Correllian times emagazine issue 23 july 2008 vol 2 power animals an cd6 id765074392 size2860 by JA Balaguer

Power Animals and Totems~July

clearly other illusions and expectations about how wolves should looks like. The big colour variation in the fur doesn’t make things easier, when one want to describe the wolf.

Also on the rest of the body, are colour shifts that strengthen signals and messages that the wolf want to provide. The back hairs are particularly long and clearly coloured over the withers and can be raised up as a clear marking – the wolf ”raises ridge”. The bushy tail is black at the tip and has a clear black spot on the upper side near the tail root, right over it so called violet gland. These colour markings also helps to clarifying tail positions and moves that reveals moods and discrepancies of the wolf. This richlycoloured fur clothing is actually a fur in two stratums. A soft and thick undercoat nearest the body is concealed of the long covering overcoat, which amongst other protects the undercoat from wetting. The longest over hair on the wither can be more than 4 inches long, The wolf shifts between a richlycoloured and thick, winter isolated fur and a very sparser and a summer fur not so rich in variation.

In the Northern part of Europe is the most common base colour grayish colour with elements of gray brown, brown, maroon and yellow. Otherwise, the range of colour is from purely white to purely black fur colours. White or light colours are more common amongst the wolves that live on the tundra in the North Archipelago, and black or dark wolves you more often find in bushier woodlands - but it is no absolute rule. A typical Swedish wolf can one nevertheless describe as a kind of basic type, and if we look a little bit closer on it. One is immediately stricken of the furs many different nuances and structures on the different parts of the body. The difference between the thin, soft golden brown hairs behind the ears and the decimeter long rigid, gray yolk straws with black edges that cover the withers is very apparent. The abdomen is white or light. The legcolour is dirt white or gray brown and sometimes has the Swedish Wolf one clear, black coloured mark on the front side of the front leg. The face is contrast and richly signed with white light fields around the mouth and on the cheeks, which being in glaring contrast to the black lips and those darker hairs that surround the light batches on cheeks and mouth. The gray brown colour in the rest of the face is broken off with lighter and darker batches around the eyes. Every one of these coloured fields and the blots help to clarifying ”the mimic”, that is an important piece in

the wolfs language.

When the winter fur begins to fall off in the spring to give place for a thinner and cooler summer fur, the wolf will then change his appearance. The winter's magnificent and robust wolves give suddenly an entirely slim, almost skinny appearance. In the beginning of the autumn the winter fur grows back again. The winter fur's isolating ability makes the wolf to hardly at all be inconvenienced of the chill, not even at -30o F, a special arrangement in the circulation system's blood maintenance to the legs and the toes deals with that the wolf neither loses heat or needs ”to get cold feet’s”. Facts are that heat is more awkward, and hot days can the wolves look for coolness in waters, or on shadow cool, damp land plots when the common panting with hanging tongue isn’t enough. It’s otherwise the wolves and the dog's - common ways to make itself rid of surplus heat. An ordinary grown adult wolf male weighs

Power Animals and Totems~July

approximately 88.1 - 110.2 pounds and wolf female approximately 77.1 - 88.1 pounds. One adult wolf can raise itself on the hind legs and put the front paws on an adult man's shoulders. It measures then approximately equally high as a man is long. The body measures without the tail between 3.2 and 4.6 foot, and the tail is between 11.8 and 19.6 inch long. In withers height reach’s the biggest adult males up to 2.9 foot. The females are considerably lower.

contagious diseases and parasites. Their ecological role puts them up for large strain and the selection is tough. Half of every wolf that is born never reaches adult age. When the wolf moves fast forward, by road winning trot, it seems like they are floating ahead in the territory. The long legs and the narrow breast, that makes the wolf able to hold ” the elbows” close to the chest, gives the wolf a particularly smooth and energy-saving movement. Without any bigger effort can the wolf keep a medium speed of 3.7-6.2 miles per hour in their favorite motion trot, and it can do both 24.8 and 31.0 miles on a night. There is also information about one wolf pack in Northern Finland that has run 124.3 miles on a day and night.

Their full size and weight reach the wolf before a year's age, but it’s first during the second year of life they will become sexually mature. The females can fall in their first heat when they are about 20 - 22 months old in the late winter time. The males can also become sexually mature at that age, but is often not “able to consummate” before they are on their third year. Most wolves do not become older than 8 9 years of age. Occasional animal can become up to 15 years, but a wolf of that age has in the nature difficult to hunt and to assert itself socially. The one so far oldest of the Swedish zoo wolves, a female, became 13 years of age. The causes of death can be many. The without hesitation most common reason to a wolf’s demise in modern time is through the people's action in one way or the other. Traps, poisoning and firearms stands for the majority. Otherwise, the natural causes of death are most diseases of various kind and accidents.

The wolf is therefore a good runner, that can pursue a speedy prey over long distances and that strolls over large areas, but are more a middle distance runner than a sprinter. The top speed lies somewhere between 27.9 and 37.2 miles per hour. Since gallop is such a power waste, it hasn’t the energy to run so fast more than a couple of miles, or 20 minutes at the most. Such a power discharge can wolves do when they attacks a prey in open terrain or when they are chased by for example people on motor vehicles. After that performance, they are totally exhausted. They pant heavily with open mouth and hanging tongue in order to let the heat out, throws themselves down on the ground in order to get some rest and can then sleep several hours in one go at the lodge if they are undisturbed. One of the most distinguishing properties of the wolf, and has fascinated people most over time, is its most impressive social behavior. In the wolf case, the social pattern of existence seems - to live in a pack to be linked to its ecological role as a predatory

Wolves has ”choose” to live a hard life during sometimes grim climate situations. They can be damaged in quarrels between each other or when the preys defend themselves. They can die of

Power Animals and Totems~July

animal that hunts very large grown preys, often with a body weight that is 10 times larger than the wolf. Although a wolf can kill an elk on their own, so is misfortune and serious or fatal damages from the elk's kicks so large that the success of hunting, the feed amount per individual, for several collaborating wolves so much larger. A socially lifestyle of the type that the wolf shows to have, requests that the members in the pack among other thing recognize each other as individuals, that they can communicate well and that they can establish strong, positive bonds and relationships to each other. The family situation is then an excellent ground to build on.

approximately six meters in lies the den chamber. There inside the female is given birth to the puppies after 9 weeks' pregnancy. A lair can also be a shallow cave among stone blocks or fallow roots. It can also lie in a crevice, gorge, in thick shrubbery or amongst reeds. On the whole it seems that the lairs place; depend on the spot and characteristic where it holds drily in the den cave.

The wolf couple has often a life-long relation. The puppiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; slow development requires a long nursing time and gives the requisite time in order to establish emotional bonds. They are not sexually mature until two years' of age and can therefore stay with the parents after the ordinary juvenal phase without competing as sexual partner with any of them. It gives further more time to reinforce the friendly relationships with both own litter brothers and sister, parents and new small brothers and sister. The typical wolf pack is also in essence a family; all members - except the parent couple - are very nearly related to each other. The wolf couple digs out its own lair, and

A wolf female gladly chooses its old lair that she had the year before, and unless she isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t able to do so. Then she builds one exactly alike, on another place. Wolf females that will give birth to her first litter, can build poor den caves that can make the puppies to be in danger. When she has bred her first litter, it seems like the female has learned her lesson. She will build a better lair, in the next following year. An own dug lair of a wolf female, contains of one opening and one passage. The passage in can be between 6.5 and 26.2 foot long, and is either curved or straight. In the end of the passage is the broadened chamber that the puppies will be given birth into. The hole in to the lair is between 13.7 and 25.5 inches in diameter and oval shaped. A wolf female goes pregnant about 63 days, but it lies between 62 and 65 day. The time for heat depends on how old the female are, where they live, and the climate they live in. The puppies can be born all between the beginning of April and to the end of June. A litter contains most often of between 4 and 7 the puppies. When the puppies have been given birth to and the female nurse those, the male will go on hunts by himself. He catches the prey and takes it home to the lair, where the female awaits for him. At birth of the small puppies they can neither see nor hear. They

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also have a very bad developed sense of smell. They weigh about 17.6 ounce at birth, but increases quickly in the first couple of weeks. In the beginning the puppies mostly crawls around, and have also hard to hold the body heat. Sense of balance, flavor and contact are on the other hand well developed. The licking that the female does for the puppies in order to relieve themselves, also have an important part in the social life for the wolf. The puppy’s development can be split in to four phases.

The wolf female stays with the puppies almost around the clock the first week. They shall be licked on the abdomen in order to keep the urine and the excretion-process a float. A very important chore for the wolf female and she also have very fat milk the first two week, so that they can gain weight properly. On the eleventh day the eyes begins to open on the puppies, and they are no longer so helpless.

From childbirth to sexual maturity, are the different phases: Neonatal phase – the time until the eyes are opened, which happens in the puppy’s 11th-12th living day and is completed after about 2-3 days. Transitions phase – the time until the 3rd week, from the eyes has been opened. Socializations phase – the time until about 3 months of age, begins from the puppy’s 3rd living week. Juvenile phase – the time until the sexual maturity (21-22 months of age), is from the 3rd living month. The thing that usually is called: passive submission means that a half grown-up or adult puppy displays its inferiority by that, to lay down, shows the abdomen with genital and the anal region visible. The dominant wolf does then as the mother did, and licks and smells the laying wolf in the genital area. This strengthens the social rank and also its relation between them.

At three weeks they have begun to crawl around inside the lair and have begun take the first staggering steps out towards the lairs exit. The female lies now more and more outside the lair, so that she receives a little rest from the puppies. Excursions and rests outside the lair let her regain her powers, from the increasingly more and more demanding puppies. When one of the adults wolves comes to the lairs entrance and howls, are the puppies soon there and starts begging for food. They lick in the corner of the mouth, which makes the adult wolf to throw up its stomach contents. The bond between the puppies and the older members in the pack becomes reinforced, when the puppies at a month’s age begin to eat firm food. This accomplishes the adult wolves by carrying home the food, in the mouth or in the stomach. By licking, smelling and biting in the lips or the corners of the mouth, can’t the adult resist this stimulation, which brings them to ”throw up” what they have in their stomach. The puppy swallows rapidly what it will be served. This behavior is called ”to beg”. This begging strengthens also the social signals that the dominant and the inferior wolves have between each other. The similarities are ever so alike between the begging

and active submission.

Power Animals and Totems~July

Socialization phase begins at three weeks of age, and it is said to be the most important time in the puppy’s life. They shall learn to know its place in the pack, i.e. whom that is dominant and whom that is minor. The social ability develops rapidly and has under this time high knowledge to tie social, important, firm and emotional connections with other wolves. This goes for first and foremost to the puppy’s’ mother and father, but also older brothers and sisters. The ability to be able to do this is so strong, that these bonds even are tied if the puppy grows up along with people or other foster parents. The bond that is created in the wolf pack is the base to the foundation, which actually the entire pack exists of. In the same way, this also continues in food situations.

At the end of the 3 months period, can they begin to accompany on the parents hunting. Or rather they leave the den and become dropped off at different meeting places within their own territory. Its places where the adult wolves often leave off captured prey.

Some weeks later will also the female accompany on the hunt, and leaves the puppies all alone in long periods of time. The mortality rate of the puppies under the first 6 the months, are very high, about four of ten puppies will still be alive at the winters approach. If the puppies survives from their first winter, they have a lot bigger chance to live until they becomes sexual matured. They have after that a 20 % risk per year to die. A very common family structure among wolves is; a parent couple with the puppies from one or several litters. The smallest packs are just a female and a male, and the biggest pack one knows that has existed together contained of 36 wolves. The wolf keeps themselves more together during wintertime, when the access for prey is lesser than during the summer. When the puppies are between 6 -8 weeks they stop to suck and changes to firm food only. As they not can hunt entirely on their own, they are still depending of its older members of the pack.

The fourth and final – and longest –development phase before the wolves becomes adults, begins when the puppies are at about 3 months of age. The change of the puppies’ ability to be able to establish emotional bonds with other individuals, are probably the most important event during this period. This drastically fades in the beginning of the period, and after 3-4 months of age they have very hard to tie new social bond with anyone. If they would be able to bond equally strong after they have left the lair, then should the wolf pack not be able to have the strong bond that it so well needs in order to survive. The wolves mark is just that, it has strong bonds between a few individuals that can work like a mutual, united group. This ends when the sexual matures enters during the second life of year. They are then about 22 months old. The puppies’ teeth exchanges from ”milk teeth’s” to the much more powerful and larger permanent teeth’s at about 4 to 6 months of age. They can then begin to learn its ”real” hunting experiences. They also grows in size and gets its final skill in mobility, social maturity and hunting behavior, and other things that can be of use for a full-grown wolf. They also gets the abilities that is needed in order to kill a larger prey, by learn to do mistakes in and with the hunt with the adult wolves in its own pack. At the sexual maturity a new, often lifelong connection with a partner are created, that opens with a very long period of mutual acceptance and a growing positive relationship – that you would be able to call ”engagement time”. A wolf teaches oneself during its entire life,

Power Animals and Totems~July

and takes to itself the new experiences that it exposes for. It's one of the causes to that it so easy can adjust itself to the different conditions that it experience, and so successfully have been able to adjust itself to so many different life situations and environments.

