Pink Saturday

I'm sure once upon a time, I ran across a blog that was hosting a Pink Saturday party. I can't seem to find it so might have to start my own. Anyway here is some pink that tickled me ...pink!

I seriously am in love with this car. It was parked next to the thrift store where I was shopping. I would definately be seen in this. I think I would dye my hair pink to match.

This set of dishes was at the flea market where I got my funky chair. He wanted a hundred dollars for the set and about the same for the chair. I spent hours agonizing over which to get. Went home , thought about it some more, came back the next day, figuring if one was gone that would make my decision easier. They were both there still, so I went with the chair but took some pictures of the dishes so I could remember them. I don't know if the colour really comes through in the picture, but the patina of these dishes took my breath away. They looked like they were from the forties or so. If it had been a set of dinner dishes, I wouldn't have been able to resist them but as they are just a tea set and I don't really drink tea or coffee, I had to go with the chair being more useful. I still think these would have looked awesome displayed in my kitchen.

The chair

The Dishes

Let me know if you want to have a pink party, if so I will set that up for next week

Stay pink,

I am linking to Cindy's Show and Tell Friday

Thifty Sunday

Since I got my floathome, I feel obliged to spend any extra monies I have on renovation supplies. This is a good thing but not quite as satisfying as finding a good deal at the thrift store on pretty stuff. The other day , I couldn't take it anymore and needed a fix of thrift store treasure hunting. Here are my finds of the week

Another serving dish for my growing collection of dishes.

 I seriously love this dish set. The design on the edge is raised and the colour is a beautiful butter yellow

 I found this sweet plate stand to display them

 Another colourful party serving dish

 Interesting story behind this set. I found the bowls in one store and spent quite a bit of time contemplating buying them but as it was only the bowls, I decided not to. Later that day, I went in another store across town and they had the plates! I took that as a sign from the universe that they were meant for me, so bought them then had to hustle back to the other store to get the bowls. They are a lovely soft sage green that will look good in my new sage green accent kitchen.

 I also found this green rug for in front of the sink, its got lovely thick plush to sink my toes into while washing up.

 Some shabby chic fruit for display, love the crackly paint finish on them!

 I love anything Buddha, the hands are great but I especially love the candles which are shaped as lotus flowers.

 A lovely wall sconce

 A very cute set of small blue asian themed plates

 and a cute set of small asian bowls ( don't know if these are old but they have a more authentic looking design than the usual dollar store version)

 I love them together

A beautiful soft green ceramic bottle with asian writing

 and last but not least, my find of the day was these wonderful Christmas ornaments. There were 14 of them altogether for the paltry price of 2.99 for all. I LOVE the hand painted faces.

Total spent......under 20 dollars.....how good it made me feel.......priceless

Happy Thrifting,

                                                         
I am linking to Cindy`s Show and Tell Friday

Ley Lines

Have you ever wondered why certain spots on the earth are deemed sacred or why you feel better in some locations than others? It may be because of Ley Lines.
From Wikipedia,
"Ley lines are alleged alignments of a number of places of geographical interest, such as ancient monuments and megaliths that are thought by certain adherents to dowsing and New Age beliefs to have spiritual power. Their existence was suggested in 1921 by the amateur archaeologist Alfred Watkins, in his book The Old Straight Track. The believers in ley lines think that the lines and their intersection points resonate a special psychic or mystical energy."

A map of Englands Ley Lines and a key of sacred sites that they pass through



 
The earth is considered by many to be a living entity, complete with energy lines running along her surface, just as humans have energy meridians and chakras in their auric field. These earth energy lines crisscross the entire surface of the planet at regular intervals, creating a grid. In some latitudes the lines are about six feet apart and at other latitudes they are further from each other. The generic term for these lines is 'ley lines'.

Places where lots of ley lines intersect seem to be places of extra-ordinary energy and since time began have attracted humans to build places of worship or signifigance such as Stonehenge or the pyramids. Archeoligists have found old churches that sit on land that has always had some kind of house of worship on it, each layer unveiling an even older structure. Many of histories major sites such as Machu Picchu , the pyramids, aztec temples and such have been found to be in alignment with each other on major ley lines.
Ley lines, also known as “leys” and “dragon lines” are phenomena most people have heard of but few really understand. Indeed it would be fair to say that no-one understands them fully, as they remain largely unexplained.


From what we do know, a ley line seems to be a straight line that carries an altered form of the earth’s magnetic field, however it is proving difficult to define that power even to this day.

It has been claimed that birds, fish and animals use them as ‘compasses’, helping them find direction back to breeding grounds and to warmer climates during winter months. They have also been said to be vast prehistoric trade routes.
An article in New Scientist magazine, published in 1987, suggested that species as diverse as pigeons, whales, bees and even bacteria can navigate using the earth’s magnetic field.
It is thought that a tissue containing a substance called magnetite is responsible for this.
Magnetite enables living creatures to sense magnetic changes and has been found in human tissue linked to the ethmoid bone in the front of the skull.

So what defines a ley line?
Ley/Li/Lei : “The supposed straight line of a prehistoric track usually between hilltops” (Concise Oxford Dictionary)
“[Ley lines are] alignments and patterns of powerful, invisible earth energy said to connect various sacred sites, such as churches, temples, stone circles, megaliths, holy wells, burial sites, and other locations of spiritual or magical importance”. (Harper’s Encyclopaedia of Mystical and Paranormal Experience)
The scientific belief, as previously explained, is that these lines are areas of altered magnetic fields.
The more spiritual and romantic belief is that they ooze back the energy from all the people who have trodden these mystical, religious paths since time began.It is even believed that UFOs are drawn to these ley lines, making them attractive to investigators of that particular phenomenon.

Walking across one of these lines is of no particular significance, because we pass across it rapidly. Sleeping on one--or particularly on an intersection of two or more-- is the equivalent to sleeping on a highway intersection. It can be exceedingly bad for your health, cause restless sleep, sleep-walking, and a host of other maladies.

Dowsing will allow you to find these lines and move your bed, your desk, or your favorite TV-watching chair to a healthier spot. Dowsing rods can be made out of a wire coat hanger into two L-shaped rods, and cutting two plastic straws to fit over the handles to allow for easy movement. Holding your rods lightly in your hands, at a level place, ask yourself where is the Hartman Line, or the Curry Net, or underground water (explanation of these lines follows). Then walk slowly forward and sideways until your dowsing rods open or cross.

The Curry Net

Curry lines are a global grid network of electrically charged lines of natural origin. These lines run diagonally to the poles and were first discovered by Dr. Manfred Curry and Dr. Wittmann. The lines are about 3 meters apart, although most experts recognize that this can vary.

The lines themselves are not seen as a problem, only the points where they intersect each other. As the lines are electrically charged, the intersecting points are either double positives, double negatives or one of each. From his studies Dr. Curry felt that the positively charged spots lead to a proliferation of cells, with the possibility of cancerous cell growth, whereas the negatively charged spots could lead to inflammation.

