Advance!

Last week there was a kerfuffle about Witches from Salem, including Lori Bruno and Lorelei, who cast a circle and did a spell to help the New England Patriots to win against the Broncos. You can find the article here at the Boston Herald site. An excerpt from the top of the article:

Lorelei and fellow Salem sorceress Lori Bruno will conjure up some pigskin hocus pocus at noon today — which BTW, is Friday the 13th — to neutralize the Sports Illustrated cover curse for Brady and send some Pats-ical magic to Foxboro.

“I’m going to raise the energy of the universe and send out all the good mojo,” said Lorelei (nee Lori Stathopoulos). “Lori will call in the Angels.”

Sadly, the ladies won’t put any hexes on the God-fearin’ Broncos QB at today’s Circle — because that’s not their way...

A friend of mine sent me the link to the article with the question:

"Do you really think things like this advance* us?" *(as in gain acceptance)

My answer:

Absolutely, and without a doubt, Yes.

So many people take their spirituality too seriously, including Pagans and Witches. ZOMG- how can u use ur powrz to influence the outcome of a mere game?!!!*#&#!#!

When the new Yankee Stadium was built someone buried a Red Sox jersey in the cement to curse the place. When it was discovered, one of the Witches from Long Island came out to the stadium and cleansed and blessed it. The newspapers ate it up! The sports segments loved it. It was welcomed and appreciated by Yankee fans. Sports fans can be a tiny bit superstitious! They will take "luck" as they get it. Those of us who nudge probability in our chosen direction... well, this is our meeting point with the muggles, especially those who are into sports.

This was an opportunity for area Witches, who happen to be Patriots fans, to connect with the greater community in a positive way. They didn't hex the other team, they did positive work for their own team and specifically for the quarterback.  Notice the quote from the article which pointed out that they weren't putting a curse on Tebow? And that it was seen as SAD that they weren't?

Would the team have won on their own? Likely. Did the spell work? When was the last time you saw a QB throw SIX touchdown passes in a single game? The record for most td passes in a single game is seven, and it's only been done a few times, with the last instance in 1969. Interesting- we're under similar planetary influences right now. I wonder if someone has developed Football astrology! I digress!

This was a great, lighthearted way to reach out to the other locals. I think Pagans need to get over this idea that there is a big, high wall between the sacred and the profane. Doing things the hard way, or without joy, doesn't earn you extra holy points, it just makes you boring and bitter. When did the Stoics take over the craft?

Will this make bible thumpers turn around and embrace the next Witch they meet? Maybe, maybe not. But this at least reinforces the idea that we are all human, and all on this planet together, and we might even have something in common.

My question to all of you: What are you doing to advance* us?

New Year's Eve!

The penultimate post of the year! So how is the new year celebrated in Italy?

Lentils are eaten, grapes are on the dinner table, newly minted coins are left on the windowsill. In Naples, there's a tradition of throwing old things out the window. Some think it's where "out with the old, in with the new" came from. I think some folks got drunk n started throwing shit, but who knows? ;) Red underwear is also worn for good luck and protection:

it was just considered lucky to wear something new and red (a lucky colour) on the last/first day of the year. However, the Church came to disapprove of the superstition, viewing it as the first step down the slippery slope leading to astrology, spiritualism and occultism. Therefore people were forced to take the tradition underground (and under trousers) to avoid getting a scolding from the local priest about how they would burn in hell along with their fancy new red clothes. If you are planning to be in Sardinia for the big night, you'll have to change the colour of your pants; there, green undies bring good luck.

If the first person you see on New Year's Day is of the opposite sex, it's good luck. Sex on the first day is also good luck for your nookie prospects through the year. Whatever you do on capodanno sets the tone for the rest of the year:

I wrote last night about a working involving Janus. Here it is! Let me know if you decide to play along at home.

It starts at Midnight when everyone screams HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! and means it. During the countdown, feel the presence of Janus. Janus is there, automatically invoked by the raising of energy.. the 10.... 9.... etc. Feel the eyes in the back of your head, seeing into the past. Feel your sight sharpen as you look ahead into the future. You are on a threshold, have a clean slate and can make what you want of it. This is the time for road opening!

On a small piece of paper write main goals for the year. Add a drop or spray of Road Opener and fold the paper. Tie it with a red ribbon, capturing the will that this be done in the knot. This can be done right at midnight if alone or where others won't notice it. The note and tie can be made earlier and kept in a pocket at midnight.

