The Element of Land

Photo taken by me!

For the longest time the element of earth confused me, mostly I believe, because I was seeing a picture of the planet earth, and as you know the planet earth contains all of the elements not just one.  It was a very perplexing thing.  

So a few years back, I was re exploring my understanding of the sacred elements.  I travelled with two witchy friends of mine to Castle Point, with the intention of discovering what the element for east was.  You see while I understand that there are ‘traditional’ correspondents for the elements and directions, I live in New Zealand, and our seasons and circle casting is opposite to that of the northern hemisphere and seeing as I believe in practising in the land you live rather than trying to fit something from another land, so to speak, I was curious as to see what would happen.  

Castle Point, Photo taken by Chris Seaman

Of course I had not been specific when asking about the direction I was and elements, however the message I got back in regards to the elements, was the following impressions which I have translated into words: Land, Ocean, Wind, and Fire, somewhat different from Earth, Air, Fire and Water.  When I enquired further about Land in relation to the elemental energies of earth, I was given a vision if you will. 

 I turned away from facing the ocean and faced towards the land, I was sitting on the saddle, that is the huge sticky up bit you can see in the photo.  As I sunk my awareness down into the earth, I stared to feel the land.  I started to feel the energies of the people who had lived on that land before.  As I spread my awareness down through the various layers of soil and into the distance, I could feel the farmers who made their living on the land, holiday makers who came and went, the settlers, who cut down the trees, and created the farms that the farmers now lived on and the Maori and the lives that they had lived.  Then I shifted deeper into the soil and land itself, and could feel how the soil feed the plant life, and made homes for some of our native birds, along with several of our import.  The land was showing me something here, it was the energies and wisdom of those that had lived and live on it.  It is difficult to explain in words as I was receiving emotions, which loosely translated into images, not really anything that was spoken.  But then this has been how I have always done this type of thing.  And boy did it take me years to figure that one out, but I digress, and perhaps is a subject for post another day. 

This energy these pictures of Farmers, Holiday Makers, Settlers, Maori and the fauna and flora living on the land was part of the energy of this element of earth, the land.   Which is quite different from my initial image of the Planet Earth, go figure *coughs*  

So what did I learn through all of this?  Apart from the obvious learning in a very visual way the more about the element Earth, or what I now refer to as Land. I also learned that learning about the elements is an on-going process, and as you yourself progress and deepening your understanding of magic, and your own path, so to you deepen your understanding of the elements, kind of a hand in hand thing.  

I am currently furthering that understanding by doing the elemental meditations by Philip Carr-Gomm, called Wild Wisdom Meditations with Earth, Water, Air & Fire, and these if you are interested are very good and can be found here at CD baby.  These meditations are also good for beginners, to start their journey to understanding the elements. 

Robes not sacks

So After going to Druid Camp Aotearoa, at the Grove of the Summer Stars, one of the Druids who is travelling to England in June, asked me to make her a Robe and Tabbard, so that she has nice ritual wear for England.  As we were discussion styles and designs, i got to wondering, so many druid robes of have seen are, to put it frankly sacks with arms, not flattering, and if you are a shapely woman, or man then would it not make sense to have a more fitted robe?  but then it is also down to personal preference, just like some people like to have robes for rituals, others don't.  But then perhaps some people shy away from robes because of their sack like design.  then there are the robes that re reminiscent of medieval gowns, which are not really my thing..  anyway, i figured it would be nice to see what i am currently sewing for this lady as it is in my opinion quite beautiful!!

This is the fabric and pattern that has been choose.  The turquoise at the back is the Dress/robe with the pattern for the Dress robe in the front.  the royal blue and light blue are for the tabard, which will go over the Robe.  on the tabard will be an awen and goddess appliqué the goddess on the back and the awen on the front.  i am also making a small bag from the remainder of the patterned fabric.  the gold and silver as also for the appliqué

the pattern actually took quite some time to lay out as there was not actually enough, but lucky in one of my fabric boxes was some shot silk, well kinda silk which matched both the turquoise and royal blue..

here is a pic of the of the extra fabric in comparison to the turquoise.  its difficult to get in pictures as it changes and shifts in the light. 

so now we have gotten to the stage of need for fitting, and their is no arms sewing on it as yet.  Once the dress/robe is finished then i can make start o the tabard..

this satruday there will be a fitting and i will be able to put the arms on, and hem it.. whoot.  the colours remind me of a paua shell, which has the similar colours of turquoise and royal blue

so gentle readers, if you were to have robes made what would they look like and why?

