Latest Update from The Merlin (31/03/23)

 

Oh My Days!

Merry Meet

What a year 2023 is turning out to be!  Here we are at the end of March and I have not written a single post on this blog since Goddess knows when!  There have been so many things happening in Merlin's World that when arriving home (after a day at the office) all that I want to do is relax.  Weekends have mostly been taken up with travelling to all parts of the country (including visits to Cheshire for 4 days, Farnborough for 4 days and the like) or dealing with family matters (Birthdays, driving lessons, driving tests, work etc.)

So please accept my apologies and during the next week (as things stand at the moment)  I will, time permitting of course, be recording a new show for CauldronFM as it stands at the moment.

That is the latest update from your's truly and I will be back again soon.

Until then

Blessed Be

Merlin

©Delphine Sutherland
(image used with kind permission of the artist)

12/04/22 The April Meet from Cauldron FM

 Merrie Meet (from The Merlin)

I just wanted to let you all know that the latest Cauldron FM show featuring the Crystal Of The Month (presented by Emms of Saltwater Gaia) is now published and available to listen via this link.

https://anchor.fm/cauldron-fm---the-sound-of-magick/episodes/The-April-Meet-Series-11-Episode-3-e1h1dpj

I really hope that you find it an enjoyable listen and if you have not heard any of our shows before then I look forward to welcoming you as a new listener.

Please let me know if you enjoyed the show and if you have any comments to help us include content that fits with your particular path then please click the email link below to send them over to us email 

Blessed Be.

Merlin

©Delphine Sutherland
(image used with kind permission of the artist)

14/03/22 The March / Ostara Meet from Cauldron FM

Merrie Meet (from The Merlin)

I just wanted to let you all know that the new Cauldron FM show featuring the Crystal Of The Month (presented by Emms of Saltwater Gaia) is now published and available to listen via this link.

https://anchor.fm/cauldron-fm---the-sound-of-magick

I really hope that you find it an enjoyable listen and if you have not heard any of our shows before then I look forward to welcoming you as a new listener.

Please let me know if you enjoyed the show and if you have any comments to help us include content that fits with your particular path then please click the email link below to send them over to us email 

Blessed Be.

Merlin

This image is copyright
and is reproduced with
the kind permission of
the artist

Delphine Sutherland

The Yule Show (from CauldronFM - The Sound Of Magick) is now published

 Merrie Meet (from The Merlin)

I just wanted to let you all know that the new Cauldron FM Yule show is now published and available to listen via this link

Have a wonderful week

Love and Light to you all

Blessed Be

© Delphine Bowden

reproduced with kind permission of the artist

What Does It Mean To Walk With The Goddess?

Merrie Meet

So what does it mean to walk with The Goddess?

Recently I realised that despite being a fully functioning member of the pagan faith I have never taken the time to sit and clearly identify (or put into words) exactly what that means to me!

That being said, I feel that today is an ideal time to spend some in quiet contemplation of this aspect of myself.

After spending many years as a committed agnostic I decided that there had to be a higher force guiding me through this life, and yes, although I teach people (through my work as a coach) that they are responsible for their own actions, I feel that there still has to be someone, some presence, looking after all the other things that I experience. These things range through the seasons, the rivers, the trees so why should that not be the Great Mother?

I have no wish to upset anyone who happens to have chosen Christianity as their way, but having had some bad experiences with “The Church” I know that is not the way for me.

So, as a preparation for this post I decided to do the following exercise and once you have read it, maybe you could do it for yourself!

First of all ask what makes me happy?

My answer is - many things! For example, being alive, being healthy, my wife, my friends, my children, the cats, walking along a cliff looking at the sea, Listening to music, working on my various radio shows, driving, eating in nice restaurants, coffee, children, teaching and playing guitar and keyboards, walking by a stream or through a wood, taking photographs and being creative.

What makes me content?

Being surrounded by family and friends, when I am helping other people, listening to the sea, being quiet, seeing my family enjoying themselves, having a good home, food on the table, being in the sunshine.

What is being content?

What does it mean, it means that at specific times because there is really no other time at all everything in my world is as it should be, it is all going well, I have everything I need right here, I am complete in this very moment.

What is contentment?

