

FOLK NAME: Carbuncle
ENERGY: Projective
DEITIES: Buddha, Krishna (not to be confused with the modern expression of Krishna-centered reverence)
POWERS: Wealth, Protection, Power, Joy, Anti-Nightmare
MAGICAL/RITUAL LORE: The ruby fashioned into a cabochon of a specific shape was known as "carbuncle" centuries ago. There is no stone of this name, though many books list carbuncle as a separate stone. Another example of the strangely convoluted history of gemstones! This beautiful stone was considered the most perfect offering to Buddha in China and Krishna in India. A widely held belief: Dreaming of rubies indicates coming success in business or money matters. If dreamt of by a gardener or farmer, the ruby denotes a good harvest. This stone is one of many that is thought to grow dark when danger or negativity approaches its owner or when illness threatens. Whether this was physically viewed, symbolic, or an actual change in color or clarity of the stone is undetermined, but was probably a psychic phenomenon. In this sense the ruby can be used as a tool of scrying, as can most of the transparent stones.
MAGICAL USES: Rubies are truly precious stones. Perfect specimens of a deep, blood red hue are outrageously expensive. Lower grade, non-gem quality rubies are available at nominal cost and can be utilized in magic. In 13th-century magic, rubies were well established as wealth-increasing stones. They were especially effective if engraved with the image of a dragon or snake before using. Ancient magic from India states that the possession of rubies helps their owner to accumulate other precious gems, perhaps because of the stone's wealth-inducing qualities. Worn, the ruby was thought to convey invulnerability, or protection against all foes, wicked spirits, negativity, plague, fascination (magical manipulation), and famine. It was also a special mascot of soldiers, guarding against wounds in battle. Basically, the ruby strengthens the body's own psychic defense system when worn. The ruby in the home guards it against storms and negativity, especially if first touched to the four outside corners of the house. Similarly, touching trees or the boundaries of a garden magically protects them from lightning and the affects of violent storms. Ruled by Mars, the ruby is worn during magical rituals to increase the energies available to the magician or placed in the altar beside a red candle to lend energy to you when you're feeling depleted or drained. In a similar line of magical influence, wearing a ruby is said to increase the body's warmth. Jewelry set with rubies is worn to banish sadness and negative thought patterns. Such jewelry also produces joy, strengthens will power and confidence as well as dispelling fear. Placed beneath the pillow or worn to bed, it assures a restful sleep, undisturbed against nightmares.

FOLK NAMES: Holy Stone, Star Sapphire, Astrae
ENERGY: Receptive
ELEMENT: Water
DEITY: Apollo
POWERS: Psychic, Love, Meditation, Peace, Defensive Magic, Healing, Power, Money
MAGICAL/RITUAL LORE: The Greeks identified the sapphire with Apollo, and the stone was worn when consulting oracles such as the famous one at Delphi.
MAGICAL USES: This stone is worn to stimulate the third eye for the purpose of expanding psychic awareness. The ancient Greek practice mentioned above seems to indicate that even they were aware of the sapphire's ability to tap the subconscious mind. Sapphire is a guardian of love. That is, it promotes fidelity and attunes the feelings between lovers. Anciently it was also worn to banish envy, to promote positive social interaction and to reconcile with foes; sapphire can be used for all those purposes within any kind of relationship, not just martial. Its onetime usage for promoting chastity is probably also related to this: chastity can be viewed as the lack of sexual activity outside an established relationship. Star sapphires are thought to be especially effective for drawing or inducing love. Sapphire is a soothing deep blue hue. It is worn during meditation or contemplated upon to expand wisdom. When you wear it, the stone promotes peace. The author of the pseudo-Albertus Magnus manuscripts of the late 1300's stated that this stone, worn, cools the "inward heat," or anger. Its use in defensive magic stretches back to antiquity. Once thought to "scare devils and evil" away, it is today worn in protective jewelry and during rituals designed to return negativity to its sender. A related power attributed to sapphire is its legendary ability to guard its owner from captivity. Currently, it finds favor with those involved in litigation and legal matters, possibly because it banishes fraud. The stone will work only if its wearer is in the right. The sapphire is utilized in healing the body, especially the eyes, which are strengthened by its presence. It also reduces fevers and, when pressed to the forehead, halts bleeding from the nose. Sapphires are also worn as general health-protestants, for, as Budge says in "Amulets and Talismans," the stronger and healthier a body, the less chance "evil spirits" (i.e., disease, infections) have to do harm. An ancient work by Bartholmaeus says: "also witches love well this stones, for they wane (wean, "believe") that they may werke certain wonders by virtue of this stone." It is worn and utilized in rituals to strengthen the magician's ability to tap and send forth power. Generally worn as jewelry, sapphires are also utilized in money and wealth-attracting rituals. In early ceremonial magic the image of an astrolabe was engraved on the gem to increase wealth. Star sapphires are considered to be more potent, magically speaking, for all uses.

Tiger's-Eye
ENERGY: Projective
PLANET: Sun
ELEMENT: Fire
ASSOCIATED METAL: Gold
POWERS: Money, Protection, Courage, Energy, Luck, Divination
MAGICAL/RITUAL LORE: Roman soldiers wore tiger's-eye engraved with symbols for protection during battle.
MAGICAL USES: Tiger's-eye is a fine stone for promoting wealth and money. A simple money spell involves empowering several tiger's-eyes with your need for money. Use them to surround a green candle. Light the candle and visualize. They are also carried for protection against all forms of danger. A tiger's-eye cabochon set in gold is a fine protective ring or pendant. Ruled by the Sun and possessing a golden flash of light, tiger's-eye is worn to strengthen convictions and create courage and confidence. This is a warm stone, and it promotes energy flow through the body when worn. It is also beneficial for the weak or sick. Sit outside on a sunny day. Hold a tiger's-eye in your hands and gaze at the flashes of light. Still your conscious mind and look into the future. Or, use the stone as a tool to delve into past lives.

ENERGY: Projective
PLANET: Sun
ELEMENT: Fire
DEITY: Ra
ASSOCIATED METAL: Gold
ASSOCIATED STONE: Tiger's-eye
POWERS: Projection, Healing, Weight Loss, Money, Love
MAGICKAL/RITUAL LORE: The stones we know as peridot and olivine were named topaz in the distant past. It was used at one time to cause its wearer to become invisible.
MAGICKAL USES: Topaz is another of the gemstones used for projection purposes. It is considered a specific against envy, intrigue, disease, injury, sudden death, sorcery and negative magic, and lunacy. The stone was thought to be especially effective when set in gold and bound to the left arm. Worn, it relieves depression, anger, fear, greed, frenzies, and all disturbing emotions. Placed in the home, it is a charm against fire and accidents. When put under your pillow or worn to sleep, the topaz fends off nightmares and ends sleepwalking. The topaz is used to relieve the pain of rheumatism and arthritis as well as to regulate the digestive system.







Perhaps this is why the stone is also worn for weight loss. Known as "lover of gold," the topaz is used to bring wealth and money. Combine with an equal amount of tiger's-eye. Empower and place these stones around a green candle. Burn the candle and visualize. Wearing a topaz draws love.
 
