Mourning of a Killed Crow

As I was walking home from a long morning walk, I heard two bicyclists speaking.

“Do Crows eat eachother one?” one asked.

“They’ll eat anything!” was the reply.

I walked about five more minutes before I happened upon the Crow they spoke of.

Two of its brethren were along side it squawking. Although after seeing the beautiful young adult crow, it could have easily been its parents.

I decided it must have been hit by a car. Its neck was broken. It was lying in the street, somewhat close to the curb.

I was very moved. It was, to me, a tragedy.  And I could not leave this beautiful grown baby in the street.

I enjoy Crows and although I do not know too much about them, but I figured these other two crows could be injured if they stayed in the street to eat this one.

So, I decided to put it somewhere safe and more fitting, honorable if you will.

When I picked it up. I realized just how warm it was. The neck was very broken and other than that nothing but gorgeous iridescent feathers.

The two crows which had been beside it immediately took to the air flying circles over my head and cawed loudly.

So very loud!

I decided to walk to a meadow close to my home. About 8 blocks away. About 10 minutes away.

And it was then that I saw what was going to happen. Everything unfolding but being entirely in my body at the same time.

The most weirdly, beautiful, other worldly, sorrowful experience.

As I walked, the light moved in and out of the trees, the crows cawed louder and louder.

More crows gathered.

I looked up and saw 3, then 5, then all at once too many to count.

People were stopping to see what was causing this very loud cawing of the crows.

The crow all swirling over head, following me as I walked.

Following me as I carried their departed.

This beautiful creature in my hands.

As I got to the meadow, more than thirty crows had gathered. Circling continuously over my head, cawing so very loudly it was deafening.

They were powerful. They were magickal. Potent. A swirling vortex of power and magick.

I placed the bird on a large rock and then walked 3 times around the standing stones.

As I walked, each time around they were more frenzied than the last.

I was fearful I would be attacked and torn to bits.

They were frenzied.

But I saw what would happen before it happened.

I knew what would happen.

When those moments of fear crept through, I envisioned myself cloaked with crow feathers and giving the intent of protection to the young dead or dying crow.

I stopped in front of the rock with the crow and offered words.

Words of sorrow, of loss, of hope, of future happiness.

And with my first word, the frenzied, screaming crows, silenced.

Silence greeted my words for this bird.

And when I left, hushed caws whispered. And they landed to see their friend or son, or daughter.

And I do not think that I will ever be the same.

~

It turns out Crows and Ravens don’t eat their own.

But they mourn their loss.

I don’t know what else to say or add here.

But this was a real event that occurred in San Jose, Ca May 28, 2013.

The Song of a Soul’s Journey

I had a wonderful vacation with my husband. For the first time in nine years it was just the two of us, alone, for more than two nights. In fact, it was for a whole week. A whole week in my favorite place in the world, Hapuna Beach, Big Island. I am writing this post to remember a dream I had one night. It was about the Song of a Soul.

The Song of a Soul

It is the most beautiful thing its Soul can hear.

It is not through words alone.

Pictures, words, music, magick so I guess I would call it a musickal song.

Tracing back the red thread of a soul’s life to its creation.

A song so enticing and so entrancing that to hear it, would create such home sickness and longing that its soul would leave immediately to go back.

Think about your most trying of times here. In this existence. For me it would be a military boot camp experience. In order to move on, to do the things in life I wanted to do I had to graduate. But if there had been a door in my room where I could smell my mother’s cooking and hear the sounds of my family’s laughter. There would have been no way for me to endure my trials at boot camp without opening the door and going back home. To have that door to familiarity so close, the sounds and smells so close at hand – it would have proven too much. I would not have succeeded in graduating. I would have turned my back on boot camp. I would not have gotten to do the wonderful things in my life that I did because of those trials. I am happier for it.

And this song is that. It is the Song to be Sung at the end of one’s journey here. A Song of Remembrance, of Homecoming, of Family, of Aloha.

A rose in bloom. Or an orchid.  Alone it is a wonderful flower. Beautiful. Ripe in its scent. Longing and calling to bees and everyone one else. And one life, like one flower is a unique and wondrous thing. But at this wonderful Soul’s life, like a flower added to a beautiful lei, the many beautiful lives of your soul. The many flowers strung and cared for, caressed and nurtured and woven into a beautiful soul’s experience. It is breathtaking in its uniqueness.  In its singularity, rarity, scent and beauty. And to place this into a song…

Insight of Stork

 

 

A couple of years ago I took my first Shamanic core training class of Michael Harner’s.  It was very helpful to me and basically gave me a map and compass for places I was already journeying. Since taking the class (actually taught by Susan Mokelke) it has been very easy for me to communicate, at least visually with loved ones’ power animal.

