Sweet Wine Lavender Cookies

Here is something sweet and floral for a Flores de Mayo dinner.

• 1 cup plus 1-1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup lavender sugar (recipe below)
• Pinch of salt
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 2-1/2 Tbsp sweet white wine
• 12 leaves of fresh lavender, chopped finely

Sift the flour, all but 1 tablespoon of the sugar, and the salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Mix a well in the center and add the wine and the lavender leaves and stir in gently. Leave the mixture for 10 minutes, stirring now and again, by which time it will have bonded together, then gather together to make a soft dough.

Roll out the dough on a floured board about 1/8 inch thick and use a serated pasta wheel to cut out small strips, about 2 inches by 1 inch. Place on a buttered baking tray, giving one half of each strip a twist, as you do so to make the cookies look just like little bows. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are just turning brown. Cool on a wire rack and sprinkle with the remaining sugar.

Lavender Sugar:

Mix 2 tablespoons of spikes of fresh lavender flowers or 1 tablespoon of dried lavender flowers with 1 cup of superfine sugar. Select a glass jar and make alternate layers of sugar and lavender flowers until the jar is full. Cover tightly and leave in a warm, dry room for 1 to 2 weeks. Shake the jar through a sieve before use. This method is similar to the conventional method you use to make vanilla sugar.

 Source: Grandma's Wisdom

Flores de Mayo

Themes: Offering; Prayer; Love; Devotion; Home; Relationships
Symbols: Spring; May Blossoming Flowers
Presiding Goddess: Sisina

About Sisina: This Filipino goddess oversees the realms of orderliness, beauty, and love. Traditionally, she protects marriages against discord, but she may also be called upon to settle inner turmoil within your soul and restore self-love.

To do today:

People in the Philippines say good-bye to May with bouquets, flower offerings, and an array of sweet foods to honor the month's sweetness and beauty. Sometimes they ask Sisina to join the festivities by setting a place for her at the table.

This particular custom appears in several other cultures and it is a simple, lovely way of honoring the goddess. Just leave a plate with a fresh flower on your dinner table. This draws Sisina's presence, love, and peaceful nature to your home and family relationships. If you wish, also leave an offering of sweet bread or fruity wine in a special spot to thank her.

As you go about your normal routine today, take time to enjoy any flowers you see, and be very considerate of the special people in your life. Sisina will see the effort and continue blessing those relationships with harmony.

Found in: 365 Goddess

For Peace At Someone's Death

For Gypsies there is far more concern for the living than for the dead. Yet the Rom believe there must always be a family vigil prior to the death of a family member. After the death there will be the funeral, which must be followed by a proper period of mourning.

English Gypsies believe that the owl is a harbinger of death. If they hear an owl hooting away in the distance, then it means someone close to them will die. If the owl is close by, with its cries loud and clear, then the person who will die is distant.

When an elderly member of the tribe is ill, and certain that he or she is going to die, work is sent out to all family members whereverthey happen to be scattered. They will immediatly return home, no matter from how far, for this is the one event that takes precedence over all others. The family members gather around the dying person's bed, or outside around the tent or vardo.

There is always someone seated at the bedside until the death. It is a time for much socializing, with very little emotion shown regarding the dying man or woman.

Once dead, the person is caught between the world of the living and the world of the dead. He or she will stay there until buried. In order to ease the stay there, and to prepare them for the transition to the world of the dead, there is a simple ritual that is sometimes performed by the shuvani(often without the knowledge of any of the other members of the tribe).

A small fire is lit - quite separate from any cooking fire - as soon as possible after the last breath. The fire should be laid carefully so that it can be started with one light and so that it will burn for a sufficient time without having to have more fuel added. Onto the fire are thrown thyme, sage, and rosemary, in that order. The dead person's name is chanted repeatedly as the shuvani walks backwards (widdershins, or counterclockwise) seven times around the fire, which is then left to burn itself out.

From Gypsy Love Magick
Art by Ann Falcone

Runes of Comfort For The Bereaved

I am the Life and the Light and the Way.

The earth is my garden.

Each of the souls I plant as seeds

Germinates and flowers in its season

And in each I am fulfilled.

There is no cause for grief

When a blossom fades

But only rejoicing for the beauty it held

And praise that my will is done

And my plan served.

I am one with all creatures

And none is ever lost

But only restored to me

Having never left me at all.

For what is Eternal

Cannot be separated from its Source.

I am with you all,

And each of you is a channel for my Light.

Feel my Love

Enfold you now and evermore.

From: The Book of Runes

Honoring the Einherjar

Memorial Day is the day meant to be set aside to specifically honor the war dead. As such, it is an appropriate day to observe rituals to honor the Einherjar: the battle-slain warriors who are taken to Valhalla. Of course, not all of the battle-slain go to Valhalla some also go to Freya’s Hall, but many modern pagans will honor the war-dead, especially their ancestors who served at this time. Others will honor the Einherjar on Veteran's Day instead, even though, technically Veteran’s Day is intended to first and foremost honor those living Veterans from past military service, it is also used to honor those currently serving, and to a lesser degree those soldiers now dead.

For more about the Einherjar - read on...

In Norse mythology, the einherjar (Old Norse "lone fighters") are those that have died in battle and are brought to Valhalla by valkyries. In Valhalla, the einherjar eat their fill of the nightly-resurrecting beast Sæhrímnir, and are brought their fill of mead (from the udder of the goat Heiðrún) by valkyries. The einherjar prepare daily for the events of Ragnarök, when they will advance for an immense battle at the field of Vígríðr.

