Showing posts with label Sally Dubats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sally Dubats. Show all posts
Today is technically still Samhain. Samhain is a Celtic holy day and to the Celts (like many other indigenous cultures) the days begin at night. We're posting this a bit later in the day, as we know you may have been up late like we were, celebrating and communing with your ancestors.
The veil between the worlds is thin now, and will continue to be so until Yule, when the Sun begins to return. This is a time of introspection and planning for the next year. Many witches consider today the first day of the New Year.

Some of us see this as the time-between-the-years; a time when there is no time. This is our rest and hibernation (for those in the Northern Hemisphere), and we use this time to work on ourselves internally. There are 49 days until the Winter Solstice. We look within first, then look forward.

The Sirens' dear friend, Sally Dubats, has sent a message to all of you:


And, we have another special gift for you from Sam Curtin, our Workout Siren:

The Work-Out Sirens' Post-Samhain Work Out

 October has come and passed and if you were like most of us you gorged yourself on all the yummy goodies we had posted on our blog! Fear no more, because I have come up with this awesome workout routine that you can do to work off those extra pounds of chocolate. These are all activities that you can do from the comfort of your own home. So grab your weights, exercise bands and get your butt moving!

Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday

Cardio
Legs
Chest
Back
Biceps/Triceps
Core
Cardio
Cardio
Legs
Chest
Back
Biceps/Triceps
Core
Cardio
Rest J

Cardio Exercises:
v  30 minute walk outside (substitute treadmill for inclement weather)
v  1 mile or 15 minute run outside (substitute treadmill for inclement weather)
v  30 minutes on any exercise machine that you have (bike, elliptical, stair stepper, etc)

Leg Exercises:
v  Squats: Grab two dumbbells of the weight of your choice. Place them on your shoulders as you stand with your legs shoulder length apart. Keeping your back straight squat as though you are sitting in a chair. Make sure knees don’t go passed your toes. Complete 3 reps of 10 (increase weight for each rep as desired)
v  Lunges: Grab two dumbbells of the weight of your choice. Hold them by your side while standing straight. The take your
v  Leg Extensions: Find a chair, couch, table or anything else you can hold for balance and give yourself enough room around you. Bend over and grab the piece of furniture while extending one of your leg so that it is at a right angle to the rest of your body. Take that leg and start kicking out. Complete 20 reps on each leg. (to add difficulty instead of grabbing the furniture place two dumbbells on the furniture so that they are up and down. Hold them and maintain balance while kicking)
v  Leg Lift (Side): Lie on your side on the floor (on a mat if you have). Place one leg on top of the other so that your feet are facing away from you. Slowly lift leg up pointing your toe and then lower it back down. Complete 15 reps of this on each leg. (To add resistance, use exercise band).
v  Leg Lift (Back): Lie on your back with your toes pointed up. Slowly lift one leg up at a time so that the leg is straight up in the air. Lower slowly back down and then switch to the next leg, doing the same thing. Complete 10 reps on each leg, alternating as you go.

Chest Exercises
v  Push-Ups: Do three sets of ten push-ups (you can modify by either doing it on your knees or doing it off of a chair for increased difficulty) 
v  Dumbbell Press: Lie on your back on the floor and take dumbbell weights of your choice in either hand. Place hands in front of your armpits while on the ground so your arms are bent (almost like wings). Extend arms forward slowly so that they end of the dumbbells touch. Do three reps of ten.

Back Exercises
v  Rowing: First find a surface that’s about knee height to lean on (I find usually a couch is the easiest). Place left hand and knee on that surface and take a dumbbell of your choice in your other hand. Grip dumbbell and hold your arm straight down. Slowly move your arm up so that the dumbbell reaches your side, making sure your back in straight. Slowly move your arm back down. Repeat with eight time then switch to the other arm. Do two reps on each arm. 

Upper Body Exercises:
v  Dumbbell Curls: Grab a pair of dumbbells (weight of your choice I usually use 10s or 15s) in each hand and face palms forward. Hold your elbows close to your sides; keep your back straight and your feet aligned with your shoulders. Then bend your right arm and carefully bring it toward your shoulder. Bring your arm down and repeat the same motion 10 times. Switch sides, and execute the same movement and repetitions. Complete 2 reps.
v  Arm Circles: You may do this exercise with or without dumbbells. Align feet with shoulders, and extend arms horizontally at shoulder level. Keep shoulders down and perform backward circles 20 times. Change to forward circles, again doing 20 more.
v  Tricep extensions: You can sit straight or stand for this one. Grab a dumbbell (weight of your choice, I usually use 15s or 20s) holding it over your head with both arms. Slowly lower down behind your head and slowly back up. You can also use just one arm at a time or with both hands. Perform 3 reps of 10.

Core
v  Side planks: Lie on your left side with your left forearm on the floor perpendicular to your body and your right hand resting on your side. Stack your legs and hips and pull your bellybutton in towards your spine. Raise your body up by straightening and lengthening the waist so that you are balanced on your left forearm and the bottom of your left foot. Hold for one minute then switch and do the other side for a minute.
v  Supermans: Lie on stomach on the floor and extend your legs and arms so that they’re about an inch or two off the ground. Hold for two minutes.
v  Bridge: Lie flat on the floor and bring your feet close to your rear end with the soles flat on the floor. Raise your hips as high as you can and keep your core drawn in as well as your glutes contracted. Repeat this motion until you can hold for at least a minute. Don't let your back arch down at any point.
v  Ab squat: Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand with your hands placed next to your shoulders. Bend your wrists back to face up and bend your elbows to touch your sides. From there, lean backward and bend your knees slightly. Keep your abs tight and your spine straight. Hold for 30 seconds.



