Handwriting the Book of Psalms as a BoS

I just came across a forum conversation on my Tapatalk site from six years ago and decided to share it here. I think it may be of interest to many of y'all. :) If you have a view to share, please do so to this post or follow the link to the forum to share it there. Blessings!

Nephthys posted:
In the Wiccan tradition, specifically Gardnerian (I believe...) there is a persistent myth of the "burning times" (which can be debunked in an afternoon with research and math) that insists that modern witches and Wiccans should hand-write their Books of Shadows "just in case". While this justification for a handwritten BoS is not as widely disseminated anymore (I can only think of a couple contemporary authors who still insist on this justification), it gave birth to a new justification in that, while writing out individual spells and rituals, you are charging the work before it is ever performed. In this way, one is basically taking normal words and phrases and turning them into words of power. This got me thinking. The Bible is, by far, the most powerful spellbook in the world. Its words are believed by billions (1/6th of the world's population is Catholic, alone) and read daily. Even those who do not believe still study it (biblical scholars, ceremonial magicians, etc.), so at any given moment all across the world, the words of the Bible are vibrating with power out into the ether. So, that being said, if one were to hand-copy the Psalms or any other part of the Bible, focusing on the uses of the individual Psalms as they are being written, and charging them with the worldwide vibrations, how powerful would that copy of the Book of Psalms become? I have begun copying them as an experiment. If nothing else, it would become an interesting curio for my own collection. But I am interested in feedback, just because. :)

My response:
I think your project sounds like a good one, definitely. They should most definitely have added personal power for you since you'll have them written in your own hand. Great project! Love the idea.
Your statement regarding the "myth of the burning times" however, I do disagree with. While the vast majority of those who were tried, imprisoned, and/or killed as witches, were in fact not, the fact that they were tried, imprisoned, and/or killed is fact. The Wiccans do not hold that those who lived through this tortuous time were all witches, but they do make the statement of "no more the burning times" because of the ignorance of those who attacked and, in essence, murdered these people.
I do not hold to the "covens" that are said to have been all over the place, visited by those from neighboring towns. This would not have happened, as travel was extremely dangerous, and going from your town to a neighboring town was not the norm. Merchants, soldiers, and thieves were about the only ones who traveled from town to town. It would be a rare thing for people of one town to know or have anything to do with those in a neighboring town, which most likely would be at least 10-20 miles away. The average village person would have no reason to do such traveling. Everything they would need could be found on their property or in their village or the nearby woods for hunting.
Wiccans today do not hand write their BoS "just in case". Today it is done for the same reason you want to hand write the Psalms. To bring their own power into the words that mean a great deal to them. They're words, whether copied from old Grimoires, passed down from family or coven members, or newly written by themselves, all hold the power of the Divine. It is all Divine inspired. Yes, the Psalms are very old, but so are the Kabbalah, and the Egyptian spells & writings, and the ancient Grimoires of Abremalin, Agrippa, the Books of Moses, and the Lemegeton Books to name a few, and all are extremely powerful, especially due to their age and the numbers of practitioners & clergy (up until the 14th century) that used them over those centuries. These writings were also believed, when written, to be "charging the word before it is ever performed". The writers may have had specific rites in mind, but then again maybe not. But the Divine power that was inspiring them to write those words is no less than the Divine power that inspires Witches to write their spells & rituals.
Through personal experience, I have worked with many deities, as well as the Divine One Itself. What I found was that the ancient deities who are not called upon as much any more, are very excited to be called upon again. Almost to the point of over-excitement. Like answering the door to find someone standing there that you haven't seen in a very long time, and honestly never expected to see again. That thrill of excitement & joy that is overwhelming. Once the excited greetings are out of the way, then the true visit & communion can begin.
All Gods are a part of the Divine One. Each, like the Saints & Angels of the Christian faith system, have their purpose. And that purpose is to be a comfort and help to those who believe in them. Just because one does not believe in the power of the Saints does not lessen their power, because there are those who do. The same goes for the Gods & Goddesses. Just because Christians don't believe in them does not mean they do not exist, have their place in the realm of the Divine, and are not powerful & helpful and offer guidance to those who do believe in them. Just as their is a mate for every person, so there is a faith system sent by the Divine to those who wish to find & know the Divine. But each in their own way, each coming in on their own Path. There are as many Paths to the Divine as there are people. What is right for one may only be partially right for another, and completely wrong for another. None of which are wrong Paths to take to the Divine, only individual. The important thing is that we find our way to the Divine!!
Strict purists have a hard time, and usually can't grasp this concept.