Turquoise
FOLK NAMES: Fayruz (Arabic, "Lucky Stone"), Turkey Stone, Turkish Stone, Thyites (ancient Greek), Venus Stone, Horseman's Talisman
ENERGY: Receptive
PLANETS: Venus, Neptune
ELEMENT: Earth
DEITIES: Hathor, Buddha, The Great Spirit (American Indian)
ASSOCIATED METAL: Gold
POWERS: Protection, Courage, Money, Love, Friendship, Healing, Luck
MAGICAL/RITUAL LORE: Turquoise is a sacred stone to many American Indian tribes. The Navajo used ground turquoise and coral in creating sand paintings to bring rain to the parched land. Other native inhabitants of the South-western United States and Mexico placed turquoise in tombs to guard the dead. The Pueblos laid turquoise under the floor in offering to the deities, when a house, or kiva, was built. A piece of turquoise was a nearly required tool in the Apache shaman's medicine, or power, bag. Other American peoples attached turquoise to bows to ensure accurate shots. Besides these and many more uses, turquoise has been prized for its beautiful color and potent magical properties.
MAGICAL USES: It is a protective stone. Turquoise carvings of horses and sheep are kept by the Navajo as potent guardians against negative magic. A turquoise ring is worn to guard against the evil eye, disease, serpents, poison, violence and accidents, and any and all dangers. Worn, it promotes courage. Horse riders wear turquoise to protect themselves from falls. For this purpose it is mounted in gold. They attach a second small piece onto the bridle or saddle to give protection to the horse. It is a valuable amulet for travelers, especially when venturing into politically volatile or dangerous places. An old ritual utilized turquoise to gain wealth. Perform this rite a few days after the New Moon when the crescent is first visible in the sky. Avoid looking at the Moon until the proper time. Hold a turquoise in your hand. Visualize your magical need - money - manifesting in your life. Move outside and look at the Moon. Then directly shift your gaze to the turquoise. The magic has begun. Carry the stone with you until the money arrives. Turquoise is also worn or used in money-attracting spells, such as placing circles or necklaces of turquoise around green candles and visualizing wealth. Given as a gift, it bestows wealth and happiness upon its receiver. The stone is also utilized in love magic; turquoise is worn, carried or given to a loved one. It is frequently used to promote marital harmony, ensuring that the two persons involved blend with each other. Some sources say that if love fades in the stone's recipient, the stone's color will fade as well. Wear turquoise to attract new friends, to be joyous and even-tempered and to increase beauty. It is also a healing stone. It strengthens the eyes, alleviates fevers and reduces headaches. When turquoise is pressed against the diseased or troubled part of the body, the illness is visualized as entering the stone. Water into which turquoise has been dipped is drunk for its healing energies. Turquoise rings and pendants are worn to promote and to protect the health; blue candles surrounded with turquoise are visualized as speeding the healing process. The stone is said to prevent migraines when worn. Like all blue stones, the turquoise is lucky and is carried to attract good fortune.
Flowers:
 
Borrage Flowers -  give courage. Clover Flowers - bring good luck. Daisy - innocence and love. Heather - luck. Honeysuckle - fidelity and affection. Jasmine - attraction. Ladys Mantle - women's problems, magical. Lavender - relaxing and stress relieving. Lilac - luck, love. Lily of the Valley - counters spells, attracts fairies. May flowers - adventure and chaos. Primrose - to see fairies. Rose - pure love. Sweet pea - good fortune. Violet - love, humility, honesty, virtue.
 
Feathers: 
  White – purification, spirituality. Green – money, fertility. Brown – health, stability, grounding. Orange - attraction,. success. Yellow – intelligence. Red - courage. Pink – love. Gray – peace. Blue – psychic awareness. Black feathers - not recommended. Red and brown – healing animals. Brown and white – happiness. Gray and white – hope. Black and white – protection. Green and red – finances. Blue, white and black – change. Black and purple – spirituality.
 
Moon:
  New Moon ~ Begin banishing and negative works several hours before the New Moon and positive works several hours after the new Moon. Waxing Moon ~ We call on the Goddess as the Maiden and begin new projects. Full Moon ~ We worship the Goddess as Mother and perform positive works. Waning Moon ~ We call on the Goddess as Crone and work banishing of negative energies.
  Each Full Moon has a different meaning and Magickal purpose.  The Full Moon is a traditional time for divinations of all kinds. November ~ Snow Moon: Plan for a ritual to work on ridding yourself of negative thoughts and vibrations. December ~ Oak Moon: Plan for a ritual to help you remain steadfast in your convictions. January ~ Wolf Moon: Plan a ritual of protection around your home and family. February ~ Storm Moon: Plan a ritual to ask the Old Ones for help in planning your future. March ~ Chaste Moon: Plan a ritual to help fulfill your wishes is appropriate. April ~ Seed Moon: Plan a ritual to physically plant your seeds of desire in Mother Earth. May ~ Hare Moon: Plan a ritual to reaffirm your goals. June ~ Dyad Moon: Plan a ritual to balance your spiritual and physical desires. July ~ Mead Moon: Plan a ritual to decide what you will do once your goals have been met. August ~ Wort Moon: Plan a ritual to preserve what you already have. September ~ Barley Moon: Plan a ritual of Thanksgiving for all the Old Ones have given you. October ~ Blood Moon: Plan a ritual to remember those who have passed from this world, and be sure to make an offering to them.
 
Woods:
 
Acorns = Cones used on the tip of wand. Briar = Rose, steep 2 teaspoons fresh or dried in 1 cup of H20- for clairvoyant dreams. Cedar = Healing, longevity, purification, protection Cherry = Love Eb.. Magical power, protection Ferns = Burn inside the house for protection. Burn outside to produce rain. Holly = Repels negative spells sent against you. Maple = Love, money Mistletoe = Hang for protection. Pine = Money, exorcism, healing Rattan = Luck, Strength Redwood = Longevity Solomon's seal = Burn as thanks to the elements. Teak = Riches Holy thistle = Grown in garden, keeps away thieves. Walnut = Health Willow = Great tree to make a WISH under.   Ask permission and explain your desire, then tie a knot and make a wish. When the wish is fulfilled, return and untie the know. Give Thanks and leave a gift. Yew wood/leaves = Lay on grave of departed to remind the spirit that death is only a pause before rebirth. Trees branches good for wands: Birch, Hawthorne, cedar, hazel, oak.
 
Plants:
 
African Violets - promote spirituality and peaceful vibrations.  Can be difficult to grow. Aloe Vera - great for protection and negative energies.  A must for any type of burn.  Just pick a leaf and break it open, rub the sap on the burn.  Will help with the pain and prevent scarring Avocado - spreads love throughout the house. Cactus - will safeguard your house from intruders if you place in a window at each direction (north, south, east & west). Ferns - protection.  Place before large windows or sliding glass doors. Orchids - love. Palms - uplifting vibrations.. Tulips - safeguard against poverty and desperation. Weeping Fig - provides good luck and prosperity.  Can be difficult to grow.
 
