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littlehippiewitch · 3 years ago

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Samhain

An ancient Pagan celebration marking the end of the harvest season and the start of the long, dark winter months. This is why it’s often referred to as the witch’s new year!

For practicing witches, Samhain is the most holy of sabbats, I personally hold this sabbat above the rest in my practice. Samhain marks the beginning of the Wheel of the Year. (More on the wheel of the year later) It has been associated with death and ghosts for a long time, Samhain is thought to be a time when the veil between the seen and unseen world is the thinnest. Which means that ancestors and spirits come to visit during this time. There are many other cultures around the world that celebrate similarly, including the Latin American celebration of Día de los Muertos (Day of the dead), as well as Hungry Ghosts day in China to name a few.

Now is a good time to set new intentions and goals for yourself. A time to focus on renewal, and blessings. With winter slowly creeping in, it’s the perfect time to move out any stagnant, stale, or negative energy before the cold sets in.

*If you suffer from seasonal depression or other mental illnesses this is especially useful.

Performing w house cleansing and blessing allows you to have an open house space for you ancestors you are accepting to come back, as well as protection from any spirits you want to keep out.

To do so,

1. Physically clean your house.

2. Cleanse with smoke or incense. Whatever YOU feel most comfortable with. With your cleansing smoke of choice, walk from room to room to let the smoke float through your space. As the smoke touches each area of your house ask it to cleanse any energy that is negative or is not there to benefit you and your home in a healthy manner.

3. Cleanse with a besom. This is totally optional as not everyone uses this method. However a besom is a tool that can be used to cleanse your house & home of negative energies. You can either make your own or purchase one. (You can usually find a decent sized cinnamon broom at local stores around this time of year) Open a door and begin sweeping holding above the floor, start sweeping as you envision the negativity not serving you any good leaving the space. (you can physically sweep with this as well but I do not recommend doing so)

4. Protect with saltwater. Fill a spray bottle with a mixture of salt water and spritz on the entrances to your home. As you do this envision it protecting you and your space from unwanted energies. *Try envisioning your home inside and energetic force field of protection.

When your cleansing and blessing is complete, Grant yourself a few quiet moments to reflect on this experience.

Sleep soundly and perform your intuitive work confidently during this season, knowing that your house has been cleansed, blessed, and protected.

Jack-o-lanterns served as a beacon for departed spirits and those carved with scary faces were thought to keep evil spirits at bay. Halloween costumes were used as a sort of magick trick - if you dress up as who you want to be, it was more likely to come true.

All Hallows’ Eve is a time to commemorate our ancestors and beloved dead to thank them for who we are because of them.

If you want to take time to honor loved ones who have died, you can set up an altar with decorations, photos and other mementos or items.

A simple ritual to connect with your loved ones,

Write them a letter, burn the letter and the collect the ashes in a jar to carry with you. They will receive your letter and you will have it with you for some good luck from them in the new year.

Your altar is a great place to give an offering to any loved ones who’ve crossed over. An offering to your ancestors could be as simple as pictures of them or favorite foods and drinks.

Offer a prayer to ancestors that have gone before you, an invocation to a deity that is important to you, or both.

A Samhain ancestor prayer:

Hail the ancestors

You who walked the path

Who lit the way before us

Who gave the first sacrifice

———————————————————

May your road be clear

As you return this day

May we stand tall with you

Making you proud in our work

———————————————————

You stood against oppression

You lifted up the downtrodden

You welcomed the stranger

We pray we have your strength

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Ancestors we see you!

Ancestors we honor you!

🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀

Some food to make for this special occasion:

Soul cakes:

(Shortbread)

•1 Stick of butter

•4 tbs sugar

•1 1/2 C flour

•1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream together butter, vanilla & sugar

Slowly add in flour and mix until smooth

Divide in two parts and shape into flat circles 1/2 inch thick

Place on a greased cookie sheet

Poke lines with a fork

Cut 8 wedges in each cake

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes

Herb rolls:

•1 tsp active dry yeast

•pinch sugar

•1/2 tsp salt

•4 tsp melted butter

•1 C warm water

•2 1/2 C flour

•1/2 tsp garlic 2 1/2 tsp herbs of choice (I use rosemary, thyme, and basil)

•2 tsp vegetable oil

Combine yeast, sugar, salt, 2 tsp butter & water allow yeast to activate 5-10 min

Stir in 1 C flour, herbs, then remaining flour, make sure to mix in slowly.

Turn onto floured surface knead 5-8 min.

Oil bowl, add dough, cover with damp cloth & rise 1 hr.

Remove dough, fold a few times. Twist off knobs, shape.

Place on greased baking sheet (barely touching)

Rise 45 minutes more.

Bake on 350 for 30 min or until golden brown.

*if dough is sticky GRADUALLY add more flour don’t make it dry.

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Some Samhain symbolism:

Colors: Black, brown, silver, purple, red, yellow, gold, orange, green, white.

Foods: Apples, pumpkins, meat, pears, dark wine, cider, root vegetables, teas, grains, hazelnuts.

Stones: Smoky quartz, onyx, obsidian, pyrite, amber, carnelian, turquoise, Apache tears.

Symbols: bat, cat, blackbird, cauldron, broomstick, jack-o-lantern, mirror, pumpkin, skull, tombstone, ancestor photo book.

Flowers & Herbs: Calendula, sunflowers, wild gingseng, wormwood, mugwort, allspice, cinnamon, rosemary, sage, apple leaves.

Deities: Ishtar, Horned God, Orsis, Loki, Persephone, Cerrunnos, Dionysus.

Incense: Rosemary, sandalwood, sweet grass, copal.

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Blessed Samhain Witches!

May all your days forward be abundantly blessed! 🖤

#magick #pagan #paganism #pagans of tumblr #witch community #autumn #samhain #all hallows eve #halloween

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campfirecollective · 2 years ago

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I don’t think I’ll ever remember to post this sooner, but Blessed Samhain to those who celebrate!! May the day treat you with the upmost kindness and that it treats you well.

Take care of yourselves, lovelies. You deserve it. <3 /p /gen

#eret.txt #Samhain #witchblr #wiccan #wiccanism #paganism #wiccans of tumblr #wiccan sabbat #pagans of tumblr #plural blog #pagan community

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kelleah-meah · 4 years ago

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Celebrating Samhain + Blue Full Moon + Halloween weekend

As I mentioned in a previous post, I had some pretty detailed plans for celebrating Halloween, Samhain and the blue full moon this weekend. Although we’re still technically in the weekend as I type this, I wanted to share the difference of what I had planned versus what I’ve actually done so far.

I’ve said before that one of my biggest issues I have is that I often plan to do too much or put too much pressure on myself by trying to fill every moment with something worthwhile. I’m learning to do less of that, but it’s still a process.

So keep that in mind as I share what I’ve been up to. I also had to work on Friday and Saturday, so that too affected how much time I had to do the things I had planned.

On Thursday, after returning home from work, I got started on my holiday weekend dessert to mark the final harvest: an apple crumble. Although this was before the weekend started, I knew it was better to get the dessert out of the way before the first night of the full moon.

That’s 11 Gala apples + 3 apples gifted to me from my bosses who went apple picking in Upstate New York last weekend peeled and sliced.

It’s not the best photo, but this is the apple crumble after it was all finished. I added foil to the pan to help make it easier to clean, but it would’ve probably looked more appetizing if I hadn’t. It still tasted delicious.

On Friday, I sort of did the same thing by cooking the Samhain Stew recipe I found so I didn’t have to feel pressured to get it done in time for Saturday evening. It turned out OK. I made a few substitutions that I probably wouldn’t make next time, but overall, I’m glad I tried something new.

After I cooked the stew, I actually made myself a pizza (store bought) and watched my first movie in my Halloween cinematic celebration: The Dead Don’t Die. My mother recommended it to me, but it wasn’t very good unfortunately. It’s one of those films where a lot of actors you like may be in it, but the story just isn’t very good. I’m not a big fan of zombie movies, but I really liked the cast. Oh well. It doesn’t hurt to give something new and different a chance. Here’s what one of the posters for the movie looked like:

The day of Samhain/Halloween/the full Blue Moon began with more meditation and a tarot reading. This time, I did this Blue Moon Tarot Spread by @kikicauldron.

And here was the reading of my result:

1. Your uniqueness and personal power

Death/Rebirth

2. A blessing in your life to reflect on

The Wheel

3. A goal to develop this blue moon

8 of Wands

4. A lesson that will reveal itself this blue moon

9 of Swords

5. A wish that will come true this blue moon

2 of Pentacles

6. A message from divinity about your spiritual evolution

4 of Cups

It was rather insightful, and gave me a lot to think about.

Then I got ready for work, which thankfully I got to do from home instead of going into the office. Around 3pm, I took a break from work and went for a walk in the park near my house. Here are a few photos of that trip.

I especially love this shot of a ray of sunlight that my camera managed to capture when I paused to take in the open field.

And check out this capture of the Samhain sun.

The gift of fall is so beautiful, isn’t it?

On the way back to my flat, I passed this house doing their best to keep trick or treating alive during the pandemic.

That’s a PVC pipe from the top step of the porch that leads down to a small candy bucket for the sweets to land in when trick or treaters come by. Isn’t that cute?

Once I was back in the house, I finished up one more task that I needed to finish for work, then I officially begin my celebration. Although I meant to create an ancestral altar earlier in the month, I didn’t make one until the day of Samhain. It’s my first attempt at an altar, but it’s not too bad I think.

I had to clear off the space and clean it before adding all the things I wanted to lay out. As I mentioned, it’s my first attempt, so I know it’s rather basic. It’s an altar to honor my grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother. Although now that I look at this, I realized that in each photo, each woman is holding one of my younger cousins and maybe I shouldn’t use these images.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any other photos of them. Dang. I read you weren’t supposed to include any images of living relatives, and now I’m worried. OK. I’m going to change that tonight.

In the meantime, the deck of cards are for my grandmother who played cards all the time, and was even the bookkeeper for her bi-weekly card-playing women’s club, which used to organize events in the community and offer weekend trips out of town to gambling boats for all the other women in their circle who wanted a weekend getaway from their husbands and kids. :-D

I didn’t really have anything to offer to my great-grandmother or great-great-grandmother. Maybe next year, I can offer them something specific. I remember my great-great-grandmother loved those candy pieces that look like orange slices. I could probably find some in time for next year. My great-grandmother will be a little more difficult to come up with something for an offering. I could’ve left her a pack of cigarettes, but since she died of lung cancer after smoking for 40+ years, that felt in poor taste. I’ll think of something in time for next year.

The rose quartz crystal is just to symbolize my love for all 3 of these amazing women who affected my life. The apple is just a food offering and the water is something for them to drink. Like I said, pretty basic. The jade plant, is there to represent Earth energy as they were all a major connection to my foundation who defining what it means to stand strong in the face of adversity and a literal connection to my ancestral roots, plus jade represents a connection to luck and well wishes.

I bought white tealights for my candle holder, and I picked 3 tarot cards from my new True Heart Intuitive Tarot Deck (by Rachel True) to add to the altar. Each card represents one of the women in the photos: my grandmother - Queen of Pentacles, my great-grandmother - Queen of Swords, and my great-great-grandmother - Judgment.

I’m going to refresh the water tonight, remove the photos for now until I can find images of them by themselves, and light the candles for All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day.

After I finished the altar on Saturday, I lit my candles (for the altar and the white candle in the windowsill for spirits passing through), I sat down to eat my Samhain Stew and watch Arsenic and Old Lace for the evening. I rented the movie on YouTube for $4, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I remembered after all these years. (I haven’t watched it in at least 5 years so some of the details were fuzzy.) After dinner, I ate some of my apple crumble dessert, and felt myself drifting off to sleep.

Out of fear that I might cause a fire or that my cat might knock over some of the candle holders while I was sleeping, I made myself blow out all the candles before going to bed. I don’t know if that’s how the tradition was meant to go, but my fear for my own safety and the others in my apartment building won out.

Today (Sunday), I haven’t done much, but that’s been the plan. I slept in, finished my book, ate the last of my Samhain stew for lunch, and started my day-long Ghostbusters movie marathon.

I also cleaned around the house a bit more, dusted a few shelves, washed dishes, re-organized a couple of things, while enjoying the movies and preparing for this evening.

