Path of the Hex

[L.J.Hex]

I don't know exactly why, but I have this calm before the storm type of feeling of something gearing up... I have taken two day break from writing my BoS or being really social, feels like I need a little time out. Is it just the spring coming or what, I'd like to know.

[L.J.Hex]

Loading, charging, preparing... That's the word of the last week or so. I have been writing my diary almost daily, but nothing artistic of more "important" for now. For some reason I feel that I have to let things with my book brew up for a bit, get over the equinox and so on.

Lot of meditation, I've cleansed the house and I just love to have incense burning. My altar is near perfect now. Pics will follow soonish.

[L.J.Hex]

Bit different celebration than what I was expecting to do. No grand ritual, no spell work, except maybe subtle ex tempore things which I always do. SEVERAL extremely positive things happened today, kind of expected, but EVERYTHING nice and positive stacked up in this one day for which I'm extremely grateful. It couldn't be much better.

I cleaned my altar today, had the wind blow through the house for hours, I'm burning candles and incense, listening to witchy music, singing out loud, neighbours, I'm so sorry. I've eaten well, took a walk, we had the first really warm sun out today. Its been absolutely awesome day! I can't believe it! I put a pint of water on the window for tonight. I really want to catch the essence of the moon this time.

Guys and girls, I love you! This forum and the people here mean more to me than words can say, you all will be in my prayers tonight.

Walk the blessed path you lovelies.

[Firebird]

you do good work Hex
lovely Altar thanks for the nice words
you rock!

[L.J.Hex]

Awww, thanks Firebird.

My altar is so simple, but with the red pentagram cloth it sure starts to feel like the real deal. I'm planning to go dig my mothers house as I have ton of rocks and clam shells and stuff which I want to have here. Also the lava rocks I mentioned before. I want to have some mineral to represent the elements etc. Oh and I need to make an incense holder and at some point a better Athame, the one I have now is just an ordinary kitchen knife. It works nicely though. That wooden cup is for salt btw and the glass one is my chalice, I'm planning to get a similar one made of red glass. The colour red has been a big thing for me lately.

[SpiritTalker]

Simple & uncluttered is restful. Is that silver disc your pendant?

[L.J.Hex]

Simple & uncluttered is restful. Is that silver disc your pendant?

Yes. I don't want to keep too many things on my altar. every object is something that has a personal and symbolic meaning. Yes it is, its the one which has the tree of life with a pentagram and eight red glass pearls on the lace. I love it, its my favourite thing to wear when ever I go out for anything more important than taking out the trash.

[L.J.Hex]

Over one thousand views! Wow, I never expected my thread to raise so much interest. Thank you!

I have taken a break from writing my book excluding the diary, I feel compelled to do some more work to show to you, but these things take time as I'm waiting for inspiration to hit me.

[L.J.Hex]

I have been very lazy or too busy for my craft lately, but there's some interesting coincidences going on which feel meaningful.

First thing to point out is that my new girlfriend seems to be everything I have dreamed of, she has many same positive sides as some of my previous partners had, but she's even nicer in many ways. Thankfully she's the kind of talk it over person and we agreed to not be in too much haste with things.... I'm having a feeling she might be even interested in learning the craft herself, at least she has an open mind and she's clearly interested about it.

Second thing is wrist surgery, I have wanted to get my hands fixed for ages and finally got to do it. The day I had it done was new moon, today is full moon and I will get the stitches off today. The timing of this crazy flu is also interesting as it feels like my body wants to cleanse itself completely. I get rarely sick and when I do, I can be certain that I'm healthy for years to come. This all coincides with Beltane coming up which is very special for me this year as last year I dedicated myself to the craft and this year marks my personal year and a day and I'm planning a self initiation rite for Beltane ritual.

I find these things highly symbolic and almost too much of a coincidence. It feels meaningful. Since I got into the craft, many things have felt to be happening at the right time. Perhaps I'm just sensing the other world at work or something's looking after me. What ever it is, I think I'm going to the right direction.

[L.J.Hex]

I thought to type a post about fishing as its one of my favourite hobbies and an excellent way of getting naturally grown fully organic food on the table. Fishing here is rather cheap and really easy hobby as depending on the way its counted, we have something between 57000 to 180000 lakes, count in small ponds, rivers, the sea... The options are almost limitless. Fishing permit is cheap, 45€/year and with that you can go fishing in nearly all waters. Then there's special places which require their own permit and depending the place and method, stationary traps and nets require their own permits, which are also cheap, often not limited in quantity and so on.

I grew into this stuff as my father is a passionate outdoorsman and a fisherman, he taught me how to do it and I love it. I'm also quite knowledgeable about our folklore and traditions, including fishing. There's a lot of spellwork and every day witchcraft that has to do with fishing and I tend to follow my roots.

I use traditional fishing rods with worms as baits, that's for catching the small ones. For the big fish I use modern fishing rod with different sorts of metallic spoons and my latest interest are modern jerkbaits. I also use old school fish traps made of metal netting and wire frame. I just recently bought supplies to build my own.

My typical catch are pike and perch as those are the most numerous and thus easiest to catch. Pikes are a challenge as they can grow huge and put up a bit fight when caught, they're also one of the most healthy foods you can find, although mild tasting and they require some kitchen magic to taste really good, they're on my menu quite often. My favourite catch is a large perch. Those stripe shirts are good food no matter how they're prepared. Then there's roach and ide, there's other fish similar to them too which I haven't caught yet. For some reason people here think these fish aren't good for food, but they are, at least there's nothing wrong with the taste if you don't mind the bones that much. And the latest thing is burbot, this year I'm using a really old school fish trap I renovated last year and the tight netting makes it interesting for burbot as they like anything dark. Those guys are always in the bottom of the lake as they dig into the mud looking for food and they also spawn in the mud during late winter. Those guys are way too cute to kill, so far I've only caught one at a time and both times let them go. During summer they taste muddy, so I've heard. They make a very nice soup, but as burbot is super over the top slimy, the consistency of their flesh might not be that pleasant. And they're cute as heck. I didn't dare to butcher them, I just let them back to the lake.