Meeting with wolves We do have a project here in Sweden, which gives ordinary people a chance to see and meet wolves up close. It is at Kolmårdens Zoo, that one can go and do that. You first have a lesson for about 1 ½ - 2 hours, where you learn how to interact and to read a wolf’s different signs. You also get to know some basics about the wolf, i.e. how they live, the situation in wildlife for it, and other interesting facts. Even though they are used to human, a wild animal are always a wild animal. You are after this lesson, on your way to meet the wolf. It is groups on up to 15 persons at a time, which are allowed in to their cage. Once there you are greeted with much kisses and, notice that they are acting very much as a dog would do. Wants to be patted, stroked and tickled, also there is chance to take pictures together with them. The time spent with the wolves goes too quickly as one is in with them about 1 hour. All in all, it’s about 4 hours you are hearing about, talking about and meeting wolves. This is to demystify the fear for this lovely animal, and also to educate the people about this beautiful creature. I haven’t had the opportunity to do this thing. I do hope though, that I will in the near future be able to

do this together with my hand fasted man. Both he and I am such a big fan of the wolf, and it would be an experience of a lifetime to do this. My sister-in-law has done this, and she says it is a very, very powerful experience indeed to meet with the wolf. To know more about this adventure, there is a website up to read about all this. It’s located here: http://www.kolmarden.com/OmKolmarden/Sprak/English . This is an excerpt from the website in Swedish, translated to English of course, about the Wolf: “Wild Encounters: Gray leg, wolf. A mythical legend that has many names and a close up meeting with the wolf are a mighty experience. So take the chance to meet a wolf! Along with a keeper may you hobnob on near sight with the wolves in their cage. And curious as they are, comes they to greet you and have absolutely nothing towards to become patted. Do it and get a strong memory for life!

Close encounter with the wolf You're with the wolves for an hour and you'll get to learn about the mythical wolf. The keeper is with you all along and tells you all you want to know, while you and the wolves make yourself acquainted with each other. Normally are they shy animals, but that are you not experiencing here. You maybe even receive a curious paw on your shoulders! Max Number of 15 people.

Power Animals and Totems~July

Date & times

Friday 08.30 AM-4 AM and Tuesday 08.30 AM-2.30 PM. Closed between 12 AM-1 PM.â&#x20AC;?

Mixed group: April 5th - April 20th 2008, at 10.15 AM & 1.15 PM, Saturday & Sunday May 5th - September 28th 2008, at 5 PM, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday Private group April 5th - April 20th 2008; at 1.15 PM, Weekdays April 5th - April 20th 2008, at 1.15 PM, Saturday & Sunday May 5th - September 28th 2008, at 5 PM, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday Price 700 Skr/person (incl. vat). Minimum fee: 4 900 Skr.

Power Animal

Others Minimum age 15 year. With reservation for any changes of times and prices.

Posting & Information This is a popular activity. In order to quickly be able to find a date and a time that fits you, we recommend that you call us about booking on phone +46-11-24 90 00. We've open Monday and Wednesday -

The wolves of today have existed for about 30 millions years, and are by that much older than the humans. The families of former times as with the Wolf pack, where very similar to each other. If they consisted of more than 3 individuals, it would never be any children left to its own. Should their parents die, then would any of the other in the family or pack step up and continue where the parents left off with much love. A wolf would never have a favorite child, they have much faith to each other, they mate for life, have clear standards within the family, the family have set rules and are meant to be followed without any discussions. A wolf never extends over its limits of resources, when it comes to their increase of numbers. They have no trouble to live together, but they do have those that rather want to live

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alone. The skills in communication is as equal as with mankind have.

they would make love with each other. As the human would became more civilized, they also would turn more and more away from the wild wolf.

From birth the wolf is always transforming when they meet and experience the world, the wolf embraces the changes, the seasons that are coming and the lessons they can bring one another. The Wolf is helping us to see and honor the feminine side we all have inside us, and as a Water Element the Wolf are closely in touch with the moon energies. The Wolf also helps us accept the darker side of our inner self. To have a Wolf as a companion lets us see the reality also learn to see the truth within all. The Wolf let us know the lessons learned in, that a transformation isn’t just bad. It can be a good one, too. A number of tales are said about the wolf, that used to live in Europe’s forest and now some of us would like to see there again. The wolves have always been following the human kind and walked nearby their resting places, caves, and towns. Over time the wolves turned domestic and live today as the dog, and a man’s best friends, that we have learned to love. We still see our dog’s ancestors, the wolf, as a predator that eats people, at least which is the picture that we are presented with in myths and scary movies. When in fact, that couldn’t be more false, than that they all should be living as solitary beings. In Rome the Ancient Romans had a festival called Luperca or Lupercalia, which was held at February 14th, it was to honor the wolf who fed Remus and Romulus, and which then was the reason why it later was name Rome. This is exactly the same time that wolf female goes in to heat, and why they had the festival at this time of year. Then the people celebrate the time as Christians do at Christmas time, and also to get in synch with its own fertility

Wild actions amongst the hunters shepherds and others that didn’t want to re-plant the wolf in the European forest broke out, even if no attack on a human being has been reported, this is not the case about when people go out to hunt the wolf, though. For the Native Americans a wolf has for a long time been seen as a teacher or one that find the way. A wolf is highly loyal to their chosen ones, and has strong family bonds although they are keeping the personality, too. Within the "great clan of the stars" the wolf is represented by Sirius, according to many legends the planet where all our teachers of ancient times came from. The Ancestors to many aboriginal tribes are believed to live on the star named Sirius, who is the Dog and therefore also the Wolfs star. The Ancient Egyptians believed that the gods, dogs, wolves and horses as well as the human teachers and priests came from Sirius, and the members of the Dogon tribe in Africa still do think so today. The wolves as well as the druids, shamans and forest dwellers that still are connected with their wild side, are feared by the society of today. As a Wolf is a wild animal there are many tales swirling around about them, when they are in general just so misunderstood. The stories telling about them that they should be a blood-thirsty creature. When, in reality, are they really a very socially, friendly and intelligent individual. Even if the family are very organized, are they still free spirits of the nature. Making efforts to not be involved in fights, as it’s nearly not a need. Their mimic is so fine, and a slight change in posture, a growl or an eye, will deliver the message to the other one.

Power Animals and Totems~July

As a tradition does a person with a lot of self knowing, that by using slight changes in their voice and gestures is known as they have something called Wolf Medicine. This includes being able to face the end of one's cycle with dignity and courage, death and rebirth, Spirit teaching, guidance in dreams and meditations, instinct linked with intelligence, social and family values, outwitting enemies, ability to pass unseen, steadfastness, skill in protection of self and family, taking advantage of change. Such a person is giving within its family the support and stability that is needed, and also providing a new solution to problems that it can be faced with.

The visions and illusions you are hanging on to all the time, like your experience or expectations, might make your view on things be unclear and blurred. It is time to let them go, in order to have a clear sight when working together with the wolf. Spend time alone, seek for serenity. Make an appointment with yourself, and let your friends and family let you be by yourself without any disturbance. To be away from home to take your time off, is many times the easiest way to ease off. If you can, then do try to get on walks out in the Nature. You will be able to get in touch with your inner self, and the leader that resides in you. Learn from things that is happening around, that includes even the smallest thing that annoys you, or to seek more answers. All things that you encounter is a lesson learned, so keep focus on your surroundings.

The Wolf has some different kind of abilities and what they help with as a Familiar. Some of the most important ones are loyalty, intuition, community, learning, guardianship, and adaptation. The Wolf belongs to the Water Element. No other wild animal has touched our deepest fears and hopes as deeply as the wolf. The number one power animal of today is of course the wolf, which goes for the shamanic top ten as well. The untamed, wild, free and suppressed, is very modern in our times. Look inside yourself and see what you need to change in your behavior. Do you have resistance against it, as you can choose to just let it sink in. A good mantra to repeat for oneself could be; “I do allow the change to happen, as it is a natural thing to experience in my situation". The urge you feel to teach others what you have learned yourself through life, might be to act as a good leader in something you are really great with. Or the things you have learned, you should pass along to your own children. Whatever way you may want to do it, your Wolf inside of you will help you on the way.

If you use your heart when talking to others, the wolf inside of you will be at peace. If you use your brain when talking to others, the wolf inside of you will be tighten up his act. A wolf can see through your inner self, and notice when you are lying. Use your gentleness and utmost respect, when speaking with the wolf. There are always legends about the wolf, which is a wild and untamed animal. That is to all cultures that know about this wonderful animal. The shape shifting of a man into a wolf or a wolf into a man, is called Lycanthropia, is surrounded with many tales and legends. There are scientific explanations that try to say it should be an allergic reaction to plants that is called “wolves’ milk” for some people, or that one of the wolf when raising enough energy within the pack shifts to a man. Some of the goddesses could turn into wolves including; the Morrigan of the Celts, Myatawin of the

Power Animals and Totems~July

of the Sioux Nation and Skadi of the Vikings. A dance for the wolves connecting all that is living, the thread spinning of life in the web; leaving prints of the places in-between, dream and magic coming back to our world The wolves also known as La Loba, el Lobo, that resides in our souls are waiting for your call. Don’t be afraid to call upon it, it might be waiting for you. Even if you’re scare, join us anyway.

that, I have noticed that she has been there. She chose me because of that I, as she tells me, was there when she was looking for a human to belong to. Yes, it was her that picked me, not I that choose her. She must have foreseen that I should be needing her strength, when I was growing up and also the rest of my life. Because she has told me, that she wants to belong to me forever. Talk about having life-long companionship, with a familiar.

What is significant for a Wolf Woman A wolf woman is without fear, is strong, have knowledge in the power she has, but use it wisely. She protect her family with fierce, is the learning one, is honoring her heart and land, she nourishes her family, is also a Medicine Woman, still he honors every ones own personality. She has never ending curiosity for new starts and beginnings which sparks in her eyes, look at world and thinks it’s beautiful and very special. When she is totally in synch with herself, she has a glow of radiating passion. Always knows to do in any situation, and go ahead and do it. Her freedom and easiness in her life, which make anyone inspired. She is loyal, have perseverance and success.

My familiar Shira I have been blessed to get a lovely grey and white colored Wolf, which says her name is Shira. She is my power animal and I feel her presence around me in big and small things I do. She truly helps and supports me, and she tells me that she has been around me all my life. It’s just the past 5 year or so

I have once asked her, if she has been around me before. She does tell me, that she had waited for me to be born in to this life. She has never in my past-life had me as her companion, so she is new for me through all my different lives that I have had. She has the most wonderful amber-colored eyes, and they send me so much love and trust that I sometimes feel over-whelmed over it all. I am happy and grateful over the trust I have been granted, and I will forever be humble for the task I have been given to walk along her side in my life and the life’s after that. Bibliography Varg (Wolf) by Hans-Ove Larsson, Stockholm 1988 WolfCiaras own experiences together with my Wolfcompanion Shira, Sweden 2008 http://www.religions-and-spiritualitiesguide.com/totem-wolves.html http://www.spiritproject.com/oracle/magic/animal s/wolf.htm http://www.religions-and-spiritualitiesguide.com/totem-wolves.html http://members.tripod.com/ldyamalthaea/ANIMAL _TOTEMS.htm http://www.wildcondor.com/wolf.html http://skandulv.nina.no/ http://www.kolmarden.com/OmKolmarden/Sprak/English/

The Witchcraft Delusion in Colonial Connecticut

By: John M. Taylor Submitted by: Windy Lajoie

"And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits and after wizards ... I will even set my face against that soul and will cut him off from among his people." Deuteronomy xviii, 10-11.

CHAPTER III "A belief in witchcraft had always existed; it was entertained by Coke, Bacon, Hale and even Blackstone. It was a misdemeanor at English common law and made a felony without benefit of clergy by 33 Henry VIII, c. 8, and 5 Eliz., c. 16, and the more severe statute of I Jas. 1, ch. 12." _Connecticut--Origin of her Courts and Laws_ (N.E. States, Vol I, p. 487-488), HAMERSLEY. "Selden took up a somewhat peculiar and characteristic position. He maintained that the law condemning women to death for witchcraft was perfectly just, but that it was quite unnecessary to ascertain whether witchcraft was a possibility. A woman might not be able to destroy the life of her neighbor by her incantations; but if she intended to do so, it was right that she should be hung."

_Rationalism in Europe_ (Vol. 1,p. 123) LECKY. The fundamental authority for legislation, for the decrees of courts and councils as to witchcraft, from the days of the Witch of Endor to those of Mercy Disborough of Fairfield, and Giles Corey of Salem Farms, was the code of the Hebrews and its recognition in the Gospel dispensations. There on rest most of the historic precedents, legislative, ecclesiastical, and judicial.

"There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer." Deuteronomy xviii, 10-11. "Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards out of the land." Samuel i, 3. "Now Saul the king of the Hebrews, had cast out of the country the fortune tellers, and the necromancers, and all such as exercised the like arts, excepting the prophets.... Yet did he bid his servants to inquire out for him some woman that was a necromancer, and called up the souls of the dead, that so he might know whether his affairs would succeed to his mind; for this sort of necromantic women that bring up the souls of the dead, do by them foretell future events." Josephus, Book 6, ch. 14. "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft." Samuel i, 15-23. "And I will cut off witchcraft out of the land." Micah v. 12.

