Regarding changes in The Children of Déa Version of The Clear Recital.

 Dear Reader,

My work on this version of The Clear Recital was challenging. I spent a good deal of time adapting the language for our contemporary era. Recognizing that I hadn't the capacity to generate a version that was easily a pocket rendition, I focused on doing my best to preserve the essence of the texts and clarify the document in the light of mystical revelations that had come to many of us in the community over the last five years. I know that there are elements of these revelations that I have missed because my records are incomplete. At the same time, I knew that these revelations, especially regarding the narrative of Creation and of the Daughter's descent into the realm of the Dark Queen had to be incorporated because they answered vital questions.

I took the time to carefully examine the wisdom texts. Recognizing that the guidance provided in the wisdom texts were focused upon Madrian household structures, I carefully studied them and looked at the predominant social structures around me. Then, I reinterpreted the elements focused upon the Madrian household structure to be more applicable to the modern household structure and the social structure of the communities we live in. I was careful to update the language to make it welcoming to all people of all genders while retaining the essence of the teachings.

I prayed a great deal as I was working through this project and consulted as much of the existent literature as I could. I also sought clarification through the divination of third parties who were not involved with the matter in any fashion. I knew that their unbiased position would make it easier for me to receive Déa's instruction on various points than doing my own divination work. (Although, I did engage in divination on my own to answer questions that arose as I was working. And I found my findings confirmed in the workings of others, which was reassuring.)

There are some elements of the narrative of Creation that depart from other accounts. I was hesitant to include them, despite receiving signs to do so, until I encountered a document from Sr. Angelina that spoke of the Janyati and how some of them move through the World to guide us. I knew that there needed to be a distinction between the terrestrial Janyati and the celestial Janyati. As such, the terrestrial ones are named 'the elder kin' in the narrative of Creation and in the narrative of the Daughter. At times, the term 'primordial gods' is used interchangeably with 'elder kin' to describe the relationship between humanity and the terrestrial Janyati. 

Just as the celestial Janyati are emanations of Déa's power and light, considered by some sects as additional facets of Déa, so too are the terrestrial Janyati. The terrestrial Janyati are tied to the World through their decision to descend into the World to protect and guide the mortal children of Déa through the period that the Daughter is not present yet in the world. 

Because the abyss of khear is present the terrestrial Janyati are impacted by the distance between them and Déa. This gives rise to strife due to the machinations of the Snake, which ultimately leads to the fall of one of the terrestrial Janyati into the netherworld and their renouncement of the others and Déa. This fallen Janyati becomes the Dark Queen, whose companion is the Snake. 

It is evident, I think, that the Snake remains a liminal, menacing figure that is both the False Self and the force which would draw all into the abyss if possible. The Snake is a shape-shifting figure that moves between the different elements of reality seeking to beguile and destroy the children of Déa. And, despite the efforts of the terrestrial Janyati to keep an eye on it, they too are drawn into the strife that the Snake leaves in its wake. As the Snake is a being that speaks of the things that are false, in one passage it is given the by-name of the Whisperer.

It is my understanding, as I can parse from the documents of they who have come before me to this holy work, that the Janyati may appear to us in any guise. As humanity moved farther from Déa, the terrestrial Janyati moved with us to continue to point us back towards her. For this reason, the plurality of world religions developed. All signs point back to Déa. All teachings, no matter how they have been shaped through human hands and interpretation, point back to Déa and her rule of Love. Conflict arises from misunderstanding. Conflict arises from they who would put themselves above others when there is no justification for this.

The passage speaking of tyrants remains more or less intact. While I know that the Madrian community viewed democracy with some suspicion, I believe we have seen what becomes of mob rule and that is what is being warned against in that part of the wisdom texts. The passage speaking of chastening the errant with a willow rod has been adapted to a less violent structure, because we recognize that beating people for their errors is an equally grievous error. 

The parables remain intact. There has been no change to gendered language of the parables. These are stories that only make sense in the format that they have traditionally been presented. As such, there was no need to adapt them.

In conclusion, that which has been added has been things that have been revealed to the community over the last five years. That which has been changed is for the sake of making the holy texts easier to read and more welcoming to all people who wish to seek Déa through them. I submit this work to the community in the hope that people like my children or my Beloved may find them a refuge from the world's harshness. I present it with the humble hope that I have opened the texts up to a wider audience that will make it possible for them to be translated some day into other languages with greater ease.

May it be a comfort to you and may Déa bless you through it.

Regarding the Children of Déa version of The Clear Recital.

 Dear Reader,

It's been a wild couple of weeks. I have been working hard to find an alternate place where I could get hardback copies of the edition of The Clear Recital that I had worked on printed. I'm not having much luck. I'm still sifting through the many different sites that claim they can do it for me. I have considered contacting the evil empire of Llewellyn Books regarding this, but I am reluctant to pitch to them because they don't have the best track record with author treatment if you're not a big name.

I will be putting out a paperback edition and a digital edition via Kindle Direct Publishing (an Amazon company). I expect the digital edition to complete its review process by Monday. (Provided things are actually running smoothly over there.) The paperback edition should (theoretically) be available by the end of the week. I will be taking down the Lulu edition of the book by the end of the day today. I will be removing my other titles from Lulu as well and transferring them over to KDP. (There will be much clicking of buttons and expression of exasperation today.) As with this version of The Clear Recital, I anticipate that I should have it all sorted out by Monday.

