Weathering the Storm:
A Discussion
on Loss and Healing
by Charlynn Walls
Lightning, thunder, and the pounding rain—the pure intensity of the storm cuts through the atmosphere with surgical precision. The incredible heat, the flash of light, and the rumble of thunder reverberates through your entire being. Nothing is quite as exquisite as a thunderstorm.
They say lightning only strikes the same place once. So, too, do the most influential people in our lives. They are here one moment and gone the next. They leave an indelible mark on our psyche that encompasses the beauty and intensity of their moment in our lives.
That is why the death of a loved one can be so devastating. We’ve all experienced it, and each time it affects us a little differently. Very often, we—the Pagans, Witches, and Wiccans—are the ones people seek out for a sympathetic ear. But when we are the ones hit by the lightning of grief, how do we regain our own footing? How do we find our balance once again?
The Building Storm
In most instances when a loved one passes into the Summerlands, friends and family seek out the magickally inclined, as we tend to be empathetic and calm in the face of tragedy. We seem to know just what to say and do to comfort those left behind. Even though we are also saddened by the passing, we tend to be the voice of reason to those around us.
But when a close friend passed on, I found myself foundering. My typical thought patterns that included death as a natural progression of life were suddenly nothing but hollow words. Her passing left me in conflict with myself.
There are five generally accepted stages of grief, and I rolled through every one of them: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance.
When we knew my friend was seriously ill, the last thing I wanted to do was acknowledge that she might die. I made myself scarce at the hospital so I didn’t have to directly look at the fact that she was on the verge of death. Those around me knew I was in denial.
Once she passed on, I was furious that one of my dear sisters in the Craft had to leave our small, tightknit community. I was rocked to my spiritual core and unsure of what to do or how to move past that moment. I don’t think I have ever felt that level of anger before. There was anger at the doctors for not doing more, anger at her for not trying harder, and anger at myself for not being there. When you’re so full of one emotion, there is simply no room for anything else.
I bargained hard with the gods. If I could have traded places with her, I would have. She has a young daughter, after all, and a girl needs her mother. Surely, the universe wouldn’t let something like this happen to her when she was still needed here and had so much more to give.
That’s the moment when I lost myself. With no outlet for my grief, the depression set in, and once that had control, it seemed impossible to find myself again. The situation became self-perpetuating.
In the Eye of the Storm
Looking back, I did everything the wrong way. I withdrew from my friends and family. I ran from my dearest friends because I didn’t want to burden them with my grief. I figured that if I didn’t know how to deal with it, they wouldn’t either. Or worse yet, they wouldn’t want to deal with me as I tried to work through everything. It’s very hard to see the big picture when you’re in the middle of it.
I shut down and didn’t talk out the feelings, which was emotionally exhausting. The more I tried to pretend that I was fine, the more I found myself in a torrent of pent-up emotions. Mentally, I knew I needed to let go and grieve, but actually putting that into practice seemed to be too hard of a challenge.
I sat with a heavy heart, pondering how to get past my block, while watching a thunderstorm pass. It was everything I felt. It was raw, intense, and unyielding. I felt like I could scream into the raging storm, and it would swallow up my words. There was some comfort in knowing that the storm was more powerful than me. It was a relief that I could vent, cry, or scream and not be criticized or denigrated for my loss of composure.
In that moment, I decided to do some weather witching to release all my built-up neglected emotion. Storms have an enormous amount of power, and it was time to tap into it. It was finally time to start healing.
I had found an outlet for my grief and a way toward accepting my new reality. It was fitting that it dealt with water as a conduit for change and understanding.
Ritual for Weathering the Storm
“Weathering the storm” is the perfect analogy for what I was feeling—the buildup of grief and anger, the release, and the eventual healing and growth. Each part is evident in the different parts of a storm and each is equally vital.
To do this ritual, you’ll need a clear place to view a thunderstorm from your home. I find that a low window works best if you want to sit on the floor. If you have a window near a bed or comfortable chair, that will work as well. Please remember to keep yourself safe at all times.
If clear skies are in the forecast, you may want to find a recording of a storm to help you visualize the parts of this ritual and help focus your intent. Turn on the recording and set it to repeat. If you have a picture of your loved one, you may want to include that as well.
Once you have everything you need, make sure you are seated comfortably. I prefer to sit on the floor or in a window seat, so I can easily see the show that Mother Nature is putting on. No matter where you sit, make sure you have easy access to the window and that it’s easy to open.
The first step will be to cast a simple circle. When I need to let go of negativity, I don’t always feel the need for all the pomp and circumstance of a typical ritual. By closing my eyes and envisioning myself surrounded by a sphere of blue-white light, I can make my circle as small or large as I need. You’ll want to do the same and make your circle comfortable. If possible, push the circle out just past the window. Once you have your circle in place, take a deep breath and exhale. This has a dual effect of setting the sacred space and grounding you at the same time.
Then call the quarters. Feel free to embellish on the versions I’m providing. Make sure they speak to you and what you want to accomplish. For my tradition, we typically begin in the north.
North: Guardians of the north, let the rumble of the thunder be felt through me all the way to my core, helping ground and balance me. Welcome!
East: Guardians of the east, let your winds whip around me and dry my tears, bringing clarity and perspective. Welcome!
South: Guardians of the south, those forged in the heat of lightning, let me see past myself to those who love and need me. Welcome!
West: Guardians of the west, let your rain fall upon me and wash away the remaining anger and negativity and leave me ready for new growth. Welcome!
Call to the God and Goddess. You can use any pantheon that you’re comfortable with. I suggest using deities associated with storms, lightning, or rain.
Lord and Lady, gather near and offer your insight and counsel. Welcome!
When you can see a flash of lightning and hear the thunder in the distance, let the sound wash over you and through you. Close your eyes, and feel the rumbling pulse in your veins, building intensity. This is the anguish and anger you’ve held on to. It builds to a crescendo, and it must find a release or the pressure will rip you apart.
As the storm is reaching its peak, take some time to stop and look at the photo of your loved one. Reflect on what they meant to you. Take the time to connect to why you are reeling so profoundly from the loss.
You can yell into the storm to help rid yourself of your grief. If you are at a loss of words, you can repeat the following chant until you feel ready to release your burden to the God and Goddess. Let it build so that it reflects the enormity of your emotions. Chant:
Lord and Lady, hear my cries of anguish and despair,
Take from me my burden of pain and fear.
If you are able to open the window, you may want to do so now; if not, you can visualize the rain falling on your skin. Feel the rain as it drops onto your skin. Let the cool water soothe your anger. Cry if you can, and let the tears meld with the raindrops. Feel the release of the aggression and the hurt until there’s nothing left to cry out. Allow the rain to cleanse and fill up the void that is left. Take the healing energy into you as if you were the earth soaking up the rain.
As the storm moves on and the sky begins to lighten, reflect on the spiritual journey you’ve just taken. Though things once looked dim, there is now a light on the horizon. The once oppressive and overwhelming feelings are just like the storm and will pass eventually. Take solace in the fact there is always a silver lining in every cloud.
Now, it is time to close the circle.
Lord and Lady, thank you for helping me shoulder my burden and for providing valuable insight. Stay if you will, go if you must.
West: Guardians of the west, thank you for lending your cooling rain to temper my raw emotion. Farewell.
South: Guardians of the south, thank you for illuminating the issues that need work. Farewell.
East: Guardians of the east, thank you for the wind that comforted and cleansed. Farewell.
North: Guardians of the north, thank you for the stabilizing forces that give me strength to go on. Farewell.
Now, close your eyes and hold in your mind the blue-white sphere of your sacred space. Watch it dissolve from above and below you into a thin line of a glowing circle around you. See the line weaken in intensity until it is completely gone. Take another cleansing breath and exhale. The ritual is now complete. When you are ready and composed, you can start to move on.
Reflections on the Passing Storm
The beauty of this ritual is its simplicity. This practice let me focus on my feelings so I could see past the negativity to the healing and growth on the other side. Of course, it wasn’t an overnight solution, but when I was ready to finally give up the hurt and anger, it was an invaluable part of being able to move forward.
Though not everyone will experience the stages of grief and healing the same way, we all go through the process. The important thing is to remember to honor yourself in addition to the person who passed so that you can heal. Lean on those you love and trust if you can and remember that deity will always listen. It is often a long journey, but it doesn’t have to be filled with the heaviness of unexpressed hurt.
Everyday Totemism
by Lupa
Does everyone have a totem animal that stays with them their entire life? Some say yes, others say no. Regardless, totemism isn’t just about those “primary” totems. The same person may have all kinds of different relationships and interactions with animal totems, and they don’t all have to last a lifetime.
That has been my experience since I began working with animal totems in my spirituality since the 1990s. Rather than following what other people told me to do to connect with totems, I found my own path through that forest via a lot of trial and error. I quickly discovered was that there was no set number of totems a person could or should have and not every totem stuck around for a long time.
As I met and worked with more and more totem animals, I created an easy organizational system to help me describe some of these totemic relationships:
Primary totems are what most people think of when they talk about animal totems. These are your “life” totems, the ones who are around for the long haul, as it were.
Secondary totems are ones that come into your life on their own volition to help you through a stage of your life or a particular time period. Once their intent has been fulfilled, they generally leave your life, though some do make visits later on. But even then, they aren’t as consistently present as primary totems.
Tertiary totems are totems that you approach to ask for help with something specific or simply to find out more about them. If you want help with a single ritual or untangling a problem in your life, you can find out what totem or totems may be best able to help you, and then approach them for that help.
Any totem animal can be a primary, secondary, or tertiary totem. It all depends on the nature of its relationship with that person. The particular totem itself isn’t crucial—what matters is the intensity and duration of the connection between the totem and person.
This essay is about working with tertiary totems. While not everyone may have a primary totem, just about anyone can ask totems for help with more short-term goals, even if you’ve never worked with totems before.
Identify the Problem
The first thing you’ll want to do is to figure out what you want help with. Here are some ideas:
• getting a boost in a job hunt or business endeavor, such as making the right connections with the right people or finding and making the most of resources available to you
• adding a spiritual component for treating existing medical problems or creating some magick to promote continued good health
• blessing and protecting a home, workplace, or other location
• making it through a particularly tough or challenging stage in your life, making a life passage or other transition
• staying focused and energized in activism, such as for the environment, animal welfare, human rights, etc.
• guidance and protection through a specific rite of passage or other ritual
Don’t feel constrained by this list. Animal totems are a bridge between their species and the rest of the world, so they are not strangers to what we face, though the importance of our problems may need a little “translation.”
For example, a number of years ago I was job hunting and wanted some help staying focused and motivated amid the sending of résumés and the receiving of “Sorry, we’re hiring someone else” letters. So I asked American Badger for some aid in finding a job. I was inspired by Badger’s tenacity first and foremost. However, Badger didn’t quite understand what I was trying to achieve with this whole “employment” thing. So I explained to him that I wanted a bit of a boost finding the resources I need to maintain my den (apartment) and be able to acquire food (which to Badger, for some reason, looked like a huge pile of earthworms!). Once I was able to connect my job hunt to those concepts, it made a lot more sense to Badger, and I got the help I needed.
So while you may need to do a similar bit of translation for more abstract concepts, don’t be afraid to ask for what you need.
Identify the Totem
Once you have your need identified, you’re going to need to determine what totem animal (or animals) may be able to help you. There are a few ways to go about doing this.
While I am not personally a huge fan of totem animal dictionaries, they are a record of how the authors have interacted with various totems. Most books on animal totemism have at least a brief dictionary, and some, such as Ted Andrews’ Animal-Speak, are largely composed of dictionary entries detailing the totemic lore surrounding a variety of species. If you do choose the dictionary route, please be aware that the totem animal may not be willing or able to help you with the same things that the author writes about. Part of working with totems means creating individual relationships with them, even if only for a short time. Be open to what a totem has to say to you, even if it’s not by the book.
