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VIEWING 1 - 6 OUT OF 6 BLOGS.
Support For Pagan Troops overseas
DATE: 04/21/2008 16:03:28 / MOOD: Freakin Happy
In my quest to render some aid to pagan troops overseas, I have helped to develop the Pagan Warrior Support Network
We have already adopted two soldiers in the US Army, stationed in Afganistan and are actively seeking more to become part of the support network.
We have taken in many donated new and gently-loved pagan supply items of all sorts (ie, ritual items, books, magazines, candles, accessories, incense, etc) and are shipping them out to our adopted soldiers this week!
If you would like to join the effort to support our pagan troops, whether by donating items, monies or by becoming a pen-pal to a soldier, please contact me at paganwarriorinfo@yahoo.com
In addition to pagan items, basic comforts of home are also appreciated (ie, snacks, coffee, tea, cocoa, etc)
We all hate war, but we love and support our pagan brothers and sisters! Let's show them how much they mean to us, by coming together as a Community and sending our love, protection and support.
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Making a Comeback!
DATE: 02/26/2008 00:56:48 / MOOD: Freakin Happy
I have been absent from my blog for such a long time, but at least I can say I have made good use of my time.
My holiday in Mexico was divine and I had the best 40th birthday imaginable! Swimming in the Caribbean sea on birthday-eve was sublime. The water was warm, the fish friendly (whew!) and colorful, and the cocktail service impeccible! I am the luckiest witch in the world to have a husband who would make her birthday so spectacular!!!
Since I have come home, I have meditated many times about the help I have needed in building my website. I am a gifted witch and a pretty good healer, but designing websites is so not my gift! But, as with all things, when we have need of assistance, it generally arrives, and this has been no exception. A brilliant designer has manifested (she found me!) and is building me a series of the most gorgeous templates you can imagine to celebrate each of the sabbats in season, and I am just thrilled about it!
Willow Moon will rise again from this our most recent season of dormancy. It is fantastic to be excited about the shoppe again, and to be looking ahead to stocking sucj glorious new items. It is going to be a fantastic new day for Willow Moon, and for Willow, herself!
I have missed everyone terribly and am very happy to be, again, joining the 'living'! I pray that this finds all who read it well and happy. More news as it is forthcoming.
Oh! In other exciting news, my baby tomato seeds have sprouted! Spring has sprung, if only in my sunroom!!!
Love to all!
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New Moon Report
DATE: 12/11/2007 03:08:23 / MOOD: Doing Magick of course
StarIQ.com New Moon Report, December 9, 2007
by Jeff Jawer
Jeff Jawer and Rick Levine are counseling astrologers with clients from all walks of life. To find out how to arrange a private consultation with Jeff, see:
http://www.stariq.com/Jawer
To find out more about a consultation with Rick, go to:
http://www.stariq.com/Levine
Visit Tarot.com for personalized astrology reports.
New Moon in Sagittarius
Sunday, December 9, 9:40 am PST, 12:40 pm EST
The impetuousness of the Sagittarius New Moon is fueled by a strong 90-degree square from electric Uranus that is bound to bring surprises. Moods can shift in the blink of an eye, plans change in an instant, and wild ideas pop into our heads without warning. The urge for freedom is so strong that it's tempting to violate rules and abandon commitments. An impulse to break from routine and responsibility makes it hard to maintain discipline. But instead of committing petty acts of rebellion against others, find true liberation by changing your own habits and patterns. One small step in a new direction can open up a new world of possibilities.
Jupiter conjunct Pluto
Tuesday, December 11
Extreme beliefs can provoke philosophical debates as opinionated Jupiter joins with intense Pluto for the first time in 13 years. A tendency to judge others harshly comes from exaggerated fears. When someone insists that they have all the answers, steer clear instead of falling into a frustrating debate. This is a time to empty ourselves of outmoded ideas and dreams, clear the deck of false expectations, make room for our deepest desires to emerge, and create a realistic plan to fulfill them.
