MIPC: Louise's Lucky Corsage - A Charm for Fidelity in a Marriage

MIPC stand for Magic in Popular Culture. This is a series of posts in which I take a belief or practice from a work of fiction such as a book, movie, tv show, or comic book, etc... and analyze it against real world magical beliefs and practices. 

Synopsis - The Last Leaf 

When she discovers that her wedding corsage is missing from the Wonder Book of Knowledge in which she had hidden it years before, Louise Jefferson is convinced that her husband George is cheating on her and that her marriage is over. 

The Jeffersons 

Season 4 Episode 9 

Air Date: 11/12/1977 

Commentary

First of all, I cannot find any documented account of any such tradition or superstition associated with keeping one's wedding corsage hidden away in order to keep one's husband faithful. However, I was able to determine that the ancient Greeks wore flowers at weddings because they believed that the scent would ward off evil spirits, - so there may just be some power to this belief. As Florence, the maid, stated so eloquently in this episode "when some folks THINK something can happen they can MAKE it happen!" 

It is also interesting to note that Mother Jefferson (George's Mother), upon hearing of Louise's belief in the power of the hidden corsage comments that she knew something was "working against" her. Evidently she had been praying or working roots to bring an end to George and Louise's marriage as she disapproved of Louise. 

If I were to adopt this practice, however, I might press the bride's corsage together with the groom's boutonniere and keep this in the family bible. I may even put a tiny bit of Stay With Me oil on the flowers as well. 

Astrological Weather May 8th to May 14th

 All Times Pacific 

Sunday 

5/8/22 10:41 AM Moon Square Uranus-  Unexpected events upset your routine and sense of well being. You feel more restless and rebellious and aren't receptive to taking any advice or direction from anyone right now. You just want to get away from everything and everyone but your plans just don't come together.

Monday 

5/9/22  5:39 AM Moon Opposite Saturn-     You can feel both unappreciated and misunderstood now, which can cause problems with older people, your parents, or superiors at work. Things just don't turn out the way you expect them too now, in fact, they can be completely the opposite. Your mood is more pessimistic and your relationships can suffer. You come across as cold and apathetic. This is a good day to keep your head down until this aspect passes 

Tuesday

5/10/22  8:27 PM Moon Trine Uranus -  . Pleasant surprises can await you today. Expect some good news or a chance meeting that brings pleasure and excitement into your life. You feel rebellious today, but you know when to draw the line so that you don't go too far. 

Wednesday

5/11/22  5:17 AM Moon Opposite Mars -     You may find yourself acting impulsively today and unreasonably so. Action without thought brings trouble. You have a low tolerance level for the negativity of other people and conflicts can erupt between you and them when you don't exercise self control. Relationships with women suffer and you can be more prone to accidents.

Thursday

5/12/22 7:54 AM Moon Trine Mercury- Your ability to communicate and empathize with others increases now. You can clearly express your thoughts and opinions without there being any miscommunication. You give off a vibe that is more sincere and honest which increases your charisma and charm

Friday 

5/13/22 6:54 PM Moon Trine Saturn -  Your feelings and emotion are in positive alignment with your sense of responsibility. There is a genuine balance between your personal life and your professional one. You get more pleasure out of doing your work and see the importance of what it is that you do. You're not so easily distracted now and anything  that you do during this aspect is likely to benefit you in the future.

Saturday 

5/14/22  1:07 AM Moon Square Pluto  -  Under this aspect you may feel like making some major changes in your life such as leaving a job or relationship. If these aspects of your life are not working out the way you like, this could give you the motivation to make that change. However, if you're generally happy there's not need to make any drastic change, or this could lead to unnecessary disruption in your life.

Book Review: The Astrology Murders

 

Title: Horoscope: The Astrology Murders  

Author: Georgina Frontier

Pages: 320

Description: Dr. Kelly Elizabeth York has spent her life helping people solve their problems. A celebrity astrologer and psychologist with a devoted following, she now finds herself in the unlikely and terrifying position of helping the police and the FBI determine the identity of a serial killer—who just may be targeting her. No matter how careful she is, Kelly knows that she will have to confront darkness, an energy so black it could challenge everything she believes in.

