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.

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

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.

Blessed Samhain!!!!!

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

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

The Countdown is On!!!

So, it's the first day of October, how exciting!!! The chill is in the air, the leaves are starting to change and Samhain is around the corner. At my house, I've been decorating up a storm & it's still not finished. My "unused" diningroom is my Samhain room. That's where the most of the decorating has taken place. I haven't updated my altar as of yet. Between now & Samhain, my family may show up & since I am still in the broom closet...

As the month progresses, or this week, I will be posting pix of my decorating efforts. I will be adding to my Rubbermaid containers of stuff this year.

We all know that Samhain is a time of reflection of those who have gone on before us. As it is a joyous Sabbat, it is also one that brings memories of those we lost to the forefront. In my household, I will be hosting a "Dumb Supper" with my son, before I take him out Trick or Treating, to honour my family members who have past on, as well as friends who are no longer here with me.

After sending my son off to bed, I will be honouring the Sabbat with my deities. This will be my 3rd Samhain ritual I will be doing as a solitary & my 4th Samhain ever. My first was back in '93 in a coven setting.

Have a Blessed October
)O(

Deities Link is back up

Ok, I put my Deities link back up. I changed the background to a new fresher one. I found (and still gathering) new info on who I honour, commune with and journey with each day. I will be posting more on this page more than I had been previously. I was unsure before, but I feel it in my bones as to who they are for sure

)O( Blessed Be