Blessings, 
Lady Amythyst Raine

 Turn on the music and enjoy, while you browse this page.

 This is one of my favorite months.  I love the rainy, dark, unpredictable weather that generally accompanies it and the budding garden and flowerbeds.  The only thing that could possibly put a damper on April is too much rain at one time-- then our basement tends to take on water.

The Witchlings have been busy-- Isabella is a featured artist at the 2009 Student Art Exhibition at the University of Nebraska, Omaha.  Her work will be up at the Weber Art Gallery until April 3.  For more information, click  Here.

Our DeadRose (aka Blossom) did a reading for 20th Century Fox for a Pepsi commercial.  To read about her adventure, click  Here.

I'll be giving live tarot readings this Spring at Next Millennium in Omaha, Nebraska; you'll find more information on dates and times below.

I've put a new music box on the Rituals page, and I absolutely love this artist.  His name is Daniel May and the music is from his CD, Feng Shui.  To listen to this enchanting music, click on the live link in this paragraph.

 Our lives take on new directions as we speak. I never know from one day to the other, or one week to the next, what's going to be in store for us.  It makes for a whirlwind of activity!

Everyone enjoy this April-- it's a gift!

Blessings,
Lady Amythyst

Spell of the Month

Knot Magic

Knots are so intrinsically and anciently connected with magic that tying knots was once synonymous with magic in general.  The art goes back to the Babylonians and who knows how much further back in unrecorded history.  The Hebrew word for amulet, kame’a, has a root meaning “to bind”.  Knotting is the original binding spell.

Any intension or force can be tied or controlled by the knot.  What separates the magical knot from tying a shoelace is the focus and intention of the one making the knot.  However, the act of tying a shoelace can be transformed into a magickal act:  tie a child’s sneaker, focusing on blessing and protecting as you pull the knot tight.

In a knot charm, it goes without saying that you are focusing and concentrating your energy with every knot.  Materials used in knot charms include threads, cord, plant stems, metal wire, animal or human hair.

Knots can be used for positive or malevolent intent.  Common uses of knot magic include love, healing, wealth, and weather spells (i.e., controlling the wind and rain).

Knots are used to bind intent, and also to remove spells.  They are common Celtic, Chinese, Egyptian and Scythian motifs.  The concept of the “lover’s knot” lies in ancient love knot magic.  Some believe that the inspiration for the wedding ring arose from knot magic.

The animal patron of knot magic is the spider.

(The above information is taken from, “The Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells” by Judika Illes.  To view/purchase this book, click  Here)

For my own preference, I use 9 feet of wide red ribbon and the traditional Knot Incantation below.  This has proved to be easy magick to perform with consistently effective results...and that’s what we’re aiming for. 

You can, however, use a length of cord in the color corresponding with your intention.  As well as lighting candles, burning herbs and incense that also correspond with the intention of your spell.

Some coven traditions use only Red cord, the color red attuned to blood—the life force; as well as a cord 9 feet long—3X3, the perfect magic number.

Make sure you consecrate the cord in incense smoke, preferably within a cast circle, where you will begin to raise energy by chanting your spell/desire, stopping every so often to tie a knot in your cord and say the chant that accompanies it.  By doing this you raise—and store—your power in the cord. 

To release this power at the appropriate time, you must undo one knot per day for nine consecutive days.  Release them in the same order they were tied.

The Incantation:

By knot of one, the spell’s begun!

By knot of two, my spell comes true

By knot of three, so mote it be

By knot of four, power I store

By knot of five, my magic is alive

By knot of six, this spell I fix

By knot of seven, this spell I leaven

By knot of eight, it is fate

By knot of nine, what’s wished is mine!

I purchased this convenient sized cast iron cauldron at Next Millennium in Omaha, Nebraska.  You can also shop online at their website:

http://magicalomaha.com/

Tarot Tips

A Look At 'The Fives'

The 5’s in general are cards of conflict, chaos, and disruption.  They may seem ominous at first glance, standing on their own, but within a reading their meanings may be tempered, expanded, and further explained by the cards around them.  The 5’s may be the culmination of past events or the future stormy sky that’s going to descend upon you.  In any case, they are situations and conflicts to be worked through, perhaps making you stronger in the end, tempered from facing and solving the crises these cards herald.

Five of Cups

This is the card of mourning, loss, and grief.

It’s pointed out in almost every tarot book I’ve ever read to ‘look at the bright side, there are two cups still standing’, and while this cheery observation is correct, it skims over the feelings of grief this card inspires and this emotion, which must be faced on its many levels.  Yes, you will recover from this period of mourning and loss; your life will go on with some semblance of normalcy at some point.  But that is not to say that you will not be left without scars from this experience, or that you will not be a changed person from having come through an intense period of grief.

The brightest meanings these two standing cups could bring to a reading may indicate the newfound strength, wisdom, and inner initiation this period of mourning, loss and grief may bring to you.

Five of Swords

This is the card of conflict and battle.

This card smacks of aggression, unfair advantage, insecurity, and petty battles with arrogant victors.  It speaks of “winning the battle but losing the war”—at the cost of irreparably damaged relationships, shattered self-esteem, and ruined reputations.  The victory, if that’s what you want to call it, is short-lived; and the participants in this debacle will have to live with the results...shattered lives and regret.

This card often warns of an individual who will put their own needs, desires, and goals ahead of everything and everyone.  They will attain their desired outcome at the expense of everyone involved.

Five of Wands

This is the card of quarrels and bickering.

The five of wands has always reminded me of a group of unruly children.  And this is the essence of the five of wands—bickering, nitpicking, childish behavior, chaos, everyone talking at the once, “his share his bigger than mine”. 

Is there an adult in the house?

This card naturally comes up when there is a problem with a group of people, whether it be siblings, employees, neighbors, or any other group who cannot come to a satisfactory agreement.  No one may be physically hurt from these encounters—unless surrounding cards suggest otherwise, but the mutual anguish, anger, frustration and upheaval can have prolonged and lasting affects.  This card often tells you that a mediator may be needed, someone who can look at the situation objectively and find common ground between the parties involved.

Five of Coins

This is the card of poverty and hard times.

The dire effects of this card are shown by the dejected couple slogging through the snow in their tattered clothing and bare feet.  And that’s generally what this card points to—financial crisis.  The severity and duration of this state of affairs can usually be gleaned by the cards surrounding it.  What led up to this predicament may also be revealed in the same way.

The hard times the five of coins represents isn’t meant to last forever, almost nothing in life is.  This couple is not standing still, hovering in hopelessness or self pity; they’re putting one foot ahead of the other, to be able to move ahead.  And that’s what you must be determined to do when this card pops up in your readings.

© Amythyst Raine 2009

To receive online readings from me, click  Here.

Herb of the Month

Cloves

(Eugenia carophyllus, Syzgium aromaticum
or Caroyophyllus aromaticus)

Folk Names:  Mykhet, Carenfil

Gender:  Masculine

Planet:  Jupiter

Element:  Fire

Powers:  Protection, Exorcism, Love, Money

Magical Uses:  Burned as an incense, cloves attract riches, drive away hostile and negative forces, produce spiritual vibrations, and purify the area.

Cloves are burned as an incense to stop others from gossiping about you.  Worn or carried, cloves attract the opposite sex and bring comfort to the bereaved.

(This information was taken from Scott Cunningham's book: 
"Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magickal Herbs")

Click  Here to view/purchase this book.

*I use cloves extensively in my practice.  They are a main ingredient in my Love Mojo Bags, their hot and spicy link with the Element of Fire adding lust to the magick.  I have also used them successfully in exorcisms, clearing our home space of unwanted and uninvited entities, as well as banishing unwanted people and situations from our lives.  Both my magickal and mundane cupboards contain this aromatic herb.