Before going to sleep, its placed on the altar or kept close if away from home. On the kalends of every month, the invocation below is repeated. At that time or on the full moon, what has been done in pursuit of the goal is written or reviewed/recounted.

Since everyone has their individual style of magic, both low and high, I'm not going to give instructions on how to handle a working the whole year 'round- it depends entirely on what an individual's goals are. Money and love call for different ingredients, different procedures. It can be as simple as setting a candle on top of the written intent and letting the magic work its way. The note can be put in a bag along with complimentary herbs and charms and carried. If the paper can be folded small enough, it can be placed in a locket or bracelet charm to wear.

Why the kalends? Juno's day was the kalends, the first of each lunar month and Janus had the epithet Ianus Iunonius. We already know that Diana and Juno were related in function and epithet in Lucina- bonus synchronicity!

After lighting incense and a libation of wine:

Janus, Janus, heed my call;
Auspicious words from my lips fall;
Open door and open gate;
Manifest what I create!

This is chanted to raise energy with the paper held against the lips. Once the knot is tied, the following is said with it held to the lips again, like whispering into it:

My plan, like you, from chaos to form;
My goals and dreams become life's norm.


Then go make it happen!

When goals have been achieved, or have changed, or at the end of the year, the paper is burned.

Tomorrow: The last post of the year!

Sensible Selfishness

Dr. Leo Martello wrote an excellent book  45 years ago: How to prevent psychic blackmail: The philosophy of psychoselfism : sensible selfishness versus senseless self-sacrifice. I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I would have loved to read this again tonight, but I don't have it on hand. It definitely needs to have a place in my library.

I've blogged previously about negotiating with entities when it comes to working magic or building a relationship. I have felt overwhelmed at times by all of the many relationships I wish to cultivate on other planes and with deities and entities. It can all just be too much at times, so I have to make choices. I'm a Libra. Me and choice are not the best of friends. When we really start working The Great Work, we shine more brightly and attract these things to us. It makes the work easier and more difficult all at the same time: Easier because once communication begins, you're on a roll and it's easier to contact those you wish to seek out; More difficult because there are others you didn't envision contacting or working with, yet there they are wanting your attention.

This happens on the mundane level too. We call it being overbooked, or being stretched too thin. I have been overbooking myself lately. I've been picking up the slack of others who have backed out of commitments at the last minute, and I have, in many respects taken on too much. Some of it is what I want. Some of it I'd like to be able to do. Some of it is not what I want, but what others want. I'm the helpful type. I will go out of my way for others I have made a commitment to work with or help out. And now I am stretched too thin. I had already decided to take this second half of autumn to really sort things out, but now that I am faced with the practical aspects I've found it more difficult than I thought it would be- not with deciding what I truly want, but with how to remove the things I don't want while not feeling guilty over saying no.

Pendulums can swing, cards can flip, but I need to do the practical work of paring down my commitments because I don't do anything half-assed. The trick is to decline politely yet firmly and not let myself be guilted into doing things I don't want to do.

Here's a wonderful method of marrying the practical and the magical; It really makes you think about what you want and how you want it, then adds in substances to bolster your efforts on the magical level by using physical items.

Draw a Venn Diagram. Use thee circles.

While the above is adorable, you need to rename them:
Circle A: Things I have to do
Circle B: Things others want me to do
Circle C: Things I want to do


Write in commitments you've made on both the mundane and magical levels as well as offers, petitions for your help and ideas. If you're feeling adventurous or just crafty, Dab Circle A with frankincense Dab B with Myrrh. Dab C with Bergamot oil. You can go all out and use different ink colors for each circle. Dragon's Blood ink for the actual circles? However fancy you'd like to get!

Smoke the page in clove incense while visualizing your personal goals and having time for what you want to do and what you have to do and removing the things others want you to do which are not congruent with your goals.

Cut the circle of what others want you to do which doesnt fall into the center all-inclusive overlap. Let it fall into a cauldron and burn it. If possible it should be dropped into the cauldron with the scissors so you don't touch it again once it's cut away. Burn it.

While holding only the overlap section, cut away the things you have to do that you don't want to do. repeat the no-touchy-burn-in-cauldron step.

You are now left with the overlap of things  you want to do in all regards plus the section of that which you want to do. Be VERY careful how you word things: If you put something like: "Change the cat litter" in the circle of what you don't want to do, you might find yourself without a cat. This is something you want to keep positive. I don't mean fluffy-bunny positive, I mean something that comes to you, as opposed to taken away from you.

