Day 7 - Protecting Treasure

Our final card in the 7 Day Oracle Challenge is now revealed.


The imagery of the card depicts a young girl atop a treasure chest. An open umbrella is above her head to deter any rain that would fall upon her.

This card has two different messages for us. The primary message is that we are under protection, symbolized by the umbrella. The secondary message is one of holding on to what you hold dear, whether that be family or friends, a pet, or even the development of a potential romantic relationship.

"You are not alone and have no need to fear. Embrace your courage." (p109)

This card gives us the knowledge that as we move forward, we are being looked upon by our guides and under their protection, both physical and spiritual. This card gives us peace of mind to advance into our lives with our safety net established behind us. In my opinion, it also reminds us to periodically look at what we hold dear, what we value as treasure, and to reevaluate as necessary.

Day 6 - Listening

Today's card features the image of an elephant. Two birds are also featured, as are a series of music notes. My intuition is a telling me that it is time to be quiet and become aware of what is occurring around me.


The guidebook continues along the same line. "Pay attention not only to what is being spoken, but also to what is not being said at the moment, for deeper message is not always obvious. Listen with your heart, not just your ears, and you'll find clarity." (p150-151)

For some reason I'm being drawn to work with both my heart and throat chakras after this reading. Time to break out the rose quartz and blue lace agate. Until tomorrow, folks!

Day 5 - Strength

I must apologize for being so late with this post today. Things just seemed to continuously come up throughout the day and knocked me out of my usual rhythm. Things should be back to normal tomorrow, however.

Today's card is Strength. Again, the title says it all.



 "You can connect with and channel the power of the universe. The strength card indicates that your ideas are being tested and refined and relationships are being deepened. No matter what happens, nothing can move you off the course of evolution." (p124)

After yesterday's card, today's drawing brings us to a new direction.

Day 4 - Details, Details

Today we've been gifted with another card loaded with imagery. After playing with the lighting in my photographing area, along with playing with camera settings, I was able to produce this little gem to give you a better view:

(click for a larger image)

I didn't need any intuition with this card because the words at the bottom said it all. "Be aware that what you need to know lies in the details. If you're entering into an agreement of any kind, pay attention to them before, not after, when it's too late." (p121)

After yesterday's message telling us to take a break and embrace a state of spiritual solitude, today we're being given the message to look at everything, especially the smaller details, to provide the full picture. I'm very interested in tomorrow's card to see how this relates!

Day 3 - Solitude

Welcome to day 3, folks.

Today's card is "Solitude."

(click for a larger view)

The imagery of the card depicts a small building at the edge of a body of water, complete with a reflection. A light post seems to be providing extra illumination even though the moon is present at the top left of the card. In the background, behind the structure, is more water which leads me to believe this card is speaking of emotions.

I'm a pretty independent person and I enjoy solutide. Especially when it comes to a spiritual seclusion; not much else can be as powerful as that. However, there is also a flip side to solitude. Too much of it can create a depression for you. My instinct is telling me the light post is a sign to recognize when it is time to stay and time to return to the great big world.

I love Colette Baron Reid's writing style. It is so simple and to the point, yet filled with enough nuggets to get you thinking about the cards and how they relate to your particular situation. The guidebook also shares reversed meanings of the cards for those that choose to use them. At this time I do not, but I do recognize that there can be a little negative in the positive. I think you're going to be surprised at Colette's take of this card.

She suggests that this card is indicative of a need to calm the mind and meditate. It is time to go into a spiritual retreat. "This is not an advantageous time to ask questions or push forward in any way. Rather, it's a period for conscious retreat. What's called for now is to step back and take focus off of your life and your troubles." (p34)

Wait...what?

DAY 1: Visualize the life you want to create for yourself. You reap what you sow.
DAY 2: Wait out the storm. Good things are on the horizon.
DAY 3: Enter a state of meditative retreat and take the focus off of your life and troubles.

Wowzers. These oracle cards sure know what they're talking about, and what's more, they practically show us how they connect together.

