Blood Moon

The full moon on Tuesday April 15th of this year is special in many ways. This full moon will actually be the first of four lunar eclipses to happen over the next 18 months. April's lunar eclipse will be known as Blood Moon.

A lunar eclipse happens when the Moon, the Earth, and the Sun are all in alignment. The Moon is completely covered in the Earth's shadow and will go red due to reflections off of the Earth's atmosphere. On Tuesday the moon will be completely dark around 3:00 AM.

This is the perfect time to let go of anything that is not serving you, and to claim your personal power and strength. This is a powerful period so any spells, magic or energy work done at this time, will continue to be felt for at least six months.

Introduction to Chakras

Chakra is Sanskrit for "wheel" and are featured in the tantric and yogic traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. The Chakras, sometimes called Wheels of Life or Wheels of Energy, are subtle energy points in the body through which Prana or life force move through. The seven main Chakras (there are hundreds more smaller chakra points throughout the body) run ascending along the spinal column from it's base and all the way up to the crown of the head.

The Chakras can hold spiritual, physical, emotional and mental memories/energy as the life force flows through the body. Chakras transform energy from the physical world through to the higher levels of consciousness. The Chakras receive information from the world around us, including other people, through vibrational waves. This is why often the world around us, and other people's moods can affect us.

Chakras can become unbalanced, showing either a draining in their connective power, or a surplus of that energy. There are many ways to bring the Chakras back into balance, such as meditation, yoga, or little things that are specific to each Chakra. For instance a weak Throat Chakra can be made stronger and balanced through singing, chanting, or wearing Lapis Lazuli.

The Chakras are as follows:

Root Chakra/ Muladhara

• Located at the base of the spine
• Color is red
• Prime function is grounding, security and survival
• Sound to chant - LAM
• Element - Earth
• Gemstones - Hematite, Bloodstone, Red Jasper, Garnet, Ruby
• Herb/Fragrance - Cinnamon, Cedar

Sacral Chakra/ Svadhisthana

• Located below the navel
• Color is orange
• Prime function is relationships, sexuality, emotional needs
• Sound to chant - VAM
• Element - Water
• Gemstones - Coral, Carnelian
•  Herb/Fragrance - Saffron, Orange/Citrus, Ylang Ylang

Solar Plexus Chakra/ Manipura

• Located at the navel area
• Color is yellow
• Prime function is energy, willpower, personal power
• Sound to chant - RAM
• Element - Fire
• Gemstones - Amber, Citrine
• Herb/Fragrance - Cedar, Lemon

Heart Chakra/ Anahata

•  Located within the heart area
• Color is green
• Prime function is esteem, forgiveness, love, respecting self and others
• Sound to chant - YAM
• Element - Air
• Gemstones - Emerald, Jade, Malachite
• Herb/Fragrance - Rose

Throat Chakra/ Vishuddha

• Located in the neck/throat area
• Color is blue
• Prime function is speech, expression, creativity, communication
• Sound to chant - HAM
• Element - Ether
• Gemstones - Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Azurite, Angelite
• Herb/Fragrance - Eucalyptus, Sandalwood

Third Eye Chakra/ Ajna

• Located above/between eyebrows
• Color is Indigo
• Prime function is intuition, understanding, psychic sense, imagination
• Sound to chant - OM/AUM
• Element - Light/Spirit
• Gemstones - Amethyst, Sodalite, Lapis Lazuli
• Herb/Fragrance - Lavendar

Crown Chakra/ Sahasrara

• Located at the top of the head
• Color is Violet
• Prime function is enlightenment, spiritual, consciousness, harmony, compassion, wisdom
• Sound to chant - NG
• Element - Thought/Universe
• Gemstones - Amethyst, Clear Quartz, Tourmaline, Moonstone, Selenite, Desert Rose
• Herb/Fragrance - Jasmine, Lotus, Peony

Bay Laurel Leaves

A friend and I were talking about cooking spices the other day, and I mentioned how much I love Bay Leaves. Bay is also known as Bay Laurel, Daphne, Grecian Laurel, and Apollo's Laurel. I love Bay not just for cooking, but as an herb to use in magick and spells. Also, I have recently begun a connection to and have started working with Apollo. Bay is important to Apollo, and he is often seen wearing a Bay Laurel crown upon his head.

Apollo was in love with the nymph Daphne, daughter of the river god Peneus. As the story goes Apollo poked fun at Cupid for using a man's weapon, the bow and arrow. In return Cupid shot Apollo with a golden arrow that caused him to fall in love with Daphne. Cupid then shot Daphne with a leaden arrow, that caused her to see and be repulsed by Apollo.

