Elemental issue 7 by Elemental Magick

February 2013 Issue #7

Harmony Hearth Brooms And Faancy Hats

Gensha Publishing Maxine Byers Lazy Witch Ingrid Jeffries CraftyWitch Glenn Broughton Louise Heyden Lady Ti-Eagle Alena Orrison Starhawk Gertrude Moon Joanne E. Brannan Crafty Witch Maxine Byers Janie Bass http://elementalmagick.wetpaint.com/

CONTENTS

IMBOLIC SPRING CLEANING IMBOLIC CANDLE RITUAL

MAKE A CORN DOLLY VALENTINE’S DAY

HOME PROTECTION FOODS, INCENSE & OILS

MAKE AN ICE CANDLE

GIFTS FIT FOR A WITCH

THE WELL AND THE FLAME

Dear Gertrude Family Imbolc

February Astrology

From the Editor February Calendar of Events CraftyWitch Book Review; Gem of the Month

February Moon Calendar Aquarius ~ Your Sign STUCK in Yaxchilan, Chiapas, Mexico God/dess of the Month Plant / Herb of the Month 5

A lot of my practice and spirituality is inspired by older times instead of modern, so I tend to be lenient in when I celebrate the Sabbats (that don’t fall on season-start days). Because of this, I plan to celebrate Imbolc tomorrow, Friday, with a ritual a bit different from what I had planned: spring cleaning. Yes, I know it’s not spring yet. But where I am in Seattle, it might as well be. Our winter has been so mild; I’ve only worn my winter jacket for a total of two weeks since November. Yesterday, as I sat on the couch with my foot propped up, I longed to crack open my windows and let the glorious almostfifty degree weather filter in. Alas, I could not. And even though tomorrow is only supposed to be about 35 degrees, I will still crack those windows open and break out the cleaning supplies. Flashback: When I was a little girl, my mother and I used to clean the house every Sunday morning. We would put on some music and systematically go through each room, taking everything off the surfaces, cleaning and polishing, and replacing before moving on. I used to hate it when I was young, but now for some reason, I look back on those memories fondly. Particularly sensory to me are the weekends when the warmer weather would hit and my mom would declare it time to start “spring cleaning”. Many people like to sort and organize, but not my mom. While we were usually pretty thorough on our weekly passes, spring cleaning would be the Mother of all Cleanings. Blinds would be taken down to soak in the tub. Floors would be scrubbed and bleached. Surfaces would be polished especially well. And, of course, windows would be thrown open to let the warm spring air in. I can still see my mother, in her cleaning clothes of PJ pants and old tee-shirts of my dad’s, bouncing around the house to the music of the 60s, cleaning every surface (including walls!) until the entire house shined. I’ll admit, cleaning was not my favorite thing to do as a child (still isn’t), but secretly, I always looked forward to spring cleaning. So for Imbolc this year, as the earth is getting ready for its rebirth, so too will I make my life, both material and spiritual, ready for rebirth as well. Since I tend to focus more in a clean, uncluttered environment (which you would NEVER be able to tell if you could see where I live), I’m going to start with the material. However, I want to focus on the intent of my cleaning, so I suppose the whole experience will be a spiritual one as well. Cleaning house with a magickal intent is second nature for any seasoned witch, and even easy for more fresh-faced initiates to

integrate. Hell, even those of a mindset other than magickal can clean their house with intent. It’s all about the will, the energy, and the affirmations. My plan for tomorrow is less free-form than I usually take it, in homage to my mom and our cleaning days of old. I’ll start with each room and clean the hell out of it – yes, even the bilge. If you’re cleaning-with-intent, you want each scrub to be more than working at the dirt; wash away the negativity that has settled in your house over the past year. Holidays, health issues, money problems, fighting, and more all leave a negative energetic presence in your home, and over time it accumulates and can actually affect your health and energy levels. You need to banish this out of your life! It’s not doing anyone any favors by hanging around. After a room is to my liking, then I get to the overly-spiritual part. I purify and consecrate. Personally, I love to do this, and have done it on some level to every new space I enter for any extended amount of time. (Apartments, work spaces, vehicles…) There are so many ways to do this to a room; I could publish an entire book on the subject. My favorite way, however, is very simple and very traditional: crush up some pure sea salt and mix it in a bowl of water. Light some sage so you get that awesome smoky smell. Sprinkle the salt water (I like the Dipand-Flick fingers method personally) around the perimeter of the room, and let the smoke waft towards each of the four cardinal directions. That’s it. Simple, right? Sometimes I anoint the doorway at the top with a firm fingerprint dipped in the water, depending on how long it’s been since I last anointed. I usually do all this in silence, but if I’m in a festive mood, I like to sing. You’d think I would suggest a traditional ballad or chant, but no. I sing whatever is in my heart, whatever makes me feel good. Maybe it’s traditional, or maybe it’s Bare naked Ladies. Remember, it’s all about intent. So this is my plan for tomorrow. Once I get to my ‘office’ area of the living/kitchen room, I’ll throw in some sorting and organizing, but for the most part, my plan is to clean and consecrate. (Hey, two words that start with C!) It shouldn’t take all day, after all the boat is only so big! After the house is cleaned and prespringtime fresh, with windows open and candles lit (each one with a prayer to Brigid, of course), I’ll get to what I had originally planned for Imbolc: baking. I love to bake. I have all the fixings for homemade honey wheat bread in the cabinet. I may prepare a mini-feast as well, but usually by this time in the winter, there isn’t much stocked food left. We’ll see what I feel like for cooking. And of course, an offering will go on my altar for Brigid, which I’ll put outside my door once night falls. (Of course Brigid will take the form of Otters and Seagulls. LOL) 6

FEB 2nd - IMBOLC FEB 9th - Dark of the Moon FEB 10th - New Moon FEB 12th - Mardi gras (Fat Tuesday) FEB 13th - Daytime Gathering in Rathdrum, Id. We'll be discussing creative work and design content for our own personal Tarot Cards. You may wish to bring samples of cards you admire or any design work or ideas you've been working on. Also any updates on the May Pagan Bazaar and Fair. Please bring something to share for lunch. 11:30am to approx. 2:30pm. For directions, contact Janie Bass at janie_bass@yahoo.com. FEB 13th - Ash Wednesday FEB 14th - Valentine's Day FEB 25th - Full Moon FEB 27th - Evening Gathering in Spirit Lake, Id. We'll be making Wire Trees of Life (originally planned for January). Wire and beads will be provided but if you have your own, please bring them along. I'll do my best to have understandable written direction for this project along with ones of the Beaded Pentacles we did in January. Please bring something to share for dinner. Contact Janie Bass at the above email address for directions. ANNOUNCEMENTS GOOD NEWS!! We have been offered a space for a Once-A-Month Saturday Daytime Gathering!! Here's the opportunity for all of those who are busy on Wednesdays to get together for a regularly scheduled Gathering for ritual, celebrations, learning sessions, crafting, pretty much whatever you would like. If you are interested, please contact Janie Bass. We would also be very interested to locate someone from within the group that would like to lead/coordinate these Gatherings. BETTER NEWS!! The date for the Spring Pagan Bazaar and Fair has been set (pretty much). We are focusing in on the Second Saturday in May, that's May 11th, in Rathdrum, Id. We're looking at a couple of different sites, one outdoors and the other is a combination indoor-outdoor situation. Booth cost for an approx. 10ft by 10ft area will be $10 (non-refundable) which will be required at least 2 weeks ahead of time (April 27th). Vendors must provide their own tables and chairs and awning set-up if they desire one. The park setting does have tall shade pines but no buildings for protection against the rain. Pagan and Wiccan items or those that can be used as such can be sold. We'd love hand-crafted items but anything that can be used by Pagans and Wiccans should be good. NO SATANIC ITEMS PLEASE. For more information, contact Janie Bass at the above email address.

