Grey School Newspaper 20

WHISPERING GREY MATTERS

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ISSUE 20

Whispering Grey Matters
Literal Magick

CREDITS
Faculty Advisors : Moonwriter & Jymi X/0
Editor-In-Chief : Laneth
Publisher: Jymi
Assistant Publisher: Laneth
Copy Editor: silverlocke
GSW
Section Editor: Starwynd Panther
Staff Writers: Starwynd Panther
NEWS
Section Editor: Belenus
Staff Writers: Sapphire Soleil, Silverlocke
WIZARDING
Section Editor: Pratus
Staff Writers: Jymi X/0, Areeya
SCIENCE
Section Editor: Jymi
Staff Writers: Moonwriter, Pratus
OPINIONS
Section Editor: Sapphire Soleil
Staff Writers: Areeya

CONTENTS
The Angel’s Heart (poem) ................ 3
Know Thy Lifeways ..................... 4-5
New Medical Conscience Rules .......... 5
To Windfinity and Beyond .......... 6-7
Magic Show with a Message ......... 8-9
The Story of Cupid ............... 10-11
Love is an Awful Thing (poem) ...... 11
Here’s Phil with the Weather ......... 12
28 Days, as a Rule, are Plenty ..... 13
Gestures ..................................... 14
The Witch of November (poem) ..... 14
The Heart ................................... 15
Ancient Runes Today: Love Charms ... 16
Tarot: The Lovers .......................... 17
Chocolate the Amazing ................. 18
Chocolate 101 ........................... 19
The Skinny on Dipping .......... 20-21
The Most Powerful of All Magic: Love ... 21
Love: Is It Necessary? .................. 22
REVIEWS: New Moon ................... 23

ARTS & CULTURE
Section Editor: Artermis Gryphon Snowhawk
Staff Writers: Artemis Gryphon Snowhawk,
Xyaida, silverlocke
ART
Lead Artist: Areeya
Staff Artists: Jymi, Starwynd Panther
FLOATING STAFF (How’d they get up there?)
Skye
Calyxa
Skyjumper

CONTRIBUTORS
Whiteraven

The cover is another creation by Areeya.

Whispering Grey Matters is a quarterly newsletter produced by and for the students and
faculty of The Grey School of Wizardry (www.greyschool.com). All contents herein are ©
2009 Grey School, except where otherwise noted. Copyrights revert to original authors
and artists upon publication.

WHISPERING GREY MATTERS

The Angel�’� s Heart
-- Jymi X/0

I wrote this for the most loving person I know,
my best friend BethDragon, on her birthday in
February, 2003.
All is bleak, the clouds loom low
and wild with winter’s darkest snow.
The sharp ice whorls, the mad wind shrieks,
thunder pounds and lightning streaks.
Within the clouds -- a Seraphim,
her great wings torn, her halo dim -tossed and blown, she falls alone.
Her heart has turned itself to stone.
Once a child of endless light,
soaring through the gold delight
with naught but love within her soul,
and seeking love to keep her whole,
she held her heart out on her hand:
its gentle glow warmed all the land.
None she met were turned away.
For love, her heart bade all to stay.

But, ah! Time passed (as time will do).
So many came, too many flew.
And everyone who took their leave
snatched a piece from the heart on the Angel’s sleeve.
Some took their share, and some took more.
Some took from the edges; some plucked at the core.
Some took without knowing; some stole, unconcerned.
So much love freely given: so little returned.
And even the heart of an Angel grows black
when the light that is taken is not given back.
For every wound that the golden heart bore,
another stone grew there to cover the sore,
until no more light could escape from her breast,
and no kind solace given to even one guest.
Now down through the storm clouds she falls all alone,
sinking toward the Abyss with her heavy-heart stone.

The fall lasts a lifetime and wracks her with pain,
for she knows that she’ll ne’er see Heaven again.
The blizzard is gone now, the wind and the sleet.
She’s surrounded by brimstone and rank, searing heat.
The laughter of fiends, a doom-clam’ring bell,
and an Angel lies prone at the bottom of Hell.
Her protector is absent, and the demons grow bold:
This torture they’ll relish with cruel pleasures untold...

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They stop. Who dares? Who? To forbid them their game?
This small fiend swooping toward them?
She hasn’t even a name!
But she lands nonetheless at the Seraphim’s side,
bears her fangs at her own kin and spreads her wings wide,
as if she would stand by herself ‘gainst the horde
to defend the sworn foe of her Unholy Lord!

The weak Angel catches the She-Demon’s eye
as the horrors ring ‘round them, and softly asks, “Why?”
The Demon grins wryly, and says, “’Twas a time
you gave welcome to all, and a light so sublime
that all souls needing comfort were healed by your hand.
And once, when I fell, you helped me to stand.
Despite my black wings, and my sharp claws and horns,
you gave me your friendship. Now my friendship is yours.
True friends are rare treasures. Together we’ll fight!
So give me your hand, friend -- and let shine your light!”
The Seraphim stands as Hell’s army draws near.
“Together we die, then,” she says, “for I fear
that my light has grown dark, and my heart is but stone.
My woe is a sin for which I can’t attone.”

The Demon’s eye gleams. She spits on the floor.
“But I know a secret. Bear your heart, just...once...more.”

Death nearly upon them! And so, with a scream,
the heart is revealed -- Lo! It shines with a beam
of such radiance and power, so brilliant and strong,
their tormentors are thrown back! And soon the whole throng
flees, writhing in pain! They run, creep and fly,
leaving naught but an echo of the last anguished cry.

The Demon and Angel stand there, side by side.
They gaze at the heart with eyes bright, smiles wide.
The pressures of Hell, that long fall from above
had turned the stone heart to a diamond of love.

God and the Devil are beaming with pride:
at last, two of their children are on the same side.

...but then, from Hell’s caverns, one voice calls out:

“HOLD!”
(The Angel and Demon are the best of amigos,
and celebrate weekly with big ol’ wet burritos.)

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  
By Starwynd Panther

Just off a long hall lies a small courtyard with a fountain in the shape of a mother
bear and cub, crafted entirely of rose quartz. The quiet bubbling beckons one to
come and sit for awhile. Trees line the yard, with lush beds of flowers in perpetual
bloom. The air here is always warm, no matter the season. A small path cuts through
the courtyard, leading to a door bearing a copper nameplate reading Dean of Lifeways.

SWP: How is Lifeways defined?
DC'S: Hmm.. well, the essence of Lifeways is captured in the poem I wrote for the
Departmental page:

Lifeways
Lofty art of weaving webs from
love and hope, binding with
laughter and good cheer, of
learning to dance with life and
leave a brilliant light behind.
Lifeways is the art of
living life to its fullest.
The main goal of this department is to help aid in personal growth, the development of personal
awareness, and the forging of relationships with others. Some of the elements of this department
are ethics, goal setting, networking, web-weaving, and communications skills.
SWP: What do you consider the most important factor when studying Lifeways?
DC'S: I think the most important factors are getting to know oneself and learning how to mesh
well with others.
SWP: How does Lifeways support the other Departments?
DC'S: Lifeways supports the other departments by providing necessary skills. Excelling in
any area of magick and wizardry requires that you know yourself. Knowing yourself can help
you pinpoint personal goals, making it easier to translate them into reality. Lifeways also
teaches valuable skills at web-weaving and networking with others. Being able to get along
with just about anybody is a pretty useful skill, as is being equipped to deal with those
people who come across as abrasive or verbally abusive.
SWP: What made you decide to study Lifeways?
DC'S: I took over this department when the previous Dean left because my mundane
training lies in the social sciences, in the realms of psychology and anthropology. I think
the skills this department has to offer are very valuable indeed.