Apollo continued to chase Daphne, against her wishes. Wishing to remain a virgin and avoid Apollo's advances, Daphne begs her father for help. Peneus turns Daphne into the laurel tree. Apollo plucks a few leaves and wears them as a crown to always have Daphne near him.

The priestess of the Delphic Oracle, which was Apollo's oracle, used to burn the leaves in order to help open her communication to the other world, where she would have prophetic visons that she would relay to Apollo. So it is said that burning bay leaves can increase your psychic abilities, and help you with meditation and trance states.

Other magical uses for Bay include using the leaves in spells for protection particularly for travel and of the home. I've used bay as a protective herb in protection mojo bags. Another great use for bay is to write your wishes on the leaves during a waxing moon, then burn the leaves during the full moon to bring your wishes into fruition.

Witches Besom

A besom, otherwise known as a witch's broom, is made from a bundled of fine twigs or straw that are tied to a larger, sturdier piece of wood. Besoms, like any other type of broom, are used for sweeping clean an area. They are often used to sweep, both physically and energetically, an area to be used for casting a circle.

Of course today the idea of a witch's broom is usually thought of as a method of transportation, with the witch riding into off into a full moon. But the besom is more of a tool than anything else. It can be used to direct energy such as a wand, to cleanse an area of negative energy, or even to sweep something postive into your space such as prosperity.

I like to keep my besom, bristles up, by the front door. This is said to protect those living in the space from any negative energies.

Any type of broom can be used, from the standard broom you pick up at store, to the scented decorative brooms found in craft shops. You can usually find some hand crafted besoms (as mine is) from online shops like etsy, or from occult/metaphysical stores.

Goddess Airmid

I recently discovered the Celtic Goddess Airmid (Airmed), the Goddess of Herbs and Healing and is one of the Tuatha de Danann. Along with her father and brother, she was a healer to the wounded during battle. Airmid and Miach also built and tended to the magical Well of Slaine in Ireland. The well's magical powers were said to heal those wounded in battle.

Airmid and her brother Miach, were strong healers who surpassed their father in the strength of their healing magick. Their father, out of a jealous rage of Miach's healing powers, killed him.  In a deep sorrow over the death of her brother, Airmid buried him and wept uncontrollably over his grave.

The next day Airmid returned to discover that her tears had caused 365 individual herbs to have grown out of Miach's buried body and his grave. Methodically, Airmid gathered each herb, placing them on her cloak. The herbs began to open up to Airmid, speaking to her of their magical abilities, and revealing that when used in a certain sequence, they could bring the dead back to life.

Seeing the knowledge that Airmid had gained, her father over turned the cloak, scattering all of them to the winds. Her father didn't want anyone to gain the knowledge of the use of the herbs, or how they could be used to obtain immortality. It is said that only Airmid knows the use of every herb to this day. Although she knows the abilities of each herb, she was unable to retain the sequence used to revive the dead, and achieve immortality.

Call on Airmid to gain knowledge of working with herbs, or when performing any magick involving herbs. She is also known for healing waters, working with the Fae, and with nature.

The Temple of Apollo

I've recently felt very drawn to Apollo, and have been receiving many signs to connect to him. I never thought I'd be drawn to a Greek God, or anyone in the Greek pantheon. But after researching him more, he is a very great fit for me right now.

Apollo is a Sun God, and is also associated with healing, prophecies, music, poetry and more. The son of Zeus and Leto. Apollo has a twin sister, Artemis, who is known as a goddess of the moon.

Apollo has many female and male lovers. The story that really stuck out to me was his lover, Hyacinth. Hyacinth was a Spartan prince, and Apollo was very much in love with him. But so was the Greek god Zephyrus. While practicing throwing the discus, Zephyrus in a jealous rage redirected the discus that Apollo had thrown. It struck Hyacinth, killing him. Apollo created the flower of the same name in memory of his lover.

Apollo is most recognized by his bow and arrow or the musical instrument the lyre that he often carries. These are symbols of him being known for both archery and music.

You can call upon or honor Apollo through song, listening to music, writing, archery, spending time outdoors in the sunshine, or any kind of healing practice such as Reiki.

Pagan Blog Project

I just discovered and decided to join the 2014 Pagan Blog Project.

I will have to catch up on the first scheduled post assignments in the next couple of days.