The Dark side of Paypal

Merry Meet All,

People are preparing for the holidays. For many of you, that means shopping for your loved ones. But hold on a second, before you click to Paypal and sign away all your information, read this first.

Paypal is a scam. I should know. It happened to me. I ordered an item from Azure Green, a pentagram cookie stamp, and I found out that extra money was taken from my account that I did not authorize. The matter is sorted out now but I want to warn people that this does happen. Paypal is connected to a lot of pagan/ metaphysical online shops. Beware of money disappearing from your bank account that you were unaware of.

The item I purchased was a pentagram cookie stamp. The total cost was under $20.00.
They took $30.00 from my account. My account was overdrawn $26.00 and then a $10.00 overdraft charge on top of that then $12.00 fee to put a stop payment account for the $30 Paypal took from my account. If you add that all up, it totals to: $48.00, nowhere near what I originally intended to pay. I also have to renew the stop payment in three months to keep them from taking money to my account. This could happen to you. It might already be happening.

I suggest people either cancel their accounts, withdraw their hard-earned funds, and run for the hills. Keep a hawk eye on all activities with your bank accounts and keep a desktop and paper file for your transactions with Paypal. This allows you to keep track of everything and then you will have evidence of any transactions that were unauthorized by you.

Be warned, dear witches, of where you slap down your plastic or which button you press online. With one click of the mouse, your money could disappear. Guard your dollars well. Have a dragon or two to breathe fire on Paypal should they be eager to come peddling to your door.

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

Snow Moon of November

Merry Meet All,

The Full Moon is tomorrow night. She will shine bright as a star in the winter sky. I am looking forward to the Full Moon. I hope you all are, too. This Full moon is known as the Mourning Moon and Snow Moon. In early Celtic society, November marked the beginning of the new year.

The colors are grays and blues, and lapis lazuli, turquoise, and topaz stones. The gods that correspond to this moon are Bastet, Isis, Kali, and Hecate. The herbs that correspond are thistle, betony, verbena, and fennel. The Element is Water.

Focus on relieving yourself of any baggage. This allows you to focus on the joy of the future. Do a ritual to release the accumulated baggage. Burn some incense in your cauldron and write what you wish to be rid of on a piece of paper, then burn the paper in your cauldron, and cast the ashes outside. Focus then on what you hope to attract in the coming year.

It is still Samhain, though Winter Solstice is around the corner. Now is the time to make plans for how you plan to celebrate the solstice. I will post lots of ideas for you to get started.

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

Death

Merry Meet All,

This post is different from yesterday's lighthearted post about guinea pigs. I live in a strange society. Americans were thankful on Thanksgiving for the bounty they recieved from the gods. On Black Friday, they tore through the aisles of stores everywhere. People are fascinated by zombies and still repelled by Death. They try to delay old age, using creams and surgeries. Maybe we are not meant to be living to a certain age. Certainly we are not meant to be denying age and change in our bodies.

I do not like zombies. But lots of other people do. Movies have been made about zombies attacking innocent people. I don't watch those movies but the movies are popular with many people. Zombies, like ghosts, represent death in a way. They embody death. But women flock to counters in department stores for face creams that guarantee to make them look young to deny age.

Death is inevitable. It will happen eventually. It is "a natural part of life, one that we all must take." (Gandalf, Lord of the Rings, by Tolkien.) I agree with this. But for all that we have explored deep space, the oceans, and galaxies, death remains to us an enigma, a mystery, the last unexplored frontier. We cannot all experience death and then return to report what it is like. It is final. It is death's finality that freaks people out and makes them turn to surgeries and the creams, etc.

I saw the first snowflakes of the season yesterday. Winter is upon us. This is the time of the Crone. The Crone who does not fear death, she represents Death itself. But the Crone in our society is overlooked, pushed aside, and forgotten. A different god is honored now- the gods of the cosmetic surgeries who are earning millions of the vulnerabilities of women. Not all women use the creams but many do. We have forgotten much. I know some women in a coven who are older and experienced in life and seem to know and handle so much, they consistently surprise me. That is the essence of being the Crone- a sagacity that was hard earned. It must be valued though, not just by her, but by people.

