The wheel as turned to Samhain and the thoughts of lost love one come to mind and we spend our time celebrating death. Not just of mortal death but also of the world the fields are now baron, the ice breath of winter is breathing heaver upon us, the skies are darkening, the sunrises later and we will soon face the on coming winter.

Honouring the dead is common throughout the world and there are many festivals dedicated to our ancestors.

There are as many gods and goddess of the dead here is a small selection

Anubis or Inpu, (variously spelled Anupu, Ienpw etc.). (Egyptian): A head of a jackal headed god who is associated with mummification, funerals and protecting the death in ancient Egypt. Anubis is seen in the sacred scroll the book of the dead weighing the hearts of the dead to see was worthy of entering the under world Anubis had a wife the goddess Anput, his female aspect, and their daughter is the goddess Kebechet.

Demeter (Greek): Know for being a goddess of the harvest, sanctity of marriage, the sacred law, and the cycle of life and death. It is only when Hades abducts her daughter, Persephone, does Demeter’s grow enraged that she vows that nothing should grow upon the earth until her daughter Persephone is returned to her. Since Persephone eat some food while in the underworld she was doomed to remain their a bargain was struck and she was although to return to Demeter but would have to spend sometime in the underworld some say 4 months other 6 it this grief that associates Demeter with the Dark Mother.

Freya or Freya, Freja, Freyia, Frøya, and Freia (Norse): Freya is typically associated with associated with love, beauty, fertility, gold, witchcraft (seiðr), war, and death. In Norse mythology half of the men who died in battle joined Freya in her hall, Folkvangr, and the other half joined Odin in Valhalla.

Hecate or Hekate (Greek): Hecate who was given the highest honour from Zeus She was giving dominion over the heaven earth and seas and the underworld Although Hecate was originally considered a goddess of fertility and childbirth, over time she has come to be associated with the moon, cronehood, and the underworld. Sometimes referred to as the Goddess of the Witches, Hecate is also connected to ghosts and the spirit world. In some traditions of modern Paganism, she is believed to be the gatekeeper between graveyards and the mortal world.

Hel (Norse): Rule her realm which is caused Hel / underworld in Norse mythology. Her hall is called Éljúðnir, and is the place where mortals go who do not die in battle, but of natural causes or sickness.

Kali (Hindu) None as the black one or dark mother kali is an eternal force here home is the crave yard and she is depicted as having 4, 6 or 8 arms one with a severed head one with a sword and the more arms she has the more weapons she carries. She is associated with time and change often violent.

Meng Po (Chinese): Her task is to ensure that souls who are ready to be reincarnated do not remember their previous life or their time in hell.She brews a special herbal tea of forgetfulness, which is given to each soul before they return to the mortal realm.

 Morrígan (“phantom queen”) or Mórrígan (“great queen”) (also known as Morrígu, Morríghan, Mor-Ríoghain, sometimes given in the plural as Morrígna) (Irish) In mythology she is seen as a triple goddess the most common version of her triad Badb, Macha and Nemain, This warrior goddess is associated with death in a way much like the Norse goddess Freya. The Morrighan is known as the washer at the ford, and it is she who determines which warriors walk off the battlefield, and which ones are carried away on their shields. She is represented in many legends by a trio of ravens, often seen as a symbol of death.

Osiris or Usiris (Asar, Asari, Aser, Ausar, Ausir, Wesir, Usir, Usire or Ausare) (Egyptian): In Egyptian mythology, it is his brother Set that murders Osiris before being resurrected by the magic of his lover, Isis on resurrection she is impregnated by him. After Isis is impregnated Osiris dies again so Isis hides his body. One day set was out riding cheap prescription drugs without prescription and he comes across his body in a rage he tears the body into 14 parts and scatters them across the land. Isis collects all the parts less the phallus (which was eaten by a fish) and bandaged them together for a proper burial. The gods on seeing her devotion resurrected Osiris as the god of the underworld the death and dismemberment of Osiris is often associated with the threshing of the grain during the harvest season or the rise and fall of the river Nile.