Imbolc The Celtic year was divided into eight segments of equal length. The winter solstice (shortest day of the year) and summer solstice (longest day) divided the year into two halves. The spring and autumnal equinoxes (days of equal length day and night) then divided it into four quarters. These quarters were then bisected by the major Sabbats or festival days of Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh and Samhain. We are now approaching the fire festival of Imbolc traditionally celebrated on February 2nd or the full moon nearest to it. Imbolc in Gaelic means 'in the belly' and some have said this is because we are approaching lambing time, whilst others take a more spiritual perspective and say it means 'in the belly of the goddess' or the Earth Mother and refers to the growing new year that was conceived last November at Samhain or the growing light that started to make a return from midwinter day. It is also known as Brigid or Bride's day in honor of the Irish goddess of poetry, healing and smith craft. The Christian name is Candlemas, not surprising when we realize that Brigid was also a goddess of fire and a perpetual flame was kept burning at her shrine in Kildare. Hilltop fires were lit and candles placed in windows of every house. Corn Maidens or Dollies were fashioned from corn or wheat and were then dressed up and placed in a cradle or 'Bride's Bed'. These were then kept all year as a symbol of abundance and fertility. The home fire was extinguished

for the first time all winter and the ashes raked smooth before going to bed. In the morning the ashes were examined for marks of Bride's passing through the house as a blessing and then the fire was rekindled as a sign of a new start or rebirth. In northern New England, from where I write this, it seems inconceivable that new growth or even the beginnings of spring could be marked by this festival as we still huddle up against sub-zero temperatures and the skiing season still has a long way to run. However, in Celtic Britain where I was raised and have spent most of my life, February is an exciting month for gardeners as this is when the first seeds of broad beans and garlic cloves can be planted out into the earth. It is also when snowdrops and crocuses thrust up through the earth and come into flower, the first signs of new growth in the new year. So it is appropriate to celebrate by lighting a fire or a candle and having a celebratory meal to give thanks for the blessings of the dark winter now passing and to welcome the return of the light and new life. We can also do the same for our inner life giving thanks for the time of reflection and self-nurturing during the hibernation period and starting to sow the seeds of our wishes and dreams that we will nurture in the coming months and welcome into our lives later in the year. Blessed be.

Born in England, Glenn Broughton discovered his spiritual path via a circuitous route which included schoolteaching, founding and running an inner city community arts center, house renovations and wholesale organic food distribution. Glenn discovered his latent ability to dowse for energies when he entered his first crop circle (where he first met Steve Alexander). He soon realized that Avebury was of major importance so spent a winter there in order to better explore the earth energy currents and has had an ongoing love affair with the area ever since. Glenn trained with the National Federation of Spiritual Healers and the International College of Crystal Healing. Through his fascination, personal experience and research with sacred sites over the past 20 years, he continues to explore the unseen energetic aspects of these places of power and interprets how they affect us in the present times of change. Glenn lecturers internationally on sacred sites, earth mysteries and crop circles, has been the keynote speaker at both the American and Canadian Society of Dowsers Annual Conventions and is the co-founder of Earth Spirit Conferences in the USA

How to Hold an Imbolc Candle Ritual

Hundreds of years ago, when our ancestors relied upon the sun as their only source of light, the end of winter was met with much celebration. Although it is still cold in February, often the sun shines brightly above us, and the skies are often crisp and clear. As a festival of light, Imbolc came to be called Candlemas. On this evening, when the sun has set once more, call it back by lighting the seven candles of this ritual. ** Note: although this ceremony is written for one, it can easily be adapted for a small group. 6. First, set up your altar in a way that makes you happy, and brings to mind the themes of Imbolc. You'll also want to have on hand the following:  Seven candles, in red and white (tea lights are perfect for this)  Something to light your candles with  A large bowl or cauldron big enough to hold the candles  Sand or salt to fill the bottom of the bowl/cauldron Prior to beginning your ritual, take a warm, cleansing bath. While soaking, meditate on the concept of purification. Once you're done, dress in your ritual attire, and begin the rite. 7. If your tradition requires you to cast a circle, do so now. Pour the sand or salt into the bowl or cauldron. Place the seven candles into the sand so they won't slide around. Light the first candle. As you do so, say: Although it is now dark, I come seeking light. In the chill of winter, I come seeking life. Light the second candle, saying: I call upon fire that melts the snow and warms the hearth. I call upon fire that brings the light and makes new life. I call upon fire to purify me with your flames.

1. Light the third candle. Say: This light is a boundary, between positive and negative. That which is outside, shall stay without. That which is inside, shall stay within. Light the fourth candle. Say: I call upon fire that melts the snow and warms the hearth. I call upon fire that brings the light and makes new life. I call upon fire to purify me with your flames. 2. Light the fifth candle, saying: Like fire, light and love will always grow. Like fire, wisdom and inspiration will always grow. 3. Light the sixth candle, and say: I call upon fire that melts the snow and warms the hearth. I call upon fire that brings the light and makes new life. I call upon fire to purify me with your flames. 4. Finally, light the last candle. As you do so, visualize the seven flames coming together as one. As the light builds, see the energy growing in a purifying glow. Fire of the hearth, blaze of the sun, cover me in your shining light. I am awash in your glow, and tonight I am made pure. 5. Take a few moments and meditate on the light of your candles. Think about this Sabbat, a time of healing and inspiration and purification. Do you have something damaged that needs to be healed? Are you feeling stagnant, for lack of inspiration? Is there some part of your life that feels toxic or tainted? Visualize the light as a warm, enveloping energy that wraps itself around you, healing your ailments, igniting the spark of creativity, and purifying that which is damaged. When you are ready, end the ritual. ~ By Patti Wigington, About.com Guide

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Protection Spell Out with the Bad and in with the Good.. Keeping your Home Safe and Secure

Directions: Sage Censer Bell Perform this spell during a Waxing Moon. Put some sage in your incense burner (censer). Walk around your home with the censer. Circle your home three times (always clockwise), then in each room of the house. Pay special attention to doors and windows and let the smoke filter into the crevices and openings. As you walk, recite a prayer you improvise, or write one ahead of time. Say or write what you feel. This has to come from deep inside you. It does not have to rhyme, nor be a great piece of literature. An example would be Three times around, three times about The world within, the world without. In home and possessions, may good spirits abound Evil and problems will not stay around.

