Rev. Crystal's Full Moon Blessings

As time passes I become more and more aware of what I have achieved and how far I have come in my spiritual life. I am a high priestess and it is amazing to know that others look at me as such. I don't know that I ever really saw this happening or anticipated that it would be like this.

Within the next year I will see two of my students come into their own power as High Priestesses, one priestess elevated to 2nd degree and four maybe five more elevated to first degree. Oh my!!!!!

I will have spiritual grandchildren and Dia will have spiritual great grandchildren. Who would have thought.

I am anxious to see what will come next.

With the upcoming anniversary of Katrina I am reminded of many things that evoke emotions within me. Seeing the devestation of a community and the disregard for life as we watched them die and float on the waters trying to survive, I am still so saddened by the disregard for the lives of our own....those of my people. So I posted this poem before but feel it is time to post it again to honor the anniversary of the water that changed many peoples lives....

And the Water Said....By Ifalade Ta'Shia Asanti
A Poem For the 2005 Hurricane Katrina Survivors, All Rights Reserved @August 2005


And the water said, "listen!"
I am coming to show you truth,
I am coming to shake the grains of sands beneath you
Show you that which is hidden but in plain view
And the water told us why she had come--
I have come to stroke the skin tones of America
To comb the roots of racism
Expose the scalp of discrimination
Make it bare like the parts of newly plaited hair
"Can you hear me," the water asked?
I'm here to purify these nations
To wash the streets clean of their denial
To reveal faulty foundations and forked tongues
And I shall not be ignored
And her rain created cities of tears
Waves of brutal reality
Demanding transformation
Commanding our world undone
She woke us early
When the white house phone line was busy
About a quarter to one she woke us
Before our comfort arrived in monthly envelopes
Made us remember the unity of a million maafas
Showed us how genocides join sons

She carried our vision to rooftops
Where the shepherd revoked our salvation
FEMA dollars transformed into tombstones
Homeland Security became a funeral home
And the water returned to her garden
An ailing levee beckoned her backwards
Back to the streets
Back to our homes
She wasn't sure we had remembered
She was sure that we had forgotten

And the water rose
She embraced our memories
Ran up our steps to our doorbells
She knocked but we didn't answer
She stretched higher and higher
Found us waiting in the sunlight
Waving to strangers in electronic birds
Whose wings made us invisible beneath the sleeping sun
Do you remember now she asked?
Do you remember Rwanda & Benin?
Do you remember the captive passage?

And she beckons us to forward
To new land
Under new realities
She calls us to independence
Not theirs, but our own
She turns our eyes inward
She moves our hands together
And the water said: "seek one another!"
Hear as you've never heard
Understand how you've never understood
I am parting my tide for your safe journey
So you may discover what I already know

You have survived
Let this message wash your ears alive
I am here with your salvation
I have delivered it on the words flowing from my tongue
And She retreated from their doorsteps and porches
Let the son return

She sent them into the wilderness
With prayers already done
Daughters of the ocean
Sons of the storm
Our God has not forsaken you
But come to reshape your love..

So, as you know, I started training with NROOGD. Well after a couple of months I have decided that my attention and energy needs to go elsewhere. I have decided that the timing is not right for me to add another tradition to my plate right now and for many reasons I am not able to do it right now.

As soon as the decision was made FWTI answered the call. The work coming down the line is a lot and I am back to working overtime for the tradition of my training.

Last night I went to the fullmoon labyrinth walk with Kat. We went to the last full moon candlelit labyrinth moon walk for 2007 and last night was the first one of the year for the 2008 season.

The night was cold with the kind of chill that makes your bones shiver and the anticipation of the cold was trying to convince me that tonight was not a good night to go. But I knew there were things I needed from the full moon walk and I knew I needed to go.

The labyrinth was darker than I remembered it from last years walk. There were three ladies on the maze as we walked up and they were talking while walking. I immediatley got irritated at their disrespect and said "Shhhh" before I started. They did stop talking but for the first section of the walk I couldn't pull my focus from them to me.

I then started thinking about recent choices I have made and why things have seemed so hard in this recent process. While doing that I grabbed my pentacle (which was the one that Kathryn and Ariana gave me when I got my third degree) and I thought "I love this pendant". And I questioned why I haven't been wearing it. I remembered when I first took it off and I remembered a statement that was made to me about the necklace from someone about how others "might have a problem with it" and at the time I didn't think they were related or affected me but they did. That realization hit me like a ton of bricks while walking.