Day 2 - Storm Fields

This card seems very negative upon first glance. What appears to be a tornado and rain shower seem to descend upon a lone house in the middle of a plain. In the foreground I can see a bee flying over a flower, oblivious to the storm in the background. This card feels as though it is warning me to take shelter and wait out a storm of some sort. Having lived in Missouri for the majority of my life, buckling down during a serious thunderstorm and other severe weather is nothing new.

The guidebook, however, describes today's card as the release of pent up energy. "Not all storms are destructive," we are reminded. "Rather, they serve nature by bringing rain to the ground and wind to the trees." This card suggests to us that yes, we are going to get a little wet, but after that period of time we will once again be bathed in the sunlight.

I view this card as a continuation of yesterday's message. We were blessed with advice on visualizing the life we want to lead, even through stormy times. How fitting that today we would get a card telling us a similar message.

Check back tomorrow for day 3!

Pagan Blog Project - D is for Depression

I suffer from major depressive disorder. At times it has been so bad that I have needed inpatient treatment. There is no shame in asking for help and making sure that you're in an environment where it isn't possible for you to harm yourself. I have survived a suicide attempt and know the benefit of psychiatric hospitals and caring staff. This post is going to be honest because otherwise there wouldn't be much of a point.

I have had days where it is near impossible to get out of bed. Sometimes I still encounter days like that. Through medication, therapy, and a positive outlook, I attempt to regain day to day control of my life. I try to embrace the diagnosis and take control so that I do not always suffer at the hands of depression. It is usually easier said than done.

The first thing I want to get across is that I am not less than because I suffer from a mental illness. I am not someone to be ignored, nor am I someone to be pitied. It can be difficult to live with depression, but even more so when attempting to live a spiritual life. To say that there are times I don't feel like meditating, reading up on Celtic Mythology, and celebrating an esbat, is an understatement if epic proportions.

It is okay. I know that deity understands the challenges I face and that I am not any less of a Pagan because of it. Some people deal with alcoholism, adultery, heart conditions, poor time management, and a variety of other issues in their lives. We are all Pagan if were hold the God and Goddess (sometimes both, other times one and not the other) in our hearts.

There is also a benefit to being Pagan and dealing with depression. We learn at an early stage in our metaphysical development that we can effect change through magic. While healing depression with magic is about as impossible as turning back time with the snap of two fingers, there are some beneficial things we can do. I would like to list some of these options now.


- Black Tourmaline has been exceptionally useful in my personal practice. I carry a tumbled stone with me wherever I go. I also like to hold my large piece of black tourmaline and imagine my depression symptoms being pulled into it.

- I like creating incense. I especially like the Happiness Incense recipe that I created. It seems to work for me, probably because I spend a lot of time giving it that association in my mind. Now, whenever I burn some happiness incense there is a connection between the incense and an uplifted attitude. It may be too simple to say it works because I say it works, but let's be honest here - a lot of magic works because we say it works. Just mix one part marjoram, one part lavender, and one part catnip. Burn on a charcoal disc and let the smoke carry your troubles away, my friend.

- Speaking to the God and Goddess is also useful. If I am experiencing a difficult time I will simply talk to them as though I am having a conversation with them. I do this when I am alone, of course, or people will really think I'm losing my mind.

Depression affects 1 in 10 Americans. If you are experiencing a period of depression that has lasted for at least two weeks, please seek assistance from a licensed medical professional. For some people therapy alone can effectively treat it. Others will require medication, or a combination of medication, therapy, and other treatments.

Day 1 - Field of Dreams

Here we go (on an adventure!)...

I have decided to use one of my new oracle decks with this challenge. I think the process will help me get more aquatinted with these cards while, at the same time, giving me an opportunity to test the accuracy of the cards and how that information meshes with my intuition. The deck I'm using is The Enchanted Map by Colette Baron-Reid.

Today's card is Field of Dreams. The imagery is so appealing that I feel as though I almost want to step inside of the card. The lush grass at the bottom contrasts beautifully with the blue sky. Instinct tells me that this card is a play on the old adage "you reap what you sew."

