Ostara is the festival of the Spring Equinox, when night and day are equal once again. The sun will now grow in strength and the day will be longer than the night after 21. March. From now on, the earth is in full swing, trees start to bud, the birds sing happily in the sunshine and all over the garden is evidence of new growth.
When you are in tune with nature, this can be a very stressful time. The 2 weeks before and after the equinox tend to be somewhat tense and full of stress (nothing new there then) as nature battles with itself to find balance once again. I personally always feel unsettled at the equinox and tend to do something rash – in the past I have set up the business, moved home, changed the car (several times), split up with a partner (several times) – are we getting the picture so you have been warned but just go with it as it is all about change and this time of conflict lasts 14 days before and after the equinox. Have a look at your life and if you are not happy with what you see, then this is the time to do something about it, whatever it is or at least start to plan. This is nature leaving darkness behind and heading for the light and you too can do the same. New things are paramount at this time – hence why we celebrate with an egg – the beginning of life itself. At Ostara, the symbolism is balance – if you or your life is not in balance, time to see how it can be sorted whether it is about health or things/people that stress you out!!
The festival is all about rebirth and growth, and this is highly apparent in it’s symbol of the egg. Yes, the chocolate egg is a modern-day pagan symbol to symbolize the Goddess Oestre. In days gone past, they would have been hard-boiled eggs brightly painted, but this tends to be a tradition that, in most places, has now died and be replaced by our favourite chocolate in brightly coloured foil (makes sense now). The Goddess even gives her name to the hormone that stimulates ovulation, Oestrogen. Life evolves from inside the egg, hence why we have chocolate eggs at this time of year. All of nature gets ready for their new life, be it the spring flowers of the earth, the blossom on the trees or the young of the birds, bees and animals. Place spring flowers in the home and, because it is the festival of New Life, it is time to “spring-clean”, clearing out the old and making way for the new.
In days gone by, to celebrate the spring and the new beginning, people would wear new clothes they had spent all winter making, but not until the equinox – bad luck to wear them before. They would rise at dawn, put on their new clothes and watch the sun come up. They would also bless the ground with seeds for the forthcoming season and ask Mother Nature to be kind and smile on them.
To symbolise the turn of the sun wheel, people would celebrate with what is now called hot cross buns – sweet buns decorated with a solar cross – and this was long before the church adopted them as a symbol of their own but to me they represent the sun and the moon, the circle of life, the four seasons and the Celtic cross and I love them toasted (the element of fire) so it is all in the power of what you believe yourself. Make them magickal and it will be so.. What – another pagan tradition adopted by the church – no!!! Yes, and the Easter bunny is another. He worshipped the Goddess Eostre, and to please the fertility goddess, he decorated sacred eggs and presented them to her. She thought them so beautiful that she wished this to be shared with all, so the rabbit went round the world distributing these gifts of life. This now is remembered on Easter Sunday as you watch the sun rise – that first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal Equinox – so which bits of Easter are Christian then?
Eostre is the Goddess of Spring and the white hare sacred to her. This Sabbat is all about the land and new beginnings – clearing away the old to make way for the new, just like you do the garden. This is the time to start new projects, just as I did my business! If you feel life has been difficult, make this a new start for you – closing the door on this part of your life and opening up to the next. Plant those new seeds and wait for them to begin to grow. The hare is associated with March due to their strange mating behaviour, Mad as a March hare accounts for their hopping and jumping about, boxing and trying to impress the females of the species, so as to mate. They produce several litters a year, a perfect representation for this season. As we are seeing, the weather is quite unpredictable in March. A wet March predicts a wet June but snow is good…last time we had lambing snow, we had a fab June so here’s hoping!
Things to do at Ostara…
Firstly, you need to bring spring flowers into your home. Support charity and buy daffodils, the sign of new hope and get some sunshine into your home. Even plant some to bring spring into your life. One of the signs of Easter is the egg – the symbol of fertility and life itself. What are you going to give birth to this year – what ideas do you have to nurture and make materialise? Don’t just sit there, make it happen. How are you going to find the extra time, space, etc? Well it means it is time to spring clean both your home and you life. Get rid of all excess, all those things you don’t need. Simplify things to allow time and space for the new to come in. We all have too much clutter these days, and what valuable time we have to ourselves tend to be taken up with “stuff”. Get rid of the stuff and you will have more time for yourself, for the things you want to do and for the people around you that matter.
Clear the debris from the garden tidying the way for the new growth. Enjoy spring by simply being with it. Fill your space with aromas of sunshine such as bergamot and grapefruit by sprinkling on carpets etc. Give your home a physical clean plus a purification to cleanse the negativity alongside the dust. Purify just before the new moon if possible – use the cycle of the moon to be rid of negative issues, then your home will be wonderful for Ostara and the arrival of Spring. So, first, instead of cleaning the home with a traditional cleaner, make an infusion of rosemary, lavender, thyme and bay and use this water to cleanse the home. Wash down windows, paintwork and doors, whilst knowing you are banishing negativity and evil with this cleaning process. Once the physical aspect is all done, pour the remainder of the infusion down the drain banishing all negativity from the home (watch as the water disappears and you will know it is all gone). Burn purifying oils such as frankincense, rosemary and juniper in the home or smudge each room with sage. Clean your altar and decorate with spring flowers and yellow candles to mark the growth of the sun to come. Your home is now clean and cleansed and ready for the forthcoming season and I am sure you will notice the difference in the atmosphere now the stagnation of winter has been removed. Now to simplify – recycle, recycle, and recycle. Give old clothes away to friends if they can re-use them (including the ones that don’t fit but one day I might be able to get into them again!!!!). If not, give them to charity. Simplify your life and if that means redesigning a room or changing the house around, then do it. Also, try and take a walk daily if possible but weekly if that is all you can fit in and over the coming months, make a point of watching nature develop. We have an avenue full of daffs planted for Marie Curie and it is spectacular at this time. Watch for the bluebells, crocuses, cowslips and primroses appearing as spring progresses, not to mention all the fantastic aromas as the blossoms of various trees fill the air. If you don’t get out in nature, then you cannot appreciate the magick of life itself and how spectacular Mother Nature really is. Enjoy her at her best!
Once winter starts to give way to the spring and better weather, the body suddenly looks not as in shape as it should be (I am being polite here folks!), as the winter coat that has been responsible for keeping you warm now becomes more noticeable and in need of shedding – again. Time to start a programme for cleansing the body and getting fit! Indulge in a day of pampering if you get the chance as we all need a little indulgence after the winter and this would give your new fitness programme a good start. Now, by shedding the coat, I do not mean start a new diet!!! I mean more exercise, walking, swimming or something to get that body moving!! Diets don’t work and your body just begins the yo-yo syndrome as it thinks it has hit a famine. To balance the weight loss, it starts to hold on to every calorie you eat and so you actually end up putting on weight. This is due to the body having not yet evolved from the days of feast or famine. So, in fact, all you have to do is eat in moderation, cut out the current junk and convenience foods and increase your activities, but you know all this if you are a regular, so get on with your body’s spring clean.
Now to the body…
Spring cleaning isn’t just about the home – the body, especially the skin, also needs attention after the winter. For the body, I tend to repeat the Candidiasis diet (get it off my website or pick up free leaflet in the shop). This ensures my body is balanced after all the winter seasonal activities, which in Aberdour, tend to be just finishing (Burns suppers, winter gatherings, 6 Nations rugby etc). A few weeks and the body will be refreshed again as the lighter foods begin to appear in season and the winter stodge can be forgotten until next winter.
The body has, for most of the winter, been covered in layers of clothing, especially after this cold snowy winter (which was exactly what we needed!!), and the central heating has been belting out. Then we throw off the layers and expect the skin to look great and take whatever rays the sun throws at it. Now what we have to remember is that the skin is our largest organ and reflects what is going on on the inside. Eczema and psoriasis can be indicators of omega deficiencies, stress and a liver not coping, whilst cellulite means toxin build-up. We have to learn to both read and respect the skin and look after it more so it can protect us from the elements. So this spring, let’s pay attention to our skin and prepare it for what I hope is going to be a great summer.
Firstly, increase your water intake to 8 glasses per day and cut out the rubbish replacing it with salad and fresh fruit to improve vitamin and mineral levels (try to get your 5+ portions daily). Cut down on drugs and alcohol to rest your liver to allow regeneration and if you smoke – stop…it ages you dreadfully! Take your multi-vitamin & mineral, extra zinc & Vitamin C, omegas 3 & 6 plus probiotics and you should see a vast improvement very quickly if you follow this plan. Good skin means good health…it is that simple and you cannot have one without the other.
