Post by Belladonnarose on Feb 26, 2011 23:13:12 GMT -5
Okay, let me get a hanky out......
It's time to look at a much more recent witch, one who had seen the onset of the twenty-first century. My mother (who I am intuitively calling Helena) was a leap year baby, born February 29th, 1944. As a leap year person, she was always in between worlds, able to sense things others could not. And she was very much a Pisces.
She began her journey into Paganism through a profound interest in ancient Egypt and spiritualism. My first introduction to mythology was through her love of Egypt, and I remember holding seances and working with the Ouija board when I was as young as eight. However, it wasn't until I was in high school that we began really exploring together.
Once I was in high school, we began adding tarot readings. Tarot was one thing my mother was gifted at, often not even looking at the cards, just holding them one at a time to get visions from them. We experimented further with Ouija. Saturday nights, especially my junior and senior years of high school, were spent doing readings or communicating with the spirit world, often until 4am.
Being a pagan is not without persecution, and it is no exception for my mother. My father is very Roman Catholic, and we did need to keep such workings quiet. Also, at the time my parents were adoptive parents, and when Children's Services got wind of some of the spiritual workings in our house, it wasn't pretty, to say the least.
But when one has a calling for such things, the calling cannot be ignored. After I graduated high school and moved out, things were easier for us. My mother was the first person to take me to the local Pagan store (the Mystic Goddess) and bought me all of my first ritual tools. Helena wanted to learn more about Wicca, and I bought her the works of Scott Cunningham for Christmas (well, Yule to us!). We continued to work heavily in the spirit world, and I am still amazed at her ability to communicate with spirits, as well as her ability with energy work.
However, in October 2001, we found out that she had lung cancer. A true walker between the worlds, she always both drew people to her, yet seemed to be in another place. When we found out, even the owner of the Mystic Goddess got his coven involved in a healing ritual for her, even though he had only met her a handful of times. Such was my mom, she always touched people's hearts.
Despite all the healing rituals, the cancer won the battle. While the lung cancer was obliterated within weeks of our rituals (all held on Samhain), the cancer had metasticized to her brain, and when it was done, there were 21 tumors in her head. The saddest thing to see go was her intense intelligence and wit. She moved to the next level in her journey on April 18, 2002.
I can still occasionally feel her presence, although I am sad to admit, I cannot always open myself up to it. In fact, I feel her right now, peering over my shoulder. I goess, as time goes on, it is easier to open myself up to it.
So everyone, please raise your (proverbial) glasses to a woman that touched many hearts, and guided me to the path I am on today. Helena, this one is for you.
It's time to look at a much more recent witch, one who had seen the onset of the twenty-first century. My mother (who I am intuitively calling Helena) was a leap year baby, born February 29th, 1944. As a leap year person, she was always in between worlds, able to sense things others could not. And she was very much a Pisces.
She began her journey into Paganism through a profound interest in ancient Egypt and spiritualism. My first introduction to mythology was through her love of Egypt, and I remember holding seances and working with the Ouija board when I was as young as eight. However, it wasn't until I was in high school that we began really exploring together.
Once I was in high school, we began adding tarot readings. Tarot was one thing my mother was gifted at, often not even looking at the cards, just holding them one at a time to get visions from them. We experimented further with Ouija. Saturday nights, especially my junior and senior years of high school, were spent doing readings or communicating with the spirit world, often until 4am.
Being a pagan is not without persecution, and it is no exception for my mother. My father is very Roman Catholic, and we did need to keep such workings quiet. Also, at the time my parents were adoptive parents, and when Children's Services got wind of some of the spiritual workings in our house, it wasn't pretty, to say the least.
But when one has a calling for such things, the calling cannot be ignored. After I graduated high school and moved out, things were easier for us. My mother was the first person to take me to the local Pagan store (the Mystic Goddess) and bought me all of my first ritual tools. Helena wanted to learn more about Wicca, and I bought her the works of Scott Cunningham for Christmas (well, Yule to us!). We continued to work heavily in the spirit world, and I am still amazed at her ability to communicate with spirits, as well as her ability with energy work.
However, in October 2001, we found out that she had lung cancer. A true walker between the worlds, she always both drew people to her, yet seemed to be in another place. When we found out, even the owner of the Mystic Goddess got his coven involved in a healing ritual for her, even though he had only met her a handful of times. Such was my mom, she always touched people's hearts.
Despite all the healing rituals, the cancer won the battle. While the lung cancer was obliterated within weeks of our rituals (all held on Samhain), the cancer had metasticized to her brain, and when it was done, there were 21 tumors in her head. The saddest thing to see go was her intense intelligence and wit. She moved to the next level in her journey on April 18, 2002.
I can still occasionally feel her presence, although I am sad to admit, I cannot always open myself up to it. In fact, I feel her right now, peering over my shoulder. I goess, as time goes on, it is easier to open myself up to it.
So everyone, please raise your (proverbial) glasses to a woman that touched many hearts, and guided me to the path I am on today. Helena, this one is for you.