The guidebook suggests that drawing this card reflects a time of great abundance if one is willing to get to work and create it. Colette's suggestion is to concentrate on the best life you want regardless of the little things that may be currently holding us back.

"You have a basket full of seeds that are quite powerful, for your talents are Divinely inspired and will indeed lead to a great harvest to be shared with others. You will reap what you have sown." (p57)

Holy smokes, folks! Is my intuition keyed in or what? I promise that I did not cheat and look ahead before sharing what my instinct was telling me about the imagery of the card. How cool that I was spot on with the meaning?

Check back tomorrow afternoon for day 2.

Another Oracle Challenge? Yes!

She has done it again. Hibiscus Moon (who doesn't know who she is, right?) has once again administered a challenge to her subscribers and blog followers. Just as last time, the challenge is a 7 Day Oracle Challenge. I thought I would do something a little different this go around by posting the card drawings on my blog. It isn't that I'm shying away from youtube (though, to be honest, I do need a haircut) or afraid to put myself out there. I'm working on trusting my instinct right now, faithful readers, and following my gut is what I'm doing with this challenge.

Excited? Want to participate? Good!

I now challenge Y-O-U to do a 7-Day Oracle or Tarot reading. You can post it on your blog, on youtube, or even twitter! Make sure to leave a link in the comments so I can follow your journey.

A Healing Crystal Grid

My mother is in need of a lot of healing. She recently had surgery for cancer and has been admitted and discharged to the hospital three times within a month as a result of non-life-threatening complications. The surgery resulted in a large wound. The wound is healing, slowly but surely. I was called to create this grid to help the process go along smoothly.

I utilized two natural citrines, clear quartz, rose quartz, and smoky quartz. I was originally called to use ametrine but my instincts told me to choose chrysacolla instead, so I did just that. I cleansed the grid with selenite and black tourmaline prior to activating it as a little boost, though I'm sure it wasn't really necessary. Any positive healing energies you are able to project would be greatly appreciated.

Plans + Delay = Mercury Retrograde?

Just a quick update video from me. Stay tuned for updates by subscribing to my YouTube channel.

Pagan Blog Project - D is for Dian Cecht

Dian Cecht

I first read about the subject of today's post in Edain McCoy's book, "Celtic Myth and Magick". Part IV of the book contains a listing of Celtic deities, heroes, and heroines. I was researching pantheons and cultural information to figure out a new magical name for myself after wanting to reflect entering a more adult stage of life (EagleWolf was great, sure, but it didn't sound like something an adult male would be called). I found this book extremely useful for this purpose although, truth be told, no one resource should be used for anything these days. While I picked Miach instead of Dian Cecht, you will soon see that they have a very important connection.

Most of my interest and research in Irish deities focuses on the Tuatha de Dannan. Not much is historically known about them but the myths and folklore are rich with stories that would make a creative writer prosperous for years. Danu, Lugh, Brigid, and Dagda are just some of the deities associated with the Tuatha de Dannan (translates to "people/tribe of Danu"); you can include the lesser known Miach and Dian Cecht among them.

Dian Cecht was a great healer. He had multiple children and the two of note for this post were Airmed, a daughter, and Miach, a son. Their king, Nuada, was injured in a great battle and lost his arm. Dian Cecht, it is said, was able to fasten Nuada a working arm made out of pure silver. His healing powers were widely known and are prevalent within mythological texts. In fact, the people of Ireland have even called upon his healing powers as late as the eighteenth century.

Miach, as I previously alluded, was Dian Cecht's son. Like his father and sister, he inherited some profound gifts for healing. Looking upon his father's healing of their king as mediocre, Miach set out to do better. After enchanting Nuada's arm with an incantation, the people of Danu watched as sinew, bone, and skin grew back over the silver limb over a period of nine days.

