DragonOak's Wood Shop Blog

Just a quick update and posting of new products on the website



I work out now about an hour and thirty minutes every day. I start my morning with a mile power walk with weights on my ankles and arms. This is to get my metabolism started.



Then after my daily computer work I work out for at least 45 minutes on the Wii fit. Then I do my daily weigh in.



In the evening I do a light work out and try to get in squats, leg lifts, and some crunches before bed.

The weight is coming off lowest was day before yesterday at 215. I am very determined to hit 180 by October 01.




New products recently added to our website, check them out when you get a chance and let us know what you think:




Snake Medicine
Altar Table with Drawer




Order of the Pheonix
Altar Table with Drawer




Greek Titans Atlas




Medical Caduceus Symbol




World Cat Celtic




Celtic Tree of Life




Cichlid Fish Scene




Family Crest 10 X 8 Oak Box




Celtic Horse Design
Dream Box




Leo Desk Box



Until next time, bright blessings to everyone.

Just wanted to post something since I have not been here for a couple of days. Orders seem to be picking up a little, but summer is always our slow period.



Still losing weight, have not weighed yet today. I will weigh after I post this and do my 30 minute exercise session after I post this. Yesterday I weight 221, that is a 13 pound loss since I started being very careful what I eat, and getting serious about exercise.



My goal is to weigh 180 by October 1st and then order the P90X program so this 44 year old man can buff out before I get any older. Oh ya baby!!!!!



After exercise heading out to buy wood and check on art supplies.



New items that were recently added to our web site:




Good Luck Charm
Spirit Board





Ying Yang Symbol
Angel design plate





Brigids Cross and Celtic Stag
Altar Table with Drawer

Laters everyone, have an awesome day!!!!!

Blessings

DragonOak

Nothing much to post except I am still exercising, watching what I eat, and working hard to lose weight. The good news is in the last three weeks I have lost 10 pounds, not as fast as I would like but still a loss none the less. I do feel a lot better so I can only imagine how well I will feel at 180 pds.



We have added a new Wizard Board to our spirit board line, be sure and check it out if you get a chance.





Bell-Decae
Wizard Board

I think I have forgot. Since we started DragonOak’s Wood Shop it seems my only days off have been my recent forays to the hospital. Even during the slow times, like now, I work on new projects and try to add to our product line.



I really don’t know how to take time off. I focus all of my time, energy, and will power on the current projects, which probably can attribute and add to my health problems.



Since focusing on losing weight I noticed that most of my day is focused on where I need to be rather than where I am at the time. It is very hard to enjoy the moment when most of you life you are focused on what is ahead. I am working hard on changing that, like enjoying a meal one bite at a time instead of hurry up I still have a list of 15 items I need to complete. But all in all it is taking it one day at a time, trying to retain what I am learning rather than falling back on what I have learned as my base personality.




Medieval Dragon Artwork
Dream Box

Creating magick in your life!

For those that follow the pagan traditions, many are allured to the magickal elements that are conveyed by many paths. Some are allured to the power, others are often drawn to the realm of believing the unbelievable, and a few people are drawn by the realm of magic that knows no limits. It is the realm of no boundaries, the realm where anything and everything is possible.



For those that are drawn to the “no boundries” realm of magic, it is the magic that is deep within the self. It is the magic that allows you to live every dream, every single fantasy, and every type of possibility you have ever even thought of. That magic begins with the self and draws from that same self as its source.



This type of magic relies very much on creative visualization, positive thinking, and the understanding that you can determine the shape of your reality. You can be what you want to be, do what you dreamed of doing, and have the life you fantasized about. But it begins with you and ends with you.




Celtic Cats
Magick Journal




The first step of living this kind of magic is to create a magic life list journal. This is you personal journal, it is much like a diary and it is the source of writing down every single dream you ever even remotely thought of. No matter how crazy or how wild those dreams are, write them down. Start this journal to record what you want, your dreams, and your wishes for the future.



Basic guidelines for the journal are as follows:



Remember that dreams, goals, and desires are fluid, a year from now you may have a completely new set of goals.



The ability to dream is only limited by your self.



Faith is the cornerstone of all magickal system, even long before the advent of Christianity.



Never force the dream, just allow it to be, and practice visualizing that.



Be responsible and be careful what you wish for, you will get it but is it what you really wanted?



Read the life list often, focus on it, make it part of you, allow it to be.



When I was 30 I wrote a magickal life list of over 200 goals, most minor some major. To date I have completed over half of those goals, most I was unaware that I did until I reread my life list. It works if you let it.




Black Panther Animal Totem
Drawered Altar

Working on losing weight!

I have started working on losing weight, probably the number one source of most of my health problems over the last three years. I have had the privilege of experiencing diabetes, glaucoma, heart attack, a serious infection that put me in the hospital for a week, and just that overall feeling of being tired.



So since a couple months ago GypsyBeth bought me a Wii Fit, I have decided to get real serious about it. For the last two weeks I have exercised daily and the last week I have seriously reduced my calorie intake and being very careful what I eat. My goal is to go from 230 lbs to 180 lbs by Yule. Today I have weighed the lowest at 224 since I started watching real close the last two weeks.



