The seasons have a powerful effect on us , but also, according to some Earth magicians,

subtly affect magickal workings. Theses are the different types of magicks that could be

preformed during the different seasons.

SPRING: A time for healing; purification, spring cleaning of ones self as well as ones

surroundings; psychic awareness; paying bills; fertility; planting magickal gardens; &

ecological rituals. Air magick.

SUMMER: A time for love, marriage, friendship, beauty, protection, courage, magickal

energy, physical energy, & strength. Fire magick.

AUTUMN: A time for money, employment, new possessions (including cars & homes).

Water magick.

WINTER: A time for banishments of disease, habits & addictions, seeking past lives.

This is a time for introspection, meditation, reading, & magickal exercises designed to

renew the magician for the coming spring. Earth magick.

SPECIAL TIMES

LIGHTNING STORMS: are periods of intense energy. All spells cast during storms will be empowered by them, and may prove to be more effective. Protection rituals are ideal at these times.

RAINSTORMS: are fine for purification, love, compassion, friendship, beauty rituals, & releasing guilt & jealousy.

SNOWSTORMS: are the time for gentle magick, purification, & stilling emotions. Release unrequited love.

HEAVY WINDS: empower rites designed to break addictions, assist study, & travel spells.

SEARING HOT DAY: charge rites of protection, courage, & energy.

Blessing until next Month

We do not often think about candles when we light them. Well we do if we are lighting them for Ritual or for a spell. But what about outside of that?  Candles are one of just a few links that we have with out ancestors. We do not think about the fact that candle have no race, religion or creed. Candles have meaning in just about every life, religion, race. We light candles for the magick of ritual, whatever the religion. We light then for the magick of romance. We light them for the magick of a simple birthday wish. We light them when we are happy and when we are sad. How many of you can remain untouched by seeing a candle light vigil or a midnight mass. What about the first birthday candle.. Or the 100^th.

We not only use for birthdays but for anniversaries, or to remember a loved one passed on. We use one candle or many candles to help us make a connection to the Divine, whatever face we see.

But for Pagans, Wiccan and Witches candles are used more often. We use them in our everyday. One single tealight lit for a sick pet, friend, loved one. 4, 6 or more, lit to invoke the elements, Deity, archangels, ancestors. Anointed candles used for healing, love, a new job, prosperity. We have different colors for different uses, oils to add to it.

No longer are candles just animal fat used to light our way in the dark. They are a large part of our everyday. How many household have no candles in them. Many are highly scented so we use them to refresh our home, or to bring back great memories of years gone by. History relived by a single flame.

You can find much about the history of candles, but only if you want to know. I will not run on about it, even if I do find it fascinating. There are many great sites to help you get good tips on making your own candles. But honestly, in this day and age, you need only make the candles if you have a special reason or ritual. You can get great colored, scented or plain candles at the local grocery or corner store. And some specialty places like  Partylite.

I will add a chart for candle colors and uses. These are not universal as many do not always agree. Remember that it is your intention more than any candle color that makes your rite or ritual.

White:

White candles are universal, they are like white light which has all of the colors, they are used in protective, consecration and cleansing rituals, for healing the whole person, for spiritual matters, and for contact with one’s higher self and angels or spirit guides.  White is a good color for rites-of-passage work, especially for birth, marriage and welcoming rituals. White candles can also be substituted for any other color. Like silver, white is associated with female energies, lunar rituals and with the goddess and the moon.

Silver:

Silver is the color of the moon and the moon goddess. It is potent for all forms of divination, telepathic abilities, for astral projection, and for rituals to invoke female power, intuition. Silver candles can remove negativity and promote inner stability.

Gold:

Gold is the color of the sun. Golden candles are potent for wealth and recognition, as well as long life. Use them for ambitious schemes and money-making rituals that require an instant or substantial return. Gold is also the color of male power, energy and change.

Pink:

Pink is the color associated with Venus, the goddess of love, so pink candle  are excellent for matters involving the gentler aspects of love, romance, affection and friendship, the healing of wounded emotions, for quiet sleep and for the mending of quarrels. They can also be used for all family matters, for the rekindling of trust and for new relationships.

