I Told You So

by Administrator, posted in Religion

Yes, I realize this is old news. In the land of Facebook and Twitter, in a universe with awesome websites like The Wild Hunt, I am, and probably forever will be a day late and a dollar short. However, since the December 2009 Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life’s latest offering “Many Americans Mix Multiple Faiths” confirms the founding ideals of The Magical Buffet I feel obliged to offer up my two cents. (Man, there are a lot of money references in this paragraph. Must be the recession.)

As the oldest, loyalest, bestest readers will tell you, The Magical Buffet wasn’t always “Where Spirituality, Politics, and Pop Culture Collide.” Back in 2006 it was where you would “Take What You Want, and Leave the Rest.” As you can read in our “About Us” section I address our original philosophy, “For those of you that missed it, my original philosophy explained that by watching the movie ‘Big Trouble in Little China’ I realized that all modes of belief are valid on some level and that a lot could be gained by offering up articles introducing our readers to as many different ideas as possible, enabling them to “Take What They Want, and Leave the Rest”. This is part of a line from the character Egg Shen in the movie, and our original tag line for the site.” Since I essentially practice a hodge podge of religious philosophies, I assumed that there were other religious DIYers that would like to learn more about beliefs and practices they could fold into their already existent spirituality. I was right. (A thank you to all my Wiccan/Pagan peeps, the most adaptable spiritual bunch I’ve encountered! Love you!)

Now as we all are aware, The Magical Buffet is no longer entirely devoted to religion and spirituality because there were other fantastic communities of people out there that I wanted to try to bring together with my already awesome original Buffet subscribers. I always suspected that Gamers/Wiccans/Music Lovers/New Agers/Action Movie Fans/Spiritualists/Comic Book Geeks would be my key demographic. However I still absolutely believe in my original Buffet philosophy, and if this latest survey from Pew is to be believed, I’ve been right along.

People, we’re such a bizarre contrary bunch, it’s why I love humanity so. Ask a Catholic if they hold any Hindu beliefs, they’ll say no. Ask a Catholic if they believe in reincarnation (a biggie in the Hindu faith) and 28% will say yes. Ask a Protestant if they believe in any New Age philosophies, they’ll say no. Ask them if they believe that spiritual energy can be found in physical things, like mountains, trees, and crystals, 20% will say yes. I understand that these aren’t ludicrously high numbers, but I think it shows that more people than we might suspect are taking what they want and leaving the rest. More encouraging still the report states “One-third of Americans (35%) say they regularly (9%) or occasionally (26%) attend religious services at more than one place, and most of these (24% of the public overall) indicate that they sometimes attend religious services of a faith different from their own. Among those who attend religious services at least once a week, nearly four-in-ten (39%) say they attend at multiple places and nearly three-in-ten (28%) go to services outside their own faith.” Americans are definitely experiencing and learning more about religious practices outside of their own, and I find that cause to celebrate.

Why? Because nothing makes a woman happier than being able to say, “I told you so.”

My Many Menorahs

by Administrator, posted in Judaism, Symbols

Since the Jewish holiday Hanukkah begins at sundown tomorrow, I thought now would be a good time to spend a moment or two discussing the menorah. I love menorahs. I may be what theologians refer to as a “bad Jew”, but what I lack in knowledge and devotion I surely make up for in sheer volume of menorahs in my home. It started out as a burden, having loads of menorah around the apartment, but now I couldn’t imagine getting rid of any of them.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the menorah, let me bring you up to speed. Hanukkah is the celebration of the Maccabees liberating Jerusalem in 165 B.C.E. After liberating the Temple of Jerusalem, the Maccabees wanted to light the perpetual light with seven branches, but it had been destroyed. They built a temporary candelabrum but they only had one flask of oil to fuel it. However, it kept the candles lit for eight days rather than one. Hanukkah, at its most basic, is the celebration of efficient fuels.

In modern times when Jews celebrate Hanukkah (meaning dedication) they light a menorah. The menorah is an eight branched candelabrum; with a ninth spot for the shamash, which is for the candle used to light the other candles. Each night a candle is lit to signify the days that the oil lasted. Hanukkah is actually a minor festival in the Jewish faith, but due to it’s proximity to Christmas it’s been kind of sucked up into a “Hanukkah is the Jewish Christmas” vacuum of commercialism. Not that this lady is complaining. I may be a “bad Jew”, but I still get Hanukkah presents!