 

In class, it was pressed upon me, that if one’s power animal was sickly then in order to have the person heal, the power animal must be healed first. If the power animal would not heal then a journey should be made to attain a strong, healthy power animal. It was often thought that if the power animal died so to would the person who belonged to that power animal.

 

I have kept this piece of information to heart. When I come across a loved one unwell, I ask to see their power animal. If it looks strong and healthy, I do nothing more. If it looks in need of a healing, I then offer a healing to my loved one.

Recently though, I had a friend that was fighting several cancers. The cancer was extensive but only newly found. Treatment was optimistic. And she continued to work without complaint. She worked as an elementary school specialist and helped children get the extra resources they needed. When I asked to see her power animal, I saw a very healthy, if not glowingly stork.

 

At first, I was a little taken aback, because I still associate stocks with bringers of babies. But when I thought about it, I thought that the stork is also inline with communication and calm. My friend worked with younger children, where communication was her strength and she could use a calming presence for all the treatments she was enduring.  So, at second thought this was a great fit!

 

So, the stork was very healthy indeed! My sense was that this stork was a newly arrived power animal to aid her in her fight. And even though, the stork was very healthy, I still gave my friend a healing to help her as I could.

 

But my friend did not win her battle with cancer. She passed very quickly, within two months.

It was then that I realized the magnificent stork was not there to hep her heal, but to give her comfort and help her to leave this world. And that if a power animal helps to escort souls coming into this world, it could certainly be called to help escort those leaving. Inwhich case, the power animal would look very healthy and not sickly. Because it is their to do its job, help guide their person’s spirit into the next world. So, in the future when the power animal looks very strong and your patient or loved one looks weak and unwell, ask yourself what is the roll and job of this power animal? Or better yet, ask the power animal. Is it generally known to be a psychopomp? or a healer?

 

A total side note here:

A second power animal that is also a psychopomp is the Bobcat. Known for working with midwives, nurses and pediatric doctors, the Bobcat is an escorting Spirit worker of babies coming into the physical. If you are in the line of work of physically helping babies arrive into this world, then calling on the Bobcat can be helpful, especially in tricky situations.

Nesting

Got up this morning to hear a whole lot of bickering and arguing.

It was Mama and Papa Swallow arguing with their adult child as to who would get to have the nest. So, I went out their and told them twice (why not three times? should have…) “Only one nest is allowed. Please do not build a second nest (here).” After all it is over my entryway.

To be sure, I am very happy that their children made it to adulthood and came to let us know of their winter survival. That is very wonderful indeed! It is only that I do not want my house to be solely distinguished for the amount of white bird poop on the side on the house. And feel that if there is two can twelve be far behind?

So, I said one more time, “only one house,” and then put up a feather from another bird and a raccoon hair to see if that would do it.  If they do build the second house, there is nothing to be done until fall when they leave. They are migratory birds and get the ride of way.

It is quite amazing how well used the one bird house has been. Last year when Mr. and Mrs. Swallow came home, there were songbirds nesting in their nest. And the swallows had to wait their turn until the songbird babies were grown and flown. And this year, we have already had a family of sparrows nest and hatch and flown.

I guess my favorite is to hear the birds and to understand, not the dialect or word choice, but their intent. To know when they will be coming. To hear their excitement, to see their children grown. Later to hear their encouragement to their hatchlings. 

Swallows….

As if

They had a calendar of their own

My swallows came flying home

Beltane’s Full Moon is shining bright

Calling the end to Spring

And Greeting Summer’s first flight

They landed home today at 5pm April 25th

I waited knowing, for I am a Witch

Or a Druid

Or just a wee small child

That talks to the Moon and Laughs with the Sky

Who waited with glee

To watch in wonder

My Swallows flying home

For our same roof we are under

Guardians of the home part IV: Fish in a fishbowl

Many people would take a pause to think of their fish as an actual guardian in their home. Really what are they going to do attack an intruder? Will the intruder turn and run in fear? Will they make such a commotion with their fins that the neighbor will wake to see what the matter is?

Well, yes! no and no. But lets start at the beginning and the magick that is involved with fish in a fish bowl. If you have a bowl and fill it half or 3/4 full of water the rest of the bowl contains air. If you put aquarium dirt and a plant you then have earth. When you have a fish in there you are adding fire. So, already without doing anything else you have the four magickal elements in one small container. It has become (in the hands of a witch) a magickal tool.

I will tell you that I have not fully delved into this magick. But my belief is that it is an easy access to vortexes. What I do know is that such fish bowls clear the air of negativity such a way like sage smudging or incense burning. The movement of the fish through the water, the exchange of air and carbon dioxide all act as an energy exchange.