As I've mentioned before it's horrible magic to say "may you never hunger" to someone in ritual space. Why? The brain doesn't pick up on the "never" just on the "you_hunger" part. So keep it positive: "Be thou fulfilled" is a MUCH better choice. I digress!


Put the overlap section on your altar until the next morning, then wear it in your shoe for 9 days. On the 9th night, when your shoes are off for the day burn the overlap.


Happy trimming!

Puttin on the Ritz

Something I've rarely seen discussed in connection with Hallows Eve is the use of costume/clothing as a magical spell for the coming year. I've mentioned enchanting clothes before, but this concept takes it a step further: What you dress up as, and therefore personify, is the energy you will bring into your life in the coming year. I remember Laurie Cabot wrote something about this in one of her early books.

I went to a Witches Ball last night all fancied up and just added a few props and tokens to personify Ariadne. I was dressed in Purple as befitting the wine God's wife; I had a purple minoan labyrinth drawn under my collar bone. I also carried a minotaur with me and red thread. It was a little silly and a little clever. It also wasn't the costume I'm wearing to ring in the second half of autumn (tho the weather appears to have decided it's winter already).

I will reveal my costume for this year on Tuesday ;)

Are you planning to dress up as something or someone else? Care to share?

Vocalizing

In the same week I have been to an event where we discussed plans for a completely silent ritual and another to where the attendees were admonished that if they don't shout and scream the chants or names or other participatory bits that they are insulting their ancestors and the deities they're trying to call down. 

The former was pitched as an exercise to work on running energy as a group and focusing on intent more than on "doing the pretty" and coming up with a fancy speech for every element of the ritual.

The later was part of a Strega influenced ritual and the other was a voodoo ritual led by the Dragon Ritual Drummers who are amazing! Thankfully, they stopped after each song to give some history on and to introduce the song after. Otherwise we would have had a room filled with tranced out folk. I had to focus to make sure I didn't get rolled by the energy.

I think my patrons and my ancestors understand that sometimes things have to stay silent and at other times I can "lift my voice." That phrase shows the pretty talk for what it can be: An offering. You can make offerings with your voice and not just with singing or poetry recitation. Speaking Their names, both deities and ancestors helps them to manifest on this plane.

So all of this brings me to the question, which I would love some feedback on:

How do you use your voice magically, especially in relation to devotion work and to spell work?

Danger! Danger!

I was reading a very interesting thread today about the dangers inherent in working magic. Are there dangers? If so, what are they?

Some believe that your "level of power" limits what you can accomplish and how much damage you can do.
I mostly disagree: Children have started fires, and children have injured or killed others or themselves when playing with a gun they thought was a toy. What is their level of mundane "power?" Not so much, but they can still do some serious damage.

If you have the ingredients, you can make the recipe. That's when sht blows up.

It's true that there are certain doors which are open only to initiates and certain streams of magic open only to those tapped into that flow, but there is enough information available out there, enough streams waiting to be tapped by the casual passer-by. The main safety check we, as Witches, have had is secrecy. This is a major drawback to mainstreaming. However, most folks stop at the shiny happy neon feel good and don't explore further. And that's ok. Some, however, go right for the serious stuff.

So what can happen to the practitioner? Karma kicks em? The spell blows back onto them? They're possessed by forces they didn't understand? They made a deal without realizing the implications? Nothing? All are possibilities. I don't really believe in the three-fold law. I do believe that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

I'm going to leave this as food for thought tonight. I'll get back to the part 2s I promised as soon as I can!

Group Dynamics

I've worked with several different groups over the years. Some worked out, some didn't, some parted on good terms, some didn't. There are many ways to solidify a group. The best way? Have fun together. It can't be all serious and heavy work all of the time. Some days you just need to go out and do drunk karaoke.

It takes time and effort to build a solid group dynamic. Here are some of the better ways from the better groups I've been a part of:

Work a bonding spell together. Don't mistake this for "binding," it's not a matter of tying everyone to each other, just paving the way for open, kind communication and cooperation. It should involve some measure of protection for the budding group.  I like a candle spell for this kind of thing. Everyone carves their name into it, adds protection and communication seals and charges it. Each person takes a lighting stick and lights the candle at the same time. Each takes the candle for a time to burn it.

Make incense together: Everyone grinds the herbs, passes them along to each other, and adds them to the bowl along with appropriate oils. Each person in the group takes home a share for personal use. The incense could be a generic base to which other things are added as per the intent, ceremony or season.