Animal Spirit Totems:
 
Alligator - survival, fighter. Ant - industrious, dependable. Armadillo - protection. Bat - death & rebirth. Bear - power, renewal. Beaver - ambitious. Bee - social. Buffalo - abundance. Butterfly - metamorphosis. Cougar - leadership. Coyote - trickster. Crab - commitment. Crane - balance. Crow- bold, magic. Deer - beauty. Dolphin - harmony, love. Dove - peace, faith. Dragonfly - dreams. Duck - trustworthy. Eagle - healing. Elephant - longevity. Elk - strength. Fox - cunning. Frog - healing. Goat - agile. Goose - reliable. Hawk - awareness, vision. Horse - endurance. Hummingbird - energy. Lion - heath, nobility. Lizard - renewal. Loon - dreams. Moose - confidence. Mouse - attention to detail. Orca - creation. Otter - sharing. Owl - vision. Pelican - storage. Penguin - family. Pig - sincere. Rabbit - abundance. Raven - change in consciousness. Rhinoceros - ancient wisdom . Roadrunner - speed. Salmon - determination. Scorpion - defense . Seahorse - magic. Seal - dreaming. Shark - survivor. Skunk - caution. Snail - determination. Snake - wholeness . Spider - creativity. Squirrel - trust. Swan - commitment. Turkey - shared blessings. Turtle - protection. Whale - intelligence. Wolf - wild spirit.
June 17, 2009 - Wednesday 4:11 AM

Current mood:  calm
Category: Religion and Philosophy
 
Blue Moon Stories
"Once in a blue moon..." means seldom or absurd. But, believe it or not, sometimes the moon really does turn blue, usually after volcanic eruptions or major forest fires. Volcanoes and wildfires fill the air with ash and dust. If the airborne particles are just the right size--about 1 micron (one millionth of a meter) wide--they act like a color-filter, tinging the moon blue. Clouds of water droplets, ice crystals or fine-grained sand can do the same thing.
There are other reasons for odd-looking moons, notes atmospheric optics expert Les Cowley. "Our eyes have automatic 'white balances' just like digital cameras. Go outdoors from a cosy cabin lit by an oil lamp (yellow light) and the moon will appear blue until your eyes adjust."
Have you ever seen a blue-colored moon? Share your story.
from Tom King of Watauga, Texas: "I had never paid any real attention to the term 'Blue Moon' until a recent October evening. I had my telescope set up in the backyard in Watauga, Texas, and I was about to take it inside due to deteriorating viewing conditions. Before I did, the moon began rising in the east with a strange blue tint I had not seen before. I used my SACIVb CCD camera attached to a 5" Newtonian telescope to capture this image (October 13, 2003, 12:32 AM local time). The temperature was falling and the air was damp and heavy with moisture."
"On a similar night a little more than two weeks later, October 30th, I again caught the 'Blue Moon' with my camera, this time with even more vivid coloring:
"The moon was quite striking on these two October evenings. The lack of dynamic range in the camera failed to capture the strength and true blue tint that I witnessed with my eyes. Our eyes are indeed some of the best cameras ever made! Here is one last picture from January 10, 2004, provided as a sanity check to assure you that my moon shots do not always have this blue hue."
from Tom Buchanan near Raleigh, North Carolina: "On Thursday night, March 13, 1952, I was attending a regular boy scout meeting in a log club house north of Raleigh, North Carolina. The night was fairly warm, so somebody opened the door which faced eastward. We scouts were seated while my father, the scoutmaster, was trying to teach us something. The other scouts started punching each other and looking out the door. Finally, one punched me and said, "Look out the door. The moon is blue!" I looked and, sure enough, the rising moon, which was two days past full, was distinctly bluish. When the scoutmaster learned why we scouts were inattentive, he recessed the meeting so we could go outside and see this strange phenomenon. One of the scouts claimed that he could smell sand in the air. A couple of hours later as the moon climbed much higher in the sky, it became a pale yellow."
from Robin Scagell in Australia: "I have seen a real blue Moon. It was a brilliant, icy blue, and it was in Australia in 1983, at a time when El Chichon had recently erupted. I even took a photograph of it in the twilight. But I knew that the photo would not show anything different about the Moon, and I was right. The pictures show a normal, white Moon. Later that evening, the Moon in the sky was its normal colour.
The explanation was that the strong violet colour of the sunset was affecting my personal white balance, so the white Moon actually appeared a complementary colour. The same effect would explain green Moons as well. Later on, when the twilight colours faded, my white balance had no reference points so the Moon appeared white again. Here is a photograph of the Anglo-Australian Observatory taken on that occasion."
from Larry Rova of Anaheim Hills, CA: "In 1959 or 1960 while a student at the University of North Dakota I saw a blue moon during a very heavy snow storm in Grand Forks, ND. Five of my fraternity brothers and I jumped in a single car to scout the streets around the campus and see if anyone need a push out of a snow bank. We did help several stuck cars proceed on their way but the highlight of being out in the storm that night was the sight of a very blue moon. At the time I thought that was what was meant by a 'blue moon' however later I did learn about the definition of two full moons in the same month. I'll never forget that night. We even had to push our car out of the snow to get back home. I moved to Southern California after graduating in 1962 and am still here."
from Carroll Rudy of Wisconsin: "It happened on a Sunday in the September of 1950 --September 24 to be exact. I was a 13-year-old living in rural Northwestern Pennsylvania near Corry, PA, on my parents' small farm."

"It was a cloudy day. Early in the afternoon, the sun disappeared and it became as dark as midnight. Lamps were lit and lanterns brought out. I went outside to walk around and check the livestock, and found that the chickens had all gone to roost, all the wild birds had gone to sleep, and the farm animals had gone into their normal nightime sleeping places in barns and coops. We could see that the streetlights had come on in the nearby town. We had no Television at the time, but heard over the radio that there was a forest fire in Canada producing so much smoke that it had blacked out the sun."

"People were very frightened, and some thought the world was coming to an end. Others thought the Russians had done 'something' as the Cold War was in full flower then. Some thought the dreaded nuclear holocaust had come, but most people I knew thought it was a secret government smoke-screen experiment related to Cold War defense. The true believers in conspiracy never would accept the forest fire 'cover-up' story as they called it. Some of my classmates to this day still stick to the 'government cover-up' tale. Whatever one's thoughts at the time, it was a very frightening day. As the day waned, the smoke thinned a bit and the sun could be seen through the blackness as a faint blue orb, but it never did get light outside. After nightfall the moon which was full that night, was blue. I read later that blue moons were seen as far away as Europe on Sept. 26, 1950."

"There was a pervasive smoky smell in the air that didn't smell like wood smoke, but like peat smoke, a smell similar to smoldering wet hay. I remember being ill for several days afterward with a cold-like respiratory disorder including runny nose, stuffy head and irritated eyes."