So this quick post is to pat myself on the back and say “good job DragonOak”! hah!



Also just a quick not of a new product that is up an on the web site:


Wheel of the Year Altar
with Shelf And Drawer

Just an update on what we are up to at DragonOak’s Wood Shop and an excuse to take a short break and post in on the blog.



We are busily trying to add Google Checkout to our website as an option in addition to PayPal for our customers. This will take a process over the next several weeks to complete, so if you would like to use Google Checkout on a product we do NOT have the button on yet please email us at **DragonOak** with the product description you are inquiring about. That way GybsyBeth can invoice you with a Google Checkout invoice.



Years ago when we owned a brick and mortar metaphysical store I used to teach a short course on several metaphysical subjects so I have posted my notes on those courses on our web site at:



Learning How to Read the Tarot Cards



Learning The Basics of Astrology



Instructions for Using and Ouija or Spirit Board



I have added a list of some of my favorite books on the subjects of paganism available at Amazon:



DragonOak’s Favorite Books from Amazon



GypsyBeth has written a couple of pages about our favorite magic movies at:



OUR FAVORITE MAGIC MOVIES LIST



HARRY POTTER Magic Movies



I am in the process of digitally recording in photo my journey into building a doll house at:




DragonOak’s Journey Into Building a Doll House for his step grand-daughters



Also we have been adding some new products to our online store that may be of interest to our customers:




Celtic Knotwork with Moon Phases that marks the Wheel of the Year Offering Plate




Blank 25 Piece Rune Set
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Butterfly Tribal Rune Pendant




Witches Pentagram and Triquetra Altar with Drawer and Shelf



And lots more too numerous to list. But a general sample of what we have, lots more coming too.



Thanks everyone, and blessings to each and everyone.
DragonOak

Be forewarned, this blog is more for me than it is for anyone else. If you read it and become bored to tears it is NOT because I didn’t warn you.



I ponder how my life came to this point, the pagan path, the woodworking, the life I lead; and I attempt to rationalize why it is I do what I do. The epiphany to that question is because I love it. I love the freedom that my life entails. I love the creative process my life encompasses.



So, mostly for my own benefit, I write down some of the major moments or directions in my early life as a guide for what a wild and crazy ride my life has been so far:



From 1964 to 1976 I grew up in a small farming community in the state of Kansas. This is where wheat was everything and Bob Dole the senator would be king. For eight of those years I was raised by my grandparents, my grandfather was blind from working in the foundries, but he never let it stop him. He continued to raise chickens and goats, and he kept the pens cleaner than most industrial operations today.



In 1972 I got my first real insight into the current state of Christianity from a hell, fire, and brimstone Baptist Revival at the High School football field. I went because it was for the free bible (boggle).



In 1976 my mother met a Post Traumatic Disordered Vietnam Marine Corp Veteran, they married, which I often think she did it so I could have a father figure. While I am sure he loved my mother very much, I am not so sure he gave to much concern for me, but that is my own feelings. That year we moved to Arizona, it was amazing to actually see mountains for the first time. After 12 years the sea of wheat fields have become quite old. In Arizona I learned to hunt, fish, and spend hours and hours in the great outdoors of the desert. Most of those times I spent with Rocky O’Donnell, who recently passed away from a brain tumor. Those were good times all in all.



In 1977 my family joined the Assembly of God Church, and boy what a ride that was. That church was completely full of tongue talking, spirit dancing, and demon believing bible thumpers. People often confused their fears into a state of reality. Demons were around every corner, Satan was going to make life miserable for the church attendees (but please keep tithing), and the end of time would be any day now. Ya I know, and it gets worse.



In 1981, it was decided by this group of fanatics that their children must be controlled. They must decide where they go, who they are friends with, and a “Marine Corps” set of rules. Personally I couldn’t take it anymore, I was the banner child to my grandparent on what a good kid was, but then I rebelled from this heavy oppression. As a result I got into some trouble with the legal system and was sent to the Teen Challenge program (a program operated by Assembly of God churches for trouble men and women, but really just a guise to complete indoctrination to the point of no questioning), where the brain washing could be completed. This is where as a 16 year old, I was sent to Los Angeles, where I could live with 15 to 20 other men, and be told that any arousal I received from being any where near a female was a sin. While attending, the Assembly of God big boys decided to close the center I was at, this of course after one of the participants ran away with the wife of the program administer in Riverside California. But low and behold God being the great superior being that he was, provided a place for me at a new program called the New Challenge Ministries. New Challenge was a place where they held true to the indoctrination practices of the Assembly of God Church. After a year of attending these programs I was allowed to return home.



After trying to figure out where my life was going, I decided to attend college. Not just any college, but a good outstanding Christian college, where I would not be tempted by the wiles of the secular world. That was until I met my first wife, and I was thoroughly tempted by her wiles. After a year of attending Evangel College I decided I would transfer to the secular state university, so I could be even more tempted by her wiles.



