Boning Up On Herbs {by SunTiger}

Studying my herbal manuals again . . . I'm reminded of the days in which our ancestors lived. To color your hair, you might make a strong tea from Maiden's Hair (Galium Verum) as the root would yield a red tint while the leaves would dye the hair yellow.

The best mousetrap bait: Anise! (Evidentally rodents cannot resist the stuff; which smells like black licorice).

If you want to grow herbs and dry your own potpoutri -- try growing Beebalm (Monarda didyma) which smells strongly of orange - citrus. This is a great herb for adding a unique flavor to apple jelly, fruit cups and salads (more).

Nastiness Be Gone Spell {by Fire Eagle}

The following spell is for addressing very negative and malicious behavior -- when simply talking, being nice and otherwise nurturing a more positive relationship does not help. The goal of this spell is to dispel negative energy from such a relationship.

• Cast a sacred circle and invite in all positive and loving Spirit Guides/Goddesses/Gods/magical creatures who wish to help
• Wrap yourself in your magical cloth to enhance your energy work (any special cloth that you have slept in/blessed/worn during magical work previously)
• Write on a pink piece of paper with a pink pen (happy energy) the purpose of your work: ie: Dispel/expel anger......then write the name of the Egyptian God/dess XNEQM (ancient spelling) while identifying a mad mortal with a God associated with that same emotion, using the God's power to exorcise negativity.
  

On the other side of the pink paper (still using pink ink) spell the names of the person(s) whose anger you wish vanquish and put the oil essence of Myrrh, for purifying and soothing, on each corner of the pink paper. (You can add Frankincense for added potency)

Hold the pink paper up in your right hand and say: "I am restraining the Anger of all, especially of him/her/them (angry person[s] name[s]) which is Chneo'm."

Chant the charm until you feel relived about the situation.

Place the pink piece of paper in a mirror box.

Meditating on Chakras Matchng Them To Runes

GREEN "COMET LULIN" CLOSEST APPROACH TUES. NIGHT!

Date: Tuesday February 24, 2009 is when this coment LULIN is closest to us!
Time: 7:00 am - 8:00 am
Notes: uncommonly green comet named Comet Lulin is making it's closest approach to Earth on Feb. 24, 2009.

Read all the fascinating details from Visual Astronomy

Dealing With Difficult People

Author R. K. Rowling knows how to deal with difficult people. At least, her young little character Hermione Granger certainly does. Consider the following quotations by that bookish School of Hogwarts witch; where Hermione refuses to pretend otherwise when people act utterly cruel or ignorant towards her.

Hermione quotations:

• "Just because you've got the emotional range of a teaspoon doesn't mean we all have."
• "Malfoy's got detention! I could sing."
  
• "Ron," said Hermione in a dignified voice, "you are the most insensitive wart I have ever had the misfortune to meet."
• "Twitchy little ferret, aren't you, Malfoy?"
  
  SHOWING SELF CONFIDENCE (and not ashamed about it):
  "At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in. They got in on pure talent."
  

(May you, dear coven mates, feel so empowered to speak your truth, when necessary).

Richest blessings,
~ SunTiger

Fun & FREE Tarot Deck To Print!

Click this link if you'd like to download Tarot cards based on Hollywood actors.

http://www.hollywoodtarot.com/makeyourown.html

Just think of how much fun you could have decorating the BACK of these cards . . . utilizing
your own creativity to glue decorative paper or draw your own designs!

SAGAS of Norse Mythology

The more I study Norse Mythology, the more fascinated I become. More than realizing how Odin could blind, deafen, paralyze or strike armies belonging to the enemy with terror and panic -- I am amused by the Berserks who put themselves in trance to fight in a maddened and naked state.

(To see the source of today's borrowed photo, merely click on it).

Then there's the tales of Valhalla, where all slain warriors who've been killed by sword-blade go. While there -- in that heavenly-sort of warrior's place -- the souls rise from sleep each morning to fight in full body armor. Those who get killed in battle merely rise once again by dinner time to eat, drink and be jolly with their so-called killers and fighting mates -- Valhalla's inhabitants, all.

