Believe .. Have a seat....relax...and read this slowly.

I believe -

...that just because two people argue,

doesn't mean they don't love each other.

I believe -
...that we don't have to change friends

if we understand that friends change.

I believe -
...that no matter how good a friend is,
they're going to hurt you every once in a while

& you must forgive them for that.

I believe -
....that true friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance.

Same goes for true love.

I believe -
....that you can do something in an instant
that will give you heartache for life.

I believe -
...that it's taking me a long time

to become the person I want to be.

I believe -
....that you should always leave loved ones
with loving words.

It may be the last time you see them.

I believe -
....that you can keep going

long after you think you can't.

I believe -
....that we are responsible for what we do,
no matter how we feel.

I believe -
....that either you control your attitude

or it controls you.

I believe -
...That heroes are the people who do

what has to be done when it needs to be done,

regardless of the consequences.

I believe -
...that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I believe -
....that my best friend & I can do
anything or nothing & have the best time.

I believe -
....that sometimes the people you expect

to kick you when you're down,

will be the ones to help you get back up.

I believe -
....that sometimes when I'm angry

I have the right to be angry,

but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I believe -
....that maturity has more to do with what
types of experiences you've had & what you've
learned from them & less to do with how many
birthdays you've celebrated.

I believe -
....that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.

Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I believe -
....that no matter how bad your heart is broken

the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I believe -
...that our background & circumstances

may have influenced who we are,

but we are responsible for who we become.

I believe -
....that you shouldn't be so eager to find
out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I believe -
....two people can look at the exact same
thing & see something totally different.

I believe -
...that your life can be changed in a matter
of hours by people who don't even know you.

I believe -
....that even when you think you have no
more to give, when a friend cries out to you -

you will find the strength to help.

I believe -
...that credentials on the wall do not

make you a decent human being.

I believe -
.... that the people you care about most in
life are taken from you too soon.
I believe -
....that you should send this to

all of the people that you believe in.

I just did.

I am a Witch

I am a Witch.

I see beauty in all life...

I hear the whispers of the trees ~

I feel the gentle breeze

kiss my face...

The warmth from the sun

fills me with energy and passion~

The soft spring rain

washes over me & I am renewed.

The wisdom of those before

comes to me in my dreams.

The strength & power

of Mother Earth grounds me...

and keeps me balanced.



I am a Witch.

I have pledged myself

in my entirety to Them..

For it is from Them all life comes...

to Them all life returns...

And without Them ~ I cease to be.



I am a Witch.

The magick stirring within me...

is a gift from Them.

I have come to see myself...

as They see me...

I have come to know myself...

as They know me ~

Love myself

as They love me.

I stand with Them...

in my truth.



I am a Witch.

My truth...

is not the same as your truth ~

Just as your truth...

is not the same as mine...

I do not question

or judge your truth...

for we are equal in Their eyes.

All parts of One.



I am a Witch...

I follow my path...

my map of life with dignity...

with resolve ~

My map...

is not the same as your map~

Yet perhaps you too are a Witch...

Our maps are unique unto us...

albeit our destination the same.

You may walk beside me ...

should you choose ~

Let us learn

each from the other

as we walk.



I am a Witch...

Maiden... Mother... Crone ~

I shall share my life knowledge freely ...

shine my light...

So that those who have lost their way...

may see their map once again.

I do not seek to change you...

but to help you...

find you.



(Author not known to me)

Watch

Watch your thoughts; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habits.

Watch your habits; they become character.

Watch your character; for it becomes your destiny.

- Upanishads

My pendulum

Sometimes I wonder what should go here. What should I write about? How personal do I get? The intention to keep up with this is there, but it quietly waits for me to make new entries.

Just waiting ...

In daily life, I feel my spiritual side sometimes gets lost. Okay, often. It all depends on what is going on in life I suppose. I've let my Reiki slip. The seasons? Yup, they happen, without a ritual or anything. Full moons? Yup, those too. I'm not saying I want to recognize every little thing with a special ritual or something. That is sooo not me anyways. But I do wish I'd just acknowledge them a bit better as they happen.

