Finding Incense at Affordable Prices - Reviews

Disclaimer: This post was inspired by samples of product received for free from Vienna Imports in exchange for my reviews. All pricing information provided below is based on the pricing of these products as found on the Vienna Imports website as of April 5th, 2019.

Whether you're into aromatherapy, use of incense for religious or spiritual purposes, or just love filling your home with nice smells and have a preference for natural over synthetic, finding quality incense can range from a necessity like buying groceries to full-blown preoccupation. No matter how dire the quality of incense is to you, we can all agree we want to make sure we are paying a fair price for the level of quality.

It's not much of a stretch to say that the cost of super-low quality incense like you find at [insert name of any large retail chain store selling boxes of incense] for, like, $1 a box is fair enough. You're paying that $1 for something, after all. But if we accept that $1 is fair for super-cheap quality so low as to not justify the use of resources to make the incense in the first place, does that mean we need to dish out a ton of money to invest in high quality incense?

I think not.

Nandi Divine Flora incense sticks, Chandan Pure Mysore Sandal Sticks Mild, Shanthimalai red Nag Champa incense sticks.

In this hunt for affordable, high quality incense, I started with the Divine Flora ($2.50/box). I found the scent delightfully appropriate for the Spring Equinox celebrations in my home. I generally avoid the flower scents because they either aren't strong enough to be worth burning in the first place or they are too sickeningly sweet/strong for me. That said, there's no doubt about Divine Flora having just the right amount of floral aroma as its scent travels room to room. Even if you're like me and not big on flower scented incense, you may want to give this one a try. I'll definitely be burning this one again.

Next, I quite enjoyed the Chandan Sandal incense ($1.50/box). I'm personally a fan of sandalwood aroma, though I find incense to be hit or miss on getting the notes just right. For that reason, I typically restrict my use of sandalwood in incense to using a drop or two of high quality essential oil into a dry incense mixture (as you can imagine, this technique can get rather expensive if used regularly). This is why I was excited about burning the Chandan incense sticks; you get a wonderful sandalwood aroma done right at a price that is more than reasonable.

I don't know many incense-lovers who are not fans of Nag Champa. It's almost an unspoken rule that if you burn incense regularly, Nag Champa has to be included in your stockpile. As someone who enjoys Nag Champa, I generally don't buy it. Why? Because it's either too cheap to be worth even a low price or it's good quality that I enjoy, but way out of my price-range budget-wise to make it a regular purchase. This was my first time burning Shanthimalai red Nag Champa and I expected it be pretty much like all others out there. Thank the Gods, was I wrong! This has to be my absolute favorite Nag Champa to date. It smells fantastic, fills the house, and lingers in the room it was burned for up to days afterwards! At only $1.70/box, other Nag Champa varieties better watch out!

Mayan Black Copal Resin

If you're into burning resins, you've more than likely had the pleasure of burning copal. I've always used white copal, myself, somehow completely missing the memo that there are other varieties out there in the big, wide world of incense. When I first experienced white copal as a resin years ago, I didn't really get what the hype was about. I definitely preferred frankincense, myrrh, and dragon's blood for stand-alone resins over the white copal. But with its subtle sweetness, white copal does make a rather great base (without overpowering) for dry incense mixes to help them burn longer and stronger. Now, Vienna Imports does carry a couple varieties of white copal and, at only $1.50/ounce, is a more-than-fair price if your preferences are like mine. But getting to experience their Mayan Black Copal Resin ($1.50/ounce), was a bit of shock. Expecting nothing different, I was pleased to find that black copal resin really does make it on my list of favorite stand-alone resins.

India Temple Incense

I don't think anyone who has ever stepped foot into a metaphysical shop or imports store selling a variety of incense has missed out on the India Temple Incense Sticks ($1.60/package). Like Nag Champa, this is like a staple item among incense lovers. Even if you've never burned it, you've probably stuck it in your car or somewhere in your home for its awesome ability to act like potpourri without ever opening the package. (Fun note: That's the only way I ever used it for years before noticing that the back of the package actually instructs you to use as potpourri before burning. So much for thinking myself a genius...) I've seen this same 25g package run for up to $9.99 at some stores, so if you're a fan of India Temple incense and budget-conscious, you may want to make Vienna Imports your first stop for this one.

 

Palo Santo Wood

 From my experiences, it never fails to amaze me how many groups and individuals who practice smudging reduce the use of materials for smudging to sage as though it's the only way to smudge. *rolls eyes* While I certainly enjoy smudging with just about any sage as much as the next American-born Eclectic Wicca-influenced Witch, I am all about Palo Santo Wood. Unlike a bundle of sage going "bad" if it's not used after awhile, palo santo sticks rarely suffer the same fate. (In fact, superstition says the wood must be fallen for several years before the mystical properties come into effect.) And, despite being a wood, it's just as "herbal" as any sage bundle in strength with a scent that is somehow soft and refreshing. Now, at $9 for four ounces worth of sticks (or $6 for 1 ounce of chips), this may seem rather pricey. However, when you consider that palo santo wood is from the wood of the Bursera tree, and regulations require that it be gathered from the fallen branches and twigs, I would pay the higher price any day for the ethical (and legal) harvesting method. And did I mention a little goes a long way?

Native Soul Holy Smoke Incense

Okay, so this one was hilarious to me (and, yes, I realize that in saying that, it's about to be half as funny as I think it is). Now when you see the packaging of the Native Soul's Holy Smoke incense smudging sticks ($2.50/box), complete with a dream-catcher image, you might think, "Oh, this is different!" You open up the box to find a paper bag tied at the end and a sticker holding a feather in place. This packaging is beautiful and enticing. It just screams "Native American." So, in typical I-live-in-America-and-am-familiar-with-Native-American-based-company-products, I flip to the back of the box to find out which reservation or program profit proceeds go to. Well, that was silly thinking on my part, because they don't. As it turns out, Native Soul incense smudge sticks are produced by the Green Tree Candle Company in the Netherlands (yep, that would be in Europe), and where do you think they are made? Yes, that's right. Travel all the way through to Asia to beautiful India. (-_- wrong "Indian.") To the best as I can tell, no Native Americans are involved in any way with this product.

