Imbolc 2012

We are getting some lovely signs of the beginning of Spring here in Ohio. (At least where I am.) It’s cool outside but the sun is shining and the grass is green. It makes me start thinking about looking for what I’d like to do in my garden this year. I’ve decided to start experimenting with some of the poisonous plants in my area and gathering them to my door. Like a fool last year I was mowing and I cut down a nice bunch of Henbane without a second thought. Mainly because I didn’t know what it was. This year when I see it coming up, I’ll leave a sacrifice, pull it up and replant it closer to the house so it stays safe. Also when walking in the park and around Yellow Springs I’ve seen Bittersweet Nightshade growing in shady places. I’ll have to transport some of that too. In previous years my garden has been largely the veggie variety and I’ve had decent luck with it so far. I also need to grow some sage and perhaps try and cultivate some blackberries. I’ve always wanted a nice bush in the thicket out back.

It’s also getting temperate enough that I might be able to search for hag stones to add to The Red Lass. I’ve been debating making charms and necklaces with them for a while now but the rivers around here have been freezing cold and snowy. I did a poll on my FB page and people have indicated that they want to see more jewelry and talismans so I need to get to work on that. Also I am about to put in an order for the herbs and packaging I need. My on-line half of the business isn’t too productive (not 1 order since it opened). However the vending portion is making it quite nicely and with Spring Fling and Farmer’s Markets not too far away I need a good supply built up. I’m still largely staying away from witchcraft related items in my shop. Number 1: I think we all know the Witch of the Forest Grove has that well covered, and Number 2: This is Ohio. I don’t even tell most people about my practice because of the reactions I’ve gotten before.

Imbolc is fast approaching and I’ve considered making candles both for myself and to sell in the shop. I also want to make a few Brigid’s Cross for the house.

 

Wilder Dreams

Sometimes…more often now that I think about it, I wish to goodness that I didn’t live in the city. Especially this particular city. I get aggravated at the sounds and sites and the dirt and people. I become less enamored with the convenience of it as time goes by and, frankly, bored with the surroundings.

It’s not that I don’t like our apartment. It’s nice. Two bedrooms, one bath, medium sized living room with a large dining room and kitchen. Not bad for two little lesbians who are barely covering expenses. And it’s not that I don’t like our neighbors. The ones there are to speak of (and there are few) don’t bother us and we don’t bother them. It’s like that in a renters place. People move in and out with such startling frequency you hardly give much thought to getting to know them after a while.

It’s not that I don’t like having my friends close at hand. It’s nice to know there are people within a ten minuet drive that you can count on. A party here and there, perhaps a night out on the town is a lovely thing for the soul on a physical and social level.

But there are times that I sincerely wish we lived very very far away from everything.

I see in my minds eye a long road going upwards, trees and forest on either side. You roll down the windows and smell green things and dirt and air. There are no sounds but birds and water and the roll of your wheels across the gravel as you drive.

The cabin, not to big, perhaps no bigger than the apartment we have now (save the bathroom which needs to be large enough for a wheelchair to 360 in). It’s warm in the winter, cool in the summer and quaint and cozy no matter the time of year. In the kitchen most of the food is home canned, home made, and well stocked. Mountains make for poor passage in the winter time.

Outside the house is a box garden or two. Corn, tomatoes, green beans, lettuce. Good things. Things we provide for ourselves. The plants I truly love, lavender, ginger, chive, their planted where I need them, close to the back door where I can simply walk outside the kitchen and cut what I need.

There are people, around the ways a bit. Not so close as to where I can’t walk outside naked and risk them seeing me. Not so far as to not be actual neighbors.

This is my view from the back porch.

My friend know where I am, so does my family. And they can all reach me any time. They come and spend a week or two in the summer. And we BBQ and laugh and I show them the creek where the water is just clear enough to see the bottom and just deep enough to cannonball in without hurting yourself. There are turtles and fish. You can fish if you want.

You can hike for miles in any direction and smell the world without cars or city scents.

Sometimes…

Wolf Moon

*sigh* This is truly a beautiful moon. The past two months of last year it was so cloudy and rainy out that I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve seen a familiar silver face. She is not quite silver tonight though, she is a creamy color, staring at me from within the window of a college classroom. I wanted to do a ritual at her height, but it ended up a rather lovely evening of sharing my experiences and conversing with a friend who was showing a burgeoning interest in witchcraft. We talked about the concepts of witch and witchcraft, the hesitancy to refer to yourself as one, what exactly qualifies one as a witch…also getting beyond the whole beginners mentality. I kind of described it as going to college again. You need to choose or delve into a major in order to learn something. I borrowed a bit from Witch of the Forest Grove, I felt she had the best summary of the different parts one can play as a witch. It was fun! We had meant to make mead but I still don’t have enough honey! :((

Dionysus Ritual

Haven’t actually had the chance to use this yet. My full moon group crapped out on me all save for one person and we were going to use the opportunity to make mead. Ah well, comes when it pleases don’t it?

Dionysus

Dionysus’s immortality was discovered through the tragic circumstances of his birth. His mother was the mortal Princess Semele, who had fallen in love with Zeus. When Zeus’s wife, Hera, discovered the liaison, she befriended the woman in disguise, but asked if she could be certain that it was really Zeus, and not some trickster in disguise. Semele became worried, and when Zeus next visited, insisted upon seeing his godly form to prove that he was a god. At first Zeus refused, but Semele refused to be with him if he would not grant her this request, and called him a liar. Zeus had no choice, and revealed his divinity to her. Upon seeing it, Semele burst into flames and died. Zeus was saddened, but as he looked into the flames he saw an infant, glowing divine light.

