Hyssop - the Holy Herb

As I bought a little hyssop plant yesterday, I thought I would investigate this herb more.  The name "Hyssop" (Hyssopus officinalis) is of Greek origin.  The Hyssopos of Dioscorides was named from azob (a holy herb), because it was used for cleaning sacred places. It is alluded to in the Christian Scriptures: "Purge me with Hyssop, and I shall be clean."

It is a native of Southern Europe and is an evergreen, bushy herb, growing up to about 1/2 metre high, with a square stem, linear leaves and flowers in whorls, six- to 16 flowered.   Cultivated for its flower tops, these are often used by being steeped in water to make an infusion, however sometimes it is used as an expectorant. There are three varieties of Hyssop, known respectively by their blue, red and white flowers.

Jesus and the Persia God Mithra

In the lands of ancient Persia, the worship of a messiah like Deity was established some 600 years prior to the conception of Christinaity. This God, who was believed to have said, "I am a star which goes with thee and shines out of the depths", was Mithra.

Born on 25 December, Mithra was the offspring of the Sun, and was the third most important Persian God after Ormuzd and Ahrimanes. He was said to be a beautiful youth and a mediator, a "spiritual light contending with spiritual darkness, and through his labours the kingdom of darkness shall be lit with heaven's own light; the eternal will receive all things back into his favour, the world will be redeemed to God. The impure are to be purified, and the evil made good, through the mediation of Mithras, the reconciler of Ormuzd and Ahriman. Mithras is the Good, his name is Love. In relation to the Eternal he is the source of grace, in relation to man he is the life-giver and mediator" (Plato, Philo, and Paul, p. 15).

Solace in Service - Doing for Others

One aspect of the Wiccan Priesthood, in particular the High Priesthood, is that of service to others.  This "service" can sometimes be misunderstood with some people expecting some kind of "return" (financial or otherwise) to be received.  However, "true" service is where one does something, shares something, makes themselves available etc simply because in doing so, their actions or what they have to share may benefit another.  An example of this is the open Full Moon Gatherings that the Temple of the Dark Moon have been holding since 2004.  These Gatherings, originally held all year round, are open to the public as they are held in public spaces and, as were the case of many that where held during the Summer months at the beach, witnessed by curious passerbys - some even joining in. 

Whilst due to time restraints these Gatherings are now only held during the Winter months, they are still open to the public where they are offered free of charge - there is not even the expectation of  a donation to help cover the cost of the items used.  This is because to hold such events that may benefit the spiritual development of another is part of what I view as my service, as HPs, to the community and society at large.

The following is an article from Daily Om about being of service - something that everyone is able to do.

Endings and Beginnings as Visions mark the Way

Last night conjured up an assortment of emotions - of sadness with it being the last "official" circle that the Temple's Inner Court would hold until mid January due to the Summer break, but also of achievement as we moved through our paces, despite what had seemed to be a "broken year" with our circles, in stepping between the veils and creating magick, not to mention excitement of the proposed ideas that 2011 will bring (not to mention another member to our folds).

Almost as a sign of just how far we each had progressed in the year, both separately along our own individual paths of spiritual enlightenment, but also as a group collective, every one of us received a potent result from the meditation. 

Wormwood (Artemisia)

The Wormwoods are members of the great family of Compositae and belong to the genus Artemisia, a group consisting of 180 species, of which we have four growing wild in England, the Common Wormwood, Mugwort, Sea Wormwood and Field Wormwood.

In addition, as garden plants, though not native, Tarragon (A. dracunculus) claims a place in every herb-garden, and Southernwood (A. abrotanum), an old-fashioned favourite, is found in many borders, whilst others, such as A. sericea, A. cana and A. alpina, form pretty rockwork shrubs.  

A Sign of Imbalance - Overachieving and Overreaching

In general, an overachieving lifestyle is not balanced.

What changes can you make to slow down and feel more joy?

Overachievers are people who have achieved but still feel the need to do more, creating an imbalance in their lives.

People who exhibit this behavior may be trying to compensate for feelings of insecurity and doubts about their worth. They may be chasing unresolved issues from their past into the present, or they might not be looking at their lives as a whole, but judging themselves based only on one aspect of their being.

If this is a word that we have heard used with respect to our choices and lifestyle, it is worth examining in order to balance our lives for a more rewarding experience. 