Ring the bell each time a circle, and prayer is completed. When you are finished inside and out, place the incense in the doorway. Open all doors for a few minutes and let the smoke drift through your home, washing it clean.

The Green Wiccan Book of Shadows

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Celebrate the Sabbat with Seasonal Foods Incense & Oils Brighid's Fire Meal Blessing

Imbolc Ritual Cake 13/4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup water 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 tbs. poppy seeds 1 tbs. grated lemon peel 1 tsp. baking soda 2 tbs. lemon juice 1/2 tsp. salt powdered sugar This is all done in one pan, so clean up is a breeze! Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking soda, and salt with a fork in an ungreased 9"x9"x2" baking pan. Stir in the remaining ingredients, except the powdered sugar. Bake 3540 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, and the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes 8 servings.

Winter's Light Creamed Cabbage 1 lb. pre-cooked ham, 1" cubed or shredded 1 heaping tsp. flour 1 firm white cabbage 1/2 tsp. each salt & pepper 1 cup cream grated nutmeg Cut cabbage in half, then into four (small head) or six (large head) pieces. Plunge into a pot of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and run under cold tap water. Drain again. Slice across the grain in 1/4 inch strips. Melt a little butter/margarine in a sauce pan and add shredded cabbage. Toss well, and keep stirring all the time. Add salt, pepper, and a dash of grated nutmeg. Next add the heaping teaspoon of flour, mix well. Add cream, still stirring, and let it come to a boil. Add the cubed or shredded ham, and lower the heat. Cover the sauce pan and let the mixture simmer for about 30 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 6-8 servings.

Returning Sun Spice Bread 1 1/4 cup flour 1/8 cup poppy seeds 2 tsp. baking powder 3/4 cup raisins, plain or golden 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 cup butter/margarine 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 3/4 cup Karo golden corn syrup 1/2 cup light brown sugar 4 tbs. milk 1 large egg, beaten 1 tsp. mixed spices** **Equal parts of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Sift the flour, soda, and baking powder into a non-metal bowl. Add the mixed spice and ginger. Next add the brown sugar and raisins. Mix. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and the syrup over a low heat, then pour liquid into the well in the middle of the flour mixture. Add the beaten egg and the milk, and mix very well. Pour into a well-greased 2lb loaf pan and bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees for 40-50 minutes. This bread can be made the night before as it improves with age.

Imbolc Incense 1 • 3 parts Frankincense • 2 parts Dragon's blood • ½ part Red Sandalwood • 1 part Cinnamon • a few drops Red Wine To this mixture add a pinch of the first flower (dry it first) that is available in your area at the time of Imbolc (February 1st). Burn during Wiccan ceremonies on Imbolc, or simply to attune with the symbolic rebirth of the Sun - the fading of winter and the promise of Spring.

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Imbolc Incense 2

1 cup grated unscented soap ¼ cup hot water 1 Tbsp. Apricot oil 1 Tbsp. Angelica ½ Tbsp. crushed Bay ½ Tbsp. crushed Basil 6 drops Myrrh oil Place grated soap in a heat-proof non-metallic container and add the hot water and apricot oil. Leave until it is cool enough to handle, and then mix together with your hands. If the soap is floating on the water, add more soap. Leave to sit for 10 minutes, mixing occasionally, until the soap is soft and mushy. Once the soap, water, and oil are blended completely, add the dry ingredients. Once the mixture is cool, then add the essential oils (essential oils evaporate quickly in heat). Enough essential oils should be added to overcome the original scent of the soap. Blend thoroughly and then divide the soap mixture into four to six pieces. Squeeze the soaps, removing as much excess water as possible into the shape you desire, and tie in a cheesecloth. Hang in a warm, dry place until the soap is completely hard and dry.

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1 part Basil 1 part Bay 1 part Frankincense 1 part Myrrh 2 parts Rosemary 3 parts Cinnamon

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5 drops Sandalwood 5 drops Vanilla extract 6 drops Jasmine 2 drops Balsam Mix with 2 Tbsp. Grape Seed Oil

Friendly and humanitarian Honest and loyal Original and inventive Independent and intellectual 16

On the dark side.... Intractable and contrary Perverse and unpredictable Unemotional and detached

Aquarius About Your Sign... Aquarians basically possess strong and attractive personalities. They fall into two principle types: one shy, sensitive, gentle and patient; the other exuberant, lively and exhibitionist, sometimes hiding the considerable depths of their character under a cloak of frivolity. Both types are strong willed and forceful in their different ways and have strong convictions, though as they seek truth above all things, they are usually honest enough to change their opinions, however firmly held, if evidence comes to light which persuades them that they have been mistaken. They have a breadth of vision that brings diverse factors into a whole, and can see both sides of an argument without shillyshallying as to which side to take. Consequently they are unprejudiced and tolerant of other points of view. This is because they can see the validity of the argument, even if they do not accept it themselves. They obey the Quaker exhortation to "Be open to truth, from whatever source it comes," and are prepared to learn from everyone. Both types are humane, frank, serious minded, genial, refined, sometimes ethereal, and idealistic, though this last quality is tempered with a sensible practicality. They are quick, active and persevering without being selfassertive, and express themselves with reason, moderation and sometimes, a dry humor. They are nearly always intelligent, concise, clear and logical. Many are strongly imaginative and psychically intuitive, so that the Age of Aquarius, which is about to begin, is much anticipated by psychic circles as an age in which mankind will experience a great spiritual awakening. The Aquarian philosophical and spiritual bent may be dangerous in that it can drive the subjects into an ivory-tower existence where they meditate on abstractions that bear little relevance to life. On the other hand it can help the many who have scientific leanings to combine these with the Aquarian yearning for the universal recognition of the brotherhood of man, and to embark on scientific research to fulfill their philanthropic ideals of benefiting mankind.

When some cause or work of this nature inspires them, they are capable of such devotion to it that they may drive themselves to the point of exhaustion and even risk injuring their health. Both types need to retire from the world at times and to become temporary loners. They appreciate opportunities for meditation or, if they are religious, of retreats. Even in company they are fiercely independent, refusing to follow the crowd. They dislike interference by others, however helpfully intended, and will accept it only on their own terms. Normally they have good taste in drama, music and art, and are also gifted in the arts, especially drama. In spite of the often intensely magnetic, forthcoming and open personality of the more extrovert kind of Aquarian, and of their desire to help humanity, neither type makes friends easily. They sometimes appear to condescend to others and take too little trouble to cultivate the acquaintance of people who do not particularly appeal to them. They do not give themselves easily perhaps their judgment of human nature is too good for that - and are sometimes accounted cold. But once they decide that someone is worthy of their friendship or love, they can exert an almost hypnotic and irresistible mental attraction on them and will themselves become tenacious friends or lovers, ready to sacrifice everything for their partners and be faithful to them for life. However, they are sometimes disappointed emotionally because their own high personal ideals cause them to demand more of others than is reasonable. And if they are deceived their anger is terrible. If disillusioned, they do not forgive. Aquarians work best in group projects, provided that they are recognized as having a leading part in them. They have a feeling of unity with nature and a desire for knowledge and truth that makes them admirable scientists, especially astronomers and natural historians. They may excel in photography, radiography, electronics - anything connected with the electrical and radio industries -

