MysticWicks Online Pagan Community and Spiritual Sanctuary http://mysticwicks.com Pagan Forums Online Community. Come learn with other Pagans or talk about Pagan issues. Free online classes for Tarot, Magick, Rituals, Divination, History, Kabbalah, and more. A Spiritual Sanctuary for people of all Paths. Welcome home. en Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:58:12 GMT vBulletin 2 http://www.mysticwicks.com/images/theme_images/spring_2010/misc/rss.jpg MysticWicks Online Pagan Community and Spiritual Sanctuary http://mysticwicks.com Frisky American Boys Having a Bit of Fun http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232487&goto=newpost Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:22:29 GMT US soldiers 'killed Afghan civilians for sport and collected fingers as trophies'

Soldiers face trial over secret 'kill team' which allegedly murdered at random and collected fingers as trophies of war

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010...ilians-fingers

Want to lay odds as to how many, if found guilty, are sentenced to imprisonment...and how much of that time they actually do?

Gotta love those American values. ]]> Snapdragon http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232487 Intro/IceBreaker http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232486&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:41:58 GMT 1) Is there a story behind your user I.D./screen name?

Nope, just a screenname.

2) How'd you find us here at Mystic Wicks?

The all powerful Google

3) Do you follow any certain path (spiritually)?

Nope. Don't have a specific path that I follow. Love to learn, drawn mosty to celtic & norse paths and a little Native American.

4) Would you like people to send you a private message saying "hi" if they see your profile and want to get to know you better?

Yes, everyone is more than welcome to.

5) Do you use incense, and if you do, do you have a favorite scent?

Yes I do. It is rare that I don't have any around. Favorite . . . ??? Not really. Dragon's Blood, Naga Champa, Sandlewood are common ones that you'll find in stock at my place.

6) How about "totem animals"; is there any certain animal with which you most identify?

Yes, wolf.

7) Is there anything else you think we should know about you, or that you'd like to share?

I've been a part of the pagan community in one form or another (online and/or offline) for about 12-13 years now. Not much of a debater and have periods of time where you won't hear from me at all. But I am most likely in the background reading, lurking, trolling . . . etc. ]]> Introductions Vyk http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232486 A Personal Triumph http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232485&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:03:51 GMT This isn't really relevant to anything, I just felt like sharing!

I am working on completion of a Diploma in Disability Studies. I have one course to go...a community research project.

We recently found out that our proposals will be going under full review from the main campus (I attend classes at a satellite campus of the university), and in order for there to be enough time we need to have them updated and ready to go for today's class (the first one).

I have been so worried about this that I've been putting it off and putting it off. I finally read my instructor's comments on my first draft, and am feeling a WHOLE LOT BETTER!

She frequently uses words such as "brilliant," "YES!", and "exceptional."

I was so worried that it was terrible that I've been doing everything to avoid looking at it, even though I know I need it for 4:30 this afternoon.

My topic has to do with the quality of information people who have sustained head injuries receive in our community.


I finally feel like this project is doable!! ]]> Just Talk LadyDryad http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232485 Going to College with Autism (Off Topic, Non-Pagan - I sort of just need some out) http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232484&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:44:57 GMT I have a long story to share, and a few questions to ask. But mostly, I just need to get this off my chest and try to sort things out. Hope you don't mind.

First off, I have "high functioning Autism", which means I can more or less function in society but do require some assistace in some areas of daily living. (I can't drive a car for example, and I often forget to do "simple things" like eat or shower and have to have some one there to remind me.)

For 30 years my biggest problem was not talking. I can talk, and around family I can talk fine with no problems at all. There are exactly 7 people whom I am able to have conversations with. Every one else forget it. I can't explain it, but it's like I totally lose my voice. I try to speak but no words come out at all or some times it's just a bunch of random gurggles. Sometimes if the person is patent enough to sit around waiting long enough, I am able to get out a disconected string of baddly stuttered peices of words. It's terrible and embarrassing because people sort of pat me on the head like I was a cat and say "poor thing, she's retarded". Than they start talking about me like they think I'm not there or can't understand what they are saying and often they say things that hurt my feelings. It's really upsetting, especially seeing how I am so very good at talking around family members.

Usually if I wanted to talk to people I end up writing things down, that way they also know I'm not retarded and can understand them perfectly. As a result, I became a writer and author and have written several books, short stories, articles, etc. I love writing, but let's face it, the pay sucks.

Than there is the fact at age 35 years old, I was still live with my dad, because there are just so many things I am not able to do.

Well, in 2005, during a huge flood that left me homeless and my dad in a coma. It was the first time I had ever been without "an adult" there to help me with simple day to day things. And I found out fast just how much there was out there that I really, had absolutly no idea how to do.

And at that point, in 2005, I had never been to a doctor, had never attended school, had never left the house, and the only people who ever visited me were the preists my parents kept bringing in to do exsocisms (my parents come from a religion that does not believe in doctors, schools, etc,). I spent the first 30 years of my life being told that I "acted different" because I had a demon living in me.

Well, in 2005, my mom ran off with some guy, than the flood came through and took our house with it and left my dad in a coma. Suddenly, I was alone and living under a tarp, with no idea how to do anything. Next thing I know I'm being taken to a psychologist on the order of a judge at some court, and everything changed.