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/hoodoorootworkconjure/handwriting-the-psalms-as-a-bos-t297.html

A Wonderful Find!

A Wonderful Find!

Today, I heard from a client that I haven't heard from in sometime. A very sweet woman who is in need of healing as several health issues have come up.

In trying to decide a course of action, as usual, I do a search online, as well as through my blog here on whatever the subject may be, especially as I've covered most topics at one time or another over the years. The subject was "Reiki," which is a healing method that was new to her. I've been a Reiki Master/Teacher for over 20 years now (wow, how time flies!) and feel it will most definitely be of benefit to her.

Anyway, the first blog post that came up was a 4-year old article called, Energy Focus with Fractals. It blew me away - again!

It sometimes amazes me at the amount of great information we learn and then lose. I will be implementing these fractals into my spiritual life - again - and I can't wait to see how their energies work changes in my life! The fact that this woman, and these fractals appeared now tells me that the Synchronicity Train is up and running again. :)

Blessings!

When Faith & Spirituality Change

When Faith & Spirituality Change

How often have you found yourself realizing that you haven't been as diligent in your spiritual life, and you seem to have 'lost faith' in your ability to be faith-full?

I've spent much of the last few years in this type of situation. I used to have a morning ritual, say a charm of cleansing & protection while bathing, have a greeting to my Guides each day, give thanks at each meal. But the last three to four years feel as though I've been very lax in this regard.

There have been spurts of activity, especially when I became consciously aware that I was not being as conscientious as I should be, but overall, my spiritual life has sucked. So, looking back over those years, what changed?

Four years ago, I went to work at a local newspaper and then bought that newspaper two and half years ago. I am bizzz-eeee! To say the least! But yet, I'm not. There is still 'down time' and plenty of time at home when I could still be spiritually active with rituals, spells, and works of all kinds.

There have been plans in the works to do how-to videos. But everyone does those, so why would mine be any different? They wouldn't, they'd just be done by "Granny Tackett." So what. I'm not one for needing my face out on the internet trying to prove whatever it is I know. Besides, I'm far better at writing...probably why I own a newspaper. :D

So, reviewing my spiritual life, has it really "sucked" or has it just changed; morphing with my new life-schedule?

When I bathe, I still recite my charm of cleansing & protection. So, that's good.

I greet my Guides as I watch the sun rise on the far horizon while I feed and care for our farm animals. So, that's a great one!

Everyday when I get to work the woman who works with me always makes sure we pull cards and record it in our Tarot diary on the computer. So, no faltering there.

I give thanks at every meal. So, again, no faltering there either.

Every little 'good thing' that comes my way, I always say, "Thank you" for it. I maintain an "Attitude of Gratitude".

The only thing I don't do as regularly is spell works. Reviewing the 'why' of it, I find that I do, but only as-needed. And I really haven't needed to!

My life is blessed!

I have my Guides who guide me. I have the Creator Who makes sure my needs are met. I have my Deities who remind me when I need to do more. And, I have an Attitude of Gratitude that keeps the blessings flowing toward me.

So, the next time you feel you've been in a slump, mundane or spiritual, stop and take a good long review to figure out the 'why' of it. You'll either find that you are, indeed, slumping, or that it has been so subtly consistent that you didn't realize that it is so much a part of your life that it  'just is".

For bringing this supposed slump to my attention, and helping me to realize that it wasn't actually; I want to thank my Guides, the Creator, and the Deities (i.e. La Muerte & Mother Mary, in particular, and a few who shall remain private).

I hope y'all find that you, also, aren't really in that slump and how truly blessed your life really is! :)

Even the Bible Says So: Isaiah 55:11

Even the Bible Says So: Isaiah 55:11
"So is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11

THAT, folks, is what magic(k) works are all about.

