TIP OF THE DAY - FESTIVAL SPIRIT

Merry Meet to All of You!

Moving swiftly through the Wheel of the Year, Litha is coming up fast (21 June) and we will have a more detailed blog about it nearer the time.

In the meantime though, I would like to recommend two books to you, which give you background of all the eight Sabbats and more importantly, tips of what you can do to create a joyous, fun celebration!

One of the books I have written about before, it's 'The Real Witches Kitchen' by Kate West and it is really good for recipes and "how to make merry", so click on the link to get the details of that.

The second book I would like to recommend is 'A Calendar of Festivals' by Marian Green (Element Books Ltd, 1991).

It guides you through the Wheel of the Year month by month, giving you background and ideas, including recipes and songs, for your celebrations. This book not only deals with the main Sabbats, but gives you information about 'in between' festivals, like Whitsuntide (Whit) and such.



Both of these books are good staples for your journey through the Wheel of the Year, so ... jump on the wagon and start celebrating!

Warm Blessings,

Ilona

TIP IF THE DAY - A MAGIC BREW

Merry Meet to All of You!

Hope you are all enjoying the sunshine as we are closing in on Misummer?!

I know, the lovely wheather makes you crave cold drinks more tham anything, but I found this tea recipe I want to share with you regardless.

It's called 'Magical Working Tea' and helps you with your preparation and mindset before undertaking, well, magickal work.

It is dead simple, just make an infusion out of:

2 teaspoons rosemary

1 teaspoon lavender

grated peel of 1 orange

let it infuse for 10 minutes and drink about an hour before your magickal workings.

Rosemary stimulates the brain while lavender relaxes you and orange is linked with solar energies, thus this tea can help putting yourself in the required mindset for your purposes.

(Recipe taken from: 'The Real Witches Kitchen' by Kate West, page 141; see: http://richmondchalice.blogspot.com/2009/05/tip-of-day-good-book.html)

So, even in this warm weather, the right cup of tea can still work wonders (my next tip will probably be a cold alcoholic bewerage, sunshine permitting)!

Enjoy this lovely summer weather and make the most of it outdoors,

Sunny Blessings,Ilona

TIP OF THE DAY - FIND YOUR DESTINY

North Node astrology deals with where you're heading - your 'future karmic pull' if you will.

Everyone can benefit from studying this aspect of their birth chart.

If you do not already have a birth chart, you can have one drawn up for free over at http://www.astro.com/

Once you've located your North Node, you can read about it in-depth over at http://northnodeastrology.blogspot.com/

You'll find that your North Node is read together with your South Node. Together they form a past-future axis across your birth chart. This axis deals with what you've learned in past incarnations, as well as what you're here to learn in this life.

Learning about the Nodes can be very liberating as it helps us understand why we're drawn to certain things, people and experiences even when this is problematic.

TIP OF THE DAY - GET UNSTUCK

Stuck in a rut? Need a good shake? Can't remember the last time your butt was in gear for anything?

The best way to get going again so that you can start realising your dreams is to do something, anything that is slightly to the left or the right of your comfort zone.

Are you afraid of heights? Go for a ride on a ferris wheel or go fell walking with that friend who's been nagging you about how you really must see the views from the mount Skiddaw summit since circa 1988.

Do you feel uncomfortable in the spotlight? Try Karaoke night at your local pub - not as audience!

Do you never ever wear anything red? Buy yourself a cherry red top and wear it for a day.

Does the thought of talking to strangers make you feel uncomfortable? Strike up a conversation with the person next to you at the bus stop.

It truly doesn't matter so much what you do. You've proven to yourself that you've got the guts to do something new and you've been instantaly rewarded with new experiences and memories. How good does that feel?

There's a lot of self-help literature out there that will tell you the same thing: to reach your goals and make your dreams come true you must learn to move about outside your comfort zone, so start practising today!

Pick ONE thing that you wouldn't normally do. Today really is the ideal day for it: agile and talkative Mercury is forming a sextile with erratic Uranus. The fieryAries Moon conjuncts Mars for extra oomph and the Sun is in Gemini. Go on - do something unexpected... and whatever you do, do it with a smile! Life is too short for anything else...

TIP OF THE DAY - A GOOD BOOK

Merry Meet to All!

