Tag: Cheshire

Celebrating Other Spirituality 365 Days A Year – St. Peter’s Eve and Rushbearing

Mermaid Comments & Graphics28 and 29 June

St. Peter’s Eve and Rushbearing

 

St. Peter’s day, has been a day of foundations since the Middle Ages, when the rushes that covered the stone floors of homes and churches were replaced. The actual strewing days developed into ceremonial occasions, centering on the rushbearing procession to the local church.

In northern England, Lancashire, Cheshire, and adjacent Yorkshire, rushbearings were the high points of the year, reaching a pinnacle of splendor in the early 19th century. The focal point of the festivities was on the rushcart, with its towering ing load of green rushes skillfully piled in a pyramid shape. It was secured with flower-woven rush rope, topped by oak boughs, and often hung with glittering silverware and other adornments that showed off the wealth of the community and reflected away ill luck. The great festivals and ceremonies that surrounded rushbearing went into a sharp decline in the late Victorian period. Even in the most remote villages, rushbearing is but a memory of times gone by.

Lady of the Crossroads

Lady of the Crossroads
by
Heathwitch

One on three
which way to go
a second stood
still
faces outcast
Darkness about clasped
with snake and lion and
hound
thin veins under leather
untouched by time
outstretched a
touch
with eyes of heaven.
One on three
take a step
make a
choice
I will be with you
silent when needed
A fury when you
fear
Face the Moon
I will be here.
.
At Samhain, our thoughts turn
toward the memory of our ancestors, the mysteries of death and rebirth, the
practice of divination. We decorate our altars with blacks and oranges,
photographs of those who have passed on, and we commune with the Lords and
Ladies of the Underworld  such as the Greek Goddess Hecate.

Hecate is
the Thracian Goddess of the moon, absorbed as a Titan by the Greeks and
worshipped at crossroads, for She has the ability to see past, present and
future pathways. Though most commonly perceived as a Crone Goddess, Hecate can
also appear as a Maiden, terrible and beautiful to behold.

She is the
dark Goddess, the Lady of the Wild Hunt and keeper of occult knowledge and
wisdom. Known as the “Goddess of Witches” and the “Patroness of Priestesses”,
Hecate stands at the gateway between life and death, such is Her role as Queen
of the Underworld and the Lady of Spirits. She is also the changer, the one who
destroys in order to cause rebirth and regeneration.

Hecate’s roles are
not solely tied to the “darker” aspects of life however. She is also the midwife
who blesses new life in the world, the teacher who guides seekers and the
witness who aides with decision-making and determining truth, the giver of
courage and strength. She is intuition and psychic ability, the Lady of dreams
and nightmares who helps us see the deeper, shadow-side of our psyches. She is
the Wise Woman who sees all and knows all, and who will willingly share Her
knowledge and wisdom with you, if you but ask.

Hecate’s colours are deep
reds, purples and black, and She rules over all wild animals  in particular
dragons, dogs, frogs, horses, reptiles, toads and snakes. Her trees are willow
and yew, most commonly seen in graveyards, and She can be found in the tarot
cards the Hermit, the Moon and the High Priestess.

You can invite Hecate
into your life by mixing an oil for Her (add 10 drops cypress oil, 6 drops
patchouli oil and 4 drops sandalwood oil to 20ml of base oil) and including it
in a ritual or meditation dedicated to Hecate. Alternatively you could make an
incense blend to honour this Goddess  try the following recipe:

½ part
crushed garlic
½ part mandrake root
½ part mugwort
2 parts willow
bark
1 part lavender
4 parts myrrh
A few drops of cypress oil
A few
drops of myrrh oil

You can also work with Hecate in ritual; She can be
invoked to aid in inner exploration, dream-work, divination, healing, spells of
all kinds, banishings and the release of negativity, communicating with the
dead, and meditations and journeys to your inner self.

At Samhain,
Hecate can be called upon to focus your intuition when practicing divination on
this night when the veils between the world are thin. She can be invoked for
help in spell workings and the making of charms, or to help in soul-searching
meditations.

Most often, though, Hecate is invoked at Samhain to aid in
honouring and contacting our Beloved Dead, those who have passed from this
physical life before us:

Decorate the altar with blacks and oranges. Use
flowers of the same colours, and fruits of the season (pumpkins, root
vegetables). Light orange and black candles if possible and use a mixture of
cedarwood and sweetgrass incense — cedarwood for purification, sweetgrass for
your ancestors.

Assemble on your altar pictures of your ancestors and
mementos you may have received from them.

Cast circle in your usual way.
Invoke Hecate:

“Hecate, Goddess of the Realm of Spirits,
She who
stands at the crossroads,
Seer of past, present and future,
Guardian of
all Witches and Lady of the Dark,
I ask you to come forth into my
circle
And stand with me this night
Hail and welcome!”

