Amethyst's Offerings

People freak out of the weirdest things.  Take dreams for instance.  People dream things and they immediately think things are as they seem.  Now I dream things such as going to the swamp to see Maman, but those are more like “visions” because I don’t always have to be asleep..I can will myself there if I need to.  Those are EXACTLY as they seem.  But for the most part, dreams are symbolic.  Jung and Freud both tell us that we solve our life’s issues in our dreams.  We are free to act out things we would not ordinarily do when awake and then we also learn lessons from them.  Sometimes warnings, other times not..but we need to learn to be able to decipher them without getting all upset and running around with a “sky is falling” chicken little routine.  Like death for instance.  As with tarot when that card comes up, it doesn’t actually mean real physical death..it can, but the majority of time, it means a BIG change…Either physically or spiritually.  Water means death, or rebirth depending on what is going on in the dream.  I always recommend people invest in a dream dictionary and write their dreams down.  Sometimes our guides like to mess with our heads to see if we are paying attention and drop something into dreams, and they may not make sense on the surface, but when one starts dissecting things in the dreams, it all begins to fall into place.  So learn to look for things going on in your life and pay attention to the details because things arent always as they seem in dreams…

I’ve been able to go through life as a watcher/observer of people and their nature.  It’s fascinating really to see how they behave in a myriad of situations.  So sometimes when I am on a group page, I am content to watch what plays out there or not say much for others doing the same thing.  My problem has been lately with people who for whatever reason, join groups and don’t participate.  Now I have couple that I don’t say much on, because truthfully in my path, I don’t have a lot in common with some of those that contribute there, but I do occasionally make a  comment or two if something piques my interest.  This can be any group, whether it be here on FB or in the “real” world.  People join churches, groups etc, and are content to just come through the door and experience nothing and walk away, all the while saying…”I belong to such and such”:.  Ok, technically, that might be true, but what are you truly getting out of the experience?  You belong to a certain denomination and can call yourself(insert denomination here)..but truly what did you learn?  You can recite doctrine and dogma til hell freezes over, but what influence on your life does it have?  Did it cause you to revamp your prayer life?…give aid to others less fortunate without standing on a stage demanding a pat on the back?  Make you think of others as human beings without judging them by a personal set of criteria?  In pagan path, one reads, speaks with others..but what are you learning?  I claim label of witch, because I practice my craft..if you don’t do that, you aren’t one, in most honest opinion.  I have plenty of books, recipes, rituals, etc and if I did not avail myself to use them, find out which ones worked for me, ones that I didn’t care for so much,they would all be a waste of paper and dust catchers.  I see many people who are not willing to work at gaining personal knowledge, and while I realize people learn in their own manner, sitting without making effort is NOT a valid way to achieve it.  Get off your ass and try things!  So what if your working didn’t go as planned?  Sometimes the best laid plans go awry and you’ll know to do things differently next time.  And who said things have to be perfect anyway?  We are imperfect, fallible human beings and a lot of what we do often seems to others as if its crazy.  But the point is…we did it..We tried.  Life would be a lot different now if adventurous souls had not tried things that nobody ever dreamed of.  We’d still be in the dark, no cellphones to cart around that we think has to be surgically attached, no computers to live on FB with.  Fact is, these people did not sit and watch others do the work for them.  They chose to try.  And I am almost positive that it didn’t go right the first time out of the gate.  So too is our spiritual life..We have to work at it.  Speaking with ancestors, to god in a conversational manner is often helpful..no ritual or tool or big rigmarole required.  Just honesty…It will probably be the least judgmental conversation you’ve ever had in your life.  It will also, if you let it, be one of the most knowledge filled conversation.  Sometimes when we let go of all our hang ups, and fears of all the “what ifs”, things fall into place.  We learned what was needed to guide us. But we had to be proactive to receive it.  So next time you walk through the door(either virtual or real) and expect to receive something..ask yourself..what are you doing to help that along?  If the answer is nothing..then maybe it’s time to change that, or you will soon find yourself on the sidelines watching others receive what should have been yours. Fact of the universe…

 

 

PEACE OUT

I am shaking my head today in reading posts.  A friend is hosting a powerful prayer service for the full moon this month.  She posted the event here on Facebook for Oct 12, and anyone who wants to join in to pray/wish/spell for peace, prosperity, blessings to be rained down upon people can do so.  I am in favor of that.  I’ve always said that prayers are the most powerful spells I know…one prays believing that what they are petitioning for will occur…When I work, I am intent that what I am wanting to happen will do so.  Same principle.  A couple of comments caught my eye from a couple of so-called Wiccans.   They objected to the word prayer being used in a full moon timing.  What the Hell?  Semantics.  I just stated my beliefs as far as prayer goes.  Plenty of vodousaints also use actual scriptures in their workings..But these two objected because “Wiccans and pagans” don’t pray.  The hell you say.  I know some traditional Wiccans (those in coven setting) who would tell them that they are mistaken since the definition of prayer is “a solemn request or petition for help from god or object of worship”…Damn!  That sounds like spell work to me.  They showed their ignorance in their lack of knowledge of what that word actually entails or that respect for all as human beings coming together in one accord can change things.  They also said they only participated with 100% wiccan or pagans!  WTF does THAT mean?  Too often those not in a coven setting tend to pull various traditions together in an eclectic form and then still have the gall to call themselves “Wiccan” when in actuality they would be pagan because Wicca has definite things in that religion much like secular faiths.  The fact that my friend also practices vodou gave them the creeps I guess because its too dark and scary..Oh…….yet more ignorant asshats from the” love and light” brigade. (spits) One can use ANY faith to conjure demons..Think not?  Tell that to an abuse victim that placed their trust in someone in charge of a church.  Try explaining that to those who were cast out because of sexuality, race, ethnicity, or beliefs that did not coincide with those who made up the dogma of any set faith they set up.  Explain that to those who bury their family members who died in service to this country and have to run the gauntlet of those asshats who protest under the guise of doing so for “god”.  Demons are conjured all the time, they just don’t always look as one might expect them to look.  For demons/daemons, angels…they just carry different names depending upon which path one is following or whom one is asking.  My problem with people such as these two ignorant asshats is that its always a “me vs “them thing.  I can’t use certain words or do things in a particular way because its too much like the christian folk.  REALLY?  Just read a history book to see how faiths borrow from one another and are intertwined in their practices.  One goddess is called one thing in one faith, something different or even the same name in another.  Yet they claim to be two different paths.  When we start using semantics and dissecting things to separate us from one another, we build walls.  When in actuality we should be tearing them down to discover that we are ONE race,,,,,HUMAN.  ALL are deserving of respect and love.   So anything that we pick up to divide us all just impedes the work that we could be doing.  This business of sorting us all into neat little cubbyholes is nothing more than a lesson in futility.  None of us fit into any one slot, there will always be a part that doesn’t quite fit.  What then?  Kick people out of the human race because they don’t fit your idea of what they should be?  Yeah, that sounds more than a little ridiculous, but its the same as the other two with their ignorance over the word usage.   Why not try and be constructive and add your positivity to the event instead of trying to cause strife and division?  Oh wait..that would require some positive energy on your part right?  My bad..it doesn’t exist, any more than knowledge of what that phrase “love and light” means.  It’s just another example of how much ignorance and fluff is walking around tossing out glitter like confetti.  It looks and sounds pretty, but doesn’t mean shit.  Just adds more garbage to the rhetoric and mounds of crap tossed out by others with the same kind of thinking.  It’s time we cleaned that mess up..all of us and stop using it as an excuse to keep dividing  us from being the respectful, responsible human beings the universe requires us to be.

 

PEACE OUT

What is it about life that people fear?  They have to or it wouldn’t be some big tragedy all the time.  It’s too hard, or so unfair, or everybody hates me…  Umm..newsflash:  It isn’t supposed to be easy or you would learn no lessons..not supposed to be fair or you would learn no lessons and not every body hates you because you dont know every body.  So why is it that people seem to think that they need something to make it just a little more tolerable?  Drink, drugs, prayer, magic….MAGIC?  Yeah…All of those things seem to be the norm, but the magical aspect I’ve seen often in people who believe in such(and there are many of us) that seem to think if one wears a certain type of jewelry, does a type of spell, is empowered by the saying of some words..things miraculously going to change…Grow the hell up! While I believe in empowerment and protection, just what are you doing to further such skills?  Grow a backbone and learn to stand on your own two feet.  I don’t mind asking the guides for assistance, but I believe that they think we are adult enough to try on our own first.  Not everything is solved by asking god to intervene…First of all, sometimes in the midst of said personal complications of life, there are things we could be learning both about ourselves as well as the situation we find ourselves in.  How are we going to do that if we expect to get bailed out all the time?  We have to learn to solve those issues on our own.  It builds character, intestinal fortitude and all around security in the knowledge that we can do things on our own and handle things in a grown up manner.  So next time someone whines about things or someone asks for something to help them get through some things…I won’t even bat an eyelash when you yell at them to get the fuck over it!…Someone needs to start telling the slackers off..It’s life people..get used to it or get the hell over it

Warning: Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear…I’ve often chuckled at that statement.  I’m like duh…its a mirror, reflections are often larger so appear closer.  And yet we often take peek into that rear view of things that are either behind or or perhaps worse, gaining on us.  It was with these thought that I closed my eyes last night and awoke with a start, stumbling  in the dark in a very familiar place.  Ow!  Damn it…just where the hell did that chair come from? “Perhaps if you would stand still and stop flailing around like a bull in a china shop, you would not injure yourself” came a familiar acerbic voice.  George, I thought, looking around.  Magically the fire began going, the sweet smell of herbs wafting against me gently.  I was at maman’s, but I did not come by boat, nor do I remember the trip.  You “appparated” to coin a new age term laughed George. Okay this was confusing..did I just think myself here?  “So to speak” again replied George.  “Come Cher”,said Maman Celeste, “there is much to speak on”.  As I drew closer to the fire, I saw she was not alone…someone was with her.As he turned around, I recognized him instantly even though I had never seen him before..Baron Semedi.  “Allow me to properly introduce myself”, says Baron.  “I feel we are old friends although never having met face to face”.  He held out his hand, “I am Baron Samedi.  pleased to meet you Shae.”  As I took his hand, I was engulfed in such a warmth…the kind of heat one is introduced to when you eat way too many hot peppers.  It was almost too much to bear.  “It will pass”, Baron says gently.  Quickly as it came, the heat moves to a tolerable level and I am left with the the lingering warmth flowing through me.  “You are not afraid” says Baron.  I’m not sure if I should be or not I tell him.  I’ve hear others speak that you are to be feared .  I demand respect, not fear.  Those who fear me are children who know little.  “Are you going to listen to other’s ghost stories”, he asked?  They seem plausible I said.  “Don’t be ridiculous”, he says cuttingly, holding my hand a little more tightly.  At this, Maman, George and the hell hound all look up quickly.  I had forgotten that he still held my hand, I thought as I looked at it, and again felt the same heat as before.  Maman still looked at Baron, who smiled and said “I am not going to hurt her, relax”.  Again the heat subsided, and Baron took my hand and turned it over looking at the sigil that is still present.  “Do you know what this is”. he asked? My person sigil I replied. ” What does the spiral represent to you?”, he questioned.  It is a labyrinth, a path that I walk ordering my steps.  “Do you know what the cross is”?  It is the crossroads I tell him.  “Why is it connected into the spiral?” he asked.  I do not know I reply truthfully, although to be honest after the last time I told him that  it was a little unnerving.  He laughed. “Ma petite, it is acceptable that you do not know.  The spiral is connected to the crossroads because you have always been connected.  It is not a coincidence that you came back to this time and place in this time of the year.  You are child of ghede, a foot in both planes.  You speak to ancestors as you speak with myself, Celeste, even George without fear and with direct honesty.We have always been acquainted, perhaps not on a personal level as now but Brigitte has always protected your home, provided you with Brin who walks with you daily, and the others who provide you with sanctuary.  You are connected, always have been, always will be”.  And the elements, I say speaking of the other part of the sigil.  “Those are every day things,” he says dismissingly.  “if you walk a physical plane, one will always have the elements in one’s life”.  So…I say…what’s it for?  Baron laughs…”you will see in time.  For now, let’s just say its a reminder of who you are, have been and will be”.  “Now I must leave you Mon Cher.  But we will speak again.”  With that, he released my hand and kissed my cheek and was gone.  I kind of felt bereft as I turned to Maman Celeste who was busy at the fire fixing me a drink.  The warmth that I felt as Baron held my hand, was similar in kind to having found that sweet spot in your bed where its nice and comfy and warm, only to have someone pull all the covers off.  “Come child”, says Maman, handing me a drink.  “This will warm your ones”.  I was starting to shake a little, thinking how odd that I should feel this cold.  Maman laughed…”ghede always leaves a chill…its just their way”.  As I drank the coffee she gave me, I could taste chocolate, a little cinnamon and wait..maybe a little rum?  I looked at maman questioninly…She said…”you’re getting pretty good at sniffing out the ingredients, Cher”.  As I drank the hot drink, I soon began to feel more comfortable, almost human I thought to myself..What an odd thought..It’s not like I was the dead.  “No” said George…”just hang out with them”.  I laughed.  I do like cemeteries, I like speaking with the ones who reside within.  Soon my eyes seemed to want to close of their own accord.  “Sleep child”, said Maman.  “Brin will take you home”.  I could feel Brin’s arms enclose me next to her body.  Feel her heart beat beneath my ear.  It was a comforting sound, almost like I was a child again, being held close in safety.  All too soon a jarring sound awoke me…the damn alarm..a call to the real mundane and all that encompasses.  I could still smell remnants of Maman’s herbs and moss fire..wait..I was awake wasn’t I?  I looked over at the alarm..yeah who would dream that sound up?  The princess snuggled  closer to me, from where she had crawled into my bed last night.  I smiled, covered her and put my feet on the floor.  Looking at my hand, I still see the sigil, only this time I feel the warmth of holding hands with Baron last night,.  I touch my cheek where he had kissed me good by.  This is going to be an interesting journey I think to myself.  Let the dance begin.

 

PEACE OUT

 

There are lessons to be learned all around us.  I’ve always believed this.  The universe does not trifle with coincidences.  So how do we know what lesson is for us?  I am a firm believer in that still small voice that speaks to us on a regular basis that tells us that what was said or done is an outrage and we are to speak up boldly, or that we are to be more proactive in protecting ourselves or those we love because someone without regard to the value of life will cause them harm.  Kind of reminds me of the movie Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket as the conscience, guiding and trying to shape the puppet into a little boy.  So too is that small voice within us guiding, shaping and forming us into a human being of quality.  I see people all over both online as well as out in the mundane world who are constantly seeking first this way then that, looking for that place that feels like sanctuary for them.  The problem is that they get taken in by ne’er do wells who are out to make a profit from their innocence and willingness to swallow whatever ilk they throw their way.  Then there are those who hear the voice and yet are afraid to speak out, to reach out for what is their because of some unnamed fear that resides within.  To those I have to say, that fear is a healthy thing, it helps with self-preservation.  BUT, if we allow fear to paralyze us into not moving forward, then it defeats the purpose the universe had in mind for us.  And if we are pulled in a direction that feels right to us, then how are we to receive those gifts if we do not walk out onto the ledge?  We have to decide to listen or not…to move forward or walk away and perhaps be filled with the regret of “what if” and “what could have been”.  Life is a challenge, meant to be lived to the fullest as the gift that it is, filled with uncertainties, disappointments and yes, sometimes fear of the unknown.  But we cannot sit on the bank and watch the river flow past without at least getting our feet wet.  I am not content to wade in the shallows, I am out in the middle, neck deep, feet planted firmly as the current flows around me.  Waiting for that next perfect wave to push me further downstream until I can slide in sideways and reflect back on what a hell of a ride that was.  I cannot allow myself to be afraid at every turn of the river, every bend of the trees above me thinking of things that could happen.  My inner spirit tells me I am where I need to be, walking with those who would guide me, shaking my head at those who want to scatter themselves like children picking the candy up off the ground that has been tossed like they’ve just experienced Mardi Gras.  .  They want others to write down step by step what they are to do, what tools to use, what words to say…Non, mesi..they can have it…that would be too much like sitting on a pew somewhere reciting dogma and that is so not for me.  Learn to trust that inner voice.  Listen  to it.  it will never guide you astray.  Its only when we second guess ourselves that things often go awry.  Listen to your guides..they too have your best interests at heart.  And don’t let your fears hold you back…you are the only thing standing in your way.  Be bold, be courageous and above all else, be true to who you are and are destined to become.

 

 

PEACE OUT

So…here we are again on a cool first day of fall and the time of year I love the most is marred because of asshats with no real grasp of respect for humanity.  See, I don’t get the need that some people have to always be right, to know all there is to know on a subject and display said “knowledge” and either imply or say outright that others are stupid for not seeing things their way.  I don’t know what kind of manners their mama raised them with, but that is just unacceptable to me.  Someone is allowed to have a different opinion without having to be castigated over it or deemed to be irreparably damaged in their side of the brain that handles the intelligence quotient.  It does not allow someone, however facetiously they may claim to have been, drag that person through the mud and slur them on lack of knowledge.  Or their perception of someone’s knowledge.  My feel is that we all sit at the table of humanity, and all have something valid to offer.  Some are just the appetizers, a  little fluffy, not something to fill up on..couple bites, move on.  Others are the salads and soups, they offer a little more knowledge and can fill you up if you choose to do so, but then you miss out on the whole gastronomical experience.  So then you come to the main course.  It doesn’t matter how many there are…suffice it to say that its filling, nourishing and well thought out.  Those are the kind of people to incorporate into your life.  They feed your soul, spirit and mind.  Then of course you have desert.. there are those who can be so sweet it sets ones teeth on edge, but  perhaps like myself, you enjoy a  little fruit and cheese with the wine and those type of people are enjoyable with their warmth and effervescence that it makes the sometimes long journey of the meal seem worth it.  The fact is..all have something to offer in the way of nourishment..some more than others.  But we all participate and as such should be offered a modicum of respect.  Then there are the other various people who help the meal, as it were ,move along. They  provide  a place to gather, serve topics, keep out the riff raff(those who would cause problems), and sometimes they are caught in the middle of all the debate and mayhem that ensues.  It’s not their fault.  Some people just do not know how to have intelligent discussion without lowering themselves into the gutter and belittling others.  I’m hoping their parents taught them respect and humility, but one never can be too sure these days.  Sometimes its a “I’m not face to face with you so I can say or do anything I want without retribution”…I’m chuckling here because in many cases that may be true, but never piss off someone who practices or it could be unhealthy, depending upon how mad they get. One never knows what kind of ethics they may or may not have.    But why would one not want to be respectful to others online or otherwise?  Do they not want to walk in a more positive frame or  is it that they like carrying around all those bricks in their pocket?  I’m not curious enough to look…because while at first I might get  a little ticked, it’s almost humorous for me now because unlike some…I look both ways before I cross the street.  Sometimes a bus comes right out of the blue and one would not want to be tossed under it because of some “stupid” remark.  So the next time you sit down to the table, take the time to give thanks for what you are about to receive, and listen without engaging your mouth.  The brain works better that way, trust me.  It will also do more for the digestion of knowledge, and might even help you stay healthier in the long run.

 

PEACE OUT

I prefer truth.  My friends know this, I give it, demand it in return(even if it isnt what I want to hear).  But how honest is honest?  Do we tell our friends that we hate the dress they are wearing, that it makes them look old, fat whatever…when they seem excited about their “perfect find”.  Is there a tactful way to tell them?  Maybe. But is that really honest?  There’s been discussion on various topics that can get a little dicey sometimes, so where does one draw the line of being brutally honest without regard to others feeling in the “it’s truth”.  Sometimes I don’t give a damn..I wont be tactful with the truth..its just gonna come straight and lay you open…truth has to do that once in awhile.  It makes us let all the poison from the lies we feed ourselves and allow others to push down our throats to seep and flow out of our pores, cleansing us, cauterizing that wound and then making us whole.  Other times, I try and find a way to gently explain the truth to  one who is wounded already by the circumstances.  I don’t want to be the wind that deals the final blow to their straw house.  So when we tear down that house when someone is fragile in the name of honesty, are we being true to what is demanded of us?  We are human beings, given gifts to be used in the helping of others,,and our words can hurt or heal as much as what we do in our workings.  So how to draw the line…I tell people I am as I am…same online as off.  I can give you names of people who have either known me online for several years or know me in persona and they will back that up.  My sarcasm and smart ass mouth..yeah its a natural defense..and I often use it to tell the truth when its taken as a joke by others.  Less offensive that way I guess, but I am dead serious,lol.   I am less likely to say everything I feel with family..there are dynamics there that can cause a hell of a lot of drama and I don’t have time for that.    I’m not lying exactly, just walking a fine line between all out war and destruction of whatever is going on at the time.  I appreciate honesty, but not to the point that we degrade, demean others.  I guess that is why I try for tact most days..am not always successful, but hey I do remind people I am human and damn sure not perfect.  I don’t even come close to wearing that hat.  So is honesty knocking people off their feet?  Is it lifting them up and making them feel important?  I guess it can be both of those extremes, but I prefer a balance,  somewhere in between that speaks truth and yet leaves the other person with dignity.  I don’t pretend I know what others feel in their walk…as a reader of energies, I get a glimpse, but I don’t live their life.  So on those days when I speak something to you and you’re not crazy about how it was spoken..call me on it if you want..we’ll discuss it like adults, and see if we cant find a happy medium.  I’m a bitchy witch sometimes, and it may have come out a little harsher than I may have intended.  But it was true however it sounded ~shrugs~…and that one cannot fault me on.

 

PEACE OUT