"Valholl is widely spread out;

here Odin chooses every day

weapon-slain warriors..."

In Norse cosmology, those that die in battle hold a special role within Asatru. They are the Einherjar, those that are chosen by Odin to fight on the side of the Gods at Ragnorak.(see explanation below)

Accounts of Valhalla describe it as a large hall, decked with the implements of battle. The Einherjar are described as being well-hosted, they are fed on pork and mead, and each day, the Einherjar practice at the art of battle. They engage one another in terrible, bloody conflicts, and at the end of the day, come back to life, and walk off the field, the best of friends.

All the Einheriar fight in Odin's courts every day;

they choose the slain and ride from battle;

then they sit more at peace together.

It seems probable that historically, the Einherjar could be best described as some sort of "elite" troops, and that going to Valhalla was not necessarily the fate of the common soldier. Odin was traditionally followed by members of the ruling classes, not by ordinary folk. Adding to this the idea of the Einherjar fighting day after day, and enjoying it immensely does seem more in line with an elite unit, it seems likely that an ordinary draftee might get a little tired of day after day of fighting.

In actual modern-day practice, Einherjar blot has tended to become a day to honor all of those who die in wars, and to a lesser extent, veterans in general. How exactly does one reconcile these two different images of the Einherjar? One thing is clear, it was never a part of old Norse thought to hold to one view of the afterlife. Where you ended up after your death seemed reliant on which Gods you followed in life, and what sort of person you were.

Hail those that serve!

Hail the fallen!

Hail the Einherjar!

Note:

In Norse mythology, Ragnarök (Old Norse "final destiny of the gods") is a series of future events, including a great battle foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures (including the gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, Heimdall, and Loki), the occurrence of various natural disasters, and the subsequent submersion of the world in water. Afterward, the world will resurface anew and fertile, the surviving and reborn gods will meet, and the world will be repopulated by two human survivors.

Sources: Wikipedia and Raven Kindred

Feast of the Fallen Warriors

Color: Red

Element: Fire

Altar: On a red cloth place a helmet over a skull. Set out four red candles and two crossed swords.

Offerings: Candles. Written names of fallen warriors of the past, especially in one's family.

Daily Meal: Simple, plain food.

Invocation to the Fallen Warriors

Your blood lies spilled
Across all the lands of the world.
You stood and faced the enemy,
Whoever they were,
And perhaps you saw yourself
In his face,
And perhaps you did not.
Perhaps you fought
To save your kin and clan,
Perhaps for greed,
Perhaps for money,
Perhaps out of loyalty
To those you followed.
Whatever the reason,
You acquitted yourselves bravely
And did what you had to do
When it seemed right.
May your spirits rest peacefully,
And know we do not forget your glory.

(Chant in wordless harmonies as the swords are unsheathed, crossed in an arch over the altar, and resheathed again. All bow to the altar and extinguish the candles.)

Found in: Pagan Book of Hours

To Protect Your Home and Children

Frigga is the Norse Goddess of the home, fertility, love, motherhood and protection. Women with or without children need the protective vibrations of the Goddess Frigga and the energies of her powerful Berkana Rune in their lives and homes.

The chaotic, destructive energies of the media and the politically correct society are doing their best to destroy the home, the family and the role of women. Protect yourself, your children and your home. Counter these destructive energies with periodic Frigga Blots.

Runes and the Goddesses of the North are still very powerful and just bringing them into your home will have a healing effect and act as a protective buffer. Plus, this will also build a strong rapport with the Goddess Frigga herself.

There are three runes associated with the Goddess Frigga:

• Rune Fehu
• Rune Pertho
• Rune Berkana

The rune Berkana is the woman's rune. This blot (ritual ceremony) is about protection for women and the home. We will use only one rune in this blot. Berkana Rune. It is very powerful and will act like a magical amulet for you, your children and your home.

Ask Yourself:

• Why do you want to perform a Frigga Blot?
• Why do you want Frigga in your life?

Each goddess has a variety of powers and functions, as does each of the runes. During a blot, choose one rune, one goddess, one keyword to pour your mental energies into.

This is how the energies are stored in the Quantum Ocean (Mind of God) where all energies exist. The more specific you are with your thoughts of what you want to do, the more powerful and successful will the blot be.

The Laws of Quantum Physics have taught us that thoughts are things. Our thoughts are projected into the Quantum Ocean (Mind of God) where they pick up creative energies and materialize them back into our lives.

You must be careful of what and how you think. You must know why you want to attract the energies of Frigga into your life.

Goddesses cannot do anything for us. That is not how it works. What does work is for you to attract the energies that the goddesses herself uses out of the Quantum Ocean (Mind of God) and into your life. You cannot become Frigga but you can become Frigga-like.

You can recreate your life using the Goddess Runes which are Universal Creative Energies and the Laws of Quantum Physics which tell us that thoughts are things.

We discovered the runes, the Laws of Quantum Physics and the Laws of Mental Radionics. Let us use them to create a better world for ourselves and our children and grandchildren. Our children are our most precious possessions. Use the runes to create!

Nietzsche said:

"Hail her who creates new dances.

Let's dance a thousand tunes.

Our art should be free,

And our sciences joyful."

Invoking Frigga through the Berkana Rune:

This ritual was designed by a modern day Asatrurer who does not want to go the woods loaded down with ritualistic tools and outdated Viking rituals. Vikings cannot help us now with their axes and swords. Our minds and our runes and our sciences can. This is for women who want to work alone in the privacy of their own home with modern 21st century rituals.

This is what you are going to do. Attract Frigga's protective energies using the Rune Berkana, out of the Quantum Ocean (Mind of God) and into your aura.

