Month: February 2012

Protection Powder (Earth Magick)

Protection Powder

(Earth Magick)

  

Basil

Salt

Garlic

1 piece of white chalk

Grind like amounts of all the ingredients together with a mortar and pestle in clockwise pattern. Continue until the mixture is a fine powder. Open your third eye, and see the powder turn a glowing light purple. Bless it and empower it by saying, “Mother blesses my home with protection and safety. All here stay healthy, happy and whole. As I speak it, so mote it be!”

You may go a step further and charge the powder under a full moon, if you’d like but it is fine to use it right away. Walk around your house clockwise three times while sprinkling it onto the ground. Now your home is protected.

Happy Home Powder (Earth Magick)

Happy Home Powder

(Earth Magick)
 
 
1 eggshell
Pinch of dirt from your garden or a favored plant
Rosemary
Petals from a white rose
Salt
 
Combine the eggshell, dirt and equal amounts of rosemary, white rose petals, and salt in a mortar and pestle, and grind to a fine powder in a clockwise motion. Empower and sprinkle it in the corners of each room.

A Garden Dedication (Earth Magick)

A Garden Dedication

A special god or goddess garden can be wonderful addition to your landscaping with a small amount of planning. As an example, we will look at a garden dedicated to Hecate. Hecate is the ruler of the three-way crossroads, so if it is possible to place her garden close to one, it would be a smart choice. Traditionally, altars dedicated to Hecate were erected at such locations. For plant choices, look up her history and choose plants that have symbolic connection to her, such as the poppy flower, azalea bush, and cypress tree. For decoration, a lantern is a good choice, as Hecate is said to always carry a torch and to be the embodiment of a living flame. A statue is always a wise choice as well.

In your overall landscaping, you can place a small tribute garden to Hecate where the paths meet in a three way-crossroads, if you have no actual roads near your gardens. This is probably the safer choice to avoid toxic fumes from vehicles bothering your delicate plants.

Once the planting is complete, it is time to dedicate the garden. If you included any sort of altar components in your design, simply set it up for use. If you didn’t you can erect a temporary altar from a garden bench or large stone. If you can plan your planting schedule around the moon phases, so much the better. The dedication ritual should ideally be performed under a full moon.

Supplies:

A chalice, filled with a sweet red wine

Several sticks of willow or sandalwood incense

4 clear quartz crystals, programmed with growth and love

Go around the garden and place the incense sticks in the ground. Light them and blow out the flames so that they begin to smoke. Once the aroma begins to drift through the gardens, say something along the lines of, “This smoke consecrates this garden as sacred ground. Only love and light may enter here.”

Next, take the crystals and bury them at the cardinal points while calling upon the universal energies of each direction to aid your garden in its task to thrive. Be specific and ask each direction to bless the garden and leave behind some of its essence. Important note: You are not calling the corners per se, so a dismissal is not mandatory. However, if you feel you should include one, by all means do so.

Now walk the circle with the chalice in hand, and splash the wine about the garden. Say, “I dedicate this land and all it contains to Hecate. Blessed it shall be. May it thrive and hold fast to her honor. As it is sacred ground, no one may pollute it. Hecate, come and dwell in your sanctuary!” Clap your hands three times. The dedication is now complete.

Tend this garden faithfully but allow for nature to run its course. Hecate may have plans to add a plant here and there, and this should be allowed. However, you should remove any weeds (especially those that are not related to Hecate) and, if necessary water the ground. Accept the notion that Hecate will reside with you as long as this area is maintained properly.

You can create a generic goddess garden by following the basic outline of a moon garden. Moon gardens frequently include all the silvery herbs as opposed to the greener varieties. They often feature gazing gloves, wind chimes, white stones for pathways, and white stone benches for relaxing. Moon gardens often delight scents, as most of the flowers are very aromatic.

If you decide to incorporate lighting into a moon-garden design, keep it subtle and stick to pathways only. You want the moonlight to reflect off of the white and silvery plants, creating a glow. Important note: When sitting in a moon garden at night, it is not unusual to be attacked by insects. Prepare yourself beforehand with a solution of mint essential oil diluted in rubbing alcohol.