You can also use a totem animal card deck. The main limitation is that only so many animals can fit in one deck. If the totem that’s the best fit for your situation isn’t in the deck, then you may not be able to identify her. On the other hand, with tertiary totems, there are usually multiple totems that can help with the same problem, so chances are good that at least one totem in the deck may be able to give you some assistance.1
The most direct method for identifying the relevant animal is to do a guided meditation. This allows you to be receptive to any totem that answers your request for help without expecting any specific animal to show up. There are a number of guided meditations that will work. Here’s one brief example:
Visualize yourself going into a hole in the ground that leads into a tunnel, holding the problem or situation you would like help resolving. As you go through this tunnel, know that it will take you to a place where you can meet totem animals that may be able to assist you. As you come out of the tunnel, you find
yourself in a natural place. Take time to explore this place and see if any animals appear. You may find one or more that come
up to you; these will be the ones most likely to respond to your need. Take some time to speak with them and ask them why they’ve approached. Listen carefully and remember them for the next time you visit. Then come back to the waking world with the information you have gathered and write down as much as you can.
You can also use this meditation if you already know which totem you want to ask for help. She may be one that you have worked with before, or you may just feel intuitively that she’s the one to speak with. Go into the tunnel with the intent of coming out to a place where you can meet that totem.
The meditation is also useful for continued visits to the totem. As with the previous example, enter the tunnel intending to meet the totem you’re working with when you get to the other end.
Do be aware that this visualization doesn’t work every time—a number of factors are at play. If no animal shows up or approaches, it may be that the animals present did not feel ready to help. Or you may not be able to focus well enough yet, especially if you haven’t had much practice with guided meditation. And if you’re really anticipating results, that anticipation can actually sabotage your efforts by making it too hard to relax into the meditation.
If this occurs, take a break of at least a week, if you can. Then come back and try again.
Asking for Help
Now that you’ve identified at least one totem animal who may be able to help you, it’s time to ask for that help. I generally recommend some formality. You don’t have to create a candlelit seven-course banquet with the totem’s favorite foods; however, putting together a nice ritual often helps.
First, create a space to invite the totem to. This can be a small shrine on a shelf adorned with pictures and other images of the totem. If you have a dedicated ritual space, cleanse it and decorate it appropriately. Wear your ritual garments or at the very least, something nice that you can still perform ritual in.
An offering is also a good idea. If you offer food, make it something you can eat. Offer the spiritual essence to the totem while taking in the physical calories yourself. I don’t recommend leaving the food out for wildlife because that encourages them to associate humans with food, which is a bad idea. Instead, think of it as a sharing—breaking bread together. Other offerings may include a favor to help the totem’s physical counterparts (especially if they’re endangered), composing a story or song in praise of the totem, or simply asking what the totem would like in exchange for helping you.
Once your sacred space and offering are prepared, it’s time to call on the totem. You may go visit through guided meditation and ask the totem to come back to your space with you, or you can take the offering in spirit with you and offer it there. Or you can simply call the totem into your space; here’s one short sample evocation:
[Name of totem], I invite you to this place
For I have a request, and a gift for you.
Grant me some of your time and space.
I need your help; there is work to do!
How will you know the totem has arrived? This varies from person to person. Some see shapes or movement out of the corner of their eye. Others notice a strange breeze or aroma. Sometimes it’s purely intuitive; you can “feel” when the totem has arrived, changing the energy of a place.
Once the totem has arrived, explain what you need help with and make the offering. See how the totem responds. Just because you ask for help doesn’t mean you’re going to get it, at least not as requested. The totem may have other suggestions or requirements—or feel that a different totem is more able to help you. However, if the totem is able to help, you can now discuss what each of you needs to do to make things happen.
There have been times where a totem has made a special request of me in addition to the offering I made. Even tertiary totemic relationships are not one-way streets—we need to remember that totems are not just hanging around to make things happen for us. If the totem asks for your help with something in return, listen carefully and be honest about your ability to help. Under no circumstances should you promise something and then not follow through on it, especially if the totem upholds his end of the agreement!
Either way, at this point it’s up to you and the totem to negotiate what each of you will do. There’s no single right way to do this. Just take your time and do your best to both explain your end of things, and listen to what the totem says in response.
Making It Happen
So let’s say all goes well and the totem has agreed to help you. He may have specific things you need to do on your end, such as daily meditations or spells, or working together to create another ritual aimed at manifesting what you desire into reality. Or you may simply carry around a small reminder of the totem to carry his energy, such as a necklace or charm, to help him influence your day-to-day life.
While all this is happening on a spiritual level, don’t neglect the mundane activities! This is what the spiritual work is meant to augment, and if you aren’t doing the mundane work, then the spiritual work has nowhere to go. So keep on job hunting, or visiting your doctor, or taking time out in a busy day for some self-care, and see how the spiritual work affects and even improves these seemingly routine everyday activities.
Of course, the end results may vary. Even with totemic help, you may still not get what you asked for. You may get nothing, or you might get something even better than you hoped for! No magic or other effort is a guarantee, but we do these things to try to increase the probability that we will achieve our goals. Eventually you will have to determine whether things are improving or not, and keep talking with the totem about the next plan of action as long as she is still willing to help.
What If It’s More?
While tertiary totemic relationships are temporary, there are instances in which they can develop into something more long-lasting. You may find that you and the totem enjoy working together enough that you continue the connection. Or your act of asking for help might have been the invitation the totem needed to come into your life in a more interactive manner.
Again, the best practice is to ask what the totem would like from you. However, if you want to be proactive, try making a permanent shrine to the totem in your home, even if it’s just one small shelf. You can also try daily meditation with the totem and even regular rituals celebrating the presence of the totem in your life. And the totem may be able to help you with other areas of your life besides your original request, as well as ask other things of you to help him out.
Either way, be open to the possibilities. Each totemic relationship is its own unique thing to be cherished and explored, whether it lasts a day or a lifetime.
Banish the Blues
by Dallas Jennifer Cobb
Are you blue? Do you struggle with heavy energy and wish you could change it? Regardless of how resolved we are or how in harmony with family, nature, and the seasons, there are times when we are affected by sticky or depressing energy, commonly called “the blues.”
While there are no instant solutions for major life challenges, and at times we need to retreat to express and heal strong emotions and powerful experiences, we can find proactive ways to “banish the blues.” Pagan author Starhawk says, “Magic is the practice of changing your energy at will,” and fortified with the knowledge of herbs, oils, techniques, foods, and spells that can help transform your energy, you can practice strong personal magic, and banish the blues.
This article is not intended to replace sound medical advice for extreme depression. If you have anything more serious than a case of “the blues,” including but not limited to feeling suicidal or being unable to cope with daily life, seek professional help.
The Blues
Everybody gets the blues. A feeling of low energy, listlessness, and disinterest, a touch of sadness, betrayal, or even a broken heart can make us feel like retreating from life a little. It’s not just emotional situations that can cause the blues, but physical, mental, spiritual, and environmental situations.
Physical reasons for feeling blue can include minor illnesses or imbalances; overindulgences in alcohol, drugs, or candy; a lack of sleep or downtime; and extreme physical wear and tear caused by overwork.
Mentally, periods of low self-esteem, social isolation, worry, and indecision can cause the blues. Overthinking, overanalyzing, and overreacting can all send us spiraling down.
Spiritually, a crisis of faith, feeling disconnected from Spirit or higher power, and even deep-rooted questions about good and evil in the universe create chaos. Blues that come from spiritual sources can shake us to our roots.
Almost everyone experiences the blues with the change of seasons: we say goodbye to summer friends, return to school or work, and change our hobbies, activities, and routines. Seasonal change is a well-known environmental factor affecting mood, especially the shift from summer to winter when we feel the effect of dwindling daylight. It causes low energy, a reticence to go outdoors, and sometimes a desire to stay curled up on the couch. Environmentally induced blues are not to be confused with SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is a profound medical depression associated with the lack of light.
Other environmental blues could include the heaviness that comes from working in a poorly lit conditions with little ventilation or fresh air, around a lot of electromagnetic energy, or even being around a bunch of people who are themselves very negative and heavy.
Banishing Techniques
There are many techniques and tools we can use to help transform our energy and banish the blues. And many of these tactics come from within—never underestimate the power of changing your own energy. It can have life-changing effects, and for this reason, do not take these techniques and tools too lightly. And as with all magic, harm no one.
While there are tons of banishing and evil hexing spells out there, I find the most profound magic occurs when I change my energy at will, so many of these tools and techniques focus on everyday practices you can do without a lot of specialty items, or too much preparation. They are “spells” of daily living, so they are easy to perform.
Changing your energy at will might sound hard, but there are a few really simple techniques you can use. As simple as the ABC’s: awareness, breath, body, conditions, cognition, and spirit.
Awareness
Take a look at your life. In broad strokes, awareness is a powerful magical tool. A lack of balance in your life, bad relationships, and social isolation are very common causes for feeling blue. Are you getting enough sleep, eating well, and staying hydrated? Do you enjoy time outdoors in nature and have a supportive circle of friends and family? If you are aware of something you lack, consider addressing that deficiency in your life. Then expect that positive changes will come from this simple lifestyle adjustment.
Do your own diagnosis. When you feel blue, get out a pen and paper and write. Jot down everything that might be contributing to how you feel, no matter how small and insignificant it seems. Often, by the time you finish writing, you will have come to the “aha!” moment, realizing exactly what is contributing to feeling blue and how best to banish those blues.
Not just useful for intervention, awareness is one of the best and most effective preventative practices. Since prevention is easier than cure, incorporate “blues banishing” techniques into your daily life. If time for self-reflection, eating well, a full night’s sleep, physical exercise, and time outdoors are all part of your daily routine, you have already laid a strong groundwork for blues prevention.
Breath
The power of breath is transformational. When I get rattled and need instant help, be it a need for calm, focus, or a feeling of safety, I pull the earth’s energy up through my feet and into my body with a deep inhale. Exhaling, I send the energy cascading out the top of my head, flowing over my body and back to the earth. Usually, it only takes about three breaths before I feel tingling on the back of my neck, tightening of my scalp, and the elevation of spirit. Try it and be surprised by the efficacy of this simple technique.
Body
Sure, we hear so much about diet these days that we often tune out. But diet warrants attention if we want to banish the blues. By diet, I don’t mean a restrictive method of reducing calories so you can lose weight, but simple awareness of what and how to eat, ensuring that a wide variety of foods in their most natural state possible is consumed. Eating small meals regularly helps keep blood-sugar levels balanced and provides ongoing fuel for the day. Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, which overcome the negative energy of free radicals. Avoiding overprocessed foods, trans-fats, simple sugars, additives, and dyes can significantly improve how we feel both physically and mentally, whereas overconsumption of these can overload the organs, making them to work overtime to process this “toxic” stuff, which can cause us to feel poorly.
Research provides clinical evidence to support the claim that exercise is related to positive mental health as indicated by relief in symptoms of depression and anxiety. Not only can exercise increase positive self-image and self-esteem, but it stimulates the production of endorphins, the feel-good hormones. You have heard about “runner’s high,” but all forms of exercise have the potential to uplift, not just improving mood, but lessening bodily aches and pains.
Sleep and mood are directly connected, so a practice of getting a good night’s sleep every night (this varies and can change as a person develops, but is generally between seven and ten hours) will contribute to more even-keeled energy overall. Sleep in a really dark room, because when the eyes sense darkness, they trigger a gland in the brain to produce melatonin, which helps establish a positive sleep cycle. For many of us, avoiding caffeine, tobacco, and other unnatural stimulants is also necessary for normal sleep patterns.
Conditions
Take seasonal change into consideration: sit in the sun more because sunlight stimulates a gland in the brain to generate serotonin, which elevates mood and promotes wakefulness; get outdoors in the middle of the day, and engage in exercise to boost your level of feel-good endorphins; and if you can afford it, consider taking a winter vacation to the sunny south, or even doing light therapy with a special fluorescent light box.
Do what you can to modify work conditions or environments so they don’t drain your good energy. Adding plants and water features and full-spectrum lighting will contribute to better air and light quality. As for the raft of negative coworkers, dose them with affirmations and positivity, surround yourself with protective energy, and at worst, avoid them as much as possible.
Cognition
I once read that we have about 60,000 thoughts a day, and over 80 percent of these are negative. If we tend to worry, obsess, or beat up on ourselves, think of the daily and cumulative effects of those thoughts!
Affirmation is a powerful tool for inserting positive messages into your conscious and subconscious mind, rewriting some of those 60,000 daily thoughts. Writing lines in the morning, singing or chanting a mantra, or posting notes that you read regularly throughout the day are all easy ways to generate positive messages. Write your own affirmation that addresses your personal situation, or use one of my favorites: “I am blessed by happiness”; “All is well in my world”; or “I now possess the time energy, money, and wisdom needed to accomplish all my desires.”