This is probably different for every person but since I am doing this for me in this very public manner I will concentrate on what contentment actually means to me.

Contentment is a state of being, it is a peaceful state, it is a state of calm, sometimes stillness, often involving clarity of thought.

It can be a time when I am truly at my creative best, it can be euphoric. Conversely I can be content having just completed a cycle ride or sitting with a pint of beer. So to truly define contentment is not a simple one or two word answer. It can come with the satisfaction of a job well done, thanks have a client.

What are my priorities right now?

High on my list of priorities are:-

seeing my radio channels becoming successful
seeing my video channels working correctly and broadcasting live and pre-recorded content.
generating sufficient revenue via Moonshadow Media to enable all the presenters to be paid a salary or a show fee.

What are my hopes?

That the end of the destruction of the rain forests will come
That the wars between civilised countries come to an end
That the Earth is given a chance to regenerate itself
That the human race decides it is time we began to seriously look at (and do something about) the damage we are causing to our planet
That an affordable solution to mass transport is found and put into effect as soon as possible
That my health continues to be good

What are my dreams?

Number one on my list has to be World Peace!
An end to poverty
An end to violence and war
That people begin to realise that life is precious and not something to be taken lightly
That a cure for cancer is found in my lifetime
That society accepts paganism as a trim and acceptable alternative to Christianity and recognises that the people who practice Wicca, Judaism, Hindi all have the same rights to religious freedoms and beliefs

What is my relationship with the Divine Feminine?

My first answer to this has to be a question because before I can begin to answer what my relationship is I have to be clear about what the Divine feminine actually is!

The Divine Feminine is many things, it is all things that are female, it is nurture, it is creativity, it is Love.

It is intuition and it is the intimate.

It is a known fact that all women are at their most powerful, their most intuitive during the time of their menstrual bleeding. Research and historical fact has shown that groups of women who are living / working in close proximity will find that their natural cycles will, over time, become aligned. This is no accident, women are designed to be this way!

It has been suggested that PMS is the result of women moving away from their natural, taking time out to celebrate this special gift. Linked with the lunar cycles many mature Indian people called the time of the female cycle “moon time“ and it was accepted practice for all women to celebrate this time together. 

It is also a time for women to pass on ancient wisdom is and lessons to other younger women.

Women are the givers of life and are seen in various faiths as the embodiment of God.

To return to the original question my involvement and relationship with the Feminine Divine is based in a belief that men and women are two halves of the whole.  However, I believe that it goes much further than that, in every man there is a part that is female and in every woman a part that is male.

Unfortunately, in the modern world we have pushed that part of us into the background and now there is no way that the majority of men would allow themselves to cry in public or, to smell flowers, just for the hell of it!

Women are less affected by this stereo-typing, although many would not be prepared to change a tyre by the roadside or to change the washer in a tap.

However, some of us have accepted that it is fine for men to regain contact with their feminine traits as much as it is equally acceptable for women to follow some traditionally male roles.  

So this puts me firmly in the “I am happy to display my feminine, softer side to anyone! I will cry, I will smell flowers, I will wash dishes et cetera et cetera et cetera.“ group.

I have the greatest of respect for women, I admire their caring, nurturing traits. I respect their strengths and weaknesses, I am completely at my ease in their company and I hope that they find a similar sense of peacefulness during our mutual interactions.

Blessed Be!

ooooOOOOoooo

If this post has raised any questions please drop them into an email addressed to cauldronfm@mail.com

We have both a page and a group on Facebook and they are CauldronFM and CauldronFM – the sound of magick respectively.

Most of the radio shows from Cauldron FM are now located on our podcast host site.  So if you would like to give them a listen please follow this link

https://anchor.fm/cauldron-fm---the-sound-of-magick

So now I will wish you the best things that life can give and say

Love, Light and Blessed Be!

Merlin.

Image © Delphine Bowden
Reproduced with Kind Permission

The March Meet by CauldronFM

Merrie Meet

Coming to you from the North Devon Coast

is

Presented By The Merlin

The March Meet is the latest show from Cauldron FM 

It features, great music from pagan artists around the world plus  The Crystal Of The Month brought to you by new presenter Emms Lowe of Saltwater Gaia.

