We returned from Cornwall a couple of days ago and ever since I have been feeling very inspired. Being there really made me think about a lot of things and reconsider some of the things in my life. It's also made me more certain about my Pagan path and where I am walking along it. It's re-awakened my excitement about being Pagan, and encouraged me to try new things and read new books and magazines.While I was there I visited a wonderful stone circle called the Merry Maidens and spent quite some time inside it. The energy inside the circle was truly breathtaking, it literally made me feel like I'd been punched in the chest when I entered. I left a small natural offering and gave thanks to the Goddess for revealing one of her sacred sites to me. It was a wonderful holiday and I really connected with everything about the place, so much so that I think I would like to move there one day. Since I got back I have been setting plans for a Pagan project in place. I've never had a cloak, and a Pagan friend I speak to via IM suggested that I could make my own, which I've taken on board and already purchased the materials for. So when I have a spare moment, probably this Thursday, I am going to make my own cloak. I've also purchased a beautiful Jordash dress, which I can't wait to wear. I've never really dared to dress the way I've always wanted to - time to make those changes. 

Well later on this week I will be journeying down to the beautiful Pagan land of Cornwall to spend two weeks there for my annual summer holiday. I find that whenever I am there I feel inspired to write Pagan poetry and study, so I will be taking my handmade BoS with me in order to write down my observations. I also plan to take plenty of photographs, perhaps it will become a magical project. I am conscious of the fact that I do not blog as much as many of my friends here do, but I hope it doesn't discourage you from reading them when I do! :) 

My beginnings on the Druid path have taken a further step as since my last blog post I have undertaken the study of a Bardic Course with the New Order of Druids. Their website can be found at http://www.druidcircle.org and the course is extremely interesting, challenging and intriguing. You get a mentor assigned to you, and there are assignments and nature meditations to complete. I have just finished the first section and would recommend this course to anyone interested in the Druid path. Later on in life, when I can afford it, I plan to do the OBOD bardic course as well, but this is a great starting point and satisfies my Pagan seeker's spirit. 

The brightest of blessings to all of you, and I am sure that when I return from Cornwall I will have much to post about. :)  

We often say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I must admit to a point that I agree with them. However, I would submit that perhaps a small change could be made there, changing the sentiment to ‘the perception of beauty is in the eye of the beholder’. I don’t believe that anyone is ugly, although their outer appearance can sometimes be subject to a little bit of neglect, just like the paintwork on a grand old house. The house inside, beneath the shabby exterior, is still beautiful. So it is with beauty. The art of beauty in its purest form; is to allow the soul to shine through, to infuse the face with the light of happiness. Makeup artists are able to create different personas for their models, adding drama to an otherwise nondescript face.
I have recently undertaken a personal journey; a search for my own self and a discovery of that which I truly am. I have been guided by Oshun, goddess of beauty, and I find myself happier with the way I look. There are times I may catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror and notice a glow to my cheeks, or a smile playing about my lips, and I think for a second that I am attractive. I find myself instilled with the confidence to experiment, to wear new things and try new colours. I find myself admiring colours I would never before have dared to try, considering clothing I consider ‘fashionable’ when I never would have gone near it before. Oshun has guided me through the wildwood, her playful spirit awakening in me a need to experiment. The sun on my face is a blessing, and I turn my eyes to the sky in hopes that soon I will receive my next guiding light from Oshun.

I feel on top of my game at the moment, although still quite ill with the flu I am making time to dedicate to my spirituality. I made a healing charm yesterday to help me with my flu symptoms, which I have been carrying around ever since and slept on last night, and it seems to be helping. Really looking forward to the full moon and lunar eclipse tonight, planning to hold a special ritual in honour of the Esbat. I also catalogued my full herb collection, and am planning to do the same with my oils very soon. I also started writing my herbal as I like to have separate books for everything - one of my handmade Books of Shadows is my magickal diary, and the one I made is for reference work and deity information. As a result I am using a plain spiral-bound notebook as my herbal, as it gets used a great deal and I often 'cook up' cosmetics and stuff with my herbal notebook open as reference. I can't wait to do my ritual tonight.

I've been spending a lot of time on the computer just reading and researching at the moment, mostly due to being laid up at home with flu. I'm starting to feel much better now but it's very exciting because this down time has provoked my seeker's spirit to read. I made a beautiful BOS for myself with parchment paper and am looking forward to filling it with rituals and information. 

I'm still walking a path between Druidry and hedgewitchcraft. I've been guilty of neglecting myself and my spirituality lately so it feels great to be back into it and learning again. I can't wait to get back out into nature and I've been putting off a special journey out into nature, which I hope to start planning soon. I've been watching some videos on YouTube, contributed by other Pagans, which have been informative and interesting.  I feel so inspired that I may even have to go and have a ritual bath soon, that's how great I feel right now.