aviation and everything technical. On the arts and humanities side their progressive tendencies can be expressed in writing, especially poetry, and broadcasting, or as welfare workers and teachers. Some have gifts as entertainers and make good character actors (having an ability to mimic) and musicians. The more psychic among them possess healing gifts, especially in curing the mentally sick. Among the faults to which they are liable are fanatical eccentricity, wayward egotism, excessive detachment and an inclination to retreat from life and society, and a tendency to be extremely dogmatic in their opinions. Aquarians can be a threat to all they survey or a great boon for humanity in general. Circumstances - for example, continuous opposition to a cause they hold dear - may cause the atrophy of the openness of mind that is one of the Aquarian's most attractive traits. They may express a lack of integrity in broken promises, secretiveness or cunning. Simmering anger and resentment, rudeness or, worse, a tense, threatening silence which may suddenly burst out in eruptions of extreme temper, these are all part of the negative side of the Aquarian. This can also reveal itself in a sustained hatred for enemies that is capable of enlarging itself into a misanthropy toward the whole of mankind.

Instructions for How to Make Corn Dollies In one of her many aspects, Brighid is known as the bride. She is a symbol of fertility and good fortune, and is seen as yet one more step in the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Traditionally, the Brighid doll is made of woven grain such as oats or wheat. This version, however, uses corn husks. To make this simple doll, you'll need some corn husks -- and clearly, in January or February, you probably won't be able to find a lot of those growing outside. Check your grocery store's produce section to get husks. If you're using dried-out husks, soak them for a couple of hours to soften them up (fresh husks need no special preparation). You'll also need some yarn or ribbon, and a few cotton balls.

Take a strip of the husk, and fold it in half. Place two or three cotton balls in the middle, and then twist the husk, tying it with string to make a head (See Figure 1). Leave a bit of husk in the front and back, below the head, to create a torso

Make a pair of arms for your doll by folding a couple of husks in half, and then tying it at the ends to make hands. Slip the arms between the husks that form the torso, and tie off at the waist. If you like your dolls plump, slide an extra cotton ball or two in there to give your Brighid a bit of shape [Figure 2].

Arrange a few more husks, upside down, around the doll's waist. Overlap them slightly, and then tie them in place with yarn -- it should look like she has her skirt up over her face. After you've tied the waist, carefully fold the husks down, so now her skirt comes downwards, towards where her feet would be (Figure 3). Trim the hem of the skirt so it's even, and let your doll completely dry.

Once your doll has dried, you can leave her plain or give her a face and some hair, use soft yarn,(as in Figure 4). Some people go all out decorating their bride doll -- you can add clothing, an apron, beadwork, whatever your imagination can create. Place your Brighid in a place of honor in your home for Imbolc, near your hearth or in the kitchen if possible. By inviting her into your home, you are welcoming Brighid and all the fertility and abundance she may bring with her.

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Who Was Valentine, Anyway?:

Lupercalia's Love Lottery: February is a great time of year to be in the greetingcard or chocolate-heart industry. This month has long been associated with love and romance, going back to the days of early Rome. Back then, February was the month in which people celebrated Lupercalia, a festival honoring the birth of Romulus and Remus, the twin founders of the city. As Lupercalia evolved and time went on, it morphed into a festival honoring fertility and the coming of spring. For part of the celebration, young women would place their names in an urn. Eligible men would draw a name and the couple would pair of for the rest of the festival -- sometimes even longer. As Christianity progressed into Rome, the practice was decried as Pagan and immoral, and done away with by Pope Gelasius around 500 C.E. Although recently there's been some scholarly debate about the existence of the Lupercalia lottery, it's still a legend that brings to mind ancient matchmaking rituals -- perfect for this time of year!

A More Spiritual Celebration: Around the same time that the love lottery was being eliminated, Gelasius had a brilliant idea. Why not replace the lottery with something a bit more spiritual? He changed the love lottery to a lottery of the Saints -- instead of pulling a pretty girl's name from the urn, young men pulled the name of a saint. The challenge for these bachelors was to try to be more saint-like in the coming year, studying and learning about the messages of their individual saint.

While he was trying to convince Rome's young nobleman to be more saintly, Pope Gelasius also declared St. Valentine (more on him in just a bit) the patron saint of lovers, and his day was to be held every year on February 14. There is some question about who St. Valentine actually was -- he may have been a priest during the reign of the Emperor Claudius. The legend is that the young priest, Valentine, disobeyed Claudius by performing wedding ceremonies for young men, when the Emperor preferred to see them roped into military service rather than marriage. While imprisoned, Valentine fell in love with a young girl who visited him, perhaps the daughter of the jailer. Before he was executed, he allegedly sent her a letter, signed, From your Valentine. No one knows if this story is true, but it certainly makes St. Valentine a romantic and tragic hero. The Christian church had a hard time maintaining some of these traditions, and for a while St. Valentine's Day disappeared off the radar. In fact, during medieval times the lover's lottery regained popularity -- chivalrous young men paired off with ladies, and wore the names of their lover on their sleeves for a year.

Modern Valentine's Day Around the end of the 18th century, Valentine's Day cards began to appear. Small pamphlets were published, with sentimental poems that young men could copy and send to the object of their affections. Eventually, printing houses learned there was a profit to be made in pre-made cards, complete with romantic pictures and love-themed verse. The first American Valentine cards were created by Esther Howland in the 1870s, according to Victorian Treasury. Other than Christmas, more cards are exchanged at Valentine's Day than any other time of the year.

Valentine’s Day: a Gift of loVe with a Wiccan Touch Early Spring Wiccan Gifts inspired by Imbolc;

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Happy Valentine’s Day

STUCK in Yaxchilan, Chiapas, Mexico By ~ Lady Ti-Eagle I was working in Guatemala as a tour guide and wanted to visit one of my favorite archaeological sites in Mexico. I wasn't working that week and wanted to visit friends that worked and lived there. I hitch-hiked in with another tour guide with his group of French tourists. They had only planned to stay at the site a few hours, so I stayed, with the intent of hitching out with one of the working boats that frequently passed by (maybe one or two a day). All the workers on the site knew I was looking for a ride out, so as not to miss my transport. The only way in and out of Yaxchilan is by boat or small airplane, as there are no roads and walking out would be way too dangerous. A bit of information about visiting the site, no visitors are allowed into the area of the ruins without an archaeologist or guard. This rule is STRICTLY enforced. So, more than a day on the site can be a bit boring, as it's not allowed to just hang out with the energies. Bummer! My first day there was great, visiting with friends and talking to the archaeologists. Day two was different. All the workers were busy so I couldn't go into the ruins. No sign of any boat motoring by, but I thought I had lucked out, though, A small airplane was coming in to drop off more archaeologists and would be leaving empty. Bad news came when the plane landed and plans had changed. It was leaving with passengers and no room for me. Ok, no biggie, books to read, and it was such a calm incredible place. Day three, again, no boat, and no plane, either. I was starting to feel sequestered and a bit claustrophobic. Late in the afternoon, a guard approached me and said that he was taking a boat the next morning to a town about 1 hr. away where I could catch a bus. He was only going to make the trip IF IT WASN'T RAINING. Hey, this is the jungle, rain forest. It rains over 120 inches a year! But, I can HOPE, right? I woke frequently during the night, listening to the silence! Yea!, I get to escape! Then at 4am, the deluge started. The rain immediately washed away any hopes of my leaving. At that point, it dawned on me, ASK FOR HELP! So, I asked my guides (Is anyone there? Is anyone listening? I want OUTA HERE!) "What am I doing wrong? what am I not doing right? what do I need to do to get out of here?"

