Tag: Religion and Spirituality

August 7 – Daily Feast

August 7 – Daily Feast

The path through the woods has a light layer of scarlet leaves that have fallen early from the woodbine. Crickets are chirping the coming of a new season – and the sassy blue jay, tla yv ga, agrees. Touching the earth is a lovely feeling that once again we find our beginnings. Whether we walk of plant or plow, it is a place created for us, a place to stand with bare feet to feel comfort spread quietly through us. The pulse of the earth slows our own and tranquilizes confusion. Seeing the ga lv lo I, sky, in its limitless depths stirs us to imagine, to stretch our awareness to know how much beauty is provided for us. It helps us to see that mean things can only last as long as we allow them. Nothing can hem us in when we know the freedom of spirit.

~ I was born on the prairies where the wind blew free and there was nothing to break the light of the sun. I was born where there were no enclosures…. ~

GERONIMO

‘A Cherokee Feast of Days’, by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Mistletoe (Aprox. Dec. 23)

MISTLETOE LORE

  • Tree of the day after the Winter Solstice (Aprox. December 23)
  • Latin name: Viscum Album
  • Celtic name: It is said that Mistletoe is too sacred to have a written word
  • Folk or Common names: Mistletoe, Birdlime, All Heal, Golden Bough, Loranthaceae Phoradendron flavescens
  • Parts Used: leaves, berries, twigs
  • Herbal usage: **CAUTION: Mistletoe berries are extremely poisonous and have been known to cause miscarriage.** Mistletoe can be used as a stimulant to  soothe muscles and to produce a rise in blood pressure. It increases the contraction of the uterus and intestine. Mistletoe has been recommended as an  oxytocic in postpartum hemorrhage and menorrhagia. It is also used as a circulatory and uterine stimulant. This plant can induce menstruation. It has shown  effective in treating tumors in some animals. It is recommended that due to the toxicity of this plant that ingestion of this herb be avoided.
  • Magical History & Associations: Mistletoe is one of the Druid’s most sacred trees – as Ovid said, “Ad viscum Druidae cantare solebant. (The  Druids are wont to sing to the Mistletoe.).” In Druidic lore Mistletoe is an herb of the Winter Solstice and is the special plant for the day after  Yule. The Druids gathered their Mistletoe at Midsummer or at the 6th day of the moon. The Druid priests or priestesses would wear white robes while gathering  the plant and would use a golden knife, taking extreme care not to let the plant touch the ground. Two oxen were often sacrificed for the harvest. The Druids  considered that the Mistletoe that grew on Oak trees was the most potent and sacred. Mistletoe is a plant of the sun and also of the planet of Jupiter. It is  associated with the element of the air. The colors of Mistletoe are green, gold and white, and its herb is hyssop. The gemstones associated with Mistletoe  are Black Quartz, Amber, Pearl and green Obsidian. Mistletoe has the immortal creature the Gryphon-Eagle associated with it and also the plain eagle is its  bird association. There are many deities associated with Mistletoe: Loki, Blader, Hercules, Shu, Osirus, and Aeneas are a few of those deities.
  • Magickal usage: Romans, Celtics, and Germans believed that mistletoe is the key to the supernatural. Mistletoe will aid and strengthen all magickal works  but is best called upon for healing, protection, and beautiful dreams – dreams which will unlock the secrets of immortality. Mistletoe is a good wood to use  for making wands, other ritual tools and magickal rings. The Berries are used in love incenses, plus a few berries can be added to the ritual cup at a  handfasting. Boughs of Mistletoe can be hung for all purpose protection around the house. Sprigs of Mistletoe can be carried as an herb of protection – plus  amulets and jewelry can be made out of Mistletoe wood as protective talismans. Hung over the cradle, Mistletoe will protect the child from being stolen by  the fey and Mistletoe that is carried will protect the bearer from werewolves. Mistletoe stood for sex and fertility – hence our tradition of kissing under  the mistletoe. It is traditionally hung in the home at Yule, and those who walk under it exchange a kiss of peace.

