​Greetings folks, I hope this Monday has greeted you well & that your respective weekends were enjoyable.

I've been exchanging emails with a dear friend of mine and something he said got me thinking about a concept worth bringing to the table: offerings of gratitude. In my line of work, one spends a lot of time working to bring various desires and wants into manifestation, and this gives me a greater field of data to observe and understand. Through much in the way of analysis on my part, I've found a few trends and I seek to share one of those trends with you today.

It has been my experience that those who are consistently thankful for what they've got tend to receive more in the way of boons than those who are selfish & entitled. Neither attitude is immune to disappointment, but both attitudes have a direct effect on the nature of the magical effects achieved, and the difference between what these mindsets receive in turn is generally pretty staggering.

There are paths in which this is simply understood, and this concept is essentially the basis for the ideas around the Law of Attraction. If we boil it down, the takeaway is essentially that by being positive & appreciative of the boons we have in our lives, we're going to enjoy more of those boons. With spirits like St. Expedite, its simply well known that if you thank him publicly, more good things tend to occur.

I would suggest that you use this to your advantage and offer thanks to the spirits you work with for any and all boons brought to your table. Be mindful of what you ask for and further mindful of what you receive in turn, as gratitude is a currency of serious worth. We all like to work for those who are appreciative of our efforts, and the same can be said for spirits. ;)

Blessings,
SE

This quote, penned above, is something I heard of a voice deep, full of resonance and emotion. I am quite familiar with this voice, as he's been alongside me for many, many years now.

Normally, I don't share these things with others, but its clear that he wanted those words spoken here. They are to be the basis for a lesson, and so here we are.

We get bent out of shape, in life, over the institutions we see and interact with. So enclosed and ensorcelled are we by our Office that we forget what occurs outside of whatever institution we represent. We are not defined by these things, however, and we become so enamored by what they represent to others that we forget to become enriched by them.

Take pride in your vocation, but do not let life's busy-ness take you away from what is important. Don't let it dissuade you from time with your families, nor keep you from being a decent person. Those things matter to an extreme, as when its time to call for aid, those who have watched you make an ass of yourself will remember.

These are essentially "shower thoughts", but it strikes me as an important memo to share. 

Enjoy your day.
~PN/-SE


PS: Your station can change in an instant. Who you are at your core cannot.

​Every tradition has its own Day of the Dead or like holiday during which our ancestors and holy dead are acknowledged and plied with offerings. For me, one of those times is the end of the year, right around Christmas: specifically, for the week of Yule and the remainder of the year, up through December 31st.

When this time is upon us, I like to take time to reflect on them, their virtues, and what I know of them. I tell their stories, I share alcohol and food with them, and I pay them homage. This is a pertinent form of spiritual practice. Our ancestors are the bits that make up the sum of our beings, and thus they probably have the most vested interest in our success and happiness. As a result, this process of Ancestor Worship is right up there with divination and meditation, representing no small importance.

 If you'd like to get in on this and honor those that came before us, I would recommend procuring the following: a beer your family would enjoy (or beer you yourself would enjoy if you're not familiar with their tastes), hard liquor (scotch or rum), tobacco, apple cider, and baked goods (your choice). Set it out upon a place that won't be disturbed by the living, and say the following prayer:

"Lady Hela, we ask that you cast open the veil and allow our ancestors near.
Let them close to the fire, to partake and to hear.
They are valued by us, and represent the core of our beings,
Please let them through, to sit with us this season.
Ancestors mine, recent and ancient,
Share with us your wisdom and enjoy this placement."

Sit with this some, and be aware that you have guests. At the close of the festivities, be sure to dismiss them and thank them for joining you and your family.

Blessings,
SE

PS: For those unaware, Hela is the Norse Goddess who is in charge of the dead and their placements. It is she who can open the road to communicate with her, and she has nothing to do with the concept of Hell.

​Hello there folks,

The holiday season is fast approaching once again, and with it comes the Winter. While Winter's coming down the pipes, I find that there's an element of homemaking and care that becomes considerably more important as a result, so I'd like to talk a bit about what you can do to empower yourself and do this more effectively. 

In the States, there's a pretty strong tradition of the Holidays being a time when women work the hardest. They clean the home for guests, cook meals for family, plan outings and get-togethers, coordinate activities for children, and essentially handle the lion's share of all there is to occur and manage at the home. This is HARD work, its important work, and its something that I don't see a whole lot of chatter about in the magical world.

