Romanian Folk Magic at Midnight – Elder Mountain Dreaming

Magical practice at the stroke of Midnight are symbolic practices and are the gifts of our ancient ancestors of the distant worlds and Romanian women have always kept these traditions alive. The older pagan cultures of the Slavic peoples celebrate the New Year on the Spring Equinox (and Ukraine still does). One such magical practice of the spring new year, which you could use at any equinox or solstice eve, is the tradition done the night before the Spring Equinox…

Goddess celebrations of Spring, in many cultures would last an entire week, from the 19th until the 23rd of March, because the energy of the Spring Equinox is at its strongest then. You can still do the rituals here, just make sure you set your intention clearly and simple…

firebird2

At the end of the night light year in-between the old and the new year, at 12:00 midnight before the dawn turning into the Spring Equinox…. go and look at the night sky and count the new stars you see and what will be your destiny. You can also go in the house, put a ring of gold in a glass of water, place it in front of a candle and behind the candle a mirror. They say the one who looks in the mirror sees an opening of the door of their destiny.

Leave a small night light on or a candle in a lantern all night long when you go to sleep and dream, the gates are open to get luck as the old year leaves and the new returns the next morning on the Spring Equinox. They say, if your soul is clear, the opening of the door of the heavens will give you a glimpse.

Maramureș is a geographical, historical and ethno-cultural region in northern Romania and western Ukraine and these village people at midnight lean wood pieced against the home’s outside wall. Each piece of wood represents every soul in your house until morning and when you go outside in the morning to check on them, if any fell over, that’s considered a tough year for the person it was intended for.

Maramures, Romania

Villagers also read the whole year’s weather with onions – cut an onion in half and set out 12 pieces of papers (one for each month of the year). Salt each of them in equal amounts. Set the onion in the center and circle the paper around the onion. Let them sit overnight and in the morning, depending on the amount of water collected, its said that the moisture or dryness of each paper represents the dry or wet months.

I imagine you can also do this with your moon ritual on the day of the spring equinox, if you want and set the intention of difficult moons (wet) and easy moons (dry) and then keep track of your moon cycles the entire year.

On the spring equinox morning ritual take a bath and wash yourself before sunrise. In the water put a silver penny, some basil and a branch of a tree and wash yourself for lucky year and blessings of abundance.

romanian girl, mihaela noroc, theatlasofbeauty dot com

Enjoy and keep the Magic alive, Phoenix

Sources: Iulia Gorneanu, University of Bucharest; first photo a compilation photo including Romanian grandmothers called Baba Dochia and a selection of an image of one of Douglas Girard, figurative Landscape painter; Maramures, Romania Maiden.

Source: Romanian Folk Magic at Midnight – Elder Mountain Dreaming

Honeysuckle {Lonicera caprifolium / Lonicera japonica} – Good Witches Homestead

Also, Known As

Honeysuckle
Jin Yin Hua

The herbal plant called the honeysuckle is a climbing plant that can grow to twelve ft – four meters – in length. The plant comes in several varieties, and some varieties are deciduous – example, the L. Capri folium variety – while some are semi-evergreen – the Asian honeysuckle or jin yin Hua, L. japonica. The plant bears oval-shaped leaves that come in pairs on the branches. The tubular shaped flowers of the plants come in a variety of colors, the yellow-orange flowers of the European variety or the yellow-white colored ones of the jin yin hua. The European honeysuckle variety bears red colored berries and while the berries of the jin yin hua variety are black in color.

The European honeysuckle or “woodbine” – the L. periclymenum to botanists – was at one time employed widely as an herbal remedy for problems like asthma, all kinds of urinary disorders, and as an aid to soothing labor pains in women giving birth. The ancient Roman writer Pliny suggested the use of the honeysuckle mixed with wine for disorders of the spleen. The variety of honeysuckle most likely to be used in herbal medicine is the “jin yin” or Chinese honeysuckle – L. japonica to botanists – rather than the woodbine. The properties of this variety of honeysuckle were recorded in the Chinese medical book called the “Tang Ben Cao,” that was written in A.D. 659. This herb remains as one of the most potent Chinese herbs used for eliminating heat and accumulated toxins from the human body.

The traditional use of the honeysuckle in European herbal medicine was as a remedy for asthma and related respiratory disorders that affected the chest. The Bach Flower Remedies lists the honeysuckle as one of the beneficial herbal plants. In this system of herbal cures, the woodbine is said to suppress feelings of nostalgia and to quell homesickness in a person. The use of the “jin yin hua” in Chinese medicine has a long history, and the herb was used as an agent to “clear heat and relieve toxicity,” besides other uses.

Plant Parts Used.

Flowers, leaves, bark.

Uses..

