Remember to give thanks to Mother Earth today and every day for all she gives to us. When you go for a walk take a small bag with you and pick up trash you come across and then throw the bag away or separate the recyclables properly when you get home.
What are you ideas for helping Earth to become more beautiful once more and able to sustain a better quality of life for generations to come?
The Celebration of Earth Day is of great importance to the Pagan community. It is after all Mothers Day.
Although this was written as a group meditation ritual it can easily be modified for a solitary ritual as well.
You will need;
White or Yellow candle (Air)
Red candle (Fire)
Blue candle (Water)
Green candle (Earth)
Goddess candle
Set up your altar, with the colored candles at the four cardinal points. Purify with salt water or sage
Light your Goddess candle and cast your circle.
Light the other four candles. Take a moment, stand peacefully until their flames burn slowly and steadily.
Sit or lie down so you are relaxed, with a pillow under your knees if that helps your back to be straight and comfortable. Look at the five candle flames.
Breathe slowly and deeply, not straining. With every breath in, take in relaxation and calm. With every breath out, release tension and worry
Feel gravity gently pressing against your body, pressing you to the ground, to the earth, and then slowly, feel yourself sink into the earth. Slowly, slowly sink slowly into the earth. Send your consciousness down through the grass, down through the soil and down, deep down, into the earth. Be aware of the mass of rock that lies beneath the soil- shale, quartz, sandstone, granite; the black, white, and red-shot through with bands of minerals, darkly glittering; crystals that shine like stars within the stones ….Let your consciousness become one with the earth: You are a mountain as old as the planet itself, once part of the seabed, thrown up by unspeakable forces now stilled, silent, enormously, timelessly rooted in the earth, your head in the stars………or perhaps a minute grain of sand, one among trillions and trillions, endlessly shifting, sifting, with the ocean tides … Forever a part of the earth ….
Now shift your consciousness and become aware of the plant kingdom: algae and seaweeds, forests of kelp, grasses blowing gently in a savanna wind, yellow and orange lichens on a rock in a woodland, prickly pears, an ancient oak wood, a rain forest blooming with delicate orchids, vines hanging heavy with fruit … You are the earth, the soft green moss on a rock by a stream, a mountain strawberry, a wild rose………..do you feel the wind blow your petals ever so softly …….
Again alter your consciousness to become aware of the animal kingdom…. listen to the voices of the wild: the roar of the tiger, the belling of the stag, perhaps the howl of the wolf; the cries of owls and the tap, tap, tapping, of woodpeckers, the whirring of a birds´ wings as it passes over head, the padding of soft paws………become one now with the animal kingdom, with the salmon leaping upstream, the fox gliding silently through the night, or the snake shedding its skin…feel what your new body is like and what it feels like to creep, or walk, climb, run or fly in free motion….
And now once again alter your consciousness and become aware of the human kingdom …mankind, human, you are standing on two feet …notice how different that feels: you can stand like a stone, grow like a plant, move like an animal, but you can now create with your mind and your hands and you can sing and you can dance and you can dream in your heart and make that dream real upon the earth …for you are a Goddess/God on this earth. You are a part of the Mother.
Now when you are ready, slowly open your eyes .
Ritual Chant
Mother Earth, We have seen your rocks and layers
We have been the dust storm, the ancient volcano’s lava;
We have Swum in your oceans, and flowed in your streams.
Run with the wild brothers and sisters, And howled at the Moon.
We have spun amongst the comets and asteroids,
Burned with creation’s fire, frozen in ice in the void.
We have been music, the song of the spheres, the frequency of the stars.
We have been a human being and feel our connection
Our connection to every other thing that lives; for everything has life.
Mother Earth we pray to love You and protect You.
So Mote it Be
Feel the Earth under you, draw up power, raise it up fully, feel it streaming out of your hands and your third eye. Hurl the power over your head to close the hole in the ozone layer; to shower down and bring understanding to those who do not know our Mother; to heal and to bring peace.
“Pagan Prayer”
May my heart be gentle;
My mind still and open;
My spirit unshackled;
My awareness keen;
My conscience clear;
My nature giving.
May I be a healing energy;
May I be of benefit to all;
May my life enrich others;
May I know what matters;
And live in harmony with Nature.
Close the Circle and thank the Mother
STARLIGHT PLENTY SPELLAccording to the Klemantin myth of the Pagan tribes of Borneo, the sky with the moon and stars was created when a giant named Usai accidentally struck it with his mallet while pounding rice. Use this spell to strike it rich!
For this spell you will need a bowl of uncooked rice and a cup of white flour.
