Beginning Studies

I belong to an online forum that is starting their own school of witchcraft.  It's Stormy's Book of Shadows and the school is ShadowLight.  Classes start Wednesday and I am signed up for the Book of Shadows class.  I'm only taking one class at a time (it's a self-paced kind of school) because before I was taking 4 classes at one time (the max) and I got bogged down.  I have a greater sense of accomplishment when I actually finish things.  I get discouraged and frustrated when I have a lot of things open ended.  So the plan is to take BOS class, then the class on Dreams, the probably the class on Crystals and Gemstones.  There are only a few classes offered to begin with.  They are offering a degree program, so I will work on getting the prerequisite classes so I can take the degree class of Witchcraft 1.  I'm already looking at the first lesson in BOS.  This is so exciting!  I think the BOS class will be right up my alley since I love journaling :)

BOS or Grimoire?

I love journaling, so as a witch this translates into keeping a tome of my own.  I've been doing a lot of reading and most places consider a book of shadows or a grimoire as interchangable -- you just call it what you want.  There are a couple places that said in some traditions a grimoire is seen as a spell book or instructional book alone.  So, in my practice a book of shadows will be my journal, a place I collect knowledge, spells and experiences.  Then, as I begin to develop my own spells and rituals, try them and settle on them, those will go in my grimoire.  I was reading Patricia Telesco's book on keeping a book of shadows and she was talking about organizing it, etc. and that is hard to do when you are learning and discovering new things.  I think the system I have come up with is really going to work for me.  I will probably also devleop an index for my books of shadows so I can look something up over the years....  This is an exciting prospect for me!

more goodies

i got some more goodies in the mail today.

the necklace is a pentagram made of brooms.  the other is a pair of scissors with a blade cover.  silver seems to becoming the metal of choice for my sacred items.  all my altar items are pewter-like.

my new ring.  it's a pentagram over top an oak tree.  the oak tree has really been calling to me lately.  i have ordered my athame from another place, and it seems to have gone through okay.  so tomorrow i'll go to the bank and try to get the money returned from the other place i ordered from.  i ordered it over three weeks ago.  i've emailed several times, i got a phone number off my bank statement and only got an answering service.  SO, i'm done with them.  don't order anything from Nocturnal Treasures in TX.  i don't mind something being late as long as they communicate with me.

tomorrow i may play with my tarot cards and try to learn them....

bah humbug

Valentine's Day.  Bah humbug.  If there was ever a holiday that needed that phrase, this is it.  Life stinks right now.  I am so emotionally distant from hubby right now that it's like living with a brother.  He is busy with schooling.  Takes me for granted.  Planned absolutely nothing for today.  So, I went out and got me a set of pens and some yarn, and treated myself to a steak and cheese at Subway.  Then I went out to a Valentine's party for ladies while hubby and son went to karate.  It's still been a lousy day.  I just wish I was in love....

my new jewelry

my lovely celtic pentacle ring

my masonic venus pendant.  i love 'em both!

My Witchy Book Wishlist

I've been doing research and I've found some books that sound very interesting.  I plan on picking them up a little at a time.  If anyone has some info about them I'd love to hear it.


The Inner Temple of Witchcraft, book and CD, Christopher Penczak

The Three Rays of Witchcraft, Penczak

A Year of Esbats, Shannon Reilly

Embracing the Moon, Yasmine Galenorn

Herbal Alchemist's Handbook, Karen Harrison

Llewellyn's Complete Formulary of Magical Oils, Celeste Rayne Heldstab

Holland's Grimoire of Magical Correspondences, Eileen Holland

Folklore and Symbolism of Flowers, Plants and Trees, Ernst Lehner

Pure Magic, Judika Illes

The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, Judika Illes

Natural Witchcraft, Marian Green

Wild Witchcraft, Marian Green

A Witch Alone, Marian Green

A Green Witch's Formulary, Deborah J. Martin

Green Magic, Morwyn

Witch's Brew, Morwyn

Witchstones, Wendy Trevennor

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Names, K.M. Sheard

Signs, Symbols & Omens, Raymond Buckland

Magick & Rituals of the Moon, Edain Mc Coy

Lady of the Night: A Handbook of Moon Magick and Rituals, Edain McCoy

Finding Our Way Through the Dark, Demetra George

Mysteries of the Dark Moon, Demetra George

Practical Sigil Magic, Frater U.D.

Earth Power, Cunningham

Earth, Air, Fire & Water, Cunningham

Practical Candleburning, Buckland

The Enchanted Formulary, Lady Maeve Rhea

Magickal Formulary Spellbook 1 & 2, Herman Slater

Tarot and Astrology, Corinne Kenner

Astrology for Yourself, Demetra George

Craft of the Wild Witch, Poppy Palin

Advanced Wicca, Patricia Telesco

Advanced Witchcraft, Edain McCoy

Enchantments, Edain McCoy

snow!

we haven't had a winter to speak of this year.  it's hardly even been cold.  the "bad" snow storm they were calling for a month ago was a dud.  actually it was supposed to be an ice storm, and it didn't happen.  we missed a karate lesson "playing it safe" and regretted it.  so this snow is just pretty, no inconvenience at all.  hope we get a little more winter, otherwise i fear we are in for an ugly summer....