New Moon Tonight, June 26

Tonight is the New Moon.

Tonight, light a black candle to banish all negativity.

Tonight put to rest all those things that burden you.

Learn to let go, to trust the void.

Prepare yourself for the next cycle of the Full Moon.

Halloween Debunked

http://youtu.be/vHLgob-PpIk

from: religioustolerance.org

 Traditions originating in Celtic times:

The origin of Halloween lies in the traditions of the Celtic people.

The Celts coalesced as a society circa 800 BCE. They were located in what is now the United Kingdom, much of Western Europe and an isolated enclave in what is now Turkey. They held a major celebration near the end of our month of October, which they called called "Samhain," a festival to recognize the end of summer. There seeems to be little standardization in the pronounciation of "Samhain." Sam-hane, Sow-in, sow-en, sow-an, soow-an, sow-ween, etc. ₁₃ The story that "Samhain" was a Celtic God of the Dead appears to be a myth. However, it has been repeated so often by conservative Christian and secular sources that it has taken on a life of its own.

The Celts believed that the veil between this world and the next was thinnest at this time of year. Friends and relatives who had died would often return, with their souls inhabiting an animal - often a black cat. Black cats have remained a symbol of Halloween down to the present time.

In celebration of the recently completed harvest, Celts would give offerings of food to the Gods. They often went from door to door to collect food to donate to their deities. Also, young Celts would ask the townspeople for kindling and wood, and take it to top of the hill for the Samhain bonfire. These are two of the possible origins of present day "trick or treating."

Samhain was a fire festival. Sacred bonfires were lit on the tops of hills in honor of the Gods. The townspeople would take an ember from the bonfire to their home and re-light the fire in their family hearth. The ember would usually be carried in a holder - often a turnip or gourd. They felt nervous about walking home in the dark; they were afraid of evil spirits. So they dressed up in costumes and carved scary faces in their ember holders. They hoped that the spirits would be frightened and not bother them. Children continue to dress up today in various costumes. Pumpkins are now the objects of choice into which to carve faces.

Wiccans and some other Neopagans base much of their religious faith on the religion of the Celts. They continue to celebrate Samhain today.

Traditions developed since Celtic times:

There are many folk traditions associated with Halloween. It is possible that some had their origins in Celtic times.

	Jack-o'-lantern: The term "Jack-o'-lantern" came from an Irish folk tale of the 18th century. Jack was an Irishman. He had tricked the Devil into climbing an apple tree. He then cut a cross symbol in the tree trunk, thus trapping the Devil in the branches. When Jack died, he was unable to again access to Heaven because of his meanness. The Devil, having a long memory, would not allow him into Hell. So he was forced to walk the earth endlessly. The devil took pity on him and gave him a piece of coal to light his path. Jack put it inside a hollowed-out turnip that he had been eating.
	Apples were considered have long been associated with female deities, and with immortality, resurrection, and knowledge. One reason is that if an apple is cut through its equator, it will reveal a five-pointed star outlined at the center of each hemisphere. This was a pentagram -- a Goddess symbol among the Roma (Gypsies), ancient Celts, ancient Egyptians, modern-day Wiccans, etc. There are many Halloween folk traditions associated with apples:  Unmarried people would attempt to take a bite out of an apple bobbing in a pail of water, or suspended on a string. The first person to do so was believed to be the next to marry. Peeling an apple in front of a candle-lit mirror was believed to produce the image of one's future spouse. 3 Attempting to produce a long unbroken apple peel was said to estimate the number of years you had to live. The longer the peel, the longer your life expectancy.
	In All Souls' Day, European Christians had a tradition of going from home to home, asking for soul cakes, or currant buns. In return, they would pray for the souls of the homeowner's relatives.

