Sobek

Dear Neophyte,


Sobek seems to be a God of All Animals in my mind. I don’t know where I’m getting this feeling but it’s very persistent whenever I think of Him. 

As if, to honor any animal, I would just need to call on Him. To give offerings to the Critters in the Bushes (CitB), I would call on Him to disperse them evenly or guide the CitB to the offerings. If I were going to heal an animal, I would call on Him. If I were finding a lost animal, I would call on Him. If I were adopting out a lost animal, I would call on Him. 

He just seems to be a God of All Animals. Like the Veterinary God, if Egyptians vets even had a patron Deity. BTW, Egyptians did have veterinarians who were trained to deal specifically with animal health and well-being, whether farm, pet or exotic wild beast in the zoos. 

I think I would weather proof His shrine and place it out-of doors where the wild animals could come eat of the offerings.



I need to do more research to see if any of this is true or if I'm just seeing a great gator head and confusing some kind of message.


Salutations,
Sesh

House Blessing

Dear Neophyte,


Time for another house cleansing. Which is what I went back to my books to read up on. I have an Egyptian style house cleansing that I used last time and it worked quite well I think. The issue I have with this is that I have since acquired a new patron deity and may still be acquiring another. While I think it slightly lazy to use the generic term “god and goddess’ as opposed to calling them by their myriad of Names, I find it downright insulting to call upon a Deity who has not revealed themselves as your Patron yet.

I have to look outside the Egyptian culture for a Hearth and Home deity, since the Egyptians had Gods for specific aspects of the home, but not one that ruled them all. The Romans had family gods and gods of each house. The problem, here, again, is that I don’t have a god in my family nor do I know how to go about finding the ‘god of my house’. 


I guess I will do an ancestor House Blessing to get rid of funky bad spirits. These are the one things that remain constant threw the years. I’ve even had Matron deities come and go. Artemis and Pan (if you can believe it!), for instance, back in my wilder and more savage youth. Ancestors are forever.


Salutations,
Sesh

Shrines, Shrines everywhere!

Dear Neophyte,


I have a plethora of Deities I'd like to explore more and work with, but I'm completely out of room for anymore shrines! 


Im very adamant that it’s unkosher to invite a Deity into your home, especially a patron, and not even have a square foot of space that belongs to Them. It’s like having company over and not having a seat to let them sit in.

My wall altar idea was an ingenious one and a simple one that I think I will take up again. It’s a slide top wooden box (from Hobby Lobby) that I painted gold inside and out to resemble the Naos of an Egyptian shrine. In Egypt, the deity image was housed in a box and kept from view by anyone but Their priests. This assured purity. I wanted the same since everyone 


I used some carbon paper to create what is essentially Isis receiving an offering from me over an offering table. The table itself is empty and so are my hands, but She is cupping my hands to receive the unseen gift. Likewise, the image can be of me receiving an unseen gift from Isis. I left it blank on purpose because my needs and Hers may change over the years. I didn’t want to image to become outdated. Also, anyone who saw it might comment on the gift and taint the shrine’s purpose.

I kept Isis in her traditional garbs but when I reversed the female model to make myself, I changed it to the Amarna style dress, because I love the way they flow. They are beautiful. I added a priestesses red cord and accessed my room.longer-than-normal hair (though still Egyptian) to make the image be myself as a priestess of Isis.

Inside the shrine I put an image of Isis I hand carved (and then partially painted) and two ‘ever burning’ votary candles. I hung it on the wall where the image sat facing outwards from the box. And the slide top lit slid neatly into place over the image, protecting it from tainted views. 

It bothered me that I read on the Netjer.org forums that Isis in particular doesn’t like second-hand or broken images on her altar. Nothing is second hand, unless you count that all the supplies were purchases for me instead of by me, and the image is cracked.

I would like to do this for all of me patrons and line them up in a row on my wall, or even in a box shape. One for Set, Anubis, Sobek, the Muses, Isis, Hekate, and I guess the Hearth Goddess shrine could go in the kitchen. For that matter, the Muse shrine could go anywhere in the house. 


So, you see my problem?


Salutations,
Sesh

Compost Offerings

Dear Neophyte,


Aside from composting tealeaves into houseplants, my compost bowl is worth noting. As I make food during the day I toss all the scraps into any dirty bowl big enough to hold it. Dirty so I don’t have to wash it twice. At the end of the night, I take the scraps out and offer them critters that live outdoors. It’s getting winter and times are getting difficult in the wilderness so I help. This is part of my Priestess duties in my eyes. 

Note: I purchased a compost bucket specifically for collecting all biodegradable refuse until it is full and can be dumped out of doors. It has holes in the top that are covered with a charcoal filter so it doesnt stink.  One bucket can hold several days worth of compost.  But it should be dumped every other day at least and washed once a week.  If left sitting there it will let out a cloud of stink when opened if it's not dumped regularly. 


My compost heap is not so much used for my gardens as for feeding wild animals during the cold months. Also, running in and out of the house in the freezing 32 Degree weather when it’s dark will make you appreciate the gift of heating and walls, and truly understand why some animals may NEED this offering.  This is where I put my offerings to the Gods.


This is not my picture but it is the exact bucket I have.  I leave it outside for a couple days to air out when it starts to get ripe.  Then spray it out with a hose and bring inside.


~~ (Invitation)
“Creatures of the Night
This woman knows your plight
Do not run from me
I invite you here
Don’t flee.
(Offering) 
Take these offerings I now shed
Eat well, my Kindred
As I go to my bed.
(Blessing)
Blessings of (Deity) upon you
Keep them safe this night
I pray thee.”

