Date: May 1

Animals: Swallow, dove, swan, Cats, lynx, leopard

Deities: Flower Goddesses, Divine Couples, Deities of the Hunt, Aphrodite,

Date: May 1

Animals: Swallow, dove, swan, Cats, lynx, leopard

Deities: Flower Goddesses, Divine Couples, Deities of the Hunt, Aphrodite,

artemis, Bast, Diana, Faunus, Flora, Maia, Pan, the Horned God, Venus, and all Gods and Goddesses who preside over fertility.Tools: broom, May Pole, cauldronStones/Gems: emerald, malachite, amber, orange carnelian, sapphire, rose quartzColors: green, soft pink, blue, yellow, red, brown

Herbs and Flowers: almond tree/shrub, ash, broom, cinquefoil, clover, Dittany of Crete, elder, foxglove, frankincense, honeysuckle, rowan, sorrel, hawthorn, ivy, lily of the valley, marigold, meadowsweet, mint, mugwort, thyme, woodruff may be burned; angelica, bluebells, daisy, hawthorn, ivy, lilac, primrose, and rose may be decorations, st. john’s wort, yarrow, basically all flowers.

Incense: frankincense, lilac, rose.

Symbols and Decorations: maypole, strings of beads or flowers, ribbons, spring flowers, fires, fertility, growing things, ploughs, cauldrons of flowers, butterchurn, baskets, eggs

Food: dairy, bread, cereals, oatmeal cakes, cherries, strawberries, wine, green salads.

Activities and Rituals: fertilize, nurture and boost existing goals, games, activities of pleasure, leaping bonfires, making garlands, May Pole dance, planting seeds, walking one’s property, feasting

Wiccan mythology: sexual union and/or marriage of the Goddess and God

It’s association with fire also makes Beltaine a holiday of purification.

Wiccan weddings are frequently held on or around Beltaine

Other Names: Ostre, Oestre, Eostre, Rites of Spring, Eostra’s Day, Lady Day, First Day of Spring, Easter, St. Patrick’s Day, Alban Eiler, Bacchanalia, Mean Earraigh, Pasch, Caisg, Pess

Date: Spring Equinox (March 20-22 in Northern Hemisphere) or when the Sun is 1 degree Aries.

Symbolism: The beginning of spring, new life and rebirth, the God and Goddess in Their youth, balance, fertility

Goddesses: all love, virgin, and fertility Goddesses; Anna Perenna (Roman), Aphrodite (Greek), Astarte (Canaanite, Persia, GrecoRoman), Athena (Greek), Cybele (Greco-Roman), Blodeuwedd, Eostre (Saxon Goddess of Fertility), Flidais (Irish), Gaia (Greek), Hera, Ishtar (Assyro-Babylonian), Isis (Egyptian), Libera (Roman), Minerva (Roman), The Muses (Greek), Persephone (Greek), Renpet (Egyptian), Venus (Roman), Ostara (the German Goddess of Fertility), Kore, Maiden, Isis, Youthful Goddesses. Faerie Queen, Lady of the Lake(Welsh-Cornish), the Green Goddess

Gods: all love, song & dance, and fertility Gods; Adonis (Greek), Attis (Greco-Roman), Cernunnos (Celtic), The Great Horned God (European), Liber (Roman), Mars (Roman), Mithras (Persian), Odin (Norse), Osiris (Egyptian), Thoth, Pan (Greek), the Green Man, Hare, Youthful Gods, Warrior Gods, Taliesin, Lord of the Greenwood (English), Dagda(Irish),Adonis (Greek)

Symbols: Eggs, rabbits, similar to easter symbols.

