How to make mulled wine

To make mulled wine, firstly choose a good red wine.

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add lemon/orange peel and a little fruit juice. Crush cloves and crush fresh root ginger, add them with bay leaves, some powdered all spice, cinnamon and nutmeg, and some star anise. Heat the mixture - not boil - but lightly bubble for 5 minutes. Put the liquid mixture through a fine gauze filter.
Add brandy and honey to taste.
Serve in a heated cup.

Confession: I pour my finished mulled wine into my favourite tea pot (used exclusively for mulled wine). It is ideal when entertaining to have a special pot and special cup for mulled wine.

Shortbread, oatcakes and Fingers of homemade bread with a wedge of cheese are ideal serving suggestions.

Your Spiritual Journey

“The real story today is to define what it means to be spiritual. This is the biggest story - of the century.”  Bill Moyers

We are all brought up with some kind of spiritual understanding, but how many give this topic much thought? We accept what we are told and yet, it governs our lives, and is the most important aspect of our lives. We make outer journeys everyday, but the inner journey is the most vital!

Even those who practice a religion are often not considering their spiritual path. What could this path be? Mainly it is doing what is right and having empathy with others, but how do we know how best to walk this path of righteousness and wisdom?

The Advent Moon - A Poem

“The Advent moon shines bright and clear; my soul waits -

These Advent nights are very long;

Our lamps have burned year after year,

And still their flame is strong.

‘Watchman, what of the night?’ we cry,

Heartsick with hope deferred:

‘No speaking signs are in the sky’,

Is still the watchman’s word.

One to another hear them speak,

The patient virgins wise:

Surely He is not far to seek,

All night we watch and rise.

The days are evil looking back,

The coming days are dim,

Yet count we not His promise slack,

But watch and wait for Him.

Weeping we hold him fast tonight,

We will not let Him go

Till daybreak smite our wearied sight,

And summer smite the snow:

Then figs shall bud, and dove with dove

Shall coo the livelong day;

Then He shall say ‘Arise, my love,

My fair one, come away!’

The Advent moon shines cold and clear.

We watch and wait.”

“The Advent Moon Shines Cold and Clear” by Christina Rossetti

Elegy - A Poem

                 The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,

         The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea,

The plowman homeward plods his weary way,

         And leaves the world to darkness and to me.

Now fades the glimm'ring landscape on the sight,

         And all the air a solemn stillness holds,

Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight,

         And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds;

Grandmother - Advice

 Advice from the Grandmother 

Cure yourself, with the light of the Sun and the rays of the Moon.

With the Sound of the river and the waterfall.

With the swaying of the Sea and the fluttering of birds.

Heal yourself, with the mint and mint leaves,

with neem and eucalyptus.

Sweeten yourself with lavender, rosemary, and chamomile.

Hug yourself with the cocoa bean and a touch of cinnamon.

Put Love in tea instead of sugar

And take it looking at the Stars

Heal yourself with the kisses that the wind gives you and the hugs of the rain.

Get strong with bare feet on the ground and with everything that is born from it.

Get smarter every day by listening to your intuition, looking at the world with the Eye of your forehead.

Jump, Dance, Sing, so that you live happier.

Heal yourself, with beautiful Love,

and always remember.. You are the Medicine. "

Winter's Cloak - A Poem

Winter’s Cloak by Joyce Rupp

This year I do not want the dark to leave me. 
I need its wrap of silent stillness, 
its cloak of long lasting embrace. 
Too much light has pulled me away 
from the chamber of gestation. 

Wendy's Post Bag

Q: Dear Wendy: Do you have any recommendation about enlightenment? KC. 

Dear KC: Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.

Before enlightenment, vacuum carpet, wash up dishes! After enlightenment, vacuum carpet, wash up dishes! 

Dear Wendy: Four months ago, I split up from my partner, a woman with two young children from a previous marriage. She now has someone else in her life and I find I am missing her two children. Over the ten months we were together and I bonded with them, but now she is adamant that I am out of her life and cannot see her children. I feel embarrassed to mention it to my family. I am less likely to get involved now with anyone with children. Is this fair? DD

Wendy replies: Dear DD: Every situation is different and it does seem unfair from your perspective. I am sorry that you are hurting and that you are now feeling guarded with your next relationship, should it be with someone who has children. You are obviously a deeply caring person and your love will be appreciated by someone looking for kindness and commitment. But the mother must give her children priority and they now have their mum, each other, and a new parental ‘significant other’. She has replaced you, which is painful in itself and he would probably not want you around. I think you are grieving for the loss of this family structure. This type of loss is very common but goes unrecognised by many people so it would be useful for you to contact a caring counsellor who will understand what you are going through. I suggest: Cruse Bereavement Care: 0300 031 7757

Avicenna

 

Who was Avicenna?

