Woman Speak 2-6-2015

Come plant rosemary with me…the Goddess is Thalia, the herb blessed Rosemary. Where ever you might live, whether on an acreage, or in an apartment, plant a garden to invoke goddess energy. Here’s what to plant at the four corners and at the elemental quarters. And what shall we put in the center?…let’s find out.

 

Pagan Musings Podcast: 2-15-2015

Mark your calendar!

Sunday, March 15th, 7-9pm CST , I’ll be a guest on Pagan Musings Podcast (blogtalk radio)

Click on the link in the text to hear the show!

 

Woman Speak 1-30-2015

Topics include: Astarte; Tarot/Knight of cups; finding the warrior goddess in you; our “knight-in-shining-armor”– chasing the fairy tale; the duality of woman’s nature.

Women are incredible! To traverse life we have to take on so many different personas and faces. But we do it, and we do it So Well! Discovering and honoring the warrior goddess within yourself does not mean that you have to sacrifice the soft, beautiful, uniquely feminine side of your nature– both energies are in your power and control.

 

Woman Speak 1-23-2015

The topics include: White Buffalo Calf Woman; Tarot/the 2 of cups; 10 tips for women– surviving the modern world. Relationships– Is your Ex badmouthing you publically? How you can deal with this situation, both on a mundane level and magically.

 

The Spiritual Feminist: top 100 in 3 categories @ Amazon!

Update!…”The Spiritual Feminist” has been in the Top 100 books in the categories of Religion & Spirituality…New-Age…and Goddess. Let’s keep it going! Under Amazon’s  Special Offers & Price Reduction: “Pre-order Price Guarantee! Order now and if the Amazon.com price decreases between your order time and the end of the day of the release date, you’ll receive the lowest price. Here’s how (restrictions apply)”.  Check it out– and PRE-ORDER!!
click  Here!
1e14c-book2bcover-2bthe2bspiritual2bfeminist

PRE-ORDER…The Spiritual Feminist

This book is UP at AMAZON,
and you can PRE-ORDER!!

You can order
“The Spiritual Feminist”
at the following links:

Paperback £14.99 || $24.95

eBook £6.99 || $9.99

AMAZON US  AMAZON UK

Moon Books

John Hunt Publishing

Woman Speak

My Google Hangout: Woman Speak

Premiering: FRIDAY, January 9th, 3pm-3:30pm CST

My Google Profile: https://plus.google.com/115470498364726846205/posts?hl=en

Explore the world of women, witches, and pagans on a variety of levels at Woman Speak. Reconnect with The Goddess. Find healing, empowerment, and sisterhood through Matriarchal Divinity. The topics are pagan, occult, new-age, paranormal, and supernatural. The topics will also center around feminism, relationships, family, careers, writing, and books…(Woman Speak– exploring women’s issues.)

 

*Note: to join me “live” and participate at Woman Speak, you have to be on my Google Friends list.

The Witch’s Diary: New Video Blog

Wow! So much is covered. Topics include: Radio– I’m thinking of starting my own BlogTalk Radio Show (thoughts); Radio– Attention!…Radio Hosts, I want to schedule some interviews about my next book; Writing– the process & what went into my latest project; Tarot Deck– Attention!…Artists, I want to create a tarot deck & I’m looking for an artist whose interested in working with me. Google Hangouts– Yep, I’m thinking of starting a couple, who’s doing it, how easy is it (thoughts). You’ll also find lots of personal chit chat on this video– Lots!

“The Spiritual Feminist”– Cover & Release Date!!!

Big BOOK NEWS!!!….Here’s the cover for my next book, “The Spiritual Feminist”!!! I love it!! Thank you to all the talented editors & artists at Moon Books! (You guys are awesome!)

The artist who did the Apple Heart sculpture for the cover is my daughter Anne! This piece is inspired by the Adam & Eve myth and is part of her Broken Hearts  collection.  I’m just thrilled to death that her art made the cover!  It feels like an amazing and unique mother/daughter collaboration.

Ladies!!!…This Book Is For You!

   RELEASE DATE: April 24, 2015

 A Review:

“Part devotional, part grimoire and part empowerment manual, The Spiritual Feminist offers readers her-stories, anecdotes and correspondences for dozens of goddesses. A wise, accessible and often irreverent guide, author Amythyst Raine-Hatayama reveals the Goddess in us all, showing women of all ages how to honor, embody and invoke Her many facets. Once I began reading The Spiritual Feminist, I couldn’t stop. The feeling of understanding, and being understood, forged an intimate connection to the Goddess—riveting me to the page—stirring spiritual yearnings and opening new ways of seeing Her…almost as if for the first time.”