Origins of Christian holy days:

	All Saints' Day was created by Pope Boniface IV in the 7th century CE. There were so many saints by this time that there were not enough days in the year to accommodate them. So, All Saints' Day was to recognize the saints who were without their own day, and to celebrate saints that the Church had failed to recognize. It originally was held on May 13, but was moved by Pope Gregory in 835 CE to November 1. This may have been done in order to distract Christians from celebrating Samhain.
	Halloween was originally called All Hallows' Eve which means the evening before All Saints' Day. "Hallow" is an Old English word for "saint". This was shortened toHallowe'en and finally to Halloween. Satanists have adopted Hallowe'en as one of their three main seasonal days of celebration. The others are Walpurgus Nacht on MAY-1 and the Satanist's personal birthday.
	All Souls' Day was created for NOV-2 to honor faithful Christians who had died but were not saints. The three days from OCT-31 to NOV-2 was given the name Hallow Ti

My Favorite Scene from "Wet, Hot American Summer"

http://youtu.be/I-z2i7PijSA

A tarot website

I have to tell you, since taking this class on, I've gotten SO deeply into Tarot.  I see it as a tool for reaching the unconscious.  Fascinating.

Over the last month, I've organized all my decks.  Here's a picture:

All those beautiful spines are those fake books you buy at Michael's.  They fit tarot decks perfectly!!!





And i also wanted to share with you these websites for daily tarot practice:

http://www.trustedtarot.com/

http://www.free-tarot-reading.net/

Laura's Moon over Matter!

Laura's Wow! Sketches

How many of us think Laura Could be a Millionaire on Etsy?!!!

I hope this counts as a form of artwork. Recently, I have started to make some changes in my daily life, including within my home and normal routine. This is one of the changes in my home:

A treasured, ceramic bowl crafted and hand-painted in Singapore (where part of my family currently resides), filled with sand from Seaside Park, NJ (my home), currently serves as a basin for my own homemade runes.

I like to keep my four favorites in the bowl.

Eihwaz: The rune of the mysteries of life and death; movement toward enlightenment. Eihwaz can also be communication between the live and the dead, which is why I chose to keep this specific rune in my bowl; I like to believe I am still in contact with those who have moved on from this world, because I have lost quite a few close friends and family members throughout my life.

Raido:Journey; leading by example. I chose this rune to remind myself to live as if the rest of the world looks up to me, so I know to always set a good example for those around me.

Uruz: Young warriors; persistence. For myself, this specific rune ties synonymous with raido. When it feels difficult to live a life worth following, I look towards uruz for encouragement to move on.

Wunjo: Joy; perfection; realization of your soul's true will. This rune was chosen for all the obvious reasons.

Jamie's Tarot Reading!! Awesome!!

Voodoo from Jamie!

These are the different artefacts I got from the voodoo store. Each comes with instructions. I can't wait to try them out. The women on the spell is a famous witch. She use to be a hairdresser and people would go to her place of business and she would bring them in the back. Here she would mix up different potions and spells to give her  customers. She is famous and known all throughout New Orleans

Jamie is Amazing! Beach Inspired Art!!!!

Jamie's Drawing by the Lake - Inspired!!!!

Found this site if you want to download the Witch's Alphabet font!

http://www.fontpalace.com/font-download/Theban+Alphabet/

Here's a Hint...(for the contest)

Keep going.... good first tries....

This is another example of a pagan ritual that was appropriated by the Catholic Church in its efforts to make its numbers swell....

Just like the Church did with these other examples...

...Holidays, Yule, Samhain, St. Brigid's Day, Easter, etc...
....Tools, the Chalice, Incense, Holy Water, etc.....
.....Saints, which are really a pantheon of demi-gods....


and Genuflecting..........

This is my artwork for the class

http://youtu.be/nf0YQIU_HUc

CLEARING UP. CHECKING IN

HELLO, WITCHES!


Regarding your emails:

I got back in the saddle yesterday after a terrible FLU.  Can you stand it?!  A FLU!!!  What am I, 95 years old?

Anyway, I have been working my way through all emails from both classes, student by student, and so you are not forgotten, I just have a lot of catching up to do.

I apologize for the wait.

But everyone is doing so awesome, who's really worried about their grade?  You guys are the tops.

Regarding the End of the Course:

I was trying to get everyone done by the end of June, at which point I'd write something on the blog like, "SURPRISE!  YOU'RE ALL DONE!" and everyone would have all of July off for their summer and have celebrations and ice cream.  That's actually what I dream about.

