Walking the Tracks

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.

More on Mabon

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.

Rock Bottle Spell

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.

A Simple Litha Spell

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.

The Magickal Garden

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.

Beltane Ritual Suggestions

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.

A(nother) New Pendulum

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.

Medicine Bag

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.

Circle, Part I

Circle is something that is very personal to each witch. Granted, there are generalities we all adhere to, but everyone brings their own personal stamp to their ritual. I tend to keep mine on the simpler side of things, preferring the plain over the extravagant. I mark the quarters with candles of the appropriate colors for their cardinal directions, though I do occasionally change them to a single color for various observances and sabbats. I use plain white candles to represent the Goddess and the God, and the elements represented on my north-facing altar (that direction speaks to me far more deeply than the east) are also very plain and simple. But recently I have been giving this a bit more thought.

While circle shouldn't become a busy little one-ring circus with so much going on that you lose the true meaning of its spirituality, it also needn't be static and dull. After all, changing things up a bit keeps things dynamic and can even alter your focus just enough to help you see things you might otherwise never have seen. Or felt. So it occurred to me, given that I've brought Native American ritual into my circle when honoring my ancestors, that I could also use Native American beliefs in the building of my sacred space.

In the past I've built small personal medicine wheels and earth wheels using the energies of the various stones to represent the directions and the winds of Mother Earth. So, for me, the next logical step would be to build a circle using the stones of an earth wheel in place of (or placed around) the candles for each quarter, and choosing stones to represent the Goddess and the God. By carefully choosing these stones for their properties and charged powers, the energy of my circle will be vastly different. And as the needs of myself or my circle change depending on the purpose for casting it, my choice of stones can change depending on that need. The combinations are virtually endless.

And with Imbolc just around the corner, the tiny seeds of this idea I've planted are growing stronger every day. What better time to bring something new and fresh to circle than on the sabbat that honors creativity, growth and the birth of new life and ideas?

Yule Stones

And while I'm on the subject of stones... here are a few stones that are perfect for empowering your spells and magick throughout the coming weeks leading up to Yule.

Ruby. The ruby is a powerful stone that will bring protection against all negativity and disease to the one who holds it. Wear it during ritual to increase the energy you raise in circle. Alternately, place it on the altar with a bright red candle to lend you physical strength and energy.

Garnet. Another protective stone, garnet strengthens the aura and shields the wearer from negative energies. Held or placed on your altar, you can use this stone to draw extra energy to yourself during ritual. Garnet regulates the heart and blood.

Green Tourmaline. This stone draws success and money to the one who possesses it. Wear it in spellwork or ritual to enhance your creativity.

Jade. This ancient powerful stone can be worn or carried to receive wisdom through your third eye chakra, as well as to aid in healing the body from physical ills. Place it on your altar to be used in defensive magick work, or to increase your mental energy during ritual wear it while burning purple candles.

Jet. Another protective stone, jet also strengthens psychic awareness, making it an ideal stone to wear while in circle. Place it on your altar with white candles during protective rituals. Jet is one of the most powerful and prized of all the magickal stones. For centuries it was believed that if worn regularly it would absorb some of the wearer's soul. If you wear jet, be sure to protect it carefully.

Photo of raw green tourmaline courtesy of schwigorphoto on flickr.