I'm on a Pagan Podcast!!

which is exciting as it is one of my favourite podcasts!!  whee.. so if you wanna listen to what i said, and Mysti, cause that is pretty interesting as well.. you can go download it from here http://www.stonegatepodshow.net/  also i do recommend standing stone and garden gate, as it is an excellent podcast full of very thought provoking stuff and wonderful Canadian accents.. *grins*  you can read my review of Standing Stone Garden Gate here

but gosh it has made me weirdly wistful for Canada, and the Awesome Canadian Pagans  who i meet while i was over there..  *is wistful*

so please go listen and tell me what you think.. cause i would like to know.. *smiles*

Me at Kaleidoscope Gathering in Canadia whee!!

do be do

Witches Work

What is this elusive work that magical workers talk about? I ponder one Tuesday morning at work.  You see here where I live the pagan community is still very young and getting groups together, whether organically or with purpose, is like grasping at rainbow caused by prisms hung in a window to catch the sun. 
This weekend a fellow witch came around and we talked about this.  “are people afraid to work with each other?” he asked.  I know that often magical work can be quite personal.  Delving into the shadow can cause tears and tantrums which, for the average kiwi whose nature is generally rather reserved to start with, can be quite difficult to think of doing this with other people.  Hell we Kiwipagans have issues raising our voices above a whisper let alone actually do any sort of chanting in a ritual. O.o

But again what is this work and what does it look like? 
Well my ‘work’ looks different from that of my Fellow Witch who came to visit on Sunday.  That much is pretty obvious even to the causal observer, but let me expand on this for a moment.  Take for instance the winter Solstice.  For me and given what has/had been happening I felt drawn to an all night vigil, instead of trooping out to concrete henge Stonehenge Aotearoa, over the hill to celebrate the longest night with those from the wider pagan community.  My Fellow Witch however did attend the public ritual  which, he says  went very well.  I do not know if he did any ‘work’ because I didn’t ask.  But during a numerous cups of tea on Sunday afternoon he did say that he generally did a lot of work during more formal ceremonial and ritual setting.
Which got me to thinking so if my work, in this instance, some shadow work was done during an all night vigil at my house while several teens were partying on in the other room and my fellow witches work is done during a ritual setting how does the average pagan know when there is work to be done, or what from this work will take?  It is one of those instances where the books say “deep personal work will always be done on the Sabbat with your coven mates in the form of highly ceremonial rituals, with powerful magic’s and people to catch you should you fall”.. When in all reality a lot of us are pretty much solitary (especially here in NZ,) and we have not yet found a coven, group or circle that we would be happy sharing such things with or we are not really drawn to coven work. 
Again what is this work, and baring belonging to a good working coven group or circle, what does it look like? 

On the one hand a witches work can come in many different forms, from talking to a lady at the bus stop who looks warn and is carrying and empty cat cage, because you can feel her grief and you know that she needs someone to share the grief with, to deeply personal internal work which is so that you can talk to that lady at the buss stop who is carrying an empty cat cage with sympathy and understanding.  However for the purpose of this blogg post I am mostly talking about personal work. 

Personal work is not always ‘shadow’ work, in my opinion, although you have to admit a lot of personal work gets done when the shadow self flairs up and acts like a dementor.  That being said personal work can also be done when the light is strong and you are feeling like you are on top of the world.  It is all a matter of perspective and given that it is personal work, a deeper understanding of, not just yourself but of others who you can recognise as similar.
This is all very well and good, but just how does a person do personal work?  If you are like me and not ceremonially based as such then sometimes to the outside observer my personal work can look like not much at all, for example my solstice vigil.  Because of the theme of ‘circumstances beyond my control’ funnily enough my choice of days of when I would be doing my vigil where also out of my control, but then that was also a large part of my personal work for that evening.  Ideally I would have liked to stay up all night with a trusted fellow pagan, or failing that have a quiet filled evening with a long ritual baths, tea and food, but alas I had a house full of young strangers who were attending a b’day party of the TAB, (teenage boy or as his mum calls him the Youth of Today.)  This was not a loud party by any stretch of the imagination but 7 teenagers on the preface of adulthood can make quite a bit of noise.  So while the teens hung out in our lounge playing play station and a variety of games, some even going to so far as to get teenage cooties on my chair. O.o  I was doing my vigil in my room. 

