A Major Decision I've Made

So, I decided the other night that I'm going to do something I think I am ready to do. After about 4 years of studying & learning (and I'm not even finished), reading, preparing, I am getting myself ready to do a Self-Dedicating ceremony. I feel that after these years of hard work I've committed into the learning process, I am ready to serve the God &Goddess wholeheartedly.

Now, I'm not big on doing the whole big ritual thing that a lot feel they have to do, when I do my ceremony, it will reflect me & who I am. I am an Eclectic follower of the Old Ways, I borrow from other Paths to make my own, but yet I still follow a certain pantheon of Deities. I also have a special place in my heart that resonates with me on a spiritual level that would be a perfect place to do this. It is in the wilds of NS, where nature is as bountiful as the ever-changing leaves on the trees. It is a place that I fell in love with the 1st time I visited there, a place that I felt a great connection to the Earth spirits and Gaia, Herself.

I am preparing myself for this by what I eat, how I conduct myself and with a lot of meditation with my guides to assist me. I do not know when exactly I will be doing this, I will just know when it's right.

Correspondences for Samhain

Symbolism: Third Harvest, wisdom of the Crone, death of the God, reflection on our place in the Wheel of the Year, New Year, reincarnation, the dark mysteries, Rebirth after Death.

Foods: turnips, apples, nuts, beef, pork, poultry, gingerbread.

Drinks: Mead, apple cider, mulled cider, mulled wines.

Herbs: Angelica, burdock, catnip, pennyroyal, rosemary, rue, sunflower, sage, thyme, wild ginseng, tarragon, mugwort.

Flowers: Calendula, chrysanthemum, cosmos, marigold.

Trees: Acacia, apple, cypress, hazel, hemlock, yew.

Incenses and oils: Bay, cedar, clove, copal, coriander, cypress, eucalyptus, frankincense, heather, mugwort, myrrh, patchouli, peppermint, sage, sandalwood, vetiver, wormwood.

Colors: Black, brown, orange.

Stones: Amber, beryl, bloodstone, carnelian, clear quartz, diamond, garnet, gold, granite, hematite, jasper, jet, marble, obsidian, opal, pyrite, rose sapphire, ruby, sandstone, smoky quartz, steel, tourmaline, turquoise.

Animals: Stag, jackal, cat, bat, ram, scorpion, heron, crow, robin.

Mythical creatures: Goblins, harpies.

Some appropriate Gods: all Death, Underworld, and aged Gods; Am-Heh (Egyptian), Anubis (Egyptian), Arawn (Welsh), Cernunnos (Celtic), Dis (Roman), Hades (Greek), Heimdahl (Norse), Herne (English), The Horned God (European), Kronos (Greek), Loki (Norse), Nefertum (Egyptian), Odin (Norse), Osiris (Egyptian), Pluto (Greco-Roman)

Some appropriate Goddesses: all Crone and Underworld Goddesses; Arachne (Greek), Aradia (Italian), Babd (Irish), Cerridwen (Welsh), Elli (Teutonic), Ereshkigal (Assyro-Babylonian), Eris (Greek), The Fates/Moerae (Greek), Fortuna (Roman), Freya/Frigg (Norse), Hecate (Greek), Hel (Teutonic), Inanna (Sumerian), Ishtar (Babylonian), Macha (Irish), Mari (Basque), Morrigan (Celtic), Nephthys (Egyptian), Nicneven (Scottish), Persephone (Greek), Psyche (Greek), Proserpina (Roman), Rhiannon (Welsh)

Decorations: Autumn leaves, fall flowers, pomegranates, apples, pumpkins, ears of corn, sprays of grain, corn dollies, gourds, nuts, seeds.

Traditional activities: divination, drying winter herbs, feasting and partying to defy the coming darkness (bob for apples, roast nuts, pop popcorn), Witches' Ball.

Spell/ritual work: astral projection, past life recall, Dark Moon mysteries, mirror spells, scrying, protection, inner work, clearing obstacles, transition, culmination, transformation. Releasing bad habits and toxic relationships, illness, failure and poverty; everything you do not want to carry into the new year.

Do You Say Grace??

So, on my way to work yesterday I was listening to the Crooked Path Podcast on my iPod. I had just downloaded some of them to listen to while walking to work, they're very interesting as they have a different take on Paganism, not just the "fluffy, love & light" side of things.

