Truth Spells Pt 2

Tigers Eye

Thur, 15 May 2003

When the question ‘how to find out the truth’ was first posed to one of my mailing lists, I tried to formulate a cogent response and the only thing I could think to say was Tigers Eye.  Feeling that this wasn’t exactly the best of answers I tried to find a book in my collection that could help.  I was surprised to find that many of the “classic” texts for Wicca/Paganism did not include any spell workings for Truth. Most did not talk about it and references to herbs, minerals, deities etc… were scarce. I continued to think about the question and could only come up with more questions:

1. Are you looking for self-truth?
2. Are you looking for truth in your dreams?
3. Are you trying to get other people to tell you the truth?
4. Are you hoping to be able to tell when people are lying?
5. Are you trying to discern truth in the stuff that you read?
6. Are you trying to find truth in your craft?

I have continued to wrestle with the question of truth and have finally found some answers for myself.  First, though I thought I should define truth.

A Definition of Truth according to Dictionary.com:
truth (tr th)
n. pl. truths (tr thz, tr ths)
Conformity to fact or actuality.
A statement proven to be or accepted as true.
Sincerity; integrity.
Fidelity to an original or standard.
Reality; actuality.
often Truth That which is considered to be the supreme reality and to have the ultimate meaning and value of existence.”

Therefore, our search for truth encompasses not just honesty, but sincerity, timeless qualities, reality, actuality, and fact.  This definition of Truth opens up a lot of different options for spell workings.

Relating to Truth

I relate to the world in many ways.  Each of these ways intersects with Truth.

Physical Truth

Are my physical senses giving me authentic or real information about myself and the world around me or have I been conditioned to ignore what it is saying?  The body knows truth that our conscious self does not.  If we do not listen to that truth the problems get worse.  For instance, headaches are usually a symptom of something else wrong with the body.  I have been having frequent stress related headaches.  If I treat the symptoms with various analgesics the pain will go away temporarily.  Continued stress could lead to other difficulties like ulcers, illness etc…  In fact, I was out with a serious flu bug for a week recently.  It was then that I realized that I had not been listening to my body and de-stressing.  Listening to what your body says is a way to learn truth about yourself.

Are the objects (house, furniture, clothes, stuff) in my life true to what I need/want/accept about myself?  Are objects manifestations of self?  Is our society so geared to having objects that we do not see their transitory nature?  I have no words of wisdom here, only questions.  I feel that our physical environments are important.  I feel that mine should be clean and peaceful.  It doesn’t have to be fancy or “done” it just has to be mine.

Is my job supporting my efforts to live in a truthful manner?  Am I comfortable with what I’m selling/doing?  In my job, am I, as Leroy Eldridge Cleaver said “Part of the solution or part of the problem”?

Am I doing right by the environment?  If I am in an area of the country where recycling is an option am I doing it?  Am I reducing the amount of water I use? Composting?  What are the truths of living in the physical world that I do not own up to?  And conversely, what am I doing well.  If the reality of our environment is that of finite resources, what am I doing with that truth?

Turquoise

Social Truth

Am I honest and truthful in my interactions with others?  Do I have a series of masks that I use to keep others from seeing the truth?  I know we all have masks, but how closely do our masks represent ourselves?  I definitely have a “work mask” that I use, a professionalism that keeps people at a narrow distance.  I’d like to believe that the mask is an honest one; it displays certain facets of my personality to their best advantage and to my fiscal advantage.   The use of masks is more benign than outright lies or falsehoods that we might use in our lives.  How much time do we spend telling tales?

Are others truthful and honest with me?  Am I gullible or culpable in believing what others say?  Isn’t it okay to maintain a degree of gullibility in order to retain innocence?  Is cynicism the goal?  Do I associate with or befriend those types of people who would harm me on a regular basis?  These are questions that must be answered individually.  If you see a pattern, go get help!  Everyone will run into chronic liars or tale-tellers.  Some are more genial and harmless than others.

Emotional Truth

Emotional honesty is a difficult question to wrestle with.  When are we authentically experiencing an emotion and when aren’t we and how can we tell the difference.  An inauthentic moment would be when we are watching a sad show and get sad.  The movie is playing to our emotions and we are sad about what we are watching, but the emotion is generated by something (frequently fictional and contrived) outside of ourselves.  Some could argue that we are experiencing an authentic emotion from an outside stimulus.

There is a philosophy that anger is a secondary emotion caused by fear or frustration.  Are we then authentic when we are angry?  This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t get angry, but that we should know the root cause.  What caused the fear or frustration?  Do you believe this?  Please remember these are MY thoughts and you do not have to agree.

How do you tell when you’re in love?  For me, it is a difficult question that cannot be answered with logic and words.  I know when I’m in love because I know.

How do you feel right now?

