(One Person’s View Point) New Moon Spells and Rituals for Tomorrow

(YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE ANY SPELLS POSTED TO A DOCUMENT TO PRINT AND/OR SAVE ON YOUR COMPUTER FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY)

Click here for more New Moon Spells and Rituals Source: Spells8.com

The New Moon is a lunar phase that happens when the Moon is located exactly between the Earth and the Sun. Because its bright side cannot be seen from our planet, some people also call it a “Dark Moon“.

A collection of spells for the new moon, including an easy spell that you can cast right now.

In this article, you’ll find:

New Moon Magic!

Quick New Moon Candle Spell

Energy of a New Moon · . * ✦

What to do in the New Moon?

Easy New Moon Rituals

Easy New Moon Spells

Meditations for the New Moon

Introducing 37 Popular Different Types of Witches

There are possible as many different types of witches, as witches themselves. These various types mentioned below are great for understanding your craft and giving you a frame to research and learn more about magical ways of being.

I want to describe them as an inspiration for you to find the best practice that will suit your aesthetic and interests. It’s not intended to give you another label nor to show the only possible way to practice witchcraft.

Feel free to combine these practices and find your unique way of magic.

(One Person’s View Point) A Look at Today’s USA Military’s Views on Wicca and Other Pagan Paths

Today’s Military Views on Wicca US Army Chaplain’s Manual from wicca.com

Excerpt from the U.S. Army’s Religious Requirements and Practices of Certain Selected Groups: A Handbook for Chaplains (pgs 231-236). Available from:

USAF Chaplain’s Service Institute
Resource Division

WICCA

OTHER NAMES BY WHICH KNOWN:
Witchcraft; Goddess worshippers; Neo-Paganism, Paganism, Norse (or any other ethnic designation) Earth Religion, Old Religion, Druidism, Shamanism.

Note: All of these groups have some basic similarities and many surface differences of expression with Wicca.

LEADERSHIP:
No central leadership. The Covenant of the Goddess annually elects a First Officer and there is a constitutional limit of two consecutive terms, but in practice officers have almost always served for one year only. In 1991, there are two Co-First Officers, Phoenix Whitebirch and Brandy Williams.

Note: This Covenant does not govern any Coven other than its’ own.

MEMBERSHIP:
Because of the complete autonomy of covens, this cannot be determined. There are an estimated of 50,000 Wiccans in the United States.

Hernes note: This number is now substantially higher and estimated at over 200,000 (now over 1.5 million in 2020). Wicca is currently the fastest growing spiritual path in the U.S.

HISTORICAL ORIGIN:
Wicca is a reconstruction of the Nature worship of tribal Europe, strongly influenced by the Living Nature worship traditions of tribal peoples in other parts of the world.

The works of such early twentieth century writers as Margaret Murray, Robert Graves and Gerald B. Gardner began the renewal of interest in the Old Religion. After the repeal of the anti-Witchcraft laws in Britain in 1951, Gardner publicly declared himself a Witch and began to gather a group of students and worshipers.

In 1962, two of his students, Raymond and Rosemary Buckland (religious names: Lady Rowen and Robat), emigrated to the United States and began teaching Gardnerian Witchcraft here. At the same time, other groups of people became interested through reading books by Gardner and others. Many covens were spontaneously formed, using rituals created from a combination of research and individual inspiration. These self-created covens are today regarded as just as valid as those who can trace a “lineage” of teaching back to England.

In 1975, a very diverse group of covens who wanted to secure the legal protections and benefits of church status formed Covenant of the Goddess (CoG), which is incorporated in the State of California and recognized by the Internal Revenue Service. CoG does not represent all, or even a majority of Wiccans. A coven or an individual need not be affiliated with CoG in order to validly practice the religion. But CoG is the largest single public Wiccan organization, and it is cross-Traditional (i.e. non-denominational).

BASIC BELIEFS:
Wiccans worship the sacred as immanent in Nature, often personified as Mother Earth and Father Sky. As polytheists, they may use many other names for Deity. Individuals will often choose Goddesses or Gods from any of the world’s pantheons whose stories are particularly inspiring and use those Deities as a focus for personal devotions.

Similarly, covens will use particular Deity names as a group focus, and these are often held secret by the groups. It is very important to be aware that Wiccans do not in any way worship or believe in “Satan,” “the Devil,” or any similar entities. They point out that “Satan” is a symbol of rebellion against and inversion of the Christian and Jewish traditions.

Wiccans do not revile the Bible. They simply regard it as one among many of the world’s mythic systems, less applicable than some to their core values, but still deserving just as much respect as any of the others. Most Wiccan groups also practice magic, by which they mean the direction and use of “psychic energy,” those natural but invisible forces which surround all living things. Some members spell the word “magick,” to distinguish it from sleight of hand entertainments.

Wiccans employ such means as dance, chant, creative visualization and hypnosis to focus and direct psychic energy for the purpose of healing, protecting and aiding members in various endeavors. Such assistance is also extended to non-members upon request.

Many, but not all, Wiccans believe in reincarnation. Some take this as a literal description of what happens to people when they die. For others, it is a symbolic model that helps them deal with the cycles and changes within this life. Neither Reincarnation nor any other literal belief can be used as a test of an individual’s validity as a member of the Old Religion.

Most groups have a handwritten collection of rituals and lore, known as a Book of Shadows. Part of the religious education of a new member will be to hand copy this book for him or herself. Over they years, as inspiration provides, new material will be added. Normally, access to these books is limited to initiated members of the religion.

PRACTICES AND BEHAVIORAL STANDARDS:
The core ethical statement of Wicca, called the “Wiccan Rede” states “an it harm none, do what you will.” The rede fulfills the same function as does the “Golden Rule” for Jews and Christians; all other ethical teachings are considered to be elaborations and applications of the Rede. It is a statement of situational ethics, emphasizing at once the individual’s responsibility to avoid harm to others and the widest range of personal autonomy in “victimless” activities. Wicca has been described as having a “high-choice” ethic.

Because of the basic Nature orientation of the religion, many Wiccans will regard all living things as Sacred, and show a special concern for ecological issues. For this reason, individual conscience will lead some to take a pacifist position. Some are vegetarians. Others will feel that, as Nature’s Way includes self-defense, they should participate in wars that they conscientiously consider to be just. The religion does not dictate either position, but requires each member to thoughtfully and meditatively examine her or his own conscience and to live by it. Social forces generally do not yet allow Witches to publicly declare their religious faith without fear of reprisals such as loss of job, child custody challenges, ridicule, etc. Prejudice against Wiccans is the result of public confusion between Witchcraft and Satanism. Wiccans in the military, especially those who may be posted in countries perceived to be particularly intolerant, will often have their dog tags read “No Religious Preference.” Concealment is a traditional Wiccan defense against persecution, so non-denominational dog tags should not contravene a member’s request for religious services.

Wiccans celebrate eight festivals, called “Sabbats,” as a means of attunement to the seasonal rhythms of Nature. These are January 31 (Called Oimelc, Brigit, or February Eve), March 21 (Ostara or Spring Equinox), April 30 (Beltane or May Eve), June 22 (Midsummer, Litha or Summer Solstice), July 31 (Lunasa or Lammas), September 21 (Harvest, Mabon or Autumn Equinox), October 31 (Samhain, Sowyn or Hallows), and December 21 (Yule or Winter Solstice.)

Some groups find meetings within a few days of those dates to be acceptable, others require the precise date. In addition, most groups will meet for worship at each Full Moon, and many will also meet on the New Moon.

Meetings for religious study will often be scheduled at any time convenient to the members, and rituals can be scheduled whenever there is a need (i.e. for a healing). Ritual jewelry is particularly important to many Wiccans. In addition to being a symbol of religious dedication, these talismans are often blessed by the coven back home and felt to carry the coven’s protective and healing energy.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE:
Most Wiccans meet with a coven, a small group of people. Each coven is autonomous. Most are headed by a High Priestess, often with the assistance of a High Priest. Some are headed by a High Priestess or High Priest without a partner, and some regard themselves as a gathering of equals. Covens can be of mixed gender, or all female or male, depending on the preferences of the members. Every initiate is considered to be a priestess or priest.

Most covens are small. Thirteen is the traditional maximum number of members, although not an absolute limit. At that size covens form a close bond, so Wiccans in the military are likely to maintain a strong affiliation with their covens back home. There are many distinct “Traditions” of Wicca, just as there are many denominations within Christianity.