I may be putting the .pdf of this up on Lulu. That is a very "iffy" point because the last time I did that, someone ripped off a copy of one of my books and slapped it up on a book piracy site. I will be setting this up so that it will be produced at a reasonable rate. As much as I find inspiration in the other editions of The Clear Recital, I can't in good conscience set the rate as high as I've seen them going on the market. (When a copy of the NCUV is $50.00 used, I know that the book is in high demand.) I will be forced by KDP to set a cost higher than what is over at Lulu right now because KDP's print costs are higher but they're also better quality for paperback.

A question that might arise is am I producing this for profit? I have the audacity to copyright this version and I will be producing it at a profit of $1.00 per book sold. The reason why this book is under copyright is to protect it from book piracy sites. I am putting the price at where it is to add to my argument that this rendition is the intellectual property of myself and those who worked with me on it. All proceeds from this book will be going towards charity work. I am still participating in the program where I make hats for preemie babies at the local NICU. I also have begun making scarves for the homeless. The funds raised by the sale of this book are earmarked for these two causes. I will not actually be profiting off these sales. Given the cost of yarn and labor to produce these goods, I will be actually at a net loss.

The Rule of Love.

 Dear Reader,

There is a simple rule that we are called to follow within Filianism. That rule is to love others. From there flows the entire set of precepts that guide our faith as outlined in the wisdom text called The Crystal Tablet. Love is very simple, though it may feel complicated. It can be difficult to express and to hold in your heart. 

As a person who grew up in an abusive household and lived through many traumas, I know how difficult it can be to love the person(s) who have harmed you. Love does not require forgiveness or for you to remain in connection with the person(s) who have harmed you. It is a healthy love of yourself that allows you to set limits and boundaries that are healthy for you, and to enforce them. This love of yourself is encouraged by Déa because you are a child of hers that deserves to be loved, cherished, and safe.

One can love others from a distance. The beloved may or may not know that they are the object of your affection. It does not diminish your love for them. Indeed, distance can make love grow stronger and more potent as we cultivate it within ourselves for those who are far from us. Mutual affection is a fine thing, but it is not required for us to love others. One can love a person who loathes them, would do them harm, and is spiteful. It is possible to love such people from a distance that is safe and in silence. Because the affection in our hearts do not need to be spoken. Déa is aware of it and cherishes us for our capacity to love under any conditions.

We, who have survived trauma, are often told 'you must love yourself before you'll be loved by some one else.' This is a lie. We can be loved by others even as we struggle with self-loathing and hatred. We must not be ashamed of this struggle. Self-loathing and self-hatred are an inversion of love, not the opposite. It is love turned in the wrong direction and in need of a course correction. It takes time to make that course correction, but it can be done. It is easy to love others when you are in this state of inversion because you see they are worthy of love. The key to correcting the inversion of love that causes the state of self-loathing and self-hatred is seeing that you are worthy of love as well. 

This is different from forgiveness, though many mistake it for it. Acceptance of one as they are and loving them as they are is a radical act. I would argue that it is one of the most radical acts of compassion that you can do. It is also one of the most empowering ones that you can do for yourself. We are all flawed in some fashion even as we are all magnificent in some fashion. To accept ourselves fully (flaws and all) is the first step in truly loving ourselves. It is also the first step in seeing the reflection of Déa that resides deep within our hearts.

Forgiveness is the restoration of harmony. It is, however, but one part of the process. Forgiveness can only be given once the damage that has been done is repaired. A wound left open will fester and grow purulent if it is not mended and treated with proper care. The reparation of damage is the mending of the spiritual wounds evidenced when harmony is broken. Forgiveness is the acknowledgement of the completion of the mending of wounds. If the wound is not fully treated, will it not continue to get worse? It must be fully treated before we can forgive and move forward anew.

Acts of love are how we restore harmony when it is broken. When the person who has caused harm acts to make reparations and resolve the broken harmony between the injured party, this is an act of love. There are times, however, when harmony remains broken between parties. This is where acceptance of ourselves is an act of healing, thus an act of love. 

Grace lies in all acts of love. If they are acts of service, kind words, or passionate embraces, there is love there. There are many forms of love. Déa has blessed us mightily in that respect for there are as many ways to love as there are stars in the sky. In all things, we are called to remember we must act with love and then all shall be well.

A series of Rosary Meditations for Moura.

 Dear Reader, 

If you happen to have a copy of my book Garlands of Grace, then you may be aware of this series of meditations. This is performed whilst reciting the Catholic style rosary. It leads us deeper into the mysteries of Moura, Kala, and the entire Eastre cycle. I present this with the hope that you might join me in my contemplation of these mysteries.

Decade 1: The Temptation of the Daughter

The focus of this decade is the fear and the struggle that Our Lady had when faced with the demons of temptation and suffering. A special emphasis is placed upon her response to their prophecy of how she will be received in the realm of the Dark Queen. This mystery, when meditated upon regularly, encourages faith in the face of temptation. It also fills one with empathy for others who are suffering with temptation to abandon faith.