The answer came IMMEDIATELY! "Go into the labyrinth, alone, and you'll know what to do." I replied, "I can't go in alone, it's not allowed". So, "they" repeated, "Go into the labyrinth, alone, and you'll know what to do." I replied AGAIN, "I can't go in alone, it's not allowed". Well, don't argue with your guides when you're asking for help, they can get a bit snarky. They replied, but with a lot LESS patience, "Go into the labyrinth alone, and you'll know what to do!" Ok, I thought, "I'll show you!" I started down the trail, headed toward the ruins. First person I saw an archaeologist. "Good Morning" he said, with no objection to me being there. Next person I saw was a guard, again with a friendly greeting and no objection. My helpful guide just chuckled. So, in the labyrinth, I was guided to the first room and told to sit in the middle of the room. I stayed there for maybe five minutes, when I was guided to go to the next room. There, I needed to face a particular section of wall, holding my palms against the wall. Again, I was told a few minutes later that I could go to the next room. This continued for maybe thirty minutes, always being guided where to go and what to do. Finally, I was told that I was finished. Not being terribly confident that this had done any good, I left the labyrinth. As I left the jungle trail and approached the living area, I could see a bird flying toward me, but it was flying strange for a bird. As it got a bit closer, I realized it was a small airplane. The large space between the two rows of workers' houses was an airstrip. I stepped aside, watched the approaching plane, and the pilot (whom I had never seen before) extended his arm and gave me a "thumbs-up". I went into the hut where I'd been staying, quickly packed my backpack and entered the plane and made my escape out of Yaxchilan. Lesson learned. Ask for help, then LISTEN! Light, Love and Blessings

Gods and Goddesses of

LOVE & LUST Bless their hearts, what would we do without them, those Gods and Goddesses of Love. Some of them push us together; while others make us loose our hearts and minds to someone we just can't live without!! They are found around the world in nearly every religion and path. Their stories are sometimes funny, other times sad and occasionally really disgusting but they've done their jobs very well as we have multiplied and populated the world, still loving and still lusting!! In researching this article it was totally impossible for me to select just one or two deities to write about. I'd like to suggest that my readers select a few that catch their interest and check them out. Their stories are wonderful, heartening and, sometimes funny. You'll come away with the understanding of the phrase, "To each his own!" So here now are some of the more wellknown Gods and Goddesses of Love and Lust: Albanian folklore Prende - goddess of love Armenian mythology Astghik - goddess of fertility and love Axtec mythology Xochiquetzal - goddess of fertility, beauty, female sexual power, protection of young mothers, pregnancy, childbirth, and women's crafts Xochipilli - god of love, art, games, beauty, dance, flowers, maize, fertility, and song Tlazolteotl - goddess of lust, carnality, sexual misdeeds Ixcuiname - goddess of the carnality Tiacapan - goddess of sexual passion Teicu - goddess of sexual appetite Tlaco - goddess of sexual longing Xocotzin - goddess of sexual desire Buddhism Aizen Myo-o/Ragaraja - deity who transforms worldly lust into spiritual awakening; his red-skinned appearance represents suppressed lust and passion Canaanite mythology Astarte - goddess of sexual love, fertility and warfare Qetesh - goddess of love, beauty and sex

Celtic mythology Aine - Irish goddess of love, summer, wealth and sovereignty Cliodhna - Irish goddess, sometimes identified as a goddess of love and beauty Chinese mythology Yue-Lao - Chinese god of love who binds two people together with an invisible red string Tu Er Shen - Chinese deity who manages the love and sex between homosexual men White Peony (Bai Mudan) - Chinese goddess who tempts men, specifically the ascetic Egyptian mythology Bes - god of music, dance and sexual pleasure Hathor - goddess of the sky, love, beauty and music Bastet/Bast/Baast - goddess of felines, love, sexuality, protection, beauty and dance Etruscan mythology Albina - goddess of the dawn and protector of ill-fated lovers Turan - goddess of love and vitality Greek mythology Aphrodite - goddess of love, lust and beauty Hera - goddess of marriage, which is a lifetime of love and compromise The Erotes Anteros - god of requited love Eros - god of love and sexual passion Himeros - god of sexual desire Hedylogos - god of sweet talk and flattery Hymen - god of marriage and marriage feasts Pothos - god of sexual longing, yearning and desire Peitho - goddess and personification of persuasion and seduction Guarani mythology Kurupi - god of sexuality and fertility Hindu mythology Kamadeva/Manmadhan/Kama - god of love Rati - goddess of passion and lust Lithuanian mythology Milda - goddess of love and freedom Mesopotamian mythology Inanna/Ishtar - goddess of sexual love, fertility and warfare

Moroccan mythology Qandisa - goddess of lust who first seduces men then drives them insane Norse and Germanic mythology Frigg - goddess of romance, marriage, sex and reproduction, married women, household duty and divination Freyja - goddess associated with magic, shamanism, sacrifice, war, death and sexuality Freyr - worshipped as a phallic fertility god, said to bestow peace and pleasure on mortals Sjofn - goddess associated with love Roman mythology Cupid - Roman equivalent of the Greek god Eros Venus - Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Aphrodite Slavic mythology Dogoda - Polish spirit of the west wind, associated with love and gentleness Dzydzilelya - Polish goddess of love and marriage and of sexuality and fertility Lada - folklore goddess of harmony, merriment, youth, love and beauty Siebog - god of love and marriage Ziva - goddess of love and fertility Voodoo Baron La Croix - loa of the dead and sexuality Baron Samedi - loa of the dead, sex and resurrection Erzulie Freda Dahomey - loa of love, beauty, jewelry, luxury and flowers Yoruba mythology Mami Wata - a pantheon of water deities sometimes associated with love and lust Oshun - goddess of love, intimacy, beauty, wealth and diplomacy Reference: Wikipedia, "Gods and Goddesses of Love and Lust"

