I've been a little tied up lately, suspended between all my different worlds and responsibilities.  However, now that May(hem) will be over soon, things should calm down some and my bonds will be loosened.





The winner of the Erotic Sensations (http://eroticsensations.us/) three candle gift package is Catherine W.!  Please email me your mailing address at chirp_sparrow@yahoo.com.  A big thank you to Erotic Sensations for being a sponsor of the Barbed Pentacle the last couple of weeks and for sponsoring our giveaway.

The winner of the Barbed Pentacle prize pack is Bones!  Please email me your mailing address at chirp_sparrow@yahoo.com.





There's lots of fun blogs in store.  Just because I've been in bondage, doesn't mean I haven't been busy writing!  In the next week or so, we'll finish up the "May You Never Thirst" series.  Then, we'll start examining hunting and Paganism.  If you hunt, fish, or trap, and you're Pagan, please email at chirp_sparrow@yahoo.com.  I'd love to interview you.  Also, along with the hunting series, look for a review of Tonia Brown's new novel, Skin Trade (http://thebackseatwriter.blogspot.com/)!

Soon, not too soon, but soon, the Barbed Pentacle will be moving to a new home.  Yes, things will be different, and you may not like them at first, but it will be a safer place--with far less censorship--to explore the grittier side of Paganism.  Look for more information on the new site address in the coming weeks.

New drawing items will be posted soon!
These folks are all tied up too:
Erotic Sensations: http://eroticsensations.us/
Tonia Brown: http://thebackseatwriter.blogspot.com/

So he told her everything. “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.” When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines , “Come back once more; he has told me everything.” So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands. After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him.[c] And his strength left him. (Judges 16,verses 17-19)

 Hair has always had certain superstitions and magic attached to it. Many of us are familiar with Samson's lovely locks and Delilah's sadistic hair fetish.
However, hair is an under utilized magical tool and vehicle that many Pagans over look or ignore. We all know that hair is often linked to how people perceive us, and many folks go to great lengths and expense to have wonderful hair, so why not use magic in the beauty treatment?

A good deal of hair magic can take place in the shower. When washing your hair, you can envision all your stress, worry, or things that have been weighing you down or making you greasy wash away and swirl down the drain. If you want to be really witchy, you can seek out hair care products that have herbal/fruit ingredients that would aid in banishing or cleansing. A similar exercise can be done while shaving as well. Not only does your hair hold a history of your drug use, it also holds a history of your health, stress, and success. If you need a new start, shave your hair. You don't have to go to the extreme of shaving your head, since shaving any body hair will sympathetically erase your past so that you have a smooth new slate.

Once you've gotten rid of the negatives, you need to invite in the positives. For this you can create your own Herbal Essence with hair teas. The word tea in this since is a little misleading. Some hair teas are meant to be ingested like traditional teas, but many of the "teas" are simply meant to be used as a hair rinse at the end of a shower. The easiest one to make is the Scarborough Fair hair rinse.


Take equal parts (about a teaspoon dried) parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme and add it to 2 cups boiling water. Let the tea steep until cool and then strain. Then use the tea as a rinse at the end of your shower, thoroughly working it into your hair. Besides the magical properties associated with the herbs, the tea is a good tonic for your hair. Another tea that is easy to make is chamomile and lemon tea. This tea is for blonde hair. Take two teaspoons dried chamomile and one tablespoon lemon juice. Add these items to 2 cups boiling water and let it steep until cool. Strain and use as a rinse. As you pour the rinse into your hair, imagine your hair getting brighter and your disposition becoming sunny.

Before we get out of the shower, color magic and hair should be explored. If you regularly dye your hair, do some research on the magical meaning of your hair color. If things aren't going the way that you had hoped, consider changing your hair color. Sometimes just changing the shade will help. If you're adventurous, or have a job where you're allowed to have unnaturally colored hair, have fun coordinating your hair color to your magical workings. There's lots of temporary hair dyes on the market (including Kool-Aid from high school), as well as hair mascaras and hair pieces.
Women for ages have been magically brushing their hair. Ancient magical and cosmetology texts are full of brushing spells. Basically, you are either brushing things magically out of your hair or magically brushing things into your hair. Some folks integrate glamoury into their brushing spells, but others use number magic and numerology. Brushing your hair is something you probably do at least once a day if not more, so just have fun and see what you come up with. Plus, you if you have a partner that is so inclined, your numerology and number magic can be mirrored with smacks from your hair brush. Take care when disposing of the hair from your hair brush. If you're skilled in tedious craft work, a hair talisman based upon Victorian hair jewelry can be made. However, if you're the type that usually just throws away your hair, the hair should either be burned or buried lest it fall into the wrong hands. Not only is it a DNA gold mine, but it's the easiest way for someone to do a spell that involves you (either good or bad).

Another way to integrate magic into your hair is with twists, braids, and hair accouterments. You can twist your intent into your buns and up-dos, or you can braid your intent. For this method of hair magic, using a magical chant or power word that is recited at each twist or braid lay over works best. Your magic can be strengthened by adding in beads and ribbons with color and number magic, or with feather extensions, which integrates feather and bird correspondences. The metal that hair barrettes are made out of can also be added into the magical mix since many deities have specific metals that are sacred to them, astrological planets are corresponded to metals, and the metals themselves also have certain magical properties.

Have fun playing beauty shop, and remember that braids makes magical bondage awesome!



BY ROBERT BROWNING



These folks like to smack some ass!
Erotic Sensations:  http://eroticsensations.us
Tonia Brown:  http://www.thebackseatwriter.com

Today, while you're slinging back shots of tequila and tacos in celebration of the Battle of Puebla and Cinco de Mayo, take your clothes off and go dig in the dirt.  Not only is today get drunk on Mexican beer day, but it's also World Naked Gardening Day.

As you may have guessed, skyclad gardening is sponsored and advocated by several naturist societies, including The Body Freedom Collaborative.  For more information on World Naked Gardening Day, visit their website naked.

Happy Gardening!  Don't forget the sunscreen in those "special" spots!

These folks garden naked:
Erotic Sensations: http://eroticsensations.us/
Tonia Brown: www.thebackseatwriter.com