Relaxation

Well my lambs,

This week my final paper for my sociology class is due, and it is stress city here in North Carolina. The school semester is winding down, which means that it is crunch time! I know so many other people are coping with stress. Below I am going to give you a spell to combat it!

You will need:

A clean, quiet, dimly lit place
A handful of white floating tea lights
A large bowl of blessed water
A lavender pillar candle
Some soothing meditation music


Set up your work area as you normally would when casting. Place the white tea lights in the bowl of water. Using a knife carve the word relax into your pillar candle. Turn on your meditation music and slowly and mindfully light all of the candles, lighting the lavender pillar candle last. Take your time to focus on your breathing. When your mind is clear and you are grounded, call upon the Goddess in whatever way seems appropriate to you. When you are ready, say: "Lady, Mother of the gentle Earth, divine orchestrator of renewal and birth, I ask you to help me release all stress. Please free me from this worrisome mess. Worrying a brighter tomorrow does not make. Help me be calm for my own sake. Fill my mind with peace and ease, blow worries away on cleansing breeze.(here, blow out the candle, providing a cleansing breeze for your worries) Minding the rule of three, and it harm none, so mote it be."

I hope that you all have a productive and stress free Monday! Take time to enjoy a good cup of tea or coffee. If it is as cold where you are, as it is here (and rainy too) may warm thoughts find their way into your heart. Brightest Blessings!

Til later,

S

Magic of Music

Good morning!

I'm currently sitting in my mother's first grade classroom working on my own assignments for college, drowning out the enthusiastic learning of her students with Greg Laswell's How the Day Sounds. Which lead me to think about music and how wonderfully it enriches our lives. How it helps us through the morning grind and gives a little magic to our day.

Music is the earliest known method of communication and remains an integral part of society today. From dropping beats, to beautiful ballads, our deepest emotions and passions are sparked with the magic of music. Music gives us a form of catharsis, a way to release the energies that we build up in our lives granting release and calm. It  builds up soldiers to do battle, gives strength to sports teams, grants wings to dancers, and provides freedom to the human songbirds among us. Music heals, it enlightens, it strengthens, and encourages. It is the oldest voice, our true voice, and a looking glass into our souls.

Music is often used in rituals because it helps those who are casting spells and communicating on the spiritual level to ground themselves and find themselves in that calm place between the physical world and the world beyond.

But it is so much more than that. Music has its own power, its own energy which lends itself so wonderfully to increase our own strength and our own will when doing ritual work or casting spells. It blocks out the negative and the distracting, and pulses with the power that surrounds us.

What kind of music lends itself best to ritual work and spell casting? Well, generally you don't really want to try to connect with the universe on a spiritual level while grooving to Shakira's latest single...I really really vibe her music, but we're more likely to focus on the lyrics than our work, our inner space and our outer space.  Generally soothing meditative music such as chants or even wordless music works best. It soothes and builds at just the right times.

If you don't already incorporate music into your own ritual work, I encourage you to give it a try! If you do, what music do you find makes your rituals into a sense sensation?

Brightest Blessings!
~S

Magic Tools!

I promised in one of my posts on the home page that I would make a post about magical tools! Well here it is:

One of the things that I am quite sure that my fiancé thought when I let him in on the fact that I am, indeed, a witch was “damn…witches sure come with a lot of accoutrements!” With two cats, a Book of Shadows (which is starting to get rather hefty), wands, crystals, herbs, my four leaf clover collection, my scrying bowl (not all scrying is done with crystals, I prefer water and ink), various in sundry pendants, altar cloths, altars, pentacles, a besom, a wand (which he made me…I’ve not gotten around to consecrating it yet) I’m rather inclined to agree. While you don’t need all of the accoutrements that many witches use in their craft or even any at all to be a witch…they do make ritual and life rather easier.  Witches try not to encourage materialism but it is rather difficult to pass up magical articles that we find. You can certainly be a witch without any of these things because magic is in strength of will, but they definitely make life easier. Here, I will make a list of the tools that I think most witches should consider…if you don’t already have them.

