Category: Miscellaneous Pagan

A to Z – A Wiccan Glossary (Flashback from Lady Abyss)

A to Z – A Wiccan Glossary

AKASHA: the spiritual ether (or Aether); the omnipresent fifth occult element which embraces the other four-earth, air, fire, and water; and from which they stem. This is the realm of “pattern” or causality, from which the realm the normally thought of “five senses manifests. Some define it is the “other” of the “two worlds” that the witch or magician walks between.

 

ARADIA: Daughter of the Goddess Diana, and a name for the Goddess used by Italian Witches or Strega, commonly used in many Wiccan traditions today.

ASPECTING: Any advanced magickal activity in which a practitioner manifests a particular aspect of the Goddess or God, in thought, feelings, behavior, appearance, etc.; Often as a direct result of a “Drawing Down”. Often a minor variation of this phenomena occurs with the selection of a “Magical Name”, of Craft Name.

ASPECTS: Forms, facets, or personas of Deity: for example, Brighid, Iseult,Eos, and Kore are all aspects of the Maiden, and the Maiden is an aspect of the Goddess

 

ATHAME: black handled, double edged dagger. Principally used to cast and dissolve the circle, for which purposes it is interchangeable with the magic sword. A tool of the “Element” of Fire in the Georgian Tradition and some others.

 

BELTANE: May Eve festival. One of the Ancient Celtic “Fire Festivals.” on this night, the cattle were driven between two bonfires to protect them from disease. Couples wishing for fertility would ” jump the fires” on Beltane night. Also the traditional Sabbath where the rule of the “Wheel of the Year” is returned to the Goddess. This Festival also marks the transition point of the threefold Goddess energies from those of Maiden to Mother.

 

BOOK OF SHADOWS: Traditionally hand copied book of rituals, recipes, training techniques, guidelines, and other materials deemed important to a Witch or a coven. Each tradition has it’s own standard version of the Book and each Witch’s book will be different as he or she adds to it with time from many different sources. Only another Witch can see your book of shadows. Also, traditionally, it may never leave your hands or possession until death, when it should be destroyed, or (in some traditions) returned to the coven to be disposed of.

 

BURNING TIMES: a term used by some Witches for the period of persecution in the Middle Ages and later. It is in fact a misnomer in some places, as Witches were only burned in Scotland, and on the continent of Europe. In England and the U.S., they were hanged.

 

CANDLEMAS: Festival held on Feb. 1. One of the 4 Celtic “Fire Festivals. Commemorates the changing of the Goddess from the Crone to the Maiden. Celebrates the first signs of Spring. Also called “Imbolc” (the old Celtic name). This is the seasonal change where the first signs of spring and the return of the sun are noted, i.e. the first sprouting of leaves, the sprouting of the Crocus flowers etc. In other words, it is the festival commemorating the successful passing of winter and the beginning of the agricultural year.This Festival also marks the transition point of the threefold Goddess energies from those of Crone to Maiden.

 

CARDINAL POINTS: North, South, East, and West, marked in the Georgian Tradition by candles of green, red, yellow, and blue, respectively. The Circle is drawn to connect these four points.

CHALICE: one of the tools of the Witch. Placed on the altar to represent the element of Water.

 

CHARGE OF THE GODDESS: The Traditional words of the Goddess to her followers, or “hidden children”. Normally declaimed by the HPS at every coven Circle.

 

CIRCLE: the area in which the magickal worship and spells takes place. Can also be used to designate a particular group of Witches or Pagans such as “Silver Acorn Circle”.

 

CONE OF POWER: power raised in the circle by the Witches assembled, and sent out into the world to work magick, is usually visualized as being retained and built in the form of a “cone” prior to release.

 

COVEN: an organized group of Witches, led by a High priestess and/or a High Priest who meet regularly for worship and fellowship. The traditional membership is 13, but in fact most covens number considerably less. 3 is the minimum in the Georgian Tradition. In Middle English, “Covin” a group of confederates; In Old French “Covine” a band or group with a single purpose; Latin “Com”-together, “Venire”-to come or move.

 

COVENSTEAD: regular meeting place for a coven. Usually the home of the High Priestess or High Priest.

 

COWAN: a non-Witch. Formerly used in a very derogatory manner. Still used in Masonic Ritual to indicate the non initiate and/or pretender to “real craft”. Not often used today among most Witches.

 

COYOTE ENERGY: trickster energies. Named for the American Indian Trickster, Coyote, who tricks man into learning what he needs to learn. Applies to one who constantly jokes and clowns. Also applies to the concept of “Holy Fool” in many traditions.

 

CROSS QUARTER DAYS: The modern name for the Celtic Fire Festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lammas.

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Abracadabra- A word from the Jewish mystical tradition of Qabala. Its root is the name of the Gnostic deity Abraxas, meaning “hurt me not”. It is said to possess magickal powers, especially of protection from illness.

 

Adept- An individual who through serious study and accomplishments is highly prficient in a praticluar magickal way.

 

Aeromancy- Divination by the stars.

 

Aisling– Ireland: Dream or Vision. In the many Irish tales having this title, the person who dreams sees a speir-bhean or vision-woman from the Otherworlds, pronounced “ash-leen”.

 

Aka- The cord between the astral body and the physical body, most likely this concept is derived from the biblical reference to a “silver cord” connected the body and the soul

Akashic Records- Edward Cayce’s concept which states that somewhere there is a universal hall of data about past lives, magic, healing, and spirituality. It does not exist on the physical plane but rather on a more psychic level. Some believe it can be accessed on the astral plane, others feel it can only be accessed through a visualization journey in the mind.