But before this has a chance to set you off on a cultural appropriation spiel, let me point out that there isn't anything on the packaging claiming this is authentic Native American in any way. Rather, the description explains the practice of smudging used as "a cleansing ritual that dates back to the Native American Indian people" and how this practice of purifying bad spirits and negative vibrations for a new start inspired the use of the herbs and spices to make this incense line. Holy smoke in particular is described as trying to evoke the imagery "of campfires and wilderness" while drawing positive energies. Did they go a bit too far by misleading with the name and imagery on the packaging? Yeah, I think so. (Our world is way too busy for many of us to do our homework on every product we see.) But they do try to make up for it by their stamps of being hand-rolled incense, ethically produced eco-friendly product, and child labor free. And, I have to admit, it smells absolutely wonderful and does evoke a mindset that is ready for spiritual practice, be it Yoga, meditation, journeying, ritual, or prayer.

So the moral of this story review is that you can find high quality incense worth every penny at affordable prices. In fact, some of these prices are but mere cents more than that low quality "incense" we managed to convince ourselves was worth buying when our budgets are tight. Save that $1 and put it toward some real, high quality incense. You'll appreciate yourself for it!

What Wicca Is: An Answer in a Sea of Voices

The Wiccan Rede is often explained as a law and followed by all Witches and Pagans. The truth, however, is that it is a magickal guideline specific to Wicca and that other Witches and Pagans may not adhere to it at all. | Source: Ambrosias Grahics Collection

Let's face it. The answers are not so clear. People hear that Wicca is a nature-worshiping religion or the term for modern witches and they seek out answers to what it is. There is an old saying that if you ask 10 witches what witchcraft is, you will get 11 different answers. Unfortunately, the same is often wrongly said about Wicca.

Even setting aside fundamentalist Wiccan covens and groups, Wicca is not so loosely defined as the general public is often led to believe by the amount of answers they run across. The problem worsens when the only self-proclaimed Wiccan they ever meet is a newcomer to the faith who just picked up a book on the subject last week and knows only the slightest bit more than those asking about it. Add to it that authors write to sell and some of the larger organizations within the Craft are more concerned with turning a profit than bringing real magick to the world and all the answers about what Wicca is fall short at best.

To get to what Wicca is, we must start with what Wicca is not.

Misconceptions, Mistakes, & Fluffiness

The most common errors in answers to the "What is Wicca?" question are merely misconceptions that arise because of perceptions of known data. Others are mistakes that lead both the questioner and respondent astray; many of which are the results of jumping to early conclusions to fill in historical gaps before the real experts have a chance to check the evidence. Finally, the oh-so-despised source of errors: fluffies (term used within the Wiccan community to describe individuals who are new to or never bothered to research Wicca and act as representatives of the faith without all or any of the facts).

Let's take a closer look at some of the more common answers that are incorrect.

• Wicca and Witchcraft are the same thing. No. No, they are not. When Wicca first hit the public stage, they were considered one and the same, but noticeable differences began to reveal themselves over the course of time. Wicca is a religion which incorporates a form of witchcraft (more formal than folk magick, but still less elaborate than many forms of ceremonial magick). All Wiccans, then, are witches, but the reverse of this statement is most certainly not true. 
• Wiccans are just a part of role-play like D&D. I still cringe when I come across someone who believes this, although it is less common now than about a decade ago. Imagine: As a self-proclaimed Wiccan on the internet you could find yourself invited to a message forum or group of Wiccans, get there, and find yourself staring at role-play threads. All "Wiccans" are magic-throwing, creature-summoning "witches" more akin to Final Fantasy mages. When you try to bring up what Wicca really is, you are quickly bombarded with responses that you need to play along because Wicca is not real outside of fantasy. I have heard of D&D and WoW players so absorbed in the role-play that they confuse fact and fantasy. These "Wicca is role-play" guys seem more delusional. 
• Wicca is some fad teenagers go through. Okay, there is a little truth to this one. Wicca is not a fad, yet there are some pre-teens and teenagers (of the fluffy variety as defined above) who do treat it as such. They get into it because of rivalry at school and want to throw some curses, they want to look cool and be a "witch" (bonus points if you claim genetic lineage), or it sounds great. Of course, they eventually drop it either because they are done rebelling or because they begin to understand what real Wicca is and get bored (who wants to do all that real work?). For those who actually learn, practice, and live as real Wiccans, Wicca is certainly no fad but a life-long faith. 
• Wicca is another name for Satanism. For this one, you have to look at the context in which the answer was provided. According to some Christian denominations, any faith or path that differs from what is considered by that denomination to be good, holy, and a path to God is either a creation of Satan or a means by which Christian-defined Satanists worship the devil. In that context and by that perspective, yes. Apart from Christian beliefs, no. Wicca has nothing to do with either Christian-defined Satanism or the actual religion called Satanism (yes, there is a huge difference between the two). Wicca is a separate religion entirely. 
• Wicca is all about peace and love and unicorns and candy rainbows and... Okay, we admit this happy-go-lucky, all peace and light and goodness stereotype was of our own making. We had to tweak the basic concepts a bit to help calm the roar of the majority who are not often pleased with change and could not look past millennia of negative stereotypes. Wicca is all about balance and recognizing both positive and negative in the world. We need protection magick because there are those in the world who do not share our magickal ethics. We need to know how to hex if it is the only way to prevent a greater harm to ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities. We do acknowledge, accept, and work with the darker energies to bring balance to the light. (Please, no Star Wars cracks in the comments. Thank you.) We work with our shadows so that we can act in peace and love and not out of repressed anger and other potentially negative emotions. 
• Wicca is an ancient religion/the first religion. Wrong. Wicca is approximately 60 years old. We only thought it was an ancient religion because of some popular theories that suggested early cave drawings hinted at some ancient sympathetic-magick practicing religion with a central God and Goddess. The theories then (wrongly) assumed that all forms of magickal practitioners were somehow interconnected and survived witch-hunts throughout the world. (For more information see Common Word Usage Misunderstanding: Root of "Witch".) Wicca does incorporate practices and traditions that are ancient in origin and has absorbed many folk and ceremonial aspects that have very well survived through family and occult lineages. However, that does not make it ancient.