Whiro (Maori): This underworld god inspires people to do evil things. He typically appears as a lizard, Whiro is the lord of darkness, or the embodiment of all evil. He inhabits the underworld and is responsible for the ills of all persons

Yama (Hindu): In the Hindu Vedic tradition, Yama was the first mortal to die and make his way to the next world, and so he was appointed king of the dead. He is also a lord of justice, and sometimes appears in an incarnation as Dharma.

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Originally posted 2011-02-12 06:38:42. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

These fun apple heads are great to make with children and make an interesting Samhain decoration and they are very simple to do.

This craft originated in the USA and has been used to make dolls for Halloween celebration. The fun thing about shrunken apple heads you never know how they will turn out until they are completely dry.

Items required-
Fresh apples (larger the better) from your own tree if possible

Vegetable Peeler /Knife and/or Pumpkin Carving Kit (for carving)

Lemon juice

Salt

Wire, sticks or string

Peppercorns, whole cloves, peas, beans or similar items for eyes

Rice, barley or other grains or seeds for teeth

Bowl

Instructions

Peel the apple and leave stalk and a small area of peel for a hat.

Carve a face in to one side of the apple (2 eyes a nose and a mouth at least), remembering to make the twice the size as the apple will shrink by half when dried.

Mix lemon juice with salt (1 cup of lemon 1tsp salt) in a bowl and soak the apple in the liquid for about 5 minutes insuring that the surface is completely covered as this will prevent rotting.

Pat the apple dry and decorate with Peppercorns, whole cloves, peas, beans for eyes and Rice, barley or other grains or seeds for teeth if you so choose.

There are a number of ways of drying the slow away is to leave in airing cupboard for 7 days but the process can be speed up by placing in oven (pre heat oven to 200 degrees gas mark 5 and then turn oven off) and leave for 24hr or use a food Dehydrator but my personal preference is to leave in airing cupboard.

Once completely dry you can add extra decorations such as wool for hair or doll dress or even a little paint to add fine details.

Either place on a stick or tie wire or string to stem for hanging

And that it a shrunken apple head

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Originally posted 2011-02-09 01:38:57. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

As a pagan I understand that death is a natural part of life and I also know that death is not a sudden end to existence. More so at the time of Samhain does my mind wanders to the lose that I have felt in my life just recently I lost my mother to cancer.

As a pagan my heart and spiritually know that this was a natural even and in some way I was glad she was out of pain. But no matter what I felt and knew as a spiritual being, I lashed out at family, friends and the world. I cried and wailed got angry and was sad and at many times through this emotional turmoil I was hit with moments where my goddess sustained me, and other where I felt so alone.

Death is a natural state and is very easy to deal with, I am almost sure that every faith that as a after life in it belief structure help us come to terms with death but the problem is that they don’t help us deal with the lose we feel

Dealing with lose is a personal thing and does not always happen immediately following a death and does not have a time scale to when it going to be over. Dealing with lose is called the grieving process and everyone goes through this process.

The Grieving process contain 5 basic stages which a person has to go through these stages do not always come in order and sometime a person may repeat one or more of the processes. These 5 stages of grieving is called the Kübler-Ross model and was introduced by by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her 1969 book, On Death and Dying. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross originally applied these stages to people suffering from terminal illness, later to any form of catastrophic personal loss (job, income, freedom). This may also include significant life events such as the death of a loved one, divorce, drug addiction, the onset of a disease or chronic illness, an infertility diagnosis, as well many tragedies and disasters.

The five stages of grieving 

1.Denial – “I feel fine.”; “This can’t be happening, not to me.”

Denial is usually only a temporary defence for the individual. This feeling is generally replaced with heightened awareness of positions and individuals that will be left behind after death.

2.Anger – “Why me? It’s not fair!”; “How can this happen to me?”; “Who is to blame?”