It is said that Dian Cecht was so outraged by this feat that he attacked Miach with a sword. Miach's ability to heal was so powerful that the wound healed almost immediately. Growing more furious, Dian Cecht struck a second blow to his son and once again the wound rapidly healed. Even a third blow, hitting Miach's brain, was healed almost instantaneously. Finally, in a ferocious fourth blow, Miach's cranium was punctured by the sword and his brain was sliced in half. Miach was unable to heal this wound and was killed.

You're probably wondering why I chose to take the name of someone who seemed to be treated so harshly by an important figure in the young man's life. His healing powers were profound and yet they were not enough to continue to save Miach's life. I suppose I liked his association as a healer, but also as someone who saw an opportunity to help another and took it. I admire that strength of character and level of compassion.

Unfortunately, the information you just read is practically everything that is known about Miach. I paired the name or "Miach" with "Rhys" because, though Welsh in origin, the basic meaning of that name is "enthusiastic." In my mind combining the two represented the phrase "enthusiastic healer." I have always had an interest in that which heals us and it just seemed to fit. And, on a shallow note, I liked how Celtic-sounding the names were.

Pagan Blog Project - C is Still for Centering

Surprise!

Ya'll thought we were done with centering? No way, Jose! There is so much to say on this subject that I wanted to give you more of my insights. In my previous PBP post I gave you a little bit of information, a breathing technique for centering, and an embedded youtube video featuring the amazing Phyllis Currott. In this post I want to combine two topics: centering (of course...) and crystals.

The crystal kingdom is full of beneficial resources for everything from grounding to enhancing dreams. What some people may not realize, either because they aren't familiar with the energies of crystals or because they haven't found an interest in them, is that crystals are also a pretty useful tool when it comes to centering oneself. For those of you that are able to afford them, you could even go so far as purchasing crystal singing bowls to help you with this process. Sound is also helpful but there is a fine balance between soothing sound and distracting noise.


One of the most common crystals, clear quartz, can be used by holding it your hands and gazing into the facets. There are times when the transparency of clear quartz helps me focus on doing the same to my mind. I think the act of focusing on something else is a great way for us to train our minds to quiet down, especially when our mundane lives are filled with due dates, deadlines, and co-workers.

I also find that calcite, specifically the blue and green varieties, are effective. While they have other uses, one of their best qualities in my mind is their ability to calm me. This is very useful in meditation and other avenues where we want ourselves relaxed and calm. Calcite is also, in my experience, useful for helping with stabilizing emotions. Calcite is useable on most of the chakras, but specifically the heart and throat chakras, in my experience.

Lastly, I want to mention Amethyst. It's association with meditation, the third eye, and soothing energies are all pretty well known. It is best used in it's tumbled form for this purpose but you may use whatever you have available. Amethyst's energies lend well to helping us gain mental focus.

The purpose of these crystals is not to excite us, to fill us with energy or passion, but to aid us in calming our minds and bodies down enough that we can center ourselves and our own energies. Just as crystals are useful in centering, so too can be burning incense or lighting a candle. I suggest that you experiment with each method until you find a couple solutions that work for you.

Cue Headache in 10...9...

Irish mythology is like crack; I love to get my hands on it but when the effects wear off there is major sickness. Okay, not in the literal sense, thank goodness. I just feel like there are times when the myths turn into circles upon circles with no clear answers. Part of that has to do with the way the Ancient Irish conveyed information. It also has a little to do with how Christianity swooped in and started taking over (really, I'm not bitter).

Don't even get me started on Danu and the Morrigan and how they're the same deity in some instances and different ones in others. Unless you call her Anu instead of Danu. Mostly.

Gotta love all the hard work this path gives us, huh? End of rant.

The Thing About Labels is that Sometimes They Stick

In this day and age, we have names for everything. Wicca is no exception to this. What magickal labels do you give yourself? For example, I am an eclectic, Wiccan, Witch. What do your call yourself? A Wiccan? A Witch? Pagan? What makes one a Wiccan and not a Witch? Or in order to truly understand how magick and force of will works...are you automatically a Witch as well, even though you may not cast circles? Where do we draw the lines with the labels? Why have you chosen the labels you claim?

