Witchy One

Wicca Mysteries In Wand

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:07:00 +0000

My enthusiasm has gotten the better of me, so I must tell you about a wand I'm near to finishing! This wand is designed especially for use in Wicca magic and rituals. Even though my old camera will catch better images in the daylight, I've included some snap shots here. Made of weeping willow wood, it features a hand carved Mother Earth Goddess and pyrography burned symbols. I had a hard time holding back from the fun of adding detail to the human like figure so that the stick didn't become too fragile in the center; it's still as strong as willow can be! The natural under-bark is still in place in areas and some spots have indents that strongly remind one of certain female anatomy that is sacred -- indeed vital -- to birth, and I've accentuated those to emphasize the importance of the natural Yoni like symbols.

There's a lovely light catching quartz crystal shard at the top, but I chose to end the tip of the wand with a spiral rather than a stone. I think the spiral is one of the most important of the Wiccan religious mysteries. The spiral of life is where we often find ourselves in the same places we were in the past, but on a different and hopefully more progressed level or layer of the spiral. Bettering one's self for the benefit of all should be the goal of every Wiccan; this is selfishness through selflessness, (helping others helps yourself in the long run).

On the wand, Wicca mysteries are further alluded to by more symbolism. The tangle of hair the Goddess sports represents the web of life. The open carved space in the middle of the hair is the Center of all being where energy is waiting to be fulfilled to being. The handle portion of the wand holds simple line glyphs for the Elements of Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit; indeed ALL of the Elements were involved in crafting the wand. The reverse side has words the symbols stand for burned into the wood too. At the foot of the Goddess is the double crescent and circle symbol that most commonly represents Her in the Triple Goddess aspects of Maiden, Mother, and Crone.

Wicca Willow Magic Wand

Don't think, however, that only the feminine divine is expressed here. The circle and crescent symbol of the God, often thought of as the Horned God, is directly balanced in opposite to the Goddess sign on the reverse. Wicca can often seem very Goddess centered, but because of the theory of Force and Form the God is always present even if not as visually represented as His female counterpart. The complexity of Force and Form can be summed up as the God provides the force, or driving energy, of the universe and it is the Goddess who gives it form and shape. In this wand the God is present through the sun's energy that allowed the willow tree to grow, the strength in my muscles as I carved the wood, and even the power of change that was required to make the metal hand tools I used. Though the Goddess features most prominently on this wand, I feel there is a good balance between all of the most important Wiccan symbolism.

There's little that's left to do before this 13" wand is offered for sale. I still need to buff on a finish of carnauba wax for a natural muted shine. I like using varathane because it's such a durable finish, but I think that would be too shiny for this wand. The hand rubbed finish will still be water resistant but will also have a lovely tone and feel. After the finish is applied I need to do the "core". This wand will have a magickal core which will work in a similar fashion to a totem animal medicine bag; No whimsical dragon scales or firebird feathers though! I have a very special bit of naturally shed elk fur that I'm considering placing inside the small hole I've burrowed into the handle of the wand. I'll likely consider appropriateness of the metaphysical energy of several other materials too before capping the hole closed with a tiny gem stone, sealing the core inside. It doesn't require much of any given thing to add to the magic because it's simply the blessing of the energy involved that counts. I'm always careful not to use anything dangerous, illegal, or unethical in a magical core -- that would defeat the purpose -- but I won't make final decisions until the action of "doing" is in hand. This is without a doubt the most elaborate wand I've ever crafted! I'm sorry the fun of the project is nearly over, so you can bet that I'm already contemplating another.

*This is another instance where my art blog and my metaphysical paranormal blog overlap, so this entry will also be found at "On My Easel".

Call To Wand Making Heard

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:11:00 +0000

It's time for me to set up a wand crafting station in my new art studio space, so I'm a bit jazzed up with energy. I'd recently moved and things are just now getting settled into a peaceful state of some sort of organization. I've held off crafting wands and rattles until the main power zones within my living space were established. Having peace and clarity is vital when crafting ritual tools. The time of year is a perfect building point for me to jump from too, as I always have a rather easy time with positive creative energy when moving towards Samhain (Halloween); I'll need creative inspiration to fit another work station into my live-in studio, but I'm confident things will flow well.

I've been having an urge to work with the natural materials required for crafting ritual tools. I've already gone through my packed projects that aren't finished yet, not only to verify they survived the move but also to rekindle the connection to the metaphysical energy of the projects.

Inner guidance told me to wait a little longer though, when I was tempted to start carving on a stick. I thought it was near time to work wands and that suspicion was confirmed recently when I felt what I refer to as a "calling". I felt pulled to a something and so began to look into the matter until I found that I was being called to stones. I've been very fortunate to come upon a large variety of quartz crystal points in which I feel an energy connection! I'm very excited to work with them and discover the paths they will take from my home. I'm positive now that somewhere in the bunch is the perfect stone to top off that stick I'd wanted to carve on until guidance put a stop to my hand. Getting the stones also confirms that it's definitely the right time to create a space for making wands and other ritual tools in my new home. I'm glad because it involves many art, craft, and ritual activities that I enjoy very much! I look forward to showing you all some finished projects very soon. Be sure to check my Etsy.com Curio Castle Shoppe for new releases!

Orionid Meteor Shower

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:21:00 +0000

Comets and meteors have long been thought to portend a great sign or omen. Tonight provides the chance to see a whole shower of signs falling from the sky. That's probably not a UFO soaring accross the vista, but is likely the Orionid Meteor Shower!

"An increase in the number of meteors at a particular time of year is called a meteor shower. Comets shed the debris that becomes most meteor showers. As comets orbit the Sun, they shed an icy, dusty debris stream along the comet's orbit. If Earth travels through this stream, we will see a meteor shower. Depending on where Earth and the stream meet, meteors appear to fall from a particular place in the sky, maybe within the neighborhood of a constellation.
Meteor showers are named by the constellation from which meteors appear to fall, a spot in the sky astronomers call the radiant. For instance, the radiant for the Leonid meteor shower is located in the constellation Leo. The Perseid meteor shower is so named because meteors appear to fall from a point in the constellation Perseus."

http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors/

"The Orionid meteor shower is the second of two showers that occur each year as a result of Earth passing through dust released by Halley's Comet. The point from where the Orionid meteors appear to radiate is located within the constellation Orion. The Orionids generally begin on October 15 and end on October 29, with maximum generally occurring during the morning hours of October 20-22. The Orionids are barely detectable on the beginning and ending dates, but observers in the Northern Hemisphere will see around 20 meteors per hour at maximum, while observers in the Southern Hemisphere will see around 40 meteors per hour."

http://meteorshowersonline.com/orionids.html

Shop Metaphysical Art

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:12:00 +0000

Shop for metaphysical fine art, ACEO small format art, and ACEO print cards by Witchy One artist Tree Pruitt.