Ibn Sina, known as Avicenna was a Persian mystic, poet, doctor, philosopher (980-1037) living at a time known as the Islamic Golden Age and is called the Father of Medicine. His 450 written works have 250 that survive today. His was the first Encyclopaedia of Medicine. His work involved chemistry, mathmatics, ethics and related topics. 

The Crystal Gazer - A Story

I wrote this "skit/parody" after a visit to Maxine Sanders at Clanricarde Gardens! I studied with her at a time when Alex was on the south coast. He passed while I was in her Moon Shadows group. For those who know Maxine, you might recognise her tutoring style!  

The psychic peered into her crystal and whispered "I see hardness about you. There is no true love of beauty... yes, dare I say it? There is death all around yoou and you do not see it... and loss, great loss... and here, at this time, you will meet with an angel.. an angel to guide you to your destiny. You must seek maturity and wisdom..." her voice became quiet, then inaudible. 

Biblical Mysteries Revealed

We know so much about the people in the Bible because their names give away so much about their life. In Biblical times, people were not expected to be individuals, but be exactly a replica of their father. Skills, knowledge and abilities were handed down the generations, daughters were like their mothers, boys like their fathers - but there were exceptions!

Because so many of the Aramaic names have been changed, we can easily lose sight of this simple information.

The Gospel of Mary

The Gospel of Mary! We do not know which ‘Mary’ this refers to, maybe the mother of Jesus or Mary Magdalene, but many give Mary Magdalene the credit. The Gospel of Mary is considered ‘apocryphal’ that is, it is not accepted by the established Roman Catholic Church. It consists of two small manuscripts from a much larger missing document, one in Greek from the third century, the other in a Coptic translation from the fourth. We have some sayings reputed to be from Jesus, and teaching about the nature of sin, evil and wrongdoing which relates to our physicality. 

John the Baptist’s Story

“Repent for the Kingdom of God is at Hand!” John the Baptist was a forerunner of Jesus, proclaiming  “Make straight his Paths,” “There is one who will come after me, whose sandals I am not fit to lace.”

We do not know very much about the teachings of the Baptist, but it would have included a vow of extreme poverty and humility. The character of the Baptist is thought to be modelled on Elijah who gave his cloak- a symbol for his responsibility - to Elisha upon his death. As Elisha succeeded Elijah so Jesus succeeded the Baptist who was of the Levite caste, of the line of Aaron and who served as Rabbis/High Priests. The rabbis took turns to attend the Jerusalem Temple, burning incense, sacrificing animals, tending the lamps, renewing shewbread, all pertaining to the 23rd chapter of Leviticus. John could have continued the privileged work of the high priest, but he chose to baptise pilgrims in the name of forgiveness in the Jordan. This was another type of priestly work, unrelated to the purchase and burning of animals, he was called a prophet not a priest.

Just as Abraham and Sarah bore a son in their elderly years, and Samson, the hero was born also of elderly parents, the Baptist was born of an angelic miracle. His elderly mother Elizabeth, a descendant of the high priest, Aaron, was too old to have the child she had always prayed for. Her husband, Zachariah was the High Priest of the Jerusalem Temple, of the eighth class, that of Abia. 

Gaslighting

What is Gaslighting? The term originates with an old film, as gaslights, as a source of light, produced dark forms and spooky shadows. When people practice 'gaslighting', they become a catalyst for the mental illness of others. They are usually psychopaths and narcissists who have no conscience, they resent criticism and refuse accountability, and turn to mind bending for their personal gains and entertainments. 

How do they perform this extraordinary function? They enjoy power, influence, money, etc., which they develop through manipulation, control and false hoods. They introduce a new form of warped reality - theirs! Yours no longer has any validity according to them! They do not respond to reason, logic or kindness. They will tell you that you are mad, which you will be in your attempt to relate to them! 

9 of Cups

9 of Cups Dali Tarot by Johannes Fiebig, published by Konigs Furt: “Mature Talents. You have brought a uniqueness that will make the world a better place. Do not hide your talents. Be generous and show others the treasures you have to offer. You are a treasure. The key to the unfolding of your inner wealth is love. Love is not just an emotion. It relates to not just the correct measure of kindness in a relationship, but a way of encountering the world with love. The greater your love, the greater the benefits for yourself and others. Any material gains have no value unless they are fulfilled with the respect and the love you personally add to create a greater whole, bearing in mind the strengths and weaknesses, and advantages and disadvantages of yourself and others. Practical Advice: Stop internal dialogue, the nervous chattering of your internal voice. Find inner peace. Don’t parrot or imitate the ideas of others. You have talents that are blooming. Find a framework for your high-flying plans. Love your tasks and enjoy the excitement of work well done.”