SOOO, the course officially ends July 28, and I will continue to blog and grade through then.  

BUT as soon as you turn your assignments in, your obligation is through.  All up to you!

Just shoot me an email when you think you're done.  Thanks!

From Ashley- Lovely!

This is a drawing I've been working on for a few days. It incorporates fire & the meanings behind colors.

Salem Witch Trials, Post- Commentary

IF this guy was alive during the Salem panic, he would have been one of the judges:


http://youtu.be/mmMv0ceWTVQ


and ps:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/29/lkl.ted.haggard/index.html?eref=ib_us

Salem Witch Trials, Part Three

Speaking of integrity, meet another type of hero from this time, Judge Sewall:


http://www.amazon.com/Judge-Sewalls-Apology-American-Conscience/dp/0007163630

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/sal_bsew.htm

Salem Witch Trials, Part Two

Meet Giles Corey:

I admire how he beat the system.  He had to do so by dying, but he would rather have died than let those officials take his integrity and his property.  Brave guy.

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/gilescoreypage.htm

Time for the SALEM WITCH TRIALS, Part One

Okay, so this is one of those times I really dislike online teaching.  Giving it a 'go':

1.  So, I assume as Americans or informed global citizens, you're at least aware of the Salem Witch Trials.
If not:

Really, REALLY thin Introduction to the Salem Witch Trials:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-brief-history-of-the-salem-witch-trials-175162489/?no-ist


Much more academic site:

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/salem.htm


Watered-down version:

http://www.salemwitchmuseum.com/education/


For serious students:

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/salem.htm



2.  Plus, you were probably made to read The Crucible by Arthur Miller.

Taking the back-door entry to the Salem Witch Trials (very unconventional way of teaching, you're welcome), I'd like to introduce you to The West Memphis Three:

http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/famous/memphis/index_1.html

What's pertinent here for this class is that the prisoners traded freedom for a (false) confession.  That is a very modern thing to do.

Back to the Crucible.

Watch this scene.  Notice how John Procter choses to die rather than lie.  What does that mean about who we are today in the modern age and our relationship to personal integrity?

(skip ahead to 2 minutes 50 seconds)
http://youtu.be/8Eel02K-WPo

On your mark, get set.....CONTEST!!!

A PRIZE is ready to go to anyone who posts the right answer to this question:


What is the original meaning of genuflection (drawing the sign of the Cross on oneself)?  That is,
"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" originally had different values

Father =
Son -=

etc etc


GOOD LUCK!  CAN'T WAIT FOR A WINNER!!!!

Christopher Hitchens God's plan

Beauty from Danielle!!

The reading on Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit was my inspiration for this project. If you look at the top left photo, it's actually my initials "D.K." (Represents the 5th element: heart vs mind). The rippling waves represent Water, the beach and greenery represents Earth, the swirling effect in the sky represents Air, and the glow of the horizon behind the mountain/volcanic formations represents Fire. I used scrap cardboard for the foundation/base structure, styrofoam for the celestial bodies, and layered paper for the added 3-D features. Simple paper mâché technique was used as well as acrylic paint. My camera isn't working properly, but there are even gem stones for an added "twinkling" effect.  Original Artwork by Danielle Konopka.

Tonight, Celebrate the Summer Solstice

• The Longest Day of the Year

• The Night of the Fae

• Magic Abounds

• In the Dawn, rub the dew on your face for blessings

===
My Story

This past March, on the night of the full moon, I put a 90 day spell into motion.
I kept it alive through April and May Full Moons
And then the Full Moon in June
waiting, waiting

and then tonight, Midsummer, My Spell Came True.

*****

Blessings to Each of You!

Full Moon Tonight - Thankin' 'Bout 'Cha

Hi,  Still sick.  But while I'm laying around here, I thought i'd ask you to shoot me an email and tell me what you think of this online learning gig.  i'm really curious.  Yes, I'll count it towards your final pages, whatevs.  But if you have an opinion or one is forming, i'd love to hear all about it.

