Author: ladyoftheabyss

Meaning of Some Types of Flowers c. 2015

Flowers have always been a big feature at weddings, too. As an example, look to the royal flower bouquet in the wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, to Kate Middleton (now Catherine, Ducchess of Cambridge). Her flowers had very special meaning.

The groom, too, wears a flower that appears in the bridal bouquet in his button-hole. This stems from the Medieval tradition of wearing his Lady’s colors, as a declaration of his love.

One fun idea is to have a garden gathering and have each person bring a flower that has meaning to them. Or, paint tiles on a kitchen island with a flower that represents each of your loved ones.

There is a language, little known,
Lovers claim it as their own.
Its symbols smile upon the land,
Wrought by nature’s wondrous hand;
And in their silent beauty speak,
Of life and joy, to those who seek
For Love Divine and sunny hours
In the language of the flowers.
–The Language of Flowers, London, 1875

Please tell us which flowers have meaning to you! If we are missing one of your favorites, please tell us which one and its meaning.

Wish to grow a flower that has meaning to you or a loved one? Click on the linked plant names for free planting and growing guides.

Symbolic Meanings of Herbs, Flowers and Trees
Aloe Healing, protection, affection
Angelica Inspiration
Arborvitae Unchanging friendship
Bachelor’s button Single blessedness
Basil Good wishes
Bay Glory
Black-eyed Susan Justice
Carnation Alas for my poor heart
Chamomile Patience
Chives Usefulness
Chrysanthemum Cheerfulness
Clover, white Think of me
Coriander Hidden worth
Crocus, spring Youthful gladness
Cumin Fidelity
Daffodil Regard
Daisy Innocence, hope
Dill Powerful against evil
Edelweiss Courage, devotion
Fennel Flattery
Fern Sincerity
Forget-me-not Forget-me-not
Geranium, oak-leaved True friendship
Goldenrod Encouragement
Heliotrope Eternal love
Holly Hope
Hollyhock Ambition
Honeysuckle Bonds of love
Horehound Health
Hyacinth Constancy of love, fertility
Hyssop Sacrifice, cleanliness
Iris A message
Ivy Friendship, continuity
Jasmine, white Sweet love
Lady’s-mantle Comforting
Lavender Devotion, virtue
Lemon balm Sympathy
Lilac Joy of youth
Lily-of-the-valley Sweetness
Marjoram Joy and happiness
Mint Virtue
Morning glory Affection
Myrtle The emblem of marriage, true love
Nasturtium Patriotism
Oak Strength
Oregano Substance
Pansy Thoughts
Parsley Festivity
Pine Humility
Poppy, red Consolation
Rose, red Love, desire
Rosemary Remembrance
Rue Grace, clear vision
Sage Wisdom, immortality
Salvia, blue I think of you
Salvia, red Forever mine
Savory Spice, interest
Sorrel Affection
Southernwood Constancy, jest
Sweet pea Pleasures
Sweet William Gallantry
Sweet woodruff Humility
Tansy Hostile thoughts
Tarragon Lasting interest
Thyme Courage, strength
Tulip, red Declaration of love
Valerian Readiness
Violet Loyalty, devotion, faithfulness
Willow Sadness
Yarrow Everlasting love
Zinnia Thoughts of absent friends

Credit: KafeKafe

Related Articles

A Little Humor for Your Day – “Boy, oh boy, I can relate to this, The Definition of Barbecuing!” c.2014

Definition of Barbecuing

It’s the only type of cooking a “real” man will do. When a man volunteers to do the ‘BBQ’ the following chain of events are put into motion:

1) The woman goes to the store.
2) The woman fixes the salad, vegetables, and dessert.
3) The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils, and takes it to the man, who is lounging beside the grill, beer in hand.
4) The man places the meat on the grill.
5) The woman goes inside to set the table and check the vegetables.
6) The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is burning.
7) The man takes the meat off the grill and hands it to the woman.
8) The woman prepares the plates and brings them to the table.
9) After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.
10) Everyone praises man and thanks him for his cooking efforts.
11) The man asks the woman how she enjoyed “her night off.” And, upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there’s just no pleasing some women.