Contemporary herbalists in the Western world make very rare use of the honeysuckle herb. Honeysuckle was a part of the traditional herbal repertoire, and the historical uses of this plant in herbal medicine were many. Traditionally, European herbalists used to employ different parts of the honeysuckle plant for different therapeutic purposes as they believed that different parts of the herb had different remedial effects on the human body. Honeysuckle bark contains compounds that induce a diuretic effect in the body; a remedy made from the bark is used to bring relief from problems such as gout, from kidney stones, and is also used in treating liver problems of all kinds. Honeysuckle leaves have the astringent properties and are made into an infusion used as an oral gargle and general mouthwash – this remedy is excellent in alleviating sore throats and canker sores or other oral complaints. The remedies made from the flowers of the honeysuckle have an anti-spasmodic effect, this brings relief from chronic coughs and was traditionally used as a treatment for asthma and related respiratory disorders. In the Chinese system of herbal medicine, the “jin yin hua” remedy is extensively prescribed for a very wide range of diseases. Remedies made from the jin yin hua are mainly utilized in countering “hot” infectious disorders including abscesses, sores, and inflammation affecting the breasts, as well as dysentery. The remedy made from the jin yin Hua plant is also used to bring down elevated temperatures in a body wracked by fever. This remedy is also used in treating problems affecting the oral cavity.

Other medical uses.

Viral infection

Habitat..

The European honeysuckle or “woodbine” is indigenous to southern Europe and the region of the Caucasus, though plants can be seen all over Europe except in the far north. The Asian variety, the “Jin yin hua” is native to the Chinese mainland and the island of Japan – it is cultivated as an herbal plant in both countries. The usual site where both varieties of plants can be seen growing are along walls, on trees, and in hedges. Harvest of honeysuckle is usually done in the summer months, flowers and leaves are normally gathered in the summer immediately before the onset of the floral bloom. […]

The rest at the Source: Honeysuckle {Lonicera caprifolium / Lonicera japonica} – Good Witches Homestead

Please Comment to Protect Wyoming’s Wild Horses from the Devastating 2017 Checkerboard Roundup | Wild Hoofbeats

Adobe Town Family

Please Comment by April 4, 2017 on the Checkerboard 2017 Roundup

The BLM was unable to roundup wild horses from Salt Wells Creek, Adobe Town and Great Divide Basin in 2016 because we won a lawsuit that prohibits the BLM from managing the wild horses in the Checkerboard using only Section 4 of the Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act, which allows them to remove wild horses from private lands. Because the Checkerboard includes public lands, it is illegal to manage them as if they were privately owned by the ranchers demanding these roundups. In order to legally roundup wild horses from the Checkerboard, the BLM must prove that the numbers are above Appropriate Management Level, or AML. Now, they are not even conducting a census to prove this, instead they are “projecting” that the horses are over the high end of AML.

Roundups cause the destruction of hundreds of wild horse families, as well as injuries and death to the horses as they are chased by helicopters and flee in terror into traps. These captured wild horses are chased into trailers and taken away from the only home they have ever had to end up spending the rest of their days languishing in holding corrals with no shelter. Only a lucky few are adopted by members of the public and these do not always mean good homes – the return rate back to the BLM for adopted or purchased wild horses is over 50%. Many many of these horses will end up at slaughter in Mexico. There is no good reason to roundup and remove these horses from Adobe Town, Salt Wells Creek and Great Divide Basin.

I have been following and observing and photographing the wild horses in these three herd management areas for the last 13 years. These horses are uniquely suited to this sometime harsh high desert environment. They are the last three largest herds in Wyoming, and they deserve to be preserved on our public lands. Although the Checkerboard presents challenges to BLM management because of its pattern of public alternating with private lands, that is no reason to cave into petty demands from the Rock Springs Grazing Association, which is made up from less than 25 members. These wild horses are valuable to us, the American public, and so every effort must be made to preserve them here where they were found at the time the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act was passed. These horses were here long before the Grazing Association, and now what needs to happen is land swaps to consolidate blocks of public land that the horses can continue to roam upon. Managing the wild horses on the range, on our public lands where they can continue to roam free and making these necessary land swaps happen is what the BLM needs to be working on, not perpetuating this every 3 year pattern of roundup, removal, then warehouse our wild horses. The Field Manager of the Rock Springs BLM Field Office has been quoted as saying: “For all intents and purposes, we consider the Checkerboard private.” But it is NOT private. In fact, over half of the Adobe Town, Salt Wells Creek and Great Divide Basin Herd Management Areas are public land, that belongs to us, the citizens of the United States of America, not the Rock Springs Grazing Association.

Great Divide Basin Family

This time, the BLM wants to remove 1029 wild horses: 584 removed from Salt Wells Creek, 210 removed from Adobe Town, and 235 removed from Great Divide Basin.

They are not even calculating their numbers from an actual aerial census – they are making these numbers up. Every year, the BLM conducts and aerial census in late April, but now they are just “projecting” the numbers.

2017 “Projections”

Great Divide Basin 650

Salt Wells Creek 835

Adobe Town 820

Here are past census numbers provided by the BLM for these three areas:

2016 Statistically Corrected Census Counts
HMA	Total within HMA	Total within Checkerboard
Great Divide Basin	542	272
Salt Wells Creek	696	187
Adobe Town	684	25
Total	1,922	484

2015 April Census Numbers:

Adobe Town: 858
Salt Wells Creek: 616
Great Divide Basin: 579

2014 Post Roundup Census 2014

Adobe Town: 519
Salt Wells Creek: 29
Great Divide Basin: 91

As you can see with these numbers, they randomly go wildly up and down but somehow are considered “statistically corrected.” The BLM has to prove that Adobe Town has more than 800 wild horses, Great Divide Basin has more than 600 wild horses and Salt Wells Creek has more than 365 wild horses in order to legally proceed with a roundup. There is no attempt to account for mortality rates due to deaths of older horses and foals, which can be very high when there is a harsh winter, which this last winter certainly has been, with storm after storm, much more snow and much more freezing temperatures than normal.

