Omen Day #5

First of all I must thank Briana Saussy for introducing me to the idea of Omen Days. Read the linked article for a full description. Basically the twelve days of christmas correspond to the months of the year and one should pay attention to any omens that may appear. My personal journey has yielded interesting results so far, mostly I am just jotting down notes of what sticks out most. Later I will go back and figure out what it all means. Days 3 and 4, for instance, seemed anti-climatic to my mind, but I made notes anyway, you never know what will appear useful later, a bit of twine, a scrap of cloth, you never know.Today, day 5, is completely different.

Last night before bed, I went to St. Cyprian with fy ngweddi, my prayer, that he and I could work together on my roots, sometimes. My dreams, I believe, answer that question. My lovely wife has a terrible cough that kept her up most of the night. The last time I looked at the clock was 3 something, afterwards I dreamt of Wales. Her rivers, hills, railways, and the mostly rocky coast. I have never been, but I long for the journey. I must see Glamorgan before I die, and St. Govan. I will not feel truly fulfilled until I have tea at Tu Hwnt I’r Bont Tearoom in Llanrwst. All of which are plenty to dream about in and of themselves, but my dream was not of these places, it was about people.

The people in my dream were speaking Cymraeg, and I understood them. Not theirs words so much but the message was clear and I understood them. Still trying to suss out who the people were exactly, whether they were amalgams from my studied histories, or actual ancestors. I may never know, but the message from St Cyprian seems clear enough. In addition to my Cymru ancestry, I have always been fascinated with the number five.

Everything works in fives for me, took me a while to figure that out, three works for most, but not me. Well in a pinch, I can make three elements come together, but usually only if the situation is urgent. For long term workings and persuasions, five works best. My fascination with five may stem from being born in May, or that my most vivid childhood memory is my fifth birthday. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps, whatever spurred it, it has always been. I am not surprised that Omen Day #5 would yield delicious fruit, perhaps a pilgrimage to Wales is in my future. Maybe I will discover the name of a forgotten ancestor who dabbled in the arts. 

The next year seems to be full of promise, but caution is the greater part of valor. I feel the coming year to be a Year of Knives, useful indispensable tools that must be handled properly. There is potency and promise, tempered with caution and experience. I can see many poised on the brink of personal greatness, now is the time. We must cut away the unnecessary, prune for greater results sever the ties that bind, and carve out our place. A Year of Knives.

Rambling Thoughts from a Rambling Man

"Lord, I was born a ramblin' man
Tryin' to make a livin' and doin' the best I can
And when it's time for leavin', I hope you'll understand
That I was born a ramblin' man"- The Allman Brothers

Standing at the crossroads is always an anxiety inducing experience. Choosing a path always means sacrificing another, and yet no growth happens without it. Once again I have come to a place where I must pack my bags and move on. It's always sad leaving the familiar behind and moving into uncertainty, yet this is evolution at its core. So once again it is time for leaving.

This last year has been one of incredible growth and maturation for me. Honestly feel as if this is the first time since I was a child that I have had so much optimism about the future and my place in it. That being said, it has been a hard year, Death came too often, loss and faith became my zeitgeist, the world of patriarchy is in total disarray and it is NOT going down alone, uncertainty is the new average. Despite the unrelenting horror of the consensus reality, I have found my inner light and dared to begin showing it to the world, and I have received Philosophers Gold in return. This year I have found a renewed relationship with familiar spirits, met many other wonderful lights shining forth, and discovered the indwelling magic that I have always had.

There are far too many people to thank them all but a few notables stand out and I feel I should mention them individually. First of all, my wife, Shining Star of Love, Misty Dawn, I couldn't make it without you, but this year you gave me the gift of possibility, I am forever in your debt. Secondly, my Brother Jeff, you are the only other one who was "there, way-back when", I Love You beyond words. Aidan Wachter, I feel as if you are a long lost soul brother, More often than I can count your words struck a chord, I wholeheartedly look forward to our continued acquaintance. Flint Fancy, my Soul Sister, we far too close to see each other so rarely, but I treasure every moment. Recently I have met other wonderful people doing amazing things, to all the new members of Black Moon Lodge, Prosit! Last but not least thank you, Kash Mira, your random gift restored my faith in humanity.

Down in the graveyard, I leave my tributa por Santisima Muerte, I will miss all those I lost this year. Most notably my Grandmother, my root, green muse, and giver of unconditional LOVE, the pain of your passing is negated by my love for you. Enjoy the Summerlands, mein Großmutter, your are a light in the darkness. My mentor in so many ways, Wesley Nations, you are still me teaching through your words, I feel honored to have known you. Peaceful journeys brother, you will always be part of Mi Familia, this hole is gonna hurt for awhile. Back to the Crossroads. 