"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." Exodus xxii, 18.

"Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together and burned them." Acts xix, 19.

What law embalmed in ancientry and honored as of divine origin has been more fruitful of sacrifice and suffering? Through the Scriptures, gathering potency as it goes, runs the same grim decree, with widening definitions.

"But there was a certain man called Simon which beforetime in the same city used sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria." Acts viii, 9.

"If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them and

The Witchcraft Delusion in Colonial Connecticut

cast them into the fire, and they are burned."[C] John xv, 6.

In few words Henry Charles Lea, in his _History of the Inquisition in the Middle Ages_, analyzes the development of the Satanic doctrine from a superstition into its acceptance as a dogma of Christian belief.

[Footnote C: In the opinion of the eminent Italian jurist Bartolo, witches were burned alive in early times on this authority.] These citations make clear the scriptural recognition of witchcraft as a heinous sin and crime. It is, however, necessary to draw a broad line of demarcation between the ancient forms and manifestations which have been brought into view for an illustrative purpose, and that delusion or mania which centered in the theologic belief and teaching that Satan was the arch enemy of mankind, and clothed with such power over the souls of men as to make compacts with them, and to hold supremacy over them in the warfare between good and evil. The church from its earliest history looked upon witchcraft as a deadly sin, and disbelief in it as a heresy, and set its machinery in motion for its extirpation. Its authority was the word of God and the civil law, and it claimed jurisdiction through the ecclesiastical courts, the secular courts, however, acting as the executive of their decrees and sentences. Such was the cardinal principle which governed in the merciless attempts to suppress the epidemic in spreading from the continent to England and Scotland, and at last to the Puritan colonies in America, where the last chapter of its history was written. There can be no better, no more comprehensive modern definition of the crime once a heresy, or of the popular conception of it, than the one set forth in the New England indictments, to wit: "interteining familiarity with Satan the enemy of mankind, and by his help doing works above the course of nature."

"As Satan's principal object in his warfare with God was to seduce human souls from their divine allegiance, he was ever ready with whatever temptation seemed most likely to effect his purpose. Some were to be won by physical indulgence; others by conferring on them powers enabling them apparently to forecast the future, to discover hidden things, to gratify enmity, and to acquire wealth, whether through forbidden arts or by the services of a familiar demon subject to their orders. As the neophyte in receiving baptism renounced the devil, his pomps and his angels, it was necessary for the Christian who desired the aid of Satan to renounce God. Moreover, as Satan when he tempted Christ offered him the kingdoms of the earth in return for adoration--'If thou therefore wilt worship me all shall be thine' (Luke iv, 7)--there naturally arose the idea that to obtain this aid it was necessary to render allegiance to the prince of hell. Thence came the idea, so fruitful in the development of sorcery, of compacts with Satan by which sorcerers became his slaves, binding themselves to do all the evil they could to follow their example. Thus the sorcerer or witch was an enemy of all the human race as well as of God, the most efficient agent of hell in its sempiternal conflict with heaven. His destruction, by any method, was therefore the plainest duty of man. "This was the perfected theory of sorcery and witchcraft by which the gentle superstitions inherited and adopted from all sides were fitted into the Christian dispensation and formed part of its accepted creed." (_History of Inquisition in the Middle Ages_, 3, 385, LEA.)

The Witchcraft Delusion in Colonial Connecticut

Once the widespread superstition became adapted to the forms of religious faith and discipline, and "the prince of the power of the air" was clothed with new energies, the Devil was taken broader account of by Christianity itself; the sorcery of the ancients was embodied in the Christian conception of witchcraft; and the church undertook to deal with it as a heresy; the door was opened wide to the sweep of the epidemic in some of the continental lands.

The act of 1541 was amended in Queen Elizabeth's reign, in 1562, but at the accession of James I-himself a fanatic and bigot in religious matters, and the author of the famous _Daemonologie_--a new law was enacted with exact definition of the crime, which remained in force more than a hundred years. Its chief provision was this:

In Bamburg and Wurzburg, Geneva and Como, Toulouse and Lorraine, and in many other places in Italy, Germany, and France, thousands were sacrificed in the names of religion, justice, and law, with bigotry for their advocate, ignorance for their judge, and fanaticism for their executioner. The storm of demonism raged through three centuries, and was stayed only by the mighty barriers of protest, of inquiry, of remonstrance, and the forces that crystallize and mold public opinion, which guides the destinies of men in their march to a higher civilization. The flames burning so long and so fiercely on the continent at first spread slowly in England and Scotland. Sorcery in some of its guises had obtained therein ever since the Conquest, and victims had been burned under the king's writ after sentence in the ecclesiastical courts; but witchcraft as a compact with Satan was not made a felony until 1541, by a statute of Henry VIII. Cranmer, in his _Articles of Visitation_ in 1549, enjoined the clergy to inquire as to any craft invented by the Devil; and Bishop Jewell, preaching before the queen in 1558, said: "It may please your Grace to understand that witches and sorcerers within these last few years are marvelously increased within your Grace's realm, Your Grace's subjects pine away even unto the death, their colour fadeth, their flesh rotteth, their speech is benumbed, their senses are bereft."

"If any person or persons use, practice or exercise any invocation or conjuration of any evil and wicked spirit, or shall consult, covenant with, entertain, employ, feed or reward any evil and wicked spirit to or for any intent or purpose, or take up any dead man, woman, or child out of his, her or their grave, or any other place where the dead body resteth or the skin, bone, or any part of any dead person, to be employed or used in any manner of witchcraft, sorcery, charm, or enchantment, or shall use, practise, or exercise any witchcraft, enchantment, charm, or sorcery, whereby any person shall be killed, destroyed, wasted, consumed, pined or lamed in his or her body or any part thereof: every such offender is a felon without benefit of clergy." Under this law, and the methods of its administration, witchcraft so called increased; persecutions multiplied, especially under the Commonwealth, and notably in the eastern counties of England, whence so many of all estates, all sorts and conditions of men, had fled over seas to set up the standard of independence in the Puritan colonies. Many executions occurred in Lancashire, in Suffolk, Essex, and Huntingdonshire, where the infamous scoundrel "Witch-finder-General" Matthew Hopkins, under the sanction of the courts, was "pricking," "waking," "watching," and "testing" persons suspected or accused of witchcraft, with fiendish ingenuity of indignity and torture. Says James Howell in his _Familiar Letters_, in 1646: "We have multitudes of witches among us; for in

The Witchcraft Delusion in Colonial Connecticut

Essex and Suffolk there were above two hundred indicted within these two years, and above the half of them executed." "Within the compass of two years (1645-7), near upon three hundred witches were arraigned, and the major part of them executed in Essex and Suffolk only. Scotland swarms with them more and more, and persons of good quality are executed daily." Scotland set its seal on witchcraft as a crime by an act of its parliament so early as 1563, amended in 1649. The ministers were the inquisitors and persecutors. They heard the confessions, and inflicted the tortures, and their cruelties were commensurate with the hard and fast theology that froze the blood of mercy in their veins. The trials were often held by special commissions issued by the privy council, on the petition of a presbytery or general assembly. It was here that those terrible instruments of torture, the caschielawis, the lang irnis, the boot and the pilliewinkis, were used to wring confessions from the wretched victims. It is all a strange and gruesome story of horrors told in detail in the state trial records, and elsewhere, from the execution of Janet Douglas--Lady Glammis--to that of the poor old woman at Dornoch who warmed herself at the fire set for her burning. So firmly seated in the Scotch mind was the belief in witchcraft as a sin and crime, that when the laws against it were repealed in 1736, Scotchmen in the highest stations of church and state remonstrated against the repeal as contrary to the law of God; and William Forbes, in his "Institutes of the Law of Scotland," calls witchcraft "that black art whereby strange and wonderful things are wrought by a power derived from the devil."

throws on the beliefs and convictions of both Pilgrim and Puritan--Englishmen all--in their new domain, their implicit reliance on established precedents, their credulity in witchcraft matters, and their absolute trust in scriptural and secular authority for their judicial procedure, and the execution of the grim sentences of the courts, until the revolting work of the accuser and the searcher, and the delusion of the ministers and magistrates aflame with mistaken zeal vanished in the sober afterthought, the reaction of the public mind and conscience, which at last crushed the machinations of the Devil and his votaries in high places. The saga continues in the August Issue chapter VI.

Witchy Humor Articles by: Willow/willowforbes@yahoo.ca Greetings! I’ve been told a few Wiccan jokes and thought I would share them with you! If a witch practices on the beach is he/she a sandwitch? What’s Wiccan, fly’s around and makes honey? A blessed bee Why did the blonde witch have a remote control? She wanted to channel How can you tell when a blonde witch closed the circle? There is white out on the floor! Yep! I sure am silly! Willow

This glance at what transpired on the continent and in England and Scotland is of value, in the light it

The Magic in Birthstones

July

It can overcome exhaustion and calm hyperactivity. It said also have been used to detoxify the body and blood, and treat fevers, diseases, and restrict blood flow. Emotionally, it is said that the Ruby can improve motivation and the setting of goals. It also promotes positive dreams and clear visualizations and aids in retaining wealth and passion.

By: Rev. John Snodgrass, HP

Ruby

Other Stones for July: Traditional Birthstone: Ruby Mystical Birthstone:

Ruby

Ayurvedic Birthstone: Ruby Others:

Carnelian A listing of Star Stones of the Month:

Chakra: the 1st and 4th Chakras, the Root and Heart Chakras

Cancer (June 21 to July 22)

Basic Color: a vivid, almost pure spectral red

Birthstones:

Folklore and Magickal Uses:

Ruby, Pearl, Emerald, Moonstone

Planetary Stone: Moonstone

The Ruby is associated with the sun, and is thought to preserve mental and physical health. In the middle ages, rubies were viewed as a stone of prophecy, it was thought the stone darkened when danger was near. The Ruby is considered the stone of love, energy, passion, power, and a zest for life. The Ruby is also said to have the power to restore vital life forces and increase energy and vigor. Legends about the Ruby, calling it the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stone of Courageâ&#x20AC;?, tell us that a person possessing even a small one can walk through life without fear of evil or misfortune. Physically, the Ruby is thought to energize and balance, stimulate heart chakra and encourage a passion for life, but never in a self destructive way.

Lucky Charms:

Emerald, Agate, Chalcedony

Talismanic Birthstone: Sapphire Leo (July 23 to August 22) Birthstones:

Tourmaline, Sardonyx, Onyx

Planetary Stone: Rock Crystal Lucky Charms: Peridot, Onyx, Amber Talismanic Birthstone: Diamond Bibliography: Glass-Koentop, Pattalee. The Magic in Stones, St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publishers, 1989.

Spell of the Month

Spell of the Month together with a ¼-inch seam along three sides to form a sack. Turn the sack inside out, stuff with fiberfill, and set aside.

July Brought to you by: Rev. Boudicca

Mix your choice of herbs together, chanting something like:

The “Dream Pillow” Spell From: Everyday Moon Magic by Dorothy Morrison The Full Moon of July focuses on divination, balance between the physical and spiritual self, and prophetic dreaming and path working. The Full Moon occurs on Friday, July 18th . You should perform this spell the night before on the waxing aspect of the Moon going into Full. This will bring growing energy into your Dream Pillow you will make. The Dream Pillow will assist you in prophetic dreaming. You should have a notebook, or journal by your bedside to note any dreams you have during the night. Journal them right away and then review them in a day or two, as this sometimes helps in the interpretation. What you will need for this Spell is: • • •

• •

Herbs now mix and bring me visions From afar with these provisions: That I see just what I should That everything is understood And that memory serves me well So when I wake, the memories gel Do now what I ask of thee As I will, so mote it be. Place the herbs in the sack, then finish stuffing the pillow with fiberfill. Thurn the edges toward the inside and stitch the pillow closed. Light the candle and place the pillow in front it. Visualize prophetic dreams filtering through while you sleep, then charge the pillow by saying something like: O dreaming tool, I conjure you To do the job I ask of you Issue visions unto me As I will, so mote it be!

2 4-inch squares of fabric in your choice of color and pattern small amount of fiberfill ½ teaspoon each of four or more of the following: anise, chamomile, mugwort, rosemary, cloves, mint, lavender, poppy seed, or rose petals 1 blue candle an holder, matches needle and thread

After the candle burns out, slip tje pillow inside the pillowcase with your bed pillow and sleep on it nightly. If you try this spell, I would love to hear from you as to how it worked for you. Was it effective? Was it too complicated? How practical was the spell? Were you able to get all the supplies you needed? Is there any other information you would have liked to have had to help you with the spell? If you have any questions or you would like more information, you may contact me at revboudicca@yahoo.com

Begin by assembling all the items listed above. You may cast your circle as you would normally do. You may also call in the Quarter Guardians and your choice of Deity if you wish. But, these are not necessary for this spell. With the right sides facing, sew the pieces of fabric

The Herb of the Month

By: Rev. John Snodgrass, HP

rounder just before flowering. The long, linear leaves are narrow and the blue flowers, in whorls, grow in long spikes, with six to fifteen flowers at the tip of each stalk. There are three varieties, known respectively by their blue, red and white flowers, which are in bloom from June to October.