The power of the Divine within you, combined with the Divine's energy itself is absolutely unstoppable. Manifestation of your want, need and/or desire is an assured thing.

The absolute KEY though, is that when you ASK, you BELIEVE, so you can RECEIVE. You must KNOW, BELIEVE and TRUST, without ANY doubt, that this is an immutable FACT.

Because the Bible tells you so! ;)

The "Blue" Moon

The "Blue" Moon
Ok, this is a HUUUGGGE subject of contention with me. I really, really HATE misinformation. Yeah, it literally bugs the shit out of me. So I'm going to step up on my soap box for a bit, vent a little, and then let it go...(until next time. ;) )

For all of you who were all excited about the so-called "Blue Moon" the other day - DON'T BE! It's was NOT a Blue Moon!

Some idiot a few decades ago (a "hobby astronomer" - basically, a self-absorbed, know-it-all idiot) made a typographical error and now everyone believes that any month with two full moons in it is a "Blue Moon".

Well, I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but that is NOT a Blue Moon.

A Blue Moon is the THIRD full moon in a FOUR full moon season. Every full moon has a name (i.e. Corn Moon, Hunter's Moon, etc.) BUT the third full moon in a four full moon season does not, and the original term 'belewe', which means "betrayer" (because it 'betrayed' the timing in that season), was altered over time into "blue". No, NOT "blue" the color.

So, get over it folks. It's "just another full moon". In fact, it is actually the Harvest Home Feast Moon because the next day (this year) was Lughnasadh/Lammas, and the full moon closest to Lughnasadh is the Harvest Home Feast, because it is the celebration of the First Harvest of the Season. (Obviously, this is for those who celebrate the Sabbats. For those who don't, ignore this last paragraph.)


Now. THAT said, the next REAL "Blue" (belewe) Moon will be on August 18, 2016. Next year. So, you just have to wait another year to experience a REAL BLUE MOON! ;)

Summer Solstice 2016 is June 20th, which is also the first full moon of the summer season. Then, July 19th, August 18th, and September 16th, with the Autumn Equinox falling 6 days later on August 22nd.

June Full Moon Names:
Aerra Litha, Brachmanoth, Honey Moon, Lovers’ Moon, Mead Moon, Moon of Horses, Moon of Making Fat, Rose Moon, Strawberry Moon, Strong Sun Moon

July Full Moon Names:
Blessing Moon, Buck Moon, Fallow Moon, Hay Moon, Hewimanoth, Maedmonat, Meadow Moon, Moon of Blood, Moon of Claiming, Thunder Moon, Wort Moon

August Full Moon Names (in a 3-Full Moon Season):
Barley Moon, Corn Moon, Dispute Moon, Harvest Moon, Moon When Cherries Turn Black, Weodmonath

September Full Names:
Haligmonath, Harvest Moon, Moon When Deer Paw the Earth, Singing Moon, Sturgeon Moon, Wine Moon, Witumanoth

But...because there are 4 full moons that season, this throws off the August full moon names and makes it the "belewe" (blue) moon. The correct names for a "Blue Moon" are: Ancestor Moon, Blue Moon, Hunter’s Moon, Hunting Moon, Moon of the Dead.

And the energies to be called upon during this time are: Communion with the dead, Liberation, Memory, Negative thoughts & emotions released.

Now, NEXT month, September 27th is the full moon AND a lunar eclipse, which is an excellent time to do works for: Change, Full cycle, Harmony, Turning point in life, Union. You can do an entire 29 Day Lunar Cycle's worth of magic during the short time encompassed by the eclipse.

And for a quick FYI: A "Black Moon" is when there are four NEW Moons in a season. These are great for: Banishing, Beginnings, Binding, Exorcisms, Hexing, Negative magic, Revenge, Vengeance. It is an extremely powerful time for any magick workings, but especially any with a negative intent.

Stepping off soap box now!  

Blessings y'all! 

Names on Petition Papers

Names on Petition Papers
I was asked this and decided that it warranted a full post on the subject.

When writing a Petition Paper with a person's name on it, which name do you use? Their given name or the name they use everyday?

We'll use my name as an example.