Right after that I asked myself "why do I care?" About two steps after that I almost fell completely off the path. Not step off the path but fall completely over. I rebalanced and thought "god damn it takes hard work to stay on the path." AHA!!!!!!!

I think I am falling off the path. I don't think I allowed myself the time to become stable and secure in my place on my path before throwing a curve ball towards me. And at what point can someones statement or others views contribute to me pulling back from what I have worked towards for almost 6 years. If it was a master's degree in college, would I allow others thoughts to invalidate my degree? I am responsible for how I allow others to affect me and that is something I need to remember.

This is what I got on the trip inward on my journey. Interestingly when I got to the middle I felt relieved. I felt like I got some answers. I have rushed myself, I have not stayed true to my path, I have allowed outside interference to affect me and have not stood as proudly in my accomplishments.

On the way out there were two things that were profound to me. One was that there was a lady who was walking also and was at a faster pace. In my mind I knew she needed to pass us but I had to start reminding myself "don't look back, don't look back". I realized how I concentrated on someone elses path instead of staying focused on my own. With the exception of those whom I am responsible for like my kids, or those whom have entrusted me to be their spiritual mentor, I should not be worried about other people's path.

And there was this part of the path that I couldn't really see and I found myself getting anxious. And then I had to think in this maze, I will just catch my balance. What is the worse that can happen. I just have to find the path when it is unclear and catch my balance when it is off.

This has been an interesting week. Isn't it amazing how a week can start off one way and drastically change direction within the course of several days? Or sometimes minutes?

This week has been full of disappointments, interesting dynamics, crazy work schedules, strange decisions and unanswered questions. As I finish off the week part of me is saying, "woohoo!!!" and the other part is reminding me to soak in the lessons of this week and not take them for granted.

Here is a short yet interesting list of some of the things I have learned or reminded of in the past 6 days:

* own your power
* clear communication is good communication
* don't over extend yourself
* trust your answers
* don't assume that things are ok
* relationships take work
* sometimes being fair takes conscious thought
* speaking your mind doesn't mean that it will be heard
* everyone sees life through a different set of lenses
* When you miss someone, call them
* trust my instincts
* Personal boundaries are some of the hardest to enforce

I am sure this list could go on and on. I am glad I am getting something out of the week of strange experiences, it makes it all worth it. I think my goal for this year will be to remember my own integrity and personal power so I can use it is a supportive and responsible way.

Blessed be!

This may be one of those blogs that turn into the oh so famous crystal articles.......... so interesting how that happens. I don't know where to start with this thought so I will just jump in anywhere. For those of us who practice the craft we always here the discussions about training or opinions on the "traditional" people versus the eclectic people. I gotta say I can't stand those conversations.

I am so irritated with hearing opinions of who thinks who is really trained or "what tradition is real witchcraft" versus the eclectics. Here is what i don't understand, who cares? Don't people get tired of being so worried about how other people's training add up to their ideals?

Let me be the first to say that I am a trained eclectic Wiccan practitioner who is proud to have trained in the manner in which I did. I have been trained in a tradition that is founded on respect, tolerance and differences. Because of this I find it so hard to understand when others think they hold the keys to the "right way" of practicing the craft. As I embark on continuing and branching out I am caught off guard at how often I am hearing comments speaking against eclectic paths. It is frustrating and amazing at the same time. I am amazed that people do not consider how offensive they might be. What community do we create when we can justify those types of divides within the community? What is the real purpose of doing such? Do people really think that they are the only ones who can measure others practice or training styles?

Here is how I view the eclectic versus the traditional saga. I see such strengths on both sides of training and practice. Being eclectic can be wonderful because it teaches you to be creative with your concepts of deity and worship. It gives a big enough box to work inside of so that one can explore different sides and angles of the craft. It takes a strong person to truly train in an eclectic tradition because it requires that someone be disciplined enough to learn in a tradition where there are many options and variables. More "traditional" paths have strengths too. There is a history of practice and knowledge. There is a uniformity to practice that can lend to a common expectation of the followers of that path which can lend to the power of the work.

There are disadvantages to both sides too but I think that defeats the point of where I am going here. For those who are busy making judgments of the eclectics of the craft I think it is a strong possibility that you need to go back to your training guides and review the sections on working with others, creating community, tolerance, humility, respect, being open minded to differences and whatever else you may or may not have received the first time. If those things are not a part of your training then now is a perfect time to create them. They can be passed down to those who come after us.

This is not coming from a place of anger but rather a place of sincere concern at the state of a community that so harshly judges each other instead of finding ways to bridge the gap among our own. I hope this continues to change as the pagan world progresses to higher places in our development as a community.

