Author: ladyoftheabyss

Let’s Talk Witch – “What do spells and rituals of witchcraft and magic really do for me?” c.2015 by Lady Abyss

 “What do spells and rituals of witchcraft and magic really do or me?”

Hopefully, by the time you reach the end of this book, you will be able to answer that question for yourself. In the meantime, the following is a short list of benefits you can gain from doing regular witchcraft spells and rituals.

Disrupt the Trance of Everyday Life

Your practice should shift you out of the well-worn mental pathways of your daily life. The spells and rituals you do should make you pause in your day, be conscious and aware of who you are, where you are, and what your aims are. Any spells, consciously performed, should prevent you from being a purely mechanical robot.

Connect You with Spirit

Staying connected to Spirit is essential to attracting what you really want in your life. You can connect with Spirit through any or all of the spells and rituals described in this book. Any spell that quiets the mind or puts us in touch with physical sensation will bring us into contact with Spirit.

Help You Access Powers and Beings

Creating what we want in life is much easier when we have help. A daily practice of witchcraft or magic that puts you in contact with angels, guides, totem Spirits, and other helpers can increase your ability to attract what you want in life. Remember that there is a helpful being for just about anything you want— don’t be afraid to ask!

Help You Remember What You Want

Many of us go through our days in a reactionary mode— we are not choosing our thoughts and actions so much as we are reacting to the stimulus around us. Daily performance of magical rituals and spells helps us remember what we really want in life, and keeps us from sabotaging ourselves with unwanted reactions. For instance, if your goal is to create peace and harmony in life, a daily witchcraft practice can keep you in touch with Spirit, reminding you not to react angrily to your co-worker’s insults.

Be in Accordance with Universal Principles

Doing daily spells and rituals that are designed with Universal principles in mind is much more effective than those that are not— plus, they are guaranteed to be safe. Sound spells follow Rules of the Road, principles such as “as above, so below,“ and four element principles. For instance, if you’re designing a ritual to help you gain knowledge, you want to work with the principles of the magical element Air. If you want a ritual that will help you act, you want to work with Fire.

Source: Learn How to Do Witchcraft Rituals and Spells with Your Bare Hands

Alan G. Joel

 

Let’s Talk Witch -Raising Power c. 2013 by Lady Abyss

 

 

Let’s Talk Witch -Raising Power

Anyone can cast a powerful spell. If you think you’re not powerful enough or not magickal enough, or if you’re still a little skeptical about Witchcraft, don’t worry about it.

You will still be able to perform very effective magick, if you can follow some very simple rules. These rules are very important principles that will underlie in all magickal spells you ever perform.

Magick, using tools and words and spells, just enhances this natural ability that your mind has to attract.

Magick lets you powerfully attract what you want, and it works because of the Law of Attraction.

The key is to make sure that everything you do is in line with your goals. All your thoughts, all your actions, and everything you do should be in agreement with what you are trying to attract.

You must think positive and imagine the reality you wish to achieve with your spell.

Your spells will not work unless you put your entire being into achieving your goal.

Magic without the proper intention is just a bunch of rhyming words.

When you do magic, you want it work for you.

Always make sure that you avoid anything that contradicts or goes against the purpose of your spell.

Make negative statement will cancel out any positive energy created by your spell. The means that the spell won’t work.

When you cast a spell, you need to be confident that it will succeed. In fact, the more confident you are, the more successful you spell is likely to be.

Let’s Talk Witch – Altars and Circles, Oh My! c. 2013 by Lady Abyss


Let’s Talk Witch – Altars and Circles, Oh My!

When practicing Witchcraft the two most common elements that we all have in common are the magick circle and the altar.

Let’s talk about how to set up your own magick circle and altar.

The circle is a powerful Witch’s tool. It’s the space where your magick happens. It is a sacred space that only you can create for yourself.

The magick circle has been used by witches and other magicians of various cultures: American Indians, Babylonians, and many others have used the magick circle.

The magick circle protects the witch from the forces that he or she is raising. It’s also used to shut out any energy or forces from outside which will interfere with the ritual.

The circle also contains your own personal power while you are working magick, holding and channeling it or your purposes.

Essentially the circle creates the atmosphere for all the magick you will do. It is a sphere of energy that forms the boundaries of your magickal space.

You will need some kind of way of marking the boundaries of your circle.

You can use a long piece of cord, or if you are outdoors, draw a circle of chalk, or use other objects to mark the outside of your circle.

Traditionally, a magick circle is nine feet in diameter. If you have space constraints, make it as big or as small as you are able to.

As you set up your circle, try to feel its energy moving around you. Focus on creating your perfect magickal space, the place where you can access your true power.

Once you have your circle, it’s time to decide what will go inside it.

The altar is the space where your tools will go. It can be made of anything, but wood is the best choice. Your altar doesn’t have to be fancy.

It can be a cardboard box covered with cloth, two cinder blocks with a board on top, a small coffee table or even a large, flat rock.

Traditionally, the altar is set in the center of the circle, facing North.

But what items will go on your altar, and where should you place them?

On the left side of the altar you place items such as your crystal, your cauldron(if it will fit), and a silver or white candle.

Your broom also goes on the left side, next to the altar.

On the right side is the place for your magick wand and your incense.

You can be as creative as you wish with your altar. Make it personal, and choose items which are both powerful and meaningful to you.

In the middle you can place some flowers if you like, plus all the ingredients you will need for your spell. Don’t forget matches for the candles, and a place to put the used matches.

Make sure you have all your spell ingredients ready before you begin, so that you do not have to leave the circle once you have started your ritual.

The altar is where you will do your spell casting. That’s why it’s in the center of the circle—it’s the focal point of your ritual.

Again, how you choose to do this is up to you. There’s no one right way to set up an altar.

All that matters is that you choose items that are magickally powerful and that you feel a connection with.

The magick will do the rest.

A Little Humor for Your Day

Signs That You Drink Too Much Coffee

You answer the door before people knock.

Juan Valdez named his donkey after you.

You ski uphill.

You grind your coffee beans in your mouth.

You haven’t blinked since the last lunar eclipse.

You lick your coffeepot clean.

You’re the employee of the month at the local coffeehouse and you don’t even work there.

Your eyes stay open when you sneeze.

You chew on other people’s fingernails.

Your T-shirt says, “Decaffeinated coffee is the devil’s blend.”

You can type sixty words per minute… with your feet.

You can jump-start your car without cables.

No-Doze is a downer.

You don’t need a hammer to pound nails.

Your only source of nutrition comes from “Sweet & Low.”

You don’t sweat, you percolate.