Living for Ourselves

We do not need to live seeking approval from our parents or others;

this can be overcome no matter what your age.

Most of us come to a point in our lives when we question why we are doing what we are doing, and many of us come to realize that we may be living our lives in an effort to make our parents happy. This realization can dawn when we are in our 20s, our 40s, or even later, depending upon how tight a hold our family of origin has on our psyche. We may feel shocked or depressed by this information, but we can trust that it is coming to us at this time because we are ready to find out what it would mean to live our lives for ourselves, following the call of our own soul, and refusing any longer to be beholden to someone else’s expectations.

New Moon in Sagittarius this Sunday

The Moon will be entering the zodiacal sign of Sagittarius this Sunday, 5 December 2011, and when it emerges as the New Moon in our skies, it takes place at 13 degrees Sagittarius, in a tight sextile to Saturn in Libra at 14 degrees offering a real opportunity.

Sagittarius (Jupiter) is visionary but does not accomplish much without Saturn functions like hard work, commitment and follow through. Here we have a upbeat New Moon in Sadge in contact with Saturn in the sign of its exaltation and while it does create drag in the fun times, the chance to for solid improvement in undeniable.

To take advantage of this, note the house in your chart where the New Moon falls and set your intention along with a commitment to to work towards your vision. Since Saturn is in Libra, this most likely means working in partnership for big gains.  As an example, the New Moon falls in your 11th house, so you will work with and rely on your partner/spouse to achieve you wishes, hopes and dreams.

Where does the new moon fall in your chart? How will you use this energy?

Source: Elsa Elsa Astrology

The Reciprocal Flow of Abundance

Since giving and receiving are so intimately intertwined in our lives, we often expect that we can attract abundance by simply conducting ourselves in an openhanded fashion. Yet we find ourselves wallowing in disappointment when our ample generosity is not met with the expected results. The answer to this quandary lies in the expectations that, in part, initially prompted us to give.

Though our intention is likely pure, we can unintentionally mar the beautiful experience of giving by focusing on what we will eventually receive in return. When we let go of the notion that we deserve to receive gifts based on giving gifts, bounty can once again flow freely in and out of our lives.

Are You of the Land?

“Land, then, is not merely soil: it is a foundation of energy flowing through a circuit of soils, plants and animals ... an ethic to supplement and guide the economic relation to land presupposes the existence of some mental image of land as a biotic mechanism. We can be ethical only in relation to something we can see, understand, love, or otherwise have faith in ...” – Aldo Leopold, ecologist (from ”Wisdom of Elders” by David Suzuki and Peter Knudtson)

One description of being a Pagan is to have a relationship with the land, after all, the word Pagan is said to have been derived from the Latin Paganus meaning “country dweller”, amongst other interpretations. Yet, in this modern age how many of us who describe ourselves as "practising Pagans" and declare that we follow a “Pagan life style” are honestly “one” with nature and the land upon which we reside?  How many of us feel the tides change within us when they change around us?

Walking with Awareness - Mindful Walking

While walking, each step we take can lead us to becoming more mindful of ourselves and our feelings.

Many of us take the benefits of walking for granted. Each day we limit the steps we take by driving or sitting for long periods of time. But walking even a few blocks a day has unlimited benefits – not only for our health, but our spirit as well, for as we walk, we connect with the earth.

Even when walking on concrete, the earth is still beneath us, supporting us. Walking lets our body remember simpler times, when life was less complicated. This helps us slow down to the speed of our body and take the time to integrate the natural flow of life into our cellular tissue. Instead of running from place to place or thinking about how much more we can fit into our day, walking allows us to exist in the moment. 

Gifts that keep on Giving

Around this time of the year a similar dilemma appears and that is what to do for Christmas? Do I celebrate it with the rest of my non-Pagan family and friends, by accepting gifts and engaging in other festivities? Or do I declare myself a “Christmas-free zone”, after all why celebrate a festival belonging to another faith – it is not as if I celebrate other festivals or holy days, such as Ramadan etc? Often, in order to keep everyone happy a combination of the two is successful.

from World Vision"s "Smiles"

Whilst in our secular society, the religion aspect of Christmas has largely been replaced by the focus on families spending the day together and the exchanging of gifts, for some people both these ideas can be rather unpleasant.

