March Full Moon - Storm Moon

March's Full Moon is called the Storm Moon, Seed Moon, Lenten Moon, Lenting Moon, Crow Moon, Moon of Winds, Plow Moon, Worm Moon, Hrethmonath (Hertha's Month), Lentzinmanoth (Renewal Month), Sap Moon, or Moon of the Snowblind.

It is a time for rebirth and regrowth magick.  This moon comes during a time of new life, prosperity, and fertility.

Correspondences:
Colors: Green, yellow, light purple, pale green, red-violet
Gemstones: Bloodstone, aquamarine
Trees: Dogwood, honeysuckle, alder
Goddesses: Isis, the Morrighan, Artemis, Cybele, Black Isis, Hecate, Astarte, Athene, Minerva, Artemis, Luna
Gods: n/a
Herbs: High John root, pennyroyal, wood betony, apple blossom, broom, yellow dock, Irish moss
Element: Water
Flowers: Jonquil, daffodil, violet
Scents: Honeysuckle, apple blossom
Nature Spirits: Mer-people, Air and Water beings who are connected with spring rains and storms
Animals: Cougar, hedgehog, boar
Birds: Sea crow,  sea eagle
Power Flow: energy breaks into the open; growing,prospering, exploring.  New beginnings; balance of Light and Dark.  Breaking illusions.  Seeing the truth in your life however much it may hurt.


Sources:

Conway, D. J. Moon Magick: Myth & Magick, Crafts & Recipes, Rituals & Spells. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1995. Print.

Wigington, Patti. "2012 Pagan/Wiccan Calendar." About.com Paganism / Wicca. Web. 04 Jun. 2012. <http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/holidaysandcelebrations/a/2012Calendar.htm>.

Wigington, Patti. "Strorm Moon." About.com Paganism / Wicca. Web. 04 Jun. 2012. <http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/moonphasemagic/g/Storm_Moon.htm>.

Pagan veiling videos from LilithP

I want to be posting a few videos on Pagan veiling, and to start with, I want to introduce you to LilithP's video channel.  Lilith is a friend of mine, and makes awesome videos.  Many people are wondering why a Pagan would veil.  There are many different reasons!  I'd like to post two of her videos here, that explain why Pagans veil, and I encourage you to subscribe to her channel.








I hope this clears this clears things up.  My favorite video is the second one, but they are both excellent.

Perfect Ritual Robe-Found! Perfect Ritual Headcovering-Found!

Yay!  I think I found what I want for my ritual robe.  While I usually practice skyclad, there are times I want to practice in a ritual robe and a headcovering.  I got two new headcoverings that I really like, they are sarees that shipped from India.  I have one in blue and one in maroon.  Keep in mind I only bought the saree, which is the long cloth you can drape over your shoulders or over your head.

Indian saree in maroon

Indian saree in blue

Like I said, I already bought the sarees, but I haven't bought what I want for the ritual robe, yet, because, well, I just found it today and don't have the money this late in the month.  The robe I found is actually an Islamic piece of clothing called an abaya.  An abaya is a kind of cloak observant Muslim women wear.  However, I plan on buying it, cleaning it with sage, and blessing it.  I still have to do that to my new sarees and my new altar cloth.  The abaya I want for rituals is called a "Wrap Around Abaya."  Obviously, I won't be using it the same as a Muslim woman, because I'll be using it as a ritual robe, not a cloak to wear outside for modesty.  It's just perfect!  Imagine it in white with no hijab (headcovering), since I already have my own headcovering (the sarees).

The ritual robe I want is actually a wrap around abaya from  East Essence

It's on sale for only $20.99, too!  I really want to get this next month, and I hope that it's still on sale then.

Natural Egg Dyes for Ostara/Spring Equinox

Here is the preferred method for using natural dyes:

1. Place the eggs in a single layer in a pan. Add water until the eggs are covered. 
2. Add approximately one teaspoon of vinegar. 
3. Add the natural dye. Use more dye material for more eggs or for a more intense color. 
4. Bring water to a boil. 
5. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. 
6. If you are pleased with the color, remove the eggs from the liquid. 
7. If you want more intensely colored eggs, temporarily remove the eggs from the liquid. Strain the dye through a coffee filter (unless you want speckled eggs). Cover the eggs with the filtered dye and let them remain in the refrigerator overnight. 
8. Naturally-colored eggs will not be glossy, but if you want a shiny appearance you can rub a bit of cooking oil onto the eggs once they are dry. 

