Tag: Ritual

A Tale of Being Reborn

 
Author: Raventalker

As I drift off to sleep this cold, winter night in March underneath the full moon, the Storm Moon, I see a young native Indian man. He is very strong and wise beyond his years. He is a healer, what some might call a medicine man. I lay before him in a trance like state as he begins his ritual. He starts off with chants and a bit of a dance.

With leaves of some sacred plant tucked into his ear lobes he dances about my body, cleansing my soul and the air that surrounds me so that the healing process may begin. Blessing the area once cleansed, he continues his mystic chants. I see myself laying there, now bound by the feet and ankles …

A white horse I see, this horse is there to carry me on my journey. A ritual of unbinding my legs now begins. Large knives or blades are heated by the blazing fire that roars in the circle, then used to cut away what ties me down.

A white wolf appears. By my side he takes a protective stance and with his eyes of pale blue he holds his position at my side to protect my spirit as the ritual continues through the night. My head is then wrapped with some sort of large, green leafy plant anointed in the native medicines, my eyes are then covered as well with the same.

Pink blossoms are then places over my eyes. Not sure what the flower is but it is fragrant, not strong but a gentle scent and the petals are long and oval shaped much like a star but with many more points. As I am being healed I am also being given certain gifts. At this time I do not question all that goes on, I accept the healing and welcome the gifts.

Natives at both my sides chanting and dancing all around me, I am then adorned with white seeds that are placed down the center of my stomach, from my breasts to my navel. I reach down to touch the ever faithful wolf that still stands guard at my side. As I stroke his fur, he leans in to my touch and yet maintains his stance to re-affirm that he remains to be my protector and shall not, under any circumstances leave my side. …

To each side of me there are natives painting my body with ointments and healing colors. They paint on symbols of healing and rebirth… my insides are being healed for the next stage of the ritual. Now below my navel a large area is painted. This is where my womb lies. Oh yes, I see, now it is clear that I am about to give birth. Birth to who or what I ask…

Once the adornment is complete the medicine man and his fellow natives begin to chant at a stronger, louder, more intense pace. The birthing has begun and I see and image emerging from my own stomach. A figure cloaked in white. What’s this I see? I am giving birth to my own self!

Slowly I rise from within myself. A long laboring task. Once I am fully born I look back to have a look back at the body I have just come from. Now nothing more than an empty shell. It looks as though all the useful bits were taken out and now all that is left is a thick skin of a shell. A tough thick skin, for that person that I came from had grown tough from many lifetimes of pain and suffering. I see I have taken the heart with me and yet left the brain behind.

Maybe this is telling me that the old way of thinking is no longer needed and that new thinking is now possible. … Leaving behind also all the painful memories that cluttered the mind and held me back from truly progressing.

My eyes I see I have taken as well, but they have been cleansed and renewed so that I may have a fresh, untainted look at the world around me. With new eyes, new visions emerge. and with new visions come new hopes, new dreams, new goals and a whole new life.

As I am now fully free from my old self, I go to the white wolf to thank him for the devotion and protection he has given to me during this time of renewal. I kneel before him and look into his eyes and tears begin to fall from my newly reopened eyes. I am overcome with so much emotion for when our eyes met, I saw the heart and soul of this wolf. Strong and pure, full of love. A love so true that no sacrifice was too big. For I saw that the wolf would give his own life for my protection.

As I gather myself, I am told to rise and hold my head up high. For now I am to see myself as a priestess and I needed to start living the part. I was told to recognize my gifts and embrace the new me that has emerged this cold March night. This would be my next great task in life, for I have never seen myself in such a position of stature. I was told that by accepting my new position was to truly love myself and it was less of a title that others would know me by and more of one that would be known to myself.

Knowing who you are and accepting that and embracing it with love is the only way to inner peace and with your own inner peace you can now finally begin to help others heal. For your inner self is like your home and if your home is not in order you cannot expect to help others get their own in order.