Purpose: Plant and animal fertility, sowing

Meaning: The God comes of age, sexual union of the Lord & Lady, sprouting, greening, balance of light and dark

Essence: Strength, birthing, completion, power, love, sexuality, embodiment of spirit, fertility, opening, beginning

Customs: Wearing green, new clothes, celtic bird festival, egg baskets coloring eggs, collecting birds eggs, bird watching, egg hunts, starting new projects, spring planting

Foods: Hard-boiled eggs, honey cakes, fresh seasonal fruits, milk punch, leafy green vegetables, dairy foods, apples, nuts, flower dishes, sprouts, fish, maple sugar candies, hot cross buns, sweet breads, milk, punch, egg drinks

Plants & Herbs: Acorn, celandine, cinquefoil, crocus, daffodil, dogwood, Easter lily, Irish Moss, ginger, hyssop, linden, strawberry, gorse, honeysuckle, iris, jasmine, jonquils, narcissus, olive, peony, rose, tansy, violets, woodruff and all spring flowers

Incense and oils: African violet, jasmine, rose, strawberry, lotus, magnolia, ginger, sage lavender, narcissus, broom

Colors: Light green, lemon yellow, pale pink, pastels, gold, grass green, robin’s egg blue, lemon yellow.

Stones: Amethyst, aquamarine, rose quartz, moonstone, bloodstone, red jasper

Animals and Mythical Beasts: Rabbits/Easter bunny, snakes, pegasus, unicorns, chicks, swallows, merpeople

Decorations: Daffodils, tulips, violet, iris, narcissus, any spring flowers, eggs, butterflies, cocoons

Spell/Ritual Work: Garden/plant blessings, seed blessing, spellcrafting, balance, growth, communication, invention, new growth, new projects

Planetary Ruler: Mars

Element: Air

Gender: Male

Threshold: Dawn

Crunchy leaves underfoot and crisp clear skies overhead bring such peace to our family! Now is the favorite time of year for this suburban pagan family.

When the kids were little, each day found us walking with baskets collecting acorns, sticks,  and pretty leaves.  Upon arrival the acorns were dispensed to the little kitchen for play food while the leaves and sticks awaited further attention.

Decorations freshly made for October begin on the first day. Little gnomes are made of acorns with pinecone bodies began to populate the hearth.

An age old craft of placing a leaf between two pieces of waxed paper and ironing it shut is inhanced by adding shaved Crayons before the top sheet and creating a beautiful stained glass picture.

Sticks are glued around votive candle holders and tied with ribbon for the altar.  Pretty bunches of leaves are hung on the branch above the kitchen table as well as the seasons herbs to dry. All in preparation for Samhain.

Dressing in costumes and eating a quick snack is still a must at our home. Doorbells begin to ring at dusk and with candles lit outside and inside and a plastic cauldron filled with candy we are ready. As each group of neighborhood children stop by I am filled with gratitude for the year now ending. Seeing the growth of these children  touches me as my own are grown and one married!

Gratitued and rememberance. Samhain is the opportunity to be thankful and to also say goodby to our loved ones who have passed.

After the last doorbell has rung, the fire is lit in the fireplace and dinner is served.  Mulled cider and stew filled with root vegetables are a favorite.  After dinner we move to the floor. Now is the time for tarot and rune readings. While the children were little we used a children’s fairy tale tarot set and made our own runes based on the Whinnie the Pooh stories.

A small basket of oak leaves gathered earlier in the month await our attention.  One leaf at a time, we name a dear one that has passed and place that leaf in the fire watching the smoke and silent blessing asend the chimney.  Earlier in our family life, each and every pet was remembered and the kids felt comforted. It is also the time to let go of negative feelings with a leaf.  Quiet listening to the fire and taking in the lovely smells of candles and wood burning brings the evening to a close.

The relief from the heat and energy of the summer now surrounds us as we move through the wheel of the year into the time of gratitude, blessings and rememberance.  Blessed be.

Blow in the last of daylights Autumn breeze

The sun has finally left the sky

And now at last the time is nigh

In an outdoor cauldron

I lay the fire

With sacred herbs and wood

And conjure loved ones memories

Be they bad or good

I smile, I laugh,sometimes I cry

And every year I question why

Life’s lessons are so hard to learn

And I sit and watch the fire burn

The hours pass, I’m unaware

On this Samhain of a Solitaire

But the lessons learned

I’m proud to say

Have made me who I am today.

Here are a couple of herbal blends that are specifically for Samhain.  They can either be burned as incense or added to the fire, when added to the fire however you lose the purity of the fragrance.

Samhain 1

Equal parts nettles, bayleaf,calendula,tarragon,sage,oak leaf and 2 drops of Frankincense or Myrrh oil.

Samhain 2

Bay leaves, nutmeg, sage.  This blend also works well when contacting your personal spirit guide.

