Ripped in 30 --- Day Two

Ouch.

Ripped in Thirty

Last year around this time I started the Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred. I love Jillian Michaels and it was going wonderfully. Well, it was working. Something about Jillian's 3-2-1 system that really works for me. Then someone wanted to borrow my DVD and I stopped.

 I thought that's ok I'll do it alone. That didn't happen. Then hubby suggested we get the one that Bob Harper made. Well I did it one time. Not that Bob's a bad guy or anything. I just couldn't get in to his style. 

Yesterday after yard work I tried to put on a pair of my "cute pants" and they wouldn't fit. :( That makes me sad. So last night while hubby and I were off on the bike we stopped for a slice at our favorite pizza place (Yes I know pizza is bad, however, in our small town very few places actually "cook" their food with out using processed and crappy ingredients.  Brooklyn is the ONE place that we know makes their dough fresh)  and I said, I wish I still had my Jillian Michael's DVD. He said, why don't we just go get you another.

 The man is Brilliant!

We went to look for 30 Day Shred and it was no where to be found. We were talking about the other DVDs on the shelf and he said, look, here's "Jillian Ripped in 30" It uses her 3-2-1 interval system. I said reluctantly, ok, fine I'll try it. Already writing the email to request my DVD back in my head.


I got up this morning and because we've lost the remote for the DVD player, even getting to to play was a challenge. My brain kept saying... just go get some coffee and get on Facebook. I pushed through. I watched the intro and got started on week one's workout.

  HOLY CRAP

Needless to say, it rocked my freaking world.  I had to slow down when she had us lay on our side and lift our hip to the sky... WHAT??

If you do not want to sweat do not do this workout.  I'm not sure if I'll hang in there for 30 days, the old bones aren't what they used to be.  But I'm damn sure going to try.  As I sit here writing this blog post the "feel good" hormone is running through my body and I feel amazing.  I'm hot, I'm sweaty and I love it.

I don't pay the online fees for any of the meal plans or anything, the one I thing I do is follow Jillian's Page on Facebook and listen to her PodCasts from time to time.  

I'm looking forward to seeing how I do with this next phase of my struggle with weight.  I'm NOT going to go back to this....

I'm just NOT!

Namaste & Blessed Be

Sosanna

)O(

Pagan Blog Project 2012 – M is for Magic

 mag·ic/ˈmajik/From Google

Noun: The power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces.

Adjective: Used in magic or working by magic; having or apparently having supernatural powers: "a magic wand".

Synonyms:

noun.  sorcery - enchantment - witchcraft - spell - witchery

adjective.  magical – enchanting

I've been working in magic for a long time.  I’ve spent many years trying to understand exactly how each element of a spell does its part to make the magic happen.  When I look around at what I have in my room from my ancestor altar...

to my altar to Hecate....

I see one very comment element.   My magic.

Objects can be used for magic, from images of your deity

                                                                                         The Goddess by Sosanna

To prayer beads and skulls

I think of magic as energy.  That “force” we put into everything we do.  From a letter to a friend to a spell invoking the Goddess we put energy into everything.  This energy lives around us and brings about the changes we want in the material world.  My magic is private, special and powerful.  I pour my heart and soul into each incantation to be sure that I am doing “right” by the person I am casting for.

If we look at the formal definition of the world, all types of prayer would be included in the word magic.  Christian’s around the world use prayer as a way to do everything from praying away hurricanes, to praying away the gay.  This would be using supernatural forces to change a course of events.

Magic comes in all shapes and sizes.  Heck you can even get magic on eBay.  Recently it came to light that a seller on eBay was using a picture of our lovely Sabrina the Ink Witch as her own profile picture.  The Seller, who has not responded to my request for an explanation, sells everything from Sex Slave spells to Penis Enhancement.  Yes, friends that’s right, you too could have a larger penis by morning!  /sarcasm  

On a serious note, many in the pagan community are banding together to try to have Sabrina's picture removed from these ads.  If you'd like to know what you can do head over to Sabrina's Facebook Page and read the posts there.