Website can no longer be reached Source: JokesWarehouse.com

A Little Humor for Your Day – And Goddess Made Dogs and Cats c. 2012

And Goddess Made Dogs & Cats

Man said, “Goddess, when I was in the garden, you walked with me every day. Now I do not see you anymore. I am lonesome here, and it is difficult for me to remember how much you love me.”

And the Goddess said, “No problem! I will create a companion for you that will be with you forever, who will be a reflection of my love for you, so that you will love me even when you cannot see me. Regardless of how selfish or childish or unlovable you may be at times, this new companion will accept you as you are and will love you as I do, in spite of yourself.”

And the Goddess created a new animal to be a companion for Man. And it was a good animal. And the Goddess was pleased. And the new animal was pleased to be with Man, and he wagged his tail a lot.

And Man said, “Goddess, I have already named all the animals on your Earth. I cannot think of a name for this new animal.”

And the Goddess said, “No problem! Because I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you, his name will be a partial reflection of my own name, and you will call him DOG.”

And DOG lived with Man, was a companion to him, and loved him. And DOG was beside Man, all the day long. And Man was comforted. And the Goddess was pleased. And DOG was content and wagged his tail.

After a while, it came to pass that Man’s spirit guide came to the Goddess and said, “Mother, Man has become filled with pride. He struts and preens like a peacock, and he believes he is worthy of adoration. DOG has indeed taught him that he is loved, but perhaps too well.”

And the Goddess said, “No problem! I will create for him a companion who will be with him forever, who will see him as he is. The companion will remind him of his limitations, so he will know that he is not always worthy of adoration.”

And the Goddess created CAT to be a companion to Man.

And CAT would not obey Man. And CAT would love Man when CAT chose to love Man, and not when Man chose CAT to share affection.

And when Man gazed into CAT’s eyes, he was reminded that he was not the supreme being. And Man learned humility.

And the Goddess was pleased. And Man was greatly improved. And DOG was happy, and wagged his tail.

Author: EagleStar Source: The Pagan Library

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

Merry part until we merry meet again!

Traditional vs. Eclectic: We’re Not “All One Wicca” c.2016 by Lady Abyss

Traditional vs. Eclectic: We’re Not “All One Wicca”
Author: Hexeengel

[Please note: For the purposes of this piece, the terms “Wicca” and “Wiccan (s) ” will refer to the British Traditional family of religious Witchcraft Traditions and those who follow them, the Traditions then including, but not limited to, such lines as Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Moshian, Blue Star, etc. “Neo-Wicca” and “Neo-Wiccan (s), ” then, indicate the perhaps more wide-spread and certainly more widely known Eclectic (and often Solitary) practices espoused by such authors as Scott Cunningham, Fiona Horne, Silver Ravenwolf, and others, the majority of them published by Llewellyn Books. I also use the term “Witch” interchangeably with “Wiccan, ” since nearly all Wiccans contend that they are indeed Witches.]

Anyone who’s been a part of the Wiccan or Neo-Wiccan communities for more than a week is undoubtedly aware of the schism between these two groups. The cause of much frustration for Wiccans is that some Neo-Wiccans misunderstand the distinction made between the practices. Wiccans contend that, while there is nothing wrong or bad or invalid or worthless about the practices of Neo-Wiccans, it is nonetheless a separate and distinct practice (or practices, as Neo-Wicca is Eclectic, after all) from Wicca; neither is better (except in a personal preference, subjective sense), but they are certainly different.

Many Neo-Wiccans, on the other hand, dislike that this distinction is made at all. Some are even offended by the use of “Neo-Wicca” or any classification other than “Wicca, ” but are yet very adamant that “we don’t do that, ” meaning that they find some aspects of Wicca ridiculous, unnecessary, or even offensive. It leads one to ask, if it’s all the same thing, then why isn’t it all… well, the same?

This piece is meant to serve as an outline of how much these two groupings of paths really do differ, and to explain some of the more controversial aspects of Wicca that draw much negative attention and criticism from some Neo-Wiccans. The biggest dividing factor, that then encompasses others, is the Wiccan practice of oathbound secrecy.

