Splitting Clouds

In many parts of the world, one of the first lessons that a Shaman was taught is Weather working. Learning to control the weather is an integral part of a Shaman's training. A shaman was expected to call in the rains when needed, and if he couldn't, then he wouldn't get much respect.


Here is a technique called Splitting Clouds...It's really a very simple technique and most people can do it after a little practice. Go outside and pick out a cloud. Stare at it and take slow deep breaths. Do not force the breath, just allow it to be deep and natural. Now send out from your Third Eye (area in the forehead and between the eyebrows) a beam of white light to cloud. Visualize (with eyes open) the cloud splitting into two, and mentally command/will ill it to do so.


It may take a few seconds or minutes, but if this technique is done properly, the cloud will usually split. Once you have learned how to do this, you are well on your way to becoming a weather worker.

~Source Unknown~

Wiccan Traditions: Shamanic Witchcraft

This term refers to practices associated with those of tribal shamans in traditional Pagan cultures throughout the world. A shaman combines the roles of healer, priest(ess), diviner, magician, teacher and spirit guide, utilizing altered states of consciousness to produce and control psychic phenomena and travel to and from the spirit realm.

Followers of this path believe that historical Witchcraft was the shamanic practice of European Pagans; and Medieval Witches actually functioned more as village shamans than as priests and priestesses of the "Old Religion."

Shamanic Witchcraft emphasizes serving the wider community through rituals, herbalism, spellcraft, healings, counseling, rites of passage, handfastings, Mystery initiations, etc.

The distinguishing element of Shamanic Witchcraft is the knowledge and sacramental use of psychotropic plants to effect transitions between worlds. The theory and practice of Shamanic Witchcraft has permeated widely though out many other established Traditions.

Wiccan Traditions: Faery Wicca vs. Faery Witchcraft

A loose association of covens and solitaires who have a respect for the Faerie Folk in common. This type of Wicca works with the fey in a fairly traditional Celtic Wicca frame.

Faerie Witchcraft, on the other hand, is also a loose association of people who practice Faerie magick and work with the Faerie realm, but do not use a Wiccan format and are more shamanic/ecstatic in nature.

Many Faerie Witches also consider themselves Welsh Witches (see Welsh Witchcraft).

Blood Mysteries, Pt. I - General Information

In creating this page I was confronted with the fact that although women's spirituality is a very strongly emerging presence today, there is extremely little information on that sacred mystery that makes women sacred and unique. This page is not just intended to focus on women's blood mysteries, but on the magick and mystery of blood in general. I had planned to start with women, as I am one.


It puzzled me as I searched the web, magazines, and books for distinguishable and accurate information regarding blood, especially women's blood, as I had not thought it a taboo any longer. But make no mistake, the information may not be readily in print, but it is there and has been for more years than any of us can comprehend. Ever since the first women humans have had the gift of sacred blood.

In the beginning, according to the Wise Woman tradition, everything began, as everything does, at birth. The Great Mother of All gave birth and the earth appeared out of the void. Then the Great Mother of All gave birth again, and again, and again, and people, and animals, and plants appeared on the earth. They were all very hungry.

"What shall we eat?" they asked the Great Mother. "Now you eat me," she said, smiling.
Soon there were a very great many lives, but the Great Mother of All was enjoying creating and giving birth so much that she didn't want to stop. "Ah," she said smiling, "now I eat you." And so she still does.

We all come from the same mother. We all return to her embrace, bloody-rich womb place, when we die. Every woman is a whole/holy form of her. Every woman's blood is a holy mystery. The word "blood" is one with some mystery and stigma attached to it. It bothers no one to say the word "blood" when a person is cut and bleeding. It bothers no one to use the word "blood" in poetry and song. But it does begin to make people tense when we hear/see certain words spoken or written with of the word "blood". For example, "sacred blood" alerts most people immediately to a hushed and quiet sense of wrong or taboo. What about "blood mysteries"? That is equally shocking to some.

But blood is the elixer of life. Without it we cannot live. In fact, through the monthly cycles of blood shedding in women we realize that blood means fertility and is a metaphor for life itself. This is the beginning of blood as something sacred and blood as a mystery.

Blood mysteries teach that women's blood is holy blood, healing blood. The blood mysteries teach us to remember that life and healing comes from and returns to woman.

Every month we remember: I am woman. I am earth. I am life. I am nourishment. I am change. Even as women cycle monthly we each have patterns in that cycle. We may feel fatigued, creative, sad, happy, or introspective, for example, during certain patterned times throughout our cycle. Part of the scared mystery of this is realizing that these times are portals for magick and growth. By recognizing this we become more in touch with our bodies and our selves.