Moon's North Node in Aquarius
Monday, December 17
The karmic point of evolution shifts from the Piscean realm of compassionate feelings to the Aquarian one of compassionate ideas. Development of community values and collective action is required to counter the egocentrism of the South Node in Leo. Learning to be more objective and seeing our individual stories as threads in the fabric of collective society will help restore balance during the next 18 months.
Jupiter in Capricorn
Tuesday, December 18, 12:12 pm PST, 3:12 pm EST
The planet of exuberant expansion may feel cramped in no-nonsense Capricorn where theories must be proven and success comes from sustained effort and commitment. Negative thinking about the future is possible in this sometimes cynical sign, but it may simply be that pragmatism returns to align our hopes for tomorrow with the realities of today. Speculators and drifting dreamers could suffer disappointment, yet those with discipline, patience and respect for earth's natural cycles can slowly construct their roads to success.
Saturn Retrograde
Wednesday, December 19
Saturn's penchant for order becomes more of an internal issue than one dependent upon the conditions set by others. Finding authority within ourselves is how we learn the mastery that gives a sense of organization and control to our lives. Being true to oneself is not a matter of living up to some lofty principles, but being as honest as we can about what we feel inside. Pretty or petty, noble or not, the truth of knowing where we stand makes it possible to go anywhere with confidence.
Mercury in Capricorn
Thursday, December 20, 6:43 am PST, 9:43 am EST
Mental Mercury is particularly rational in practical Capricorn. The mind's eye is directed toward problem-solving and organization to produce concrete results instead of vague speculation. While abstract thinking may be replaced with a narrower perspective, this is an excellent time for constructive conversations free of emotional excess and managing the complex procedures required for success.
Sun in Capricorn
Friday, December 21, 10:08 pm PST, Saturday, December 22, 1:08 am EST
The Winter Solstice (Summer in Sydney) is a time to set priorities. As we approach the end of 2007 it's natural to look back and assess your accomplishments and what remains to be done. Aiming high provides motivation to advance yourself personally and professionally. Establishing lofty goals offers the incentive needed to maintain focus throughout the year ahead. If you doubt that you can advance your ambitions, remember that you only have to take one step at a time to climb the highest mountain. There is no one else you need to impress; set your own schedule, be responsible to yourself, and you'll find the way. Keep showing up with a sense of purpose and a will to improve and you can reach the summit.
Full Moon in Cancer
Sunday, December 23, 5:16 pm PST, 8:16 pm EST
The strong concerns about security of this lunation are intensified with aggressive Mars' close conjunction with the Cancer Moon. Emotional flare-ups and threats to safety can provoke fear, anger and squabbles with family members. Recognizing and accepting your vulnerability, though, allows a different approach, one that's warm, protective and caring. Staying calm and acting constructively can build trust and closeness. Expressing needs in a non-dramatic way will bring support, but taking direct action to ensure your wellbeing is even more powerful. You don't have to be brave to make progress now, so take responsibility for your feelings and act on them with maturity.
Venus in Sagittarius
Sunday, December 30, 10:02 am PST, 1:02 pm EST
The love planet in adventurous Sagittarius tends to make the heart restless. Seeking new forms of pleasure in faraway places or among unfamiliar faces is likely now. Ongoing relationships require refreshing with different activities or attitudes to regain the sense of discovery that makes romance flourish. A hunger for experience can even stir cautious homebodies to leave their nests in pursuit of excitement. Going too far in the appreciation of people, ideas and objects could mar judgment, so be careful about overestimating their value.
Mars in Gemini
Monday, December 31, 8:02 am PST, 11:02 am EST
Retrograde Mars backs out of emotional Cancer to re-enter curious Gemini, providing some relief for those holding tightly to the past or unwilling to consider alternative paths to productivity. Stimulation counts more than safety now as we seek distractions from the drudgery of the daily grind. Shake things up a bit by exploring new methods to alter your routine and stimulate bright ideas.