Also, tonight is the Full Moon in June.  You have got to be kidding me if you're not doing a love spell tonight.  And if you are, PLEASE do a protection spell on yourself first.  Also, it's still early, so if you want to give it a "go" tonight but want advice or to share your excitement, please send an email.  i'll keep checking through the evening.

Blessed be.

c

Lost for a Paper Topic? Here are Some Suggestions

1.  The history of the pointed hat (including the Quakers), the Witch's Broom/Besom, Witch's Warts and unbaptized babies.

2.  The symbolic meaning of the Faerie Goddessmother, Mary Poppins, or the Wicked Witch of the West.

3.  The history and meanings of numerology.

4.  Judge Sewall's apology and the Memphis Three.

5.  Macbeth's Witches' Brew.

6.  The Shee  


more on the way

Deer and Dog

http://youtu.be/TOKjVesWnaA

Posted Link from Jamie

http://www.mtv.com/shows/fantasy_factory/rob-dyrdeks-fantasy-factory-ep-2-get-with-your-power-animal/1604293/playlist/

I have been reading the spirit animal book. It reminded me of an episode of Rob Dyrdek's fantasy factory when they pick spirit animals. I thought it was entertaining and humorous when I first saw the episode now I find it in a way educational.

Jamie's Totems!

A Panda Pillow?!  That's so
sweet!!!!

From Jamie:

1.     Monkey: Monkey was definitely my spirit animal early on. I always got excited to see a monkey at the zoo and I use to have a weird obsession with them. This website explains my spirit totem as a kid and I think this hit me on a nail.

http://spirit-animals.com/monkey/

2.     Peacock: Going through my teen I became obsessed with peacocks. They are gorgeous creatures and hold my favorite colors in them. I have dreamed about them and in my art classes I always found myself drawing peacock feathers. I even bought a peacock feather necklace. My spirit totem for this says:

http://spirit-animals.com/peacock/

I found this one closest to me!

Panda Bear: This is my current spirit animal. I even have a panda pillow pet! Yes, at 22 I have a panda pillow pet LOL! I just looked at the spirit panda meaning and it makes complete sense of why this animal has come into my life at this age.  I have become so determined at this age to not only meet my goals in life but physically. Once I get something in my head everyone better watch out because I become like a tornado of determination. I also have a tendency to put up a front like I don’t need someone but I am secretly a hopeless romantic. This animal is me right now.

http://www.spiritanimal.info/panda-spirit-animal/

Sandy's Guacamole

Ingredients:

3 ripe avocados (soft but with no black spots)

1 red onion (chopped fine)

1-2 Jalapeno peppers(chopped fine)

1/2 cup of chopped cilantro

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 tsp Himalayan Salt

Combine all in a bowl and serve with LOVE!
 

Rocky's NEW INK

Hi,  From Rocky:

Good evening Professor,

 

This is the moon dragon i got in japan lol. 27 hours of pain.  

Alexis Doodles

Bored at work wanted to doodle two famous witches from my all time favorite Disney movies. I also included a reading from our witches book, the deadly nightshade. 

Christina's Beautiful Artwork!

After watching the videos on the debates of whether or not Islam is a religion of peace I was inspired to do this painting. It is a woman in a traditional niqab, but there is more than what meets the eye. It tells that just because this woman follows the Muslim faith does not mean she does not have inner depth and beauty. It also does not mean that she is blind to the world around her. One eye is the sun and the other eye has a moon and stars. This also represents seeing the good and evil in the world around her. While I did understand some of the points Douglas Murray and others were making during their debates, I did not agree. I choose not to practice any religion in particular but I also believe that if religion is the reason for someone to put forth good morals then they should do whatever makes them happy. Not every person who actively follows Islam is a bad person who hates women. There is inherent good and bad in every culture. I found the debate with Murray against women wearing their niqab in public to protect the comfort of those who are bothered by it particularly disturbing. No one should be told how to dress and if that makes a woman feel closer to her culture and her faith she should have every right to do so. The fact that these women know their are prejudice against them in the western world and still CHOOSE to wear this is very empowering to me. The niqab represents modesty, and while some women may be forced to wear it and some may interpret it as oppressive I can see the charm behind the idea. The eyes are the window to your soul and they alone can be very telling.

