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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

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. ❤️


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

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





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

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Preparing and Reading a Cup for Tasseography

 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 -




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. 

Reversed

Either someone in your circle or you, yourself, are being dishonest. There is a sense of superficial belief or it's always your way or no way, removing the availability for justice to preside. This can also be a literal interpretation of an unjust ruling, jail time, or a ticket. It could be a clouded mind not passing fair judgement. It could even be that life and the universe are seemingly dishing out unfair trouble. If the path is becoming too difficult, take a break, but be sure that you're headed in the direction you're going for a reason. You could also be a very black and white kind of person. This card is meant to tell you that sometimes in life there is a little grey or a splash of color, and doesn't mean it's a bad thing. Let loose and try not to be so rigid. Try to get back in touch with that human part of yourself.

Planet

Venus

Element

Air

Herbs

Garlic, honeysuckle

Crystals

Cat's eye, Jet

Special Card Combinations to Look for

Magician - being mislead
The High Priestess - someone close to you has all the answers.
The Emperor - Rational and practical male figure
The Hermit - Time for deep thought and contemplation
Temperance - Balanced emotions

Five of Wands - Imbalance
Two of Swords - Indecision, two minds
Five of Swords - Dishonest
King/Queen of Swords - Lawyers or police
Ace of Pentacles - Contacts with business have a blessing
Two of Pentacles - Maintaining balance







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

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Introduction into Tasseography


Tasseography
The study of reading a cup using tea leaves, coffee grounds, and even wine sediments. From the French word for cup; tasse. Also known as tasseomancy and tassology. Some believe that it works due to how a drinker influences a cup of tea while drinking it since, even subconsciously, we are thinking about something at all times. Others look at it as a form of clairvoyance called psychometry where you use inanimate objects to gain insight. 

A History of Tea

Teas were introduced to the Western world in the 17th century from China to India, and then to Europe through the Dutch trading companies. It's supposed that tea reading began in China soon after tea's discovery by Emperor Shen Nun in 2800 BC. It was developed by monks who started with reading the cracks in bells to foretell the future. The origin story talks about a group of friends who sat down to enjoy a cup of tea while chatting. When done with their tea, one person noticed how the leaves formed pictures relating to their conversations. The way this happened is how many speculate the term "throwing cups" came about. Tea was almost always drank loosely, so you would have to throw out the remaining leaves before getting another cup. Unless you rinse it, there's almost always some residing afterwards, which should form pictographs that can be interpreted. 
Unfortunately, soon after tea met Europe, the Tea Act was singed in England making the drink only accessible to the upper class since importing it was so expensive. This then turned the act of tasseography into a parlor trick. In the early 1800's, a Scottish botanist, Robert Fortune (haha!, the irony) was able to replicate the growing processes so that tea was more readily available to any and everyone. This attracted the traveling Romani into the parlors who would share their gifts of Fortune telling. The art and parlors even spilled into America arrive the first would war since it was cheap and fun.

We'll discuss how to use tea leaves in the next post, then move on to coffee and wine. You can join us on Instagram every Sunday to see our tea reviews and weekly cups.
Check ito our image dictionary here.


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

Friday, February 9, 2018

Wheel of Fortune - 10 -


The Wheel of Fortune - 10 -


Cycle of life, a turning point, good luck, major changes, destiny

Losing control, Fate-run, negative forces or bad luck


In this image you see the wheel of the year represented by the twelve zodiac sigils as a working gear with three smaller gears inside. The top one, the planets, the bottom right is the elements, and the bottom left is the pentagram, the symbol of the pagan faith and spirit. These three gears turn each other working in tandem, turning the larger gear, all playing their part in the greater mechanism of life. Lightly, in the background, you find the multitude of mathematical equations of circles and movement. You'll also notice this image is in the heavens showing that fate is still very much a part of our lives and that somethings may be out of our reach. The lesson in all this that there is a way we  can take hold of our fate and make our lives function. Yes, there must be balance to make it run smoothly, but we can effect how well oiled our machine is. There will be problems that need fixing, there will be a need for maintenance, and there will be days when things run better than others. But such is life. Be excited for the good days, and be prepared for the bad. For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction, remember, so plan ahead and don't let the Gods make all the decisions for you. You must be an active participant. When dignified, this card symbolizes holding onto optimism for greater things are coming your way. A change is in the making, so be ready and enjoy it as best as you can. Try to think positively and that something good will come out of anything bad that happens. This can also represent something of a karmic reaction in your life. Make sure and work towards that outcome being a good one. You reap what you sow. 