A real, professionally done, independent census needs to be conducted to get a real, accurate count of the wild horses in each of these three HMAs before any plans are made to roundup and remove wild horses from their rightful homes.

Radio Collared Adobe Town mare

I have been following the Adobe Town Radio Collar Study which is currently going on in conjunction with the University of Wyoming. Their plan to study the movements of wild horses through tracking 20 mares wearing radio collars will be completely disrupted if they round up wild horses in Adobe Town, so this is yet another reason that this proposal is senseless. I contend that there are NOT more than 800 wild horses in Adobe Town and therefore there is no legal reason to proceed with a roundup, and they will be subverting their own study by removing wild horses from this HMA, so this is yet another reason not to roundup and remove horses from Adobe Town. But none of the horses from any of these three HMAs should be removed without an accurate count of how many wild horses are in each area.

The biggest reason for not going forward with the Checkerboard 2017 Roundup is the well being of the wild horses themselves. This seems to be very low on the BLM’s priority list. What will happen to these 1029 formerly wild horses? We, the taxpaying public, will be paying to warehouse and feed them, at huge cost. The horses themselves will live out miserable lives in the holding facility, without their families, without shelter, and under the possibility that at any moment the BLM could elect to “euthanize” the more than 45,000 wild horses in captivity. This must stop.

Adobe Town mare and foal

Please comment by April 4. These wild horses need your help.

You are welcome to use any points from this blog but please use your own words. The BLM counts any form letter or form email as 1.

blm_wy_adobetown_saltwells_hma@blm.gov (Please include “2017 AML Gather” in the subject line), mailed or hand-delivered during regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) to: BLM Rock Springs Field Office, 2017 AML Gather, 280 Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, WY 82901.

For more information, please contact the BLM at 307-352-0256.

Here is a link to the Scoping Document:

https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/nepa/74247/98803/119700/2017_Scoping_Statement_-_Adobe_Town,_Salt_Wells_Creek,_Great_Divide_Basin_AML_Gather.pdf

Source: Please Comment to Protect Wyoming’s Wild Horses from the Devastating 2017 Checkerboard Roundup | Wild Hoofbeats

Angelica {Angelica archangelica} – Good Witches Homestead

Angelica {Angelica archangelica}

Also, Known As:

Amara Aromatica
American Angelica
Angelica
Archangelica
Archangelica Officinalis
Bellyache Root
European Angelica
Garden Angelica
Goutweed
Herb Of The Angels
High Angelica
Holy Ghost Plant
Holy Herb
Masterwort
Purple Angelica
Purplestem Angelica
Root Of The Holy Ghost
Wild Angelica
Wild Parsnip

angelica

Angelica (botanical name Angelica archangelica) is generally a biennial plant that grows up to a height of anything from 3.3 feet (1 m) to 8.25 feet (2.5 m). This plant may bear flowers two times in a year or for four consecutive years provided the conditions are conducive. Angelica has a tall, purple-green stem that is hollow as well as branched. The leaves of this plant are slightly triangular in shape and are joined to the stem by means of an extended petiole. The flowers appear in clusters in a white-hued terminal umbel and have a sweet, pungent aroma. Angelica bears fruits that have a light yellowish complexion and which enclose seeds that are oval-shaped. The taproot of the plant is succulent – having a brown color on the exterior and white inside. The taproot also has little auxiliary roots.

The plant derives its name from the Medieval Latin ‘herba angelica’(“angelic herb”). It has been named so as it is believed that it possesses special attributes that cure plague and poisoning. Earlier, people thought that this herb protected them from infectious diseases, counting plague, bequeath a long life, keep enchantments and evil spirits at bay and also counteracted mad dog bites. Till recently (as late as the World War I) people munched the root of angelica believing that doing so would defend them from the widespread influenza epidemic prevailing worldwide at that time.

Even today, people value angelica primarily because it has an invigorating action on our digestive system. Since the colonial era, people have candied the fragrant and fairly sweet stems of the plant for delicious treats as well as for using them to decorate pastry. The leafstalks of angelica resemble that of celery and can be consumed raw or after cooking. The seeds and roots of the plant yield essential oils that are used in manufacturing perfumes and also for adding essence to vermouth, gin, as well as a variety of sweet alcoholic drinks (liqueurs), including Chartreuse.

Plant Part Used:

The whole plant.

Health Benefits:

Angelica offers a number of health benefits and, hence, is used to treat various health conditions. This herb warms up the body and also serves as a tonic. The entire angelica plant is used to provide relief from dyspepsia, stomach pain, and gas. In addition, this herb may also prove to be helpful in treating poor blood circulation, as it augments the flow of blood to the body’s peripheral regions. It is especially considered too useful for treating Buerger’s disease, a medical condition wherein the arteries in the legs and feet are constricted. As angelica enhances the blood circulation and promotes expulsion of phlegm, it is warming as well as tonic attributes provide relief to patients suffering from bronchitis and other chest conditions that make the sufferer weak. Generally, the roots of the herb are used to treat respiratory problems. However, sometimes the stems, as well as the seeds, may also be used to treat such conditions.

