The Use Of Sandalwood In Rituals

Although not truly an herb, but a wood, sandalwood is an item found often in modern Pagan rituals. In fact, “sandalwood” is an entire class of wood, found in trees that are part of the flowering Santalum family.

Sandalwood has been used for thousands of years in a ritual context. It appears in Buddhist and Muslim rituals, and was one of several fragrant plants used by the Egyptians in embalming rituals. In China and Tibet, its antiseptic properties make it a valuable part of folk medicine. In India, the wood is used for intricate carvings that adorn shrines and homes; figurines and mala jewelry are also crafted from sandalwood. In addition, a paste is sometimes made that can be used to anoint the forehead of the faithful in Hindu temples.

Sandalwood has a number of magical applications, and they tend to vary depending on which religious group you’re looking at. In many traditions of modern Paganism, it is associated with healing and purification. In Hindu rites, sandalwood paste is often used to consecrate ritual tools before ceremonies. Buddhists believe that sandalwood is one of the sacred scents of the lotus, and can be used to keep one connected to the material world while the brain wanders off during meditation. In chakra work, sandalwood is associated with the seventh, or root, chakra at the base of the spine. Burning the incense can help with issues related to self-identity, security and stability, and trust.

In a few Neopagan traditions, the actual wood of the sandalwood is burned as incense - sometimes mixed with other woods or resins, such as myrrh or frankincense. A few forms of folk magic associate it with both business and protection magic. You can also use pieces of the wood in spellwork - write your intent on a chip or stick of sandalwood, and then place it in a brazier to burn. As your sandalwood burns, your intent, or wish, will be carried up to the heavens on the drifting smoke...read  more>>>...

 

Dia De Los Muertos & Our Current Reality

 When it comes to celebrating life and honoring the departed, few traditions are as colorful and captivating as Dia De Los Muertos. This Mexican holiday (also known as Dia De Muertos in some regions or translated to Day of the Dead in the States), is a vibrant and joyous occasion that takes place annually from October 31st to November 2nd.

It's a time when families come together to honor and remember their loved ones who have passed away. But don't let the name fool you, it's not a somber occasion. In fact, it's a vibrant celebration filled with music, dancing, and delicious food.

But where did this fascinating tradition originate, and how has it evolved over time?

This ancient tradition can be traced back thousands of years to the indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica Mexico, such as the Aztecs and Maya. These ancient civilizations believed that death was not the end, but rather a continuation of life in a different form.

They viewed death as a natural part of the cycle of existence and embraced it with reverence and celebration. Because of this, they believed that the souls of the departed would return to visit their loved ones during this special time of year...<<<Read More>>...

A Native Smoke Ritual For Renewal And Clarity

 Have you ever noticed that when you walk into any place of worship or sacred ceremony, there is always one repeating theme? Yes, the symbols and prayers spoken may be different, but one thing is universally present – the use of smoke.

Beyond its pleasing aromatic qualities, smoke is viewed in many traditions to be a bridge between the world we can see and the one we cannot. Not surprisingly, smoke plays a crucial role in shamanism, and often serves as a healing medicine itself in native ceremonies.

The burning of sacred herbs and resins can be a very powerful tool. A way of starting anew.

Below, I’ve shared some holy smokes you can easily create and a native prayer to accompany them. We’re excited to hear how you feel once you try them!

Some examples of sacred plants and resins to use for smudging and clearing...<<<Read More>>>...

 

Completion

[Daily OM]: Life is a collage of beginnings and endings that run together like still-wet paint. Yet before we can begin any new phase in life, we must sometimes first achieve closure to the current stage we are in. That's because many of life's experiences call for closure. Often, we cannot see the significance of an event or importance of a lesson until we have reached closure. Or, we may have completed a certain phase in life or path of learning and want to honor that ending. It is this sense of completion that frees us to open the door to new beginnings. 

Closure serves to tie up or sever loose ends, quiets the mind even when questions have been left unanswered, signifies the end of an experience, and acknowledges that a change has taken place. 

The period of completion, rather than being just an act of finality, is also one of transition. When we seek closure, what we really want is an understanding of what has happened and an opportunity to derive what lessons we can from an experience. Without closure, there is no resolution and we are left to grieve, relive old memories to the point of frustration, or remain forever connected to people from our past. A sense of completion regarding a situation may also result when we accept that we have done our best. If you can't officially achieve closure with someone, you can create completion by participating in a closure ritual. 

Write a farewell letter to that person and then burn your note during a ceremony. This ritual allows you to consciously honor and appreciate what has taken place between you and release the experience so you can move forward....<<<Read The Full Article Here>>>...   
 