© iStock Photo

I enter quietly. Inside, a large window lets sunlight stream through. Rows of bookshelves
line the walls containing all manner of books and knick-knacks. In one corner is a small
altar with a rose colored candle. The scent of lavender incense fills the air.
Dean Cala'Sanjaru turns to me and with a nod, we begin.

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SWP: What is the greatest advantage that the Department of Lifeways can offer?
DC’S: I think I’ve stated it a good number of times already, but once more won’t hurt! The greatest advantage this department has to offer is the chance to know oneself and to learn the valuable skills of social
interaction and how to make the most of it.
SWP: What do you want to see for the future in the Department of Lifeways?
DC'S: I'd like to see more ethics based classes and classes geared towards teaching students the value
of learning all sides of an issue. Being able to see and debate all sides of a given issue regardless of one's
own personal views is another valuable skill, one that teaches the value of not allowing oneself to be
blinded by the unconscious prejudices family and culture ingrained in us.
SWP: Thank you for making this connection with me, Dean Cala'Sanjaru, and giving us a chance to know
you!

© www.leehansen.com

New 'Medical Conscience' Rules
by silverlocke

On Thursday, December 18th the outgoing Bush
administration announced a rule immunizing health
care providers from discrimination resulting from a
refusal to administer medicine or perform medical
procedures based on their religious or moral belief.
“Doctors and other health care providers should not
be forced to choose between good professional
standing and violating their conscience,” said Michael
Leavitt, secretary of Health and Human Services,
“This rule protects the right of medical providers to
care for their patients in accord with their conscience."
These measure, sometimes described as the
“conscience rule”, were issued just in time to take
effect before the start of the new administration.
They take effect 30 days after their publication in the Federal Register on Friday the 2nd of January. President Obama will be able to undo these new regulations and has announced his intention to do so, but it
will be a time-consuming process and there are many, more pressing, matters on his plate as he is sworn
in.
Supporting the new regulations are organizations which oppose abortion, such as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Catholic Health Association, claiming they are needed to allow healthcare providers to refuse to perform abortions and sterilization.
Opposing the regulations are, among others, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, the American
Hospital Association, and the American Medical Association who say they are not needed because the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 already prohibits employment discrimination based on religion.
Stout, David. "Medical ‘Conscience Rule’ Is Issued". New York Times. 18 December 2008.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/19/washington/19rule.html?_r=1&em>.

“”



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To Windfinity...And Beyond!
By Starwynd Panther

Near the top of the winding stairway, I find the door to the Dean of Cosmology's office. It has the
Winds crest freshly painted above an emblem of stars and planets. I knock on the door only to hear a
series of thuds. "One moment!" I hear coming from inside. The door swings open and I see the source
of the noise. A stack of textbooks had obviously fallen off a ladder shelf and lay in a pile on the stone
floor.
"Hey Starwynd!" says the new Dean. "Just adding my books to our library. Have a seat...err, that crate
will have to do. I see you brought your notebook."
Looking around, I notice a series of models illustrating man's progression from first flight, then on to
the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
"Ah, my models," says Dean Bel from behind his desk. "I picked those up from a thrift store; I thought
they were apropos for this office. Some coffee?" Belenus points to a coffee pot on a table next to his
laptop computer. "I guess you're here for Whispering Grey Matters?"

© NASA, ESA, STScI, J. Hester and P. Scowen (Arizona State University)

SWP: When did you first develop an interest in Cosmology?
DB: It started back in Junior High School when I was a Star Trek fan and made my own Star Trek film
with a Super 8 film camera and a bunch of the neighborhood kids. We had my parents' entire living
room made up to be the bridge of the Star Ship Enterprise. Of course, I played Captain Kirk. I still
have the film, although I think my friends would disown me if I put it up on You Tube. I would spend
summers on an island in the middle of Lake Huron on the Canadian side, watching the meteor showers
in August and seeing the Milky Way in all its glory, being away from any town or city lights to cloud the
view. After that, it was Star Wars and then on to study the theory of relativity and related disciplines,
such as quantum physics, under the tutelage of the Science Channel and books by Stephen Hawkins.
SWP: How long have you been practicing Astrology?
DB: I first became interested in Astrology in 1985. I began studying the art soon after that in 1986,
and finally became very serious about it; studying under two prominent Astrologers beginning in 1991.
I began working in Astrology professionally in 1993. Since then I have branched out into Astrological
sigilization, mundane astrology, horary astrology, and many other areas.
SWP: What would you like to see happen with the Cosmology Department?
DB: I want to see the Cosmology Department become a first class educational branch of the Grey
School, which will attract great teachers and students who can learn from each other and even add to
the world’s body of knowledge in the fields of astronomy, quantum physics, Magick, and astrology. In
the shorter term, I’d like to have a major and minor for astrology, astronomy, and a general major and
minor that covers both. We are already largely there with these goals.
SWP: What made you decide to step into the Deanship and the Head of Lodge position?
DB: I decided to take on the Head of the Winds Lodge because there was a need and I felt that I could
do a pretty good job with it. And since I had already been a Prefect of the lodge and now a teacher at
the school, it was a good fit for me to be of service to the school that has helped me and taught me so
much.
I was asked to be Dean of Cosmology. At first I was a little intimidated by the proposition, because
I don’t have my head completely wrapped around astronomy, even though I understand quantum
physics and of course excel in astrology. But I thought that I could learn quickly about astronomy
and might focus on my strengths while relying on some of the other professors to help with the areas
where I will need some support.

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SWP: What would you like to see happen with the Winds Lodge?
DB: I’d like to see the Winds Lodge continue to be a place that the school’s air signs can call home and be
comfortable with; a place where we can have fun, camaraderie, and support each other in our Magickal
journey at the Grey School and in life.
SWP: How do you find Cosmology plays a part in your daily life?
DB: Cosmology plays a part in everyone’s life. First of all, our man-made satellites provide crucial information to us, from weather predictions, to GPS systems, to dish television. The space program has offered
breakthroughs in science and technology that we all benefit from everyday…and don’t forget Tang!
SWP: Why should we pay attention to the heavens?
DB: My first thought is we better pay attention if for no other reason than to keep track of any asteroid
that might be headed our way! Also from an astrological standpoint, the heavens serve as guides to human affairs and personalities. I used astrology first to find out who I truly was and where I was going in
life. It led to Magick and that took me to places I’d only dreamed of.
The universe is so vast as to be incomprehensible to the human mind, but we humans, being of the curious type, will no doubt continue to try to unlock the mysteries of all that there is, seen and unseen. Will
we ever get there, I don’t have the answer to that, but I want to be part of the quest!
SWP: A sentiment that I think we all share! Thank you for sharing with us, Dean Belenus!