ArtistTree Sell Handmade

Cleaning Energy Stones and Crystals

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:52:00 +0000

Recently I cleaned my personal magic stones for the first time since we got our new dog Sparky. He's interested in anything that comes in a bowl, but he seemed extra interested in the bowl of stones. I decided to let him check them out. Our beloved Gypsy, after all, was excellent at choosing stones and well known for browsing baskets of crystals in New-Age shops. I expected Sparky's short attention span to only offer disappointment at not being able to eat the rocks in the bowl, but he surprised me; given the chance, he seems keen to work with stones. When I held out a chunk of smokey quartz in my hand he sniffed it then slowly pushed it into the very center of his throat. It was quite odd; his slow movement almost being creepy. He held still, with the crystal to his neck, for quite some time. Sparky doesn't hold still at all very often for anything, but there he was with his eyes closed leaning into Earth energy! I sensed a 'click' feeling and at that moment Sparky pulled back from the stone. I next held out a piece of green chrysoprase, to which Sparky pushed onto his forehead. We repeated the process for very many stones. It's interesting to note that when I offered a different piece of smokey quartz than the first piece he still put it to his throat. I'm amazed that his attention was held so long by an activity that didn't have to do with chewing anything, and will certainly be offering Sparky again the chance to groove with my rocks!

CONJURE THIS: If you work with the metaphysical energy in stones it's a good idea to cleanse your rocks every now and then. Not just washing off dust, cleansing removes any accumulated negative energy and helps to renew your magic bond with your stones. I generally cleanse all of the rocks in my personal collection once or twice a year. For my fossil and mineral specimen collection I dust and clean the display cases, but the stones that I reserve for divination, healing, spell work, and meditation get a little more attention. Some stones are inside spell boxes, so I take each one out to spend some time with individually before returning them to their resting places. The majority of my stones for magic, that aren't being used for current spells, sit in special bowls around my home; on the coffee table is an antique teak wood bowl filled with rough gems. This allows them to absorb the ambient energy of the environment -- keeping charged -- and keeps them readily available for interaction. They can get dust build up, setting out in the open, so I ritually prepare a warm soapy bath.

Entering a ritual frame of mind, I dilute a few drops of dish soap into a bowl of water near the kitchen sink; counter top converts to altar top here! It helps the mood to light some incense. Immersing each stone one at a time into the water, I rub the stone to physically clean the surface. As I'm doing this I mentally say hello to the stone and spend a little time thinking about it's purpose with me, what it's used for, and it's attributes. I also admire any physical traits I enjoy about the way the stone looks; anything that sends positive energy. Then the stone gets rinsed under running water. While I do this I'm internally declaring that the water is pouring away any negative energy and affirming that the stone is clean. Resting it on a towel, I then pat the one rock dry before moving on to clean the next; do the whole process from start to finish for each stone. Once they are all clean and dry I replace them to their display storage areas. I treat this action with an air of celebration; sort of like a reverse Easter egg hunt. Not until all stones are put away do I thank the Elements for Their presence and consider my ritual finished. This takes some time to get done, but is a worthwhile activity to keep the mojo flowing through the stones and into your home.

Guard Home From Bad Energy Ghosts

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 09:15:00 +0000

Doors and entry ways can be a path for spirit energy to enter your home. When the front entry door of a home opens directly onto a stairway it creates an open invitation for spirits and ghosts to enter freely.
CONJURE THIS: Prevent negative unwanted energy from entering your home by hanging a broom or ash wood stick wand over the door. A bit of ash may also be worn or kept in your home to protect from general evil or witchcraft, plus venomous animals; similar as to a Saint Benedict devotional metal will act. When hung over a doorway a Saint Benedict metal is known to prevent unwanted entities and negative energy and influences from passing through; drawing the symbols of the saint on a door frame will do the same.

Raw Ash Wand Staves available in my Curio Castle Shoppe. Smaller or larger sizes and multiple quantities available upon request.

Destination Truth Season Premiere

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:12:00 +0000

It's going to be a long time before I might forget what I saw on Destination Truth, tonight's season premiere, with a team member flashing away off camera in a haunted Romanian forest! The Myan jungle experience may genuinely have left me with PTDS -- I LOVE this show!

The host of the show is explorer, adventurer, and photographer Josh Gates. He's adorable in a Cary Grant meets Indiana Jones with a little dash of Gerry Garcia way. His sharp observational humor has left our sides aching from laughter. He's also totally insane; dragging off to deadly locations with a well practised team of fellow adventurers to chase down stories of ghosts, monsters, and cryptozoology critters. The show never seems hokey, or as simple television entertainment, and they're following an investigation guideline inspired by 'Ghost Hunters' Jason and Grant. The season premiere promises a collection of episodes sure to evoke sweaty underarms and possibly even bad dreams; good old Syfy fun!

Follow Josh Gates on Twitter.com
Ghost Hunter TAPS

http://www.syfy.com/destinationtruth/

Rowan Wand Sun Moon Altar Box

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 23:53:00 +0000

*See Etsy store listing...

A special combination of handmade Pagan treasure fills this wood burned storage box, which can double as a travel altar or hide quickly when needed; Box, wand, bell, pentacle, bottle, candle, incense...

Wood burned decorative box is sealed with durable varnish and signed by the artist on golden bottom.
The hand crafted miniature rowan wood magic wand has genuine quartz crystal stone tip and a sturdy sculpted paper clay base in the shape of a thistle flower (stands upright if desired); Wand and bell both are coated with protective varnish to preserve the natural lichen and bark.
The matching rowan wood twig altar bell features an antique miniature brass bell (made in India), natural conducting copper wire and an amethyst gem stone bead.
The small glass corked bottle jar of ritual salt is for blessings and protection spell use & includes a protective white cotton pouch.
The wood burned birch altar pentacle pentagram, has text on reverse that reads as, "Blessed Be!"
simple white tea light candle for purity & invocations
case box of world famous Nag Champa brand incense dhoop cones, includes metal tray for burning

Rowan Wand Binding, Fairy Spells, Removing Ghost

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Sun, 10 May 2009 22:44:00 +0000

A wand of rowan is known to be used in binding spells and to remove spirits or ghosts.

Wands for Wicca Magick in the Etsy Curio Castle Shoppe

This wand is crafted from two different types of wood. The top portion, without tree bark, is the fruitful plum tree for abundance and the sweetness of magic. The lower portion is the sacred Rowan of the druid and Fairy folk tales. With its red bark and partner sage green lichen, the design emerges from the natural. The piece has been coated with environmentally friendly varnish to protect the natural surface of the tree bark. The two sections of wood have been carefully hand joined into a single, sturdy yet delicate, wand to represent the magic of two worlds combined; the mundane human and magickal Fey.

Since the fairies of Celtic Irish lore were people of the earth, I imagined them to have a tribal social culture; The overall design of this wispy wand is based upon that tribal sense. A wand of rowan is known to be used in binding spells and to remove spirits or ghosts. The two types of wood further represent the concept of, "two coming together", by their original growing locations; the Rowan wood is from the Western USA and the Plum wood from the Eastern portion. The fine point tip holds a polished clear quartz crystal pebble, well fitted into place. Further down, a natural amethyst gem stone has been embedded into the wood grain. The shape is near to a triangle, pointing the dreamy energies of amethyst to do the wielders bidding. The handle end is uncapped, and signed by the artist with a simple letter "T". The wood burned band, on the same end, could be used to tie colorful ribbons or beads for special events. No power tools were used, except for the electric pyrography burning tool; all work done by hand. A usable work of art.
See more images and shopping options at the link above.