Click Here To Listen

PS. We are always on the lookout for new material and artists to add to our shows, so if you are in a  band that plays music with a Pagan feel, or you know of a band that does, then please make contact. Drop us an email and we will answer you back as soon as we can.

Blessed Be!

Merlin

ooooOOOOoooo

So now as we come to the end of this post it is time for me to take my leave of you but not before I say that if you have liked this and the other posts on this blog, please click the link to follow us. 

We have both a page and a group on Facebook that are CauldronFM and CauldronFM – the sound of magick respectively.

If this post has raised any questions please drop an email to cauldronfm@mail.com

Follow this link to view the video "Tor" with yours truly reading a poem of my creation

https://vimeo.com/258142887

So now I will wish you the best things that life can give and say

Love, Light and Blessed Be!

Merlin.

Image copyright to Delphine Bowden
Reproduced with kind permission

150121 The January Meet (The Latest Show on Cauldron FM)

The January Meet is the newest show from Cauldron FM and features, great music plus a new section called The Crystal Of The Month with our brand new presenter Emms Lowe of Saltwater Gaia.

Follow this link to listen The January Meet

The Season Of The Witch

Merrie Meet 

After a long break Cauldron FM is making a welcome return to the blog and with that in mind - 

Yule Blessings to each and every one of you

To celebrate the return I have great pleasure in bringing you a podcast by yours truly on Cauldron FM that features the album "The Season Of The Witch" by Jaime Black.

I hope that you like it as much as I do

Click Here To Listen

I hope you enjoy listening and will be back again in January with another new show.

Blessed Be!

Merlin x

The Return of The Merlin

Merrie Meet One and All and Well Come.

Yesterday I had the opportunity of a conversation with a family friend and through that conversation I discovered that she held Pagan beliefs.  It was something of a shock to learn this and to learn of her interest in the Craft is a fantastic situation.  She has, as a result of asking me to become her mentor, also rekindled my waning flame and this post heralds the start of the Phoenix rising.

As the first project in this journey we are most likely going to begin with the creation of her Book of Shadows, as I did when I was first introduced to this way of life.

During the past 12 months things have been particularly difficult (for reasons that I prefer not to discuss on these pages) and as a result of this I found my beliefs were being tested time and again.  However, I believe that I have now worked through a lot of the doubts and questions and, as a result grown as a person for which I thank The Goddess.

So during the coming weeks I will be pulling together some new posts (but not necessarily on a regular weekly basis)  I intend to spend a lot of my time working with my friend and hopefully giving her a solid grounding to enable her to grow into herself and become who she really is.

So all that remains for the moment is to say Merlin is back and 

Blessed Be!

If this post has raised any questions please drop me an email to cauldronfm@mail.com

So now as we come to the end of this post it is time for me to take my leave of you but not before I say that if you have liked this and the other posts on this blog, please click the link to “follow us” 

We have both a page and a group on Facebook and they are

CauldronFM

CauldronFM – the sound of magick

We have been adding the Cauldron FM radio broadcasts onto our podcast site.  To listen please follow the link

https://anchor.fm/cauldron-fm---the-sound-of-magick

So now I will wish you the best things that life can give and say

Love, Light and Blessed Be!

Merlin.

© Delphine Bowden

reproduced with kind permission of the artist

Turning Your Workspace Wytchy

Turning Your Workspace Wytchy

©2018 wytchwynd photography

Merrie Meet

This post is primarily aimed at the new wytch, but it can apply equally well to experienced practitioners of The Craft.

Here we will be looking at a few steps you can take to allow your practice to flow into other areas of your life so that you don’t have to leave your Magick behind you if you move into a different area of your home or need to go to a different location for work.

The reality is that your Magick should be with you wherever you go because your magickal practice is an extension of who you are.  It is a living thing, you create it with your dreams, hopes and intentions as you interact with the Universe and the spaces you occupy.

If you can create spells at your altar for financial abundance or a new partner, then why should that magick be left on the altar when it could be as effective in the space where you are working?

There are many ways that you can allow your magick to be wherever you are working or what your job happens to be!

All that it takes is intention and a few small changes and you can bring magick to your work, irrespective of whatever you do for a living.

