Crystal Charms and Goddesses for Healing which are you drawn to ?

Emerging as I often do like a sleepy kitten from a long sleep when I have had these long stretches of migraines I feel drawn to sit and create so that is what I am going to do today, catch up on orders that need posting and make some new pieces. I would like to make some new healing charms I think so if anyone has any needs then please let me know, I love doing special pieces. Each crystal and charm has its own story to tell and put together may be just the right combination for you to begin your own healing and transformation. First thing I am going to make this afternoon is a good luck charm for my daughter who has been studying so hard for her A levels.

Moon Goddess Healing Angelite Pendant www.astarte-moon.co.uk

New Moon Jade Charm for luck and positivitywww.astarte-moon.co.uk

Aceso was the main Greek Goddess for healing. Indeed her name is said to mean curing. She was known for tackling the healing process, the root cause not just the problem itself, thus can be seen as the root of holistic medicine. We of course have a lot to learn from our ancestors in terms of the way we approach modern healing methods. She shared an altar with Aphrodite and Athena and was the daughter of Epipione and and Asclepius. Aceso also spelt Akeso knew the importance of maintaining good health as well as good hygiene in order to stay fit and well, something that was often neglected when looking to cure a specific disease or illness. 

Amethyst Pentacle Charm may help pain relief www.astarte-moon.co.uk

Many of the well known Moon Goddesses such as Aine, Brigid and Isis were known to be powerful healers. Brigid or Brigit was also said to be responsible for fertility and Aine was known for breathing life force into being. Aine is connected with lakes and healing wells. Water is extremely important as a healing aid and I cleanse all my crystals with water from the red spring at Chalice Well gardens in Glastonbury. I bless them all before they are sent out to you so that you may receive the full force of the healing power.

If you are interested in the ancient Celtic ways you might like to take a look at this course that caught my attention. Cat Curacelo's Celtic mysteries course invites you to look at the background that shaped your own life journey and the shapes and symbols that occurred along the way. Cat says

" Whether you are new to 'the journey' or returning to this tribe, this will be a wonderful opportunity to explore and extend your travelling, using visual narrative as a form in this brand new Celtic Mysteries journey that celebrates ancestral remembering and our deep myths."Once Upon a Mythos Cat Caracelo

The important thing to note when looking for healing is to find the right mix of things that are right for you and to remember that your biggest help is Mother Earth. If you are drawn to a particular crystal, goddess, pentacle, stone, herb then there is often a reason for that. Modern medicine can often be used alongside traditional remedies and there is often no reason you cannot take both as long as you check with your healthcare provider. Our earth is a powerful healer and she has much to offer us as long as we give back in return.

Celebrating the earth at Glastonbury White Spring Beltane 2014

In the words of the wonderful Glennie Kindred
"Experiencing deep heartfelt connections to the Earth will bring us closer to understanding ourselves and trusting out intuition. It will help us foster a sense of belonging and love for the Earth and all peoples of the Earth.  To live in harmony with the earth, we need to remember our connection to her."
Glennie Kindred Earth Wisdom

So do you have a favourite healing goddess, a favourite crystal or a favourite icon? Strong symbols can often make us feel powerful and obviously colour makes a difference in the choice of crystal we go for. A carnelian stone with an owl and wolf charm might be my choice for my exam charm.......

Goddess blessings to you, may you be abundant and blessed in all you do this month, AstarteAlison XXXXX

On Combining Christmas and Yule, Winter Solstice

How do you combine Christmas and Yule in your family traditions? Do you celebrate both traditions?

In our family I have only been a Pagan for approximately four years. My teenage daughters therefore in regards to Paganism, how can I put it; 'gently support' what they term their Mum's 'hippy ways'! They love what I do and I know a lot of it is rubbing off on them but they in in no way put them selves in my camp it just wouldn't be cool! Perhaps if I had become a Pagan whilst they were toddlers it might have been different. I look wistfully every year at the mothers and their very young children all dressed up with flowers in

their hair at the maypole in Glastonbury for Beltane!

