The young orc hunter’s feet barely skimmed over the surface of the sand, his eyes burning with bloodlust.  All the world was nothing more than a sandy red blur as Odium finally gained the underside of the creature, his roughly hewn spear leaving his hand with unearthly accuracy.  With a scream that would make unprotected ears bleed, the ghulduk fell, its long, thin body in the throes of death.  The desert did not teach mercy, but what the desert did teach was that the calls of the dying drew the worst sorts of scavengers, come sundown.  With this grim fact in mind, Odium made quick work of his catch.  Already the sun had begun its descent into the west, and to be caught beyond his mother’s fire during nightfall was nothing short of suicide.

Shouldering his burden, Odium began the long, circuitous route back to the lodge.  Instead of tracing his steps directly back the way he had come, his mother had raised him to believe that to do this was to invite bad spirits into your path.  The young orc groaned, recalling the last time he had challenged his mother’s beliefs.  All that he had gotten for it was a sharp slap upside the head and a humiliating week of doing women’s work, coupled with the already heavy burden of hunting.  Since then, Odium did as he was told, even though he chafed at having to adhere to what he thought wee old wives’ superstitions.

A voice drifted on the wind to Odium, snapping him out of his irritated reverie.  Having nearly come to the top of a dune, the young orc hunter dropped to the ground immediately, using the ghulduk and its sandy hide as a temporary camouflage.  While he did not recognize the voices or the tongue they spoke, Odium raised his head enough to catch a glimpse of the speakers.  The language itself was vaguely musical, and the speakers themselves were even stranger.  Great four legged beasts drew a hulking monstrosity, flanked on all sides by creatures that were shelled in a shining skin, wielding wicked looking weapons.  At the front of all this clamorous mess was what Odium identified as a human, from the stories his mother had told him.  What they were riding must be horses, then.  His mother often laughed at human’s foolhardiness; horses needed much more water than they were worth, and they became feasts for vultures soon enough.

From the creaking monstrosity drawn by a team of horses came a woman enrobed in a shocking shade of blue.  Deeper than the sky, with hair a blazing yellow color that seemed to challenge the sun itself.  But this one was not like the others, who were arguing over something.  Odium’s eyes told him that this one was slant eared; shorter and more slender of build than the others.  Having no stories to tell him what this creature was, the orc leaned forward, trying to get a better look.  It was this act alone that nearly killed him.

The guards, for that is what he assumed they must be, snapped into action, driving their horses further into the dunes to outflank the intruder.  Odium, child of the desert and always two steps ahead, ghosted away into the sands before the guards could form a complete circle around him.  Hindered by his burden, Odium’s lead became shorter as spears whistled past his head, arrows soon to follow.  But the pure wilderness of the desert was well on Odium’s side; the horses could not charge up and down the dunes without getting dangerously overheated, and the guards themselves were becoming overtired.

As soon as he thought he was in the clear, a sound thunk hit him from behind and a horrible pain began to bloom.  The young orc hunter knew his way, though.  He knew how to work through an injury.  An easy trip home was exacerbated and made tinged with red with his burden and his wound.  Little did he know that the ghulduk’s corpse took the worst of the hit.  Little did he know, that as he stumbled back into his mother’s camp that she let out a single, keening wail as she saw him finally collapse.

Migra removed the wicked looking spear from the corpse of the ghulduk, her rough hands trembling as she bent to see whether or not her son would live.  Relieved that the spear had not punctured anything essential, Odium’s mother dragged the kill and her son into the lodge, each in its turn.  Unbeknownst to her, however, eyes, bluer than the desert sky, watched them both.  So that was where they had been hiding all these years.

No one knew who discovered the stones first.  All the people understood for sure was that, with close observation, the stones embedded in the plateau read the course of the stars.  Each stone was roughly the size of a orc’s fist, incredibly smooth and clear and tinged with red.  It was in the shadow of this mysterious construct that the Apshar tribe found abundant game and water.  Believing the stones atop the mesa held great power, the Apshar decided to settle, as they no longer saw a reason to wander.  Yet the prosperity and festivities were to be short lived, for the eyes of ruin will fall upon man as well as orc.