 

Alba– The Isle of Skye; Scotland

 

Alchemist- One who practices alchemy.

Alchemy- A form of high magick which stems from the middle ages noted by the attempts of alchemists to make lead turn into gold.

 

Alexandrian Tradition– A form of Garderian Wiccan practice developed by Alex and Maxine Sanders in Britain in the 1960s.

 

Alignment- Synchronization of mental and spiritual vibrations with a god, goddess, or astronomical body. Often the complete balance and centering of the chakras is called an alignment.

 

Altar- A small working area and shrine many pagans maintain, where they perform most of their ritual and spell work.

Amulet- An object charged with personal energies through ritual or meditation often used to ward off a certain force or person.

Aradia- The Italian goddess Diana’s daughter, said to be the origin of all witches. The book “Aradia, Gospel of the Witches” was written by Leland about Aradia and the practice of witchcraft

Arcana– The two halves of the tarot deck.The major arcana consists of 22 cards showing dominant occurrences in our lives.The minor arcana consists of 56 suit cards (commonly called the lesser arcana) that assists the major arcana cards,or shows smaller influences in our lives.

Archetype- Symbolic imagery seen in visions, dreams, meditation, and mind quests. Used to interpret the meaning of the vision thereby betting understanding and communicating with the subconscious.

Arthurian Tradition- A Welsh tradition of paganism based on the lore of King Arthur (the “Once and Future King”), Merlin the Magician, and Guinevere.

Asatru- Modern worship of the old Norse gods.

Aspecting- An advanced magical practice which is seen most commonly in a coven as opposed to solitary. The practitioner attempts to manifest an aspect of the Goddess or the God. This is seen in the pagan ritual of Drawing Down the Moon as well as in other pagan religions such as Vodou, where the priest often allows the deity to speak through his or her body.

Asperger- A bundle of fresh herbs either carrying dew or dowsed with spring water, used to sprinkle the water during ritual purification.

Astral– Another dimension of reality.

 

Astral Plane- A plane parallel to the physical world, traveled through by the astral body during projection.

Astral Projection/Travel– The proccess of separating your astral body from your physical body to accomplish travel in the astral. 

Astrology- The practice of revealing the future by interpreting the arrangement of stars and planets in relation to astrological theory and the zodiac.

 

Athame– A Wiccan ritual knife. Generally double edged with a black handle, but not always. This knife is seldom used for physical cutting, if at all, and need not be sharp. It is *never* used to draw blood and Wicca do not draw blood or use blood in ritual. Its primary use is as an energy directing device, much like the wand, though with different common uses. compare: Boline, Wand

Attune- To bring different psyches into harmony.

 

Augury- Divination based on “signs” or omens.
Aura- An energy field which surrounds living beings. An aura is most often visible only to those born with the skill to see it, or those who developed this ability. A visible aura contains various colors and tells about the spiritual and emotional persona of the plant, human, or creature surrounded by it. However, an aura can also be felt, heard, or sensed through other means.

DEOSIL: clockwise, or sunwise. Traditional direction for working “building” magick.

DRAWING DOWN THE MOON: Ritual invocation of the spirit of the Goddess into the body of the High Priestess by the High Priest.

DIVINATION: magical method of exploration or inquiry into a situation via such methods as Tarot cards, runestones, I-Ching, etc.

ELEMENTS: Earth, air, fire, and water, plus spirit, which includes them all. These are regarded as realms or categories of nature (both material and non-material) and are not to be confused with the physicists table of elements, which the modern witch, of course, accepts.

ESBAT: weekly or biweekly meeting of a coven. Traditionally held either on the full moon or the new moon.

FAMILIARS: Either a Witch’s pet animal which has been trained to be a magickal helper, or an artificially created “elemental” which performs the same functions as the animal friend.

FIVEFOLD KISS, FIVEFOLD SALUTE: The Witches’ ritual salute, with kisses; (1) on each foot, (2) on each knee, (3) above the pubic hair, (4) on each breast, and (5) on the lips-really 8 kisses in all. It is only used within the Circle, but the words that go with it are the origin of “Blessed Be.”

GARDNERIANS: Tradition of Witchcraft descended from the teachings of Gerald Gardner

GNOMES: an “entity” or “elemental” that dwells in the plane of Earth or is associated with the EARTH Element.

GREAT RITE: The rite which is the main feature of the third degree initiation, and which is also laid down for certain festivals. It is sexual in nature, but may be `actual’ (and private to the couples concerned) or symbolic, as the participants wish.

HALLOWS: name used by some traditions for Samhain, or Halloween

HANDFASTING: Wiccan equivalent of a wedding. It can be made legal if the Priestess and/or Priest are registered as clergy with the local authorities, or it may only be considered binding within the coven.

HIGH PRIEST/ESS: Technically speaking, a Witch who has received the 3rd. degree initiation. More usually, the male and female leaders of a coven.
IMBOLC: Celtic name for Candlemas.
INVOCATION: The ritual “calling-in” of an entity (or energies) higher than human, either for communication with the caller through a medium or by visible manifestation or else to enter into a human body as in the Drawing Down the Moon. In some traditions, a Prayer

LAMMAS: August 1st. Witch Festival. The Old Celtic name for this festival is Lughnassadh. It is the Festival of the First Fruits, and is the first of the 3 harvests. This festival also marks the change of the Threefold Goddess energies from that of Mother to Crone.

