Maiden, Mother, Crone..Embracing the Goddess Within

I love it when women are defined in ways that limit us. It gives us such an opportunity to thumb our collective nose at all those people who think they know us. The worst is when it's a woman doing the defining. She has obviously accepted a more patriarchal view of herself and bought into it hook, line and sinker.

I read an article that discussed the changes women go through and how that impacts the family structure. It ended with a comment from a woman who thought that maybe she might still have some value in the family and society even though she was now in menopause. As if you're only valuable if you can bear children? 

What on earth has happened to us? Hobby Lobby (a place I will never go into) has decided that they don't, as a company, want to provide birth control as part of their insurance policies for their employees. Are they also going to restrict Viagra? Or are men exempt from this type of personal control? All of this is under the guise of religious freedom. But which religion? Because as far as I can tell, it seems to center around whatever understanding of Christianity you're told to have.

Well, I for one, am done listening to everyone else's view of me. If that means negotiating outside the margins then that's just fine. It's easy to become caught up in the drama of others and to seek a level, if you will. Vibrationally, we try to match the levels of others so that conflict and drama subside. Unfortunately, that means for some of us, lowering our vibrational levels, resulting in distress and sometimes illness. We've convinced ourselves that we have to go along to get along. The problem is, we limit ourselves when we do that, instead of setting the example and living the life we want to live.

We live our best life when we live authentically. We cannot do that when we listen to oppressive judgment. Our inner voice tells us the truth. We need to listen to it and reject placement by others. We can be anything we want to be and we need to convey that to our children, be they sons or daughters. In our Maiden years, we have a right as young women to live in such a way that maximizes our potential, instead of settling for something that stifles it. If marriage and/or motherhood isn't what you either want or are ready for, you should be able to choose that for yourself without hearing the likes of Rush Limbaugh tell your parents on his radio show that you're a slut for wanting birth control. Not all women use birth control for birth control. But even if they do, it's their private decision, not one the company they work for should be involved with. Of course the simplest thing to do there is to create a single-payer system and take the employer out of it completely. But that's not happening yet.

If you do choose motherhood, then you should be able to do so and not worry about the implications of that. Communities should be geared around preservation of the family. But then that would involve ideas like equality and respect, and that's a bridge too far for some people these days. What's missing is the understanding that we are all one - physically, spiritually, all of it. If we all embraced this fact, then it would be anathema to even consider oppressing anyone. Instead, we would be looking for ways to elevate us all.

Now, back to menopause and value. I read a piece a few years ago by an author whose name I cannot remember in Huffington Post which suggested that instead of looking at menopause as a bad thing, to look at it as a time when the fugue state we're in during our Mother years (whether we have children or not) vanishes, leaving only clarity and wisdom. Wow..how brilliant! That's exactly what it is! Your Crone years are the years where you become the Wise Woman. You've lived through the drama and the wisdom gained is endless. You have the benefit of hindsight that only comes with age. I embrace my Crone transition because I embrace the Goddess within. I don't need plastic surgery, or hair dye for that matter..I'm happy with my silver hair. I developed a Witch's streak in college, and after that, my brown hair gave way to silver everywhere. I don't discourage women from making themselves look younger if that's what they want to do. Just make sure it's for you..and not for someone else.

It's easy to give yourself away to keep the peace. Unfortunately, no one learns the lessons they need to learn, including yourself. We're far more important than they give us credit for. We don't need to explain ourselves to anyone. We are loving beings and we need only to live our lives in such a way that honors our connection to Source. 

We are Maidens. We are Mothers. We are Crones. 

We are Goddesses. It's time we embraced that and give the the world the balance it so desperately needs.

~Blessed Be!

Grow Journal - Week 6

Worms! They're finally here! We're feeding them vegetable scraps, banana peels, brown rice, coffee and tea grounds and shredded paper. Still have to figure out how much to feed them. We added some coco and perlite to aerate a little, plus it evidently adds carbon to the mix. Uncle Jim's Worm Farm folks are great to deal with and we're so happy we're doing this! You can devise your own system, but this was not expensive and it will be well worth the investment when we can use the worm castings and tea!