Spirit
Some of the most effective blues banishers are techniques that are free and easy—prayer and meditation. You don’t have to be religious to use prayer, and you don’t need to get a guru to practice meditation. Think of prayer as asking or telling the universe (high power, nature, Goddess) what your problems are and where you need clarity, and think of meditation as listening. I use these techniques frequently in a variety of situations: walking vigorously for about thirty minutes (or until the endorphins kick in) usually brings clarity to my troubled mind; sitting on the rocks by the lake, aware of the beauty and wisdom in nature, often helps me to connect to the eternal metaphor of natural cycles and make sense of my life; and gathering with my circle for rituals and celebrations helps me to connect to different aspects of the elements, gods, and goddesses.
Of course, if you can also attend a church, synagogue, mosque, or otherwise connect with a spiritual community, you can ask for forgiveness, salvation, or hope and hear the answers in sacred scriptures or texts.
Other Banishing Tools
In addition to techniques that require few outside aids, there are tools you can use to help banish the blues, including the elements, herbs, and aromatherapy. When I am in a bad place and know I need outside help quickly, I usually reach for these to help shift my energy.
The Elements
When push comes to shove, get back to the basics. The elements are powerful tools for banishing the blues. Fire, water, earth, and air each can pull us out of that downward spiral.
Smudging is the use of fire energy and the smoke from sacred herbs, usually sweet grass or sage, to cleanse a space, object, or person of negative energy and recharge with positive. Herbs are burned in a fire-safe container, and the smoke is bathed over the entire object or through the entire space. Fire is a powerful purifier; the heat burns away negativity, which is carried up and away by the smoke.
Water’s strong transformational energy can be easily used to banish the blues. If you feel out of sorts, run a warm bath. Add either two cups of sea salt (for cleansing negative energy and restoring balance) or a few drops of essential oil (to protect, uplift, and anoint). In an emergency situation, simply drink a glass of water while focusing on the calming and transformational energy as it seeps into you and is digested.
Visiting my in-laws one day, I felt self-conscious and insecure. For a quick intervention, I slipped into their backyard, placed my bare feet on the earth, grounded myself and drew from her sacred energy to restore my balance and feelings of self-worth.
Air can be used as breath (see page 236) or even as wind. Step outside and let all negativity be blown away.
Herbs
Many herbs can help transform energy and banish the blues, but herbs are powerful tools and should be prescribed by a certified herbalist. Find one in your area to discuss your health and get advice. Even widely known and effective herbs, some of which are listed below, must be administered to meet the specific needs of each person.
St. John’s wort (Hypericum perferatum) grows wild where I live. Flowering in the summer, it stores the vital energy of the sun in its brilliant yellow flowers as hypericin and hyperforin, both considered to be mood lifters. It relieves mild to moderate depression, calms, and is mildly sedative. Commercially prepared tinctures, tablets, and teas are available in most health-food stores, but there are a number of contraindications (situations in which you should not take St. John’s wort), so consult an herbalist.
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) can be used to treat anxiety, as it has a calming effect on the nervous sytem. It’s used in many teas that promote restful sleep.
Valerian root (Valeriana officinalis) is bitter tasting and strong smelling. The commercial drug Valium comes from it. While occasional use of valerian can calm jagged nerves and promote sleep, it shouldn’t be used regularly as it disrupts natural sleep cycles.
Skullcap (Scutilaria lateriflora) is used to relieve headaches, anxiety, mild pain, and insomnia. It eases depression and is a general tonic for the nervous system.
While not an herb, folate, which occurs naturally in citrus fruit and dark green leafy vegetables, plays a role in healthy neurological functioning. Folate deficiency has been linked to depression and low energy. So eat well from a wide variety of foods and consider a multivitamin with folic acid to cover your nutritional needs.
Aromatherapy
Smell can trigger memories, stimulate emotions, and even help us focus or concentrate. Aromatherapy can stimulate the olfactory sense, affecting the physical body, emotions, and mind.
While everyone has favorite scents that hold positive associations, the most effective essential oils to banish the blues are common scents. Rose, clary sage, lavender, sandalwood, and jasmine are all effective in banishing blues. As with other powerful substances, consult a professional for guidance or purchase professionally crafted blends.
Dab on a diluted form of the oil as a body scent to be with you all day, add a few drops to a bath to provide a full-body blanket of protection, or set up a diffuser in your home to broadcast the therapeutic scent throughout.
Bye-Bye Blues
Armed with these simple tools and techniques, you have the power to transform your energy at will and banish the blues. While these are all highly effective, don’t forget the power of gathering together in magical community to perform spell and ritual work and to celebrate.
There is amazing power in community that can uplift us even on the days when we feel to weak to banish our own blues. Don’t forget to reach out for an element, a tool or technique, or the support of your community, and say “bye-bye” to the blues.
Dancing with Mercury,
Backwards: Do More Than Just Survive Mercury Retrograde
by Lisa McSherry
I was talking with a woman at the gym the other day and she told me a story about trying to meet up with a friend coming in from out of town. It was a tale of missed calls, lost e-mails, and misunderstood words. When she was done, I commiserated, then asked her when this happened. Her reply matched with my suspicions, and I said, “Did you know you were doing all of that during Mercury retrograde?”
The basis of astrology (in extremely simple terms) is that a planet’s energy influences matters here on Earth and that the different planets have energies that correspond with various gods and goddesses. So as a planet moves through its normal orbit, its energy changes and those changes are transmitted to us here on Earth. Three times a year, the planet Mercury goes retrograde for twenty-one to twenty-three days, and that “backwards” energy influences things on Earth in ways both subtle and gross. The planet isn’t really moving backwards, but itappears to be because of the planetary motion created by the orbital rotation of Earth in relation to the other planets in our solar system. All the planets experience retrograde periods, but the one that gets the most attention is Mercury because its impact is the most noticeable in our modern world.
Mercury Mischief, Magic
The Roman god Mercury (Hermes to the Greeks) is the messenger of the gods—the link between spirit and matter, between soul and personality. Mercury symbolizes the power of communication, reasoning capacities, and the ability to perceive relationships and gather facts. Mercury narrates, talks, argues, debates, writes, analyzes, memorizes, studies, travels, sells, reflects, and expresses itself through the hands as well as the tongue. Mercury is the magician and the trickster, two sides of the same coin, both inclined to be hard teachers. As a master of the hidden realms, Mercury confounds us with unexpected information and events and challenges our habitual perceptions. He also surprises us with unexpected gifts and new possibilities. If we like the surprises, we call it magic; if we don’t, we call it bad luck. Either way, the result is to jar us from the inertia of our routines and move us out of the mundane. So when the planet is retrograde, we can expect things “ruled” by Mercury to go haywire; it’s just another way Mercury is providing lessons.
Mercury retrograde periods are plagued by indecision, bad timing, delays, communication errors, and mechanical problems. Although many of us particularly notice computer problems during this time frame, Uranus is the planet that rules electronic devices, including computers. But since so much of our communication is conducted via computer, Mercury’s influence has expanded.
For many of us, knowing when Mercury goes retrograde can be a sanity saver. We can mark retrograde periods on our calendars so we won’t throw parties, write letters, buy electronics (or pets), sign contracts, or take a new job. If nothing else, it’s a time to take extra care that what you say is understood as you meant it to be. For years, it was a time when I battened down the hatches and rode out the messed up energies.
No longer. Now I use the retrograde energies of Mercury in ways that the work like a kind of cosmic aikido move. Doing so has transformed nine weeks of my year into positive, productive times and my frustration level has decreased dramatically.
The key is to remember that Mercury retrograde is a time for “re” doing things. So it is a wonderful time for anything based on research, planning, examination of resources, and completing projects. You don’t want to start anything new during Mercury retrograde, but if there is a project hanging out there that you haven’t gotten around to finishing, this is the perfect time to return to it. Here are specific ideas to use Mercury’s backwards energy to your advantage.
Review Your Resolutions
Pull out that list of goals you made and spend some time contemplating their value to you. Are they still relevant? Perhaps you wanted to learn Chinese because of that cute guy in the cafeteria. Are they achievable? Losing 100 pounds in three months is unhealthy. What has been blocking you from forward progress on them? What do you need to make the goals manifest? Perhaps you need more money, time, or privacy. This is a great time to examine whether these goals come from your truest desire, or whether you are trying to please someone else—which is often a major blockage to your success. You are not a fixed object, even if it feels like nothing changes in your life; the truth is that there are many things changing constantly. Sticking with an outdated resolution, or one made in the heat of the moment, is just a waste of your time and attention. Use the three weeks of Mercury retrograde to dig in to your list of resolutions and make the changes you need to succeed.
Reorganize It (Closet, Junk Drawer, Basement, or ... )
Been meaning to clean out your hall closet, the one you just cram things in and force the door closed? Or perhaps your “junk” drawer has gone beyond being useful. Or maybe you have a garage or basement that holds boxes of things, and you’re not sure what? This is a great period to set aside time and clean it out. Take it in stages, especially if it’s a really big job. You don’t need to do it all at once. Get good music playing, make sure you’ve had a healthy meal (low sugar, lots of complex carbohydrates), and have a plan. (Personally, I like to have three piles: toss, recycle/sell, keep. The recycle/sell pile is the one I try to make the largest, I hate adding to landfill, and I don’t want to keep everything I pull out.) Use labels and markers on the boxes you pack up and return to storage—you want to know what is in there in the future! If the task is really huge, spend thirty minutes right at the beginning planning how you’ll tackle the space and where your stopping point is, then take a break and do something else. Thereafter take breaks every fifteen minutes so you don’t burn out.
Re-examine It
Mercury retrograde is a truly bad time to schedule a surgery because of the high probability of misunderstandings and poor communication—not what you want when you’re unconscious! It is, however, a fantastic time to get diagnostic work taken care of. Have an odd crick in your neck for a while now? See the chiropractor or masseuse and ask them to look into it. Been meaning to have blood work done? Now is the time. Mercury’s energies at this time trend toward introspection, so honor yourself by making sure you are as healthy as you can be.
Recycle It
Mercury retrograde is a great time to do anything related to cleaning and organizing. If you’ve been putting off getting rid of something, perhaps now is a good time to pass it along. I travel a lot, so I always bring home those mini-toiletries. One set goes in the guest room just in case someone forgot something, but the others go to a local domestic violence shelter. If it’s clean and functional, or can be with a little work, join your local Freecycle, post it on Craigslist, or make a run to your local donation store. Getting rid of the clutter in your life is very good for clearing out any stagnant energies—and it’s a joy to have clean space where there once was a mess!
Renew It
Check your subscriptions and spend a little time thinking about whether you really want to keep each one. I find myself signing up for a lot of magazines when I am flush with cash and I can get crazy discounts for buying several years at a time. Some publications are still great after a year, but others just start feeling repetitive or boring.
This is also a great time to check the expiration date on all of your legal and social documentation. These are things like your driver’s license, passport, memberships (social and political), and credit cards. If it has an expiration date on it, check it and decide whether you want to renew or drop it.
Repair It
I have a basket in my closet where I put clothes that need to be fixed—a missing button, a rip in the seam, a hem that needs lifting. These aren’t big tasks, and not terribly difficult, but we usually don’t make time. Mercury retrograde is a perfect time to take care of these small fixes. Other small fixes might be touching up the paint on your car (dealers sell small bottles of paint for just this task), fixing that broken headlight, straightening the wobbly table, mending the hole in the wall, or replacing the washer in that dripping faucet.
Revive It (Declutter Your Desk)
If you do nothing else during Mercury retrograde, clean your desk or workspace. My desk is where I spend easily as much time as I do at my day job. It’s where I write, edit, talk, and play. I’m a pretty neat person, but I still make a point of clearing it all off and putting it back during Mercury retrograde. Taking everything off (and out) lets you reimagine the space and perhaps make changes that improve your habits. I’m a big fan of re-purposing shoeboxes (labeled, of course) to hold my office supplies. It takes just a moment to pull out the stapler or tape, and I don’t use them all of the time. My desk normally holds just the piles of things I am working on, a notepad for making lists, and a pen (aside from my computer, that is). Everything I might need is stored in a bookcase behind me.