Let us begin!

Sit quietly in your favorite chair. Relax. Hold the Berkana Rune (or a printed image of it) in your lap. Look at it and meditate on it. Your mind (Mental Radionics) will make the connection between the Frigga runic energies in the Quantum Ocean (Mind of God) and you.

Take a deep breath and breathe in the Berkana runic energies. Use your imagination to see these white protective energies flowing from Frigga in the Quantum Ocean to you.

Intone mentally to yourself:

"I am now inhaling the energy of Frigga's Berkana runes out of the Quantum Ocean (Mind of God) and into my aura."

Exhale.
Inhale and intone.

"I am now inhaling the energy of Frigga's Berkana runes out of the Quantum Ocean (Mind of God) and into my aura."

Exhale.
Inhale and intone.

"I am now inhaling the energy of Frigga's Berkana runes out of the Quantum Ocean (Mind of God) and into my aura."

Exhale.

We do this three times, because three is a magical number of the Northern gods/goddesses.

Your aura is now full of the protective energy of Frigga's Berkana rune. Relax and enjoy its peaceful, healing energies.

Now take a deep breath and exhale. At the same time visualize the protective energies of Frigga pouring out of your Pineal Gland (third eye) in the middle of your forehead.

Here is a very powerful secret that few know or practice. Every organ in our body has a particular function. Our Pituitary gland in the top of our heads is for receiving higher energy, like the energy that comes out or the Quantum Ocean (Mind of God.) Our Pineal gland in the center of our forehead is for sending this energy out into the physical world.

To use as an analogy: We receive God's powerful energy, out of the Quantum Ocean, and into the top of our heads, our pituitary gland. We distribute this energy into the physical world through our pineal gland. As above, so below. All great magicians, healers and shamans know this. It is only now due to the discovery of the Laws of Quantum Physics that we have it.

As you are mentally pouring this energy out of your pineal gland, intone:

"I am now sending the protective energy of Frigga to surround my home and grounds with a sphere of white light."

See your whole home and grounds surrounded by Frigga's protective white light. Do this three times. Now take a deep breath and exhale this protective light to each of your children and grandchildren. Intone:

"I am now sending Frigga's protective energies to surround (name) and keep him/her safe all day."

Repeat three times for each child and grandchild.

Give a mental thanks to Frigga and go about your business with the assurance that you, your home, your children and your grandchildren are protected.

Do this as often as you like. Build a powerful rapport with Frigga. It is cumulative. She awaits your attention.

Simple! No Dogma. No Ritualistic Tools. Just you an energy being. Frigga an energy goddess. Rune Berkana a Universal Creative Energy.

Source: Ellis Peterson

The Berkana Rune

Birch is fruitless and bears shoots without seed,

but its branches spread high and beautiful

and are laden with leaves,

filling the sky

~The Rune Poem - Verse XVIII

• Old English Name: Beorc
• Letter: B
• Key Words: Birch, Birth, Growth
• Element: Earth
• Zodiac Sign: Pisces and Aries
• Runic Number: 16
• Gemstone: Moonstone
• Colour: Dark Green

Berkana represents a form of fertility that ofsters growth both symbolically and actually. The growth may occur in affairs of the world, family matters, the relationship of the self to the Self, or to the Divine. A Rune that leads to blossoming and ripening, Berkana is concerned with the flow of beings into their new forms. Its action is gentle, penetrating and pervasive.

Interpretation:

What is called for here is to consider your issue with care and awareness. First disperse resistance, and then accomplish the work. For this to happen, your will must be clear and controlled, your motives correct. Any dark corners must be cleansed; this must be carried out diligently and sometimes with expert help.

Modesty, patience, fairness and generosity are called for here. Once resistance is dispersed, and rectification carried out and seen to hold firm, then through steadfastness and right attitude, the blossoming can occur.

When reversed:

Events or, more likely, aspects of character interfere with the growth of new life. You may feel dismay at failing to take right action. But rather than dismay, what is called for here is diligence. Examine what has occured, your role in it, your needs, the needs of other people. Are you placing your wants before the needs of others? Strip away until you can identify the obstacles to growth in this situation. Then, penetrating gently, imitate the wind.

You may be required to cultivate the soile once again, yet through correct preparation, growth is assured.

From: The Book of Runes

Frigga's Blot

Color: White and blue
Element: Air
Offering: Learn to spin. Bring harmony to some place that needs it. Do things correctly.
Daily Meal: Soup or stew. Bread with cheese, meat, or jam.
Altar: Upon cloth of white and blue set twelve white candles, one sky-blue candle, a great jug of mead, and a drop spindle full of handspun yarn. Throughout the next twelve days, the altar stays the same, and one more candle is lit. On this day, light only the blue one.

Invocation to Frigga

We call you, Frigga, from your misty halls at Fensalir,

All-knowing Queen, norn-wise,

Odhinn's loved companion, splendid queen of tribes,

Blessed in triumph, binding folk together.

Lover of your people, lady bright-minded,

Bridler of kin-strife, bourne of kin-mindfulness.

Protector and peaceweaver, friendly goddess:

Your blessings give to us, to babies and brave ones,

Great-hearted queen, holding secret counsel

With god-loving soothsayers; to the wise-minded

Giving rede and wisdom, discretion and prudence.

Key-keeper mighty, in your starry cape,

You know there is no tongue in which to tell

Of all that is and that shall be;

To sort the spinning strands of possibility

Into a span of words,

Yet with your spindle and your well-strung loom

You weave the airy clouds

And send the winds to shape them,

Writing your wordless wisdom-runes

In the ever-changing valleys of the sky.