As I agree to accept the new life that has been given.. I begin my journey.. Walking down life’s path again, with a new perspective and new look at what the world has in store and what magic lies ahead.

With the white wolf at my side we begin down the path and I see myself transform into a wolf as well and we run off into the shadows of the night. Side by side we run off to start anew. Not in front or behind but at the side of my protector, my partner.

There was also at some point in the vision a red star that was given to me. Placed in my right hand. The star was a symbol of a gift being given to me. It would be a gift of touch. Now to help others heal. I must use my hands in some way. In a way that touches them. Not necessarily physically but spiritually, emotionally.

Another star is seen – purple/blue on the outside tips and an orange- yellow in the middle and then a bright red light in the center casting a bright red light into the heavens. This part of the vision is unclear. No idea what this last image means … anyone have any insight?

Smudge Sticks

Smudge sticks are tied-up or braided bundles of dried herbs that care carried and burned like incense around a room or area in order to create energetic shifts with the magickal power of the smoke.

You can purchase smudge stick online or at many health and metaphysical stores,  or you can make your own. To make your own sage smudge stick simply cut fresh sage and tie firmly into a wand like bundle with hemp twine or  cotton . Then  hang it up to dry. For sweetgrass braids you’re on your own–I’ve never made on of the ssweetgrass braids, but I would imagine it’s pretty easy if you know where and how to find fresh sweetgrass.

Personal note: I prefer to use sage. I know most spells that use sage call for the use of white sage. But I have found that every type of sage works. I planted a garden full of sage. In my opinion, you can never have enough sage. You use it to cleanse and you also use it in your spells. So the more sage you have, the better off you are.

 

When Your Pet is More Than A Pet – Familiars and Avatars

Author: Bronwen Forbes

As a prologue to this, you need to know that Herne has been my patron God since I was nine years old. You don’t need to know, but you’ll probably figure out by reading this (if you haven’t already) that sometimes I’m a little slow to notice the obvious.

A few months after adopting my red and white beagle mix Herman, I was trying to sleep in one Saturday morning when I began to idly wonder, “There are so many Goddesses with dogs as part of their symbolism. I wonder what Gods are associated with dogs, too?” And then it hit me like a two-by-four to the forehead. Herne, Lord of the Wild Hunt, is very much associated with dogs, especially red and white hunting dogs, than you very much. (I warned you I’m a little slow sometimes) .

Needless to say, sleep was no longer an option. I sat up and looked at Herman (who had spent the night, as he usually did, asnooze at my side) who was already staring at me with a definite, “took you long enough to figure it out” expression.

And just like that, I not only had a familiar, I had an avatar.

I’m defining “avatar” here not as a recent hit movie or a small picture that represents you on various blogs or discussion boards, but as the earthly representative of a deity. And for the love of me, I hadn’t a clue what to do with mine.

Four months later, we adopted a German Shepherd mix named Katie – and lo and behold, she was also what my husband likes to call a “God-touched” dog. But unlike Herman who was also my familiar (notice the past tense; I still miss him) , Katie let us know pretty quickly that she had no interest whatsoever in being my husband’s familiar, but would happily attend her Goddess Nehelennia’s tasks of safe travel, healing and commerce. Period.

Since acquiring Herman and Katie in 2001, I’ve alao gotten the clue what to do, not just for my special dogs, but for anyone else who may wake up one morning and see deity shining through the eyes of their pet.

First and foremost, and I know this sounds obvious, you have to keep treating your pet like a, well, pet. Your animal companion is your spiritual and or magickal support (familiar) or a little bit of deity (avatar) but he still needs proper food and water, adequate shelter, regular veterinary checkups, exercise, training, vaccinations, etc. After all, it’s not like the Gods can or will take care of your pet for you.

But once the regular, responsible pet ownership duties are taken care of with your familiar or avatar, there are still some things you need to think about to keep your relationship with your animal companion – and your deity – as smooth and fulfilling as possible.