The spectrum of Wiccan practice can be described as ranging from “traditional” to “eclectic,” with Traditions, covens and individuals fitting anywhere within that range. A typical difference would be that more traditional groups would tend to follow a set liturgy, whereas eclectic groups would emphasize immediate inspiration in worship.

These distinctions are not particularly important to the military chaplain, since it is unlikely that enough members of any one Tradition would be at the same base. Worship circles at military facilities are likely to be ad-hoc cross-Traditional groups, working out compromise styles of worship for themselves and constantly adapting them to a changing membership.

Therefore, the lack of strict adherence to the patterns of any one Tradition is not an indicator of invalidity. While many Wiccans meet in a coven, there are also a number of solitairies. These are individuals who choose to practice their faith alone. The may have been initiated in a coven or self initiated. They will join with other Wiccans to celebrate the festivals or to attend the various regional events organized by the larger community.

ROLE OF MINISTERS:
Within a traditional coven, the High Priestess, usually assisted by her High Priest, serves both as leader in the rituals and as teacher and counselor for coven members and unaffiliated Pagans. Eclectic covens tend to share leadership more equally.

WORSHIP:
Wiccans usually worship in groups. Individuals who are currently not affiliated with a coven, or are away from their home coven, may choose to worship privately or may form ad-hoc groups to mark religious occasions. Non-participating observers are not generally welcome at Wiccan rituals.

Some, but not all, Wiccan covens worship in the nude (skyclad) as a sign of attunement with Nature.

Most, but not all, Wiccan covens bless and share a cup of wine as part of the ritual. Almost all Wiccans use an individual ritual knife (an “athame”) to focus and direct personal energy. Covens often also have ritual swords to direct the energy of the group. These tools, like all other ritual tools, are highly personal and should never leave the possession of the owner.

Other commonly used ritual tools include a bowl of water, a bowl of salt, a censer with incense, a disk with symbols engraved on it (a “pentacle”), statues or artwork representing the Goddess and God, and candles. Most groups will bless and share bread or cookies along with the wine. All of these items are used in individual, private worship as well as in congregate rituals.

DIETARY LAWS OR RESTRICTIONS:
None.

FUNERAL AND BURIAL REQUIREMENTS:
None. Recognition of the death of a member takes place within the coven, apart from the body of the deceased. Ritual tools, materials, or writings found among the effects of the deceased should be returned to their home coven (typically a member will designate a person to whom ritual materials should be sent). It is desirable for a Wiccan priest or priestess to be present at the time of death, but not strictly necessary. If not possible, the best assistance would be to make the member as comfortable as possible, listen to whatever they have to say, honor any possible requests, and otherwise leave them as quiet and private as possible. (Sind Note Pagans can now have a pentagram on their headstone in any official USA military cemetary)

MEDICAL TREATMENT:
No medical restrictions. Wiccans generally believe in the efficacy of spiritual or psychic healing when done in tandem with standard medical treatment. Therefore, at the request of the patient, other Wiccan personnel should be allowed visiting privileges as though they were immediate family, including access to Intensive Care Units. Most Wiccans believe that healing energy can be sent from great distances, so, if possible, in the case of any serious medical condition, the member’s home coven should be notified.

OTHER:
With respect to attitude toward military service, Wiccans range from career military personnel to conscientious objectors. Wiccans do not proselytize and generally resent those who do. They believe that no one Path to the Sacred is right for all people, and see their own religious pattern as only one among many that are equally worthy. Wiccans respect all religions that foster honor and compassion in their adherents, and expect the same respect. Members are encouraged to learn about all faiths, and are permitted to attend the services of other religions, should they desire to do so.

GENERAL SOURCE BOOKS:

Note by Herne: Since this was written by the military, the list of books available has grown subtantially. For more topics and titles, see our Suggested Reading List.

The best general survey of the Wiccan and neo-Pagan movement is: Adler, Margot. Drawing Down the Moon. Boston: Beacon Press, 1986. 595pp

For more specific information about eclectic Wicca, see: Starhawk. The Spiral Dance. New York: Harper & Row, 1979.

For more specific information about traditional Wicca, see: Farrar, Janet, and Stewart Farrar. Eight Sabbats for Witches. London: Robert Hale, 1981. 192pp.

The Witches’ Way. London: Robert Hale, 1984. 394pp.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Pagan Military Newsletter c/o Terri Morgan, Editor, 829 Lynnhaven Parkway 114-198 Virginia Beach, VA 23452

Because of the autonomy of each coven and the wide variance of specific ritual practices, the best contact person would be the High Priestess or other leader of the member’s home coven.

Imbolc marks the Irish pagan start of spring – something is stirring

As the great wheel turns, we find ourselves slowly re-emerging from the deep dreamtime of winter into the portal of Imbolc.

Kathy Scott Trailblazery Feb 01, 2022

The Wheel of the Year is a medicine wheel marked and celebrated by most, indigenous cultures around the earth in their own ways.

In Ireland, the ancient ones measured their cosmos in wheels, spirals, in the movement of the stars, and the rising and setting of the sun and moon.

The ancient Irish were deeply connected to the land, the seasons, and the cycles of the natural world and honored these portals with ritual and ceremony. Our ancestors have gifted us with a rich cultural inheritance aligned with the rhythms and patterns of the natural world. This cyclical way of living offers great wisdom that can support and resource our wellbeing today as ‘ancestors-in-training’.

The Wheel of the Year is a medicine wheel marked and celebrated by most, indigenous cultures around the earth in their own ways.

In Ireland, the ancient ones measured their cosmos in wheels, spirals, in the movement of the stars, and the rising and setting of the sun and moon.

Imbolc marks the quickening

The word Imbolc derives from the Irish, ‘i mbolg’, meaning ‘in the belly’, or “first milk” in the old Irish Neolithic language. It heralds the birthing season, as the soon-to-be-born lambs are growing in their mother’s bellies. Another powerful metaphor to describe this time is ‘winter pregnant with summer’. The seeds of summer are still hidden deep in the earth, in the womb of the goddess and while the worst of the winter darkness is over, Spring has not fully arrived yet.

In the ancient Celtic tradition, there is a celebration of the relationship between the dualistic forces of light and darkness, between what is seen and Click here to read the rest of this article about Imbolc from www.irishcentral.com

Imbolc Lore and Rituals

Celebrating the Seasons by Selena Fox

Imbolc, also known as Candlemas and Groundhog’s Day, occurs at the beginning of February. It marks the middle of Winter and holds the promise of Spring. The Goddess manifests as the Maiden and Brigid. The Groundhog is a manifestation of the God. Colors are White, and sometimes Red. It is a festival of spiritual purification and dedication.

Thoroughly clean your altar and/or temple room. Do a self purification rite with Elemental tools — cleanse your body with salt (Earth), your thoughts with incense (Air), your will with a candle flame (Fire), your emotions with water (Water), and your spiritual body with a healing crystal (Spirit). Bless candles that you will be using for rituals throughout the year. Invoke Brigid for creative inspiration. Take a Nature walk and look for the first signs of Spring. Reflect upon/reaffirm spiritual vows and commitments you have made.

Resources

Nineteen Ways to Celebrate Imbolc by Selena Fox
Imbolc Customs and Lore by Selena Fox
Litany of the Five Elements by Selena Fox
Brigid Chants by Selena Fox
Brigid Healing Ritual by Selena Fox

Click here to read the rest of this article about Imbolc from www.circlesanctuary.org

Pagan Holidays Lughnasadh Lammas | Everything You Need To Know

The Lughnasadh and Lammas Pagan holidays celebrates the Wheel of the Year and the arrival of the late summer season!

The days are sticky hot and you spend your time finding ways to cool down. Gardens and farmlands are ripe with veggies in shades of dark green and yellow. This is the beginning of the first harvest and primarily involves grain and corn. Although the sun is strong and hot, you’ll notice the days are beginning to shorten.

This season is lush and abundant, but Nature is already beginning to sense the coming of colder Winter days. So begins the days of preparation: gathering seeds to plant next Spring, harvesting herbs, canning jams and jellies, and baking bread to store for those cold days ahead.

It’s important to also understand that there is so much more to Lughnasadh and not just the literal interpretation of harvesting because you may not be farming your own fields.

