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Post by KG on Mar 26, 2007 8:56:35 GMT -5
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Post by ~Sephity~ on Mar 26, 2007 19:07:09 GMT -5
I really think that it would be much more productive for someone to make a wand themselves. Not only would it further their knowledge into the esoteric, but it would be more personalized, have more meaning, and already basically be charged with 'you'.
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Post by KG on Mar 26, 2007 21:37:40 GMT -5
That's what I thought, but I am still researching ideas on how to do it. So far this site seems the best.
Does anyone have any suggestions on wand making? Has anyone ever tried it before?
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Post by Promethius on Mar 26, 2007 22:44:31 GMT -5
I actually received a Tarot Card deck for Christmas (ha, irony) and it is definitely an interesting asset in my magical collection. I consult Tarot at least once a month for various purposes and I have had relatively good accuracy with them thus far. Unfortunately, I do not really consider myself accurate enough to make major decisions or major predictions based off of results. It would be foolhardy of anyone to do so. Something to be noted to magical items that are known to aid diving is that the accuracy and actual working comes from the diviner, and not the cards. When shuffling the cards, one depends on their soul to guide their hands and make picks that align with possible futures. Connection to the soul is key. Its also important to be familiar with the cards, and try to make them ‘your own’, however I believe KG’s link goes through how one goes about doing that. If you are thinking of taking up tarot, go for it. I recommend it, even for a hobby. As for the wand, I will have to say that as a psion, I have never really seen much use for having one. I do not believe that wands have any type of inherent powers that make significant differences in the ritual procedures (that’s basically what they are used for). The psychological effect, on the hand, may be great. In any case, can get one and enchant it for your own purposes, such as healing, and it can help you accordingly. Either way, it is still a good toy. (Pardon the sloppiness, I was rushed)
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Post by KG on Mar 27, 2007 18:32:18 GMT -5
Hi Promethius,
It is good to hear from you. I was just thinking of you the other day. I was hoping to hear from you soon.
I agree that you shouldn't base any really huge decisions on the tarot, though a lot of people do. I think it should be a combination of things leading a person to a decision, and common sense should always be a part in any decision, no matter how spiritual you are. LOL In general I play around with the tarot... and maybe look for insight into a situation, but my decisions are always based on divine guidance, gut instinct, and/or basic logic. The tarot is just cool to play with, and it is cool how the cards do seem to try to answer the question. I mean that they don't seem to come up totally randomly. I tend to do two spreads in a row and I am amazed how often some of the same cards come up, no matter how much I shuffle the deck.
I messed around with the tarot when I was a kid. I felt drawn to those cards instinctively, from the time before I could read. I I insisted that I wanted a certain 1960's toy, called a Kaballa, that had the major arcana included. I threw everything in the closet, except the cards and a mysterious looking green marble, that came with it. I got my first real tarot deck when I was 12... Then I had some major changes in my belief system.
From 1974 till the early 1990's I used no props or gadgets at all, except for holy water and crosses, and didn't feel I needed even that. I just wasnt' comfortable with physical items. I thought they were "witchy" and unnatural... they didn't seem right, with who I was. I had a sort of predjudice towards using them during that time, and a healthy distase for anything that seemed remotely like a ritual.
Then in the early 90's I met a new aged woman who helped me see at least some value in a few things like that. I gradually became more and more comfortable with the idea of using stones, and ritual items. In the last few years I have been drawn to certain crystals and gem stones.
I have been recently facinated by the fact that when I bought my moon stones they were white and clear. When I wear them they turn blue and purple, but when I lend them to Devine they turn pinkish with green highlights. When I expend a lot of spiritual energy my rings turn clear, occasionally my ring will go black in the center, usually when I am weakened or under attack. Overall it seems to be a natural mood ring of sorts. LOL i also notice the rings are developing tiny stress fractures, not on the surface but deep inside... obviously my energy is having some kind of effect.
I know they must be storing our energy. I was thinking that a wand, with stones forming a continuious path from bottom to top, and a large stone on the end, might be able to channel that energy in a more directed way somehow. I wanted to see if I could maybe get it to do something. LOL I am not very good with psionics in general. I really have little experience on effecting physical inanimate matter... at least on pupose.
I want to incomporate moon stones, and I am considering also using amethist, rose quartz, crystal quartz, and possibly an amber. These are the stones I feel the most drawn to. I also think I will do some carvings on the wood, but I am not sure what. I know I want a seven pointed star, and probably a cresent moon... I can't decide whether to pair it with a sun, or put the madonna/isis female form standing on a cresent moon... that would definately be hard to carve, but that is what I wish to use.