July 2008 Hyssop

Active Constituents - As with many other plants of the mint family, hyssop contains many bitter and antioxidant tannins, much like those found in sage and rosemary. Culinary Uses - Hyssop be used to liven up the flavor of dishes potato or bean soup, and it goes well beef and chicken, as an alternative to sage, which hyssop resembles in its slight bitterness. Aromatic Uses – A mixture of Hyssop, Horehound, and Mint simmered can be simmered in a potpourri pot for head colds and sinus problems (one of my favorites…) Medicinal Uses – A Hyssop Tea, brewed with the green tops of the herb, may be used for healing an upset stomach, these can also be boiled to make a soup for some minor relief for asthma sufferers.

Artwork by: Rev. Thora, 2003.

An infusion of the leaves may be used externally for the relief of deep muscular pain and also for the healing of bruises and minor contusions, while the green herb, crushed and applied with a small amount of sugar will speed the healing of minor cuts.

Botanical Name - Hyssopus officinalis Common Name - Hyssop Folk Names – Hyssop Herb, Isopo, Ysopo, Yssop Planetary Ruler – Jupiter Astrological Sign - Cancer Elemental Ruler - Fire Gender – Male Magical Uses - Purification, Protection Parts Used – All aerial parts of the plant (the stems, the leaves, and the flowers) are combined for use. Habitat – Of Mediterranean origin, well suited for gardens and loves plenty of sunshine - not shade.

Personal Perception - Not only do I use Hyssop in Temple incense blends, but would never survive the cold and flu seasons in North America without using it to open my sinuses…especially in the early Spring. Bibliography Culpeper, Nicholas. Culpeper's Complete Herbal. London: Foulsham & Company Ltd., 1987.

Description - Hyssop is an evergreen, bushy herb, growing about 1 to 2 foot in height. It has a square stalks with many stems, these stems become

Cunningham, Scott. Cunningham’s ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MAGICAL HERBS. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn, 1988.

Tarot Reading For July

By Thora This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cards feature the Fantasy Showcase Tarot By Bruce Pelz. This deck features works by 85 science fiction and fantasy artists, and including work by Wendy Pini and the magnificent Kelly Freas. This really is an incredible deck. What can you say about a deck that has Jimmy Hendrix as the Page of Swords? Week one: 8 of Wands - reversed

well as in relationships. Sparks will be flying this week, and not all from fireworks either. And the ramifications of this card extend throughout the month. This card, being ruled by Mercuryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s whim has shut down the panicky overloaded emotional energy usually seen in the upright position and has put on the brakes to everything. This card advises us to slow down this week, take an inventory of your personal needs and desires, communicate thoughtfully and carefully otherwise problems and tensions could break out into an all out free for all.

Week two: Page of Swords Week three: King of Wands Week four: 8 of Cups - reversed Week five: 4 of Cups - reversed

The Page of Swords Week Two: Page of Swords The page is traditionally a card of justice and coupled with the Justice card in the major arcana can depict swift and decisive justice. However, in this reading this is not the case. There could be injustice, or a perceived injustice done to the querant, depending on his or her perception.

The 8 of Wands not reversed so you can view it better We find the first week of July coming in with the eight of wands reversed. The eight of wands depicts problems in communications, both in business as

The Page of Swords also cuts through deluded and cloudy thoughts, as well as performs arbitration between warring parties. The Page offers clarity and peace to any volatile situation. Just as the eight of

Tarot Reading For July

wands reversed advised us to remain calm during conflicts, the Page is also an extension of that advice. The old adage, some things are better left unsaid is good advice.

The 8 of Cups not reversed so you can view it betterâ&#x20AC;Ś

The King of Wands Week Three: King of Wands: The king is very talented, creative and expressive, and advises us to put our creative energies to good use. But he also can be very arrogant and vain. Prone to bad temper, the king warns us to keep our cool this hot July and to not let our tempers get the best of us. Further, during the climate for this month it is best not to gamble or take excessive risks, since all of the avenues for risk taking are cut off.

Week Four: 8 of Cups reversed. The eight usually means leaving something behind in search for something even better. Not so this week. The eight of cups asks us to keep our places be still and be patient. If you are feeling restless and unsure of certain situations in your life, it is best to postpone making any big decisions until later on. Now is a good time to do some stockpiling of basic items.

The 4 of Cups not reversed so you can view it betterâ&#x20AC;Ś

Tarot Reading For July

The Norse Deities

Week five Four of Cups, Reversed. This card offers this week good and bad instances. You may find our psychic awareness peeking this month. You may also find you have discovered new and interesting solutions to problems. Something turns just right in you mind and you have an “ah hah” experience. You may find yourself yearning to break away from apathy and discontent and do something reckless. It’s best not to follow those impulses. Although the troubles found in the former weeks are clearing away, now is not the time for reckless abandon. Continue taking inventory of your life, your relationship and your needs and act prudently and accordingly.

settled, and His verdicts thus given out, are said to be once and for all time adjudicated. Fulla, The Just Fulla is the sister of Freya and one of the handmaidens to Frigga. She is most often spoken of and described as being a Goddess with long hair and always wearing a gold headdress. It is she who carries the Coffer of Life and Death for her mistress. Although viewed in many myths and legends as a virgin, she is said to represent many aspects of earthly sexuality and true love, and thus a symbol of Eternal Compassion. Fulla is also called by the name Abundia, or Abundantia, as she was considered to be the symbol of the “Fullness of the Earth.”

The Norse Deities Forseti and Fulla, Justice and the Just By: Rev. John Snodgrass, HP

It is of great interest that Nanna remembered her and even sent to her a golden finger ring from Hel, no doubt a repayment for some act of kindness for past deed or deeds done before Balder and Nanna’s untimely deaths.

Forseti, the God of Justice

Bibliography

In Norse mythology, Forseti, the son of Balder and Nanna, is known as the Axe-God of Eternal Justice, the Savior of the Devout, the Judge of Just Lawsuits. As the representative of Eternal Justice, the Author of Divine and Human Laws, the Final Arbitrator, and His legal pronouncements are thus the foundation of all laws. Forseti passes his judgments daily from his beautiful mead hall Glitnir, spoken of as having a roof of silver supported by pillars of fine red gold. Glitnir thus serves as the final Court of Justice, a Court of Last Resort, for Gods and Mankind alike. All legal disputes brought before him, to be weighed, judged, and

Conway, D. J. The Ancient and Shinning Ones. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn, 1994. Crossley-Holland, Kevin. The Norse Myths. New York, New York: Pantheon Books,1980. Davidson, H. R. Ellis. Gods and Myths of Northern Europe. New York, New York: Viking Penguin Inc., 1986.

Mythology The Creation Myths

By: Boudicca Moonseer Welcome to the first article in our new series about Mythology. We will be bringing you Myths from around the world and will begin with (as did the world), the Creation Myths. Creation Myths are the first legends of how the world began, as seen by varying cultures. The selection of these myths is not meant to tell you how you should see the beginning of the world, but to see how others have, and do, see their world as having begun. I have found these wonderful tales in the book, Parallel Myths, by J. F. Bierlin (ISBN 0-345-37146-7). Myths come in many forms and cover all aspects of early man’s development. There are myths that talk about Creation, there are myths that speak about the fall of man, or the great floods that nearly destroyed the world. There are myths of love between gods and between gods and man. Some myths talk of morality or heroes. And some myths direct our thoughts to the afterlife and the underworld. Here are some of the Native American Creation Myths. Sioux Before the creation of man, the Great Spirit (whose tracks are yet to be seen on the stones, at the Red Pipe, in the form of a large bird) used to slay buffaloes and eat them on the ledge of the Red Rocks, on top of the Coteau des Prairies, and their blood running onto the rocks, turned them red. One day when a large snake had crawled into the nest of the bird to eat his eggs, one of the eggs hatched out in a clap of thunder, and the Great Spirit, catching hold of a piece of the pipestone to throw at the snake, moulded [sic] into a man. This man’s feet

grew fast in the ground where he stood for many ages, like a great tree, and therefore he grew very old; he was older than a hundred men at the present day; and at last another tree grew up by the side of him, when a large snake ate then both off at the roots, and they wandered off together; from these have sprung all the people that now inhabit the earth. Arikara The Great Sky Spirit, Nesaru, sometimes called the Great Mystery, was the master of all creation. Below the sky was an endless body of water where two ducks eternally swam. Nesaru made two brothers, Wolf-man and Lucky-man, who commanded the ducks to swim to the bottom of the great water and bring up some earth. With this earth, Wolf-man made the Great Plains and Lucky-man made the hills and mountains. The two brothers went down beneath the earth and found two spiders. They explained to the spiders how to reproduce. The two spiders produced many kinds of animals and plants, including human beings. However, they also produced a race of evil giants. These giants were so evil that Nesaru eventually had to destroy them with a great flood. However, Nesaru loved human beings and saved them from destruction. Iroquois The first human beings lived up beyond the sky as there was no earth beneath. One day, a great chief’s daughter became ill and no cure could be found. A wise old man recommended that they dig up the roots of a certain tree in order to cure her.

Mythology The Creation Myths

The people all worked together and dug as great hole around the base of the tree. In time, however, both the chiefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daughter and the tree fell through the hole into the world below.

the union of land and sea, as well as having origins in the sky above.

Below there was only a vast sea where two swans continuously swam. When the tree and the girl fell into the water, there was a clap of thunder. The swans heard this and came to see what had happened. They saw that the girl had fallen from the sky and went to save her. As this was all very strange to the swans, they went to the Great Turtle, wisest of all creatures, or advice. The Great Turtle told them that the tree and the girl were a good omen. He then commanded all the creatures to find the tree and bring up the magic soil that was attached to its roots. The swans were assigned to take this magic earth and build an island for the girl to live on. All of the animals were involved in the search or the tree, but only an old toad was successful in bringing up any of the soil. She swam to the bottom, returned to spit out a mouthful of the dirt, and then died. The mouthful of earth then turned into a vast land mass. But the earth was still dark at this time. The girl told the Great Turtle that there was light in the world above. So the Great Turtle instructed the burrowing animals to boar holes in the sky for light to shine through. The girl is the mother of all living things. There are a number of theories of how she conceived the first humans on earth. One is that she was impregnated when she fell into the sea. Another is that the action of the magic earth with the sea caused her to conceive. In any case, the human race is the result of

Zuni In the beginning, there was only moisture, which became clouds. The Great Father Sun, the Creator Awonawilona, thickened the clouds into water that then formed a great sea. With his own flesh Awonawilona fertilized the sea and green algae grew over it. The green algae produced the earth and sky. The marriage of earth and sky and the action of the sun on the green algae produced all living things. From the lowest of the four caves of the earth the seeds o men and animals were incubated as eggs. The Creator provided enough warmth that the eggs were hatched and all living creatures were produced. The Playanos (Southern California) An invisible, all-powerful being named Nocuma made the world. He rolled it into a ball with his hands. But it did not sit in its appointed place so he inserted a great black rock called Tosaut as ballast. In the beginning the sea was a series of small streams chocked with fish. It was so crowded that some of the fish tried to colonize the land, but they failed and died in the hot sun. Then some of the larger fish attacked Tosaut, releasing salt and more water; thus was the ocean produced. With the sea and land completed, Nocuma took some soil and seawater and made a man, calling him Ejoni. Then he made a woman whom he called Ae. They were the parents of all human beings.

