I opened the large box that contained my holiday gift. Inside, I found a brewing kit. “Perfect!”
When I was in my mid-20s, I brewed mead. However, I lost my equipment in the move from my childhood home.
It had been a long time since I brewed anything, so I needed a refresher. So, I purchased a book about mead-brewing.
I eagerly read the book—and that takes some doing since I’m dyslexic. Learning about Vikings and how they brewed mead had my attention.
Today, I am once again excited to try my hand at brewing mead. However, this time I am trying an open-air brewing technique I found in the book. It’s brewing done old school—like our ancestors did long ago. Along this line, Wiccans like brewing mead.
Instead of using commercial yeast, I will be harvesting wild yeast. This is something our ancestors did at the beginning of their brewing exploits.
So, I gathered up all the equipment and ingredients that I needed, including a rod to mix my brew. I would dedicate my mead-brewing efforts to the God and Goddess. I wanted to make the mixing rod a sacred tool. Therefore, I wrote a blessing to imbue my new mixing rod with the powers of the God and Goddess.
Mixing Rod Blessing
Blessed Be this Sacred Rod May it Bestow with Healing Energies of the Gods Let my Rod mix my brew With Health, Wealth, Peace, and Joy anew All who taste the brew mixed with this Rod May Find Everlasting Blessedness from the Gods As I will, So Mote It Be
In the next days, I’ll see how my renewed interest in mead-brewing goes.
Are you considering adding something new to your daily activities?
Wiccan initiations vary a great deal. In today’s guest post from Angus, we’re invited to see his personal journey.
Many initiations follow a set ritual structure. However, some of the strongest initiations are guided in the moment by the God and Goddess.
Here is Angus’ guest post:
Well Water and Bubbles: Angus’ Initiations
My first initiation was also my first exposure to Witchcraft. It happened at the Chalice Well in Glastonbury, England in the summer of 1996.
I was visiting with 5 friends who were traveling across Southwest England via canal boat. For a week we had been working closely with the land, guiding our narrowboat up and down 44 locks. We barely saw a car as we journeyed, aligning ourselves with the rhythms of this ancient, energetic landscape—and put-putting along at 2 mph. It was like spending a week on the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland, except with stone and crop circles littering the landscape.
I walked into the Chalice Well gardens as an agnostic, but I immediately felt a presence on the grounds. A warm, inviting, HUGE personality that wanted IN. I acquiesced, separated myself from my group and made my way up to the top of the garden, where the Chalice Well is located.
Sitting down at the top of a short staircase above the Well opening I dropped into a lotus position—something I can’t normally do without 10 minutes of stretching—and the presence entered me through the back of my neck (throat chakra, the one about Communication).
And I was suddenly in all-time, all-space. I was everywhere, everyone, everything. Secrets and mysteries of the ages were downloaded into my aching brain. And then shining out of this mind-bending chaos was Her. She spoke to me in a 1,000 voice choir singing in perfect unison and across harmonies unknown in our reality. Female voices, male, and everything in between and beyond, with an age range from conception to long after death.
Her presence was the purest Love.
My friends found me at the Well 45 minutes later, on my hands and knees, completely unconscious, and twitching and crackling with energy. Eventually, I slumped over to my side and when my breathing returned to normal I arose and staggered out of the garden, right past my friends, and ended up across the street at our B&B, draped backwards over our pile of luggage. At least, that’s what my friends told me. I remember none of this.
I awoke there, alone, but not alone. Never ever alone. I had been chosen, dragooned, enlightened…initiated.
One of the things I woke up with was a mental picture of a storefront, back home in my town in California. I knew the place, and so when I returned from England I went there. It was the same storefront, but there was no triple moon sign out front…yet.
I knocked on the door and could hear movement from the back of the store. Finally, the door was opened, and before me was a beautiful woman with long blonde hair and piercing green eyes. She was dressed in a hooded black cloak that was trimmed with emerald stitching. Behind her was a bare room with black walls. The woman regarded me carefully. “Yes?” she said, finally.
