"I Have a Dream"

April 4th.
The only way I would feel right about not acknowledging this day is if it flew by without my realizing it. Since we can only encounter or process so much information at once, for many years it has.

"We know the Chamber of Secrets was opened fifty years ago. . . ."

Fifty years ago today, we lost Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to assassination.

This being a Snape-centric and potioncraft blog, I try to steer clear of excessive politics. Yet from the beginning, Severus himself was deeply immersed in politics. Dissatisfied with his lot, and the way his world was being run, this poor, greasy-haired yet brilliant son of a working-class British "redneck" joined the wizard version of the Hitler Youth while in school. Then, when later he saw the depth of evil to which he'd subscribed, he risked and finally gave everything to bring that same movement down.

So, too, did the Potterverse become increasingly political in its discourse and implications. From the start, Harry and his friends faced a deepening divide of sentiments in their world --- one not caused by racism or sexism, but "magism": The idea that if you're magical, you're a superior human being who can and should exploit and abuse other beings --- human and otherwise --- who are not.

After millions of the American equivalent of Tobias Snape voted in a "leader" who is as racist and abusive as he is ineffectual and useless (in my humble opine) in the hope he would bring change for the better, a lot of people I know felt so depressed, they had trouble getting out of bed. The past week, two hundred political science experts rated the "orange lord" as the worst president in US history, to which I agree. Yet Mr. Trump is no Voldemort; he's more a festering blend of Dolores Umbridge, Cornelius Fudge and Pius Thicknesse all together, a puppet leader enabling the much darker forces behind him to operate, and whose grandiose display of ego disguises a lot of their most heinous deeds.

That's the bad news. The good news is, the situations triggered by this latest administration are so blatant, so shockingly racist, classist and against human (and planetary) health and life, that more people are involved politically than ever before in history (numbers-wise, if not percentage-wise). Especially among the young, those my generation and younger: Zennials like me, Millennials, and Sept. 11thers. The Women's March took the world by storm, people of all genders brandishing the title "pussy" as proudly as Medusa's breast; indeed, brandishing their very gender itself, which, like my transvestite Snape, might be unique and curious and confusing and delightfully outside-the-box --- and terrifying to narrow, black-and-white, Christian patriarchal minds. Now, survivors of the Parkland tragedy --- this nation's umpteenth school shooting --- are standing firm, speaking out against corporations and politicians and weapon-makers, getting laws changed, and saying: No more. No more growing fat on the deaths of your own people, your own children, you complete scum. Death Eaters, indeed!

That's the good news. The attitudes that gave rise to Trump are exposed, unable to hide their Death Eater masks under glitter any longer. One could say the American cultural shadow of fear, hatred, bigotry, and sexually and emotionally repressed Colonial puritanism is the Voldemort at work, here, and now that the mask is off, we are closer to defeating it this time around than ever before. This time around, mind. Obviously, we as humans learn very slowly. We're still arguing about stupid shit like skin color, still cranking out garbage, and still breeding excessively. Constant vigilance is needed in the hope that one day, we'll finally get it. Or at least, the challenge will be within our ability to handle it.

". . . .it will merely take someone better equipped . . . and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power."

"If I could just rest. . . ."
"The Dark Lord isn't resting!"

With so much going wrong, it would be easy to become despondent, and many do. But for the reasons above, there's also great reasons to be hopeful. One who believes the latter is Bernice, daughter of Dr. MLK Jr. himself. More than ever, she insists, today we have the people-power and the spirit to continue Dr. King's noble work. (Sorry, Riddle, but it's in your face for that last phrase.)

People my age and younger, who have even been referred to as the Harry Potter generation, have in many cases been influenced by the series with regard to life, politics, and more. First, a general disgust with, and disassociation from, the government. Then, when it becomes clear that things will not improve unless we step in, that mere apathy and distancing will not solve our problems as greedy older generations continue to blindly ruin things for their progeny, a strong desire to take action.

Dr. King laid the foundation, and now, thanks to means he could scarcely envision such as social media and other types of organizing, we are better prepared than ever to carry on. Still, let us not forget the power of a single Baptist preacher with a big voice, a bigger heart, and greatest of all, a dream capable of leading us forward.

From The Guardian:

“Something big is going on,” [Bernice] King says. “I’m talking about a society that refuses to allow injustice just to persist without making our voices heard and without organizing to bring about effective change through our voting system.”

She was particularly struck at the march, which she attended in Washington, to see young people assiduously registering other young people to vote. In her analysis, that is the first indication that the apathy that has set in among young Americans – youth turnout in the 2014 midterm elections was the lowest in 40 years – may be about to change.

“The best way to sum it up is what my mother said, which is that struggle is a never-ending process, freedom is never really won – you earn it and win it in every generation. In my personal opinion this most recent generation has been in danger of not making their contribution to the freedom struggle.

“Now there is an opportunity for them to make their contribution to the freedom struggle, to tackle what Daddy called the triple evils of poverty, racism and militarism. It’s coming back again, with strength and fervor.”

There’s no holding King back now. There is inherited fire in her belly that is very much alight.

“This nation is awoke, there is a new, different kind of vigilance that we haven’t seen in the past 25 years,” she says. “In the end I still have the same hope as my father – that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the last word.”

In the words of witches: So Mote It Be, Ms. King. So Mote It Be.