You might have noticed that the main theme of our next chalice meeting is "Kitchen Cupboard Magick", e.g. using everyday kitchen ingredients for magic and/or healing purposes, so if you would like to find out more, pop along!

If you haven't got the time here is a good book for you to read, which shows you how to utilise your kitchen for magick purposes.

It's called:


and gives you plenty of ideas and inspiration, from candle and incense making, body care, feasting in tune with and cooking for the Wheel of the Year and its' Sabbats, potions and healing remedies. It also gives you tips on how to buy, store and use your herbs and what equipment you will need.

All in all, it's a great book, well written and easily accessible, even to the greenest novice.

So, if you have chance, take five, make a cuppa and bury your noses in some kitchen Magick!

Warm Blessings,

Ilona

TIP OF THE DAY - FRESH AS A DAISY

Merry Meet to All of You!

May is in full bloom and don't the meadows look just lovely with all the different wild flowers, like Dandelion and Bluebells?

In all this splendour, have you ever spared a thought for the humble Daisy?

As we are astrologically in Taurus at the moment, I would like to write about the Daisy, as it is linked to this star sign.

The Daisy is also a flower linked to the planet of Venus and therefore Aphrodite, the goddess of love. In magick, Daisies are a good-luck charm and are used with spells or in potions to bring purity, innocence and loyal love. You may prepare a balm from Daisies, to anoint the person for which you wish these things.

To prepare a balm of Daisy flowers, simply put fresh, slightly crushed (or dried and powdered) Daisies in a pan, together with Vaseline (or lard/unsalted butter, if you like). Bring to the boil slowly, so the Vaseline has time to melt evenly. Once boiling, stir and take of the heat, sifting out the residue via a tea towel or muslin cloth, giving the leftover residue a good squeeze. Finally leave to cool and bottle the balm.

(Information of planetary and zodiacal correlations taken from:
'Herbs in Magic and Alchemy'; C.L. Zalwski; 1990 : http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1853270466?ie=UTF8&tag=therichchal-21&linkCode=xm2&camp=1634&creativeASIN=1853270466 )

As well as for magickal uses, the Daisy can also be a colourful ingredient in your kitchen, as young leaves and flowers can be used in salads (country folk in old Italy and Spain used to eat the roots as well) and the flower petals make lovely decorations for puddings, biscuits and cakes.
So, next time you want to bake for your other half, why not make some muffins decorated with one of the flowers of Venus?

(You find a lovely muffin recipe on: http://theherbalchalice.blogspot.com/2009/05/reciepe-of-week-daisy-muffins.html )

As you take your next walk, why not spare a little thought for the lovely little Daisy, and the innocence, love and good luck it stands for?

Spring Blessings,

Ilona

TIP OF THE DAY - PSYCHIC PARTY GAMES

Having a party? Not sure what theme to go with? Well here is the good news - you don't have to wait for Halloween to have a metaphysical theme or to do some psychic party games!

Here's a link to a website that has a few simple games that you might like to try: http://carrieanddanielle.com/improve-your-intuition-psychic-games-for-parties-and-groups/

If you're looking for more variation as well as games that go with specific types of celebration or the major sabbats of the year, you might want to check out Cassandra Eason's book Psychic Party Games.

You may also consider enlisting the help of one of your psychic friends to do mini readings for each of the guests, or hiring a professional psychic tarot reader (can be expensive!).

The bottom line is that we are all psychic and it's easier to bring this out in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. It's important that everyone is at ease with what is going on, so check and make sure that none of your guests have any hang-ups about psychic activities before you get started. Besides, being psychic yourself, you probably know which guests to invite and which ones to leave out until you have a more conventionally themed party ;)

TIP OF THE DAY - DOWN TO EARTH

Merry Meet to all of you!

I recently read Marian Green's book 'The Gentle Art of Aquarian Magic' and really enjoyed it.

Here is a little quote from the chapter about Earth Magic, which stood out for me, as it sums up my feelings perfectly.

"...you don't need artificial, modern written sources to lead you to the Goddess of Earth, Mother Nature [...] Any walk among trees, over wild countryside or along a wintry, deserted beach will bring you far closer to the roots of the oldest religion of all than muttered rites in a man-made house, or words read from a page by guttering candle light."

