The Devil & The Dame: February 2018

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Tasseography Video - Tea Leaves

This video actually shows how to do a reading and touches on some things the blog didn't. Watch and comment and don't forget to join us on Sundays.

Check out the image dictionary we have constructed.
Read the entire Tasseograpghy course.

© 2016, Copyright The Dame and The Devil Business Blog - Writer The Dame

Monday, February 26, 2018

Celebrating Spring

It seems that my last post on holidays really riled up some of my followers, but that was not the purpose of the post. The point in my religious journey is finding the truth, or what is closest to it. With that being said, this is how my family and I welcome in the spring.

Food:

For the most part we still abide by a more Easter like dinner, but more because if the timing. In this part of year you would most likely see small animals like rabbits, dove, or pheasant being hunted. My grandmother's cookbook has recipes for squirrel, but I don't think I could find enough let alone find the patience to properly check and butcher them. My husband, who's family is from Mexico, would usually kill a goat, but it's a lot of meat and I'm not keen on the grease. So we're most likely going for a traditional ham unless I can find pheasant. Spring time is best for root vegetables, peas, beans, and leafy greens. For dessert, a nice pear or strawberry crumble is best for this really season. Now a days, these items would simply be as the best price in grocery stores, so stock up if you can.

Ritual:

This month we don't really see anything special going on ritual wise. Maybe the March of Nerthus would be appropriate, but I think giving an offering of grain and fruit to our tree in the backyard is plenty. I plan on making corn husk dolls of Nerthus with her veil and then sitting her high in the tree branches just barely seen. This will mostly be a very busy time in the old days because these are planting and harvesting months. Little time for anything outside of the usual monthly Thing. With that being said, take the month to decorate your altar and clean your house and worship space. Take a ritual bath. Start working out or dieting. This would be the opportune season to start new habits. Plant any new crops or plants and dedicate them to the Gods. Because the nights are often still cold, many may still be lighting fires to guide spring in. Light a white candle at night or use a battery operated ones and keep them in the window sills. Never leave a burning candle unattended and always extinguish it before going to bed.

Decor:

Tulips, daffodils, lilies, hyacinth, and bluebells are common flowers of the season. Pick up some fake ones for season long decor (or if you have allergies from Hel like I do) and place them in cases with long grasses or wheat. If you can afford it, change out fresh ones weekly. Create dollies, perfumes and oils, and besoms to hang. Use the besom to sweep ito negative energy and always keep the close to a main door. Baskets, eggs, small birds and animals are still a very common sight, so use them to brighten your home. I just bought some cute carrot garland and I'm working on my besoms now. The best colors are of course yellow, lavender, pink, and light blue, but also all greens and browns. Have fun and comment what you're doing to be creative and festive. ❤️

Friday, February 23, 2018

The Hanging Man - 12 -

The Hanged Man - 11 -

Suspension, Limbo, Alternative view, Letting go

Self-sacrifice, Tied up, Indecision

The man in this image is chained to a beam above the underworld. His arms arm tied by the vines, signifying an earthly connection. The sun behind his head is the heavens shining through the stained glass window beset in a stone wall. What people don't fully realize with this card is that this is his own doing. This can be a form of self-sacrifice or forsaking oneself or one's needs for the greater good. You may be asked to do this in your life or to let go of something, but you'll receive better. This pose is what the decided to be in, so you're likely needing a new perspective of some type. Just try thinking out of the box, or on your head. (ha!) Once looking at the situation or problem from another view point, you will be able to make a better decision or have a better understanding. In less literal terms, the hanged man can mean being caught up or delayed in a way, or should be. Take a time out and let things rest before rushing in. New and better options may present themselves, or just a better way of handling the situation. It could also be that you're stuck in life, but instead of fidgeting and getting yourself into even more of a knot, take a deep breath and relax. Wait it out. Open up to new experiences. Surrender. Accept the circumstances and allow them to happen, for now.

Reversed

The sacrifice you have given is returning nothing. Everything has been put on hold because of issues effecting you both internally and externally. It feels as if you're unable to move in any direction, but this lack of movement is due to a major change about to bulldoze through your life. This can also mean that you're arrogantly putting off a decision hoping it will work itself out, but it won't. Your own lack of movement can be a problem. The issue is still there, probably getting worse, and it still needs you to do something about it if you like the outcome or not. You could've lost your own way, religiously or emotionally, and can't seem to find your way to the greener side. You must accept the inevitable, change what you can, and try your best to find happiness.

Planet

Neptune

Element

Water

Herbs

Grape, ivy, marigold

Crystals

Aquamarine, Tiger's Eye

Special Card Combinations to Look for

Fool - Unconventional

Hermit - Slow movement

The Devil - Overcoming addiction by going cold turkey

The Tower - No need for battle

The Emperor/Empress - Domineering person is best handled by turning the other cheek

The High Priestess - submit one's self to the universe

Two of Swords - Stalemate

Page of Swords - Dely

Journey Through the Tarot

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Preparing and Reading a Cup for Tasseography

So this post is really going to be rather quick and simple. There's not much of a right or wrong way and I do have videos on my Facebook where I already went over most of this information, however the videos are not all that great of a quality, so I'll rerecord and then upload them later.

Now, you brew your tea by adding roughly 1/2 a teaspoon for every 8 ounces of hot water in a cup loosely. It's best to use specifically loose leaf tea and not the ground up type in bags, but I've done both and have not had an issue with it. The type of tea is also largely a personal choice. Every Sunday (except today) on my Instagram I review a new type of tea from this wonderful subscription box, Simple Loose Leaf. It costs me about $11 a month and I get four types of teas with enough for five cups each bag. Each box is different and wonderful and each tea is unique which is why I use them. I want to show people that you can use nearly any type of tea to do this and there isn't really a right or a wrong way. You can also add sweetener to your tea, but it's not suggested to use creamer. I haven't added creamer to test the waters, but I do plan on doing it at some point.