This is a time for gratitude, personal growth, and renewal. The energy and intentions of Lughnasadh are still prevalent in the day to day lives of those who live a nature spirituality based life.

Many Pagans, Witches, and those interested in Nature Spirituality celebrate the seasonal cycles. Sometimes referred to as the Wheel of the Year, and consisting of eight celebrations. Four of these festivals (Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh, and Samhain) are rooted in Celtic history and origins. The other four (Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Autumn Equinox, and Winter Solstice) represent the sun’s location. I created a complete guide to each season, including history, traditions, symbols, correspondences, ritual ideas, and how you can celebrate.

Click here to read the rest of the article Source: thepeculiarbrunette.com

Imbolc – History, Traditions, Correspondences, and Simple Ritual Ideas

(YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE ANY SPELLS POSTED TO A DOCUMENT TO PRINT AND/OR SAVE ON YOUR COMPUTER FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY)

Imbolc is a fire festival that celebrates the home and the halfway point between Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. It is quite literally Midwinter and while the days continue to grow lighter it is still dark and cold outside. Cabin fever has set in and we are all yearning to unburden ourselves from the long dark days. This can be an especially difficult time for those who suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and is a BIG reason why a celebration is so lovely right now!

After months of self-reflection, planning, and goal setting, aspiration and ambition are beginning to stir. The tiniest bits of enthusiasm is starting to awaken beneath the surface. Goals and dreams that you’ve created over the long cold nights are now being lit from the flames of Midwinter. Let your creativity and imagination help manifest these dreams!

How do you pronounce Imbolc?

When is Imbolc?

Imbolc History and Traditions

Imbolc Correspondences

Spiritual / Magickal Intentions

Food and Drinks

Colors

Botanicals, Herbs, and Greenery

Symbols

Animals

Crystals, Metals, and Stones

Incense, Candles and Scents

Simple Solo Imbolc Rituals

Set intentions

Work in your grimoire

Start seeds

Take a walk outside to connect with the sun

How to Celebrate Imbolc and Activities

Make a Dream Sachet

Plan your garden

Light candles or make your own

Bake some cinnamon treats (cinnamon rolls, bread, pies, cakes, cookies, etc)

Be present

Start a new craft project or hobby

Spend time with loved ones or host a potluck

Pre-Spring Clean

Frugality

Click here to read more of this article Source: thepeculiarbrunette.com

How do I write a Spell?

State your intention. Decide on the result you want to accomplish with the spell.

The Moon is important in witchcraft and, therefore, has a profound influence. The Moon is important in witchcraft and, therefore, has a profound influence.

Time your spell. Timing when casting spells can be important. The Moon is important in witchcraft, and therefore has a profound influence upon us. It is very important to choose the right moon phase for your spell;Magical workings for gain, increase or bringing things to you, should be initiated when the moon is waxing (from new to full);When the moon is waning (from full to dark), then its time for magical workings of decrease or sending away.

The highest energy occurs at the full moon, and therefore this is the most powerful time for magical workings. The new moon is the next most powerful time for magic.

Work with the seasons. There is a natural time for starting things (a planting time), for maturing things (a growing time), for reaping things (a harvest time) and, of course, a time for rest and planning.

Gather your tools. Make sure that you have all the tools that you need for casting the spell. Your tools must have no inherent magic. They are to help you create a mood. You also have to clean your tools. Don’t forget to cleanse and bless (consecrate) your tools before your begin casting your spell.

Understand magic. Remember that magic is the manipulation of energy, a thought is a form of energy and a visualization is an even stronger form of energy. Your visualization can be a method used to intensify further and direct your will. Your visualization can be the method by which you control the magical energy you have produced. You must know what you want. You must see it. You must feel the high energy flow. You must direct it.

Write your spoken words. For making your words and thoughts stronger you can write your spell into a rhyme to be spoken aloud; this makes it easier to remember your spell, you can also chant your spell to raise energy.

Remember the Threefold Law. Everything that you want to reach with this spell comes back 3 times, good or wrong.

Additonal Tips

Before you write your final version of your spell, you can write on a note what you want to reach with your spell, and what you are needing.

Don’t forget to cast a circle before doing any spell, for you are totally vulnerable for elementals when casting higher powers of other beings.

Meditation is the key to relaxation, and being completely relaxed allows energy to flow freely throughout your body. You should learn how to clear your mind and focus with whats on hand.

Remember the very important law: if thee harm none, do what thou will.

Remember to always end a spell in “In no way shall this spell reverse, or place upon me any curse, so mote it be”

HERBALISM AND FOLK REMEDIES: A BEGINNERS LOOK INTO TRADITIONAL HEALING

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.

In an era dominated by advanced pharmaceuticals and medical technologies, the humble origins and principles of herbalism and folk remedies often seem overshadowed. Yet, there is a growing interest in these traditional methods of healing – a thirst for returning back to the wild and seeping in all the knowledge of natural medicines and foods we can find in the world around us. This interest is not just a nostalgic return to the practices of our ancestors, but a rational and evidence-based reconsideration of what effective medicine can look like in a modern context.

The reliance on synthetic drugs, heralded for their targeted action and potency, has somewhat obscured the value found in the natural compounds that have been the bedrock of medicinal practices for millennia. Despite this pharmaceutical shift, many folk remedies have remained in our homes – from lemon and ginger teas for sore throats and colds, to baking soda paste on nettle stings to stop the itchiness, what the world naturally gives us works – and so we come back to it.

There are benefits in herbal medicines, even if it is not quite understood which components are doing the helping, as this study suggests. These findings give credibility to traditional remedies and expand our knowledge on healing with accessible and effective resources that align with the principles of sustainability. It is always good to keep in mind that traditional medicine is in direct competition with the business of big pharma, so it’s no surprise there is a lack of official research being poured into the subject.

This exploration of natural remedies has identified active ingredients in common foods and herbs that support the treatment of various conditions— such as garlic’s antimicrobial properties, the anti-inflammatory effects of turmeric, and the treatment of depression using St Johns Wort (though, for clarification, this particular study claims to have “inconclusive” results, despite finding St Johns Wort more effective than the standard treatments).

Nonetheless, these findings validate traditional medicine, as well as illuminate a path forward where health care can be more sustainable, grounded, and in tune with the natural world. Integrating folk remedies into contemporary healthcare practices is not about rejecting modern medicine’s achievements but about broadening our approach to healing.

HOW PLANTS CONNECT US TO MAGICK…

Click here to read the rest of this article Source: wildweremain.com

1 Person’s View on The Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Witchery

Food is essential. Some people take great delight in cooking and preparing meals while others find the activity to be a necessary chore.

But when does cooking become more than just cooking?

When you stir in a little magic and whip up something enchanting. Many of the basic ingredients you use to make your meals every day also have magical attributes.

What’s the difference between just throwing a few things together in a pot and creating magic?

Intent and focus, of course!

Whether you are still a secret witch or simply don’t have time for elaborate rituals, kitchen witchery is an easy way to integrate magic into your daily life. Herbs and other mundane ingredients can be used to witchify your next meal.

Your Kitchen Altar

If you plan to use kitchen witchery as your primary mode of witchcrafting, you may want to begin thinking of your kitchen as a sacred space. This, of course, will depend on your living situation and personal practice.

Take a moment to think about your kitchen. It’s probably often overlooked and under appreciated, but some truly magical things happen in this room.

The gifts of the Earth are transformed and combined into creations that nourish and benefit your body. That’s pretty neat!

While you probably can’t treat your kitchen as an altar all the time, there are a few things you can do to transform this room into a sacred space.

Address Energetic Imbalances

Just like any other space, the kitchen can sometimes collect unwanted energies, especially if it doesn’t get much sunlight. All those cabinets and crevices between appliances don’t help matters. And if you live in a rental there could be years of energetic build…

Magical Kitchen Decorations…

Tools…

Dishes, Cookware and Other Containers…

The Oven…

The Cauldron…

Mortar and Pestle…

Pantry…

Cooking and Eating Utensils…

Steps for Food Magic

Set your purpose or intention before preparing each meal. For bigger changes you may need more than one meal.
Select foods and ingredients that are suitable for your intention.
Choose foods that you enjoy. Just because something has the magical association you are looking for doesn’t mean you should force yourself to eat something you dislike.
Choose foods that contribute to a healthy diet. Don’t let magic lead you toward an unbalanced diet of junk food. Self care, folks!
Visualize your intention. As you are prepare the ingredients by chopping, peeling, and heating, visualize yourself in the life where your intention has manifested.
Eat with intention. Continue visualizing your life where your intention has manifested. Visualize the energy of the food transforming within you into your magical purpose.
Give it time. Magic manifests gradually and naturally. Your magical purpose will likely not transform overnight.