Anyway, I really do like menorahs. You can find them in all shapes and sizes. And when the candles are all lit, it is a very beautiful sight. I thought I would share mine with you.

To all of our Jewish readers, Happy Hanukkah!

What We Can Learn From Plants

by Administrator, posted in Guest Authors

By Bob Makransky
(This excerpt originally appeared in his book “Magical Living” and was also published in the November 2009 Magical Almanac Ezine. Used here with the author’s permission.)

This young woman knew that she would die in the next few days. But when I talked to her she was cheerful in spite of this knowledge. “I am grateful that fate has hit me so hard,” she told me. “In my former life I was spoiled and did not take spiritual accomplishments seriously.” Pointing through the window of the hut she said, “This tree here is the only friend I have in my loneliness.” Through that window she could see just one branch of a chestnut tree, and on the branch were two blossoms. “I often talk to this tree,” she said to me. I was startled and didn’t quite know how to take her words. Was she delirious? Did she have occasional hallucinations? Anxiously I asked her if the tree replied. “Yes.” What did it say to her? She answered, “It said to me, `I am here – I am here – I am life, eternal life.'”

– Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

What we can learn from plants is how to be joyous. We can’t learn that from other people, usually, because the setup with other people isn’t to be joyous; on the contrary, it is to be fearful, close-hearted, and uptight. Therefore, to learn to be joyous, we have to go to the plants. If we can first learn to be joyous from the plants – who aren’t out to cause us grief – we can then learn to be joyous with our fellow humans.

Of course, the joy we receive from plants doesn’t have all the ego zing of a sexy partner, or a mother’s approval, or the boss’s congratulations; but it’s always there. That’s the nice thing. No matter how horribly our lives are going, or how much rejection other people heap upon us, the plants are always there being happy.

At a nearby airport there is a hedge in front of the entrance for departing passengers, and when the wind blows across the hedge the shrubs wave “Bye bye! Bon Voyage! Feliz Viaje!” to all the passengers. Nobody pays any attention to them, but the plants don’t care. They don’t need people’s acknowledgment and validation to be happy. They’re just there, pouring love out into the world. That’s their job, and the people passing by receive that love whether they’re consciously aware of it or not.

The plants are what keep this from being a hell world. There are no plants in a hell world. The plants in this world are not just the bottom of the food chain; they’re anchoring all of us uptight animals to the earth’s love. They aren’t just the source of all our oxygen; they’re the source of all our joy. They just sit there casting joy out all over the place.

What we can learn from plants is that there is love surrounding us all the time, every minute, had we but the wit to see it, feel it. We are being offered love all the time, but we reject it because we don’t understand that’s what love is. We think love should be zappier, instead of quiet and peaceful and waving in the wind.

The love which plants offer us – the sound of leaves rustling, the smell of pine needles – is all there is. This is not a poetic metaphor: it’s a cold, hard fact of life. If we want / need / desire something to make us happy beyond what the plants offer us, then we’re just out of luck, because that’s all there is. If we can’t find happiness in what’s going on outside our windows right this minute, then we’re just out of luck.

To tune into plants is quite simple. First of all, you must have the conviction that there is indeed something you can learn from plants. You can’t go in there with the attitude that you’re better, smarter, or superior to a plant. We’re all taught that we’re superior to plants, just as we’re taught that we’re superior to other people. And just as we don’t pay much attention to the people we think we’re superior to, we can’t tune into the feelings of plants if we think we’re superior to them. It isn’t hard to overcome this prejudice if we just bear in mind that in the only thing that really matters in life – being joyous unto one’s self – plants have it all over us humans.

Go to the plants every single day, for at least fifteen minutes or half an hour. Go sit out under a tree – perhaps during lunch break. It’s better to make such a space for yourself during the day, as a break from the buzz-buzz, but do it at night if you can’t find time during the day. But go every day, preferably alone, without fail. Make it the most important item on your agenda – that this brief time you take for yourself with the plants is inviolable. If you make such a firm decision – that being joyous is an unalterable priority in your life – then the joy itself will follow naturally.

No specific instructions are needed on where you should go or what you should do there. If there’s some specific tree or woods or meadow that calls your attention, then go there. If not, just go where you feel like going, or where you conveniently can go. Get away from people, if possible, and do what you feel like doing. There is no particular procedure, and you should have no particular expectations. Maybe the plants will start talking to you; if you ask them to nicely, they will. If not, you may never feel anything out of the ordinary except for a subtle feeling of relaxation, a general lightening up of your entire life, as time goes on.