* 13 Steps to Making this Ceremonial Magick Wand

Felled branches lovingly gathered or pruned from trees for better health.
Branches cut into lengths and cleaned. Cutting small out branches and shaping must be done. This must be done very carefully to avoid cutting ones self when working with hand tools. Cleaning was done with a ceremonial bowline knife that is only used for ritual crafting.
The new "naked" wands were spread out on a tray and low temp baked in an old oven to remove bacteria; sterilize.
This individual wand was then smoothed down with various grades of sandpaper to remove the chip carving feel of the de-barking process.
After examining the wand, inspiration and Spirit took over. A gem stone crystal that matches the form of the end of the wood was selected. It needs to not only fit the physical shape but also the spiritual function of the piece.
The wood was carved out, by hand, using eye measurement to allow the stone to fit as tightly as possible.
Once the shapes were right, a small amount of very strong glue was added before the pieces were joined together. Making sure the fit is tight, the piece was allowed to dry.
This is the point at which the two pieces of wood were joined in much the same way as the stone was added.
After several days drying the glue, I swelled the wood around the crystal and joined area. Small amounts of water were carefully allowed to soak into the grain of the wood, causing it to swell. I checked the stone to test tightness and go on to another drying. The wand was again baked at a low temp to remove the moisture I added. This causes the wood grains to tighten up more than before; like tempering.
The next step is to add decorations with the wood burner, carving, and finish off the surface of the wood.
The piece was varnished with environmentally friendly varnish.
At the next Full Moon, after varnishing, a welcoming ceremony was done to announce to the spiritual realm the wand had been made whole.
Step thirteen, a sacred number to the Goddess, is for the piece to find it's home.

Nasturnum Flower Pentagram Altar Tile

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Sun, 10 May 2009 22:39:00 +0000

Do you feel the need for discretion but would still like to have a pentagram for Wiccan rituals in your home? The sacred five pointed pentagram star, in nature, is here expressed by a golden orange Nasturnum flower with juicy wet green leaves. The image is a digital photography manipulation by Witchy One artist, Tree Pruitt.
Adding more than one item to your shopping cart requires additional shipping. Once the shopping cart window opens close it, go back and add the last option on purchase button once for each additional item ordered. Proceed through checkout.
Nasturnum Flower Pentagram Framed Tile, $14.00 plus $5.50 shipping for single item

A decorative ceramic tile in its own stylish stained Cherrywood frame with rounded edges and quality construction. The tile, either framed or unframed, works well for use as an altar pentacle for spells because oil & other ingredients won't damage the durable surface. Frame measures 6” x 6” x 0.5”, with 4.25” x 4.25” tile and has two recessed holes for wall mounting.

* Tile Without Frame
$9.50 plus $5.50 shipping for single item

Image is applied with a polyester resin that accepts dye as part of the coating. Four felt pads protect your furniture from scratches. Dishwasher safe. Not for use with abrasive cups and mugs though surface is quite durable. 4.25” x 4.25” and 1/6-inch thick.

* Keepsake Spell Box
$27.00 plus $5.50 shipping for single item
Hardwood spell box showcases the ceramic tile. Spring-loaded hinged lid stays open without tipping the box over and snaps closed securely. Made of solid hardwood with high-gloss lacquer finish. Interior is fully lined in velvet; bottom is covered with felt. Measures 5.5" x 5.5" x 2.25" with a 4.25" x 4.25" ceramic tile.

Morning Glory Flower Pentagram Altar Tile

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Sun, 10 May 2009 22:31:00 +0000

Do you feel the need for discretion but would still like to have a pentagram for Wiccan rituals in your home? The sacred five pointed pentagram star, in nature, is here expressed by a blue and purple Morning Glory flower with a rippling black smoke border. The image is a digital photography manipulation by Witchy One artist, Tree Pruitt.

Altar tile, ritual pentacle, spell box storage, lapel button, stickers & other products available featuring this image. Shown at left are the wood framed altar tile and the round magnet. The tile, either framed or unframed, works well for use as a pentacle for spells because oil & other ingredients won't damage the durable surface.

Adding more than one item to your shopping cart requires additional shipping. Once the shopping cart window opens close it, go back and add the last option on purchase button once for each additional item ordered. Proceed through checkout.
Morning Glory Flower Pentagram

Morning Glory Flower Pentagram in Blue Framed Tile $14.00 plus $5.50 shipping for single item.

A decorative ceramic tile in its own stylish stained Cherrywood frame with rounded edges and quality construction. The tile, either framed or unframed, works well for use as an altar pentacle for spells because oil & other ingredients won't damage the durable surface. Frame measures 6” x 6” x 0.5”, with 4.25” x 4.25” tile and has two recessed holes for wall mounting.

* Tile Without Frame $9.50 plus $5.50 shipping for single item.
Image is applied with a polyester resin that accepts dye as part of the coating. Four felt pads protect your furniture from scratches. Dishwasher safe. Not for use with abrasive cups and mugs though surface is quite durable. 4.25” x 4.25” and 1/6-inch thick.

* Keepsake Spell Box $27.00 plus $5.50 shipping for single item.
Hardwood spell box showcases the ceramic tile. Spring-loaded hinged lid stays open without tipping the box over and snaps closed securely. Made of solid hardwood with high-gloss lacquer finish. Interior is fully lined in velvet; bottom is covered with felt. Measures 5.5" x 5.5" x 2.25" with a 4.25" x 4.25" ceramic tile.

Witchy Beltane Reminder

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:01:00 +0000

A brief reminder that April 30 2009 is Beltane, one of the eight Solar Sabbats in Wicca. Beltane is an ancient Celtic Gaelic holiday adopted readily by modern witches, Wiccans, and other Neo-Pagan groups. Like Samhain, it's opposite on the calendar, May Day eve is a time when the veils between the worlds is thin and the Otherworld close at hand. Some of the reasons for celebrating the holiday are... union of the youthful God and Goddess, beginning of the summer season, bonfire celebration, purification, transition, fertility of animals and harvest, house blessing, petition for protection from ghosts and mischievous Otherworldly Beings such as gnomes and fairies

*Conjure This:
Try crafting a Beltane Spirit Amulet to protect and bless your house. Using equal sized twigs of either rowan or ash wood create an equal-armed cross in the manner often known as a "Gods-Eye"; Both types of wood can be used as protection from negative ghosts or spirits and ash has the added benefit of being thought to repel lightning strikes. Weave ribbon or yarn to hold the twigs together, using colors corresponding to your desires;

purple= spirituality
green = fortune, fertility, money
white = purity, clarity
blue = healing, general well-being
etc.

Tie a loop for hanging at the top point of the Four Quarters and place over the doorway or on the entrance to your home. A small pouch of herbs and stones (Medicine Bag) can be secured to the center for added charm. If possible, use all natural materials so that next year the amulet can be tossed into a bonfire; make a new amulet each year.

* Blank wand staves of clean cut ash wood available for purchase at the Curio Castle Shoppe.

Beam of Light Battle Over Earth NASA Footage

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 05:47:00 +0000

Have you heard about NASA footage from the early 1990's of a beam of light coming from our planet and like shooting at a craft of some sort? The recorded footage didn't come out for me to see until a few years ago, and of course the NASA response was reflection and shuttle debris. That explanation makes me a bit angry because it's a total lie. I was watching NASA live on television when the original event happened, and it was a battle!