Many Wiccan Traditions are esoteric, oathbound practices. This means that there are certain things that are not to be revealed to non-initiates, and that initiates swear an oath to protect those aspects (an oath that they are then expected to keep for the rest of their lives, even if they choose to leave the Tradition at a later time). This is not meant to be used as an ego-trip or a form of elitism, but is instead in place to protect the experience of the Tradition and its rites and Mysteries. However, Wiccans do not contend that their path is the only way one may reach and experience the Mysteries, just that this is the way that suits them. What is usually kept secret, then, are the names of the Gods, the specifics of ritual, the identities (Magickal and mundane) of those who participate in the rituals, the tools used in ritual, and any other non-ritual contents of the Tradition’s Book of Shadows.

God-names are kept secret because They (the God and Goddess honored) are considered “tribal, ” wholly unique to the Tradition. In non-initiate training rituals, a Priest and Priestess may choose to utilize place-holder names of similar Deities, ones with compatible traits, qualities, and associations. However, some may choose to simply use the non-specific terms “God and Goddess” or “Lord and Lady” instead of proper names. That decision is left up to the Priest and Priestess of the ritual/group. If place-holder names are used, they are then a tool to help teach those in training about the God and Goddess they will meet and commune with during and after initiation, so that there will be some degree of familiarity once the initiate comes to face the Gods of their chosen Tradition.

The specifics of ritual, as was aforementioned, are not told to non-initiates to protect the experience. Think of it this way; you and a friend both want to see a newly premiered movie, and your friend gets the opportunity to attend a showing before you do. How impolite and improper would it be for your friend to not only tell you every single detail of the film (including the ending), but also the emotions it will evoke from you, and the impact it would have on your life in general? I’m betting anyone would be pretty darn upset.

This is the same reasoning behind Wiccan rituals being kept secret, so that each initiate who experiences them does so as “untainted” as possible. This explains secrecy in regards to those seeking initiation, but for those who do not, a similar analogy is appropriate; if you see a movie but your friend has absolutely no interest in it, regardless of your opinion of said movie, they probably won’t want to hear about it at all. The logic then is that, since those not seeking initiation are assumed to be uninterested in the Tradition all together, what reason do they have to concern themselves with its practices?

Additionally, this secrecy maintains the authenticity of the rituals, and also the integrity of the initiating line back to the Tradition’s founder. Thus, the rituals cannot be altered or misused, and only those experienced in the Tradition’s Mysteries can go on to teach them to others.

As far as participants’ identities go, that’s fairly self-explanatory on one level; “outing” someone as a Witch is not something taken lightly, regardless of where one counts one’s self on the spectrum Wicca has become. But there is another level to it, in that Wiccans tend keep their lineage oathbound as well. One’s lineage is the line of initiating High Priestesses that leads from one initiate back to the founder of the Tradition, be they Gerald Gardner, Alex Sanders, etc.

And lastly, the tools used and the other, non-ritual contents of the Book of Shadows (BoS) are oathbound because they are related to the specifics of Wiccan practice and experience, and so revealing them can take away from those elements, just as describing pivotal scenes from a movie can taint the enjoyment of the whole thing.

These levels of secrecy and occultism (where “occult” takes on its more accurate meaning of “hidden or secret; to be known only by the initiated”) are a stumbling block to some Neo-Wiccans; they cannot fathom the reasons other than to make Wiccans feel special or better somehow, but as illustrated above, there are very real and important reasons.

Some folks though cannot find it in themselves to abide by these guidelines, but still feel the desire to walk a similar path. Partly because of this, Neo-Wicca and its policy of openness and universality were born. Neo-Wiccans are free to follow any and all God forms that may call or appeal to them, regardless of cultural or religious origin. Neo-Wiccans are also more prone to share their ritual scripts and spells with others. Some even post the entirety of their BoSs online or otherwise make it available for public consumption, such as through published books, which then are a large part of Neo-Wiccan learning materials.

Conversely, learning Wicca involves a specified path that utilizes the repetition of form to facilitate function; the actual movements and words are the same at each ritual, however it is the experience that differs and is truly the most important. This is an orthopraxic approach, that of correct practices leading to Divine experience, rather than orthodoxic, that of correct belief.

