November 2007
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Guild News
Sorry I'm a bit late guys... i just finished school for good yay! so hopefully now i can be here more!
A lot of things have been happening in the guild lately.
Things have certainly picked up pace lately, but hopefully we can increase that biggrin
anyway.
Dragoness Arleeana and I are the only current moderators of this guild, we will be creating a thread shortly in the future looking for two new crew members. So keep your eyes out if you want to sign up to the crew.
Another thing that we’re looking for is someone to do monthly horoscopes for the newsletter, so if you know anyone who does good horoscopes, please let me know or get them to get in contact with me.
If you guys want to get cool gifts for your birthday visit the birthday thread in the contest subforums here and if you want kool presents don’t forget to donate to MidnightLetter, so the prizes and presents are better for you!
Thank you guys!
Current Contests
CopyCat -Drop in and try your hand at the tektek dream avi maker, following the sample pic of the time. Not as easy as you might think, but great prizes!
Check out the latest contest [Contest Idea Thread
come up with contest ideas, original… wiccan holidays… wiccan themes.. or any contest. Prizes up to 5,000g items… you can keep it or sell it! Winners choice.
Topic of the Month:
Feel free to drop into the Newsletter suggestion thread and suggest topics for the month. If you would like to write a topic of the month, feel free to do so, and send it to the crew.
November's Topic: Source of magic
There are many interesting topics this month but I thought this one hit the bat.
Occult News
Stay informed. Knowledge is power. Knowing is half the battle... yeah, all that stuff. Follow the links to read the articles.
Check out Witchvox for the latest!
How to for November: To Make Your Own Ritual Robe
Each month we would like to share a simple "How to" with you. If you have a "How to" which you enjoyed, or that you would like to share with everyone, please send it to one of the Crew for consideration.
Submitted by – Hiddenbeliefs found on msngroups – learning the wicca ways.
You'll need a length of fabric 36 to 45 in. wide and as long as TWICE the distance from the top of your shoulder to your feet. For example, if your body is 5 feet tall, then you will need 10 feet of fabric, or 31/3 yards.
1) Fold the fabric into quarters: once across (width), and once the long way (lengthwise). Make sure it's even, and that all 4 edges are together. I pin mine for added stability once I start cutting.
IMPORTANT!
1a) If you have chosen a material with a pattern, there's an extra step here you'll need to do. Cut across the width at midpoint, turn one half around and with the right sides facing, seam the 2 edges together. The seam will become the shoulder-and-sleeve seam of the finished robe, instead of the seamless top line made by folding. Be SURE the upper ends of the design face TOWARD this seam!
2) In the upper left hand corner of the fabric you folded into quarters, measure inches diagonally (kittykorner) from the edge. Make a quarter circle with a colored pencil on the fabric. Now cut it out, following the curved line you just made. Congratulations! You just finished the scoop neck of your robe, which you'll see when you unfold it later.
3) Measure 10 inches down from the outside edge (selvage), and make a mark with your colored pencil. This is part of your sleeve.
4) Measure 18 inches up from the bottom along the outside (selvage) edge and make a mark with your colored pencil. This is your waist.
5) Measure 3 inches up from the bottom along the outside (selvage) edge and make a mark with your colored pencil. This is your hem.
5a) Draw a line (essentially a sharp 45 degree angle) from the 3 inch hem mark up to the the 18 waist mark. Stop. (Trust me on this, it's much easier this way)
6) Now draw a wide gentle curve from the 18 inch waist out to the 10 inch sleeve mark. Remember, this is your sleeve, so the more generous you make this curve, the more roomy your sleeve will be. You need every inch you can allow to raise your arms above your head for rituals.
7) Now cut along the lines you just made. Unfold the robe. It should look just like the one in figure 2.
cool Now all you have to do is sew up the sides, neck, and hem & add trim if you want.
Tips for the Month of November
Tips on: Altars
Tips on How To Make an Altar by lady Aries
An altar serves as a conscious reminder that you are a spiritual being. In the home, it can provide a sacred space for you to meditate, to pray, and even to perform rituals.
Difficulty Level: average Time Required: 90 minutes
Here's How:
Find a quiet space in your home where you can place your altar. If possible, have it face North. Trust yourself and use your intuition to find the "right" place for it.
Cleanse and bless the space by sprinkling salt water, burning sage, or ringing a clear bell.
Ask the spirits of the North, East, South, and West to guard this sacred space.
Ask the Goddess and God to bless your altar space.
Place a low table or box in the spot. I use an old steamer trunk.
Cover the table with a special cloth. You get to decide what makes it special.
Place your pentacle, a stone, or a bowl of salt on the northern side of your altar.
This represents Earth energy.
Place an incense burner, a feather, or your wand on the eastern side of your altar. This represents Air energy.
Place a candle or your athame at the southern side of your altar. This represents Fire energy.
Place your chalice, a seashell, or a bowl of water on the western side of your altar. This represents Water energy.
If you have statues that represent the Goddess or God, place them on the altar.
You can also use candles, stones, or any other objects that feel right.
If you have any other object that you associate with your spiritual practice, find a place for it on your altar. You might add Tarot cards, Runes, your Book of Shadows, or your journal.
You have just created your altar. Enjoy it and use it well!
More Tips:
Feel free to improvise with your altar. It is your personal expression of your relationship with the Divine. Keep it as ornate or as simple as you like.
Respect your altar as sacred space and ask others to do the same. Don't allow random objects to be placed on it.