The Well and the Flame by Starhawk

Dear Gertrude "DEAR READER, The following letter is a composite of many such letters, Facebook, emails, and phone calls I have received over the years. As February is the "Month of Love" and all of these correspondences are sent to me out of love, I thought this is a good time to respond to them. If the answer to your question isn't in this letter, by all means contact me by email sent to janie_bass@yahoo.com. Janie will forward your email to me and I will be happy to respond. Thank You. Many Blessings Gertrude Moon, CC

Dear Gertrude Moon, I really need help!! I'm writing because my daughter has married a pig!!! They've been together for about 4 years. She has two small babies and is pregnant with her third. There is precious little money for all the necessities and what is left over, he drinks and loses at poker. My daughter is left alone all day long to take care of the children and he never helps her. She's a prisoner in her own home. He won't let her call me or even talk to the neighbors. The Pig moved her back east closer to his family but they won't help her either. He expects her to do all the housework by herself even though she's pregnant and has one baby in diapers and the other is being potty trained. I want to get her out of this loveless marriage but I don't have the money to do it. I know he hits her when he's drunk but is all sorry when he's sober. I worry about her all the time and I don't get any sleep which is putting a lot of stress on my relationship with my husband (her stepfather). He won't let me send her any money at all and says it all her own fault but it really isn't!!! What can I do? Can you help me? Can you do a spell that will get this monster out of her life and enable me to get her back here where I can take care of her? Will

you please send out good energy to help her and/or do a spell so the Pig drops dead? Signed, "A Very Worried Loving Mother" Dear "Loving Mother", Thank you for your letter. I know it was a difficult one to write. It's very hard on the whole family when one of its members seems to be in a totally loveless relationship. It's impossible to be totally objective, to look at both sides of a situation and, because of the love we have for our children, most mother can't! First, acknowledge that there is more than one side to any given situation. Your child has her story and her husband has his (which probably has already been expressed to his family). Right now, everyone is in a lose-lose situation and it will only get worse. Perspective is everything here. I know it's hard but it's time for you to change hats. It's time to become an "objective social worker" for your child. Here is where the Magick begins: 1) Make absolutely sure that your daughter truly wants out of this relationship! Is she WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES to get out of this relationship which will probably include losing everything she has, taking just the children and getting out of her home? She must be ready to do this because it will probably come down to this in the end. 2) Make absolutely sure (or at least as sure as you can possibly be, which means you'll need to talk to your son-in-law to find out his side of the story) what is going on within the family (enough money for food and bills, any drug or alcohol usage, physical/emotional abuse, etc.) . Ask easy questions, don't press an argument. Find out all you can from him so you can compare his story to your daughter's. Normally, the truth will fall somewhere in the middle of the two stories. TAKE NOTES ON ALL CONVERSATIONS with your daughter and her husband. Only what they say and if, to your actual knowledge,

he or she has been drinking or taking drugs. It is VERY IMPORTANT TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS A GUN OR GUNS IN THE HOME! 3) You will want to get phone numbers and locations to any and all help agencies in your daughter's area: police/sheriff's office; battered spouse agencies; drug and alcohol out-reach programs, etc. You will need to contact these agencies to make sure what they can, by law, do in a "domestic drug/alcohol situation where there are children" involved. Write all this information down as you talk to them. The information you gather in step 1 will help guide you in what questions you need to ask of the agencies. THINGS TO REMEMBER: 1) Your daughter not having money is not a reason for complaint as long as the bills are being paid and there is food and shelter for the children; 2) Your daughter not having a vehicle to drive is not considered imprisonment, nor is living out in the country without a vehicle. EXCEPTION: If she or one of the children must have immediate access to transportation for medical reasons; 2) Not having a phone is not considered imprisonment UNLESS there is a medical necessity for one. 4) Give the information from the agencies to your daughter. The next steps belong to her. When she can no longer take the abuse and fear in this relationship, she will begin

DeaR GeRtRUDe continUeDâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;Ś. contacting the numbers you've given her. She needs to call them and call them until she finds someone who will help her. If there is a gun in the home, even if he has not threatened her with it yet, she needs to let the police and other agencies know it's there!! If she gets to the end of the list and no one will help, she will need to begin over again, asking for help, begging if she must, but SHE must do this! If she must press charges against him then to get him out of the house so she can get away, she needs to do this and STAND BY THE CHARGES. You have done all the physical actions you can do, short of driving across country and pulling her out of the home with the kids. 5) This is where you MUST focus your MAGICK and LOVE, sending her all the energy you can spare. This is energy for wisdom, knowledge, financial assistance, and protection, just to name a few. Light candles (there are different colors of candles for each of these actions. If in doubt, use white candles and inscribe on the candles what action you want and for whom). Write your prayers or chants (chants are usually short rhyming prayers that are repeated over and over (at least three times) before moving on to the next candle and request. Focus on the flame and see your Daughter's/grandchildren's faces in the flame). Above all else, BE POSITIVE IN YOUR INTENTION OF THE WORDS IN YOUR PRAYER/CHANT!! Be prepared to do this EVERY DAY until the situation is resolved. 6) If you can get other close members of your family to do prayers or chants or even just light candles for your daughter, do so. Even if this individuals are of an organized faith, most family members will say a prayer or light a candle if they think it may in some way help someone in the family. You need all the energy you can get at this point. Thoughts are energy, prayers are energy, and candle flames are energy. Get that energy/Magick moving!!!

There you have it. That's what you and your daughter will need to do to make the Magick move to resolve a rather bad situation. I will be very happy to add my love, candles, chants and prayers to help. This is an uneasy situation for all involved. Right now I know it seems that this nightmare will never be over. Just remember, only those directly involved can begin the action. The courage comes from deep within one's soul. The chances are it won't happen all at once and it's very possible your daughter will got through this more than once before finally ending this relationship. I hope this has been of some help. My prayers are with you and your family. Many Blessings, Gertrude Moon, CC P.S. Dear READERS, These steps work the same for either a son or daughter, man or woman, gay or straight! Guys can get caught up in really bad relationships and are very often charged as the "Aggressor" when in fact they are not. Be sure you really get both sides of the story to the best of your ability and that's what the information you use to get direction from the agencies. Also, if your child is part of a religious cult or a cult marriage and you are concerned about his or her welfare, contact your local police department, religious cult breakers, or, in a pinch, TV station. Give them ALL the information you have and see what they can do. If there is nothing, ask them for suggestions as to where you can go. DON'T STOP UNTIL YOU GET INFORMATION ON YOUR CHILD!! Blessings to All Gertrude "

FAMILY IMBOLIC By ~ Alena Orrison Greetings, fellow pagan parents! Do you still have your family altars going that we talked about before Samhain? I hope so! Imbolc is just around the corner and there are several fun activities we can do with our children, the results of which would look amazing on our family altars. Imbolc marks the sun’s growing strength and honors Brigit, the Irish Goddess of the holy well and sacred flame. This holiday is typically symbolized by many candles on our altars. Since the altar we’re talking about is a family one, and small hands have access to it, I’ve found that the battery operated flameless candles are perfect. Children can “light” the candles themselves each day and won’t get burned. You can find these candles at any craft store, and most big name stores will have some too. Some even give off scent. Look for ones that you can replace the batteries in so they will last you for years. If you have older children, now is a perfect time to teach them about fire safety and allowing real candles on the family altar.