Yellow:

Yellow is the color associated with Mercury. Yellow candles therefore encourage activity of all kinds, but especially mental exercise. Use them in rituals where you wish to gain another person’s confidence and approval, or to win someone around in business or intellectual matters; to sharpen logic and for good luck on a journey. Yellow is also for careers in business, communications or the media.

Orange:

Orange is another solar color, a color of fertility, both physical and mental, of creativity and growth, for self-esteem and confidence, abundance of all kinds and independence.  Above all, orange candle are for joy and for the successful integration of all aspects of the personality into a harmonious whole.

Red:

Red is the color of Mars,  and is the color of courage, determination, action, energy, sexual passion and potency. Red candles are burned to increase the life force, for survival, physical health, strength, pleasure, will power, and to overcome injustice and bring about change. This is therefore a very powerful color and should be lit for worthy aims only and when you are in a positive frame of mind.

Purple:

Purple is associated with Jupiter. It represents the wise teacher.  In magic, purple candles provide a link with higher dimensions and can bring happiness to all who yearn for something beyond the material plane. Purple candles aid meditation, past-life work, candle and mirror scrying, divination, astral travel, and are good for psychic protection and for the prevention of nightmares.

Blue:

Blue is the healing color and is associated with Jupiter and other father/sky gods in their role as law-givers and powerful rulers. blue candles can expand the boundaries of possibility and create confidence and power mingled with altruism and idealism.  Blue candles can be lit for the expansion of mental horizons, for success and the increase of possibility. They also represent the expansion of physical horizons and travel. As well as offering protection and calm in the midst of times of crisis and turmoil.

Green:

Green is the color of Mother Earth and so is potent for healing, for rites involving the natural world, herbs, gardening and tree magic, for growth and, by association, the growth of money in prosperity rituals. When green candles are used in rituals for wealth, they tend to encourage a gradual increase in profits or resources.

Brown:

Brown candles can be used in rituals to locate lost objects and for anything to do with the home, older people, practical matters and pets. As brown is another color of Mother Earth, brown candles can act as grounding, balance and protection,  bringing success through hard work, and for money or material and financial security. Brown is a nurturing color and is the natural focus of maternal matters, instincts, and acceptance of others with faults and weaknesses. .

Black:

Black candles can be potent in all forms of banishing magic, for leaving behind old sorrows and redundant relationships, for acknowledging grief and for rituals of parting. Black is also the color of acceptance, as well as the color of forgiveness. Black is another earth color, containing both male and female energies.

Much of this information has been gather from the internet, books and emails that have been used or shared with me. I do not have the exact author/s of this information. And take little credit for how it has been written or adapted her.

Until next time

Blessed Home and Hearth

The Hearthkeeper

I recently watch a movie called “Eat, Pray, Love”. And in this movie there was an old Italian parable about the man who daily for most of his many years asked this Statue of a Saint the same thing… “Saint, Please let me win the Lottery. Then one day the statue comes to life and says to the old man “My son, Go by a lottery ticket.”

This struck me again with how much we ask, of others, of God and Goddess, of the world around us. But how often do we take the time to listen for the answers?

Too often we walk around thinking if we only had an answer, or even a clue about the answer or even a better understanding of it all that we would be, richer, happier, smarter..

But we do not take the time to listen for the answer. We have it… it is there. In our hearts … in our heads. The Charge of the Goddess tells us that “And you who seek you findest me not within thee, you will never find me without, for behold – I have been with thee from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.” Translates to God/dess is you and you are God/dess. You do not need to look outside of you for ALL the answer. And when you ask for the answer, listen for the answer.

Years ago I received one of those silly chain letter. You know the ones I am talking about… they have a great/ sad/ poignant message followed by the nasty “send this to …. People or something terrible/ wonderful will happen to you.  But the story stayed with me for years. It was about a young man who kept asking God/dess to show him some sign that they were there. And every time he asked some moment of beauty regaled the world. But this man was so self-absorbed that he could not see and was again disappointed. He always wanted someone else to show him the miracle instead of looking at it and “seeing” it. We need to look with-in and see/hear our answers. When we do not we then miss many of the things we may need to grow and heal and learn. The answers are within. We are all perfect manifestations of God/dess. We have only to ask ourselves and s/he will show us the answers.

