My altar all cleaned up for the new year!
Amanita muscaria
Tuesday this week I was out walking dogs near my home and found three Amanita muscaria v. formosa, two had been trampled but one was just starting to bloom. I admired it in the morning and took a closer look in the afternoon. As I bent to take a photo I just barely touched it with my finger to see if I could get a look at the gills underneath, the head popped right off. I felt terrible, not meaning to pick it until it had bloomed/opened. I thought about it and hoped it wasn’t entirely my fault, these are sturdy mushrooms, my gentle touch was not enough on it’s own to damage it. So I nabbed the cap and stem, having a talk with it on my way home. I am terribly interested in actually trying this mushroom for spiritual purposes but with a small child I don’t want to lay my life in my very inexperienced hands. The mushroom, who I will use “they” pronouns for, was curious as to why I was so very excited to find it. I did my best to explain the whole oak tree connection, and the Mother of Rot/Mushrooms thing, and the spiritual journey with mushrooms but for the toddler bit. They seemed quite pleased by my attention so made an offer. Take them home, dry and place in a jar on my altar and they would offer as much assistance as they could without actually being ingested. I offered to gather one of each of the Amanita’s that I come across in my travels and place them all in the jar together, the whole family together. They seemed very pleased by this idea and agreed. So into the oven they went.
Last Wednesday, the 21st, while working I came across two immature Amanita muscaria var. muscaria. I was lucky enough this Wednesday to go by the same spot and they were still there! I picked the one that had opened completely, leaving the unopened one to w/Whoever wanted it. This one had a quieter disposition, wasn’t as chatty as the yellow Amanita had been. I explained the situation, they were pleased to be gathered. They are both now in a jar on my altar with a few of the oak leaves they were found in. They are quite pleased. So am I really. I already love putting things in jars on my altar and around my home. Now I need to read up on the others I need to find. My other favourite name for these mushrooms is now berserkur, that’s the Icelandic common name for them.
Speaking
This is so important and so relevant to my life. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking. I love it.
Working with the dead is rough They brush your mind, with little thought to how raw they feel Their lives spill out upon you without filters, the ones who share the most, open skies raining on your head The Disir and the Väter can be the roughest When They speak, They speak in power It […]
He’s Home
Wednesday’s are usually O/our day. He will be no more then a whisper, a shadow for weeks at a time but Hermes always shows up for our weekly date. Last week He was late, this week He showed up early, the Tuesday night instead of the Wednesday morning. I found out my friend had passed away that day, He said it was why He came home early. He’s home now in the sense that He won’t be leaving on any Hunts while I’m conscious. More like His behaviour last year at this time. As I was gushing over Him because He was HERE, I apologized for calling on Him so much recently since this time of year is hard on Him. He smiles, stroking my cheek; His hands are dirty, He still smells of blood and sweat and horses. He whispered softly as He pulled me into His arms.
My love is boundless.
Then He played me this song, while it isn’t “O/our” song, it is still very fitting. Much love to my SisterWife for introducing me to the song in the first place.
Soldier by Gavin DeGraw
Facets of Hermes, Ritual at Pantheacon
Reblog because Hermes
The Pantheon 2016 schedule is up! See it here: https://pantheacon2016.sched.org This ritual, led by me, will be a friendly and authentic introduction to my favorite trickster. Hermes was frequently a household deity in the ancient world, and thus, I have decided to make the ritual for him family-friendly. Hermes and I have been working together […]
http://magickfromscratch.com/2015/10/23/facets-of-hermes-ritual-at-pantheacon/
Hail Matthew Berube
Found out this evening that a dear friend passed away today. He had been unwell but I thought he was on the mend. No details yet in how he passed.
Hail Matthew Berube! Good and loyal friend, amazing drummer, icon in my world at least. That which is remembered is never lost. Hail the Beloved Dead!
Daily Devotions
Life is hard right now. I’ve been keeping up with my morning/evening lighting of the altar, and burnt offerings when feasible. Burnt offerings equal the compound incense I made recently. Once it has dried for another week or two there will be a small amount available in my shop. I’ll post a link when it’s all ready to go.
Dealing with emotional stress from various points. Finances are tight. My little family and I are exhausted. Much love goes to my non-corporeal family right now for being so supportive and awesome. Not that T/they are ever unsupportive, I’ve just been calling on T/them to help me a lot this past week. A lot as in multiple requests from me per hour, let alone per day.
There are some spooky type Things going on that I’m not ready to share yet but it is at once fascinating and terrifying. When I have the spoons I’ll write about it.
Mother
Mother Morrigan whispered to me, was it today? Perhaps yesterday? My sense of time is terrible at the best of times. I digress though, She whispered to me, as I looked at the gorgeous new black with red flower dishware my hubby(the mortal one) bought us recently.
“Hard times are coming My child.”
Sometimes when She speaks She reminds me of how black Southern women are sometimes portrayed. (She shifts into Voodoo/Houdou quite easily for me). Child came out more like “chile”.
Her wings are strong and bear me up.
“There’s a storm coming chile…”
She’s straight out of New Orleans now.
Well the storm hit about an hour ago. I’m hoping I can stop crying now. I may or may not share details since it’s really super private personal stuff. But yeah. There has been much ugly but quiet crying. I LOATHE CRYING. Now my sinuses are plugged and my eye balls feel like they might pop out of my head from the sinus pressure. Ugh. All will be well, nothing life threatening going on or anything. Just some heavy emotional shit going on right now.
Thank You, Mother, for the warning. Thank You for holding me in this storm.
Flora and Fungi, October 8th 2015
Autumn is here in full force, a bit warmer then usual but the rains have returned and the leaves are turning quickly now. I adore mushrooms, my Mother-In-Law is taking me mushroom picking in a couple weeks. I happily gobble up her knowledge and she is overjoyed to share this skill that she truly loves. It’s a family thing, her Dad took her as a child in Poland. Anyway, I digress, enjoy the photo’s!
Dirt Sorcery
Yes!! This is a great read!! It also matches my thoughts on magic pretty much exactly.
Read the full article here.
So dirt sorcery is the kind of magic one does ‘down here’, down in the dirt, down in the street, in bed with your lover, with a shovel in your garden. It may have it’s transcendent aspects, but the goal is not to transcend this existence. That will happen in it’s due time, there no need to leave before the party is over!
Dirt sorcery suggests instead that you enjoy the hell out of it, this time in this body, made from dirt. Strong or weak, young or old, growing or failing. Living or dying. It’s a beautiful thing. All of it.
A Matter of Faith 