Anyway, for me fishing is a hobby and a food source... I detest the overly produced factory food and I wish I could get more natural alternatives, catching fish instead of buying them is one of these. And its super exciting and fun. The only problem I have is that I love nature, I love all living creatures and I always feels so sorry for the fish I'm catching. I don't want to cause them any unnecessary pain. I'm a what they call a "quitter". I stop fishing the moment I catch enough to eat myself or to gift to someone close to me. Anything extra that comes to the traps will be let back unless they're too injured to survive.(Pikes some times go ballistic in a trap and injure themselves beyond the point of survival.)

One of the old traditional things I tend to do with them is to ask if they want to feed me or keep living... Just a mental note on how it feels like, if it seems the fish doesn't want to give itself for my sustenance, I let them go. When I butcher them I do it clean and fast, knock them out with a piece of firewood and then cut their gills open when they're unconscious. Its the quickest and least painful way to kill them. Also in line with our tradition. After I've cleaned them, anything I'm not using will be given to the water guardian. I place all the stuff on a rock somewhere so either the seagulls will eat them or the water will take them away. Next thing is to thank the spirit of the fish and ask it to be born again.

The first catch of the year should be given to the water guardian, either as an offering on a shore in a special place, (These are often known in local folklore or you can make up one yourself.) or let back to the lake. Before starting I do a little spell when I tie the knot, next thing is to spit on the first lure to be used and a little offering of something liquid to the water guardian, anything goes, but alcohol is a traditional one.

When I'm done with my fishing, I often go to the shore and do a quiet prayer and thanks giving to the lake, the water guardian and our deities. Oh and I also do a little prayer when I'm cleaning my tools, I always wash them with the same water which gave me my catch and say few words while doing it.

All these little things seem to add up as at our summerhouse, I never leave without fish if I remember even half of this. Funny little thing I've noted, my local lake which is just a kilometre away from my place, I've never done spellwork when fishing there and I've caught almost nothing here in three years while my preferred lake favours me every time.

Here's a little fishing spell I made up, it can be sung in our spell casting tradition. Its about calling a pike. The fish is never called with its real name, its said that doing so will ruin the spell, using other names for the fish is showing respect for it. Same method is used in "birth words" which are used to control the powers of the thing that's being spoken of. That includes animals, trees, things that people craft such as iron or beer and so on... I tend to make up these as I go about it. I often include Ahti, the deity of all waters in my fishing spell, he's said to be the master of the waters and all water creatures and his favour if sought after if you want to be in luck with the fish.

When you head out to the waters next time, say these words, you wont be hungry for long.

Tuo luupää luotehesta,
toinen lännestä lähetä.
Anna isomus idästä,
kovakallo koillisesta.

Väkärautaa vääntämähän,
kolmihaaraa koittamahan.
Kyrmyniska koukun nokkaan,
vaskikylki vavan päähän.

[L.J.Hex]

Oh dear... My beloved cat Lucifer is probably at the end of his days. He's been getting weak and slim lately, doesn't eat or move much. My mother takes care of him as she's got better place for cats and I have my dog here.

We will go to he vet late this afternoon and I'm quite certain it will be the end of him. Oh gods, the last thing I need now is a dying pet. At least he's old, he would be fifteen this year. Poor beast, I've always loved that kitty a lot.

I need to prepare for his burial. I will put a coin to his paw for sure so he'll get all the way over the other side...

[L.J.Hex]

My dear kitty sleeps forever under forget me not in my mothers back yard... Its weird how a simple pet makes me feel like this. Its worse than deaths of many people I've known. I had him live with me for a very short time but he was my friend from the day one.

I was the only one he let to take him on my lap, belly up and not go away. I loved that cat like I would love my own child. He was such a nice friend, looked grumpy as heck, but he was always cuddly and nice. He never laid his claws or teeth on me, ever.

Poor cat, I gave him coins in his paws and played some music while burying the poor beast. I love that cat. I wish he will be born again as a funny energetic kitty again. May goddess bless his way to the other side.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9yYJ6ZAYns

[Firebird]

I feel it's important to have a ceremony for our pets, it helps our process. Sounds like you had a lovely farewell. Happiness is forever his, Lucifer joins his kindred across the rainbow bridge and will see you in the next life.
Blessings Hex ...a hug for your heart, Firebird

[L.J.Hex]

Thank you Firebird.

Yea, it was rather simple, but I wanted to give him a decent good bye. He was the second pet I had to bury, I put a coin for the first one too. That song I linked above was what I had on... If I had the privacy, I would have done more.

[L.J.Hex]

Now as I finally have time for myself without anything distracting me, I'm thinking of doing what I should have done by now and go to my special place in the forest near by. I haven't been there for a while and I presume my circle has been overgrown with flowers and grass and all... I wouldn't want to trample anything, but I'm fairly certain I have to clean the place up a bit.

I was also thinking about a new spot which is also quite close by, but no paths lead there. Its a dark pine forest, very dense and out of sight. Yet there's several spots with enough space to make even quite large circle... Its funny how the trees grow here sometimes, they seem to form natural circles in certain type of forest quite often.

Everything craft related has been long overdue, I feel like there's a lot to catch up to.