I use magick in my workspace because it helps me be happy especially when things get stressful because I can use my magick to help me become more grounded and centred plus it helps me keep smiling.  As I grow, my magick often helps me perform at a higher level than usual which has to be a good thing.

So now let us consider some ways that a workspace can be turned into something of a wytch’s retreat.

a)     try to pick a spot where there is as much natural light as possible

b)     try to include as many of the magickal elements as you can – earth air water fire and spirit

c)      decide on the intention that you want to bring to the space – because your intention should determine which items you use.

Think about what you want to improve in your work environment such as:-

Increased responsibility

More positive relationships

Career improvements

From your list select one or two items and check in with yourself once or twice a month to see how things are improving.    You can always adjust and change these as you feel. 

Remember that you are always in a state of growth and flux so everything should grow and change around you.

Always be mindful of the fact that some of your colleagues might be a little unsettled by magickal items in the work place but there are things that you can comfortably used everyday without drawing attention to yourself

You can bring crystals into your work space without causing anyone concern, they can sit on your desk, they are good to look at and very easy to integrate into your workaday life.

If you don’t feel comfortable having crystals on your desk, you could wear such things as Crystal Pendants, bracelets earrings and even key chains

Pot Pourri can be useful if you want to bring herbs into your workspace, or you could change to drinking herbal teas in the office.  If you are not in an office setting you could carry herbs around in a small cloth bag or even a sachet – if your car is your workspace your magickal herbs can be great air fresheners

If you want to use essential oils then an inexpensive diffuser is a great tool but if a diffuser is not practical simply dab a few drops of your essential oil (diluted in a carrier oil) on your inner wrists.

Finally we all find that sometimes things at work can turn a bit negative, so using the following tools will help bring things back into balance

Pot plants – keep the air and the energy clean

Meditation cushion – this can be used at times during the day or for a gratitude practice

Herbal Pot Pourri – you can use sage for its extra cleansing powers

Thieves Oil – in your diffuser will help clear negativity quickly

An Amethyst crystal – to help combat negativity

A water fountain – improves air quality by adding negative ions to the air plus the sound of trickling water helps with stress and anxiety.

So in conclusion these ideas will give you a starting point to help you bring your Magick into the workspace, however it may be best to begin slowly and remember it is up to you to determine how you bring your Magick into the workplace so that it is aligned with your own personal needs.

If this post has raised any questions please drop me an email to cauldronfm@mail.com

So now as we come to the end of this post it is time for me to take my leave of you but not before I say that if you have liked this and the other posts on this blog, please click the link to “follow us” 

We have both a page and a group on Facebook and they are

CauldronFM

CauldronFM – the sound of magick

We have been adding the Cauldron FM radio broadcasts onto our podcast site.  To listen please follow the link

https://anchor.fm/cauldron-fm---the-sound-of-magick

So now I will wish you the best things that life can give and say

Love, Light and Blessed Be!

Merlin.

Image reproduced courtesy of
Delphine Bowden

Natural Wytch Abilities

Merrie Meet and Well Come. 

Many people often say that there is no such thing as a natural wytch (or witch as they would say.  However I would not mind placing a bet on the fact that at least one of the following skills has been with each of them since they were children

Animal Connection

There are a vast number of wytches who enjoy a natural and deep connection with animals.  This connection is more than just living with them and loving them, it is about being able to communicate with them, to understand what they are thinking and in some cases even to manifest them. 

To explain they are likely to think of an animal they would like to meet and that very animal appears in their life.

Or maybe you have a desire to have a new pet in your life and suddenly a stray cat will make its way to your door.   You may also find that you really understand animals more than anyone else you know. 

Connection with animals and the ability to have them manifest are both natural wytch abilities.

Healing

The ability to heal is something that many wytches have naturally.  They are often born with the necessary ability to heal themselves, other humans and even animals.  This healing can present in the use of herbs and herbal remedies or it can come via energetic means (energy healing). 

Healers can often be drawn to holistic medicines, herbs, crystal healing and Reiki and in my own case I use all 4 methods and have done for many years (during my research for this article I have discovered that I have the “Healer’s Sign” very evident on the palm of each hand).