Starhawk On Connecting With Nature

One of the many things Starhawk emphasized in her speech (last night at Seattle’s 17th annual Women of Wisdom Conference) was how much Earth’s citizens need to get reconnected with nature.

As civilized societies, we have not only become too far removed from our own food sources, but as many of us work inside cubicles or otherwise seldom spend time outdoors (I'm paraphrasing and adding my own interpretations here) we often have no connection to the Earth.

This “disconnect,” she says, allows us to dishonor the Earth and brings us to where we are now living with severe climate change barreling down upon us like a locomotive gone wild. Can we take dramatic enough action to save the Earth before it's too late?

Starhawk says: "No." But since she's a witch and she can move energy (working w/other witches) to make actions more powerful and significant: worthwhile change can still happen!

Connecting to the earth by spending time observing it for at least five minutes each day, Starhawk says, will change how people treat Her, our Earth-mother.

. . . more on her speech.

Here’s a meditation offered for FREE by YouTube by Starhawk

No Witnesses: Burning Times

Full Moon Ritual Tuesday, February 9, 2009

Today, on this full-moon (ritual) I will certainly light a special candle for all of you Coven Members on my altar – asking for blessings for greater abundance and financial increase for the coming months.

Instead of rewriting magickal wisdom that's already available on the Internet, I'm just going to provide a few links.

Spells for abundance and prosperity, beyond lighting a green and/or gold candle: http://www.neworleansmistic.com/spells/greenspells/wiccanprosperityspell.htm

More money drawing spells: http://www.everythingunderthemoon.net/simple-money-spells-article.htm.

REMEMBER: Any time you hand your cash over to a grocery store or department store clerk, fold the bills in half so the crease faces the cashier and the loose ends open toward you (you can just think this, mentally, if you're writing a check or swiping a credit card through the debit-processing machine): Visualize your favorite deity and with a heart of gratitude say: "Bring this back to me, three-fold."

See if you don't start to see money return to you through unexpected ways. {Be sure to let the rest of CyberCoven know your success stories when this seemingly small gesture manifests for you!}

~ Richest blessings
SunTiger

A mother rescues her child . . .

Someone sent the following photos to me via email. It's just powerful -- to see how a squirrel risks her life to save her offspring. {Priceless}. I'm so thankful for the happy ending!




See how the mother squirrel cradles her young as they climb up the tree to safety? {Gotta love trees! They comfort and protect us all in so many ways.}

February 2nd: Imbolc and/or Disting

IMBOLC: Also known as: Candlemass, Imbolg, Bride's Day, Oimelc, and Brid's Day

Many Pagans of Celtic origin recognize Feb 2nd as representing the second spoke on the Wheel of the Year (see image, below); it's a holiday called Imbolc. The Celt’s celebrated Imbolc for marking the coldest time of year when sheep birthed their young (no predators were brave enough to be out hunting in such cold) hence this event celebrates lactating ewe’s and Celtic Goddess Brigid, Goddess of Fire, reins on this day!

In Norse Mythology, this very time of year is called Disting! {Some sources say Disting happens on the first NEW MOON in Feb., most say it happens on Feb. 2nd.}

The Norse Healthen celebrated this time by counting cattle (celebrating their wealth); and their offerings are made to both the Goddess Freyja (pictured) and the Disir (Heathen tribal mothers). This is also the time of year to begin toiling with the soil and making plans for spring's plantings.

Celebrated today by Neo-pagans as a festival of lights or fire: much attention is paid to how the days grow longer (the nights shorter). The weather will soon warm and new plants (such as crocuses) are already beginning to peek up through the once frozen ground. Other vegetation is staying snuggled inside the quilt-seed that surrounds them; they're just beginning to THINK about coming out in spring but, given how cold it remains, decide to sleep for a bit longer.

Ideas to celebrate on Imbolc: bake round gingerbread cookies and mark them with Rune symbols before they bake!

Here's a meditative Imbolc video. {Enjoy!}

OH! And if you'd like to incorporate COLOR into your ritual this upcoming Full Moon (February 9th) here's a fabulous link from Grey School of Wizardry!