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I’ve not been posting for a while, just been caught up in daily life.
I thought I’d update a little on one of my favorite activities, old graveyards. I’ve been spending a little of my spare time researching and checking out some of the older cemetaries in the local area.
For those who don’t know, I actually have a blog on the subject and try and post some good pictures of some of the older and more interesting stones. That blog is HERE. I am an official member of the graveyard rabbit association whose links can be found over on the other blog.
Recently I have located and checked out a Roman Catholic Lithuanian cemetary which in fact is not as old as some of my favorite haunts but interesting just the same. The majority of the older graves there were in the 1940’s although I found a handful of earlier ones.
I also checked out a couple of sites in Hudson, NH. One had stones as far back as the early 1700’s, the other was mostly 1800’s and newer. It amazed me that the newer cemetery seemed very unkempt dispite burials I saw as late as 2008. The grass was high and uncut. How sad.
Anyway, I try and post on the other blog at least once a month and I have a few visits behind me that I haven’t posted on. In the near future I am thinking of hitting places such as Portsmouth NH or Salem Ma where I know I could find some of the older (oldest?) burial sites in the country.
I have suddenly become aware of the “fluffy” turn of my posts. I apologize. As entertaining as they are, I have fallen back on them in lieu of sitting down and writing out something more meaningful.
What I have been up to.
I recently wrote out (bit and pieced together) a ritual to cleanse and clear the house and to set up talisman protection for the entryways. It was long (although I dropped one part) and I think it went really well. There seemed to be an almost immediate result from it the next day when we completed the final working but it wasn’t what was expected. Maybe it didn’t have anything to do with it at all but it was awfully coincidental in it’s timing. For those who are interested in writing a similar ritual, this is how mine was composed:
1) A cleansing of space – First physically clean the house. Then research cleansing methods. Some involve floor washes, some involve even wiping down the walls with a special “potion” and others just a simple smudging. I let salt absorb negativity in the corners of every room for a day prior then smudged and used the sound of bells to clear out anything room by room. As I passed through the rooms (being careful to not pass through a non-clean room into a clean one) I sealed doors, windows and mirrors with Pentagrams and/or protection oil. On the doors or doorframes, I wrote protective runes in the oil.
2) Blessing and balancing the positive – To me, it made sense from my research that once the negative was out, it could leave an unbalance or an empty space void of energies. To regain that balance and introduce positive energy, I blessed or consecrated the rooms with salt water and a little prayer/blessing. You can also invoke deities of protection and happiness and burn a protective incense at this time as well.
3) Protection – Once I had a clear, blessed home, I added another level of protection by infusing objects with protective energy and placing them near entryways. You can find out how to do this by researching Talisman and Amulet creation. This part can immediately follow the above or be done later. If directly following, I don’t see the need for the usual circle casting that I would do if I managed it as a separate working. The entire space is already cleared, blessed and protected. You may cast one if you would like though. Part of mine was letting an offertory candle burn down. It was late so we had to “close down” the working before bed for safety and continued it in the morning. Once the objects were in place the whole ritual was complete.
Some may wonder why my posts are so general and vague. I will not post specifics on most of my magick here in the public eye. I have a book of shadows that I am working on as my experience increases and that is for those I work closely with only. There is such a variety in paths and beliefs that I feel it’s important to work with what feels right to you. I can tell you to call upon the power of Anubis, but if your pantheon isn’t Egyptian, then it won’t feel right or resonate in your soul and it will diminish your work. If you have studied long, then you will know what words and methods work for you. If you are beginning then I absolutely recommend researching and reading what others use and say and take what fits in your heart and mind as beautiful and effective. I always find things that I have written in that I thought would be good are sometimes awkward or long winded in practice so don’t worry about getting it perfect on paper the first time.
I’m going to just edit this post with continued updates on the progress of the circle construction. That way anyone interested can just go to one place to check on the progress.
July 21,2008: Boleskine93 and I have worked as much as we have been able to so far. There have been days that are just too hot and days I’m working all day so nothing got done. Today however we managed to get the Phoenician lettering of the Angel names traced in on the circle and he has begun to prime them with the gesso. This took some work and creativity. We couldn’t find a font online that exactly matched the one Poke Runyon has in his book. We found something close and had to thicken the letters up, add curves where there were previous sharper angles, and just “pretty up” others.
The energy in the house has seemed to change. Is it related to the magical endeavors going on in the dining room? Who knows. Definitely more going on the last few days though, in more ways than one. Boleskine93 has even reported increased “noises” in the house. (Which in itself are not unusual for this apt but the story of the lady who passed on in our place is for another time)
July 24,2008:
Black Paint. Acrylic Latex paint, Black as Black and darker still. Thicker than we first thought, eventually figured we could think it a bit. After it spread much easier and covered just as well. The blue you might see in the picture is just a pixel issue or something. In real life it’s true Black!
You see one of the triangles and the Phoenician for Gabriel whose name is also on the other side. Spaces on the left of that are the last letters of Michael in kind of a calligraphy script. That writing isn’t painted yet so it’s hard to see without the black being finished around it yet.
July 25,2008: Progress.
Aug 2,2008: Well, I’ve been working 2 shifts at work this week and have had but a few stolen moments to work on the circle when I wasn’t too tired. Boleskine93 has done a WONDERFUL job finishing the majority of the black and even getting some color in. I’ll just have some detailing around the lettering and the letters of the script to prime and finish. Then a few finishing details we want to add and the basic circle will be done! He and I have discussed other options like pentagrams on the outside and such but those will wait for later consideration. First things first. He even got the triangle cut out and started to sand and prime that. (He’s so awesome) We figure another week or so and all the necessary work will be complete.
Aug 9,2008: Circle is almost complete. Black around the lettering is done and all that is left is the white border on the inside and outside. Our Triangle is all cut, the white equilateral triangle is complete and the dark green circle was finished by Boleskine93 today while I was at work. Yesterday we spent the whole day on our project and it is coming out “Primo Dolce”. He began painting around the letters of the triangle and I joined in and took over when he tired this evening. Now what is left is the red letters and finishing up around the edges of lettering and white.
Being such a personal magical tool, I may not post any further pics of the circle. Boleskine and I may change our minds but until then you might just have to imagine the finished outcome.
Aug 10,2008: Ugh! Working 11-4. Five hours of wasted time when I could be working on the triangle with Boleskine93! He sometimes thinks I’m obsessed, or possessed! I just see it coming together and I want to get it done. I’m driven, focused, maybe that’s one reason I’m a bit snappy today. This interruption of employment is frustrating me right now. Maybe I should have left the paint alone this morning, but how could I? Painting the triangle is going much faster than on the canvas. It’s a better, sort of smother material with it’s own issues, but easier. I KNOW that 3-4 hours of good work and it will be done. That will even include the Phoenician “Michael” around the circle. That will leave just the white border on the circle. Some of the black will have to be brought down for a clean line and the white done. Just minor details. The names and colors are complete. I want to be home, I want to be painting and working on baking lasagna. I want to have my hands creating and productive. Check out Boleskine93’s blog to see pic’s of the triangle in progress here. It’s a thing of beauty.
Aug 27,2008: Although the basics are now complete, We have decided to “beef it up” a bit. We hemmed and hawed over this design or that one. Should it be outside the existing circle and extend it out or be in the center? Should it be an additional ring or symbol that covers the whole center where we stand? That’s when Boleskine 93 came up with another of his flashes of brilliance. Names of “God” on the outside, no ring, just painted around the outer edge. It looks fantastic (even though the first came out maybe a half inch off center). Finishing it soon, this won’t take too long between the two of us.