Once in the second stage, the individual recognizes that denial cannot continue. Because of anger, the person is very difficult to care for due to misplaced feelings of rage and envy. Any individual that symbolizes life or energy is subject to projected resentment and jealousy.

3.Bargaining – “Just let me live to see (person). One more time”; “I’ll do anything for a few more years with ….”;

The third stage involves the hope that the individual can somehow postpone, delay or there is someway of reversing death. Usually, the negotiation for an extended life is made with a higher power in exchange for a reformed lifestyle. Psychologically, the individual is saying, “I understand I will die, but if I could just have more time…”

4.Depression – “I’m so sad, why bother with anything?”; “I’m going to die… What’s the point?”; “I miss my loved one, why go on?”

During the fourth stage, the person begins to understand the certainty of death. Because of this, the individual may become silent, refuse visitors and spend much of the time crying and grieving. This process allows the person to disconnect oneself from things of love and affection. It is not recommended to attempt to cheer up an individual who is in this stage. It is an important time for grieving that must be processed.

5.Acceptance – “It’s going to be okay.”; “I can’t fight it, I may as well deal with getting on with my life.”

In this last stage, the individual begins to come to terms with his mortality or that of his loved one.

If you have experienced a lose it always help to talk about the person you have lost good times and bad this helps the person remain real in your heart and mind. Try to celebrate their life rather than mourn their passing. Grieve in your own way and accept that it’s a natural part of dealing with lose.

When you are ready to face the lose, and after grieving period show honour to your lost ones in what ever form you feel is appropriate.

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Originally posted 2010-10-23 08:52:44. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

2 cup. shredded cheddar cheese

4 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup. solid pack pumpkin

1/2 cup. pineapple preserves

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 pretzel rod, broken in half

Decorations: Dark rye bread, red pepper, black olive slices, parsley sprigs

Assorted crackers

Beat cheeses, pumpkin, preserves and spices in a medium bowl until buying drugs online without prescription smooth. Cover; refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or until cheese is firm enough to shape. Shape mixture into a round pumpkin; place on serving plate. Using knife, score vertical lines down pumpkin. Place pretzel rod in top for stem. Cut 2 small triangles for the eyes. Small triangle of red pepper for nose. Slice olives slices in half for the mouth. Cover loosely; refrigerate until serving time. Serve with crackers.

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Originally posted 2010-10-02 09:05:55. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

We all know that many magicians and sorcerers where know for leaving things out or making deliberate mistakes or change position it the elements (earth, air, fire and water). The most noted case of ritual tampering occurs in the Sun square of the planet square use in talisman making. It is also know or accepted that many published rituals where incomplete or had important aspects altered to insure that only the initiated could know the truth. But ritual Buy Generic Drugs Without Prescription tampering goes much deeper that much of our history became mixed and hidden within Christianity.

Our rituals like Yule (Christmas) Samhain (all hallow) Ostara (easter) etc where adopted by Christianity and blended to smooth the transition. Others we hid ourselves in the form of folk traditions and rhymes, which are still in use today although their true meanings may be lost.

Rhymes where used to encode magickal information, spells and forms of divination and where passed on from mother to children and where used to program the information in a way which would be easy to retain and look harmless to the outside world.

A few common rhymes, which are still used, for divination or to find the answer include-

Taking a flower while pulling out petals a person would rhyme
He / she loves me
He / she loves me not
one line for each petal alternating until you are left with one petal love or love not. There are variations on this
He loves me,
He don’t,
He’ll have me,
He won’t,
He would if he could,
But he can’t
So he don’t.”
This is to be said while plucking the petals off a daisy or while taking out the seeds from an apple.

Another Popular of hiding our tradition was nursery rhymes although the originals names where Christianise so only speculation can be given to their original name The character Jack is associated with the tarot card the Fool , the wise fool off on his journey.