A Spring bath-time ritual…
At some point over the Equinox when you have an evening to chill, light some candles (fire) and incense (air), run a hot bath (water) to which you have added some Himalayan salt (Earth) and favourite oils or bath bombs! Back in the kitchen, add cup sea salt to a bowl and stir in oil such as olive or sunflower to make a scrub. Scent with geranium or juniper oil (or another indulgent favourite) and stir. Take into bathroom along with a piece rose quartz, and get yourself undressed and into the bath. Rub salt scrub into your skin and rinse, to exfoliate and moisturise, then lay in the water and relax, with the rose quartz on your heart. Close your eyes and spend 5 minutes just contemplating your life and what changes you can make at this time. Now say with conviction 3 times:
Fears and woes, you will take flight,
Worries and cares, you’re out of my sight.
Stronger and happier I will grow each day
Because my soul will find its way
Balance and harmony will spring into life
This is my will so no more strife
Relax with the rose, the candles, the warm water and the aromas until you feel ready to get out. Let the worries go with the bathwater as you pat your skin dry with a warm towel. Once dressed comfy, put the Rose Quartz in your ‘Serenity/self-esteem” corner to remind yourself you are worth a pampering! Repeat this ritual often…
Spells for Ostara
Ostara is the time of fertility and that includes birth of projects as much as children. As green and yellow are the colour of the sabbat, take one candle of each, a cleansed hematite, and a piece of paper with your aim(s) written carefully down. Now, holding the candles in your power hand, see yourself achieving your objective, and then place the hematite on top of the paper, which has been carefully folded, and the candles into holders. Hematite is a go-for-it stone to help you reach your goal. Light the candles dedicating them with a little poem, because, as we know, all good spells are done in rhyme that end in “this is my will, so mote it be”. Well, mine usually are anyway. You do whatever you feel best with. Following the completion of the spell, carry the stone with you and place back on your altar at night, back on top of your aim or objective. It is done.
As I have said, this festival is all about new life and growth. If there is a wish you want to materialise with all your heart and soul, then this is the spell for a long-term wish. I am always telling my clients that if you don’t plant the seeds, then nothing will materialise. This is taking that a step further and will need your love and devotion to make it happen. Decide on your need remembering it will take time to make your dearest wish happen. This is not the thing to do if you need it next week ok. Now take some seeds of the plant that will make your need materialise:-
Fertility – poppy or cucumber Healing – lavender, rosemary, sage
Love –jasmine, yarrow, coriander Money – honeysuckle, chamomile, basil
Peace – rose, valerian Protection – bay, rose geranium, St John’s Wort
Or use your own symbolic seeds.
Now, over a pot of soil or a chosen piece of garden, hold the seeds in your power hand (the one you write with) and visualise your need or wish coming to fruition. Hold that picture and tell the seeds what it is you would like and why, then still holding the visualisation, plant the seeds. Now you need to lovingly tend those seeds, giving it shelter, water and food, bringing the new life and healthy growth forth to aid your wish to manifest. Neglect the seeds or seedlings and your heart and soul isn’t going into materialising your wish, so your wish will not materialise at that time. Give it all it needs to grow healthily and you are doing all in your power to make it happen – the rest is up to the elements, you have done your bit and put it out there. As I always say, you don’t ask, you don’t get. Take care of your plant. After all, you gave it life and it will, in return, give you a little bit of life and magic. Happy planting.
As nature will be in torment and winds will probably be blowing with attitude, I thought a spell on the wind would be suitable, though on the East coast, the wind usually blows anyway! Remember though, these spells can be used anytime, not just the sabbat I include them in. Using Air for spells is very effective. Been depressed this winter? Then stand with your face into the wind, spread your arms out wide, and let the cold wind of the North (preferably) blow straight through you, and you will feel much better.
Better still, if your problems have been mounting, then, find a bush or tree that is dead but still planted in the ground in a place where the wind blows freely. Then, using one leaf for every problem or pain you wish to be free of, push each leaf onto the tip of a branch on the bush. As you do, just state:
“Of my ………………… I wish to be free; this is my will, so mote it be”.
When you have gone through each problem individually, then leave the bush to release its leaves, therefore releasing the energy of the problems into the universe and letting the Universe get to work on them for you. Know that as you walk away, it is done. This will take a few days or so for the leaves to go free and start working so don’t just sit around waiting for the leaves to be freed or you might be sat there a while. You have done what needs to be done, so just let it go and get on with the job in hand.
Luck for Ostara incense…ruled by Jupiter for luck
Refresh life and luck with the new springtime by creating this incense yourself for your home and family.
Grind together in a pestle and mortar, a mix of copal and pine, and add your own mix of any of the following:
Rose petals, orange peel, heather flowers, star anise, poppy seeds, nutmeg, grains paradise, or a selection.
Grind together to make a fine blend, then burn daily to encourage vibrations in the home to help boost luck and success to all who live within until the storminess of the season is over and calm reigns supreme.
Weight loss spell to aid your new diet and exercise plan for the spring…
If you would like to improve what you see in the mirror, the here is a little magick to support your plan:
Firstly, at sunset mix together fennel, dill and lavender and add a green tourmaline, ruby or apatite to the mix. Place in a yellow pouch. Next, take a small piece of paper and draw a cross in the middle, and draw a straight line through the centre of the cross to make an elongated star-shape. Fold the paper into a small size and add to your pouch. Close the pouch and hold in your power hand (writing hand). Close your eyes and visualise yourself now and then see yourself changing to how you want to be/see the scales coming down from the weight now to a more healthy weight. Carry this pouch wherever you go in your pocket, visualising daily your aim and magickally, it will help with overeating and weight loss, and positively encourage healthy exercise…and help you achieve what you want to be…but please be realistic – size zero is impossible and unless nature created your body to be that size, extremely unhealthy too. Be real and it will be done…so mote it be
Spell for the Spring Full Moon…
Here’s a lovely Spring spell for the forthcoming full moon from Ellen Dugan…her poetry is better than anything I can write!! You will need to:
Gather some spring flowers in a pretty vase put on your luck incense. Place a white candle in a pretty holder (or a white votive / tealight in a glass holder). Set a cream moonstone in front of the candle and sprinkle a circle of fresh floral petals around the spell.
Light the candle, and, holding the stone, repeat:
On this bewitching night of the full storm moon,
I call on the old ones to grant me a boon
May I find prosperity and balance today
Leaving room for good luck and joy to come my way
This small moonstone will act as a talisman true
May I be blessed and steadfast in all that I do
This March full moon spell closes up with a rhyme
I walk in balance and wisdom at all times.
Allow the candle to burn out. Carry the moonstone with you until the next full moon. Keep the fresh flowers going for the next month until the next full moon and return your moonstone to the altar every night,
Balancing life...
Whether an Ostara bonfire, a symbolic candle in a cauldron or a simple tealight in a holder, sit out in the moonlight on 20th Mar after 10pm but before 1.30am when the moon is full. Place a reflective bowl of water to catch the Moon’s rays to which you have added a supportive amulet crystal of choice. Close your eyes and visualise your life-balancing list actually in place and part of your new regime, then simply say 3 times to the Moon…
What was old is now new, what was dark is now light,
What was asleep is now awake, what was dim is now bright
At this time of nature’s balance, oh Mistress of the Moon
Please bring harmony, hope and balance, into my life very soon
Balance is in need and life’s renewal is the key
And as this is my will, Then, so mote it be
Next, dip each of your hands in the bowl of water three times and let it dry onto your hands, whilst thanking the Moon for her help. Take the crystal out of the bowl to carry daily for support to action the changes, then pour the water into a nearby plant or tree. Your intentions have now been set in motion…
Yarrow…a true Celtic plant
It may be a funny little plant growing in the wild, and most will not even give it the time of day, but one of my favourite magickal plants is yarrow. Its Latin name is Achillea Millefolium, so named after the Greek Warrior Achilles, who supposedly discovered its power to stop bleeding on the battlefield and made a salve with the plant to heal his warrior’s wounds, but he must have been unable to find it when an arrow struck him in the heel and killed him…hence Achilles tendon!! This plant is native to Scotland and can be found on any wild walk. Highlanders still make a Yarrow healing balm, and in Orkney, Yarrow was used as a tea to ‘dispel melancholy”. It was always found in Saxon apothecaries and in Monastic herbal medicine gardens as is actually a very useful 1st aid plant. It is said that if out and about on a walk and someone gets a nosebleed, putting a yarrow leaf up the nose with stem the flow of blood (remove once stopped), whilst chewing a fresh leaf can help calm toothache and a leaf pressed into the skin will also help a shaving cut or any cut even!!The stems can also be used as I Ching sticks.
But what about a bit of Yarrow magick for Spring?