Cosmology students can contemplate the
mysteries of IC 1805, the Heart Nebula:
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap061003.html

public domain -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HD_98800.jpg

WHISPERING GREY MATTERS

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Magic Show with a Message

ISSUE 20

By Belenus

India is a country with a rich tradition of performance magic.
The Academy of Magical Sciences, also know as The Magic
Academy, founded in 1996, is Asia's first Magic Academy in Kerala,
India. Its founder and master performance magician, Gopinath
Muthukad, has created a new show that utilizes magic to disseminate
a message of love and speaks out against hate, terrorism, and
unhealthy activities.
The free, thirty minute show called, 'Snehavaadathinte Vismayam,'
is being well received and gaining notoriety among university students
in Kerala.
I was able to catch up with Mr. Muthukad in cyber-space and ask him some
questions. The following transpired:
Belenus: Do you have a website you can direct me to?
Mr. Muthukad: www.muthukad.com is our recently re-built site. Some of the
sections are under making. Also http://magicweekly.blogspot.com is our
blog newsletter.
Belenus: Also, could you tell me more specifically about the magic show, 'Snehavaadathinte
Vismayam?'
Mr. Muthukad: This is a customized magic show to send specific messages against terrorism - both
global and national threats. It is found that the youth is mainly misled to the path of violence and
extremism. Youth has become a commodity of hot demand for all sects: religious groups,
fundamental organizations and political movements. Those who are propagators of terrorism also
are in need of the youth for executing the evil. We through our magic show try to teach that terrorism
a futile policy and it can gain nothing. Permanent solutions are always gained through peaceful means
and never through bloodshed. We also warn the youngsters that terrorism never sprouts from one's
own soil but always been germinated from outside one's country. This is a fact world over.
Because terrorism has become another form of war. It is a war of cowards and way of fighting
from the back. We try to lead the young minds to the eternal pathways of peace as preached
and practiced by the Great Mahatma Gandhi, Father of our Nation. We are trying to spread the
message of harmony among human beings. We are trying to spread the ideals of prosperity for
all human beings - of all religion, castes and communities.
Belenus: Has the show been taken on the road yet?
Mr. Muthukad: Yes
Belenus: What universities has it played at so far, and what is scheduled in the future?
Mr. Muthukad: Universities in Kerala are organizing the event in various colleges. We have also
proposed to perform a nationwide voyage with these shows.
Belenus: Has the show had a positive response from universities and its students?
Mr. Muthukad: Surely. Students are actively reciprocating with the messages of peace disseminated
through the magic shows.

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© DammannART - Scenic Backdrops

Belenus: How does the show attempt to get it messages of
anti-terrorism and healthy living across to audiences?
Mr. Muthukad: There are customized illusion items showing the
futility of terrorism. There are items emphasizing the values of
national integration, communal harmony and social amity.
Belenus: Has it been effective in this?
Mr. Muthukad: Highly effective.
Belenus: What can you tell me about the specifics of the show?
Is done by one performer, or many?
Mr. Muthukad: It is done by the magician and a 25-member troupe.
It can be performed in open air as well as indoor venues.

Performance Magick students
can memorize their favorite
poems “by heart,” an ancient
reference to the time when the
heart was thought to be the seat
of intellect. Or, they might practice ritual dance to the hypnotic
beat of a drum, long thought by
many indigenous cultures to be
the Earth’s heartbeat.

Belenus: Is it made up of large illusions or a mix of illusions and other
techniques?
Mr. Muthukad: There are large to medium type of illusions.
Also used are certain sleights of hand tricks.
Belenus: Does it rely on a lot of patter or other techniques of communication?
Mr. Muthukad: Of course, patter has a place. We use patter, backdrop, and music for
generating an ambience suitable for this magic show with a message.
Belenus: Does it make use of humor, if so, how so?
Mr. Muthukad: Since the messages embedded are not so lighter, humor has little place in this
particular show.
Belenus: What can you tell me about your academy and its mission and programs?
Mr. Muthukad: The Academy of Magical Sciences, more popular as the Magic Academy is in the
fore offering umpteen of service for the growth of magic and magicians in the country.
Since its inception in 1996, the Academy has been upholding the torch of science to dismantle
superstitions.
Driven by the motto, 'Magic with A Mission', the Academy has been making magic a medium for
spreading virtuous messages in the society. To live by its name, several academic services have
also been offered here. For example there are courses in magical art designed for enthusiasts aged
8 to 80. Many courses have no upper age limit, making the classes good equally for the aged as well as
the young. A recent offshoot of the Academy has been realized at the Government owned, KINFRA Film
and Video Park. Named MARC (Magic Academy Research Centre), this institution has become a centre
for conserving great Indian heritage in magic.
For promoting traditional street magicians, the Academy has already conducted a
number of national festivals of street magicians. To promote ancient as well as
contemporary magic, the Academy has launched a groundbreaking
'Magic Tourism' project with the help of the Kerala Tourism
Development Corporation. A number of national and international
magic festivals are also being organized by the Academy. To the latest was a
four-day 'Vismayam 2008' International magic festival held triumphantly with
the participation of around 1000 magicians from India and abroad.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Antique_Valentine_05.jpg

The Story of

Cupid

by Pratus Ater Lupus

The legend of Cupid is a bit of a love story (go
figure!) but once again as with most Christian
holidays, he is a pagan symbol embedded inside. The legend all started when a king had
three daughters and the youngest, Psyche, was
the most beautiful girl in all the land! Everyone
talked about Psyche’s beauty and it took attention away from Venus. Venus did not like this so
she had her son, Cupid, go to make her fall in
love with a beast.
When Cupid arrived to do the dastardly deed he
looked upon her beauty and dropped his arrow,
pricking himself. As the story goes he fell in love
with Psyche.
Cupid took her away and put her in a palace
with invisible servants to execute her smallest
of orders, waiting on her hand and foot. Cupid
would come at night and show her his undying, unfaltering love for her. She fell madly in
love with him and only had one problem--Cupid
wouldn’t allow her to look at him in the light. He
was afraid of what she would think.
Psyche’s sisters came to visit her as Psyche was
getting homesick. The sisters convinced Psyche
that Cupid had to be an awful slimy beast that
was fattening her up to eat and that she had to
look at him to be sure and if so she had to slay
him.
So one night she got a candle and a knife and
went to Cupid’s chambers and looked at him.
She was shocked! He was the most beautiful
man she had ever seen before in her life!!! Being startled by this revelation she burned him
with some candle wax and he woke. He was so
furious and startled that he snapped his fingers

and he and her palace disappeared in a puff of
smoke.
Psyche searched the lands high and low looking
for her love and could not find him. She finally
went to Venus and asked for her help.
“Why should I help you! You and your beauty
are the reason for all of this anyway! If you had
just done what my son told you to do then everything would be just fine!” Venus after venting decided to help her, but only if she did a
few tasks for her, hoping she would die in the
process.
Psyche loved Cupid so much that she decided to
complete these trials. Most say she completed
them all except for when she had to do the last.
Venus instructed her to go into the underworld
and collect some of the beauty of Persephone
and return it to her. The Goddess of love hoped
that she would fail this test by looking into the
box. In all fairness, Venus did warn her not to
look. Letting her curiosity get the best of her

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Psyche looked into the box and it wasn’t beauty at all it
was the slumber of death.
By this time Cupid had come to his senses and went
looking for her. He found her just as she had looked into
the box and he started pulling the slumber from her
body. He called upon, Jupiter (Zeus), and asked for his
help. Moved by the actual free-willed love that the two
had for each other the Gods granted Psyche with Goddess-hood!
And from that time on Cupid has been the symbol for
love. Not bad for a guy in a robe with a bow and arrow,
right?!

Lore students might explore cuneiform, in
which the heart is a symbol for woman. Or
they might work with heraldry, in which
hearts show charity and sincerity.

Love is an awful thing.
Love is called graceful
Love is called wonderful
Love is called many things
But what is really Love?
Love is an awful thing
Filled with heartbreak,
Sorrow,
And of course the pain.
How could you like to love,
Love can cost you worst than your life,
It can cost you your sanity,
Heart,
And who you are.
Though everyday you think you have found love
You know deep down you will never truly find it.
Love is an awful thing,
So much heartache
Sorrow and pain!
No one can stand it anymore,
We all want out!
We all just want out.