Celtic Goddess of the Month

Submitted by: Morgan This month we will look at the Irish goddess Macha, pronounced MAH-<ch>ah with the "ch" like in the Scottish word loch or the German ich. Macha is one of the Tuatha De Danaan who appears in at least three different places in Irish mythology. She is a daughter of Ernmas, sister to Badbh and Nemain and some people consider these three sisters to make up the triple Morrighan. In the first story she appears as the wife of Nemed, of the third race to settle Ireland, and in this tale she "dies" clearing the plains of Ireland for farming <or alternately her husband cleared the land and she died there so he named it for her, but I like the other version better>, linking her to the earth and it's produce. It is also possible that her name "Macha" may mean plain or field. Next she appears as a fairy woman who marries a peasant Crunnchu, and becomes pregnant with twins. He goes to a festival held by the king who is bragging of the speed of his horses. Crunnchu, despite being warned by Macha not to speak of her to anyone else, brags that his wife could outrace any horse, and the furious king demands that Crunnchu bring her immediately to race or forfeit his life. Macha begs for a delay as she is in labor, but is denied and forced to race anyway. She wins, collapsing and birthing her twins just past the finish line and curses the men of Ulster with nine days of labor pain in their greatest hour of need for "nine times nine" generations before "dying". To this day the spot carries her name Emain Macha, where for a long time festivals and assemblies were held, especially at Lunasa. It is from this story that her associations with horses, childbirth, pregnancy, justice and <again> the produce of the earth - by marrying a peasant - are seen.

steps up to rule but is challenged by the other two kings who do not want to co-rule with a woman. She battles them and wins, and when her seven years are up she refuses to turn leadership over to the others since she is Queen not by blood but through victory in battle. One of the two kings dies, leaving five sons who would challenge her, so she goes to them in the appearance of a crone or leper and seduces them one by one, tying them up afterwards and thereby defeating them and enslaving them. Finally she marries the last of the original three kings, Cimbaeth. The severed heads of enemy warriors were called "Macha's acorn crop" another sign that she was a warrior goddess. My own feeling on it is that in each story when she "dies" she is actually just returning to the Otherworld from whence she came, having accomplished what she intended in our world. I have found her to be fiercely loving and protective of those she calls her own, with a strong "mother" energy to her, but she can be very no-nonsense and unbending as well. She always appears to me as a red haired warrior woman wearing a cloak of black feathers and riding or walking next to a black or white horse <sometimes both>. To me she is a goddess of the sovereignty of the land, a protector of the weak, and goddess of women and women's issues, especially pregnancy and childbirth - which is definitely a form of battle. References: Celtic Gods and Heroes by Marie-Louise Sjoestedt and http://www.sacredtexts.com/neu/celt/index.htm#ireland as well as my own head <g>

Faery of the Month : Mermaids By Morgan / Nightwind

In the third story we see her connection to sexuality, sovereignty, and battle. She is Macha Mog Ruadh, Red Macha, daughter of one of three kings who share the rulership of Ireland, each ruling for seven years in turn. When her father dies, Macha

Faery of the Month

This month we are going to look at one of the best known of all faeries, the mermaid. The word Mermaid is from the Middle English “mere” meaning sea, and "maid" short for maiden. The male mermaids are called either Mermen or Merrows. In Irish they are called Muruch, or Muir-ghealt , Scottish Murrough, to the Taino they are the Aycayia, Jengu in Cameroon, Rusalkas in Russia and Oceanids, Nereids or Naiads in Greek. Mermaids are seen both in the Mediterranean and Irish mythology, but from there seem to have spread worldwide, with almost every culture claiming mermaid sightings. The oldest known mermaid legend is found in Assyria in 1000 BC. Mermaids are at home in the seas and oceans, and as such are associated with salt water. However, much like the Selkies, Mermaids are known to come out of the water, in this case to sun themselves on rocks. They are said to live on the sea bottom, sometimes in the wreckage of sunken ships. Mermaids appear as beautiful human women above the waist with the tails of fish below the waist. They are usually described as incredibly beautiful, with long flowing hair and pale glowing skin. The scales of their tails are said to glitter in the sunlight. To see them is to be mesmerized by their appearance and there are stories of ships driven onto the rocks by sailors trying in vain to get to a mermaid they have seen. Mermen on the other hand often appear very fearsome or ugly. In the oldest Assyrian story the first mermaid is the goddess Atargatis who accidentally kills her mortal lover and flees into the water. She tries to turn herself into a fish but is only partially successful, as her divine beauty shines through giving her the typical half fish, half woman appearance. In at least one Babylonian temple a goddess named Derketo was worshiped who appeared as a mermaid, and was so beloved that it was said the people of that city would not eat her sacred animal the fish. In one Greek myth we see the mermaid as a figure who challenges passing ships with a question - to answer correctly is to be allowed to pass safely, but

to give the wrong answer earns destruction. It was common in Greek mythology for mermaids - also called sirens - to lure sailors to their deaths by singing. This song may have been a magic chant which either lulled the sailors into a hypnotic state, or else drove them into a frenzy. The only way to be saved was to block out the song by covering or plugging the ears, otherwise they faced certain doom. In British and Irish myth mermaids were not necessarily so sinister. Although they would appear to doomed sailors to predict a sinking ship, and were also reputed to raise storms, they could also be associated with healing. In some cases they could be consulted, or else would volunteer to give the cure of an illness which otherwise could not be healed.. In Finnish myth Mermaids are said to grant wishes. In a particularly grim Japanese legend it is said that immortality can be gained by eating the flesh of a mermaid. Most myths agree that Mermaids are very vain, but also innocents. Their temperament is much like that of children who are prone to temper tantrums. This extreme volatility is a common trait among water faeries, especially those associated with salt water. There are many tales of mermaids who fall in love with human men which often proves fatal to one or the other, as mermaids can not survive long on land, and they tend to forget that humans can't breathe water. Mermen are rarely seen and seem to have little interest in humans, although the Irish Merrows are known to be very helpful to sailors if the sailor helps them by either freeing a Mermaid or saving the Merrow himself. We have already looked at dividing faeries by “good” and “bad” courts and by element. Some other traditional ways to categorize faeries include dividing them by solitary - those who live alone - and trooping - those who live in groups. In Wales they are often divided up by habitat, giving us groups like lake and mountain faeries, mine and hill faeries. I personally

Faery of the Month

Magical Oils

prefer this method as it is probably the most clear way to sort them out. Next month we will take a look at two types of water horse, the Phooka and the Aghisky.

Magical Oils

Charge in a clear container or vial in the light of the full moon. Use to anoint candles or yourself for full moon rituals or just when you feel like you need the moons energy.

Spirit Guides Part One: A Short Introduction

Submitted by: Windy Lajoie

Oils, Ointments

By: Rev. John Snodgrass, HP

EXCALIBUR OIL

By way of beginning this series of articles let me first say that the term Spirit Guide is generally used to refer to group of spiritual entities who’s task it is to watch over, encourage and teach, even heal, and in general just help you, as an individual, on your daily physical journey towards spiritual awareness and spiritual growth.

1/4 ounce almond oil 15 drops lemon oil 5 drops rose geranium oil 9 drops orange oil 1 drop cinnamon oil 4 drops thyme oil 14 drops lavender oil 2 drops ginger oil flower thymegem clear quartz

Basic communication with these Spirit Guides is generally be accomplished by means of clairvoyance and or clairaudience, by means of archetypes, and even visual imagery. They may even be communicated with during times of regular meditation, from within dreams, or by the simple means of just learning how to focus, look, and listen for messages sent out for your reception. Some people call this last method of Spirit Guide communication - channeling. While seemingly hard at first, communication with ones Spirit Guides will become easier and the messages clearer the more one practices the concepts of Spirit Guide communication, this will be the heart of the following articles over the next few months.

HOW TO MAKE STAR OIL 1/4 ounce almond oil 10 drops lemon oil 7 drops jasmine oil 7 drops rosemary oil 17 drops chamomile oil 5 drops sandalwood oil FULL MOON OIL 13 drops of sandalwood essential oil 9 drops of vanilla essential oil or extract 3 drops of jasmine essential oil 1 drop of rose essential oil

The strongest communicational connections are with the aspect of your being referred to as your“Higher Self”, or that aspect of the individual soul, above and beyond the physical body. The Higher Self

Mix prior to a full moon.

Spirit Guides

is the area of the being that has been programmed from birth to seek total reunion with the Divine Creatrix – that is, to feel complete and ultimate oneness with the Divine that resides within all of us. Spirit Guides are called by many names: Spirit Guides, Guides, Helpers or Spirit Helpers, Angels and Guardian Angels. Spirit Guides should not be confused with Animal Guides or Power Animals – Totems, as these are quiet different both in nature and functional operation. The number of Spirit Guides an individual has to work with may vary at any given time due to a person's needs and experiences. A single person may have anywhere from 2 to 10 Spirit Guides that function daily on your behalf, but there will always be one Master Spirit Guide to oversee the functioning of the others and do the bulk of the communicating back and forth between the others and the individual. I will include more on this in another article. Spirit Guides may be viewed as any type of nonphysical being- that is however best they are perceived by the individual. Some may resemble deceased family members, even those that you have only seen pictures of, they may resemble long forgotten friends and even yourself from time to time, as they do tend to come to you in the form best suited to gain your attention, thus using identities that are most comfortable to you so that they can communicate better with you. At times a single Spirit Guide may come to you for a single specific purpose – to assist in finding and using say: encouraging your creative abilities, or to deal with a current health issue, some spiritual development, etc. A Spirit Guide can even save you during an accident, by entering your body to absorb and lessen the impact during an accident,

or by stopping, speeding up, or even slowing down time to avoid an accident altogether. Ever wonder why on a certain day, when your traffic light turned green, you hesitated just long enough for the guy behind you to sound his horn, and suddenly a car out of no where zips across the intersection and running his just turned red light … it can be a scary thought of where you would have been when he did it … if you had proceeded forwards at the second of the light change… Bibliography Andrews, Ted. How to Meet and Work with Spirit Guides. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 2001. Webster, Richard. Spirit Guides & Angel Guardians. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 2001.

Life's Greatest Wisdom (by Ahmed Imam) Submitted by: CeCe A professor stood before his Philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled

Life's Greatest Wisdom (by Ahmed Imam)

into the open areas between the golf balls.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. "The same goes for life. "If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

He asked once more if the jar was full.

Play with your children.

The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

"Take time to get medical checkups.

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.

"Take your partner out to dinner. "Play another 18. "There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.

The students laughed. "Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

"Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. "Set your priorities.

"The golf balls are the important things - your God, family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

"The rest is just sand." One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked.

"The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car.

"It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a cup of coffee with a friend."

"The sand is everything else--the small stuff.

Outdoor Crafts

Subbmitted by: CeCe

love the tiny and the giant, so plant miniature vegetables like grape tomatoes and dwarf sunflowers like 'Teddy Bear' or big plants like tall Russian sunflowers or pumpkins (one rambling pumpkin plant needs a six-foot-square area of ground). Also try unusual veggies - like purple carrots and beans, rainbow chard, heirloom tomatoes, or yellow scallop squash. Uniquely shaped flowers like snapdragons and bleeding hearts are fun to manipulate and dissect. Textured plants like soft lambs' ears, woolly thyme and plumed annual celosia beg to be touched, and strawflowers and purple coneflowers are cool customers because they're so prickly.

Make a toad house: Patrolling the garden at night, toads devour many of the insect pests that damage flowers and vegetables. Invite them to your yard with a snug little home. All you need to build one is a clay pot about four inches in diameter and a trowel for digging. Toads need a cool, moist place to rest in the daytime so choose a spot in the shade. Dig a couple of inches deep, making the hole a bit larger than the clay pot. Place the pot on its side in the hole and bury it about halfway. Use some damp leaves to create a nice bed inside the pot, then moisten the area with a little water to keep the pot in place. Because toads "drink" through their skin, place a small saucer or pie plate nearby and add an inch or so of water. If you're lucky, you won't have to wait too long before a toad comes to visit.

Grow a bean teepee: Pole beans growing on a simple frame will quickly create a shady hideaway for the kids. You'll need a packet of pole bean seeds, three to six six-foot-long bamboo stakes (from the garden center), a planting area about six feet square, straw for mulch and a two-foot length of string. Start our bean teepee around the time you would normally plant tomatoes - about two weeks after the last expected frost. Arrange stakes in a circle, sticking them into the ground 10 inches from bed edge, leaving a two-foot wide space, so kids can enter the teepee. Gather tops of stakes and wrap and tie them together with string. For quicker sprouting, soak bean seeds overnight, then plant following packet directions in a circle outside of the base of teepee and water well. Place a two- to three-inch layer of straw over the soil in the middle to keep weeds down. As the bean plants grow, tie the stems carefully to teepee stakes. In six to eight weeks, bean plants will cover the structure and kids can play inside. Great plants for kids: When starting plants from seed, choose big, easy to handle and quick-togerminate seeds such as beans, radishes, sunflowers, dwarf nasturtiums and zinnia. Kids also

Grow a pizza garden: Kids can grow the fresh ingredients for pizza sauce - a couple of tomato plants, one each of basil, rosemary and oregano, plus half a dozen onions (use onion sets, which are small onion bulbs) and one green and one red pepper plant. Buy plants in spring, but don't transplant into garden until all danger of frost is past. Help kids prepare the soil. For fun, make the bed round or wedge shaped, and edge it with orange or yellow marigolds to resemble crust. At harvest time, buy plain pizza crust or pizza dough, and help kids cook up a sauce using garden fresh ingredients. Top the pizza crust with sauce, diced peppers and the usual pepperoni and cheese. How proud they will be to have grown their own pizza sauce!

Build a scarecrow: Collect adult-sized old clothing an old plaid shirt, a vest or jacket, a pair of jeans, old gloves (for the hands), and boots or socks (for the feet). Use straw, leaves or rags as stuffing. For a frame, use two pieces of wood, one stake tall enough for the height of clothing with 1 Â˝ feet extra to pound into ground. Cut the shorter stake the length of the shirt with arms stretched out. Nail the boards in a cross-like form. Stuff pillowcase for the head first and tie up the round part with string, then pull the open- ended pillow fabric over the vertical stake and secure string. For facial features, kids can use waterproof markers, or help them sew on

Outdoor Crafts

buttons for eyes and nose. Fasten a straw hat with safety pins. Put the shirt onto the frame, do up the buttons and add the stuffing, tying the shirt's waist so stuffing stays in place. Pin or tie ends of pants and stuff. Use a belt through the loops to attach jeans to the stake and shirt. Use safety pins if necessary. Prop leg ends into boots or stuffed socks, and pin stuffed gloves to ends of the shirt arms. Presto, you have a fun scarecrow decoration for the kids' garden. Theme gardens: Let the kids take the lead here. Some might be fascinated to learn about butterfly gardens and what plants attract first the caterpillars and then, later in the season, the nectar-seeking butterflies. Harry Potter fans could grow herbs and plants studied by Harry and his friends in herbology class. (Note: This is a project best suited to older kids as some of the plants in the books, such as monkshood, are poisonous.) A budding chef could research and grow gourmet vegetables. Other popular themes include color or fragrance. Theme gardens can be as varied as your child's imagination.

metal colander and 6 or so old kitchen utensils -- the perfect excuse for a family outing to a tag sale or thrift store. CRAFT MATERIALS: Length of monofilament Spatula Slotted spoons Whisk Vegetable peeler Drink strainer Apple slicer Time needed: Under 1 Hour 1. To assemble the chime, thread a 30-inch length of monofilament through each item so that you have a double line (as you would if you were threading a needle). 2. Knot the line above the item several times and then slide on a few beads. (The knot should be big enough to keep the bead from sliding down to rest directly on the utensil, where it can alter the sound of the chime.) 3. Insert the doubled line up through a hole in the colander and slide on another bead. Again, tie the line above the bead to create a knot that's too big to pull back through. 4. Once all the items are attached, simply tie the ends of another piece of monofilament to the handles of the colander, and your wind chime is ready to hang.