When out walking on the lovely days as they begin to arrive, look for this feathery plant with its head of tiny white flowers. The first flowering plant you see of the new season will grant you one wish! On seeing the flower, hold the flower head in your hand straight away and make your wish. Now cut the stem and take the single flower home and sleep with it under the pillow going to sleep visualising your wish. The next day, place the flower head in a green satin bag and hang on your altar to help your wish come true.
Got a new challenge?
As for the challenge of Ostara, this sabbat may have a different challenge for you. I rented my shop and began my business on Ostara nine years ago and that was certainly a major challenge for me, so if there is something you really really want, then this is a good time to go for it. When I got the keys to the shop, I entered my business premises as mine for the first time and called on the help of Mars to help me in this new challenge I was now confronted with. It is this is that I am now passing on to you if you are venturing into a new project yourself:
Between the hours of two and three in the afternoon, anoint a red candle with rose oil, light it and say:
“Mars, great warrior, protector of the fearful and energiser of the weak, I ask you to enthuse me with your knowledge and power, your fearlessness and enterprise. Infuse me with your inspiration, armour me with your brilliance and guide me always with your light so I may always trust and be guided by the light of my spirit within me. This is my will, so mote it be”
Let the candle burn until it is finished and it is done. Good luck with your new venture and may it be as successful to you as mine is to me.
Oils of Mars…for added help
All new beginnings and challenges take courage. If you have to face a nerve-wracking situation, make an important phone-call, or confront someone or something, but really doesn’t warrant calling on Mars to help, then call on his oils. Black Pepper has an unforgettable fiery aroma, and with visualisation, will give you the courage to literally “face your fears”. It will also sharpen your memory and mental faculties and help you stay awake – so a good oil to inhale if you need to drive at night. Ginger is also a Mars oil and can be used in much the same way, except that it also brings money and success if used in prosperity spells and situations, and will also spice up your sex life – so add to passion spells or massage oil. A passionate energising little oil or what!
And so to Mother’s Day
In line with the theme of new life, Mothers are honoured at this time. Instead of going out and purchasing a few flowers at extortionate prices, here are a few ideas for you (aren’t I just too good to you!!).
Why not buy her a houseplant, with magickal qualities to enhance her life:-
Aloe Vera protects against accidents and intruders in the home.
African Violets promote peaceful vibrations and promote spirituality, as do crocuses.
All types of fern are magickally protective for the home, especially if placed before large windows.
Orchids and tulips are both governed by Venus and bring love to the home.
Ivies of all kinds protect the home and drive away evil and negativity, whether inside or out(grown on the walls).
The Venus flytrap is a strange plant but traps or catches luck, money or whatever the owner wants to find.
The Weeping Fig is restful if grown in the bedroom whilst bringing good luck & prosperity anywhere else.
If you have jewellery in mind, then why not pick a crystal with loving vibrations to emanate the reason she is receiving the gift:-
Rose Quartz – to help her feel good about herself and promote peace & happiness
Fluorite – to bring about a flawless state of health & bring order to chaos (if she needs it)
Amethyst – for peace and tranquillity
Kunzite – for relaxation, it soothes tension & stress and gives you a lift.
Citrine – for health, wealth and happiness
Amber – for protection, strength, energy, to attract friendship, love and happiness, and enhance the cashflow.
Mothers are invaluable and your best friend so use this time to honour her and let her know how much she is loved.
Rain collection…a simple spell
They say the first rain of spring is the luckiest of rains, so on rising on the morning of Ostara, put a glass or earthenware container outside to collect the first rain that falls, the luckiest being on Ostara itself. After the first rain has stopped, bring the container inside and reserve the water. To utilise this luck, you can either:
1. Add the water to a bath to attract luck and joy to you for the next year
2. Use as a hair rinse to attract romance into your life
3. Sprinkle or spray into the corners of the house to attract luck and joy into your home
4. Use as a facial rinse to help delay ageing for as long as possible
5. Use as a wash for abdomen and genitals to attract fertility
The sky gives us the rain so let’s use this gift for good to help us during the next year.
The Night Sky in February/March, when I sit and look at the clear night sky, I get completely overwhelmed with what I see and what it actually means. It can be quite mindblowing when you consider that the planets in our Solar System plus the stars in the Milky Way make up our spiral Galaxy.
Yet, along from Casseopeia (more on that), with the naked eye if you still have 20/20 vision (or a pair of binoculars if your eyes have become naff like mine!!), you can see the Andromeda galaxy. Andromeda is a spiral galaxy, just like our own Milky Way, and is known as M31. It contains over a trillion, yes, a trillion stars and is located over 2.5 million light years away…wow!!
Casseopeia appears to us in the Northern sky and is recognised by its “W” shape, which is formed by 5 bright stars so very easy to find, and from there, you can find Andromeda from the bottom of the rightmost “V” which forms a convenient arrow to show you where it is – just follow the point! When you can see a dull cigar shaped cloud, you are seeing the results that left Andromeda over 2 million years ago…like I said, mindblowing!! On a moonless night, have a hunt for Casseopeia, then find Andromeda and be completely blown away, knowing you are looking at that many stars that far away, just with your eyes!! A-ma-zing…
Crystals can be of great help to focus and make your life-choices. I use crystals for everything, as you know, and wear them constantly. When you have a problem and need to search your soul for the right answer, the right crystal can be of great support to obtaining insight to make the correct move.
Lepidolite isn’t a stone I would reach for very often but for decision-making, this lilac stone is very useful. Magickally, it eases the stresses and strains of everyday living and soothes and dispels negative emotions such as anger and hate, whilst mentally eliminates confusion and speeds up decision-making, sharpening the analytic qualities of your brain and removing distractions. Once decisions have been made, it encourages you to achieve your goals without outside help. That way, any advancement in your life is all down to yourself!!
Lapis is an extremely beautiful stone if you get a piece at its very best and helps you through the darkest days of despair and into the light. It will help you take charge of your life once again, by removing obstacles in your way. Lapis will give you focus and help you concentrate on what you need and then help support you to gain insight as to how to get there. Try sitting in the quiet and using it to meditate, asking the questions you need answers for and by knowing the stone will give it to you. It also helps self expression and value in your opinions and removes cruelty and suffering – no more the martyr or victim for you – you are back in complete control!!
Charoite is another stone not used very often but for spiritual insight and soul transformation, this is the one for you. It helps you cope with change by removing the fear that prevents you from changing your life. It gets rid of stress and worry and helps you relax so that you can work out your needs for the new you.
Anyone knows that the colour of a room can affect the feel of a room so we put calming colours in the bedroom and happy colours in the kitchen. The same with clothes – you can tell a lot by colours people are wearing as to their moods and others dye their hair to match their state of mind!!
The energising colour of Orange
Ever had your breathe taken away by a sun rise or set complete with its bright orange sky? It is a marvel to behold and is orange at its best, marking the beginning or the end of the day in the most optomistic way. Orange is a warm, fun-loving colour but what does it mean to our psyche? Orange is stimulating and self-reliant. Orange is fun; the life and soul of the party, breaking down barriers and shattering illusions. Orange is even the colour of divorce; with every ending there is a new beginning!! It gives you that energy to face life and its consequences and change it!! Try wearing orange if you need a boost, are feeling down in the dumps or going through a rough time and you will see how much better and stronger it can make you feel!!
Crystals: Carnelian, tangerine quartz, sunstone
Yellow – The colour of Sunshine…
As mentioned above, when we think of spring, we associate yellow with the season. The daffodils bring the first yellow of the season and these cheer up our homes and brings us hope. The yellow yolk of the egg is rich and is the symbol of new life, another symbol of Ostara. Yellow is the colour of optimism and confidence – wear a yellow jumper and see how much happier and energised you feel!! It helps boost low self esteem and allows clear thinking. Eating yellow foods help rid you of toxins – think of lemons, grapefruit, bananas, melon, squash, sweetcorn and peppers – and help bring sunshine into your body – no more feeling down with the yellow inside and out. Think about honey and its healing properties; it can only be made from the sunshine given to plants to make yellow nectar to be collected by the yellow bees and will boost the immune system with its golden liquid. Sun on our skin makes Vitamin D, which helps heal our body and instantly makes us feel better, and the colour helps to create that feeling around us – a warm yellow room will make a dim room much brighter and make you more positive as a side effect! It activates the senses and the body, just like a sunny day. Utilise this colour more around the home and you will soon feel as cheerful as a sunny day. So, try and put a little yelllow in your life every day and see results before your own eyes…at least until the sunshine comes back.