Christmas is therefore a very big event in our house. Although adults really now my girls adore Christmas and get really excited which I love. I have no problem with celebrating Christian holidays alongside Pagan ones and have not let go of a lot of my Catholic upbringing. I believe in religious tolerance for all religions, every religion has something to offer and we can never say one is better than another. Personally I like to draw from many different religions in my personal beliefs. For me Paganism is about worshipping our Mother Earth not about whose religion is the better one.

My Yule Altar

So to celebrate Yule at the Winter Solstice this year I will be lighting candles and having a private mediation, welcoming the return of the sun. I struggle with the long dark days so will be very glad that our sun is returning to light our earth. For that I give gratitude to our wonderful Mother Earth Gaia. I like to bring the outside into the house at this time of year so have made our mantlepiece into an altar to honour our Mother Earth, the Goddess Gaia. This is following ancient Pagan customs of bringing greenery such as holly ivy and mistletoe into homes for good luck, more on ancient customs can be found here

Our Pagan Christmas tree

Although our Christmas tree is festooned with baubles and memories of holidays past I also like to Paganise it a little with ornaments I have made and pentacle charms. Perhaps you can have a go at making your own pentacle charm to go on your Christmas tree this year? Pentacle charms like the one depicted here are still available in the Astarte Moon Shop  as well. 

Yule Pentacle charm-Astarte-Moon Shop

Blessings of love and light for the return of the sun at Yule to you, AstarteAlison

Maypole Dancing and Fire leaping. Glastonbury Beltane May 2014

So we had a wonderful time again for Beltane in Glastonbury 2014. The rain came down for a part of the day but that did not deter the determined folk in their mission to bring in the May!

We started our celebrations on May eve with a beautiful ceremony at the Glastonbury Goddess temple. Unfortunately we had forgotten how incredibly popular this ceremony has become so we didn't arrive early enough and the temple was already full! Such was the amazing energy though that even sitting on a step just outside you could feel the love emanating from the building. We then went on to the mapole dance and fire jumping outside the temple.

The beautiful Glastonbury Goddess Temple

The next morning the alarm went off at 4am and we made it up to the top of Glastonbury Tor. There we were treated to a wonderful ceremony by Rollo Maughfling, the Archdruid of Glastonbury and Stonehenge

Ceremony on Glastonbury Tor

No sunrise to be seen today as it was a misty start but very atmospheric. We then went down to the Chalice Well gardens for the ceremony and jumping of the fire accompanied by beautiful singing and drumming from Jana Runallis and her friends. 

Adding ribbons to the Maypole 

The day then went on to entertainment in the town square which was lovely but the rain came down at that point so we did seek shelter for a while! However up at Bushey Coombe for the ceremony the sun came out and blessed us with her brilliance, it was a beautiful start to the summer, winter really has gone away and summer is here to stay.

Greenman dancing the Maypole

During the ceremony, the Arch Druid of Glastonbury was re-named the Arch Druid of Avalon, such a fitting title for this beautiful land. If any of you has the chance to visit this beautiful place do go, it has such amazing energy. I now feel my spiritual battery has been re-charged a little, Beltane in Avalon is a wonderful experience and I feel very privileged to be able to be a part of it. 

Beltane Traditions upheld in Glastonbury celebrations

Dancing at the White Spring Glastonbury Beltane

I'm getting very excited to be going down to Glastonbury for Beltane again this year. I have just been reflecting on how we celebrate Beltane in Glastonbury and how this mirrors the traditional way Beltane would have been celebrated. Beltane marks the beginning of Spring and the union of the Goddess and the God. Beltane is a really joyous Sabbat and I thought I would dig out a few photographs that show the wonderful happiness that show the fun that this time on the Wheel of the Year represents. Our Mother Earth Gaia is coming alive at this time of year, and this is a fabulous time to celebrate. In Glastonbury at Beltane we watch the dawn from the top of Glastonbury Tor

Blessing the Fire Glastonbury Beltane

which is a wonderful sight to behold. Beltane is a fire festival, traditionally cattle were driven between two Beltane fires to cleanse them and protect them from disease for the coming year. At Glastonbury we leap the fire in traditional manor to bring luck and fertility to our lives. 

