Which Norse God/dess are you?

Got this from over at hedgewitch hollow. http://hedgewitchhollow.blogspot.com/

You Scored as Sif

Year of the Cats has the. most. AMAZING. giveaway!

As much as I want to win, I can't keep this giveaway to myself, oh no.  No, Wendy is being far too generous for that.  You see, she is not only having a giveaway, but she is also donating to the cat rescue "Alley Cat Allies" in the winner's name--SUPER GENEROUS!!!!!!
That's the best part, (I wish I could support my own furbaby, but alas I'm barely keeping afloat as it is. >_<) but of course let us not overlook the lovely goodies we could be getting in the mail.
*start singing*
On the first day of Yule, Wendy offered we,
an ornament for the tree!
On the second day of Yule, Wendy offered we,
A kitchen witch's journal
and an ornament for the tree!
On the third day of Yule, Wendy offered we,
A witchy house blessing
a kitchen witch's journal
and an ornament for the tree!
*ends singing*

Yeah...I'm a dork...but go check it out anyways! http://www.yearcats.com/2010/11/29/kitchen-witch-magic-and-giveaway/#comments

WE HAVE SNOW!!!!!!!!!

Look! LOOK! It's our first snow of the season! Isn't it lovely? Pretty little snow chunks the size of a pinhead that melt as soon as they hit the ground. It's a start!

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Happy Turkey Day all!

I apologize that this is a day late...I hope you all had a lovely thanksgiving!

On Magickal Workings II

Well now, the bit where I talked about seeing energy has garnered some interest!  I wanted to try and clarify a point or two, and I'm hoping you all can help me muddle this out.

First, there was some confusion on whether seeing energy = seeing auras.

 

Here is what Mya Om has written on the matter:  "Although most of us can't see it, nearly everyone can learn to feel it...Of the very few people that can actually see energy, some perceive it as color; to me, it looks like steam rising off a hot road in summer."  Heatwaves rising off the road?  I've described it exactly like that before.  She continues "This invisible field is around us constantly, and it extends out from the physical body about one to two inches, depending on the person.  If you are able to see auras, this is the 'empty' space or gap between the body and where the aura begins." (pp. 30-31)

 

Now here we see that she differentiates seeing energy and seeing auras; this is where some confusion has started.  I've always thought that the 'colorless auras' that I could see were just that--auras that I couldn't really see any color it.  I can see them around people, animals, trees, rocks...artificial objects as well.  Auras, as I understand it, can be seen around living creatures, including plants--not so much around inanimate objects. 

 

This is what confused me about these 'auras' I was seeing--why could I not see color?  Was I just unskilled?  Why could I also see them around non-living objects?  Why could I sometimes see them free-floating, unattached to anything? (these I have come to conclude are orbs, as they do look like pictures of orbs)  This would indicate that perhaps there IS a difference between energy and auras.

 

However I have always been given to understand that auras are the energy field of the body.  In effecting change in the body we effect the aura; likewise the concept of aural healing is based in the thought that effecting change in the aura will effect the body.  So if auras are simply the body's energy field, why then is there a differentiation made between the aura and energy? 

 

Yet still both Nellie and myself have noted that occasionally we will see hints of color in these 'bubbles', which could indicate that they are auras.  I must confess I am most perplexed in the matter, and am not sure yet what to conclude.  Is there no difference, or is there a slight one?  Perhaps energy in general inundates all things and has no color, where as living things also have a special sort of energy that is the aura? 

 

At this point I am entirely in the realm of theory; is there anyone out there that can provide some clarification?  Does anyone see auras as they are commonly known, with colors and chakras and everything?

On Magickal Workings

I have been thinking recently on a little ritual of sorts that I could adapt to my everyday life. I don't know about any of you, but I have miserable self-discipline and making myself do anything regularly at a certain time is quite impossible. 'My Life imposes enough of those on me as it is; do I really need to do that to myself?' Is the usual train of thought.

