Of The Goddess Sisterhood

April 2011

If we all did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves.
Thomas Edison
Many times when we are working magic, we run into road blocks that either dampen
the results or keep it from working altogether. One of the possibilities for this could be
stuck energies, within or around us. Fluorite will open up those blockages, allowing
some fluidity to our magic. The varying colors of this stone can be used unblock any of
the 7 major chakras for any magical work or physical healing work. Fluorite can also be
used to ground excess energy, channel, communicate between dimensions, and amplify
the effects of other stones, depending on what color that you are working with. Place
the stones on your chakras to release the stuck energies of that area. This really is a very
versatile stone that every witch should have in her magical cabinet if she does a lot of
healing work.

Purple

Magical Properties- aids in meditation and psychic development, helps with

spiritual peace, helps to make decisions regarding spiritual commitment,
channeling, Crown and 3rd Eye chakras

Healing Properties – skin ailments, heals wounds, alleviates rheumatism,

arthritis, and spinal injuries, muscular system, strengthens bone tissue

Green

Magical Properties – all levels of healing, helps us in mentally grasping issues

with the heart so healing may begin, personal growth, calming, gives us courage,
self love, absorbs & discharges negative energy, Heart chakra

Healing Properties – heart, hormones, immune system, respiratory ailments

Blue

Magical Properties – helps with karmic issues, calming, restores emotional

balance, promotes order and practicality, Heart chakra
Healing Properties – throat, nose, ears

Yellow

Magical Properties – focus, alliance, creativity, supports learning

Healing Properties – digestion, liver, pancreas

Clear

Magical Properties – strengthens consciousness, guards against psychic attack,

gives light & filters dark, Crown & 3rd Eye chakras

Healing Properties – pineal gland, central nervous system

Rainbow

Magical Properties – healer on all 3 levels – spiritual, emotional, & mental,

helps bring awareness to problems and then begins to heal them, balances and
heals for all chakras
As we head into April we are heading into the new born season of Spring and the element of
Air. Many of us will have the uncontrollable urge to clean out our houses, get rid of the old and
make room for the new. Some of us will have deep stirrings to create, to write, or to just go
outside and breathe in the warm, revitalizing Spring Air. This is a time of our own rebirth and
emergence from our winter caves. It is a time to plant, whether it is spiritual seeds to manifest
desires or physical seeds to manifest crops, now is when we should begin tilling a preparing
the “ground” to accept the seeds, to nurture the young roots and to encourage our personal
crops to grow abundantly. This is also when we find ourselves influenced by the ever resilient
and fast forward moving sign of Aries, so if you wonder why you cannot keep your mind still,
but feel the need to get things going, well blame it on that wonderful steamroller Aries, the
young feisty Fire sign of Springs.
Spring has Sprung and it is time to enjoy the newness of this year. Go outside and smell the
newness, feel the cold but active earth under your feet. Stop and listen to the birds sing as
they return and begin to nest for the season. Pay attention to the “life” of everything that
is emerging. Take some time to work with the element of Air, get reconnected with your
inspiration and creativity and you might find a new solution to an old problem. It is a magical
time of being able to look at things through new young eyes. Having trouble working with Air,
try this technique found at http://asiya.org/index.php This is a great resource website.

Exercise that helps you increase awareness of, harmonize with, and come into balance with the
magical element of Air.

Each of the four elements has aspects of temperature - cool or warm - and humidity - dry or
moist. Air has the qualities of being warm and moist.

Week 1

Observe those things around you that have the combined qualities of warmth and moistness. All
the element equalities are relative. Steam is a form of Air, and it has much more moisture and
warmth that does the vapor from dry ice. However, that cold vapor from the dry ice also has Air
within it. See if you can determine the relative Airy qualities as you experience them. Take your
time as you make a list of all these things; do this for one week.
Week 2

Find a spot where you can be alone. Take with you an outdoor reclining lounger or folding chair.
The idea is to be elevated above the ground and have as much of the physical air surrounding
your body as possible. Remove all of your clothing and lie on the lounger or sit in the chair. If
you can't find a place where this is possible, wear as little clothing as you can. Begin by doing
the Relaxation Exercise. Next, become very aware of your breath. Become aware of the slow in-
and-out motion of the physical air. Notice the way the air feels as it comes in through your nose,
goes down your air pipe and into your lungs. Sense or imagine the interchange of oxygen and
carbon dioxide within your lungs, and feel the CO2 laden air as it goes out of your lungs, through
your air pipe and out your nose and mouth.
Now imagine that your entire body is nothing but a large breathing apparatus. Imagine that
every part of your body has only the function of breathing. Further, visualize that your skin is
part of this system. As you physically breathe, imagine that every pore of your skin is also
breathing. However, just as your lungs breathe in physical air, your pores should be breathing in
elemental Air. Feel it going in and out of you, cleansing and purifying your entire body.
Try this at different times of the day and if possible, at different locations. Air is the second most
changeable of the elements and you can experience it in many different ways. Do this daily for
at least a week.
Week 3