Review Your Links
I’ve been online since the mid-1990s and had collected literally thousands of links in my “favorites” folders. Most of them were sorted into fifty different subcategories, it’s true, but there were so many I wasn’t really using them—it was faster to just do another Web search. Then I was given a gift: during a reformatting of my hard drive, my favorites folder was accidentally wiped. It was gone. I could have restored it from a backup, but I decided to put that off and see if I’d need it. It’s been a year, and I haven’t restored them. Mercury retrograde is a great time to take a look at your saved information. Do you actually use those links? If you had them as part of a research project, maybe it’s time to pull the data and put it into documents you can use? Do you really want to keep all of those broken links?
Re-up Your Warranties (or not)
This is a fun one. It seems like everything we buy comes with an instruction manual/warranty and if you’re like me you just toss it in a drawer “just in case.” Now the time to pull all of them out and sort through them. Keep the ones that might still be useful and recycle the rest. (Do you really need a manual on how to use your toaster?) For the ones you keep, try to find them online to download to your computer, then recycle the paper. (I have a folder called “warranties” just for these.)
Review
A great use of Mercury’s retrograde energy is to spend time thinking about how you want your life to be and what you want to do going forward. Ask yourself if there is something missing that you’d like to manifest in your life or a change you think would be positive. This is a great time to review those decisions and look for hidden flaws and problems. Wait until Mercury goes direct to actually start any new projects or directions.
Reconcile It (Expect Miscommunication)
My husband and I spend a lot of extra time during Mercury retrograde checking in with each other and making sure that we understood what the other said. We’ve had plenty of times when one said yes and the other heard no, so we check, double-check and sometimes triple-check. We also completely forgive the other’s mistake before an apology is proffered—it’s not our fault. One way to cope with this aspect (which can be the most frustrating) is to slow down and really listen when people talk to you. You may want to take the time to repeat back the gist of what they said. Mostly, be patient and prepared to correct others’ misunderstandings of what you said.
Relax!
This is an excellent time to catch up on your reading, especially the recreational reading. Above all, try to relax! Don’t let the haywire energies cause you stress. Keep breathing, calmly and deeply, and give everything more time so you can correct mistakes before they become problems.
Mercury retrograde is not my favorite time of the year, but I’m a lot less stressed about it now that I’ve learned some strategies for using the backwards energy to my advantage.
For Further Study
Arroyo, Stephen. Astrology, Psychology and the Four Elements. Davis, CA: CRCS Publications, 1975.
deVore, Nicholas. Encyclopedia of Astrology. Philosophical Library, 1947.
Wilkinson, Robert, and Samuel Weiser. York Beach, ME: A New Look at Mercury Retrograde, 1997.
Five-Day Spellcasting
by Marion Sipe
Spellwork is most effective when both the mundane and magical paths to the goal can be seen and understood. This can be difficult for more complex or long-term goals, but you can make them easier to visualize by breaking them down into steps, so that each step becomes a goal in itself. Five-day spellwork forces you to consider what the steps toward your eventual goal are and to see them in a linear way.
This method of casting uses bindrunes (the traditional Nordic runes drawn in combined form to represent the day’s goal) and the five elements (earth, air, fire, water, and spirit) to build up each step, forming in your mind and your spell object a map to lead the way to your goal.
The first day, call earth to lay the foundation and anchor your spell within your spell object. On the second day, call air to breath life into the goal. The third day call fire, because without passion and determination, we can’t achieve anything. On the fourth day, call water to smooth the way, to wear away obstacles and acknowledge the emotional effects that the achieving of your goal will bring. On the last day, call spirit to send the spell out into the world, to bring the goal from the hypothetical world into the material one.
Materials
For this spellwork, the only materials you need are a spell object, a candle marked into five equal sections, a permanent marker, and five bindrunes to represent the daily goals of the spell. This sort of spellwork does not require elaborate ritual or tools; in fact, simplicity is preferable. I always perform this type of spell on a nearly bare altar—and once on a tea tray with the materials and few symbolic objects. Simplicity helps to control the influences you bring in on a day-to-day basis, so don’t clutter the space or your mind. Use only those materials that are best suited to your purpose and in harmony with each day’s goal.
The spell object is the thing onto which you’ll be writing your bindrunes. It should be something like a stone or a bit of strong wood or metal—something solid and somewhat permanent. It will be a touchstone, something you can use to reinforce your spell, but also a representation of the spell itself. The candle is a timer, setting up the length of each day’s spellwork and giving you a meditative focus that serves as a constant throughout your working. I generally use a white candle taper because the color works harmoniously with all energies.
Tailoring Your Spell
With each day’s goal, the nature and qualities of the elements will change. In quelling wildfires, for instance, fire’s part may be thought of as the pulling of heat from the situation. It’s important to tailor your thoughts, tools, and actions to the spell’s purpose. The more harmonious the elements you bring in, the better, but too many will clutter your thoughts. You want to represent your goal in the simplest, most straightforward terms. Because there are already five different aspects to the overall spell, keep extraneous decoration and symbolism to a minimum. That said, things that help you focus on the goals or bring forward the emotion you need to evoke can be helpful, especially if you have trouble with visualization.
Bindrunes
Bindrunes are the traditional Nordic runes combined into a single symbol to represent more complex concepts. For instance, a bindrune for help on an exam might consist of thurisaz (discipline, knowledge, study) with kenaz (inspiration, release of anxiety). When combining runes to form a bindrune, it is important that the original runes still be visible in the end result. However, they can be turned in any direction and the relative size of the runes is immaterial. Combine as many runes as necessary to describe your goal, but remember that the simpler the message, the more easily it’s heard and understood. Refine each bindrune, each goal, into a single step along the path. Trying to skip ahead or take too many steps at once will only result in a fall.
The Ritual
The ritual itself is to be performed every day for five consecutive days. Each day will have a symbol and the symbols (bindrunes) will be added to the spell object, one per day until the end of the spell.
Ground and center.
Cast a circle, beginning with whichever quarter (determined by element) that you intend to call.
Call only the quarter of the element you’re invoking. This limits the variables that you’re introducing and focuses the working.
Light the candle, which will burn for as long as it takes to go through a marked section.
Place the spell object and permanent marker before the candle’s base and invoke Divinity.
Meditation: Begin by focusing on the candle’s flame. Set aside any thoughts that occur to you and let the flame fill your vision. Once you’ve reached a light trance state, begin a sustained period of visualization, building up an image that represents the completion of that day’s goal. Work in as much detail as you can, even trying to conjure up smells and sounds as well as the visual image, but remember that the emotion of the moment is the most important. Even if you can’t call to mind a clear image, work to bring up the emotion. How will it feel to accomplish that goal? What will it mean to you and to others? The image itself can change through the course of your visualization, but the overall circumstances (the accomplishment of the goal) must be the same. The changes in images can be used to review different emotions revolving around the same achievement. Or the fixed images of each day’s visualization might combine on the final day in a sort of chronological picture show, revealing the many goals involved in the larger achievement.
Once you’ve achieved the visualization, hold it for as long as you can. When you lose it, simply re-ground and re-center and meditate on the candle flame until you feel ready to move forward.
Using the permanent marker, draw the day’s symbol on the spell object. Spend the rest of the time linking your visualization to the bindrune and charging the rune with the emotion of that visualization.
Thank Divinity, thank the quarter, and close the circle.
Day One
The first day is about laying the groundwork, the subject and the situation. You call on earth not only because you’re laying a foundation and anchoring the spell to an object, but also because you are planning to pull the desired results closer and to bring them into the “real,” physical world. The bindrune for this first day should be a representation of the spell itself. It should encompass not only the end result, but the power and potential upon which you wish to call. It is your statement of intent to the universe.
Day Two
The second day is about the first phase of the change you wish to bring. It should be the first step toward your eventual goal, but should also represent an achievement in itself. Call on air as it represents the ideas and concepts, because that’s what these are at this stage. It’s through the spell that you’ll convert them into a physical reality. The earth has already been invoked, and it grounds each of the following elements and solidifies them. Think carefully about what the first step to your goal is. Is it a change that must be made in yourself or in the physical world? What can you do to initiate that change? What steps can you take, both mystically and mundanely? ? The bindrune for this day represents your first goal. It may be small; in fact it should be something to get the ball rolling. As you create this bindrune, think of it as a snowball just beginning to roll downhill. What small goal could you reach to begin to see your spell working in the world and give yourself confidence in its power?
Day Three
The third day is about the second phase of the change. It should be the second step toward the eventual goal, but an achievement that builds on and furthers the first. Call on fire, because now things have started moving and you need to keep them going with passion and energy. Now that you have a foundation on which to build, you can move more quickly, and now is the time to feel the fire, to be excited. The day’s bindrune (and goal) should focus on picking up speed. What can you do to maintain the energy?
Day Four
The fourth day is about the third phase of the change, built on the previous achievements and in accord with the foundation. Call on water, because this is a time of nourishing and bounty, as well as a physical element that is still not quite a solid. It’s transmutive and transformative. It’s the next step in transforming your ideas into reality. The bindrune for this day should focus on the transformative nature of your goal and the emotions that you expect to feel because of the changes you’re bringing into your life. How will this spell change you and your situation? How will it influence your future?
Day Five
The fifth day is about finalizing the symbols and sending the spell out into the world to work your will. This day’s bindrune should be about the fulfillment of the goal overall. Call on spirit to draw on its endless potential. Take a moment to consider each day’s visualization, put them together and visualize the finally result. The emotion you attach to the accomplishment of these goals creates energy and empowering your object with the emotions behind the bindrunes is vital to the success of your spell. Build energy through chanting, visualization, or any other method you prefer, push it into your object and through it out into the world to work your will, with harm to none.
Magical Authority:
The Only Ingredient You Need
by Tess Whitehurst
It seems the longer I’m a Witch, the fewer spells I do and the more magic I weave into the fabric of my moment-to-moment existence. To put this another way, at first I transcended the illusion of powerlessness in short, intense bursts that required things like herbal ingredients and chanted words (e.g., spells and rituals). Now, while I love to do a spell or ritual every now and then, I am almost continuously conscious that I am walking between the worlds of form and spirit, which allows me to regularly delve beneath the surface of my perceptions, connect with the infinite power of the Divine, and direct my focus in ways that help shape my reality according to my will and desires.
This mindset, which we might call “magical authority,” is in essence an alignment of our day-to-day awareness with the Divine, all-knowing consciousness, a.k.a. Who We Really Are. When we possess this alignment, everything in our life begins to work better because we are naturally working with our most ideal magical momentum and flow, and we are connected to our source of unlimited power. Not only that, wherever we are and whatever we do, we have all the magical ingredients we need: inner stillness, balance, confidence, trust in the Divine, alignment with our intuition, and a primordial sort of connection to the energy of love.
For most of us, consciously possessing magical authority every second of every day is an excellent goal, but it’s not realistic. There will almost definitely be those times that we’ll be sleep-deprived and then have to wait in line at the DMV forever and then our partner or sibling or parent will look at us sideways in what we’re certain is an insulting manner (but they were not). Then we’ll complain our heads off about our awful day and how powerless we felt to change it. And this is just fine! There’s no shame in being human. Besides, we would bore everyone to tears (including ourselves!) if we always approached everything in the most balanced and magically virtuous way possible.
Still, it’s obviously ideal to do our best to first discover and cultivate this magical mindset, and then to stay in it as much as possible. That way, we can infuse our lives with magic and shape our lives according to our desires not only while we’re sitting in front of our altars or dancing under the full moon, but also every minute of every day.
But how do we get into the natural flow of our magical authority, and stay there? Here are a few simple-yet-powerful methods that I’ve been lucky enough to discover.
Morning Tune-In Activities
The morning is when the magical momentum of our day is set into motion. So it’s an especially powerful time for shaping the flavor of our day and the harmonics of our mood (i.e., the way we perceive and process our day). There are several tune-in exercises. Try them out, and once you find what works for you, do your best to make them as habitual as brushing your teeth.
First thing. As soon as you open your eyes and get ready to get out of bed, remind yourself that the day belongs to you. Also remind yourself that everything you do in this day will be a decision and a choice—that there is nothing that you do that you did not choose to do. (Even if it’s something you don’t want to do, recognize that you are still choosing to do it so that you can have a paycheck, a clean house, or whatever.) Then begin to visualize/feel/imagine/expect the conditions and occurrences you’d like to experience during the upcoming day as well as the feelings that go along with them (very important step).
