Messages In This Digest (7 Messages)
- 1.
- Feast Of Befana From: Silver Fox
- 2a.
- Feng Shui For Winter Nights From: Silver Fox
- 3a.
- Herbal Yule Trees From: Silver Fox
- 4a.
- Herbs With A Holiday History From: Silver Fox
- 5.
- New shopping new life! From: Adrian Crew
- 6.
- BOOK REVIEW - Green Egg Omelette From: Mike Gleason
- 7.
- E-Novella REVIEW - Merrie Axemas From: Mike Gleason
Messages
- 1.
-
Feast Of Befana
Posted by: "Silver Fox" silverfox_57@hotmail.com trickster9993
Thu Dec 16, 2010 6:43 am (PST)
Feast Of Befana
The Italian Christmas Witch
By Mickie Mueller from Spell-a-Day, 2008 Almanacs
Color of the day: Gray
Incense of the day: Narcissus
Befana is an Italian Crone goddess, and this is her feast day. She is a kindly old woman dressed in patches, riding a broom, delivering treats to good children and coal to naughty ones.. Here is a spell to invite Befana's blessings into your home. At dusk, lay your broom next to your threshold. Leave an offering of bread, honey, and cumin seed as a gift to Befana.
Light a stick of frankincense incense nearby where it will be safe.
Then say:
Befana, Befana, Befana flying the night,
Bless this home as you pass on your flight
Befana, Befana, Befana whisk troubles away
Leave your blessings and good luck we pray.
As her spirit passes your threshold on this her feast night, she'll gather sustenance from your offering and leave her blessings of luck on your doorstep. Leave treats for children in your home in her name.
Silver Fox
"It is all true, it is not true. The more I tell you, the more I shall lie. What is story but jesting Pilate's cry. I am not paid to tell you the truth."
Jane Yolen; The Storyteller
- 2a.
-
Feng Shui For Winter Nights
Posted by: "Silver Fox" silverfox_57@hotmail.com trickster9993
Thu Dec 16, 2010 6:44 am (PST)
Feng Shui For Winter Nights
From Divine Design by Betsy Stang, certified Feng Shui consultant.
Red is not just for Santa! Red is the color of warmth, of fire, of yang. It is the antidote for the cold yin nights of winter. Warm your nights with just the right chi by practicing these feng shui tips for winter colors, light, warmth, safety and sharing.
Winter Colors and Light
Red
Replace some of your summer blues with reds and oranges. Think pillows, quilts and place settings. You will feel warmer and less depressed. A cozy red or burgundy throw on the chair or on the bed will make you feel wonderful, and cut down on the need to turn up the heat.
Orange
Cook orange. Pumpkins and squash are plentiful and give you the good carbohydrates and nutrients that you need for winter.
Light up the Night
Get at least one full spectrum light for a reading area. The complete spectrum will relieve seasonal affective disorder and help your eyes. Plants love full spectrum light so you can put some greenery nearby, and create a small winter garden that will cheer you up and help provide oxygen for your rooms.
Long evenings mean it is time to replace light bulbs. Think energy conserving compact fluorescents, especially for outside lights and accent areas. Your pocket book and your planet will thank you. There are even energy conserving Christmas lights that are now standard in Canada. Solar path lights won't go all night at this time of year, but they probably are on sale and will light your way home in the evening with no strain on the environment. Additionally, in February, as the days lengthen, they will glitter most of the night, even in the snow, and will make you smile for years to come.
Warm up your Windows.
Check to make sure all windows shut well. If you have single paned glass which lets the cold wind into the house, find some cheerful thick fabric, valances or drapes, which can cut your heating costs all winter and is a terrific way to change the feel of a room. The Victorians covered their windows for a reason; their homes were drafty! When you feel an uncovered window on a cold night, it's cold! So think warm and add fabric.
Remove or cover your air conditioners. If removal is difficult get some wonderful natural fabric from your local fabric store and create a cover. Tip: Double-sided Velcro is amazing for the sewing challenged!
Watch For Fire Get the chimney ready for Santa. It is the time to have your boiler and fireplace checked and cleaned. Too many house fires or clogged boilers are caused by the lack of taking this step. All combustible materials create residue which in time builds up, so be safe, be warm and be pro-active. This expense could save you thousands.
Pay Attention to Your Floor, Your Grounding
Remove any dangerously slippery bath mat. The backing does disintegrate, and think about a cozy rug for your bedroom or sitting area. Please think about natural materials so you are not creating a toxic environment. Artificial rugs off-gas and pollute a closed environment; you could expose yourself and your family to illnesses. Look for Tibetan or other tribal rugs made from natural fiber and plant dyes.