"Most people who lived in Western Pennsylvania at the time remember that day vividly if they had any reason to be out-of-doors. We always called it 'Black Sunday' afterward. Sometimes you read references from people said they saw stars because it was so dark, but that is not true. Obviously no stars were visible because the smoke was so thick we could not even see the sun. I remember a sky that was totally black, smelled like smoke and was truly frightening."
from Tom Whiting of Erie Pennsylvania: "I was just a young boy 5 or 6 years old, living in New Castle PA in the summer of 1946 or 1947 when smoke from forest fires (in Canada?) drifted down over the Western Pennsylvania area. It got really dark in the daytime;I remember the street lights came on in the early afternoon, like 1 or 2 pm, and you could smell the slight odor of smoke. Anyway, for a night or two, we had this bluish-tinged near-full moon. I don't remember the exact year or month. I just remember we kids were all scared, and thought maybe the world was coming to an end. (Not because of the moon, but rather the daytime darkness). My one and only Real Blue Moon!"
from Samuel L. Sievers of Vincennes, Indiana: "I am 64 years old. I recall riding with my father in his large semi-trailor, returning to southern Indiana from Chicago's South Watermarket. This was a bouncy 6-hour trip. We were hauling watermelons, so it had to be in late July or more likely August, somewhere between 1954-1957. I wondered what sort of evil the bluish moon meant, and dad wisely said it was probably dust or smoke."
June 16, 2009 - Tuesday 5:37 AM

Current mood:  confident
Category: Religion and Philosophy

Coming out of the "broom closet"

When to let your friends and family know you are Wiccan, and how to let them know depends on many factors. Its going to be different for everyone. Some people feel they can never let anyone know, and others are completely "out of the broom closet" doing public rituals, writing books or being interviewed on television.
Many new students of Wicca are so excited about their new-found path that they want to rush out and tell the world. This is usually not a good idea. There is also the temptation to wear a pentacle right away. This is also something that needs some thought. Something you need to consider before telling anyone is that regardless of their reaction - whether its good, bad or indifferent, they are likely to ask you questions about your beliefs and will definitely ask you what that pentacle around your neck means. You need to be ready to calmly and clearly answer any and all questions which are asked. Depending on how much you study it could take six months or more before you are ready to answer the most frequently asked questions. Studying our "What is Wicca?" page and our "Frequently Asked Questions" page will give you an idea of what your friends, family and complete strangers are liable to ask you if you advertise the fact that you are Wicca by wearing a pentacle. Many who are new to Wicca and those who choose not to be public wear a pentacle but keep it hidden under their shirt. Wearing a pentacle is not a requirement, but it tends to give a sense of connection to the Earth, to the god and goddess, and to other Wiccans.
While in the United States and many other countries there are laws against religious discrimination Wiccans still may face being fired from their jobs, evicted from their homes or losing their children in custody battles merely for being Wiccan. None of this is fair, and with good legal help Wiccans do win lawsuits if they can prove discrimination. If you find yourself facing one of these problems there are organizations which may be able to help or advise you. (Witches Against Religious Discrimination ) or (Covenant of the Goddess) The best course of action, however, is to avoid confrontations whenever possible. Rarely will an employer or landlord admit religious discrimination. They will come up every other excuse imaginable. The best defense is clean living. If you live by the Wiccan Rede (An it harm none, do what you will) then it is assumed that you are acting in your everyday life as a kind, considerate and honest person. It will be difficult for anyone to find any "evidence" against you when you act and live according to the tenets of Wicca.
If you feel ready to let some of your closest friends or family know that you are studying Wicca we suggest printing out a copy of our, "What is Wicca?" page to give them during your discussion. It was written for just that purpose and will help dispel many myths they have have heard. Most people are understanding and happy to be educated. Others - especially those from fundamentalist religions will not be reassured no matter what you tell them. Their religious beliefs tell them that anything to do with witchcraft is evil (of the devil) and they will not believe anything you say. Its better to save your breath and stay away from the topic of religion if you have regular contact with people of fundamentalist beliefs.
Some of the best "coming out of the broom closet" stories we have heard have come about naturally. Generally people studying Wicca find themselves becoming happier and more at peace. This shows, and sooner or later someone is going to ask, "What's new in your life - you look so happy?" You will still need to decide if this is a person you are ready to talk to about your new path. You may, however, want to avoid use of the word "witch" when describing your path, at least a first.
If you are confronted by a friend warning that you will, "burn in hell" for following Wicca, just thank them for their concern and change the subject. If they persist just firmly and politely tell them that you choose not to discuss your religion with anyone who feels that way.
Regardless of how open you decide to be, do not forget that you will be representing all of Wicca to the outside world. You may be the only Wiccan someone has ever met. Unfairly or not, they will judge Wicca by what they see and hear from you. If you decide to put Wiccan bumper stickers on your car make sure you are a polite driver. Refrain from making rude "hand signals". Practice your deep breathing and relaxation techniques when someone cuts you off in traffic instead of letting them upset you.
While there is no "dress code" for Wicca we hope that you will use common sense. We once had a young lady complain to us that she had been suspended from school for wearing a pentacle. We found out that the truth was something different. She was also wearing black fishnet stockings, an extremely short black skirt, and a top which showed her midriff. You do not have to dress like the "witches" in movies to be a witch. These clothes were against the school's dress code and she was suspended for this reason - not the pentacle.
Your school or work place can not deny you the right to wear religious jewelry if they allow the jewelry of other religions to be worn. If you are asked to remove your pentacle respond calmly and quietly. Most employers or school administrators who ask this have simply have not realized it is a religious symbol just as the cross is for Christians or the Star of David is for Jewish people. Their response may be to ask people of all religions not to wear their jewelry which is at least fair to all.
Some Wiccans wonder if they are being "dishonest" when the hide their religion from some friends or family members. We believe that only you can know when it is good to reveal your beliefs and when it makes more sense to keep that part of your life private. For example: if your 85 year old Christian grandmother would have a heart-attack if she knew - then don't tell her! While it is good for the pagan community in general for the public to see how many of us there are we still need to focus on personal safety first. So - come out of the broom closet if you can, but if you feel it isn't time to do so do let anyone intimidate you into doing it. And never, never "out" another Wiccan.

Talking with the media

If you decide to come out of the broom closet, sooner or later you may be asked for an interview by a newspaper, radio or television reporter or columnist. If you do not feel you are ready for that refer them to someone with experience in dealing with the media, or at least someone with more experience in Wicca. There are some things you can do now to prepare for possible interviews in the future.
Get to know the writing styles and personalities of your local reporters and columnists. Be especially sure to read the religious column in your local newspapers. This usually appears on Saturday but may appear on Sunday in some papers. What you are looking for is whether they reporters are fair and objective or whether they seem to slant all stories in a particular direction. Be sure to read any interviews with people of non-mainstream religions to see if the writer handles them fairly. If a writer/reporter whom you do not trust asks to interview you feel free to say you are willing to do an interview but only if you get to talk with so-and-so (the writer/reporter you have found through your research to be fair).
Reporters have a habit of describing Wiccans as, "self-proclaimed witches". If this phrase bothers you (and it probably does) then make it clear before you begin the interview that you do not want that phrase used. They may try to tell you that their editor requires it because they do not want a defamation lawsuit. Assure them that you willingly call yourself a witch (if this is the case) so you are not going to sue them if they call you one as well. Refuse to do the interview if they do not respect your wishes on this or any other issue that is important to you.
If you decide to grant an interview which includes photographs or video remember again that you are representing all of Wicca. If you are preparing for a ritual it would be natural to be wearing a ritual robe, but otherwise try to appear as "normal" as possible. Even if you usually dress if a very unusual way you may want to tone it down a little so those who see you will not be distracted by the clothes or jewelry. Think about Tammy Faye Baker, the Christian television personality - does anyone ever notice what she says? Probably not - her hair and makeup are too distracting.
The most popular time for the media to look for witches to interview is, of course, Samhain. If you feel qualified to give interviews you may want to contact your local newspaper's religion columnist about a month ahead of time to let them know you are available if they want a witches point of view on Halloween. They may not know how to find any Wiccans and they may do a story from a purely Christian point of view. That is what we want to avoid. If you can offer to do another interview around Yule or at another time of the year so that the public does not associate witchcraft and Wicca solely with Halloween. You could offer to talk about Handfasting ceremonies for the Wedding supplement that many newspapers publish around June.
It is considered very bad taste in Wicca to allow an actual ritual to be photographed, videotaped or filmed. We sometimes see people standing or dancing in a circle in a documentary on Wicca which is ok, but it is never in good taste to film the invocation of gods or someone's initiation or other significant rituals or parts of rituals.
Whenever you talk to the media (or anyone) about the craft be sure to make it clear that you are speaking from your own perspective and that you do not speak for all of Wicca. It is important for people to understand that Wicca is practiced in a variety of ways. If you do not know the answer to a question be honest and offer to research it and get back to the interviewer.

