Four Thieve's Vinegar 

 The herbs can be fresh, powdered or whole. Please understand and make sure that you know this is absolutely not for drinking. Wormwood can kill a person. Put the herbs in the vinegar. Shake well. Let is sit in the sun for two weeks.

 

Open. Drop in six cloves of garlic. Cap it. Shake well. Let sit in sun for one week.

 

Strain. Pour into bottles or jar. Seal with wax .
 

 

Here is another:
 
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Vinegar of the Four Thieves

 

3 pints strong white wine vinegar
a handful each of wormwood, meadowsweet, juniper berries, wild marjoram and sage
50 cloves
2 ounces of elecampane root
2 ounces of angelica
2 ounces of rosemary
2 ounces of horehound
3 g camphor

 

Steep the plants in the vinegar for 10 days. Force through a sieve. Add camphor, then filter. Rub on face and hands and burn in room. Additionally, keep in small bottles for the vapors to be sniffed. Avoid contact with eyes.

 

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And a similar one:

 

Dr. Valnet's formula for an antiseptic vinegar similar to the vinegar of the four thieves is as follows:

 

wormwood 80g
rosemary, sage, mint, rue, lavendar 40g
calamus, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, garlic 5g
camphor 10g
crystallized acetic acid 40g
white vinegar 2,500g

 

Steep the plants in the vinegar for 10 days. Force through a sieve. Add camphor, dissolved in the acetic acid, then filter. Rub on face and hands and burn in room. Additionally, keep in small bottles for the vapors to be sniffed. Avoid contact with eyes.

 

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For a general room disinfectant, a common formula can be used as follows:

 

a handful each of lavender, rosemary, sage, rue and mint
apple cider -or- white vinegar

 

Steep the plants in the vinegar for 4-6 weeks. Force through a sieve and strain into a mister bottle. Use to disinfect the air of sick rooms or to freshen the indoor air of rooms during the winter months.

 

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 NUIT

SUGGESTED MANTRA: CONNECTION
Nuit's esoteric attributes are those of oneness, bliss and universal love. She helps us bond with our planetary family, while her cosmic energy acts as our bridge to the realm of cosmic consciousness, thereby removing barriers of segregation.

SUGGESTED AFFIRMATIONS:
~ I am an indivisable whole
~ I am charged with cosmic energy
~ I am in control of my destiny
~ I am one with humanity
~ I am connected with the cosmic source
~ Every person carries a piece of the puzzle

Related essences: Clover, Carnation, Cinnamon, Peppermint, Violets

Related gemstones: Amethyst, Moss agate, Chalcedony

Nuit is an Egyptian goddess, typically depicted as a gateway between heaven and earth. Her body arches over the earth into the skies, while her hands and feet connect to the earth, thus forming the gateway.

She is related to our crown chakra - our connection with cosmic light. When this chakra is in balance, we have a feeling of oneness with ALL. To communicate with Nuit takes deep relaxation in order to open our crown chakra to send and receive the cosmic impulses that let us enjoy empowered lives with absolute confidence.

For some women, when the crown chakra is open, they may experience a contact with a guide, whether by voice, automatic writing, or other stimulus. To achieve this, a deep meditative state is necessary, as well as an openness, will and intent to meet your life guide. It may take more than one session to conquer traditional barriers to opening oneself to the universe's pulse.

As Nuit is associated with the colour purple, it may help to surround yourself in violet, purple and amethyst influences. If blockages continue, work on your chakras so that all are in balance and you are truly ready to soar.
It may take more than one session to conquer traditional barriers to opening oneself to the universe's pulse. As Nuit is associated with the colour purple, it may help to surround yourself in violet, purple and amethyst influences. If blockages continue, work on your chakras so that all are in balance and you are truly ready to soar.

DO THIS

This meditation has been borrowed from a goddess intuition teacher.

In a quiet space on a starry night, visualise the immensity of Nuit's body in the night sky above you. See her smiling at you, inviting you to join her. You step onto a spiralling path of stars that has appeared in frontof you. Now you are surrounded by Nuit's immensity, her vastness, her blackness. You continue to climb the spiral path of stars until you are standing before her welcoming being. She holds out her arms and you walk into her embrace, engulfed by her wondrous mystery. You open your heart and experience a deep sense of oneness with the unknown. You feel safe and calm, centred and secure in Her embrace. You stay there until you feel full, satisfied, ready to move on. Thanking Nuit, you walk the spiral path of stars back to Earth, back to your home, back to your body. Take a deep breath and, when ready, open your eyes. Welcome home!

