Dancing Beneath the Moon

Walking the Tracks

2011-08-01T13:53:00.011-04:00

Being the art nerd I am, I spend a fair amount of time walking the railroad tracks that run through the woods behind my house, looking for interesting bits of trash to collect: shards of broken colored glass, tangled strands of rusted metal, odd railroad parts, metal industrial waste, doorknobs, and broken plastic. Yesterday David, Griffin and I trekked a few miles up the tracks, exhausted from extensive travel the day before and melting in the scorching summer heat, but drawn to the shade of a small watering hole about two miles from our house; one that’s home to fish, otters and beavers as well as offering some beautiful wild foliage along its banks. We again encountered a rabbit who fearlessly remained at arm’s length from us (thus reinforcing for me that the rabbit is still my current power animal, see my previous post) but the biggest joy of the day was discovering an enormous trail of pink and yellow hued smooth river stones that had fallen from a freight car in dribs and drabs over a fair distance. My inner rock nerd clasped hands with my inner art nerd and despite the physical discomfort of the afternoon (and the fact that I had accidentally spilled the bulk of my much-needed drinking water), it turned out to be a pretty sweet little journey.

Power Animal

2011-07-20T16:39:00.006-04:00

I periodically do a journeying meditation that I created for myself as I’m not big on doing someone else’s pre-recorded guided ones. Each journey always begins in the same fashion but then branches off as I go deeper into my psyche and then, spiritually speaking, pretty much anything goes. As a result, some meditations are very low-keyed, while others are much more active. Sometimes I’ll be introduced to a new power animal which my life requires at that time, and that’s just what my latest journey did. I was told that my new companion is the rabbit, which is actually rather ironic as in real-life I’m very allergic to the critters. But that said, when I came out of my meditative state I looked up the meaning of the rabbit as power animal and true to form it’s a perfect fit for me right now with my current life issues. The rabbit’s wisdom brings the ability to handle paradox and contradiction, teaches how to live by one’s own wits, enables one to receive hidden teachings and intuitive messages, bestows humility, encourages quick thinking and helps one to move through their fear.

I did this meditation in the morning and late that evening went for a walk as the sun was setting and the summer air was slightly less suffocatingly hot. As I was walking back to the car I saw two small rabbits off in the distance, one further away than the other, and slowly approached them. David said there was no way I was going to get near either one, that they’d both zip off long before I reached them, but that didn’t stop me from trying. Rabbit number one started to run away as I got close, but then stopped about five feet from me and just sat there watching me. When I reached him, rabbit number two ran back and forth before me, around my legs once and then he too started to run off but thought better of it and sat perfectly still, calmly watching me too. I gently thanked them and headed back to David and our car, happy to have my new spiritual companion confirmed. The universe is a truly magical place, is it not?

Photo courtesy of EmileJ.

Medicine Wheel

2011-07-12T14:00:00.001-04:00

A tiny medicine wheel I made using epidote in the north, celestite in the east, carnelian in the south, labradorite in the west and river stones between the quarters. In the center I used moonstone for Grandmother Moon/the Goddess and pyrite for Grandfather Sun/the God.

Moons and Totems 7

2011-07-11T15:26:00.013-04:00

Hot Winds Moon
July 11-August 10

People of the Hot Winds Moon are very versatile people, able to move effortlessly from one circumstance to another and in the process blend seamlessly with all sorts of different people. Introspective and wise with a degree of maturity to them, they can be very hot tempered and lose their cool very quickly (much like the weather at this time of year). No matter how joyous they may appear, the wheels are always turning in the Hot Moon person's head, searching into the depths of every situation. Adversely, they can easily become quitters when things get tough or ironically, refuse to let something go that has long run its course. Stubborn, arrogant and sometimes carrying a sense of superiority about them, these can be very tricky people.

The element for this moon sign is fire and the animal totem is the trout. A fish that can be a tenacious fighter when hooked, the trout is known for its wiliness and strength. The Hot Winds Moon plant totem is the thistle, a medicinally powerful plant that is able to thrive in very difficult conditions and this moon's mineral totem is jade. Jade is a strong and spiritually powerful stone long used as a token of male potency as well as for luck, long life and prosperity. The Hot Winds Moon color is green, the color of nature at its full maturity and vitality. People of this moon should wear the healing color of green to calm their hearts when they're feeling very angry and emotionally out of control.

Everyone is most compatible with those people born under the moon opposite to their own and the opposite moon of the Hot Winds Moon is the Deep Snows Moon (January 11-February 10).

Photo courtesy of arwriterphotog on flickr.

Broken Mirror Magick

2011-07-04T19:28:00.010-04:00

Is it really bad luck to break a mirror or is that merely an old wives' tale? There has been much in the way of superstition in regards to looking glasses, even predating the invention of the "modern" mirror. Primitive man used water sources to gaze at his reflection: ponds, woodland pools and even rain puddles. If his image was found to be distorted, he believed that disaster was imminent, be it of the larger natural kind or even personal to his own self. Early metal mirrors used by Greeks and Egyptians were believed to be very powerful magickal tools and as such were highly valued. But what of glass mirrors and how did the curse of seven years' bad luck begin? We can thank the Romans for this. Ancient Roman culture not only believed that one's soul was held within a looking glass, but that the human body physically rejuvenated itself every seven years, completely recycling itself and creating a whole new person. If one's mirror was broken, and their soul shattered into tiny fragments, it would take that seven year cycle for one's health, luck and prosperity to return.

If you break a mirror, don't despair! There's still plenty of powerful magick in that glass to repel any negative energy from your home. Carefully pick up all the broken pieces and place them in a lidded clear glass jar or bottle big enough to hold them. Be sure to sweep up all the tiny pieces and even the glass dust and add them to the bottle as well. Not only does each and every fragment act as a tiny mirror on its own, but you've also just created a makeshift witch ball. Just as the sharp tendrils of blown glass within a witch ball lure and trap all manner of uglies, so do the sharp pieces of mirrored glass in your bottle. Close the lid tightly, place your mirror bottle on a sunny window sill and be sure to keep it well dusted. Its magick will serve you well.

Photo courtesy of MrNobody97 on flickr.

Cemeteries

2011-05-07T19:10:00.007-04:00

I adore cemeteries and have my entire life. Aside from just being who I am, I also think my having spent a great deal of time as a small child helping my mother and grandmother clean up the family plots in various cemeteries also encouraged this comfort I feel at gravesites. I get a sense of peace, of calmness, of a quiet serenity peppered with a bit of fear when, however briefly, I am faced with the idea of my own mortality. When I was younger, I used to fear being buried in the ground and made everyone I thought would outlive me promise to build me a small mausoleum in which to spend my eternity. But given my whole-hearted embrace of mother earth and all she has to offer, coupled with the fact that mausoleums are grandly expensive and I am but a lowly commoner, I've learned to make peace with the idea of sleeping beneath the ground. Being at one with the earth once again isn't such a bad thing.

Cemeteries are wonderful storyboards of people from the distant (and not so distant) past, with their headstones lichen-covered snapshots into the lives- and deaths- of those who went before. Buddhism tells us not to fear death but rather embrace it, meditate on it and learn to love the idea of it for in accepting our mortality we are able to understand more fully what it means to live. To vanquish this fear frees us to truly live in the moment. Be not attached to anything (including fears and worries) and you will end your suffering on this earthly plane.

Not too long ago I began keeping a photographic journal of very old cemeteries here in New England; honoring those who have passed before me and experiencing my own sense of where I fit in in this vast timeline of people (click on the link at the bottom of this post to see my photo journal). There's nothing quite like a quiet interlude in an old graveyard. A friend recently told me about a headstone in Connecticut of a family killed together during the summer of 1777 and the epitaph on that stone says it all:

"Death like an overflowing stream sweeps us all away.
Our Life's a Dream, an empty Tale,
A Morning Flower, cut down and withered in an hour."

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mercuryglassmoon/sets/72157622641903918/

Ritual Oils

2011-05-04T13:11:00.017-04:00

I don't very often anoint the candles I use in ritual, but spring is a time of cleanliness, renewal, fresh ideas and scents, and I find myself doing things at this time of year that I seldom do in the later seasons. Here are three recipes for oils that can be used to anoint candles or worn on the skin to bring extra energy during spring rituals. All three can be used for candles; only one should be worn on the flesh.

Purification Oil
1/8 cup Jojoba, Sunflower or Almond base oil
5 drops Lavender
3 drops Rosemary
1 drop Sandalwood
(Rub onto your ritual candles only. Not to be used on your skin.)

Earth Oil
To your base oil add:
4 drops Patchouli
4 drops Cypress
1 drop Rosemary
(Wear to bring earth energy into your ritual, ideal at this time of year when the earth is waking from her slumber.)

Citrus Purification Oil
To your base oil add:
3 drops Orange
2 drops Lemon
2 drops Lime
1 drop Grapefruit
(Rub on white candles and burn in your home to purify it. Not to be used on your skin.)

Please use caution when working with essential oils as some can be irritating to the skin. Never place any oil on your body without first making sure you aren't allergic to it.

Photo of hand-dipped candles courtesy of Andrea M. Long Photos on flickr.

Spring Fever

2011-04-27T16:54:00.009-04:00

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want- oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!

-Mark Twain

Photo of spring buds courtesy of Di's Eyes on flickr.

Healing Spring Allergies

2011-04-22T12:22:00.024-04:00

I've suffered from spring allergy symptoms for years, with the exception of two all-too-brief years when I was working with a healer from China who made me feel like I was superhuman and physically invincible (man, do I miss him). I really don't like to take any medicine, unless I'm practically dying and nothing else has worked, because I'm not a fan of chemicals and additives. Fortunately, there are a lot of things you can do to ease the discomfort and the pain of seasonal allergy symptoms and not compromise your health in other ways to do so.

Butterbur has been used as an anti-spasmodic and to heal headaches and asthma symptoms since ancient times, making it ideal for allergy relief. A teaspoon of the root can be boiled in a cup of water and drank as a tea or drops can be used as a tincture. Much safer and easier to use, a supplement form of butterbur can be found in most natural food stores. Unfortunately, as most seasonal allergy sufferers are allergic to ragweed, be forewarned that this herb is in the ragweed and marigold family so use caution if you're sensitive to the plants in this family.

Extract of stinging nettle leaf (not the root, which is used to heal prostate issues) can be effective in reducing a runny nose and post-nasal drip, as can a supplement containing a combination of elderflower, sorrel, cowslip, verbena, and gentian root. Feverfew, ginkgo biloba, ginger, kava kava, and valerian have all been used to help heal headaches. Take a supplement of one of these herbs or use drops in a tincture. You can also make a ginger tea with fresh, thinly sliced root placed in boiling water and sipped.

Healing gemstones can be used as an adjunct to herbal remedies. Aventurine is an excellent stone for healing allergies. It has an anti-inflammatory effect on rashes, migraines and eye inflammation, as well as being effective in treating the lungs, throat and sinuses. A piece of polished amethyst can be held against the forehead to help heal a sinus headache, bringing soothing relief quite rapidly. It also calms the lungs and allergies affecting the respiratory system. Golden obsidian is a great stone for general allergy symptoms, as is clear blue sapphire. Fluorite is great for healing sinusitis.

Please note that if this is the first time you'll be using any of these herbs, it is best to be sure you are not allergic to them before you ingest them. If you are allergic to any similar plants, avoid those within the same family. If you are at all unsure, please consult a physician before using. As always, use common sense when working with herbs. Take nothing internally without being absolutely sure it's edible and safe and use nothing that you feel you may be allergic to. Always consult a physician if you aren't feeling well and remember: I am not a doctor and thus cannot diagnose nor treat any condition. Use caution and feel better soon!

Photo of butterbur plant courtesy of steb1 on flickr.

Moons and Totems 6

2011-04-17T18:33:00.021-04:00

Planting Moon

April 11-May 10

People of the Planting Moon are very hard workers who excel at preparing for each task and the start of new projects, working out every detail in advance and knowing exactly where they are going every step of the way. They're methodical and reliable and put a great deal of effort and enthusiasm into anything they put their mind to. Planting Moon people are people of the light, of new ideas and fresh starts but they can be stymied by their own abilities. They often tend to become overwhelmed by the task at hand, and no matter how carefully they prepare for it, can become lost in the details and confused about their ultimate goal. They aren't lazy, but without clarity they'll prefer to simply do nothing rather than forge ahead.

The element for this moon is air and the animal totem is the beaver. Like the beaver, the people of this moon can keep themselves very busy all day long and often well into the night, yet somehow never seem to finish the job they've begun. They're great at beginning new projects and working long hours, but being able to bring it all to a conclusion on their own is not their forte. The Planting Moon's plant totem is the dandelion, a strong and easily adaptable plant that's used for both culinary and medicinal purposes and its mineral totem is citrine. Citrine is a powerful stone used to channel the willpower needed to achieve one's goals, as well as granting courage and confidence and eliminating self-destructive tendencies. The color for this moon, vividly orange- yellow like its plant and mineral, is saffron. Worn by holy men the world over, this is the color of the rising sun and of a fresh spring day.

Everyone is most compatible with those people born under the moon opposite to their own and the opposite moon of the Planting Moon is the Harvest Moon (October 11-November 10).

Photo courtesy of Dan Newcomb Photography.

Higher Consciousness is a Beautiful Thing

2011-04-10T11:28:00.021-04:00

Even those of us who are fairly well tuned into the energy out there: our own, that of others, the earth's, sometimes experience those moments we all occasionally have of a sort of hyper-awareness of all that is and all that has been. When it's on a personal level, Gurdjieff referred to these fleeting feelings of acute self-awareness as true self consciousness (as opposed to that awkward feeling we get when we need to do something in front of others that makes being in our own skin uncomfortable). But sometimes this feeling is more akin to universal consciousness, where the whole shebang becomes radiantly clear for just a moment or two.

The other night I built a big, beautiful outdoor fire. It had nothing to do with any sabbat or esbat, nor was it intended to be of a spiritual nature at all. It was, in fact, merely a way to clean up some spring yard waste and destroy quite a bit of old paper files that I finally cleaned out of the old filing cabinet in the cellar. (It was pointed out to me that this wasn't exactly eco-friendly, but it was efficient as hell and quite lovely to sit before, so sue me if I enjoyed it).

So, as I sat there on a chilly night before this gorgeous fire, I couldn't help but think of all the people through the ages who have sat before fires on dark and cold nights for various reasons. This thought warmed my heart and was just the beginning of my mind making a great many spiritual and philosophical connections (sometimes it doesn't take much for me to get rolling). And those feelings that occasionally overwhelm us all with such emotion, such joy and such awe rocketed through me for a moment or two and were gone, leaving in their wake that sweet feeling one feels when truly experiencing the inter-connectedness of all that is.

There is nothing on earth quite like experiencing this and it can be felt in the smallest and most humble of moments. It doesn't require being in a majestic place, though that would be sure to trigger these feelings. No, it can be felt anywhere, anytime. And it's in these moments that simultaneously emphasize the enormity of the universe and the incredible interconnectedness of everything within it (ourselves included) while also making us painfully aware of just how small and insignificant we are, that really gives the soul an energy charge it needs to continue on its journey towards enlightenment.

"Stars over the Church of the Good Shephard, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand" courtesy of petatt on flickr.

Goodbye Sorrow

2011-04-04T13:38:00.032-04:00

There are times in our lives when we experience great sadness (for a variety of reasons) and during those times it's important to be gentle and allow ourselves to heal at our own pace. For some of us, this is a fairly quick process, but for others it can linger on, never fully dissipating and making our day to day life more difficult than usual. If you feel it's about time you got back to business, but are having a bit of trouble actually making this happen, perhaps a quiet energy releasing ritual is in order to take that last step to reclaiming your heart.

What you'll need:

nine very small white candles

one large red Goddess candle

a glass or small chalice of red wine

a few borage flowers

a sheet of paper and a pen

a cauldron

sandalwood incense

This ritual is best done at night, outdoors beneath the dark of the new moon, to facilitate a new beginning and new inner strength. Write on your paper all your feelings you wish to purge. It can be long or short in length, but pour the pain of your heart into every word and fold it up into a small square. Place the white candles in a small circle around your cauldron and place the red candle to the right of it and the incense to the left of the cauldron within that circle. Cast your larger circle first if you wish and call the quarters, or simply start by sitting before your candles and meditating, grounding your energy with the earth's. Light the nine healing candles deosil beginning at the top and then light the incense. Light the red candle and call upon a Goddess you feel comfortable working with: perhaps Athena for wisdom and strength, or Laetitia for happiness. Ask her to help you find your inner strength, the joy you've had trouble reclaiming, or to show you the clarity needed to see the wisdom of your experience.

Recite this spell (or write your own to chant):

No more sorrow, no more pain,

My heart is free to live again.

I release those bonds that held me tight

and embrace my spirit's powerful light.

(Chant until you've raised enough energy to release your sadness, then conclude with)

By the power of three times three, As I will it, so mote it be.

Light your square of paper on fire with the Goddess candle and let it burn to embers in your cauldron. Take a few borage flowers and place them in the chalice of wine. (If you don't drink alcohol, grape juice is a perfectly fine alternative). Drink half the wine and save the other half to make an offering to the Goddess. If you've cast a circle and wish to pour it away from where you are, offer it into the earth once the circle has been broken. If you have chosen to not cast a circle, you may pour the wine into the earth whenever and wherever you wish. Cast the ashes of your note to the earth as well.

When you're ready, snuff out the Goddess candle, thanking her for aiding you in your work, then snuff out the white candles widdershins. Allow your incense to burn down. Break circle if you have cast one and begin to feel yourself healing at last.

(As always, use common sense and the utmost care when working with fire. Use caution with your dish or cauldron of choice, your hair or your sleeves. Never leave a burning item unattended and when discarding anything burned back into the earth, be sure it is fully burned out and cool. Never discard a burning or smoldering object where it can cause damage.)

Photo courtesy of MatgorzataW on flickr.

A Brief Hiatus

2011-03-17T18:43:00.003-04:00

I've been post-less for almost two weeks now due to a family crisis and most likely won't be back for some time to come (hopefully not too long though). There is just no way, given the circumstances I am dealing with, that I can focus enough to actually write something worth reading. I hope you'll bear with me during this difficult time and will still be here waiting for me when I return. Take care, much peace to you all, and a blessed Ostara as well!

