Get off your broom challenge

I am still here! Still fighting the good fight, although i have n't been sharing it with you! Since the challenge begun i have lost 8 kgs. It used to be 10 but that did n't last! This week is the week before my period. It is coming, any minute now, and i have been so hungry all the time. I eat and after 10 minutes i am famished! What is up with that? I also gave in into the ultimate temptation at this time of the month! Chocolate! You see, i thought this year i would be baking for everybody cakes. So, i took a small bag of chocolate drops and one of chocolate glaze. They both ended up in my stomach. In 5 days i ate them all and wanted more. I did not get any, but still i wanted it.
Other than that my eating was very healthy. Many mini meals(lately maybe too many!) and lots of vegetables! I have been consuming lots of water and teas, and coffees too(i refuse to quit!). My work outs have been pretty decent. Except for the week i have been sick, i go to the kick box practice 3 times a week and i have the bruises to prove it. That is a lot of fun. I still think i am dieing during the warm ups(or wishing it, so they would end), but when the kick box actually starts i am on fire. I even enjoy the bruises. They remind me of what i accomplished.
I decided that 4 times a week is a difficult target for now. If i go 3 times one week and 4 the other that would be 14 practices a month. Half of the month working out is still amazing!
Now the holidays are upon us. There has n't been a year that i have n't gained weight till now. Lets see if i make it this year. I think the key is to have some ground rules.
1. No drinking. That's a tough one, but lets face it, these are empty calories.
2. No more than a candy per day.
3. If there is pie on the table, no more carbs besides salad.
4. Working out whenever there is practice.
5. Lots of water, as little salt as possible.
I am wishing happy and healthy holidays however you choose to spend it full of love, light and magick.
Be blessed.
Georgina.

A bonfire to remember!

Greetings blogfriends. The Winter Solstice is fastly approaching and i am excited and very well prepared for it. I have hung red ribbons on my trees in the balcony and red bows on the indoors trees. I have made with my family stars out of beautiful paper and stuck them to the walls. I have sprinkled glitter on pine cones and put them in my pots. And a few christmas lights here and there. I have decorated oranges with clove, made wreaths and beautiful pentagrams. But most importantly i am in a festive mood, ready to bake and sing and well celebrate.
But the night of Yule is not going to be about carols. In the darkest night of the year i am going to contact the darkest parts of my psyche. I am going to work on my shadow, acknowledge it and let go of everything that keeps me down. My fears, my weaknesses, my darkest of thoughts will be burned into the fireplace. For that occasion i have collected many twigs, pine needles, herbs, leaves and flowers. For every leaf, or twig that goes into the fire i let go of something that haunts me and gives me pain. It is a process i have begun at Samhein and will be completed at Yule. The first time i did that i had a bunch of natural items to burn in front of me and i remember thinking that i could n't possibly come up with so many things to let go of. A little bit later i found myself searching the house for herbs and things i could also burn. I did not want it to end. The feeling of freeing my soul and letting my spirit soar was nothing like i ever felt before. The Esbats that followed i repeated the process, waiting for that moment of ultimate release, waiting for Yule. So i collected A LOT! of things to go to the fire. For a while there was no room left in the coffe table to put a plate or a glass. My friends thought i have gone completely mad and felt sorry for Petros that had to put up with all the plants and flowers. I thought they were lovely, but everybody else thought it was too much except for a few witch friends that loved the smells, colours and energies.
I guess we are a weird group of people, quirky and perhaps a bit mysterious. But that is part of our charm do n't you think? What have you planned for the darkest night of the year?
Be blessed, be loved and be very very magickal!
Georgina

A gift of magick

Since magic is altering the reality it should not surprise me when it is changing my life. But the feeling is overwhelming, and i am eternally grateful for it. It is molding my very soul into what i am supposed to become and guiding me towards the place i am supposed to go.
In witchcraft it is not just the effects that matter. The sensation of the experience takes your breath away, and makes you feel both more powerful and smaller than you ever felt.
Today i had the need to do something good for my mom and friend of hers and my husband. I just made one magical rosepetal for each of them(i have given you the recipe for it last year). It was not a ritual i intended to do. It was not something new, or elaborate but it was intense and powerful. The feeling caught me by surprise.
I thank the Goddess for it and all the gifts She has given me. And the smells are following me around everywhere i go as if it was spring.
I know i probably am not making any sense to you, but i needed to write this down and share it.
Be blessed my loves, be loved, be cherised, be healthy, lucky and grateful!

Herbal remedy-potion for colds

Greetings my beautiful blogfriends. How have you been? I am recovering from yet another cold without antibiotics. I am almost healed. My thumb is still in a splint but so much better, and Mercury is going to remain retrograde for just 5 more days. Yeih! Of course the total lunar eclipse on Saturday is going to be noticeable. I can't way for the madness to end. How are you holding on?
I am fighting my cold with magic and herbalism. It made me listen to my body and pay better attention. I made huge pots of this herbal remedy daily: St John's wort, chamomile, green tea, cinnamon, rosemary, sage, mountain tea(sideritis) and honey. I chose the herbs based on both the medicinal and magical properties. I charged with golden healing energy each cup. Also i chanted the spell for every cup as well.
The spell in greek is:
"Με τη δυναμη της Γαιας,
ο,τι θελω φερνω εις περας,
απ'την αρρωστια θεραπευομαι,
με φως κι αγαπη προστατευομαι"
Which translates:
With Gaias power,
I make my wish come true,
From my sickness i am healed,
i am protected with love and light.
As you can probably imagine it rhymes in greek and sounds so much better. I am glad i did that. It gave me strength and when i use antibiotics i feel weak. I usually take them because i have a sensitivity when it comes to my tonsils and if i do not treat the problem early it may get really bad. I feel grateful it is almost over, and i will get to enjoy the magical days that follow. After the Esbat the Solstice is just around the corner. There are decorations to be made and hang, gifts to be made and given, pastry to be baked and eaten. Not to mention, potions, candles, spells, rituals, creams, baths. I can't wait!
Be blessed, be loved and be very very happy!