                                      -----------------------------------------------------

The Mythology

Nut (pronounced noot) is the Egyptian Goddess of the night sky, also known as the Great Deep, the Celestial Vault, who daily gives birth to the sun each morning then consumes it again each night. Disapproving of the incest of Nut as she lay over her brother Geb, the earth, Ra, the sun or high Gd, had them pried apart. Nut was then lifted into the sky where she remains, her body formed into an arch. Painted inside the inner lid of a sarcophagus, she mothers and protects the dead on their journey.

The Lessons of this Goddess

Nut's twinkling vast dazk vault stretches out in your life to remind you to open to the mystery. Have you been planning every aspect of your life and left no room for mystery? Is your life wound up too tight? Are you trying to make everything safe by defining it, labeling it, knowing it all? Give way to the mystery, the unknowable. The Wise Woman knows there is much in the universe that will remain a mystery and leaves space for it in the weaving of her life. The Goddess says the way to nurture wholeness is for you to trust that the mystery you let in will be exactly what you need for your journey to wholeness.

                            -----------------------------------------------------------------

    Nuit (also called Nut, Nwt, or Neuth) is the ancient Egyptian sky-goddess. Nuit is the consort and twin sister of Geb, the Earth God; and is the daughter of Shu and Tefnut (wow, these Egyptian deities are really into the sibling/mate thing ). She is the mother of the major Egyptian deities Osiris, Isis, Seth (Set), Nephthys, and sometimes Haroeris. The circumstances of Their births is described in the Story of Re. They were born on the five epagomenal days of the year (in Egyptian, "the five days over the year"). Every year these days were celebrated throughout Egypt.
    Nuit is the personification of the sky and of the heavens, especially the starry sky of nighttime which all people can look up into and see eternity. It is said that She swallows the stars every morning and then gives birth to them later into the night sky. As sky-goddess Nuit is portrayed either as a cow or as a naked woman covered with painted golden stars with 5 points who wears on Her head a vase of water. Many times She is shown as a woman whose hands and feet touch the ground so that her body forms a semi-circle. Her hands and feet each touched one of the four cardinal points or directions and the arc of Her body represents the arc of heaven and the stars of the Milky Way. Her arms and legs represent the four pillars on which the sky rests. She is held up by Her father Shu (the God of the air). Her husband Geb lies on the ground reclining on one elbow and His knees in the air. In this position He depicts the hills and valleys of the land. It was said that when Shu raised Nuit (the sky) above Geb (the earth) He brought an end to chaos and if He ever left this position, chaos would return.
    The principal sanctuary of Nuit was at Heliopolis. The priestesses of Nuit were known for their erotic dance ritual, the forerunner of modern erotic dance and stripping. At Heliopolis, Nuit is honored as a death Goddess and plays a part in the resurrection of the dead. Nuit's star-studded body is often painted on the inside of coffins and sarcophagi with outstretched arms, so that she may "embrace the deceased.". The pharaoh was said to enter Her body after death, from which he would later be resurrected.
    The modern English words "night", "nocturnal", and "equinox" (as well as the French "la nuit", meaning night) are all derived from Nuit's name.
    Nuit's symbols are the stars, the night sky, and cows. Lapis Lazuli is also sacred to Her. Nuit is associated with Thursday and also with March.

 