On that note, this I'll pledge:
If you're a Native American, I can brew you a medicine from native plants . . . or, for that matter, whatever you'd prefer instead.
If you're Latin, I can blend you an Agua Fresca . . . or, whatever you'd prefer.
If you're Muslim, I can brew you a spice tea . . . or, whatever you'd prefer.
If you're of color, I can fix you a strong coffee or a watermelon tonic or a Keep Away powder or . . . whatever you'd prefer.

Potions are global, and if I am to serve my generation and all other beings honourably then so, too, must be I a person whose heart is open to any blend of humanity. I don't like the idea, mind, that this is a comfortable little self-righteous post and now my task is done; far from it. There is a lot to be done, to improve this nation and its racist-shadowed perspective, to where it's hard for me to know where to begin. But I would feel worse if I did absolutely nothing, and made no recognition at all, of how I feel or the direction I hope to help us move as a culture and species. For now, that is all I can say.

Class in Session: Tasseography

Back on Feb. 14th, a class was offered down in Sellwood at the Sacred Well (now called the Raven's Wing), on Tasseography --- a form of divination also known as tea leaf reading. I couldn't go, as I had too much to do. So when another class was offered, close by in NE Portland at a little apothecary I'd never yet visited, I jumped!

I wouldn't feel complete, in light of my British heritage and Potistry expertise, if I never learned to read the tea leaves, like a gaggle of working-class English dames or an old Roma (Gypsy) woman.

SeaGrape is a dear place, with a wholesome female energy, and shelves full of soaps, ointments, tinctures, smudges, and other appealing healing products. It felt really good walking in there. A table had been set up, covered with mismatched tea sets. About a dozen smiling women filtered in as class time drew near, then our evening's lesson commenced, taught by a cheerful and humorous she'he trans spirit.

Tasseography, or tasseomancy, is the art of reading loose tea leaves as a form of fortune-telling or divination. The first records of tasseography are from the 17th century, after Dutch merchants brought tea from China to Europe. It became especially popular amongst the lower classes as a cheaper and easier alternative to other forms of divination, including reading of molten metal (dangerous, costly, tedious) and animal entrails (um . . . ew).

There are many ways to interpret tea leaves. Choose one that speaks to you, or devise your own. Forcing yourself to read by someone else's prescribed method can merely result in poor or unhelpful readings.

Knowledge of symbols, we learned, is not necessary, though it can be a helpful starting point, especially if one wishes to jump off by sticking to the tradition of the art. But tea leaves are not like Runes or Tarot, which have consistent shapes and meanings. This art is more nebulous. Different symbols vary in the minds of different people: Some, for instance, consider a black cat unlucky; I for one feel the exact reverse. More than many other divination forms, tasseography requires a dose of intuition. (Certain members of the magical community have been heard to describe it as "woolly.")

Traditionally, the top inner portion of the cup has represented the present, the middle the future, and the bottom the distant future. But some use a reverse approach, with the bottom the past, the middle as present, and the top rim as future. Still others ignore this entirely and go purely on what their intuition tells them.

In choosing cups, some readers like to use special divination teacups with designs on the inside. With these cups, it's more about where the leaves fall than what shapes they take. The designs are typically astrology, playing cards or tarot, or symbols. In this class, we used blank cups, and focused on the different shapes formed by the wet leaves. Avoid a cup (at least at first) with a complicated design inside; it may be pretty, but it will also make viewing the leaf shapes more difficult.

Method.

After picking a seat (and a cup; I got a sweet pastel floral patterned one), we learned the basics, then got started, with many a shy, if excited, smile and a shrug. We had a plethora of delicious teas to choose from, courtesy of PlumDeluxe, our instructor's little company.

Chocolate Hazelnut! Hibiscus! Picking one was the hardest part. I settled on the first of these two, then went over to the hot-water carafe. . . .

~   ~   ~   ☆   ~   ~   ~   ☆   ~   ~   ~

• Choose your tea. Any tea can be used, but finer cuts, such as those found in "breakfast teas", tend to work best. Tea taken from a tea bag is too fine.

• Place one teaspoon of leaves into the cup. Pour hot water over leaves in a circular motion to make sure they immerse and steep properly.

• When the temperature is to your liking, drink the tea. While you are drinking, keep your question(s) for the tea leaves at the forefront of your mind. Make sure to leave a small amount of liquid in the bottom of the cup, just enough to swirl the leaves; this can take a bit of trial and experience. Tradition holds this is a "thimbleful."

• Swirl the liquid remaining in the cup three times clockwise, then turn the cup over onto the saucer. Allow a minute for the liquid to drain.
  Note: Which hand you choose to swirl with may also vary, depending on which is your power hand, or if you'd rather use your receptive hand. (Yes, some leaves will probably end up on the saucer, AND you'll probably get tea all over the table, and that's fine.)

• Spin the cup three times counter-clockwise, then turn it over to see what's inside.

• Note any shapes, symbols, numbers, letters or words as well as their position in the cup and to each other. It's helpful at this stage to have a pen and paper nearby to jot things down.

• Use your intuition to interpret what you see based on the question(s) you asked while drinking the tea.

The Chocolate Hazelnut tea I drank for my first reading smelled delectable, and tasted great, too. "What guidance do you have for me in the coming year?" I asked, in my mind.

The nebulosity, the vagueness, of tea leaves quickly presented itself. I saw what sort of (and "sort of" was the de facto operative term here, not merely for myself) looked like a heart with stuff emerging from the top, or possibly a dancing female.
"And a shape can have more than one meaning at once!" our teacher assured us.