My Review

A very good mystery with a smattering of astrology thrown in for those who speak the language of the stars. However, you really don't need to know anything about astrology to read this book. The central mystery drew me in quickly and the final twist left me wanting more. 

It's a shame that the author died before she wrote any more books, this is a universe that I would have loved to have revisited again in future installments. There is some hope, however, as Georgina Frontiere left outlines for future story lines should the family / publisher find a good ghostwriter and editor to continue the series. If you like a well-crafted,  intelligent mystery / suspense story, then this is the book for you.

Carolina Dean

MOtW: Shadow of the Hawk (1976)

 

Description (IMDB)

The Westernized grandson of a shaman returns to the wilderness to learn more about his Native American heritage. When he encounters powerful evil spirits, he enlists the aid of his lover and a local chief to stop the spirits.

Commentary

I recall watching Shadow of the Hawk in the early to mid 1980's when it aired on TBS very late at night. While it is considered a supernatural horror movie, there really is nothing here that is going to make you jump out of your skin or fill your dreams with nightmares. This is a movie that you can easily watch with your kids.  

I recently re-watched Shadow of the Hawk when I was going through a brief episode of depression and needed a little escapism and so I sought solace in some nostalgia.  I really liked seeing the world of the Pacific Northwest in the 1970's. We get to see some beautiful views of the big city and the wide-open spaces of the Canadian mountains.

After treating a child for an un-named sickness, Old Man Hawk takes up his suitcase and tribal staff and sets out for the big city to find his grandson, Mike. I want to pause here to point out (if you watch the movie) that Hawk never uses the staff as a walking-stick but rather carries it in the crest of his elbow. This indicates that it is a ritual tool rather than a practical one. 

Old Man Hawk appears at Mike's condo asking him to immediately take him back home. Mike is resistant at first but eventually agrees to take his grandfather home. A news reporter that Old Man Hawk met at the hospital after he collapses on the street (as a result of one of D'Sonoqua's spells) comes along thinking it will make a good human-interest story. 

Along the way we learn that Old Man Hawk is his tribe's Shaman, and he believes that his village is under attack by D'Sonoqua who is described as a cannibal woman. Within the context of the movie, D'Sonoqua was killed by the tribe 300 years prior (supposedly for the crime of cannibalism) and has returned to enact her revenge upon the descendants of the tribe. We are left to assume that the sickness Hawk was treating at the beginning of the movie is another product of D'Sonoqua's black magic. 

While movie D'Sonoqua is depicted as a centuries old witch (human) or practitioner of black magic back from the dead, the real-world D'Sonoqua is more akin to our own legend of Big Foot or the Wendigo who is known to kidnap and eat small children. Both movie version and real-life versions are able to bring themselves back from the dead. However, in the real-world myths, she is also considered a spirit of wealth and prosperity which she only bestows upon those who can gain control of her children. She is also believed to be rather dimwitted and to have poor vision which allows clever heroes to outwit her at times. 

Over the course of the journey back home, D'Sonoqua attempts to prevent Old Man Hawk's return by sending her emissary out to stop him. She also performs various spells astrally attacking Mike while he is swimming in an attempt to drown him, performing sympathetic magic with a doll on Old Man Hawk to sap his strength and power, and sending a venomous snake to attack Old Man Hawk, among other things.

In the climax of the film, Old Man Hawk explains that his power is waning in his twilight years. It is his wish that he passes his power down to Mike who will take over the role of village Shaman and protector so that Old Man Hawk can spend the remainder of his days relaxing and fishing. Having gone through an initiation ceremony to receive the power, Mike's final test is to defeat D'Sonoqua and save the village. 

While Shadow of the Hawk can easily be dismissed as a cheesy horror flick, it creates an interesting fictional mythology, and I would have loved to have seen a sequel(s) as Mike learns more about his people, their beliefs, and rituals - or maybe a series of books! The movie certainly has some interesting and beautiful visuals, specifically the scene where D'Sonoqua cast an evil spell on Old Man Hawk. The scene cuts back and forth between D'Sonoqua and Old Man Hawk rather quickly and includes chanting and dancing as a prelude to to D'Sonoqua passing the doll of Old Man Hawk through the flame of a fire and then stabbing it with a knife.  Similarly, the scene where D'Sonoque sends the snake to attack Old Man Hawk is also quite beautiful (visually speaking) 

I really liked this move, and I think you will too! 