Heather (Aprox. June 20)

HEATHER LORE

  • Tree of the Summer Solstice (Aprox. June 20)
  • Latin name: Calluna vulgaris
  • Celtic name: Ura (pronounced: Oor’ uh)
  • Folk or Common names: Common Heather, Ling, Scottish Heather
  • Parts Used: herb, flowering shoots.
  • Herbal usage: Heather’s flowering shots are used to treat insomnia, stomach aches, coughs and skin problems. The plant, used fresh or dried,  strengthens the heart and raises blood pressure. It is slightly diuretic and a Heather Tea is often prescribed in cases of urinary infections. Heather is  sometimes used in conjunction with corn silk and cowberries.
  • Magical History & Associations: Heather is associated with the sun, and with the planet of Venus. Its color is resin colored and its element is  water. Heather’s bird is the lark, and its animal association is the honey bee. In ancient times the Danes brewed a powerful beer made from honey and  Heather. And for centuries the heather flowers have also been a special beverage to the bee, who in return creates delightful Heather honey! Its stones are  amethyst, peridot, and amertine – and it is a feminine herb. The herb is sacred to many Goddesses: Isis, Venus-Erycina, Uroica, Garbh Ogh, Cybele, Osiris,  Venus, Guinevere, and Butes among them. White Heather was considered unlucky by Scottish loyalists because of its connection with the banishment of Bonny  Prince Charles. Haether is the home to a type of Fey called Heather Pixies. Like other Pixies, the Heather Pixies have clear or golden auras and delicate,  translucent wings. But these faeries are attracted specifically to the moors and to the Heather which covers them. They are not averse to human contact, but  they don’t seek them out. They have a pranksterish nature.
  • Magickal usage: Heather is sacred to the Summer Solstice. Heather is used for magick involving maturity, consummation, general luck, love, ritual power,  conjuring ghosts, healing, protection, rain-making and water magick. Charms made with Heather can be worn or carried as protection against danger, rape and  other violent crimes. This flower represents good fortune and Heather can also be carried as a lucky charm. It was believed that wearing the blossom  associated with your month of birth would bring exceptionally good luck – therefore people born in the month of Heather (August) should carry White Heather,  for even better luck throughout the year. Legend has it that a gift of white Heather brings luck to both the giver and the receiver, wheras red Heather is  said to have been colored by heathens killed in battle by Christians, so is less lucky. Heather is associated with secrets from the Otherworld. A sprig of  white Heather placed in a special place of silence and meditation has the power to conjure ghosts, haints or spirits. After picking a piece of white Heather  at midnight, place it in a glass of river water in the darkest corner of your home. Sit and think of a departed loved one and it is said that the loved ones  shadow will visit you. Heather is said to ignite faery passions and open portals between their world and our own. Heather represents solitude because it  thrives in wide open spaces, and Faeries who enjoy living in such undisturbed places are said to feast on the tender stalks of Heather. The Fae of this  flower are drawn to humans who are shy. Heather is useful for Solitary healing work (going within). Heather, if used along with Mistletoe, creates powerful  healing medicine in both spiritual and physical aspects. Heather can be used at Midsummer to promote love – carry red Heather for passion or white Heather  for cooling the passion of unwanted suitors. If you give someone a gift of Heather it means: ‘Admiration’. A charm bag filled with Heather can be  carried for decreasing egotism or self-involvement. As a water herb, Heather is very useful in weather magick. When burned outdoors with Fern, the herbal  smoke of Heather attracts rain. Bouquets of Heather and Fern can also be dipped in water to call rain.

Furze/Gorse Tree (Aprox. March 20)

FURZE/GORSE LORE

  • Tree of the Spring Equinox (Aprox. March 20)
  • Latin name: ulex europaeus
  • Celtic name: ‘O’ – Onn
  • Folk or Common names: Broom, Frey, Furze, Fyrs, Gorst, Goss, Prickly Broom, Ruffet, and Whin.
  • Parts Used: Flowers
  • Herbal usage: A decoction made with the flowers thereof hath been found effectual against the jaundice, as also to provoke urine, and cleanse the kidneys  from gravel or stone ingendered in them. In parts of the UK, it was once cultivated and cut down to provide burnable fuel for bakers’ ovens. The ashes  left after it has been set on fire yield a generous amount of alkali and have been used as a type of primitive soap for washing purposes after first being  mixed with clay and rolled into balls. The golden flowers yield an excellent natural yellow dye.
  • Magical History & Associations: Furze is a thorny shrub with bright yellow flowers that is associated with the Spring Equinox. This herb is a symbol  of the young sun at the spring equinox and royalty. Furze is associated with the astrological sign of Aries, the planet of Mars, the element of Fire, and is  a masculine herb. Furze is associated with Jupiter, Thor, Onn, and also with the Gallic ash-grove Goddess On-niona. The color for Furze is dun, and its bird  is the cormorant.
  • Magickal usage: Furze is a druid Sacred tree, whose flowers are associated with the Spring Equinox. Furze is a symbol of fertility and has the magickal  uses of Protection and Money. Furze is a good herb to use as a proctectant against evil. In Wales hedges of the prickly Gorse are used to protect the home  against dark fairies, who cannot penetrate the hedge. Furze wood and blooms can be burned for protection and also for preparation for conflict of any sort.  There are two school of thought about giving Furze flowers as a gift. On one had the gift is supposed to be good luck, but on the other hand if you give them  to someone that you love it means: Anger. There is an old rhyme about Furze that refers to its all-year-round flowering habits:”When Gorse is out of bloom,         Kissing is out of season.”