You buy half-and-half by the barrel.

You’ve worn out the handle on your favorite mug.

You go to AA meetings just for the free coffee.

You walk twenty miles on your treadmill before you realize it’s not plugged in.

You forget to unwrap candy bars before eating them.

Charles Manson thinks you need to calm down.

You’ve built a miniature city out of little plastic stirrers.

People get dizzy just watching you.

You’ve worn the finish off your coffee table.

The Taster’s Choice couple wants to adopt you.

Starbucks owns the mortgage on your house.

Your taste buds are so numb you could drink your lava lamp.

Instant coffee takes too long.

When someone says “How are you?”, you say, “Good to the last drop.”

You want to be cremated just so you can spend the rest of eternity in a coffee can.

Your birthday is a national holiday in Brazil.

You’re offended when people use the word “brew” to mean beer.

You have a picture of your coffee mug on your coffee mug.

You can thread a sewing machine, while it’s running.

You can outlast the Energizer bunny.

You short out motion detectors.

You don’t even wait for the water to boil anymore.

Your nervous twitch registers on the Richter scale.

You think being called a “drip” is a compliment.

You don’t tan, you roast.

You can’t even remember your second cup.

You help your dog chase its tail.

 I hope the rest of your and your family day and evening is relaxing, filled with fun, laughter, some me time, and love.

If you want to see information on any tradition of witchcraft, herbs, flowers, a Goddess or a God, or anything pertaining to any tradition of witchcraft, please put it in the comment section or email Lady Carla Beltane at ladybeltane@witchesofthecraft.com. I will try to find some information to post about it.

Merry part until we merry meet again tomorrow!

A Little Laugh for Your Day – “Thou Hast Just Received A Virus, lol” c2015

Thou hast just received the Amish Virus.

As we haveth no technology nor programming experience, this virus worketh on the honour system.

Please delete all the files from thy hard drive and manually forward this virus to all on thy mailing list.

We thank thee for thy cooperation.

— The Amish Computer Engineering Dept.

(I hope the rest of your and your family day and evening is relaxing, filled with fun, laughter, some me time, and love.

If you want to see information on any tradition of witchcraft, herbs, flowers, a Goddess or a God, or anything pertaining to any tradition of witchcraft, please put it in the comment section or email Lady Carla Beltane at ladybeltane@witchesofthecraft.com. I will try to find some information to post about it.

Merry part until we merry meet again tomorrow!)

A Little Humor for Your Day – “How To Give A Cat A Pill Plus Bonus Instructions!” c.2016

How To Give A Cat A Pill

(with bonus instructions on how to give a dog a pill)

How to Give a Cat a Pill

  1. Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat’s mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.
  2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.
  3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.
  4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.
  5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from yard.
  6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat’s throat vigorously.
  7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.
  8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.
  9. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink one beer to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse’s forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.
  10. Retrieve cat from neighbor’s shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with rubber band.
  11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of Scotch. Pour shot, drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw tee-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.
  12. Call fire department to retrieve the friggin’ cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil-wrap.
  13. Tie the dang thing’s front paws to rear paws with twine and bind tightly to leg of dining room table, find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of steak. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour two pints of water down throat to wash pill down.
  14. Consume remainder of Scotch. Get spouse to drive you to emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.
  15. Arrange for Humane Society to collect mutant cat and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.

How to Give a Dog a Pill

  1. Wrap it in bacon.

 

For more great Pagan humor, visit Turok’s Cabana

Myths and legends about St. Patrick’s Day c.2017

 

Myths and legends about St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day is that one day of the year when everybody is Irish.. .or at least pretends to be. But what does that actually entail? When it comes to St. Patrick’s Day history, the US has all kinds of traditions that, frankly, aren’t even Irish. Who was Saint Patrick anyway? And what myths and legends about this Irish holiday have we all been blindly thinking are true for years? This list of St. Patrick’s Day facts will separate myth from reality and let you in on how this green (or maybe blue?!) holiday is really celebrated in Ireland.

You might be surprised to know that if you were an actual Irish person living in Ireland even a few decades ago, it would involve not shenanigans and drinking green beer, but solemn prayer and abstaining from alcohol. And you certainly wouldn’t be going to a parade, picking four-leaf clovers or hanging out with leprechauns. And the namesake of the holiday, Ireland’s patron saint… wasn’t actually Irish (or even British!).

Shocked? Surprised? Jonesing for a Guinness? It’s okay, you just need to get the facts straight about what’s real and what’s pop culture myth when it comes to this leprechaun-laden holiday. Upvote the most interesting St. Patrick’s Day trivia below!
1. St. Patrick Was Not Born in Ireland

THE MYTH: St. Patrick was Irish.

THE REALITY: Though one of Ireland’s great icons, Patrick himself wasn’t Irish. In fact, we know little of Patrick’s life except from two letters that are generally attributed to him. What we do know is that he was born somewhere in the British Isles (where exactly depends on which account you read) circa 390 and didn’t come to the Emerald Isle until he was 16. That’s when he was kidnapped and enslaved by Irish pirates.

He was brought to Ireland and held as a slave for six years, with traditional accounts saying he was a shepherd in County Antrim. He eventually escaped after claiming to have heard a heavenly voice and fled to England, where he continued the religious awakening that began during his escape.

2. Christianity Was Already Thriving in Ireland

THE MYTH: St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland.

THE REALITY: In 431, Pope Celestine is said to have sent a bishop named Palladius “to the Irish believing in Christ.” Patrick didn’t come back to Ireland until a year later, in 432. This would indicate that there was already an active Christian community there. In fact, Palladius actually fits into some theories about Patrick’s life – namely, that the modern version of St. Patrick is an amalgam of the two men. There were numerous other clerics active in Ireland at the time, and many Irish churches are dedicated to some of these bishops.

3. Ireland Never Had Snakes to Drive Out

THE MYTH: St. Patrick drove out the snakes from Ireland.

THE REALITY: In all probability, Ireland probably never had snakes to begin with. Before the last Ice Age, Ireland was simply too cold for snakes to survive, then when the glaciers receded, it left the land an island, impossible for snakes to reach. Fossil records from the country corroborate this, as no evidence of snakes has ever been found among the animals living there.

The legend that Patrick stood on an Irish hillside and delivered a thundering sermon that drove the island’s serpents into the sea is probably just an allegory for his eradication of pagan ideology – with snakes standing in for the serpents of Druid mythology.

4. The Shamrock May or May Not Be Apocryphal

THE MYTH: St. Patrick used the three-leaf clover to explain the Holy Trinity to Irish pagans.