For my solstice vigil I hung out in my room, I spent most of the evening  tidying up my clothes and cleaning several altar spaces, with occasional breaks for cups of tea and then hiding back into my room from the teenagers err I mean surfing the internet.  During all that time I was also contemplating the particularly shadow that I was dealing with, with questions such as why? how? and where did that come from.  Occasionally there was thoughts of  eww teenage cooties on my chair!!  but for the most part I was working on the shadow at hand.  Early in the evening this was interspersed with bouts of laughter with my flatmate who was just as bemused at the antics of the teens as I was.  Later in the wee hours of the morning after my flatmate had gone to bed there were further venture out to the kitchen for cups of tea and a lot more contemplation. 
To the outside observer it looked like not much, apart from hanging out in my room drinking cups of tea.  Sure there were candles going in my room and incense burning in the burner but as far as ritual gear, clothing or otherwise it was pretty noon existent. 

So how was this different from any other night that I had spent in my room drinking tea and avoiding teenagers, I would have to say intent, my intent that evening was to see in the longest night, (well near enough) fare-welling our very odd winter, heralding in the lengthening of days, and doing some pondering on a shadow aspect of myself.  So my the end of the night while very tired I was calm, things were more settled in my mind and soul and I could feel the light filling the shadows, where imbalance was before.   In some ways it was a dark night of the soul, a little death of sorts, and I am working on balance but then that is the way of this path. 

So I guess the purpose of sharing this is to say that work, magical work can take many forms, for some it is all about high ritual, timing, ritual tools and robes or not.  For others this type of internal work can take the form of a long bath with some self contemplation followed by journaling in a quite space that has been set up before hand or it can be an unplanned vigil, with cups of tea teenage cooties and quite contemplation in the wee hours of the morning.  But it is all magical work, or one aspect of magical work.  I am leaning as I travel down this path that once you get past the big showy stuff it is often the small stuff that has the biggest power. 

In lue of actually writing something

and to remind you, all two of you who read this that i am still here, and still wanting to write stuff, but alas, have not found a topic with which to write about here are some links to excellent blog posts written by some of my favourite bloggers ok two.. *cough*.. anyways.. the reason behind posting these links is that not only are the blog posts interesting and thought provoking but so to are the replies. so often today when reading articles blogs and news articles on line, it pays to stay away from the comments, they are so often littered with mindless knowitalls, who are happy to tell you that you are wrong and they are right and here is why, as apposed to discussing the content of the post.. but this time, i believe i got as much out of the initial post as i did the comments.. which is yay!!



so first up entheogens and Self control By Sarah Lawless ( wish she lived closer so to make stalking easer. *cough*)

Entheogens And Self Control/



Second is another of Ms Sarahs Lawless's posts, about oversharing in your bloggposts.. now this is quite interesting as i figure that we are all prone to such things when we first start out. It is I figure a personal decision and thought process to decided where you line is, how much is good sharing and how much is not? And how does that change when you write on a sometime anonymous blogg verses a conversation with your neighbour. “why yes today my undies are yellow and brown and are actually thundrpants the best underpants in the whole wide world” is much better on a blogg than telling your neighbour, even when they are staring at afore mentioned undies on your washing line.


I guess as we get older telling everyone that you know when the spirit of your grandmother is in your house cause it leaves a smell of lavender and oil of olay is perhaps over-share, in some places but not so in others. i can remember when i was interviewed for Raido New Zealand, I pretty much kept the answers to pretty mundane stuff, national radio listeners didn't really need to know about my grandmother or the voices. Red pills blue pills choices choices. However when we had a memorial at home for my flatmates mother, telling a couple of her friends, who were awesome little old lady’s was appropriate , cause it cause an interesting conversation about ancestors and how their presents is sometimes noted. Anyway… here is Sarahs Blogg Post there is some interesting discussion going on in the comments.. it certainly gave me some interesting food for thought..