The Wiccan Sabbats also referred to as the Wheel of the Year | Source: Ambrosias Grahics Collection

The Honest Answer

With a clearer picture of what Wicca is not, we can now move onto what Wicca is. Here we will notice that Wicca has come a long way since its creation in the last century and that many branches, or traditions, exist that differ from the original covens. However, you will also notice that despite differences between individual traditions, common beliefs and practices exist that differentiate Wicca from other Pagan and magickal paths.

• Belief in a Goddess and God. Wiccans honor and work with the Goddess and God. Depending upon tradition, Wiccans either view all Gods and Goddesses as components, or faces, of just one Goddess and one God or they believe that all Gods and Goddesses are separate but work exclusively (or nearly exclusively) with only one Goddess and one God. 
• Sacred Elements are central to reality. Similar to other belief systems in the world, Wiccans believe that certain elements come together to form all matter as we know it. These Elements are Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and Spirit (often referred to as Akasha). The five elements are the most basic forms of all creation. Although they are not necessarily entities of and by themselves, they are often worked with as such to provide better understanding of the Universe and existence. Certain traits, characteristics, emotions, behaviors, etc. are attributed to each of the Elements to provide better understanding of life experiences. Magick involving the elements aids the Wiccan in connecting with specific energies for specialized purposes. For example, the Element Air is associated with cognitive functions, communication, and creativity. A Wiccan may use Air magick to assist with research, public speaking, and writing. 
• Magick and energy are real and inherent within all things. As all matter is composed of energy and the shifting and manipulation of energy creates changes, Wiccans recognize that humans are capable of real magick by consciously using their energies and the energies inherent within plants, stones, etc. to cause changes to occur outside of themselves and manifest in this world. 
• Sabbats and Esbats are days of power and cause for celebration. Wiccans recognize eight Sabbats (the solstices, equinoxes, and the days in-between each) and 13 to 26 esbats. The Sabbats are marked by the patterns of the sun and the seasons and celebrate the changes that occur. Ritual and magick performed during these times utilize the energy of these times of year. Esbats may include either only full moons or full moons and dark or new moons. The full moon is considered a time of power and used for magick of all sorts. The dark moon is more of a time of reflection and is best used for shadow work and releasing of unwanted energies and behaviors. Finally, the new moon immediately follows the dark moon and is a time of new beginnings, moving forward, and initiating projects. Some groups may honor all or only one of these lunar cycles as a time of celebration. 
• Covens, circles, and solitaries. Unlike the structure of other faiths, Wicca is rather loose in the way Wiccans gather and work together. This is perhaps the central area of Wicca in which fundamentalism has taken root and caused tension within the faith. Originally, to become Wiccan required formal initiation into an established coven. As a new (albeit believed to be old) faith, only one such coven existed. It took time for more covens to form and other traditions to announce themselves as established Wiccan covens. The vast majority of individuals who heard the calling to the path and were true of faith had no access to these limited covens. As a result, circles formed to create groups of aspiring Wiccans to learn and practice together without formal initiation. Today, such circles often go on to create a new coven from scratch while circles remain as groups open to the public. Sometimes, however, even circles are an impossibility because of location and other circumstances. As such, the idea of solitary practitioners became a norm. Solitaries rely heavily on books, the internet, and direct experiences with nature to learn their path and may require considerably more time to reach the same level of magickal proficiency and knowledge as coven-initiated peers. While fundamentalism within Wicca preaches that a solitary cannot be Wiccan, the original founder of Wicca, Gerald Gardner, clearly wrote of his excitement when receiving mail from solitaries in other parts of the world. He recognized them as fellow Wiccans without question. 
• One definite standard of ethics. Different Wiccan traditions may hold a variety of values and ethics as important above others to lead to healthy, happy lives. However, one central ethic is found in the Wiccan Rede. The eight words of the Wiccan Rede are "An' it harm none, do as ye will." Some mistake this rede for a rule, but it is merely a guideline. However, it is prized within the Wiccan community and all Wiccans abide by it. The Rede is understood to mean that you should not intentionally cause harm to others, although you are free to do whatever you please in life. It stands as an ethical standard to remind the Wiccan to be consciously aware of his or her actions and to consider all possible outcomes of a magickal act. Ultimately, it is a reminder of personal responsibility. All actions have reactions. Are you willing to accept the consequences? Will the outcome be your desired outcome? Or are you rushing in without considering everything that will be influenced? Before hexing another, is it really necessary to do so? Are you willing to be bound to the one you hexed for the remainder of your life? Is it worth it? Wiccans strive to cause as little harm to themselves and others as possible to maintain balance.

There are other aspects of traditions, beliefs, and practices that differentiate Wicca from other Pagan and Witchcraft paths as well as other religions. As all religions should, Wicca will continue to evolve, but will only do so successfully so long as its followers truly understand what makes them Wiccan. For the outsider, simply sorting out the myths and misconceptions of what Wicca is helps considerably in understanding loved ones who are Wiccan and realizing why Wiccans behave or believe as they do. Getting past the sea of voices, you can find the real answer is not so difficult and makes far more sense.