Decade 2: The Abasement of the Daughter

The focus of this decade is how the Daughter is stripped of her signs of power and authority as Princess of the World; how she is divested of the signs of her protection from her Mother; and her loss of the outward signs of her dignity on her journey through the realm of the Dark Queen. This mystery is one that bestows humility upon the one who meditates on it regularly. It reminds us of how far we have fallen from Déa and how far the Daughter must journey to bring her light into the whole of creation. This mystery engenders in us a sense of compassion for others who are suffering a loss of their own dignity and security.

Decade 3: The Humiliation of the Daughter

The focus of this decade is how the Daughter, the true sovereign of creation in her own right, is forced to kneel before the Dark Queen and suffer the insults and abuse of her daughters. To the unaware, the forcing of a Royal person to kneel and act as a person of lower station when they are of equal (or higher) rank to you is a grave insult to that person. To add the insults and abuse to the equation makes this humiliation all the more egregious. This mystery bestows endurance in faith during times of hardship when meditated on frequently. It encourages one to have compassion for the Daughter and all others suffering humiliation and abuse.

Decade 4: The Death of the Daughter

The focus of this decade is the absolute death of the Daughter. This is slightly different than the focus of the orthodox Filianic rosary which considers the death of the Daughter from an abstract perspective. Here, we enter into the mystery of mortality and with regular contemplation, we find ourselves more keenly aware of our mortality and frailty. This mystery bestows upon one a greater reliance upon the matters of Spirit and of the world. It encourages us to seek out thamelic ways to draw closer to Déa out of the sheer horror and despair that comes of absolute death.

Decade 5: The Hanging of the Daughter's Body

The focus of this decade is the desecration of the Daughter's body at the command of the Dark Queen. It is the Dark Queen's hubris that has the Daughter's body and her axe hung upon the world-pillar as an ornament. The pious soul would be rightly horrified by this treatment of the Daughter's body. For this is the Dark Queen's declaration of her dominion over the whole of creation. This mystery is cautionary in nature. It warns us of the danger of falling into the hand of the Dark Queen or her servants. Meditation upon this mystery brings one prudence and wisdom in their decisions. It also encourages one to seek out Déa when they encounter temptations and troubles that move them farther on the road towards the Dark Queen's sway.

This rosary with its sorrowful and painful meditations is proper for the season of Moura. It encourages a penitent mindset. Indeed, this rosary is a good one to offer up as an act of penance for behavior that is athamelic and as an act of contrition for errors that one has committed in thought, word, deed, or neglect. As one prays this rosary, such feelings of repentance and contrition arise naturally with the contemplation of the suffering and sacrifices of the Daughter for our sake. This rosary is especially well suited for the day of Kala, when the Daughter is slain. The sorrowful nature of this set of rosary meditations could have it named the Mournful Rosary.

Divination: Making your own Dream Deck.

 Dear Reader,

I am in the process of creating my own Oracle deck. You can make one as well. My Oracle deck is based off of images that reoccur in my dreams. Your deck will be different from mine, but it will be more effective for you. A Dream Deck speaks to you with the symbolism of your deep unconscious Self. The images that your mind creates as you dream can provide you with astonishing amounts of information because our unconscious Self is connected to the spiritual realm and will draw information from there that we need to know.

The first step in creating a Dream Deck is to make a list of symbols and images that come up frequently in your dreams. With the image and symbols, make a brief note as to their meaning. Summarize the concept with the first word that comes to mind as you are considering the image. You'll come back to this in the third step in the process. This word is the 'seed' of the meaning of the image that you will develop more fully as you meditate upon it. Then take your list and a set of blank note cards. Draw one image per card for your deck with the 'seed' word at the base of the image. This serves two purposes. First, it is a verbal cue for your conscious mind to access the unconscious imagery behind the card. The second purpose is to help orient the card in proper directionality for use. You may find that cards have different meanings in different orientations. (This happens pretty commonly in cartomancy.)

Now that you have your cards set up, take each card in turn and deeply contemplate the meaning of the card. Write down the insights that come to you as you are considering your card. Try turning the card into a reversed (upside down) orientation and see if different information comes to you for each card. Remember to keep a record of the insights that come from the cards as you use them. You will find that the Dream Deck will become increasingly detailed and you may be adding new cards to it as time goes on. This is better than making a detailed dream dictionary. (Though building one of those is a good practice.) The Dream Deck allows you to access the symbolism of your personal unconscious mind when you are awake and assess the meanings critically. 

Next week, we'll talk about how you can use your Dream Deck for divination.

Are you in the book of Faces?

 Dear Reader,

I now have an author's page up on Facebook. I'm still working on it, but I will be adding links to works I have out, blog posts, and random stuff that I come up with for that page. Here's the link:

https://www.facebook.com/ladybrythwensinclair

If you're on Facebook and want to chat, I try to be on there in the afternoon most days. If anything, there's a 24 hour turn around time on posts and questions. Starting Monday, I will be posting links to blog posts up there. I am going to be setting up a Pinterest page 'mood board' for Filianism. A link to that will be popping up as soon as I get it reasonably settled.

I am in the process of figuring out how to get my own domain name and such. So, progress is happening. I still, kinda, have no idea what I'm doing, but the gods are kind and I know I'll be shown the way forward.