One thing I have put more into is my pendulum. Recently my daughter wanted her own after we spent some time talking with mine to help her get thru some tough choices she was struggling with. We ended up going up to Spirals in nearby Chelan. Not only did she find her own pendulum, but I found another. Yes, I have one at home. I use it. It works well. But I just couldn't help myself when I was looking. I had one speak to me that it was for me & should come home with me. So, it did. This new one responds to me even better than the first one. I like it.

I've talked with a friend about the use of pendulums & how much faith to put into them. I love how she explained it to me. The energy coming form the pendulum is like that of our over souls. The answers come from a higher form of ourselves. A form that can see the entire picture, something that we can not always see ourselves. She went into a bit more, but I can't now put it all into words. I know that, I choose to believe this, & in turn can put my faith into my pendulum & the answers it gives me.

Another reason I choose to believe what answers come from it, is that it does NOT always tell me what I want to hear. Then I have to wait & see why.

Case in point? We found a house to rent with our friends. We thought it was perfect. The location was good, the size was big enough. Why would we not be able to rent it? No matter how I phrased the question, the answer was no. We finally got to see the inside. Although it was not perfect, we could have made it work. We as in our family. Not the friend's family. They had planned to take the basement area since they were comfortable with less space. The space was plenty big, but there was not enough daylight. So, we found out why we would not be able to move in. Until we got to see it, we had no idea of the big picture. We had no idea why on Earth we would not be able to make this work.

There have been other queries that I would have loved to have gotten yes answers for, that have not happened. I trust that there is good reason, & go about my day. I do not totally live by the answers, but do use them as a guide.

I enjoy this form of divination more than any other I have tried so far. Why? Because it gives a definitive yes or no. There is a lot less interpretation to do as with other forms. Most other forms of divination require you to interpret the answer. To me this gives them less weight so to speak. Answers could be interpreted to suit many things, all depending on how you look at it.

Of course I believe everyone has their own views & beliefs on this. I honor that. This is just my personal view & what works for me. As time goes on, I may find something else that works as good or even better. For now, at this point along my path, I have found a tool to help guide me along my journey.

Life with changes

So it's been awhile since I wrote. Life with the changes we've made has been good. I dont miss most of the things we removed due to the ingredients. Really. I still have my chocolate, & my chips & other snacks. I've just changed the brand or type. Right now, the one thing I miss is Toaster Strudel. Not sure why, but I deal with it just fine.

It still takes a bit of extra time to go shopping. We still check various labels as we go along, seeing what else has, & doesn't have the things we are avoiding & removing.

My laundry is coming clean too. I still have some Era I'm using as my main detergent, but no bleach or other chemicals. I add vinegar for fabric softener & baking soda to help whiten. In the white loads I also add hydrogen peroxide in the washers bleach reservoir. So far, not bad.

And I really dont miss having to buy all those various cleaners for every little thing. The money I save buying cleaners, I can spend on better food. Granted I'm not a clean freak to begin with, but my home is clean. I dont fret over germs. I know we need them to a degree to be healthy. Some people would disagree with me on that, but that is their choice. We rarely get sick & we believe one reason is that our bodies have good immune systems, build in part ... by germs.

So anyways, the quest goes on, everyday. We make decisions on what to buy based on ingredients & it makes us feel empowered to have that choice. We are taking small steps to a better, healthier us.

A Bare Bones Guide to Understanding Pagans & Witches

Consider that you’re spending time with a good friend over a nice meal, some good wine, & friendly conversation. Your friend tells you that she is Pagan. As a matter of fact, she says, she’s a practicing Witch. What does this mean to you? What’s the first thing that goes through your mind? It’s likely that on at least some level, you found the idea of someone in this day & age being a “Witch” to be laughable. It’s very possible that you conjured the image in your mind of her dressed all in black, riding a broom through the night sky – like some Halloween cartoon.

It is also likely that some part of you was at least a little frightened by the word. As if, suddenly, this person whom you have trusted in your home, in your life, & with your friendship, has become some force of darkness. In truth all your friend has done is shared with you something which shouldn’t have to be a secret. Your friend has trusted you with information about her faith, her spirituality. If your friend were Baptist, would the announcement that she followed that path cause you any discomfort? Not likely. In the simplest of terms, your newly found (no matter how fleeting) doubt about your friend is the result of a centuries long media assault on the Pagan way of life. As you’re gathering your thoughts on this newly discovered facet of your friend, & wondering how it affects you & how you feel about her, try to keep an open mind. And try to keep in mind that your friend has trusted you with something very dear, & traditionally very dangerous. The truth about who she is. Remember, for centuries, Witches have been burned, & hanged for nothing more than their faith.