Source: http://www.kozzi.com

More Information

• Basics of Wicca - Messages in the Moonlight - The basics of Wicca. Addresses the myths and misconceptions about Witches and details the core beliefs of Wicca. 
• What is Wrong with Wicca | Why Wicca Sucks Redux - Wicca is a popular witchcraft-based religion, which was founded by an English charlatan named Gerald Gardner in the 1950s. It began to become popular in some parts of the U. S. in the 1970s and by the 1990s, it was a fad in high schools and on college campuses. 
• Wicca for the Rest of Us - Stop the Fluff. Think for yourself. Fight the Bunny. Site that promotes Wiccans to truly know their faith. Clears up misconceptions and provides real information.

© 2012 Evylyn Rose

Relocating Old Articles to Bewitching Momma

Between 2011 & 2012, I wrote a bunch of articles for HubPages. It seemed like a good idea at the time and I loved the community there. But it quickly became apparent that the company was just your same-old, run-of-the-mill content farm, making big bucks off of the time, energy, and talents of writers trying to supplement their incomes (but receiving only ever-decreasing pennies of their earning potentials for their efforts). When I stopped writing there, I relocated a bunch of my articles, mostly to Messages in the Moonlight. But I left quite a few there because they were specific to HubPages or I simply didn't have a home for them at the time.

I largely forgot about my intention to continue moving them, and let them sit because I was, well, kept very busy by Life being Life. But then HubPages started this thing with "sister sites" which are really just their attempt to reinvigorate their search rankings as Google algorithms improve to boost quality, non-content-farm information to the top. They moved one of my articles "What Wicca Is: An Answer in a Sea of Voices" to their site Exemplore and sent me an email to notify me of the edits they made.

The edits consisted of changing the title to something that was only accurate for a tiny chunk of the article as a whole (and very misleading as to what the article was), "fixing" the grammar of a single sentence so that it was entirely wrong (as would be easily recognized by anyone who knew anything of the subject at hand), and removing all links to additional information on the basis of not allowing self-serving links (the majority of the links were not any of mine and I certainly didn't benefit personally from listing them, yet all links were removed anyway).

Being the wise-ass that I am, I went back in and undid the changes they made. Sure enough, they did it again, this time leaving the title and that content of the article alone. They removed all links again, and specified in their email, again, that self-serving links were a no-no. Never mind that not all links pointed to any site of my own. Maybe had they only removed the link that was mine I'd have left it alone, but the way they removed all links, as though to ensure visitors did not go to anywhere that was not one of their own sites, I would have been like, "Okay, whatever." But that refusal to allow writers to link to high-quality content outside of the HubPages universe disgusted me too much to bare, so I unpublished all of my articles and deleted the ones specific to HubPages that will have no home elsewhere.

Over the coming months, I'll be re-homing the rest of my old articles. There's still a couple that may fit in with Messages in the Moonlight, but, for the most part, they'll probably be moving here. As such, I probably won't be posting a whole lot of newer material for awhile.

To keep track of the progress and how to find the relocated articles, see List of Evy's Redirected Articles.

Blessings,

Evy

The Untraining of This Sea Priestess: A Work in Progress

I’ve made mentions previously that I’ve been going through therapy for a while now. Somehow, I keep getting my hands on or being asked to review books which seem to fit precisely where I’m at (and still stuck) in the moment that help me to keep moving forward. The Untraining of a Sea Priestess: A Practical Journey to Connect with Cosmic Water Wisdom seems to follow that flow for me.

In the first paragraph of the introduction, Stephanie says, "If you are reading these lessons for just the purpose of accumulating more knowledge, be careful, because you may fall into the sea and become more than you could have ever imagined." Well, at least she warned me! 

Right away, I was amazed and encouraged by Stephanie Leon Neal’s writing style. She knows exactly how to word things in a way that encourages you to take an honest self-inventory and question your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, but does so in a way that is perfectly validating and non-judgmental. It’s like having all the things a good therapist tries to teach you to do in general (talk confidently, be gentle, build your esteem, make changes without judging who you are or have been) and putting it into a spiritual/religious context that your therapist may not be able to provide. It’s beautiful, endearing, and much needed in our lives today.

In fact, this has been quite the struggle point for me in my own healing process of late. Esteem and worthiness issues have always been a battle ground of no-win for me and it's not hard to slip back into negative self-talk no matter how much progress I've made of late. Stephanie's words were perfect and in just the right context to help with the hurdles.

This book came to me in the thick of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD symptoms. Unlike the previous year of going through therapy (which was mostly just remedial training in areas involving mindfulness and goal setting, and getting fresh perspectives in these areas), CPT set my avoidance tactics into overdrive. Like, seriously bad. I don't think I've ever been so willful in my life. (For those unfamiliar, CPT is basically taking a negative thought and re-framing it to something more positive and equally believable - with a focus on the PTSD-inducing trauma event, of course). 

It wasn't just typical procrastination or even the weird "better than" thing I had going on last year (I already knew everything, so why did I have to spend so much time on it? - Duh. Because clearly I forgot to use it!). This time was like fighting against myself in an all out, metaphorical Battle Royale sort of way. Please. Don't. Make. Me. Do. This. I reallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyREALLY don't want to!

And then The Untraining of a Sea Priestess arrived. I wasted no time reading it, crying as Stephanie said the exact words I needed to hear.

I got about half-way through before hitting a bit of snag. Which makes a lot of sense given much of the untraining takes place in that first half and fit very well with CPT. Hitting a snag in therapy would equally be a snag in my untraining. So after sitting on it for a little while, I went back through and reread the first half, and used sticky tabs to mark important parts so I could turn to them quickly. Mostly phrases and points that stood out, but also exercises (like meeting the Sea Mother) that really brought me "home."