Advertising your classes or coven

If you are thinking about holding classes on Wicca or you are open to taking new students into your coven, there are some procedures you can use that will help ensure your safety and limit the amount of time spent on people who may not be right for the class you are offering or the group you run. Some of our suggestions may seem overly cautious, but unfortunately we still sometimes experience discrimination from those who do not understand the path of Wicca.
Where to hold classes
Many metaphysical book stores have classroom space and will be willing to rent it to your or perhaps even provide it at no cost. Public libraries usually have rooms which non profit organizations can use at not cost for public meetings. Space may also be available for rent at community centers. We do not recommend holding classes in your home unless you already have experience teaching and know the people you will be inviting into your home.
How to advertise
If you do not have your own store location then you will probably want to get a post-office box for mail. Never advertise your home address. You may also want to get a separate phone line with voice-mail or an answering machine for inquiries about your classes.
If you will be holding your classes in a public place you may be able to post a flyer about the classes. You may also consider posting flyers in any metaphysical store or health-food store in your area. We have found that these are places most likely to be frequented by potential Wicca students. Be sure to include the dates and times of the classes and an address (p.o. box) and/or telephone number they can call for further information. You do not need to include an exact address on this flyer. We usually do not do that for safety reasons. You want to be able to screen potential students over the telephone before you let them know where the classes will be held. Some people are out of the broom closet, but use a different name for public Wicca-related activities. You will know best whether this is something you should do in your community.
You may also want to consider running an ad in the classified section of your local newspapers. One we had good luck with was worded simply: "Love the Earth? Wicca classes, call xxxxxxx". Most classified newspapers sections have a variety of topic headings including one for religious ads and one for classes or instruction. Most towns also have one or more free magazines which specialize in metaphysical advertisements. You can find these in metaphysical and health-food stores. They are another good place to advertise classes. You may also be able to run an ad in your local newspaper's Saturday church section where all types of religious organizations and meetings are advertised. You may find some newspapers will refuse to run your ad. Since they are privately owned they do have that right as unfair as it seems. Advertising on an appropriate radio station is another option, but may be costly.
For more permanent advertising of your group or on-going classes you can consider having a phone number listed in your local telephone directly under "religious organizations". Your coven may also be able to join the Chamber of Commerce in your town, and there may be other religious groups to which all local clergy belong. Whether you, as a Wiccan, will be welcome to join these organizations will vary from town to town. We have found that Wicca is most often accepted in towns or cities near large Universities.
Some covens have "adopted" stretches of roads or highways in their community's "adopt a road" program. In exchange for getting together and cleaning up litter along the side of the road once or twice a month the community puts up a sign with the name of your group on it along "your" stretch of road.
Screening students
If you are just conducting a one-time class such as "Introduction to Wicca", and it is meant to be an overview which does not necessarily lead to more advanced classes then screen students does not need to be as intensive as it would for the more advanced classes. You may want to open introductory classes up to the merely curious non-pagan who is honestly seeking to understand what Wicca is but not to necessarily become Wiccan. You may ask them to sign a form when the register for the class that says they understand and agree that the classes are open to those who come with open-minds and good intentions.
If your classes are to introduce your circle or coven to new students then you may want to do some serious screening. We recommend first a telephone interview and then meeting with the potential student in person. We include a suggested questionnaire on this website. Some of the questions can be asked during the initial phone interview. At that time it is a good idea to find out which books on Wicca, if any, the student has already read. If they have not read any good, basic books on Wicca then give them a title (one we usually recommend as a first book is, "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner" by Scott Cunningam) and ask that they get it as soon as possible and to call you as soon as they really get into the book. If they call you back in the next day or two that will be a good indication of their enthusiasm. If a week or two goes by before they call back and you are unsure as to their enthusiasm or unsure if they are seeking classes for the right reasons then you may try assigning a book such as "Drawing Down the Moon" by Margot Adler. That book is known to weed out the merely curious or those who want only "power" and magic. We require all potential students for coven-oriented classes to read at least one entire book (such as Cunningham's) before the first class begins.
When the student has finished reading the book make arrangements to meet with them in a public place such as a restaurant. We usually choose a fast-food restaurant since it won't put a strain on anyone's budget and you can usually sit for an hour or more just sipping coffee and talking without the management getting annoyed. First talk about yourself, your background and about the classes you teach. Ask the potential student if they have any questions. This will help put them at ease before you start asking them questions. Be sure to cover all of the questions contained in our suggested questionnaire. We leave it up to you to decide what answers to the questionnaire are acceptable for your group or classes. You will find that you will be evaluating the student not only on their answers to the questions but their reactions to the questions as well. At the end of the meeting promise that you will let them know in the next day or two whether you feel your classes or group will be right for them. If you decide for whatever reason that this person will not fit into your classes or group then let them know that you feel you are not the right teacher for them and offer some suggestions of where else they might look for classes or teachers. It is important that they understand they are not being rejected as people but that not every teacher is right for every student.
If you have decided that you would like to work with this student then let them know when and where the classes will be. You do not need to reveal the location until this point. We also hold a "getting to know each other" get-together before the first class begins so the students have a chance to meet each other and decide if they still want to go through the classes. At this get-together we have everyone introduce themselves and talk about their religious background and state why they are taking the classes.
June 16, 2009 - Tuesday 4:33 AM

Current mood:  curious
Category: Religion and Philosophy

This page will not tell you the meanings of the cards, nor will it give you a variety of canned layouts. What we will tell you here is the best way we have found for learning to read the tarot. (Beginners note: the "o" in tarot is long as in "open", and the final "t" is silent.) But first, a few frequently asked questions . . . (updated 6/3/03)
Q. Do I have to wait until someone else gives me a tarot deck?
A. No. Some people believe that you should not buy your own tarot deck - that it must be received as a gift. Personally we think this is nonsense. With the hundreds of different decks currently available you are not likely to get the perfect deck for you if a friend ever gets around to buying you one.
Q. Can I trust tarot readings from telephone or on-line services?
A. While some telephone or web-based readers may be legitimate I believe you take more of a chance when you can not meet the reader face-to-face. Can you trust them to give accurate readings? Possibly. The reading services may have absolutely NO minimum requirements for the people they hire as "readers". They will hire anyone who will promise to work a set number of hours per week and promise to keep people on the line (and paying). A woman called my store once and ask to buy a tarot deck with the meanings printed on the fronts of the cards because she was planning to be a telephone tarot reader and could never remember what the cards meant. A good reader I know worked for one of the telephone services for a very short time and then quit because she was being forced by her employers to keep the people on the phone as long as possible.
Q. Can I read the tarot for myself?
A. Probably. Most people can read for themselves, but some can not. Some people will have a tendency to read only what they want to see in the cards which isn't much help. If you find yourself doing this you might want to find a friend who also reads the cards (or learn with a friend) and exchange readings. Friends and relatives can read for each other as long as everyone is open and honest and tries not to let known factors influence the reading too much.
Q. Do the cards predict the future?
A. There is a saying in astrology, "The wise man rules his stars, the fool obeys them". The same could be said for the cards as for the stars. The tarot only tells you what might happen or could happen. Your future is up to you. We read the tarot to find trends in our lives. If we see and outcome card that we do not like that is not a signal to worry - it is a signal to look at the rest of the layout for clues of what you should do to avoid this outcome which you do not like. A less than satisfactory outcome card (or cards) is not to be feared, but to be welcomed because now you know that you need to put a little more effort into improving your life or changing directions. If you like what you see in the outcome cards then that is an indication that you are on the right track - keep doing what you are doing.