1. Remember that, despite her spiritual role in your life, your pet is still going to act like an animal. Herman used to drive me crazy with this. He was a daily reminder of my relationship with my patron deity, helped me work through some serious ritual issues, was a whiz at helping new students ground and center simply by sitting in their laps during ritual – and he was also a master escape artist. He could climb or dig under any chain link fence, and did so on a pretty regular basis.

Katie, a born healer, is also a big dog and an unrepentant counter-surfer. I can’t begin to count how many times I packed my lunch, left the kitchen to get dressed for work, and came back to find my lunch bag and food containers in Katie’s crate and my ex-lunch in her stomach. She may be God-touched, but she’s still a dog!

2. Give your familiar and/or avatar full autonomy regarding ritual attendance. This includes personal workings, small group rituals, festivals, and rites of passage. Shortly after my Saturday morning revelation about Herman, my husband and I took him with us to visit my parents for the weekend. While we were there, I helped my parents bury the ashes of our old family cat in the side yard garden – an understandably emotional activity. Herman was in the back yard, separated from me by a picket fence. He could see me through the fence, but couldn’t get to me. As my father dug a hole for the ashes, Herman went nuts, for want of a better word. Instead of pursuing squirrels (his usual pastime in my parents’ backyard) , he was throwing himself against the fence and barking frantically, trying to get to me. I should have stepped over the fence, opened the gate, and allowed Herman to join the small ritual. After all, he only wanted to do his job.

There have also been instance and rituals where Herman or Katie did *not* want to attend a particular ritual, and we quickly learned to “listen” to their opinions – rather like knowing that it doesn’t feel right to take a certain tarot deck with you when you go do readings at a community event. We learned this lesson the hard way when we took Katie to a ritual she clearly didn’t want to go to and she had a seizure.

3. Give your pet enough down time. Just as you can’t be in ritual 24/7, it’s unrealistic to expect your pet to be “on, ” i.e. actively acting as a divine representative or helping you with your spiritual work all the time. Don’t bug him to help you if he clearly doesn’t feel like it – the fact that he’s asleep or ignoring you are clear signs that he “doesn’t feel like it.”

If you find yourself needing extra protein, water or sleep after a working or ritual, offer some to your familiar or avatar as well.

If you have a pet that also enhances your spiritual practice or connection with your deity, you have been given a gift beyond price. Very few animals, at least in my experience, can do this, and if you get one or even two in a lifetime, you have truly been blessed. It’s also not something you can actively look for; it’s like love (actually it *is* love) – the more you try to find that special animal, the less likely you are to succeed.

Be patient. If and when you’re ready, the right animal will come.

Knowing the Gods

Author: Layla Talora Eshe

When I first began my journey into Witchcraft, there was much to learn: history, myths and the proper way to perform spells and rituals. All kinds of new things awaited me. I eagerly delved into any books I could get my hands on and talked to anyone that would listen. I bought book, candles, oils, herbs, wands, bells, cards and anything I could get! And so my knowledge (and witchy stock!) grew.

Throughout the coming year I faithfully did rituals each Full and Dark Moon and celebrated on Sabbats. I performed spells and various other rituals in between. Taking time to research, plan and execute all my workings. I set out the proper tools and said the proper words, and was faithful to my workings. And so my practical experience grew.

What did not grow however, was my relationship with the Gods. I realized that just by simply calling myself Witch or Pagan did not give me that relationship. By doing rituals and spells and reading also did not give me that relationship. This, just like anything else would also require work. I knew that this would not be an easy task, but it was something I felt strongly about. That is what I loved about this path, the fact that I could have a close relationship with my Gods, free from restraint and restriction. I was not about to let this pass me by.

So I set out to know my Gods better, to really understand them and their place in my life. I decided to create daily devotion times to connect with my Gods. In the morning I rise and greet the new day, light a yellow candle and sit near the window as the sun rises, and speak to them.