Anyway, Peter (Paddon, that is) brought something up on his episode about sacrifice about saying a type of Grace before we eat. This was something I never really thought of until lately in my life. It was something I never did as an Anglican/Episcopalian, but while I was reading a novel where Paganism was the main religion, they said Grace before every meal. NOTE: Kate West was an influence on the author & helped him with things Pagan. Thanking the Gods for what we put into our mouths is another way of connecting with them. Also, thanking the animal's spirit whose meat we are eating (if you're not a vegetarian) and for thanking the Great Mother for the bounty of the produce we have, as well. I know a lot of you may be thing that saying Grace is a Christian thing, but in a way, they have that right by thanking their God for what they have, but there are also cultures who aren't Christian who thank their Gods, too.

Here are a couple of examples of a Pagan food blessings:

I Thank thee Great Goddess
For the bounty before me
A gift of thy great abundance.
Thank you for sustaining my life.
I receive your gift of food in gratitude.

OR

Lord and Lady, watch over us,
and bless us as we eat.
Bless this food, this bounty of earth,
we thank you, so mote it be.

These are just a few that I have found in the past couple of months. If you don't feel comfortable saying Grace before your meal, you can always have a moment of silence before eating.

~Rowan
)O(

Lughnasadh/Lammas Is On the Way

Well, the time is just flying by this summer. Seems to me that we were just celebrating Beltaine, now Lughnasadh is upon us. Where'd the time go?? What are all your plans for the Sabbat?? I've been busy here at my house cleaning, trying to get my altar ready and today I made my 1st corn dolly out of the husks of the fresh corn I bought at the grocers.

I have never attempted to make a corn dolly before. After I husked a dozen corncobs, I gathered up the husks that I needed (12 corncobs does yield a lot of husks) and went ahead with it. I had no idea what I was doing, but I am rather pleased with the results. I made 2 dollies, a male representing John Barleycorn and a female to represent the Goddess. I didn't have any twine/string to bind them, so I used what I had: white ribbon. I also decorated them with symbols of the sun and crowned them with crowns. It's amazing what a Sharpie pen can do for decorating. ;-)

A Change in Behavior

Have you ever had something happen in your life that makes a change in how you see the world? I have and that is why I haven't been blogging as often as I was. I've been going through a metamorphosis, if you can call it that. In the past few months, I have been doing a lot more journeying into the Otherworld, meeting my animal totem, working with the Great Mother and of course, reading tons of books.

I'm finding that I am not doing much in terms of rituals. I am trying to live my spiritual life as an honour to the Goddess & God. I am trying to follow the Wheel of the Year as best as I can whilst living in an urban setting, not an easy task as city spirits are a lot more fickle than their counterparts out in nature. I'm not saying that I have stopped doing Ritual altogether, just not for every Esbat and Sabbat. I feel I can honour the Gods in how I live, not by what color candle I burn on my altar or what incense I burn. Honouring Deity is not all about ritual and I have finally realized that.

In my previous post, I mentioned about my recent visit to a working homestead. While I was planting those tiny parsnip seeds (which remind me of oatmeal) I felt that connection to the Green Man. He was helping me along the way and keeping the breeze from blowing away the seeds I held in my hand. Each seed I planted was an offering to Him and a quiet thank you for bringing me to this point. I have honoured the Horned God, Green Man, Cernunnos, but it wasn't as pronounced as my honouring the Great Mother. This was the connection I needed. As I rode in the back of the carriage through the woods, I felt His presence all around me. I silently thanked Him for letting me be in His "turf", so to speak.

I had posted my blog posting in my notes on Facebook, my good friend, Cliff, responded with some very profound comments for me. Maybe the bucolic lifestyle could be for me, even though I do consider myself as not very good in the garden dept. I did enjoy my time I spent with the horses, sticking up for Acorn as she was being bullied by the other two. I felt a kinship with her, as I was picked on by my older brother growing up and having one particular girl on my street who tormented me everyday.

That homestead did something to me in a way I cannot explain. I totally get power in nature that you can't get in a city space. The energy there is so different, even the moon looks better in the wide open space of a field. Does that mean I'm going to pack everything up & move to the country?? Probably not right this second, but maybe later on down the road (just have to find a man to join me). I saw Green Magic in its purest form, no ritual required, no special spells (even though they may have secretly been in use)

Happy Earth Day!!

Blessings of Mother Gaia this beautiful spring day!! I know that I haven't been posting as often as I was. I have been doing a ton of journeying with my animal totem and have been working on a task that the Great Mother has assigned to me. She has been keeping me busy learning new things to aid me on my journey.

I am also going to be going on a physical journey to a friend's homestead next month to experience 2 types of journeying: Tarbh Feis (pronounced like "tarv fesh") and a Shamanic method using rhythm. I normally don't use any outside "noise" such as drums, music, etc. when I journey, so this will be an interesting experience.

Also, I want to share this beautiful piece of music I found as I was perusing YouTube. I hope you enjoy it, too. It's called, "Salva Nos" by the Medieval Babes.