I am not sure yet how to afix the stones to the wand... and I am so far not convinced that putting selenium dust in a copper tube is the way to go, as far as conducting energy. It sounds like it would work in a way, but I really am not convinced about grinding a stone to dust, and the copper pipe just doesn't seem very ornate, or authentic, however practical it might be. I thought about stringing quartz beads on a silver or copper wire, and then wrapping them around the wand in a clockwise spiral. Maybe I could carve a groove in the wand to place the strand in. The other idea was to somehow make the wand hollow, and carved so that it had openings, and then either placing the stones in side, or using the same copper strand with beads to go right down the center.
In general carving any of that is going to be a challenge of my whittling skills. LOL I am open to suggestions though. Any ideas.
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Post by ~Sephity~ on Mar 27, 2007 19:23:14 GMT -5
*claps* SEPTAGRAMS are great! ^-^ But yea, that sounds like an interesting idea...and I'm going to go reasearch on those 'moon stones'
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Post by Shadow of Light on Apr 1, 2007 16:52:32 GMT -5
well I'm going to sound very druidic with this, but ask a tree before you take a branch for carving or preferably, find an already seemily dead tree to make one with.
Green wood isn't always the best to work with. Then again, I'm not aiming for a wand but rather a quarter staff. Going to take forever to make though but well worth it. guess it all depends on the purpose of it.
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Post by KG on Apr 2, 2007 8:09:00 GMT -5
That is a very good point about asking, Shadow. I thought about how to ask the tree. I sort of pictured the whole thing before hand. I planned where I would stand, and thought about what to say.
When I went out there, there was a limb laying on the ground right where I was planning to stand. Part of it was still hung in it's branches right where I normally duck, to go under the tree.
Basically, the limb I wanted was already broken off and laying right where I planned to approach the tree. I asked the tree if I could use the limb on the ground, and I felt the tree was saying "DUH!!! I already selected that branch for you."
It was the exact diameter I wanted, and there was a straight section with no knots or bends that was 21 inches long. I had actually thought about the number 21 in connection with the length. I cut the section out from the rest of the limb, and there was enought there for another wand or two, but this was the sec tion I wanted.
The limb was already dried, not green. I brought it in and cleaned the bark off. The limb is exactly the piece of wood I pictured in my mind. It was the exact length and diameter i planned for, and I didn't measure it before I cut it either. I just took the piece I wanted, according to how the wood bent right before and after... and it was exactly what I wanted. Length diameter and the slight bend on each end works for the carvings I had planned.
It was as if by the time I got around to asking the tree had already given me what I wanted. That limb must have broke off about the time I first started to think about it, and maybe before I even consciously planned it, but I hadn't seen the limb before I went out there. It was kind of hidden by the tree till I got close. Overall, I thought of the idea kind of gradually, so maybe the tree itself was trying to tell me, or whoever told me, also told the tree. I think the tree heard it and obeyed before I did. Kind of a humbling thought. LOL
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Post by ~Sephity~ on Apr 2, 2007 20:50:10 GMT -5
Speaking of asking trees, I'm planning on making a bow soon out of the best thing i can find in my woods...I'm going to try to make a "disposable" one first, that isn't all that good, but is usable. Then after i get 'good' at that i might make a better one. *sigh* I also have to make arrows! lol...now to just get one of my knives back...
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Post by KG on Apr 12, 2007 10:59:13 GMT -5
Here is a great site that does readings for you. Tarot Readings, Rune Readings... astrology, and all kinds of things. IT is pretty cool to play with anyway. www.mysticgames.com/tarot.html
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Post by a'Lan Mandragoran on Apr 13, 2007 22:25:12 GMT -5
For wands and staves, I've found that a good red cedar works. I have a staff that was made from a cedar that was struck by lightening. I've not carved or painted it, just polished the wood and used linseed oil on it to somewhat weatherproof it. There's no sign of the char on it but, I can't complain. If there was, I'd have had to treat it so it'd not fall off and make a mess.
As for Tarot, I'd have wanted to get into that for a while. Learning how to n stuff. I've never been able to before because of... certain people . If I get enough money, I'll get a deck and look at the sites ya listed, KG hehe
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Post by KG on Apr 14, 2007 6:07:08 GMT -5
At this site you don't need your own cards. It uses computer generated cards, and you get your reading at the touch of a button. Really you could learn to do your own readings before you got your deck, just by playing with it, and then order the deck of your choice from that site later if you want. It is fun, so go check it out.
[ftp]http://www.mysticgames.com/tarot.html[/ftp]
Thanks for the tip on the wand I am using holly, but the wood is really hard.
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