I'd been painting a mural on the wall and had left the television going. One of my cable access channels frequently showed live footage beamed down from the NASA Space Shuttle, and I thought this was very cool of them to do. I think it was part of some sort of public relations effort to get people interested in the Space Program again. The scene was being filmed from a window with the perspective of the Earth being only a half circle on the left, if I remember correctly. I turned from the wall for a break and stood in front of the TV to stretch. I was stunned to see there was a bright craft with a triangle shape moving around above our outer atmosphere! It made motion random debris will not; it was clearly a ship or craft of some sort. Suddenly from the left of the screen came streaking in a flash of light past the Space Shuttle window. When it reached the triangle ships perspective I saw it as a narrow winged like craft. It made a hard bank to the right and fired what looked like a series of small lights at the triangle. Making what looked like a 360 the winged thing stayed with the triangle. The triangle ship didn't seem to make any defense other than skilled evasive maneuvers.

Suddenly the triangle must have sped up to a flash of speed because it became a blur moving to the left as a great thick beam of light came up from the Earth. I was giving more attention to the objects than I was the planetary geography that could be seen, so I can't say where it originated. The whole thing happened very fast! Mind you, this was all in black & white so I can only judge by the glow, but that beam hit the winged ship and it vanished -- poof! It's easy to think it was utterly destroyed, but there was no flaming explosion like in the movies; just a big flash of brightness. The triangle moved back into view near the spot where the winged one had been and the television went black; the signal was cut. I rushed for the remote control to check other stations, sure the emergency sirens would begin at any moment. I could hardly believe what I'd seen and was in shock from the implications; did our planet just save one spaceship from another? Was there all out war!?

All of the other television stations were fine. No sirens ever sounded that night, and later no one said a thing about what had happened. The television station no longer broadcast NASA footage. Any one I mentioned it to thought my imagination was over active and that was terribly frustrating. I felt like I was being lied to and was the only one in the world who'd seen this happen. It didn't take long before I decided to shut-up about it. I tucked the memory away and frequently replayed the scene in my mind so I wouldn't forget details of what has to be the most amazing thing a person could see. Then I hoped that some day there would be answers because I was a bit miffed at getting such a scare with no news about it. It added anxiety to general life knowing there was some weird stuff going on in space and some government on this planet obviously knows about it.

When I later began to listen to Art Bell I learned about the Haarp project when he interviewed author Nick Begich about his book, "Angels Don't Play This Haarp" (see below), which is purportedly advanced Tesla technology. This big beam, Haarp, sounded suspiciously like what I'd seen on the television. So I'm not angry any longer, but have become a little complacent. There is something going on above our planet, and though I'm not sure I believe in little green men, there seems to be genuine extraterrestrial life in the universe. I'm certainly open to the possibility that the ships I saw are terrestrial and world governments are duking it out in space; either way someone knows about this and things are being done. I suppose that as long as the outer space stuff doesn't start falling on my head I've nothing to worry about. Seeing what I did didn't destroy my life or my reputation; people thought I was weird already, so no harm no foul right? I just wish I could look up at the sky and only see pretty stars.

Since the time I wrote the above I did a little searching and found some interesting things. I googled the phrase, "NASA footage from the early 1990's of a beam of light", and discovered it was the shuttle Discovery mission STS-48, launched September 12, 1991. It was seen on NASA Select TV, which at the time was downlinked live from each shuttle mission and distributed on cable and satellite TV, according to a message board at David Icke's Official Forums. This is the first time I've looked up anything about the event, and the blurred recordings they write about on this forum read about right to me. It makes me feel better, but knowing that others do know about it doesn't change anything. I'm still left with the background sensation that God may be in heaven but all is not right with the world.

My Tibetan Dogs Offering to Buddha

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 03:10:00 +0000

My new dog, Sparky, recently showed a surprising act of spirituality and, what seemed to be charity. Sparky is a Tibetan Spaniel mix we believe is a "Tibalier" and looks like a little Shi-Shi lion or Fu-dog, just like those found on top of incense burners and guardian statues in the ancient orient. The Tibalier is created by crossing the purebred Tibetan Spaniel with the purebred Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. It is considered a hybrid dog, meaning it is not purebred, however the lineage is known. Where as the term mutt is used when a dog has an unknown lineage. We're not certain of his age, because he's a rescued dog, but he's still fairly young. This dog has shown incredible intelligence and has learned most basic commands very quickly; even learning to fetch dropped tools or pens for me.

This morning I was re-arranging the bedroom and had set our beloved thin bodied meditating Buddha statue on the bed. It's a rather large statue, so the posture makes the lap a great place to set offerings and the like. Little Sparky put his front paws on the bed and stood there with a questioning facial expression; almost as if he were listening to something. Upon seeing the statue on the bed, Sparky suddenly left the room in a jog. He quickly returned with his favorite plastic bone. Then he jumped onto the bed and carefully set that toy onto the Buddha lap! Using his nose, he nudged the toy into place. He even took care not to bump the copper Yantra that always rests there. A yantra is a geometrical diagram representing the universe. It's used in Hindu worship and meditation; similar to a mandala.

We don't often set new items onto that Buddha statue, so Sparky could not have been imitating a repetitious action he'd seen us perform. Our little boy simply seemed compelled to make an offering! We feel certain that Spirit does indeed dwell within that statue, and are even more blessed by the presence of Lord Buddha than before. Of course, Sparky could have just thought the skinny guy looked hungry! What a special experience to have witnessed!

The image of Buddha, at the right, is special photomanipulation art I created from a digital photograph of our statue. Visit the link below to see a variety of CafePress items featuring this image and others. The blank book makes a perfect meditation journal, dream diary, or simple notebook for poems and ideas.

*Interesting Things by Artist Tree (CafePress shop)

*Image is, "Spirit of Buddha in White"; Spiritual, digital photomanipulation art featuring a whisper of Lord Buddha.

Paranormal Indiana

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 03:53:00 +0000

I've just joined the site for the Indiana Ghost Trackers, Kokomo Chapter. I'd google the subect as soon as we decided to start making the move to my husbands old home town, but having made a Facebook contact from the group, I decided to join up. My username, of course, is Witchy-One, and I really look forward to meeting more ghost hunters and also local Pagans into the paranormal.
Kokomo Indiana stands out as a minor Mecca for the unusual. I think it's fun to be relocating to a town I've heard Art Bell speak of so often; Thankfully that Kokomo Hum seems to have stopped. More than just a place for ghost hunting, Kokomo seems to offer mysteries in the sky as well as the earth. A recent episode of the History Channels UFO Hunters titled "Heartland Explosion" explains in detail.
"Late in the evening of April 16th, 2008, the tiny town of Kokomo, Indiana was rocked by an ear-piercing, high decibel boom. Houses shook. Thousands of panicked citizens called 911." Though she didn't feel the need to dial 911, my own Mother-in-Law did hear and feel the boom. Her story didn't differ from witnesses on the show it was really cool to listen to a first-hand account first-hand! See what will be my own new home town in the video below. Keep your eyes and sences open wherever you go!