Illustrations by Dania Serephina

By Skyjumper, January 2009

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ISSUE 20

Here’s Phil with the Weather
By Calyxa

Groundhog Day always appealed to me as
a child. The idea that a fuzzy little animal
would come out of his hibernation early in
February and predict how the remainder
of the winter would go was charming and
magickal. Even the name they had given
the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, seemed
strange and wonderful, at least the “Punxsutawney” part of it. How could I not love
a name with an ‘x’ in it? It would be many
years before I would learn that this cute observance had its root in ancient Pagan traditions.
I have been interested in magick and cosmology for nearly as long as I can remember. But while I’ve been aware of the Solstices and Equinoxes, it has only been in the
past few years that the Cross-quarter days have
come to my attention. An interesting fact which I
have only recently learned is that the cross-quarter
days are traditionally days on which divinations are
done. The belief is that these are the times of year
when the veils between the worlds are at their thinnest, making communications with the other world
more effective.
The types of divination are different for each of the
cross-quarter days. Beltane predictions were all
about who would marry whom and how many children they were destined to have. Lughnasa celebrates the harvest but also requires some sacrifice,
as a few of the herd animals must be slaughtered
to feed the tribe through the winter. The divinations
associated with Lughnasa are therefore about hard
choices and finding strength. For Samhain, the divination centers on communing with the dead. Imbolc, in the depths of the cold winter, was all about
predicting how soon it would be before the new life
of spring would return.
The name Imbolc means “in the belly.” This refers
to the fact that herd animals such as sheep and
goats are pregnant at this time of year with the
young due to be born early in the spring. Some celebrate Imbolc as early as January 31st, while others celebrate as late as the 7th of February. Some
traditions celebrate it on the full moon closest to
the first week of February. The precise cosmological
calculation of the cross-quarter day places it on the
7th of February. The date of the 2nd of February for
Groundhog Day in the United States comes from
the Catholic observance of Candlemas. The tradition of weather prediction on this date shows up in
this old Scottish rhyme:

If Candlemas Day is bright and clear,
there’ll be two winters in the year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DogGroundHog-small.jpg

WHISPERING GREY MATTERS

How accurate are the weather predictions of groundhogs? The townspeople who live in the home towns
of the various famous groundhogs say that the accuracy rate approaches 90%, but careful record
keeping and impartial observers say that the rate
is closer to 37%, which means you’d be better off
flipping a coin to predict how severe the rest of the
winter will be!
References:
Imbolc. Star Breeze. Star Breeze’s Pagan Pages.
4 Oct, 2007. Date Accessed: unknown
<http://www.starbreezes.com/pgim/imbolc.html>
Imbolc: The Feast of Bride. Freeman, Mara. Chalice
Centre. 1999. Date Accessed: Unknown.
<http://www.chalicecentre.net/imbolc.htm>
“What Wiarton Willie Sees.” CBC News. 2 February,
2009. Date Accessed: Unknown.
<http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/groundhogday/>

t work
h
ig
m
s
t
n
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d
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y st
Beast Master
n the Bear
o
g
in
ll
a
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the Cow
),
g
n
li
a
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h
;
k
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(maternal ma
e (life
k
a
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t
),
agick
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), or the
n
io
t
a
m
r
o
f
s
n
a
r
energy and t
Swan (love).

WHISPERING GREY MATTERS

13

ISSUE 20

Twenty-Eight Days, as a rule, are Plenty!
Imbolc, Valentine and Chocolate.
By Sapphire Soleil

Every year around the Wiccan holiday of Imbolc, the little coven I hang out with look at each other
and sigh a collective groan. We don’t mind Imbolc--it’s a nice little cross-quarter day--what we
mind is February.
For a little over two months we have been living in darkness--cold, ice, snow and all that comes
with winter in the North Hemisphere in Northern Idaho. The festive Yule season is over and was
usually either a bit of a letdown, because no family holiday can ever hope to live up to the image
on the commercial, or was a trial to be endured with a house full of people you unconditionally
love, but no longer want to live with. Then comes January, possibly the longest month of the year;
I swear that month has at least 90 days in it! It just goes on and on and on, a new storm, old
work, New Year’s resolutions already broken. Then there is Valentine’s day, a day commercializing
love. As a single girl who has reached the age when getting struck by lightning twice is more of
a statistical possibility than getting married. Let’s just say I could live without Valentine and his
stupid cupids.
So, when Imbolc pops up, we aren’t ready, nor do we have the energy, for a festive pagan ritual
in all its pomp and circumstance. But there is a ritual out there on the internet written by someone clever and transcribed into a thousand variations over the years. It is called “The Chocolate
Ritual.” (Just do a search for it, you’ll find it.)
This little piece of satirical fluff is just the thing for a dark, cold, winter day. With our Tootsie Roll
athame’s in hand, we light a Sterno under the scared fondue pot and sing praises to the God and
Goddess of Chocolate. We eat way too much. (It is actually possible to eat too much chocolate. My
limit is about two hours of snacking. Approximately 7000 calories!) We wash it down with sparkling
cider or wine, we laugh, tell bad jokes, light a great many candles. One year we all came dressed
in kilts and discovered that the men in the group really do have better looking legs than us ladies.
In general, we tell Old Man Winter, that if he is going to stick around we are going to have a good
time and enjoy it anyway.
William S. Gilbert said it best in “The Pirates of Penzance” “For such a beastly month as February,
twenty-eight days, as a rule, are plenty!” March is just around the corner. Have some Chocolate,
Spring’s a-coming.

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Photo by Jymi X/0

WHISPERING GREY MATTERS

14

Gestures

ISSUE 20

By Artemis Gryphon Snowhawk
This is the season of
and for love, romancing and sharing the
love of all that is good
between two people.
We love our children,
our partners, and our
neighbors. How do we
show this love? Our
expressions take many
forms these days. A
card, some candy, and
perhaps some jewelry.
However, this has not
always been the case.

Jymi X/0

In the United States
in the 1900s, love was
kept under wraps. No
kissing in public, unless it was Yule and
you found yourself under the mistletoe with
your beloved.

Flowers took on a language of their own.
Colors and types of flowers spoke to the recipient
louder than the person ever could. A red rose (of
course) meant love for the intended recipient of the
flowers from the sender. A book was written by Elizabeth Washington Gamble Wirt entitled Floras Dictionary, by “A Lady” detailing this for her audience.

The Hyacinth meant jealousy, Rhododendrons meant
danger. Orange flowers meant prosperity, wherein
Zinnias meant absence and Rosemary meant remembrance. Rosemary was often included in bridal
bouquets and planted on the graves of loved ones.
A white rose suspended over the dinner table in Roman times warned guests that all conversation at
the table was to be held in confidence, for they were
dining sub rosa. In Victorian houses plaster rosettes
in ceiling medallions carried on this custom.
A handheld bouquet was symbolic of a young man’s
chances if his intended carried his bouquet rather
than another young man.
Next time you are sent a flower or bouquet you might
well wonder if there’s a much deeper meaning in the
gesture.
Recommended Sites:
Walsh, Judith. “The Language of Flowers in Nineteenth Century American Painting.” Magazine Antiques. October 1999. Date Accessed: Unknown.
<http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1026/is_4_
156/ai_56749646>
Seaton, Beverly. The Language of Flowers: A History.
1995. Google Books. Date Accessed: Unknown.
<http://books.google.com/books?id=fiBbdJ1sdA8C
&pg=PA12&lpg=PA12&dq=United+States,+ninetee
nth+century,+language+of+flowers&source=bl&ots
=NAn8Yl8Xhl&sig=RaF98G_HGNlIoh7NBT4IgzfjS4k
&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=resul
t#PPA10,M1>

   
By Whiteraven

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To stare out on the waters with the sun rising soft,
you try though it’s hard to remember;
the wind and the waves and dark stormy skies,
that are caused by the Witch of November.
For she taketh the lives of those young and old,
heedlessly and without caring;
who sail the waves of Superior’s cold waters,
with bravery, with skill and with daring.
And she showeth no mercy nor granteth favor,
and takes what she wants with a vengeance;
and those who encounter her wrath yet survive,
know in her wake she leaves fear and remembrance.
So sail those waters with sharp eyes and mind,
and heed ye that uneasy feeling;
that comes when you see those dark storm-tossed skies,
for ‘tis the Witch of November come stealing!