Moura Day

 Dear Reader,

Today is the first day of Moura. Moura is the fifth season of the Filianic calendar and the final month of the year. It is set aside from 'ordinary' time as a season of purification, prayer, and preparation for the high holiday of Eastre. There are as many different observances of this holy day as there are practitioners of the Fililianic and Déanic faiths. Within the early Madrian tradition, Moura Day was a solemn occasion observed with a full fast and acts of penance.

Within my tradition, it would be set aside for a full fast with exemptions made for children, the ill, and people who are medically unable to fulfill it. The fast begins at sunrise and lasts until sundown. A hearty meal before sunrise and an equally hearty one after sunset would bookend the day. Beverages would not have a restriction upon them (thus if one were to have a 'meal' shake to prevent problems from low blood sugar, it is permitted because it is a beverage of sorts).

I am medically unable to keep a full fast. I, however, have been forced by life circumstances into a restricted diet that resembles a partial fast. In this case, one would have smaller meals than usual and give up snacking through out the day. (As an aside, it is the intention that matters more than the act. If you are unable to keep a full fast but you can do a partial fast, you have met the ritual requirement for the day.)

The ritual purpose of the fast is to purify the body by setting aside the 'bread of tyrants' for the day. This act of abstinence purges some of the impurity associated with this. Some choose to refrain from sweets and other delights for the purpose of mild mortification of the flesh to force themselves to refocus upon the Spirit. This is a secondary result of fasting and not the primary focus of the fast. The primary focus of the fast is to put aside the transitory things of the world in a symbolic fashion so that we may better attend to the Spirit. (There are multiple ways to accomplish this goal but that moves beyond the scope of this post.)

Moura Day is also the day that I gather together my supplies and tools for deep cleaning my home. I invoke Déa's blessing upon them and the work that I will be doing to cast out the spiritual miasma that had built up in the home over the course of the year. This is similar to the act of banishing unhealthful spirits and sealing the home against them that is practiced on Sai Herthe's day. Indeed, such an act of banishment and sealing is proper in the course of cleansing and sanctifying the space.

I also begin what I call my 'Moura Protocol'. During the time of Moura, I wear dark colors that are associated with Sai Rhavë and the Dark Mother. I dress in a more modest fashion than usual (though my wardrobe is rather modest to begin with so it isn't much of a departure from usual). I make a point of veiling when ever I go out in public. (I had been veiling all the time but I am beginning to see thinning of my hair and some hair loss due to the fabric rubbing against my scalp. Thus, I only veil when necessary in accordance with my taboos and for the month of Moura.) Every time I wash my hands, wash my face, or otherwise attend to personal grooming, I focus on ritually cleansing myself of miasma that I have picked up and seek Déa's blessing upon me for it. 

I additionally spend time in meditation and prayer at sunrise and sundown as frequently as my schedule allows me. Ideally, as I am a priestess, I would be observing all the ritual hours of the day. Life has made that difficult because of the other responsibilities that I juggle. I make a point of invoking Déa's blessing and protection over my family during this month. I usually do this in the evening as I am preparing dinner. 

I use Moura's time of self-discipline to instill and strengthen good habits. Where others may give things up for Moura, I take things on. This year, I have the spiritual goal of praying the Rosary every day. I have the material goal of improving my physical health. And I have the mental goal of embracing and expressing my creative self more fully. I feel a bit like I'm cheating this year because I started on these goals shortly before Luciad, but if it gets results then it gets results.

Godspousery: Introduction or 'how do I know I've been chosen?'

 Dear Reader,

In my previous post, I discussed the stages of a godspousery relationship. As I said, it bears a lot in common with typical relationship stages. The difference comes in the expression and how one receives input from the Beloved. This week, I wanted to look at the introduction stage. When the mortal lover introduces themselves to their spiritual intended love, there is the typical stating who you are and your interest in them. When the spiritual lover introduces themselves to their mortal intended love, this is a little different.

In some cases, the spiritual lover will arrive and persist in being present in dreams. They may speak to their intended or give them signs of affection. In other cases, the spiritual lover is assisted in communicating with their mortal intended love by a medium or another spirit-worker who conveys the message. Then there are the particularly intense and less than common experience of ecstatic visions of the spiritual lover professing their intentions.

In the case of dreams or a vision (this is being used to include all forms of psychic input such as auditory), it is wise to seek confirmation and clarification of one's experience. Seeking out the assistance of a person who is experienced in divination can be very helpful. At the same time, discussing the experience with one's spiritual advisor can lead to revelation of information about what the spiritual lover is seeking. If it is not possible to consult a diviner or a spiritual advisor, one should do some research into the spiritual lover to see if the information that is received via dreams or vision is consistent with what is known about them.

Filianic /Déanic confessional practices.

 Dear Reader,

There are various traditions of Filianism and Déanism that practice confession of error as part of their Moura preparations and activities. The number of publically accessible clergy to assist these people in this process has dropped over the last few years for various reasons (most of them being life being problematic). As such, I am offering to provide spiritual counseling and guidance to any Filianist or Déanist who is in search of it. I will keep our discussion confidential, because it is between you and Déa. It is simply my job to facilitate the discussion and provide guidance on how to proceed forward in situations where thamë has been broken.