Groddek’s meditation was starting to drift towards sleep when the stones at the top of the mesa started to glow.  Startled to wakefulness by the growing, pulsating light, the shaman jumped to his feet, throwing his arms before his face to block out the worst of the glow.  The light intensified, bringing with it a searing heat and the bellowed utterance of a single word; a name.  “Odium!”  Nearly tripping over his own two feet to flee the apparent rage of the stones of the mesa-top, Groddek barely escaped the beacon of light that shot into the sky.

The only villagers to not bear witness to the event was a midwife catering to a grunting, exhausted mother and a newly born baby boy.  It was at this moment that the father of the boy, who had spent much of the festivities clasped in the arms of a woman other than his wife, and the shaman started to converge on the tent in which the squalling child was to be found.  Groddek beat the father by a mere few feet, his broad forehead slick with sweat.  Grabbing the child from the midwife’s hands, the shaman’s heart started to thud more violently in his chest.  Where most orc children had brown or even black eyes, the babe he held had one red eye, one black.

The father, his shadow looming through the doorway, saw the strange coloration of his son’s eye, and the beacon of light that was slowly beginning to fade.  The village had fallen totally silent, and eyes were slowly beginning to drift toward the tent where the shaman had fled.  Groddek muttered to himself, his eyes tight with worry.  He had not expected this to come so soon, and with such short notice.  The shaman winced as he felt a heavy hand dig its fingers into his arm.  “Explain this, spirit-walker,” the father growled.  Groddek glanced furtively at the source of his pain, but his mind was already rapidly working.

“The child cannot stay here,” the shaman barked.  “It will bring a terrible curse upon this place; upon the people!”  The infant had stopped squalling, eyes gazing widely at the unfamiliar people before him.  Many miles from the confused and frightened village, different eyes saw the beacon light up the night sky.  Already, forces were moving towards the orc village, with one goal in mind.  The only concern Groddek and the father could see, for the time being, was what to do with the child.  The father, a practical, simple orc that had seen more than his share of war, grunted, “Kill it”.  It was only then that the infant’s mother began to wail, which quickly turned into a feral shriek., while the father left with a shrug and a grunt.

Lurching to her feet, still covered in blood, she snatched the child from the shaman.  If a child went unnamed the night of its birth, it was to be killed.  Already dawn was rushing to the eastern sky, and the infant’s mother was about to collapse from exhaustion.  A name, so singular and unusual that it caught her by surprise, rolled through her mind.  Raising the babe so that his eyes met hers, the mother whispered, “By the right of motherhood, I name you Odium.”  The midwife took the baby from the mother before she collapsed in a heap, sleep forced upon her by her overspent body.  Groddek was left alone with the midwife, and their eyes met in understanding.  Unfamiliar things exchanged hands, and the shaman murmured, “Get rid of it”.

The midwife, however, was just as bound by tradition as the shaman was.  She could not kill the child outright, as it had been named.  Deciding that exposure to the elements should do the job, the midwife carried the baby well beyond the borders of the village, where the dangers of the desert still prowled.  That would have been that, had the mother’s sleep not been bathed in red light and a voice that bellowed like thunder; not with anger, but with urgency.  The red light flashed darker and lighter; it consumed her and filled her, giving her a strength that she knew very well was not her own.  The voice said only one word, but it was enough to force her out of sleep.  “Flee.”

Robyn is bringing us a series of fascinating articles about stones and their uses. “Know Your Stones Part 1” concentrates on unakite and it’s many properties. Be sure to leave her a comment letting her know what you thought!

We also have a new contributor joining us. Ruby has been a Pagan for many, many years and is my mother. She raised me to respect and honor the earth; her poems capture seemingly unimportant moments, causing us to concentrate on “the little things” in life.

Neal has contributed yet another fantastic article. “Tradition and History: Choosing How to Define Ourselves” is an interesting piece that ponders the ideas behind Paganism’s traditions and its historical influence. His writing is wonderful, poignant and fun to read, as usual!

Enjoy the new stuff on the site and keep checking back… We’re going to have some great articles coming out soon. Our Managing Editor, Laura, is attending the Celtic Fling Festival in Pennsylvania on the behalf of PWC, and will soon be posting an editorial about her recent visit to the Midsummer Renaissance Fair.

