Serving Oya on Katrina's 8th Aniversary

*Oya - click to see this glorious deck!

Today marks the 8th Aniversary of Hurricane Katrina. There is so much detail I could give with regard to my own personal experience, but to be completely honest, I just plain don't want to right now. But I will tell you I sat in the airport for 8 1/2 hours that day. NOTHING but the power of prayer/positive affirmation got me the hell out of there or the city, trust and believe me on that!

There is a specific spirit who rules over storms, Oya. She is a warrior, the the keeper of the cemetaries, winds of change, and associated with massive transformation. When you need to release the things that no longer serve you well, you can call on Oya, but in my personal experience and that of those I know to have worked with her, she ain't for the faint of heart. You'd be well advised to only call on Oya when you are sick and tired if being sick and tired! She and her sister Oshun (with whom she does not get along) have both been all around me for the past 2 weeks, sending very specific signs and messages to me. As a matter of fact, Oshun told me I had to ask Oya to clear my path before she could bring in her gifts of joy and prosperity. (Note the phrase "clear my path". Ever seen footage of the path a tornado leaves when it cuts through?! It's kinda like that, it ain't pretty folks. In fact, to be blunt, it rather sucks I'd have to say!) The lady has been quite busy, and I can't say I'm not a bit worse for the wear. The thing is, your life is always better for it once th storm is over. She is the school of hard knocks.

Oya's sacred day is Wednesday and her colors are dark purple and burgundy. Items sacred to her are black plums, red grapes, red wine, eggplants, storm clouds, wind, and the machete she uses to chop down and clear out anything obstructing your path. In the tarot, she comes up for me as the Ace of Swords, the Queen of Swords, or the Death XIII card. You could call on her during a storm or when it is windy. Write or speak your petiton for the changes you need or want and ask her for the courage to weather the storm. Then place any of these cards in front of a purple candle with one of the items sacred to her. To show your gratitude, take any of these items to a cemetery, leaving it at the gate since she is who watches over it.

 

I brought her a gorgeous eggplant today and put it on her altar to say thank your for giving me the strength to withstand the massive changes going on in and around my life. It was also thanking her for keeping The Crescent Lady safe so far this hurricane season. And for the blessings, strength and courage that came from Katrina. The one new lesson I'm learning is to stop resisting the winds of change she blows and allow her to have you land where she sees fit and is best for you to start your path anew.

 

 

QofSw - Vampire Tarot Deck by Nathalie Hurtz for U.S. Games

Death - Tarot of Vampires by Ian Daniels

Ace of Sw - Dark Angels Tarot by Luca Russco for LoSacrabeo

 

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Ostara 2013 - Dancing Between the Light and the Dark

Welcome, in particular for those who are following on along on the Ostara Bloghop. If you are moving forward on the hop, you have come from Aisling's blog.

Ostara is a celebration of the Vernal or Spring Equinox, a time where the hours of light and darkness are balanced, and this years theme for the Bloghop is addressing that magickal balance of the two. I decided to keep it pretty simple, an act in and of itself a means of seeking balance within my own self as this is not my usual tendency lol. Ever since I read about the topic, I've seen The Sun card from the Tarot of Vampyers in my head. This card expresses that delicate balance when opposing forces meet. Masculine/feminine. Darkness/light. This gorgeous couple stands before the blazing sun which upon closer inspection seems to have a pale moon at its center. They call to mind Persephone and Hades. The field of roses in bloom denote Persephone's mother Demeter eagerly awaiting the arrival of her daughter from the depths of the Earth. The girl who was once a victim has not only made peace with her circumstances, she has become a woman and defied the odds by using the situation to her advantage. She stands before her king who has escorted her back to the Earth's surface as his equal in a lovers exchange. He has been tempered by her compassion and her courage and allows himself to be vulnerable in his queens embrace. The fact that both their eyes are closed demonstrates the phrase "in perfect love and perfect trust". Him allowing her to touch his face truly shows he has found his sanctuary in her.