I hadn’t planned this part. I shifted from one foot to the other, thought of a thousand things to say, rejected them all, trusted in the Universe, and just opened my mouth. “I’m supposed to be here.” I heard myself say.
Branwen surveyed me carefully from foot to head and thought for a long moment. “Yes,” she said again, breaking into a smile. “Yes, you are.”
I was her first employee and the manager of “13: Real Magick”; the first witchy store in Santa Cruz County.
My second initiation was a formal one on August 15th, 1998—in a bathroom I shared with my housemate down the hall.
I had been in the Craft for two years by that point, and I learned the ways and means of the Occult via “Retail Trad.” My covenmates were all of my customers, my sanctuary was the little black store with the triple moon sign out front. There was also a local ad-hoc group that did public rituals in parks and halls and so I had a loose tribe to celebrate the sabbats with.
I did not need to seek out all of the various trads—they all came to me, via the shop. I wasn’t tempted by them, however. My focus was on helping my customers and learning all I could. I was so completely immersed in studying the Occult that I did not feel the need to be formally initiated into it. I was already living it, whether that was intense solo rituals that left a stain on the ceiling, or long walks in the forest that left a trail of happy tears on the ground.
But, all good things must come to an end. For two years I had been living in a tent in my backyard, having rented out my own room so I could afford to work at the Magick Shop. But then that house got renovated and I had to get another place, which meant paying rent again which meant getting a job that paid a whole lot better.
And so, I left my Tradition of Retail. Also, about this time the local public group was slowly falling apart. I had lots of witchy friends, but no framework left in which to study or celebrate together.
I had been a Solitary up to that point—but now I was also a witch on his own! Being “away” from the external stimuli reminded me that I was never alone: The Love of the Goddess that I felt at the Chalice Well would always be with me. Solitude also gave me the time and space to really think about my practice—what I did and why I did it that way.
I discovered that everything I resonated with really distilled down to two pillars: Helping others—and a personal relationship with Deity. That was my Trad. MY Trad. And I felt strong enough in my devotion to these pillars to formally recognize myself—nobody else need be present, because nobody else had what I had: The authority.
On the night of August 15th, a Saturday, waning half-moon (same as initiation #1 at the Well), I rode my bike home from my new job at the world percussion store. Inside my new studio I was hungry and tired and there was laundry and suddenly whoa! It was TIME to do this initiation thing.
Oh…okay. Yes, Ma’am! I didn’t have a plan for this, but I had all of the resources I needed. Plus, the guy in the other studio down the hall was gone for the evening.
I grabbed an armload of herbs and candles and headed for our shared bathroom. I arranged and lit all of the candles around the tub while I ran the bathwater.
I was going to make a witch’s brew—with me in it!
Not having to follow a liturgy meant that I could improvise. I had done many solo rituals by then and had learned to follow my instincts—and my nose. So, all of my herbs, oils, resins and rocks were unlabeled. What went in to that bath I can’t rightly say, but it was perfect.
I got in the water, cast the circle, called the quarters and Whoosh! I was transported. The walls of the studio faded away, the ground faded away, the ceiling, sky and stars faded away…I was in allspace and alltime. And I was in Their Holy presence.
And I told the Goddess that I was initiating myself. And She replied (with that same 1,000 voice choir I had heard at the Chalice Well): “To what will you dedicate yourself?”
I hadn’t expected a quiz. I thought being a solitary meant that you didn’t have to take any tests! But having a relationship with the Gods means that you never actually Work alone.
“Service” was my spontaneous answer. “I will Dedicate myself to Service.”
And Her voice was the purest love. “And so you have, and so you are.”
Soon after that, the old public pagan group disbanded formally and then reformed as a much more organized and decentralized group of witches serving the local pagan peoples.