Mercury in Aquarius
Monday, January 7, 8:46 pm PST, 11:46 pm EST
Mercury begins a long stay in airy Aquarius where unconventional thinking opens the mind to a broader view of reality. Unfamiliar facets of perception reveal patterns that can put the pieces of life's puzzle together in more meaningful ways. Objective thinking makes it possible to detach from preconceived notions and fixed ideas that have limited choices in the past.
This New Moon in Sagittarius marks a break from tradition as the desire for change overcomes the desire to stick with comfortable old habits. Finding small ways to experiment reduces the pressure to make radical moves or get locked down in a futile pattern of resistance to the unfolding future. We are entering unfamiliar territory and the rewards of moving through uncharted waters are excitement, freedom and discovery.
Have a great month!
Jeff Jawer, Publisher, StarIQ.com
...because timing is everything!
http://www.StarIQ.com
The online version of this New Moon report, including the charts of the New and Full Moon can be found at
http://www.stariq.com/NewMoonReport.htm
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A little poetry
DATE: 11/07/2007 16:00:35 / MOOD: Other
With you
remembering a dream, a whisp of a vision of us together, from ages past
catching a glimpse of a time when we held each other against a thin, lazy wind
dreaming a memory of a snowy night out, and a roaring fire
feeling you with me, near me
knowing I will feel you again
even though I am alone
I am
with you
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New Moon Report
DATE: 11/06/2007 15:10:43 / MOOD: Doing Magick of course
StarIQ.com New Moon Report, November 9, 2007
by Jeff Jawer
Jeff Jawer and Rick Levine are counseling astrologers with clients from all walks of life. To find out how to arrange a private consultation with Jeff, see:
http://www.stariq.com/Jawer
To find out more about a consultation with Rick, go to:
http://www.stariq.com/Levine
Visit Tarot.com for personalized astrology reports.
New Moon in Scorpio
Friday, November 9, 3:03 pm PST, Thursday, 6:03 pm EST
The intense emotional force of the Scorpio New Moon usually drives feelings deep inside to scoop up pieces of the past and re-examine them in light of current circumstances. This time, supportive trines to the Sun-Moon conjunction from active Mars and revolutionary Uranus provide powerful motivation for letting go of old wounds, uncovering hidden resources, and applying them in new and different ways. Freedom from chronic emotional pain comes by following intuition and moving forward, rather than looking back and being mired in disappointment. Mystical Neptune's square adds a spiritual dimension that increases the capacity to forgive yourself and others.
Mercury in Scorpio
Sunday, November 11, 12:41 am PST, 3:41 am EST
Perspectives shift below the surface to uncover secrets and reveal the psychological influences that affect behavior. The communication planet in this passionate sign increases the force of words, which can make people reluctant to express themselves openly. Probing minds are better received when they combine tenderness with curiosity and intimacy grows when confidentiality is assured. Research is rewarded with nuggets of gold for those with patience and persistence.
Mars Retrograde
Thursday, November 15
The assertive warrior planet, whose fire is already tempered in watery Cancer, turns even milder with this backward shift. Launching new projects may be more complicated until Mars goes direct on January 30. Old frustrations, especially with family, may flare up as we revisit key moments of personal history. A general mood of crankiness is possible, so managing fear and insecurity is necessary for maintaining civility. Tie up loose ends and do maintenance work to clear the decks for the next big adventure.
Sun in Sagittarius
Thursday, November 22, 8:40 am PST, 11:50 am EST
The joy of this thankful season aligns with the Sun in enthusiastic Sagittarius. Big ideas, thoughts of adventure, and high expectations set targets that will stretch our boundaries. Everyone gets to be a philosopher with opinions about what life means. Expanding mental and physical horizons are gifts of this outgoing sign, yet judgment of others should not be given generously, but served in tiny, tactful portions.
