Out of an abundance of caution for the health and well being of our members and friends, all in person meetings and events for White Oak Grove CUUPS have been canceled until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. See our facebook group for upcoming online events.
Stay safe, stay strong, stay home.
The leaves are budding across the land
on the ash and oak and hawthorn trees.
Magic rises around us in the forest
and the hedges are filled with laughter and love.
Dear lady, we offer you a gift,
a gathering of flowers picked by our hands,
woven into the circle of endless life.
The bright colors of nature herself
blend together to honor you,
Queen of spring,
as we give you honor this day.
Spring is here and the land is fertile,
ready to offer up gifts in your name.
we pay you tribute, our lady,
daughter of the Fae,
and ask your blessing this Beltane.
Prayer to Honor the May Queen. ( Source )
Spring has come to the earth.
the land is fertile and ready at Beltane,
seeds will be sown, and
new life will begin once more.
Hail, great gods of the land!
Hail, gods of resurrected life!
Hail, Cernunnos, Osiris, Herne, and Bacchus!
Let the soil open up
and mother earth’s fertile womb
receive the seeds of life
as we welcome the spring.
Prayer to the Gods of the Forest. ( Source )
Hematite is a master of grounding via the root chakra, Hematite can help ground the mind and bring focus back to the body when you are feeling scattered. A sponge for your negative thoughts, it always helps you to find the silver lining in things.
Associated with the Greek God Aries, it’s name means “blood-like.” When in a ground powdered form, Hematite is also known as red ochre. Greek warriors would paint their bodies with it before battle, and it was used in the world’s first cave paintings.
Beware of fakes!! Real Hematite is NOT magnetic.
Hail, and welcome!
Green life returns to the earth
blooming and blossoming
once more from the soil.
We welcome you,
goddesses of spring,
Eostre, Persephone, Flora, Cybele,
in the trees,
in the soil,
in the flowers,
in the rains,
and we are grateful
for your presence.
Prayer Honoring the Goddesses of Spring ( Source )
For our march meeting members of White Oak Grove CUUPS gathered online to discuss our favorite subject, our pets! Well, not quite; from familiars, to guides, to divination, the participation of animals in magic was the subject of our monthly discussion this time around. Those on a pagan or earth based path would be no stranger to the connection between animals and magic. Topics up for discussion was the role of animals as magic familiars, particularly whether they can be pets or not, the role and differences of spirit animals and of animal spirits, animals appearing in divination methods, and the bond that those on a pagan path often have with animals of all shapes and sizes.
Our discussion leader, Juliette, recommended these books and oracle decks for those looking to further their bond with or understanding of animals in magic:
Celebrated on March 1st, Matronalia is a Roman festival dedicated to the Goddess Juno Lucina, who watches over married women and women in childbirth. On this day gifts are to be offered both to the goddess and to the important women in one’s life ( such as your mother! ).
Join us on May 2nd 2021 as we present a Mother Goddess class and discussion.
More details can be found on our facebook group.
A colorful mineral with green, purple and white mottling it is a protective stone that is excellent for grounding. Fluorite was prized in ancient Rome and is a harmonizer that brings with it peace and bliss. Use this stone to clear away brain fog and rid yourself of negative energy. People born under the signs of Pisces and Capricorn are especially in tune with Fluorite.
This month members of White Oak Grove CUUPS gathered online for our regular meeting where we took a look at the path of Alchemy, it’s relationship with the elements, and it’s practitioners. If you weren’t able to make the session you can find the full set of class notes on our facebook page.
Defined as the process of taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary, sometimes in a way that cannot be explained, Alchemy is the medieval forerunner of chemistry based on the supposed transformation of matter. Beginning about 100 AD, alchemy was an art based partly upon magic and partly upon experiment. They became investigators of natural processes, looking for a mythical substance called a “Philosopher’s Stone”. It turns out that this might not have ever been a literal stone, but a way or powder that had a magical influence on the base metals to attempt to turn them into gold and make one able to achieve immortality. While there’s no proof of the “Philosopher’s Stone” ever existing that has never stopped Alchemists, both modern and ancient, from trying to achieve it.
It turns out that when Alchemists talk about turning led into gold, they may actually be talking about a spiritual journey and transformation rather than turning actually turning the first into the latter! Early philosophers tried to explain the existence of gold and other substances and the theory that elements in the earth matured from “least perfect” (lead) to “most perfect” (gold). By combining the methods of science, psychology, and religion Alchemists embark on a unique spiritual journey in the hopes of turning themselves into the legendary “Philosopher’s Stone” by achieving perfect balance of the elements within themselves.
Interested in learning more? Check out these books recommended by by our presenters Betsy and Warren:
A happy stone that exudes love & kindness Rose Quartz has an energy that is all about empathy, compassion, and forgiveness. Rose Quartz adds loving energy to relationships and gives its wearer a boost of self-confidence. An ancient Greek symbol of love it was said to be given to humans by the God Eros as a gift of love… or perhaps the blood of Aphrodite trapped in quartz.
Perfect for Pisces Rose Quartz supports selfless empaths who strive to help others.
♥ NOTE ♥ It’s not smart to use Rose Quartz as a pendulum because it has a tendency to only tell you what you want to hear.
Mighty Brighid, keeper of the flame,
blazing in the darkness of winter.
O goddess, we honor you, bringer of light,
healer, exalted one.
Bless us now, hearth mother,
that we may be as fruitful as the soil itself,
and our lives abundant and fertile.
Prayer to Brighid, Keeper of the Flame. ( Source )
“Magic, madam, is like wine and, if you are not used to it, it will make you drunk.”
~ Susanna Clarke, The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories
Members of White Oak Grove CUUPS gathered online for our monthly discussion group, and this month we focused on Common Pagan Chants and Songs. During our time together we learned some Pagan songs and chants that folks are likely hear used in rituals, gatherings, or even just as entertainment.
The idea of including chants and songs into our rituals is one that’s been around for awhile. One doesn’t even have to really think that hard to realize that something which can be repeated over and over again in a chant will be quick to catch onto, or that something with a familiar or easy tune. The use of songs and chants in our rituals and gatherings helps to focus and direct the energy of the group, and the ones created for fun help us connect to our heritage and community. So it seems to me that the songs and chants of the pagan community will be around for an even longer time to come.
If you weren’t able to make the session, check out these online resources:
Or listen to the picks of our discussion leader April Kane!
When life is throwing you shade you can fight back with the powerful grounding Smokey Quartz. A stone of pure white light this crystal lets let in all the positivity you need. Tough love made this gem strong and it will help you find your truth. Smoky Quartz is associated with the cron chakra and helps to let go of emotional clutter to find the path towards wisdom.
An excellent crystal for Capricorns, Smokey Quartz help to ground, organize, and protect its owner.
I’m someone who was raised as a Pagan throughout my childhood; The flavor may have changed over the years as my parents experimented and searched for their right path, but all in all, my childhood memories are filled with the rather interesting activities that come with being Pagan.
I was absolutely blessed in the Pagan parents department because my mom and dad both worked hard to make sure my siblings and learned about different parts of Paganism in ways we could understand. They taught us about the holidays and showed us ways to celebrate them, taught us the “rules”, answered our questions, helped us learn from books, but most importantly they included us in rituals and acts of magic. On top of that, everything was done in a way that really made everything normal for the three of us: it wasn’t weird, it just was.
Continue reading “Growing Up Pagan: Why the Pagan Community Needs to Embrace Their Youth”