I saw a little girl with pigtails, either pushing off, or leaping for, what looked like a ship with square sails. Did this have anything to do with my growing inclinations to travel? There was a scorpion, or naga, or was it a mermaid? (But mermaids mean bad luck for those on ships!) A bird, a dog, an axe, a bat . . . some symbols appeared more like one certain thing than any other, but the need for intuition became awkwardly clear to me.

All down the length of the table, similar speculations continued.
"Does this look like a rooster to you?"
"Look for letters, numbers."
The woman kitty-corner to me muttered: "I found a penis."
Laughter.

For my second reading, I deliberately chose a tea with a different leaf cut shape than the first, to see how the shapes would compare. Inwardly, I asked as I stirred the warm golden tea with its small cyclone of leaves and began to drink:
"Do you have any guidance for me on relationships?"

To my amused dismay, much of my leaves ended up in an amorphous lump.
"You get big clumps a lot," she'he assured us.

I saw what resembled a kneeling woman in a dress, a cockerel, a group of dancing fairies or children, an orator or speaker with a staff (or a wizard!) . . . but what on earth was that?

I took photos, because I had the idea --- and our teacher agreed --- that this craft isn't always one to be rushed. Symbols and impressions can emerge later, after further contemplation.

Besides, why hurry such a pleasant experience, be it wittily social or peacefully contemplative? Our two hours felt woefully brief even as they were, and too soon, we were meandering to the door even as we lingered as best we could. I had to work that night (I told my evening's companions I was holding off on caffeine until later, for the deep night kick at work), so I got back on my bike, and off I petaled along sidewalks speckled with fragrant new spring cherry blossom petals, into the settling dusk. . . .

Now, I have got to get my paws on some loose leaf tea.

Even so, the night's pursuits had not ended. Determined to make full use of the moon's full (and Blue) stature, I made a potion. . . . .

to be continued

Backlog: Spring Visionary Potion

I find myself looking for as many reasons to brew potions as I can, spare time depending. It can be tricky, with an odd nighttime work schedule that leaves me tired, and basic survival stresses. But I ultimately want potions to become part of my regular daily, weekly, seasonal, or moonly habits.

One way I seem to be manifesting this is via a rudimentary type of astrological alchemy (see also, Invictus: Dark Lords Ascending). There's tons to learn about astrology, with all the transits and retrogrades, trines and squares and whatever else. We all know Mercury-in-Retrograde means computer on the fritz, but what about Jupiter or Uranus? It feels like I just figure out what one cosmological do-si-do means, then those planets bypass each other and it's up to me to keep up with their next moves. What I'm hoping is that by looking into astrological sites repeatedly, I can begin to get a feel for this great dance, step by step, and how it affects my life (since surely it does).

March 1st we had a Virgo full moon, with a Sun in Pisces, and some other stuff, which I took at the time to mean a chance to lay down some practical steps in the direction of where my whole being can do its best work (Virgo), aided by some deep and keen visionary opportunities (Pisces). But clearly, my ideas were just bare bones at best.

All the same, I decided to make a potion, aided again by my pendulum, with what limited ingredients I have on hand, so that I could keep accessing the power of the full moon:


Spring Visionary Brew

Intention (programming):
  Dreams, groundedness; new beginnings, gratitude, enjoyment of life, practical ways to manifest soul work; visionary, dreams, goals.

Mugwort - 1 tsp.
Catnip - 1.5 tsp.
Star Anise - 2 pods
Damiana - 3 tsp.
Subalpine Fir needles - 1/2 tsp.ish
First snow of new year water, ratio 1:3 of snowmelt to tap water - 1/4 cup : 3/4 cup
Vermouth, as preservative.

Flash boil, add herbs. Turn off heat. Steep 11 minutes, covered. Enchant or empower. Leave herbs in when placing in jar. Fill jar rest of way with vermouth to preserve it. The same mixture of herbs may also be used as incense.

Note: Lots of water-element vision herbs, here! The subalpine fir and snowmelt, obtained from Mt. Hood where I snowboard, can be seen as new beginnings --- both a source of creativity and soul work, and a thawing of the process of growth and change that happens in spring. This potion, I do still have reserves of, so I can give it another try.

Because this post is a backlog (i.e. retrospective), I can look more in depth at what happened, as related to what the planets were doing. Is there any pattern?
What happened during March?

3/2: Downloaded urban sketches and art from abroad, off Internet, while at work.
3/3: Spinning colors, home clean after viewing by realtor
3/4: Continued exploration
3/6: Timberline
3/9: Skibowl, snowmelt; Brenda, who's about to travel; Bark lichen night
3/11: Treated to dinner at Andina
3/12: Continued exploration of magick
3/14: Two Mazama articles written late into night, feeling stressed and obligated
3/17: Justine's fun space party, but I fail to get hair dyed in time for Dark Moon
3/18: Equinox ceremony with ADF Druids, Persephone theme
3/19: Bought plants, seeds, soil at nursery; great new-life vibes that day, positive, hopeful, lots of errands got done; renewed talk of bees and book; sunshine
3/23: Exploring Nagas at work; continued intense inner passions for Severus
3/24: Craft fair, teas, seeing Spider again!!!!, PaganFaire Primavera ritual; happy, but feeling very tired and "off", partly due to night shift work. Late that night: Dionysion, Part 3 -- invoking Pan, idea to travel does begin to feel like strong possibility, bone divination by Terrence.
3/25: Went to town. Spring flowers. Buying supplies, buttons, fabric, for Snape frock for Science March and other uses
3/27: Looking at Workaway sites. Snake energy, exploring planetary moons, Emoto's messages in water (for blog).
3/28: Agua Fresca, exploring recipes
3/29: Pendulum blog, work on icon
3/30: Gem elixir research, post entry (early morning), Tea Leaf reading lesson that evening; asking questions about travel, what do I need to know for next 6 months?
That night: Made a Gem Elixir potion
3/31: Gem elixir, witchy surfing
4/1: Easter. Felt depressed; tired of same-old same-old, clearly wanting to do something new in life; stayed in bed. Will miss my sweet nest of a home.

