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SPIR

T he Prophet at the Dawn of the New A ge Where are all the

Magical Mystery Tor

Into T he Mists of

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Knights? Belief in the

Evil EYE AVALON Magazine

2201-1803 VOL 01

Sacred Union of the Feminine & Masculine

T he Depth of the Lake

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he heart of Avalon calls to the Souls of many, as individual Pilgrims find themselves led by its extraordinary force, that once felt can never be forgotten... Steeped in ancient mystery and Arthurian legend; where Pagan meets Christian and Folklore meets Crop circles; where lay-lines bridge East and West and Science and History debate; where Gods and Goddesses greet and dance happily at Fairy Balls. Here the search for ones inner truth (the holy grail) is respected as being sacred to each individual, even though it has many paths. Ah yes, Avalon the mystical sacred Isle is very much alive and busy in service; spiritually honouring every man and woman in complete union with the ever eolving Divine-self. Throughout the pages of AVALON magazine we will attempt to meld the old with the new, combining many spiritual concepts with Arthurian legend, mystical folklores, ancient practices, sacred sites, exploring shamanic wisdoms, magickal crafts, Alchemical and esoteric knowledge, while offering alternative healing, with inner wellness techniques, as we share a variety of interesting metaphysical and New Age ideals, steeped in otherworldly spiritual developments of varying kinds. The team at AVALON Magazine hope you enjoy the visual reading experience we have created and return to journey with us through this portal time and again..! Blessings all that is sacred in you )O(

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Contents 5

Where are all the KNIGHTS, by S'Roya Rose

The Magical Mystery TOR, by Ceri Norman

10 Belief in the EVIL Eye, by Michael Beerman 12 The Depth of the Lake, by Alan Richardson 16 How I drew up the Dark Goddess, by Jane Meredith 18 Into the Mists of Avalon, by Serene Conneely 20 The Prophet at the Dawn of the New Age: Part 1, by D G Mattichak Jr. 24 Sacred sites - StoneHenge: by S'Roya 26 Theres a Faery in my Temple, by Kash Salem 28 Witch in the City - Full Circle, by Lizzy Rose 30 32 34

Alchemy Esentials Part 1, by Dr Jason Betts Sacred Union, by Mikailah Charge of the Great Mother, by Mogana West

35 The Celtic Queens, by Frances Billinghurst 38 Spiritual Evolvement, by S'Roya Rose 40 Pledge to Mother Earth - GAIA, by Apple Blossom 42 Personal Will & Divine Will, by ZaKaiRan 44 Opening to Channel, by S'Roya 46 Journey with the Tarot, by S'Roya 48 Angel Messages - Metraton, by Lit El Star 49 Basic Spellcrafting, by Tina Georgitsis 50 Book & CD Reviews 52 AVALON Business Directory

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King Arthur speaks... Channelled by Sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Roya Rose

Where are all the

Knights? http://avalonmagazine-net.webs.com

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here have all the good men gone who fought for truth and honour? When within the realms of humankind they are needed now so much! What happened to truth and valour, to the courageous hearts of old, who knew and upheld all that was right and good and true? What became of these wise brave men and where are their warriors hearts now? What has stolen their resolve? Have sirens coerced them from their path as warriors of the light? What bewitched the Kings into believing in the false God of Money, when true riches will always lie within the land and the hearts and lives of its people? Where are the real Kings, who rule with just wisdom and cultivate respect, doing what they know to be good for all? Have the years been so hard that ones faith has all but been lost? Do you not believe in your Knights Code and wear its armour with pride? Trust the yearnings within your Soul that knows who you truly are and why you came. I King Arthur call upon you once more, join me on the battle field of truth, for humanity needs us to once again take up arms and fight the darkness of ignorance, disolusionment, hunger and fear.

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Join me in the crusade to right the wrong. Pick up your sword of truth once more, carry your lance of destiny proudly into battle with me and reclaim your honour amongst men!

Bring back the truth of Nobility that it must be earned and was never a birthright that could be passed down a family tree or bought through riches, tyranny with the use of fear or control.

Right the wrongs of the human ego, feed the poor and help bring peace back to all the divided lands.

Banish the darkness that once more would otherwise cloud the minds of men with doubt as to their hearts true courage, from within their consciousness.

Look after and cherish the women who love you and birth your future kin. Stop the ravage and rape of greed, instead honour your land and its need to replenish so that it may feed humanity continually with its bounty. Cast aside false pride, pettiness and matters of meagre importance. Let there be trust and faith restored within the hearts and minds of leaders as they sow seeds of true humility during lean times. Let them lead by their example, and live respectably. Honour the truth that no man goes to work or into battle but to save his family's dignity, for the woman he loves, and for those he cherishes.

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Restore their dignity and pride with hope and grant them your wisdom as you bestow the knowledge of how to live the ways of self-respect and honour once again. Share the Knights code; drink in the sacred light of love, for all mankind is in chaos and at war within themselves. Foster compassion for we can only ever do our individual best and know that this is respected amongst men.

Let go your fears and doubts as to the future, instead place trust in all your endeavours' so that your dreams are birthed into reality. Heal your masculine hearts ability to love openly, unashamedly and completely all that is worthy and pure! Forgive your self and all your perceived wrong doings as you clean up that which you cannot change from the past. Forge new ways that fill your heart with pride and delivers you back to the alter of self-respect once again. Do not forget who you are as a Knight and vow to always be in service to those in need of you in your community. Place importance in what truly matters to your heart as you live the life of Love, Truth and Respectful dealings with others. No King could ask more of his men, it is with pride that I call upon your services once again! Come now, journey with me to Avalon, let us give thanks to the Goddess as we drink of her waters, may she continue to protect our return in service to humanity. .... I bow in honour to you my Knights...

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The Magical Mystery

Both above and below the Tor are domains of the Gods, Goddesses and Saints. Each balances the energies of the other, resulting in harmony.

TOR

Challice Well

by Ceri Norman

Druid Solstice meet

Inside the Tower

o the weary Pilgrim the Tor must have been a welcome sight; a rewarding sign that their long journey to the sacred land of Glastonbury or Avalon was nearing its end. Rising high from the lowlands of Somerset, the distinctive, curved shape of Glastonbury Tor has been an iconic symbol for travellers, and a strange marker of the boundary between worlds, for generations. Back in the mists of time, before the Summerland Meadows were drained to create the flat, fertile plain surrounding it now, Glastonbury would have been an island, with the Tor, Wearyall Hill and Chalice Hill appearing to rise from the waters and the mists. The 158m high Tor is visible for miles around, and casts its shadow, and its energies, across the landscape. Once seen, it is rarely forgotten, as its impression of power is left upon the witness’ imagination for many years. 8

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The Tor is not just a visible focus, but a spiritual one. It features heavily in many myths and is linked with both Pagan and Christian figures. In The Dialogue of Melwas and Gwynhwyfar, one of the many tales of Arthurian lore, Melwas kidnaps Queen Guinevere and holds her prisoner in his castle on the Tor. King Arthur besieges the fort determined to get his wife back, but to no avail. St. Gildas then intervenes and eventually brokers peace between Melwas and Arthur and Guinevere is returned to Arthur. The Tor is linked with Gods and Goddesses, Saints and Angels. Guinevere is no Christian Princess in the oldest of myths, rather she is a spirit or Goddess, and this is belied by her very name Gwynhwyfar which derives from the Welsh for ‘White Phantom’. The Tor forms part of the three supposed Goddess figures in the land around

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Glastonbury. It is part of the Swan Maiden’s wing, the left breast of the Mother Goddess from which the milky waters of the White Spring pour, and it is the cauldron of the Crone Goddess, in which she brews her magical potion of inspiration or awen. The Tor is also said to be the home of Gwynn ap Nudd, an ancient Celtic God whose name means ‘White, son of Night’. Gwynn is said to ride out from his castle either on or under the Tor to lead the Wild Hunt. The idea that there is something beneath the Tor goes back a long way and may not merely be the stuff of fantasy. Beneath the Tor, there could well be ancient caves, just like the myths tell us. Tunnels or caverns under the Tor are mentioned in both Christian and Pagan folklore, from which mortal men return insensible or touched by something mystical. Caves as dark places connected with the Underworld have been considered sacred for thousands of years; perhaps our ancient ancestors visited the caves beneath the Tor as a pilgrimage to meet their ancient Deities? The geology is certainly right for the formation of caves; if they do exist they would look rather like those at nearby Wookey Hole with their associated Witch Goddess. These caves, which could well have formed naturally, may also have been shaped by man, just like the graduated patterns on the Tor's exterior. One of the most popular ideas, especially in the New Age community, is that the seven symmetrical terraces on the grassy slopes of the Tor outline an ancient processional way or Labyrinth. This idea was first suggested by Geoffrey Russell in 1968 when he pointed out the similarity between the design on the Tor and the classic Cretan seven tier Labyrinth that is found all over the ancient world. This notion could theoretically mean that the Tor was shaped back as far as the Neolithic era. Was this labyrinth a route for pilgrims to scale the Tor to meet with Sky Gods and Earth Goddesses at the summit? I wonder if once upon a time the Glastonbury Pilgrimage was three fold: 1) to get to Glastonbury, 2) to journey into the Underworld beneath the Tor and 3) to ascend the processional route of the seven tier labyrinth. Atop the Tor many people psychically sense there was once a ring of stones, so far this remains unproven, but in 2002 the Glastonbury Antiquarian Society declared that they had discovered the foundations of what could once have been an early circular temple predating the fort that once stood on the Tor. All we see nowadays is the empty

shell of the tower of St Michael’s Church, itself a focus for pilgrimage for Pagan, Christian and Atheist alike. Its dedication is interesting. St. Michael is a slayer of demons and serpents. Many places dedicated to Michael are located on high places and there may be some connection between Michael and the old Celtic God of fire, Bel, who was also celebrated atop hills. Carved in to the tower is a small, but significant image of a female counterpart of Michael’s masculine energy, a serpent Goddess to balance him out – Brighid – also called St. Bride, who is also closely linked with Glastonbury. Both above and below the Tor are domains of the Gods, Goddesses and Saints. Each balances the energies of the other, resulting in harmony. The Tor is said to be a place where many energy lines such as the Michael and Mary lines of Broadhurst and Miller interact. To see or to climb the Tor affects everyone in a unique way. The journey from base to summit is an interesting one and in many ways transformative; to ascend the Tor, by whatever route, is to undertake a pilgrimage to a place where the Earth Goddesses and Sky Gods seem to meet, the ancient and modern seem to merge and where we can cross between this world and the Otherworld. Bright blessings. Ceri Norman is a perpetual student of the earth’s mysteries and the author of Celtic Maidens and Serpent’s Mound. www.cerinorman.com

The Tor is n ot just a visible focus, but a spiritual on e. It features he avily in many my ths and is linked with both Pa gan and Christi an figures.

St Michael's Tower on the TOR...

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Belief in the Evil Eye T

he evil eye is a widespread belief that unlucky events can ensue if you attract the attention of particular people. These people, sometimes involuntarily, sometimes voluntarily, can cast a malignant spell on others simply by looking at them. Belief in the evil eye is still active, and there are many cultures, which take it very seriously. Some believe the power is called forth by the sin of envy. This explains why the primary victims are thought to be babies and young children, because they are so often praised and commented upon by strangers or by childless women.

Jettatori, people with the Evil Eye, are to be found in all stations of life. Pope Pius IX, for one, was reputed to be possessed of the evil eye, and the women, while kneeling for his blessing as he passed, would make a counteracting sign under their skirts. This belief arises from the natural reaction of simple people to the arrestingly piercing and vital qualities that often illumine the eyes of men of strong personality, and is a response just as much to the personality as to the eye itself. There are baleful glances, just as there are malevolent men, and the superstitious imagination tends to run away with itself (Trachtenberg, 1939, pp. 55-56)..

Rabbinic Judaism was acquainted with both aspects of the evil eye. Several rabbis of the Talmud were accredited with the power to turn men into "a heap of bones" with a glance, or to cause whatever their gaze fell upon to burst into flames. But the second aspect was predominant. As has been pointed out by several scholars, the jettatura proper seems to have been introduced into Jewish thought by those Talmudic authorities who came under the influence of the Babylonian environment. The Palestinian sources, and in particular the Mishna, know the evil eye only as an expression of the moral powers of envy and hatred. The Palestinian view prevailed in later Jewish life, though the other was not unknown." In order to counteract the "moral" version of the evil eye it has become customary over a very wide area to append a prophylactic phrase, such as "May the Lord protect thee," "no evil eye," "Unbeschrieen," to every laudatory remark.