The Lessons

Step 1. Choosing your deck

We suggest that you use one of the variations of the Rider Waite deck. Aside from the standard Rider Waite you can also find the Universal Waite (same drawings with softer colors), the Albano Waite (same drawings with harsher colors), and a few fancy versions such as the Golden Rider and Rider Tarot Deluxe (with gold-leaf edges). The standard Rider Waite comes in a variety of sizes. We recommend the Rider Waite variations because they have long been the "industry standard" upon which most other tarot decks are based. If you learn to read with a Rider Waite deck you will be able to easily transfer those skills to any other standard tarot deck (78 card deck which includes 22 major aracna cards).

Step 2. Bonding with your deck

Your tarot deck will become your friend, so treat it kindly from the beginning. The first thing you should do is remove the little booklet which comes with your deck and, without looking at it, put it away in a safe place. If you have already read the booklet or other books about tarot reading that's ok. Just put them away and do not consult them during the first three weeks of these exercises. Also remove any advertisement cards or blank cards and put those away with the booklet.
You will want to either wrap in in a nice cloth and/or place it in a nice box. Some books will tell you that the deck must be wrapped in a silk cloth but this notion comes from non-pagan card readers so what you wrap your deck in is really up to you. You can then place the wrapped deck inside a cloth bag or in a box. There are many nicely decorated and carved boxes available made especially to fit tarot decks. It is up to you whether to leave your deck in the cardboard box in came in or to store the box elsewhere (with the little booklet that comes with the deck) and wrap only the cards. You can sprinkle a little aromatic oil on the outer bag or box. (Don't over do it and stain your cards.)
In order to really bond with your deck try to keep it with you 24 hours a day for at least a week - longer if you like. You can begin working with the deck immediately - you do not have to wait until the end of this week. You can keep it under your pillow or close by your bed at night and carry it inside your shirt, jacket, in a pocket or purse during the day. This exercise will make a world of difference in transforming your deck from a box of cardboard to living, working tool/friend.
Those who are experienced at reading the tarot will tell you that getting to know the cards is a life-long process. They will continue to reveal new meanings to you as long as you use them. Getting acquainted with them, however, can be done with the four-week process outlined here. You may begin at any time, but some find it more helpful to begin on a New Moon, allowing their understanding of the cards to grow as the Moon waxes to Full. You will need a notebook in which to record your interpretations of the cards, and six, small slips of paper to use as "book marks" in your deck. You will not attempt to do any readings with the cards during the first three weeks.

Step 3. The first week

Begin one evening just before you go to bed. Shuffle the cards well. Tarot cards are usually not shuffled the same way that playing cards are shuffled. You will want to avoid bending them. Shuffle them either in your hands or lay them face down on a clean surface and mix them around. You may want to have a special cloth on which to lay out your cards and shuffle them. After the cards are shuffled, keeping them face down, deal them out into seven piles. Stack the piles back together using the slips of paper to separate them. Put the deck away for the night.
The first week's exercise is done immediately after arriving home from your day at work or school. If you have errands to do when you get home do them first then do this exercise, but do not take time to relax or meditate. The important part of this first-week exercise is to do it immediately after stopping your regular, daily activities.
Take the first group of cards from the top of the deck, keeping them face down. Have your notebook handy. Write: Week One at the top of a page. Turn the top card in the pile over and look at it. Write down the name of the card. If you are not sure of the name at this point write down a description. Most importantly write down what you think the card means. What kind of feeling does the card give you? If you aren't sure guess. The Rider Waite deck was carefully designed to trigger images and feelings within the reader. Take about 30 seconds for each card. Do this for each card in the first pile in your deck. Keeping the separation papers in place, move this pile to the bottom of the deck.
Each of the next six days do the same exercise working through one pile of cards each day until you have worked through the whole deck by the end of the seventh day. After recording your impressions on the seventh day shuffle the deck again. Again deal it into seven piles, add the separation papers and put the deck away for the night.

Step 4. The second week

On each day of the second week you will be working through the piles and again recording your impressions of the cards with this difference: Instead of immediately working with your cards after the end of a hard days work take a couple of minutes to center and ground. Do this in a quiet place. Sit up straight, close your eyes. Feel the tension drain out of your body as you connect with the Earth below you. When you are relaxed, take the first pile from your deck, and starting with a fresh page in your notebook (labeled: Week Two) write your impression of each card just as you did for Week One. Take a minute or so for each card if you need it, but if you get a clear impression sooner do not feel you need to continue looking. Each day in this second week be sure to take a few moments to ground and center before recording your impression of each card. On the seventh day, again shuffle and separate the deck as you did for the first two weeks.

Step 5. The third week

Your tarot exercises for the Week Three will take a little more time than they did in the first two weeks. Find a quiet place, ground and center, and spend about 15 minutes relaxing and clearing your mind. Be sure to let all tension drain away. You do not have to have an "empty mind", but try to keep peaceful images in your mind of forests, fields, waterfalls...or whatever relaxes you. At the end of this 15 minute relaxation/meditation being your begin your third week of recording your impressions of the cards. Start on a new page of your notebook labeled: Week Three. This time take as long as you like with each card. This completes your three week get-acquainted period with your cards.

