Soon, we celebrate Samhain. The word means” summers end” The wheel turns as we glide into the dark… the cold. The colorful leaves dance in the cool, fragrant autumn breeze as the golden sun shine glitters. The days from here continue to grow shorter, the nights longer as the sun departs slowly to leave us in the cold. The last of the harvests. In more ancient times, we would be rushing to finish bringing in the last of our harvests, packing away and storing food for the long, cold winter to follow. Gathering wood for fires to keep us warm, fiber to keep our bodies warm.. This was extremely hard work and as we know, mother nature can be unpredictable so a sense of rush to get the harvest in and be ready for the cold. Samhain was then a celebration that the last of the harvests were in, that they were ready for the coming weather and it was a time of relaxation and rest.
The veil between our world and the spirit world has grown thin at this time. Allowing us to reach out to the ancestors who have passed before us. As we look at the passing of the sun and the warmth, we acknowledge the turning of the wheel and the passing of the seasons as well as the progression and passing of our own lives. That wheel spins regardless of whether we stop to acknowledge it.
This is yet another time for introspection… Looking within as well as without. Where are you? What have we done with our lives, where are we going? Are we happy? What do we “need “ to be happy. Where do we “want” out lives to go? Who do we want to be? In looking forward to the fall and winter… Instead of preparing our harvest… We look at things according to modern times…. What do we need to do to prepare ourselves…
Imagine, if you will a pantry cupboard. Bare, empty. Now, imagine you are that cupboard. What have you placed inside yourself? What do you hold dear? What things do you need to clear out of there in order to be “Ready”… What do you need to harvest?
Yuck. I have a cold. A sneezy, snotty, wheezy, coughing fits, aches, hot flashes, and sleepy freaking cold. I stayed home again yesterday, because of it and actually slept about all day! I feel a bit better today, but feel like my head is completely submerged! lol
Today, I awoke and skipped yoga. I did do a short ritual to focus my mind and direct my day. I am feeling suddenly connected. To everything. Partly that makes me feel good, and sometimes it causes more stress... I feel almost empathic... I am taking on everyone's feelings and struggles. So I am working on focusing inward. Just on myself, my family, and my needs and feelings.
Just curious... Many people work with a specific God or Gods... Certain pantheons. What do you all work with or focus on? I am a very nature oriented witch and really just call on mother nature for lack of a better term... I have also worked with a variety of pantheons... What do you do?
My son is still doing well off of medications.... We will see what happens!
The last few days I have been keeping myself quite busy! I have Suzie Homemaker syndrome and have been cleaning and baking up a storm. I made 6 dozen chocolate chip cookies yesterday and a dozen blueberry scones! The scones are to die for. Easily better than Starbucks... lol. But seriously, they are. I should open a bakery! I love to bake. I have had so much energy. It feels like I am nesting! lol... I guess that is just the effect that Imbolc has on me.
Tonight, the girls and I are getting together for our Imbolc rite and to hang out. I am excited. I made a casserole called puffed up pizza. (a recipe my gramma made all the time!) Tonight, our focus will be on the growing seeds of Spring, about the quickening of life, and we have decided that at the roots, Imbolc is a celebration of life-giving... which is a feminine job; what the whole pregnancy and birth thing! :) So, tonight we honor our female ancestors who got us here and see what lessons they have in store for us. We are making new pacts and promises to each other and then we will eat, drink, and be absolutely merry!
I will post that recipe later for the pizza dish. Its really good, affordable, and easy!
Wow! What a whirlwind of a few days! I have been so utterly busy!
The kids had a semi-formal at their middle school on Friday night. It was so cute! They both ended up with "girlfriends"... whatever. At 12 and 10, I have no idea what that means! But, they had a good time. They looked cute in their ties! Chad and I actually got to go out for dinner alone and did some shopping. It was a fun night!
Saturday, I had a load of shopping to do. I went to the grocery, and did some school clothes shopping for the boys. I was out for hours. Then we ordered dinner in and watched a few movies.
Last night, I chilled. We had a quiet dinner and watched some TV... I played some WoW (World of Warcraft). I am so hopelessly addicted to that game right now. I really enjoy it!
Today was a hellish day at work. I came home and worked for another 4 hours on the computer putting together a power point slide show for a presentation I have to do soon. Ugh...
Well, off to plan our Imbolc ritual. We have a new gal who wants to join our coven and is coming over on Sat. We will see how that goes. I am going to plan the night, write the ritual and perhaps I will share it here when it is done... ;) Then, I am off to play WoW for a while and then off to dream land!
Imbolc
Written and/or Compiled by Dawn Thebarge Hill all rights reserved
This cross quarter holiday and Greater Sabbat is celebrated by most Pagan traditions on February 2, although some groups celebrate on February Eve. It marks the center point of the dark half of the year and is the festival of the Maiden because from this day to March 21st, it is her season and a time for the earth to prepare for growth and renewal.From Samhain to Bride (pronounced BREED) the Celts observed a time called "the period of the little sun". In old Scotland, the month fell in the middle of the period known as Faoilleach, the Wolf-month; it was also known as a' marbh mhiòs, the Dead-month. In Scotland, the Old Woman of winter, the Cailleach, is reborn as Bride, Young Maiden of Spring, fragile yet growing stronger each day as the sun rekindles its fire, turning scarcity into abundance.