THE REALITY: The parable of the three-leaf clover standing in for the Father, Son and Holy Ghost is one of the things that’s pretty hard to prove either way. What we do know is that clovers were already important in paganism, with their green color representing rebirth. Three was also an important number in paganism, and in ancient religions in general, with a number of “triple deities” represented in everything from Hindu mysticism to Sumerian gods. So if Patrick did use the clover to explain the Trinity, he already had some of the heavy lifting done for him.

5. St. Patrick’s Day Was a Dry Holiday in Ireland

THE MYTH: Irish people get hammered on St. Patrick’s Day.

THE REALITY: Ireland has a robust pub culture, and they gave the world the miracle of Guinness. But that doesn’t mean they all get blotto on St. Patrick’s Day. In fact, for most of the 20th century, pubs were legally closed on March 17th, since it was considered a religious holiday, meant as a solemn day of national piety (not to mention it falls right in the middle of Lent.)

Those laws were finally taken off the books in the late ’60s, but even then, the Irish didn’t drink green beer. That pleasure was reserved for their American cousins.

6. St. Patrick Wasn’t Even English

THE MYTH: St. Patrick was British.

THE REALITY: Technically, he was a Roman citizen, as the British Isles were under Roman rule at that point. His father and grandfather were active in Roman Christianity, but Patrick didn’t truly become a believer until after his escape. Some scholars believe his family was Roman aristocracy, and possibly even hailed from Italy, but nobody knows for sure. Even his name is in dispute, as later documents, from after Patrick’s time, list his birth name as “Maewyn Succat.” His two letters are signed by “Patricius,” and he probably adopted the name Patrick from the Latin for “well born.”

7. Leprechauns Have Nothing to Do with St. Patrick’s Day

THE MYTH: Leprechauns are inexorably linked with St. Patrick’s Day

THE REALITY: While the little green, red-bearded troublemakers are an important part of Irish folklore in general, they have literally nothing to do with the historical St. Patrick’s Day. Leprechauns didn’t appear in Irish literature until the Middle Ages, well after Patrick’s return to Ireland. While you’ll probably see drawings of leprechauns during your St. Patrick’s Day shenanigans, it’s not because of their link to the holiday, it’s just because they make a handy representation of “something Irish” – mostly due to pop culture depictions.

8. Green Wasn’t Always the Traditional St. Patrick’s Day Color

THE MYTH: Green is the color associated with St. Patrick’s Day.

THE REALITY: It is now, but it wasn’t always. Ireland itself might live up to the idea of being an Emerald Isle, but the use of green to celebrate Sr. Patrick’s Day is a recent invention, probably from the 18th century, when supporters of Irish independence from England used the color to represent their cause. Knights in the Order of St. Patrick actually wore a color known as St. Patrick’s blue – a deep and rich blue (Pantone 295, to be exact) that served as the background for the Kingdom of Ireland’s coat of arms.

9. Irish People Don’t Really Eat Much Corned Beef

THE MYTH: Corned beef and cabbage are the traditional St. Patrick’s Day feast.

THE REALITY: In America, sure. But debates rage as to whether or not this is actually a traditional Irish meal. Proponents say it is, based on the curing of ham to use on long ocean voyages. Others say it’s a more American twist on traditional Irish cuisine.

The truth is somewhere in the middle. The Irish, like pretty much everyone else, would salt-cure meat – but cows were expensive and needed for producing milk, so they’d rarely be slaughtered for food. Irish corned beef was extremely popular in England in the first half of the 1800s, but it was far too expensive for rural Irish tenant farmers to eat.

However, Irish immigrants in New York City’s Lower East Side couldn’t get the pork they were used to eating, as it was much more expensive in the US. So they bought corned beef from their Jewish neighbors because it was cheaper. The corned beef found in pubs and on dinner tables in America is much closer to traditional deli corned beef than what was for sale in Ireland 200 years ago.

10. It’s Not That Big of a Deal in Ireland

THE MYTH: Ireland pulls out all the stops to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

THE REALITY: They don’t, at least not the way Americans do. Until the 1700s, St. Patrick’s Day was simply one of many Roman Catholic feasts, and was only observed in Ireland. There was no raucous drinking of green beer, or kissing anyone because they were Irish. Like all feasts, it was spent somberly praying at home or in church.

But when large numbers of Irish immigrants came to America, they pushed back against nativist anti-Irish sentiment by organizing parades and other displays of pride centered around March 17th. The first was in Boston in 1737, with New York following suit. Ireland itself never had a St. Patrick’s Day parade until the 1930s. With anti-Irish bigotry having subsided, the holiday is now simply seen as a celebration of Irish culture, cuisine, and history.

11. The Shamrock and the Four-Leaf Clover Are Different

THE MYTH: The shamrock is the symbol of St. Patrick’s Day, but for extra luck, you really want a four-leaf clover – which is also Irish.

THE REALITY: Four-leaf clovers are prized for their rarity, and as such, are thought to bring great luck. But the difference between the shamrock and the four-leaf clover is more than just a leaf – one is a symbol of national pride, and the other… isn’t.

The four-leaf clover isn’t intrinsically Irish in any way, being a universal symbol for good fortune – and one that can be found everywhere. In fact, the clover with the most leaves in history (56, to be exact) was found in Moroka, Japan in 2009.

12. Chicago Can’t Dye the River Blue

THE MYTH: Chicago dyes the Chicago River green for St. Patrick’s Day, so why don’t they dye it blue the rest of year?

THE REALITY: The Windy City does dye the Chicago River green on St. Patrick’s Day, which they started doing in 1962. But as for dyeing it blue the rest of the year… bodies of water are the color they are because of the light that gets filtered through the water, not because of what’s in them. Fill a glass of water from the Chicago River, and it’ll be neither green nor blue, but clear. Also, please don’t drink it.

13. You Probably Don’t Want to Kiss the Blarney Stone

THE MYTH: You kiss the Blarney Stone on St. Patrick’s Day to get the gift of gab.

THE REALITY: The Blarney Stone is another one of those intrinsically “Irish” things that people use as shorthand for Irish culture. But it has nothing to do with St. Patrick, as Blarney Castle wasn’t built until 1446, a thousand years after the time of St. Patrick. As an aside, both native Irish people and hygiene experts agree that actually kissing the Blarney Stone is incredibly unsanitary and quite overrated as a tourist destination.

