4 Cowie Shell Divination

Obi divination is a quick and easy form of fortune-telling comprising a cast or thrown reading determined by four coconut pieces, four cowrie shells that have had their tops cut off, or four coins. Obi readings entered hoodoo through contact between American spiritual practitioners of conjure and initiates of African Diasporic religions such as Santeria (also known as Lukumi, or La Regla de Ocha). Obi will only reply to questions that can be answered "Yes” or “No.” To tell your fortune, the psychic reader will hold the set of four items in his or her hand, pray over your question, then gently toss the items down onto the ground or onto a mat, and look to see how they fell. Cowries can fall "mouth" side up (open) or "mouth" side down (closed). Coconut pieces can fall white meat side up or dark skin side up. Coins can fall heads up or or tails up. Mathematically, the toss will generate one of sixteen possible combinations, which are grouped into five possible answers: Four cowrie shells used to perform an Obi reading Four cowrie shells used to perform an Obi reading

Alafia: 4 mouth-up cowries; 4 white coconuts; 4 heads. Blessings! A “Yes” to whatever you asked about — and you may get even more than you requested or it will come sooner than you hoped. Alafia means "peace." It represents all of the light that is available and able to assist you. It is "Yes" with a blessing of peace.

Etawa: 3 mouth-up and 1 mouth-down cowries; 3 white and 1 dark coconut; 3 heads and 1 tails. A "Maybe" answer. Etawa is an unstable response, and requires a second throwing of the Obi to ascertain whether the answer is yes or no. If the second toss is Alafia, Etawa or Ejife, the answer is yes. If the second toss is Okanran or Oyekun then the answer is no.

Ejife: 2 mouth-up and 2 mouth-down; 2 white and 2 dark coconuts; 2 heads and 2 tails. This is an absolute “Yes” -- but you are cautioned not to ask any further questions on this subject, or the Orisha Spirit of Divination may get mad. Ejife is positive because it represents perfect balance. It indicates blessings of knowledge with experience, and, as such, it may require more effort than Alafia.

Okana Sode or Okanran: 1 mouth-up and 3 mouth-down; 1 white and 3 dark coconuts; 1 heads and 3 tails. “No.” What you asked won’t happen. Okanran is a firm no. The level of contraction or opposition indicates much work needed before the blessings in question could come to fruition. Oyekun: 4 mouth-down cowries; 4 dark coconuts; 4 tails. This is a very strong “No,” and it furthermore indicates that you may need serious spiritual cleansing in order to clear away the negative conditions that surround this issue in your life. Oyekun represents total darkness and the spirits of the dead can speak through this answer. There is an elusive element to the situation, or the spirits may be asking for something. Obi readers will proceed with a series of questions to ascertain the nature of the darkness, or if the spirits desire something. Once the obstacle is determined, the remedy is applied and the reading addressing the original issue can resume.

Information from http://readersandrootworkers.org

I love using the cowie shells for divination. Especially after you used the tarot cards or pendulum to clarify a question. Mine was given to me as a christmas gift and I can't live without them.

Amethyst

Post by Healing Crystals.

I love Citrine

Post by Hibiscus Moon.

Meditation to Meet Brighid

Last night I met up with a group of witch to meditate to meet Brighid. We journeyed down to her well, where some of us talked to her and some of us swam in the water. My own experience I would have to share later because it's going to be a lot of typing. But I learned how important she is in my life and how I should honor her everyday. When we move into our new home, I will set up a altar for her separately from my general altar. Oh yes, one thing I do want to point out is that the Morrigan showed up during my meditation as well to say hi and to help me on part of the guided meditation. I love my goddesses!

Celebrating Imbolc

Once I got home from errands, I cleaned as much of the kitchen as possible, as a way of inviting Brigid into our home to honor her. Much is still to be down but Rome wasn't built in a day as the saying goes. Haha. Sharri, my gf, made Brigid's Magical Bread, Candlemas Pâté and Divinely Spiced Wine.

 

After the food was done, we went outside to offer the goddess some of the bread and wine. As we stood there under the moon rays we recited a blessing that I found on Brigid's Flame.

Brighid, Exalted One
Goddess of fire and light
Patron of poets, smiths, and healers
Inspiration you bring when you are near
You, whose fire lights the smithy
Where our tools are forged
And our hearth-fire
Where we seek warmth
By your light and radiance many are healed
Daughter of Dagda
Lend us some of your fire and light
Share with us your radiance
Descend on us
Come and bless this site
Aid us and this world
As we journey on the healing path
Goddess of the hearth-fire
We bid you welcome
Hail and blessed be

As she was making the food. I did a spread that my coven posted on our group site. It's called the Brigid's Wheel Tarot Spread.

Representations of each card:
 
Card 1: This card represents strength. It shows where you are strong in life. It could also be strength acquired after going through a painful and difficult experience. In essence it represents your inner strength.
 
Card 2: This card represents your desires. Ask yourself what is it that you desire. What are your dreams? This could signify that it is time to live your dreams and start on making those dreams a reality.
 
Card 3: This card represents healing. It will help you to pinpoint an area of your life that needs healing in order for your strength to continue to grow. It can also help to give you advice about a situation you're currently dealing with.
 
Card 4: This card represents creative inspiration. Once we've learned what to do in order to heal ourselves, now we must get our creative juices flowing. This card will help you ignite your creative spark.
 