Cook Up Some Musical Sounds

As intriguing to look at as it is to listen to, this wind chime is a breeze to make. You'll need a

Night Skies for July

Night Skies for July For this month Belenus has chosen to write a different sort of article for us! Enjoy!

Cancer

InnerStars – Earth in the Balance By Belenus The Stars and Planets of the Heavens reflect what happens here on earth. Some call this synchronicity. According to the Emerald Tablet, the ancient magickal text of Hermetics, this idea can be summed up in the axiom, “as above, so below.” Background:

Cancer is one of the dimmer constellations and is not thought to resemble a crab by many. It is home to stars such as Acubens, Al Tarf, and Asellus Borealis. These are stars we are not very familiar with because of their low visibility for us.

Once upon a time, because we didn’t have the aid of telescopes and other modern marvels, astrologers and astronomers thought in terms of the planets that could be seen with the naked eye. As mythological themes combined with astrological observations and research, each planet became associated with specific qualities. Mars for example can be thought of as the planet of war and conflict. It is no coincidence that in Roman mythology, Mars is the name of the God of War. Mars rules the sign of Aries, another mythological character, but for Astrology, Aries is associated with war, drive and action. When the outer planets were discovered, they too came under Astrologers’ scrutiny. Over time, these new planets’ properties were understood, and they were assigned a particular sign of the Zodiac. These three outer planets have particular significance regarding modern astrology’s mundane interpretations.

The most notable feature in this constellation is the Messier object Praesepe. This beautiful cluster is made of hundreds of stars and is quite beautiful to behold. It is known as the Beehive Cluster because the stars seem to swarm around the center. Astrologically

The three farthest planets from the Earth; the ones undetectable by the ancients, are Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. They go through the signs of the Zodiac so slowly, that they have been dubbed the “generational planets,” because their actions can effect an entire generation of people. Their actions on natives; be they persons, localities, events, time spans, etc., have special significance in determining social/societal, geopolitical/geophysical and other mundane happenings on our planet.

Cancer has a birth date between June 21st and July 22nd. This is a Feminine sign. Their characteristics are receptive, sensitive, imaginative and kind. They have active shrewd minds as well! Their ruling planet is The Moon and their symbol is the Crab. Their lucky day is Monday and their lucky numbers are 3 and 7. Their stone is Pearl and their colors are sea green and silver.

Night Skies for July

Reading the Signs: Here are some examples that illustrate the mundane effects caused or mirrored by the movement of generational planets through the Zodiac. Pluto in Scorpio: Brought about a sexual revolution in the mid eighties to mid nineties as well as introducing the funding of U.S. debt by foreign countries. Here, Pluto’s associations with power and transformation and Scorpio’s themes of sexuality and “other people’s money,” combined to produce such results. Pluto in Sagittarius: In Sagittarius, Pluto's action has mirrored the religious fanaticism and clash between radical Islam and the West, as well as the severe lines drawn between our religious right and the more secular aspects of society. We have observed the rise of terrorism and polarizations among belief systems kick up a notch since the 1990s. Here we have the darker side of Pluto, namely power struggles and death, combined with the religious idealism associated with the sign of Sagittarius. Pluto in Capricorn: Pluto moved into Capricorn on January 25, 2008. Affairs on our planet are now moving into an extremely structured, rule oriented existence. We have already gotten a taste of this with cameras at traffic lights, and overcrowded prisons. Look for more of this to come. In this case, Pluto’s associations with power and the police are combined with the structure, rules, and limitations of Saturn, who rules the sign of Capricorn. The biggest Challenge of the 21st Century: It is well known that managing our environment is the biggest challenge of our time. Global Warming is now even accepted by the current administration as a problem to be dealt with. While they don’t go so

far as to admit that we have been managing things badly, they have at least stopped fudging the scientific evidence in order to pull the wool over our eyes and benefit big business. The next administration will have to lead the United States in a massive campaign to deal with global warming, and set an example for the rest of the world to follow. Although the United States’ reputation is now largely tarnished, much of the world still looks to us for leadership. We must not fail to swiftly and decisively to make the changes needed to save our Mother Earth. Currently, at least one important signal in the heavens portends a fortunate omen in these matters. This is the sojourn of Uranus through the sign of Pisces that began in the year 2003. Uranus will remain in this sign until March of 2011. The implications of this are profound. The signal is for a coming to terms with excesses as we prepare to make the sacrifices necessary to prevent environmental catastrophe on a global scale. The planet Uranus is associated with technology and upheaval while the Neptunian water sign of Pisces portends themes of surrender and sacrifice. We will have surrender our old ways of doing business, the ways that are obviously not working. We, each of us, will be called to make sacrifices. Our scientists are predicting flooding on a global scale when the polar ice caps melt, and naturally the planet Neptune, who rules Pisces, plays a large roll in disasters involving water. Uranus in Pisces indicates that we may perhaps be moving toward a time of sacrifice, service and surrender. And a time when our new technologies, the ones we have, and the ones we will no doubt discover, can help us manage the challenge. Some among us want to turn back the clock in order to meet this challenge. I am of the opinion that we cannot do that. Even if we could, I believe more harm

Night Skies for July

First Landing on Moon

than good would come of it. I think that we are called to use our common sense and the gifts of science and technology to reverse the damaging effects our behavior and ways have brought upon ourselves and the future of Earth. In our universe, all things have a beginning and ending. The only thing that cannot be destroyed is energy. My story doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have humanity ending just yet. Perhaps we can add the human spirit and ingenuity to the short list of things that cannot be destroyed. If astrology has a say, I think it is telling us we can handle this, if we choose wisely. For more astrology, visit my site at www.innerstars.com Belenus www.innerstars.com www.greeneggzine.com See you next month!

Apollo 11 Credit - NASA Media Gallery

Talin

Armstrong, Collins. Backup Crew: Anders, Haise, Lovell. Location of Capsule: National Air and Space Museum (Smithsonian Institution), Washington, DC. Program: Apollo. Of note: First manned lunar landing.

Aldrin

Armstrong

Collins

On the lighter side: In college, a friend asked Armstrong if he wanted to be the first man on the moon - "No," he answered, "I want to be the first man to come back from the moon"... Collins was asked at a news conference what the most dangerous part of the mission would be. "The part which we have overlooked in our preparations", he replied. It was quite a comedown for the heroes to return to earth and then be put in quarantine in a sealed trailer due to worries

First Landing on Moon Submitted by CeCe 16 July 1969 09:32 GMT. Landing Date: 1969-07-24 12:50:35. Flight Time: 8.14 days. Flight Up: Apollo 11. Flight Back: Apollo 11. Call Sign: Columbia/Eagle. Crew: Aldrin,

First Landing on Moon

about lunar germs. The feeling was accentuated when entered the trailer and were greeted with the sign: PLEASE DON'T FEED THE ANIMALS. First landing on moon. Apollo 11 (AS-506) - with astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., aboard - was launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, KSC, at 9:32 a.m. EDT July 16. The activities during earth-orbit checkout, translunar injection, CSM transposition and docking, spacecraft ejection, and translunar coast were similar to those of Apollo 10.

Aldrin joined Armstrong on the surface of the moon at 11:15 p.m. July 20. The astronauts unveiled a plaque mounted on a strut of the LM and read to a worldwide TV audience, "Here men from the planet earth first set foot on the moon July 1969, A.D. We came in peace for all mankind." After raising the American flag and talking to President Nixon by radiotelephone, the two astronauts deployed the lunar surface experiments assigned to the mission and gathered 22 kilograms of samples of lunar soil and rocks. They then reentered the LM and closed the hatch at 1:11 a.m. July 21. All lunar extravehicular activities were televised in black-and-white. Meanwhile, Collins continued orbiting moon alone in CSM Columbia.

At 4:40 p.m. EDT July 18, the crew began a 96-minute color television transmission of the CSM and LM interiors, CSM exterior, the earth, probe and drogue removal, spacecraft tunnel hatch opening, food preparation, and LM housekeeping. One scheduled and two unscheduled television broadcasts had been made previously by the Apollo 11 crew. The spacecraft entered lunar orbit at 1:28 p.m. EDT on July 19. During the second lunar orbit a live color telecast of the lunar surface was made. A second service-propulsion-system burn placed the spacecraft in a circularized orbit, after which astronaut Aldrin entered the LM for two hours of housekeeping including a voice and telemetry test and an oxygenpurge-system check. At 8:50 a.m. July 20, Armstrong and Aldrin reentered the LM and checked out all systems. They performed a maneuver at 1:11 p.m. to separate the LM from the CSM and began the descent to the moon. The LM touched down on the moon at 4:18 p.m. EDT July 20. Armstrong reported to mission control at MSC, "Houston, Tranquillity Base here - the Eagle has landed." (Eagle was the name given to the Apollo 11 LM; the CSM was named Columbia.) Man's first step on the moon was taken by Armstrong at 10:56 p.m. EDT. As he stepped onto the surface of the moon, Armstrong described the feat as:

"One small step for a man - one giant leap for mankind."

The Eagle lifted off from the moon at 1:54 p.m. EDT July 21, having spent 21 hours 36 minutes on the lunar surface. It docked with the CSM at 5:35 p.m. and the crew, with the lunar samples and film, transferred to the CSM. The LM ascent stage was jettisoned into lunar orbit. The crew then rested and prepared for the return trip to the earth. The CSM was injected into a trajectory toward the earth at 12:55 a.m. EDT July 22. Following a midcourse correction at 4:01 p.m., an 18-minute color television transmission was made, in which the astronauts demonstrated the weightlessness of food and water and showed shots of the earth and the moon. At 12:15 p.m. EDT July 24 the Apollo 11's command module Columbia splashed down in the mid-Pacific, about 24 kilometers from the recovery ship U.S.S. Hornet. Following decontamination procedures at the point of splashdown, the astronauts were carried by helicopter to the Hornet where they entered a mobile quarantine facility to begin a period of observation under strict quarantine conditions. The CM was recovered and removed to the quarantine facility. Sample containers and film were flown to Houston. All primary mission objectives and all detailed test

First Landing on Moon

objectives of Apollo 11 were met, and all crew members remained in good health. Official NASA Account of the Mission from Where No Man Has Gone Before: A History of Apollo Lunar Exploration Missions, by W. David Compton, published as NASA SP-4214 in the NASA History Series, 1989.

At 9:32 a.m. Eastern daylight time on July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 left Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, bound for the moon. Four days later, at 4:18 p.m. EDT on July 20, Neil Armstrong skilfully set the lunar module Eagle down in the Sea of Tranquility and reported, "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." For the next 10 minutes Armstrong and Aldrin were occupied with several post-landing procedures, reconfiguring switches and systems. Armstrong found time to report to Mission Control what he had been too busy to tell them during the landing: that he had manually flown the lunar module over the rockstrewn crater where the automatic landing system was taking it. Then he made his first quick-look science report: "We'll get to the details of what's around here, but it looks like a collection of just about every variety of shape, angularity, granularity, about every variety of rock you could find. . . . There doesn't appear to be too much of a general color at all. However, it looks as though some of the rocks and boulders, of which there are quite a few in the near area, it looks as though they're going to have some interesting colors to them. . . . " After giving Houston as many clues as he could to the location of their module, he added some more description: "The area out the left-hand window is a relatively level plain cratered with a fairly large number of craters of the 5- to 50-foot variety, and some ridges

- small, 20, 30 feet high, I would guess, and literally thousands of little 1- and 2-foot craters around the area. We see some angular blocks out several hundred feet in front of us that are probably 2 feet in size and have angular edges. There is a hill in view, just about on the ground track ahead of us. Difficult to estimate, but might be half a mile or a mile. " Armstrong and Aldrin then started preparing their spacecraft for takeoff, setting up critical systems to be ready in case something happened and they had to leave the lunar surface quickly. A short break in this activity gave Armstrong a chance to pass along more information about the landing site: ". . . The local surface is very comparable to that we observed from orbit at this sun angle, about 10 degrees sun angle, or that nature. It's pretty much without color. It's . . . a very white, chalky gray, as you look into the zero-phase line [directly toward the sun]; and it's considerably darker gray, more like . . . ashen gray as you look out 90 degrees to the sun. Some of the surface rocks in close here that have been fractured or disturbed by the rocket engine plume are coated with this light gray on the outside; but where they've been broken, they display a dark, very dark gray interior; and it looks like it could be country basalt. " Setting up the spacecraft systems took another hour and a half to complete; then they were ready to get out and explore. The flight plan called for them to eat and then rest for four hours, but Aldrin called Mission Control to recommend starting their surface exploration in about three hours' time. Houston concurred. Although they had been awake almost 11 hours and had gone through some stressful moments during the landing, it seemed too much to expect the first men on the moon to take a nap before they made history. While Armstrong and Aldrin tended to their postlanding chores, Mike Collins, orbiting 60 nautical miles (112 kilometers) overhead in the command

First Landing on Moon

module Columbia, had little to do. Houston enlisted his aid in an attempt to locate Eagle, giving him the best map coordinates they could derive from the sketchy information available. With his navigational sextant Collins scanned several spots, without success; Columbia passed over the landing site too rapidly to allow him to search the area thoroughly and he never found the lunar module. Determination of its exact location had to wait for postmission analysis of Armstrong's descriptions of the area and examination of the spacecraft's landing trajectory.