Maybe I’ll be back after I’ve completed what I have left on my list and share with you how I finished this 3-day celebration of the season’s final harvest and my first attempt at honoring special occasion. Until then ...

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skyboivinauthor · 5 years ago

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Mabon blessings

Autumn Equinox, 2nd Harvest, Falls Between September 21 - 23

Mabon, (pronounced MAY-bun, MAY-bone, MAH-boon, or MAH-bawn) is the Autumn Equinox. The Autumn Equinox divides the day and night equally, and we all take a moment to pay our respects to the impending dark. We also give thanks to the waning sunlight, as we store our harvest of this year's crops. The Druids call this celebration, Mea'n Fo'mhair, and honor the The Green Man, the God of the Forest, by offering libations to trees. Offerings of ciders, wines, herbs and fertilizer are appropriate at this time. Wiccans celebrate the aging Goddess as she passes from Mother to Crone, and her consort the God as he prepares for death and re-birth.

Various other names for this Lesser Wiccan Sabbat are The Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Alben Elfed (Caledonii), or Cornucopia. The Teutonic name, Winter Finding, spans a period of time from the Sabbat to Oct. 15th, Winter's Night, which is the Norse New Year.

At this festival it is appropriate to wear all of your finery and dine and celebrate in a lavish setting. It is the drawing to and of family as we prepare for the winding down of the year at Samhain. It is a time to finish old business as we ready for a period of rest, relaxation, and reflection.

Symbolism of Mabon:

Second Harvest, the Mysteries, Equality and Balance.

Symbols of Mabon:

wine, gourds, pine cones, acorns, grains, corn, apples, pomegranates, vines such as ivy, dried seeds, and horns of plenty.

Herbs of Maybon:

Acorn, benzoin, ferns, grains, honeysuckle, marigold, milkweed, myrrh, passionflower, rose, sage, solomon's seal, tobacco, thistle, and vegetables.

Foods of Mabon:

Breads, nuts, apples, pomegranates, and vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions.

Incense of Mabon:

Autumn Blend-benzoin, myrrh, and sage.

Colors of Mabon:

Red, orange, russet, maroon, brown, and gold.

Stones of Mabon:

Sapphire, lapis lazuli, and yellow agates.

Activities of Mabon:

Making wine, gathering dried herbs, plants, seeds and seed pods, walking in the woods, scattering offerings in harvested fields, offering libations to trees, adorning burial sites with leaves, acorns, and pine cones to honor those who have passed over.

Spellworkings of Mabon:

Protection, prosperity, security, and self-confidence. Also those of harmony and balance.

Deities of Mabon:

Goddesses-Modron, Morgan, Epona, Persephone, Pamona and the Muses. Gods-Mabon, Thoth, Thor, Hermes, and The Green Man.

Mabon is considered a time of the Mysteries. It is a time to honor Aging Deities and the Spirit World. Considered a time of balance, it is when we stop and relax and enjoy the fruits of our personal harvests, whether they be from toiling in our gardens, working at our jobs, raising our families, or just coping with the hussle-bussle of everyday life. May your Mabon be memorable, and your hearts and spirits be filled to overflowing!

Symbols of Mabon

The Cornucopia

The Cornucopia, or Horn of Plenty, is a traditional symbol for Mabon. It is a wonderful symbol for the wealth of harvest and is beautifuly balanced symbol which is both male (phallic) and female (hollow and receptive)

The Apple

The apple is the symbol of the Fruit Harvest. The apple figures significantly in many sacred traditions. It is a symbol for life and immortality, for healing, renewal, regeneration and wholeness. It is associated with beauty, long life and restored youth. The Ogham name for apple is Quert and Quert is the epitome of health and vitality. The apple is at the heart of the Ogham grove and is the source of life. For Pagans, the apple contains a 'secret'. Cut an apple width ways and it reveals a pentagram containing seeds. It is a much loved symbol of Paganism. The five points represent the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, Water with Spirit at the top, and thus also the directions of East, South, West, North and Within.

A circle around the pentagram represents the eternal circle/cycle of life and nature, and of wholeness. In ritual and ceremony the pentacle corresponds to the element of Earth. It is believed to be a protection against evil for both the person and the home, worn as an amulet or used to guard entrances to the home through windows and doors.

Colours of Mabon

From green to red, orange, yellow, brown and gold.

The Mabon Altar

Your altar should be dressed in the very best produce you can find from field, forest and market, from garden and the wild. Apples, pears, damsons, sloes, rose hips, elderberries, blackberries, hawthorn berries, the possibilities are large. If you collect from the wild, be not greedy - always leave plenty of fruit and berries for the birds and wee creatures.

Make an outdoor shrine for the nature spirits in thanks for the bounty they help to provide. Leave one of each flower, fruit and vegetable that you have, as a gift.

Things To Do

Great Feast of Thanksgiving.

Celebrate with a feast for friends and family using as much fruit & veg, locally grown, as you can.

Go Walking.

Go for a walk and collect as much of nature's wild abundance as you can, while respecting the need to leave enough for everyone else including the nature spirits. You will find wild damsons, sloes, rosehips, elderberries, blackberries, hawthorn berries and more. Remember the fruit is the carrier of the precious seed.

Clear Out and Complete.

We think of Spring as the time to clear out but now is the perfect time to complete unfinished projects and clear your home of unwanted stuff. Prepare to hibernate!

Plant Bulbs.

This is an excellent time to plant tree seeds and shrubs. They have all of winter in the darkness to establish and germinate. Plant bulbs which will hide in the earth until early Spring beckons. Make each one a hope, idea or aspiration for Spring and wait until their little green noses show above ground - to remind you!

Buttermilk Bread Charm for Mabon.

You will need:

3 mugs of strong white flour

500 ml of Buttermilk (available from the supermarket)

I teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda

Mabon ribbon in your choice of colour - red, orange, yellow, gold, brown

A handful of dried fruit of your choice - dates, raisins, sultanas, currants

Place the flour and dried fruit in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Sieve in the blended salt and soda and pour in the buttermilk. Mix well with a wooden spoon until the dough feels springy. If it feels too sloppy just add a little more flour. Turn it onto a board and cover with a fine dusting of flour. Pat it with your hands until you have a round shape. Take a sharp knife and score lightly into eight sections, one for each festival. Our picture shows the bread cut into five sections, making a pentacle.

Place onto a greased baking tray and pop your buttermilk bread into a moderate oven for about 20-25 minutes. Keep and eye on it. When the bread is ready it will change colour and it will sound hollow when you tap the bottom. Cool completely on a wire rack. When it is cool, tie it with Mabon ribbon.

Take time to concentrate on the bread you have created and turn the loaf three times saying"From the fields and through the stones, into fire, Mabon Bread, as the Wheel turns may all be fed. Goddess Bless."

Now take your bread and share it with your family and friends and pass on the generous blessings of this bright and bountiful festival. Eat it fresh, as soon as it is made if you can.

Recipe donated by the Counter Enchantress. Adapted by the Boss Lady with permission.

The Counter Enchantress is discovering that you can add almost anything appropriate to this simple bread recipe and it STILL WORKS beautifully. You can decide for yourself what the appropriate additions are for a particular festival, in this case dried fruit for Mabon, and just do it. There is much kitchen magic in working with one recipe through the Wheel of the Year just changing it a little as the wheel turns.....

Somerset Apple Cake

We are very blessed here in that we live in the sacred Isle of Avalon, also called the Isle of Apples, in Somerset, England. And we are indeed surrounded, still, by orchards which grow apples both for Somerset's famous cider-making and for eating. One of our family pleasures is a local orchard which grows many traditional varieties of apples. Most of what they grow goes to make apple juice. But just before they do that, local people are invited over a weekend to go pick apples for themselves and their families. And it's such fun to spend an afternoon among the apple trees within sight of Glastonbury Tor. Chalice Well Trust is developing an organic apple orchard on the slopes of the Tor and now also produces small quantities of delicious organic apple juice which are sold to visitors. It's a limited supply and very precious - reserved for very special occasions or ceremony in our household.

Below is an authentic Somerset Apple Cake recipe. Eat it either cold, or warm with cream.

INGREDIENTS:

340gms/12oz self-raising flour

a pinch of salt

225gms/8oz margarine/butter

½ teaspoon cinnamon

170gms/6oz caster sugar

115gms/4oz sultanas

450gms/16oz cooking apples, finely chopped

3 eggs

a little milk

a little demerara sugar

METHOD:

1. Rub the fat into the flour and salt. Add the sugar and cinnamon. Make a well in the mixture and drop in the egg and fruit. Mix well; if the dough is a little too stiff, add some milk.

2. Place in an eight-inch greased cake tin, and sprinkle a little demerara sugar on the top.

3. Bake for one-and-a-half to two hours, in a moderate oven (Gas Mark 4/180°C/350°F), until cooked. Allow to cool slightly before turning out onto a cooling rack.

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witchescompendium · 6 years ago

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Sunday School Week 6 and 7 Sabbats, Esbats and The Wheel of The Year

SUNDAY SCHOOL WEEK 6 & 7

SABBATS, ESBATS AND THE WHEEL OF THE YEAR

WHEEL OF THE YEAR:

The Wheel turns and so do we, changing as the forces of nature change, our powers ebb and flow, wax and wane, we move on a mystic cycle that we seldom realize. But take a moment if you will and look at yourself now, in this season. (As I am writing we are in late Spring) You may feel you are eager to be outside, to work in nature to start new projects or begin a new adventure, its natural in the Spring to feel this way because nature is waking, it is in full bloom and plants are blooming, wildlife is giving birth and we are finally away from the winters cold dark hold.

As the season change so do we. Our minds, bodies and spirits acclimate to the changes, as the Winter comes we retreat within and often we get down, as we turn to the Spring we become more awake, and shaking off the gathered grime of the past season, and then we move to Summer, where we tend to be more active and free. As the Fall comes on we begin to settle down and start nesting, preparing for winter and repeat.

As the Wheel of the Year turns, it brings about more than the seasons, it brings opportunities, possibilities and magic, all we have to do is to be open to them. We are presented with so many chances and opportunities we just have to be willing to take them and be open to receive them.

As the Wheel Turns we go through the cycles of life and the seasons, but we also turn with the phases of the moon. This affect us just the same as the changing of the seasons, bring us to different awakenings, and pulls. The Moon affects our spiritual and emotional energies as the season do our physical and mental.

The Wheel of the year is divided into 4 quarters, each of these quarters contains two Sabbats and in a normal year 3 Esbats, per quarter there are 1 major and 1 minor Sabbat. The Wheel turning, as it is known, follows the path of the sun and the Sabbats and Esbats mark times of growth and enlightenment along the way.

SABBATS:

The Sabbats fall to the seasons, and a particular time of the year. They originally marked important dates or times in the cycle of life and nature, much of our ancstors survival depended on the timing of these particular festivals to begin planting, and harvesting, breeding live stock and other things. The Sabbats are divided into two groups, major and minor. The minor Sabbats mark the cross quarters, or the the two solstices and two equinoxes, while the Major Sabbats mark the midpoints between them. The Four Major Sabbats are:

Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas.

The Minor Sabbats are:

Ostara, Litha, Mabon and Yule.

The Sabbats are Solar festivals, each one representing a different aspect or trait, and a cycle of life, depending upon its placement in the wheel. Depending upon the tradition and the practice of a particular wiccan, pagan, witch or coven, can also depend on when the wheel starts over and ends the old year. Some will say Samhain (as is generally a traditional approach) others say Yule, (this too is fitting do to the practice and celebration of the day)

BREAK DOWN OF THE SABBATS:

I like to begin with Samhain, 1. Its my favorite sabbat, and 2. Because I practice that the Wheel turns to Samhain and begins again, it’s the witches new year. You can adjust to your own liking and preference as with anything you learn here. This is a bases a guide for you to discover your own path, or build off of this one.