What I say does not matter, it is not scripted or planned out; it comes simply from the heart. Some days my words are filled with hope and happiness, and some they are filled with sadness and despair. But either way I feel the Gods around me, supporting me, and giving me hope. They are there to comfort me when I need it, but also there to celebrate and be happy as well. I get whatever I need, just by simply asking, and then I can start my day with a fresh perspective.

At noon, I take a few minutes to myself to speak to them once more, discussing my morning, plans hopes and feelings, anything I like. It’s a nice break in my mundane day to reconnect with the Gods, and to take a few minutes out of the rush of jobs and housework to concentrate on my spiritual side and myself. It revitalizes me so that I can tackle the rest of my day.

Before I sleep each night I light a candle and sit near my altar and give thanks for the blessings I have, and sit in quiet reflection of the day, and plan for the next. I get ready for sleep, and wind down from the stresses of the day, this is my time to sit and talk with my Gods. While I do love the talking part I also must remember to stop and to listen to what they are trying to say to me in return.

I think at times we all, myself included, are so wrapped up in the talking and planning and thinking of the days, we forget to simply listen and to be aware of what is around us. Many messages I have received when I finally stop and listen to what the Gods are telling me. For they speak to us in many ways, through dreams and visions, in our minds and our hearts, but most of all we can see them all around us, out in nature.

They are the sun on our face, warming our souls. They are the wind at our backs, pushing us to move forward and look ahead. They are the green on the trees and in the Earth, reminding us to stay focused and grounded. And they are the rivers and oceans, reminding us to always be compassionate and hopeful throughout our lives.

But most of all they are inside of us, giving us strength, hope, love and determination. They never leave our side, even if we stray away from them for awhile, they are always there waiting for us to return to them again. Never judging us for our imperfections, but loving us despite them. The Gods love us unconditionally and without wavering, as we should all love ourselves and those around us.

I guess my point is that just because you belong to a particular faith (Wiccan, pagan, Christian, Muslim, or otherwise) does not mean you automatically get an in-depth personal relationship with the Divine. This takes work, devotion and most of all, love. This is a relationship that you will continue to nurture and grow throughout your entire life. It is important that you tend to it just as you would your garden, your pets, or any family or friendship. A relationship cannot exist without both sides working for it. The Gods are doing their share, now how about you?

To begin to have a relationship with your Gods you must go to them not only with an open heart and open mind, but also with complete, unconditional love. For this is the same way they look upon us. I think it also important to not only seek them out for help with problems, but also to seek them out for celebrations and happy times as well, to give thanks for the blessings that they bestow upon us.

Yes, it’s true; sometimes it feels like the Gods have given up on us; hen the world is black and dreary. And while we know they will not give us more then we can handle, sometimes we wish they would not trust us so much. But deep down we know that with their strength and love, we have all the tools we need to get through anything life hands us, if we just ask.

Circle Etiquette

Circle Etiquette

 

Never summon Anything you can’t banish.

Never put asafoetida on the rocks in the sweat lodge.

Do not attempt to walk more than 10 paces while wearing all of your ritual jewelry, dream bags and crystals at the same time.

When proposing to initiate someone, do not mention the Great Rite, leer, and say, “Hey, your trad or mine?”

Never laugh at someone who is skyclad. They can see you, too.

Never, ever set the Witch on fire.

Looking at nifty pictures is not a valid path to mastering the ancient grimoires. Please read thoroughly and carefully from beginning to end so that your madness and gibberings will at least make some sense.

A good grasp of ritual and ritual techniques are essential! In the event of a random impaling, or other accidental death amongst the participants, (see next rule) a quick thinker can improvise to ensure successful completion of the Rite. Make them another sacrifice, Demons like those.

Watch where you wave the sharp pointy items.

Avoid walking through disembodied spirits.

Carry an all purpose translators dictionary in case the ritual leader begins talking in some strange and unknown language.

Avoid joining your life force to anything with glowing red eyes.

If asked to sign a contract or pact and you are experiencing doubts or reservations, sign your neighbors name. Malevolent entities rarely ask for photo ID.

