Blue Corn Moon

Merry Meet everyone! I hope ya'll are doing great.

Just in case ya'll don't know, this August we are actually gonna have two full moons. The first will be tomorrow and the second will be on the 31st. (Oh and the title IS a reference to Pocahontas :) for those of ya'll who didn't catch it)

When two full moons happen within the same month, the second is usually called a "blue moon", even though the moon usually looks like an other. Another interpretation of the blue moon rule concerns when four full moons occur within the same season (spring, summer, fall, or winter) and the third full moon out of the four is considered the blue moon. Most years have twelve full moons and they normally occur monthly. However, the solar calendar year has about eleven more days than the lunar year. Those extra days accumulate and so every 2~3 years (2.66 to be exact) there is an extra full moon. It's works very much like leap years, which is why some people use the term leap month rather than blue moon.

The term "blue moon" is thought to come from the Middle English belewe which means both "blue" and "betray". Therefore a belewe moon is one that betrays the normal cycle of one full moon per monthly cycle.

The term "once in a full moon" has been used since the early 1800s and refers to situations that are uncommon, but not rare. The ironic part though, is that blue moons are actually not that uncommon. Like I said before, they occur about every three years. In 1999 there were two blue moons within three months of each other. The association with blue moons and rare occurrences may come from the literal meaning of "blue moon" where the full moon appears to have a blue tint, which actually is a rare event. This event can be caused by smoke and dust particles in the atmosphere, which happens after severe forest fires or volcanic eruptions.

The Mystery of the Oracle

Hey guys! How ya'll doin' today. It's been a good day for me and it'll get even better when I can cuddle with my pillow :). Today is day number two for the O's on the Pagan Blog Project.I had a hard time coming up with an idea, but I finally decided to write about something that confuses the heck outta me while at the same time mystifies me: Oracle Decks!

I am currently learning to read tarot cards and when I was searching for a deck to purchase (I eventually got the Mystic Dreamer deck and I LOVE IT!!) I kept coming across oracle decks. I've tried to search for information about oracle decks but there doesn't seem to be much information about them. The only thing I have learned so far is that an oracle deck can have anywhere from 44 to 55 cards in it and that no deck has the same kinda cards. I guess it is a completely unique experience for each person and no two people read the cards the same way.

Phoenix Rising

The first few lines of this poem just came to me while I was trying to go to sleep. They were so emotional that I had to write them down. Once I started writing I couldn't stop and this is the result, without editing or review. It's very descriptive of my life and I think the words and the imagery are beautiful, I even cried a little while writing. I decided that I couldn't wait to post it and see what ya'll thought about it.

Jobs and Atheism

Hey guys! I hope ya'll are doing great. Update on the whole job scandal: I will get put on payroll on the 6th of August. That means that I won't get paid for this week or next week, not to mention the month I've already been there, but I will get paid for any time after that. WHICH SUCKS!!! I'm kinda torn about whether I should stay or go. I mean I've already put in so much time trying to get this job that I feel like I need to just go ahead and finish it out. Besides I need this job if I ever hope to get into vet school. On the other hand though is the fact that these people will get a month and a half of my time and I get nothing for it. I just feel really lost and really confused about what I should do.

A Very Lost Wicked Wytch

Okay so today is gonna be a simple and pretty short post, but I was hoping to get some frustration off my chest and hopefully get some advice if ya'll have any.

I put in an application to one of the vet offices in town about three months ago. A few weeks after I put in the application  I got a call back from them asking me to come in for an interview. I ended up going back for another one a few weeks after that. After about a month of going back and forth for interviews, they told me I had the job as a vet tech. YAY!? Well I celebrated too soon.

I noticed something hinky after about the first week: they had not given me any paperwork to sign, which is not a good thing because that means I am not on their insurance or workman's comp which means if I get hurt they are screwed. OK weird but hey they might have just gotten distracted, it does get pretty busy there and there is a major employee shuffle going on (they are losing three techs and there are two including me in training). Well the week before last (3rd week working) I took matters into my own hands and asked the office manager about paperwork and I was wondering when I would get my first paycheck. I was told that I was still in my training period and guess what: I DON'T GET PAID FOR TRAINING! So that means they got three weeks of my labor and they don't have to give me anything for it.