Introducing Erica Longdon

Introducing Erica Longdon - 

"A metaphysician is never off duty!" Erica Longdon

Erica Longdon is the author of the novel 'In Pursuit of Perfect Timing'. She is also a Multi-disciplinary Therapist, Healer and Metaphysician. She has kindly provided the presentations to many of my free YouTube meditations. 

In addition to the novel 'In Pursuit of Perfect Timing' her new book is a masterclass in sound healing, titled ‘Vibrational Sound Healing’. It is available for pre-order  including an option for Audible which Erica has narrated.

Healing & wellbeing with Tarot

Since the dawn of recorded history, healing has been considered a magical art. Healing was a secret  known by shamans, medicine women and men, priestesses and priests, and the wise people whose knowledge was handed down the generations. Many people went on pilgrimages and learnt about the plants that grew by the wayside, how to cure a fever, attend to cuts, blisters, etc., and how to care for the animals that accompanied them on their journey. We know from ancient texts that the Egyptians knew many remedies for illnesses. Originally Egypt was called the Land of Khem, because they knew how to create and use chemicals. To gain more knowledge about their use, the alchemists of the Middle Ages were prepared to risk their own lives. 

Today, we know a great deal about health care; we are told daily to cut salt, sugar and fat from our diet, take exercise, avoid over indulgence in alcohol, and long term stresses. Regular daily mindfulness and meditation are shown to provide increased concentration and greater relaxation. They can also help to deal with the difficulties that present themselves to us through bereavement, disappointments, poor health and relationship breakdowns. 

Origin of divination cards

The origin of playing cards goes back more than a thousand years to ancient China. They were carried by traders and travellers, soldiers and pilgrims through Mongolia to the Middle East and then into Europe. Cards provided games of chance, skill and entertainment and they developed as they passed from one hand to another. The casting of lots with sticks, bones and dice was common throughout many cultures and cards became yet another way to give advice.

Playing cards with 4 suits and including court cards in each suit with the 10 pip cards, created a card deck of 52 cards. Some believe that the cards were used to represent the weeks of the year and the four weeks of the month or perhaps the seasons, so cards may have been an educational value. Playing cards came to Europe in late 1300s and by 1440 there is a letter from the Duke of Milan requesting several decks of playing cards for a game known as ‘triumph’ which was similar to bridge and included the playing card deck and 22 extra picture cards. Around 1530, in Italy, these cards were called ‘Tarocchi’ and in France ‘Tarot’. By 1781, they were used in England for divination. During the Victorian era in England, there was a revival of alternative spirituality and occult pastimes became popular. From that time to the present day, Tarot cards have been increasing in popularity; the market has grown and developed with new ideas and understanding for using the cards in sophisticated ways for fortune telling, personal development and meditation, and are now made in their thousands with creative focus far beyond the original images, such as animals, angels and fairies.

Kipper Cards

Kipper Cards were first seen in Munich around 1900 and named after their creator, Frau Susanne Kipper. However, some say that there is a river in Germany called the Wipper and that the people from this area invented the deck and some say the word comes from a type of tipping scales used for the devaluing of coinage! There are 36 cards with straightforward meanings, all read upright. Unlike Lenormand, they have no playing card images, just a number, title and image. Kipper also has main male and main female cards to represent the Querent and there are several images of people alongside titles, such as success in love, a gift, house, court, work, etc. Some Readers like to combine the Petit Lenormand of 36 cards with the 36 cards of the Kipper for a fuller deck of 72 cards.  

Isis Hymn - Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki

Free Healing youtube video

Isis was the most powerful Goddess of Ancient Egypt. She was the Goddess of healing, compassion and equality. For thousands of years, she was known throughout Egypt and her fame spread to Greece, Rome and to Britain.

HYMN TO ISIS: Silver-footed One, come to me with quiet steps - in the temple of my heart, lift up Thy voice, and call my name that I may know Thee and rejoice in Thy presence. In my sadness, comfort me, in my happiness, share with me. At my birth, Thou wast there, at my death, wait for me. Most glorious of woman, most tender of mothers, I am Thy Handmaiden, bless me. Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki

Holy Grail Part Three

A chivalric exponent wrote 3 books about the Chivilric code in the hope of reviving French knighthood. In the ‘Book of Chivilry’, keeping peace was paramount, and it says any knight who failed in his duties “deserves to have his teeth pulled out one by one”! 

Tournaments carried the oriflamme banner, the royal standard at the Battle of Poitiers where Geoffrey de Charny (1300-1356) died. 

What was dubbing? It was an accolade of knighthood. It involved giving a blow with the hand or a strike with the flat of the sword in church. The knight would confess his sins to the priest, take a bath and spent the night in vigil. 