Blood is thicker than water. Soak ritual garments an extra 30-45 minutes.

While drunken weaving may be mistaken for ecstatic dancing, slurring the names of Deities is generally considered bad form.

Some Tips for Making Ritual Feel Real

Author: Juniper

Decorate your altar, shrine and ritual space with items that relate (in your mind) to the ritual purpose. Use colors, scent, images, and tools to their best effect.

If you are doing a very masculine working, do not put pink flowers on your altar. Put images and items that have a masculine feel to and meaning to you.

If you are doing a hearth and home related ritual, put a dollhouse in the room, cut out images of fireplaces from a magazine and tack them on the wall.

Do not bother with placing items that will not be used or useful during the ritual, only use what is going to be really helpful. If there is a print on the wall that does not relate to your ritual, take it down, or hang a piece of fabric over it. Cut out the distractions as much as possible.

Do not worry about the proper correspondences as written in a book; think about what gives you the right impressions, thoughts and feelings. It is all about your mind connecting your surroundings with the ritual purpose.

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Do allow yourself to become distracted by silly little things, like almost tripping, almost spilling, slipping up a few words, and the clock ticking in the next room. Do not worry about making a fool of yourself, if your makeup is getting smeared, if your deodorant is holding up. These are all distractions. They do not matter.

Don’t rush! Slow down and take your time. Rushing through a ritual will not give it that deep meaning; you will gain nothing from it. If your rituals are too long, cut the fat. Trim it down to only what is really important, so that you can spend the proper amount of time focusing on that.

Move! Dance, clap, stomp, sway, and wave your arms around. Just standing there shuffling your feet does not help to build energy, it also does not help you to feel the ritual. It may seem a tad silly, but if you are finding a lack of emotion, a lack of meaning in your ritual, try doing an interpretive dance, act out your ritual. Tap your foot in time to the words you are speaking.

Do your own personal sign language. If you are saying something about the moon, draw a circle or crescent in the air with your hand or ritual tool. If you are trying to connect with the feminine divine, touch your breasts (if you are a woman) , draw the shape of a woman in the air, hold you arms as if stroking a pregnant belly or as if you are holding a baby. When contacting a god, touch your crouch (if you are a man) , or draw a hammer, a phallus or horns or oak leaf in the air in front of you.

Stand up straight, lie down, sit up, lean to one side and then the other, hop on one foot, and use those hand signs and body postures found in Paganism 101 books.

Say it like you mean it. One of my best teachers was into drama and acting. She used to shout at us during ritual “Emote dammit! Say it like you mean it!” don’t just read off of some page in a monotone, say it with feeling, drama, and meaning.

When you are inviting entities into your ritual, speak with welcome in your voice, say it as if you were inviting a friend in to your home.

Do not rush through a prayer, chant or poem as quickly as possible. Take the time to carefully speak each line, with feeling. Repeat if necessary.

Pretend you are an actor on a stage where your audience is hard of hearing and far away. Emote and project. Speak from the heart and use your belly voice, as acting and singing instructors would say. Singing and chanting rather than speaking can also help you to inject emotion into your words. So try it, even if you do not have a great voice.

Use your imagination. That’s what visualizing is all about. Using your imagination will help you to connect with your creative side, the right side of your brain, the part of you that does not worry about logic, but that relies on feelings and intuition.

Practice, practice, practice. Do not give up if things just don’t feel like they are working the first time. Try it again; try everything at least three times before moving on to something else. The first couple of times you perform a new ritual, you will feel rather awkward, that’s perfectly natural. You cannot truly find that spiritual connection until you have become somewhat comfortable with what you are doing.

Do not expect results right away, the very first time. This rarely happens for people. Also it can be a good idea to practice at home, alone a couple of times before you go and join in a group ritual.

Feel it, really feel it. Don’t just go through the motions. If you feel that you are, stop! Take a few deep breaths and remind yourself what you are doing and why. Find your motivation. Say it out loud, think it, picture it in your mind, and really feel it. Draw it, paint it, and write poetry about it.