What is important is the PROCESS.

Now, tasseography will always deal with things that are happening with a past, present, future theme, so keep that in mind when doing your reading. The only time this process changes is when you're using a specialty cup. We'll discuss all of these types of cups in a later post. For the purpose of this post, we'll be referencing just a plain porcelain tea cup with a saucer.

The process is also very simple, but it must be done right. As you drink your tea, you can focus on a particular issue or just enjoy it, but when you're done, leave just a slight bit of tea in the up with all the leaves. Turn the cup over with the handle facing your dominant hand. Now, a lot of references will tell you the right, but I feel dominant is best because that's usually the hand you send energy out through. I think it's a) because most people are right handed and b) back when this popular and thriving as a main stream practice, people thought left handers were evil and all that other crazy nonsense. Anyway, tap the bottom on the cup, now facing upwards three times. Turn the cup full circle three times using your NON-dominant hand while it's still upside down. You can turn it the left for a past reading, the right for a future reading, or a combination of both for something you're focusing on in the present or a generalized reading. Then tap three times on the bottom and turn the cup right-side up. Make sure the handle is still facing your dominant hand.

Now, for this part you'll understand why the handle placement isn't really all that important. At this time move the handle so that it is directly in front of you. The handle is now your dividing line.

If you are asking a Yes or No question:
The left is no and the right is yes. Read which side has the most tea leaves on it.

If you are reading Past, Present, Future for a "When..." question:
The rim of the cup is present. The body of the cup is future, and the bottom of the cup is distant future.
You can read this one of two ways-
1) Go by where the greatest amount of tea leaves sit.
2) If it was a general "What does my future hold" read the images.

If you're asking about a timing:
Read to the left, or clockwise, starting at the handle going by months. Split the cup visually into 12 pie slices and eye it as best as you can. You can also use this in other ways.
1) A month: split it into 4 weeks
2) Seasons : split it into 4 seasons starting with spring
3) 6 months
4) Etc.
Which ever you feel or want to look into. If the majority of the leaves are stuck at the bottom and you can't see any images, it's likely to not happen in that time frame.

Another common way to read is about something effecting you or your life, or a Cause and Effect
The way you read this the left is the past circumstances or influences
The right is how it will turn out because of the past.

Check out the image dictionary we have constructed.
Read the entire Tasseograpghy course.

© 2016, Copyright The Dame and The Devil Business Blog - Writer The Dame

Monday, February 19, 2018

Eostre - Myth or Mythology?

There is a lot of controversy surrounding this rather popular holiday, but why?

Bede:

In his reconstruction of the faith, Bede talks about a possible Old Germanic Goddess, Eostre, from the name ôstarâ and the month ôstarmânoth, not Eosturmanoth in Germany. So the stretch isn't a long one, especially considering that in my own studies I have found that almost every month holds some kind of Blôt. The problem is, this is not backed up in any other known texts, such as Germania by Tacitus, or in any art from the time. In fact, the only other text to mention her was by Jacob Grimm, which was based off of Bede's reconstruction. However, it is plausible she existed in some form given that she was important enough to name a month after. Could it be possible that they were just naming the season though? We trace the root of her name to "East" often referring to dawn or spring time.

Grimm:

While some regard his book on German mythology to be a good reference, you'll find that much of it could be considered as influenced by his time and opinions rather than fact. He made the connection between Bede's shortly mentioned goddess Eostre and Easter then proclaiming her Ôstarâ. In fact, the earliest known story about her and a hare came about from the 19th century in the Ukraine. Now, while the Easter Bunny does trace back to Germany, this still isn't enough evidence to convince me that she was a goddess.

My Personal Conclusion:

I don't think Eostre was a Goddess. I believe that the Proto-Germanic tribes did worship the sun and fertility though, which is seen through their worship of goddessess like Freyja and Nerthus, along with the twins Alcis. I do think that this time was a celebration of the sun itself and the lengthening of days. We see around this time Nerthus being paraded and the Charming of the Plow, so it's very likely that this was just a continuation of that celebration. Or that one holiday was one month and the other this month, like I said they usually have something almost every full moon. There is also no known worship of any Goddess throughout the evolution of the Proto-Germanic Traditions and with something like that being rather important to the Germans, you'd expect her to show up in later forms such as through the Norse. So my conclusion is simple, celebrate spring, the dawn of the year.

©016, Copyright The Dame and The Devil Business Blog - Writer The Dame

Sites:
https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/category/jacob-grimm/
http://www.koshabq.org/2012/03/09/celebrating-eostre/
https://archive.org/stream/tacitusagricolag00taciiala/tacitusagricolag00taciiala_djvu.txt

Friday, February 16, 2018

Justice - 11 -

Balance, Law, Equality, Legal Matters, Truth

Dishonesty, Unfairness, Criminal, Lack of accountability

While in traditional tarot, justice is usually blindfolded to show impartiality, in this deck they use the scales with diamonds and a feather. Both hold the same weight and therefore are equal in her eyes. The cards falling from her hand are the reversed hanging man (indecision/water), queen of wands (determination/fire), eight of swords (restriction/air), and the ace of pentacles (new business/earth). Each is a facet of justice and also an element. There are both good and bad and we must deal with them throughout life. Without both, this simply isn't a fair world. In literal terms, the Justice card can mean a court ruling in your favor. This card calls for the utmost fairness, even if it's not in your favor. Take a step back and look at the situation from an intellectual perspective where you can make the best decision. You are the judge, but can you make this right? Be truthful and honest with yourself and others. Playing fair will give everyone a positive outcome.