In the Norse traditions, there's an aged Goddess who is both gentle and stern, wonderful and willful. She caretakes the home, handles the hearth, cooks a hell of a meal, and acts as a wonderful hostess. I received direction from her recently while partaking in a Winter Nights rite to honor the departed ancestors. This Goddess asked that I use my position to empower women, as far too little is known or discussed about female deities that aren't either a) sexy and interesting, or b) associated with childbirth and motherhood. There's not much of an in-between getting explored, yet that is where the real magic of maintaining and growing occurs.

As such, I am starting upon this with Frigga, the All-Mother of Norse Heathenry. She's the wife of Odin, the God of War, the Lead of the Wild Hunt, and a God of Runic Sorcery. She's a badass in her own right: she's as fierce as the day is long, as warm as a fire on a winter's day, and as compassionate and loving as any mother should be.

This is a woman and Goddess I personally look up to, as she's taught me many things that I never thought I wanted to know. I've come to her for inspiration around sewing, painting, cooking, mothering my critters, being a better father, and being a better husband. Now, I bring to you a blot (pronounced "bloat") in her honor that you can perform to bring her influence into your home.

"Frigga, All Mother and Wife of Odin, I call out to you this day.
Come to me and enjoy the warmth of my home and space,
Bringing your gifts of wisdom and mature love
So that I might learn from you and better care for my family.

She of the happy hearth and busy hall,
Breadmaker, seamstress, and maker of mead.
Gracious gifter of bounty and bond,
I ask that you join me and help me
Lead my family rightly."

When you've completed this prayer, light a candle for her, pour her some wine, and then start working on home-bound tasks. Cook dinner, budget, play with your kids, as all of these things are sacred to her and are means of invoking her aid. I most strongly find her present when I'm away from work, focusing on mundane tasks that need doing in a consistent, regular fashion.

When I do so, my home becomes a kind of crossroads, and spirit and human alike are left feeling inspired, happier, and more joyous. Its a simple enough thing, but its simple enough to overlook in turn.

Hail Frigga.
-SE

Hello everyone.

Fantastic to have you here as always, and your readership is much appreciated. To honor that, and in toast to the spirit of the holidays, this is part of my "Magic for the Holidays" mini-series.

To start us off, for those of us who are in the US, Thanksgiving is in a matter of days. We've passed Samhain, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day, and now its about time to interact with family. For some of us, that's a blessing, for others a curse, and in either scenario I present to you some magical tips that can be applied; I hope these tips bring about meaningful improvements that won't have you reaching into your pocket or purse for social lubricants. ;)

Without touching on the controversy around Thanksgiving, the name of the holiday centers around giving thanks for what one has. I have found that offerings go over particularly well during this time of year, and as such I would recommend doing so for the few days between now and the holiday proper.

Procure for yourself orange candles (you're welcome to go all-out and grab pumpkin spiced stuffs, if you like), egg nog, your alcohol of choice (if you or your ancestors drink), and a holiday treat of one kind or another (pumpkin pie, apple pie, gingerbread cookies, cheesecake, carrot cake, etc.). Pour a drink for yourself and then one for the landvaettir, your ancestors, your friends, and your family, be they with you physically or in spirit. Do the same with your snack of choice, light a couple of candles, and proceed to have a bite to eat and a nip to drink.

Bask in their presence, and if you feel moved to do so, tell stories about these people you're thinking of. It might seem silly at first, but I find that I become very comfortable with it within a manner of minutes. In doing this, you are providing offerings of sustenance and mirth, lore and imagination. All valid things to each of us, and an appropriate way to start oneself off in getting out of the work mindset and into that holiday spirit.

Enjoy,
SE

Hello everyone! It's wonderful to have you here, and I hope the day is treating you well.

As most of you know, today is a day of rememberance. A decade and a half ago, something awful happened on 9/11, and each year since, I've made a point of setting out a slew of offerings for all those afflicted. It's one of those things that just feels appropriate.

I'm not here to talk about what happened then, but I am here to talk about offerings. Specifically, offerings made easy, as its one of those areas of magic that's either forgotten entirely, or folks are intimidated by the thought of doing it themselves.

Offerings are a "thank you" to those who have walked with you and made your life a little better. They can be made to people, places, spirits of place, critters, deities, and so forth, and their complexity is primarily a matter of taste (yours and theirs).