And I have been a part of Community Seed since its inception, and my rituals are now sometimes attended by 80 people. My practice, however, is still solitary (even though I have been part of an informal coven now for 6 years), and my focus is still the same, 20 years later.
Ever since my Initiations at the Well and in the bathtub, my witchcraft is always dedicated to the Tradition of Service.
Scrraaapp! A brunch of scratch marks manifested on the side of my car.
Oooh! I got so mad I could spit.
Maybe you can relate to this. An accident. The problem was there were only two elements involved: one human (me) and one pole (it was a SHORT pole—one that was hard to see).
This pole collision happened a couple of hours earlier today.
How did I fall into this mess?
It was a confluence of a number of things. I had two friends visiting from out of town. Feeling sleep deprived, I still made it to have lunch with them. Add the hot weather and the sun beating down on my fair skin, and I probably approached heatstroke.
Tired, thirsty and hot, I finally arrived at my car when the visit came to a close. Pulling out of the parking space and feeling really uncomfortable, I was confused as to how to exit the parking structure.
In my defense … I dutifully followed the arrows on the ground near the exit. But the turn was way to tight and I scraped that damn short pole.
I was so angry at myself. On my way home all I could think of was “You f**king idiot!” I ruminated on how I should have been more careful.
Do you beat yourself up about your own mistakes?
At least back at home, I drank a lot of water. Time to get to the autobody shop. I ruminated again. This time I thought: “It’s Friday. They may have already closed for the weekend.” I called the shop; they would give me an estimate.
I got to the shop. They fit me in. The tech guy said, “I’ll be right back.” When he returned, he had two squeeze bottles and a rag. He wiped some liquid on the effected area and slowly the scuff started to come off. I was so thrilled to see that!
Soon all the yellow paint was off, and I gave him my vial of blue touch-up paint. A moment later, the car looked fine. And the best part? It cost me nothing.
I said, “Thank you. I’m so grateful. That’s why we keep having our cars worked on here.”
The tech guy smiled.
After this, I had some thoughts. What was I supposed to learn here?
What I learned is: I didn’t have a buffer. If I had more sleep and had done meditation this week, I could have had more patience for the situation and myself.
When I talk with Wiccans, sometimes, we say, “I know what I should do. I just don’t get around to doing meditation or ritual.”
So, I just stopped writing this post, and I did a candle ritual—thanking the God and Goddess for the good outcome to the pole collision incident.
What can you do to deepen your Wiccan practice?
Remember, a bad surprise can happen at any time.
We, Wiccans, need to create a buffer in our lives. We need to back off and not burden ourselves too much. We need to preserve our personal energy.
“Can I make a big mistake in Casting a Circle?” my friend, Veronica, asked.
“It is important to focus on three vital details,” I replied.
When you Cast a Circle you want to:
Keep Things Out—They Steal Your Energy
Keep Energy In
Dismiss the Elementals—or They Cause Havoc
Keep Things Out—They Steal Your Energy
If you don’t Cast Your Circle properly, nearby entities can steal valuable energy you have raised. It gets worse: Such entities can cause your spell or ritual to fall flat.
Let’s say you do a Prosperity Spell. But such entities leached your valuable energy. Then, your Prosperity Spell will collapse, due to no power behind it.
Keep Energy In
A properly cast Circle keeps your energy all in one place. When you raise energy, you want it to build—not dissipate into the surrounding landscape. Your Circle helps you magnify such energy.
Dismiss the Elementals—or They Cause Havoc
Elementals can cause havoc on your life if not dismissed. I have heard of problems ranging from electrical issues, plumbing problems to scary incidences of fires breaking out in one’s home.
Warning: ALWAYS dismiss an entity once it has completed its function.
Recently a reader asked me: What does the Wiccan Rede “An ye harm none, do what ye will” mean to you? Is it a law, or is it advice?
If you look at the word “rede” it means to give advice to; counsel.
