Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Maiden vs. Crone in American Society: Confessional Pt.1

It is time to begin revealing this secret...please bear with me during this process. I promise you that these revelations can alter your own magickal life, once I get to the bottom of it all.

So...let's be real here. My journey "home" to Paganism may have been symbolized to me in dreams as a child, but the day my magickal journey TRULY began was on April 29, 2015, when I so happened to come across an interesting profile on SpellsofMagic.com. Basically, I began exchanging messages with another member of the Craft online (big surprise in this day and age, right?). While I wasn't expecting much, this person and I found that we had many views of witchcraft, magick, and our practices in common. From loving alternative lifestyles and our mutual distaste in limiting yourself to following only one Pagan tradition, we began learning about each other swiftly and naturally. We both embraced Native American spirituality and were keen on Gothic culture. After several days of non-stop communication, we "graduated" up to the next level by taking our conversation off site.

And when I saw his face for the first time, my heart practically plopped out of my chest in fear.

The delicate lines that stretched across his forehead warned me that I was leading myself astray by involving myself with this man. I was a young woman, keeping up with fast-paced college life while trying to keep myself afloat working part time in retail until graduation came around. Soon enough, I learned he was very much so "established"...a full blown resume of 23 years of work within the construction industry, three sons that are several years older than me, and the fact he was scattered through his own emptiness from the aftermath of a fatal divorce several years prior. Soon enough, he confessed his age. Craig was thirty years my senior! I glanced at his profile picture one more time, and asked myself, "He's much older. This can only lead to no good."

Of course, my mind was hungry for knowledge, my heart thirsty to learn more wisdom about my spiritual path. The opportunity never arose for me to find a spiritually-experienced mentor. Craig seemed willing, almost eager to teach me something new. And so I sat with it, my phone constantly being blown up with enthusiastic messages. And somehow, in my mind I knew what I was getting myself into could be considered "wrong", but my inner voice kept begging me to keep engaging with this person. Having been raised in a conservatively Christian household where my "old-fashioned" parents frowned down upon Internet friendships, I sealed myself away in quiet contemplation of this newfound friendship I was dragging myself into. And so it began...and went on....and continued on. There was never a day I was spiritually "alone" anymore. He took me under his wing and instructed me on how to master using my first Oracle deck. At first, it felt like nothing. I was practically learning a new witchy "trade", if you will. These casual lessons stretched into long nights of widened eyes as I began to have more accurate readings on my own. Strangely, his card readings seemed to intertwine with mine, all too well. We began asking our decks questions about our friendship and the results were eerie each time, on both ends. After several weeks of us exchanging card readings and knowledge, we took it a step further. I learned something interesting.

He lives in Australia. I am in America. Only after one month of talking, we became inseparable. It was on our "one month anniversary" of talking that we decided it was time to test something out. Both of us being curious about our card readings matching up so well, we decided to attempt participating in a ritual together, 10,000 miles apart, through Skype. I must admit, I was the one who discussed the possibility of such a ritual even working. We were both aware that we could attempt it, but I feel as if we both became healthy skeptics. For that initial ritual, we planned it would simply be a "sending" ritual to "blend" or "merge" our energy together to begin casting spells together in a magickal union, as two witches working towards similar spiritual goals.

It was on this day that we would eventually discover the blissful magick that the Maiden and the Crone (or, better yet, let's call him Mage) can achieve together when working in sync and spiritual rhythm. Allow the Maiden and the Mage to come together to share this story with you all, for better or for worse...

Sunday, November 6, 2016

My Confessional: I've Been Keeping A Secret...

Hello and blessings, everyone...

This is going to be a lengthy update post. Once again, life slapped me in the face. I'm not going to list out all the reasons for why I've been on a hiatus yet again, but I will also not be able to promise that I'll return to regular postings yet due to the fact I have been under a heavily tense situation for the last seven or so weeks of my life. I've been forced to truly reflect and focus on myself, my goals, and what my seemingly uncertain future holds personally and as a writer. Surely soon enough, you will understand my major reason for this absence.

I have been silently lying to all that may come across my content.

I have a secret. A huge secret in regards to my Pagan practices that I have been yearning to expose on this blog for quite some time. Due to personal circumstances, I could not dare to risk publishing it out to the world to see and bear. It is at this time I have decided that it is time to be honest with any readers I may still gain, or to anyone that stumbles across my work that finds an interest in exploring my posts. I have lied to you all, silently and reluctantly. As I now begin to finally embrace my spiritual self wholeheartedly, I am desperately eager to make this transition with my content. This blog has been tainted, twisted from the ultimate truths of my own spiritual life that may help or encourage others. Guilt strikes me. I only buried it away to protect myself, both physically and emotionally from struggles. But the struggles became a reality, and the lying has ceased to exist...to my family, my friends, and everyone I associate with within the Pagan community and outside of it.

