Bessie Smith: Singing The Pagan Blues

Listen for the line: "you get a rabbit's foot to keep a waving hoodoo" (and more)

About the Artist: Blues Diva Bessie Smith was a powerful woman who lived a hard and fast lifestyle. She had a big, brassy and outspoken personality. "There ain't nothing I can do, or nothin' I can say, that folks don't criticize me," she said,... "But I'm going to do just as I want to anyway."

Bessie Smith became one of the worlds greatest performers: she was one of the most successful entertainers in the roaring 1920's. A car crash took her life at age 39. {{Feel the emotion in her song; below}}

Very Lucky Indeed

I have been so very lucky shopping at thrift stores and estate sales lately. Today I found two fancy and engraved daggars, a shadow-box displaying the Egyptian Pantheon and much more. May you, dear reader, also feel so lucky . . .

Beyond throwing salt over your shoulder (to dispel negativity) and more than just making a batch of "lucky rice" [see previous posting of that recipe, here at Cybercoven.blogspot.com] there are MANY "luck" recipes available on the web.

Meanwhile . . . many different herbs can also be used for generating luck.

St. John's Wart feels like a very lucky herb for me (it also can keep depression at bay when taken regularly as a medicine).

More on Goddess Sekhmet

My statue of Goddess Sekhmet (solar deity who often appears with the head of a lioness) arrived in the mail today. That inspires me to study her mythology even further and so I've just learned she is the younger sister of Isis (both of the above mentioned powerful Goddesses were born to Sky-Goddess Nut and to their snake-headed father: Geb).

Turns out, Isis is the eldest of the two.

Sekhmet's breath proved hot as the noon-day sun and she could breath fire into the arrows with which she hunted those who rebelled against her Father's kingdom.

Some sources claim she birthed Nefertem (as other Goddesses are also depicted as being his mother); the perfume deity. Some sources also claim Sekhmet is both mother and sister to Bast (domestic cat goddess; daughter of the creator God: Amun Ra). Yet other sources completely deny any familial connection between the two cat goddesses. Sekhmet was a Lion-Goddess of Upper Egypt, Bast was the domestic Cat-Goddess of Lower Egypt

Sekhmet - Powerful Healing Protectress

A friend of mine introduced me to Egyptian Goddess Sekhmet recently. Multiple resources say her name means: "She Who Is Powerful." Depicted as a lioness - you can imagine how the dessert-dwelling people feared her (as lions can cause great carnage when needed for self defense and lions are one of the greatest hunters known on earth).

I found her statue/likeness on sale through eBay (am waiting for it to arrive). What a great protectress she would prove to be! You can imagine a lion might make the most loving mother figure with the most healing and attentive care provided.

Interestingly, this great Lioness rules over all healers (can be called upon for assistance when caring for the infirmed). She also has the ability to destroy -- can send disease or pestilence to those who threaten or cause her displeasure.

Identified as daughter of Sun-God Ra, her popularity transplanted Horus worship (oddly enough). Horus, if you remember, is the falcon-god; son of Goddess Isis.

Happy Lithasblot (Norse Holiday) July 31-Aug1

Never heard of Lithasblot? It is a harvest festival celebrated from July 31- August 1 in honor of the bountiful Earth Mother (aka "Urda" or "Ertha").

A "Blot" represents an offering made to the gods. It can take the form of animal, food, or other goods. In Norse rituals, the people accept and eat the offering. Therefore, a feast is usually associated with a Blot.

During Lithasblot, celebrants bake loaves of bread in the shape of the Sun-wheel (aka "Fylfot"/the symbol shown) and celebrants also give thanks for the harvest which will sustain life through the coming winter months. The abundance is shared with all (alms for the poor are distributed to the less-fortunate directly in the form of money and food).

Incredible Find: HexCraft!

While touring New York City, I found a copy of

HexCraft: Dutch Country Magick (Paperback)

by Silver RavenWolf (Author). The book I happened upon sold for merely $1.00!

How incredible/lucky/magickal is that! I will definitely be doing a review here in a few days . . . so much to do and read. :D

Have any of you read this book? What did you think?

Happy MidSummer! {Pagan Jokes/Pagan Bumperstickers}

Sorry I did NOT post information for CyberCoven's ritual this month. (My father-in-law passed away on Friday and with so many funeral preparations I barely made it to the Public Ritual I organized).

Here's some laughter to make up for lost time. {{Since nobody takes credit for writing these beauties . . . no credit is available to be given.}}

Q: What is a witch's favorite snack?
A: PAN pizza

Q: What's a witch's favorite subject in school?
A: SPELLing

Q: How many Druids does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: They don't screw in light bulbs, they screw in stone circles.

Q: How many Druids does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Thirteen; one to hold the bulb, and twelve to drink enough to make the room spin.

Q: How many Witches does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Depends on what you want to change it into

Q: How do you get a nun pregnant?
A: Dress her up as an altar boy. {MMMMmmmmkay. So that one's REALLY bad.}

Bumper Stickers:
*If you can't change your mind, are you sure you still have one?
* If Ignorance is bliss, why aren't more people happy?
* Misspellers of the world, unit!

The following is a very fascinating documentary of so-called Witches . . . many
modern-day innocent civillians accused without a trial - are being held without cause or
evidence. {Thank goodness for the civil rights laws offered in America}