An Update

Well, I'm hoping that the employment drought will soon be over. I have a job interview this Tuesday for a salon that's opening up a new shop. I saw their ad on Kijiji last Monday & quickly emailed off my CV. They called me this afternoon & set up an interview for this Tuesday. Yay!!

There was an Imbolg ritual this evening. I didn't go to that, but I am planning on doing my own, privately at home. It's also the Full Moon, I am going to do my ritual tonight after I post this. I'm going to ask the Goddess to guide me with my job interview. I wrote down what I want for this job, from salary expectations, to flexibility with my schedule with my son. Hopefully, the Great Mother will see that I will no longer be jobless. It's only been 2 months, but that's 2 months too long in my books.

I was busy this week doing hair out of my home. I have a couple of friends who came by this week to get their hair cut & flat-ironed. On Lisa's hair, I flat-ironed hers first, as she has very curly hair and then proceeded to give her a trim & put some shape back into her hair. Karen came the next day for a whole new look. She had a basic, all one length bob, to her shoulders. It wasn't really doing anything to her face, but over-power it. I gave her an inverted bob (A frame, asymmetrical bob, etc). I took off about 4-5" off the back, cutting at her hairline at the nape and gradually tapering longer towards the front. I also snuck in some subtle layers to take off some heaviness off her hair on the sides. Now, Karen normally doesn't wear a bang, but a gave her a long side-swept bang that she can tuck behind her ear. Now, stupid me, forgot to take before & after pix of both haircuts. They turned out bomb!! It was a great boost to my ego the reactions I got from both ladies. My former boss thought I should get out of hairdressing, saying I was terrible at it. I just didn't live up to his standards, I guess, but it was enough for me to doubt myself.

I also joined a group on my YoVille game. You can join clubs with like-minded individuals. This one is called, "The Goddess Sanctuary" We are a group of about 7 Witches/Pagans who get together and discuss various topics. Last night's was about grounding & meditation. We all buddy up so we can get together easily. I guess I have inspired some ladies of the group with my virtual ritual room I made in my apt there. It's an indoor garden with a waterfall. I'm glad to see others making ponds, stone circles, etc, as their own way of communing with the Goddess online. I guess this is my way of planting things, in an online garden, nothing dies on me...Lol!!

Anyway, I see that the Moon is in view now, so I shall commune with Lady Luna. May the Goddess bless you tonight with the power of the Moon

Love & Light
Rowan
)O(

Blue Moon Water

So, the other night, during the 2nd full moon of Dec. I did what I usually do, set out a jar of water to be blessed by the light of the moon. Thursday night was extra special as it was a Blue Moon. My usual glass bottle was full, so I did have to settle for a glass spaghetti jar to have my water blessed. I set it before heading off to bed. When I awoke yesterday morning, I went outside in the cold to retrieve it. Of course, it had frozen overnight. The crystal pattern inside was amazing!! Here are 2 pix of my special 'Moon Water":

T'was the Eve Before Midwinter

'Twas The Eve of Midwinter, and all through the coven

The Witches were cooking strange things in the oven.

There were mugwart frittatas, and dragon's-blood stew

And mescaline eggnog and mandrake fondue.

There were hot mountain oysters and road-kill pate

And spotted-owl kidneys, and wombat flambe.

The circle was cast and the herbs had been smoked

In hopes that the Goddess would soon be invoked.

When out by the hot tub arose such a clatter

I jumped on my broom to see what was the matter.

And what should I see in the blackberry thorns

but a soaking wet Goddess and eight unicorns!

"I was just sitting down with my vibrating phallus

And a good book," she muttered, "You bitches are callous.

I came when you called, over all my objections,

And got lost in the woods--you give lousy directions.

You turkeys invoked me, now look at my dress

My period's late and I've got PMS."

She cursed and she muttered, she looked like a wreck

The unicorns whimpered and shat on the deck.

We gave her some weed and we got her some grub

We brought her clean towels and she soaked in the tub.

Then she rose, hot and dripping, and gave us her blessing

And jumped in her chariot, without even dressing!

"On Isis! On Eris! Oya and Astarte!

On Ishtar! Inanna! Kali and Hecate!"

We heard her exclaim as she climbed through the air

"Thank Goddess there's only eight sabbats a year!"

My Yule Ritual

I'm still on a high from last night's Yule Ritual & Feast that I attended. It was glorious!!! I got there about 20minutes before it began, sat with my friend, Heddy and her friend, Cathy, who was wearing sandalwood. I had some patchouli in my hair, so we smelled so good last night. That our little joke all night, about how we were the best smelling Pagans there.