So:
What I'm getting is this ---
1. Strong internal decisions dealing with knowing I'm going to have to move in a couple months.
2. Growing urge and possibility of overseas travel, perhaps long-term. Doing research. Making plans. Debbie my housemate friend gave me some online resource sites.
3. Looking at lab jobs early in month, but I could always do those later. Not wanting to commit yet.
4. Growing plan to "go nonbinary" and manifest a Severus-type or animus appearance, mentally linked to overseas travel.
5. One strong travel desire: European apothecary tour.

6. THIS IS BIG.
 Knowing I'm about to get booted from my nice little nest anyway, which acted like a nourishing cocoon to heal me after the psychological crushing from life at Simpson St., I'm prepared to forsake what I originally moved to Portland for --- to simply "live and work", learn to survive alone in a city, find my direction --- in order to experience the wider world, trust my instincts, and pursue my hobbies and passions (i.e. potistry, writing) in a greater context. This is my next level of self.

Another way to look at things: Because I'm about to turn 37, my latest Year No. 9 --- a numerological completion cycle year --- is ending. A new cycle is beginning, in multiple ways. Plus, nothing is holding me back, including (for maybe the first time) money. The best thing I can do, I think, is roll with this massive energy shift!

Regarding Astrology:

One site I plan to keep up with is Astrobutterfly.com, which gives a breakdown of major monthly astrological events. (There are so many sites, I think my best bet is to find a good reputable one whose energy I vibe with, and stick to it.) Since this is a backlog, I'll have to go back and see what-all happened in March . . . and changes are imminent, for sure!

With so much about to "go down", it's the perfect time to get a jump on April's planetary research! Despite my fucked up graveyard hours, I am so grateful I can get personal, auxiliary work done while on the job. There is something to be said for a rather dull monitoring position that still pays the bills. I cannot complain!

From Astrobutterfly.com:


"March is a very intense month: we have two Full Moons, a triple conjunction between Venus, Mercury and Chiron, and two planets – Mercury and Jupiter – stationing retrograde.

Imagine a room full of Aries people. There are some other signs out there as well, but Aries definitely outnumbers everyone. Ah -and there is no single Aquarian in the room.

This is what March is going to feel like – we have a lot of fire and cardinal energy, and almost no air and fixed energy. This translates into tons of passion and energy, at the expense of reason and objective, long term thinking.

This means that in March your desire to start new things, to embark in new adventures, to do what it feels right for YOU is stronger than ever. As long as you genuinely tap into your deepest longings and desires, you are going to do well. March is a good time to start solo projects as opposed to teamwork or collaborations.

 March starts with a beautiful Full Moon at 11° Virgo. This Full Moon is highly romantic and will bring optimism, inspiration and creative ideas. Allow yourself to go with the flow and indulge in whatever it is that you love. Some opportunities that come to you may seem too good to be true! But consider that maybe – just maybe – this is your lucky day.

March 4th is one of the most important days of the year. By definition, whenever we have conjunctions, things start to precipitate, and events happen. On March 4th we have a record of 5 planets merging energies: Sun is conjunct Neptune at 13° Pisces and Mercury, Venus and Chiron all line up at 27° Pisces.

Something important will happen to you today – look up in which house you have Pisces to see what you can expect. No matter which area of your life comes into focus, March 4th will bring a sense of healing and closure.

Philosophically, the truth is to be found where there is a closure of conscious awareness regarding several elements. Truth ’emerges’ when several conditions fit together coherently and make sense as a whole. We know we have found the truth when there is no more gap in knowledge, when a deeper knowledge emerges by fitting all the elements together in the right order and relationship.

In the same way, some broken, some disparate, dissociated parts of yourself can finally come together and fit like a puzzle. In March 4th you can have a profound a-ha moment about who you are and what is the meaning of your existence. Something will finally make sense to you.

On March 6th Mercury enters Aries. Our mind will become more alert, and our decision-making process will become faster. Just make sure you make those big decisions in the first 22 days of the month, because on March 23rdMercury goes retrograde.

On March 8th Jupiter is the first planet to break the spell of the ‘almost three months with no retrograde planets’ period. Jupiter goes retrograde at 23° Scorpio – look if you have any sensitive point in your chart around this degree because if so, you are going to experience this energy stronger.

Whenever Jupiter changes sign or direction, something ‘big’ happens. Remember when Jupiter entered Scorpio and the Harvey Weinstein scandal erupted in the media? Around March 8th we can expect similar big scale (Jupiter) disclosures (Scoprio).

Look at which area of your natal chart is currently transited by Jupiter – some information related to that topic will come to your attention around March 8th. Now is time to make some adjustments or ‘dig deeper’ into this particular area of your life.

On March 17th Mars enters Capricorn. This is good news and bad news. The good news is that Mars is in exaltation in Capricorn, which means he feels good here. Mars in Capricorn is brave, bold, militaristic, determined and hard working. Even the laziest of us will find it easier than usual to bring projects to completion in the next two months.

