pagan blog project 2014

so I thought I'd take part in this years pagan blog project. this year is all about organisation and managing my time - fingers crossed this will give me a focus and goal for the week - I always seems to work best under pressure and I love to work to a deadline.

Four – is a magic number?

Pagan blog project F

I’m not really sure where I’m going with this post so forgive me if I ramble a bit!

I work with the four elements having done some in depth study with them and I feel I’m quite comfortable and not saying I know everything but I know enough that I can work with them.

I’ve recently been working with the four phases of the sun being dawn, midday, twilight, midnight I’ve enjoyed the different energies and experiences I’ve had and I try to work or at least acknowledge the different times of the day everyday, however small a gesture it is on my part sometime just shutting my eyes under the midday sun and thinking about the sun right over head as it makes it’s journey across the sky.

I’ve recently heard an article (on an old OBOD podcast – sorry don’t remember which one but it was an old one) about the four phases of the moon and the corresponding archetypes that go with that being maiden, mother, wise women, crone, now I’m familiar with the maiden, mother, crone aspect as most are – it’s basic wicca, pagan 101 isn’t it? )0(. But this new wise woman part got me thinking, I suppose I’d always put wise woman and crone together but the more I though about it the more I realised that they are different parts and then I thought about the phases of the moon and realised the need for 4 parts being new, full, waning, dark – praps you have other ideas about this but this is how I see it.  Thinking about the four moon archetypes (I call them that not really knowing if that’s the right name for it – but you know what I mean) got me thinking are there equivalent sun archetypes? Are they necessary? I’m feeling that they are but I’m not sure what they would be – boy, man, hunter, mystic? – that set sort of mimics the moon ones following the life of a man (or possible life or attributes) but strait away I’m thinking that a hunter wouldn’t really go out at twilight – would they? I’m not sure, and I’m pretty sure father is an important archetype so praps boy, hunter, father, mystic? I’ll have to think about that.   I’ve looked about online and not found anything that corresponds with this although I did find list of male archetypes with things like prince and king and knight but that didn’t really feel right to me. Looks like i've got to keep thinking about this!

I’m sure there are loads more ‘fours’ out there – answers on a postcard!

pagan blog project #9

Pagan blog project 

I haven’t been able to do the last few posts but rather than try to catch up all at once I thought I’d do a short ‘e’ post just to get back in the swing of it.

E is for Evening

While working on my OBOD Ovate course it was suggested to say morning and night prayers (for want of a better word) to tune in and take a moment to feel the energies, well the morning devotions I can do and have instantly become part of my daily routine but I just can’t do a night-time one, I get into bed and forget or my husband snoring puts me off!  so thought I’d try at evening and see how that goes. Well I love it, especially if there is a sunset I try to combine it with the sun setting as it felt like the right time. Here is one of my experiences doing a evening devotional.  

The sky was still blue, but it was fading fast, already I could see 3 stars twinkling, I said goodbye to the sun and thanked it for the light and the day. The temperature was falling fast as the sun slipped further and further closer to the horizon, the cold hurt my chest and I could see my breath, I shut my eyes as I said my final farewell to the sun and thought about welcoming the dark. It was then that I became aware of the birds singing, a different song to the dawn chorus, this is a sadder song, like a farewell or was it a lullaby? Were the birds saying goodbye to the sun as well? I like to think so.

pagan blog project #3 Birds

Pagan blog project 3

Birds

I’ve always been fascinated by birds and I feel a strong link to them, so when I started looking into the mythology and symbolism of them the information I found out didn’t correspond with the way I feel about them.

So I thought I’d share how I feel about a few birds.

Blackbird: a brave and hardworking bird, I’m moved by the way if a predator is after it’s young in the nest they sing very loudly to distract the predator away from they nest. And they sing so sweetly. They visit my garden early morning or early evening.

Robin: always a good sign, I feel lucky if I see a robin I know I’m going to have a good day. A friendly and cheerful bird with a lovely voice, I always smile if I see a robin.

Crane: I feel there is something sad about cranes, they stand like statues for what seems like hours, they are like silent watchers, I feel they observe everything.

Owl: a mysterious bird, I had the privilege of seeing one up close last year, driving down an unlit country road an owl flew down and practically landed on the bonnet of my car, for a few seconds we stared at each other, It’s such a stunning, beautiful, handsome creature I just know it’s full of magic.

Magpie: i have magpies nesting a few doors down from me, they are always in my garden, a clever and cheeky bird always up to mischief always in pairs too, I have to salute them whenever they fly over – an old superstition – I salute a lot!

Crow: my favourite bird, I love the way they all live together, young and old a proper family. I also love the way they walk, they sort of strut – it shows there attitude. I worry if I don’t see crows but I don’t have to worry I see them often, they fly over me as I’m driving or they sit on the fence and watch as I look out of my windows. I forgive them for stealing my bracelet as I got it back a year later!

Seagull: I’m not a fan of seagulls, leaving near the sea they tend to terrorise you if you want to eat on the beach. They tried to mug me once when I bought donuts on Brighton pier. And they are huge! They also make an awful noise all night in the summer. They are graceful though and it’s nice watching the sun set at the beach and watching the seagulls fly elegantly across the sky and water.

Swan: a truly beautiful bird, full of grace but up close they are mean! On a canal holiday I had to walk up to a lock gate but a swan hissed and started chasing me – I had to get my hubby for backup they also learnt to tap on the window of the boat asking for food I didn’t dare ignore them!

This is how I relate to the birds I see in my neighbourhood,

A is for Altar #pagan blog post 2

A is for Altar

I’ve always loved altars, even back in the old days as an altar server at a Cof E church when I was about 12, I liked the ritual of lighting the candles – from right to left always biggest pairs of candles first going down in size, and setting up the chalice with the cloth and the tray on top all in the right order, I was always honoured to have to do this job, it helped that my brother was the head server he would always let me do it. It was the best part of going to church for me well that and the fellowship side, I liked the reverence and the way it made me feel, it would ‘set me up’ so I was ready for worship. I’ve set up several altars but they’ve never had the same ‘feel’ as the ones at the church, part of it I think is (only just thought of this as I’m writing) I enjoy setting them up, the thought and process of it, the altars I’ve set up (I can only find one old photo of a yule altar) are usually in my bedroom and it’s never felt right, I suppose it hasn’t helped that I’ve had to hide away all my pagan belongings in the past for various reasons which luckily I don’t have to do anymore.

My Yule altar.

Now I set up altars as I’m going to work but I do have a seasonal altar in the form of a tree. I change it with the seasons and festivals.

This one was for Imbolc, with white and pale blue ribbons



Well with the eggs on I think you can guess when this one was for. (the crow was a present from my lovely hubby at Samhain a few years back it’s so lovely I can’t take it off!)

Last years Samhain tree, it’s a pretty rubbish photo, I must try to learn to take better photos.

A is for Air #paganblogproject

new year, new project

It’s one of my new year resolutions to blog about my spiritual journey, so inspired by Rowans (onewitchesway) #paganblogproject this will be my blog.