One of the best group building experiences for any kind of group, magical or mundane: Go out dancing together! Sharing a drink helps too- it gets your ego out of the way. Mind you, I didn't say get shitfaced falling over drunk. A drink.

Find the joy- in the work, in each other, in your world, and the drama fairies will take the bs back out to sea.

Shut up already!

I thought a nice way to conclude month number 9 (wow two-thirds of the way through this year of daily blogging!) would be to post something for when you want the tongues to stop wagging about you. Almost any publicity is good publicity, but when the summer season comes to a close and vacations are far behind us or far off in the future, people like to gossip and feed the rumor mill.

A quick stfu spells:

Black and white candle dressed with stop gossip oil. Charge the candle with your intent of eliminating the drama and smack-talk and gossip and replacing it with praise. Super simple. The oil is already out there, just stop by your friendly neighborhood (or internet) botanica.

Another favorite: Write the name of the offenders (or a general "people gossiping and speaking against me") on paper, roll the paper tightly and put it in a ziplock full of water. Then toss it in the back of your freezer. If you're not sure who the folks are who've been talking about you, notice who seems cold all the time... ;)

And yet another: Make a poppet, stuff it with clove, chia, slippery elm bark, and include the gossiper's name and birthdate. After charging the poppet, use red thread to sew their mouth shut!

One last remedy: The ancient Romans had padlocks, much like the ones we have today. Padlock through the person's mouth on their picture, or just write their name and birthdate, draw a mouth and padlock that.
This is also a way to keep a secret between two people. Remember that the key is an important symbol in Italian Witchcraft; It stands to reason that its counterpart is equally useful!

I've shared a few effective tho relatively harmless remedies tonight, so let's leave off with a few Italian proverbs. First, to the loyal horde, a word of advice: "The best armor is to keep out of range"

For the smack talkers: "If you scatter thorns, don't walk around barefoot."

"Those who sleep with dogs will wake up with fleas."

Yeah!

The value of nothing

No food, no sound, no light, no talking, no sight... Sensory deprivation is an excellent way to go within and prepare for ritual experience, or trance.

A dumb supper is held in silence because it forces the focus to your other senses so that you may commune with the dead. Fasting from food was recommended by many, including the Neo-Platonists, and even the Catholic Church. Part of it is the sacrifice involved, but it's really a matter of having your body attuned to the energy of ritual instead of busily digesting whatever it was you scarfed for breakfast.

Tonight is the first dark moon of autumn. Today I have fasted. Tonight I will shower off the day and go into my temple space where there will be no light and no sound. In the darkness I will journey. Tonight I will commune with the spirits of this land and with whichever deity wishes to communicate tonight.


This seems to be the week for inside info, so here is a song for when you are ready to break the silence. I've translated it into english. There's a specific rhythm for it, but if you just let it come to you with the intention of hearing through the noise it will work for you.

Lady of darkness
Lady of song
Lady to whom I belong
Help me hear
Help me see
Keep your presence close to me
Through the din, the dark, the bright
Guide my hand with your might
Touch my mind
Touch my heart
The center of your sacred art

If done slowly, it's a devotional, a staccato invokes Her aid in extrasensory perception.

Welcome to all of the folks who have recently found my blog. If you've come looking for the list of classes and workshops and open rituals, that will be up next week!

Travel

Here's an aspect of Mercury I don't think I've really discussed before (other than drooling over the statue of Him). Then again, I'm almost at the 300 post mark, so really, I don't recall everything I've posted about in the past 9 months. As the ruler of communication and commerce it only makes sense that travel is also within his domain: Messages travel from one person and/or place to another, goods must travel to get from farm to market or workshop abroad.

Here is a spell I was given. A friend and I parted ways in the city today. For me it was a quick jaunt to my abode, but he had a long trip ahead so this came to mind. It can be done for yourself or another, using me/my or person's name/their.

Mercury, Lord of Air and Sky
make my long trip hurry by.
Make my travel smooth and sweet.
As swiftly as your winged feet
Carry you from throne to land,
Over sea, across the sand
to destinations fair and bright,
Mercury, gently alight
me safe and sound
back to my home where I am bound.
Mercury, as I am true
Do now what I ask of you
My word you have,
to honor you.

When you get home, tip an offering. Coins, incense, food, etc.

