Elements Series from The Domestic Witch

 The Domestic Witch is running a series on understanding Elemental Powers and being able to use them in your own craft.  Part of understanding the elements is knowing which element you have a natural affinity for.  Below are 25 questions she has posted to help you understand your natural affinities along with my answers.  I figured I'd post my answers here so I can easily access them as well as sharing them with my readers.

1. Which element do you feel you connect with or understand the most?

Water.

2. What are your hobbies and interests? 

Swimming, Snowboarding, Hiking, Biking, Cooking, Organization, Crafting, Knitting, Reading, Blogging, Teaching, and Pagan-y things.

3. How do you move through activities? For example, do you stay with one activity for a long period of time, restlessly go from one thing to the next, or do several things at once?

I tend to do several things at once and I tend to stay with them all for a long period of time (although blogging took a bit of a break).  I dive into things and I submerge myself in them.

4. Where are your favorite places?

Upstate NY, especially the Adirondacks and Catskills; Vermont; New Hampshire; Texas

5. What is your preferred divination method? Or do you prefer to rely on proven facts only?

Tarot.  I just started working with a pendulum. 

6. What color is your hair, eyes, and skin tone? Do you tan or burn easily? Is your skin oily, dry, or soft?

I have very dark brown hair (almost black) with red highlights, dark brown eyes and light olive skin tone.  During the summer I get pretty tan and I have soft skin.

7. What are your favorite colors?

Black, dark blues, purples and reds.

8. What is the style of your clothes?

I'm pretty eclectic.  I have some "hippie-ish" clothes, goth clothes, punk clothes,  my "teacher clothes" and then just regular t-shirts and jeans.  It depends on the situation I'm in.  I have many different interests and I must change my style of dress to the situation.  

9. Are you sensitive to hot or cold temperatures?

I hate humidity.  I love the winter and I think all my wishing is what caused all the snow this winter.  I'm ok with summer heat as long as there is no humidity.  Summer on Long Island is murder because of the humidity.  I'd rather be in the mountains during the summer.

10. Do you refuse to sit or walk barefoot on rough or uncomfortable textures such as grass or concrete?

I've had issues with sand since I was a baby.  When I was about 9 months old my parents took me to the beach and I would not leave the towel.  I wouldn't play in my sandbox.  I've been getting better as I've gotten older, but I'm not a huge fan of sand beneath my feet.

11. What interests you? Do you have talents in art, music, sports, or science?

I was an opera singer in high school.  I now sing in the car and the shower.  I was also a competitive swimmer.

12. Do you follow you heart or your head when making decisions?

My heart.  I've been learning to think more before I act though and it has benefited me greatly.  Following your heart gets you in trouble.

13. What's you favorite kind of music? Does it have heavy bass, is acoustic, or ethereal?

It really depends on my mood.  I like a lot of different kinds of music.  However, almost all of it, even the piano stuff, has heavy bass.

14. What kinds of things do you use to better your mood? Candles, a warm bath, garden, or a good book?

I love to read or relax in my pool.  I'll also go for walks or take a hot shower.  

15. Do you have any health issues or physical impairments?

 I suffer from depression and anxiety.  

16. What are your biggest fears?

Failure.

17. What types of spells and rituals do you favor? 

Off the cuff.  I also enjoy doing my rituals outside whenever possible.

18. Do you collect anything or have extensive knowledge about a particular subject?

I collect old books and records.  I have an extensive knowledge of Victorian literature and Shakespeare.

19. How old are you? What stage of life are you in?

I'm 26 and I've been married for two years.  I'm not ready for children and have no plans to ever have any.

20. What are your best traits and talents? What are your worst traits and bad habits?

I'm a loyal friend, but I only keep a small group very close.  I always plan for the worst case scenario and am obsessively organized.  I analyze situations and it can be a downer - it plays into my anxiety.  I'm also very stubborn.  I'm sure there are more but I cannot think of it right now. 

21. What is your career or occupation?

I'm a high school English teacher.

22. What do you keep on your altar?

It changes by season but here is a picture of what it looks like for the most part:

24. What's your favorite season?

Winter.

25. What is your Sun Sign, Moon Sign, and Ascendent?
Sun Sign: Scorpio, Moon Sign: Taurus Ascendent: Pisces

June is Pagan Values Month!

Read all about how to participate on The Domestic Witch's post.  People participating will be posting about Pagan values all throughout the month of June. 

What does all this mean?  The month is being hosted by Pagan Values.  Here's how they explain the event:

Once again we are nearing the June Solstice.