The Hartmann Grid

The Hartmann Grid consists of naturally occurring charged lines, running north-south and east-west. It is named after Dr. Ernst Hartmann, a well regarded German medical doctor, who first described it soon after the second world war. Alternate lines are usually positively and negatively charged, so where the lines intersect it is possible to have double positive charges and double negative charges, or one positive and one negative charge. Like the Curry lines, it is the intersections that are seen to be a source of potential problems.

The Hartmann Grid has been defined using the Chinese terms of Yin and Yang. The Yin (North-South lines) is a cold energy which acts slowly, corresponds to winter and is related to cramps, humidity and all forms of rheumatism. The Yang (east-west lines) is a hot, dry rapidly acting energy. It is related to fire and is linked to inflammation.

Plants and Animals
Plants and animals are sensitive to geopathic stress: stunted trees with peculiar growths are often shown to be growing over areas of geopathic stress. It is as if their branches are trying to get out of the way of the harmful ‘rays’. Horses, dogs, cows, sheep, pigs and mice would not willingly settle over areas of geopathic stress, so if the dog has a favorite spot in your house, it can be identified as safe zone.

On the other hand, certain plants seem to like geopathic ‘stress’, particularly oak trees, firs, elderberry, peach, cherry and mistletoe. Studies in woodland areas show that lightning is far more likely to strike oak trees than, say, beech, which is known to hate geopathic stress zones. Is this telling us these areas are electrically polarized? Von Pohl is emphatic that lightning only strikes at underground water crossings.

Cats too like disturbance zones; so if the cat likes sleeping with you, better move! Some insects such as ants, wasps and beetles thrive over geopathic stress areas; look for ants’ nests along the outer walls of your home. Finally, bacteria and viruses also seem to like affected zones.

The Cure
There are many ways to antidote bad placement. The easiest and most effective is to move the furniture to a better spot. There are theories that copper wire around the bed frame helps, or crystals at the entrance of a ley line to the house.

Many years ago, when I first moved to Vancouver BC, I had an argument with my boyfriend. Frustrated, I left our home and drove around town aimlessly looking for somewhere to sit and think. I was drawn to Jericho beach were I found a nice bench on a ridge overlooking the ocean and the North Shore. I immediately felt at peace there. I calmed down, my thoughts were more rational, a feeling of peace and love came over me and I was able to return home in a much better frame of mind. Years later I read an article about ley lines that mentioned that Jericho beach was a cross roads for a number of ley lines. I wasn't surprised in the least to find out that that spot was considered a sacred spot due to the energy of bisecting ley lines. I didn't need a map to tell me it was a special spot, I felt it in every fiber of my being, just as our ancestors must of recognized certain spots as having a beneficial or special sacred energy.

So when your out in nature and you find a spot that feels special to you, it's not your imagination, stop and sit for a bit and let the earths chakras ( energy vortex) fill your soul with healing energy.
Namaste,

Life is Like a Reality Show

Four years ago, I turned down a road I had never travelled on before and my life hasn't been the same since. I was invited to Mitchell Island , a small industrial island tucked in-between Vancouver and Richmond in the mighty Fraser River. Nestled up in the eastern corner was a community unlike any I had ever come across before. A man with a vision had procured an old military ship for a dollar and had formed a community of people living and working on it. Every day brought lots of challenges and lots of laughs. They inspired me to follow my dream of living on the water. Through their example , I learned what hard work, a steady vision, thinking outside the box and creative recycling could accomplish. A producer saw what they were doing and made a demo for a tv show based on the daily activities here. That demo finally got released to youtube, so here is a taste of life on Mitchell Island.







I am linking to Cindys Show and Tell Friday

House Clearing Ceremony

My House Blessing Altar

 The symbolism behind the objects I chose for my altar.

 This was a cottage I painted onto a stone to represent my home(Wyldestone Cottage), floating on a raft made from a heart on a dark blue silk cloth to represent the water. It has a small Buddha at the front door to symbolize peace to all who enter. There are three red hearts surrounding the house so that it may always be filled with love. I drew a card from the Angel Card series and got an angel climbing a mountain with the word purpose. ( I love this, I am a Capricorn often depicted as a hard working goat always striving to climb the mountain/overcome large obstacles in my life. This house renovation has given me a defined purpose like nothing else.Its a steep mountain but I am enjoying the view!) The cottage is surrounded by a braid of sweetgrass to keep good energy and a connection to spirit surrounding this space.

 The house has two dragons protecting it on either side as well as a phoenix at the top to represent the changes it will be going through during its transformation.The two jars at the top corners hold salt to represent the earth on the left and sacred water from Mongolia on the right.

 The top left corner holds Mother Mary supporting me with her prayers (Spirit) and the top right corner holds two joined lavender candles to represent fire and the balance of Libra which we have just passed into. There is a jade moon healing stone in the bottom left corner to bring healing into the house and in the bottom right corner is my medicine bag with bear medicine to support healing and knowledge.

 I used alternating glass beads to form a heart . Again playing on the balance between light and dark at this time of the year.

 There is a quartz crystal to amplify the prayers I want to put out to the universe.

 I have pictures on either side that represent to me both aspects of my Capricorn , water and mountains. The bottom picture also is a picture of a standing stone circle near my family home in England.

 The middle picture is a picture my Father took in Indonesia of a Buddha. This is to look over everything and bring peace to my endevours.

I meant to do a house clearing ceremony when I first got my house but so much happened so fast, that before I knew it my stuff was in the house already and I was starting on projects. A few full moons went by and each one I started to do this and for some reason never went through with it. Now it is Autumn Equinox and it just happens to fall on the Harvest Full Moon . I think that this is the most auspicious time of the year to do this ceremony. It is important and helpful to bless your home, put a circle of protection around it and infuse the rooms with meaningful intent ( peace, love, security, inspiration, health, abundance) ....any of the things you want in your life and the lives of those that enter your space.

I have been dreaming of owning my own home for most of my life but I think I really manifested it when I started this blog six months ago at Spring Equinox, the first day of spring and all the new beginnings that spring  represents. Now it is Autumn Equinox and it is time to give thanks for a most bountiful harvest.

You can do a space clearing anytime it suits you and as many times as you want to. They are good to clear the energy of places after arguments, grieving, a new move or before births, celebrations, rites of passage or just any time you want to shake things up. To stir up sluggish, negative energy, use loud tools like drums.To soothe stirred up energy, use calming tools like singing bowls or soft chanting. The early morning hours especially after a waxing full moon is a good time to space clear, harnessing the energy of the full moon to magnify your intent.