    Furze is also used in money spells; it attracts gold.

Elder (Nov 25 – Dec 23)

ELDER LORE

  • 13th Moon of the Celtic Year – (Nov 25 – Dec 23)
  • Latin name: Dwarf Elder – sambucus ebulus; Elderberry – sambucus canadenis.
  • Celtic name: Ruis (pronounced: roo ish).
  • Folk or Common names: Lady Elder, Elder, Elderberry, pipe tree, bore tree, bour tree, Eldrun, Hyldor, Hyllantree, Ellhorn, Sambucus.
  • Parts Used: Bark, leaves, flowers, berries, wood.
  • Herbal usage: The Elder has many medicinal uses, and can be used to treat over 70 conditions. The bark can be used fresh for headaches and to promote  labor, or can be dried and powdered and used in small doses as a diuretic. The leaves and flowers can be made into drinks, poultices and salves. Elderberry  flower water is useful for soothing sunburns. The berries are safe to eat when eaten ripe, and they can be used to make wines, jams and teas.
  • Magical History & Associations: The Elder is a tree of Venus and is associated with the element of air. The bird associated with the month of Elder  is the rook, the color is blood-red, and the gemstone is dark green malachite. The Elder also is associated with Black Horses, Ravens, and Badgers. The Elder  is linked to the eternal turnings of life and death, birth and rebirth, and creativity and renewal. It represents the end/beginning and beginning/end. It is  sacred to the deities of Bran, Venus, Hel, Callech, Holda, the White Goddess, the Great Goddess, and Pryderi (The Celts believed that it was during the time  of Elder that their sun or solar spirit was held prisoner, just as Pryderi was forced into exile). The Elder is the Old Crone aspect of the triple Goddess,  wise old energy at the end of the year’s cycle, and is sometimes called the “death tree” because of this. Funerary flints found in megalithic  long barrows were Elder leaf shaped, suggesting the association of Elder with death goes back a long way. Elder is also called the “witch’s  tree” and certainly the village hedge-witch would have used the elder in healing and Magick. The Elder is also associated with a dryad (tree spirit).  Early European legends tell of a dryad called Hylde-moer, The Elder Tree Mother, who lives in the Elder tree and watches over it. Should the tree be chopped  down and furniture made of the wood, Hylde-moer would follow her property and haunt the owners. Similar tales tell that if a child’s cradle were made of  Elder, Hylde-moer would pinch the child black and blue and give it no peace or rest, therefore it is considered unlucky to make a cradle out of Elder wood.  The Elder is also seen in a negative light by the Christian religion, since Judas supposed to have hanged himself from an Elder tree and the cross used to  crucify Jesus was supposed to be made of Elder.
  • Magickal usage: The month of Elder includes the Winter Solstice, which is celebrated as the Sabbat of Yule, a day to mark the return of the Sun.  Therefore, calling upon the Sun God or Goddess is good to do during this month. Elder has the Magickal powers of Healing, Visions, Faery Magick,  Spirituality, Cleansing, Sleep, Exorcism, Offering, Love, Protection, and Prosperity. Elder is often used to produce visions. At Samhain, the last of the  Elderberries were picked with solemn rites. The wine made from these berries was considered the last sacred gift of the Earth Goddess, and was valued and  drunk ritually to invoke prophecy, divination and hallucinations. Elder twigs were woven into head-dresses to enable the wearers to see spirits. The Elder is  very useful in Magick dealing with Nature Spirits and the Fae. Wood spirits are said to live in Elder forests, and wood elves are said to come to listen to  music played by flutes made with Elder wood. The Elder has strong protective qualities. Tiny twigs of Elder or dried Elderberry can be worn in a bag around  the neck as a charm for protection against physical or psychic attack. As a protection against evil (and later against witchcraft) Elder branches were hung  in doorways of houses and cowsheds. Elder can be used to bless a person, place or thing by scattering leaves and berries to the four directions, and over the  thing or person being blessed. It is said that if you stand under an Elder tree, you will never be struck by lightening. Elder was also buried in graves to  ward off evil spirits, and is considered protection against earthbound, “physical” spirits like vampires. Elder as Vampire-Repellent is older  folklore than the lore about garlic. When you put Elder on a threshold or windowsill, you can force a vampire to count over the thorns and the berries until  morning comes, because vampires are obsessive-compulsive about counting things. Also, Elder blossom were worn at Beltane to signify witchcraft and magic, and  Elder twigs can be used to undo evil magic. Elder is a traditional wood for making Magickal tools, like besoms and wands. It is said in Irish folklore that  it is Elder and not Ash which is used by witches for their magic ‘hobby horses’ and besoms. Justice was often dispensed under an Elder, so the hilt  of a coven sword was often made of Elder wood. Elder is also a good wood to use to make Protective Wands. There are very strong superstitions about not  cutting down or burning an Elder (maybe caused by a fear of releasing the tree’s Hylde-moer – or maybe out of a deep respect for the tree), so be sure to  remember to ask the tree if it will allow you to take a branch. It is traditional to say this before you cut a branch:”Lady Ellhorn, give me of thy wood,         And I will give thee of mine,         when I become a tree.”

