Serpent

With the Full Moon rising in Scorpio, this moon calls for soul searching. Every once in a while there comes a time of deep reflection, when we have to realign our self identity with our core values. This moon pushes us to cut through the nonsense and pretences.

Today I wore my snake vertebra necklace, (which was created from the remains of a snake that died of natural causes) to help me keep myself in check.
 We may have all been feeling a little out of sorts recently, our emotions a bit high strung, and too many thoughts flying through our head.
I for one have been having the vivid-est of dreams - it is natural to happen around the Full Moon.

Why a snake?
In ancient religion, and the path of witchcraft and paganism, snakes represent the primordial life force. A snake is duality and balance, a sign of rebirth. If a snake bites it's own tail, it creates a sacred circle.
Norse mythology believes that it is a serpent god,  Jǫrmungandr  , who holds the sea in place, by doing just that. Holding onto his own tail, in order to keep the sea contained. Knowing that the element of Water is most strongly linked to our emotions, could we see this as the containment of emotion?

To tie in with the meanings behind this Full Moon, think about the way a snake sheds its skin, this physical transformation, that enables it to grow and develop. That is what you need to do. Shed that which is old and does not serve you, and you fill find more space and happiness for that which you hope to gain.

When we think about transformation, lets also think upon the Snakes representation of cycles; birth, death and rebirth. Snakes hide away during the winter months, and come 'alive' again in the Spring. The heat dragging them back above ground. This time is the perfect time to use the snake in meditation, or to honour in ceremony.

Morrigan Morrigan

"Morrigan Morrigan, Three times three,
Hear the words I ask of thee.
Grant me vision, Grant me power,
Cheer me in my darkest hour.

As the night overtakes the day,
Morrigan Morrigan, Light my way.

Morrigan Morrigan, Raven Queen
Round and round the Hawthorn Green.

Queen of Beauty, Queen of Art,

Yours my body, Yours my heart.

All my trust I place in thee.

Morrigan
Morrigan
Be with me. "

Witch

A deep rumble in the womb,

Reverberations of memories ages old.

Blood coursing with the tide,
Women running side by side;

Coaxed onwards by the moon.
An ancient connection,
Feral and Wild.

Walpurgisnacht

Beltane Blessings
&
Happy May Day

"Witches Night"  is the last night of the dark half of the year, in which the moon rules the sky. The Moon embodies the mystery, the subconscious, and the unknown. Beltane Eve begins at Midnight on the 30th of April, and ends when the sun rises on the 1st, carrying us into May Day. All things in life and nature are in a delicate balance of dark and light. This duality brings a wholeness to the cycles of the year.

At Beltane we thank the Green Man for his protection throughout the Winter, and celebrate the joining of The Maiden and The Young God, as they come into power. Due to it being a pivotal point in the wheel of the year, Beltane is one of the more widely celebrated, and powerful sabbats - second only to Samhain.
Similar to Samhian this period of festivities, is known for having a thin veil between our world and others. Magical workings performed around Beltane, are likely to be more powerful.

For Beltane this year, I visited Glastonbury. The company Glastonbury Dragons have began holding rites for Samhain and Beltane for the last few years. I adore the precession through town, with the giant red and white dragons.

Accompanied by the 'Pentacle Drummers', whose drumming put fire in my belly and music in my heart.

I stopped again in the healing springs at the very very base of the Tor, and across from the Chalice Wells.
Gods the energy in this place is always electric and grounding all at once.
I left an offering on the shrine/altar for Pan/The Green Man, which you can see photographed below.

I hope everyone had a brilliant night, and are welcoming in the new season well on this blessed May Day.

xx

The Fortune Teller

"Go ahead and read my fortune,
Cast your dice, Devine my fate.
I just want to know I have one,
Tell me that it's not too late."

Second Hand Faith - Emilie Autumn

Communicating with the Fae

This beautiful deck from Brian Froud, is one of my favourite oracle decks.

Every card is a beautiful illustration by Froud himself, of the faeries he encounters.

This deck has a real air of mythology, and features images that are strongly laced with pagan totems, alongside Welsh, Scottish, and Irish versions of fae.

This little guy is called Indi. Isn't he adorable.
Froud has covered both the unseelie court and the seelie court in this deck. Cards full of colour and vibrant light, contrast beautifully against dark shadows, and troublesome eyes.

I use this deck when my mood is more playful. This is a beautiful deck for autumn pulls, and to take on spring adventures. The air is less serious, and more fun that the tarot. Their messages are still true, and just as often feature warnings, but working with the fae is always more light-hearted.

To Strengthen A Tarot Reading...

"Wisest Ashataroth, please send,
Your guidance and your wisdom lend.
Help me read with clarity,
And speak the truth,
-So mote it be."

(This is my oldest and very first tarot deck that I was ever to purchase, at the tender age of 14. The cards are stained, and bent, corners furling, over used, and much loved. The jewelry is a tiny little ethically sourced real bat skull, painted in a jade green.)

The tarot card was first invented during the 15th Century, originally as part of numerous card games. They did indeed begin life, as a simple pack of playing cards.
 First making an appearance in Europe, the cards were most commonly associated with France and Italy.

Later on in life, Romania took the art of Tarot as a form for trade.
It is hard for us to picture a gypsy clan, without a wonderful old woman, covered in shawls, at her caravan doorstop, beckoning you inside to have your cards or your palm read.

There is evidence in written form that some sort of divination was placed into these cards in 1540, But it wasn't until the 18th Century, they became a common symbol of the occult and began to be used in divination and magic routinely.

Some of the french free-masons make connections with the pictograms on the cards to the ancient egyptian gods. For example they believed the card we now commonly know as 'The High Priestess' was a representation of Isis.

They also believe that the very word 'Tarot' comes from the Egyptian words 'Tar' and 'Ro' - literally translating to the Royal Road of Life.

The Tarot deck has been used worldwide, and can be found in documentation dating back through many famous characters.
Casanova stated in 1765 that one of his Russian mistresses was constantly using her own deck for divining life's intentions.

A typical tarot deck is made up of 78 cards, and is split into two parts.
The Major and Minor Arcana.
There are hundreds of decks out in the world, and the best way to learn is to find a deck that suits you, read through the accompanying book, and then teach yourself the cards. Feel them out for yourself.

There is a lot of bad press for tarot, with cards such as 'The Devil', 'Death', and 'Judgement', unknowing people tend to see tarot and in fact divination as a whole, as communing with the dead. Which is not the case.

 Most divination is no more dangerous than reading your horoscope. Something most people (even the most judgmental of witchcraft) will do everyday, whilst reading the daily paper.

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Happy fortune telling, my gypsy sisters!

Feel free to share your decks with me, I love to see other peoples tools.