In the meantime, have a wonderful night, and stay tuned for tomorrow’s Facebook installment of HYPE’n it, when we will “hype” a previously posted archived piece for your enjoyment.

Blessings!

Rosa Sophia
Editor-in-Chief

And this our life, exempt from public haunt,
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in everything.

William Shakespeare, As You Like It, 1599

Photo take by and property of Rosa Sophia

Unakite

Unakite is a unique stone associated with both male and female energies. Its moss/olive green and salmon pink color associate it with the planets Mars and Venus. Because of these dual properties, it is a stone that is often given to married or engaged couples and is used at weddings and handfastings. Long term partners also use this stone to promote harmonious relationships. Unakite’s ability to bring balance between masculine and feminine energies will also promote success in business relationships between women and men.

Health and Healing

Unakite serves multiple purposes for health and healing. Because of its connection to the heart chakra, unakite helps to regulate breathing problems associated with asthma and apnea. Placed in a necklace or a medicine bag and worn around the neck it will help balance respiratory problems. Placing it at the heart chakra in any form will release blockages. Blockages in your heart chakra can leave you separated from love and affection from others. Unakite helps to release the blockages and open your mind and soul up to love and affection once more. Further, unakite releases blockages of any sort caused by secrets and trauma, specifically those associated with childhood.

Give an unakite necklace or bracelet to a woman of childbearing age or a young woman having trouble with menstruation. It will ease painful cramps and heavy bleeding and allow the body to regulate itself on a proper menstrual cycle. This allows for a woman to have a natural period on schedule without relying on medications. In this way, unakite will also help couple to conceive naturally because it helps to regulate reproductive systems for men as well. Carried in a pocket or medicine bag, unakite helps regulate testosterone and sperm production. When actively trying to conceive, a couple should place a large piece of unakite above or under their bed.

During childbirth, unakite can be used to ease labor pains and helps to ensure a safe delivery for mother and child.

Home and Work

Place unakite around your home to help promote harmonious relationships among members of your family and household. Used with amber or rose quartz, unakite will help relationships to run smoothly and allow communication to remain open. When arguments begin, place a combination of unakite, rose quartz, and amber between the involved parties to ease communication and understanding. If a couple is having a marital problem, gifting a bag of these stones to each of them will help them to keep their hearts and mouths open for communication about their problems and help them to remember their love for each other.

If you suspect your child isn’t talking to you about something important, place a piece of unakite in their room. It will help them to remember that they have a place to talk about their problems that is safe from the outside world.

In business, unakite helps to promote healthy and productive partnerships. Give a small stone as a gift to a new business partner to ensure success and good communication. Place a stone in your briefcase or laptop bag to help you to speak clearly to coworkers about your work. Unakite, however, doesn’t work well with electronic communication.

Unakite is also a stone for pets. If you regularly breed animals of any sort, place a stone in or near their beds. It will help ease the birth for momma and help her to develop connection to her babies.

Psychic and Magical Properties

Unakite is a wonderful stone for communication with children and animals. It will help parents-to-be communicate with their unborn children. For this, place a medium to large piece of unakite over the womb and meditate briefly; once relaxed, open communication with the child.

Unakite works well in wish and visualization magic. Use it as a focus stone for a spell or working involving bringing wishes to fruition. Once you have completed the ritual of the spell, keep the stone with you until your goals have been realized. Once accomplished, cleanse and recharge the stone and use it again. A single stone can be used dozens of times in this manner before it is totally exhausted.

Everything Else

To cleanse and recharge unakite, first take your stones and wash them with olive or sunflower oil for a few minutes. Once they are well covered, wash them with a mild soap and cold water to remove the oil. Charge them with your intent and they are ready to use.

Unakite is a wonderful stone for all around communication and balance between the sexes. It is a wonderful stone when used for those trying to conceive. Give pieces of unakite as a gift to newlyweds for a happy marriage and ease in conceiving their future children.