And now for the ladies!

Filly Bean

day 40

day 43

Vortex

day 40

day 43

Timewreck

day 40

day 43

The Flav

day 40

day 43

Pennywise

day 40

day 43

Orange Vision

day 40

day 43

And a shot of the grow..

The plants are nearing the end of their flower cycle..looks like Pennywise is first..autumning off now. LED lighting is expensive..there's no doubt about that, but it's worth the cost because the plants grow so well under them, particularly with resin production. We use Lush Lighting's Dominator XL series. Now they have a new version with even more lights in them. Well worth the investment, no matter what you're growing. LEDs provide a greater spectrum of light than HPS or any other light and the plants respond to it. And, it's a lesser footprint carbonwise, so it's a win/win. And with genetics from TGA Genetics SubCool Seeds, you can't go wrong!

Until next Friday..happy gardening!

~Blessed Be! 

Bind Runes and Witch Names

Words have power, so it follows that names do as well. There exists such a thing in Wicca known as a witch name. It's used during rituals and is personal and meaningful. Some Wiccans have more than one name. One is reserved for inner work and the other is reserved for outer work. In other words, one is private and one is public. Numerology is involved in its selection, as is whatever dieties, animals, crystals, elements, etc. one might be drawn to. Witch names can be revealed during initiation, or if you're Solitary like me, you create your own. Some reveal their names, some don't. I happen to be one that doesn't. But I do love rune divination and one of the cool things to do with it is to create a bind rune of your name. So, I thought I would do that with my witch name. It ended up being prescient to say the least.

Bind runes are symbols you essentially bind together from whatever runes you happen to be using. I approach it in the same manner as reducing numbers. I find the commonalities and go from there, trying to create the smallest version of the bind rune possible. Balance is encouraged without being redundant. Writing out my witch name brought forth the following runes:

• Tiwaz - The god, Tyr - justice, balance, self-sacrifice, rational thinking - represents fundamental cosmic law as true reality and our alignment to that reality.
• Wunjo - Joy - understanding, community, harmony, leadership, connectedness - indicates a concern for others and their well-being, and recognizes that feeling joy is our strongest desire.
• Isa - Ice - stillness, self-preservation, focus, ego-awareness - expresses individuality, yet superficially, reflects illusion.
• Laguz - Water - unconscious, psychic power, oneness of all, imagination, dreams, collective consciousness - water symbolizes life as it flows along, our real foundation that exists outside the body, also involves Karma or Wyrd as actions have consequences.
• Othala - Homeland - inheritance, oneness, spiritual awareness and power, paradise - separation fades away leaving only oneness and unity as we accept responsibility for our home and for each other.
• Mannaz - Humankind - intelligence, thought, mind, service to others, incorporation of the divine into the everyday - how we perceive the world has consequences, so the emphasis is on harmony and community and what kind of world we, as co-creators with Source, create. Responsible behavior stemming from responsible thought.
• Nauthiz - Need - necessity, conflict, effort, consequences of behavior, doing whatever needs doing - the focus here is on what we actually need for survival and not neglecting our most basic needs. Recognizes the difference between survival needs and other desires.

Your witch name should reflect who you are and what matters to you. As an empath, I experience the energetic connection between myself and others. I not only believe we are all one, I know we are. I experience it. Our collective attention is here on this Earth, in this universe, to learn how to relate to each other in harmony and unity. Justice, self-sacrifice, community are all part of that process.

Underlying everything is Laguz, which tells us that our real existence is outside the body, and that everything we do here has consequences. This is a particularly important truth to an empath. We're aware of the collective consciousness that unites us all and that we have a responsibility to embrace the principles of Tiwaz including balance, justice and aligning with fundamental cosmic law while here in this life.

We have our basic human needs that Nauthiz refers to. But anything else is a choice, and we incorporate Mannaz to bring the divine into our everyday lives so that we behave responsibly toward each other. A sense of community results in joy, or Wunjo, which is our strongest desire.