WHISPERING GREY MATTERS

15

ISSUE 20

The Heart
By Prof. Moonwriter

I probably know as much as anyone about the heart:
after all, I’ve owned mine for more than five decades.
In its lifetime, it’s had its heartstrings plucked, swelled
with pride more than once, hardened when it needed
to, and been broken at least a few times. By my
next birthday, it will have beat some 2,168,100,000
times, skipping a beat here and there, speeding up
and slowing down…. but never stopping.

Illustration: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Heart_(vessels_only).gif

The heart seems like a miracle manifest, and that may
be why humans have long believed the heart to be
linked to the soul. In ancient Egypt, the heart was removed from the dead and weighed on a scale against
the Feather of Ma’at, the Egyptian Mother of Truth. If the heart
was heavier than the feather, it
was viewed as still too weighed
down with Earthly concerns and
not yet ready for life eternal in
the spirit world. If lighter than
the feather, the heart—and its
resident soul—were felt worthy
of entering paradise.
Similar views reached into Neolithic cultures, where it was believed that the soul’s animation
came from a woman’s menstrual
blood, and that this blood formed
the child’s soul while in the womb.
People in the Dark Ages, who believed that the Earth was at the
center of the Universe, also believed that the heart was the seat
of the soul. Even the more “modern” Christianity would demonstrate a similar belief via the
“weighing of souls.”
Old habits die slowly, and today’s
lexicon remains full of heart-references. A person
who is cold is said to be “heartless” or to “have no
heart.” One who lacks courage “loses heart,” while
she who delves wholly into a problem “puts her heart
and soul into it.” When searching for a mate, we look
for someone who “has a good heart,” while preparing
to “love them with all of our heart.”
Even our ambitions are heart-charged. We talk about
searching for “our heart’s desires,” and when our efforts are scrutinized we may “take the words to heart”
even as we “get to the heart of the matter.” An altruistic person is said to have a “heart of gold,” while
a mean, miserly person has a “heart of stone.” (The
Grinch had a heart that was two sizes too small!)

Love, of course, is ripe with heart symbols and language. Since the seventeenth century, Roman Catholics have used the “sacred heart” as a metaphor for
Christ’s divine love and compassion. The heart shape
appears throughout illuminated Bibles and Books of
Prayers and Hours, often in shape of a heart within a
crown of thorns. The carnivale, a part of many Lenten rituals, dates back to the Roman goddess Carna,
mother of all flesh, who received food offerings in
hopes of her continued provision and protection of
living human flesh. Today, when we fall in love, we
“give our hearts,” “pour out our hearts,” pledge devotion “from the bottom of our hearts,” and never, ever
“lose heart.” When our hearts are
broken, we talk about having received “a knife through the heart,”
and refer to the lovelorn as “bleeding hearts.”
And our living, beating hearts? The
human heart is a hollow organ composed of unique involuntary muscle
known as cardiac muscle. The human heart has four chambers. Blood
enters the right side of the heart, is
pumped through the lungs and oxygenated, and is then pumped from
the left side of the heart into the
general circulation. We’re dependent on this constant flow of dissolved oxygen—if circulation stops
for more than three or four minutes,
the brain begins to die. A minute or
two more and the rest of the body
follows along.
How can you take care of your own,
beloved heart? First, be careful who
you give it to. And second, eat well,
exercise, sleep at least seven hours each night, stay
at normal weight, and do the things you love most:
evidence suggests that meditation and favorite activities contribute to cardiac health.
Sources:
Nozedar, Adele. The Element Encyclopedia of Secret
Signs and Symbols. London: Harper Element, 2008.
Walker, Barbara. The Woman’s Dictionary of Symbols
and Sacred Objects. San Francisco: Harper, 1998.

Healing students can use the heart
chakra to heal with passion and
emotion and to benefit the heart and
circulatory system.

WHISPERING GREY MATTERS

16

ISSUE 20

Ancient Runes Today:

Love Charms

By Areeya

I enjoy working with my Rune stones every day. There are always new and exciting ways to apply their
knowledge. One use can be to bring about the intentions you cast out into the universe.
Let’s have a look at working our Runes in a love charm. Love charms can be tricky as all participants
should be consciously involved. To do a spell or charm for someone without their knowledge is bad form
of the worst kind. Let’s imagine that a friend comes to you with their partner asking assistance in their
relationship. They want a love charm to reignite their passion and strengthen communication with each
other. I believe that the fact these folk physically came with the intention to heal their relationship is three
quarters of the work. When we physically reinforce our consciousness it feels much more effective in accomplishing our goal.
Okay, we have our powerful intention, now we must decide how we will facilitate this intention working our
Runes. Though having folks draw their own Runes is most definitely a great way of inner guidance, what
was asked was a charm to help reestablish and strengthen what was once already there. So when working
a love charm I feel it best to choose those Runes that speak specifically to the intention.
We want to reignite passion and communication for some folks who want to strengthen their relationship.
Broken down we will invoke passion, communication and strength of unity. Take note that these Runes
also symbolize unity through nature and spirit:
gebo (spirit) - gift of partnership
ehwaz (earth) - union or marriage
ansuz (air) - communication, willingness to listen and understand
kenaz (fire) - passion of fire the torch (thurisaz even reversed in its passive mode in this case might be a bit too harsh for passion, it isa rune of
uncontrolled raw power which seems inappropriate for a love issue)
laguz (water) - balanced flow of emotion
So in this charm (which we will work into a Bindrune to be worn by each of the lovers), we have
the gift of honest giving and receiving in a union filled with passion (and the light in which to see
it) and the balance of deep communication.
We construct our Bindrune by combining all of these Runes into one symbol and reinforcing our
intention upon it through purification--salt water or incense are always and excellent form of
purification. These Bindrunes are beautiful and intriguing to the eye as well as filled with the
energy of magickal intention.
Try using coordinating colors for a twist that is both fun and reinforces the intention. Pink or
white, red and brown are nice colors for love. I like white, pink. and brown for purity, love and
grounding. Add a bit of red for passion. So whether in love, or another situation, just remember
your Ethics in Magick and enjoy the adventurous path of working your Ancient Runes Today!