The maypole has long been a traditional part of Beltane celebrations. The tall maypole is

Maypole outside Goddess Temple

said to be a fertility symbol and often young girls touched the maypole in the hope of bringing fertility into their lives. We enjoy dancing around the maypole at the Goddess temple on Beltane eve, at the Chalice Well gardens and again at Bushey Coombe. There is always much singing and dancing as there would have been in times gone by. 

Maypole dancing Bushey Coombe Glastonbury Beltane

Ten Fun Facts About Beltane, the beginning of spring on the Pagan Wheel of the Year

Ten Fun Facts About Beltane

Beltane is derived from ‘Bel’ meaning good and ‘Tan’ meaning fire.

Sunrise On Beltane Glastonbury Tor

Beltane is celebrated on the eve of 31^st of April and during 1^st May, often called May Day. People would often stay up all night and watch the sunrise.

The Beltane Bel-fire was considered to be the fire of the Gaelic God of Light.

Cattle were driven between two bel-fires to purify them and bring good luck.

 

Blessing Maypole Glastonbury Beltane

The red and white stripes on the Beltane or Beltain maypole symbolize life (red) and new beginnings (white)

The maypole is a strong fertility symbol, it is said to bring fertiity to hose who touch the maypole.

Beltane or Beltain is traditionally a time for love and new romance.

Green Men Glastonbury May 2013

Jack in the Green or the Green Man represents the fertility of the land and new beginnings and is a strong presence at Beltane

The Goddess and The God are united at Beltane representing the fertility of the land.

At Beltane the Pleiades star cluster rises just before sunrise on the morning horizon. At Samhain, Beltane’s counterpart, Pleiades rises at sunset

  

Good friends are like stars. You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

Good friends are like stars. You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

I took this photograph at Glastonbury Tor. Glasonbury is said to be the heart chakra of the world due to the amazing energy of the ley lines that lie deep within the heart of the Tor, it is a very magickal place.

"Our planet Earth is a living and breathing organism and as such she channels energy from specific locations on her body just like every other living creature. These centers are called Chakras. The chakra centers on Earth are connected by energy circuits called Ley lines. This planetary grid system has been known and mapped for millenia. The ancients were well aware of the properties of these places on the Earths surface. While these locations are known as the major energy vortexes of Earths energetic body, there are thousands of other places where the energy is strong, promoting the ancients to build structures on these sites, which will be discussed in a later article. Visiting these sites, especially to mediate and make ceremony, can result in strong connections with mother Earth, opening your own Chakra centers, and the ability to be a stronger conduit of universal energy.

~Magickal Graphics~

The Earth’s heart Chakra, Anahata, is located in one of the most famous holy places on Earth, marked by the centers known as Somerset, Shaftesbury, Dorset and Glastonbuy, England. It is represented by the color green. This site is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on Earth. Glastonbury Tor, an ancient sacred mound, has been called the “Heart of England.” It has been the site of numerous legends, going back through medieval times and continuing today."Glastonbury Tor

If you ever get the chance to go to Glastonbury Tor I fully recommend it, it is a wonderful place. I love to lie at the top of the Tor and feel that wonderful green earth energy surging through my body, it really charges your internal batteries.

This quote goes out to all my friends, some of whom I don't see from year to year as they live so far away, some I have only met online. I always know that they are there and always will be. Cherish your friends, include them when you are doing your Gratitude exercise at the end of the day, for it is a wonderful thing to have a friend. Feel free to copy the picture and send to your friends to let them know how much they mean to you. Just right click on the picture and then you can email the image as an e-card or post to a facebook wall for example.