Intellectual/Mental Truth

How much rationalization/delusion goes into my daily life?  This is the big question I ask myself all the time.  All the others fall under this umbrella.  For if I am deluding or rationalizing about what is true or false then I can ignore the body’s pain, the emotional discomfort and the social niceties.  Am I being honest with myself?

Am I using all of my brain?  Am I still learning?  How much of what I read do I believe? Have I learned the critical thinking skills necessary to effectively work my way through the piles of books I want to read?

Quartz Crystal Cluster

Spiritual/Creative Truth

Am I being honest in my spiritual life?  I think we must ask why we have chosen the spiritual path we are on.  If there is discomfort, what is causing it?  Are we stagnating, learning, growing, working, and/or coasting? Where are we on our spiritual quests?

Have I done the groundwork that will facilitate the acquisition of knowledge via spiritual means?

Am I using my creative gifts in a positive fashion?  Do I know what those gifts are?  I feel that creativity and spirituality are closely tied to each other and so, have put them together here.

Psychic Truth

Are my dreams telling me things that I do not want to listen to, and therefore ignore?  Do I get premonitions, intuitions or other signals that are ignored?  Have I learned how to differentiate between a real intuition or premonition and a delusional one?

I feel that psychic, spiritual, emotional and intellectual/mental are all tied up together.  Each area can affect the other for good or ill.  Careful attention to yourself and what is going on in all of these areas are important.

Remember most of the time the truth is inside of you.  You may need to talk to someone, a friend or family member.  Sometimes you need to find the inner truth by talking to a counselor or therapist.  Prayer and divination can also provide truth.  It depends on how complicated the problem is.  Be certain to use all avenues of problem solving when pursuing the truth.

Useful Spell Ingredients for Truth

Maat

Stones

• Tiger’s Eye – representing the third eye-clairvoyance
• Turquoise – communication
• Amethyst – clairvoyance
• Clear quartz – (quartz is good for everything, it adds a boost to whatever working you want to do.)

Herbs

• Basil – clairvoyance
• Bay – clairvoyance
• Eyebright – seeking truth, clairvoyance
• Marigold – protection, prophetic dreams, legal matters, psychic powers
• Bluebell – luck, truth, constancy, strength

Oil

• Truth Oil from pagan shop, or oil infused with one of the herbs/flowers listed below

Colors

• Purple – finding hidden knowledge, spiritual power
• White – all purpose, but especially good for purification, protection, and truth
• Blue – truth in communication

Bay Leaf Wreath

Day of the Week

• Sunday, to see things clearly, bring them into the light

Goddesses of Truth

• Celtic – Epona
• Egyptian – Maat
• Greek & Roman – Vesta & Hestia
• Hindu – Lakshmi
• Irish – Morrigan
• Native American – White Buffalo Calf Woman (Lakota)
• Tibetan – rDo-rje-rnal-hbyor-ma, Lady Truth

Gods of Truth

• Egyptian – Thoth
• Egyptain – Anubis
• Greek – Apollo
• Hindu – Ganesha
• Persian – Asha vahishta
• Roman – Jupiter
• Santería – Shangó

What I’ve Done/Used

In general my very first answer is the one I use most frequently—Tiger’s eye.  I have a tiger’s eye pendant and I believe it helps me discern the truth when others are talking.  A beautifully striated piece of amethyst would probably work just as well.  Maybe it works because I’m just more aware of the nuances of what someone is saying. All I know for certain is that it does work for me.  I wear it at work a lot, particularly during the time I had a particularly difficult boss.    To find the truth in situations or from my inner self, I use the Tarot, pendulum or muscle testing also called Neural Kinesiology/Autonomic Response Testing. Divination methods are limited and they do not give the complete picture of a situation.  Use your head.  If you think you are living falsely or are being told untruths, then you probably are.

Hugs
Lirala

Lark – Clarity

Western Meadowlark

I grew up in the middle of no-where Idaho surrounded by farm land. Every summer morning I was greeted by the sounds of the Western Meadowlark.  It is one of the loveliest of songs, to me. And always reminds me of the promise of a bright summer morning. Although the picture on the card is of a more generic lark, I am going to link it with the meadowlarks of my youth.  Clarity is a fine association for me. I find my head clearer, and my mind more alert in the morning hours.

As a watchword or theme for the day, maybe. I tried to see things more clearly, to focus on projects and to have a clearer vision of what had to be done.  I have a new folk remedy for migraines I must try (a tablespoon of local preferably raw honey). Someone at the party last night suggested it.  Who knows, it might work as well as anything else…

I did have the clearness of thought to ask my husband directly about our finances and what would happen if I wrote a check out for stuff at the slumber party.  Needless to say, the answer wasn’t what I hoped for. Still, it was a good thing. I am really hoping for us to stay a little more on the positive side of the bank account.   Doesn’t happen that often that we get to the other side, but with my husband being under-employed and my adult daughter now back and unemployed things are a little tight.

