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|evelyn|ravenxeve|
16 going on forever || 23/7/91
ravenxeve@gmail.com
~~DLSS~~||~~KSS~~||ajc
this is me forever

Renewal: Brigid's Blessings [ 21:01 ]

Imbolc is one of the major Sabbat, a cross-quarter day between Yule and Ostara. Of course, here in Singapore, I doubt it will make much sense since we don't have the four seasons sadly. But still, I honor Brigid, who is an important Irish Goddess. Daughter of Dagda, she is a patron goddess of healing, knowledge and poetry as well as smithcraft. She is also associated with the home and the hearth.

Imbolc is a day of renewal, as spring finally returns after a long winter. Finally can life be awakened once more and flowers flourish again, decorating the white landscape.

Bridghid of the mantle, encompass us.
Lady of the Lambs, protect us.
Beneath thy mantle gather us.
And restore us to memory.

Foremother of our foremothers,
Foremothers strong,
Take our hands in yours.
Remind us how
To kindle the hearth.
To keep it bright, to preserve the flame,
Our hands within your hands,
Your hands upon our hands.
To keep the light, both day and night.

The mantle of Bridghid about us,
The protection of Bridghid upon us,
The memory of Bridghid within us,
Keeping us from harm, from ignorance, from heartlessness,
this day and night, from dawn until dark, from dark until dawn.
~ traditional Gaelic Blessing

Blessed Be.

Labels: wicca

Where Are the Miracles? [ 21:46 ]

I read this post over at Primordial blog, and I sort of remembered something that I read from a book when I was at Kino, a few days back.

A young man speaks to the priest, in hopes to seek the presence of the Goddess. The priest advises him to pray and meditate in order to achieve his goal.

He follows the priest's instructions and bows his head obediently. He thinks to himself, "Oh Goddess, let me hear you so as to follow your path." Above him, the sky rumbles as thunder resounded loudly. The young man dismisses it as merely noise and continues praying, hurt that his pleads were not answered.

And so he prays, "Oh Goddess, let me taste your powers as you render the earth to your will." Rain pelted him from the clouds but he ignored the droplets, brushing them away irritatedly.

He prays again, "Oh Goddess, won't you let me see you?" And next to him, a tiny egg cracks open and a small beak pops out, breaking the shell further as it makes its way out into the world. Yet, the young man takes no notice, so blinded is he to the world.

The young man tries again, "Goddess, won't you touch me and show me your presence?" Just this moment, a butterfly rests against his hand, perching delicately. But once again, the young man cared not, for this beautiful creature, and swatted his hand to shoo it away.

Feeling that the entire day was a wasted experience, the young man goes back to the priest. "I have mediated and prayed for long, yet I have seen no sign of the Goddess."

The priest looks at him with just a hint of pity in his eyes, "Child, you have been an unseeing fool. Did you not hear and feel the power of the Goddess through the rain, showering the earth with the essence of life? Did you not see a miracle that unfolded before you as the chick begins its life? And the butterfly that you swatted away, was it not the Goddess that caressed you so gently? Miracles, no matter how small, are miracles. If you look, you will see the Goddess' hand in so much and more."

After reading this, I feel that this is a sort of wake up call for me. My own gift from the Goddess? Maybe. Perhaps it is time that I do more instead of skipping rituals for selfish reasons.

Labels: life, wicca

Samhain: Summer's End [ 21:12 ]

The death of the God

marks the dawning of winter

The thinning of the veils

that masks the dead and the living
we share once more the same paths
that you trod on so many years before me.

a candle for your soul
for I shall not forget
what memories you have left

silent and solemn we stood side by side
empty stretches of words lingering in the air
your presence shall fade when dawn rises
leaving me once again without you.

I had no tears when you left
no tears when you leave now
for no matter when you
have always been here.

a candle for your soul
everyday of the year
because I cannot forget.

with the next turning of the Wheel
once more will I wait...