Blood magick

Greetings blogfriends. How have you been? I missed you guys a lot. I am currently recuperating from a thumb injury. My hand is in a functional splint. It is starting to feel much better and it rarely hurts anymore. This is the main reason i have n't blogged in a while. But i have n't fallen out of our "get off your broom" challenge. I have lost yet another kilo. Naturally, with this whole situation, i have taken a few days off training, but this week i managed to go 3 times. Of course i am not fighting against anyone with just my good hand, or do any push ups. But i am there, doing my best.
During the last full moon i have initiated a young promising witch. I have helped many witches in the past, guided them and showed them parts from my family tradition, but never initiated one. You see, this particular ritual is from mother to daughter. I do not think it has ever happened in the past like that. But it felt right. When i read what i just wrote it feels weird. It sounds all so strict and formal. And the way i have been taught of the Craft was always so simple, natural and fun. But i guess it has a few formal parts.
This specific ritual involves drawing blood. We pierce the index finger of the initiative and burn a few drops of her blood. Blood always relates with binding, promises and offerings. Because of its symbolic value and significance it triggers many different emotions amongst the pagan community. I believe that it holds great power and should be used on certain occasions, as long as it is in the way i described. Anything more than a few drops of blood or hurting animals fricks me out completely. How do you feel about it? Have you ever used your blood in a ritual?
I have used my blood twice. The first time was at my initiation ceremony, where my mom did it and the second was when i was casting a sympathetic spell for beauty. I have made an idol of myself using flour and water, i used belladonna, mandrake root and rosepetals a few hair of mine and all left to do was to drop a few drops of my blood on the figurine and recite the spell. I got the needle on my hand, i closed my eyes and tried to pierce. That day i found out something about myself. I am a complete and utter coward. I chickened out. But then, i also realised that i am a creative spirit. So, i went to my cat and started playing with him. A couple of minutes later, both my hands where scratched beyond recognition. I squizzed one of the scratches and there was a drop! I was so excited!
Brightest bessings have a great weekend and lots of fun!

Greetings!

Hi there! I really missed you. I have n't blogged for a while mainly because my laptop is in the living room hooked up with a bunch of cables so we can watch movies. It is not as easy using it as it used to be and also i had some problems with msn that kept me occupied.
As for the get of the broom challenge, i am glad to say that i keep on going and although i am currently down with a cold and pmsing i am still attending my kickbox practice 4 times a week(just not this week).
That being said, lets move on to witchy business. The most magical day of the year is fastly approaching and i can feel the veil getting thinner and thinner. Although i am taking a gazillion pills a day i have baked apple pie and banana bread muffins for the occasion and gave them as gifts. I am also planning on spending the halloween night with my husband, his younger brother and cousin who are very sweet kids and interested in the holiday. I will bake something for all of us to eat and then we will have a blessing for the witch's new year. We will read our cards and try to connect with our ancestral lines the best we can. So, i will not be carving the pumpkin alone this year, and i am very happy about it. I have done magic with other people before plenty of times, but i always celebrate these holidays by myself.
I was thinking of making my first runes this Samhain. Plus, i believe it is going to be an excellent gift for Yule for a few magical friends of mine. So maybe i will be making more than one set.
Samhain correspondences are colours black,orange, gold, brown and yellow, herbs cinnamon, sage, mandrake, saffron, lavender, eucalyptus, nettle and fruits apple, orange, pomegranade. We celebrate the Goddess's crone aspest, the wisest and more potent.
I hope you will have a lot of fun, cast many spells and do a lot of magic.
Be blessed, be loved and be ecstatically happy!
G.

One more day of Autumn.

Greetings blogfriends. How are you? I got my test results back and everything is absolutely fine. Now the people who do n't believe in the power of our minds will think it was all a coincidence, but i can't imagine many of those people reading my blog.
Before i got my test results back i was constantly wieghing myself hoping that it was some sort of water retention and not actual weight gain. But the numbers would not change. A few hours later i got my results back i was 3! kilos down and this morning 4!
The moment the stress left my body i weighed less. I thought the scale was broken and i kept checking. So, in the month i begun working out i had lost 2.5 kgs and there was not an actual weight gain.
I know some of you are thinking "told you so!" and you are absolutely right. So, thank you for putting up with all my whinning and nagging and for all the support! You are the best blogfriends in the world.
Right now i am enjoying a cup of coffee in the Sun, trying to breath in as much solar energy as possible. I always do that this time of the year. I feel the days getting smaller and smaller, and the need for the Sun growing inside my body. I know i will miss Him terribly in the winter. I am a Leo after all. The feeling of His touch on my skin combined with the autumnal smells and the sounds of the wind chimes, is one of the most sensual experiences i have ever had. I never want Fall to end(i am like a kid at Christmas) but the Wheel has to turn.

Get off your broom!!!