If you add oak leaves and nettle to the fire all the better.  It is sometimes possible to obtain really large bags of sage at pow-wows or occult stores at a super reasonable price and that’s a great additive to the fire as well, although it does produce a lot of pungent smoke.  However you choose to mark this important occassion have a Blessed Samhain!

The coolness of Autumn has come to many of us.  We find ourselves drawing close to yet another year.  The wheel has come full circle and once again we prepare ourselves for the coming of a new year.

It is a time when the old God dies, returning once more to the earth; Only to be  reborn when Yule comes later in the year.  The time of the Goddess represented as mother is over. The long days of sun filled days of vibrant life and color have come to an end.   It is now the time of the Crone.  A time for self reflection. As the year ends and death comes, we turn ourselves inward.  We seek wisdom and good counsel for the time ahead, the coming new year.  It is a chance for new beginnings and a time to once again plant and grow in hopes of a future good harvest.  This is considered not only in a rational sense yet also in a fugitive sense.

Yet before we can start our journey into a new year, we prepare ourselves to celebrate the Celtic Festival of the Dead or Samhain as many know it. To many this is the most important of all festivals celebrated throughout the year.  This is a time when the veil which stands between the world as most know it and the Otherworld is said to be at its thinnest.  It is a time when the spirits of those passed on come and walk among us. It is a time when we pay homage to those who have led us, taught us, and loved us in times before.  It is a time of remembrance of those passed on.

Extra place settings  are set at evening meal tables  for those who may be expected to join the celebration even though they have not been physically among us for some time.  Candles are  placed in the windows to show such visitors where to come and where they will be welcomed.  Alters are arranged with photos and memorabilia of those passed showing respect and also acknowledging their presence as well as their welcomed participation in the evening festivities.  The feasting table is lined with special dishes prepared especially with the taste of those passed in mind.

This time always holds a special dearness to my heart as the spirits of the those who have come is always so strong.  It is as festive as any time of family and friends gathering can be. As well as the presence of those passed on, this is also a keen time to pay respect to the wee folk if that be something that you believe in.  The Fae (or fairy as many call them) are among us at all times yet always quite difficult to catch a glimpse of.  On Samhain when the veil is thin, it is also a good time to catch a glimpse of the delicate folk.  For those of you who tend a garden like myself, a small treat of cream, fresh butter, and some honey will tempt any fairy folk you may have to come out and spend a bit of time.  Although a mischievous lot, they can also be quite helpful and beneficial if befriended.  I give much of the credit to my wild garden near the woods to the Fae I know live just within the woods.  I have made it a point to acknowledge their presence and to make sure that I remember them at such times of the year.  They in turn help me to see that my garden is nurtured and bountiful.

As you prepare yourself for the closing of this wheels cycle, I wish you peace and calmness.  May your Samhain be filled with the presence of those who mean most to you, both near and already passed.  And may the coming year bring you new and eventful opportunities that will  bring you closer to knowing yourself as well as being the fulfillment of what it is you are meant to be.

Blessings

Mother Moon

Towards the end of October it seems that everyone has ghosts on their mind with Halloween just around the corner.  There are many traditions and superstitions that have carried over many years.  Some we have barely modified and some have taken on a life of their own.  Many carry on these old traditions without knowing how or why they came to be.  Even for those who do not believe in the paranormal, Halloween turns almost everyone superstitious for one night.

The holiday we celebrate today is a large blend of different beliefs, religions and folklore that accumulated over the years.   The Celtic belief, over 2,000 years ago, was the night before their new year, November 1^st, the veil between the living and the dead was very thin.  On October 31^st they celebrated Samhain .  The Celts believed that on this night the dead would return to earth and potentially damage their crops.  There was also the belief that druids would return and share knowledge about the future.  To celebrate, the Celts would build huge bonfires and dress up in animal skins.

Later around 43 AD the Romans combined their festivals with the Celtic celebrations.  One Roman festival was to honor the Roman Goddess of fruit and trees Pomona, whose symbol was the apple.  This is one explanation for the tradition of bobbing for apples that is performed at many Halloween parties today.

Depending on the culture and traditions, this Holiday as always been about either communicating with or warding off spirits.  The belief that this is the best time for spirit interaction has stayed strong for thousands of years.