Stone of the Month

Amber

 Energy:  Projective

Planet:  Sun

Elements:  Fire, Akasha

Deity:  The Great Mother

Powers:  ...Because amber is a fossil, it has associations with time, cycles, and longevity. l Similarly, since it was once a living substance, it is related to Akasha.  This is the "fifth element", which governs and binds together earth, air, fire, and water, and in a sense, is the ultimage source of them.  Akash is also symbolic of life and living things (plants, animals, humans).

In some contemporary Wiccan covens, women-- usuallyl high preistesses-- wear necklaces consisting of alternating amber and jet beads.  Though reasons for the use of these materials vary, it is said that these two stones represent the Goddess and the God, the feminine and masculine principles, the projective and receptive forces of nature.  They also heighten magical effects..."

Amber is also used to strengthen or break a spell-- a Witch stone, for increase, success, health, healing, love, to absorb negative energy, for manifestation, good luck, and relief from despair.

(The above information was taken from:
"Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs"
by Scott Cunningham

and

"Green Magic: The Sacred Connection to Nature"
by Ann Moura

To view/purchase these books, click on the live links above.)

*Amber is one of my favorite stones and below is my collection, including a green amber ring.  Green amber is created by applying heat to the stone...

Home Video

Magickal Endeavors 'Round the Kitchen Table

Real magick does not resemble most of what you see in Hollywood movies, especially those beloved wytchy cult movies, like The Craft.  There are no flammable explosives, levitating objects, bolts of lightening out of the blue, or twitching noses.  There is most likely not even any arm waving and shouting incantations from vantage points of picturesque glades or towering precipices.

A lot of real magic happens right 'round the kitchen table.  It is quiet, unassuming, relaxing, grounding, and most effective.  It is a natural part of the day, as benign as your morning coffee ritual.

With a family as large as ours, there is hardly a month goes by without someone celebrating a birthday, and March is no different.  Except that this March birthday is one of those 'milestone birthdays'...

Our Isabella will turn 21 on March 11...

Happy 21st Birthday, Isabella!

Happy Spring Equinox!

There also seems to be a holiday or celebration in almost every month, and for March it's the Spring Equinox.  After this day of equal light and dark, the light wins out and it's onward and upward to Spring, green grass, yard work, fledgling gardens, April showers, thunderstorms, apple blossoms, singing robins, and warmth.

 Can't some soon enough for me.

For those who wish to read Pagan lore about the Spring Equinox, also known as Eastra or Ostara, or for those Pagans who would like a ritual for this celebration, click  Here.

Spell of the Month

Purpose:  For those wishing to find paid employment of all kinds

Background:  In the language of the sacred runes, ‘tyr’ represents “success and victory in a quest”.  It is the rune of the Norse god known as Tiw, a mighty warrior and a good entity to have on your side in times of adversity.  In the 24 –rune alphabet, tyr is the first of the eight runes over which Tiw is said to preside, and so brings with it all the blessings of energy, determination, and steadfastness associated with him.  Invoking the magickal properties of this rune will strengthen the resolve and resourcefulness you need to ensure that your search for gainful employment is successful.

You will notice from the illustration that tyr resembles an arrow; this emphasizes the importance of having a clear target in mind when seeking a job.  It also denotes shelter, indicating that this spell is invoked for need rather than greed and is thus more likely to bring material success if it is used in this spirit.

How to cast this spell:

You will need:  One yellow candle, about 6-8’ in length, if casting on a Wednesday, or one red candle, about 6-8” in length, if casting on Tuesday.  Matches or lighter.  One small pebble with a flat surface—light enough and small enough to carry in a coat or pants pocket.  One small pot tube of oil-paint.  One fine model paint-brush.

Timing:  Test this spell on a waxing moon to draw your target closer; Wednesday, day of communications and planet Mercury is best, with Tuesday, named for the god Tiw as a close second choice.

Casting the Spell: 

1.  Cast a circle.

2.  Light the candle, saying: “Spirit of sure victory, Look well and kindly upon me.”

3.  Hold the pebble firmly between your palms, and visualize yourself looking happy, setting off to work, and having money in your wallet or pocket.

4.  When you are ready, take a deep breath, and breathe out onto the stone, envisaging all that you have just wished for yourself going into the stone and say:  “By my breath, I charge thee.”

5.  Paint onto its flat surface the rune tyr.  Leave this to dry next to the candle.

6.  The next day, pop the pebble into your coat or pants pocket, and carry it with you wherever you go.  When your objective is achieved, cast the pebble into the nearest natural water source.

"So Mote It Be"

(This spell is taken from:  "The Spells Bible" by Ann Marie-Gallagher.  To view/purchase this book, click  Here.)

 Herb of the Month

Marjoram

(origanum majorana or o. vulgare)

Folk Names:  Joy of the Mountain, Knotted Marjoram, Marjorlaine, Mountain Mint, Pot Marjoram, Sweet Marjoram, Wintersweet.

Gender:  Masculine

Planet:  Mercury

Element:  Air

Deities:  Venus, Aphrodite

Powers:  Protection, Love, Happiness, Health, Money

Magickal Uses:  Marjoram is used in love spells, and is also added to food to strengthen love.  Carried it is protective, as it is when placed around the house, a bit in each room, and renewed each month.  Grown in the garden it offers shielding powers against evil.  Violets and marjoram, mixed together, are worn during the winter months as an amulet against colds. Given to a depressed person, marjoram brings happiness.  It is also used in money mixtures and sachets.

For the most part, I'm going to be featuring herbs that are familiar to most people, those herbs found in kitchen cupboards and more regularly used for cooking by the general public.  To the Green Witch, however, these plants have magickal qualities and are commonly used in spells, mojo bags, potions, oils, and powders. 

The information on Marjoram above is taken from Scott Cunningham's book, "Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs".  For a link to this book, as well as more information on herbs and how they're used in magickal practices, click  Here.

 Stone of the Month

Charoite

(to promote courage)

Color:  The colors in each piece of Charoite range from bright lavender, violet and lilac to dark purple with both white, gray and black veining.  It forms a swirling pattern of interlocking crystals.  Royal lavender flows with charoyant streaks of white around bits of black, peach and opalescent gray.

Description:  Charoite is an unusual mineral and of rare occurrence.  It formed from alteration of limestone by the close presences of an alkali-rich nephline syenite intrusion.  The heat, pressure and more importantly, the infusion of unique chemicals into the rock is responsible for the transformations into new minerals such as charoite.

The Name's Origin:  Charoite is named after the Charo River.

History:  The Russians first discovered charoite in 1947 in the Murun Mountains of Yakutia, but it was not known in the West until 1978.  Charoite is used as an ornamental stone and as a gemstone.

Mystical Powers:  Charoite is said to be useful for the cleansing and purification of one's energy body as well as for the transmutation of negative energies within oneself. 

Charoite transmutes negativity and cleanses the aura.  Charoite facilitates the release of fear and dissolution of negative energies encountered in the process of aligning with your soul's purpose.  Work with Charoite fosters a synthesis between the heart and crown chakra, walk your spiritual path with awareness, and manifest your soul’s wisdom and light in daily life.  The purple color of Charoite, among its other roles, helps to bring us closer to spirit by showing us that everything, even the thoughts we hold as true, can be dissolved and replaced with more empowering energies.

The color black in this stone grounds the purple ray, and enables us to explore the nature of our fears; while white represents the connection to spirit.

 http://www.all-that-gifts.com/se/charoite.html

 (This charoite ring was a gift from my mother.)

Book of the Month

"Hedgewitch:  Spells, Crafts, and Rituals for Natural Magick"

by Silver Ravenwolf

From starry night rituals to garden toad totems,
Discover the enchanting craft of the HedgeWitch.

To view/purchase this book, click  Here.

There are new products at

Wytchy Wares:

Ritual boxes and kits will be added to our line of merchandise at Wytchy Wares.  These boxes and kits will contain the items needed to perform specific pagan rituals.  The first two, which will be available soon, are:

Handfasting Boxes & House Blessing Kits

New Offer from

Creations by Isabella

With the purchase of the necklace below, you also will receive a free tarot reading, a 12 card spread valued at $30.00.