I chose not to stand on one side or the other but if I felt I had to, the choice is already made...............there is no choice. My foundation is that of a Wiccan High Priestess of two traditions that are based in love, balance, understanding, tolerance and honoring of the differences that make this community of talented people so great. Won't you join me?

I feel it is important to clarify my intentions and make a couple of things clear for those who I respect and love. I have been blessed with wonderful friends and coven mates for a long time now. I have been blessed to work in two traditions that trusted me enough to grant me to opportunity to train and become a High Priestess thru both of them.

I have recently made a decision to begin training with NROOGD. This is a huge thing for me, like all the other training decisions I have made. But it is important to say that I am not looking to replace the coven or either of the traditions I Priestess with. I am looking to add onto my training. To fill gaps so that I may be a better priestess for myself and anyone who comes to me.

I am adding to, not replacing. Solitaries of the Second Circle, Dance of the Spirit Moon tradition and Family Wiccan Tradition International are my foundations. I am excited about adding NROOGD to those other things that mean so much to me because I will have more knowledge and be able to be an even more productive member for everything else.

Thank you to everyone who continue to be supporters to me throughout the years. I love you.

This weekend was another pillar in my spiritual building. I got the chance to do three things that are inside of my passion. I have been working all week with another priestess of DSM to prepare a ritual for the SSC. In one weekend I got to have a dedication ritual with NROOGD, circle with the sisters of the SSC and perform a DSM ritual for people I love.

I went showed up at our elders place for the ritual on Saturday and had many different thoughts going in my head. I was not sure what to expect but had a calming sense that I was doing the right thing and that things were going to be as they were suppose to be. After getting there we went to get some food, which was good. It gave me a minute to ground and prepare myself emotionally.

After returning, we did the dedication ritual and I was honored to have some of the people I highly respect from three of the bay NROOGD covens come out to support this process for me. I know that they came out to support this process for Sacred Serpent but I also know that they came for me and that meant a lot to me.

Interestingly enough after Saturday morning, I sat there and processed going skyclad in ritual. I took my cleansing bath and during that I feel like I was finally able to wash those insecurities and fears down the drain. After that process I wasn't nervous anymore. I was going to do what I knew I had to do for myself. Being skyclad after that moment wasn't a fear that kept me bound and the ritual was not a source of uncomfortableness. I feel like I grew in that respect alone by being able to go thru with it and not allowing fear to take me over and make my choices for me.

On Sunday the SSC coven came to my house and Ariana and I led a DSM ritual. It was great to show the others who were here some of what DSM has been doing over the last 3 years. DSM has grown so much and the ritual showed that for me. I was excited to show it and share it. I think the only thing missing was Jody.

We dyed eggs with everyone and sat around on this beautiful spring day enjoying eachothers company. How amazing the connection is between all of us. Time has created that for us and it is wonderful.

It was also great to have the kids and my mom there with us. It was great. Gives me a lot of hope for what is to come. Embarking on a new journey and being able to honor the one that is my foundation.

Blessed Be!

So, for what seems like the 80th time, I watched What the Bleep last night with a friend. It never cease to amaze me how much one can learn by repeating the same thing over and over again.

I heard the same things tonight but in a different way. I guess I needed to hear it. In light of some recent life events, came to the conclusion tonight that (once again) I have some rewiring to do with my neuronet. I have done this several times before but now it is on a different side of the coin. It is rewiring some of the connections about some of the unwanted energies that I call into my life and the associations I create with them. How I need to change my reality and perseptions of certain things.

Interesting how life is, isn't it? So starting today I have a whole new set of things I will be working on. Wish me luck......

Some of you may already know what I am referring to but in the interest of the spirit of rewiring, I don't see the point in detailing it out.

Blessed Be!

This week has been one that cannot really be described in one blog or in words at all really. I am going to try to find a place to start and begin to talk about a process that has changed many things about how I have looked at the world until now.

After over two years of working with my spiritual mentor and High Priestess I was finally able to pick her up at the airport and look her in the eyes. There was that brief moment of questioning if I knew this woman at all but within moments I knew that this would change my life. Over the next couple of days we went to several pagan shops as she did seminars there, we took a trip to the Redwoods and San Francisco with two of my students and did a series of remarkable rituals.

I received my Third degree ritual to become the second High Priestess of the Family Wiccan Tradition International. Because the ritual itself is oath bound, I can just say that it was a moving experience full of fears, anxiety and triumph.