Aldrin then joined Armstrong on the surface, and they spent the next several minutes inspecting the landing craft and reporting on its condition, adjusting to the low lunar gravity and trying various ways of getting around on the surface. After a brief commemorative ceremony (reading the plaque attached to the lunar module) and a short conversation with President Richard Nixon, they began unloading and emplacing the scientific instruments and collecting samples. They supplemented earth's limited television view of their activities with descriptions of what they were seeing and doing. On a couple of occasions they acted like field geologists. Aldrin reported that he saw a rock that sparkled "like some kind of biotite," but he "would leave that to further analysis." After closely examining some rounded boulders near the spacecraft, Armstrong said they looked "like basalt, and they have probably two percent white minerals in them. . . . And the thing that I reported as vesicular before, I don't believe that any more. . . . they look like little impact craters where BB shot has hit the surface."

Getting ready to leave the lunar module took longer than the crew had anticipated. It was after 9:30 p.m. in Houston, an hour and a half later than they had hoped, when they opened the hatch. Armstrong carefully worked his way out onto the "porch," then climbed down the ladder, pausing on the lowest rung to comment on the texture of the surface and the depth to which the footpads had penetrated. At 9:56 p.m. he stepped onto the moon's surface, proclaiming, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" - inadvertently omitting an "a" before "man" and slightly changing the meaning he intended to convey. Armstrong made a cursory inspection of the lunar module and reported his reactions to the new environment. Aldrin then lowered a camera on the lunar equipment carrier - a clothesline and pulley arrangement that seemed out of place in the hightechnology environment of Apollo - which Armstrong immediately began using. Mission Control reminded him to scoop up the contingency sample, which he did. "I'll try to get a rock in here. Just a couple." He noted that the collecting tool met resistance after penetrating a short distance into the surface material. He then stowed the sample in a bag that he tucked into a pocket of his suit. To the scientists on earth he remarked, "Be advised that a lot of the rock samples out here, the hard rock samples, have what appear to be vesicles in the surface. Also, I am looking at one now that appears to have some sort of phenocryst."

The geologists in Houston watching this surface activity on television were quite pleased with the astronauts' performance. At one point Armstrong disappeared from the field of view of the TV camera, causing some momentary anxiety at his apparent departure from the plan. It turned out that some unusual rocks had attracted his attention and he had gone off a few meters to collect them. That was exactly the kind of thing the geologists had hoped people on the moon would do. By the time the crew had taken two core samples, again experiencing difficulty in driving a sampling tool into the surface, and filled their sample return containers, Houston notified them that it was time to wind up their activity. Just before midnight CapCom Bruce McCandless told Aldrin to "head on up the ladder," and at 12:11 a.m. Houston time both men and their samples were back in the lunar module and the hatch

First Landing on Moon

was sealed. Humanity's first excursion on the surface of another celestial body had lasted 2 hours, 31 minutes, and 40 seconds.

command module, where they removed their suits and stowed them in the bags provided. After jettisoning the lunar module and straightening up the command module, the three astronauts settled in for an uneventful trip back to earth. In the early morning hours of July 24, 8 days, 3 hours, 18 minutes, and 18 seconds after leaving Kennedy Space Center, Columbia plopped down into the Pacific Ocean about 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) south of Johnston Island. Recovery crews from the U.S.S. Hornet arrived quickly and tossed the biological isolation garments into the spacecraft. After the cocooned astronauts emerged from the spacecraft the swimmers swabbed the hatch down with Betadine (an organic iodine solution); then astronauts and recovery personnel decontaminated each other's protective garments with sodium hypochlorite solution. The biological isolation garments were not uncomfortable in the recovery raft, but aboard the helicopter they began accumulating heat. Both Collins and Armstrong felt that they were approaching the limit of their tolerance by the time they reached the ship. An hour after splashdown they were inside the mobile quarantine facility. As soon as they had changed into clean flight suits, the astronauts went to the large window at the rear end of the mobile quarantine facility to accept the nation's congratulations from President Nixon, who had flown out to the Hornet to meet them.

Back inside the lunar module, Armstrong and Aldrin removed their lunar surface suits and portable lifesupport systems and used up their remaining film. Houston passed up some more instructions in preparation for liftoff and tentatively signed off for the night, but before long CapCom Owen Garriott, who had relieved McCandless, came on the line with some questions from the scientists about the nature of the surface and the problems in driving sampling tools into the surface. Three hours after they returned to the lunar module, the lunar explorers finally were able to turn in for a few hours of fitful sleep. Next morning Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins spent most of their time setting up Eagle and Columbia for liftoff and rendezvous. Before the lunar module left the moon, however, Armstrong gave Mission Control a detailed description of the landing approach path and landing area, in the hope of helping scientists locate their exact landing spot, and summarized the characteristics of the soil and rocks around the area. Liftoff and rendezvous went smoothly. When the two spacecraft were locked together Collins cracked Columbia's oxygen supply valve and Aldrin opened the lunar module's vent valve, to create a gas flow into the LM when the hatches were opened - part of the procedure to minimize back-contamination-while Aldrin and Armstrong vacuumed the lunar dust from their suits as best they could. Their vacuum cleaner, a brush attached to the exhaust hose of the LM suit system, was not very powerful and the tenacious dust came off only with difficulty. There was not nearly as much loose dust in the lunar module as they had expected when they returned from the surface; evidently it stuck tightly to whatever it touched. They passed the rock boxes and other items over to Collins and then clambered into the

Meanwhile, recovery crews brought Columbia on board and connected it to the astronauts' temporary home by means of a plastic tunnel. Through this, the film magazines and sample return containers were taken into the quarantine trailer, then passed out through a decontamination lock. Sample return container no. 2, holding the documented sample, was packed in a shipping container along with film magazines and tape recorders and flown to Johnston Island, where it was immediately loaded aboard a C141 aircraft and dispatched to Ellington Air Force Base near MSC. Six and a half hours later the other sample return container was flown to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, and thence to Houston.

Home-made Stepping Stones

Submitted by: CeCe

Plastic Planter Saucer - This is what I used for my round stepping stones, and they worked great. The cost of these was under $1 a piece and they were reusable. Clear, Plastic Stepping Stone Molds - For a bigger variety of shapes (octagon, square, etc) I went to a craft store and bought plastic stepping stone molds. Other than the shape, they were almost identical to the plastic planter saucers. They cost between $3 and $4 each and are reusable. Fancy Stepping Stone Molds - I have seen these available online. While they come in a variety of beautiful, detailed designs, they are fairly expensive. The prices I found were anywhere from $10 to $30 and they were reusable. Old Cake Pans - I have read where people use unwanted cake pans to make stepping stones (I read you should coat the pan with cooking spray or petroleum jelly). I tried using a heart shaped pan and I couldn't get the stone out once it was set; perhaps I didn't use enough cooking spray, but it was very disappointing. Since my experiment, I have read that you ccan coat the pan with plastic wrap, but I have not yet tried it. ~~ From a Reader: "I used a layer of sand on the bottom of the pan. When the mold was hard it pops right out, just brush the sand off the bottom and its ready." More Mold Options - A few other options for molds for your stepping stones are small pizza boxes, aluminum pans, ice cream buckets, plastic storage boxes, etc. You can also make molds using wood. I have not tried any of these ideas so I cannot vouch for them personally! ~ Again, if you have tried any of these molds, please share your thoughts, tips, and ideas!

Home-made stepping stones are a great way to personalize your garden, walkway, or anywhere! They make great gifts and are also great keepsakes if they are made using children's handprints or footprints. My kids and I had a lot of fun experimenting with our stepping stones. We made one with a handprint, one with our dog's paw prints, one with flattened marbles/gems, and we also used patio paint. You can get so creative while making these we can hardly wait to try more. I ran across garden stepping stone kits at a nearby craft store for around $20.00 (this makes one stepping stone). I decided to NOT use a kit because it would have been too expensive because I wanted to make several stones. Instead, I ran to a few different stores to gather the items I felt I needed; believe it or not, the supplies to make ONE of my stepping stones ended up costing me $3.00 at the most. Let me tell you what I used and help you decide what you want to use... As I said before, the cost to make one stone with the supplies I bought was about $3.00, which is great if you compare it to the $15.00 - $20.00 a garden stepping stone kit costs. The main supplies you need to make a stepping stone is a mold, cement, and items to decorate or embellish it. You should also always use protective eyewear and gloves when working with concrete as it can burn. If any gets on bare skin, wash immediately with warm, soapy water. Here are lists of the items I bought along with some other options. What shape and size do you want your stepping stone to be? Believe it or not, you have several options when it comes to finding or making molds for your stepping stones.

Of course, this is probably the most vital ingredient in your stepping stones. You do have a couple options when it comes to the cement. Quick-Setting Concrete - This is available at hardware or home improvement stores. I used the cheapest Quikrete, under $2 for a 60-pound bag. While it worked just fine for us and the price was right, it was a little pebbly and next time I will spend a little more money to buy a slightly better grade. I

Home-made Stepping Stones made 5 stones and didn't even use half of the bag. Stepping Stone Concrete - You can find this concrete mixture at crafts stores. It is made especially for use in stepping stones. This is bit spendy though; the average cost was about $5 to make 1 stone. This special concrete might be more worth your while if you are only planning on making 1 or 2 stones.

You can use a variety of items to decorate/embellish your stepping stones. The possibilities are almost endless - use your imagination! Here are some ideas to get you thinking. Things to embed in the stones: Marbles Pebbles/Stones Shells Beads Flat Marble/Gems Small Mosaic Tiles Beach Glass Stained Glass Special Mementos/Souvenirs Things to use to make prints/designs on the stones: Cookie Cutters Handprints - Paw Prints Leafs Popsicle Stick (to write names or witty verses) Patio Paint (or other outdoor paint) Stencils Anything unique you have lying around the house Of course, you will need a few other items to help you make your stepping stones; some of these are optional and some you need!

Home-made Stepping Stones Something to Mix the Concrete In - I used an old ice cream bucket and it was perfect. You can also use a 5-gallon bucket, a wheelbarrow, or any other old, large container. Old Serving Spoon - Great for mixing up your concrete and also for scooping the concrete into your mold. Old Measuring Cup - Obviously needed to measure out your concrete and water. Old Screen or Hardware Cloth - Cut a piece about 1 inch smaller than your mold and use it in the center of your stepping stone to make it stronger. Damp Rag - Usually handy to have nearby just in case! Concrete Dye - Available for both the quick setting concrete and the special stepping stone concrete.

Deciding what design to make is the hardest part of making these stepping stones. However, you need to do this before you start so you know what supplies to gather.

Gather all your supplies and then you are ready to begin! Follow these simple steps and also refer to the suggestions on the supply page and hints and tips pages.

Protective Wear - It cannot be said enough to protect your hands, etes, ect when working with concrete! Concrete can leave burns just like fire! Newspaper - Lay plenty out on your work surface! You can also use plastic sheeting, wax paper, or an old plastic tablecloth!

The first thing you should do is to protect your work surface and yourself. Lay down some newspaper, plastic sheeting, an old tablecloth, etc. Weather permitting, you can make these outside! Always wear eye protection and rubber gloves... An old long sleeve shirt and sweatpants would also be a great idea. Set your mold on your work surface. If you are using a special stepping stone mold follow any special directions if any that came with it. I used clear, plastic planter saucers and did nothing to prepare them and they worked perfect! If you are brave

Home-made Stepping Stones

enough to try a cake pan or other household item, you should try coating them with a liberal layer of cooking spray or petroleum jelly.

stepping stone with a clear acrylic sealer if you do use patio paints.

Now, you are ready to mix up the concrete. Follow the manufacturers directions on the bag of concrete you are using. I used a bag of Quikrete, which really had no specific directions. I discovered that a mixture of 5 parts concrete to 1 part water worked well. Your mixture will vary depending on what kind of concrete you use, but the wet mixture should have the consistency of soft cookie dough. Once your concrete is mixed, you can start spooning it into the mold. Fill the mold about half full and smooth it down. Lay your cut piece of screening or hardware cloth (as explained on the supplies page) into the mold and then finish scooping the cement into the mold until full.

