ritual schedule

The Greek calendar was lunar, with each month beginning the first night after the crescent moon became visible. Certain days were officially dedicated to particular deities. I have devised a monthly devotional calendar with this in mind; some are traditional and some I assigned from intuition. Don't assume that deities who appear on the same day are intended to be worshipped in conjunction. Anyway, here it is:

1: Hera, Ares
3: Athena
4: Aphrodite and Eros, Hermes
5: Hades
6: Artemis
7: Apollon
8: Poseidon, Asklepios
9: Dionysos
12: Demeter
13: Kore/Persephone
14: Zeus
15: Pan
30: Hekate, Hephaistos

pow-wow

http://www.esoteric.msu.edu/VolumeIV/Powwow.htm

GRRR!

I worked for about 45 minutes culling info from the web about these herbs, but then blogger ate it. So I'm just going to make the list, and I may come back to it later.

Plants with magical properties I have growing in my yard:
Bee Balm
Butterfly Weed
Calendula
Chrysanthemum
Clover
Daffodil
Daisy
Dandelion
Echinacea
Hydrangea
Iris
Ivy
Juniper
Lilac
Lily
Lily of the Valley
Mint
Morning Glory
Nightshade
Peppermint
Periwinkle
Pine
Rose
Sunflower

Things I want to get:
Black Cohosh
Cilantro
Cinquefoil
Parsley
Poppy
Rosemary
Thyme
Yarrow


A particularly good starting resource:
http://members.cox.net/heathersilvermoon/correspondences.html

Hippocampus - The Seahorse

In modern discussion one is more likely to encounter the term "Hippocampus" as a reference to a structure in the brain that is involves in memory, spatial navigation, and is part of the limbic system. Alternately, the hippocampus may be refered to as the Genus that is commonly refered to as "Seahorses."

Tied to these modern uses is a mythological underpinning. The hippocampus was a creature tied to Poseidon - the Greek god of the sea and of horses. Poseidon is described by Homer as being conveyed by "Brazen hoofed horses." and hippocampi are found in ancient art, including mosaics and sculpture. The name comes from root words meaning "horse" and "(sea)monster"

In personal reflection, the symbol of the horse as a means of conveyance and travel fit nicely with the function of the hippocampus as a part of the brain. The water associations of the mythological hippocampus add to this in invoking the aspects of emotion and intuition.

I would offer that the mythological hippocampus could be seen as a totem or symbol of travel through one's own subconscious - a mount for travel beneath the waves of one's own mind.

References for information and art used here (all use is for strictly educational purposes)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocampus_(disambiguation)

http://www.pantheon.org/articles/h/hippocampus.html

http://yeinjee.com/discovery/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/hippocamp-mosaic.jpg

heron totem

I found a bunch of interesting web stuff about herons as totems. Rather than recapping, I have just included a few representative links.

http://www.animaltotem.com/heron.html
http://wolfs_moon.tripod.com/BlueHeronTotem.html
http://www.sayahda.com/cyc.html

Question on totems: do you feel there is just one totem for you? If so, does it represent your essential personality or your life-quest/challenge? Both? Me, I feel that there can be a number of animal-spirits that guide us throughout our lives, just as I can have more than one human mentor. Some teach us their lessons and move on; others stick around. Pegasus and Great Blue Heron are two of my more persistent ones. How about you?

Gawain and a tangent:Euhemerus in reverse

Just some brief notes on one of my favorite Arthurian characters.

Gawain, eldest of the Orkney brothers (sons of King Lot of Lothian and Arthur's sister, the enchantress Morgause), is one of the most commonly appearing of Arthur's knights. His position as Arthur's nephew (and heir presumptive, though he never assumes the role of crown prince) makes him an essential part of the court, and he is widely proclaimed as one of, if not THE best, of Arthur's knights.

Because he appears in so many different stories from so many sources, reports of his character may appear rather muddled. He is strong, capable, noble, and loyal. He is usually portrayed as quite secular, lacking the more spiritual focus of some of the other knights who went on to achieve notoriety in the Grail quests. He has a lot of visible character development, where one can see that he has actually learned something from his various knightly adventures. There are two schools of thought as to his basic temperament: the French romances tend to portray him as a boor, even a thug, in sharp contrast to the courtly Lancelot. This unflattering picture is clearest in Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur. British writers also contrast Gawain with Lancelot, but here Gawain comes off better: authentic, assured, educated without being an effete popinjay more concerned with appearances than truth. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is one of the three most important pieces of late medieval English literature (the other two being Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and Piers Plowman), and in it Gawain is portrayed as a peerless knight, who must save the court (and learn the difference between courtly ideals and actual temptation).