When we learn to listen to our inner voice, the one that we call our conscience, we will then find that our guidance.. Our answers were not so far away as we thought.

Blessing until next Month

It occurred to me there are people here out there who would not know where to start in performing a Ritual.

This is a basic framework. Feel free to adapt and adjust to what you need as you grow and learn..

Set up your altar. Things that should be on it include:, candles, athame, wand, chalice, salt, water, , a pentacle, decorations that fit the time of year or Sabbat you are working with.

Cleanse the area.

Ritual cleansing

Take a broom and stand in the area to be used as a sacred space. Close your eyes and visualize bright clear energy coming in the top of your head. See the energy flow down into your broom and visualize the broom cleaning away any negative energy. Sweep clockwise and then sweep the negativity out a door or window, shutting it after them. The door or window can be marked with a drawn pentagram (in the air or on the door with a fingertip).

Go back to the area to be used. Put water and salt in a dish. Mix them with a finger. Face the East and say: With Water and Earth I cleanse the east. Dip your fingers in the water. Sprinkle the water around the arc of the circle, moving from East (Air) to South (Fire) to West (Water) and then North (Earth). ( You would reverse if you lived in the Southern Hemisphere.) Do this for each of the directions saying with Water and Earth, etc. at each quarter.

When finished return the salted water to the altar

Light some incense. The burning of the incense mixes with the air. Say: With Fire and Air I cleanse (or bless) the East . Go around the circle again, visualizing it being cleansed (or blessed). Only cleanse if it were the first time using the area, since the sweeping has already taken place – or if there’d been a disturbance there since the last ritual.

Put the incense on the table. Let it burn out.

Starting the ritual

Pick up the athame or just use your finger. You do not NEED the tools but they help with the focus. Face East. Draw a pentacle in the air, pushing through the center of it to “seal” it. Move from East to South to West, to North, back to East. Visualize an energy bubble being created as you move. The energy comes from the Earth through your body and out the point of the athame or finger.

When you have completed the circle, return to the point where you started, make another pentacle, fix it as you did the first and say, “The Circle is Cast.”

Calling the Four Quarters/Elements/Watchtowers

One way to do it is to call on the Elements. You can do it as Watchtowers or simply say something like:

( Facing East) Element of Air, that which provides us with the breath of life, I welcome you to my Magickal circle this night. Light a Yellow candle.

(Facing South ) Element of Fire, that which provides us with warmth in the dark of night, I welcome you to my Magickal circle this night. Light a Red candle.

(Facing West) Element of Water, that which provides us with moisture and life, I welcome you to my Magickal circle this night. Light a Blue candle.

(Facing North) Element of Earth, that which supports us and brings life to us, I welcome you to my Magickal circle this night. Light a Green or Brown candle.

Call to the Goddess

Blessed Lady, Mother of us all,

Be here tonight for this Magickal rite.

Lend me your strength, your love, your compassion.

Blessed be She!

Call to the God

Blessed Lord, Father of us all,

Be here tonight for this Magickal rite.

Lend me your power, your force of will,

Blessed be He.

At this point you will want to do what working you planned, either healing, meditation or Ritual. I recommend learning to do ritual for quite a  long time – like a year – as a celebratory rite rather than as a time to do Magickal  working.  So you are comfortable in this form .Speak from your heart.

Closing

Blessed Lord, thank you for my Rite

and lending your powers to mine.

Go in peace and love. Blessed be.

Say the same thing for the Goddess, substituting Lady for Lord..

Facing each element walk counter clockwise saying:

Element of (name element), thank you joining my rite.

I bid you return in peace and love. So mote it be!

Put out each candle as you do.

Pick up the athame. Go to the pentacle you have fixed. Put the athame in it, cut down and suck up the energy of the circle into the athame. Move in a counter clockwise motion.

When done ground out the energy. This can be done with Libations(cookies and drink)( food grounds out most energies. Do not eat before ritual if you plan on magickal healing or workings.)

Say: The circle is open but unbroken. May the peace of the God/dess be forever in my heart.