We need to listen to her secrets, whispered on the wind, and in our ears. We need to listen inside our hearts and listen as a collective. Winter is the time to turn inward and in hibernation, take time to do the things we didn't get done this fall, to reflect on what we have accomplished, and how we have changed and grown over the last year. We can decide what we should do new for the coming year. Then we will truly grow and develop.

That time will come. Everything will change. The next turn of the Wheel of the Year is Imbolc. The time of the Maiden and the first early stirrings of spring. We must weather this time of winter and the long cold stretch before us. Let us hope we weather it as the Crone would, made of steel and grace.

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

The Magic of Guinea Pigs

Merry Meet All,

I know that cats, toads, and bats have traditionally been the typical animal familiars for Witches. However, I want to add guinea pigs to the time-honored tradition. Yes, guinea pigs. Before anyone says otherwise, let me tell you why I think they make great animal familiars-and pets.

Guinea pigs are adorable and intelligent. They are extremely intuitive creatures and highly inquisitive with an amazing vocabulary-and appetite. That seems to do it for me. They can be trained and can share a psychic bond with their owners. At least, I can always have a psychic bond with the animals I have been around. Yup, they make great animal familiars.

I have over ten years experience with these amazing animals. They flourish when they are well treated because guinea pigs, or cavies, as they are also known, flourish when there is more than one guinea pig. They do like to fight it out first so some supervision is required. They will play in hutches on the grass in warm weather.

Once I had a guinea pig named Minerva. Minerva lived with me for seven years. One time, my sister's first born daughter was crying and Minerva jumped up on her paws in concern. She knew the baby was crying. Imagine that.

You will know you have a strong psychic connection when you psychically receive a message that something is amiss when you are away from home, or as soon as you open the door, your piggy squeaks in delight that his/her servant has returned to duty! A quick glance at the array of shavings on the floor and the excited squeaks due to an empty food bowl. See, guinea pigs go on stampedes in their cages. They adjust their shavings to how they want it. Pay attention to the sounds they make, whether it is a deep rumbling purr which connotes territorial threats or contentment. High shrill squeaks can suggest either joy, as guinea pigs cannot restrain joy, or you opened your fridge door. That does not require your intuition, just common sense. But they can communicate.

Now, sometimes guinea pigs arrive in their new loving homes with health conditions. You have to research what they should and should not eat. Fortunately, most of the urinary tract infections, eye catarracts, and other illnesses are treatable. If you regularly feed them a healthy variety of organic veggies and greens, they should be fine. They should live in a spotless, clean cage with fresh shavings and their water bottle refilled. Let them explore the household and if you own two cavies, they will follow out of curiosity in single file. They only need baths if they are dirty.

When guinea pigs know you and your routine, you can develop a strong bond. But no two guinea pigs are alike. They each have their own personalities. My guinea pig Twotone never ran off the carpet, one was the most gentle and quiet guinea pig I ever knew, and Ophelia ran up my arm to perch on my shoulder. They each have their quirks and personaliites.

Guinea pigs are great pets. They have an innocence the world is seriously lacking in. It is worth the trouble to have such inquisitive, intelligent, and playful critters for pets. I hope you find a great guinea pig for an animal familiar and that these critters bring you lots of happiness. According to me and to all cavies, they make great animal familiars and pets.


Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

Yule

Merry Meet All,

Yule is around the corner. The Wheel of the Year will turn again. Yule, or Winter Solstice, brings family and friends together for festive celebrations. I have an exciting bunch of posts lined up for Yule. You will learn about Yule lore, traditions, deities, how to make a Yule stocking and ornaments for your tree, and lots of recipes to share for your holiday baking. The stores are stocked with tempting holiday stuff but you don't have to break the bank to have a memorable holiday.

So stay tuned for more yule themed posts. You will be prepared!

Samhain is still upon us. I updated my post on the review of books by Steve Vernon, local master storyteller. If you are interested, you can check that out.

Blessed Be
Lady Spiderwitch

Energy

Merry Meet All,

Sorry for the lack in posting lately. I have been under a lot of stress and have had to take care of things. Life gets in the way sometimes. Now everything is okay. It has forced me to do a great deal of thinking about energy-the flow of energy.