We chatted until it was time for the ritual to begin. We all lined up to be cleansed by a sage smudge, so I even smelled better lol!! Cathy & I were the only 2 who shed our winter boots to go barefoot for the ritual. I think it makes the energy flow better when there's nothing between you & the floor. It was an indoor rite, as it is very cold now here in the Maritimes to go outside for a ritual, not as mild as it is over in the UK & Europe to do outdoor rituals.

The room was in total darkness as we joined hands & cast the circle. We chanted, called the quarters (Heddy welcomed the North) and chanted some more. The ritual itself was a beautiful one. It's been ages since I've participated in a group ritual for a Sabbat. The only other one was Samhain in '93 and I had no idea what I was doing when they asked me to call on the element of the West, but I digress.

There was about 30-40 who participated in the rit. There were a few children who got to light the Yule Log. We all got candles to welcome the coming sun as the days are going to be growing longer. The Wheel is definitely turning again.

Then, there was a huge feast after the ritual. We had roast turkey, tofurkey for the vegans, mash potatoes, corn, carrots, mixed veg, 2 kinds of stuffing and gravy. There was also hot apple cider to warm your insides...yummy. Just when you think you've had your fill, out come the desserts: pumpkin pies, cookies, a Yule Log cake, more sweets. I do have to thank my friend, Lisa, who slaved over a hot oven preparing this feast. She did an awesome job!!

I got to meet some more new friends, as well as those who I met at the Witches' Ball a month ago. We all sat around the table discussing issues important to Pagans, books we've read, music and how we should all go see "Avatar". I guess it's has a very Goddess-friendly view of things & an important message as well. I do plan on going to see it after hearing about it from one of the ladies at our table.

All in all, I had a wonderful time last night. I was so energized when I came home I had to ground some of that energy before going to bed, so I danced around my livingroom to Blackmore's Night. I tired myself out so much, I don't even remembering hitting the pillow.

Blessed Be & Happy Yule!!!!

Rowan

My Spell Candle Box

Ok, since I'm unemployed and it's rainy outside (no bus fare to go out looking) I've been gettin' crafty. I found a wooden box in my craft stuff that was screaming to be decorated. It's about 6"x 9", a good size to store all my spell candles. So, last night after putting the youngling to bed, I pulled out some of my paints and went at it.


I started by painting the whole box black, inside & out. When it dried, I drew a Spiral Goddess in pencil on it. I then filled it in with purple shimmery paint. I added her breasts & the spiral with a darker purple paint.


There are 2 rows of 17 candles, separated by tissue paper. I have the darker candles on the bottom & the lighter ones on the top. I also had room to place my 6 white candles perpendicular to the 34. There was also room for my 2 white candle holders.

A History of Yule

A Festival of Light:

Many cultures have winter festivals that are in fact celebrations of light. In addition to Christmas, there's Hanukkah with its brightly lit menorahs, Kwanzaa candles, and any number of other holidays. The Pagan holiday called Yule takes place on the day of the winter solstice, around December 21. On that day (or close to it), an amazing thing happens in the sky. The earth's axis tilts away from the sun in the Northern Hemisphere, and the sun reaches at its greatest distance from the equatorial plane. As a festival of the Sun, the most important part of any Yule celebration is light -- candles, bonfires, and more.

Origins of Yule:

In the Northern hemisphere, the winter solstice has been celebrated for millenia. The Norse peoples viewed it as a time for much feasting, merrymaking, and, if the Icelandic sagas are to be believed, a time of sacrifice as well. Traditional customs such as the Yule log, the decorated tree, and wassailing can all be traced back to Norse origins.

Celtic Celebrations of Winter:

The Celts of the British Isles celebrated midwinter as well. Although little is known about the specifics of what they did, many traditions persist. According to the writings of Pliny the Elder, this is the time of year in which Druid priests sacrificed a white bull and gathered mistletoe in celebration.

Roman Saturnalia:

Few cultures knew how to party like the Romans. Saturnalia was a festival of general merrymaking and debauchery held around the time of the winter solstice. This week-long party was held in honor of the god Saturn, and involved sacrifices, gift-giving, special privileges for slaves, and a lot of feasting. Although this holiday was partly about giving presents, more importantly, it was to honor an agricultural god.

Welcoming the Sun Through the Ages:

Four thousand years ago, the Ancient Egyptians took the time to celebrate the daily rebirth of Horus - the god of the Sun. As their culture flourished and spread throughout Mesopotamia, other civilizations decided to get in on the sun-welcoming action. They found that things went really well... until the weather got cooler, and crops began to die. Each year, this cycle of birth, death and rebirth took place, and they began to realize that every year after a period of cold and darkness, the Sun did indeed return.