Owls In Myth and Legend

Okay it's a little late but like they say, "Better late than never!" So here is my first "O" post for the Pagan Blog Project. I decided to do Owls and their connection to different pagan traditions (mainly Celtic and Cherokee but I also threw in some Greek). I have always had a special love and affinity for owls so this post is one that is close to my heart.

One of the most well known myths about owls is the sacred owl companion of the Greek goddess Athena. Originally she had a crow as her companion. she eventually grew tired of the crows prankster attitude and banished him. Seeking a replacement, Athena chose the owl for her wisdom and serious nature. As Athena's companion, the owl would reveal to her unseen truths.

In the Celtic tradition, the owl is know as cailleach-oidhche and she represents wisdom, stealth, initiation, change and detachment. She is clairvoyant and a seeker of deeper knowledge. She is also a sign that death is only a new beginning. She has great intuition and courage and she always follows her instincts. She is a bringer of hidden truth, omens, and secrets and she can help unmask those who wish to deceive you. Barn owls are especially sacred and known for being able to see the hidden and hear the unspoken. This is because barn owls have exceptional hearing and sight, even compared to other owls.

Respect the Veil

Hey guys, hope ya'll had a good weekend. I know I've missed a couple posts for this week, it's just been one of those weeks, and I could not think of anything to write about, but thankfully my writer's block has been cured. Thanks to the lovely ladies at Covered In Light and It's Only Cloth, I have a topic that is controversial, widespread, and extremely important for any woman whether she be Pagan or otherwise.

The topic for today is concerned with women who veil, which means they cover their head and/or hair for spiritual reasons. Covered In Light is a group, a sisterhood as they call themselves, of pagan women who have chosen or been called to veil themselves. Their mission is to raise awareness of the discrimination that women face when they do make the decision to wear a veil. These women are met with outright anger and hatred and are often shunned for their choice in dress. Those individuals who act so heinously towards these women defend themselves by claiming that veiling is wrong because it oppresses women and supports the Muslim and Islamic faiths (I will discuss this shortly). The sisterhood has decided that this year they will hold the First Annual International Covered in Light Day on which they ask women of all faiths to wear a covering to show support for women who choose to veil.

Names, Magickal Names

IT'S FINALLY FRIDAY!!! I've been leading up to this post all week and now I'm finally get to talk about Magickal Names. I love discussing magickal names because it is such and intensely personal and complex process (if you do it right).

Taking a magickal name means choosing a name other than your birth name to use during ritual and other craft practices. Magickal names are not required but they do add dimension and mysticism to your work. I took on a magickal name as part of my spiritual dedication to the craft and my deities. When part of a coven, it is often traditional to study for a year and a day before deciding on ones magickal name. Being a solitary practitioner, I had no limits or guidelines to how or when I chose my name. It was a long time before I discovered my name, and I do mean discovered because I never made the conscious decision to take on a magickal name.

Numerology, Decoding Your Personality (Part 3)

Hey guys, hope ya'll are doing great.

Well I did promise that I would do numerology today, and I'm going to keep that promise. Today we're gonna talk about your Sun number.

Sun Number

Basically your Sun number is Numerology's equivalent of Astrology's Sun or Zodiac sign. It is based on the month and day you were born and describes your personality on a basic level. Often Sun numbers are described as the anchor of one's numerology chart. It is your starting point, your island in the vast sea that is your life. Your Sun number reveals how you approach changes and how they influence you.

The Sun number was discovered by Master Numerologist Hans Decoz. The combination of our birth month and birth date is a very special number and it is used in many Numerology calculations. Before Hans Decoz, this important number had no name. He realized that looking at the Sun number level, we are better able to tune into our baseline personalities. Understanding your Sun number can help you understand why you make the choices you do as well as understanding why you experience certain feelings at different moments.

Wicked Wytch Mashup

I hope ya'll are having an awesome week. I was having a pretty good one until today. I recently started a new job, been there about two weeks now. Well today I found out that I will not be getting paid for the hours I have already worked. Technically I am still in the "training" period so that I can learn all the procedures, but this training is unpaid and I won't get put on payroll until after my training ends. The kicker is the fact that there is not set length for the training period, it's kinda a play by the ear thing, so I currently have no clue when I will actually start getting paid for working. YIPEE!!! Well enough about me, let's go ahead and jump into today's topic.