Sometimes the hardest thing to give up is self defeat, in a world that tries to rob you of your light at every turn, giving up is just too damn easy. This is what the "civilized" world teaches, us to be afraid, not cautious; insecure rather than self-reliant; that we are isolated, not part of a community, this is all false.Nature herself teaches us that we are all connected. What affects part has an effect upon the whole. So here at this crossroads I leave behind Convenience Culture and the Soul Death it hides behind a veil of Stuff. Good-bye to snuff films masquerading as news, to value menus that offer sloth and gluttony, to the soul sucking that we call the Engines of Commerce. I turn my back to thee.

Now, I embark upon a different path with companions, virtual, spiritual and corporeal to share the journey. My seeds have been planted, and my roots sustain me. My greatest Love of the year aside from my Soul Twin, Misty Dawn, has been Dirt. More than a goddess, generative and nurturing like  a mother, and giving like a lover, she sustains us all. I am completely and utterly enthralled with her presence. Yes I love Dirt. Her smell, her feel, her warmth all excite something ancient within me. All of her children have also caught my attention. My brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, and cousins, live amongst more than human people; animal people, tree people, rock people, plant people, and even land spirits, are all part of Mi Familia.

My seeds are developing roots. When I remember times in the garden with my Grandmother, I recall her stories. I know now that those charming superstitions were folk magic from long ago, some of them stilled used by Hoodoos today. Folklore and fairy tales from her ancestral home, Germany. Often I wonder if when she called me a "heathen", if this wasn't passed down to remind us of our roots. How did that start and why? She told me about the myths of the "Old People", but she was a devout Methodist. Ancestral memory is a funny thing and like all seeds it grows differently depending on the medium. When an elder passes, everyone in their community keeps a different aspect of that person alive within them, in this sense we become elevated beyond what we once were. We become amplified.
I dwell in a strange cultural crossroads, inheritor of ancestral wisdom from Northern Europe, nurtured by Santeria and Hoodoo, blossoming into a personal gnosis that is as transcendent as it is pragmatic. It keeps coming back to the plants, which is what this all about, plants. Metaphorically I have been planting seeds, but literally I am preparing seed cups, gathering seeds, and planning my forest garden. It is not my first foray into gardening, but this time I have different allies and much different intention.

Hopefully by fall I will be offering a unique line of whole herb products from seeds to roots and everything in between. I assure you that if all works out you will not find many products like mine. every step of the process will be done with intention and attention. Intention to produce the most potent herbal materia magica, whether for physical, mental or spiritual wellness. I will achieve this through attention to herb lore, Kraut Kraft, astrological, and magical associations. Many of you create herbal products with these intentions, perhaps I can provide you with raw material that has been as carefully grown. Just planting a seed.

And finally I leave you with a few links to one of my favorite subjects, Santa was a Shaman:

SANTA SHROOMS

SIBERIAN SHAMAN ORIGINS OF SANTA

SHAMANIC ORIGINS OF SANTA

I'll Sell You the Shirt Off My Back

After a positive response about the art on my last post I have decided to sell T shirts with the following designs. All work Copyright 2013, Sasquatch Jones. All Shirts $20 White on Black only, Sizes S-3XL, Free Shipping.

Black Moon 23

Queen of the Crossroads

Heathen Brujo

Seeds of Possibility

Black Moon 23, Copyright 2013, Sasquatch Jones

Seeds. Genesis in a capsule. A seed contains everything to grow, bloom, and produce progeny. From humble beginnings, eh? Let it come to pass that this article will contains seeds with such power. That is my goal here to plant seeds, ideas, or memes, into as many fertile souls as I can. This is a working given to me, to set free into the world, whose full manifestation is beyond my imagination. Much in the same way as one cannot see a tree no matter how hard one stares at an acorn. But first let me tell you a story.

A Story of the Earth

Pom ov Possumbility, Copyright2014, Sasquatch Jones

I have been in the Earth. Deep into the Earth, die Unterwelt, at the roots of it all. I have been given gifts, seeds to share. Between meditations on death, Geist Arbeit, heart chakra openings, and a growing community of support, I have been blessed with a amazing gift. I present the Pomegranate of Possibility, infinitely filled with juicy kernels of wisdom, each containing a seed full of infinite possibility. From the fertile soil, which is the flesh of the Goddess herself, comes a gift from the Underworld, but be forewarned, once you eat of this fruit, you will never be the same.

I am tapping into roots. The first thing  to emerge from a seed  is the root. The roots provide sustenance to the emerging plant, that is how life begins, our roots sustain us. Working roots, whether vegetable or ancestral, always gives  sustenance to new work. I venerate the dead, as the song says, pray for the dead and the dead will pray for you. Some of them are personal, others are Elevated Ancestors, but all of them inform my work and provide me with sustenance, as all friends and allies do. As we pass through this Season of Earth, remember your roots, draw upon their strength.