St. Patrick’s Day: Why He Slaughtered the Druids c. 2017

 

St. Patrick’s Day: Why He Slaughtered the Druids

St. Patrick was born around 450 AD on the Scottish border. His father was a Christian Roman soldier and his mother was a native British woman. Only two of his letters survive telling details about his life. When he was fourteen to sixteen years old, he was taken into captivity in Ireland by the Irish raiders in Britain; he tended cattle for more than six years. In this time of captivity, he drew closer to God before finally escaping on a trading ship. He returned years later to spread Catholicism throughout Ireland while destroying the Druids who resisted Roman and British rule in Ireland. Because he believed so strongly in the Catholic Church, he thought that anyone who was not Christian had to become one in order to be ³saved´. Those who resisted were slaughtered in the Christian holy wars of Gaul

 

The Irish people at that time were happy and doing quite well. However, St.Patrick was insistent that the Pagan Celts convert to Christianity. He noticed that the Druids were the most powerful people of the Celts, so he figured that if he could convert them, then the rest of the people would follow. When the Druids refused to be bribed by the Romans, this angered the rulers of the Catholic Church.St. Patrick declared that he would drive all of the snakes out of Ireland. ³Snakes´was a metaphor for the Druids.
Since the Druids did not write their teachings down, all we know about them is was handed down to us by the Romans. It was often said that the Celts were heathens who could not read or write, but they did know how to read and write in Greek. While they didn¶t write down the secret teachings of the Druids, they were expected to memorize the knowledge. Julius Caesar had this to say about the Druids:
The Druids usually hold aloof from war, and do not pay war-taxes with the rest; they are excused from military service and exempt from all liabilities. Tempted by these great rewards, many young men assemble of their own motion to receive their training; many are sent by parents and relatives. Report says that in the schools of the Druids. They learn by heart a great number of verses, and therefore some persons remain twenty years in training. And they do not think it proper to commit these utterances to writing,although in almost all other matters, and in their private and public accounts, they make use of Greek letters. I believe that they have adopted the practice for two reasons ± that they do not wish the rule to become common property, nor those who learn the rule to rely on writing and so neglect the cultivation of the memory;and, in fact, it does usually happen that the assistance of writing tends to relax the diligence of the student and the action of the memory. The cardinal doctrine which they seek to teach is that souls do not die, but after death pass from one to another; and this belief, as the fear of death is thereby cast aside, they hold to be the greatest incentive to valour. (Caesar The Gallic War VI.13-14)

 

We do know that Druidism was a science and not a religion. It was the study of the relationships between opposites: summer and winter, men and women,consciousness and unconsciousness, force and matter. Some of the main tenets:

*Every action has a consequence that must be observed and you must be prepared to compensate for your actions if required.
* Life is sacred and all are responsible for seeing that this standard is upheld.

*You do still live in society and are bound by its rules.

*Work with high standards.

*Make an honest living.

*Be a good host as well as a good guest.

*Take care of yourself. (Health was held in high esteemamongst the Celts, so much that a person could be finedfor being grossly overweight due to lack of care.)

*Serve your community.

*Maintain a healthy balance of the spiritual and mundane.(Nihtscad writes: Ethical and self respecting Druids did nothing without being properly schooled or aware of the consequences ahead of time. They knew when it was appropriate to visit the Otherworld and immerse themselves in the spiritual as well as when it was appropriate to be fully in this world.

*Uphold the Truth, starting with yourself.

*Be sure in your convictions, particularly when judging or accusing someone, but also when debating. Ask yourself:are you really sure? Do you really know that this the case?

 

One part of the Druid class were the ³Bards´, whose job it was to remember all of the history of the people. The Celts did not rely on a written language because they memorized the songs and poetry of the Bards. The Irish believed that history was very important, for if you didn¶t remember what had happened in the past, you couldn¶t safely plan for the future.Druid priests were the keepers of the knowledge of
Earth and Spirits. It was their responsibility to learn the spirit world in order to keep people in harmony with nature. Priests performed marriages, baptisms, and acted as psychiatrists and doctors.The Romans considered the Celts to be good fighters. In 300 BC, Alexander the Great considered it prudent to treat the Celts as equals. In the fourth century,Ammianus Marcellinus, a Byzantine writer, wrote of the Celts:
Nearly all the Gaels are of a lofty stature, fair and of ruddy complexion:terrible from the sternness of their eyes, and of great pride and insolence. A whole troop of foreigners would not be able to withstand a single Gaul if he called his wife to his assistance, which is usually very strong and with blue eyes.

 

Ancient Celtic women could be warriors. Legend says that Scathach, a female warrior from Isle of Skye in Scotland, trained a great Irish hero, Cuchilainn. Boudicca, a red-haired queen of the British Iceni tribe, led a revolt against the Romans following her husband¶s death.During large battles, the Celts had a strategy to terrify their opponents: they blew war horns, they roared, they rumbled chariots, they banged their swords on their shields, and then they attacked the enemy. These tactics did not work against the well-trained Romans who were trained to resist the attacks of their enemies. The Celts became disheartened by their inability to break the Romans quickly. The main reason why the Celts lost the war was due to the fact that they were not united. Clans attacked farms and stole cattle and other goods during the battles.This caused many Celts to view their own clans as enemies and kept them from uniting as a people. They did not understand how important it was to fight together as an army against the Romans.St. Patrick destroyed the influence of the Druids by destroying the sacred sites of the people and building churches and monasteries where the Druids used to live and teach. Instead of hearing the teachings and advice of the Druids, the people began to hear the teachings of Rome. Because the Druids were the only ones who were taught to remember the history, with the Druids dead and their influence broken, the history was forgot

 

By killing off the teachers and the wise ones, Catholicism could be spread. For this mass conversion of a culture to Christianity, and for the killing of thousands of innocent people, Patrick was made a Saint by his church.

