| Author |
Gathered Up:  witchy farmgirls?  |
|
rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 18 2014 : 6:06:39 PM
|
I've been a busy little Jackal! I recently had some divination done with my Akhu (ancestors) and the Netjer (Gods and Goddesses) of Kemet to determine my divine parents and beloveds, and took a Shemsu vow with the Kemetic Orthodox faith to put my parents and beloveds first in my spiritual practices. Since that time, I've gotten alot closer with my Akhu and Netjer and have learned quite alot about myself and what I *need* to be doing. Now I am working on making a scrying mirror dedicated to the service of Yinepu-Wepwawet (aka Anubis and one of my Fathers) to better my communication skills with my Akhu and the blessed dead. The Kemetic new year (Wep Ronpet) is coming up in a couple of weeks, so I am working on preparations for that celebration. I am also working on designing some recycled glass bird feeders and houses for wee folk to add to the flower garden. I also have some Hoodoo doll babies I need to make--provided I can figure out how to work my sewing machine.
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
True enlightenment is nothing but the nature of one's own self being fully realised-- His Holiness the Dali Lama
www.madameapothecary.com |
 |
|
|
Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Jul 18 2014 : 6:57:56 PM
|
| Wow, Rachel -- that's quite a pantheon you've got there! Sounds interesting. are you of Egyptian ancestry, then? |
|
|
|
Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Jul 18 2014 : 7:03:01 PM
|
| I'm reading a new book that some of you might find interesting: "Nature's God: The Heretical Origins of the American Republic," by Matthew Stewart (ISBN 978-0-393-06454-4). The first few pages have me hooked! It's about how our Founding Fathers based much of their visions for the new nation on principles with Pagan roots. The revelation about Ethan Allen alone is worth the price of the book. :) |
|
|
|
rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
Posted - Jul 19 2014 : 10:05:43 AM
|
I don't know what my ancestry is beyond a few grandparents back, so there is no telling. But, based on what I do know biologically I am not of Kemetic ancestry just spiritually. I will have to find that book as it does sound so interesting!
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
True enlightenment is nothing but the nature of one's own self being fully realised-- His Holiness the Dali Lama
www.madameapothecary.com |
|
|
|
Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2014 : 8:25:48 PM
|
| My cousin and I are researching our family's history and have traced the branch we are both from to County Laois (pronounced like a dog's *leash*) in the Midlands. Two of our branches go back at least to the Celtic Iron Age there! Ptolemy wrote about the local people in the region (the western part of Co. Laois, called Kingdon of Ossory, or Osraí or Osraige -- means "people of the deer"). I must read that. The people in his day said they were descendants of the original Irish people (Érainn), pre-Viking. There are dolmens and burial mounds in the area where my people lived dating back about 9500 years! Just imagine that. Of course, we can't identify anyone reliably in our family before 1790 or so, but just knowing that we're related to those ancient people is thrilling. Looking at photographs of people living there now is like looking in my own family photo album. At Samhain, when I ask friendly and supportive spirits from my ancestry to join me in celebrating the cycle of life and death that is at the heart of Nature, I can really picture them now. They are no longer just an intellectual exercise. Everyone should study their family histories if they can. There's s much to be learned about yourself that way. For one thing, it makes history meaningful, when you can imagine what might have happened to your people when such-and-such a famous event took place. How did they live? Did they have hopeful dreams? It's a wonderful thing to wonder. |
|
|
|
rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2014 : 08:44:59 AM
|
Family history is very interesting indeed! Your is quite interesting Rosemary!! I guess when you think about it, everyone's ancestry goes back to the beginning in some way, but finding those connections is fascinating. On my mother's side, the family has been traced back to Ireland, county Claire I believe in the 1700s, to King Duncan in Scotland, and William the Conqueror (so I've been told by my uncle who picked up on my mother's ancestry research when she died). The Native American part of the bloodline only goes back a little way (great-great grandmothers) and we haven't been able to find much past that (no one is listed on the Dawes Roll). On my father's side, we've traced back to Germany in the early 1800s and Netherlands in the early 1800s and the Native American part of his family only goes back to my great-grandparents. His side has proven to be way more difficult to trace unfortunately. I would LOVE to be able to have a professional do a complete family history one day. My dad always said that it shouldn't matter who your ancestors were because they're dead and can't do anything for you. I think it is fascinating to know who my ancestors are (and definitely believe that they can and do help you or harm you depending on the situation)and it is important to know where you came from. Although, as I said before, I don't know of any biological connection to Kemet I do feel a very strong spiritual one and I do not believe that a person should limit their ancestry strictly to blood relations.