Feathers in Ritual

2011-03-06T15:20:00.011-05:00

I've been on a quest to find a perfect crow feather for both my medicine bag, as well as to use in ritual, and anyone in my life with ears (regardless of whether they even give a damn or not) has heard my endless kvetching over how lacking my magickal life is without this feather. I have all sorts of found feathers from all variety of birds: gull, jay, starling, robin, duck, chicken, male cardinal, and even an enormous and lovely wild turkey feather. But not a single crow, despite the woods behind my house being full of crows. It was suggested I gently ask the birds for a feather and perhaps leave an offering for them in return, but alas, still no feather has appeared. Now, the turkey feather is beautiful, and I know Ben Franklin was madly in love with the wild turkey (even going so far as to try to talk all his cronies into making it our national bird instead of the eagle), but to be honest, turkeys just don't for it for me. Not in any way, magickal or not. I want a crow feather and for me nothing else will do for the crow speaks deeply to me on so many levels.

Used in magickal ritual, feathers can channel energy and as they are ruled by the element of air, bring more open communication to your ritual, thus making your incantations more successfully heard. Calmer species of birds bring a sense of peace to a ritual, while those from more aggressive birds or hunters are ideal for defensive magick and spells that require more oomph. Likewise, the color of the bird's feather is equally as important as the species. Some of the more common bird feathers to be found and used are:

blackbird: ancient wisdom, inner knowledge and hidden insights

blue jay: courage to speak one's personal truth

cardinal: confidence

chickadee: joy and cheer

chicken: sacrifice, fertility

crow: magick, mystery, messenger from the realm of Spirit

dove (this includes pigeons): peace, gentleness and feminine energy

duck: emotional balance

eagle: spirit and power

hawk: strength, a messenger from Spirit

hummingbird: joy, boundless energy, hope

owl: wisdom, magickal visionary energy, feminine energy, secrets

robin: new beginnings, creative energy

sparrow: fertility, home

turkey: blessings and generosity

woodpecker: sacred rhthyms, hard work

With spring just around the corner, now is the time to keep your eyes open for freshly dropped feathers to use in your rituals. And to give thanks, be sure to leave a small offering that busy nest-building birds will appreciate.

Photo courtesy of hedgewytchhaven.com.

Crystal Ball

2011-02-27T01:26:00.014-05:00

Crystallomancy is just what you think it is: the ability to accurately read a crystal or crystal ball and it's something I've always wanted to be able to do. Last week I bought myself my first crystal ball, a pristine clear dusky purple crystal that also reads blue in some light. I held an amazing clear quartz ball and an even more incredible amethyst ball but they were loaded with striations that I felt would make my first attempts at reading more difficult. That and their exorbitant price tags. I mean, what if I don't ever get the hang of this? How could I justify spending that much money on what would become merely a gorgeous paperweight, albeit one with really great energy?

So I spent some time handling and getting to know my new crystal ball, then I carefully cleansed it and a few days later sat down one evening for my first try at reading it. I'm aware that this form of divination is considered to be one of the most difficult to master, so I was prepared for a challenge. But seriously, this was hard. To begin with, I had trouble with my light source and despite fussing with my candles and dimming the room lights up and down, and up and down again and again for a good twenty minutes or so, I never truly did find a comfortable amount of light with which to work. I relaxed and grounded and then threw up around me a bubble of safety. And at last I was ready to try to read. Sigh. I managed to find my soft eyes, that sort of pre-trance, almost day-dreamy feeling I get when I read auras or do a visualized journey. But an hour later I had seen nothing at all, not even a wisp, and I had managed to give myself a bit of a sore neck and a violent and unexpected case of extreme nausea that took more than two horrible hours to subside.

Needless to say, my ball and I have kept a fairly respectful distance from one another since that night while I await the arrival of three new books on mastering the art of crystal gazing since I think it best I not try my hand at this again without at least a small amount of guidance beforehand. I'm anxious to give it as many tries as I need in order to begin to actually see something, but I'd prefer to do it without incapacitating myself for hours on end. Trust me, nothing is worth feeling the way I did that night, not even foretelling a strange and glorious future. And until my books arrive, I'll just have to admire my beautiful new purple-blue paperweight safely from across the room.

John William Waterhouse, The Crystal Ball, 1902 (detail)

Healing Gemstones

2011-02-20T20:08:00.023-05:00

A selection of healing gemstones. Clockwise from the top: lapis lazuli, red jasper, blue fluorite, iolite, jet, orange calcite, clear quartz crystal, tiger's eye, aventurine. In the center: apache tear.

I decided that if a chakra meditation is great for opening them within your body and a chanting chakra meditation is good for balancing them, and if certain stones can activate or relax your chakras, then why not do a prone meditation that incorporates all three elements? Why not lay flat on your back with the appropriate stones placed upon your chakras and meditate while the healing stones do their job to balance and activate each chakra? It's taken me some time to decide which of the many stones that are effective for each chakra would be the best choice for my own personal chakra issues, and then it took some more time to find the specific specimens whose energy felt in tune with mine. At long last, I have all seven (with only one being a "second choice" as my first choice couldn't be found) and am now in the process of cleansing and purifying them. Soon, I'll be ready to put them to use for the first time and I really can't wait.

Red jasper for my root chakra, orange calcite for my sacral, tiger's eye for my solar plexus, aventurine for my heart chakra (I was hoping to find some green jasper but alas it was not meant to be), blue fluorite for my throat, iolite for my third eye and quartz crystal for my crown. I also picked up a few extra stones this weekend: jet for my spiritual journey, lapis lazuli not only for my spiritual journey (this is a very powerful ancient stone) but also to help me with the dizziness I've been suffering from courtesy of an on-going inner ear issue that's now months' old, and a tiny apache tear for protection and luck.

God, do I love rocks more than just about anything. And with the exception of malachite, which I hate with a passion and always have (I like to tell people I must have been stoned to death in a previous life with this stone), I adore them all and am on a perpetual, never-ending search for more and more and more.

Moons and Totems 5

2011-02-15T15:49:00.008-05:00

Strong Winds Moon

February 11-March 10

This is the time of winter when the winds blow at their hardest and their coldest, thus the name given to this moon, and the night skies are at their most vivid. People born under this moon are very bright and intelligent, with unique minds and a quick wit. Often these people are light years ahead of everyone else, thus giving them the label of "odd" or "quirky." Strong Winds folks tend to be easily distracted from their tasks and need to learn to be more consistent and steadfast rather than jump rapidly from one thing to another. Being on such a vastly different wavelength from others often leads them to feel lonely and isolated, something finding a kindred spirit or two can easily solve. This sense of loneliness frequently comes across as an intense neediness, something Strong Winds people need to acknowledge and address.

The element for this moon is air and the animal totem is the goose, a bird who returns to the north at this time of year, thus heralding the return of spring and the earth's new birth. The Strong Winds Moon's plant totem is the willow, a tree whose bark is at its most vivid color this time of year; a tree that is easily bent this way and that way. The willow is a medicinal, healing plant (aspirin originates from its bark). This moon's mineral totem is moonstone which is symbolic of the great mother goddess. Moonstone balances the emotions, brings clarity to one's thinking and is very potent when working with the moon. The color for the Strong Winds Moon is dove gray, the color of dawn and of purity. This is a soft color and is symbolic of the awakening of spirit.

Everyone is most compatible with those people born under the moon opposite to their own and the opposite moon of the Strong Winds Moon is the Hunters Moon (August 11-September 10).

Photo courtesy of ER Post on flickr.

Everything in its Time

2011-02-08T19:32:00.011-05:00

Like everyone else on this earth, there are many things in my life I wish I had never chosen to do, or for which I wish I had followed a different path, or wished something hadn't taken nearly as long as it did to work out. Life is full of "what ifs" and "I wishes" and if we dwell too much on them, we're doing a disservice to our present and even our future. People like to say 'we all make mistakes' and while it's true that it's human nature to make poor choices, if you think about it, are they really mistakes or poor judgments? In hindsight, maybe they are, but at the time we do/don't do those things we so wish we could go back and change, they are right for us (even if they're ultimately bad for us). I believe that everything happens for a reason and sometimes it all really sucks, but whatever is happening in our lives at any given time is what we need when we need it.

Someone very close to me likes to argue that this belief is silly as it means our entire lives are planned out in advance for us and thus free will doesn't exist, but I don't agree. I believe that before we come here in our present incarnations, we do plan things out. I like to think of it as a brief outline of what we desire to achieve soul-wise in this incarnation. Are all the details laid out? Of course not, but the essential bones are there. And when we get into this life and begin to really live it, there are options, paths and crossroads at which we need to make the choices that will move us in one direction or another. Regardless of whether or not we've forgotten what it is we are meant to learn this time around, those "choice moments" are presented to us and we either go the right way for that previously drawn up soul outline or we go another route; a route which may take us to the same place albeit in a very roundabout way, or one that has us miss our "moment" entirely and perhaps learn other lessons or even nothing at all. At those times we either have to hope for another moment in time when we can make the needed decision or risk having to repeat that part of our soul's journey once again in another life. But regardless, everything is in its time; perfectly in its time. And everything we do and say and act on happens when it is meant to, even if it takes you half a lifetime to realize someone you've tried to love is not a very nice person and needs to be jettisoned from your life. Or you were meant to be a missionary and not a school janitor. Or you're never, ever going to master the violin enough to make it a lucrative career despite decades of hard work.

As humans, it's in our nature to regret that which isn't perfect to our eyes and to be self-critical to the nth degree, but life isn't about easy or perfect or timely, nor is it about our own feelings of regret or our own shortcomings we wish we didn't have, it's about the end result and that- despite our fears of having wasted so much time- is going to take just as long as it's meant to.

Silvery Snow

2011-02-03T18:06:00.003-05:00

Winter came down to our home one night

Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow,

And we, we were children once again.

-Bill Morgan, Jr.

Photo courtesy of krystian_o on flickr.

Snow Poppet

2011-01-27T19:37:00.008-05:00

Where I live, weather-wise thus far, this winter has been simply brutal. The month of January alone has brought more than four feet of snow. For those who believe that Hecate brings storms and difficult weather, trust me, she's been working overtime in my neck of the woods. And with so much snow in every direction I look, I can't help but think there has to be a use for it in magickal ritual. After all, the power of winter's weather is extraordinary, so why not harness a teeny bit for one's own personal use? And given that I'm also a huge fan of snowmen of all shapes and sizes, it was a quick jump to thinking that a little snowman would be the perfect stand-in for some poppet magick.

To work this spell, go outside into the snow at dusk or early evening, just as the light is fading to dark. For a banishment spell, the waning moon is best; to manifest something, use the waxing moon. Think of something in your life you'd like banished or drawn to you, something you would like the poppet to represent: be it energy, wealth, or even an emotion (good or bad). While meditating on whatever energy you wish to instill in your poppet, build your snowman. While he can be big, keep in mind that you're going to need to fill him with your energy to make this spell work, so smaller may be easier to successfully work with. Personally, I'd keep him no bigger than a foot tall. Decorate him as you would a cloth poppet (or in any way that makes your energy rise and your heart sing) and then circle him with nine snowballs. Be creative! Within your circle, light a small blue candle, place it at your snow poppet's feet and concentrate on sending your spell energy into the ether. When you reach the point of release, say:

With snow and ice, this witch's spell,

I cast you now to speed this well.

I focus my powers outside on this night

Now gather within and give my spell flight.

Throw up your arms to send your energy skyward. Allow your candle to burn down (safely) and your snowman to melt naturally. Give thanks.

Photo courtesy of ClanSoul on flickr.

Cold Winter

2011-01-22T16:28:00.008-05:00

I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape – the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn’t show.

-Andrew Wyeth

Photo courtesy of the always amazing Giles C. Watson. Thanks again for allowing me to borrow a bit of your stunning work.

Three Signs You Might Be a Witch

2011-01-15T16:32:00.011-05:00

Witches never use salt and avoid it at all costs. According to medieval records, you'd know you had sat down to dinner with a witch if one of your guests complained that her food was too salty and refused to eat it, or kept the salt cellar as far away from her as possible. Legend states that in Europe, all fairies hated salt, and as witches were known to cook offerings for the fairies, a witch, both in her daily life and her magickal one, would learn to studiously avoid salt of any kind.

In cultures where it is the custom for a woman to cover her head or tie her hair up neatly, a witch will always wear her hair loose and uncovered. Dirty, tangled and unruly hair is one of the hallmarks of a witch. It's said that even if she tries to keep her hair neat and clean, it will naturally fly out from beneath her scarf or hat, nor will it stay pinned or braided. Legend states that hair holds a great deal of magickal power for a witch (think of how many hex spells require a snippet of the victim's hair). And while her hair doesn't need to be a rat's nest to wield such power, a witch's hair is always compelling to look at or touch. In some way it must be unique: the volume of it, the beauty of it, or perhaps an unusual or radiant color (red or black, anyone?).

Witches like to linger in grocery stores or at the mall. Traditionally, it's said that they liked to linger in the marketplace long after their shopping was done as they could absorb a great deal of usable energy from all the shoppers haggling and fighting over the food and wares. If you lingered far longer than the village's powers-that-be deemed necessary for ordinary shopping, you could be branded a witch and tried accordingly.

Food for thought.

The Weiser Field Guide to Witches, Judika Illes, Red Wheel/Weiser LLC, 2010

Moons and Totems 4

2011-01-09T18:54:00.013-05:00

Deep Snows Moon

January 11-February 10

This is the moon in the deepest dark of winter and as such, the people of the Deep Snows Moon tend to be introverted and often depressed, as well as very rigid in their thinking. While they like to do everything in a very controlled manner and can at times be difficult to deal with, they are very honest, forthright and reliable folk who can always be counted on when we need them most.

The element for this moon is earth and the animal totem is the blue jay. The blue jay will tell you exactly what you need to know when you need to know it. While the jay is a wise and honest bird, it can often be a little too vocal, not always knowing when to stop sermonizing, a behavior that people of the Deep Snows Moon need to guard against despite their only wanting what is best for the rest of us. Curiosity and carelessness in regards to personal safety (a frequently dangerous combination) is another thing that both the jay and the folks of this moon share in common. The Deep Snows Moon's plant totem is the poplar, a tree that is able to withstand a great deal of hardship before it falls under the weight, and its mineral totem is the amethyst. Amethyst is the stone of wisdom, purity of thought and the light before the dawn. Lastly, the color for this moon is violet. Violet is the highest vibration of light on the spectrum, increasing mental activity, intuition and raising one's spirituality. Like the amethyst whose color is the same, violet is the color of the sky just before the dawning of the full light of day (and spring).

Everyone is most compatible with those people born under the moon opposite to their own and the opposite moon of the Deep Snows Moon is the Hot Winds Moon (July 11-August 10).

Photo courtesy of Aegolius on flickr.

New Year, New Moon

2011-01-04T17:48:00.010-05:00

Peach Moonstone pendulum with a sterling silver spiral womb goddess pendant and tiny sterling silver and moonstone rounds. Moonstone is a feminine stone, ideal for awakening one's intuition and deepening one's meditation practices.

Tonight marks the first New Moon of the still very new year, making it a perfect time to work quite a bit of magick, all in one night. New Moon magick is dedicated to new beginnings, new projects, capturing your independence, feeling your personal strength and honoring your instincts. And as we all know, the new year is the time to cast off that which is no longer working for you and bringing in new beliefs and behaviors that hopefully will make you a much better person.

I had planned on just spending a little time in circle tonight meditating on the new year and all the possibilities and hopes she holds, as well as purifying and consecrating within the four elements my new moonstone pendulum, but then a friend gave me a wonderful new year's resolution ritual that just spoke to my heart. I'm generally not one for once-a-year resolutions as I try to be constantly aware of what I'm doing and thinking and how it impacts both myself personally and all I come into contact with in my own little corner of this vast world. I modify myself countless times throughout the year, changing what I am able to, as the year progresses through her seasons. In that vein, much of what this ritual called for has been discarded in favor of a very simplified act: writing down onto pieces of paper those things I wish to leave behind, personal beliefs that I feel no longer work for me, behaviors I wish to eliminate, anything I want banished from my life, and burning them on a bed of dried sage in my cauldron as I make a conscious intention to let these things go. It's a sort of witchy variation on the tradition of making one or more New Year's resolutions. I thought the sage would be a nice spiritual touch and a sweet-smelling way of sending those unwanted things back to the universe, where she can recycle that negative energy and sent it back out to the world as something positive.

After much hemming and hawing over candle colors for the quarters, I've settled on a deep, rich purple, the color of spiritual strength, power, healing, psychic gifts (needed for my work with this new pendulum) and because this color provides a link with the higher planes.

All in all, it should be a wonderfully productive, spiritually deepening and emotionally cleansing circle tonight.

Blessed Be.

New Year's Tarot Reading

2010-12-30T22:17:00.006-05:00

Here we are again at the new year and, come the first, I'll be doing my annual New Year's tarot reading. I do one for myself every year on New Year's Day and have found it to be a fairly reliable way to forecast what the year to come has in store for me. I use a twelve-card clock spread, substituting the months for the hours starting with January in the one o'clock position and so forth. I spend some time meditating on what the new year might hold for me and then lay out the spread. In addition to simply reading the card for each month, I try to establish any patterns or particular issues that may be in the offing. I keep all my readings in a leather-bound book that now dates back many years. Oddly enough though, I seldom remember to ever pull that book out during the year to see what the immediate months ahead have in store. I will take it down from its shelf and take a peek if things are particularly intense or I'm going through a tough time, just to see if I not only predicted this ugliness back at the beginning of the year, but also to see if there is going to be any blessed relief in the near future. And come New Year's Day, I do read through the previous year regardless of whether I ever looked at it since last New Year's or not before I settle in for this year's reading. I can't wait to see what 2011 will bring me, good or bad.

Regardless of what your plans are for the day, I wish everyone a happy, healthy, safe and blessed New Year, one and all.

Yule Altar

2010-12-24T22:08:00.006-05:00

This year's Yule altar, photographed on the night of the Winter Solstice. I had a small white snow bird on it, made of delicate German glass, with real feathers for a tail. It had been a Christmas tree decoration that belonged to my mother until its clasp broke and then spent years languishing in a box of discarded ornaments until I found it a couple of weeks ago and decided it would be lovely on my altar. My joy was rather short-lived though, as I bumped the sideboard and knocked the little bird to the floor where it sadly shattered into hundreds of tiny slivers of silvery glass. Perhaps I'll find a new bird for next year's altar.

