Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Eye of Nuit - One Month Later

So, today is the one month anniversary of our store.  In that time, I have seen the building blocks of the dreams I've had for many years starting to set in place.

I wanted a great little shop where wiccans, witches & pagans could come and not only pick up the items they need, but also find cool stuff they didn't know existed.  Everyone would walk in the door and "See, Hear & FEEL the MAGICK"  Apparently we've achieved that because we hear time and time again "You have a really nice shop!"  One aspect that definitely enhances this is the fact that our landlord allowed us to bring my familiars Nuit & Nessa Rose to the shop.  While Nuit isn't such a big fan of Going To Work, Nessa Rose LOVES to come to the store and help show people around. 

It was important to me that the prices be reasonable.  As a consumer, I really detest being grossly overcharged.  Apparently we've achieved that because one of the comments we hear over and over is "Wow!  Your prices are really great!"  Witchcraft on a Budget is what we're all about!

There needed to be space for classes, workshops & rituals.  The retail space we chose offered just that.  In January, we will be offering our first class - Crystal Healing I, and have had lots of responses from those wishing to attend.  In addition to this, the Pittsburgh Black Hat Society has chosen our location for monthly "Meetups". 

We have met so many wonderful people, and made many new friends.  The value of this cannot be measured by what's in the cash register each night.  And this, my friends, is what my dream was all about.  We didn't just open a store.  We opened a Treasure Chest!

In Her Service,
~Snowy

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

T Minus Turkey and Counting

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On this Eve of the Giving of Thanks, I wanted to take a few minutes and share my thoughts.

The Thanksgiving holiday is one predominantly celebrated by Americans, and Canadians.  I hear it's celebrated in other countries as well.  I've read conflicting accounts of how exactly this Turkey Day celebration came to be.  History always has a habit of not only repeating itself, but rewriting itself.  If you ask me, there's actually a Goddess up there somewhere named "Hystery".  Or maybe she's a Muse...

But I digress.  While Thanksgiving to us Americans means lots of turkey, corn, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, family gatherings, parades and FOOTBALL - it also provides one day a year for us to express our "Thanks" for all that we have.

HUH??  One day a year??  Well that's just wrong. What about the other 364 days in the year that we live our lives, receiving blessings and bounty from up above and from the earth?

No matter the spiritual path you follow, I challenge each and every one of you to set aside a few moments during each day to express thanks for what you have, as well as the blessings and bounties you will receive.  Even during the most difficult times in our lives, I believe it's important to reflect upon what we have to be thankful for.  Focusing on the good helps to ground and center us so we can weather any storm.

On this day of Thanks, from our household to yours, we wish you lots of abundance and joy and all the pumpkin pie you can eat! 

In Her Service,

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

A Word from Nuit

They say cats have 9 lives.  Well THIS cat isn't so sure about that.  Although, if you press the issue it really is my own fault if I don't make it to Life Number Nine.

You see, I recently tasked my owner Snowy with the biggest project of her life.  That was to create, design, open, and manage what would be deemed the BEST New Age/Wiccan Metaphysical Shop in the Pittsburgh Area.  I wanted people of all paths to have a place where they could not only shop, but experience the joy of Magick.  When people step through the door, they would immediately feel the mundane world shrink behind them, and be surrounded by beautiful things, soothing tones, and lots of positive energy.  I wanted them to be surrounded by all 5 of the Elements:  Earth, Air, Fire, Water - and Spirit.

So what does my owner do?  She plasters herself in front of the computer all day long before opening the shop in the afternoon.  Why?  She says "We need INTERESTING, FUN AND USEFUL PRODUCTS!"  "We need to get the word out to the masses".  Pshaw.  I would think that a shop such as this would just naturally attract those of like minds.  And it has.  But she wants MORE.

She wants lots of people who are interested in all sorts of exciting topics such as Wicca, Tarot, Runes, Healing, Crystals, Meditation, and the like.  Why?  Because she wants to hold *CLASSES and WORKSHOPS*.  She wants to SHARE KNOWLEDGE.  I'm a cat - what do I know from SHARING?

