I just couldn’t get my mind to settle down. My friend’s suicide happened and it really tore at my heart. I knew that I had to make sure that he transitioned safely to the Summerlands. The transition just wasn’t going to happen on its own. That’s what the Tarot told me.
So I pushed myself and took action. I did a ritual to help him find the Summerlands. Once I knew he had crossed safely, I felt peace in my heart.
For Wiccans, we do have a source of relief and even deep peace: Ritual.
In my studies, I’ve learned that Ritual is designed to get us free of the conscious mind and its petty obsessions.
You become conditioned to go to a Higher Level where you can open the unconscious mind and open the doors to successful magick.
Successful magick happens when you open those doors wide and do it reliably. Repetition of rituals is the best way to change your consciousness so you can do magick reliably.
The more often you do ritual, the more you train your mind to make a transition to a Higher Level.
Each ritual begins with Casting a Circle. When you cast a circle you not only set up your sacred space with related protection, your casting also opens those doors to your subconscious mind, which is called the Younger Self. We Wiccans use the Younger Self for communication as we do magick. By the way, the Younger Self is also known as the Sticky Self in the faerie tradition.
You might think of your Younger Self as a five-year-old. How do you keep a five-year-old engaged? Not with long-winded talking. Instead, you use things like props and other items. Think shiny, sparkly with loud noises.
Using drums, other musical instruments and other props that are fun and novel help you easily communicate with the Younger Self.
Wiccans realize the Younger Self is the source of energy for effectively doing magick.
Remember that regularly doing ritual helps you condition yourself to readily rise to a Higher Level and engage your Younger Self. In this way, your magick-work will get better.
Blessings,
Moonwater SilverClaw
For more of Moonwater SilverClaw, consider some of her books:
Cleo, my cat, looked up at me. At 14 years old, Cleo needed me to give her intravenous fluids to sustain her. One night while I was administering her daily fluids she simply looked into my eyes and told me, I’ve had enough, I’m done.
I just knew. Other times, I’ve wrestled with the decision of when it was time to let go of my beloved pet.
Now, I’ve had cats my whole life. In high school, I was introduced to domesticated, pet rats. These little furry friends have terribly short life spans. I’d have four at the same time, and this meant crying every year as one of them would become ill due to old age. I had many times to practice letting go.
I have spent thousands of dollars for medical care for my fuzzy babies. But how does one know when to let go?
If a pet or familiar is close to crossing the veil, when is it truly time to let go?
First listen to your little friend. Here are some signs to help you consider when to let go.
• Is your furry companion still interested in life?
• Does your companion still enjoy eating?
• Does he/she still play in spite of the illness or disease?
• Is the little one in tremendous pain that prevents him/her from being happy?
Now I’m not talking about temporary illness. This is about the end of a life—a terminal illness.
Recently, on Facebook, people discussed the condition of Blacky, The Wheelchair Cat.
A native of New Zealand, he has one eye, and after being struck by a car, he’s left with spinal nerve damage and paralysis in his rear legs and bladder.
A number of people suggested that Blacky be “put down.”
But wait a moment! Blacky can now feel his legs if one tickles them. Sometimes he moves or stands on them. Last year, he had a perianal urethrostomy surgery because of his bladder problems.
Still, Blacky enjoys life. He enjoys going outside and playing. Other than his mobility issue, Blacky’s now healthy.
In summary, I invite you to look at my list and let it help you make a good decision about whether it may be time to let a pet go.
Sure, sometimes our pets have physical troubles. But you’ve probably noticed the we, humans, can have physical troubles, too. Still, we find ways to have joy and meaning.
Let’s make sure to support our furry friends in their times of need.
About three years ago, a particular witch held a ritual in the woods each weekend. To her delight, a certain deer joined her each time. When I heard about this, I realized one can have a wild animal as a familiar–an animal, usually a pet, that helps the witch.
At one point, I was in a Wiccan learning group gathered in the woods and an owl joined us. Animals sense energy which makes them good working partners.
Animals are so proficient at using energy that they can literally move in and out of a closed circle and not harm or break that circle. So when your familiar moves across the boundary of your cast circle don’t worry, they won’t hurt it.