One popular rhyme “Jack Be Nimble,” was originally a rhyme said while jumping over a candlestick to determine one’s luck or chance of marriage or even fertility for the coming year. If the candle stayed lit it meant the response would be positive. Although a less pleasant version was, children would stand in a circle and pass a candlestick around. Whoever was holding the candlestick when the flame went out would die within the year.

Counting rhymes where and still used for selection in olden times they would have been used to select sacrifice of to select champions in individual contests, to determine the partition of conquered or colonised lands, in the division of spoil, in the appointment of magistrates and other functionaries, in the assignment of priestly offices, and in criminal investigations where doubt existed as to the real culprit according to Henry Carrington Bolton in his book “The Counting-Out Rhymes of Children, dated 1888.

Other uses for the nursery rhymes was to teach spells and magick the rhyme Goosey, goosey gander
Goosey Goosey Gander where shall I wander
Upstairs and downstairs and in my Lady’s chamber
There I met an old man who wouldn’t say his prayers
So I took him by his left leg and threw him down the stairs.
Is said to be a spell where you create a elemental being of energy which you would use to be a watcher a spy although in the rhyme the shape of the elemental is a goose it is much more likely that smaller less complex creatures would be use such as a flea or fly.

There are probably many more undiscovered meaning to old rhymes and chants many will be lost forever some will have hidden meanings, which will just make sense when you take a closer look, there is a wealth of untapped magickal knowledge out their if we just can find it.

I thought for a bit of fun I would try some magick encoding myself so I came up with this rhyme which contains all the information on a healing ritual and meditation why not see if you can unravel it and create a ritual from the information inside    

Healing forces near and far come together and form a 5 pointed star.

Now call the element one by one and by first light of sun the four become one.

Embody the one I wish to heal; my healing touch they soon will feel.

I call the divine to strengthen this gift.

Now with words of magick my spell I fix.

Now close my eyes and the world out side.

Inside two realms I now stride.

The one that is distant will now take its place.

I can now direct magick to the human face.

Hold the vision; make it real

Add some essence and make it feel

Take a hand and wave away any pain that was doomed to stay.

Add some strength and make them strong

Now the time to add some song.

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Originally posted 2010-10-24 11:00:13. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The Wheel of the year is basically a calendar of the 8 festivals called Sabbats celebrated by Wiccan’s and some other pagan paths. The wheel looks like a cartwheel with 8 spokes marking the sections of the year. The wheel is in 2 sections the first is the Quarters know as “the lesser Sabbats” or “quarter days”, these quarters mark the movement of the sun through the year with the vertical spokes marking the solstices and the horizontal spokes marking the equinoxes

The second section represents the cross quarters “cross-quarter days,” “fire festivals,” or “Greater Sabbats”, these are a mix of Gaelic and Germanic festival but basically or from my understanding the cross quarters are the cycles of life and death.

The truth be told the Wiccan Wheel of the Year as been made up and in fact at the very starting of Wicca only the Cross quarters where celebrated online pharmacy without prescription it was the Bricket Wood Coven that added the quarter days basically because the wanted more meeting They did this while Gerald Gardner was away although he did not object to the additions as this brought Wicca closer to Gardner’s Long time friend Ross Nichols’s Neo druidism groups the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids.

Although this Wheel has no historical value in terms of reclaiming the Craft it is a valued addition to Wicca and in other pagan paths.

For me the wheel is a great source of meditation, understanding of life and death, a reminder of the cycles in life and most important reason of them all 8 reasons to party and celebrate the divine source. But the Wheel is more than that the symbology of the circle and it relation to the sun and moon a reminder that the wheel is eternal it has no beginning and no end.

The solar aspect of the wheel relates to the God forms of the Oak and Holly kings, twin gods sharing or battling for control The Oak King will rule the light Half of the year he is born at the winter solstice and begins his rule in spring and dies in autumn to be reborn again at the winter solstice.