Keywords: Balance, conception, love, communication, fertility

Associated crystals: Rhodonite, quartz, rose quartz, amber, agates

Herbs: Yarrow, rose petals

Flowers: Rose, lily, passionflower, lavender

Source material:

Eason, Cassandra. The Illustrated Directory of Healing Crystals: A comprehensive Guide to 150 Crystals and Gemstones. Collins and Brown, 2003.

Pictures taken by and owned by the author.

Robyn Stambaugh has studied and worked with crystals and stones for six years.

Hello, everyone! Welcome to the first of many “Letters From the Editor,” the weekly column that will keep you informed of goings-on here at PWC.

As I write, I am sitting in my apartment in South Florida looking out over a tributary of the intracoastal. As the breeze rustles through the palm trees, I’m thinking about how we are turning over a new leaf here at Pagan Writers Community.

There have been some staff changes. As Editor-in-Chief, I have taken on the majority of the responsibilities, so please stick with us as I get situated. We have a new member of our team; Laura is now the Managing Editor.

I’m already getting good ideas, so keep checking back! For those of you who were looking forward to the “Our Natural World” anthology, I would like to inform you that submissions and publication of the anthology have been pushed back a bit. Keep checking back for updates!

Each week, I will end my letter with a quote.  I will also post a photograph that I have taken myself; every picture will honor the beautiful world around us. Enjoy!

I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.  -John Muir, 1913, in L.M. Wolfe, ed., John Muir, John of the Mountains: The Unpublished Journals of John Muir, 1938

There – I’ve said it out loud.  You, my noble writing friend, are a producer of “product” – of something that is hopefully sold for money.  As important as the quality and sale-ability of your “product” – is “you” – and how you engage with your retail partners, with your media allies, with your fans and customers, and with your marketing team.  Sometimes great people write bad books and have successful careers of fame and fortune.  Sometimes great books are written, but wither and die without regard or sales.  The difference is marketing.

My name is Susan Hurrell, and I’ve worked in marketing both people and products for over 25 years. Marketing yourself and your work is the 2^nd shift – the full time job you take on after you complete your other “full time job” of writing.  Most likely, you also have a “real” job that pays the bills as well, plus life and family commitments, and are active in your spiritual community.  Writing is hard work – and marketing is also hard work, and requires organization, diligence, and persistence.  With thousands of authors with thousands of works in print – how you market yourself will present your literary work in the best possible light and separates you from the rest.   It might even cause you to step out of your comfort zone and into the spotlight.

That step forward into a more public life demands first and foremost that you explore the boundaries between your personal and professional writing self.  Talk it over with your family, your closest friends, your coven-mates or circle buddies, and perhaps even your employer.  You need to know what is “for public consumption” and what is private.  There will be structured interviews and unstructured conversations in your future – so set your guidelines early. Assume you are almost always “on”. And understand that not everyone will like your work – or you – or the horse you rode in on.

Do you tell people where you work? People will quite likely call you there – the bookstore I worked at 4 years ago still gets calls for “the witch in the newspaper article who works there” – and the article is from 1999 (but is still online!) Do you use funny stories about your “Former High Priest” to make a point? Even comments made casually to a fan at a book signing may have a way of coming back to bite you, especially in this age of viral social media.  Everyone is now connected to everyone else, or knows someone – or will want to assume that they know who you are obliquely referencing. Be mindful that what you say will not always be what someone hears.  We all know how the gossip culture works and how it can cleave a community (in both senses of the word).

I hope to share some of my insights with you on how to do a better job “marketing” yourself and your written works.  This is not a column about how to get published – that is a separate topic entirely, though I will discuss the publishing world as it pertains to marketing and promotion.  I am happy to answer questions – and look forward to hearing about your success.

Greetings readers of “Guiding Lights,” and to our readers and writers of the Pagan Writers Community. The month of March ushers in spring on the 20^th. It is a time for new beginnings; the beginning of the astrological year. While I am writing this, March 9^th, the sun is still in the sign of Pisces, the sign of sacrifice and endings. But on March 20^th at 1:32 p.m. the sun moves into the sign of Aries and this is the day of the Spring Equinox. Aries is the sign of the warrior and pioneer. It is a good time to begin new projects, be they writing or otherwise, to help facilitate our earthly brothers and sisters to connect with nature and to protect nature as well.