    Some people like to leave a small gift of some kind when they do harvest a branch – or you can do something practical like untangling the    tree’s ivy, clearing up around the trunk, watering in dry weather, or tidying up trash from around the tree.

Willow (Apr 15 – May 12)

WILLOW LORE

  • 5th Moon of the Celtic Year – (April 15 – May 12)
  • Latin name: Weeping Willow: salix babylonica; black Willow: salix nigra
  • Celtic name: Saille (Sahl’ yeh)
  • Folk or Common names: Willow, Witch’s Tree, Pussy Willow, Salicyn Willow, Saille, Sally, Withe, Withy, Witches’ Aspirin, Tree of Enchantment,  Osier, Tarvos Tree, and Sough Tree. The Anglo-Saxon ‘welig’ from where the name ‘willow’ is derived, means ‘pliancy’.
  • Parts Used: Bark, sap, twigs, branches, wood.
  • Herbal usage: The bark of the Willow has been used as a pain killer… the bark contains a glusoside called salicin that forms salicylylous acid which is  the ‘active ingredient’ in aspirin. The bark has astringic qualities and can be used for rheumatic conditions, heartburn and as a diuretic. The sap  gathered from the tree when it is flowering can be used to treat facial blemishes and dandruff.
  • Magical History & Associations: The bird associated with this month is the hawk, the color is haze, and the gemstone is blood-red carbuncle. The  Willow, a Feminine herb, is associated with water, and is an herb of the moon. The bird associated with this month is the hawk, the color is haze, and the  gemstone is blood-red carbuncle. The Willow is associated with water, and is an herb of the moon. Willow wood is one of the nine traditional firewoods to be  added to the Belfire that is burned at Beltane – as the tree of death that is Sacred to Hecate, Willow is added to the fire as a celebration of death. The  Willow is sacred to Minerva who invented numbers and also to Artemis, Ceres, Persephone, Brigid, Hera, Helice, Mercury, Belili, and Circe. The Sumerian  goddess Belili was a goddess of trees, and Willows in particular. The Willow is also associated with Orpheus, regarded by the Creeks as the most celebrated  of poets. It is said that Orpheus received his gifts of eloquence and communication by carrying Willow branches on his journey through the Underworld. A  bas-relief in a temple at Delphi portrays Orpheus leaning against a Willow tree, touching its branches. Pagan associations with the Willow have always been  strong, for they are often revered as trees of the MoonGoddess, she who reflects her moon magic upon the waters of Earth. Willow was often the tree most  sought by the village wise-woman, since it has so many medicinal properties, and eventually the Willow’s healing and religious qualities became one and  the tree became called ‘witch’s tree’. The Willow is also associated with the fey. The wind in the Willows is the whisperings of a fairy in the  ear of a poet. It is also said that Willow trees can uproot themselves and stalk travelers at night, muttering at them.
  • Magickal usage: The Willow has applications in magick done for enchantment, wishing, romantic love, healing, protection, fertility, magick for women,  death, femininity, love, divination, friendship, joy, love, and peace. Placed in homes, Willow branches protect against evil and malign sorcery. Carried,  Willow wood will give bravery, dexterity, and help one overcome the fear of death. If you knock on a Willow tree (knock on wood) this will avert evil. A  Willow tree growing near a home will protect it from danger (I know this to be true. When the tornado hit our farm, the only reason we only lost part of the  roof, rather than the whole house, was because the grove of Willows around the house protected us. Our poor Willows got pretty battered by the storm, lost  most of their leaves and quite a few branches, but have recovered fully now!). Willows are also a good tree to plant around cemeteries and also for lining  burial graves for its symbolism of death and protection. Willows can be used in rituals for intuition, knowledge, gentle nurturing, and will elucidate the  feminine qualities of both men and women. If a person needs to get something off their chest or to share a secret, if they confess to a Willow, their secret  will be trapped. Also, wishes are granted by a Willow tree if they are asked for in the correct manner. Willow leaves, bark and wood add energy to healing  magick, and burning a mix of Willow bark and sandalwood during the waning moon can help to conjure spirits. Uses of Willow in love talismans include using  the leaves to attract love. Willow leaves or twigs can also be used in spells to create loyalty, make friendship pacts, treaties, or alliances. A rejected  lover can wear Willow as a charm to win back the love. To determine if you will be married in the new year:”Throw your shoe high up         into the branches of a Willow tree;         If the branches catch and hold the shoe,         you soon will married be.”