Since I mentioned besom above, and not everyone is familiar with that word I will start there! A besom is one of the more famous symbols associated with witchcraft- the broom! The witch’s besom is not used for flying as we often see, but rather, it is used for purifying. The besom has also been used by some for protection by laying it under the bed or across a windowsill. Witches don’t just use any old broom. A besom is handcrafted, often by the witch, and much thought is put into what kind of wood is used because different woods have different properties.

The second symbol, often associated with witchcraft is the wand. Wands are used for invocation, to draw symbols, and quite often, to direct the flow of energy for spells. The same consideration for the properties of the materials that brooms are made of is also given to the creation of wands…and most other magical tools.

Cauldrons have so many practical uses; they can be used to mix different magical ingredients, for scrying, and to contain magical transformations.

An athame is a knife used by witches to cut things in the astral plane. This knife is not for physical cutting. It can also be used to direct energy as you would use a wand, and is a symbol of the God and masculine power (as is the wand) and goes in the God corner of the altar.

Not all witches have a boline, but it is a crescent shaped knife that is basically a witch’s pocket knife. It is used to gather herbs, and cut things in the physical plane…if we get down to it any old knife will really do though.

Many pagans include a pentacle on their altar; this symbol is used for protection as well as invocation.

Incense is often used for purifying the place that magical work is to be done in, but it can also be used to instill a magical state of mind, peace, and as an offering to the Goddess and God.

A bell is used to invoke the goddess, good energies, and to banish evil spirits and spells. This is often placed in the Goddess corner of the altar.

A chalice is the symbol of the Goddess and is used for drink offerings. This tool goes in the Goddess corner of the altar.

Candles are an integral part of ritual (and even have their own category of magic) and are often used to represent the Goddess, the God, and the different elements on the altar. White or silver is often used for the Goddess candle while gold or yellow is often used for the God candle.  

As I’ve mentioned it is very important that you consider the magic properties of the materials with which all of these tools are made. When you make magical purchases, if you are not crafty enough to make your own tools, make sure that you purchase from a reliable vendor, especially when shopping online. When shopping for your magical tools, do so with intent. What are you drawn to? Which item urges you to take it home right now? These items were probably meant for you and will serve you well. It reminds me of the line from Harry Potter, “The wand chooses the wizard, Harry!” I believe there is definitely truth to that!  

As always brightest blessings!

~S

Your Power

Good afternoon my twitchy witches!

I’m sure that many of you have seen movies where witches had special powers and abilities. This is really not all that farfetched. Everyone has talents that are specific to him or herself. The same is true of those who follow a magical path. Some of us are empaths, some are psychic, some are healers, some are seers, some are kitchen witches, some are herb witches, and quite a few of us are more than one thing!  Many of us are drawn to specific elements, specific methods of practice (knot magic, animal magic, and crystal magic, etc), and specific incarnations of the Goddess and God. All of these things make us unique witches with different skills and insights. 

I will begin with empaths.  The word empath is derived from the word empathy. And this is exactly what an empath does. Empaths feel exactly what you feel, to a fault. He or she can’t stand watching romantic comedies in which the heroine or hero makes a complete fool out of him or herself because the embarrassment is just too much. Empaths will blush, close their eyes, or even fast forward through that part.  An empath walks through the store and sees a couple of strangers laughing; he gets caught grinning and laughing even though he doesn’t know the joke! This person knows exactly how you are feeling before you voice it. She feels the way you do…she may not even know why. Empaths experience so many emotions throughout a typical day that they often struggle to determine which emotions were originally theirs.  This can be a huge problem and is often something that they need to put up barriers against, and learn how to control, otherwise it is far too draining.  Empaths find themselves acting on emotions that were never even theirs. I am an empath.  Many have wondered whether empathy is a power, and just being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes may not be; however, being able to feel the emotions or the energies in a room means that you have the power to influence them.  