PENTACLE: a disc shaped talisman; in particular, the metal disc which represents the earth element among the witch’s working tools.

PENTAGRAM: The five-pointed star. With a single point uppermost, it represents the human being. Inverted, with two points uppermost, it can have Satanist associations; but not necessarily. Some traditions of Wicca use the inverted pentagram to signify an initiate of the second degree.

QUARTERS: The North, East, South, and West parts of a magickal circle or other ritual area. (See also “Watchtowers”)

REDE: rule or law

SABBAT: one of the Eight festivals or high holy days of Wicca.

SALAMANDER: an entity that dwells in the realm of Fire.

SAMHAIN: The festival of remembrance for the dead, held on the eve of Nov. 1st. It is the last of the three harvests. This festival also marks the transition of rulership of the “Wheel of the Year from that of the Goddess to that of the God.

SCRYING: divination, usually using such methods as crystal gazing, or divination via incense smoke, or water as opposed to tarot or other manipulative means.

SPELL: a prayer, or verbal direction of magickal energies toward the accomplishment of some goal.
SUMMONER: The male officer of the coven who corresponds to the Maiden. He is the assistant High Priest

SYLPH: an “entity” or “elemental” that dwells in the plane of Air or is associated with the AIR Element.

TRADITIONS: any of the various “sects” of Wicca such as Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Georgian, Seax, etc.

UNDINE: an “entity” or “elemental” that dwells in the plane of Water or is associated with the WATER Element.

 

WAND: A rod or staff that is prepared so that it may be used for magickal or psychic purposes, usually to project some form of power

WARLOCK: a term coined in the Burning Times . It was used to denote a traitor to the Craft, or one who had betrayed the followers of the Old Religion. It’s origin is Scottish. Because of the negative connotations, it is not used by most Wiccans today.

WATCH TOWERS: Originally from the Enochian branch of Ceremonial Magick, now incorporated into many “Traditions” of Wicca, these are the four elemental “directions” or “quarters” (corresponding to the appropriate points on the compass) called to protect the Circle during its establishment. Each of them have a correspondence between the compass point, an element, and (varying amongst different traditions) color associated with them.

WICCA: the name most modern day Witches use for the Craft. It comes from the Anglo-Saxon word Wicce, meaning to bend or to shape. This is the root word from which we get wicker.

WIDDERSHINS: counter clock wise. Used for “tearing down” OR BANISHING magick.

WHITE HANDLED KNIFE: the working knife of a Witch. It is used to carve candles, and for fashioning the other tools. Traditionally, it can only be used in a circle.

Scientists Come Up with Fresh Take on Moon Mystery

A very interesting article about the Moon’s surface and interior many, many millions of years ago.

https://share.newsbreak.com/urkkhkcj

National Unicorn Day – April 9, 2022 World (Holiday)

[This is posted a day early to give us all a chance to wear something Unicorn related. I am honored to have a Unicorn as a totem animal that has been with me through many lifetimes.]

National Unicorn Day on April 9 is a day to celebrate the most popular mythical creature ever. Why? Because if we don’t take time out to celebrate a beautiful, horned, rainbow–printed mythical creature then we’re most definitely missing a trick. The unicorn is a symbol of happiness, fantasy, and wonder. It’s an icon of color, of childlike splendor and magic. They often make appearances on birthday cakes and children’s clothing, and let’s be honest quite a lot of us adults still dig them too. National Unicorn Day is your chance to express some unicorn love, so show some color and delve into the magnificence of unicorns with us!

WHEN IS NATIONAL UNICORN DAY 2022?

We celebrate the myth and magic of unicorns on National Unicorn Day, which takes place on April 9 every year.

HISTORY OF NATIONAL UNICORN DAY

The unicorn is known as a creature of legend, one with a single large, spiraled and pointy horn which projects from its forehead. They were spotted in early Mesopotamian artwork and were often noted in myths and stories deriving from China, Greece, and India. In Greek mythology writers strongly believed that unicorns were running wild in a faraway distant realm. That distant realm was India and Greek physician Ctesias quoted in his book ‘‘On the Nature of Animals’’ that he believed India produced a one-horned horse. Some argued that he wasn’t seeing a unicorn, but instead was citing the Indian Rhinoceros. In Iran, unicorns were said to be found in Persepolis and the Hebrew Bible describes an animal called the ‘‘re’em’’ which some believe to be the unicorn.

The unicorn has always been depicted as a symbol of grace and purity, with its horn said to hold the power to cleanse poisonous water and to heal sickness. In medieval times, they would sell the tusks of the Narwhal whale and advertise it as a Unicorn horn.

The Celts, Romans, and Persians also described a white magical horse with a single horn. The creature was said to represent …

Click here to read the rest of this article about Unicorns from nationaltoday.com

April 2022 PAGAN CALENDAR OF OBSERVANCES

From WiccanFamilyTemple.org

APR. 1: Dark Mother Day –honoring Black Annis, Kali;
Fool’s Day—honoring the God of Chaos Energy.
Day of Venus: Goddess of Love and the Hunt

 

APR. 5: Roman Day of Fortuna: Goddess of Fate

APR. 7: Feast of Blajini—offerings made to the Other People/Sidhe or Faeries “Kindly Ones”.