The psychologist, said I had Autism, and explained that though I had a serious "social retardation" caused by my parents having isolated me all those years, he said my Autism wasn't really all that bad and I could with propper training, learn to live on my own in society.

Today, 5 years later, I have come a long way:
  • Five years ago, my speach was as discribed above. Today, though it's not perfect, I can now carry out more or less normal conversations with almost any one. (YAY!)
  • Five years ago, my social skills were so crippled, I could not get a job. I now temp part time at Macy's, and am an Avon Rep, and have an online job as a psychic and am now a professional artist, and will be opening a kiosk stand at a local beach next summer.
  • Five years ago, not even the psychologist thought I would ever be able to drive a car. He said it was very unlikely that a driver's lisence was in my future and I should plan on using busses and taxis the rest of my life. Today I have 2 cars of my own!
  • I had never attended school. Not grade school, not high school, nothing. I am currently taking night school classes and will have my GED hopefully, before the end of this year.
  • I took Bible seminary/pastoral courses with 3 different churches and now I am an ordained minister with my own chapel.

I know for most people these things may not seem too big, because they are standard things the average person just does on their own, but you got to understand that for some one with Autism, these are steps that 9 times out of 10 NEVER happen EVER in their life time, so for me to be able to acomplish these things, is really, really, REALLY big!

The biggest hurdle for my Autism is numbers. I can barely count, I forget the names of numbers, and though I've tried every thing from flash cards to recordings to study guides to in home tutors I still can not remember the times table. And than to make the problem even worse, what few times I do get the number right, I usually later find out I had reversed them, for example I'll look at a clock and see the time is 4:58 but than say aloud that the time is 8:54 or the answer to a problem might be 42 and I'll have written done 24 instead!

Well, here's the part were I get to asking you questions. You see, I'm being told by a lot of different people that it's all well and good my overcoming these huge challanges with my Autism, and learning how to become indepentant and all, but they say it's all I'll ever be able to do and there are no more challenges out there for me. People who knew my 5 years ago before the psychologist and who see me today, say they are amazed at how much I have changed and progressed, but than they add, that my overcoming these challeges was sort of pointless seeing how in their words I'll "never live a normal life", they say I'll never have a "real" "professional" career, never marry and have a family, and that my life is more or less meaningless because I will never be able to make any sort of meaningful contribution to society. (These people who say this, are my relatives btw - aunts, uncles, cousins.)

Well, I don't believe them. I believe that ANYTHING is possible and that I can do anything I've put my put my mind to doing. I mean, just look at what I've done in the last 5 years - no one ever thought I would have a job or an apartment or drive a car or talk even, and here I am five years later doing every one of those things. I say why stop there?

So what's next for me? Well, I've discovered a few things the past few years: I love helping people via my psychic hotline job. I love helping people via my non-denominational-sort-of-quasi-Christian-Pagan chapel. I love learning new things and taking school classes. Because I have overcome these supposedly impossible for an Autistic person to overcome challanges, I am able to now advise others on how to overcome similar challenges. And I just plain, really, really, really like helping people. And I now have a career goal in mind as a result: I want to become a counselor.

After researching laws ans guidelines and all the ins and outs, I have discovered that in order to achive my goal of becoming a profesional counselor I need to get a Ph.D in Psychology with a focus on Family Counseling and setting up a private practice, which means I need about 8 years of medical college with a focus on mental health.

(Oh yeah, one of the weirder symptoms of my Autism is that I see ghosts, angels, faeries, ect. and am able to talk to them, which is why I am so good at being an online psychic. People tell me that what I do is called "channleing" and that I am a channle for Spirit Guides and Ascended Masters, but I'm not too familiar with that termology. And I wanted to use this as part of my counselling career...so I'd be sort of a spiritual guidance couselor in addition to being a family counselor).

So, I tell people whom I know, about this whole going to medical school thing and they just out right laugh in my face. It's, some what disconserting actually, because it's not like a little laugh either, it's a big full gut belly laugh that goes on for several minutes, followed by a responce like: "Seriously? You? College? Forget it."

It's frustrating, because there really isn't any one I can talk to about this, seeing how the people I know personally are not only completely non supportive of my going to college, they have outright animostity towards it. My relatives, don't aprove of schooling on any level, remember? And they don't believe in doctors either. So this is a really BIG "no-no" in their eyes, which a few of them are now saying is proof that I truely am "demon possessed". *SIGH* There is just no reasoning with them.

The people who believe in Autism (as opposed to demon possession) say that there is no way I would ever survive college, and that medical college is just out of the question because it's so much harder. They say my Autism limits me too much, and that it's great that I've come as far as I have these past 5 years, but that college is just not an option for me, because no college would ever even consider accepting some one with Autism as a student.

Right now getting past basic math so that I can advance to algebra and than college math, seems to be the only road block (other than financial aid, which I'll figure out as I go along) preventing me from getting into medical college. I don't think my Autism will stop me from going to college.

So I suppose my question is have you or some one you know, ever done something against all the odds and come out on top?

Also, do you have any suggestions on what I could do to get math and numbers to stick. I've been learning everything else with such ease, but math is just not getting through at all and I don't know what to do to overcome it. I've tried everything and so far nothing has worked.