Human Connection

Maybe you could be empathic.  One of the major abilities and skills of an empath is the ability to feel the emotions and physical feelings of another person (or other people).  Empaths may also feel and adopt the energies of other people around them, this can be both emotional and overwhelming.

You might also find that you possess the ability to hear another person’s thoughts or you could transmit your thoughts to someone else’s mind. 

All of the above are natural abilities of a wytch that cannot be denied.

Weather

There are those of the Craft who possess the power of weather prediction.  This can be a learned technique however, there are some natural wytches that can take a look up into the sky and know that a storm is imminent, others can take a look skyward and know intuitively that snow is imminent.

It has been said that people who have these skills can feel the weather changes in their bones and they have an extremely deep connection to the sky and weather patterns.

There are also some wytches who even have the ability to call the sun, the rain or even the snow.

Green Fingers or Thumbs

Having an affinity with plants and encouraging and helping them to grow can be another natural ability of a wytch, however it can also be something that wytches can learn.

There are those wytches whose gardens are always green and full of life and it something that happens naturally.  Sometimes it might seem that the plants, blooms, bushes and trees actually adore the wytch in whose garden they grow.  This ability is one to be treasured if you are fortunate to have been born with it.

Do we learn these natural abilities or are we born with them?

I am of the opinion that every wytch has natural abilities.  These can be just one or many even if they choose to keep it quiet it is often evidenced naturally.

Furthermore it is possible that, over time, we can learn these abilities.  However there are those people with some or all of the above abilities who do not consider themselves to be a wytch of any kind.

Sometimes empaths are so weighed down with their ability that they will refuse to leave their houses.  They can sometimes be heard bemoaning their gifts and saying that they wish they had never had them.  Sadly for these people the gift is more of a curse than it is a blessing.

One fundamental aspect it that if you do have any of these abilities the your life is so much the richer because of them – but that richness comes with a word of caution!

You have to learn how to control these gifts or they will control you. 

On this blog we explore some of the elements of the path that we have chosen to follow. Should you feel that you would like to contribute something to these pages by way of articles, rituals or practical tips please feel contact via me by email at the address given below or make a comment in the box. 

ooooOOOOoooo

If this post has raised any questions please drop an email to cauldronfm@mail.com

We have a page and a group on Facebook and they are CauldronFM and CauldronFM – the sound of magick respectively.

Most of the radio shows from Cauldron FM are now located on our podcast host site.  So if you would like to give them a listen please follow this link

https://anchor.fm/cauldron-fm---the-sound-of-magick

So now I will wish you the best things that life can give and say

Love, Light and Blessed Be!

Merlin.

 

© Delphine Bowden

Re-run of the 2 Candle Love Spell video

Merrie Meet

The video below was first released in 2013 and is a visualisation that I added to a Cauldron FM radio broadcast that went out on earlier that year.

Cauldron FM now runs as a podcast service because of technical issues that presented broadcast streaming problems

To visit the Cauldron FM podcast Click Here

Cauldron FM was originally created in 2010 to provide a source of information and entertainment that was specifically of interest to followers of the Pagan Paths through this life.

Over the years we have had a number of different presenters, including Raven Moonshadow, The Rev'd Kora and myself.  

If you feel that you are able to bring something new to our platform and you are interested in putting together your own programmes for our podcasts please get in touch.  You can do this by sending an email to us by following this link:-  Cauldron FM

So until the next time we hope that you enjoy the video above and we look forward to putting more videos and broadcasts onto these pages very soon.

Love, Light and Blessed Be

Merlin.

Imbolg Blessings 2019

(Image courtesy of Delphine Bowden)

Merrie Meet

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Blessed Imbolg (Imbolc).

I know that it has been a very long time since I told you that these posts were going to be returning but in all honesty there have been a number of contributing factors that again have delayed their return.

Some of you may have also noticed that there have been very few new broadcasts on the Cauldron FM podcast platform and to be totally honest I have found that there are rarely enough hours in the day to complete all the work that I have to do.

Yes I know some of you will probably be screaming "Time Management" at the screen when you read this but I actually do manage my time quite well because I do get a lot of things done every day.

So please bear with me and I will return to regular posting on this page and broadcasting on the podcasts. 

Until then I will wish you the best things that life can give,

Love and Light to you all 

Blessed Be

Merlin.