Harvest And Hearth

Photo by trea-silverwolf.deviantart.com

Autumn is here. Yes, it is my favourite time of the year. I always feel closer to home and hearth. Now I know I'm a few weeks late for my sabbat check in, but life has been quite busy. The Goddess has blessed me with a new job in my field of study and it tends to take up most of my time. 

Mabon actually got me thinking about my own project ideas this year. Usually I look through Llewellyn's Sabbat Almanac for ideas on how to celebrate the sabbats, but I did several of the ideas in the 2013 Mabon section last year when I did not have access to my library and picked the 2013 copy up early. Thus I wanted to do something new this year and with my busy schedule came up with the idea of a sabbat candle. 

The sabbat candle is simply an offering candle that you dress with herb and oils that correspond to the sabbat and then burn the candle daily until the next sabbat when you make another one. For mine Mabon candle I used cloves, cinnamon sticks, orange and ginger oils. The candle is quite fragrant and I can feel the energy of the Lord and Lady that it brings to my home.

Mabon candle and Autumn bouquet.

I plan on doing this simple yet powerful offering for every sabbat from now on. Now back to my books so I can start planning Samhain ahead of time.

The Next Chapter: Solstice

I have noticed that I seem to have an internal clock for sabbats. I get busy with various things until a few days before and then something sparks my recognition of what time of the year it is. Like now for instance, talking to the other half last night about the four elements reminded me that the Solstice is only two days away. (I live on the West Coast so it occurs at 10pm for me, although I'll most likely observe it all day Friday.) This means I need to figure out how I'm going to be celebrating this year.

One thing I do every year, and it helps me learn and understand the sabbats and my relation to them, it buy Llewellyn's Sabbats Almanac. Now don't judge me for buying from Llewellyn, but I find the almanac is a great way to learn about how different people celebrate the different sabbats. Here's some of the activities I've done inspired by what I've read from these books: three years ago I made a wish box and wrote down what I wanted to manifest in my life, two years ago I started setting out gifts of milk and honey for the fae folk upon learning more about their connection with Litha, last year I slacked at Midsummer (I was in a slump and wouldn't climb out of it until closer to Mabon.) Those are just a few of the examples.

Another reason I like the Sabbats Almanac is that it changes form year to year. Most of my books on magical subjects don't have any new information every year. Once printed, the words don't change. My understanding of them might, but the words themselves don't. I do go back and review my old almanacs to see if I might interpret what they say in a different way or if they have an observance that I am living in a place more suited for.

That said, I'm off to go plan my sabbat celebration. Also, I really like this gal's get-up at the Stonehenge  Solstice observance from 2011.

Seasons Shifting to Ponder

Blessed Beltane to all!

That said, I'm under the weather sick with a sore throat and congested head. Sitting on the couch reviewing blogs and articles while drinking tea and trying to make everything above my shoulders stop hurting was not how I had planned to spend today. Now onto something I did want to do today.

Ever since I was introduced to Paganism and began researching Sabbats and such I noticed that the "accepted" change in seasons here in California (and to some extent Washington State as well) seem to follow the Sabbats, not the Solstices and Equinoxes. What I mean by this is rather then summer starting on June 20/21 like everyone says, I believe it actually starts here around May 1. That's the time that the world really begins to warm up and come fully alive.

This same 6-week push forward of the seasonal changes I have noticed can also be applied to spring, fall and winter as well. Spring always seems to take effect in February, just in time for Imbloc. Winter always comes around the time of Samhain. Fall is the tricky one as the Bay Area experiences an Indian Summer in September and October. However, if I go by the fact that the leaves on the trees start to change colors and it gets a bit blustery in August, fall also fits this pattern.

Additionally it makes more sense tome that the fire festivals are in the summer season and all of the harvest festivals are in the fall season. The dark time of the year should encompass the winter and the return of the light should herald the spring. After all, the Wheel of the Year is supposed to represent the cycle of life, for both us and the God and Goddess, and if we go by the established secular/Christian cycle everything is slightly skewed.

I hope your Beltane brings the warmth of the Sun to you. Blessed Be.

A New Hearth, A New Home

The last few weeks have been a bit busy. I found a new apartment the day after I wrote my last entry and while we're mostly moved in now, some things still need work.

The whole apartment hunting and application process was a huge lesson in faith and trust in the Goddess for me. I know that sounds a little strange in the Craigslist-driven, money revolving world of apartment renting, but it's true for me. I've always been cautious when it comes to putting all my hopes in one basket as they usually fall apart at that point. So when I had only found one decent apartment for every two weeks of searching, I found that focusing my need and asking the Goddess for help getting through the process made a huge difference. I didn't dwell on anything and with the amazing backyard I knew the Goddess wanted me here.