APR. 7-8: Feast of Greek Goddess Artemis (Roman Diana) – who represents the feminine in Nature and protects women throughout their lives.

APR. 8: Day of Mooncakes—honoring the Moon Goddess.

APR. 15: – Feast of Tellus Mater (Roman)
– Festival of Ba’ast, Feast of Bast (Egyptian cat goddess)

APR. 16: – St. Padarn’s Day (Celtic)
– Feast of St. George (Byzantine)

APR. 15-17: Feast of the Seas – Honoring God-Goddess as Olokun-Yemaya (Yoruba/Santeria) and Okeanos-Tethys (Old Greek).

APR. 22: Earth Day – Day to honor the Earth and to meditate on Deity manifesting as Mother Earth
– Festival of Isthar (Babylonian)
– Feast of the Divine Couple (Japanese)
– Feast of Elaphebolia (Greek)
– Odin’s Day – Norse festival.

APR. 23: Festival of the Greenman—honoring the God of the Forest and vegetation.

APR. 25: – Spring Festivals – Dedicated to Herne, Pan, Horned God.
– Roman Robligalia – Corn Mothers (Ceres and Demeter) and Harvest.

APR. 25: Spring Festival – dedicated to the Horned God and Corn Mother.

APR. 28: Celebrated April 28 – May 3: Festival of Flora: remembrance of those who passed into the Underworld.

APR. 30: May Eve—Walpurgis Night; annual gathering of Witches and covens. Beltane Begins at Sundown (Celtic, Wiccan) Old Norse Feast.

APR. 30 – MAY 2: – Beltane – Celtic festival marking the arrival of summer in ancient times, celebrating Blodeuwedd (Goddess of Flowers) and Llew (Oak King, God of the Waxing Sun).
– Old Norse Feast – Celebrating Nanna (Goddess of Flowers), true love of Baldur (God of Light).
– Feast of Sacred Marriage – Honoring Goddess-God as Inanna & Dumuzi , Ishtar & Tammuz (Old Sumerian), Isis & Osiris (Egyptian), Oshun & Shango (Yoruba/Santeria).

One View on How to Open and Balance Your Chakras

For those of you who are not sure of either where your chakras are or how to clear and balance them Lady Beltane does Chakra clearings and balancing for a donation of $30.00 USD if done through a head-to-toe picture of the person or with the picture while connecting to the person via a Skype video call for $40.00 USD. She can also do an aura cleansing and repair for an additional $10.00 to $15.00 depending on what she sees in the persons aura in a second session with the person.

Root, Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye, Crown – India’s Chakra Symbols

For those of you who are familiar with what chakras are and want some extra information on clearing and opening them I recommend reading this good article from SunSigns.org. Lady Beltane uses this website daily to bring you the birthday horoscope. She has wondered on their take of angel numbers (see today’s post on this topic), chakra clearing and balancing so took the time today to listen to the videos and read their information about these topics. In her opinion they are worth sharing with all of our WOTC community…

How to Open Your 7 Chakras from SunSigns.org

How To Open Your 7 Chakras?

The 7 Chakras are most essential for the well-being of a person. But they are of no use if they are blocked.

If you wish to know if your chakra is open or closed, take the free chakra test to know more.

Here are few tips to open or balance each of the seven chakras.

Opening The Root Chakra (Muladhara)

First of all, close your eyes and position your hands in such a way that the tip of your thumb touches against the tip of your index finger. After that, you should concentrate on the Root Chakra, which is positioned between the anus and the genital organs. Along with this, you should start chanting the word LAM.

Additionally, what you can also do is to occasionally contract your muscles that lie between your anus and genital organs. Contract these muscles inward while inhaling, and contract them outward while exhaling. This in turn, stimulates the Root Chakra, and gives you inner physical strength. (Get more meditation tips).

Opening The Sacral Chakra (Swadhisthana)

To open the Sacral Chakra, you should sit down on the floor and place your hands on your lap, with the palm upwards, so that they lie on top of each other. Your left hand should be placed underneath, and its palm should touch the back of the fingers of the right hand. The tips of the left and right hand thumb fingers should touch gently.

In this position, you should concentrate on trying to open up the Sacral Chakra, which lies on the sacral bone on your lower back. Along with this, you should start chanting the word VAM.

Opening The Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)

In order to open the Solar Plexus Chakra or Navel Chakra, you should start by placing your hands before your stomach, in the region slightly below your solar plexus. After this, you should let all your fingers join at the top, and all of them should be pointing away from yourself. Then, you should cross your thumbs. All this time, it is important to keep your fingers perfectly straight.

In this position, start concentrating on the Navel Chakra, which is located on the spinal region, a little above the navel. Along with this, you should start chanting the word RAM.

Opening The Heart Chakra (Anahata)

In the first instance of opening the Heart chakra, start the whole process by sitting cross-legged, preferably on the floor. Position your hands in such a way that the tip of your thumb touches against the tip of your index finger. After this, place your left hand on your left knee, and your right hand should be placed in front of the lower region of your breastbone, which is just above the solar plexus.

In this position, start concentrating on the Heart Chakra, which is located at the heart region, at the centre of the chest. Along with this, you should start chanting the word YAM.

Opening The Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)

If you feel the Throat Chakra is closed and wish to open it, you should position your hands so that your fingers stay crossed on the inner part of your palms, without the thumbs. At this point of time, allow your thumbs to touch at the top, and slowly pull them slightly upwards.