What the plants are offering us is true love, if we take the trouble to avail ourselves of it. They will give it to us whether we feel what they are doing to us or not, whether we are consciously aware of it or not. So don’t worry if you can’t seem to feel with the plants in the beginning. All you have to do is to make a firm commitment to put yourself under their tutelage, and they will find a way to do the rest.

Be assured that the plants are actually acting on you. It takes a while to pick up the thread of what they’re doing to you, but after a while you find they can calm you down and soothe you, no matter what kind of frenzy is going on in your world of people.

In other words, the interactions we have with plants are of a different order than the interactions we have going on with people. We interact with plants on an intuitive level, a feeling level; whereas we interact with other people on a thought form level (of images, expectations, defenses, competition, etc.). Most of us have forgotten how to relate on a feeling level, but the plants themselves will teach us how to do this if we make a serious effort to learn, in a day-by-day fashion.

You can’t expect immediate results, but surely after six or eight months of going to the plants every day you should at least be beginning to understand what the plants are doing to you. When you get to the place where your hiatus with the plants is the high point of your daily routine – the part of your day which you most eagerly anticipate – then you can be said to have arrived: to understand what we can learn from plants.

About the author:
Bob Makransky is a systems analyst, computer programmer and professional astrologer. More of his articles are posted at www.dearbrutus.com. To subscribe to Bob’s free monthly astro-magical ezine, send an email to MagicalAlmanac-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or check it out at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MagicalAlmanac.

Big Buffet Thumbs Up for the Hampshire Police

by Administrator, posted in Religion, Wiccan/Pagan

I hate to write about what essentially is a non-news story, but I was just so delighted when I read the December 4, 2009 Daily Echo article “Horses’ tails chopped off in Kings Somborne” I had to share.

According to Daily Echo there is a bout of “what appears to be ritualistic chopping of horses tails” taking place across Hampshire. Now how one determines that a horse’s tail has been ritualistically removed as opposed to just cut off, I would not know. I am not a law enforcement professional.

What I read next made my WTF radar go off. “One theory being looked into by officers is that it is part of a strange ritual by pagans in the lead up to the Winter Solstice later this month.” As I said, WTF? However I was rewarded by next reading that “last night both lines of inquiry (the other theory being that people were looking for authentic hair for making rocking horses) were ruled out by experts.”

That’s right folks. Instead of continuing on a path of, what I could only believe the technical term is, dumb assedness, the police spoke with Catherine Hosen, a spokeswoman for the Pagan Federation of Wessex. She is quoted in the Daily Echo article as saying, “It’s certainly not any ritual that I’m aware of. Any day in the year you could say it’s close to some pagan ritual because the calendar is pretty full of them. Pagans have a strong respect for anything to do with nature. They would ask permission before removing a branch from a tree, let alone do anything to a horse.” Thank goodness they got that nonsense cleared up.

For completeness, let me share that they ruled out the rocking horse theory by speaking to Chris Ward, who restores and creates rocking horses, and has restored rocking horses for the Royal family. Nice to call in the professionals, thumbs up.

If you would all indulge me for a moment, in honor of the USA Network series “Monk” ending this past Friday, I’d like the opportunity to say, “Here’s what happened.”

What we have is a baffling case of horses’ tails being cut. However, the article also says, “In a separate twist other horses across Hampshire have been discovered by shocked owners with their mane hair plaited.” Maybe I’m talking crazy, but it’s seems to me some sort of childish pranking would be suspected motive number one; certainly before “strange Pagan ritual” and “rocking horse creators”. That said, I am just glad that for once I read a news story like this and found out that instead of continuing to stumble around in ignorance, the police took the 10 minutes to contact experts for their opinions. And then, they listened.

Spicy Italian Ghosts

by Administrator, posted in Guest Authors, Paranormal

As Told By Gordie Little

Just a week or so prior to Halloween of 2003, a friend of mine from Clinton County, New York related a story about an Italian kitchen that gave me plenty of food for thought.

The woman’s husband was stationed for two years in the mid-80s at a naval base located on La Maddalena, located between the smaller Italian Island of Sardinia and the French island of Corsica. Photos of the seven-island archipelago reveal an almost idyllic place that is rich in Roman history and spectacular natural beauty. Beside the naval presence, the entire area is a magnet for tourism.