Small children can also cross your circle’s boundary without disturbing it. It’s only when we get older that we become unable to do that. The reason? Society teaches us to limit ourselves and so we unconsciously do so.
On the other hand, familiars do not have that burden. They can move and work energy in ways that many of us cannot. This is why witches and other magick users like to have a familiar.
However, don’t just run to an animal shelter and pick any animal and assume that the little one will be your familiar. An animal must choose to do so. If your little friend does not make that choice of being a familiar, you can just enjoy the company of your pet in ordinary life.
So how can I tell if my pet or an animal wants to be my familiar? Observe: Does the animal want to hang around you as you do a ritual? When you ground and center does your cat (for example) come and sit, to support you.
If you observe a particular animal in the wild repeatedly show up during your rituals, pause. Ask yourself, “Does this one want to be my familiar or is this just a random visit?” (Note: This does not mean that you go over and pet the animal. They do not want that.)
Sometimes, you may discover that this particular animal is quietly acting as a familiar for you.
Note: Never try to force an animal to work with you. If you have a pet, but the little one just strolls away when you’re doing a ritual, let it go. Just love your pet for the other joyful moments you share. You do not need a familiar.
If you, at some time, find an animal that wants to work with you, it can be quite rewarding. Not only will your spells and other workings be more powerful, but you will also have a great friend by your side.
A dear friend of mine was shot at his workplace and killed last Wednesday, the 11th. I’m grieving and I’m angry because I feel his death could have been prevented.
Grieving during the holidays when everyone is supposed to be so cheerful feels especially painful. In our pain, we might even feel anger take hold. It’s unfair to be singled out for grief.
So what can you do for a person in grief? Just listen to them.
Listening to a person dealing with grief is a hard thing. It often brings up our own pain.
Listening is a gift you give to help the grieving person feel needed support. Saying what she feels can even begin her healing process.
It’s true that you can’t solve anything for the person. But you don’t need to, and you shouldn’t try. The person grieving must travel the path of healing herself.
Being there for your friend or family member is the best thing you can do. Offering a kind heart, understanding shoulder and attentive ear is the best gift you can give someone going through grief.
May all those who cross to the other side this Yule Time be blessed, and may those who are left behind be blessed as well.
How did you find the Wiccan faith? Was it through a personal connection or was it through a book or website?
Wiccans until recently were hard to find. Many followers of the path work in secret, in the shadows. Why have all the secrecy?
This secrecy was vital because throughout history and even to this present day Wiccans (and other pagans) have been and continue to be discriminated against.
Face it, we are still a minority faith in this world. Most practitioners prefer to stay in the shadows because of the possibility of retaliation and prejudice found in family, school, work, and the general public. We know too well that there are general misconceptions and fear about the Craft. So many Wiccans practice in the shadow. (After all, I call my blog and my book The Hidden Children of the Goddess.)
So how is one to find a reliable teacher while so many teachers practice in the shadows?
You need some initial education. Books can be a great way to start. Read a bunch of books and you will start to see a pattern. Your intuition will alert you to who really knows valuable material and who may be offering faulty information.
Here is a good reading list to start your path. Those of you who have been on the path for a time may want to revisit some of these books. It’s important to have a good foundation in the Craft before moving on to the more advanced practices.
Ferrar, Janet and Stewart. Eight Sabbats for Witches, Revised Edition. Phoenix Publishing, WA, 1988.
Ferrar, Janet and Stewart. The Witches’ God: Lord of the Dance. Phoenix Publishing, WA, 1989.
Ferrar, Janet and Stewart. The Witches’ Goddess: The Feminine Principle of Divinity. Phoenix Publishing, WA, 1987.
Ferrar, Stewart. What Witches Do. Robert Hale, 2010.
Fitch, Ed. A Grimoire of Shadows: Witchcraft, Paganism & Magick. Llewellyn Publications, 1996.
Frazer, James George. The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion, A New Abridgement from the 2nd and 3rd Editions. OxfordUniversityPress, USA, 2009.
Gardner, Gerald. High Magic’s Aid. Aurinia Books, 2010.
Gardner, Gerald. The Meaning of Witchcraft. Red Wheel/Weiser, 2004.