Greetings blogfriends. I am letting you know that i am participating in domestic witch's challenge . It is a 3 month fitness challenge and this week's challenge is to write down a schedule for yourself. So, here is mine.
*lots and lots of water and tea
*drink coffee without any kind of sweetener
*no more diet drinks except the occasional energy drink
*a salad dinner every night
*a small meal every 3 hours(like fruit-a slice of cheese, or a glass of milk)
*very limited sugar intake if at all
*my 1.5 hour kick box class 4-5 times a week
*meditation about weight loss 3 times a week
*and once a week leting you know, how i did.
I think it is pretty good. Lets see how it goes. If you want you can join us any time you want!
Go team domestic witch!

Thank you blogfriends and the pumpkin experience!

Greetings to all my amazing blogfriends. Have i mentioned recently how grateful i feel to have you in my life? Yesterday i was feeling scattered, stressed and off balance. Your support gave me power, optimism and hope. So many of you were there for me in a time i really needed it. Thank you! You are wonderful and i am blessed to have you here.
People maybe say that blogging is an impersonal form of communication, but this was the exact opposite. And since i open my heart to you every time i get here and i share the most intimate of truths i thoought i should change my profile image and show you the real me in the flesh(so to speak). I do not know why i have n't done that already but this was the time and here is me!
Do you feel Samhain coming? It is almost here. This year i will try once more to carve a pumpkin. Have i mentioned how bad i suck at this? Every year it is a disaster. Let me paint you a picture. Imagine me in an obsessed mode, covered by sweat, hair all messed up, elbow deep in a huge pumpkin, in a kitchen covered by orange juices and seeds, trying(and failing each and every time) to make shapes in the gigantic vegetable. At some point huge chunks of the pumpkin that were n't meant to get cut off, end up in the floor, making me after hours of dedicated carving to throw it all away. I always see videos that make it seem so simple and i think:"Hey, i can do that!". But after all these years i realise that it is sort of a tradition and it won't be fun if i do not destroy a pumpkin.

Diet,weight gain and my unspiritual approach.

Greetings blogfriends. How are you? I am a little bit stressed right now. Lately i am on a very healthy and light nutrition plan and the last 3 weeks i take 3 to 4 times a week a hard kickboxing class taht last one and a half hour each. But instead of losing weight i gained! I am worried that although i am taking my medication as i should my thyroid is messed up again. Tommorrow i will do the necessary tests. It could just be some water retention. I just got my period after all. But it has been three weeks of no loss and now gain.
So, now i will cut down on salt, drink a lot of tea, keep trying and patiently await my results.
Also i will light a candle to bless my journey as it was the beginning again. I have lost a lot of weight the last 2 years, but i still have a lot to lose. I am currently trying not to get frustrated. When you put a lot of effort you get excited while you wait for the results and dissapointed when the are not what you think of. I do not get emotional about the scale. I have learned that sometimes it takes time to my body to react the way it is supposed to. And so, i have been patient for three weeks and ignored the numbers. But, i should have checked out my thyroid months ago, and with my medical history something could easily be wrong.
I have two hormonal metabolic related issues. Hypothyroidism and polycystical ovaries. It has always been hard to lose and easy to gain but that is ridiculous. I keep telling myself it is going to be okay and that i am going to get there, but right now, i need to hear it from somebody else.
I feel guilty when i get so emotional about it. I am blessed in so many ways. Lucky in so many ways. I should be more graceful about it, but right now i really can't. I know i have a slow metabolism so i do everything known to man to boost it. Small meals every 2.5-3 hours, balanced carbs-proteins, 1200-1500 per day, exercise. I should have done the tests long before. I am always reluctant because of fear.
I feel better now that i talked about it. I never do.
Be blessed, be loved and forgive me for the rant.
G.

Blessed Equinox!

Greetings my wonderful blogfriends. I missed you so much. I am a busy little bee these days and i love every minute of it. Here is a quick update on my life. My conservatory begun. A whole school year awaits me and i already feel tired from the work load. I also signed up for a kick boxing class in my gym and i am sore all over. Business as usual is totally crazy. I barely see my husband because he is constantly working. I brought a few more plants in the house, i guess there was enough space for them. You just have to be very flexible a person to walk across the living room.
Right now my favourite holiday is upon us and i can't wait. I got side tracked with everyday life and i almost missed it, but thank Goddess i remembered just in time. The Autumnal Equinox. I do not know why but except for balance, harmony and all its normal meanings, this time of the year always boosts my creativity, my energy levels and i get more optimistic. The leaves are changing colours, the soil is damp, the air smells of rain and i am in the mood of baking and cleaning. And that says a lot. I hate cleaning.
Tomorrow i am going to celebrate by baking an apple pie. I am going to cleanse my home and body. I am going to write a prayer to the Goddess and Spirits. And since this is the second harvest of the Wheel of the year i will perform a blessing for my business and finances. This is a time to be thankful for what the Goddess has given us and the people in our lives that we love. And last but not least i will make a beautiful wreath out of wild flowers, or my garden plants.
I hope you will have fun and enjoy this beautiful holiday. Gather with family and friends, make small gifts for them, smile and communicate with Nature.
Be blessed, be love and be very, very happy!
Georgina.

