tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36265877464690503122024-03-21T22:26:11.145-07:00Gossamer Moonmystical and magical musings.Lapis Asetiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14477980361486225303noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626587746469050312.post-82292839260013930602016-12-08T14:20:00.003-08:002016-12-08T14:28:14.911-08:00Winter has come.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After an unsettlingly mild autumn, it looks like winter is with us at last.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfyhn4h5bwACJ3JoaEO0OqrU-Pg9rdcsd37OKTEpG0Je5I-zgRdYxdvDXiL-OHE9n5tFS-6GDjSFuUX6Agv9BFD6fH0xnxHBi6Q75HEWKVgztGvhj3Su41SnTer_K1wsfcSygEAkWgN1o/s1600/beginning+winter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfyhn4h5bwACJ3JoaEO0OqrU-Pg9rdcsd37OKTEpG0Je5I-zgRdYxdvDXiL-OHE9n5tFS-6GDjSFuUX6Agv9BFD6fH0xnxHBi6Q75HEWKVgztGvhj3Su41SnTer_K1wsfcSygEAkWgN1o/s320/beginning+winter.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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No, the snow hasn't covered everything yet, but I'm sure it soon will. It's part of the cycle of living in the Midwest here in the U.S.</div>
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I used to hate winter. "Hate" is a word I don't care to use unless it is absolutely necessary, but yes, I used to HATE it. My depression and desperation would grow to hopelessness. Was it in part to Seasonal Affective Disorder, the lack of sunlight? Probably, as that still does affect me. As the years go on, however, I'm acknowledging that I'll be here in the Midwest for quite some time, so hating winter won't change it. I don't have to love it, but I'm coming to accept it, respect it, and appreciate it for what it can teach us.</div>
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What can winter teach us? What can chilly winds, snowflakes, shoveling, and barren-looking trees teach us about life? A lot, actually, if you think about it--and there is a lot of time for thinking in winter! That's the point, I believe. Let's look at plants and trees, for an example. In the fall, the trees begin to cast off their leaves, conserving their energy, preparing for the cold season. Some say "trees are dead" in the winter, but they are dormant--sleeping. Are you dead when you sleep? Of course not. You're resting your body and mind, preparing for a new day. Maybe your dreams are providing inspiring ideas for creative ventures or solutions for situations.</div>
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Now, apply that line of thinking to winter. The trees have gone within, conserving their energy, waiting for the warmth of spring, sleeping and repairing inside. Why should we not do the same this season? Instead of griping about the cold, or lack of light, maybe we should go within, rethink our lives, or beliefs. Use this time to repair ourselves, whether it be bad habits, poor ways of thinking, or taking up the things we used to love, but maybe have been neglecting to do. Read, meditate, or maybe just sit and think about what it is within you that needs improvement before the warmth of spring arrives. Maybe you'll come up with ideas and dreams to develop on and later fulfill in the warmer months. </div>
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Life, in my view, is about growth--encouraging others to do it, and growing our own horizon of thoughts and experience. In nature, growth cannot happen without periods of rest and rejuvenation, which is what winter is all about. So maybe this season, to my friends in the upper hemisphere, consider taking a tree's view of winter this season, and see how you begin to feel. Use this time to rest and rejuvenate. Mend outdated ways of thinking, question your beliefs and thought patterns, be kind to yourself and nourish your soul, so that when the spring sun arrives and the frost has melted away, you can blossom along with the flowers and trees.</div>
Lapis Asetiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14477980361486225303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626587746469050312.post-31679552941165709752016-12-08T13:27:00.001-08:002016-12-08T14:03:14.024-08:00Goodbye, Etsy.Recently I received an email from Etsy informing me that they had removed one of my listings for violation of their policies.<br />
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I was confused, because I always put the legally required disclaimer on all my listings, that I can "make no claims for [product], and am selling it as a curio only."<br />
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But checking my account, I found that they had removed my "Money Draw" oil, which I found strange because I had just sold some of it, and I also literally made no claims for it in the listing, but simply stated the herbs used, and that it could be used in money and prosperity rituals.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWOlb_A02rx2UAbdW6BQ3qnj0GzB0lsw_4SZAVWApeehdAvSHxOzt0oURUKE6cLTiHSN2p9FqItKkfD7QVwc-E8AMfoH60eHTW0QKwyvzHHBMTKjHGih4em6GlhSzz7QGdTLUTgACyxjM/s1600/Etsy.dispute.grid.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWOlb_A02rx2UAbdW6BQ3qnj0GzB0lsw_4SZAVWApeehdAvSHxOzt0oURUKE6cLTiHSN2p9FqItKkfD7QVwc-E8AMfoH60eHTW0QKwyvzHHBMTKjHGih4em6GlhSzz7QGdTLUTgACyxjM/s320/Etsy.dispute.grid.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Etsy's email on the left; my response on the right.</td></tr>