Seasonal Yule Ritual

2010-12-22T23:40:00.012-05:00

This is a very sweet, simple, and quiet little ritual. As we wrap up the year passed and approach the beginning of the new year, take a moment to reflect on your humble life.

What you'll need:

incense (frankincense or frankincense resin, pine needles or pine resin, cedar chips, juniper berries, cinnamon)

a censer

a charcoal block on which to burn the incense

a large sheet of paper

a pen

a white candle

To make the incense:

2 parts frankincense

2 parts pine

1 part cedar

1 part juniper berries

a pinch of dried cinnamon or a small piece of fresh cinnamon stick

Grind all ingredients together until well blended. You can say a small incantation over them if you'd like, holding your power hand over them as you do so. Remember to always grind in a clockwise motion to infuse your incense with positive energy.

Place your censer and candle on a heat-proof surface and light them both. Begin to burn your fresh incense when your charcoal block is ready. Take the sheet of paper and draw a circle on it. Visualize this circle as a shield for all the good things you have or desire to have in your life. Write down within this circle everything that brings you joy: the material and mundane things of your everyday life, spiritual things you hold dear, nature, beloved animals, the people who make your heart sing, traveling you'd like to do, experiences that make you happy, anything and everything you'd like to draw closer to you. By writing all these lovely things within your circle you are setting up a boundary that will allow in only that which brings you happiness. This creates a shield, protecting who and what you are and sends this positive energy out to the world on a subconscious level. Outside this circle, write down everything you wish to remove from your life: bills, people you would prefer to have move on, bad habits and behaviors, and any other troublesome aspects of your life. Outside the boundary you can also write down those good things you'd like to draw to you only when you personally invite them into your life such as a visit from the in-laws or criticism from a friend.

Spend a few minutes meditating on all you have written and then give thanks for the many blessings in your life. Snuff your censer and when it has cooled, scatter the ashes on the earth.

Photo courtesy of stellaretriever on flickr.

What Am I?

2010-12-17T00:14:00.009-05:00

When talk turns to religion and I'm asked what exactly I am, in all honesty, I haven't a clue how to answer. I can say I'm a witch, because I am. I write and cast spells, I work with oils and brews and herbal mixtures. I dabble in the metaphysical every day. I cast a circle and work within it. But my Native American ancestors also cast circles and used medicine wheels as tools of their faith and I use the circle in that manner too. I am a practicing pagan who honors and follows the rhythms of the earth as she spins through her calendar year. I live by the stars and the ever-changing moon. I also spent more than ten years of my life seriously studying Buddhism and today in my rituals and my daily life I try to continue to practice the teachings of The Four Noble Truths even though I would not consider myself a proper Buddhist. I meditate, I follow an ayurvedic diet and have dabbled in Hindu beliefs as well. Do I believe in God? Yes, but not in the way a Christian or Jew might. I used to attend a Buddhist Temple, but I haven't been inside an actual church in more years than I can count. So what exactly am I? Does my rather extensive patchwork of beliefs and practices go beyond even what an eclectic follower would term eclectic? Most likely. Some days I think my crazy spiritual smorgasbord is pretty cool and others I feel utterly schizophrenic.

This is the time of year when so many people ask what my plans are for the holidays and wish me a Merry Christmas. And I readily wish them one back as it's easier than explaining that I don't celebrate Christmas, but rather Yule. But then there are those people who like to question things a bit more deeply. When I say I'm not a Christian, they ask me if I'm Jewish, and try to wish me a Happy Hanukah, but I have to politely say that I'm not Jewish either. And that's where it gets tricky. No one wants to stand there and hear a long drawn out, ridiculous-sounding explanation of what I am, or what I'm not. Trying to tell them I'm a wildly eccentric mix of multiple belief systems only elicits even more questions and more than a few odd- and frequently uncomfortable- looks. I'm not interested in hiding what I am, nor in being clever in how I explain myself, but I do wish I had a quick and simple answer to the question of what I am. But since I have yet to figure out the answer to this question for myself, how on earth am I supposed to explain it to someone else?

Photo courtesy of PictureOnTheWall/Nicholas McCollum.

Trees 101: The Yew

2010-12-13T19:59:00.012-05:00

Personally, I'm not a big fan of yews as to me their foliage smells too much like cat pee, but that doesn't mean that they aren't a magnificent tree to behold, nor hold a great deal of power within them. This is truly a tree of the Winter Solstice as the yew's spring season begins on the day after the solstice. Given that the darkest time of the year is when this tree begins its rebirth, it's considered a Goddess tree (with the Goddess in her crone form) as well as a tree of death. Ironically, this is also a tree of immortality as being an evergreen, it never seems to die in going dormant. All evergreens are considered to be trees of immortality. In ancient times, yews were traditionally planted in burial grounds as it was believed to be a gateway to the next world.

The yew has been used to make bows, arrows, spears and magic wands. The witches in Shakespeare's Macbeth used wands made of yew to work their magic. Along with the birch and oak, the yew was the third tree in the three pillars of wisdom. The yew is symbolic of stability, sovereignty, and mystery. Yew wood has also been used to make household items such as bowls, shutters, boxes, handles and hooks, and various religious and altar objects. It has been rarely used to make furniture. Yew leaves and bark, as well as the tree's seeds are all poisonous to humans and should never be ingested. However, at one time the skin of yew berries was used as a laxative and a heart medicine. Traditionally, to dream of yews is a portent of death, either one's own or that of a loved one.

The yew vibrates to both masculine and feminine energies. It is ruled by Jupiter, Mars and Saturn and is governed by the elements of air, water and fire. Yew can be used in ritual to enhance psychic abilities, to bring one closer to their ancestors at Samhain, and in protection spells. When using yew in any magickal capacity, remember to never ingest any part of the tree and to wash your hands well after handling it.

"Ancient Yew" courtesy of Giles C. Watson on flickr.

Thank You

2010-12-08T18:14:00.003-05:00

Thank you to all my readers who have stayed despite the lack of regularly published articles these last few weeks. I've been consumed with a fairly large, commissioned job that I've just now wrapped up, thus giving me the freedom to post more frequently once again. Your patience and loyalty are very much appreciated. Blessings!

December Cauldron Divination

2010-12-08T01:05:00.015-05:00

This is such a lovely ritual and perfect for this time of year as we spend time inside our homes where it's warm and cozy, contemplating family, reminiscing, giving thanks and counting down the days to Yule.

What you'll need:

a few freshly gathered dry pinecones (preferably without a lot of pitch on them)

a handful of dried bay leaves

a few sprigs of dried lavender

a pinch of cinnamon

a black votive candle

additional candles, if desired

your cauldron

Place your cauldron on a heat-proof, safe surface and if you'd like, surround yourself with a ring of lit, wintry candles. Using the black candle, light your pinecones and let them burn down to bright red embers within your cauldron. While they're burning, meditate on your life during the past year and ponder what the coming year will bring for you. Take a moment to commune with your ancestors and those loved ones who have passed. When the pinecones have reached the hot ember stage, add the bay leaves, lavender sprigs and cinnamon to create a sweet smelling swirl of smoke. You can scry using the glowing pinecones and the curls of smoke, perhaps divining what the new year will hold for you. Ask for any message that you need to hear at this time and see what your scrying manifests. Work the fire magic until the embers die out, then discard the ashes (when they've cooled) back into the earth and give thanks for all you've been blessed with.

Photo courtesy of Peta Jade on flickr.
The original version of this spell was written by Lily Gardener and published on llewellyn.com.

Pagans

2010-11-29T15:50:00.020-05:00

Having last month accepted a very large commission for four portraits, I've had very little time for much else, blogging included, but I did manage to spend a few brief hours with friends over last week's holiday: good friends and some fairly newer acquaintances, one of whom turned out to be a practicing witch and pagan (and here I thought I'd be the only one in the room that evening). For the life of me I cannot remember how the conversation over dessert turned to the subject of hymns, but indeed it did, and from there it was a quick hopscotch to paganism. With her husband an Episcopalian, this lovely lady stated how truly beautiful the hymns are in his church, which prompted me to remark on how horrible they are in the faith in which I was raised: Lutheranism (or as I like to call it "Catholic Lite"). There has never been more plodding, heavy, dire, nor depressing music ever composed. If you're looking for a soundtrack by which to commit suicide, the Lutheran Hymnal is the book you want. My new friend laughed loudly and said, "Try growing up Jewish." And this got me thinking.

Though we come from many faiths and backgrounds, is there a common thread that draws people to a life of paganism? True, some are lucky enough to have been raised by multi-generational pagan families, but in today's world, most of us come from a place far, far removed from witchcraft, wicca or paganism. For myself, having always been drawn to the rituals and spirituality of my Native American ancestors despite my rather conservative upbringing, it wasn't a giant departure from my inner beliefs to openly practicing the earth faith I have embraced for many, many years. Still, there is something to be said for the pagan path vs the more conventional spiritual paths society (and family) has to offer.

Paganism as a general rule comes with little or no guilt and certainly with no all-powerful body of (usually) megalomaniacal, egocentric men telling us what we can and cannot do, what is right, what is wrong, what is acceptable and what is most certainly not. The freedom of paganism is not only a beautiful thing in and of itself, but it also allows the follower of this faith to make their own choices when it comes to good vs evil. And most of the gentle folk who call themselves pagans make these choices wisely, far more so than someone who thinks they can make last minute amends for their wrongdoings on their deathbeds. While not all of us follow the path of wisdom in this faith, I find that the majority of us do.

If you took away from me the endless circles I've cast, the powerful spells I've written, the library of books I've amassed, you won't have hurt me in any way because those are not where my spirituality lies. Those are mere adjuncts to a pagan and witchy life well-lived. If all that were gone today, I'd be left with what really matters to me: the four elements, the sun and the moon (especially the moon), the earth including her rocks, trees and herbs, the magnificent ocean, animals, and the gentle touch of the Divine; the Great Spirit in all I do. These are why I left the mind-numbing drudgery that was the faith of my youth and embraced wholeheartedly my free-spirited and compassionate pagan self.

"Beeches and Bluebells" courtesy of the always-brilliant Giles C. Watson.

Thanksgiving Prayer

2010-11-24T02:00:00.006-05:00

Thanksgiving

We return thanks to our mother, the earth,

which sustains us.

We return thanks to the rivers and streams,

which supply us with water.

We return thanks to all herbs,

which furnish medicines for the cure of our diseases.

We return thanks to the moon and stars,

which have given to us their light when the sun was gone.

We return thanks to the sun,

that has looked upon the earth with a beneficent eye.

Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit,

in Whom is embodied all goodness,

and Who directs all things for the good of Her children.

An Iroquois Prayer of Thanksgiving

Photo courtesy of Jeff Holbrook on flickr.

Treat the Earth Well

2010-11-19T22:50:00.003-05:00

Treat the earth well.

It was not given to you by your parents,

it was loaned to you by your children.

We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors,

we borrow it from our Children.

An Ancient Native American Proverb

Photo courtesy of Giles C. Watson on flickr.

Moons and Totems 3

2010-11-12T20:20:00.020-05:00

Popping Trees Moon

November 11-December 10

Those born under this moon tend to prefer to periodically isolate themselves from the larger group, taking time to withdraw from society while they explore their inner selves, emerging with greater self-knowledge and understanding. The people of the Popping Trees Moon are wise, patient folks who know when to act and when to wait. These are mysterious, deep people who prefer to keep their feelings and ideas to themselves; a very spiritual people.

The element for this moon is earth and the animal totem is the owl, a wise creature who appears to hear and see all. The Popping Trees Moon's plant totem is the dandelion, a tenacious plant not easily disposed of, and its mineral totem is aquamarine. Aquamarine is a feminine, ethereal stone which brings to its user the ability to express themselves clearly. A stone that produces inspiration and inspired thoughts, it also confers upon its bearer a sense of peace and calmness, as well as the ability to know how and when to act in any given situation. Aquamarine brings courage without swagger. Lastly, the color of this moon is indigo, a color that can change appearance before your eyes. Is it blue? purple? black? Indigo is the color of one's third eye, that part of our subconscious that gives birth to intuition and our sixth sense. It is the color of spiritual understanding.

Everyone is most compatible with those people born under the moon opposite to their own and the opposite moon of the Popping Trees Moon is the Flowering Moon (May 11-June 10).

Photo courtesy of Foto Martien on flickr.

A New Moon Goddess Charm

2010-11-05T19:05:00.012-04:00

New Moon magick is dedicated to new beginnings and projects, feeling your personal strength, gaining inspiration, and honoring your intuition. It is the moon of the Maiden Goddess. With tonight's new moon, this is the perfect time to perform a brief ritual to harness this moon's powerful magick.

What you'll need:

a sheet of white paper, ink

dried herbs for grinding: verbena, vervain, mugwort, rue, clove, hyacinth, bay leaf

rose essential oil

a white candle

a safe, heat-proof surface to work on

a small square of white cloth, big enough to hold the herbs

a small length of white ribbon

Take the sheet of paper and write down what it is your heart desires to achieve. In a small bowl grind together one teaspoon each of dried verbena, vervain, mugwort, rue, clove, hyacinth and a bay leaf. Add a few drops of essential rose oil and mix well. Place this bowl on your altar along with a white pillar candle.

Invoke the maiden goddess Diana (or any other maiden goddess that you've chosen to work with) and ask that she strengthen you and free you to live the life you want to live, to be the person you wish to be. You want to invite into your circle not only a young goddess, but one with a great deal of personal power, one who isn't at all timid about success. Place the herbs in the middle of the cloth and tie the bundle with the ribbon while chanting:

"Lady of the dark moon,

Strengthen me and free me.

Grant me the courage

To Fear not, to be me."

Hold your newly made amulet to your heart. Burn the paper in the candle. Give thanks to the goddess for aiding you in starting your new project, new life, new behavior, et al.

Photo of Diana courtesy of Bulfinch's Mythology.

Day of the Dead

2010-11-01T14:33:00.005-04:00

Here are a few photos of this year's Samhain/Day of the Dead altar. I believe that this is my favorite sabbat of the year mostly because of the deep connection I feel with my ancestors and with those loved ones who have recently (or not so recently) passed from my life. To sit before this altar, burning sage, lighting black candles, and meditating on those I wish I had known and those I dearly, dearly miss is very moving. I practice divination in front of it during the days around the sabbat and then I take the cornmeal and tobacco I place on it to honor my Native American ancestors and spread them on the earth beneath the birches at the back of my property. A part of me wishes that this time of year lasted longer than it does, but then, if it was of a longer duration it probably wouldn't be nearly as magickal as it is. So until next year...

New Tarot Blog

2010-10-27T19:02:00.005-04:00

I have just started a brand new blog, Moon and Blackbird, where you'll find a daily tarot reading using an eclectic variety of decks, various bits and bobs about the art of reading tarot and eventually the option to contact me for a full-length private and personal reading. While being a uniquely individual blog in its own right, Moon and Blackbird can also be considered something of a companion blog to Dancing Beneath the Moon, as it's a continuation of the divination work that has been discussed and touched on here occasionally.

The new blog is still something of a work in progress as, ever the perfectionist, I continue to endlessly tweak it until I can comfortably live with it. It launched today so the first daily reading is now available and each subsequent one will be done shortly after midnight each night with the cards foretelling what that new day will hold for my readers, and thus making it available for viewing first thing each day, no matter what hour you call morning.

I hope you'll take a peek and if you find it enjoyable, are drawn to return again and again. And as always, Dancing Beneath the Moon will continue on just as it has always been. Peace!

http://moonandblackbird.blogspot.com/

Halloween Plans?

2010-10-25T17:25:00.010-04:00

In the Middle Ages it was believed that witches communed with the devil on Halloween night, which was then known as the witches’ Black Sabbath, and that they did all sorts of heinous things on this night. It was believed that witches celebrated this sabbat by sacrificing and eating children, dining on bread made from human feces and urine, kissing the asses of cats, and fornicating with the devil and his consorts. They rode their broomsticks to secret locations where they held Black Masses during which they summoned the devil, entered into blood pacts with him, and ultimately sold their souls to him. They also plotted ways to destroy all the god-fearing Christians in their villages. In other words, this was one busy night for witches. History shows us that these misguided beliefs were drummed up by the early Christian church in an attempt to squelch any pagan rituals still being carried out, though obviously with none of the above activities as any part of them. But by the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, these beliefs were so widespread and ingrained in the people, it was only natural and certainly no surprise that witch hunts were carried out to the degree they were.

Personally, I much prefer eating chocolate to eating children or feces, but I wouldn't mind the occasional, and most likely highly exhilarating, ride on a broomstick.

Boneset Ghost Spell

2010-10-21T20:01:00.012-04:00

Boneset: : any of several composite herbs; especially a perennial of central and eastern North America with opposite perfoliate leaves and white-rayed flower heads used in folk medicine. The first known use of boneset was in 1764.

As we all know, this is the time of the year when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest and those who practice necromancy, or just wish to contact the spirits of loved ones passed, are paying tribute to ancestors, honoring them with offerings of food, and engaging in various necromantic practices of divination. It's also the time when hungry ghosts, or those with no family or friends to remember them or feed them, restlessly wander the earth. It's traditional to place barley and milk outside as an offering to those wayward spirits, thus easing their hunger and preventing their mischief. Alternately, you can keep them away completely with a small bouquet of flowers and herbs.

Boneset will chase away the nastier spirits while drawing to your home benevolent spirits who have only the best intentions. Hang a bouquet of boneset (with sprigs of white pine and any other protective herbs you'd like to incorporate into your bundle) over your front door, as well as any other entrances that are used regularly. Tie the bouquets with black satin ribbon. Keep in mind that folk tradition believes that the most potent boneset is found growing on or near graves (though I am in no way condoning any indiscriminate picking of a person's grave). You can burn small boneset branches or twigs in a cauldron to drive away any existing ghosts, and should you be a little too involved with the practice of necromancy this Samhain season, boneset can also be used in small bundles hung over the beds of anyone deemed to have "ghost sickness," an illness believed to develop after engaging in extended contact with the dead. If your pets have been actively engaging in necromancy, this will protect them too!

Photo courtesy of gmayfield10 on flickr.