Tips for Magical Cooking

Make sure you’re in a positive mood when working your culinary magic. You are, after all, the most important player when it comes to the vibrational energy of the meal.
Meditate, cleanse yourself, listen to music or perform another self care ritual before you begin cooking.
Be sure your intention is clear while you work in the kitchen so that your food is imbued with the magical essence you look to create.
Share your magical intention for the food with anyone who is sharing the meal with you. Be prepared to only charge your portion if they are not interested in magical food.
Incorporate kitchen witchery into your practice most easily at the Sabbats. If you are already celebrating with a special meal or potluck with friends, try making something magical and seasonal.
Remember that it’s not always necessary to look it up. Spicy food is generally protective, citrusy food is generally purifying, sweet food is generally loving. Do what feels right to you.
Consider starting a magical food diet that fuels your intention with foods that have similar energies. Check with a doctor or nutritionist before making drastic changes to your diet.

Cooking and magic have a lot in common. Both create something new by combining specific ingredients and both are meant to improve the overall well-being of the creator. Best of all—no matter how long you’ve been practicing each—there’s always more to learn: new tricks, techniques, and combinations.

Give yourself time to practice and experiment, and learn from your successes and mistakes.

Click here to read the rest of this article Source: mumblesandthings.com

Folk Magic

By Catherine Beyer Wicca Expert

The term folk magic encompasses a wide variety of diverse magical practices united only by the fact that they are the magical practices of the common folk, rather than the ceremonial magic that was worked by the learned elite.

Folk magic is generally of a practical nature, meant to address the common ills of the community: healing the sick, bringing love or luck, driving away evil forces, finding lost items, bringing good harvests, granting fertility, reading omens and so on. Rituals are generally relatively simple and often change over time as the workers are generally illiterate. Materials used are commonly available: plants, coins, nails, wood, eggshells, twine, stones, animals, feathers, etc.

Folk Magic in Europe

It’s becoming increasingly common to see claims about European Christians persecuting all forms of magic, and that folk magicians were practicing witchcraft. This is untrue. Witchcraft was a specific type of magic, one that was harmful. Folk magicians did not call themselves witches, and they were valued members of the community.

Moreover, until the last few hundred years, Europeans frequently did not distinguish between magic, herbalism, and medicine. If you were ill, you might be given some herbs. You might be instructed to consume them, or you might be told to hang them over your door. These two directions would not be seen as different nature, even though today we would say one was medicinal and the other was magic.

Hoodoo is a 19th-century magical practice found primarily among African-American populations. It is a mixture of African, Native American, and European folk magic practices. It is generally strongly steeped in Christian imagery. Phrases from the Bible are commonly used in workings, and the Bible itself is considered a powerful object, able to drive away negative influences.

It is also frequently referred to as rootwork, and some label it witchcraft. It has no connection to Vodou (Voodoo), despite the similar names.

Pow-Wow and Hex-Work

Pow-Wow is another American branch of folk magic. While the term has a Native American origin, the practices are primarily European in origin, found among… Click here to read the rest of this article Source: learnreligions.com

The 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief

The 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief Source: wiccangathering.com

In the 1970s in the United States, a coalition of Wiccan groups banded together and set to put and end to misconceptions about Wicca. For too long, they thought, Wicca had been subject to uninformed stereotypes, stigma, and lack of proper recognition. So, what are the thirteen principles exactly?

The Thirteen Principles of Wiccan Belief were a summation to clear up misconceptions about Wicca and they outlined concepts such as: non-harm, disassociation from the devil, acknowledging the power of nature and the spiritual world, and living in harmony with the universe.

They also covered some societal issues like environmental responsibility and equality of the sexes. The federation wanted to communicate what Wicca was, and also what it was not.

The Principles are monumental because Wiccans and neo-Pagans are loosely organised and often can never agree. However the 13 principles of Wiccan belief forged an agreement among these diverse groups. The legacy of this historic agreement still lasts today.

For more general information about Wiccan beliefs, check out our beginner’s guide to Wiccan beliefs.

Origination of the 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief

In the 1970s, there were many misconceptions about Wicca and other pagan religions in the eyes of the general public. For instance, often Wicca and Witchcraft were misunderstood to be the same as Satanism or were misconstrued with the Christian Devil. There was much fear of pagan practices, and many untrue myths and stigma floating around.

A group of American Wiccans wanted to go on the offensive and correct the misinformation. Wicca is naturally a decentralized religion as there is no official religious document, no central leader, and no governing authority. Wiccans are subject only to the divine.

There are infinite varieties which fall under the umbrella of pagan religion, and each practitioner has their own personal belief. They sought to create a document to clearly outline a general set of principles which all Wiccans adhere to.

However they thought it was possible to create a summary that all traditions could agree to and unite under. It was the goal of these principles to clarify what Wicca really was (and wasn’t).

Timeline

The period surrounding the 13 principles spans from 1973 until 1974. It started when Carl Llewellyn Weschcke created and chaired the “Council of American Witches”. (It’s sometimes called “The American Council of Witches”.)

The council was composed of about 73 members from various Wiccan, Pagan, and Witchcraft paths. The council convened in fall 1973 in Minneapolis.

You may know Carl Llewellyn Weschcke from his publishing company, Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd., which publishes pagan, Wiccan, and occult books. Weschcke published a newsletter called “Touchstone,” which formed the basis of a comprehensive document on the wide variety of Wiccan beliefs.

In April 1974, the council met again in Minneapolis. At this meeting they adopted Weschcke’s document. This document became the 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief that we know today.

Legacy of the Principles

Although the Council only lived for a short time (it disbanded later on in 1974), its legacy lives on. One of the largest impacts of the Principles is its inclusive definition of the overall guidelines of Witchcraft traditions. It embraces the full range of pagan and Wiccan beliefs. As a testament to this, the Principles are still embraced today.

Another notable legacy is to get governmental recognition of Wicca. The Principles were added to the US Army’s Handbook for Chaplains which is a huge achievement.

The the 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief were groundbreaking in another way. They described everyone regardless of “sexual preference.” This was an incredible feat at the time.

The Text of the Thirteen Principles of Wiccan Belief

These were taken from the text of the Council of American Witches Principles of Wiccan Beliefs.

Adopted By The Council Of American Witches Spring Witch meet of 1974, Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Council of American Witches finds it necessary to define modern Witchcraft in terms of the American experience and needs. In 1974 the Council of American Witches was formed with 73 Witches of varying traditions. They attempted to form a statement of common principles and definitions shared by Witches in order to dispel misinformation.

These principles have been incorporated into one or more editions of the U.S. Army handbook for chaplains. Although most Witches embrace the Wiccan Rede, many embrace some or all of the 13 Principles of Wiccan belief.

We are not bound by traditions from other times and other cultures and owe no allegiance to any person or power greater than the Divinity manifest through our own being. As American Witches, we welcome and respect all life-affirming teachings and traditions, and seek to learn from all and to share our learning within our Council. Here follows the introduction that accompanied the principles, this explains them better than we can, and the 13 principles themselves.

The 13 Principles of the Wiccan Belief:

Introduction: In seeking to be inclusive, we do not wish to open ourselves to the destruction of our group by those on self-serving power trips, or to philosophies and practices contradictory to those principles. In seeking to exclude those whose ways are contradictory to ours, we do not want to deny participation with us to any who are sincerely interested in our knowledge and beliefs, regardless of race, colour, sex, age, national or cultural origins or sexual preference.

We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal Quarters and Cross Quarters.

We recognise that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility towards our environment. We seek to live in harmony with nature in ecological balance offering fulfilment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept.

We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that is apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called “supernatural”, but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.

We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity – as masculine and feminine – and that this same Creative Power lies in all people and functions through the interaction of the masculine and the feminine. We value neither above the other knowing each to be supportive of the other. We value sex as pleasure as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energy used in magical practice and religious worship.

We recognise both outer and inner, or psychological, worlds — sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, Inner Planes, etc. — and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfilment.

We do not recognise any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honour those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.

