Herbs & Crystals

I came across this info at http://paganwiccan.about.com/ & thought it was really useful so thought i'd share it.

Magical Herbs
•Acacia: protects against psychic attack
•Agrimony: useful for returning harmful energy to its original source
•Basil: warns off negative magic
•Black thorn: reverses a spell
•Cayenne: returns negative energy to its source
•Coffee: neutralizes harmful magic
•Dragon's Blood resin: protection
•Hyssop: purification and defensive magic
•Mugwort: protects against astral attack, or psychic attack in dreams
•Patchouli: returns harmful magic
•Solomon's Seal: protects against negative energy
•St. John's Wort: purifies and protects against psychic attack
•Vetivert: use to break a hex or curse
•Wormwood: use in uncrossing rituals, to remove hexes or curses upon you
•Yarrow: psychic protection
•Yucca: prevents attack via sympathetic magic

Crystals and Gemstones
•Amber: protects against psychic attack
•Amethyst: protects from negative energy
•Black onyx: protects against harmful magic
•Fire agate: for protection of the aura
•Hematite: use for protection of home and property, as well as to fend off psychic attack
•Malachite: repels hostile magical attacks
•Obsidian: provides protective energies
•Quartz: use to protect yourself from hexes or curses
•Ruby: use to defend against magical attacks related to emotions
•Selenite: for shielding against negative outside influences

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

I went a day trip to Yorkshire Sculpture Park with my class from Uni. Here's some photos I took.

Some of the pieces were interactive....luckily my digi camera can record short videos too! There was the impressive "Deer Shelter Skyspace 2006" by the American James Turrell. As soon as I went in , I thought how fantastic it would be to hold pagan rituals, mediations etc....

And the fun "Greyworld UK 1999" made by a collection of artists founded in Paris. There were hidden sensors in the ground & benches that triggered sounds of applauds or music. As seen in the video, its rather popular with kids!!

Unfortunately we never got time to go see any of Andy Goldsworthy's work :( Maybe I can talk a certain boyfriend in taking me again in the Spring/Summer....

Still trying to complete my piece for this 3D module...,maybe I'll get round to scanning my notebook so you can see kinda how I'm thinking....3 weeks to go!!! Oh of course still crocheting. I've been hooking up a table runner in thread it's taking me AGES! I started in the beginning of September, & only now on the edging!!!! Still it's looking not bad, white & silver, so Christmasy...since I have no table I guess it's going to end up being an Yule pressie

Love Is Dawn

What can I say I'm a soppy romantic!

Poor Gingey

My poor Ginge hasn't been well.

He had a MASSIVE abscess on his cheek. It looked like someone cut a tennis ball in half & stuck it on his face, I couldn't help but nickname him The Elephant Cat for a few days!

Anyway the first day I realised he had the abscess I took him to the vets (thanks to my fella for the lift) & after having his cheek pierced, started to develop a huge scab.

I on the other hand developed an even smaller bank account!!! (Is it just me or do you feel vets take the piss with their fees too?)

A few days alter, some antibiotics & a lot of sleeping (even for Ginge) later came the yucky bit,....the abscess emptying....ERGH!!!!! :S

It was NOT a pretty sight or fun to clean, but at least it's out so it can heal. It was really painful for him too, as he was hissing at me whenever I tried to clean him. & every time he tried to clean himself over the abscess he would meow & shake his head.

He has had problems keeping his food down too, probably because of the amount of gunk he cleaned off himself!

The scab came off today.....poor little fella looks like he's been in the wars! It looks SO raw :( But he's a lot happier. No more scratching every five minutes (the scab must of itched) & he's not sleeping so much, back to the usual 22 hours a day :P

He's also on my lap all the time again & chatty as before (ie not shutting up & annoying me like hell) so he's obviously over the worst. YEY!!! :D He may drive me nuts at times, but I love him to bits!!! Ginge not chatting away just isn't Ginge!

So pretty much everything else has gone on the back burner while I've been keeping an eye on him, except for uni work of course....I've just been researching on the web so I can stay at home for him.

I now need to clean the sofa cover where he was sleeping when the abscess leaked a little (ewww) & his cushion covers.

Jeez I spoil that cat!

A strange, lonely and troubling death . . .????? Oh, plea-se!

This has nothing to do with Halloween, but I've been really angered by an article in The Daily Mail but a certain Jan Moir.