"Space clearing can have enormous impact on every aspect of your life. When you call for blessings and assistance from the unseen realm of Spirit., untold magic and joy can fill your heart so that your house becomes a home for your soul."
 Denise Linn, author of Space Clearing -  how to purify and create harmony in your home


Ideally you want your house to be freshly cleaned and cleared of all clutter to do a really good job. Thats not going to be the case for me as the chaos is too great to do much with at this time. It is all where it is because at some point it will be put to use where it is or it is out of the way of an ongoing project. I would feel much better though if it was all tucked away and organized. For now I will be happy to bless my space such as it is and fill it with intent to become my dream home in it's finished state.

(Before I start with the space clearing for the inside of the home , I will first be doing this ceremony to put some protection around the perimeter of my property and my home)

There are four steps in space clearing:
Preparation, Purification, Invocation and Preservation

Preparation

Spend time  in nature, slow down and become aware of the earths energy. Practice walking slowly around a room with your arm outstretched and notice where you feel subtle changes in temperature, stickiness in the air etc. Become aware of the subtle energies all around you. Where intention goes, energy flows, so be very clear on what you want to accomplish with your space clearing ie. to raise the energy of a space or to bring peace and harmony. Spend some time with the thought that your body is a sacred vessel that the vast  loving energies of the universe can pass through and out your hands into your home. Before you start, clean your house physically, let in fresh air, clear away all clutter and things like dead plants.Cleanse yourself with a bath or shower, cleaning your head especially to open communication with the higher realms.
Protect your energy field by imagining you are surrounded by a white light of sacred space or put some salt in your pockets to help ground you.

 Prepare your space clearing tools

Choose the tools you wish to work with, things like feathers,crystals,bells,drums, incensce etc.
All tools should be cleaned both before and after your ceremony. Crystals can be put out to charge in the sun for a few hours. The other objects can be purified by passing them through the smoke of burning sage or cedar. Store them in a clean protective silk cloth until your ready to use them.

Preparation on the day

- tidy the space
- put any food and pets away
- cleanse yourself ( bathe in water and then purify yourself with the smoke of a sage smudge stick. Cup the smoke in your hands and wash it:
  - over your closed eyes" so I may see the truth"
  -  over your ears, "so that I may hear the truth",
  -  over your throat " so I may speak the truth",
  -  over your heart "so that my heart remains open"
  -  Cup your hand and pull the smoke over your arms and legs, front and back, over your head and offer some back to the Creator
- drink lots of water
- remove all jewlerry
-set up your* blessing altar ( see below for more information on blessing altars and holy water)
- prepare flower offerings ( pick flowers as the sun is rising, do not smell them, leave the first scent reserved for the spirits)
- Meditate on the task before you
- talk to other members of the houshold about their intention for the space
- focus your intent on the results you wish to achieve
- Offer prayers at the blessing altar for the success of your ceremony

Purification

-Gather the items you will be using for the space clearing and put them on a tray that you can use to carry from room to room. Start at the bottom of the house and work your way upwards.
-Place the tray in the center of the room and stand in the doorway and attune yourself to the energy of the room. Radiate your intention into the space and send prayers to the Creator for guidance and assistance
-using the tools you have selected, circle the room clockwise( or counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere) and use them to break up stagnant energy. You can ring bells, drum, fan sage or cedar smoke, sprinkle salt( or salt and rice mixed with the ashes of prayers written on paper and burnt....sweep this up the next day), push the light of a candle into the corners, and sprinkle** holy water using a feather, a flower or your fingers. This covers air,earth, fire and water, using all the four elements to bless your home.
-once you are finished , go around the room smoothing the energy field with your hand, like you are petting a cat until you sense that it is settled and smooth.
- leave a flower offering and a tea-light(beeswax is best) candle burning in a bowl of salt in the center of the room


Invocation
The invocation stage entails calling on a higher power for assistance, support and inspiration for filling your space with blessings. You can pray for the blessing you wish to enstow in the rooms . You can make symbols in the air using your first two fingers or a quartz crystal to symbolize your intentions such as a heart, or peace sign and draw a figure eight ( the symbol of infinity) at the doorway when you are done to seal the energy in the room. When you have cleared all the rooms, cleanse and bless each member of the household to align their energy with the newly cleansed energy of the home.Return to the blessing altar and give thanks for the good fortune for the home and all its occupants and visitors. Do this with reverence, respect and devotion.

Preservation

Once you are finished you can preserve the wonderful energy you have created by several methods:
-You can write a prayer on a piece of paper and plant it in a favorite plant. Every time it gets watered it will release the prayer
-Draw a symbol or word on a stone to place by the front door or near a plant
-Place a figurine of an angel or something that represents your form of spirituality( budda etc) in a special place in the home to watch over you and yours.
-Hang Tibetan Prayer Flags where they can blow in the breeze, releasing prayers to the universe
-Wash your hands in cool water afterwards. Have a snack of organic fresh food to eat to ground yourself. Everyone from the household should have a salt water bath ( or scrub with salt in the shower) within 6 hours of the space clearing

For more information on the importance of ritual and the specific components of ritual and altars read this post

*Blessing Altars
Altars are a way of creating sacred space and anchoring your intent when performing any kind of ritual. A blessing altar can be created to represent the type of energy you wish to draw to your home. For example an altar to attract love might be set on a pink or red cloth with pink candles, rose quartz, rose petals and a statue of Venus or Aphrodite watching over it. An altar for peace may be set on a blue cloth with blue and white candles, clear quartz crystals, cornflowers and a statue of Budda for inner peace. Place things that signify your intent and a representation of your higher power. You may wish to mark the four directions or four elements ( the colours are white/north, yellow/east, red or green/south and black/west. The elements are earth(salt)/north, feather/air/east,smudge or inscence/south and bowl of water /west.
All your tools that you will be using for your space clearing ceremony should be there as well.

Start your ceremony at the altar, take time to meditate there on your purpose, call in your higher power, say your prayers and state your intent.

 An example of a prayer for this might be:
I dedicate this space clearing to love, joy and good health. May harmony and peace embrace all the members of this family and may all that enter this place find comfort here. I humbly ask for spiritual guidance during this space clearing ( Denise Linn)

 When you are finished your ceremony, return to your altar to ground the energies that may have been stirred up.

An example of a prayer you may use at the conclusion could be:
Creator, spiritual guardians and angels, thank you, for the loving assistance that was given to us during this space clearing ceremony. Thank you for the peace and joy that is now flowing in this home. may the effects of this clearing and blessing continue for the months ahead, and may the wonderful, positive energy that has been instilled in this home bring comfort and rejunvenation to all.( Denise Linn)

** Holy water- you can obtain holy water from a temple or shrine or make your own. Water from a sacred place is best or at least make sure it is from a natural fresh water spring and bottled in glass.Water to be used for a space clearing should be in a glass or ceramic container( not metal or plastic). Pray and say incantations over the water such as "May the Creator within all things fill this water with blessings and peace. May the water bring purification, healing and love to this home and all who dwell there. So be it!"