Of related Mercurial interest: I was just looking up something Ovid had written and came across a picture of a vase where Mercury is wearing the cap  of Adoneus (aka Hades). I haven't found other references to the helm of invisibility being part of His travel retinue. Some say it's the same as his messenger cap, other sources say it's different, ie: Perseus returns all of the things he was loaned by the Gods to Mercury, including the Black Helm. Interesting point of conflicting lore. It seems minor, but nothing about Mercury is minor. ;)

Charmed, I'm sure

One of my favorite ways to set the energy in a space, especially at home, is with scent. Take a small cotton bag,  and depending on the season and purpose, add in different herbs. place a small folded tissue with a drop of scented oil in the bag. I like to write an intention on a small piece of paper, fold it, and add it to the bag. Sometimes I wrap it around the scented tissue to diffuse the intention as well as the scent.

You can be obvious about it, or hide it- hang it over your door or from your fan, or tuck it in a corner.

We're getting into the cooler months, so to warm up a space and bring comfort, some camommile, and cinnamon is nice and easy. To bring extra energy to a space, add cayenne. To add a layer of protection, add rue and salt to a red bag. I haven't done a big correspondence list because those are pretty easy to find in books and on the internet.

Folks talk a lot about aromatherapy, and about mojo bags, but I never see these two put together and it's such a simple way to bring magic to your home. Many years ago scent jewelry was a big thing. I have rings and necklaces for this purpose which belonged to my Grandmother. You put a dab of "perfume" on a piece of tissue or cotton and insert it in the jewelry. It's the perfect wearable spell- a little intent, a little oil, and a little magic. It can also be used with an ointment. Those are fun to make! I will get into the practicality of making your own magical ointments another night!

Hurricane Irene Magical Preparedness plan

It's true: I picked this title just to freak out the people who are looking for mundane plans. (sarcasm!) If that's you, have a nice day, and be prepared and safe! If you're here for some magical advice, read on!

What can we as a community of magical practitioners do to help fix this? There are those who don't believe weather magic is the right thing to do. Some might think that the weather has to do its thing because we don't know how what we do will impact others. I disagree. Aren't you shocked? For something as major as this hurricane is purported to be, let's make an exception. We need to focus on peace, on calming the storm and dissipating the force, on putting up a barrier, and sending it out to sea.

You can't do the work when you're freaked the f*k out. Breathe, ground, center, and get on it.

Pledge to donate all leftover non perishable food supplies procured for this emergency to a food pantry or food drive.

I've felt called to offer something to a deity I am not familiar with, Oya. I don't have a whole lot of time to get familiar right now, so I treated it like a cold call. I have a friend who works with Her, so I introduced myself, pledged an offering She is reputed to like (eggplant, red wine, plums, red grapes... Purple colors!) and asked that it be received in support of the work my friend is doing, which I agree with and support as well. I believe it will be well received.

It might sound silly, but enchant your duct tape, cardboard wood and rope. When you tie something down, make it an actual binding magically as well.

If you're forced to evacuate, you can still lay down the work on your home and ask your Patrons or the land itself to keep vigil for you and protect the place.

For those who work with saints: Ask Saint Irene to take her namesake out to sea! Saint Christopher is supposed to help protect against hurricanes too.

Whenever you have a moment, center, tap into your power, calm yourself and the storm and and push this storm far out to sea.

Let us be kind to each other and helpful; Any kindness upholds the Pax Deorum, the Peace of the Gods, and benefits us all. And don't fight over the last jar of jelly in the store. It's just grapes and sugar!

Requiem for a Mercurial Man

Most of you don't know that I'm a big gaming nerd. MMORPGs were how I spent my time for a while, as well as the wonderful worlds of Table Top games and internet RPGs. If you don't know what those letters mean, it's really ok. When my son stopped nursing I stopped having the time to play. I made so many wonderful friends, many I still keep in touch with despite no longer having the game as our anchor. A few days ago one of those friends, who I had lost touch with, sent me a message and a friend request on facebook. I accepted it and we started chatting, picking right up from wherever it was we had left off. Last night he was killed in a car crash. I'm just plain grief-stricken for his family and for his close friends. And I'm really fucking angry that we just picked up our friendship again and now... Why? Shit. I want to kick something.