Bluish-Gray

• Mix 1 cup frozen blueberries with 1 cup water, bring to room temperature, and remove blueberries. 

Blue

• Cut 1/4 head of red cabbage into chunks and add to 4 cups boiling water. Stir in 2 Tbsp. vinegar. Let cool to room temperature and remove cabbage with a slotted spoon.
• 2 cups pureed blueberries and 2 cups Concord grape juice 
• Canned Blueberries 
• Red Cabbage Leaves (boiled) 
• Purple Grape Juice 

Violet-Blue

• Violet Blossoms 
• Small Quantity of Red Onions Skins (boiled) 
• Hibiscus Tea 
• Red Wine 

Lavender

• Small Quantity of Purple Grape Juice 
• Violet Blossoms plus 2 tsp Lemon Juice 
• Red Zinger Tea 

Jade Green

• Peel the skin from 6 red onions and simmer in 2 cups water for 15 minutes; strain. Add 3 tsp. white vinegar. 

Green

• 1 cup kale or spinach juice and 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 cup deeply steeped green tea and 2 teaspoons vinegar
• Spinach Leaves (boiled) 
• Liquid Chlorophyll 

Faint Green-Yellow

• Peel the skin from 6 yellow apples. Simmer in 1-1/2 cups water for 20 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar. Simmer 4 oz. chopped fennel tops in 1-1/2 cups of water for 20 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar. 

Orange

• Take the skin of 6 yellow onions and simmer in 2 cups water for 15 minutes; strain. Add 3 tsp. white vinegar. 

Faint Red-Orange

• Stir 2 Tbsp. paprika into 1 cup boiling water; add 2 tsp. white vinegar. 

Yellow

• Rich yellow: Simmer 4 oz. chopped carrot tops in 1-1/2 cups water for 15 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar. 
• Mustard-yellow: Stir 2 Tbsp. turmeric into 1 cup boiling water; add 2 tsp. white vinegar. 
• Various shades: Steep 4 bags of chamomile or green tea in 1 cup boiling water for 5 minutes.
• Pale yellow: Chop 4 oz. goldenrod and simmer in 2 cups water for 20 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar.
• Faint yellow: Simmer the peels of 6 oranges in 1-1/2 cups water for 20 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. vinegar.

Greenish-Yellow

• Yellow Delicious Apple Peels (boiled) 

Brown-Gold

• Simmer 2 Tbsp. dill seed in 1 cup water for 15 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar. 

Brown

• Add 1 tablespoon vinegar to 1 cup strong coffee. 1 cup strong black coffee with 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 cup Worcestershire sauce with 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• Strong Coffee 
• Instant Coffee 
• Black Walnut Shells (boiled) 
• Black Tea 

Golden Brown

• Dill Seeds

Orange and Rust

• 2 cups water and 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon annatto and 2 teaspoons white vinegar 

Yellow Onion Skins (boiled) 

• Cooked Carrots 
• Chili Powder 
• Paprika 

Pink

• Faint pink: Chop 4 oz. amaranth flowers and simmer in 2 cups water; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar. Simmer the skins from 6 avocados in 1-1/2 cup water for 20 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar. Mix 1 cup pickled beet juice and 1 tablespoon vinegar.
• Dark pink: Cut 1 medium beet into chunks and add to 4 cups boiling water. Stir in 2 Tbsp. vinegar and let cool to room temperature; remove beets. 

Lavender

• Mix 1 cup grape juice and 1 tablespoon vinegar.

Purple and Pink

• 1 cup beet juice and 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 cup red wine and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup pomegranate juice and 2 teaspoons white vinegar 
• 1/2 cup Concord grape juice and 1/4 cup deeply steeped black cherry herbal tea (use any red-ish tea)

Red

• 2 cups canned cherry pie filling (wanted to try fresh cherries but not in season in Jersey) and 2 cups beet juice
• Lots of Red Onions Skins (boiled) 
• Canned Cherries with Juice 
• Pomegranate Juice 
• Raspberries 

History of Ostara/Spring Equinox

The Spring Equinox has been celebrated around the world for many, many years.  It is a time when the light and dark hours of the day are the same.  After the spring equinox, the days will grow longer, as we move towards spring and summer.