CULINARY USES:

The stems, leaves, and seeds of angelica also have culinary uses.

The stem of this plant is steamed and buttered before serving it like asparagus. Sliced stems of angelica are also perfect for adding essence to roasted pork.

You may also chop the leaves of angelica and add them to rhubarb to make them sugary. In addition, the leaves of this plant are also an excellent add-on for salads, soups, herbal mixes as well as in cooking stock (bouillon) for shellfish and other fish.

You may also sweeten the tender stems of angelica and use them for garnishing desserts and cakes.

The herb can also be used to prepare a refreshing tea. Brew one teaspoonful (5 ml) of dried up herb or about three teaspoons (15 ml) of the crushed leaves of the plant in one cup (250 ml) of boiling water. Set it aside to infuse and then add lemon or honey to it for taste.

The seeds of angelica have a flavor akin to that of juniper and are occasionally used in place of actual juniper berries while making gin.

CRAFT USE

The eye-catching seed heads of the angelica are used in floral arrangements.

The Habitat of Angelica:

Angelica is native to Europe where it is found growing in damp, mountainous areas that have somewhat temperate climatic conditions. In the United States and Canada, angelica is found growing beside shaded streams as well as inside damp ditches. Often people mistake sweet flag (botanical name Acore calamus) or water hemlock (botanical name Cicuta maculata) to be angelica. However, these two species belong to different plant families.

Angelica naturally grows in damp areas. Hence, if you are cultivating this plant, ensure that the soil remains wet all through the growing season. It has a preference for a somewhat acidic soil and the suggested pH range is anything between 4.5 and 7.0. While angelica has a preference for partial shade, it can thrive in sunlight too, subject to the ground being properly mulched.

Angelica is propagated by means of its seeds, directly sown outdoors in spring immediately when the ground is prepared. In order to ensure proper germination, you should only use fresh seeds. Angelica dislikes being transplanted and, hence, you need to sow the seeds in their permanent positions outdoors.

If you are using purchased seeds, it may be necessary to refrigerate them for about four to five weeks before you sow them. In fact, seed suppliers having a good reputation will usually have seeds stored in refrigerators, so you do not need to refrigerate them again. If you are sowing the seeds during the fall, they would require the basic cold treatment throughout the winter months.

In order to germinate properly, angelica seeds need to be exposed to sunlight and, hence, cover them with a thin soil layer.

Alternately, you may also propagate angelica using its root cuttings. However, plants propagated from the seeds are regarded as superior. Maintain a space of about 0.6 m to 1 m (2 feet to 3 feet) between two plants to enable them to grow freely.

Generally, the flowering stalks of angelica emerge in the latter part of spring during the second year of the plant. If grown in areas having cooler climatic conditions, angelica will grow slowly and is unlikely to produce flowers until it has been in existence for three to four years.

Normally, the angelica plant dies soon after blossoming and producing seeds. However, getting rid of the flowering stalks prior to the seeding by the plant may possibly help it to live on for one or two more growing seasons. On the other hand, if the plants allowed seeding, they are likely to grow again on their own.

Angelica plants are vulnerable to crown rot (a fungal disease of plants marked by the rotting of the stem at the base) and also susceptible to invasion by aphids, earwigs, leaf miners and spider mites.

Constituents:

Angelica contains essential oil, valeric acid, iridoid psoralens. Seeds: furocoumarin. Roots: estrogens, tonics, organic acids, salt minerals (potassium, zinc), coumarin derivatives.

Decoction and Tincture:

Therapeutically, angelica is used in decoction and tincture forms.

Decoction: Prepare the decoction by adding one teaspoon of chopped roots of the plant to one cup (250 ml) of water and boil it for about two minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and set it aside for about 15 minutes to infuse. For best results, take this decoction three times daily.

Tincture: The standard dosage of angelica tincture is taking it in measures of 2 ml to 5 ml three times daily. […]

Entire post at the Source: Angelica {Angelica archangelica} – Good Witches Homestead

Ginger {Zingiber officinale} – Good Witches Homestead

Ginger {Zingiber officinale}

Also, Known As:

African Ginger
Ardraka
Black Ginger
Chiang
Gan-Jiang
Ginger
Nagara
Race Ginger
Shen-Jiang
Sunthi

Zingiber officinale, the official name of the common ginger was coined by the famous eighteenth-century Swedish botanist and general naturalist, Carl Linnaeus. While Latinizing the name, Carl Linnaeus also derived the name Zingiber for the generic term, using the Indian Sanskrit name for ginger – singabera, or shaped like a horn.

About 1,400 species of plants are placed in the family Zingiberaceae and the ginger is just another of these plants. It shares equal honors with other famous family members, the spices turmeric – which is a principal component used in curry; it is also an herbal medicine – and the spice cardamom – used extensively in South Asian cuisine. The ginger has a slender stem; ginger is a perennial plant, about 24 to 39 inches in height. Compared to the second and following stems, the first stems are lengthier and also bear beautiful and fragrant flowers. The ginger flowers are greenish yellow and streaked with purple down the sides. Dark green ginger leaves are characterized by a famous midrib that is sheathed at the growing base. The seeds of the ginger appear in the rare fruiting body.