I would suggest letting your stepping stone sit for another week before putting it outside. When you place the stones outside they should not be raised above ground more than about 1/2-inch so people don't trip on them and also so the stone doesn't break. Here are some tips and hints that can help you while you make your stepping stones. Some of these tips have been said already, but they are worth repeating. Read on and have fun making your stepping stones! If you are using cement dye, remember that the wet product will always be a shade or two darker that your finished product. For best results, your stepping stones should be at least 2 inches thick. Let your stepping stone set in the mold for about 3 days. Wetting the cement daily will help make the cement stronger. Allow the stones to cure for a week before placing them outside or stepping on them. When gathering items for embellishing your stepping stones, steer clear of wooden items because they don't stick into the concrete very well. Get creative with your embellishments! Try seashells, marbles, beach glass, mosaic tiles, buttons, small toys, and mementos of any sort. Make prints in the cement after it has set for between 30 minutes to an hour. Besides handprints and paw prints. Try making prints with other items such as dog biscuits, leaves, cookie cutters, etc. If you want to try making stepping stones with pans or other household items, buy them at garage sales or thrift shops. Your cement should be the consistency of cookie dough. You want to have to scoop it into your mold, not pour it. When you place the stones in your garden

Gently tap around the outside of your mold to help remove any air bubbles and also to help even out the top. Now leave your stepping stone alone to set up for 30 to 60 minutes before you add any embellishments or decorations - this is more important if you are making handprints or other prints in the cement. Once the cement has been given some time to set up, you can start decorating it. Use the decorating/embellishment ideas listed on the supplies page or think of your own. If you make a mistake, you can simply remove the items, flatten out the top with the side of a popsicle stick or spoon, tap the sides to smooth, and start over again! Your stepping stone must now sit for 2 - 3 days without being disturbed - do not move it. Once it is dry, you can gently pop it out of the mold. Voila! Now, you can finish decorating it if you are planning on doing any painting. You can seal the top of your

Home-made Stepping Stones

they should not be raised above ground more than about 1/2-inch for risk of people tripping and falling and also so the stone doesn't break. Once the cement is poured into the mold, do not move it! This can cause cracking (I found this out the hard way!). If you make a mistake, you can simply remove the items, flatten out the top with the side of a popsicle stick or spoon, tap the sides to smooth, and start over again! From a Reader: "I used a layer of sand on the bottom of the (cake) pan. When the mold was hard it pops right out, just brush the sand off the bottom and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ready." From Debra in Illinois: Use glow in the dark items as embellishments for your stones! From Mel in Walla Wall, WA: "When my parents' 50th anniversary was approaching, friends and relatives were asked to contribute a 12X12 quilt block for an anniversary quilt. We decided to do a hand and paw print block with my wife and I and our two akitas. We learned right away that having the dogs sit and dipping their paws in water and pressing them on a piece of paper became a game for them - hence no cooperation. Secondly, with no weight on the paw, you got a print that was smaller than the foot normally looked. So, here's how to get around that. Lead them around in some wet grass or through a puddle of water (even if you have to make one on the kitchen floor) and then immediately across a sheet of newspaper. Quickly out line the wet print on the paper with a marker and you have the makings of a pattern that can be used for stepping stones, applique, whatever." From Vicki: "One tip I'd like to share that I haven't seen mentioned is to put your mold on a movable flat surface. I have a large cutting board that I put my molds on. That way, when I'm not working with

it, I can put it aside. I'm going to ask my husband to cut up some plywood for me so I can work on and move several stones in a day." From Dave: "I found the best way to get the air bubbles out of the concrete, once you've poured the concrete in the mold and added some hardware cloth through the middle of the concrete and then roughly smoothed out the surface, is to set your mold atop your washing machine and put the machine through two spin cycles, one right after the other, even with the machine empty. This pretty much shakes all the air up out of the concrete and has a self-leveling effect on the surface of the concrete, giving you a nice, smooth surface to work with. From Donna: "I am presently in the process of making some stones with pictures in them. What l have done is gone to my local UPS store and had the pictures laminated (making sure there is enough seal around each picture because once you start cutting you don't want to cut into the seal)." From a Guest: "To add a picture, I made a copy of a picture and put white glue on both side, then used clear resin where the picture was going (on the stone) then put clear resin on top of it to seal it. It's been great over a year now." From Pizzaman427: "I have made a stepping Stone with my daughters class for their teacher. We had their pictures under marbles inset into the cement with fun designs. First I laminated the pictures and then pushed them into the cement and added a flat glass marble on top of it with the flat side on top of the pictures. It was A very special gift."

Rune of the Month: Kenaz

By: Morgan / Nightwind ourselves creatively, to release the fire within us. It appears to tell us that we are in a position of transformation and renewal. Sometimes it will show up to indicate a need for control, or as a warning of impending illness. Kenaz can be used in spells to help call on the divine light for guidance as well as in charms for inspiration or to enhance creativity. As a fire rune it works especially well when carved on candles for candle spells. To bring out your creativity trace Kenaz on your forehead, but use with the same caution you'd show around any fire.

This month we will be looking at Kenaz, Kaun, or Cen. It is represented by the letter “K” in English, although it is also sometimes compared to the letter “C”, which its shape resembles. Like many ancient alphabets the Futhark has a K which would be equivalent to a hard C, or an S which would be used for a soft C, but no single letter C. Kenaz is the sixth rune of the first aett and dovetails nicely with last month’s rune, which in many ways is it’s opposite. The rune poems take a wide view of the meaning of this rune. In the Anglo-Saxon Kenaz is compared to a torch whose bright light illuminates indoors where noble people rest. In contrast the Norwegian and Icelandic both compare it to illnesses <possibly interpreted as fevers> which are fatal to children. Almost all of the modern meanings for Kenaz are derived from the Anglo-Saxon with little emphasis put on the other two. It is generally agreed that the meaning for this rune is strongly connected to the torch lighting the way. It can be seen as divine guidance or inspiration, hope in any situation as well as the ability to see the source of a problem. At it’s most basic it is fire, the fire of initiation, transformation, transmutation. It is the fire of the forge which allows us to shape and change our reality. Some runesters connect this rune to sexuality as well. On the negative side it can represent illness as well as a fear of moving forward or leaving the safety of the present situation. When Kenaz comes up in divination it can represent the need to trust in the guiding light of spirit. It tells us that we are in a position to be lead through our present darkness if we follow the light within us. It can also be an indication that we need to express

As with the previous runes doing a meditation technique were you travel into the rune is a good way to learn the energy of Kenaz. The addition of a candle during meditation can also help get you in tune with this energy. As always write down your experiences in a journal. Next month’s rune: Gebo

Gardening as a Family Submitted by: CeCe Many avid gardeners will tell you that their life-long love of plants and nature took root in their parents' or grandparents' gardens. When you share your love of gardening with children, you are planting the seeds of a lifelong passion. You can nurture that budding interest by keeping the focus on fun. So take a break from the mowing and weeding for a little while and spend some time down in the dirt with your kids. Here are some activities you'll both enjoy. Ages 2-3: Kids this age love mucking with soil – just digging a hole and filling it with water is an adventure. While it's too early for them to handle plants, kids at this age are enthralled by worms, bugs and butterflies. Think about installing a toad house.

Gardening as a Family

Show them what plant roots look like by pulling a few weeds. Let them help with a pint-sized watering can. Just be sure you're always on the spot: toddlers can easily go too far "helping," pulling out every annual that you've just planted. Ages 4-5: For kids in this age group, gardens make great playgrounds. Encourage secret hide-a-ways, such as forts made from giant sunflowers, or a teepee enclosed with climbing pole beans. Let them pick some flowers and dismember them - try bleeding hearts, snapdragons and daises. Give them their own kid-sized tools and a spot to dig and water. Show how plants start from sprouted seeds. Help them sow some large seeds in pots - radishes and marigolds, for example - so they can experience the birth of a plant close up. Ages 6-7: Kids this age are ready for their own small 4x4-foot patch where they can grow annual flowers and veggies. Let them choose the plants, but encourage choices that are easy and fast-growing. Give them wooden plant tags and pencils to make plant labels. Another fun project: building a scarecrow. Remember that "doing" is the important part, so relax your standards: crooked rows and a few weeds are ok; so is mixing and matching with abandon. As bees, butterflies and insects visit the plants, show kids that these too belong in the garden. Insects pollinate flowers and are food for birds and other animals; even pests are interesting to watch and learn from. Ages 8-10: Kids' involvement in the garden can be more sophisticated now. They can pore over garden catalogues or visit the nursery with you to make their own choices. Try a family project like planting a pizza garden. Kids at this age can even enter their flowers and veggies into the local fairs or community events. You can also ask them to help with garden chores like weeding and fertilizing, but be sure to join in - many hands make light work. If you're doing an outdoor project, like building a patio or an arbor, you may even be able to press your kids' friends into service. Ages 11-12 and beyond: Kids this age may be budding chefs who like to cook with home-grown produce, or they may be emerging naturalists or florists. Good projects for this age are theme

gardens. Gardens are the perfect living laboratory for school projects on nature and ecology. By donating extra vegetables from the garden to the local food bank, you introduce kids to the satisfaction of helping others and you encourage a habit of community involvement. Kids who learn to appreciate plants and cared-for landscapes from a young age will mature into teens that are respectful of people, trees and properties in the community. Some kids even start their own summer garden businesses, mowing neighborhood lawns, selling homegrown flowers, or taking care of flowerbeds.

Distance Healing Submitted by: CeCe

Note: this ritual is an action whose end result affects another. Please make sure the recipient of these healing energies actually wants them. Special Tools  

 

Three white candles A picture of the recipient (If you don't have one, write the recipient's name and birthdate on a piece of paper, and visualize him/her) A quartz crystal (optional) Rose, Eucalyptus, Gardenia or Peppermint incense, for healing

The Irish Goddess Brigid is a healing Goddess, as is the Sumerian Goddess Nanna. You can invoke Her with either of these names before this rite for extra healing power. The Ritual Light the candles in a semi-circle in front of you. Place the incense off to one side, and place the picture inside the semi-circle, facing you, with the

Distance Healing

Chemical Free Cleaning for the Witch in All of Us

crystal on it. Breathe deeply to center and then raise energy however works best for you - chanting, singing, drumming, dancing, whatever

To mop the floor, use about 2 sq of dish soap to a gallon of water add your favorite scented oil to the water for a clean smell

When you have reached your peak energy, direct it to the picture or the piece of paper. I find it helpful to direct the energy through my fingertips, visualizing a healing blue-white light streaming through me and into the recipient.

If you chill a candle in the refrigerator for about 24 hours or more this makes them burn longer

Directing it through a piece of quartz enhances the distance the energy can travel. Visualize the candles forming a protective ring of fire around the recipient, blocking all harm and pain. Visualize the healing light coming through you and finding the source of the illness or pain in the recipient, coating it, relieving the pain and filling the recipient with energy and life.

If you put a dab of scented oil on a cooled turned off light bulb when you turn them on your house will always smell good Given to me by my fathers mother who is now in heaven as she would believe

Raising Witches: Teaching The Wiccan Faith To Children (By Ashleen O'Gaea) Submitted by: Isarma

You probably will be very tired after this, so eat a piece of fruit or bread and drink some juice or wine to ground and revive yourself. Thank the Goddess, if you invoked her. It is done.

Chemical Free Cleaning for the Witch in All of Us Submitted by: Frances Perez To clean a microwave, place a bowl of plain water inside and cook on high for a minutes or until it steams. Immediately wipe the microwave walls with a sponge (it works because the steam loosen up the stuck food)

(Special Thanks to Revs. Tika and Ambrose for the loan of the book) A comprehensive guidebook for those with children they would choose to raise Wiccan, or those who want to find out just what we're teaching *their* kids if non-Wiccan and their children are exploring, this book has chants, spells, and teaching tools galore. With a comprehensive understanding of early and mid-childhood education, Ms. O'Gaea presents Wiccan concepts cleanly and experentially while maintaining the understanding level of the readers. She makes no bones about her views, and freely accepts that others may not agree. Some may find this book a bit frustrating to read, because the author's views are sprinkled liberally

Raising Witches: Teaching The Wiccan Faith To Children

throughout the book. However, they are usually clearly identified as her and her partner's views of child rearing, and those who disagree can easily apply the precepts and ideals of the rest of the book using their own parenting views. In parenting, as in Paganism, it is always a good idea to look at alternitives and try out different techniques.

Overall there are some terrific basics in this book, and it's a great framework for a teen or youth RE group. Covering topics and crafts from todlers to teens, the wheel of the year to ethics and philosophy of the craft, Raising Witches lives up to it's name.

Sudoku Puzzle for July 2

8 4 1

6 2 4

2 9

3 9

6 9 5

June Pagan Crossword Puzzle Answers

A I D E N M O T H E R C R O N E

I D

15S

O U L

24W

16T

17H

E R A

A R G A R 4E T M I T C H E L L

13G

O D E

S T R O L O G Y

I L L 22O

12G

W R O O T

H E A U T U M N E Q U I N O X I

H 18A

R L E 8S L E A 20N D T

O B

R E E N

O R

26B

19S

E A U T Y

O U T H E A S T

11L

A N D L E

23G

21B

10T

I V I N 14G