While many of us have come to associate “orthodox” with meaning oppressive or outdated and referring specifically to Christianity as often as not, if one simply takes the word at its face value, then Neo-Wicca is in fact an orthodox practice; as long as one believes the “right” things, then one is Neo-Wiccan and then can practice it in whatever fashion one desires.

But what are the “right” beliefs? Is it the duality and balance of God and Goddess? Not according to those called Dianic Wiccans, who hold the Goddess superior to the God, if He is even recognized at all. Additionally, as stated before, Wiccan God names are specific to each Tradition and oathbound, so by default Neo-Wiccans do not and cannot honor the God and Goddess by those same identities, so neither does “right belief“ include the specific Deity forms.

Is it then following the Wiccan Rede? That’s not it either, since there are practitioners out there who discard the Rede all together and still lay claim to the “Wiccan title” (and yes, I’m aware that “rede” means “counsel or advice” and not “commandment, ” but I’ve yet to encounter a Wiccan who thinks its irrelevant).

What about celebrating the Sabbats? Well, okay, almost anyone along the Wicca/Neo-Wicca spectrum can agree that these eight points of the year are important, but what’s not agreed on is how one celebrates them, or even what they’re called (as far as I can tell, only Samhain, Yule, and Beltane are universally used names, the rest can vary). In some cases, the dates are even in dispute, since there are those who figure the Greater Sabbats relative to the Lesser Sabbats each year, marking them as the precise midpoints between the astronomical Solstices and Equinoxes rather than the “fixed” dates of the common calendar.

This final point segues nicely into another striking difference, that of ritual form and elements. Not all Neo-Wiccans cast a Circle in the same way nor include all the same components as others (in some cases, even the rituals for the same event differ each time they are performed) , and being that Wiccan ritual structure is oathbound, one can infer that Neo-Wiccan rituals bear little, if any, resemblance to their Traditional counterparts. If Wicca and Neo-Wicca was indeed the same thing, wouldn’t we all use the same rituals, honoring the same God forms in the same ways?

Wiccans also contend that only a Wiccan can make another Wiccan, that one cannot enter Wicca without someone to teach and guide them. A popular Neo-Wiccan counter to this comes from Scott Cunningham, and is something along the lines of, “but who made the first Wiccan? The God and Goddess. So who are we to be so bold and presumptuous as to usurp and appropriate Their power? Who has the real power to make a Wiccan?”

I can agree to a certain extent; the Wiccan Gods are responsible, to a degree, for Wicca’s existence, in that They provided the original inspiration, need, and desire for a way to honor Them. However, I also believe They intended for things to be done in just that way, else why would They have put the idea in a human mind? Why the need for rituals at all, if any way one honors them is acceptable?

Let me clarify – when I say “the Wiccan Gods, ” I mean those names, faces, forms, aspects, and attributes that are oathbound and specific to the Traditions of Wicca. If Gods other than those have different desires and requirements, then so be it, but then They are not the Gods of Wicca, and therefore need not be honored in the Wiccan way.

The Wiccan way is one practiced by humans to reach out to and commune with the Wiccan Gods, and therefore only one who knows that way can teach that way. A dentist, while a medical professional, cannot teach someone to perform open-heart surgery. So it follows that someone inexperienced in the Wiccan Mysteries, regardless of any other gnosis, knowledge, and experience they may have gained, cannot teach them to anyone.

To add to this, in Wicca the initiating High Priest and High Priestess are seen as representations and “substitutes, ” if you will, of the God and Goddess on this material plane. They are infused with Divine Will and Power at the time of initiation (and in all other rites), so in the realism of non-duality, it IS the God and Goddess who are making new Wiccans, not “merely” other humans. However, the HP and HPS are specifically chosen and trained to perform these duties using the structure and methods of their Tradition.

A Neo-Wiccan, or anyone else who is not HP or HPS even if he/she is a Wiccan initiate, has no such training, and so cannot perform an initiation rite as the representative of the Wiccan Gods.