Leaf Lore

2010-10-19T13:44:00.005-04:00

There's powerful magick in the fallen leaves on Samhain, but in order for that magick to manifest the leaves must be caught in the recipient's hands as they fall from the trees and before they hit the ground. According to folk tradition, once a leaf has touched the earth, its magick is forever lost. The tradition of catching fallen leaves began in England centuries ago and it was believed that catching a fallen leaf would not only empower the lucky grabber with great magick, but would also ensure that that person would have profound happiness for the next year and would suffer no sorrows (if only it were this easy). Upon catching a leaf, you could also make a wish and be sure by your lucky catch that it would come true. Another folk belief says that the catching of a falling leaf will bring a year of health to the recipient.

An old witch's spell states that for every leaf caught between Michaelmas on September 29th and Samhain, the lucky catcher will be granted one day of pure happiness. But once these leaves are caught, be sure to keep them outside, for an ancient belief states that you will bring very bad luck to your family and all who dwell within your walls should you bring the leaves indoors with you. Dead leaves that may blow into your house on their own through a doorway on a blustery day are perfectly safe though!

This gorgeous photo of falling leaves courtesy of Jooliree on flickr.

Broken Pendulum

2010-10-17T19:16:00.015-04:00

My first bloodstone pendulum, before I accidentally destroyed it.

I have attachment issues with just about every one and every thing that means something to me in my life, and my divination tools are no different. So when I was holding my bloodstone pendulum earlier this week and let it slip through my fingers onto a tile floor, smashing it into several large pieces and a fair amount of bloodstone-colored dust, I was devastated. I'd only had it just shy of a year, but this was a pendulum that I had an instant connection with. I chose this stone not only because it's a very powerful stone with potent divination properties but also because this is a stone that my grandmother introduced me to when I was very young. As a result of this personal connection, bloodstone packs quite a punch for me. When I selected this particular pendulum, it was chosen from a dozen or so bloodstone ones, and this one felt electric when I first held it. No question, I knew. We were meant for one another from that first moment. I carried it with me everywhere, against my body and in my pocket, forging a deeper energy attachment with it and in that time developed a very close working bond with it. And then this: a brief moment of distraction and it was gone.

I have other pendulums I can use, though I haven't the same relationship with them as I had with my bloodstone one. And a few days ago I bought myself another bloodstone one, but it just doesn't feel "right." I know this is in part because I was so deeply attached to that first one it will be hard to recreate that bond with just any other stone, but also because I'm a fussy little thing and the new one isn't the same as my last one and I don't want anything to have to be different.

I'm trying to see the lesson inherent in this unfortunate situation and I know I have quite a challenge ahead of me: finding another pendulum, be it bloodstone or not, with which I can forge a new deeply-held bond. I just wish I hadn't lost my best pendulum friend in the first place.

The Nurturing Bath

2010-10-11T16:41:00.014-04:00

There's nothing quite so relaxing as a nice hot bath, accompanied by the gentle glow of light from a bathroom full of lit candles. In addition to bathing the body, baths can be ritually cleansing to prepare for the sacred circle, emotionally cleansing to free the mind of stress and troubles, and physically healing to free the body of toxins and negative conditions. Aromatic remedies are among the most ancient. Old herbal texts prescribed the calming scents of thyme and sage leaf to ease the terror of nightmares (known as "night ghosts") and bald men were told if they washed their heads with sage tea they could be assured that their hair would indeed grow back. While this last one may not be true, herbal bath remedies can cure much that ails us.

Basic Bath Time Herbal Tea Bags

1/2 cup fresh grated ginger root

2 tablespoons of one or more of the following herbs (or use your own favorites):

lemon verbena (dried)

rosemary sprigs (fresh or dried)

peppermint or spearmint leaves (fresh or dried)

chamomile (dried)

lavender blossoms or sprigs (dried)

lemon balm (dried)

sweet marjoram (dried)

grated goldenseal root (dried)

plaintain leaves (dried)

rose petals (fresh)

You may use a small cheesecloth bag tied with a string, or make small folded rice paper packets (in the style of a store-bought tea bag), stitched closed. Combine the ginger root with the herbs of your choice and place in the sachet style of your choice. Run a very hot bath, add a few small bags, allow them to steep while the water cools a bit, then remove the bags and climb on in. Made as small tea bags with strings, these make wonderful gifts to give to someone who loves herbal baths (just be sure to label your ingredients so your recipient knows what's in them and let them know these aren't to be consumed internally).

If you haven't the time or motivation to make yourself bath time tea bags, a simple herbal bath will also work wonders and feel great. You can add sprigs of fresh rosemary to your bath for a pine-like fragrance. Actual pine needles can be used as well which are said to relieve nervous tension. Rosemary is not only invigorating, but will ease physical aches and pains and can rejuvenate a tired, sallow complexion. Ginger root will break a fever, induce sweating, improve your circulation and will also ease sore joints and tired feet.

Native Americans took sponge baths decocted with verbena leaves to combat nervousness and tension. Calendula, comfrey and chamomile used separately or together will also calm nerves and are an excellent choice as an astringent bath for oily or blemished skin. Chamomile is also an effective cure for soothing hemorrhoids.

Elder flowers steeped in hot water will make a gently cleansing and sweetly floral scented bath that will help induce sleep and relax the nerves, as will lemon balm, which in addition to being a sleep aid can also help to relieve cramps.

To soften the skin and counteract both hard water and some of the stronger herbs, add some milk to your bath (Cleopatra bathed regularly in camel's milk and she had men falling at her feet).

Please note that if this is the first time you'll be using any of these herbs, it is best to perform a 24 hour skin test beforehand for each plant. Take a small amount of the herb to be used, pulverize it and if it's in dried form add a few drops of water to moisten it. Dab the paste onto your forearm just inside your elbow, cover with a band-aid and let it sit untouched for 24 hours. If any redness, itching or swelling occurs, do not use that herb. As always, use common sense when working with herbs. Take nothing internally without being absolutely sure it's edible and safe and use nothing that you feel you may be allergic to.

Photo courtesy of floraleads.com

Autumn Pumpkin Prosperity Spell

2010-10-05T21:19:00.018-04:00

This is a spell that can be done anytime within the season but is best performed close to Samhain.

What you'll need:

one glass or pottery plate

one small pumpkin

one small plastic or wax skull that will fit inside the pumpkin

a small amount of seeds from the pumpkin, dried

a teaspoon of cinnamon

small slips of paper, with the name of one ancestor you wish to honor written on each

a black cloth big enough to shroud the pumpkin

a candle in the color of your choice

sage incense

Carve out the pumpkin (saving the stem lid) so it is very clean and wash a small amount of the seeds. Place the seeds on a lightly oiled baking sheet (to prevent them from sticking) and dry in the oven at 375f degrees for about 15 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on them as cooking times will vary from oven to oven! Let cool.

In a small bowl, mix the seeds and the cinnamon. Stir widdershins, or counter-clockwise, to banish negative energy from your home while visualizing your home being purged of everything negative. Then stir deosil, or clockwise, to honor your ancestors and to ask for their blessings. Now place your pumpkin on the plate, light your candle and fire up your incense. While gazing at the candle flame, take a moment to meditate upon your loved ones past. Pass the small skull and the slips with your ancestors' names through the incense smoke. Place the slips inside the pumpkin, arranged neatly in a circle on the bottom. Place the small skull, centered, on top of them and sprinkle the seeds and cinnamon around the skull. Hold your hands over the top of the pumpkin and request that your ancestors bring harmony and prosperity into your life. Place the stem lid back on the top, cover the pumpkin with the black cloth and put it in a safe place for seven days. On the seventh day, uncover your pumpkin and bring it outside, placing it either on an outdoor altar that you won't be using for the season, or in an inconspicuous place, allowing it to decay throughout the winter season.

Note for those who live in warmer climates where leaving a pumpkin to rot outside wouldn't smell very pleasant for either yourselves or your neighbors and for those living in apartments who'd rather not look at a rotting pumpkin sitting on your terrace: eliminate the pumpkin entirely after you cull the seeds from it and do the entire spell on the plate. Cover the plate with the black cloth and on the seventh day, tie up the black cloth with a golden string, securing the seed/spice mixture, ancestor names, and skull inside. Place in a corner of your attic, your cellar or in a room where it won't be disturbed. Keep till the following Samhain season.

Photo courtesy of StGrundy on flickr.

Trees 101: The Maple

2010-10-02T00:11:00.011-04:00

When I think of autumn I think of maple trees and all the glorious and vivid colors their leaves turn come the cooler weather. The maple's wood is very hard and pale and very, very strong. Striped maple wood is known as "whistlewood" as its outer bark is easy to peel off and was used to make wooden whistles, musical instruments and violin cases. The tree is also known as "moosewood" as moose very much enjoy nibbling on the tree's tender young shoots in the springtime. As everyone knows, the tree's sap is used to make pure maple syrup (with sugar maples being the most prolific variety) and as the annual "sugaring off" coincides with the vernal equinox, this tree is a popular choice for Ostara celebrations. During the early settling of North America, the maple and its sap figured prominently in the settlers' diets. Surprisingly, the sugar maple was not seen in Britain prior to 1735 and in the beginning was used mainly as a hedgerow tree.

It is said that if you place a bough of maple in your home you will protect it from an infestation of bats. Also, if you pass an infant or young child through the branches of a maple tree, you will bring to the child excellent health and a long life. Maple brings success and abundance.

Maple is used in ritual and spellwork to attract love, to work with the faery realm and the wood is an excellent and powerful choice for wands. In terms of the maple's powers, it aids in communication, grounding, bringing and maintaining balance, longevity, transformation and wisdom, to name but a few of its many abilities. The maple tree's energy is masculine and it vibrates to the elements of air and earth. The maple is ruled by the planet Jupiter.

Photo courtesy of JGrana on flickr.

Cranberry Apple Muffins

2010-09-27T17:22:00.006-04:00

I was sick for Mabon so I didn't get to make my traditional oat cakes (which really bummed me out) but David and I are going to be taking a day trip to the beach and some old cemeteries next week for our anniversary and I thought I'd make the cakes then. I adore the beach when the crowds have all gone home for the year and the air is crisp, the breezes cool, the water is starting to look the color of slate and the beach is utterly empty in either direction as far as the eye can see. Follow that with some photo ops in old historic cemeteries and a picnic for two (plus my beloved dogs) and I'm feeling the bliss. I love to bake for a picnic: quiches, breads, salads, some cookies or cakes and tiny treats to be taken out and nibbled here and there throughout the day while we hike. One of my favorite fall breads is really a muffin. I make them in mini muffin cups which makes them the perfect little snack or side to a fuller meal. And they're not too heavy or sweet like a breakfast muffin can be. Tart, freshly harvested apples make these a must-bake for this time of year.

CRANBERRY APPLE MUFFINS makes 12 regular or approximately 24 mini muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup diced tart apple, peeled

3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350f degrees. Grease and lightly flour muffin tins, or use paper liner cups. Mix the flours together with the baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. In a seperate bowl, whisk eggs with sugar until smooth. Whisk in the melted butter and the vanilla. Stir in the fruits and nuts (if using) and pour these moist ingredients over the dry ones. Fold just until all ingredients are well mixed and you don't see any dry lumps.

Scoop batter into the muffin tins and bake 20-25 minutes for regular-sized muffins, slightly less for minis, or until golden browned on top and firm to the touch. Turn out onto a rack to cool and store in an airtight container for no more than two days. These taste best served warm and please note that they cannot be frozen so eat them quickly and enjoy!

Photo courtesy of bougi on flickr.

More on Mabon

2010-09-20T19:36:00.012-04:00

Thinking about working a little magick for Mabon? This is an especially appropriate time to work spells for protection, wealth and prosperity, security and self-confidence. For a simple ritual incense burn freshly dried and ground sage, or if you're a little more motivated, use this wonderful incense recipe which will help you become attuned with the changing of the season and the darkening of the light:

2 parts Frankincense
1 part Sandalwood
1 part Cypress
1 part Juniper
1 part Pine
a few drops Oakmoss essential oil
1 small pinch of pulverized, dried oak leaf

Grind all ingredients fairly fine, add the essential oil, mix well, and burn on a charcoal in a censer.

If you prefer to work with gemstones, there are a few that are associated with this sabbat. Use them on your altar, wear them as jewelry, or carry them in a sacred medicine bag while you walk in the golden yellow woods and honor the aging Goddess.

Carnelian. A red form of chalcedony, carnelian has been worn since ancient Egypt. Worn by those who tend to be shy, it bolsters courage and instills the wearer with self-confidence, as well as protecting them from negative outside influences.

Lapis Lazuli. Another ancient stone, lapis is an uplifting stone that promotes spirituality and enhances psychic awareness. This stone also confers protection to its wearer, keeping them safe both physically and psychically.

Sapphire. Used by those in ancient Greece, the sapphire is potent in aiding meditation, in spells for defensive magick and in attracting money. Wear a sapphire to expand your wisdom, promote a sense of peace and well-being within you, and to keep evil spirits at bay. A necklace or bracelet made of sapphires will attract money to its wearer.

Yellow Agate. Agate is a stone of quiet courage and strength, as well as protection. In ancient Rome, an agate ring was worn on the left hand to ensure the favor of those deities responsible for a bountiful harvest. Wear agate or use it on your altar in protection spells and rituals to be free of negative energy.

Incense recipe courtesy of the late, great Scott Cunningham.

Photo courtesy of Markles55 on flickr.

A Bit About Mabon

2010-09-19T18:22:00.013-04:00

Is it really Mabon again? Egads, the year flies by, doesn't it? After another summer of intense heat, which is really not to my liking, we are again at that point on the Wheel of the Year where I come alive once more. Autumn is most definitely my season, which is not surprising really as I am a deeply introverted person who spends a great deal of time inside her own head. So it makes perfect sense that I would thrive in that portion of the Earth Wheel where things are becoming quiet and resting within themselves for the dark of winter. Samhain is my favorite sabbat of the year, but Mabon can sort of be viewed as the "gateway" to Samhain, and that's good enough for me.

Mabon, a lesser sabbat, is also known as the Second Harvest Festival (after Lammas). It represents the balance between the darkness and the light; of perfect equality. The foods of Mabon are corn, potatoes, nuts, apples and onions. Bread is, of course, a must. The traditional herbs of this sabbat are thistle, tobacco, myrrh, marigold (to symbolize the last of the bright light) and sage, which should be burned at any rituals. Not surprisingly, the symbols of this sabbat are what we see on every farm stand we pass in our daily travels: gourds, pumpkins, apples, pine cones, and corn stalks. The pomegranate is an important food and decoration for feasts and altars alike, symbolizing fertility, abundance and equanimity.

This is a sabbat of the solitary and the mysterious. Not sure what to do to celebrate? Try making some homemade wine, or take a walk alone in the woods while gathering dried seeds, leaves, branches and berries. You can use these to adorn your house and your altar. Alternately, you can take some of what you have gathered and visit the graves of loved ones now passed and decorate their headstones with the pinecones, leaves and berries, honoring those who have gone before you as a prelude to Samhain. Bake a loaf of bread- even a quick bread of fruit and nuts is nice- and break a slice into pieces, scattering it outdoors (preferably in the woods or on a harvested field, if possible) as an offering to the Goddess who has now matured into the Crone, as well as to give one last thanks for this past season of abundance. In doing this, you'll also be feeding some hungry wildlife on these first few cooler days and nights.

Whatever you choose to do to celebrate this little sabbat, take a moment to reflect on your life and the passing of another season, another year. Dive into the quiet of your mind for a spell, and revel in the last of the light while welcoming the gentle darkness that is quickly coming.

Photo Courtesy of Linder Rox on flickr.

Moons and Totems 2

2010-09-13T14:36:00.011-04:00

Ripening Moon

September 11-October 10

Those who are born under this moon tend to be very giving and gregarious, yet ironically, are also highly solitary, introverted creatures. This craving for solitude is especially strong during the late summer, early fall months when the Ripening Moon person wishes to hide themselves away from people and busy places, preferring instead to nurture their inner selves. These are some very mysterious, dark people with emotions that run very deep.

The element for this moon is water and the animal totem is the black bear, a creature who can be friendly and playful, yet powerful, solitary and intimidating as well. The bear is greatly respected by all Native American tribes. The Ripening Moon's plant totem is bearberry, a plant that produces very tart fruits, but which are medicinally very potent. Bearberry tea is a strong curative for breaking fevers and healing upset stomachs. The mineral totem for this moon is obsidian, a powerful stone used for divination. Gaze into a piece of polished obsidian to receive desired information. This stone can take you into yourself and show you what is needed to move forward on your path. Obsidian is also a very powerful protective stone that will draw harmful energy away from you, absorbing it into itself and eliminating it. Lastly, the color of this moon is dark blue, the color of the deepest rivers and oceans where it is impossible to see completely to their depths, just as it is impossible to fathom completely those people of the Ripening Moon.

Everyone is most compatible with those people born under the moon opposite to their own and the opposite moon of the Ripening Moon is the Fast Waterflow Moon (March 11-April 10).

Photo courtesy of Roy Mac on flickr.

Psychopomps

2010-09-09T12:27:00.009-04:00

I have a friend who, in the last several months, has not-so-subtly been urged both consciously and subconsciously to begin walking the path of a death midwife. This would be an extraordinary role to undertake, but sadly, not one that I would want for myself as it would require an emotional fortitude that I simply don't possess. That said, however, I have always found the role of the psychopomp to be incredibly interesting.

The psychopomp (from the Greek, pompos, meaning conductor or guide and psyche meaning breath, life, soul or mind) is literally a guide for the soul. The psychopomp's primary function is to escort the dying to their place in the afterlife. They take many forms from animals and angels to humans and mythological creatures, and most of the world's religious texts and sacred narratives, as well as the mythological tales of countless cultures, contain stories of the psychopomp at work. Previously deceased loved ones have also been known to act as psychopomps, arriving at the side of a dying person to lovingly guide them to the other side at the moment of death. A modern day death midwife is someone who helps to assist a person in dying without fear by calmly and gently facilitating their passing, while a modern day psychopomp can communicate with spirit and is able to meet with the soul of the person dying while in an altered state of consciousness and then accompany that soul on its natural journey back to its spiritual home. This is also one of the (many) traditional roles of the sacred shaman.

The shaman bridges the earthly and spiritual realms and travels effortlessly within both. They're not only psychopomps in that they guide the souls of the deceased on their final otherworldly journeys, but they also rescue trapped or fractured souls from the spirit realm. In doing this the shaman heals a human body for whom a portion of its soul has left it for one reason or another and was not able of its own accord to return intact, thus healing body, mind and spirit. The shaman also serves as the communicator between the living and the dead, rather like a sacred medium.