I encourage raccoons and whatnot into my yard and my life. These animals have never given me a problem and have provided much entertainment. All my food scraps are in the yard, and not the trashcan. While my cans are safe, my neighbors are not. Guess they should start composting >:D



Salutations, 
Sesh

Power is not for the Weak Hearted

Dear Neophyte,

If anyone lays a hand on someone I love, everything they hold sacred is forfeit. I suppose the magic I would have to wield in order to get satisfactory results would have to be ‘dark’ or ‘negative’ (polarity, not EVIL). 

I’m amazed and disgusted by people’s lack of a backbone these days. Maybe you aren’t vocal about your beliefs. Maybe you would keep quiet if this country outlawed freedom of religion. Maybe you would ‘witness’ to me that it is bad for me to disregard ‘harm none’. I would like to point out that everything you do and everything you have and everything you hold dear is yours because someone ELSE was harmed. If you can’t accept that, maybe Witchcraft is not the path for you.

The purpose of Witchcraft is to ensure that you are not that person.

There are much more fluffy religions out there. Religions that deny the truth that some day you are going to have to grow a pair (brass breasts or balls), suck it up, and deliberately cause another harm in order to ensure that you and yours remain comfortable and happy.

Lesson 1: You are allowed to choose YOURSELF over SOMEONE else. This is not evil and to deny this is to be out of touch with reality and the facts of life.


Salutations,
Sesh

Sewing and Stitching Magic

Dear Neophyte,

It’s just a button, and yet it’s so much more.

One could use mending as a magical sewing of a family unit together. One could sew a spell into clothing. You can make the button itself a charm for attracting and warding. You can scratch a sigil on the back of the button or buy a new button with a sigil already on it. You can MAKE buttons out of polymer clay if you were the creative type, and stamp anything you damn well please onto the front of them.

If you have a choice, you can pick a thread color or button color to go with the purpose. You can choose a material or metal that corresponds. You can choose a day and a time. You can sew the button on to match a rune if you so choose. Just sew the thread in the shape of a rune if you are able, or just imagine you are sewing the rune on if you can’t get it exact. 


Blessings,
Sesh

Codes of Conduct

Dear Neophyte, 


This is a rough draft to a personal Cod of Conduct that I have plans for:

~ I am a Priestess and Child of the Gods. I am a manifestation of the Divine. I am a Lady. I am Royalty. I am worth the best of everything.

~ Everyone is a manifestation of the Divine and should be treated as such. The Gods are not perfect.

~ I am Queen of my Domain. As Queen, it is my royal duty to rule with compassion, understanding, patience and tolerance.

~ As a Priestess, I offer the world the beauty of my body, of my heart and of my soul. I cleanse my corner of the world.

~ I accept responsibility for my Kindred family. I deny them the ability to care for themselves so I take care of them. Kindred are aspects of the Divine.

~ I pray for what I need and desire. I will ask for Divine help. I will apply the given advice. I realize that failing to do so will only cause more grief.

~ I wear what I wish.

~ I am worth nice clothing, yummy food, good perfume, expensive place settings, sexy shoes, choice locations and expensive jewelry for simply getting out of bed.

~ I am worth nice stuff, comments, reactions and situations. I don’t deserve to be treated badly, no matter how I have floundered.

~ I have standards and will keep them. Certain things are beneath me.

~ I am a Southern woman. I walk like I own the world. Posture matters. Head up and shoulders, back elbows at your sides.

~ If I criticize, I do it gently and with purpose.

~ I keep my head in anger. Everyone is a child of the Divine.

~ I speak kind words in showing that I care.

~ I listen and an aware of what I say.

~ I strive to be truthful, to myself and those around me.

~ My word is my bond. A Priestess does not break her word.

~ I will keep my grievances to myself lest I make empaths ill.

~ If I have an issue with something, I will not dwell on it. I will speak of it and fix it.

~ When I am faced with a situation I will remember this: Be particular.

~ I accomplish things in a timely manner by doing them when they need to be done.

~ I take the less taxing measure of prevention in order to avoid the over-taxing measures of curing.

~ I am responsible for the environment in my home, my community and the world. I will fix what is in front of me, and then I will expand.

~ I am mindful of where my food comes from.

~ I use my power to make life better for me and mine. I am Power, I am Change.

~ All power I have is used wisely, for it is only lent power.

~ I take pride in my religious beliefs and practices.

~ Like calls to like. Negative attitude, magic and people.

~ I am true to myself, though Hell shall bar the way.

~ If it is worth seeing, hearing or doing, I want to see, hear and do is now.

~ I follow the Witches Pyramid: To know, to will, to dare and to be silent.

~ I act from love, not fear. It is my responsibility to be honorable in my dealings.

~ I create.

~ Arden is busy climbing past all the other apples to get to me. But he is coming. The Gods have already sent him.

~ I always try to apply the highest ideals of my beliefs, even if I don’t succeed perfectly.

I will dance like nobody is watching

I will dream like I will life forever

I will live like I will die tomorrow

I will love like it’s never going to hurt

End Cod of Conduct

"I might have been born just plain white trash
But Fancy was my name!"
~ Reba, Fancy

I was born into a wrold of hurt, anger, hatred and neglect, but thew my powers as Priestess of the Temple of Life, I can purify myself and my surroundings and allow the positive energies to flow in. I can turn from poor white trash into a Lady. THIS is my highest ideal. This is what I am striving foor.

My Code of Conduct is designed to provide healing for my past to ensure a healthy future.

Blessings,

Sesh