And have you ever known any college students, med students, or professionals with PH.Ds who also had Autism? Are their any psychologists or counselors out their who have Autism? If so, could you share their stories?

Do you know of any websites where I could find information on going to college and starting a professional career while having Autism?

Thanks! Sorry this got so long. I just needed to get this out there. Thank you for taking the time to read this. ]]> Just Talk EelKat http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232484 Kitchen Faucet Installation http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232482&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:56:32 GMT I need to install a new kitchen faucet this weekend, and it's not something I've ever done before.

So...

Tips? Things to be careful about? Things NOT to do?

It's just a standard faucet, from what I could tell...nothing fancy.

Thanks in advance! ]]> Pagan Spaces LadyDryad http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232482 Possession and Invocation http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232481&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:24:06 GMT
[from http://kenazfilan.blogspot.com]

While cleaning out my mailbox, I found a 2006 e-mail to Lupa on the distinction between possession and invocation. (This was written during the period when Raven Kaldera and I were soliciting information for Drawing Down the Spirits). I thought it might prove useful for those interested in the topic: you may also want to read Raven's essay on possession, "The Path of the Horse."

***

In an invocation, the magician calls upon and then draws into hirself the energy of a particular spirit being. This energy can have some pretty powerful psychoactive and spiritual effects. It can result in short-term and even long-term changes in behavior, have positive and negative consequences for your health, be used to effect real-world real-time changes, etc. But the deity doesn't take control of the situation. The user's psyche may be altered by the rush of spirit-energy but it's not kicked to the curb. S/he remains in control of hir body and mind.


Invocation is a necessary precursor to any possession ritual. (I might say it's an integral part of any successful magical operation). Any invocation worthy of the name draws the attention of the spirit world. Many of the techniques used to raise the energy -- meditation, drumming, dancing and prayer -- can also be used to encourage a possession. But in most instances invocation does not culminate in possession but in a general feeling of post-orgasmic bliss and good will. Please note that I'm not minimizing invocation's importance. Most conventional religions work almost exclusively with invocation. By and large invocation is safe, and if done well can have powerful beneficial effects. Invocation can heal disease, improve luck and weave powerful magic. But in and of itself invocation is not trance possession.

Invocation's cousin evocation works in a similar fashion, only in evocation the energy is directed to a particular area and constrained therein. Indeed, when using evocation, the magician takes pains to make sure that the entity's energy does NOT mix with hir own. If possession has a polar opposite, evocation is it. But that doesn't mean we can't learn from it. Like possession, evocation has a reputation of being extremely powerful and exceptionally dangerous. Many of the safeguards used in Goetic evocation can be applied to any possession ritual to ensure things go as smoothly as possible.

A few traditions use what has come to be known as "aspecting" or "shadowing." They become a vessel for the Divine or the spirit and move with the spirit. The Divine moves through them, but they never completely "step out of the way" and let the Divine take over. There's always an option to stop and regain complete control, whether or not the aspecting/shadowing magician wishes or chooses to use it.

Among most of the Religions of the Book, even attempting this would be a major sin. Stating that you were speaking as Allah, YHVH, Jesus, etc. would be the height of hubris. Consider the revealing of the Q'uran: Muhammed claimed that he was receiving Allah's Word through Jiv'reel or Gabriel and then reciting it, not that Allah was speaking directly through him. (Eliade might describe the Prophet's recitations as so many "spirit journeys," a technique he contrasted favorably with possession). But it appears to have been quite common in many pre-Christian cultures. Many of the public Greek and Egyptian rituals appear to have involved aspecting, for example: while I don't know enough to say with any kind of authority, I suspect the same is also true of many of the Mesoamerican religions as well.

Done right, aspecting may be all you need to speak with Deity and have a completely effective ritual. A good priest/ess who is able to subsume hir ego and who is able to listen to Deity can function as a channel without losing complete control. As Raven & Co. put it, they get to remain in the driver's seat while the Deity gives directions. By treating aspecting as a sacred encounter, not as playacting or rote recitation, a group can incorporate some lighter aspects of possession into their Work with relative safety and with great benefit.

Now we get into one of the great Possession Debates: where does "aspecting" end and "channeling" begin. At what point does it cease to be the Priest/ess speaking for Deity and Deity speaking through Priest/ess? When is it no longer you but the spirit moving the body and speaking the words? This is a hotly-contested issue, and one for which there are no easy answers. I've seen many borderline cases, and I've seen situations which started out as aspecting and became full-on possessions.

(I also would note that full-on possessions generally end pretty definitively, with little or no shading into aspecting or invocation-level energy, at least in my experience. Once the spirit gives up possession S/He usually goes away, with a palpable decrease in energy).

A common rule of thumb among Afro-Caribbean traditions is that a possession is only valid if the horse loses all consciousness. In my personal experience, I've found this misleading but not entirely untrue. When I've been hit by a lwa I've generally felt like I was watching the possession from a distance. I was somewhat aware of what was going on, although there were greater or lesser memory gaps afterward, but I certainly wasn't in control of things. I believe Raven & Co. call this "back seat, watching behind the safety glass" level of possession.