In this position, you should start concentrating on the Throat Chakra, which is located at the base of a person’s throat. Along with this, you should start chanting the word HAM.

Opening The Third Eye Chakra (Ajna)

If you want to open up the Third Eye Chakra, you should start by sitting down and placing your hands before the lower part of your chest. Your middle fingers should be straight and the tips should touch each other at the top, with them pointing slightly forward. The other fingers should be bent and preferably touch the upper two phalanges. The thumbs should point towards yourself and touch at the tips.

In this position, you should start concentrating on the Third Eye Chakra, which is located slightly above the eyebrows. Along with this, you can either chant the word OM or AUM.

Opening The Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)

To open the Crown Chakra,  start the whole process by placing your hands before your stomach. You should then let the ring fingers of both your hands point upwards, and their tips will touch each other. After that, you should cross the rest of your fingers, with the left thumb placed underneath the right one.

In this position, you should concentrate on the Crown Chakra, which is located at the top of your head. Along with this, you should start chanting the word NG.

How To Balance The 7 Chakras:

From sunsigns.org

Balancing Root Chakra
Balancing Sacral Chakra
Balancing Solar Plexus Chakra
Balancing Heart Chakra
Balancing Throat Chakra
Balancing Third Eye Chakra
Balancing Crown Chakra

Connect With the Energy of Your Plants

Pagans are often urged to connect with the energy of the plants around them. But how do you do that?

First, get in touch with the plants around you — really in touch. Make it a point to feel the leaves of shrubs at your front door or put your hand on the nearest tree. Calm your mind and ask yourself what you are sensing. Some people describe feeling a low vibration, especially in trees. When you pay attention, you may feel a slight tingle in your arms.

You can also sit near a plant that seem attractive to you as you burn incense of frankincense, rose, and mugwort. All these herbs will help raise your psychic awareness as you extend your mind to the plants on your patio or in your garden. This is something that requires persistence. If you practice, you will soon open your mind to an energy that you can call on to help your magickal work or just to rejuvenate yourself in times of stress.

By J D Hortwort in Llewellyn’s Witches’ Datebook 2022 Page 81

Developing your Spiritual Abilities? What are the “Clairs”?

When a person begins to awaken to their true self and divine potential, spiritual or psychic gifts will begin to emerge and develop.

Here is some information about the different kinds of ‘Clairs’ that describe some of these abilities and a few tips to help you practice.

‘Clair’ is from the French language and means ‘clear’. There are a number of ‘Clairs’ that we all have the ability to use.

Clairvoyance

The term we all recognise the most is clairvoyance. ‘Voyance’ means ‘vision’, so clairvoyance means clear vision.

A psychic vision is a term used to describe the way that those who are clairvoyant receive messages from Spirit. It usually begins with very short periods of ‘seeing’ things.

It is possible you may be able to see a ‘picture’ and the more you develop this gift the more detailed the vision will be and the length of time you will ‘see’ it will also increase.

Clairaudience

Clairaudience means clear hearing.

Clairaudience may start when you are very young or during meditation. You may hear a voice speaking to you, or you may hear other sounds, such as music. Spirit plays me songs all the time!

This may be your guides or other…

Click here to read the rest of this article

Wiccan Vision Quest to Find Answers

(This vision quest should not be confused with a Native American vision ques. The two are vastly different and done for different reasons)

Sit comfortably, ideally cross-legged on the floor. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a forest glade. Feel the slightly damp grass, smell the mushrooms and pine needles, notice a slight breeze. It feels warmer than it should in a forest, and as you look around, you see a small fire with a bubbling cauldron suspended over it.

You stand up to walk toward it, and as you do so, you see a magnificent stag. Your movement makes him notice you and he turns his head toward you, looking directly into your eyes. This is the god of the forest. He is strong and wise, and the guardian of all who live within the forest. You spend a long time looking into each other’s eyes. Listen to your mind and your body; he may give you a message this way.

After a while, the stag lowers his head slightly as if nodding and moves off. You walk to the cauldron and as you come closer, you notice many people sitting around it. Once you get close enough to see their faces lit up by the fire’s flames, you see that these are …

Click here to read more of this article about a Wiccan vision quest from rylandpeters.com

Healing

Contemporary witches and Wiccans view healing as one of their most important functions. They use a wide range of healing techniques, including magic; herbal and folk remedies; body work and energy work; Native American Indian and shamanic techniques (see Shamanism); and Western approaches to medicine and psychology. Some Witches are professional healers, trained in Eastern and/or Western medicine and psychology. Witches prefer holistic and natural healing methods that involve healing power of sound, breath, color, touch and movement.

Prior to the scientific age, healing commonly was the province of the village wise woman, Cunning Man, witch or Wizard. Such individuals often were born with the mysterious gift of healing by touch, and many were steeped in herbal lore that had been passed down though generations of their families. Still others said they received their healing ability from Fairies. Folk healers diagnosed both human and animal ailments. Some were renowned for determining whether or not haunting fairies or ghosts (see ghosts, Hauntings And Witchcraft) were responsible for illness, and then driving them away.