My given name was "Vicki". But they misspelled it on the birth certificate. It was supposed to be spelled "Vikki". Trust me when I say, this had a definitive impact on my entire life, especially as a kid.

Nicknames for given names are sometimes inappropriate and the full formal name should be the given name and the shortened version of that name should be their nickname, used by family and friends. The formal name is always used for legal purposes anyway.

When I was older and it was an appropriate time, I changed my name to the formal form of Vikki, but I chose the Russian ancestral version of it, "Viktorija" (pronounced the same as "Victoria"). When I got it changed legally, everything in my life changed for the better. And it has continued to do so since - 17 years now.

So, if you're doing a work that requires a Petition Paper, I suggest that for personal works (love, money, job, health, etc.), the paper have the person's personal name on it. In my instance that would be "Vikki".

But when doing a legal work (law, attorney's, courts, legal documents, etc.), then use the person's given name. Again, using me as the example, that would be "Viktorija".

I now there are many who would dispute this concept, and that's fine. This is what I do and what works for me. A simple test work will determine which is best for you.

Just something new to consider. :)

Personal Lessons Offered

Personal Lessons Offered
I have been asked so many times over the years, most of which have been in the last few months, if I offered personal lessons. The answer is "yes", but it's difficult to set a particular time frame for them as I have a part time job at the local newspaper, I'm a board member of our new local farmers' market, and I make crafts to sell at the farmers' market on Saturdays.

But, I think it's time to set the time to offer these lessons. So, I am putting it out there to all y'all to ask several questions:

1) What day(s) work for you? (for me: Tuesday evenings, all day Wednesdays and Sundays)
2) What in particular do you want to learn? (be specific)
3) How long do you want each lesson to last? (i.e. would an hour be good or "as long as it takes"?)
4) Do you want physical materials (emailed lessons/information) as well or would your own notes be enough?
4) Give me YOUR ideas...

My fee is $25/hour with a 1 hour minimum. The lessons would be done via Skype and could be done individually or in conference with more than one student.

Please let me know what y'all think. I really do want to do this, so please email me:

grannytackett@yahoo.com or hoodoohillrootworksupply@gmail.com or via Facebook.

ChronosXP Planetary Hours Software ~ A MUST-HAVE!!!

ChronosXP Planetary Hours Software ~ A MUST-HAVE!!!
I was just introduced to this FREE software and it is GREAT!

My books and the Lesson: Seals, Sigils & Bindrunes have Planetary Hours charts and are good references, but the software you can download from this site is far better!

Once you have it downloaded and on your computer you can then open the program to put in the latitude & longitude of your city/town, what time zone you're in, set up what you'd like to have displayed, sounds (or not) when each hour changes, etc. You can even have the icon-of-the-hour on your desktop in a choice of colors & designs. :D

Now there's no more "guessing" as to the exact hour you are in, or the hour you need to do a ritual or plant your seeds or transplants (for those you plant by the lunar phases & zodiac hours like me.)

Here is the window that opens when you click the icon on your desktop:



The bottom left section (in blue) is where you will find all you need for using the program. The "Change Settings" is where you will set everything you need, which will change everything on the bottom of the window, except the last section with the city on it - this is not useful at all as it is too location-specific. By changing the latitude & longitude settings you will then have all the correct information along the bottom - and just ignore the city-specific drop-down box, unless you happen to live in or very near one of those cities. I do not, so it is of no use to me. But by putting in the latitude & longitude of my town in the "Change Settings" box, I now have everything exact...and I LOVE IT!

To find your latitude & longitude you can search online. I just use the City-Data website and put in my city, then Control "F", then type in "latitude" or "longitude", hit "Enter" and it scrolls to that word. Note that when inputting the numbers they will read (using mine as an example) Latitude: 39.35 N, Longitude: 100.44 W. To input in the software, you will enter the first number (latitude) 39 in the "hours" box and the 35 into the "minutes" box, and the same for the longitude number. There are then buttons to choose Latitude N or S or Longitude E or W. It's really very simple to figure out...and will make knowing & using the Planetary Hours sooooo much easier & faster!

Enjoy!

ChronosXP website download page.

Workshops for 2015

Workshops for 2015
I've updated the schedule for the Workshops for 2015 on the Workshops page.