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Well, I decided I would begin removing my products from their selling platform, but I also wanted to have some kind of say in what they had done. After all, "Money Draw" is a traditional name for hoodoo money spell related items. Etsy doesn't see it that way, however; they insist that the name in and of itself "suggests a physical change." Meanwhile, I found djinn rings, love draw spell kits, soul mate attracting kits, and a ring that had been interred with a woman's shrunken head and now possessed her soul. Not only that, but a search brought up 321 other items with the name "Money Draw," which increased by three more items overnight.<br />
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Needless to say, I was a bit angry. Yes, I felt singled out. But "Bill" from Etsy's "integrity team" assured me that hundreds of these cases are processed daily. Oh, and also that those legally required disclaimers mean nothing while you're on Etsy.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdxQzqCiQtzc8VnCopZ8dR-8Swz8feVx2d5JiI_Cwr2tXOtKBlntTOFaKzaVamgvAUYBO30Yc5f5sjEGs8XIcKIML0C5oY5uOHtFh8y5sCGkyL5TQxB-kYEri26tkYfYbVdYmBEoq448/s1600/etsy.bill%2527s+response.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdxQzqCiQtzc8VnCopZ8dR-8Swz8feVx2d5JiI_Cwr2tXOtKBlntTOFaKzaVamgvAUYBO30Yc5f5sjEGs8XIcKIML0C5oY5uOHtFh8y5sCGkyL5TQxB-kYEri26tkYfYbVdYmBEoq448/s320/etsy.bill%2527s+response.png" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Bill" from Etsy integrity encouraged me to report other listings...</td></tr>
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It feels like the Etsy witch hunt is on yet again.<br />
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Did the customer who purchased my oil feel displeased, and report it? I wonder because, contrary to what "Bill" claims about reviewing listings, shops, and reports, there are still literally hundreds of "money draw" spell items up for sale.<br />
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Either way, I'm shutting down my magical shop on Etsy, and I've moved to Scott's Marketplace! Come find me there; the shop name is still "The Gossamer Moon." Let's support a selling platform that doesn't discriminate.<br />
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<a href="https://www.scottsmarketplace.com/store/thegossamermoon/">https://www.scottsmarketplace.com/store/thegossamermoon/ </a>Lapis Asetiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14477980361486225303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626587746469050312.post-84433397102835306802015-10-01T07:38:00.001-07:002015-10-01T08:14:15.973-07:00The Witching Month--OctoberEven though the autumn equinox falls in late September, to me, October just "feels" like the true beginning of the season. The cooler weather, cloudy days, colorful leaves that crunch under your feet. And of course, there is my favorite holiday this month: Halloween.<br />
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October is a month where I feel everything is changing; I've never felt the depressed "everything is dying" label some pin on this type of season. To do that, I believe, can be detrimental. As much issue as I have with winter depression, I've never felt it in the fall. It feel like a time of preparation in nature, a grand finale of color before the trees and perennials take their long sleep.<br />
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It is a time for apple desserts, ciders, spices. A time for baking honey cakes, spooky ghost stories, exploring old buildings and dwellings. It is a time for planning how I will celebrate Halloween with my friends! Like some of you perhaps were, I was told as I grew older that Halloween is a child's holiday only, but I not only disbelieve this, but feel engaging in fun, youthful celebrations is a great way to preserve one's mental well-being.<br />
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Autumn also seems to awaken my witchy side. I want to put on my cloak and light candles, stroll under the moon and leave offerings to Hecate at the crossroads, have a bonfire. Not sure what it is exactly about fall that causes this pull toward magic, but it has always been there--and it is especially strong in October, which I suppose could be called the Witching Month. <br />
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What will you be doing this October, this Halloween? If any of you have plans to honor your ancestors, I would love to know your rituals or ideas. I'm hoping to do something for mine this year, as well.<br />
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~Autumn Blessings~<br />