Crystals: Citrine, yellow jasper, amber
Shades of purple…
To get purple/violet, you simply combine red and blue making it both the beginning and the end of the cycle in vibrational terms. Red is energetic fire, focus and passion whilst blue is cool, calm and quiet. Mix them together and you have imagination combined with inspiration. It expands our world into the unknown perhaps using the spiritual world to help make the physical world more bearable.
Violet is needed in your life to provide balance when you need to speed the natural healing ability of the body, when you need inspiration to find answers to the problems of today and remove obstacles in your life, and when you need to energise your life to be rid of lethargy and depression. Introducing violet into your life can make a difference, whether it is as simple as carrying, wearing or sleeping with a purple crystal, adding lavender to the bath, painting a wall purple or simply wearing purple knickers, and if, like me, you find you are suddenly drawn to purple, you may now understand why.
Crystals: Amethyst, Iolite, Charoite, Lepidolite
Black – colour of Samhain
Black is the colour when we think of Samhain or when we think about death. Black is devoid of colour as the Earth is devoid of life at this time. It is a colour of Protection and thinking inward. It is the colour of our base chakra – the very root of our being and our connection to the Earth. It is the colour of the night sky and of coal. It is a defensive colour as we give nothing about ourselves to others and if you wear nothing but black, then maybe you are saying there is nothing to look forward to and should try and introduce a little colour to your wardrobe even if it is just a scarf or jewellery!!
Crystals: Black tourmaline, Black onyx, Jet, Black Kyanite
Green – the colour of Beltane
Green is the order of the day at Beltane. Ladies usually wear ivy or hawthorn around their head and put on their greenest finery for the day to represent nature itself. In magick, green represents the Element of Earth, the heart chakra, the colour of money and material matters, the energy of Venus and fertility & growth.
In healing, green is harmony, positivity and self-acceptance and connected to the heart. It is the colour of money and abundance and is to attract the good life, not only for yourself but to share with those close to you. Green is also associated with our sense of freedom and the ability to express our true self. Green is good for fatigue in both mind and body, something everyone seems to be suffering at the moment as it enhances physical stamina. Perhaps that’s why green foods such as lettuce, spring onion, cucumber, green pepper, peas, green beans and broccoli all become important on the plate after the hardness of winter. They also help to detox the body. Apples, avocado, limes, green olives and kiwi fruit and fresh herbs are also important and all these fruit and vegetables should be eaten to take in the green and all its essential nutrients. Try taking a walk in the countryside to enjoy nature’s fresh fragrant green and take in that feeling of peace and calm. To boost the qualities of green, carry crystals such as Jade, Aventurine, Chrysoprase, green Kyanite, green Tourmaline, Bloodstone, Malachite, Moss agate, Emerald, Peridot, green Calcite, green Garnet and green Jasper and let the green feed our need to expand and grow and restore physical and mental vitality.
Red – the colour of Yule
When I think of Yule, I think of deep red wine coloured candles sprinkled with a little gold and the red berries on the Holly Red can vary from the brightest scarlet to the deepest Ruby. It is the colour of blood, the vital ingredient for life and the colour of a good Rioja, another vital ingredient to life (proven by science now in the fight against cancer, Alzheimer’s, blood pressure and any other excuse I can think of!).
Magickally, Red brings protection and passion to your home and to your life. Wear red and it shows you are full of passion, courage, excitement and fight. If you are shy, wearing red will help you bring yourself out and put some action in your life. Eat red foods as a pick-me-up – foods like red apples, strawberries, cherries, radishes and red peppers will help restore energy and drive…and spices like cayenne and chilli will soon put petrol back in your tank!! If you’re drained and your zest has dwindled, put on some red underwear or don some cherry-red lipstick and see how quickly things change. I love my red shoes – they revive my passion for life when I feel tired or drained…and it is me having a bit of a rebellion too!! Carry red crystals in your pocket and bring some passion back into your life. Red crystals include red jasper, Ruby and red garnet
Pink – the colour of love
Pink is a mix of the purity of white with the passion of red, and is regarded as a feminine colour but actually balances the male and female sides of your personality whatever the sex. It is also called the colour of love, as it represents caring and tenderness. Pink is calming and reassuring and can stop any aggression in its tracks… scientific proof shows that holding cells painted pink calm down any aggressor and stop violent behaviour – it seems to just sap the aggressive and violent tendencies!! The deeper shades of this combo colour improve self-confidence and assertiveness, whilst the paler colours are supportive of self-worth and self-acceptance. In healing, the mix of red and white not only helps heal the physical effects of illness, but the emotional fears that serious illness brings to the fore. When you need a little calm and self-love, just reach for the pink!
Pink crystals; Rose Quartz, Morganite, Kunzite, Rhodonite, Rhodochrosite, pink tourmaline and mangano-calcite
Light Blue…a colour of peace
Blue is the colour of the sea and of the sky. It is cooling, cleansing and peaceful. It can be pretty baby blue, aqua coloured green-blue or deep indigo blue. Indigo will be covered later as I am meaning the blues of the daytime sky or the crystal clear colour of a paradise sea. Blue is magickally used for healing, love, peace, friendship, dreams and meditation. Wearing the colour can make you feel calmer and more relaxed as it soothes the entire body & mind, relieving insomnia and lowering blood pressure, and is the colour of choice for bedrooms and bathrooms for those very reasons. After all, these are the rooms you want to relax, heal and sleep in and you are simply using colour magick to aid these benefits.
Blue crystals: blue lace agate, blue calcite, celestite,
Indigo blue – a colour not to be messed with…
Indigo is the colour of the night sky and connects to our 3rdeye to help you focus on personal issues that need to be addressed, whilst quietening normal mental processes, allowing you to actually think!! The lighter blues help with communication with others, whilst the indigo helps thought processes and insight into personal stuff. The sky in daytime can make you feel better, but the night sky makes you ponder stuff…it is that simple.
To bring indigo into your life, wear navy, eat blueberries, burn dark blue candles and carry a dark blue stone in your pocket, and connect to your inner self. It is the only practical way to find your solution
White – the colour of snow
White is virginal and pure – the colour of snowdrops and milk, of clouds and young brides, of freshly driven snow and the surfing horses of a stormy sea. Take in the sight of snow covered mountains or the reflection of a full moon in the sea and feel all anxiety & stress just melt away. Eating white foods such as rice, turnips, onions and parsnips will help cleanse the body and putting salt into your baths will help you detox it. Rub the body with salt to exfoliate and try coconut oil afterwards as a natural skin moisturiser to soften and protect the skin. Use the white to assist you. Magickally, putting on white clothing/underwear can help purify the body. It can assist with removing doubt, eliminating bad habits and easing depression, allowing you to find true peace within. Each day, as you dress, visualise the white from your clothing entering your body through your energy field and lifting these issues from you as you wear the white apparel. Repeat this process daily until the problem is eliminated.
White crystals: Snow quartz, selenite, azeztulite, white calcite & rainbow moonstone
The first time a friend showed me her pendulum and I saw it whirl round in answer to her question, I was completely gobsmacked and had never seen anything like it ever before. It scared the crap out of me!!! That was when I found out about “dowsing” – the official name for what it is you are actually doing with the Pendulum (which was even more intruiging as my first married name was “Dowse”…bizarre or what!!).
No-one knows for certain where this art was first conjured up, but it is thought it could be over 8000 years old, with what looks like dowsing rods being used in ancient pictorial illustrations. The Bible contains a few stories on diviners… even Moses used his magickal rod to find water!!
Because dowsing links directly to the spirit world, it has always been regarded as a threat…after all, why need the Priesthood when you can go direct and get answers from the heavens yourself…so the Church suppressed dowsing during the Inquisition. However, it was still needed to help locate water and even metals so some dowsing was never suppressed.
Nowadays, its popularity is back with a vengeance. It is not only used to locate water and minerals, but also Earth energies, Leylines, health issues, and of course, answers to personal issues.
After my first reaction to my introduction to dowsing, the pendulum is a common tool for me these days and I use it on a daily basis for answers to a whole variety of questions from my blend recipes to my customers requirements to my daily tincture. However, I personally have never managed to work out divining rods…but hey-ho…more male I feel but a personal thing, so don’t be influenced by my preference!!
So what is a Pendulum?
A pendulum is a piece of crystal, wood or metal suspended on a single chain. The old fashioned way was to obtain the wedding ring of a pregnant woman, hang it on a piece of cotton and dowse over their belly to try and get the sex of the baby (something I have never got right yet). Dowsing rods are a little different as you have two, one in each hand and the pieces of bent metal sort of swivel inside the handle…and the two rods cross at certain energy points…but, as I said, I can advise on pendulums but downsing rods are a mystery to me.