The cave and the tummy ache

Greetings blogfriends. I am writing this post from my hotel room. I am lucky enough to be surrounded by mountains and currently staying right across a small farm with some ducks, a few chickens and a beautiful horse which yesterday i fed. I googled what are appropriate treats for her and gave her an apple, a carrot, a few raisings and a sugar cube. By the end of the treat giving i was jumping happily up and down like a little girl. Today i am going to repeat the whole process and i am also going to give her a beet. On the downside, we came here for work and i can not help because something i ate did n't agree with me. The newfound friendship between me and my toilet does n't allow me to leave the hotel room just yet.
But do not worry i am not going to spend the entire post talking about diarrhea. I want to share with you my visit to a huge cave in the area. It is one of the largest in the balkans and it has many different types of stalagmites and stalaktites. I do not have pictures because they do not allow cameras in there. It was magnificent. They said the villagers would n't stay in there because of the spirits inhibiting the place. The only animals living in there are bats and spiders. And although it was majestic and of extreme beauty, i felt unwelcome. Like this place was too sacred for us to be there. At least in the way we were. A group of people caring ice coffee drinks and screaming kids. This ancient cave of 2.000.000 years was only found in the 1940's or so. I couldn't not think it would be better left alone.
We walked 1.1 km in the form of 500 steps. I have to tell you. I did n't know i had it in me. By the end of the route i wanted to die a little. On my defense there was also an old lady coughing her lungs out, so i had good company in my misery. God, i have to work out more! At the end i gave the guide two straws and a sipping cup i found on the ground. She took them saying thanks, but we do have a cleaning crew. How was i supposed to know? This is Greece. I was happy they did n't give us a stalagmite for a souvenir! Of course i stayed at the end of the line so i could secretly say a few prayers and chants for blessings.
Sorry, got to go again... I am back! Too much information huh? Sure, but i am in my favourite town in the world(Ioannina) with the most amazing nature, the tallest trees and a beautiful lake and i am bound to stay in! I have to rant just a teeny, tiny bit! Right? I think it's the crab sallad by the way! Bad idea! What was i thinking ordering the crab salad in a tavern?
Be blessed, be happy and be loved!!
Georgina

On line classes, sacred circle and guided meditation

Greetings to all my wonderful blogfriends. I know i have been a terrible blogger, but i had some good excuses. I was busy creating a greek blog. I have forgotten how tricky that can be. I also took a few(a lot) classes in universalclass which is a great site, check it out. I got a certificate in spiritual counselling and i looved that course. I was also busy creating a sacred circle in my house, and that needed some rearranging.
My sacred circled is made out of 13 stones(13 is a sacred number because it is the number of the moons of the year) arranged from East to West. Inside it at the East it has a censer(to represent the Element of Air). At the South corner it has a candle(to represent the Element of Fire). At the West corner it has a big beautiful cup full of water and floating tealights(to reresent the Element of Water). At the North it has a beloved ficus tree to represent the element of Earth). And right in the middle is a round low bamboo stool with a beautiful pillow so i can meditate on. On the negative side it is right infront of the front entrance, so when you come into the house it is right there! I guess it might seem weird to many, but there was n't any other place for it. I tried! A lot! It just was n't meant to be.
It feels wonderful in there. It makes feel me empowered and strong. The stones i used i have gathered them myself from a forest. They are different in shapes and sizes but they are all white. I have also made a guided meditation cd that i hear while in my circle.
I have recorded sessions of guided meditation for myself in the past. But although when i make it for anyone else it is recorded with great equipment and backround music, for me i always made crappy recordings on my cellphone. Finally, i made one for me too! It makes a lot of difference.
Have you ever recorded a guided meditation session for yourself? If not try it, the experience is far better than of regular meditation. It is easier to ground, connect and focus. And when you write the script yourself with your own voice it has a stronger impact and you allow yourself to relax more.
So, how have you been? I missed you guys!
Ps. I can not see my followers. I have tried everything. If you are new here, please comment so i can visit your blog.

Brightest blessings,
Georgina

Balance weekly-Plants, oh plants!

What is up with blogger lately?? I missed talking to you guys. I hate not being able to speak when i want to, but you probably knew that already about me! How have you been?
You know that lately i have been seeking balance in life, hence the balance weekly theme. Unfortunately, i have been stressing about financial things..everytime i turned on the tv. The economic climate of Greece is..well you probably know all about it. But after of months being...well wise, i decided i should stop. And splurged. And bought even more plants. Sometimes being a little irresponsible is exactly what you need to feel like you are living in the here and now. I do not do that a lot. And when i do i usually ruin the moment with extreme self doubt and judgment. This was n't one of those times, thankfully... Getting a little off budget was freeing for me. It was indeed shopping therapy.
Our home is now like a greenhouse. It 's like a jungle in here. But it did n't happen over night. The last couple of years i am filling every free spot with plants, any kind of plants. I have used anything i could get my hands on, as long as it would grow. Once i had some spoiled onions and cloves of garlic..,so, i planted them. They are really pretty. In result, everywhere i look i am surrounded by life. In all forms. Flowers,herbs, shrubs and trees are growing in pots all around me. Herbs and smudges are drying in various places around the house and it smells like burned sage all the time.
My cats used to be a big problem for my poor plants. They loved peeing in them. I did n't manage to save all of them. Until i read a fabulous solution. Pine cones and stones. So simple, cheap and pretty. You fill the surface of the pots with them and you are done screaming to your cats: Nooooo! Plus, it is fun going out and searching for pine cones. To fill all those pots i had to gather a lot(!) of them. Bags full of them. While i did that, the people passing by, naturally, looked at me in wonder.
I urge you to do the same. Bring Mother Nature into your home. Gather natural items, pieces of wood, rocks, shells. Do n't throw away this bag of expired lentils, plant them. You will feel grounded, protected, safe. It will make your life a bit more magical and bright. As your hands deep into the soil, you will connect with the Goddess. As your plants grow, you will grow stronger with them.
This week's balance weekly project is to bring home a new life. Whether it is in the form of a plant or a pet.
Be blessed, be loved and be in touch with your inner voice.
Kisses and hugs to all of you,
Georgina.