Song of the Day- Kallan's addition to the mix ;)


I couldn't let this day go by without sharing one of my absolute favorite Samhain Songs.





Tomorrow will be the last day of the Samhain’s Sirens Seasonal Celebration. Come join us for a special treat by Magaly Guerrero, announcement of giveaway winners, and the really BIG announcement: The Grand Prize Giveaway Winner!

Enjoy the rest of your Samhain today!
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HAPPY SATURDAY!! Are you ready for today's Craft-tacular brought to you by Sosanna from Sosanna's Closet? She's got some pretty groovy things going on and she's sharing them here with us. And, we have a special treat from author Sally Dubats!!

Don't forget, Samhain's Sirens won't be posting on Sundays, so please follow this link to Kallan Kennedy over at The Secret Life of the American Working Witch for some Sunday Stew.

Craft-tacular Saturday and the Veil Between the Worlds


Samhain and Halloween for that matter wouldn't be what they are with out ghost stories and divination.  Bobbing for apples for example has it's roots in a divination game.  All the apples are dumped into a large tub of water and everyone tries to pick up an apple with their teeth.  The first one to get an apple was said to be the first to get married.

Communing with the Dead is always something that ends up happening this time of year.  Either from using a "Ouija Board" to using a Scrying Mirror everyone has their own preferred method of divination.  Scrying, also called seeing or peeping, is a way of gazing into an object to "see" an answer.  This can come in the form of an answer to a question, a message from the past, or beyond the grave.

Last year I did a blog series on the book "Scrying for Beginners".  This was a great book and went through the steps of learning Scrying. It reviewed different techniques as well as different objects through which to Scry.  From pans of water to crystal balls.  From fiery flames to a black mirror.  I found my best luck with scrying by using a scrying mirror.  Scrying mirrors can be pretty expensive.  However I've found a great way to make your own scrying mirror for pennies.  In this post I'm going to give you the directions for creating your own scrying mirror and as part of the Samhain's Sirens Blog Project and Giveaway one lucky reader will get to win this mirror.

Supplies
Picture frame with glass pane - this can be as cheap or as expensive as you like, I recommend starting out       cheap.
A can of matte black paint
Some newspaper
A well ventilated space - I work outside

Take the newspaper and spread it out on the grass or on a table - I used old cat litter pails
Open the picture frame and remove the glass insert (be careful its sharp)
Lay the glass pane on the newspaper
Shake the spray paint can until the paint is ready to spray
Using short bursts coat the glass pain until it is completely black (take care to allow the paint to completely dry between coats)
You may need to apply 5-6 coats
After the paint is completely dry reassemble the picture frame with the painted side of the glass facing inside the frame.  That means the unpainted side will be displayed on the front side of the frame.

There you have it, a completed scrying mirror.


Now you can create your own scrying mirror.  These are great as gifts or as a new edition to your altar.

To Enter the Giveaway for the Scrying Mirror you have seen being created here please complete the following:

Comment that you would like to win this mirror.
Like Sosanna's Closet on Facebook
Follow Sosanna's Closet on Twitter
Tweet about this Giveaway and post the URL to your tweet in the Comments

And as an extra special treat, we'll be doing another giveaway!!!

This one comes from author, Sally Dubats and is her latest book, Veil Between the Worlds


Sally Dubats
From Sally: Hi Samhain's Sirens! You have done such a FANTASTIC job with this blog. Each day has been a treasure! Thank you! 
Just a note about the give-away book: I'm writing "The Grimoire Chronicles" to balance the negative material out there about Witches, and have found fiction to be a better bridge than non-fiction. 
I want the world to know who most Witches are: healers and spiritual people who love their friends and family and do works of magick for the good of all. 

 This will be an 8-book series with plenty of action, and each book takes place during a Sabbat. "Veil Between Worlds" is during the New Year, Samhain. The story is fantasy; the spells are real. Enjoy! 

 Book two, "Winter Shock" takes place at Yule and will be out soon! May your Samhain celebrations be filled with love and light.

From all of the Sirens: Thank you, Sally!!

So for all of you joining us, this is a special treat.. with just one entry, you get two chances to win! Rules are the usual. PLEASE NOTE: In order to get extra chances, you have to put them down as separate entries (comments) on the blog here:

1. Follow us here. (If you already follow, be sure to put the comment down)
2. Go to Sally's website and let us know what you like best.
3. Go to Sally's Facebook author page and leave her a comment saying hi and that the Sirens sent you ;)
4. Tweet about this giveaway. (don't forget to give us the link in the comments)
5. Blog about this giveaway. (same as for tweeting.. give us the url so we can check out your lovely blog!)

We'll announce the winners on Monday, October 15. Happy Saturday!

The Recipe for Today

Photograph by Levi Brown

Dark Chocolate Martini

 Who doesn't love chocolate? And to have chocolate incorporated into a cocktail is just more decadent than I could possibly imagine.


Directions
Mix 2 tablespoons each raw sugar and finely chopped dark chocolate on a plate. Combine 2 ounces each chocolate liqueur and vodka, 1 ounce chilled espresso, 1/2 teaspoon fresh orange juice and a strip of orange zest in a cocktail shaker with ice; stir well. Moisten the rim of a chilled martini glass and dip it in the sugar-chocolate mixture. Strain the cocktail into the glass and garnish with an orange wedge.

Today's Spooky Ookie Song of the Day as chosen by Kestril Trueseeker

For day 13 I had to give a nod to another iconic horror film, Friday the Thirteenth, even though today is Saturday...
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