Many of us know what psychics can do, so I’m just going to touch on it ever so briefly. Psychic is a very broad category which can contain many different types of psychics.  We are all psychic to some extent. Some of us are able to see with our third eye better than others. If this is something that interests you, the more you work at it, the better that you can become. Not all psychics read minds; some of them see auras or are very good at astral travel, or even predicting the future. A psychic’s power is based in the third eye and the astral plane (the spiritual plane).  While the astral plane heavily influences our physical plane, you’ll not get very far if you try to see it with your physical eyes.

Seers would probably fall under psychics, but their talent lies in divination. Each seer prefers their own method of divination. Some scry using crystals or mirrors. Other seers prefer tarot cards, reading tea leaves or palmistry. Not many seers focus solely on palmistry because palms only tell about people. And while people are great, it’s a rather limited field. Palms don’t tell the future of the person, they tell the character and the past of the person.  So, if I were a business executive, I might ask for a scan of potential employees’ palms along with their résumé.  More on that in future posts if I remember!

Kitchen witches are magical people who feed me! (I’m just kidding) Kitchen witches prefer to work their magic in the food, teas, and herbal remedies that they cook up in the kitchen. This is, indeed, the tastiest kind of magic.  You can do a lot with food because food has so many healing and nourishing properties in and of itself. Combine this potential with magic and you have some pretty powerful chow! Healing potions, beauty products, good luck bon bons, teas to improve the third eye, and many other things can easily be cooked up in the kitchen with the right spell and ingredients. Kitchen witches know how endless the possibilities are, plus…who doesn’t like food!?  While being a kitchen witch is more of a preference of crafting than anything else, I consider it to be a power. How many people do you know who go in the kitchen and end up producing sludge that was supposed to be tiramisu? That is why I include kitchen witchery in the power post! 

Moving right along to herb witches! That old lady down the street with the hollyhocks up to her ears? Herb witch! Herb witches or garden witches work amazing magic with herbs and other plants. Their gardens are absolutely breath taking. When you ask how their roses managed to avoid the aphid plague that killed yours they usually smile and just give you some sort of farfetched cure.  These earthy people revel in greenery and are very in tune with plant life and the spirits that guard them. They often have bird feeders in every direction and live in nearly absolute harmony with the animals that come in and out of their gardens. These women have a special knack for knowing exactly what their beloved plants need, and exactly how to cure what ails them. As a result the plants return in kind and offer a bounty of blossoms, herbs, and vegetables. Herb witches know that respecting their plants and nurturing them, keeping them happy and healthy is the best way to also preserve the sprites, brownies, elves, and fairies that have likely made this garden their safe haven. You won’t find any pesticides here- just magic.

Witches are not only in tune with plants, but many witches also have a special relationships with the animals that they come in contact with. From the den of foxes in their backyards, to the stray cats that they leave milk for, many witches find animals to be more than mere companions, but partners in magic and friends.  These witches are very sensitive to the importance of all life and often find themselves taking in any “lost cause” that crosses their path. These witches are eager to provide love and sanctuary to all walks of life, but they often find that they get along better with animals than people.  You know who they are. They’re the couple down the street with the elaborate chicken coop for the hens they rescued, the woman with three cats, a blind dog, a fledgling robin that she found fallen from its nest.  These men and women find animal magic and working with their familiars quite natural. They wear their animal totem around their neck, and have their house completely covered in pet fur. They often exhibit the traits of their animal totem, and sometimes it is easy to see what it is without even asking.

This is only a very small sampling of the powers, and casting preferences and witch “categories” (for lack of a better word because most of us fall in many categories if not all of them!). I encourage you to learn more about different powers. Meditate on your strengths and what makes you who you are. Meditate on what element you gravitate toward, what you have a knack for, and particular crafting methods that you prefer to work with. The more you learn about yourself, the more you learn about your power and who you are, as well as what you should work more on and what you can become (Geeze! Could that sentence have rambled any longer!?).  What types of embodiments does your patron Goddess and God take on? Are they known animal lovers or plant gurus? The answers to these questions can help direct your path to learning more about yourself and your craft! Never stop learning

Till next time!