Medieval Jewry pursued not only this practice, but also the equally well-known device of expressing its approbation in highly unflattering terms: "A man will call his handsome son 'Ethiop,' to avoid casting the evil eye upon him," said Rashi. Any act or condition that in itself may excite the envy of the spirits is subject to the evil eye; taking a census or There is, however, believed to be another even estimating the size of a crowd, possession of wealth, performing an act which is normally a source of pride type of Evil Eye: or joy—all evoke its pernicious effects. A father leading The second is the type the Germans denote with the words his child to school for the first time took the precaution berufen or beschreien. Its root is the pagan conviction that to screen him with his cloak. Members of a family were the gods and the spirits are essentially man's adversaries that reluctant to follow each other in reciting the blessings they envy him his joys and his triumphs, and spitefully harry over the Torah before a congregation. A double wedding him for the felicities they do not share. "Just as hope never in one household, or indeed, any two simultaneous forsakes man in adversity, so fear is his constant companion marriages were avoided for this reason. Even animals and in good fortune, fear that it may desert him; he apprehends plants were subject to the evil eye; a man who admired his neighbor's crop was suspected of casting the evil eye upon it equally the envy of the gods, and the envy of his fellow(Trachtenberg, 1939, pp. 55-56). men—the evil eye." The attention of the spirit-world is cocked to detect the least word or gesture of commendation. Ashkenazi Jews, even today, routinely exclaim Keyn … A glance that expresses approbation is as eloquent as a speech, and just as likely to arouse their malice. Such words aynhoreh!, meaning "No evil eye!" in Yiddish, to ward off and glances, in themselves perhaps innocent, constitute the a jinx after something or someone has been rashly praised evil eye, which brings swift persecution in its wake. We may or good news has been spoken aloud. Belief in the evil eye say that this belief is a hypostatization of the evil which man is found in Islamic doctrine too, based upon the statement discerns in invidiousness, a translation of a profound poetic of Prophet Muhammad, "The influence of an evil eye is a fact..." [Sahih Muslim, Book 26, Number 5427]. truth into the language of superstition. 10

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And authentic practices of warding off the evil eye are commonly practised by Muslims. For example, rather than directly expressing appreciation of a child's beauty, it is customary to say Masha’Allah, that is, "God has willed it," or invoking God's blessings upon the object or person that is being admired. In Islam, God is the only one who can protect against the evil eye. No object or symbol can. The concept of the evil eye is also evident in other World Religions. A simple and instant form of protection in European Christian countries is to make the sign of the cross with your hand and point two fingers, the index finger and the little finger, towards the supposed source of influence or supposed victim. And in the Republic of Georgia, where most people are Orthodox Christians, the following prayer is still said over children to protect them: “I [Ketevan Kalandadze] come from the Republic of Georgia and I remember my grandma saying this prayer over me when I was a child. She used to hold a piece of coal and a safety pin in her hand during the recital of the whole prayer, painting crosses on my forehead and the palms of my hands. If she started yawning during the prayer it meant that I definitely had caught an evil eye from someone. At the end of the prayer, she would attach a safety pin to my dress and it had to be worn for two or three days.” The prayer was translated by Ketevan Kalandadze and edited by Michael Berman. Ketevan Kalandadze has an MA inWestern European Languages and Literature from Tbilisi State University in Georgia and is an Admissions Officer at City University in London. Having worked as an English Language teacher, an interpreter and a translator, she also teaches Georgian as a Foreign Language. Michael Berman works as a teacher and a writer. Publications include The Power of Metaphor for Crown House,The Nature of Shamanism and the Shamanic Story for Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Shamanic Journeys through the Caucasus for O-Books, and All God’s Creatures: Stories Old and New for Pendraig Publishing. www.caucasusarts.org.uk and www.Thestoryteller.org.uk

by Michael Berman

A prayer for Protection from the Evil Eye Alisasa malisasa I will say the prayer to protect you

from the evil eye First of all, from my own evil eye Then from those you know and from those you don’t know From the old or from the young From the tall or from the short From the green-eyed or from the black-eyed. May who has looked at you with the evil eye have ashes in their eyes and a sword in their heart (repe at this three times) Our lord you help my grandchild- Ketevan One demon was asking the other What can we teach this girl? Let’s place a sword, a dagger, a mirror and a comb under her pillow May three hundred and sixty five St Georges’s give their blessing to her And the evil will depart. Our lord help my grandchild- Ketevan An axe was going to the forest To cut a handle for itself And if that handle will be useful for the axe There is no reason why my prayer won’t be usefu l for my grandchild Our lord help my grandchild- Ketevan

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the depth of the lake The Quest for the Holy Grail has occupied the spiritual life of Western people for centuries.The attainment of the Grail, whatever it is, has been seen as the ultimate achievement within our experience. The Grail leads us into those purer realms from which there is no need of return; attain the Grail and the material world is left behind forever.

by Alan Richardson

The small room in the enchanted castle, the two pure, sinless, chaste and perfect knights Galahad and Perceval, the mystic communion with the spear dripping blood into the Grail itself, and outside, peering through the window, the gaunt face of Lancelot...

urrently, there is perhaps more Grail-related literature on the bookshelves than for any other spiritual impulse, and more academic light is being directed toward the whole Arthurian cultus than any other topic within the Western Tradition. Countless theories expound upon the true nature of the Grail and the 'Grail experience' – all of which must enable us to get a little closer to the thing itself. But there is still one Grail secret which has scarcely been

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touched upon at all. It is a secret that is at once obvious, simple, and – like the Emperor’s clothes – once revealed can never be ignored again. Imagine, then, that we are witnessing the Grail Ceremony as it is retold in those basic versions which lurk aback of the popular consciousness... the small room in the enchanted castle, the two pure, sinless, chaste and perfect knights Galahad and Perceval, the mystic communion with the spear http://avalonmagazine-net.webs.com

dripping blood into the Grail itself, and outside, peering through the window, the gaunt face of Lancelot - denied the experience through his regal sins. Everyone knows this story. Everyone thrums to it at some time. But now consider this, and answer honestly: Which modern person with any warmth, heart and passion could really give a damn about those two boring, virginal little prigs? Who could care

or so. Until then, we’re stuck in that damned chalice with those cold fish, and we have to reach beyond the rim. There is no suggestion here that Lancelot of the Lake ever had any historical basis, although attempts have been made to identify him as an alter ego Galahad and Perceval Galahad and are dead fish the last of Gawaine, the Perceval are surges of the Piscean Era Hawk of May. Taught dead fish - the drawing into itself and by enchantresses last surges of the Grail is their vessel in a submarine the Piscean Era world, Lancelot drawing into rose from the waters by his own itself – and the Grail is their vessel. impulse - imagery which is extremely Like any other spiritual experience important for those who understand. the Grail Vision is something that He is very much a creature of the we in the Western world should Green Ray – the fae – a son of the have let flow through, and then on, Celtic Otherworld, and although this with appropriate blessings. Instead, seems incongruous, it is a fact that we have clung to it. And to cling to military people are especially good at any spiritual experience is to create exploring the depths of this Ray. They a tyranny for ourselves. In its own have the discipline to get back, which luminous, beautiful, and impossibly many lack. They also understand pure way, the Holy Grail has held the something of its cruelty. inner life of the West in thrall for a long time. Lancelot may well be a very potent faery being on the inner planes with But that is not the last/lost secret his/its own uncompromising agenda. of the Grail Ceremony. That is to be But for most of us he can best be seen found, not in Galahad or Perceval or as strata of consciousness, which can the Grail itself, but through the 'face be reached, via the telesmic imagery in the window'. It is the great du Lac of his myth. who holds those formulae which will take us into the next Age, an Age in Contact with du Lac is unmistakable: which the Grail will retreat to its proper place. I am aware that it smacks a brooding sort of compassion; a grave kind of sympathy; the grizzled heart of of occult heresy even to suggest such a simple man made wise by a lifetime a thing, but if coming Ages cast their of battles, both within and without. shadows before them as well as aft, There are hints of darkness, flashes of then Lancelot is the foreshadowing cruelty, and a capacity for ruthlessness of that Man Carrying Water who will as a last resort. stride us into Aquarius. It is not a contact that can be sustained Though be aware that this is not going for long, nor is it an intellectual to happen soon. Forget all the shining contact. Intelligent and simple, yes; intellectual and sophisticated, most eyed New Age, fluffy attitudes. The definitely not.Yet it shows us a Way sun will not arise in the constellation narrow and fraught though it is, which of Aquarius for another 300 years about the chaste and sinless heaven that they would seek to enter? And, all those tedious esoteric sophistries apart, who could really care about the Grail itself if such dreariness is what it demands?

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Guinevere

t h e

hopefulness. Lancelot may have been the creation of medieval story-tellers, but the magical impulse behind him is ancient.

d e p t h

Because he can be contacted using a telesmic image, it is quite permissible to make plays upon his name. Thus Lancelot du Lac is Lance à l’eau du Lac, with the simple but tantalising connotations that this holds. And with Lancer meaning “to throw,” then Lancer L’eau brings us back to the image of Aquarius pouring out the water from his pitcher. And again there is Lance and lot meaning luck or chance. The Lance of Destiny? The Spear of Luck? There is an arcanum concealed there too. This is certainly a weak translation but the magic behind it is strong.

o f t h e l a k e cont...

can lead us into Wonder. It is the path of the warrior who chooses his Queen, the archetypal woman, above any other revelation, and who will forsake the Christ-centred Heaven for another sort of reality. In this wise, a study of that dragon legend of the Laidly Worm, which links with his castle in Northumberland, will repay the effort a thousand times. It was originally named Castle Dolorous; when he fell in love with Guinevere, he renamed it Joyous Gard.You can almost give your heart to him because of his sheer 14

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And we can wonder, too, at his very 'Frenchness'. Britain and France have a tanist relationship. In primordial times there was no sea between them and they shared, of course, the same rock strata. If we could, in some sense, reach that bedrock under the sea of our national consciousness, then we would reach a common level in which all things Gallic would seep into our visions and dreams. This does in fact happen when a certain magical current is touched, although it is a topic too complex to go into here. Likewise, when the two nations have recurring ideas about uniting politically, as Churchill suggested in 1940, or via physical means such as bridges or tunnels, then we can be sure that this same current is being activated and worked right fiercely. There is nothing cosy or cute about the du Lac contact, then. Nor is it easy to fix, for it seems to oscillate somewhere between those qualities http://avalonmagazine-net.webs.com

needed to be the Guardian of the Realms of the Queen at one extreme, and the dark heart of the Sacrificial Priest 'who knows things' at the other. But make the contact and you will be touching the very pulse of the Aquarian Age, with all the love and terror and marvel it will hold. If coming Ages cast their shadows before them as well as aft, then Lancelot is the foreshadowing of that Man Carrying Water who will stride us into Aquarius...

Alan Richardson is an author and magician, notable for his works on some of the most influential wizards and witches of the 20th century. www.alric.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

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e h t p u w e r D How I s s e d d o G k r a D

by Jane Meredith

Working with the dark goddess can be – difficult! For many years, although I invoked the Dark Goddess both personally and in group rituals, although I made offerings of every sort to her and studied her stories and sought to understand the maps that led towards her, I felt she walked all over me. Perhaps that is her role – to remind us that we are formed of dust, that we never have the upper hand in the realms of the Underworld, and to strip us of everything we think we can hang onto. Whatever the lesson, I could not seem to find my place in it. In rituals or workshops I held space while ten or twenty women formed their own relationships with the Dark Goddess. I would witness 16

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their weeping and pain from the sidelines; watching them experience realisations, or recognise of the power that gives birth to spring after winter. Each time, in my own life, something tremendous would be happening. A relationship would break up the day before the workshop, or I would get terribly sick, that morning. For many years, I held space while ten or twenty women formed their own relationships with the Dark Goddess There would be some huge crisis I had to deal with – but could not, because I was doing a ritual, running a workshop – and I would end up torn, and struggling to complete http://avalonmagazine-net.webs.com

my work. I honoured her again and again. I humbled myself before her, I took her seriously. I spoke up for her, urging others in my writing and work to understand that light was not the entire picture, that onwardand-upward was limited in scope and deep treasures lay hidden in the darkest places. But the Dark Goddess placed her heel on me repeatedly; and I could not see an end to it, or even a pause in which to rest, and clear space for my relationship with her. Over several years I held a number of rituals at the Chalice Well Gardens in Glastonbury, UK, which were dedicated to the Dark Goddess. These were after-hours, when the gates were shut and our group of women came together, with intents and offerings and courage to call to her. Acknowledging her subterranean

power in those beautiful surroundings felt deeply appropriate and, (I’m sure many other people have felt this in the landscape of Glastonbury) it seemed as though we were a living link back to an ancient time, when the dark was known as intimately as the light and the people worked and sang and made ceremony in harmony with the land. I spoke up for her, urging others to understand that light was not the entire picture, that deep treasures lay hidden in the darkest places On one occasion we created a progressive ritual, beginning at the well-head. Different groups of women held space at the well, at the stream, the gates and the pool, and at each stage we sang, blessed each other, drank the water or released something. Another time we gathered around the well and sang and chanted for a long, long time, turning that little space into a soundscape with the well at its centre, both swallowing and amplifying the noise until our voices rose into jagged screams that echoed on and on before relenting, finally, into softness again. People said later they heard us, in the street outside those walls. The pivotal ritual for me was the one in which we progressed through the gardens, from the stream and pool towards the source. It felt as though we were stripping away layers of ourselves as we went, and perhaps we were. When we got to the well,

we prepared offerings and, oneby-one, came forward. Someone knelt and placed flowers and a few berries gently by the side of the well; another woman leaned forward and whispered her secrets deep within; others wept or gazed down into the dark. When it was my turn I crawled forward onto the grid that covers the mouth of the well. I felt her, I knew she was there as she was always in my life, ready to strip and swallow, ready to crunch up whatever I created and pull the ground out from under me. I rose to my feet, still on the grid covering the well, and felt aeons of darkness below me, its vastness belying the little well at Chalice Gardens. It was a cavern – a tunnel of deep space. As I stood on the grid, surrounded by women and summer flowers, something unexpected happened. I did not surrender, energetically or Whatever the lesson, I could not seem to find my place in it any other way, into her thrall. I drew it up, instead, into me. I’d made enough room in myself – or she’d made enough room in me, one way or another – that suddenly I could hold this power. I pulled her up with my hands and my breath, on a sudden impulse, and I felt her within me. In this moment of huge power, I lifted my right foot up as high as I could, and with great force, pushed it down through the energy until it met the grid again.

