Tag: 13daysofmagic

Samhain is always a special night for me and my family. We usually carve our pumpkins on the night of and then roast the seeds. I anoint the candles in the jack o’lanterns with some protection oil or pachouli oil to give a little extra to the protection that the jack o’lanterns offer.

Samhain starts the season for us to reevaluate what our goals are and what is serving us. I usually burn the goal list I made last year, burn the tarot card I pulled for the year, and clean the altar after Samhain. As the wheel turns to Yule I make a new list of goals. What goals worked? What goals were too much? I also look at my mission statement about what I am here to do. Is it still working for me?

One of my favorite things to do in the time between Samhain and Yule is to trade readings with my friend Matooka. We each give each other a year reading with our very different reading styles (and I recommend Matooka’s readings highly). We go over how true the last year’s one was for us. I write it down in my journal and go back to it every month.

At the Samhain ritual for the Temple we pass out tarot cards. You get your fate for the year. Mine was the Page of Cups this year. Accordingly, I am going to make some time for more artistic expression this year in my goals and in my schedule.

Blessed Samhain and many more days of magic to you all!

There is always talk in the communities of witchcraft about curses and hexes but there is little said about the opposite of the curse, the blessing. Blessing I think is much more important than cursing because everyone benefits from the sending of it. This one is a simple blessing that can be sent to anyone. It is rather general in its wording so that the universe has more options to give from and the personal will of the person can be maintained.

You will need some incense. Though I usually encourage people to use loose incense on a charcoal because it is more natural, for this one I like to use a stick incense because I feel a bit like a “fairy godfather” swirling my magic incense wand. It is all about what gets you in the blessing mood.

The incense you choose should be one you associate with blessing. I would choose a Solar or Jupiter incense unless you have a specific intent in which case you want to pick one that resonates with that intent. Frankincense, cedar, rose, sandalwood, and lavender all make great blessing incenses. Use one that speaks to you.

Charge the incense with the power of blessing. Light the incense and visualize the person happy, healthy, and their life filled with light. At this point I like to swirl the incense in the air clockwise. If you have a specific intent say it before the chant. Examples might be “may they be in perfect health,” “may their heart be open to the love of the goddess and god,” or ” may their needs be met and more.” This isn’t necessary but sometimes that little extra intent can make all the difference to someone. Then say this chant:

“send this blessing
through the air
smoke and fire
send it there
Lord and Lady
your gifts bestow
all the best
to them (him or her) flow
for the good of all
with harm to none
so I say
this spell is done.”

Then leave the remainder of the incense to burn, knowing that your blessing is on its way!

Now that Mercury retrograde is over, I can share a great spell I have used on my many cars to keep them safe and running. In one of the comments on my site I had a person ask me how she could protect her new car even though she had to drive it in Boston. This spell I wrote many years ago when I lived in Hartford, Connecticut. I only had one true accident there and it didn’t hurt my car in the least!

The only thing I don’t like about this spell is I didn’t include anything about thieves. I had my car stolen there, but it was returned to me after it was found loitering in someones lawn. Other than my car umbrella being broken and the back seat covered in Spree candy it was fine. I give you the spell as it is and you can add something about thieves if you want.

Gather a piece of blue fabric cut in about a four to three inch square, a blue and a white string to tie it closed at the end. Gather for inside the little bag you will make a turquoise to prevent accidents, a piece of mandrake root for protection, angelica to bring the protection of the angels, mistletoe, frankincense, (both for protection), comfrey root for safe travel, and some fennel seed.

Charge the stone and each herb for protection of your car. I like to grind the herbs a bit in my mortar and pestle to combine them and their powers more but not to make them a powder.  Then place the whole mixture into the center of the blue square of fabric. Say this chant:

“Here to there, there to here
my path is safe, my path is clear.
Herbs of travel and protection
guard my car from all directions
My car runs strong, my car runs well
safely encircled by my spell. “

Tie up the herbs and stone in the fabric with the white and blue cord to make a little mojo bag. While tying the knots repeat the chant. Then take the little bundle to your car. Walk around your car three times with the bundle. Visualizing a shield that protects it and it running perfectly. Say the chant one last time as you complete the final circle and place the charm in your glove compartment inside the car.