The spirituality of walking, protective pentagram around your house, balance weekly

Greetings blogfriends! Forgive me for the extremely looong title! How are you? I am so much better! I have been taking care of my plants all morning! They are so beautiful! The weather is weird for this time of year, cloudy and rainy but still warm. I have to admit that i love it. I go out to the balcony to drink a cup of coffee and it smells of rain.
This past couple of weeks i have been taking long walks. I have been blessed with some extra spare time and i got a little more aware of the place i live. I appreciate a little better this part of town now. I discovered some extremely beautiful spots and i realised there are some paths i really enjoy walking. I should have done it a long time ago.
I used to live to a quieter, greener place and walk a lot. I went almost everywhere by foot. To chores, to school, to the coffee place, to friends... everywhere. Besides the obvious health benefits, it really helped me relax and connect. Connect with the place, nature, people and animals, the Moon and the Sun and the Air. What is more magical than experiencing the beauty of your surroundings and filling your mind with the smells, the sounds, the feelings and the energy they hold? I needed to get reacquainted with this place. One step at a time.
I am thinking of marking a protective pentagram around my house with runes and the top point will be my home. My mom and i have done it a long time ago around my parents's place. To mark each point we have planted a plant. I was so excited when we did that! I used to go every day and water them for a long time. I think it will be a wonderful ritual for the Summer Solstice. I have n't thought of doing it until i took this walks. Until this place felt mine. Until i felt like the Witch of this place! Under each rune i will leave an offering according to the point and element it represents.
Are you enjoying the place you live? When was it the last time you took a long walk to your neighbourhood, feed some birds, actually smelled the roses? This is this week's balance weekly challenge. To fill your lungs with fresh air and your heart with joy.
Be blessed, be loved and be foolishly happy!
I love you guys,

Georgina.

Embarassing facts about me

Greetings blogfriends. Forgive me for not posting two balance weekly posts on time. I have been a little stressed over studying and singing. Yesterday late in the afternoon, i have been audited by the greek IRS. It was so scary because i am really bad with numbers but it turns out i did really good. They freaked me out because they thought i should have a book that i did n't, but it turns out they were wrong and i was right. Thank Goddess for that. Have i mentioned that my worst fear is any bureaucratic activity? When it was my turn to be our building's manager i was an emotional wreck. I was constantly frightened of making horrible mistakes and losing things that mattered. So, yesterday when they told me(they sounded sure of it) that it was illegal not to have a book that i have n't ever heard of, i broke into tears.
This is another of my worst qualities as a person. No matter who is in front of me, no matter if they do n't know me at all and no matter if the moment is totally wrong i cry like a baby when i feel like it. I can not control it. It is the most humiliating and embarrassing of all experiences, and that comes from a person who takes two steps and falls down. When my husband had to leave for a year for his mandatory military training, i cried everywhere i was, for the first couple of months. Once in the music school i begun crying, rather loudly , out of the blue and the owner explained to a stranger-client:" She misses her boyfriend who is in the Army" And he responded: "I know, i was here yesterday and she was crying for the same reason!" It is like a tap of water opens and there is no stopping it. I try to have happy thoughts, i even make jokes in my head, but not once have i mastered the fine art of...adulthood!
Right now, i am trying to envision life as a river that is taking me to beautiful things and whatever obstacles i encounter i just flow around them. I find little treasures every other moment, and i do not care about my humiliating habits. I do n't, i do n't! Our spirituality really disappears when we focus on the bad stuff. So, i am focusing on the good things, like the fact that today i am having a roadtrip and i am going to spend my day with friends and family! The memory of yesterday keeps fading and fading!
Nope! Big fat lie! Big, fat, cry baby, lie!
Be blessed and forgive me for that post!

Georgina.