Lady LapisLapis Asetiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14477980361486225303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626587746469050312.post-79487780054399454152015-08-17T18:58:00.000-07:002015-08-17T18:58:02.412-07:00We Have Won.In case you haven't heard, <a href="http://www.panegyria.com/news/etsy-ends-its-witch-hunt">Etsy's ban on metaphysical items has been lifted</a>!<br />
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I have since been listing a lot more things in my shop, very happy I can give fuller explanations for them.<br />
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Please stop by and visit!<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheGossamerMoon">https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheGossamerMoon</a>Lapis Asetiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14477980361486225303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626587746469050312.post-31601561598958313522015-07-15T18:56:00.001-07:002015-07-15T18:58:10.436-07:00Beauty SoapBeauty soap serves two purposes: to magically enhance your spiritual attractiveness, and to beautify and gently condition the skin.<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/240570923/beauty-soap-sample-square">https://www.etsy.com/listing/240570923/beauty-soap-sample-square</a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcA5N237HwLXVL9sQImRZPPV6CLhW5-SszIFyCdhMuEYSiE8sBpLBTOwXnIGFRcWQRPzhVnrky2OK952YFxQETD2aP1M6PZWlXC337DBCccDL_ae09_K1yZq7-B9vdftzeq3B2rJ4x0F8/s1600/Beauty+Soap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcA5N237HwLXVL9sQImRZPPV6CLhW5-SszIFyCdhMuEYSiE8sBpLBTOwXnIGFRcWQRPzhVnrky2OK952YFxQETD2aP1M6PZWlXC337DBCccDL_ae09_K1yZq7-B9vdftzeq3B2rJ4x0F8/s320/Beauty+Soap.jpg" width="274" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beauty soap; available as 1" square samples for $3 each.</td></tr>
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Not only do the freeze dried strawberries in this soap lend the lovely color, they also help to clear up blemishes from the skin, keeping it clear and smooth. Himalayan pink salt and kaolin clay purify, exfoliate, and soften.<br />
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Yerba santa, apple blossoms, and carnation petals increase your personal attractiveness.<br />
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I have also included age-defying palmarosa oil, along with lovely florals of neroli and ylang ylang, with some citrus.<br />
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I added a little dash of pink glitter, just for fun! ;)<br />
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This soap is layered; one layer is of a shea butter base, and the top layer is a clear glycerin base. <br />
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Soap Base Ingredients:<br />
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*Glycerin soap base contains: Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Safflower Oil, Glycerine (kosher, of vegetable origin), Purified Water, Sodium Hydroxide (saponifying agent), Sorbitol (moisturizer), Sorbitan oleate (emulsifier), Soy bean protein (conditioner)<br />
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*Shea butter base (coconut oil, palm oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, safflower oil, vegetable glycerin, purified water, sodium hydroxide, sorbitol, sorbitan oleate, soy bean protein).Lapis Asetiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14477980361486225303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626587746469050312.post-55806147823261290482015-07-15T18:33:00.002-07:002015-07-15T18:43:26.687-07:00Creativity Soap<br />
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Note: Magical soaps are a new item I've been making and selling on Etsy, and something I have wanted to do for a while, after admiring the magical soaps of other hoodoo-type shops. My soaps are created with pure essential oils, absolutes, and botanicals, and I use melt-and-pour soap bases that contain NO detergents or surfactants. They won't have the lather of a commercial soap, due to the lack of detergents, but they have great cleaning power AND are non-drying, as a bonus!<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/240670010/creativity-soap-full-size">https://www.etsy.com/listing/240670010/creativity-soap-full-size</a><br />
<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/240670276/creativity-soap-sample-square">https://www.etsy.com/listing/240670276/creativity-soap-sample-square</a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlgeeOIdL9nPbfLrSDBvWmnMj-C62UpP_1RiA8ehFQYIL1oCtJP_kfZLF4ds5sdv9LhoRbl9vls1SCSDwNadBnngXztOqpJIjgGJzbyxQMAtDzJfT0DFoxxQYPVF5bw1slRSyLYWXwVU/s1600/Creativity+soap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlgeeOIdL9nPbfLrSDBvWmnMj-C62UpP_1RiA8ehFQYIL1oCtJP_kfZLF4ds5sdv9LhoRbl9vls1SCSDwNadBnngXztOqpJIjgGJzbyxQMAtDzJfT0DFoxxQYPVF5bw1slRSyLYWXwVU/s320/Creativity+soap.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coming soon to Etsy, at $6 for a full-sized bar, and $3 for a sample square.</td></tr>