Again, this fit really well with my avoidance. One of my tabs is on: "If you... start saying to yourself, 'I can't do this; I am not good enough,' that is the worst kind of violence against you. It is like punching yourself in the face over and over; in the end you lose a little more of yourself... It is time to make a choice to move, make a choice to connect."

From there, I took my time reading the book. Letting days or even a week go by, just reflecting. Meditating on the imagery, watching underwater documentaries, or otherwise connecting. It was very clear by this point that I wan't just reading a book about a sea priestess path to write a review. I wasn't just reading for personal enjoyment or gathering knowledge. I wasn't just maybe surprisingly very open to the possibility of maybe this could be a path I could relate to. Like you'll sometimes hear in witchcraft communities, a teacher will tell the student, "You aren't learning. You're remembering," it was clear that I had reached the next phase in my remembering, and past experiences started clicking together in that "seeing the bigger picture" puzzle sort of way.

Fluid Art by Isabel, Sunshine Mama Studios
(this photo taken on my phone doesn't do the painting justice)

Synchronicities have been popping up all over since this book arrived. Lots of water related themes in dreams, books, movies. Just water everywhere. And when not water, then something else pointing me toward it. Like this painting here. One Friday evening after work it was nice and warm and I thought to myself: I pay for monthly downtown parking. The weather is great. My usual aches and pains are tolerable today. A three year old can handle a few city blocks. Let's go eat dinner someplace downtown. (Whoo! Look at me overcoming avoidance!)

As we turn a corner I am suddenly aware of other people. Doing my usual thing of just holding onto Gabe's hand and walking past, minding my own business, thankyouverymuch, and hoping to be about as invisible as I wished I were, a man suddenly says "It's a festival" as if answering a question no one asked aloud. At first I tried to ignore this man who is helping others with streaming flags across the street, but I look around and say, "Oh?" He goes on to explain they were having a little festival that Saturday mostly for kids and that there would be vendors and crafts and stuff. I thanked him, and Gabe and I went on our merry way to have dinner.

And we went back the next morning. Almost didn't. Procrastinated just a bit, but went back anyway. The very first booth there was this painting. I didn't get a good look at it at first because others were inquiring about it. I glanced and was about to walk away, but then I saw little paintings of what looked like ocean water and turned around. Then I saw this painting. I knew immediately it was mine. The pull, the way my heart says, "Hear me." Just staring at this painting, I hear the ocean, I feel my heart opening, my vibrations are lifted. I stayed put at that booth, waiting on other customers and through technical difficulties, refusing to budge until I had successfully paid for this painting.

Yeah, this beautiful blend of ocean, water, humanity, the universe and all of matter, magick, and spirituality isn't just a random collage of concepts. And The Untraining of a Sea Priestess didn't make its way to me just to be read and set aside.

Admittedly, I can see someone who is not familiar with ocean/sea/underwater environments struggling with some of the metaphors (although, I love them!). And there are some moments you’ll need at least some basic knowledge of spiritual/metaphysical concepts as well as some understanding of psychology and related terms. As such, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book to someone who is completely ignorant or uneducated in these areas, mainly because it may leave them confused. But, with that said, if that same someone were eagerly willing to learn those things and doesn’t mind referencing other sources along the way, there’s no reason the basic understanding can’t be attained (which would make this book extra awesome for that reason).

And, yet, this path is definitely not meant for everyone. I suspect this will be one of those books that if you are meant for the Sea Priestess path, you will be drawn to it or it to you. Although not for everyone, I do highly recommend this book. Mainly because of the universal truths that apply to everyone found within the pages (along with the nurturing writing style and words of encouragement we all need!). But also because this book is most definitely for Sea Priestesses and Priests who need awakening and guidance, and you may not know that you are a Sea Priestess or Priest yet to be tapped.

As I complete CPT and find that there's still a lot of work to do that I'll be struggling with for years to come, I also finish this book. I sit on the Sea Priestess Initiation and know that it's coming. My Ego is still prominent as my mind struggles to heal from past traumas, giving Ego all the excuse it needs to be an ass. But I can feel the Sea wearing the Ego thin. There's healing here, and more steps to follow.

Blessings,
Evy

Roanoke Witches & Pagans Round 2 - Arm Yourselves With Awareness

Several months ago, I posted a bit of a ranting vent about a start-up Witch and Pagan group in the Roanoke, Virginia area and the anti-child attitude I got side-blinded by. But what made it worse than basically being told I had no place in the local Pagan community as a single parent with a small child were all the little things about the exchange that were little red flags of a dysfunctional group.

So imagine my annoyance when I get an email from Meetup.com about a new group in the area with an eerily similar name. The snippet of the description was equally similar enough to set off warning flares. Are we sure this is a "new" group? I tried to withhold judgement and looked it up. Sure enough, it was different, but in a shortened and condensed (and less biographical) version of the previous group's description. (I was quite relieved to see the "18+ only" prominently displayed, letting me know not to waste my time. So at least there was that.)

Out of curiosity, I tried looking up the old group and it was gone. So it kind of gives me the idea that the old group did not pan out well &, sure to my previous prediction, the old organizer's pattern of failed attempts at getting groups running continued. But what bugged me out was checking my messages and seeing that the old organizer had deleted his profile.

Sketchy. Sketchy. Sketchy.

Since I have no interaction with this allegedly new group, anything I could comment would be purely speculative and that's just not helpful to anyone. Honestly, my suspicion is it's probably just people who had been part of the old group having an "I can do way better than that last guy" attitude and having only the best of intentions. In which case, I wish them all the best.