After 9: 00 p.m., go outdoors where you will not be disturbed. Pour the rice on the ground in front of you, and pound it three times with the fist of your power hand. With each pound, repeat:
With each pound of my fist
I draw riches too plenty to list.
Now take a pinch of the flour and toss it high into the air. Continue doing this until the flour is gone. With each pinch you toss into the air, repeat:
I attract abundance and plenty with this stardust.
Scatter the rice on the ground as the stars are scattered in the night sky. As you do, chant over and over:
Starlight brings riches bright!
When you are done, take a few minutes to gaze at the night sky, allowing its rich beauty to flow completely into your body, mind, and spirit.
Wiccan Spell A Night: Spells, Charms, And Potions For The Whole Year
SIrona Knight
This spell is ideal if you are a good gardener, and if you have a need that you don’t mind waiting several months before it manifests.
Take a seed from a plant that is symbolically related to your need. Over a pot of soil or a special plot of land, hold the seed in your power hand and visualize your need strongly.
Speak to the seed. Tell it why you need its help to make your need come to fruition.
Then plant the seed, giving it loving encouragement and water.
Tend to the seedling when it appears and be sure that the plant doesn’t die due to your own neglect or carelessness. If this happens, your need won’t manifest. At least not until you do another spell.
If the plant grows up healthy and happy, expect your need to arrive. Once it has, take very good care of your magical plant, for it not only represents your need, but it also is now a growing, living thing, which you brought to life in order to fulfill your need.
You are responsible for the plant. Take care of it and it will sing to you alone all the secrets of earth magic.
Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic
Scott Cunningham
Earth is our only home. It is that from which mythologically we sprang, and in its moist soil we bury our deceased. From its surface we pull verdant vegetables and healing plants. Animals graze atop it, and within it lie riches of gold and silver, precious stones and oil. Until recently, no living thing save birds—left its surface for more than a few moments.
The ancient goddesses of the earth have survived to this day in the guise of Mother Nature, a deity being reclaimed by nature-conscious souls in the dawning of the twenty-first century. The earth was once worshipped for its own sake, and today it is newly revered as our home and our sustenance; without it we would perish.
Ecological movements have sprung up to fill the need of protecting our planet. Spaceship Earth, as it came to be called once we had succeeded in leaving its atmosphere and gazed at its bluish mass from space, is Gaia: our Mother, our home, our all. It always has been.
As such, it has entered into religious and magical thought and practice for thousands of years. Some of the spells and techniques presented in this chapter are as ageless as the thrust of a mountain. In these earthy spells lie the roots of all magic, for if all forms of magic are not of this element, they are certainly performed upon the earth.
Think of a freshly dug handful of earth. Smell the richness of the fertile soil. See the striking color, from whitest clay to volcanic red to blackest black. This is the fertilizing nature, the storehouse of vitamins and minerals essential to life. This is also an excellent arena in which (or with which) to practice magic.
Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic
Scott Cunningham
Color of the day: Rose
Incense of the day: Ginger
The Earth, its seasons, the lengthening and shortening of days, the swift phases of the Moon, the dense forests—we take all these things for granted, but it wasn’t always this way. The Earth and its magic were once regarded with wonder, and treated as our mother. When the Earth is happy, you can almost feel her gentle chuckle below your feet. When we deface or scar her, we diminish all life. So help protect
the Earth today by starting with one tree. Seek out a quiet spot with a huge old tree—one that seems to embody the wisdom of many centuries.
Since it’s Earth Day, no will think it strange that you, or your coven or friends, are cavorting around a tree. Take with you some small animal food, a sharp knife, and a bucket half full of water. Stand before the large tree, or, if you’re with a group, stand in a circle. Chant: “Blessed be, old friend tree.” At some point in the dance, leave the food for the tree’s creatures. Scatter it liberally around the entire base of the tree, then place your palms on the tree, close your eyes, and try to communicate with her. Some trees have had traumatic experiences with people, so be gentle. Ask for permission to cut a small limb so you can plant another tree, an offspring. You may even offer her a gift of coins, food, or a colorful ribbon. If she says no, find another tree. If she says yes, sever only one limb with a careful and clean cut. Thank her, leave her a gift, then place the base of the branch into the bucket of water so it won’t dry out.
Dedicated to the Earth Mother Gaia, this day marks the time we remember our responsibility toward the environment. The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970, as a result of the growing interest in and concern for the ecology movement. Some things that come to mind on this day are recycling, using solar energy, and cleaning up regional parks and waterways to make them safe for Summer activities.