Although our Mother Earth rests at this time and her stirrings are still hidden from us there is life nonetheless. At Imbolg the long winter is almost behind us, The coldest times have been experienced and survived and now the days are becoming longer. The earth is coming alive and once again, it is time to begin anew. This is the time for banishing winter and preparing for the coming spring. On this day we celebrate the return of light, new beginnings, fertility of the land which is shown to us in things such as the the swelling of buds on bare branches and in many places the first Crocus and snow drops flower, springing forth brightly from the frozen earth.. We also celebrate agricultural fertility as evidenced by the livestock birthing new babes, the engorgement of udders and the planning and preparation for the coming planting times. For this reason many people chose this day to bless seeds and consecrate agricultural tools.
It is also felt by many traditions that the eve of Imbolc is the best time of the year to perform divinations specifically pertaining to the future welfare and prosperity of your family. While New Year's resolutions are often about letting go of habits or things that you no longer want, Imbolc is the time for taking the first active steps toward what it is you want to draw into your life-a time of new beginnings.
On this day, Christians celebrate Candlemas, blessing all church candles for the coming year. Catholics observe the feast day of St. Blaze and share in the blessing of the throats with candles and fire.
This sabbat is sacred to Brigit whose name means "The Exalted One," queen and mother goddess of many European tribes. She is also known as Brigid, Bridget, Brighid, Brighde, Brig or Bride and some scholars consider her name originated with the Vedic Sanskrit word brihati, an epithet of the divine. She is Goddess of inspiration, dying, weaving, brewing, poetry, wisdom, healing, fertility, midwifery, reflection, meditation, lore, research, great knowledge, intelligence, understanding and smithwork who, in later times, became revered as a Christian saint. She is closely connected with livestock and domesticated animals. She had two oxen called Fea and Feimhean who gave their names to a plain in Co. Carlow and one in Tipperary. She was also the guardian of Torc Triath, king of the wild boar, who gave his name to Treithirne, a plain in West Tipperary. These three totem animals used to raise a warning cry if Ireland was in danger. It is also said that Brighid's snake emerges from the womb of the Earth Mother to test the weather, and this is thought to be the origin of Ground Hog Day.
My son Conner has OCD and worries about EVERYTHING. He has trouble falling asleep at night and he asked me if I could help him with a spell... He is 10, and I was delighted to help.
We opened my witch cabinet and dug in...
He decided he wanted to place some herbs in a special place and then annoint a blue candle wit Earth oil. He chose Lavender (lots), Hops (lots), a pinch of Rosemary, White Willow Bark, and Elecampagne Root. He then added Devils shoestring to hide him from worry! (His words) How adorbale! He made his own special container with Legos and we said some chanting. He was so cute. I found it interesting in how he chose his herbs, he held them, smelled them, and closed his eyes as if to "feel" them. I did not tell him what the herbs were for, and he chose VERY appropriately!
My cat Triniti kept hopping in the cabinet!!!
Moon Cakes Recipe
Ingredients:2 cups sifted flour - not self rising
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ cup shortening
½ cup milk
1 slightly beaten egg
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in shortning until mixture is crumbly. Stir in milk and egg to form a soft dough. Round dough on a lightly floured cloth-covered board. Knead lightly about 30 seconds. Roll or pat out until dough is even ly spread aobut ¼ “ thick. Cut into moon shapes. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 450F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
These go great with a little wine, some fruity beer, or hot cider!!!! ;) Be careful, they burn easily!
I am going to make these this month and have the kids participate in the esbat!
So, the solstice is creeping up on me quicker than I expected! We are planning a big night with rites, some good old traditional crafting fun... I think we are going to string popcorn and cranberries by the fire and have a few drinks... I have some spellwork up my sleeve as well!
I am really excited this year and hope for a good yuletide season. We don't have alot of money, but I am hoping it will be a good one, none the less...
I have most of the kids presents wrapped now... I have mentioned before that I run a Dementia care community. I decided to bring the kids presents in and help the residents wrap them. It was awesome! They were all reminiscing about the holiday seasons past and oogling over the toys we had bought for the boys. It was alot of fun! I have had a great day at work so far... and hey, I got my wrapping done! ha. Talk about killing two birds with one stone! ;)
I dreamt of snow last night. I was outside twirling around in a snow fury...It was everywhere! I would reach out and catch snowflakes examining them one by one, their crystalline hex-like structures all telling me tales. I wore no coat, but was not cold. Normally, I dislike snow. In my dream I was covered in it. It was in my black hair, on my lashes, my nose, my fingers were dusted with it and I was standing ankle deep in it with no shoes. As it touched my skin, I could feel the tiny flakes melting and melding into me one at a time. I felt serene and happy. I saw something in the snow. In the distance, it was red. It was half buried but I walked over to it and brushed the snow away to find a bright red shiny apple. I took a bite and went to sleep (in my dream!). In my dreams dream I dreamt of flying with geese. It was a weird one. I saw my grandfather who passed, I saw people I didn't know, but they sure knew me...