Puja

[Daily OM]: Forging a spiritual connection with the divine is the ultimate goal of many forms of worship. In our devotions, we transcend the limitations of our humanity using prayers, rituals, and invocations, or we seek the celestial in sacred items such as statuary, imagery, or natural objects. 

In the Hindu tradition, worshipers bond with the divine through the puja ritual. The purpose of the ritual is to create an atmosphere in which humans and spiritual beings can enjoy communion with one another. Though participants show reverence for their chosen deities, puja serves to bring the former and the latter together on an energetic level. Performing a puja ritual is thus a wonderful way to experience direct communication with the divine.

There are no limits as to whom may serve as the focal point of your puja. You need only choose a spirit guide to commune with and an object to represent them. Preparing for the puja ritual, however, can take some time, depending on the number of devotional acts you will perform. A classic puja includes 16 acts, including meditation, chanting, the reading of sacred texts, offerings of food and drink, and cleansing. You may also wish to present gifts of incense, flowers, and jewelry during the ritual....<<<Read The Full Article Here>>>...

Halloween Is A Ritual - Exposing Mystery Babylon!

Exposing the Occult Corona-Initiation Ritual

[Waking Times]: The entire world is participating in an occult corona-initiation ritual, although hardly anyone will realize it. The measures and policies which governments have rolled out worldwide ever since Operation Coronavirus began – such as quarantine, lockdown, hand-washing, mask-wearing, social distancing and more – are in fact aspects of occult initiation ritual.

These aspects have been cleverly adapted to the current fake pandemic and disguised as genuine public health strategies.

The people who run the world, whom are often called the New World Order (NWO) conspirators, leave very little to chance. They are black magicians, and they are running this live exercise in a similar fashion to how they run their secret Satanic rituals.

In both cases, the goal is the same: to take initiates out of their normal mode of existence, break them down, engender submission, remold them in the likeness of their leaders, and then finally, return them to a new normal where they cannot return to their old ways and lives.

If we were to sum up the entire corona-initiation ritual with one concept, it would be this old, tried and true one. Ordo ab chao. The Hegelian dialectic. Problem-reaction-solution. The phoenix rising out of ashes. All of these phrases point towards the same method: destroying the old to make way for creating the new. This method in and of itself is not bad; it’s all about how it is used. The true purpose of ritual is to alter one’s mind and character, and it can be done consciously or unconsciously, wittingly or unwittingly. Ritual can be used for white magic just as much as black magic, e.g. you can use this technique to conquer destructive habits within yourself and become a better person. It’s just that in the context of the worldwide conspiracy, this method is used by the NWO conspirators to make the world a less free, less peaceful, more controlled and more hierarchical place.

Operation Coronavirus is a worldwide ritual, and its many elements are highly symbolic. People are being led along as unwitting participants without a clue as to how they are unconsciously supporting the deeper agenda (e.g. by cooperating with their own enslavement, acquiescing to ridiculous restrictions and even actively policing their fellow citizens). The fact that this fake coronavirus pandemic is a ritual is not surprising, given that the inner core of the NWO are Satanists who practice black magic...<<<<Read The Full Article Here>>>...

The Characteristics of an Initiation Ritual

Energetic Sweeping

[Daily Om]: In some of our lives, sweeping has become an activity performed without much thought. In many cases, sweeping is a lost art, replaced by the noisy, efficient vacuum cleaner.

But in several cultures and religions, sweeping the front and back porch every morning is regarded as an important cleansing ritual that prepares the ground for new energy on every level--physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally.

It is often employed to sanctify a space and prepare it for a ceremony. This seemingly simple action has the power to clear away the old and make space for the new. It stirs up the energy in a place, clearing out the astral buildup that is the natural by-product of the presence of humans.

This kind of sweeping is not about cleaning the area of dust. In fact, the broom doesn't have to actually touch the ground to be effective....<<<Read The Full Article Here>>>...

Declaring Our Intentions

[Daily Om]: There comes a point in most of our lives when we feel ready to experience a change we've had trouble carrying out. Maybe we've been stuck in a home, a relationship, job, or a town that hasn't felt right for a long time, but we've been unable to shift our circumstances in the direction we want to go. At times like this, it can help to declare to the universe that we are ready for a change. 

Think of it as informing a helpful friend that you need her assistance to move to the next level in your life. If the time is right, the universe will respond with opportunities and offers designed to help you create the change you wish to see.

You can begin the process of making your declaration by getting clear within yourself about what exactly you want to change. Whenever we ask anyone for help, they can assist us that much better if we are specific. The universe also appreciates our clarity and has an easier time answering a direct communication than a vague yearning. 