Quickly, Zeus snatched up the fetus and sewed it into the skin of his thigh till it was fully developed. Thus he was given the title dimetor, or twice born. He was then given to the wild nymphs of Mount Nysa to raise him until he was out of harm from Hera. To add extra protection, he was often concealed in girls cloths. As he did women’s work, he discovered the process to extract grape juice and the secrets of fermenting it into wine. Hera discovered him soon after this and used his own invention to strike him with drunken madness, causing him to wander the wilderness, insane.

Soon he met with the goddess Rhea (his grandmother on his father’s side) who cured him of his illness and taught him her mystical rites and sacred wisdoms. He traveled again, from Asia to India, until his cult and worship was powerful enough to return to Greece without fearing Hera’s wrath.

His worshipers were many, but his temples were few. His priests were the Maenads, driven mad with divine insanity and possessed by the spirit of the wine. His worship involved the mysteries of life and death, and fertility within the earth. Dionysus was associated with the snake (who held earth mysteries), the leopard(who’s skin clothed him), the bees, (who provided honey), the bull (who’s horns were used for drinking vessels) and the goat (who’s skin was used for wine pouches). The vine was sacred to him, as well as the fennel stalk.

His mysteries are said to be those of the unconscious mind, and were among the few open to anyone, regardless of status, class or gender. Bisexuality was commonplace, as well as gender swapping in honor of Dionysus’s time spent as a woman. Drums and pipes were frequently used in the dance and celebration, as well as the bullroarer, to create a rave like atmosphere.

 

 

Dionysus Rite

1)      Cast the Circle

1. We gather on this sacred night

When moon hangs heavy high

(Chorus) Cast the circle thrice about
Good things in and bad things out!

1. To dance within this holy rite

As spirits draw quickly nigh

 

(Chorus) Cast the circle thrice about

Good things in and bad things out!

 

1. So twist and turn

While fire burns

And chant the rhyme and rhythm

 

(Chorus) Cast the circle thrice about

Good things in and bad things out!

 

1. No ill wind blows

While in their throws

Our bodies spinning with them

 

(Chorus) Cast the circle thrice about

Good things in and bad things out! x3

 

2)     Purify and Welcome

1. There are many gathered here tonight who are new to this circle, all of us in fact! But we come together with the same intentions; desire to learn, desire to share knowledge, desire to know one another as friends, and desire to mix our creative juices in this sacred and holy act. So it is with this in mind that we purify and welcome one another to this circle!
2. No one person here is greater than any other, so we hold no priest or priestess above us. We purify one another as a sign of community and respect between the learned scholar and the seeking neophyte.
3. Each member will turn to one another with the feather and the sage and waft it towards one, saying: “I purify you in the name of your gods, that they be with you in your heart while this circle lasts.”

 

3)     Call to Dionysus

1. Bring forth the wine and good cheer!
   For tonight we revel as the followers of the vine!
   Tossed about in waves of red and violet,
   We drown sorrow and melancholy in the fruit of life and death!

(Chorus) Hail Dionysus!
We ask thee come among us!

1. Drink deep of his blessings and know his mirth!

For he is a god of youth and pleasure!
A god of one and all, who holds no bar,

Against class or gender, status or sex!

(Chorus) Hail Dionysus!
We ask thee come among us!

1. Tonight, in his presence, we become his followers

Tonight we are the driven!

Tonight we are the wild ones!

Tonight we are the Maenad!

 

(Chorus) Hail Dionysus!
We ask thee come among us! (x3)

 

4)     Dance Round The Fire

5)     Offerings

1. At this time, if anyone has any offerings or anything they would like to say, you may take the floor and be recognized.

 

6)     Releasing the God

1. Dionysus, giver of wine and mirth

We thank thee for your time among us

For your blessings and gifts,

And the divine inspiration your bring upon us

If you would stay, know it is as a welcome guest.

If you would go, know we have found you an excellent companion.

 

(Chorus) Hail Dionysus

We bid thee farewell! (x3)

 

7)     Closing the Circle

1. We walk about to widdershins
2. And set the magic free
3. Until another full moon glows
4. And we will call on thee
5. Farewell to friends long past life
6. Farewell to spirits near and far
7. Farewell to those who wink and grin
8. And to those who come from stars.

 

8)     The Circle is now Closed

Words for the New Year

I’ve never been much for New years resolutions. They have a tendency to be far to idealistic for my tastes. Promises easily made tend to be easily broken. But then this isn’t really a New Years resolution, more like a goal I’ve been planning and working towards for nearly six months now.

The coming year holds a lot of expectancy for me. I have an associates degree to finish, a GSA to help support, an online shop to open and vending consideration to make. There is going to be a lot of activity and a lot of it stands upon the edge of a knife. I’m nervous and in the Mirror of Candor my own face sneers back, reminding me of past failures and wrong decisions, making me doubt, making me worry that this is yet another poor decision.

And yet there is, as always, the Bitch that always has my back. The one that reminds me I picked this course and it’s success or failures is dependent strictly upon my dedication to it and the level of time and effort I put into it. She is the one who reminds me not to wuss out but to press forward and find a way, even if it’s a difficult way, to make things happen. And it is her advise I follow and I take the chance and open my own business.