The Sun is nearing its height in the Northern Hemisphere and nearly hidden from view in the Southern Hemisphere. Midsummer and Yule, festivals of fire and of light. Times to exuberantly celebrate all that makes life bright and wonderful, and to light our personal and familial candles and hearth fires of our inspiration and nourishment in celebration of our beloved living.

Once more I issue a Challenge and a Call to my fellow Pagans, of every Pagan faith and path, to join me in blogging about Pagan Values in the month of June.

I invite you to share those Values and Virtues and Ethics and Ideals that you have found within whatever your Paganism is. How do you carry these jewels out into the world, thus enriching it and yourself, in your daily lives? What has living your Values taught you? How have the Ethics or Ideals of your particular Paganism challenged you? What have you discovered about yourself in your relationships with the Gods, and the world around you, and with the Ancestors, and with the Spirits of the World around you – however your individual Pagan path defines these things?

Yours in Peace and Curiosity,

Pax, your editor

Bloody April Give-a-Way and Natural Cleaning Products

If you haven't checked out Bloody April at the Wizardess Epi's page Go Out Beneath the Naked Night, you should.  Her give-a-way this month are re-usable menstrual pads.  As a Green Witch, I'm always looking for things to help lower my carbon footprint.  Honestly, I had no idea that re-usable pad existed.  I'm really excited about the Wizardess's give-a-way and I plan on making a purchase from Crea8tive Mama's Etsy Shop.

The Domestic Witch's Spring Cleaning continues this week with kitchen cleaning tips.  Her kitchen blessing is excellent and is worth bookmarking for your own use.  I've also spoken about doing away with harsh, unatural cleaners from my house, well, my mother's house.  Mainstream cleaning products are full of chemicals that are dangerous to you, your pets, your family and even more importantly, the Earth.  However, many alternative, plant based cleaners (which are great) are very expensive and for many people, money is something that is hard to come by right now.  Making your own green cleaning products is cheap, sometimes cheaper than those chemically products, and a great way to bring yourself in balance with Nature.  What could be more pagan?!

Here's a few easy cleaning recipies:

Surface Cleaner - counter tops, tile, ranges, etc.

You Will Need:

• a spray bottle
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup water

1. Combine vinegar and water into the spray bottle.
2. Use on any surface in your home.  The vinegar smell will dissipate when the vinegar drys. 
3. For really stained/dirty surfaces, heat up the solution in the microwave or on the stove. 

Toilet Cleaner, Shower Head Cleaner or Laundry Rinse 

You Will Need:

• undiluted white vinegar.  

1. For the toilet bowl: dump a bucket of water into the toilet to force water out of the bowl and allow access to the sides. Pour undiluted white vinegar around the bowl and scrub with a toilet brush to remove stains and odor. Use a pumice stone to remove any remaining hard water rings.
2. For Shower Heads:  Place 1/4 to 1/2 cup vinegar in a plastic food storage bag, and secure the bag to the shower head with a rubber band. Let stand for 2 hours to overnight, then rinse and buff the fixture to a shiny finish.    
3. For Laundry: Add one cup of undiluted white vinegar to the laundry rinse cycle instead of commercial fabric softener. White vinegar softens clothes and cuts detergent residue.

Bathtub Scrub

You Will Need:

• Baking Soda
• Sponge

1.  Sprinkle baking soda onto a damp sponge to scrub away rings in your bathtub, shower or sink.
2. For bad stains, make a paste with the baking soda and water, apply and let stand for 20 minutes.  Then, rinse with hot water.

Smelly Garbage Disposals 

You Will Need:

• Baking Soda
• Lemon, Orange or Lime peels (optional)
• White Vinegar

1. Pour about 1 cup of baking soda down your garbage disposal.  
2. Then, pour about a cup of vinegar down the disposal for the chemical reaction.
3. Put the citrus peels in the disposal and operate the disposal.  This will leave a nice odor in your drain.

Homemade Glass Cleaner

You Will Need: 

• A spray bottle
• 1 cup rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol 
• 1 cup water 
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• Mix all of the above together and clean away!

Furniture Polish

You Will Need:

• A spray bottle
• 1 cup olive oil 
• 1/2 cup lemon juice 

Mix together and shake well and apply a small amount to a flannel cleaning rag or cleaning cloth. Spread evenly over furniture surface. Turn cloth to a dry side and polish dry.