The bad news is that Mars is joining Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn – Saturn and Pluto are not by any means easy going planets. Mars will most likely want to ignite what Saturn and Pluto have been concocting since December last year, so you can expect some very intense events and experiences in the area of your life where you have Capricorn.

 On March 18th Sun is conjunct Chiron at 28° Pisces. This is your opportunity to connect with your inner shaman. You don’t have to be a healer or therapist to embrace the shaman inside you. The shaman is that part of you which can connect effortlessly with nature on all its fronts.

This is the last time we have this conjunction in Pisces – next year the conjunction will take place in Aries, and the next Sun Chiron conjunction will take place 50 years from now! Today is your final chance to embrace a part of yourself you don’t feel naturally comfortable with. Because this aspect takes place right at the end of the zodiac, it will likely bring a completion of some sort.

On March 19th Mercury is conjunct Venus at 16° Aries. This is a good day for communication or verbal expression of any kind. If you have a presentation or a performance today, you are going to be more at ease than usual with your creative expression. Conjunctions in general bring new opportunities so if you have planets or angles around 16° Aries an interesting opportunity can knock at your door.

On March 20th the Sun enters Aries and a new Solar year begins. The New Solar year, or the Equinox takes place at 0° Aries. This is undoubtedly the most potent degree of the zodiac, because this is where the zodiac starts! Anything is possible right now – at 0° we can start afresh, with no strings attached. If the rest of your natal chart further supports it, now is the best time to start something new.

On March 23rd Venus at 21° Aries is square Pluto at 21° Capricorn. This transit is going to be intense! Venus and Pluto are known to bring obsession, jealousy but also tons of passion. The key to navigating Pluto transits is not to try to ‘control’ the events in the external world. If you can do that, you will most likely be able to enjoy the passion and the dramatism of this transit, if not, Venus square Pluto can bring you pain and frustration.

In the same day, Mercury goes retrograde at 16° Aries. As always, avoid stating big projects today, unless you want them to change their course later. If you are bored and you consider breaking up the routine, going on an adventure trip when Mercury goes retrograde can be a great idea! But if this is not what you are necessarily looking for, best to postpone important projects for a few more days at least, or even better, until Mercury goes direct in mid-April.
 On March 28th Venus is conjunct Uranus at 27° Aries. Venus and Uranus will aspect each other more than ever this year, especially in October / November when retrograde Venus will spend an unusual amount of time in an opposition to Uranus. If you have planets or angles in the last degrees of Libra or Aries you can expect a lot of surprises this year in the area of relationships.

March ends on the same spectacular note it had begun, with a 2nd Full Moon. The Full Moon on March 31st is at 10° Libra. This Full Moon is much more challenging than the Full Moon we had on March 1st, because it is engaged in a T-square with Mars and Saturn in Capricorn.

Mars and Capricorn are known as the ‘malefics’ in traditional astrology, and it doesn’t help that the two ‘bad guys of the zodiac’ join forces at this powerful time of manifestation. What it does help is that Mars and Saturn are in Capricorn, and both planets feel good in this sign (Saturn is in domicile in Capricorn and Mars is in exaltation).

This means that right now they will most likely show their positive qualities. Mars and Saturn are very determined and efficient in Capricorn so you can expect to get a lot done at the time of the Full Moon (not without effort and obstacles, though). Venus, the ruler of the Full Moon enters its domicile, Taurus, just before the Full Moon so this is another positive aspect that will mitigate the effects of this dramatic Full Moon.

If you have planets or angles around 10° in Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) or around 0° Taurus, you can expect important changes in your life. To see what area of your life will come into focus look in which house you have Libra and Taurus. If you have Aries ascendant for example, the areas of focus will be your relationships (Libra in the 7th house) and your finances (Taurus in your 2nd house)."

 From Refinery29.com:

"Spring is around the corner, and with it, a call to get outside your comfort zone. We wake out of dreamy February into a busy month of new directions.
This March is bookended by two powerful full moons, on the 1st and 31st. Both full moons are getting amped up by selfish Mars, making for a flood of anger and some impulsive decision-making. The Virgo full moon on the 1st is a cranky one, drawing attention to the places in our relationships that are not working. The influence of confusing Neptune will incite dumb fights about whose fault it is that the there’s dishwasher scum on the drinking glasses and at least a day of moping with your head under the pillow because nothing feels right — or something along those lines.

On the 8th, big, friendly Jupiter, the planet of luck and learning, stations retrograde (he’ll stay in apparent backward motion through early July). During Jupiter’s long, annual retrograde, we turn inward to learn the difference between what we’re pursuing and what we really want. Jupiter retrograde in passionate Scorpio wants to free you up from the traps of boring safety; this period often takes away a precious achievement that’s actually holding you back. But, because Jupiter wants us to be happy, he’ll always provide an improved replacement. For example, the girl who’s been planning a tour with her constantly bickering bandmates will get a call that their management has dropped them — then a few weeks later she'll get an offer for a huge solo show.