My sage plant is a great example. It sits high and proud in its pretty plant holder when it is quenched. It drags and wilts when it needs watering. After I water the plant, I can practically watch the sage plant come to life. The sage plant graces my windowsill. I watered the plant this morning and the plant looks great now.

Lately I have had a hard time affording food. It was so bad I had to turn to a person I know for help. During this hard time, which is soon coming to an end, thankfully, I felt a serious heavy block of energy. I did not want to do anything and I felt I was up against a brick wall. Well with persistence, I put a dent in the brick wall. I am speaking metaphorically. I felt like my sage plant in need of watering.

When I felt the seriously restricting energy, (the brick wall), it was all I could do to function and remain positive. There are some people who do not have to worry about affording food. But most people do have to worry about affording food. I know it is great to own smudge sticks and beautiful gemstones. A person still has to attend to the mundane matters to stay alive or the gemstones are useless. Yes I know it's not fun, but taking care of mundane matters keeps you alive.

When you are in a similar situation, try to remain positive. Water your plants, go for a walk, study the sun shining on autumn leaves, take your pet for a walk. Small blessings surround us and it is up to us to notice them. You will feel your own good energy rise. I have a problem with some who say, "Hey what you just said was negative." To me, that sounds judgemental. I do not think it is good to judge someone who is going through a truly hard time. I hear it all the time. Yet I stil have empathy for those who go through a similar situation as I did.

I take ownership for my energy. I own the job. I am responsible for my energy. Other people are responsible for their energy. We all share energy and we are responsible for it. Yes, there are those who seek to make you miserable, like the lady who yelled at me for not sharing the seat at the bus shelter today. I never intended to offend her. But she thought I was trying to offend her. Well sometimes, you can't change a person's mind. She owns her energy. You have to discern which energy is yours and what isn't, and what is worth spending your energy on.

Protect yourself. A labradorite crystal is a good one to carry on your person. It will help shield you. Own your energy and know what to spend your energy on. The path to protect yourself and be happy will be clearer for you once you discern how to spend your energies.

May the Goddess bless you.

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

The Tools of a Witch- Part Two of Shields Up

Merry Meet All,

In the recent post, I posted about why it is important to shield yourself when dealing with spirits and ghosts. This entry will cover the herbs, gemstones, and other tools you will need for shielding.

GEMSTONES

Hematite
Obsidian
Tiger's eye
Amethyst
Jet
Flourite
Smoky quartz
Labradorite
Amber
Black Tourmaline

These crystals strengthen and shield your aura, not only from spirits, but from people too. If you board a bus feeling wonderful, then exit feeling awful, bring one of these crystals and you will be protected.

HERBS

Frankincense
Mugwort
Rue
Sage
Sandalwood
Thyme


These herbs can be used for protection. You can burn them, make them into a smudge stick, or use as an oil or in bathing. The energy of the herbs will shield you.

TOOLS

Censers
Cauldrons
Candles
Tripod stands
Seashells to hold burning herbs
Charcoal discs
Sand or salt
Charcoal discs
Feathers
Candle Holders
Snuffers
Wick Trimmers

These tools aid you in creating a protective space around yourself. They do not need to be overly ornate or expensive. You may already have them in your home. If you care for them, these tools will serve you well. They absorb the energies on your altar.

I hope you find this helpful. I have just finished reading The Hobbit and now can't wait for the movie to come out.

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

Shields Up

Merry Meet All,

I have been talking about ghost stories, how to celebrate Samhain, the different types of divination, how to channel spirit, and different types of clairvoyance. But sometimes I see it time and again that some people who are confronted by spirits, good or bad spirits, do not know how to shield themselves properly.

That is what I am going to talk about today. A warrior does not enter battle without a knowledge of weaponry and how to wield those weapons. You should know how to protect yourself. Eventually if you practice often enough, it will become automatic, as easy as riding a bike.

It is easy to do. Or rather, easier said than done. When I feel a certain energy coming towards me, if I am alone, I think "Shields Up!" and in no time, I am protected. You can try imagining a spiderweb, a cocoon, a cave, a turtle shell, the interior of a gemstone like flourite. Whatever feels right and comfortable for you. Your shield or psychic private space can be anything you want to be, even the inside of a coconut shell if you want. If you feel safe within your sacred space, then that is what matters.