Feast Upon Possibility

While tapping into my roots, I began remembering stories my Grandmother told me, and something started to stand out. When my Grandmother was a girl, most of the businesses in her hometown were owned by people who lived in her hometown. Think about it. A community supporting each other. That is what we are all seeking is it not? Most of us give far too much of our earnings to Corporations, large faceless and invested with far too much power. We have the power to change that and we are, every time you give your money to independent business people and artisans you are voting for a better world. Did I lose you?

Queen of the Crossroads, Copyright 2013, Sasquatch Jones

Consider for a moment our consumer culture as it goes through its Annual Orgy of Excess. Every dollar spent at a major retailer, gives more power to the lobbies that the owners of those companies give donations. So your dollars end up exerting influence in the true political system. When you buy from Independent Business People you subvert this system. I am not naive enough to believe that this is all it takes to save the world, but it could be the beginning of an alternative economy. You never know what will grow from a seed, but if you plant enough, you will always bear fruit. So vote for a better world by supporting superior craftsmanship, independence, and the reality you wish to manifest.

Share the Love

If you don't know where to start check out some of my favorites from around the way.

HOUSE OF ORPHEUS
LONE STAR BOTANICALS
WOLF & GOAT
NATURAL MAGICK SHOP
TVEIR HRAFNAR
THREE CATS AND A BROOM
CAULDRON CRAFT ODDITIES

Underneath the Snow a Seed Grows

Every seed is also a Snowflake. You might be planting beans or okra, but how each seed manifests will depend upon the experiences it has. No two are the same. Again I am planting seeds and waiting for manifestation. The fruits of past plantings are harvested, and being enjoyed. Others are only beginning to bear fruit. Return to the Pomegranate of Possibility as often as you need, its inspiration is infinite. Plant your seeds, and dig into your roots, good things await you.

Heathen Brujo, Copyright 2013, Sasquatch Jones

Ancestral Seas and Finding Ground

This Thanksgiving is one I will not soon forget, as it was book-ended by Death.. The day before I learned that my friend, mentor, and Green Muse, Wes Nations, a.k.a. Johnny Vagabond, had died due to complications from liver disease. Learning form my Grandmothers passing, I cried this out instead of holding it in. There is still much to process, but only time can heal, now. The harder death was to come the day after thanksgiving. Our cat, Elvira, sweet guardian of our front porch, was attacked and killed by a stray dog. Wes's passing was hard and unexpected, my cat's violent and brutal, many thanks I have been giving for this fragile gift of life. At this point in the year, after so many passings I have come to a place of acceptance with it all, after all isn't death just another Faceless God? I feel more determined than ever to continue planting my seeds.

As I have mentioned before, Santisima Muerte told me to seek out Saint Cyprian. What I did not know was his connection to the ancestral seas. Conjure Man Ali, describes it pretty well at his blog, so follow this link for more details. During this Season of Letting Go, I have come to learn much about a life less ordinary, but never in my wildest dreams have I imagined such depths as I found within myself this year. Wisdom comes at a high price sometimes, and sometimes it drips from the heavens like honey rain, sometimes it does both. This is one of those times and my Bendicion de San Cipriano has been the bridge that holds it all together. My next step is to follow the ritual at Conjure Man Ali's site, I will report what happens. 

It all comes back to the Earth, the Primal Magic that is literally right beneath your feet.This dirt that we taken for granted, this mundane miracle of the everyday, sustains all life and death upon this rock we call home. From the remains of untold ancestors, we grow new life that one day will feed and sustain future generations of life. All through the dirt, the root of all sorcery, right there on the ground, the most powerful Materia Magica of Mother, her very flesh. What has more generative power? What else contains a bit of all that has been? What else is the foundation of all that is? There's even dirt at the bottom of the ocean.There it is, I have found ground again, and with it a renewed sense of  Dirt Sorcery and Ur-Sorcery.

Just how amazing is our day to day, this that is taken for granted.The everyday, the mundane is what sustains everything we do. So many days wasted, looking for that which is at hand, the Holy Land. Santa Terra, her face can only be seen from space, but you can know her simply by lying down upon the ground. I venerate her as a lover does the object of their affection. We have ongoing relationship, and as with any lover I choose to protect and nurture her, this is what it means to be Ecosexual.

I have sailed upon the Sea of Sorrow, through the treacherous Straits of Grief, to nearly drown in the(en)Gulf(ed) of Depression, but here at last I have found ground. With Granny Vagabond, I will plant my seeds, in the most primal Magic I know, Dirt. I will Give Voice to what I know and keep the knowledge alive. As my mentor, and dear friend, Wes Nations used to say about Entheogenic Plants, the more love you give now, the more love you'll receive later.This it seems is true of all things.