Creating Your Oracle Deck

A proposal to a publisher needs to include what qualifies you to write the deck (your journey), and why you have chosen your illustrator and what media the illustrator works in. What is a typical purchaser or seeker for this deck. Describe them! Why did you chose the theme? In what way will the cards help with life’s problems, what type of guidance is described, what type of  direction or life path? Any omissions or gaps in the overall theme package or have you worked with it sufficiently to know it covers sufficiently the theme?. Upright only or upright and reversed meaning given. Backs of cards, mirror images on backs or not? How many images have been produced and how far along you are with writing the book. How many images still to produce? Most important in your proposal, is how you intend to promote the deck when published, eg., use it yourself for client readings, have a website, promote it on your YouTube channel, promote it on your blog, etc. For beginner or experienced reader? For self or others? Any other similar deck on the market? What is your USP? Do you have suggestion for packaging, such as a mat or bag? 

Cards: image, title, subtitle, white border? Astrology, Kabbalah, symbolism, metaphor, elements, numerology, etc.

The guidebook should include:

The importance of the theme and the benefits. How to use the cards? Blessed? Prepared? How stored? How shuffled? How laid out? Titles for Spreads. Sample reading for one or two spreads. Upright meanings only or reversed also? Alphabetical order? Title, subtitle, keywords, affirmation, symbolism meaning, divinatory guidance, channelled message. Additions could be ritual, exercise, creative activity. 

Jack

According to Andrew Collins an AK was a similar to the Lord of Missrule, his name had become rendered as Jack in such a mischievous mythical sprites as Jack Frost, Jack-in-the-Box, and Springhill Jack. He may have been in the equivalent of the Nordic guard Loki Loki was the trickster of the guards and an energy of him was born each year at the start of winter to stay off his unruly influence during the cold days ahead.

In ancient times, a fool or jester was burnt on a bonfire at the beginning of November in many parts of Britain. In 1605 after Guy Fawkes was arrested at attempting to blow up the houses parliament, the same tradition of lighting a fire at the autumnal time of year lived on. If AK could be similar to Loki, a wise fool that was believed to be beyond the influence of cause and effect.

A pilgrim on the road to Santiago de Compostela was called a ‘jack’. 

The name Jack features in folk tales and children’s stories as ‘everyman’, an ordinary man, perhaps an uneducated and perhaps unskilled man, we might immrdiately think of Jack Spratt, and Jack the Ripper. In days gone by, anyone with the name of John was likely to be nicknamed Jack. It was a name for a country bumpkin, as the Coventry, and the Townley Mystery Plays describe just an ordinary boy and girl, as Jack and Jill. Jack is sometimes a fool, such as the comedic character who goes up a hill to fetch water rather than down to the river. In fairy stories, he is sometimes a crafty, or aggressive opportunist, who, by guile and trickery, gets rich rewards without ethics. He can wed the King’s daughter by making her laugh with a stick that beats people upon a command, a bed with a lovely singing voice, and a fiddle that plays by itself. In Jack and the Beanstalk, he is sent by his widowed mother to sell a cow, and he returns with magic beans that grow so tall he can climb up to a giant house in the sky where rich ogres live. 

The Great Bell Chant

For peace, truth, justice, kindness, compassion, and all spiritual values

Perfume Part Three

In India, resins, woods, spices and fragrant flowers are used for ritual, medicine and personal adnornment. Many wonderful aromatics grow there, including frangipani, hibiscus, sandlewood, jasmin, patchouli, gum benzoin, vetiver, aloewood, pepper, cardoman and connamon, and the sellers from the main centre for perfumery, Ghazipore, near Benares, are called 'gandhika'. The art of distilling the essential oils was brought from Arabia by the Moghuls.  The Indian book of sacred love, the Kama Sutra, prescribed fragrant oils to enhance allure and sandlewood and musk was rubbed on the body as an aphrodisiac. Indian cashmere shawls were steeped in patchouli, a heady scent, which had the added effect of keeping out moths. Its shredded leaves preserved the cloth during the long voyage to the west. 

Haunted London

48 Doughty Street to 13 Portsmouth Street WC2: When he was 27 years old, Charles Dickens, moved into this imposing house in 1837 with his new wife, Catherine. They lived here for three years during which time his sister-in-law, Mary Hogarth died here. Mary was the inspiration for the character of Little Nell, who worked in the little 'odds and ends' shop in his tragic novel, The Old Curiosity Shop. The concerned ghost of Charles Dickens, wearing top hat and tails, has been seen rushing along this route.
University College Hospital Gower Street NW1: The first operation with the use of a general anaesthetic was performed at this hospital in 1846 when a leg was amputated in just thirty seconds. In 1890, a young nurse, Lizzie Church, attended the bedside of her lover who was a patient here. She accidentally administered an overdose of morphine and he died. It is said she committed suicide in remorse and her ghost is seen to this day by hospital staff when morphine is administered to patients.
Lincoln's Inn Fields off High Holborn WC2: This is the largest public square in London and was one of the major sites of public executions that were carried out in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In1586, Anthony Babington was hung, drawn and quartered for his part in a plot to remove Queen Elizabeth I from the throne of England and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots. His ghost roams the grounds.