Brigit’s Fire In Circle Round, the authors mention Brigit’s Fire. They describe using Epsom salts and rubbing alcohol to make a cooler fire that is safer around children - but still use caution! Here is their recipe and directions:    

A cast iron pot of any size, preferably one designated for cauldron fires as there is residue A lid that fits snugly on the pot, for putting out the fire bricks, hot plate or other heat-resistant material to set the cauldron on Epsom salts Rubbing alcohol

Place the pot securely on the heat-resistant surface. Pour Epsom salts in the pot until the bottom is covered and approximately one inch deep. Pour rubbing alcohol over the salts until it is about an inch higher than the salts. Hold a lighted match just above the alcohol. The liquid will light and produce a strong orange flame. The flame burns cool, unlike a wood fire, and is difficult to burn things in. When the flame get slow, snuff with the lid to put it out completely. To keep a blaze going for 45 minutes in a 5-quart cauldron, you need 1/2 gallon of Epsom salts and approximately 4 to 6 pints of rubbing alcohol. Speaking of fire, Imbolc is the perfect time to teach older children how to kindle a fire. Small children can help gather wood, older children can learn how to lay the fire in different ways and proper safety techniques. Explain the risks of fire, and always have a way to extinguish a fire safely. For free information on fire safety, take a field trip to the local fire station and forest service office.

Brighid Doll Another tradition of Imbolc is to make a Brighid Doll. There are several variations on this, and some are easier for younger children. Circle Round describes how to make one using branches of rosemary or evergreen. About.com shows you how to make one using corn husks. Smaller children might find making a paper Brighid Doll to be an easier and less frustrating task. There is a paper doll template at the end of this article. Print on cardstock, help your child cut it out, then allow them to decorate it as they want. You can add yarn or embroidery floss for hair, buttons or beads as decorations, glitter - the only limit is your craft cabinet.

Brighid’s Cross Cathie over at Celticai Studio has posted simple and easy to follow directions for making Brighid’s Cross out of pipe cleaners, a common, inexpensive, and forgiving material to work with. Even smaller children can make one - with your help, of course. The season of Imbolc has many wonderful traditions associated with it. One of my favorites is calling on the Goddess Brighid (Brigit, Bride or Brede) to bless home and hearth. Traditionally, a Cross was made with wheat or grass however; I prefer to make them with pipe cleaners. Here, I’ve included photographs and instructions on how YOU can make your own too!

1. Collect 15 pipe cleaners. For this article, I collected three each of five different colours. Keep one straight and bend the other 14 in half. I’ve found that this makes the crafting part of the cross much easier!

2. Choose one folded pipe cleaner and slide it over the straight one – to approximately half way. Hold the join with your fingers and turn the whole cross 90 degrees to the left (a quarter turn).

3. Choose another folded pipe cleaner and slide it over the two ‘arms’ of the pipe cleaner pointing up. Hold the join with your fingers and turn the whole cross 90 degrees to the left (a quarter turn).

4. Choose another folded pipe cleaner and slide it over the three arms of the pipe cleaner pointing up. Hold the join with your fingers and turn the whole cross 90 degrees to the left (a quarter turn).

5. Keep adding folded pipe cleaners by sliding them over all the arms of the cross that are pointing up. Holding onto the join and rotating the cross a quarter turn will help you keep track of where you are at.

6. After placing all 14 folded pipe cleaners on your creation, select the longest pipe cleaner in each arm. Bend it around the ‘arms’ so that it twists and secures all together. Do this for each arm. You may also like to bend one of the pipe cleaners and use it as a hook. Alternatively, you can thread some ribbon through one arm so that it may hang freely.

7. Place the cross on your altar or hang it in its traditional place – near the heart of the home, the hearth or fireplace. In today’s modern age, I usually place mine near the stove. Enjoy crafting your St Brighid’s Cross! Namaste Posted by Caithe on Monday, July 30th, 2012

Other Activities Other symbols of Brigit (or Brighid, Bride, Bridgid, Brigade) include the cow and the serpent or snake. You can use a simple salt-dough recipe to make snakes for your altar. Let them dry overnight then they are ready to paint. Take a trip to a local farm or dairy if you can and teach your children where milk comes from and why the cow is important to the Goddess Brigit. You can make candles using old crayons and wicks (remember doing this in elementary school with milk cartons as the form?), coiled snake candleholders from salt dough, and Braided Brigit Bread. If you’re not a baker, or lack time, you can use pre-made refrigerated breadsticks, braid them together, sprinkle herbs over the top and then bake by the package directions. Get outside and look for signs of spring! While most of us in the north are still staring at snowdrifts, there are places where flowers are starting to poke their heads out of the ground and grass is that soft pale green. Maybe there are buds on the trees or birds returning from their southern migration. Take a walk with your children and see if you can spot anything spring. Even if spring is still weeks away, the time spent as a family will be precious and as fleeting as the apple blossoms.

Works Cited Baker, Diane. "Brigit." Circle round: raising children in goddess traditions. Bantam trade paperback ed. New York: Bantam Books, 20001998. 124-147. Print. Cameron, Caithe. "Creating a St Brighid's Cross Â» Celticai Studios Celticai Studios." Home Â» Celticai Studios Celticai Studios. N.p., 30 June 2012. Web. 29 Jan. 2013. <http:// www.celticai.com.au/2012/07/creating-a-st-brighids-cross/>. "EARTHSONGS: The Journal of the Society of Celtic Shamans, Volume 6, Issue 1, Imbolc 2002, Copyright (c) 2002." Celtic Shaman and Society of Celtic Shamans. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2013. <http://www.faeryshaman.org/es61/es61arc3.htm>. Wigington, Patti. "Make a Brighid Corn Doll." Paganism & Wicca Pagan and Wiccan Religion. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2013. <http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/ imbolccrafts/ss/Brighid_Dolly.htm>. MLA formatting by BibMe.org.

Februaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Astrological Sky North Star Astrology By: Ingrid Jeffries AAFA

Ingrid Jeffries is an internationally known counseling astrologer with over 25 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience. She is available for private consultations in office or by phone. She can be reached at 303 697-8309. To find out more about her classes and sessions go to www.NorthStarAstrology.net

February opens with the Sun, Mercury, and Mars traveling through the friendly sign of Aquarius. Venus also enters this sign on the 2/2. With Jupiter in Gemini we have five planets in the gregarious air signs, emphasizing social activities, travel, community relations and pioneering endeavors especially the first two weeks. Aquarius is a sign associated with teamwork and collective power. It is through alignment with others that we can manifest the greatest achievements. The Aquarius New Moon is on 2/10. New Moons are the time to plant the seeds of intention. This New Moon is the Chinese New Year. In the sign of Aquarius innovation is more essential to us. We become more aware of what is outdated in our lives, and strive to find new perspectives and ways to do things. Individual freedom is more important to us. We strive to free ourselves from some of the restrictions, inhibitions, and limitations that now feel constraining rather than safe. This lunar cycle encourages us to take risks exploring the extraordinary, to move into the future, and to focus on the positive. Unresolved relationship matters may need to be dealt with, but again focus on the positive, and deal with the negative. The square from the Sun and Moon to the nodal axis may at times challenge social harmony due to differences in values, yet with a willingness to support compromise and create a win /win dynamic creativity is stimulated and success likely. On February 18th the Sun enters the gentle water sign of Pisces. People born into this sign are often very sensitive and intuitive. They are compassionate and romantic with an artistic flair. Many gifted musicians have Pisces or the planet Neptune, Pisces planetary ruler, strong in their birth charts. Saturn moves in retrograde motion from February 19th to July 7th. This can promote a re-evaluation of a key business matter or commitment. Saturn requires us to be realistic about limitations and what needs to be restructured or released in order for something more vital flourish.