During breakfast or coffee. Write down your intentions for the day in the present tense, as if they are already true. These may be feelings or actual occurrences. For example, you might write things like, “I love myself,” “My cats are safe and happy,” “I receive the such-and-such job offer or something better,” “I’m wonderfully comfortable in my own skin,” “The trip to the vet goes as smoothly as possible,” “I am having a great hair day,” “I am wealthy and receive generous sums of money from expected and unexpected sources,” “I am awake to the magic of life,” and/or “I embody the God/dess.” You might write an entire page worth, and then write “Thank you, thank you, thank you. Blessed be. And so it is.” And then sign and date.
Before you leave the house. I know you’re busy, but this doesn’t need to take longer than five minutes. Sit comfortably, relax, and call on your divine helper(s) of choice to clear, fine-tune, and shield your energy field. Visualize/imagine/feel this happening. Then consciously connect with the core of the earth and the cosmic light of the universe. You might do this by sending roots of light down into the earth and branches of light up into the sky. Draw golden earth light up from the earth and into your body/energy field, then draw sparkly rainbow light down from the cosmos and into your body/energy field. Think or say something like “I am one with the earth and sky. I am one with the God/dess, and I am in divine flow. All information is available to me. All power is available to me. I am always in the perfect place at the perfect time doing the perfect thing. I always know just what to do. Magical authority is mine.”
Enhance Authority
Since you’re on the magical path, chances are you have one or more patron deities, and a number of divine or magical beings that you like to call on for help. Although this is one of the simplest methods for aligning with your magical authority and shaping your reality according to your most ideal vision, it is also one of the most effective.
If you have a good working relationship with a being or group of beings, in most cases all you need to do is say or think something like, “Brighid, I call on you to bless this project! Thank you!” or “Dionysus, thank you for infusing my party with raucous fun!” (be careful with that one), or “Goddess, thank you for helping me get my car fixed swiftly and perfectly, and for a perfect price.” And this really is all you need to do. In fact, it’s important that you let go of the outcome after that. This doesn’t mean don’t be awake to or act on your intuition, it just means stop worrying about the outcome and know that just by remembering to tune in, you’ve already aligned your purposes and desires with divine wisdom and power.
Exercise
There is great power in your core (belly), and when you strengthen your belly, you intensify and hone your magical authority. So do those crunches, those sun salutations, that belly dancing, or whatever sort of abdominal workout you feel most drawn to. Just to be clear: bellies are beautiful in all shapes and sizes! This is not about having that conveniently (for marketers and magazines) elusive flat belly—it’s just about getting stronger and possessing the fullness of your power.
Also, aerobic exercise helps align you with divine movement and flow, which means that it helps align you with your intuition and ideal life path (and of course your magical authority). While dancing is especially empowering because of its musical and magical nature, it matters less how you do it and more that you simply do it, so find an aerobic activity that feels fun and doable, and go for it.
Drink Lots of Water
Sounds simple and you’ve heard it a million times. But seriously, seriously: water is powerful stuff, and drinking at least half your body weight in ounces per day is an extremely potent way to clear your mind, body, and spirit, align with the divine flow, and shore up your magical authority. Think about it: everything is energy, and water is the physical manifestation of the energy of purity, cleansing, clarity, flow, joy, emotional connection, nourishment, and total well-being. So get yourself a beautiful (magical) water bottle and drink up!
Clear Clutter and Clean
If you’ve read anything else I’ve written, you’ve heard me extol the virtues of clearing clutter and cleaning. But I can’t resist mentioning these things again because they are such powerful tools when it comes to regaining and retaining the fullness of your magical authority and power. Clearing clutter and cleaning will be especially important for you if you ever described yourself as “overwhelmed,” “like things are getting away from you,” or “stuck.” Since everything you own is connected to you with a cord of energy, clearing and cleaning your space refines and purifies your energy field and lends clarity and direction to your mental and emotional landscapes.
Self-Care
When we feel gorgeous, radiant, and deliciously fragrant, we feel powerful. It might seem shallow, but it’s not. Our internal and external environments are not only connected, they are a continuum, so one always affects the other. It follows that (no matter what your budget) taking the time to find clothes that flatter you and that you love, and engaging in self-care activities that accentuate your attractiveness and overall wellness, enhances your magical authority. After all, beauty and attractiveness are aspects of the God and Goddess, so when we cultivate these qualities in ways that nourish our spirits, we align ourselves more deeply with the divine.
Choosing to Be a Channel
Perhaps the most powerful of all magical authority enhancing methods is consciously choosing to be a channel of divine consciousness. In other words, when our overriding intention is to be a vessel for divine wisdom, beauty, and/or healing, and when we get our ego out of the way so that the Divine can shine through us, we couldn’t be more in possession of our magical authority. To do this, all you need to do is simply choose to hold the space for the divine (in whatever form or incarnation feels right to you) to shine through you, as if you are a prism and the divine consciousness is the sun.
Lunar Potions
by Melanie Marquis
Magic and moonlight go together like candles and fire; lunar energy is a natural and efficient fuel for lighting up your life. Associated with Goddess energies, the power of the Moon shifts its character with each lunar phase. As the Moon begins its cycle and waxes to full, lunar energies are pulsing with abundance, growth, creativity, and attraction. After reaching its peak on the night of the Full Moon, the lunar light diminishes until it once more reaches the end of the cycle. This waning phase as the Moon turns from full to dark is optimal for banishing, purification, transformation, and communication between the astral and the physical, the mundane and the spiritual, the living and the dead.
The power of the Moon can be utilized in many ways. Not sure where to start? Consider trying your hand at some easy-to-learn, yet challenging-to-master lunar potion-making; you’ll gain a foundation of experience and understanding that will kick-start your Moon magic. Here are a few basic formulas to try. Consider adding herbs, oils, or stones to personalize the recipes; just take care to use potions only externally unless you’re absolutely certain about the composition, safety, and freshness of each ingredient.
Dark Moon Spirit Brew
Try this heated potion during the waning or Dark Moon to call on disembodied spirits and enhance communication between the living and the dead. Find a place outside where you can make a small fire. Place nine small stones around the perimeter of the fire. As the fire burns, think about the spirit or spirits you wish to summon; envision their form and remember their essence. Let the fire burn for a while so that the stones surrounding it become hot.
Fill a ceramic or other heat-resistant cup with clear, cool water. Hold the cup in both hands and lift it toward the sky. Call on the energies of the Dark Moon and present the water in the cup as an offering, expressing your gratitude as you sprinkle a bit of the water on the ground and take a small sip.
Now use a set of tongs to pull the nine stones from around the fire and place them one by one into the cup. Let the brew sit for a few minutes while you clear your mind and get into a state of heightened awareness, free from tension.
Use the tongs to remove the rocks from the potion. Hold your hand, palm facing downward, an inch or so above the cup. Use this chant to ask the Dark Moon goddess to ready the potion for use in spirit communication:
As the cauldron, so the cup.
As the cup, so the body.
Great Goddess, send your spirits unto me.
Dark Lady, make me your vessel; so mote it be!
Now think of the spirit or spirits you wish to contact, and call them by name. Invite the disembodied soul to enter the potion. Take a drink of the potion, welcoming the spirit into your body. Let go of your personality and ego and welcome the spirit to speak through you via direct mediumship. If that’s a bit much, use a pen and paper and experiment with automatic writing, allowing your hand to be guided by the spirit with whom you are communicating.
You can also use the Dark Moon Spirit Brew to anoint and charge spirit communication tools such as talking boards, trumpets, séance tables, scrying orbs, tarot cards, or candles. If you have a personal item that belonged to the departed you wish to speak to, anoint the object with a little of the potion and place it in the area where you will be summoning the spirit. To give your mediumistic abilities a super boost, rub the potion on each of your chakras, or place a few drops into a relaxing bath.
Moon Maiden Magic Potion
This potion made under the light of the new or first quarter waxing Moon magnifies beauty and enhances romantic feelings. Fill a silver or clear crystal container with cool, pure water. Add three drops lavender oil while envisioning yourself youthful, beautiful, loved. Go outside, taking the potion and a round mirror with you. Lay the mirror flat so that it reflects the moonlight. Place the potion on top of the mirror. Call on the Maiden Goddess, and ask her to enchant the potion with powers of beauty, youth, and love.
Place a drop of the potion on your cheeks, breasts, and navel to give yourself an irresistible glow. Anoint a candle with the potion and burn for an atmosphere conducive to romance and love. Use it to connect with the energies of the Maiden Goddess during rites, magical workings, and meditations.
Full Moon Manifestation Potion
Here’s a versatile brew that can be used to create resources and reveal opportunities. Choose a symbol, sigil, or word to represent the thing you wish this potion to manifest. For example, if you want to manifest money, you might decide to use a dollar sign or a pentacle. Paint the symbol on the side of a clear glass jar while imagining the jar filled with the essence of your desire. Fill the jar with water and a handful of soil, then place it outside beneath a Full Moon. Gaze at the Moon and notice its expansive, creative energies. Ask these energies to enter and charge the water.
Sit quietly for thirteen minutes while the potion absorbs the moonlight. Swirl the jar clockwise thirteen times while visualizing the thing you wish to manifest, the fulfillment of your magical goal.
Use this potion to charm objects and places related to your goal. For example, if you want to manifest a new car, you might anoint your key ring with a bit of this brew. If greater creativity in your artwork is what you crave, sprinkle a few drops of the potion in your studio or on your art supplies.
Waning Moon Potion
This potion made over the course of the waning Moon is excellent for use in magic meant to diminish or banish. Begin making this potion three days after the Full Moon. Fill a dark, opaque container to the brim with cool water. Carefully place it outside under the moonlight. Take a few moments to meditate on the lunar cycle. Picture the Moon morphing from full to dark, slowly decreasing its glow until it is completely engulfed in shadow. Notice your feelings and thoughts. Is there something in your life you could do without, or do with less of? Do you feel as if you have obstacles to overcome, or negative energies to thwart? Envision any undesired elements diminishing, decreasing, fading away as surely as the Moon wanes. Pour out a tiny amount of the potion. Leave the container outside for at least a few hours each night, bringing it indoors before sunrise and storing it in a dark place. Repeat your visualizations and pour out a drop or two of the potion every night until the night of the Dark Moon. On the night of the Dark Moon, hold the potion skyward as you affirm its purpose, putting into your own words exactly what you expect of this magical mixture. Seal it tightly and keep it in a dark place away from direct sunlight until ready for use. Sprinkle the Waning Moon Potion where it’s needed, be it in a specific place, on a symbolic object, or on a representational image or photo of the thing you wish to banish or decrease.
Waxing Moon Potion
A Waxing Moon Potion can be used in many types of abundance magic; its energies are perfect for attracting and increasing love, creativity, growth, and wealth. To make it, choose a clear or silver container and fill it about halfway to the top with water. Add a small piece of quartz crystal, then seal the container. Just when the New Moon shows its first sliver, place the potion outside. Call on the magnifying and magical energies of the Moon to enter the potion and infuse it with power. Allow the potion to remain outdoors during the nighttime, but be sure to bring it inside before sunrise. Every night, add a little more water to the potion and swirl the contents. On the night of the Full Moon, your potion is ready. Use the Waxing Moon Potion to add extra magickal power to your wardrobe, your ritual tools, or your sacred space. Anoint talismans and magickal candles with the potion to magnify and strengthen their effects.
Truth Revealing Lunar Potion
The Truth Revealing Lunar Potion fulfills a rare need in spellwork: it sweeps away illusion and deception to give the seeker clear insight into reality. When you feel there is falsity afoot, give this magical mixture a try. Fill a black stone bowl with water and place it outside in the daytime when the Moon is visible in the sky. Hold an ice cube in your hand and think of the matter in question, sending your thoughts and doubts into the ice. Put the ice cube in the center of the bowl of water, then look up at the Moon and make your petition: “Just as the sun reveals the Moon, so may the truth be shown to me soon.” Leave the bowl in place. That night, when the Moon rises in the sky, return to the bowl. If the ice cube has not fully melted, hold a candle flame near it and let the water drip into the bowl. Place a lit candle several feet away from the bowl so that your surroundings will be only minimally illuminated. Sit comfortably in front of the bowl of Truth Revealing Lunar Potion and gaze into the liquid. Ask your question, then let your conscious mind go as you drift into a state of self-hypnosis. Look into the basin without fear and without expectation, and you may experience psychic sensations or see images appear in the potion. Analyze any visions you receive, then follow up with non-magical queries or appropriate actions. Don’t jump the gun and assume the accuracy of any information gleaned through scrying!