Oversharing Witches



third on the list is a post by Juniper the Hedgewitch on the funeral of a crow that was found dead.. its one of those read between the lines things, there is a wealth of information if you are willing to work for it.. <--- is suspect that this is a hedgwitch thing.. at first a hedge just lookes like bushes all lined up, until you take your time and look further..anyhoo



An Unexpected Funeral



and the last post is also from Juni, how to rehome a spirit in a suite of armour.. I liked this one cause well how do you rehome a spirit that lives in a suite of armour or anywhere actually.. why are they there? What is the purpose? What sort of spirit is Sir Knight?? Is he a buildup of the energy in the house from the inhabitants that is now manifested?? *ponders spirits*. Or is he something else did he come with the suit of armour?? So much to ponder..



Meet Sir Knight



right then have at it.

well gosh

looks like i can get into my blogg but not my LJ.. so i guess that means there will be a few more posts happening here.. might have to contemplate paganish topics.. and post some pics of the stuff i have been making.. most excellent..

*smiles*

Podcasts its the new Black, .. .. . Again!

i have been meaning to post this for some time.. so i figure in lew of content, or untill i manage to get the photos of my camera <-- long story, and uploaded from Druid Lughnasah Camp from last weekend, with accompanying post.. you can have this instead.. enjoy!


Now for those who are about now going Podcasts, what is this Podcasts that this person is talking about i will explain.  Podcasts, are kinda like radio shows, that are hosted by, in this case Pagans, who talk in various topics, and play music.  Each Podcast has a somewhat different theme, and they are free to down load.  Although having said that i have made a habit of paying $1 each for the podcasts that i really enjoy, generally paying around $20 per year (when i have the funds.)


these podcasts are all available on Itunes, so they are easy to down load and upload on to your ipod or itouch or iphone.  They are also available to down load from the sites that i have linked, so if you don’t have a iappletoy, then you can pay them on different media player.


As a general rule most pagan podcasts have a blog or site that goes with the podcasts, where they put something called shownotes, where you can go and find the various links that they have been talking about, some music, some links to the people that they have interviewed, etc etc.


Clear as mud?  Right then on with the annotated list of Podcasts that i listen to and really like!


Druidcast
hosted by Damh the Bard

Website: http://www.druidcast.libsyn.com/

blog: http://damh.wordpress.com/

Frequency: Monthy


Damh is a OBOD druid, and holds the title of Pendragon of the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids. this has to be the podcast that pretty much got me hooked.  Damh dose a combination of good Pagan music and interviews.  He interviews people such as Ronald Hutton,(he is just lovely to listen to, such a nice speaking voice) and Pamela from the Woolshed (one of the earlier podcasts).  There are also recording from various Moots, Assemblies, Camps that are run by the OBODs.  These recording are from their music and entertainment evenings called Eisteddfod, i believe, which are awesome to listen to the Liv Torc the poet is just fabulous.

over all this podcast has some wonderful music, and the interviews provide some fabulous food for thought, about paganism in its various forms, as well as the strong spiritual aspects of it.



Standing Stone and Garden Gate:
the podcast for thinking pagans and working witches

Hosted by: Juniper and Brendan

Website: http://stonegatepodshow.net/

Frequency: Monthly

This one i wrote a review for on my blog if any of you are interested.  http://pombagiraspolly.blogspot.com/2010/03/podcasts-new-black.html but for those who are not, then here is a little bit about this podcast.  Juniper and Bren are Canadian, so wonderful accents, and this podcast is also a combination of interviews, music, and various themed and thoughtful slots about various aspects of the pagan community and pagan spirituality.  This is defiantly a podcast with great food for thought.  Brendan is a philosopher, who has written some excellent books, the more well known being called “the other side of virtue”  you can find out about them on their website.  Juni is a HedgeWitch, who runs a website, has a blog full of wonderful articles and is very much a practising Witch.