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
True enlightenment is nothing but the nature of one's own self being fully realised-- His Holiness the Dali Lama
www.madameapothecary.com |
|
|
|
Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2014 : 08:59:57 AM
|
I go back to Co. Clare on my mother's side -- hi there, cousin! ;)
The whole business of ancestry is fascinating. I can't remember now who I talked to about this very thing one time -- about co-mingling cultures in our ritual observations. There have been things written about the subject in neopagan books, periodicals and so on. I think it was my dear old friend Isaac Bonewits who used to say that we poly-cultural Americans have to be careful which ancestors we call into our circles because many of them will have been bitter enemies in life and they'd bring in horrendous negative energy. I think he was only half kidding!
It's possible most of our ancestors would have had a very limited grasp of the world outside their own immediate villages, so I don't know about cultural friction on any grand scale, and we can hope that spirits are beyond the need for a Rosetta Stone to communicate! |
|
|
|
rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2014 : 8:34:21 PM
|
I've often heard that too, about mixing cultures and ritual observations. I must say, though, that so far I've not encountered any difficulties. I do ask my Akhu if they want a particular thing done for them or offered to them as opposed to something else and if they tell me then I do what they ask for that particular ancestor. Most of my Akhu have been very understanding and easygoing for the most part. I mean, I want to keep them happy but I'm not about to set aside my own personal interests and callings because an ancestor didn't like Egyptians! (or whatever the case may be)The most negative energy I've dealt with has been from one of my grandmothers who did not like me in life and I did not like her either. She was not part of my Akhu altar for a long time, up until my mom died. That grandmother was there for her in a huge way and we actually came to an understanding and things are good these days, but it was not easy to get to this point!
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
True enlightenment is nothing but the nature of one's own self being fully realised-- His Holiness the Dali Lama
www.madameapothecary.com |
|
|
|
Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2014 : 11:57:16 PM
|
| Rachel, that's lovely about your grandmother. I think these kinds of rituals can be a form guided imagery to revisit old hurts and give them a new healing ending. |
|
|
|
rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
Posted - Aug 10 2014 : 12:53:51 PM
|
My scrying mirror has been completed, I am pleased to say. If anyone would like for me to do a session please send me a message with the person's name that you wish to hear from (and your real name). I don't want any other information about the person, your relationship, etc so that what I get from scrying isn't clouded by anything that I have been told. I am trying to get some practice with Akhu other than my own --I like talking with them, but I'm quite comfortable with them and don't need to use the mirror with them. I want to eventually be able to offer this a service through my website but I feel as though I need some practice before I do that.
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
True enlightenment is nothing but the nature of one's own self being fully realised-- His Holiness the Dali Lama
www.madameapothecary.com |
|
|
|
Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Aug 10 2014 : 3:43:02 PM
|
Sending you a private message.
|
|
|
|
jaimeyleigh
True Blue Farmgirl
53 Posts
Jaimey
Draper
UT
USA
53 Posts |
Posted - Aug 22 2014 : 6:02:32 PM
|
I just came upon this witchy farmgirl chat room. I don't know much about witching but always wanted to learn more. i love how connected to the earth you witchy farmgirls are. I just got don't reading "Priestess of The Forest" by Ellen Evert Hopman. I think you ladies might like that book.
I'm glad I came upon this chatroom.
Happy Trails!