Blessing until next Month

The reason for this is that I have done food recipes, I have done flower recipes, I think I have even done a recipe for Happiness. But often when you are writing a spell or a ritual you find that you are stumped. So I am going to give you the “recipe” that I follow and you can use it, modify it, or throw it out. Just like any other recipe.. Being a Pagan, Wiccan or Kitchen witch, well sometimes you need a little boost or formula. This works for me.

Most of you know by now how to Google ” correspondences”  on the web. There you can find all the moon, season, color, astral etc..etc.. that you may need for a ritual. Here is a form, a recording sheet to keep in your BOS. I do not remember where it came from or who gave it to me, but I share it with you now..

RITUAL RECORD SHEET

* Type of Ritual:

* Date & Time made:

* Moon Phase & Astrological

* Weather:

* Purpose of Ritual:

* Tools & Other Items Required:

* Deities Invoked:

* Approximate Length of Ritual:

* Results of Ritual:

* Ritual Composition:

* Additional Notes:

I often use this as an outline for my rituals. I have in the past copied it and kept hard copies for when I ritual outside or in another venue.

I think I have one of these for spells and I  will include it at the end of the article.

So here is my BASIC RITUAL RECIPE

1. Gather ALL of the tools you will need.
2. Gather all of the folks that will participate in the ritual( or take a few deep breaths if you are alone)
3. Cleanse and Bless with water, salt and incense)
4. Cast Your circle ( some cast trice, some only once.)
5. Call your elements( watchtowers) clockwise. I call from the North but not everyone does. Light your elemental candles at this time.
6. Call upon the Goddess and the God(  if you revere both.) Light your God/des candles at this time.
7. Call upon your Ancestors( skip if you do not)
8. Do the meat of your ritual at the time you chose.
9. Do any meditation or energy raising that your ritual calls for
10. Spend a few moments Grounding. This is often the time to do “cakes and ale”. Food grounds you pretty quickly and gives everyone a chance to come down from the energy raising. Take this time to make any announcements you may have for future rituals
11. Thank your Ancestors and release them, snuff the candles
12. Thank God/dess and release them, snuff the candles
13. Thank the elements and bid them leave. Often they are just released and not told to go home. They stay and cause mischief. Snuff the candles
14. uncast your circle walking .
15. Thank all for the energy they put in and for coming to your ritual. If you were alone than take the time to look back and be proud of your ritual.
16. At this time I would use any left over cakes and ale to feed the elements and Deity for all that they give us. Often refer to it as “feed the tree” time.

This is what has worked great for me. Has lead to a great ritual that flows pretty smoothly all the time. If you create a formula that works for you, Your own “recipe” then you will be able to do ritual anywhere, any time without having to stop and plan it much. Keep a ritual box on hand in your car, or house that has all you will need, candles, incense, matches, snuffer, oils, altar clothes, incase  you find yourself in the woods and want to ritual. Or a group get together and find you want to do a healing ritual. You have it all there. Silly little small toolbox or tackle box works great.

And the following is the spell worksheet that you can copy and use for your own.

WORKSHEET FOR SPELLS

* Type of Spell:

* Date & Time to be performed:

*

* Astrological Phase:

* Specific Purpose:

* List of Ingredients &/or Supplies Needed:

* Specific Location Required:

* Date, Time & Astrological Phase When Used:

* Results:

* Deities Invoked During Preparation &/or Use:

* Step By Step Instructions for Preparations &/or Use:

* Additional Notes:

Until next month
Merry Cooking and Blessed Eating
The Hearthkeeper

PS. If there is anything you would like to see here.. Please email me at  thehearthkeeper@gmail.com

Blessed be…

SOLAR & LUNAR ECLIPSES:

These are dramatic moments for magicians.

Many natural magicians use the suggestive power of an eclipse to fuel spells involving banishments, unlike in the past, when magicians were urged not to perform magick during eclipses.

THE SUN

Some may wait months for the sun to enter the proper sign of the Zodiac.

This is fine for major workings but unrealistic for working everyday magick.

However, there are other solar cycles worth following…

SUNRISE: As light stretches out from the eastern horizon. When the Night runs from the Day. This is an excellent time to perform rituals involving purification, business success, study, employment, travel, releasing guilt & jealousy, healing diseases, & the conscious mind.