Whether or not I'm simply donning my usual rose-colored glasses, what irked me the most about seeing all these little things is the possibility of there being something legitimately sketchy about it. That's not saying you should avoid this particular group. It's more an acknowledgment of how easy it would be in this area for a dysfunctional or abusive group to sprout up in the Pagan community and no one really be fully aware of it.

The Pagan community here is very small and spaced out (especially compared to what I'm used to back in Colorado). Those who are "loud and proud" - or even just open - about their spirituality are noticeably rarer. For those seeking a group, there isn't much of any to choose from, those that are can be hard to find or get in touch with, and the chances of anyone around here having much experience with a Pagan-centered group outside of the internet world is slim.

So when I say ignorance of what to watch out for is high around here, I mean that in the "how can you possibly know?" sense. The odds are against anyone here who has never had experiences with larger Pagan communities.

In the post from months ago, I referenced the Issac Bonewit's method of evaluating cult danger with a group. But, let's face it, that may not be the best tool for everyone. So this time, I'm going to refer you to some great articles on this very subject of red flags and things to watch out for when joining a Pagan group or Witch coven.

Joining a Coven or Other Pagan Group -- Red Flags to Avoid

Bronwen Forbes goes into some details about what to watch out for - good and bad - in a potential group or coven. She touches on ritual, leadership, money, and even how to leave a group.

How to Spot a Terrible Coven

Thorn Mooney gives no-nonsense, straight-forward point-by-point steps to take when checking out and deciding on a coven. If you read nothing else on this subject, read these points and you will be all the better (and safer!) for it.

Warning Signs In Prospective Covens - Red Flags to Watch Out For

A favorite of mine, Patti Wigington touches on this subject very well. Again, if all you read are the 8 points she provides, you will avoid much heartache, pain, and potential danger. In addition to providing what to watch out for and how to avoid bad situations, this one also embeds tips for finding the right group/coven for you. 

So wherever you live, no matter your experience level, age, path, etc. be sure to know what to watch out for. Don't take someone else's word for it. Determine if a group is safe, healthy, and right for you for yourself. But do it armed with knowledge and awareness of what to watch out for. And, for your sake, make being aware and safe a higher priority than being part of a group.

Safe travels & happy gatherings,
Evy

The Journey Behind Reviewing a Book

Last October, I was contacted by an author to read his book. At the time, I was having a very difficult time, to say the least. My new job (the absolute perfect job for me at present) took me out of state for a 6-week training. The first couple weeks were hell for me. The training itself was easy, but the financial aspect left me in a place of hell-bent self-prophesying a worst-case scenario. The last thing on my mind was attending to emails.

Ultimately, I found myself in a choice. The worst case scenario of my situation would have validated a thought that trying (at this thing called life) simply wasn't worth it anymore. I tried and tried, and all my efforts lead back to failure. So one day, I gave myself the right to have that choice. Keep trying and struggle fruitlessly, end it now, or have fun until that worst case scenario I was so sure was unavoidable and end it then. Seeing as how my son was with me, I opted for fun. We simply made the best of our circumstances and enjoyed ourselves.

The funny thing about that decision -- to just let go and take what the Universe was going to dish out -- was the result. The worst case scenario never came. It didn't even get close. In fact, life turned completely around, doors of positive opportunity and support burst open, and the world became a safe and manageable place again (even when it still sucks or tries to scare the shit out of you). The blessings are still pouring in. I would say "If I had known that it worked like that, I'd have done it years ago," but, honestly, the truth is you can't really know better until you just do it: Completely surrender to the ebb and flow. (Side note: To any of you who have ever heard me say, "I just want to be proved wrong," well, the Universe just proved me wrong and I'm eternally grateful for it.)

Last month, I finally sat down to catch up on all those emails I had intentionally ignored. I got back to that author. His name is Jerry McDaniel and his book is Channeling the Mothership. Admittedly, I was a little hesitant. My mind instantly went to alien conspiracy theories, and, while I do grasp a few non-conspiracy alien theories to be worth contemplating and finding the truth in, it's not really my area of expertise.

So I looked up the book to get a better idea of what it was about and was in awe. Questions about "are we alone or connected?" and topics dealing with intuition, mediumship, free will, karma, the Higher Self, etc. All things that had been on my mind and in line with omens and messages I had been receiving. This was definitely a book I needed to check out. I asked him to send it my way.

When Channeling the Mothership arrived, the very first thing I noticed was Jerry's message to me. Three words. Just three words, and all words I need to hear, need to remember, and need to work on. Jerry McDaniel is a psychic medium and clairvoyant. He reaches out to me at a potentially terrifying turning point in my life. He writes a message to me that resonates every part of my body. I think his Higher Self was having a good, long chat with my Higher Self while I was busy attending to my ego.

At first, I dived right in without wasting a second. That first chapter didn't include anything that was particularly new to me, and yet I was blown away by it. Great reminders and questions worth answering (even though I had answered some of them before). What a fantastic tool! And I was already building my list of people I want to pass this book onto; some like me who may not see it as new, but valuable, and others who it will be very new and much needed.

And then resistance set in. It wasn't immediately obvious that's what it was. It was the holidays and there was stuff (and more stuff) going on -- all different stories for another time. But there were slow moments and after-the-holidays moments and I was like, "I'm going to sit down and read tonight." But didn't. Oh, there were lists of reasons why. Exhaustion (oh, yeah, turns out my vitamin D is extra low this year. My bad), lack of time, other priorities, etc., etc. Eventually I did pick it up as intended, and it was like perfect timing all over again. The very things coming through to me were sure enough right here in the pages in front of me. I'm totally going to finish it.

But then I didn't. That resistance rushed in again. Only, this time, I called it what it was: Resistance. Why was  I resisting? What was I resisting exactly? How do I overcome it? What's getting in my way? On and on. Sometimes I asked the question and let it go (guilt has a way of doing that). Other times I sat with it. No idea. At least not yet.