He is connected with or identical to the welsh hero Gwalchmai (poetically if inaccurately derived as meaning "hawk of may"). His shield device is a pentacle. Some of the stories give him the supernatural quirk that his strength waxes and wanes with the sun. In the Dame Ragnell story, he cures the loathly lady by correctly observing that what she wants is not his correct judgement, but the ability to decide for herself.

What we have going on here is a set of stories that have been put to many purposes. The British stories are more nationalistic, and also more about social commentary in the real world, where as the French romances are more inner-spititual/allegorical.

There is a John Matthews book that's well worth looking at, Gawain: Knight of the Goddess. It puts forward the thesis that Gawain's character, attributes and activities best represent the concerns of a pre-Christian Goddess-worshipping strand of medieval consciousness.

What if Arthur and Gawain and others in these stories are actually thinly-veiled tales of the deities of an earlier people? A sun-god whose strength is tied to the solar cycle just makes sense. Arthur as a Mider-like underworld figure who claims and loses a sovereignty-goddess yields interesting food for thought, at the very least. Nobody is shocked at the Lady of the Lake as a divine figure, but many of the mortals (or faery-blood mortals) could be interpreted as such too.

Euhemerus was a philosopher from about a century after Plato who said that the Olympians (and, we have to assume, other gods) were merely mortal leaders, kings, extraordinary people who had been divinized by their people. cf Augustus and Alexander. This is like the inverse; gaining insight into the deities of the non-dominant culture by evaluating the stories in which powerful mortals can be interpreted as heavily-veiled deities. The misogyny of Western culture is such that this is lamentably necessary more often for female deities.

Wow, this got long quickly so I will leave it here.

References:
http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/gawmenu.htm (this has links to medieval Gawain texts)

Gerald Morris has a series of young adult Arthurian novels, of which the first two are about Gawain. He also appears in a less central role in later stories.

The John Matthews book I mentioned:
http://www.amazon.com/Sir-Gawain-Goddess-John-Matthews/dp/0892819707/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243294839&sr=8-1

Herbal - Milk Thistle

***Disclaimer*** this article is a summary of online research and does not constitute medical or expert advice, no claims or recommendations are to be taken from the information herein.

Milk Thistle (Silybums Adans spp) is a flowering member of the daisy family and is native to North Africa, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. Extracts of Milk Thistle containing Silymarin are commonly promoted as having positive effects on the liver. Silymarin is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant with estrogenic effects (the estrogenic effects are the reason that pregnant and nursing women, as well as those with uterine, ovarian or breast cancers should definitely avoid this supplement.)

Research into medical uses of milk thistle extract has been promising. Some studies have indicate no statistical difference in individuals taking milk thistle to treat liver disease, others have shown positive effects in individuals exposed to liver toxins (mushrooms, toluene, xylene.) The general consensus is that more rigorous studies are needed to establish the benefits and action of silymarin.

Other possible benefits of Milk Thistle Extract include:

• Reduction of cholesterol levels
  
• Reduction of insulin resistance in Type 2 Diabetics


• Treatment of hangovers

Milk Thistle can cause mild to severe allergic reactions in sensitive individuals and shouldn't be taken by individuals who are allergic to ragweed.

Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/milk-thistle-benefits-and-side-effects

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_thistle

http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/herbsvitaminsad/a/Milk_Thistle.htm

http://content.herbalgram.org/tomsofmaine/herbalgram/articleview.asp?a=3112

(Mg, Fe)2SiO4 aka Peridot

Peridot is a gemstone which occurs in shades of green or yellow/green. The degree of greeness is dependent on the amount of iron in the gem. It has a Mohs Hardness of 6.5 to 7, streaks white, and has a specific gravity of 3.2 to 4.3. Peridot is the only(?) gemstone found in meteorites and is a gem quality form of olivine.