March Full Moon Correspondences

Most common name is the Worm Moon

(one Person’s View) Candle Colors and Their Correspondences c 2012

Color Meanings

Red: Stength, Energy, Passion, Love, Courage, Career Goals,Healing,Power,Willpower
Blue: Peace,Truth, Sleep, Healing, Hope, Friendship,Protection,Calm,Creativity,Patience,Wisdom
Yellow: Mental Powers, New Home,Charm, Confidence,Visions, Attraction,Mental Powers
Orange: Success,Sitmulate energy, Justice, Attraction,Seal a Spell
Green: Healing, Succes, Good Luck, Beauty, Money,
Pink: Love, Fidelity, Friendship, Honor,Harmony
Gold: Solar Deities,Attraction
Brown: Animal Magic, Locate Lost Objects, Home,Herb Magic,Friendship
Gray: Neutral,Glamories
Purple: Psychic Ability, Success, Wisdom,Power, Spiritualy Growth,Independence
White: Truth,Peace, Purity, Lunar Magic,Proetection,Happiness, Masculine Divine
Silver: Encourage,Remove Negativity,Quick Money,Gambling,Monn magic
Black: Binding, Repelling,Protection

The Ethics of Love Spells by Mike Nichols c 2013

The Ethics of Love Spells    
      
   by Mike Nichols
by Mike Nichols

To gain the love of someone: On a night of the full moon, walk to a spot beneath your beloved’s bedroom window, and whisper his/her name three times to the nightwind. –Ozark love spell

It seems to be an immutable law of nature. You are interviewed by a local radio or TV station, or in some local newspaper. The topic of the interview is Witchcraft or Paganism, and you spend the better part of an hour brilliantly articulating your beliefs, your devotion to Goddess and nature, the difference between Witchcraft and Satanism, and generally enlightening the public at large. The next day, you are flooded with calls. Is it people complimenting you on such a splendid interview? No. People wanting to find out more about the religion of Wicca? Huh-uh. People who are even vaguely interested in what you had to say??? Nope. Who is it? It’s people asking you to do a love spell for them!

This used to drive me nuts. I’d take a deep breath and patiently explain (for the thousandth time) why I won’t even do love spells for myself, let alone anyone else. This generally resulted in my caller becoming either angry or defensive, but seldom more enlightened. ‘But don’t you DO magic?’, they ask. ‘Only occasionally,’ I answer. ‘And aren’t most magic spells love spells?’, they persist. That was the line I really hated, because I knew they were right! At least, if you look at the table of contents of most books on magic, you’ll find more love spells than any other kind. This seems as true for the medieval grimoire as for the modern drugstore paperback.

Why? Why so many books containing so many love spells? Why such an emphasis on a kind of magic that I, personally, have always considered very negative? And to make matters even more confusing, the books that do take the trouble of dividing spells between ‘positve’ and ‘negative’ magic invariably list love spells under the first heading. After all, they would argue, love is a good thing. There can never be too much of it. Therefore, any spell that brings about love must be a GOOD spell. Never mind that the spell puts a straightjacket on another’s free will, and then drops it in cement for good measure

And that is why I had always assumed love magic to be negative magic. Years ago, one of the first things I learned as a novice Witch was something called the Witch’s Rede, a kind of ‘golden rule’ in traditional Witchcraft. It states, ‘An it harm none, do what thou will.’ One uses this rede as a kind of ethical litmus test for a spell. If the spell brings harm to someone — anyone (including yourself!) — then don’t do it! Unfortunately, this rule contains a loophole big enough to fly a broom through. It’s commonly expressed, ‘Oh, this won’t HARM them; it’s really for their own good.’ When you hear someone say that, take cover, because something especially nasty is about to happen.

That’s why I had to develop my own version of the Witch’s Rede. Mine says that if a spell harms anyone, OR LIMITS THEIR FREEDOM OF THOUGHT OR ACTION IN ANY WAY, then consider it negative, and don’t do it. Pretty strict, you say? Perhaps. But there’s another law in Witchcraft called the Law of Threefold Return. This says that whatever power you send out, eventually comes back to you three times more powerful. So I take no chances. And love spells, of the typical make-Bobby-love-me type, definitely have an impact on another’s free will.

So why are they so common? It’s taken me years to make peace with this, but I think I finally understand. The plain truth is that most of us NEED love. Without it, our lives are empty and miserable. After our basic survival needs have been met, we must have affection and companionship for a full life. And if it will not come of its own accord, some of us may be tempted to FORCE it to come. And nothing can be as painful as loving someone who doesn’t love you back. Consequently, the most common, garden-variety spell in the world is the love spell.

Is there ever a way to do a love spell and yet stay within the parameters of the Witch’s Rede? Possibly. Some teachers have argued that if a spell doesn’t attempt to attract a SPECIFIC person into your life, but rather attempts to attract the RIGHT person, whomever that may be, then it is not negative magic. Even so, one should make sure that the spell finds people who are ‘right’ for each other — so that neither is harmed, and both are made happy.

Is there ever an excuse for the make-Bobby-love-me type of spell? Without endorsing this viewpoint, I must admit that the most cogent argument in its favor is the following: Whenever you fall in love with someone, you do everything in your power to impress them. You dress nicer, are more attentive, witty, and charming. And at the same time, you unconsciously set in motion some very powerful psychic forces. If you’ve ever walked into a room where someone has a crush on you, you know what I mean. You can FEEL it. Proponents of this school say that a love spell only takes the forces that are ALREADY there — MUST be there if you’re in love — and channels them more efficiently.

But the energy would be there just the same, whether or not you use a spell to focus it.

I won’t attempt to decide this one for you. People must arrive at their own set of ethics through their own considerations. However, I would call to your attention all the cautionary tales in folk magic about love spells gone awry. Also, if a love spell has been employed to join two people who are not naturally compatible, then one must keep pumping energy into the spell. And when one finally tires of this (and one will, because it is hard work!) then the spell will unravel amidst an emotional and psychic hurricane that will make the stormiest divorces seem calm by comparison. Not a pretty picture.

It should be noted that many spells that pass themselves off as love spells are, in reality, sex spells. Not that there’s anything surprising in that, since our most basic needs usually include sex. But I think we should be clear from the outset what kind of spell it is. And the same ethical standards used for love spells can often be applied to sex spells. Last year, the very quotable Isaac Bonewits, author of ‘Real Magic’, taught a sex magic class here at the Magick Lantern, and he tossed out the following rule of thumb: Decide what the mundane equivalent of your spell would be, and ask yourself if you could be arrested for it. For example, some spells are like sending a letter to your beloved in the mail, whereas other spells are tantamount to abduction. The former is perfectly legal and normal, whereas the latter is felonious.

One mitigating factor in your decisions may be the particular tradition of magic you follow. For example, I’ve often noticed that practitioners of Voudoun (Voodoo) and Santeria seem much more focused on the wants and needs of day-to-day living than on the abstruse ethical considerations we’ve been examining here. That’s not a value judgement — just an observation. For example, most followers of Wicca STILL don’t know how to react when a Santerian priest spills the blood of a chicken during a ritual — other than to feel pretty queasy. The ethics of one culture is not always the same as another.

And speaking of cultural traditions, another consideration is how a culture views love and sex. It has often been pointed out that in our predominant culture, love and sex are seen in very possessive terms, where the beloved is regarded as one’s personal property. If the spell uses this approach, treating a person as an object, jealously attempting to cut off all other relationships, then the ethics are seriously in doubt. However, if the spell takes a more open approach to love and sex, not attempting to limit a person’s other relationships in any way, then perhaps it is more defensible. Perhaps. Still, it might be wise to ask, Is this the kind of spell I’d want someone to cast on me?