Do whatever you need to do before a ritual to make sure the purpose of the ritual is fresh in your mind and filling your heart. At each step along they way during a ritual, stop for a second and reaffirm what you are doing and why.

Keep the ritual purpose in the forefront of your mind and heart.

A good ritual, a really truly good ritual should bring you to the brink of tears, happy or sad. People have often made fun of me for getting choked up or actually crying during ritual. They don’t get it, not at all.

If you really want results, you need to bring your heart fully into it. If you want a ritual to have meaning, you must give it meaning. You must really feel it; you must put that feeling into it.

Laugh, cry, shout, sing, dance, smile, and do it like you mean it! If you do not mean it, you shouldn’t be doing it. If you do not mean it deep in your mind, heart and soul, you will never have that special spiritual experience you seek.

Air in Feng Shui

Air in Feng Shui
 
Feng Shui means literally “the way of wind and water,” or symbolically, “the natural forces of the Universe.” These forces affect everything in our world. Europeans call the science of Feng Shui geomancy. Hawaiians and Native Americans practice their own form of Feng Shui, each seeking to live harmoniously with nature. The ancient Chinese believed in and lived their lives by these natural forces. One of the strongest and oldest natural forces is called chi.
 
Chi, also known as the breath of nature or as “the dragon’s celestial breath,” is everywhere and, many believe, represents the truest abstract energy in the Universe. Chi is an invisible energy that circulates everywhere but gathers in certain place, which are said to be good in Feng Shui. Chi enhances happiness, prosperity and longevity, and it is the life force inside all living things. Good relationships, a healthful lifestyle, and meditation can increase levels of chi energy.
 
In Feng Shui, winds are sometimes thought of as bad because they scatter chi rather than accumulate it. When selecting a place to build a home or to hold a ritual, avoid places that are windswept. This can be hard if you live on the prairie or beside the ocean, but in those cases, just try to schedule your rituals on days when the wind is calmer. If you have a home where it’s windy, you might want to perform a weekly ritual to encourage the sylphs to leave chi where they find it.

The Modern Coven: Importance of Documentation

The Modern Coven: Importance of Documentation

Author: RedHawk

After a ritual with my coven sometime ago, it occurred to me that we’d all had a really good time, gotten a lot out of it, but alas, had nothing of the physical realm to show for it. Then it hit me. I am a military-trained videographer with an HD camera I wasn’t using NEARLY as much as I thought I would. How fortuitous is that? Two problems were solving each other.

Beautiful. It’s like they used to say on the old TV show “the A Team”: I love it when a plan comes together. Now all I had to do was sell it to my High Priestess.

I tossed my sales pitch around in my head for hours…. what I’d say, how I’d say it. What could I do to convince her we needed to start producing an audiovisual representation of how we did things? After all, it could potentially have a significant impact on later generations of Dragonstone (our coven) and ourselves when we wound up doing our AAR (Sorry, a military term: After Action Review) .

I guess my biggest concern in photographing rituals was that these are sacred, religious rites and even in the process of documenting them, sanctity needed to be preserved. Then again, I’ve photographed lots of weddings, baptisms, and confirmations, and this has never been an issue in the past.

Much to my surprise, it took little more than the mere suggestion. My HPS had always considered our group a modern coven with a forward-thinking attitude. For her, to be anything less is to become obsolete.

Honoring decorum and tradition is paramount. Clinging to it to the point of spiritual stagnation, however, inhibits the growth of the people within. I’m paraphrasing, of course, but you get the idea.

So as of now, I am the considered the coven’s “documentarian.” Since we have a highly organized structure in the coven, we have what are referred to as “points of service.” It’s our way of serving the various needs and functions within the group.

For instance, some may help keep the herb closet stocked, others may help out with the website. I was now the person in charge of keeping an audiovisual record of the coven’s goings on.

There would, of course, be issues.

