The last week or so has been a chaotic whirlwind of activity that has led me to be offered and accepting a new job. I wont give too much details as I’ve always maintained this is a personal blog and always had a strict rule about not discussing work. Needless to say this rule will be maintained in my new post.

But it is an exciting opportunity, out of the geographic area I currently work in and will present me with some new challenges. I’ll have read up and update myself on Nursing practices in a hospital setting, as I haven’t worked in a hospital since I completed my Nurse training. I’m looking forward to starting the post in the coming months, embracing the learning opportunities the post brings as well as developing best practice.

Now on to things to look forward too over the next few months:

• Watching John Barrowman live – I didn’t manage to see him last year due to being ill (see The long fantastic weekend, that never happened).
• Dressing up the cats in costumes for Halloween / Samhain.
  (If anyone knows where I can buy cat costumes, please let me know by commenting. I can find plenty of human Halloween costumes online, but none so far for the cats.)
• Undertaking Samhain ritual with Simon & Chrys (see Pagan Festivals).
• Having a private Samhain ritual to commerate the loss of my brother Alex (see My Darling Baby Brother) earlier this year.
• Reading The Fear by Charlie Higson and The Time of My Life by Cecelia Ahern.
• Yule / Christmas – the opportunity to take some time out with my family and friends. Plus it’s the cats first Christmas, so they will be spoilt. No doubt they’ll manage to bring down the Christmas tree. I’m sure it will have sad moments since Alex (see My Darling Baby Brother) wont be here – but I’m hoping that overall it will be positive.
• Completion of my first few chapters of a creative writing story I’m going to set to work on (I promise) and getting all of your feedback.
• One of my brothers fiancée giving birth to a baby. Giving me another Niece or Nephew.

So lots to look forwards too. Signing off for now, feeling really positive,

Antony

Samhain – 31st October
The last harvest. When the vails between the worlds are thin. Seen as the pagan ‘New Year’. Also known as Halloween.
The goddess is now the crone. With age coming wisdom.
Colours: Black, orange, purpose, violet, white.
Themes: Ancestors, death, rebirth, banishings & bindings, spirit & guide communication, guidance.
(From: Pagan Festivals @antonysimpson.com, Last Accessed: 26th October 2010)

Rather than the elaborate rituals with lots of people, costumes, dancing, chanting like the previous years, this year I will celebrate it alone quietly as a time of reflection. I decided to get creative and make my own pumpkin lantern. I googled on how to and got this video:

The video’s good, but the music is somewhat unbearable so heres my written guide to Making a pumpkin latern for Samhain.

What you will need

Step 1 – Choose a side and draw the outline
Choose a side of your pumpkin that’s best for the face. Ideally one that’s not got any scuffs on it. Draw an outline like below:

Step 2 – Cut off the top and scrape out the insides
Using your guide lines you’ve drawn on, cut carefully around the top off the head and pull it off. You’ll see the pumpkin insides and seeds which you need to scrape out (see photo below). Some of the cooking experts around may choose to keep the insides to make a pumpkin pie, which you can google for a recipe if you want.

Step 3 – Turn your attention to the face
Now you’ve scrapped out the insides. Go back to the outline of the face you drew and carefully cut out the eyes, nose and mouth. Once these pieces have been removed, take a tea light candle and place it inside lit. (Please never leave a lit candle unattended.) Replace the lid of your pumkin and switch off the light to admire your handy work. It should look like this:

I have named him Jacko, I know how original. Hope you found this guide useful. Write soon,

Antony

So in order that I not miss any further of my pagan festivals I decided to add the dates to my diary and post them here. I will give the festival name, date and some information about the festival. Here we go:

Imbolc – 2nd February
Known as the festival of light. It celebrates the end of dark winter and welcomes the sun and the light to the world. Asking the world to wake up out of hybernation.
The goddess is seen as the maiden at this festival. Indeed the festival celebrates her as a maiden. She is still in recovery from child-birth.
Colours: White, yellow & gold.
Themes: Fire, creativity, poetry, inspiration, light, healing.
Related Blog Posts: Tatton park, a poem. (Creativity & poetry), Ups and Downs (Healing)

Ostara – 20th March
Ostara celebrates the first day of spring. When light and dark are in balance.
The god matures and becomes a man. He will live and rule until Samhain.
Colours: Orange, red, yellow and pink.
Themes: Fertility, new beginings, flowers, nature.
Related Blog Posts: Welcome to the notice board of antonysimpson.com! (New beginings)