I know ya'll are expecting me to talk about the last two Core numbers in numerology, and I was so planning on doing that today. However, I was worried that I would bore ya'll by repeating the same/similar topic each day and besides, pushing that post back gives me a carrot to dangle to keep ya'll coming back :). So instead of numerology, I'm going to use the latest prompt from Pagan Blog Prompts (there is a button on the right hand sidebar if ya'll want to go check out this blog)/ So her it goes...


"Religion, Faith, and Beliefs...while these three words are often used interchangeably, they are not the same. What do they mean to you?"


I really like this topic because I have strong opinions on religion and faith. I personally do not like the institution of religion and I usually respond to questions about my religion with the statement that I "am spiritual, but not religious." Before I actually get to my dissection of that phrase I'd like to discuss the official definition of each word versus my own interpretations.

Numerology, Decoding Your Personality (Part 2)

Ok so last time we talked a little about the history of numerology as well as some detailed information on the  Life Path number. Today we are going to discuss the Expression number as well as the Personality number.

Expression Number

The Expression number, also called the Destiny number, is concerned with your natural strengths and weakness that are given to you and influenced by the time your were born. This number is considered the foundation on which your Life Path rests. It is based on the letters of your full birth name (the one on your birth certificate), because your name represents the your personal history and heritage up to the moment of birth and this history shaped who you are. What we are named is no accident, our parents use intuition as a guiding force in choosing those names. I am a good example of this. My parents had two options for my name, my mom was set on one and my dad on the other. Eventually they chose the one that combined the names of my grandmothers. See, it could have gone either way, but there was a reason why they chose the one over the other, and I for one have not regretted their decision.

Comments Please!

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to thank all of you for viewing my blog. I know that it is very small and shabby right now but I am working on that. I wanted to ask ya'll to please comment on things that you like, that you don't like, and just general ideas for the blog. I want to turn this into a really good blog and the only way I can do that is to know what you guys want to see. So I am open to any and all comments and suggestions, just post it directly to the blog or shoot me an email (my email address is listed on the Wicked Wytch page).

Again thanks for the views,
Phoenix Starfire

Numerology, Decoding Your Personality (Part 1)

Since today's post is for the Pagan Blog Project 2012, the topic is a N word. This is actually going to be a multiple part blog involving numerology and magickal names. To start off lets get a little 411 on Numerology 101 (yes pun is intended).

Numerology is the study of how numbers can be used to predict the future or gain knowledge about ones personality and attributes. Numbers have been used to gain divine wisdom since ancient times and evidence of numerology can be seen in many civilizations including the Chinese, Greek, Egyptians, and Mayans. The Mayan calender that predicts the end of the world this December employs the use of numerology (I am neither promoting or discounting the authenticity of their prophecy).

What is widely used today is the Greek system created by the mathematician Pythagoras. He combined the disciplines of the Arabic, Druid, Phoenician, Egyptian, and Essene sciences to create something new. It did not stop there though, it has continued to grow and evolve over the centuries and is still growing today. Numerology has become more widespread today than it has ever been.

Though numerology declares ALL numbers significant, there are five numbers that are considered the Core numbers of numerology. These numbers define you and have great insight into who you are. These numbers are your Life Path number, your Expression number, your Heart's Desire number, your Birth Day number, and your Personality number. Each one uses your personal birth name and/or birth date, therefore they are rooted in the person you are.

Life Path Number

We will start with the Life Path number because it is the most important number in your Numerology chart. Your Life Path is a road map to how your life will play out and it will influence the challenges that you face along the way. It also influences your general character and attitude towards life. The reason the Life Path is so important is because it uses your entire birth date and never changes.

To calculate your Life Path number you must reduce each unit of your birth date (month/day/year) to a single-digit or Master number (Master numbers are 11, 22, and 33). Then add each of the resulting numbers together and reduce the total again to either a single-digit or Master number. I'll do mine as an example: April 12, 1992.

April is the 4th month, so we have a 4.

It was the 12th day of the month and 1 + 2 = 3, so now we have a 3.

The year was 1992 and 1 + 9 + 9 + 2 = 21 and 2 + 1 = 3, so now we have another 3.