An Evangelical Christian Woman's Take On Women

It may surprise you:

Secret History - Audio Book - First Five Chapters

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Booth 4

http://youtu.be/5_pey9FOqaQ

Beautiful and Unique Artwork from Alexis!

Thank you, I've never seen anything like this before.  Seriously, you should consider opening a Wicca Artwork Shop on Etsy.

Mark Booth - Chapter 3

http://youtu.be/2-Rflu3Q0KY

NEW INK!! - YAY, ALEXIS!!!!

Bobby Versus Satan

http://youtu.be/PoAGasPLh30

Creationism Cartoon Debate

http://youtu.be/95VTh4FA_gE

K-Stew

http://youtu.be/zKKAVYI7vdU

Creationism

http://youtu.be/3m0YYy9lqqs

Perception is Belief

http://youtu.be/Z8fhXAP8UBM

Life After Death

http://youtu.be/xRSjzY0s0SM

Is this a ghost?

http://youtu.be/8Eel02K-WPo

Some Movie Witches

http://youtu.be/8q-qDU6GIxw

Monty Python Clips for Laughs

http://youtu.be/SYkbqzWVHZI


http://youtu.be/yp_l5ntikaU

A Short History of Humanity

http://youtu.be/YzbhMbAb4xg

Halos

A halo is a ring of light that surrounds a person in art. They are often used in religious works to depict holy or sacred figures, and have at various periods also been used in images of rulers or heroes. In, among other religions, Hellenistic Greek, Roman, Buddhist and Christian sacred art, sacred persons may be depicted with a halo in the form of a golden, yellow or white circular glow around the head, or around the whole body.

The halo was incorporated into Christian art sometime in the fourth century with the earliest iconic images of Christ, initially the only figure shown with one (together with his symbol, the Lamb of God). Initially the halo was regarded by many as a representation of the Logos of Christ, his divine nature, and therefore in very early (before 500) depictions of Christ before his Baptism by John he tends not to be shown with a halo, it being a matter of debate whether his Logos was innate from birth (the Orthodox view), or acquired at Baptism (the Nestorian view). At this period he is also shown as a child or youth, though this may be a hieratic rather than age-related representation [20]

A cross within, or extending beyond, a halo is used to represent the persons of the Holy Trinity, especially Jesus, and especially in medieval art. In Byzantine and Orthodox images, inside each of the bars of the cross in Christ's halo is one of the Greek letters ώ Ό Ν making up I AM—literally, "the Existing One" — indicating the divinity of Jesus. At least in later Orthodox images, each bar of this cross is composed of three lines, symbolising the dogmas of the Trinity, the oneness of God and the two natures of Christ. In mosaics in Santa Maria Maggiore (432-40) the juvenile Christ has a four-armed cross either on top of his head in the radius of the nimbus, or placed above the radius, but this is unusual. In the same mosaics the accompanying angels have haloes (as, in a continuation of the Imperial tradition, does King Herod), but not Mary and Joseph. Occasionally other figures have crossed  haloes, such as the seven doves representing the Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit in the 11th century Codex Vyssegradensis Tree of Jesse (where Jesse and Isaiah also have plain haloes, as do the Ancestors of Christ in other miniatures).[21]

Later, triangular haloes are sometimes given to God the Father to represent the Trinity.[22] When he is represented by a hand emerging from a cloud, this may be given a halo.

Plain round haloes are typically used to signify saints, the Virgin Mary, Old Testament prophets, angels, symbols of the Four Evangelists, and some other figures. Byzantine emperors and empresses were often shown with them in compositions including saints or Christ, however the haloes were outlined only. This was copied by Ottonian and later Russian rulers. Old Testament figures become less likely to have haloes in the West as the Middle Ages go on.[23]

Beatified figures, not yet canonised as saints, are sometimes shown in medieval Italian art with linear rays radiating out from the head, but no circular edge of the nimbus defined; later this became a less obtrusive form of halo that could be used for all figures.[24] Mary has, especially from the Baroque period onwards, a special form of halo in a circle of stars, derived from her identification as the Woman of the Apocalypse.