The duality we explore in this life includes expressions of individuality which are not necessarily conducive to oneness and Isa tells us to be aware of the superficiality of the ego and to not let it deter us from embracing all as one. Oneness is preferable to self-preservation and sometimes this takes focus and a stillness so that we can see reality over the illusion.

Othala, the final rune, reinforces our reality of oneness and shows us that as separation fades away, our essential reality becomes all that is. As above, so below.

Runes are so fascinating. Using them offers clarity and perspective in our daily lives. I had no idea when I chose my name that it would contain all of this. I never thought of it in terms of runic divination. Both my date of birth and my birth name reduce down to 9. It also reflects two things I feel connected to. Looking at the runes and their meanings, it's everything I believe. I love synchronicity. Your witch name should reflect alignment with Source. I believe mine does..

~Blessed Be! 

Reconnecting to the Divine Feminine..

Wicca teaches that the Goddess created the universe and everything and everyone in it. In her wisdom, She created a duality which balances masculine and feminine energy. But in practice, is it always an equal balance? I don't think so, given societal norms and mores that tend to discount or dismiss feminine energy in favor of masculine energy. Because of that, feminine energy is thought to be weak; masculine energy is viewed as strong. However, nothing could be further from the truth. And now everything is so out of control.

And by everything, I mean men, as well as all the women who support the oppression of other women. I read an article in which former President Jimmy Carter expressed his belief that Republican men are abusing women by not embracing Equal Pay laws. He's the perfect example of how to be Christian and still think women are worth fighting for. I know others like him exist..we're just not hearing from them enough. Maybe President Carter's comments will prompt others to speak out on behalf of women's issues. Pope Francis expresses progressive thinking about women, but still won't allow female priests. Baby steps, I suppose.

War hawks in Congress, particularly the Senate, should really connect to the divine feminine energy that they've so effectively hidden from view. President Obama understands this concept, standing in stark contrast to Mr. Putin and his aggressive action in Ukraine. Some in Congress clearly disagree with President Obama's approach, instead blaming him for not being "manly" like Putin. Their definition of manly expresses the imbalance in which the world now lives. 

Even the military isn't exempt from this imbalance. They brazenly continue to insist that they can investigate sexual assault, by officers no less, and then justify it all when the guy gets his charges and/or sentence reduced..assuming he's convicted in the first place. They want it both ways which fails on every level to respect the victim. They're just like a spoiled child who has had too much candy. The rush (of arrogance in this case) is too great, and they can't see anything clearly. Anyone who has had kids understands this. And whether we're talking about Congress or the military, or anything else for that matter, the good ol' boy's club mentality needs to go..now.

Last May, I attended a lecture given by His Holiness, The Dalai Lama. His message: We are One. He stressed the importance of balance and equality, particularly in the case of women. His Holiness discussed the problem with out of control male egos and told mothers to train their sons to value compassion. Radical ideas? No. They reflect the truth that lies within. We cannot go on as we have. We need a kinder world. We have forgotten that we are one and that everyone matters. Mr. Putin needs to take his troops home. Congress needs to embrace our President and then get to work fixing this country. Compassion needs to rule the day. 

Women are the bedrock of the family. We give life and wipe tears and bring balance. We should never need to fear the men in our lives, nor should we need to fear men in authority. And yet, that's where we now find ourselves. All that we've worked for as feminists is in jeopardy. We cannot let this happen.

My Sisters..we need to raise feminine energy to bring back harmony and balance to the Earth. Create your sacred space. Extend blessings of love and remembrance. Extend blessings of awakening and vision. We must be vigilant for there is much work to do. Our children deserve a world far better than the one we now have. They deserve to feel safe and loved. Clearly..it's up to us.

~ Blessed Be!

Grow Journal - Week 5 - Lovin' the Lush!

Well, we're at the end of week and the pistils on the buds are beginning to change color. Things are progressing nicely! Still waiting on the worms..but tracking info says they're out for delivery. The farm is in the flower room and ready. Loving the idea of natural CO2!

And now..for the ladies!

