Universal Manifestation with a Side of Bugs

Merry Meet, Witches!

I'm very happy to be here with all of you today. We're gonna start out today by talking about an absolutely beautiful substance called Amber. (Yes, I know it's not a real stone, but we'll get to that in a minute.) Isn't it gorgeous?

Amber is often called the Stone of Liquid Sunshine: yellow for the midday sun and orange, for the fiery sunsets, though it is occasionally seen in shades of green, or even some types tinged with blue or red. The organic resin that eventually becomes amber is the tree's blood - it is what a tree uses to seal injuries in its skin and repair itself. It is fossilized resin of coniferous trees of the Oligocene geological epoch, brought into existence some thirty million years ago. It is warm to the touch with a Mohs hardness of 2-2 1/2 and often contains insect fragments therefore, it has always been thought to possess life. It is known to be absolutely sacred to worshipers of the Mother Goddess, as it was believed to contain the very essence of life itself – the animating principle.

An incredibly strong protector, cleanser and healer. It has been used for over 7,000 years to stimulate the metabolism, treat skin ailments caused by metabolic imbalances, treat asthma and most allergic respiratory issues. It has also been used to draw disease from the body as well as promoting the revitalization of tissues. It is dedicated to connecting the universal perfection with one’s conscious self. It draws out negativity by cleansing the environment, and relieves physical pain at the same time. It will stimulate the body’s own self healing abilities; and if you are a healer, it shall protect you from absorbing negative energies. For this reason, some say amber is told to bring good luck.

Amber should be cleansed after every health working and recharged in the sun at noon for a few minutes.

Amber has electromagnetic properties as well; if you rub a piece of amber with a soft cloth, it will build up static electricity and lightweight objects will be able to stick to it. Because of its electromagnetic properties, amber has some interesting abilities. It's great for purging the body of impurities, protecting from radioactive waves or energy from electronics, sunlight, and energy that emanates from other people. I find it interesting that the word “electricity” was said to be derived from the Greek word “electron” which means amber.

The fossil originates from places such as Eastern and Mediterranean Europe, Mexico, and parts of South America and has been found in Paleolithic graves. History tells us that it was one of the very first stones or substances to be used for adornment. Specimens of such adornment date back to 8000 B.C. In the Far East, amber was thought to hold the souls of tigers and the power of the Sun. Vikings called amber, “Tears of Freya” and regarded it as a symbol of love and fertility and it is told that in ancient Rome some would carry small Amber baubles to rub together to enhance not just physical power, but sexual prowess as well.
Feng Shui lore states that, when placed in the northeastern area of a home, it can help to promote wisdom and self-improvement.  If it's placed in the southwest, it can help fill the home with love and positivity.

Correspondences
Element(s): Fire; Earth
Planet(s): Sun
Deity(s): Apollo; Frejya; The Great Mother

Doesn't Amber just seem to be the most wonderful thing? I'm going to have to convince my human to buy some Amber beads to make me something pretty for my collar.

This is a lovely story I've found about Amber and how the author found their Spirit Guide from it. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.
Wolf in Amber

Blessed Be, Witches! Until next time. )0(
~Mopsy

Cinna, Cinna, Cinnamon!!

Welcome back, pixies! Today we're going to be talking about one of my favorite spices: Cinnamon!

The word cinnamon, the genus name, probably came from either the Arabic or the Hebrew language, but the species name cassia is from the Greek kassia, meaning "to strip off the bark". Its use in Chinese medicine goes back to at least 2700 B.C.E. where it is referred to in several herbal formulas. It is, however, primarily known for the familiar flavor it imparts to any dish that it comes in contact with.

Cinnamon is a small Asian evergreen tree 10-15 meters tall, belonging to the family Lauraceae, native to Sri Lanka and Southern India. It has brown papery bark and the leaves are leathery, ovate-oblong in shape, 7-18 cm long. The flowers have a greenish color and a rather disagreeable odor and appear in the Summer followed by a purple 1 cm berry containing a single seed. The best Cinnamon is grown is Sri Lanka.