Then use one of three ways to charge the water:
-leave it outdoors in direct sunlight for 3 hours for infusing your home with vibrant life and energy
-leave it outdoors under a full moon for creating a restful, nuturing,inspiring energy
-leave it outdoors on a moonless night with lots of stars for stellar energy which is joyful, full of magic and rapture
 Use feathers, flower petals, sprigs of rosemary or cedar to sprinkle your holy water or use it in a mister to mist the room



blessings and joy in your beautiful space,
namaste,


I am linking with Cindys Show and Tell Friday

Mabon - Autumn Equinox

                                                 Autumn Equinox

An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the center of the Sun being in the same plane as the Earth's equator. The term equinox can also be used in a broader sense, meaning the date when such a passage happens. The name "equinox" is derived from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night), because around the equinox, the night and day are approximately equally long

Names

Vernal equinox and autumnal equinox: these classical names are direct derivatives of Latin (ver = spring and autumnus = autumn).


March equinox and September equinox: a usage becoming the preferred standard by technical writers choosing to avoid Northern Hemisphere bias (implied by assuming that March is in the springtime and September is autumnal—true for those in the Northern Hemisphere but exactly opposite in the Southern Hemisphere).
 
Also called Harvest Home, this holiday is a ritual of thanksgiving for the fruits of the Earth and a recognition of the need to share them to secure the blessings of the Goddess and God during the winter months. Among the sabbats, it ( Mabon) is the second of the three harvest festivals, preceded by Lammas and followed by Samhain.

Mabon was not an authentic ancient festival either in name or date. The autumn equinox was not celebrated in Celtic countries, while all that is known about Anglo-Saxon customs of that time was that September was known as haleg-monath or 'holy month'.

The name Mabon has only been applied to the neopagan festival of the autumn equinox very recently; the term was invented by Aidan Kelly in the 1970s as part of a religious studies project. (The use of Litha for the Summer Solstice is also attributed to Kelly).

Previously, in Gardnerian Wicca the festival was simply known as the 'Autumnal Equinox', and many neopagans still refer to it as such, or use alternative titles such as the neo-Druidical Aban Efed, a term invented by Iolo Morgannwg.

The name Mabon was chosen to impart a more authentic-sounding "Celtic" feel to the event, since all the other festivals either had names deriving from genuine tradition, or had had names grafted on to them. The Spring Equinox had already been misleadingly termed 'Ostara', and so only the Autumn Equinox was left with a technical rather than an evocative title. Accordingly, the name Mabon was given to it, having been drawn (seemingly at random) from Welsh mythology.

The use of the name Mabon is much more prevalent in America than Britain, where many neopagans are scornfully dismissive of it as a blatantly inauthentic practice. The increasing number of American Neopagan publications sold in Britain by such publishers as Llewellyn has however resulted in some British neopagans adopting the term.

The Druids call this celebration, Mea'n Fo'mhair, and honor the The Green Man, the God of the Forest, by offering libations to trees. Offerings of ciders, wines, herbs and fertilizer are appropriate at this time. Wiccans celebrate the aging Goddess as she passes from Mother to Crone, and her consort the God as he prepares for death and re-birth.

The month of September also marks the 'Wine Moon,' the lunar cycle when grapes are harvested from the arbors, pressed and put away to become wine...The full moon closest to the Autumn Equinox is known as the 'Harvest Moon,' since farmers would also harvest their crops during the night with the light of the full moon to aid them."


"Symbols celebrating the season include various types of gourd and melons. Stalk can be tied together symbolizing the Harvest Lord and then set in a circle of gourds. A besom ( broom made of twigs) can be constructed to symbolize the polarity of male and female. The Harvest Lord is often symbolized by a straw man, whose sacrificial body is burned and its ashes scattered upon the earth. The Harvest Queen, or Kern Baby, is made from the last sheaf of the harvest and bundled by the reapers who proclaim, 'We have the Kern!' The sheaf is dressed in a white frock decorated with colorful ribbons depicting spring, and then hung upon a pole (a phallic fertility symbol). In Scotland, the last sheaf of harvest is called the Maiden, and must be cut by the youngest female in attendance

Various other names for this Lesser Wiccan Sabbat are The Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Alben Elfed (Caledonii), or Cornucopia. The Teutonic name, Winter Finding, spans a period of time from the Sabbat to Oct. 15th, Winter's Night, which is the Norse New Year. At this festival it is appropriate to wear all of your finery and dine and celebrate in a lavish setting. It is the drawing to and of family as we prepare for the winding down of the year at Samhain. It is a time to finish old business as we ready for a period of rest, relaxation, and reflection.

The author of the Pagan Family Circle writes: "While in the past, most all were farmers, this harvest festival traditionally applies to the harvest of foods, yet in this day and age, the 'harvest' may also apply to the 'seeds of dreams and wishes' that were planted many months earlier. Now is the time to see if they have come true. Whether they have come true or not ... a ritual to thank the growing energies of the God and the fertility of the Goddess should be preformed at this time. Lay upon your altar a sampling of your 'harvest'.... use it freely in your ritual. (Note: even if your 'harvest' came up empty, IE: your dreams were not fulfilled, the God and Goddess should still be thanked for the effort put forth in your name)"


Fall celebrations by various faiths and countries - ancient and modern
 
ANCIENT BRITAIN: Both the solstices and equinoxes "were the highly sophisticated preoccupation of the mysterious Megalithic peoples who pre-dated Celt, Roman and Saxon on Europe's Atlantic fringe by thousands of years." Stonehenge and other stone structures were aligned so that the solstices and equinoxes could be determined.

ANCIENT IRELAND: The spring and fall equinox were celebrated in ancient times. A cluster of megalithic cairns are scattered through the hills at Loughcrew, about 55 miles North West of Dublin in Ireland. Longhcrew Carin T is called a passage tomb. It was designed so that the light from the rising sun on the spring and summer equinoxes penetrates a long corridor and illuminates a backstone, which is decorated with astronomical symbols.

ASTROLOGERS: On the day of the fall solstice, the sun enters the sign of Libra -- the constellation of the balance or scales.

CHINA:The Chinese have Mid-Autumn or Moon festival. The predominant mood of these autumnal celebrations is a gladness for the fruits of the Earth mixed with a certain melancholy linked to the imminence of harsh weather. Remembrance of ancestors is also a common theme.

The joyous Mid-Autumn Festival, the third and last festival for the living, was celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth moon, around the time of the autumn equinox. Many referred to it simply as the "Fifteenth of the Eighth Moon". In the Western calendar, the day of the festival usually occurred sometime between the second week of September and the second week of October.