However, a couple of times I have lost consciousness altogether for the duration of the ride. These typically happen with Danto, who's known to be a rather hot and fierce spirit. These full-on "locked in the trunk" possessions are pretty intense but don't typically last more than a few minutes. (Although honestly I wonder if anyone could physically sustain any level of Danto possession for much longer without shorting things out). I will also note that I've found most possessions involve some level of memory loss, typically around messages the lwa gave to someone else. I've also had fugues where I attributed things to other people: thinking "somebody just got Ogou" when I heard myself shrieking, for example.

To add yet another layer of complexity, I've heard people who work with totem or animal spirits describe a variant form of possession. Instead of letting the animal spirit get inside their heads and bodies, they get their heads and bodies inside the spirit. They wear the spirit like a hat; while they give it some control over their bodies, their intelligence and ego remains more or less intact. Based on some cursory research, I suspect this was the case for many of the pre-Christian warriors and shamans who inspired Europe's "werewolf" legends. ]]> Just Pagan KenazFilan http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232481 Ever have one of those days..... http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232480&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:39:57 GMT You know the days....Where you have thought about things so much your head hurts, the things you are thinking about have made your stomach hurt. You can't do the things you want to do, and you have to do the things that you don't want to do. Those days that you just want to go crawl under a rock and hide for a while.


Well today is that day for me.......And it sucks.

Nuff said. ]]> Just Talk Fairywolf http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232480 Criminal Enterprise Kept the Capitalist System Going http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232479&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:59:15 GMT ...so far, anyway: ...the head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime admitted that colossal piles of drugs money had kept the world financial system afloat when it looked dangerously close to collapse. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/sep/07/mafia-cash-economy-le-carre ...so far, anyway:

...the head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime admitted that colossal piles of drugs money had kept the world financial system afloat when it looked dangerously close to collapse.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...onomy-le-carre ]]> Snapdragon http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232479 Intro http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232478&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:45:14 GMT 1)Is there a story behind your name?

Yes, Kyleigh Wynn Phoenix is a Pagan pseudonym, meaning Graceful and Blessed. I selected this name, as my journey has not been an easy one, but I rise above it all...just like a Phoenix

2) How'd you find us here at Mystic Wicks?

A comment on my blogspot

3) Do you follow any certain path (spiritually)?

If I must put a label on myself, I would say that I am Solitary Eclectic Wiccan, taking mostly from Celtic Traditions.

4) Would you give me a kidney if I needed it? JUST KIDDING! Only checking to see who's paying attention... lol the real #4) Would you like people to send you a private message saying "hi" if they see your profile and want to get to know you better?

Yes to both actually.

5) Do you use incense, and if you do, do you have a favorite scent?

Absolutely do. I have a cat and dog, so burning incense is not always about getting grounded for me. Sometimes, it is just about smelling something other than, the cat and the dog. :bigredgri

I enjoy many different scents, if I am using them to ground myself, during my card of the day selection, or rituals, I will choose accord to those things. Otherwise, just whatever my nose likes .... especially sandalwood.

6) How about "totem animals"; is there any certain animal with which you most identify? Yes, a frog.

7) Is there anything else you think we should know about you, or that you'd like to share?

I have had a very hard time meeting people in London, Ontario, that are not fluffy bunny pagans, living the lifestyle for shock factor. I would very much like to change that. It would be nice to have someone to talk to, share learning with, go to rituals and festivals with. So, please if you live in the London, Ontario area and are looking to make a new friend, do drop me a line.

]]> Introductions Kyleigh Wynn http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232478 Everyday magic http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232477&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:03:52 GMT I've just been looking at an online shop that sells such interesting things as 'Lucky 13 Powder', 'Devils Shoestring Oil' and 'Black Cat Mojo Oil' and I was trying to find some recipes so I can make these things myself if I need them. Then I came to think about all the other oils, incense and brews I have found very interesting but never tried out because there hasn't been a reason for it yet.

As I'm still a novice in my studies I feel I should do a little something every day to get to know the different herbs, correspondences etc. but if I made, say, a powder for sprinkling I would most likely make more than I would need that day and so after a couple of weeks I would have quite a few powders, incenses and so on. As these won't keep forever I would have to use them on a regular basis which wouldn't be a problem if it was for purifying my home. But then I got to thinking about overdoing things and I was curious to know what everybody else does. How often do you sprinkle or wash or burn incense? And what kind of everyday magic do you do? ]]> Just Pagan earth http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232477 Toward a Neo-Animist Manifesto http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232476&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 11:13:06 GMT
[from http://kenazfilan.blogspot.com]

Like anything else, words can be worn down with time and overuse. "Shaman" is certainly showing its age. Once used to describe the priest/spirit-workers of an obscure Siberian tribe, "shaman" now describes African witch doctors, Lakota medicine men, Mexican curanderas and Silicon Valley software engineers on a weekend retreat. The word has been stretched far beyond its original capacity: scholars and practitioners alike have noted dangerous structural flaws in its edifice. The shaman's communal role as a priest and intercessor is minimized while the individual spirit-journey is emphasized. The methods by which the shaman alters consciousness - drugs, drumming, ordeals and the like - receive a lion's share of attention: the spiritual and physical perils of that voyage are often ignored altogether.