Clearly there is great disparity between not only practice, but also belief, between those called Wiccans and Neo-Wiccans. All this points to Neo-Wicca being an outgrowth of Wicca, rather than a continuation of it, much like Buddhism was an outgrowth of Hinduism. Buddhism and Hinduism both include the ideas of Karma, Dharma, and Samsara, Yantras, etc., but they differ on the nature and application of these ideas.

Buddhists do not recognize a pantheon of Gods in the way Hindus do, and also do not perform elaborate rituals. The two paths do have commonalities, but are distinct and separate belief systems. It would be improper, inaccurate, and doing a disservice to both paths if one was to say they are the same.

This can also be applied to Wicca and Neo-Wicca; Wicca recognizes a specific set of Gods, while Neo-Wicca does not. Wicca includes much formality and formulary in its rituals, which is not necessarily true of Neo-Wicca. They are related practices, one springing from the other, but they are fundamentally different, and it is improper, inaccurate, and doing a disservice to both to try and say that they are the same.

Of course, it’s all very well and good for these kinds of things to be said by someone who prefers Wicca to Neo-Wicca, someone who is seeking to walk the Gardnerian path. I concede that it would be far more impacting and impressive had this article or one similar been written by a Neo-Wiccan, because there’d be less risk of accusations of elitism, or discrimination, or exclusion. If, however, any Neo-Wiccan found truth in what I’ve presented here, I encourage them to write a similar piece, putting the focus on their practices, revealing the value and beauty that perhaps stems from the differences, rather than in spite of them.

What are the benefits of Solitary work? How is self-study more fulfilling than working under another’s tutelage? How does the tapestry of cultures and customs enrich your practice; is the old adage, “student of many trades, master of none” inaccurate?

I’m not personally looking to be convinced, I’ve found my home and my path, but that kind of piece may go a long way to strengthening other Neo-Wiccans’ sense of identity and purpose. And anyone finding peace and feeling whole on their spiritual journey is a beautiful thing, regardless of what that path may be called.

Let’s Talk Witch – Calling the Quarters and the Centre c. 2014 by Lady Abyss

Calling the Quarters and the Centre

The Elemental powers of the four directions or quarters are usually needed when we perform magick, particularly when we wish to achieve an import work. You will probably find that your own group or yourself has its own traditions in doing this. As we see elsewhere, the four worlds manifested in a certain order; Fire, Air, Water and finally Earth, and magickal procedures should strictly follow this for perfect manifestation. However over the years in different traditions, diverse methods have been put forward, so if working alone you must find which suits you best, and if working in a group you will follow given practice. We call the quarters clockwise, starting with the East.

The East represents the Elemental Air, helps give to us clarity of vision and purpose and represents intellectual power. You will appeal to this element principally in any working to do with the mind – when studying for exams perhaps of when you need inspiration for new projects.

The South is the realm of Fire, the most potent of all of the Elements. It signifies the purifying element in nature, that which consumes all others; through it, mastery of the other three is achieved. It is a dynamic force, purification and passion, and is perceived as the Inner Guardian of the Temple. You will use this element in your workings when you need creativity, cleansing or protection from malevolent energy.

The West stands for all those watery things like our psychi and emotional nature so, of course, it represents the element of Water, through it should be remembered that within that representation lies both depth and movement. The qualities are often see as passive, and feminine, but would be appealed to particularly when removing hexes and curses or when revitalizing is important.

The North give us the solidity of Earth which in turn allows us to manifest the results of our work. It nourishes and grounds us, giving a solid basis for which to create. While it is a complex element containing within it aspects of all the previous ones, it also shows simplicity to enable us to gain access to greater energy which comes from the Ultimate. You would use this Element to create tangibility and stability as well as for issues to do with fertility and productiveness.

Lastly, the Centre is called. This is the realm of Aether or Spirit and is both the synthesis of all four of the other elements and their progenitor. In calling on Spirit you are calling upon all that is, was and shall be and therefore an energy of high vibration. For this reason it is usually best that the centre is called by a high priest or priestess or at least by someone who has been properly initiated and trained. Spirit manifests in so many different ways that often only someone versed in the process will recognize what is happening.

Source:

Natural Magic: Spells, Enchantments & Self-Development
Ball, Pamela (2002-11-20).

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

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

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.