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Creativity Soap was conceived when I myself was in a creative slump...I thought, what could I do to spark inspiration? Then it hit me: soap with creativity herbs! Classic gingko leaves for clear thought, green cognac oil (a grape) for fertility of the mind, jasmine absolute for inspiration, and so on, in a base of goat's milk soap. My thought behind the goat's milk is that milk is the nurturing food given to new life...So, food for the nurturing of new projects!<br />
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This particular batch of creativity soap was created on a FULL MOON WEDNESDAY. Wednesday is the day of communication and working with your muse, while the full moon is when it is at its largest and brightest, full of potential and energy!<br />
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One thing I will say about this soap--don't use it before bed. I'm not sure if it's the gingko in it or the combination of essential oils, but I used it the first night I made it aaaaand let's just say I was wide awake with lots of ideas and thoughts popping into my brain!<br />
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The soap ingredients are as follows:<br />
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Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Safflower Oil, Glycerine<br />
kosher, of vegetable origin), Goat?s Milk, <br />
Purified Water, Sodium Hydroxide (saponifying <br />
agent), Sorbitol (moisturizer), Sorbitan oleate <br />
(emulsifer), Soy bean protein (conditioner)<br />
Titanium Dioxide (mineral whitener used in opaque soaps),<br />
essential oils and absolutes, herbs, and saffron for coloring.<br />
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*If you need a FULL LIST of ingredients, please contact me privately at<br />
gossamermoon39@gmail.com<br />
(as my formulas are confidential and guarded ;) )Lapis Asetiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14477980361486225303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626587746469050312.post-51300410415011652512015-06-15T13:31:00.002-07:002015-06-15T13:31:49.178-07:00Witch "Hunts"-- From Historical Murders to Modern DiscriminationWitch hunts are often spoken of as a thing of the "superstitious" past; ignorant Europeans who were misled by their religion, who believed witches were evil and conjured Satan at their sabbats, were the persecutors. In general, the persecution and execution of people, usually women, for witchcraft and sorcery, dates back to ancient times. Ancient Rome outlawed sorcery, and it is reported that from 184-180 BCE, some five-thousand people were executed.<br />
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The European witch hunts throughout history have never been something I could fully grasp. I understand the excuses made for the murder of innocent "witches", who sometimes were herbalists, and sometimes wrongfully accused women who were either misunderstood or hated by their community. Many of these trials and executions were led by the Catholic church, although for sometime, the church had outlawed the very act of executing witches in 785, by the Council of Paderborn. It was sometime around 1484 when a papal bull was issued that allowed the punishment of witches, but mainly for ones who had supposedly "slain infants." In the 17th century, the "witch scare" spiked, with imprisonment, torture, hangings, and burnings in Denmark, Germany, and England, to name only a few countries. And let's not forget the famed Salem trials in the United States, although 46 years before, there were accusations of witchcraft in the "land of the free".<br />
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And now, I suppose you may expect me to write about when all this was banned around the world, when herbalists, necromancers, pagans, and other practitioners of magic were finally left in peace. I wish I could write that. Unfortunately, although the trials, tortures, and executions may have died down, they continued on a smaller scale--and still continue in some areas of the world.<br />
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In 1950s America, a man shot a woman who he believed placed "a hex" on his wife. In 2014, Amanda Mandee Lopez stabbed her ex-boyfriend to death, as she felt he had put a curse on her, and she "needed to be free from the demons."<br />
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In India, it is not uncommon to label a woman as a witch in a land dispute--or for something as petty as if she turns down a man's sexual advances. Although less than 2% of these women are convicted, many are cast out of their homes, and even driven to suicide.<br />
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In 2009, as many as one-thousand people in Gambia were captured on charges of witchcraft, taken to detention centers, and forced to drink poison.<br />
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Witchcraft and sorcery remains a punishable crime in Saudi Arabia. However, the exact crime is undefined. In 2006, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fawza_Falih" title="Fawza Falih">Fawza Falih</a> was convicted of performing an impotence spell. She was beaten and beheaded.<br />