One common remedy for fairy-caused illness was the recitation of Christian prAyers followed by a measurement of the patient’s girdle to see if the fairy had departed the body (see Girdle Measuring). Other healers diagnosed the patient’s urine. Healers dispensed herbal remedies in the form of powders, potions and unguents. They prescribed charms, little prayers comprised of both pagan and Christian elements. They also cast spells. Some folkmagic remedies required procedures on the part of the patient, such as boiling an egg and …

Click here to read the rest of this article about witches and healing

7 Ways To Harness The Emotionally Transformative New Moon Coming Our Way

Does your soul need soothing? The 2022 Pisces new moon (on March 2 at 12:34 p.m. EST) opens the floodgates of healing and self-compassion. It also reveals what’s simmering beneath the surface.

We can’t lie, the last couple of weeks have been frightening and turbulent, as far as world events go. Global Jupiter has taken up residence in Pisces, which has dredged some scary “sediment” to the surface. If you’ve been struggling to find a sense of hope or meaning while the threat of world war looms, you are not alone.

The 2022 Pisces new moon won’t solve the horrors in Ukraine, but it can provide you with some self-soothing techniques in the face of a situation that is beyond what you as an individual can control.

Emotions are the domain of the watery sign of the Fish, and the 2022 Pisces new moon provides both a reflecting pool and a chance to plunge into the depths of your own feelings. From that open state, divine guidance may flow in.

Here are seven ways to “shield your field” at the 2022 Pisces New Moon:

1. Scan your subconscious.

So, you’ve given your closets and …

Click here to read the rest of this article about the new moon

10 Ways to Improve Your Psychic Abilities

Most people are trained to ignore intuition, so they let their psychic potential go to waste. Few realize that everyone has psychic abilities, some more than others, but everyone nonetheless. These spiritual skills can be developed and perfected; clairvoyants need little more than inner peace and meditation to keep their abilities strong. Without following certain steps, however, even psychics would be living in suspense. These ten steps that once helped them to improve their psychic abilities, and now they can help you:

1. Believe in Yourself

Negative thoughts hinder psychic abilities. However long it takes, just have faith and stay upbeat. You will meet your goals in time. Find inspiration whenever and wherever you can. Read stories about others who honed their psychic abilities, and keep learning ways to follow in their footsteps. Let go of any skepticism you have. Allow yourself to trust in your own natural power, as well as the power of the supernatural. Anything less than 100% effort is unacceptable. There is no room for doubt during your spiritual ventures.

2. Take Time to Relax

To fall into a deep state of relaxation, most people meditate or breathe slowly while concentrating on nothingness. Not only does it clear your mind, but meditation actually changes brain wave patterns. This decreases metabolic rate and relieves tension. It has cured hypertension and improved heart health. Meditation also temporarily alters the prefrontal cortex, allowing for better mental performance and even boosting energy levels – exactly what people need in order to get in touch with the spiritual side of life. Release your stress. Just breathe.

3. Resolve Differences Between You and Those Around You

People cannot be in tune with their mystic gifts unless they are at peace with themselves and …

Click here to read more on this article about Psychic Abilities

Eleven Things Every Witch Should Know

Eleven Things Every Witch Should Know

1. Magic is what happens when you open yourself to the Divine. All real magic is
a manifestation of the Divine – it is how you co-create reality with deity.

2. The Divine is within you and is everywhere present in the natural world. And
everything is interconnected by this sacred energy.

3. Wicca is not about information — it’s about transformation, so practice,
practice, practice — and do it as much as possible in Nature! Witchcraft
enables you to commune with divinity and to manifest your destiny, your desires
and your highest and sacred self.

4. The real ethics of how Witches live and practice magic are simple: Witches
live in a sacred manner because we live in a sacred world. We therefore treat
all of life with reverence and respect.

5. Because all magic flows from our connection to the Sacred, our lives and our
magic, must be guided by the sacred nature of the energy with which we work.

6. The energy Witches work with is not neutral — it is divine love.

7. Magic often works in unexpected way because it is not a mechanical process,
and the Universe is not a machine. You are living and making magic within a
divine, organic, living reality.

8. Witches don’t command and control — they commune and co-create.

9. The real secret of successful spellcasting, as with all of magic, is your
connection to the Divine power that dwells within you, and surrounds you. And
spells do work so be careful what you ask for!

10. Nature makes the Divine tangible. By working, living, and practicing your
magic in harmony with Nature, you are in harmony with the Divine.

11. The ultimate teacher is the God/Goddess inside you and in the world of
Nature all around you.

Author unknown

Would You Have Been Called A Witch In Salem?

The Salem witch trials — a period of mass hysteria and panic that overtook colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693 — are often regarded as one of the most fascinating episodes of American history. After all, the story is so dramatic and so strange that it almost reads like fiction: Young girls begin having mysterious screaming fits; they are diagnosed as having been bewitched, and soon a hunt begins for the witches. Although the Salem witch trials are now the source of scary stories and creepy TV shows, it’s important that we remember that they were real, and they were terrible: twenty people were killed for being “witches”, and many more were accused and imprisoned.

It’s fairly horrifying to consider how easy it was for a woman to be convicted and executed for witchcraft in the 17th century—and just how little power she had to prove her innocence. As Marilynne K. Roach, historian and author of Six Women of Salem: the Untold Story of the Accused and Their Accusers in the Salem Witch Trials, explains, “In 1692 anyone might have been accused of witchcraft.” There are some factors that made one more susceptible to accusations than others, however. Read on to see if you fit the parameters of these supposed “witches” and thank your lucky stars that you don’t live in the 17th century.

1. You’re a woman

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Goddess Calendar for February 2022 by Kimberly Moore

WELCOME FEBRUARY GODDESSES!