Thankfully, Jerry reached back out to me to check if I'd had the chance to review the book. And, of course, guilt washed over me. Horrible, terrible guilt. No, I had not. Have to finish reading to write a review and I was being a very, very bad reader by not reading. But just as guilt has a way of making us turn away from looking at the things we don't want, it's also a super helpful emotion to motivate you to get your ass in gear. So I finished reading Channeling the Mothership.

I didn't do it right then and there, mind you. This is a book with questions. Questions that if you don't at least ask yourself (even if you don't have an answer yet), you aren't absorbing the messages this book provides. So I gave myself two nights, after getting my son to bed, to spend a couple hours reading, contemplating, answering questions, and making notes (at the back of the book are lined pages for you to write whatever you like on each chapter). When I finished it, I was happy. Not because I'd finished it, but because I thoroughly enjoyed it (and, yes, I chuckled at myself quite a bit when Jerry talks about resistance).

I wrote and published the reviews (the first draft was complete shit that failed to do any level of justice for Channeling the Mothership, so I scrapped it; I hope what you see published elsewhere encourages you to read this book). And now I'm writing up this long, little story about the experience of reviewing it. At least, that's what it probably sounds like to you.

The truth is, when I thought about writing up a blog post review of Channeling the Mothership, it didn't feel right. I love the book and highly encourage you to read it. But more importantly, we all understand that anyone can write a book about anything, have it published, and people like it. When it comes to discerning the truth, things get trickier. Whether it's the title, the cover, the style, or even the message within a book, we can be very skeptical. For me, it's easy to read Jerry's book and know that his messages are truth because they are messages I already have experienced or was in the midst of experiencing as I read it. For others, powers of skepticism can sometimes blind us from messages of truth. And for that, you need validation.

This post is the validation. I have never sat down with Jerry or had a full conversation (our emails are rather short and to the point; quite a feat for someone as verbose as me).  He has never given me a reading and I certainly don't recall any loved ones who've passed running it by me to seek him out. And yet, his timing to reach out to me, his three-word message to me, his book and the messages it brings, and his poke at my bewildering resistance speaks volumes. I don't know if it was intentional all along. I don't know if he consciously was aware of all this. (Given my experiences with intuition and psychicism, that's pretty close to never the case.) Still, he did it. That's legit in my book. And it speaks volumes to the validity of everything you find in Channeling the Mothership.

Thank you, Jerry!

Blessings,
Evy

Thoughts on The Witch's Journey - A Review of Sorts

When Elaanie S reached out to me about her new book and offered to let me read it, I was stoked. The title alone, The Witch's Jouney: Cutting the Cords of Christian Dogma, likely wouldn't have caught my attention right away. Sounds interesting, but my To-Read list grows ever longer everyday and I'm not a particularly quick reader (not to mention the downside to being multi-passionate means breaking down each of my passions into smaller, crunched-time segments). But she gave me a synopsis and I knew I needed to read it; Especially as a Witch in the South who is not from the South and still acclimating socially.

I'm going to start out with saying that this is a must-read for anyone. If you are a Witch coming from a Christian background or family in particular. But also if you are a Pagan or anyone of a non-Christian religion or spirituality. Even if you are atheist or consider yourself to be secular in your way of thinking and moving about the world. Simply living in a Christian-dominated society, makes this an important read. But I extend this reading suggestion to all.

I absolutely do recommend this book to any Christians who want to understand why anyone would ever choose a non-Christian path beyond an over-simplified and vague Christian-based answer. Who may have questions about their own faith and not knowing how to go about getting answers. Who may have friends or family who are Witches and want to understand where they are coming from. Not to discard your faith, but to know it and understand it personally. To answer the frustrating question of why a non-Christian may have animosity toward Christianity or the Bible or scripture. To challenge your beliefs, connect deeper with God, and strengthen your faith with the clearest of sight.

Bottom line, check this book out. Definitely. (And if you're thinking I'm saying all this just because I was asked to read it, I'll have you know that several of my reviews on Messages in the Moonlight over the years were books I was asked to review and a couple of them, well, let's just say I did not help with sales on those titles!)

Before I tell you about the reasons why this book was a phenomenal read for me, I'm going to point out some flaws. And by "flaws" I mean I had pet-peeves triggered. Elaanie did an amazing job relieving those triggers.

The first was right in the opening. Like so many books on the topic of Wicca and Witchcraft in recent decades, there's the heavily implied "lineage of Witchcraft tradition spanning back to the beginning of man, surviving underground through persecution of Witches in which so many Witches died" thing going on. I had to take care not to let this personal pet peeve get in the way of taking in what's in front of me, though. See, when it comes to this particular area, I tend to acknowledge--with hypersensitivity--that the average reader does not (yet) possess enough detailed knowledge on the subject to understand that Elaanie isn't making fantastical claims. It could be easily misunderstood by someone hearing of it for the first time, but no big foul. Especially considering that this lasts for all of about a page. (Yes. Meaning I am making a big stink out of a whole lot of not-a-big-deal.)

But as I read it, it made me flip to the bibliography so I could find where she was coming from. Looking at it, I could feel my eye twitching on the verge of having its own stroke. While there's great sources in there, I was freaking out by the list of Wikipedia entries. Wikipedia is a great "quick look-up, remember anyone can edit it, answer a simple question" resource. Scholarly, it is not. (Note: "Can be" is not the same as "is.") But I wanted to read this book, and so I did. If a bibliography referencing Wikipedia is a petpeeve for you, Elaanie will ease your anxieties as you read The Witch's Journey all the way through. It's obvious she has spent a lot of time researching over the years to come to her conclusions. What she shares with you is legit. It can be a pain in the ass hunting down and referencing every single source you originally heard or learned something from. (I've totally been there!) It's much easier to use a source like Wikipedia as a refresher to help with sharing the information.