 Filly Bean

Day 33

Day 36

Vortex

Day 33

Day 36

Timewreck

Day 33

Day 36

The Flav

Day 33

Day 36

Pennywise

Day 33

Day 36

Orange Vision

Day 33

Day 36

Group photo

Day 36

As you can see, the ladies are lovin' the lush! Happy plants..happy me!

~ Blessed Be ~ 

Ostara Runecasting

Othala, Thurisaz, Ihwaz

Today is Ostara, the Spring Equinox, when day and night are of equal length. Wiccans as well as Pagans celebrate the first day of Spring as a time of new beginnings and rebirth. I thought I would honor Ostara by doing a runecasting. Typically, when I do a three rune casting, I'm looking at either the landscape of the coming week, or at Issue, Action and Outcome. Today, however, I'm going to look at Body, Mind and Spirit.

Othala, an Earth Element rune, represents our home, and could also indicate property or possessions. From the Body position, that would indicate our home on Earth. But are we a body with the goal of spirit, or are we spirit living in a body? Where do we actually begin? In my view, we are actually Spirit, part of the collective consciousness created by Source Energy, or God if you prefer. While a portion of our collective attention is here experiencing duality, we primarily exist in the Perfect Oneness of All That Is. And by that I mean Source Energy or God. Othala also represents a connection to our Higher Self. It is there that we should feel at our most grounded and secure. 

Thurisaz, a Fire Element rune, in the Mind position, involves protection, self discipline, tactical and prudent thinking. It also suggests awakening, and the new beginnings represented by Ostara. This projection of duality in which we find ourselves can be tricky to navigate when we forget who we really are. We become caught up in the ego's machinations that further separation. Clarity of thinking, and the positive change that can result from purposeful action, can keep us focused on the task at hand. The task, however, is not a burden as our only function here is forgiveness. We see past the drama of the world and remember that we are One. Thurisaz gives us the self discipline to remain focused on extending love and forgiveness instead of focusing on ego-based drama.  

Each situation then becomes an opportunity to live consciously, embracing each new situation free from fear. In the Spirit position, Ihwaz, a rune of all Elements: Earth, Fire, Air, Water, and Spirit, suggests that we are not victims of this world. Our connection to Source Energy assures this fact. As A Course In Miracles states: Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God." Representations of ego, therefore, are not real because they're not reflections of Source or God. Of course, we still experience these things here, but it's how we view them that matters. If we continue to engage with others in drama, the ego wins and we all lose. If, however, we engage with others as if each encounter is a holy one, then old negative energies clear away, leaving only love in their place. Uncomfortable behavior by others is only error..and error can be replace by truth.

We remember who we are, stay focused on extending love and forgiveness, and remain in the Perfect Oneness of All That Is. A wonderful way to begin anew! 

~ Blessed Be ~


NOTE: The above quotation if from A Course in Miracles. Foundation for Inner Peace.

Grow Journal - 4th week

Here we are at the end of week 4. My friend, Don, gave us a really great tip that the plants just love! He suggested that we add Organic Sucanat to our water. He said the plants would be in microbial heaven! Guess what! He was right!

Also, people have asked what super soil recipe we use. My husband has modified SubCool's recipe a little bit and this is what we use for our hot mix:

To make half of a batch:

5 - 1.5 cu ft bags of TGA soil or any good soil - ProOrganix is also very good.
2.5 lbs of each:
  crab meal
  bone meal
  blood meal
  bat guano
  alfalfa meal
12.5-25 lbs worm castings
1.5 lbs of each:
  rock phosphates
  oyster shell
  kelp meal
.5 lbs diatomaceous earth
1 T humic acid
4 cups organic brown rice
3 cups green sand
1/2 cup azomite
1/2 cup lime
1/4 cup + 1/8 cup epson salt

We use a turnable compost maker to make this. After a month, it goes into garbage cans for use.

This super soil hot mix goes in the bottom of the pot, then blend in some regular soil, then plant the plant using the regular soil, leaving 4 inches or so at the top to add the super soil hot mix as a dressing later. We still use a little nutrient in the water, and of course take our cues from the plants as to what they need. And now we're adding Sucanat. Very cool stuff.

