How You Can Let Go of Fearing Death

May 31, 2014 / Moonwater / 3 Comments

How You Can Let Go of Fearing Death

Do you fear death? Do you wonder what lies on the other side?

Several years ago, in the hospital, I was at death’s door. I had Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). ITP is a bleeding disorder which can cause a person to bleed out simply by bumping into furniture. I could hemorrhage in my brain at any time and die instantly. When my dentist saw bruising inside my mouth, he told me to immediately go to the Emergency Room.

ITP creates the death’s door situation by having the immune system destroying platelets, which are necessary for normal blood clotting. The first night I stayed at the hospital the next morning I had bruises all down my body from lying on the bed. I had to remain sitting even while I slept. Because my brain could have hemorrhaged and killed me, I got to know death’s call intimately. Death was there everyday, sitting by my side waiting with me.

I had to accept that death could take me at anytime.

At first I was afraid. But then I realized that death is just a transition, not an ending.

Death is a transition to the Summerlands, a wonderful place of comfort and peace. Your family and friends who went before are there. Who could fear that?

When I first heard of the Summerlands, a complete knowing came to me. And, I also realized that that this place of comfort and peace is where we came from. So you don’t need to fear returning to where you came from. When we die, we go home.

And, once you return home, you can choose to be born again. Wiccans know this as reincarnation.

So as you connect with the idea and reality of the Summerlands, you can let go of fears about dying. Death is simply a transition to a place of rest, loved ones and renewal to prepare you for the next life, if you so choose.

Understanding that now, I do not fear death.

Blessings,

Moonwater SilverClaw

Magickal Alphabets – Theban

May 18, 2014May 19, 2014 / Moonwater / 3 Comments

Magickal Alphabets – The Theban Alphabet

Imagine writing down your spells so a casual observer would not be able to decipher your notes. Nowadays, someone could look up the characters, but they’d have to put some effort into it. The unusual writing form I’m talking about is the Theban Alphabet. Several years ago, when I was in college, I found the Theban Alphabet referenced in a book.

I loved the beauty of script lines. To learn this beautiful alphabet, I started writing my college lecture notes in Theban.

Where did the magickal Theban Alphabet come from? In the medieval period, magick workers wanted to disguise their notes. A number of forms of magickal writings were developed, including Theban. Then and now, alchemical and other occult traditions use Theban.

Several magick workers use Theban to keep their secrets. Only those who were initiated or taught this script could pry the magickal secrets from the pages of the writer.

Today, the Theban Alphabet is still used in paganism and especially in witchcraft.

The letters in English and their equivalent Theban representatives are in the below image:

So how might you use Theban Alphabet? Consider using the script for writing in your Book of Shadows (BOS). Gerald B. Gardner wrote much of his magickal texts in Theban.

You can use Theban for talismans, carving on candles and much of the magickal work that you do.

Got a Magickal name? Use Theban to write it out. Make a personal sigil by using the Theban letters. Check out my Sigils post to know more about making Sigils.

I must say, writing in Theban can be fun.

In any case, you may want to write in some special script to elevate how you write as part of your magickal workings.

Blessings,

Moonwater SilverClaw

Solar Roadways

May 12, 2014May 18, 2014 / Moonwater / Leave a comment

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

May 12, 2014May 12, 2014 / Moonwater / Leave a comment

The Hidden Children of the Goddess Book

Blessings,

Moonwater SilverClaw

Grounding

May 11, 2014May 11, 2014 / Moonwater / 5 Comments

When I was initiated into the Craft, I didn’t “ground” properly after the ritual. Grounding is shunting extra energy out of your body. I failed to do the process.

Big mistake. I was up for 2 1/2 days. It was a double-edged sword: the energy was amazing, but I was bouncing off the walls. Now I was manic and tired. Headaches and body aches slammed me down.

My manic behavior annoyed the people near me. Worse yet—I put myself and others in harm’s way when I drove my car. Tired and unfocused, I was of no use to anyone.