Peridot was known by the Hebrews as Chrysolite, however this term may also refer to other jems. In terms of ascribed traits peridot is seen as protective, attracting friendship and/or love, calming of strong emotions (anger and envy being referenced in various sources), promoting sleep, and aligned with the element of earth. Peridot is the August Birthstone. Several reference mention peridot being carved in to talismans and used also being used as a vessel for healing mixtures.

Some references mention that peridot is the gem that makes up the seventh foundation of the "new jerusalem" mention in the christian book of revelations.

In use, peridot could be a functional core for rituals involved in repelling negative magical of mental energies, in healing work, and to calm and ground one's self. Some references state that peridot should be worn on the right side of the body - I leave this up to personal experimentation.

References:

http://www.jewelsforme.com/Peridot-History.asp

http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/6528/stone.htm

http://www.bernardine.com/gemstones/peridot.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peridot

Modes

It’s even more complex than we thought! First of all the picture is complicated by the fact that different authors have used the same words at different times to refer to slightly different things. There are three main kinds of modes that could be meant when someone says words like Phrygian, Dorian, Mixolydian, and so on: Modern modes, Church or Gregorian modes, and Greek musical theory.

modern modes, of which there are seven, though only the so-called major (Ionian) and minor (Aeolian) scales have any real popularity in Western music. These are not hugely easy to understand, but can best be explained by the use of a piano keyboard. If you play only on the white notes and start at the note indicated, you’ll get the named scale. C:Ionian, D:Dorian, E:Phrygian, F:Lydian, G:Mixolydian, A:Aeolian, B:Locrian (A mnemonic to help remember the order: I Don't Play Loud Music After Lectures)

Most of this next bit is well beyond our scope, but I kept it here because of the examples of well-known songs in each mode.
• The Ionian mode has a V7 chord, and is the only mode where the V7 occurs naturally. Without further clarification, "major mode" or just "major" refers to the Ionian mode. Most common songs, including such simple classics as "Happy Birthday to You" and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," are in the Ionian mode.
• The Dorian mode has a characteristic raised sixth relative to the Aeolian mode, which produces a major IV chord and a minor II chord. "What shall we do with the drunken sailor", "Greensleeves", the main theme from Halo, the rock song "Born to Be Wild", and "Scarborough Fair" ("Parsley Sage Rosemary and Thyme") are in the Dorian mode, as is the Sixth Symphony by Jean Sibelius.
• The Phrygian mode has a lowered second relative to Aeolian, which creates its characteristic ♭II major and v diminished chords. This mode is quite common in flamenco music and is often referred to as the "Spanish" mode. The Jimmy Somerville song "So Cold The Night" and the Jefferson Airplane song "White Rabbit" are in Phrygian mode. The second movement of Brahms's Fourth Symphony famously opens in the Phrygian mode.
• The Lydian mode has a raised fourth relative to the Ionian, which creates a iv diminished, vii minor, and a II major chord. The theme song from the TV show The Simpsons is a commonly-cited example of the Lydian mode with its prominent raised fourth, although its lowered seventh technically puts it in a mode derived from the melodic minor scale, known as "Lydian Dominant". The first syllable of the birthday celebrant's name in "Happy Birthday" (after "Happy birthday, dear ...") is the raised fourth of a Lydian chord.
• The Mixolydian mode has a flat 7th degree relative to the Ionian; this creates a I7, a v minor, and a VII major chord. There is also a iii dim chord, but it is not used extensively in modal compositions. The Beatles song "Norwegian Wood" and the ABBA song "The Visitors" are in Mixolydian mode. Jazz and boogie woogie are often written in this mode as well. Scottish bagpipes, which have B-flat as the tonic, generally play on an approximately Mixolydian scale, with the 7th note (G-sharp) a quarter-tone between G-sharp and A. Minimalist composers also make extensive use of this mode, John Coolidge Adams, being a good example.
• The Aeolian mode has a flat three, six, and seven; its characteristic chords are the minor iv and v chords. There is a subtle distinction between an Aeolian modal composition and a composition in a minor key, because the sixth and seventh degrees in a minor key can be altered to create major IV and V chords. The Aeolian mode is also more commonly known as the Natural (Pure) minor scale. In cases where the Aeolian mode has the same key signature as a particular major key but with a different tonic, it is referred to as the Relative minor scale. For example, A Aeolian is the Relative minor of the C major scale. The guitar solo in "Achilles Last Stand" by Led Zeppelin is in Aeolian mode. Many popular children's songs such as "The Ants Go Marching" are in the Aeolian mode.
• The Locrian mode has flattened second and fifth scale degrees relative to the Aeolian and has a diminished i chord. It is highly unstable, and its diminished i chord makes establishing tonality in the mode nearly impossible. The few pieces written in this mode usually used an altered i minor chord (B-D-F♯) to establish the tonal center, and then used the minor iii (D-F-A) and major V chord (F-A-C) to establish the modality. The locrian mode is so unstable that the ♭II chord cannot be used as it will quickly and inevitably establish itself as the I chord of a major key. The iv minor chord in second inversion with the tonic doubled is a good I chord for Locrian because it is the exact reverse of a major chord.

