Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Monday, July 22, 2013

Esbat Crafts - Hay Moon

These crafts come from the book Moon Magick: Myth & Magic, Crafts & Recipes, Rituals & Spells by D.J. Conway.  It's one of my favorite Pagan/Wiccan books and I highly recommend it!  The crafts that follow appear on page 139 of the 2005 printing by Llewellyn Publications.


Floral Mix for Sachets
1/2 ounce dried roses and/or peony petals
1/2 ounce lavender
1 Tablespoon orris powder
5 drops of rose geranium oil

Lightly mix together the mignonette, dried roses, and lavender.  Sprinkle with orris powder and geranium oil.  Toss lightly and fill small sachet bags.


Men's Sachet
Men don't usually care for sweet sachets or pillows.  This mixture generally meets with their approval.  Little sachets of this also make good shoe deodorizers.
Dry and grind the peel of one orange into coarse pieces.  Don't let orange rind dry too hard, or it's like trying to grind rocks!  Mix this with 1 Tablespoon orris powder and 1/2 ounce lemon verbena.  Fill small sachet bags.


Tibetan Cologne
1/3 pint alcohol
1 ounce glycerin
1 drop bergamot oil
1 pint distilled water
1 drop patchouli oil
1 drop synthetic musk oil

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Interfaith Prayers for Healing

Pagan/Wiccan
Healing Chant
Deep in my Bone
the Goddess is alive
Deep in my cells and blood
the Life Force is strong
Deep in my heart and spirit
I believe I will heal
I feel the Goddess at my core
filling me with faith and health
Abundant Life Forces of the Universe
flow in me, and banish all disease
My blood, my bones, my cells and my body
are healing now, are healing now
The Goddess force is in me
and healing me now
~ Abby Willowroot © 1999

A Healing Prayer
Oh Great Goddess
Mother of Mercy and Healing

Send the energy of Hygeia
to nourish from Her Sacred Bowl

Send the energy of Brigid
to heal with waters of Her Sacred Well

Send the energy of Demeter
to restore life to withering cells

Send the energy of Quan Yin
to bless the healing with peace

Send Your healing wisdom to the body
to restore its sacred balance

Thank You Great Goddess
Mother of All Life

~ Abby Willowroot © 1999




Christian (Catholic)
(May be used for a novena)

O Merciful Infant Jesus! I know of Your miraculous deeds for the sick. How many diseases You cured during Your blessed life on earth, and how many venerators of Your Miraculous image ascribe to You their recovery and deliverance from most painful and hopeless maladies. I know, indeed, that a sinner like me has merited his sufferings and has no right to ask for favors. But in view of the innumerable graces and the miraculous cures granted even to the greatest sinners through the veneration of Your holy infancy, particularly in the miraculous statue of Prague or in representations of it, I exclaim with the greatest assurance: O most loving Infant Jesus, full of pity, You can cure me if You will! Do not hesitate, O Heavenly Physician, if it be Your will that I recover from this present illness; extend Your most holy Hands, and by Your power take away all pain and infirmity, so that my recovery may be due, not to natural remedies, but to You alone. If, however, You in Your inscrutable wisdom have determined otherwise, then at least restore my soul to perfect health, and fill me with heavenly consolation and blessing, that I may be like You, O Jesus, in my sufferings, and may glorify Your providence until, at the death of my body, You bestow on me eternal life.
Amen.




Christian
I look to you for relief, Lord.
My Father in heaven, thank you for your mercies and love. Even at this time of pain, disillusionment and disappointment, I know you are with me. I look to you for relieve Lord. Comfort me Lord.

Help me to be reminded that it is only natural that life is not a bed of roses. We cannot avoid sicknesses and sufferings that come along. Please help me accept such facts of life.

But thanks be to God, for the reality is that you are with me. I stand on your word that you abide in me as I remain in you. Without you, I will not be able to bear the turmoil. By myself I will stay downcast and burdened by the aches and pains. Help lift me Lord. Most of all help me to remain in you.

Thank you that in my pain I have not forgotten your love and mercy. I praise your holy name. Strengthen me dear Lord, my body, soul and spirit.This is my prayer in Jesus's name. Amen.




Jewish
A prayer for healing
God, hear my prayer,
And let my cry come to You.
Do not hide from me in the day of my distress
Turn to me and speedily answer my prayer.
Eternal God, Source of healing,
Out of my distress I call upon You.
Help me sense Your presence
At this difficult time.
Grant me patience when the hours are heavy;
In hurt or disappointment give me courage.
Keep me trustful in Your love.
Give me strength for today, and hope for tomorrow.
To your loving hands I commit my spirit
When asleep and when awake. You are with me; I shall not fear.

  
 

Muslim
Whever the early Muslims became sick, they sought the advice of the Prophet Muhammad himself. It is related that when someone fell ill, the Prophet would recite one of these du'as for them.