I was then privileged to work with Dia to do the second degree rituals for Ariana and Obsidian with her. That in and of itself was also an incredible and remarkable experience to stand side by side with her and do the elevation rituals.

We were able to spend some quality time together as family and it was a great and bonding experience. And this led us to PantheaCon!!

After years of working with Dia towards my third degree for FWTI, it is finally here and I will be getting my elevation this week. I am nervous and excited all at the same time. The universe always answers the call.
Thank you.

So on the day before the New Years I pulled my usual two Goddess cards for the day to reflect on. Interestingly today I pulled the Butterfly Maiden and Freyja.

Here is what the butterfly Maiden says “You are experiencing enormous change right now, which brings great blessings.” Her card talks of transformation, “don’t be concerned about the endings because they’re bringing in the new for you. Let go of the old. Don’t worry about these changes – they’re truly for the best”.

Freyja’s card says “Unleash your adventurous side! Take risks and be daring.” Her card talks about not playing it safe, being bold, taking risks and making a bold life change.

So here ya go. This is what I want and NEED to leave behind going into the New Year. Names are not necessary. Let this message get to the universe and aid in being able to finally close that door and walk forward.

You hurt me but I love you. You abandoned me and I don’t understand but I don’t have to. I honor what you gave me and the hard lessons you have taught me, I am stronger.

At first I thought I would never trust people as much as I trusted you guys but now I know that isn’t true. Instead I have learned how to love more and know that sometimes when we love people we have to release them. Both of you taught me how to release and I value that lesson.

I will love harder, be a better friend, hug more, laugh more, release when I need to and enjoy this moment in ways I couldn’t before. Because today I am moving to a place you can’t go and that is my own raised vibration of spiritual being that has been enhanced by your lessons.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I release you. I release you. I release you both.

I am in current negotiations (for lack of a better term) to do some work in a new metaphysical shop in the area. Looks like I will be doing tarot readings, doing workshops and helping to coordinate the schedule for the shop.

I am really excited at this potential opportunity and will keep you posted when things are firmed up a little.

Blessed Yule everyone. I want to first start this blog by saying I am grateful for the family and friends that I have. I have so much abundance in my life and I try to remember everyday to be grateful for those things. Sometimes it is easier to remember my blessings than others but I am not one of those people that believes that the holiday season is a time to be nice. I believe that everyday is as important and the other and everyday is full of magic and blessings.

I got some awesome presents this year including lots of clothes and DVD's that I have wanted, including the new Harry and the final season of Charmed.

Within the last several weeks I have been on Yule and holiday overload. I have attended or hosted 6 rituals since the 9th of December, 3 in the last week.

I can honestly say that I have felt more of a solid connection to my tradition the more that I am in ritual space. Interestingly enough, Yule is not one of my favorite of Holy days but the Goddess obviously has another plan for me, even if I don't know what it is yet. I distinctly have felt like the Goddess is trying to orient me for being able to let go of my biases for this Sabbat and to be able to feel ok during the dark half. (for those who know me, you know that the dark half of the year is always super hard for me).

Since going thru all of the rituals, traditions and practices of this season, although it was one of the nicest Holiday seasons for me, I am glad it is over. AND on to the coming of the new year, 2008.

Thank the Goddess.

My Goddess Guidance Oracle card today is Brigit, "Don't back down". It says, Be assertive, don't worry about what others think, trust that your actions will work out fine, Speak your truth, stick to your opinions, put your foot down.

Ok, so I am sitting here on my lunch break thinking, that is what I am going to do today. I am going to make sure to speak my truth and not allow others to silence it. I am tired of feeling like speaking my truth will cause problems because others are unable to respect the viewpoints of others. Today I will speak my truth. And I am going to find a way to do that in those situations that I have worked hard to pull back on.

I am grateful for:
Life and health. For the most part I am healthy and able to enjoy
life in ways that others can't
My family. I am grateful everyday that I am able to have them in my life.
My husband. I know I am lucky to have found him and have him support
me in every way.
A job. Even though I am struggling with this, I am grateful to still
have a job and be making enough money to live a wonderful life.
My home. Jon and I have been talking a lot about his job and some of
the homeless situations he deals with and I am so grateful to have
what I do.
The Coven. No matter what I am soooo grateful for the sisters in the
coven and being able to have such solid connections with others of
this faith.
This tradition. I am so grateful that Jody and I decided to kick
start it and that now there are others to help develop and carry this
tradition on.
My spirituality. Without this I am just a shell.
Friends. I am grateful to have a support base and people to share my
life with.
The present. I am so grateful that I understand that no matter what
has happened in the past, I only have the present. And it I honor the
present, I can create the future.