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Those are only a few. And while those cases are very extreme, what about modern-day discrimination? What about people who are denied raises because their employer discovers they are pagans or witches? What about the emotional stress of being told you are "doing the devil's work" by performing spells--even healing spells?<br />
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And what about the latest incident with Etsy, the e-commerce website, which has recently reinforced its "rule" against metaphyical items that "promise or suggest a change", by suspending accounts, closing down shops, and giving two weeks notice to those who they feel violate their rules?<br />
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That last one really has me outraged, as it affect my shop on Etsy, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheGossamerMoon">The Gossamer Moon</a>. I sell magical soaps, oils, and gemstone jewelry. By law, with all metaphysical goods, it's required to list with a disclaimer that they are being sold "as a curio only". With stones, it must be stated that they are not to replace the treatment and/or diagnosis from a licensed, professional physician. That is reasonable; however, Etsy's new policy does not allow even a SUGGESTION of healing powers. It is alleged that shop owners have been advised to take down listings that talk of the mere myth and lore behind stones. Apparently, the terms "chakra" and "reiki" are also becoming taboo.<br />
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I stumbled upon a very well-written blog also about this Etsy incident, with examples of emails sent to a shop owner, at Cinders Says' blog. I hope the author of the blog will not mind my posting the link here, as I find the post to be very informative, and it's important to spread the word. <a href="http://cinderssays.blogspot.com/2010/11/etsy-shop-closings.html">http://cinderssays.blogspot.com/2010/11/etsy-shop-closings.html</a><br />
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So far, my shop is still up and running. I figure it is only a matter of time before I, too, am kicked out. You may see more posts on here about my products, as I hope to be able to post links on my Etsy listings that will redirect here for the explanation of their benefits. I'm hoping that will be an acceptable solution until I can afford a domain of my own.<br />
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There is a petition out there, against the Etsy ban on metaphysical shops. Could you please consider adding your signature? I know that not everyone believes in magic, but when one group is persecuted, it is hard to know who may be next.<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_876578266"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.thepetitionsite.com/119/273/851/stop-etsys-ban-on-metaphysical-items/">http://www.thepetitionsite.com/119/273/851/stop-etsys-ban-on-metaphysical-items/</a><br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_Paderborn" title="Council of Paderborn"></a>Lapis Asetiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14477980361486225303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626587746469050312.post-60740171671800100672015-05-04T18:13:00.002-07:002015-05-04T18:14:53.848-07:00By the Power of the Moon<span style="font-size: large;">Much of magic is about harmony; about harnessing the movements of the planets, and time itself, for the most successful outcome possible. This means choosing the time when the moon is at a certain point in the sky, corresponding with the right day, and possibly even the time of day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My last post mostly focused on magical correspondences for the days of the week, but I only briefly touched on the subject of moon phases. Since moon phases are an essential consideration for successful magic, I would like to explain some basic information about the phases of the moon, and what they mean.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are four major moon states that should be understood: Waxing, waning, new, and full.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Most people are fully aware of what the <b>full moon</b> is; it is when the moon is completely illuminated, at her fullest, roundest glowing glory in the night sky. Almost like a pregnancy, this is when your seed of intention, cast at or just after the new moon, should be fulfilled. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The<b> new moon</b> is rarely ever visible to the naked eye. This is when the moon does not appear to be illuminated from Earth. This is when the moon is ready to start a new cycle, and is a perfect time for you to set your intentions or start new projects for what will be the upcoming waxing moon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Waxing Moon</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">When the moon is <b>waxing</b>, this is the time between the new moon and full moon. This is when the moon is growing in size and strength, and will appear larger and brighter in the night sky. Waxing moon phase is the time to cast magic intended to <b>bring something</b> to you or <b>increase </b>something in your life; i.e. money/prosperity, love drawing, fertility spells. At this time, the magic you cast will grow with the moon. (Think <b>growth </b>in your life.