This Jupiter retrograde is complicated by Mercury turning retrograde in Aries on the 22nd. Mercury retro’s effects show up as early as the 8th and will last through the end of April. Contrary to what the internet would have you believe, Mercury retrograde is, at worst, an inconvenience, causing us to make mistakes and overlook our errors. Expect mistakes, delays, and miscommunications in contracts, emails, your internet connect, conversations, meetings, traffic, drawing, maps, subway schedules, and airplane connections. All the same, it would be demented to avoid every Mercury activity (you would literally have to stay in your room with your eyes shut, hands tied behind your back, and not talk to anyone until May).
Mercury traveling retrograde in Aries means most oversights will happen as a result of rushing and forgetting to check in with others. Your best bet is to slow down and keep a book in your purse for when you inevitably have to wait an extra hour at the doctor’s office. In other words, prepare for surprise pockets of free time. The combined effect of Mercury and Jupiter Rx is to open interesting opportunities where we least expected them. A total babe will be peeking over your shoulder at your copy of Fire and Fury while awaiting a delayed flight or you’ll start an awesome fashion vlog while stuck in traffic in the back of your friend’s car.
Once the sun enters single-minded Aries on the 20th, it pays to pare down your schedule to only the activities that are most important. Shrug off the small losses and ask yourself what you’d do if you trusted your dreams. When beauty-making Venus connects with radical Uranus on the 28th, make the risk real by changing your look, leaving a stale romance, or finding a uniquely you way to make money.
On the 31st, the full moon in rational Libra gets a shove from decisive Mars in Capricorn, which asks what skills you have that you’re not using. Full moons are messy, but makes them a great time to experiment, since there’s zero pressure to get it right. Be like an Aries: Get out there and try something new."

More sources:

"Change will be happening thick and fast and, due to the moon being in opposition to Neptune, much of the change will be surrounding deception within our intimate relationships. This will be mostly due to our intuition being out of sync, when usually a full moon heightens our intuition and psychic senses. This means that during this full moon we may feel paranoid and believe our fearful and suspicious thoughts to be true, with jealousy, insecurity, and controlling behaviours rising to the surface.

This may all sound like we’re in for a terrible, tumultuous full moon, but, as with everything moon-phase related, it is all for our higher good, and necessary to clear out our shadow emotions and beliefs so that we can work through our unhealed emotional wounds and wipe out karmic energies that have been holding us back and causing us to feel triggered. The turbulent energy won’t last for long; however, the lasting effects of what happens throughout this phase may cause our perspectives to permanently shift, as we awaken and open our eyes to the actual state of our love lives."

"Virgo Full Moon Ritual March 2018
The March 1st-2nd Full Moon falls at 11 degrees Virgo and is going to bring a grounding energy that will help us to know where we need to focus our attention.
Since the start of the year we have been experiencing a lot of transformative energy with the potent Eclipses, and now that the energy is starting to simmer, we are perhaps starting to feel a little more directed.
If you have felt uncertain about where to focus your energy, or you have been unsure on how to proceed, this Virgo Full Moon is going to light your way, and will be a guiding hand to point you in the right direction.
This ritual is designed to help you tune in and welcome this energy into your life. This ritual will help to gently open you up so you can feel guided and confident about the path ahead. This is a great ritual to do to help you get on the right track with your life.

Virgo Full Moon Ritual for Getting on Track

This ritual is best done between March 1st- 9th, 2018.
You will need:
Your favourite smudging tool
Candle (purple, blue or white is preferable but you can use whatever you have)
3 of your favourite crystals (see below)
Pen and 3 pieces of paper
Directions:
1.) To choose your crystals, close your eyes and ask yourself what crystal would be most beneficial to you right now. Open your eyes and pick the three crystal that you gravitate towards.
2.) Start by smudging your aura and surroundings using sage or whatever smudging tool you prefer. For more instructions on how to do this, read this. As you cleanse your aura, recite the following mantra or write your own-
“I cleanse and release all old and heavy weight from the past. I cleanse and release all that is weighing me down and stopping me from moving forward. I release all self-doubt and worries, and I replace them with love, confidence, and motivation to move forward. All the heaviness has melted away, I am now reset, I am now on track with my life, I am now being guided towards my highest path.”
3.) Light your candle and place it on a table or altar. Put your crystals around your candle in a triangle shape. (If you don’t have crystals you can substitute using natural rocks from the garden or flowers/leaves)
4.) Lay down, sit cross-legged, or sit on chair with you feet on the ground. Close your eyes and take 11 deep breaths in and out. As you breathe, imagine filling your body with a beautiful white light on every inhale, and exhaling out any heaviness as a black smoke.
5.) Pick up one of your crystals and hold it for a moment. Holding the crystal, close your eyes and ask yourself- “I feel most on track in my life when…” notice any thoughts or feelings that arise, or notice the first words that your hear/feel/think. Repeat this for all three crystals.
6.) Once you have the three responses, write each of them down on a separate piece of paper. Fold the paper and place it under each crystal. Arrange your crystals and the papers back into the triangle configuration around the candle.
7.) Now take another 11 deep breaths to calm and settle yourself. Close your eyes, and placing your hand over your heart, make a promise to yourself that you are going to do the best you can to listen to the wisdom you received today so you can feel more on track with your life.
Here is a mantra to help but you can definitely write your own or run with it in the moment. (It is best if this is said out loud)-
“I am going to do my best to bring (insert here) into my life so I can feel on track. I know I am supported and guided on this mission, and I know that I am always on track as long as I am listening to and loving myself. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
8.) Leave the candle burning for as long as you are around to attend to it. When you are ready, snuff out the candle but leave the crystals and papers out overnight. In the morning you can keep the papers in a safe space or burn/discard them if you wish.
9.) For the next 3 nights sleep next to and meditate with your crystals in order to keep receiving their guiding/Full Moon energy.
Happy Full Moon!
Tanaaz"

The Magic of Water

  The highest good is like water. 
Water gives life to the ten thousand things and does not strive. 
It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.
In dwelling, be close to the land. 
In meditation, go deep in the heart. 
In dealing with others, be gentle and kind. 
In speech, be true. 
In ruling, be just. 
In business, be competent. 
In action, watch the timing.