3) Spend up to three minutes once a day imagining that you are the element Air. Feel the
lightness, the floating giddiness, the warmth and moisture of Air. Feel how physical things don't
seem to matter and learn the true meaning of the term "airhead". This isn't said in jest, but in all
seriousness. Become Air.
Do this for one week only. Don't repeat it for at least a month and don't repeat it more often
than one week at a time. Otherwise, you may absorb too much Air: having trouble finishing your
normal work, acting like an actual "airhead".

Week 4

One you've learned how to "be Air", the next step is to take greater conscious control of Air.
Take a moment and imagine yourself to be Air. Bring the feeling of being Air into your
consciousness. Next, hold your hands nine to twelve inches apart, palms facing each other.
Visualize a bottle or box between your hands. Inhale.
As you exhale, visualize all of the Air element that is in you going out with your breath and into
the container between your hands. Three to five breaths is usually enough to fill it. Then, with
three breaths, inhale it back into yourself and go back to normal consciousness.
This will allow you to see whether you really have become not only in harmony with Air, but also
if you are able to control the element.
Uses

The next time you feel heavy, bloated, slow, or lazy (which are signs of a shortage in yourself of
Air), form your Air container. Then, with one big inhalation, draw the contents of the container
back into you. Within five minutes, you should feel relaxed and refreshed, lighter and anxious to
do those tasks you wish to do.
The next time you feel lightheaded, giddy, overly silly, unstable, etc. (which are signs of excess in
yourself of Air), again form your Air container; only this time, visualize a large hole in the ground
and drop the container into that hole. Quickly see the hole close. You should feel grounded and
more balanced in a few minutes, but you may have to repeat this up to three times to feel
completely normal.
April 10 1-4pm Rocky Mountain Witch Hat Society, "Spring has Sprung" Luncheon
LINK

April 16th Benefit to bring Katya Home

LINK

April 17th OTGS Beltania Ritual Practice and Workday (location to be announced)

April 23rd Mythica's Mid Summer's Night Dream Party

LINK

April 24th OTGS Beltania Ritual Practice and Workday (location to be announced)
(For those who survive the party the night before)
April 30th OTGS Beltane
Last day to register for Beltania

May 5-8 Beltania Festival

May 7th OTGS Women's Mysteries Ritual, "Living the Magic of the Maiden"
Beltania Festival - Set up and run through 2ish (Ritual from 4-6)
WOMEN’S MYSTERIES RITUAL AT BELTANIA
This year we will present the Women’s Mysteries Ritual at Beltania. If you are going please
participate. We will be doing a ritual called something like, “Living the Magick of the Maiden”
where we will be doing a fun quirky but serious ritual working with maiden energy.

If you participate, the color we are all wearing unless told differently is Dark Forrest Green.
Please let me know if you want to participate in this ritual. There will be one run through
hopefully before Beltania and a run through the day of the ritual which will be Saturday May 7th
from 4-6.
In circle, we use salt to help us create sacred space so we are all aware if its purification
and protection qualities and it has been used for centuries for many different applications
in different civilizations. For example, the Catholic Church uses it to prepare holy water
and some Native American tribes use it on wounds in order to draw out unhealthy spirits.
Salt is a very powerful herb that absorbs and holds psychic energy. It is for this reason
that it is so successful at the purification and protection that we know it for. In order to
obtain purification and protection, you don’t always have to place an object in salt or
sprinkle salt around in a specific area. You can also use it in food to obtain the same
results. However, keep in mind that since it does absorb energy, consuming too much
salt will deplete any psychic activity, making it difficult to perform psychic tasks. Since
it does hold energy it can be used to transfer a wish or spell to the higher powers. You
can do this by first making your wish/spell and then throwing it in the fire to burn where
the energy is released. You can use water as well, with the water carrying your wish
or take away and burdens that you infuse into the salt. You can also use salt to clear
any aura attachments and burn them or have water carry them away. Salt is sometimes
forgotten even though we almost always have on hand. I think as humans, we tend to
make things more difficult than they need to be so when a situation arises, we reach for
a more complicated approach rather than a simple one. If we look at salt with new eyes,
maybe we can come up with different applications for its use. If we change our view
from it being purely for protection and protection purposes and look at it as it absorbs
energy, the applications are really quite endless.