Not until the second half of the nineteenth century, many immigrants came over to America and helped to popularize Halloween, mixing many Irish and English traditions.

Since many believed ghosts walked among us on this night, they would go out disguised as spirits to blend in.  The tradition of trick or treating was also brought over.  During the All Souls Day celebration in England, poor citizens would beg for food and money.  Families would give them pastries called “Soul Cakes” in exchange for a promise they would pray for their dead relatives.  This practice was more welcomed by the Church than the older tradition of leaving wine and food out for roaming spirits.

The belief of the dead returning was so strong, it wasn’t uncommon for people to set the dinner table in hopes of welcoming back a deceased family member.  Food and candles were left on doorsteps and along the roads for the spirit to find its way.  Many forms of divination were performed on this night as well, since the veil was so thin many hoped for a glimpse of their future.

There was a belief many years ago that a young woman should name a hazelnut for each of her suitors, and then toss them one by one into the fire.  The nut that completely burned to ashes, without popping or exploding was the one named for her future husband.  Young women would also peel apples and toss the peel over their shoulder to reveal the initials of their true love.  Scrying was also popular on Halloween night.  Many would drop egg yolks into a bowl of water and peer into it, or stand in front of a mirror in a dark room holding a candle.  Staring long enough into the mirror would bring the vision of a face over your shoulder.

Many Pagans still celebrate Samhain and honor the old ways.  We who practice the Craft and Magic understand this history and keep it alive.  The Witches New Year will soon be upon us and for one night many people of many different backgrounds will celebrate.  This holiday is centered greatly on spirits and superstitions but it is also a symbol that wherever there is death there is always new life.  The circle will always continue.

A Thin Veil Towards the end of October it seems that everyone has ghosts on their mind with Halloween just around the corner.  There are many traditions and superstitions that have carried over many years.  Some we have barely modified and some have taken on a life of their own.  Many carry on these old traditions without knowing how or why they came to be.  Even for those who do not believe in the paranormal, Halloween turns almost everyone superstitious for one night.      The holiday we celebrate today is a large blend of different beliefs, religions and folklore that accumulated over the years.   The Celtic belief, over 2,000 years ago, was the night before their new year, November 1^st, the veil between the living and the dead was very thin.  On October 31^st they celebrated Samhain .  The Celts believed that on this night the dead would return to earth and potentially damage their crops.  There was also the belief that druids would return and share knowledge about the future.  To celebrate, the Celts would build huge bonfires and dress up in animal skins.      Later around 43 AD the Romans combined their festivals with the Celtic celebrations.  One Roman festival was to honor the Roman Goddess of fruit and trees Pomona, whose symbol was the apple.  This is one explanation for the tradition of bobbing for apples that is performed at many Halloween parties today.      Depending on the culture and traditions, this Holiday as always been about either communicating with or warding off spirits.  The belief that this is the best time for spirit interaction has stayed strong for thousands of years.       Not until the second half of the nineteenth century, many immigrants came over to America and helped to popularize Halloween, mixing many Irish and English traditions.        Since many believed ghosts walked among us on this night, they would go out disguised as spirits to blend in.  The tradition of trick or treating was also brought over.  During the All Souls Day celebration in England, poor citizens would beg for food and money.  Families would give them pastries called “Soul Cakes” in exchange for a promise they would pray for their dead relatives.  This practice was more welcomed by the Church than the older tradition of leaving wine and food out for roaming spirits.      The belief of the dead returning was so strong, it wasn’t uncommon for people to set the dinner table in hopes of welcoming back a deceased family member.  Food and candles were left on doorsteps and along the roads for the spirit to find its way.  Many forms of divination were performed on this night as well, since the veil was so thin many hoped for a glimpse of their future.      There was a belief many years ago that a young woman should name a hazelnut for each of her suitors, and then toss them one by one into the fire.  The nut that completely burned to ashes, without popping or exploding was the one named for her future husband.  Young women would also peel apples and toss the peel over their shoulder to reveal the initials of their true love.  Scrying was also popular on Halloween night.  Many would drop egg yolks into a bowl of water and peer into it, or stand in front of a mirror in a dark room holding a candle.  Staring long enough into the mirror would bring the vision of a face over your shoulder.       Many Pagans still celebrate Samhain and honor the old ways.  We who practice the Craft and Magic understand this history and keep it alive.  The Witches New Year will soon be upon us and for one night many people of many different backgrounds will celebrate.  This holiday is centered greatly on spirits and superstitions but it is also a symbol that wherever there is death there is always new life.  The circle will always continue.