In this post I will be tackling another of the Pagan Blog Prompts. I find this an interesting one because there seem to be two types of people in this world: those that abandon the ideas of using labels for ourselves and, by contrast, those that peel and stick to themselves (um, metaphorically...) whatever labels they can come up with. To begin, I don't think either one is necessarily wrong. After all, we're each individuals and should have the autonomy to decide for ourselves what we share about who we are.

For me, labels make everything easier. You just have to go back to your biology class days to know that classification by phylum, order, and species make the scientific world function. There is no shame in that. I think the hesitation of labeling oneself for some is the fear of not being able to escape those classifications down the road, and perhaps that is justified. Quite simply, I also worry at times that to certain people I look more as the labels themselves rather than using them.

I call myself a Celtic Pagan. I sometimes use the term Celtic Wiccan, though there are a few aspects of Wicca that I don't agree with. Those concerns sometime make me wonder whether or not I am a Wiccan in the sense that I do not subscribe to the plausibility of he threefold law and Wiccan Rede in my practice. Science tells us that there is an equal and opposite reaction and yet we are to assume that a negative deed will have three times the repercussions just because we are Wiccan and not Catholic or of some other denomination? I don't buy it, but that is a topic for another post entirely.

I associate with other labels as well. I am an American, a writer, a human, gay, alive, and caring. I am actually more than each of those individual things, although combining all of them into one category does give another a closer idea of who I am. The words that we choose to associate with ourselves are powerful, much more than the words that others would choose to classify us with. The label system works because we embrace those labels and discard the terms that we aren't comfortable with. To some I would be called a sinner. Since my spirituality has no concept of sin I would denounce that label. What we choose to associate with who we are is the key, not what others try to push onto us.

Just real quick...

Wishing everyone a Happy Imbolc!

Re: Pagan Blog Project 2014

It seems I am already caught up. I surprised myself with that one! The posts for the project will be posted every Friday. There will be other posts throughout the rest of the week as well. Thanks for your support!

Enter your email address to the feeder on the right to receive an email when I have updated the blog!

Pagan Blog Project - C is for Centering

Grounding and Centering. It's one of those things found in nearly every Wicca 101 book. It is also a very useful practice, especially when preparing the body and mind for ritual, spell, or energy work. The purpose of this post is going to be on centering. I might cover grounding in a later post if it is something that people are interested in.

Centering is most easily explained as a method in which to quiet the mind and body. Grounding is all about energy while centering is about calming in preparation of ritual activity. As an insomnia suffer, there are times when I will even center myself prior to bed in an attempt to help me fall asleep faster. It doesn't always work but I am able to notice a difference in my demeanor at the very least.

There are a dozen or so methods of centering. There is one method in a linked video at the end of this post that you should check out. I have used that method before but I have found an easier way to do it and I would like to share it with you. As always, each of us are different people and some of us are on different paths. What works for me may not work for you and there is nothing wrong with that. However, I think almost anyone will be able to use this method.

Are you ready? Okay, here it is. My tip is to breathe. Just breathe in and out with your body's normal rhythm; there is no need to force yourself to stretch out breaths uncomfortably or breathe so rapidly that you become on the verge of hyperventilating. Focus on your breath as it goes in and out. It is just that simple, folks.

This is essentially Mindfulness Meditation, a technique that I have been using to try to help me with my anxiety. I find it powerful that I can utilize the same technique for a variety of applications, both mundane and spiritual. This is something that you can perform all on your own and without the use of crystals, incense, chants, or even having to find a spot to sit down. I have even gone into restrooms at department stores to perform this technique, at times going even further to perform shielding (a technique of energetic protection using energy and visualization).

Centering is like giving yourself a jolt of focus; it can be done quickly while waiting for a bus or even on a lunch break. Some ground and center prior to daily devotionals. If you attempt this technique please let me know how it works for you. And, of course, if it makes you feel more witchy to have incense burning and an oversized rose quartz wand in your hand, go for it.