Tell Stories; Share with Others
Get some good books. The wintertime has always been storytelling time among all traditions, so let the indoor time give you a chance to expand your mind, either for sheer pleasure or to learn something new you have been meaning to get to but haven't had the chance.
Lastly, share your home with your friends. Long winter evenings are great for sharing food and conversation. Being with those you love will remind you of how much you have to be grateful for.
And as your gratitude increases take some of your old clothing and household goods to a local shelter or Goodwill and spread some cheer around. You will also get rid of your clutter and make room for the new.
HELPFUL HINTS: Contact Rev. Betsy Stang
http://www.wittenbergcenter. org
http://www.betsystang.com
http://www.healingbydesign.net
Silver Fox
"It is all true, it is not true. The more I tell you, the more I shall lie. What is story but jesting Pilate's cry. I am not paid to tell you the truth."
Jane Yolen; The Storyteller
- 3a.
-
Herbal Yule Trees
Posted by: "Silver Fox" silverfox_57@hotmail.com trickster9993
Thu Dec 16, 2010 6:45 am (PST)
Herbal Yule Trees
By Darlene Bersch
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/ Rhodes/1989/ crafts/yule2. html
You will need:
A small 8" to 12" artificial Christmas tree.
Pieces of german statice, dried purple, pink, blue statice. Pieces of baby's breath,
love-in-the-mist, cock's comb, and other dried floral materials.
Hot glue gun.
Mauve or blue or any other favorite color ribbon-about 1/4-1/2 inch in width.
Start tucking in pieces of dried floral material into the branches of your tree, hot gluing them in place. Fill in all the branches until tree is full, and you almost see the green of the tree. Top the tree with a tied ribbon, adding 1 star anise to the top!
Silver Fox
"It is all true, it is not true. The more I tell you, the more I shall lie. What is story but jesting Pilate's cry. I am not paid to tell you the truth."
Jane Yolen; The Storyteller
- 4a.
-
Herbs With A Holiday History
Posted by: "Silver Fox" silverfox_57@hotmail.com trickster9993
Thu Dec 16, 2010 6:45 am (PST)
Herbs With A Holiday History
By Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor University of Vermont
From: Wake the Witch
Although any aromatic herb is ideal for holiday decorations, wreaths, and table centerpieces, four have biblical links with Christmas. Many crafts shops and florists carry these dried herb plants along with the baskets, bowls, and other trimmings needed for decorating.
ENGLISH PENNYROYAL-- This perennial herb was said to have been placed in the manger on the night of the Christ child's birth and burst into bloom the moment the child was born. English pennyroyal adds a fragrant aroma to wreaths but can be toxic if ingested, so keep out of reach of pets and children. It is often used in potpourri and cosmetics and is native to southern Europe and western Asia.
ROSEMARY--One of the most beautiful and fragrant of the seasoned herbs, rosemary, according to folklore, will bring happiness for the coming year to anyone who smells it on Christmas Eve.
During the flight into Egypt, Mary spread her child's garments on a rosemary plant to dry. The flowers, originally white, turned blue and acquired the sweet scent they have today. Another legend claims that at midnight on Jan. 5, the "old Christmas Eve," rosemary plants will simultaneously burst into flower in celebration of Christmas. Rosemary plants add attractiveness and fragrance to holiday wreaths and are especially suitable for tussle mussies, which are small bouquets made with dried flowers, doilies, and ribbons for use at individual place settings on the holiday dinner table.
WILD THYME--This pungent herb, a member of the mint family, was collected from the fields outside of Bethlehem to make a soft bed for Mary during the birth of her child. It is thought to have antiseptic properties and was burned as incense later in history by the Greeks. Today thyme is a popular culinary seasoning but can be used in dried flower arrangements, bouquets, and potpourri during the holiday season.
LAVENDER--The Virgin Mary is said to have dried her newborn's swaddling clothes by spreading them on a bed of wild lavender. This herb, also of the mint family, grows as a small evergreen shrub. It has grey-green leaves, light purple flowers, and a sweet floral scent. When dried it can be used whole for wreaths and centerpieces or crushed to use in sachets for closets or drawers or to scent a bath.
Silver Fox
"It is all true, it is not true. The more I tell you, the more I shall lie. What is story but jesting Pilate's cry. I am not paid to tell you the truth."
Jane Yolen; The Storyteller
- 5.
-
New shopping new life!