Other Names:
celtic ~ Summer’s End, pronounced “sow” (rhymes with now) “en” (Ireland), sow-een (Wales) – “mh” in the middle is a “w” sound – Greater Sabbat(High Holiday) – Fire Festival Oct 31-Nov 1(North Hemisphere) – Apr 30-May 1 – The Great Sabbat, Samhiunn, Samana, Samhuin, Sam-fuin, Samonios, Halloween, Hallomas, All Hallows Eve, All Saints/All Souls Day(Catholic), Day of the Dead (Mexican), Witches New Year, Trinoux Samonia, Celtic/ Druid New Year, Shadowfest (Strega), Martinmas or Old Hallowmas (Scotttish/Celtic) Lá Samhna (Modern Irish), Festival of the Dead, Feile Moingfinne (Snow Goddess), Hallowtide (Scottish Gaelis Dictionary), Feast of All Souls, Nos Galen-gae-of Night of the Winter Calends (Welsh), La Houney or Hollantide Day, Sauin or Souney ( Manx), oidhche na h-aimiléise-the night of mischief or confusion(Ireland), Oidhche Shamna (Scotland)

Rituals:
End of summer, honoring of the dead,scrying, divination, last harvest, meat harvest

Incense:
Copal, sandalwood, mastic resin, benzoin, sweetgrass, wormwood, mugwort, sage, myrrh or patchouli

Tools:
Besom, cauldron, tarot, obsidian ball, pendulum, runes, oghams, Ouija boards, black cauldron or bowl filled with black ink or water, or magick mirror

Stones/Gems:
Black obsidian, jasper, carnelian, onyx, smoky quartz, jet, bloodstone

Colors:
Black, orange, red

Symbols & Decorations:
Apples, autumn flowers, acorns, bat, black cat, bones, corn stalks, colored leaves, crows, death/dying, divination and the tools associated with it, ghosts, gourds, Indian corn, jack-o-lantern, nuts , oak leaves, pomegranates, pumpkins, scarecrows, scythes, waning moon

Foods:
Apples, apple dishes, cider, meat (traditionally this is the meat harvest) especially pork, mulled cider with spices, nuts-representing resurrection and rebirth, nuts, pomegranates, potatoes, pumpkins, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, roasted pumpkin seeds, roasted pumpkin seeds, squash.

Goddesses:
The Crone, Hecate(Greek), Cerridwen(Welsh-Scottish), Arianrhod(Welsh), Caillech (Irish-Scottish), Baba Yaga (Russian), Al-Ilat(persian), Bast (Egyptian), Persephone (Greek), Hel(Norse), Kali(Hindu), all Death & Otherworld Goddesses

Gods:
Horned Hunter(European), Cernnunos(Greco-Celtic), Osiris(Egyptian), Hades (Greek), Gwynn ap Nudd (British), Anubis(Egyptian), Coyote Brother (Native American), Loki (Norse), Dis (Roman), Arawn (Welsh), acrificial/Dying/Aging
Gods, Death and Otherworld Gods

Herbs and Flowers:
Almond, apple leaf , autumn joy sedum, bay leaf, calendula, Cinnamon, Cloves cosmos, garlic, ginger , hazelnut, hemlock cones, mandrake root, marigold, mums, mugwort (to aid in divination), mullein seeds, nettle, passionflower, pine needles, pumpkin seeds, rosemary (for remembrance of our ancestors), rue, sage, sunflower petals and seeds, tarragon, wild ginseng, wormwood

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

Mythical Beings:
Pooka, goblin,medusa, beansidhe, harpies

Essence:
Magick, plenty; knowledge, the night, death & rebirth, success, protection; rest, new beginning; ancestors; lifting of the veil, mundane laws in abeyance, return, change

