Well, I have been super busy these last few weeks, what with the gardening season fast approaching and Easter with the fam. Yes, I decided to have the big Easter celebration here at my home, after all I have been avoiding any holiday celebrations here for the last 5 yrs or so, simply because i feel it is a big hassle. Getting everything ready, cleaning, cooking, etc, etc.

But this year, I didn't sweat it much, since I was only having my family over, I felt I didn't need to have the house absolutely spotless, since my family could give a rip...LOL Not that my house is every really in upheaval, just I don't go the extra mile to make it sparkle when my family comes over, verses, both sides of the family and friends being over. You get my point.

I just didn't have the energy to move every pencil, eraser, and sketch book off the surrounding tables in the living room, nor the many herbal books and gardening books I had left sit, when rummaging thru them...(it is a seasonal thing with me, every garden season, i dig thru my books, in anticipation for the upcoming spring planting...anal I know...LOL)

Now, I have been working on yet another project as of late (which by the way has kept me busy as hell!) hence the pencils, sketchbooks, erasers and other such artistic paraphernalia. I got to thinking, and with much prodding from my husband and mu father over the years, I decided to put up a website, and sell my botanical art, and other botanical related artwork. So you can imagine the upheaval that comes with such a venture. (sigh)

Not only did I have to clear out my closet, yet again, in search of more hidden botanical drawings, that had long been forgotton, but I also had to dig out a much retired scanner to scan my artwork with., wow, talk about a dinosaur! Then it was a trip t the print shop, deciding what paper I wanted to get them printed on, what sizes to offer, then figuring shipping, for the website, and designing the website itself. Good Gawdess!

I feel like my brain is now mush. Seriously. However,......I do have a better understanding on how things work, and think I didn't do a shabby job. This website is not witchy related, and I took alot of my blogging articles and posted related botanical material over there as well, but If you would like to check it out, here's the link : Garden Botanical Art

I would like to start on a pagan based website soon, as I mentioned in a post some weeks back, I would like to sell my book of shadow pages and I hope my own site would do better for me than using etsy. I like etsy, but I find that having your own website, makes it much easier. It's an all in one stop, and I will be listing not only artwork, but other crafts there as well. (Crossing fingers and hope it turns out the way I have it in my mind LOL)

Mugwort is used for astral projection, divination,psychic powers,clairvoyance, protection to travelers, sleep , strength and healing.
Mugwort, also commonly called wormwood, is a perennial herb known for its slumber and dream assist properties. It dispels nightmares, calms sleeplessness tendencies, and is sometimes used to enhance shamanic astral travel during sleep. A mugwort bundle (leaves and flower tied together) is placed under a bed pillow before retiring for the night. Dried bundles of mugwort can also be used as smudging tools to cleanse areas that need energetic clearing.

 

 

 

 

Make an infusion of the herb mugwort, while it's still warm, strain it and then
bathe the mirror or stone in the infusion, while softly whispering this chant 9 times.

As you do so, invision the mirror or stone awakening to you and your own psychic abilities:

Lovely oracle of magic worth,
fair creature of psychic light,
the truest answers, you shall bring forth,
you shall be my eyes, my sight.

Third eye spell

A spell to open the third eye.

Fill a small purple bag (or a piece of cloth that you can wrap herbs in and tie up) with as

many of the following herbs as you can:

--mugwort acacia honeysuckle peppermint rosemary thyme yarrow

--cloves dandelion lilac lavender Calendula - (marigold)

Gather the edges of the cloth and tie a string around it if you are using a cloth, or if you
used a small purple bag, tie it shut. (Drawstring bags work best.)

Using a dark violet marker, draw an eye on the front of the bag.
Rub the bag on the third eye Chakra (forehead) whenever performing divination or needing
psychic sight, and sleep with it under your pillow every night.

Base oil: such as sweet almond oil, jojoba, sesame, etc.
To the oil add any three of the following:

--rue, rosemary, angelica, bay, basil, fennel, sage, mugwort, Vervain.

Use either the whole herb or a pure essential oil.
Allow the herbs to mix and steep in the oil for 1 week.

Handle the bottle frequently, projecting protective energy into the mixture.
Recommendation:  make this oil during a waning moon but you can also make your own timing judgement.

I often wondered what it would be like to be out the of damn closet already.....Many things wander thru my mind, such as, if I came out to my family and friends, I have this silly notion stuck in my head that they all would be so excepting and embrace it, and me for choosing the path I have. That's just what it is, a silly notion.