NOON: When the sun shines far above at full strength. This is a time for that which involves magickal energy, physical energy & strength, protection, money & courage.

SUNSET: The sun run from the dark, this signals the time for breaking addictions, weight-loss, banishing misery & pain, transforming anguish & negative habits.

NIGHT: This slow and sleepy time is for beauty, dreams, psychic awareness, spirituality, sleep, sex, love, friendships, peace, and releasing stress.

THE MOON

It waxes & wanes each month, rising an hour or so later during each twenty-four hour period. When it is full, it rises as the sun sets.

There are different types of spells performed at the different phases of the moon.

The Moon’s phases & the types of magick appropriate to them are:

WAXING MOON: (From New to Full) When the Moon is waxing it is a time for beginnings, health & healing, psychic awareness, beauty, fertility & all positive magickal workings.

FULL MOON: All positive magickal spells are performed beneath the potent glow of the Full Moon, including protection, love, healing, purification, psychic awareness, money & travel.

WANING MOON: (From Full to New) This is the time for banishments of habits, addictions, disease & negative thoughts. Jealousy, guilt, & hurts are released under the waning Moon. The old is swept away to make room for the new.

Blessing until next Month

S.Dunham

Harm none.  Short and to the point.  That being the case, it’s a law we can live with.  Besides, it’s easy enough to follow.

Right?

Well…….

Seems like most applications should be fairly obvious…

For example, not to do bodily harm, to ourselves or anyone else.

Do not wish ill, manipulate, or deliberately hurt someone’s feelings.

We even know better than to damage as we become successful.

These things go without saying.

But what about all the things we can’t know or control?

Like how something we say might affect someone else.

What if it is taken out of context, and angers them or brings on pain.

What if they react and endanger themselves?? Does some of that responsibly come to us…? You bet it does, we started the wheel in motion.

Words have power–much more power than we could ever imagine–and the actions they evoke aren’t always what we intend.  This is the reason that we need to be extremely careful with what we say and how we say it.  And that isn’t always as easy as it seems. But we also need to be aware of what we think. As Pagans/ Wiccans/Witches we are all aware that thoughts have as much power as words. So if we wish ill against someone could be as bad as saying it outright.

Your actions come into play here as well. Not that we would ever intentionally harm another living soul.  But we need to be aware that the harm none law is very cut-and-dried, and it doesn’t allow for personal intentions.  What IS important is the end result: harm none, and that means taking control of our lives, our emotions, and our personal energy.

Now some will take this to extremes, not eat meat because it harms an animal . Or wear masks so they do not breathe in a bug and harm it.  God/dess set up this place very well. Carnivores eat other carnivores or herbivores. Herbivores eat plants and bugs. It is the cycle of life. If you chose a different cycle that works great for you, but condemning someone for not following your way is harming them. See what I mean about how difficult it can be.

Now I will not touch on the use of magick as there are way too many differing paths and arguments on the “grey” areas between what is considered Light and Dark Magick. But as long as no one gets hurt and everything is okay.  Right?

Well, not necessarily.

Think about what happens when we toss a stone into a pond.  The stone hits the surface.  Ripples appear.  They radiate in an outward and encircle areas previously unaffected by the original stone toss.  Such is the case with the ripples of magick.

What this means is that every spell we cast has the capacity to affect many lives–even the lives of people unrelated to the magical goal.  If the spell is beneficial to all, there’s no problem.  But how do you know what is beneficial for someone else??  How can we possibly know what’s good for people we haven’t even met?

Does this mean that all magic is bad?  No.  It does mean that we need to think things through…  We need to be absolutely certain of what we want and why.  We need to have a clear view of things as they really are. Why? Because in doing so, we may discover that the very thing which seemed to warrant a magical solution at the onset doesn’t need one at all, and is best left to its natural cycle.

And if you still choose to continue with your desire then you need to be aware that the ripples will also bounce back and in the end effect you. So make sure that you are prepared to take the responsibility for your action.