As you can imagine... she's NOT sharing much in my FOOD BOWL these days.  

That's all for now.  I'm going to check out the Dog Food Bowls... perhaps there's a Kibble in there I can choke down.

Mews to Youse,
Nuit

The Witches Pyramid


The Witches Pyramid, as seen through the eyes of SnowyOwl
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Performing Practical Magick in an Impractical World

An old teaching, it has been said that it comes from ancient ceremonial magicians (magus, magi).  These are the five basic laws of witchcraft, and what you'll find in the teachings of most any wiccan coven or tradition.  They are derived from the "Magician's Manifesto", also known as the "Hermetic Quaternary".  They each have an elemental correspondence:

1:  To Know - (East - Air)

They say knowledge is power.  I believe this to be true.  Knowledge comes from reading, learning and understanding the powers of the many elements of magick.  Read every book you can, but know that not all books will present the exact same concepts - especially when it comes to basic spell-writing structure.  Take from them what resonates with you.  Know your occult correspondences - numerology, moon phases, astrological correspondences, symbols & sigils, tarot, runes, etc.  These are immutable and absolute.  Learn them, know them, live them.  

Most importantly:  KNOW YOURSELF.  You should know exactly what it is you want, what outcome you desire.  There's also an old saying that "KNOWLEDGE IS POWER".  A witches power comes from within, as well as from the universe.  That power is enhanced by learning, seeking, and experiencing.

2:  To Will - (South - Fire)

Now that you have all this knowledge, can you bring forth the desire needed to perform the act/spell/ritual?  Believe in yourself, believe in your magick.  That generates the desire, the will.  

3:  To Dare - (West - Water)

To explain this, I'll take the standard dictionary definition of the word "dare" and run with it.  You need sufficient courage.  Have the courage to contend against, venture or try (to perform that action).  Challenge yourself to perform an action, especially as proof of that courage.  You may have read all the books there are to read, and written the perfect spell, but if you don't DARE yourself to perform the act - you'll never manifest the outcome you are looking for.

4:  To Be Silent - (North - Earth)

As I'm writing the above (#4), I pictured the earth - and more broadly the universe, that we live in.  So much of the beauty of this earth is manifested silently.  Seeds planted, roots take hold, trees and plants and flowers bud and blossom.  Outwardly, stars and planets align.  All silently.  

But, To Be Silent means just that.  It's going to hurt you in the long run if you finish your spell or ritual, and then go chatting about it with friends in the mundane world.  All of the energy you built up and released during your spell work will dissipate - much like sticking a pin in a balloon.  Think of all the energy you put out when blowing up a balloon.  If there is one pinhole, that balloon will deflate.  You may think that if you tell your best friend, he or she is going to just support you and infuse more positive energy.  You don't know that for sure.  Why take chances?  

5: Love (Above - Spirit)

Didn't think about this one, did you?  Well, I'm throwing it in here because it's a part of my belief.  As I said earlier, a witches power comes not only from within, but from without.  That's Spirit.  The Universe, The Gods and Goddesses.  Make sense?  It's my belief that any magick born out of hatred, rather than love, will not only fail miserably - but more than likely backfire on you, creating an even BIGGER set of problems.  Some call it "karma".  You decide.

Now - you might say, "But Snowy, I HATE that person who hurt me, hurt an animal, hurt a child, etc., and I want to do something to STOP them!".  Ok, I get it.  But remember this:  do your magick out of LOVE of the one who has been hurt, not HATRED for the one performing the mean or nasty deed.  If the act was against you - do a spell for yourself that will protect you or change your way of thinking so that those actions do not affect you any longer.  Remove the person from your life the mundane way and do magick to give yourself the courage to keep it that way.  It's my belief that love really does conquer all.

I hope you find this both interesting and informative.  
Please do not share or re-post without my express written consent.  

In Her Service,
SnowyOwl