Breakdowns and Breakthroughs

About a week ago I crashed. I crashed hard, as if I fell thirty feet into an empty pool. This was just a precursor, the set up before the main act. In the depths of my fall, my wife, the most amazing intuitive healer I know, simply asked, "What do you need?" Without hesitation or thought applied I responded that I needed a shaman. She handed me a cigarette of tobacco and said, "This is shaman tobacco and it will heal you, because I say so." I smoked my first tobacco in many years and felt nauseous, sick, my head was spinning so hard I had to lie down. What happened next will change my life forever.

  

I awoke from a nap and I knew what had to happen. Into the bath I placed salt, damiana, and passion flower, everything seems to work better in threes. As I soaked in the bath I heard the words, "Audiam Vocem", speak out loud, give voice. This has been a recurring piece for me, but I had never really awakened to the power that resonates from the spoken word. Now I was talking to myself and all others who were in attendance, there were definitely spirits there, mostly ancestral, and then I broke down.

A wise man once told me that one must breakdown before they can breakthrough. On this morning I learned the full import of his words, I broke. I began talking to my Grandmother and I cried in a way that I have not cried in many years. I sobbed from the bottom of my soul for my loss, my shame, and my love. She is physically gone, never to return, no more hugs, her smell gone, LOSS. I did not visit her enough as an adult, and I cannot reverse that, SHAME. She will always be with me dispensing wisdom and guiding me, LOVE. Then my head cracked wide open.

I found myself in a quiet wisdom the likes of which I have never known. At that moment I knew the stomach issues have that plagued me since I found out she was departing, disappeared. I had been holding in so much it was making me sick. A bit of tobacco given to me with love and intention, shook me into Giving Voice to my inner turmoil and facilitated healing. Healed by Poison because of intention transforming it into Soul Medicine, the essence of the Poison Path, and all shamanic traditions worldwide.

Psychedelics and I have a long history, mostly as a vision questing tool, but this was shamanic healing, something I personally have never experienced. Strange because I have helped many others over the years, now I was being healed by an act of kindness, a medicine plant with intention and the power of speaking out. The closest experience I have to explain how profound this has all been is remembering how profoundly my first psychedelic experience was. That morning after when one knows that they will never look at the world the same way ever again. Like that but with a calm warm loving knowledge of how blessed I am to be here now.

Over the next few days so many wonderful things have been revealed to me, my path opens. I have much to say about the Plants and their medicine, but first I must plant my seeds. I have much to say about Santisima Muerte and San Cipriano, but first I must plant my seeds. There is a Magical Garden that will become my life's work, but first I must plant my seeds. I have begun a major recalibration of my energy and direction, soul sustenance that is manifesting all because of seeds that I have already planted.

Whispers from the Underworld

A few days before the Feast of the Dead, Aidan Wachter, wrote this piece at his blog, Hotel Vast Horizon, about Ur-sorcery. He gives me credit for partially inspiring the post because I had been discussing Dirt Sorcery and "old line eclectics"(of which I am one), in my Facebook group, Black Moon Lodge, but I am beginning to suspect that other agents are at work here. First amongst these is the absolute randomness that lead me to Aidan in the first place, not to mention the people I met along the way. Secondly there are the whispers from below that are guiding me. Towards what I am not quite sure, but the current is strong and definitely flowing. Lastly the amount of High Weirdness and Synchronicity that I am experiencing, which is off the charts, even for this time of year, suggests an agency I have yet to experience in my life.

Background

I began my journey over 30 years ago at the tender age of 15.That was 1983, long before the "Teen Witch" craze of the nineties, hell that was even before the book Teen Witch came out. I grew up in Houston, Texas, where Santeria from South Texas, Louisiana Voodoo, and Piney Woods Hoodoo overlap. As a child I watched my mother and her friends "Draw down the moon" on the Texas coast, and helped my friend's Arbuelas prepare ofrendas and dress veladoras. I grew up hearing tales of the Man in Black that met you at the crossroads at midnight, or during an overnight cemetery vigil. So when I gave myself a mo-hawk to connect with the indigenous spirits and join the outcast culture of punk it was a double initiation for me.

I did not discover Wicca or Thelema until I was in my twenties, although my step-sister did introduce me to Uncle Al, and his Liber Al Legis, much earlier. My first forays into this "Other" were a copy of the Tibetan Book of the Dead, and a very worn copy of Pow Wows, or Long Lost Friend, that I found at my local library. Those early days were exciting, fearful and largely unproductive, but the raw feral intensity was unmatched, until recently.