 This beautiful necklace & earring set is crafted with clear quartz beads.  The necklace is highlighted with an obsidian pendent.

$30.00

Imbolc—the Pagan feast of Brighid

February 2:  Imbolc, known to the world also as a Christian festival called Candlemas, celebrates the return of spring.  By Imbolc the days are noticeably longer.  Winter is slowly receding, making way for the awakening of spring and new life.  In some areas the first green shoots of crocuses will be pushing though the last remnants of winter snow.  This ancient Pagan festival also marks the birth of the first lambs and the ewe’s lactation, thus the association of this festival with milking.

The ‘St. Bridget’ of  the Christian festival of Candlemas is the Christianized version of the Irish fire Goddess Brighid.  She is still, in our modern times, one of the most beloved Goddesses among Pagans.

Brighid’s role is that of fierce protector of women, children, and new born animals.  In Wicca, she is the mid-wife to spring, the divine woman who breathes her fiery breath upon the earth to awaken it.  Her role as Goddess includes enabling and promoting new projects.  Many Pagans plant seeds and bulbs this time of year that represent areas in our lives that we wish to nurture and grow.

“Brighid is a Goddess of healing, inspiration of poets and patron of blacksmiths and metalworkers.  She is the fire in the head of poets and the fire in the belly of those who act on new ideas—a Goddess of inspiration and action.  As patron of metalworkers, she is the key to turning raw materials into useful and beautiful things—a Goddess of transformation.

At Imbolc, a time of renewal, we celebrate changes around and within us, and renew our commitment to making the world a better place.  We honor the spark of divine creativity within us and raise healing energy.—Anne Marie-Gallagher”

For an Imbolc ritual and more information on this Pagan holiday, click on the image below.

Spell of the Month

"Truth Spell"

Herb of the Month

For an explanation of how herbs are used in witchcraft, go to my page:

Magickal Herbs

Love me or else!

Isabella has created a unique voodoo doll just in time for Valentine's Day...it's whimsical, as well as touched with a bit of black humor.

To visit Creations by Isabella, click  Here

We'll wish for Spring!

Have a magickal February, and Bright Blessings...

Lady Amythyst

When January comes, I feel like we're at the top of a slide, moving swiftly toward Spring--  but still, it's a far off goal at this point.  At least the rush and flurry of preparing for all those holidays will be over for another year.  I'm hoping that life will settle back down into a quiet routine so I'll have time to work on some new projects for Wytchy Wares.  This is how Isabella is going to spend her  winter break from school as well, trying to create some new pieces for her shop.

I'm sure there are those of you reading this who relish the winter wonderland...to all of you, I wish you a Norman Rockwell January!

Here's to our New Year...may it bring only good things!

Isabella created a video for one of her Digital Media Classes and I've posted it all over Myspace-- as both blogs and bulletins.  But, and you know what's coming, don't you, I'm going to post it here for friends, family members, or passers by who might have missed it the first time around.  I told her she's going to have to get this on Youtube.  It's just the kind of zaney thing that seems to be so popular there right now.

I thought this was a hoot!

(Remember to shut off the music box above!)

 Henry Doorly Zoo

A while back we took a walk through the 'Insect/Butterfly Pavilion', and of course, I had to take pictures.  This is your opportunity to leave the winter world behind for a few minutes...

 (The following photos are all original photos taken by me and one photo taken by my daughter.)

 Looking past the delicate butterfly, you see the lush green foliage that fills the pavilion.  As you follow the paved trail, you duck  beneath an overhanging limb here and there.  The air is filled with fluttery surreal creatures, and there is a strange silence that permeates this space.

This is one of my favorites, the dark lady, of course.  They seem oblivious to our presence and even view us as a place to land and rest from time to time.  Everyone instinctively talks in a hushed whisper, as though you were walking through sacred space.

Feeding time!  You can stand and watch them gather and flutter away individually and sometimes seemingly as a small group.

What looks like a large eye is actually one of the residents at rest beneath the leaves.  The amazing thing is, when this big guy opens his wings, the other side is as blue as the print you are reading now.

The watering hole.  This method of providing water for the butterflys gave us the inspiration to try setting some watering/feeding stations up for these creatures next spring and summer in our own backyard.

The nursery!

At the exit to the main section of the pavilion, you are inspected in a mirrored room to check for 'hitch hikers', from there, you can enter another area-- this one featuring 'predators' of the insect world.

I hope you enjoyed this brief tour, and thank you for coming along with us! 

To view more images and information on this exhibit, click on the icon below. 

For a listing of Pagans/Witches/Wiccans in Nebraska, click Here.

 For a list of Pagan Circles, Festivals, Events & Workshops in Nebraska, click Here.

For a listing of local news articles involving Pagans in Nebraska, click Here.

For family focused Pagan groups in Nebraska, click Here.

For a list of adult Pagan groups in Nebraska, click Here.

For Homeschooling Pagans, the following live links are online Pagan Homeschooling Sites:

1.  Pagan Home School Page

2.  Pagan Homeschoolers Unite

3.  Circle Magic Homeschool

    Cleansing Crystals

I love my collection of crystals, from my larger pieces of citrine, amethyst, or smokey quartz clusters, to the smaller more modest stones that I use in poppets and magickal bags. 

It's important to cleanse/purify crystals as they pick up and absorb the energy of anyone and everyone  who has handled them.  If a crystal has picked up negativity , it can easily pass it on.  New-to-you crystals need to be purified, and all crystals should be cleansed regularly.  Weekly/monthly cleansings are recommended for decorative crystals, daily or after each use if used for healing.

Purification is part of the ritual of using crystals.  Some methods may be more time consuming than others.  Certain methods are more suitable for some stones than others.  Take care which method you choose so that you do not damage your crystals.

Cleansing methods:

1.  Dissolve a handful of sea salt in a bowl and submerse your crystals in this, allowing them to soak for an hour or so, then rinse them with clear water and allow them to dry in the sun.

2.  Hold your cyrstals under flowing water to cleanse them.  either in a water fall, a running stream, or under the kitchen faucet.

3.  Certain crystals resonate with the sun, especially yellow, orange, or red ones.  They benefit by being exposed to sunlight, usually for several hours.  Other stones, like white stones, will respond to the light of the moon.

4.  Quartz- clear quartz- effectively cleanses other crystals.  Stand the crystal to be cleansed in a large cluster of clear quartz for several hours.

5.  Smudging-  You can hold the crystal you intend to cleanse in the smoke from a sage, cedar, or sweetgrass smudge stick, or use incense.

6.  Delicate stones that would be harmed by water can be placed directly into salt, or rock salt crystals and left there for a while to be cleansed.

The information above comes from, "The Illustrated Guide to Crystals" by Judy Hall, along with my own two cents thrown in here and there.

If you would like to view/purchase this book, click Here.

 Greetings and Happy Holidays to everyone!

I'm sure this finds most of you preparing for the holidays that are coming up very soon.  Whatever it is you celebrate during this sacred season...Hanukah, Christmas, or the Winter Solstice--

may you find peace, prosperity, joy, and good health!

The celebrations that take place in this month all have their roots in Paganism.  The ancient world celebrated the Winter Solstice-- the return of the Sun-- with merriment and several traditions that were later adopted by the Christians...

Many symbols and motifs associated with the modern holiday of Christmas derive from traditional pagan northern European Yule celebrations. The burning of the Yule log, the decorating of Yule trees, the eating of ham, the hanging of boughs, holly, mistletoe and others are all historically practices associated with Yule. When the Christianization of the Germanic peoples began, missionaries found it convenient to provide a Christian reinterpretation of popular pagan holidays such as Yule and allow the celebrations themselves to go on largely unchanged, versus trying to confront and suppress them. The Scandinavian tradition of slaughtering a pig at Christmas (see Christmas ham) is probably salient evidence of this. The tradition is thought to be derived from the sacrifice of boars to the god Freyr at the Yule celebrations. Halloween and aspects of Easter celebrations are likewise assimilated from northern European pagan festivals.