When I finally came down from the energy, I slept for three days.

Why did I, as other Wiccans, fail to do the grounding process?

For some of us, it’s about getting distracted by the necessities of life—school, work, family responsibilities. For others, it’s because a mentor, perhaps, failed to fully train us in grounding techniques.

Many of us may do some forms of grounding but we may not fully succeed in properly moving the extra energy out of our body.

Now, I’ll share three valuable methods of grounding.

1. Eat good food.

Eat something. Carbohydrate rich foods (such as breads or pasta serve) as a good choice because they help pull you down from the high energy state that you achieved during magick working. See my Cakes and Wine Ceremony for an example of using food.

2. Push energy into the ground.

Shunt the extra energy back into the earth. One way is to take your hands or bare feet and place them on the bare earth. Release the energy by visualizing that you are pushing the energy into the earth. Mother Earth will recycle it for you. Having any contact with the earth is truly grounding. You can even lay in a field of grass and just deep breathe.

3. Hug a tree.

While hugging a tree, visualize that the extra energy is absorbed by the tree. The tree will do the rest. It naturally helps you pull the energy from your body and restore your internal balance. The tree takes the unneeded energy and shunts the energy down safely into Mother Earth.

Grounding isn’t just for after rituals. Having a tough day at work or school? Ground. Many of us make ourselves sick with built-up, unhealthy energies in our bodies. This can cause headaches and worse.

The solution is to do some grounding. You can release stress by simply deep breathing and placing your feet flat on the ground—no matter where you may be sitting.

Some Wiccans say, “But I am just doing a simple candle spell.” You still need to ground. You may not be exposed to a whole coven’s power, but you still raise energy to do any sort of magick working. This energy needs to be grounded. You may not notice the side-effects at the time, but they will still be there, and they can be harmful.

So if you have completed a ritual or you’re just feeling stressed out, ground. It not only helps you, it helps others.

Blessings,

Moonwater SilverClaw

Cord or Knot Magick

May 4, 2014 / Moonwater / 24 Comments

What if you could do a simple spell that could help you get a job, heal up from an illness or give you prolonged protection on a trip? The answer is knot magick (also known as cord magick). This form of magick working has been used for centuries in everything from weaving carpets to knitting and crocheting.

Better yet, you can simply make one knot to accomplish knot magick. This process requires no obscure objects or substances to acquire. You can do knot magick anywhere and at anytime.

So what do you use for tying the knots?

First, use natural substances because they hold a magickal charge, and synthetics do not. Use cotton, silk or other natural fibers for your knot magick, and this choice will help you succeed.

Use each cord only once. Blending intentions weakens and can even pollute your magick.

How to do knot magick

The first step is to identify specifically what you want to do.

Some examples are:

Get a job
Heal
Arrange protection

Wiccans use knot magic in two ways: the Proactive approach and the Reactive approach.

Proactive means preparing ahead of time. Imagine that it’s two weeks before hurricane season. You go to stores for supplies and for materials to board up your house or business.

On the other hand, Reactive means you rush around during the storm and try to live through it.

Most knot magick is done proactively. You prepare ahead of time so your magick can improve a situation or even prevent trouble.

Historically, sailors asked witches to place the winds into knots so that the sailors would have a remedy if they were stuck in a dead calm. They would untie one of the knots to make the winds blow.

The Steps of Knot Magick

One of the most important things in your magick is will so that you can successfully fuel your spell. What is will? Will means the driving force of desire for some form of change. So I focus on the power of “I will.” This is an important distinction because many people think of willpower as only the ability to avoid temptation.

Secondly, you must believe! If you do not believe, then your magick will falter.

Finally, master Pranic Breathing, also known as belly breathing. If you’re familiar with yoga, you probably know of Pranic Breathing techniques.