Toy Tossing Ghost

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:59:00 +0000

Though I'm slowly becoming accustomed to ghost encounters, they still give me the chills. Most recently, while touring a small church campus, a non-living resident came to call. I'd been touring an upper floor that's reserved for congregational activities when I noticed that it seemed another person was up there somewhere. With each room I entered I prepared a polite greeting to cross my lips, but I didn't see anyone. One room in particular held the distinct feeling that a person had just left the room prior to my entry; and indeed a few objects I handled seemed oddly warm to the touch, as if another hand had just occupied the same space. There was no heaviness to the air or creepy sensation to set my senses a tingling in defense, so I gave nothing more than a fleeting thought of the paranormal before moving back downstairs.

One of the rooms of the lower floor is used for young child care, and had been well played, so my companion and myself volunteered for toy pick-up duty. Three people in total made quick work of putting the toys in proper place. After the member of the congregation had left the room we gave the space a final visual check. All was tidy except for a few toys set back on a side board counter, but they were at least off the floor. Just before we turned to leave the room there was a slight clicking sound and those toys flew forward off the counter, landing on the floor! They'd been placed about a foot from the edge of a mostly level surface, so could not have slid off by accident or minor vibration. My immediate response was to say out loud that it wasn't a very nice thing to do since we'd just picked-up the room, but despite my boldness a cold sliver ran up my spine. Feeling brave, I stepped forward and replaced the toys were they'd been previously. The surface of the counter was quite warm to the touch and I got a very distinct sense of a male presence. Because I'd not felt any threat from "him" I wagged my finger in chastisement, reminding him that it wouldn't be polite for our church going friend to take blame if the room were later found in disarray; it would be funny, but not polite at all. With a bit of a chuckle, we left the room.

A short while later my companion and I sat outside to discuss the incident. Yes, we'd clearly seen the objects move! No, it didn't seem there was an explanation other than poltergeist type activity. We didn't feel as if a repressed psychokinetic energy were involved either, since we weren't stressed about being in a church; Repressed psychokinetic energy is a theoretical psychic force produced, usually unconsciously, by a person when undergoing physical or mental trauma. Then, at nearly the same time, we proclaimed to have felt a male energy, though a genteel one. As if in reply to our pondering an upper window facing us developed a slight dark outline in the shape of a person! We raised our eyebrows in surprise, but then just smiled and waved a "hello".

I felt that the supposed Spirit didn't want us to leave because he was pleased to be acknowledged. The experience was somewhat sad, as he seemed lonely; I may bring home a stray animal on occasion, but I won't bring home stray ghosts! I offered my word that I'd come back another time for a visit and the form in the window seemed to disperse. I don't understand how or why a Spirit would choose to stay in place with the living, but I hope he was given a bit of comfort by having been acknowledged once again.

Witchy One's Mystic Messages Yahoo Group!

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 06:50:00 +0000

I decided to open a mystical space for members to talk of metaphysical theory, psychic experiences, witchcraft, Paganism, Wicca, New-Age, Neo Native American natural magick practises, meditation & hand crafts. Share rituals, spells, experiences with the paranormal or supernatural. Spiritual artists, jewelry & ritual tool makers are invited to share methods, ask questions about ritual crafting. We'll be here to offer support to each other; Together we learn and grow.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/witchyone/

Click to join witchyone

Shopping for Citrine Gems; buyer beware

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 00:28:00 +0000

The holiday gift shopping season is fast approaching this year. With Wicca and "New-Age" practises on the rise, many folks will likely be searching for gifts to buy a Pagan pal or Wiccan friend, and many gift options will include gemstones. A buyer, especially one with the needs of a homeopathic or Reiki (energy worker) healer, needs to be aware that many types of enhanced, or outright fake, gems are being offered online these days. Most of my own current stones have been in my collection for quite some time and all gems are genuine. I know these stones to be genuine because I either purchased them from reputable dealers, jewelers, or dug them out of the ground myself, (during some of my more youthful adventures). Visit my Etsy Curio Castle shop to find primitive style handmade jewelry, like the citrine pendant shown at left, and ritual tools I've crafted using genuine unenhanced gemstones; Limited quantities of natural stones available and most items are one of a kind.

A fellow member of Worldwide Women Artists Online (WWAO) has recently presented an informative Internet lens for shoppers at a nifty site called Squidoo, (which allows you to share & learn about tons of different topics). The lens by Staci Rose is titled, Guide to Gemstones and Glass and Trust. Why not stop by her lens and see what she has to share?

~ Real Citrine; not a cheap fake ~

Metaphysically, citrine is one of the two minerals on the planet which does not hold and build up negative energy, the other being kayanite. The golden gem citrine breaks apart negative enery and is able to change, or transmute it; according to Love is in the Earth, "being able to work out problems on both the physical and subtle levels." Citrine, therefore never needs to metaphysically cleaned of energy accumulated over time. It is thought to be a healing gem, with protective qualities as well. For centuries citrine has been known as "the merchant's stone" because it is said to bring wealth and prosperity when placed in a cash register drawer or kept with the financial rewards of earning.

Citrine is a notoriously enhanced stone these days, often being badly dyed quartz or lesser grade citrine aggressively treated with high heat to gain a deeper color, if natural stone at all. The citrine that is REAL genuine, natural gem, and not the heat treated variety sold most often today, will be a pale "beer" yellow and not have a dark root-beer brown or shockingly vivid yellow color. Heat treated, sometimes called burnt citrine, is generally easy to spot because it often has a greasy looking rainbow randomly on the surface, caused by temperature fluctuations during the treatment.

Below is an example of naturally dark citrine, with lesser grade moonstone, shown in a mobile like necklace pendant available in my Etsy Curio Castle.

Burnt, and irradiated stones such as most citrine and amethyst sold today, do not have the same metaphysical qualities of the earth-born, genuine gems, but can have more visual and certainly economic appeal. However, such gems are commonly passed off as genuine, and became popular because the more pale colored unenhanced varieties are elusive, more costly, and often difficult to obtain. It is required by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC in USA) to disclose all enhancements to gem stones, and method of enhancement used if known. Buying your gems from a reputable dealer or crafts-person will avoid being misled when shopping. A seller should be able to tell you about a gemstone in their possession. However, if they can't tell, and your heart desires the piece anyway, then consider the purchase as a personal joy rather than a financial investment or metaphysical tool.

Shown below is an example of deep purple, natural, not enhanced amethyst.

*The Curio Castle Etsy http://www.mysticgriffin.etsy.com/

*my Realm of the Mystic Griffin Squidoo Lens http://www.squidoo.com/mysticgriffin

* Referenced Melody's Book; "Love is in the Earth", page 209.

Fun Affordable Freaky Witch Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 20:37:00 +0000

While browsing through the Etsy website today I decided to gather some favorite handmade items and images, (at Etsy you "Heart" someone when they are a fav). I found a very interesting selection of cool, but creepy jewelry, art & a few spell related listings and I just had to share them! Since I have my own Curio Castle metaphysical & vintage shop at Etsy, I thought it would be cool to share some of the stuff that catches my own shoppers eye. Like a haunted old mansion, this affordable shopping show hangs onto the darker side with style! It's all about the atmosphere of magic; set the mood and make it grow. Check it ...

Fun stuff, eh? One of the jewelry pendants features a white owl, and I thought that was very interesting. I've had visions of a white owl often. I've also done a clay sculpture of a half woman half snowy owl; very weird even for me. I don't come upon white and white owl items often, so I thought that pendant was neat.

