I will be away for a few days to commune with the Gods. I will return soon.
Blessings and thank you to all my readers.
Moonwater SilverClaw
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Happy Birthday USA
Wicca on a Budget
Wicca on a Budget
I didn’t know what to do. When I first started on the Wiccan path, I read some books and it appeared that I needed a bunch of tools—which I could not afford! What was I to do? Like many young people at that time, I didn’t have a lot of money.
Many books don’t tell you something important: You probably already have all the tools you need. You don’t need all the fancy trappings and trimmings to practice the Craft. Using something simple is just as effective as employing some store-bought, fancy item. Tools encrusted with gems and other trimmings don’t make for a better tool.
In fact, the most powerful tools are ones we make ourselves.
Why? As you make the tool, the tool absorbs your energy and so holds more power.
But do not fear if you’re not skilled with arts and crafts. You will do just fine with simple things you gather from within your home.
Which household items can you use for your tools of Wicca?
First, avoid items that are made of plastic.
Now, here’s a list of things you can use:
Altar: Any table will do.
Altar Cloth: A large square scarf (or even sarong) will work. Just remember that the altar cloth helps to keep wax from damaging the altar. So if you do not want wax on your cloth, find some other material.
Athame: You can use a butter knife. Generally an athame is a black-handled, double edged knife. But a butter knife will work just fine. An athame doesn’t need to be sharp. It cuts energy not material things.
Bell: Any bell will work. You can even use a utensil to strike a wine glass. The bell on a cat collar will also work.
Boline: The traditional boline is a white handled knife often with a curved blade, but a steak knife will work well. This knife, unlike the athame, is used for cutting physical things like herbs. You’ll also use the boline to carve runes and names on candles.
Candles: Any kind of candles will do. Further, any inexpensive tea lights would work.
Cauldron: Any fireproof container will do. A pot works well.
Censer: A simple bowl of sand will work just fine.
Goblet or chalice: Any glass will do. A wine glass will work well. Originally, the traditional goblet was made out of wood.
Incense: You could use fresh herbs from your garden if you don’t have regular incense.
Offering Dishes: The bowls from your kitchen cabinet will work just fine.
Pentacle: A simple plate painted with a pentagram works. Pentacles were often made out of carved wax, which could thrown in a fire and melt into nothing. That’s one way that witches employed to stay hidden from the wrath of persecutors.
Salt: It’s nice to have sea salt, but the table salt will do.
Wand: A branch from a tree in your garden will work. Make sure it does not touch the ground as this would cause the loss of the power the tree gave it.
Water: You don’t need to have spring water. Tap water works fine.
As you can see, most if not all of the tools you need reside in your home already. If you can make your own tools, that’s even better. However, most of us are not metalsmiths, nor do we have a forge handy. That’s okay, since I shared handy substitute-items above.
Wicca can be done on a budget. All you need is your imagination.
Blessings,
Moonwater SilverClaw
Solar Roadways
As a Pagan I find this very exciting. This could make a big difference.
If you would like to donate to the cause, click here.
Again, if you would like to donate to the cause, click here.
Blessings,
Moonwater SilverClaw
Poll for A Possible New Product
Is it Time to Let Go or Time to Hold Fast?
Is it Time to Let Go or Time to Hold Fast?
Cleo, my cat, looked up at me. At 14 years old, Cleo needed me to give her intravenous fluids to sustain her. One night while I was administering her daily fluids she simply looked into my eyes and told me, I’ve had enough, I’m done.
I just knew. Other times, I’ve wrestled with the decision of when it was time to let go of my beloved pet.
Now, I’ve had cats my whole life. In high school, I was introduced to domesticated, pet rats. These little furry friends have terribly short life spans. I’d have four at the same time, and this meant crying every year as one of them would become ill due to old age. I had many times to practice letting go.
I have spent thousands of dollars for medical care for my fuzzy babies. But how does one know when to let go?
If a pet or familiar is close to crossing the veil, when is it truly time to let go?