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Enough, I said, and I felt the air settle into a slightly different arrangement around me. I’d drawn in and then expelled the Dark Goddess’ energy. It had felt like giving birth; but in those few seconds of holding it, something had changed. We weren’t on equal terms; I was still human and she the Dark Goddess, but

As I stood, I did not surrender, energetically or any other way, into her thrall. I drew it up, instead, into me... I’d been a pivot for a moment, and that moment had changed something. I’d created space for myself in her presence. That ritual began a different stage in my relationship with her… Jane Meredith’s most recent book is Journey to the Dark Goddess: How to Return toYour Soul. She will be in the UK in Oct/Nov 2013. www.janemeredith.com

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Into the Mists of Avalon... Part 1: Avalon - Realm of Earth and Water by Serene Conneeley

Avalon is not a physical place, so much as a state of being, in which you can access the inner world, as well as your deepest intuitive self.

he small English town of Glastonbury is one of the most beautiful places on earth. It’s where my witchy heart awoke, many years ago, and where I took my beloved for our honeymoon. I’ve taken part in pagan rituals there, leaping the Beltane fires, marking the summer solstice atop the sacred, mist-clad hill with people from around the world, and been part of new moon healing circles and full moon celebrations. I’ve drunk the healing waters of the sacred springs, and walked the mystery of the Tor's ancient labyrinth. I've

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wandered the landscape as it blossomed in springtime, shimmered in the heat of summer and transformed itself into the beauty of autumn. I’ve been transformed while there, and have left behind a little piece of my heart. I also hold a piece of it in my heart, and that is the magic of this place – its power can be tapped in to no matter where you are, for the real-life town of Glastonbury is overlaid by Avalon, a dimension of rich spirituality and enchantment, a place of swirling mists and mysticism that lies between the worlds. It’s not a physical place, so much as a state of

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Avalon lies within, in that space in which everything is possible and you are awash with magic and potential. being, in which you can access the inner world, as well as help ground you while giving you the your deepest intuitive self. Avalon is a place you can reach strength to grow into new experiences. no matter where you are in the world, because it lies within you, in that space in which everything is possible The Waters of Life and you are awash with magic and potential. Chalice Well in Glastonbury has long been revered for its life-giving water and as a source of spiritual power Connecting to Nature and magic. Its water is reputed to have healing powers, It is the nature and landscape of Glastonbury that affects and has been claimed to cure everything from asthma me so much – the sacred Tor and the rolling green of and ulcers to kidney problems and tuberculosis. But all Wearyall and Chalice Hills; Chalice Well and its beautiful fresh water is healing and purifying to some degree, and gardens; and the majesty of Gog and Magog, the ancient necessary for our health and wellbeing. Wherever you oak trees. And yet the magic of nature is everywhere, are you can imbue water with extra energy through the even in the middle of the greyest urban environment. In power of your intention, as shown by Japanese researcher the park across the road from my city apartment, there Masaru Emoto.You can also add reiki energy to water is a Tor-like hill that takes my breath away every day. It’s by charging a glass of water with it, which is believed to smaller than Glastonbury’s famous peak, but it still fills create molecular change, purifying it and making it more me with wonder as I climb its slopes to watch the moon powerful. rise or the sun set. I sit at the top, my bare feet on the grass, connecting to the deep hum of the earth and the Fresh water is a living energy, and it can also be charged strength I draw from it. I watch clouds scud past and the to hold the energy and healing qualities of herbs, crystals sky change colour, feel the sun on my shoulders and the and moonlight. To make the latter, leave a glass of spring cool breeze on my cheeks. Everything seems possible up water outside under the full moon, then drink it the next there; I can feel the heartbeat of the planet and hear the morning, feeling yourself energised and re-attuned as whisper of spirit. From here I also take note of where you absorb its lunar energy. Or place a crystal in spring the sun rises and sets, and watch how this changes as the water for a day and a night to imbue it with the healing seasons progress. properties of the stone – you can add a few drops of this elixir to your drinking water, use it externally, cleanse Attuning yourself in this way to the movement of the ritual tools with it or pour it on your garden. If the crystal planets, the seasons and the passing of time calms you is easily crumbled or reduced to powder, like selenite or down, centres you and gives you a greater appreciation ulexite, or you’re worried about it being toxic, place it of life and your connection to the pulse of the earth. in a small sealed glass jar or bottle and place that in the And while the trees may not be as old as Glastonbury’s water, so the crystal doesn’t physically touch the water, millennia-old oaks, they have their own power too. Sitting but its vibrations can still be transferred. with your back to a tree and visualising yourself growing roots into the earth while your spirit soars upward and Don't miss Part 2 of Into the Mists of Avalon... in which I'll outward like branches is a powerful meditation that will discuss the ancient techniques of scrying and labyrinth walking! Serene Conneeley is the author of Seven Sacred Sites, Witchy Magic and many more, and creator of the meditation CD Sacred Journey. www.sereneconneeley.com

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The Prophet at the Dawn of the New Age by D G Mattichak jr

D G Mattichak Jr. is a Hermetic occultist and Thelemite who has written extensively on the subject of ceremonial magick, Qabalah and the Aeon of Horus. Check out Dgmattichakjr's blogs - Blogging About Everything; http://dgmattichakjr.com/ or Ankhafnakhonsu's Magick Blog; http://ankhafnakhonsu.net/

Aleister Crowley

It is the magickal adventures and the writings on n the century and a half since the Victorian occult occultism that he produced that most people associate revival there have been many significant characters with Crowley and it is this very work that causes people that have added to the history of modern magick. to misinterpret the man, his life and his message to us Legendary occultists like Eliphas Levi, Samuel Liddell all. Once called 'The Wickedest Man in the World' by the MacGregor Mathers, Arthur Edward Waite and many English tabloid press, Crowley believed himself to be the more have all contributed to the development of magick prophet of a new age, the Aeon of Horus, and accepted from a darkly obscure heresy into an accepted spiritual the mission that had been set for him by his great Angel practice for a new age of Man. Of all of these modern Aiwass to preserve the hidden wisdom and secrets of mystics the life and work of one man stands out as being magick for the coming age. perhaps the most influential magician since Cornelius Agrippa or Albertus Magnus; the Great Beast 666, To fully understand the contribution that Aleister Crowley Aleister Crowley. has made to modern occult thinking and to new age spirituality generally it is necessary to know something of Even without his voluminous contribution to the study his life and of the people that he crossed paths with in his of ceremonial magick the life of Aleister Crowley makes a fascinating tale. He was a poet, a mystic, an adventurer, long and adventurous time on earth. Crowley was never very far from the centre of things generally, whether it a secret agent for His Majesty, a Himalayan mountaineer was the latest artistic movement or the political intrigues and many other things in a lifetime spent pursuing of the First World War. His work influenced almost all of adventures in both the physical and spiritual realms. In the modern writers on occultism and he can be connected many ways Crowley was a New Age man that was born to the beginnings of modern religions as diverse as Wicca into the twilight of a dying Aeon. 20 AVALON Magazine http://avalonmagazine-net.webs.com

and Scientology. Even so, most modern practitioners still know very little about Crowley and less about his work even though much of what has become standard occult practice now has its origins in one of the many books that he penned on magick.

Crowley on the Path to the Golden Dawn

Edward Alexander Crowley was born in Leamington in Warwickshire in 1875 into a wealthy family of brewers. His father was a lay preacher in the Plymouth Brethren, a small minded exclusive Christian sect that insisted on the literal truth of the Bible. His own mother, who he referred to in his autobiographical Confessions as being 'a brainless bigot of the most narrow, logical and inhuman type' told him as a child that he was the Beast of the Revelation, a name which would come to have the greatest significance in his later life. Crowley was educated by tutors and went on to study at Kings College Cambridge at which time he seemed to divide his time between writing salacious pornography and taking jaunts to Switzerland to go mountaineering in the Alps interspersed with the minimum amount of study that was required. After college Crowley found himself at a loose end and, after taking an interest in the occult after reading A E Waite's Book of Black Magic and Pacts sought for a master in the dark arts. In fact he found two. Crowley had contacted Waite who in turn had suggested that the young seeker should read The Cloud Upon the Sanctuary by Karl von Eckartshausen which describes an esoteric church, a community of saints that administer the hidden wisdom, a college of adepts that 'enjoyed intimate communion with the immanent divine soul of nature'. He immediately set out to find some avenue of introduction to this secret society of spiritually enlightened adepts and it came in the form of George Cecil Jones who introduced Crowley to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The Golden Dawn is probably the most important, and famous magickal order in history. Its membership reads like the Who's Who of Victorian and Edwardian society with names like H G Wells, C S Lewis, W.B Yeats, Arthur Machen and many more. It was developed in the 1880s from Rosicrucian and Masonic roots with the intention of becoming a centre for the teaching of Qabalah,

Theurgy and ceremonial magick. Many of today's standard ceremonial practices like the use of pentagrams has its origins in the rituals of the Golden Dawn and it is one of the major influences on the development of modern new age spirituality.

The Birth of Frater Perdurabo

Crowley was admitted to the Golden Dawn on 18 November 1898, taking the magickal motto Perdurabo- I will endure to the end, and advanced quickly through the elementary grades to become one of the central characters in the drama that split that Hermetic order in 1900. The greatest influence that the Golden dawn had on the young Crowley was that it introduced him to the two most experienced magicians of his day; Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, the author of almost all of the Golden Dawn material and Allen Bennett, the man remembered most for introducing Buddhism to the West. Under the tutelage of these two adepts Crowley's natural talent for magick blossomed and in conjunction with Bennett he performed many magickal operations including the evocation of spirits from the Goetia in an apartment in Chancery Lane in London which was famously decorated to include a white and a black temple for the different kinds of magick that they performed. In 1900 a dispute over the leadership of the Golden Dawn saw the order split and Crowley at first sided with Mathers before famously falling out with his former master in magick in 1905.

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n his memoirs Crowley claims that Mathers had used magick against him, citing the death of several of his hunting dogs and the madness of a household servant and in response he himself evoked the great fly spirit Beezlebub to dispatch his adversary. It is conjectured that this was what caused the final downfall of Mathers for after he had lost control of the Golden Dawn his fortunes had faded, and although he attempted to revive his magickal order in a new incarnation called the Alpha et Omega, he was never fully successful and he died in relative obscurity in 1918. Bennett had gone to live in Ceylon for health reasons and with the end of the Golden Dawn Crowley once again found himself at a loose end. He spent the first years of the Twentieth Century on various adventures from climbing mountains in Mexico and Kashmir, learning Yoga with his old friend Bennett in Kandy and living the life of a wealthy English Gentleman on the Continent. This period of Crowley's life came to an end in August 1903 when he married Rose Kelly who was to be the catalyst for the most important event and defining moment in her new husband's life.

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The Equinox of the Gods Crowley took his new bride on a honeymoon to the subcontinent, traveling via Paris and Marseilles and pausing in Cairo where the newlyweds spent a night in the King's Chamber of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Crowley claims to have used the Preliminary Invocation from the Goetia to invoke the astral light sufficiently well to read by. After this the couple traveled on to Ceylon where Rose announced that she was pregnant and the couple decided to return to England, stopping for an extended stay in Cairo in rooms that Crowley had let for the season there. During this stay in the ancient city Crowley repeated the Invocation from the Goetia in an attempt to show his wife the Sylphs, the spirits of Air. Rose either refused or failed to see these entities and instead she 'got into a strange state of mind' and kept repeating, dreamily yet with intensity, "They are waiting for you". It transpired that the entities that Rose was referring to were the ancient Egyptian God Horus and his minister, the great Angel Aiwass. After further investigation Crowley, with the help of the previously un-magickal Rose, determined that he would perform a ceremony to invoke Horus during which he was instructed to enter his temple at noon on three consecutive days prepared to write what was dictated to him while he was there. In his book The Equinox of the Gods Crowley describes the experience that ensued: The three days were precisely similar, save that on the last day I became nervous lest I should fail to hear theVoic e of Aiwass.They may then be described together. I went into the “temple” a minute early, so as to shut the door and sit down on the stroke of Noon. On my table were my pen--a Swan Fountain--an d supplies of Quarto typewriting paper, 8” x I0”. I never look ed round in the room at any time.TheVoice of Aiwass came appa rently from over my left shoulder, from the furthest corner of the room. It seemed to echo itself in my physical heart in a very stran ge manner, hard to describe. I have noticed a similar phenomenon when I have been waiting for a message fraught with great hope or dread.The voice was passionately poured, as if Aiwass were alert about the time limit. I wrote 65 pages of this present essay (at about my usual rate of composition) in about I0 ½ hou rs as against the 3 hours of the 65 pages of the Book of the Law. I was pushed hard to keep the pace ; the MS. shows it clearly enou gh.”- The Equinox of the Gods

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The manuscript that he is referring to is called the Book of the Law and in it the God Horus announces the Equinox of the Gods which marks the beginning of a new Aeon. Crowley himself is called the Prince-Priest the Beast who with his partner, the Scarlet Woman, is to superintend the arrival of this new age. The book takes its name from its central message which is to promulgate the new law of the new Aeon, Θελημα or Thelema, meaning 'Will', and which is summed up in the maxim Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be the Whole of the Law. This slogan was to become the catch cry of Crowley's new creed and went on to have a profound influence on spirituality in the Twentieth Century.