Allahuma rabbi-nas adhhabal ba'sa, ashfi wa entashafi, la shifa' illa shifa'uka shifa' la yughadiru saqama.
Oh Allah! The Sustainer of Mankind! Remove the illness, cure the disease. You are the One Who cures. There is no cure except Your cure. Grant us a cure that leaves no illness. (Recommended to touch the area of pain with the right hand while reciting this supplication.)

'As'alu Allah al 'azim rabbil 'arshil azim an yashifika.
I ask Allah, the Mighty, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, to cure you. (Recommended to repeat seven times.)

Rabbana 'atinaa fid dunyaa hasanat wafil aakhirati hasana taw wa qinaa azaaban naar.
Oh Allah! Our Lord and Sustainer! Grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the Fire of Jahannam (Hell).

A'oozu bi'izzatillaahi wa qudratihi min sharri maa ajidu wa uhaaziru.
I seek protection in the might of Allah and His power from the evil of what I am experiencing and of what I fear. (Recommended for the sick person to place right hand on area of pain, say Bismillah three times, then recite this supplication seven times.)
 
 
 

Baha'i
Thy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy. Nearness to Thee is my hope, and love for Thee is my companion. Thy mercy to me is my healing and my succor in both this world and the world to come. Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Bahá’u’lláh

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Meditating on a room full of cotton balls?

A room full of cotton balls
A room full of cotton balls
Lately I've been in so much pain, and I find it so hard to meditate.  It's like I just can't reach a meditative state of mind because my mind can't get beyond the physical pain.  I used to imagine myself on a raft, near an island on the blue ocean on a sunny day.  I would concentrate on feeling the heat on my skin, the wind blowing over my body, and the raft rising up and dipping down with the ocean.  Now when I try to feel myself there, I feel the pain of the hard, rough, raft under me, the burning sensation of the heat of the sun, the nausea from the motion of the waves.  I need to find a new place to imagine myself in when I meditate!  This one just isn't working anymore.  It seems like every scene I only feel the pain it would cause, instead of the relaxation I'm seeking.  I tried a room full of bubble wrap, or a room full of cotton balls, but neither of them seemed "real" enough to work.  I'm at a loss.  I've never had this much trouble with meditation before.  Any ideas?

Monday, July 8, 2013

Ramadan Mubarak to my Muslim readers!

I would like to wish all of my Muslim readers Ramadan Mubarak!



Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim year, which by the way, is a lunar calendar.  The date of Ramadan moves every year; this year it stretches from sunset Monday, July 8th, to sunset Wednesday, August, 7th. The dates for Ramadan may be different, though, in different parts of the world.  The year right now in the Islamic calendar is 1434 A.H.  During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset, to with the intention of increasing spirituality, humility and patience.  They fast for the sake of Allah (God in Arabic), and to cleanse the soul, focus attention on God, and put into practice selflessness.  During this time Muslims pray more; in addition to the five prayers a day they may offer salat, or prayers.

Ramadan is very important to the Muslim religion, and is one of the five pillars of Islam.  Muslims not only fast from food, but also refrain from drinking liquids, smoking, immoral acts, gossiping, and engaging in sexual relations.  There are exemptions for fasting, and they include those traveling, menstruating, severely ill, pregnant, and breast-feeding.  The before dawn meal they eat is called subhoor, and the post sunset meal they eat is called iftar.  Traditionally there are certain foods that are served at both meals.  A Muslim must perform charity during Ramadan, as well.  After Ramadan is over, the celebration is called Eid ul-Fitr, which is the first day of the next month, Shawwal.  To wish a Muslim a happy Ramadan, you would say Ramadan Mubarak, or Ramadan Kareem.

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Chronic pain and magick

I suffer severe chronic pain.  I have never had a day in my life without pain, but I wasn't completely disabled by the pain until about three years ago.  I have more than one medical condition that causes pain, from a very rare illness that doctors still don't know much about yet, to a heart condition that causes my legs, feet, and hands to painfully swell, to a common painful condition that many women have, as well as other pain conditions.  Inside the house I can sometimes walk on my own, and other times I use a cane or wheelchair.  Outside of my house I use a walker or wheelchair.

Sometimes, on the really, reallly bad pain days, it really makes it hard for me to perform magick, or for me to feel energy as strongly.  Covering my head helps some, both with controlling the pain, and with settling down the chaotic energy I give off while in pain, that keeps me from feeling outside energy.  On those horrible days, with my chaotic energy, I can't seem to direct or focus my energy.

I used to be in the practice of meditating, and I could even do that while in severe pain, but I've fallen out of habit and it is harder to do than it was.  I really, really need to get back into it!

Does anyone else with chronic pain find it hard to practice magick on really, really bad pain days?