Winter festivals were also common in Greece and Rome, as well as in the British Isles. When a new religion called Christianity popped up, the new hierarchy had trouble converting the Pagans, and as such, folks didn't want to give up their old holidays. Christian churches were built on old Pagan worship sites, and Pagan symbols were incorporated into the symbolism of Christianity. Within a few centuries, the Christians had everyone worshipping a new holiday celebrated on December 25.

In some traditions of Wicca and Paganism, the Yule celebration comes from the Celtic legend of the battle between the young Oak King and the Holly King. The Oak King, representing the light of the new year, tries each year to usurp the old Holly King, who is the symbol of darkness. Re-enactment of the battle is popular in some Wiccan rituals.

~~Courtesy of About.com: Paganism/Wicca

The Mourning Moon

November was the ninth month in the oldest Roman calendar. In the Celtic tradition this was the beginning of a new year. The Celtic year ended on the eve before Samhain and began again on the day after. They considered it a Moon month of beginnings and endings and many still do.

The goddess Hecate had many celebrations though out the year. November 16 was known as the Night of Hecate, the Three -formed. Hecate is part of the most ancient form of the triple Moon goddess as Crone or Dark Moon: Artemis was the Crescent Moon and Selene the Full moon. Most of Hecate's worship, and especially on this night, was performed in a three way crossroad at night. Food was left there as an offering to her. She was known to rule the passages of life and transformation, birth and death. Her animals were the toad, the owl, the dog and the bat.

Correspondences

Moon Names: Snow Moon, Dark Moon, Fog Moon, Beaver Moon, Mourning Moon, Blotmonath (Sacrifice Month), Herbistmonoth (Harvest Month), Mad Moon, Moon of Storms, Moon When Deer Shed Antlers.

Nature Spirits: subterranean faeries

Herbs: grains of paradise, verbena, betony, borage, cinquefoil, blessed thistle

Colours: gray, sea-green

Flowers: blooming cacti, chrysanthemum

Scents: cedar, cherry blossoms, hyacinth, narcissus, peppermint, lemon

Stones: topaz, hyacinth, lapis lazuli

Trees: alder, cypress

Animals: unicorn, scorpion, crocodile, jackal

Birds: owl, goose, sparrow

Deities: Kali, Black Isis, Nicnevin, Hecate, Bast Osiris, Sarasvati, Lakshme, Skadi, Mawu

Power Flow: Take root, prepare. Transformation. Strengthen communication with the god or goddess who seems closest to you.

According to the Old Farmers' Almanac, the full moon in November is the Full Beaver Moon. This was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Full Beaver Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now actively preparing for winter. It is sometimes also referred to as the Frosty Moon.

Samhain Correspondences

Symbolism: Third Harvest, wisdom of the Crone, death of the God, reflection on our place in the Wheel of the Year, New Year, reincarnation, the dark mysteries, Rebirth after Death.

Foods: turnips, apples, nuts, beef, pork, poultry, gingerbread.

Drinks: Mead, apple cider, mulled cider, mulled wines.

Herbs: Angelica, burdock, catnip, pennyroyal, rosemary, rue, sunflower, sage, thyme, wild ginseng, tarragon, mugwort.

Flowers: Calendula, chrysanthemum, cosmos, marigold.

Trees: Acacia, apple, cypress, hazel, hemlock, yew.

Incenses and oils: Bay, cedar, clove, copal, coriander, cypress, eucalyptus, frankincense, heather, mugwort, myrrh, patchouli, peppermint, sage, sandalwood, vetiver, wormwood.

Colors: Black, brown, orange.

Stones: Amber, beryl, bloodstone, carnelian, clear quartz, diamond, garnet, gold, granite, hematite, jasper, jet, marble, obsidian, opal, pyrite, rose sapphire, ruby, sandstone, smoky quartz, steel, tourmaline, turquoise.

Animals: Stag, jackal, cat, bat, ram, scorpion, heron, crow, robin.

Mythical creatures: Goblins, harpies.

Some appropriate Gods: all Death, Underworld, and aged Gods; Am-Heh (Egyptian), Anubis (Egyptian), Arawn (Welsh), Cernunnos (Celtic), Dis (Roman), Hades (Greek), Heimdahl (Norse), Herne (English), The Horned God (European), Kronos (Greek), Loki (Norse), Nefertum (Egyptian), Odin (Norse), Osiris (Egyptian), Pluto (Greco-Roman)

Some appropriate Goddesses: all Crone and Underworld Goddesses; Arachne (Greek), Aradia (Italian), Babd (Irish), Cerridwen (Welsh), Elli (Teutonic), Ereshkigal (Assyro-Babylonian), Eris (Greek), The Fates/Moerae (Greek), Fortuna (Roman), Freya/Frigg (Norse), Hecate (Greek), Hel (Teutonic), Inanna (Sumerian), Ishtar (Babylonian), Macha (Irish), Mari (Basque), Morrigan (Celtic), Nephthys (Egyptian), Nicneven (Scottish), Persephone (Greek), Psyche (Greek), Proserpina (Roman), Rhiannon (Welsh)

Decorations: Autumn leaves, fall flowers, pomegranates, apples, pumpkins, ears of corn, sprays of grain, corn dollies, gourds, nuts, seeds.