Cinnamon is harvested by growing the tree for 2 years and then chopping it down. The next year a dozen or so shoots will form from the roots. These shoots are then stripped of their bark and left to dry. Only the thin (0.5 mm) inner bark is used; the outer woody portion is removed, leaving meter long cinnamon strips which curl into rolls on drying; each dried quill comprises strips from numerous shoots packed together. These quills are then cut to 5-10 cm long pieces for sale.

Its flavor is due to an aromatic oil which it contains to the extent of from 0.5 to 1%. This essential oil is prepared by roughly pounding the bark, macerating it in sea-water and then quickly distilling the whole.The pungent taste and scent come from cinnamic aldehyde or cinnamaldehyde and, by the absorption of oxygen as it ages, it darkens in color and develops resinous compounds. Commonly used as a spice.

Ground cinnamon sprinkled in cabinets will discourage bugs from entering.

Magickal Uses
Cinnamon is commonly used in incense. It smells wonderful and fills the room with a warm, comfy feeling, and is especially nice on cold winter days. It can be burned to sanctify an area or object, to increase the spiritual mood, to aid in healing spells or in healing in general (this is appropriate for burning in the sick room) and also to enhance the male libido. The oil may be used to anoint objects during blessing and protection rituals. (Be sure to dilute this heavily with a carrier if it's going to touch your skin!)

Cinnamon and cinnamon oil can be used in love spells and to make charms to draw love, happiness, and money. Those cinnamon scented brooms you can buy at gift shops can be charged to bring these things to your household and hung up somewhere near the door.

Because of its hot, fiery nature, cinnamon is a natural ally for love and sex magic. Try turning up the heat in your love life by grinding cinnamon sticks into a chunky powder and burning the powder as incense along with equal parts of red sandalwood and myrrh. Or simply place a stick of cinnamon under your lover’s pillow and see what happens.

If you are in need of some quick cash, make a bowl out of cinnamon clay, write the amount of money you need on a piece of paper and place it in the bowl with a few coins as offerings of good faith. when you get the money, bury the paper and the coins in the yard and your bowl is ready for your next money request.

Other herbs that enhance cinnamon's money drawing properties are cloves, cardamom, nutmeg and ginger.

Medical Uses
Cinnamon is great for upset stomachs (including car sickness and morning sickness) and digestive problems (gas, vomiting and diarrhea... All that yuck stuff!). However, women who are pregnant should not ingest large amounts of cinnamon as it can endanger the pregnancy. I find cinnamon gum or to be very effective for morning sickness without the dangers of actually ingesting cinnamon tea. People with ulcers should also avoid ingesting cinnamon as it can irritate them. Again, chewing cinnamon gum occasionally is a reasonable alternative and effective against mild stomach upsets like that associated with motion sickness. Don't overdo it though, as over-chewing of cinnamon gum can deaden the nerves of the mouth and cause inflammation.

It is called for in teas and other healing beverages when a warming affect is desired. It is also useful in combination as it stimulates the action of other herbs. A cup of cinnamon tea after dinner is said to stimulate digestion and help regulate blood sugar. Cinnamon tea, especially when sweetened with honey is said to cure all manner of ills, from aging to arthritis to high cholesterol and obesity.

Cinnamon contains vitamin K, calcium and magnesium and is loaded with manganese.

Cinnamon should not be applied topically as it is considered a dermal toxin and it is extremely irritating to mucus membranes in particular. Cinnamon oil, however, (not essential oil) can be applied to a toothache to deaden the pain, much like clove oil, but it is not as effective as clove oil.

Disclaimer: This is for entertainment and educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Correspondences
Element(s): Fire; Air
Planet(s): Sun; Mars; Uranus
Gender: Masculine

I hope you guys enjoyed! Blessed Be!
~Mopsy

The Spirit of the Corn - An Iroquois Legend

Adapted by Harriet Maxwell Converse

There was a time, says the Iroquois grandmother, when it was not needful to plant the corn-seed nor to hoe the fields, for the corn sprang up of itself, and filled the broad meadows. Its stalks grew strong and tall, and were covered with leaves like waving banners, and filled with ears of pearly grain wrapped in silken green husks.