Sign up! Join the largest climate petition to save the world. Tell local, national and international leaders to phase out carbon.
Scientists warn us that climate change could accelerate beyond our control, threatening our survival and everything we love. We call on you to keep global temperature rise under the unacceptably dangerous level of 2 degrees C, by phasing out carbon pollution to zero. To achieve this, you must urgently forge realistic global, national and local agreements, to rapidly shift our societies and economies to 100% clean energy by 2050. Do this fairly, with support to the most vulnerable among us. Our world is worth saving and now is our moment to act. But to change everything, we need everyone. Join us.
Sign the petition here…..
With over one billion actions to date, Earth Day Network’s A Billion Acts of Green® – the largest environmental service campaign in the world – is steadily building commitments by individuals, organizations, businesses and governments to protect the planet.
A Billion Acts of Green® inspires and rewards both simple individual acts and larger organizational initiatives that reduce carbon emissions and support sustainability.
It’s a global referendum on the environment.
Earth Day Network launched the campaign in 2010, Earth Day’s 40th anniversary, with the goal of registering one billion actions in advance of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in June 2012. We blew that goal out of the water and reached one billion actions on Earth Day, April 22, 2012. We showcased that achievement at Rio+20, demonstrating to world leaders the breadth of support for strong, coordinated action to tackle our most pressing environmental problems, such as climate change .
Now, we’re carrying that momentum forward to reach the next billion. This time, we’re channeling the power of A Billion Acts of Green® to move the ball forward on specific, timely issues. We’ll introduce fresh sub-campaigns periodically to inspire targeted action.
People can still register all the other actions they’re taking to protect the environment – from washing laundry in cold water and riding a bike instead of driving to planting a garden and volunteering with a community clean-up. And organizations can still register actions such as community environmental meetings, tree plantings, large-scale light bulb changes, workplace renewable energy retrofits, and Earth Day events.
The A Billion Acts of Green® website quantifies all these acts of green through an easy-to-use online registration tool.
Together, these actions add up to something big.
Color of the day: Brown
Incense of the day: Marjoram
The Earth does not belong to us; rather, we belong to the Earth. This is a truth I learned many years ago on my grandparents’ farm. From the Earth come the crops, and from the crops come the food that fuels our bodies. The Earth, in fact, has fueled all civilization for centuries. Let this spell return you to the power of the Earth. With your hands, scoop up a small amount of soil. It may contain a bit of grass, rocks, bark, or any natural object. Press the soil into a small ball and let it dry upon a piece of coarse cloth, such as burlap. Then, tie up the corners of the fabric. Keep this sacred Earth bundle as a token of the powers of the Earth. Place it upon your altar when you need some Earth energy for spellwork. If possible, go to a local farmers’ market and purchase some produce or bread. As you eat the natural products, stop and think about where they came from. Reflect, and give thanks to the Earth and to the ancient farmers who first tended the soil. Without them, our civilization would not exist. Blessed be.
With both Earth Day and Arbor Day festivals falling this week, we celebrate the importance of trees. Here are tree-planting tips:
• The best time to plant trees is after the danger of frost is gone.
• To test an area for drainage, dig several narrow holes 3 feet deep. Fill with water, watch, and repeat several times. If water remains in the holes for a day or more or if it drains away in less than 3 minutes, find another site.
• Dig a bowl-shape hole three to four times wider than the tree’s root ball or container but just slightly deeper than the root ball, loosening the soil below.
• Mix in 25 percent organic matter such as compost with the soil that you dug out.
• Don’t put fertilizer into the planting hole; let the tree get a year’s growth first.
• Pull away any burlap, wires, or fibers, keeping the root ball intact.
• Place the tree in the center of the hole and shovel back mixed soil until the roots are covered. Do NOT tamp the soil with your feet.
• Water the soil with a hose at low pressure until the area is well soaked.
• Mulch, but keep it away from the base/bark to avoid encouraging pests.
• Only water trees again when the soil needs it. If you squeeze the soil and it holds together, it does not need water. Water deeply, not shallowly.
We offer free growing guides for apples, plums, pears, peaches, figs, lemons, oranges, and cherries. See fruit growing guides here.
• • • •
Courtesy of GrannyMoonsMorningFeast
To the Romans, this day was called Dies Mercurii, or “Mercury’s day” Mercury was a popular character in the Roman pantheon. A messenger of the gods, he presided over commerce, trade, and anything that required skill or dexterity. The Celts also worshiped Mercury and eventually equated him with the Norse god Odin (some spelling variations on this name include Wotan, Wodin, and Wodan). In Norse mythologies, Odin, like Mercury, is associated with poetry and music. Interestingly enough, both Odin and Mercury were regarded as psychopomps, or the leaders of souls, in their individual mythologies.