When I look at the Wiccan Rede, An ye harm none, do what ye will, I view it as sage counsel that is given to us.
Advice fits certain situations. Still, other situations call for using a different approach.
How about self-defense? If you do no harm, like block the attack and cause the opponent’s arm to sting, you would be allowing more harm to come upon you.
So, I don’t view the Wiccan Rede as a law, in part because one cannot live up to it. It is impossible to harm none. We eat, we use chemicals to kill germs as we clean our homes, and we brush our teeth. In all of those activities, something’s going to die.
The Wiccan Rede can serve as advice to live a good life, to be kind and loving whenever we can. I have found that the universe will return the same positive energy—perhaps, in another form.
I had another thought. A number of Wiccans suggest that a principle of the universe is grow or die. If we live by the Wiccan Rede as advice, we have the appropriate freedom to grow. As I view material about the #metoo movement, I notice a number of things. It’s reported that the #metoo movement began and continues (as their website states): “The me too. movement has built a community of survivors from all walks of life. By bringing vital conversations about sexual violence into the mainstream, we’re helping to de-stigmatize survivors by highlighting the breadth and impact sexual violence has on thousands of women, and we’re helping those who need it to find entry points to healing.”
The #metoo website continues: “Our goal is also to reframe and expand the global conversation around sexual violence to speak to the needs of a broader spectrum of survivors. Young people, queer, trans, and disabled folks, Black women and girls, and all communities of color. We want perpetrators to be held accountable and we want strategies implemented to sustain long term, systemic change.”
In a conversation with a number of learned friends, we talked about how any social change has associated pain. Social change does not land in “an it harm none.” People who speak out may lose jobs or worse. One of my friends said, “People, that is, individuals make a decision that the social change is worth the adjustment period.”
As I thought more about this, I found this to be valuable: Strive to do as little harm as you can. Be helpful and be kind when possible to all humans, plants, or entities alike.
Do you feel comfortable to wear a pentacle openly?
A reader asked me a question recently: How do you get a girl to like you if you’re a witch?
I had a thought: Why does it have to be a big deal about being a witch? Why is this question phrased in this way?
My second thought was: The question arrives with “if you’re a witch” because many cultures around the world oppress Wiccans.
The word oppression relates to “prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control.”
Let’s look at that detail control. A horrible form of control is related to when other people seem to get into your mind and make you doubt your feelings and worth.
Before we go further, here is my answer to that person’s question:
How do you get a girl to like you if you’re a witch?
“Your question brings up a number of subtopics.
I’ll work with a couple of ideas.
a) How do you get anyone to like you if they might be repelled by a false idea?
You may have heard of the idea “be yourself.” Which self are we talking about? The self that has bad breath and a hangover on a Saturday morning? Or the self that you’re proud of. The one that is a good listener. Someone who is respectful, kind and compassionate. The self that is open to learning new ideas and approaches—with each day as a fresh opportunity to grow, learn and be kind.
I’m suggesting that you first express your best self. Be a good listener. Be kind, compassionate and friendly. Show a genuine smile at certain moments. These elements are attractive.
I have a friend who asked this question: “If you deal with clinical depression symptoms, do you tell someone that on the first date?” His answer is no. Because the person hasn’t experienced your good points, and they have no investment in your friendship yet.
When you feel it is appropriate, you might share some part of your spiritual path. Still, be careful because there is a lot of false information about witches in popular culture.
b) How does one use magick to make oneself attractive?
First, my Wiccan elders have emphasized that using magick on anyone without their consent is Wrong—do NOT do it.
However, you can use magick on yourself to remove blocks. You might have endured parental neglect or maybe you suffered heartrending rejection. Therefore, you could do a spell to enhance your personal strength. To be a good friend, you need to have the strength to be a good listener and to share your heart. That’s right—friendship requires us to be strong enough to be vulnerable with the right person.