Lord of the Wild Hunt by D.J. Conway   The Lord of the Wild Hunt is the most misunderstood of all the Pagan God's aspects. He is the Celtic male counterpart of the Greek Goddesses the Erinyes, deities who see that justice and what we call "fate" is carried out. Unfortunately, the early European Christians managed to covince people that the Lord of the Hunt was really their devil, who supposedly went out on dark, stormy nights and on Halloween to kidnap unsuspecting souls and carry them off to the Christian Hell.   Actually, this Lord is very different from anything imagined by the Christians. The Lord of the Hunt carries out the will of the Goddess in Her role of recycling Mother and Fate. He makes certain that souls who are ready for the transformation from life to the physical death are in the right places at the right times to meet their destinies. It is also his duty to bring to jsutice those who have broken the laws of the Goddess.   The story of the Wild Hunt or the Ride of Death is known all over Europe. The Nordic and Germanic cultures say this Ride is led by Odhinn/Wodan, or Erl King. Others were also were said to lead a Wild Hunt: Dietrich of Berne (Teutonic); the French Grand Huntsman of Fontainebleau; the Celtic deity Arawn; the Norse Lusse (an evil spirit in the form of a great bird of prey); and King Arthur. Even the folk hero Robin Hood (whose story goes back much further than medieval times) was a type of the Lord of the Hunt. He used his arrows to bring down and punish offenders.   Many Pagan male deities can be identified as the Lord of the Wild Hunt. Arawn of Wales was the god of Annwn, the Underground kingdom of the dead. Gwynn ap Nudd of Wales was the King of the Faeries and also ruler of a section of the Underworld. The Dagda of Ireland was known as the god of death and rebirth.   Odhinn had an aspect as Lord of Death. He was God of the Hanged, and collected his share of warrior-souls from the battlefields. His wolves, Geri and Freki, ran with Odhinn and the Valkyries when he led the Hunt. A shape-shifter, he produced the battle panic called "battle-fetter," a psychological state that caused men to be unable to act.   The Danes knew Odhinn in his aspect as Lord of the Hunt and called him the Ellerkonge (Erl King), or king of elves. The Erl King was associated with the elder tree and with Hel in her aspect as Old Lady of the Elder.   The Norse god Hod or Hodr, who slew Balder, was sometimes shown as a threatening god, wearing a death mask and a hood, very similar to the father of Robin Hood.   In his night ride through the sky, the Lord was accompanied by a pack of spectral hounds (a Goddess animal), and great host of ethereal entities, who possibly represent theancestors of the person he is seeking. The Hounds of the Hunt are known by a variety of names. In England, they are called the Gabriel Hounds, Yeth Hounds, the Dartmoor Hounds, and the Wisht Hounds. The Irish called them the Hounds of Hell, while the Welsh knew them as the Cwn Annwn (Faery Hounds).   The God in his aspect as the Lord of the Hunt is not to be feared, for, contrary to many stories, he performs his task with compassion. Without his gentle guidance, our passage at death would be much harder. We shouldn't fear the Father whose firm but compassionate correction of our mistakes helps us live a better and more spiritual life

Cougar
Power, Swiftness and Balance
By watching the swift movements of the cougar, one is keenly aware that no movement is
wasted, no footing unplanned, in their quest for the item they desire. The cougar never
wastes anything, but the grace of this hunter provides the young with nourishment and
security. Cougars mark their home range, which differs from a true territory because the
home ranges often overlap. The juveniles may establish a home range of from six to
ten miles away. Within that area, the cat maintains a small resting range for its exclusive
use while sharing the remaining hunting area with its neighbor. The cougar scrapes together
a pile of leaves along well-traveled trails and marks them with urine. Any wandering lion
respects the "No Tresspassing" sign and turns away to avoid conflict.
Someone with "Mountain lion or Cougar Medicine" is likely to be very sure of his or her
goals or purpose. They often prefer solitude, and have little regret in taking the easiest
prey.

 