When you are clear on what you want, write your declaration on a piece of paper and place it on your altar, if you have one...read more>...

A Huge Responsibility To Uphold

I pity those who've taken the life force, and the energy path, of others out of jealousy and spite. They've undertaken their naive magic and managed to have the universe direct towards them the path and the experiences that are meant for others.

There will be dire consequences for them later down the track. Especially as those they've stolen energy from, have crafted a new life from the energy that was exchanged with them. The negative and the undefined energies now crafted back into a life force of their own.

So they who've so naively stolen what they desired ... have a huge responsibility to uphold. For the life they lead is on a vibration much higher than was intended for them. And they who they stole from ... have disappeared from the horizon. So the stealers can no longer follow by example, they are on their own.

And they are blissfully unaware of the risk they create, and the thought form returns that will be upon them in their future life. So they wished for what they desired ... and they think it is all peace in their tinseltown. For one who desired the most, an old magic rite put her representation at 'the top of the tree' and that is where she thinks she resides. But her representation in the rite soon came crashing down to earth; and then was ritually buried within the soil.

That has yet to come to pass. 

How to Create a Servitor to Do Your Bidding

John Kreiter: A Servitor is essentially a servant that you create in order to do your bidding. It is a creature created on the astral plane that performs a certain task which you require.

The general explanation of what a Servitor is, is that it is a concentrated thought form that is created to perform a certain task(s). Esoterically it is believed that thoughts can be concentrated to such a degree that these thoughts eventually become physically real. The explorer and writer Alexandra David-Néel for example wrote at great length about her encounters with thought forms in Tibet, which are called “Tulpa”, and how Tibetan monks were incredibly adept at creating these. She also writes how she was able to create one of these Tulpas herself after many months of effort and eventually this thought form became so solid that others in her expedition party were able to see it as well*.

In order to create a decently functioning Servitor, you do not need to spend months putting it together and certainly it does not need to be so powerful that others can see it.

For those that find it difficult to believe that thought-forms can be coalesced into such a power, that they can actually affect reality or be seen by other people, there is also a psychological explanation that might help. Some psychologists like to expound the theory that the human psyche can be seen of as made up of different parts; that is, what we consider to be a whole personality is actually a personality made up of a whole bunch of different sub-personalities working together. Since we seamlessly cycle from one part (sub-personality) of our whole personality to another, we do not notice that in actuality we are made of many different parts working together.

A Servitor then is sort of like a part that you are creating through the use of a ritual act. You either create a whole new sub-personality or you round up a few of these sub-personalities in order to manifest a new one that is well-suited to a particular purpose....Read More>>>...

Invocation or Evocation?

An invocation is a spell or ritual designed to have an effect on you personally, while an evocation spell or ritual is designed to have an outward effect, such as an enchantment, creation of a servitor, or other manifestation beyond your own body.

An invocation is to draw the energy directly into you, an evocation is to invite the energy to share your sacred space.

An evocation is a summoning of a god, spirit, or other ephemeral entity, typically with the intent of speaking to them for guidance or information.

An invocation is the summoning of their more general presence into yourself or the location to lend their blessings or powers. (Source: Quora)

 

A Calm Sacred Space ....

WELL. That was quite a day! A door & a chapter is now virtually closed. There can be no going back ... but what lies ahead is a new challenge .

I've watched some of the Spain Vs Portugal game in between that two popular soap dramas, both which dramatic scenes. I was lucky to turn over onto the game moments before most of the goals! Yes ... not lucky time but insight/foresight (I kept telling my wife there would be a goal then turned over onto a LIVE game and there before our eyes were goals being scored!)

I now need to chill. I need to evoke a very calming and relaxing sacred space here in my 'man cave' (The spare bedroom filled with all my magical wares) ... to my left is a drawer with all my incenses. Its time to choose an appropriate one (Perhaps the famous Nag Champa or maybe Sandalwood or Dragons Blood) ... then let it burn whilst in my mind I enter observant mind mode to evoke a calm space ....

HERE GOES ...    

'The Ritual Of Transformation By Fire'

He calls in Crow for lore
He demands magic from Raven
He seeks the wisdom and the sight of Eagle
And implores the gentleness and the intuition of Deer
The prowess and the cunning of Fox and the architecture of Beaver
To gain back all is lost he asks for the transmutation power of lowly Snake
And in order to gain back fragments of his death self, he needs the guidance of Heron
For transformation of self he calls on gentle Butterfly and mysterious Dragonfly, finally
As he gazes across the water, he calls upon the graceful swan for powerful transmutation …

All is not lost, he hears, nothing is ever lost
All is there to be gained, through the experience of apparent life on this land
Wisdom sought is wisdom gained when knowledge and experience combine
Only then can you understand the reasons why
For reasons are not apparent when you walk upon the land
They are only apparent when you fly with Hawk high in the blue sky ….
Only then do you see the footsteps made across the apparent land
Only then can you comprehend the great plan …
And the part you played in this game … this charade … this illusion.