One possible solution to at least the latter, may be the suggestion of a donation made on your behalf to a worthwhile charitable organisation ... of which there are many. 

A Full Embrace Excluding Nothing - Finding Peace Within

If we are to have true peace in this world, each one of us must find it in ourselves first.

Most people agree that a more peaceful world would be an ideal situation for all living creatures.  However, we often seem stumped as to how to bring this ideal situation into being.  

If we are to have true peace in this world, each one of us must find it in ourselves first. 

If we do not like ourselves, for example, we probably won't like those around us. 

If we are in a constant state of inner conflict, then we will probably manifest conflict in the world.

If we have fighting within our families, there can be no peace in the world.

We must shine the light of inquiry on our internal struggles, because this is the only place we can really create change. 

Egregores and Perfect Love/Perfect Trust

For those experienced with group ritual magick, one of the more important aspects is the construction of the "group consciousness" or, to use a phrase that is probably more commonly associated with ceremonial magick than Wicca, "egregore".  In this use of the word, an egregore is that it is a "thought form" or "collective group mind" that is built up by the group as a whole through the use of disciplined focus and energy.  Another description of an egregore is that it is some kind of magickal entity that is specifically created by a group as an "encapsulation of the group's collective aspirations and ideals". 

The ability to create such an entity successfully can only be achieved when all members of the group are on the "same page".  That means, the level of discipline, focus and direction is equal, not to mention the direction and ideals behind such a creation is clearly formed.  This is no mean feat and can take a number of years of close, intimate workings within the group by all members involved.  Within Wicca, this can be perceived as the ultimate example of the Wiccan axiom "perfect love and perfect trust".

11 November - Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November to recall the official end of World War I on that date in 1918, as the major hostilities of World War I were formally ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice. (Note that "at the 11th hour", refers to the passing of the 11th hour, or 11:00 am.)

The day was specifically dedicated by King George V, on 7 November 1919, to the observance of members of the armed forces who were killed during World War I. This was possibly done upon the suggestion of Edward George Honey to Wellesley Tudor Pole, who established two ceremonial periods of remembrance based on events in 1917.

Lessons of Reflection - Interfering

Each of us is on our own path and we all learn differently. Because of this it is important to not interfere with another’s path of growth.

When we care about people, we want to save them from pain by offering them the benefit of our experience. Sometimes we feel like we know what is best for them. Sometimes, like when their safety is involved, we need to step in, but those times are rare. More often we find ourselves becoming frustrated when our close friends or family members do not use our relationship insights or follow our dietary advice, and this is where we find our challenge. We may even find ourselves becoming angry when they choose another path. This strength of feeling is usually a sign that our motivations go beyond merely helping another to indicate that there is a lesson there for us.

The May Pole

One of the more recognisable symbols of Bealtaine is the May Pole, and its subsequent dance which is said to encourage the return of fertility to the Earth.

The pole itself is not only a phallic symbol but also is the connector of the Three Worlds. Dancing the May Pole during Bealtaine is a conduit of energy, connecting all three worlds at a time when the gateways are most easily penetrable ... a magickal experience, indeed. The energy created by people dancing around the May Pole penetrates down into the Earth bringing about Her full awakening and fruitfulness.

Cleansing and Healing Ritual

With the theme of Bealtaine being fertilty, sex and sensuality, the following ritual seems perfect for this time of the year as it focuses your attention  back on the self - and in many schools of thought it is believed that before we can truly love another person, we must learn to love our own self .. or at least accept ourselves for who we are.

I have had the ritual for a number of years so am not sure of its original author.  If is this known by someone, please let me know so that I can duly accredit them. 

Chamomile - a Magickal Herb

Chamomile is one of the oldest favourites amongst garden herbs and its reputation as a medicinal plant shows little signs of abatement. The Egyptians reverenced it for its virtues, and from their belief in its power to cure ague, dedicated it to their gods. No plant was better known to the country folk of old, it having been grown for centuries in English gardens for its use as a common domestic medicine to such an extent that the old herbals agree that 'it is but lost time and labour to describe it'.