She and her military spouse found a bargain-priced rental house with plenty of room and a wonderful view of the countryside. It had two, spacious bedrooms and a parlor with large, double doors that could be used as a master bedroom and nursery for their little girl. Every window in the well-appointed kitchen was made of stained glass. During the intense tropical storms, my friend learned quickly not to touch the lead with her wedding ring. After being zapped just once, she kept a safe distance.

With their husbands often out to sea, it wasn’t at all uncommon for the wives to spend a few days together. The storms in that region of the world are frightening and they reasoned that there would be comfort in company.

One night, they needed comfort and it had nothing to do with the weather. In all, there were three women in her house. She and her daughter slept in the parlor/bedroom on the right as you enter the building. The other two bedrooms farther down the hall were each occupied by another woman. The bathroom was on the left, located diagonal to the kitchen at the far end of the hallway.

They retired early. My friend was startled awake several hours later by the sound of the big, double doors to her room opening and closing, almost rhythmically. She sat up in bed, watching the long, curved metal door handles move downward as if manipulated by an unseen hand. The doors open and closed in unison.

She was too stunned to scream or move. As she sat there, the doors closed one, last time, followed by audible footsteps away from her room, down the hall, toward the kitchen.

She thought her companions were playing tricks on her. Listening intently, she heard the footsteps stop. Next, she heard the old, refrigerator door open and close several times. Then—nothing.

She crawled under the covers and eventually went to sleep, albeit fitfully until daylight.

The woman in the next bedroom arose shortly after and complained to her hostess about the cats keeping her awake all night. She heard them howling and rummaging around in her room. Entering the bedroom together, the two women found newspapers crumpled into balls all around the bed. The hostess was quick to point out that she had no cats.

The second woman, too, heard footsteps in the hallway, heading toward the kitchen followed by the fridge door opening and closing.

As the women were comparing notes about their fitful night, the third woman came out of the last bedroom, rubbing her eyes and complaining that the others had been playing practical jokes on her for hours.

She accused them of opening and shutting her bedroom door and talking in the kitchen. Her bedroom wall was common with a kitchen wall and she claimed to have heard hushed voices for some time. She couldn’t make out words or sentences, but was a bit frightened and rather frustrated by the sounds, nonetheless.

They were all frightened when learning that none of them had tried to trick the others. They were likewise unable to learn the history of the old house, as their facility with the Italian language left a lot to be desired.

I should point out that in spite of their friendship, none of the women ever came to visit again. Who can blame them?

The ghostly shenanigans continued in that house for some time. My friend recalled that she was awakened by her crying baby late one night and arose to warm a bottle for the little one. As she walked down the hallway, she could see at least two, black silhouettes in the kitchen ahead. The forms were definitely of human shape and size. There was another electrical storm that night and on subsequent nights when she and her husband both saw the kitchen silhouettes.

In the bathroom was a brand new clothes washer. With no warning, it would go haywire, spilling out piles of suds and sending a flood out the bathroom door, diagonally to the end of the hall and into the kitchen. More than once, her husband called in the quintessential “Maytag Repairman,” only to learn that there was nothing wrong with the machine that could be repaired by human hands.

The technician wouldn’t believe their story of the water and suds flowing from the bathroom to the kitchen. “Physically impossible,” he exclaimed in broken English. “The floor doesn’t even slope in that direction.” To prove his point, he placed small rubber balls next to the washing machine and smiled as they all rolled in the opposite direction. They paid him and he left, shaking his head; no doubt wondering what kind of “American nuts” he was dealing with.

This couple’s battle with unwanted spirits ends with a coup de gras. My friend and her husband were embracing in the bathtub together, as couples in love are sometimes wont to do. The translucent, glass doors in front of the tub were closed for privacy, even though there was no one else in the house at the time. Or was there?

Their lovemaking was rudely interrupted by the sound of whistling. They turned their heads and saw a blurry shape glide pass the door.

At that moment a window above the tub exploded from the wall– frame, casing and all–and dropped onto them, scattering shards of glass over their heads and naked bodies.

Fortunately, they were not seriously injured. The man went into the hallway and found nothing untoward. Both front and back house doors remained closed and securely locked.

That moment brought the couple to an epiphany. In the morning, they left the old house, lock, stock and barrel and moved into base housing.

We can only wonder if the present occupants of that Italian house are still plagued by spirited voyeurs and spectral cats.