(Adapted from Winifred Hodge)

Chant:

Cloth of honor from the thread of truth

Weave your heart into all you offer

(The drop spindle of yarn is passed around from person to person, and each speaks of how they intend to bring frith - order, harmony, and correctness - to some aspect of their lives. Then some mead is poured out as a libation to Frigga, saying, "Hail, Lady of Frith!" The rest is placed back on the altar for tomorrow's ritual.)

Found in: Pagan Book of Hours

About Frigga

Frigga is the All-Mother, wife of Odin. She is the goddess of the home, family, fertility, love, motherhood, domestic affairs and ease of transition (dying.)

Frigga is as powerful as Odin and is the only god/goddess allowed to sit in Odin's high seat Hlidskjalf when he is not there. She can look out over the whole universe from there. There is nothing she does not know. But she is called the silent Goddess for she does not speak of what she knows.

• Frigga's name means LOVE.
• She lives in Fensalir which means "Marsh Halls.
• Frigga's children are Thor, Balder and Hodar.
• Her stepchildren are Heimdal, Tyr, Vidan and Skljoldr.
• Her magical tool is the distaff.
• Her animal totem is the goose.

Frigga's Handmaidens are:

• EIR: Goddess of Healing.
• HLIN: Goddess of Protection.
• GNA: Messenger Goddess.
• FULLA: Fertility Goddess.
• Also: LOFN, SJOFN, SYN, GEFJON, SNORTA, VAN and VOR.

The constellation Orion's Belt is known as Frigga's Distaff. The rotating stars at night are her spinning wheel. It is said that Frigga uses her spinning wheel to weave the clouds. She also sits at her spindle weaving the destinies of men and gods alike at the beginning of each new year.

If you wish the ask Frigga about your destiny, first build a rapport with her and her Berkana rune. She may tell you. But be careful. She knows all the destinies of men, women and gods. She knew the destiny of her son Balder. She knew he would die, and try as she would, with all her powers, she could not stop it. Do you really want to know your destiny? Ask her.

Frigg was a goddess associated with married women. She was called up by women to assist in giving birth to children, and Scandinavians used the plant Lady's Bedstraw (Galium verum) as a sedative, they called it Frigg's grass).

In Scandinavia the blessing of Frigga is still invoked for birthing women with a white candle, with the Berkana Rune etched in its side. The candle is used as a charm to ensure a safe delivery.

Source: Ellis Peterson

What is a blot?

The blót (Old Norse neuter) refers to Norse pagan sacrifice to the Norse gods and the spirits of the land. The sacrifice often took the form of a sacramental meal or feast. Related religious practices were performed by other Germanic peoples, such as the pagan Anglo-Saxons. The blót element of horse sacrifice is found throughout Indo-European traditions, including the Vedic Indian, Celtic, and Latin traditions.

The verb blóta meant "to worship with sacrifice", or "to strengthen". The sacrifice usually consisted of animals, in particular pigs and horses. The meat was boiled in large cooking pits with heated stones, either indoors or outdoors. The blood was considered to contain special powers and it was sprinkled on the statues of the gods, on the walls and on the participants themselves.

Elden den "köllas" av nio slags ved,		The fire is lit by nine kinds of wood,
det är gammal sed.		that is the old custom.
Offer till andarna skänkes,		A sacrifice is offered [to the spirits],
med blodet sig alla bestänkes.		everyone is sprinkled with the blood.
Det bästa till andar föräras,		The best part is gifted to spirits,
det som blir över skall av männen förtäras.		what remains is to be consumed by the men.

It was a sacred moment when the people gathered around the steaming cauldrons to have a meal together with the gods or the Elves. The drink that was passed around was blessed and sacred as well and it was passed from participant to participant. The drink was usually beer or mead but among the nobility it could be imported wine.

The old prayer was til árs ok friðar, "for a good year and frith (peace)" They asked for fertility, good health, a good life and peace and harmony between the people and the powers.

Source: Wikipedia

Aroma Magick

Aromas can make us hungry or feel comfort and warmth, or inspire the opposite reactions. The power of scent works with the memory and the magical properties of the material. Incense, oils, herbs - all of these can be gently heated, burned, or used as is to inspire a bit of the sacred each time we breathe in. Aroma is a person's earliest sense. As babies, long before our eyes focus, we know our world from the scents that surround us.

Aromatherapy and flower essences, such as the Bach flower remedies, employ scent and vibrational energy in a therapeutic sense and have been proven to change one's mood. They can work both on the self and on others.

In order to use the essential oils listed here, simply dab the oil on a cotton ball and sniff, or place a few drops in an oil burner and gently warm the oil.

• To boost memory - Rosemary
• To inspire lust - Ginger or hibiscus
• To decrease lust - Camphor
• To inspire hunger - Cinnamon or garlic
• To create an atmosphere of comfort - Cedar
• To heal - Eucalyptus
• To protect - Garlic
• To revive energy - Peppermint
• To create sacred space - Frankincense and myrrh
• To attract money - Clove
• To promote sleep - Lavender
• To promote laughter and joy - Orange and lemon
• To ease grief - Rose
• To calm stress - Chamomile
• To conquer fear - Grapefruit
• To calm anger - Patchouli

Found in: Elemental Witch

Gypsy Prayer To The Virgin

The following short prayer to the Virgin, which I have frequently heard amongst the Gypsies of Hungary and Transylvania, will serve as a specimen of their language.