As I have taken a part time position at the local newspaper, I have altered the 5-Day Workshop down to 3 days. No material has been deleted or reduced, the hours of class have been extended to help make up for the extra presentation materials.

2015 Tentative Dates are:
2-Day Workshops ~ $500
Saturday & Sunday
May 9 & 10
July 11 & 12
August 8 & 9
October 10 & 11

3-Day Workshops ~ $750
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
June 5 - 7
September 4 - 6

For both Workshops there will be a group ritual on Saturday night, outside if weather permits.

Hours for all Workshops: 9 am - 5 pm (or later, if we're having fun and don't want to stop!)

Meals will either be cooked on-site or we go into town. Snacks & beverages will be available at all times.

I hope to hear from y'all soon so we can get together and have a great time learning & sharing!

The Beauty of Family ~ and How I Became the Family Matriarch

The Beauty of Family ~ and How I Became the Family Matriarch
Last week we had our first family reunion. Sort of. :) My Dad couldn't make it because his wife wasn't well enough to travel. (I really hate the term "step-mother", it has too many negative connotations attached - and this woman is a sweet, wonderful, doll!) Anyway, my sister and nephew came in from Sacramento, CA, and my sons and grandson came in from Clearwater/St. Petersburg, FL. They arrived later in the evening on Wednesday, August 6th and left Sunday, August 10th. My oldest son's 31st birthday was on Friday, August 8th, and was the first one I'd spent with him in years! :) <3

We're a small family, which is why we need to begin to keep ourselves close(r).

I am the oldest, being 3 years older than my sister. But my sister has always been & seemed the "older" sister. Until this visit. At some point in the visit I became the matriarch of the family, something that had never even crossed my mind as a possibility - ever. Yes, I'm the oldest of the 2 of us, but I never felt like it, nor was I ever treated as such, even by our parents and grandparents. I'll admit honestly that I really wasn't the most mature person, so it was justifiably understandable.

But that all changed this past week.

We were always pushed to "go to college, get a degree, get a high-paying job, have a career, blah, blah, blah". She did what she was told and has a great job with a major national company and has been there since graduating from college 31 years ago. She's never been married, only had 2 long-term relationships, and finally had a child (who is 6 months younger than my grandson!) Me? I got a trade (one of several), got married, was a stay-at-home-Mom, divorced, self-employed, re-married, widowed, re-married, stay-at-home-wife, still self-employed, and now semi-retired. Through it all (even since I was as young as 9) I've had the feeling that we live in extraordinary times and that I will be "the one to go to" - for what, I had no idea. I'm beginning to get a clearer picture, and because of my husband and our similar views of things, we bought and are fixing this place up so everyone who comes here will be comfortable and no one will be falling all over everyone else.

When it's just me I rarely cook anything, and when it's just me & my hubby he does all the cooking. I suck at cooking for just 2 people. But give me a crowd and I shine! For example, my youngest son was born 5 days before Thanksgiving, and I still had 22 people over for Thanksgiving dinner! (That was in 1984.) There were only 7 of us last week, but I still "have it"! All meals were cooked by me, all the laundry was kept up so they wouldn't have to take dirty clothes home with them, everything was very orderly. My OCD was in high gear and proved itself very worthwhile. And my sister acknowledged it in such a way that I actually felt her "step down" and "give me the chair". I'm still trying to get used to it, which is why I'm writing about it, so that maybe I'll be able to either come to terms with it or realize that maybe I'm just imagining it. It sure doesn't feel like the latter though, that's for sure!

This is hardly a blog-worthy subject to post about, but when you've been floundering your entire life, asking the Divine to show you what the fuck you're good at, and trying to find a use for what ever that ability is, then writing about it can sometimes make the whole picture a little clearer. Hopefully. So far, not so much. LOL

Well, other than realizing that I am now head of the family, even as scattered to the ends of the country as we are. Something is coming, and I now know with certainty that my family will seek us out and we will become a single cohesive unit all in one place, instead of spread out over the country, where there is no real security. And at such time as this occurs, I will be ready to take on that responsibility. Each will have their own skills and abilities to contribute, but it will be me to which they will come for advice and other subjects of multi-family living arrangements and situations.