I will have to make a mini "Confessionals" series of posts to update you on the entire story. It is too long to squeeze into one post. While I slowly begin to work on writing these posts out, I will be throwing in unrelated content. I have gained much more knowledge since my last post. I think taking some time away overall will help you all due to the wisdom I've gained. I will also be working on establishing myself more in the Pagan community, online and offline.

Be prepared for a wild ride. I will try to upload the Confessionals on a consistent basis. Also, I will be putting this website under further construction to improve your visit here. As for the unrelated posts, these are some topics you can expect to appear here in the next week or so. I will be uploading content regularly within the next week for sure. Here are the topics as follows:

1) Introducing my Christian friend into the world of witchcraft: how that went, how you can educate your Christian loved ones, and so forth.

2) Creating Flying Ointment.

3) Making a Medicine Bag, spell/ritual writing tips, surviving your Year And A Day experience, etc.)

4) My Samhain ritual and how to improve your Sabbat rituals. 

Until then, please take care and I promise you that when the Confessionals are finally published, there WILL be a Midnight Candle Youtube channel I plan on starting to make this content more accessible for those of you that don't have much time to read posts. The YouTube channel will be a project I'll be slowly gravitating towards in the next six months, but I'll leave updates when I can about it's progress.

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Herbal Magick101: Mugwort

Mugwort

I'm going to start a new "Theme Series". Every once in awhile, I will make a post about an herb I recommend to consider using in your own spiritual practice. As of now, I have fourteen herbs stashed neatly away in small mason jars (a picture will be uploaded of them soon!). Being a Shamanic Witch, I highly appreciate the use of plant medicine in my practice. Herbs are extremely helpful. If you haven't started up on studying herbalism yet, I totally recommend it. Today's plant of choice to write about will be my beloved and utmost sacred plant, Mugwort!

Mugwort is an herb the Wise Women would use back in the splendid ancient days. Mugwort would be used for menstrual regulation, vivid and/or lucid dreaming (I'll touch base on that in a second!!), out of body experiences, astral travels, fertility enhancement in women, and it is a strong suit to help you in any divination method you use to enhance your sessions from its prophetic qualities. The scientific name for Mugwort is Artemesis Vulgaris. It can be found growing in Europe, Northern America, Asia, and Alaska. It is typically an invasive plant within a garden. Legend has it that if you put the herb in your shoes, it can help relieve sore feet! This I haven't tried yet, but I will. From personal experience, I can confidently assure you that Mugwort is quite a holy herb for how it helps induce your dreams to become vivid or lucid. I haven't yet experienced a lucid dream, but my dreams do become more vivid when I ingest it. I have only ever ingested this herb by taking it as a tea. If you make it into a tea by itself, the taste is slightly bitter. You can always add honey to the Mugwort tea or you can can use other herbs in your blend that have sweeter components to them to remove some of the bitter taste. If you want to pursue using Mugwort, I STRONGLY recommend you do extra research. Mugwort contains thujone, a neurotoxin. If the human body is given too much thujone, this can lead to fatalities but it is extremely rare. If you're ever making loose leaf teas, always, always, ALWAYS consult your doctor prior to ingesting your chosen herb. These plants can counteract with prescribed medicines and can lead to complications. Also, please do not regularly consume Mugwort or any other kind of herbal tea. Mugwort should not be taken if you are pregnant or you think you are pregnant. The FDA does not have enough evidence on how these plants can affect us in the long run. To be on the safe side, I only ingest Mugwort every full moon if I can.

If you'd like more information on Mugwort, you can always comment below or continue extra research. Do you have any herb you'd like me to teach you about next time? Leave your thoughts below and please don't hesitate to subscribe!

-Stacie

Thursday, June 23, 2016

An Open Letter To Christian Parents Of A Pagan Child


Dear Christian Parents,

Out of my own personal experience of being a Pagan child to Christian parents, I have submerged much pain over the last few years of being out in the open with my beliefs. As my own heart continues to break, I want to address this issue...not only with the Pagan child themselves, but also with their Christian parents. If you are a Christian parent of a child who has recently come out of the "Broom Closet" (becoming Pagan), as some of us call it, please consider this open letter I wish to write to you..