Tonight I said a prayer to Mercury, asking him to escort Andy to the other side. I realized that the way in which I knew him, what our friendship was like, was very Mercurial. He was sharp-witted, quick-witted, funny, fast and industrious. Even in the silly on line game we played he was the one to go to for equipment and items and trades- a master merchant. He was also one of the fastest leveling players. He was clever and slick with words and could find a loophole in anything. He was genial, kind, funny, flirtatious without being vulgar, and come to think of it, he could be vulgar too when appropriate! He could also unleash a world of shit against his enemies or someone who had done his friends wrong. One of our first interactions was during the internet radio show he hosted. I became the host of my own show on the network as well. We traded gentle, playful barbs, and had a good time. Wonderfully fond memories of him. I'm glad we crossed paths.

So that this isn't entirely a brain dump (which I'm sure you'll forgive under the circumstances) I'm going to share my prayer to Mercury with you.


Great God Mercury, Messenger, Opener, Guide of Souls heed my prayer!
Deliver the soul of a departed dear to the other side with loving care.
Akaketa, hear my plea*
Please do this service now for we
who are left behind to wonder why.
Bring comfort now to all who cry
I pray for dreams through gates of horn
To comfort all of us who mourn
a true blue son of your design.
Let this be done
By your will and mine.

Burning frankincense, lighting a candle and offering wine. I hope to dream of Andy tonight or in the next few nights. I will look to see that he finds his way. It's all I have to offer him, along with prayers and energy for his family.

Apologies again for the brain-dump. Back to our regularly scheduled blog tomorrow.


(*Akaketa, according to Kerenyi, means gracious one, or painless one)

Beach Day

(NY Driver, you should skip this blog post, you might be allergic to it!)

This morning I packed the folks into the car and we drove to the beach. Chairs, umbrella, towels and all. And enough sand castle building toys to put Castel dell'ovo to shame! What's that? Egg castle? Yeah. It's in Naples. It was allegedly built on the ruins of a Roman fort.

It was named egg castle because, as legend has it, Virgil buried an egg somewhere in the foundation of the original building and as long as the egg remained unbroken, Naples would be safe.

When we got there, the tide was... hmmm I couldn't tell if it was going out or coming in. The waves were very rough, coming one after another a few times. We originally decided to go because my mom hurt her leg and wanted to take a dip in the ocean to heal it. That's something I was always told, from when I was young: Anything that hurts or is ailing you, go into the ocean, if at all possible. Ask Her to take away. I did the very spell I mentioned here before, only this time it was an offering, not a request. Tho the tide looked like it was going out when I was making it, the offering was taken instantly. I was removing my finger from the last sigil when a wave came up unexpectedly and took it out to sea. Then I saw a crab walking around under the wave. I'll take that as confirmation of message received!

I like to use ocean water in my rituals. Why bother adding salt to water when it's already there? Silly Wiccans ;) Why do you think the salt water is such a big deal? Why is salt water sacred? Rhetorical questions. It's all about the ocean. Then again, My People were from coastal cities, with strong attachments to the ocean.

I've barely been to the beach this year and I can feel the difference in my energy. Love the smell of the sand and being in between the worlds where water, earth air and fire all meet in the natural world. Who's up for a beach trip? I'll bring the beach toys!

Talismans and Amulets.

Most muggle people carry some type of magical charm but most would laugh at the thought of it carrying any magical power. They certainly will not call any coin, ring, something they hang off their car mirror, something they keep on their desk, a talisman. Every age, culture, and religious doctrine has made up talismans and amulets. In most cases the possession of a talisman is all that is needed to receive its benefits. A money talisman draws money and a love talisman draws love. Amulets and talismans bear seals that represent deity, spirit, or other supernatural beings.

Tonight I would like to discuss a very powerful love talisman. It is a double sided amulet made up of the 2nd and 4th pentacles of Venus. The Second Pentacle of Venus is known for obtaining grace and honor, and for all things which belong to Venus including accomplishing all thy desires herein. On the flip side of this amulet is the 4th Pentacle of Venus--It is of great power, since it compels the Spirits of Venus to obey, and to force any person you wish to come to you.

At the four angles of the figure are the four letters of the name IHVA (the unpronounceable name of God). The other ancient hebrew letters form the name of the Spirits of Venus, Schii, Eli, Ayili, etc. The Latin words around the circle are: Hoc est enim os de ossibus meis et caro de carne mea et erunt duo in carne una. This means "This is now bones of my bones and flesh of my flesh...And they shall be one flesh".

As always, any references will gladly be furnished.