Talking About Totem Animals

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:48:00 +0000

What's A Totem Animal?

With the growing popularity of Neo-paganism and Neo-Native American spirituality, the phrase of "totem animal" has become a somewhat generic term that actually encompasses meaningful spiritual relationships with animals in a variety of forms. There are historical Native American cultural differences and origins for the uses of words such as, "totem", "medicine" and "fetish", and those uses are traditional in differing tribes. Performing a search of those terms can expose more detailed information about how indigenous Americans use those terms than can be offered here. My purpose of explanation is only to point out how the words are commonly used in the more broad arena of modern, New-Age, understandings.

Working With Animal Helpers

Animals can provide much guidance to a seeker. As daily messenger, temporary power animal, or life long totem, the creatures in this world willingly participate in a conversation with Great Spirit. Whatever your spiritual belief, it cannot be denied that animal kingdom has stood as a strong system of symbols in human history, art, psychology, and general communication. Animals can convey messages of day to day life, or be used as powerful devises for personal development throughout a lifetime. The world of symbols we use in order to talk to ourselves is vast. I encourage you to look at as many resources as possible when seeking a meaning of an animal. The best resource of all though is you. Find the aspects of an animal that feel right and true to you personally. Ask yourself questions about why a particular animal captured your attentions. It could have a message to deliver about a current situation, or it could be a life long totem animal; only you can know.

A totem animal shares its strengths and weaknesses with its human partner. However, many agree that a totem is a creature whose energy has been, or will be, a long term effect upon a person. Your favorite animal from childhood is often lingering with you still as a life totem. The creepy crawler from repetitive nightmares or unfounded fears may also be a life totem, for all creatures have the balance of dark and light within. Your life totem can reveal how you got to the place you're in now and where you're likely to go in the future. What aspects or habits do you always seem to have with you in life? Behind that answer lives your totem. What are the things you want to develop and achieve? What qualities do you admire and wish to see in your self? How do you want to grow as a person overall? A life totem is a partner and spirit guide through the journey.

Information offered is mainly unique original content not compiled from previously published metaphysical materials, and is not to be used for profit or republication in ANY form without prior written consent by the author, Tree (Theresa) Pruitt, ©2006/8. The material is offered here ONLY as personal reference.

About Spiritkeepers™ -- One of a kind pebbles & sea shells hand painted by artist Tree Pruitt. Keep the spirit of your favorite totem or spirit animal, symbol, or deity figure a part of your daily life with these treasures that are real mini paintings! Stones are generally pocket sized & many are naturally holed -- known as the witches' amulet or a dream shield. Shells are perfect for desk top or altar display. Images are often one of a kind, found within the natural surfaces. Available in the Etsy Curio Castle shop.

Serpent Mound Crop Circle Lights Synchronicity

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:28:00 +0000

The following was already reported by myself in a brief call to Coast to Coast Am with George Noory near the time of the sighting, and I later did a full interview with Linda Moulton Howe on what I witnessed, which is available only through her own site Earthfiles.

I was born near The Great Serpent Mound State Memorial and live in the general area today. One year while visiting family, my husband and myself noticed mysterious lights in the sky coming from the direction of the Mound.

I feel like I've been asked by (???) the Universal to bring a topic back to light for some reason. I feel guided to bring this up for someone, but who I cannot know. Because I also felt strong guidance to create this site in the first place for sharing, well then, it stands to reason that I must share my thoughts on a topic that makes me oddly uncomfortable. What's making me nervous, in part, is the heavy synchronicity. I'd been thinking about a drawing I'd not given to either Linda Moulton Howe or Jeff Wilson a couple of years ago. (see below for case details). Life had suddenly become the needed focus of my attention at that time so I simply could not do what they asked. On this night, in 2008, I find that I can't get my mind off of the subject of the 2003 Ohio Crop Circle lights.

First, let me explain the synchronicity. The television, generally turned towards ghostly topics if on at all, tossed out at me this eve the discussion of the Crop Circle again. I did some googling, being curious at last of any further details on the case in which I was personally involved. I read some things that gave me a powerful feeling I sometimes get in the palm of my hand and interpret as a "warning" sensation. I sensed there was some sort of creepy importance in what I was reading, and at the same moment the television program in the background used aloud the same words my eyes were reading on the computer screen! That's synchronicity folks. These sort of things happen to me more now than ever before, that such synchronicity seems to convey direct messages.

The sort of synchronicity I'm talking about cannot be denied. I can try to avoid it when a "message" topic starts to rear up, but just like 11:11 or that movie "23" it will be everywhere; TV, radio, a conversation snippet from a passerby, a newspaper ad. Each time I have relinquished doubt and looked into a subject that was being presented, I always find personal truth or some sort of enlightenment without much effort; in that I'm not trying to convince myself or look for eggs from a chicken, so to say. The point is that I feel very strongly that this communication through synchronicity is valid, no matter what the source. So one could say that I was called back to the topic of crop circles.

Back in 2005, strong synchronicity led me to talk with Linda Moulton Howe about my own eye-witnesses account of lights not far from the famous Great Serpent Mound effigy in Ohio. I hadn't realized there would be a serious interest in what we saw that night until during recording I heard Linda say "For the first time on the record....", and that had some weight to it. :) In 2003 no one seemed interested locally, so I didn't take action, (didn't know about the Independent Crop Circle Researchers Association right here in river city). The main attitude was "so what" or at most a mildly interested "hmmm". There was only a micro mention on the evening news in Cincinnati, but thankfully my sister, living somewhat near Serpent Mound, happened to save her local newspaper. It had a small article and an overhead photograph of the crop circle design. My husband and myself had recently moved back to Ohio from an area of Washington State that had mysterious moving lights in the sky nearly all of the time, so though these lights were different, the subject was rather common place for us. We're rarely surprised at the unexplained in this household, and when unexplainable things happen frequently it becomes hard to tell just what is a "unique experience".

If my local news had mentioned the Independent Crop Circle Researchers Association I certainly would have contacted Jeff Wison the next day. But life has a habit of needing to be lived, so I archived the newspaper and moved on. It wasn't until two years later that an airing of Coast to Coast AM with George Noory resurfaced the topic. I called in, got on the air right away, but George seemed disinterested. Maybe I sounded too kooky, maybe he was distracted at the time, I don't know. I'd recently gotten a first computer so decided to look up Earth Files. Linda was certainly interested. You'll have to be a member of her site to read the details of what I wrote for Linda, but here's her introduction from earthfiles.com:

“May 9, 2005 Batavia, Ohio - Two years ago, between August and November 2003, four crop formations in soybeans were reported in the mysterious and ancient mound builder's region of southern Ohio. Most important in terms of plant and soil anomalies was the first one discovered on the morning of August 24, 2003, not far from the famous Serpent Mound near Locust Grove, Ohio. The tall soybean plants had been laid down in a geometry based around the Vesica Pisces symbol found so often in British crop formations. Its longest length was 271 feet and there were no tracks around the entire perimeter or inside the extraordinary pattern.