So, What Does It All Mean?

Let’s start at the beginning. Paganism is not a single religion. It is an umbrella term generally used to cover all those religions, which are not considered to be “main world religions”, i.e. Christianity, Judaism & Islam. A person who follows one of the “other” faiths is considered to be a Pagan. Many Witches, & other Neo-Pagans simply identify themselves as "Pagan" in order to simplify the conversation when talking with someone (like, perhaps you) who may or may not be familiar with the different belief systems. This, rather unintentionally, often makes it sound as though "Paganism" is a religion – as opposed to a collection of religions. Just for the record, Neo-Paganism is not the same as the "New Age" movement. Generally, Pagans are involved in a distinctive religion. The New Age movement draws its spirituality from varied sources, as almost a supplement to the religion already practiced by that person.

A What? A Witch?

A Witch is a practitioner of a nature-based, nature-revering or “folk” belief system. Witches believe that our planet should be revered, & respected, as the manifestation of Deity. Not all Witches follow the same belief system. There are many different belief systems, only some of which will be discussed here – for the sake of brevity. Some Witches practice what is often referred to as the "Old Religion". This system is rooted in beliefs, which pre-date the monotheistic belief systems, & it follows the agricultural seasonal cycles. The Earth is a living thing & therefore a gift, for us, from the God & Goddess. Many Witches believe in a polytheistic deity structure usually based upon the local Gods & Goddesses of their area of origin. Most Witches feel that a monotheistic belief structure is only half of the whole. If based upon only one all-powerful male God, & often presided over by only male clergy, it is unbalanced & only half-effective. Worship, for Witches, is centered on both the male & female personifications of Deity. The most widely known sects of witchcraft are Wicca & Druidism. “Wiccan” is often used, by the misinformed, as a description for all Witches. This tendency is likely due to the increased exposure of Wicca, thanks to many movies & TV shows of recent years. All Wiccans are Witches, but not all Witches are Wiccan. Think of it this way – All Baptists are Christians, but not all Christians are Baptist. Make sense now?

So, you’re sitting at the table, listening to your friend, & wondering what this is supposed to mean for you? How does this affect your friendship? Is she trying to recruit you into her cult? Is she going to try to make you participate in some scary rituals? Is she going to have to leave your birthday party early because it’s a full moon, & she’s “gotta fly”? Is there some room in her home, where she keeps snakes & shrunken heads, & all manner of frightening & evil accouterments? Does she worship the devil? Make sacrifices? Curse those who make her angry?

Chances are that your friend told you this, because she trusts you & trusts your friendship to be strong enough to handle something out of the ordinary. She will likely have things in her home, which you may not understand – although you may never see them, even when they’re in plain sight. Your friend wants to be able to welcome you into her home, without the worry that you’ll see something “odd” & make a snap judgment based on misinformation. Your best source for information, when dealing with anything surprising or confusing, as it relates to your friend, is to go straight to her. If you see something in her home that you simply don’t understand, particularly if it has some negative connotation for you, ask your friend. She has shared her path with you, & as such, has invited you to ask her questions about anything you don’t understand. There’s a good chance that she uses herbs, incense, & oils to express her faith – & that the biggest danger from that is that she may set off her smoke detector!

Witches do not “recruit” new members. They revere their faith as a very personal choice, & a personal path. Witches also believe that no one path is right for everyone, & that everyone’s path, be it Christian, Wiccan, Hindu, etc., is a valid path. You should know that, as a Witch, your friend does not believe in the Devil. There is no “Lord of Evil” in her faith, lurking around every corner, waiting to trick a human into relenting their soul through some list of sins. She does not worship something in which she does not believe … so please put the devil-worship scenario to rest. Your friend believes in the Earth … the changing of the seasons … & the cycles of Life. There is good & bad in most things, & we – as people – know the difference. Witches believe that we, as humans, are responsible for our own actions. When we do something wrong, & something happens to us, we must accept the blame & try to learn the lessons being handed to us by the universe. When we have done right, & something good happens, we are entitled to pat ourselves on the back. And there are lessons to learn from the good things, as well.