After this Crowley returned to mountaineering with an ill fated expedition to climb K2 in the Himalayas and after the failure of this venture he spent several months travelling across China with Rose and their new daughter before deciding to return to Britain in March 1906. Crowley sent his wife and child home via India while he himself returned via America, arriving in San Francisco just in time to see it burning after the 1906 earthquake that leveled the city. He was in America trying to find support for a new mountaineering expedition to K2 but when he found none he determined to return to his home in Boleskine Scotland. On arrival he learned that his first child had died of typhoid on the return journey and that his wife Rose had become an alcoholic. The double tragedy pushed Crowley back into his magickal work and in 1907, after authoring a series of books by a method of automatic writing he decided to found his own magickal order. In all, in the years 1907-11 Crowley was to produce a dozen such Holy Books to support his great opus and upon which he founded his new magickal order the Argentium Astrum, or the Order of the Silver Star.... to be continued ...

The Prophet the Beast and the Holy Books of Thelema In spite of the obvious importance of this document, especially to his colleagues in the Golden Dawn, other than making a rather off handed announcement to that order of adepts that he had been contacted by its Secret Chiefs and a small private publication of a typescript of the original handwritten copy of the Book of the Law, Crowley misplaced the MSS for five years. Instead of taking up the tasks that the Book of the Law had assigned to him Crowley returned to focusing his attention on the performance of the Sacred Magick of Abramelin the Mage which involves the invocation of the knowledge and conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel which he claimed to have accomplished in 1906.

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SACRED SITES Ancient reminders of times past & the unseen forces of the otherwporlds...

StoneHenge What is it that facinates us so much about Stonehenge? Is it its size or how it came from nowwhere? Scientists have tried to learn how it was created and by what means? These are just some of the many un answered questions that baffle historians and archeologists the world over. But while they debate, one thing is for sure, Stonehenge is simple amazing.While the Sun and Moon are reminders of circular cosmic spheres, whose constant cycles and familiarity is very comforting to us; In a simple yet sacred way we came to revere their cosmic energy and the unseen forces their presence omitts; so too does Stonehenge have this kind of effect. Upon entering this sacred of places you cant help but become aware of something, a presence or force, a stiring that takes place from deep within your being.

were created this way so that they could be easily seen from the heavens sort of like a map for special points of power. Maybe these points can be tapped into by cosmic bretheran who help keep us attuned to other forces within the cosmos, anchoring some kind of hamonic resonance?

Regardless of any hypothisis, for eons sacred sites like Stonehenge have been used to harness the natural cyclic powers, as seasonal ceromonies were performed regularly. Stonecircles were used for sacred initiations, rituals and even burial ceremonies. The ever present cycles of life, such as birth, death and rebirth were understood and honoured within these circles.The wise ones knew that within them one could harness energy or power, that they needed the energy of these stones to do so; whereby they could summon the elements or call upon spiritual guidance, to become one with their consciousness and To the ancients the circle was a protective safe space, a therefore gain insight or wisdom from them. Stonehenge place of no begining and no end, a place of allignment is just one such ancient power circle, that still holds the and reconnection with cosmic forces. The ancients ancestral remeberance of the great mysteries of life. No understood that these unseen forces were part of us and therefore naturally influenced ones life. Its beleived one knows how it came to be there, or how any of them that many of the great stones create planetary or galatic came to be. Much speculation has been derived, and even history is limited as we have only been corrolating alignments of one sort or another. Others believe that information in the written sence for a few thousand years. the ancients devined the earths natural underground As for the stones themselves, if only they could talk, what rivers, crystal and metal veins, which is why many are tales they could whisper to us as standing monuments of called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Power sites,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; that somehow these stones are timelessness. Surely its presence is proof enough of some monuments built on top of junctions connecting these hidden underground earth grids or ley lines. Maybe they amazing cosmic force, larger than you or I...

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Wild Woman Weekend!

Michele-lee Phelan’s art is the key to opening and expressing the realms of earth, spirit, and the imagination. A painter of dreams,dragons, mythology, goddesses and faeries. Michele-lee promotes and sells her book, oracle decks, original artworks, and fine art prints via her website Dreams of Gaia: www.dreamsofgaia.com

w w w. d r e a m s o f g a i a . c o m

“‘Mystical art and illustration of Michele-lee Phelan’”.

is an annual event held in the bush lands of Western Australia that gifts a sacred, magical space for women to gather together to share stories, wisdom & journeys, to connect with Mother Earth & Goddess Moon, and to empower & encourage one another to embrace the wild within. Now in its 8th year, the custodians Ariana & Larissa have dreamed this years inspiration – Rise of the Phoenix – to embrace the swirling energies of new beginnings and ignite the fires of creation; to journey from the ashes of the old world into the beauty, wonder and potential of the new. With drumming around the fire, dancing, meditations, creativity, sumptuous magical feasting & weaving the threads of sisterhood, this year promises to sing to your very soul. Accommodation, nourishment & magical shenanigans are all inclusive all you need to bring is the wild woman within! For more information hop onto the website or find Wild Woman Weekend on facebook.

www.wildwomenweekend.com

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Help! n i y r e a F a s ' e r e Th . . . e l p m My Te by Kash Salem

orking with fae is sometimes like walking a spider-web tightrope over a crevasse of magical horrors. One unfortunate slip and you are trapped in an astral hell as a vivisection subject while your physical self is left drooling and staring into space. Or you might just find that you never have socks that match again. In folklore fae have a well-deserved fearsome reputation for interfering in the lives of mere mortals in terrible, or at least dreadfully inconvenient ways. Why do we not just leave them alone and hope they afford us the same courtesy? Well, fae don’t quite work like that, especially if you are, like most magicians, inclined to explore astral realms. You will get noticed.You will create curiosity. If you are performing rituals, using sacred land, or simply interfering with the physical realms in ways that interest them, you will draw their attention. Managing this attention, and keeping your interactions positive, is a valuable skill for making your magical (and mundane) life easier. If you are contemplating taking things a step further, and working with, rather than simply appeasing these entities, then the source of the risk is also the greatest advantage. Fae are very closely linked to the physical realm, they skip back and forth between ‘our’ world and theirs with little to no effort. Their ability to affect change in our realm is unparallelled. Working with fae allows us to involve magic in more lowly, mundane aspects of our lives than would be worthwhile with other forms of magic or magical creatures. 26

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rder Fae sit on the bo cence of absolute inno dom; and absolute wis sage, they know like a hild but love like a c

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Faerie culture is well documented in ancient myths and childrens’ bedtime tales, which were once meant not to delight, but to warn. The Victorian ‘flower fairy’ idea pervades our modern understanding of fae; many see faeries as sweet little girls in petal skirts with wings who kiss bees and dance around flowers. Even through this rose-tinted perspective, the concept of faery mischief prevails. Look into the pre-Victorian mythos, and you’ll find something very different. Fae are troublesome, powerful, wild and chaotic. They must be appeased or terrible harm may come to us. People who lived off the land did so in awe-full respect of the spirits who could provide them with great bounty, or tear away their livelihood on a pernicious whim. Fae can be unpredictable, cruel and inhumane. They can be sexually deviant, murderous and double-crossing. So which are the good faeries, and which are bad?

bake you a cake.”You make friends with them, send them the odd cake out of goodwill and then if and when the need arises, you ask them if they can help you out. When you invite fae into your life, it is necessary to remember that just as they do not think and act in a human manner, their emotional responses are also quite different to yours. Fae sit on the border of absolute innocence and absolute wisdom; they know like a sage, but love like a child. Folklore is very clear on the fate of those who form relationships, on any level, with faery folk. When you invite a faery into your home and your heart, when you create a bond and a trust between you both, you have a responsibility to maintain that, as fae are easily offended, and fragile of heart. There are some rules you can work within to lessen your chances of falling foul of the average faery.

Firstly, respect is very important – for the physical space they occupy, for the things they care for, and for The answer is, there are neither. The fae mindset is very their existence. Honouring them through offerings, the alien to us, they are not funny looking humans with creation of spaces for them or simply acknowledgement, magical capabilities, they are a completely different entity, makes a huge difference. and should be approached as such, and with care. The fae concept of right and wrong is very different than our Secondly, be wary of the mischievous aspect of fae. They own, and is not centred on the wellbeing of their human hate self-righteousness, ego and excessive pomp. If they neighbours. For the most part they are instinctual, and think that you are too proud and sure of yourself, they they have their own purpose and needs to serve. will trip you up and bring you back down to earth with a bump. Share in their joy and sense of the ridiculous. Some fae bring to mind the innocence of a child pulling the legs off a spider – they are curious, playful, and simply Remember also that fae are reputed to have an affinity don’t understand the impact of their actions in a realm with children and animals, particularly horses and that is as much beyond their comprehension as theirs is wildlife. Treat these, and indeed anyone or thing else you beyond ours. Some are so wary of human interference encounter, with the same level of respect and kindness after centuries of being ignored, that they will violently that you afford your fae companions. The best way to attack anyone who wanders over to their realm, out of endear yourself to fae is to show genuine compassion, fear or confusion. Do not assume that because a faery generosity, humility and joy in all you do. seems well-meaning, it is harmless. Follow these guidelines and you’ll be less likely to ever Working with fae requires dedication to building fall foul of the fae and their awesome powers – instead, otherworldly relationships. Fae don’t generally concern you’ll be able to welcome them, as friends, into your themselves with lawfulness or contracts. A relationship temple. with a faery is a friendship, or at least an allegiance towards a common cause, but certainly not a business Kash Salem is an ecstatic magician working contract. Think of it in terms of asking a neighbour for a primarily with Fae. Living in Glastonbury, she is favour.You don’t generally pop around your neighbours’ currently writing a book about Faery Sorcery. houses and say “Hey, water my garden for me and I will www.facebook.com/pages/Kash-Salem http://avalonmagazine-net.webs.com

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"Witch In The City" Full Circle Ritual by Lizzy Rose

FULL CIRCLE RITUAL Things you will ne ed...

A A sacred quite, welcomneinw moon g sp but if not available inacsie, ideally outdoors, de is fine. Measuring instrument for a 9 foot circle. 12 white candles and ho lders 1 purple cloth 1m x 1m Charcoal Incense in he small amount of drieatdproof burner rosemary Box of matches Bowl of fresh spring wat er Bowl of soil taken from fres Black ink, quill or penh earth Parchment or ordinary 12 Small pots & 1 bagpaper & Scissors 12 flower, herb or vegeof Potting mix ( small bearing plants table seeds are be Gardening trowel st ) Besom, Small Broom or 2 litres of water for wat Rake Small plate of food &ering spring water for post ri tual 28

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“TURNING FULL CIRCLE”

In deep lands we dwell, Sacred sites the wishing well, The wheel doth turn and air doth chill, God and Goddess as they will. With Quill in hand and magick deep, I’m taken back to times I keep Of rolling plains and bluestone walls Tis Avalon, I hear the call.

Steps for the Ritual Prepare your space by sweeping the ritual area with a besom, straw broom or rake then measure out your 9 foot circle, now place your candles in the shape of a pentagram (see attached photo) Lay your purple cloth in the middle of the pentagram, which now becomes the altar for your magickal workings, set down two candles, the bowl of water, bowl of soil, the paper, the quill or pen, box of matches, scissor’s, 12 small pots, bag of 12 seeds, or bag of potting mix , gardening trowel, 2 litres of water, food and drink for your post ritual consumption, all on and around your purple altar cloth.

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Lizzy Rose Australias's Celebrity Psychic. Specialising in Psychic, Clairvoyant,Tarot & Medium Readings. High Priestess of Mumma MoonWomen's Circles & Goddess Temple Gatherings. Email lizzyrosebookings@gmail.com www.lizzyrose.com.au 0452 479 505

Take time to set your space don’t feel rushed or to eager, rest be at peace, beco me one with the altar that you have created for it is beautiful and very powerfu l when cast with respect and pure intent.