SAMHAIN: Also known as, All Hallow's Eve, All Saints' Day, All Hallows, Day of All the Saints, Feast of All Saints, Solemnity of All Saints, All Souls Day, Ancestors Night, or Feast of the Dead and more commonly HALLOWEEN. One of the Major sabbats. Falls on October 31 or the first full moon of Scorpio. Samhain is probably one of the most infamous witches holidays and is still seen in bad context among many groups and people. It is also seen as one of the Highest of holidays and most important among the practice. (Beltane being its equal) Samhain is the night of the thing veil, when the departed may cross to the land of the living once more, magic is said to be strongest and highest on this night. Samhain is the time to celebrate the harvest, to plan for the coming year, and to remember the ancestors and be thankful for their journey, that has paved the way for your footing now. It’s a time to reflect on the past year and honor our loved ones no longer with us. It begins the time of rest and the time of darkness upon the year as we begin to transcend into the Dark Half of the year. Samhain is also known as the Witches New Year. We honor the Great God who departs this world on this day and journeys to the afterlife. Many of the traditions of the modern Halloween are part of the customs of old, such as dressing in costumes, carving jack o lanterns and the spirits of our departed, can be reflected in the modern ghost.

YULE: Also known as, Alban Arthuan, Saturnalia, Winter Solstice, Mid Winter. Falls on the Winter Soltice, (Between Dec 21-23) The origins of many of the Christmas traditions. One of the Minor Sabbats. Yule is about rebirth, the return of hope and the return of the Sun God who brings the Light. From the Winter Solstice we know the days will get longer and warmer and as the sun is reborn we are offered a fresh start and a new day. Yule is when we celebrate the sun god who departed us at Samhain, returning, reborn to the Great Mother Goddess, now in the aspect of the Crone, and with his return we are reminded that nothing ever goes away forever, we are all reborn and return.

IMBOLC: Also known as, Bride's day, Candlemas, Candlemas Day,Brigantia, Groundhog Day, Festival of Lights. Falls on February 2 or the first Full Moon of Aquarius. This is one of the Major Sabbats, Imbolc is about brushing off the winter and setting ourselves to de-clutter and de-stress from the winter. At Imbolc we light candles and fires, it is a festival of light after all. We light the candles to drive away the shadow and welcome the sun back into the world as the sun slowly gains power and the God grows. We also do this to help light the spark of inspiration and creativity within and to prepare for the seaon of growing that is coming.

OSTARA: Also known as, Alban Eilir, Eostar, Eostre, Lady Day,Vernal Equinox, falls on March 20-23, (The Spring Equinox), one of the minor sabbats. Ever wonder why people dye eggs at Easter? Or how the Bunny fits into the Easter story? Well Ostara is a sabbat about rebirth, and awakening. Growth and renewal are the themes for this day. At Ostara the Day and Night are equal, and the male and female energies balanced. The Rabbit and the eggs are both signs of fertility, as this would be a time when the earth begins to stir and life begins to blossom and awaken all around us. A perfect time to begin to expand on those plans made and begin sewing the seeds for your future.

BELTANE: Also known as, Beltain, Beltainne, Beltaine, Bealtaine, Beltany, May Eve, Lady Day, May Day, Walpurgis Night (although some people consider Walpurgis Night to be April 29, the night before Beltane)Falls on May 1st, or The First Full Moon in Taurus. A Major Sabbat. Beltane is the day of the Green Wood Wedding, or The Handfasting of the God and Goddess. By now the God has moved from his youth stage, to his Green man form, and the Goddess from her Maiden aspect to the Mother. In this time their union blesses the earth and makes the grounds fertile and ready for planting. This a joyous time to celebrate and rejoice that Winter is gone and that light and mirth are all around. Beltane is also Sister Sabbat to Samhain. On the wheel they are adjacent from one another. It is said that during Beltane, the strength and power that is felt at Samhain can also be felt. Beltane is another of the most commonly known of the Witches holidays. It’s a time of love and growth.

LITHA: Also known as, Alban Hefin, Gathering Day, Midsummer, Vestalia, Summer Solstice, Falls on The Summer Solstice (June 20-23) A Minor Sabbat. On Litha, the powers of the sun are at their highest and most powerful. Day light hours rule this day and is a pure Solar Sabbat. As the Sun and the God are at their peak, so to is nature at hers. The woods and forests are at their fullness, and life is spilling forth. The light triumphs over the dark and, the crops are busy growing and nature is alive and happy. We know however that from this day forth, the light shall dwindle and grow weaker. That we will have to face the darkness in mere months, but for now, we must embrace life at its fullest, and celebrate the bounty that is all around us. This is supposed to be after all, a joyous time.

LAMMAS: Also known as, Lughnasad, Lughnasadh Lunasa, Falls on August 1 or the first full moon of Leo, a Major Sabbat, Lammas is the first harvest, when the first of the crops are beginning to be cut down and brought in. This was an ancient festival of Hope and Fear. Hope being in that the harvest was coming in and that nature and hard work had provided what was needed for survival, Fear came in the same manner, it was feared that the harvest wouldn’t be enough and the cold of winter would win. At Lammas we are thankful for what we have and also it is a time for facing our fears, and creating protection. Defending ourselves and what we value and care for. If we allow the fear to out weigh our hope, then we will surely loose.

MABON: Also known as, Alban Elfed, Fall Equinox, Autumn Equinox, Harvest Home... A Minor sabbat and falls on the Fall Equinox (September 20-23) once more day and night are equal but ultimately the Night shall win out and the dark of the year will begin as days shorten. Mabon is the second harvest, and is a time for being thankful and grateful, a time to share with others what you have. It is a time to honor and thank the universe and the earth for what it has given you, but also to look back at what others have given you, nd what you have given yourself. Remember you reap what you sew. Mabon is the last sabbat before Samhain and the cycle begins again.

As you can see the turning of the Solar Wheel has effects on our physical as well as our mental and spiritual energies and beings. This is a brief summary keep in mind, and more can be found online and in books. Regardless of what may be written about the sabbats, remember that as with anything in magic, it’s the feelings you get, and the purpose and message you take away from the ritual that matters.

Now for the moons.

FULL MOONS

As the Solar festivals (sabbats) deal with a more physical, the Moon Rituals (Esbats) deal with more of an emotional and magical aspect. The Moons have various names and each month contains a full moon. (For more on moons and phases see the lesson on Moon Phases)

Here we will delve into each moon and its meaning and purpose in the cycle of the moon.

Jan: Wolf Moon, also known as Moon of the First Circle, Wolf Moon, Chaste Moon, Ice Moon. During this moon we turn inward looking for inner strength and inner power. This is a time of looking inward to discover who we are, what our purpose may be. It is also a time of beginnings and rebirth, for protection and purification. It can also be a good time to prepare for the changes you wish to achieve in the coming year.

Feb: Storm Moon, also known as Storm Moon, Moon of the Seer, Snow Moon, Quickening Moon. The moon of this month fights through the cold to shine enough light for us to see into our own darkness. The purpose is to see into our inner truths and overcome our inner demons. We all have them and we all have things we choose to leave in the darkness that we rather not deal with, however, burying them in the shadows does no good because eventually we return to the darkness and those demons come back to us. With the Storm Moon we are challenged to overcome and learn from our darkness.

March: Chaste Moon, also known as Moon of the Wind, Quickening Moon, Hare Moon. As the winds of change blow away the darkness of winter, we are granted the chance now to blow away those things we no longer need in our lives. This is the time of the “spring cleaning”. Strength is another symbol of this moon, discovering and embracing your own strength, as well as the evolving of ones spirit.

April: Seed Moon Also known as, Moon of Waters, See Moon, Grass Moon, Rain Moon. Can you guess what the theme is for the April Full Moon? Water is fundamental for survival. Its celebrating the life force of the universe. It is about continuing the evolution of the spirit, and growing and nurturing your soul. As nature unfolds and life comes into bloom, we open our souls and our minds, that they may grow and bloom, so we may open our minds, bodies and souls to the Gods and Goddesses and Universe that they may help us to continue to grow.

May: Hare Moon, also known as, Moon of the Faeries, Flower Moon, Milk Moon, and Merry Moon. Open your heart, reach out embrace the power around you but more importantly with in you. Now is the time of intuition and of balance, of healing and hope and pleasure. A time to connect to your spiritual energy, and to listen to that inner voice. It is a time of healing death, when you finaly put those things to rest that have caused you such strife, listening to the good and the bad of that inner voice, and growing from the bad, by turning it into something better. It is also the time of the faeries and is believed that at this time it is easy to feel the realms and the energies and magic of the realms and the faeries.

June: Lovers Moon, also known as, Moon of Life, Mead Moon, Dyad Moon, Honey Moon, and Strawberry Moon. A Time to balance your energies, your physical, mental, spiritual and emotional self, it is time to bask in the moonlight and to embrace your true self, to feel fully alive and connected, to the energies around you, but mostly to yourself, take pleasure in what is around you, in the things that have been given to you and gotten you this far. It is a time of hope and pleasure, strength and self.

July: Mead Moon, also known as, Moon of Fire, Blessing Moon, Wort Moon, Thunder Moon. Self confidence is a common theme as obviously is fire. The flame is to remind us of the spark within us all, that burns in our souls and spirits, that drives us and guides us. It is to remind us of the powers of fire, and its fundamental purpose, for warmth, to cook, to provide light and gives a since of protective energy and safety.

August: Wyrt Moon also known as, Moon of Delight, Herb Moon, Barley Moon, Corn Moon. Unity and memory are themes here. Remember the past because it has paved the road for your future. Only by seeing where you came from can you appreciate where you are now. Wisdom and preparing for the future, quiet yourself, silence your voice, quiet your mind and listen for the guidance of your guides.

Sept: Harvest Moon also known as Moon of Harvest, Grain Moon, Fruit Moon, Green Corn Moon, Truth, knowledge, and changing of life cycles. This is a time of preparing for the coming darkness, the harvest time, a time to gain the necessary energies to make it through the coming months. Time to realize the truths about ourselves and the coming months, the darkness is inevitable, a time of transformation, as the season begin to change and so do we.

October: Blood Moon also known as Moon Before The Dark, Blood Moon, Hunters Moon, Harvest Moon. We enter into the darkness of ourselves, and embrace the immortality that lies within us all. This is a magical time as October tends to be a magical month anyway, you can incorporate bits of Halloween, (Samhain) into your moon magic, so likewise, the moon reflects the dark mystery of the universe and our self. The life cycles of life death and rebirth.

Nov: Snow Moon also known as the Moon of Decent, Snow Moon, Mourning Moon, Frosty Moon. As we descend within we prepare and rest to regroup and turn our eyes inward. As winter approaches we tend to over indulge and become materialistic, so be warned of this. The moon reminds us once more of the truths and falsehoods we have come to know and wear as masks and shrouds.

Dec: Oak Moon also known as Moon of Completion, Cold Moon, Snow Moon. Take time to notice if you have met the goals for the last year that you set. Have you achieved the things you wished to or started in the direction you planned? This moon also asks you to look beyond the surface of the situation and realize, things are never as bad as they seem. As the year closes, remember that things that have happened cannot be changed, but learned from and used to help plan your future, and start making new plans or building off the old ones for the new year.

Much more information can be found in many amazing books, as well as online. Many usually will contain some form of ritual as well as to the celebration of the Sabbats and Esbats. There are of course generic rituals which serve as great outlines for your own writings, should you wish to try your hand at it. I advise looking over other rituals so that you can gain a better understanding of the sabbats, the ritual structure and activities that can take place during these festivals, as well as spells and magic designed to cater specifically to these rites.

You will discover though as you research more that many different views and practices will produce many different rituals and ways of celebrating. Do not think you are limited to just one. That’s the beauty of the craft, you can take from these the parts you like and build your own way, your own celebration. As with our coven, we tend to change up the rituals every time, our June Full moon for this year will be vastly different from the previous years, as will our Samhain rite. However, you may find passages or parts of a ritual which you love so much you want to included them year after year, or you may even be so lucky as to come across or create your own ritual that is so astounding that you need not change a thing. All of these are common.

And I cannot stress enough this point, READ, READ, READ. The more you read, the more knowledgeable you will become and the more understanding you will gain. Start a note book to keep notes, or designate a file on your computer where you wish to save things you have found. Just remember to give credit where it is do, don’t try to pass off someone else’s works as your own, not only can it be considered plagiarism, but it’s also rude (see future lesson on Witches Etiquette).

I hope this helps you to understand a bit more about the season, the cycles, the turning of the wheel and the Sabbats and esbats.

#sabbats #esbats #full moon #samhain #yule #ostara #lammas #litha #imbolc #mabon #beltane #wicca #witchcraft #wiccan ritual #witch ritual #wheel of the year

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westtexaswicca806 · 6 years ago

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The Witch of West Texas: The Spirit of Samhain.