-Carolina Dean

The Stones of Light: Part 1 Urim & Thummim

 Note: This will be the first of several entries on what I am calling the Stones of Light. Each week I will focus on a different stone from various traditions and cultures. 

THE STONES OF LIGHT 

Part One: The Urim and Thummim 

Pictured: Urim and Thummim, Carolina Dean ©2021

The Urim and Thummim are devices mentioned in the Bible used to cast lots to determine the will of God. They take the form of two dissimilar stones which can be distinguished from one another by their color, type of stone, or words which have been engraved upon them (1  Samuel 28:6). They are known to be objects which are held in the breastplate  and which are associated with a system of casting lots mentioned in the  bible (Exodus: 28:30) 

They usually take the form of a white stone and a black stone that are indistinguishable from one another except by their color. The white-stone is called Urim meaning light and the black stone is called Thummim meaning perfection . Some scholars have interpreted this names and meaning Revelation and Truth. I then to think of them as perfect light or enlightenment. 

The precise manner in which to operate the Urim and Thummim  is largely unknown. Biblical scholars looks to 1 Samuel 14 as the lynchpin to understanding how Urim and Thummim were used to cast lots. This Chapter describes an attempt to divine the identity of a sinner by use of the Urim and Thummim. Essentially every one present was divined into two group and lots were drawn to see which group contained the sinner. After each lot was drawn, the group believed to contain the sinner was divided in half and half again until only one person remained and they were believed to be the sinner who had angered God. 

It has also been theorized that the Urim (a white stone)  represents no while Thummim (a black stone) represent yes.  To use the stones, they are placed in a  bag, an objective question is asked and a stone is drawn unseen from the  bag. The answer will then be given as either a yes (black stone) or a no (white stone). By process of elimination one may arrive at more complex answers as in the case above. For example, let us say that you wish to know the name of the person who cursed you. You may write down all the names of your suspects on separate pieces of paper. I would also advise you to include a slip of paper which says unknown to account for the culprit possibly being someone you do not know. Next, divide the names into groups which you designate Group A or Group B. 

Now, place your hand in the bag containing your Urim and Thummim and swirl them around asking something like: Is the name of the person who cursed me in Group A? If the answer is yes, you would divide Group A in half and continue casting lots until only one name remains. If the answer is no, then logic dictates the name of the person who cursed you was in Group B. In this case, you set aside Group A and divide Group B in half and continue in this manner until only one name remains. 

In the book of Proverbs 16:33 it states “The  lot is cast in the lap but the whole  disposing thereof is of the Lord,” meaning  that the person casts the lot but every outcome is determined by God. Therefore, when using the Urim and Thummim you are to trust the first answer that is given and do not keeping asking until you get the answer you want - this is a good rule of thumb for any divination system in general. 

In the book The Alchemist by Paul Coehlo the Urim and Thummin are explained in the following manner: 

"Take these," said the old man, holding out a white stone and a black  stone that had been embedded at the center of the breastplate. "They are  called Urim and Thummim. The black signified 'yes,' and the white 'no.'  When you are unable to read the omens, they will help you to do so.  Always ask an objective question.

Santiago, the Shepard boy who receives the Urim and Thummim keeps them and uses the device throughout the story to guide him on his journey as he searches for his greatest treasure. 

In addition to using the Urim and Thummim for divination, I carry a set of them with me in a muslin bag each day as this was something that I was felt led to do by Spirit. It is my belief that the Urim and Thummim also act as talismans. The Urim (white stone) brings good things to you and the Thummim (black stone) keeps the bad away. Finally, I also keep a set of Urim and Thummin on my Ancestor Altar to represent my ancestors . 

Urim and Thumum: The Mormon Perspective 

The Mormon Religion has it's own version of the Urim and Thummim. These take the form of lenses fashioned into a pair or glasses which they refer to as spectacles or interpreters. According to Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, he was lead by an angel to dig up some golden plates which detailed the history of ancient inhabitants of North America. The spectacles were found along with the plates and Joseph used them to translate the contents of the plates into English and this became the Book of Mormon. However, all of this is widely disputed.  