Gardner, Gerald. Witchcraft Today. Citadel, 2004.
Giles, Cynthia. The Tarot: History, Mystery, and Lore. Touchstone, 1994.
Graves, Robert. The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth, Amended and Enlarged Edition. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1966.
Leland, Charles G. Aradia or The Gospel Of The Witches. Kessinger Publishing LLC, 2010.
Lipp, Deborah. The Way of Four: Create Elemental Balance in Your Life. Llewellyn Publications, 2004.
Marcoux, Tom. Darkest Secrets of Spiritual Seduction Masters: How to Protect Yourself, Boost Your Psychological Immune System and Strengthen Your Spirit. Tom Marcoux Media, LLC, 2011.
McCoy, Edain. Sabbats: A Witch’s Approach to Living the Old Ways. Llewellyn Publications, 2001.
Murray, Margaret Alice. The God of the Witches. NuVision Publications, 2009.
Neal, Carl. The Magick Toolbox: The Ultimate Compendium for Choosing and Using Ritual Implements and Magickal Tools. Samuel Weiser, 2004.
Russell, Jeffrey B. and Alexander, Brooks. A History of Witchcraft: Sorcerers, Heretics & Pagans, 2nd Edition. Thames & Hudson, 2007.
Starhawk. The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Goddess: 20th Anniversary Edition. HarperOne, 1999.
Sylvan, Dianne. The Circle Within: Creating a Wiccan Spiritual Tradition. Llewellyn Publications, 2003.
Tognetti, Arlene. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Tarot, 2nd Edition. ALPHA, 2003.
Tognetti, Arlene and Flynn, Carolyn. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Tarot Spreads Illustrated. ALPHA, 2006.
Valiente, Doreen. An ABC of Witchcraft Past and Present. Phoenix Publishing, WA, 1988.
Valiente, Doreen. Natural Magic. Robert Hale, 1999.
Valiente, Doreen. Witchcraft for Tomorrow. Robert Hale, 1993.
Wood, Robin. Robin Wood Tarot: The Book. Robin Wood Enterprises, 1998.
Wood, Robin. When, Why … If. Robin Wood Enterprises, 1997.
Once you have read a number of books, you will have a basic familiarity with the Craft. Next, find a mentor in the particular Tradition (type) of Wicca you want to study.
The Witches’ Voice (witchvox.com) is a great place to read more articles and to network for new connections. You can find people who have taken the giant step (and risks) to be known in the community.
Observe carefully. Use your basic familiarity with the Craft and your intuition to find someone who you feel is a good match for your next steps in learning.
Each Tradition does the Craft a little differently. It’s not that one particular Tradition’s ritual is “wrong” compared to another Tradition. There are many ways of doing the same thing correctly.
How did you come to know the Craft? Let me know in the comments section. Thank you.
So what have you heard about the burden of depression?
If you’ve experienced it, you know what an oppressive malady it is. If you have not experienced it, it’s hard to convey the essence of the pain.
Ever since I was little, I’ve had feelings of hopelessness and unworthiness. Abuse in the form of beatings from my brother and neglect from my parents, intensified my hopelessness.
I never knew when abuse would fall upon me. There was no rhyme or reason. Abusing a little girl is inexcusable. But what was worse, as that little girl, I felt a torrent of twisted thoughts. I believed the abuse happened because I deserved it.
I’ve heard a number of times that some people had perhaps a teacher that provided the support they didn’t have at home. But I wasn’t that lucky.
I did what I could to survive. I avoided people.
To me, depression was living in a deep, deep hole. A dark place where I was alone. I felt that I deserved this dark place. I had no hope, no love, no respect. I felt worthless. My chest hurt. Just cold putrid rotting meat inside me. The depression made it move and writhe like a carcass filled with maggots. There was more: tar, shards of broken glass, rusty nails.
Escape! That’s all I wanted. At eight years old, I tried to hang myself.
The Gods intervened. The cord broke. Not just once, but every time I tried to commit suicide, the Gods saved me.
They poured their light into a places I never thought any light could reach. My heart and soul. When that happened it was indescribable. It was beyond an epiphany. It was beyond life and death. It was so miraculous I can’t describe the event. Only that it was life-changing in every way.