Back to using the pendulum…
Once the “yes” and “no” have been interpreted, answers to personal questions can be gained. However, this is the most important part of using a pendulum…getting the “yes” and “no” movements correct. It can easily be presumed that circle is yes and straight line no, but I have seen many different variations, so make sure you get this bit right – imagine if you got this the wrong way round…every answer to every question would be incorrect…so make sure you pay attention to this bit!!
How to choose your pendulum…
I have sold hundreds of pendulums over the years and people expect to pick up a pendulum and start getting answers, but my advic e is just to play with the pendulums and when one responds to you, that is the one, but that should be all you should expect in a shop – a response!! Don’t expect to ask a question and start getting correct answers and if you do, don’t trust them!! It could be anyone speaking to you…
How to get your “yes” and “no”
Sit quietly with your pendulum – somewhere you won’t be disturbed for a wee while. The pendulum is a tool so I don’t personally think you need to cleanse it but that is up to you. If you want to hold it in incense after you first purchase it, then that is fine, but after that, I think it takes the connection away, so after the once, you shouldn’t need to bother again.
Light a candle, get comfy and sit quietly holding your pendulum chain between your thumb and first finger of your power hand (the one you write with). I personally wrap the chain round my first finger and let it dangle over the top, but that is just me, but it should be able to move freely without your influence. If I want to speak to my guide, the first thing I do is hold he pendulum over my other hand, palm upwards…to indicate that I would like a chat. Then I always ask permission to speak – don’t worry about speaking out loud, you can do if you want but they can hear your thoughts too and if your thought is directed at your guide, they will hear you and respond if they want to. Your pendulum will respond if the connection has been made…it is a bit like the spiritual internet…you can usually get a connection but not always!!
Now, you need to ask something where the answer is definate…my suggestion is to hold a piece of fruit, such as a banana, and ask if it is an apple, then an orange, then a pear etc and the pendulum should keep moving in the same direction. Then ask if it is a banana and it should move in a different direction. You have your yes and no responses. Double-check your answers with a couple of other questions, but you are now on your way to a quick and easy method of getting guidance whenever you need it . If your pendulum ever shakes or wobbles on the spot, it usually means that it won’t answer at this time so either re-word the question or leave the issue for a while.
The pendulum can only make yes or no answers, so make sure you word things correctly. Keep your questions simple and your mind blank when awaiting the answer so as not to influence it yourself. Always ask if they would speak to you and after each conversation, always thank them for their help. Manners are always appreciated whether on this plane or the next!!
Why on Earth would I do that?
People have different views on what moves a pendulum. Personally, I believe we have a group of people behind us in the spirit world, some are relatives from our past, some are not, but all are here to help guide us if we want help. You know when something just comes into your head …instinctively?? I believe it is your guides doing their job – giving you insight or guidance when you need it. You can use the info or not…choice is yours!! If you want their guidance, they will give it freely because it is their job to get you from A-B and this makes it so much easier for them. Pendulums tap into that energy and give you a more direct means of getting the answer.
Now, I believe the pendulum just taps into the spokesperson for the group but in fact, they are all chipping in, but it would be too complicated to talk to all of them, so you just communicate with one. If a pendulum stops working, then the spokesperson may have changed and you may need to begin again with a new pendulum.
What can you do with this new tool??
Once you have this ability to use a pendulum, the possibilities of use are endless. You can ask questions re your life, but also your health – what foods are good for you, supplements you should take etc, what stones to carry, oils to use – all the things that can benefit your health and well-being. The other good thing is that it is instant and takes only minutes…but also remember that they know what you are thinking…if you are going to change the course of your path on their answer, they will know that and answer accordingly!! If by telling you something, it makes their job harder, then they won’t tell you!!
A note at this point: this is serious stuff and not for messing about with. I always have the theory that they are on your side and ready to help, but mess with them and you will regret it. They might be deceased but can still give you a psychic whack from beyond the grave if you follow me. They can help or they can stand back and let you fall flat on your face…don’t mess and always respect their help.
Also, this pendulum is yours so never let anyone else use it…it isn’t a plaything, but a valuable tool and yours at that, so don’t pass it round friends and family!!! If someopne wants to use one, they can get their own!!
You cannot ask questions about other people with it either…again, it isn’t a toy and they simply won’t answer you correctly as it isn’t any of your business! If it doesn’t affect you, stay away from the issue…
But who is it??
You can find out who is guiding you by asking simple yes and no questions:
Are you related to me?
Are you male/female?
Are you from my father’s side/mother’s side??
Does your name begin with a, b, c, etc then guess all the names beginning with the letter it answers yes to…
Once you know some details about your guide, it is much more personal and you realise they have a sense of humour, you sort of get their moods and their “don’t be stupid” mode etc…Maggie, my guide for those of you who don’t know, can be quite vocal. I found out about her, she lived upstairs in the shop back until she died in 1905. It was destroyed by fire not long afterwards hence why there is no longer an upstairs!! I found out where she was buried and then found the grave…that was a freaky feeling because you realise you aren’t mad and that you are dealing with someone who was real and the shop was her home. The rocking chair by the fire is hers and is often reported to be rocking at night (mind you, they have just come from the pub but then Maggie has quite a sense of humour and this would amuse her no end to freak them out in this way!!)
I actually love the cleanness of a cold crisp winter’s day. At least you know what to wear when you get up! Walks at this time of the year can be wonderful and sometimes even magickal so don’t miss the opportunity, if you have time, to take time out and enjoy a walk amongst nature whenever the day is fresh.
The other wonderful thing about this time of year is that the cold crisp nights bring clear dark skies which bring much more fun in star and moon gazing – another thing I just love about winter and I miss in the summer when the Moon hardly seems to rise at times. The Moon is a magickal friend that comes out at night to play and I don’t know how, on a clear night, people don’t spend time outside enjoying the show that the stars and the moon put on for us. You will find me outside for a while on any clear night whether the moon is out or not – the stars are the star on moonless nights and fun can be had by all the family in learning where the planets are and what constellation is where in the sky. The old Celts really understood the sky and I have to say, I use the Moon for a lot of my spells – doing more work in the dark than the light.
However, let us not forget the stars which are tiny diamonds studding the dark blue velvet sky. They twinkle away and their show is often ignored or simply taken for granted, so let us see what we can do to encourage you to spend more winter’s nights stargazing. Oh and another thing, remember that planets don’t twinkle!!
If you live in a city, then you may have to head for the hills to enjoy the stars as the city lights can wipe out the night sky. I am lucky enough to be far enough away from the City to view the stars at their best. However, when I spent a week in Ireland, I had never seen so many stars in the sky – far more than I enjoyed at home but it doesn’t stop me stargazing. Get a map of the stars, wrap up warm and see how many planets and constellations you can spot and then watch over the winter as they travel the sky and even disappear and the Earth revolves. It is amazing how the sky changes once you notice what goes where. Start simply with something like the plough or Orion, and watch how it moves.
One thing everyone watches for is a shooting star. I have only once seen a shooting star and I was on a boat on Loch Ness with my family and friends and only I saw it, even though there were 4 of us looking to see where Mars was when it was doing its red thing. Shooting stars are lucky and a good omen for travellers, lovers and people with ill-health. I took it as a sign of good luck as I was with my partner and took it that our relationship was blessed.
Another thing I do is to wish on my chosen star. Once you have been out at night and got to know the sky a bit, you will notice a star that seems to catch your eye (well, this one always seemed to twinkle at me whenever I went out the back door – in fact, all the other stars disappear into oblivion!). If you do find one that you tend to always notice, it can be your “Star of Power”. Stars are suns in another galaxy and as such, like ours, have much power that can be tapped into. Like the poem says:
“Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, Wish I will, wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight”.
I always make a wish on the first star that I see if I am walking outside at dusk. Why not? You can use your Star of power in the same way. Spend some time attuning to its power simply by looking at it for a period of time nightly until you have connected. Then you can ask for its help, whatever is needed, provided the sky is clear. Make this your winter project and see how you can enhance your life with the power of the night sky. Take my advice and let your wishes come true on the stars!!
But what about signs of Summer…
There is a formation of three bright stars which go directly overhead through the summer. Deneb, Vega & Altair are the three brightest stars in separate constellations and pretty much dominate the summer night sky. Top left is Deneb, which is in Cygnus, Vega, to the right of Deneb, is in Lyra and Altair is in Aquila which is south of the other two. Even though they are in separate constellations, they stand out quite significantly, so next time you are outside, look directly up and see if you can locate these bright stars and spot our night sky’s signal of that summer is here (because we could never tell it by the weather!!).