BB,
Dusio

Practicality

I promised something practical the other night but then I was distracted by The Apollo. I'm still doing a touchdown dance over that and I'm planning a tour through Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn. And come to think of it, there's some work I need to do there too. hrmmm!  What I really want to do tonight is go off on a tear about the Aeneid and how it's basically political propaganda BS and tries to fold everything into the Roman pantheon and tie it to Caesar. Argh! But I digress! Let's conjure the forces:

This is a quickie, but also a goodie. It's fun to use for scrying. We combine the fire scrying with a focus: A key. I've talked about each of these before, but not put together. Light a candle. It can be any kind of taper, you don't have to get fancy, but if you want to dress it for scrying purposes, why not? Take a key, preferable a skeleton key and preferably one that no longer goes to a specific door. It's best if this key is one of your tools and set aside for a magical purpose. Keys are so in fashion these days, that I honestly don't know if this would work with an ornamental key, or an actual key. I suppose it's something to experiment with and test the difference.

Ask the key to unlock the information you wish to know and to show it to you. Look through the key towards the candle flame. This literally focuses your scrying. You can also do this without the candle to see around you.

I see that it's time for me to go to bed. Tomorrow, a possible discussion on what JK Rowling got right.

Secret for Love...

Greetings again Loyal Horde,

Now that some of you have your Bergamot, I have another item for you to add to your magickal cabinet. Red is the color for deep love. So how about adding a red witch candle to the cabinet? As we all know candle magick dates back thousands of years.

This particular ritual calls for a red candle in the shape of a witch. Begin the ritual with a "love" oil. For me personally I would suggest any of the three most powerful love oils: Ambergris used as a perfume to attract love and as a sexual stimulant, Civet a very powerful love oil, or Musk an aphrodisiac and love perfume.

Begin the ritual by anointing the candle with any of these oils. Set the candle in a room where it will not be disturbed because this ritual can take up to many days. These words are spoken, "Red Witch, let this offering to you bring my lover, ( insert his or her name ) to me alone, and for evermore". The candle is lit and burned for ten minutes. Make sure you light it after sunset. After the candle is extinguished, the same words are again repeated. This ritual is followed each night until you secure the love.

This ritual has worked well for me in the past. But as the teachings of Aradia have told us: Accept love as it comes to you. Do not possess it, or attempt to control it, for it will come or go as it pleases. I have found this to be very true.

Many Blessings,
Dusio

High and Low

I've started some work, and it's multi layered. It involves meditation, energy work, petitions, and journeying. Seems like I'm focused on the "high" magic and Dusio is focused on the "low" magic. Good! While I often work in the low magick realm, I've been really into working on the high end lately: spirit communication, contact with deity, focusing/directing energy, etc. I started working more in that vein when I didn't have access to the materials- no place to burn incense or light candles. As a massage therapist trained in traditional chinese medicine and energy work, I was able to take my knowledge and practice of eastern ways and apply them to my western concepts.

For those interested in some of my current exploits:
I've been given a chakra clearing/balancing/energizing technique and have been practicing it myself before sharing it with others. It's nothing earth-shattering- it's not a new way to work with chakras, but a different approach to the energy which isn't entirely rooted in India. In fact, I don't even like to use the work "chakra" so I'll often substitute "energy center." The gestures I have been given relate to the Snake Goddess/Priestess of Crete and the votive statues of worshipers, as well as the modern concept of DNA and the caduceus as a tool of manifesting balance.

Sounds complicated? It's really not, there's just a whole lot of imagery connected from different points in time. Our ancestors might not have been able to map dna, but there are gestures and energy practices that sure do imitate the pattern of it!

I need to smudge more. I'm doing that with sage, with sound (singing bowl, bell, etc) and will move into draining any remaining negativity by letting it flow into paper and burning it. Crumpling a piece of paper is very satisfying. Before I do, I write a message or a sigil to pull away that which is unwanted. I compact it with my hands and let the paper fill with the unwanted energy. as soon as it is filled or the energy reaches its peak, I put it into the fire and let it burn away. Best done outside and standing where the smoke won't blow back onto you!

Someone posted this on a Stregheria FB group, but hasn't mentioned the title of the piece or the artist. Can anyone fill me in? First one to answer correctly wins a point. Points are redeemable for bragging rights.

I'm off. Hopefully Dusio will post about more practical matters. I have a slew of posts on deck, but they're turning out to be the long term kind, not the fun facts, so I don't want to list promises of posts I'm not sure I can keep! I'm getting ready to finally finish up The Aeneid. If anyone cares to catch up with me, it's a free google ebook too!