Blessing until next Month

S.Dunham

But this is a little different. Many of us, Pagans, Wiccans, Witches are having trouble with the economy because we sell our wares or talents and in these times of trouble less people seem to be buying then ever before. But I must say that something I rarely think about was brought to my attention that I had not really dwelled on. Tips… and the people who rely on them to make the ends meet, the Waiters, Waitresses, Take out clerks, Bus drivers. These people count on the small generosities of their customers to make the very small paycheck work. Did you know that many wait staff make like $4.00 an hour because their tip making abilities are factored in.  Many Tour bus drivers are making $10 an hour but only get paid for the time they drive, or they get paid mileage… only for the miles they actually drive. And if they are stuck somewhere for 8 to 10 hours they make nothing, but they have to stay around the bus in case they have to move it. So they cannot do anything except buy something to eat or drink. This freaked me out.

I recently went on a “staycation” you know.. that new catch phrase for vacations more local. I took a tour bus from Albany, NY to Boston Ma for a whale watch. Not very expensive.. wonderful ride out.. air conditioned bus.. great driver who played good tunes on the way out and a good movie on the way back. I gave him a $5.00 tip. Many others gave him $1.00 or $2.00. now there were 55 people on the bus, I joking said to the driver” you must make out like a bandit.” And he said he wished.. people trust him with their lives.. he drives then hundreds of miles in a day and he make maybe $80.00 before taxes on the trip and $46.00 in tips that he had to share with the escort.. WOW.. that made me stop for a minute… that means that many people did not even think that their lives were worth a few dollars in tips for this man who went way out of his way to safely get us there and the wonderful escort who have us juice and snacks.. asked after our every need and provided nibbles for the ride home. WOW I say again.. if everyone had given  a few dollars that trip would have been worth him working a Saturday to take us on vacation. Would you have given up YOUR Saturday for less than $150.00 before taxes??

Then the waitress or waiter that serves you a meal, do you think about what they have to do every day they work for 8-12 hours a day??  They do what you do at home but they do it for hundreds of ungrateful people who make messes on the table, grumble about the food and leave a dollar or two for the $40.00 meal they had. This person waits on us, to look at the menu, decide what we want, order it. Then they wait for someone else while waiting for our order.  Then they wait for others while they wait to see what we need. And during this time they have to clean and maintain their station, making sure that the food, condiments and tableware are clean and ready for the next group. And in many cases they may have to share the tips that they do make with the other wait staff.  So when you leave a dollar or less than 15% of your tab you are hurting someone who may only be making $4.00 – $6.00 an hour.

This holds true for many laborers in our lives. The kid who mows the lawn, you know the lawn that it is too freakin hot for you to mow. You are paying him like $15.00 for 2 hours work.. nasty sweaty backbreaking work. Or others that you rely on.. but do not really think about… yet.

I only ask you this… Think about your life. Think about the people who do for you that deserve more than a thank you. If they perform a service for you that you must pay for chances are they are not really making very much.  Leave them a tip…. If their service is good.. leave them a tip.  If they drive you somewhere.. well what is YOUR LIFE worth? My life is worth more than a dollar or two.. so I give what I can afford to give. But if I can afford to get a large dunkin donuts coffee then I can afford a .25 or .50 tip for it. If I can afford to eat out then I should factor in at least the 15%. If I take a tour on a chartered bus then I factor in at least $5.00 even though I would LOVE to give more. But think about it, what would we do if they made what they were worth? We would NOT go anywhere. If  they decided not to work because they are mistreated and underpaid. Well we would have to stay home or drive ourselves..

Well I can hear it now… “ They should be glad they have a job.” Or “ They knew what they were getting as part of the Job”. Well they also know that if they do a great job some people will tip them for good service. Well you know what  I know some that don’t care and the service they provide show it; Dirty busses, cold food, late arrivals, Nasty attitude. Well you know that saying..you get what you pay for. It is true for your service as well as the price of the trip. Think about what YOU would do if it was YOU in that job. Then tip accordingly.

Until next time

Blessed Home and Hearth

The Hearthkeeper

PS. If there is anything you would like to see here.. please email me at  thehearthkeeper@gmail.com

Blessed be…

I AM truly blessed and realize that with every breath I take.