We see religion, magick and wisdom in living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it – a world view and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft – the Wiccan Way.

Calling oneself a “Witch” does not make a Witch – but neither does heredity itself, nor the collecting of titles, degrees, and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and without harm to others and in harmony with nature.

We believe in the affirmation and fulfilment of life in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness giving meaning to the Universe we know and our personal role within it.

Our only animosity towards Christianity, or towards any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be “the only way,” and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.

As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the origins of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future.

We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as “Satan” or “the Devil”, as defined by Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor do we accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another.

We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and well-being.

Printable Witchcraft Book for Charms, Spells and Herbs

Charms, Spells, and Herbs PDF from witchcraftsecretmanual.com

I found a few interesting things I want to try in this Witchcraft book that is free to save and/or print. I think it will be a nice addition to my Grimoire.

Common Practice and Beliefs within Druidry

Introduction

Those who practise Druidry do so through a deep spiritual connection perceived and experienced within the land and its culture. Many, when they first find Druidry, describe the feeling as ‘coming home’; they have rediscovered a connection with the land, its people, history, heritage and culture. This is more than mere interest; imbued with wonder, gratitude, respect and a sense of the perpetual flow of time, it inspires a devotional commitment, an acknowledgement of the sacred and a recognition of deity (male, female and non-gendered gods) within these currents of nature. This is the foundation of Druid practice.

The issue as to whether modern Druidry has any clear link back to pre-Roman Britain is debated. Historically Druidry was essentially an oral tradition and no texts are available written by our pre-Roman ancestors. However, the religious and spiritual traditions survived in folklore, through poetry and mythologies, within the development of British/western philosophy and the bardic colleges. A good deal was incorporated into Christianity when it came to these lands, particularly surviving in rural churches where Paganism continued side by side with the new religion. In the eighteenth century a resurgence of Druidry led to academic scrutiny of Classical and Mediaeval texts and a good deal of today’s common Druidic practice is based on interpretation of that material. This scrutiny continues today and Druids use this as a link to their ancestral past. As a religion today, Druidry is ever evolving. So common practice is gained through Druids coming together and sharing their experiences, rituals and celebrations.

Diversity

Many come to Druidry because of its diversity. Freedom of expression and personal connection to deity is, for them, of paramount importance. Connection to the divine is gained through experience, neither through belief nor through reciting prayers that are essentially another’s understanding or vision. As a polytheistic religion, individuals devote themselves to and revere deities who express different aspects of nature and ancestry. For example, Cerridwen is a goddess of the dark, the waning moon, the cauldron of potential; Brighid is a goddess of fire, light and assertive action. The rituals and practice of Druids honouring one or other of these as their principal deity would differ accordingly.

Druids take their inspiration from Nature. Within the British Isles we have a huge diversity of landscape and this is reflected in the practice of individuals and local groups or Groves. If a Druid is inspired by their local north sea coast, his gods and religious focus would be different from a Druid inspired by the rolling hills and woodlands of the Cotswolds, or the open moors of Devon. Similarly a Druid grove celebrating the festival of midwinter in an urban garden in Kent will look and feel very different from a grove celebrating in the Highlands of Scotland, were most of its members are dependent on rural or agricultural livelihoods: winter means something very different to both groves. All these individuals and groves are equally honouring (and seeking relationship with) Nature.

Druids are inspired too by their ancestors. To a Druid, ancestry is not a vague concept, but a gathering of individuals, each with their strengths and weaknesses, their own stories of success and failure. Druidry’s diversity is further expressed through the fact that each person has a different line of ancestors, and a different relationship with those people: this may manifest through a religious practice that focuses on a certain temple or landscape, myth or poet, skill or occupation. Again, such practice may appear significantly distinct, say, if we were to observe a farmer, a blacksmith, a writer or healer. As Druids, all are honouring their ancestors, nonetheless, by using the skills inherited and so expressing the spiritual devotion, gratitude and reverence required of the Druid.

The reverence for nature that is integral to Druidry also provides a morality or ethical base that is common to all Druids. Like any moral code, whether religious or secular, it is interpreted with slight differences. However, honour, respect, truth and justice are of primary importance and constitute the basis of all Druid practice. This doesn’t dilute Druidry, but brings to it a richness that is welcomed and celebrated. Thus, paradoxically, diversity is both a strength and a cohesive element of Druid practice.

There are further elements of Druid practice and ritual that are common to all within the tradition and these we shall explore.

Major Festivals

Most adherents of modern Druidry celebrate eight major festivals and these can be further subdivided into the Solar Festivals and Celtic Fire Festivals, which may also be known as agricultural, pastoral, seasonal or cross quarter festivals. Some Groves and individuals only work with the Solar and some only with the Fire Festivals. Placed around the course of the year, they occur every 5-7 weeks, and generally Druids will at this time make ritual, giving offerings.

The purpose of the festivals is to ensure two things:

The Druid is always spiritually awake to the cycles of nature, the seasons, the tides of growth and decay, together with the gifts the gods offer at these times.
The Druid attunes his own soul to the cycle of nature around him, working with the seasons internally, spiritually, instead of pushing against them and risking stress, depression, exhaustion, complacency and so on.

Being in harmony with nature’s cycles ensures spiritual health, appreciation, inspired creativity and vibrant community, through reverential relationship with the gods, ancestors and spirits of place.

Druids will also make ritual at various phases of the moon, though which phase is most important to any individual Druid will depend on their own nature. Some Druids will regularly meet with their grove at the dark or new moon, others preferring the full moon, and some acknowledge the quarter moons. This practice encourages and facilitates the Druid’s attunement with the lunar cycle, increasing awareness as to its impact on his own nature and the natural world around him, increasing health, well being and relationships.

Rites of Passage Click here to read the rest of this article

Beltane – Spring is Here! Time to Get Your Gardens Ready

Welcome to springtime in the southern hemisphere. As the warmer weather comes a witches thoughts turns to sowing a garden. A garden can mean a different thing to each of us. For me it is getting my physical seeds ready for my veggie garden, to check to see if my herbs survived the winter or if I need to start new ones. Spiritually it means starting new seeds/paths for me to be able to grow to be closer to Mother Earth, the Universal energies, my students, and my teachers. To be able in the fall to reap full benefits of all that I have learned and put them into practice whether it is in my own personal life or helping my students with something. This year I need to plant new seeds and seedlings for all my flower gardens because early heavy rains in this part of the country washed away two inches of top soil in all my flower beds.

What does planting a garden mean to you? Do you plant flowers, vegetables, herbs, goals or a little of all of these or any combination? Remember whatever you plant will come to fruition with the right amount of love, watering (spiritually this can be communicating with each other in the pagan community or even be emailing me to say hi), sunshine (remember to thank the Sun God) and nurturing from within yourself (positive thoughts and affirmations) and from others in our community.

I would really LOVE to SEE COMMENTS on this post, please. Share with us your seeds and lets us help you grow them to their fullest potential!

One Way of How to Use Sun Phases for Spells

While almost every witch follows Moon phases for doing spells, rituals, and other magickal works. I also use the Sun phases, especially because my patron God is Ra.

Every day there is a waxing, full, waning and new phases for the Sun besides the seasonal changes. From midnight to noon is the waxing phases, the full phase is from 11:55 AM to 12:05 PM, the waning follows until sunset than at 11:55 PM to 12:05 AM is the new Sun phases. For the seasons spring is the waning, summer the new fall the waxing and winter the full. You can also go by Sabbat dates Beltane-Waning, Summer Solstice – Full, Samhain – Waning, Winter Solstice – New.

This idea and the phases may seem a bit strange to people but when the Moon is in the wrong phases for something I cannot wait to do I use the daily and if possible seasonal Sun phases. This gives me more options of what I need to do.