Our first week in the new place also got me talking with the other half about paganism and Heathenism while we were without internet. I knew he was open to my alternative spiritual views, but didn't know he had any interest, even though his interest is limited more to the symbolism, celebrations and lore than a belief system. This makes me really excited to learn and share with him as Heathenism keeps coming up on my spiritual radar as of late.

Another exciting aspect to this new apartment is our backyard. It is shared with the 3 other units in the building, but from what I can tell, no one uses anything more than the patio area. Plus, when we signed the lease the landlord kept saying he wished someone would do something with it. My other half was enamored with the yard from the first site of it and upon exploration we found a planter box that needed a little love. After a few hours and a good session with his dad's rototiller, our planter box now has peppers, tomatoes, garlic and onions growing with basil and marigolds to be added soon. I also found a great spot to turn into a garden altar. I'm so excited to not be confined to an inside spot for my ritual work anymore.

Conquering the planter box.

All in all, this place has a wonderful positive energy to it and I know that the Goddess blessed me with a wonderful new home.

Spring Has Set

With the passing of Ostara last week and the Full Moon today, spring is in full swing here in California.  Most of the United States right now is probably grumbling at us, but my parents in Washington State are actually having far better weather than California, so please direct your envy northward.

Full Moon on the Night of 3/26/13

Anyways, back to spring. One of the most common occurrences during spring is the proverbial "spring cleaning." Having most of my possessions 1) in storage up in Washington or 2) packed up and ready to move as soon as we find a new apartment kind of prevents me from going through everything I own and passing on what I don't need. (By the way, this is something I would love to do if I could access everything I own.) However, the house I currently reside in is in a horrible state of filth due to the three male occupants who all seem to have ego issues about doing chores for the others. Drawing energy from the full moon and with what I can only describe as inspiration from the Goddess I went at this disgusting house. I would have loved to do a smudging, but my sage is packed away so boxed incense, Glade candles, and a small bunch of daffodils helped guide me through the cleaning and cleansing process.

Spring "Altar" March 2013

The results? The kitchen, bathroom and my boyfriend's room all feel lighter and free of negativity. It's much more relaxing and homey. I hope this helps clear the funk of negativity that has been clouding my other half as of late.

Altars and Sacred Spaces

One thing I have been lacking for the past year and a half is an altar space of my own. I had to give mine up when I moved back in with my parents briefly. They wouldn't have understood and probably would have tried to have me exorcized or something since I had set up an "occult item" in their home. When I came back to California I ended up staying with my boyfriend in his tiny room, and whileI did set up a shrine of sorts on the kitchen table, that table has also been servering as my desk and thus is not as sacred as I'd like it to be.

Now that we are in the process of looking for a new place a live I am excited as this means I will be able to set up an altar again. I keep browsing sites for inspirations and there's quite a few new additions to my Pinterest Pagan board. All of these ideas keep me wondering and thinking about how I want to set up my space when I finally can again.

Path as a Concept

A path is a conceptually interesting thing. It both guides and distracts. It can be well worn or long forgotten. You can leave it and come back and find it again. However, the most interesting thing I feel about any path is that a path is a unique experience to all who traverse it.

I have been trying for a long time to find and walk my own path, free of outside influences and expectations. I believe I am on that path currently, but it's not been easy. The people closest to me are supportive and loving and those I am not so close with tend to be respectful of my path for the most part. Finally owning my own vehicle has helped clear up my path a little bit as it has lessoned the obligations to people other than myself. Yet, I my path has led me to new obligations that I know I am being entirely selfish about.

I've stated it before and I'll say it again, I'm a dreamer. I'm not the person who likes to go out and take charge. I'd rather tag along and see all the possibilities that lie before, rather than being focused on achieving the goal. It's something my meditations and working have revealed to me about myself and I embrace it. However, it turns me into the stubborn Aries that I am inside. And right now that nature is manifesting itself in a way that could be detrimental to my future. Namely, I don't want to be the only one of my new roommates looking for a place to live. But the God and Goddess have always guided me and I know when something is right as a result. And being selfish right now and holding on for a day or two is not hurting. Given that today is the First Quarter, there will be growing success starting tomorrow.

This whole post may have turned into a self justification for not taking charge today, but every now and again the Lady and Lord will remind you to be true to yourself.

Comet Pan STARRS March 2013