This day was also considered a harvest festival since fruits, vegetables and grain had been harvested by this time and food was abundant. With delinquent accounts settled prior to the festival , it was a time for relaxation and celebration. Food offerings were placed on an altar set up in the courtyard. Apples, pears, peaches, grapes, pomegranates , melons, oranges and pomelos might be seen. Special foods for the festival included moon cakes, cooked taro, edible snails from the taro patches or rice paddies cooked with sweet basil, and water caltrope, a type of water chestnut resembling black buffalo horns. Some people insisted that cooked taro be included because at the time of creation, taro was the first food discovered at night in the moonlight. Of all these foods, it could not be omitted from the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The round moon cakes, measuring about three inches in diameter and one and a half inches in thickness, resembled Western fruitcakes in taste and consistency. These cakes were made with melon seeds, lotus seeds, almonds, minced meats, bean paste, orange peels and lard. A golden yolk from a salted duck egg was placed at the center of each cake, and the golden brown crust was decorated with symbols of the festival. Traditionally, thirteen moon cakes were piled in a pyramid to symbolize the thirteen moons of a "complete year," that is, twelve moons plus one intercalary moon.


The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional festivity for both the Han and minority nationalities. The custom of worshipping the moon (called xi yue in Chinese) can be traced back as far as the ancient Xia and Shang Dynasties (2000 B.C.-1066 B.C.). In the Zhou Dynasty(1066 B.C.-221 B.C.), people hold ceremonies to greet winter and worship the moon whenever the Mid-Autumn Festival sets in. It becomes very prevalent in the Tang Dynasty(618-907 A.D.) that people enjoy and worship the full moon.
In the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 A.D.), however, people send round moon cakes to their relatives as gifts in expression of their best wishes of family reunion. When it becomes dark, they look up at the full silver moon or go sightseeing on lakes to celebrate the festival. Since the Ming (1368-1644 A.D. ) and Qing Dynasties (1644-1911A.D.), the custom of Mid-Autumn Festival celebration becomes unprecedented popular. Together with the celebration there appear some special customs in different parts of the country, such as burning incense, planting Mid-Autumn trees, lighting lanterns on towers and fire dragon dances. However, the custom of playing under the moon is not so popular as it used to be nowadays, but it is not less popular to enjoy the bright silver moon. Whenever the festival sets in, people will look up at the full silver moon, drinking wine to celebrate their happy life or thinking of their relatives and friends far from home, and extending all of their best wishes to them.


There is a legend about moon-cakes. During the Yuan dynasty (A.D. 1280-1368) China was ruled by the Mongolian people. Leaders from the preceding Sung dynasty (A.D. 960-1280) were unhappy at submitting to the foreign rule, and set how to coordinate the rebellion without being discovered. The leaders of the rebellion, knowing that the Moon Festival was drawing near, ordered the making of special cakes. Backed into each moon caked was a message with the outline of the attack. On the night of the Moon Festival, the rebels successfully attached and overthrew the government. Today, moon cakes are eaten to commemorate this legend. For generations, moon cakes have been made with sweet fillings of nuts, mashed red beans, lotus-seed paste or Chinese dates, wrapped in a pastry. Sometimes a cooked egg yolk can be found in the middle of the rich tasting dessert. People compare moon cakes to the plum pudding and fruit cakes which are served in the English holiday seasons. Nowadays, there are hundreds varieties of moon cakes on sale a month before the arrival of Moon Festival.

For thousands of years, the Chinese people have related the vicissitudes of life to changes of the moon as it waxes and wanes; joy and sorrow, parting and reunion. Because the full moon is round and symbolizes reunion, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as the festival of reunion. All family members try to get together on this special day. Those who can not return home watch the bright moonlight and feel deep longing for their loved ones.


Today, festivities centered about the Mid-Autumn Festival are more varied. After a family reunion dinner, many people like to go out to attend special perfomances in parks or on public squares.People in different parts of China have different ways to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. In Guangzhou in South China, a huge lantern show is a big attraction for local citizens. Thousands of differently shaped lanterns are lit, forming a fantastic contrast with the bright moonlight.

In East Chia's Zhejiang Province, watching the flood tide of the Qian-tang River during the Mid-Autumn Festival is not only a must for local peple, but also an attraction for those from other parts of the country. The ebb and flow of tides coincide with the waxing and waning of the moon as it exerts a strong gravitational pull. In mid autumn, the sun, earth and moon send out strong gravitational forces upon the seas. The outh of the Qiantang River is shaped lik a bugle. So the flood tide which forms at the narrow mouth is particularly impressive. Spectators crowd on the river bank, watching the roaring waves. At its peak, the tide rises as high as three and a half meters.


CHRISTIANITY: The Christian Church replaced earlier Pagan solstices and equinox celebrations during Medieval times, with Christianized observances. Replacing the fall equinox is Michaelmas, the feast of the Archangel Michael, on SEP-29. "His feast was celebrated with a traditional well-fattened goose which had fed well on the stubble of the fields after the harvest. In many places, a there was also a tradition of special large loaves of bread made only for that day. By Michaelmas the harvest had to be completed and the new cycle of farming would begin. It was a time for beginning new leases, rendering accounts and paying the annual dues."

Other substitutions by the Church were: Replacing the spring equinox by the Feast of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is held on MAR-25, on the nominal date of the spring equinox according to the old Julian calendar. There was a "brief flirtation with calling the Vernal Equinox 'Gabrielmas.' " This is the time when the angel Gabriel told Mary that she was pregnant. (Luke 1:26-38)

Replacing the summer solstice, Midsummer Day, is the feast of St. John the Baptist, celebrated on JUN-24.

Replacing the winter solstice is Christmas, on DEC-25 when Mary is traditionally believed to have given birth to Jesus, while still a virgin.


CHUMASH: This is a Native American tribe from Southern California. They celebrate their fall equinox sun ceremony during their month of Hutash (September). It takes place "after the harvest is picked, processed and stored....Kakunupmawa is a ritual name for the Sun. According to traditional Chumash lore, all humans were known as children of the Sun, or 'sons of Kakunupmawa.' " 5 The spiritual thoughts of the tribe would become focused the importance of unity in the face of winter confinement, death and rebirth.



DRUIDS: At this time of the year, the ancient Celts conducted a mock sacrifice of a large wicker-work figure which represented the vegetation spirit. This might have been the origin of Julius Caesar's comment in his Gallic Wars that the Druids performed human sacrifices. Although he never witnessed a human sacrifice and never met anyone who had, this story has been accepted and repeated often enough to be accepted as truth. The Celtic mock sacrifice has been reborn in the Burning Man Project, a yearly fall festival celebrated for one week in Black Rock Desert in Nevada.  The movie "The Wicker Man" was based on the Celtic tradition; to say more would ruin the film if you are seeing it for the first time.


FRANCE: A new calendar was adopted at the time of the French Revolution in the late 18th century. The first day of the year, the 1st of Vendemiaire (the grape-harvest month), was the date of the fall equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. The year was divided into twelve months of 30 days each. That left five or six surplus days which were celebrations ending the year, in honor of virtue, genius, work, opinion, prizes and revolution.