WHISPERING GREY MATTERS

Tarot:
The Lovers

17

ISSUE 20

-- Jymi X/0

As tempting as it is to interpret this Trump in the
spirit of love and romance, the meaning is actually
much deeper than that. It depicts the attraction and
interaction of opposites: separation, unification and
balance.
Many sources hold that this card tells the story of
creation and of the “fall” of the forebears of human
consciousness from the eternal, Archetypal realm
to that of the imperfect, changing, often unpleasant
plane of Earthly manifestation. Consciousness, the
story goes, once dwelt in the paradisiacal realm that
some call “Eden,” where all beings existed together in
harmony, and none knew death, loss or even imperfection. (Compare this concept to that of Plato’s ideal
Forms.) Then the mind learned to see the world and
everything in it as mostly “out there,” or “Not-Self:”
something separate from the being who observed
it. The inter-connectedness was forgotten, and the
painful side of Duality was upon us. (The Rider-Waite
deck illustrates this nicely -- compare the drawings
on The Lovers and The Devil cards!)
While this perspective appeals to the Ego (who
doesn’t compare themselves to others now and then,
taking careful note of the differences?), it also brings
loneliness and imbalance. The Lovers show the Duality rejoining. Male and female, numerologically,
are One and Two, the Monad and the Dyad: the first
primal set of opposites after All and Nothing. Some
writers (Crowley, for one) describe the pair not as
husband and wife, but as twins, identical and opposite. In this Trump, they merge, and a Third is
born from their union. The child contains the best of
both parents: the bright consciousness of the father
(male, gold, Sun) and the deep subconscious intuition of the mother (female, silver, Moon).
So who’s the guy behind them? It depends on who’s
drawing the deck. Raphael, Mercury, Hermes, Eros,
Cupid...the names change, but the concept is what’s
important. These divine Beings are all associated,
in one way or another, with communication -- the
act of connecting with other beings. The cute little winged Cupid on a Valentine’s card is a powerful magical symbol. It represents the urge within
each part of Creation to re-unite with its opposite,
whether that be another piece of existence, to rectify a small imbalance, or the Universe in its entirety,

“The Lovers” by Pamela Coleman Smith,
from the Rider-Waite Tarot deck
manifesting as the Self’s desire to regain the sense
of interconnectedness with All Things.
WORKS CITED
Crowley, Aleister. The Book of Thoth. Stanford: US
Games Systems. 1996.
Opsopaus, John. The Pythagorean Tarot. 1996. Accessed: 7 January, 2009.
< h t t p : / / w w w. c s . u t k . e d u / ~ m c l e n n a n / B A / P T /
PT.html>
Ouspensky, P.D. The Symbolism of the Tarot. New
York: Dover Publications, Inc. 1976.

The elemen
tal symbol fo
r water—an
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invertis reminisce
nt of both he
chalice. Div
art and
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ents who wo
the Tarot su
rk with
it of Cups a
re referencin
symbolic re
g these
ferences.

WHISPERING GREY MATTERS

Core Energy or meditation or yoga
students can use a mala made of
rose quartz and mother of pearl
to: “… open the heart chakra to all
forms of love and [it] is believed
to remove fears, resentments and
anger. In China, mother of pearl
has been prescribed for thousands
of years to treat heart palpitations,
dizziness and high blood pressure.”
from “Rose Quartz and Mother
of Pearl Mala.” Japa Mala Beads.
http://www.yogabasics.com/japamalabeads/roseMala.html

18

ISSUE 20

Chocolate The Amazing!
by Pratus Ater-Lupus
Chocolate is one of the best things to eat when you are sad,
tired, frustrated, and depressed. That is the reason chocolates
work great after being attacked by Dementors!
The natural chemicals produced by the cocoa beans cause the
body to release endorphins which help decrease pain and relieve
stress. The chemical tryptophan in chocolate releases serotonin,
which is a natural anti-depressant. Theobromine is a chemical in
chocolate that quickens alertness and speeds up the beat of the
heart. Anandamide is a chemical that creates dopamine which
is what makes you feel a sense of elation. No wonder chocolate
is associated with love! For centuries, it has been used as an
aphrodisiac -- it was very expensive for a long time and it is
considered a food of Gods and Goddesses.
Chocolate doesn’t have the same effect on all creatures, though.
It can very easily kill dogs and horses if they are fed too much
of it. I don’t feed it to any of my animals.
All in all there are about 300 chemicals in that chocolate bar
ready to make your day better. It really is a great relief to have
chocolate in such a stressful world. Just be careful with it though,
like any drug of choice it has its downfalls.
For one, think of obesity. And there are some people that eat too
much chocolate that actually have allergic reactions afterwards;
my father in law is one of these people. Diabetes is another epidemic that is becoming a big problem in America, and trust me,
the misuse of this treat is one of the reasons for this.
Chocolate is also being considered an addictive substance. With
it at arms reach in almost every store it is hard to fight off the
chocolate attack. It has many effects on the brain and everything seems to be okay while under the effects. I can see how
some would use it as an escape and I have only one thing to say
about that….. Hi, my name is Pratus, and I’m a chocoholic!
References:
1.“Chocolate on the Brain.” Kristen Coveleskie. http://serendip.
brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro04/web1/kcoveleskie.html. Feb
2004.
2.“Chocolate.” http://copperwiki.org/index.php/Chocolate Aug
2008.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cocoa_Pods.JPG

WHISPERING GREY MATTERS

19

ISSUE 20

Chocolate 101
by Calyxa

Is there really milk
in milk chocolate?
How dark can dark
chocolate get? Is
white
chocolate
even chocolate at
all?
Chocolate is made
in a long and complex process which
starts
with
the
seeds of the cacao
tree. These seeds
are
commonly
known as cocoa
beans. The cocoa
beans form inside of pods, which grow directly off
of the tree trunk. When the pods are ripe, they are
harvested and split open to reveal the beans. The
beans are scooped out of the pods, spread out on
mats, and then allowed to ferment under a layer of
wide leaves.
The cacao tree is native to Central America. The Mayans and Aztecs called the cocoa bean, “the food
of the Gods,” and they used the beans as currency.
They enjoyed chocolate by grinding up the fermented beans and then mixing them with hot water and
some other spices. Using a special wooden whisk,
this mixture was beaten to a frothy soup known as
“chocolatl,” an Aztec word meaning “warm liquid.”
Since its discovery by Europeans, the cacao tree has
been cultivated in many different equatorial regions
around the world.
The modern process of turning cocoa beans into
the familiar form of chocolate bars starts with the
beans being harvested and fermented in much the
same way that the Mayans and Aztecs prepared the
beans. The process continues with gently roasting
the beans, cracking them apart into ‘nibs’, and then
grinding the nibs into a paste. This paste is referred
to as chocolate liquor although it has no alcoholic
content. The chocolate liquor consists of cocoa butter and cocoa powder. The two are separated out by
pressing the yellowish fatty cocoa butter out of the
dark brown cocoa powder. The cocoa powder is what
contributes to the true taste of chocolate, while the
cocoa butter is what gives chocolate its ‘melt in the
mouth’ texture. By separating the two, more of one
or the other can be added back into the mix, changing the end result.
Chocolate confections are still many steps away in the
process. Chocolate liquor is combined with additional
cocoa butter, sugar, and emulsifiers which encourage

the ingredients to blend together smoothly. The mixture of chocolate liquor, sugar, emulsifying agents,
and varying proportions of cocoa butter and cocoa
powder, is then put through a process called “conching” which means it is milled between heavy stone
or metal wheels. The conching more finely grinds the
solids down to a smooth texture. If chocolate is not
conched enough, it is gritty. However, if it is conched
too much, it will become gummy.
On a tour I took of the Scharffen-Berger Chocolate
Factory in Berkeley, CA, the conching machine they
showed us used granite wheels that had been in
nearly continuous use for close to 200 years! After
the conching, the mixture is then tempered, which
means it is gently heated and cooled several times.
Only after all of this can the mixture be formed into
squares we would think of as chocolate.
It is the varying proportions of cocoa butter to cocoa
powder and the amount of sugar which determines
how dark a dark chocolate can get. Scharffen-Berger
makes an unsweetened 99% Dark Chocolate. The
99% means that all but 1% of the bar consists of
cocoa solids, which includes both cocoa butter and
cocoa powder. Milk chocolate does indeed have milk
solids in it. For a chocolate to be called “Milk Chocolate,” it must consist of at least 12% milk solids and
10% cocoa solids. White chocolate is made of cocoa
butter, sugar, milk, vanilla flavoring, and an emulsifier.
Chocolate is an amazing food, but with all the fat
from the cocoa butter, and all the added sugar, it is a
treat to be enjoyed in moderation.
References:
All About Chocolate: Making Chocolate. 2007. The
Field Museum. Date Accessed: Unknown.
<http://www.fieldmuseum.org/CHOCOLATE/making_intro.html>
Chocolate and Chocolate History. (from Wikipedia.)2007. Choconet. Date Accessed: Unknown.
<http://www.choconet1.com/chocolate-and-chocolate-history.html>