Love spells. Whether to do them or not. If you are a practitioner of magic, I dare say you will one day be faced with the choice. If you haven’t yet, it is only a matter of time. And if the answer is yes, then which spells are ethical and which aren’t? Then you, and only you, will have to decide whether ‘All’s fair in love and war’, or whether there are other, higher, metaphysical considerations.

Document Copyright © 1988, 1998 by Mike Nichols

Love Spells – Before you can fulfill your goals through spells, you first need to take inventory of your love life. c. 2013

Love Spells

Before you can fulfill your goals through spells, you first need to take inventory of your love life. The following questions should give you a fairly clear idea about the patterns that run throughout your intimate relationships. Once you identify your patterns, it’s easier to change them.

*Describe your ideal intimate relationship.

*Describe the worst intimate relationship you ever had.

*How would you rate your present sex life If you’re involved, is your significant other romantic

*Are you romantic

*If you’re involved, is your relationship emotionally satisfying

*What, if anything, would you change about this relationship

*If you’re not involved, jot down five important

*List five things that make you feel good.

 

Loving yourself is a definite prerequisite for casting any love spell. It sounds simple enough, but so many of us have grown up believing that we aren’t worthy, aren’t attractive or intelligent enough, aren’t this or that. Before you try any love spell, spend a little time uncovering your beliefs about yourself.

If you’re holding on to negative beliefs about your worth as an individual, take a tip from author Louise Hay and adopt this simple yet powerful affirmation: “I love and approve of myself.” Say it out loud, write it out, and post it on your mirrors, your fridge, and wherever else you will see it frequently. Yes, you probably will feel a bit foolish at first, but that just means the affirmation is working. When you repeat something often enough and back it with positive, uplifting emotion, your unconscious mind gets the message.

 

Source: The Only Book of Wiccan Spells You’ll Ever Need (The Only Book You’ll Ever Need)
Singer, Marian; MacGregor, Trish (2012-08-18).

Is it OK to Perform Love Spells? c. 2017

Is it OK to Perform Love Spells?

 

Love spells. They’re one of the things that often draws new folks to Wicca and Pagan religions. However, there’s a lot of question within the Pagan community about the ethics of casting a love spell on someone else. After all, if you’re performing magic on someone without their knowledge, aren’t you messing with their free will?

Most Wiccans will tell you that the best way to approach love magic is to avoid focusing on a specific individual as a target. Instead, use your energy and skills to focus on yourself — to draw love your way, or to help you present yourself as a person worthy of love. You could use your magical abilities to feel more confident and attractive, much like a magical makeover. In other words, fix yourself, not someone else.

Bear in mind that many Pagan traditions have no restrictions on the use of magic to change someone else. If you’re part of such a tradition, the use of love magic may well be within the boundaries of your ethical guidelines. In some traditions of folk magic, love magic is perfectly acceptable. It’s something that’s done as a matter of course, and is no more unethical than wearing a sexy perfume or a cute push-up bra. Magic is viewed as a tool, and can be used in tandem with the mundane to bring you what you want — after all, if you didn’t want to change things, you wouldn’t be doing magic in the first place, right?

Before casting any sort of working that affects another person, though, be sure to think about consequences. How will your actions affect not only you, but other people? Will it ultimately cause harm? Will it cause someone to be hurt, either directly or indirectly? These are all things that should be evaluated before performing any working at all, whether it’s a love spell or some other type of magic. If your tradition or belief system prohibits you from performing magic on someone without their consent or knowledge, then you’d be better of skipping the love magic, and focusing instead on self-improvement and self-empowerment.

Rather than aiming a love spell at someone and expecting them to become your devoted servant and doormat, consider looking at love spells as a method of (a) getting someone to notice you AND (b) getting the person to, once they’ve noticed you, find all the things about you that they like. If you maintain this perspective, you should be able to work love magic and still keep within your ethical boundaries.

Source: Patti Wigington Published on ThoughtCo

Herbal Magickal Correspondences c 2013

Disclaimer: No herb should be used for medicinal purpose until you have checked with your health care professional to ask if it is safe for you to use it for any reason. The content provided on this website is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health. WitchesofTheCraft.com, any staff member of WitchesofTheCraft.com and/or Lady Carla Beltane are not responsible for any type of negative reaction when using this herb for any reason.

Herbal Magickal Correspondences

The power behind herb magic is formless, shapeless, eternal. It doesn’t care whether you call on it in the name of a Witch Goddess or the Virgin Mary – or tap it within no religious framework at all. It is always there, present in abundance no matter where we are or where we travel in the universe.
Though the power is formless, some materials contain higher concentrations of power than others; these include plants, gems, and metals. Each substance also contain different types of power, or vibrational rates. The vibrations of a piece of pine wood, for example, are far different from those of a perfect, faceted diamond.
This vibratory rate is determined by several factors: chemical make-up, form, density, and so on. The powers resident in herbs are determined by the plant’s habitat, scent, color, form, etc. Similar substances usually possess similar vibrations.
Herb magic, then, is the use of herbs to cause needed changes. These plants contain energies – each as distinct as human faces. For maximum effect, the herbs chosen for a spell should possess vibrations that match your need. Cedar is fine for attracting money, but wouldn’t be of help in a fertility spell.
How does herbal magic work? First, there must be a need. A desire often masquerades as a need, but in magic a “desire” is not enough; there must exist an all-encompassing need.
The nature of the need determines which plants are used. Attracting love, for example, is a common magical need and several dozen plants do the job. (A comprehensive list of plants and their corresponding magical needs is coming up…)
Next, a spell or ritual may need to be devised; much herb magic doesn’t need a complete spell, but some of it does. This spell may be as simple as tying up the herbs in a piece of cloth, or placing them around the base of a candle, lighting the wick, and visualizing your need.
If you wish, your spell can be complex, involving boiling water in a cauldron over a mesquite-wood fire at the edge of the desert while waiting for the Moon to rise, before throwing roots and leaves into the pot.
Third, the herbs can be enchanted to ensure that their vibrations are attuned to the need. To do this, you can simply hold the plant material in your hands and visualize aligning the vibrations of the plant(s) with your magical need.
For example: “I gather you, rosemary, herb of the sun, to increase my mental powers and concentration.”
Fourth, the spell is worked, if you choose to perform this step.
Fifth, once the spell has been worked, or the herbs enchanted and the need visualized, it should be forgotten. This allows it to “cook” and bring your need into manifestation.
When baking a cake, if you look into the oven every few minutes the cake will be spoiled. In magic, as in cooking, keep the oven door shut!
And there you have it. This is how herb magic is worked. Does it sound basic? It is. These are the first steps. As with any art, the student may take herb magic further, exploring new territories. For instance, you may wish to incorporate planetary and days-of-the-week correspondences into your herbal magic workings as well.