Whilst the Holly King rules the dark half of the year he will take control at the death of his twin and will rule until the re-birthed Oak Kings is strong enough to control and then will step down and withdraw.

Although there are version of this story that state that the 2 twin are fighting for the favour of the goddess, I see the Holly King as a wise and caring father figure Protecting and helping his brothers and the earth he is a reminder that The God form is eternal, While the Oak king is a reminder of how fragile life is we are born grow die and are reborn with all that that entails.

The Luna Aspects of the wheel, which relate to the goddess aspect are easier to identify the wheel turns as the moon turns with midwinter being the new moon the vernal equinox the first quarter Midsummer the full moon the autumnal equinox the last quarter and back to the new moon

Now for the eight spokes each of the spokes relate to a different festival in ancient times these festivals where used to mark agricultural events such as planting and harvesting and storing food as well as the solar events of the solstices and equinoxes.

Since different pagan paths and Wiccan groups and individuals have different names and rituals on these date their no correct formula to the festivals in fact the festivals change depending on what hemisphere your in.

If we take a quick look at the festivals and how I see them I will cover them in greater detail in the future.

For me the wheel starts a Samhain (Sowain) the Celtic New Year and the Festival of the dead a time to remember friends family past and present. But it a reminder to me that at the start of any thing you will face hardship and you will need support, it also a reminder that in time passed this would be a harvest your last one for a long while and what you have will have to last if you did have enough to last you through the winter you could die. I celebrate this time by having a feast where guest bring some raw food and a meal is created from the food gathered, silly games are played and everyone has fun customers are often worn.

The Next spoke is Yule the winter solstice this to be is about the rebirth of the god and the potential that is still hidden. Since Christmas is around this time I combine the both I send Yule Cards to friends. I have my own Yule tradition that Mix the Christmas feel for the Children in my life I buy tiny presents from the pound shop wrap them up and hang them from the tree, these are what I call tree presents they are gift from the tree.

The Next is Imbolc this signifies the beginning of spring it a time of new beginnings and the beginning of planting this is about preparing the food for the year to come. I use Imbolc to plan what I am going to do in the coming year. Traditional I would find a daffodil and just meditate on the story of Persephone.

The next is the Vernal Equinox or Ostara for me this is a time for fertility rites and the creation a time of change this is also the time that the Goddess and god are reunited as lovers. This is the time where I would work closely with my partner on intimate rituals to strengthen our love and relationship.

Beltane is next this is a fire festival and has great focus on masculine energy and Sex although there are many May day rituals that are still preformed today the may pole is one of the most know, For me beltaine is a time for sacrifice and surrender it is a time for me to accept what I need to give up to achieve what I planed to achieve at Imbolc. This would be the time when I would choose to walk through the woods charging myself with the potency of the God.

Now we are at Litha or Mid Summer the point where the Goddess is swollen which the fruits of the earth the God are at his Full potential, for me it’s a time to Enjoy and celebrate a day where theirs nothing to do everything is in balance and as it should be. It for me a day where I just enjoy the goddess and god.

Then we have Lammas the first harvest it’s a time when I would go in to the garden and pick my fruits and veg I would normally prepare a meal with what has been gathered and share with friends and family. Sharing your hard work is a wonderful of honouring The God and Goddess.

And the final spoke before returning to the new year is the Autumnal equinox the final harvest so back into the garden for the last harvest and clearing the garden ready for next year again I would share this food with family and friends either as food baskets, or as a meal depending on size of harvest.

Although I have not gone into to much detail of the rituals and correspondences I will do this as in later articles.

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  Copyright protected by Digiprove © 2010 Cyber Caulron

Originally posted 2011-01-23 05:39:51. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Courtney Davis is the world’s leading exponent of Celtic Art. His incredible works capture the magic and mystery of the ancient Celts in a manner unparalleled by any other artist. His paintings use the same techniques and symbolism employed by the Celts, an echo of the past when man viewed the world with more spiritual eyes. Courtney’s genius is recognised world-wide; commercial success has lead the artist to publish around 50 books of his work and win countless fans. Yet the most extraordinary fact of all about Courtney Davis is that he has had no artistic training whatsoever.