Notice how the seeds of your intentions are quickening. Embrace your FIERCE for the Year of the Tiger. Write an epic poem for Brigid. Spit some well-directed thunderbolts with OYA. Take a Star Bath with Nut. Undertake a new creative endeavor with Saraswati. Gift your friends and family readings with Tyche and Fortuna on St. Agatha’s Day. Track your cycles with Selene. Unfurl your deepest desires with Lalita Devi. Run through the forest with Diana. Light candles for the Ancestors and placate your hungry ghosts. Stoke your passions with Aphrodite. Bake sacrificial cakes for your next gathering with Fornax. Schedule a wellness check-up and honor good health with Hygeia.

Wishing you a magckal month! xo Kimberly 

FEBRUARY is Black History Month.

February 1, 2022 – New Moon in Aquarius – Lunar New Year! Happy Year of the Tiger!

February 1 – Brigid’s Day (Ways to Celebrate Brigid’s Day & Imbolc)

February 1 – 2 – Pagan Sabbat of Imbolc/Candlemas

February 2 – Goddess and Orisha OYA Feast Day as Our Lady of Candelaria

February 2 – Goddess and Orisha Yemoja Candomble Feast Day

February 2 – Feast Day of Maman Brigitte Vodoun lwa

February 2 – Feast of Egyptian Goddess Nut

February 3, 2022 – Mercury Stations Direct in Capricorn

February 4, 2022 – Ganesha Spring Jayanti

February 5, 2022 – Vasant Panchami (Hindu) – Saraswati Puja!

February 5 –  St. Agatha’s Day celebrating the Goddesses Tyche, Fortuna, & Wyrd (Divination & Fortune telling!)

February 5, 2022 – Day of Marian Devotion

February 6 – Aphrodite Feast Day

February 7 – Feast of Greek Moon Goddess Selene

February 8 – TARA Day

February 11 – Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes

February 12 – Festival of the Goddess Diana of the Wild & Artemis of the Meadow

February 12 – Runic half month of Sowulo (Sun, Light, Clarity)

February 13 – February 21 – Ancient Roman Festival Parentalia – Festival of the Ancestors and placation of the ghosts

February 13 – International Self Love Day

February 14 – Susan B. Anthony’s Birthday

February 14 – Valentine’s Day

February 15 – Nirvana Day – Mahayana Buddhist Festival – Anniversary of the death of Buddha

February 15 – Patricia Monaghan’s Birthday

February 16, 2022 – FULL MOON IN LEO

February 16, 2022 – Lalita Jayanti – Happy Birthday to the Hindu Goddess Lalita!

February 16 – Ancient Roman Festival of the Goddess Victoria – Victory

February 17 – Ancient Roman Festival of Fornicalia – Celebrating the Roman Goddess Fornax, the personification of the oven

February 18, 2022 – Sun Enters Pisces

February 18 – Sepandārmazgān – Ancient Iranian Women’s Festival celebrated to show love for Mothers and Wives

February 18 – March 17 – Celtic Tree Calendar – NION – ASH

February 22 – Feast of the Roman Goddess Concordia, embodiment of agreement

February 26 – Day of Greek Goddess Hygeia – Goddess of Health and Wellness

February 26 – Day of Egyptian Goddess Nut

February 27 – Runic half month of Teiwaz (Creator, Right Action)

February 28 – Moira Mathers’ Birthday

From themotherhouseofthegoddess.com

February 2022 PAGAN CELEBRATION & HOLIDAY CALENDAR

1-2 – IMBOLC/CANDLEMAS

Celtic pagan holiday marking the beginning of spring. Christians refer to it as the feast day of Saint Brigid.

1 – 2 – Feburalia

Honoring the God Februus, Roman God of death and purification.

11 – VELES

Rodnovery God

15 – Lupercalia

Festival in Ancient Rome to purify the city, promoting health and fertility.

18 – MARCH 17 – CELTIC MONTH ASH MOON

(Most websites I checked have the full Moon falling on February 16, 2022)

The ash is strength and power. Learn how to make a besom from ash. Pan’s day.

21: Parentalia

Ancient Roman time to honor the ancestors.

From celebratepaganholidays.com

How To Open Your 7 Chakras?

This contains a video as well as reading material on how to open your seven chakras.

Click here for more information from sunsigns.org on How To Open Your Chakras?

Lady Beltane can open your chakras either through a full-length photograph of you or through a Skype video call, especially if they have never been done or are blocked. She does charge for cleaning them out, fills them with positive energy, get them connect to each other and will check back in a week to see if a minor tune up may be needed. Prices for this service can be found on the ‘Lady Beltane’s Readings and Abilities’ (page coming soon). Until the page is up you can contact Lady Beltane at ladybeltane@aol.com for more information. Please put the word “CHAKRAS” in the subject line. Thank you!

Salute to Aningan – the Inuit God of the Moon

The northern sky is broad and flawless black, 

A vast expanse from which most look away,

But Aningan the Moon is on the track

Of caribou and seals, and will not stray.

His barking dogs work hard to pull his sleigh,

Weighted down with fur, and ivory tusks, and meat.

Watch over us, Brave Moon. We pass your way.

And come as brother hunters, on hushed feet.

We ask for your forbearance as we meet

The challenges laid out along the trail.

We brave the winter’s cold, the summer’s heat,

But know that with your wisdom, none shall fail.