Now that everything is set up close your eyes, be still and call the energy’s of the elements into your space, this maybe Earth Air Fire an d Water for you, however it may also include Metal, als o call the God and Goddess of the ear th, sea and sky.

Now meditate, close your eye s and find stillness by taking three deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth. Allow your mind to meditate on where your life has been sin ce your bir th, scan and flick through the moments of yo ur life in your mind, where you have come from, the hig hs and the joys, the moments that bring a smile to your he art and a warmth to your soul.

Ask to be given 12 significa nt moments in your life that you are grateful for . Open your eyes then proceed to write them down , in a few words briefly describe each moment.

Cut your 12 written significa nt moments into thin slices of individual informa tion, line up your pots, use your trowel to fill each pot with fresh potting mix and dig a small hole.

Now take your seeds, holdi ng them gently in your right hand and closing your eyes, breathe again deeply for 3 breaths opening your eyes on the last.

Take each of the 12 written moments, hold them to your altars centre and spe ak them aloud in your circle, then place each mome nt one at a time into your dir t pots, so they fit gently inside the hole.

Take your seeds and place on e seed in each hole. When all 12 have been placed into your pots before covering the dir t over, light your incense and wave it ov er every pot speaking this ench antment. “Memories made moments created outside of time inside of measure, Sacred now alw ays will be remembered honoured and forever cheri shed.”

Now fill in your pot with the dir

t and water and say;

“By Air and Fire by Water an d Earth, this rite is cast, thi s seed now burst, and all life ’s joys and happy times are gifted back to ear th’s true rhy mes. For as I will it so it be, the lore of thanks gifted now returned to thee.” Closure: Now rest close your eyes an d give thanks to your circle , farewell the God, Goddess and Elements. Stand when you are ready an d extinguish the candles, starting with the centre tw o and working your way around to close circle. If you can let your altar stay as it is for a 30 minute perio d do so and take the time to eat, drink and reflect, once you feel grounded, then return to the altar circle and pack your belongings away with respect. May your circle always turn, remember to take time to stop and appreciate the ful lness of each and every significant moment, on this our merry march of life. Join Lizzy Rose as she wi ll be casting this rite at 6.21pm on Sunday 10th Fe bruary and again at 6.53am Tuesday 12th March 2013 (MelbourneVictoria Australian time) at the sa me time where ever you ar e in thw world.

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Alchemy Essentials: Part 1 – Elementalism by Dr. Jason Betts

magine a vast land – somewhere beyond the limits of the known world. Our mediaeval predecessors, who were so concerned with categorising the world and describing the qualities of the elements, called it Ultima Thule. Here lies the province of The Elements – a veritable city of bricks and blocks, of colonies, of stuff, that makes things stick together and stay together… that makes things move and play, change and grow. It is a city that shines in wonder at the interconnectedness of matter and the spirit of nature, which creates the formed and the formless, weaving the world about us and within us. These

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are the elements. Each has its own essence and character and soul. The elements have a vertical order, from top to bottom, so let us consider a lit candle. Above the candle is heaven (spirit), next is the air, the flame is the fire, the molten wax the water, and the substance of the cold wax is the earth. In this analogy, we have Spirit (white), Air (yellow), Fire (red), Water (blue), Earth (black). The colours are symbolic and everyone has their own set, but these are mine, based on the prime colours and the colours that aren't.

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This analogy of the elements as a lit candle contains truths about the way the elements manifest in the world. Another example of this is the Japanese Shinto stone lantern, which has a small ball on top (ku, the void), then the umbrella cover (fu, the wind), a cube with a candle inside it (ka, the fire), a dish that contains the cube and fills when it rains (sui, the water), and legs that support the dish and ground this elemental temple to the earth (chi). The next analogy is the human body. Spirit is in the heavens above us, and air rules the head, fire the thorax, water the abdomen, and earth is the legs. Likewise, in holding your hand open with fingers vertical and the thumb on top, you can represent the elements thus: thumb becomes spirit/aura/free will, index finger is air/head/intellect, middle finger is fire/thorax/soul, ring finger is water/abdomen/emotion), and the little finger is earth/legs/sexuality. The elements can be used to understand the nature of any thing or substance. A candle could be said to be fiery, a stream watery, and intelligent blondes airy; however, one could also describe the brightness of the candle as airy (the light of intelligence), the power of the stream to cut through rock could be construed as fiery (determination), and the intelligent blondes as earthy (for substance of character or other intrinsic qualities). Context is everything as the elements relate the item to its environment and describe the quality that is the most important in that context, identifying an item's nature, purpose and meaning. What element are you? What elements are you aligned with in love, work, friendships, health, and money? Is there a pattern in your elemental associations, and why is that?

Sagittarius become associated with the suit of Wands in the tarot, and likewise Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces with Cups. If the Kings of the suits are cardinal/fire, the four Queens are fixed/water and the four Knights are mutable/air, then each sign of the zodiac has a secondary element, grouped in three tetrads of the four Kings, Queens and Knights of the deck. So, if we consider my Sun sign, Taurus, known as fixed earth (the watery part of earth), this becomes the woman of the earth family: the Queen of Pentacles, and so on. Air and water are grouped together as complimentary elements (fluids), and earth with fire (combustibles). Using some elemental alchemy, it's possible to understand some of the ways things are drawn to each other. If you are a water sign, then you're likely to be drawn to air activities to balance yourself out, such as reading, writing and thinking. If you're an air sign (a thinker) then you will be drawn to the other fluid, water, for balance. This will heighten the importance of feelings, relationships, calmness, nature, and, of course, being in, or near, water. Earth signs seek their balance in work and activity, and fire signs do the same with money, accomplishment, food, and so on. In the next part we will take a closer look at the practical uses of the elements in that alchemic experiment that is your life! Dr Jason Betts started teaching Qabala and Alchemy in the early 1990â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, runs the Tasmanian Psychic Expos and the Circle Psychic Line (Australia) and his favourite colour is green. His website is www.emeraldalchemy.com.

Let's look at some other elemental metaphors. In a Tarot deck, there are trumps or major arcana (spirit) and the minor deck of suited cards which each represent an element and its associated qualities. Swords/Spades represent metal/air/thought; Staves/Wands represent wood/fire/will; Hearts/Cups represent vessels/water/ emotions; Diamonds/Pentagrams represent triangles/ earth/matter. The Greek zodiacal signs too, are split into elemental triads: Ares, Leo, Sagittarius (fire), Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn (earth), Gemini, Libra, Aquarius (air), Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces (water). Thus, Ares, Leo and http://avalonmagazine-net.webs.com

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the Sacred union of the feminine and masculine

by Mikailah

he new dawn is aligning us with the cosmic union of the Sacred Feminine and Divine Masculine. Conscious dreaming is calling forth highly evolved partnerships between men and women. It is time for the masculine to embrace Shivaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s energy in the stillness, to be more deeply honouring of the Great She so she can truly yield. At the same time, the feminine is being called to surrender to her vulnerabilities and be empowered through the softness that radiates from her heart-space. It is also vitally important for the feminine to continually engage in the wild dance of Kali, for She is the creation of nature. In order for her to

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do this She must be reassured and trust Shiva. Shiva is the vessel or cauldron holding this sacred rite for the feminine movement of creation, preservation and destruction. These are the ingredients for the cosmic blend of the Beloved. If this chaotic energy is not held with intent there is a dysfunctional element that becomes present in the relationship between the feminine and masculine. It is not to say that a woman does not have initiation and assertion, which is activated through her inner animus. Likewise, a man has access to his inner anima in the gentle recess of his heart. Both have within them aspects of their own anima (inner feminine) and animus (inner masculine) and these qualities need to be nurtured and revered. Balance and unification will then bring forth healing which is reflected through interpersonal http://avalonmagazine-net.webs.com

relationships. During patriarchal history, humankind has been subjected to domination and near eradication of the Sacred Feminine. The Great She is like the wild tigress that has been oppressed through the shackling and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;domesticationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of her instinctive nature. In this exile of abuse, the feminine has protected herself by closing down to the masculine. Mother Earth has been continually raped to the detriment of all, which is felt within the psyche of humanity. We have danced away from each other through this separation and carry the wounding within our collective memories. We need to be gentle with each other, for this will take time to heal and reconnection is essential for a harmonious existence. This reconnection allows the feminine to envision a new way of being. This dreaming will then be bestowed to the masculine to raise the energy.

we need to understand that conventional roles are changing. We need to educate ourselves on a more planetary level. First and foremost, we need to be responsible for our own journey to wholeness through connecting with our Inner Beloved, which is the Sacred Marriage within. This requires great courage to step beyond our limitations and embrace our ecstatic self. A beautiful rite to honour the Inner Beloved involves reflecting on dark moon energies. This is a time to celebrate the life force of the Sun (masculine) and the receptive nature of the Moon (feminine). The dark moon occurs every 29½ days and begins each new lunar cycle. It takes place when the sun and the moon are dancing together in a tight conjunction across the arc of the sky, and therefore we do not see the light of the moon.

This dedicated place holds healthy and safe masculine energy for me. In this landscape, I was offered a greater depth of understanding about the true unity of myself by releasing my shadow projections and attachment to the past. By nurturing my relationship with nature in this divine place, I became more aware of the universal tantric energies and was transformed completely. I was instructed in a different way of receiving and giving love-wisdom. Explore where you live and find a place that holds similar energy for you – if in doubt, seek out ley lines.

Mikailah is a Shamanee MedicineWoman who offers soul astrology sessions and conscious dreaming workshops to support people in remembering their authentic, natural state of being. www.mikailah.com

ritual of th e inner belo ved

Dark moon energy is what I call the ‘Dance of the Inner Beloved’. Allow yourself to access the dream realms and the intuitive messages given to you by your Inner Beloved. Focus on inward reflection instead of external projection. Use your intention to nurture the relationship between yourself and your Inner Beloved. This is the aspect of balance that dwells within you. It is invaluable for both men and women, whether you are in a relationship or single, as it is the intention that's important. Another valuable practice is to have a special place in nature that becomes your Beloved for merging with your higher consciousness. For many years I experienced an alchemical fusion with a sacred mountain where I live.

The land will love you for this and open to receive you in this holy quest… remember: for that which you seek, if you do not find it within, you will never find it without. Remember, in these conscious times, to listen with your heart and feel strength in your vulnerabilities. Keep walking the path in sacred prayer for Earth Mother and beyond, for we are all one in this Divine Union.

Offer this ritual as a gift for the evolution of humanity, as well for personal growth as . • Close your eyes and focus on the brea th. Call forth the elements in wha tever way seems appr opriate, and acknowledge them in dividually in hope th at they will offer the experiences and insig hts you need for your Divine Union. The guide below explain s the domains of each el • Earth – body / se ement: nsuality / values • Water – emotio ns / subconscious • Fire – passion / creativity / intuition • Air – breath / co mmunication • Spirit – cosmic co nnection 1. Meditate on the Inne r Masculine being st to be received, and th ill and waiting e Inner Feminine flo wering in receptivity Slowly make love to . your Inner Beloved th us : 2. Women – focus on yo ur Inner Masculine (a 3. nimus) Men – focus on your Inner Feminine (anim 4. a) Close the ritual as be fits your tradition. If you have a partner, spend time in hear tfelt communication. Allow some time each week to focus on each other. Again, close your eyes and focus on the breath before calling in the elemen Use your intuition an ts. d flow naturally thro ugh the hear t rather than the head.

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Morgana West

Morgana began her spiritual journey in her late teens, training to third degree inWicca, while studying many other differing belief systems and mystery schools. She lives in Glastonbury, UK, where she welcomes and serves pilgrims and visitors of all faiths.

The Charge of the Great Mother

am the four faces of the white moon at night, And I am the warmth of the red sun at day. I am the green earth beneath your feet, And the black heavens above your crown. I am the song of the morning maiden, And the wisdom of the dark woman of the night. I am your birth, your life and your death and only through me, Can you come to know my mysteries. I am the darkness within your soul and the light within your spirit. Come to me, for I am your mother, take me into your breath. Inhale my power and know that I am always with you. Drink from my cauldron of rebirth and know that always you are my child. Eat from my cornucopia of abundance and know that always I will nourish you. I am the sweet smell of the earth, released as you press me beneath your feet. I am the very breath of air that you draw into your being. I am the dancing fire of passion when love is shared. I am the water that flows through your blood - touching every part of you. I, and I alone knew you as spirit even before you were created, And I will know you even after you have turned to dust.

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And by all the elements that are my source, I charge thee: Ever strive for the growth of your eternal soul. Challenge your thoughts and your mind. Let not the worries and cares of your everyday life, Take you away from what you know is your destiny, A destiny that is yours and yours alone, And is my gift that I have bestowed unto you. Act always for the betterment of your brothers and sisters. To strengthen them, is to forge the true chain of humanity. Keep the chain strong and do not weaken in your endeavours,You are my brother, my sister, my lover and my child. I know you by your actions and your deeds, by your thoughts and your intent.You are strong and you are wise and full of the power of life that I have given to you. Go forth into the world in the light of my love. Turn to me when the darkness threatens to overcome you, And turn to me also to share your triumphs. Reach deep inside you and remember I have always been with you, And I will be with you when the last star dies in the sky, And my winter settles over the Universe.