Generally as a devotee of Hecate, I am not a strict follower of the Rede, however I do whole heartedly believe in the law of three.  What you send out will return to you times three.  For that reason I do my best to send out the best magic I can.  I think thoughtfully before just willy nilly casting and I do my research to be sure I’m not being played by the person asking for magic.

So take some time, sit down, focus your mind and you can do magic.

Namaste & Blessed Be

Sosanna

)O(

Sosanna's Closet

Over the last few months I've been thinking about what I'd like to do with my life.  Yes, one of those, there's no grandbabies so what am I going to do with my retirement.  Granted I'm only 42 years old, and retirement is still a really LONG way away, still it's been in my mind.

Last month hubby and I chatted and I said, you know, I'd really like to work for myself.  Be my own boss.  Get a little store front and open a shop where I could sell stuff that I like.  Pagan stuff, metaphysical stuff, candles, skulls and the like.   I think having our little booth at the Earth Day Event at Truely Unique in Wilson really nailed it for me.  We made over 100.00 with some little things that I tossed together.  I was really pleased with that.

He said ok let's do it.  So I went down and registered my business name.  I've been using Sosanna's Closet for a while on Etsy, Facebook and on my web page and figured, what the hell.  I registered Sosanna's Closet.  This week I've spent some time on two tasks.  One, review web hosting plans and find the best deal for my money and two, prayer beads.

The first was pretty straight forward, I would prefer to get my domain name included as well as not having a host that shoots elephants in his off time.  :)   The prayer beads were a bit more challenging.  I've been looking into them for a while and found that many pagan's use these.  I've not used them myself however, I do have to save they are absolutely gorgeous!

So I tried my hand at making a few sets over the weekend.  They turned out amazing!  I added a few to the website and to the esty shop as well as adding the new elemental boxes.  I've posted some photos here for you to enjoy.

I'm now reaching out to my blog followers and those that see me on Facebook or Twitter.  Sosanna's Closet has her own Twitter Account and Facebook Page.  We'd love to have new friends, likes and followers.  If you have the time head over and check us out.

Namaste & Blessed Be
Sosanna
)O(

L is for Leek

I like the word leek for two reasons.  One, it’s one of the offerings suggested for Hecate and two, it’s also a Homophone.   That’s words that sound the same, but are spelled differently and have different meanings.

Such as Leek & Leak or Carat & Caret.

So for L this month, I’m going to leak a blog post on Leeks.


Each month on the 13th I create a dinner for Hecate.  I found several posts on the web it a typical menu for what they call “Hecate’s Deipon”. That’s just a fancy way to say Hecate’s Dinner/Supper.  Usually put out at the crossroads at night by torchlight and once placed, walk away without looking back.
Some typical offerings are sweepings from the house, garlic, eggs, leeks and things you don’t want to come back in the upcoming month.
I found an interesting quote on the reason for the meal.



Hekate Cult shares the following:

Aristophanes, Plutus 410 ff (trans. O'Neill) (Greek comedy C5th to 4th B.C.) :
"Ask Hekate whether it is better to be rich or starving; she will tell you that the rich send her a meal every month[i.e. food placed inside her door-front shrines] and that the poor make it disappear before it is even served."

I’ve never had a leek.  I’ve heard of them.  I’ve seen the Potato-Leek Soup but never heard of them.  I spent the last several months trying to find them.  Finally yesterday hubby came home with a big batch of Leeks.  We pulled them out and I smelled them.  Hrmmm Onion.

LOVELY!!

I hate onion.  I love the flavor but the feeling of crunching into an onion just…. Well it’s just awful.  So last night we made a big ole batch of veggie broth.  We used the leeks, some carrots a bit of celery and let it cook.  This morning I’ve got a batch of beans simmering in the pot of broth.  My house smells simply amazing.

So for this post I’m going to share with you my recipe for a simple vegetarian broth that can be used in the place of any stock.

1 Stalk Celery
1 bunch Leeks
1 bunch carrots
2 tbs of chopped garlic
½ stick butter
5 quarts of water

Directions
Clean all veggies.
Be sure to separate the leeks and clean out any sand.  Trim the leeks just above the white area of the plant and thinly slice.
Rough chop the rest of the veggies for easy straining
Melt butter in 6-8 quart pan
Add leeks and garlic to the melted butter and sauté
Add Carrots and Celery
Add water and boil for 2 hours on low heat
Remove from heat and strain
Using an ice tray, fill broth and freeze
Empty tray into large ziplock bag and you now have stock pieces on demand

I took one of the leeks and placed it on my altar with incense for the day.   After dark I took my torch (candle) and walked out to the crossroads and placed my offering there for Hecate, along with a list of those things I wish not to return next month.