In other version, Smith also found a seer stone along with the Golden Plates which he used for scrying purposes. His method of scrying entailed placing his seer stone into a hat and then place his own face into the hat, blocking out all the light and thus receiving visions. Nonetheless, there is evidence to suggest that Smith owned several seer stones throughout his life and owned at least  one before he claimed to find the Golden Plates. We will talk about seer stones in a future entry in this series. 

- Carolina Dean 

Book Review: Cooking with Astrology

 

• Authors: Sydney Omar, Mike Roy
• Hardcover: 220 pages
• Publisher: World Pub. Co (1969)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0007F1JHQ
• Package Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 1"

Written by famed Astrologer Sydney Omar and Master Chef Mike Roy, Cooking with Astrology appeals to me because it combines two of my great loves, which are astrology and cooking (or at least collecting recipes.) The book begins with a few pages of handy reference material pertaining to weights and measures for cooking as well as a few notes on substitutions. There is also a list of abbreviations used in the recipes  most of which are standard and should be known to the average person such as tsp = teaspoon or tbsp. = tablespoon, etc.. . However, I grew up in a time when they still taught home economics, so these may come in handy for the novice cook or just to refresh your mind if it's been a while since you've cooking a meal using a recipe. Next, there is a quick introduction describing the concept of the book by Sydney Omar going into some detail about Astrology (and particularly our Cancer sign) and our relationship with food.

Cooking with Astrology itself is comprised of twelve chapters, each charter dedication to a Sun Sign or House in Astrology. For example Aries, 1st House; Taurus, 2nd house; Gemini, 3rd House, etc.. Each chapter begins Sydney Omar offering an explanation of the sign in question, their likes, dislikes, personality and preferences. This is followed up with a commentary by Mike Roy of what the sign would like in terms of food based on his understanding of Astrology by way of Sydney Omar.

The recipes themselves are both sophisticated and simple and use common ingredients that most people already have at home or can easily obtain at their local grocery store. I would also venture that many of them are typical of the time in which the book was written in 1969. The highlight of the book, however, is that the recipes have been specifically chosen to appeal to a person's Sun Sign.  

Overall, I found this to be an informative and enjoyable read. I like the recipes and have already chosen a few that I would like to try and possible add to my own collection of recipes. You do not have to be an Astrologer or a Master Chef yourself to enjoy this book or prepare these meals. If you are a student or practitioner of Astrology or just enjoy cooking, then this is the book for you. If you are interested in Astrology and also practice some form of magic, I am sure that both working with these recipes and enjoying them alone or with others will help you to draw closer to the planets that guide us all.

LINKS 

• Cooking with Astrology (Amazon) 
• Sydney Omarr (Wikipedia) 
• Mike Roy 

Venus in 00° Aries

Venus in Aries 

5/2/22  9:16 AM 

Natural Chart / Whole Houses 

Venus in Aries (General)

When Venus is in Aries, emotions expressed more aggressively so people are generally more affectionate and extravagant. However, Venus is said to be in detriment in Aries that is, its energy is diminished. So whereas people are more affectionate they may not be so lucky in the area of love and romance OR their attempts at expressing affection misses the mark. 

How Venus in Aries Affects You

Venus in Aries can manifest as aggressive and fearless expressions of love and attraction. You can either be the aggressor or the object of such assertiveness.  Finally the house that the planet transits will determine where this energy will manifest in your life. In order to determine the house that Venus in Aries is transiting you look at your birth chart and determine what house aligns with Aries. For example. 