In those days Onatah, the Spirit of the Corn, walked upon the earth. The sun lovingly touched her dusky face with the blush of the morning, and her eyes grew soft as the gleam of the stars on dark streams. Her night-black hair was spread before the breeze like a wind-driven cloud.

As she walked through the fields, the corn, the Indian maize, sprang up of itself from the earth and filled the air with its fringed tassels and whispering leaves. With Onatah walked her two sisters, the Spirits of the Squash and the Bean. As they passed by, squash-vines and bean-plants grew from the corn-hills.

One day Onatah wandered away alone in search of early dew. Then the Evil One of the earth, Hahgwehdaetgah, followed swiftly after. He grasped her by the hair and dragged her beneath the ground down to his gloomy cave. Then, sending out his fire-breathing monsters, he blighted Onatah's grain. And when her sisters, the Spirits of the Squash and the Bean, saw the flame- monsters raging through the fields, they flew far away in terror.

As for poor Onatah, she lay a trembling captive in the dark prison-cave of the Evil One. She mourned the blight of her cornfields, and sorrowed over her runaway sisters.

``O warm, bright sun!'' she cried, ``if I may walk once more upon the earth, never again will I leave my corn!''

And the little birds of the air heard her cry, and winging their way upward they carried her vow and gave it to the sun as he wandered through the blue heavens.

The sun, who loved Onatah, sent out many searching beams of light. They pierced through the damp earth, and entering the prison-cave, guided her back again to her fields.

And ever after that she watched her fields alone, for no more did her sisters, the Spirits of the Squash and Bean, watch with her. If her fields thirsted, no longer could she seek the early dew. If the flame-monsters burned her corn, she could not search the skies for cooling winds. And when the great rains fell and injured her harvest, her voice grew so faint that the friendly sun could not hear it.

But ever Onatah tenderly watched her fields and the little birds of the air flocked to her service. They followed her through the rows of corn, and made war on the tiny enemies that gnawed at the roots of the grain.

And at harvest-time the grateful Onatah scattered the first gathered corn over her broad lands, and the little birds, fluttering and singing, joyfully partook of the feast spread for them on the meadow-ground.

Lughnasadh, First Harvest

Hello, Witches! Welcome to the first official post on this blog! I know it's a bit overdue (ok, maybe WAY overdue, but what can I say? I got nothing...), but here we are! Finally! HUZZAH!

Anywho, today we'll be talking about the Sabbat called Lughnasadh (loo'nass'ah) or Lammas.

So, what is Lughnasadh?

Well, Lughnasadh, is the first of the three Autumn harvest Sabbats, the other two being Mabon (the Autumn Equinox) and Samhain (sow-een, which is Halloween). It falls on the 1st of August in the Northern Hemisphere and on the 1st of February in the Southern.

It's time to begin reaping what we have sown throughout the past few months, and recognize that the bright summer days will soon come to an end. It's the season when the first grains are ready to be harvested and threshed, when the apples and grapes are ripe for the plucking, and we're grateful for the food we have on our tables. It is a time of excitement and magic. The natural world is thriving around us, and yet the knowledge that everything will soon die looms in the background. This is a good time to work some magic around the hearth and home.

Typically the focus of this Sabbat is on either the early harvest aspect, or the celebration of the Celtic god Lugh. Similar to the Roman god Mercury, Lugh was known as a god of both skill and talent. Although he is not a war god in the same sense as the Roman god Mars, Lugh was considered a warrior since, to the Celts, skill on the battlefield was a highly valued ability. According to Irish myth, one weapon that he carried was a Magick spear, which was so bloodthirsty that it often tried to fight without its owner. The spear flashed with fire in battle and tore through the enemy lines unchecked.

For many Pagans today, Lugh is still honored as the champion of artistry and skills. Many artisans, musicians, bards and crafters invoke Lugh when they need assistance with creativity. Lugh is still honored at the time of harvest, not only as a god of grain, but also as the god of late summer storms.