Odin, one of the main gods in Norse mythology, was constantly seeking wisdom. He traveled the world in disguise as a one-eyed man with a long gray beard, wearing an old, beat-up hat and carrying a staff or a spear (which brings to my mind images of Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings). In the Old English language, this day of Mercury evolved into Wodnes daeg, “Woden’s day,” or Wednesday.
Wednesday carries all of the planetary and magickal energies and associations of the witty and nimble god Mercury himself. Some of these mercurial traits included good communication skills, cleverness, intelligence, creativity, business sense, writing, artistic talent, trickiness, and thievery. And don’t forget all of those wise and enigmatic qualities associated with the Norse god Odin/Wodin, not to mention the goddess Athena’s contributions of music, the arts, handmade crafts, and writing. Wednesdays afford excellent opportunities for seeking wisdom, changing your circumstances, and improving your skills, be they in trade and commerce, music and art, or in communication and writing.
Source:
Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan
Wednesdays are wild and wacky days. They are for communication, change, cunning, and the arts. This is a Mercury day, and just its patron god this day is full of contradictions, change, and excitement. Some suggestions for Wednesday enchantments would include:
•Pulling a little Wednesday color magic into your life by wearing purples or orange
•Carrying a multipurpose agate with you and tapping into its various charms
•Working with magical plants such as the fern for protection. This plant will also boost the power of any other magical plants with which it is arranged.
•Incorporating lavender into charms and spells for transformation
•Using the charming scent of lily of the valley to improve your memory, or working with the aspen tree for communication
•Calling on Athena, patron of arts and crafts, for inspiration for a new project
•Fanning out a Tarot spell to increase you creativity
•Calling on Hermes on a Wednesday night to bring movement and good luck into your life
Earth Day- Partake in local festivities. Do your recycling. Adopt a new green practice at home.
Earth Day. This is a day dedicated to Mother Earth and a time for Witches throughout the world to perform Gaia-healing rituals. The first Earth Day took place in 1970 as a result of the Ecology Movement of that time, and since then it has been held each year to help encourage recycling programs and the use of solar energy, and to increase community awareness of important environmental issues.
Earth Day: The first Earth Day, was created by John McConnell and proclaimed by the City of San Francisco on March 21, 1970. Now commonly celebrated on April 22, this is a time for thanksgiving and celebration of Mother Earth and a time for dedication and commitment to the care of our planet. Celebrations have expanded to include the entire month of April as Earth Month.
“The earth will continue to regenerate its life sources only as long as we and all the peoples of the world do our part to conserve its natural resources. It is a responsibility which every human being shares. Through voluntary action, each of us can join in building a productive land in harmony with nature.” ~ President Gerald Ford, proclaiming March 21st as Earth Day
Babylonia: Festival of Ishtarh– in honor of the Goddess of Love, War, Fertility, Childbirth, and Healing.
Greece: Festival of Elaphebolia
Slavic Pagan: Lela’s Holiday – Berezozol (April) 22. Today is the feast day to honor the Goddess-Daughter, Lela. In Scandinavia, this day is celebrated in Odin’s (Woden’s) Honor. That says to us that Lela was one of the important Slavic Goddesses. Say a toast in honor of this Deity.
••••
Courtesy of GrannyMoonsMorningFeast
Mercury/Neptune/Air/North/West/Southwest/Female/Male/Gemini/Virgo
Magickal Intentions: Communication, Divination, Writing, Knowledge, Business Transactions, Debt, Fear, Loss, Travel, Money Matters
Color: black, light blue, brown, gray, green, magenta, orange, peach, purple, red, silver, turquoise, violet, white, yellow; orange is the primary color
Number: 3, 5
Metal: mercury
Charm: distaff, rod, runes, staff, iridescent garments
Stone: moss agate, amethyst, bloodstone, emerald, hematite, lapis lazuli, lodestone, pearl, ruby, sapphire, sodalite, all blue stones
Animal: bear, dog, fox, magpie, swan, weasel
Plant: almond, bayberry, chamomile, cherry, cinnamon, cinquefoil, clove, coltsfoot, ginger, hazel, hazelnut, jasmine, lavender, millet, oak, peppermint, periwinkle, rosemary, sage, St. John’s wort, sweet pea, tamarind, lemon verbena, violet
Incense: cassia, cedar, cinnamon, clove, frankincense, jasmine, lavender, mastic, mint, rosemary, sage, sandalwood, storax, dried and powdered citrus peel, and all incense made from aromatic bark, wood, and seeds
Goddess: Carmenta, Hecate (Queen of Crossroads), Hel, Ishtar, Ma’at, the Morrigan, Nike
God: Anubis, Bragi, Elath-Iahu. Enki, Garuda, Hermes, Maximon (Black Magician), Mercury, Nebo (Wise God of Wednesday), Odin, Shango, Ullr, Vishnu, Wayland, Woden
Evocation: Agrat Bat Mahalat, Michael, Miel, Raphael, Seraphiel, Tiriel
Courtesy of Moonlight Musings
Seasons of the Witch – Legends and Lore, Ancient HolidaysRemember The Ancient Ways and Keep Them Holy!