As Mircea Eliade noted, and many after him have confirmed, shamanic techniques work well for entering altered states. Today many people experiment with various substances and plant allies, with varying degrees of reverence and seriousness. Ordeal workers have incorporated safety and efficiency tips from BDSM in their own versions of Sun Dances and vision quests. Self-help gurus have turned firewalking into an affirmation of self-worth. At worst, "shaman" evokes Edward Said's Orientalism on an equal opportunity plan, with widely variant cultural and religious groups pureed into a spicy exotic mush.

Learning a few rhythms or swallowing a psychoactive tea is not the same thing as becoming a member of a culture. Many - arguably all - so-called "Shamanic" traditions are based on cultural morés and upon an individual's place in that culture. This poses a conundrum for one who sincerely seeks to engage with said traditions. Many have tried to approach these cultures with an attitude of respect and reverence: many others have seen them as an opportunity for spiritual tourism or as unclaimed magical power objects ripe for exploitation. (Like most foreign devotees, I have played both roles in my spiritual search: I've also spent a fair deal of time in grey and uncertain ethical territory. This is a complex issue. If it weren't people wouldn't have written so many damn books on the subject).

Many who experiment with chemical and plant allies have taken to calling themselves "psychonauts." This label might well be applied to most modern-day "shamans." Psychonauts are concerned primarily with their own psyches. They do not take ayahusaca to divine their clan's future or drum to ensure good hunting for their tribe: rather, they hope to gain personal power and wisdom through consciousness expansion. This is not intended as a condemnation or a moral judgment: self-improvement is certainly a worthwhile use of one's time. But let us call it what it is rather than using a term best reserved for a specific tribal office.

But what of those modern "shamans" who believe that the spirit world exists outside their heads and who consider themselves in service to a community? I wonder if we aren't guilty of false advertising when we use the "shaman" label. My practices could easily be placed under the rubric of "shamanism." I have used drums and dancing to induce altered states and even full-on possessions; I have worked with plant and chemical allies; I have helped clients with problems by calling on the intercession of my spiritual companions; I have had the unpleasant meltdown which has come to be called "Shaman sickness." My primary path, Haitian Vodou, incorporates many techniques which are today called shamanic. But how does my role relate to a Tungus shaman -- or, for that matter, a healer/spirit-worker in any other indigenous culture? My interactions within my community, my cultural and financial capital, the prides and prejudices gained in my childhood and sustained throughout my adult life - these are all very different.


Perhaps the label "animist" carries less baggage than "shaman." Animists believe the spirit world is immanent within the material: they believe that trees, animals and even "inanimate" objects can hold the sparks of sentience and even of divinity. (Some of us might go so far as to follow the Neoplatonists - or the Chaotes - and say that concepts and mental constructions can take on lives of their own). Animism is a blanket term, and one which few Animist cultures would use to describe their own practices. We step on no toes by calling ourselves Animists. We also avoid many of the misunderstandings associated with "Shamanism." Animism is not about practices but about belief. It is a way of seeing and understanding the world, one which has inspired many ways of engaging with said world.

I certainly cannot stop people from applying the word "Shamanism" to their practices. I'm not arrogant enough to believe I can stop linguistic drift. But I can say what I mean and mean what I say. And while I may do things which have become identified with Shamanism, I am at heart and deed an Animist. I am not a Siberian healer, but I am a living and thinking entity in a universe full of living and thinking entities. How I communicate with them is less important, to me, than the fact that we can and do communicate. ]]> Just Pagan KenazFilan http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232476 When you just *know* someone is going to die http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232475&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:07:50 GMT What do you do? My nephew just had a double lung transplant. He had been on the list for several months; and this is supposed to be a positive thing, one that is going to greatly improve his lifestyle. He has cystic fibrosis, and when he was born we were told that he would probably not live to... What do you do?

My nephew just had a double lung transplant. He had been on the list for several months; and this is supposed to be a positive thing, one that is going to greatly improve his lifestyle. He has cystic fibrosis, and when he was born we were told that he would probably not live to be twenty. But medical science keeps improving, he's 22, and there are no limits per se with a new set of lungs!

The problem is, that somehow I have just known this is going to go bad. Probably for over a year, maybe even a year and a half. Long before he got put on the transplant list, but was just talking about the possibility. So I keep checking. Am I supposed to warn him off of getting the transplant? No, because his life expectancy without them is short anyway. To hope is better than to not hope.

Not to mention the biggest problem, I cannot be sure that what I feel is correct! How can I with any assurance tell someone not to take a life saving surgery, because it won't help them regardless? For the most part, I haven't been paying attention to this feeling anyway. I do listen, but only enough to check with my other sources to see what they have to say. But nobody's saying nothin'!

I like being clairaudient. It's fun talking with spirits of all varieties. And with it there is a certain amount of comprehension, and personal control over the situation. But when I think back to my early years of trying to follow God, I have to admit that my clairaudience was developed over time. My first ability was claircognizance, (or so I think it's called), this mysterious ability to just KNOW something.

Which is all I have to go on now. Like I say, nobody is talking. Which isn't strange; they don't have to because I already know. And there's really nothing that can be done about it!