The underground stem of the ginger is the most familiar part of the plant and it is extensively used for commercial as well as domestic purposes. Often mistakenly called the root of the ginger, the irregular shape and size of the underground section of the stem is the most important part of this herb – the plant stores food reserves in this underground stem. The botanically correct term to apply to the underground stem is a rhizome, even if the ginger will probably always be associated with the term root by common people. Whole new ginger plants can self-generate from budded sections, and property of the rhizome is very different to a root, which will die if split into sections. Cultivation of the ginger has been made possible by these buds in the rhizome and the plant has been cultivated in this way for thousands of years. The habitat most suited to the cultivation of ginger are one with a hot and moist climate with some shade; ginger also prefers soil that is well tilled and rich in loam. The rhizome is white to yellow in color and bears thick lobes – it is also very aromatic, a property used in culinary and herbal processes. An unusual exception to this mild color range is one ginger variety, which has a characteristic blue ring, lying in circles inside the fleshy interior – this is one of the most prized varieties of ginger.

Today, the ginger is the most widely cultivated spice around the world. A lot of countries and regions cultivate this spice and different opinions exist as to who grows the best ginger. Any favoritism of a particular variety of ginger is purely a matter of personal taste, as the ginger appears in countless varieties, shapes, and sizes, India alone is said to have an estimated fifty varieties of this versatile herb. Depending on the conditions of the soil and the manner of its cultivation’s, each and every variety of the ginger possesses its own distinctive flavor and aroma. Africa is reputedly the home of the most pungent ginger, while the milder varieties are grown mainly in China. The general agreements are that culinary applications will likely use milder ginger varieties, while the stronger and more pungent varieties are best to prepare ginger beverages and for use in therapeutic herbal remedies.

Oral anti-coagulants are normally prescribed to individuals who suffer from frequent blood clots to help keep their blood free from clots. The compound known as warfarin sodium commonly called coumadin is one of the most frequently used medications in this regard. This compound is also a potent rat poison and taking it in high doses can cause serious internal hemorrhages in the body, especially if it is used over an extended period of time by the person. The ideal substitute for these synthetic blood thinners is ginger root, which can replace the role of this compound in the body. At least some individuals suffering from such problems who took an average of two herbal ginger capsules two times a day in between meals appears to have benefited.

Plant Parts Used:

Rhizome, root, essential oil.

Ginger Tea for Women:

ginger-tea This ginger tea is extraordinarily healing for all female organs and the intestines, as well as for stressed nerves and a sluggish metabolism. […]

The rest of the post at the Source: Ginger {Zingiber officinale} – Good Witches Homestead

Baphomet – secretsoftheserpent

By gserpent

Baphomet2

I can’t even begin to explain how bad the nonsense is on the internet about Baphomet. Baphomet is a symbol or deity that the Knights Templar were supposedly worshipping.
Those that are familiar with my work know I’m going to bring this symbol back down to earth and reveal the truth. To those that are coming to my work for the first time, I ask ”What if you are wrong about Baphomet being Satan”? After you have thought about that, press the continue reading button and we will get on with the truth.

Baphomet comes from the Greek ‘baphe metous’ and it means baptism in wisdom. With all the ridiculous nonsense about Baphomet going around, I can say we have not had a baptism in wisdom. The most ridiculous one I have seen is that Baphomet is a corruption of the name Mohammed. This is coming from modern scholars! Dan Brown came the closest in his novel, The Da Vinci Code, where he said the pentagram was a symbol of the sacred feminine. He is correct because the pentacle and pentagram are the 5 sided star that represent Venus. But Dan Brown knew exactly what he was doing when he named the girl Sophia. Sophia means wisdom. Why am I bringing the pentagram into this post of Baphomet? The goat head is the upside down pentacle.

The pentagram represents spiritual maturation. You can’t be spiritually mature without the sacred feminine. So of course this world is going to let you think that Baphomet is satan. As I have shown before, satan means opposer. Baphomet is symbolizing secret knowledge and sacred architecture. This is why the Masons use Baphomet. All the Templars were Masons and in on the secrets. Do you really think they would put George Washington in a pose of Baphomet if he was a Satan worshipper? Architecture and wisdom is what the Masons were all about at one time. Today it is just a good ol boy network with no knowledge. A pentagram usually has a circle around it. This is the first hint of the true meaning of this symbol. The star by itself represents Venus. The circle is around it whether you view it right side up, upside down or sideways. When you look at it upside down you can see the horn, ears and beard of the goat. I think this was just a coincidence that they were able to put a goat head on an inverted star. The star of Venus has been around forever. Baphomet has only been around since the 10th century.

Although it is believed that the star of Venus is from the pattern the planet Venus makes in the night sky, it has more to do with phi or the golden number. Phi is inherent in the composition of the pentacle or pentagram, but phi is everywhere in nature. The pentacle is how they are putting nature in architecture, mainly the dome. This is why there is a circle around it. The dome in architecture represents the sky, mainly the night sky. Which is the ancient Egyptian Goddess Nut. So the dome in architecture is symbolizing Nut. It is not just the dome, all ancient architecture is using sacred geometry. Math is the universal language. Figure out the measurement any civilization was using and you can read the messages they were leaving. I works the other way too. You can leave a message in math and no matter how far in the future or what language they speak, they will understand. As long as they know the measurement you are using. Stonehenge screams pi. Check out Ralph Ellis’ work to see the message(s).