Buffalo

Abundance

 The buffalo or bison is considered by many tribes to be a symbol of adundance for it was the meat of the buffalo that fed the people, the hides that provided clothing and shelter, the bones and sinew provided tools of survival. The Lakota's trace the origin of the sacred pipe to the appearance of the White Buffalo Calf Woman who promised abundance for the tribe as they honored, by prayer, the Great Spirit and all of their relations, meaning the other creations of nature. "Buffalo Medicine" means to bring a special honor, reverence or appreciation for all of the things that the Earth provides for her children.The Origins of the Buffalo Dance When the buffalo first came to be upon the land, they were not friendly to the people. When the hunters tried to coax them over the cliffs for the good of the villages, they were reluctant to offer themselves up. They did not relish being turned into blankets and dried flesh for winter rations. They did not want their hooves and horn to become tools and utinsels nor did they welcome their sinew being used for sewing. "No, no," they said. We won't fall into your traps. And we will not fall for your tricks." So when the hunters guided them towards the abyss, they would always turn aside at the very last moment. With this lack of cooperation, it seemed the villagers would be hungry and cold and ragged all winter long. Now one of the hunters' had a daughter who was very proud of her father's skill with the bow. During the fullness of summer, he always brought her the best of hides to dress, and she in turn would work the deerskins into the softest, whitest of garments for him to wear. Her own dresses were like the down of a snow goose, and the moccasins she made for the children and the grandmothers in the village were the most welcome of gifts. But now with the hint of snow on the wind, and deer becoming more scarce in the willow breaks, she could see this reluctance on the part of the buffalo families could become a real problem. Hunter's Daughter decided she would do something about it. She went to the base of the cliff and looked up. She began to sing in a low, soft voice, "Oh, buffalo family, come down and visit me. If you come down and feed my relatives in a wedding feast, I will join your family as the bride of your strongest warrior." She stopped and listened. She thought she heard the slight rumbling sound of thunder in the distance. Again she sang, "Oh, buffalo family, come down and visit me. Feed my family in a wedding feast so that I may be a bride." The thunder was much louder now. Suddenly the buffalo family began falling from the sky at her feet. One very large bull landed on top of the others, and walked across the backs of his relatives to stand before Hunter's Daughter. "I am here to claim you as my bride," said Large Buffalo. "Oh, but now I am afraid to go with you," said Hunter's Daughter. "Ah, but you must," said Large Buffalo, "For my people have come to provide your people with a wedding feast. As you can see, they have offered themselves up." "Yes, but I must run and tell my relatives the good news," said Hunter's Daughter. "No," said Large Buffalo. No word need be sent. You are not getting away so easily." And with that said, Large Buffalo lifted her between his horns and carried her off to his village in the rolling grass hills. The next morning the whole village was out looking for Hunter's Daughter. When they found the mound of buffalo below the cliff, the father, who was in fact a fine tracker as well as a skilled hunter, looked at his daughter's footprints in the dust. "She's gone off with a buffalo, he said. I shall follow them and bring her back." So Hunter walked out upon the plains, with only his bow and arrows as companions. He walked and walked a great distance until he was so tired that he had to sit down to rest beside a buffalo wallow. Along came Magpie and sat down beside him. Hunter spoke to Magpie in a respectful tone, "O knowledgeable bird, has my daughter been stolen from me by a buffalo? Have you seen them? Can you tell me where they have gone?" Magpie replied with understanding, "Yes, I have seen them pass this way. They are resting just over this hill." "Well," said Hunter, would you kindly take my daughter a message for me? Will you tell her I am here just over the hill?" So Magpie flew to where Large Buffalo lay asleep amidst his relatives in the dry prairie grass. He hopped over to where Hunter's Daughter was quilling moccasins, as she sat dutifully beside her sleeping husband. "Your father is waiting for you on the other side of the hill," whispered Magpie to the maiden. "Oh, this is very dangerous," she told him. These buffalo are not friendly to us and they might try to hurt my father if he should come this way. Please tell him to wait for me and I will try to slip away to see him." Just then her husband, Large Buffalo, awoke and took off his horn. "Go bring me a drink from the wallow just over this hill," said her husband. So she took the horn in her hand and walked very casually over the hill.

Candlemas: The Light Returns
by Mike Nichols
It seems quite impossible that the holiday of Candlemas should be considered the beginning of Spring. Here in the Heartland, February 2nd may see a blanket of snow mantling the Mother. Or, if the snows have gone, you may be sure the days are filled with drizzle, slush and steel-grey skies -- the dreariest weather of the year. In short, the perfect time for a Pagan Festival of Lights.

And as for Spring, although this may seem a tenuous beginning, all the little buds, flowers and leaves will have arrived on schedule before Spring runs its course to Beltane.

'Candlemas' is the Christianized name for the holiday, of course. The older Pagan names were Imbolc and Oimelc. 'Imbolc' means, literally, 'in the belly' (of the Mother). For in the womb of Mother Earth, hidden from our mundane sight but sensed by a keener vision, there are stirrings. The seed that was planted in her womb at the solstice is quickening and the new year grows.

'Oimelc' means 'milk of ewes', for it is also lambing season.

The holiday is also called 'Brigit's Day', in honor of the great Irish Goddess Brigit. At her shrine, the ancient Irish capitol of Kildare, a group of 19 priestesses (no men allowed) kept a perpetual flame burning in her honor. She was considered a goddess of fire, patroness of smithcraft, poetry and healing (especially the healing touch of midwifery). This tripartite symbolism was occasionally expressed by saying that Brigit had two sisters, also named Brigit. (Incidentally, another form of the name Brigit is Bride, and it is thus She bestows her special patronage on any
woman about to be married or handfasted, the woman being called 'bride' in her honor.)

