Blessed Samhain! The Great Mother Speaks to Me!

I took this photo in the morning night sky today, date October 30, 2012.  The Blessed Mother, She speaks to me.

My last post I was down in the darkness.  There is no denying Her presence in my life this day.  She is the Light which shineth in the darkness. 

Samhain approaches.  The season of the dark and letting go.  Yet there She is, clear and bright! 

We've experienced one of the greatest storms ever to make landfall, on the east coast of the United States.  Is it any coincidence this storm occured on the Full Moon?  I think not.  She says to me, "I will not be forgotten.  I will not be disrespected.  I Will rise up and wash your shit away!".  Blessed Be Mother, Blessed Be.

I bow my head in respect and open my heart to Her joy and guidance.  I have been humbled yet strengthened.  I look to the light.  Let me stand in the Waters of peace and joy.  Let me listen, heed and learn.

As is tradition during Samhain, we scry. We use divination to touch deeper into areas of ourselves, which are hidden.  This morning using Ellen Dugan's Witches Tarot  I had one of the most profound readings I've ever experienced.  I highly recommend her deck.  Center yourself, feel the beauty of this time and perform a reading for yourself.  Use the darkness and the light of Moon to look within and see what Spirit is saying to you.

Tomorrow is Halloween proper.  I'm looking forward to the day and night.  Of course I've got my clothes ready and gifts to bear.  I'm so excited.  For once here in Denver the weather will be warm!  We won't have to bundle up over our costumes! 

To celebrate  Samhain with my community  Living Earth , we'll gather in some secret place and light the bonfire! Blessed Be the Season of the Witch, The Great Goddess and The Moon!

Priestess Najah

Doubt

The Moon was hidden from me this morning.  Only the tips of the clouds showed her light.  It was an eerie scene.

In my cards this morning I got "Temperance", one of my least favorite cards.  And then the 7 of Coins.  The reading said:

"Doubt, the temptation to give up".  "The Seven of Coins means that, although they are taking their time, rewards for your actions are on their way.  Still, you might have doubt that you made the right choices - but rest assured that you did.  Its just a matter of time before you see it.  In the meantime, you'll feel a bit of stress and could suffer from insomnia".

Shut my mouth.  My feelings summed up correctly and true, for yes, I have had great doubt in the last few days.  Magick and prayer have seemingly failed to bring out an outcome I had deeply hoped for. 
I'm being guided to be patient, even though my heart breaks for what seems to be bad outcome to a situation.  I am being asked to accept that even at this juncture, the true story has not been told.  Hard to accept when you want things to be the way you've hoped for.  The Serenity prayer and One Day A Time axiom holding true.

For the past several days I've felt that the Magick, works and prayers I have performed have not worked.  It has been a tempering of my ego, a slashing of my soul, to accept the fact that sometimes your work does not produce the desired result. Its so easy to believe in the fairytales, the Magickal texts as gospel.  Yet I know this Earth is a beautiful brutal place.  Sometimes the Princess doesn't come down from the Tower.  Sometimes she stays there and dies.  I saw that first hand on my recent tour of the Tower of London, in London, England.  Sometimes the Sorcerer gets imprisoned and scratches his legacy on a wall, for others to see hundreds of years later.  I recall how much that affected me.  I dropped sage in that Tower to let his Spirit know I was there, a fellow practitioner of the Magickal Arts, and that yes we are still carrying on.

I feel its my ethical responsibility to share Magick and Conjure and even prayer, may not bring the expected results in the timeframe one has hoped for.  Ultimately we are not in control and learning that is a brutal slap of reality.  I abhor the cold and the dark and yet it comes.  I am powerless to change it.  I can only change my attitude or where I live.  I abhor it when my loved ones are hurt and yet I can't stop the events the set those things into motion.  I feel sad when my friends are hurt or when I hear about the countless acts of violence that make innocent people suffer, yet I can do nothing to change them.  I feel anger when I read about racism and its resurgence in America and yet people are who they are and I can't change that either.