Where in each of our lives can we create more balance and harmony? What past indiscretions need to be brought to light so that we may heal? Where can we replace aggression with compassion? But let us not forget the other end of the spectrum. What things do we need to bury in the shadows and stop constantly highlighting so that they might finally heal? Where have we shown too much compassion and not assertively taken a stand? I specifically have chosen The Wheel of Fortune from the deck in answer. It speaks to me of the perfect harmony and flux of life's many cycles. The gradual change of the color of the roses, the blooms and the thorns, the three creatures who are keeping the wheel in motion. All of this shows that life the answers to life's questions are not always black and white, good vs evil, dominance vs submission, right vs wrong. Today I will meditate on these two cards and set my intention for the day to remain in a state of harmony with the shadow and light of my being.

If you are continuing on the hop, your next stop is Jonanne's lovely blog. Thank you so much for stopping by and Blessed Ostara!

 

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Endangered Sharks

I just tripped over something that Arwen reTweeted and even though I just made a post 15 min ago I had to make another one with regard to this topic. It is about a victory for 5 shark species winning protection from be being slaughtered for shark fin soup. So I grabbed my beloved Tarot of Vampyres deck to ask LaSirene, the Lwa (spirit) who embodies the ocean how she felt about this. She once appeared to me as a hammer head when I needed protection. She had me to shuffle and intentionally look for not just one but two of her significators and the three cards that followed. Her answer was quite clear both times.

As the Queen of Cups - Elementally, I notice that there are 2 water (the sea) and 1 earth (the animals that live in it)

5 of Skulls (Pentacles) - Of all decks, this one really speaks to the gravity of the situation of the 5of P. Look at how this beautiful creature lays there bleeding out after being savagely mauled!

Ace of Grails (cups) - A perfect representation of the ocean and her love for her domain and all of its creatures.

7 of Grails (cups) - Looking at the card it feels like the entire scene is under water. It is as if this is LaSirene conducting a ritual to ensure their protection, possibly even to ensure accountability for those responsible for harming her children.

 

As the Daughter of Grails -

Ace of Knives - Holy crap, if this doesn't speak volumes in reference to their fins being cut off their bodies!

6 of Scepters (wands) - the victory card!

4 of Chalices - Though a small victory was won, there is so much sorrow for the loss of her children. This shows how the sharks are discarded and left to bleed out and die a horrible death after being captured long enough dismembered and tortured.

I can only pray that efforts to protect ocean and all wildlife continues and we do not completely eliminate beings that have existed for millions of years.

 

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New Moon in Capricorn

The new moon is the perfect time to do a spell to start new projects, bring things to you, start fresh. So with the Sun and Moon being in my personal Sun sign I figure this hold too much promise to let it pass me by. To capitalize on this cosmic energy I decided to do my favorite form of magick, candle magick. I also felt the pull of my personal Archangel Castiel. Lisa is extremely knowledgable about and has made many posts on how to work with angels so I consulted one of her blogs, Seer Pathways. Her post about working with Castiel explains why he is the perfect angel for doing work when the moon is in Capricorn. I also consulted the fabulous Starcana since she is an astrology guru. And to top it all off I pulled cards from a few different decks that I was intuitively led to choose from. If you'd like to do this spell here is what I used:

• Snowflake obsidian
• Archangel Castiel's sigil
• White tea light candle (if I'd had green or brown I'd have used that)
• Purple pen and a sheet of paper
• Tarot cards - The World, The Devil, Queen, Ace, and 9 of Pentacles
• Music
• My Creole Moon Tarot business card

Make a list of the things you want to manifest. I like to use 7 since it is my power number as well as the number of Spirit. Be specific and clear. I used a purple pen because it is the color of Spirit and my favorite, but use what feels right to you. Brown or green are great for working with the Earth energy of the Capricorn moon but white is always appropriate. Snowflake obsidian is one stone sacred to Castiel. All of the tarot cards I chose are under the element Earth and Starcana's post explains in detail why The World and Devil are good choices. As a Capricorn I identify myself as the Queen of Pents. Ace of Pents is about the beginning of a project that has the promise of stability and prosperity if nurtured. And the 9ofP is one of my favorites cards, and the version I chose is my favorite hands down. The 9ofP speaks to long term investments, hard work, and patience bringing tangible results and contentment. It brings a deep sense of accomplishment and the independence that comes with that. It's about being comfortable in your own skin because your growing pains made your skin a little bit thicker and your will to overcome your circumstances gave you the wisdom that can only come from life experience. And it is about finical independence, moola, cream, duckets, coin, paper, cheese, cash money. This card says you know you'll always land on your feet, whether you are barefoot or in 4" heels! Meow!