Dynamics/Meaning:
Death & transformation, Wiccan new year,wisdom of the Crone, end of summer, honoring, thinning of the veil between worlds, death of the year, time outside of time, night of the Wild Hunt, begin new projects, end old projects

Work:
Sex magick, release of bad habits, banishing, fairy magick, divination of any kind, candle magick, astral projection, past life work, dark moon mysteries, mirror spells (reflection), casting protection , inner work, propitiation, clearing obstacles, uncrossing, inspiration, workings of transition or culmination, manifesting transformation,creative visualization, contacting those who have departed this plane

Purpose:
Honoring the dead, especially departed ancestors, knowing we will not be forgotten; clear knowledge of our path; guidance, protection, celebrating reincarnation

Rituals/Magicks:
Foreseeing future, honoring/consulting ancestors, releasing the old, power, understanding death and rebirth, entering the underworld, divination, dance of the dead, fire calling, past life recall

Customs:
Ancestor altar, costumes, divination, carving jack-o-lanterns, spirit plate, the Feast of the Dead, feasting, paying debts, fairs, drying winter herbs, masks, bonfires, apple games, tricks, washing clothes

Element:
Water

Gender:
Male

Threshold:
Midnight

Its almost here, the best holiday of them all, in my opinion at least, I love Samhain (pron Sow in – for those unsure) I remember even as a small child Samhain was a celebration for me of people who has passed over, I am still unsure to this day where I gained that knowledge from considering my own parents are far from Pagan and really never spoken about religion or the history of the holiday, to me at least.

I have, to this day, certain traditions that I will always carry out and pass down to my own children, should they wish to follow them of course.  I think for me ‘Halloween’ is much more commercialised than I’d like it to be, more about ‘the kids’ or ‘candy’ or in some cases ‘money’ can you belive it!  But I am not going to focus upon the negative aspects that I can pin point instead I’m going to focus on the joy and happiness that fills Samhain.

One of the traditions I have been doing over the past couple of years, is an age old folk tale of ‘feeding the dead’ I take an apple, no particular type just an apple, I take mine from the apple tree in my garden but you can use one from your fruit bowl, and under the moon, bury the apple in the ground, it is said to nurish the souls of the dead that roam the earth at this time.  Another popular folklore tale is that if you bury thirteen leaves from a harvested apple tree on Halloween you would be guareteed a bumper crop the following year.  How fantastic is that. Another one I follow is to eat a full apple on halloween night before you go to bed as it is said that you will not suffer any illness within the next twelve months, and eating a slice from three apples on halloween night also ensures a year filled with good luck.  These are all folk tales but seriously why would you not try them out, thinking back to last year I did all of these and the results are very good indeed.

Another tradition we have is pumpkin carving, it’s great to do as a family and the pumkin can be then used for soup or pie so there’s no waste and if you dry the seeds out you can plant them next year and grow your own pumpkins.  Even better, free pumpkins for next year and just think of all that lovely soup you can make and freeze for throughout the year (pumpkin soup has been my favourite since I made my first batch about four years ago).

I heard about some ‘Moon Omens’ that I want to share with you  – If the Moon is New on Halloween  it indicates that the coming year will be firtile ground for new beginnings to take place such as a new project, career or a new way of thinking.  If the moon is Waxing on Halloween it means good luck throughout the coming year it also indicates growth and an increase of all things that are of a positive nature.  A Full Moon on Halloween could mean a wish made at midnight will be realised within the coming year, it also insures that the powers of all forms of magic and divination practised will be at their greatest.  A Halloween Waning Moon this can be an indication of an omen of good or bad consequences.  If the moon is in its ‘Dark Phase’ on Halloween its believed to be a very negative omen, advise for extreme caustion in all your endevors over the coming twelve months and it wouldn’t hurt to protect yourself by carrying a talisman designed to ward off bad luck and misfortune.

I love the folklore that surrounds Samhain, I can just imagine sat around the fire in a field surrounded by good friends  toasting marshmellows and telling folktales, what a perfect Samhain that would be.

Do you guys have any traditions that you follow?  Maybe trick or treating with you children or something else, I ould love to hear from you and what your traditions are.   Whatever you do celebrate this festival with love in your hearts and smiles on your faces but above all be safe and look after eachother.

Brightest Blessings