Scrying is using a focus like a crystal ball, fire, clouds, or bowl of water to gain information and insight. It has been used by many of the great magicians, psychics, and prophets to gain information and inspiration from the other side. One of the ways it can be used is to converse and get messages from spirits. Samhain is a time where the veil is thin and it is easier to communicate with the other side. For many years I used scrying to just gain visions to help me answer questions. Now I use it more to communicate with spirits. I have whole rituals devoted to its use to speak with angels and all manner of spirits.

I bought a scrying basin from the proprietors of Ancient Star Herbals at our Samhain Psychic Fair and my challenge of the #13daysofmagic made for a great time to try it out! My basin is made from spectralite, which is like labradorite but from outside of Labrador. It has a different vibration that is more calming to me than that of Labradorite. That relaxing feel is great for assisting in scrying.

I anointed two white candles with my Calling the Spirits oil and put them on the table far enough so they didn’t reflect directly in the basin. To much light can make the process harder, at least for me. I let my eyes unfocus and counted myself down to a meditative state. For me the scrying device helps me relax and then I see the interaction more in my mind. I find the surface will seem to fog up before I begin to have results.  You can do a prayer to gain communion with your ancestors, which is what I did or just let the communication come. I find that if I am seeking vision about a question that it is more symbolic then when I focus on speaking with a spirit. With spirits I get a sense of place first and then seem to be able to talk with the spirit — like we were on Skype.

When you are done, count up to a normal level of consciousness and do a sweeping gesture of the front of your body to banish anything you may have picked up in the conversation and to signal its end. Put out the candles and clean up. After scrying I like to do something practical, like cleaning or eating, in order to ground.

Yesterday during our yearly psychic fair I had one reading client that ended up being a session with me as witch more then as psychic. The conversation was about the land and nature spirits around the clients property and how they had been insulted by some of the actions the client unknowingly took. As we talked about appeasing the land spirit and fairys, I thought it would make a good subject to talk about on my #13daysofmagic.
I usually make an offering of Milk, honey, bread, wine, or sweets like cookies. Today I went with milk mixed with honey and two kinds of cookies we had in the house. I put each in bowls and put them on a plate so that I could carry them to the altar easily.
I also gathered lavender and rosemary and crushed them in my mortar and pestle. I read so long ago that I can’t remember the source that this mixture attracts fairies and land spirits. I have used it successfully every time I have used it. It is equal parts lavender to rosemary. This mixture is sprinkled in a circle around the offerings. For me it feels like a signal to the fey that the offering is for them.
I stepped out of the house with all my supplies and noticed a rainbow. The fair folk were excited to see me I guess. I went out to the outdoor altar I made behind the barn this year. Many people may recognize it from the temples healing list release pictures. This is my favorite place to make offerings to the fair folk of the temple property.
I also give a call to the fairies and land spirits after it is all in place telling them it is a gift to them. I ask in the name of the goddess and god that there always be peace between us.
I leave the offering for 24 hours. Sometimes it has been gone physically and sometimes it just feels dead like all the energy has been drained from it. I then take any remains and put them in the woods.

Whenever I am reading cards for other people at an event, like I am doing today at the Samhain Psychic Fair for the Temple of Witchcraft, I like to use a crystal grid to enhance the clarity of the psychic information I receive. This grid is simple, enhances the psychic awareness around it, and makes a beautiful decoration to your reading table.

You need three amethysts, three herkimer diamonds, and one crystal ball. You might want a small stand or pillow for the crystal ball. To set up the grid, the crystal ball goes in the center. Form a triangle around the crystal ball with the amethysts, and another triangle out of the herkimer diamonds, pointing in the oposite direction, forming a six-pointed star around the crystal ball.