First listen to your little friend. Here are some signs to help you consider when to let go.
• Is your furry companion still interested in life?
• Does your companion still enjoy eating?
• Does he/she still play in spite of the illness or disease?
• Is the little one in tremendous pain that prevents him/her from being happy?
Now I’m not talking about temporary illness. This is about the end of a life—a terminal illness.
Recently, on Facebook, people discussed the condition of Blacky, The Wheelchair Cat.
A native of New Zealand, he has one eye, and after being struck by a car, he’s left with spinal nerve damage and paralysis in his rear legs and bladder.
A number of people suggested that Blacky be “put down.”
But wait a moment! Blacky can now feel his legs if one tickles them. Sometimes he moves or stands on them. Last year, he had a perianal urethrostomy surgery because of his bladder problems.
Still, Blacky enjoys life. He enjoys going outside and playing. Other than his mobility issue, Blacky’s now healthy.
In summary, I invite you to look at my list and let it help you make a good decision about whether it may be time to let a pet go.
Sure, sometimes our pets have physical troubles. But you’ve probably noticed the we, humans, can have physical troubles, too. Still, we find ways to have joy and meaning.
Let’s make sure to support our furry friends in their times of need.
Blessings,
Moonwater SilverClaw
How To Walk the Wiccan Path and Deal with a Family Member’s Discomfort
Shhhhh. . .
How To Walk the Wiccan Path and Deal with a Family Members Discomfort
Do your friends know you’re Wiccan? How about your family?
Do you have to keep your beliefs a secret at your workplace?
I am fairly open about my practicing Wicca.
Unfortunately, I do have a family member who suggests that I keep a low profile when I attend a work-related event with him. He works in an industry that includes people who speak out a lot about their Christianity. So I turn my talisman with a pentacle around when I’m at a work-related event with him.
Many times I have argued that this form of “hiding” impinges on my freedom as a witch.
At one point, we had one of his friends, a born-again Christian visit, and we kept the door to the room with my shrine closed.
All other times, I wear my pentacle jewelry with pride and talk openly about my beliefs.
I observe that, in America, one does business with a significant number of people who profess that they are Christian and that they hold conservative beliefs.
When I’m in a business situation with my family member, I honor his situation. I am NOT dishonoring the Gods by turning my talisman around, and I am honoring my family member’s concerns.
I am still a witch. Now if someone asks me about it, I will tell them the truth. I am a Wiccan High Priestess. I will not cower in the corner, but that hasn’t happened yet during my family member’s work-related events. I still wear my pentacle; I just do it incognito.
As a matter of fact, I always wear my pentacle. It brings me comfort, and I feel it gives me protection.
Those individuals who are Anti-Wiccan appear to be ignorant (definition: lacking knowledge or awareness in general; uneducated in the subject at hand) about Wicca.
It bothers me when a person chooses not to learn, then the situation may become dangerous. When does the price of silence become too much to bear?
At present, we’re at a junction.
First, it is a blessing that many of our predecessors have hacked a path in the wilderness of fear and ignorance that other people have about Wicca. When a significant number of Wiccans openly express the beauty of Wicca, more people in this world start to appreciate who we Wiccans really are.
Fostering this appreciation is one of the reasons that I write this blog.
At this time, I have found my own path. I stand ready to share Wicca with others. And still at my family member’s work-related event, I do not broadcast my beliefs (I keep my talisman turned around).
As I continue to write this blog and my books, I’m encouraged to see other Wiccans continuing to have a positive influence in the world. May we all continue to express the beauty of Wicca.
Now, I invite you to share with us. Have you faced opposition in some form of conservative community? How do you deal with the situation?
Blessings,
Moonwater SilverClaw
The Mobile Shrine
The Mobile Shrine
Have the Gods With You When Travelling:
The Portable Shrine
Do you travel a lot? Have you missed viewing your Gods from your home altar? Make a Portable Shrine. It’s fun.
The Mobile Shrine Closed
What you will need:
- One wooden hinged box
- Different colored tissue paper (I used some paper with a flower-pattern for one of my boxes.)
