"The Blaze" Burns Witches In Sensationalized Tebow Piece

Of course I'm aware that "The Blaze" is a right-wing conservative news blog associated with Glenn Beck, so I shouldn't be upset by the distorted facts in this story by Bill Hallowell. But this example of hideous journalism might even inspire Mr. Beck to break out his chalk and blackboard once again to spell out the history of muckrakers and how they sludged up campaign trails of the past.

With Tim Tebow fever stirring Christian ferver in professional sports, many people ranging from athletes and movie stars to talk show hosts have been suckered into making commentary on Tebow's sporty pastoral image (I have fallen victim to my own words, incidentally!).

Prayer at sporting events is nothing new to society, and in regard to myself being a pagan, I choose not to be offended by another belief system displayed in public view. I will only become offended if:

• A person willingly practices their beliefs in a way that infringes upon another's freedom to exercise what their religion dictates

• I witness blatant discrimination and ignorance

This includes media outlets that twist the facts about a religion or it's followers in the hopes of aligning itself with a branded audience.

Lori Bruno, of Salem, MA.

And this is where the neo-con cracked-pots called the cauldron black. Amidst the vocalized opposition to recent public displays of religion, a group of Salem witches, including Loralei Stathopoulis of Crow Haven Corner Witch Shop, blessed their New England Patriots football team through a ritual of luck, love, health, and awareness. This is what their story was mired into:

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/salem-witches-hold-ritual-to-stop-tebow-broncos-from-winning/

Warning: If you or a loved one are allergic to idiotic comments, there are a few that landed after this article. Heating your cauldrons' above simmer for this one will only waste valuable resources!

In 2009, a group of us did a ritual similar to this for the Philadelphia Flyers, while I was working with Harry's Occult Shop. As the Flyers went from losing the first three games of the Stanley Cup Playoffs to winning the play-off series, there wasn't a smear campaign in relation to us being aired on Channel 6 News, or circulating in The Philadelphia Inquirer. As a matter of fact, I don't remember any of our public rituals ever being protested, politicized, or poo-pooed in the media. This may have been from the fact we didn't see players on the opposing hockey team praying to god after scored goals, and for the fact that the playoffs were not being played in the season of primary elections. The droves of political story hacks were in hibernation.

What do you think of this Billy Hallowell character, The Blaze, or the politicizing of religion? Your thoughts are always welcome and appreciated!

Health and Spirit,

Adian Caine

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For more information on Adian Caine or the Occult, please visit The Olde House of Curio

What The @#?! Is "Aspergement"?

Before any spiritual operation, it is highly recommended to "exorcise" the room your are in and the surfaces you will be working on. We are not talking Linda Blair type exorcisms, we'll leave that to Father Merrin! What I have here for you is a simple formula to remove stale energies from the ritual environment as well as the objects you are going to use for your magickal operations.

Aspergement is a fancy term used to describe the cleansing of materials to be used in rituals. In my craft I have taken the aspergement process further by incorporating ALL workable surfaces in the project. I usually start with the air, then the corners of the room, and finally moving to the altar itself.

All you need is water, salt, and smoke. That is all this fancy term collects under it's flamboyant banner!

You may feel inclined to use an "asperger", another high fa-lootin' name associated as the tool used to perform the "asperging". I use my fingers, but if you marvel yourself a traditionalist, a branch of fresh rosemary, olive or thyme will keep you working congruent with the lore.  

The materials needed can be gathered from your local grocery or dollar store and are as follows:

1 bowl half full of water, non metal

1 container sea salt (you wont use it all!)

incense sticks of a floral variety,

TO BEGIN: 

Light your incense. As the smoke rises, breathe your intention out into it. Saying  your intention aloud in a chant or a one word mantra (e.g. "cleanse" or "exorcise") may aid you better in the long run, but this isn't necessary. However you decide to word it, visualize the words you are using while imagining the letters being brightly displayed against the smoke, eventually disappearing into it. 

Take a few pinches of sea salt, and empty it into your hand. Use the same visualization technique in conjunction with your breath. In other words, breathe your intention again into the salt, as you essentially repeat the same visualization/mantra technique you have used in the previous step.

Now add the salt to your bowl of water. To help it dissolve, and to further charge your salt-water solution, stir with your fingers or your chosen asperger as many times as you like (no less than 13) in a clockwise motion while breathing your intention over the water. Once again, maintain your previous mantra or visualization. Let everything stand silent for a moment of peace.

Voila! You now have for yourself the basic elements for a magickal aspergement!

We are now going to use our newly consecrated bowl of water, combined with our will and imagination, to cleanse our ritual chamber. Sprinkle some of your water in all of the corners of the room, starting with the easternmost wall and working counterclockwise until you end up back where you had started. You may also wish to splash down your threshold or doorway into the room, as well as any windowsills you may encounter in your circumambulation. I usually visualize neon blue light (like movie special effects) following me, sealing up my room at the floor's perimeter and expanding upward towards the ceiling.

Return to the center of your altar, and sprinkle some of your water at the corners of your altar, once again starting from the eastern corner and working counter clockwise. 

You can use this formula for cleansing your other tools, such as statuaries for your altar, lamps of art, athames, wands, jewelry, etc. Simply take a clean white clothe and dip it in your consecrated water. Wipe from top to bottom any object you wish to cleanse, remembering to visualize or repeat your mantra all the while.

After asperging any tool, it is normally protocol to anoint it with a magickal oil of some sort. In most cases good ol' fashion olive oil will do, but i find that oils designated specifically for a power boost (especially blends ruled by the planet Mars) tend to better serve my magickal implements. 

Health and Spirit!
Adian Caine

If you like my articles, please share with your friends!

For more information on Adian Caine or the Occult, please visit The Olde House of Curio