I finally settled down and listened to my insides this evening. For some reason I've known that complications from the transplant will do him in. I wondered if I needed to be there to say goodbye before he went into surgery, but knew he would make it through that part. And I really was relieved when the reports came back that he was recovering quite well, and the doctors were thinking of releasing him from the hospital early. It seemed that what I was feeling was nothing more than conjecture, so I dismissed it accordingly.

But today we hear news that things are not going so well. And everything inside me jumped and said, "I told you so!" So I finally stopped and really analyzed what was happening with me. This isn't my usual mode of getting information, but it's undenyable and strong. On the physical plane nobody is even remotely talking about giving up or anything going that terribly wrong; and they would all never forgive me if they heard me talking like this. But I sense he's only got a couple months -- give or take.

I've never had to deal with anything like this, so any advice would be appreciated. I would love to simply see that I missed it and am wrong. But meanwhile, these feelings are strong and rather specific. ]]> Psychics and Sensitives Tobias http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232475 Could sure use some healing energy... http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232474&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 07:17:48 GMT I've been engaged in a battle with a mysterious neurological disorder for the last few years, and have recently been diagnosed with a heart condition, for which I am receiving medical treatment and further medical investigation.

Maybe it's the late evening and lack of sleep talking, but I just felt the need to reach out tonight. I don't even remember what it feels like to feel good and healthy, and I'm really starting to feel frustrated. I put on a great front for everyone I interact with in my life, but inside I'm just miserable, annoyed, and in pain.

If anyone has extra healing energy around, it would be greatly appreciated. ]]> Energy Requests LadyDryad http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232474 AD: New online store opened http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232473&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 05:41:11 GMT Ok, so I'm sitting home, broken knee, bored out of my mind. Wait, let me go back a little bit first.

It all started with my cousins wedding. She wanted to Jump the Broom and asked me to please make it for her. I was excited to do this for her so I did and it turned out so much nicer than I could have planned. So while we were getting ready both she and her best friend suggest that I should sell them online.

So, I was about to ask where people on here sell their items and I was lead to ArtFire.com since there are no listing or selling fee's like some other sites.

So, I just made another Fall/Thanksgiving/Mabon broom decoration as well as a Floral Topped candle.

So, I'm bored at home with a broken knee but working on these little projects keeps me grounded and amused and give me a good reason to get out of the house at least a couple times for supplies and what not. I am still adding to the store as well but I'd like to get some intrest out there as well... you know, while I get this going!!

Thanks for the support!!



PS--- trying to upload pics but my internet (?) is being wacky!!
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]]> Pagan Public Marketplace MoonChild78 http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232473 Fruit Liqueurs etc. http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232472&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 05:37:35 GMT This summer we've made several fruit liqueurs etc.. I thought I'd post some of the recipes in case people are looking for things to do with fruit!

Raspberry Liqueur

2 cups fresh raspberries
2 cups sugar
1 medium-sized bottle of vodka

Mix ingredients and put bottle in a cool, dark place. I lay the bottle on its side, and then turn it every day so that it gets mixed together gently. Leave for 2-3 weeks, strain, and bottle. Most recipes say to throw the pulp away, but I keep it in a container in a freezer and put a bit on ice cream...delicious!


Blackberry Liqueur

**same as raspberry, but use blackberries instead!

Black Plum Liqueur

2 lb black plums, chopped finely
3 cups sugar
2 large bottles of vodka

Place plums and sugar in a large container, and cover with vodka. Close with tightly fitted lid, and store in a cool, dark place for 4-6 months. DO NOT STIR. When it's ready, strain, and bottle. Again, I keep the pulp and do things with it...just be careful, because there's a lot more alcohol in the pulp than you'd think!

Brandy Plums

36 whole prune plums, pricked all over with a fork
2 cups sugar
Brandy to cover

Prick plums and place in a glass jar of appropriate size. Pour sugar over, and then fill until everything is covered with brandy. Leave in a cool, dark place for 1-2 months. Serve liquid in a shot glass with a single plum in it. (that's how we do it, anyways!)


Rumtopf

A mixture of seasonal fruit (such as cherries, apricots, plums, pears, apples, berries...anything you want!)
Sugar
Rum

This is one of those things that you keep adding to. You can buy pots specifically for making a rumtopf, or you can use a large glass jar.

The first time you add, use an equal weight of fruit and sugar, and then cover completely with rum. If you are going to add more fruit as it comes into season, add half the weight of sugar each time (so, if you add 2 pounds of fruit, add 1 pound of sugar). Make sure mixture is covered in rum.

Store the rumtopf in a cool, dark place, and do not stir.

In my dad's family, they would start the rumtopf when cherries come into season in early summer. Fruit would be added as it came into season, and then the rumtopf would be left to sit until Christmas, when it would be served to everyone.


What sorts of things do other people make? ]]> The MW Kitchen LadyDryad http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232472 Dehydrators: Start Your Engines! http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232471&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 05:23:14 GMT In the last little while I've started a thread about freezing, and a thread about canning, so I thought I might as well add dehydrating to the mix!

Do you use a dehydrator? What kinds of things do you dry?