(Marion Green; The Gentle Art of Aquarian Magic; The Aquarian Press; London; 1987)

I feel this is so true, how can you be closer to the magick of the Earth than when you are surrounded by it?!

Next time you want to connect to Earth Magick, why not take a long walk, and open your eyes and soul to what is around you (you might want to read Lisa's Tip of the Day - Walk in Wonder again).

You could collect a stone, which you find while out, one which spoke to you through it's patterns or shape, and take it home with you. There you can take some quiet time, just holding the stone, reaching out to it, feeling it's energy. In time you will develop a relationship with your special stone, and in time of need, just holding it can give you a sense of comfort and peace. This is one very simple way of letting the magick of the Earth into your life.

So, next time you take a walk, open yourself to the beauty and spirit of Mother Nature around you!

Warm Blessings,

Ilona

CRYSTAL OF THE MONTH - CHRYSOCOLLA

We are now in the month of Taurus, and my choice of crystal for the taurean energies is chrysocolla - the most venusian of all gemstones. Not only do the colours of the stone reflect those associated with the goddess Venus, but the crystal also supports loving relationships.

The strength and determination innate in a true taurean can also be harnessed through working with the vibrations of this wonderfully soothing and strengthening stone.

Chrysocolla can help create a peaceful atmosphere and calm communication within the home. Place it strategically in places where people tend to congregate. The drusy chrysocolla (a quartz combination) is especially good for communication, helping people gain clarity and objectivity, as well as to realise when it is perhaps best to say nothing at all.

Chrysocolla is, besides rose quartz, the best crystal to use in love spells.

Health conditions that can be helped by chrysocolla include any diseases related to the lungs, diabetes, burns, muscle spams and indigestion.

The numerological correspondence for chrysocolla is 5, a number associated with Venus.

A simple affirmation to program your crystal with could be 'I give and receive love easily and joyfully.'

NEXT CHALICE MEETING

Merry Meet to All!

Here the details for our next meeting:

Interested in:

* TAROT
* ASTROLOGY
* PAGANISM
* WICCA
* SPIRITUAL HEALING & DEVELOPMENT
* SACRED DANCE
* ANGELS & FAIRIES

Come and meet like-minded people for discussion, learning and fun!

Kitchen Cupboard Magick.

Find out which ‘magickal’ ingredients lurk in your everyday kitchen supplies, how to use them and how to harness their healing properties.

On: Tuesday, 5th May,
AT: 7.30pm
In: The Ralph Fitz Randall
(Weatherspoons), RICHMOND

For more Information contact Lisa or Ilona on:
Email: richmondchalice@ymail.com

We hope to see you there!

Warm Blessings,

Ilona

TONIGHT'S MEETING - A REFLECTION

Merry Meet to All of You!

It's 12.20am, but I am too wired to sleep just yet, as I am still buzzing about the Chalice Meeting we had tonight!

It was a brilliant meeting with a really good atmosphere and positive vibrations. All in all we were seven people, all from different walks of life and varying spiritual backgrounds, which is great, as it offers a wide base to exchange and learn about the different spiritual paths and traditions.

Lisa's brief intro into the origin of the tarot was great and offered a good platform for everybody to join in with their thoughts and experiences. I really felt everybody contributed something important tonight simply by just being there and sharing their thoughts.

Ideas for topics of future meetings were flying fast, for example crystals and astrology, to name just two.

So, on this note, a huge 'Thank You' to all of you who came tonight, you made it really special!!!

(Oh, and Lisa - all fingers crossed and best wishes for your interview today!)

I hope we will see all of you (and more) next time, until then

Warm Blessings,

Ilona

PS. Details about the next Chalice Meeting will be published soon.

TIP OF THE DAY - BAGS AWAY FOR THE HOLIDAY

Merry Meet to All of You!

The holiday season is fast heading towards us and, to be honest, don't you hate the niggling feeling on the way to airport:'I hope I haven't forgotten anything!?' and then, worse, when you arrive there, you find that you have....in the worst case scenario even your plane tickets or passport?!

I have certainly suffered from 'have I packed everything' stress, so I was really pleased when I came about this little spell, which can help you remember your essentials whilst packing your bags.

