-
MagickalArts
A New (Witch’s Year)! Summer Solstice 2021 Welcome the Summer Solstice! Welcome the Longest Day! Welcome the Inner Journey with a Ritual of Awakening… I usually craft a personal working for the solstices and the equinoxes using the solar energies as the continuous energetic thread. Below is a simple ritual that you may use to celebrate the Solstice as an awakening to and reaffirming of the solar energies that are part of our inherent make-up. Each of the workings I do serves to enliven and increasingly strengthen the solar current. It is this current that I use for energetic protocol and workings. And, it is this current that…
-
Light a Fire Under Your Own Ass: The Magic of Motivation – An Excerpt from ‘Witchcraft Therapy’ by Mandi Em
Light a Fire under Your Own Ass: The Magic of Motivation Motivation is a funny thing: It seems like when you need it the most, it’s not there for you to draw from. Many of us struggle with motivation in various areas of life, a problem that, when left unchecked, can suck us down even further into a lazy hole of “I don’t wanna!” There’s also a special relationship between depression and motivation that can leave high hopes feeling like a neglected third wheel. Depression can make even the simplest tasks, like getting out of bed, a monumental challenge. And as the things around you that you should…
-
Familiars & Crystal Magic
I have two cats and one dog. My dog is my baby, but I didn’t get along with my cats until roughly a year ago when I began to better understand them. I believed cats were rude, loud and did whatever they wanted, basically teenagers. My current two were exceedingly unpleasant and wanton compared to most I have encountered. If they didn’t get their way they would potty all over the house out of spite, and were constantly under my feet tripping me and constantly yelling. Being accustomed to dogs made their behavior seem irritating and unruly. Finally I started paying attention beyond asking myself if they needed food or…
-
Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times
Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times for March 2021 Bright Blessings! It’s below freezing outside, and we may get up to eight inches of snow in the next three days. I have been shoveling my backside off this month, because we’ve already gotten PLENTY of snow already, as The Cailleach reminds us it’s still her domain. Not for long! (Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash) In just over a month, it will be Spring Equinox, and, according to weather reports, it will have warmed up significantly by then. Already, the days are longer, and seeds are out in stores…YES we got some seeds. Those who have read…
-
Notes from the Apothecary
Notes from the Apothecary: Bluebell Tiny bluebells are, for me, a sign that spring is truly on the way. In the woods near where I live, they spring up, completely unannounced, sometime between the snowdrops and the wild garlic. It’s a “blink and you miss it” kind of phenomenon; Come to early, and the ground is just green and dormant. Come too late, and the flowers have already wilted, the plants getting ready to store their energy until next year. The most spectacular showing of bluebells is at a patch of woodland a little further afield, by the banks of one of our waterways. These bluebells arise and…
-
Spellcrafting: Spells & Rituals
Easy Imbolc Merry meet! I celebrate sabbats on the astrological dates. This year, astrological Imbolc falls on Wednesay, February 3. Below is a list of easy ideas I’ve collected to help you do something simple yet meaningful for the sabbat, *Light a candle at dawn to greet the sun, or at some point during the day, light every candle in the house and offer a short blessing. *Gather up all your candles and bless them. *Prepare for the coming spring with some house cleaning. Rather than doing the whole house, which is overwhelming, pick one thing. Instead: organize a bookcase, clean a cupboard, or strip the bed…
-
“Self-Love Ritual for When You Don’t Get It Right the First Time” An Excerpt from The Junior Witch’s Handbook by Nikki Van De Car
Fulfillment will never be achieved without some failure along the way. If it were easy, it wouldn’t be all that fulfilling, would it? Failure is an integral part of the process of reaching satisfaction and happiness. That doesn’t mean it’s a pleasant experience. Whenever we fail at something—and particularly when it’s something we really want to be good at—it hurts. We feel all kinds of emotions, and may decide that this failure along our journey means that we’re not good at this, that we’re never going to be good at this, and, sometimes, that’s there’s something wrong with us because we weren’t successful this time. Sometimes it helps to…
-
So Mote it Be
The first time I saw a honey locust tree, I was both intrigued and terrified. Three-inch thorns poked out from around the trunk of the tree at all angles. Near the bottom, you couldn’t see the tree trunk at all for all the thorns. There was no way anything was going to harm this tree! I walked up to it and gently touched a thorn. It was extremely sharp, but it wiggled under my touch, so I pulled a little. It popped off the tree and landed in my palm, as if it was a gift. I wiggled a few more thorns, and though most were firmly attached, the tree…
-
Earth Protection Spell an Excerpt from the Book ‘Modern Wicca: Beliefs and Traditions for Contemporary Life’ by Rowan Morgana
Earth Protection Spell Excerpt from the Book ‘Modern Wicca: Beliefs and Traditions for Contemporary Life by Rowan Morgana Intention: To invite the elemental Earth spirits to live in your garden to protect and nurture it. Protecting a small part of your own garden counts toward the greater good of protecting and healing Earth. If every- one takes care of their little corner of land, a wave of Earth-healing may begin. This spell is best done under the light of the full moon. What You’ll Need: 1 very large stone Dried lavender and thyme Gold, red, blue and green ribbons each about 12 inches…
-
Self-empowerment and Charisma Spell to Create Your Own Future Book Excerpt from Knot Magic by Sarah Bartlett
Self-empowerment and Charisma Spell to Create Your Own Future Book Excerpt from Knot Magic by Sarah Bartlett It’s hard these days to know what we truly want for our future, isn’t it? This spell will not only empower you with charisma and self-confidence, but enable you to create the future you truly desire right now. WHAT YOU WILL NEED 5 gold rings 5 lengths of gold-colored ribbon or cord WHEN TO CAST SPELL Morning On a very sunny morning, lay the five gold rings in a circle, either outside in full sunlight or in a very sunny place indoors. Take the five lengths of ribbon…