Courtney Davis began his first drawings in 1977 after his father’s death while taking care of his mother Courtney’s early works where filed with passion and symbology as he explored his emotions through art.

In 1982 Courtney started to become inspired by Merlin and is quoted saying “Firstly, Merlin began to impress shapes of the new picture within my heart space, then he would start to guide my pen to bring detail and life to that feeling within me and then would transform it into detail in a physical form. Lights began to touch the picture, hands rested on my shoulders and when I stood to rest they would take my hands. A finger would poke me in the back and the lights would stop”

Courtney Davis is a deeply spiritual person following a healing and teaching path, which can be seen in his artwork and Celtic jewellery. In 2008 with support from his Guide Merlin Courtney Davis stopped hiding away in his studio and moved in to the public eye soon becoming one of the largest exporters of Celtic Jewellery and art work and became a voice contemporary revival of Celtic Paganism.

Courtney Davis was born Samhain 1946 October 31, in Blackwood, South Wales but spent most of his childhood in London and attended Bransbury School for Boys. Courtney had a difficult child hood as he suffered a chronic back pain preventing cheap pills him from doing the normal things a child could do. It was in the 60’s when Courtney had an operation to relieve his pain; during his recovery Courtney Davis had a number of mystical and spiritual experiences. During this time he has saturated himself in Celtic lore and beginning in 1984, with his self-published volume, Merlin the Immortal, has written and/or illustrated a number of books.

Courtney Davis is well know for his books and his artwork as well as his Celtic jewellery, Courtney is known worldwide and is as popular in China as he is in USA and Europe, and most recently his art has been transferred to stained glass by American artist Mark Duro.

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Originally posted 2011-01-24 18:39:54. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Samhain Recipe

This American classic is made with fresh pumpkin for a delicious flavour and wonderful texture. Serve it on a chilly autumn evening with whipped cream.

Ingredients

1 pumpkin 
2 eggs 
225g (8 oz) light brown soft sugar 
1 tablespoon plain flour 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 
350ml (12 fl oz) evaporated milk 
1 recipe pastry for a 23cm single crust pie 
Preparation method

1.   Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds. Place cut side down on a baking tray lined with lightly oiled aluminium foil. Bake at 160 C / Gas mark 3 for 30 to 40 minutes or until the flesh is tender when poked with a fork. Cool until just warm. Scrape the pumpkin flesh from the peel. Mash or puree in small batches in a blender. Increase oven temperature to 230 C / Gas mark 8. 

2.   In a large bowl, slightly beat eggs. Add brown sugar, flour, salt, 500g of the pumpkin puree, spices and evaporated milk. Stir well after each addition. 

3.   Pour mixture into the unbaked pastry case. Place a strip of aluminium foil around the edge of the crust to prevent over browning. 

Bake 10 minutes at 230 C / Gas mark 8, then reduce the oven temperature to 180 C / Gas mark 4. Bake an additional 40 to 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted near the centre comes out clean. Remove the strip of foil about 20 minutes before the pie is done so that the edge of the crust will be a light golden brown. Cool pie and refrigerate overnight for best flavour.

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Originally posted 2010-09-29 08:34:36. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Music is very important in my [wikipedia]rituals[/wikipedia] as they are a great aid in rising energy when I first started out I would use music that I thought would suit the spiritual nature of my beliefs.

I spent all my time looking for soft ethereal music, Gregorian chants or music that I thought would help me create a sacred space. Although this soft music help create the right environment it really was not conducive to rising large amounts of energy.

I started to think about how when you in a group that the energy raised is easier due to the excitement that is shared.

So I started to look at how I interacted with music and it came to me one day while hovering I had the radio on and a song came on which got me dancing I really got carried away with the music.