The Roman Catholic Church could not very easily call the Great Goddess of Ireland a demon, so they canonized her instead. Henceforth, she would be 'Saint' Brigit, Patron Saint of smithcraft, poetry and healing. They 'explained' this by telling the Irish peasants that Brigit was 'really' an early Christian missionary sent to the Emerald Isle, and that the miracles she performed there 'misled' the common people into believing that she was a goddess. For some reason, the Irish
swallowed this. (There is no limit to what the Irish imagination can convince itself of. For example, they also came to believe that Brigit was the 'foster-mother' of Jesus, giving no thought to the implausibility of Jesus having spent his boyhood in Ireland!) Brigit's holiday was chiefly marked by the kindling of sacred fires, since she symbolized the fire of birth and healing, the fire of the forge, and the fire of poetic inspiration. Bonfires were lighted on the beacon tors, and chandlers celebrated their special holiday. The Roman Church was quick to confiscate this symbolism as well, using 'Candlemas' as the day to bless all the church candles
that would be used for the coming liturgical year. (Catholics will be reminded that the following day, St. Blaise's Day, is remembered for using the newly blessed candles to bless the throats of parishioners, keeping them from colds, flu, sore throats, etc.)

The Catholic Church, never one to refrain from piling holiday upon holiday, also called it the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (It is surprising how many of the old Pagan holidays were converted to Maryan Feasts.) The symbol of the Purification may seem a little obscure to modern readers, but it has to do with the old custom of 'churching women'. It was believed that women were impure for six weeks after giving birth. And since Mary gave birth at the winter solstice, she wouldn't be purified until February 2nd. In Pagan symbolism, this might be re-translated as when the Great Mother once again becomes the Young Maiden Goddess. Today, this holiday is chiefly connected to weather lore. Even our American folk-calendar keeps the tradition of 'Groundhog's Day', a day to predict the coming weather, telling us that if the Groundhog sees his shadow, there will be 'six more weeks' of bad weather (i.e., until the next old holiday, Lady Day). This custom is ancient. An
old British rhyme tells us that 'If Candlemas Day
be bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year.' Actually, all of the cross-quarter days can be used as 'inverse' weather predictors, whereas the quarter-days are used as 'direct' weather predictors.

Like the other High Holidays or Great Sabbats of the Witches' year, Candlemas is sometimes celebrated on its alternate date, astrologically determined by the sun's reaching 15-degrees Aquarius, or Candlemas Old Style (in 1988, February 3rd, at 9:03 am CST). Another holiday that gets mixed up in this is Valentine's Day. Ozark folklorist Vance Randolf makes this quite clear by noting that the old-timers used to celebrate Groundhog's Day on February 14th. This same displacement is evident in Eastern Orthodox Christianity as well. Their habit of celebrating the
birth of Jesus on January 6th, with a similar post-dated shift in the six-week period that follows it, puts the Feast of the Purification of Mary on February 14th. It is amazing to think that the same confusion and lateral displacement of one of the old folk holidays can be seen from the Russian steppes to the Ozark hills, but such seems to be the case!

Incidentally, there is speculation among linguistic scholars that the very name of 'Valentine' has Pagan origins. It seems that it was customary for French peasants of the Middle Ages to pronounce a 'g' as a 'v'. Consequently, the original term may have been the French 'galantine', which yields the English word 'gallant'. The word originally refers to a dashing young man known for his 'affaires d'amour', a true galaunt. The usual associations of V(G)alantine's Day make much more sense in this light than their vague connection to a legendary 'St. Valentine' can produce. Indeed, the Church has always found it rather difficult to explain this nebulous saint's connection to the secular pleasures of flirtation and courtly love.

For modern Witches, Candlemas O.S. may then be seen as the Pagan version of Valentine's Day, with a de-emphasis of 'hearts and flowers' and an appropriate re-emphasis of Pagan carnal frivolity. This also re-aligns the holiday with the ancient Roman Lupercalia, a fertility festival held at this time, in which the priests of Pan ran through the streets of Rome whacking young women with goatskin thongs to make them fertile. The women seemed to enjoy the attention and often stripped in order to afford better targets.