*picture is taken from deviantart because we obviously don't have autumn here

Labels: music/poem, wicca

E.Maths Paper One: The Magician [ 17:28 ]

At #1, the Magician is the male power of creation, creation by willpower and desire. In that ancient sense, it is the ability to make things so just by speaking them aloud ("And God said 'Let there be Light!' and there was Light"). Reflecting this is the fact that the Magician is represented by Mercury. He represents the gift of tongues, a smooth talker, a salesman. Also clever with the slight of hand (Mercury *was* the god of thieves!) and a medicine man - either a real doctor or someone trying to sell you snake oil. The 4 suits laid out before him remind us of the 4 aces, which in the Tarot symbolize the raw, undeveloped, undirected power of each suit. When the Magician appears, he reveals these to you. The reader might well interpet this card as telling the querent that they will be given a vision, an idea, a magical, mental image of whatever it is they most want: the solution to a problem, an ambitious career, a love life, a job.

Most importantly, the Magician card stands for the "reveal" - as in a magic trick. The handkerchief is draped over an empty box, the Magician waves his wand, *presto!*--now there is a dove in the box. The Magician card does the same for the Querent--only what it reveals is not birds or rabbits but NEW ideas. Emphasis on NEW. When the Magician card appears, the Querent is likely to say: "Now there's an idea! Why didn't I think of that before?" Truth is, the Querent had that idea in his head all along. The Magician merely revealed it to him.

... the paper was sort of tricky. And I got tricked. Not once, but at least twice. >.<

Labels: school life, wicca

English Papers One and Two: The King of Swords [ 17:06 ]

Tossing out a new idea, getting thoughts on paper, brainstorming. The ability to see problems objectively and find new and better solutions.

The situational was one of my worst. I restarted thrice having been stuck midway in my introduction. For composition, I did some sort of a parody. It was amusing, perhaps cliche, but nothing spectacular.

The passages in Paper Two was interesting and I really liked the astrology passage. The other one was left hanging... so... blah.

Labels: school life, wicca

Elective Geography: The Emperor [ 20:36 ]

As Aries, the Ram, the Emperor naturally follows the pregnant Empress. Aries is the infant, the first sign of the Zodiac. Like an infant, he is filled with enthuiasm, energy, aggression. He is direct, guileless and all too often irresistible.

Unfortunately, like a baby he can also be a tyrant. Impatient, demanding, controlling. In the best of circumstances, he signifies the leader that everyone wants to follow, sitting on a throne that indicates the solid foundation of an Empire he created, loves and rules with intelligence and enthusiasm. But that throne can also be a trap, a responsibility that has the Emperor feeling restless, bored and discontent.

The Emperor card is the "Who's the boss?" card. It is an important question. The meaning of the card includes being in control over your environment, your body, your temper, your instincts, your love life. This is not the time to give into the unconscious, not the time to let yourself be controlled by others wants and needs. It is a card that gives the Querent permission to be aggressive, brave, bold and in command. The Emperor could be a father or father figure, leader or employer, either a demanding tyrant or a charismatic king. If the card stands for the Querent, he/she should think about whether their Empire has become an unwelcome chore and if it has, are they now a bad leader, demanding, unreasonable, unhappy. It might be time to abdicate the throne.

Well... this is the first time I almost couldn't finish my geography paper on time. Though I did finish it.

Labels: school life, wicca

Chemistry Paper Two: The Fool [ 21:39 ]

At #0, the Fool is the card of infinite possibilities. The bag on the staff indicates that he has all he need to do or be anything he wants, he has only to stop and unpack. He is on his way to a brand new beginning. But the card carries a little bark of warning as well. Stop daydreaming and fantasising and watch your step, lest you fall and end up looking the fool.

In the Tarot, cards like The Magician or The Hermit can often stand for the Querent or for someone in the Querent's life. The Fool, however, almost always stands for the Querent alone, no one else. In standing for the Querent, the Fool represents a time of newness, a time when life has been "re-started" as it were. The person feels that they are back at Zero, whether that be in romantic affairs, or career, at their job or intellectual persuits. Far from being sad or frustrating, the Querent feels remarkably *free*, light hearted and refreshed, as if being given a second chance. They feel young and energized.