Uranus Direct
Saturday, November 24
The planet of revolution's direct turn normally frees up forces of change. While there may be some breakthroughs happening, Mars' retrograde can dampen the fuse and keep most bombs from exploding. Frustration with authority figures or restrictions of any kind produces inner pressure to react, yet ill-planned acts of rebellion are likely to fail. Respect your right to be free by carefully thinking through the steps to achieve it.
Full Moon in Gemini
Saturday, November 24, 6:29 am PST, 9:29 am EST
This normally bright and breezy Sun-Moon opposition sprinkles ideas and information across a wide landscape. Now stern Saturn squares both luminaries to diminish the potential for brilliance. Exciting conversations and concepts can be sidetracked by mundane responsibilities and practical limitations. When it comes to ideas, only the strong survive because there's less tolerance for random theories. Avoid an information overload or talking when listening is really the key to connecting.
Mercury in Sagittarius
Saturday, December 1, 4:21 am PST, 7:21 am EST
The planet of data and details can sometimes get lost in Sagittarius' vast philosophical spaces. Facts turn fuzzy as salesmanship overcome scholarship. An upbeat attitude is a plus here as it's possible to overlook present problems to see future positives. Yet if we focus too much on seeing the whole forest, we might run into a tree.
Venus in Scorpio
Wednesday, December 5, 5:29 am PST, 8:29 am EST
Magnetic Venus entering emotionally powerful Scorpio evokes desire, passion and jealousy. A tendency to be dissatisfied in relationships can feed the hunger for more. Intimacy advances when we are willing to invest deeply in ourselves and our partners rather than merely skimming the surface. Trust is hard-earned, so respect the privacy of others. Silence is sexier than gossip for those interested in getting to the heart of love.
The New Moon in Scorpio offers a seed of desire that originates from our very depths. What we want can also be what frightens us, so don't back away at the first sign of danger. This is about taking risks, but not necessarily physical or social ones. The challenge is to look beyond pride and politeness to tap into the very essence of your needs. What you find might be something you cannot pursue, but simply exploring is an awakening that can empower you to seek other forms of fulfillment.
Have a great month!
Jeff Jawer, Publisher, StarIQ.com
...because timing is everything!
http://www.StarIQ.com
The online version of this New Moon report, including the charts of the New and Full Moon can be found at
http://www.stariq.com/NewMoonReport.htm
(c)2007, StarIQ.com, Inc.
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A Simple Path
DATE: 11/02/2007 01:15:40 / MOOD: Full of Life
A Simple Path:
Journey of a Hedgewitch
November 2007
*The Hedgewitch lives in the space between the Village and the Forest. Between the mundane and the magical. S/He lives with a foot in both worlds.
This column is dedicated to the Hedgewitches of the planet earth.
Gratitude That Lasts Longer Than The Leftovers
I have been a firm believer that gratitude is the single-most important magical element ever since I came to my Path. Without it, we place ourselves in an un-blessable position in the Universe.
When we are not grateful for what we have, the things we do have seem to be stripped from us, and then we have reason to appreciate what was.
When we take the time to be mindful of our blessings, our abundance is automatically increased.
This isn't merely my opinion, it is a simple matter of like attracting like, and is a Universal physical law.
At this time of year, we are reminded to be grateful for our blessings, whatever they may be.
The love of our families and friends. Our health and that of our loved ones. Our homes that shield us from the cold and the dark of the oncoming winter. The feasts we prepare and share and enjoy, to mark the occasion. Our freedom to speak our minds, to educate and better ourselves, to travel coast to coast without fear of recrimination, and very often to offer better lives to our children than our parents were able to afford for us.
I find, however, that it is an effort to remain in a place of gratitude. Sure, it is easy to be happy and gracious while munching a drumstick and anticipating a thick wedge of pumpkin pie, heaped with sweet cream.
But on a daily basis, even an hourly one, it is considerably more work.
When it is payday, and there is less money than there are bills. When our star pupil is suspended from school for inappropriate behavior. When we have had cross words with our spouse or parent or child and we go to bed angry and frustrated. When the roof leaks (again) after the first big rainfall of the season.