Reversed

Reversed this card is the same meaning, just for the wrong reasons. You're having bad luck. You're life is significantly changing for the worst. Possibly losing touch with one of these gears and it's causing your machine to gunk up. Maybe an oil change is in your future so you can get back to owing your fate. Its feeling as if everything is out of your hands, but it's not. If anything, your inactivity or poor choices have brought this change into your life. However, good news is in there. Remember that without these bad times, the good ones wouldn't be so damn good. You wouldn't appreciate them nearly as much, so take a deep breath and think of what you can do to rectify or alter your outcome. Make your own fate. Watch out with dealings, as they may sour, and try to find a way out of them with the least amount of loss.

Planet 

Jupiter

Element

Fire/Water

Herbs

Clover, daisy, heather, jasmine

Crystals

Amethyst, Opal

Special Card Combinations to look for

The Tower - A bounce back, avoiding a bad situation
Death with the Fool - A complete change from one course to another
The Devil - a problem with vices. Look to the dominant element for what type
The Sun with the World - Large amount of success 
The Star - you're being put in the spotlight
Temperance - A peaceful outcome of events
The Hermit - Either the ending of a current relationship or the beginning of a new one.

Aces - a new venture
5's - risk 






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

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Heathen New Moon and Full Moon Rituals



There are a LOT of tips on how to create your own rituals. They can be done in a coven, with family and friends, or just by yourself. You can be a grandiose as you please or do it on a shoe string budget. The important part is getting YOUR intent across properly. What do you feel needs to be done to make your spell work? Here are a few examples of things you can do and their uses. Try them all or pick and choose whichever correlate best to you and your practice.

The New Moon


From a heathen view point, new moons are meant for new business and was usually when a Thing* would be held. This is still reflected in the new moon being the time of wishes and starting new paths or wanting to bring in new energy or what have you. So around this time I personally work on new products for my shop and go over my new courses for the blog. I also usually always perform a bathing ritual so that I start my month over again. In the traditional religion, heathens would bring certain matter to a close or tie up lose ends two days before the New moon. That way they could start on the next phase or new issues. They also used this time to handle any kind of legal business, so while most neo-pagans might not suggest that kind of spell work, I would. They obviously found this time to be the best to handle such matters, so I trust their judgement.

For my bathing ritual, I use basic herbs and salts you can pick up in your grocery isle. It's the kitchen witch in me. I use about a
teaspoon of sage - cleansing
a teaspoon of lemon peel - removes negative energy
some dried blueberries - blocks negative energy
a teaspoon of basil - money and prosperity
a teaspoon of pink Himalayan salt - purity and harmony
a cup of epson salt
a couple drops of pine essential oil - cleanses spaces and purification

I always take a shower first before doing any kind of bathing ritual so that I don't wash away any of the magickal aspects of the ingredients. This is a practice I highly recommend as the results will have a better sticking power, so try taking a shower before, do the bathing ritual and jump straight into bed, then wait until the next night to take another shower.

Other things to do at this time are to cleanse your scared space and tools, your divination cards, clear the corners of each room that have the heaviest traffic, and relax.

The Full Moon

For the mos part, Heathens celebrate all of their holidays during the full moons of each month and, yes, we have more than just the regular either holidays that you see on the evermore popular Wiccan Wheel of the Year. You'll notice that a lot of my blogs on the holidays correspond to these times and I often don't give specific dates. This is largely because the full moon is never on the same day every year and some months in the new calender won't have holidays, for instance February. I may have waited until Friday because it was easier for me to celebrate Oimelc, but it was supposed to be observed during the wonderful Blood Blue Moon Eclipse. 