Gula Devla, da me saschipo. Swuntuna Devla, da me bacht t'aldaschis cari me jav; te ferin man, Devla, sila ta niapaschiata, chungale manuschendar, ke me jav ande drom ca hin man traba; ferin man, Devia; ma mek man Devla, ke manga man tre Devies-key.

Sweet Goddess, give me health. Holy Goddess, give me luck and grace wherever I go; and help me, Goddess, powerful and immaculate, from ugly men, that I may go in the road to the place I purpose: help me, Goddess; forsake me not, Goddess, for I pray for God's sake.

From: The Zincali by George Barrow

Pilgrimage of the Gypsies

Every year the Roma celebrate and worship their patron saint, Saint Sarah, also known as Sara-la-Kali (Sara the black), and Mary Jacobé in the coastal village of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in the Camargue region of the Provence, Southern France.

Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, the 'Saint Marys of the Sea', is a small fishing village located on the south-central coast of Mediterranean France in the Camargue region of Bouches-du-Rhone. Archaeological excavations and local legends indicate that the site has been venerated as a holy place by a succession of cultures including the Celts, Romans, Christians, and most recently, the Romania Gypsies.

Once a sacred site of the Celtic threefold water goddess, the holy spring was known as Oppidum Priscum Ra. Superseded by a Roman temple dedicated to Mithras in the 4th century BC, the site was later taken over by the Christians. Historical sources mention a church from the 9th century but very little is known of the town's history prior to the 14th century because of its remote location. Neither is it known precisely when and why the local church became the most sacred place of the Gypsies sometime after their arrival in Europe in the early 1400's.

The Gypsy pilgrimage of Sainte Sarah is a unique, spiritual festival, vibrant and colourful, offering a deeper insight into the lives and culture of this ancient nomadic tribe, we call gypsies, the Roma.

In French, Gypsies are called Gitans (from Spanish gitano, short form of egiptano (Egyptian) - the same error about their origins underlies the English word "gypsy"). The Gitan pilgrimage takes place in Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer on 24 and 25 May to celebrate Mary Jacobé (Sara-la-Kali). A second pilgrimage celebrating Mary Salomé takes place on the Sunday closest to the 22 October.

There are several stories connected to the dark faced Saint Sarah, and especially her origins offer some interesting tales.

Legend has it she was the servant of the other locally celebrated Mary Saints. It is believed that at the beach they erected an altar to pray, but soon thereafter they dispersed. The relics of Mary Magdalene, Mary Salome and Mary Jacob are said to be kept in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer and each has their own annual pilgrimage. These women are believed to be the first people to witness to the empty tomb just before the resurrection of Jesus, and especially the Mary Magdalene cult is very wide-spread in the Provence.

According to one local legend, after the resurrection of Christ, Mary Magdalene, Marie-Salome, Marie-Jacobe, Lazarus and several other disciples were forced, in 45 AD, to flee the Holy Land by boat. Following a perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea, the boat eventually landed near the present day village of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, where the passengers went ashore.

What next happened to the passengers is not specified in the legend but two of them, Marie-Salome and Marie-Jacobe, became, in time, objects of veneration to the local people. The church, however, enshrines three images, the additional one being of Sara-la-Kali, whose origin and identity are quite mysterious.

An alternative story of Sara-la-Kali states her as a pagan of noble birth, later converted to the faith of Abraham, a powerful local queen who welcomed the tired travelers from the Holy Land, while other sources suggest she may have been an ancient pagan goddess or a black Egyptian woman who was the servant of Christ's mother Mary.

Another intriguing explanation, believes her to be the local, Christianized manifestation of the Indian goddess "Kali". The ceremony in Saintes-Maries closely parallels the annual processions in India, the country in which the Romani are believed to have originated. During the Indian pilgrimage celebrations, statues of the Indian goddess Durga, also named Kali, are immersed into water. Durga, a consort of Shiva, is usually represented with a black face, as is Saint Sarah. The Indian goddess Durga or Kali is the goddess of creation, sickness and death.

Whatever the explanation, the three female statues are the subject of the fascinating Pelerinage des Gitans, or 'Pilgrimage of the Gypsies', held each year on May 24 and 25.

During the weeks preceding the festival, many thousands of gypsies flock to the little village from the far corners of Europe. It is a time of much celebration, of dancing and feasting. The gypsies, being a homeless and wandering people, look upon the festival as a time of religious worship and also as a time to visit with friends and relatives whom they have not seen since previous festivals.

On the afternoon of the 24th the church is filled with pilgrims and surrounded by thousands more. They have come to witness the arrival of the saints. First, the statues of the two Marys, stored in an ancient box containing other relics, are lowered from their storage place high in the church. As the reliquary slowly descends, the crowd of pilgrims, overcome with religious fervor, reaches up their hands, even holding up babies at arm's length, in the belief that to touch the relics before they reach the ground is to receive a wondrous healing and protection from misfortune.

After the statues of the two Mary's have been revealed, the statue of Sara is brought forth from an underground crypt. Carried on the shoulders of the gypsies and accompanied by the boisterous pilgrims, Sara is taken on a procession to the sea. Returned to the church, Sara and the two Mary's are venerated throughout the evening by the many pilgrims passing through the shrine.

The following morning, the 25th of May, the statues of the two Mary's are placed in a boat and then taken upon a grand and colorful procession to and into the sea. In the afternoon a farewell ceremony is given to the saints, the gypsies begin to depart, and the village of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer again settles to its quiet life.

Sources: Sacred Sitesand Benvengudo

Festival of the Holy Marys

St Sara of Egypt is the Romanies' patron saint. Throughout the eve of May 24 and during May 25th, Gypsies exalt the elements of fire and water. From wood the men have gathered, Gypsy women build a healthy campfire. They cook a huge feast and gather around the fire to exchange presents and good cheer.