English historian Bede's Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum contains a letter from Pope Gregory I to Saint Mellitus, who was on his way to England to conduct missionary work among the pagan Anglo-Saxons. Pope Gregory suggested that converting heathens would go easier if they were allowed to retain the outward forms of their traditional pagan practices and traditions, while recasting those traditions spiritually towards the Christian God instead of to their pagan "devils": "to the end that, whilst some gratifications are outwardly permitted them, they may the more easily consent to the inward consolations of the grace of God".

The source for the above material is Wikipedia, to view more click

Here

We get holiday cards once in a while from friends and family reminding us to 'Remember the Reason for the Season'...and we do:

Isabella's period of apprenticeship at the tattoo parlor has come to a successful conclusion.  She is preparing 'her' room at the parlor and will be printing up her business cards and hanging out her shingle. 

 She will now be charging for her work!

You can contact Isabella for an appointment at:

Viking Tattoo

 2440 South 120th Street

Omaha, Nebraska

(402) 334-2778

Gathering the Goddesses

I've added a series of videos to this site courtesy of Z Budapest.  This is the culmination from one of her Women's Gatherings in California.  It is uplifting, empowering, spiritually fulfilling, interesting, and very feminist.  She shoots the Adam & Eve story clear out of the water-- and it's about time someone did.  As this myth falls by the wayside, men will have to pick up the burden that is responsibility for their own actions.

If you are a woman and would like to gather a little inspiration from which to draw on from time to time, or if you are a man and want to see the wave of the future-- as well as what women do when they are together in a group, take a peek:

http://ladyamythyst.webs.com/thegoddess.htm

Well, now that I've gotten all my pet interests out of the way, I'll jump off this soap box to discuss the fun stuff...the holidays that we are preparing for!

Our Traditions!

December 24th is the biggy at our house.  Not only is it the night we open presents, it's also our wedding anniversary.  This year will be our 6th.  We have a buffet set up every year: salads, homemade candy and pies, cookies, cakes, those little smokies in barbecue sauce, vegetables and dip, etc.  This is left out all evening so that people can nibble and munch as they please.

It's takes us a while to pass out presents and watch the kids open things, mainly because there are so many of us!  One thing we usually buy plenty of is new DVDs.  It's something everyone can enjoy.  So after presents are open, we stay up late watching movies, sometimes with one group watching one movie in the downstairs family room and another group watching something else upstairs.  And of course-- you eat! 

December 25th is going to be relaxing, even though I have a large meal I prepare.  There is no one working on this day, no classes that have to be attended, so this is our 'take it easy and eat some more' day.  The kids get up whenever they come out of their late night comas to find their stockings full of goodies and fun stuff.  I meander out to the kitchen to put meat in the oven, and since I'm used to cooking for large crowds on a normal basis, this really isn't much different than preparing a good old fashioned Sunday dinner-- we do add a few special touches, however, like a relish tray, cranberry sauces, and the homemade goodies that we make this time of year.

Our family enjoys the continuity of our holiday traditions.  It's something we all look forward to, especially the children.  I'm sure all of you who have your own family traditions know what I'm talking about.  And for those of you who are just starting out life with new families or other changes in your circumstances, start some traditions of your own!

Food is a great big part of the celebrations this time of year-- and aren't we all glad of that!  But baking doesn't have to be limited to holidays.  The following videos were made during a cold spell we had a few weeks ago; the subject is...

Baking Bread

(You can turn off the music box above by clicking on that first tiny box right under the CD title.  And you might want to turn your volume up.)

 
Part 1

 Part 2

Part 3

With Samhain over, November feels like a 'lull' before the hectic Yule holidays hit.  The only major activity I have planned for this month is our yearly traditional Thanksgiving dinner; and one of these days I might surprise everyone with a nontraditional meal, although I'm not sure how many complaints I'd get if I do that.

November is going to be a hectic month of shopping for Yule presents for all the offspring.  For a family our size, I usually start shopping in June!  The merchants are going to love me-- and the mad dash is on! 

As many of you already know, I've added a new item to Wytchy Wares-- Magickal Boxes.  I have one up and listed and I'm so close to finishing another that it isn't funny.  (Well, actually it is, because I should have it done by now and I keep putting it off!)  These magickal chests contain many of the items that you will find in the Witch's cupboard-- mine included.  Below is the box that is available...

This magickal chest is created in the spirit of the green witch with a celtic touch.  This box has four drawers.  The measurements for this magickal chest are:

height 11" width 8" Depth 5 1/2"

Included in this magickal chest are the following items:

 

5 incense cones
incense burner
5 small taper candles
candle holder
1 bell
1 sage stick
4 stones:  blue lace agate, adventurine, rose quartz, & black onyx
2 black votive candles
1 smokey quartz pendulum in a velvet bag
miniature tarot deck: Rider/Waite
3 bags of herbs: rosemary, hyssop, & mugwort

  For more information, click  Here

 My daughter Isabella has been busy.  She is now a full-fledged licensed tattoo artist and this is one of the tattoos she recently completed.  This is quite a large piece and took two sittings, but the results were astounding and the recipient was very pleased!

For more information about Viking Tattoo  and how to contact Isabella,

click  Here  and scroll down.

I've been busy setting up a new site devoted exclusively to the tarot and its mysteries as well as the realm of the psychic.  Of course, tarot readings are offered here as well.  The page menu will be at your left and brings up each new page as you click on the one already presented.

 To browse this site or just to take a quick peek,

 click  Here

The Sea Goddess

Isabella has created a gorgeous sculpture that is sure to capture your imagination.  I know it has mine!

 This beautiful three dimensional sculpture, created by Isabella, carries the spirit of the Sea Goddess.  It's inlaid with real seashells and colored glass stones.

Height 8"  Width 6"

For more information on this piece, or to purchase it,

click  Here

"Becoming a Pagan"...This is an interesting and unusual site I discovered.  Pagans don't generaly proselytize.  If you're meant to follow this ancient path, it's believed you will find it on your own.  Also, it's to our advantage to keep our secrets and our mysteries to ourselves.  However, this website may answer some questions for those who are curious about us...

What is a Pagan?

Is there more than one Pagan religion?

Is Paganism a cult?

Are Pagans devil worshippers?

Are Pagans witches?

To find the answers to these and many other questions,

click  Here

Becoming a Pagan

Thanksgiving at our house means...Food!!

Scroll down for some Thanksgiving recipes:

Lady Amythyst's Cranberry Sauce

 This is easy and fast-- my favorite kind of recipe.

 You'll need:

2 or 3 cans whole cranberry sauce

2 cans crushed pineapple

2 or 3 cans mandarin oranges

(The number of cans per fruit you use depends on how big a batch you want to throw together and which fruit you want to dominate the dish.)

Simple, just open the cans and toss the ingredients together, and the only cans you'll drain the juice off is the mandarin oranges.  At our house it's kind of a tug and tussle to see who gets to drink it!  You can also add some chopped walnuts to the mix.  This is as easy as it sounds and my kids love it.

Pumpkin Pie

This is a favorite dessert at our house.  Not only do I make pies up the yingyang for Samhain (Halloween), we get our second dose for Thanksgiving dinner!

 1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree, canned or fresh

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup evaporated milk, undiluted

2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 unbaked pastry shell (9-inch)

Combine pumpkin, sugar, salt, spices, and flour in a medium mixing bowl. Add eggs; mix well. Add evaporated milk, water, and vanilla; mix well. Pour into pastry-lined pie pan. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350° and bake about 35 minutes longer, or until center is set.

*NOTE:  To this recipe, I also add the spices nutmeg and allspice, and I add waaaay more than they tell me to.  We like our pumpkin pies rich with these traditional herbs.  Instead of 'evaporated' milk, you can use 'condensed' milk for more of a chiffon texture.  And I use brown sugar always!!!