Mercury and its influence…
I have major problems when Mercury is in retrograde, so here is a little warning about its activities and influence:
Mercury is the nearest planet to the Sun and is actually very rarely visible to us except during an eclipse. It is the ruling planet for communication and the throat, but when it stands still then goes retrograde (which means it appears to go backwards), it tends to change things and brings back issues we have not sorted, bringing them back into our face. Communication aspects suffer as people can state things in an incorrect manner and others misinterpret what is said, mail goes astray whether e-mail or postal, computers break, the likes of websites and wireless systems don’t appear to work, and problems come to a head whilst you appear to run around like a headless chicken and get absolutely nowhere.
So what to do? If an old problem comes to revisit, deal with it as it can’t be ignored any longer – sort it once and for all. Never begin a new project at this time, especially if it relates to travel, communications or networking. Ensure messages are delivered and clearly understood, so slow things down and take more care. We go into this phase about every 4 months but some times more noticeable than others, so it is best to know what to do and how to deal with it and it will be a lot less painful.
Embracing Jupiter
At the moment, Jupiter is appearing brightly in our British night sky to the south east. It is a huge planet with a mass twice bigger than all the others in our solar system combined. While out finding Polaris, see if you can find Jupiter too and you will have expanded your knowledge of the night sky even more.
As a Sagittarian, Jupiter is my ruling planet, but he also rules Thursday . As King of the Gods, he rules business, material growth, justice and legal matters and brings about the energy of good fortune and expansion – just what we all need at times!! On your altar, burn Cedarwood incense or oil and light a blue candle dedicated to Jupiter, and any spells began on a Thursday for any of the above issues and you will be automatically calling on Jupiter’s influence and help too; after all , every little helps!!
Saturn
Saturn is the only planet in our solar system with rings, so it is very distinct and, during this next month, this is the only planet in our solar system visible in the night sky. Saturn is a cold, hard planet and it brings that coldness and hardness to our planet. It forms structure and astrologically is about control, self-discipline, thrift and hardship, law and order and death. It is the planet of old age, wisdom and experience and conserving the old ways is what it aims to do! Doom and gloom or what??
Pronounced may-bone, this is the autumn equinox, when night and day are equal. The sun’s power is diminishing fast, and from now on, the nights will be longer than the days. In days past, the harvests would now be mainly gathered, and these celebrations would be a respite from the work. Children at school today still bring in groceries from home and have a Harvest Festival, giving thanks for a good year of crops. This is a follow on from the Old Ways, as are most of the religious festivals.
Mabon begins the commencement of autumn. The leaves are yellowing and beginning to fall, brambles are collected for jams and pies, and the rose hips and elderberries for syrups and wines to ward away the winter coughs and colds.
It is now a long-forgotten art of protecting the body for the forthcoming season with what was available from the ground and hedgerows. They didn’t have fridges and freezers, supermarkets and chemists. They had to live off the crops and hoped that they survived the winter – hence the celebration for the good harvest and the preparation by the women for the long nights and cold days ahead.
Today, we are out of tune with the seasons because food is available all year round from different countries all over the world. However, if you want to remain healthy over the winter then eat what is in season in your own country. Just because we can buy something doesn’t mean we should – salads won’t feed the body in the cold, and strawberries don’t feed and protect the body for the winter so it’s back to healthy stews and soups with lots of root vegetables and good stocks, so please think ahead. Ditch the processed foods full of rubbish, cut out the dreaded hydrogenated foods and aspartame, and plan to feed yourself and your family good, natural foods to keep the body healthy and ready to face the winter. Also, don’t forget, as always with the equinox, balance is in conflict as night and day fight to rule. Because night wins, expect arguments, depressed feelings and no energy/ extreme tiredness at this time (month surrounding the equinox). By October, you should start to feel better and no, you aren’t going mad!!
The year is winding down, and the nip is in the air first thing in the morning. Time to contemplate the bounty of the last six months and what has been brought into our lives – what had we planned to do, what have we done since the spring and what have we made happen. It is also time to slow things down as winter is on the way. Fruit would be dried, pickled, bottled – you name it. Food was stored, wood was chopped (I know that one with 2 coal fires to keep running), and houses checked and secured for the winter weather.
What to do at this time…
This is the Pagan Harvest Festival, when we are grateful for what the last 6 months has provided, and celebrate accordingly. The drink should be red and white wines, homebrewed beers, fruit juice (so I am fine with my gin and grapefruit!) and the likes whilst the food table should be full of fruit, salad, home baked bread, pies and quiches, cheese and pickles – nothing fancy, just plain, simple fayre.
It is a time to realise just what we have to be thankful for – healthy children, good friends, family, a warm comfortable home – not the material things of life but those things that should make life fun and worth while.
Your altar should be decorated with the fruits of the season, nuts, corn etc. Have a go at making your own fruit pies or pickles. This was a necessity back in days gone by, to ensure the food kept over the winter in whatever ways they could. As the winter approaches, why not select a project to keep you occupied during the coming months. Attend a night class and learn something you have always wanted to, or catch up on your reading. Set yourself a target and see if you have achieved it by the next equinox.
The autumn is a lovely time to take walks, not only to get exercise or keep your sanity, but to see what is going on with nature, especially as we can often get a wee glint of late summer at this time. See what you can find in the hedgerows – elderberries can be made into what is known as Elder Rob – great source of Vitamin C, as is rosehip syrup made from wild rosehips and all available from your local hedgerows. I used to make these when my kids were little to keep the colds away and they always worked. Another tip is if you find any teasels, take one home – they get the bits off your woollies as good as those electric defuzzer things!! Decorate your altar with some wheat or barley if you can find any and one black and one white candle to symbolise the balance of light and dark. Put some autumn flowers and some dried fruits too. The equinox is a good time to look at what you have achieved this year, and what you could have achieved but didn’t.
It is important for us all to embrace the season and where we are at in the Wheel of the Year. Time to change your duvet to the thicker one and swap your wardrobe. I have my universal clothes that stay (jeans etc) then my spring/summer/optimistic clothes; lighter layers and colours as the sun strengthens and days heats up, and this goes out at Ostara. The Equinox sees them sealed back away and exchanged for the autumn/winter/slob about cosy clothes; warm, thick, comfy layers for the longer, darker nights as we head for the colder, hibernating part of our year. There is something quite nice about changing your wardrobe and being part of the wheel, because for most of you, these simple things are all you do. I have coal fires so need to chop and dry wood, cut scrap wood for kindling and fill the bunkers at both house and shop, ready for the change of weather but for most, it is simply pressing a switch to bring the heating back on! By getting candles out, clothes swapped, coats cleaned, the duvet changed and summer sandals swapped for winter ankle boots, you are getting in tune with the movement of the Wheel.
The equinox is the time we contemplate the last 6 months. Did you succeed in your plans: did you have a productive season: did you achieve all you set out to achieve? Time to give thanks for the bounty you have been blessed to receive – no better way than with a party for friends to join in your thanks! Invite a few friends or family round for a drink or a last BBQ of the season. This is also your traditional Harvest Festival as the work is all over, so do something good for the less privileged: donate to a charity, give some time to a good cause or similar – even just help out a friend who is having a hard time with the kids.
Now what? Yes, time to plan for the next 6 months – what are you going to do now the dark nights are here? What are you going to achieve through the winter? Although it is a time to hibernate, you don’t need to stagnate. Time to plan guys and gals! Is there something you should have done previous and regretted not doing so? Now is the time to put it right!! Write down your aims for the winter and place on the altar, along with some dry, fallen leaves and perhaps some nuts and pine cones, symbols of fertility, and leave as a theme and a reminder for the winter. By the time the new leaves of next spring appear, you should have achieved something useful, whether you have caught up with all those books, painted that room, knitted that jumper, gone to a night class and gained a new skill or taught yourself something you have wanted to learn for ages.
The winter is a time of learning, so what are you going to do with it this year. What will you do this winter? Now is the time to set things in motion and make use of these dark nights ahead, so do something with them. Start a project or finish one that you have begun. Do a correspondence course, join a gym or fitness class, learn a new skill or get down to reading those books you have had for ages – whatever you choose, make sure it will be a useful use of winter.
Easy spell for Mabon…
Is there anything in your life that needs to go? Then have a go at this:
Take a walk in the countryside and see the autumn taking hold – view the fallen decaying leaves and find one that is in good shape. Visualise what needs to be let go of or gotten rid of, and write a relevant single-word description on each leaf such as smoking or jealousy or whatever is in your darker side that needs to be let go of. Now bury the leaf in a pile of decaying leaves and leave to rot with the rest. As it rots over the winter, so will your issue. It is done so let it go –let the power of the Earth help give you strength and support.