~S

Familiar Spirits

Merry Meet my twitchy witches,

Last post I related to you how difficult it can be to feel isolated in your craft. Many of you probably know the feeling. As I was sitting at my desk typing that last post, I had two little fur-balls curled up in my lap purring away “You’re not alone in your craft,” they purr to me. And they’re right. I’m not. I have two familiar spirits: two little kittens. Ralph, the color of gingerbread, follows me wherever I go bringing mischief in his wake. Henry, my little latte kitten, the ever quiet observer who is always ready to wrestle his brother, sits in the sidelines observing everything with bright eyes. These little fellows are my familiar spirits. Many witches simply call them familiars.

My familiar spirits wake me each morning to greet the Goddess and God breathing in the light of the new day with enthusiasm (and I am NOT a morning person). They follow the house sprites and spirits, playing and teaching me to revel in the glory of the otherworldly.  They curl up on my yoga mat, purring as I meditate, guarding me during rituals and keeping watch, one on either side.  They teach me to see the divine in all things. I eagerly learn the wisdom they volunteer to reveal to me, and they let me know that I am never alone.

And I always have my strong, supportive, compassionate and often bemused fiancé.  This wonderful man, though he was raised by Baptist parents, does not condemn me for my beliefs, in spite of the fact that I tried to hide them from him. He didn’t question me. He didn’t rebuke me. He didn’t try to “save my soul”. He hasn’t followed the faith of his parents in years, so he is openly interested and tries to learn more about the path that I walk.  It is not my goal to convert him; everyone walks the path that they are called to. But it is so wonderful to have a partner who will hold me up in my beliefs and support me in every way…even if he doesn’t fully understand them. He is my familiar spirit, and with him I don't feel so isolated in my craft.

Who supports your beliefs? Who has touched your life and lifted you up? Comment and share!

That's all for now folks! Brightest Blessings!

~S

The Promise of Spring

Good morning! This morning as I fight with my internet connection, I wanted to share with you just a random tidbit from something that happened yesterday

But first! Some backstory!
I have been transplanted from the more open minded North to the Bible Belt of the South. I find myself surrounded by people who are both fascinated and horrified by the concept of paganism. I have heard it all: from being damned, the devil's lover, and even a satan worshipper, there are not many insults that surprise me any more. So I often find myself longing for the society I enjoyed in the North, even though I never truly loved the blistering cold. So I'm prone to idealizing everything about the North from their manner of speaking to the architecture and cuisine.

Yesterday I was planting bulbs in my garden with my fiance. We're fixing up his late great grandparent's house and expansive gardens which have been allowed to fall into disrepair. I'm truly hoping we get this unrully house under control before the wedding in June. While weeding a long forgotten flowerbed, I discovered- to my delight- peaking out of the mess was a tiny yellow crocus! I had no idea that crocus could grow down here in the South, they're quite well known in the North for blooming over the snow, helping us survive the winter til spring. They've always been a sign of hope for me. Finding them in this old overgrown flower bed gave me a sense of hope and well-being. I felt a sense of communion with this delicate little flower, in its isolation choked and surrounded by weeds. Perhaps I can also blossom even as isolated from amiable society as I feel. After all, spring will always come.

Perhaps many of you also feel isolated and alone in your craft. Many of us find it easier to hide in the shadows rather than be condemned by family, friends, and even miscellaneous people out in public. Many of us find that when we do reveal our beliefs we have the Bible shoved under our nose or lose people we once considered friends. We find our souls suddenly being fought over by people who would try to buy us salvation. The drama is often never ending and many people will never come to terms with the religious freedom of their neighbors. Often we find it easier to live a double life and only truly reveal ourselves to people we know will not scorn us for it.

 I tried to come out of the" broom closet" so to speak once. And only once. I explained Paganism in the most understandable and least threatening way I could: comparing its similarities to my parents' faith, Roman Catholicism. It was pretty eloquent for a 13 year old. My presentation was very poorly recieved and my Roman Catholic parents put to rest any rebellion (at least they thought they had). I recieved more lectures and books containing reasons why witchcraft is damnable than I even knew was possible. Even now, as a 21 year old bride to be, I still keep that "self" locked away from my parents. I am having a traditional Catholic wedding in which I will swear before a priest to raise my children Catholic and ensure their spiritual salvation. I'm not sure how I'm going to manage that yet.