Feel Hecate
come into your circle. Sit with your altar and slowly focus on each of your
ancestors. Speak aloud of their life and their impact on you. Ask Hecate to
acknowledge your reverence of those who have gone before, and ask that your
ancestors know of your love and thoughts.

Take your time and do not be
afraid of the emotions which may come to you; embrace them and welcome them into
your circle. As you speak of your ancestors you may feel them draw near from the
Summerlands; do not be afraid — instead, feel touched by their presence and
thank them for all they mean to you.

Thank Hecate and your ancestors for
their presence and say goodbye. Blow out the candles and take up
circle.

Have a Blessed Samhain!

Sources:
———-
Ann,
Martha, and Dorothy Myers Imel. Goddesses in World Mythology: A Biographical
Dictionary. Oxford University Press: New York (1995).
Ardinger, Barbara.
Goddess Meditations. Llewellyn: Minnesota (1998).
Conway, D. J. The Ancient
and Shining Ones. Llewellyn: Minnesota (1993).
Franklin, Anna. Magical
Incenses and Oils. Capall Bann: Berkshire (2000).
Marashinsky, Amy Sophia.
The Goddess Oracle: A Way to Wholeness through the Goddess and Ritual. Element:
Boston (1997).
Sjöö, Monica & Mor, Barbara. The Great Cosmic Mother:
Rediscovering The Religion of the Earth. HarperCollins: San Francisco (1991).

Zell, Morning Glory. “Manifesting Hecate”, SageWoman # 60 (Winter 2003).
Blessed Bee: California (2003).
.
About The Author: Heathwitch is a
Witch, teacher and author. She runs courses and workshops on energy work,
healing, Witchcraft and magic. High Priestess of the Circle of the Moon coven, Heathwitch lives in Cheshire, England.

Excerpt taken from:

Seasons of the Moon E-zine

Goddesses Of Seasons

Lammas/Lugnasadh Comments

 Goddesses Of Seasons

A Column By Heathwitch, WMS, Order of the White Moon

Lady of the Earth
whose body is the golden corn
which nourishes us;
Corn Mother,
your love for us keeps us alive
and for that we honour you
through feasting and play
under the bright sun
and the fields of your life;
for this, Corn Mother, we thank you.

At the height of summer our calendar turns to Lughnasadh, the first harvest. Also known as Lammas, the festival is associated with ripening grain and as it approaches so does the coming of Autumn. Our altars are filled with colours of gold, light brown, orange, and green, and are filled with foods and breads. Lughnasadh is a festival of plenty, so celebrate with your favourite foods and drinks, and honour Mother Goddesses such as Corn Mother.

Many native peoples see corn and grain as a Goddess — the Goddess called Corn Mother. A fertility Goddess, Corn Mother rules over the earth, its plants and animals; with Spring Maiden, She influences human fertility. She has a special interest in agriculture and Her consort is the Sun Lord, whose light and heat are needed for Corn Mother’s golden corn to grow.

The Arikara Creator God, Nesaru, fashioned Corn Mother from an ear of corn which grew in heaven. Corn Mother then came to earth and taught people how to honor the deities and to plant corn. She gives of herself to her people to sustain them and nourish them.

Corn Woman’s colours are gold and yellow; her symbol is the corn. You can invite Corn Mother into your life by making a pendant out of corn or a corn dolly and placing it on your altar. A simple incense for Corn Mother is to take the corn silk and burn it in a small censer.

Corn Mother’s presence can be invoked when you are working fertility or prosperity magick. She is also a wonderful Goddess to invite into your Lughnasadh activities; simply invoke Her presence before you begin. Some ideas for such rituals and activities include:

Making a corn dolly; baking a loaf of bread (remember to give a piece to the earth in thanks); work prosperity magic; harvest herbs and use them in a Lughnasadh fire or incense; have a magical picnic and break bread with friends; attend or host a public harvest festival — or role-play one of your own!

Always thank Corn Mother by dedicating some food to Her on your altar; afterwards, return it to the earth in thanks.

Have a blessed Lughnasadh!

Sources:
Conway, D. J. The Ancient and Shining Ones. Llewellyn: Minnesota (1993).

Marashinsky, Amy Sophia. The Goddess Oracle: A Way to Wholeness through the Goddess and Ritual. Element: Boston (1997).
About The Author: Heathwitch is a Witch, teacher and author. She runs courses and workshops on energy work, healing, Witchcraft and magic. High Priestess of the Circle of the Moon coven, Heathwitch lives in Cheshire, England.