Posted by: "Adrian Crew" white_witch93@yahoo.com white_witch93
Thu Dec 16, 2010 8:27 am (PST)
Re:New shopping new life!
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It is really a good opportunity for taking action. Let's go! Just do it,
The web address: ( www.didoy.) com
Please remove the parentheses,then you can open our website.
- 6.
-
BOOK REVIEW - Green Egg Omelette
Posted by: "Mike Gleason" gleason.mike@comcast.net gleasonm01915
Thu Dec 16, 2010 11:53 am (PST)
"Green Egg" Omelet An Anthology of Art and Articles from the Legendary Pagan Journal by Oberon Zell-RavenHeart © 2010 New Page Books ISBN: 978-160163-0469 288 pages Paperback $15.99 (U.S.) www.careerpress.com
For those of you who are too young to have encountered "Green Egg" magazine in its earliest incarnation (there have been several - the Original (from 1968), a slick-cover mass distribution run, and the Net version), this book may come as a revelation (or a shock) as you discover that there were serious discussions about many of the topics still being hotly debated in today's Neo-Pagan community (and in mainstream society as well) quite a long time ago.
Unfortunately, the thing which made "Green Egg" such a sought after commodity will, most likely, never see the light of day - the notorious "Green Egg" Forum. Since much of the content was concerned with snide, back-biting remarks and sometimes outright "Witch Wars", which have been forgotten by most of the community, there is little prospect of them being resurrected. That is really too bad, as those were some of the most interesting parts to read.
If Oberon has his way, this is just the start of a series of compilations from the past 40+ years. Each book (at this time he is projecting another nine books) will focus on a different theme. This one is a little bit of everything (in a serious vein), and gives a wonderful feel for why "Green Egg" was the "go-to" magazine in the 1970s and later. In the early days, subscribers considered themselves to be almost an elite element in Neo-Pagan society, even though the focus of "Green Egg" (and The Church of All Worlds [C.A.W.], of which it was the most visible manifestation) stressed equality. Don't think that subscribers all agreed with what appeared in each issue. C.A.W. was founded by folks with a strong anarchistic streak, and the only thing most could agree on was that they didn't agree.
There are 126 articles in this first volume, and some of the authors will be familiar to almost everyone: Tim Zell/Otter/Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, P.E.I. (Isaac) Bonewits, Raymond Buckland, Anodea Judith, and others. Some will ring a bell in the memories of some of the elders out there: Tony Kelly, Robert Anton Wilson, Lady Gwen Thompson, Timothy Leary, et al. The general topics are New Pagans; New Witches, Greeks, & Druids; Old Pagans; The Gods of Nature, the Nature of Gods; Nature, Evolution and Ecospirituality; Ritual Celebration, and Worship; Magick, Arts, and Crafts; Pagan Culture: Family and Tribe; Power and Politics: Changing the World; Gender and Sexuality; Future Visions; and Pagan Fiction. If that doesn't give you a feel for the range of discussions contained in this long-lasting journal, nothing will.
Each of the magazine editors has written a short retrospective of their time at the helm of one of the most influential Pagan magazines. There are stories of triumphs and failures, good times and bad. These retrospectives are, however, an extremely minor part of the value of this work.
Some of the articles which have been gathered together for this ground-breaking book may seem (to some) outdated and/or irrelevant because of the evolution of Pagan thought during the past 40 years. And yet they form a basis for a viable history of Pagan development in this country (and elsewhere).
One of the things I really appreciated was the inclusion of Tony Kelly's seminal work "Pagan Musings." Over the years, I have given copies of it to every student I have trained, while bemoaning the fact that it had not received wider distribution. At last, that oversight has been rectified.
The articles in this book are each relatively short, which is not unusual given their provenance. During its initial run, ""Green Egg"" never exceeded 80 pages per issue, so brevity was the goal (although there were a few articles which were serialized over several issues). This brevity makes it easy to pick up the book and read an article or two whenever you have a few spare minutes.
I must admit that my appreciation for the "Green Egg" goes way back. I was a member of the Lakes Nest of C.A.W. in the mid-1970s and looked forward to each issue. After its initial demise I really missed the stimulation it provided but, by the time it was reborn as a mass circulation version I had found myself married and with more severely restricted spare cash, so I wasn't as faithful about keeping up with it. I have seen few issues of it since it went online, unfortunately. All of which is why I appreciate this book so deeply. I have many of the original "Eggs" (after it stopped being circulated ONLY to members and became available by subscription), and some of the second version, but I have missed a lot of the discussions and thought-provoking articles over the years (and even more of the humor and fiction which made it such a joy to get each new issue), and this book makes it possible to see much of what I have missed.