Often times, when a teenager genuinely feels a calling to follow any Pagan tradition, they are at first filled with profound joy and peace. This is a time in life where your child will start to build their future identity for their adult self. We all begin to find ourselves and ask questions for ourselves about our own personal values, beliefs, and what we want for ourselves going into adulthood. I am sure you know this. You were once a teenager yourself. You, with your very own eyes, have seen how hard the teenage years can be. At this time, it is natural for us to start identifying ourselves. But, what happens when your child tells you that they have strayed from the Christian values you wanted them to believe? This I can answer; you may be feeling devastated, worried, and outright confused. Having been in this situation myself in the perspective of the Pagan child, please allow me to explain how your child may be feeling if you have expressed no desire to become educated in what they believe or to accept their choice: 

Your child is feeling broken. If they are absolutely genuine with their beliefs (as in, it truly isn't a phase passing by), they are feeling just as devastated as you are. They feel as if you no longer love them. They feel as if their own mother and father have disowned them emotionally. If you as the parent have made rude remarks about this situation (whether intentionally or not), your child is bleeding on the inside. They came to you with this news because they have trusted you. They wanted to have an open and honest relationship with you. If you have made remarks that turn down their feelings, they indeed will shut you out for future situations. That trusting bond is starting to feel lost to them. Yes, your child still loves you, but they may be feeling unsure of where to turn with their spiritual identity next. I completely understand that you as the parent has every right to develop an opinion on your child's newfound beliefs. We are all entitled to our own opinions. I am not saying that you have to be thrilled your child is a Pagan, but PLEASE...even if you don't feel as happy about their choice as they do, please show them unconditional love, rather than brewing a storm within the household over something their mind can only choose. 

If you lack knowledge in what a Pagan, Witch, or Wiccan truly does, please take some time to do some research if you are concerned about your child running into potential danger. If you are worried that your child (if underage) will try to meet older Pagans for advice online, I can reassure you that THAT is definitely a risky situation. I will never tell you to not be concerned for your child's safety in regards to this decision they've made. Every faith has predators within it, lurking through the dark waters of cybersapce in hopes to find a vulnerable victim. I've unfortunately seen this side of this faith myself, but with loving parents, you can protect your child while they still have their views. There are still many Pagan adults out there that will not allow minors into attending their religious meetings or ceremonies. When it comes to if you're open to let your child engage with other Pagans, whether that be in person or online, that is fully to consider under your own roof and discretion.

I want to advise you that using harsh language, verbally abusive tactics, and cruel words to describe how you feel about your child's new beliefs will deeply damage your relationship with them altogether. Remember, this is your child. Your child is not just a Pagan. Your child is also a human being that needs compassion and understanding. Even if you can't ever accept the fact your child is a Pagan, please tell your child that you DO love and accept them as a person. Always remind them that you do love them. When we get our beliefs rejected (especially by our families), it tears a huge hole into our hearts. We begin to lose healthy self esteem and confidence. We can often feel condemned to not receive our parents' love  because we feel unaccepted as a whole.

You do not have to like your child's choice. Please just try to listen to them calmly and try to become educated and move beyond the typical misconceptions. If you can disapprove in a respectful manner, your child will one day still appreciate you for respecting them.

Spread even more love to your Pagan child, not hate...

With Love,

Stacie




Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Pagan Teens: Career Ideas For You!

It's nice to talk to you all again,

I want this post to be dedicated to all Pagan teenagers that have stumbled here looking for advice or perspective to enrich their Pagan paths. Not only just their spiritual paths, but to enrich their decision- making in regards to careers that involve some form of their Pagan lifestyle as they move forward into college. Recently, graduations have been celebrated everywhere. It is that time of year where high school seniors prepare to say goodbye to their high school way of life and move onto new opportunities and challenges in college. If you are a new college student like I once was, unsure of what to study and where to take life next, then this post is geared toward you. Are you wanting to find a meaningful career to gain out of a college education that can relate back to your earthy lifestyle and Pagan beliefs? If so, I went through that struggle, too. I attended my nearest community college in hopes of walking down a stage in a robe to accept an Associate's degree one day. That dream became less of a dream when I signed up for General Education classes I had no desire to learn from. At the end of my freshman year, my GPA plummeted down the drain and I was despaired..not over my grades, but over the thought of, "What do I want to be and how do I want my Pagan lifestyle to contribute to something greater in the world?"

These are some careers I've personally researched and considered for myself when I was struggling with this choice. I hope they may be of interest to you! I will give a description in my own words, and if you're more interested, definitely take some time to do further research on your own. :)

1) Licensed Massage Therapist: Massage Therapy is what I chose and am currently enrolled in at my school. Massages are relaxing, of course. They relieve your client's physical and mental aches. Human touch is a soothing thing. With the right expertise and a selection of modalities (different types of pressure and massage techniques) you can learn as you expand your education, you can (on average) complete this schooling in one year. You can also incorporate other holistic practices into massages such as aromatherapy, for example to enhance the client's experience.

2) Landscaping: Do you feel as if you strictly want to work outdoors, always? Landscaping may be for you. If you have an interest in construction or creating aesthetically-pleasing environments, landscaping can be a fit for you, especially from your love and appreciation for the outdoors.