I should state up front, that we are not, by virtue of our tradition, a skyclad coven—so that would never be an issue. But what about people who were uncomfortable with being photographed?

Personally, I hate being photographed. That’s why I always volunteer to be the one taking pictures. If it were an open ritual, whoever was joining us would also have to consent to being photographed. These were just the beginning of a host of potential things to be ironed out.

But most importantly for me, I’m still a part of the coven…and I need to be involved and an active part of the ritual or event taking place. Fortunately, these issues aren’t as complicated as they appear to be on the surface. As a rule, you really don’t need consent from someone to photograph him or her for personal use. Or in the strictest sense here—for coven-related purposes only.

As long as it’s not going to be used to sell something (commercial purposes) or mass distribution (i.e. YouTube) , you’re usually good. However, anyone from the outside, joining the ritual, needs to understand (well in advance) that you are photographing the ritual for archival purposes. Giving them advance notice, allows them a chance to opt out if they don’t want to be photographed.

As for the members of your coven who don’t want to be photographed, this is where the HPS needs to step in and smooth things out. In short, that’s why they’re the High Priestess.

As for my coven, they’re a pretty shameless bunch. So most love getting face time, the rest put up with it. I’m neither here nor there about it. I view it as a necessary part of keeping a true record of the coven’s history and practice.

Now…what to photograph?

This is the real beauty of it and what makes it stunningly practical and ruthlessly efficient. Technically you can photograph ANYTHING!! And we do! I’ve yet to photograph a ritual per se. But that little omission is just a week away from being a reality (i.e. this upcoming Samhain) .

Another use we’ve found for documentation is classwork. We have members in different states (some thousands of miles away) who simply aren’t able to take part in coven rituals and classes on a regular basis. Therefore, documenting the class gives them a chance to take part (in an after-the-fact sense) from far away.

Also keep in mind, with technology as consumer-based as it has become, it’s quite simple to ‘burn copies’ of any recorded event for all of those involved. This would especially come in handy for rituals such as handfasting for which you KNOW multiple copies will need to be made.

Sometimes we just get together for grins and giggles. You know summer picnics and the like. Having a visual reminder of just how silly and giddy everyone got, makes me smile. Much better than just a few still pictures.

These are just a couple of ideas on how to incorporate video into coven workings. These uses are as infinite as the variety of rituals you can do.

In closing, this method of record keeping was never meant to be a replacement for a Book of Shadows or a Grimoire. Consider it merely a supplemental. But it’s a position worth considering in larger groups, particularly if the group is expected to continue long into the future. (Sure, it requires someone to purchase a video camera, but they’re so cheap and common these days and usually someone within the coven is likely to already have one.)

Imagine what the covens of old would’ve done if they’d had this technology at their disposal. Now…. imagine what WE could’ve have learned from them if they had.

Candle Magick 101 (continued)

Candle Magic 101

(continued)