Additionally, you can add crystals or metal rocks into the bowl that you have programmed for specific magick. A note here, adding a metal piece will add the fifth element in Fung Shui.

What about cats?! You might ask? Not speaking for every cat but my two cats are young and one is especially mischievous. They do love to drink the fish bowl water! But after 8 months of having 5 fish bowls in the house none have been injured by my cats. In fact, the male guppies swim right up to their mouth when the cats drink. I have seen my cat have to spit out the guppies. The other fish have the sense to stay away from their mouths! Also, the plants do give the fish a place to hide and be unseen when they want to be invisible.

The fish I like to add are the ones that do not need a filter. I keep the house warm enough that the fish don’t freeze but if that is a concern in your home then a $0.19 goldfish just might be prefect. The other good fish, in my experience have been, miniature guppies which are only about a 1/2 inch long. Guppies cost about  $0.99 to $3.00. And Betta fish are the most elegant of creatures. They can cost anywhere from $4.00 to $40.00 depending on breed, breeder and store. All of these fish are fresh water, air breathing fish. They can all surface for air and will also enjoy eating the occasional insect that swims in.

Goldfish can live to be 20 years old and never stop growing. They are smart and can be gold or white or black or red. They come in many, many breeds and cost will vary depending on breed. They are the messiest, most hardy, best cold water, and longest living of the three types of fish I have listed. Goldfish are said to bring in prosperity and positive energy. Always growing, “gold” in name and contain a wisdom about them are some of their spiritual properties.

The Guppies are in constant motion, smallest brain and live for about 2 years. With these guys you can have several in your bowl (while if you have a goldfish or a betta you should only have one). If you have males and females they will breed and deliver live babies. but they also will eat their young. The guppies are found in different sizes but they are all small. Some are more fancy then others and some are more hardy. The spirit of the guppy is their embracement of life and living it. Not stopping or slowing at an impasse, they will quickly find away to move over, around or under it. They work together yet have a feisty and competitive spirit.

The Bettas will actually sit on the bottom of the bowl and take in many visual cues. They sometimes try to eat flies they see sitting outside their bowl. They have a big enough brian to have a personality of their own. The males, when happy blow bubbles into a fancy bubble net. Those of you that enjoy bubble magick might be very drawn to such creatures. They do not live long about 2 years but are incredibly graceful. The males are warrior spirit  attack fish and will seek to destroy any other fish they view as competition (this would include fancy guppies or other males bettas). This spirit can easily be persuaded to guard the emotional bodies in your home if not spiritual ones as well.

I also like to include a snail for clean up work. They have great large snails like the mystery snail. and smaller snails that come with almost any purchased water plant. The fish seem to enjoy their company even the bettas. But the bettas take the most notice of them, it can be fun to watch. If you really like the idea of a magick fish bowl but really don’t want the fish snails would be good. They are made to clean and cleanse their space and will help provide a grounded calm space/room. My only suggestion would be to stick your finger in the water and give it 11, 22, or 33 whirls around every so often to get movement.

So, yes the fishbowl fish will attack an intruder especially if it is a mosquito which all these fish eat. But they can work in conjunction with you to attack negative entities and emotions which would elsewise “sit” around. Any stones which you use can be taken out and recharged by the full moon. These bowls are meditative, beautiful, magickal tools whose magick could lead anywhere.

The fish bowl pictured at the top of the page is my favorite one in the house. It sits on the coffee table and gives a feeling that you are over looking a pond. All other photos are not mine and have been linked to their original website or my best effort.

Direct Connect to Your Deity/Deities

Many of us are witches and as such are trying to understand how to better our connection to our deity/deities. Which generally includes bettering our talents; whether they lie in protecting, manifestation, healing. Or in other words, to push away, to bring to us or to take care of what we already possess. The best way to do this is to be connected in all four planes with your Deity/Deities. And allow the universe and your God(s)/Goddess(es) to assist.

We will do many things to to get this connection. Layer our consecrated space with oils, shatter herbs, do candle magick, prepare our bodies with ritual baths, set aside long hours for meditation, work a potion spell that needs an incubator time of a moon cycle or season.

This is all good. This is all for the better. But remember too that this universe was created for a child to perform magick as needed. A child would not be able to use oils, shatter herbs, light candles, sink into a ritual bath, nor cast complicated potions/spells.

What can a child do? How does a child can connect with their deity/deities? Through Gratitude. The fastest  and most direct way to connect with spirit will always be through Gratitude of being here. As in “Here” this time, this place, this body.  Once you are in a state of Gratitude then just ask for what you want. If you can not simply be grateful in that moment then count your blessings until you are in Gratitude. It is a child’s potent, power magick. It is a child’s simple, mindful magick. Magick.  Gratitude is the instant connection to your Deity/Deities.