Eventually she blessed me with two beautiful boys after being tempted by lots and lots of those wiles. After a short time serving in the U.S. Army, I went back and finished my degree at Southwest Missouri State University (now called Missouri State University) with a bachelors degree in secondary education in history, psychology, religion (rut roh), geography, and political science (double rut roh).



After a year of trying to find a teaching job in an era of education cutbacks of Reagan and Daddy Bush (read my lips no new taxes hehe) I decided teaching was not for me. I divorce later, more my fault than hers, met my second wife, rebound relationships are bad bad bad, though she was an awesome woman, my guilt would not allow me to be happy. And eventually met Gyspy who has be a wonderful, awesome, super, beautiful, and a multitude of other positive pronouns, soul mate.



But why am I a student of the occult? Is it another form of rebellion against the Christianity of Today? Or is it seeking a new direction in order to understand truth about human spirituality? Those are questions I have considered for a very long time.



I can remember at 8 and 9 years old playing with Ouija Boards with my mother. I remember reading her astrology books. I remember her fascination with the hidden knowledge of our ancestors (or what is commonly known as the occult). And those times instilled in me a curious nature about those things. I secretly studied, as a young teenager, sources of mythology, the histories of the ancients, the stories of the gods and goddesses of different cultures. And during the periods of my indoctrination (brainwashing) I studied the occult so that I could understand the Christian adversary Satan. In order to defeat an enemy one must know that enemy kind of thinking.



While attending that bad, bad secular college, I took a course on World Religions (rut roh). And for the very reason that many fanatical Christian cults enforce self imposed ignorance (ours is not to question why, but just to accept) I feel into the Christian concept of a trap. I learned truth, that all major religions had a theme, a basis, and a connection to each other. All of them no matter how misguided, or misconceived had some truth. Ours is to find that truth in order to ascend to the next step of actualization.



While I may be a little (lol) biased towards Christianity I like who I have become. And even in my indoctrination to fear of things unknown, I have never met a Satan or Devil. I have met truth in ways that are indescribable and I like that part of me. I have freed my spiritual self from the bonds of religious systems that bind one in the guise of discipline and fear.



So in summary I do what I do as a method of self-realization, self-discovery, and because I am free to be me.




Wiccan Style
Wood Altar

Plenty to blog about but little energy to do it. 



Since my reserves are down, I have to focus on my work because I have little energy to spare.



May your summer be full of discovery and wonder, may the season provide
you with family and comfort, and most of all may you be blessed in this
journey we call life.



Until next time,

DragonOak

Lady Bug as my days Animal Spirit Totem



Yesterday while searching the woods for wind blown and downed sassafras wood, I spied a ladybug. I could see it on a leaf from about 20 feet away as it was bright read that was out of place and not in sync with the area. The ladybug was so red but not a single black dot that is common of the species. As I approach the ladybug, it senses me and gently raises its wings and flies away as if it had not a care in the world.



When incidents like this happen in my life, those that I take a peculiar notice of without knowing the reason why, I take note. Meetings with living things like this ladybug are usually messages and it is worth the time to meditate and focus on what the lesson is from the spirit guide of that species.



So today I took the time to reflect, ponder and meditate on the ladybug. It shows me a world of simplicity, while still retaining complex reactions to my actions. The ladybug teaches me the need for protection while living out my life as usual.



The outer shell of the ladybug is its protection; it is the exoskeleton on the outside of the insects’ body, armor so to speak. For me it is the preparation on a daily basis of a psychic barrier, the white light that surrounds me as I visualize its glow. On a daily basis many people are bombarded with psychic energies that are designed to drain or take away from the internal energy base. Some are direct attacks by psychic vampires who fully understand that they are tapping into another’s energy source. Many of these psychic attacks are from people that steal energies on a subconscious level, children, emotional needy people, the sick, and sometimes the elderly. Psychic tapping can come from a multitude of sources and rather than focusing on the source it is probably better to visualize a while ball of light surrounding yourself, your family, your home, and the things that are more important to you. Be a part of the light, and let the light be parts of you, as you breath see the light grow brighter with each breath. The white light reflects the negative and absorbs the positive energies.



I tend to get a variety of these psychic attacks ranging from the wayward Christian that stumbles upon my web site and recites “Lordy, Lordy, Lordy, I shall rebuke this evil” (prayers like that are designed as an energy attack) to the confused pagan that feels some need to be jealous of my work, for there is no real reason to be jealous of what I do, it’s not like I am some fine Italian crafter. Even the glare from another person while one is out and about can be deemed as an attack, the evil eye so to speak.



By utilizing a small visualized and guided meditation focusing on the light, bathing in it, and letting it be a part of me for the rest of the day, I have adequately protected myself for that day. If I feel the negative energies increase, then I take a few moments of quit time and focus on the light, drawing from my inner source from the solar plexus chakra, where my light adds to the light of protection I have visualized from before.



Once those protections are in place the ladybug teaches me to go on with life, as I would normally do so. The ladybug teaches me to live my life free while reflecting my connections with all in the universe. It teaches me to learn from my interactions in this life so that I may be prepared to move on to the next phase when my time comes.



And most of all it teaches me that beauty and serenity exist virtually everywhere.




Shaman Path Animal Totem
Drawer Altar Table