KAJAMA.COM NEWSLETTER

September 19 through September 25, 2022

The highlights of this week occur when the Sun moves into Libra on Thursday, followed by a Libra new Moon on Sunday. We could find it difficult to get much done on Monday as the Moon dances through emotional Cancer. Go with the flow and promise to get back to work on Tuesday when the Moon charges into Aries and spends three days energizing our every move! The Sun's move into Libra on Thursday sets us on a course for four weeks of love, harvest, and easy-going times. Immersing ourselves in our passions and exploring deeper versions of our partnerships will be a theme. Friday and Saturday are great for organizing, clearing out clutter, and restoring order to our worlds under the Virgo Moon. Let's all make a wish on Sunday under the Libra new Moon, which will kick off two weeks of possibilities and shifts, moving us closer to our dreams!

Add the Passion of Crafting to Your Craft with Fiber Magick, by Opal Luna

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

Long before the birth of the Bedazzler, the crafting world has been drawing folx in with the allure of making things with their own hands. Nothing beats the feeling of accomplishment that comes from making it yourself. Pride of workmanship and seeing your project come to life brings a true satisfaction. The joy that a handmade gift brings to the recipient is well worth the many hours invested. To be honest, we would be doing it anyway for the sheer joy of the act. Crafters talk about their craft of choice with a passion that is often missed in this world. My husband tells me that when I talk about crocheting a light comes on in my eyes and you can hear the love in my voice. Relating the steps I'm planning and the materials I'll be using for my next project raises my energy up to the next level. One might even venture to say that the whole process is magickal. If you feel the same way about your handiwork, then you will understand the concept of Fiber Magick. This passion was the basis for the book I wrote for Llewellyn, Fiber Magick: A Witch's Guide to Spellcasting Using Crochet, Knotwork, and Weaving.

The crocheting came into my life long before the magick. My Granny taught me the basics when I was eight years old. We would spend hours up in her attic bedroom perfecting our stitches; it was my escape from the world below. She showed me how to make the granny square, so naturally I thought it was her design—because she was the granny. (I found out about a decade later that that was not the case, however.) When the hippie vest came into style, I was truly grateful to have an outlet for all those squares. I was hooked.

Fast forward a bit further, and I discovered the Pagan community and began learning all the aspects of witchcraft. The kitchen witch in me came out first because I have always loved to cook. Learning the correspondences connected to the herbs and spices made it even more exciting. My imagination ran wild with the thought of making my favorite recipes into spells. So, when I added onions to the soup, I was adding magickal protection as well as the health benefits? That's fantastic. Cinnamon brings health, wealth, and happiness? We should be sprinkling that stuff everywhere! The magick just enhanced my joy of cooking. I was a happy kitchen witch for quite a while.

It wasn't too long, though, before my spirituality circled back to my true passion: crochet. Sometimes I will save the onion skins and cook them down and soak cotton yarn over night to add a nice burnt orangey brownish tint to the yarn. Is that a type of kitchen witch magick, too? The color correspondences that I learned in candle dressing and other forms of sympathetic magick began to factor into the mix. Now I was getting orange for creativity and brown to ground myself while I add the protection of the onion straight into the yarn. That is some powerful stuff right there. How does it affect me to wear a vest made of this yarn? How does it affect those who see me wearing it?

I began to see that what a kitchen witch does with food I could do with yarn. Embellishing my spells with buttons, charms, and beads. Using colors and textures to connote my intentions. Utilizing the phases of the moon and the power of the sun to add even more magickal emphasis. There is literally no end to the layers of intention that you can add to your projects. Keep adding until you can clearly see what you mean. Manifest it as a tangible expression of your intention. Then send it out into the world to make changes in attitudes. Isn't that what good magick does after all?

There you have it. I enhanced my magickal practice using my love of crochet. The passion I felt for my hobby now comes out in my magick increasing the efficacy of spells and magickal tools. What handiwork would you use to add this passion?

All needlework and fiber art lends itself well to Fiber Magick. Fiber Magick is built on the concept of knot magick. Knot magick is the practice of using knots to trap and hold energy. This energy can then be contained within the cord to be used as a talisman or used later by releasing it as the knot is untied. When we knit, crochet, macramé, embroider, sew, quilt, etc. we are tying hundreds of knots. This causes the possibilities for magick to be amplified. But what if you don't use thread or yarn or cord in your crafting? Can you still add some Fiber Magick to your Craft? Yes, you can.

When I coined the phrase "Fiber Magick" I was thinking about getting down to the very essence of what our craft supplies are made of to bring out the correspondences of the materials. One non-stitching skill that lends itself well to Fiber Magick is pottery. A potter will work with clay and glaze. Is the clay porcelain, earthenware, or stoneware? Will you turn it on a wheel? If so then the element of water will be added. Does the glaze contain tin, salt, lead? What colors will this add to the piece? What properties will it add to the magick? Will you be adding gold, copper, or silver? Now you are skirting the realm of alchemy. And then fire will be added. How will you fire the piece? There are methods that add plant materials during firing. Along with those plant colors and textures you will also bring out their magick. The correspondences go on and on and on. Most importantly, pottery (just like any other artistry) uses the most important component to any magickal endeavor: your hands. Your own hands are the most magickal tools you have, and the energy transference as you knead and work the clay is inevitable.