 And needless to say, at our house this recipe will be doubled many times over, not only for fuller larger pies, but a lot of them.

(Don't forget to serve it with whip cream on top-- this is a sacred and unwritten rule!)

November Birthdays

There is hardly a month that goes by at our house without someone having a birthday, and this month it will be our grandaughter, "Pixie", who will be celebrating her big day.

She'll turn One Year Old...

(This pic was taken November 2007)

Pixie, look how far you've come!

To see more of these beautiful creations go to:

www.freewebs.com/rabbithollowprimitives/

I had just discovered this site not long ago and I love these pieces!  I'm sure many of you will too.

From our house to yours, have a blessed November and a Happy Thanksgiving!

Lady Amythyst Raine

We had a blast!  It was an evening filled with friends, good conversation, and merriment!  Tick or Treaters made their rounds, as did our kids.  Friends and neighbors came and went throughout the course of the evening into the wee hours of the morning...The following video is a precheck of preparations before the festivities began:

1. You may want to shut off the music box above.  For those unfamiliar with it, click on that first tiny box with a symbol in it right beneath the photo of the cd.

2.  This video may take a few minutes to load.

 Greetings, Everyone!

Can you feel me jumping up and down in excited exuberance?  This is my favorite time of year, my favorite month, and my favorite holiday.  I wait all year for Samhain to roll around.  I actually started decorating in September this year-- just couldn't wait.

I hope that everyone reading this has a wonderful October and enjoys the celebrations to come.

Remember that on Samhain night the veil between the worlds is at it's thinnest-- remember your loved ones who have passed over, for you may feel their presence with you on this night.  This night is also an especially powerful time to do divinations, I'll keep my tarot cards close at hand. :)

Pagan Lore

Jack-o-lanterns are an important symbol of Halloween. The early pagans used gourds instead of pumpkins. It was thought that the jack-o-lanterns would scare away earthbound ghosts. Apples are a pagan symbol of the fall and harvest. Apples were used in many forms of divination. Have you ever heard of this one? Take an apple and twist the stem round and round while saying a letter of the alphabet for each turn. The letter of the alphabet you are on when the stem breaks is supposed to be the first letter of the name of the one you shall marry! Some believe that bobbing for apples was related to another divination right. Others believe that it is a form of pagan initiation called seining, similar to baptism.

Trick-or-Treating has it’s roots in paganism as well. Dressing in costume was not just for children. Because Samhain is the pagan new year, and a time for new beginnings, wearing a costume symbolized that you could be or do anything in the new year. There are two different thoughts on going door-to-door for candy. One is thought that it was a form of caroling that was practiced at all major holidays, and that the "treats" were actually liquid spirits. The other thought is that the poor would go door-to-door begging for food, and would be given pastries and cakes in return for promising to say prayers for the dead.

Today’s traditional colors for Halloween date back to the pagans as well, who were very much into color symbolism. Black symbolizes death and magick, while orange was the color of the harvest. 

For a pagan ritual to celebrate Samhain (aka Halloween),

click  Here

Here are some of our family pictures of Samhain celebrations of the past:

Sophia, our Halloween birthday child!

Sophia's Halloween birthday blueberry cheesecake, complete with edible spiders and bats and crescent moons.

Getting the bonfire going!

On September 24th this old Wytch turned 51.  We spent the afternoon hanging out in the jungle at the Henry Doorly Zoo...

   My hubby and me, seated on a bench beneath a towering tree that reaches to the apex of the structure.  When you're sitting in this spot, it feels for all the world like you are seated in some ancient ruins.

This is one of the little creatures in the jungle who is loose.  He hopped up on an overhanging tree limb, not a foot from me.  He stared into my eyes while I cooed to him, and then he let me take his picture.  It was so tempting to reach out and touch him, but I knew better. 

 Sophia was brave and crossed to a cave on the free swinging footbridge.  This is at the top level of the jungle, and the jungle floor is a good distance below-- this bridge is not for anyone with a fear of heights.

I took this photo while peering from within a rock cave, looking down at another cave entrance on a lower level.

Tapirs, lounging by a pond.  I thought they looked like a cross between a black and white hog and an elephant.  At any rate, they totally disregarded spectators as completely insignifgant.

Working our way down, hidden behind the waterfall, on our trek to the jungle floor.



It was so cool-- there were very few people here at this time of day and the area is so large.  We felt as though we almost had the jungle to ourselves.

 This is the waterfall we had been behind...the noise and smell and rush of the water is wonderful.

Very beautiful and very noisy parrots-- their ruckus is deafening.

Me, taking a break after we reached the jungle floor.

We had such a good time and I have so many more pictures, but there just wouldn't be room for all of them here.  When you emerge from the building at the end of your excursion, stepping out into the bright sunlight and the bustling color and noise of the strolling crowds, it's like coming out of a movie theatre and having to readjust your sense of reality.

 On September 30th we will have another teenager in the house!  Our Guinevere will turn the magickal "13". 

We wish her a Happy Birthday!

"Burn the Spell Candles" 

Spells for love and money!...These candles combine the power of the written word and the magick and energy of the candle's flame. 

Remove the spell from the candle and burn it in the flame, reciting the spell three times, then allow the candle to burn itself out. 

Love Spell Candle

Money Spell Candle

For more information, or to purchase these candles,

click Here

From our house to yours, we wish you all a glorious October and a Happy Samhain!

Blessings, 

Lady Amythyst Raine

We are having some issues with Links at this site today.  The problems will be corrected as soon as possible.  Thank you for your patience.

Where has the time gone?  It seems like summer had just gotten started and it's almost over.  The Wheel turns fast, indeed!

September is the month of the Autumnal Equinox, when light and dark will share equal time for but a moment...and then the darkness of fall and winter will slowly begin creeping in upon us once more.

For more information, pagan lore, and a ritual in honor of the "Autumn Equinox",

click  Here 

 

As I promised, it's time to announce the name of our newest fur baby:

 "Mistress Pixie Paws"

This name was suggested by my friend Starra.  She's a talented writer and a lovely Witch who resides in the wilds of Florida.  To meet Starra, follow the links below:

http://www.geocities.com/anurturinghome/

http://www.myspace.com/roguerosefaery

http://www.myspace.com/starralinda13

I received a wonderful surprise from my friend, Charlie, owner of "Next Millennium"  in Omaha, Nebraska.  He was meeting this summer with some very special people and he told me that he would get me an autographed copy of one of Oberon Zell's books, and he sure did!  It will be one of my most prized possessions!

 Next Millennium is located at

3141 North 93rd. St.

Omaha, Nebraska

or you can shop online at:

 http://magicalomaha.com/

On a more solemn note, Oberon Zell-Ravenheart has recently been diagnosed with colon cancer.  His wife, Morning Glory,  has also been facing her own health crises over the past few years.  To send best wishes and healing energy to both, you can subscribe to

Morning Glory Healing Update

click  Here

For more information on Oberon and Morning Glory,

click  Here

There are now two banners to choose from for

The Witch's Corner:

You can pick up the code for this new banner on the Guestbook/Links page and add it to your website, myspace page, etc.  I'd like to thank Isabella for the original photography!

 New "Witch Candles" are available at Wytchy Wares.

You can choose from Gypsy Witch, Goth Witch, Kitchen Witch, or Green Witch

click on the image below...

Lughnasadh/Lammas was the first in the trilogy of harvest festivals in ancient Celtic culture.  It marked the beginning of the harvest season, and the decline of summer into winter.  It was also known as Lammas from the Saxon word Hlaf-mass, the Feast of Bread.  Festivities and rituals typically centered on the assurance of a bountiful harvest season and the celebration of the harvest cycle.  Connected to Lammas was the gathering of bilberries, an ancient practice symbolizing the fruitfulness of the Lughnasadh rituals.  If the bilberries were bountiful, it was a sign that there would like-wise be a plentiful harvest.