Santos

I am a devotee of Santisma Muerte, and have been since I got her tattooed on my arm 13 years ago. Most of the intervening years have been spent in a magical retirement of sorts, and then depression nearly killed me. In November of 2011, on the Monday before Thanksgiving, I attempted suicide. While on the other side Santisma Muerte and the Baron both came to me; the message was simple, I was not done. During the resultant therapy I realized that I had let my spiritual life lapse, and had lost my Voice. This blog was borne out of that journey. My work had only just begun.

Santisma Muerte spoke to me. I cannot explain this in a coherent way, or in a way that those without the experience can understand. Suffice to say I literally heard her voice, and she told me seek out Saint Cyprian. I was completely unfamiliar with the Patron Saint of Necromancers, when she told me to seek him out. So I went to the source I trust with such matters, Lucky Mojo. From there I was able to tease out a ritual and make initial contact; then this years Feast of the Dead came.

I have written elsewhere about my journeys through the elements and my Grandmother's passing, so this has been an intense year for me personally. After lighting the candles on my altar, I broke down in tears remembering the gifts my Grandmother gave me, the most important one being the planting of seeds. That night I dreamed of Saint Cyprian. This is what I remember from my notes in my dream journal.

Die Unterwelt

I am alone in a wooded space. The land is alive and interactive. I feel the need to move towards the sound of a river. I find the river and decide to hike upstream. I notice two upright rocks making a triangular arch over an opening into the earth. At the cave entrance I see a figure, so I move closer. It is Saint Cyprian. He points to the cave and tells me that I must spend a year and a day in the ground. Inside I meet Mother Bear and she gives me medicine; next spring I will emerge from darkness to nurture what I have borne forth. So I will spend more time working with Earth energy, and around Beltane I will have spent my year and a day in the earth, the ground, the underworld, the root of all things.

That was my dream. This is my interpretation of that dream. I am at the roots of the tree, the underworld, where the great serpent dwells. Beneath everything is the serpent, the Great Serpent Below, the current that flows beneath all traditions. I am to spend more time tapping into that current to inform my work now and for many years to come. I asked Santisma Muerte to open roads for me and boy howdy is she opening some roads. For the first time (admit it you heard Dio's Last in Line) I feel as if my "everyday" life and my "spiritual" life are merging. 

Planting Seeds

My Grandmother occupies my earliest memories of planting seeds. Everything she taught me can be summed up in this. You plant.You nourish. You love. You pray. You nurture. You Prune. You Fertilize. You nourish. You sing. You dance. You nourish. You harvest. This is the essence of my magic at it's core, and my Methodist Grandmother taught it to me. So I will get to the roots in the underworld and spend my year and a day. I am a seed and I will burst forth as new life, to bear fruit and begin again. With my roots nourished by the primal current, that Ur-sorcery, I will grow and manifest my vision. My Vocation and my Avocation shall be as one. 

There are forces, animal spirits, mineral spirits, plant spirits, elevated ancestors, and spirits of place, they all wear many masks and manifest to each individual differently, but despite cultural costuming they all spring from the same source. Tapping into this current of Ur-sorcery, allows me to find my own individual expression of what Lao Tzu called ,"Tao" and Rob Brezsny calls "The Divine Wow". This dance of veils and masks is what we call life, and behind it all a current runs, the trick is knowing how to steer your Craft.

Communion with the Ancestor Spirits

For now I will be brief and just post some hints of more to come. The work is still in progress and I must review my notes and make them more cohesive. I promise that within the week there will be more, and the return of Open Sourcery. For now I leave you with this.

Growth Beyond Dreams

I am happy to announce that in 19 months I have had over 10,000 page views. This month saw another benchmark, with an all time high of 95 page views in a day. I have an audience in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia, this something I never anticipated. When I began my blog it was born out of a need born in therapy. I realized that I felt I had no voice and needed to Give Voice to my thoughts and feelings.The URL for my blog reinforces this; Audiam Vocem literally means to verbalize, or speak out loud, i.e. Give Voice.

In the intervening 19 months I have encountered and virtually befriended many great people. Words alone cannot express the gratitude and appreciation I have for you all and the continued support you show for me and my path. So with as much heart and LOVE as I can express in this imperfect medium, Thank You. I look to the future with renewed vigor and optimism. This is a gift I can never fully repay, I shall be forever in your debt.

Many Blessings.
Keep up the Great  Work.
By the Powers Within and Without.
Pax, Amor, Lux.
So Mote It Be.

New Medicine

I have owl medicine. That is to say, owl and I work together. She has taught me much over the years and I don't know where my work would be without her. Owl Woman is one of my patrons, she is an entry point for many different pathways. Now Owl tells me there is another and I must learn her medicine.