In addition, they likely have no idea where they're going or what they're going to do. But that doesn't matter. For the Fool, the most important thing is to just go out and enjoy the world. To see what there is to see and delight in all of it.

Unfortunately, in this childlike state the person is likely to be overly optimistic or naive. A Fool can be a Fool. This is the card likely to turn up when a Querent is thinking of investing his money in a new, "sure fire" business. Or when the Querent is sure that it's "love this time!" Like the Fool, they're so busy daydreaming of what might be that they're ignoring what is. They're about to fall right off a cliff. Time for them to listen to that watchful little dog, which might be a concerned friend, a wise tarot reader, or just their instincts.

As a card, the Fool ultimately stands for a new start. When it turns up the Querent might be about to make a move, not just to a new home, but new job, new life. There's more than just change, renewal, and a brand new beginning in the Fool, there's also movement, a fresh, exciting new time.

Let me just say that the paper was... unexpected.

Labels: school life, wicca

A.Maths Paper Two: The Wheel [ 19:09 ]

A wheel turning clockwise with rising/falling figures or beasts on it. Waite also includes a good many hebrew letters and alchemical symbols. Often there is a sphinx perched atop the wheel.

With Jupiter as its ruling planet, the Wheel of Fortune is all about big things, luck, change, fortune. Almost always good fortune. Almost every definition of this card indicates abundance, happiness, elevation, luck. A change that just happens, and brings with it great joy.

As much as the Tarot is about what a Querent can do to change their life or self, there are cards that admit that sometimes you just get lucky. This card can mean movement, change and evolution, but its primary meaning always seems to say that such changes will seem to come out of the blue, a stroke of good, unexpected fortune. The person you're reading for is going to get that money, that job, that promotion, that special person, that break they've been waiting for. Call it Karmic payback for all the good things they've done in life, destiny or just luck, but whatever lotteries are out there, large or small, they've just won one.

Labels: school life, wicca

A.Maths Paper One: Six of Wands [ 18:43 ]

Sixes are balance and harmony, especially after the upsets of the fives. These cards predict a solution, and not just any solution; there will be an exchange, a give and take that results in a new equilibrium. It may not last, but for that moment, everything is stable. With this card, there is an almost "Ah-HA!" of recognition, of understanding in the solution, and more than a little awe at the symmetry achieved by it.

Six of Wands

The Victory Card: A victorious man on a horse, applauded by all, enters carrying a wand with a laurel wreath. Here is the conclusion to what happened with the Five of Wands. Competition was fierce, an answer had to be found to make the Querent stand out, make them different, special. Ah-HA! says the 6 of Wands. The Querent has found (or will find) that solution. Success, in fact, requires that they be above all others, that they make themselves a champion of the people. Note the give-and-take common to all 6's. The crowd offers the victor applause. He, in turn, offers them a champion to adore. For this moment, both are happy, the victor with the adulation, the crowd with their hero.

I sort of hope this is a good omen for my maths exam... since I did draw this card during this morning's meditation. Even though there were plenty of questions that I found myself unable to do... which isn't surprising anyway, as I haven't been listening in class for months. Ah well.

Card meaning not written by me. Taken from here

Labels: school life, wicca

Imbolc [ 20:44 ]

This is the time of the feast of torches,
when every lamp blazes and shines
to welcome the rebirth of the God.
I celebrate the Goddess,
I celebrate the God;
all Earth celebrates
Beneath its mantle of sleep.

All the land is wrapped in winter.
The air is chilled and frost envolopes the Earth.
But Lord of the Sun,
Horned One of animals and wild places,
unseen you have been reborn of the
gracious Mother Goddess,
Lady of all fertility.
Hail Great God!
Hail and welcome!

Labels: wicca