I do herbs, various fruits (prune plums, apricots, blueberries, apples, pears), peppers, and sometimes tomatoes.

I have one of those round dehydrators. My grandma has one of the square ones with trays that pull out, and she makes fruit leathers on them. She makes apple and blackberry juice, and then takes the pulp that's left over in the juicer (a stove-top juicer), spreads it out thin on the dehydrator trays, dries it, and then cuts and rolls it into little rolls of fruit leather when it's totally dry. I've wanted to try it for a while, but she says that the round dehydrators aren't good for that because the trays aren't screen-lined, like the ones in hers (which makes sense...it would all fall through). :hahugh: ]]> The MW Kitchen LadyDryad http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232471 Cattery Question http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232470&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 05:20:23 GMT We might have encountered a little problem with our possible relocation, namely our cat. The people we'd be staying with temporarily might not be able to house the cat as well, so I am looking at catteries just in case.

My question is if it would be cruel to keep him in a cattery while we look for our own place to live?
The ones I've been looking at doesn't seem that bad.
We could keep him down here with the family until we find our own place, but I somehow doubt people who'd rather shut the door to the bathroom and thus his kitty litter to prevent the smell from escaping after he's pooped until me and/or hubby comes home rather than clean it up won't be able to care for him properly.

The cattery I am currently considering has "cat suites" that are 3.9 metres long X 1.2 metres wide X 2.1 metres high. They also have their own play area...

I don't know. I consider this to be a last option type of thing. But it has to be better than keeping him down in Sydney at the hands of people who don't even like him that much. ]]> Njorun Alma http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232470 Guilty Musical Pleasures http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232468&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 04:55:44 GMT We all have them. You know...that song or artist you love to listen to, but don't want anyone to know about for one reason or another. :uhhuhuh:

So, what are yours?

I may or may not have the Backstreet Boys on my laptop... ]]> Music LadyDryad http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232468 New girl on the block http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232467&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 04:35:35 GMT Hello, dropping a topic to let everyone know that yet another girl has wandered into your midst.

I'm eighteen, turning nineteen soon, and have been studying since I was thirteen or fourteen.

I found out about this community through Autumnsong, and I'm hoping to make good on the resources offered in order to expand my views and knowledge even more.

I welcome friends, teachers and any others who would strike up a conversation with me. I don't bite. Hard :giggle:

Blessed Be!

Okami
 ]]> Introductions OkamiAyame http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232467 New-Ish http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232466&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 04:33:04 GMT Hello all my name is Nathan AKA DragonMare and i am an aspiring wiccan. I am 26 years old and i live in Orange County CA... i have always been attracted to magick and the earth and moon have always had a direct pull on my life... I am a recovering addict as well and i have been around this site... Hello all my name is Nathan AKA DragonMare and i am an aspiring wiccan. I am 26 years old and i live in Orange County CA... i have always been attracted to magick and the earth and moon have always had a direct pull on my life... I am a recovering addict as well and i have been around this site for a while but always stayed hidden in the shadows unless asking for help..... well, i decided it was about time to introduce myself and get active! BECAUSE of my constant struggle to stay clean and sober, i'm sure i'll be asking for strength and energy from time to time when i hit a troubled spot... but i also would like to get to know people on here and get to know myself better through what there is to learn on this site! so i just wanted to say HELLO! and Merry Meet to all and Blessed Be!

Nathan
AKA DragonMare ]]> Introductions DragonMare http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232466 Going To Leave This Here... http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232465&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 02:53:31 GMT This isn't really going to be a question but just talking about what I figure was close to my first "journey" that I had today.

This morning I did a little bit of yoga and offered it as an offering to Spider (who I'm convinced is my totem at this point). I asked her what else I could do and she told me to journey. I know what it is but didn't know how to do it. So, I went online, got some drumming music, turned it on and began to focus on my breathing.

The vision happened almost immediately. A large spider began to crawl all over my body and made a couple of stops. The first one was my chest. The spider ripped into my chest and did stuff in it. It was closed up after a few minutes and then the spider made its way to my eyes. They were removed and replaced. Afterward the spider ran to the top of my head and sunk its fangs into the back of my skull.

Now, this didn't freak me out too much because this had been tame compared to the dreams I had about Spider when she was making herself known a while back. Also during meditation I have also seen a lot of funky things in my mind's eye. This was alright.

After all was said and done I asked Spider what was going on and I had the word "planting" going through my head.

I asked if we were finished. She said yes and then I felt myself floating into a really, really bright light in the darkness. Once I got near my eyes opened.

Well, I have my ideas of what happened here but if some of the more knowledgeable of you want to weigh in on this experience it is defiantly open for discussion.

I've had the intellectual understanding of basic shamanistic practice but have only been actually talking to Spider and leaving offerings over the past week.