The psychopomp is never judgmental. Their role is simply to serve as the mediator between the conscious and unconscious realms. The Grim Reaper is a psychopomp as well, but to be honest, I think I'd much rather see my father waiting to guide me home, or even Anubis, Hecate or Freyja. And of course, there's always the belief that the Grim Reaper form of the Angel of Death can be bribed or outwitted, thus prolonging one's life. But that's another thought for another day.

Photo courtesy of Jack of Nothing on flickr.

Trees 101: Mesquite

2010-08-31T14:04:00.020-04:00

While we're still in the midst of summer and the grilling season, it's the perfect time to discuss mesquite. Known most widely for its use as a firewood to flavor barbecued meats, there is much more to mesquite than its role in creating a yummy steak. The various components of this versatile tree: the flowers, seeds, pods, and hard wood, are used in everything from food to medicine to furniture and flooring.

In spite of the fact that this tree sports very large, sharp thorns, people have successfully harvested mesquite for more than a millennia. The seeds and pods have been used to feed humans with flours, porridges, jellies and even wine. They've also been used to feed livestock as well. The toasted seeds are frequently used in coffee blends and the flowers, which produce a rich nectar that bees go wild for, are used to make honey. Mesquite gum is used in the production of sugars and thickening agents for baking. Medicinally, mesquite can be used to treat respiratory illnesses such as colds, flus and sore throats. It reduces inflammation and eliminates diarrhea.

Native Americans, especially those tribes of the American southwest, fashioned mesquite wood into arrow tips and they also used the gum to decorate their pottery. The tree figured prominently in the Aztec creation myth as well. During the second sun when the universe was being created for the second time (we are presently in the fifth sun, Nanahuatl), Quetzalcoatl, the God of the Winds, created the world and fed his people with the fruits of the mesquite tree.

In ritual and spellwork, mesquite is used to bring success, to increase the power of healing herbs, and in rites where perseverance is essential. Mesquite vibrates to elements of air, fire and water. Its energy is feminine and it's ruled by both the Moon and Saturn.

Photo courtesy of lasertrimman on flickr.

Wise Words

2010-08-30T17:58:00.003-04:00

Listen with your head, but speak with your heart.

Photo courtesy of Treescaper on flickr.

The Journey

2010-08-24T18:10:00.016-04:00

As a diehard perfectionist who can't rest till she gets done whatever it is she needs to get done, I am generally not one for lollygagging. I tend to operate solely in black and white and super straight lines with very little gray areas and even less circuitous routes. Get me from A to Z as fast as possible and let me get on to the next thing! And for heaven's sake, make sure I get exactly what I want in the process! But in all honestly, that's not really how we should be living our lives, is it? It isn't so much the reaching of our destination, but the journey we take in getting there.

I'm an artist by trade. I want to make something beautiful, finish the work and move on to the next big thing. Before I even begin to work on a new piece, I pretty much have an idea of where I'm going with it. Sometimes things go just as I had planned and it feels wonderful, but more often than not I find the work evolving into something different. Maybe not completely different, but different nevertheless. And I don't always like it. Not because it isn't necessarily "good" but because it isn't what I had intended and ultimately it changes my end result completely. In circle or when spell-casting I expect a certain outcome too, but like those paintings on my easel, that expected outcome often isn't how things turn out. Sure, sometimes a cast spell will manifest exactly how I had intended, but how often does that happen? And why not? Because it isn't about the end result. The lessons aren't there waiting for us to catch up with them. The lessons are always found in the process of getting to that end.

It isn't simply about making a beautiful painting with every detail controlled to the nth degree and it also isn't about whether or not that spell I created comes to perfect fruition. And it's the same for everybody else, too. It doesn't matter if we make mistakes or endlessly change our minds. And while it's nice to be fully satisfied with the outcome, it isn't as important as how we've reached that outcome. Granted, being truly happy with where we end up in any undertaking is wonderful, but really, that's just the icing on the cake. It's the letting go of our expectations, our preconceived notions, and really and truly experiencing whatever it is we are doing as we walk this path that matters. We can plan all we want to, but we must also be prepared to accept everything that comes our way: the good, the bad, the devastating, the remarkable and the serendipitous. In learning to let it all happen just as it is meant to, to enjoy the experience of life unfolding before us, is how we learn and grow within ourselves.

Love (or hate) the end result, but cherish every moment of the journey.

A Zinnia Spell

2010-08-21T18:53:00.013-04:00

In trying to find some interesting flower spells that are designed for this time of year, and most specifically for the month of August, I stumbled across a spell that makes use of zinnias. If you ask me, nothing says "late summer" more than a colorful riot of zinnias. And I feel that this little spell is just perfect the way it is. I did nothing to change it in any way and I present it to you in its original form, including its beautifully written introduction.

"August wouldn’t be August without zinnias. Their bright cheery colors contain the warmth of the August Sun and echo the region of their origin, Mexico and the American Southwest. When Cortez found them growing in Mexico, the Aztecs already held them in high esteem for their beauty. Use them in spells for strength, health, endurance, or abundance. This spell for health combines them with another late-summer flower, goldenrod. Cut a stem of a red or yellow zinnia and a goldenrod. Tie them together to dry in a dark, airy space. When dry, raise them toward the Sun and say:

Flowers bright as the Sun,

Protect me from winter’s grief

When summer’s done.

Crush them and place them in an envelope as a symbol of their protection. Keep them until next Midsummer, then burn them in a ritual fire. Repeat again when the zinnias and goldenrod bloom."

I am generally not in the habit of merely cutting and pasting other people's spells here, but there isn't much one can do to improve this little gem. This beautiful yet simple zinnia spell comes from a gentleman by the name of James Kambos, a writer for Llewellyn Books and is reproduced here in its entirety courtesy of llewellyn.com.

Photo courtesy of Park Seed on flickr.

Smudging

2010-08-16T01:45:00.014-04:00

I love to smudge and frequently use smoke in purifying rituals, both Native American and pagan rites alike. While using a store bought smudge stick or incense is perfectly fine, there's something much more potent, much more magickal about using your own homemade smudge stick as well as your own ground smudging incense. You can make a smudge bundle as large as you want it to be, or as small (providing you are able to control the stick and not start a fire with it). Likewise for the incense: to ensure freshness and potency, make only as much as you'll need for any given ritual: be it cleansing your home, a new ritual tool, or for a purification rite both in or out of circle.

What you'll need for the smudge bundle:

dried white sage (sagebrush), twigs with leaves attached

dried lavender, stems with flower buds attached

dried cedar, small twigs (juniper can be substituted)

cotton thread such as embroidery floss, 3-4 times the length of your bundle and in one or multiple colors that speak to you

Cut your twigs 7-10 inches in length. Grab a handful and hold them firmly together without breaking them. Grasp them from their base, upside down and wind your thread around the base a couple of times, with a few extra inches of thread left hanging loose. Begin to gently but firmly wrap the thread up the length of your smudge stick until you reach the tip, then switch direction and begin to wrap your way back down to the base of the bundle. Securely tie the end you left dangling to this end of the thread and snip any excess.

What you'll need for the ground smudging incense:

dried lavender buds and flowers

dried wormwood

dried sage leaves

a mortar and pestle

a heat proof bowl or dish (preferably earthen)

a charcoal block

You can use the herbs in equal amounts, or you can add a bit more lavender if you'd like to bring an increased sense of calm to your ritual (not to mention how lovely lavender smells), or more sage if you wish to ramp up the protective properties of this incense. Regardless of your choice of proportion, you'll want to grind the herbs somewhat. While they needn't be ground into a super fine powder, they shouldn't be left terribly coarse and twiggy. The wormwood will require a bit more effort to grind. You want your herbs to smolder nicely on your charcoal, with smoke curling gently in the air around you, and not smother the charcoal block.

Both of these incenses are wonderful. The bundle makes smudging on the move easier to manage while the ground incense is perfect for a quieter ritual in circle. Both offer powerful protection and purification.

Please note that cedar is poisonous and should not be taken internally so be sure to wash your hands well after handling it. White sage and wormwood are poisonous in large doses, should not be taken internally when pregnant and/or nursing and like cedar, care should be taken when handling them. And obviously, if you are allergic to any of these herbs or woods, please use common sense and don't use them!

Photo courtesy of tsallam on flickr.

Rock Bottle Spell

2010-08-11T23:56:00.014-04:00

I adore rocks of all shapes and sizes, so when I saw a version of this spell (that I've adapted a bit here) I was thrilled. I'm forever picking up rocks and bringing them home where they sit in dishes, are stored in little boxes, or sometimes even just sit in small piles on tables or the sideboard in the dining room. I don't think I've ever gone for even a short walk without bringing home at least a couple of rocks that have caught my eye. And for those who, like me, can't resist the lure of the rock but then find themselves living with more rocks than they know what to do with, at last we have a use for them. And because this spell is worked in a glass bottle, we can still enjoy looking at our precious finds in all their natural beauty.

What you'll need:

a glass jar of a fairly good size, with a lid

a beeswax candle in a color that symbolizes powerful positive energy and protection for you

a small amount of fresh, clean earth

rocks and stones of any size, color or shape (to be added one at a time as you acquire them)

Clean your jar thoroughly and dry it well. You can leave it out in the sun for a few hours to purify it afterwards if you'd like. Take the candle and light it. Hold it over your jar while clearly visualizing your intentions to have a home safe from negative energy or intruders, or simply to have a boost of positive powerful energy for your home and all who dwell in it. Drip the candle three or nine times (your choice) into the bottom of the jar while feeling this intention. Take the small amount of earth and place it in the bottom of the jar, over the beeswax. You should have about a half inch or so. You don't want to fill the jar with the soil, but you do want ample coverage of the bottom of the jar. This step not only brings the power of Mother Earth's energy into your spell and home, but also serves as protection from the glass breaking when you add the rocks. Place the jar near the front entrance of your home.

And now you add the rocks. You don't have to have a large amount to start this spell. You can begin it with just one rock and add more to fill your jar whenever you find one that speaks to you or that you find appealing to look at. There is no set time frame for this spell, but each time you add a new stone, you increase the strength of this spell and its power will continue to grow. In fact, there are some who believe that you shouldn't add more than one stone per day as a slow build in power is more desirable than rushing it. Whichever you choose, remember to add each stone one at a time and always speak this incantation with each addition:

Snare the evils, bring them woe,

Negative energy, out you go.

From this place you all are banned,

By my wishes, by my command.

Once the bottle has been filled and capped, you should touch the jar with your power hand once a week (or thereabouts) and repeat this incantation to reinforce the power of this spell. You may want to give it a quick touch as you come and go from your home too. This spell will not only keep your home safe, but will energize and revitalize those family members who live within the house (pets too).

Top photo courtesy of amber.hoishik on flickr.

Bottom photo courtesy of bkellya on flickr.

Blueberry Muffins

2010-08-08T18:51:00.023-04:00

There's something very childlike in picking berries on a hot summer day. Communing with nature aside, the very act of moving in and out of the underbrush searching for treasure and nibbling something sweet while doing it brings me back to my very young self growing up in the woods of Massachusetts and picking not only blueberries in the summer, but cranberries in an old abandoned bog in the autumn as well.

It's magickal to spend a couple of hours wandering through the woods, feeling the heat of the summer sun on the back of your neck, listening to the sounds of the trees as well as birds calling and insects humming, smelling the scent of a warm summer breeze in your nose and wearing berry-stained fingers from picking those berries that were just a bit past ripe. And if you don't eat all that you harvested before you get back home, there's always the kitchen magick of a pie or some muffins to enjoy and share with those you love.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS makes 12 regular sized or 6 jumbo sized muffins

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups blueberries with 1/2 cup of these mashed with a fork (fresh wild berries are best but store bought or frozen will work just as well)

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375f degrees. Grease and flour a muffin tin or use paper cups to line each cup. It's a good idea to lightly grease the areas between each cup as well so the edges of the muffin tops won't stick.

In a medium sized bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time and then add the vanilla, baking powder and salt. Mix the mashed berries into the batter. Add the flour, alternating with the milk and beat until mixed. Add whole berries and stir to mix completely.

Scoop batter into muffin cups and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown (larger muffins will take a bit longer). Let muffins cool for at least 30 minutes before you remove them from their pan.

Photo courtesy of digital-jenn on flickr.

Dualism

2010-08-04T21:30:00.010-04:00

It is said that there is no white or black (as in magick) but only what is and that that is neither good nor evil. I, however, prefer to embrace the idea of duality: that there is both good and bad, positive and negative, black and white in all we see, think, feel and experience. It's always there, whether we're casting a spell and taking care to not overstep the bounds of kindness and respect for our fellow man and thus inadvertently send negative energy towards another, and it's there in the mundane, ordinary things we do every single day. Like when taking a simple walk on a summer's evening.

The other night I went for a walk with Griffin up the railroad tracks near my house. I hadn't been there in years so it was with some surprise that I realized I had forgotten that the wetland at the back of my property extends well into the woods and opens up into a lovely little river with lush greenery on either bank, a river that continues on under the tracks and beyond. The vines growing up the trees were a vivid green, the cat o' nine tails numbered in the hundreds and the purple loosestrife was electric in the setting sun. Catbirds called from the trees and there was a beaver dam, as well as several beavers doing their beavery things: splashing and playing in the water. It was an incredibly peaceful, potent scene and the two of us stood there quietly watching the beauty of it all from the tracks above before we continued on.

Just a few short yards beyond that idyllic eden and barely off the tracks into the woods we passed several tattered tents, garbage strewn about them in their tiny clearings, old shopping carts full of debris and several homeless people who, most unfortunately, call these shelters (that clearly barely keep out the elements) "home." And a few more yards down the tracks we passed still more makeshift homeless camps. Once again we found ourselves silenced by the scene before us.

I am a huge fan of junkyards and especially of the enormous pile of rusted, twisted metal bits that can always be found in one. And so it was with some joy that the tracks we walked passed by a junkyard that was in the process of ripping to bits (with heavy equipment) rusty old cars and then delicately placing the pieces upon the giant pyramid of metal. The noise was deafening and the metal simply fabulous to behold. And it got me thinking about the idea of dualism.

This walk was meant to be just a walk on a warm summer night. I didn't expect to see such powerful nature along the tracks nor did I expect to be rendered speechless by the evidence of the human suffering I witnessed as well. I watched rusty old metal being recycled into something new: something most people consider ugly, yet something I find beautiful. Even in the ordinary there is good and there is bad. And much of it is subjective; a personal trigger that sends us reeling in one direction or the other, and as it was in the case of my walk: both directions in quick succession. So take a moment in your day, as you do all those little insignificant things we all do every single day, and stay present. Really see what's before you and you might be surprised by just how many times you're presented with life's duality. Because that's how our wonderful universe balances itself. You can't have one without the other. Watch and see.

Photo courtesy of _SMadsen on flickr.

The Rigs o' Barley

2010-07-29T12:13:00.019-04:00

It was on a Lammas night,

When corn rigs are bonie,

Beneath the moon's unclouded light,

I held away to Annie:

The time flew by, wi' tentless heed,

Till 'tween the late and early;

Wi' sma' persuasion she agreed
To see me thro' the barley.

Chorus:

Corn rigs, an' barley rigs,

an' corn rigs are bonie:

I'll ne'er forget that happy night,

Among the rigs wi' Annie.

The sky was blue, the wind was still,

The moon was shining clearly;

I set her down, wi' right good will,

Amang the rigs o' barley

I ken't her heart was a' my ain;
I lov'd her most sincerely;

I kissed her owre and owre again,

Among the rigs o' barley.

Chorus.

I locked her in my fond embrace;

Her heart was beating rarely:

My blessings on that happy place,

Amang the rigs o' barley.

But by the moon and stars so bright,

That shone that hour so clearly!

She ay shall bless that happy night,

Amang the rigs o' barley.

Chorus.

I hae been blythe wi' comrades dear;

I hae been merry drinking;

I hae been joyfu' gath'rin gear;

I hae been happy thinking:

But a' the pleasures e'er I saw,
Tho three times doubl'd fairley

That happy night was worth then a'.

Amang the rigs o' barley.

Chorus.

-Robert Burns, May 25, 1777

Photo of a Scottish barley field courtesy of tubblesnap on flickr.

Lammas Lore

2010-07-27T12:51:00.009-04:00

Lammas is definitely not my favorite sabbat, due mostly to the fact that it's usually scorchingly hot here which leaves one with little energy to devote to a celebration. But that doesn't mean I won't be baking loaves of wheat and multi-grain breads in honor of the day (despite the torture of turning on my oven on a really hot day), though I probably won't be doing much else. That said, like any of the sabbats, if you look deep enough you'll always find some truly odd bits of lore that are much darker than our modern observances, and that makes any festival day more interesting.

We may celebrate Lammas with the baking of grain bread or the making of corn dollies but the ancients celebrated it much differently. Thinking of marrying someone but not sure you're ready to commit your life to them? Tradition holds that you may begin a "trial marriage" on Lammas that lasts but a year and a day, ending on the following Lammas, at which point you must then decide whether to stay in the marriage permanently or kick your temporary partner to the curb.

Sacrifices have always been a part of the observation of this sabbat, not only to thank the Goddess and the God for abundances past, but also to ensure that the coming harvest will be a success and thus enable ourselves and our loved ones to survive the winter. At one time it would have been the king, god incarnate to his people, who was sacrificed, but with a substitute used in place of the actual king. In the year 1100, however, King William II after having publicly declared his disdain for Christianity and declaring himself a pagan, was killed in a suspicious hunting accident on August 1. Historians believe that his was a sacrifice in disguise for the benefit of the Christian church.

And then, of course, there's the Catherine Wheel. After the day's festivities were over, a large wagon wheel would have been taken to the top of the nearest hill, covered with tar, set ablaze and ceremoniously rolled down the hill into the village. This was symbolic of the sun or the Sun God himself in decline as autumn approaches.

I plan on keeping my husband well past next week and without any sacrifices or flaming wheels, my Lammas will undoubtedly be pretty boring. I do look forward to some lovely loaves of homemade bread though. Whatever you choose to do for the sabbat, rejoice in the passing of one season and welcome the coming of the next.

Photo of wheat courtesy of k.barker on flickr.

