I had gone to the thrift store today looking for black candles because I seem to find them there, albeit usually with a glare from the cashier (it's a Lutheran-run thrift store). So today when I went I tucked my pendant into my sweatshirt (it's a raven on a pentacle) and just smiled at the cashier. I found 5 black candles this time. Two votive and three tapers. I also found a little ceramic spinning wheel for my altar to represent my crafts.
Zach and I went out just a little bit ago. The moon wasn't visible from the faery garden but you could see it through the naked branches of the trees if you went up the hill that borders the garden. I had the flashlight so we wouldn't step on my blueberry bushes. It was pretty hard to see but it did seem a bit bigger. Not huge, but bigger. I'm going out later when it's further up in the sky to get a better look. We didn't take pictures because there really wasn't anything to use for perspective.
I said some prayers to the Old Gods, letting them know the people still remembered them and were worshiping them still (it was a beautiful prayer in my new Pagan prayer book.) Then I said a prayer to the darkness, followed by a prayer for a full moon. I had 3 opium incense sticks (I really doubt it's real opium) stuck in the ground in front of my outdoor altar, burning, after I walked the perimeter of the garden proclaiming it a sacred space.
Then I charged my spirit beads and my crystals in the incense and really felt a surge of energy through them. I consecrated my staff (hadn't done that since Tom gave it to me last fall) and had the same result. Zach consecrated his dragon flag and sword to the Black Dragon. Then we went up the hill carrying our black votive candles where we could see the moon. It was beautiful although difficult to see. Then we both sent prayers to Gaia and Japan for healing. We blew out our candles and came indoors. It was short, not terribly scripted and all the more wonderful for it.
What was funny, though, was just as we started our neighbor came home with a friend and here we were outdoors with candles, wearing dark clothing and murmuring stuff that sounded a bit like chanting. This is a guy that flies his flag 24/7, drives a humongous pickup truck and hunts. I hesitate to classify him politically but generally liberals or progressives don't feel a need to flaunt their patriotism. I'm just sayin'.
Anyway, I locked the car doors just in case. We've had a couple of incidents since he moved in with someone turning my headlights on in the car. Not saying it was him or his friends, but it has only happened when he had a party going on. And frankly we don't pay any attention to him aside from his friend who parks in front of the fire hydrant. And the most we do then is just bitch to each other about it. His parties don't bother us at all, but I suspect we bother him while he's having his parties.
Neither yard is fenced in and our back porches are pretty close together. I have been out working in my garden when his parties have started up so I generally just finish up and go in to give him privacy. Or I've gone out to hang clothes up while he's having a party because I need them hung up and don't want to wait until morning. But I'm not sure it's him. It's could be just a coincidence and there are kids in town who are misbehaving.
Hoping this summer is better and we didn't freak him out with our ritual. I did wonder what the people driving into town thought. Our back yard sits below the main highway by about 20 or so feet so they drive by and look down into our yard. But they usually drive faster than the speed limit so I doubt they saw much of anything. I've learned not to care what they think.
But we didn't yell or chant loudly or call upon Satan so I think we're good.
But I do have to say that it was magickal. This is the first time since I found the Pagan path that I felt comfortable and natural in this kind of ritual. Standing on top of the hill (which is still about 10 ft below the highway), watching the moon peek behind the denuded trees and watching our breath in the candlelight was so peaceful and satisfying and had far more spirituality to it than anything I ever experienced in a church building.
I'm good. I've found my path, however eclectic it may be, it's the path I'm supposed to be on.
I feel re-charged myself, eager to study, explore Nature, and learn her secrets.
But for now, I'm going to bed and knit. The perfect end to a perfect ritual.
Zach and I went out just a little bit ago. The moon wasn't visible from the faery garden but you could see it through the naked branches of the trees if you went up the hill that borders the garden. I had the flashlight so we wouldn't step on my blueberry bushes. It was pretty hard to see but it did seem a bit bigger. Not huge, but bigger. I'm going out later when it's further up in the sky to get a better look. We didn't take pictures because there really wasn't anything to use for perspective.
I said some prayers to the Old Gods, letting them know the people still remembered them and were worshiping them still (it was a beautiful prayer in my new Pagan prayer book.) Then I said a prayer to the darkness, followed by a prayer for a full moon. I had 3 opium incense sticks (I really doubt it's real opium) stuck in the ground in front of my outdoor altar, burning, after I walked the perimeter of the garden proclaiming it a sacred space.
Then I charged my spirit beads and my crystals in the incense and really felt a surge of energy through them. I consecrated my staff (hadn't done that since Tom gave it to me last fall) and had the same result. Zach consecrated his dragon flag and sword to the Black Dragon. Then we went up the hill carrying our black votive candles where we could see the moon. It was beautiful although difficult to see. Then we both sent prayers to Gaia and Japan for healing. We blew out our candles and came indoors. It was short, not terribly scripted and all the more wonderful for it.
What was funny, though, was just as we started our neighbor came home with a friend and here we were outdoors with candles, wearing dark clothing and murmuring stuff that sounded a bit like chanting. This is a guy that flies his flag 24/7, drives a humongous pickup truck and hunts. I hesitate to classify him politically but generally liberals or progressives don't feel a need to flaunt their patriotism. I'm just sayin'.
Anyway, I locked the car doors just in case. We've had a couple of incidents since he moved in with someone turning my headlights on in the car. Not saying it was him or his friends, but it has only happened when he had a party going on. And frankly we don't pay any attention to him aside from his friend who parks in front of the fire hydrant. And the most we do then is just bitch to each other about it. His parties don't bother us at all, but I suspect we bother him while he's having his parties.
Neither yard is fenced in and our back porches are pretty close together. I have been out working in my garden when his parties have started up so I generally just finish up and go in to give him privacy. Or I've gone out to hang clothes up while he's having a party because I need them hung up and don't want to wait until morning. But I'm not sure it's him. It's could be just a coincidence and there are kids in town who are misbehaving.
Hoping this summer is better and we didn't freak him out with our ritual. I did wonder what the people driving into town thought. Our back yard sits below the main highway by about 20 or so feet so they drive by and look down into our yard. But they usually drive faster than the speed limit so I doubt they saw much of anything. I've learned not to care what they think.
But we didn't yell or chant loudly or call upon Satan so I think we're good.
But I do have to say that it was magickal. This is the first time since I found the Pagan path that I felt comfortable and natural in this kind of ritual. Standing on top of the hill (which is still about 10 ft below the highway), watching the moon peek behind the denuded trees and watching our breath in the candlelight was so peaceful and satisfying and had far more spirituality to it than anything I ever experienced in a church building.
I'm good. I've found my path, however eclectic it may be, it's the path I'm supposed to be on.
I feel re-charged myself, eager to study, explore Nature, and learn her secrets.
But for now, I'm going to bed and knit. The perfect end to a perfect ritual.
That sounds like a great night! I'm happy for you that it was such an energetic, magickal experience for you and Zach. I hope I get to see the moon tonight. Last night, too much cloud cover. Hopefully tonight. I need a good end to this day. And maybe the moon's energy will zap this blasted cold!
ReplyDeleteI think its beautiful that you and Zach can share ritual together. How cool is that?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tana. It was a great experience even without the magick. But having it was like whipped topping on hot cocoa.
ReplyDeleteDebra, thanks so much. It means a lot to have spirituality to share with him. It also helps me by allowing me not to focus on the regrets I have about all the brainwashing into Christianity that I used on his suggestible little brain when he was little. I loved that he shared his rituals with me, too.