Mystical Properties – absorbs psychic energy, protection, purification

Healing Properties – anti-allergic when used topically, relieves stiffness and muscle
cramps, soothes skin, natural disinfectant, reduces inflammation and infection
As witches, altars are an integral part of our practice. They are a place of worship, work,
prayer, meditation and magic. These sacred places give us peace and comfort when it is
needed, making us feel better just by being in their presence. I am lucky in that I have
my own room dedicated to worship. It is my own personal sanctuary and I can not even
begin to express how much peace and comfort it has brought me through the years. Like
I said…..I am lucky. Not everyone has the luxury of having their own altar, let alone
their own room dedicated to magic. Space constraints and being in the broom closet
often keep witches from having their own altar. Let’s face it, its easy to stay in the broom
closet when you have your own worship room. You can close the door and explain to
company that it’s your storage room. However, what do you do when you don’t have a
separate room? Whether you are in the broom closet or are a slave to a smaller space,
you can still have an altar, you just have to think outside of the box a bit. Every witch
should be able to have their own sacred space and I hope you find inspiration in the
following ideas, even though some you have undoubtedly heard of before. Because there
is so much information regarding altars, I will be presenting the information in a 4 part
series: Portable, Out of the Way, Elemental, and Hidden/Disguised.

Next Month: Out of the Way Altars

Portable altars are a great way to take your magic anywhere you go. They can be used
where you live and put away to keep them away from prying eyes or you can take them
to a place in nature if you get the urge. Choose a medium sized box or a cigar box and
decorate it as you like. The box itself can be used as the table to place your altar items
on during rituals or worship. Inside, when not in use, choose items small enough to
fit inside the box. An old cloth napkin can be used as an altar cloth, a small stick for a
wand/air, a birthday candle for fire, small bottle of water (an old spice jar) or a sea shell
for water and a small bag or bottle of salt or dirt for earth. A small camping cup, about
the size of a shot glass, can be used to hold water or the representation for earth, and
don’t forget a small lighter.

For the element representations, you can also use crystals or gemstones, or you can have
an altar that is made up of crystals and gemstones only. Choose stones that are specific
to the elements such as moss agate, onyx or malachite for earth, carnelian or yellow
calcite for air, lava rock or sunstone for fire, or coral for water. Moonstone can be used
to represent Goddess and if you so desire, you can use a crystal wand or a quartz point as
an athame. You can wrap the crystals in a cloth that can be used as an altar cloth later, tie
it up and place in your purse or in your car to be used whenever you feel the need arise.

Do you carry tarot cards with you wherever you go? If so, they can be used as an altar as
well. The Empress card can be used to represent Goddess and the Ace cards of each suit
are representations of the elements.
New Moon – April 3rd, 8:32 am

Full Moon – April 17th, 8:44 pm

Moon names – Pink Moon, Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon, Full Fish Moon, Seed
Moon, Wind Moon

This moon is sometimes referred to as the Pink Moon, named for the color of the wild
ground phlox which is one of the earliest of the spring flowers. It is also known as the
Full Fish Moon because this is the time of year that river herrings swim upstream to
spawn.

This is the time of year where the winds are picking up in the spring time weather,
blowing seeds from plants and trees, spreading them around and create new buds of life.
During this April full moon, also known and the seed moon, magical workings for new
beginnings are in order. Take those plans that you’ve been making and put them into
action. Make those changes that you’ve been longing to make. Plant the seeds of change
and make them come to fruition.
What do you do for a living?
Digital Production Services Coordinator, Penrose Library, University of Denver. Basically supervise people
scanning things - books, journals, photos, slides, negatives and anything else we can fit on the scanners.
I've scanned stethoscope parts, war medals and cross stitch samplers. I have 4 scanners, the largest and
most expensive one talks.

How did you get on your path?

At some point I realized there were still pagans, goddess worshipers, druids etc.. that they were still out
there now not just in history and fiction books so I started reading and decided it fit me.

Do you follow a particular path?

No, VERY eclectic and very simple, not really much for a lot of ceremony/ritual when I do things on my own.
For me it's all internal, I don't feel the need for much external stuff. I actually rarely even speak out loud
when I do my own work.

What kind of tools do you use (is herbs, oils, stones, etc)
I'm most likely to use candles, they are something I can use to focus easily. Sometimes oils and occasionally
herbs or stones.

Whats going on in your life right now?

Let me 'splain ... No, there is too much. Let me sum up : Divorce finally final after
husband of 15 yrs disappeared came back & disappeared again, Drastic (unwanted)
job description change at work which I'm still trying to adjust to, moved into an
apartment alone, fending of creditors because my ex left me owing money - he's
literally disappeared so they can't go after him, and trying to figure out how to be
single and date again.