If your scrying attempt was unsuccessful, pour the potion into a black bottle and seal it tightly. To use the potion, put it in contact with the person or persons you suspect of dishonesty: add a drop or two of the potion to food or drinks, spritz it around a particular location, or lightly sprinkle it on a letter. Sooner rather than later, the truth will be revealed.
Making More Moon Magick
Now that you’re familiar with some basics, try creating your own lunar potion recipes. Brainstorm ideas and then challenge yourself to come up with the best ways to make such potions. How might you make use of a lunar eclipse to craft a potion for transformation? Should a lunar potion for clarity be crafted only when the sky is clear? What ingredients might you include in a concealment blend best made when the Moon is obscured in clouds? When designing your concoctions, keep in mind the many ways a potion can be used, and see if you can think of a few more. Try adding a relaxing lunar potion to your bath, or water plants with a Moon-made potion to promote growth. Wash your altar with it, or use it to clean your scrying mirror. Follow your hunches, experiment, and discover the nuances of lunar potion-making for yourself. Formulating your own potion recipes will increase your creativity, boost your magical confidence, and provide you with the power to create the life you truly want. Like a wish on a star, a Moon potion works wonders.
Pagan Teens and Their Peers:
A Story
by Calantirniel
As a single mother in the mid-1990s, when I was becoming more and more awakened (rather involuntarily), I realized that my belief systems were changing—a lot. It was changing the very core of my being that was reflecting more and more into my life. Without having access to books about alternative spiritual parenting available, I thought long and hard about how to properly include my elementary-aged children. For one, I did not wish to unduly influence their choices, as I wanted them to arrive independently to their right choices for themselves. But as much as I was excited to show them all I was learning, revealing my unfolding path to them was also risky in other ways.
At the time, we lived in the proverbial Bible Belt of North Carolina. I seriously questioned how much of my spellwork and spiritual practice could be safely revealed to them. I wondered if my children could comprehend the loving freedom of expression in our house to fully immerse in this paradigm, and yet at the same time be guarded and careful about sharing with other children (and more importantly their parents), who may not understand due to their security needs, upbringing, and worldview and thus display hostility. Other awakened types I managed to find did not have children, so it was difficult to seek advice. One awakened type who did have kids called herself Catholic, since most of her practice consisted of minor modifications to her upbringing. It was a perfect cover for her and her kids—but this was not my practice.
After much contemplation, I decided my children, although young, were smart enough to figure out for themselves how to be fully immersed along with me in a powerful yet unpopular belief system in a rigid, narrow-viewed outer world. I didn’t wish to regret my decision, as even one accidental revealing to the wrong people could create a stigma that at a young and sensitive age could be extremely difficult to handle, and in a small community nearly impossible for them to forget.
Both children became involved directly in my spellwork, since it often also concerned them, and always had phenomenal results in surprising ways. Together, we solved many types of problems through “concentrated prayer,” in which objects like candles and tarot cards helped our focus. I carefully showed them proper ethics so that spells didn’t backfire in undesirable ways, and they learned that it works really well, and sometimes a little too well!
At the same time, I knew they would wish to share this with others. Without holding back, I provided well-intentioned warnings about most people’s upbringings and worldviews, be they Christian or of a more scientific nature, and I encouraged them to attend activities with these friends so they can understand the energy for themselves. I mentioned that while you would logically think people would be thrilled to know of such things, many people feel a deep need to be correct and therefore secure in their belief choices. Not only do they not like to be challenged, they may feel unsafe enough to ridicule or even outright attack you for your beliefs. Because of this, I told them to be careful when choosing friends, and to know them a long time before sharing such things, since it could be hard to reverse an attack if it were to happen. I thought they might struggle with this, but they rather instinctively figured out who was safe and who was not—how wonderful!
Many years passed, along with our collective experiences and two moves—one to Southern California (where I got remarried) and later to western Montana. I witnessed the kids turning into teenagers, showing wisdom in the most surprising ways! Nearly all the time, the friends they consciously chose were enthusiastic learners, and their parents were not only tolerant but warm, loving people.
We only had one close call. While in middle school, my daughter befriended a girl who had a fundamental Christian background. In hindsight, I also believe she was from a home with some type of trauma or abuse issues. (Disturbingly, I discovered this is a common combination.) When she visited our house, I was working for one of the phone/online psychic services at the time and she saw me doing tarot cards for a caller. She was appalled and asked my daughter if she knew I was going to hell for that! Suddenly, she confronted my daughter directly: “What do you believe?” Her answer was gracefully evasive: “What do you think?” She never said yes or no, even when being hard-pressed to do so.
Later, my daughter decided she had to end this so-called friendship because of this girl’s extremely obsessive behavior, which consisted of, among other things, calling our house literally every ten minutes and feeling put off when asked, then told, not to call so often. I was really proud that my daughter did it entirely on her own, with kindness but firmness. Still, this did not go over well.
The next day, this girl came over after school, along with another one of their friends, and, in an act of revenge, decided to steal a few sets of my daughter’s earrings when using our restroom! We created a recovery tarot ritual that night that could be performed the next morning. However, we didn’t need to—the other friend unexpectedly arrived alone to pick up my daughter for the bus ride to school. My daughter was still upset and told her the whole story, including a thorough description of the earrings stolen. When they got off the bus at school, her friend helped her to immediately recover her earrings—directly from the thief’s locker!
Furious at being thwarted, the girl was now deciding to spread rumors around the entire school that my daughter was a Witch. In this small, conservative town, that was not a good idea at all. This could have ended badly for my daughter, with so many more years of school left to face the multiple hostilities that could have been directed at her, and it could have really damaged her self-esteem. The good news was that understandably, not many people liked this girl; whereas many people liked my daughter.
So after everyone in the school came to my daughter to confirm (or deny) the “charges,” my daughter decided to turn the tables and make a lighthearted joke about the whole thing. She said, “Oh sure, I am a Witch! Want to see the broom in my locker?” Everyone laughed and mentioned that they did not like the accusing girl at all! What a relief!
This story demonstrates the resiliency of someone who at a young age was able to really be present in her belief system while allowing others to be in theirs and to sidestep troublemakers. And I now realize more that these coping skills would not be what they are if I didn’t educate them about the world around us—it is necessary for our kids to know how to operate in these environments, and they will deal with many of their peers later as adults.
Over time, when the kids were in high school, our home rather unexpectedly became a safe haven for other like-minded teens who lived in these strict and rigid families—and it still is. These kids are so hungry to ask questions that are forbidden in their homes, and perhaps we should start charging admission! Although I answer their questions in a way that beginners can understand, I also tell these kids that they must respect and obey their parents’ wishes while they live in their home, but it doesn’t mean that they cannot learn—they will have time to perfect their practice when they leave (this often seems like an eternity away to them at this young age).
I also emphasize that no matter what they practice, they must first align with love, not fear, and to fully think out any intentions for a higher good and purpose. I help them realize their parents love them and want the best for them. Despite their frustration, I show them the importance of loving and forgiving their parents, and although they may not realize it now, they need to learn something important from their family upbringing and development. I encourage them to do well in school, take care of their responsibilities, and not to be rebellious just because of this misunderstanding—this too shall pass, I say.
Sometimes, very challenging situations appeared. As an example, one of the kids was catching a cold, and we made her some hot herbal tea. Because she experienced immediate relief without groggy side effects, she asked if we could send some tea home with her so she could continue her healing and build her immune system, thwarting the cold. None of us, including the kid, had any idea that her parents would forbid herbs in their house. Their reasons? Their church told them that healing with plants was the devil’s work, and that the dried herbs just looked too much like marijuana! The parents then immediately shoved immune-suppressing over-the-counter cold medicine into her (that in the long run made her more sick and miss school), and she was instructed to return the herbs. As frustrating as this scenario was, I wanted her to honor the parents’ rule about no herbs entering their house. In the future, she devised ways around that rule. If she was feeling ill, she didn’t tell her parents, and instead, just got their permission to visit our house. She then helped herself to the herbal tea cupboard and often stayed until her health returned. While this isn’t the best scenario I could imagine, she did at least have permission to be at our house. (As for the herbs, they were all actually classified as food.)
Both of my kids flourished in high school. They had excellent teacher-student relations, healthy boundaries, and brought home excellent grades. They have developed many deep friendships that will likely last their lifetimes, and have been able to resist the negativity of others, without resorting to participation in negative behavior themselves. My daughter had even taken a liking to astrology and while not professional, she has given solid counsel to her many friends who needed relationship help, empowering them to make healthy choices.
Both kids are grown now. The current economy can be very disconcerting for many young people nowadays, with large student loans accompanied by no jobs being available years later upon graduation. My son is a computer programmer and loves his job. He is very self-reliant and has built a great reputation as a trustworthy person and as an excellent programmer in a very short time. Despite the fact my daughter’s grades were good enough to enter college, as a free-flowing, artistic type and natural networker, she opted for her passion—she finished fourteen months of cosmetology school and did very well. She had yet to test for her license when she already lined up a wonderful first job—and her school’s tuition has been paid in full to boot. She is already sharing her gift for gab in astrology with her hair clients, who appreciate receiving her “snippets” of advice that can help them feel really good about themselves, inside and out. What a great way to create return customers!
Why have I shared this story? The world is just the way it is, and I learned it is better to teach kids to work from a place of truth. I hope sharing my parental experiences inspires and empowers you and your families to live fully and authentically!
For Further Study
Forbes, Bronwen, The Small Town Pagan’s Survival Guide: How to Thrive in Any Community. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2011.
Madden, Kristin, Pagan Parenting, St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2000.
Renée, Janina, Tarot Spells, St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1998.
Winged Warriors
by Kristin Madden
In France, a family of snowy owls (Nyctea scandiaca) graces the wall of a cave covered with pictographs that date to Paleolithic times. In the southwestern United States, petroglyphs of doves and parrots were chipped in the desert varnish of lava boulders. And a common theme in ancient Egyptian funerary art was the inclusion of divine wings wrapped around the departed. More than any other bird, with the exception of corvids and vultures, eagles, hawks, and owls have captivated us. Legends of raptors as human ancestors, deities, and spirit guides fill our earliest history. While all birds have a wonderful ability to survive and protect themselves or their nests, raptors truly embody the energy of the warrior.
These birds often appear to be fearless. But what lies beneath that courageous exterior? Perhaps a unique ability to handle a crisis, a strength of character that does not shrink from a challenge, a fierce will to survive, or maybe a subconscious fear that leads to an intense need for self-protection. After all, what is courage but the ability to act consciously in the face of fear? These are some attributes that the winged warriors share. Humans with these allies should consider how these traits might manifest in their lives.
There is so much more to these birds than their ability to stalk prey. Like all creatures, they are individuals with personalities. They bond to a mate and a family. They feel stress and react to changes in their habitat. They can read you like a book and probably are more aware of your feelings toward them than you are. And although they will hide injury or sickness, they have no problem letting you know when you are doing something they don’t like.
I have learned more than I can tell you from these birds. While reading about animal guides is useful, most of my lessons were brought through by the individual creatures themselves and their unique natural history. So I strongly encourage you to take your learning beyond the metaphysical books. Explore and commune and see what your winged warriors have to offer you.
In general, raptors have taught me to stay calm in the face of danger or confrontation. They have allowed me plenty of opportunities to endure pain, both physical and emotional, without losing my focus. They have also shown me how to be strong when I need to, to go after what I want with honor, and to know when the battle is just not worth fighting.
If the winged warriors attract you or have shown up in your life, I recommend learning as much as you can about the natural history of species you are connected with. Learn about their relationships with others of their species, their prey species, and their preferred habitats. Consider the energies they bring in and reflect to you. This article presents a brief overview of four of the most common types of raptor: eagles, hawks, falcons, and owls. As with all animal allies, be respectful in your interactions with them. Trust me; you don’t want to feel their weapons.
Eagles
Eagles are massive, powerful birds that have rightly been revered throughout the world. The Steller’s Sea Eagle can reach nearly four feet in length with a wingspan of almost eight feet. Harpy Eagles can exceed twenty pounds. The feet of the slightly smaller Golden Eagle exert a tremendous pressure, averaging 200 pounds per square inch. When I take hawks to education programs, many people ask if they are eagles. The truth is, there is no mistaking an eagle once you’ve seen one. There is nothing else quite like it.