Without a doubt, there will be those who swear BY what appears here - and an equal number who will swear AT the contents. Oberon and his successors at the helm of "Green Egg" have never shied away from controversy or radical thought, and that is obvious from the contents of Green Egg Omelette. It contains much of our history, and should inform much of the discussion of our future as a society. Read it and decide for yourself.
Perhaps the only disturbing things, from my point of view, was the inconsistent editing. However, having copies of many of the original magazines in my collection, and assuming that they were scanned in using OCR software for typesetting, I can understand how "bad" could be replaced by "had" and other such simple errors could creep in. If you are paying attention while you are reading, it isn't a problem, as you can simply correct it in your mind as you go.
- 7.
-
E-Novella REVIEW - Merrie Axemas
Posted by: "Mike Gleason" gleason.mike@comcast.net gleasonm01915
Thu Dec 16, 2010 11:57 am (PST)
Merrie Axemas by M. R. Sellars © 2010 WillowTree Press e-Novella 41 Pages Free www.willowtreepress.com
M. R. Sellars decided to do a short story in the space of a couple of weeks. But he suffers from a serious problem. His nightmares (er...umm...I mean inspirations) don't necessarily pay attention to what he wants to accomplish in a given time frame, and the short story grew into a novelette, and then morphed into a short novella. Now, it might not seem that 41 pages is a lot to write, but a lot more goes into writing than most people are aware of.
This isn't a Rowan Gant story, although it does center on FBI Special Agent Constance Mandalay, with a cameo appearance by Homicide Detective Ben Storm, both of whom are mainstays in the Rowan Gant universe. Rowan does NOT make an appearance, although there are enough paranormal aspects to make you expect him to show up.
Sheriff Addison Carmichael seems to be stuck, like the town and townspeople of Hulis, Missouri, in a time which the rest of the world has passed through. There were horrible events which occurred in 1975; and which have been repeated for each of the past 7 years. In 1975 a ten-year-old girl was kidnapped, tortured and brutalized. She escaped from her abductor after hacking him apart with an axe. For the past seven years that killing has been re-enacted. In every case, the victim's fingerprints match those of the original perpetrator, although the individual men are never actually identified.
But, who is killing these men? Several FBI agents has attempted to solve that mystery. The case file is missing some crucial information; Agents don't return calls; and the townspeople are protective of Merrie Callahan.
The solution to the murders is easy to see, but more than difficult to comprehend. Constance vows to find an answer, even if it involves spending more than a single Christmas in Hulis. Maybe next time she'll bring along Ben, or Rowan, or maybe even Felicity. Rowan or Felicity would bring a better knowledge of the supernatural aspects, but Ben would bring some serious grounding for her.
Enough of the speculation. This is an excellent story, and I highly recommend it (as well as any of the other works by Mr. Sellars). Go to the website and download this novella. Then sit back and enjoy.
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she willing to purchase worldwide items for the Earthwise Store.
If you have something of interest please contact Astarte
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___________________________________________________________________________
ø¤º°` Earthwise ø¤º°`
<:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::]]======0
The Worldwide Spirit of Paganism
in Australia, America & Worldwide!
Take a Look at Our Huge EBay Store
For all your Magickal & Ritual Supplies
http://stores.ebay.com.au/Astarte-Earthwise
___________________________________________________________________________
This Earthwise Book of Shadows group holds the expectation
that a tolerant, mature and respectful dialogue be strived
for in our communications with each other. Members are
encouraged to challenge anyone not adhering to these
principles and to notify the list owner Astarte if you are
offended by a posting, write to me at
earthwise@bigpond.com
Thank you.
___________________________________________________________________________
Earthwise is a world wide group.
We are based in Western Sydney, NSW. Australia.
Located in the valley before the beautiful Blue Mountains were
we hold sacred rituals, workshops, social events and outings,
for more information see our calendar of events at Witches Meetup
http://witches.meetup.com/1293/
___________________________________________________________________________
Astarte also works full time as a Psychic Counsellor, Medium,
Clairvoyant, Healer and Teacher.
If she can be of assistance to you, please see her home page at
www.earthwise.net.au
___________________________________________________________________________
ARE YOU CREATIVE?
Astarte is always sourcing new suppliers of quality pagan
related items, to purchase wholesale or even put on consignment,
she willing to purchase worldwide items for the Earthwise Store.
If you have something of interest please contact Astarte
earthwise@bigpond.com
___________________________________________________________________________
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