Impermanence

2010-07-22T01:04:00.007-04:00

"That nothing is static or fixed, that all is fleeting and impermanent, is the first mark of existence. It is the ordinary state of affairs. Everything is in process. Everything—every tree, every blade of grass, all the animals, insects, human beings, buildings, the animate and the inanimate—is always changing, moment to moment."

And so too is this blog. To be perfectly honest, I don't handle change well. I like the familiar and the wonderfully comfortable and I'd be thrilled if a great deal of my life never changed so much as one iota from day to day or even year to year. Granted, this is odd coming from someone who finds the changing of the seasons and the cycles of the earth so beautiful to experience, but I don't need to personally fret over the details of Mother Earth because I'm not in control of her. I am however in control of my blogs, or so I thought at any rate, and as such I tend to fuss over every last little thing because I'm a perfectionist in addition to being willingly and blissfully stuck in a rut.

The other day, in a very uncharacteristic moment, I thought it might be fun to change my blog. Then I remembered what a pain in the ass I am and decided it would be far less stressful to just let it be. So, it was with great annoyance, as well as quite a bit of surprise at the timing, that I received a note today informing me that the website from which I had gotten my background templates for two of my three blogs is shutting down and I had only a few hours to either find something new or find myself with two hideously plain blogs. And after hours of test-driving templates, I have come up with nothing I truly like. I'm not terribly fond of this gray, but as I'm not a frou-frou kind of girl, finding something simple isn't easy. I miss my warm orange blog. I miss the earthy colors I had grown so used to. I find this gray rather depressing, but in trying to roll with it, I'm going to take a lesson from the Buddha: "Nothing stays the same so get over it already" (obviously, I'm paraphrasing here). And one day, hopefully soon, I'll find the template that warms my heart once more. And it might not be gray.

Many thanks to the incredible Pema Chodron for that quote.

Essential Oils

2010-07-19T19:25:00.013-04:00

Lately I seem to be on an essential oil bender. I'm adding to my collection of them at an alarming rate and I'm enjoying reading up on the properties of the various oils and what they can do for me magickally. Frankly, I'm having more fun with this than any witch should be allowed to have.

I'm dabbling with recipes for rituals, magickal purposes and even for anointing candles that I plan to make come fall when the weather isn't nearly so scorching. Many years ago I made my own pillars and hand-dipped tapers in hand mixed colors that made my heart skip a little beat to look at them, and now with all these enchanting scents I'm collecting, I'll be able to make them smell equally as beautiful. But I digress...

Here is a very brief list of some of my current favorites, but trust me, at the speed I am going, this personal hit parade of mine is sure to change before you can even bat an eye.

Frankincense. A staple in any essential oil collection. Rich, with incredible depth, it's used for enhancing spirituality and meditative states.

Jasmine. This is the oil of the moon and the dark of the night. A sensual and heady scent used for love, peace and spirituality blends. Very expensive but worth the price when used sparingly.

Lemon. Another moon oil that smells simply delicious. This is a purifying and healing oil. Scott Cunningham suggests wearing diluted lemon oil during the full moon to attune with its energies.

Patchouli. My all-time favorite scent, and if you saw how many boxes of patchouli stick incense I go through annually, you'd probably be shocked. An incredibly earthy scent, this oil is used for physical energy blends. Oddly, I find it very calming. And I like to think that this is what heaven (or summerland, if you prefer) will smell like.

Sandalwood. Ancient and sacred, this oil raises spiritual vibrations, and is very calming and healing. Rich and woody.

Yarrow (see previous post for more on yarrow). Yarrow essential oil is a very pretty shade of blue, smells heavenly and is very expensive. Use it in love and courage spells as well as psychic-enhancing blends.

Photo courtesy of Helena Liu on flickr.

Yarrow

2010-07-14T20:04:00.024-04:00

"The pretty herb of Venus' tree,
Thy true name it is yarrow,

Now who my bosom friend must be,

Pray tell thou me to-morrow."

J.O. Halliwell-Phillipps, 1820-1889

Having spent the better part of the last two weeks working daily in my witch's garden, so named because I grow in it only those flowers and herbs that serve my magickal and/or medicinal purposes, I thought it a good time to talk about one of my favorite plants to work with, and one I use all the time. To anyone who visits my home, this garden looks just like a big, beautiful and very colorful field garden but it is, in fact, a very practical plot of land. So much is in bloom right now: hyssop and valerian, bergamot and echinacea, false indigo and heliopsis, thistles and poppies, and yarrow, to name a few. And it's the yarrow I'd like to talk about today as this is one very versatile and potent little plant.

As yarrow vibrates to the energy of both air and Venus, it is best used in spells that are spoken aloud. Speak loudly and clearly and let your intentions be carried on the wind. And any herb that is influenced by Venus is most potent for love spells and any spells that involve the emotions. Hanging yarrow over your bed will draw to you the love of your life and if you're getting married, hang a bundle over your bridal bed to ensure your love stays strong for at least seven years (though hopefully it will last a lifetime!).

Yarrow is said to increase your psychic ability and powers of perception when drunk as an herbal tea. Burn the flowers themselves and the direction of the smoke will predict your future: smoke that rises means good luck will come your way, smoke that floats downward indicates the opposite. Dried yarrow sticks made from the woody stems of the plant have been used for centuries in divining the I Ching. Because yarrow is such a spiritual plant, it was considered perfect for this purpose.

If you're in need of protection, yarrow is your herb. Want to purify your home or circle or cleanse a negative situation? Burn yarrow in ritual or carry the plant on your person in a small talisman or conjure bag. Even just a small sprig in your pocket will work, too. Yarrow wards off fear, evil and negative energy and is a powerful and dynamic element to include in any spells cast to work this magick. It can protect you from hexes and black magick aimed at you. Throw yarrow stems and flowers across the threshold of your home to protect your house from evil or tie a swag of it over your front door to do the same.

Please note that for some individuals, yarrow can be a skin irritant. If you have sensitive skin, handle with care or wear gloves when working with this plant. Likewise, unless you are sure that you are not allergic to yarrow, do not drink a tea made from it. Please use common sense and care.

Photo courtesy of doglington on flickr.

Saturn in Virgo

2010-07-09T16:20:00.021-04:00

I've been reading some of the comments I received for yesterday's post and have been giving Life (with a capital L) some serious thought. I tend to do this all the time anyways, but for the last few hours I seem to be dwelling on it even a bit more than I usually do. One remark in particular is resonating with me, that 'strange events are making it very difficult to continue on our intended life path' (thanks Vipera).

I hadn't given a tremendous amount of thought to the fact that Saturn is wrapping up its stint in Virgo later this month (July 21). Sure, I had in passing thought of a few dramatic changes that I made when Saturn first entered this sign back in September of 2007, as well some closure I've been having with other aspects of my life lately whose timing was at first suspect. But did I dig much deeper? No. Clearly, this is an event that is stirring up some chaos in our lives. Maybe only chaos on a personal level that wouldn't mean much to others, but can be, for ourselves, quite dramatic and often upsetting.

Saturn is the planet that rules our endings and completions. And Virgo is the astrological sign of order, fussiness and getting things accomplished. Together these two are very powerful at propelling us along our life's path towards our personal destinies and seeing things through to their ultimate conclusion. This is the perfect time to reflect on what is important in your life, to jettison what you no longer need and to accept those things that you cannot easily change because maybe, just maybe, you are meant to carry these things with you a bit longer than you had planned. If Saturn isn't seeing fit to guide you to a conclusion right now, then you simply aren't ready for it to happen yet. You may not like what Saturn is throwing in your face right now, but keep in mind that in just under two weeks Saturn will be in Libra, which is a gentler, more compassionate and emotionally balanced sign that will hopefully help to iron out the weird turns of event that many of us seem to be experiencing as the end of this current phase approaches.

Photo courtesy of evinoryan88 on flickr.

Who's Driving?

2010-07-08T21:23:00.009-04:00

I'm something of a control freak and it makes me feel good to operate under the delusion that I'm always in the driver's seat. I like to plan every little detail and I like things to go the way I expect them to, but as life is frequently messy, that is often not the case. And I'm of the belief that everything happens for a reason.

I've owned poultry for the last ten years and I decided a couple of years ago that I didn't want to shoulder the burden of caring for them anymore. When I first began my backyard bird experiment, it was exciting as hell. I enjoyed the quaint ideal of raising the birds and occasionally breeding them, having fresh, organic eggs every day and sharing the surplus with friends. But the back-to-basics lifestyle came with a price: daily barn cleaning, bathing birds, feeding and watering birds multiple times a day regardless of the weather, my own health or available time, and caring for sick and aging chickens and ducks. As my last birds are well into their golden years with only a rare egg laid, the decision was made to let them all pass on in their own time and then I would turn the barn into a much-needed garden shed and their run into a fertile and vigorous vegetable garden. I even planned what vegetables I would grow, so detailed was my plan. So I've waited patiently and given my fowls' current ages, figured it would be only a couple of years, give or take a bit, before I am finally poultry-free. So tell me, what are the odds that one of those rare eggs would be deeply hidden in the bedding by a duck hen, go unnoticed and uncollected for the last month and then hatch a baby duckling, in an extended heatwave, all by itself? And not just any duckling, but a special needs duck with a malformed bill and a bit of trouble eating all by itself?

This was not in my long-range plan. I have spent years taking in unwanted birds and birds with special needs. I was nearly through and ready to move on to the next stage of my life. If this new baby survives, I'll be looking at possibly another six years at least before I no longer have poultry. And trust me, I couldn't give this duck away as no one will be interested in a bird with a bad bill who needs help at feeding time. No, it's mine to care for. So what's the lesson in this turn of events? What is the universe telling me? I'm not sure. Maybe it's as simple as my being meant to continue to care for unwanted poultry; the birds that others so easily throw away. I don't know.

I frequently get into discussions with those people in my life who don't believe that everything happens for a reason. They'll tell me that things "just happen" and it doesn't have to mean anything. I always disagree and when I ask them why they think this, I get a "just because." That's the pat answer that parents use when their children ask questions that they either don't want to answer or don't know the answer to. And although none of us knows for sure, including me, that isn't going to change my mind on this. I will always believe that everything happens for a reason, even if we don't always know what that reason is or want to admit to ourselves that this is the case. It's a part of our journey here, the good stuff and the not necessarily happy surprises that are thrown at us. Like my newest four days young little pet.

Clearly I'm not the one in the driver's seat, am I?

Trees 101: Hazel

2010-06-30T20:56:00.011-04:00

The hazel is one of the most magickal trees of all as it's the tree that stands at the very heart of the faery realm. In the center of the Otherworld, nine sacred hazel trees stand in a circle around the Well of Wisdom and drop their nuts into the water from their overhanging branches, feeding the Salmon of Knowledge. Hazel was the sacred Tree of Knowledge in many ancient cultures, from the Norse to the Celts to the ancient Greeks. It's no surprise then that this is the tree whose wood is used most often for divination: Druidic wands were always fashioned from Hazel and it's the preferred wood for dowsing and divining rods as well. It's believed that, to this day, hazel works so well as a dowsing rod because it instinctively wants to reconnect with that first ancient well tree in the faery realm.

Want to protect yourself from evil (and especially that most evil thing of all- witches- the handmaidens of the devil)? Craft yourself a shield of hazel or use its wood to carve a protective rod or small wooden talisman. Use it at the dark of the moon in rituals, crafted as a divination tool, or eat hazelnuts before shamanic journeying to increase your psychic knowledge.

The hazel tree is feminine in energy and vibrates to the elements of both air and water. It is ruled by Mercury and the Sun and is one of the nine sacred woods of the sabbat fire in which it represents wisdom. The sabbats for which hazel is traditionally used for are Beltane and, most especially, Samhain.

Photo of this gloriously lush hazel tree courtesy of Argentem on flickr.

Full Rose Moon

2010-06-25T18:48:00.013-04:00

Tomorrow's full moon is a potent one as it also brings with it a spectacular lunar eclipse. As an eclipse amplifies the energy of a full moon, this one will, in theory, be felt for weeks or even months after the event. Being in Capricorn, this moon represents responsibility, stability and reliability, which is a good thing if we're going to be carrying this energy around with us for a time. I'd hate to think how much more difficult things could become if this eclipse fell within a far flakier sign. And to amplify the astral energy, there will be a solar eclipse (visible only from the southern part of the Pacific Ocean and the southernmost parts of South America) on July 11. Be prepared to feel all this powerful activity on a personal level.

The June full moon goes by many names in addition to the Rose Moon. These include the Strawberry Moon, the Lotus Moon, the Windy Moon, the Honey Moon and the Full Hot Moon.

This would be the perfect moon under which to Draw Down the Moon tomorrow night but if your weather is less than perfect for outdoor ritual, work some magick indoors and take advantage of this beautifully powerful lunar event.

True Peace

2010-06-23T18:24:00.005-04:00

The True Peace

The first peace, which is the most important,

is that which comes within the souls of people

when they realize their relationship,

their oneness, with the universe and all its powers,

and when they realize that at the center

of the universe dwells Wakan-Taka (the Great Spirit),

and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us.

This is the real peace, and the others are but reflections of this.

The second peace is that which is made between two individuals,

and the third is that which is made between two nations.

But above all you should understand that there can never

be peace between nations until there is known that true peace,

which, as I have often said, is within the souls of men.

- Black Elk, Oglala Sioux and Spiritual Leader (1863-1950)

"Appeal to the Great Spirit", bronze, Cyrus Edwin Dallin, 1909, at the entrance to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photo courtesy of AntyDiluvian on flickr.

A Simple Litha Spell

2010-06-17T14:14:00.010-04:00

Marigold Ritual for Strength

What you'll need:

at least eight small stones, one rather smooth, more for additional talismans

an earthen pot, of a size big enough to grow one or more plants

one or more marigold plants

potting soil

a permanent marker

Write your birth sign on a small, relatively smooth, stone in permanent ink and place it at the bottom of an earthen pot. You can also write words of encouragement on additional stones, such as "strength", "empowerment", "courage" or any other potent words that you draw energy from. Fill the pot with soil and plant one or more marigolds in it. Place seven stones around the plants and as you do all this chant the following:

"I honor this summer season

that bathes me in the light,

I open my heart to your power

And I feel your gentle might."

The marigold is a powerful plant that vibrates to the sun's energy. They are symbolic of summer and the fiery weather that comes with it. String a garland of marigolds over your door to stop evil from entering your home, or plant them in your gardens to protect your property. Place them under your pillow at night while you sleep and your dreams will come true. They are also known to give you prophetic dreams as well. It is said that if a girl touches the petals of a marigold plant with her bare feet, she will understand the language of the birds.*

Marigolds used in any spellwork should always be picked at noon when the sun is at its hottest and strongest. This particular planting spell can be performed anytime during the summer season, but will be most potent when performed during the waxing moon, at noon on a day closest to midsummer.

Marigold is the flower of endurance. It grows in even difficult conditions and always turns its bright face to the sun, following its path through the sky throughout the day. This ritual will give you strength and power while connecting you to the essence of the summer season.

*Legend of the language of the birds courtesy of the late Scott Cunningham.

Photo courtesy of Shertila Tony on flickr.

Midsummer

2010-06-16T22:53:00.011-04:00

Like every other sabbat, Litha comes with its own beliefs. Besides the well-known and traditional rituals of lighting a bonfire (or building a smaller fire to be jumped over), as well as drinking, dancing and making love, there are many lesser known rituals linked to the celebration of midsummer.

To honor the culmination of the Oak King's rule, men traditionally wore wreaths of woven oak leaves on their heads and women wreaths of midsummer flowers. Pick some blossoms and place them under your pillow on Litha night and you will dream of your future husband.

Want to be healthy throughout the coming year? Then be sure to be up to see the sun rise on the solstice. If you're in need of healing, the calendula (marigold) plant was believed to possess miraculous healing powers when picked on Litha. The traditional healing plants to be picked on the sabbat for the coming year are fennel, rue, rosemary, lemon verbena and st. john's wort, among many others.

Place a swag of summer greenery over your front door for a year of luck and prosperity.

And despite the joy and abundance associated with midsummer, there is always at least one festival that flies in the face of love, health and prosperity. Fortunately, the medieval French ritual of burning cats on midsummer's night has long since disappeared (especially if you happen to be a cat).

A blessed Litha to you all and safety in all you engage in that night.

Photo courtesy of mermaiden creations on flickr.

Two Litha Recipes

2010-06-10T21:32:00.011-04:00

Normally, the recipes I publish here are tried and true favorites that I know without a doubt will turn out just as I say they will, without so much as a single surprise for my readers. And if I have a recipe I've never used before but think it might be of interest to others, I do a dry-run before I put in on my blog so I can tweak anything that's off and be certain that I'm not telling people how great something is when it could potentially be a total disaster. But given the fact that I've been beyond-busy lately (as you can see by the unusually sporadic posting of late), and the fact that Litha is just eleven days away, I thought I'd throw caution to the wind and post a couple of recipes for the sabbat that I've never tried myself. The bread recipe does come with high praise, albeit those kudos came from complete strangers, and the mead recipe is a total shot in the dark. Together we can decide if this was a good idea or a bad one. Here's hoping it's the former.

SOFT MEAD

1 quart of water (preferably spring, not tap)

1 cup of your favorite honey

1 large lemon, sliced

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Boil all the ingredients in a (preferably) non-metallic pot, stirring constantly and scraping the foam scum from the sides of the pan with a wooden spoon. When the liquid boils clean and isn't clinging to the sides of the pan, remove from the heat and add:

a pinch of salt

the fresh-squeezed juice of half a lemon

Strain into a clean bottle or pitcher and cool in the refrigerator. This gentle, non-alcoholic mead can be served with cold, fresh slices of lemon in each glass.

HONEY CAKE makes approximately 24 little squares of cake

4 cups flour

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 large eggs

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 1/3 cups honey (I'm going to use a jar of lavender honey I got at my local farmer's market)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325f degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 cake pan. Beat the eggs and honey together. Add the vanilla and butter and beat again. Beat in the sugar. Sift the dry ingredients together and add to the wet mixture. Mix well. Turn into prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes to an hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely, cut into squares and serve.

Photo of gorgeous honey cake courtesy of smittenkitchen.com

Whiling Away a Summer Afternoon

2010-06-05T22:55:00.007-04:00

"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time."

-John Lubbock

Photo courtesy of honeybSF on flickr.