On May 24th many Romanies still make a pilgrimage to attend an annual service at the shrine of St Sara of Egypt, in the crypt of the church of Les Saintes Maries de la Mer in the Ile de la Camargue, Bouches-du-Rhone, France. They carry the statue of St. Sara, who is black into the sea (from where she originated) and out again.

From: The Good Spell Book

Thargalia - A Modern Approach

Themes: Cleansing; Offering; Forgiveness; Magic
Symbols: Ritual Tools
Presiding Goddess: As the Greek goddess who created all sacred rituals and ceremonies, Hosia oversees this rite and directs your magical energy toward successful manifestation.

To do Today:

Follow Greek tradition and leave Hosia an offering of fruit, bread, or wheat to encourage her assistance. Next consider creating a personal ritual for cleansing or forgiveness. Hosia will guide your hand in choosing words and actions suited to the working. Alternatively, take out your ritual tools and ask for hosia's blessing on them saying:

Hosia, these are the tools of my hand, heart, and spirit.
They symbolize the elements and the corners of creation.
Today I ask that you empower them for working magic,

and regulate their use for the greatest good.
May they always direct my energy in perfect love and trust.
So be it.

In ancient Greece, a scapegoat (often a criminal) was often identified to bear the sins for an entire community, then either sacrificed or banished into the wilderness. A way to adapt this practice is by designing an image of something you need to banish, then "driving it away" by putting it in the car and leaving it in a remote spot. As you turn away, ask the goddess Hosia to witness the rite and to empower your efforts for positive change.

Found in: 365 Goddess

Ancient Greek Barley Bread

The Greeks were master-bakers and even at the time of the Roman Empire the Greeks were the bakers of Rome. There was a wealth of different kinds of bread, seventy-two types using different flours — barley, wheat, rice, coarse or finely ground — made with milk or oil. The bread was flavoured with: cumin, poppy seeds, fennel, coriander, raisins, fenugreek, nigella, marjoram, rosemary, capers, sage, cabbage leaves, garlic and onion; and made into all kinds of shapes: braids, crescents, animals, mushrooms.

Here's a recipe for Nigella Barley Bread which may or may not be historically accurate. You will need the following ingredients:

• 1 cup barley flour
• 3 cups unbleached bread flour (plus extra for kneading)
• 1 tbsp nigella seed (also called kalonji, black caraway, black cumin, or black onion seed)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cup touch-warm water
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup olive oil

In a small bowl, mix together water, yeast, and sweetener and let stand until foamy, about five minutes. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine flours, nigella seed, and salt.

Mix the yeast mixture into the flour and knead until elastic, dusting with flour as necessary, about 8-10 minutes. Knead in olive oil, about a tablespoon at a time. Divide into three equal pieces, place in a bowl covered with a kitchen towl, and let rise in a warm place for one hour.

Preheat the oven to 450F. Roll the three parts into long cylinders and braid them. Put into a greased loaf pan. Bake until the outside is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, about 25-30 mins.

Found at: Veganachronism

The Thargelia

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Thargelia (Greek Θαργήλια) was one of the chief Athenian festivals in honour of the Delian Apollo and Artemis, held on their birthdays, the 6th and 7th of the month Thargelion (about May 24 and May 25).

Essentially an agricultural festival, the Thargelia included a purifying and expiatory ceremony. While the people offered the first-fruits of the earth to the god in token of thankfulness, it was at the same time necessary to propitiate him, lest he might ruin the harvest by excessive heat, possibly accompanied by pestilence. The purificatory preceded the thanksgiving service.

The most important ritual was the following. Two men, the ugliest that could be found (the Pharmakoi) were chosen to die, one for the men, the other (according to some, a woman) for the women. Acting as scapegoats for community guilt, they were draped in figs and led through the city. before being cast out.

Hipponax of Kolophon claims that on the day of the sacrifice they were led round with strings of figs on their necks, and whipped on the genitals with rods of figwood and squills. When they reached the place of sacrifice on the shore, they were stoned to death, their bodies burnt, and the ashes thrown into the sea (or over the land, to act as a fertilizing influence). However, it is unclear how accurate Hipponax's sixth-century, poetical account of the ceremony is, and there is much scholarly debate as to its reliability.

On the first day of the festival, a sheep was sacrificed to Demeter Chloe on the Acropolis, and perhaps a swine to the Fates, but it is generally agreed that an actual human sacrifice took place on this occasion, replaced in later times by a milder form of expiation. Thus at Leucas a criminal was annually thrown from a rock into the sea as a scapegoat: but his fall was checked by live birds and feathers attached to his person, and men watched below in small boats, who caught him and escorted him beyond the boundary of the city. Similarly, at Massilia, on the occasion of some heavy calamity (plague or famine), one of the poorest inhabitants volunteered as a scapegoat. For a year he was fed up at the public expense, then clothed in sacred garments, led through the city amidst execrations, and cast out beyond the boundaries.

After having rid the city of any ill influences on the first day of the festival, the second day begins with a joyous attitude. It follows the basic structure of any other Hellenic festival. First, there was a procession, which included children who carried the eiresione, an olive branch decorated with woolen fillets, bread, fruits, small flasks of honey, and some with oil. The children would sing the following while carrying this:

“The Eiresione brings figs and fat bread,

honey in pots, and oil to rub down,

a cup of strong wine so you go drunk to bed.”