A couple simple Autumnal spells just for you…
I mentioned spiders previously, but here is a simple thing to change how you think of spiders…even though they aim to trap flies and wasps etc and are very useful to us, some just hoover them up or kill them. Firstly, any spider sat in the open is simply a female looking for a mate…yes, it’s a horny spider, so leave her alone, poor girl! If you want to set her free, then catch her under a glass, place cardboard underneath and take her outside. Spiders are a symbol of connection, creation and all things communicative, so can help you weave your web of destiny!
When you take her outside to a nearby tree or bush, whisper the following:
“Mrs Spider, go run free, and weave a wish in your web for me”
As you introduce her to her new home in your garden, whisper your need/wish/goal and know, as you work to achieve your goal, there is a little friend out there helping to weave your wish for you too.
Autumn to us as kids meant bramble picking, free food for the winter, which mum made into pies and crumbles with apples. Brambles bring good health and abundance and apples protection, so traditional, bramble and apple pie would be weaved with a little magick to help you survive the winter in good health, with enough coal for heat and food to eat. My nan used the leaves as a tea for an upset tummy and the fruit to make blackberry rob to fight colds, and to dye cloth or wool, so helpful free berry indeed. As you pick, wash and prepare the fruit, simply say:
“Fruit dark and sweet, and so good to eat, bring us good health and abundant wealth”
Keep repeating as a quiet affirmation during preparation, cooking and serving and let the bramble do its best!
And there’s more…something to do with the kids…
Some homes have fancy festive fairy lights situated in a large vase to light up a corner. If you only bring it out at Christmas, then get it out of the loft and use it as a seasonal decoration. If you don’t have one, then check out your local DIY store and pick up a bargain that will become your year-round Sabbat centre-piece.
As the leaves fall, go for a walk with the kids and find some nice autumnal leaves that have fell but have not yet started to rot, especially if after a windy day as they get blown off trees on mass. Now bring the nicest home and place between 2 tea towels. Put some heavy books on top to dry and flatten them. The next day, cut a strip of greaseproof paper long enough to wrap around your vase. Fold in half and decorate with the leaves, using glue to hold them in place inside. When the kids have tastefully decorated the paper, affix with tape to the outside of the vase and switch on. Now you have a beautiful family-made Mabon decoration for your lounge. Using your imagination, you and the kids can change this with the seasons…so let their ideas flow and get creative!!
Bonkers for Conkers…more than an old autumnal game
In Aberdour, the old horse chestnut tree is the first to announce that autumn is on its way, then the kids simply wait…until the conkers (the tree’s seeds) begin to fall. In my day, the boys couldn’t wait for the conkers, as this was the big battle between friends…who had the champion conker? There were family traditions, with advice coming from dad, uncles and grandads, to see what they did and who was top dog. Did they soak them in vinegar or bake them in the oven to harden…the boys back in the day had loads of tricks, all of which were illegal in any competition!! It really wasn’t all about the biggest either but the heaviest. Fresh conkers are best, so as they begin to fall, select the shiniest and heaviest. A quick test is to put them in a bucket of water… damaged internally and they will float, so throw them away as they will never be any good. If they sink and intact, they are good to keep. Leave them to dry on a towel, then pierce with a metal skewer and hang on an old shoe lace. Then, it is time to challenge your mate and with alternate strikes, try to hit your mate’s conker…just check the string is the same length (another illegal move), then let the battle commence… this was serious stuff back in our day (and free)!!
However, there is more to conkers than battle. If you don’t like spiders, there is a lot of folklore about spiders and their hatred for conkers, so if you collect fresh conkers and place near windows and doorways, spiders will avoid your home for the winter, and if they are already there, they’ll leave…just pop behind furniture against their favourite wall or leave in corners of their favourite room, and wait. Other pieces of magickal folklore include:
So, it’s well worth taking the kids to the woods & collecting some fresh conkers…they might just come in handy!!
So, back to Lammas or Lughnasadh as it had been known before – call it whichever you want to but I use Lammas as round here, they still have lots of Lammas Fayres in little villages and towns. Lammas, an Anglo-Saxon name means “loaf-mass” when the first corn was baked into bread and shared amongst the villages during their celebrations, whilst Lughnasadh was named after the God Lugh who was God of the sun, corn, harvest and light and was the start of the hunting season (and still is disguised as the glorious 12th which was Old Lammas Day.)
On 31 July at sunset, the party to celebrate the harvest begins. The crops are full and ready to be gathered. The first grain would be harvested and baked into loaves especially for the occasion. The husks would then be used to make a corn dolly and hung in the home to bring a year of good fortune, the previous year’s dolly being burnt on the Lammas bonfire. This is known as the festival of first fruits and any celebrations would include raspberries, blackberries, brambles or whatever was ripe and ready for picking.
In days gone by, this was the party before the hard work of harvesting really began. Over the next 6 weeks, the village would all work together to bring in the harvest. Even the children were included in this and one of the reasons behind the 6 weeks off school in the summer. On farms and the likes, this will still be valid, as the harvest had to all be in by the Autumn Equinox, and stored ready for the winter. Lammas was the fun before the grind. Here in Aberdour, the Lammas fair has been revived and we have fun and frolic for 9 days. OK so we push it a bit, but there isn’t the work to do in the fields for the majority of us, but more a rest from the work of today. Another point is that, in days gone by, the party began when the grain was ready. They judged by nature, not calendar, as we do today. Remember, the lives of the people in days gone by depended on plentiful crops and a good harvest to last them through the winter.
Lammas celebration is that of plenty, the bounty of the fields about to come in – the festival of First Fruits. The earth will go into mourning as the bounty from her fields will be taken and left barren. It is a celebration of transformation – grain will become flour and make bread, and the products of the trees and the hedgerows will be turned into pickles, pies, wine and jams. The death of the fields, so to speak, will give us life over winter. The rule of life – there is always a price to pay. And an extra bit – Lammas was so called after “loaf-mass”, in which the first grain from the field was baked into bread and thanks given for the blessing of the harvest.
Things to do at Lammas
Decorate your altar with corn, oats etc, poppies and other greenery that is around, and burn beeswax candles, a product sacrificed by the bees from their home to give you light. If you want to be really adventurous, collect wheat from the fields and make a corn dolly for your altar.
Have a look at the last 6 months, and see what your personal harvest has produced. Have you completed all that you planned at the spring equinox? Or have you not done anything about your ideas yet? Evaluate where you stand and if your life is going how you had planned. And if not, then what are you going to do about it!!!
On a nice day, take a walk and experience the hedgerows and fields – the reason for the celebration. See how the brambles are doing. Are they ready yet for picking? Is the corn? Bring something back from the field or hedge for your altar. I remember as a child spending part of August picking brambles and coming home with black fingers stained with the juice and nettle stings all over your knees as the best brambles always grew with the nettles (they feed them!). It also taught you to find the nettle cure – dock leaves – something kids seem to have forgotten these days. So, spend an afternoon in the country with a friend, partner or the whole family if not picking, then at least having fun exploring. I remember we were always driving looking for sections not yet picked over, yet these days of supermarkets and chemicals, no-one ever seems to pick from the hedgerows any more but this would have been a tradition at this time, gathering food for jams, wines and pies for the winter.
Important is to include a loaf in any ritual that you do, to celebrate the transformation of the sun’s rays into the corn into the bread into you. Get a bottle of organic berry wine such as bramble or raspberry or some freshly squeezed fruit juice and include this as part of your ritual of thanks too.
So, enjoy as in days gone by, the hard work was about to start again and this party-time was deserved.
Whilst you are out and about examining the hedgerows, why not do a little magic too. Without the magic of trees, we could not live. They turn the nitrogen we exhale back into oxygen for us to breathe. This is why trees are so important. Cut down all the trees, we die too.
So, find a tree and have a chat. Talk to the tree whilst you sit under it. Tell it of your problems. These old and wise guardians have stood, some of them, for thousands of years. They are indeed magickal and we can use this power to transform. Do you have a bad habit you want to kick? Take a charcoal pencil or a burnt piece of wood and draw the bad habit on a fallen leaf or piece of bark. Now bury it at its roots, all the time telling the tree what you want to happen. Place an offering to the tree in the hole along side the leaf and cover up. Don’t forget to water the spot too and it will be done.
I have already mentioned going out for a walk and checking out the hedgerows, but what about the rest? It is very important for a witch or prospective witch or pagan, to attune with nature. Any self-respecting witch finds it a necessity to walk by water, stand open-armed and let the wind blow through, lay in the sun and feel it’s warmth and energy or sit in the light of the moon and let her healing powers flow through you. This is far more important in the understanding of the elements and it’s powers than to worry about getting the words to a long-winded spell correct. You cannot worship nature if you never go out in it.