This offer is free of charge for the period of Moura. Emergency spiritual counseling is always free of charge. Because Moura is a season of introspection, purification, and effort to bring ourselves back into harmony with Déa, I offer my services to assist you in this process. 

If you are interested, please contact me at cydira13(@)yahoo.com with the word 'confession' in your subject line.

Preparing for Moura

 Dear Reader, 

I have been busy trying to finish up projects and such before the end of the week. I have pancakes for Moura Eve's dinner. I will not be partaking of them because of my diabetes, but it's a little bit of a treat I can give my family. I have been working on cleaning things up so that I will have an easier time doing my deep cleaning over the month of Moura in preparation for Spring.

Despite my cleaning and work, my home is still pretty much a mess. My schedule has been thrown into complete disarray this week because the kids are on break from school. My plans for Amity day got tanked because it was the day that we were out doing stuff. I feel like this presages the month of Moura being full of maddening things and life being a source of frustration because it will be getting in the way of my plans. If this week is any indication of the weeks to come, Moura is going to be challenging this year.

I am adapting FlyLady's zone cleaning methodology to how I am going to work on my home. The first week will have me focusing on the entryway and the kitchen (zones 1 & 2). The second week will have me focusing on the bathroom and bedrooms (zones 3 & 4). The third week will be focused on the living room and getting the kitchen completely settled (zone 5 & 2). The fourth week of the month is going to be my daily household cleaning and spent in meditation on Déa. 

Posts will be a bit random this week.

 Dear Reader,

I completely forgot that the kids have winter break this week. So, my schedule is in complete disarray and my posts may be a bit random this week. I'll try to get good quality random content up for you. If I can find my notebook that I planned out my posts in ... One of the boys has taken to grabbing random notebooks to sketch out plans for giant robots. If I find a giant robot pic over my notes, I'll share the artwork because he has gotten quite good at drawing giant robots. But, goodness knows where my notebook has gone.

New version of The Clear Recital available.

 Dear Reader,

A new version of The Clear Recital is available. After spending the last half year working on updating and clarifying language, I can announce that The Clear Recital: Children of Déa Version  is available for purchase. One may find there are some differences in the language here. It is more gender neutral to help the larger community of Independent Filianists to find comfort in the texts. I have also incorporated into the holy narrative of the Creation and the mythos of the Daughter elements that have been revealed to myself and others in the past few years through personal mystic experiences.

Some in the Orthodox Filianic community may have objection to the adjustments made to the holy texts. I would contend that these adjustments are proper and necessary to modernize the language for today's people. There are few major changes in the wisdom texts but those changes reflect that the modern household is not structured as the traditional Madrian household, which was the focus of those sections. I post at the final page the documents I consulted while working on this project. I was not able to include everything but the documents that can be purchased or accessed easily are listed.

No videos this week or next week.

Dear Reader,

Due to the fact that my schedule has been thrown into complete disarray, I haven't had time to make a video this week at all. And next week my kids are going to be on break from school. That's going to be pure chaos. Check back during the 4th Thursday of the month for my next video post.

♥ 

Herbalism: Potions & Such.

 Dear Reader,

There's a lot of recipes for spell bottles and potions kicking around on the internet. Please take the time to seriously investigate what you're putting in there is safe. Different herbs can be deadly (i.e. Belladonna Atropos has earned it's name because it can kill you with a rather small dosage.) and different chemical combinations can be lethal as well (i.e. do not mix urine with bleach, you will get chlorine gas and can die). 

When I am making my spell bottles and potions, I use materials that are safe to handle with bare hands. I research what the chemical and medicinal properties of the components I am using, because sometimes even inhaling a small amount of the particulates kicked up as you're grinding them in your mortar and pestle can have an effect on you. My go to book for information on the medicinal properties of herbs is a bit dated. It is M. Grieves's A Modern Herbal. I have the earlier, two volume edition. Either way, you get a lot of really good information on how to use the herbs listed in the book(s) safely and some indications of what they don't work with.

I also will check with my pharmacist before making any sort of thing that I ingest if the herb is safe for consumption. Part of your local pharmacist's education is alternative medicines. I had a book that listed the drug interactions for most of the popular herbs used but the book got borrowed and never came back. I can't even remember the title of it, but it was for the folks in the nursing program where I went to college. 

Remember the argument that something is natural therefore its good for you is completely garbage. Hogweed is natural and cause horrific results just brushing up against it. Poison Ivy is natural but is the bane of almost everyone in my region except for the damn deer who eat it like candy. (I am exasperated with the deer population because it is so high that they're a menace. Why is it so high? Because we've pushed out and killed the natural predators that controlled the population. They're slowing being reintroduced but the deer still out number them in a big way.) 

Be cautious about what you use in your spellwork, your potions, and consumables. Even your spice rack can be problematic. Fennel, for example, is great for encouraging milk production in lactating people but it will wreck havoc on you if you have gall bladder issues. (Found that one out the hard way, do not recommend -67/10.) If you have underlying health conditions that require you to take prescription medications, always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting some kind of herbal medical regime. Lots of herbs will interact with prescription medication and such because they are the original source for other prescription medications. Valerian, as another example, is a sedative that can cause the same issues as taking Benadryl (drowsiness, dizziness, and difficulty operating heavy machinery) and you don't want to take it along with other medications or herbs that do the same effects because it will amplify them. (Yes, friends, that herb can put you to sleep for good if you take too much of it, so be very careful with your home remedy sleep aids, please.)