church modes, or Gregorian modes. There were 8 of these originating in the 9th century, with some confusion to do with trying to make Boethius and other sources correspond with church chants and modes. This gets deep fast, but there were these eight: Dorian, Hypodorian, Phrygian, Hypophrygian, Lydian, Hypolydian, mixolydian, Hypomixolydian. Four more were added in the sixteenth century: Aeolian, Hypoaeolian, Ionian, Hypoionian

Various interpretations of the "character" imparted by the different modes have been suggested. Three such interpretations, from Guido of Arezzo (995-1050Adam of Fulda (1445-1505), and Juan de Espinoza Medrano (1632-1688), follow:
Name Mode D'Arezzo Fulda Espinoza Example chant
Dorian I serious any feeling happy, taming the passions Veni sancte spiritus
Hypodorian II sad sad serious and tearful Iesu dulcis amor meus
Phrygian III mystic vehement inciting anger Kyrie, fons bonitatis
Hypophrygian IV harmonious tender inciting delights, tempering fierceness Conditor alme siderum
Lydian V happy happy happy Salve Regina
Hypolydian VI devout pious tearful and pious Ubi caritas
Mixolydian VII angelical of youth uniting pleasure and sadness Introibo
Hypomixolydian VIII perfect of knowledge very happy Ad cenam agni providi


Greek tonoi or harmoniai (the word mode derives from Latin). A bewildering array of stuff, all inconveniently utilizing the same words to make different points. In the Aristoxenian system, there were apparently seven scales, but 13 or more tonoi, and I don’t know how many harmoniai, or even exactly what Plato, Aristotle, and Ptolemy were talking about. This means that Plato’s observations on the properties of the various types are tantalizing, but not too practically useful without a doctorate in ancient music theory, and I don’t care that much.
In the Republic, Plato uses the term inclusively to encompass a particular type of scale, range and register, characteristic rhythmic pattern, textual subject, etc. (Mathiesen 2001a, 6(iii)(e)). He held that playing music in a particular harmonia would incline one towards specific behaviors associated with it, and suggested that soldiers should listen to music in Dorian or Phrygian harmoniai to help make them stronger, but avoid music in Lydian, Mixolydian or Ionian harmoniai, for fear of being softened. Plato believed that a change in the musical modes of the state would cause a wide-scale social revolution.
The philosophical writings of Plato and Aristotle (c. 350 BC) include sections that describe the effect of different harmoniai on mood and character formation. For example, this quote from Aristotle's Politics (viii:1340a:40–1340b:5):
The musical modes [harmoniôn] differ essentially from one another, and those who hear them are differently affected by each. Some of them make men sad and grave, like the so called Mixolydian; others enfeeble the mind, like the relaxed modes; another, again, produces a moderate or settled temper, which appears to be the peculiar effect of the Dorian; and the Phrygian inspires enthusiasm. (Jowett 1943,[page needed])
Plato and Aristotle describe the modes to which a person listened as molding the person's character. The modes even made the person more or less fit for certain jobs. The effect of modes on character and mood was called the "ethos of music".

Ouroboros - the snake around the tortoise, around the world, or in your eye.

Ouroboros

Is a multicultural symbol generally represented as a serpent devouring or biting its own tail.

The ouroboros can represent self reflection, wholeness, self sufficiency, or things of a cyclical nature (i.e. self re-creating self.)