Prayer for Strength
Lord of the Sun grant me your strength and wisdom to hear what is not said,
and to see what is not shown for my heart is alone. May I feel your strength from above
so I grow and attract life giving love.
May this prayer empower you.”
* * * * * *
As we close this conversation here, I want to emphasize that oppression happens when people are afraid of something or don’t understand something.
Yes—plenty of people retain false ideas about Wicca due to popular culture and to some religious leaders actively spreading false information.
However, we can get to know people one at a time. When they know us as a warm, kind, friendly person, they may be more open to learning who we, Wiccans, are.
Most importantly, stay vigilant about what’s in your own mind.
This reminds me of a quote:
All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. – Arthur Schopenhauer
“So, what is it that you want?” I asked my friend, Samantha.
“I’d just like to be a bit happier. Is that asking too much?” she asked.
Later, her question started off a lot of conversations between my husband and me. I talked with some friends about happiness, too.
My thought is it would be terrific for Wiccans to have a spell to increase happiness.
But then I realized that what comprises happiness is different for every person. So, my husband and I came up with a list of Elements of Happiness that include contentment, joy, fulfillment and satisfaction.
Perhaps, you’re like me and find that you really don’t have days when your joyful moments comprise more than 50% of the day. There’s a reason in my case: I have clinical depression symptoms. This can be a problem in terms of “Can I ever be happy?”
Do you ever ask yourself, “Can I be happy?”
My husband tossed in an idea: “Maybe, some people have a definition of happiness that doesn’t allow them to ever be happy.”
We all need balance, and it might be helpful to look at all four elements and then fine tune your approach for yourself—to fit your needs. So, I looked up some definitions of these elements:
Elements of Happiness
Joy: the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires. [This is about moment-to-moment feelings.]
Fulfillment: the achievement of something desired, promised, or predicted.
Contentment: the act of feeling or showing satisfaction with one’s possessions, status, or situation. [I’ve thought about contentment as related to sitting still and feeling at peace.]
Satisfaction: the state of being pleased or content with what has been experienced or received.
Then I set out to create a general spell to help Wiccans create or enhance their happiness however they define it.
A Spell for Happiness
What you will need:
1 orange candle
Candle holder
Rose oil
Dragon’s Blood incense
Ritual tools
Sea salt
Some of your favorite food and drink (for the Cakes and Wine Ceremony)
Lavender flowers (for the ritual bath)
Clean towel
Altar
Clean robe
Take a ritual bath:
On a full or waxing moon, bathe to wash all the physical dirt from your body. Then draw a new bath and put three tablespoons of sea salt into the water. Soak in the water and think of all the negative energy being absorbed by the salt water. Breathe in and out deeply. Relax… Take your time.
Use a clean towel to dry off. Put on a clean robe.
Next, go to your room and clear a space and place your small simple table (this will be your altar) in the center. Place the candle in the middle of the altar. Additionally, set up your small water bowl, sea salt bowl, and food and drink on either the side of the candle.
Cast circle in your usual manner.
Place the tip of your athame in the bowl of water and say:
I cleanse and consecrate thee, Water, that you are pure and clean.
Put the tip of your athame into the bowl of salt and say:
I cleanse and consecrate thee, Salt, that you are pure and clean.
Put three pinches of the blessed sea salt into the bowl of water and stir clockwise (using your index finger).
Asperge the candle with the holy water and say:
I cleanse and consecrate thee, Candle, that you are pure and clean.
Waft the candle with the incense smoke and say:
I charge you with air and fire.
Time to dress your candle: This means that you take the rose oil and rub it onto the candle from wick to the base of the candle. Carve the word “happiness” on the candle and place in the candle holder.
Put the candle into the candle holder, light it, and then say:
I now open my arms out wide Perking up my internal pride The blues that surround me go away So peace and happiness are here to stay! Happiness, peace, and love within Reside deeply and ever herein As I so will, So Mote It Be!