Square haloes were sometimes used for the living in the first millennium in Italy;[25] Pope Gregory the Great had himself depicted with one, according to the ninth-century writer of his vita, John, deacon of Rome.[26] Personifications of the Virtues are sometimes given hexagonal haloes.[27]

The whole-body image of radiance is sometimes called the 'aureole' or glory; it is shown radiating from all round the body, most often of Christ or Mary, occasionally of saints (especially those reported to have been seen surrounded by one). Such an aueola is often a mandorla ("almond-shaped" vesica piscis), especially around Christ in Majesty, who may well have a halo as well. In depictions of the Transfiguration a more complicated shape is often seen, especially in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, as in the famous 15th century icon in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.[28]

Where gold is used as a background in miniatures, mosaics and panel paintings, the halo is often formed by inscribing lines in the gold leaf, and may be decorated in patterns (diapering) within the outer  radius, and thus becomes much less prominent. The gold leaf inside the halo may also be burnished in a circular manner, so as to produce the effect of light radiating out from the subject's head. In the early centuries of its use, the Christian halo may be in most colours (though black is reserved for Judas, Satan and other evil figures) or multicoloured; later gold becomes standard, and if the entire background is not gold leaf, the halo itself usually will be.[29]

With increasing realism in painting, the halo came to be a problem for artists. So long as they continued to use the old compositional formulae which had been worked out to accommodate haloes, the problems were manageable, but as Western artists sought more flexibility in composition, this ceased to be the case. In free-standing medieval sculpture, the halo was already shown as a flat disk above or behind the head. When perspective came to be considered essential, painters also changed the halo from an aura surrounding the head, always depicted as though seen full-on, to a flat golden disk or ring that appeared in perspective, floating above the heads of the saints, or vertically behind, sometimes transparent. This can be seen first in Giotto, who still gives Christ the cruciform halo which began to be phased out by his successors.

In in the early 15th century Jan van Eyck and Robert Campin largely abandoned their use, although some other Early Netherlandish artists continued to use them.[30] In Italy at around the same time, Pisanello used them if they did not clash with one of the enormous hats he liked to paint. Generally they lasted longer in Italy, although often reduced to a thin gold band depicting the outer edge of the nimbus, usual for example in Giovanni Bellini. Christ began to be shown with a plain halo.

Fra Angelico, himself a monk, was a conservative as far as haloes are concerned, and some of his paintings demonstrate the problems well, as in several of his more crowded compositions, where they are shown as solid gold disks on the same plane as the picture surface, it becomes difficult to prevent them obstructing other figures. At the same time they were useful in crowded narrative scenes for distinguishing the main, identifiable, figures from the mass of a crowd. Giotto's Lamentation of Christ from the Scrovegni Chapel has eight figures with haloes and ten without, who the viewer knows they are not meant to attach a specific identity to.

In the High Renaissance, even most Italian painters dispensed with haloes altogether, but in the Church's reaction to the Renaissance, that culminated in the decrees on images of the Council of Trent of 1563, their use was mandated by clerical writers on religious art such as Molanus and Saint Carlo Borromeo. The disk halo was rarely used for figures from classical mythology in the Renaissance, although they are sometimes seen, especially in the classical radiant form, in Mannerist and Baroque art. Figures were placed where natural light sources would highlight their heads, or instead more discreet quasi-naturalistic flickering or glowing light was shown around the head of Christ and other figures (perhaps pioneered by Titian in his late period). Rembrandt's etchings, for example, show a variety of solutions of all of these types, as well as a majority with no halo effect at all.

By the 19th century haloes have become unusual in Western mainstream art, although retained in iconic and popular images, and sometimes as a medievalising effect. When John Everett Millais gives his otherwise realist St Stephen (1895) a ring halo, it seems rather surprising.[31] In popular graphic culture, a simple ring has become the predominant representation of a halo since at least the late 19th century, as seen for example in the logo for the Simon Templar ("The Saint") series of novels and other adaptations.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_(religious_iconography)#In_Christian_art)

Hope this helps.

Elder Greg Madden