Thread Bottle Spell

2010-05-31T21:13:00.013-04:00

This is one of my all-time favorite spells and not because it's an especially potent way to generate protective energy (there are far more potent spells out there for this), but because when completed it looks just lovely. I know this sounds silly, and it really is silly to like a spell for the way it looks, but as an artist I can't help but find the tangle of colors in the finished product to be incredibly aesthetically pleasing. And as an occasional seamstress (honestly, who has time to sew?) the jumbled threads are, to me, also tantalizingly attractive. Put them all into an antique, hand-blown glass jar to boot, and you've got yourself something truly beautiful to look at. Too bad it's one of those things that works best when tucked away into the darkest recesses of a cabinet or attic, left to work its magick in all but forgotten peace.

And be forewarned: this is a very tedious spell to put together. Despite the beauty of the finished product, if mind-numbingly repetitive work is not your thing, you might wish to seek your protection elsewhere.

Take a large glass bottle with a stopper or tight-fitting lid and enough thread to fill it. Choose many colored threads, but do not use black. Each piece of thread should be no shorter than one inch and no longer than three inches and this is where it gets tedious: each thread must be placed within the bottle one at a time, so be prepared for this spell to take up to several weeks to complete. As you add each piece of thread say:

Tangle the bane up

and bring me no harm

with this bottle of threads

that I use as my charm.
Tangle the bane up!
Tangle the bane up!

When the bottle is full of colored threads, place it in a dark spot such as an attic or the back of a cupboard to keep your home safe. You can also place it on a windowsill and use it there for protection but it will fade there and lose its potency rather quickly. To re-energize your bottle, periodically hold it in your power hand and repeat the chant above.

Photo courtesy of chad m n on flickr.

Full Planting Moon

2010-05-27T14:12:00.008-04:00

Today's full moon is in Gemini and Sagittarius, which means that this is a period of learning and knowledge. Gemini, with virtually no filters, takes in any and all information with little regard for what is important and what is fluff, but Sagittarius is a seeker of greater understanding, keen focus and the desire to get to the truth of any matter. So be prepared to be bombarded with a lot of information right now and be sure to take a moment to weed out all that is unnecessary. This is a powerful moon for moving you closer to achieving your goals and dreams.

In Colonial America, this moon was known as the Milk Moon and the Chinese refer to it as the Dragon Moon. It is also known as the Bright Moon, the Hare Moon, and the Panther Moon. The very eloquent (and often wordy) Dakota Sioux had two names for this moon: the Moon to Plant and the Moon When Leaves are Green. Its neo-pagan name is the Grass Moon.

Enjoy the beauty of the last spring full moon of 2010.

The Magickal Garden

2010-05-25T12:51:00.010-04:00

Do you have a witch's garden? A place to make offerings to the earth deities? Do you engage in any conscientious garden protection? Well, now is the perfect time to plant even a small garden (if you don't already have one), transform your already existing garden into a place to thank the Goddess and God, and do some simple spellwork to protect all your hard work from negative energies as well as annoying (and hungry) pests. If you're starting from scratch here, you can reference the term "garden" below for a few brief lists of basic plants, but for the sake of time and space, I'll assume you already have a garden to work with. Note that this doesn't have to be a full-sized garden in your backyard. City dwellers can modify some of these practices for a container garden on a terrace or even a kitchen windowsill (though I wouldn't recommend sprinkling vinegar and oils on your kitchen woodwork).

In the center of my witch garden I have an antique sundial that was given to us by a friend and on which I place offerings to the deities, burn incense, and even use as a table of sorts to complete fire spells that I have begun indoors but for obvious reasons don't want to finish in my living room, lest I accidentally burn down my house. But you need not use something so ornate. Two stones, one relatively rectangular shaped and placed standing vertically with a smaller flat round stone placed horizontally before it works just as well. They can be big or small depending on your space. Place your offerings or burn your incense on the flat horizontal stone. If you don't have the room for stones or just don't find the idea of looking at rocks particularly pleasing, you can simply push lit stick incense into the soil either in the center of, or around the perimeter of, your garden. You can even walk the perimeter of your garden while carrying incense and say a blessing to both your growing plants and the god or goddess of your choice.

Small garden statuary often gets a bad rap, and let's be honest, a great deal of it is pretty tacky, but don't rule all of it out. Why not find a small stone creature that speaks to you? Or even add an inanimate version of your power animal to a corner of your garden? If you choose a small enough statute you can face the quarters while holding it and call upon the powers of both the divine and the elements to bless your garden. Did you know that those big glass garden balls on pedestals that were so popular during the early and middle part of the last century are in fact exactly the same thing as a (smaller) witch ball hung in a home's window? Any glass ball that has been silvered on the inside is, in fact, a witch ball. One of these can be placed in the center of your garden in a color that is personal for you, and besides the protection it will offer, on a quiet day (and not in direct sunlight), you can sit and with soft eyes gaze into your garden ball and scry.

Moss agate is a powerful stone that vibrates to the element of earth and can be carried in your pocket while gardening. It ensures a rich crop and plant fertility. Charge your agate before use, and for an added boost of power, you can "plant" some agate directly into your garden. Four small agates can be placed either at the corners of your garden if it's square or rectangular, or at the quarters if your garden is round, buried into the earth to make your garden grow.

And to keep those hungry pests away from all your hard work you can mix a simple potion that can be sprinkled around the edge of your garden. In a small glass jar, mix 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1/4 cup of either olive or sesame oil, chop a clove of garlic and tear up or chop some fresh spearmint or peppermint. You can also sprinkle some black pepper into it as well. Shake vigorously and drizzle it around the perimeter of your garden, but take care to not get the vinegar on any grass or plants as it can burn them. You can also recite a spell as you do this:

Creatures of the air,

Creatures of the land,

This garden is protected

by my heart and my hand.

By the powers of three times three,

As I will it, so mote it be.

With these simple steps and the power of intention, you'll be sure to have a lush and very productive season ahead!

Photo of yarrow and bee balm courtesy of ben.tebbens on flickr.

Moons and Totems 1

2010-05-21T20:45:00.016-04:00

Everybody knows their western astrological profile and most people also know their eastern, or Chinese, astrological sign as well, but few know their moon profile from the Native American culture and the totems for each moon. As with the two more mainstream belief systems, the moon totem profiles are not only a very accurate read of an individual's personality, but they also add a rich dimension to who we are and where our weaknesses and powers come from. From time to time I'll be writing about these moon totems, beginning with the first of the thirteen moons. Each moon goes by many names (see each full moon post to learn some of the different names) but for simplicity's sake, I will be using only one for each entry.

Fast Waterflow Moon

March 11-April 10

Those who are born between these dates are children of the Fast Waterflow Moon. They are sensitive and insightful, alert to new beginnings and tend to exude a sense of innocence and naivete and as such they like to be nurtured and taken care of by others. They are better at beginning things than seeing them to fruition and this includes relationships as well as projects.

The animal totem for this moon is the hawk, an animal that is very methodical, focused, and able to meet its own needs effectively and efficiently. The children of this moon would be wise to learn the lessons the hawk teaches. The fast Waterflow Moon's plant totem is red clover, one of the first plants to bloom in the spring. Red clover is a protective plant that keeps one safe from evil and danger. The mineral totem for this moon is quartz crystal, a clear and sparkling stone that reflects light (like the earth that is bright and newly reborn at this time of year). Quartz crystal enhances psychic ability, empowers magick, heals illness, and is one of the stones of the Great Goddess who, during this moon, is bringing forth new life across the earth. The color of this moon is yellow, the color of light and the returning sun.

Everyone is most compatible with those people born under the moon opposite to their own and the opposite moon of the Fast Waterflow Moon is the Ripening Moon (September 11-November 10) whose people are consistent, insistent and generously giving. They balance out the Fast Waterflow peoples' neediness and tendency to be overly dependent and often self-absorbed.

Photo courtesy of Steve aka Crispin Swan on flickr.

Eclectic Spirituality

2010-05-17T16:30:00.009-04:00

I've been giving some thought to the idea of eclectic spirituality and the fact that I have been for decades picking and choosing from the world's various belief systems that which I personally identify with and that feed my soul. In doing so I have tailor-made a spirituality that suits me to a tee, yet is constantly shifting a tiny bit in this or that direction as who I am changes through the years. I'm a pagan, a witch, and a woman who spent a full decade of her life studying Buddhism and who incorporates many of the Buddha's teachings into her present philosophy. I am a follower of ayurveda and a practitioner of yoga. As a direct descendant of a full-blooded Native American woman, I engage in many tribal rituals and honor Mother Earth every single day. And while it's well in the back of my mind these days, I also still carry with me the biblical theories pummeled into my brain during confirmation classes, growing up as a little girl in the stuffy and unpleasantly straight-laced Lutheran Church. I believe in the God and the Goddess, I believe in Mother Earth and the four elements. I honor and live by the years, the seasons, the days, the hours. I honor the moon. I believe in magick and intuition and divination. I am a very spiritual person, which (in my opinion, at any rate) is a very different thing from a religious person. A religious person I am not and never have been.

And the funny thing is, I would have thought that this movement towards the eclectic really began in the 60s when so many people were searching for something deeper, something more mystical than everyday life (and quite a bit of drugs) provided. I'm not so naive to think that there was no dabbling into other faiths and beliefs prior to that period, but it feels like that decade is when spiritual momentum shifted into high gear. The term "new age" (which I hate, by the way) was coined in the 80s to describe that decade's movement into the eclectic and many scholars still treat the 80s as though that period was the first real movement towards something broader than a single-based faith. Unfortunately though, that tag brings with it a whole lot of mental images best left back in the 80s, never to be seen or heard from again. And even today, the term "new age" is used rather derisively by most people, both in and out of the mainstream.

But surprisingly, following an eclectic path spiritually dates back to ancient Greece. The word eclectic comes from the Greek word eklektikos which means "selective, or the act of picking out." One of the first to ever take from the world's existing religions and philosophies and blend them into a truly personal spirituality was Ammonius Saccas, a philosopher who left no writings of his own but was referred to by many other Greek philosophers in theirs, namely Plotinus and Porphyry. Ultimately, Saccas wanted to fuse all religions together into one that honored the Divine Being who made everything possible, as all faiths ultimately originate from this same source, and by returning to it one could end a lot of hatred. His studies gave rise to the term "eclectic" and although his beliefs were accepted by many, ultimately he was driven out of his homeland and silenced by the early Christians.

And despite a couple of millennia passing, life doesn't change all that much does it? And regardless of what others think of me, or my belief system, I'm going to continue on the path laid before me. It feels right in my heart and soul and ultimately, that's the only thing that truly matters. It's taken a lifetime of searching for me to feel as peaceful as I feel today and that's a beautiful thing. Happiness and sorrow are both fleeting, but being able to find peace in who you are and what you adhere to is the perfect foundation on which to build everything else. Go where your heart leads you and fear nothing.

Outdoor Home Protection

2010-05-12T19:22:00.007-04:00

Today I accidentally stumbled upon a few very old and rather unique traditions to ensure your home's protection from the outside rather than the inside. Some may be familiar, some may not.

Carving protective symbols into the wood of your door jamb, especially of a pentagram, is a primitive and pretty way to keep your home safe from evil. However, if you rent your home, your landlord might not take too kindly to having your spiritual beliefs artistically gouged into the frame of their front door. Instead you could paint and/or carve a small rectangle of wood that could be gently attached to the jamb above the doorknob, or paint your doors in protective color combinations, thus keeping your house safe from negativity without damaging the actual door or angering the owner.

Ornamental roof finials (think gargoyles) can be attached to the corners of your home to erect a boundary of protection in all four cardinal directions. The finials need not be actual gargoyles (because man are those things ugly!), but can be any creature or symbol you find appealing or potent, perhaps even small versions of your power animal that only you and the birds that perch on your roofline would know are there. Even little decorative pieces of iron can be used (purchased at a garden shop or a salvage yard), as iron has long been considered the metal of the gods.

If climbing up onto a ladder and attaching things to your roof doesn't appeal to you, driving an iron spike into the ground in front of your house will keep the entire dwelling and all its inhabitants safe from evil spirits and intruders of the physical kind as well. Most people are familiar with hanging an iron horseshoe over the door for luck and protection and doing this will also keep your house and family safe.

And if you're building a new home, you can always place broken iron tools within your walls to keep your home protected, though you might want to avoid another ancient tradition for keeping a home safe from the outside in: burying dead horses' heads beneath your floorboards to ensure night after night of restful sleep and protection against the "Night Mare", the mythical horse that carries evil dreams to haunt the living while they sleep. Just a suggestion.

Photo of antique iron finial courtesy of Ontheway2it on flickr.

Photo of antique painted door jamb courtesy of jwoodphoto on flickr.

A Banishing Ritual

2010-05-10T16:11:00.009-04:00

Banishment is one of those tricky gray-area rituals that gets a conscientious witch to thinking. Is it okay to banish someone? Does this cross over that rather sketchy line of acting harmfully towards another? But if done with kindness and grace, banishing someone from your life or even some unwanted thing from your life, can actually be a very positive act.

I personally have someone who has been a very unpleasant presence in my life for many, many years and while I have been as tolerant as humanly possible with them, I can no longer endure their painfully negative energy; energy that is routinely directed at me. And so the time has come to sever the ties between us and send them away as powerfully- and as gently- as I am able. Here is a fairly simple ritual for getting rid of that which no longer serves its purpose in your life, for whatever reason.

You'll want to perform this ritual when the moon is waning. A Saturday is the best day of the week for this, and if you're lucky enough for the new moon to land on a Saturday night, you'll find yourself with an additional boost of power in your corner. However, any time during the dark of the moon will work just fine so don't feel you have to do your banishment ritual on a specific day. Choose an object that represents what it is you want to banish: a photograph or personal belonging of someone you no longer want in your life, something that represents a bad habit you wish to break, a failed endeavor (a business, a personal relationship) that you no longer want your heart to pine over, or anything negative that you just can't stop dwelling on and want permanently gone! Place the object on your altar surrounded by four white candles. Also use white candles for the four quarters in your circle as well. Cleanse the perimeter of your circle with the four elements: sprinkle it with salt water for earth and water and burn sage for fire and air. Cast your circle and call upon those deities that are known for being powerful custodians of the cosmos: Hecate, Anubis, Cerridwen or anyone else that will aid you with their strength and ability to weed out that which is negative.

State clearly what it is you want banished and then sprinkle your object with the salt water and pass it through the sage smoke. Now, instead of continuing to focus on the negative in regards to this person or situation, express the positive energy you wish to draw to you in its place. You want to turn the negative into a positive. You can say that you wish to turn your broken heart into one filled with perfect love. Or if you're banishing a bad habit, express the good that will come of ridding yourself of it rather than focusing on what it's doing to you now. Move widdershins around your circle and chant

"I release you, negative energy from my past,

No pain nor sorrow ever lasts,

I heal my spirit, I heal my soul,

As I release you from my life

I am again made whole."

At first you may feel rather tired or slow, but as you continue to chant and release the negative from your life you'll feel your energy building and growing stronger. Continue to raise this energy by moving and chanting faster and faster. As you feel the spell coming to its climax, stop moving in the circle, stand before your altar and direct your energy into the object. Say

"I cast this spell now three times three

As I will it, so mote it be"

and either tear, break or somehow dramatically destroy this object (it can also be burned in a cauldron with a fire already lit in it). Ground yourself, thank the spirits for their help, close your circle and then permanently dispose of your object by throwing it in the trash, flushing it down the toilet, burying it in the ground or tossing it into moving water. Be sure to give thanks to Mother Earth for her recycling powers and if you can, open your doors and windows and with a broom sweep out the negative energies from this ritual. Likewise, you can smudge your home with sage to re-cleanse your environment.

Trees 101: The Beech

2010-05-06T21:48:00.012-04:00

Beech trees have a long magickal and medicinal history. Used for centuries in Druidic rituals, forked beech branches are also a great choice to use as a divining or dowsing rod. Associated with rebirth, reincarnation, transformation, and ancestors, beech trees are used as protection against lightning strikes as they are a good conductor of electricity.

Beech is known as the "mother of the woods" and is the Beech Queen to the Oak King, providing shelter to shorter, smaller trees and food for humans and animals. Beechnuts are believed to bring wisdom to those who eat them and are used as protective amulets. They can also be carried or worn as lucky charms. The beech tree is associated with time, wisdom and knowledge. Scratching your name or wish on the bark of a beech tree- either on the tree itself or a piece torn off, written on and then buried- will ensure that your wishes will come true. This simple wishing spell dates back millennia.

Likewise, the bark, leaves, roots and sap all have medicinal properties. Beech is said to cure burns, ulcers and liver problems, as well as tuberculosis. Beech bark and leaves can be used as an astringent and can even be found in many modern skin care products. Beech brings relaxation to those who use it.

Using beech wood in your spellwork will bring stability to your life, will help you bring your intentions to fruition, can be used in cleansing and protection rituals, is a perfect offering for the Goddess(es) you may worship and can be used to contact ancestors in ritual as well. Beech vibrates to a feminine energy as well as to the elements of fire and water and is ruled by the planet Saturn.

Photo courtesy of Kornelis on flickr.

Worshipping Earth's Gifts

2010-05-03T12:27:00.005-04:00

O our mother the Earth, O our father the Sky,

Your children are we, and with tired backs

We bring you the gifts that you love.

Then weave for us a garment of brightness...

May the fringes be the falling rain,

May the border be the standing rainbow.

-A Tewa Pueblo Prayer

Photo courtesy of alfaseen on flickr.

Beltane Ritual Suggestions

2010-04-30T15:46:00.011-04:00

Wear bright colors or floral prints and fashion a wreath of fresh flowers and ivy to wear in your hair.

Use green and pink candles in ritual to celebrate all that is blooming and coming newly alive.

Cleanse yourself in an herbal bath with rose petals, frankincense, marigold, clover and pure almond oil. Place the flowers in a bundle of cheesecloth and hold it under the running tap, then add a few drops of the essential oil to your bathwater.

Instead of walking your circle with incense (or in addition to your incense), mark the boundary of your circle with freshly picked flower petals.

Honor the Goddess by honoring your female ancestors and loved ones. Place on your altar a small bowl of small clean pebbles (or rice if you haven't any stones) and a larger bowl of fresh, clean water. Drop one pebble at a time into the water as you say words of love or a brief prayer for each of the women you are honoring. You can end this rite by adding a bunch of vibrant blossoms to the surface of the water. When your ritual is complete, you can keep the bowl out to serve as a reminder of all those women you love and admire, but be sure to pour the water back into the earth and give thanks for the abundance you have in your life (use it to water the newly growing plants in your garden!).