Good things about christianism and smile- balance weekly

Greetings blogfriends. How have you been this past week? I have been lurking at your blogs, some of you saw me there, some i just spied on silently. I have to say once again, how grateful i am to have you in my life. You enrich it in so many ways. Either we have a strong connection, or we have never spoken to each other, i learn so much from you, your magical practices, your lives, your thoughts. You have helped me so much just by reading your words and i hope that mine will do the same for someone out there one way or another.
I begun this post wanting to write about something else entirely and then it struck me. What is important. What is it that we do. What is it that we try and hope to do. Shed light into the darkness. This week i had an e mail in my professional webpage(for those of you new here, i am a psychic). The mail was titled urgent! So i opened it and it was "explaining" to me how i am a Satan worshiper, will burn in hell and listed for me churches i should go to if i wanted to repent for my sins. I ignored it, felt a little bad for that person. I believe you are lost if your spiritual journey is about judging or even converting others. But this post's purpose is not about intolerance but the opposite. It is about being receptive and accepting the heterogeneity of humanity. So, to bring a little balance to the world i answer to fear with love. I am Wiccan, i worship the Goddess, i am a witch, but here are the things i like about Christian Orthodox religion.
I love the incense and the numerous candles(well, dahh!) and the smell of beeswax. I appreciate the fact that priests try and in a lot of cases help people by listening and offering advice. There is a monastery and a small church that always felt safe and warm to me. I also believe it is beautiful that before Easter everything is decorated with flowers. I really love the sound of bells and Virgin Mary as a deity(although not considered one) has a special place in my heart. And last but not least there are two traditional greek deserts that have a religious purpose and i really like. One is a cake you bake and then put under your pillow so in your dreams you can see the person you are supposed to marry and another one is some sort of granola with pomegranade that we eat at funerals. We call them coliva. I understand that the things i engoy the most have pagan origins or are things we do too(or are food!lol), but i am a pagan what did you expect?
I connect with many practices of many religions and i do not allow the way other people feel change the way my heart works. Christianity has many positive qualities. I named just a few that came to my mind that i really like. This week's balance weekly theme is not about christianity of course! It is about acceptance of ourselves and others. Letting go of feelings that hold us back in the way we interact with people. It is about being more positive.
This week i challenge you to do this simple task. Smile at least once everyday at the reflection of your mirror. And also smile at least to one stranger! Brighten their day and yours. Shed light to any dark thoughts you have about yourself or others. Do not allow other people's perceptions, feelings and issues to drag you down. Make a great change by making a small smile! Free yourself and let your spirit soar!
Be blessed, be loved and be very, very happy!
Georgina

Music in witchcraft-Balance weekly

Greetings blogfriends! How are you? I healed really quickly and i am on my feet again. I realised that since i begun the balance weekly theme on my blog, i am more centered and grounded. Thank you for your support!
The subject of today's post is music in witchcraft. I am a singer, so i love the use of music in witchcraft. But you do not have to be a musician to use it. First of all, using relaxing music helps you focus, meditate and breathe properly. Also, sounds of nature in indoors rituals aid in keeping you connected with the Great Mother. I have permanently in my stereo a cd with nature sounds and i press the button in the morning and let it play throughout the day. Whenever, i feel tense i just concentrate and listen and the tension melts away.
One of the things i enjoy the most is writing a simple spell-song and chanting it. But chanting can be in the form of just a vowel, or a small phrase. I have noticed that chanting is especially effective when it comes to cleansing and meditating. But that is just what works for me. Try it out and see what works for you. You do not have to make a melody of your own if that seems difficult . You can use a melody you like and sing it with just a vowel. You can use any song you want from Aerosmith to Britney, as long as you think it is pretty and it feels magical.
Another extremely mystical use of music is drumming. Once again, you don't have to be a drummer to do it, or even have a drum. Just keep a steady bit, on whatever inspires you and lose yourself in the sound. Of course, you can just listen to someone else doing it, but give it a shot, because it is a wonderful way to free your spirit and connect with The Spirit.
Chanting and drumming are magical and powerful because of their shamanic roots. They are the first ways our primeval ancestors tried mimicking the sounds of Nature and connect with the Unseen. They are ancient and they come from our heart of hearts. You can also combine the two methods. I unfortunately, only enjoy it when i am alone at home because my husband who is a drummer makes fun of my drumming. Admittedly, i am not good!
Another wonderful musical, magical practice is bell..i wanna say... jiggling?Did i get that right? Anyhooo... The bell is a magical tool that represents the Goddess because of its womanly shape. It is great for invoking spirits, magical creatures, elementals, and of course the Goddess. In some cultures, jiggling the bell is believed that it cleanses and protects from evil spirits.
So, for this week i challenge you to make your life a little bit more musical. Fill your days and nights with beautiful sounds and surround yourself with happiness and joy.
Be blessed and be loved.
Georgina.

Balance weekly- breathing

Greetings blogfriends. This week's post is one day late but believe it or not i am down with a cold yet again. The weather in Greece is unbelievably cold for this time of the year and my whole family has either fever or running noses. Such a bliss! I am drinking hot teas with honey and rest whenever i can. I think i will get through this one without antibiotics. Fingers crossed!
This week's balance weekly theme is breathing. I challenge you to work with your breath for a few minutes each day so that you can feel revitalised and refreshed, more relaxed and calmer by next Thursday. We all know how important breathing correctly is, but most of us do not pay enough attention to this valuable body function. Controlled breathing can calm us down, low our heart bit, alter our state of conciousness, fight hypertension and cardiovascular problems.
I personally think that the best time to work with my breath is when i am in bed before sleep. Especially with the full breath. It is a breath from yoga than combines abdominal and thoracic breath. You first breath in and fill your belly with air and as you do that your diaphragm rises and you continue the intake of air to your thoracic area and that makes your chest to rise. Then you first exhale the air from your chest(chest falls down) and empty your abdomen last(belly sinks into your body). When you first begin this exercise you can not easily do it in one fluent motion but it becomes easier in time. Also, at the beginning the breaths are shallower and shorter, but as you get used to controlled breathing they become longer and more relaxing.
But there is also a breath that can energise you and get you going. It is also a yoga technique and it is called the fire breath. Here you mainly focus on the exhale that has to be rhythmical and sharp. This breath is similar to a dog's breath after running. We use it in classical singing to strengthen our diaphragm because the whole motion is based on this particular area. When you first try it you can do it for just a few seconds, but it also gets easier. It is best to do it in the morning after you wake up.
Another way to controll your breath is to count. You count the inhale 1-2-3 you count the pause 1, the exhale 1-2-3-4-5 once again the pause 1. This way you do not focus on an area in your body but to the numbers. It is an excellent way to silence your mind before meditation. You can change the numbers to this exercise to fit your breath, but the goal is to make the exhale longer than the inhale. You count at a pace that suits you and as you practice, it becomes slower. If you work with aromatherapy and essential oils this is a wonderful time to use them.
Breath in magic symbolises life and the element of air. In some traditions there are rituals of withholding breath to symbolise death and rebirth. As you inhale think of all the beautiful things in your life. Imagine that this air is life, energy, love and prosperity. As you exhale let go of fear, negative emotions and anything that holds you down. With each breath you feel more free and relaxed. The air you inhale is the energy of the Universe, the blessing of the Goddess that unlocks the power within you.
So, today i ask you to join me for a week of happy breathing, a week to honour ourselves and lives.
Be blessed and love yourselves for the wonderful and amazing beings that you are.