~ Tao Te Ching ~

Does your potion have a base of water?

Most of mine do. Any herbal infusion or decoction is just water, imbued with the juices, fibers and properties of plants. Even tinctures, unless they are 100 percent alcohol (or glycerin), contain a fraction of H2O. Since water lurks thickly in our atmosphere, even supposedly pure solutions likely contain that sneaky "Dihydrogen monoxide" . . . which may not be a bad thing.

When you program a water-based (any, really, but we'll focus on water here) brew with a magic intention, there may be a lot more to the process than meets the unaided eye. Physics suggests that everything is energy, even our thoughts and ideas. Thus, what we imagine, or dwell upon, may influence on our surroundings. Thanks to some interesting studies, we might now have serious evidence to back up our desires and hunches when it comes to the mystical.

Water is deceptively simple-looking. It's a cute little molecule, with two hydrogen atoms hanging on to a single atom of oxygen at an angle of 20 degrees, like mouse ears. Made of the commonest elements, water itself is so ubiquitous that it's easy to forget what a miracle it is.

The structure and behavior of water involves not only atomic chemical bonds, but a weaker type of attraction, called a hydrogen bond. These bonds allow water to move and crystallize in the manner it does, at the temperature range it does, because they influence how water molecules move around and grip one another. Hydrogen bonds are thus considered to be critical in the support of life --- or at least, Earth's water-based life as we know it.

I won't go too deeply into the science here, but one of these life-promoting properties of water is its broad liquid temperature range. For comparison, neon, another element, stays liquid for only two degrees; it basically goes straight from "ice" into "steam", so would be unable to harbor oceans of life. Additionally, water's bonding system enables it to be an excellent solvent, breaking down materials, carrying minerals, and other interactions most other compounds would find difficult to impossible.

The only difference between a solid and a liquid is of course heat, which is simply a measurement of how much vibration is in a material. Water molecules are attracted to each other, so when water is cooled so that its vibrations slow, the molecules are able to link electronic "hands" in a spacious crystal lattice, forming ice. This open crystal structure, versus the more compact nature of jumbled molecules in liquid water, causes ice to float, which is a third aspect of water's ability to support life.

One thing I'll point out, here: Forget about eight-sided snowflakes! Thanks to the molecule's mouse-eared shape, with that 120-degree angle, water thinks in six. This produces the classic, geometric crystals like the one above. Eight-pointed snowflakes do exist, but as aberrations based on the geometry of six --- see below for more.

Water is an abundant, essential, and often (to us) beautiful element of the world we live in. It also makes up sixty to eighty percent of our bodies. It stands to reason, then, that the vibrations and forces that influence water, such as the tides of sun, moon and planets, also exert an influence on us.

Despite knowing that all heat is vibration, we also know not all vibrations are the same. Anybody who is sensitive enough can tell that heating a cup of water on a stovetop and heating it in a microwave yield superficially comparable results, but the quality isn't the same: Both may end up 180 degrees, yet I find the microwaved cup cools quicker, and also feels and tastes . . . different. My mom could sense it, too.

Our scientific understanding is just beginning to scratch the more subtle interactions of materials in the Universe. By now, we're pretty sure certain vibrations persist in materials that permit a resonance to occur, as in a tuning fork. But our ability to measure such behavior only goes so far, and measuring accurately with repeatable results is crucial to proper science.

Such is the case with the more subtle vibrations that are carried in a material like water. The questions, and implications, are huge: If water can store vibrations from forces as subtle as sound, nearby electric fields, or thoughts, then how much do these forces influence our well-being because so much of our bodies and environment is made of water, and in what ways does that effect show up?

One who set out to answer questions like these was Dr. Masaru Emoto. I heard of his work over a decade ago, via a movie, and while I didn't like the movie, I was captivated by the possible implications of Dr. Emoto's findings.

Dr. Emoto carried out a series of experiments on water, during which he, with the help of sometimes hundreds of volunteers, infused quantities of water with different "vibrations". These included thoughts and intentions, both positive and negative, and different types of music.

Sometimes these intentions were delivered via prayer, other times by labeling the water. The water was then cooled until it froze, and the shapes of the crystals observed.

Still other samples were taken of either clean or polluted water sources, and noting the crystal formation prior to and after applying tone or intent. Many of the results were striking, and even quite sublime.

Since I am a science major myself (double major, nearly, if you count five-plus years with all the extra physics and so on), I have a reasonable sense of where the line lies between testable hypotheses and proven results by experimentation, and straight-sideways woo woo. However, quantum physics, with its ideas of subatomic particles and String Theory, is doing its best to blur those lines. For many eras, mystics and shamans have proclaimed that "we're all one," while our modern science is finally on the verge of arriving at the same conclusion.

Yet the balancing act is a delicate one. Science, I've learned, is at the mercy of the same two forces that govern human nature that I recently explored in my pendulum blog post --- the Expansive, and the Contractive. Love, peace, openness, and "Big Self" thinking expand. Fear, preservation, and "small self" or ego-thinking contract. Scientists fall prey to ego-thinking as easily as anyone, and more readily than many! When they do, Science itself becomes ineffectively stagnant --- or worse, regressive, even degeneratively destructive (and the science in question need not be mad). Whereas, in my understanding, truly genuine and progressive science all but mandates a certain openness of mind.