The term used here is of greek origin and Plato described a "complete in itself" creature - the first thing created. In Nordic mytology it is found as the serpent Jormungandr, a child of loki that encircles the world. Other simular symbols are found in gnostic, alchemical, Hindu, Aztec and Toltec sources.

As a magical and archtypical symbol, ouroboros serves as a pointer to completeness with a warning: The serpent devouring its tail destroys in order to create itself.

When I read Plato's description, I thought of a thermodynamic model of the universe -the first creature, is complete in itself, recycling its own waste to create its own form, with nothing outside of itself.


Primary reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouroboros

Personal gnosis is OK as long as it's clearly identified as such.

Short Report: Cedar

Cedar is an evergreen tree belonging to the genus Cedrus. There are two types: the Deodar Cedar, native to the Himalayas, and four species of Lebanon Cedar, native to the Mediterranean. Cedar wood is pretty, aromatic, easy to work, strong, lies flat and stays straight, and is insect-repellant and resistant to rot. The tree which in the US is called Eastern Red Cedar actually belongs to the Juniper family. Western Red Cedar and Northern White Cedar are in the Thuja genus, part of the cypress family. These American cousins do seem to have similar properties.

There are Biblical associations. The Ark of the Covenant and the wood portions of Solomon's Temple were reputed to have been made of cedar. Nine Woods: Cedar is one of the nine woods traditionally placed in the traditional Celtic Druid balefire.

Smudge sticks often contain it as a purifier. It has protective qualities, associations with rites for the dead, and can be substituted in any rite requiring masculine or solar associations.

Use for: Purification; Health and Healing; Luck; Good Fortune; Happiness; Banishing; Releasing; Exorcism; Money and Riches; Justice; Protection; Harmony; Peace



http://www.paganspace.net/profile/CedarMuse
http://www.teenwitch.com/trees/cedar.html
   

Herne - the Hunter, Ghost, God, Poor Unfortunate Vengeful Dude?

Herne

I highly reccomend a google image search under "Herne."
(disclaimer, the information here is derived from my reading - a scholarly analysis will require reference checking on your own. - life is full of all kinds of disappointments)

Herne's story is this (in one version) Herne was the king's master hunter. He was mortally wounded defending the king from a stag, but his life was spared when a healer (druid?) healed him in a ritual where he gained the stag's horns. This healing cost him his skill as a hunter (I have questions here*.) The other huntsmen framed Herne as a thief and he was found hanged from a tree the next day.

Herne is framed as the leader of the wild hunt(* how can one who has lost his skill as a hunter lead the wild hunt?) and is referenced in many ways. He may be a vengeful ghost, a fey spirit, or a god. Some references imply that Herne is a linguistic derrivative of Cernnunos. Shakespear's "The Merry Wives of Windsor" is frequently cited as an early reference.

Herne is frequently tied to Robin Hood Mythology, perhaps because Herne is associated with Windsor Forest and actual locations there (The tree of Herne's hanging is shown on some ordinance maps)

Wild hunt's appear in many cultures and the leader of the hunt is frequently female. The hunt is seen as erotic and dangerous. Female hunt leaders are seen as unrestrained female sexuality, but also as devourers of children and/or vampires (Lilith? I think she was framed.)


KK... So...Ostara, easter, beltain - Be you christian or pagan (or heathern or some other dmn thing...)there is a high likelyhood that your god got nailed to a tree (or hung from one or somefin') and then we move to beltain (or Mayday) and we find ourselves in a fertility festival.

There is a caution in Herne's story. The wild hunt is devouring and erotic. The cost of a ticket to Beltain is the sacrifice of ostara (or mayhaps yule?) - this is very simple - If you want to have, you must give.

potential topics

sex magic
alchemy
shadow work (Jung?)
elemental magic (would need to be broken down further)
familiars & totems
healing (huge topic)
life coach

