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The power of words is indisputable, especially spoken words.  They have sparked war and paved the way for peace.  Words can cause great emotional pain as well as convey the deepest and richest love.  The idea that words have power is one key to understanding the power of magick.  From dirt-worshipping neo-Pagan to the greatest practitioner of High Magick, words hold power for all of us.  That is especially true of words spoken during spells and rituals. 

Knowing this, I am often surprised at the number of Solitaries who practice only silent rituals and spells.  While even silent rituals often use words, they are thoughts and not spoken aloud.  There was a time that I also performed rituals in virtual silence, perhaps only speaking to cast my circle.  Sometimes not even then.  One day while explaining the power of words to someone, it struck me how wasteful most of my silent rituals were.  Don’t get me wrong – there is a place for silence within rituals and also a place for completely silent rituals.  I was just surprised at all of the opportunities I had squandered with my silence. Since I was alone, as is the accepted norm in American culture, I tended not to speak aloud.  After all, nobody else was there to hear the words, right?

This week we'll discuss the metaphysical properties of Channeling or Channeler quartz crystal points; what they are, how to determine if you have one, and how to work with their unique energy. They are referred to as either Channeler OR Channeling, both are correct and are used interchangeably.

Metaphysical description: Channeler quartz crystals help you access higher wisdom, either in the form of your Higher Self or Spirit Guides, or of Angels. These crystals exude a crisp, regal energy. Channeling crystals can bring you love and light from beings in the higher realms.

It's late January, and my almond tree is blooming.

What makes that so surprising is that I live in Minnesota.

I've long joked that I'm a Mediterranean trapped in the body of a Northern European. (The quip would actually read more accurately as “...having a perfectly fine time in the body of....”) Civilized people drink tea and wine and cook with olive oil. Barbarians drink coffee and beer and cook with (ugh) butter. Not that there's anything wrong with barbarism, understand. Some of my best friends.... And since I've certainly put away my share of brews down the years, I suppose that by my own definition that would make me semi-barbarous. Fine. See if I care.

Why in the world am I living in Minnesota, one might wonder? Short answer: love. But that's a story for another night. Right now it's late January and my almond tree is blooming. I just can't look at it enough.

In today's Fiery Tuesday post, the Pagan News Beagle brings you: victory for religious rights in Holt v. Hobbs (U.S. Supreme Court); first British gay Pagan marriage; Scotland leads in fossil free electricity; what are the free speech limits of mocking religion?; Heathens supporting #BlackLivesMatter.

The case of Holt v. Hobbs was decided yesterday in the Supreme Court. (See Justice Ginsburg's explanation here.) The decision was another victory for religious rights, even if the petitioner isn't a model plaintiff nor a member of a majority religion.

I was asked recently to develop a talk which could be delivered as a sermon, using ancient Egyptian sacred texts and ideas.  Here is Part 1 of that talk.

We open this morning with words from the sacred Egyptian text called the Book of Coming Forth By Day:

[rhythmic shaking of sistrum]

“Oh my heart, my mother! My heart, my mother! Do not rise up against me as a witness, do not speak against me in the presence of the great god, lord of the west. Dua, ibi, hail to you my heart! May you say what is good to the gods. I go forth, not dying in the west, but becoming a spirit in it.”

The crafting of a life is an epic journey, a story which has been told around the world for as long as we have memory. For the ancient Nile dwellers, survival was exquisitely poised on the banks of that great river where the mysterious flood arose each year, bringing new fertility to the whole land. But the Egyptians also carried the understanding of how this life is linked to the next one, the deep mysteries of life, death, rebirth and new, transformed life.

Recently, my friend SnowStar bestowed a major blessing on me, gifting me 67 divination  decks from her personal collection.

Her amazing generosity was only matched by the gift's synchronicity: I've collected decks over my 30 years as a professional card reader, then lost a substantial portion of my collection due to a bug infestation two years ago.

SnowStar asked me which decks she sent particularly struck me, so I pulled together some personal notes I'd made, and thought I'd share them here with you, too. And please tell me about a deck or decks you particularly love. I love to hear about experiences with tarot or Lenormand decks.

I'm always on the lookout for symbols, stringing them together like mystical pearls--or, perhaps, like magical mala beads inscribed with sacred prayers, spiritual insight and everyday wisdom--begging for me to decode and apply their particular meaning for my life. 

If you think about it, everything we tell ourselves is a story--including the way we decode symbols.