Traditional activities: divination, drying winter herbs, feasting and partying to defy the coming darkness (bob for apples, roast nuts, pop popcorn), Witches' Ball.

Spell/ritual work: astral projection, past life recall, Dark Moon mysteries, mirror spells, scrying, protection, inner work, clearing obstacles, transition, culmination, transformation. Releasing bad habits and toxic relationships, illness, failure and poverty; everything you do not want to carry into the new year.

Are You Ready??

I love this time of year!! The autumn chill is in the air, leaves have turned into wonderful shades of golds, reds & oranges. The chestnuts are falling from their limbs. And...can you feel it?? I can. The Veil is getting thinner as the days go by. It feels thinner this year, over last year. The Goddess is showing us those who have gone on before us.

Samahin is a very special Sabbat for me. It was the very first ritual I ever got to participate in when I was in college. It was with a group of eclectic witches. I can still feel the magick it had that night. That was when I first saw one of my Patron Deities, Cernunnos. I didn't know who he was at that time, as I was was still very fresh to the Pagan ways.

I have a "To Do: list that I have been working on this past week. To prepare of the Samhain Sabbat, I have been getting things in order. I cleaned up my Facebook, by deleting those who I really don't talk to, or do not want to talk to anymore.

I've been cleaning house, as well. As this is the Pagan New Year, I wanted to make sure things are fresh & clean. I changed all the bedding in my house, caught up on my laundry, I cleaned my patio outside by sweeping all the dead leaves away, brought in all the summer things (patio chairs, etc) I refreshed my protection barriers around the outside of my place, including the main doors to the building. I swept & mopped all my floors, vacuumed what needed to be. Everything got a good dusting and now I feel I'm ready to proceed with the Sabbat.

My altar cloth is ironed and I've set up my altar for Samhain. I'll be using my copper cauldron, in honor of Hecate, this year. My meal is planned for the Dumb Supper, hopefully my son will be as quiet as he can be (he has Autism). After we return from "Trick or Treating" I will be doing my ritual, honoring those who have gone on before me. I will listen to what the Great Mother has to say to me. And what would a New Year's be without a resolution?? I will be making one, but it won't be the usual things that muggles do on the 1st of January. mine will be a special resolution.

Anyway, I have some folding of laundry to do. May the Goddess bless you this special time of the year. May you behold visions & wonders this Samhain.

)O( Blessed Be,
Rowan

To Be A Witch

To be a Witch is to love & be loved.
To know everything & nothing at all.

To move amongst the stars while staying on Earth.
To change the world around you & within yourself.

Share & give while receiving all the while
To sing & dance & hold hands with the universe.

Honour the Gods, Goddesses and yourself
To do Magick, not just perform it

Be honourable, or nothing at all
To know what you feel is right & good.

To be a Witch is to harm none
To know the ways of the Old & see beyond the barriers.

To follow the Moon
To be with the Gods.
To teach & learn, acknowledge the truth

To live with the Earth
Not just on it.

~Anonymous

An Autumn Chant

"I will dance
The dance of dying days
And sleeping life.

I will dance
In cold, dead leaves
A bending, whirling human flame.

I will dance
As the Horned God rides
Across the skies.

I will dance
To the music of His hounds
Running, baying in chorus.

I will dance
With the ghosts of those
Gone before.

I will dance
Between the sleep of life
And the dream of death.

I will dance
On Samhain's dusky eye,
I will dance."

*By Karen Bergquist*

Thanks to Margaret Mullins for tagging me on Facebook :-D

How to Make A Scrying Mirror

Samhain is a time to do some serious divination - it's the time of year when the veil between our world and that of the spirits is at its thinnest, and that means it's the perfect season to look for messages from the metaphysical. Scrying is one of the best known forms of divination, and can be done in a variety of ways. Basically, it's the practice of looking into some sort of reflective surface -- such as water, fire, glass, dark stones, etc. -- to see what messages, symbols, or visions may appear. A scrying mirror is a simple black-backed mirror, and it's easy to make one yourself.