Truth Spells Pt 1

Fingers Crossed

This post was originally written for an online mailing list. I am including both the question and my response.

Mon Feb 17, 2003

“Hi there I was just wondering if any of you fine witches out there can tell me where to find a truth spell or if it’s better just to make my own. I was considering a wishing well spell because I know those are very effective. But I would love any input you could give me especially. hint… I am looking for something to point me in the right direction or that will help me make the right decision. Not to find out anything for selfish reasons. I have looked for some but been unable to find an applicable spell. Thanks for the help. Blessed Be –A.M.”

Wed, 26 Feb 2003

Greetings,

It’s better to make your own.  Yet, it is useful to look at other truth spells to better know how others have succeeded before you.  Sometimes the perfect spell for someone else can work for you.  Sometimes it needs to be adjusted.

Wishing?  Wishing for what?   Wishing for truth, or maybe wishing for knowledge?  You need to know what you are looking for (truth, knowledge, answers) before you cast your spell.

So it is a spell for decision-making.  Usually a decision is an active process one where you will do something depending on the decision you make.  It isn’t necessarily one of truth, unless you are assessing someone else and their truthfulness about a situation.   Hrmmm…

There are some Truth Spells on the web at:
http://crystalforest.homestead.com/truthspells.html
http://www.crystalforest1.homestead.com/SPELLTruth.html
http://www.spellsandmagic.com/Truth_Spells.html

I hope this helps!

Lirala

Crane – Celebration

Sandhill Cranes

I have watched Sandhill Cranes do their mating dance and it is a wonder to behold. It is a celebration of life, romance and spring. After the Robins arrive in Idaho the Sandhill Cranes return bringing with them a break in the snow and ice. The lakes are thawing when the cranes are dancing. I like this pairing very much.

Unfortunately I didn’t find much to celebrate yesterday. First I was in an online meeting for 2+ hours, this can deaden anyone’s verve. Then I got a migraine. It’s all downhill after that.

There is much in my life worth celebrating, just not yesterday.

Rooster – Courage

Rooster

Well, roosters have been used in cock fighting for thousands of years, I think their reputation as brave (and/or stupid) is confirmed. They defend their roosts quite aggressively.

I got a lot done this day, some of it takes courage, most of it just takes fortitude. Sometimes I think these single word archetypes are too simplistic to be of much use. What I like about rocks or the standard tarot is the depth and nuances that can be found.

Robin – Joy (for Monday July 27th)

Robin

Robins have a song that is described as ‘cheerily, cheer up, cheer up, cheerily, cheer up’ they are very cheerful birds indeed. Perhaps that is why they were assigned the word Joy. I know I enjoy seeing them.

The show up in our area before the real warmth of spring arrives, heralding the return of summer breezes and sandals.

I’ve also found them to be heralds for other birds. While birdwatching if I spot a Robin I now know to look around and see what else is there. Many times I will see other birds that were otherwise invisible.

As for Monday? I could have used more joy, more cheer, but otherwise it was a fine day. Next time this card comes up, maybe I’ll take the day off and go birding.

Pagan Lightbulb Jokes

Light Bulbs 6

Q. How many witches does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Depends on what you want it changed into.

Q. How many Gardnerian witches does it take to change a light bulb?
A1. Can’t tell you, Craft secret.
A2. Still can’t tell you, you’re not Third Degree.

Q. How many Dianic witches does it take to change a light bulb?
A1. One, but that light bulb has really, REALLY, got to want to change!
A2. None, they formed a support committee entitled, “Coping With Darkness.”

Q. How many Radical Faeries does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Two, one to change the bulb and the other to stand back and shriek, “FABULOUS?”

Light Bulb 1

Q. How many Thelemites does it take to change a light bulb?
A. None, Crowley never wrote a book about it.

Q. How many New Agers does it take to change a light bulb?
A. A whole workshop. They gather around and enshrine the dead bulb with crystals and candles. Then they start chanting in hopes that the bulb will find it’s chi. Afterwords, they pay their $150.00 membership dues then go home.

Q. How many solitary witches does it take to change a light bulb?
A. None, you must first be initiated by a real witch before you can properly change a light bulb! {{{{{{aaagghhh}}}}}}

Q. How many Ceremonial Magicians does it take to change a light bulb?
A. One, he holds up the light bulb and the universe revolves around him.

Light Bulbs 2

Q. How many Alexandrians does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. One and 12 strangers in off the street.

Q. How many Eclectics does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. None, they are used to working in the dark.

Q. How many Asatru does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. “Lightbulb, what is lightbulb?”

Q. How many Scientologists does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. One, but it cost $300,000 for the training. (had to throw that in)

Q. How many Starhawkians does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. A small group but the lightbulb must be accepting of the change.