However I am quite certain that if I want to focus on and develop my magickal life (which I do) then one of the best first steps is a little daily (magickal) ritual. It would certainly include an affirmation; I would think the best time to do this would be in the morning, but my mornings generally consist of me struggling awake, checking blogger in a half-awaKe daze as I struggle into my clothes, and stumbling out the door late to work. I don't usually fully wake up before noon. Maybe lunch would be a better time then? We'll see.

The inspiration for this adjustment in my life cycle is a book I'm reading currently, "Energy Essentials for Witches and Spellcasters" by Mya Om. Fantastic read, it's currently re-defining how I think about energy. My thing is that I 'm great with magickal theory. When it comes to magick I'm very book smart...practice, though, that's a little trickier. So I know all these things in THEORY, but have I ever actually done them? No. Well, some maybe.

See, this book has made me realize that I've never actually felt energy before. I've intuited it (I have a well-exercised intuition) but felt it like a magnetic field? Never before this book. I've also discovered that apparently what I thought were colorless auras is energy--which explains why I can see them around trees and rocks and even cars just as easily.

Now, the author claims that not many people can actually see energy, but that just seems a little off to me. It's just so...commonplace to me. Don't you guys see that kind of bubble that appears around stuff when you shift your conciousness?

The author claims that people who can see auras can deduce where the energy field is--that space between the body and the aura. See, that was the piece of information I was missing--according to the author the aura doesn't hug the body as I thought, but there's a space between it and the body, which is what I see--the energy. But surely other people can see that too?

In any case, this book has already given me a lot to mull over. More to come later, though please share your thoughts: i'd love to hear what you all have to say on the subject.

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And the winners are...

*initiate drumroll*
Throw the entries in the cauldron, mix them all around...

...double, double, toil and trouble...hee hee hee...
Aaaaaand the winner....for SJ Tucker's latest CD, Mischief....

......Is.....

Ellie!!!  Congratulations!  Please contact me with your mailing info so I can get this out to you right away!

*restart drumroll*

Aaaand the winners....each proud owners of their own custom bindrunes....

...are....

Mother Moon's Message, Nellie, and Aine O'Brian!  Congratulations!!!  Please contact me with your mailing info and be sure to let me know what sort of Bindrune you would like!  It will take a little longer to get these out to you all (seeing as I have yet to make them) but as soon as you contact me I will get on them right away!

I can be contacted at windchild26ATgmailDOTcom.  Thank you to everyone who entered!  I hope you enjoyed my giveaways.  ^_^  And of course a very special thanks to SJ Tucker for graciously donating her cd  for the giveaway!  Thank you all!!

My giveaways close tonight!

**Edit**  CRAP!!  I'm so sorry guys, life got in the way last night.  I WILL get the winners posted TODAY, if I have to do it on the sly while at work.  Again, sorry!

I don't have enough time to pick the winner this morning, so you all get today still to enter before I get home from work tonight!  Good luck!!

What you likely never knew about Nightshade

**Don't forget to enter my giveaways, they close TOMORROW!!!!**

Being a fledgling herbalist and a witch to boot, I of course like to at least study the Gothic Plants (datura, nightshade, hemlock, henbane, aconite, etc.)  I was launched into learning more about Nightshade quite by accident when out exploring the local golf course one day.

You see, the golf course by my home actually reserves area for natural prairie to regrow along the course (much to the dismay of many a golfer who has lost their ball in the sectioned-off areas).  When out walking the course, as I am wont (but not supposed) to do, I came across the most beautiful plant, light violet star-shaped flowers, striking red berries.  I fell in love, but had no idea what this plant was so I came back home to do my research.  I found out that it was...WOODY nightshade???  Naturally I was rather confused.  There's more than one type of Nightshade?

Indeed there is, my dear witches.  I know of three particular varieties, each with their own slew of folknames, in fact.  I'm sure there are some I've missed, but these are the three I definitely know about.