Copyright Matthew James 2018

“A ritual is the enactment of a myth. And, by participating in the ritual, you are participating in the myth." - Joseph Campbell

Energetic Sweeping

Daily OM: In some of our lives, sweeping has become an activity performed without much thought. In many cases, sweeping is a lost art, replaced by the noisy, efficient vacuum cleaner. But in several cultures and religions, sweeping the front and back porch every morning is regarded as an important cleansing ritual that prepares the ground for new energy on every level--physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. It is often employed to sanctify a space and prepare it for a ceremony. This seemingly simple action has the power to clear away the old and make space for the new. It stirs up the energy in a place, clearing out the astral buildup that is the natural by-product of the presence of humans.

This kind of sweeping is not about cleaning the area of dust. In fact, the broom doesn't have to actually touch the ground to be effective...read more>>>...

Performing Daily Ceremony

Copyright Matthew James 2016

Daily OM: When we perform or participate in rituals and ceremonies, we enter into a state of mind that is different from mundane consciousness. Ranging in significance from bedtime stories to weddings, ceremonies and rituals are acknowledgments that an event or period of time has special meaning. As a result, they can have the effect of drawing us into the moment, inviting us to pay closer attention and tune into the subtle energies that are always present but that often go unrecognized. In addition, as we perform the same actions we have performed before and will perform again, we immerse ourselves in a river of continuity that extends back into the past and forward into the future.

Many of us have distanced ourselves from rituals that may have seemed too constricting or too attached to an organized religion we have chosen not to follow. However, we can reclaim the practices of ceremony and ritual to good effect, imbuing them with our new consciousness, and we do not have to wait for a big event to do it...read more>>>....

The Use Of Sandalwood In Rituals

Although not truly an herb, but a wood, sandalwood is an item found often in modern Pagan rituals. In fact, “sandalwood” is an entire class of wood, found in trees that are part of the flowering Santalum family.

Sandalwood has been used for thousands of years in a ritual context. It appears in Buddhist and Muslim rituals, and was one of several fragrant plants used by the Egyptians in embalming rituals. In China and Tibet, its antiseptic properties make it a valuable part of folk medicine. In India, the wood is used for intricate carvings that adorn shrines and homes; figurines and mala jewelry are also crafted from sandalwood. In addition, a paste is sometimes made that can be used to anoint the forehead of the faithful in Hindu temples.

Sandalwood has a number of magical applications, and they tend to vary depending on which religious group you’re looking at. In many traditions of modern Paganism, it is associated with healing and purification. In Hindu rites, sandalwood paste is often used to consecrate ritual tools before ceremonies. Buddhists believe that sandalwood is one of the sacred scents of the lotus, and can be used to keep one connected to the material world while the brain wanders off during meditation. In chakra work, sandalwood is associated with the seventh, or root, chakra at the base of the spine. Burning the incense can help with issues related to self-identity, security and stability, and trust.

In a few Neopagan traditions, the actual wood of the sandalwood is burned as incense - sometimes mixed with other woods or resins, such as myrrh or frankincense. A few forms of folk magic associate it with both business and protection magic. You can also use pieces of the wood in spellwork - write your intent on a chip or stick of sandalwood, and then place it in a brazier to burn. As your sandalwood burns, your intent, or wish, will be carried up to the heavens on the drifting smoke...read  more>>>...

A Great Initiation Called Death

Light of Truth Oracle copyright Matthew James

Waking Times: There’s no point in pretending it’s something not to think about. We do anyway don’t we? But it’s how we think about it that matters – and how we feel about it, even more so.

Carlos Castaneda rivets our attention on the ever imminent reality in proclaiming the Shaman’s rule…that unless one can stand face to face with the unflinching reality of death – one is unsuited to the role of warrior traveller.

Now some might retort, “We are not aspiring to be warriors anyway, so why make a big deal out of it?” OK, but let’s not confuse the more standard war-like connotation of that word ‘warrior’ with its further meaning as: warrior traveler.

You see the ‘traveller’ factor is very significant; it means something that moves, that is not static. It suggests a continuing exploration, a voyage, change an unfolding event, doesn’t it? Many reading this are no doubt warrior travellers in the making; brave explorers within the divine drama of life...read more>>>...