Jeff Wilson, Director of the Independent Crop Circle Researchers Association based in Cincinnati, Ohio, said that soybean crop formations are very rare in the United States and of the 100 American crop formations he had personally investigated by August 2003, "the Serpent Mound pattern is one of the most sophisticated geometries that we've seen." All the electronic testing Jeff and his colleagues did and studies of plant samples have shown statistically significant anomalies. Further, Jeff pointed out that soybeans are "a tough crop to make your way through. It's a vine-like plant, so when you wade through the stuff, you almost have to rip your way through the plants."

What none of us knew in 2003 was there were at least three eyewitnesses the night before (August 23, 2005) at 9 p.m. who watched mysterious lights move for several minutes right over the land near the Serpent Mound. For the first time on the record, Tree Pruitt of Batavia, Ohio, explained what she and her husband and brother-in-law saw during a birthday celebration at her sister's home only about 20 minutes by car from the Serpent Mound.”
--------------(end)--------------------------------------

When I'd gotten home from that birthday party the night the circle and light show happened, I scribbled out a little drawing, tracing in my mind's eye the pattern the lights made, onto paper. This drawing is previously unpublished and bears a near identical design as the actual crop circle from 2003. Understand that I had not yet seen the crop circle, only the motions of the spheres of light.

*Sketch based upon the movements of mysterious lights in the sky. Notice the pencil shading in the eye like area and how it corresponds to the positive and negative spacing in the actual crop circle pattern shown below.

*Diagram of the crop circle.

*Artist rendering showing my eyewitness version of crop circle lights. ©T. Pruitt

Detail of above.

I feel like a sceptic who wants to say "what EVER!" and leave it be, but I've seen too much, and the feeling I got tonight was far too strong to ignore. There's far too much synchronicity all the way around for my personal taste. One of the web pages I was looking at had offered some great images, including the 2003 crop circle in Ohio, scatterdome.com . You'll have to scroll down most of the page there, but it's worth it for the illustrations and photo comparisons. In a nutshell, there was a second crop circle, near another sacred mound in Ohio 2004, and it's creepy how close it is to the first one in 2003; I noticed the similarity right away.

What caused that sensation in my hand I mentioned was reading this passage "Shortly after the crop circle’s discovery, a Dutch crop circle researcher named Bert Janssen discovered that the geometry of the larger circles in the Serpent Mound crop formation matched up perfectly with the larger circles in the Miamisburg formation." Bert Janssen’s name specifically seemed to trigger my "spidey senses" but just what it means I cannot say. I do feel there is something important for someone to look into. On his website, Bert Janssen discusses this crop circle geometry.

I just don't know what to make of it all. Of course there's plenty of Google fodder out there for the individual to browse. Available evidence is so very wide spread in divided subject matters! If I look into UFOs and crop circles it always leads to what seems like an episode of Stargate mixed with The X-Files. More founded subjects such as geometry, theoretical and quantum physics often lead down that same road. I think, therein, I've discovered the source of my anxiety and discomfort; my heart pounds for the hunt as I think of it now. In part, I fear that I could be consumed by the desire to search, connect, and immerse myself in the dpeth of such subjects. My plate is already far too full, so to those out there who do want the effort I say, look outside the circle and bring what you find back to the center. The answers are likely to be found in more than several places, broken into bits and pieces. Like a monster waiting in a night time closet, this thing is there... and it's huge.

I welcome comments and will do my best to respond to questions as soon as possible.

Serpent Mound Crop Circle Lights Synchronicity -- Tree Pruitt

What's "Conjure This" I see in some posts?

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 06:38:00 +0000

Within articles and entries here at witchy-one.com the visitor will notice bold font sections titled "Conjure This". These are areas for me to offer suggestions of methods or activities to try, meditations and rituals. Ideas for family oriented activities, or crafts, are also included at times, but most of my ideas are from the perspective of a solitary practitioner with a like minded partner. In reflection of the singular view, a great many of my concepts fall into the category of personal development. Whether or not a witch is a member of a coven, he or she must face themselves at the end of the day alone. It is our spiritual duty to be the best possible representative of our beliefs, so doing our best to grow and evolve personally serves the God and Goddess as well as our own needs; providing karmic relief.

I do my best to write original content for you, but I'll let you know any resources I may have referenced. It must be said that the reader uses all advise, remedies or suggestions at their own risk. Always take care when dealing with children, and if you really feel you have emotional or physical difficulties consult an expert.

If you do use any ideas from this site, please share the experience! Comments can be posted here or on the Pagan Porch Paranormal Boards and even in our mother site, Realm of the Mystic Griffin Guestbook. Suggestions and comments are always welcome!

-- Tree, aka Witchy-One

Down to Earth Harvest Time; ecology tips for the Sabbats

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 03:39:00 +0000

It's the time of year to harvest the fruits of your labor thus far. We are no longer an agriculturally based society, but our ties to the natural cycles remain, so rather than solely a celebration of literal crop harvesting Lammas (or Lughnasadh) can become a celebration of the unity between mankind and Nature.

As a modern human, you must first ask yourself what is the labor and the fruits that may yield? What have you and the planet done for each other so far this year? Celebrate memories of times you mingled with the energy of a tree or were given guidance by animal messengers; give thanks for signs and omens the Earth has given you. Raising environmental awareness helps the planet, and even simple acts like placing a non-profits banner on your Myspace or Facebook profile could make a difference. Try to dig out the ways you can, or have been, helping the environment or environmental causes.

CONJURE THIS:

Get outside and pull some weeds, clean things up a bit. Contacting your local Department of Agriculture can reveal what plant species are on the most wanted list in your state, like the invasive cowslip; you really are helping your local environment by removing destructive non-native plants. Let yourself have fun with it though and enjoy the time outside.

Take a special walk with a loved one sometime between Midsummer and Lammas. The planet loves the spiritual energy created between loving people. Make it count more by taking along a couple of bags and pick up some trash along the way.

One wide scale expression found today is the desire to reduce one's personal impact upon the planet. The Harvest Sabbats can be a great time to review your "carbon count" or "Footprint". A great way to settle down after Lammas celebrations, or to start the morning after, would be to review your own planetary impact. If your household has done this before, then use this as an opportunity to review and compare progress.

CONJURE THIS, For Family:

If there are children in the family try making a game of recycling throughout the year and keep track; each family member would have an individual recycle bin, which is not unreasonable considering today's consumerism. Mark totals in a notebook when recycling or trash day comes around. At the after Lammas review, the person who was able to recycle the most (total number of bin loads in the year) wins some sort of prize. Make sure the prize reflects your family activity level; winner gets out of chores, or gets to pick the next family activity or movie, perhaps offer the option for "carbon cash" so children can save up the fruits of their own labor. You can use carbon cash for other events through the year, like an allowance. Just what you use as the cash itself is up to you; get creative with scrap paper from printer out put. Giving children a visible reward, rather than abstract rewards such as a donation, helps them learn the value of right action; at earlier ages let it all be fun, older kids can handle the concept of moral choices and self sacrifice but that's too heavy for the tots.

Celebrate and discover the different ways you can harvest the fruits of your own yearly labor.

* Here's a carbon footprint calculator (An Inconvenient Truth) http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/carboncalculator/

* EPA Personal Emissions Calculator http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html

Midsummer Full Moon; Ready to howl?

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:02:00 +0000

Ready to howl at tonight's Full Moon? Ahh-oo-ahh!!!
Yes, that was supposed to be a howl; perhaps a big ROO like my crystal crazy Gypsy dog would offer? Ah, well then... June 18 offers us a warm time Full moon to dance under! Here in Southern Ohio the Summer air has been cool and mostly clear promising a brilliant glowing ball this eve. Ready for a lunatic fringe?