If you are always shielded, you may never channel or communicate with spirits at all. If you are well shielded, you will be protected from their energies and the energies of unwelcome spirits. There has to be a delicate balance. This takes practice and time to master. You do not want to be so closed off you can't sense anything at all. That is why shielding is important but being open to spirits at the same time.

Another important aspect is knowing which energy is yours and which energy you can cast off. Here is an example. When I went to the Five Fishermen restaurant, the ghosts approached me, delighted that a medium was aware of them. They hounded and watched me the entire time I was upstairs. But I did not take that energy home with me. I knew how to shield myself, much to the frustration of the spirits and yet much to the relief of the employee. The employee who gave me the tour did not know how to shield himself. I shared some techniques with him. I did not own that energy and I did not take it home with me. Imagine it being like wrapping powerful angel wings around yourself. You do not let in past those gorgeous wings what you do not want in. You only welcome what energy is acceptable. The wings repel the unwanted energy. I hope this makes it clearer for you.

That is the method of shielding. It is vital to know how to shield yourself, if you are dealing with spirits. Experienced mediums can expertly shield themselves within mere minutes. Practice at it, and eventually you will too.

So let's say, for example, that you are fortunate to live near and visit a haunted restaurant, like I was. You may not have mastered shielding yourself and you take the energy home with you. Once home, you notice you feel drained, uneasy, or your energy is "off". What to do? There are a few things you can do. You can take a shower, you can smudge yourself and your home with sage, you can run a crystal over your body to remove negative energy, you can burn incense such as frankincense or rue- rue is psychically protective. You can meditate to banish the energy. Ground and center yourself. Imagine roots extending from your feet into the earth, and draw the energy up. Have something to eat. Food grounds you, as does beer. Plus, it tastes good. Just don't overdo it.

The benefit of practicing to shield yourself is it gives you a confidence boost. You will feel good about yourself when you encounter something because you can be in control. Instead of something else controlling you.

Shielding yourself is an art. It is easy to do once you are used to it. Good luck in practicing how to shield yourself. You may need it if you meet a spirit.

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

The Hobbit Full Length Trailer # 2 HD Enjoy!!!

Channeling

Merry Meet All,

CHANNELING

A medium acts as a channel between the spirit and living people. The person who receives and information is the information. Some mediums enter a full trance, where the spirit temporarily takes over their body. Some mediums meditate to communicate with spirits. Mediums use automatic writing. The hand appears to move by itself to scribble words. They are being controlled by the spirit they channeled.

There are varying levels of mediumship; one example is when a spirit takes control of a medium's voice and leaves a message. A common one is when a medium hears a message and passes the message on.

Mental mediumship

The medium mentally "hears" (clairaudience, "sees" (clairvoyance), and/or "feels" (clairsentience) messages from spirits. Mediums are aided by a spirit guide, the medium passes on information from the spirits to the querent/s.

Trance mediumship

"Trance mediumship" is known also as a part of mental mediumship. The medium enters a trance and puts ego aside to allow the spirit to communicate.

Physical mediumship

It is a manipulation of the medium's energies and energy systems by spirits. Physical mediumship involves manifestations such as loud raps and other noises, voices, materialized objects, spirit bodies, or levitation. The medium is the source for spirit manifestations. Physical mediumship implies an effect that is manifested upon objects existing on the physical plane, like tables, ectoplasm, by means of interaction with substances derived from the spiritual plane of existence.

One type of non-physical mediumship is the channeler enters a trance, or "leaves the body". The spirit borrows the channeler's body, who talks through the medium. The medium's body is catatonic. The medium's voice completely changes. The spirit answers questions.

Let me caution you to not go overboard with mediumship and spirit communication. Mediums who are experienced know how to ground and center themselves, and never allow an evil entity or lower level earthbound spirit to totally control them. You must know how to protect yourself.

And as a treat to my faithful readers, here is the trailer for the upcoming, much anticipated movie, The Hobbit. See it in the next blog post.


Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

Clairvoyance and Sixth Sense

Merry Meet All,

Today is rainy and overcast. The sky is a dark curtain hanging over the city. Tree branches are bejweled in raindrops and the wind is blowing hard. The trees are bare of leaves. After yesterday's spring like weather, today is a complete turn around. It must be my Scandinavian genes, but I like this weather.

Today we are going to look at the other types of sixth sense. We discussed clairvoyance in the previous post. The other 'senses' are clairaudience (clear hearing), clairvognizant (clear knowing), and clairsentient (clear feeling). You can have one of these abilities or more than one at the same time.

Clairaudience is when you clearly "hear" spirits. You hear them inside your head or audibly.

Clairvoyance is "clear seeing". You may see spirits and things manifest physically. I see spirits in autumn more than other times, which makes sense. In autumn, the veil thins between the world of the living and the dead.

Claircognizant "clear knowing". For an example, I will share my experience with you. I had a strong feeling in my solar plexus chakra. I had a vision of my brother's friend, bent over in pain surrounded by a fiery red and orange aura. I knew he was in trouble and told this to my family, mystified by my vision. I did not udnerstand why I was having the vision. I didn't know about my abilities then.
Fifteen minutes later, my brother's friend arrived ill and in pain. We learned that his kidneys failed him. He was taken to the hospital. He has recovered well.

Clairsentient "clear feeling"- These are the empaths. People feel other peoples' emotions as though they were their own.

Clairailence (Smell). The ability to smell odors, scents and aromas. I was on the metro transit bus one afternoon when I could smell roses. I was seated alone in an area of the bus. There was no one near me who smelled of roses.

Clairomancy- (Sixth Sense). The pyschic ability to sense the presence of ghosts and other entities.

Now that you are aware of the sixth sense, you may have all of these or just one. The next thing to do is to find a good group and/ or study. I studied in the Psychic and Spiritual Development course. You may think that studying will lessen your abilities, but this is not true. You grow to have control over your sixth sense. The courses involve meditation and practice. It is hard work but fun, too.

Clairvoyance

Merry Meet All,

Today there will be a solar eclipse! Be sure to watch for it. Today I want to talk about clairvoyance. It means "clear seeing". Clairvoyance is the "psychic ability located in one's sixth chakra, or third eyem, that involves accessing information in the form of images, visions and pictures." (Debra Lynne Katz). The third eye is the spot on the forehead located between the brows.

If you are channeling spirit and you receive images in your mind, you are being clairvoyant. The images are strong and clear for me. It may be different for you. Closing your eyes and allowing the images to fill your head and being open to receiving impressions is being clairvoyant. Some people feel it is helpful to use tools such as crystal balls and other scrying tools until they feel comfortable with their abilities.

Meditation is an excellent way to receive messages. Sometimes when I meditate, I see animals in the meditation. You can have an intent or have a specific question when you meditate and see what happens as you meditate.

Set your intent or question before you dream. Keep a journal and a flashlight by your bed to note the messages you received so you do not forget them. Buy a set of Oracle cards and practice. Try to do this with open-minded, like minded people. I know, there's nothing worse than trying to convince muggles who tell you you will be beset by monsters for practicing. I have been there, believe me. Personally I think they are the monsters for believing that, but that is just me.

Remember to have fun while practicing clairvyance. It should be not be hard work. You cannot open your chakras and loosen up when you are stressed. Allow it to flow naturally. Read books, attend workshops, and practice. If you try to photograph spirits, they may show up as dust specks on your camera. Be sure that what you capture on camera is actually spirits, not dust or rain.

Two good books to read are:

1 Hamilton-Parker, Craig. Opening to the Other Side: How to Become a Psychic or Medium, New York: Sterling Publishing Co., INC., 2005.

2 Katz, Debra Lynne. You are Psychic, Woodbury, Minnesota: Llewellyn Publications, 2007.


Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

Remote Viewing

Merry Meet All,

Today we are going to look at Remote viewing. Remote viewing is similar in some ways to psychometry. Remote viewing is the ability to observe another person or place through psychic means.