~Janet Boyer, Amazon.com Hall of Fame Reviewer, PaganSquare Sacred Symbols blogger and author of Back in Time Tarot, Naked Tarot, 365 Tarot: Daily Meditations and other titles

My Next Book: The Spiritual Feminist

“The Spiritual Feminist”

“Part devotional, part grimoire and part empowerment manual, The Spiritual Feminist offers readers her-stories, anecdotes and correspondences for dozens of goddesses. A wise, accessible and often irreverent guide, author Amythyst Raine-Hatayama reveals the Goddess in us all, showing women of all ages how to honor, embody and invoke Her many facets. Once I began reading The Spiritual Feminist, I couldn’t stop. The feeling of understanding, and being understood, forged an intimate connection to the Goddess—riveting me to the page—stirring spiritual yearnings and opening new ways of seeing Her…almost as if for the first time.”

~Janet Boyer, Amazon.com Hall of Fame Reviewer, PaganSquare Sacred Symbols blogger and author of Back in Time Tarot, Naked Tarot, 365 Tarot: Daily Meditations and other titles

Coming soon!

Published by Moon Books, John Hunt Publishing

My Next Book!

My Next Book!…It is *Finished*!!! I typed the final paragraph this morning. Next week I will print it off and start the tedious job of editing, getting it ready for submission to my publishing company. (hand-springs…happy dance!!)

You’ll find “Teasers” for this book at my FB Author Page– be sure to click the “Like” button!https://www.facebook.com/pages/Amythyst-Raine-Hatayama-Author/154076247986813

goddess 8

Women: Your Input Could Wind Up In My Next Book

Ladies– Your input could be included in my next book:

I’m looking specifically for your goals…Goals for the Maiden, the Mother, & the Crone.

Send me a PM at My Facebook Page,  or an email at witch_of_endore@yahoo.com telling me first if you are a Maiden, Mother, or Crone, and then a list of your personal goals, whatever they may be. If this information is included in my book, it will be done so anonymously.

PLEASE Do Not Leave Your Response As a Public Comment (that is, your list of goals)– PM me, or email me.

All other routine comments are very welcome. 🙂

PS–

I want to say “Thank You” to the women who have responded. I hope that women out there continue to send me their goals (whether complicated and Big, or mundane and delightfully Simple, it’s all good). The response has been so intriguing and interesting; there’s such a diverse group of women out there. I’m so hoping that I get a sufficient number of responses so that I can include this section in The Book. Keep ’em coming Ladies!

Love ya’ Alls

Edit:  The Book is Finished!!–
Thank you all for your amazing contributions!

books 2

The Witch’s Desk: FAQ…Can you help me?

6

All questions are posted as received, no editing (except to delete identities), as all questions are posted anonymously.  You can contact me through the submission form in the right column on the home page at my website The Witch’s Corner.

1.  Well I don’t really know how to cast a circle and there are some things about a money bottle I don’t understand and the mojo bag also help thank u

First, Witch’s Bottles

Witches’ bottles are an old form of magick wherein the spell, in the form of personal effects, herbs, and a variety of objects, are deposited in a glass jar or bottle. The container is then sealed up with wax and used in a variety of ways, depending upon it’s purpose. Money bottles can be kept near the front door where they are visible and handy, and you can grab them and give them a shake from time to time to keep the energy moving towards manifestation. Witches’ bottles for protection might be buried on your property, as near the threshold of your front door as possible. A wild and wooly bottle, meant to kick some magickal butt or get rid of a pesky problem, will be buried as far away from your land as is physically possible and reasonable. A bottle meant to conjure love, well, I’d tuck that beneath the bed, where the energy will pool and puddle, perk and boil, till the damn bursts and love and passion bloom.

You can use any kind of bottle that has a mouth large enough to deposit some of the more unusual items for your spell. My personal favorite is a glass bottle that contains my favorite cold coffee drink. I rinse these out and save them for Witches’ Bottles– the ultimate in recycling. They’re just the right size.

Witches’ Bottles are easy spells to cast, fun to put together, and long potent lasting magick.

Circle Casting…You’ll find a circle casting ritual at my website by clicking Here

To cast most magick, you will want to create sacred space in which to work; space that is cleansed, consecrated, and reinforced against negative energy and entities. This space will hold and contain magickal energy as it builds, until you are ready to release it into the universe, sometimes with explosive abruptness. This space will give you the reassurance of protection, so that you can concentrate on your spell casting or ritual, knowing that you are safe– physically mentally, and spiritually– knowing that nothing will interfere with you or the energy within your circle. This space will provide a place of beauty and serenity, in which to invoke Deity.