A great night to be on the prowl, indeed! Being called the Strong Sun Moon, this is a time for nurturing relationships, friends & family, garden spirits & fey; but don't forget about hot sex magick! Also known as the Lover's Moon, the forces at work, including the Midsummer Sabbat Litha just around the corner, make this an excellent time to work with your partner.

Peaking at 1:30 pm, this day marks the center of the three days of Full Moon power; a day before, the day of & the day after full. The light of those moons is great for spiritually cleansing many items, but be aware that any object set outside might be considered as an offering by some critter or creature. Indoor windowsills work just fine for capturing the cleansing rays of the Lunar sphere. This is the positive, or constructive, time for magick. The Strong Sun Moon, because it's energy is all about polarity, is also a great time to spellwork or pray for balance in life and being.

CONJURE THIS: Find a quiet place during the three days of the Strong Sun Moon; your altar or meditation spot are both excellent locations, but a fortunate witch has an oak or maple tree to rest against in contemplation. You're going to think -- don't worry, it won't hurt! You may choose to enjoy these thoughts inwardly, or take along a journal so you can refer back to the results later; gain a little 20/20 for plans next year. This simple exercise can help you grow in your personal understanding, and just how far that goes is up to you.

Enter a calm state using your chosen method. If you have one of those trees, then snuggle your back up to it and let your energies mingle. A strand, word chain, or series of questions is a great way to get the thought bubbles rolling. What is this moontime about? Strong Sun Moon, Lover's Moon, Midsummer Moon, polarity, opposites, balance, Force and Form, man to woman, Sun and Moon, microcosm and macrocosm, Goddess to God, Heaven and Earth, darkness vs light, death of Winter to life of Summer .............

You get the idea. Do this as long as you like, end when you're comfortable. It's free flowing thought that can reveal deeper meaning; that's why I think it's a good idea to write it down, not just because I offer blank books to buy. You might discover lines to use in a Litha ritual or prayer of your own design. The chant like process could even help build excitement energy for the Sabbat to come, but if you're overwhelmed with the urge to run around the tree a couple of time before then its fine to do so, as long as your doctor would agree. Be sure to have written the year in your notes. Next year, look back on what you wrote. Maybe do the exercise again and compare. Like the Midsummer crops, watch the growing ripen!

- some information referenced from Moon Phase Magic

The oak and maple await.

Meaning of the Cauldron in Myth & Modern Neo-paganism

noreply@blogger.com (Artist Tree) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 09:03:00 +0000

ABOUT THE CAULDRON: Meaning of the Cauldron in Myth, Modern Neo-paganism & Wicca. Why does a cauldron have three legs?

A cauldron or caldron (from Latin caldarium, hot bath) is a large metal pot (kettle) for cooking and/or boiling over an open fire, with a large mouth and usually attached to a hanger with the shape of an arc. Cauldrons have fallen out of use nowadays in the industrialized world as the main cooking vessels they once were. The cauldron is special in many forms of society. A photograph with this article (1) shows preparations for matriculation day at a school in Botswana. Food is usually prepared in the school kitchens, but for a feast, special outdoor cauldron pots are pressed into service. Cauldrons became associated with witchcraft, as a cliché popularized by various fictions, including the play Macbeth. In such fantastic fiction, witches often prepare their potions in a cauldron. Also, in legend, a cauldron is purported to be where leprechauns keep their treasure. Taliesin, the founder of bard craft, was said to be born of the Celtic Goddess, Cerridwen, who had a supernatural magic cauldron. Taliesin consumed a potion from Her sacred cauldron, thus gaining the creativity and inspiration to birth the idea of bard song. In Neo-paganism and Wicca the cauldron is a tool of great importance. Used by both modern witches in folk magic and those of the Wiccan faith for cooking herbal remedies, burning spell papers and ingredients, or used as a ritual vessel during ceremony to hold salt or water. A cauldron can be made of most any material, but cast iron and copper are the most common. For practical uses a metal cauldron provides the safest container for cooking and burning, especially since they usually hang or sit on three legs allowing good air flow. Cauldron shaped pots or kettles of other materials such as stoneware and glass can be spiritually cleansed and re-claimed as ritual or ceremonial tools too. They make wonderful candle holders, scrying bowls for divination, and are much better for holding liquids and salt because those substances can damage metal. It requires each of the elements to create a metal cauldron. Such a cauldron could be seen as a symbol of the four elements; earth, air fire, water combined in both function and form.

Beside being a practical tool, the cauldron is a spiritual symbol to many. Traditionally the witches' cauldron has three legs no matter what the material it's making. This is seen to be in reference to the Goddess in Her Triple Goddess aspect of Maiden, Mother, and Crone. It could also represent three main stages of life; as in birth, life and then of course death. The symbolic meaning of the cauldron is typically seen to be the Mother Goddess. The plump shape mocks the womb of the Earth; Mother Nature. Because we come from a womb when we are born and are, in most cases, placed in the earth when we die the cauldron is also a symbol of rebirth. The afterlife for ancient Celtic people, and many in Wicca today, is known as "The Cauldron of Rebirth" (Tír na nÓg, Tir na nog or the Land of the Ever-Young). The belief is that those who die pass into the Cauldron of Rebirth before being reincarnated. It's easy to understand this transmutation when we consider the observation that ingredients going into a cooking pot are generally dead plant and animal portions. After being cooked, the resulting substance gives life supporting energy for the human body.Ironic in this modern era, the association of food with the cauldron is found in a masculine rather than feminine example. The Dagda, who's name means, "The Good God", was the High King (Father of the Gods) of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the supernatural beings who inhabited Ireland prior to the coming of the Celts. The Dagda had a magic cauldron known for great abundance. The cauldron was bottomless, capable of feeding an army; no one would go hungry in its presence. As the Cauldron of Rebirth it appears in the story of 'Branwen, Daughter of Llyr' and is used by the Irish to resurrect their own dead soldiers; they arise to fight the next day but they cannot speak. Being mute perhaps prevented them from telling the secret mysteries of the Underworld. As a Halloween decoration or sacred ritual tool, the cauldron remains nearly as relevant today as it has through time.

* Find vintage, altar top sized, cauldrons in my Curio Castle Shoppe http://www.mysticgriffin.etsy.com/

References, in addition to the following, include general knowledge of lore from a wide variety of educational resources as well as personal experience.

* Cauldron, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cauldron&oldid=216617535 (last visited Jun. 17, 2008).

* Tír na nÓg, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=T%C3%ADr_na_n%C3%93g&oldid=218542149 (last visited Jun. 17, 2008).

* Image #1, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Lotsane_Matric_preps.jpg#filelinks

Description= Preparations for matriculation day at Lotsane Senior Secondary School, Palapye, Botswana. Foood is usually prepared in the school kitchens, but for a feast, outdoor pots ("falkirks") are pressed into service. Take)

* Image #2, Ambrosia's Realm of Graphics http://emergraphiks.tripod.com/

* Meaning of the Cauldron in Myth, Modern Neo-paganism & Wicca "About the Cauldron", 2007 by Tree Pruitt.