Remote viewing is a controlled use of ESP, or extrasensory perception) with a specific method. The remote viewer perceives a target such as a person, object, or event that is located somewhere in time or space. The term was invented in 1971 by Ingo Swann.

The following things are necessary for remote viewing to occur:
a subject
active ESP abilities
a target
the subject's recorded perceptions
a way of validating impressions

This is why I believe it is beneficial for people to perform in groups. It is hard to confirm your impressions if you are alone. The session can last an hour, after you can share your impressions with other members of your psychic development group or your friends.

During the Cold War of the 1970s and 1980s, remote viewing was practiced by the US military. The programs were successful. The purpose was to spy on Russia. Some of the buildings described by the remote viewers were hundreds of miles from the remote viewer.

Remote viewing must be practiced in order for a person to be successful at it. You can't learn it from a book or website. It is a skill that like playing an instrument, must be practiced and practiced for you to become skillful at.

PRACTICING REMOTE VIEWING

Like I mentioned above, practice remote viewing with a friend or group member. Decide on a target. Decide who will do the viewing and who will do the sending (releasing information to the viewer.)

Decide on a place that you will try to view. Do not target Korea or Australia. That is too far. Decide on a place that is within driving distance. Be specific about the details about the place.

Take an hour to try to remote view the target. Then share your notes or impressions with the other person. The other person will let you know how accurate you were. If you were not accurate, relax. It takes time and practice to be good at it.

Be sure to have index cards, paper, pens and pencils, and a tape recorder on hand while performing the experiment. Be sure to trust your impressions and to ground and center yourself when you are done.

Good luck with your experiments! The book The Psychic Bible by Jane Struthers contains helpful information about remote viewing.

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

Psychometry

Merry Meet All,


Psychometry is one of my absolute favorite methods of divination. Psychometry is the ability to tune into the emotional and physical history of an object by touching it. I love psychometry for that reason. I seem to have a knack for it. You may have a knack too and should give it a try.

When you practice psychometry, it is vitally important that you trust your first instincts. For example, have you ever been in a jewellry store and picked up a bracelet and sensed its energies? Did the energies seem distinctly negative to you for a reason that you can't quite explain? You don't buy it because something seemed off. You were practicing psychometry. Or your aunt or grandmother buys you a dress and you can't bring yourself to wear it. You were practicing psychometry. You were sensing the energy from the object.

Everything has an aura and the aura of an object can reveal much about the object. How often an object such as a wedding ring is handled will strengthen the object's aura. The trick with psychometry is it is easier and better to do a reading of an object that you do not own. You are too close to your own energy to be able to read your objects well. You have to read an object that belongs to someone else to perfrom a good psychometry reading.

When you begin, make sure you are grounded and centered. You need to distinguish between your feelings and the energies of the object. Take the object in your hands and sit quietly with it for a few moments or for as long as you feel is necessary.

Here is the fun part. Notice any thoughts, emotions, or images that come to you. Do not analyze the sensations you receive. Be open to whatever comes to you, no matter how unusual it may seem. If you are with someone, tell them what you discovered. If you are alone, write the thoughts or images down on a piece of paper immediately. Study the object again and trust your impressions. You may be surprised at what you have learned. It is advised to practice psychometry with another person so that the person can validate your impressions. Better yet, practice in a group. If the other person owns the object you practiced with, and confirms you were correct, you will be happy to see you were right.

Last Yule, I practiced psychometry on a Christmas present I received. I held the unwrapped box in my hands and meditated with the box quietly for several moments. I sensed that the gifts were heavy, spherical, opaque, solid, heavy and yet fragile, not an ornament, from Little Mysteries, not a book or perfume, and maybe a candleholder. Well I opened the box and to my surprise, I received two blue heavy candleholders from Little Mysteries. I am not kidding. I was pleased that I had been right. That is psychometry. You must trust your impressions, no matter how silly they may seem. It is those impressions that may tell you the most.

Consider keeping a journal where you can keep record of your practice and your impressions. A journal helps you keep track of your dreams, and your experiences. It validates your experiences. I hope you enjoy practicing psychometry. Good luck with it.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

Divination- Tea Leaf readings

Merry Meet All,

If man has no tea in him, he incapable of understanding
truth and beauty.
- JAPANESE PROVERB

Are you as excited as I am that Brave will be available on dvd soon? I can't wait to buy it on dvd. You can view the trailer in the other post on this blog. The Hobbit is coming out in theaters soon too.