Agrimony Protection, banishes negative energy,        sleep(air)
Allspice Prosperity, courage, energy, strength (fire)
Almond Money, wisdom (air)
Angelica Protection, exorcism, health, meditation, divination         (fire)
Anise Protection, psychic awareness, repels evil spirits         (air)
Basil Mend        quarrels, sympathy, happiness (fire)
Benzoin resin Prosperity, astral projection, purification         (air)
Betony Protects against nightmares and despair         (fire)
Borage Psychic abilities, financial gain
Broom Used        to bless weddings (air)
Carnation Feminine energy, healing, strength (water)
Cedar Home        purification, good fortune, luck (fire)
Chamomile Love, meditation, peace (water)
Cinnamon Energy, creativity, financial matters (fire)
Clove Banishing, love (fire)
Copal resin Purification, cleansing (fire)
Damiana Love, lust (fire)
Dill Money, luck, protection (fire)
Fennel Protection, healing (fire)
Frankincense resin Exorcism, purification, spirituality (fire)
Galangal Psychic abilities, luck, money (fire)
Gardenia Love, peace, healing (water)
Ginger Success, courage, strength (fire)
Hazel Divination, psychic abilities, dreams (air)
Holly Protection, luck (fire)
Honeysuckle Healing, love, creativity (earth)
Horehound Protection, exorcism, mental clarity (air)
Hyssop Purification, repel negativity (fire)
Jasmine Dreams, sexuality (water)
Lavender Love, sleep, dreams, meditation, protection         (air)
Lemongrass Psychic abilities (air)
Lilac Protection, divination (water)
Marigold Legal matters, dreams, divination (fire)
Meadowsweet Love, peace (air)
Mint Healing, prosperity, creativity (air)
Mistletoe Protection, fertility, exorcism (fire)
Mugwort Psychic abilities, divination, protection         (earth)
Myrrh resin Purification, healing, spirituality (water)
Orris Root Love         (water)
Patchouli Money, lust, fertility (earth)
Pine Prosperity, fertility, healing (air)
Rose Love, healing, friendship (water)
Rosemary Cleansing, purification, exorcism (fire)
Rue Banishing, protection (fire)
Sage Purification, repels negativity, wisdom (air)
Sandalwood Spirituality, exorcism, healing (water)
Thyme Sleep, protection, courage (water)
Valerian Love, sleep, protection (water)
Vanilla Lust, love, courage (water)
Vervain Love, prosperity, sleep, healing, creativity         (earth)
Wormwood Scrying, divination, exorcism (fire)
Yarrow Love, psychic abilitities, banishing (water)

Herbal Teas and Their Magickal Correspondences c2015

Disclaimer: No herb should be used for medicinal purpose until you have checked with your health care professional to ask if it is safe for you to use it for any reason. The content provided on this website is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health. WitchesofTheCraft.com, any staff member of WitchesofTheCraft.com and/or Lady Carla Beltane are not responsible for any type of negative reaction when using this herb for any reason.

MAGIC HERBAL TEA CORRESPONDENCES



Anise- Calling Spirits
Bergamont- Success
Burdock Root- Purity, Protection
Chamomile- Mediation
Elder Flower- Divination
Eyebright- Mental and Psychic Power
Hyssop- Purification
Lemon (Leaves)- Lust
Lemon Balm- Health, Success
Mugwort- Divination
Mullien- Divination
Rose Hips- Psychic Power and Divination

Correspondences Every Witch Should Know – Candle Colors c.2017

Candle Colors

A basic white candle is good and covers pretty much every intent. However, if you want to add power to your intent pick a coloured candle that mirrors your objective.

Here is a basic colour guide, but it is your choice – if a colour shouts at you to be used, go with your instinct.

Abundance – green, copper, gold

Astral travel – silver, black, purple, blue

Balance – white, silver, green, rainbow

Banishing negativity – black, white, purple

Binding – red, black

Blessing or consecrating – white, lilac, light blue

Cleansing – white

Changes – dark blue, yellow, white

Closure – black

Communication – yellow, white

Confidence – brown, orange, red, yellow

Creativity – orange, yellow

Defence – black, purple, white, dark blue

Divination – gold, lilac, yellow, black

Dreams – silver, purple, dark blue

Employment – orange, brown

Energy – gold, red

Exorcism – black, purple

Fertility – green, brown

Friendship – gold, pink, brown

Gossip, to stop – black, purple, white

Happiness – yellow, pink

Healing – light blue, yellow, pink, pale green

Love – pink, red, white

Luck – green, orange, gold

Money – green, gold

Meditation – purple, white, silver

Mental clarity – yellow, orange, white

Peace – white, black, pink, light blue

Protection – black, white, blue

Psychic powers – purple, black, white, lilac

Transformation – white, orange

Spirit contact – black, purple, lilac

Strength – red, gold, orange

Success – orange, green, gold

Truth seeking – black

Wisdom – purple, black, white


Source: Pagan Portals – Kitchen Witchcraft: Crafts of a Kitchen Witch by Rachel Patterson

In Celebration of Lammas – Using Crystals for Abundance

Disclaimer: No crystal, or gem or stone should be used for medicinal purposes in place of what your health care professional has prescribed for you for any reason. The content provided on this website is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health. WitchesofTheCraft.com, any staff member of WitchesofTheCraft.com and/or Lady Carla Beltane are not responsible for any type of negative reaction when using a crystal or gem or stone for any reason.

In Celebration of Lammas – Using Crystals for Abundance

by Spiralotus

Abundance is the connection to the source of all that is; manifesting a constant flow to support, nourish and expand life as well as creativity. In Chinese Feng Shui the wealth corner is the corner farthest away and to the far left of the front door or the southeast corner, depending on what system you use. If you like to use this system you can set up crystals to attract various forms of abundance there.