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">An example: Since Friday is the day for love spells, the first Friday after the new moon would be a highly opportune night to perform a love-drawing spell (just take care that your spell is not aimed at a specific person. See paragraph two in my notes section at the bottom).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Or, for a money drawing spell, cast a spell on the first Thursday after the new moon, perhaps with a green candle to represent growth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Waning Moon</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">When the moon is <b>waning</b>, it is decreasing in size. This is the time between the full moon and the new moon. During this period, cast magic that is aimed at <b>ridding something</b> from your life, or <b>sending something away</b> from you. Think certain types of protection spells, such as unhexing or uncrossing spells. If you are interested in doing weight loss spells, or anti-depression or anti-loneliness spells, this would be the most excellent time. The idea is that whatever is plaguing you will shrink along with the moon. (Think <b>letting go</b> of things no longer serving you.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Example: Saturdays are nights for protection magic. Cast off any hexes that may have been cast, or perform an uncrossing ritual. Taking out time to cleanse your aura by including sea salt in your bathwater or shower scrubs is very wise at this time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The universe is made up of many energies. Learning each type of energy and its phases will help you to to better connect and align them, which will ultimately give your spells stronger power. Stronger spells, of course, mean stronger outcomes!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Notes: According to Karen Harrison, who wrote the fascinating guide for astrological herbal magic, The Herbal Alchemist's Handbook, the waxing moon is the time when we should cast magic intended to influence the world around us, just as a growing moon is outwardly affecting our world. The waning moon is a time to return within to oneself, to receive wisdom, or to develop intuition.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is very important that the magic you cast does not affect the free will of others. Trying to influence the free will of another is a form of serious psychic manipulation. I can tell you from personal experience that this is a very torturous thing to do to another, and I do not condone this type of magic in any way. Keep in mind that everything you send out will return to you in one form or another, and may even affect your loved ones. Cast spells wisely! None of this is a game.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Blessings,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">~Lapis Asetia~</span>Lapis Asetiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14477980361486225303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626587746469050312.post-79908176309332322062015-03-22T18:43:00.001-07:002015-03-22T18:43:45.946-07:00Magical DaysWhen working with magic, one of the most important elements, besides your will, is making sure you choose the right day of the week and the correct moon phase for your spell.<br />
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So many elements go into creating and/or performing a spell, and the preparation and anticipation is at least half of what is going to give your craft the power it needs to be effective. Always check the correspondences for the type of magic you want to perform. Each day of the week has its own energy, and the moon--whether waxing, waning, full, or new--can give an incredible boost to your work. Equally important are the colors you incorporate into the spell; whether with candles, fabric used for mojo/conjure bags, etc. (If you want to know more about the type of stones to use for magic, that is a vast subject that will require an entire separate post!)<br />
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When it comes to the moon phases in magic, the terms waxing and waning typically describe when you'll want to do certain spells. The waxing phase is when the moon is growing in size (at least, the lighted part, the part that we see from earth). This is the time, from after the new moon until the full moon, to do spells involving growth, or bringing something to you. Examples are prosperity spells, love spells.<br />
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The waning moon phase is the period from after the full moon, until the new moon, when the moon is reducing in size. This is the time to do spells when you wish to shed something, or send something away from you. Examples are uncrossing spells, cleansing rituals, anything that involves "casting out" something.<br />