Thanks! ]]> Paths: Shamanism Thrift http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232465 New Here http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232464&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 02:36:06 GMT Hello, I'm Sekhmet Soul30 but you can call me Sekhmet. I'm 30 years old, Kemetic, and almost near my one year anniversary in my practice. I've been a witch for over ten years (was a teen when I got started), live in Mass and I'm a follower of Sekhmet, Ma'at, Horus, Anubis, Bastet, Isis, and soon to be Set. I'm glad to be here and learn more as I continue on my Kemetic path. ]]> Introductions Sekhmet Soul30 http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232464 <![CDATA[[Deity I.D.] Who are they?]]> http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232463&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 01:17:11 GMT So just the other day I took a trip down and up the World Tree to meet deities or archetypal figures that could be of significance during this time in my life. The trip to the underworld was a little surprising: I met my spirit guide along the way (a giant panda) who recognized me as being a fox... So just the other day I took a trip down and up the World Tree to meet deities or archetypal figures that could be of significance during this time in my life. The trip to the underworld was a little surprising: I met my spirit guide along the way (a giant panda) who recognized me as being a fox spirit (which I was actually uncomfortable with because it has this whole "otherkin" feel to it, so I asked him never to mention shit like that again), and the deity I met down there, to my surprise, was Ereskigal. Usually every time I hear the word "Sumerian" my eyes glaze over with disinterest. She told me her name when I asked and, later, when I read descriptions of her, it was exactly who I met. She gave me sass, I gave it right back, and she gave me a symbol to know her by.

I'm not really asking about her, though, I'm curious about who I met on my journey to the "upper world" at the top of the World Tree. The panda let me ride him for part of the journey, but made me get off before he shrunk into a baby panda which I carried the rest of the way like an adorable plush toy.

I found not one deity, but two. They said they are brothers: They're both youthful but one is older (and taller) than the other; bright sun-blond hair, eyes like the clear blue sky, wearing clothes that were white like clouds. The panda played with the younger one and the older one offered me sunflowers. The panda wished to stay with the brothers, so I returned to the World Tree after that encounter and then came back to the waking world.

I cannot place the brothers, I couldn't hear their names when they said them and I don't recognize them or their imagery as they didn't seem to have any specific cultural indicators.

I'm wondering if anyone else may know who they are. Cheers! ]]> Gods and Goddesses Death the Kid http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232463 <![CDATA["Don't Shoot the Puppy"]]> http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232462&goto=newpost Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:56:39 GMT Has anyone ever played this? If not, here it is: http://www.rrrrthats5rs.com/games/dont-shoot-the-puppy/ Has anyone ever played this? If not, here it is:
http://www.rrrrthats5rs.com/games/dont-shoot-the-puppy/ ]]> The Game Room Djiril http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232462 *poof* http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232461&goto=newpost Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:01:30 GMT Hi there, im kinda new. friend referred me over and thought I'd look around :) ]]> Introductions synthdeath http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232461 Sickness going around http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232458&goto=newpost Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:35:26 GMT I've recently came down with a cold. It's awful because I don't get sick much, but when I do it's horrible. It is cold season anyway :/ I was at the beach too having fun then BaM it hit me. Many of my friends have gotten something. I'm just trying to get better
If I may, I think I can speak for a lot who are sick. Help us out with a little prayer or candle light? ]]> Energy Requests Amethyst_Midnight http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232458 just for fun http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232457&goto=newpost Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:28:50 GMT these are just for fun so im posting them for everybody :hyper: enjoy http://www.ifate.com/tarot_index.html http://www.lunarium.co.uk/moonsign/calculator.jsp these are just for fun so im posting them for everybody

:hyper:

enjoy

http://www.ifate.com/tarot_index.html

http://www.lunarium.co.uk/moonsign/calculator.jsp

http://www.poweranimalsunleashed.com/creek.htm ]]> Quiz Me! EMP http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232457 The Land of the Unfree and Home of the Afraid http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232456&goto=newpost Tue, 07 Sep 2010 19:33:04 GMT The United States of Fear Since September 11, 2001, fear has been the main engine of change in the United States. Who would have thought that across the US, where people boast that it is the home of the free and the land of the brave, people would gladly surrender their freedom and liberty... The United States of Fear

Since September 11, 2001, fear has been the main engine of change in the United States. Who would have thought that across the US, where people boast that it is the home of the free and the land of the brave, people would gladly surrender their freedom and liberty because they so fear terrorism?

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/09/07-7

9/11 was the date of our national heart attack. It also resulted in brain injury. ]]> Political Pagan Snapdragon http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232456 Most relaxed wedding ever http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232455&goto=newpost Tue, 07 Sep 2010 19:18:54 GMT So, I'm getting married on Friday! There is zero stress from the wedding too. The trick? We have no plan. :lol: We picked a day, invited our parents, got our license, and we're set. The general plan for the day is breakfast/lunch whenever everyone is awake, a walk through the woods at some point, ceremony, and done. Super casual, very relaxed day. My husband and I aren't very fancy people, and our relationship is based on outdoor activities, so it suits us. ^_^ ]]> Just Talk RoseKitten http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232455 Energy Request http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232454&goto=newpost Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:42:07 GMT I found out yesterday that my mother's cousin was killed in a car accident on Saturday.We cannot get in touch with any of her four sisters to find out any details. No idea when the memorial will be held or anything. My grandmother did not tell us as she did not want to "ruin our long weekend". Both my mother and aunt are grieving as well as being angry with my grandmother for withholding information from them. If you guys could send a little healing/loving energy towards my family, especially my mother and aunt I would appreciate it.
Thank you. ]]> Energy Requests HerbGurl http://mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=232454