If you want to make potions and such, do it from a position of informed safety. All knowledge is worth having. Especially if it allows you to keep your health.

Practical Witchery: Air Elementals

 Dear Reader,

This is by no means a comprehensive guide to the Air Elementals. Each tradition has their own associated directions and attributes for each Element. I aim to provide a gentle introduction to working with Air Elementals and an overview of what manner of things fall under their purview. This is a Wicca focused post because in my work with the Elementals, it is based in my training as a Wiccan priestess. Different faiths and traditions of magical practice have different modes of interaction with these spiritual beings.

Air Elementals have been known by many names. They have been associated with many different spiritual beings. Within the tradition that I was trained, the Air Elementals are slyphs. (The Wikipedia article that I have linked actually has a pretty good set of sources for this entry.) Slyphs look like the diminutive fairies of Victoriana artwork. They are winged and dressed in fanciful things such as cobweb gowns and dew drop jewelry. Slyphs hold reign over the action of Air. 

They are typically benevolently inclined towards humanity, though their mischievous streak is legendary. The slyphs are a class of faery that is considered to be less powerful than other faeries¹.  This argument, however, fails to consider the fact that they are the Guardians of the Elemental Force of Air. They have the ability to influence weather and to influence intellect and communication (which are both considered in the Wiccan tradition I was trained in to be under the influence of Air). Most of the time. slyphs are insubstantial like the wind and their presence can only be felt by those who are psychically sensitive. 

In the case of a ritual where one invokes the power of Air, slyphs will come to the circle and give counsel and advice. They will also act as guardians of holy spaces from spiritual beings that attempt to assail the person who is engaged in magical work. It is not entirely effective against physical beings. (Alexander Pope's famous poem The Rape of the Lock demonstrates this.) Though slyphs seem to be less than impressive, they have the capacity to wreck havoc when angered. Some of the activity attributed to poltergeists is actually the action of slyphs against people who have offended them (i.e. random items going missing and then reappearing in strange places, unexpected gusts of wind that cause mild chaos with one's plans, etc.).

To appease angered slyphs, the old practice of putting out milk, bread, and honey as an offering is highly effective. The use of this sort of offering to gain the good will of slyphs has a long standing history of success. Home made bread is a favorite but store bought works just as well. It is the intention that is important. The offering should be placed outdoors at a secluded spot where it can be consumed by nature. If it is not possible to place the offering outdoors in such a location, it should be left upon the altar for a period of 24 hours to allow the Elementals time to enjoy it and then disposed of in a ritual fashion. (I have a compost bin that I put such offerings into and then return them to the earth once they have broken down.)

Building alliances with slyphs is a good idea for someone who is working with academics or subject matter that requires a good deal of hard thought. It is also helpful for someone who is seeking to get good with weather magic. Through regular offerings and time spent communing with them via meditation and divination, one can build a strong relationship with the Air Elementals and be able to call upon them at any time for assistance, not just when in the ritual circle.

Divination: Shufflemancy - A Modern Approach to an Ancient Form of Divination.

 Dear Reader,

In ancient Greece (and other parts of the world), there was a form of divination practice that involved going to the temple and asking the gods a question, after which one covered their ears and went out into the agora. When they uncovered their ears, the answer to their question was found in the first bit of speech that they encountered. (I forget the exact term for it, I apologize.)

Shufflemancy is the act of putting a very long playlist of random music (or turning on the radio to a random station) after asking a question of the gods. The first bit of music or speech that hit your ears after doing so is the answer to your question. It sound weird. But, it actually does work pretty well. I first encountered it in a psychiatric hospital of all places. A woman said to her that god talked to her through the radio. I was confused by this and unsure if this was a feature of her mental illness. (I was staying at a mental hospital at the time and people had a wide assortment of disorders they were dealing with. I, myself was struggling with a depressive episode that included psychotic features at the time. It made me cautious in my approach to everything because I was reality testing everything to tell the difference between what was my auditory hallucinations and what was legitimate input.)

I got out of the hospital and put the confusing thing from my mind. A few months later, I was highly exasperated with my being depressed and feeling worthless. I had the radio on and it was playing random music, as per usual. Within moments, a song came on that had the message that I was loved and I mattered. I was surprised. Looking back, I really shouldn't have been quite so surprised. But, it was a surprising experience and I tried it again and again over the span of that month. It consistently happened that a song of a bit of speech that related to what I was dealing with came up. There were times it took a bit of interpretation to figure out the connection, but it wasn't terribly difficult to assess. The lyrics were usually rather straight forward (at times brutally honest and blunt even).