As they moved through the city, they would collect offerings along the way. Once arriving at the temple, the offering of the first fruits of the grain harvest would begin. From the surviving texts we learn that the offering was of two types: a boiled stew of grains and seasonal vegetables, or the loaf of grain bread called the thargelos. It is from the name of the loaf that the festival takes its name. This loaf was also called eueteria, meaning “good year.”

There would also be libations, hymns, much feasting and other activities during the celebration. Singing competitions were especially popular, in which 50 men from the 10 tribes of Athens participated. All of these were done in honor of Apollo, god of purification.

Sources: Wikipedia and Pagan Pages

Monday Magick

Ruler: Moon
Colors: Silver and white
Power Hours: Moonrise.
Key Words: Magick, dreams, health, love, home and family

In the word Monday, we can see part of the word Moon. In the romance languages such as Italian or Spanish, this day of the week is called Lunes and clearly relates to the word lunar.

On Mondays, a variety of magick may be worked. Because Monday centers on the energies of the Moon, things like psychism, dreams, feminine energy, health, success in spiritual pursuits, domestic matters, and things of family origin are especially important this day.

Mondays are best for love magick and anything concerning home or family, thus old saying, Mondays child is fair of face, which seems clearly to relate to the themes of love and health.

Angels of Monday are Gabriel, Arcan, Missabu, and Abuzaha. Arcan is known as the king of the angels of air and the "ruler" of Monday. Abuzaha (Abuzohar) serves Monday, and is very responsive to invocations and ritual magick. Missabu is a ministering angel of Arcan.

Check whether the moon is waning or waxing to determine what your spell will be. During waning moons, do spells to rid yourself of obstacles or for wisdom and protection. During waxing moons do magic for increase of any kind or to draw something into your life.

On Mondays, the best hour to work is moonrise. Get this information from your local newspaper, astrological calendar, or almanac.

Found in: Angels Companions in Magick, and Encyclopedia of Magickal Ingredients

Sign of the Lavender Flower

"My beautiful expanse will inspire you."

If you were born between May 20 and June 20, you are a lavender flower sign. You freckle your landscape with beautiful ideas. You love to share these ideas with other people and get more new insights as you do so. You are expansive in your expressions, and you always seem to be able to find your muse. You are amazingly productive, creative and have an active mind. Sometimes you feel pulled in too many directions, but part of the lavender’s beauty is that it spreads itself far and wide for all to enjoy.

Source: What's Your Sign

Sunday Magick

Ruler: Sun
Colors: Gold or yellow
Power Hours: Sunrise and sunset.
Key Words: Love, happiness, health, wealth

It is easy to spot the ruler of this day by its name. Sunday is the day of the sun. Community work, volunteer services, exercise, outdoor sports, buying, selling, speculating, meeting people, anything involving groups, running fairs and raffles, growing crops and taking care of all health matters fall under the influence of the Sun. With all this activity and the brightness of the sun, it's easy to see why the child that is born on the Sabbath day is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.

Michael is the primary angel of Sunday but each hour of this day also has it's secondary angel. These angels are Michael (first hour), Anael (second hour), Raphael (third hour), Gabril (fourth hour), Cassiel (fifth hour), Sachiel (sixth hour), Samael (seventh hour), Michael (eighth hour), Anael (ninth hour), Raphael (tenth hour), Gabriel (eleventh hour), and Cassiel twelfth hour). Notice some of the angels do double duty this day.

On Sundays, (unless you are invoking a specific angelic energy) the hour of sunrise will be the most powerful time to work, especially if you want to infuse energy into your work. Sunset is the second best time and is favored when you need to calm down a situation. Check the local newspaper, astrological calendar, or almanac to determine your local sunrise.

Found in: Angels Companions in Magick, and Encyclopedia of Magickal Ingredients

Saturday Magick

Ruler: Saturn
Color: Black
Power Hours: Sunrise and the 8th, 16th, and 24th hours following.
Key Words: Work, discipline, power, and conquering negative conditions

The planetary correspondence for Saturday is Saturn. Matters dealing with the public, farming, family ties, legal matters (such as wills and estates), taking care of debts, dealing with lawyers, financing, joint money matters, real estate, older people, banishing or binding negativity, and getting rid of bad habits all fall under the charge of Saturn. It's easy to see why "Saturday's child works hard for his living."

Saturday's angels are Cassiel, Machatan, Uriel, and Orifiel. Cassiel is the angel of solitudes and tears. He is one of the rulers of the planet Saturn and occasionally appears as the angel of patience. Cassiel links himself to dragon energy. Regarding Machatan, the only information we get is that he works well with Cassiel and is also a power of Saturn. Orifiel is an angel of the wilderness, a ruler of the second hour of the day, and also associated with Saturn.

On Saturday, the hour of sunrise and every eight hours after that are also ruled by Saturn, and that makes these times of the day doubly blessed. These four hours are the strongest four hours for conducting ritual. Check the local newspaper, astrological calendar, or almanac to determine your local sunrise.

Found in: Angels Companions in Magick, and Encyclopedia of Magickal Ingredients

Sun in Gemini

The Sun is in Gemini from approximately May 21 to June 20, depending on the year.

Symbol: The Twins
Ruler: Mercury
Element: Air
Modality: Mutable
Season: Spring
Placement in Zodiac: 3rd Sign
Metal: Mercury
Stone: Agate
Color: Yellow
Anatomy: Hands and arms; lungs.
Flowers: Lily of the Valley, Rose, Lilac, Violet

Keywords: talkative, mental, adaptable, flexible, changeable, responsive, sociable, superficial

With the Sun in Gemini, the urge for self-expression is strong. These natives are often just as interested in collecting information as they are in sharing it. Curious to a fault, Geminis have a finger in every pie.