These podcasts are quite long usually about 1.5 hours or so, but well worth the listen.  And the good thing about podcasts is that you can pause them when needed.

This podcast is full of excellent food for thought, and intelligent discussion, as well as fun and friendly chatter that make you feel like you are sitting in their lounge frowning at the squeaky chair right along with them.  One of my favourite podcasts ever..


Borealis Meditation

Hosted by: Kathleen

Website: http://borealismeditation.podbean.com/

Blogg: http://borealismeditation.blogspot.com/

Frequency: montlyish

Now this is a podcast for pagans teaching them about geology, do i really need to say any more.. yay geology *is enthusiastic*.. Kathleen lives in Alaska, and is doing her PhD in geology, and really loves her topic, this shines through on this pocast, as well as her passion for geology and all things rocky.  If you are looking for information on what pretty shiny crystal does magickally then you are in teh wrong place, this podcast is dedicated to teaching pagans about the earth they live on, and goes deeper than just this rock is good for love, but more this rock comes from this family of rocks, quarts, and its colour comes from the impurities in it when it was formed, which make it this colour.. etc etc.  For some of the podcasts there are links on her site to download slide-shows, that you can watch as you listen.  My suggestion is to have a pen and notebook handy as you will want to take notes.  This is studying rocks, and geology, put into a language that is understandable and accessible.. wheee.. i just love it.



Media Astra Ac Terra

Host: Oraia the Sphinx

Webstie: http://sphinx.libsyn.com/

Blog: http://sphinxwords.wordpress.com/

This awesome pocast has several different segments, one on Astra which is about astrology and astronomy so not only are you learning about the zodiac, but also deep-star objects, and various types of stars and planets that inhabit out solar system.  Another segments is the Terra one, which is as you may of guessed about the earth, and minerals contained within, gemstones and their magical usages.. as well as their structure etc etc.  Then there is general a main topic of the show.  I like this format and there is always some excellent food for thought, which is one of my favourite things about these podcasts.  Food for thought.  Yay.



Pennines in the Well

Host:Saturn

Website: http://penniesinthewell.podbean.com/

Blogg: http://abysmalwitch.wordpress.com/

This is another of my favourite pocasts, as it has fantastic food for thought, and is a rambley discussion on the topic at hand with good magical leanings to it.  Satrun is a Canadian Witch, and has been practising for 20 years, thus she knows her stuff and i really enjoy the different perspectives, and twists and turns that is pennies in the well.  Also being Canadian and all love the accent.. mmm.. so the style might not appeal to everyone but i believe that it is well worth downloading and listening to. 



New World Witchery: the search for American Traditional Witchcraft

Hosts: Cory & Lane

Website: http://newworldwitchery.wordpress.com/

Frequency: Monthly sometimes more

These two hosts are looking for American Traditional Witchcraft, Cory is a  rootworker, and Lane wiccan, both lay no claim to expertise, but they are both lovely people, with southern American accents,  and boy do they research.  The blog that i have linked also has various articles about hoodoo, rootwork and of course American folklore.  This is a pretty good podcast for those that are interested in American Witchcraft, folklore, rootwork, hoodoo and other similar things.  There beliefs and practices are quite different from that of mine, which is for me what makes for good food for thought.



Elemental Castings

Host: T Thorn Coyle

Website: http://www.thorncoyle.com/podcasts.html

Blog: http://www.thorncoyle.com/musings/

Thorn is the author of Evolutionary Witchcraft and Kissing The Limitless, and is from the Feri Tradition, an American tradition that was started by Victor and Cora Anderson.  This podcast takes a tour through the five sacred elements, earth, air, fire, water, and spirit, with each podcast using one of the elements as a theme.  These pocasts usually consist of interviews with various magical people and pagans and Thorn.  These are lovely conversations, with much food for thought and a range of traditions, topics and styles.


Right, that should give you a bunch to start from, often the various podcast sites have links to other podcasts, that you can also down load.  Of course you mileage may vary as to whether or not you like the ones i have listed, as i have listed my favourite ones.

*beams*