One of the nicest folk-customs still practiced in many countries, and especially by Witches in the British Isles and parts of the U.S., is to place a lighted candle in each and every window of the house, beginning at sundown on Candlemas Eve (February 1st), allowing them to continue burning until sunrise. Make sure that such candles are well seated against tipping and guarded from nearby curtains, etc. What a cheery sight it is on this cold, bleak and dreary night to see house after house with candle-lit windows! And, of course, if you are your Coven's chandler, or if you just happen to like making candles, Candlemas Day is the day for doing it. Some Covens hold candle-making parties and try to make and bless all the candles they'll be using for the whole year on this day.

Other customs of the holiday include weaving 'Brigit's crosses' from straw or wheat to hang around the house for protection, performing rites of spiritual cleansing and purification, making 'Brigit's beds' to ensure fertility of mind and spirit (and body, if desired), and making Crowns of Light (i.e. of candles) for the High Priestess to wear for the Candlemas Circle, similar to those worn on St. Lucy's Day in Scandinavian countries. All in all, this Pagan Festival of Lights, sacred to the young Maiden Goddess, is one of the most beautiful and poetic of the year.

 

Fully Committed To Now
Why We Are Not Shown The Big Picture

Sometimes, we may find ourselves wishing we knew what our lives are going to look like or what gifts and challenges are going to be presented to us in the coming months or years. We may want to know if the relationship we're in now will go the distance or if our goals will be realized. Perhaps we feel like we need help making a decision and we want to know which choice will work out best. We may consult psychics, tarot cards, our dreams, and many other sources in the hopes of finding out what the future holds. Usually, at most, we may catch glimpses. And even though we think we would like to know the whole story in all its details, the truth is that we would probably be overwhelmed and exhausted if we knew everything that is going to happen to us.

Just think of your life as you've lived it up to this point. If you are like most of us, you have probably done more and faced more than you could have ever imagined. If someone had told you as a child of all the jobs and relationships you would experience, along with each one's inherent ups and downs, you would have become overwhelmed. With your head full of information about the future, you would have had a very hard time experiencing your life in the present moment, which is where everything actually happens.

In many ways, not knowing what the future has in store brings out in us the qualities we need to grow. For example, it would have been difficult to commit yourself to certain people or projects if you knew they wouldn't ultimately work out. Yet, it was through your commitment to see them through that you experienced the lessons you needed to grow. Looking back on your life, you would likely be hard pressed to say that anything in your past should not have happened. In fact, your most challenging experiences with their inevitable lessons may have ultimately brought you the greatest rewards. Not knowing the future keeps us just where we need to be-fully committed and in the present moment

 
 

Thought creates action...-
It is in our thoughts that fuels action.  Not only to ourselves but to the world around us... It is not simply repeat the phase, I will be abundant and riches develop, you may bring some money in, but not consistently.  You need to start with the mindset... correcting the original thoughts that kept you poor in spirit and wealth.  This is where in ritual you attempt to phyicallize your intentions and thoughts... also taking the time to build the ritual so your thoughts are in order and your intentions are pure.  Through ritual, you physically interpret the intention, you focus on the words and the phrases of prosperity, thereby (hopefully) changing in you, the old negative thought processes and introducing the new thought.  And incorporating these positive thoughts days after... with consecutive mediations on your original creation (ritual).    We are responsible for our thoughts and what they create.  The Goddess does not have a poverty consciousness.  We do!!  Some where or time we believed some one saying the words, "You have to work hard for your money... You have to be smart to make lots or money.... Money is the root of all evil...." etc.   Through ritual and discipline of thoughts the Universe will begin to reflect what you really are... an abundant self sufficient holy deserving soul.  And prosperity naturally happens because we allow ourselves to invite it into our lives.  That is the trick, us allowing it, not something else or some one to bring abundance to us.

 