Most people think they got the head of Baphomet from Pan the goat god. Goat is where we get the word god and good. The Templars did not care about Pan, so it has nothing to do with Pan. The Templars knew the secrets of the bloodline of the biblical Jesus and the biblical family . The goat head was used for the very same reason Alexander the Great wore a goat horn helmet. It has to do with Aries. The biblical family was very powerful in the time of Aries, they were defeated in the time of Pisces. This matriarch family was used to create a patriarch religion in the time of Pisces known as Christianity(See his Royal Jesus). It is why Jesus is associated with the fish(Pisces). The Templars took the star sign of a goddess and put the Aries goat in it for the symbol of historical truth. In previous work I have shown that Egyptian royal females were the Queen of the Stars. Mary, the mother, and Mary Magdalen were Egyptian. This is a major reason the catholic church wanted the Templars gone(see Friday the Thirteenth).

The full-bodied Baphomet was a 19th century invention by Eliphas Levi. He is from France, the same place as Mary Magdalen. He was in the Hermetic, the Rosicrucianism movement and he was a Mason. Levi knew exactly what he was doing when he created the full bodied Baphomet. Having Baphomet point up and down is symbolizing “as above, so below”. To see how ancient architecture is related to the stars see Graham Hancock’s Heavens Mirror. The arms bear the Latin words Solve(separate) and Coagula(join together). This is referring to the same thing the caduceus in his lap is referring to, the separating and coming together of opposite forces. Mainly masculine and feminine forces. This is also why he made Baphomet androgynous, but being a Mason he knew the true history of this earth that I showed you in Lemurian Magic. The wings are the same as the Egyptian gods with wings symbolizing non physical, abstract dynamics, intellect, spiritual, imagination and psychic. Baphomet being seated is symbolizing fixed and embodied archetypes. The legs being crossed is the alchemical symbol for things you can not change. Levi has Baphomet sitting on a cube and this symbolized the same thing as being crucified, that you are enlightened.

Now do you see why Dan Brown used Sophia in The Da Vinci Code as the bloodline of Jesus? Baphomet symbolizes baptism in wisdom. Wisdom in architecture, enlightenment and knowledge of the true history of Jesus. That is why the Templars venerated Baphomet. To the ancients the most desired possession in life was wisdom. Today the most desired possession in life is the newest cellphone. That is why they can take Baphomet and make a religion of satan. The people worshipping Baphomet are worshipping the same thing the Christians are worshipping. Both are ignorant of the true meanings and are letting other people control their lives. I’m betting the people who introduced Baphomet to satan worshippers had a huge laugh while having a drink together. No doubt it was probably wine. You just had a baptism in wisdom. If you think I’m wrong about wisdom being lost in this world, stick a Baphomet picture or statue in your house or yard and sit back and watch the reactions.

One more last thing before I go. I find it very interesting the the phi symbol (ɸ) is made by holding your finger to your mouth and saying shhhh. It is time to quit being so secretive about wisdom in this world.

Source: Baphomet – secretsoftheserpent

Finding and Working with Ancestral Traditions

The Druid's Garden

Grandpa's field Grandpa’s field

When I was a child, my grandfather took my cousins and I to a wild area we later called “Grandpa’s field.” It was a field on the edge of the forest below our houses, the edges rich with crab apples, hawthorns, beeches, and maples. Grandpa had a rusty red tractor, and we’d go into the forest riding on his lap. When we got to his field, we would park the tractor and look for wild mushrooms, wild ginseng, and other wild edibles. He would point out plants and animal tracks and teach us about the forest. After that, we would lay in the field and watch butterflies. When I was only 8 years old, Grandpa died after a hard life in the steel mills. In time, these memories faded and I didn’t remember where Grandpa’s field was. Later in my 20’s, some of my cousins came to…

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Self-Heal, Heal All {Spring Herb} – Good Witches Homestead

You’d think a plant with a name as auspicious as this one would be dramatic and imposing. Instead, it camouflages itself in your lawn. But it has been used internally and externally since at least the 2nd century in both China and Europe. Its botanical name, Prunella, derives from the German word brunella, which comes from die Braune, meaning quinsy {a throat abscess}, for which it was commonly used in the Middle Ages.

Description:

Self-heal is a creeping perennial that volunteers in moist places like woods, pastures, sub-alpine meadows, and, of course, lawns. It sends up a flexible, branching, flowering stalk that can reach 1 foot tall, with soft oval or lance-shaped leaves and beautiful pink to blue-violet flowers on spikes.

True to its name, this herb traditionally “heals all,” from simple eyestrain to whole-body inflammation.

Preparation and Dosage:

Self-heal is used as a tea, in tinctures, and as an extract in capsules and tablet form. Make a strong infusion, and drink 1 to 3 cups a day. For the tincture, use 1 to 2 droppers full of warm water or tea two to four times daily. Follow the label instructions on other products.

Healing Properties:

Self-heal is a great example of a herb that is used both in traditional Chinese and Western cultures. In Europe, the herb has been used since the Middle Ages and is mentioned in 16th-century herbals as a wound-healing herb and a gargle for diseases of the mouth and tongue.