Like all raptors, these iconic birds epitomize power, strength, and inspiration. But it is a rare raptor that approaches the sheer size and strength of an eagle. Eagles have forced me to acknowledge and accept my place as both predator and prey. When working with an eagle, one must face up to fear and conquer it. Like eagles, our only real predators in modern society are other humans. In spite of our false sense of power over the world, many of us have lost our personal power. Working with eagle energy can restore that power and offer unparalleled confidence and inner strength.
It is important to be completely honest when dancing with Eagle. Great power can blind a person to the effects of their actions on others. It can result in arrogance and a lack of compassion. While eagles can pick a fish from the sea or a monkey from a forest, they can also be notoriously opportunistic, frequenting garbage dumps and stealing food from other raptors. Eagle has a great deal to teach us about how we hold and wield power.
When you feel victimized, disempowered, or in danger, calling upon Eagle can provide the inner and outer power that you need to protect yourself. This is an ally that is supremely capable of helping you reclaim sovereignty over yourself and your life.
Falcons
Falcons are the speed demons of the raptor world. Unique adaptations allow falcons to achieve amazing speeds with ease. Peregrine falcons are the fastest animals, having been clocked at over 240 miles per hour in a dive.
This speed is something to consider when working with falcon energy. While your falcon spirit ally may not give you a choice in the matter, change and insight may come with breakneck speed. You need to prepare for this and deeply embody the agility and freedom that comes with falcon power. While challenging, this gift of Falcon allows us to perceive both opportunities and potential problems from a distance. With great skill, we are able to avoid problems and speed toward the issues we are ready to handle.
Falcons offer us a unique insight into how we live in our world. One of the main reasons the peregrine (and the bald eagle) was endangered was due to a pesticide that both killed adults and resulted in eggshells too thin to bring live chicks to hatching.
Falcon energy demands that we look at the toxicity in our own lives before it is too late. If something is out of balance, you can assume that some form of change will be swift. But in return for taking that leap into self-knowledge, we fly like no other can. We are one with the wind and the earth as we climb and dive and spiral with unsurpassed grace and intelligence.
One of the smaller falcons, the American kestrel, is a beautiful, charismatic bird. But it remains a serious raptor. Kestrels can drive off hawks more than twice their size. Kestrel energy teaches that even the smallest and sweetest of us possesses a strength that may not be immediately apparent. Each of us has the ability to rise to great heights, to stand up for what we believe in, and triumph against seemingly unbeatable odds.
Hawks
Probably the most commonly seen raptors, there are more than sixty hawk species worldwide. Hawks bring the regality and command of eagles to a more approachable level. Many hawk species adapt extremely well to sharing land with humans. Some even thrive in cities. Hawk energy teaches many things, but it truly speaks to how we interact with the human-impacted landscape.
If Hawk has entered your life, you might ask yourself how you are adapting to life as a modern human. This energy may also speak to you of freedom. All wild animals possess an innate need to be free. Some hawk species seem particularly invested in freedom. What might Hawk be telling you about freedom and wildness? Are you too urban, do you allow the modern world to tie you down too much? Are you perhaps too free and incapable of following through on commitments? Or is your freedom a façade to cover up fear? Hawk can help you identify your own wildness and keep it honest.
On the other hand, hawks tend to adapt to captivity well. Falconry and education hawks can develop exceptionally strong bonds to the humans they live with. They have the ability to move beyond species separations and instinct. Hawk allies have a way of reminding us that self-preservation can only take us so far. At some point, we need to put aside our defenses and embrace trust and love.
Owls
On soft wings, owls guide us to evoke great insights, make deep connections with the Divine, and face our own shadows. Awake predominantly at night and looking almost alien, owls seem to embody mystery and magic. Once revered as birds of wisdom and insight, some cultures now believe owls to be evil or bringers of death and destruction.
When you need strength to see what is hidden in your world or into your own shadows, Owl is the ideal spirit ally for you. Owl possesses an uncanny ability to perceive that which is shrouded in darkness. However, these adaptations can lead to a single-minded determination and an inability to see what lies on the periphery. Owls can turn their heads so far because their eyes are too large in their heads to allow the eyes themselves to turn. As a result, many get hit by cars while going after prey. If you work with Owl, you might periodically emerge from the shadows to gain perspective, take a break, and rest in the light for a time.
This silent hunter is truly a bird of stealth. Owl is a very different type of protector than Hawk, Falcon, or Eagle. While your owl allies will bring you distinctive strength and confidence, Owl prefers to sneak up on prey. You may find that you are more subtle, quieter, and very well camouflaged when you need to be.
This energy brings intuition, a need to look beyond the surface, and a need to go within for vision before taking action. Sometimes, quick illumination is not what you need. There are situations and shadows that require more time and a more understated plan of attack.
A Few Laws and Protections
Just as we can connect with deities through jewelry and statues, we can work with animal allies in similar ways. We honor and thank our spirit allies when we respect and conserve their physical manifestations. I have seen things done to live raptors for commercial and “religious” reasons that still bring tears to my eyes.
If you feel that a feather or talon is important, please explore the variety of museum replicas and painted feathers that are now available. Remember that, in general, unless it is a pigeon, starling, English sparrow, or domestic bird, it is probably protected, meaning that that it is illegal for you to possess body parts or live animals without the proper permits. I recommend exploring your state’s game and fish or environmental conservation website to find out what the laws are in your area, which may differ slightly from the major federal legislation listed below.
Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. This piece of legislation prohibits the taking, possession, sale, purchase, bartering, or offering to sell, purchase, or barter, export or import of the bald eagle at any time or in any manner. Amendments in 1962 added protections for Golden Eagles and special permits for Native Americans.
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). This act provides a means whereby the ecosystems upon which endangered species and threatened species depend may be conserved, to provide a program for the conservation of such endangered species and threatened species, and to take such steps. Keep in mind that there are both federal and state endangered and threatened species.
Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (MBTA). This measure governs the taking, killing, possession, transportation, and importation of migratory birds, their eggs, parts, and nests for educational, scientific, and recreational purposes.
The Illumination of Fire-in-Water
by Mary Pat Lynch
The elements earth, air, fire, and water are associated with the four directions of the world and of sacred circles, the tarot suits, magical tools, healing systems, and models of the psyche. With the fifth element of spirit, space, or ether, these elements form the basis of spiritual and magical systems in many cultures.
In Aristotle’s model of the elements, earth, air, fire, and water arise from the opposites hot and cold (primary), and dry and wet (secondary). Air and fire, the masculine yang elements, are hot. Earth and water, the feminine yin elements, are cold. Earth and fire are dry; water and air are wet.
Classical ideas of compatibility, the elemental dignities, are based on this model. Elements with the same primary feature naturally go together, combining easily. Elements sharing a secondary feature are neutral. Elements that share neither feature—earth and air, and fire and water––are not considered compatible.
Do the elemental dignities always work this way? Can we expand our view?
The Fire-in-Water Motif
Fire and water combine in another ancient, compelling motif called fire-in-water. The idea that creative fire is carried in water can be traced back to the Indo-European tradition that underlies many cultures of Europe and Asia.
Tales from Iran, India, Ireland, and Wales tell of a mysterious, glowing light found in water. This fiery essence carries magical and poetic inspiration. Seeking it involves a dangerous quest.
In Vedic myth, the fire god Agni arises from the waters. Messenger of the gods, invoked in all sacrifices, Agni’s three forms are fire, lightning, and the sun. Agni is the illuminator, bringer of knowledge. Water is associated with goddesses, seen as cleansing, renewing, and also quickening.
Agni’s arising from the waters mirrors the sun’s journey across the sky each day, diving into deep waters at night and rising renewed each morning. Fire and water together are the undifferentiated ground of all being, which is Brahman. The emergence of fire from water is the primary act of creation.
The idea that fiery power is hidden in magical water fits Celtic tradition. Rivers, lakes, and wells are sacred to Celtic peoples, sources of healing and inspiration.
In his book The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries, Evans-Wentz shares this tale from an Irish mystic:
In the world under the waters—under a lake in the West of Ireland in this case—I saw a blue and orange coloured king seated on a throne; and there seemed to be some fountain of mystical fire rising from under his throne, and he breathed this fire into himself as though it were his life.
The tale continues as the mystic sees gray figures approach the throne, who “placed their head and lips near the heart of the elemental king, and, then, as they touched him, they shot upwards, plumed and radiant, and passed on the other side, as though they had received a new life from this chief of their world.”
Now listen to Scott Cunningham (Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic) describe a sea spell he created and his experience with it. The spell involves drawing a circle in the sand above the waterline just as the tide begins to rise. This is followed by a rune or image within the circle drawn while visualizing “blue liquid flames.” You then visualize your need and wait for the tide to carry away your spell.
“One day, while performing this spell on the beach during a light rain, I stood waiting for the wave to wash it away. As it did, I felt a bolt of energy shoot up from the rune I’d sketched on the sand and hit me in the chest. It was an actual physical sensation. The energy went forth and did indeed bring into manifestation my need.”
This is a direct experience of fire-in-water. In Western ceremonial magic, the cup is the receptacle, ready to receive energy that comes from a divine, outside source. In contrast, fire-in-water portrays a cosmos in which the divine spark is already held within the water, originating there, ready to be released to enliven and illuminate. The cyclic interplay of fire arising from and returning to water balances yin and yang, God and Goddess.
Powerful Waters
In Celtic lore, water is numinous, magical, and sacred. Wells and pools are in-between places where waters from the otherworld enter our world. Nechtan’s Well at Segais, the head of the Boyne; Connla’s Well under the sea; Bec’s Well; and Fec’s Pool are only a few of these magic places.
Nechtan and his three cupbearers guard the well at Segais and only they are allowed to approach it. One day, Nechtan’s wife, Boann, decides to visit the well. As she draws near, three waves arise and take from her an eye, a hand, and a thigh. The waters overflow, carrying Boann away with them to the sea, creating the Boyne River.
Notice that the well belongs to Nechtan, and Boann’s presence is forbidden, yet she is the one whose presence unleashes the waters. The new river is named for her.
This mirrors the stories of sacred waters in Arthurian lore. Magical lakes and wells are guarded by fairy women or priestesses until they are attacked, and sometimes raped or killed, by knights who wrest control of the waters away from their female guardians.
The Shannon River is created in similar fashion when Sinend, another forbidden woman, decides to visit Connla’s Well under the sea to gain its knowledge. At Connla’s Well, the hazels of wisdom grow, the sacred trees that bring out foliage, flower and fruit together. The hazelnuts, full of wisdom, drop into the well to be carried in water throughout the land.
Do you know the bodies of water closest to you? Do you visit and work with them? In this time when waters everywhere are threatened by dams, diversions, and pollution, connecting with water sources near our homes becomes important on many levels. The work of healers like Sandra Ingerman show that water nourishes the soul as well as the body, and that we can partner with water to heal the Earth and ourselves.
Find out where your water comes from. Can you visit its source? Learn what threatens the purity of the watershed where you live. Can you take action, in the magical and the mundane world, to protect and heal the water?
Scott Cunningham offers his sea spell (on page 282) as an all-purpose spell, one that could easily be adapted to a river, lake, spring, or even a reservoir. Make friends with sources of water; they are sources of power.
Magical Fire
At Connla’s Well, the hazelnuts drop into the pool and become imbued with magic. These hazelnuts are objects of quest, sought after by poets and Druids. Patience and preparation are needed, for they are only available once every seven years.
The Salmon of Wisdom eats the magical hazelnuts, becoming the wisest of creatures, displaying an outward sign of this wisdom in its speckled skin. Finn Éces, the poet, waits seven years to catch the ancient salmon. He knows that when he eats off its flesh, creative inspiration will be his.
Finn Éces prepares a fire, then sets his young apprentice Demne to watch as the magical salmon cooks. Finn the poet must be the first to eat the salmon to gain its gifts, and he warns the boy not to taste the fish as it cooks.
But magic can be wayward, and a bubble forms on the speckled skin. The bubble pops, splattering oil on the young boy’s hand. He puts his fingers in his mouth to cool them. Instantly Demne gains the wisdom the old poet waited for all those years.
The elderly poet is disappointed but not vindictive. He gives Demne a new name, befitting his new status, and the hero Finn mac Cumhal begins a life of magical adventures.