• • • •.
Goddess Month of Columbina begins 3/20 – 4/17
Month of Maia begins 4/18 – 5/15
Celtic Tree Month of Willow April 15 – May 12
• • • •
April Moon Phases
First Quarter falls on Saturday, 25 April, 2015 at 7:56 PM
• • • •
The Year Is Divided Into Four Seasons:
The first season is of a frigid complexion, and this is “Winter”;
The second is of the complexion of Air, and this is “Spring”;
Then follows the third, which is “Summer”, and is of the complexion of Fire;
Lastly, there is the fourth, wherein fruits are matured, which is “Autumn”.
~The Turba Philosophorum, ca. 12 century
• • • •
Courtesy of GrannyMoonsMorningFeast
Wednesday (Mercury): The conscious mind, study, travel, divination, and wisdom.
Waxing Moon
The Waxing Moon is the ideal time for magick to draw things toward you.
Moon phase: First Quarter
Moon Sign: Gemini
Gemini: Things begun now are easily changed by outside influence. Time for shortcuts, communication, games, and fun.
Incense: Bay laurel
Color: Yellow
Be bold and daring today! Expand your knowledge of the Craft by working with the planetary energies of Mercury on this multifaceted day of the week. Consider the Greco-Roman gods Mercury and Hermes and all of the many lessons they have for you. Embrace change and movement, and work on your communication techniques. Conjure up a little good luck for yourself with that Mercury dime spell. Call on Athena to inspire you to try magickal arts and crafts and to be more creative in your own spellwork and witchery.
Meditate on Odin and see what you can discover about him. I wonder what sort of fabulous and fascinating magickal wisdom you will uncover? Odin is a shaman, after all; he may appear in many guises and faces. I guarantee that he will make you laugh at yourself before he is through with you, but you will learn. It’s up to you what you do with that knowledge. Will you let it shapeshift into wisdom?
Wednesday is the wild and wily day of the week, so try to go with the flow; don’t fight the quirky energies of the day. Most importantly, follow your heart, and always keep a good sense of humor, because of Wednesdays you will really need it.
Book of Witchery: Spells, Charms & Correspondences for Every Day of the Week
Ellen Dugan
Wednesday: Is associated with Mercury and the colors of Purple, Magenta and Silver
Wednesday is the best time to deal with such matters as: Accounting, Advertising, Astrology, Clerks, Communication, Computers, Correspondence, Critics, Editing, Editors, Education, Healing, Hiring Employees, Intelligence, Journalists, Kin, Learning Languages, Legal Appointments, Memory, Merchants, Messages, Music, Neighbors, Phone Calls, Placing Ads, Siblings, Signing Contracts, Students, Visiting Friends, Visual Arts, Wisdom, and Writing
Practical Magick for the Penny Pinching Witch
Carol Moyer
Wed. 4/22 Chatty Gemini Moon loosens tongues. Intense Mercury trine Pluto AM and Conjunct Mars PM makes for and facilitates impactful ideas.
Thu. 4/23 Caring Cancer Moon warms hearts, says take a friend to lunch.
Fri. 4/24 Motherly Cancer Moon brings sympathy to all.
Sat. 4/25 Romantic Leo Moon says have a fun date with a someone.
Sun. 4/26 Playful Leo Moon says have a good time one and all.
Mon. 4/27 Creative Leo Moon says make work into play.
Tue. 4/28 Efficient Virgo Moon says clean up, clear out,. get it done.
Wed. 4/29 Diligent Virgo Moon says it’s a good day for organizing.
Thu. 4/30 Artistic Libra Moon suggests a trip to a museum. Mercury into Gemini enhances communication for the next several weeks.
Contact tashahal@gmail.com
Courtesy of GrannyMoonsMorningFeast
Witches Of The Craft® 
You must be logged in to post a comment.