I have decided to cover divination. The previous post was about runes. In this post, I will talk about tealeaf readings. But I am talking about a different way that I do tealeaf readings.

Tealeaf readings are usually done by the person studying the shapes of the leaves. I experienced something different when I did a reading for a querent. I held the mug in my hands, and was studying the leaves, but it was like something flashed out at me. I saw something literally flash at me. Insight, perhaps? I don't know what to call it but it was amazing and I was able to accurately complete the tealeaf reading for the querent.

The lady who I did the reading for was a fellow student in my Astrology Level 1 class. I intuited that she had a lot of love in her life and told her that from the flash of insight or whatever you call it from the tealeaves. I think the way it happened for me was different than other readers.

Caroline Dow's book Tealeaf Reading- Your Fortune in a tea cup, is a great book to read if you would like to learn more about tealeaf reading. She does not describe the flashes or insights I get in the way I read tealeaves. She does go into great detail about the shapes of the tealeaves and what they can tell you. The book teaches you how to give tealeaf readings, prepare tea, hold tea parties, and master tea-taking etiquette.

Tealeaf readings are fun to do and the teas are often savoury. I enjoy herbal teas and they are also beneficial for your health. If you are interested in learning more about tealeaf readings to perform for yourself or others, Caroline Dow's book will show you how. Her book contains a wealth of information. But do not be afraid if you find you read tealeaves similarly to the way I do. Remember to always trust your first impressions.

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

Brave Trailer

Runes

Merry Meet All,

November is a somber month. This post's focus will be on runes. It is okay if you do not have a set of runes yet, you can still enjoy these posts. If you do, great. The weather has turned colder and this is the time when people turn inward. Use this time to practice with your runes.

Runes are an ancient alphabet used in the Germanic countries. If you are familiar with the Norse runes, you will have a better understanding of the runes. The mythology and history of the German countries relates to the runes. You will understand the context in which they were meant to be read.

Runes are meant to be used to guide a person. The Elder Futhark, the old Germanic alphabet, has two dozen symbols. The first six runes spell the word "Futhark". That is where the rune alphabet derives its name.

Rune casting is meant to be used as guidance. Runes work with the subconscious. The runes are meant to determine the past, present, and future of the querent. Runes examine the cause and effects of our actions.

The Norns are the Norse goddesses of fate. Urdh is the goddess of the past. Verdhandi is the goddess of the present and Skuld is the goddess of the future, or what shall coem to be. Fate or wyrd is an important part of runes.

A norns cast consists of three runes, and are drawn one at a time from a rune pouch and set down in a row. The first rune represents the past, the second norn represents the present, and the third norn represents the future.

There are different ways to approach runes. One way is to look to the rune itself and not the poem for the meaning. The other way is to examine the poem along with the rune. You can do what feels natural to you. There are many layouts that a person can do with runes and there are different kinds of runes. I own a moonstone rune set and a wooden set from Ted Andrews. Some people prefer to make their own runes, thereby putting their own energy into the runes and sew their own pouches. This is fine, too.
You can do a reading with one rune or with seven runes. I will cover more about this in future posts.

Freya was a rune mistress. She taught the arts of the Seidr to Odin. She traveled to the Underworld and returned with prophecies. Freya had the power of foresight. There is a poem about her, "Of me the gods are sprung, And all that is to come I know, but look in my own breast, and have to none revealed." (Balder lead, Matthew Arnold.) She does not reveal everything she knows. Seidr is about ancient methods of divination, channeling and trance work.

Freya is part of a group of Gods and the Goddesses called the Vanir. THey were associated with nature, wildness, and unseen realms. Freya was a beautiful and irresistible goddess. She wore a special necklace that made men fall prey to her charms. The necklace was forged by four dwarven brothers and the necklace was called Brisingamen. She taught Odin the knowledge of the Seidr in return for the knowledge of the runes. Freya was able to shape shift and perform magical spells.


Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

The Night has Teeth

Merry Meet All,

I have just finished reading the excellent novel, The Night has Teeth, by Kat Kruger. The novel was the winner of the Atlantic Writing Competition.

The main character is Connor Lewis, who has an unusual accident as a child and bites a classmate. He goes to Paris as a young man with a scholarship. His host family at first seems strange to him. They introduce him to the world of werewolves- the born and the bitten. Connor discovers that he is in over his head, when he finds a werewolf lair, and is on the wanted list of a four-hundred bitten man who is trying to find a cure for werewolves and wants to erase werewolves from the planet.

Connor finds himself in the middle of a scary war between the true werewolves and the eveil genocide plans of a mad scientist. Rather than flee to New York, which may be pointless, because there are werewolves in New York and over the world, he sticks it out to the end. This is Book One of the Madgeburg Trilogy.

I liked the characters- Connor, who was very believable, and Madison, who was bossy and confident and yet lovable. I liked Amara and Arden. When Arden nearly dies at the end, Connor comes to the rescue. Something happens to Arden later in the book that has a powerful effect on his powers. Amara was very convincing. I was shocked by Madison's actions at the end of the book. The novel is gripping and dramatic, which is what is great about the book. But I won't reveal too much. You will have to read the novel to know what happens.

Here is a qoute from the novel to whet your appetites:
"It's true: the bite mark and scratches have completely scabbed over. What Arden said about humans not healing so quickly has my mind whirling. I have to pass it off as a side effect of the antivenin or maybe residual wolf venom. Otherwise, I'd be terrified. Of myself." (Page 185, The Night has Teeth, by Kat Kruger.) That is an example of how gripping the novel is. I felt like I was experiencing what the character was going through right alongside him. The werewolf story is very believable and gripping.

I read The Night has Teeth, bitten by the novel. I could not put it down. A great achievement. I look forward to reading more by Kruger. The novel was published by Fierce Ink Press, a new local publishing company that publishes YA Fiction. It is available at the library and on Amazon.

Get a bite out of The Night has Teeth. You won't regret it.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

Samhain Soiree

Merry Meet All,

I have returned tonight from a enjoyable evening- a Samhain Ritual at the UU Church. I am glad I went. I met people I had not talked to in a while and met new people, too. I got a tarot reading done that was so accurate. I loved the feast. The food was delicious. I took a animal speak runes set by Ted Andrews and an incense set. I left two black candleholders and somone liked them because they were gone. Well i was glad I made someone else happy. I enjoyed the evening.

I also have the pleasure of sharing the news that my Crone article was printed in the e-newsletter for Crone magazine. Here is the link to the article in the newsletter: http://www.bbimedia.com/eMail1/newsletter/news120_cm.html. I am proud to have been included in the newsletter for Crone magazine.

I am very interested in Runes and the legends, lore, mythology, and deities of the Norsemen. I am Scandinavian and so I am trying to learn more about them. I am trying to learn about the ancient methods of using runes and the modern methods of learning runes. The stuff I am learning is interesting. I will post more here in the future.

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

Ode to Odin

Merry Meet All,


Samhain festivities have calmed down. Now the long stretch of the cold season is here. It is the time of the elders. Here is a poem to Odin, an elder of the Valhalla and the Norse.

In Odin's name

In Valhalla's shield decked halls,
Heroes raise their horns
To the God who is Glad in Battle.
I am not there.
At the roots of the World Tree,
I drink a cup from Mimir's Well,
Grateful that Odin paid the price
For my taste of sight.
In the high holds of Kings,
Bright Lords reckon Allfather's lineage
As their own,
Paying homage to His ancient name.
I am not there.
My blood is Othresir, Mead of poetry,
Stolen by the High One's hands.
Find me on the far flung hills,
Talking to ravens.
My life I give to Yggdrasil limbs,
Flesh and bone hung like His,
As an offering for the wisdom of the runes.
My home lies where His path leads,
Be it Asgard's shining hall
Or Hel's frozen depths.
Whatever others have done
In His name or against it,
Faithful He has been and faithful I will be
From Ginnangagap to Ragnarek's flames.
I follow Odin.

Poem written by Roderick Runesayer, 1992.

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch