Giveaway! Pocket Shrine from The Sacred Feminine

This week our giveaway comes to us from The Sacred Feminine. Fabulous artist and candle maker, Montserrat of The Sacred Feminine , has donated one of her lovely pocket shrines for this giveaway. I fell in love with these little shrines the first time I laid eyes on them, and I'm sure you will too! I had the chance to speak with Montserrat about her beautiful artwork, here's what she had to say:

1. How long have you been an artist of the sacred feminine?
I have always been an artist, but it was at the age of 33, when I had a brush with death that the Sacred Feminine was awakened within me.

2.How did you go about starting your business?
My business started in 1996 officially as Candles by Montserrat, my candle line.
I never thought of owning my own business, since I was painting just for the fun of it, but one day I decided to make some candles to give as gifts to friends, and they loved them so much that they encouraged me start a business out of it. So, I started selling them at a local New Age Store and somehow they spread all over. Since I use my own artwork for the labels, it made sense to also sell greeting cards and the like. Today, I make many things with my art work.

3.What is your favorite piece of artwork/product that you make?
I love painting with oils, of course. That seems to be the best way in which I can express my feelings with the rest of the world. My favorite piece is Mother Earth.

4. Could you explain the item your giving away?
I am giving away one of my pocket shrines. I love creating sacred space everywhere, and these little pocket shrines are perfect for doing just that, and also for focusing your intention on anything. They are easy to carry in your pocket, purse, car, office and home altar.


To enter the giveaway, you must first go to The Sacred Feminine website and check out her products, then come back here and mention a product or two that you like. The giveaway will go on for one week, and when its over I will choose the winner randomly with random.org. Thank you to everyone for participating in this giveaway! And of course a big thank you to Montserrat for donating this beautiful little pocket shrine!


Blessings )O(

Book Review: The Great Goddess

I was so excited when I found the book by Jean Markale, The Great Goddess! It looked like the kind of book I had been searching for. This book deals with Goddess worship from the Paleolithic to the present. It's filled with so much information on Goddess history, that I recommend taking notes if you really want the info to stick. Now I must say that I did enjoy reading this book, although it can be a little dry in some areas, so it's a book you'll read over time. It's mainly academic with a little mythology.

Worship of a Mother Goddess dates back thousands of years. Figurines of women have been found with exaggerated breasts and hips that are believed to symbolize fertility. Jean Markale discusses each and every one of these ancient figurines. Everything from the famous Venus of Wilendorf to the Sheela Na Gigs of Great Britain. There is even a reference in the back of the book that names all Goddess centered figurines, sanctuaries and statues.

The beginning of this book gives you a history on the ancient practice of Goddess worship, starting with the Paleolithic peoples. It goes on from there to talk about Christianity, and the change of the world religion from a Mother Goddess nature centered spirituality, to a patriarchal spirituality. The last few chapters of this book talks about different Goddess/Pagan religions around the world, like the Celts, Egyptians, Hindu and so on. I have to say, that the middle portion of this book goes a little too deep into detail about when Christianity came about. Although it's a relevant time period in our history, I was looking more for just info on Goddess history.

The Great Goddess is filled with historical fact and is very academic, which I happen to like. There are no rituals or meditations to try or anything like that. Strictly historical fact on ancient Goddess worship. Which I think is very important for modern Goddess followers to know. But if your looking for an easy, fun, activity filled read, this isnt it. Take your time with this one and soak it all in! Theres tons of Goddess history out there waiting to come to the surface, and I think Jean Markale did a superb job conveying that ancient message to us.

Check out The Great Goddess on amazon. Enjoy learning about our history with the Mother Goddess!


Blessings )O(

Circle of Brigid Meditation

I recently read the book, The Witch in Every Woman by Laurie Cabot, and it was filled with lots of great information. There was info on different Celtic Goddesses, and little rituals and meditations to try. The part of the book about the Goddess Brigid had a great meditation to do to honor her and feel her sacred flame within yourself. It involved empowering a stone with her energy, and carrying this "Brigid" stone with you. I thought I would share it with you here so we can all have a Brigid stone!