Monday Mutterings: Tarot

Last week I began doing (almost) daily tarot readings for myself.  The Domestic Witch's focus for this week is on the Hearth and Home.  This means that we should bring focus into the things we truly have a strong passion for.

Tarot is something that I began doing as a teenager and recently it has come back to my life.  Reading the cards was something that always came easily to me, especially since the decks I've always used have pictoral expressions of meaning.  Up until last week, I used the Universal Waite deck, but I purchased the Robin Wood deck on Amazon.  Immediately I had a strong connection to my new deck.  I've used the Robin Wood deck (most of my friends have it) and it has interested me for a long time.  I really have no idea why I've waited so long to purchase it.  Now, even though I'm pretty good at getting the meanings from just the cards themselves, I do like to have a reference.  At the suggestion of a friend, I purchased the book Tarot: Plain and Simple by Anthony Louis.  Anyone who is interested in tarot, beginner or not, should have this book.

I did not do a full week of readings, but the ones I did do were pretty interesting.  I will share one of them with you along with the weekly draw card.

My weekly draw card was Temperance.  This card is a card of balance.  The angel's wings in this deck are yellow which denotes illumination or inspiration.  However, in other deck's the angel's wings are red, the color of passion.  The angel is able to stand with one foot in the water, which usually is some connection to either travel or change.  From this card I knew that this week would possible involve me helping my life become more balanced or that focus for the week would be creating some form of harmony in my life.

On Thursday morning,  I drew the Six of Pentacles.  This card displays a nobleman holding the scales (which are balanced) and handing out coins to others.  This is a balanced man who has gained this through his devotion to charity/the needs of others less fortunate than himself.  The pentacles suit also tends to indicate some form of financial gain for myself or someone close to me.





Every card I drew last week had something that indicated a form of balance coming into my life or the lives of loved ones.  Interestingly enough, many things occurred that followed along with this theme: 1) I found out that I will be graduating from Grad School earlier than expected; 2) My husband and I found out we will be getting much more back on our tax return this year; 3) My raise came through; 4) My first coven meeting went very well and brought a needed pagan connection into my life; 5) Several friends became engaged this week.

I'm interested to see what this week's card will say!

Storm Moon Recap

Last night was our first coven meeting.  It was only four of us to start as some of the members are away for spring break, but it was wonderful.  Our ritual was very similar to what The Domestic Witch posted on her blog yesterday, so you can take a peek over at her blog for the ritual specifics.  It would be a bit redundant for me to post them a second time here.

We didn't get to see the moon herself last night, but the name of this March moon was quite appropriate as it is still storming here in New York.  There was a break in the storm, so we were able to go out into my friend's yard and spread our offerings to the Goddess and the creatures of spring.  In the distance I was able to catch the glipse of some spring rabbits running around.  It was quite fitting for the end of our first coven ritual. 

Something that all of us plan to grow and change along with our blessed seeds is in our health.  We all want to look better and feel better about ourselves which is why I cannot thank The Domestic Witch enough for her spring cleaning event.  It is really helping me keep focused on my overall goal for spiritual and physical cleansing.  We also all commented on how creating this coven is something we've all planned or hoped to do for a long time, but were not independent enough, from our parents and in our own selves, to actually do it.  I really think it will help bring our friendships closer together and really help us draw a great bit of power and energy into our projects. 

I hope everyone had an amazing full moon last night!  Blessed be.

The Storm Moon and more Spring Cleaning!

I know I've been a bit of a slacker when it has come to posting this week, but now that I'm on vacation from work for a week, I'll be able to post more often and everyday. 

In spring cleaning news, I've been doing ok with my diet.  I've had a little cheating this week, but I'll be back on track starting tomorrow.  Even though my food choices haven't been the most outstanding, I'm not overeating which is good.  I still need to be better about getting to the gym.  I did go twice last week and stayed for over an hour and a half.  This week off is much needed for my trips to the gym to increase.  I'm going tomorrow morning and I'll be there Tuesday night to start.  Then we'll go from there!

Tomorrow night is also March's full moon.  Originally I was planning on joining a coven in the area, but my personal schedule and the coven's meeting distance from my own home was a bit of an issue.  So, one of my friends who helped get me to this point in my path suggested starting our own coven.  Now, she does live in upstate New York, which is considerably further away than the originally coven I was going to join.  However, she is a good friend of mine and I'm always welcome to sleep over.  Plus, I love spending time with her, so the extra driving distance is really worth it for me.