Last month I wrote about Aphrodite, a Goddess with whom I’ve had more than one experience. The first time I spoke to her, she answered with a distinct and beautiful voice, and because of the requests I made of her and the way I asked for them, she set me on a quest. Gods and Goddesses often send people on quests.

Be forewarned, if you take on the work of invocation; be ready to pay a price. What Aphrodite had in store for me was something I didn’t expect and was ill prepared for! I almost lost everything I’ve worked for, and ended up not fulfilling her demands anyway. It was a long time before she would deal with me again, and believe me, if you’ve encountered her, you don’t want her to cut off contact with you in the future! The story has a happy ending though, as I did not need to get divorced from my wife, nor did I engage in any indiscretions. I have reconciled with Aphrodite and our relationship is at a higher level now.

Someone recently asked me some questions regarding my work with deities.

“How do you know that the deities with which you conversed were not the manifestation of your own psyche once it is in tune with the proper energy? Our brains are wired to find explanations for what we are experiencing. It is wired to create concepts that are eventually ingrained in our consciousness. For those of us who can visualize (and I do not), this often results in pictures and voices that do not seem to be ours but in the end are actually our own voices in a ‘disembodied’ form. In essence, we are speaking to ourselves.”

My answer to this is two fold. There was a conversation between two Master Ceremonial Magicians that I read about in a book. The one person asked the other, who happened to be a scientist by vocation, this very question. His answer was, “…the spirits are the result of our imagination, but one must consider how very REAL our imaginations are!”

I am of the belief that the spirits and Gods are in fact separate and real, but it can be argued otherwise. My experience and personal contact with them takes up a large portion of my magical journal.

Invoking 101

For those readers who might like to try invoking spirits or Gods, first you must understand your motives for doing so. My invocations of deities are motivated by a combination of things, some being selfish, and others being altruistic, but I always have reverence and respect of any deity, and I try to have that for all beings. It is especially important to be respectful when dealing with a God or Goddess; it would be very foolish to approach them in any other way. When I met Demeter for the first time, I was shocked by the amount of power that she wielded!

My method of invocation is found in a book that has little to offer, other than a formula for invocation that I’ve found repeatedly successful. It’s called “How to Communicate with Spirits,” by Kuriakos.

My method is to first figure out who I want to contact and why. Then I do research on the spirit to find out about them, what they like, what they don’t like, advice from others who have dealt with them and what they usually take interest in. This is all preparation. I’ll get to my motives in a minute. When I am sure I have found the right deity at the right time, one that I feel wants to speak to me (is calling me), I write down any questions or requests I have of the spirit. The ritual itself involves meditation, offerings of incense and other things that the spirit takes delight in, and other steps that are mentioned in Kuriakos’ book. I do the ritual when I am alone, usually in the middle of the day, sometimes during a day and/or hour that is special to the spirit, and make sure I am presentable, washed, shaved, dressed well, and the room is clean, etc. I keep all expectations at bay and let the deity direct what happens after I state my questions and/or requests.

A less selfish motive for doing this work involves bringing news of the Deity, their existence and relevance, out to the world. So in a way, I have become a spokesperson for the Gods.

My other motives are to learn from them, share with them, express love and accept love from deities—as well as the more selfish desire to get help with my problems. Sometimes I want to gain personal power as well. I am grateful for whatever I get in return. I also honor my own dignity, intelligence and strength during these interactions and I do feel worthy to speak to them. This is validated when they grace me with their presence.

These spirits usually have our best interests at heart, and we must also be aware that often it is not the deity that comes to us, but a spirit sent to speak or act on their behalf.

Odin, the Nordic All- Father

Odin is known by many names; Odhinn, Wotan, Woden, Rune Master and others. He is a God of wisdom, having given up one eye to drink from the Well of Wisdom. He is a God of magic and the heroic dead, known for handpicking those who fell in battle to reside with him in his halls and join him in the Wild Hunt. Odin leads the Wild Hunt with an army of heroes and ghosts through the sky and Milky Way.