Step 6. The ethics of tarot reading

The most important thing to understand about the tarot is that it will not tell you what will happen, but only what might happen. Most pagan tarot readers believe in "free will" to some degree - which means we can make choices in our lives - the entire course of our lives is not already laid out and cast in stone. Even if you believe that some parts of your life is pre-determined there are still many options which present themselves to us every day. Some people find it difficult to read for themselves or other people that they know well. Others have no problem staying objective. You won't know until you try. You may also find that you have some good days and bad days. This is normal. A lot of people find the Court Cards (Pages, Knights, Queens and Kings), the most difficult to understand. If these come easily for you, great! If they do not there are many books available which can help you understand these cards. We do not go into individual card interpretations on this website because that information is readily available elsewhere.
When you are doing your first readings for other people be honest and tell them you are just learning and that you may have to refer to the guide book. Try to rely on your own intuition as much as possible though. You may want to look at the book after the reading to see how your interpretations compare. There are no wrong interpretations. If you read several books of tarot interpretations you will find a wide variation in interpretation. That is because each person writing the book wrote from his or her own intuition.
When you do a reading for someone other than yourself be sure to explain to them that the cards will not, "tell their future" - that the cards can only tell them what could happen. Do not worry if your interpretations seem "vague". When you read for someone else, some of the work is up to them. They may expect you to tell them exactly what will happen, or exactly who they will meet. The cards do not work that way. Some good psychics use tarot cards and they may seem to be getting very specific information from the cards, but this does not have to occur for the cards to tell you what you need to know. If you see a card that tells you that, "there may be a young woman at work who is jealous of you that you need to watch out for" that description may fit many people that the person receiving the reading knows. They may want more details, and you may not have them. Ask them who is the first person who came to mind when you interpreted the card for them. This will be the person that they need to watch out for. The cards are designed to bring forth information which is already in our subconscious and the subconscious of those we read for. Do not be afraid to show the other person a card which has you stumped. They may get the meaning quickly themselves.
Generally - if the outcome card or cards of a reading are favorable then you look at the other cards for indications of how to stay on this track. The other cards may give hints at opportunities that will present themselves or pitfalls to avoid. If you do not like the look of the outcome cards then look at the other cards for hints on how to change what your are doing, and what to look out for in the future. Again you are looking for opportunities and pitfalls.
Some people will express concern about the Death card before you do a reading for them. Assure them that it does not mean literal death but the end of a cycle or event. This may be one card you want to study in the booklet so that you can feel confident that you will not be frightening people with it.
Generally when you read for another person you will allow them to shuffle your cards. If you would rather not have other people touching your cards you can either buy a separate deck for this purpose or you can shuffle the cards yourself and have your friend concentrate on their question and tell you when to stop shuffling. I do believe allowing the person with the questions to do the shuffling is the preferable choice though.
Do not accept money for doing readings unless you first obtain a license from your local licensing agency. Many cities and counties have strict ordinances surrounding tarot reading. If you read for money without a license you may be breaking the law and you will definitely cause any local, licensed readers to be angry with you. They have worked hard at learning their skill and may be paying large sums for license fees each year and they will happily report anyone they know of who has not followed the same, proper procedures. Accepting "donations" does not get you around the laws - most laws will state this clearly. Some are local laws for tarot readers are fair, and others are either unfair or un-constitutional. If you are an experienced reader and considering becoming licensed feel free to write and I'll be happy to share my experiences with you. There is nothing unethical about being an experienced, honest, licensed and paid tarot reader. Professional tarot reading is just like any other profession in which one is paid for their knowledge and skill.

Step 7. The fourth week

During the fourth week you will begin doing readings for yourself and immediate family members and close friends if they are willing to help you get started. You can keep the little booklet with you during this time but do not refer to it until after you have gotten your own impression of each card.
Each morning shuffle your deck and pull three cards from it. Always ground and center before you shuffle your cards for a reading. You may also connect with the deity or guide of your choice for assistance with your readings. While you are shuffling be thinking, "What do I need to know for today?" You can either deal them from the top, the bottom, or just pick them at random - whichever feels right to you at the moment. Lay the three cards in front of you and study each individually. Get out your notebook and write down your impressions of the individual cards and also your impression of what they might mean for you for the coming day. You can look at the three cards as representing morning, noon, and evening, or just blend the messages together for an overall look at how your day will go. Be sure to look at your notebook again in the evening and see if your impressions turned out to be correct. Make additional notes if you like.

Step 8. Intuitive layouts.

The booklet which comes with your deck will have at least one suggested layout, and that is usually the "Celtic (pronounced keltik) Cross". It is one of the most popular and standard layouts. Practice and learn this one because it is very good for general readings whenever someone asks, "What do I need to know?" If you have a variety of books on reading the tarot they may often have slight variations in their Celtic Cross layout examples. Stick with the one that works best for you, or combine ideas from more than one. Whatever you decide stay with it long enough to memorize the layout and card position meanings.
If you or your friend has one or more specific questions you can still use the Celtic Cross, but you may want to try different layouts. You can buy books with many layout suggestions and they are fun to try, but its also good to trust yourself to make up your own layouts too since its now always convenient to use a book. Practice on yourself first. Before you shuffle the cards come up with a simple question you would like to ask. Close your eyes, center and ground. Try and see how many cards it might take for your answer, and how you might lay them out. Decide what each card position will mean. It could be a simple past/present/future reading, but with two or more cards to represent each phase. You can lay out the cards all in one row, several rows, in a circle, branched out like a tree - absolutely anything that comes to mind yet is not so complicated that you will forget what you are doing before you finish shuffling and laying the cards out.
Also decide whether you will lay the cards out face up or face down. It can be easier to focus on each card individually if you begin with them all face down. But, if some of the cards are not readily revealing their meanings to you, you can change your mind and turn them all over at once to get the big picture. Sometimes it is hard to understand a card without seeing those which fall next to it.
You can use intuitive layouts as additions to a general, Celtic Cross reading. Sometimes you will find that the Celtic Cross brings up more questions than it answers. You can try laying one or more new cards next to the card which is giving you difficulties. Decide before you lay out these new cards whether they will give more background information, hints for the future or whatever seems appropriate. The important thing is to trust your intuition. There is no wrong way to lay out the cards.
Once in a while you will find that none of the cards in a layout are making sense to you. Rather than beating your head against a wall or looking up every single card in the booklet just decide that something went wrong with the shuffling and do it over again.

Step 9. Get out and read!

After you have had a week to practice readings on yourself and a few close friends it is time to take your cards with you to a party or other gathering where you can get some more intensive practice. Be sure to ask permission from the host or hostess before you do this. Let everyone know that you are just learning and are just doing the readings as practice and you would appreciate their assistance if they will allow you to read for them. By letting them know it is practice you will not have to feel shy about using the booklet if you need it and they will not feel obligated to take the reading too seriously. Be sure to let each person know that the cards will only tell what could be, not what will be.
The more readings you do the more quickly you will gain confidence in your readings, so do them as often as possible. Try not to do a general reading for the same person more often than once or twice a month. You do not want anyone to become dependent on card readings for living their lives. There is nothing wrong with doing several specific-question type readings as long as it isn't the same specific question more than once. The tarot is a very good tool when used properly and with confidence.
Additional practice can be found in Learning the Tarot - An on-line course.
For a very good FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) on the Tarot please see Fatima's page.
Free Tarot classes at the Pottery in Port St. Lucie, Florida - first Monday of every month.
June 13, 2009 - Saturday 4:30 AM