Notes on trance

This image and the following notes are from the online Alexandrian BOS.
The [eight pointed asterisk] sign on the Athame is said to represent, among other things, the Eight Paths
which all lead to the Center and the Eight Ways of Making magic, and these are:
1. Meditation or concentration.
2. Chants, Spells, Invocations. Invoking the Goddess, etc.
3. Projection of the Astral Body, or Trance.
4. Incense, Drugs, Wine, etc. Any potion which aids to release the Spirit.
5. Dancing
6. Blood control. Use of the Cords.
7. The Scourge.
8. The Great Rite.
You can combine many of these ways to produce more power.
To practice the Art successfully, you need the following five things:
Intention. You must have the absolute will to succeed, the firm belief that you can do so and the
determination to win through against all obstacles.
1.
2. Preparation. You must be properly prepared.
3. Invocation. The Mighty Ones must be invoked.
Consecration. The Circle must be properly cast and consecrated and you must have properly
consecrated tools.
4.
5. Purification. You must be purified.
Hence there are 5 things necessary before you can start, and then 8 Paths or Ways leading to the Centre.
For instance, you can combine 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 together in one rite; or 4, 6 and 7 together with 1 and 2, or
with 3 perhaps. The more ways you can combine, the more power you produce.
It is not meet to make offering of less than two score lashes to the Goddess, for here be a mystery. The
fortunate numbers be 3, 7, 9 and thrice 7 which be 21. And these numbers total two score, so a less
perfect or fortunate number would not be a perfect prayer. Also the Fivefold Salute be 5, yet it be 8
kisses; for there be 2 feet, 2 knees and 2 breasts. And five times 8 be two score. Also there be 8 Working
Tools and the Pentacle be 5; and five eights be two score.
(Note: 8 plus 5 equals 13. 8 multipled by 5 equals 40.)
http://www.tryskelion.com/tryskelion/alexwheel.htm

These are excerpts from wikipedia's article on trance; note the similarities in the section on trance induction:
http://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Trance
Trance-like states which are often interpreted as religious ecstasy or visions and can be deliberately induced using a variety of techniques, including prayer, religious rituals, meditation, pranayama (breathwork or breathing exercises), physical exercise, coitus (and/or sex), music, dancing, sweating (e.g. sweat lodge), fasting, thirsting, and the consumption of psychotropic drugs such as cannabis.

Benevolent, neutral and malevolent trances may be induced (intentionally, spontaneously and/or accidentally) by different methods:

Auditory driving through the sense of hearing by chanting, auditory story telling, mantra, overtone singing, drumming, music, etc.;,
Kinesthetic driving through the sense of feeling and movement through the kinesphere by dance, story telling by movement, mudra, embodying rituals, yoga, breathwork,oxygen deprivation, sexual stimulation etc.;
Visual Driving through the sense of sight by yantra, visual story telling, mandala, cinema, theater, art, architecture, beauty, strobe lights, form constants, symmetry;
Olfactory driving through via scent through the sense of smell by perfume, pheromones, incense, flowers, pollen, indeed any scent for which we have an association or memory, etc.;
Gustatory driving through the sense of taste and indigestion; including: starvation, herbs, hallucinogens and drugs. As the intake of food and beverage entails intra-bodily chemical reactions through digestion, some infer that all food may be considered "medicine" or "drugs" and therefore contribute to the induction of discernible psycho-physical states (refer Ancient Medicine). It can be attained through the ingestion of psychoactive drugs such as alcohol and opiates, or psychoactive plants and chemicals such as LSD, 2C-I, peyote, marijuana, mescaline, Salvia Divinorum, MDMA, psychedelic mushrooms, or datura (Jimson weed).
and
Disciplines: Yoga, Sufism, Surat Shabd Yoga; meditation; and
Miscellaneously: traumatic accident, sleep deprivation, nitrogen narcosis (deep diving), fever, by the use of a sensory deprivation tank or mind-control techniques, hypnosis, meditation, prayer; and
Naturally occurring: dreams, lucid dreams, euphoria, ecstasy, psychosis as well as purported premonitions, out-of-body experiences, and channeling.

Short Report format

The idea here is for us each to prepare a short summary, about a page long, on whatever topic strikes your fancy. Pick a symbol, stone, herb, tarot card, rune, historic or mythic figure, review a book. For consistency, we can try to keep it in this format:

Title
Picture
Summary
What is it? What does it mean?
Cultural/Historical Context
What extra info helps it make sense?
Relevance
Why should we care?
Practical Application
Give a practical use for today's pagan. This could be a craft, spell, exercise or ritual. How can we use it or become better attuned/aware?
References/Resources
Book references, URLs, etc. Personal gnosis is OK as long as it's clearly identified as such.

Trial run

Hi guys. Let's see how this goes as a place to keep our files for class. --Ocean