For those that don't know (probably if you live outside of the UK) Stephen Gatley of Boyzone fame suddenly died of heart problems at 33.
I'm not a fan of his or Boyzones work in the slightest (I loathe boy bands), however this "reporter" has been unbelievably insensitive & simply out of line by writing,

"Whatever the cause of death is, it is not, by any yardstick, a natural one.",

"circumstances surrounding his death are more than a little sleazy" &

" Another real sadness about Gately's death is that it strikes another blow to the happy-ever-after myth of civil partnerships."

So because he fell asleep on a sofa, is famous, was out for a drink earlier & is Gay that caused his death!
What a load of bullshit!
Good knows what his family think....I only hope they haven't read the article!

As an openly Bisexual woman I found her somewhat homophobic

"Gay activists are always calling for tolerance and understanding about same-sex relationships, arguing that they are just the same as heterosexual marriages. Not everyone, they say, is like George Michael.
Of course, in many cases this may be true. Yet the recent death of Kevin McGee, the former husband of Little Britain star Matt Lucas, and now the dubious events of Gately's last night raise troubling questions about what happened."

What the hell does his sexuality have to do with his death, of a heart condition that his family have stated runs in the family? So he had a husband.......and...?

Personally I have more respect for the likes of Stephen Gately who takes the decision to devote his life to just one person than the likes of say Russell Brand who has a different girl on his arm every week!

What century is this idiot from?

I really thought Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual rights had really come on, since the introduction of civil partnerships. I must of had my head in the clouds!

Even if there is some secret, cover-up, mystery surrounding his death (which I seriously doubt), it's not going to have anything to do with his sexuality is it!

Let his loved ones mourn in peace & more importantly, let him rest in peace!

Stephen Gately RIP

Jan Moir....shame on you!

edit 10:45pm

Her response to readers reaction to her article can be read here but I feel Charlie Brooker has said it perfectly!

"Rememberance"

I've been slowly changing my alter for upcoming Samhain (Halloween) & decided to make it a mix between a Samhain alter & an ancestor shrine.

I remembered I have a copy of an old wedding photo of my grandparents with their parents & thought it would be perfect. But of course this is me, so I had to have a bit of a play with it.



It's a shame I don't have any photos of my family on my mothers side. I must try & remember to ask about any next time I go & visit the family back in Scotland.

Samhain Chants

Samhain Chant

Lyrics by: Doreen Valiente

Source: "Witchcraft For Tomorrow"

Fire red, summer's dead
Yet it shall return.
Clear and bright, in the night,
Burn, fire, burn!

Chorus:

Dance the ring, luck to bring,
When the year's a-turning.
Chant the rhyme at Hallows-time,
When the fire's burning.

Fire glow, vision show
Of the heart's desire,
When the spell's chanted well
Of the witching fire.

Fire spark, when nights are dark
Makes our winter's mirth.
Red leaves fall, earth takes all,
Brings them to rebirth.

Fire fair, earth and air,
And the heaven's rain,
All blessed be, and so may we,
at Hallows-tide again.

Untitled - Anon
From far beyond this mortal plane
Mothers and fathers of old
We bid that you return again
Mothers and fathers of old
To share with us the mysteries and secrets long untold
Of the ancient ways we seek to regain
Mothers and fathers of old.

Samhain Chant for the Dead
by Wesley Lowe
Sunday, May 12, 2002

Magic of Samhain dreams,
Spirits of mystical north,
O’ guardian of earth, heed our prayers
Throughout this rite, come forth.
As the stars crown your brow,
This song of wicca ye hear,
Open the gates that our loved ones may pass
And our words draw them near.

Magic of Samhain dreams,
Spirits of mystical east,
O’ guardian of air, heed our prayers
At behest of wiccan priest.
As on wings of warding ye soar
This song of wicca ye hear,
Open the gates that our loved ones may pass
And our words draw them near.

Magic of Samhain dreams,
Spirits of mystical south,
O’ guardian of flame, heed our prayers
And spare us lengths of drouth.
As your touch warms our souls
This song of wicca ye hear,
Open the gates that our loved ones may pass
And our words draw them near.

Magic of Samhain dreams,
Spirits of mystical west,
O’ guardian of water, heed our prayers
And deem we sisters blessed.
As your rushing rivers flow
This song of wicca ye hear
Open the gates that our loved ones may pass
And our words draw them near.