It was around two in the morning when my friend and I decided that it was time to stop laughing our asses off and crawl underneath the warm blankets for bed. The purple string of lights draped around my altar was the only source of illumination in the room casting a soft glow from the corner. I could hear my friends soft breathing next to me lulling me closer towards slumber when I heard another voice speak in a long, heavy whisper as if it was right next to my ear,

“Ben. . . .”

My eyes immediately shot open. I could feel the blood pumping in both my ears quickly as I was suddenly awake. I would have been a bit more freaked out by my unseen visitor if this had been the first time this had occurred in my life. On a normal day, I’ll still hear my name uttered randomly by a voice with no body. They don’t usually say anything else. It mostly feels as if someone is trying to get your attention by yelling or whispering your name. In my experience, if it feels like you’re being watched, you usually are. It could be a departed loved one, a spirit guide, someone that has clung to you for whatever reason or just someone passing through. My home, no matter where I’ve lived, has always been a train station for specters throughout the years. I don’t mind because you get used to something after so long. It’s when they start overstaying their welcome do I break out some sage! It didn’t take me long to get drowsy again when it dawned on me; today was Samhain.

You don’t have to be part of the Wiccan community in order to understand how important this day is to us and the dead. The veil between our worlds is at its thinnest making it easier for spirits to roam our plane. Death and rebirth surround this sacred night. The God passes into the Underworld to be reborn again on Yule, but until then, we enter the “dark season”. The earth slowly goes dormant for winter. Everything falls off our beloved trees, our garden beds go dry and it seems like the sun goes down a lot earlier and quicker during this time. I personally have felt myself going a little dormant as well. With all the magick that I had spun this year, I too, had the desire to sleep till first signs of spring, but there was still work to be done!

When I was a kid, Halloween was such a fun time that everyone got involved in. It didn’t matter what the weather was like, kids of all ages would take to the streets in costume and have our parents drive slowly by the curb as we walked to door to door. Back in those days we didn’t have to worry about swallowing razor blades or breaking our teeth on a crack rock. Thanks to the main stream media, they’ve scared the locals of small towns everywhere into their homes on Halloween night or into the warm bosom of the local church where we’ve traded going door-to-door to asking for treats from the trunk of each other‘s cars. “Trunk or Treat” they call it. No one decorated around here and the streets remain quiet from the laughter of ghouls and goblins. Even FreeForms “31 Nights of Halloween” was a bit of a dud with Hocus Pocus being replayed over and over daily. It’s as if the spirit of the season had just vanished. What’s a little witch on living on Third St supposed to do?

I always celebrate Samhain a little differently than I did the year before with the exception of pouring a cup of black coffee next to a picture of my mother’s father on my altar. Another sign that the veil is thinning is smelling his scent more constantly in random spots of the house. It’s a combination of Brute cologne and his natural musk, as if I smell the top of his head. A lot of memories are associated with scent and that’s how I know it’s him. His body may have passed away from a heart attack, but his spirit continually checks on his children and how big his family has grown. My grandfather wouldn’t be drinking alone on this chilly morning; I also had a picture of my father’s father as well. He was another proud Texan who strongly believed in a few things: 1. The power of God 2. The love of a strong woman 3. Hard work and 4. Meat and potatoes. I see a lot of him in my own father, from his hard work ethic to the way he stares off into the distance when he’s deep in thought, which tells me that his legacy lives on even today.

I spent my sabbat in solitary and savoring the stillness that inhabited the air. It was calming, like a sigh of relief. I took a moment to reflect on my year reminiscing about how many times I crashed and burned, but ultimately stood back up in my ratty black shoes. It was humbling and I felt nothing but gratitude to be in this moment feeling more empowered than ever. Later that night, after I set my jack-o-lantern out with a pentacle carved into it and my baked pumpkin seeds on fire, I did a three card tarot spread for myself. The cards were kind to me as I was applauded for my growth this year and instructed to take this night to celebrate my accomplishments. The third card, however, reminded me that there was still a lot for me to learn and to prepare for the work ahead. I winded down the evening by lighting a handful of tea light candles and a prayer to my ancestors and those who made it possible for my existence. The life force that was flowing through my body was the result of someone else’s story that was written before me. I thought about all the faces of the ancestors that I never met and I could almost picture them daydreaming by a window on a sunny day about the big family they hope to have someday. Oh, if only they could see us now thriving!

The magick in the air began to dispel little by little as the midnight hour was approaching towards the beginning of November. I couldn’t think of a better time than now to spend with my Book of Shadows admiring how fat it had gotten with the knowledge I have gained and smiling to myself at the spells and rituals I used in the past. A warm feeling came over me that can only happen when I feel truly accomplished with myself. That feeling was quickly replaced with fright when my dog suddenly woke up from his sleep and started growling at the window that my altar was at. I looked at my open curtains and didn’t see anything, but I didn’t like the feeling that I wasn’t just looking at the dark driveway. There is a protective symbol I had traced with my finger last year that keeps unwanted things from entering the windows. I recharged them this year with Florida Water cologne, one of the most powerful tools for spiritual cleansing, blessings and protection. I couldn’t get a read on it, but I didn’t like the uneasy pit in my stomach or my agitated animal that was now barking. My first instinct was to break out the rosemary (another powerful protection tool) but I would be acting out of fear and this douche bag really didn’t know whose house he decided to make a pit stop at. The simplest way to send a spirit packing is simply be direct with it. I held up my hand with my palm facing the window and said,

“Keep moving, spirit. Only friends and family are welcome here. If you are not one or the other then move past this house. Let the candlelight guide you back to your side of the veil. You have no permission to enter this sacred space.”

I had to speak to it a second time before my pet stopped pacing the floor and growling like there was an intruder standing outside. Maybe to him, there was. I felt like he was just passing by but I wasn’t looking for any extra company tonight. I closed my B. O. S. and turned out the lights letting the candles burn out on their own and ending the day the way it began. Tomorrow would be a new month, which meant new magick to discover. That would be a plan for tomorrow, for tonight we simply rest.

Blessed Be,

-TWOWT

#wiccan #magick #westtexas #writer #texas #wicca #spirits #samhain #all hallows eve #ancestors #gratitude #dead #rebirth #writers on tumblr #writers #witchblr #witches #witchcraft

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kissed-by-aphrodite · 6 years ago

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2018 Pagan Witch Observances Calendar

JULY:

7/14-7/25 Old Norse/Icelandic Mid-Summer Althingi

Community gathering for democratic decision making. Foresti and Try, Gods of Justice and Self-Sacrifice, are honored. Toasts of mead and ale are made in honor of the Deities.

7/15eve - 7/16eve Feast of the Charities

Day to honor the Old Greek Goddesses of beneficence.

7/16eve - 7/17eve Feast of Old Greek Goddess Aphrodite

Day to honor peace and compassion.

7/20 Old Slavic festival of God Perun (The Thunderer)

He fought God Veles (the Dragon) over the affections of Goddess Solntse (the Sun), by throwing lightning bolts from the top of the World Tree.

7/27 Full Moon - Blessing Moon

This is a time to work on divination, dreamwork, and meditation. Count your blessings this month, and think about what you can do to bring more of them into your life.

7/28eve - 7/29eve Synoikia

Old Greek festival celebrating the peaceful cooperation of states. Offerings were made to Aphrodite and Eirene, Goddesses of friendship and peace.

AUGUST:

8/1 Lammas/Lughnasadh

Festival of thanksgiving for the first of the grain harvest. Celebrated by offering the first fruits of the grain harvest and prayers for sustenance for all.

8/4eve - 8/10eve Pananthenaea

Old Greek festival of Goddess Athena - as daughter of Wisdom (Goddess Metis) and font of reason.

8/7 Gaia Consciousness Day

Day to meditate on Mother Earth as a living planet.

8/11 New Moon

8/11eve - 8/12eve Metageitnion Noumenia

Old Greek festival honoring all the Gods and Goddesses. Flutes were played; prayers were said; offerings of barley, olive oil, incense, and food were burned in an offering hearth; and libations of water and wine were made.

8/13 Roman festival of Pomona

Goddess of apples and orchards.

8/14eve - 8/15eve Feast of Old Greek Deities Aphrodite and Eros

Day to honor love and passion.

8/16eve - 8/17eve Feast of Old Greek Goddess Artemis (Roman Diana/Slavic Diwitsa)

As defender of rights and liberties, and punisher of rapists and oppressors.

8/19 Vinalia

Old Roman festival of thanksgiving for the first of the grape harvest; celebrated by offering the first fruits of the grape harvest and prayers for sustenance for all.

8/22eve - 8/23eve Old Greek festival honors Athena Polias and Zeus Polios

As protectors of city and state.

8/23 Roman festival of Vulcanalia

8/23 Feast of Furies

Honoring Nemesis and the Erinyes, Old Greek Goddesses who punish murderers, abusers, and exploiters of others.

8/25 Old Roman Festival of Goddess Ops

Lady of the Cornucopia, Bounty of the Harvest, and Sustainer of Life.

8/26 Full Moon - Corn Moon

Now is a time to focus on harvesting that which you have already planted… but don’t forget, it’s important to set some of your harvest aside for the coming winter months.

SEPTEMBER:

9/9 New Moon

9/10eve - 9/11eve Boedromion Noumenia

9/12eve - 9/13eve Feast of Old Greek Goddess Athena

As protector and defender.

9/13eve - 9/14eve Feast of Old Greek Deities Aphrodite and Hermes

Day to honor the divine feminine and divine masculine in harmony.

9/14eve - 9/15eve Genesia

Old Greek festival in which offerings were made for the dead.

9/15 International Day of Democracy

Day to celebrate democratic systems of government throughout the world, bound by rule of law, principles of human rights, and civilian control. Day to affirm democracy’s capability with all peoples, all cultures, and all religions.

9/15eve - 9/16eve Feast of Old Greek Goddess Artemis (Roman Diana/Slavic Diwitsa)

As the huntress, destroyer of life.

9/21 International Day of Peace

Day to demonstrate for peace with justice throughout the world.

9/21eve - 9/22eve Demokratia

Old Greek festival celebrating democracy, constitutional government, and justice under law. Zeus Agoraios, Athena Agorais, and Themis were honored.

9/22 Mabon

Autumn Equinox - Marks the beginning of Autumn and point of equal daylight and darkness; celebrates the bounty of Mother Earth with feasting and aiding those in need.

9/22 Old Slavic Dozhinki

At the end of the grain harvest, God Jarilo/Lado betrays Goddess Morana/Lada, and he returns to the realm of the dead. Morana's anger and sadness causes the world to become dark, cold, and dead. As a God manifested in the grain, Jarilo's "death" is recognized with the last of the harvest.

9/22eve - 10/1eve Greater Eleusinian Mysteries

Old Greek festival recalling Goddess Demeter's search for Her missing daughter Kore. Devotees fasted, ritually bathed in the sea, processed by torch-light to the temple, made ritual offerings, and danced. They honored Demeter (as Mother Nature), Goddess Kore (as the harvested grain), and God Dionysos (as the harvested grape) for bringing life, death, and rebirth.

9/24 Full Moon - Harvest Moon

This is a season to celebrate hearth and home. Brew up some comfort food, begin storing your harvest for the winter, and settle in for a month of thanksgiving.

OCTOBER:

10/3 Roman Festival of Bacchus

God of vines, vegetation, and wine.

10/6eve - 10/7eve Old Greek festival honoring Gaia and the Nymphs

The Male and female Spirits of Nature

10/8 New Moon

10/8eve Old European feast of the Triple Goddess (Goddess of the Moon and the Seasons)

Marking the transformation of the Mother into the Crone.

10/8eve-10/9eve Feast of Old Greek Goddess Hekate

Who guides all through transitions and crisis.

10/9eve-10/10eve Pyanepsion Noumenia

10/11eve-10/12eve Feast of the Charites

Day to honor the Old Greek Goddesses of beneficence.

10/12eve-10/13eve Feast of Old Greek Goddess Aphrodite

Day to honor peace and compassion.

10/14eve-10/15eve Proerosia

Old Greek festival in which fruits of all the harvest were offered to Goddess Demeter.

