Belief

I have a little 'pretty' that I picked up at wally world. A beaded wire with a ceramic plaque hanging from it. It says *believe*. Sometimes I forget to believe. When I do, I worry. I stress, and things just go from bad to worse. The bullshit just snowballs and their is nothing worse than bullshit snowballing right at ya.

But if I stop and remember that little word, THEN and only then,  I can relax and realize that I can change the way I think and bring to me what I want. I can change the energy that surrounds me. All I have to do is BELIEVE and it will happen.

Blessings, MoD

Being Human

A Spirit that wants to be seen and heard.
A Vampire that want to lead a normal life and atone for what he has done in the past.
A Werewolf that wants what he won't let himself have, a family.

They are drawn together by one commonality. All three want to Be Human. I quite like this show. Both the British and the American versions but I have to admit; the American version has much sexier actors and is easier on the eyes than the British. What does that make me? Human?

And what of their differences? The things that make them most human are their emotions. Something you rarely see in other species.

I have seen Spirits and I have sent my spirit body outside of myself on journeys. I know there are Vampires out there, self-proclaimed, psychic, et cetra. And I wouldn't be surprised to find a werewolf or two in my husbands family tree, if not a Vampire, they were from the old country.  And I KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that people who are adept can send totem animals, wether mystical, mythical, or real as messengers in the ether. And that includes werewolves.

So does any of these things make me or anyone else something other than human? hmmm. maybe. But not really. Does it make someone who is adept special? Occasionally. The thing is, the characters in the show are human, they are human plus. They were made different, not by choice, but by circumstance, and that is the difference.

We have a choice to study and practice and to work HARD to become something more than 'just human'. We can discover the spiritual nature of ourselves and our world. And we have the ability (with practice) to control and direct our emotional energy to get the positive results we want, and not leave a bloody mess behind. And THAT my friends, is what Being Human is all about. 
Blessings, MoD

Affirmations

I learned how to write affirmations early on my path. Affirmations are an easy way to state an intent. Written as if the intent has already come to pass. They can work for anyone regardless of religious affiliation, race, gender or anything else! 

So what is an affirmation? A positive statement written or spoken as truth. Examples? I thought you would never ask.

Affirmation number one: I post topics weekly to my blog. hehe. Kinda lame I know but writing this as if it has already happened sets the intent that it will happen. 

Some of my earliest attempts focused on hearth and home such as; I am a great housekeeper. (I didn't put alot of heart in that one, my house is a disaster zone) but it is an ongoing process. I have attempted for the last three years to do the Release programs that Silver Ravenwolf posts on her blog. I usually start strong and give up half way through. I apparently don't mind living in a hoard.

Another, I am a wonderful patient mother. (I have 5 kids) This is an affirmation that I would repeat, occasionally hourly, more often every several minutes when the kids were young. 

The only way to really make an affirmation work for you is to repeat it often, write it on a post it note and put it where you will see it frequently. Meditate on it. And make it obtainable. Do not set your intentions so high right away so that you give up on it when it doesn't happen right away. It would be silly for me to affirm that I have won a million dollars in the lottery, especially if I can't afford to buy a ticket. It would be more reasonable for me to state that I have saved a thousand dollars this year THEN set about making sure that it happens and repeating that affirmation. And it would be even MORE reasonable for me to state, I put fifty dollars in savings every payday. In my mind a thousand dollars seems like alot of money, fifty dollars (although still alot of money) is a much more realistic sum for me to work with. And at the end of the year, when I have saved that fifty a payday, I will have more than a thousand dollars in the bank. 1200 dollars to be exact. 

Tips for affirmations. If your affirmation has to do with saving money, write it on a post it and affix it to your checkbook, put it where you carry your money, or wrap it around your debit/credit card. That will make you think of the affirmation every time you whip open that wallet to buy something. Eventually you will start thinking, do I really need a four dollar cup of coffee? 

Start small. Start with things that are easy to obtain, things that are easy to commit too and then work your way up from there. 