It changed my thinking, my speaking, my body. It changed my world. It changed me. I was not me anymore, and yet, I was. My memories were the same, my environment was the same, my story was the same.
I knew who I was, and where I had come from. But now it was all different. How I experienced life was completely new.
I still have depression. I no longer identify myself as “a depressed person.” I am a spirit who deals with depression systems. I take medication and I have a helpful therapist. Each day I have good moments. I reconnect with the Gods on a daily basis. Even as I write this, my altar gleams with a glowing candle.
The Gods gave me a gift of self-love. I want to show you the way to it. I can’t walk this path for you, but I can show you my own path and walk side by side with you on yours.
Here is a chant you can recite to yourself when you’re hurting:
By the Sun and by the Moon,
Let the Gods’ light be my boon.
Shining deep and shining far,
May I be healed by every star.
I saw it then, I see it now,
Darkness be gone right here, right now!
You can use this short chant whenever you are feeling low. For example you can use this chant during meditation, lighting a candle or as a prelude to a meditation.
As always, let me know your experiences using this chant by using the comments box below. I would love to hear them.
To me, the pentagram inspires feelings of warmth, awe and joy. It stands for life–the mystery and the balance. The pentagram serves as the universal symbol of the Craft. You can find it in all occult shops and most new age stores. Wiccans tend to wear a pentagram as a pendant on a necklace, a symbol on a ring and more. But what is this symbol and what is the message it really conveys?
As a five-pointed star, the pentagram represents each element with one of its points. Many people have heard of the elements Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Then what is the “fifth element”? It’s Spirit. Now there’s a bit of controversy because some Wiccans would argue that Spirit is not strictly an element. Nevertheless, all five items are needed and unique.
Air is associated with thought. Thoughts move in and out of our minds just like a light breeze flows through our hair. Thoughts are the beginning of actions, likewise dawn represents the beginning of new things and Wiccans thereby associate Air with dawn. Further, Air relates to the direction East. East is where the sun comes up and begins the day.
Fire is associated with action. Besides keeping us warm it is the spark that gets us into motion. It motivates our will producing results on the physical plane. Fire is also associated with the direction South. Our ancestors (from Europe) understood that going towards the South, the lands were warmer.
Water is associated with emotion which flows through us. Every thought creates feelings. We remember grandma’s cooking and get that warm fuzzy feeling inside, or we remember that fight with our partner that made us so mad! Water is associated with the West, which is associated with crossing the River Styx and going to the land of the dead.
Earth is associated with stability and with its function as the foundation for other things. Earth keeps us stable and often represents the many mundane things that we need in life. Earth represents the physicality of our bodies and the ground we stand upon. Earth’s direction is North and it is represented by mountains, rocks, crystals and such.
Spirit is the unique element that ties the rest together. It is our spirit that the Gods have given us, which makes us alive. You cannot have life without the other four. We need air to breathe, fire to keep us warm, and water to drink. We need the physicality of our bodies (represented as Earth) to interact with our surroundings. But we cannot truly be us without spirit. What is a soul? It is a piece of the Gods that they place within all that is alive. This soul animates our Air, Fire, Water, and Earth into a living being.
Spirit is a crucial element that is too often overlooked. Because Spirit is the miracle of life itself. We are the pentacle. We are life.
You can use this prosperity spell if you need money in a flash. Prosperity spells can be tricky. You need to be specific so you do not have undesired effects. However, you also need to be open enough in your wording to let money come to you from places and opportunities you may not have thought of yet. Here is a simple spell that fits these requirements.
Let’s talk about the wording of this spell so you can see how it works. The first line is:
Grant me wealth, and grant my wishes,
stir it with a thousand kisses.
This line states the purpose and the way you want your desire to come to you. “With a thousand kisses” means with only love. You make sure that wealth does not come with pain or trouble for anyone.
The second line states:
By the moon, and by the sun,
watch for it, cuz here it comes
This line uses the powers of the moon and the sun to help accomplish your desire.
The third line says:
It comes by night, it comes by day,
it comes to me with no shades of gray
This is an important line. The first part of the line reinforces the second’s line “watch for it, cuz here it comes” with “It comes by night, it comes by day.” The first part of the phrase also does something else. By mentioning both night and day, the intention is that wealth arrives continually.