If you live with people who are uncomfortable with paganism, you can make your altar inconspicuous by keeping it on top of your bureau. Or make your entire room an altar
Creative Art of the Month:
Title: Lunar Prayer
Written by Sukeban Harue on May 15, 2007
My body is trembling
My arms, they extend
Up towards the sky
Will this battle not end?
I stand in the moonlight
That blesses my soul
And in this pure moment
I'm cleansed and I'm whole
Closing my eyes
As I kneel down to pray
I ardently speak
Of a crystal-clear day
The moon's always shining
The wind's gentle gust
Caresses my body
In Goddess, I trust
Her love, it empowers
Her light, it subdues
The fear that disturbs me
I'll take of my shoes
And walk through the meadow
My feet touch Earth
I'll take flight, suspended
On wings of rebirth
Serene as the starlight
My eyes are aglow
As tears fall in joy
For the truth I now know
The moon's always shining
The wind's gentle gust
Caresses my body
In Goddess, I trust
You can get a creative piece included in the newsletter by either posting to the Guild or by sending it to MidnightLetter.
Pagan Word of the Month: Divination
info found at ozwicca.com.
Divination is the art of using magickal tools and symbols to gather information from the collective unconscious on the nature of people, places, things and events in the past, present and future. It contacts the psychic mind by tricking or drowsing the conscious mind through ritual and by observing or manipulating tools.
Now, in English terminology: The use of your mind to see the past, present and future.
The tools help your subconscious mind (younger self) to see past what the conscious mind is telling it to see. You may see pictures as flashes or see it as a movie. It may be as continuous action or just blurbs of pictures. Not everyone "sees" either, some are more empathic and will have "feelings" instead of visions.
Divination is useful prior to working magick. It’s a good way to check to see if a spell is necessary or should even be used. (Maybe you’re not looking at the whole picture? Maybe there is something else involved that you hadn't thought of before?)
Recipe of the Month
Brought to you by- HiddenBeliefs
Almond Fortune Cookies
Preparation Time
30 minutes
Cooking Time
25 minutes
Makes
18
Ingredients
· 2 egg whites
· 80g (1/2 cup) icing sugar mixture, sifted
· 45g (1/3 cup) almond meal
· 40g (1/4 cup) plain flour
· 50g (21/2 tbs) butter, melted
· 18 (about 1 x 4cm) strips paper, with secret messages
Method
1. Preheat oven to 190°C. Cut 3 pieces of non-stick baking paper large enough to line 3 baking trays. Use a round 8cm cutter as a guide to draw 6 circles in pencil on each sheet of baking paper about 2cm apart. Place pencil-side down on the trays.
2. Use a fork to whisk the egg whites in a medium bowl until frothy. Add the icing sugar and whisk until well combined. Use a wooden spoon to stir in the almond meal, flour and butter until well combined.
3. Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoonsful of almond mixture onto each of the circles on the paper and use the back of a spoon to spread to cover the circles. Bake one tray at a time in preheated oven for 6-8 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.
4. Remove the tray from the oven and, working quickly, one cookie at a time, lift the edge of cookie with a round-bladed knife. Place a paper message in the centre, fold in half to enclose without flattening and fold half again crossways (the cookie should be a quarter of its original size). Place cookie in a small teacup until firm and then place on a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie mixture and paper messages to make 18 fortune cookies in total.
Notes & tips
· You can make these fortune cookies up to 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container. You will need 6 small teacups for this recipe.
Source
Australian Good Taste - November 2001 , Page 74
Recipe by Amanda Kelly
Quote of the Month:
Being Equal Does Not Mean You Have To Be The Same.
Classifieds:
Wanted: Artwork submissions for the Newsletter. Please post to the Art Forum, and one winning picture will be chosen at random or by a vote of crew... we're not telling. Artwork that is themed to the coming Sabbat or pagan/wiccan themed in general has a better chance of being picked, but all artwork is considered.
Wanted: News Articles. If you come across a good news article that you think others should read, send the weblink to a Crew member. Thank you.
Wanted: someone to do monthly horoscopes.
Wanted: Two new Crew Members… see above.
Please keep the following in mind:
*Remember newsletters only go out once a month.
*You can sell any item, product or service (ads for your shop or business, such as selling avi art, or mood jewels) so long as you comply with the TOS and guild rules.
*You must write the advert yourself. We are not responsible for any mistakes.
*There is a 10g list fee per advert, per month, which will go toward funding guild contests.
*Prices are subject to change, please check the latest issue of the newsletter for current prices
*You may pay for long term ads in advance, and lock in the current rate.
*You may post wanted lists to the Classifieds. They work the same as selling ads. You still must write it yourself, and the list fee is the same.
Any other questions, feel free to PM HiddenBeliefs and ask.
Reminders:
The next Newsletter will be better!
Check out all the new things in the Guild!
If you would like to submit articles, poems, spells or other things for the Newsletter, please contact MidnightLetter or HiddenBeliefs! Also, while it is fun to just read what you are sent, remember, the guild is only as good as you make it, and the same goes for the newsletters. You can't let other people do everything for you. Part of being Wiccan is learning to work in groups, learning to take part in what's going on. So please submit material, both to the guild and the newsletter. Otherwise, the Crew might get burned out.. and then everything stops. We don't want that. You don't want that. So get active and start posting things! Thanks.
News Crew:
HiddenBeliefs - Guild Owner and Editor and Chief of all things Newsletter