Blue Moon

The next three nights constitute a blue moon.  While there are many different definitions concerning what this means, one popular version is the fourth full moon in a season.  Another is the second full moon in a calender month. Today refers to the latter.

In addition to other regular sabbat activities, it’s a time for power and for deep introspection.  Do a spell that needs an extra boost.  Look at your life and use to moon to cultivate its blessings.  Or, change a habit or practice.

I am spending it in two ways.  First I am spending time reconnecting with my friends (it is Thirsty Thursday after all)  and then in ritual looking at my relationships.

Have a good Blue Moon and may the Goddess bless you!

©Ariadne Woods

Shielding and Academic Success

Shielding is a psychological, energetic, and magical technique of surrounding oneself with a “wall” of a particularly calibrated purpose.  They are not dissimilar to ritual circles, the only difference is a ritual circle is fixed whereas a shield is attached to a person, animal, or object.  While shielding techniques differ on personal preferences, CharmingPixieFlora offers one set of tips and guidelines.

• Step-By-Step Instructions
• An Explanation of Use and Type
• Inspecting Shields

I got interested in shields when I was living with a toxic roommate.  It wasn’t that she was a bad person (we’re still good friends, but we no longer live together), but she was going through rough times and her negative energy permeated everything in our room.   In my practice, I put up my shields around myself in the morning and take them down at night.  I put a completely different shield around my entire bedroom to sleep.  I find this method works better energetically for me than keeping them up all the time.  Even that half hour I have no shield makes a strong difference in the quality and strength of the shields.  I also do mine in multiple layers depending on my needs.

I want to go to graduate school next year and want to boost my GPA.  I am a pretty good student, but I know I can do better.  On Monday while I was putting up my daily shields, I decided to put up a layer for concentration, focus, and mental awareness.  You know what?  I’ve been feeling more alert in class, more motivated to do my homework, and less distracted.  I have tried other spells and methods in the past and none of them have worked this well.  I think what is going on is I center my focus early in the day and keep it mindful throughout my classes.

© Ariadne Woods

Paganomics

Today I went online to buy a piece of tumbled Lapus Lazuli to heal my Fifth Chakra and to aid in creative writing. After checking all the usual shops, I went on Etsy.  Instead of buying ONE stone, I ended up buying EIGHT stones, only ONE of them being Lapus.

Pagans have the tendency to need (or think they need) a lot of STUFF.  Candles, incense, deity figures. Three of the most popular practices associated with Paganism are herbalism, divination, and stonecraft.  Perhaps not for divination, but think of how many herbs and gems comprise the basic of basic in those practices.  It’s mind boggling!

My biggest weakness is books.  Right now I have a little over a dozen, but my “To Buy” list is LONG.

If you are financially challenged, this can be a serious problem because people sometimes feel like the stuff is integral with spirituality. If you are, my best advice to you is to choose wisely.  Buy one stone, book, or herb at a time.  If space is an issue, keep quantities small.

This most important thing to keep in mind is that all you need is you in your magical practice.

© Ariadne Woods

List of Colleges and Universities with Pagan Campus Organizations

This is a post I put on Tumblr a couple of months ago.  In the spirit of the season, I’ve updated it and am reposting it here.

While there are many different reasons to pick a college or grad school, a spiritual community is a great way to be acclimated in a new environment.  It’s something I didn’t think about when I did my college search and deeply regret.  Please feel free to pass on this list to your kids and friends looking at schools.

Arizona:

• Northern Arizona University

California

• The Claremont Colleges
• UC Davis

Colorado

• Colorado Mesa University
• Colorado State University

Connecticut

• University of Connecticut

Florida

• Florida State University
• University of West Florida

Georgia

• University of Georgia
• College of Costal Georgia

Maryland

• University of Maryland

Massachusetts

• MIT

Michigan

• Ferris State University
• Michigan State University
• Grand Valley State University
• Central Michigan University

Mississippi

• University of Southern Mississippi

Missouri

• Washington University

New Jersey

• Rutgers University

North Carolina

• Salem University

Ohio

• Kent State

Pennsylvania

• Lebanon Valley College
• Bryn Mawr College
• Drexel University
• Penn State University

South Dakota

• South Dakota State University

Tennessee

• University of Tennessee

Texas

• Baylor University
• Texas State University in San Marcos

Utah

• Utah State University
• University of Utah

Virginia

• Roanoke College
• Old Dominion University

Washington

• Washington State University

West Virginia

• Marshall University

Wisconsin

• University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and Oshkosh campuses

*Source: The Witch’s Voice

** If you have any groups to add, please message me and I’ll add them to the list.

*** Because a few people asked, no my university is not on here.

First Day of School

Today was the first day of my senior year.  I feel weird just writing it.  I can’t have been four years since I decorated my first dorm room and now I have my first single!

My college years have been a bit rocky.  Both my parents lost their jobs, my best friend went crazy (not exaggerating), rooming with friends turned out to be an awful idea, a close relative died, and I developed a case of anxiety so bad that I am feeling crippling “aftershocks.”

But I’ve also lived in Europe, gone on my first real date, had a handful of hysterical nights with my friends, got my first (and second!) job, and, oh yeah, became a Witch.

So it’s not been all bad.

I did a reading with an oracle deck and they were lovely, positive cards.  In spite of my anxieties, I carry hope with me for the first time in a long time.

© Ariadne Woods