Special Edition of Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondences, Rituals and Other Things for Samhain

From Flying The Hedge – SAMHAIN CORRESPONDENCES

Symbolism: death and regeneration, transformation, end of old projects, new beginnings, return, change, rest, success, plenty, knowledge

Symbols: skulls, bats, cats, leaves, nuts, seeds, barren trees and branches, pumpkins, cauldron, pentacle, crystal ball, besom or broom, witch’s hat, moon, crows/ravens, ghosts, goblins, banshees, candy/caramel apples, chocolate, Jack-o-Lanterns, costumes, Trick-or-Treats, Death, acorns, bones, gourds, scarecrowsColors: black, orange, red, silver, gold, brown, purple, yellow

Food and Drink: apples, cider, pork, hazelnuts, pomegranates, pumpkins, potatoes, squash, cranberries, turnips, beets, mugwort tea, ale, mulled wine, pies/cakes for the dead

Herbs: apple leaf, almonds, bay leaf, nettle, hemlock, cloves, cinnamon, mandrake root, marigold, mums, mugwort, pine, rosemary, sage, wormwood, tarragon, rue, garlic, ginger, hazelnut, allspice

Deities: Hekate, The Crone, Cerridwen, Bast, Persephone, Horned Hunter, Cernunnos, Osiris, Hades, Anubis, Loki, Arawn, Dis, and any other death/underworld god or goddess

Crystals and Gemstones: black obsidian, jasper, onyx, bloodstone, smoky quartz, carnelian,

Animals: cats, especially black cats, bats, spiders, rats, wolves, snakes, ravens and crows, owls, stags, jackals, scorpions

Magic: This is the time to honor the dead. Set up an altar, serve them cakes, and let them know they are not forgotten. If you wish to communicate with deceased friends and family, this is the best time of year. The veil thins the night of Samhain, making communication easy. Do NOT, however, entice spirits, disrespect them, or perform any other magic that is anything less than respectful. I repeat, don’t do it. Samhain is also a great time to practice divination in the form of runes, scrying, tarot, tea readings, etc. Reflect over the previous year and perform blessing spells to ring in the new year. Astral projection, lucid dreaming, and hedge riding are also much easier to perform on this night but remember to be safe. Banishing magic, especially those for bad habits, are especially strong on this night.

Please note this is not a complete list but a brief overview of symbols, colors, herbs, deities, and the like. If I have missed something that you feel should make the list, please feel free to contact me via the comments or through email.

Click her for more ideas from Zenned Out for Samhain Rituals and Correspondences

The ancient Celtic celebration of Samhain (pronounced sow-in), celebrated on October 31st and November 1st, marks the end of our seasonal cycle on the Wheel of the Year. This is why it’s often referred to as the witch’s New Year. Seasonally speaking, Samhain is the third and final harvest of the season or the last rally to store and prepare for the coming Winter season.

This sacred celebration reaches much farther than harvests and is also a time when the veil between the physical and spirit world is at its thinnest. The Celtic people believed that spirits walked among them during this time, so Samhain is accepted as an ideal time to communicate and connect with the spirit realm. Here’s a fun drawing I created with ritual suggestions for Samhain. Keep scrolling to learn more about each one.

See the source image

From PaganPages.org Samhain Correspondences By Jennifer Wright

Free Pagan Magazine

Other Names:
celtic ~ Summer’s End, pronounced “sow” (rhymes with now) “en” (Ireland), sow-een (Wales) – “mh” in the middle is a “w” sound – Greater Sabbat(High Holiday) – Fire Festival Oct 31-Nov 1(North Hemisphere) – Apr 30-May 1 – The Great Sabbat, Samhiunn, Samana, Samhuin, Sam-fuin, Samonios, Halloween, Hallomas, All Hallows Eve, All Saints/All Souls Day(Catholic), Day of the Dead (Mexican), Witches New Year, Trinoux Samonia, Celtic/ Druid New Year, Shadowfest (Strega), Martinmas or Old Hallowmas (Scotttish/Celtic) Lá Samhna (Modern Irish), Festival of the Dead, Feile Moingfinne (Snow Goddess), Hallowtide (Scottish Gaelis Dictionary), Feast of All Souls, Nos Galen-gae-of Night of the Winter Calends (Welsh), La Houney or Hollantide Day, Sauin or Souney ( Manx), oidhche na h-aimiléise-the night of mischief or confusion(Ireland), Oidhche Shamna (Scotland)

Rituals:
End of summer, honoring of the dead,scrying, divination, last harvest, meat harvest

Incense:
Copal, sandalwood, mastic resin, benzoin, sweetgrass, wormwood, mugwort, sage, myrrh or patchouli

Tools:
Besom, cauldron, tarot, obsidian ball, pendulum, runes, oghams, Ouija boards, black cauldron or bowl filled with black ink or water, or magick mirror

Stones/Gems:
Black obsidian, jasper, carnelian, onyx, smoky quartz, jet, bloodstone

Colors:
Black, orange, red

Symbols & Decorations:
Apples, autumn flowers, acorns, bat, black cat, bones, corn stalks, colored leaves, crows, death/dying, divination and the tools associated with it, ghosts, gourds, Indian corn, jack-o-lantern, nuts , oak leaves, pomegranates, pumpkins, scarecrows, scythes, waning moon

Foods:
Apples, apple dishes, cider, meat (traditionally this is the meat harvest) especially pork, mulled cider with spices, nuts-representing resurrection and rebirth, nuts, pomegranates, potatoes, pumpkins, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, roasted pumpkin seeds, roasted pumpkin seeds, squash.

Goddesses:
The Crone, Hecate(Greek), Cerridwen(Welsh-Scottish), Arianrhod(Welsh), Caillech (Irish-Scottish), Baba Yaga (Russian), Al-Ilat(persian), Bast (Egyptian), Persephone (Greek), Hel(Norse), Kali(Hindu), all Death & Otherworld Goddesses

Gods:
Horned Hunter(European), Cernnunos(Greco-Celtic), Osiris(Egyptian), Hades (Greek), Gwynn ap Nudd (British), Anubis(Egyptian), Coyote Brother (Native American), Loki (Norse), Dis (Roman), Arawn (Welsh), acrificial/Dying/Aging
Gods, Death and Otherworld Gods

Herbs and Flowers:
Almond, apple leaf , autumn joy sedum, bay leaf, calendula, Cinnamon, Cloves cosmos, garlic, ginger , hazelnut, hemlock cones, mandrake root, marigold, mums, mugwort (to aid in divination), mullein seeds, nettle, passionflower, pine needles, pumpkin seeds, rosemary (for remembrance of our ancestors), rue, sage, sunflower petals and seeds, tarragon, wild ginseng, wormwood

Animals:
Stag, cat, bat, owl, jackal, elephant, ram, scorpion, heron, crow, robin

Mythical Beings:
Pooka, goblin,medusa, beansidhe, harpies

Essence:
Magick, plenty; knowledge, the night, death & rebirth, success, protection; rest, new beginning; ancestors; lifting of the veil, mundane laws in abeyance, return, change

Dynamics/Meaning:
Death & transformation, Wiccan new year,wisdom of the Crone, end of summer, honoring, thinning of the veil between worlds, death of the year, time outside of time, night of the Wild Hunt, begin new projects, end old projects

Work:
Sex magick, release of bad habits, banishing, fairy magick, divination of any kind, candle magick, astral projection, past life work, dark moon mysteries, mirror spells (reflection), casting protection , inner work, propitiation, clearing obstacles, uncrossing, inspiration, workings of transition or culmination, manifesting transformation,creative visualization, contacting those who have departed this plane

Purpose:
Honoring the dead, especially departed ancestors, knowing we will not be forgotten; clear knowledge of our path; guidance, protection, celebrating reincarnation

Rituals/Magicks:
Foreseeing future, honoring/consulting ancestors, releasing the old, power, understanding death and rebirth, entering the underworld, divination, dance of the dead, fire calling, past life recall

Customs:
Ancestor altar, costumes, divination, carving jack-o-lanterns, spirit plate, the Feast of the Dead, feasting, paying debts, fairs, drying winter herbs, masks, bonfires, apple games, tricks, washing clothes

Element:
Water

Gender:
Male

Threshold:
Midnight

From Plentiful Earth – How to pronounce Samhain

Popularized by Wicca, Samhain is a celebration that occurs around the same time as Halloween, All Hallow’s Eve, and Day of the Dead — on or around October 31. This wonderful day is often celebrated as a time to commune with our ancestors and the passing spirits, as the veil between the worlds has become its thinnest. The festival of Samhain is easily most Witches’ favorite Sabbat of the year, a fact we can all agree on. However, it’s easy to strike up a war of the Witches when it comes to saying the word out loud!

We know first hand, as American Witches in the United States, how embarrassing it can be to read the ancient Gaelic word as “Sam-hayne” on paper when we’re learning and then try to say it in front of seasoned coven-mates! We’re here to save you some red cheeks and give you the confidence to talk about your favorite holiday out loud! The good news? There are 3 ways to pronounce this ancient Celtic, each from a different region of its birthplace!