In Pranic Breathing, you breathe in deeply extending the stomach, utilizing all of your lung capacity. Visualize pulling up energy from the earth. Through Pranic Breathing, you move energy. Visualize your breath as a greenish-blue mist. This mist will carry your will and your intention into the knot. (This process is also referred to as “the breath of life.”)

Note: Consider visualizing your breath as different colors depending on your intention. For example, focus on the color orange for more confidence for a job interview.

Now, let’s go through the steps in order:

1. Figure out what you need, that is, your intention.

2. Start tying a knot into your cord (do not tighten it yet) and simultaneously, focus your will on your intention.

3. Do Pranic Breathing.

4. Have your desire firmly fixed in your mind. Know it as reality, even for just a moment. At that point, blow your will (in the form of your greenish-blue misty breath) into the knot and tighten it closed.

5. When you have completed the process, engaging in grounding yourself.

You have just completed knot magick.

In knot magick, Wiccans usually work in odd numbers: tying five, seven or nine knots in the cord.

The order in which you tie the knots is also important. Please view the correct order in this image here:

As you tie each knot you recite a line of the following poem. This poem is designed for tying nine knots.

Chant

By knot of one, the spell has begun,

By knot of two, my words become true,

By knot of three, it comes to me,

By knot of four, I’ve opened the door,

By knot of five, this spell’s alive,

By knot of six, this spell is fixed,

By knot of seven, there is no question,

By knot of eight, it’s now my fate,

By knot of nine, this thing’s now mine!

So mote it be.

Recently, I used knot magick before I attended a vital meeting. Just knowing that I worked knot magick relieved some of my stress. Of course, I still had to do the mundane work of gathering materials and rehearsing my words for the meeting.

But it’s a relief to know that I have invoked the blessings of the Gods, too.

I invite you to consider knot magick to help your life.

Blessings,

Moonwater SilverClaw

How does the Goddess view you?

April 27, 2014April 27, 2014 / Moonwater / Leave a comment

Color

How does the Goddess view you?

Do you imagine She looks on you with favor and kindness?

There’s another question: How do we look at ourselves?

This jumped into my consciousness when I was recently watching ABC World News with Diane Sawyer.

One story shook me up. It was the updated results of the Doll Test. What is the Doll Test?

In the 1940’s, Drs. Kenneth and Mamie Clark gathered young children for a research study. They placed two dolls (one Caucasian and the other African-American) in front of each child. The researchers asked, “Which doll is the nicest?” [The only difference was skin color otherwise the dolls were identical.]

The startling results included African-American children choosing the white doll as “nicest.” They rejected the black doll as “bad” or “ugly.” 63% of the African-American children said that they would rather play with the white doll.

Many of us might dismiss this result as part of the “unenlightened 1940s.”

In 2009, ABC World News redid the experiment. 88% of the 19 children of color surveyed identified with the black doll.

However, still in 2009, with President Barack Obama in the White House, 47% of the black and brown girls said that the “pretty doll” was white.

This “doll test” process was repeated again in April 2014 and the brown and black girls were asked, “Which doll do you want to take home?”–and the girls got into a tug of war over a blond, white doll!

What?!

Since I’m Caucasian, I cannot know what it is like to live as a person of color. Still, I’m concerned. I believe that the Goddess comes in all shapes, shades and sizes. They are all beautiful.

For more insight, I asked my friend Crystal Blanton to share her thoughts:

“The influence of racism on black and brown people in this country does not just stop at adults, but also children who are influenced by the over culture without the adequate critical thinking skills or experience to process it. The conditioning that happens for those who are Black in this country goes back for generations, and continues to influence the way that Black culture is created, and how Black people see themselves in relation with the rest of the world. Standards of pale skin, long straight hair, and thin bodies as the definition of beauty are all around us and this influences us from the time that a child can formulate what it is to be a person. Not only is this trans-generational trauma passed on through the lineage, but we are also subjected to it within the media, and mainstream culture.