Wortcunning studen
ts may design a
heart-shaped herb ga
rden; filled with
lavender, marjoram,
passion flower
and sweet pea, the ga
rden will spill
over with friendship
and happiness.

The Skinny on Dipping

WHISPERING GREY MATTERS

20

ISSUE 20

by Calyxa

Many wonderful confections are
made by dipping simple ingredients into melted chocolate. But
chocolate can be temperamental.
With too much heat or too fast of a
heating, chocolate can burn easily,
or have its oils separate out into
a slick mess. The keys to melting
chocolate are first to make sure
the chocolate is broken up into
small pieces, and next to make
sure that the heat is applied slowly and evenly, all the while stirring
the chocolate.
Chocolate chips are best for melting because they are already in
nice small pieces. When you’ve
gotten chocolate in a large bar
or in a thick chunk, you’ll need to
break it apart or use a chef’s knife
to cut it into smaller pieces. It’s
best if all the pieces can be about
the same size and none of them
larger than one inch wide by one
inch tall by half an inch thick. If you
need to cut your chocolate with
a knife, make sure you have an
adult to supervise. It’s not a good
idea to try to use a food processor
to chop up your chocolate because
the blades build up enough friction
to partially melt it, which ends up
making a big mess.
When melting chocolate, the best
choice is a double boiler. This is
a special kind of pan which has a
larger bottom section to hold boiling water, and a smaller top section which remains suspended
over, but not in the boiling water.
Second best is to melt chocolate in
the microwave oven, but you must
take care to use low power and go
in slow steps. I only use the microwave when melting small amounts
of chocolate, under 2 ounces.
Even then I use the lowest power
and stop it every minute to stir it
around a bit.
When chocolatiers refer to “handdipped” chocolates, they mean just

that. The chefs use their fingers
as the primary tools for coating
whatever it is that is being dipped
in the melted chocolate. One important thing about hand dipping
is that it is a good way to know
that your chocolate is close to the
right temperature. If your melted
chocolate is too hot to touch, it’s
close to being damaged by the
heat. Also, it will be too runny to
cling well to whatever it is being
dipped.
It’s safer and cleaner to dip the
following centers by putting them
onto a toothpick first. The toothpicks can be pulled out after the
chocolates have chilled and set.

Simple Chocolate
Truffle Centers
This is really easy, but requires
a double boiler pan for the melting. Simply melt together cream
cheese and your favorite chocolate. The proportions of cream
cheese to chocolate can be varied
by quite a bit. Adding in powdered
confectioner’s sugar will give not
only extra sweetness, but will also
affect the texture.
You will need:
•
•
•
•
•

A double boiler
An 8x8 glass baking dish
At least one cookie sheet
Toothpicks
Baker’s parchment paper

• Chocolate - at least 8 ounces,
no more than 16 ounces. You may
use white, milk, or dark chocolate,
but it should not include any nuts
or fillings. It will need to be cut
into small pieces, or purchased in
“chocolate chip” form.
• Cream cheese - one 8 ounce
package
• Powdered sugar (This is optional.

You may use anywhere between 0
and 3 cups!)
• Flavor extract (This is optional.
Recommended flavors are various
fruit flavors such as lemon, orange, raspberry, or cherry.)
Use equal portions of cream cheese
and chocolate to create centers
which are soft and creamy. Use
twice the amount of chocolate to
create firmer centers. For a mixture of 8 ounces of cream cheese
(one package) and 16 ounces of
chocolate, add up to 3 cups of confectioner’s sugar for centers with
an intensely sweet and slightly
crumbly texture. A small amount
of flavor extract can go a long way
to add interest. Use no more than
1 teaspoon of flavor extract per 16
ounces of combined chocolate and
cream cheese.
Once the cream cheese and chocolate have melted into a uniform
liquid, remove it from the heat.
Mix in the optional powdered sugar, and then stir in the optional
flavor extract. Once mixed, pour
it into an 8x8 glass baking dish.
Allow the mixture to harden. If it
is a warm day, put the pan into the
refrigerator for an hour. After the
chocolate mixture has solidified,
cut it into cubes. You may either
dip the cubes as-is, or you may
gently roll the cubes into spheres
using your palms. Chill the centers again to ensure that they are
solid. Having the centers cold also
helps them get a good coating of
chocolate on the outside.
After your centers are prepared,
melt some chocolate for dipping.
Set up a tray lined with baker’s
parchment paper to place the
centers after dipping. When the
dipping chocolate has come to a
uniform liquid consistency, turn
off the heat under the double boiler, but leave the chocolate in the

WHISPERING GREY MATTERS
top section over the hot water.
Dip the centers into the chocolate
and set them on the tray. Try to
keep them from touching each
other. When the tray is full, put it
into the refrigerator for at least 2
hours. After this time, remove the
toothpicks and put your chocolate
truffles into a sealable container.
Store them in the refrigerator.
The first time I tried this, it was
with white chocolate done 2 to 1
with the cream cheese, the full
complement of powdered sugar,
and lemon extract flavoring. The
white lemon centers were then
dipped into dark chocolate. Since
then, I’ve had them with dark
chocolate centers done in a 1 to
1 ratio with the cream cheese
and no added sugar. Half of them
were flavored with raspberry and
dipped in the same dark chocolate. A small dab of transparent
red cake decorating icing on top
indicated the raspberry ones from
the other half, which had chopped
hazelnuts mixed into the centers
instead of raspberry flavoring.

Mathemagicks students can build a heart
cake out of two geometric shapes. Use a
9” square layer and a 9” round layer, baked
according to directions and cooled. Cut the
round cake in half; push the straight edge
of each half up against adjacent sides of
the square later. Voila: a heart! Frost with
pink frosting and enjoy!