Christians celebrate Easter around the same time of the Spring Equinox.  Easter is when Christ rose from the dead, after being crucified and entombed three days earlier.  The date of this event was either unknown or at a different time of year, but in order to turn pagans away from their gods and their way of life, the Catholic Church made Christ's most important holiday at the same time as one of the pagans' important holiday.  By doing this, it was easier to get the pagans to go to Mass and easier for them to take away their religion and enforce Catholicism.

In the Jewish faith, Passover is around this time.

As a side note: Around the same time, we celebrate St. Patrick's day.  St. Patrick was a Catholic saint who was credited with driving all the snakes out of Ireland.  The "snakes" were really pagans, and by "driving them out," he meant he forcibly made the pagans convert to Catholicism.

It is speculated that the word Easter came from the Goddess Eostre, a Western Germanic spring goddess.  It is debated, though, on whether Eostre ever existed.  The word for Easter in modern German is Ostern, so I believe that there is a good chance that Eostre existed, though that is just my opinion.

Strangely enough, Celtic pagans, while they paid attention to the seasons, did not celebrate the Spring Equinox.  Cultures that did include: Romans, Ashanti, Norse, Myans, Egyptians, and Greeks.

Eggs are a common sight at Ostara, as they symbolize rebirth, for obvious reasons.  The Spring Equinox is also a fertility festival, and the rabbit symbolizes that, because of a rabbits amazing ability to reproduce in rapid numbers.

The Spring Equinox is a time for planting and starting new crops.  Today we also start planting at the Spring Equinox, and we look at it as a time as renewal, rebirth, and a time to meditate on balance in our lives.  I'll be planting my seedlings indoors, as will many other Pagans this Ostara.

Altar Cloth, Ostara, St. Pat's, and PAIN

I finally got a new altar cloth!  This one I really like.  I found it online.  So far I've never been in a real Pagan/Wiccan/Metaphysical shop.

I'm working on my pages for this blog and the weekly pagan blogging deal, where you publish a blog regarding something that starts with A for two weeks, then for  B for two weeks, then C...  I've been pretty depressed lately and in a lot of pain.  Right now I'm in a lot of pain.  When DH gets home I'm going to ask him to make me some ginger tea for pain relief.  It's hard to think in this much pain, so please don't judge my whole blog by this mediocre entry.

Ostara is coming up, and I want to do stuff for it--so I'm telling my pain now--damn you, you'd better not ruin my Sabbat plans again!!!  So many of my Sabbat plans in the past have been ruined from pain.  I get all ready, and then the day comes and I end up spending three days curled in a ball of pain.

I'm trying so hard not to cry, it just makes the pain worse.  I'm trying to find more herbs that can help me with my pain that don't interact with my medicines or any medical conditions I have.  It looks like a low dose of Aloe Vera may help.  I'm still looking.  I don't have planned out what I want to grow in my flower pot garden yet.  I can only grow things outside, because one of our cats gets confused and thinks he's a herbivore every time he sees a plant.  We have to hide our sage or he munches it.  A lot of plants are toxic to cats, and he will jump and get in anywhere (our kitty is amazing, he really will and can go anywhere, no matter how much you think he can't possibly get there).

It's almost St. Pat's Day.  If I get to feeling better today I want to make a St. Pat's Day decoration.  OMG, when will this pain lessen?  I am so close to screaming, I can barely breathe now, it's so bad...

Only the Goddesses?

I was watching a video a few minutes ago, called "We All Come From the Goddess."  It was by Z. Budapest, the witch who started the Dianic Wiccan Tradition.  It was a beautiful song/chant, and apparently was played at one of the Dianic festivals.  I was reading the comments under the video, when I realized something-I have never called on a god.  Ever.  I prayed one time to the God and the Goddess (a Wiccan prayer), but if the words to prayer to a god weren't there it wouldn't have occurred to me to include a god in my prayers.  There are so many people already calling on gods in the world, and I only feel connections with goddesses, that I just never included gods, though I do like learning about them in mythology.



So now I'm asking myself a big question.  Do I incorporate gods into my religious practice even if I don't feel any affinity for them?  Would forcing myself to do something unnatural to me mess up what I'm trying to accomplish?  Or should I keep doing what I feel comfortable with, and take things as they come?  Is what I am doing because millions around the whole world worship only gods, and goddesses need more worshippers, valid, or is it an excuse to myself to stay in my comfort zone?

Now I've got all these questions in my mind.

I'm not Wiccan, by the way, I consider myself an eclectic Pagan.  To be clear, I have no desire to become a Dinanic, either.

Does anyone want to talk about their experiences?