About the Author:
Gordie Little has spent 36 years in radio; 8 years as a Crime Victims Advocate; and has written 653 weekly newspaper columns for the Press-Republican newspaper in Plattsburgh, NY. He has done more than 700, 90-minute television documentaries in the North Country region of New York State and loves to study all things paranormal and has written “true” ghost stories for many years. His new book, entitled “Ghosts of Clinton County,” was published by North Country Books in Utica, NY and is currently available at many Borders Books, Corner-Stone Bookshop in Plattsburgh, NY, The Crystal Caboose in West Chazy, NY at www.bloatedtoe.com, amazon.com and directly from the publisher.

Falling in Love with Passion Pit

by Administrator, posted in Music, Reviews

There were these potato chips, which sadly you cannot find anymore, from Snyder’s of Hanover. They were steak and onion flavored. My husband loved them, and took great delight in introducing them to others. “You can’t just eat one, you have to try three,” he would tell people. Why three? Because the first time you tried them, the first chip was just bizarre, your taste buds were overwhelmed with the sheer weirdness of it all. The second chip, you would start to notice the steak flavor, and attempt to process it all. With the third chip you would realize they were great! A potato chip that tastes JUST like steak and onions! How perfect!

One can say much the same of Passion Pit’s first album “Manners”.

At a first listen, Passion Pit’s debut album “Manners” seems to be nothing but sounds that shouldn’t work together: high light male lead vocals, disco rhythms that could easily work for doing The Hustle, catchy pop hooks, and lyrics of a depth that they could be read aloud as poetry. I have to admit, when I played it through the first time I found it a confusing, but enjoyable experience. Having heard their song “The Reeling” on both of my favorite online radio stations (that would be Indie 103.1 and WEQX 102.7, thank you for asking) I was prepared for a more electronic, dance feel (Despite hearing it initially on “alternative” radio stations. Of course now I hear it on my favorite online dance station too, 1Dance.FM, thank you again for your interest.).

On a second listen, things started to mesh together nicely. The album is infectious. I can’t listen to it without tapping my foot or swaying in my chair. I realize that Passion Pit is almost like a Bee Gees 2.0, an updated, next generation version. And let me take this moment to proudly announce to the world that I love the Bee Gees, you hear that world? Love them! I had an awesome Bee Gees lunch box in elementary school and it’s one of my greatest regrets that I don’t have that lunch box here with me now. Ain’t no shame in liking some foot tapping tunes, and Passion Pit gives you the foot tapping fun of disco, with a hip, updated sound.

By the third listen I’m enamored. Passion Pit’s album “Manners” is high light male lead vocals, disco rhythms that could easily work for doing The Hustle, catchy pop hooks, and lyrics of a depth that they could be read aloud as poetry! How perfect!

“The Reeling” that is a link in the previous text goes to the official music video on You Tube, unfortunately they don’t allow embedding. I did however find this live performance from Passion Pit at a radio station, which I can embed….so I did.

A Turkey Named Brotherhood

by Administrator, posted in Events, Messages from Rebecca, Movies

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the United States. I found myself wondering how is it that, three years of having a website, and I have not given appropriate Thanksgiving Day respect to “Addams Family Values”? It is a horrible lapse on my part, one that I will correct now.

It’s hard not to fall in love with Wednesday Addams when she states, “The gods of my tribe have spoken. They have said, ‘Do not trust the Pilgrims, especially Sarah Miller’.” Inevitably I wander around the apartment singing “Eat me!” It’s a whole lot of holiday cheer for me, wrapped in a tight four minute bundle. When a student pressed my Native American Anthropology professor for an example of the appropriate portrayal of Native Americans in film, he instantly responded, “Addams Family Values”.

However you chose to celebrate Thanksgiving, be it with a take away meal from Boston Market, a day long event with friends, or at a resort, please accept this offering along with best wishes from The Magical Buffet.

Successful Spellwork

by Administrator, posted in Guest Authors, Magic/Occult

By Leandra Witchwood
(This article first appeared on her website, used here with her permission)

Lately some of my students have been asking me questions about Magick. Magick is a great subject because it is so personal and yet so universal. Several people can have the same intent and go about achieving it in very different ways, proving that there is no one right way to do things. The variety is stunning and holds special interest to me.

I had a one student ask me a question; I’m sure runs through everyone’s head when it comes to using Magick. Her question to me was, “What makes Magick work and why is it effective for some but not others?”

In my experience, several factors must work in your favor for a spell to be successful. This list of factors varies with each spell and each person, so getting things right is very important and tricky. I think this is where most of us get confused and deterred. The elements we need to work in our favor are not always within our control.