So here are the ladies after a week..

Filly Bean

day 29

day 22

Vortex

day 22

day 29

Timewreck

day 22

day 29

The Flav

day 22

day 29

Pennywise

day 22

day 29

Orange Vision

day 29

day 22

And lastly..a view of the room..

Oh, we bought a worm farm. The worms arrive next week. We'll probably keep it in the flower room for CO2 release. I'll include pictures next time. Another month..maybe..basking in the lush!

Happy garden..Happy me! 

~ Blessed Be! ~ 

Undermining again..

So now the Oregon Senate has sent a bill giving localities the ability to delay the opening of legal cannabis dispensaries until May 2015 to Governor Kitzhaber's desk for signature. Why did they wait until applications were being accepted? Cynicism suggests that it was intentional to derail new dispensaries from opening..maybe for good. The cost to business owners should the Governor sign this nonsense bill will be huge. It instructs the Oregon Health Authority to refund the $4000 license fee, but that's only the tip of the iceberg for these places. The security measures alone that have to be implemented are extremely costly. To not be able to recoup their expenses may put some out of business before they even start. How is that fair?

I suppose it can be argued that any dispensaries that existed before they were legalized shouldn't have existed anyway because the voters in Oregon voted against them. Yet, they sprung up everywhere. Truth is an interesting motivator. Cannabis will be legal here at some point, and it looks like that just might happen in November. Why not embrace the spirit of the green rush that's coming? Oregon could lead the nation on this. Washington isn't turning out to be a patient friendly state anymore. Why does Oregon have to follow suit? Oregon could show far more compassion and let the dispensaries go forward without any further restriction. Not everyone wants to grow their own medicine. Some simply are too ill to do it and legalizing dispensaries is a godsend for these folks.

And what will happen to the dispensaries that now exist? If a city decides to invoke the moratorium, it must do so by May 1, 2014. Do existing businesses need to then close until May 2015? How many people will lose their jobs in the process? And how can a city that has so far looked the other way suddenly become concerned and impose a moratorium? And will they?

Instead of giving in to fear, why not educate the localities that have concerns over dispensaries? The knee-jerk reaction to cannabis is based upon lies anyway. Isn't time we started living in truth? Delaying the opening of dispensaries won't fix the problem. Only truth will do that. People might as well get accustomed to hearing facts about cannabis given that legalization is likely soon. 

There's a trend developing in this country. When one party doesn't like a law, they do everything to circumvent it by enacting new laws to get around it. Face it. We don't always get what we want and sometimes the majority wins. It doesn't help the situation when the Oregon Senate disrupts prospective new business this way. Even if you remove patients from the equation, dispensaries bring jobs and revenue to whatever city they're in. Preventing that from happening at a time when so many are still unemployed makes no sense at all.

We have to start somewhere. Maybe vetoing this bill is the beginning of reason and sanity returning to the conversation. Please, Governor Kitzhaber..protect patients. Veto this bill. 

Grow Journal - 4th entry - 3rd week of flower

So I have to say, the ladies are awesome! This is so exciting! Today begins week 4 and they're starting to smell. Probably a good idea my husband cut a hole in the wall to vent outside. Plus he did a really good job of it, but then he always does!! 

I think I'll show a picture of each plant from the week before to show the progress..

In the mean time..here's a shot of the room from day 15:

Filly Bean (The Flav x Jilly Bean)

Filly Bean - day 19

Filly Bean - day 22

Vortex

Vortex - day 19

Vortex - day 22

 

                                             

     

 Timewreck

Timewreck - day 19

Timewreck - day 22

 The Flav

The Flav - day 19

The Flav - day 22

Pennywise

Pennywise - day 19

Pennywise - day 22

Orange Vision (Jilly Bean x Top 44)

Orange Vision - day 19

Orange Vision - day 22

Lastly, a shot from today of the room..

It's a Lush life! Thanks again to SubCool and Mz Jill at TGA Genetics Subcool Seeds for their wonderful genetics!! Happy plants..happy me!

~Blessed Be!~