Witches live by many rules, but perhaps the most concise & encompassing rule is – ‘And it harm none, do what ye will’. Your friend is, in a sense, prohibited from “cursing” someone who has made her angry. Witches live by the rules of Karma – the law of threefold return. Whatever we do comes back to us threefold. If your friend were to wish someone ill, she would be in line for a threefold return on those ill wishes. This is something taken very seriously by a Witch. Bear in mind that the good wishes are also returned threefold. So, it’s very possible that your friend just happens to be a fairly positive person, who wishes the best for most people. Your friend is also prohibited from making blood sacrifices. Quite obviously, that goes against the “harm none” principle. Now, before we go any further, take a good look at your friend & remember – NOT all Witches are old hags, riding around on broomsticks. Some of them are bright, attractive, outgoing people!

So, What’s Different Now?

Now that your friend has told you about her faith, what’s different now? Nothing. Chances are, that if you have an open mind, and really think about it, you’ll see that nothing has changed. Your friend has simply put a label on some of the things that likely drew you to her, from the beginning. She is telling you that she is an independent thinker, & a bit of a free spirit. She holds nature in a very high regard. She is probably the friend who reminds you to stop occasionally & smell the flowers!

So, ask your friend questions, look into her faith; research the things you don’t understand. And embrace the knowledge that your friend trusts you with such a wonderful gift.

talking about consumers today

Sometimes I get really miffed at how the people who write commercials try to portray us. With so many commercials for say household products or cleaning products in particular, we as a people are made to look like we never clean, are lazy & want everything to be disposable. Wow … is this really what we have become? Not me. And not a lot of people I know.

I am so tired of seeing one commercial after another trying to sell us, as consumers, some new fangled disposable or otherwise wasteful product.

Not long ago I saw a commercial for a popular brand of paper plates. They touted how strong they were, even better than before. They now will hold up to even the messiest of dishes you serve. How they would save you so much time after dinner (or other meals) by being able to just throw them away. No dishes to do! You can spend more time with your family. The average family … how many of them truly spend time together after dinner these days? Or after any meal? Why not clean up together? Teach your children how to clean up after themselves. Teach them that it’s not such a weird thing to know how to do dishes, or wipe a counter, or put away leftover food. Teach them not to be wasteful.

Is it really that hard to do a few dishes after a meal? Or if you have one, to load a dishwasher? I’m not one who loves to clean or wash dishes. But I am also not one to just be a part of the use & toss society we have created. It really doesn’t take long to either load a dishwasher or wash up those few dishes from any given meal.

So then … there is the trash. One company shows how strong their kitchen garbage bags are by stuffing them full, pushing the limits of the plastic the bags are made of. Then, a young child has the duty of taking this full bag to the trash can. It’s great to know the bag can handle being dragged, rolled & otherwise mildly abused on its journey to the trash can. We are shown the trash can in the garage … it has another bag in it! So we’re throwing a bag full of kitchen garbage into another bag lining the trash can? Huh? So, come trash day we’re tossing out a big bag full of smaller bags. Lovely. Not to mention how they are all better & stronger bags too.

All of it just frustrates me sometimes. Don’t create so much garbage to begin with & you won’t have a need for such a strong bag! Hmmm… maybe try using real plates instead of paper ones?

I also laugh at the commercials for paper towels. Well, actually I laughed at the commercial for the Sham-Wow chamois even more. The guy says something stupid like “you already spend $20 a month on paper towels …” Who in their right mind throws away that many paper towels in one month?? I know he’s trying to make a point on how much money you can save, but geez. All people hear tho, is save money. At any rate, hubby & I ended up buying a set of them recently. And they work great so far. I don’t really use them in place of paper towels, but I also don’t really use many paper towels to begin with. We use rags & towels for most everything most people use paper towels for. I will wipe grease away with a paper towel tho, if I’m like wiping out a pot or pan. Why did we have to become such a disposable society?

I could get into product packaging too. And single serving everything. Oh the waste!