As many of you know a spell is commonly compared to a prayer, yet intensified. There are several elements to consider, like timing, tools, specific intent, location, etc. In addition, there are plenty of “don’ts” we are taught when it comes to spell casting. Who wouldn’t find the task a little daunting? I know I did at first.

I learned that if I follow some simple guides I tend to have great success with spells. Here is a list of things I have found help successfully create and cast spells. I am sharing this with my friends hoping that you can apply these ideals to make your own practice a little more effective.

1. Will. Keep in mind, this is not the same thing as intent. I have learned that I must have a specific desire that drives me to plan and execute a spell. This isn’t as simple as a general need, but strong desire that drives me to work and focus. It needs to be clear and obtainable…

2.Talent and Skill. Some people have a lot of natural talent and some have to work at Magick a little harder. Others have a little of both talent and skill and seem to have no trouble with Magick. It doesn’t matter if you have a little or a lot, just try your best, develop your skills, use your natural talents, and you will be amazed…

3. Patience. Some times we need things right away, but many times what we think is urgent, can wait a little while longer. When we are patient with Magick and ourselves, we can achieve things on a grand scale. You could be going without for many reasons. Maybe there is a lesson you need to learn or you are undermining your own needs and desires. Keep in mind that real life is not like Bewitched, we can’t crinkle our noses and poof we have a basket of apples appear. Sometimes it takes years for your intention to become reality. Maybe your prosperity you are working on now will manifest later when it is a better time. Relax and let things happen, as they need to happen. Plus if you are following a spiritual path there may be certain expectations placed on you in connection to obtaining your need/want.

4. Wiggle Room. Give your energy room to adjust, as it needs. When we allow it to self adjust we allow it to work in the best possible way for our own benefit. Give your energy freedom and room to work. Keeping it contained and too tightly controlled is no way to get what you want and need. Perhaps you think your Magick needs to go right but in fact it should go left in order to be productive and successful in outcome.

5. Trust. This is HUGE! Trust in the energy you call upon as well as your own. If you doubt it, scoff at it, second-guess it, etc., you deplete yourself and the energy. I think the consequences are obvious.

6. Confidence. This next item also goes hand in hand with trust. You must have confidence in the energy you conjure as well as yourself. If you cannot believe that you and the universe have the ability to move and change things, you will get nowhere. Be confident about your work and abilities, and be wary of arrogance. Also feel and know that you are worthy of obtaining what ever it is you conjure.

7. Intent. Clear intent is essential most of the time. Sometimes we don’t know exactly what we need and that is when we leave it in the hands of a greater power, (which is when spell work is more like praying). Magick is not necessarily passive. Magick is usually direct, after all it needs a place to go. Know what you want. State your intentions as clearly as possible. If you intend to come into a large sum of money by winning the lottery then say so. Just a warning… be careful what you wish for… You might get it.

8. Attitude, be positive. A positive attitude is everything. If you are continually negative about your situation, stop it! This is something we all struggle with from time to time. When I find myself down in the dumps, I change my attitude fast and decide to make it a happier day. Much of how things happen to us and what happens to use depends on how we look at things and how we react re-act.

9. Organization, get yourself organized. Organize your thoughts. Organize your tools/materials. (If you need them) Organize the space where you plan to work. Write your spell out and list the things you will do first, second, third, and so on. Also, make sure your space and tools are clean. When you have it all together you can focus and therefore making your spell more effective.

10. Personalization. Make the spell YOURS! Sure you can get ideas from others, why not! Just don’t rely on the work of others (which usually is tailored to that other person’s needs) to work specifically for you. Yes, in some cases it can happen, but not all the time. Make the energy yours, make the intent yours, make the spell yours! Own the energy and live completely in the moment you create.

11. Space. Being cramped or in a place that is too open can be distracting and can hinder your progress. Also, keep in mind other factors of the space, like the temperature of and noise factors. You want to keep your focus.

12. No after thought. When you are done with the spell and you release the energy, forget it! Clean up your workspace and tools, refrain from picking your work apart, analyzing your techniques, questioning the effectiveness, etc. Just let it go. If hours or days later you find yourself thinking about the spell and thinking about it in detail, distract yourself and find something else to think about or do. When we continually think about the energy we send out we end up calling it back to us and taking it away from your goal, thus depleting it of the strength you gave it in the first place.

13.Action outside the spell. Look at your situation before you plan your spell. I like to use “money” as an example when it comes to spell work because we can all relate. If you are sitting down to plan and conduct a spell that will attract more money to your life it is always a great idea to look at why you are low on funds to start.