10/14-10/28 Old Norse Winter Nights Feast

The ancestors were remembered and offerings were made to the Deities (particularly the Norns, Freyja, and the Disir) to survive the season. Toasts of mead, ale, and cider were made in honor of the Deities.

10/19eve-10/22eve Thesmophoria

Old Greek festival commemorating the transformation of Goddess Kore (Queen of the Living) into Persephone (Queen of the Dead), when She eloped to Elysium with Her partner, God Dionysos/Plouton, accompanied by Goddess Hekate and spirits of the dead. At Eleusis, Dionysos was considered the life aspect and Plouton the death aspect of the same Deity, just as Kore was considered the life aspect and Persephone the death aspect of the same Deity. Dionysos was wild, and subject to excess drinking, dancing, and sex. While Kore, Gaia, Zeus, and Helios considered Him to be a marital prize, Demeter thought otherwise. Consequently, She mourned their union by striking the Earth with famine.

10/24 Full Moon - Blood Moon

It’s the dark half of the year, and the veil between our world and the spirit world is thin. Focus on divination, communication with departed ancestors, and psychic messages this month.

10/27eve - 10/30eve Apaturia

Old Greek Festival in which newcomers and children were welcomed into the community.

10/28 - 11/3 Isia

Old Romano-Eqyptian festival recalling Set (God of Destruction) killing God Osiris; Goddess Isis mourning Him, resurrecting Him, and conceiving God Horus with Him; and Osiris becoming Lord of Amenta, realm of the dead. He weighs souls against the Feather of Truth on Goddess Maat's Scale of Justice, but defers to Isis for those who fail the test.

10/31 Samhain

The Witches’ New Year

10/31 Day to mourn the women tortured and killed as "witches" because of their independence, wealth, wisdom, or religion.

10/31eve - 11/2eve Samhain

Old Celtic/Welsh New Year and feast of Cerridwen (Goddess of Death) and Beli (the Holly King - God of the Waning Sun).

10/31eve - 11/7eve Mid-Autumn/Day of the Dead/Hallowmas

Festival marking the transformation of life to death - the end of the agricultural year, departure of migrating and hibernating animals, and decay and death of vegetal and animal life. Observed by remembering departed ancestors and contemplating one's own mortality.

NOVEMBER:

11/2 World Community Day

Day for celebrating the unity behind diversity and remembering we are all one people - all children of the one universal Deity of many names and aspects.

11/5eve - 11/6eve Khalkeia

Old Greek festival honoring Goddess Athena and God Haphaistos for their gifts of crafts and technology.

11/7 New Moon

11/8eve - 11/9eve Maimakterion Noumenia

11/11eve - 11/12eve Feast of Old Greek Deities Aphrodite and Eros

Day to Honor love and passion.

11/11 - 11/17 Old Anglo-Teutonic fast

Marking Hod (God of Darkness) unintentionally killing Balder (God of Light), and his true love Nanna (Goddess of Flowers) dying of a broken heart. The dead were honored.

11/15 Fast for an Abundant World Harvest

Day to fast and commit to action to help prevent deaths from malnourishment world-wide.

11/16 Tolerance Day

Day to promote harmony in diversity through mutual respect and understanding of all, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, nationality, or economic status.

11/22 Thanksgiving Day

Day to give thanks for the abundance of our land and for our food, clothes, shelter, and health.

11/23 Full Moon - Mourning Moon

Why not use this month to shed your bad habits and toxic relationships, and get a fresh start? Work on developing and strengthening your connection with the Divine as well.

11/30 Festival of Hecate Trivia

Honoring Hecate, a goddess of magic and sorcery.

DECEMBER:

12/1 World AIDS Day

Day to pray for healing of all those suffering with AIDS and HIV

12/5 Krampusnacht

Celebrating Krampus, a Bavarian figure who is the opposite of Santa Clause.

12/7 New Moon

12/7eve - 12/8eve Poseidon Noumenia

Old Greek Festival honoring all the Gods and Goddesses. Flutes were played; prayers were said; offerings of barley, olive oil, incense, and food were burned in an offering hearth; and libations of water and wine were made.

12/9eve - 12/10eve Feast of Old Greek Goddess Athena

As protector and defender.

12/10eve - 12/11eve Feast of Old Greek Deities Aphrodite and Hermes

Day to honor the divine feminine and divine masculine in harmony.

12/13 Feast of the Light-bringer

Honoring Goddess as Juno Lucina (Old Roman) & Lucia (Old Swedish); merged with the Christian feast of St. Lucia.

12/14eve - 12/15eve Feast of God Poseidon, Goddess Amphitrite, and all Old Greek Gods and Goddesses of the seas

12/17 - 12/23 Saturnalia/Opalia

Old Roman festival honoring God Saturn (the weak Sun) & Goddess Ops (the fallow Earth); celebrated with gift-giving, revelry, and abolishment of all class distinctions.

12/21 Yule/Winter Solstice/Solar New Year

Marks the beginning of Winter and the shortest day and longest night of the year; celebration of the darkness with dancing near the hearth fire.

12/21 - 12/22 Old European Festival of Evergreen Trees

Merged into International Arbor Day. Celebrated by planting trees and hanging wreaths (symbols of eternal life).

12/21 - 12/25 Old Romano-Egyptian festival of Goddess Isis giving birth to God Horus.

12/21eve - 12/25eve Rustic Dionysia

Old Greek festival honoring God Dionysos as patron of drama, poetry, music, and inspiration. Actors performed sacred drama, poets recited hymns, musicians played instruments, singers sang songs, and dancers danced.

12/22 Full Moon - Long Nights Moon

Now is a good season for spiritual alchemy. It’s time to evaluate your life, and know that you’ll survive the dark times. If you’ve already put the darkness behind you, take your good fortune and share it with others.

12/25eve - 12/26eve Old Greek festival in which offerings were made to the Wind Gods of the eight directions.

12/25 - 1/5 Yule

Old Anglo-Teutonic festival honoring Freyr and Freyja (Deities of Fertility) and the newborn Balder (God of Light), son of Frigga and Odin. Celebrated with evergreens, fires, and feasting.

12/25 Feast of Frau Holle

Germanic goddess

12/31 Feast of Father Time (Old Roman Saturn)

Who ultimately overcomes us all.

12/31 Festival of Hogmanay

#2018 pagan calendar #pagan calendar #hellenic #hellenic polytheism #hellenic pagan #hellenic pagan witch #hellenic witch #witchcraft #witch community #wheel of the year #masterlist

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swordandstafforder · 4 years ago

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Introduction

Is Halloween just a continuation of Samhain? Are Christians accidental Pagans by participating in things such as trick or treating and dressing in costumes? Should Christians partake in celebrating Halloween?

These types of questions are questions that I seem to be receiving more of the longer I’m in the ministry. Christians seem to be truly confused on the topic of Halloween.

Usually, around this time every year, I share a short article called Concerning Halloween by James B. Jordan. I have always appreciated Jordan’s brief, reasoned defense for why Christians can consider celebrating Halloween. However, this year I wanted to take a stab (Get it?) at writing my own that is a little more contextual to the questions and objections I’ve received. I also want to engage with some of the more recent things I’ve come across over the years as well.

Samhain

So, to begin, we must answer the question: Is Halloween just a continuation of the pagan harvest festival Samhain (Pronounced SOW-IN, not SAM-HAIN)?

The short answer is no.

Samhain was an ancient festival with Celtic origins that marked the end of the harvest year and welcomed in the dark half of the year. It has traditionally been celebrated from October 31st to November 1st.

It was believed by the ancient Celts that during this season the point or veil between the seen and unseen realms became thin. Because of this thinning, this meant that the spirits could easily cross between the realms and could enter our world.

The ancient Celts felt the need to please the spirits that crossed over in order to ensure that their families and livestock did not die during the harsh coming winter. The Celts would offer up food and drink for the spirits, and occasionally an animal was sacrificed to appease them as well. It was also believed that the souls of the departed were believed to revisit their homes seeking hospitality. In some cases, a place setting of food or drink was put on the dining table in anticipation of the visit. Mumming or wearing disguises were part of the festival and involved people going door to door in costume or disguise, reciting verse in exchange for food.

While it is clear that Samhain and Halloween share at least some connection points such as dates, an emphasis on disguises or costumes, and harvest decoration, that’s about all they have in common. No one celebrating Halloween is celebrating for the purpose of welcoming in the dark half of the year. Nor, are they making sacrifices to appease spirits because of the metaphysical belief that the veil between the seen and unseen realms is thin.

All Saints Hallows Eve

So then, if Halloween, as we know it today, isn’t necessarily continuation of Samhain, then where does it find its origins?

The answer, surprisingly, is with Old Mother Church.

Halloween was never a pagan festival. It has always been distinctly Christian. Indeed, even the name “Halloween” is a contraction of “All Hallows Eve” which was the night before “All Saints Day.”

Steven Wedgeworth brilliantly notes this in further detail in his article Halloween: It’s Creation and Recreation. He writes:

“Halloween, as its name should make clear, has a distinctively Christian genealogy. Nicholas Rogers, in his book Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night (a title more sensational than its text), explains: “…[Samhain] did not offer much in the way of actual ritual practices… Most of these developed in conjunction with the medieval holy days of All Souls’ and All Saints’ Day” (22). The name “Halloween” is, as is well known, a contraction of “All Hallows’ Eve,” the night before All Saints’ Day, but we have to take into account the series of All Hallows’ Eve, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day to form the entire picture. Each of these days, in slightly different ways, celebrated the Christian departed and established the memorialization of the dead as a key part of Halloween.”

Not only are Samhain and Halloween different in terms of origins (Samhain being of Pagan origins and Halloween being of Ecclesiastical origins), but also the intention behind the practices on the days are different as well. Again, while it is clear that Samhain and Halloween share at least some connection points such as dates, an emphasis on disguises or costumes, and harvest decoration, the intention behind the practices is entirely different. And, that’s important. Intention is always important.

James Jordan in his article Concerning Halloween expands on the intentions behind the practices of the Christian Holiday of Halloween. He writes:

“The Biblical day begins in the preceding evening, and thus in the Church calendar, the eve of a day is the actual beginning of the festive day. Christmas Eve is most familiar to us, but there is also the Vigil of Holy Saturday that precedes Easter Morn. Similarly, All Saints’ Eve precedes All Saints’ Day.

The concept, as dramatized in Christian custom, is quite simple: On October 31, the demonic realm tries one last time to achieve victory, but is banished by the joy of the Kingdom.

What is the means by which the demonic realm is vanquished? In a word: mockery. Satan’s great sin (and our great sin) is pride. Thus, to drive Satan from us we ridicule him. This is why the custom arose of portraying Satan in a ridiculous red suit with horns and a tail. Nobody thinks the devil really looks like this; the Bible teaches that he is the fallen Arch-Cherub. Rather, the idea is to ridicule him because he has lost the battle with Jesus and he no longer has power over us.

(The tradition of mocking Satan and defeating him through joy and laughter plays a large role in Ray Bradbury’s classic novel, Something Wicked This Way Comes, which is a Halloween novel.)

The gargoyles that were placed on the churches of old had the same meaning. They symbolized the Church ridiculing the enemy. They stick out their tongues and make faces at those who would assault the Church. Gargoyles are not demonic; they are believers ridiculing the defeated demonic army.

Thus, the defeat of evil and of demonic powers is associated with Halloween. For this reason, Martin Luther posted his 95 challenges to the wicked practices of the Church to the bulletin board on the door of the Wittenberg chapel on Halloween. He picked his day with care, and ever since Halloween has also been Reformation Day.

Similarly, on All Hallows’ Eve (Hallow-Even ‘ Hallow-E’en ‘ Halloween), the custom arose of mocking the demonic realm by dressing children in costumes. Because the power of Satan has been broken once and for all, our children can mock him by dressing up like ghosts, goblins, and witches. The fact that we can dress our children this way shows our supreme confidence in the utter defeat of Satan by Jesus Christ ‘ we have no fear!”

Once one begins to understand the origins of Halloween, it becomes quite clear that there’s nothing sinister happening here. Subversion and appropriation? Sure. Seeking to view everything, including the seasons in light of the Lordship of Christ? Absolutely. But, accidental paganism? Not a chance. These things are two entirely different beasts, with two entirely different purposes, and two entirely different origin stories.