Though harsh the path, your patience will not pall;

You serve as an example to us all

By Elizabeth Barrette in Llewellyn’s Wiches’ Datebook 2004 Page 31

January 2022 Moon Details

The Full Moon for this month will occur on Monday, January 17th. The New Moon is earlier in the month on Sunday, January 2nd.

January Full Moon Name

The very first full moon of the year is known in many cultures as the Full Wolf Moon, which is appropriate given the deep, ancient ties between wolves and January’s full moon. For instance, the Gaelic word for January, Faoilleach, comes from the term for wolves, faol-chù, even though wolves haven’t existed in Scotland for centuries. The Saxon word for January is Wulf-monath, or Wolf Month. Meanwhile, the festival of the Japanese wolf god, Ooguchi Magami, is held in January. The Seneca tribe links the wolf so strongly to the moon, they believe that a wolf gave birth to the moon by singing it into the sky. Just why are wolves so strongly associated with January’s full moon?

The most obvious answer is because wolves are much louder and more noticeable in January, which is when breeding season begins. Wolves begin to howl more frequently and aggressively to establish their territory, threatening neighbors and enemies alike to stay far away from their breeding grounds. A small pack of wolves may even try to make themselves seem like a larger pack by howling together. While a lone wolf can sustain a howl for the duration of a single breath, an entire pack may howl in unison for longer than two minutes during breeding season.

While it makes sense for the haunting howls of wolves to be more memorable during January, how did wolves come to be associated with the full moon itself? Everyone is familiar with the iconic image of a wolf raising its head and howling at the full moon – but do wolves actually sing to the moon? While that might be a romantic idea, there’s no scientific evidence that links wolves to the lunar cycle. Humans may have begun to associate wolves with the moon simpy because they are nocturnal animals that are very active at night. In addition, wolves do raise their heads in the direction of the sky so their howls can travel over far distances to reach their pack mates as they roam. Instead of singing to the moon, they’re actually singing to their friends.

In fact, wolves are so well-known for their tight-knit communities that the Sioux tribe called January’s full moon the Moon Where Wolves Run Together. The wolf is often seen as a symbol of loyalty and protection in many cultures. The Wolf Moon is the perfect time for you to reach out to loved ones and reaffirm your connections, in preparation for deepening your bonds and taking on new challenges together over the upcoming year.

That said, lone wolves are also entirely capable of overcoming hostile conditions on their own with their resourcefulness. According to Celtic mythology, the wolf is infused with lunar power, which refers to its ability to sniff out hidden insights or knowledge, and to detect unexpected sources of danger. In some legends, the wolf even swallows the sun so the wolf can bask in the moon’s overflowing lunar power! The Full Wolf Moon is a great time for you to plan out clever ways to achieve your goals for the upcoming year. Trust your wolfish instincts when it comes to decisions, but also be tenacious in searching for useful knowledge that will help you realize your masterplan.

 

Local Date and Time for January 2022 Full Moon in major cities around the world:

Los Angeles,
San Francisco,
Vancouver
January 17, 2022
3:48pm PST

Denver,
Salt Lake City,
Calgary
January 17, 2022
4:48pm MST

Chicago,
Houston,
San Antonio
January 17, 2022
5:48pm CST

New York,
Toronto,
Atlanta
January 17, 2022
6:48pm EST

London,
Manchester,
Dublin
January 17, 2022
11:48pm GMT

Paris,
Rome,
Berlin
January 18, 2022
12:48am CET

Athens,
Istanbul,
Helsinki
January 18, 2022
1:48am EET

Dubai,
Abu Dhabi,
Muscat
January 18, 2022
3:48am +04

Bangalore,
Mumbai,
New Delhi
January 18, 2022
5:18am IST

Singapore,
Kuala Lumpur
January 18, 2022
7:48am +08

Perth,
Hong Kong,
Beijing
January 18, 2022
7:48am AWST

Sydney,
Brisbane,
Melbourne
January 18, 2022
10:48am AEDT

From Moongiant.com

Wolf Moon Tarot Spread

Call on the spirit of the wolf with this tarot spread to find your pack. This could mean new friends, good coworkers, a soulmate, your found family or more!
Wolf Moon January Tarot Spread Find Pack
Finding Your Pack – Tarot for the Wolf Moon

🐺

Begin by placing a small token in the middle of where you will lay your cards (marked by the pawprint 🐾 on the picture of the tarot spread above).

This token will serve as a taglock to you– it could be a piece of jewelry you wear, a lock of your hair, a picture of yourself, etc. Choose something that you feel represents yourself!

When you are ready, shuffle and draw your tarot cards. Lay the cards in the order depicted in the tarot spread picture above.

——————————————————————————-

1. 🌕The moon rises– who am I looking for?

The card you draw in this spot is symbolic of who you are seeking. The card may reveal a trait or characteristic of the person or group or are looking for.

2. 🐺The hunt begins– how can I find them?

This card will advise you on what you need to do in order to locate what you are seeking. Keep an open mind here– the card may suggest something you have not thought of before.

3. 🐇 Catching your prey– how will I know it’s right?

This card will reveal a sign or symbol to look for to know that you’re on the right trail. It may represent something tangible or it could hint at an emotion you’ll feel when you’re with the right group or person.

4. 🎉Victory howl– when will I meet my pack?

This card points to when you can expect to meet your pack, should the current path you are on play out as expected. Time and dates can be tricky to read in tarot, so look for seasonal symbols or numbers and rely on your intuition to help you interpret.

From Spells8.com