I want to emphasize that I am neither anti-Catholic or anti-Christianity. It is my belief that all roads lead to the same path and that all Gods and Goddesses are one and deserve mutual respect. That isn't to say that I agree with all of their doctrines and practices, I'm sure this is a belief that I am not alone in.

In anycase, this became far more rant-ish than I had ever intended.  Perhaps you would like to share some of your experiences coming out of the "broom closet" your successes, your failures etc. I'm sure that Pagans everywhere can identify and have their own story to tell. That's really all for now...

Brightest Blessings!
Stella

Grounding

Good evening my twitchy witches!

I mentioned in my last post that I would soon make an entry on grounding. As promised, I present it to you.

Magic is based in will. But in order to will something into being, you must first be able to concentrate on your intent, your power, and the power of the elements around you. Since this is the one of the first steps in casting and ritual work, this is an amazing beginning to your practice. It not only gives you the power of concentration to work your spells, but it is also a very relaxing way to meditate as well.

Begin by sitting cross-legged on the floor, with your eyes closed, hands folded in prayer. Bow first to the Goddess and God in respect to your teachers, your chin touching your chest. Bow secondly to the elements around you, and bow thirdly and inwardly to the divine power within you. Greet and welcome yourself, breathing deeply in through your nose, and slowly, out.  Place your hands on your knees (palms facing down to ground your spirit). Continue breathing deeply. Focus on the life force of air flowing in and out of your body. Focus on the beat of your heart. Feel the roots of your spirit traveling down and connecting you to the earth and water, it's branches unfolding to dance in the air and bathe in the sun.

As you deepen your breathing feel the power swell at your center. Allow this power to pulse through your veins, into your fingertips and travel throughout your body. When you are in command of  this power, and your intent is fully visualized, you may begin your craft.

That is just one of countless numbers of methods for self grounding and the one that I use in my own magical life. I tried to be as detailed as possible, but you may, of course, tailor it to suit your needs. While magic has a rule (namely the rule of three) there are no concrete ways that MUST be followed. What works for one witch may not work for another.  Feel free to explore different grounding methods until you find one that works suitably for you. I also find that laying down on the floor with my palms to the Earth is another way that I feel connected. Often having soft and meditative music helps as well as appropriately comfortable clothes or even no clothes at all! I encourage you to take time to ground yourself both before magic or even as you form your intent for the day's tasks. 

~Namaste
 Stella

Your Body-Your Temple

As I mentioned in the last post I made, the body is the spirit's vehicle into the world around it and is a temple surrounding our divine self. When we nurture our bodies and take care of ourselves, we feel more at peace with the universe. Our energies are balanced, and we have more space to meditate on matters other than our neglected temples.

The best way to show respect to yourself as a temple is to maintain a healthy diet, balance your diet with physical activities that you enjoy such as tending to a garden, sleep, and meditation. Meditation is a wonderful way to balance your energies and achieve clarity and calm. In fact, yoga and meditation is a good practice both to energize you for the day in the morning, and to cleanse you of the daily stress you faced before you go to sleep.

Rise in the morning, stretching, thinking about the light from the sun's rays nurturing your body and calling you to wake up. Breathe deeply and calmly. Set your goals for today and thank the Goddess and God for your waking. Greet the morning as it is a blank page that you get to turn into art.  Ask the Goddess and God to help you overcome today's tasks, particularly if the to-do list seems more intimidating than usual. Then breathe your worries away. Breathe in calm, breathe out love and determination.

In the evening unwind from your day. Thank the Goddess and God for their wisdom and guidance.  Acknowledge their presence and ask them to watch over your sleep, guiding your dreams and keeping the peace. Breath in deeply, filling your center with positive thoughts and restful energy, breathe out and blow the stresses and worries of the day with it, allowing them to disappear. Sleep...the Gods are awake. Be at peace.

Meditation is a good practice to get into. The more in touch you are with your center, the more at peace you will be with your thoughts. I think I shall post a grounding meditation next time I have more spare time. Less rambling thoughts hahaha. 