Like Wake Vigil

In a communication to Wendy Stokes from Philip Lewcroft. October 7, 1999.

 "This is one of Yorkshire’s oldest songs, used by the poorer people for their funerals, especially those taking place on high points of the moors. This tradition is thought to go back to the Norsemen, or even further, to the Bronze Age. The tune is mentioned by the diarist John Aubrey in 1642. Its last recorded use for a funeral was at Kildale around 1800. The Lyke is the lych gate, where the coffin would wait for pallbearers to take it to the church for the service, the Wake (wake meaning vigil) was a dirge provided for the corpse on the night before burial. In recent years, the same name has been given to a pilgrimage ‘walk’ from Cleveland Hills to the coast at Ravenscar, 40 miles, which is undertaken by thousands annually, sometimes taking 24 hours)." 

Wendy Rule

Wendy Rule is an award winning Australian singer-songwriter. She has carved a special niche with her exceptional album compositions. 

A few track titles: Flowers, Thanatos, Dark Shadow, Above and Below, In Life is Death - In Death is Life, The Dark Earth Opened, The Curse, The Temple, All Is As It Must Be, The Ascent. 

Wendy Rule has been a practicing witch for the past twenty years and her music reflects the cycles of nature, tarot, astrology, and pagan/polytheistic beliefs. She tours extensively playing live at conferences and festivals.    

Ancient Spirit of the Crossroads

In the days of ancient Greece, crossroads were dedicated to Hecate, Goddess of the Underworld, who was said to have 3 faces, each to observe the three way crossroads. Representations of her as a pole with 3 masks were placed where 3 roads met and cakes with candles were left so the ghosts that followed her would be fed and not haunt the living. Diana, Roman Goddess of the Witches was also Goddess of the Crossroads and a small altar was placed there for the protection for travellers who left gifts in return for good luck. In India, Rudra, the God of the Crossroads also ruled ghosts and evil powers, in Africa,  Elegua opened and closed all paths and carried a forked stick made of the guava tree. In Russia, vampires were said to lurk at crossroads, in Sweden witches were reported to dance at the crossroads in order to summon the devil.

Dead or Alive! Burial Customs!

Burial Customs to prevent the dead from rising to haunt the living! In 2004, two extraordinary skeletons were discovered in a ditch on the perimeter of an ancient cemetery on the west coast of Ireland. Both skeletons had large stones wedged into their open jaw and had large stone slabs placed over their grave; their limbs were broken and bound. These skeletons were carbon dated to the seventh century when Ireland was becoming Christianised and new stories were told to the pagan people about what would happen in the Afterlife. Traditionally, Christian corpses were buried facing the eastern horizon, so that when the sun rose on the last day, all would stand and immediately see Jesus rising in glory with the dawning of a new day in Heaven. These two bodies, with their head in a ditch, would not greet their saviour along with all others in the cemetery, as they were buried to lie in a NW-SE direction.

Psychic Post Bag

Q: I’m recovering from a minor stroke and my clairvoyance has dimmed. Will it return as my health improves?

Wendy's reply: Any illness that affects our ability to think clearly will also affect our contact Spirit, so headaches, influenza, mental illness or strokes will be in this category. If we usually can easily deliver messages, we might find we are slower, have less depth or be more confused in delivering messages than usual. As we recover from the illness, our capacity for mediumship will return. This reduction only applies to illnesses that affect our brain. Our delivery can also be affected by tiredness, worry, alcohol and drugs and the best mediums have clear thought in their lives in general. If the illness affects our physical body only, our mediumship will not be affected by incapacity.   

Soul Rescue - Spirit Release - Exorcism book extract

Soul rescue is occasionally conducted in selected Spiritualist and mediumship groups and is the expertise of the Brazilian Spiritist movement. Not all earthbound spirits move quickly into the light. Some need help crossing over. There is a threshold area between this world and the next. It is a transition sometimes described as a tunnel, a bridge, a doorway, a stairway or similar. When a spirit is unaware that they are in the spirit realms or unable to let go of an attachment to the physical world, they seek a host person to live vicariously through. This makes soul rescue necessary. Many lost spirits are  disorientated and confused. They have often had a shock and returned to Spirit very quickly, without any preparation. Victims of traumatic violence, such as murder, accidents, war victims, etc., commonly need rescue, as do distressed children, elderly people who are upset, the mentally ill, or those who did not want to leave the physical world due to unfulfilled plans.

The History of Hauntings!