Honoring the Soul of the Harvest

In European cultures, a corn doll was often used to represent the spirit of the harvested crops. However, Europe didn't have a monopoly on this at all. In South American countries, some tribes took the largest portion of the crops, typically maize, and dressed it in clothing as an effigy.

In Peru, people honored different spirits of the crops. The Maize Mother was the Zara Mama, the spirit of quinoa was known as Quinoa Mama, and everything from the cocoa tree to the potato has a life essence.

In North America, the native tribes grow corn, or maize, as a staple part of their diet. Some groups have stories of rebirth and regeneration, and a few have folktales that parallel the story of Demeter and Persephone. In the southwestern part of the United States, Native Americans still perform a ceremonial dance the honors the harvesting of the maize every fall.

The Malay people of Indonesia believe that rice plants possess a soul or life force just as humans do. Harvesting is even done in a way that is seen as "painless" to the rice plants, so that it will not suffer. In some parts of the Malay Peninsula, there is a big ceremony at the beginning of each harvest, in which a complex ritual is performed that identifies the mother of the rice soul in the selected sheaf.

Deities of the Field

~Adonis (Assyrian): Adonis is a complicated god who touched many cultures. Although he's often portrayed as Greek, his origins are actually early Assyrian. Adonis was the god of the dying summer vegetation. In many stories, he dies and is later reborn, much like Attis (Phrygean) and Tammuz (Sumerian).

~Attis (Phrygean): This lover of Cybele wen mad and castrated himself, but still managed to get turned into a pine tree at the moment of his death. In some stories, Attis was in love with a Naiad, and jealous Cybele killed a tree (and subsequently the Naiad who dwelled within it), causing Attis to castrate himself in despair. Regardless, his stories often deal with the theme of rebirth and regeneration.

~Dagon (Semitic): Worshipped by an early Semitic tribe called the Amorites, Dagon was a god of fertility and agriculture. He's also mentioned as a father-deity type in early Sumerian texts and sometimes appears as a fish god. Dagon is credited with giving the Amorites the knowledge to build the plough.

~Demeter (Greek): The Greek equivalent of Ceres, Demeter is often linked to the changing of the seasons. She is often connected to the image of the Dark Mother in late fall and early winter. When her daughter Persephone was abducted by Hades, Demeter's grief caused the earth to die for six months, until Persephone's return.

~Lugh (Celtic): Lugh was known as a god of both skill and the distribution of talent. He is sometimes associated with midsummer because of his role as a harvest god, and during the summer solstice the crops are flourishing, waiting to be plucked from the ground at Lughnasadh.

~Ceres (Roman): Ever wonder why crunched-up grain is called cereal? It's named for Ceres, the Roman goddess of the harvest and grain. Not only that, she was the one who taught lowly mankind how to preserve and prepare corn and grain once it was ready for threshing.

~Mercury (Roman): Fleet of foot, Mercury was a messenger of the gods. In particular, he was a god of commerce and is associated with the grain trade. In late summer and early fall, he ran from place to place to let everyone know it was time to bring in the harvest. In Gaul, he was considered a god not only of agricultural abundance but also of commercial success.

~Pomona (Roman): This apple goddess is the keeper of orchards and fruit trees. Unlike many other agricultural deities, Pomona is not associated with the harvest itself, but with the flourishing of fruit trees. She is usually portrayed bearing a cornucopia or a tray of blossoming fruit., and part of the cycle of life, death and rebirth.

~Neper (Egyptian): This androgynous grain deity became popular in Egypt during times of starvation. He later was seen as an aspect of Osiris


~Parvati (Hindu): Parvati was a consort of the god Shiva, and although she does not appear in Vedic literature, she is celebrated today as a goddess of the harvest and protector of women in the annual Gauri Festival.


~Tammuz (Sumerian): This Sumerian god of vegetation and crops is often associated with the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

I hope you all enjoyed! Until next time!
~Mopsy

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