Jaimeyleigh |
|
|
|
rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
Posted - Aug 22 2014 : 8:48:02 PM
|
Do any of you ladies watch "Sacred Weeds"? It is a series that I found on GaiamTV and has been very interesting. Each episode is about a sacred weed and talks about its historical uses. The researcher who does the series gets a group scientists, historians, etc together to test these herbs on volunteers. The one I watched this morning was about Henbane and its use for flying by witches. One of the things that got me was that the witchcraft historian said that before the Inquisition there were no such thing as witches, no such thing as "wise women" or women healers and that all of that was made up by the church and by the people being tortured and that hallucinogenic herbs were never used. I personally think that this lady is full of crap but would really like to know 1)if any of you have ever watched this show (it is in England so it may not be on "regular" tv here) and 2) your thoughts on the historian's claim that there were no witches, no wise women, no women healer and that hallucinogenics were never used prior to the invention of them during the Inquisition.
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
True enlightenment is nothing but the nature of one's own self being fully realised-- His Holiness the Dali Lama
www.madameapothecary.com |
|
|
|
Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2014 : 1:35:13 PM
|
| Mabon was wonderful here: clear skies, a nip in the air, and a nice dry brush pile to act as a bonfire for the occasion. Every star in the sky stood for an answer to to question of what I'll do with my coming winter. Much as I adore the new freedoms of spring, the warmth and plenty of summer, and the excitement of fall, I look forward to the things of winter, too: cozy sweaters and slippers, fireside toddies, time to think and read, the possibility of being snowed in without power (it's fun, like camping at a Pagan festival, only without the drum circles) and the wonderful diversion offered by the activity around the bird feeders outside. Delicious things to eat, just harvested or bought from neighboring farms. The way lamp lights look on newly fallen snow in the nearby town. The holiday decorations are always lovely -- all the shops in the historic district use only the little white lights, and wreaths, garlands and so on are freshly cut evergreen and holly) so there is a uniform near-Pagan prettiness to it all. But the important thing about right now is RIGHT NOW. It's easy at this time of year to look back on summer and miss it a bit, and look forward to winter for the things I just mentioned, and more (including new seed catalogs in January!), but right now, think about what;s going on in nature and what it means to you. What's going on with you right now? I'd love to hear from all the witchy farm girls. We've all been shut up in our broom closets for too long! :) Blesséd be, y'all. |
|
|
|
rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2014 : 3:47:33 PM
|
Autumn is definitely my favorite time of year. I look at Autumn as a time of preparation, gratitude and honoring, Winter as a time of rest, reviewing and recuperation, Spring is for rebirth and renewal, and Summer is for growth and expansion. I am making more of a conscious effort to get my own vibrations and cycles in tune with the natural order of things--which can be quite the challenge in modern times, when everything seems to be full speed ahead 24/7. Since relocating from the southeastern coast to the mountains, actually getting to experience seasons has been wonderful and really good for my soul. You are right, Rosemary, that the important thing about right now is most definitely RIGHT NOW...I like that :). My right now is consisting of focusing on the present while figuring out influences of the past (and either letting go or strengthening them) and preparing for the future that I want to have--making necessary changes. This has been my focus spiritually and ritually here recently and I am making progress. I am so looking forward to Samhain--my favorite day of the year. I keep a year long Akhu (ancestor) altar and honor Them daily, but Samhain is just so much more than the daily honors, it runs very deep into my soul and I love it.
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
True enlightenment is nothing but the nature of one's own self being fully realised-- His Holiness the Dali Lama
www.madameapothecary.com |
|
|
|
Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2014 : 4:56:03 PM
|
| Rachel, I like what you said about letting go of or strengthening past influences. In fact, lately I've been drawing three Tarot cards in bed at night, just before writing in my journal (usually about the reading). The first card will be whatever issue the cards want me to focus on. The second, placed to the left of that first card, will be the past influence. The third, on the right, will be a message about how to use (or maybe not use) that influence in dealing with that issue going forward. My way of interpreting these little layouts is very slippery, dependent a lot on how I respond emotionally to them rather than on any of the many meanings we can give them if studied more intellectually. These little layouts only appeal to me at this time of year, which people erroneously describe as "transitional" -- between places rather than being its own place, as we know it is. I hope you will keep working at your Akhu altar and that it will help you along your path. You do seem to have a gift. |
|
|
|
rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2014 : 09:50:49 AM
|
Rosemary, I have been doing Oracle card readings for a little while now also, every day but usually in the mornings before I start work. This has been giving me some insight on "what I need to know for the day" mainly to get through the day and keep my sanity (I truly despise my job, though am very grateful to be able to work from home). Most days, I pick one card to just give me an overview of the day, but some days I like to do a 3 card spread and look at it about the same way you do. I am working on using the book less and using my intuition to get the meanings from the cards as for what should be looking at. It has opened a whole new world almost. So far, the major theme for me seems to be healing wounds, letting go, knowing myself and intentions truthfully, and transforming. I don't know if that may be influenced by the season or planetary alignments or who knows what else, but I do find it extremely interesting and fascinating. I've started writing it down in a journal as well so I can look back later and see if I pick up something else.