Odin may appear as a shabby, dusty traveler, and often with a wide brimmed hat or black hooded cloak to hide his one missing eye. He loves women and doesn’t mind learning from them. He adores poets, writers, travelers, shamans, and occultists. He has been known to set people on quests. (1)

Above all else, Odin craves knowledge and magical secrets. Tell him something he doesn’t know. If he wishes, he can bestow success and wealth, and can heal any ailment. (1)

Invocation of Odin

On Tuesday, March 9^th, 2010, I invoked Odin, Norse All-Father and patron of writers. I asked Odin to please assist us (including the readers and writers of Pagan Writers Community) with our writing. I asked that our writing will make us prosper and help bring back magic into the world so that humankind may evolve and align with the ideas of freedom, peace, and oneness with each other and all of creation. I also added a couple of personal requests and asked that if he had anything to say to us, we are listening.

After the ceremony, I was looking at a list of Gods and Goddesses. As soon as my eyes hit the name of the God Jupiter, a thump came at the door. I got up and opened the door to see a package, which turned out to be a second proof of David P. Smith’s new book, Honoring the Sacred Earth. This second proof was mistakenly sent to me as I had already received the proof the day before.

Since Jupiter is the Roman equivalent of Odin, I took this as a sign from the God that he heard both my request for help with our writing and publishing, but that we are on the right track when it comes to growing closer to Mother Earth.

At lunch time that day, I was sitting at a restaurant when an older gentleman in a dark hat approached my table and told me he would take his trash that he had left on the table of the busy establishment. I told him that they would do that for him, and he replied, “I know they will, but I like to do for myself, my mama taught me when I was a kid, to clean up after myself.”

This I took as another sign that my request of Odin was in line with his wishes and that his answer was that he will help us in our quest to protect and restore our Mother Earth, and that we need to do our part as well as ask for help from the Gods.

I don’t believe that there are many true coincidences, and I believe that Odin showed up for me that day in answer to my invocation and requests. So PWC, count yourselves as blessed by the Norse All-Father, Odin, patron of writers and poets! Thank you, oh wise and powerful Rune Master! We pledge to do our part.

Work Sited:

1. Illes, J. The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses. 2009.

Belenus teaches at the Grey School of Wizardry (www.greyschool.com) and is the founder of and published through Dreamz-Work Productions (www.dreamz-work.com).

Greetings once again, my readers, and welcome to the 2010 Valentine’s “Guiding Lights.” Of course, this month’s deity is Aphrodite. And of course, I feel so very lucky and blessed to have the Goddess of love in my life. Being a Libra, the sign ruled by the planet Venus, I have a special connection with Aphrodite, who is associated with the planet Venus, and called by that name in the Roman Pantheon.

Aphrodite and I have a history. She has made requests of me in the past, and I must admit that I have not always fulfilled her demands. I trust though, that she forgives me, as I am not one to give up easily when given a task of any real importance. In fact, I have found that our life tasks have a way of reappearing until we have passed the test or done what is required.

Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love

There are many accounts of Aphrodite, though it is generally accepted that she formed out of the sea and “came ashore at Cyprus carried to land on a large scallop shell.” (1)

Aphrodite is known for her love affairs with both gods and mortals. She is the special patron goddess of lovers and those associated with sex and sacred sex. Over time, she became known separately as the Goddess of erotic sexuality, human romantic love, and finally heavenly love. She bestows harmony, love, beauty, and friendships. She has power over animals, spirits, and even fate.

Once associated with war as well as love, Aphrodite was largely responsible for the mythical Trojan War, but that is for another time. This month, I want to focus on love, befitting the Valentine’s holiday celebrated widely in February. Cupid, (Greek: Eros) the son of Aphrodite and Aries, is one reason for the Goddess’ association with this holiday. He, like his mother, is associated with love, romance, and starting affairs, so he became an integral part of the holiday.

Invocation of Aphrodite

On Wednesday, January 27^th, 2010, during the hour of Venus with the moon in Cancer and growing full, I invoked Aphrodite once again. With a red candle burning and offerings of rose incense and wine, I respectfully asked Aphrodite to bless me and you, my readers, with a special Valentine’s Day message. I asked her how we could bring more love and beauty into our lives and for anything else we might need to know at this time.