The phrase: “it comes to me with no shades of gray” is very important. The idea of “no shades of gray” means you wealth to come to you without any negativity associated with it. For example, you want that no one will get into an accident and leave you money.
The fourth line finishes with:
The sea goes in, the sea goes out,
now look at me, my wealth about!
This last line talks about the outcome of the spell. You affirms that you do receive wealth.
The fifth line is simple:
So mote it be!
This line activates the spell.
You can notice that this spell has the power of the five elements in it. I know it isn’t obvious. I’ll explain. The grant part in the first line comes from spirit. This refers to your need. This desire arises from your heart. Here is where the process begins.
The second line talks about the heavenly bodies in the sky which is Air. You’re placing your thought into the world.
The third line emphasizes no shades of gray or no shadows. Fire is light and it chases darkness away, banishing the shadows from your wish.
The fourth line is a declaration of manifesting wealth.
The last line “so mote it be” echoes the second line and plants the entire spell into reality. In effect, it fulfills the desire.
Now that we have discussed the spell and how it works, let’s begin. Remember to cast your circle first. If you don’t know how to do that read my how to cast circle post.
What you will need:
5 candles in colors: white, yellow, red, blue and green (representing the elements).
Pentacle
Matches or lighter
Ritual tools
Place candles at appropriate elements on the pentacle (see diagram below) and let the candles burn completely down and out.
The Sabbat Imbolc is midway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox when the light is beginning to return to the world and it is celebrated on February 2nd. Wiccans associate the Imbolc Sabbat with fire as they do at the Yule Sabbat. Can you see a theme here? This is for a reason: Fire honors the god and gives him strength. And who doesn’t like a nice warm fire on a chilly night during the cold part of the year?
At Imbolc the goddess has finally recovered from the strains of giving birth to the god. She is now back and ready to start the growing season of the year. Now purified, the goddess becomes the young maiden once more. Because of this, the act purification is a large part of this Sabbat.
At Imbolc we honor the goddess Bridget, the goddess of fertility and birth. She is the Celtic goddess of fire and rules the art of forge craft or metalsmithing. Bridget provides inspiration and represents domestic arts like healing and cooking. We often use fires in the home as a nice way to honor Bridget, the goddess of the Earth.
Wiccans memorialize Imbolc, the time of purification, with the tradition of lighting candles. Candles provide inspiration and symbolize the growing light and strength from the sun god. Candles help coax the light into the year to come and bring on the bounty of nature. Imbolc is translated as “in the belly.” This refers to the coming of new life to the land.
At this time of the year, the ewes give birth to their lambs. Since the ewes’ lactation period has peaked at Imbolc, Wiccans view milk as an appropriate drink for this Sabbat. They enjoy lamb’s meat cooked on a sacred fire, paying homage to the goddess.
As the time of beginnings (births and the starting of new life), Imbolc is a good time for initiations and rededications for us. With the waxing year our intentions grow along with the light. And so our dedications to the gods grow in strength at this time.
The four directions each have their own equivalent in these categories: element, time of day, season, and time in life. When you cast your circle, you call out the directions. You move in a clockwise direction (or deocil, pronounced JE-shil). When you cast your circle you do not merely call out North (for example), you are calling upon all of the facets that North represents. Let’s look at North:
North
North’s element is Earth. Wiccans associate Earth with stillness, strength, and stability. Earth forms the foundation of our lives both physically and metaphorically. We literally stand on it. Soil, rocks, and crystals represent Earth. You can place one or several items in your circle in the north quarter standing in for Earth. When we talk about the twenty-four hour day, North rests at midnight when everything is still. At this time most beings sleep tucked away in slumber for the night. We peacefully sleep, waiting for the next day’s beauty. In the cycle of the year, North’s stillness continues as Winter. Beneath blankets of snow, many creatures hibernate. The earth sleeps until next Spring. In the life cycle, North manifests as the time of death for us and animals. We spoke of Winter, and many animals die during the frost-bound months. This corresponds to the time the spirit is in the Summerlands, where the soul can rest until its rebirth into a new life.
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