It seems I'm walking in the shadows, which is so appropriate for this time of year.  Since I am such a Summer and Flower lover, each leaf that falls brings me a bit of sadness.  I know the season of cold and dark is approaching and I also know and  have faith Spring and Summer will return once again.  I suppose this is truly what this time is about.  Its about loss and letting go and also believing, knowing,  Sunshine and Flowers will return. For those who have loved ones who have departed, ancestors on the other side, it's about knowing we will be with them again, so we set a place for them and honor their Spirits.  Its also a time for us to let go, and for me it will be about doubt, and of those things that make us sad.  We will cast these things into the fire and let the smoke rise and take them away.

Blessed Be, So Mote It Be.

Priestess Najah

A Bucket, A Mop and A Broom

In the early hours of the dark of the morning, I move silently through my home.  I wash the floors, smoke the space and carry a candle.  I'm performing my house cleansing, an act I repeat on a regular basis.

I was taught this procedure by the one of the best, cat yronwode.  Several years ago I studied with her and completed her Hoodoo and Rootwork correspondence course.  It changed my life and was one of the best studies I have ever undertaken.

Cleansing my home on a regular basis takes me into all the nooks, crannies and spaces that one may not ever touch.  In our busy lives its hard to slow down and wash down your floors, windows and rooms.  Who has that type of time any more?  Yet each cycle I find myself drawn to the ritual even though physically I may not feel up to it.  But Spiritually it has become such an ingrained act, that I awaken and go through process, called to it from a Higher Place.

Its good to routinely cleanse your home, space, office or business on a regular basis.  Things build up.  Arguments happen, funk gathers, people may be in your space that you don't particularly want to return.  Over time this can have a cumlative negative effect on the Spiritual sanctity of your space.  And to add further to it, if you practice Magick, you definitely want to be cleansing your space on a regular basis.

When I arise in the dark, lit only by candle, moving by stealth through my home, I connect to the Old Ways.  A spirit arises in my soul that lifts me to another world and I love the feeling.  Not to mention how wonderful my home smells and feels when the cleansing is done.  When its complete I can rest assured for another cycle, my home is cleansed, blessed and protected.

With all the muck that we go through in our world, a practice of routine cleansing is essential.

Here's to all your works and may they be successful ones.

Priestess Najah

The Goddess Minerva Revealed - Bath, England

On our recent trip to London, England we took a day trip to Bath, England.  We rode the rail from Paddington Station in London, to the train stop of Bath Spa.  It was a wonderful hour and one half ride through the English countryside and a nice respite from the maddening pace of London.

While in Bath, we toured the Roman Baths where the Goddess Minerva revealed herself to us.  We tingled with awe as we toured the baths that were built by the Romans in honor to the Goddess Minerva.  It is beyond words to see and touch stones that were placed 2000 years ago.  

http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/

"Bronze, gilded head of the goddess Sulis Minerva whom the Romans worshipped in Aquae Sulis (Bath).

The head is slightly larger than life size. It would once have had a separate helmet attached to it. The head was cast in bronze and then gilded with layers of gold leaf. It looks as if it were chopped off the body.

Minerva was the goddess of wisdom and military success. When the Romans came to Bath they found the native Celts worshipped a god of the spring who had similar powers. They combined the two into Sulis Minerva who could then be worshipped by both Celt and Roman at the Spring.

It is thought the head comes from the statue that stood in the Temple of Sulis Minerva. It was probably broken off when the Temple was ransacked perhaps by Christians in the sixth century.
It was found by chance in 1727, by workmen in a trench in Stall Street, Bath near to the site of the Temple."
Source http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/explore/Object_Details.aspx?objectID=batrm_1978_1

My spirit shivered as I saw the stone where the Romans entered the Temple to worship the Goddess Minerva.  The stone was worn down to a smooth curve from the thousands of footsteps that crossed it. I imagined myself living in those days, going to honor The Goddess. How wonderful it must have been to live in a society where The Goddess was openly honored, revered and respected.  With my love of hot water, spas and baths, I easily imagined myself living in Bath, England during Roman times, working and living in the Temple of The Goddess Minerva.  I see myself quietly stealing along the hallways carrying jars of sacred water to the Temple. 