Beltane – 1st May
Beltane is the midpoint between spring and summer.
The god and the goddess meet, become lovers get married consecrating their union. The goddess becomes pregnant.
Colours: White, purple, blue and light green.
Themes: Love, relationships, commitment, fire, fun – music and dancing.
Related Blog Posts: Catergory – Love & Relationships (Love and relationships), The Feeling were Awesome (Music and dancing), Bathroom dancing, Inspired and Just Discovered (Dancing), Thanks to the attractive stranger (Kylie – music and dancing)

Litha – 20th June
The longest day of the year. It is the summer time harvest. I like this blessing:

As the sun spirals its longest dance,
Cleanse us
As nature shows bounty and fertility
Bless us
Let all things live with loving intent
And to fulfill their truest destiny
Wiccan blessing for Summer
(from http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/paganism/holydays/summersolstice.shtml, last accessed: 08th February 09)

The god and goddess reaffirm their relationship and commitment to one another.
Colours: Blue, green, red and yellow.
Themes: Fruitful endevours, child-like play, affirmations, water & emotions.

Lammas – 1st August
The harvesting of berries and grains take place at around the time of this festival. Days are getting shorter.
The gods power continues to wane.
Colours: Purple, black, brown, yellow (pale shades).
Themes: Magick, death, banishing, hopes, work.

Mabon – 22nd September
The autumn equinox. Light and dark are again in balance, however from this point on we shall have less sun light as it get’s darker. It’s about also giving thanks to the mother goddess for providing enough food (from the havest) for the winter.
The god prepairs for his journey to the underworld. The mother goddess is heavily pregnant but continues to rein and begins to age.
Colours: Brown, violet, indigo, blue & black.
Themes: Land & property, goals, introspection, past life regression, relaxation, letting go.
Related Blog Posts: Catergory – Thinking (Introspection), Goals for 2009 (Goals), Relaxation (Relaxation)

Samhain – 31st October
The last harvest. When the vails between the worlds are thin. Seen as the pagan ‘New Year’. Also known as Halloween.
The goddess is now the crone. With age coming wisdom.
Colours: Black, orange, purpose, violet, white.
Themes: Ancestors, death, rebirth, banishings & bindings, spirit & guide communication, guidance.
Related Blog Posts: Samhain Ritual, goes well (Samhain)

Yule – 21st December
The first day of winter also known as the winter solstice. Longest night of the year. Evergreens and pine are ideal for your alter along with traditional Yule logs. Wreath’s symbolise the wheel of the year.
The goddess gives birth to the god and then goes in to hybernation being tired from child-birth.
Colours:White, green, red, gold & silver.
Themes: Prosperity, death, rebirth, banishings, protection, goal setting, happiness, peace & harmony.
Related Blog Posts: Yule & A Lifetime Gift (Yule)

Useful Links
BBC – Religion – Multifaith Paganism
Pagan Holidays
Walk in the Light – Wheel of the Year

Personal Beliefs

God and Goddess
Many pagans believe in a god and a goddess. I differ slightly. I do believe there is a god-like being, but that it is one that is genderless as it is simply energy. Some pagans would disagree with this, although like I said earier these are my own individual beliefs.
(From Antony Simpson Paganism)

With thanks
With thanks to my friend Sye, who helped explain the goddess’ birth of the god and place it in the right festival. He used Scott Cunningham’s, Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner.

Books @ Amazon

Hope this is as useful to you all, as it will be to me.

In love and light,

Antony

So David (see attractive stranger, elephant cups & tatton park, a poem posts) and I prepared and completed ritual.

What’s Samhain about?
1. Celebration of a good harvest – Thanking the god, goddess and mother earth for a fruitful harvest.
2. The equinox – Recognising the god’s days are coming to an end as the crone goddess sits on the throne for the winter period. Nature going in to hibernation to sleep out the cold, winter, months.
3. A time of remembrance – Celebrating and remembering the lives of those that have moved on to the astral plane, or above.
3. The veils between the physical and astral are thin – A time to communicate with those that inhabit the astral plane or travel there (via astral travel).

The ritual went well with both David and I inputting in to the planning and execution of it.

Write soon,

Antony

(On a side note: I forgot to upload my last blog entry until now, it is entitled ‘Mum, Heroin & Me – C4 Documentary‘)

The shops got me! After being frugal with my money living on £50 a week for two weeks, I happened to go to the shops ‘just for a look’. I ended up leaving the shop with this:

(Click image for full size)

I blame work! I was in the other office near the town and shops on call. I am not ususally near any shops to browse in.

I also picked up Alan Carr’s autobiography.

In other news I have been short listed for my job (see Good & Bad news). I will be interviewed Wednesday and am preparing my presentation. I have renewed my Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registration.

Coming up this month:

• Seeing Dylan Moran & Russell Howard.
• Some annual leave.
• Halloween – a big pagan festival.

Blog soon,

Antony

Edited: 12 October 08 @ 22:02