To make your scrying mirror, you'll need the following:

• A clear glass plate
• Matte black spray paint
• Additional paints (acrylic) for embellishment

To prepare the mirror, first you'll need to clean it. Use any glass cleaner, or for a more earth-friendly method, use vinegar mixed with water. Once the glass is clean, flip it over so that the back side is facing up. Lightly spray with the matte black spray paint. For the best result, hold the can a couple of feet away, and spray from side to side. If you hold the can too close, the paint will pool, and you don't want this. As each coat dries, add another coat. After five to six coats, the paint should be dense enough that you can't see through the paint if you hold the glass up to a light.

Once the paint has dried, turn the glass right side up. Use your acrylic paint to add embellishments around the outer edge of the plate -- you can add symbols of your tradition, magical sigils, or even your favorite saying. The one in the photo says, "Thee I invoke by the moonlit sea, the standing stone, and the twisted tree." Allow these to dry as well. Your mirror is ready for scrying, but before you use it, you may want to consecrate it as you would any other magical item.

If your tradition normally requires you to cast a circle, do so now. If you'd like to play some music, start your cd player. If you'd like to light a candle or two, go ahead, but be sure to place them so that they don't interfere with your line of vision. Sit or stand comfortably at your workspace. Begin by closing your eyes, and attuning your mind to the energy around you. Take some time to gather that energy.

When you are ready to begin scrying, open your eyes. Position yourself so that you can look into the mirror. Stare into the glass, looking for patterns, symbols or pictures -- and don't worry about blinking, it's fine if you do. You may see images moving, or perhaps even words forming. You may have thoughts pop spontaneously into your head, that seem to have nothing at all to do with anything. Perhaps you'll suddenly think about someone you haven't seen in decades. Use your journal, and write everything down. Spend as much time as you like gazing into the mirror -- it may be just a few minutes, or even an hour. Stop when you begin to feel restless, or if you're getting distracted by mundane things.

When you are finished gazing into the mirror, make sure you have recorded everything you saw, thought and felt during your scrying session. Messages often come to us from other realms and yet we frequently don't recognize them for what they are. If a bit of information doesn't make sense, don't worry -- sit on it for a few days and let your unconscious mind process it. Chances are, it will make sense eventually. It's also possible that you could receive a message that's meant for someone else -- if something doesn't seem to apply to you, think about your circle of family friends, and who the message might be meant for.

**About.com: Paganism/Wicca**

A Chant for Samhain

This chant can be outdoors around a bonfire or inside around an extra large altar candle.

Fire red, summer's dead,
Yet shall it return.
Clear and bright in the night,
Burn, fire, burn!

Dance the ring, luck to bring,
When the year's aturning.
Chant the rhyme at Hallowstime,
When the fire's burning.

Fire glow, vision show
Of the heart's desire,
When the spell's chanted well
Of the witching fire.

Dance the ring, luck to bring,
When the year's aturning.
Chant the rhyme at Hallowstime,
When the fire's burning.

Fire spark, when nights are dark,
Makes our winter's mirth.
Red leaves fall, earth takes all,
Brings them to rebirth.

Dance the ring, luck to bring,
When the year's aturning.
Chant the rhyme at Hallowstime,
When the fire's burning.

Fire fair, earth and air,
And the heaven's rain,
And blessed be, and so may we,
At Hallowstide again.

Dance the ring, luck to bring,
When the year's aturning.
Chant the rhyme at Hallowstime,
When the fire's burning.

Valiente, Doreen; "Witchcraft for Tomorrow"; Phoenix Publishing 1985

Samhain Traditions & Lore

I found this great website all about Samhain. Thought I would share a bit here:



Samhain (pronounced sow-en) is the most important and least understood of all Celtic festivals. Unlike its counterparts of Halloween and All Hallow's Eve, the Witch holiday of Samhain has nothing to do with evil practices or horrific costumes. There are no poison apples, razor blades, or scary masks. Witches do not have green faces or wear pointy hats. Tall pointy hats were simply the fashion of the day among the peasants during the late Middle Ages. In ancient Celtic times, everyone was a Witch and everyone practiced Witchcraft. Witchcraft is still very much alive, and it is a way of life for many people today.

Samhain is a holiday infused with positive energy and filled with hope for the planet's future. With the icy cold months of Winter ahead of us, it is fitting that on every Samhain Eve, the Morrighan, one of a triplicity of Celtic Goddesses with the power to give birth to a new land, celebrates her ritual with the Dagda, the "Good God", one of the highest most illustrious of Celtic Gods. The Morrighan is a Goddess of gigantic proportions, who is straddling the two sides of the river when she encounters the Dagda eating from a cauldron along the river's edge. Although she possesses many abilities and has many roles, the Morrighan's role on that night is to reaffirm life in the face of Winter's impending hardships.