I added music to the list because it has such a powerful effect on my emotions. When doing magick, it's all about the intent and force of will you put into it. Truly knowing that you can create the desired outcome. Seeing it in your mind's eye as thought it already has happened. Feeling whatever emotion you will when experiencing that reality. So I cranked up Madonna's Give It To Me and danced and sang and put all of that joy and enthusiasm and confidence into writing my list and into the candle. I also drew Castiel's sigil. A sigil is kind of like a veve, or calling card to a particular angel. I then layed out the tarot cards and when I felt the energy had peaked I lit the candle.

I am excited to have used this new moon energy. I'd love to hear if you did a new moon spell and how you did it. May the determination and emotional investment of the Capricorn new moon pay off for us all.

 

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Ezili Dantor and the Queen of Swords

There are many powerful Haitian spirits, or Lwa. One of the most misunderstood and most vilified is Ezili Danto . Tuesday is her sacred day. In the tarot, she is the Queen of Swords. In fact, blades are one of  her most sacred items. First and foremost she is a devoted mother and fierce protectress. Like the QofSw she is direct and to the point, no nonsense, very intelligent and a woman of action who gets results. She takes matters into her own hands and doesn't mind it one bit if they have to get a bit dirty. She is raw and gritty and makes no apologies for it. She is painfully honest and can see and cut straight through bullshit, deception or hidden agendas so you'd do wise to not come to her with any of the above. Think... Gemini female. They can be your best friend or your worst nightmare. The argument could be made that they are crazy and irrational as well as just plain mean. It could also be made that if you approach them with foolishness, dishonesty or a trickery, you get what you deserve. That could be a razor sharp tongue. It could be getting shanked. I'm jus sayin'... But if you are lucky enough to have one your side, you have a valiant ally.

You can seek Ezili Danto's assistance for a number of issues, but she is prone to show favor on certain groups in particular: single mothers, abused women and children, victims of violent crime, women with their own businesses, victims of rape or incest, gay and in particular lesbian individuals, and any one being oppressed or mistreated. Clearly, if you have caused any harm to anyone who fits into any of these categories, it would be ill advised to seek help from her. Items sacred to Danto are cigars, rum, red wine, yams, hot peppers, hot sauce, pineapples, knives/blades, sweet potatoes, red roses with thorns, Florida water, silver jewelry, and unfiltered cigarettes, Lucky Strikes in particular. Another great way to connect with her is by using her veve. Each Lwa has their own veve, or symbol. It acts as a calling card for that particular spirit. Danto's colors are blood red and royal blue. These things can be used on an alter to her, or to call upon her to ask for help or to show your gratitude after she has helped you. (And always put water on an alter to any of the Lwa)She does not require a lot, nor expensive or extravagant gifts in or for her to do work for you. But you must give her something to show your respect and appreciate her. It doesn't have to be complicated, just sincere. And if you make a promise, by all means keep it! If you say you will light red and blue candles and leave a bottle of Night Train or a 40oz and a pack of Kool's and a yam do so! She is a very loving but stern Mamma, not a woman to be toyed with or taken for granted. She will also help with prosperity. Now she most likely wont just give you money like other spirits will, but she will provide you with the opportunities to earn it, particularly if you need to provide for a child or to get out of an abusive or dangerous situation.

*my alter for Ezili Danto* One more thing that is very important to mention. This is Ezili Danto. Do NOT confuse her with her sister, who's name I won't even put in the same sentence. I will explain further in future post, but suffice it to say they do NOT like each other! Don't ask them to work on the same situation. And by all means do NOT have their alters next to nor facing each other.

Call on Danto if you need protection and the courage to fight and find strength when you need it. She honors vulnerability, raw honesty, hard work and will help you conquer fear by facing it head on teach you to survive as well as thrive in spite of adversity or oppression.
*Danto's veve*