The Lordship of Christ Over The Seasons

Now at this point, I want to anticipate some arguments I am likely to receive and offer some counter arguments.

Some have argued that while it’s okay for God to mock His enemies, it’s unbiblical for Christians to mock Satan.

However, the problem is that it does not take into account the fact that we have been united to Christ (Rom. 5:1–5), and Christ is Lord over everything, including the seasons and His enemies (Col. 1:15–23). Because of our union with Him, we share in an organic union with Him in the same way that branches share in organic union with the vine (John 15:1–8), and in the same way that the body shares in organic union with the head (Col. 1:18). We are one. Also, because of our union with Him, we also share in His rule and reign. Paul literally tells Timothy that we will reign with Christ (2 Tim. 2:11–13). So then, if Christ mocks His enemies (And He does), then it follows that we share in His mockery of them as well. And, if He is Lord over the seasons (And He is), then it follows that we ought to do all that we can to subvert them for the Kingdom of Light.

A second argument offered (and the most common objection to Christians celebrating Halloween) is that Christians should have nothing to do with anything that may have pagan overtones or connections.

However, there are various problems with this.

The first problem with this argument is that it seeks to abandon things to the Kingdom of Darkness. It gives too much ground to the enemy. This is not the way that Chrisitianity has historically functioned. Because of Christ’s Lordship over everything, Christians have always sought to bring all things under His feet. Even pagan thought, if it could be redeemed.

The way that Christianity has historically done this is through the paradigm of bless, baptize, or burn.

In practice, when Christianity encountered pagan thought that was true, it blessed and accepted it, for all truth is God’s truth. When it encountered pagan thought that could be redeemed and used to extend the Lordship of Christ, it baptized it and accepted it. When it encountered pagan thought that could not be blessed or redeemed, it burned it and did not accept it.

Commenting further on this paradigm in his book Back to Virtue, Peter Kreeft writes, “From the beginning there were three different attitudes on the part of Christians to the pagan world in general. (1) Uncritical synthesis, (2) critical synthesis, (3) criticism and anti-synthesis. Christian thinkers accepted either (1) all, (2) some, or (3) none of the Greek ideals. . . The greatest and mainstream Christians like Augustine and Aquinas, took the second way . . .”

A second issue with this argument is that it simply isn’t what we see in Scripture. It appears that it wasn’t just Augustine and Aquinas who took the second way, but also the Apostles themselves.

The first example I’ll point to here can be found with the Apostle John and his use of the term Logos. If you are unaware, Logos was a greek pagan category that was used by the Stoics. The Stoics believed that there was a Logos which was the ordering principle of the world. The problem however, was that the Logos was unknowable. John, however, in John 1:1–5 baptized this greek pagan category by telling his readers that there is indeed a Logos who is the ordering principle of the world. However, contrary to what the Stoics said, the Logos — who is Lord over all of creation — is knowable because He has revealed Himself by taking on flesh and dwelling among us. His name is Christ Jesus.

The second example can be found with the Apostle Paul addressing the Areopagus at Mars Hill in Acts 17:22–34. In this scene, Paul makes his way to the Areopagus, stands in their midst, and beings preaching to the men of Athens. Paul says as he was passing through considering their objects of worship, he found an altar with the inscription TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Paul, then, took this category of the unknown God, baptized it, and proceeded to tell them that The One whom they were worshipping without knowing was the True God, the Lord of Heaven and Earth — The God of Israel. He then critically synthesizes and quotes a the semi-mythical poet Epimenides and the Stoic philosopher Cleanthes to drive his points home even further. Christ is Lord not only over Hebrews, but the Greeks too. It’s just like their own poets said — “in Him we live and move and have our being, and we are his offspring.”

A third problem with this argument is that engaging with things that may have pagan connections does not make one an accidental pagan. This is just plain superstition.

Lets say for the sake of argument that Halloween is pagan (It’s not, as I’ve already demonstrated).

Even if it were, one cannot accidentally become a pagan anymore than one can accidentally become a Christian. Things just don’t work that way. As I said above, intentions matter.

I hope that after these few examples that it’s clear that if Christians should have nothing to do with anything that may have Pagan overtones or connections, then John 1:1–5 and Paul’s sermon at the Aeropagus would not exist. But, however, they do exist. And, it’s because Christians over the centuries have taken the call to extending the Lordship of Christ seriously. This is a vocation we must pick back up. The crown rights of King Jesus must be proclaimed over every area of life — Even the seasons. And, for these reasons Christians can feel confident in baptizing pagan ideas and concepts they come across for the purpose of extending Christ’s Lordship over every area of life.

Conclusion

So then, that leaves us with the question: Should Christians celebrate Halloween? Ultimately, I believe the answer is a matter of conscience.

Personally, I have no issues celebrating Halloween. Not only do I believe that it’s a practical and effective way of extending the Lordship of Christ over the seasons, but I also believe that it’s also a great way to live a life that’s on mission.

Halloween is one of the last communal holidays we have in our culture. It’s not often that folks from the neighborhood come to our doors anymore. So, we view it as an opportunity to model gospel-hospitality and to ask the question “do you know why we’re celebrating this as Christians?”

This question leads us right into the heart of the Gospel message — That Jesus took on flesh, that He lived the perfect live we could never life, that He died for our sins, that He rose again from the grave on the third day, and that He also vanquished the Kingdom of Darkness by triumphing over His enemies and putting them to open shame.

As people who are united to Jesus, we’re called to take part in this victory. It’s not just Jesus’ victory. It’s ours too!

So with that in mind, lets tell our families the Christian history and meaning behind Halloween. Lets dress up. Lets mock the enemy. Lets sing imprecatory Psalms (Psalm 2 is a good one). Lets remember the great cloud of witnesses made up of the saints that have passed on to the unseen realm before us. Lets model hospitality to our neighbors. And, lets invite them into the celebration too.

Lets be Christians that do what Christians have always done for centuries, which is take ground for the Kingdom.

Happy Halloween.

#Halloween #Chritianity #Jesus #God #Holy Spirit #Pagan #Paranormal

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cannawitchcreations · 8 years ago

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Edible Magickal Flowers and Folk Lore

The culinary use of flowers dates back thousands of years to the Chinese, Greeks and Romans. Many cultures use flowers in their traditional cooking, medicine, and magick.

Adding flowers to your food can be a nice way to add color, flavor and a little magickal whimsy. Some are spicy, and some herbaceous, while others are floral and fragrant. The range is surprising. Flower petals can be used in salads and as garnish for desserts, but they also inspire magickal creative uses as well. Use them to make floral spirit water for rituals, as a medicinal tea, or add to a healing spell or love potion…. the possibilities are endless.

TIPS FOR SAFE AND TASTY DINING:

Not all flowers are edible (those listed below are safe for consumption) - As lovely as eating flowers can be, some can also be a little … deadly, so only eat flowers you know to be consumable — if you are uncertain, consult a reference book on edible flowers and plants. (Always refer to the botanical name when verifying whether a flower is safe to eat.)

Just because a flower is edible doesn't mean it will taste good. Some will be more to your liking than others -- it's all a matter of taste. Keep in mind that the stamen, pistil and sepal of some blossoms are bitter and can contain pollen that may detract from the true flavor of the flower. Consuming only the petals will further heighten the appeal factor.

Eat flowers you have grown yourself, or know to be safe for consumption. Flowers from the florist or nursery have probably been treated with pesticides or other chemicals.

Do not eat roadside flowers or those picked in public parks. Both may have been treated with pesticide or herbicide, and roadside flowers may be polluted by car exhaust.

Eat only the petals, and remove pistils and stamens before eating.

If you suffer from allergies, introduce edible flowers gradually, as they may exacerbate allergies.

To keep flowers fresh, place them on moist paper towels and refrigerate in an airtight container. Some will last up to 10 days this way. Ice water can revitalize limp flowers.

1, Allium All blossoms from the allium family (leeks, chives, garlic, garlic chives) are edible and flavorful. Flavors run the gamut from delicate leek to robust garlic. Every part of these plants is edible. Garlic is masculine in nature and associated with the planet Mars, the element fire and the sign Aries. It is sacred to Hecate and is a suitable offering to her left at a crossroads. Garlic has antibiotic properties, but should not be used directly on wounds or in poultices or salves because it can be irritating to the skin and may inhibit blood clotting.

2. Angelica Depending on the variety, flowers range from pale lavender-blue to deep rose and have a licorice-like flavor. Believed to have originated in Syria, angelica is now found just about everywhere. In ancient times it was used to ward off the plague and evil and as a cure for poison and… well, just about everything else. Angelica is associated with the angels Michael and Gabriel. It is aligned with the sun and the element of fire and sacred to Venus. Angelica tea is useful for colic, gas, indigestion, hepatitis, heartburn, nausea, ulcers and various other digestive ailments.

3. Anise Hyssop Both flowers and leaves have a subtle anise or licorice flavor. Anise is one of the oldest known plants that were grown for both culinary and medicinal use. Anise is associated with the element of air, the God Apollo, the planets Mercury and Jupiter, and the astrological sign Gemini. Anise is also considered masculine. 4. Basil Blossoms come in a variety of colors, from white to pink to lavender; flavor is similar to the leaves, but milder. The word Basil comes from the Greeks, meaning "King". Basil is sacred to Vishnu, Tulasi and Erzulie, masculine in nature, and associated with the element of fire and the planet Mars. Basil helps steady the mind, brings happiness, love, peace, and money and protects against insanity.

5. Calendula / Marigold A great flower for eating, calendula blossoms are peppery, tangy, and spicy — and their vibrant golden color adds a dash of magick to any dish. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all loved calendula and used it for culinary and healing purposes. During the medieval period it was considered a cure for just about everything. Marigold is associated with the Sun. Calendula symbolizes love and constancy. It is great for wedding bouquets and decorations. It is the traditional "he loves me, he loves me not" flower and is useful for love potions. Dried petals can be strewn to consecrate an area or burned in consecration incense. They are also a good addition to dream pillows.

6. Carnations Petals are sweet, once trimmed away from the base. The blossoms taste like their sweet, perfumed aroma. In ancient Rome, carnations were known as “Jove’s Flower” as a tribute to their beloved king of the gods, Jupiter. Carnations are masculine, associated with the Sun and Jupiter, and with the element fire. Those things that fall under the rule of Jupiter are ideal for use in magickal applications related to luck, money, good fortune, status, legal matters, fertility, friendship, ambition, career, success and protection. The flowers can be used to lend strength in healing applications. The practitioner can also use carnation essential oils to increase health and vigor.

7. Chamomile Small and daisy like, the flowers have a sweet flavor and are often used in tea. Ragweed sufferers may be allergic to chamomile. The Romans used Chamomile for incense. Chamomile was used in ancient Egypt for fevers and was dedicated to their Sun God Ra. Chamomile is associated with the sun, Leo and the element of water. It helps cleanse and invigorate the throat chakra (5th). It is associated with various Sun Gods, including Cernunnos, Lugh and others. It is used in spells for money, peace, love, tranquility and purification.

8. Chrysanthemum / Mum A little bitter, mums come in a rainbow of colors and a range of flavors range from peppery to pungent. Use only the petals. In Celtic folklore, chrysanthemums in the garden were considered a meeting place for the faeries. Chrysanthemum is masculine in nature and resonates with the energy of the Sun and the element of fire. Chrysanthemum has been used for burial rituals and is a suitable decoration for Samhain and for ancestral altars. The dried flower heads of chrysanthemum can be burned during house blessings ceremonies.

9. Dandelion The bright yellow flowers should be gathered as soon as they open. Remove the green bits from the base of the flower before using. These can be added to wines, vinegar or jellies. The name dandelion comes from the French, “dent de lion” which means "tooth of the lion". The dandelion is masculine in action and associated with the planet Jupiter, the element of air and both Pisces and Sagittarius. It is also associated with any solar deity, Hecate, Brigid and Belenos. A tea of the flowers and leaves may be consumed to increase psychic ability, while pouring boiling water over a bowlful of roots will aid in calling spirits. You can also make a wish and blow the seeds off a dandelion head.