Write and perform a ritual or spell around your affirmation and it's intent. 

Create vision boards for things that you want to obtain. 

Finally have fun with them, keep then positive, and reap the rewards! 

For me? This week my affirmation is; I find the beauty in my hoard.

Blessings to you! MoD

Ghostly whisperings

I was sitting on my trusty cooler (doubles as a computer chair :) When I heard a gentle sigh behind me. okaaaay. I looked over my shoulder to the left...nothing.... I looked over my shoulder to the right....nothing.... I looked back at the computer and was just starting to get a little concerned when MY SON stepped out from behind me. That little.....
 My children have taken great pains for years to scare me. I, who make it my business to scare the costumes off little trick or treaters every year. Me, who haunts the internet looking for new and improved ways to amp up my haunted yard.
These sweet angels that I have raised, the same ones that nicknamed ME 'mother of darkness' make it THEIR business to try to scare me. Not every day mind you... Oh no, that would completely desensitize me. Nope, once in a blue moon they will go out of their way to attempt to get a yelp out of me. Over the years they have refined their methods. They don't go for the big in your face scares anymore, that usually got a laugh out of me and left them standing their, mouth agape.
Not anymore, now they go for mis-direction, subtle scares, and the occasional act of trickery. My babies... I've taught them well....

Being (A)ccountable

Ever mind the rule of three

What you put out comes back to thee.

An these eight words the Rede fulfill:

An it harm none

Do what ye will.

Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.

Just a few of the 'rules' that we have heard either growing up (as in the Golden Rule for those of us that grew up in the Church). or the Rule of Three and the Wiccan Rede that were the first things I remembered when I started investigating the Wiccan path. 

The rules appear simple but are certainly open for interpretation. They give us a guideline. A path to follow, a way to be held accountable for what we do and a way to weigh the effects of the choices we make in the magickal or the mundane worlds.

Take a moment to re-read the pearls of wisdom above.

Do you follow the 'rules' when planning a magickal working? How about when you are going about your business in your mundane job? Are you holding yourself accountable? Are you willing to pay a Karmic debt? Do you think this is all hogwash and just live in the moment without thought to past or future repercussions? Do you believe in repercussions? 

Not all pagans follow the Rede, Rule of Three, etc. Do you practice a differing form of paganism and does it have it's own "rules"? I would love to know what they are and what it is that you practice! 

Thanks for reading and PLEASE give me your thoughts on accountability. Blessings!

Looking for topics

I can't wait to start blogging on pagan topics. Now? Choices. I love choices! The compendium of choices that we all have on what to blog about. The problem is trying to find something unique to blog about or a unique perspective on a favorite topic. The thing that makes it easy is following topics using the A,B,C method that the topics will follow. I can't wait to read what everyone comes up with and am looking forward to delving into my own bag of topics and deepening my own connection with spirit. Blessings to you all and happy blogging!

Getting started.

I am looking forward to blogging about paganism, but, before I do I want to clear up one thing before it becomes an issue. My moniker is Momofdarkness short for Mother of Darkness a handle that my children gave me years ago related to the fact that I have an (occasionally) unhealthy but purely FUN obsession with all things halloween. Well... that and the fact that I'm a practicing witch and wiccan clergy. It does NOT mean that I practice (insert drumroll here) the Dark Arts. At least the kind outlined in the Harry Potter novels. That does not mean that I can't, just that I choose not too. heh. With that being said, I hope that you all learn something here that you didn't know and that I learn something from you that I didn't know. A few other fun facts about me. I am married, have 5 children and three four legged children. I am also a nurse, massage therapist, Reiki practitioner, struggling artist, wannabe writer, and wannabe ghost hunter. Not just any ghost hunter, I want to rub elbows with the likes of TAPS. Love them guys. I also teach CNA classes part time for the local community college and occasionally teach Wicca 101 on-line. AND, if interested,  If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I'll do what I can to answer them.

Pagan Blogging

Will be blogging here weekly with a new Pagan Blogger project. Join me!