For this meditation, you will need enough black, white and red candles to make a circle around you while you are seated on the floor. You will also need a red stone, in the book she suggests either garnet or ruby. I used red jasper because that was the only red stone I had on hand. The candle circle represents the Goddess Brigid and her stone, her psychic flame. Get comfortable seated in your circle. Light the candles and hold the red stone against your solar plexus. Envision the flame in the center of the stone transferring inside your body. Feel its heat. Say aloud:

This is my psychic flame within,
This will spur the fire of my psychic abilities,
I carry this stone as a symbol of your strength within me,
I am the keeper of the flame,
Every time I relight a candle, I rekindle my psychic ability,
I know my psychic sense guides me, protects me, heals me, and showers me with love and self esteem,
I always use my psychic ability for the good of all people,
As a witch, I never do harm or return harm,
I neutralize and bind all evil thoughts, actions and deeds,
And let the outcome be the force of the Great Goddess Brigid.

Carry the stone close to you, in your pocket or purse. Hold it and handle it to feel the strength of your psychic sense.

Enjoy your Brigid stone! For more rituals like this, check out The Witch in Every Woman by Laurie Cabot.


Blessings )O(



Photo courtesy of Mythical Ireland

Hekate, Dark Goddess of the Crossroads

Hekate is the Greek Goddess of the crossroads, the torch bearer and the holder of the key. She is the Goddess of the darkness, who guides Persephone on her way to the underworld every year. She is a Goddess of magic and sorcery and a consort to witches. Daughter to Perses and Asteria, Hekate is often seen as a crone, and with three faces to represent the three fold Goddess. She is also said to have assisted with childbirth, and her symbols are the serpent, dogs, the key, and the torch.

Often a misunderstood Goddess, because of her great power, she has been demonized as an evil sorceress. Many cultures have deemed wise and powerful women as evil, because they are afraid of their power. Dont be afraid to work with this Goddess. She has been very helpful in my life, and she is at this point, my main Goddess. She may be firm, but that doesn't make her evil. She is full of wisdom and knowledge, and she is an ancient Goddess. There is some speculation, that she was actually an Anatolian Goddess, that was later adopted by the Greeks. Which would make her much older by a few thousand years.

Her ancient days of worship for the Greeks were August 13 and November 30. Although the Romans observed the 29th of every month as her sacred day. You can call on her when you are at a crossroads in your own life, and are not sure which path to take. She will light her great torch, and light your way.

For a quick little ritual and honoring of Hekate, a good time to pray to her is on the waning or dark moon. Have on your altar, a black candle dressed with lavender oil, make an incense with her sacred herbs, resins and oils. And recite the hymn to Hekate by Orpheus.

Incense recipe (taken from the book : Hekate, Keys to the Crossroads by Sorita D'Este)
1 tbsp copal resin
1 tbsp crushed lavender
5 drops cypress oil
1 drop patchouli oil
pinch of saffron

Recite:

I call Einodian Hekate, lovely dame,
Of earthly, watery, and celestial frame,
Sepulchral, in a saffron veil arrayed,
Pleased with dark ghosts that wander thro' the shade;
Persian, unconquerable huntress hail!
The world's key-bearer never doomed to fail;
On the rough rock to wander thee delights,
Leader and nurse be present to our rites;
Propitious grant our just desires success,
Accept our homage, and the incense bless.

Enjoy your experience with this dark Goddess!


Blessings )O(



Photo courtesy of Jessica Galbreth Art

Winner fo EmKat Creations Giveaway!

Thank you to everyone who participated in this giveaway! Now, the winner is....Altered Beauty!!
Congratulations! I hope everyone had a good time playing! I would like to thank Kat from EmKat creations for donating her lovely spell kit. Be sure to check out her other great products as well!
I plan on having more giveaways in the future so check back soon.

Enjoy your Athena spell kit Altered Beauty! Thanks for playing.


Blessings )O(

Giveaway! Goddess spell kit from EmKat Creations!