There are a number of different varities of Chamomile available.  True or Common Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) which is a low-growing plant, creeping or trailing, its tufts of leaves and flowers a foot high. The root is perennial, jointed and fibrous, the stems, hairy and freely branching, are covered with leaves which are divided into thread-like segments, the fineness of which gives the whole plant a feathery appearance. The blooms appear in the later days of Summer, and are borne solitary on long, erect stalks, drooping when in bud. With their outer fringe of white ray-florets and yellow centres, they are remarkably like the daisy.

Crystal Healing - Labradorite

Believed to have first been found in 1770 on the Canadian Labrador Peninsula, Labradorite is considered to be a power stone, allowing the wearer to see through illusions and determine the actual form of dreams and goals.   This stone is a plagioclase feldspar and has been found in some meteorites.  Spectrolite, the most valued type of labradorite, hails from Finland.  Other places where Labradorite can be found include India, Madagascar, Newfoundland, and the former Soviet Republic.

Healing with the Goddess Brighid

Following a rather inpromptu working with Brighid last night, a number of aspects about this Goddess have been rattling around my head this morning that I thought I would share. 

These days, Brighid is more commonly associated with the early Spring festival of Imbolc - and rightly so, after all her sacred day is 1 February, the day of Imbolc for the Northern Hemisphere.  However, here in the South, with Imbolc not occurring until August, people still associate the festival with her.

Blood Mysteries

Every now and then we find the need to withdraw from the world and spend time nurturing ourselves. In our modern world this action can sometimes be perceived as “selfish” but if we not do nurture our own being, how can we operate at our fullest and be most beneficial to others? Finding time to do this self nurturing can be just as difficult. Our lives are so busy and fill that we often find little time, if any for ourselves. But I believe that we must endeavour to do just this.

We are cyclic beings, ebbing and flowing with the rhythms of the land and of nature, even if our modern world tends to dictate differently. More so in women is this cyclic nature obvious, our very own menstrual cycles often occur aligned with the phases of the Moon. However, for modern convenience, usually we seek to alter and control these cyclic ebbings and flowings, having little thought of what this does to us on a deeper level.

Freeing Our Inner Desires

Freeing Our Inner Desires - Using Our Outside Voice

Each of us has developed an internal filtering process that helps us choose which parts of our constant inner monologues get voiced outside of our heads. Sometimes the choice is based on what we consider to be polite or appropriate, using subtlety instead of directness to try to get our point across. Other times the choice is made based on our expectations of the other person and what we feel they should know about us, our feelings, and our needs. But our best chance of getting what we need is to communicate specifically by converting our inner voice to our outside voice.

The End is Nigh

It is a sign that the end of the year is coming quickly to a close when regular events end up being the ‘second to last’. Last night saw the second to last Outer Court circle for 2010, the realization coming as a bit of a shock to some people. Now is the time serious decisions need to be made as to whether application to the Temple’s Inner Court is to be made or not.

Having spent the last five years more or less focusing on the training needs of others, next year the focus of the Inner Court will be somewhat different and more intense. Time has arrived for my own “itches” to be scratched. The magicks that I have put away to the side to due their degree of advanceness and/or complication will be dusted off and resurrected, exposing Inner Court members to the necessity of the last few years instruction with the importance one needs to focus within a closely knit group. Naturally, this will also expose a deeper concept of what “perfect love and perfect trust” means within a circle. Exciting time for the Inner Court lies ahead.

Culling out the Weeds - Mind over Matter

The power of the mind is a curious thing, because it is so powerful yet so difficult to control sometimes.

The power of the mind is a curious thing, because it is so powerful yet so difficult to control sometimes. We find ourselves thinking a certain way, knowing that this thought may be creating trouble for us yet we find it difficult to stop. For example, many people have the experience of getting sick at the same time every year or every time they go on a plane. They may even be aware that their beliefs impact their experiences, so continue to think they will get sick and then they do.

Adelaide Himeji (Japanese) Gardens

What a beautiful day we are having in Adelaide today, Spring is certainly here.  And to celebrate the long weekend, we decided to take a trip to the beautiful Himeji Gardens, located on South Terrace in the city.

This garden is truly amazing.  Despite being located near a busy road as well as by sports playing fields, the tranquility found within this walled oasis certainly helps to calm the spirit and refocus the mind.  While we were there, a couple were getting their wedding photographs taken the beautiful surroundings, as well as a small group of cosplay devotees enjoying the sunshine - and what a perfect setting to be in their anime or manga costumes.