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The Feminine Power of

Boudica

Celtic Warrior

Queen by Frances Billinghurst

he power of a mother when she is protecting her young is well known. Animals are fiercely protective of their young, and amongst humans, mothers also often display an uncanny ability to know when their children are in danger. This warrior-like power is not just reserved for mothers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it is an ability that is contained within each of us.Yet rarely do we use of this protective energy for our own benefit. Women, more so than men, are often poor protectors of themselves. Is this because we fear being labeled as 'aggressive' or 'unfeminine' â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for surely we are not lacking in the strength to look after ourselves? Over 1600 years ago, in the 4th century CE, Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus commented on the warrior-like nature of Celtic women: 'â&#x20AC;Ś A whole band of foreigners will be unable to cope with [a Gaul] in a fight, if he calls in his wife, stronger than he by far and with flashing eyes; least of all when she swells her neck and gnashes her teeth, and posing her huge white arms, begins to rain blows, mingled with kicks like shoots

auguries from Boudica sought c Goddess of Andraste, Celti a hare, sacred g War, by lettin oddess, run out animal of the G of her robes. from the folds e animal took The direction th er the Celts denoted wheth ... orious in battle were to be vict

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king' – whilst he answered to the Roman ruling class, his tribe and their culture were able to remain largely unfettered. When he died in One Celtic woman in particular is 59 CE, Prasutagus left his kingdom to still renowned for her warrior-like qualities, as well as her independence: be shared between his two daughters (with Boudica acting on their behalf Boudica, the Iceni queen who led until they came of age) and the new Roman emperor, Nero – an action d te he believed would ensure tranquility ra Boudica demonst e al m fe e for his family and tribe. Roman the power of th and r, he ot m a , or law however did not acknowledge warri an who an ordinary wom female rulership, and therefore quish refused to relin co-ownership with a woman was d instead her freedom an deemed unacceptable. chose death. discharged by the twisted cords of a catapult.'

the infamous revolt against the Romans in 62 CE. Even today, much inspiration can be derived from this amazing woman. She, like her earlier counterpart, Cartimandua, Queen of the Brigantes, was forced to deal with an imposing force in ways that she considered best for her people. Everything we know about Boudica (whose name means 'Victory') is attributed to Roman historians (Tacitus, in particular). For this reason, we shouldn't assume that historian Dio Cassius was being completely impartial when he later described Boudica thus:

When Nero came to power, he called in all outstanding loans, and the Iceni lands were considered Roman property. When Boudica refused to relinquish her rule, the Roman finance minister, Catus Decianus, saw to it that she was publicly flogged, and her two daughters (believed to have been aged 11 and 12) were raped. Meanwhile, the military governor, Suetonius Paulinus, was preparing an attack on Mona Insula (Anglesey), the Druidic stronghold, in North West Wales.

Outraged by the treatment inflicted upon them by the Romans, the Iceni sought revenge. They were quickly joined by the neighbouring Trinovantes. Before setting out on 'In stature, she was very tall, in a campaign to avenge her peoples' appearance, most terrifying, in a glance treatment, Boudica sought auguries of her eye, most fierce, and her voice was from Andraste, Celtic Goddess of harsh; a great mass of the tawniest hair War, by letting a hare, sacred animal fell to her hips ...' of the Goddess, run out from the folds of her robes. The direction the The Iceni tribe occupied the part animal took denoted whether the of England that we know today Celts were to be victorious in battle. as Norfolk and Suffolk, and their Presumably the hare's message was ruler was Prasutagus, who Boudica encouraging, because in 61 CE, the married between 43 and 45 CE. Under the Roman Emperor Claudius, attack launched by Boudica and the Celts destroyed the Ninth Legion Prasutagus was perceived as a 'client 36

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Hispana, and sacked Camulodunum (modern day Colchester), Londinium (London) and Verulamium (St Albans). When the Celts met the army of Suetonius at Manduessedum (now Mancetter, in North Warwickshire), the force they encountered was well-seasoned in the ways of Celtic fighting and the Romans proved too great to overcome. Prior to this battle Tacitus recorded that Boudica rode around in her chariot, spear in hand, reminding every Celtic warrior of why they fought. She said: 'We British are used to woman commanders in war. I am descended from mighty men! But now I am not fighting for my kingdom and wealth. I am fighting as an ordinary person for my lost freedom, my bruised body, and my outraged daughters. Nowadays Roman rapacity does not even spare our bodies. Old people are killed, virgins raped … Consider how many of you are fighting - and why.Then you will win this battle, or perish.That is what I, a woman, plan to do. Let the men live in slavery if they will.' warriorReclaiming the is about self as a woman the at th recognising er is w po r source of ou . y. it our feminin

Of the 120,000 Celtic warriors (as well as numerous wagons containing their wives and children), some 80,000 apparently lost their lives when they were defeated by Suetonius' army. In order to save herself from the further

Mind, Body & Soul EXPO

omen Many modern w emulate would do well to fight for her decision to her freedom, avenge ultimately, daughters, and, elf... to protect hers

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When: Saturday 9th Feb, 2013

humiliation of being captured and paraded through the streets of Rome in chains as part of in Suetonius' victory celebrations, Boudica is said to have taken her own life by drinking poison. From 62 CE, the Iceni and Trinovantes were fully subdued and incorporated within the Roman provincial government infrastructure, but Boudica's strength is still legendary. Boudica demonstrated the power of the female warrior, a mother, and an ordinary woman who refused to relinquish her freedom and instead chose death. We, too, can draw upon that deep rooted warrior strength when we find the odds stacked against us. Reclaiming the warrior-self as a woman is about recognising that the source of our power is our femininity â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in particular, our ability to fiercely protect those we love. But Boudica was not a martyr, accepting her punishment meekly and for the good of her tribe. She did everything on her own terms. Many modern women would do well to emulate her decision to fight for freedom, avenge her daughters, and, ultimately, to protect herself from yet more humiliation at the hands of the Romans. Through her actions women today can draw inspiration and embrace their powerful warrior-like aspect without compromising femininity but instead, embracing it, and its intrinsic power. Author of Dancing the SacredWheel: A Journey through the Southern Sabbats, Frances Billinghurst is an initiated witch and High Priestess of an active coven based in Adelaide, South Australia. www.templedarkmoon.com

Doors open 10am to 5pm, Admission $12.00 Thornleigh NSW Community Centre, corner Phyllis and Central Avenues.

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Our Pledge to Mother Earth Gaia

by AppleBlossom

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Now picture yourself extending your hands out in front of you to gently hug the Earth. As you breathe deeply in Through the astral planes and world between worlds, I now open my heart, and out several times, imagine with each breath out that you are sending intuition, and belief that within this the Earth a beam of healing light. magical place, between the trees of Then say out loud, “Loving Earth, I wonderment, that a connective web thank you for the foundation you have shall now grow. Melding all as one, where we can dance, sing, and rejoice built beneath my feet to walk upon.” See the Earth smile with gratitude for together with the elements of our your thanks. land. As we work together to reduce our Again breathe in slowly. On the out individual footprint upon the Earth, breath send another beam of healing I now humbly pledge this oath, that light to the Earth and say, “Loving where possible I limit my use of Earth, I thank you for the air you have substances that are destructive to chosen to share with me so that I can our planet and damaging to our dear breathe.” See the Earth smile with animal, elemental, and plant friends. gratitude for your thanks. You notice I now hail and welcome the that the Earth grows stronger, glowing brightly in the universe.

Pledge to Gaia

gifts of the Fae, The courage of the Dragons, The mysteries of the Unicorns, And the healing powers of the Merfolk, May their knowledge now flow within and without my presence. So mote it be…

As you continue the process of breathing in and out, on the exhale send another beam of healing light to the Earth and say, “Loving Earth, I thank you for the fire in your belly which destroys as much as it renews.” See the Earth smile with gratitude for your thanks. The Earth brightens even more than before and shines like a star of its own, lighting the paths of all human life. You realise that the more you give to the Earth, the more is given in return.

Meditation to thank Mother Earth - Gaia

One last time you breathe in and out, and send the Earth a beam of healing light and say, “Loving Earth, I thank Light a bees wax candle and sit in a you for the water that flows through comfortable position. Focus on the beautiful green, blue, and white planet your veins, giving all the elixir of life.” See the Earth smile with gratitude for which you reside in. Notice how your thanks. magnificent it is and appreciate the way it lovingly holds and supports you. Release your hug around the Earth to be free in the universe. Snuff out the The Earth provides everything that candle, and rejoice in the glory of our you need in life to be happy, content wonderful planet. and wealthy of spirit. http://avalonmagazine-net.webs.com

Connecting to Mother Gaia Beneath your favourite tree leave offerings of cake, silver coins, honey, flowers, presents for the birds, a dash of apple cider, and even a sprinkle of fertiliser. You may also choose to play gentle music or recite poetry to the tree. In doing so, you are acknowledging that through the tree which touches the Earth beneath your feet, and reaches up tall to the skies above, you are connected…'As above, and so below.' If you like, fill a little pouch necklace with five things from nature which resonate with you on a personal level. For example, add bark, leaves, flower petals, or seed pods. Wear this pouch each and everyday, grasping it within your palms for a couple of seconds in the morning, as you remember that these items within are actually precious gifts from the Earth. Another exercise you can try is to place an object inside the hollow of a tree trunk. Leave it there for three days and three nights, or a full Moon cycle. When this period of time has lapsed, hold your charged and empowered object knowing that it has been touched by the Earth and her magic. For Gaia has given you a special piece to take with you on your daily journeys, providing strength and comfort whenever you tune and tap into its power. Apple Blossom is a natural psychic, medium, and witch, with a vast background in the study of everything spiritual and magical. Apple writes for many new age magazines in Australia and internationally, and is the author or three books. www.appleblossomscottage.com Photo taken by 'Julz Photography'

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by S'Roya Rose

Spiritual Evolvement

The Ever Unfolding Transformational Journey

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Tests of the Ego

There are many tests along this trail of understanding. One such test, which will happen often, comes from our lower self or ego. It can be seen as the desire to appear to know more than we know, when in actuality we are not sure of what we know but need some sort of confirmation, validation and maybe even recognition for what we know thus far.

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Artwork Supplied by www.dreamsofgaia.com

Spiritual evolvement takes time, self-discipline and patience. As each soul begins to evolve there is a time for learning and growth, a time of assimilation and then consolidation. Sacred knowledge, if it is to be of service to us, must become grounded into our daily life.

or this to happen we need to be able to work with spiritual concepts in a physical manner, experiencing the shifts that they bring emotionally, as we adjust to new vibrations and energy needing to settle within our mind, body and spirit. This has its own time frame just like natural seasons that help bring in a harvest, so too is this the way of human spiritual evolvement.

Transcending knowledge into grounded understandings, which brings new awareness’s, only comes through some form of practice and this is where many of the Eastern philosophies have played their part in the spiritual The soul of every person knows far more than the development of the Western cultures. Western Christian conscious mind can ever imagine. Only those who are able practices are basic, to say the least, and don’t really allow to move beyond the conscious mind will ever evolve out for individual evolvement. Real spiritual evolvement of the normal expectations of the human reality constructs usually begins to take off when one is able to cope with the that are in place at this time. To challenge oneself with new challenge of going beyond the spiritual doctrine of their thoughts and ideas that are abstract to the average person’s birth or culture and is prepared to look at all other global knowledge of spirituality takes a determined non-average cultural practices and philosophies. What one discovers is soul. Just when we think we know all there is to know there is a smorgasbord of choices out there in the big wide our soul demands that we evolve further. Once we evolve world for us to select from when needing guidance on our more fully into our earthly spiritual knowledge we begin chosen path. Maybe as individuals we would not choose to connect with our soul essence. What we don’t realise is some of these ideals for ourselves, this however does not the soul is always in perpetual evolvement through eons make them any less valid for others to follow. It is only right of time. From now on we become more acquainted with that we allow others to make their own way through this knowledge of ourself as a soul. This begins an exciting time maze so that they learn to discern for themselves just what of cosmic consciousness and a greater time of evolvement. feels right, true and holy for them as they discover their Spiritual pathways can and will be spiritual essence. After all we do have free presented to us, but if we are unable The study of theology and will in this dimension. It is okay to share what or the religious philosophies you have found out through your chosen to recognise a new door opening and are afraid to walk through, then is, for some, a way to enter path if asked, but it is not wise to thrust we are likely to miss an opportunity the spiritual path. however your truths and beliefs towards everyone, mental knowledge on for major growth on all levels. believing that it is the only way for them also. I truly believe we know that we know more than we know consciously, however, therein lays the dilemma, a paradox of sorts.

Aspects of Evolvement

its own is not enough to bring complete spiritual understanding.