MAYAN: The ancient Mayans constructed a pyramid at Cihick©n Itz© which displayed different patterns of triangles of light at the time of the solstices and equinoxes. The dates signaled the start of a harvest, planting, or a religious ceremony. On the fall equinox, seven triangles become visible on the pyramid's staircase. 8



NATIVE AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY: There are countless stone structures created by Natives in the past and still standing in North America. One was called Calendar One by its modern-day finder. It is in a natural amphitheatre of about 20 acres in size in Vermont. From a stone enclosure in the center of the bowl, one can see a number of vertical rocks and other markers around the edge of the bowl "At the winter solstice, the sun rose at the southern peak of the east ridge and set at a notch at the southern end of the west ridge." The summer solstice and both equinoxes were similarly marked. 9



"America's Stonehenge" is a 4,000 year old megalithic site located on Mystery Hill in Salem NH. Carbon dating has estimated the age of some charcoal remnants at 3,000 and 4,000 years ago. Researchers have concluded that the site was erected either by Native Americans or an unknown migrant European population. 10 The site contains five standing stones and one fallen stone in a linear alignment which point to both the sunrise and sunset at the and fall equinoxes.

Mabon is one of the eight solar holidays or sabbats of American Neopaganism. It is celebrated on the autumn equinox, which in the northern hemisphere is circa September 21 and in the southern hemisphere is circa March 21.


JAPAN: The Spring and Autumn Equinoxes are observed as the seven-day celebration: the Higan-e. It is celebrated for three days before and after each Equinox. Six days was chosen because it is based on the six perfections, giving, observance of the precepts, perseverance, effort, meditation and wisdom - needed before one goes from this shore of samsara to the further shore or nirvana. Higan has Buddhist origins. It means the "other side of the river of death." This side of the river is the world where we live, and the other side is the realm where the souls of those who have passed away dwell. To pray for the repose of deceased ancestors, visits are made to the family grave. 'Bon' in August (July in some regions) is a time when the souls of our ancestors come to visit the people. On higan, it is their turn to visit the souls. Visiting the family grave usually means cleaning the tombstone, offering flowers and food, burning incense sticks, and praying. A popular offering is ohagi, made with glutinous rice covered with adzuki-bean paste or soybean flour. As higan approaches, confectioners become very busy trying to meet the expected demand for ohagi.


The rituals include repentance of past sins and prayers for enlightenment in the next life. It also includes remembrance of the dead and visits to the family graves. It is thought that the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes, being the most temperate times of the year, are ideal moments to reflect on the meaning of life." The Autumnal Equinox Day is an official national holiday in Japan, and is spent visiting family graves, and holding family reunions. There's a saying that goes, "both the heat and cold end with higan."
Symbolism of Mabon:
Second Harvest, the Mysteries, Equality and Balance.

Symbols of Mabon:
wine, gourds, pine cones, acorns, grains, corn, apples, pomegranates, vines such as ivy, dried seeds, and horns of plenty.

Herbs of Mabon:
Acorn, benzoin, ferns, grains, honeysuckle, marigold, milkweed, myrrh, passion flower, rose, sage, solomon's seal, tobacco, thistle, and vegetables.

Foods of Mabon:
Breads, nuts, apples, pomegranates, and vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions.

Incense of Mabon:
Autumn Blend-benzoin, myrrh, and sage.

Colors of Mabon:
Red, orange, russet, maroon, brown, and gold.

Stones of Mabon:
Sapphire, lapis lazuli, and yellow agates.

Activities of Mabon:
Making wine, gathering dried herbs, plants, seeds and seed pods, walking in the woods, scattering offerings in harvested fields, offering libations to trees, adorning burial sites with leaves, acorns, and pine cones to honor those who have passed over.



Spellworkings of Mabon:
Protection, prosperity, security, and self-confidence. Also those of harmony and balance.
The Autumn Equinox begins at 00 Libra a time souls seek balance.


There are those who believe the equinox solar affect produces a reduction in the magnetic field of the Earth, providing easier access to other dimensions beginning around 24 hours before, and ending around 24 hours after the exact Equinox point.

Doorways or thresholds into the mysteries are more easily accessed during equinoxes and when we consciously engage this timing we are taking advantage of the opportunity to further activate our own experience of these sacred timings and what they have to offer us. This is a great time to be on the land, in a power spot that calls to you, whether that is in a forest, near a body of water, on a mountain, in a sacred site or in your back yard. What is important is to create the time and space that supports a direct experience of the mysteries that are ready to reveal themselves to you.

Depending on your individual spiritual path, there are many different ways you can celebrate Mabon, but typically the focus is on either the second harvest aspect, or the balance between light and dark. This, after all, is the time when there is an equal amount of day and night. While we celebrate the gifts of the earth, we also accept that the soil is dying. We have food to eat, but the crops are brown and going dormant. Warmth is behind us, cold lies ahead.

Mabon is the time of the autumn equinox, and the harvest is winding down. The fields are nearly bare, because the crops have been stored for the coming winter. Mabon is a time when we take a few moments to honor the changing seasons, and celebrate the second harvest. On or around September 21, for many Pagan and Wiccan traditions it is a time of giving thanks for the things we have, whether it is abundant crops or other blessings. It is also a time of balance and reflection, following the theme of equal hours light and dark. Here are some ways you and your family can celebrate this day of bounty and abundance.


1. Find Some Balance

Mabon is a time of balance, when there are equal hours of darkness and light, and that can affect people in different ways. For some, it's a season to honor the darker aspects of the goddess, calling upon that which is devoid of light. For others, it's a time of thankfulness, of gratitude for the abundance we have at the season of harvest. Because this is, for many people, a time of high energy, there is sometimes a feeling of restlessness in the air, a sense that something is just a bit "off". If you're feeling a bit spiritually lopsided, with this simple meditation you can restore a little balance into your life. You can also try a ritual to bring balance and harmony to your home.


2. Hold a Food Drive

Many Pagans and Wiccans count Mabon as a time of thanks and blessings -- and because of that, it seems like a good time to give to those less fortunate than ourselves. If you find yourself blessed with abundance at Mabon, why not give to those who aren't? Invite friends over for a feast, but ask each of them to bring a canned food, dry goods, or other non-perishable items? Donate the collected bounty to a local food bank or homeless shelter.


3. Pick Some Apples

Apples are the perfect symbol of the Mabon season. Long connected to wisdom and magic, there are so many wonderful things you can do with an apple. Find an orchard near you, and spend a day with your family. As you pick the apples, give thanks to Pomona, goddess of fruit trees. Be sure to only pick what you're going to use -- if you can, gather plenty to take home and preserve for the coming winter months. Take your apples home and use them in rituals, for divination, and for delicious recipes that your family can enjoy all season long.


4. Count Your Blessings

Mabon is a time of giving thanks, but sometimes we take our fortune for granted. Sit down and make a gratitude list. Write down things that you are thankful for. An attitude of gratefulness helps bring more abundance our way -- what are things you're glad you have in your life? Maybe it's the small things, like "I'm glad I have my cat Peaches" or "I'm glad my car is running." Maybe it's something bigger, like "I'm thankful I have a warm home and food to eat" or "I'm thankful people love me even when I'm cranky." Keep your list some place you can see it, and add to it when the mood strikes you.