The historian, Tacitus documents an early haunting that occurred 2000 years ago. It happened to the philosopher, Athenodorus, who bought a house and discovered, one evening whilst at work, a ghost shaking chains at him. Dismissing the spectre to return to his work, the ghost eagerly beckoned the philosopher into the courtyard where he vanished. Marking the spot where the spectre stood, Athenodorus dug into the ground and discovered the corpse of a man in chains. The philosopher carefully separated the bones from the chains and conducted a dignified burial. The ghost was seen no more.

The story describes a typical ghost, a person who died with unfinished business and who cannot gain eternal rest until an act of restitution is supplied, in this case, release from the chains that we presume were placed unjustly. When the chains were removed and a proper burial was provided, justice and peace were restored.

In ancient times, many specialised angels were assigned the task of safely helping the dying to find their way into the regions of the spirit world. Many creatures are also said to perform this midwifery role. When people have been revived after clinical death, they frequently tell of a dog they had owned many years before which they see running towards them, tail wagging with delight, then running ahead and looking back to beckon the newly deceased forward on their transitionary journey. 

Church Visits

When you visit a church, take a compass. When you arrive at a church look up to see a weather vane if there is one. This was for pilgrims who needed to know the direction and weather for their next walk. 

Walk around the outside of the building. You may see a covered lychgate some 40 paces from the church door. When the coffin arrived on the carriage, the coffin was removed here and placed on the shoulders of the pallbearers. Take a walk around the graveyard if there is one. In the past, Christians were buried with their feet to the East. On the last day, when Jesus comes in majesty, the Christians will stand to face the rising sun. Priests were buried with their feet to the West so that, when they stand, they will face their flock. The northern side of the church is a cold and dark spot where the unbaptised were often buried. Because of limited space, this is sometimes not possible. 

For Halloween & The Day of the Dead!

The Valkyries Card is chosen from Stacey Demarcos' Viking Oracle: 

Through the blood and the screaming, I ride searching. Sweat, tears my horse rearing, I see you. Brave, dying, your hand still upon your sword, pain creasing your face. You see me, And all changes. A soft smile of redemption and recognition - for I am Valkyrie!

You can win the battle you face. Let go of your inner restrictions and of others' expectations. Explore your wild self. Redemption is always available. Be the hero in your own life.

It is said when we are near death, our whole life flashes before our eyes. But according to Norse mythology, as the Viking warriors lay dying on the battlefield, a beautiful, yet terrible woman, Freyja, beloved Foster Mother of the Valkyries, is seen flying in the sky towards them on a mighty horse, with her eyes blazing, and the song of blood and glory on her lips. 

Ark of the Covenant

What does the container contain? The value was within! 

When the Temple was built on Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the altar, placed in the Holy of Holies, contained a piece of furniture referred to as the Ark of  the Covenant (ark meaning container, such as a coffin, chest or box). Precise instructions were given as to how it was to have been constructed. It was to be built of shittim (acacia wood), which is still growing in Sinai and widely used today. It was to be an oblong box 2.5 cubits by 1.5 cubits, (3’9” x 2’3”) that within and without was to be overlaid, and inlaid on the lid with gold, and edged all around with gold. 2 golden cherubim were to kneel on the cover facing each other with their wings outstretched to overshadow the throne of mercy which was the top of the Ark. It was to be fitted with rings at each of the four corners, through which staves could be passed for carriage. These were also to be acacia and inlaid with gold.

”You place the throne of mercy on top of the Ark... there I shall come to meet you: there from above the throne of mercy, from between the two cherubim”.  

Ghosts and Hauntings

The Gilgamesh poem is 4,000 years old - the oldest story ever told. It contains the earliest written account about a ghost. It was written on an Assyrian clay tablet dating from around 650BCE. It was found in Nineveh during archeological excavations. It is inscribed with an appeal from a man who is possessed by a tyrannical ghost. The ancient Hindu scriptures, Atharva Veda, also detail demonic possession. We are familiar with the cases described in the New Testament where Jesus meets a possessed man on the shores of the Sea of Galilee and directly addresses the spirit by asking “What is your name?” and is told, “My name is Legion” (that is an entire invading and occupying Roman army). The man pleads with Jesus not to command the spirits to depart but Jesus saw a large herd of cows nearby and directed the demons out of the man and into the swine herd who charged to the cliff edge and threw themselves into the sea and were drowned.  

Halloween

Past times

The blooms of high summer had faded and cold winds had caused the first leaves to fall. After the cereal crops and hay were cut and stored, and the jams and pickles made, any animals that were unlikely to survive the winter were slaughtered.

In times past, as winter approached, many people were out of work and, because life was precarious, many of the community’s elderly and infirm wondered whether they would live to see another year.

Since ancient times, the farming year was divided into “quarter” days of the solstices and equinoxes, and the “cross quarter days” of which Halloween is the most important.

Message 4/ from Mandy

 

While listening to Joan Armatrading singing 'Love and Affection' some of her lyrics inspired me to put pen to paper.