From the conversation I have had in the past with my family and friends, and the comments they have made about similarly related issues, it would seem to me that ignorance is bliss. Not that my family and friends are by any means "haters", they aren't, far from it actually, it is just, like most people in today's society, they fear that which they don't understand.. Plainly put.

I was raised in a "Lutheran" household. However we never actually were regular church attendees by any means. My father worked to much and my mom had us to take care of. I knew of the teachings so to speak, meaning I knew the whole, there was a god, and the baby Jesus, Mary, immaculate conception thing and Adam and eve, etc etc. Any more than that forget it...LOL

I remember going to summer bible school sort of thing, kind of like catechism, but only for the summer, and I only went once. So you see, my family was far from being bible thumpers. However my dad tried to instill a good belief system in us anyways.

Many years later, ( at the age of 19) I got married and failed miserably at it, sucked actually, we both did. To young, you know the bit. Which led me on my path of "there has to be something more". Divorced 3 yrs later and wondering what the hell did I just do with my 3 wasted years? I turned to wicca/witchcraft, and delved into it. It kept my mind busy, and out of trouble. I began studying gardening, herbalism and the like.

Now, older and wiser, on my second marriage of  9yrs, and having a child of 5. I couldn't be happier. My husband is catholic, raised in a the traditional "catholic ways", i.e. purgatory, hell, all the scary shit, that scares the hell out of a kid. However, he is the most open minded person I have ever met, and fully supports me in anything i do, and my beliefs. So now your probably wondering, when am i going to get to the point? Ok, here it is, I am out of the broom closet, but to only one person, my husband. He knows it, he's ok with it, etc.

The rest of my family, not so much as I explained before. The reason? Well it isn't because of what you might think really...it's the fear that they will think I will be setting my daughter up for relentless teasing and ridicule at school. Which, in all honesty, the thought has crossed my mind alot. It is one of the concerns of my husband as well. They would worry that because of my beliefs, that she would be an outcast of sorts. Kids can be so fickle, we all know this. I wouldn't want this for her at all. Any mothers out there can sympathize with me on this one regardless of how they feel about their own beliefs.

I really wouldn't care what they thought of me, it is her I worry about. My husband and I both have talked about this subject over and over. He wants her to have a "base" religion. Of course it is catholic. She was baptized catholic and more than likely going to be attending catechism (shudders). I'm hoping this will be put off as long as possible really...LOL I have told him that I really don't want her to be scared shitless with the catholic teachings. You see my husband still doesn't sleep naked, (for fear of the angels laughing at him...yeah....I can thank his grandmother for this), not to mention the "mamoonas", "purgatory" ,"burning off all your sins, before being allowed into heaven" and other such terrifying thoughts. I could go on and on. My husbands family really put a whammy on his head when he was younger and it carried over into his adult life, but as time goes on he has had time to come to his own conclusions of things and isn't that bad anymore. You know the "older and wiser thing".

Anyways, he is ok, with me teaching her my beliefs, as long as I don't refer to it as "magik" or "spells", he prefers the terms "herbalism and prayer"...which is fine by me. I told him when she is old enough, I will teach her magik and spells, and about the gods and goddess', how I believe all things are connected with nature, etc, etc. but for now, yes..herbalism and prayer. Besides she is to young right now anyways.

But this is why I am not out of the broom closet yet. Not for fear of what people might think of me, but for what people might do or say to my daughter. It's sad really that it has to be this way, I struggle with this thought everyday. The thought of following the norm..ya know. If she goes to catechism, believes in the catholic teachings, or other christian teachings, she will be considered, well, normal. Isn't that ridiculous? Anything outside the box is abnormal...I hate that about our society. I asked my husband this question, "what if when she gets older she doesn't want to be catholic, she wants to follow the pagan path? He replied, that's fine. I just want her to be able to defend herself, if the situation arises. Right now she is to young and doesn't know any better."

thru my head a breakneck speed. I thought i had better not push the issue farther than it needed to be at that point in time. I often wonder if any other pagan moms have thought of these many questions in their minds as well? Have they had similar struggles? Have they not come out of the broom closet for the sake of their child?  I wonder..... if I am alone with my thoughts, I so very much wonder.

Ok, I am doing a little research here, and need my readers help. I would like to know, what 5 herbs you use most frequently for culinary use, and what 5 herbs you use most frequently for magik and ritual. Any and all answers would be appreciated!