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Peeking in the Shadows: Crafting a Book of Shadows and Light
A Journey Through the Witch’s Wheel of the Year 2022! The Witch’s Wheel of the Year In the February Issue we began exploring the Sabbats of the Witch’s Wheel of the Year and beginning a journey of filling our BOS with information about how we celebrated and what we found to be true of our practice. For a review of what the Wheel of the Year is take a look at February’s posting here: Peeking in the Shadows: Crafting A Book of Shadows and Light-February2022 We Continue Our Journey Through the Witch’s Wheel and call to the Light of the Summer Solstice…. THE SUMMER SOLSTICE/LITHA The King…
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Peeking in the Shadows: Crafting a Book of Shadows and Light
A Journey Through the Witch’s Wheel of the Year 2022! The Witch’s Wheel of the Year In the February Issue we began exploring the Sabbats of the Witch’s Wheel of the Year and beginning a journey of filling our BOS with information about how we celebrated and what we found to be true of our practice. For a review of what the Wheel of the Year is take a look at February’s posting here: Peeking in the Shadows: Crafting A Book of Shadows and Light-February2022 An excellent resource for suggestions, visuals and ideas for making your Sabbat celebrations rich and visually beautiful, check out the…
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WitchCrafting: Crafts for Witches
Protection Door Hanger Merry meet. I was inspired to make protection door hangers by first fashioning twigs and vines into small wreaths that would fit over a doorknob. Then I collected up as many small objects as I could find that had protective powers, including bells, pentacles, tiny jars of salt, hag stones, sweet gum tree seed pods, tarot card charms, goddesses, crystals (black tourmaline, black obsidian, clear quartz, amethyst), evil eyes, rune symbols, dried herbs, and spirals. I attached these to the bottom of each wreath with embroidery floss, ribbon, twine, or string. Other objects that offer protection include angel wings, the Hand of Fatima, the triquetra, dreamcatchers,…
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Healing Oil Recipe
Healing Oil Recipe for Humans & Pets When it comes to my remedies my witch side comes to life. I have quite a few wise women in my lineage and I like to channel them when I offer any healing assistance or create remedies. My healing oil gets special attention in this area. It cleans wounds, speeds up tissue growth, and helps with bites and stings. I make it in bulk once a year, this way I can spend the year collecting the ingredients as I travel and charging them properly. A lot of work and energy goes into my healing oil. This infusion can be used on its own…
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Imbolc Correspondences
(Brigid Goddess Imbolc figurine/ St Brigid needle felt Stand Alone created by Rachel Mack of WonderfulWaldorfFelt on Etsy.) February 1, 2 Other Names: Imbolg (im-molc)(em-bowl’g) (Celtic), Candlemas (Christian), Brigantia (Caledonii), Oimelc, Festival of Light, Brigid’s (Brid, Bride) Day, La Fheill, An Fheille Bride, Candelaria (Mexico), Chinese New Year, Disting-tid (Feb 14th, Teutonic), DisaBlot, Anagantios, Lupercalia/Lupercus (Strega), Groundhog Day, Valentines Day. Animals & Mythical Beings: Firebird, dragon, groundhog, deer, burrowing animals, ewes, robin, sheep, lamb, other creatures waking from hibernation. Gemstones: Amethyst, garnet, onyx, turquoise. Incense/Oil: Jasmine, rosemary, frankincense, cinnamon, neroli, musk, olive, sweet pea, basil, myrrh, and wisteria, apricot, carnation. Colors/Candles: Brown, pink, red, orange, white, lavender, pale…
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WitchCrafting: Crafts for Witches
Wreaths Merry meet. Wreaths have been around at least since Ancient Greece where those made of laurel, representing the circle of eternal life, were displayed at funerals. As their popularity rose, they were used as symbols of power, honor, and victory (which led to warning against “resting on your laurels”). The Ancient Etruscans – who predated Romans on the Italian peninsula – made crown-wreaths of ivy, laurel, oak, myrtle, and olive leaves, sometimes incorporating vines and wheat. Evergreen wreaths were included in Christmas celebrations by Germans in the 16th century, but were used in pagan solstice rituals centuries before that across Europe. Holly and mistletoe were also sometimes used.…
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Ostara Correspondences
(Ostara the Spring Goddess Witch Sticker by artist Di from Fort Witchy Stickies, FORTWITCHDFW shop on Etsy.) March 20-21st – when the Sun enters Ares (oh-star-ah) – Lesser Sabbat – Spring/Vernal Equinox, 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 19–23 in Northern Hemisphere. 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…
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Tarot Talk
Comparing The Hierophant & The Devil Let’s look at an interesting pairing this month, and compare The Hierophant with The Devil. Not everyone is comfortable examining at The Devil, but there are interesting similarities between these two cards. First, let’s review some terms. If you’ve read my column before, you can skip the next two paragraphs. There are 22 Major Arcana cards in a Tarot deck, with numbers from 0 to 21; the Majors usually deal with broader and more far-reaching life experience issues, archetypes that are easy for us to identify with and connect with at some point in our lives. An archetype (pronounced “ark eh type”)…
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SpellCrafting: Spells & Rituals
Easy Imbolc Merry Meet! I celebrate sabbats on the astrological dates. This year, astrological Imbolc falls on Thursday, 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: organize a bookcase, clean a cupboard, or strip the bed and wash the linens,…
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GoodGod!
Meet the Gods: Anubis Anubis is the Egyptian god of the underworld, of the afterlife, and mummification. He helped judge souls after their death and guided lost souls into the afterlife. While it is generally believed Anubis is the son of Osiris and Nephthys and the product of adultery, this is not confirmed. What is known is he had a daughter known as Kebechet (or Qebehet) with the head of a serpent. A jackal-headed deity, and sometimes with the head of a dog, Anubis is the Greek name for “the guardian of the tombs.” He’s also known as the Lord of the Necropolis. For ancient Egyptians…