Lughnasadh was associated with the Irish god known as Lugh, the god of All Skills, the “Bright or Shining One”.  Funerary games incorporating athletic prowess were conducted in honor of Lugh during the festival.   They were said to be in memory of Lugh’s foster mother Tailtiu, who died while preparing the fields for planting.

For a Lammas ritual and more information on this pagan holiday, click  Here  and scroll down.

 Watch for live links in the text below.

Magickal Shops 

The amount of graphics and material had grown so on this page that it was affecting downloading time and causing editing glitches.  I solved the problem by dividing the shops into two pages....

You will now find Isabella's ceramics, poppets, ouija boards, jewelry, and crafts at:

 Creations by Isabella

 The enchanting and whimsical poppets offered below were created by Isabella as part of an art project and were included in an exhibit at a local art gallery.  She's offering them for sale here, individually...They are 'reversible', having a separate persona on each side.

 You will find oils & potions & powders, charms and talismans, candles and poppets created in the hoodoo tradition at:

Wytchy Wares

Click on the image below...

Spells & Potions

This page has also been divided into two pages, making the informaton more managable.  Now you can discover the world of magick at:

Spells & Potions

and

Spells & Potions 2

There has been a new spell added...Menstrual Potions...one of the most potent love spells; it's  also used for healing, protection, and banishing.

 Dreamscapes

 I added a new dream to this collage of sub-conscious adventures...but was this a dream or contact from 'the other side'? You'll have to read it and come to your own conclusions.

 click on the image below and scroll down...

Tarot Readings

I want to thank my clients for their patronage.  It's been an interesting and rewarding experience to be allowed to enter your lives, and to enter your lives from all aspects-- past, present, & future-- through the Tarot. 

To receive a tarot reading, click on the image below...

Personal Updates 

Our youngest child turned 8 on July 21st...She's known on the 'net as "The Elf", but she's growing into such a lovely young lady that she's going to outgrow that title very soon...

Our Third Son will turn 18 on August 7th...a milestone birthday.  He starts his college courses once again this September.  This young man is a computer/math whiz...he claims he's going to buy his mother a 'Hummer' when he graduates and lands a good job!-- I'll be sure to remind him of that.  :)

For a while this summer the weeds got away from me.  My 'magickal garden' looked more like the dark forest.   However, with a little perseverance and a lot of weed pulling-- the Magick is back!

Last Christmas we wound up with four stray kittens and we managed to find homes for all of them.  I don't know if we are a 'cat magnet' or what, but another stray kitten has found its way to us.  My daughter 'Guinevere' stepped out into the garden just after dark one evening.  She heard this pathetic noise, looked up, and saw a kitten running toward her.  It promptly threw itself into her arms and the rest is history...

I had been planning to find a home for this kitten, as we did the stray kittens at Christmas, but there's been a special 'connection' made-- this is one of those rare animals that looks into your eyes-- really looks into your eyes-- and you know that it's 'different' somehow than most of its kind.

We have begun a list of names, which I've posted below.  If anyone would like to send a suggestion for a name for this little creature, email me at

witch_of_endore@yahoo.com

I'll post her  name in the next newsletter.  Below are suggestions  that have been contributed by family members so far...

Tabitha
Freckles
Sage
Coon
Crookshanks
Salem

We had a delightful visit from Son #2, his wife, and their baby-- Grandaughter #1, whom I'll refer to on the 'net from now on as "Pixie".  We spent one day at The Henry Doorly Zoo and another day touring "Old Market" in downtown Omaha.

This is "Pixie" above, stopping for a snack of peaches on her way through the zoo.

 I made a video at The Henry Doorly Zoo, Scott Aquarium-- the ocean tunnel.  This tunnel is designed to give you the impression you are walking on the ocean floor.  To view the video, click on the image below...

For more information on The Henry Doorly Zoo, follow the link:

http://www.omahazoo.com/

 For more information on "Old Market", Omaha, Nebraska...follow the link:

http://www.oldmarket.com/oldmarketcommunity.asp

 I hope you all enjoy the gentle winding down of summer.  There's still going to be plenty of hot days and seasonal activities to keep us busy...but the scent of Autumn isn't far behind.

Bright Blessings,

from

The Green Witch,
Lady Amythyst Raine

July...

The middle of summer...or so most people consider it.  This is not my month-- the sun is too strong, a bully, in my face, relentless.  It often gets "draughty" here on the Nebraska plains this time of year.  Unless I continue a rigorous watering schedule, my gardens will wilt and burn up.  Remember all those Laura Ingalls Wilder "Little House on the Prairie" books?... the draught, and grasshoppers, and oppressive heat, and Ma sweating away in the kitchen over a wood fire.  That's kind of how I feel.  I embrace my air-conditioner, it is my best friend in July.

Magickal Shops 

 (To enter our Magickal Shops, click on the image above.)

 The biggest change here at The Witch's Corner is our Magickal Shops, which I have completely overhauled.  I still will be adding new items for quite some time.  Isabella has ceramics and more pieces of jewelry ready to go up.  So be sure to check in periodically.

I finally have some of Isabella's ceramics up and marked for sale.  There are several pieces offered and there is more that will be added.

This is my favorite piece.  I personally consider it Isabella's pagan version of "The Praying Hands".

The new item for this month is "Fairy Dust Pendents".  I've made several in several different style vials. 

By the way, Isabella-- our lovely tattoo artist, has ordered and received her tattooing equipment, which was quite exciting.  She also got her license this month.  I know that I will be able to keep her busy for a while.  :)

You can find Isabella at:

Viking Tattoo
2440 South 120th Street
Omaha, Nebraska  68144

(402)  334-2778

visit Viking Tattoo online:

vikingtattoos.tripod.com

 I'm now offering magickal oils amongst our wytchy wares, and I will be adding new oils to this list, so be sure to take a peek every once in a while...

health/healing oil
exorcism/purification oil
mars astrological oil
witches oil
psychic oil
sex oil
prosperity oil
summoning powder
black cat oil

I'm also creating new spell candles for love, sex, money, healing, communication, and candles to enhance and awaken your psychism.

There's nothing as easy and satisfying as candle magick.  It's a perfect place to start for those just beginning to practice The Craft.

 

Magickal Protection

I receive a surprising amount of letters asking for ways to protect oneself-- magickally.  People seem to be just as afraid of those invisible, yet persistent, entities and energies as they are of the mundane dangers in life.  People also want to know how to protect themselves from negative energies tossed at them by other people, both negative thoughts and the more deliberate hexes and curses.

Here are few tips-- some of my own, as well as techniques picked up from other sources...

 

 

Mirrors

On our property, at the the four compass points, we have buried mirrors, facing outward-- this is an old, old custom to "reflect" all negativity tossed your way-- both intentional and unintentional negative energy/thoughts and deliberate hexes and curses.  When we dug the holes for the mirrors, I tossed in some rosemary, sage, garlic, and sea salt.  These herbs clear, cleanse, exorcise, and repel.

Those who wish us bad thoughts or deliberately try to use black magick against us will have their own negativity thrown back upon themselves, often with devastating and unexpected results.

 

 

 The following is a spell to create a 'Witch's Bottle'.  These magickal charms can be created for many purposes, but this particular one is made to reverse any negative spells cast against you and to protect you from those who may wish you harm:

 

1.  Fill a bottle or jar with sharp items:  nails, needles, pins, broken glass, etc.

2.  Cover it with your urine.  You may also add menstrual blood.

3.  Seal it shut tightly.  (You may want to create a red wax seal as well.)

4.  Bury this bottle deep in the earth and leave it undisturbed.

 

Protection Bath:  Basil

This spell repels malevolent magic targeted toward you, repairs a damaged aura, and helps erect a personal protective shield.

1.  Make a strong infusion by pouring boiling water over fresh basil leaves.  Once it cools, strain the leaves out and discard.

2.  Bring the bowl of basil-infused water to the bath or shower.  Stand naked in the tub or shower.  Dip a clean white cloth (a handkerchief or hand towel) into the infusion and, wiping downwards and out, cleanse your body.