• If your rising sign is Aries, Aries is your 1st  House  
• If your rising sign is Taurus, Aries is your 12th House 
• If your rising sign is Gemini, Aries is your 11th House
• If your rising sign is Cancer, Aries is your 10th House 
• If your rising sign is Leo, Aries is your 9th House
• If your rising sign is Virgo, Aries is your 8th House
• If your rising sign is Libra, Aries is your 7th House 
• If your rising sign is Scorpio, Aries is your 6th House 
• If your rising sign is Sagittarius, Aries is your 5th House
• If your rising sign is Capricorn, Aries is your 4th House 
• If your rising sign is Aquarius, Aries is your 3rd House 
• If your rising sign is Pisces, Aries is your 2nd House

Example

Venus in Aries and the 6th House 

I love + I Am + health and work 

Venus (I Love) in Aries (I AM) in the 6th house of health and work can manifest as assertive expressions of love and attraction and this would likely take place in your workplace. Again, you could be the aggressor or the object of another person's interest. You could meet someone through your work or it could be a co-worker. However, with Venus being in detriment in Aries things could just be off or it could not be the right time and so things are not likely to work out. 

The sixth house is naturally aligned with Virgo and so you will not fall for anyone too easily. You may adopt the same attitude towards romantic relationships that you take to finding a job.  You may find yourself being critical of anyone who shows interest in you, assessing them to determine that they pass your inspection and meet your criteria. 

Since the 6th house rules over health and work, this can be a period of time in which you are more energetic and impatient in terms of how you do your work and go about your daily routine. You can also renew your effort to get healthier by giving more attention, interest, and energy to your diet and exercise routine. 

Aspects 

Aspects, or relationships between planets is another dimension of astrological interpretation that should be considered. For example, Venus at 0° Aries is applying a square to my Saturn at 3° Cancer. A square is a type of aspect in which creates tension between the urges of two planets. Since the slower planet usually makes the greater impact on the faster planet, let us break it down like so. 

Natal Saturn Square Transit Venus 

I achieve + tension + I love 

Saturn casts a gloomy mood over Venus, and you can be more cynical about love now. However, Saturn can also let you see your relationships more as they are and less than the way you want them to be. If you have a partner, communication with him or her can be difficult now and you may find yourself having arguments or disagreements. This may be necessary, however, to air your respective grievances so that they can be dealt with and not allowed to fester. Venus just wants to have relax, have fun, and be comfortable but with Saturn making a square to it you may not be able to feel relaxed or comfortable. You may feel that you have too many responsibilities. You'll have to put in more of an effort to get along with anyone who can hold your accountable for your obligations and responsibilities. 

Carolina Dean 

 

MIPC: Headache Remedy

 Note: MIPC stands for Magic in Popular Culture and this is a series of posts in which I take a spell, ritual, belief, or tradition from a work of fiction and analyze it against real work magical beliefs and practices. 

The Spell or Ritual - Headache Remedy  

Vivian: Oh, this weekend's not a good time, Maude, there's gonna be a full moon.

Maude: A full moon?

Vivian: Oh, yeah. My Grandmother Whitney always said when there's a full moon, evils...

Arthur: Vivian, nobody wants to hear that junk.

Vivian: Arthur always gets uptight when I talk about my Grandma Whitney's special powers.

Arthur: Vivian, stop it!

Maude: Tell us! Tell us about your grandmother's powers.

Arthur: Don't pay any attention, Vivian.

Maude: No, really, I'm dying to hear.

Arthur: Maude is just being polite!

Vivian: No! I think she's really interested.

Arthur: Maude's never polite.

Maude: That's right, so shut up, Arthur! Now come, tell us all about her special powers! Vivian, have a heart! Arthur, we all wanna hear! Vivian, go ahead. And everybody be quiet, and don't interrupt her!

Vivian: Well, my grandmother had mystical powers - she could read minds and foretell the future. But I think the most amazing thing she did was to get rid of headaches. See, if you had a headache, she'd put a glass of water on top of your head. And then she'd hold a lighted match just in front of your mouth. She’d have you breathe on it. But not enough to put it out. And then she'd put the match in the glass of water... ..then she'd throw the water out the window onto the sidewalk and you would feel fine. But... whoever stepped into the puddle would get your headache.

TV Show: Maude Season 6 Episode 3

Episode Title: The Flying Saucer 

Air Date: 9/26/77

Commentary

This may seem like an unusual spell but if we look at it in the language of symbols, it is actually quite beautiful! This is actually what we might call a transference spell. Transference spells are spells used when you wish to get rid of something such as a disease or curse by transferring it to another person, animal of even an object. 