- Image of the God
- Image of the Goddess
- Glue gun and glue
- Tulip® Dimensional Fabric Paint–Glitter
- Mini flowers and/or other decorations for the Gods
(For example, I included flowers for the Goddess. You can use beads,
paint, coins or other decorations that have meaning for you and your
Gods.)
- Electric tea lights. Hotels do not let you use lit candles.
- Mod Podge glue
- Sponge applicator (for the glue)
- Other decorations like stickers and such as desired
To start, I applied Mod Podge glue to the exterior surface of my wooden box. Then I affixed the flower-patterned tissue paper to the surface with the glue. Note in the photo how the patterned tissue paper provides an interesting texture. (Be careful and use glue on only one side at a time. Let the glue fully dry.)
Then I applied another coat of glue over the tissue paper to seal it.
As another option, you can paint your box any color that seems appropriate, perhaps, your favorite color.
Although you could add decorations to the outside of the box, I suggest leaving it plain. Why? You do not want a hotel maid or other stranger to be drawn to the box out of curiosity.
Inside the box, I used red tissue paper. Pick the color you prefer. Whether you glued paper or painted the inside, wait for it to dry. Then use glue to apply the images of your chosen God and Goddess.
Note in the photo that I used Tulip® Dimensional Fabric Paint–Glitter to cover the edges of the Deities’ pictures—gold glitter for the God and silver for the Goddess.
I added pearl 3D-stick-ons and other jeweled stick-on pieces to accent my images. I also added glittery stickers on the sides to personalize the interior of my box.
I strung beads in strands—two for the God and one long strand for the Goddess. I used fishing line for that. I draped the beads and used the glue gun to affix the ends in place.
As a finishing touch, I employed the glue gun as I added mini-flowers to the Goddess’ side.
Once your Portable Shrine is fully dried, you close it up. From the outside, no one will know what it is.
Take your Portable Shrine anywhere, open it up and place the electric candle in front to honor the God and Goddess.
My Portable Shrine is small and compact enough to fit into a backpack that I bring on a plane. I even took it on a cruise. It’s nice to have the familiar company of my shrine when I am away from home.
At home, I place my Portable Shrine in a prominent location and enjoy it.
Since, when closed, your Portable Shrine is nondescript, it can be placed on a book shelf or the corner of a desk. Some people consider using a Portable Shrine in a dorm room because the Portable Shrine can be closed quickly.
Making a Portable Shrine can be a fun family project. You could have each family member contribute to one Family Portable Shrine or each person could create his or her own. Perhaps, you might want to do both. They are fun and relatively easy to make.
So keep the craft in witchcraft and have some fun while honoring the Gods.
Blessings,
Moonwater SilverClaw
Is Money Spiritual?
Happy Imbolc
Happy Imbolc to everyone. Hope you enjoy the post.
Is Money Spiritual?
Have you heard in some form that “money is not spiritual”?
Some of us have heard a misquote that goes “Money is the root of all evil.”
(Actually, the correct quote is: “The love of money is the root of all evil.”)
There’s a real problem: ignoring money or actually looking down on having money causes unhappiness. Some say that having denial about money issues causes many people to end up poor and unable to take care of their own basic needs.
In Wicca we know our Gods want us to be happy. With this as true, does it make sense that our lacking money is what they want? No. Now I’m not saying you need to be making buckets of money or that it’s necessary to have a whole lot more than you need.
But for many in our community money is elusive. Why?
For a number of individuals, Wicca was not their first taste of spirituality. They may come from different faiths that look down upon having money. The horrible part is that debilitating beliefs about money often stick in a person’s subconscious mind. And these sick beliefs push us to be unhappy.
Let’s go back to the misquote that goes “Money is the root of all evil.”
Is it money? No, fear is the root of all evil.
Think of it. Fear pushes us toward greed. Fear of never having enough. I remember the famous line from Gone With The Wind: “I will never be hungry again!” In that film, Scarlett O’Hara does extreme things because of her huge fear of being hungry or losing her property.