3.  Repeat daily for nine days.  After the final bath, throw any remaining water (and make sure there is some!) out the front door with an aggressive motion.

4.  If this isn't possible, toss the liquid into a pot filled with Earth.  Remove it from your home and dispose of it immediately, perferably at a crossroads.

 

 

Protection Spell Conjure Bag

(A mojo hand to protect a child from harm, this conjure bag is a spell in progress.)

1.  Place an angelica root together with chamomile and flax seed in a charm bag.

2.  Add a coin minted in the child's birth year, together with a small piece of silver.  Traditionally the child's initials are scratched into the metal.  An initial bead or a charm with the child's name engraved upon it may be substituted.

3.  Collect any baby teeth and add them to the bag.  It's not necessary to have every single baby tooth; even one is sufficient.

4.  Keep this charm bag in a safe place until the child is old enough to inherit it.

 

 

 

I hope the above spells are of some help.  They hardly scratch the tip of the iceberg; there are oodles of protection spells out there for about any circumstance you can think of.  If anyone needs more assitance or a more precise form of protection, contact me.

 

 

 Tarot Card of the Month

 

10/Wands

 
This is a card of heavy burdens, a big load of responsibility and hardwork.

For some who are reading this, this will not be a carefree month of lazy summer days.  People depend on you and there are important tasks to be accomplished-- work to be done, responsibilities that need to be shouldered.

Know that you're being watched as you work, your performance being evaluated.  With this point in mind-- do your very best.

 

 

I hope you all continue to enjoy this summer because it's heat and long lazy days are a link--  both to those summers of the past and all the memories they hold, and to the future and all the new memories these long hot days will create...

 

Me and my Dawg'

summer 1959

 Time of the Summer Solstice!

This is the time of year when fairies are near, frolicking among the blossoms and bushes and plants of our gardens, hovering around the birds' nests, lingering near streams and wild places-- those ethereal creatures based in myth and touching in reality, with stories abounding in cultures all over the world... the "little people", the fae, the creatures of legend.

At the Summer Solstice, during the witching hour, it is said that this is your greatest opportunity to actually see these elusive mythic creatures...

Pagan Lore

Summer Solstice marks the longest day of the year and is an important festival occasion in Wicca/Witchcraft.  In northern European lore, the summer solstice marks the battle between the Oak King and Holly King, figures representing the waxing and waning forces of Nature.  On the day of the Summer Solstice the Holly king defeats his brother, the Oak King.  Even though this is the longest day of the year, the days begin to grow shorter from this time forward.

In southern Europe, ritual battles were enacted by groups such as the Benandanti.  Fennel and sorghum stalks were used as symbols of light and darkness in a battle over the fertility of crops and herds.  In Italian Witchcraft the summer solstice is the celebration of the anticipation of plenty, the bounty of Nature and the coming of the harvest season.

In many modern, Celtic-based Traditions of Wicca/Witchcraft the Summer Solstice festival is called Litha.  The word “litha” may be derived from the Anglo-Saxon word Lida, which means “moon”.  Some commentators have suggested that aerra lida corresponded to the month of June in the Anglo-Saxon calendar, while aefterra lida corresponded to July.  Some modern Celtic oriented Wiccans believe that litha was actually the ancient name of the Summer Solstice, although there is no historical evidence to confirm this.  In the popular fictional work titled:  “The Return of the King”, by J. R. R. Tolkien, the author uses the word Lithe to denote Midsummer’s Day.  In modern Wicca the use of the word Litha as the name for the Summer Solstice first publicly appears in the late 1970s in such works as “The Spiral Dance” by Starhawk.

 

 Celtic Women:  "Fairies"

 

 

Fantasy Fairy Photography

 

 

 

 

Pandora's Box

 Isabella has added more of her beautiful jewelry to her shop.  This is an  "upclose"  look at her handiwork.  To visit Pandora's Box, click on the image...

 

 Tiger Eye/Stone Necklace

 The stone pendent on this necklace was picked up by Isabella while she was hiking in the Rocky Mountains.  There is also genuine tiger eye beads in this creation.

 

 

 

These are pictures I took in mid-May, while in the midst of getting the gardens set up for this year...

 

 

You've heard of the "parking lot fairy", that mythical creature that helps you find a decent parking spot?  Well, this is the "golf ball fairy"-- she helps you find your lost golf balls.  ;)

 

Put a silver coin in the large flower petal this fairy holds and she'll grant you a wish.

 

 

This frog is standing at the west gate of the garden.  As those of you who practice The Craft know, it is the gate of water...he holds a rain gauge to measure the bounty from the sky.

 

 

This year my gnome is guarding the north entrance of my garden, the north gate-- the gate of earth.    Place a silver coin beneath the gnome to insure that you will always have enough money to cover life's necessities.  It's not about greed and gluttony and getting rich-- it never is.  It's about always having food on your table, a roof over your head, and clothes on your back.

 

 

 

Tarot Card for June

 

Knight of Cups

 

This card flipped out of the deck as I was shuffling it-- which is always an indication...something is trying to tell you something; a message of some kind-- however important or trivial-- is trying to come through.  And what a fitting card this is for June-- the month most popular for weddings!

The Knight of Cups is the card of relationships, suitors, lovers.  It can also refer to the proverbial "knight in shining armor"-- as long as he presents himself to you upright, and this knight-- this time-- was indeed heads up.

This card also brought another message with it, one that goes a bit beyond the surface of the general meanings for this Knight:

 It told me that many of us are so busy straining our necks to see what lay ahead of us-- always looking to the future-- that we don't feel the warmth of the light shining on our backs.  We are not aware of what's right next to us...Enjoy what you have now, in the present.

 

 

 The Goddess Grove

The Goddess Grove has undergone a complete facelift.  It is still reserved as an online Pagan Circle for women only, and it is a path to the Goddess...this it shall always be.

 Although men are not added to the friends list nor allowed to post public comments on the blogs-- that does not mean that they can't "lurk"...they can stand in the shadows and quietly take in the world of the feminine.  Maybe it will lead to a new understanding and appreciation.


Click on the image below to enter the sacred grove:

 

  

 

There are many things that we look forward to this summer:  a grandchild's first birthday; flourishing gardens, tended and nurtured so carefully through the chilly spring; warm days that call us to be outside, blankets spread on the ground beneath the apple trees; picnics; the quiet hum of fans in a darkened house; watermelon sliced in juicy pink irresistable wedges; bottles of sunscreen kept in the hall closet; evenings spent beneath the silver light of the moon while we listen to the song of crickets...

 I hope you all enjoy this June...it is a gift.

 Blessings,
Lady Amythyst Raine

Greetings, everyone!

 The past couple of weeks I must have been bitten by the Spring Bug, because I got in a real hurry to work in my garden, planting flowers and herbs.  The consequences are that I've had to go out several evenings and cover all these poor little plants up because of near freezing temperatures...I shall never learn.

But things are surviving in spite of my rush-- if not quite flourishing yet.

Spells

 
The spells at The Grove are going to honor May and Beltane by embracing Romance, Love, Passion, and Marriage-- all good things!  You will find the following oils:

Romance Magnet Oil

Lovers Oil

Marriage Oil

Tarot Card of the Month 

5 of Swords (Reversed)

Are those disagreements and rifts between friends and family really worth it?  Maybe it's time to let it go, read on...

The Book Nook

 I'm so excited this month to bring you Dorothy Morrison's new book:

"Utterly Wicked:  Curses, Hexes, and Other Unsavory Notions"

Read the book review to see what all the fuss is about and follow the url provided to view/purchase your copy.

Videos

I'm very happy to add three new videos to The Goddess Grove this month, all of them created by one of our own members:

Aelwyndaeira

Hedgewitch Hollow: Episode 1-Introduction

Hedgewitch Hollow-Episode 2: Incense Holders and Censers

Hedgewitch Hollow: Episode 3-Bells and Chimes

 

 

Mother's Day...in honor of mothers and motherhood:

 I know that we all lead busy lives outside this internet world, but I would love anyone who has the time and is able to leave a favorite poem, quotation, memory, picture, etc. of what motherhood means to you, or your feelings about your own mother or a woman who has mothered you, etc.

