Ragnarok? I doubt it.

But something is happening.

The Vikings said that, prior to the end (which they called Ragnarok), three winters would follow one another with no summers between.  Then Heimdallr, the Herald of the Gods, would take his place and blow the mighty horn Gjallerhorn, singalling that the end would take place in 100 days.  Morality would fail, fights would break out around the world.  In the depths of the roots of Yggdrasil, the World Tree, Jormundgandr the Midgard Serpent would wake and stir.  The seas would turn to poison.  A mighty wolf, Skoll, would devour the sun: his brother Hati would eat the moon.   War would break out between the gods of Asgard and the other great beings (the Giants, among others), and none of the Old Gods would survive - except two.  Life and Lust alone would make it through, and repopulate the world.

It is a grim tale from a grim people, a cold story from the icy North.

But is there any truth to it?

(Tales of Alohi) Tulsi + Fluoride = Cleaner Water

My sister Alohi reposted a blog from last year that deserves another look, entitled:

Tulsi + Fluoride = Cleaner Water: an article in reflection.

It's a look at an experiment with the tulsi plant, also called Holy Basil, and its effects on reducing the concentration of fluoride in fluoridated water. 

Comments below the main blog point out (from the website of the Centers for Disease Control) exactly what "fluoride" is, where it comes from, and the many health and medical-ethics problems its addition to municipal water sources brings (listed from applicable Material Safety Data Sheets).  The conclusion is pretty clear.  Someone is being paid very, very well to pour poison into your water and make you think it's good for you.

I have yet to see in-depth studies on what it does to the environment, but that might be an interesting project to kick off with a kid's science project for school.

Planning for a Full Moon, under a Mercury Retrograde

So I should have known better.

I've studied astrology for thirteen years.  I took the name "Starlight" because I resonate so strongly with celestial energies. And, as a practicing Witch, I know what the Full Moon can do.

And, like a complete newbie to the Craft, I attempted to plan a ritual to take place on the Valentine's Full Moon.

Did I run a chart for it?  Nope.  Did I even spare a second thought for the Mercury Retrograde happening, which has a tendency to screw ALL planning up?  Not a chance.

So I was barely ready, we're getting set to walk out the door - and then I find out that one of our friends was out walking her dog prior to ritual and was attacked by another dog - who belongs to another circle member.  And we are the only folks available with a vehicle to transport her and her dog to the vet's emergency office.

During this same week, we also finally took that same vehicle in to get the brake maintenance done that we've been putting off for too long - a good activity for a Mercury Retrograde, good use of that energy - and find out that the dealership wants to charge us some $1500 dollars to change the brake pads and the rotors, with pickup not available until next week!  (Oh hell no: we got it done for a third of that price in less than a day elsewhere  We will see if Mercury's trickster side touches that at all.)

Mercury goes direct on March 1st at roughly 18'Aquarius (Sabian symbol for that degree is "A forest fire, finally quenched.")  I cannot wait.  It's been a rough ride.