To begin with, fill the room with the aroma of lemon, either by lighting a lemon-scented candle, or , if you can' t get hold of one, a simple white one next to a bowl of lemon juice.
Next, take a red pen to a white piece of paper and write down everything you want to remember to pack three times. Then burn this list in the candle whilst saying:

"When I touch my bags to pack, from memory this list bring back!"

Then, simply stop worrying and have a great holiday!

Warm Blessings,

Ilona

TIP OF THE DAY - CAST OUT CREEPY CRAWLIES

Merry Meet to All of You!

With summer fast approaching, keeping your home free of creepy crawlies, which re-emerge with the rising temperatures, can become an issue.


If you are like me, and don't like to use the 'chemical warfare' of conventional repellents, here are some ideas of how to apply aromatherapy, which is natural and kinder to the environment (including the creepies, as it keeps them away without necessarily killing them), to achieve the same effects.


You can use the following essential oils for the different kind of insects:


Mosquitoes:
Use Citronella. A few drops on your pillow case and/or mattress will keep them at bay. Alternatively, you can dilute 15 drops of the essential oil in 30ml of sunflower oil, which you rub onto your skin (this also soothes the effects of bites).


Flies:
Use Lemongrass. Mix 15 drops of the essential oil with 600ml of water in a pump spray bottle, shake well and spray around the room or onto the buzzing flies directly.


Ants:
Use Tea Tree and Thyme. Dilute 8 drops of Tea Tree oil and 7 drops of Thyme oil in 30ml of water. Use a pump spray to spray the areas where the ants come in or walk.


Pet fleas:
Use Geranium, Lavender and Tea Tree. Dilute 6 drops of Geranium, 5 drops of Lavender and 4 drops of Tea Tree in 30ml of water. Use a pump spray to spray into you pets fluffed up fur, avoiding their eyes.


I hope these little tips come in handy to keep your home chemical and pest free during the summer months.


Bright Blessings,


Ilona

TIP OF THE DAY - WORKING WITH SYMBOLS

Magick and divination are both heavily reliant on symbols. Learning to work with symbols is like learning a foreign language, or perhaps the analogy of getting to know new friends from faraway places is a better fit... One thing is certain: once you've achieved an understanding of the true meaning of a symbol, the world has changed forever.

For symbols to be meaningful we have to work with them and really pay attention to them over a period of time. Each symbol has many layers of meaning. It takes time and patience to uncover them all.

As with the Moon cycles it is essential to keep a journal or to enter the observations into your Book of Shadows.

The first step is to decide on a symbol that you would like to get to know better. But don't be surprised if the symbol chooses you.

Let's say I want to understand the true meaning of rainbows. For many years, I might have just thought of them as pretty colours in the sky. Then one of them appears on the day that I receive news of a miraculous healing. The rainbow has my attention. What else can it communicate?

As I work with the rainbow symbol and enter the observations into my BoS, I start noting subtle differences like the size and brightness of the rainbow, what the sky around it looks like... if it's a double or even triple rainbow... where it's located... what time of the day it appears etc. etc. For these differences to have any meaning, I need to relate them to what is going on in my own life.

The different types of rainbows may be more related to thought processes and emotions than to things that happen in the world, or it could be a bit of both. As any person who spends time reflecting on internal process will know, the outside world often reflects that which is within.

Working with symbols in this way is the path to becoming the kind of oracle who can read anything, anywhere at any time. If you use any kind of man-made divination tool, like the Tarot or the I-Ching, your experiental database of symbols will take your divination skills to the next level as you'll start seeing correspondences that you weren't aware of before.

As a Tarot reader, I might pull a card one day and feel my eyes drawn to one of the details in the card. Let's say I truly notice the white dove in the Empress card for the first time. This might be the beginning of a very exciting journey that culminates in a deep understanding of the relationship between various aspects of Spirit and the Divine Feminine... I could read hundreds of books on the topic and never reach as deep an understanding of these aspects as I would by internalising them through observation and connecting them with my own experiences and emotions.

Learning to see with magickal eyes is fun and doing it together with others is even more fun! The moments of the penny dropping in group path working are priceless because we get so much further together than we can on our own.

I hope to see as many of you as possible at our next Richmond Chalice Meeting!

Bright Blessings

Lisa

http:://tarothealingbylisa.blogspot.com