And thank you to all the ladies who have already left beautiful artwork, photos, and sentiments!


just click Here.

It's a dark and rainy day here in Nebraska and, believe it or not, if the rain lets up, there's lillies I'm itching to transplant to another garden spot and an azalia bush to plant in the front yard-- I said I would never learn!

 

Bright Blessings to you all, Amythyst


To enter The Goddess Grove, click on the image below:

 

 

Greetings, everyone!

The coming of May brings with it Beltane, a delightful Pagan holiday that most of the world knows as "May Day"...

This was an ancient fertility festival and was connected with the Sacred Marriage between Goddess and God, Priestess and Priest, King and Queen.  The maypole was a phallic symbol, the colored ribbons representing the life-giving energy that flows forth from sacred copulation. 

It is also a good time to honor the guardian house spirits.

More Pagan Lore

 For a Beltane Ritual and more information on pagan holidays, click Here.

The Mists of Avalon:

Beltane Fire Dance

 

A Beltane Recipe

Vanilla Aphrodisiac Smoothie

       1 cup milk
       15 whole cloves
       15 cardamom pods
       2 cinnamon sticks
       1 vanilla pod, split
       1 cup vanilla frozen yogurt
       honey to taste

       Place milk, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon in a saucepan. Scrape in vanilla seeds from pod. Heat milk but do not boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool, then refrigerate until chilled. Strain milk into a blender goblet and discard spices. Add frozen yogurt and honey to taste. Blend until smooth and frothy.
Delicious!

 My readers who practice The Craft will recognize the spices used as those which will inspire love, lust, and passion!

 

 

 "Our House"

I've added a new subject box on the Ghost/Ghost hunting page that highlights the paranormal activities that my family have experienced in this house of ours.
 

We live in a house that has always been very active with ghostly paranormal activity.  So much so, that I began recording some of these events, and now I’m sharing them with you...

 

 

 To read about our experiences and for more information on haunted cemeteries, poltergiests, the Bell Witch, TAPS, and more...

click Here.

 

 I'm a member and one of the administrators of a lovely site called:

"Blessed-Be-UK Network"

It's a wonderful place for pagans of all paths...To enter this site, click on the image below:

 

 

 

I'm also a member of:

"The Psychic Lair"

(Quote) "This Network was created for people with interest in Occultism, Parapsychology, and Spirituality.  On this site you will find professional psychic readers, tarot, runes, reiki & spiritual healing, paranormal topics, mediums, pagans, and witchcraft et cetera.

The Psychic Lair can offer information on diverse topics.
Share your knowledge or learn to embrace different aspects and perspectives as a community. There are no limitations to what this site can provide.  Do not hesitate to start discussions on any subject, join the Psychic Lair chatroom, upload images or create groups. Everyone has something to offer." (Unquote)

To enter The Psychic Lair, click on the image below:

 

 

I'd like to introduce you to my very dear and talented friend:

Tink

 


Click on the image above and prepare to be bewitched and beguiled by her creations and artistry.

 

 

Tarot Card of the Month:

 

 7/Wands (R)

Differences will be resolved this month.  Those who are seeking confrontations, who are deliberately causing problems or "spoiling for a fight", will be silenced.

Their arguments will be shown for the punitive opinions that they are.  If you have any enemies-- this month their true colors will be revealed to all.

 

To receive a tarot reading from Lady Amythyst,

click  Here.

 

 

 

"Temple of Diana"

The Temple of Diana is a feminist organization of Dianic Wicca dedicated to the celebration of women's magick and mysteries.

(Quote) "Temple of Diana was created to help heal, empower, and celebrate women by offering personal and public community rituals, classes and workshops in the tradition of Dianic Wicca. Temple of Diana's spiritual tradition is a Goddess and woman-centered, earth-based, feminist denomination of the Wiccan religion. Dianic tradition is a vibrantly creative and evolving Women's Mystery tradition, inclusive of all women." (Unquote)

To enter the Temple of Diana, click on the image above. 

 

 

 

 A new page has been added to The Witch's Corner:

Chakras

click  Here.

There you will also find a link to Ambika Wauter's site:

"The Institute of Life Energy Medicine"

 

 

 

 

I've started a new subject box on the Journal page titled:

 

Dreamscapes

click  Here.

 

 This box will contain entries from my personal dream journal.  It will be, as everyone's dreams are, a look inside my subconscious-- that inner part of yourself that makes its presence known in the dark recesses of your mind.

 

 

Magickal Shops

click  Here.

My daughter Isabella has many more pieces of handcrafted jewelry ready to be put up at "Pandora's Box".  I'll try to get those up and available to you as soon as possible.

At "The Attic" you'll find "big little books" dated from the 1930s and 1940s:

 

 

 

Astrology

Taurus

The Bull
April 21 to May 21

Traditional
Taurus Traits

Patient and reliable
Warmhearted and loving
Persistent and determined
Placid and security loving

On the dark side....

Jealous and possessive
Resentful and inflexible
Self-indulgent and greedy

 

The Taurean's characteristics are solidity, practicality, extreme determination and strength of will - no one will ever drive them, but they will willingly and loyally follow a leader they trust. They are stable, balanced, conservative, good law-abiding citizens and lovers of peace, possessing all the best qualities of the bourgeoisie. As they have a sense of material values and physical possessions, respect for property and a horror of falling into debt, they will do everything in their power to maintain the security of the status quo and be somewhat hostile to change.

Mentally, they are keen-witted and practical more often than intellectual, but apt to become fixed in their opinions through their preference for following accepted and reliable patterns of experience. Their character is generally dependable, steadfast, prudent, just, firm and unshaken in the face of difficulties. Their vices arise from their virtues, going to extremes on occasion, such as sometimes being too slavish to the conventions they admire.

On rare occasions a Taurean may be obstinately and exasperatingly self-righteous, unoriginal, rigid, ultraconservative, argumentative, querulous bores, stuck in a self-centered rut. They may develop a brooding resentment through nursing a series of injuries received and, whether their characters are positive or negative, they need someone to stroke their egos with a frequent, "Well Done!" Most Taureans are not this extreme though.

They are faithful and generous friends with a great capacity for affection, but rarely make friends with anyone outside their social rank, to which they are ordinarily excessively faithful. In the main, they are gentle, even tempered, good natured, and modest and slow to anger, disliking quarreling and avoiding ill-feeling. If they are provoked, however, they can explode into violent outbursts of ferocious anger in which they seem to lose all self-control. Equally unexpected are their occasional sallies into humor and exhibitions of fun.

Although their physical appearance may belie it, they have a strong aesthetic taste, enjoying art, for which they may have a talent, beauty (recoiling from anything sordid or ugly) and music. They may have a strong, sometimes unconventional, religious faith. Allied to their taste for all things beautiful is a love for the good things of life pleasure, comfort, luxury and good food and wine and they may have to resist the temptation to over indulgence, leading to drunkenness, gross sensuality, and covetousness.

In their work, Taureans are industrious and good craftspeople, and are not afraid of getting their hands dirty. They are reliable, practical, methodical and ambitious, within a framework of obedience to superiors. They are at their best in routine positions of trust and responsibility, where there is little need of urgency and even less risk of change, and a pension at the end. Yet they are creative and good founders of enterprises where the rewards of their productiveness come from their own work and not that of others.

To continue reading more about Taurus, click on the image below...

 

 

 

 

May is also the month to pay homage to

"Mothers"

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers...new mothers, old mothers, those women who bore no children of their own yet mothered someone else's child, for mothers who struggle to fulfill this role and mothers who harbor a natural nurturing instinct...

We wish them all a wonderful Mother's Day.

 

 

 Blessings, Lady Amythyst