Even if you haven't enough people to perform a maypole ritual, you can still honor the God and all his virility by tying ribbons and flowers around the trunk of a much-loved tree in your yard and spend some giving thanks for the blessings in your life.

Spend some time in advance of your ritual to think of all that you wish for in the coming season of abundance, or to give thanks for all that you already have (or both). On rectangles of colored paper with strings attached to one end, write what you wish to nurture and grow in your life during the coming year and tie them to the branches of a beloved tree. If you're lucky enough to live near a public wishing tree, bring them there to share in the collective positive and wish-fulfilling energy of so many others.

And if you do nothing else on Beltane, take a moment to smile and feel the pleasure in all of the new life birthing all around you. Rituals are lovely and fun to participate in, but nothing is as pure and heartfelt as simply feeling truly happy, and that's what Beltane is all about: joy.

Blessed Be.

This amazing photo of the May Queen at the Beltane Fire Festival (2009) is courtesy of Two Truths and the Beltane Fire Society.

Full Planter's Moon

2010-04-27T01:15:00.005-04:00

Tomorrow's full moon is in Scorpio, bringing with it emotional jolts but also passionate desires. Scorpio is a very powerful and controlling sign, and coupled with Mercury currently in retrograde, be prepared for a pretty wild ride. This is a very high energy moon, so if you're working any spells that will require a serious power boost to launch them, tomorrow is the perfect time to do so. This is the perfect moon for reassessing your goals and ideals and working to overcome any obstacles that have kept you from realizing your dreams.

This moon is known as the Planter's Moon which is pretty self-explanatory, given that it's now the time of year when we plant our crops and flowers for the coming season. In this same vein, it is also called the Flower Moon, the Growing Moon and the Seed Moon. The Choctaw Indians called it the Wildcat Moon and the Dakota Sioux referred to the April moon as the Moon When Geese Return in Scattered Formation. It's neo-pagan name is the Awakening Moon.

Harness the power of tomorrow night's energy and work some amazing magick!

Beltane Lore

2010-04-23T17:18:00.011-04:00

Opposite Samhain on the Wheel of the Year, Beltane is the sabbat we celebrate to usher in the beginning of summer, the warmth of the sun and to bless both our crops and Mother Earth. And just as the veil between our world and the spirit world is at its thinnest at Samhain, the veil between our world and the world of the Fae is at its most thin at Beltane.

When one thinks of Beltane, the first thing that comes to mind is the Maypole. If you're lucky enough to participate in a Maypole ceremony you'll not only bring yourself an afternoon of joy, but a year of good luck as well. While the pole itself is an ancient ritual, the brightly colored ribbons and flowers tied around the pole are a slightly more recent addition, bringing a feminine aspect to the celebration of the God and his virility.

Lighting fires is a Beltane custom, as the original festival was in honor of Bel, a solar deity, and this practice was both a way to honor the return of the sun needed for a successful growing season and a means of purification as well. Make yourself even a small Beltane fire and either jump over it or pass yourself or any items you wish to cleanse through its smoke and you will ensure yourself a year of prosperity, purification and protection.

In an attempt to Christianize this sabbat, the early church renamed it Roodmas, or the Feast of the Cross which celebrated the finding of the cross by Saint Helena on which Jesus was crucified, and which was far more palatable to them than the obviously phallic connotations of the Pole.

On Beltane morning, get up early and wash your face in the cool May Day dew for youthful beauty and health. Then find yourself a small clear pool of fresh spring water, a clean puddle, a creek or even the edge of a lake and do a quiet divination within its mirrored surface. End the day by making love with your partner, preferably outdoors, as you ring in the season of Mother Earth's fertility.

Blessed be.

Photo courtesy of Zayabibu on flickr.

What is Magick?

2010-04-20T18:36:00.006-04:00

To my mind, 'magic' is the hard-to-define quality of the things that stir up mystical feelings like amazement, curiosity, imagination, and above all wonder.

Magic is that which renders something beautiful in a spiritual sense. It is that which makes one feel as if the world is more than it is presently understood to be, and yet at the same time the world is working itself out in a good and beautiful way.

Magic underlies the relationship between us, and the greater immensities of birth and death. Thus the experience of being in the presence of something magical is an empowering, uplifting experience. Magic, understood this way, contributes meaning to life.

- Brendan Myers

Photo courtesy of Christopher_Hawkins on flickr.

A(nother) New Pendulum

2010-04-15T18:50:00.022-04:00

Pendulum made of aventurine, yellow jasper, brecciated jasper, clear quartz, obsidian and amethyst with a round of red jasper capping the chain.

Pendulum made of bloodstone, with a round of bloodstone capping the chain as well.

I was so pleased with the bloodstone pendulum I bought last year that I went out and bought myself a second pendulum. And while I didn't exactly need another one as the first one's energy is wonderful and brings great clarity to my readings, when I saw this multi-stoned pendulum I just knew I had to have it. Its energy is quite potent and I was drawn to it instantly. Pendulum divination is really, at its most basic, physically quite a simple practice, but at the same time is also intriguingly subtle and complex.

Amethyst. Amethyst is a stone rich in ancient magickal history. This is a stone of peace and pure spirituality. It calms all turbulent emotions and fears, focuses meditative states, and helps the wearer attune themselves with their highest psychic vibrations. This is the ideal stone to wear during any divinatory work as it also enhances its wearer's mental accuity as well. It cures headaches, halts nightmares and puts an end to insomnia. Amethyst is the stone of wisdom.

Aventurine. This stone is used to increase perception, to stimulate creativity and to enhance intelligence. This is a wonderful stone to use in divination.

Bloodstone. Bloodstone has a magickal-use history of more than 3000 years. This stone brings courage to its wearer, calms fears and eliminates anger. It is used to increase the effectiveness of spells and brings concentrated power to magickal rites and rituals. Bloodstone is also a general health-giving talisman, but is especially used to halt bleeding and reduce fevers.

Clear Quartz. Crystal is a powerful stone used in various forms of divination from pendulums to scrying and as such is prized for its ability to amplify psychic and magickal energy. Each of the various colors of quartz crystal offer unique properties and uses, and clear quartz is no exception. Clear quartz, as a stone symbolizing the goddess, taps into the deepest part of the conscious mind, helps to open the subconscious mind, and brings to its wearer a very powerful psychic experience when divining. Quartz is also a stone that can be used to protect oneself during magickal ritual as well.

Jasper. Jasper is another stone with a rich and ancient magickal history. It was used by Native Americans in their rituals and ceremonies, and like them is still used today to connect with the earth's energies and to ground when working magick. Like quartz, the various colors of jasper offer their own unique properties including acting as a protective stone when working magick and aiding the wearer in heavy psychic and spiritual work.

Obsidian. This is another grounding stone used to center oneself when performing magick and is an exceptional stone to use when scrying as it is believed that the pure blackness of its surface allows easier access to one's subconscious mind. This is a stone of protection when opening oneself up psychically.

Wishing Powder

2010-04-12T19:27:00.011-04:00

Who doesn't want their wishes to come true? With this simple powder, you can empower your wishes or even your circle (or the altar within it) while working other spells and thus give them a powerful energy boost as well.

What you'll need:
two tablespoons sage (freshly dried is best)
one tablespoon white sandalwood
one or two vanilla beans

Grind each item individually and as finely as possible in a mortar as you concentrate on your wish or desire. Be sure to always grind in a deosil (clockwise) motion when grinding herbs for positive use. Combine all three ingredients while still focusing clearly on your wish. Mix them with your fingers, thus infusing the herbs with your body's own personal energy, and be sure to use your power hand while doing so. If you are working within a circle and wish to use this powder to empower your ritual, this powder can be sprinkled either around the perimeter of the circle while visualizing its power to focus and channel your spellwork, or it can be sprinkled amongst the items you are working with on your altar. If you are using this powder specifically to aid you in sending wish energy powerfully out into the universe, take it outdoors and with your back to the wind, hold the powder before you in your power hand. Visualize the power of your intentions and feel the earth's grounding energy beneath your feet. As you concentrate on your desire, open your palm and blow the wish powder into the wind and watch as the universe carries your wishes away on the particles of dust. Give thanks to the wind for its help in making your wish come true.

Medicine Bag

2010-04-08T13:55:00.012-04:00

I've decided to make myself a medicine bag, not only to honor my Native American ancestors but to aid me in my on-going spiritual quest as well. Last year I wrote about a small glass talisman bottle I had purchased and the uncertain plans I had for carrying some spiritual items within it (see Talisman Bottle, September 25, 2009). What could be carried within it proved difficult given the bottle's very small size, but I have managed to put within it some special (albeit tiny) gemstones and some powerful dried herbs. And while I am extremely happy with my little bottle, I had numerous other items that I had considered wearing within it but couldn't due to its size, or lack thereof.

And that's when I got to thinking about creating a medicine bag. While it is usually a tribe's medicine man or shaman or who carries such a bag and I most certainly am neither, I will be carrying it for the same purpose as they would: to make contact with and feel the power of the natural spiritual forces that will aid me in reaching my own personal spiritual potential. The basic items within my bag are pure loose tobacco, dried corn, found feathers and unusual shells which represent the four elements: fire, earth, air and water. I'll also now be able to carry my watai (see Stone Spirits, November 27, 2009) in something meant for it rather than just in a pocket, and even some other very spiritually powerful items that are personal to me and me alone.

The beauty of having such a bag is that it not only allows me to carry a constant physical reminder of my journey here on Mother Earth as well as that of my forebears, but also provides me with a very tactile spiritual experience. The size of it, while small enough to appear to others as nothing more than a tiny woven shoulder bag, will allow me to add additional spontaneous items that might speak to me while I am out hiking in the woods or walking on an empty beach.

The Spiritual Nature of Trees

2010-04-05T19:46:00.008-04:00

"The groves were God's first temples."

- William Cullen Bryant, "A Forest Hymn"

"When you enter a grove peopled with ancient trees, higher than the ordinary and shutting out the sky with their thickly intertwined branches, do not the stately shadows of the wood, the stillness of the place, and the awful gloom of this doomed cavern then strike you with the presence of a deity?"

- Seneca

Holy Vale, St. Mary's, Isles of Scilly and Beech Roots, Avebury, Wiltshire both courtesy of Giles C. Watson on flickr.

Elemental Power

2010-04-02T19:57:00.007-04:00

The witch's pyramid (also referred to as the Four Pillars) is represented by a four-sided pyramid that promotes those qualities and abilities a witch must nurture and become proficient with before she can create truly powerful magick.

To Keep Silent. This is represented by the element of earth and is the base of the pyramid. This is the energy that allows one to work with their hands, to feel the tactile sense of magick. It's a feminine energy, methodical and patient. This power comes from plants, flowers and crystals, those objects that are of the earth, quietly beautiful yet potent.

To Will. This is represented by the element of water. This power is associated with the moon, psychic abilities, one's subconscious, visions and clairvoyance. This energy denotes love, sensitive souls, empathy, and compassion for all living things. Artists tap into this energy regularly, as do healers and mystics. This power comes from oceans, lakes, rivers and the rain.

To Dare. This is represented by the element of fire. This is the power that enables one to transform themselves, to change one's life, to illuminate that which is not easily seen. This energy denotes compassion, courage, the divine spark of the God and Goddess that one feels in their soul. To feel this energy at work is to feel one's intelligence, one's power (without abusing it) and to feel the strength to lead when needed. This power comes from the deserts, rocks, candles and fires, the hearth, volcanoes and the sun.

To Know. This is represented by the element of air and is at the top of the witch's pyramid. This power embodies freedom, ideas and inspirations, new life and new beginnings, the divine spirit, and endless space. To feel this energy at work is to feel intelligent, creative and to have a sense of humor. Those who use this power will be great communicators, gentle of spirit and always rational. This power comes from the wind, the vast expanse of the great sky above, clouds, birds and mountaintops.

And like the deepest earth, when one travels towards the sky there is mostly silence. The pyramid begins and ends with silence, with first and foremost looking within and knowing oneself clearly. To fully hear the divine and to truly hear nature, one must first be silent so as to allow spirit and earth to be heard within one's soul.

Photo courtesy of Bart Bonamie on flickr.

Full Worm Moon

2010-03-29T20:36:00.003-04:00

Tonight's full moon is called the Full Worm Moon because this is the time of year when the ground begins to soften and thaw after the long frozen winter and earthworms begin to reappear, providing food for the recently returned robins. This moon is also known as the Full Sap Moon as this is the time when the sap begins to flow and the annual tapping of maple trees begins.

This full moon is in Libra, and as such we'll find ourselves working on our relationships, embracing love and acceptance and becoming aware of our own needs within the relationships in our lives. Libra is the sign of love, balance and acceptance.

Other names for this moon are the Full Fish Moon, the Sleepy Moon, the Chaste Moon, and the Moon of Winds. Various Native American tribal names for it are the Full Windy Moon, the Big Famine Moon, and from the Dakota Sioux, the Moon When Eyes Are Sore From Bright Snow. Its neo-pagan name is the rather ominously named Death Moon.

Rowan Spell for Home Protection

2010-03-25T22:11:00.008-04:00

After you've finished your spring cleaning, why not perform a rite to ensure your home is now not only immaculate but safe as well? This simple spell uses rowan, a tree that is known for its protective properties, to provide a shield and a blessing for your home and all who live within it.

What you'll need:

Two or three rowan twigs, about ten inches long

A Bottle of Ale

A piece of red ribbon

A small personal power chant (optional)

What you'll need to do with these things:

Gather the rowan twigs, but be sure to not cut them from a living tree. They should be found on the ground so as not to harm the tree and they also must be found at this length, not cut down to it, as that will diminish the power of the wood. When you find your twigs, pour the ale deosil (in a clockwise circle) around the base of the tree as an offering to thank it for its gift to you as well as to symbolize the potency of the spell you are about to work. With the red ribbon, bind the twigs into a cross or star shape (depending on how many twigs you use) and concentrate on the safety of your home and its inhabitants as you do this. If you've written a short and personal spell, this should be chanted here while you bind the twigs.

Place your rowan cross to your forehead as you focus on the power of your intentions, then to your heart as you feel your power, then to your lips. Seal the rowan's power in the cross with a kiss. Starting with those rooms furthest from your front door, carry your cross in your outstretched power hand, circling each room fully while feeling your intentions plainly and clearly. When you reach your front door, exit it backwards so that your cross leaves your home after you do. Secure it above your front door.

This ritual may be repeated every three to four months to ensure the potency of your talisman.

Photo courtesy of Floraworks (internet on...off...on...off) on flickr.

Vernal Equinox Weekend

2010-03-21T20:22:00.012-04:00

To ring in the spring equinox and Ostara yesterday, I went for a long walk with David and our two dogs on a lovely trail that runs close by. The weather was simply gorgeous, perfect for a leisurely walk under a late afternoon sun that was just warm enough to leave the coats and sweaters at home. We observed the blossoms and buds on the foliage, all about to pop at any moment, the sound of the birds busily making nests for the babies soon to come, the squirrels playing tag with one another around tree trunks, the crocuses peeking out from under the bushes in our front yard, and as evening set the sound of peepers calling to potential mates in the wetland behind our house.

I gave myself the weekend off from the seemingly endless spring cleaning I've been doing every weekend for the last month or so (in my usual desperate bid to finish it all before Beltane) and instead, and with only a small amount of guilt for shirking off, did little more than enjoy the beauty of the new season. I did, however, make a multi-layered yellow cake, with buttercream icing and filled with a lovely lemon egg custard and since I normally eat very little sugar, managed to get quite hyper after eating a really large slice.

The only sad note to the weekend was when a sweet little brown marmorated stink bug that had been living in my kitchen for quite some time accidentally toppled off the ivy on my windowsill and into the sink while I was working on my lemon cake and became a very interesting bit of boiled sugar decoration (that, trust me, never made it onto the cake).

I hope everyone had an equally (or even more) lovely weekend and I wish a very happy Ostara to one and all. Blessed be.

Photo courtesy of TT_MAC on flickr.

Ostara Orange Custard

2010-03-18T22:42:00.009-04:00

This is a very simple little custard that not only uses the traditional Ostara ingredient of eggs, but also is the color of the still-cool spring sunshine. Garnish them with fresh cut (non-toxic) flower blossoms or the candied violets seen here recently (Candied Violets, March 3, 2010).

Ostara Orange Custard serves 4 to 6

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup organic orange juice

1/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind

pinch of salt

fresh whipped cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 325f degrees. Combine all the ingredients and blend well. Pour mixture into individual custard ramekins and place the ramekins in a pan with an inch of hot water in it. Bake on the center rack for 40-50 minutes or until a silver knife gently inserted into the center of the custards comes out clean. Cool thoroughly and refrigerate until ready to eat. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and garnish with colorful flowers. Serve.

Photo courtesy of Delicious Desserts on flickr.

Trees 101: Rowan

2010-03-17T18:50:00.012-04:00

The rowan is a tree of many mundane and magickal uses most of which revolve around its berries. Songbirds are attracted to them, thus giving the rowan a distinct association with music, poetry and the goddess Brigid. The berries are also used for incenses and spellwork as well as in a medicinal capacity. Rowan berry tea is used to treat intestinal disorders and being high in vitamin C, rowan is also used to fight respiratory ailments. The berries are used in jams, jellies and even wine and in ancient times were believed to grant those who consumed them a very long life.

In 15th and 16th century England, rowan berries were avoided by midwives and herbalists because to be caught with them was certain to get you branded a witch. Ever take a good look at a rowan berry? They have what appears to be a pentagram at their base, thus the belief that anyone who had them in their possession was surely practicing the dark arts.

Wear a sprig of protective rowan and faeries won't be able to kidnap you, despite the belief that the rowan tree originated in the faery realm. Planting a rowan near your front door will protect your home from evil spirits and lightning strikes. Rowan is one of the nine sacred woods of the sabbat fire and represents life.

The versatile rowan tree is excellent for protection rituals, safe astral travel, divination spells (its sticks were traditionally used to make runes) and to enhance psychic abilities, as well as in powerful healing spells. It vibrates with a feminine energy and to the elements of both earth and fire. It's ruled by the planets Saturn and Uranus, as well as the Moon and Sun.