Some crystals that are associated with abundance are usually green, yellow, gold or orange. However there are other stones that do not have those colors and work just as well. Yellow Sapphire is associated with Ganesh, Hindu god of prosperity. This stone attracts wealth to the home. An Abundance Crystal is a Quartz crystal with one long part and many tiny crystals at the base to encourage dreams, well-being, and love. Tiger’s Eye helps people with material things and assists by showing the best way to do something. It stimulates wealth and helps create stability to maintain wealth. Citrine should be placed in your wealth corner to attract abundance. Carnelian improves motivation and getting out of a rut. Peridot brings wealth quickly and is best for someone who already has things under control. Topaz helps you appreciate life and makes room for abundance. It taps into your own natural resources and because its facets carry both negative as well as positive charges, it helps manifest desires.

When you decide on a crystal to use cleanse it first by running it under water, charging it in the sun or moon, putting it in a pyramid, or if you are a Reiki practitioner, simply Reiki your crystal. Some people put their crystals in sea salt. This is a great way to cleanse them, just make sure the crystal that you are working with will not be damaged by the salt. Always throw away your salt when you are done.

You can program your crystal to attract a specific form of abundance by holding it in your hands and picturing what you want to manifest in your life. Make sure you keep your area for your crystal clean and charged. Periodically smudging the area will help you with this. In your abundance area you may wish to include something that represents Deity to you and perhaps the type of abundance you want to bring into your life. Being as specific as possible helps to create the energy you wish to attract. As your wealth increases in material, spiritual, and emotional areas be sure to give thanks for what has manifested in your life.

Spiralotus is High Priestess with the Order of the White Moon. As a Reiki Master and Herbalist, she trains women in the healing arts.

Deities of Imbolc c. 2019

The Witches Guide to Lammas c. 2018

 

The Witches Guide to Lammas

A guide to the Sabbat’s symbolism

 

by Arwynn MacFeylynnd

Date: August 1 or 2.

Alternative names: Lughnassadh, Lammastide, August Eve, Harvest Home, Ceresalia (Roman, in honor of the grain goddess Ceres), First Fruits, Festival of Green Corn (Native American), Feast of Cardenas, Cornucopia (Strega), Thingtide and Elembiuos. Lammas, an Anglo-Saxon word, means “loaf mass.” Lughnassadh is named for the Irish sun god Lugh (pronounced Loo), and variant spellings are Lughnasadh, Lughnasad, Lughnassad, Lughnasa and Lunasa.

Primary meanings: This festival has two aspects. First, it is one of the Celtic fire festivals, honoring the Celtic culture-bringer Lugh (Lleu to the Welsh, Lugus to the Gauls). In Ireland, races and games were held in his name and that of his mother, Tailtiu (these may have been funeral games). Second, the holiday is the Saxon Feast of Bread, at which the first of the grain harvest is consumed in ritual loaves. These aspects are not too dissimilar, as the shamanic death and transformation of Lleu can be compared to that of the Barley God, known from the folksong “John Barleycorn.”

Lammas celebrates the first of three harvest celebrations in the Craft. It marks the beginning of autumn, the start of the harvest cycle, and relies on the early crops of ripening grain and any fruits and vegetables ready to be harvested. It is associated with bread because grain is one of the first crops harvested. Those in the Craft often give thanks and honor now to gods and goddesses of the harvest, as well as those who represent death and resurrection.

Symbols: All grains, especially corn and wheat, corn dollies, sun wheels, bread, harvesting and threshing tools and the harvest full moon. Altar decorations might include corn dollies or kirn babies (corncob dolls) to symbolize the Mother Goddess of the Harvest. Other appropriate decorations include summer flowers and grains. You might also wish to have a loaf of whole cracked wheat or multigrain bread upon the altar, baked in the shape of the sun.

Colors: Red, orange, gold, yellow, citrine, green, grey and light brown.

Gemstones: Yellow diamonds, aventurine, sardonyx, peridot and citrine.

Herbs: Acacia flowers, aloes, chamomile, cornstalks, cyclamen, fenugreek, frankincense, heather, hollyhock, myrtle, oak leaves, passionflower, rose, rose hips, rosemary, sandalwood, sunflowers and wheat.

Gods and goddesses: Lugh, Thor, John Barleycorn (the personification of malt liquor), Demeter, Danu, Ceres, sun gods, corn mothers, all grain and agriculture deities, mother goddesses and father gods.

Customs and myths: Spellwork for prosperity, abundance and good fortune are especially appropriate now, as well as spells for connectedness, career, health and financial gain. Sacrifice is often associated with this holiday. Visits to fields, orchards, lakes and wells are also traditional. It is considered taboo not to share your food with others now.

Activities appropriate for this time of the year are baking bread, wheat weaving and making corn dollies or other god and goddess symbols. You may want to string Indian corn on black thread to make a necklace, or bake cornbread sticks shaped like little ears of corn for your Sabbat cakes. The corn dolly may be used both as a fertility amulet and as an altar centerpiece.

Some pagans bake Lammas bread in the form of a god-figure or sun wheel — if you do this, be sure to use this bread in your Lammas ritual’s cakes and ale ceremony, if you have one. During the Lammas ritual, some consume bread or something from the first harvest. Some gather first fruits; others symbolically throw pieces of bread into a fire.

Blessing Ritual for Lammas for Solitaries c. 2018

Blessing Ritual for Lammas for Solitaries

 

Material needed:

Incense
Chalice of water
Salt
Pentacle
Dagger
4 Elemental candles
Chalice of wine
Wand
Plate of bread
Cauldron with a orange candle in it
Fall flowers, ivy, and leaves for decorations

Cast the Circle

Light the cauldron candle and say:

” O Ancient Gods of the Celts, I do ask your presence here.
For this is a time that is not a time,
in a place that is not a place,
on a day that is not a day,
and I await you. ”

Set the plate of bread on the pentacle. Stand still and breathe deeply for a few moments.
Concentrate on the cleansing power of the breath of air, when you feel ready, say:

” I have purified myself by breathing in the life force
of the universe and expelling all evil from me. ”

Lift the plate of bread high and set it back on the altar and say:

” I know that every seed, every grain is a record of ancient time,
and a promise to all of what shall be.
This bread represents eternal life
through the cauldron of the Triple Goddess. ”

Eat a piece of bread, put the wine chalice on the pentacle , lift it high, and then set it on the altar, and say:

” As the grape undergoes change to become wine,
so by the sacred cauldron of life shall I undergo change.
And as this wine can give man enchantment of the divine
or sink him to the lower realms,
so do I realize that all humans rise or fall
according to their own strength and will. ”

Drink some wine and say:

” As in the bread and wine, so it is with me.
Within all forms is locked a record of the past
and a promise of the future.
I ask that you lay your blessings upon me, Ancient Ones,
that this season of waning light
and increasing darkness may not be heavy.
So Mote It Be! ”

The simple feast

Leave a libation for the nature spirits

Close the Circle