The only other eyebrow raiser is the occasional "Witches believe" or "Witchcraft is" moment that I know several Witches who would be ready to argue is not representative of all Witches and forms of Witchcraft. I'm not going to say much about this point, because, if you're paying attention while reading The Witch's Journey, Elaanie makes it painfully clear again and again that nothing is 100% "this or that" and that there's a whole lot of grey. (Plus other books can cover such topics more in-depth.)

And now for how I really feel about this book:

Elaanie starts off by telling her story. Throughout the book, she does not tell the story in perfect "time is linear" chronlogical fashion. Instead, her "naturally Witchiness" shows as a more circular or cyclical timeline is presented. I admit, I had a little trouble relating at first, because her story is so very different from my own. But not an unfamiliar story to me. Once you put everything into the context of culture during the time and where it took place, it all makes total sense why Elaanie's path presented and manifested in the way that it did. Each of our stories unfolded the way they did because that's how they needed to.

As I followed along, I found myself struggling personally. I had a little sleeplessness the first night when I began to read The Witch's Journey. My thoughts were spinning and looping memories of experiences in churches, various denominations, heated conversations with friends, insulting moments of invalidation from loved ones. (In hindsight, I maybe should have picked a better stopping point right before going to bed!) Elaanie's story may be personal and specific to her, but in sharing her experiences with us, she manages to drag out all the things we've left buried. You might think that's not a selling point, but I assure you: Dredging up the past and old hurts is exactly what has to happen if you are to find healing. And that's what I experienced.

As her story-telling moved onto her catalyst that led her to her true path, I cried. It's not common to feel a sense of real, unspoken connection with someone you've never met to such a degree. I was floored. Thank you, Elaanie, for sharing that moment of pain, confusion, and awakening with us.

After that moment, her story begins to resemble a common history. It's a pattern I would say most Witches are all too familiar with having gone through it ourselves. From this point on in the book, we are all on the same wavelength and sharing an experience long past for some, more recent for others, and currently or soon-to-be for still other Witches.

I absolutely loved the way Elaanie breaks down hang-ups in Christianity. Breaking into digestible pieces of questions with answers and the understanding that the answers will go even deeper, but different for each individual. She also ties these things with how they impact our society outside of the practice of Christian faith. And that, makes this book invaluable in our day and age in this society. The book covers history/mythology briefly as well as components of Witchcraft-related beliefs, practices, and worldview all while addressing the Christian perspective and how it hinders or helps in our understanding.

And Elaanie never fails to point out indisbutable science! Anyone who knows me personally knows I'm a huge nerd and have a tendency of snapping into textbook mode; explaining Witch, Pagan, and other beliefs in terms of or in relation to science. I'm so tickled when I see someone else do the same! I was especially ecstatic as I read my own theory of the Universe when explaining the Witch view of the Divine. It's so beautiful knowing this is a conclusion other Witches have come to. (And I suppose I should stop referring to it as "my own theory.")

Throughout The Witch's Journey, the concept of sin is brought up. For the most part, I enjoyed Elaanie's tackling of the subject. Although I have to argue to some degree, if only to carry on the conversation. A friend once put my feelings on sin perfectly. My friend explained to me that the original meaning for the word "sin" was simply "missing the mark." While reading this book, I took time to reflect on that again. I've been criticized by fellow Witches for holding onto the concept of sin. But for me, I take all the dogma and theology out of it. I see it like this:

In living our lives, we are shooting arrows at a target. Where our arrows land is who we are (or presenting to be) in the moment. At the center of our target is our true, authentic selves. Now, we aren't all the best of shots. And even the best among us occasionally miss our mark. Outside influences, someone nudging our arms as we let the arrow loose, random wind burst, intoxication, etc. are contributing factors. When we miss the center, I would call that sin. But what's wrong with missing the center of the target? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. No harm, no need for judgment. It's a learning opportunity. Try again.

It's when we miss the center and leave it at that or start firing randomly or giving up and just accepting that we'll never hit the center that sin becomes a problem. When we give up living as our true authentic selves, no matter the reason, that is when sin becomes worth noting. But calling oneself a sinner (or begging for forgiveness) alone is fruitless. It's a wake-up call to nock the next arrow and try again. Keep trying and you get closer to the center. And before long (okay, so it feels like a long time, and can feel fucking infuriating) you will hit the center again.

For me, the way The Witch's Journey covers the subject of sin shows where the concept got lost and how it isn't helpful. So much dogma and attempts to define the Divine in limited terms results in striving for a "perfect" way of being and living. It is a false "authentic self" because it does not take into account the individual selves as, they are meant to be. If you are aiming at a very specific way of being that is not in alignment with your personal, unique authentic self, you aren't aiming at the center of your target. You're aiming at someone else's. And that doesn't help anyone.

Perhaps one of the best things about this book is that it covers a wealth of information, but does so concisely. It won't take you months to get through. And it took me two weeks only because I took my time with it and dragged it out as I absorbed (and healed). Elaanie provides a great starting point to do your own research if you want to know more. But even as a standalone, you will be more knowledgeable with it than without.

Bottom line, this book is fantastic. As the subtitle says: "Cutting the Cords of Christian Dogma." At the end of the day, no matter how you feel about Christianity in part or whole, whether you are Christian or not, the Christian religion—and most certainly a Christian faith—is not the problem; Christian Dogma is. And if you are trying to force it to fit you and denying your authentic self in the process, well, now, you're just sinning, aren't you? And hey, we've all been there. Take a deep breath, open your eyes, and find the target you and you alone were meant to reach.

Wishing you bright blessings whatever your path,
Evy