Is it possible that having money can frighten us? Yes, that can be a problem. Some of us have been conditioned to think that rich people are money-obsessed and that they do bad things. So on a subconscious level, some people are afraid of losing themselves and actually avoid opportunities to become rich and successful. Again, I call these sick beliefs.
Some of us are really afraid of having money. It continues to come from subconscious beliefs drilled into our heads that money was not spiritual.
Instead, I suggest that money is spiritual. Money creates opportunities for us to be happy. It creates safety for us and our families. The Gods want us to feel this way.
If we’re doing well with our personal money situation, we walk around with an air of positive energy. We can be compassionate to others. Expressing compassion is an important part of one’s spiritual path.
We have many ways of creating prosperity. I think just doing money spells is not the full answer.
Ideally, we would use magick to get to an inner state where we can work out problems that prevent us from enjoying financial abundance. We can do meditations and inner work to change the limiting thought patterns and beliefs we have about money. (For more about this, see a free chapter from my book The Hidden Children of the Goddess. CLICK HERE.
Some Wiccans may default to doing prosperity spells to gain money. However, it may help more for you to do a healing spell so that any blocks dissolve to learning how to earn more money, save money and improve spending habits.
Let’s start with new and empowering thoughts about money. Look at holding empowering definitions of words related to money. For example, author Jason Miller talks about the difference between rich and wealth. I think he says it well:
A rich person has a high income, which is a stream that can feed being wealthy or being in debt, depending on how that money is used. There is no shortage of people with high incomes but no real wealth. . . . Wealth is not a flow of income; it is a state of positive finances.
What is a state of positive finances? Such a state includes enough money for bills, some money for entertainment, savings for tough situations in life, some money to be kind to others, and savings towards one’s retirement. Positive finances is not about having just enough to barely get by. It is really about having some amount of financial abundance (more than enough).
To live in lack (including difficulties about money) really isn’t the Gods’ and Goddesses’ plan for us. They invite us to grow, learn and adapt. They invite us to learn something about creating financial abundance.
Let’s begin today.
Blessings,
Moonwater
When You Want to Meet Like-minded Pagans
Coming Together
When You Want to Meet Like-minded Pagans
Alone. That was the beginning of my spiritual path. I started with books on Wicca. My early journey as a solitary witch was lonely. This went on for years.
I had no contact with like-minded Pagans. I didn’t know where to go and how to meet anyone.
Fortunately, today we have many more opportunities to connect with other Wiccans. As the Internet became part of our daily lives so too we could find other Pagans. You did not have to remain alone in your spiritual journey. You could find others and connect with them.
How do you meet other Pagans? Learn about many wonderful Pagan festivals around the world. Now, it’s my joy to introduce you to PantheaCon.
PantheaCon is one of the largest gathering of Pagans on the West Coast of United States. It occurs on the long weekend of February 14-17th and is located at the DoubleTree Hotel in San Jose, CA.
PantheaCon marks it’s 20th Anniversary in 2014. It is the brainchild of Glenn Turner, and she has been pleased with PantheaCon’s ever-expanding popularity.
It’s so fun to meet the same people each year; you really get a sense of community. And of course, I enjoy meeting new people each year, too.
Between all the classes, workshops and entertainment, it’s educational and great fun. You can see 2014’s Program Guide here.
When I was starting out in the Pagan community my mentor brought PantheaCon to my attention. Here I bring it to yours. I have gained many friendships over the years and enjoy seeing both old and new faces every time I attend.
I will be at PantheaCon this year in February, and I hope to see you there. (I’ll be the one wearing a TheHiddenChildrenoftheGoddess.com t-shirt and carrying my books and pins, too. That’s one of the things I enjoy about PantheaCon, you can meet the people who provide the books that support and uplift our community.)
When you’re ready, pick a festival like PantheaCon and discover the wonders of new friends and true support.
Blessings,
Moonwater
GoddessHasYourBack.com 