Love and blessings to you and your friends, Alison xx

Sources: http://sacredheartland.wordpress.com
http://magickalgraphics.com/newage.htm

Beltane in Glastonbury, Tor, Chalice Well, May Day Maypole dancing, fun for all!

I'm finally getting round on 6th May to writing a little about the beautiful Beltane day we had on 1st May in Glastonbury. I hope you enjoy these photographs, if you or anyone you know is in them and doesn't wish to be then please let me know and I will take them down from the site.

We started with a very early start for us; 4.20, I'm not accustomed to that time in morning! By the time we got to the top of Glastonbury Tor it was already full of people but we had plenty of time to enjoy the sunrise.  As we arrived  Rollo Maughfling, the Archdruid of Glastonbury and Stonehenge was conducting a beautiful  Beltane dawn ceremony  on the top of the Tor.

Morris Men on Glastonbury Tor at Dawn

We were also treated to a wonderful May Day performance by the Cam valley Morris Men who danced in front of St Michael's tower on the top of Glastonbury Tor. The sunrise was beautiful, we didn't go up the Tor last year as it had been raining so it was a real treat to have such wonderful clear blue skies and golden sun to

Heralding the Beltane dawn

welcome in the new Beltane dawn.

After we had our fill of the sun's rays on top of the Tor we made our way down to the Chalice Well Gardens and to the bonfire that had been built in the Cress Field. Chalice Well is a wonderful spot in Glastonbury, it is a World Peace Garden, a place of peace and tranquility for those of all faiths to gather. By 7.30am there was a lovely crowd of people all gathered to welcome the day in together in this wonderfully peaceful spot. We sang, listened to drumming, held hands and jumped the fire, a really fabulous start to this blessed day.

Encouraging the flames to life in the Chalice Well

Following the ceremony at the chalice well we decided we would reluctantly miss their maypole dancing at 9.30 to nip off to the travelodge and check out etc. We were then back in the town square to be entertained by some fine musicians and dancers before the Greenmen arrived with the maypole amidst much admiring from the crowd! The lovely May Queen and Summer King were crowned to round off the early afternoon 
entertainments.

Even the dogs in Glastonbury joined in the celebrations! Actually this little darling is Wendy my Mum's rescued dog all the way from Serbia!

The arrival of the Maypole!

Everyone then processed following the maypole and the red and white dragons up the high street! 

The May Queen and Summer King

The Dragons process up Glastonbury High Street

At 1.30pm, to round off the celebrations at Chalice Well, we arrived

Painting green men and women in the market square

with the maypole in Wellhouse Lane, between the White Spring and the opened Monk's Gate in to Chalice Well, here the maypole was blessed with water from the red, white and blue springs of Glastonbury. We waited here a while whilst people enjoyed the White Springs and the energy of the wonderful day.  The procession then walked up the hill to Bushey Coombe 

Blessing of the Maypole at the White Spring

On arrival at Bushey Coombe everyone processed through a beautiful arbor and were greeted which was really lovely, it is great to be made to feel so welcome. The crowd then formed a circle, the directions were called and the ceremony was opened. The  maypole was  then lifted, with some time taken to make sure it was secure! - it did get a little tilted half way through the dance and had to be corrected! 

Glastonbury Beltane Maypole dancing

Everyone had a lovely time dancing around the Maypole, young and old, everyone joined in the merriment. We ended with a closing of the circle and a beautiful gathering around the maypole.

Closing the circle at Bushey Coombe

I can't express enough my thank-yous to all those many people that helped make this a wonderful Beltane 2013, and indeed do so every year. Thank-you all of you, most of you I only know by sight but thank-you and brightest blessings to you. I can't wait now until Beltane 2014 in Glastonbury!

Hands raised in unity and celebration xx

Alison Beltane Glastonbury 2013