Although I did not see her image or hear her voice this time, she gave me many thoughts in response to my queries, and I scribbled them down as soon as I heard them. I have transcribed here, word for word, what she told me:

“Nature abhors a vacuum. Empty yourself in my name and I will fill your cup with love and bring beauty into your awareness. Have faith; if you are reading this, you are no doubt on the right path. Your star is rising.

Be of service and you will receive more than what is asked of you. Again, I say, empty yourself, and I will bless you. Be of good cheer, cooperate, and do not give into hate. Meet anger and hate with the light of love. Act in my name, the name of love, and I will give you the strength you need.

What you are after, give to others. If you want glamour, recognize and acknowledge glamour in your friends and family. Give away enthusiastically what you want for yourself. If you want friendships, be a good friend to others. Build people up and focus on the good in them and in the world.”

I meditated immediately on her words and pictured many of these things happening for me. I asked for her help in emptying myself of ego, for this is never easy for me, and she responded to this request as well. I felt peace and I knew it came from a power greater than myself. I thanked Aphrodite for coming to me and I once again pledged my love and devotion to her.

Aphrodite is the most beautiful of the gods. She is strong, can be demanding, and often not for the faint of heart, but she loves beyond imagination and the world would not have beauty without her divine presence. Thank you. It is always a pleasure to bring you these stories. I’ll be back again in March with something new.

Work Sited:

1. Illes, J. The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses. 2009.

Sources:

• Virtue, D. Archangels and Ascended Masters, A guide to Working with and Healing with Divinities and Deities. 2003.
• Illes, J. The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses. 2009.

Belenus teaches at the Grey School of Wizardry (www.greyschool.com) and is the founder of and published through Dreamz-Work Productions (www.dreamz-work.com).

Isis, the Great Mother and Mistress of Magic

After my article last month, I decided to learn more about Isis, the Egyptian Goddess. (For context, read the other articles of my column, especially the first one – November 2009). Isis, like many goddesses, is associated with other goddesses and has been adopted in various forms by many cultures and times.

She was adopted by the Greeks, Romans, and even the Christians in the form of Mary, mother of Jesus. “Much Marian iconography is based on that of Isis.” (1) In fact, Mary Magdalen, who was close to Mary, has been channeled by mediums and reports that like her, Mary, Jesus’ mother, was an initiate of the Cult of Isis and that Mary Magdalen herself was not only the wife of Jesus, but bore him a daughter, Sarah. If you want to read about this fascinating material, find the books, “The Great Shift,” and “The Magdalen Manuscript,” which I fully cite at the end of the article.

The stories of Isis can be found all over the Internet, so I will only touch on some of the more important points in her history. She originated in Egypt and has been worshiped for more years and in more cultures than most Goddesses. She married her brother Osiris who was murdered. Isis used her powers of magic to resurrect Osiris long enough to become with child and give birth to Horus, another famous Egyptian deity. This story reflects the Mother aspects of Isis as well as her association with magic.

Isis is depicted in art and iconography as, among other things, a Madonna holding a child to her breast, a beautiful woman with wings, and a goddess with a crown encompassing the full moon.

Invocation of Isis

On Friday, January 8th, I called Isis to be with me, and to please answer some of my questions and petitions. I followed my regular ritual, tailored for Isis with offerings of honey, flowers, milk, and incense. I respectfully asked her for more joy, self esteem, and magic in my life and I asked her to tell me how to gain more of these energies. Before I get too far, let me say that I have become a devotee of Isis and consider her my main Goddess along with Odin as my father.

Isis came to me during the ritual. She told me to raise my arms and as I did so, she blessed me with wings. My arms, for all intents and purposes, became powerful wings during the ritual. They were real. She indicated that when I need the power to respect myself and gather strength and self esteem, this is what I shall do; raise my arms and accept her energy. My arms as wings indeed pulsated with incredible energy throughout, and this spilled over into my psyche.

But the wings do more than that. In response to my petition for magical abilities, Isis indicated that the wings shall lift me up to see things from a higher perspective and this will be the basis for refining my skills.