Whether or not the boundaries of your magick circle are marked with physical objects…a ring of stones, a silver cord, bouquets of flowers, or candles; you most likely will feel the invisible energy of this circle as a shift in temperature, the sensation of being closed within a small space, a tingling sensation on the soles of your feet, or a slight change of pressure around your head or inner ear. Some people experience a physical sensation within the circle, and others do not. It may depend on an individual’s physical sensitivity to various energies. Even if you experience no sensations within the magick circle, know that this space, when properly cast, is as solid and real and sacred as the most intimidating cathedral, or the quaintest neighborhood church.

Mojo Bags
…You’ll find more info Here

The magick of the mojo bag can be yours.  The ancient practice of combining spell ingredients for particular intentions in small bags and pouches is an ancient one, and a magick that has proved particularly powerful.  Mojo bags can be carried in your purse or pocket, tucked beneath your pillow, worn from a cord or chain around your neck, tucked in an enemy’s personal space, or even dismantled and thrown to the wind…You’ll know what to do.

I have a whole section in my online book devoted to mojo bags with directions on making your own with correspondences for a number of intentions…”These enchanting magickal charms can be carried and integrated into your life in a variety of ways. Mojo bags to enhance your dreams or to prevent nightmares can be tucked beneath your pillow, releasing their magick and fragrance right under your nose each night. Mojo bags for prosperity can be carried in your purse, rubbing elbows with your wallet or checkbook, bringing you success and plenty in the financial world. Mojo bags for love and employment, for protection and hexing, can all be created to move energy along, to invoke spirits, to create change, and to shake up the mundane world in a million different magickal ways.”

Some of the information above was taken from my online book, “Natural Magick the Gray Witch Way”

2.  Hello Amythyst this (Name Deleted) and you once did a reading for me and was about who thought at the time was my soul mate only to find out for my goddess Hecate my true soul mate is Gabriel and that the (Name Deleted) guy was just somebody I was sing to help. It turns out that I am still waiting for my true soul mate and I want him in my life and I feel alone and want somebody do love me too. I feeling confused with my life and want to know why my life. I want to know why I am never lucky with anything I do? I feel like I never get anywhere and I think more about helping other people but am to worried to help myself. I feel that if I try to make my life better that everything will not work out. I just want to be happy. I am not happy with the way my life is. Can you help me?

I see several questions within this question…

First:  Can I help you?…Basically, no.  Up to a point–  I can listen to you, I can encourage you, I can comfort you, I can advise you– I can read for you, I can make suggestions; but in the end, ultimately, you are responsible for your own happiness, you are responsible for your own decisions, you are responsible for your own actions or inaction.

“I feel that if I try to make my life better that everything will not work out…”…So you’re saying that you’re so afraid of failure you’re not even going to try?  (If you don’t try, you’ll never succeed.)  Are you saying that it’s better to live a life of unhappiness and discontent, rather than to make the effort to change it?

One of the first questions to ask yourself is– What do I have to do to improve my life?  Think about every area of your life, from relationships, to employment, to spirituality, to health (both mental & physical).  Make a list…What do I need to do to improve my life?  How many things on this list are do-able in the short term, like now; and how many things on this list are long-term issues that you should start working on now in order to make the future better?  Once you’ve made this list, you can’t just sit forever and ponder on it, you actually have to get out there, contact the right people, and start things in motion.

One thing about this that irks me is the fact that women in general have a tendency to be thrown completely for a loop when a relationship doesn’t work out.  It’s sad, yes; it’s disappointing, yes; but it’s not the end of the world.  You need to be a whole and complete, happy and content human being on your own before you’re ready to enter into a relationship with anyone.  I actually think that some women benefit from a period of time on their own, time to find their center, time to learn about who they really are and what they really want out of life.  Some women need a period of time to themselves to gain confidence in their ability to fend for themselves, to make good decisions, to handle business, to delve into their creative sides.  Some women just plain benefit from time to themselves, period.

My advice?…Stop pining for this guy you broke up with.  Stop looking for spiritual mates in the ether world.  Concentrate on this world, this life– take the idea of potential partners out of the picture all together.  What do you want to do with your life?  You said that you wanted to help people– How do you do this?  Does this touch your soul and make you feel good inside, good about yourself, good about the world?  Concentrate on this aspect of life.

If you’re meant to find your soul mate, you will, when the universe and Spirit decide it’s time.  Stop wasting so much of your energy fretting over this issue.  In order to draw good things into your life, you have to surround yourself with and project positive energy– work on this.

Learn to love yourself.