This aims to act as a simple how-to for the act:

1. Procure a piece of paper, a pen, a candle, a candleholder, a stick of incense, an incense burner, some orange juice, and a cup.
   
2. Say a prayer over each of these things to consecrate and purify them. It should be heartfelt, but need not be religious.
3. Write a sincere note to the entity you are thanking. Sign it with your name. Place it onto your chosen altar.
4. Light the stick of incense and call the entity's name aloud. Place it at the upper left corner of your note.
5. Light the candle, call the entity's name aloud, and then place the candle in its holder, to the upper right corner of your note.
6. Pour the orange juice into the glass, say the entity's name aloud, and then place the glass on the note.
7. Close the rite with the words "Please enjoy these offerings which have been set out for me & then depart in peace."

After that, let the candle and incense burn down and then dispose of it in the trash. Then you may go back to your life having completed your first offering. ;)

Blessings,
​SE

The Ancestral Blessing Mojo Bags proved to be a lovely idea that really helped out a number of people.  My local clients had some particularly strong and strange manifestations of their ancestors.

I am, however, out of those mojos at this time, so that special has come to a close. Should any of you folks desire to have one made in the future, I will be offering them at an increased rate.  Please contact me for details.


For those of you who scored one of these lovely tools, enjoy!

Regards,

SE

Given the numerous astrological changes that are coming up in the next few months, I thought it appropriate to share a recipe of mine. I use the mix for blessing homes, offerings to ancestors, and so on - its very useful in a number of areas.

In this instance, its tweaked to be really good at suffumigating your home and should be burned on charcoal.  Be careful if you decide to use this, and do not leave the burner unattended.

Ingredients:
- 2 parts Myrrh resin
- 1 part Arabian Frankincense
- 2 parts Benzoin/Styrax resin
- 4 parts Copal
- 1 part Lemon Verbena
- 1 part Eastern Dragon's Blood*

I recommend pulverizing the resin in a mortar and pestle, then sprinkling it on hot coals to bless your home with holy incense. Beware, a little bit goes a long way!

Enjoy!

SE

*Dracaena Draco, Dracaena Cinnabari, or Daemonorops Draco (aka Calamus Draco)

It's been some time since I last ran a special on my site, and with the start of the new year, I thought it wise to start us off with a bang.

This time around, I am offering Ancestral Blessing mojo hands for folks so that they can start the year off right and shake off the nasty energy and frustrations that last year brought.

These are geared up to get you in touch with the might of those who came before you so that you might bring honor to them while they assist you in your ventures.  This will serve as a direct line of sight from them to you and from you to them so that they can influence your life as needed.

These are made by me of course, and will be sold at the rate of 75$ a pop. They are just like the one I carry, though bag colors will vary in accordance with what I've got on hand.

I've got limited supplies with which to make these, so get them quick. ;)

If you're interested, contact me with your name and address and let me know.

Blessings!

SE

*Edit: As of 2/7/2014, this special has come to a close.  These will be offered at a higher rate in the future and may be requested as a one-off item.

In response to a request from a long-term client of mine, I have decided to share a means by which one might reach and commune with their "higher self".

Without going into the specifics of just what that is, as its been rehashed all over the interwebs, this post is to serve as a brief how-to....that is all.  You, as with all magical work, assume all risk, liability, etc., as connecting with one's Self isn't exactly an easy path.  It will shake things up - if it doesn't, you've done something wrong.

The sigil you see below is a key of sorts.  Its purpose is simply to rend the veil such that you have the ability to connect with and perceive your Self as a separate entity so that you can work with it.  You will need to have a basic understanding of sigil magic, astral projection, creating sacred space, etc. to use it effectively and safely.

You will need to claim the space around you, make it sacred, banish all of the larvae and the like that typically hang around, invoke whatever Gods make you feel safe, and then utilize the sigil as a key to the astral.  Project into and through it to connect and commune.

I would recommend drawing it on a piece of cloth using your own blood, or perhaps a scrying mirror.  The former method will allow you to reuse it as you see fit.

This will likely stir strong emotions and desires in you, so be prepared and don't undertake this if you're troubled, unwilling to do the work, given to bouts of megalomania, or any other such sociopsychological malady. Be aware that this working will attract attenton from spirits, so you may have spirity nasties show up and try to siphon your energies after the fact, so diligence is required. This isn't something that you do out of curiosity and then give up on, so bear that in mind.

Happy Hunting.

SE