Touch the crystal ball and and charge it with the intention:

I charge this crystal grid to enhance my psychic awareness and give clairity to my readings. This grid will provide me with the psychic information to both convince my client and give them the information so that they can make good choices in their lives. I ask this for the good of all harming none. So mote it be!

Then touch the crystals, visualizing a stream of energy acitvaing between them as you say “activate” to each crystal, connecting the amethysts in a triangle and tracing the triangle three times. Then do the same for the herkimer diamond triangle.

When you are done reading for the day, snip your fingers like sissors on each line of the triangles saying “deactivate” then touch the crystal ball and say “I deactivate this grid.”

I love the energy of the new Moon and this new Moon is a special one because it is also a solar eclipse in Scorpio. I really didn’t think about using the new Moon’s power for this #13daysofmagic post, however. I had planned on calling on the power of Jupiter since it is Thursday and the hour of Jupiter was nigh.

So I gathered my Jupiter-related components: I got out a great blue taper and three little tea lights so I could call on the power of Jupiter’s kabalistic number, four. I grabbed four amethysts, which both link into the number four and are stones of Jupiter. I took out my spygeric tincture of Jupiter and put the required amount in a glass of water for a great rite where I call Jupitarian energy to strike my blade and then dip it into the chalice. I grabbed my prosperity oil.

I cast the circle, called the quarters, and invoked the goddess and god. I called down the power of Jupiter into the circle and did a great rite with the energy. I drank the elixir. I anointed and charged each candle with the oil. I charged them with the intention of drawing prosperity to me, to draw paying clients for healing, divining, and crafting to expand my practice. I had my “mojo working”! I could feel the power thrum as I lit the candles. I swept the energy up and sent it out.

As I brought down my hands I took a deep breath of the oil only to find the oil I’d used was not the one I thought it was! The oil I had done the spell with was a “call the spirits” oil I made last week. This oil is used for calling the ancestors and your guides and enhancing your comunication with them.

This leaves me wondering what will happen when this spell manifests: Did the spirits lead me to pick up a different oil? Interestingly the timing of my mistake aligns with a special new Moon in Scorpio, which is perfect for spirit work. Perhaps this is a sign I will be doing more spirit work with my clients? My feeling is that it will work in an unexpected way for my highest good. Jupiter is all about the highest good and our True Will. So … magickal blunder or spirit guidance? I guess we will have to wait and see…

Every once and a while I get a pain in my shoulder that seems to stretch up through my neck and into my head. I have a pretty vigorous job that demands my physical assistance at times. It also comes with a good deal of stress. To combat this pain I take some Advil and put the microwavable heating pad on my shoulder. As a magickal aid to that I do this healing layout.  I came up with this layout after reading the out of print book called Laying on stones by D.J. Conway. In my creation I also turned to my favorite crystal author Judy Hall. In particular her books Crystal Healing  and Crystal prescriptions.

To do this healing layout you will need Three quartz crystal points, two onyx stones, one Green fluorite, one lapis lazuli, One Blue lace agate, One amethyst, One rose quartz, and one smoky quartz point.

Place one of the quarts points facing up above your head. Place the other two below your feet. One pointing up to the foot on the side you are not hurting on. The other should point down away from your foot. At your feet place the two onyx to absorb and drain off any harmful energies by grounding you. Place the fluorite on the sacral chakra area to help cleanse any resentment or anger you are carrying. Lapis lazuli is placed at the heart area to bring calm centeredness while also opening your chakras to let energy flow. This beautiful blue stone also relaxes the things controlled by the throat chakra that controls the shoulders and neck. At your throat place the blue lace agate which balances the throat chakra and helps to heal issues with the shoulders. Put the amethyst at your brow chakra to heal any headache that may result from shoulder pain and relax you so the built up stress will flow away. The rose quarts goes on the shoulder itself to help heal and to help deal with any emotional issues built up in the shoulder so that it can heal on all levels. The smoky quarts point goes in the hand on the side of the shoulder that hurts to draw away any negativity and pain. Hold the smokey Quarts so that the point directs energy out from the body.