A Seed Blessing (Earth Magick)

A Seed Blessing 

When you must start a plant from seeds, it is proper to bless the seeds beforehand. Place them on your altar and light a white candle. Add a clear quartz crystal to the altar for extra energy. Say something like, “Lord and Lady, I ask that you bless these seeds and impart your energies into them so that a large, beautiful, strong plant may grown in your honor. So mote it be!” As you can see, the blessing need not be stiff or formal. A simple stated request works best.

Another way to bless the seeds is to call upon the universal energies of the elements. A simply stated request is usually enough.

Magickal Gardening (Earth Magick)

Magickal Gardening

 Magickal and healing herb gardens are sanctuaries of the soul. Indeed, any garden is a magickal on to the Witch.

The earliest formal record of gardening dates back to a stone tablet from Mesopotamia circa 4000 BC. It describes how Enki, the Sumerian God of Water, provided fresh water to the dry land and thereby produced fruit trees and fields from a desert like land. By 2250 BC, the famed Hanging Gardens of Babylon were well established in the capital of Sumeria. These are considered to be the forerunners of gardens today.

In Ancient Persia, (modern day Iraq), gardens were the playground of life. They serves as a place of solace, a gathering place for friends and family, and a formal extension of the home outdoors. These gardens were called “Paradise” and were thought to be an earthly view of what heaven must be like. They were cultivated carefully and tended to lovingly. Due to the desert conditions of the area, the gardens were usually enclosed by high walls. Many had aqueducts installed to maintain the irrigation needed for the gardens to thrive. Most often these gardens were formed into a square pattern and further divided into four smaller squares. Fountains and water channels were an important part of the architecture of the gardens. The gardens were said to have two of every fruit tree and plenty of places for sitting so that one could rest and enjoy the view.

Zen gardening is considered an art form by many. A Zen garden is a dry-landscape style of garden consisting of sand trails raked into intricate patterns. Often, the trails are not made of sand at all but rather a crushed type of granite, a very fine gravel. Many times the gravel pathways circle a rock or bush. The purpose of Zen gardening (the raking of the gravels) is to provoke contemplation and meditation. These gardens are thought to be very peaceful and restful to the eyes.

Traditional Japanese gardens invoke a sense of peace and tranquility in both the gardener and the person lucky enough to view the garden. According to the principles of Japanese gardening, each element introduced must be something that could occur naturally. For example, you can find a waterfall in nature, but not a fountain. Hence, a fountain has no place in a traditional Japanese garden.

Knot gardens are by far one of the most fantastical types of magickal gardens. They can weave a spell right into the landscape. A know garden is a very formal, precise arrangement of plants and tress. To create a magickal knot garden, choose an herb that corresponds to your intent and plant it in a pattern. The pattern can be as intricate or a simple as you wish. It can be a symbol, meant to reaffirm the spell, or any pattern that you like.

The ancient Romans brought their gardens inside the home and invented the atrium. Many times the atrium was placed in the center of the home. The area was left roofless and was usually surrounded by walkways. It may have held reflecting pools, herbal gardens and fruit trees.

One of today’s most popular magickal-gardening practices is moon gardening. This technique uses an ancient system of moon phases and astrological placements to calculate planting and harvesting times. In a moon garden, white and night blooming flowers are the main ornaments.

The Importance of Salt (Earth Magick)

The Importance of Salt

(Earth Magick)

 

Salt is a primary tool of any Witch, regardless of the personal path. It is a representation of earth in a mineral form. Salt is used in traditional magical practices for blessing, grounding, protection and cleansing. It is frequently used as a base for other ingredients in powders, floor washes, bathing spells, and charm bags. Salt is seen as a feminine, nurturing mineral, whereas sulphur is thought to be the male, destructive mineral. Salt works in banishing spells for breaking up or splitting apart any negative influences, due to is purity. It is used in holy water and is a staple on most altars.

Storm Moon Winter Mist

Storm Moon Winter Mist

 
Use this mist to encourage the blessings of the Goddess as you sleep and dream. Make this magickal mist at midnight.
 