The hexefus stood out to me. The witches foot. The shape of the snowflake. Which makes me think of Madame Winter, Frau Holt, Dame Holda, Hella, Frau Holle... She has many names. A few years ago, she made it into my dreams often during the winter months. I had done some research on her and bookmarked some pages... Here is one of them.
It is said that on windswept midnights she rides forth as Wild Huntress of Souls. Her hair streaming, her hel-hounds baying, she courses through time and space with an eldritch horde of Witches, ghosts, and spirits following in her wake. Hella’s name has been derived from Indo-European KOLYO which signifies “ covered”, or “ veiled”. This relates to magical concepts of hiddeness, realms of mystery, and the veil that trembles between the world dimensions concealing the ultimate secrets from mortal sight. Hella is the Mistress of all haunted regions, which exist paradoxically in between the realms of mortals and spirits, the living and dead, light and dark. Hella, the Great Goddess of liminal times, tides, and places can reveal the secrets of Angles, which lead beyond our circles of space and time, and which open onto other spheres of existence at certain sites and seasons. These secrets are contained in her primary magical symbol, the six pointed hexe-star, or hexefus ( Witches Foot). The hexefus star is identified with the cosmic “Rune of Nine Mothers,” Hagalaz. Hella is the divine patroness of the shadowy Gothic Witch Cult of the North, and Witches were sometimes called Unholdas, after their tutelary Goddess of old medieval Germany. In fact Gothic traditions speak of certain “Scythian Witch Women” called Hel-Runes (Haliurunae) who were the ancestress of the Hunnish peoples. Linked to the term is the Alraun, the name given to the mandrake root of northern folk magic, the Sorceress Manakin employed in Hella’s ancient witchery. In actuality, her Hel-Runes are the keys of arcane, non-Euclidean geometries which unseal the planes and gateways beyond this world. Hence, Hella is the primeval Goddess of the transcosmic boundary zone, the word hedge, or “Haga”. She can teach us where the gaps or passages appear which open in the barrier and give access to unearthly realms of awesome and terrific power. The word “hag”, and “hex” both originate from old names for a Witch, or practitioner of Hella’s magical pathway. The Anglo-Saxon word “Haegtessa”, ( Hagazussa, in Old German) means Hedge Rider, or One Who Sits on the Hedge. The term denotes an individual who haunts the borderlands of existence at the edge of space and time. It indicates one who traverses the line dividing the phenomenal and the numinous, one who hovers magically between the dimensions and worlds. Just as Hella presides over all spatial and temporal zones of in-betweeness, such as the Witching Hour, or stroke of midnight, which is neither yesterday or tomorrow, neither past or future, so also is she the Goddess who typifies paradoxical mind-states and trance vision during which the awareness is suspended between waking and sleeping, neither conscious nor unconscious. Those who are granted such supernatural experiences “ride out” of their bodies in Hella’s spirit host and passing beyond the veil, enter her secret kingdom. So Hella is the Mistress of Witchcraft, of hidden spheres of experience, and that mysterious region between life and death, brightness and shadow. Yet ancient Skaldic lore speaks of the golden “Apples of Hel”, her magical other world fruit, which like that of Avalon, renews the youth of the soul and bestows immortality.
http://www.allchildrenofgaia.org/library/Newsletter/newsoct6.htmInteresting. I wonder what is in store for me... More to come.
I am anxiously awaiting Samhain. It should be a wonderful ritual this year. I have such great friends and a kick ass coven. Seriously. I am very lucky to have them all. They are my family. I am looking forward to a great year. I am working on a ritual and will post some of it as I finish it.
This morning as I woke up, I felt the cool autumn breeze brush against my face. I could smell the autumn incense as I stirred from my slumber. It was beautiful. I felt alive. Crisp, cool, earthen air.... As I looked outside, the trees were glorious with colors alive in reds and golds. They seemed to sing to me as I went about my routine. I turned off the radio on my way to work and enjoyed my quiet country ride that was scenic and inspiring. I stopped the car in a quiet spot, stood outside in the grass and just took a few deep breaths. Invoking all the serenity, beauty, and peace that surrounded me. I took my shoe off, grounded a bit, and went on my way. What a lovely way to start the day!
"Better to conjure alone than in bad company."
We had a discussion, the girls and I about adding people to our coven. We are small, but we work so well together. Our energies mesh and play off of each other. Where one lacks, the other has an abundance and we come out so balanced, raw, and very close to perfect. I think we should be extremely cautious. It is extremely hard in our community to find like minded witches, much less ones we can trust. We tell the girls EVERYTHING. we are very open and honest even when it hurts.
If we bring in another, it may throw us off. When we find someone worthy, we will know without a doubt. Until then, it is just the three of us.
We should all be mindful of whom we practice with. Everyone brings their own energies to the mix. Make sure they will complement your own.