In China, self-heal has been used since at least the 14th-century as a cleansing herb that normalizes liver enzyme output and reduces fevers. In traditional Chinese medical thinking, each internal organ associated with a sense organ, and the liver is associated with the eyes. Thus self-heal tea can be used as either a wash or a tea to help ease eyestrain, red and itchy eyes, sties, and other eye inflammation. The tea or extract can also help relieve dizziness and headaches when these symptoms are associated with a liver imbalance.

Self-heal is loaded with protective and antioxidant compounds known as phenolics, which act as antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties similar to the ones found in pomegranates and green tea. Since the taste is mild and refreshing, the herbal tea or extract can be used regularly as a healthy, calming drink for the liver, the skin, and the whole body.

A number of current studies show that self-heal can protect the blood vessels and has antiviral effects against influenza, herpes sores, and HIV-AIDS.

The entirety of the article at its Source: Self-Heal, Heal All {Spring Herb} – Good Witches Homestead

First New Moon of Spring – Elder Mountain Dreaming

Monthly Lunar Workstudy with Phoenix of Elder Mountain – Happy new year to Mother Earth and we celebrate the 1st New Moon of Spring. I hope that your three winter moon practices left you a little more grounded, at least enough to commit to another year of lunar intention work. The fresh air returns, so open the windows of your soul and let the rebirth begin. The New Moon starts Monday, March 27, 2017 at 7 degrees Aries.

As a practice, lunar work require that we start looking for our signs and synchronicities about two or three days before the actual new moon. We pay attention and keep a mental note, or write what appears in our dream journal to loosen our psyche. This is the gestation period, a time where our soul is already paying attention to the sounds and feelings of the shifts of the moon, our body and mother earths changes.

The origin of our soul before our birth into this world, when we are still in our mothers womb, senses things outside the womb. These are the dreaming moments of the our soul and our soul has a relationship to the energy of moon cycles and the in-between the waking world and the dreaming world. That is why its important to pay attention during the days just before the new moon.

Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights) over winter landscape of northern Canada. Yuichi Takasaka

Now that the three moons of winter are completed, try to keep your intention in the first three New & Full Moons of Spring more simple, because when Summer arrives, the building of emotional energy gets stronger as Summer begins to peak.

In esoteric terms, tarot, astrology, totems, elemental magic or even moon medicine, the beginning of spring, the fool card, or the first house in astrology all mean the same thing symbolically as the first moon of Spring. They all represent our new beginning, our definition of who we are and the embodiment of our soul, whether our soul feels entrapped or free or a bit of both. Its the moon to be alive in the physical world and our physical body, even if we experience these as painful. The beauty of heightened senses, natures sweet smelling flowers, actions and reactions of a fiery life, is like Spring itself, which tells us we are alive.

I have an extra note for Libra people or those with a lot of Libra planets, you will be drawn into other peoples issues this cycle, because there are a lot of Aries planets bunched up. Try not too involve yourself in too much chaos. This moon cycle for everyone else, is to “love and respect” our body, asking our self if you can do that in real terms by settling our worry, eating healthier, reaching for positive ways to work with our emotional stress.

Waterfall Pool, Devon, England The first spring moon brings forth our ‘actions’ and this moons can be somewhat complicated because Aries rule the independent side of relationship, and Libra at the next full moon, who rules the connective sides of relationship (its opposition). Aries rules support, while Libra exposes inequality.

Our intention this month can focus around these types of personal growth, but not all moons are about growth, some are about balance and in the later seasons of the year, they are about death (letting go). Next September, pull out your Aries intention from this moon cycle and see how its completion looked, six moons from now when the Libra new moon comes. This will show you the ‘result’ and manifestation of the first new moon of Spring and the first new moon of Autumn’s relationship in your particular path.

The moon this month is ruled by the element of Fire and fire in regards to relationships, can either be dramatic (intense) or bring warmth (nurturing and compromising) or a little of both which is balanced. All 3 fire moons of the year, when we apply them to our emotional and soul work, is an art of learning to compromise within balance and still be our unique fiery self. Otherwise too much fire and not enough water, can lead to some very destructive accumulations. Emotions will rise quickly, and for some of you this comes more natural, for others it can knock them over and put them into shock. Either way, we have to really work at it with fire moons.

There is no shame in an underdeveloped relationship to our soul, everyone has this remembrance disease (I call it), but those of us who go to swimming practice everyday. We swim towards this unknown soul, we bring along our towel to dry off our tears, we also bring our fears into this moon work. Eventually find ourselves learning to love and respect our self and liking eventually who we become. Every decade we must change, and depending upon our personal fears, how much we invest holistically to heal them, that is the results we should expect when fear rises again in our life. If we do the work, we keep it flowing and can face any fear.

spring

Attempting to get everything to work out smoothly in our lives is a fantasy and fairy tale, because its based on our ‘expectation’ and that is really never fully successful. Expectation is based on mind principles, which is the basis of study, learn and then apply. But our emotional body and soul body doesn’t work that way, so we must practice letting go of expectations in order to live in the present moment, which can help us ground our disappointments. Practicing acceptance is true magic if we wish our life to progress.

Spring’s Enchanted Dream

Lay awake inside your nightly dream

and learn to fly above the moonlit stream.