Card 5: This card represents making plans. Now that your creativity is going its time to figure out exactly how to go about making progress and continue moving forward. Look for consistencies with the cards you've pulled already as they may relate to one another.
 
Card 6: This card represents new growth. With spring comes new growth. Not only on the earth but also within ourselves. Now that we've started working on making our dreams a reality, we will start to experience growth in our own lives. This card will show us how that might look.


This spread was very insightful and told me that I need to be caution around some people, I pretty much guessed who they where with another spread I did after this one. Here's what my spread looked like;

We were done with everything around 2 in the morning. We haven't decorated our altar to celebrate Imbolc yet but we will do that tonight.

Imbolc

Hello everyone. Imbolc is getting closer and closer. Is everyone prepared to celebrate? Below I posted information and things to do on Imbolc. Information credited to The White Goddess.

Generic

This holiday is also known as Candlemas, or Brigid's (pronounced BREED) Day. One of the 4 Celtic "Fire Festivals. Commemorates the changing of the Goddess from the Crone to the Maiden. Celebrates the first signs of Spring. Also called "Imbolc" (the old Celtic name). This is the seasonal change where the first signs of spring and the return of the sun are noted, i.e. the first sprouting of leaves, the sprouting of the Crocus flowers etc. In other words, it is the festival commemorating the successful passing of winter and the beginning of the agricultural year. This Festival also marks the transition point of the threefold Goddess energies from those of Crone to Maiden. It is the day that we celebrate the passing of Winter and make way for Spring. It is the day we honour the rebirth of the Sun and we may visualize the baby sun nursing from the Goddess's breast. It is also a day of celebrating the Celtic Goddess Brigid. Brigid is the Goddess of Poetry, Healing, Smithcraft, and Midwifery. If you can make it with your hands, Brigid rules it. She is a triple Goddess, so we honour her in all her aspects. This is a time for communing with her, and tending the lighting of her sacred flame. At this time of year, Wiccans will light multiple candles, white for Brigid, for the god usually yellow or red, to remind us of the passing of winter and the entrance into spring, the time of the Sun. This is a good time for initiations, be they into covens or self-initiations.

Lore

It is traditional upon Imbolc, at sunset or just after ritual, to light every lamp in the house - if only for a few moments. Or, light candles in each room in honour of the Sun’s rebirth. Alternately, light a kerosene lamp with a red chimney and place this in a prominent part of the home or in a window. If snow lies on the ground outside, walk in it for a moment, recalling the warmth of summer. With your projective hand, trace an image of the Sun on the snow. Foods appropriate to eat on this day include those from the dairy, since Imbolc marks the festival of calving. Sour cream dishes are fine. Spicy and full-bodied foods in honor of the Sun are equally attuned. Curries and all dishes made with peppers, onions, leeks, shallots, garlic or chives are appropriate. Spiced wines and dishes containing raisins - all foods symbolic of the Sun - are also traditional.

Ritual

Supplies: Symbol of the season, such as a white flower, snow in a crystal container, also needed, an orange candle anointed with cinnamon, frankincense or rosemary oil (unlit), red candle to represent the elements, and your ritual supplies.

1. Arrange the altar, light the candles and censer, and cast the Circle.
2. Invoke the Goddess and God.
3. Say such words as the following:
   "This is the time of the feast of torches,
   When every lamp blazes and shines
   To welcome the rebirth of the God.
   I/we celebrate the Goddess,
   I/we celebrate the God;
   All the Earth celebrates
   Beneath its mantle of sleep."
4. Light the orange taper from the red candle on the altar. Slowly walk the circle clockwise, bearing the candle before you. Say these or similar words:
5. "All the land is wrapped in winter.
   The air is chilled and
   Frost envelopes the Earth.
   But Lord of the Sun,
   Horned One of animals and wild places,
   Unseen you have been reborn
   Of the gracious Mother Goddess,
   Lady of all fertility.
   Hail Great God!
   Hail and welcome!"
6. Stop before the altar, holding aloft the candle. Gaze at its flame. Visualize your life blossoming with creativity, with renewed energy and strength.
7. If you need to look into the future or past, now is an ideal time.
8. Works of magic, if necessary, may follow.
9. Celebrate the Simple Feast.
10. Thank the Goddess and God.
11. Release the Circle.

The Holiday Season

I hope everyone had a great holiday. I know I did. Spending it with family and friends was so much fun. I joined into a winter solstice ritual to honor all the goddess of winter and help the souls go back to the light since the dark side of the year is ending.

During the time over my girlfriend's mom's house, she created a prosperity grid to bring in good tides for the new year. 

 

The big candle is for positive energy. The sphere in the middle is a aventurine, sorry that the stone look so dark. The adventurine is known as the "Stone of Opportunity". Raw quartz and citrine shards where added to help amplify and bring in wealth. At the end, there are bayberry candles that has dragonsblood. Dragonsblood helps boost energy into anything that you are working. Bayberry helps with drawing in money and luck. We started to burn them on christmas eve and on christmas.

What I got for winter solstice / christmas?

• A goodie bag of things I love, such as coffee
• A bag for astral travel through meditation; a candle, incense, and a beautiful type of quartz that's from the Himalayan Mountains
• A $25 giftcard
• A goddess necklace (I will take a picture of it soon)
• A oil burner with the pentacle on it. 

I think that's it. I'll add anything that I forget later. Have a happy new year everyone.