Til next time!

Stella

Connecting: You as Part of a Whole

So often I feel myself isolated by society rather than connected to it. The disconnect pervades everything. There's an unwillingness to be immersed not only in humanity and in communion with one another, but also with the world in which we live.

Following a pagan, or neopagan as it is most accurately referred to, path gives me insights that I do not find to be mainstream. We don't simply notice that the moon is full. We feel it swelling throughout the month. I personally find truth to the old adage, "for everything there is a season." Everything occurs within its own time, and the more aware we become of these changes the better we can navigate changes in ourselves as human beings, creatures of nature, not creatures of science or simply knowledge, but rather something more valuable. Ancient wisdom.

Many rituals both old and new follow the phases of the moon, the alignment of certain planets, the position of certain stars within the horizon and even the seasons. But society has shut itself away from these changes in climate controlled boxes and close their curtains to the the world around them, relying on the unhealthy glow of the buzzing fluorescence and the scalding brightness of LEDs. We are sick, obese, and poisoning ourselves with chemicals.

How do we swim against the current? How do we reconnect with the nature that dwells within us. How do we find ultimate freedom? Simple. Be nature. Follow the seasons. Breathe with the tide. Instead of fluorescent lighting, throw open your curtains and pull back the blinds! Nourish the body with the natural fruits and vegetables, dairy and grains that it craves. Your body is a vehicle into nature, a temple where your Divine self ultimately sits to look upon the world around it. Honor that temple. Be nature. Be magic. See how your body feels when you immerse it in healthy activity and natural foods and light. See how your mind feels when it refreshes itself naturally as you sleep with the sun's setting and rise with its rising. Your mood, your body, your spirit will be much improved. You will feel connected with more than just yourself and your schedules and responsibilities when you take time to be nature.

Take time to breathe. Note the changes in the world around you. When does the sun rise? When does it set? What is the current moon phase? What season is it? All of these are things that a witch takes into account daily, for different magic is more powerful when it is worked in its proper time. For example, spells to banish negative thoughts would be best worked under a waning or new moon. Spells to draw positivity would be best worked under waxing or full moons. It is for all of these reasons, but most importantly, for my divine spirit, that I walk with nature daily, and not simply in it.

This weekend I challenge you to let your spirit guide you as you walk with nature, instead of simply in it.

~Namaste
Stella

Warmest Welcome

Welcome! No doubt you've stumbled upon this blog by accident, or you have an interest in witchcraft. If Pagans and the concept of Paganism give you the creepy crawlies, I recommend that you don't linger, though you're welcome to if you're even slightly curious. If, however, you are interested in what it means to be a witch, I encourage you to pull up a chair. I'd pour you a cup of tea or some hot cider, but that would probably cause my computer's hardware to crash, so I'll leave it at that.

Witchcraft goes back to the very dawn of time. And magic is something that is used by people almost daily, many of you not even realizing it. Every time you make a wish, or cross your fingers for something you are using a very simple form of magic. Now, that isn't to say that every time you've made a wish, something magically appeared in a cloud of smoke. While that would just be the bees' knees, that simply isn't reality. Well, you're wondering, then what is magic?

Simply? Everything.
Confused? I'll elaborate.

Everything in the universe is connected by energies and vibrations and for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. (Laws of nature still applying) if I throw my will into anything, eventually it will come back to me. For example, sometimes when I am desperately craving Chinese food, my fiance will come home bearing Chinese food without me even telling him that I want it.

The idea that what you send out in vibrations to the universe comes back to you is also the origin of karma. However, this is the most basic explanation of magic. There are many ways to enhance the energies and more narrowly direct them for a specific purpose, and that is witchcraft! These methods and many other odds and ends will be the bulk of this blog, sort of a Craft 101 if you will. The rest will be little life insights as they strike me. If you have a question or a topic that you would like explained in an entry, you may leave a comment. Furthermore the magic of magic, is that we never stop learning! Therefore, if you have a tactful correction please feel free to comment that also.

BB (Brightest Blessings)
Stella