3) Aromatherapist: Indulging our senses can help us to alleviate our thoughts and emotions. This is what an Aromatherapist aims to do. Currently, there are many ways to be successful with an education in aromatherapy. It is used in many holistic healthcare environments or you can work within a spa or in sales. There are many options that you can research into for more clear information.

4) Reiki Healer: Reiki Healers use healing energy on their client to help induce relaxation to help the client with any stress or medical condition that may be impairing their quality of life.However, a Reiki Healer cannot diagnose any illness or prescribe medications. This can also be implemented into a professional massage. 

5) Naturopathic Doctor: A Naturopathic Doctor is a healthcare provider in regards to naturopathic medicine, otherwise known as holistic or alternative medicine strategies to help their patient's condition. These doctors can perform minor surgeries, such as stitching up superficial skin injuries or removing cysts. The Naturopathic Doctor's aim is to use very natural remedies to help. 

6) Running a Pagan Business (Online or in Real Life): This is a much more liberal idea, so I can't give specifics as to what a Pagan Business owner would accomplish other than selling their merchandise. Setting up a Pagan store in your community is a fantastic way to open the door to more acceptance and curiosity within your town. For this, you would have to go into Business school. That education will help you prepare for building a successful establishment.  

7) Tarot Card Reader/Psychic Reading Services: Of course, this one is slightly similar to Job Idea #6. This would be a career idea that will settle into managing yourself as your own boss. Do you love dabbling with divination methods? Do you have a keen sense on fanning out an accurate card? Becoming more of an expert card reader could help you find a self-employment opportunity you may thrive in. 

These are only a few ideas I've ever come across for myself. There are so many more to consider! Do you have any ideas? Please let me know in the comments below and please subscribe! I hope this helped!

-Stacie

Add Me On Facebook! Updates & More

Hey everyone,

As I'm still navigating the blogging world and how it works, I want to be able to have easier access to engage with you all. So, if you'd like to get to know me, feel free to click this link and add me from here:

https://www.facebook.com/stacie.klewin -My Account

https://www.facebook.com/midnightcandl3/ -Midnight Candle Like Page

I'm looking forward to talking with you! :)

Monday, June 20, 2016

Broken Friendships/Relationships: Advice From A Pagan Perspective

I want you to know that this article contains a universal topic. Everyone in every part of the world has experienced some sort of heartbreak within a friendship or relationship that they held dear. Ally and I are currently going through the potential loss of friendships we held much meaning to in our lives. These people made our souls smile, but now our smiles have disappeared and turned upside down into constant frowns of shame and doubt. Pain is a spider web that weaves humanity together. We've all experienced grief towards someone in our lives that was still on this Earth with us. They left us. They shattered our hopes and desires. They abandoned us, throwing us into a darkened forest and casting us to the wolves that want to hunt us. We are in disgust with that person, yet our hearts still yearn for them during their absence. We ask ourselves, "Why do I still care after they betrayed me?" Well, I can give you that answer; you have formed an emotional attachment to that person and that in itself is healthy. But, when we care more than they ever will about us, why do we still leave a grip?

That answer can only come in your own thoughts about your personal experience.

We all seek out love and compassion. Of course, some friendships or romantic relationships take their course and we are left alone, fighting to survive the change in our lives we were not wanting to live through. We wanted that person to be there with us until the end. Sometimes, that cannot happen. Some people I believe are truly meant to be in our lives and will come back to us when the time is right. In other cases, when someone we love leaves us, it may have happened for the greater good that we would not rather try to process or come to an honest conclusion to about. The Universe knows its ways. It knows how to work alongside destiny and fate. The Universes will never stray us off on the wrong path if it is inherently meant to be the right one for us to follow. Sometimes, the Universe can lead us into emotionally painful situations (such as losing someone you deeply cared for) to teach us incredible lessons that will help us later in life. It is always hard to think of that during the initial ending of a friendship or relationship but during this hard time (if you're currently going through something similar), please try to utilize your own Pagan faith and consider this Pagan advice:

The Universe loves us on an infinite level. The astounding love the Universe has for us is beyond our mortal comprehension, but the love is ultimately there for us to confide in and to use to steer us onto a fantastic life journey. May the glittering of the stars remind you that you are not lost in this rough patch; let the light of the moon remind you that your heartbreak has some form of importance to your development spiritually. If need be, light a candle as you read this. Inhale and exhale slowly, allowing ease to dismiss your emotional tension. Reflect on the Universe; what does it personally mean to you? The Universe as we know it now is endless. It is always there, no matter wherever you go. The Universe has no end for its love for your soul. It's love will always persevere.  The powers of the Universe connect us to everything within ourselves and to others. We are all still interconnected even though we may feel lost without someone else. Take some time to meditate upon your current situation. Use any form of divination you'd like to ask the Universe questions in regards to your situation. Let the Universe fill your heart with love and truth. It always will. <3  

-Stacie