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Below is a list of days of the week and the type of magic that is best performed on those days. I've also listed a corresponding color, but different belief systems and paths may not use the same colors. This is just what I have read and been taught, and what has seemed to work for me in the past. <br />
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<b>Sunday</b>-- Health magic, spells concerning male issues, spirituality.<br />
magic color: orange <br />
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<b>Monday</b>-- Spells regarding dreams, psychism, and female issues.<br />
magic color: blue <br />
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<b>Tuesday</b>-- On this day, you can perform spells that require aggressive energy. Also good for marriage spells, and healing disagreements.<br />
magic color: red <br />
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<b>Wednesday</b>-- Communication spells, spirit connection and communication.<br />
magic color yellow <br />
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<b>Thursday</b>-- Money spells. Legal & financial, expansion, growth, prosperity, luck.<br />
magic color: green, purple <br />
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<b>Friday</b>-- Love and beauty spells. Also friendship spells. Lots of "goddess energy" on this day, which is named for Freya, the Norse goddess of love, lust, and beauty.<br />
magic color: red (for passion), pink (for romance/love), yellow or green may also be used in love spells. <br />
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<b>Saturday</b>-- Protection magic, reversal spells. Also for hexing and cursing (though I do not condone those types of spells.)<br />
magic color: black.<br />
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*white can be used in place of any color, although it is typically a color of protection. It's all about the intent you put behind it, however!<br />
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**In my personal experience, using a light or royal purple in spells regarding psychic issues or dreams is very empowering to them. Try to avoid dark purple, which is typically used in spells of domination.<br />
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I hope this list helps you in your spell casting! I would be happy to answer any questions you might have, to the best of my ability.<br />
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~Blessings,~<br />
Lapis Asetia <br />
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<br />Lapis Asetiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14477980361486225303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626587746469050312.post-46885377872100649952015-03-19T17:18:00.001-07:002015-03-19T17:18:28.101-07:00What Is Gossamer Moon?I was recently inspired to create a blog in which to chronicle come of my spiritual interests; as the header states, "mystical and magical musings". I understand this blog won't be for everyone, and that is fine. My only request for you, then, is to be kind, be mature, and move on if you don't like what you read here.<br />
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Who am I? Besides an unanswerable question that I no longer bother to answer for myself (but keep exploring possibilities), let me introduce myself. Lapis Asetia is not my real name, but the name I would like to be known as here. I am pagan, but not Wiccan--I follow my own path, seeking advice from myriad deities, straying from most religious paths organized by others. As a practitioner of magic, I would call myself an "eclectic witch", as I do what feels right for my heart and soul, combining bits and pieces of teachings that resonate with me.<br />
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What kind of magic do I do? Again, I don't follow one specific magical path. I LOVE candle magic, hoodoo, and herbal magic. As I'm also a perfumer, working with essential oils is always a joyously sensuous experience. I would like to work more with creating incense and magical soaps. I am fanatical about stones, and highly interested in crystal therapy.<br />
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Along the path which led me to who I am today, I drew inspiration from blogs written by other practitioners of magic, who offered tips and advice, taught me the important rules of respect that must be employed by any witch, and even supplied formulas that got me started. It's my hope to pass on and share information I have gained, that I may help others who are also attempting to find their way along their spiritual journeys. I hope to learn more from my readers, as well, as the path of a witch is one which is always expanding and growing throughout life.<br />
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Thank you for stopping by, for reading, and for understanding. I hope you will read future posts, let me know what you would like to see! Enjoy.<br />
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*~Blessings,~*<br />
Lapis AsetiaLapis Asetiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14477980361486225303noreply@blogger.com0