    Willows have many uses to Witches, the most common is that the wood is used to make wands for moon magick. Willow wands can also be used to dowse    for water (underground), earth energies, and buried objects. (The Witch should be careful to ask for the tree’s blessings before taking a branch to    make a wand.) The supple long ending branches of the Willow make good weaving materials to use to weave circlets and wreaths. Willow wood is good for    making magical harps.

WOTC Spell for August 7: Spell To Disarm an Enemy

 

 

Spell to Disarm an Enemy

Is someone trying to harm you? Block this person’s power through the use of “sympathetic magick.”

Best Time To Cast:

  • During the new moon
  • When the sun or moon is in Capricorn
  • On Saturdays

Items You Will Need:

  • A simple figurine made of wax, cloth, wood, clay, or other material
  • Permanent markets
  • Duct tape
  • A Shovel

The Spell:

  • Fabricate or purchase a simple figurine.
  • Say to the figurine, “I now name you (person’s name)” and write the name on the figurine’s chest.
  • Draw features to make the figurine resemble your enemy – eyes of the appropriate color, distinguishing birthmarks, scars, tattoos. etc.
  • Wrap the figurine with duct tape, until it is completely encased. As you wind the tape, repeat this incantation:

“I bind you tightly as can be. You have no strength to injure me.”

  • When you’ve finished, take the figurine to a spot far from your home and bury it deep in the ground.

Note:  Don’t bury it at the base of a tree or near a body of water.

Daily Feng Shui Tip for August 7 – ‘National Lighthouse Day’

On this ‘National Lighthouse Day’ I’m feeling brighter and more illuminated. I love visiting lighthouses, and apparently I’m not alone since recent travel research shows that lighthouses continue to be a hot destination spot. I also love the idea of a beacon guiding sailors back to safe harbor. A friend in times of need, this light would shine a path, no matter how heavy the weather or dark the night. Feng Shui states that this is the same idea behind leaving your outside front entryway light on. This modality believes that fire and light can garner the blessings of the invisible while also activating energetic sources of success-fueled opportunities. Illuminating this intention simply warrants the empowering step of flipping that switch. If you want to light up the night or engage opportunistic energies to fill each day, then simply leave your front light burning for at least three consecutive hours each day or night. When turning on this light it’s important that you think about your intentions and goals. After switching the light off, be sure to let it rest before turning it on again at another time. This brings new meaning to the word ‘lighthouse.’

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com