3 Correct Samhain Pronunciations

How to pronounce Samhain – Video

How to pronounce Samhain in Irish Gaelic

Sow-in

How to pronounce Samhain in Welsh

Sow-een

How to pronounce Samhain in Scottish Gaelic

Sav-en

Now, pick your favorite way and say it with pride, Witch!

Remember what is not harvested by Samhain needs to be left in the fields, tress, bushes, ectara for the wild animals to forge over the cold months.

Wish you all a safe, blessed, and happy Samhain.

Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence Digest for Monday

From Ancient Pathway

Magickal Intentions: Psychic Sensitivity, Women’s Mysteries, Tides, Waters, Emotional Issues, Agriculture, Animals, Female Fertility, Messages, Theft, Reconcilliations, Voyages, Dreams and Merchandise		Incense: African Violet Honeysuckle Myrtle Willow Wormwood
Planet: Moon	Sign: Cancer	Angel: Gabriel
Colors: Silver White Gray	Herbs/Plants: Night Flowers Willow Root Orris Root Birch Motherwort Vervain White Rose White Iris	Stones: Carnelian Moonstone Aquamarine Pearl Quartz Crystal Flourite Geodes

Motivational Magick

You can ask the Greek Goddess Aphrodite for help in this spell as She rules over self-acceptance and physical beauty. I think She’s the perfect Deity to help you with your spell to lose weight.

4 cinnamon sticks
A length of blue ribbon
Piece of dried apple
Vanilla oil (or pure extract)

Lay out your supplies and hold your hands over everything. Ask Aphrodite for Her help with these words:

I ask you Aphrodite to bless this ritual

To bring me beauty, strength and love of myself

Help me shed my extra pounds

To be slim as well as healthy and true.

Bundle everything together and wrap ribbon around the charm, leaving enough to let it hang from. Dab a little vanilla oil on it and you’re done.

Now put it somewhere that you’re likely to see it in the kitchen but not out in the open. In a cabinet or in the fridge, hanging by the ribbon (don’t just set it on the shelf). Remember your dedication to lose weight every time you see the charm. Every night before you go to bed, say a little prayer to Aphrodite for resolve the next day.

Walking The Path As A Public Witch c. 2011

Walking The Path As A Public Witch

Author: Medea
I am a ‘public Witch’. The phrase means different things to different people but generally it means I am one who has come ‘out of the broom closet’. That has come to mean different things to me as the years have gone by.

I never was really in the ‘broom closet’. From the time I was introduced to The Craft by way of The Tarot at age eighteen, I was very open about it. Sometimes the openness was just for ‘shock value’. Sometimes it was just to be ‘different’. More often than not my openness was just a part of my personality. Like a puppy, I gleefully and playfully was just ‘me’ all over the place.

Now, at the age of forty-seven (can I really be that old?) and High Priestess in my tradition, I am still open about it, yet in very different ways. I rarely go for ‘shock value’ anymore (there are, however, those occasions when I cannot seem to help myself) . I have been a professional Nurse for twenty plus years and have learned in some instances the less said, the better. This learned, of course, the hard way. In many, many areas of my life I am much more tolerant and not so quick to take offense. I cannot attribute this to age or wisdom, as in many ways I am very immature and like it that way. It is a by-product of the path in which I have chosen to walk. One of the many, many gifts I receive.

I no longer feel the need to flash a Pentacle ring or necklace every chance I get. Most jewelry associated with the Craft and my religion are worn in private or under my clothes, close to my heart, as they should be. Yet, if I choose to wear such things in public (or forget to take them off) I make no effort to hide them, give no explanations, and make no apologies. My car is no longer adorned with bumper stickers proclaiming me ‘Witch’ or ‘Happy Heathen’. I didn’t take them off, but simply quit feeling the need to replace them each time I had to replace a vehicle. Yet I would not refrain from putting one on my bumper if it caught my fancy.

These days when I find it necessary or appropriate to speak of the Divine in general company I am as apt to say ‘God’ as ‘Goddess’ or ‘The Gods’. I have seen that getting caught up in nomenclature or schematics lessons somehow the sacredness of what one speaks of. If I am asked what Church I go to (a common question here in the South) I tell them. I don’t use flowery or holier- than -thou phrases such as ‘Nature is my Church’.

I say I am Pagan, if need be I say I am ‘Witch’, but more than that, I say I am a person of faith. And in some eyes I see the flash of recognition and in others I see distrust and incomprehension. These things no longer bother me. I am not meant to crusade. Neither am I, or my life, meant to be perfect. I can lapse in my old ways from time to time without being ‘lost’. I can make mistakes.

These days my Pentacle hangs on the lamppost in my yard. It hangs there for protection of my home and property as well as a nod to The Craft. It matters not who sees it and who does not. My home is Pagan and I call it a Temple House. It is where our rituals are mostly held. Where our classes are held. Where I sit and work on my computer on things that are important to the Temple. It is filled with altars which range from very simple to elaborate. Like all things, they change as they should, and I understand one does not need the trappings of religion to walk one’s faith. The house is lived in. It is welcoming to The Gods and Spirits I call, to my blood family and my Temple family and to visitors who come and go. It is meant to be welcoming to visitors of all faith and I believe for the most part it is. It is a work in progress, like the Temple itself. Like all things which grow and change. Like me.

I returned to the place I was born and raised after a twenty-year hiatus. It is a rural area in the Wilds of Tennessee, deep in the Bible Belt. It is a wonderful and beautiful place and the people are wonderful and beautiful too. Yet suspicions and prejudices linger along side traditions that smack of the Old Religion. I am known as a Witch and there is no mistake I am ‘the Real Thing’. At first I was humored, seen as a local girl who went ‘Out West’ and got some very strange ideas. There is often surprise when it is learned I was first introduced to the Craft in good ol’ Nashville, Tennessee. But here in the Wilds, Nashville, too, is a long way and there are many strange ideas to be found there. Maybe not as strange as ‘Out West’, but still strange.

When the realization came that this is not a passing fad for me, and that not only did I practice what I believed but ‘preached’ what I practiced the attitudes began to change. Family members and childhood friends, some I loved dearly and had missed for a long time, began to avoid me. Their attempts to ‘save my soul’ fell on deaf ears, and I took offense to being prayed for in Churches that I would ‘find my way and be saved’. They could not convert me, could not understand when I asked ‘saved from what?’ or said ‘I’m already saved’. And so I became a lost cause and to some a threat. There is no brand of persecution as scorching as that of those we know and love. My invitations to my home were unanswered by some. It became clear there were homes in which I was no longer welcome.

The Goddess does not demand sacrifice though at times it may seem so. I eventually came to understand that in order to have the things I found important in my life there were some things that by nature had to go. There is always grief, but as all things it passes and is, if not understood, accepted.

There were those who came and went. And there are those who stayed. Rituals of one became rituals of two and then three and then as many as fifteen at any given time. Others want card readings or advice or a little magick to ‘help out a situation’. Sometimes they are open about it and do not care who knows or what is thought of their association with me. Sometimes they come on the sly. I have learned to recognize those who come for a reason, such as the Goddess may have, and those who want what I can give and firmly believe me to be going to a Christian hell. There are those who do not care what becomes of me, but care about what it is I can do. Sometimes I still grow angry, usually out of hurt from the fall of one who I may have at some point respected. Mostly I do what I feel to be right and it has become very easy.

Inevitably the question will come from somewhere: ‘How did you get into that?’ that, of course, being Paganism or Witchcraft and sometimes thinly veiled ‘in league with The Devil’. I no longer feel the need to explain how Christianity never ‘felt right’ for me, implying of course I was somehow superior to that particular belief. These days I usually shrug and say ‘Like anyone of faith, I was called to it.’ This leaves little to argue about.

In my tradition today we celebrate Lenaia at the time of Imbolc, yet like so many things, the lines are blurred and the messages are the same. This Imbolc season I find myself taking stock and reflecting on many things about my life and the Path I walk. They, this life and this path, have somewhere along the line become one and the same. Perhaps it is the knowledge of having achieved this very thing, without setting out to do so or even hoping that I could, which is causing me to reflect. Perhaps it is my age, and the realization that, though I am not so old, I have most certainly lived longer in this life than I am going to live. It could be the weathering of so many changes over the last several years, some devastating enough to make me question my faith. Having come to terms with myself I have accepted many things I thought I could not. I can do this; accept these things, because at some point I began to trust that my Gods know what they are doing.