The first, and likely the one that most people think of when they hear nightshade, is known as Deadly Nightshade (atropa belladonna).  This plant is an incredibly strong sedative; it puts you to sleep FOREVER.  However it is still used medicinally--with GREAT caution--by doctors as a sleep aid.  I have a friend who was prescribed belladonna tablets because he had so many other medical problems commercial medicines would have affected him negatively.  This plant has BLACK flowers (more a dark purple) and BLACK berries, and is actually pretty rare to find at all, let alone in the wild.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atropa_belladonna

The second, and the one I found that day, is Woody Nightshade (solanum dulcamara).  This is the plant that I find is most confused with belladonna, but while it is in the same family so are petunias, tobacco and potatoes.  This plant is also used medicinally, mostly topically for skin conditions (rashes and the like).  I was a bit surprised when I've seen crafters and witches alike claim this plant to be Deadly Nightshade--it's not terribly toxic, except that if small children eat the berries they can be poisonous (which is the case for most things and small children).  This plant has PURPLE flowers and RED berries, and is an invasive perennial that just might volunteer it's way into your yard--climbing fences and trees in great bounds.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanum_dulcamara

The third is the one I have least experience with, Garden Nightshade (solanum nigrum).  Yes, it's called garden nightshade because people do keep it in their gardens.  This, as with the others, is also used medicinally, though from what I can find more in the cases of fevers and such.  The berries if ingested in large quantities are toxic, though boiling breaks down the toxin and as such they are used in jams and preserves.  This plant has WHITE flowers and BLACK berries.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanum_nigrum

I'm including links to the wikipedia pages for each so you can find more information for yourself--go get educated!  :-P  If you would like some more information on Gothic Plants in general I would recommend Garden Witch's Herbal by Ellen Dugan.  Recommended listening is "Belladonna and Aconite" by Inkubus Sukkubus.  ;)

My giveaway from Mother Moon!

I won Mother Moon's Halloween giveaway, and today it arrived! Let me just say, what a treasure trove! It had the funnest zebra print packaging, and inside was the cutest little woven basket full of goodies. Indian corn, a black cat plate, acorn candles, and so many other goodies! The most delectable smell wafted out to greet me as soon as I opened the package accompanied by the jingling of bells. I think Mother Moon must be psychic--how else would she know that I had been chocolate deficient this Halloween? So many goodies...well, I shall just have to leave you with pictures to drool over (hurray for smart phones!)

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Giveaway!

I have TWO giveaways currently running, but you only have a few days left to enter!  They both close this coming Monday!  Hurry!

The first is a giveaway for the amazing pagan musician SJ Tucker's latest album, graciously provided by the artist herself.  Don't forget to read the accompanying review!  This contest is US only, found here:  http://confessionsofacraftywitch.blogspot.com/2010/10/review-and-giveaway-awesome-pagan.html

The second giveaway is for all of those people not eligible for the first, three custom-made bindrunes for 3 lucky winners!  Found here:  http://confessionsofacraftywitch.blogspot.com/2010/10/so-ive-been-abandoned.html

This is a reminder to all of those people who may have said they would enter but have since forgotten.  This is also a notice to everyone who may have missed it the first time around!  That's right, TWO GIVEAWAYS!!!.......c'mon, y'all like free stuff, right?  I'll beg if I have to....

So far the count is 8 for the SJ Tucker Giveaway, and
2 for the bindrune giveaway.

Make sure you read all the instructions so you'll definitely be entered!

What do I give to you?
What do I do for you?
I search, and I find you;
I call, and you're not there
I know you're busy
I know you have your own friends
I just reach for a little of that spotlight
in wonder of your starshine

I see it all around you
that Glamour glow
I see it all around you
but will I ever get to know
the WONDER of the starshine
will I walk by the moon's rays?

Jump off a cliff, that's all I know
jump off a cliff, to fly or fall
but I can't take that path
bound by chains of my creation
LOVE
can I ever fly again?

I'm thrashing in the deep
but there's no water to swim in
I flap toward the sky
but there's no air to hold me up
Can't I reach
for my little bit
of starshine?

Leave Love and fly,
keep Love in chains
what choice is that?
I'm just searchin'
for a little bit
of starshine...

I finally got a new phone!

My old phone has been obsolete for a while now, but this one is shiny and new and SMART! ;-) It's a samsung transform... I love my new phone. :-)

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