Solar Geminis are flexible and changeable people. Their ability to adapt quickly to new situations generally gains them plenty of friends and social contacts. Usually quite clever and witty, Geminis enjoy intellectual conversations and they are easily bored if they are not getting enough mental stimulation.

Often quite adept at fitting in with others, Geminis easily adopt the moods of those around them. They are friends to people from all walks of life, and are not easily intimidated. Their ability to detach themselves can make Geminis very objective and observant, but a little difficult to get close to. Although they often have many friends, intimacy doesn't come as easily to Solar Geminis.

It can be difficult to know what Gemini really feels at any given moment. They are often very impressionable and scattered. There is usually a nervous air to Geminis that can make more personal characters a little uneasy. It is not always intuitive to trust Geminis to be loyal or to keep secrets.

Geminis often flit about, moving quickly and keeping busy every step of the way. Many people with this position of the Sun have gained quite a bit of knowledge in their lifetimes, but they don't often possess specialized knowledge. This is because Geminis have relatively short attention spans. Restlessness is especially common with this position of the Sun.

Usually quite affable, Geminis enjoy the "light" side of life. This tendency to take things lightly makes them quite pleasing to be around; but it can be maddening to people seeking support on the deeper issues in life.

Geminis are both interesting and interested. Their wit can be dazzling and their changeability dizzying. At the very least, Geminis will seldom bore you.

Source: Cafe Astrology

Friday Magick

Ruler: Freya, Venus
Colors: Emerald green or pink
Power Hours: Sunrise and the 8th, 16th, and 24th hours following.
Key Words: Love, money, health

It is easy to spot the ruler of this day by its name. In the word Friday, we see the roots of the name of the Norse goddess Freya, a goddess of love and fertility, and the most beautiful and propitious of the goddesses thus the verse "Friday's child is loving and giving."

In Spanish this day of the week is called Viernes and is derived from the goddess Venus. Matters of love, human interaction, the fluidity of communication, sewing and the creation of artistic garments, household improement, shopping, and party planning all fall under the aspects of Friday and its ruling planet, Venus.

Friday's angels are Ariel/Uriel, Rachiel, and Sachiel. Rachiel also concerns himself with human sexuality and is a presiding spirit of the planet Venus.

On Fridays, the hour of sunrise and every eight hours after that are also ruled by Venus, and that makes these times of the day doubly blessed. These four hours are the strongest four hours for conducting ritual. Check the local newspaper, astrological calendar, or almanac to determine your local sunrise.

Found in: Angels Companions in Magick, and Encyclopedia of Magickal Ingredients

Thursday Magick

Ruler: Thor, Jupiter
Colors: Purple and royal blue
Power Hours: Sunrise and the 8th, 16th, and 24th hours following.
Key Words: Wisdom, money, protection

It is easy to spot the ruler of this day by its name. In the word Thursday, we see the roots of the name of the Norse god Thor, protector of both gods and humans against the forces of evil. The Norse believed that during a thunderstorm, Thor rode through the heavens on his chariot, thus the verse "Thursday's child has far to go."

In Spanish this day of the week is called Jueves and is derived from Jove or Jupiter. Thursday is a Jupiter day. This is a great day for money issues, as Jupiter is the ruling planet of all sorts of financial concerns. Self-improvement, research, and study are also good for this day, as well as travel and social gatherings.

Thursday's angel is Sachiel. Sachiel sort of surfs the days of the week, and in various texts can be found in the Monday, Thursday, or Friday categories. He presides over the planet Jupiter. Invoke him from the south.

On Thursdays, the hour of sunrise and every eight hours after that are also ruled by Jupiter, and that makes these times of the day doubly blessed. These four hours are the strongest ones to do ritual in. Check the local newspaper, astrological calendar, or almanac to determine your local sunrise.

Keep in mind, however, that Jupiter magick always makes more of whatever you have. So if you have nothing, this is not the best energy to work with.

Found in: Angels Companions in Magick, and Encyclopedia of Magickal Ingredients

Wednesday Magick

Ruler: Wodin, Mercury
Colors: Orange, light blue, and gray
Power Hours: Sunrise and the 8th, 16th and 24th hours following
Key Words: Success, creativity, communication

The word Wednesday is reminiscent of the Norse wind god Wodin, which is referenced in the popular rhyme verse "Wednesday's child is full of woe." This does not mean that those born on this day are full of sorrow or trouble. To be full of Wo (Wodin) means to be full of wind, to be spirited. Woden was such a powerful pagan god that the German church fathers changed the name of his day to Mittwoch, meaning midweek, in an attempt to exorcise his influence.

In the Spanish word for Wednesday, miercoles, we clearly see its connection to Mercury. Under the guidance of Mercury; Wednesday is a day of swift activity, communication, correspondence, and phone calls. This is a good day for journalists, writers, poets, bargaining, hiring employees, and visiting friends.

Wednesday's angels are Raphael, Miel, and Seraphiel. All three of these angels function as guardians of the planet of Mercury. not much information can be found about Miel, but Seraphiel is a chief in the order of Seraphim. He seems to rank as the highest of the princes. Invoke him from the North.

On Wednesdays, the hour of sunrise and every eight hours after that are also ruled by Mercury, making these times of the day doubly blessed. These are the strongest four hours for ritual work. Check your local newspaper, astrological calendar, or almanac to determine when sunrise occurs.

Found in: Angels, Companions in Magick and Encyclopedia of Magickal Ingredients