Could you budget a little better? Do you spend money on needless things or things that are not sustainable? Do you need a budget to organize your spending? Perhaps you could just use some discipline. Once you look at why you have no money explore and decide on a plan of action that will help you keep the money you bring in. There is no use in doing a spell that will bring you more money if you can’t keep it and use it wisely. Take time to identify the things you can do to improve your situation. Then after you cast your spell put these things into action. If you found that you need to follow a budget to control your spending, then create a budget and stick to it. You can even add an element into your spell that will help you establish discipline in sticking to your budget. The point is Magick doesn’t and cannot work if you will not help it and allow it to work.

14. Practice makes perfect. Don’t expect that because you did one spell successfully that you are a pro. Keep up the good work by doing spells as often as your personal energy allows. Perfect your techniques and skills through repetition. You can do simple spells for your friends/family (with permission of course), for your dog, your cat, yourself, etc. Also, give yourself variety by trying different forms and techniques. If you are good at Candle Magick, try Color Magick or elemental Magick next… Variety keeps you fresh and inspired.

The list above, for me, matters in all Spellwork. Of course, there are other things we can add to the list, but I think this is fairly complete. I found that no matter the day, phase of the moon, or the position of the planets I can execute a successful spell by following this guide. Sometimes all the elements fall into place on their own and other times I have to work at them a little more. It all depends on the situation.

About the Author:
Leandra Witchwood has served her local community as a Minister of Earth-Base Spirituality, an Animal Card Reader, Spiritual Counselor, Leader, Teacher, and much more. Leandra enjoys facilitating Labyrinth walks and educational seminars. She also teaches classes on mediation, Witchcraft, Wicca, and various Magickal techniques. Her spiritual teachings and readings are inspiring and revealing. Leandra is currently writing books and blogs to benefit the larger community.

To learn more, visit: http://leandradraconiswitchwood.blogspot.com/

To Do List (Things I Needed to Share)

by Administrator, posted in Events, Messages from Rebecca

December is rapidly approaching, and like most of you I’m going to lose all sense of reality as I attempt to keep my life on the rails while prepping for that magical holiday season that is SO magical that thinking about it makes me want to reach for the rum. What I’m trying to say is we’re all going to be getting very busy. With that in mind there are a few things I want to remind everyone, or let people know about before I forget.

First off, don’t forget that this is Movember! Have you told the man in your life that you care about his health? If not, do so now. (I’ll wait.)

Next, I just became aware of The Wild Hunt. This site is a great resource for anyone interested in non-Judeo-Christian faiths. It’s informative, well written, and just plain old cool. The man behind the site, Jason Pitzl-Waters, refuses to charge people for access to the information on his site, as is right and just in my opinion (don’t look to be paying dues for The Magical Buffet ever!). Of course running a website of a certain volume and stature requires funds (I’m small fries over here) and Jason does not want to assault his readers with advertising, which brings me to what I wanted to tell you. The Wild Hunt is doing a winter pledge drive from now until Sunday. If you want to support a website that is raising the bar on Pagan/Heathen journalism…..now is the time to do so. Visit The Wild Hunt to see what I’m talking about, and hopefully to make a donation to the cause.

Everyone here knows that The Magical Buffet is like a giant love fest for the Northern New York Paranormal Research Society! Anyway, my favorite paranormal peeps have relaunched their discussion boards, so if you’re looking to talk about the paranormal, visit http://nnyprs.com/forum/. It’s currently the only online forum I interact with.

Before everything blows up with holiday craziness, ask yourself, how can I be certain that I keep up to date with The Magical Buffet? Glad you asked. There are now five, count them FIVE, ways to stay current with the Buffet. One, My Space, two, Facebook, three, Twitter, four, subscribe, five, visit the site every day to see if anything has changed. I’m going to discourage you from option five, and encourage you to friend, fan, follow, or subscribe. Or any combination of those four.

Lastly, with the holiday baking season upon us, now seemed a good time to direct your attention to the website www.101cookbooks.com. 3 out of the 4 cookie recipes we’re making this year came from there. It’s also home to the BEST FREAKIN’ CORN BREAD RECIPE EVER! YES I AM YELLING BECAUSE IT IS SO BLEEPIN’ GOOD! (Also noteworthy, it was Heidi Swanson, the woman behind 101 Cookbooks, who helped me learn to love beans. If you ever see this Heidi, thank you.)