5. Honor the Darkness

Without darkness, there is no light. Without night, there can be no day. Despite a basic human need to overlook the dark, there are many positive aspects to embracing the dark side, if it's just for a short time. After all, it was Demeter's love for her daughter Persephone that led her to wander the world, mourning for six months at a time, bringing us the death of the soil each fall. In some paths, Mabon is the time of year that celebrates the Crone aspect of a triune goddess. Celebrate a ritual that honors that aspect of the Goddess which we may not always find comforting or appealing, but which we must always be willing to acknowledge. Call upon the gods and goddesses of the dark night, and ask for their blessings this time of year.

6. Get Back to Nature

Fall is here, and that means the weather is bearable once more. The nights are becoming crisp and cool, and there's a chill in the air. Take your family on a nature walk, and enjoy the changing sights and sounds of the outdoors. Listen for geese honking in the sky above you, check the trees for changing in the colors of the leaves, and watch the ground for dropped items like acorns, nuts, and seed pods. If you live in an area that doesn't have any restrictions on removing natural items from park property, take a small bag with you and fill it up with the things you discover along the way. Bring your goodies home for your family's altar. If you are prohibited from removing natural items, fill your bag with trash and clean up the outdoors!

7. Tell Timeless Stories

In many cultures, fall was a time of celebration and gathering. It was the season in which friends and relatives would come from far and near to get together before the cold winter kept them apart for months at a time. Part of this custom was storytelling. Learn the harvest tales of your ancestors or of the people indigenous to the area in which you live. A common theme in these stories is the cycle of death and rebirth, as seen in the planting season. Learn about the stories of Osiris, Mithras, Dionysius, Odin and other deities who have died and then restored to life.

8. Raise Some Energy

It's not uncommon for Pagans and Wiccans to make remarks regarding the "energy" of an experience or event. If you're having friends or family over to celebrate Mabon with you, you can raise group energy by working together. A great way to do this is with a drum or music circle. Invite everyone to bring drums, rattles, bells, or other instruments. Those who don't have an instrument can clap their hands. Begin in a slow, regular rhythm, gradually increasing the tempo until it reaches a rapid pace. End the drumming at a pre-arranged signal, and you'll be able to feel that energy wash over the group in waves. Another way of raising group energy is chanting, or with dance. With enough people, you can hold a Spiral Dance.

9. Celebrate Hearth & Home

As autumn rolls in, we know we'll be spending more time indoors in just a few months. Take some time to do a fall version of spring cleaning. Physically clean your home from top to bottom, and then do a ritual smudging. Use sage or sweetgrass, or asperge with consecrated water as you go through your home and bless each room. Decorate your home with symbols of the harvest season, and set up a family Mabon altar. Put sickles, scythes and bales of hay around the yard. Collect colorful autumn leaves, gourds and fallen twigs and place them in decorative baskets in your house. If you have any repairs that need to be done, do them now so you don't have to worry about them over the winter. Throw out or give away anything that's no longer of use.

10. Welcome the Gods of the Vine

Grapes are everywhere, so it's no surprise that the Mabon season is a popular time to celebrate winemaking, and deities connected to the growth of the vine. Whether you see him as Bacchus, Dionysus, the Green Man, or some other vegetative god, the god of the vine is a key archetype in harvest celebrations. Take a tour of a local winery and see what it is they do this time of year. Better yet, try your hand at making your own wine! If you're not into wine, that's okay -- you can still enjoy the bounty of grapes, and use their leaves and vines for recipes and craft projects. However you celebrate these deities of vine and vegetation, you may want to leave a small offering of thanks as you reap the benefits of the grape harvest.


This is also an auspicious time to do a blessing to protect your house. As this day marks six months for me since I gave birth to this blog and began the physical manifistation of my home, I want to mark the occasion by giving my new home a good psychic cleansing and a blessing for positive energy and protection against negative energy
How to Hold a Hearth and Home Rite for Mabon

Check in with yourself and see if you are maintaining balance in the fundemental aspects of your life.
Namaste,

How Prepared Are You if the SHTF ?

I guess alot of that depends on how bad the shit is. There are so many ways that things can go wrong in our environment. Are you prepared for the power being off for a few days? How about if its off for  a few months?   What if there is no clean running water,  if the roads are not passable, or if your home is so damaged, you can't re- enter it. What if you can't buy food, if you are injured, what if..... ?

We have all seen our brothers and sisters around the world put into horrific situations that happen suddenly( the Quebec icestorm, the Haitian earthquake, Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami, civil unrest and war). How prepared are you to cope when the lights go out and services are not available? Would you know what to do?

The experience that changed my life was an ice storm. I was living in Chilliwack BC at the time in a one bedroom apartment. I had zero emergency supplies on hand when the power went out. It took awhile to sink in just how dire things really were. We had electric basebord heaters, so it didn't take long for it to get really,really cold once there was no power to run them. Then boredom set in, but shoot, no tv, no radio, no lights to see by to play cards etc. Hmm , well lets go eat something. Wait, can't defrost anything, can't toast anything, can't heat anything up, don't really have much in the way of food that needs no preparation. Well how about going and soaking in the bath to kill some time and warm up. Wait for it, no power means no hot water either. OK, this is starting to freak me out, lets get out of here and go buy some food. Well, the whole town has lost power, the ice is so thick that it had completely coated the car in about 8 inches of ice and welded it right to the road. Couldn't drive anywhere, the roads impassable even if I could get in the car. All the restaurants are closed as are the grocery stores. Can't buy food, can't get warm, can't leave town, can't call anyone, now what? ( This was back in the day of no cell phones or internet. The phones lines were all down, nobody could call out to the world!)

 That went on for four days! I was shocked to think I could have died right in the middle of civilization all because there was no power. How reliant we had become on that switch on the wall always functioning for us. On food always being available 24/7, on being able to go out and just purchase whatever we needed whenever we wanted it. When all that was taken away in the blink of an eye, we reverted back to helpless babes. I vowed then and there to never be caught with my pants down again. I took courses in primitive living skills and first aid, I stocked up with emergency supplies of all kinds, I made a point of every home I lived in since then having a wood heat source.(preferably a woodstove with a surface to cook on, but a fireplace at the minimum.) I also keep a propane camp stove handy. As I design my home, I am always thinking , worst case scenerio, how comfortable would I be here if the SHTF.

There are tons of books written about survival techniques, so I'm not going to write one here as there are so many things to know. I will give you my version of the short form of what you need to do to survive, the rest you will need to research yourself. I highly recommend that you make it a priority to inform yourself. God forbid anything should ever happen, hopefully it won't, but if it does, it happens in seconds and there is no time to think how to react, by then, you just have to be ready.