A famous example of a transference spell in real life occurs in the Jewish Tradition at Yom Kippur when the Rabbi would transfer the sins of the people to a goat which is then released into the wilderness taking the sin with it. Another famous example is the concept of the Sin Eater in which a person ritually consumes a meal over the body of a dead person thus absorbing their sins and releasing the individuals soul from any punishment in the afterlife. 

During the Salem Witch Trials, some folks made use of a witch cake by colleting the urine of the afflicting girls, and mixing it with rye to form a cake. The cake is then fed to a dog and if the dog exhibits any fits or other symptoms the girls are suffering it is a sign of witchcraft. In modern times, I recall some old timers saying to get rid of a cold, you rub a piece of bread on your teeth and then feed it to a god. If the dogs eats all the bread your cold will go away. 

So in effect, Maude places the glass of water on her head to cool her head (as headaches are seen as heat in the head). Blowing on the match transfers the heat to the match (like attracts like). Then headache is then symbolically extinguished in the cool water. However, we know that energy can neither be created or destroyed so it still exists in the water (in a different form). The water it toss outside to get the energy of the headache away from you and if some unlucky person is unfortunate enough to step in the water then the headache becomes attached to them. 

Although this spells was likely made up for the show, symbolically it is sound and I feel it has the capability to work as instructed. If I found that I had a headache and didn't have access to Tylenol or Aspirin, I might try this spell myself to get rid of my pain. 

-Carolina Dean 

Astrological Weather May 1st to May 7th

 All Times Pacific 

Sunday 

5/1/22 5:04 AM Moon Sextile Neptune-  Your intuition is sharper now and you may experience psychic episodes. You may feel like you are in  a dreamy, trance-like mood today. The opportunity to express yourself in a creative way is presented to you. You may engage in occult activities. 

Monday 

5/2/22  8:05 AM Moon Conjunct Mercury-    Your intellectual faculties are better attuned to communication now. However, you may have difficulty staying on subject as your mind moves quickly from one thought or idea to another. You may find it more difficult to be more objective in your thoughts and opinions as your feelings and emotions exert a greater influence on your mind. 

Tuesday

5/3/22 7:41 AM Moon Square Mars -  . You're feeling emotionally frustrated today and it shows. Attempts at expressing your feelings comes out wrong and ticks people off. You could say something that you regret later. Better to walk, bike, swim, or run it off. 

Wednesday

5/4/22  5:16 AM Moon Square Neptune  -    You lack emotional grounding and may feel haunted by your past in some way. Making sound decisions now is difficult for you now because you have trouble distinguishing reality from illusion.

Thursday

5/5/22 12:22 AM Sun Conjunct Uranus-  Something completely unexpected occurs which may help you learn something new about yourself. Whether this is a good or a bad thing is debatable. If you feel restricted by others, you could be more rebellious now. Those more familiar with you may find your behavior odd at this time. You may experiment with new and different ways to express yourself 

Friday 

5/6/22 6:13 PM Moon Trine Neptune-   Although your personal energy levels may not be at maximum strength, the urge to do good things is strong under this aspect. You are attracted to things of the spirit and spirituality. You may have a mystical experience. 

Saturday 

5/7/22  1:59 PM Moon Sextile Mercury -  Your mind is clearer and you can tap into your creativity more easily now. You also find it easier to talk about your feelings. So this a good time to use your charm and persuasive powers to resolve conflicts or improve  your relationship

The Astrology of May 2022

 

• 05/02 Venus in Aries 09:10 AM 00° ARI 00’
• 05/10 Jupiter in Aries 04:22 PM 00° ARI 00’
• 05/10 Mercury RX 04:47 AM 04° GEM 51’
• 05/15 Full Moon 09/14 PM 25° SCO 18’
• 05/20 Sun in Gemini 06:23 PM 00° GEM 00’
• 05/22 Mercury in Taurus 06:15 PM 29° TAU 59’
• 05/24 Mars in Aries 04:17 PM 00° ARI 00’
• 05/28 Venus in Taurus 07:46 AM 00° TAU 00’
• 05/30 New Moon 04:30 AM 09° GEM 03’

- Carolina Dean