But again, the wings do more that that. The wings shall let me soar and play; to be a child again, to exercise my imagination. When I was a child, I had such an imagination and Isis told me that she will help me reclaim it once again. She said to do more things for myself than I’ve been doing. To listen to the music I love, to not apologize for being me and doing the things I love. Work at it. She reminded me that to have joy and happiness in your life requires practice and effort, for the world tries to steal these things.

I closed the ritual with thanks and praise to Isis, Queen of Earth. I am very privileged once again, for Deity to bless me on my mysterious journey through our Earthly realm. Isis left me with one pervading thought, to remember that with her, nothing is impossible!

I’ll be back in February with a special Valentine’s message from Aphrodite.

Work Cited:

1. Illes, J. The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses. 2009.

Sources:

• Kenyon, T. and Judi Sion. The Magdalen Manuscript, The Alchemies of Horus & the Sex Magic of Isis. 2004.
• Vallee, M. The Great Shift, Co-Creating a New World for 2012 and Beyond. 2009.
• Virtue, D. Archangels and Ascended Masters, A guide to Working with and Healing with Divinities and Deities. 2003.

Belenus teaches at the Grey School of Wizardry (www.greyschool.com) and is the founder of and published through Dreamz-Work Productions (www.dreamz-work.com).

Today, here on the East Coast of the United States with the snow falling and the night coming quickly, I can’t help but reflect on how the story of Demeter and her daughter fits in with the ages old story that parallels the seasons. This is the dark time of the year, after the harvest. It’s a morbid time that we associate with death and dying, before hope is reignited on December 21st, the day the King is born anew and light conquers darkness. In many ways it’s the same as the story of Jesus the Christ, another myth of the dying God and His rebirth.

The story can be seen in many ways and there are a lot of variations. In Christianity, the idea of hanging on the cross, to me, symbolizes humankind who descends from Heaven and is suspended here in the realm of the material and must one day ascend back into heaven, being greater for having had the experience.

As Demeter celebrates the return of her daughter from the realm of darkness and death, her joy in this brings light back into the world and spring returns with all of its life and joy.

Solomon the King

For this month’s article, I summoned the ascended master Solomon the King, a man renowned for wisdom and true magickal power. He masterfully controlled many Djinn into helping him create magnificent architecture. This story is supported by both biblical documents and the Koran. It was said that Solomon was wisest among men, maybe of all time; that he knew all about the earth, the animals, science, magic, people, and that his judgment was impeccable.

Solomon became so wise when an angel of God came to him and offered him anything he wanted. Solomon did not choose riches and power, he chose wisdom. He was granted his wish and the riches and power came with it. He was renowned among the other kings and queens of the world and presided over the kingdom of the Jews until the end of his days.

As I mentioned, he was famous for controlling Djinn in order to build the Jewish temple and other works. Many magicians today are looking for a way to do this; to enlist the aid of the Djinn for their own purposes. This is a very attractive idea, but to be approached with caution. I believe that a purity of purpose and respectfulness of heart will go far in protecting the magician in their ceremonial workings.

When I invoked Solomon, I asked him for wisdom. He appeared as a figure of light before me and touched my head with something I presume was a wand or staff. Today I know what Master Solomon’s gift to me really was. He taught me that I must become better aware of what are and are not the more noble goals of magick. Power without wisdom is dangerous, but as we’ve seen by the stories of Solomon the King, the very wise can become very powerful.

I will be back next month, with what exactly, I do not know. But I can’t wait to find out. Have a happy Yule!

Recommended Books

• For information on the Djinn and other topics, Magic That Works, can be found at Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/Magic-That-Works-Practical-Training/dp/0973593121/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260312999&sr=8-1
• On the magic of Solomon the King, The Key of Solomon the King: Translated from Ancient Manuscripts in the British Museum, can be found at Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/Key-Solomon-King-Translated-Manuscripts/dp/1605065781/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260313159&sr=1-1#noop
• A great book on Gods, Goddesses, and other Spirits, Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses, can be found at Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Spirits-Ultimate-Fairies-Goddesses/dp/B001SSDM4E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260313568&sr=1-1

Belenus is the founder of and published through Dreamz-Work Productions (www.dreamz-work.com).