My purpose in creating Fiber Magick was not only to provide a spiritual path for the crafter but to encourage the magick practitioner to get a little bit more crafty. So what if you don't already have a hobby that you are passionate about? I will always suggest that you try crocheting, of course, even if it goes no further than the chain spell. But alas I have shared my passion with enough folx to know that it might not be for everyone. My second suggestion would be to look at your current spiritual modality for clues to a craftiness that might be more to your liking. Most, if not all, cultures and belief systems have at least one style of handicraft that is uniquely their own. This stands to reason for the simple fact that before the industrial revolution it was a matter of survival to be able to work with your hands. Do some research into the handmade items produced by the ancestors of your tradition. Spinning and weaving were common household tasks. Blacksmithing and woodworking were necessities. Variations of these skills are still practiced all over the world. Think about what your hobby/livelihood might have been once upon a time. Try your hand at some of these skills. This will offer a connection with those ancestors and a new appreciation of what life may have been like before big box stores. Simple examples of your tradition's crafting will be a powerful addition to an altar or ritual attire. Performing a little Fiber Magick can enhance any magickal practice and it's a great way to show your pagan pride.

Stay Crafty,
Opal Luna

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2021. All rights reserved.

I have a quick question I've been wondering about. I've noticed that all the important women in my life fall under certain categories: they are either rape/abuse victims, addicts or mentally/physically ill. This is not a bad thing - it's just really striking that I seem to find these people. I'm mentally ill myself, so that's probably part of why I care about them a lot. For example, my wife is a sexual abuse victim and suffers from depression. I'm wondering if there was some sort of spiritual force behind this pattern. I don't know - maybe someone or something wants me to help people. Thanks for any advice you have on this subject.

Russell

Astrea:

Why do you attract these women into your life? For one thing, it's nice to feel like a hero. We all like to feel like we're helping others in important ways. In fact, being a rescuer or solver of problems can be very addictive.

You keep attracting these women because you want that good feeling you experience when you help others. It's as if you have a big neon sign over your head that says Come to me - I can fix things! People with the heavy sorts of issues you mention can sense that you'll draw them out and really listen.

If you want to stop this pattern, first you have to stop wanting it to happen. Pretend that sign is there and just reach up and turn it off! By consciously taking action to break this pattern of experience, you can attract something different in the future.

Many people who have a history of getting involved with troubled individuals are said to have wounded bird syndrome. Just like some women are attracted to bad boys, some men are attracted to women who have a history of abuse and abandonment. They like knowing they are so much better than the abusers who hurt those women in the past.

Some people seem to have a never-ending desire to fix things in others. While that may be a noble pursuit, it should only be done by a qualified professional. When the person doing the fixing is also having issues, it spills over into the lives of the people he or she is trying to help.

Since you've noticed this distinct pattern of experience, at least you realize that you are the one who is attracting these women into your life. Being attracted only to people who need to be rescued will drain you and cause you to make some pretty awful mistakes in judgment.

There are two main issues to keep in mind if you want to avoid big frustration: First, most people don't really want to be fixed, and second, the only person you can really change is yourself.

On the surface, it might seem all right to play the knight in shining armor to women who have a history of rape, abuse and abandonment. However, a person in that role needs to be very cautious or he can do more harm than good by making the other person completely dependent on him.

Playing with the emotions of someone who has been abused in order to help them can often make things much worse for everyone involved in that relationship. Further, those relationships often end very badly, so I hope you and your wife each have a good therapist to help you deal with all of this.

*****

Susyn:

It's a metaphysical fact that we attract what we are projecting out into the world, so it's not surprising that you're noticing a pattern concerning the type of people you tend to draw into your experience.

You are correct in assuming that, in a most remarkable way, you are the best person to help these people. Your empathy and understanding draw these women to you for the purpose of healing.

It's no accident that you regularly cross paths with people who have heavy issues they are working on. Because you're a Scorpio, your own nature draws them in and affirms that you will understand and help them to heal. The beauty of this is that when you help to heal others, you heal yourself at the same time.

It doesn't sound like this pattern is a problem for you. Being the best you can be and striving for healthy balance within yourself will enable you to help even more. We're all on this journey together, and we gravitate to the people we can help as well as those who can help us.

As a Scorpio, people perceive that you are nonjudgmental and accepting of everyone. The depth of your unconditional love is apparent to all. Being a water sign, you come across as more emotional and sensitive. Unfortunately, this can also make you more susceptible to depression or mental illness.

You can capitalize on your Scorpio gifts by using them to gain higher awareness of this pattern. Because your sign rules the soul and the subconscious, you're able to see beyond the obvious and into the true heart of matters. You also have a keen ability to get people to open up and share their fears or concerns.

If you want to explore this further, I recommend contacting your local rape crisis center or mental health center to see if they take volunteer counselors. By engaging in the free training they offer, you can expand your ability to help others.

One thing I would warn you against is becoming too close to these people. Because of your Scorpio nature, you can be a psychic sponge. This gives you the ability to take on others' troubles or upsets, but in the end, it could prove to be a major drain on you. You can remain helpful and empathetic while also constructing careful boundaries around yourself that will prevent you from giving away too much of your own time and energy.

You will notice that, the healthier you become, the more you will attract a variety of people who are also working on themselves. This is fascinating to observe and is a great barometer of the progress you are making.

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.