How to Discover What You Want-
If You're Not Sure About What You Want Try This Three Step Method to Find OutIf you have any doubts about what it is that really want, here's a simple method to discover the real truth.  You can find the answers to you want easily and in only minutes.In almost every success program or book written there is always a chapter or section about goals and how important they are.  It's been repeated thousands of times in as many ways.You don't need to be reminded about setting goals again.  But what about that noise you hear in the background of your mind?  How do you sort through all the thoughts you have and find what's important to you?If you could review the thoughts you had yesterday, you could find hints about what it is that you really want or need.  It might be something completely different than that new job, car or home you said you wanted.There is an easy and simple way to find out if the goals you have made are what you really want.This will take you only few minutes and you can do this almost anytime you are alone and can relax.  You will also need a notepad and pen or pencil that can be within your reach.Step 1 - Relax Your Body and MindFind a comfortable place where you can sit or lie down without being disturbed.Darken the room to your liking and turn off anything that could distract you such as the radio, television, telephone or computer.Relax on your favourite chair or couch, loosen any tight clothing and if you prefer, remove your shoes.Once you have relaxed your body, try to relax your mind by thinking of nothing except perhaps a place that you find comforting.  It could be a tropical beach or simply a cozy setting in front of a fireplace.Breathe slowly and let your mind relax as much as possible.Step 2 - Ask Yourself What You Really WantAfter a few minutes both your body and mind should be in a relaxed state.  Quietly, but firmly ask yourself the following question three or more times.  "What do I want?"Repeat this several times and then just stop.  Wait quietly and continue to stay relaxed both mentally and physically.If you are patient and wait a short time you will find that thoughts will enter your mind suddenly.  It may be only one thought, a few or even many.Listen to these thoughts but don't try to analyze them.  It may not be what you expect but don't seem surprised at them.If you have never done anything like this before it may take a few attempts to get any answers.End you relaxation session by thanking yourself for any answers you received and decide to slowly rise from your chair or couch.Step 3 - Write the Answers DownWhile these thoughts are fresh in your mind, pick up your notepad and pen or pencil and write them down.  Try to do this just as you heard them without attempting to analyze them.These are the thoughts from within that are telling you the real story about what you want or need.You may want to do this exercise more than once for confirmation or just out of curiosity.What to Do NextTake the notes you just made and compare them to what you have already considered to be your goals.  Did you find any differences?Examine them carefully and you may find you want to change your goals a little or rewrite them entirely.  Or it may be that you were exactly right in the first place.The least you will get out of this exercise is greater confidence that your choice of goals was the best possible.Remember that as you reach your goals you will change and so will what you want.  You should repeat this exercise whenever you have any concerns or doubts about what you want.Isn't it a good idea to ask someone who knows?Ask an expert, ask yourself.

A well of living water dwells within you. Let it
heal your body, mind, and spirit.
Today's Positive Affirmation:

 
Today, I am drinking deeply from the stream of
living water that dwells within me.
Today's Positive Visualization:

 
I allow myself to relax into the presence of God
that dwells within me. In my imagination, I see
this stream of living water flowing from a well
that dwells deep within my being. As I relax, this
divine water fills up my body, healing and restoring
my cells to radiant health. My emotions become calm
and peaceful as the living waters soothe me. My mind
is cleansed of old limiting thoughts and beliefs by
the power of this radiant energy. As my consciousness
is filled with this exquisite force, the waters of
life spill over into my world, transforming everything
it touches. My home, family, friends, co-workers, pets,
community and world are all enhanced by this incredible
flow of light and love. I combine these images with the
feelings of joy and let them go, knowing they will
create the good things I am visualizing and thinking.

 

Many people, in seeking out love, tend to look outward rather than inward. Yet falling in love with yourself can be just as wonderful an experience as falling in love with someone else. While the idea of falling in love with ourselves may be perceived as conceited or selfish, choosing to fall in love with who you are is a powerful act of self-love.

When you fall in love with yourself, you can't help but experience a wonderful sense of discovery. You begin to look at yourself again through fresh eyes, becoming more attentive to the little details that make you so unique. Once you discover how much there is about you to fall in love with, you can't help but want to treat yourself as lovingly and respectfully as you would treat anyone who is special to you. You start to give to yourself more because you become more attentive to your own needs and desires.

Choosing to fall in love with yourself is a very personal process that takes time. There is no magic wand you can wave to make this just happen. But there is the magic of your intention and the power of your actions, whether you are taking the time to do the activities you like, speaking to and treating yourself with respect, taking inventory of all your wonderful qualities and accomplishments, or nurturing yourself with plenty of rest and self-care. When you fall in love with yourself, you begin to see yourself more positively, appreciate your unique outlook on life, and treat yourself in a more nurturing way. In loving yourself, you are acknowledging that you are special and deserving of love. Best of all, you are giving yourself one of the greatest gifts you have to give another. You are giving yourself the gift of your love.