I am not sure what the Goddess would say to someone who feels less due to the color of their skin. I think this largely depends on the Goddess herself, and the depiction of the Goddess. Most of our mainstream Goddesses are also Caucasian, and do not reflect the black and brown either. If I were talking about the greater spirit of the Goddess, regardless of archetype and pantheon, I would say that she would be concerned with the implications that anyone feels inferior due to characteristics that they are born with. I also think though that she would encourage strength through the challenge and not to take that away. I believe that we, Black people, are often stronger in our resolve because of what we have walked through, and I think that is a part of the Goddess’s plan.

I don’t think that Wicca addresses racism. Some Wiccans and Pagans are doing a lot of work to bring racism into the conversation on a conscious level, so that we can use that awareness to combat it. But I think that the foundation and structure of Wicca itself was fashioned as a Eurocentric construct without the consideration that multicultural, or multifaceted individuals would be a part of this spiritual path. I think it is one of the roadblocks that we need to continue to discuss in our community as a whole.”

I agree with Crystal that having the conversation about supporting all of us—all of us beautiful people with various colors, sizes and characteristics—is important.

Frequently, in current news, there is a group of people who say that we are in a “post-racial” world in the United States. (By the way, those voicing the opinion are NOT people of color.) They imply that no consideration be shown for people dealing with inequities due to color and ethnicity.

However, when I talk with my friends and my sweetheart (who is a person of color), they say that they have all experienced different treatment due to their skin color. They disagree strongly that the United States is “completely enlightened” at this time.

Let’s keep the conversation going.

Blessings,

Moonwater SilverClaw

The Importance of Ritual Bathing

April 19, 2014April 24, 2014 / Moonwater / 1 Comment

Candle

The Importance of Ritual Bathing

Imagine you could enhance your magick working with a simple process. How? Your ritual bath. It’s important because it puts you into the right frame of mind before you perform ritual. Secondly, you physically clean your body of the dirt and grime of the day. Finally, ritual bathing cleanses you of the psychic garbage that clings to you.

You can choose any soap (a required part) that you prefer. Wiccans appreciate handmade soaps, especially if they already contain the herbs or essences one already uses in magick work.

How do I make my bathing a ritual bath (or shower)?

Bless and consecrate your soap and shampoo. Set these aside for use only during your ritual baths.

How to make a sachet with cleansing herbs for a bath:

Use a stocking or cotton cloth, and place inside selected cleansing herbs. The total amount of all herbs will be one tablespoon.

If you use a cotton cloth, gather the corners and tie them with a string. Make sure the sachet is closed and secure. This keeps the herbs from clogging your drain.

Place your sachet in the bath water then sprinkle in some sea salt and let steep for 5 or so minutes. Then enjoy.

Making a cleansing shower tincture:

If you will be showering, place your sachet in a large container of hot water to steep. Sprinkle sea salt and dissolve it into the mixture (the tincture). When the water cools to a comfortable temperature, then take into your shower and wash with soap, envisioning all the psychic garbage leaving you.

Then pour the contents of the tincture over your head and rub it in. In this way, the contents help you complete your cleansing. The residue flows away, down the drain.

Add a blessing

I also add a blessing at the end of my ritual bath. I’ve added some modifications to a popular blessing.

Wiccan Blessing

Starting at your forehead say as you touch you third eye say:

I bless myself by the Goddess,

(Touch your right breast)

By the air that is her sweet breath,

(Touch your left shoulder . . . [you are actually forming a pentagram with these movements].)

By the earth, that is her fertile body,

(Touch your right shoulder.)

By the waters that is her life giving womb,

(Touch your left breast.)

By the fire that is her bright spirit,

(Touch your third eye.)

May I be blessed, so mote it be.

Upon completing your ritual bathing, you’re now ready to enter circle to honor the Gods respectfully. Not only will the Gods be happy but your fellow practitioners will be grateful, too. (Trust me.)