Secret of the Streghe

Good evening fellow followers,

Beth has been riding me to post a blog for a long time now. I have decided to toss the socks and shoes and test the waters. With the economy is ugly as it is, I thought it might be appropriate to divulge a little known Italian style money drawing.

An elderly strega card reader who has been reading since she was a teen, was employed by me a few years back. She had a tremendous following from the 5 boroughs of Manhattan all the way up to Dutchess county in New York. She has worked with many police departments which of course they would never admit but used her services when they had missing person cases. On the flip side of the coin she also had many shall I say, connected Italian guys who also frequented her on a regular basis.

Well she has shared a little secret with me years back. There is a pure oil that many of you are probably aware of called Bergamot. Well it seems the Italian connected guys never left home without it. Of course you can dress a candle with it, burn it in a diffuser, and many other possibilities I am sure. But their preferred method was a few drops in their shoes. Whenever there was a meet up, a business deal, anything to do with accumulating money, the standard question was: Ya got da Bergamot?

Poo poo it if you like, but this woman was booked solid day after day 7 days a week. You can be sure she was one of my best customers for Bergamot. I used to buy it by the case.

As Clemenza in The Godfather said: "Leave the gun Take the Cannoli". I say: "Ya got da Bergamot"?

Many Blessings,
Dusio

Drunk on Moon Shine!

Not the Dukes of Hazzard revenuers-are-comin' kind of moonshine! I did some work tonight, on a technically not-eclipsed-to-me barely waning moon, at sunset. I started in the hour of Mercury and concluded during the hour of the moon. Here's a fun site where you can calculate planetary hours and read more about them.

I didn't write a script. I rarely do unless others are involved and required to do and say certain things at certain times. You learn by doing. When you learn it well enough, you start taking on roles. When you have taken on enough roles enough times, you take the lead. It's like music theory: when you know the notes and the chords, you can create a sweet sounding tune.

I had work to do tonight and wanted to take advantage of the waning moon, the waning sun, and other releasing, removing influences. I opened the space, I called in Guardians, Patrons, Ancestors and the Land Itself. I made offerings of incense, water, and wine. The birds squawked, the dogs barked and the lucciolas lit my way. I was well attended and supported and it rocked. My words were from the heart. My gestures were a mix of old keys and the flow of the moment. I didn't have to plan what to do, I just brought out the ingredients I needed and was guided. When I saw the moon rise over the trees I was awe-struck. I felt like a little child standing there swinging my cauldron of incense. I felt how large the moon is, and the energy and how great She is, how all-encompassing. I felt connected to the core of our practice and I knew there were others out there honoring Her in all of Her forms. ::waves:: I saw you, and you, and.... you were there too! lol

I forgot to eat something afterward because I was so moonstruck that I dashed inside at the last possible minute to get kiddo to bed. Once he was prepped for bed, I took him to look at the moon rising above the trees. He loved it, but it was bad timing because he couldn't fall asleep for a long while after! I'm still bouncing around. I need to ground and to sleep! As fun an adventure as it might be, I don't want to go to sleep this buzzed!

Before I go, I wanted to share part of a fun chat I had with a friend tonight. We were discussing The Foletti and the work of RJ Stewart and Orion Foxwood. I mused that someone should write faery work from the Italian perspective since everything out there seems to be Celtic or Scottish. His reply:

"Other than the folletti, the nymphs and the satyrs, we Italians really don't have fey per se.  Well, we do... they are just the Dead."

I half agree and 1/4 disagree. But that's its own post!

He also waxed eloquent on a few definitions for his readers so I thought to share them with mine:

"Guided meditation: An exercise utilizing the imagination to program the subconcious mind & train the mind in preparation for REAL astral journeys.
Pathworking: Originally, a journey along the paths upon the Tree of Life. Broadened to include journeys centered upon core concepts & set imagery to help students internalize a teaching.

Journeywork: REAL astral work. Journeying is NOT scripted, though it may revolve upon a theme OR a particular area of focus.

Likewise, anyone who says (like Llewelyn books tend to do) that astral work leaves you feeling refreshed when you come to... is a fucking moron. You don't feel perky and happy go lucky! You feel like you are recovering from a jagermeister shot (at least 8) induced hangover AFTER being run over by an SUV."

Word! It's called work for a reason! Unlike the cacasetenze I spoke of the other night, Nemesis is a weaver of words and wise beyond his years. I'm glad to know him and glad to point you to his books. Maybe, if I ask real nice, he might guest blog?


I've repeated myself enough tonight! I'm off! Time to ground! Here's some Moon Love!