Attract the Perfect Lover

Gather the following and have ready:6 rose petals 1 tsp lavender1 tsp cinnamonrose quartzsmall piece of red ribbon1 penny 6-inch square pink clothgreen ribbon On the Friday of the waxing Moon, put the first six ingredients in the center of the fabric and gather the  edges with your fingers and holding the pouch to your heart.Chant:Venus, Queen of Love, divine Bring the love to me that's mine Perfect, she or/he, and perfect me, Together we are meant to be.  Venus, Queen of Love, so warm Bring my love to me without harm. Let nothing keep us now apart, Bring perfect love to fill my heart. Still holding the pouch against your heart, fill it with loving energy. Secure the pouch with green ribbons to seal the spell. Carry it on your person and sleep with it under your pillow. When the lover comes to you, bury the pouch under a tree. 

 

HAPPINESS SPELL

You need: A candle in your favorite color. 5 red rose petals.A picture of you as a child looking happy. Sit cross-legged on the floor and make sure you are comfortable, light the candle and spread the rose petals out around it. Put your picture in front of you and look deep into the flame of the candle. Relax for a few seconds and breathe deeply forgetting everything that is depressing you. Push all your unhappiness into the rose petal closest to you. Talk the rose petal and crush it in your hand and throw it away. Breathe deeply again and look into the picture of you as a happy child and chant"By the power within me, let happiness be.Dig up from the corners of my mind, the happiness and carefree of a child.Push away heavy thoughts, let happiness flow free.So Mote It Be." Chant this about 3 times, more if you like but no less. Close your eyes imagine being young and carefree. Then blow out the candle stand up and spin around anti clockwise in a circle 3 times. Get two rose petals close your eyes and rub them along your eyelids gently. Then go outside and bury the rose petals under a special tree.Submitted by Roseflame F.

 

Healing the Rainforests spell 

Cast a circle Invoke elements by calling upon them in protective aspects (for example, you might invoke Watchfires or Beacons in the South). Chant the names of the Earth Goddess, beginning with your personal favorites, then naming as many as you can think of. Take a piece of green string. Begin to tie knots in it, while chanting: Tying the Cord, Renewing the Earth;We are Her Children, bringing Rebirth. (The knots may be simple or elaborate, but leave enough string to tie together at the end.) As you chant, see the world as a network of connected systems. Breathe the air that comes from the jungles of South America. Feel the living fire of an ocelot's power. Taste the rain on the leaves at the tops of the trees. Feel the delicate structure of the soil at the forest floor.) Tie the cord together in a loop; hold it up, strung around your two hands, and begin chanting: We are the Flow and we are the Ebb;We are the Weavers, we are the Web. As you chant, see yourself standing guard over the borders of the rainforest. See yourself with others, protecting rainforest as you would protect yourself, because that's what you're doing. Bury the cord in a container of earth. Earth the power; thank the Deities and elements; open the circle. Later bury the cord in the forest if possible. (If circumstances make the above impossible): Sit quietly and see: the network of ecosystems that make up the world; the rainforests thriving; plants and animals breeding; the Earth, green and filled with life; yourself, standing guard. Breathe, and know that the air comes from the sea and the jungles of Brazil. Drink and know that the water has been around the world, and circulates through you as it does through the air, land, and sea. Stand up and stretch; the strength of your body is the Earth's strength.Submitted by Kath H.

From: StarStuffs

Sacred Space

The organizers of the Mysteries did not leave things to chance. However vague some of their speculations may have sounded in the ears of the people, they were themselves dealing in as exact science as they were able to command. Hence, while the terrestrial 'East' was ever in the direction of the rising sun, a direction that describes a complete circle with every recurring twelve months, the celestial or true East was permanently situated in the sign of the zodiacal lion, or Leo, or the 'House of the Sun.' In every part of the world we always find the four cardinal points associated with the four elements, -- East, Lion, fire; South, Eagle (Scorpio), water; West, man, air; North, Bull, earth.

These correspondences are similar but do not precisely match those commonly recognized by modern Pagan traditions. Though variation exists with the is diversity of Pagan traditions, following are the correspondences with which this writer is most familiar in a Pagan context, for exemplary purposes, in a table alongside the above noted Masonic counterparts:

WICCA			FREEMASONRY
East	Air	Intellect/Imagination	East	Fire	Leo
South	Fire	Will/Vitality	South	Water	Scorpio
West	Water	Emotion/Intuition	West	Air	Man
North	Earth	Body/Foundation	North	Earth	Bull

From Coven of the Grail-Masonic Mysteries