The nice thing about shufflemancy is the fact that you can do it at anytime if you have an MP3 player with a huge play list (mine has about 2 days worth of music on it, it's astonishing how far tech has come) or if you are listening to music on a station that has a very long playlist set. Sometimes, even commercials will have the answer to your question. (That is when it gets weird, in my opinion. You don't expect those 30 second sound bites to have any real information in them but sometimes it happens.) And because it's fairly common to see people listening to music or using headphones/earbuds/headsets with their mobile devices, no one knows that you're up to a little magic when you do it. Because all you have to do is concentrate on your question and then release it to the universe to get your answer.

Godspousery: WTF is it?

 Dear Reader,

You may have heard of the term 'godspouse' and wondered what on earth it means. You may have seen some people refer to themselves as 'godspouses' and wondered if their grip on reality was slipping. You may have seen the numerous posts referring to godspouses as overly imaginative/obsessed fangirls of a certain deity. Being a godspouse myself, I can assure you that it is a real type of relationship one can have with deities. And that it doesn't mean that you have to give up an ounce of sanity nor that you are overly imaginative.

Before I get into the details about the relationship dynamic of godspousery, I need to address the overwhelming degree of loathing and disparaging commentary that gets directed at godspouses. There is a large sector of the community that has a problem with the concept of someone being married to a deity. Their arguments range from accusations of hubris (i.e. you're not that special, get over yourself) to accusations of mental instability (i.e. you're hallucinating all of this, you sicko) to even accusations of being deceived by malevolent entities (i.e. you are a puppet of the devil¹). The majority of the bias against godspouses comes out of the Christian over-culture. The only form of godspousery that is recognized within that context is that of Christian nuns and priests. Conveniently forgetting that there are monks who have this type of relationship. And even the Christian form of godspousery gets sneered at because they are described as not 'really' thinking that they're married to Jesus. This bias is most predominant in locations where the over-culture is very strongly Protestant Christian, typically of the evangelical/Dominionist variety.

There is plenty of historical records of godspousery across the world's religions. It is an established form of relationship with deity. Not all relationships with deity are going to be parent-child dynamics where the deity is the parent. There are going to be relationships where deity is the beloved and the human is the lover. That's godspousery in a nutshell. There are other dynamics that happen between deity and humanity, but they go beyond the scope of this post.

Godspousery is a very intimate relationship with the Divine. It passes through multiple stages, at times seemingly to move through them in a sequential order and at other times cycling through the stages at random. This is true of most any relationship. The fact that one is involved with a deity (or a spirit, but that's also another post for another day) is a lot like being in a long distance relationship with a mortal lover who's opportunities for communication are somewhat limited. There are challenges but the relationship can be maintained despite them if both parties are determined enough to make it work.

I mentioned earlier that there are stages to this sort of relationship. Here's a brief summary of them.

• Introduction - This is where both parties of the relationship are introduced to each other. This may be a case where the deity expresses their desire for a relationship via a medium. Or it may be the case of a person expressing their desire for a relationship to the deity.
  
  
• Courtship -  The courtship phase is not too different from the courtship phase of mortal relationships. There is mutual gift giving, mutual expressions of admiration, and mutual efforts to gain the affection of the beloved. The gifts given can be offerings to the deity, works done in their name, or artistic expression in the deities name by the mortal lover. On the deity side of the ledger, gifts given range wildly. It can be anything from a windfall of good fortune to random objects appearing. It can appear as a repeating theme in music that is randomly playing. (I call that Shufflemancy and I consider it a form of divination. I'll explain the basics of that next week.)
  
  
• Oaths of Fidelity - This is where both parties pledge their affection and loyalty to each other. The oath of fidelity can be for a set period of time (at first, my pledge to Freyr was for a year and a day) or they can be perpetual. It is customary for a gift to be exchanged at the time of the oath between the parties who are swearing it. Typically, it is a ring. In the case of a godspousery relationship, the mortal lover is picking out the rings with input from the deity. Or, the deity will direct their mortal lover towards a special item to wear as an outward sign of their devotion and of the oath between them. (In the case of my relationship with Freyr, it is a silver Greenman pendant that I wear all the time.) There are times, however, that a gift is not given. This does not mean that the oath is not important but that there is no means for a gift to be given. (This is the case with my relationship with Loki.)
  
  
• Establishment of 'household' - This is the phase of the relationship where both parties settle into their own routine of communicating and spending time with each other. It varies wildly from relationship to relationship how this manifests. This is true with human relationships as well. Compromises are made and discussions are had about how things should operate in the relationship. Occasionally, disagreements arise. (Ok, it may be a bit more often than occasionally but if it is a daily occurrence some form of relationship counseling is needed to assist in the communication breakdown causing this problem.) But, in this phase, all the bumps and lumps of the long term relationship are worked out.
  
  
• Relationship maintenance - In this state of the relationship, one is working to keep the entire thing running smoothly. It requires good communication and a solid understanding of what everyone's needs and expectations are in the relationship. When things are not going well, the problem is evaluated and the parties in the relationship work together to solve it. When things are going well, everyone in the relationship enjoys and finds fulfillment in the relationship and each other.

You will note, the phases of a godspousery relationship is pretty much identical to those of a human relationship. There will be something of a power dynamic here that is going to lean towards the deity's side of the relationship because of the deity having far more capacity and such than a human. If the relationship is healthy, however, the deity will take the human's frailties and vulnerabilities into account when taking actions. 