For Psychic
Arts studen
ts, a heart-sh
piece of flu
aped
orite grants
psychic insig
while a heart
hts,
-shaped pie
ce of rose q
promotes ca
uartz
lmness and c
entering.
indents might use an
Ceremonial Magick stu
bo
m l
rms the kabbalistic sy
fo
ch
hi
w
t,
ar
he
d
rte
ve
be
maton. This is said to
known as the tetragram
mes.
one of God’s secret na

21

ISSUE 20

The Most Powerful
of all Magick: Love

By Pratus Ater Lupus

Love is something that will bring the strongest being to
their knees and the weakest being to victory over all who
oppose them. It can free a prisoner like a bird and imprison someone like a criminal. It is supposed to be one
of the greatest of all free-willed choices that anyone can
make, but alas it is not and can be manipulated.
Love is something that no one chooses. When you fall
in love it is usually unexpected and unwanted, until after it happens anyway. There are all kinds of magick for
love. Most I deem to be unethical, but some I can understand.
For instance, a charm to attract someone to you to love
you, which is mostly used to attract anyone that is looking
also it doesn’t target anyone in specific and change their
free will, this can be anything from wearing an herbal sachet, men putting bayberry oil on, or taking a bath with
oil blossoms to make you more popular. All of these are
things to increase pheromones to attract a mate.
There are also all out spells that people go through to
make others fall in love with them. These are spells that
usually target someone specifically and breaks down
their defenses and makes them fall madly in love with
you. These two types of love magick can be very dangerous and unethical at the same time.
When these spells are cast, and they work, then it breaks
the free will of a person; that part is unethical. The dangerous part is this person is not attracted to you for a
reason; when all the pheromones wears off and there is
no chemistry then someone, if not both party members,
are going to be very upset. If you have already gotten
married, or worse, then they are going to feel trapped
and that is when bad things happen.
Use the 30 method when you are thinking of manipulating anything with magick. Think about what will happen
in 30 minutes, then 30 days, and if it is a case like this
30 years. I say use your heart, but also use your head.
Besides if it really is love then you’d rather that someone
be happy.
Some love magick is not unethical, and those are the ones
that are asked by both party members. Like in Areeya’s
“Ancient Runes Today” column, “Love Charms.” The two
wanted counseling and a charm to help strengthen them.
That is a really good way to bring the love back in the
relationship.
Not all love spells are real. They usually come out better
when you create them anyway. I was reading a book, I
can’t recall it now and one of the love spells started out
with picking up a fresh footprint of the one whom you
love. Trust me; they are going to get creeped out seeing
you follow them around with a shovel!

WHISPERING GREY MATTERS

22

ISSUE 20

Love:
Is It Necessary!?
By Areeya

I take a look around in this day and age and find myself
pondering on love’s role in today’s society; specifically, the
emphasis on love relationships rather than self love. Even
though most folks don’t seem to be expected to get married
right away once they are of age, there still feels to be an
unwritten rule that you need to be in a relationship to be a
complete person.
I can’t speak for other countries, but the great American
media machine, along with big business, certainly seems to
perpetuate fear of being alone. How many advertisements
assault you everyday regarding dress, appearance, and relationship status? Many cosmetic and clothing industry commercials imply that through the use of their products one can
sexually attract a partner. Many of our so called self-help
literature can be aimed at healing and happiness with self,
in order to find a partner. Online and televised dating services grieve for you being alone and profess they can help
find you happiness with a partner if only you join. Many a
religion through the ages taught us that only through love of
what that particular belief system considers divine shall yield
wholeness.
Now I am not knocking religion, or even the trite seeming
commercial mania that we are fed daily. Despite my personal
distaste for them, I feel they are an integral piece of our societies puzzle. I think what perplexes me most is why there
is not more education on loving and understanding oneself.
Why is this not being taught to us as children more? What
would happen if we are taught very early that the answer
to what we are looking for lies within us among mainstream
society? What would happen if as children we are taught
to seek balance in our masculine and feminine energy? You
know: yin and yang, sun and moon, positive and negative
energy. Perhaps being a whole person is the deep love of self
in balanced energy, whether or not you are in a relationship.

Areeya

Dark Arts
students
may perfo
banishing
rm
s by insc
r
ibing wha
unwanted
t
is
on a blac
k paper h
and burn
eart
ing or b
urying it.
they can
Or
just feed
the heart
a zombie
to
.
HEARRRR
GGGGUUU
T
T
T
T
S
S
SS
UUUDDDD
D!

Jymi X/0

Maybe we should perpetuate a little more love of self in
teaching our young. In my studies I have found that when a
person seeks love, honor, and respect in oneself, they flourish and are content. Many in this world live loving, fulfilled
lives and are single. I guess what I am saying is, “what’s
love got to do with it?” If you don’t love yourself, how can
you expect to love another without feeling something is missing. Perhaps what is missing is you. Perhaps the love that is
most necessary is the love of Self. But that’s just this writer’s
opinion. What’s yours?

WHISPERING GREY MATTERS

New Moon

23

ISSUE 20

by Stephanie Meyer

LB&C First Paperbook Edition: May 2008 ISBN: 0-316-02496-1
Reviewed by silverlocke
Bella (on her 18th birthday) has a death itch her
vampire boyfriend Edward (age 106) just won’t
scratch although she uses (nearly) all her feminine
wiles to get her way. And Romeo and Juliet is her
favorite play--can this end well? The question arises:
if someone longs for a vampire bite, do they have a
death wish? Or an eternal life wish?
When we left Bella and Edward at the end of Twilight, Bella had very barely escaped certain death at
the fangs of a hunter-predator vampire, being saved
by Edward and Alice and the Cullen clan. But is she
properly appreciative of her salvation? It seems not,
for as the second volume in the series opens she
and Edward are having the same argument they had
both tiptoed around in the first volume, but now the
disagreement is loud and vocal. Bella informs Edward
in no uncertain terms that she wants to be ‘turned’
or ‘changed’ so they can be together forever and he
argues just as forcefully that he has no right to deprive her of her soul. “My world is not for you”, he
says grimly.
An incident at the vampire mansion during her birthday party seems to prove Edward right and very
shortly afterward he informs her that he and his clan
must leave--ostentatiously to avoid detection by the
townspeople--and she would never see him again.
And just like that the love of her life (and perhaps
her afterlife as well) is gone.
Bella despairs: “I was like a lost moon--my planet
destroyed in some cataclysmic, disaster-movie scenario of desolation--that continued, nevertheless,
to circle in a tight
little orbit around
the empty space
left behind, ignoring the laws of
gravity.”
After many months
she manages to
rally
somewhat
and
revisits
a
friendship with a
younger boy from
the
reservation
whose members
are sworn enemies
of the vampires.
On Valentines day
(which she never
noticed had ar-

rived) Jacob
buys
her a box of
candy and
she muses
about her
relationship
with him:
“I was an
empty shell.
[...] He deserved better [...] Yet
I
needed
him
too
much, and
I was selfish. [...] I
had never
meant
to
love him [...] love gave someone the power to break
you. I’d been broken beyond repair.”
But Edward is her true and constant love object and
Meyers keeps the blood-crossed, abstaining lovers
apart for more than 400 pages--just as well for Bella’s chastity and the perceived abstinence subtext of
the series. Following startling revelations about Jacob and some of his friends on the reservation, the
actions of a pair of rogue vampires trying to kill Bella, repercussions of a nighttime cliff dive that might
have been a suicide leap, and an intercontinental
chase scene that ends in the middle of an ancient urvampire clan in Italy--we catch up to Edward on the
cusp of suicide and--simultaneously thinking Bella
dead yet having clear visions of his beloved--in the
act of quoting Romeo and Juliet: “Death, that hath
sucked the honey of thy breath, hath had no power
yet upon thy beauty.”
Since two more books follow this one it is no spoiler
to say that both Bella and Edward survive all eventualities come the end of this book. But does Bella get
her life/death wish? She goes so far as to force a clan
vote on the issue with Alice’s vote a known ‘Yea’ and
Edward’s a known ‘Nay’. “So eager for eternal damnation”, he mutters at one point. But you won’t get
the result of the vote from me--you’ll have to read
this book. And perhaps the following one also.

New Moon is the second of
four books in
the Twilight saga.