Are there particular rituals you like to do prior to entering circle? Let me know in the comments section below.

Blessings,

Moonwater SilverClaw

How to Make Your Own Personal Sigils

April 13, 2014February 11, 2017 / Moonwater / 29 Comments

Personal Sigils

How to Make Your Own Personal Sigils

Imagine putting a magical intention into an object. Why would you do that? Wiccans do this because they want the object to hold power to help them realize a personal desire. For example, you may be job hunting and you want the power of the object—in this case, a sigil—to assist you to get the ideal job.

Making your own personal sigils is easy. Some time ago, author/artist Austin Osman Spare devised a method for creating sigils.

Since that time, a number of authors have discussed Austin Osman Spare’s process of making sigils. One book I appreciate is Frater U. D.’s Practical Sigil Magic: Creating Personal Symbols for Success.

I have made a couple of my own additions to the process.

First, throughout history, witches made sigils out of virgin parchment. But that is quite expensive. Also if you’re vegan and will not wear leather, you will want to use something else. Why? Parchment is typically made from goat skin. So let’s talk about a process devoid of parchment.

I use the heavier art paper, the kind that absorbs ink and which can be infused with different tinctures made with herbs. Water color paper is a nice choice, too.

What about inks? You could use one or of the many magickal inks on the market. My favorite is Dragons Blood Ink. But magickal inks can be expensive. So you can make your own out of a high grade ink such as Winsor Newton ink or India ink. To make it a magickal ink just add some essential oil to it, like myrrh. Mix and consecrate.

You can even use Sharpie pens as author Peter Paddon suggests. Just make sure to designate specific pens for only magickal work. They’ll be part of your set of magickal tools.

You can use different colors for different desires. Here is a short list of colors and meanings that I include in my book The Hidden Children of the Goddess [free chapter when you CLICK HERE]:

• Red: sex, desire, vitality, strength
• Orange: charm, confidence, joy, jealousy, persuasion
• Yellow: intellectual development, joy, intellectual strength
• Green: prosperity, abundance, fertility, money matters
• Blue: healing, protection, spiritual development
• Purple: the occult, power, magick
• Pink: love, friendship, compassion
• White: purity, innocence, peace, tranquility

Write out your desire on a scratch piece of paper; you can use a single word or a phrase. Some examples are:

• I want an ideal job for me at this time
• Happiness
• I need a new house
• Success

We’ll now use the word “Success” as our example. Cross off all of the repeat letters in Success. You end up with S, U, C, and E. (You want only one of each letter that appears in the word.) Next, scramble the letters, getting S, E, U, and C (for example).

Now comes the fun part: Combine the letters together in an image.

Success Sigil

Can you find the letters?

In this way you can make all sorts of sigils.

If you want to imbue it with a potion or tincture this is the time to do it. You can either soak the paper in your tincture or brush it on. Either way you must let it dry. Overnight is best.

Now with this new image (of combined letters), inscribe it with your magical ink on your absorbent paper.

Now that you have the sigil, the next step is to breath life into it with Pranic Breathing, also known as belly breathing. If you’re familiar with yoga, you are probably familiar with Pranic Breathing techniques. Breathe in deeply; allow your stomach to inflate. Visualize pulling up energy from the earth. When you have built up enough energy in your lungs, blow it onto the sigil. This will charge it with your energy and further empower your intention.

Now place your sigil in a safe place and forget about it. Forgetting about it is the toughest part of the whole process. This helps the magick work.

As you can see, making your own sigils is quite easy and fun. After some practice, you will be able to do them quickly and easily.

Remember to consider using sigils to further your goals and get what you really want.

Learn more about sigils at Sigils: Special Techniques for Manifesting What You Want

Blessings,

Moonwater SilverClaw

My workbook has just come out with a second expanded edition. You can check it out HERE.

Is it Time to Let Go or Time to Hold Fast?

April 6, 2014 / Moonwater / 2 Comments

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