Mama Bear has come to me in dreams over and over again. I want to accept her medicine, but I do not know how. I cannot  go and see Bear in the wild like I did Owl. The last bears in this part of

Texas were killed off in the 1950's. our state had no regulations until 1973, and did not prohibit bear hunting until 1983. There is a glimmer of hope, bears have been spotted in the hill country west of where I live and along the Rio Grande corridor. As of yet these have been isolated incidences of young males wandering during drought, looking for new food opportunities. Still I have hope.

Apex predators are a sign of a healthy and thriving ecosystem, for most of North America historically this was the Black Bear. Bear can thrive in most biomes from mountain to forest to seashore to swamp and even desert. Versatility is always good medicine. There is much for me to learn from Bear, but I still do not know how to proceed.


So I will call upon bear and do ritual to honor her spirit. It is Mama Bear who must return, until cubs are born here there is no established population. I will fight for the right of Bear and will work with groups dedicated to her survival. Meanwhile I will use my medicine to call her back, so that she can teach me her medicine. This is how it always is with spiritual allies, we must develop relationships. 
 
Oracion de Espiritu Osos:
Mama Osa llamo a usted con amor en mi corazon y confianza en mi alma. Puedo estar al servicio de  uste dy su tipo. Duchame con las benidiciones de su medicamento. Honro tu espiritu, y doy gracias por tu existencia.Llego los Personas Osos.Benidiciones y Alabanza a ti.

Reverential Relationships and Adorations

Not Worship and Obedience

 Alliances of Mutual Aid

When I work with Plant Spirits, or befriend Animal People, or receive medicine from the Earth, there is always a reciprocal action required. Many have assumed this to be a pay for hire type of arrangement, but that's not really how it works. There are definitely spirits that work that way, and for expediency they may suffice, but just like a convenience store, you will pay more for what you actually get. Long term commitments, here as in romance, are generally the preferred and strongest path to take.  What a spirit needs will vary from individual to individual, although some of the more well known spirit spectrums, have some general items that work as introductory gifts.

Gifting is exactly what is happening here. Sometimes in the process of working together one party or the other realizes that the other is in need. When this situation arises, both parties work together to assure healing and growth, together they gain. Sometimes the need is stated upfront and to the mind of some this seems like a demand for payment, or worse an imposition. But if one only takes the time to consider the great imposition our species has placed upon the entire biosphere, a little hastiness on the part of those we have collectively driven to the brink is to be forgiven. Again one must remember perspective and adjust reality tunnels as much as possible. It is just as important to receive a gift with grace as it is to give with grace. If a spirit offers a gift accept it. When the time comes the spirit will let you know what kind of gift it requires. More often than not you will not need to ask, you will know when a gift of water is enough, and when other actions are required. If there are items and actions you are opposed to let the spirit know up front, it may test you, but do not let it test you more than once, if it tests you again, break off ties with that spirit.

Adoraciones

Adoration is not worship. Worship is not some thing I understand entirely. When I hear someone talk of worshiping gods, my animistic brain can not fathom it. Gods are forces of nature much like lightening, and just as I would not worship lightening or electricity, nor will I worship a god. I will give reverence, that is to say I will honor its spirit, just as I respect rattlesnake by heeding his warning. 

Adoration is a form of reverence, in the same way that having a celebration dinner for a colleague honors their achievements, so too does an oferenda to a spirit ally or feast in honor of a saint.Compliments paid to a friend on their birthday are similar to the spirit of adorations in honor of one's spirit allies and venerated ancestors. Every relationship should be about honor and mutual respect or it will dissolve. 

Webs of Meaning

Eventually everything links and you discover the respect you show is returned and you become part of a current much larger than you had ever imagined. Universe is alive and communicating on many different levels, but one must slow down to listen. The cactus wants to teach you something. The

hummingbird wants you to learn how to drink the nectar of life. Rattlesnake brings everything into sharp focus. Spirit dwells everywhere not just in some hoary heaven on high. The ordinary is extra-ordinary, the natural, super-natural.

Once you awaken you cannot go back to sleep, but you can slip into darkness. Walk with fierce love in your heart, beauty in your eyes, and loyalty to Earth in your bones. Remember to look up at night into the depths of space, the Great Mother, and feel awe. Discover the Hidden Wilderness in your soul and feed it daily. Give over to calling. Come dance in the wilderness.

Shadowsof the Underworld

There are times when I know with unquestionable certainty that the course of events unfolding before me are the result my hard work and endeavor. There are times where I feel as if I am one of the most privileged individuals alive just by bearing witness to the amazing things that happening at this very moment. But there are Other Times, the times when I am overwhelmed, the times when I am swept away, the times when I am laid low, the times when I succumb. 