Let’s hope they don’t leak back in.  ;)


So mote it be

Namaste and Blessed Be
Sosanna
)O(

PS Thanks to James for helping me fix my background!

L is for Laughter

This week for the Pagan Blog Project 2012 our letter is L.  I thought long and hard about what I wanted to write about.  Lapis Lazuli came to mind.   After all it is treasured to Hecate.  I thought about Witch’s Ladder, Lancaster Witches, Marie Laveau and even the Law of Three.

None of these really spoke to the mood I’m in today.  This week I had a very very tough week.  The remaining sister I grew up with showed a side that I hadn’t thought was there.  I mean knew she was pretty much self-centered and uncaring.  I knew that she had tons of unresolved issues from our upbringing that haunted her.  Unlike me, she has not addressed those issues and attended the massive amount of counseling sessions that I have attended.  Perhaps it is as she says, she doesn’t need them, but that is not my perception.

In any event, the knock down drag out occurred and over the last 24 hours I’ve been left feeling hollow and empty.  I felt a tremendous sense of loss.  It was almost as though I found out a friend had passed away.  My husband looked at me and told me I had a sadness on my face and in my eyes he had never seen before. I've seen this look before in my eyes....

I believe the laughter had gone from my eyes.  I am a very happy go lucky person.  I care for others around me no matter who they are.  I do not wish for anyone to hurt ever.  I’m against capital punishment and against corporal punishment.

I believe that to really live, you must laugh.  You must have a happiness that makes you wake each day and drives you to keep up the fight.  For a moment, that laughter was extinguished from my eyes.  I felt completely and totally distraught.  The sadness ran from my consciousness to ever single molecule of my being.  It was indeed dire.

One of the most amazing things about being a bipolar person is that, while I’m in it, the depression is paralyzing, I can’t move, I can’t breathe.  However, I rapid cycle, so it passes.  And passed it has!

Today the laughter is back in my eyes.  I have decided that I do not need to have drama and tragedy in my life.  I can and will take every day as a new happy glorious day.  I will not be put down, cursed at, and bullied into doing things that I do not wish to do. 

One of the most amazing things I’ve ever read is the five principles of Reiki.

Just for today, I will not be angry

Just for today, I will not worry

Just for today, I will be grateful

Just for today, I will do my work honestly

Just for today, I will be kind to every living thing

I would only add, Just for today, I will laugh.

Namaste & Blessed Be

Sosanna

)O(

K is for Kindness

K is for Kindness

kind·ness/ˈkīn(d)nis/

Noun:  

1. 1.       The quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.
2. 2.       A kind act.

Synonyms – Altruism, Compassion, Emotion, Empathy, Generosity

Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said that kindness and love are the most curative herbs and agents in human intercourse.  From a religious prospective kindness is taught in most.  In 1^st Corinthians Paul of Tarsus characterizes love and being patient and kind.  In Buddhism, Metta which translates into English as “Loving kindness” is one of the Ten Perfections.

Recently I was asked the following in regards to placement of my mother in a long term care facility:

“Why do you care where she’s goes, you’ve made it clear you don’t have a relationship with her, what do you care??”

I think a simple response would be the as follows:

I’m a kind person.  I donate to shelters, food banks and to the homeless.  I pick up after my dogs and myself.  I don’t litter.  I hold the door open for strangers, regardless of gender.  I send out positive energies and open myself up to pull those same energies back into my life.  I give of myself to others sometimes to a fault.  I wouldn’t toss any living being to the side without regard.  That’s why I care.

I have two quotes that I love related to kindness.

My religion is very simple.  My religion is kindness ~ Dalai Lama XIV

And as the Blues singer Albert Collins said… “Don’t mistake kindness for weakness”

Namaste & Blessed Be

Sosanna

)O(