15

The Witch’s Desk: Women Learning to Trust Women

goddess 6

I watched a wonderful DVD series this week highlighting the birth of feminine spirituality.  It was full of all the inspiring women of the time– Starhawk, Jean Bolyn, Merlin Stone, Shekinah Mountainwater, as well as a score of other eloquent and beautiful Ladies (authors, activists, film producers, artists, etc.).  The main concept that struck me was the idea that the emergence of the patriarchal system, along with the fall of the goddess, all contributed to the erosion of feminine spirituality, the end of matriarchy, and its biggest impact was on women’s relationships with other women.  We lost the “Sisterhood”.  We became suspicious of each other.  Something was stolen from us, something almost intangible, something undefinable. The unity was gone, the respect was gone, the connection was warped and broken.

With the advent of the snake and the apple story, the whole women-are-responsible-for-the-downfall-of-civilization phenomena, respect and power, camaraderie and trust, were all lost for the women of the world.  The new patriarchal culture threw a dark shadow on womanhood, and it was contagious, contagious even to us, to women.  My mother and I talked about this once, how women behave towards other women, the back-stabbing, the bitchiness, the suspicion.  It was an accurate observation, and it left us to ponder.

Can it be repaired?  And if so, what can be done to fix it?

1.  We come towards each other already suspicious, suspicious of motives, intentions, sincerity…

and this crap involves all aspects of life– beginning with men (husbands, boyfriends, significant others).  Why?  Why don’t we trust other women in our lives with our partners, even when we have no legitimate reason not to?  Is it just a hormonal mating Neanderthal thing?  I hope not.  I’d like to think that we’ve evolved past this.  Maybe it’s our own insecurity– Are we attractive enough, are we too fat, are we too thin, are we satisfying sexual partners, are we successful enough, are we accomplished enough?  Is this other woman prettier, is she younger, is she more accomplished, more successful, more desirable?

We have to work at building and maintaining a healthy ego.  We have to learn to appreciate ourselves, to meet our full potential, to find the joy in life.  We have to learn to be all that we were meant to be; and we have to learn to be proud of this.  We have to learn to relish pride in ourselves.  This isn’t being egotistical; it’s being healthy, it’s being honest, it’s being strong.

2.  We’ve got backstabbing down to a fine art…

There is nothing worse than a hen-party that takes on a very dark energy when the hens start pecking at a missing sister.  Why do we do this?  And it gains momentum, it really does, as each woman in turn comes up with a negative observation, a piece of gossip, something that they would never dream of saying to the victim’s face.  Why?…enjoyment, in some weird and twisted way?…a primeval instinct to travel in packs, and to gang up on a member who doesn’t fit into all the correct forms, all the politically/socially correct boxes and niches?  Or is it a power play, since we still obviously possess pack mentality, and there has to be an Alpha female, so we’ll spar and battle until only one is left standing?

3.  There is no sense of “Sisterhood”, no sense of loyalty, real loyalty, the old-fashioned kind..

“I’ll be your friend till the end.”…what a beautiful sentiment, but I don’t believe a word of it.  It’s more like…”I’ll be your friend until you don’t conform to my idea of what you should be; I’ll be your friend until someone else comes along that I’m more infatuated with, I’m more in-tune with; until someone else comes along that satisfies me emotionally in the friend department, someone who agrees with me, someone who will follow me.  I’ll be your friend, until I don’t feel like it anymore.

I wrote a blog post a few years ago, in which I describe my idea of a friend and ‘sister’…

“A Sister, should be a Sister, should be a Sister…*Forever*.  It’s not a ‘when-I-feel-like-it’ thing; it should not rely on the conditions of outside influences, human frailties, insecurities, or pettiness.  A Sister is someone you grow old with; and on your way to this destination, you pass all the other stages of life– bumpy, smooth, unpleasant, and joyous– and you know, without a crumb of a doubt, that your Sister will travel this road with you, shoulder to shoulder, to the end and beyond.”

4.  There is no common spiritual ground (the goddess) in today’s culture, patriarchy dominates the scene…

I know that I’ve personally lost friends because of my spiritual path– from Jehovah’s Witnesses, to Christian Fundamentalist, to just plain Christians in the mainstream.  If we don’t travel the same spiritual path, apparently, we cannot travel together at all.  Why?  It’s joyous to share a friendship with someone who views life and spirituality in the same way, but that doesn’t mean we can’t embrace friends who forge different trails.  There can always be a general meeting place in the center of the forest, a sunny clearing where we can all lay aside our differences to gather together and share life’s experiences, and plans, and disappointments, and victories.

This is the hard part of this essay.  I feel that the reader will expect me to end with some magickal solution to this problem, some instant fix, and I don’t think this is possible.  In that case, it makes this blog post more of an observation, which leaves more questions here, at the end, than it did to start with. But I believe we have to look back, far into the past, when the Goddess ruled the earth and woman’s power was respected. We have to look back, far into the past, when society viewed woman, in all stages of her life, with reverence and awe.  We have to look back, far into the past, to an ancient time, when women had respect for themselves…and respect for their sisters.

 

goddess 8