APA April 2009 Newsletter

Editress Ginger Strivelli;

We decided to skip hosting the annual MAY DAY event, as alas 
it has not been well attended recently, and Ginger and 
Beth were too worn out from their Rome and Egypt trip 
last month. 
We did hold an APA ladies day out lunch however, 
which was well attended and great fun. We plan to 
hold another in May, then take the summer off, as many 
of us have children out of school all summer, and plan 
the next Ladies day out Lunch gathering in September.




FROM OUR BOOK OF SHADOWS:

Spells from the from the Atharva Veda 

 V, 10. The pearl and its shell as an amulet bestowing long life and prosperity.


1.Born of the wind, the atmosphere, the lightning, and 
the light, may this pearl shell, born of gold, protect u
s from straits!
2. With the shell which was born in the sea, at the 
head of bright substances, we slay the Rakshas and 
conquer the Atrins (devouring demons).
3. With the shell (we conquer) disease and poverty; 
with the shell, too, the Saānvās. The shell is our 
universal remedy; the pearl shall protect us from 
straits!
4. Born in the heavens, born in the sea, brought 
on from the river (Sindhu), this shell, born of gold, 
is our life-prolonging amulet.
5. The amulet, born from the sea, a sun, born from 
Vritra (the cloud), shall on all sides protect us 
from the missiles of the gods and the Asuras!
6. Thou art one of the golden substances, thou art 
born from Soma (the moon). Thou art sightly on the 
chariot, thou art brilliant on the quiver. 
[May it prolong our lives!]
7. The bone of the gods turned into pearl; that, 
animated, dwells in the waters. That do I fasten 
upon thee unto life, lustre, strength, longevity, 
unto a life lasting a hundred autumns, May the 
(amulet) of pearl protect thee!




VI, 17. Charm to prevent miscarriage.

1. As this great-earth conceives the germs of the beings, 
thus shalt thy embryo be-beld fast, to produce a child 
after pregnancy!
2. As this great earth holds these trees, thus shall 
thy embryo be held fast, to produce a child after pregnancy!
3. As this great earth holds the mountains and the 
peaks, thus shall thy embryo be held fast, to produce 
a child after pregnancy!
4. As this great earth holds the animals scattered 
far, thus shall thy embryo be held fast, to produce 
a child after pregnancy!




IV, 38. A. Prayer for success in gambling.

1. The successful, victorious, skilfully gaming Apsarā, 
that Apsarā who makes the winnings in the game of dice, 
do I call hither.
2. The skilfully gaming Apsarā who sweeps and heaps 
up (the stakes), that Apsarā who takes the winnings 
in the game of dice, do I call hither.
May she, who dances about with the dice, when she 
takes the stakes from the game of dice, 
when she desires to win for us, obtain the advantage 
by (her) magic! May she come 
to us full of abundance! Let them not win this wealth 
of ours!
4. The (Apsarās) who rejoice in dice, who carry grief 
and wrath-tbat joyful and exulting Apsarā, 
do I call hither.



VI, 46. Exorcism of evil dreams.

1. Thou who art neither alive nor dead, the immortal child of 
the gods art thou, O Sleep! Varunānī is thy mother, Yama 
(death) thy father, Araru is thy name.
2. We know, O Sleep, thy birth, thou art the son of the 
divine women-folk, the instrument of Yama (death)! Thou 
art the ender, thou art death! Thus do we know thee, 
O Sleep: do thou, O Sleep, protect us from evil dreams!
3. As one pays off a sixteenth, an eighth, or an (entire) debt, 
thus do we transfer every evil dream upon our enemy.

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