Now you add them all together: 4 + 3 + 3 = 10 = 1 + 0 = 1

So my Life Path number is 1

One thing to remember about numerology is that the numbers are not the only important part, the method of getting the numbers is also important. The reason why you have to get your Life Path number by first adding and reducing each section of your birth day is because each part represent other sections of your numerology chart: your Period cycles. Your Period cycles (this has nothing to do with menstruation) are three long term cycles that divide your life into thirds. The first is derived from the reduced number of your birth month (4), the second from your birth date (3), and the last from your birth year (3). This is what makes your Life Path number so important: it is found by combining the numbers of your three Period cycles.

Once you know your Life Path number you can use it to learn about yourself and make important decisions about your life from your major in college to whether you and your partner will be compatible.

My Example

Having 1 has my Life Path number suggests that I have the skills to be a leader and that I demand independence and personal attainment. i am also capable of creative inspiration and great determination and ambition. i am also a great project started and I am at my best when challenged. I have a natural tendency to lead and I generally take charge even when not appropriate. I am highly original and have the talents of an innovator/inventor. i have a strong personality and I feel it is necessary to folow my own convictions regardless of consequences. Routine tasks bore and tire me quickly. I can be self-centered and demanding, though I tend to hide it in social settings. Regardless I may be considered friendly and good-natured. I am sensitive to disapproval and tend to not take criticism lightly. Though I show great potential for leadership, I may fail as a follower. Due to my strong personality, I should avoid being to bossy or 

Ok so this is only the first part of my numerology, so keep checking in to get information of the other four Core numbers and check back next Friday to seek how I add in magickal names.

Blessed Be!

Cerridwen, Goddess of Knowledge

I was gonna post this yesterday but a big freakin' storm blew in from nowhere and wiped out the power, so no internet and no blog post. YAY...Not!!! So I'm posting this late which means that I'm gonna have to bump back my Pagan Blog Project post to tomorrow (if I have time cus I have a babysitting gig). I hate technical difficulties :( ...

A painting of Cerridwen by Jessica Galbreth
(My favorite artist)

So anyway this post is on Cerridwen. I thought it would be cool to dedicate some time to her because she is one of my favorite and I mentioned her in my blog on Wednesday, so cue the very researched, probably very dry (I'm trying to make them more interesting), information packed post on the lovely goddess Cerridwen. (I am aware that I am slightly off :)) (I think I just gave my smiley a double chin)

Blessing Moon

Happy Fourth of July!!!

I hope everyone is having an awesome day. We grilled out for lunch and we are just having a nice day relaxing at home.

I missed the full moon yesterday (I am so disorganized). For those of you who don't know July's moon is known as the Blessing Moon.

Other names include the Buck Moon because the new antlers of young deer begin to emerge around this time, the Wort Moon because wyrt plants were gathered and stored when the sun was in Leo, and the Mead Moon because this is the time when mead was made for the harvest celebrations.

July is a time to honor the ash and oak trees, god the element of water, and goddesses Athena, Venus, and Juno. The Celtic deities Cerridwen and Lugh are also worshiped during this moon. Cerridwen is a crone goddess, part of the Celtic Triple Goddess, and is the keep of the cauldron of knowledge and inspiration. Lugh is the god of skill and talent. Combining the power and energy of both these deities in your esbat magic sure ensure that your endeavors are successful.

Well this is a short post today but hey it's a holiday. I'll make sure to get back on tomorrow and post a longer one.

Brightest Blessings

Saying Goodbye

Tonight was a sad one. My brother's dog was struck by a car and though we were able to get him to the veterinarian, we were not able to save him :'( ... It's always hard when you lose a pet because they are more than that, they are best friends and family, but it is especially hard when you have to make the call whether to sustain them for a few more days or let their suffering end where they can pass on peacefully. That was the difficult decision we had to make tonight.

In times like this I have always been the one to pray, a tendency that I gained during my Christian upbringing. In this particular situation, I pray for the safe passing of the individual's soul to the afterlife and often for the healing of those who feel that loss. The beauty of prayer, whether pagan or Christian or another religion, is that the words can either be scripted or freely formed at that moment. I usually say what is in my heart at the moment but I do have a few scripted favorites, a few of them fitting for this event.