The Goddess Minerva is honored for many things.

"As a goddess of wisdom she is often depicted as an owl. Among other symbols related to Minerva are a house (the first goddess who built a house), a spire and helmet (as a goddess of war for a good purpose), an olive tree (a symbol of peace and victory), a butterfly (a symbol of life and happiness and prosperity) and others.

The cult of the goddess Minerva has existed since antiquity to the present day. Creative modern worshippers have suggested various ways to honour her in one’s social or private life, adapting to personal taste, needs and understanding. Such acts of devotion to the goddess may include: support to students; encouraging young people to pursue education and to respect their teachers; offering your expertise in teaching the others the skills you possess; using your knowledge to make the world a better place, etc."  Source http://www.minerva.bg/en/company/goddess_minerva.html

I was able to purchase a hand carved small bust of the Goddess Minerva.  While in the gift shop there was also a placque (recreation) of a stone plate of the Triple Goddess.  The image had been found during the excavation of the Temple.  In addition while touring the Roman Baths we also viewed a stone tablet of the Goddess Luna.

I honor and bless the element of Water.  Now I have added the Goddess Minerva to my pantheon of Goddesses.  The Goddess Luna is with me each night as the bright Moon. 

Blessed Be The Goddess!

Priestess Najah

Wonderful, Magickal, London, England

I've returned from my trip to London, England. 

Short and sweet, I loved it!  London met and exceeded my expectations.  We did so much and saw so many things that's it hard to blog about it.  I'm still overwhelmed by my experience.  One of my favorite things was my reading of "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens, while we were in London.  Oh my heart.  I cried, I became angry and then I cried some more.  One of the highlights of our trip, was finding "The Grapes Pub" where Dickens danced on tables as a boy and is now owned by Sir Ian McKellan, "Gandalf" of The Lord of Rings Trilogy!

Notice the photos of Charles Dickens on the wall to the left, and the statue of "Gandalf" behind me!

Another great moment was visiting three of the top Occult Bookstores in London.  We visited "Treadwells", "Watkins" and "The Atlantis Bookstore". I returned with truly a prized possession from Treadwells, which is Doreen Valiente's "Where Witch Craft Lives".  This is a unique publication.  Only a limited amount of copies were published, and now one of them belongs to me!

I'm still processing and integrating all I saw and experienced.  I am excited to see where and how the Goddess leads me after my visit to London.  It truly was a magickal experience and I'm very grateful I was able to share with my husband, and that we both had an experience that was beyond words. 

Bright Blessings to All,

Priestess Najah

A Halloweening We Go!

This is Bob.  He's our resident ghoul:

He's absolutely ecstatic it's Halloween time!  He loves hanging out and greeting everyone and wishing them happy hauntings!

I love Halloween. 

When the wind blows and the leaves rustle, I feel whispers nudging me.  The light is changing, the dark is darker.  Shadows seem to move.  Trees seem to wave secrets.  The twilight calls. 

This year on Halloween proper, I intend to light a fire and sit.  Chill out by the fire with a nice glass of mead and listen to the night.  Hopefully we'll get some kids stopping for candy.  I always get a little nostalgic for Halloween as it was, when I was a kid.  Before the time when you had to take your kids to a "trick or treat street" or a specific place for trick or treating.  We just used to dress up and set out!  We had such a great time going from door to door, the neighborhood just crawling kids trick or treating.  It was a special time and I'm glad I was a kid before it changed.

We're lucky to live in an established neighborhood with neighbors that know us and bring their kids by.  I get such a thrill when the door bell rings and there are little monsters and goblins on my steps!

I've already watched one of my favorite movies, "Practical Magic".  By the time Halloween rolls around I'll have watched "Poltergeist" the first one, "Hocus Pocus" and of course "The Nightmare Before Christmas.  I'm also looking forward to attending one of the great Witches' Balls in the city.

A Happy Halloweening we go!

Priestess Najah :)