Remain with these stones laid on you for fifteen to twenty minutes. While doing a crystal layout I like to do a relaxation meditation where I go through my body relaxing all my parts and imagining any stress melting away like wax into the floor. If I don’t fall asleep I will start doing pranic breath techniques or counting my breaths to a pattern of eight counts in, hold for four, breath out for eight, hold out for four and repeat.

After the healing is done I will gather up the crystals for a cleansing and put them away for next time.

My favorite thing about reading witchcraft books is that they inspire me in my spell work and my spirituality. I was reading The Grimoire of the Thorn-Blooded Witch by Raven Grimassi recently when an inspiration hit me. In the book a sanctified plate is used for making sigils in plant ashes. The ashes are sprinkled on the plate and your finger is used to make the sigil in the ashes show up in the plate’s natural color. This reminded me of all the rituals on Buffy the Vampire Slayer done with colored sand poured out in sigils. So I combined the two in to a charging ritual for warding sand.

Get a large round mirror from the craft store. They are usually sold near the candles because they can be used to increase the light output of the candles placed on them. While you are there pick up some craft sand. I luckily had the sand from a donation from one of our traveling speakers at TempleFest who, having done a sand mandala workshop, didn’t want to send the extra home. Craft sand comes in multiple colors but for warding sand I suggest black or red. Black is less conspicuous if that is a concern. Mine was dark and sparkly. You will need three candles, or more if you pick a different design.

place the mirror on your working space and get out your mortar and pestle and a bowl for the sand. In the mortar and pestle grind a teaspoon each of: angelica (to bring the power of angels and the higher powers), blue vervain (to enchant the mixture), rosemary (for protection), rue (for protection), nettles ( protection), some black salt (to make evil rue the day it crossed your threshold) and iron filings (to protect from mischievous or harmful spirits). Grind these down as fine as you please and mix the whole mixture with the sand. With the mirror in the middle of the altar, use the sand to draw a protective sigil. I used the triquetra not only because I like Charmed but because long before the show it was used for protection spells. After the sigil is drawn, I place a candle at the points of the sigil.

Cast a circle and call the quarters. I call upon protective deities. Mine is usually but not always Hecate. Charge each candle and anoint it in protection potion or fiery wall of protection oil. Charge the candle to charge the warding sand with its power, to enhance its power to bring protection on all levels and to banish any harmful beings. Light the candles in their places. Then charge the sigil by tracing the air above it until you can see it glowing with power. Place the rest of the sand on the sigil and charge the sand.

“I charge this ward sand in the name of the Goddess and god, to protect any place or thing warded with it. To neutralize all harm and mischief and to potent on all levels for the good of all and harming none. So mote it be!”

Leave the sand where it is until the candles have burned out. When they have it is fully charged and ready to be used. Thank the deities you called. Release the quarters and circle.

To use this warding sand sprinkle it in a circle around any place or thing you want to protect. You can activate it with a visualization and a chant like this one:

“Lord and lady, within and without
conjure this circle all about
let love in, keep evil out.”

The Samhain season seems like it never has enough time for us to get everything done. I designed this spell for one of my partners who had an extra-long list of things to do a couple years ago. We have used this spell successfully many times to finish the list. This spell has simple ingredients and is made for the witch on the go.

Make a list of the things you have to do. Make it realistic to what you think you can get done in the time you want the spell to affect you. This means prioritizing your list so you are doing the things that are urgent or just need doing. This spell makes you very focused, if you give yourself a huge task you may have trouble sleeping if you didn’t finish! You will have a one-track mind as long as your things on the list aren’t done. You can always set aside those things for tomorrow’s list.

Once you have your prioritized list, make your self some tea and get some honey. Place the cup of tea on top of your list and begin to stir in the honey clockwise.  Say this or something of your own making.

“I mix the honey with my tea
To conjure forth my busy bee
finish projects quickly one by one
no distractions until I am done
oh busy bee, oh busy bee,
this list of tasks set me free!”

Now get to work on that list of tasks while you drink your tea. You will be surprised what you can get done. Blessed Bee!