Do the Cakes and Wine Ceremony.
Close the Circle.
When you are ready, place the candle in a safe place and let the candle burn completely out. [Do NOT leave an untended candle. Stay safe.]
A reader asked me: What are some of the quickest, easiest ways for psychic & spiritual protection?
I’ll share three different methods you can use to protect yourself. (There are many possible methods of protection.)
Protection Method #1: Use a Sigil
Sigils are magickal symbols that hold an intention. You create a sigil by using the following simple process. First, write out your desire on a scratch piece of paper; you can use a single word or a phrase.
Examples of Phrases Related to Protection:
· Protect me through the night
· Protect me from energy vampires
To keep this example simple and clear, I’ll just use the word “success.” Cross off all of the repeated letters in Success. You end up with S, U, C, and E. (You want only one of each letter that appears in the word.) Next, scramble the letters, getting S, E, U, and C (for example). Now comes the fun part: Combine the letters together in an image.
Protection Method #2: Wear a Protection Necklace
Wear a necklace of hematite and amethyst. The hematite grounds you, and the amethyst turns all energy into white light.
Protection Method #3: Take a Ritual Bath
Ritual bathing can be a great way to get rid of the nasties that may cling onto your aura. Bless and consecrate your soap and shampoo. Set these aside for use only during your ritual baths.
How to make a sachet with cleansing herbs for a bath:
Use a stocking or cotton cloth, and place inside selected cleansing herbs. The total amount of all herbs will be one tablespoon.
If you use a cotton cloth, gather the corners and tie them with a string. Make sure the sachet is closed and secure. This keeps the herbs from clogging your drain.
Place your sachet in the bath water then sprinkle in some sea salt and let steep for 5 or so minutes. Then enjoy.
May these three protection methods bring you comfort.
“How can I practice tuning my intuition?” one of my readers asked. “Are there any spells that can help me become a little more ‘fine-tuned’ to other people’s intent, lies, etc.?”
So much is going on in this question.
First, what is intuition, really? Some definitions of intuition emphasize: “the ability when … one knows or considers [true] from instinctive feeling rather than conscious reasoning.”
Researcher Gerd Gigerenzer suggests that intuition is “data that has not risen to the conscious level.”
When I talk with fellow Wiccans, I have mentioned, “There is a difference between intuition and knowing.” The way I define knowing is: Certainty that arises from hearing the ‘voice’ of the God and Goddess. I’ve been grateful to hear the voice of the Goddess—on a number of occasions. For example, one time, I had a knowing to hold back and avoid entering a traffic intersection. That knowing saved my life because another car careened through the intersection at great speed. It surely would have smashed my car on the driver’s side, killing me.
Next, we look at “fine-tuning intuition.” I suggest that this is about getting distractions out of the way so we can clearly connect with intuition.
Author Gavin de Becker (The Gift of Fear) points out that we naturally can use our gut instincts to protect ourselves. The problem arises when we let other voices (like when someone doesn’t want to be embarrassed) to block out the voice of intuition (or gut instincts).
So, here is a Spell for Getting Distractions Out of the Way of Your Intuition.
Intuition Spell
What you will need:
1 blue candle
Ritual tools
Dragon’s blood incense
Cakes and wine
Offering dishes
Dragon’s blood oil
Cast Circle in the usual manner.
Time to dress your candle: This means that you take the oil and rub it onto the candle from wick to the base of the candle.
Place the candle in holder.
As you light the candle say:
Blue candle of mine, It is now your time. My intuition grows as you melt away, My intuition is here, My intuition is clear, and now will stay. Whispers I hear, Intuition is near. Guide me true. Without distraction, I know you.
Sit and expand your senses. Sense the whispers of intuition.
Do the Cakes and Wine Ceremony.
Close the Circle.
May this Intuition Spell help you walk your best path.
GoddessHasYourBack.com 