Current mood:  accomplished
Category: Religion and Philosophy
ASTRAL PROJECTION

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The idea that each human has an astral body capable of separating from the physical body and journeying through time, space & dimension is an old one. Hindu writings describe the 8 Siddhis (magickal powers) obtained thru Yoga - one of them is Astral Projection. These beliefs are contained in Tibetan Buddhism and are an integral function in shamanic practice world wide. In the Catholic Church this technique is called 'bilocation' & there are many accounts of saints employing this method to be seen in 2 places at once.
The word 'astral' comes from the Latin astrum (star) indicating that we are employing our light or star bodies in this type of travel. As humans we have more than just the physical and astral bodies. In fact we have many different bodies known as 'subtle bodies' - the etheric body shows health, is what most auric readers see; the astral body to which astral consciousness is projected; the mental body used for pathworkings and the spiritual body which is the essence of the person.
The question may be "why do you even what to do it?" One reason is to have direct experience of the astral realm in order to know beyond any doubt of the levels of existence; You may also wish to simply travel for knowledge - here on our planet, through the veils of time to review history or see past lives; Another reason may be for healing of the astral body to facilitate healing that is occuring with the physical body; Or you may astral travel for magickal practice, for the astral realms are those of Yesod, the sphere of Foundation where all magick commences; Or you may wish to practice the death experience in order to lose fear of this change in level of existence.
There are basically 3 types of astral projection:
Mental projection: mentally exploring the astral plane; seeing and intellectualizing experience. Used in pathworkings and ritual magick frequently.
Astral Projection: astral body moves a distance from physical and accurately reports what is seen on physical, experience directly in astral; no restriction of distance; particularly good for absent healing..
Etheric Projection: etheric substance is projected from the body, can be seen by others, weighed; use to shield & feel energy; auric healing; mediumship.
Some of the indications of astral travel are a feeling of floating, seeing things from another angle for instance seeing the area from above; seeing an area tinged with violet light; feeling an imbalance in body - the limbs feel very small or very large in comparison to the rest of body for example; becoming aware of radiance from objects in the room; perceiving the astral cord; seeing your physical body in the room yet your consciousness is elsewhere as well as a sensation of cold.
The Astral Level is close to what you are used to in the physical level, in fact it intersects the physical realm. Do you occasionally "see" things out of the corner of your eyes, with your peripheral vision? This can be your unconscious realization of the astral as it "bumps" against what you know as physical reality. The Astral Level is the realm of emotions - when you experience strong emotions, either positive or negative, you sometimes create a form of those emotions on the astral level. This is why when you go into a house or place where something that has occurred which throws off a strong emotional pattern such as a murder you can feel energy present there. The emotional pattern originally created has a form on the astral level. This level also has its own inhabitants who reside on the astral - it's their natural place just as the physical level is the natural location for you & the other inhabitants of this world. How can you tell when you are on the Astral if you are experiencing this place? Some of the indications are that you tend to see a radiance or aura surrounding objects there, you can float or fly or fly at will and can create objects through the use of your own imagination or will. Simply think in a focused manner and it's done. Can you change what you are seeing or when you imagine or will something to change shape does it remain the same? If so, it is a natural inhabitant of this realm.
If Astral Projection is something you'd like to experiment with you'll need a quiet place where you will not be interrupted so unplug your phone, wrap yourself in a light blanket for warmth as the body's systems slow down and many people realize that their body is cold when they come back to it, eat only lightly if at all prior to your experiment so you don't inadvertantly ground yourself in your body. You can use music to time your journey - you'll be aware on a subtle level of your body and its surroundings - as you begin your journey note to yourself that when the music clicks off that that is your signal to return. In spite of all the stories there is generally no worry about returning to your physical body - the physical level is your natural level of existence. In fact, you'll find that if you are interrupted by someone or a sudden noise or danger, you'll automatically return to your body without any conscious thought. A sudden return can bring on a headache, however. Protect your physical body while you're gone by being in a warm, comfortable place and be sure to ground yourself with breathing exercises and perhaps some light food when your return.
Some common Techniques for achieving astral projection are:
Imagine levitating. Feel your body getting lighter and lighter and try to see your body lying comfortably from above.
Using a large mirror, view yourself and your surroundings. Then mentally visualize what you've just seen with your physical eyes especially your face. At this point transfer your point of view to the mirro as if you were seeing yourself from that location. With your eyes closed try to see the room from different angles.
Sit comfortably, relaxed. Close your eyes and visualize yourself, see thru those visualized eyes. Look around room, begin walking around it examining objects. Return to your body, stand behind your head and reabsorb your astral energy back into your physical body. Do it again, focusing on the nape of your neck then project a ball of light from your throat while concentrating. You may feel an imbalance as if your body is tilting, perhaps waves of energy up & down your body - don't concentrate on these sensations just center yourself within the vibrations and step mentally from your body.
Sit or lie comfortably, relaxed. Close your eyes and concentrate on your slow, rhythmic breath. Slow your breath both inhalations and exhalations while you imagine a scene in which you are walking (on a beach for example or on a mountain path). As your focus hardens begin to climb up the area and see a gateway ahead and a figure standing on other side. Become the figure on other side. Slowly get used to the new body - don't run around at first. Gain control of your energy in the figure.
Follow the above instructions then look at your physical body with your astral eyes. Observe your breathing patterns and make them as slow and relaxed as possible. Visualize a link between the solar plexus of your physical body and that of the astral figure . You'll probably find that your sreath becomes slightly irregular, ignore this and transfer your breathing to the astral figure.
RECOMMENDED READING:


 
--By Karen Charboneau-Harrison, Copyright 1999 .. and here -->
Currently listening:
Tao Meditation
By Various Artists
Release date: 2001-05-08
June 12, 2009 - Friday 3:10 AM

Current mood:  energetic
Category: Religion and Philosophy
THE ATHAME
One of the most personal and perhaps most misunderstood of the Four Tools of Magick, the Athame represents the element Fire, transformation and the direction of South. It is the symbol of the magickal Will and life force. It is used to cut through and direct energy, never for actual physical cutting. Most Witches will have a second knife known as the White Handled Knife or Bolline for use in cutting herbs or carving symbols. Most often, the Athame is made from metal, but I have seen obsidian Athames as well. It is most traditional to have a double sided blade although I have seen single sided blades used occasionally. The Athame is used to draw the Magickal Circle wherein ritual and ceremony is performed, creating a space between the worlds where all energy is balanced and concentrated for the rite. For this act, the Athame is held in the stronger hand (the one you write with) with the blade tip facing out as the magickian focuses his or her energies on sending flaming energy out the tip of the blade as s/he walks in a circle, drawing a line to mark the outer circumference of the circle. This creates a space to work within which is then purified before the working begins. The space is consecrated with salt, water and incense smoke to purify and balance the space and then the elemental quarters are activated by drawing an invoking Pentagram in the air with the Athame of each element in its appropriate quarter. Traditionally the elements are seen as Earth/North; Air/East; Fire/South and Water/West. The circle is taken down at the end of the rite by going to each quarter and drawing a banishing Pentagram in the air with the Athame, thus dissipating the energies.
The Athame is also used very effectively in aura cleansings to rid the individual of any imbalanced energies and cutting any links to negativity that he or she may have. This is accomplished by focusing fire energy in the blade of the Athame and running the blade slowly 3 to 4 inches above the body in the auric field. You need to go slowly so that you can feel carefully for any attachments which need to be cut or burnt away in the aura as well as for gaps in the body's energy field. If gaps are found, after the aura has been cleansed and all attachments or links have been taken care of, fill the Athame with force and fill in the gaps. Finish by sealing the area that you have fill by passing the Athame over the area in an upward stroke. Cleansing of objects can be accomplished in the same fashion by concentrating fiery energy in the blade and running the energy through the auric field of the object to cut away any attachments while cleansing the aura as a whole.
Like all magickal tools, you will choose your Athame with attention to your own emotional response to the piece. It needs to be a tool that you feel has power and presence. Check it for size and weight as well – you need to be able to use it without injuring yourself or feeling awkward every time you pick it up. Like all of your magickal tools, keep it in your temple or a secret place where curious eyes and hands won't have a chance to desecrate it. Of all of your tools this is the one that contains the essence of your magickal will and power.
Once you have found your Athame, you will want to cleanse and consecrate it to your personal magickal use. In keeping with the elemental energies of this tool, the consecration would best be performed at the Full Moon when the moon was in a Fire sign – Aries, Leo or Sagittarius.