I'm still not clear on what other skills I have that will be needed, but at least I know my OCD isn't going to waste! LOL

So, here is my small family. We took this picture on the steps of the church building on our property.

Top step: my sister, me
2nd step: my nephew, my youngest son, my oldest son
3rd step: my grandson (my oldest's son)

The week of their visit, my Tarot Card of the Week was the 6 of Cups. VERY appropriate for the situation of family gathering, happy times, celebrations. This week I pulled the Queen of Pentacles, ALSO very appropriate considering the roll I had while they were here, and the new roll I've now taken on of Matriarch. Perfect for this Crone in her Crone years.

I do believe I will have to do another Croning Ritual for myself. This one will be a bit more specific than the first one. I'll share it once it's done. :)

So y'all go enjoy your families! Find your "place" among them. The family units aren't as strong as they used to be, and it's time to start re-building them. Because that is the only way to re-build all that has been lost in this world. Without family or some kind of family unit, we are all lost.

Blessings to you and your family! :) <3

New Blessings

New Blessings
Well, it's Spring (almost Summer) and my garden is planted (our last frost date is May 19th). Every year when I plant I worry that the Mother may not bless that work - and it is some backbreaking work for me! LOL As I plant the seeds I see Her hand touching each and blessing them to grow. I thank Her for the bounty to come and the blessing of the work of my hands. 

But every year She does bless my work and I receive the joy that comes from working the soil and planting those tiny seeds. I cannot tell you how much happiness I get out of seeing those first shoots coming up out of the ground! Especially the ones that aren't the weeds! ;D

The garden - potatoes & garlic here in the front and everything else behind.

This year I moved the garden from behind the church building (now my husband's machine shop) out into the field (formerly the horse pasture - I miss Ahri & Preacher terribly, but they're much happier in their new place with hills & a creek & woods). The soil in this space was a bit compacted due to the horse & donkey trampling it, as well as the huge bulldozer that had gone over it last year when it was clearing all the debris and old trees out. So, honestly I wasn't too sure how well I would do.

I planted potatoes and onions first (May 6th), and those came up in a heartbeat, as you can see in the picture above. I was sooo excited! They're continuing to grow beautifully too. The onions I have since moved over to companion plant with the tomatoes (which haven't yet begun to sprout), so I can mound the dirt up the potato plants as they grow, giving more room for more potatoes to grow.

Red Onions

The rest of the garden I planted on May 23rd, and yesterday, the 30th I saw Sunflower, Cucumber, Cantaloupe, Radish, and Sugar Pumpkin sprouts coming up!

Sunflowers starting to pop out! Yaaay! :)

Cucumbers

 Cantaloupe

Radishes

Sugar Pumpkin

The Mother has blessed my work! As I watered the garden I thanked Her the whole time, and I could feel Her there acknowledging my "thanks" to Her. I know I'm going to have a great garden this year. Maybe even my best yet. :)

I'm going to have fun weeding when I finally am able to get into the rows to weed. But I have to wait for the sprouts to come up first. Weeding between the rows is easy enough, but I really hate waiting so long for the planted rows. I have sworn to be diligent in my weed maintenance this year! LOL I'd mulch it completely, or put down straw, but the winds here get so ridiculous that it would all blow away, and end up being a total waste of money. So. I must "weed". :( LOL

I learned a really "short but sweet" spell to say over the seeds as they're planted, and so far I'd have to say it works! I suggest you try it as well.

One for the Sun
One for the Crow
One for the Earth
One to Grow

As I water the garden each night I also ask the Mother to continue her vigil and assistance, and to bring rain as needed. We've had a bit of a dry spell this year, so a little "extra" won't hurt! :) Last night it rained "just enough", so the vegetable garden and all of my flower beds are nicely wetted. This yard is so large, plus the garden, it takes almost an hour and a half to fully water everything! Good thing I enjoy it. LOL

So, I hope all y'all's gardens, what ever size they may be, are doing beautifully as well, and that the Mother has blessed them as She has mine.

:)

"Ask, Believe, Receive"

"Ask, Believe, Receive"
These words have become a sort of mantra for me. They're from a show I watched about 'The Secret', which has been both heralded and lauded. From personal experience, I'll believe the "heralded" terminology!