I have successfully cleared my brain of much of the stuff I wanted to share with you before things got too crazy. You may all continue on with your day now.

And as always, thanks for reading!

An Evening with Anthony Bourdain

by Administrator, posted in Books, Events, Food/Drink, Television

Those of you who are my friend on Facebook or follow The Magical Buffet on Twitter know that this past Sunday I got to see Anthony Bourdain from the television show “No Reservations” give a lecture and attend a meet and greet with the author/television personality. I wasn’t sure I was going to write about attending the event, but I’ve had so many people ask me what the event was like that I figured it would be easier to write about the whole experience here than to send out many, many emails. Seriously, you guys really want the Bourdain dish!

Firstly, the turn out was insane! I couldn’t believe how many people showed up for this, especially assuming that most were like myself, and had no clue as to what was in store. The stage was empty except for a podium. I joked to my husband that Bourdain wouldn’t take the stage until his “hype man” came out to get the crowd warmed up. (Come on folks, get those asses up out of those seats!) In actuality, with no fanfare other than a disembodied voice saying “Anthony Bourdain”, he took the stage.

And there he was. I paid a lot for our tickets, more than I have for any other tickets in my life. Part of the ticket price went towards getting to attend the meet and greet after the event (more on that later) but also for genuinely awesome seats. Best seats ever. Now I got to find out what the heck Bourdain does on stage.

He opened up with the funny. Bourdain explained that he was backing off on picking on Rachael Ray. He found out that Ray is a fan of the New York Dolls and that she said nice stuff about him on television. Follow that up with a fruit basket and Bourdain decided that he was ready to let it go. This was a story that those who read his blog were already familiar with. He followed it up with the story of him getting inappropriately touched by Sandra Lee, again, something from his blog.

The rest of the evening was a surprisingly honest and personal discussion.

Having found out that the network he despises, The Food Network, has purchased the channel his show is on, he finds himself in the awkward position of not knowing if he can work for his former masters. (Bourdain’s first television show, “A Cook’s Tour”, was on the Food Network.) Does he stay, does he go? Is he selling out? What is selling out? Should it be something he does? Is it something he’s already done?

The politics of eating. Organic, local, healthier, better. However, expensive, unattainable for many, guilt inspiring, and creator of fundamentalism.

Everyone in the crowd got to watch Bourdain have a lively debate with probably the only person who really challenges him, himself.

There was a question and answer at the end. Many of the questions are what you would expect. Where have you eaten in Albany? Answer, no where, although Chef Yono Purnomo of Yono’s fame provided food backstage. What places have you fallen in love with? Answer, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Colombia. Favorite NYC deli? Katz’s. What do you love to eat when you’re drunk? Followed by his guilt-ridden admission of loving Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Macaroni and Cheese. Advice to aspiring chefs, current chefs, home cooks. There were many people expressing gratitude for him visiting Albany, NY. Thanking him for inspiring them to cook, to travel, and to eat.

All in all, an interesting and entertaining time. Now that it’s over, we’re looking at the meet and greet.

I mentioned that our tickets were pricey. However, I felt better about the price of admission when I saw how great our seats were, knew that I was going to get to meet Anthony Bourdain, and when I saw what the meet and greet room was like. This wasn’t just a stand in line, get your book signed, and get out. There was coffee, desserts, beer, and wine. Tables were set up so you could mingle with other fans. It was a fantastic spread. Of course I couldn’t enjoy it until I faced my fear, speaking to Anthony Bourdain. So Jim and I got into line right away. While in line I glanced over and saw Chef Yono Purnomo standing to the side, unassuming and unnoticed. Although never having eaten at Yono’s, the reputation of the restaurant, and its Executive Chef, were enough to leave me star struck. Noticing my admiring gaze the Chef actually gave me a smile and a bow while I was in line.

Then the room broke out in applause, Bourdain was in the building. He looked at the crowd of us with a mix of, holy crap, you all paid just to see me, and holy crap, I’m going to be signing books forever. However, the line moved quickly and soon enough I was standing in front of Anthony Bourdain, a writer who I admire immensely and fear.

“This is a blog that I wrote for my website The Magical Buffet sir,” I started. Surprising myself that my voice was steady and calm. “Your love of pho inspired me to go out and find a place to try it. I liked it so much I wrote about it and dragged a bunch of friends out to try it.” He signed the print out I put in front of him, and said that was “Excellent.” I stood beside his chair for a photo, which unfortunately turned out blurry, and thanked him again. Then it was over.