Georgina.

Balance weekly-Spiritual dancing!

Greetings blogfriends. Today i am super excited. I won one of Magaly's giveaways. You should check out her blog. She is awesome! You can find her here: http://pagan-culture.blogspot.com/ . I have to tell you that doing the last post motivated me to drink at least two cups of tea per day. I feel rejuvenated and lighter! I want to thank all of you that tried to do it too. You are the most supportive group of blogfriends. So here i am again asking for your participation in yet another week of more balanced habits.
For this week's theme i was torn. I had so many things in my mind that i could n't decide which was the one we should try for a whole week. After a lot of consideration i decided it should be 15' of workout per day. For those of you that already work out, well..your job is done. But for the rest, i believe that a quarter of an hour is not intimidating. It can be as vigorous as you want, or simply a walk with your dog. You can do yoga, kick box, walk, run, cycle etc.
But my suggestion is a little more spiritual and cleansing. Spiritual dancing! You can do it while listening to whatever you want. You can choose from Lady Gaga to shamanic drums. Whatever speaks to you. Just dance from East to West in some sort of circle, following the movement of the Sun. Do not worry about being cool, or sexy, or funny, or even interesting while doing it. You just do what comes to mind. Listen to music and get lost to it. While you do it, try not to get interrupted, so you can enter a meditative state . Hear the rhythm and just revel in it. Lose yourself in the moment.
At this point i have to confess that i am no dancer. Ha! Believe you me! But i put on the music that feels more "shamanic" to me, i make some room in the living room and just start moving. After a while i find myself hopping, diving and "flying". I check the clock and see an hour has gone by and i am not even tired. And i am no athlete either. Speaking to the Goddess in such an ancient way makes me feel a part of this world. And i do not see modern furniture and electronical equipment, and i do not see buildings and cities and cars. For a while, it is me, with my eyes closed dancing around the fire that burns inside me, chanting, floating, free in my purest and wildest of forms.
If you have never tried it please do. I swear you will not regret it. Light your candles, burn some frankiscence, empty your mind form everyday thoughts and allow yourself the luxury of 15 minutes devoted to just you. You deserve it!
I love you guys! Thank you for being there for me!
Be blessed, be happy, be loved.
Georgina.

Balance weekly theme- Green Tea

Greetings blogfriends. I have been gone for so long. I hope you have n't forgotten your wacky, witchy, greek friend. It was a bit difficult for me over here. I had various health issues but nothing really major. I was down with tonsillitis, ear infection, asthma, pneumonia, fungus infection from all the antibiotics(twice), the flu... All that, made me realise i was out of balance, and although i am completely healthy for some time now(knock on wood!), i have been away from blogging and other activities i enjoy so much because i was trying to find harmony in my life! I have been visiting your blogs but i did n't leave any comments. I did n't go out much either. It felt like walking down an introvert spiral towards my core to strenthen again. I eat better, exercise almost regurarly, use only natural sweeteners and the most difficult of all... i try not to stress out. I have been working my magical ass off over here all this time, and there were so many things i wanted to share with you. I really missed being here.
I want to ask you to join me on my path trying to find balance. I want to make a weekly theme of exercises, routines, healthy or spiritual habbits and dedicate a week to one of them. See what can stay and what has to go. How do you feel about that?
This week's "obsession" is green tea. It has so many health benefits because of the powerful antioxidant substance it contains(catehins). It fights cancer, arthritis, heart disease, high cholesterol, infections, and it helps with dieting. After you have made your tea you can use the leaves stir them with some water in a cup and concentrate. See what images comes to your mind. Tasseography is a wonderful method of divination, but it is also very energy consuming, so do not forget to ground yourself properly before you begin. You can also dry the leaves and burn them as incenses, or use them in sachets for money, strenth, and health spells since tea has Sun properties. Although, tea is wonderful by itself it blends fantastically with lemon, mint, orange, peach. You can make a pitch with ice and hydrate yourself all day long. But do n't forget it contains a bit of caffeine! Most importantly, since we will do that for our health while you make it do n't forget to state your intention. For example, cleanse my body, cleanse my spirit...
So, who is going to join me with a cup a day for a week? Or who is doing it already?
Brightest blessings to all the blog land!

Elemental magic on full moon!