There is a relationship dynamic similar to godspousery but far more BDSM oriented known as being a god slave. The degree of autonomy of the mortal partner in that relationship is dependent upon the negotiated terms of the oath and the mortal partner's needs. This type of relationship also is an established form of relationship with deities through out the world's religions. It may not be called such but it can be found with a good deal of frequency within Catholic Christian mysticism. This relationship dynamic, however, is outside the scope of this piece. It may be discussed at some point in the future, if there is interest.  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
1. The statement that I reference here is typically associated with the Christian mythological figure known as the devil and/or Satan. I could go into a long post about the relationship between paganism and this figure but, again, that's for another day.

Veiled Witch Video No. ? - Filianic adaptation of the Anglican Rosary

 I have no transcript. The prayers can be located in my book (Garlands of Grace: Filianic Rosary Meditations) or at the mirror blog on >THIS< page.

Herbalism: Chamomile tea is for more than upset tummies.

 Dear Reader,

Chamomile tea has a long history of being helpful for digestive issues. It's excellent for this purpose but it also has magical properties that makes it very helpful for other things. Chamomile is an herb that can promote good sleep. It is also an herb that helps one have prophetic dreams. Folk medicine has prescribed this herb for its calming effects for a long time. When blended with other herbs used for psychic work, chamomile can be a gentle guide into a trance state.

In poppets, chamomile invokes Sun energy and the essences of serenity for the target of the poppet magic. In charm bags, chamomile does the same thing. It also carries with it the energies of prosperity and youthful vitality. Chamomile is also associated with the spirits of the land and the fairies.

One must take care with chamomile. It can cause allergic reactions because it is related to ragweed. It has also been shown to be a potential herb to induce labor for pregnant women. Interestingly, it has the opposite effect on women who are not pregnant, serving to gently ease meneustral cramps. It is not as effective in this purpose as raspberry leaf, but it can be helpful.

Chamomile is generally considered safe to consume in moderate portions on a regular basis because of its gentle effects on the body and the fact that interacts with so few medications on the market. If you are taking aspirin or other NSAIDs, you want to limit your chamomile intake to only a few cups of tea a week because it does interact with these medications.

There are ongoing pharmacutical studies to determine the medicinal properties of the many variants of chamomile used in herbal medicine. It has shown promise as an anti-anxiety treatment and as an anti-inflammatory treatment. These studies are on-going as of the time of this blog post. I am sure that in the near future, they will have a good deal about this apple scented herb figured out. In the meantime, be sure to consult with your pharmacologist and doctor before beginning an herbal medication regime to make sure that you don't have to worry about interactions or other nasty things.

Imbolc

 Dear Reader,

Imbolc (it has a number of variant spellings but this is the one that I've been using since the 1990s) is the midwinter cross-quarter holiday on the Wiccan wheel of the Year. It is strongly associated with the Irish goddess Brigid. The meaning of the name of the holiday has been up for debate since the 90s as has the meaning of the holiday. Modern Wicca has generally settled that this is a festival of light and fertility.

Imbolc is close to when the ewes begin lactating prior to giving birth to lambs. The milk and cheese provided valuable nutrition during the late winter months when the other food supplies were running low. Today, we have the luxury of fresh food all year round and are a bit removed from this natural cycle. Celebrating Imbolc helps bring us back into alignment with the natural cycles of life.

Imbolc is considered by some to mark the very beginning of Spring. It is no small coincidence that it falls on the same day as Groundhog day. Divination is done during this time to figure out how much longer the bitter cold of winter will last (which is what Groundhog day is all about). People begin planning their gardens and looking forward to what tasks they need to do to prepare for spring.

After the darkness of deep winter that we saw at Yule, Imbolc is a breath of bracing, fresh air because we see much more daylight and the world is a bit more awake than it was during the Longest Night of the year.

The Feast of Lights (Lucaid)

 

Image courtesy of Markus Spiske at Pexels.com

Today is the Feast of Lights in the Filianic and Déanic community. It is a celebration of the light of the Daughter that is kindled within her as she steps onto the wheel of Fate and enters more directly into creation. It is considered to be the first of the Eastre feast days. It is also the final feast day of the season of Winter. Some Filianic traditions recognize this as the day that the Daughter is given governance over creation. In either case, the Daughter is honored this day as Princess of the World and Sacrificial Priestess. 

It is here that the journey into Moura begins. In my personal devotions, I say a rosary for Our Lady's blessing and protection of my household. I pour out wine for her and her Mother. I also invoke Déa's blessing upon the candles that I use through out the year so that their light may fully reflect her's in this world. I also spend some time in meditation upon the Scriptural passage that speaks of the Bright Mother giving her Daughter governance over creation and the Daughter's taking on of Fate.

I also begin the process of planning out what I will work on during Moura to strengthen my spiritual discipline and what I will give over to Déa in personal sacrifice for the month of Moura.

QuestionTime: What Do You Want Me To Post About?

 Dear Reader,

I have hit a dreaded impasse. I am unsure what to write for the Divination section here. As such, I am opening up the floor to any suggestions, ideas, or input you may have for how I might improve this portion of my blog. Please, kindly leave a comment with your thoughts. I am somewhat overwhelmed by the volume of material I have sitting here to go through and I need your help picking what to delve into next.

♥