Goddesses Of Seasons

Goddesses Of Seasons
A Column By Heathwitch, WMS, Order of the White Moon
.
Lady of the Beasts
Sing of your magic
Greenwood Nymph
Dance in the green-glens
Virgin Huntress
Revel in the moonlight
Artemis, Artemis, Artemis!Be joyful! Be blissful! Be playful! It is Beltane — that time of year when we celebrate new life, fertility and the earth’s ripe abundance in all its forms. It is the beginnings-time, when the divine union of the Goddess with Her Consort fertilizes ourselves and our lives. We celebrate this festival of fertility and fire by decorating our altars with greens and reds, fresh flowers and bright candles, and we honour Virgin-Mother Goddesses such as Artemis.

The Goddess of wild places and wild things, the Greek Artemis is a Lady of the Moon most commonly perceived as the Virgin Huntress. She roams the forests and mountains with Her band of nymphs and hunting dogs, in a chariot pulled by silver stags. A beloved deity to the Amazons, Artemis knows of the secret places in Nature where one can rest and regain lost strength.

However, these roles are not Her sole purpose: Artemis is also known as the patroness of nurturing, fertility and birth. Though Her priestesses did not consort with men, they and their Lady aided women in childbirth and defended women who were harassed or threatened by men.

Artemis’ colours are silver, white, green and red, and Her symbols are the sickle, bridle, the crescent (waxing) moon and hanks of wool. She has a fondness for dogs, horses and stags, and is beneficial when dealing with animals or the elemental kingdoms. Mother of the Mysteries, Artemis holds sacred the amaranth flower, which blooms purple and crimson. In the tarot, She can be found in The Star and The Moon.

You can invite Artemis into your life by mixing an oil for Her (add 20 drops jasmine oil and 4 drops verbena oil to 20ml of base oil) and including it in a ritual or meditation dedicated to Artemis. Alternatively you could make an incense blend to honour this Goddess – try the following recipe:

1 part ox-eye daisy flowers
1 part hazel wood
1 part beech bark
1 part willow wood
¼ part wormwood
½ part almond blossoms
¼ part cypress needles
¼ part fir needles
Few drops lemon balm (melissa) oil

You can also work with Artemis in ritual; She can be invoked to aid in all animal or elemental matters, any magick or sorcery, travel, healing and medicines, psychic ability, fertility (particularly female fertility), exercise and dance. She is also particularly useful in protecting and defending women against men. To honour Artemis you can use the following rite:

On the night of the Full Moon, set up an altar outside. On the altar have three candles, white, red and black. Behind the candles place a statue of a woman, with a quiver of arrows, and a dog at her feet. If you can’t get that, a statue of a woman, and separate statues of dogs will suffice. Wolves have long been a symbol of the Moon, and dogs are domesticated wolves. Pick some beautiful flowers, especially white ones, and place them at her feet.

Cast your circle in your usual manner. Be seated at your altar and go into meditation. Then repeat the following invocation:

Lovely Goddess of the bow!
Lovely Goddess of the arrows!
Of all hounds and of all hunting!
Thou who wakest in starry heaven,
when the sun is sunk in slumber.
Thou with moon upon thy forehead,
who the chase by night
preferrest unto hunting in the daylight,
with thy nymphs unto the music of the horn –
thyself the huntress, and most powerful:
I pray thee Think,
although but for an instant,
Upon us who pray unto thee!

Then light the candles, and meditate on the Full Moon. You may light some incense such as jasmine, sandalwood or mugwort or wormwood. Place nine white stones or shells at her feet, forming a crescent Moon, with the points towards the statues feet. Now is the time to ask for a request if needed.

Thank Artemis for Her presence and say goodbye. Blow out the candles and take up your circle.

Have a blessed Beltane!

Sources:
Conway, D. J. The Ancient and Shining Ones. Llewellyn: Minnesota (1993).

Franklin, Anna. Magical Incenses and Oils. Capall Bann: Berkshire (2000).

Grimassi, Raven. Italian Witchcraft: The Old Religion of Southern Europe. Llewellyn: Minnesota (2000).

Marashinsky, Amy Sophia. The Goddess Oracle: A Way to Wholeness through the Goddess and Ritual. Element: Boston (1997).
.
About The Author: Heathwitch is a Witch, teacher and author. She runs courses and workshops on energy work, healing, Witchcraft and magic. High Priestess of the Circle of the Moon coven, Heathwitch lives in Cheshire, England. web: http://www.heathwitch.com – email: heathwitch@… See the books I’ve set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/heathwitch

.

Lady of the Crossroads

Lady of the Crossroads
by Heathwitch

One on three
which way to go
a second stood still
faces outcast
Darkness about clasped
with snake and lion and hound
thin veins under leather
untouched by time
outstretched a touch
with eyes of heaven.
One on three
take a step
make a choice
I will be with you
silent when needed
A fury when you fear
Face the Moon
I will be here.
.
At Samhain, our thoughts turn toward the memory of our ancestors, the mysteries of death and rebirth, the practice of divination. We decorate our altars with blacks and oranges, photographs of those who have passed on, and we commune with the Lords and Ladies of the Underworld such as the Greek Goddess Hecate.