A witch is a person who is environmental and honours that environment around her. You cannot appreciate the power of nature unless you visit it and can feel it on a regular basis.
Your magickal Harvest jar…
People’s lives depended on the harvests in days gone by…it was necessary for life to have enough to eat over the winter, so people hoped and prayed for a good harvest and this would all be celebrated at the turn of the wheel. We also have harvests in our lives from the seeds we too plant, whether ideas, children or businesses, and wishes in our daily lives to help improve them are just as important today as they have always been. Your long-term goals should be in your wish box, which is updated 6-monthly but are for things in your future i.e. partners, new home, perfect job etc but the things we harvest seasonally can be wished for in the family harvest jar.
First, you will need a pretty jar, whether gifted with maybe a candle in but too good a jar to discard, or even a recycled marmalade or honey jar that you have decorated with relevant symbols yourself…but a pretty wide-necked jar with a cork or lid. Also collect dried sage or fresh leaves if you have them in the garden, wishing grains, a sprinkle of oats, barley or wheat, fresh from harvested fields, but otherwise a little sprinkle of porridge oats will suffice, 4 hazelnuts (or acorns or other nuts in the shell), a small piece of pyrite and a piece snow quartz. You will also need paper and a gold or yellow pen, and some golden coloured ribbon or cotton (golden harvest theme)
On the night of Lammas, when you make your fire, you can put together your Family harvest jar. Hold the sage between your “magick mittens” and charge the herb ‘to set your wishes in motion’. Add to jar. Now repeat with the rest of the items and layer in the jar with your chosen nuts and crystals on the top. If you don’t have all of the items, then no worries, just use what you have. You are now ready for wishes. With your Sun/harvest pen, write a single wish on a piece of paper, roll into a scroll and tie with a little ribbon (different colour per family member). Place in the jar. All family who live in your home can add their wishes, as many as they want, but only one wish per scroll. When all are done, close the jar with the lid and place in a prominent position in the family room, but not where it can be played with or opened by mistake. You have set your wishes into motion and now leave them and wait for your harvest to appear. Review your wishes in the spring, remove what has materialised or no longer relevant, and replace what is still relevant and yet to occur. Wishes can be added to the jar as needed!
The importance of Friendship
Us humans need friends. Friends are the family your choose to have around you, people who are there to support you in times of trouble, to act as a sounding board when you need to offload, and to help you celebrate when times are good. They share our secrets, our fears and worries and support us in times of loss. You may be lucky enough to have a large circle of like-minded, trustworthy friends who you can call on at any time to help you out (and, no, I do not mean likes or friends on Facebook!). True friends are people to be treasured and enjoyed like a fine wine… good friendships grow better as the years go by. Even if you haven’t seen each other in a while, it will be like it was yesterday when you meet or call on them for help or guidance, and true friends also tell it like it is.
Sometimes, however, life gets in the way, and friendships change. Maybe you have had to move towns for work and leave your friends behind, had a family and your friends were work-based, or maybe you have divorced and your circle of friends get split or you realise that a friendship is actually one-sided and you can’t deal with the negativity that friendship brings any longer. Life changes and moves forward and sometimes you just feel a little lonely and need to enhance your social life and make a new friend. Lammas is about celebrating and being thankful for the good things in life, so is a good time to add a little magick to improve your social circle.
Lammas Friendship Talisman
Before Lammas eve (31stJuly), gather together 3 similar sized crystals of moonstone, jade and rose quartz, a small green pouch or scrap of material, a large ivy leaf (check out walls etc) some patchouli oil and a piece pink ribbon.
On Lammas eve or Lammas, light your bonfire or bbq (still fire/heat) as part of your Lammas celebrations, or simply a candle or tealight. Cleanse your crstals in water, ready to be used.
Sit with the firer and some incense, (any will be fine as you need frankincense in it) and think about what your life needs, whether to seek more friends, deepen friendships that already exist or strengthen the bond between you and those you have left behind in another location. As you think of your need, place the crystals in the bag or centre of the material, and draw together, then tie it with the pink ribbon, three times, making 3 knots. Sprinkle the bundle with 3 drops patchouli, then bury in a safe place, such as in a potted plant or outside planter and look forward to a livelier social life. This spell can also be performed in the spring or on any waxing moon, as no-one should feel alone or lonely in this world. To quote the Beatles: ‘We get by with a little help from our friends”
Are you worth it?
The first instant response to this question should be “Of course I am”…and this was me, when asked why I had indulged myself with expensive perfume on a girly shopping trip – because I am so worth it!!! If this wasn’t your first response to this question, the question has to be asked as to why not?
Women today have more money, more power, more independence than ever before, yet some still feel undervalued or worthless? Maybe I am selfish but I have developed the attitude that I am well worth it. Maybe Witchcraft has done that for me, but I work hard to provide money and a home for my children and if I want some me-time away from them, it opens their independence, not my guilt. Why can’t women go shopping for an hour with the girls or take a bath in peace? I am much calmer and can handle so much more when I have had my quiet cup of coffee, a lonesome walk with the dog or 20 minutes in a sumptuous oil bath. What’s more, I deserve what little time I award myself. I am not here to be at my family’s beck and call 24 hours a day. I deserve a life and, as a witch, I aim to live that life to the best of my ability…not merely exist as Wife, Mother and Domestic Slave. When the kids are wee there is little choice, but you can still start your plan for when they are bigger, and take that first step sooner rather than later. Taking valuable time away from the kids teaches them the life lesson that parents ARE entitled to a life. Time to take a stand and get your life back on track!
It takes courage but all women should head for the joy in life and not the doldrums – things that make you happy and grow, not miserable and limited. Make your wish list for the future and start planning how to get a little of what you wish for yourself: if you don’t have a plan, it will never happen!
A wee note to the men & offspring who read this newsletter: give them a helping hand and help them to grow, not keep them slaving over the sink. Witchcraft is all about balance and, as I see it, the scales aren’t exactly in balance. All work and no play makes Jill a knackered domestic Goddess!! Whilst at home, pick up those books, and help keep the brain ticking. Take up a night class as the start to your plan for the future, or read every minute you get on subjects that interest you. A friend of mine took a degree whilst raising her kids, which is to be applauded and her plan was ready once the kids were all in school…it just takes a little focus!!
Lammas is all about enjoying the summer before the hardship of winter and working out what you have achieved and where you go next. It is time to begin making that plan or wish list if you don’t have one in place. I realise that decisions can be easy and straight-forward, but other times, not so easy, especially when the decision is about things that are very important, and not small issues, but life-changing decisions. So, how to you make your decision on where you are going is a question I am often asked and if it was as simple as handing over a stone and your decisions are sorted, life would be so much easier. However, it isn’t quite that simple for most, so here is some help in seeing clearly the right choice to bring about moving your life forward. Don’t worry – be happy!
A Lammas Tarot spell at dusk…
Lammas is a time to be grateful for the good things in life, but sometimes we are weighed down with problems and cannot see the wheat for the chaff. At sunset on Lammas Eve (31st), take a small yellow candle, yellow or gold fairy dust and the 10 cups tarot card outside (make use of that old set) and sit at the garden table or altar. As the sun begins to go down, turn the card face down and light the candle next to it. Think about the family issues that are weighing you down and troubling you, and visualise them building up in your heavy heart, then flowing down your arms into your hands! Once in the palm of your hands, sprinkle fairy dust on them, hold up to the sunset and blow your troubles on the dust to the sunset. Then whisper to the Sun…
Mighty fire of blazing Sun, take away my troubles as the day is done
As you watch the sunset, know your troubles are being burned by the Sun. Then flip over the 10 Cups. This is your wish card and symbolises a happy settled family life. Let the candle burn out and place the tarot card on your altar or mantle-piece until your troubles have worked themselves out. Happy days…
A few seasonal traditions
I love superstitions, folk lore, weather lore, old wives tales and the likes (if you have any you would like to be included, send them in to me!!) So here are a few for this time of year:
Babies born in August were regarded as children destined for a great future whilst those who were tired of life and wanted to die ate cabbages during this month!! Bizarre
One of my all-time favourite flowers is the tiny Scarlet Pimpernel. Looking to see if this flower is open or closed will tell the weather this month – when it’s petals begin to close, rain is on its way whereas if the petals are wide open, the weather is set to stay fine.
Crossing water on a ship/ferry and want a safe sea voyage? Then toss a penny over the ship’s bow as it leaves port to pay the God of the Sea to keep you safe!
Watch the tides in August if you live by the sea, especially in Scotland when the Lammas floods can be particularly high and would predict a very wet August which can traditionally be the wettest of the summer months anyway, whereas a misty or dewy start in Wales would mean a month that would end in heat!