Critics were quick to pounce on Emoto's work, whether out of self-preservation for their own studies, fear of the staggering implications, or simply because it's their job. Likewise, both scientists and anti-religious interests derided his theory that prayer and its effects had any place in legitimate experimental considerations.

My own scientifically-trained mind can run through a series of legitimate points to make in criticism:
  Can you replicate these results? Were crystals consistent in their formation (or deformation), and if not, how did you select them for example and display? If a crystal is "beautiful" or "ugly", what are the criterion for labeling it thus? If an irregular crystal seems to correspond to a chaotic or negative energy, and a "pure" or blessed vibration a regular crystal, is this always the case?
. . . and so on.

Others found they were unable to replicate exactly the methods and results Emoto used. (I think it'd be fun to try.) Therefore, this group of experiments straddles the boundary between science and metascience, between condensed fact and flung-wide speculation. Faith in the validity of Emoto's work, and of quantum nature in general, requires an almost Lovegood-esque way of thinking about the world. Instead of a doubtful, "Can you prove that it is so?", our mantra becomes, "Prove to me that it is not!" For until an idea is disproven, that possibility remains. Until Emoto's theory is fully and incontrovertibly debunked, we must not rule out the delicious, mysterious, lurking chance that our thoughts, intentions, and overall vibrations as entities really do have an effect on, not just our bodies or families or cups of coffee, but the globe . . . and even the Universe itself.

As I see it, the significance of Emoto's work, and of quantum study in general, for the practice of magic and the making of potions is notable. While the pharmaceutical industry would have us believe that subtle, energy-based methods of healing are ineffective, Asian medicine begs to differ, as do many people who use such healing methods. We also see that Bach flower essences, homeopathy and gemstone essences already rely on the ability of water to carry vibration. We've discovered, sometimes at the cost of the health and sanity of whales and other beings, how far sound can travel in water. Finally, we see how a person's state of mind --- the health, so to speak, of their very thoughts --- can lift them from the brink of a terminal illness, or cause them to sicken and perish in a matter of days, depending.

Another way to view it is thus:
  Take a drop of your blood. That one drop contains --- give or take a couple --- 250 million red blood cells. Blood is also 98% water. The number of water molecules, far tinier than cells, in that drop will be greater by magnitudes. Now take, not a drop, but a gallon. A human-sized vessel, an ocean-sized vessel. With water being so responsive to sound and electric impulses, that is a lot of wiggle room for at least a fraction of those vastly many molecules to organize themselves.

Nor must we forget the experiments of Nikola Tesla (another fantastically powerful, and meta-inclined, scientific mind, who I got acquainted with during that same period of burgeonimg spiritual growth). He stuck a tiny resonator on the side of a building, then tuned it until he discovered the correct resonant frequency of the structure. Like in a tuning fork or wineglass, the resonance built up, and nearly brought the building down! Workers clung, terrified, to the swaying structure. With this same principle, Tesla dreamed of sending electricity to every part of the world, via resonance frequencies (I personally would aim for a frequency mosy harmless to biology, unlike 120 Hz!). But his dreams were thwarted by the powerful interests who were funding him: In their words, there was "nowhere to put the meter." (Big Money doesn't like giving out freebies.) Satisfied, Tesla retrieved his resonator and quietly scuttled from the site.

I will point out one thing, here. The shadow side of this mode of operating is the idea that it solves all problems, and that we are instantly sanctified by adopting it. When a genuine tragedy occurs, it is all too easy --- and self-gratifying --- to offer "thoughts and prayers", when what is needed is action. Government is especially prone to this shirking of responsibility. In times of emergency and immediacy, we must not rely on a gradual, faith-driven paradigm shift alone, for it may cause our help to arrive too late.

But perhaps it's not far-fetched to assert that a simple mental Thank You, repeated throughout the day, would have a cumulative effect on your mind and body a lot greater than one little snowflake. While I don't know the average resonating time for a water molecule to carry a frequency, tuning-fork style, will I rule out the possibility of their impact in such huge, coordinated numbers?
  Not at all. I would be a fool to do so.

Likewise, we would be dunderheaded indeed to ignore our potential to alter the vibration of the world, especially in a collective sense, with our thinking and intentions. Magic, after all, is about manifesting on the material level what originated on the energetic level.

Perhaps, then, that is our great task: to become aware of that power, at every moment, and to engage it with intention and grace.

Small order, I know.

A couple days after beginning this article, I mentioned my potion hobby to a woman I know who works at Trader Joes, regarding a drink they were discontinuing.
 "What do you mean by potions?"
I told her about intention, and how and why it makes any drink a 'potion'. She asked if I'd seen that movie.
 "I didn't really like it, but have you heard of Masaru Emoto and the studies with water?"
 "I didn't like the movie either, but I loved that sequence!" she told me happily.
  This isn't exactly a subject that comes up every day in my grocery store conversations, mind you. Especially not as a result of a throw-out-there topic like potions. (I mention that, I'm more likely to get stupid Harry Potter jokes.) When several similar things happen close together, uncannily as though somehow connected, we mystics don't call it coincidence, but synchronicity.
  The phenomenon of synchronicity --- a term coined by Carl Jung --- is on the same sort of level as this vibrational stuff: Not fully explainable by science, but mysteriously, undeniably there. At work, like the quantum forces, in the oft-unseen fabric that weaves our lives.