In January of 2001, I performed a solitary ritual outside in the yard at the old house my brother and I shared, divorced siblings clinging together in the changes of life. This was many years after I had picked up my first Tarot deck and felt the power of Otherworlds and the promise of mysteries revealed in them. It was cold and the Full Winter Moon rose high in a dark and starless sky. The moon was the color of ecru and its light brightened and dimmed with my incantation and my song. I had felt and witnessed the Power of the presence of the Divine before. I had seen first hand the workings of magick. Yet this was different. It was as if I were tapped on the shoulder. I had the feeling that Someone had finally gotten my attention. She had been waiting patiently for me to notice She wanted my attention. The voice I heard on the Wind, though the night was Windless, was real even though I could not make out the words. It was as if there was one voice, no, a thousand voices, and though the words were unintelligible I knew they said ‘Follow Me’.

I did not call the God and Goddess by name then, a last holdout of my Pentecost upbringing. They were to me The Lord and Lady. Yet I knew there were names, many names, and I would come to know Them. Although I became a Priestess of Hekate, it was Diana, the Huntress Mother, who called to me that night. I now know Her feel and Her smell and I recognize Her voice. When I hear Her name mentioned I see in my mind’s eye the silver disk floating in the Winter Sky. I often thank Her for calling me.

It wasn’t long after that I held my first private Imbolc ritual, as I have ever since, as I will continue to do. The day was sunny, bright, and cold. The kind of day that often depressed me. With stick incense in hand (patchouli because that is all I had) and the instructions from Scott Cunningham’s ‘Wicca’ in my head I picked my way through the thickets behind our rental house. I found a clearing and sat down, my nose running and the frozen ground pressing against my too thin pants for the weather. I meditated in silence, one thing I was only beginning to get good at. I sat there a long while, sometimes registering the sound of small animals in the thickets. Somehow understanding the sounds of the animals were gifts. I then told the Gods the things I have told them many times since:

I am Your daughter and Your lover. I give myself to You in this life and in any others to come. Set my feet upon the path You wish for me. Teach me the things I need to know. Give me the strength to learn them. I honor You and I love You. So Mote it be.

I meant those words the day I said them. And many times after, even as I wondered how hard this life has to get. I mean them now. The Gods listened and they knew I meant them and they have granted me the very things I asked for.

I love this life. It is at times messy and ugly, often chaotic, and on occasion extremely painful. It is equally interesting, comforting, and fun. And so there is balance. And so I am very, very blessed.

I love being Pagan. It is a wonderful thing to know what one’s path is and to be allowed to walk it. The Buddhist say ‘do the dishes for the sake of doing the dishes’. The clean dishes are only a result of doing the dishes correctly and wholeheartedly. Clean dishes are not the goal, doing the task well is the goal, everything else is, well, gravy. They say the same about the journey we call life. The journey is the point, the destination only the result of taking the journey well and wholeheartedly. Take the journey for the sake of taking the journey, walk the path for the sake of walking the path. Every now and then cast your eyes to the top of the mountain for a moment, but only a moment, focus on your goal, reassess your progress, make the proper adjustments, and get back to the task at hand.

In giving true love for the sake of giving true love, I have been given the truest of love. In giving friendship for the sake of giving friendship, I have received friendship. In being faithful for the sake of being faithful, I am given faithfulness. In giving mercy and kindness and justice for the sake of giving mercy and kindness and justice, I have received mercy and kindness and justice far beyond that I ever expected. In teaching the things I know for the sake of teaching the things I know I have been taught. And such fine teachers I have.

I walk the Pagan Path and the Path of the Priestess (and yes, Witch) for many reasons but mainly because it is my journey, what is put before me to do. It is an awesome task, an honor, and a door to many fleeting moments of happiness, which add up to a joyful life when all is said and done. Sometimes this path of mine is walked on nothing but faith because all else seems to elude me. Yet that which eludes me becomes mine if it is meant to be, and though I question and rail against the way, I am committed.

Along the way I catch the most peaceful sunrises, beautiful sunsets, healing breezes, and mighty storms. I am taught humility; I am reprimanded, led gently back when astray, and kicked hard when I need it. I am loved unconditionally and I know this without a doubt. I neither fear Death nor look for it, waiting for the rewards that I think might be my due. My rewards are many, and they are now. I may at times dread the act of dying and wonder if I will be granted a merciful death or if suffering at the end of this life is part of my lesson and task. Yet I trust that I will have what is needed for me and what is in the end the best. And I will not make that journey alone.

Those who have gone before will welcome me. The Gods will guide me and the Lady Hekate will walk with me as She always has. Cunningham pointed out that there is a difference in believing in something and knowing something. Many of the things I thought I believed I have come to know. To know a thing to be true is to accept it without having to understand it. There are many things I do understand and many things I will someday understand. But knowing, that is something that is not given lightly. It cannot be earned or bought; it can only come from walking the journey and walking it with an open heart and a willing soul.

I am one of many who aid this Phoenix we call Paganism to rise. My voice is among the silent ones who roar their presence into this world in this time. Our books and our Temples were burned and like so many things, though the way could have been easier, it had to be. Our Temples stand in our hearts and in our souls, in our country homes, and our suburban yards, in our small apartments in sprawling cities. This wonderful thing we call the Internet weaves us together across many, many miles. We have new books with words from Powerful hearts. We have remnants from the past which survive and which are important yet unimportant and therefore kept in perspective. We have the new and the old in which to learn and to build from. Balance. As it should be.

I am parched with thirst, and perishing,
But drink of me, the ever-flowing spring on the right (where) there is a fair cypress.
Who are you? Where are you from?
I am a child of Earth and starry Heaven, but my race is of Heaven (alone)
— Orphic Lamella from Thessaly

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence and a Spell for Friday

From GypsyWolf.weebly.com

Friday is the sixth day of the week, but used to be the seventh, the Sabbath of the Jewish lunar calendar. The name, Friday, is derived from the Nordic goddess, Frigg, Frigga, Freyja, Freya, or Frija (Germanic), considered to be the mother of all. She is the Goddess of love and war, fertility and death. She is the leader of the Valkyries and the Disir (Divine Grandmothers), and creator of Seidr magic. Her symbols are the cat and the Brisingamen, which is the magic necklace of the rainbow bridge. Freya’s Roman and Greek counterparts are Venus and Aphrodite, goddesses of love and beauty.

Latin: Dies Veneris, dedicated to Venus, the Roman Goddess of love
French: vendredi
Italian: venerdi
Spanish: viernes
Old High German: frigedag
German: Freitag
Dutch: vrijdag

Rules: Love, fidelity, reconciliation, interchanges, beauty, youth, joy, happiness, pleasure, luck, friendship, compassion, music, the arts.
Colors: Light Blue, Green, Pink, Copper Hues
Planet: Venus
Metal: Copper
Stones: Azurite, Calcite (blue, green & pink), Cat’s Eye, Chrysocolla, Chrysoprase, Coral, Emerald, Jade, Jasper (green), Kunzite, Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Olivine, Peridot, Sodalite, Tourmaline (blue, green, pink & watermelon), Turquoise Malachite
Herbs: Apple Blossom, Cardamom, Crocus, Daisy, Geranium (rose), Heather, Hyacinth, Iris, Licorice, Lilac, Magnolia, Myrtle, Orchid, Orris, Plumeria, Rose, Spearmint, Stephanosis, Sweet Pea, Tansy, Thyme, Tonka, Tuberose, Vanilla, Violet, Willow, Ylang Ylang
Zodiac: Libra & Taurus

Breaking Bad Luck

You may need:

Small piece of ginger root

Fennel seed (if you cannot get fennel try dried sage)

Few cloves

Dried basil

Small bag or pouch

Optional – yellow crystal such as citrine

Put all the ingredients into the bag. If you have a small piece of any yellow crystal it is a good idea to add this too. Say:

“Herbs of the earth fill my life with light
Bring me good luck in a day and a night.
This spell is seeped in magick and mystery
Make my bad luck a thing of history
Bad luck will go deep into the ground
From now on good luck will follow me around”
So Mote It Be.”

Keep the bag with you for a day and a night and then bury it deep in the ground – somewhere that is not on your property. This will bury your bad luck.

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