Light Bulbs 3

Q. How many Alexandrians does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. They will go over to the Gardnerians to see how they do it (if they can find them)

Q. How many Druids does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. 501. One to change the bulb and 500 to align the new Stone.

Q. How many years does it take a Druid to change a light bulb?
A. 21, unless you’re Irish.

Q. How many Hereditaries does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. Ask your OWN grandmother!

Light Bulbs 4

Q. How many years does it take a Gardnerian to change a light bulb?
A. A year and a day in an Outer Grove, a year and a day at First, a year and a day at Second, but only Thirds change light bulbs.

Q. How many Gardnerians does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. Can’t say. It’s oathbound

Q. How many Gardnerian Wiccans does it take to change a light bulb?
A. SHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! It’s a secret!

Q. How many Alexandrians does it take to change a light bulb?
A. 13. One to hold the bulb and 12 to drink enough to make the room spin.

Q. How many Alexandrains does it take to change a light bulb?
A. “Let’s go see how the Gardnerians do it!”

Light Bulbs 5

Q. How do you fit 5 Gardnerians in a glovebox?
A. Tell them there’s a secret in there.

Q. How do you fit 5 Alexandrians in a glovebox?
A. Tell the there’s a Gardnerian in there. )

Q. How many Starhawk witches does it take to change a light bulb?
A. [plaintively] “There are starving villages in Africa that don’t even HAVE light bulbs…”

Q. How many Dianics does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Just one, and it’s NOT FUNNY!!!!!

Q. How many Dianics does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Minimum 50. One to change the light bulb, one to prepare the environmental impact statement, and the rest to do a self-criticism afterwards.

Light Bulbs 7

Q. How many years does it take a Hedgewitch to change a light bulb?
A. Already changed.

Q. How many Wiccans does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Four. One for each direction.

Q. How many Pagans does it take to change a light bulb?
A. 6. One to change it, and 5 to sit around complaining that light bulbs never burned out before those damned Christians came along!

Q. How many Witches does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. None, they do their screwing in Great Rites.

Light Bulbs

Q. How many Golden Dawners does it take to change a light bulb?
A. One to hold the ladder, one to hold the bulb, three to decipher the Light Bulb Ritual from the Secret Chiefs, one to publish it, and one to sue all the others.

Q. How many Ceremonial Magicians does it take to change a light bulb?
A. One. They hold it up, and the world revolves around them.

Finally

Q. How many witches does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. Into what??

Check out http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ for great lighting, furniture, decorating ideas…

Roadrunner – Adventure (for Sunday July 26th)

Roadrunner

Whooo HOOOO! This is a great card.  I may not love the artwork of this deck, but I’m having great fun with the birds.  I love the roadrunner. I was driving through Big Bend National Park in Texas, bemoaning the lack of roadrunner sightings to my sister when I crested a hill and had to slam on my brakes to avoid hitting one.  After that we saw one every day till our visit was done.  They would be walking or running, carrying snakes, or jumping or just sitting there looking adorable.  They do seem to have adventures.   And I definetly associate roadrunners with adventure.

Sunday was huckleberry picking day for me and a group of my friends. We drove out 1.5 hours to a national forest where the berry bushes are thickly laid beneath the trees.  It was a great deal of fun and we came home with an almost full coffee can of berries.  I then wash them, dry them and then freeze them, to be used later on cheescake and ice cream as a topping, or to be incorporated into ice cream or tarts… Yummy.

It might not have been a heart stopping adventure, but it was still a great outing in the woods.

Beep beep

Swallow – Guidance (for Saturday July 25th)

Barn Swallow

I love swallows. They are the most amazing of aerialists, their swoops, dives, loops, turns, and twists are fun to watch.  There are six species of swallows in my region: Barn Swallows, Bank Swallows, Cliff Swallows, Rough-winged Swallows, Violet-green Swallows and Tree Swallows. I am always trying to figure out which one is of which kind.  I even hope for guidance in this matter of swallow identification.  Are swallows guides?  If they are, watch out for the twists in the path…

I didn’t see any direct correlation between the card and my day.  The other deck of cards (Fairy by Amy Brown) warned of “too much wine.”  I should have attention to THAT. While not overindulging in wine, I did overindulge in fat and sugary foods and felt icky by the end of the day.  Perhaps I needed more guidance myself.

Stork – Reliability (for Friday July 24th)

Stork

I don’t know why they chose this word association, but I’m fine with it.

As for how my day went? I should have paid more attention to the card and been a bit more reliable on getting things done. Languishing in my email inbox was the directive to have an online training done by the end of the day. This, I did not do and did not remember till Monday. It should be fine, after all, you can’t order all employees of a university to complete a training during the summer, particularly the faculty.