I am not in love but I'm open to persuasion... What a beautiful and honest sentiment by Joan Armatrading!

Being open to persuasion while not feeling in love can lead to some fun and unexpected adventures.

Love is so often a complex and multifaceted emotion. Sometimes, it creeps up on you when you least expect it, often when you're busy doing something else, like nurturing friendships or pursuing your passions. And sometimes, it takes a little nudge, an invitation to explore deeper feelings, or perhaps an unexpected moment that catches you off guard.

Being open to persuasion means you're receptive to new ideas and experiences. Maybe it’s a friend encouraging you to go on a date, or a chance encounter with someone who shares your interests. It can also be about exploring your feelings in a safe and comfortable way, where you can allow yourself to feel without the pressure of expectations.

Janet Burvill's Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients:

approx 1 kg/2lb 4oz pumpkin;

40g or 1.5 oz butter or margarine;

1 thinly sliced onion;

1 crushed garlic clove;

900 ml or 1 pint of vegetable stock;

salt and pepper;

1/2 tsp ground ginger;

1 tbsp lemon juice;

3-4 thinly pared strips of orange rind;

1-2 bay leaves or 1 bouquet garni;

300 ml or 1.5 pints milk

Spirit Attachment

What is spirit attachment? Spirit attachment is an influencing energy from another soul - people see spirit attachment as being an energy from a lost or passed spirit, this initially is not a visual experience but more a change in behaviours whereby you do things you would not normally do or be - attachments are usually attracted to the energy of the recipient. In order for entities to attach to a person that person is more than likely open or in a vulnerable space in some way. Earthbound spirits have also been known to attach during a trauma, anesthesia, a blow to the head, when drunk, under severe stress, exhaustion, grief, anger, fear, guilt the list is endless. To understand this and relate to something that is known, living people that are closely attached in a relationship whereby the partner becomes so energetically attuned to the significant other that they respond and possibly begin to adopt their habits, expressions, words and body language. It is like an overlay, sometimes these living energetic influences are positive and sometimes negative, such as in abusive relationships, unrequited love, where the power of another personality influences another but also impinges in their life in such a way that is detrimental.

The Bee Blessing - A Tradition

 In the distant past, country people had a tradition...

Whenever there was a death in the family, someone had to go out to the bee hives and tell the bees of the terrible loss that had befallen the family.

The bees were kept abreast of all important family matters including births, marriages, and long absence due to journeys. This peculiar custom is known as “telling the bees”.

The practice of "telling the bees" may have its origins in Celtic mythology that held that bees were the link between us and the spirit world. So if you had any message that you wished to pass to someone who was dead, you needed to tell the bees and they would pass along the message.

The typical way to tell the bees was for the head of the household, or “goodwife of the house” to go out to the hives, knock gently to get the attention of the bees, and then softly murmur in a doleful tune the solemn news. 

Who Stole the Witch's Bowl? - A Story

I was celebrating Beltane 1996 at The North Lodge, Monks Walk, Waverley Lane, Farnham where I was told this extraordinary story that I wrote down that night. When Dr Kathleen Anne Ball read the story on Facebook, she was captivated yet saddened by the ending at first, but then realized, one was free to create any ending they’d like, so she did:

In the sixteen hundreds - so this ancient tale relates - a lone woman, gripped by appalling poverty, strayed onto the Waverley Estate and there took shelter in the ivy covered cave. She had no known family and hence no persons or property to protect here in her infirmity, and gossip quickly arose about her mysterious past. In the local inn, the farm folk spoke in hushed tones, saying that she was a witch who had murdered her husband and children, and that she carried the plague as a punishment for her sins. Within days, farm hands drove her from the cave, accusing her of blighting their crops. Children threw stones at her, many causing open wounds that failed to heal. Warts spread across her unwashed face and lice tormented her days and nights, and she thought maybe their taunts were true. She gleaned what she could from the footpath verges, collecting hazel twigs to make a broom to sweep away the leaves from the entrance to her den within a hedge of thick hazel. A small cat took shelter with her and they huddled together for warmth and companionship. Occasionally, the cat brought a gift of vermin, frog or bird to add to her gruel and prevent total starvation. Her comb broke under her matted hair and her skirt became torn and tattered exposing her scratched legs. The humiliation of such deprivation and her solitary situation gave her much distress. She longed to attend St Andrews church but she had no clothes, money or status, so she watched from afar and she got to know the townsfolk and those who worked and raised their family and livestock in the surrounding hills. She knew the fancy lives of the Lord and Lady who owned the great estate, though she would never trespass on their extensive and rich pastures or she would have been shot by the gamekeeper without question. One evening, she collected earth from the Downs that she fashioned into a small vessel and in this bowl she collected water from the river. Over a small fire, built of fallen twigs, she warmed meagre fayre. In the cold and dark abode she kept a few windfallen fruits which fermented and made a drink to aid sleep - for the pain in her bones was fierce and sleep was always fitful.