It is so simple to identify and lament the things that are wrong, missing, unsatisfactory about life. Why is it so easy to recognize what isn't, and so difficult to focus on what is?
I have mentioned, before in this column, that I came straight from the womb a "glass-half-empty" sort of person. So, for me, this exercise in practicing gratitude is one I write about a lot. Not merely for the edification of anyone reading this, but to remind my own self.
I tend to forget.
I let my blessings slip far from my conscious mind.
I see so clearly what I need and want. But have a much harder time identifying all that I have.
I mention this now, because the Universe has recently given me great cause to be reminded.
In fact, about 6 months of reminders.
I allowed my recognition of my good fortune to slip so far from my consciousness that I nearly gave it all up, in the pursuit of 'what isn't'.
I convinced myself that what I had was not what I needed. That the relationships I have formed and depended on were not giving me what I needed in order to be happy.
I became consumed with the desperate urge to 'run away from home' (which at nearly 40 is nowhere near as adorable as an angry 3 year old with a bandanna tied to a stick).
I honestly allowed myself to become convinced that my happiness and good fortune, my very life Plan, was somewhere "out there".
Now, sure, I didn't come to this realization in a single day, or even all on my own. My husband was in the throes of taking his life for granted, as well, and finding so many reasons to be dissatisfied.
So we worked together to convince ourselves that what we had was not as good as what we could have if we changed our geography/lifestyle/marital status.
It didn't occur to us until very nearly too late, that all we really needed to change was our attitude.
Not our latitude.
Fortunately for both of us, we came to the realization that we had a choice to make. Either become, again, mindful of all we had been blessed with, or chuck the previous 14 years into the bin and start new lives, apart.
I am very grateful, in retrospect, that we remembered what we have together. Not just our marriage, but the support in becoming the fully-developed humans we are meant to become. The extended family we share between us. The impact that our union has on the other people in our lives.
All these things we have to be grateful for, and seem to be the first things to go on the chopping block when we become frustrated with the course our lives have taken.
This Harvest Season, I take the time to remind myself, again, all that I have to be grateful for. In honor of the occasion, here are "My 5" things:
*I am grateful that despite a horrid and grinding past 6 months, I have a chance to learn a lesson without having to crash my metaphoric car into a brick wall at 80 miles per hour (a skill I have only developed in recent years. I am the very definition of someone who has to learn "the hard way").
*I am grateful that I have a home that is warm and safe and dry, where people have the space and support to develop and to grow.
*I am grateful to have love in my life. Not the ooey-gooey love of fairy tales, but the enduring, brutally honest, and often indulgent kind that is of substance and can be relied upon.
*I am grateful for friends who have shored me up during my own personal identity crisis (maybe mid-life crisis???), and have made it possible for me to endure. Their stength has given me the strength, sometimes to 'make a move' when change was required and sometimes, just to wait, and see.
*I am grateful for the ever-present communion I have with the gods. No matter how dark the road or rocky the terrain, I never, for a moment, felt alone during my whole ordeal. They gave me wisdom, sent sustainence, and comforted me. Unlike the days when I felt like 'God' was somewhere out there, waiting for me to 'blow it' so He could punish me, I knew the gods understood each feeling I had, and that all humans have these emotions. Because of this, I was able not to judge myself, and thus avoid falling into guilt-ridden despair.
Turns out, I have loads of things to be grateful for.
I invite each of you to join me in becoming mindful of your own blessings. Not only on the third Thursday of November (or the Thanksgiving of your choice), but daily. Even hourly.
The worse things look, the more valuable gratitude will be to you in that moment. When you can look up from your crisis long enough to find things to appreciate, your help is already on its way.
From everyone here in the Hedge, to all of you, may your Holiday seson be filled with moments of mindful gratitude, and warm, happy memories to treasure for years to come.
Brightest Blessings!
Willow
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