Life is amazing, isn't it? There has been a series of recent incidents that have really stretched me and made me think outside of the normal box for me.

More recent incidents have really pushed me to not being able to deny the power of my own intuition. Many times I have thoughts and dismiss them quickly afterwards. But amazingly most of those "thoughts" are then confirmed and I am left thinking "why didn't I listen to myself before" or "I saw this coming". It is like the ultimate Godsmack, don't you just love that.

So, this year has been the year of so much change that it is hard to keep up with sometimes. I know that this year has made me stronger and given me more resources to cope with life and support others with life.....so I guess it is worth it in the end.

If my lessons can help me give to someone else then they are very valuable to me. It will also help to prepare me for future situations where I have to rely on either my knowledge of life or my instincts or intuition.

I am excited for the new year to come. I welcome a change in energy that will allow myself and those whom I care about to stabilize with the energy of the coming year. With a time period packed full of lessons, many of them the hard kind, a period of rest and reprieve is necessary. I feel like 2008 is going to be that year that brings about some rest and some much needed new beginnings for many people. 2008 will bring about the year of 10, or more commonly 1 (depending on the number system you use) which has a lot to do with rebirth. So still more active then balance but in the upward motion of creating the balance from this year.

I am looking forward to it. I am grateful for it. I know that I had to go through the lessons of this year to get to where I needed to go but I am glad it is coming to a end. I am ready to move past completion and onto renewal. I hope that everyone is able to get what they need out of the changes and energies this year. I hope everyone is actively working towards finding their center.

Blessed Be.

Life has been crazy and kicking my butt since the last time I have blogged. I do plan on doing some catch up blogging but have been busy trying to acclimate myself to a new job, working with my students, coven issues and family issues. I am glad that thanksgiving is over because it means we are that much closer to the end of the year.

I am preparing for the coming Solstice and Holiday. Whew, holidays are always stressful for me so I am always relieved when they are over.

Now that today is the last day for writing in Nanowrimo I will have more time to blog and catch everyone up.

Bear with me.
Blessings!

Thought I would chat about the transition of my job and adjusting to life. I will be transitioning out of one division and into another at the beginning of next month and it has been a super emotional trip to close the division that I have worked in for almost 8 months. I guess I didn't expect it to be as hard as it is.

I don't want to go into the details too much because at this point it is besides the point. The real point is that I have to adjust to what is happening regardless. Hasn't that been the huge lesson this year, taking the lessons of life and moving forward?

So I am preparing for the coming change. The weekend in the redwoods did me well because I got the chance to breath strong earth energy and cleaner air energy for 3 days solid. I was able to find my center and sit with it for three days without interruptions from the internet or cell phone. It did me good.

So I am on a rebirth of spiritual energy and motivation. I am an initiates of the Eleusinian mysteries, a believer of the redwoods and a student of the universe, so mote it be.

I wanted to share this journal entry from my camping trip to the redwoods.

10/6/07

I woke this morning from a long night in the cold, tired yet refreshed, home sick yet not ready to leave.

After several times of waking and falling back to sleep, I finally rose to the challenge of another day in the wilderness of the redwoods.

Sounds of laughter and community met my ears that promised love outside of my tent. I opened myself to the energy of the promise and found that piece of myself that commanded me to rise.

The moment of the coldness in the breath of the Goddess hit me like a hard reminder of my journey and the sleeping bag beckoned me to come back to safety where I can hide within myself. A thought passed that questioned whether I should stay here until tomorrow but I knew that my energy was moving outside of that tent, connecting to the wild pulse of the trees and this tent was too small to contain it.

With one foot in front of another I walk towards the embrace of the community waiting for me, and with silent kisses and energetic hugs they greet me by the fire.

With coffee in hand I sit inside the circle and greet the fire from the pit. "Oh great fire of the south, I am greeted by your warmth and embraced with your love. Oh great water of the west, I sip the warth of your liquid love and it runs thru me and reaches my core. Oh great earth of the north who greets me in her home among her redwoods and her children. Oh great air of the east, forever granting me with clarity and knowledge. You have not forsaken me and have come to open my mind."

Sitting here among the voices of my pagan brothers and sisters who are raising voices to the universe in all it's glory...I know I am alive. I am breathing and I can feel my soul. I can see the blessing in front of me and I can taste my future.

I hear you aging mother of the harvest. I hear you dying father of the coming winter. I hear you.