You will need a misting bottle, one-half cup of spring or well water, six drops of lavender essential oil, and six drops of pure vanilla extract.
 
Hold the bottle and pour the water in. Add the drops of lavender. Count out the drops of lavender oil and vanilla as you add them to the mist by saying:
 
One, two, three,
four, five, six
Add get added,
To this magickal mix.
 
Put the cap on the misting bottle and shake it eighteen times while chanting:
 
Goddess of the Storm Moon,
Bless this winter mist.
 
To bring the blessings of the Storm Moon Goddess into your dreams, close your eyes and spray the mist on the top of your head several times, as well as your body and bed linens before you go to sleep. As you breathe in the mist, say:
 
Goddess of the Storm Moon
Please bless my dreams tonight.
 
In the morning, write everything you recall from your dreams in your journal.

Storm Moon Dream Bath

Storm Moon Dream Bath

The month of the Storm Moon is a time of turbulence, which in turn brings both positive and negative changes. One of the most positive aspects of storms is that they bring water. On a practical level, water is essential to the survival of life. On an elemental level, water is fluid and denotes emotions. This means that not only is this a turbulent time of year, but it can also bring out strong emotions. Use this bath to make more positive, empowering changes.
 
You will need a cup of rainwater and three drops of lavender essential oil.
 
As you pour your bath, go over in your mind the changes that are happening in your life. Think about how you can makes these changes positive. How do you feel about these changes? How are they affecting you emotionally? After the bath has filled, pour in the cup of rainwater and three drops of lavender oil, and as you do say:
 
Taranis, Celtic God of storms
Give me the strength to prevail
Please grant my ship safe passage
Through all this rain, sleet, and hail.
 
Lay back in your bath and breathe deeply. Can you smell the lavender as the warm water moves around your body, caressing every inch of your skin? Let all of your tensions move out of your body through your breath and from your muscles and skin into the surrounding water. Sense a wave of calmness wash over your entire body.

New Moon Vitality Potion (Storm Moon)

New Moon Vitality Potion

(Storm Moon)
 
 
Drink this potion to bring new vitality to your body, mind, and spirit.
 
You will need a blender, one cup of apple juice, one banana, one tablespoon of honey, three tablespoons of vanilla protein powder, four tablespoons of vanilla yogurt, four ice cubes and a straw.
 
Blend this apple juice, banana and honey together. As you do, chant:
 
“Fruit and flower nectar of the divine,
Please strengthen my spirit, body and mind.”
 
Add the protein powder and yogurt, and continue to chant:
 
“Fruit and flower nectar of the divine,
Please strengthen my spirit, body and mind.
 
Add the ice cubes and blend thoroughly. Pour the Wellness Potion into the glass and sip slowly with the straw. Before you take each sip, repeat:
 
“Every drop of this potion vitalizes my every cell
And keep my spirit, body and mind well.”

Making A Dream Wand (Storm Moon)

Making A Dream Wand

(Storm Moon)
 
Using wands is a way of focusing your energy and pointing your magickal energy toward something in particular. Make this wand to focus your magickal power.
 
You will need a stick the length of your elbow to the end of your middle finger when outstretched. Youwill also need superglue, a pointed stone or crystal point and your favorite color of ribbon. As in Harry Potter, wands can be made from many things and are a reflection of their owner. Choose a wood and stone that reflect who you are as a creative and magick person.
 
Strip the wood of its bark, then glue the stone onto what you want to be the tip end of the wand. After the glue has dried, drape the ribbon around the wand, starting from the tip and moving to the base. You can also glue and tie things on your wand that help it to become uniquely yours. Be creative!
 
After you have finished making your wand, draw a magick circle of light and call in the elements. Standing in the middle of the circle, hold your wand with your power hand and raise it high up in the air. Say:
 
“Come almighty powers of Oneness,
Inbibe this dream wand with your powers,
So that it may have a direct connection to the divine.
To always guide and protect me well.
Ayea! Ayea! Ayea! So be it! Blessed Be!”
 
When you are done, bid farewell to the elements and close the circle. Keep your wand to your altar and use it to make magick night and day.