Greetings blogfriends. How are you? I have been trying to fight off a cold without antibiotics for over a week now, but since i got worse and worse today i will give in! I did it all. Herbal tea(oh so many herbal teas!), aromatherapy, cough medicine, ear medicine, lots and lots of fluids and nothing worked! But because i have n't written here for a while i will not be a nag. Okay, more of a nag!
Did you know that TipToeChic has posted a new video on Youtube? That was a wiccan delight for my sick heart! Sorry, i forgot! No nagging!
Tonight is the full moon. So today i am going to dry the red rosepedals from my Valentine's bouquet. I will lay them on sugar. Not only the harmonics are great but they dry faster. I am also going to make a dust-insence to sprinkle and to burn for light in my life. It is mostly for matters of the heart because it has afrodisiac properties but i usually use it for light in general and wishes. It contains:
red rose pedals(dried on a previous full moon), lavender, damiana, mandric root (all powerfull afrodisiacs so far), St John 's wort, a bit of candio which is a resin that can substitute sugar, and jasmine essential oil. Today is Friday and the full moon is in Leo so make sure to seek your heart 's desire. A beautiful day to celebrate the Esbat. I will cast an Elemental wish spell that i love. The idea is to call upon the Elementals and ask for your wish to come true.
Elementals are creatures that correspond with one of the four elements. They are spirits of nature so it is easier to incorporate them in an outdoors ritual, but you can access their power if you have a represantation for each element on your altar. It is also useful to remember that East correspons with Air, South with Fire, West with Water and North with Earth. To mark the four points on the horizon aka Watchtowers you can use a yellow candle at the East, a red at the South, a blue at the West and a green at the North corner of your altar. Here is the spell for my few greek readers.

Αερικα της Ανατολης,
Στοιχειά του Νοτια,
Νηρηιδες της Δυσης,
Πνευματα του Βορρα,

Το καλεσμα ακουστε της φωνης μου,
Τ' ονειρικο ταξιδι της ψυχης μου,
Εγω, παιδι του Ηλιου και κορη της Σεληνης,
Μαγισσα του Φωτος, της Σκιας και της Σαγηνης,

Ιερεια της Θεας, πριγκιπισσα του κοσμου,
με μαγικη γητεια φορω το φως μου,
Δυναμεις του Συμπαντος και παλι σας εγειρω,
Τη λαμψη την αποκοσμη για να σκορπω τριγυρω,

Σε φλογα κερινη αφηνω την ευχη μου,
Χαρα να μου χαρισετε ζητω μες στη ζωη μου!
Ετσι ας ειναι.
Brightest blessings blogfriends and happy Esbat!

Spellcrafting

Greetings my wonderful blogfriends. How have you been? I am recovering from a bad case of tonsillitis, for which i can only blame myself. Well, you see as i have mentioned before i am trying to make a bit healthier choices in food. On this important quest i have discovered a few foods i love. One of them and perhaps the simplier of all, is a smoothie of frozen strawberries, milk and vanilla protein powder. The ending result for those of you smoothie virgins out there, is something between an icecream and a milkshake, very satisfying and fulfilling. So a week ago i made this delicious treat and because i had an appointment and had to hurry up i ended up inhealing the damn thing and came down with, you guessed it, tonsillitis. What was i thinking in the middle of the winter? I had to stay at home, miss a bunch of classes and work. But since we focus on the upside of things, i also had a blast watching my favourite shows and i cleaned and organised various places in the house, which made no difference what so ever since my home is a complete and total mess. At this point i have to apologise for the mouthy rant-update-whining and move on to things that might be more interesting.
No matter how you started walking this path, whether it was a Cunningham or a Ravenwolf book or you learnt from your mom, aunt, girlfriend, boyfriend, a movie or a show at some point you have felt or will feel ready to make your own spell. This is the time where all the hard work you have done pays of. If you have a well rounded knowledge of the basics you are able to write your own spells and come up with your own rituals. They can be as elaborate as you want but at the beginning it is better to be as simple as possible.
If you do not know where to begin and what your first spell should be about, you can start with the elements. There are a lot of elemental spells out there, but with making your own, you will be able to attune yourself with them easier and quicker. You want it to rhyme, because it helps you connect. You want it to call on as many senses as possible for the same reason. I have noticed that as sensual the spell the more successful it is. You can concentrate on time and space especially if it is a full moon or a Sabbat, or if you are on sacred grounds. You can call on your ancestors if you come from a magical family or you feel one of them is by your side, protecting you. But most important of all you have to be very specific about the intent, otherwise you will not be able to connect. Let the words come from your heart and you will not fail. Let the wisdom of the Goddess and the God fill your soul. As always visualise and create clear thoughtforms.
Whether your spell is for protection, prosperity, luck, health, blessing or it is just a prayer let the words flow through you and the Gods will be with you. You are made of Them after all.
Brightest blessings,
Georgina.

Superstitions

Greetings wonderful blogfriends. These days are difficult and powerful all at the same time for me. How have you been?
With the coming of the new year i begun thinking about superstitions and i found out i am an extremely superstitious person. I mean i do not care about going under a ladder and i do love black cats, but there are some superstitions that i am always careful about. Like the ones about spilled salt and broken mirrors. But the superstitions that i do care about the most are those about beginnings. The beginning of a year, a season, a month, and sometimes a day i always want them to be extremely positive. So, on beginnings i do not see clients i consider "negative" first and i try to begin with persons that i know they love me and want the best for me. If on a beginning i have to give money and i have n't yet worked and got paid i make Petros give me a coin.
On every beginning i cast a prosperity spell and a spell to bring light. I try to have fun, laugh and enjoy myself. I meditate and eat well. I remember to work out, lol. I try to clean the house a bit. I take care of my plants, and practice on my music. As you imagine on beginnings i am always exhausted!
How about you? Do you have a superstition you believe in?