At the very least, I would recommend taking first aid courses on a regular basis. Practice with family and friends. Pick random times and say to each other, "this is a drill, I'm having a heart attack, drank some poison, broke a bone" etc etc. Pick random things and have the person explain or show you how they would treat you. Do it at unexpected times, when they are sleeping, in the bath, busy doing something. Why, because thats how it will be in real life. I've saved a few peoples lives and both times, I was woken out of a deep sleep to do it. I had to assess the situation, stay calm and do the right thing , with only seconds to react. I am so grateful I was able to do what needed to be done. Buy a good first aid book and keep it handy next to your first aid kit which should be full and extensive ( think of every way you could be hurt or in discomfort and have a remedy available). When the SHTF, help may not be available for days, it will be up to you to keep yourself and others alive. An infected cut could kill someone, so don't overlook minor injuries.

Buy a copy( or several ) of the SAS survival guide. They make a nice pocket size addition that covers most of what you need to know to stay alive in an emergency. Keep one in the car, one in the house, one at work. You may not be able to access one or more of those places depending on what happens. Personally, I keep a first aid book and SAS guide as bathroom reading material. I can read short bits of info at a time and keep it fresh in my mind when it's needed.

Priority sequence for staying alive is :
1. treat any medical emergencies, stabilize people before moving them if possible.
2.depending on the climate your in, figure out how your going to avoid hypothermia or heat stroke( both can kill in a matter of hours, this is your absolute priority!)
3. figure out your best source of clean drinking water. Dehydration can kill you in a couple of days. Don't drink dirty water in desperation, dying of diahrrea is worse than dying of thirst. You would be better off drinking your own urine than bad water. ( really , honestly, look it up !)
4. find safe shelter and a way to provide heat if neccesary
5. find a way to let others know you are in trouble
6.look for food (this one is not as important, you can actually live quite awhile without food, people do it all the time. The danger is in getting weak when you need your strength and wits about you. ( a caution here, if you were starving and you came across some rabbits and decided to eat them, you would die even faster. Why? Your body needs fats and rabbit is too lean.Rabbit starvation, also referred to as protein poisoning or mal de caribou, is a form of acute malnutrition caused by excess consumption of any lean meat (e.g., rabbit) coupled with a lack of other sources of nutrients usually in combination with other stressors, such as severe cold or dry environment. Symptoms include diarrhea, headache, fatigue, low blood pressure and heart rate, and a vague discomfort and hunger that can only be satisfied by consumption of fat or carbohydrates. If you can't find some carbs or fat to eat with it, you would be better off not eating it at all. You might want to put a book on edible foliage in that bathroom reading  library.

There are many ways to accomplish the steps above. This is where you need to educate yourself on all the ways to keep warm , find water etc. Your local environment will give you some ideas of the kind of dangers you could face and you should know the edible and medicinal properties of your local vegetation.

The Basics ( the list can really be endless for trying to be prepared, everything from a bugout bag to a full on bunker could be had, but here are some things that can come in handy for sure)

1. windup flashlight/radio . This is a priority, you need to be able to see and news updates can be helpful, you may not always have batteries or power so windup is best)
2. candles,water/wind proof matches/lighters, steel wool or birch bark( both will light when wet)
3. axe/ hatchet, a good knive( carbon steel blade is best, that along with a piece of flint and you have another source of spark for a fire)
4. water sterilizing methods( bleach, iodine pills, filtration pumps, or some way to heat water to boiling, at the very least one pot or camp kettle with a lid and a small flat grill which can be useful to put over rocks and hold your pot)
5. steel soled boots, work gloves,sturdy clothes ( you may be digging your way out of rubble)
6. first aid kit ( can't spend enough here, be prepared)
7. wool blankets and wool socks ( they retain body heat even when wet and wool socks won't give you blisters if you have to walk out of the area) ,space blanket
8. plastic bags of various sizes, can use them to collect water from small trickles and all kinds of other uses( as a rain coat, keeping your stuff dry etc)
9. signal mirror and whistle, bright coloured toque
10. bungy cords( you can rig up almost anything with some well placed bungy cords and a tarp or two)
11. snares, fish hooks, fishing line, tin foil, bouilion cubes,dehydrated food, power bars

I think if I had all this along with my first aid book and SAS survival book in a backpack, I would be ok for quite awhile.  Depending on any room left in the bag, cash ( cards may not work),  a compass, writing stuff to leave notes for people,  a few clothespins, rope, a swiss army knife type of thing, useful items for trade ( coffee, sugar, tampons,tobacco). I don't believe in firearms but if you think it will come to that to survive make sure its clean , serviced and you have lots of ammunition. A small lightweight hammock to sleep off the ground. Try and keep your bag as light as possible, you won't be carrying it very far if it weighs 200 pounds. Make sure it all fits in a backpack. You want to be able to walk with your hands free. An external frame pack is best as you can lash more stuff to it  if need be. Make sure it has a really good, thick waist belt  and padded   adjustable shoulder straps.

Oh and don't forget your pets and their needs!

Try and use your ingenuity to solve problems and make do when you don't have the tool you want to do the job. You might want to have a moped or bicycle. If the roadways are destroyed a small vehicle like a bike has a better chance of getting out of the area. If you live near water or in an area prone to flooding , have some kind of boat to get around in( doesn't have to be big and fancy, just has to float, some oars or paddles will help as well.)

If your in an earthquake, your best odds of survival are by crouching next to a solid object that won't compress such as a couch. Survivors are almost always found in pockets where the debris hadn't crushed them. Don't go under things but right beside something big and bulky and away from falling objects like bookcases.

Don't live in a state of fear, just be ready and informed, so that if you have to make life saving decisions, you will make the right ones. Outfit your home so that if the power was to go off tonight, you could stay warm, heat some food, and be able to see what you are doing. Practice safety drills with your family and make sure everyone knows what the alternative plan is if you get separated ( a meeting place or an outside contact to leave messages with.)

Here are some good resources to check out

Rabbitstick-Wintercount this is a link to two awesome yearly events, Rabbitstick and Wintercount where you can go and learn hands-on primitive living skills. Everything from how to start a fire without matches to building shelters. They have some of the most knowledge instructors in the world and it is an experience you will never forget.

The Society of  PrimitiveTechnology  excellent magazine and article achives

Backtracks Abo Links lots of great links here to all things primitive related

Equipped to Survive  they rate the small personal survival kits - very good site

Knol thoughts on what to put in your bug-out-bag(BOB)

Homemade Survival Tin well thought out small survival tin

Militia Homepage tons of informative articles on everything you need to know to survive and protect     yourself

SHTF Plan lots of articles and links

SHTF Forum awesome forum with tons of posts on all kinds of survival related subjects

Be prepared!  as the Boy Scouts say

The SHTF for millions of people this year alone, what if......................... it was you?

I am linking with Cindy's Show and Tell Fridays