That being said, most of my full moon rituals are all spent honoring specific Gods and the changing time of the year. That's no saying you can't incorporate any of the newer ideas and customs into your ritual. The Full Moon is pretty much regarded as the all-purpose spell casting time, so any will work, however it is best for any healing you might need. Eclipses hold special meaning, so we'll do a section on those separately. You can refer to the previous post on moons to find the general substances of moon phases here.


Eclipses

Many heathens revered eclipses as bad omens. They would hold rites to please the gods in return of the moon or sun. Since they could not predict these events, it was likely a rushed offering to the temples and then followed by solemn gatherings and very light footsteps in which ever path they were going. There's not much more on these events, but I would suggest reading more in the Wolves and Mani. I'll return to this section and add on if I ever find more information. So in the mean time, plan a nice Bolt! 





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Footnotes:
A Thing -

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

Friday, February 2, 2018

Hermit - 9 -


The Hermit - 9 -



Solitude, searching, guidance, and introspective

Isolation, loneliness, and detachment

While this card is typically dreaded, it is actually a good pull. When we think of a person who has mastered something in life, they're usually older, hence the aged man with a long white beard. What this truly stands for is a person who has achieved a great goal and mastered it. He stands above those a teacher and is looking back at the city as a leader more than turning his back on society. The mountain is showing his path to the top of his league. His age is due to his struggles and the time he has put into it, his seeming loneliness is just him proving to be the better as there can only be one at the top. However, you see that he is indeed not at the very top showing that there is still more to learn. The star in his lantern is lighting the way, guiding him forward and giving something for other's to follow, for he now the teacher of those below. His beard is to show is wisdom and knowledge. When you draw this card, it's telling you to look inward, maybe take a trip away, to get a better understanding or deeper knowledge of a subject. Step away from the constant of day to day life and contemplate life, your actions, principles, and what motivates you. There is an itch to start anew and this card is urging it, but only if it leads you to the truth you're searching for. And what is that truth? Unfortunately, this is often a destination you must reach on your own, so solitude and shutting out may just have to happen. This could also mean to choose those close you carefully. You're above most and should only speak with those who assist in your enlightenment. It can also be said that you have attained a greater spiritual level and are someone that others look to to help them find their own.

Reversed

This can mean one of two things. Either you have been isolated too much and need to reconnect with the world around you, or you haven't been taking enough time away and need to reconnect with your inner spiritual self. If the latter, you should rejoin the working world. Peel back the curtains, stop ordering delivery and amazon, and phone a friend or family member. You may start to be feeling alone or forgotten, but remember you're not. While this card does say the journey to the top is often a long, lonely way doesn't mean that some social activities are out of your league or not a good idea. You still need that outside connection for a healthy, well-rounded growth. If you're too much of a busy-body, slow down, maybe take a holiday and shut off the phone. If you can't, take some time everyday to shut yourself away. You need to reconnect with your spirit and remind yourself why you're here and what your deeper purpose is. If you're in a relationship it could mean you or your partner are shutting themselves off from the relationship, or at the worst, may be trying to shut the other off from the outside and occupying all of their time or simply not allowing the other to see friends and family. If you're single, you're hurting for a relationship and that one on one human connection with another person on a deeper connection.

Planet

Mercury

Element

Earth

Herbs

Angelica, chamomile, sage

Crystals

Bloodstone, peridot

Timing

Aug 21 - Sept 20

Card Combinations to Look for:

The Emperor - An overly domineering male in your life is stifling
The Empress - Study how the universe works, psychic phenomena, and the soul to find your path
The Lovers - A seperation
Hanged Man - Guilt over something others have let go of
Temperance - You're living life too wild and should find fun in other ways. Warns of drug and alcohol abuse. 
The Star - You're on the right path
The World - Involvement in the world
High Priestess - Withdrawal for spiritual growth 

Many wands - You're awakening your creative spirit
Many Swords - Your critical words and hurtful opinions leave you lonely
Seven of Swords - Loneliness
Many Cups - You're overly emotional and it's pushing people away
Two of Cups - Connecting with potential partners
Three of Cups - Group endeavors
Four of Cups - Introversion
Eight of Cups - Finding a deeper meaning
Many Pentacles - Your job not allowing time for socializing



Journey through all of the Cards here




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