For this full moon ritual, I plan on completing my wand project that I started at her house last month.  I have some beautiful beads that I purchased that are made from natural stones.  I'll be using Tiger's Eye (for personal empowerment and as a grounding stone), Hematite (for dissolving negativity) and Red Garnet (for self confidence and sexuality - hehehe).  The changes in season allow for a lot of creative energy and the full moon is a good opportunity to concentrate the wand.  I'll post some ritual ideas for everyone tomorrow along with my Monday Mutterings. 

Spring Cleaning: Week One Health and Fitness

I had to skip Monday Mutterings this week because I was just so wiped out after work yesterday.  My students are writing their research papers, which are due Friday, and I think I get more stressed out than them.

 

So, this Sunday was the official start of The Domestic Witch's Spring Cleaning event.  Week one focuses on health and fitness/well being.  I've been actively going to the gym for about a year now, but this year I really want to see the results.  I've lost about 30lbs since I started, but to me, I still look the same.  I've only dropped one pant size, which is 4 sizes away from my goal.  My personal trainer gave me this book to help with my eating habits and I've found that it's pretty helpful.  Honestly, I would not buy it for myself because the first 5 chapters talk about general health and I don't really need it.  If you are interested and have been into fitness for a while, I would just check it out from the library.  However, if you are a beginner, I would pick up a copy from the bookstore.  The diet comes from Prevention magazine, so you may also want to flip through a copy of that before doing anything.

The core of the diet is eating four meals a day.  Each meal should be no more than 400 calories and should contain a MUFA.  Meals should be spaced no more than 4 hours apart but no sooner than 2.  It has honetly helped me a lot.  I was never a big breakfast eater, but now that I've been forcing it upon myself, I feel that I'm less hungry and exhausted when I get to work.  I usually make myself a protein shake (I use EAS powder) with skim milk (I hate it with water - yuck!) in the morning and drink it on my drive to work.  I then follow it up with my coffee.  It really helps keep me full until lunch time.

My biggest hurdle to overcome to get myself back into shape is getting to the gym more often.  I see my personal trainer twice a week but I need to be more diligent about going to the classes on the days I don't see her.  It's hard because I'm working as a full time teacher, going to grad school and all of that other life stuff that tends to get in the way.  I'm seeing the trainer again on Thursday this week, so I'm planning to go to a Mixed aerobics class tonight at the gym.  Tomorrow, I'm in grad school and won't be home until 7:30.  If it isn't raining, I may take the bike out with the hubby or walk the dog around the block a few times and end my night on the eliptical my Dad brought home.  Next week will be a much easier time at the gym because I'm off from work (YAY for spring break!).  I will be able to go the gym in the mornings and afternoons.

I'm motivated!  Let's hope it doesn't wear off!

Spring Cleaning: Phase One

Spring Cleaning with The Domestic Witch starts this Sunday.  I'm actually starting a little bit early, but I am following her schedule:

Week ~ Area of the Home ~ Area of Life
Week 1 ~ Home Exterior and Repairs ~ Health and Fitness
Week 2 ~ Front Porch/Entryway ~ Personality and Self-image
Week 3 ~ Kitchen and Dining Room ~ The Heart of Your Life
Week 4 ~ Living Areas ~ Entertainment and Social Life
Week 5 ~ Your Bedroom ~ Love Life and Relaxation
Week 6 ~ Kids' Bedrooms ~ Fertility and Parenting
Week 7 ~ Bathroom ~ Beauty and Hygiene
Week 8 ~ Home Office/Den ~ Career and Finances
Week 9 ~ Back Yard ~ Connecting with Nature
Week 10 ~ Front Yard ~ Living Green
Week 11 ~ Garage/Attic/Basement ~ Emotional and Mental Clutter
Week 12 ~ Laundry Area and Closets ~Your Shadow Self

I don't own my own home yet, but I will be helping my mother clean hers.  Since The Domestic Witch's first Week is focused on personal health and fitness, I started by eliminating all harmful cleaners and beauty products.  I've been replacing them with plant based, green products and  I wanted to recommend one of them to all of you out there in blog land.  The company is called Onesta and they make all natural hair products.  The best part is that they are vegan (no animal products used) and cruelty free (no animal testing).  Everything in them is plant based.   It's not available for purchase except in salons, so I'm not sure how easily any of you can get it where you live, but their line of hair products, especially the shampoo and conditioner, are wonderful.  Check out their website and see if a salon near you sells their line of product.  Any pagan would appreciate their pledge for green living as well as their contributions towards cancer research.