On February 23 Mercury goes retrograde until March 17th. During this time, from our earthly perspective the winged messenger appears to move counter clockwise in the sky. Traditionally, this is not a good time for communications or travel. Misunderstandings and delays are more likely. It is also considered an unfavorable time to buy appliances, computers, cars, or sign contracts. It is good for renegotiating, researching, reconnecting with those we have not seen for a while, and catching up on projects that were put aside earlier. Communications and information can be puzzling and /or incomplete. It is best to make major decisions after the retrograde period. The Full Moon occurs on 2/25. The Sun in Pisces is conjunct Neptune opposing the Moon in Virgo and both square Jupiter in Gemini. This is a very inspired and restless planetary combination depending on how these planets align with your natal horoscope. It can be wonderful for a romantic getaway, artist projects, or long philosophical conversations. Full Moons are the time to focus on relationships. Notice who are the people you find yourself with during this moon phase. What is the consciousness they support and mirror within you? Are you being present to who you are with or does your heart long for someone or something different. This is the time have the courage to pursue and/ or heal heart connections. Relationships will suffer if we take things too personally now, expecting others to follow a certain script that we have unconsciously written for them. The Pisces Full Moon cycle is the time to focus on love, compassion, and harmony.

Remember, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.â&#x20AC;? Rumi

Aaahh, the Rose. Beautiful, regal, fragrant, ancient. The rose has been a part of human culture for centuries! Roses were introduced to Europe during the Roman occupation and were predominantly used for decoration. They were first cultivated over 5,000 years ago in Asian gardens. Confucius declared that the Emperor of China had more than 600 books on the cultivation of Roses. Its name is thought to be of Germanic origins. The Rose was used by the Great Ruling Houses of England as identification symbols. As far as exactly when Roses began being used in spells and magick is any ones guess but their effect in romance was well noticed in Roman. The fragrance seemed to lead to love and what early Witch wouldn't cook up some magickal love potion with something that was so perfectly represented love and sexual allure! Roman writings have been located the reference Roses being used in Love Salves, recipes for making Rose Water for Love and other such wonderful uses. The real love of Roses in Europe began during the Golden Age, roughly beginning in the 16th Century, when the Royal households developed and nurtured lavish gardens for the courtship of their lady-folk as well as having someplace sweet smelling to talk, walk and listen to music during a time when most of those at court took a bath maybe once a year!!! Rose petals were harvested from the gardens when they were nearly spent and strun in beds, on tables and floors in an attempt to keep the foul body odor at bay. Over hundreds of years, the Rose has been hand bred and developed for its fragrance, color and overall beauty. By the Victorian years, the Ornamental Rose and Flower Gardens became so popular that flowers in general and Roses in particular were given their own language - the language of love and friendship. Somewhere in my religious studies I remember the history of the Catholic Rosary. Though rosaries themselves date back to way, way back. Early Christian were unable to afford the beautiful stone beaded chains used by the clergy. Again, Rome probably played a part in the development of beads made of rose petals and other very fragrant flowers along with fragrant tree resins, all crushed and mushed together into a paste then formed into round beads, threaded onto cords and dried.

When used in prayer, running the beads through their fingers released a pleasant fragrance, aiding in their meditative state and keeping the smell of the person next to them reasonably contained. Don't forget Roses can be added as garnishes to salads, soups and even ice cubes to add a delicate flavor and beauty to your meal. REMEMBER, USE ONLY ORGANICALLY grown roses so you aren't putting any poisons into your food!! While the overall meaning of Roses is Love and Romance, here is a short list of the color meanings of roses. There will be a much longer list on our website at http://elementalmagick.wetpaint.com/. Search for "Language and Magick of Roses". Red Rose - Romantic Love, Beauty, Courage and Passion White Rose - Purity, Reverence, Heavenly, Humility, Youthfulness and Innocence Pink Rose - Appreciation, Grace, Admiration, Thankfulness Yellow Rose - Joy, Friendship, Delight, Happiness Orange Rose - Enthusiasm and Energy, Desire Rose petals can be used by color using their language meaning. Be sure to focus on your intent (i.e., for your daughter to preform gracefully in her dance recital you would use Pink Roses in your spell.). When I went looking for the Magickal properties of Roses on line, I found lots and lots BUT upon closer examination I found that almost everyone had copied their information from one of my all-time favorite Wiccan writers, Scott Cunningham from his book, "Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs". Surprise, surprise. So here's Scott's information: ROSE rosa species PARTS USED flowers, petals, leaves (Note: I've found that old rose wood canes make wonderfully powerful wands) GENDER: Feminine ELEMENTS: Fire and Water PLANETS: Mars and Venus

POWERS Love Love Divination Ultimate Love Healing Luck Protection Psychic Powers DEITIES Adonis Aurora Cupid Demeter Eros Harpocrates Hathor Hulda Isis The ultimate in love wishes, Roses will aid in bringing a true lasting love and help to mend any spats between you in an already committed relationship. The petals can be used in bathing while thinking a new love will come to you. Dried flowers are burned when making love wishes. Sleeping with the flower petals will protect your dreams. Carry a sachet or amulet of petals for protection against bodily injury or when working healing wishes. Roses have long been used in love mixtures; owing to the flowers' association with the emotions. A chaplet of roses worn when performing love spells (remove the thorns first), or a single rose in a vase on the alter, are powerful love magic aids.

Rose water distilled from the petals should be added to love baths. Rose Hips (the fruit of the rose) are strung and worn as love-attraction beads. A tea of rosebuds drunk before sleep induces prophetic dreams. To discover their romantic future, women used to take three green rose leaves and name each for one of their lovers. The one that stayed green the longest answered the question of "Which One?". Rose petals and hips are used in healing spells ad mixtures, and rosewater saturated cloth laid to the temples and across the forehead will relieve headache pain. Roses are added to fast luck mixtures and, when carried, act as personal protectants. Rose petals sprinkled around the house calm personal stress and household upheavals. Roses planted in the garden attract fairies and are said to grow best when stolen. REFERENCES: "Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs" by Scott Cunningham Landscaping at http://about.com Witches Lore at http://witcheslore.com

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