You see I have an on again, off again love affair with the Dark Goddess. Kali, Cerridwen, Hecate, Erzulie, or Santima Muerte, it matters not what you call her, at the heart she is always the same, fierce yet loving, clinging and giving, harsh but truthful, vulgar and refined, reviled and exalted, in essence, Woman Herself. All of the fears our society has of these Goddess forms are the same fears our society has about Women. 

Enter Pomba Gira, a spirit spectrum characterized by being the personification of female beauty, sexuality and lust. I say spirit spectrum because like so many spirit allies, Pomba Gira, is more of class of spirit, most widely used in the Quimbanda and Umbanda traditions of Brazil. Admittedly, some of the imagery may be a bit loaded for someone from the Western Pagan Community, especially if that person is dealing with leaving the christian faith. Open your mind, eyes, and ears, then learn about the evolution of the imagery, and then you can put it into context. Strip away the cultural baggage and a different image of this Spirit Ally presents itself.

Pomba Gira, deserves to sit beside Kali, Cerridwen, Hecate, Erzulie, and Santima Muerte, this is reflected by the fact that like the goddesses mentioned she bears many titles. Amongst them we find examples of her darker side, Rainha do Cemitério (Queen of the

Graveyard),Pomba Gira Arrepiada (Creeped Pomba Gira), and Rosa Caveira (Rose Skull, literally). There is also evidence of her connection to witchcraft, Pomba Gira das Sete Encruzilhadas (Pomba Gira of the Seven Crossroads), Pomba Gira das Almas (Pomba Gira of the Souls), and Pomba Gira Mirongueira (Enchantress Pomba Gira). Like all liminal goddess forms and spirit allies she also goes by names that speak of her role as Primal Female Power, Rainha das Rainhas (Queen of Queens), Dama da Noite (Lady of the Night), and even simply, Praia (Beach). Too often those that do not know or understand her besmirch and defame her much like those she is the protectorate of; women, children, sex-workers and the LGBT community. Pomba Gira is the spirit to elevate us into the Twenty-First century.

So, help me cause I'm falling again, then again, let me fall. Into the sweet arms of the Goddess in her fullness, Lover and Destroyer, Womb and Tomb, Being and Unbeing, let me fall and rejoice in my good fortune. This is  one of those times, when all the other times come together and words fail to convey the feeling, but as anyone who has been there knows, my life will never be the same. So revel in the wonder, and dare to fall in love, with Everything.

Mantram and Visualization - Open Sourcery #5

 

Mantram

If you have been following along from the beginning, you should now know how to become aware of your body, relax your body, breath rhythmically, and focus your attention on your thoughts. Ideally you are doing this for 15 - 30 minutes twice a day, if not don't sweat it just keep at it. These are the exercises that will help your practice to be successful regardless of your path.Now I will introduce the next stage, Mantram. Mantram is beneficial on many levels, it helps develop concentration, lowers stress, and transform consciousness. For these reasons alone mantram would be recommended, but my reason has to do specifically with training your mind for the task of spell work. Many spells work on the principle of Raising Power, this is usually accomplished through repetition of key phrases. I will discuss this in greater detail, but first let me explain how to do mantram.

Once you have relaxed your body and mind, and are breathing in rhythm, recite a simple phrase over and over again, either audibly or silently. Try both techniques as they yield different results. It's really that simple to initiate, but takes a while to master. I recommend using a timer, mala beads, or a Witch's Ladder to aid in your recitation exercises. As for the mantram itself, there are many out there, and many people use something from the eastern traditions or if you are inclined towards Hoodoo christian prayers may work for you. Personally, I make up my own mantras and then use Google Translate to translate them into German or Cyrmu, my primary ancestral tongues. My primary mantra is "ich bin im Frieden mit allem was" which is rough German for "I am at peace with all that is." Try to find something that resonates with you and syncs rhythmically with your breath work.

 

Visualization

Visualization is absolutely one of the most fun Mind Expansion Techniques of which I know. The limits are only defined by your imagination. Let me take a moment to discuss imagination. In our modern, scientifically materialistic world is has become vogue to dismiss thoughts and dreams as "mere" imagination. In fact one could argue that there is an ongoing war against creativity and beauty that could be referred to as the Genocide of the Imagination. Despite this,scientists quite often use visualization techniques and dreams to help them figure out complex problems. Imagination is where ideas are born, and without ideas there is no advancement. If no imagined that the Earth was round our history would be very different, and if no one had dared to dream of long distance communication devices, you would not be reading this now. Never let anyone dismiss your ideas as just imagination.Ideas hold power.

Okay, enough of the diatribe, time for nuts and bolts. The who, what, where, when, and why of visualization. There are as many ways to visualize as there are people teaching visualization. The method I first learned is very similar to the "Eating a Lemon" exercise described here:

Eating a Lemon Visualization Exercise:

Imagine you are in a kitchen somewhere.