10. Lavender Sweet, spicy, and perfumed, the flowers are a great addition to both savory and sweet dishes. Some of the earliest recorded uses of lavender are by the Roman soldiers who used the wild-growing plant to perfume their bathwater and wash their clothes. Lavender is masculine in action and associated with Mercury. It is also associated with the element of air and the astrological sign Virgo. It may be used as an asperging herb (to sprinkle water for purification purposes) and dried lavender sticks or wands can be burnt like incense. It is also useful in spells to sharpen the mind, to encourage or strengthen pure love and to encourage fertility. The scent of lavender is relaxing and uplifting all at once making it a great aromatherapy for stressed out or depressed individuals. Try adding some lavender oil to your bath or add it to mild oil for a relaxing massage at the end of a hard day. Stuffing a pillow with lavender buds may help insomniacs relax and fall asleep and soothes headaches.

11. Oregano The flowers are a pretty, subtle version of the leaf. Oregano is ruled by Venus and the element of air and associated with Aphrodite. It is used in spells for happiness, tranquility, luck, health, protection and letting go of a loved one. It can also be used in spells to deepen existing love. When worn on the head during sleep, it is said to promote psychic dreams. Oregano symbolizes joy. Use it for rituals celebrating joyful occasions, or in spells to bring joy into one's life.

12. Rose Remove the white, bitter base and the remaining petals have a strongly perfumed flavor perfect for floating in drinks or scattering across desserts, and for a variety of jams. All roses are edible, with flavor more pronounced in darker varieties. From the time of Solomon, the rose has been the flower most closely linked with love. The rose was sacred to Venus, the Roman goddess of love, and was connected to her messenger, Cupid. Roses have been cultivated for over 5,000 years. Roses are associated with Aphrodite, Adonis and Eros. Rosewater is a protective agent worn on clothes. Rose petals can be added to charms against the evil eye.

13. Rosemary Flowers taste like a milder version of the herb; nice used as a garnish on dishes that incorporate rosemary. The word Rosmarinus is from the Latin meaning "dew of the sea". Rosemary is also associated with Aphrodite and appears in many ancient images of Her. Rosemary was used to ward off evil spirits and nightmares. The wood was used to make musical instruments. Rosemary is male in nature and ruled by Leo, the element fire and the sun (or Moon, depending who you ask). It's sacred to Hebe, Aphrodite and the Virgin Mary. Rosemary can be used in spells for fidelity and remembrance as well as to dispel jealousy. Rosemary is useful for ritual baths, and for making sacred herbal water for ritual cleansing, blessing and purification. Bathing in rosemary will enhance your memory.

14. Sage Blossoms have a subtle flavor similar to the leaves. Sage is a hardy perennial of the mint family. The Romans regarded sage quite highly and much sacrifice and ceremony was associated with its harvest. They believed it stimulated the brain and memory and used it to clean their teeth. Sage is masculine in nature and associated the element of air and the planet Jupiter. Sage is sacred to the Greek Zeus and Roman Jupiter. It is also a symbol of the Virgin Mary. Sage is used in magical workings for immortality, longevity, wisdom, protection and the granting of wishes. Sage is also believed to help alleviate sorrow of the death of a loved one.

15. Sunflower Petals can be eaten, and the bud can be steamed like an artichoke. Sunflower is associated with the sun and all solar deities. Its essence helps balance the first chakra and also helps with confidence in leadership roles. Sunflower oil can be used as carrier oil for healing oils used in massages and ointments.

16. Violets Another famous edible flower, violets are floral, sweet and beautiful as garnishes. Use the flowers in salads and to garnish desserts and drinks. In Roman mythology, violets were said to be lesser goddesses who once dared to rival the beauty of Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty. Violets are affiliated with the planet Venus or Pluto and are associated with the nymphs of ancient Greek myths. Violets are also associated with death and rebirth through the story of Attis. Violets are useful in love spells and may be carried as an amulet to increase one's luck in love. Try combining them with lavender for an enhanced effect.

Sources: HerbalRiot, Cheralyndarcey, Witches of the Craft, Inspirationforthespirit, Witchipedia

#CannawitchCreations #cannawitch #Herbal Medicine #herbal magick #herbal witchcraft #flower magic #witchblr #witches of tumblr #cannabis witch #hippie witch #Stoner Witch #spellcraft #folklore #magick #witches cupboard

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phynxrizng · 7 years ago

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6 SIGNS IT'S GETTING CLOSE TO SAMHAIN

PAGAN 6 Signs It’s Getting Close To Samhain

OCTOBER 8, 2015 BY JOHN BECKETT

Our ancestors didn’t need a calendar to tell them Samhain was getting close – they could read the signs. People have been reading signs in the wider world for at least as long as we’ve been human. This requires no great psychic skills – anyone can do it, if you pay close attention over a long period of time. Many things that happen regularly happen in a particular order, and while correlation is not causation it’s good enough for predictive purposes.

We’ve lost much of the wisdom and lore of our pre-Christian ancestors, and in any case we live in a very different world. But even in here in urban and suburban North America, there are signs that let us know it’s getting close to Samhain.

For any readers who are new to Paganism (especially those who found this blog through Sunday’s post on gun violence), Samhain is pronounced “SOW-en” – it’s an Old Irish word meaning “summer’s end.” It’s not pronounced “SAM-hane” and there never was a “Samhane Lord of the Dead” – that’s a early modern literary error that was sensationalized by evangelical scaremongers. Jason Mankey wrote a very good piece on the history of Samhain last year. In contemporary Paganism, it’s the final harvest festival, celebrated on October 31. It’s a time to remember our ancestors and a time to contemplate death and what comes afterward.

Some of the signs that Samhain is getting close are silly and border on offensive, but they’re still signs that Samhain is coming. Fortunately, there are deep, serious, spiritual signs we can look for as well.

First, here are three silly signs it’s getting close to Samhain.

1. Christmas decorations in Wal-Mart. Like the ridiculous articles you see on Facebook and say “please tell me this is The Onion,” I wish I was joking here. I’m not. I pulled into a local Wal-Mart last Saturday (where else are you going to go for large plastic tubs?) and saw 15 shipping containers sitting in the parking lot. My fears were confirmed when I got inside and saw artificial Christmas trees for sale – on October 3.

I’m old enough to remember when Christmas sales started on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Then it was after Halloween. Now we’re barely past the Autumn Equinox and it’s starting already.

Christian friends, please reclaim your holy day from the moneychangers.

2. An onslaught of bad horror movies. Yes, this has more to do with Halloween than Samhain, but it’s still a sign we’re getting close. I love gothic horror and have ever since I first heard Bela Lugosi say “I am… Dracula.” But for every good movie, there seem to be twenty that look like they were written by someone who thinks plot is only found in cemeteries.

This year’s big Hollywood offering is The Last Witch Hunter, a movie whose tag line says “The last witch hunter is all that stands between humanity and the combined forces of the most horrifying witches in history.” Why no, that’s not offensive to contemporary witches who struggle against religious discrimination, or to the memory of those who were tortured and killed because people thought they were witches.

I’ll probably see it anyway <sigh>.

3. The mainstream media remembers Pagans. Paganism is practiced year-round like every other religion, but the mainstream media seems to think we only come out in October. We still see “meet the Pagans” pieces that present us as curiosities. Those might have been appropriate 20 years ago, but today they’re just condescending. I want to see a newspaper covering a public Samhain circle the way they cover Easter Sunday at a Catholic church or a live nativity scene at a Baptist church.

If you get a call from a reporter, remember their goal isn’t to tell your story honestly and fairly, it’s to tell an interest-grabbing story, and many aren’t above exploiting an unsuspecting Pagan for a sensational piece. Contrary to the old saying, bad publicity is often worse than no publicity. If you’re not convinced this reporter will present you in a good light, just say no.

Those are three silly signs of Samhain. Now here are three serious signs Samhain is getting close.

1). The Dark Half is growing. The days have been shorter than the nights since the Autumn Equinox two weeks ago. Now the change is evident: the sun is low enough to be in your eyes on your drive home, it’s rising further and further south every day, and the temperatures are dropping. My evening prayers, which were said in bright sunlight just a few weeks ago, are now said in shadows. Before long they’ll be done in artificial light. Summer’s End is getting close, even here in Texas.

In an agricultural society this would be a signal that work is slowing down. Instead, we’re gearing up for the “holiday season.” But our reading of the signs reminds us there will eventually come a time when our work is no more. What is hidden away causes fear and anxiety – let’s bring Death out into the open and explore the great transition we will all someday make.

2. The Veil Between the Worlds grows thin. Samhain is the season when the world of the living and the world of the Gods and ancestors draw near, and sometimes overlap. The Veil between them becomes thin and porous, and even those of us who aren’t particularly skilled at such things can hear, see, and experience the Otherworld.

Are your dreams more vivid and more meaningful, even if they’re as elusive as always come morning? Is your intuition sharper, your inexplicable feelings you should do this or must not do that stronger? Are your meditations clearer and your sense of the presence of the land spirits more certain? Samhain is getting close.

Perhaps you have trouble seeing these signs. That’s not surprising – you probably have trouble recognizing subtle changes in weather, vegetation, and animal behavior too. We aren’t taught these things any more, and those of us are particularly adept at them are told we’re imagining things or that it doesn’t make any difference.

Pay attention to your dreams and intuitions. Take notes and review them from time to time. Things that happen regularly usually happen in a particular order and in particular patterns. You won’t become skilled in a week or a month or maybe even a year, but with diligent practice, eventually you’ll be able to read these signs as well as you can read the more obvious and silly ones.

3. Our ancestors draw near. Perhaps after death we live on in the Otherworld. Perhaps we’re reincarnated into another body. Perhaps the essence of who we are merges into the Universe, just as our bodies return to the Earth from whence they came. I have my favorite theories, but in the end, we don’t know.

But this we do know: that which is remembered lives.

At Samhain we remember our ancestors. We remember our grandmothers and grandfathers, our ancestors we knew in life or that we know from the stories told about them. We remember our ancestors of spirit, the teachers and friends who influenced our lives even though we do not share their blood. We remember, as best we can, those ancestors we never knew but whose deeds form a foundation on which we build our lives.

We remember and they draw near, and we experience their presence once again.

Samhain is coming. The calendar says so and so do the signs. May your observances and celebrations be powerful and blessed.

SOURCE, PATHEOS PAGAN.COM/John Beckett

Reposted by, PHYNXRIZNG

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littlehippiewitch · 3 years ago

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Samhain

An ancient Pagan celebration marking the end of the harvest season and the start of the long, dark winter months. This is why it’s often referred to as the witch’s new year!

*If you suffer from seasonal depression or other mental illnesses this is especially useful.

Performing a house cleansing and blessing allows you to have an open house space for you ancestors you are accepting to come back, as well as protection from any spirits you want to keep out.

To do so,

1. Physically clean your house.

When your cleansing and blessing is complete, Grant yourself a few quiet moments to reflect on this experience. Sleep soundly and perform your intuitive work confidently during this season, knowing that your house has been cleansed, blessed, and protected.

All Hallows’ Eve is a time to commemorate our ancestors and beloved dead to thank them for who we are because of them.

If you want to take time to honor loved ones who have died, you can set up an altar with decorations, photos and other mementos or items.

A simple ritual to connect with your loved ones,

Write them a letter, burn the letter and the collect the ashes in a jar to carry with you. They will receive your letter and you will have it with you for some good luck from them in the new year.

Your altar is a great place to give an offering to any loved ones who’ve crossed over. An offering to your ancestors could be as simple as pictures of them or favorite foods and drinks.

Offer a prayer to ancestors that have gone before you, an invocation to a deity that is important to you, or both.

A Samhain ancestor prayer:

Hail the ancestors

You who walked the path

Who lit the way before us

Who gave the first sacrifice

———————————————————

May your road be clear

As you return this day

May we stand tall with you

Making you proud in our work

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You stood against oppression

You lifted up the downtrodden

You welcomed the stranger

We pray we have your strength

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Ancestors we see you!

Ancestors we honor you!

🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀

Some food to make for this special occasion:

Soul cakes:

(Shortbread)

•1 Stick of butter

•4 tbs sugar

•1 1/2 C flour

•1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream together butter, vanilla & sugar

Slowly add in flour and mix until smooth

Divide in two parts and shape into flat circles 1/2 inch thick

Place on a greased cookie sheet

Poke lines with a fork

Cut 8 wedges in each cake

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes

Herb rolls:

•1 tsp active dry yeast

•pinch sugar

•1/2 tsp salt

•4 tsp melted butter

•1 C warm water

•2 1/2 C flour

•1/2 tsp garlic 2 1/2 tsp herbs of choice (I use rosemary, thyme, and basil)

•2 tsp vegetable oil

Combine yeast, sugar, salt, 2 tsp butter & water allow yeast to activate 5-10 min

Stir in 1 C flour, herbs, then remaining flour, make sure to mix in slowly.