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
True enlightenment is nothing but the nature of one's own self being fully realised-- His Holiness the Dali Lama
www.madameapothecary.com |
|
|
|
Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Oct 10 2014 : 10:59:55 AM
|
| Rachel, I have another friend named Rachel -- Rachel Pollard -- who writes wonderful books about Tarot. You might want to pick one up. Her insights and vast knowledge are really intriguing. She is also a truly fabulous woman. We had lunch together in Kingston NY not long ago. We are both fountain pen enthusiasts, which is how we met. Some people are just meant to know each other, am I right? ;) |
|
|
|
Katlady93
True Blue Farmgirl
361 Posts
Charlotte
Denmark
SC
USA
361 Posts |
Posted - Oct 10 2014 : 11:55:56 AM
|
WOW everyone is so productive.
i am finally settling down from moving, and job searching ( i hate job hunting) and everything that has been going on the last few months.
Mom passed on August 3, and i am dealing with all that entails. It has not been easy, but we are getting through it slowly.
hopefully i can be less of a lurker and more of a participant forward.
Some dreams are worth the risk it takes to make them real.
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footsteps on the moon. |
|
|
|
Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Oct 10 2014 : 4:54:18 PM
|
Charlotte, I'm sorry about your mom. It's always hard. We never lose that relationship, though. It is with us forever, though changed in form.
What kind of work are you looking for. Your witchy farmgirl sisters here can visualize success for you if we know what you think of as success. :)
|
Edited by - Rosemary on Oct 10 2014 4:54:37 PM |
|
|
|
jaimeyleigh
True Blue Farmgirl
53 Posts
Jaimey
Draper
UT
USA
53 Posts |
|
|
rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2014 : 12:09:16 PM
|
Rosemary, I will have to look up her books. Oddly enough, I like fountain pens too! I have a few different ones (none are expensive though) that I use but so far, my favorite is one that came in a Calligraphy set.
Charlotte, I am sorry for the physical loss of your mom, but as Rosemary said, you'll never lose that relationship or that love. As she is in your heart, she is always with you.
Jaimey, welcome to the forum! My apologies for not acknowledging that in the post I made earlier (that was after yours).
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
True enlightenment is nothing but the nature of one's own self being fully realised-- His Holiness the Dali Lama
www.madameapothecary.com |
|
|
|
Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2014 : 1:15:16 PM
|
| Jaimey! Oh my goodness! I'm such a bad witch ;) Please tell us a little more about yourself. It's such fun to meet new people -- "merry meet" is our pet phrase for a reason, right? I've heard about the book you mentioned. What pleased you most about it? |
|
|
|
Katlady93
True Blue Farmgirl
361 Posts
Charlotte
Denmark
SC
USA
361 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2014 : 4:50:30 PM
|
I am a cost accountant, i had an interview Tuesday that sounded like it would be a very good place. got good vibes during the interview, (nothing negative). They aren't making a decision until the middle of next week. so i am trying to maintain good positive thoughts
Today DH & I helped at the Fiber Arts Festival for the Fiber Arts Guild i joined so i would be inspired to keep weaving. had a nice time, except it got HOT!!!
Some dreams are worth the risk it takes to make them real.
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footsteps on the moon. |
|
|
|
Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2014 : 4:55:25 PM
|
| Charlotte, very cool! I'd love to see some pics of your weaving. Anything having to do with fiber just makes my heart sing :) |
|
|
|
Gathered Up: witchy farmgirls? |
|
witchy farmgirls?