As I've said a few times here, what we want and need is always within our grasp, it's just a matter of our level of belief. Our attitude going in will determine our outcome. If we have doubts, then it won't manifest, or may not manifest as well as wanted.

I've known this fact. I've stated it many times over many years. However, for some stupid reason, I hadn't really integrated it into a knowing concept within myself. So when I saw this show it finally really hit home. I couldn't tell you much about the show itself, but I can tell you that these 3 words hit me like a ton of bricks and took it to heart when they said, to "test it". They said to find something you need or want that is way beyond your means and then give it a time frame. Then everyday to think on it and believe it to be yours.

So I put those 3 words together in a mantra-like phrase, decided what I wanted, set a date (which was about a month later), and then several times a day I envisioned it as being here, reciting the 3-word mantra each time.

Now, everything was going great, no problems whatsoever, then about 1/2 way through the time frame I let "doubt" creep in a few times. I would immediately push it out, but you know what "doubt" feels like - a little "spot" in the back of your mind that says, "HA! You're nuts! It'll never work!" This went on for about 4 days, when I suddenly, and very consciously told that "Doubt" to "FUCK OFF! I will Ask, BELIEVE, and Receive!"

From then on, no more "doubt". Then, on the due-date I had set, WE RECEIVED IT!

So, what was it that we received? What was it I wanted? What was my "test"? I wanted the money to come so my husband could open a machine shop again. And so we are now in the process of doing so.

The only thing that didn't fully work out was the amount we received. My doubt caused this. But that other number was only so we'd have "extra". Which I guess we didn't "need" anyway...it's just always nice to have "extra"! LOL

Having achieved this great goal, I am now working on finding another. I have one in mind, but I have to figure out how I want it to manifest fully first. Once that is completed, then I will begin my "Ask, Believe, Receive" mantra reciting all over again.

So, if y'all are trying to get something, but you're still allowing "Doubt" to hinder you - tell that "Doubt" to take a hike! "See" what you want as already "being", then "Ask" for it and "Believe" it to be yours, and watch for you to "Receive" it.

This is the most powerful "spell" anyone can do.......FOR THEMSELVES!

Those of us who work spells & rituals live this everyday. But even we have "doubt" in the back of our minds at times. It is that doubt which kill or nullifies or diminishes that which we're trying to work, either for ourselves or our clients. When I do works for a client I am putting my belief in my ability to work with the Divine to bring about that which the client wants or needs. But I always have the fear that the client may be working against it all, just through their own self-doubt or doubt in the ability of what ever it is they're wanting, to manifest. We can only do so much for our clients. The clients must understand that they must also do their fair share of the work; they absolutely must BELIEVE that what they want or need is theirs, without a doubt!

That's my rant for the day, but I hope y'all will believe me and take it and try it out. You'll be surprised at your own power at bringing to you that which you want or need. You really DO NOT NEED us! YOU can do it all by YOURSELF - if you only believe it! :)

Try it and see!

JuJu Dolls

JuJu Dolls
I've been making these for a while now and really enjoy it. No two are ever the same, so each has it's own personality and "feel". My first one I made for myself and was very proud of her. After the last one I made, I was looking at the pictures of all of the ones I've made, and it was very enlightening to see how far I've come in the quality of the work. I've done nothing different, but there is a definite "growth" that can be seen in the "maturity" of the dolls. If that makes sense! LOL

JuJu Dolls are made for the protection of the home and hung above the front door, so that when anyone walks in they are protected and any negative is removed, and when walking out the take that protection with them. In addition to the JuJu Doll I also always have 3 horseshoes nailed above the door; 1 upright, 1 downward facing, 1 upright. In this position the 2 outer ones are filling up with "luck" and overflowing into the downward facing one, which is pouring all that luck on those who walk under. So between the JuJu Doll and the 3 horseshoes, my home is a blessing for all who enter!

When I make the dolls I first spend time concentrating on what the doll's main purpose will be besides home protection; such as money, happy home, good health, what ever it is the client wants in particular. I make and print out any Seals, sigils, and/or bindrunes that are pertinent to the doll's purpose, then I gather the herbs and other materials together, and before beginning, I say a quiet petition spell for good workmanship, guiding of my hands by the Divine to assemble the doll in the manner that will be the most beneficial to my client's needs & wants.