To the ancient Celts, the great holiday divided the year into two seasons -- Winter and Summer. Samhain the day on which the Celtic New Year and Winter begin together, so it is the time for both beginnings and endings. On Samhain the ancient tribes celebrated the Celtic feast of the Dead. Today, we continue to honor the memories of our ancestors. This practice has directly influenced countless other religions and folk customs. All Soul's Day on November 2nd, commemorates the Christian dead. On Samhain, the veil between the worlds in the thinnest, and the living and dead are more likely to exchange psychic information. On Samhain Witches celebrate and perform rituals to keep anything negative from the past -- evil, harm, corruption, and greed -- out of the future. We cast spells to psychically contact our deceased friends and relatives, and retrieve ancient knowledge. Thus, we preserve the great web that stretches through many generations of human families.

Samhain is a time for change and a time to look to the future. Today, Pagans dress for Samhain in costumes reflecting what we hope to achieve in the coming year. How we dress for Samhain is, in a manner of speaking, a Witch's New Years Resolution.

The idea of trick or treating, though radically altered, is also descended from Witch tradition. In our celebrations, there is no trick -- only treat. Witches pull no pranks and perform no mischief on Samhain Eve. After the rituals of the magick circle, we go not to the houses of strangers, but to the houses of friends and show off our costumes and sample treats.

Samhain is a magickal and enchanted night when magick can be done to benefit ourselves and our plant.

What Do Witches Do On Samhain?

Well, most people think we all dress up and go to Salem MA to cause trouble. Seriously, many of us try to avoid the Salem tourist rush, or avoid the trick-or-treating scene. Most Witches dislike the commercialization of the sacred holiday.

So what do we really do? The following is a list of some of the things Witches tend to do on this holiday:

* Decorate our altars with pine cones, pumpkins, gourds, autumn leaves, pictures of deceased loved ones, and the colors approprate to the holiday.

* Performing rituals of divination to predict the future. We may use the i-ching, a pendulum, tarot cards, runes, rods, etc.

* remember our loved ones who have passed on.

* Reflect upon changes we would like to bring about in our lives, and perform rituals to manifest those changes.

The Samhain Altar

Deep golds, scarlets, dark browns and bronze are predominant colors of Autumn and the Samhain altar. The candles on the altar should be black, orange, white, silver, and gold. Black absorbs light and keeps you warm. Orange represents the magic of fire as well as the remainder of fire in the autumn leaves. White sends out energy, and silver and gold represent the moon and the sun. Candles should always be lit with altar matches (matches with no advertising on the box). A stone native to your region might be present on the altar as a symbol of the Earth. An animal horn, feather or talon can be placed on the altar to represent the final harvest.

What to Wear

On Samhain, Witch's should wear black robes for ritual. Orange and gold, the fire colors of the sun, are used during this time to attract sunlight to the Wheel of the Year. A costume to signify light or a glittery robe or headdress is also appropriate. Face painting, an old Celtic art, can be practices and glitter can be added to the paint.

Samhain Correspondences

Symbols used to represent Samhain: jack-o'-lantern, balefire, besom, masks, cauldron, Waning Moon

Foods appropriate for Smahain: apples, pumpkin pie, beets, turnips, hazelnuts, corn, gingerbread, pomegrantates, cider, herbal teas, pork dishes

Plants and herbs associated with Samhain: mugwort, allspice, sage, gourds, catnip, apple trees.

Incense and oils appropriate for Samhain: : frankincense, basil, yarrow, lilac, ylang-ylang, clove, camphor

Colors associated with Samhain: black, orange, red, brown, golden yellow, silver, gold

Stones associated with Samhain: obsidian, onyx, carnelian

Animals and mystical creatures associated with Samhain: bats, cats, dogs, Phooka, goblins, Medusa

Goddesses appropriate for Samhain (Crone Goddesses and Underworld Goddesses): Hecate (Greek), Carlin (Scottish), Edda (Norse), Pamona (Roman), Crobh Dearg (Irish), Lilith (Hebrew), Psyche (Greek), the Morrigu/Morrigan

Appropriate Samhain Gods (all Death Gods, Aged Gods, Underworld Gods): Arawn (Welsh), Dis (Roman), Kronos/Cronus (Greco-Phoenician), Xocatl (Aztec), Woden (Teutonic), Pluto (Greco-Roman), Hades (Greek), Nefertum (Egyptian)

Altar appropriate for Samhain: small jack-'o-laterns, foods from the harvest, photographs of your loved ones who have departed this world, statue or figurine of the Goddess in her Crone aspect.

Activities appropriate for Samhain: divination, past-life recall, spirit contact, drying of winter herbs.

Spellwork appropriate for Samhain: protection, neutralizing harm

Sources

Celebrating the Earth by Laurie Cabot