Turn onto floured surface knead 5-8 min.

Oil bowl, add dough, cover with damp cloth & rise 1 hr.

Remove dough, fold a few times. Twist off knobs, shape.

Place on greased baking sheet (barely touching)

Rise 45 minutes more.

Bake on 350 for 30 min or until golden brown.

*if dough is sticky GRADUALLY add more flour don’t make it dry.

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Some Samhain symbolism:

Colors: Black, brown, silver, purple, red, yellow, gold, orange, green, white.

Foods: Apples, pumpkins, meat, pears, dark wine, cider, root vegetables, teas, grains, hazelnuts.

Stones: Smoky quartz, onyx, obsidian, pyrite, amber, carnelian, turquoise, Apache tears.

Symbols: bat, cat, blackbird, cauldron, broomstick, jack-o-lantern, mirror, pumpkin, skull, tombstone, ancestor photo book.

Flowers & Herbs: Calendula, sunflowers, wild gingseng, wormwood, mugwort, allspice, cinnamon, rosemary, sage, apple leaves.

Deities: Ishtar, Horned God, Orsis, Loki, Persephone, Cerrunnos, Dionysus.

Incense: Rosemary, sandalwood, sweet grass, copal.

——————————————————————

Blessed Samhain Witches!

May all your days forward be abundantly blessed! 🖤

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macmorrighan · 8 years ago

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Spikenard Sorcery

Spikenard, European* (Nardostachys jatamansi)

Planetary Signature: Mercury/ Venus/ Saturn

Astrological Signature: Virgo/ Capricorn

Elemental Signature: Earth

Parts Used: root, essential oil, and hydrosol

Folk-Names: Jatamansi (“Locks-of-Hair”), Kalīkā (Sanskrit), Lardu (Akkad), Muskroot, Nalada or Narada (Sanskrit), Naladeem (“Nectar”), Nard, Nardā (Armenian), Nārdīn (Parsee), Nárdos (Greek), Nardostachys, Nardus (Dutch), Narduskruid (Dutch), Nērd (Hebrew), Spignel, Sumbul (“Spike”)

Herb-Lore & Magick: The common name is an Anglicination of spīca nardī, the Latin term for the plant. This, of course, led to the derivation of the second element within the genus-name, which was derived from stáchus, and refers to “stakes” or “heads of corn”—a reference to the diminuitive stalk-like shape of the plant. However, the principle element of the genus-name, Nard- generally signifies anything possessing an agreeable fragrance, which gave rise to the Sanskrit and related folk-names, nalada or naleem, meaning “lotus” or “scent”, in deference to the essential oils extracted from the roots. The species-name, however, is a compound Sanskrit word that derives from the terms jaṭā and māṇśī, which means “matted hair” and “(cut) meat,” respectively. The former term serves as a clear reference to the fibrous appearance of the root, while the latter is an allusion to the stringy texture of prepared meat.

In India, the matted hair signified by the root of this herb is traditionally entwined about the crown of the head so as to project from the brow like a horn. Those renowned for wearing their hair in this fashion are the Hindu god Śiva, the aescetics, and those in mourning. Likewise, the Vaishnavas, devotes of Krishna—an incarnation of the supreme Hindu god, Viṣhṇu—saw in the matted form of these roots the same matted locks worn by their own savior-god. The matted roots of this herb also recall the wild appearance of the Hindu creator-and-destroyer goddess, Kālī Ma—an emanation of the principle Hindu mother-goddess, Durga—whose name, meaning “black” or “time,” signified the Vedic concepts of nihilism, which is also present in the word kalīkā, another Sanskrit term used to denote this herb. The term kalīkā also refers to a young woman, or one to whom menstruation has recently commenced. The fibrous nature of the root has also led the spikenard root to being etymologically linked to the Hindu horse-demon Keśī, who is renowned for his long hair or mane. The deities, Krishna, Parvati, and Durga (the consort of Śiva) are each said to have been related to the spikenard through an etymological relationship with the Sanskrit term, jaṭā.

Spikenard also yields an association with the Hindu gods Agni and Soma—perhaps due to a further etymological connection with the Vedic nectar of immortality with which Soma was eponymously identified, and the hearth-god Agni who was renowned for his insatiable appetite for this sacred ambrosia—since one Sanskrit folk-name of the plant (naladam) also means, “nectar.”

During Roman banquets, the Roman aristocracy would crown their guests with roses and anoint their brows with precious spikenard ointment. Within the New Testament (John 12:3) of the Christian Bible, Mary of Bethany anointed the feet of Christ with a spikenard ointment as if for burial, which would have been quite costly. In ancient Greece, for instance, one pound of spikenard would command as much as one-hundred denarii! Indeed, Judas Iscariot correctly charges that this spikenard ointment could have been sold for three-hundred denarii, and then given to the poor (John 12:5). It is an interesting detail that Mary should wipe his feet with her hair, not only due to the fibrous nature of the spikenard root, but because this herb was once renowned for its ability to prevent the loss and graying of hair. It is probably for this reason that spikenard oil is routinely sold in spiritual supply shops as an all-purpose anointing oil with which to purify, bless and sanctify an item or individual.

Spikenard is said to have been dedicated to St. Joseph, the patron saint of workers, for he is always portrayed grasping the herb within the Spanish tradition of the Catholic Church. Indeed, the earthy fragrance of the essential oil and the great cost that it once commanded informs us that the herb may be utilized to draw wealth and financial security or opportunities, as well as to empower those born under the signs of Virgo and Capricorn. According to the system of Ayurvedic herbal medicine the aroma of spikenard is said to induce a mild state of sedation by quieting the mind with an increased sense of awareness, which may be conducive for meditation and psychic-work, such as scrying or other forms of divination. Furthermore, it may be used to consecrate sacred objects and spaces as illustrated by Mary of Bethany, as well as used during solemn rites of passage, such as funerary ceremonies and the somber Sabbat of Samhain. Women may celebrate their unique Mysteries with spikenard, particularly those associated with menstruation and the phase of the New Moon. This herb, however, posesses a much darker energy that yields the capacity to cause both magickal harm to one’s adversary, or it may be used in a more positive sense to overcome a bad habit that does not serve our highest ideals and to banish friends and spouses from our lives should they prove to be a negative influence. Spikenard may also be considered a herb that one may dedicate to the service of the Horned God particularly during his transition to the Underworld.

* Spikenard should not be confused with the so-called American spikenard (Aralia racemosa), valerian—to whom it is related—or ploughman's-spikenard (Inula conyza), which have variously been misidentified for the true spikenard from which the aromatic essential oil is distilled. Often the root sold by many herb-supply business is the unrelated species, American spikenard!

#Spikenard #essential Oils #Formulary #Herb Magic #Hekates Garden #herbal

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fyvkthisshyet · 8 years ago

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Otayuri Week Day 3: Childhood

Title: The Favorite

A/N: Omg this turned out more like something for 'First Times' instead of 'Childhood' huhuhu....

Posted on AO3 too.

The first time Otabek met Yuri was at the night of his tenth birthday.

He was holed up on his room, attention solely at the scene unfolding outside his windows where various people were walking along the streets dressed in all kinds of bizarre costumes, patiently waiting for his mother and aunts to finish their rituals so that they can finally celebrate both the start of Samhain and his birthday – a party his uncles were busy preparing for downstairs (he had once extended his help earlier, but was turned down when his mother’s oldest brother joyfully informed him that, as the birthday boy, he should fully take advantage of this wondrous occasion to do absolutely nothing – a notion that completely baffles him because how does the day of your birth relates to doing nothing?)

Hence why he was here on his room, eyes shining in fascination at the embarrassment (his mother’s words) humans had turned Samhain into, finding nothing really disgraceful about it.

He was particularly enraptured when he saw his most favorite dinosaur, the wonderfully purple Barney, running down the streets being chased by McDonalds that he hadn’t noticed he was no longer alone in his room.

“Happy Birthday, my dear Beka.” The Queen of the fairies sweetly greeted, suddenly popping at the center of his room, spraying twinkling glitters of light all around – something that never fails to wonder the young witch.

Otabek flusteredly leaned away from the window to give the monarch a gracious bow. “Thank you for the greetings, your highness.” He replied, giving the floating fairy a delighted smile, receiving a giggle in return as the most powerful woman in the fairy kingdom flew towards his cupped hand.

For reasons that completely baffle the whole witch community (for the fairies never bothered to give them an explanation, as Otabek was the only witch they talked to – the two races never really talked to each other much out of trading insults, curses, and spells,) despite being one of their natural enemy, Otabek was loved by the fairy folk. Much to annoyance of his mother (and his father too, back when he was still alive,) there wasn’t really a day that passed by that their house wasn’t invaded by at least one of those twinkling winged creatures, bearing gifts for the house’s only child (it wouldn’t be until years later, when his mother finally decided to remarry, that he’ll be gifted with three annoying but very lovable sisters who, as expected, the fairies hated too.)

Otabek never had any problems with it though, and honestly couldn’t understand how the two races never got along. Contrary to the other witches’ various tales of the fairies, he found out that the stories weren’t really necessarily true – most of it being the victims of misinterpretations and misunderstandings – same with the fairies’ opinion of the witches. He stopped insisting otherwise though, as none really listened to him, too busy nurturing their hatred for each other to listen to reason.

Oh well, as long as they continue to treat him with kindness he has no other qualms.

“So, is that him? The witch the whole kingdom is so enamored with? I don’t see anything special about him.” Much to Otabek’s surprise, behind the Queen emerged a small flickering ball of light, darting all around him before going back to the Queen’s side.

The young witch couldn’t help the small wince that flitted on his face when the queen unceremoniously grabbed the ball of light, mercilessly shaking the child that it transformed to hard.

“Apologize now, brat!” the fairy monarch hissed, her always beautifully serene face distorting into something dangerously predatory, a perfect visual to her subject’s description of her angered face that one time Otabek asked because he couldn’t imagine the jolly queen ever getting angry. And even then he still doubted it, despite the detailed description.

Not anymore.

“Never!” the child cried after breaking out of the queen’s hold, flying far from her, giving Otabek a glare so lethal he would have been long dead if he was a normal human. But, as it was, he was a witch (and, not to mention, also blessed by the fairies,) so he merely felt a cold shiver down his spine, one that didn’t escape the notice of the queen.

“Yuri, get back here!” She shouted, merely receiving a tongue out as reply before the child disappeared with a puff.

The queen only sighed in exasperation and had two fingers massaging her temples.

Otabek, on the other hand, remained staring in wonder at the place the little fairy once floated at, finding himself fascinated at the very first fairy that hated him.

A first, indeed.

“I’m sorry about my son, Beka,” The fairy queen apologized, flying up to his face to gently pat his nose.

Otabek merely smiled at her. “No harm done, your highness. Don’t worry about it.”

“But still…” she sighed, cupping a hand to her cheek and frowning.

He decided it was a good time to change the subject and gently tugged at her puffy skirt saying, “On a different note, where’s my gift?”

And he let himself be dragged by the queen to a corner on his room where various gifts of varying sizes were piled, apparently coming from the other fairies. The rest of the night was spent with him opening the gifts with the queen beside him, gleefully studying his reactions to each one so that she can relay it to the senders. They only stopped when, hours later, the female witches had finally returned and Otabek’s mother had barreled into his room, having been notified by the males downstairs of the presence of a fairy hovering over her son, scowling on the hissing queen.

The next morning the queen had returned (much to, again, the annoyance of her mother,) towing her sulking son with her who had gritted out a reluctant apology under her deadly scowl.

That was when Otabek was formally introduced to Prince Yuri Plisetsky of the fairies. The creature who, years and years later, would surprisingly become the most important to his life (and vice versa.)

#otayuri week #otayuri week 2017 #otayuri #yuri on ice!!!#otabek altin #yuri plisetsky #fairies #witches #fairy prince!yuri #witch!otabek #day 3

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