The Gathering of the Tribe - A Story

By Charles Eisenstein.

‘Once upon a time a great tribe of people lived in a world far away from ours. Whether far away in space, or in time, or even outside of time, we do not know. They lived in a state of enchantment and joy that few of us today dare to believe could exist, except in those exceptional peak experiences when we glimpse the true potential of life and mind.

One day the shaman of the tribe called a meeting. They gathered around him, and he spoke very solemnly. "My friends," he said, "there is a world that needs our help. It is called earth, and its fate hangs in the balance. Its humans have reached a critical point in their collective birthing, and they will be stillborn without our help. Who would like to volunteer for a mission to this time and place, and render service to humanity?"

"Tell us more about his mission," they asked.

Leisure - A Poem

Leisure by W H Davies

I am choosing poems I remember from my childhood...

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

Repetition Compulsion

 

What is Repetition Compulsion?  This is a Freudian term. When we had trauma, we didn't develop a good way to deal with it, so in our adult life, we unconsciously recreate the same situation in order to work through it to a good outcome, learning how to deal with it well. 

Cathars

Cathars existed in France, especially Orleans, Provence and Languedoc areas and in Northern Italy and honoured the Gospel of St John. Raymond VI of Toulouse was especially lenient towards religious people and there was a medical school at Narbonne where Jews taught and practiced. These liberal values allowed women to own property in their own right. Cathars were ascetics, often holding high positions, such as artisans and tradespeople, within the community, especially the priesthood (the Parfaits). They were vegetarian - though ate fish, and were non violent. They regularly fasted and believed in sexual chastity, they also believed in reincarnation, and were dualists where the world was based on good and evil. They believed that the god of the Old Testament, Jehovah, created the world, but he was an evil god and the world was an evil place. Women were liberated and able to become priests. Many great philosophers of the distant past, followers of Mithras (who practiced in secret in the Languedoc caves) and the Persian Zoroasterians had many similar dualistic beliefs to Cathars. Manes (Manichaeism) persecuted in the same area was flayed alive for his Dualist beliefs. 9th century Paulicians, who followed St Paul’s writing were outlawed and sent to Bulgaria and Macedonia, and were the forerunners of Bogomils. 

Watkins Bookstore

During the Victorian era, the intelligentsia, rich and fashionable of London were fascinated by mysticism and spirituality. In this era of excitement, one of the leading lights of the day, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, encouraged her friend, John Watkins to open the first ever specialist esoteric bookshop. It bears the ‘Watkins’ name to this day.

Watkins is situated in the dignified elegance of Cecil Court, off Charing Cross Road, London. The shop’s logo depicts Thoth, Egyptian God of Wisdom in the act of writing with pen and paper. The store stocks the UK’s widest selection of esoteric information in 60,000 book titles, cards, CD’s, DVDs, talismans, artefacts and other interesting items. In its early years, customers included W B Yeats, Aleister Crowley, G R S Mead, Carl Jung, Aldous Huxley, Dion Fortune and the Society of the Inner Light, MacGregor Mathers and members of The Golden Dawn. 

Your Film Story Meditation

 With thanks to Erica Longdon for the voice over and the video creation
 Do.not drive or operate machinery. Get comfortable, close your eyes, enter your inner world…. 

The Holy Grail - Part Two

The Grail Knight chosen for the Grail challenge must be of the most sincere integrity. Merlin reserved seat at Arthur’s table, known as the Siege Perilous, for the knight who would seek the Grail. In Chretien de Troyes, Percival was to take that seat (Galahad in Thomas Mallory’s poem Le Morte D’Arthur). It was Wolfram von Eschenbach took his story from Chretien de Troyes, and write the poem Parsival. He placed Grail Castle in Jerusalem with Templars as its guardians of the Grail, here described as lapsit exillis, a stone. 

 

The fictional story of the Holy Grail was first written at the end of the 12th century by poet, Chretien (whose name means Christian). His patron was Mary of Champagne, the daughter of Louis VII and his queen, the illustrious Eleanor of Aquitaine. The Champagne Court loved music, poetry and entertainments. This story features a young knight, Percival, who stops for the night at an extraordinary castle. The owner is a disabled king. That evening, at dinner, a strange pageant takes place. Blood flows down the blade of a lance onto the hand of the man carrying it. Two boy servants follow him with a tray of candles. Then in walks a beautiful girl carrying a gold cup emblazoned with gems as another other girl follows her with a silver platter. A single communion wafer provides sustenance. Percival is told it is rude to ask questions! In the morning after the pageant, he learns that if he had asked questions, an important healing would have taken place.