8. When you dress a candle for magical use, imagine that it is a psychic magnet with a North and a South Pole. Rub the oil into the candle beginning at the top or North end and work downwards to the half-way point. Always brush the same direction downwards. This process is then repeated by beginning at the bottom or south end and working up to the middle.
9. The best type of oils to use for dressing a candle are natural ones which can be obtained quite easily. Some occult suppliers will provide candle magic oils with exotic names. If the magician does not want to use these, he can select soluble perfumes sold by craft shops for inclusion in candles can be recommended.
10. The candles you use can be colored in accordance with the following magical uses: white-spirituality and peace red-health, energy, strength, courage, sexual potency. pink-love affection and romance. yellow-intellectualism, imagination, memory and creativity green-fertility, abundance, good luck and harmony blue-inspiration, occult wisdom, protection and devotion purple-material wealth, higher psychic ability, spiritual power and idealism silver-clairvoyance, inspiration, astral energy and intuition orange-ambition, career matters and the law.
11. If you wanted to use candle magic for healing, you would select a red candle to burn. To pass an exam, burn a yellow candle, to gain esoteric knowledge burn a blue candle or for material gain, burn a purple one. Its is obvious these colors relate to the signs of the zodiac and the planetary forces.
12. The simplest form of candle magic is to write down the objective of your ritual on a virgin piece of paper. You can use color paper which matches the candle. Write your petition on the paper using a magical alphabet, such as Theban, Enochian, Walachian, etc. As you write down what you want to accomplish through candle magic–a new job, healing for a friend , a change of residence, a new love affair, etc.–visualize your dream coming true. Visualize the circumstances under which you employer telling you that your salary has been increased or conjure up a vision of your perfect love partner.
13. When you have completed writing down your petition, carefully fold up the paper in a deliberately show fashion. Place the end of the folded paper in the candle flame and set light to it. As you do this concentrate once more on what you want from life.
14. When you have completed your ritual, allow the candle to have completely burned away. you do not need to stay with the candle after the ritual, but make sure that it is safe and that red-hot was will not cause damage or fire. Never re-use a candle which has been lit in any magical ritual. It should be only be used in that ritual and then allowed to burn away or be disposed of afterwards.
15. If you are conducting a magical ritual which involves two people {e.g. an absent healing for a person some distance away} then the second person can be symbolically represented during the ritual by another candle. All you need to do is find out the subject’s birth date and burn the appropriate candle for that zodiacal sign. If you can, also write their name in the candle with a burning tool and if possible, create an empathic link, if possible with a picture, some hair, a finger nail etc. Also, if you can, get a candle the appropriate shape (male/female) or inscribe a female sign – d or a male sign – e. If you want, you can inscribe all this below the candle. Remember, to dress a candle, dress from the middle to the top, then from the middle to the bottom.
The zodiacal correspondences are as follows:

Aries Red
Taurus Green
Gemini Yellow
Cancer Silver
Leo Orange
Virgo Yellow
Libra Pink
Scorpio Red
Sagittarius Purple
Capricorn Black
Aquarius Blue
Pisces Mauve

Smudging as an Air Ritual

Smudging as an Air Ritual
 
Smudging is an easy Air ritual designed to purify, provide balance, cleanse, or sanctify a sacred space. You can smudge a room, a piece of furniture, or even yourself.
 
Let’s say that you inherit a bookcase from your in-laws. You need the extra room, but you want to eliminate their essence. A smudging ritual can purify the bookcase and bring some harmony back to your living space.

There are any number of smudging herbs, but some are more traditional than others. These three are most closely related to the Element of Air:

Sage–There are several different kinds of sage, and all types work for smudging, but perhaps the king of sage is white broadleaf sage. It is the most aromatic and is excellent not only for smudging to cleanse and purify, but also for meditation.


Sweetgrass–As its name suggests, sweetgrass produces a sweet, light fragrance when burned. Believed to attract only positive spirits, it is excellent for cleansing a sacred space.
 
Lavender–Most useful for attracting peace, happiness, and restful sleep, lavender imparts a lovely aromatic, refreshing scent when burned.
 
Smudging can be accomplished by using a smudge stick or by burning loose herbs in a smudge pot or a firebowl. First dry the herbs by hanging them upside down in a still room, a pantry, or some other dry room where they won’t be disturbed. They will need to dry for several weeks.

If you want to use a smudge stick, cut your dried herbs into 5- or 6-inch lengths, bundle them together , and bind them tightly with red thread, which represents the Fire Element. Use a candle to light the bundle because you will want to hold it in the flame long enough to get the stick really smoking. The combination of Fire and Air purifies the space or object and disperses negative energy. Use a feather or your hand to fan the smoke into the corners of the room you’re purifying. Smudging is the equivalent of spritual spring cleansing. You might find that the house feels cleaner and brighter, even though you haven’t dusted or vacuumed.
 
Sweetgrass is often braided into a small rope to be used in smudging. Tie off the ends with red thread. Although you can find sweetgrass growing wild in some prairie places, it’s rare; you might have to grow your own.