This week Love of the Goddess is having our first ever giveaway! Thanks to Kat over at EmKat Creations, she will be giving away a custom Goddess spell kit with all the fixins. I had the chance to speak with Kat a little about her business, and wanted to share her story here:

1. How long have you been reading tarot and doing other magical things?
I've been reading tarot on purpose for about 10 years now. I started in college while organizing an on-campus Pagan Club and have been enjoying the heck out of it every since. I've ended up having a Tarot Deck problem very similar to my shoe problem, I have around 20 decks currently and I've given away over 15. The other magical things is very hard to pinpoint. I'm sure many have the same experiences growing up; I used to make 'magic potions' in the mud with what ever plants were lying around. I've always had a relationship with deity, even back when I was learning the basics of being a Roman Catholic. I've always felt called to service of the goddess and thankfully I was raised by two very faith-filled parents who always believed in me and taught me that a relationship with the divine is far more important that which religion it's through.

2. How did you go about starting your business?

Really I've only just begun. I'm at the stage where as long as I don't loose money I'm satisfied. I've had ideas in my head for a variety of spell kits and components that I believe people would find useful and have only recently had the stability to sit down, make, and sell them. So far I'm working through a couple auction sites as well as etsy and learning my way around the witchy blog-sphere.

3. What is your favorite product that you offer?

Honestly any custom work. I love getting a feel for what the client needs in their spell work as well as what type of magic they're comfortable with, but the best part is the research. I love wandering through my books and my notes searching for the best fit for their needs. Looking up and cross referencing all the correspondences (color, day, moon phase, time, herbs, stones) and then working them all together is the best part of what I'm selling. Many of the products in my shop started out as custom requests that I felt worked well as an item for others.

4. Could you explain the item you are giving away?

The winner of this giveaway will receive a custom Goddess spell kit made for the Goddess of their choice. The kit includes:

• Approximately 2tbs of an herbal custom spell mix
  
• A four inch 'chime' candle in an appropriate color
• A mini-spell bottle in an appropriate color
• Semi-Precious gem stone or gem stone chips
• A mini spell to invoke the attributes of the Goddess

For this giveaway we ask that only US and Canadian residents enter, thank you! To enter the giveaway, you must first go to Kats etsy shop and check out her magical products, then come back here and mention a product or two that you like, and also name the goddess of your choice for the spell kit. The giveaway will go on for one week, and when its over I will choose the winner randomly with random.org. Thank you to everyone for participating in this giveaway! And of course a big thank you to Kat for donating this wonderful little spell kit!

To see more of what Kat's doing, check out her blog : emraldekat.blogspot

Or follow her on twitter

Blessings )O(

Making a Magical Talisman

A talisman can be used for many different reasons. Whether to protect the wearer from harm, or to emit a certain energy for that person, they can be very useful for the witch. You can either make your own if you are inclined to do so, or you can buy an already made one and empower it with whatever energy you like. I found a great little charging ritual in the book : The Witches Craft by Raven Grimassi, and I thought I would share it here.

First you must decide what it is you are trying to achieve, whether it be protection, a feeling of peacefulness or confidence, whichever you may choose. Then you must find your talisman, this can be a simple stone necklace, a pentacle, or a handmade talisman if you are inclined to do so. Really it can be whatever draws you to it. Now that you have your intent and your item for housing that intent, you may begin your charging ritual.

Decided the size of the aura that will surround the talisman (such as an area of three feet, ten feet or whatever is appropriate). It is within this distance that the talisman will have influence through the magical energy it emanates. When you are ready to proceed with the magical charge, set up your altar with two candles and lay the talisman directly in front of you where you can gaze upon it easily. You may light some incense and have out some crystals as well if you wish. Now enter a merged state and fill your mind with the feeling or attitude you wish to implant into the object. Then direct the feeling into the object and see it being implanted into the object. You can do this by physically touching the talisman or just visualize your energy going into it, whatever way feels more comfortable to you. Visualize the field of influence it is to have. Clap your hands sharply together and leave the work area until your mind returns to normal.

Now you have your magically charged talisman! Wear it when you need that energy to work for you. Enjoy!

Blessings )O(



Photo courtesy of Khakani.com