Seek the ancient guardian of the sea

who is only the reflection of you and me.

Cast your wishes and lots upon the stone, as you
seek your fortunes with a bird’s sharpened knife.
If you should stumble upon the land of trolls

those are the ones who have shaken and
stolen your souls.

But no need to fear, for your treasures are your fate,

find in them, heaven’s fiery gate because dreams
are much more than what they appear.

This Month’s New Moon Intention examples
(choose only one or make up one of your own):

For the newbies: Goals are our relationship to the outer world and Intentions are our relationship to our inner world. Moon work is intentional and inner emotional realities, so we chose one that supports the self. The world then becomes the mirror reflecting our intention.

fall valentino 2015 I love myself
I am beautiful
I am healthy
I feel healthy
I am positive
I am strong

I nurture myself
I respect myself
I assert my will to change
I accept me just as I am
I express personal anger with respect

I practice healthy boundaries
I have safe sexual boundaries
I am honest with myself
I express my competitive nature in positive ways

I am healthy in my body
I express my frustrations
I am grounded
I am focused
I am well rested

It takes mother earth no effort to make herself beautiful in spring, she brings it all forth in what seems effortless and gentle, but we humans have a lot to learn to bring our beauty forth! Believe in you!

Happy New Moon Dreamers!

Sources: Welcome Spring, Louis Janmot (detail) 1845; Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights) over winter landscape of northern Canada. Yuichi Takasaka; Paper art by Romanian artist and illustrator Andrea Dezsö; Waterfall Pool in Devon, England; Moon and Stars dress by Valentino, 2015.

New Moon Chart March 27 2017

Source: First New Moon of Spring – Elder Mountain Dreaming

Yarrow {Achillea millefolium} – Good Witches Homestead

Yarrow {Achillea millefolium}

Family: Asteraceae

It’s said that, as a baby, the great Greek warrior Achilles was dipped in yarrow by his mother, to give him his superhuman strength – but that she held him by his heel. That being the only area not covered, he was of course later slain by an arrow to his Achilles’ heel,” his only weak spot. And don’t forget the medieval teaching that yarrow grew in churchyards as a reproach to the dead who need not have died had they eaten their yarrow. In China, it is believed that even the stalks are powerful; they have been historically used to cast the I Ching.

Description:

Yarrow grows as a low, spreading a mat of finely dissected, aromatic leaves that reach about 1 foot high. Umbrella-shaped clusters of tiny white flowers appear above the foliage in summer on stalks up to 2 feet high. Achillea is native to the entire northern hemisphere {North America and northern Eurasia}. If you want to grow the most potent medicine, stick to the white-flowered species and don’t choose any of the other lovely flower colors that are available in nurseries.

Preparations and Dosage:

Make an infusion by steeping 1/4 cup of the dried flowers in 2 cups of water for 20 to 30 minutes. Drink 1 cup of the tea two or three times daily. This is a mild herb, and it can be taken regularly for 2 to 3 weeks.

A traditional combination of easing fevers and other symptoms of flu is one part yarrow leaf or flower, one part elder flower, and one part peppermint leaf. Infuse the herb combination for 30 minutes and drink it throughout the day as desired.

The leaf is well known for its ability to stop bleeding when applied directly to a wound, and you can carry it dried and powdered in your first aid kit.

Healing Properties:

Yarrow tea is slightly bitter and aromatic and is a famous European remedy used to ease the symptoms of colds, flu, painful digestion, “liver stagnation” {weak bile flow} accompanied by poor fat digestion, and a feeling of fullness after meals, especially fatty ones. Laboratory studies have definitively established that yarrow has anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic {relaxing the smooth muscles found in the uterus and digestive tract}, anti-fever, and antiviral effects. As an extra bonus, yarrow seems to have a calming effect, which can help with PMS and other nervous conditions, and it stops bleeding when applied to a wound.

It turns out that there is a fair amount of variation in the chemistry and biological actions in wild yarrow populations, so we recommend growing your own from seed or from plants obtained from one of our recommended sources rather than purchasing plants from nurseries or gathering them from wild populations.

Safety:

Avoid yarrow during pregnancy and while nursing unless you are under the guidance of an experienced herbal practitioner. Allergic reactions to members of the Asteraceae family, though rare, are known in sensitive individuals. They can manifest as a skin rash {even from just handling the herb, which is more likely with the fresh plant}, digestive upset, or headaches.

In the Garden:

Yarrow is found from sea level to above the timberline in the wild, so you know it is highly adaptable. It thrives in full sun but can tolerate partial shade, loves water but can endure mild drought, is winter hardy, and spreads quickly in cultivated {or disturbed} soil. It does like poor, acidic conditions, so do not fertilize it. Let it dry out between waterings.

You can grow yarrow from seed if you sow in the fall or stratify the seed before planting. {It’s often sown directly.} But root division is another good method and can help control the plant since it has a tendency to spread.

Harvesting Yarrow:

Snip off the flower clusters when it’s in full white bloom {no color varieties, please and thank you}, and then cut the stalk all the way to the ground to encourage further blooming. You can harvest the leaf at any time of year. For drying, you can also cut long flowering stalks and use the hanging method, snipping the flowers off later. Keep the whole flower clusters intact when you store them.