When I did my next ritual I started preparing my space with the soft music but when it came time for raising the energy I used [wikipedia] Evelyn Thomas [/wikipedia] – High Energy although it was not one of my best rituals it did help my rituals improve over the years I have found music that suits a ritual, I have used willow’s song from the film [wikipedia] The Wicker Man [/wikipedia] in rituals to increase passion, In green darkness by [wikipedia] Unshine [/wikipedia] for [wikipedia] Samhain [/wikipedia] rites and even [wikipedia] Abba [/wikipedia]’s Money,Money,Money for drawing good fortune.

Any music can be used in rituals especial if it helps you to connect to the purpose of the rite plus the process of selecting and mixing the music creating the CD or MP3 Playlist all become part of the energy rising.

As a solitary witch I would say that there is on CD that is a must for every solitary practitioner and that is Kate West’s Elements of Chats chanting along with the chants really helps to raise energy.

Become aware of how music can affect your mood and find music that energises you and cause you to dance. It does not matter what genre of music you use just let your energy mix with the music combine your body movements and you will be surprise how much extra energy you can build.

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Originally posted 2010-09-16 14:35:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Originally a game with apples hung from string or floating in water, which was played by unmarried persons during annual celebrations. It was believed that the first person to bite the apple would be the next to marry. These celebrations would involve the local community due to the fact that people lived in much more rural communities the local community could extend for many miles.

These celebrations where important to these communities and probably included feasting and dancing as well as trading. These celebrations where a time when people caught up with old friends and family and new romantic relationships where made. You have to understand that living in these times where hard and the cycles of life and death where much apart of the everyday life. Many would not survive the oncoming winter especially the young and the old.

During this time marriage and fertility where extremely important. Children would continue your heritage assist with running the farm so it was common to insure that you had a large stock of children due to fact that many at that time did not survive childhood.

It was important to have large amounts of children not only because the help they brought to your own farm but also through marriage your family would grow and your labour force would grow increase the chance of survive.

This idea of marriage and survival helped link bobbing for apples with fertility and death.

Apples where originally brought to Britton and the Celts from the Romans. For the Romans the apple was representative of the goddess Pomona, the goddess of fruit trees. The apple was accepted by the Celts as symbol of fertility and marriage. Pomona her self is more associated with the blooming of the apple tree than it harvests and has a festival on the 13^th August.

The bobbing for apples game became linked with Samhain and marriage and was played by both girls and boys it would be traditional for the girls to keep the apple they won and place it under their pillow to bring on dreams of their future husband.

Although the reason for playing the game has lost it reason in our modern times it is a fun Samhain game and can be played in two ways.

Bobbing for apples version one

Tie string or ribbon to the stalk of the apple and suspend from ceiling or branches of tree players then place hands behind back and attempt to bite an apple. To make this version more fun you can score the game different ribbon can be worth different point or you can you pink and blue ribbon and do races boys against girls or you can even make up your own games.

Bobbing for apples version two

This version is the most common version a container is filled with water and apples are floated on the surface players attempt to bite and remove an apple from the water the tub you use should be large enough for at least two players. If space or container is difficult why not fill a bathtub with water and use that if having a indoor party (paddling pool if out side) – reasons there will be a lot of water and people are going to get wet so instead of having loads of towels over your house you can keep all the water safely contained in a space that designed for getting wet and it make it very easy to empty at the end and you can get a few people along the side of bath or pool which make it a bit of a competition.

The world record for apple bobbing

On the 25^th September 2010 two world records for apple bobbing where created- Guinness World Record titles;

One for the most people apple bobbing

The Number was 277

Most apples bobbed in 3 minutes by a team of six

The number for this was 361

The record for most apples Bobbed in one minute

By New Yorker, Ashrita Furman, bobbed 33 apples in one minute to establish a world On 19 February, 2008.

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Originally posted 2010-10-04 10:45:37. Republished by Blog Post Promoter