The Himeji Gardens blends two classic Japanese styles, the lake and mountain garden and the dry garden, and celebrates Adelaide's sister-city relationship with the ancient Japanese city of Himeji.

The Adelaide City Council resolved in 1982 to make a symbolic garden which might help the people of Adelaide to understand the culture of the Japanese.

The gardens blend toether two classic styles.  The first is the 'kare senzui' (dry garden) where rocks and sand evoke the presence of water, even the sea itself - as in the above left picture.  The second style is the 'senzui' (lake and mountain garden) where the imagination endows the small pond with vastness and grandeur - as in the picture to the right.

If you have not visited the Himeji Gardens recently, then now is certainly the time to do so, if only to recharge the batteries before Summer heralds in the festive season.

Illusions, Mind Games and the modern Pagan Way

When I was younger I recall a teacher warning us that if you try to put yourself out to be something that you are not, you will eventually get caught out. The statement may have been made in relation to cheating on school exams or maybe even the age-old advice as we left the protected life of school and entered the dreaded work force. Regardless of circumstance, there are only a certain about of time that you can "wing it" before you come across people whose eyes you simply cannot pull the wool over.

Some people simply do not realize that what gives their inner truth away can be an erroneous comment which, on the surface, may appear logical and appropriate to the lay person, however to those who are of a deeper learning/experience, it does not seem exactly appropriate from one of a certain standing or background. Thus, the (carefully guarded) mistruth is picked up on.

I am sure that we all have on occasions fudged the edges, bent the rules just a tad to make our own egos shine that little more brightly that what they really are. However, if we are going to start weaving a web of half truths and misrepresentations, we should start at the actual beginning – not half way through, allowing such half truths be exposed to those who know where to look. For example, telling one person you are trained here however stating elsewhere that you are trained somewhere else only leaves you (not to mention your integrity and reputation) open to questions.

One's Highest Ideal

Within Traditional Wicca, there is the concept of acting with respect to one's "Highest Ideal" - as is stated within the "Charge of the Goddess" where the Moon Goddess speaks:

"Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever towards it; let naught stop you or turn you aside."

One's "Highest Ideal" can be likened to one's "True Will" as found within the Thelemetic magickal tradition, where an individual, a follower of that path acts in accordance with their Higher Self, one's Holy Guardian Angel.

Putting Things Into Practice

Being a avid reader, it is not unusual for me to have not only a number of books on the go at any one time, but also books on various subjects, especially the numerous techniques and/or magickal practices.  One book that I have finished reading recently and which I have thoroughly enjoyed, is "Abrahadabra: Understanding Aleister’s Thelemic Magick" by Rodney Orpheus.  A strange choice for someone proclaiming to be a Wiccan some may say however within it, I came across a passage which, while I have adapted it to have a more Wiccan focus in the posting below, even in its original format within Orpheus's book, it provides much food for thought regardless of what spiritual path you may follow ...

"One of the keys to Wicca is personal development. This means you have to do the work yourself. Simply reading books and/or web sites is not good enough. While this may increase your theoretical knowledge (or then again may totally confuse you further), unless you do it, you are wasting your time. Knowledge is not the same thing as understanding."

It is only through personal experience that you yourself can access what are termed as the "Mysteries" contained within Wicca - no teacher, regardless of how wonderful they may be, can experience these Mysteries for you ... nor can their interpretation be 100% relevant for you.

With Spring in my Step

How I love this time of the year. The Spring Equinox has passed and whilst we have had a wonderful amount of rain this Winter, it is nice to see the Sun finally out, warming the Earth, encouraging life to spring forth. And so it does with the wisteria that hangs over the Temple bursting into flower. So now, even before we enter the Temple, we are reminded of the beauty and increasing abundance of this time of year

All around the signs of the world waking up can be seen. With daylight savings occuring next weekend, I find that I am waking around 5:00am to the birds who have nested in the trees outside my window. Activity is abound, even those plants whose benefits have yet to be discovered (or remembered - aka "weeds" ) are taking advance of this time of the year.

At first the natural energies at this time of the year may appear to be rather sluggish as they break free for Winter's hold and venture into the exuberant expansion of Spring. In just over a week I have watched the wisteria that covers the porch of the Temple quickly change from catkins to full flower, relasing their delicate scent into the air.