Ostara: Time to Hatch Out

OMNE VIVUM EX OVO All life springs forth from the egg. The origin of the cosmos has been symbolized by the egg among many cultures - like the Orphic Egg of ancient Greek mysteries (shown here) and the Akasha of Hinduism. To be a witch is to bend and to shape. Hence the nature religion Wicca, like the processes of nature herself, is all about change. [1] The first half of the Sabbat wheel have passed. In Samhain, Yule, and Imbolc we have learned about death, birth and purification which are all in fact different modes of transformation. The season of Ostara is a time for awakening. The name Ostara itself refers to the breaking of the dawn in the east. It is aptly celebrated in the time of Spring Equinox or, in astrological terms, when the...

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Bathala's Pentacle

"The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names." Aleister Crowley was notorious for "bastardizing" words of magic and names of gods: from ABRACADABRA to ABRAHADABRA, from AUM to the awkward-looking AUMGN, from the Egyptian god Heru-Behdety to the Thelemic god Hadit. All of these name-changing were not done on a whim though; the new spellings were conscientiously formulated in order to give the words more meaning and power. It's important to remember that the names of the gods are not their actual names, but titles given to them with respect to the archetypal forces they represent. Sa Ngalan ni Bathala (In Bathala's Name) The name of the supreme god of the ancient Tagalog people, Bathala, is traditionally spelled...

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El Mio Altar de Orishas

Yemaya / Our Lady of Justice. Mother of the orishas. Ruler of the moon and the seas. At her feet is a dried sea poison which is her favored offering. Elegua / Santo Nino de Atocha can be seen in the background. Oshun / Nuestra Senora de la Caridad del Cobre. Orisha of love, beauty, prosperity and mirth. Her image sits on top of a squash, which is sacred to her. On the foreground is Our Lady of Loreto, representing a camino (aspect) of Oshun: Oshu Ololodi, the wife of Orunmila. My opa iku (death staff) is painted green, in honor of my principal ori, Ogun. Shango / San Miguel. The orisha of thunder and fire. A bundle of six (drying) okras is offered to him. Oya / Santa Teresa. The skull represents iku (death); the graveyard is...

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Las Siete Potencias: Birth, Death, and Rebirth

The male orishas of the seven African powers: as a Pagan and a mystic, their qualities and parables hold a deeper meaning for me. We embark on our journey in life at the crossroads as ELEGGUA, the child, foolish and carefree. As we face adversities in our chosen paths we are hardened and become the warrior that is OGUN, lord of iron. We learn that there are forces that are beyond our control, and as we become wiser we understand the value of yielding. The warrior becomes the king, SHANGO, who in defeat hanged himself on the tree of Ayan. And through this act of self-sacrifice, we are born anew, resurrected as OBATALA, king of kings, radiant in white cloth, whose wisdom shines upon all. As child, warrior, king, and wise man, their stories...

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Las Siete Potencias: The Triple Goddess

The women of the seven African powers: YEMAYA, nurturing mother, ruler of the deep waters of the sea, the womb of the earth; OSHUN, fragile and youthful beauty, she who dances in the flowing river of life; and fearsome OYA, who holds the destructive powers of storm and wind. They are the spark of birth, the fullness of life, and transformative death. Maferefun Maiden, Mother and Crone! Basbasan Nawa! ...

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