Hecate is the Thracian Goddess of the moon, absorbed as a Titan by the Greeks and worshipped at crossroads, for She has the ability to see past, present and future pathways. Though most commonly perceived as a Crone Goddess, Hecate can also appear as a Maiden, terrible and beautiful to behold.

She is the dark Goddess, the Lady of the Wild Hunt and keeper of occult knowledge and wisdom. Known as the “Goddess of Witches” and the “Patroness of Priestesses”, Hecate stands at the gateway between life and death, such is Her role as Queen of the Underworld and the Lady of Spirits. She is also the changer, the one who destroys in order to cause rebirth and regeneration.

Hecate’s roles are not solely tied to the “darker” aspects of life however. She is also the midwife who blesses new life in the world, the teacher who guides seekers and the witness who aides with decision-making and determining truth, the giver of courage and strength. She is intuition and psychic ability, the Lady of dreams and nightmares who helps us see the deeper, shadow-side of our psyches. She is the Wise Woman who sees all and knows all, and who will willingly share Her knowledge and wisdom with you, if you but ask.

Hecate’s colours are deep reds, purples and black, and She rules over all wild animals in particular dragons, dogs, frogs, horses, reptiles, toads and snakes. Her trees are willow and yew, most commonly seen in graveyards, and She can be found in the tarot cards the Hermit, the Moon and the High Priestess.

You can invite Hecate into your life by mixing an oil for Her (add 10 drops cypress oil, 6 drops patchouli oil and 4 drops sandalwood oil to 20ml of base oil) and including it in a ritual or meditation dedicated to Hecate. Alternatively you could make an incense blend to honour this Goddess try the following recipe:

½ part crushed garlic
½ part mandrake root
½ part mugwort
2 parts willow bark
1 part lavender
4 parts myrrh
A few drops of cypress oil
A few drops of myrrh oil

You can also work with Hecate in ritual; She can be invoked to aid in inner exploration, dream-work, divination, healing, spells of all kinds, banishings and the release of negativity, communicating with the dead, and meditations and journeys to your inner self.

At Samhain, Hecate can be called upon to focus your intuition when practicing divination on this night when the veils between the world are thin. She can be invoked for help in spell workings and the making of charms, or to help in soul-searching meditations.

Most often, though, Hecate is invoked at Samhain to aid in honouring and contacting our Beloved Dead, those who have passed from this physical life before us:

Decorate the altar with blacks and oranges. Use flowers of the same colours, and fruits of the season (pumpkins, root vegetables). Light orange and black candles if possible and use a mixture of cedarwood and sweetgrass incense — cedarwood for purification, sweetgrass for your ancestors.

Assemble on your altar pictures of your ancestors and mementos you may have received from them.

Cast circle in your usual way. Invoke Hecate:

“Hecate, Goddess of the Realm of Spirits,
She who stands at the crossroads,
Seer of past, present and future,
Guardian of all Witches and Lady of the Dark,
I ask you to come forth into my circle
And stand with me this night
Hail and welcome!”

Feel Hecate come into your circle. Sit with your altar and slowly focus on each of your ancestors. Speak aloud of their life and their impact on you. Ask Hecate to acknowledge your reverence of those who have gone before, and ask that your ancestors know of your love and thoughts.

Take your time and do not be afraid of the emotions which may come to you; embrace them and welcome them into your circle. As you speak of your ancestors you may feel them draw near from the Summerlands; do not be afraid — instead, feel touched by their presence and thank them for all they mean to you.

Thank Hecate and your ancestors for their presence and say goodbye. Blow out the candles and take up circle.

Have a Blessed Samhain!

Sources:
———-
Ann, Martha, and Dorothy Myers Imel. Goddesses in World Mythology: A Biographical Dictionary. Oxford University Press: New York (1995).
Ardinger, Barbara. Goddess Meditations. Llewellyn: Minnesota (1998).
Conway, D. J. The Ancient and Shining Ones. Llewellyn: Minnesota (1993).
Franklin, Anna. Magical Incenses and Oils. Capall Bann: Berkshire (2000).
Marashinsky, Amy Sophia. The Goddess Oracle: A Way to Wholeness through the Goddess and Ritual. Element: Boston (1997).
Sjöö, Monica & Mor, Barbara. The Great Cosmic Mother: Rediscovering The Religion of the Earth. HarperCollins: San Francisco (1991).
Zell, Morning Glory. “Manifesting Hecate”, SageWoman # 60 (Winter 2003). Blessed Bee: California (2003).
.
About The Author: Heathwitch is a Witch, teacher and author. She runs courses and workshops on energy work, healing, Witchcraft and magic. High Priestess of the Circle of the Moon coven, Heathwitch lives in Cheshire, England.