I AM
By The Hearthkeeper

I am me
The me the world made
Not the me I wanted to be

I am me
The wife my Hubby made me to be
Not the me I wanted to be

I am me
The mom my kids made me to be
Not the me I wanted to be

I am me
the person the society made me to be
Not the me I wanted to be

I am me
The me my religious lessons made me to be
Not the me I wanted to be

I am me

The me the God/dess has guided to this path

Not the me I wanted to be

I am me

The me that Death has made me to be

Not the me I wanted to be

I am me
The scared girl Cancer is making me to be
Not the me I wanted to be

So now what…
If I am me..who is that
A wife, mom, witch, cancer survivor
Is this the me I wanted to be??

Am I me??
I do not know..
The me I wanted was a picture
A vision
Of the me I wanted to be

But all that has made me
Molded me
Formed me by their needs
Have made me the me I am

I AM ME
The me I am today
Love and cherished
Hugged and blessed
I am MOM,WIFE,WITCH,
SURVIVOR,EARTH MOTHER

I am me
The person who has evolved
From the me I wanted to be
To the me I want to be today

I am me

And I am truly blessed.

Until next time

Blessed Home and Hearth

The Hearthkeeper

PS. If there is anything you would like to see here.. please email me at  thehearthkeeper@gmail.com

Blessed be…

Your Altar is sacred space.  It is the center of your focus. That space between the worlds that you create, and where you do magical works. It is apart from the mundane, every day life of your household.

In the Ideal world we would all have our personal ritual space where your altar would be set up all the time. But the reality is that we just do not have the space in our homes and apartments to do that. So even if you have to set your altar up on the coffee table and break it back down when you are done it is Sacred to you for your use.

It is not even necessary to have an altar to do magick, it is entirely possible with some practice to do all your rituals entirely through visualization with no tools, no circle, and no altar at all.

If you have children you must consider that the items on your altar are attractive and interesting and may tend to catch the kids attention. Most children are not perfectly behaved and wouldn’t think twice about touching your things. So you will need to combine keeping things out of their reach and teaching them that the things on your altar are special and are not to be played with. Don’t leave items that are dangerous to them on the altar no matter how confident you are that they won’t touch them; athames, matches, oils and herbs should be stored where they are not accessible to your kids or your kids friends who don’t know what they are.

Now it’s time to decide what sort of altar you want. This is in part based on what sort of witch you are. How much stage dressing do you like? If the decorations are useful in helping you get into the right frame of mind for magic then by all means, go for the props… If on the other hand, you wish to keep it simple you really don’t need much more than a flat surface to put some candles on once in a while.

Now whether you use a coffee table, tray table or portable altar (like mine) now you must orient it to the correct cardinal point for your tradition. My altar always faces East. You will need to use a compass if you are not already familiar with the directions where you live. Also, depending upon the tradition, the altar may be at the edge of the circle or in the center. In mine it is usually in the center. Take into consideration that if it is to be in the center, you will need enough space to pass on all sides of the altar. You also need to make it workable if you have a group or Coven that will be coming to work with you. You will need enough space to cast circle for many as well as just you.

Now it is time to consider what will be on it. The usual items include the ritual tools you work with, altar candles, a censer, Your Athame or wand, chalice and libation plate. Many Wiccan traditions also have a pair of candles to represent the Goddess and the God especially for Sabbat rituals. There may be images, symbols or statuary of the deities as well. The Goddess has the left side of the altar, the God the right and their candles and symbols are placed on their side.

Also you may have additional candles for your elements if you have no room  or if doing a candle spell, a colored altar cloth to bring in a color correspondence, crystals, flowers-either for decoration or Sabbat, tools for divination., Some Rituals may require special materials be added to the usual altar arrangement, but for most things the basic layout will work.

Below is an example for you.

This is YOUR Sacred working space, and it should reflect YOU ad no one else. It should be the doorway for your magickal workings, meditations and Rituals. It should make you happy and comfortable. Enjoy it, change it, decorate it. Find when suits you and work from there. You can look online for further information, there are many links from Google that you can follow to look at altar set ups and find the best way for you.

Blessing until next Month

S.Dunham