On a bench is a basket of lemons. You reach out and select a ripe yellow lemon. You feel the weight of the lemon in your hand..., you slide your fingers over the smooth waxy skin... feel the dimpled texture... You lift the lemon to your face and breathe in that lemony smell... and then you slice the lemon open. As the bright yellow flesh is exposed you see the juice run out... a lovely lemony citrus aroma fills the room. You cut a slice and put it in your mouth. You bite down on it .... the juice runs over your tongue... your mouth fills with the taste of lemon juice...

For more of these exercises go this website for Visualization Techniques. You can also try the techniques described at MindExpansionTechniques. Since I have mentioned the use of visualization in spell work and I do not currently feel like devoting my time to writing on this subject yet, let me direct to others that have; the Beautiful, the Practical, and the Technical. Once again I cannot stress enough the importance of these exercises, add them to your above exercises at least twice a week. Spell work will come later, for now, concentrate on the visualization only.

Recommended Readings

The time has come dear padwan for studies of an intellectual nature. I highly and strongly suggest that the serious student of the occult and magic study the following books, they will give you an understanding of the Magical World Perspective. The list in no particular order;

1. Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft by Raymond Buckland
2. Magick in Theory and Practice by Aleister Crowley
3. A Witches Bible: The Complete Witch's Handbook by Janet and Stewart Farrar
4. Real Magic by Isaac Bonewits
5. The Red Book by Sera J. Beaks
6. Quantum Psychology by Robert Anton Wilson
7. The Magician's Companion by Bill Whitcomb

That should be enough to get you started, there will be test next month. Seriously though, read and practice, read and practice and then read some more. A quick study of Library Sciences might prove to be helpful. Test the theories, do the exercises, write it all down and then share what works and what doesn't. This is the beginning, welcome aboard.

 

Letting Go

Most of the people I know have had to let go of something dear to them this year. Deaths, divorces, and downsizing, whether by choice, illness or just time, have claimed much happiness and left a void in their wake. It is against this backdrop that I have decided to let go, more. Time is precious and the pursuit of stuff is a poor way to spend it, I want more LIFE and less stuff.

This not just a reaction to the losses I and many others have experienced , but rather an exploration of loss and surrender. For one to surrender to the forces around them and give up control is the essence of sacrifice as initiation. The Fool, and The Hanged Man; a leap of faith, a willing sacrifice, an initiation into a different state of being. Notice that I did not say "higher" state of being, such things are greatly overrated, enlightenment is not what most Americans think enlightenment is. I am looking to change my relationship to loss, suffering, and material possession, to reawaken my knowledge of the transitory, numinous nature of existence.

In my last post I made reference to Rhyd Wildermuth's post on Alchemical Capitalism, that article and this post by John Beckett, about the Commodification of Humanity, started mental workings. Then I read Decolonizing Ourselves So We Can Help Others, and remembered Paper Mage which I also recommended in my last post,and enter an Air of Inspiration from the East. Harvest and sacrifice are the same thing. Without sacrifice there is no harvest, and without a harvest there is no sacrifice. That being said, keep in mind that the harvest will never be what you expect. Taking my raw material to the cauldron of inspiration and applying flame something distinct begins to distill.

A small amount of passion goes a long way, and from that initial idea a plan has coalesced, it is time to Let Go. I will be releasing my hold on several material items from now until the Feast of the Ancestors, October 31st. This is sacrifice, ritual, reverence, and initiation all rolled into one. I am seeking to change my relationship to stuff, to embrace Immediacy, to see impermanence as it is; more stuff. So I will be giving away, sticks, stones, roots, bones, shells and feathers. A few books, and perhaps some hand drawn art here and there, will also find Their  way into the mix. I need to lighten my load for the next phase of my work. Water flows in and water flows out, stuff is the same, I'm not wholesale against it, I just need let it flow down the stream again.

Now the fun, interactive part; a veritable Carnival of Delights. Are you brave enough to accept gifts? Dare you receive something for nothing? Is not, Receiver of Generosity, one of your holy names? Can you surrender and accept what fate deals? Did you say yes to one or more of these questions? Then I have a proposition for you. If you said yes to all these questions, seek therapy, just kidding, go take a hike, you deserve a break. Now if you are willing, Friend me on facebook, or just send me a PM with your address and the note "I'm in." Or leave me a comment here. I will contact you with three questions, and then mail you a package based on your answers. Don't worry nothing ominous, just simple things, such as, animal, vegetable, mineral, or fungal. That sort of thing. I just love that Fungi is its own kingdom, now.

Awaiting your responses and then into the realm of Earth, where I manifest that which I have called forth. Letting go is the only way to appreciate what you have. LOVE.