The next thing is to assemble the doll's fabric pieces and stuff them with the fiberfill stuffing, which has been mixed in well with the herbs and any other natural curios that I want to put inside. After that the beads, charms, and other curios are added and once complete, another spell is placed on it to protect it until it arrives at its new home. Absolutely no one in my home touches it except me. There's only myself & my hubby anyway, but still, I make sure that no other energies but mine, which are working toward that of the client's, ever go into the doll while it's being made and packaged up for shipping. These are my favorite craft projects for the Craft that I do...well, this and my pyrography. :)

So here are some of the JuJu Dolls I've made over the years. I think y'all will also see the progression in the growth and quality in their appearances. It's not often we get to actually see our own improvement! (Glad I always take pictures!)

Measurement Conversions

Measurement Conversions
How many times have you needed to know how much the measurement of something was when doing a recipe or formula? I know this usually applies to cooking, but it can also apply to herbal combinations for teas, potions, tinctures, basically almost anything consumable that needs math to put it together in appropriate proportions.

So for those of you who need these conversions, such as increasing or reducing a recipe or formula; or converting a recipe or formula from Metric to Imperial or vice-versa, here is a handy little chart to copy, print out. and keep in your kitchen.

Willow Tree: Willow Knots, A Spell, & Correspondences

Willow Tree: Willow Knots, A Spell, & Correspondences

Willow trees are one of my favorite trees. I had planted 2 Curly Willows on our property in Kentucky and from several cuttings had planted several more. I hope the new owners will keep & protect & water them. I brought five 1 year old cuttings with us here to Kansas and all but one died. I have been babying it and if it makes it through the winter, then it will be fine. I would hate to lose it, especially as they are sooo easy to grow cuttings from, and I have plans to have several of them on this property, and several other species as well (I am missing my woods something awful!)

A natural Willow Knot

(I would love to find one of these!)

 

*** 
*I found this on a Facebook posting and love it, so I thought I'd share it with y'all. This is not mine, and the original source wasn't given for it either by the FB page I found it on.

There is an old belief among Gypsies that willow-knots (willow twigs that have naturally grown into a knot) are twined by fairy-folk, and to undo one invites bad luck.

To recover stolen goods, a Gypsy man will often tie a string around a willow-knot and say:

With this string I bind the thief ’s luck!

But if it is the love of a particular woman that he desires, he will cut the willow-knot and hold it in his mouth while, at the same time, turning his thoughts to the woman and reciting the following spoken charm:

I eat thy luck,
I drink thy luck,
Give me the luck of thine,
Then thou shall be mine.

To add even more power to the spell, the willow-knot should then be hidden in the desired woman’s bed without her knowledge of it.

~Source unknown

***
Here is a beautiful poem about an old Willow tree:

There once was a Willow, and he was very old,

And all his leaves fell off from him, and left him in the cold;

But ere the rude winter could buffet him with snow,

There grew upon his hoary head a crop of mistletoe.

All wrinkled and furrowed was this old Willow's skin,

His taper finger trembled, and his arms were very thin;

Two round eyes and hollow, that stared but did not see;

And sprawling feet that never walked, had this most ancient tree.

 

~Julianna Horatia Ewing, "The Willow Man"

 

***

Willow Correspondences:

Latin: Salix 

Aspects: Astral work, Besom making, Death, Divination, Empathy, Enchantments, Fertility, Healing, Inspiration, Love, Moon magick, Passing over rituals, Protection, Psychic energies, Spirits, Water giver, Wishes

Deities: Artemis, Belili, Belenus, Ceres, Diana, Hecate, Hera, Mercury, Moon Goddess, Persephone

Gender: Female

Planet: Moon 

Element: Water

Day: Monday

You Might Practice a Traditional Strain of Witchcraft If...

You Might Practice a Traditional Strain of Witchcraft If...
Found this on Facebook and just had to share it here with y'all! I can definitely state that 9 out of the 13 apply to me (those excluded are 6, 7, 10, & 11). How about y'all? ;)