For too many years has the word "period" been hushed. We are women. We bleed. We also give life to every human being that has ever existed and ever will exist. When we hear terms like, "oh, she must be on the rag" to describe a woman's attitude it is demeaning to every woman. What person can presume to know what a woman feels or how her period affects her? That is especially no man's place to presume such things. Why, when a woman complains, is she a "bitch", or has PMS? When a man complains he is seen to be expressing justfiable woes, but a woman is called "bitch" or "nag" before what she has to say is even heard- have you ever asked yourself why that is? The answer is quite disturbing. Women, in this world, do not matter as much as men. This is not to say we need special treatment- we don't. But we live in a world oriented toward men... and it shows.

I am no feminist. At least not in the hard core sense. I enjoy a man who opens doors for me, yet I assume he knows I am capable of doing it myself. I enjoy when my husband will step forward and defend me if needed, although he and I both know I am quite capable of handling myself in any situation. I am not a "feminazi", but for those who are, I have realized the justification in that view. Women are not an extension of men. We are separate, equal, and magickal.
As a woman, I am blatantly and repeatedly confronted with my changes: hormonal harmonics stirring moon time visions, ovulatory oracles, pre-menstrual crazies, orgasmic knowings, birth ecstasies, breast-feeding bliss, menopausal moods.

I am wholeness. I am woman. I know the bloody places: the narrow space between life and death, the mess of nourishing life, the flow of letting life go. The Wise Woman tradition is a bloody-handed woman, a bloody-thighed woman, a woman who sees to the other side of things.
All shamanic powers are the powers of women's blood mysteries. Shamanic powers are the natural powers of menstruating, menopausal, and post-menopausal women.

~Source Unknown~

Cherokee Dream Pillow

The following recipe is said to keep away nightmares and bring prophetic dreams.

Stitch a small pillow of muslin of another light weight fabric. It is best to create a pillow that is able to be opened by putting velcro at one end, so you can refresh the pillow from time to time with new herbs without having to unstitch the end or make a new pillow. You may wish to cover muslin pillow with a light weight, washable "casing" as well. Once you stitch the pillow together, fill with:

4 oz dried lavender flowers
4 oz dried sage
2 oz ground orris root-as a preservative-(optional)
4 oz deer's tongue herb
2 oz cedar shavings
4 oz coltsfoot herb
4 oz sweet fern
2 oz violet

Keep dream pillow under or inside of your regular bed pillow. When storing your pillow each morning you may either leave it where it is or put it inside of a plastic bag by your bed. Storing it in the bag will help the herbs retain their freshness for a longer period of time.

Feather Magic

FEATHER MAGIC

In natural magic feathers are used in spells and ceremonies to promote change. They are used as catalysts to help focus concentration while carrying out spells and wishes.

The medicine bag, also called power pouch or sachet, often includes special feathers which have meaning to the wearer and help attracting good luck as well as driving away bad things.

Feathers are often used to focus concentration in spells.

Feathers are magically ruled by the element of air. This makes them good communication helpers. But each feather also can hold other special powers; depending on the bird it came from, its color and place of discovery and other factors.

The knowledge what kind of feather is best used for what kind of intent can only be found out for oneself by trial and error. A pigeon feather is not as helpful for creating a defense strategy than a feather taken from a bird of prey.

The general rule for future feather magicians is always to use self found feathers rather than bought ones. A shop cannot substitute a walk in nature, nor the joy when the wanted feather is finally found.

Feathers are often used to focus concentration in spells

Feathers used for magical undertakings are mainly determined by the energy which is brought into the feather by the magician him/herself through concentration and thought. Beside from the energy the magician brings into the object, feathers hold certain natural abilities.

PEACOCK:

Peacock Feathers were thought to be very unlucky, because they resemble an eye. The eye shape represented the evil eye which people were afraid of. Today the beauty and natural strength of the peacock feathers are again recognized. They are specially valued for their multicolored eyes.

BLUE JAY BIRD

Blue Jay feathers are valued as bringer of light and joy and are said to have the ability to brighten up even the darkest places.


FEATHER COLOR CORRESPONDENCES

WHITE:
Purification, spirituality, hope, protection, peace and blessings of the Moon.

GREEN:
Money, fertility and growth.

BROWN:
Health, stability, grounding and matters in the home.

ORANGE:
Attraction, energy and success.

YELLOW:
Intelligence and blessings of the Sun.

PINK:
Love.

GRAY:
Peace and neutrality; hope and balance.

BLUE:
Psychic awareness, peace and health; change.

BLACK:
Not recommended.

RED and BROWN:
Healing animals.

BROWN and WHITE:
Happiness.

BLACK and WHITE:
Union and protection.

GREEN and RED:
Finances.

BLACK and PURPLE:
Deep spirituality.