Spiritual evolvement has many aspects to it and these don’t seem to come in any specific order. There doesn’t seem to be any hard or fast rules in this department, for the growth of each individual is a sacred journey unto them. Much of it depends on your personality and what you are attracted to and the things that influence your life at that time. Some start in the esoteric sciences and there are many, such as divination, astrology, tarot, palmistry and other psychic awareness and spirit phenomena. Some start by needing to connect with the sacredness of love through developing their relationship and union with the Divine and literally go looking for God/Goddess. Others start out angry and frustrated with life and wish to find inner peace through meditation and acceptance of self and life. Some find that it is a life crisis that demands that they stop and see what is not working for them in their life. This usually places them in some form of crossroads within; choices need to be made. They begin a path of personal growth and the rest eventually follows. Stresses and emotional imbalances followed by anxiety disorders of some sort are another catalyst for many to enter the path of spiritual evolvement. These people need to be able to find calm and learn how to take control of their rampant emotions. Health issues and well being have been one of the biggest catalysts along with the need for healing of the physical and emotional body, many who enter from this path become our greatest healers and teachers.

Return of the Old Ways

What we are seeing more of now is a return to the ancient philosophies, their practices and spiritual understandings. The many indigenous forms of Shamanism, in one form or another are definitely on the increase, as is Paganism, Druidism and Wicca known to many as Witchcraft or simply the Craft. These are all just different ancient approaches to spiritual evolvement. Mostly these approaches involve the elements such as Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit, also the four directions, the sun and moon and they tended to focus their ceremonies and rituals around the lunar and solar energies coinciding with the seasonal changes that we experience with nature. All of these have great knowledge in the healing arts, using herbs and essences combined with an understanding of subtler energies, all of which are definitely on the increase. We now see herbs and essences used in aromatherapy, on supermarket shelves, featured in all kinds of products and it is widely accepted, however one could be burned at the stake for being a herbalist, alchemist or healer using these things during the dark ages. To modern man these old cultures seem to be steeped in mystical legends that don’t relate to our modern culture. Upon reflection and taking a deeper examination of the symbolism, one can see much of their spiritual awareness can still apply today. A bit like the Arthurian legends, the origins of which are still debated, however the spiritual quest connotations still apply to our soul’s evolution.

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l l i W l a n o Pers : l l i W e n i v i &D ivine Power D Accepting your and Authority by ZaKaiRan

Your Divine Plan There is a divine plan for everything and everyone â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a destiny, if you will, but it is not written in stone.Your personal divine plan, or your Divine Mission, is guided by your Divine Presence, your Higher Self. The mission is encouraged by this presence, but it is not imposed upon you, because you have free will to deny, repress, resist or surrender to your divine plan if you choose.You are not a puppet on a string being controlled by some vengeful god, you are God! As a personality/soul, you are just a lower dimensional vibration of God, until you align, harmonise and merge with the God Presence of your being and begin vibrating at a higher dimensional God-Goddess-IAM rate. Your Soul Mission We are all here on a Soul Mission and a Spiritual Mission, one is more personal, the other is more group soul oriented.Your soul plan is a divine plan that you as an individual wish to experience. This usually expresses itself in the realm of relationships and life upon planet earth, especially in how we relate to other people, the earth, 42

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animals, nature, etc. The divine plan of your spirit is more globally, galactically, universally and multidimensionally oriented, always directed towards all of humanity. This is why you are here as a divine spirit, to help humanity awaken to its divinity and mastery. Earth's Divine Plan There is also a divine plan for planet earth that is directed by the divine hierarchy of Ascended Masters, Angels, Archangels, Emissaries of Light, Christed Extraterrestrials, and Light workers here on earth. This is ultimately why we are all here at this point in time â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to follow the divine plan to co-create heaven on earth together. And the more you are able to follow your own personal divine plan, the more you will be in tune with the divine plan for planet earth and her ascension into the light. Group Soul Consciousness In order to assist you to connect to this Divine Plan in a more profound way, you could connect to your Divine

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Presence by welcoming her into your life every day, and connecting with Mother Earth, nature spirits, etc. Being completely globally oriented, focused upon assisting all of humanity and not just your local tribe and family, also aids this connection. Being globally oriented is a natural state of evolutionary enlightenment. Entering higher states of consciousness is about aspiring for unity and always being interested in helping others. Even if you are focused upon helping yourself, it'll be about being so empowered and prosperous that you're able to easily, powerfully and gracefully help others become fully empowered and prosperous in their own lives! Heal, Forgive & Let Go Another aspect of learning how to co-create heaven on earth together is to accept and honour your Divine Power and Divine Authority, and to honour the Divine Power and authority of others. This is often difficult, because most of us have past life wounds from being abused by power and authority, or even abusing others with power and authority, when we became disconnected from Love, Truth and the Light. So we may have a tendency to resist, fight or be afraid of all forms of power and authority, even the divine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; these energies may feel like separation, even if they are not. Create new Paradigms There is no need to resist or fight 'authority' upon planet earth. The beings who wield 'authority' wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know Divine Authority if it bit them in the ass. These dear souls are merely afraid that if they do not have money, power, property, and control, they will be worth nothing. Their unconscious fear is that they are worthless, powerless and helpless, so they act in ways that appear as though they are worth a great deal, but nothing could be farther from the truth. They are not our concern, other than to have compassion for their suffering. Our concern is helping everyone connect with their Divine Presence, so that they realise they are divine authorities of their own realities, that they have the Divine Power to create heaven in their lives, and the mastery and unified ability to connect with their brothers and sisters to co-create heaven on earth. So we must heal, forgive and let go of the past, in order to discover what true power and authority is. We are truly Divine Power and Divine Authority, but not over others,

only of ourselves, and certain energies, creations and bodies of work that may be part of our mastery. Connecting with Your Divine Power and Divine Authority The first key is to enter a space of total surrender and vulnerability; this is a place of true power. Any energies of resistance or fear will block you from this divine connection. There is no need to protect ourselves, because we are not victim to our own creations. Divine Power does not necessarily behave powerfully, certainly not in a way that remotely resembles power over anything. The second key is to raise your vibration and open your chakras, this will facilitate the 3rd key, which is to connect with your God-Goddess-Christ-I-AM presence, the divine essence of Godness that you truly are. Until then, you will be more oriented towards personal power, personal evolution, and security â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which is more tribal and blood family oriented. Alignment with Divine Will The fourth key is the alignment of your personal will with divine will. This is accomplished by honouring your Soul Mission as well as your Spiritual Mission, by connecting with your Divine Presence, and helping your soul to heal, so that your divine soul merges with your divine spirit. When you have taken the next step of merging your personal will with divine will, then the divine plan for planet earth can flow through you without resistance from personal agendas, vows, agreements, etc., which are always based in fear. This connects you to the energies of Divine Authority, which ultimately means that you have Divine Authority over your own life, to create the life that you came here to create and experience, based on your Soul Mission and Spiritual Mission. Then you can become a Divine Authority in the co-creation of heaven on earth, and how to accomplish this in the most powerful, graceful, easy and peaceful ways. Infinite blessings on your journey of merging your personal will with divine will! ZaKaiRan is an Ascension Instigator, Cosmic Human Inventor, Sacred Geometrist, Planetary Healer, and Author. Further articles on ascension are available on his website. www.zakairan.com

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Opening to Channel S’Roya Rose

hanneling simply means that we allow ourselves to become a conduit for higher levels of consciousness. It is the ability to plug into Spiritual Hierarchy, like Angels, Ascended Masters and other interdimensional spirit beings for the purpose of receiving guidance and profound communications. This can be achieved when you learn to shift your energy vibration up a few notches. It’s not as hard as it sounds. Many people begin by channeling energy for healing. I myself became a channel first through learning about Reiki. At that time I was only seeking a new concept for healing self, totally unaware that this could lead to me channeling the highest realms of love and light. As I progressed with my newfound healing modality as a Reiki channel, some new things began to happen to me. Firstly, I became aware of different energy shifts within myself during healing sessions and eventually within others also. This is part of the course of opening to channel, because we need to get use to the feeling of new energies. We also can become more and more sensitive to energies and for me this meant giving up drinking alcohol and eating rich, fatty foods. I am not a vegetarian and being the good Australian country girl that I am, I was quite partial to the odd glass or two of wine. However, I had to stop drinking, as well as changing my diet a little. Becoming a healing channel holds with it a lot of responsibility, which should not be taken lightly. Alcohol and fatty foods pollute the body, making it more difficult to channel. Makes sense doesn’t it? We are all natural channels for life force 44

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energy. That is how we exist. If we were not, then we would not experience life itself. From the day we are born our higher self allows energy to pass through our energy body or aura into our physical body. This takes place through a tube resembling a fluorescent light, which runs down the centre of the body from the crown of the head to the perineum between the legs. Some call this our ‘Pranic tube’ or our ‘I am Centre’. At the top of the tube lies the pineal gland, which is in some ways similar to an eyeball with the lens facing upwards. We have seven main energy exchange centres called chakras helping this process within our auras. These chakras help step down these higher consciousness energy frequencies so that we may receive from them what we need physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Our highest frequency energy-receiving chakra is situated on the crown of the head. It is through this centre that we constantly receive the life force energy from the higher dimensions. This allows energy to enter through the ‘tube’, which is not visible to the untrained eye. It resides in the aura or etheric. It’s like an etheric energy plumbing sytem, which connects us to ‘all that is,’ to channel life force energy to the body constantly. This is what makes our physical body a transducer of consciousness energy. The Pranic tube provides a mechanism for higher dimensional consciousness (Spiritual Hierarchy) to be converted from its high-energy rate into a lower third dimensional energy and its reality via the physical body. This is where we receive guidance, acknowledged by our intuition. As a Reiki channel we are already

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bringing through a specific higher vibrational energy frequency for healing through this crown chakra. It is drawn down from the crown through our hands out into the person receiving. Is it any wonder that the next step on the ladder for growth would be to open up to channeling higher vibrational energy consciousness directly to help lift our own? This did not happen overnight (nothing ever does). It took me a few years to progress through my learning about being a channel for healing, before I was ready to tackle channeling of this nature. I had heard about others channeling before and it intrigued me. However, I was a little fearful, as we all are when venturing into the unknown. I remember being fascinated by Shirley McLaine’s television series, Out on a Limb where real channels were used. It was the search for more direct and clear guidance that kept insisting that I try to channel consciously. I found that when channeling for healing I would get thought forms come through into my mind about the person I was helping. These thoughts turned out to be messages of one kind or another. They were subtle at first, but the more I channeled and trusted, the better and clearer they became. I began to wonder whether I was becoming clairaudient. I didn’t want to put a label on this because it only ever happens when I am channeling energy, and so it was that I became aware that I was already tuning in and had began to channel guides. To hone my skills I went to a workshop to find out if what I was doing was correct. To my surprise, to a lesser degree, it was exactly what I, and my

husband at the time, were doing. As I had already learnt to Pranic breathe, I found the workshop quite easy to do. To my surprise I slid into conscious channeling with the first real attempt. With Pranic breathing we were taken through a few levels of meditation to lift our vibrations and allow higher energy consciousness to flow. We all got very hot as the energy began to build up. I am used to this, for in my Reiki classes the energy heats up the room very quickly. My first attempt at channeling will always remain special. Any doubts that I had left about life after death vanished. It was a profound experience for me as I am sure it is for others. My whole voice pattern changed; it was the voice of a male with a foreign accent. I was told by people who viewed this that my lower jaw seemed to change configuration, as did some of my facial features. I was quite conscious of what was going on through all this and marveled at the sound of ‘his’ voice. The interesting thing was that I was conscious of the energy shifts taking place within my body as ‘he’ moved closer into my energy. My head became rigid, as the my energy field expanded and opened allowing this to take place.You have to be aware that to allow this to take place you must surrender yourself for the highest good of All That Is. He welcomed everyone and said what a great job we were all doing. He also said that he knew how difficult it was for us and that they (meaning all the hierarchy) were there to help us at this time. Later I found out that it was the ancient Egyptian, Ra. I made many friends that day with like-minded others, just like you do in any spiritual workshop.

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For those of you wishing to experience accelerated transformational shifts, considering learning to consciously channel may be for you.

Many of you are probably wondering why we would want to put ourselves through this. Quite simply I wish to be of service and allow the higher mental frequencies of mankind’s consciousness to evolve. Mankind is experiencing some amazing shifts in its collective consciousness. We have evolved from the Age of Pisces into the Age of Aquarius. The ending of the Pisces consciousness was one of group belief systems and consisted of low-vibrational ego consciousness. This fed the old egoic paradigms of seperation and dealt with greed, control dramas, stealing anothers energy for survival. For many years I held Opening to Channel workshops, enabling others to be able to connect to Spirit Guides, and other celestial or Angelic beings for higher guidance!

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journey with tarot A

s a self-development and divination predictive tool the tarot is still one of the best. It takes in all aspects of life and its cycles from birth to death – and it reveals much to us from all levels of the psyche as well as bringing in the past, present and possible future outcomes. For the more serious tarot students it has earth, air, fire and water elements as well as astrology and numerology and many other intrinsic magical esoteric meanings woven into its symbolic framework. It is not necessary to learn all of these in parrot fashion, however it is fun to study them if one has the time. The symbology communicates through the magic of our subconscious mind allowing for our deeper inner senses to speak their intuitive natural truth. Learning to trust the instant thoughts or feelings that each card generates from within takes time and patience. Tarot is a great tool when tapping into the universal source of truth, love and wisdom, which is what real readings are all about. You can spend a lot of time reading all the books you like, but it’s the using and playing with your tarot, that will teach you the most. Treat it with reverence and respect, for it is an ancient sacred tool not meant to be used falsely or abused in folly. Remember the sacred laws of retribution (cause and effect) are always at work so be mindful of your intent upon using tarot. Choosing a Tarot When beginning, it’s best to select tarot cards that are easy to 46

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understand. They should appeal to you for many reasons; such as the colour, design and the symbolic representation displayed within the artwork. They should speak to your soul and connect with you in some special way. Try not to learn parrot fashion tarot, as this does not allow for the intuition to grow and learn. Reading is a sacred act and so creates a sacred space. To enhance this, light incense or sacred oils, burn a candle and call upon the divine for guidance - you may even like to cast a sacred circle. Many readers have symbolic representation for the earth, air, fire and water elements present also, such as crystal, feather, candle and a shell. Start the reading with a basic prayer and always call upon the energy and love of the Divine, call in your spirit guides and angelic helpers. Reading Tarot Cards There are a wide variety of methods of reading, interpreting or spreading tarot cards. This ancient 10 card Celtic spread is comprehensive, yet not difficult to do. It can be used for a broad range of questions and concerns.You can use the entire deck or just the 22 major arcana cards. If only the major arcana are to be used, the rest of the deck should be put aside. The person seeking an answer to a question is known as the questioner, and the person who will be reading is known as the diviner.You can also read your own cards, however traditionally one does not read one’s own cards. To begin, the questioner sits opposite the diviner. The questioner shuffles and mixes the cards face down, http://avalonmagazine-net.webs.com

keeping the question in mind so as to create a rapport between the subconscious mind and the cards. When the cards are finished being shuffled, they are placed face down in front of the diviner. The cards are generally viewed from the diviner’s position. They are turned over from left to right, facing the same direction in which they were placed. If the first card turned over is upside down, usually the diviner will turn the deck around so the cards read the way the questioner intended. Sometimes the questioner may have inadvertently turned the cards around when placing the deck in front of the diviner. Reversed cards may change the entire reading - this should be left up to the discretion of the diviner. Begin with the top card as number one, the reader turns over the first six cards and places them face up. The diviner reads each card according to the placement on the spread. Next the remaining four cards are placed in position, and read individually. Often, after reading all 10, the diviner will go back and interpret the cards as they relate to one another. There may be significant connections, for example, between card three (goal or destiny) and card six (future influence). Or there may be a preponderance of a certain suit or type of card, needing further exploration. Bear in mind the titles and descriptions in the spread are meant as suggestive references. Both questioner and diviner should read the cards freely, allowing for intuition, personal feelings, ideas and insights to aid your interpretations.

celtic cross The Celtic Cross Spread

Card 10

Card 3

Card 9

Card 6

Card 1

Card 8

Card 2 Card 7 Card 5

ahead of the questioner. It crosses the first card.

Card Two This card represents immediate influences and major obstacles that lie

Card Five Indicates the questionerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recent past events - what has just come into being. Both the four and five cards show what ultimately lies embodied within the questioner. Card Six This card indicates what the future will be influenced by - what will come into being soon, given the present influences.

Card 4

Card One This card represents the questioner self. It indicates present position and current atmosphere influencing the questioner.

Card Four This card indicates the questionerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distant past - what inner feelings and influences laid the foundations of the present events and circumstances?

Card Three This card indicates goal or destiny of the questioner, what is possible and can be accomplished with existing circumstances and current ideals.

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Card Seven This card helps the questioner look at their current attitudes (who am I right now) with regard to their query and gives a better inner perspective. Card Eight This card indicates how other people and different factors may influence the questioner and how the questioner influences them. Card Nine This card indicates the hopes, emotions, desires and fears of the questioner. It sheds light on ulterior motives that the questioner keeps secret from others and possibly self. Card 10 This card indicates a likely outcome based on the current influences and events. It is by no means fixed as the questioner becomes aware of these, changes may take place.

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Angelic Messages THE ARCHANGEL

METATRON This painting Vibrates on the 'Ethereal Silver Aqua Ray of Higher Consciousness' His energy connects at the Ethereal Brow Chakra. Archangel Metatron is the gatekeeper for this centre of consciousness who radiates with 'Supreme Oneness'. He works together with Archangel Sandalphon to create a binary flow of 'Divine' energy directly connecting at the Source. Archangel Metatron is known to answer prayers. Archangel Metatron is known to work with all sacred geometry that is the foundation building blocks of the matrix codes of creation. He assists the Ascended Masters who have chosen to descend again in loving service to help humanity. His energy brings forth the soul in preparation for enlightenment.

ANGELIC MESSAGES FROM THE ARCHANGEL METATRON.

Do not build any foundation on sand. The most solid and best foundations regardless of their nature take time to build. The Archangel Metatron will also help you when you are meditating to find answers of a "Divine" cosmic nature. As your consciousness evolves, please remember that this is a process and before you have energetic expansion, you will get what is called compression.

For you to gain a greater insight into this from a much higher perspective. There are things to do first before you complete your project or task and your divine purpose. More information is needed; you may need to anchor in more learning for the best results to be achieved. It is important and you must put more energy, time and work into this or it may have to be repeated. Having said that you can always repeat something and make it much better the next time around.

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For "Universal Balance" the nature of energetic exchange is that you get back what you put out. With motivation and hard work you can achieve your desired outcome. (There can be exceptions to the rule and some "Divine" beings incarnate do not expect anything back). These are very special cases and these amazing beings are usually ascended "Masters" who have come purely to assist mankind. Lit-El Star is a healer & visionary artist who creates Angelic Portals for the Angelic Realms & Acended Masters of light & love.The divine purpose of theseWindows From Heavenâ&#x201E;˘ is to facilitate heavenly experiences for you. Lit-El Star uses The Angelic AquasÂŽ. Vibrational Healing Waters together with crystal pigments & water based acrylic paints. Check out her New APP on her website www.angelessencehouse.com

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A Guide to Basic

Spellcraft

by Tina Georgitsis

hat is a spell?

A spell is a combination of words, actions and intention which can be used with specific ingredients to create the desired outcome. How do I cast a spell? All you need is Preparation, Practice & Privacy! Before attempting a spell, create a clear plan, including the exact words to be used. The steps involved in a spell should be memorised and improved before you attempt it to ensure smooth flow. Prepare your sacred space before commencing as this is important for mood setting and protection. People tend to contact you when you are conducting magic as they can sometimes feel the subtle energies evoked and want a piece of it, so switch off your phone!

Is it safe?

The rule is: 'Do what thou wilt and harm none', especially when working within the Wiccan tradition. 'Harm' includes manipulating the will of others.You must never perform a spell if you are feeling angry, upset, ill, or if you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, as this can cause adverse effects and even cause the spell to backfire.

Will it work?

For a spell to work you have to desire, believe, and trust in it. This is true magic â&#x20AC;&#x201C; manipulating the subtle energies around you, and changing yourself. The Witches' Pyramid tells us to Will, to Know, to Dare, and to Keep Silent. Tell no-one about the spell as it can take the power of it away and reduce its power to manifest. When a spell is

successful, it is wise not to brag about it, as the universe can respond with a metaphorical slap on the wrist.You may share your experiences with others, but remember to remain humble.

What do I need?

My general rule is always to make do with what's available at the time. It's not necessary to spend large sums of money on ingredients and tools. With that said, over time you will accrue a storehouse of items, and so it is beneficial to learn the basic uses of colour, crystals, essential oils, herbs and incense.

When should I practise spellcraft?

Moonphases are important, so remember this guide: Full Moon is best for psychic spells, Waxing Moon for invoking, Waning Moon for banishing, New Moon for psychic and invoking spells, and Dark Moon for banishing and divination. Information on all aspects of spellcraft can be gathered from various texts, but in general, use your instinct and record past experiences as a guide to ingredients, personal preferences, and successes. In the end the way your spell turns out is down to you, so ensure your intent and purpose is clear and reach for the stars. Happy spellcrafting! Tina Georgitsis is a Wiccan Priestess whose spiritually based business offers readings, healings, magical items and workshops in various metaphysical subjects. https://www.facebook.com/pages/ Madam-Magick

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D C & k o Bo s w e i v e R

Seven Sacred Sites By Serene Conneely RRP $41.90 www.serenconneeley.com

Seven Sacred Sites: Magical Journeys That Will Change Your Life, is part spiritual adventure story, part history and part travel guide. Discover what makes these places sacred, when to go and how to get there, the site histories, rituals performed there, cultural and magical significance, and the way they inspire, touch and initiate growth. An inspirational well written and reseached book that sparks an inner desire within the reader to experience these sacred palces for themselves. 50

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Celtic Maidens By Ceri Norman RRP £10.50 UK price www.cerinorman.com

A powerful and supernatural tale of love, lives and obsession set against the dramatic scenery of the Welsh Mountains. Celtic Maidens tells the story of Siân Derwyn whose life holds few pleasures except for her friends, her interest in local folklore and the standing stones until the day that Ryan Ackley arrives in her remote Welsh village. Siân and Ryan are reincarnations of Celtic lovers who were slaughtered long ago. They are unaware that obsessive love, power struggles and murder have followed them down through the ages. Thwarted in ancient times, a murderous spirit has followed them through time and now, with them all reunited in the 21st century, he plans to fulfil his malevolent vendetta... Celtic Maidens is Ceri’s first full length novel.

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Serpents Mound By Ceri Norman RRP £10.50 UK price www.cerinorman.com

Deep in East Anglia, land of Saxons and Serpents, close to the village of Wormford lies an ancient burial mound. Foolish mortals have robbed out the mound and awoken the Serpent within... Melinda Matthews is having a very bad day. She has lost her job, found her man in bed with another woman and a tree has crushed her car. Just when she thinks it can’t get any worse she finds herself stuck in the middle of nowhere next to a haunted burial mound. Here she finds herself caught up in an ancient conflict between two powerful adversaries. Melinda must battle an ancient Serpent bent on revenge with the help of Cate Howe, local librarian and self-appointed guardian of the mound. Time is quickly running out as the events of the past are repeated in the present causing yet more destruction and death. Can the two women bring peace or will they like others before them fall victim to the Great Worm of Wormford?

Sword & the Serpent by D G Mattichak Jr RRP $20.80 www.lulu.com/spotlight/ dgmattichakjr

Dancing the Sacred Wheel by Frances Billinghurst RRP $29.95 www.templedarkmoon.com

The Sword & The Serpent is a unique book about magick that reveals many of the arcane secrets of the occult arts. The Sword & The Serpent is a record of a series of experiments in astral travel that were undertaken by the magician AnkhafnaKhonsu in 1996. Each journey crosses one of the Paths of the Serpent in their ascent of the Qaballistic Tree of Life. Taken together these visions of the Paths of the Sepher Yetzirah, the ancient Book of Formation, represent the path of initiation into the mysteries of Hermetic Magick. The Sword & the Serpent describes each of the Paths of the Serpent in great detail and introduces the reader to the many strange and unexpected entities that inhabit these spiritual realms. Along the way it tells the story of the magician AnkhafnaKhonsu’s progress past the many obstacles and through the varied experiences that these travels upon the astral planes produced.

Dancing the Sacred Wheel’, is a journey through the Southern Sabbats and a guide through the eight traditional Pagan seasonal festivals from a Southern Hemispheric point of view. Combining traditional lore with personal experience, and history with ritual. Frances explains how this can be done whilst still developing an underlying relationship to one’s local environment whilst connecting personally to the ‘Wheel of the Year’. Frances challenges us to consider why certain elements are included in their seasonal rites - are these elements relevant and reflect what is happening within nature? Are the myths associated with the various seasons relevant or should new ones be included? A comprehensive thought provoking book full of information that stimulates you to connect and draw from your own environment to create a personal working ‘Wheel of the Year’ regardless of which hemisphere you actually live in.

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Dancers to the Gods by Alan Richards RRP £9.99 www.thoth.co.uk An in-depth study of the rites and visions of two high grade occultists within Dion Fortune's Fraternity of the Inner Light. Paints a fascinating picture of Dion Fortune and her fellow adepts at the peak of their magical careers. Seymour was one of the finest teachers on the occult arts to emerge in the 20th century. Contents also include the reincarnation identities of Dion Fortune's 'Secret Chiefs', the far memories and ancient bonds between the senior magi within the Society, Dion Fortune's 'lost' novels and the ancient gods and discarnate entities invoked and mediated by the entire Lodge.

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by D G Mattichak Jr RRP $20.80 www.lulu.com/spotlight/ dgmattichakjr The Sword & The Serpent is a unique book about magick that reveals many of the arcane secrets of the occult arts.

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S’Roya invites you to join her Avalon Goddess 2013 Tour Your tour investment is $5800 Book your 10 Day Goddess experience of a lifetime now! Pay deposit of $800 ~ take advantage of the payment plan! Email: email@sroyarose.com