In another version, Finn mac Cumhal gains his visionary powers by being splashed with water from a pitcher held by a fairy woman as she slips through the doorway of a sidhe mound. Finn sucks the water from his fingers, and receives illumination. Finn mac Cumhal is a great warrior, but throughout his life, he also has the gift of prophecy, dropping into visionary states and gaining information about events in his world.
In Ireland, poets waited seven years for the hazelnuts of wisdom to gain the creative fire called imbas. In Wales, it was called awen and figures in the tale of Cerridwen’s cauldron and the initiation of the great poet Taliesin.
This tale tells how Cerridwen, a powerful sorceress, had a very ugly son. Concerned about how her boy would get on in the world, she decided to give him great powers of prophecy and poetry. Cerridwen gathered magical ingredients and set her cauldron simmering over a fire that must burn continuously for a year and a day.
A year and a day is a long time, so Cerridwen set the serving boy Gwion Bach to tend the fire. For long weeks and months, Gwion Bach stirred the cauldron. As the fateful day approached, Cerridwen positioned her son nearby, ready to catch the first drops that would spring forth when the potion was ready. Those first drops would contain the magical power.
At the moment of power, the cauldron bubbled up, sending drops of hot liquid into the air. The burning drops fell on Gwion Bach’s fingers, which he shoved in his mouth, tasting the magic potion.
Gwion’s first realization was that Cerridwen would kill him if she could, and he ran. As he ran, he changed into a hare coursing through the fields. Cerridwen became a hound snapping at his heels. Gwion jumped into a river and changed into a fish; Cerridwen followed as an otter. Gwion took to the air as a bird; Cerridwen swooped down as a hawk. Seeing a threshing barn, Gwion thought to hide himself as one grain of wheat among many. Cerridwen became a small black hen and swallowed him up.
Cerridwen found herself pregnant with the transformed boy, and after carrying him in her womb for nine months was unable to kill him outright. She put him in a tiny boat in a river, returning him once again to magical water.
There he was found by a courtier, who was struck by the beauty of this child. He took the child to court, where the king adopted him and gave him the name Taliesin, which means shining brow. His hard-won illumination showed even in his face. Over the years, he grew into the most famous of poets.
The Search for the Grail
In the Arthurian tales, the search for illumination carried in water is the search for the Grail. In the elemental associations of the tarot, Knights are fire and the suit of Cups is water. It is intriguing that the Knight of Cups, Fire of Water, is often related to the figure of the Grail Knight.
In these tales, the power of the Grail conveys spiritual gifts as well as healing for the land. Goddesses of Sovereignty, mysterious women of magic, guard these gifts, often hidden in water. The sword Excalibur, held by a woman’s hand over the still waters of a lake, is a striking image of fire in water.
The Grail legend takes on Christian values and the theme of worthiness: Only a virtuous knight can gain the grail. In earlier tales, this notion of virtue does not appear. Only the courage and strength to succeed in the quest are needed.
The theme of virtue is also injected into other tales. In the tale of Cerridwen, for example, many versions say Gwion Bach just happened to be standing by, and was accidentally (or synchronistically) chosen for the gift. Patrick Ford’s translation states clearly that Gwion had learned during his months of tending what the cauldron contained. At the opportune moment, he shoved the hapless son out of the way to claim the magic for himself.
Perhaps worthiness in the conventional sense has little to do with imbas and awen. To attain the highest levels of poetic inspiration, we must be willing to take risks, place ourselves in danger, open to experience, and reach out our hands for something we know might burn.
Rituals invoking the gifts of fire-in-water might include a candle set inside a holder deep enough to be placed in a shallow bowl of water. Floating candles can also combine fire and water on the altar. Cerridwen and Taliesin, Finn mac Cumhal, the Salmon of Wisdom, and the Ladies of the Lake––any might be woven into ceremonies to explore this motif and invite illumination.
Fire and water, in these traditions, are not incompatible. They are powerful and unpredictable; choosing to work with them calls for courage, strength, and opening to magic.
For Further Study
Cunningham, Scott. (2002) “Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic.” Excerpt printed online in The Llewellyn Journal: www.llewellyn.com/journal/article/1613
Evans-Wentz, W. Y. (1911) The Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries. Available online at: www.sacred-texts.com/
Ford, P. (1974) “The Well of Nechtan and ‘La Gloire Lumineuse,’” in Myth in Indo-European Antiquity, ed. Gerald James Larson, co-ed. C. Scott Littleton and Jaan Puhvel. University of California Press, 67–74.
Ford, P. (1977) Mabinogi and Other Medieval Welsh Tales. University of California Press.
The Masks We Wear
by Kristin Madden
In Act II, Scene VII of Shakespeare’s play, As You Like It, Jacques says, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts …” On some level, we all realize this is true. In order to interact cohesively with society, we play roles for which we wear masks. Very few people see us for all that we truly are on all levels of being. Our masks serve several needs that make life easier for us and for our communities.
First and foremost, our masks protect us. They allow us to go about our lives without showing too much. They may cover fear and prevent others from seeing us as prey. They may cover strength, protecting us from conflict with dangerous individuals. They hide aspects of us that would not in our best interests to show everyone.
The masks we feel we need also help us meet our needs in this world. As children, we learned that our caretakers responded to our needs depending on certain behaviors we exhibited. Some people learned to cry, whine, or yell for attention. Others learned to be silent and fade into the background to avoid negative attention. The masks we crafted to help us play our roles assured our survival and, to some extent, our happiness. Sadly, society imposes some masks that do not support certain freedoms, and the true self is dramatically suppressed.
These masks often change over time. As Shakespeare wrote, each of us plays many parts throughout life. In many ways, I am the same person that I was as a child. But I have changed dramatically over the years as well. The masks I wore as an infant, a girl, a teenager, and even a young adult no longer serve my needs or truly represent me. In truth, some of the masks I wore last year no longer fit. As we get older, we craft new masks to serve our needs for work, friendship, and romantic relationships.
We also wear masks to help us explore different personas, interests, and ways of being. The job-interview mask is usually very different from the religious or neighbor mask. Speaking for myself, I am not quite the same person when I am teaching as I am when I am off in the wilderness alone on a wildlife survey. I know many Pagan priests and priestesses whose families have no idea about their religious roles. I have friends who are drag queens in some situations and very buttoned-down businessmen in others.
The masks we wear frequently represent real aspects of self, allow us to safely explore new roles without losing ourselves in the process, and they facilitate interactions in many different situations. As such, they are beneficial, healing, and fun. However, masks can also alienate us, from true relationships with others and from living life as a whole and complete individual. It is not uncommon for an individual to layer on so many masks that uncovering the true self can take years of peeling back layers. This can cause us to forget that we are not the roles we play—that we created the masks in the first place. Too many people don’t believe they can change their masks, and they lose the ability to access the unlimited multidimensional beings that they truly are beneath the masks.
Crafting a New You
Whether you have become stuck in your masks or are exploring something new, you can use tangible, crafted masks to break free and facilitate shapeshifting. The shamanic mask, possibly one of the oldest forms of shapeshifting and ritual art, is also an extremely beneficial healing tool. The mask can externalize feelings, identities, illnesses, and behaviors that the individual in need is not fully aware of or is repressing. Simply through creating and wearing the mask, these issues are brought out into the light of day where they can be handled.
Mask-making can also be used to bring in the gifts of spirit allies, deities, or people we admire and respect. Simply wearing a mask allows us to pretend to be that role. Working with this magically solidifies the embodiment of those energies and creates a way to access that persona even when the physical mask is not worn.
Before you can work with masks, you need to decide which mask to craft. This time-honored practice is something that anyone can do well. My son made his first mask at eight years old with only a small bit of assistance placing the plaster strips. If a child can do it, so can you! Your mask may be determined in a very individual way through dreaming, meditation, or shamanic journeying. It may be something that you uncover through talking with trusted loved ones or by freely writing in your journal. This is also an excellent time to use your divination methods or your pendulum.
Masks need not be perfect, realistic representations of a spirit guide, deity, or individual. In fact, it is preferable if they are more symbolic and mystical. You are not going to eliminate your identity entirely and become what you make the mask of. Your intent is to access similar energies within your Self and bring those through, so your mask needs to allow for personal freedom in manifestation. To be honest, some masks are wholly symbolic and are not meant to represent any specific person or being.
I recommend making a rough sketch of your mask first, keeping in mind that the creation may later take on a life of its own, but your rational mind needs a place to begin. If possible, do this in sacred space with a minimum of distractions. Choose meditative music to play in the background or have a friend drum while you focus on the image and feeling of the energy you intend to create.
Mask-Making Ceremony
Once the intent is established, a mask-making ceremony can be held. Set up your ritual as you normally would for any spiritual ceremony and have all necessary items for the creation of your mask within the ritual space. Masks may be constructed out of any material, even paper bags and magic markers. Collect anything you feel you may want to use. Bear in mind that you may end up evoking lost soul fragments or shadow aspects. As a result, you may want to be prepared for an emotional release during the ceremony. Having a box of tissues on hand is highly recommended.
Consecrate sacred space in your preferred manner. During your invocation, be sure to invite any spirits involved in the creation or expected use of this mask. Begin by speaking aloud what you hope to eliminate or create in your life and what brought you to this point. Remember that this is safe, sacred space and allow yourself to step out of your comfort zone. Follow that up with a grounding and centering exercise to focus your heart, mind, and spirit on the task at hand.
Allow the mask-making to be as lighthearted or serious as it needs to be. Allow enough time to discard and re-create as necessary, but do not permit the focus to get stuck on the aesthetics of the end result. The process is at least as important as how the mask looks.
Crafting the Mask
Petroleum or vegetable jelly
Plastic wrap or shower cap
Rolls of pre-plastered strips, found in hobby stores
Scissors
Towels or newspapers
Bowl of warm water
Paper and pencil
Sandpaper
Craft knife
Velcro® strips
Optional: gesso (primer found in hobby stores), paper cup or plate, markers, acrylic paint, glue, feathers, fur, other decorations
1. Lay towels or newspapers down on the couch or floor where you will be laying back to craft the mask on your face.
2. Prepare the pre-plastered strips, scissors, and bowl of warm water. Cut the strips into sections ranging from 2 to 5 inches long.
3. Liberally cover your entire face with petroleum or vegetable jelly, smearing extra on any facial hair. Cover your hair with a shower cap or a layer of plastic wrap and smear some jelly over your hairline for added protection. Alternatively, cover your face and hairline with plastic wrap (Cut breathing holes for your nose and mouth.)
4. Dip one strip at a time into the warm water and smooth it onto the area to be cast, rolling off excess water with your fingers as you remove each strip from the water. Apply three to four layers of strips over your face. If you would like to fasten Velcro straps to hold the mask on your face, cover the area back toward your ears with plaster strips so that so that straps may be attached without interfering with the face of the mask. If you would like to paint animal eyes, cover your eyes with plaster.
5. Use additional plastered strips, a paper cup, or a paper plate to shape the mask. Paper cups can easily become bird beaks or elongated animal noses. Paper plates can be cut to form ears. Plastered strips can be rolled or balled up to exaggerate eyebrows, cheekbones, and jaws.
6. In about 15 minutes, the drying plaster will begin to pull away from your face. Let it dry for at least 5 minutes after completing the final layer. When you are ready, simply stretch and scrunch up your face under the mask as you gently pull it off. It should come off easily if the plaster is dry enough. Allow it to dry for 48 hours before decorating.
7. If you covered your eyes, use the craft knife to bore two small holes for you to see through.
8. Smooth out any rough paper edges with sandpaper. If you want a very smooth surface, paint the dry mask with gesso.
9. Glue the Velcro strips to the temple areas of the dry mask.
10. Decorate with feathers, paint, fur, and other items to bring through the energy you seek.
Once complete, the mask should be dedicated to your goal and worn for a meditation or journey during that initial ceremony. This is likely to add depth and power to the experience. Discussion or journaling can be an essential part of understanding, integrating, and manifesting the experience.
Placing the mask on an altar or anywhere you will see it regularly will help keep this process present in your conscious mind. Seeing it and working with it, through meditation and ritual, on a consistent basis will deepen your experience and aid you in embodying the new persona.
In time, this new mask will become as comfortable and solid as masks you have worn for most of your life. Once this occurs, you have two options for the mask. You may choose to keep the mask as a reminder of your success and focus for further work. Alternatively, you may ritually dispose of the mask once you personify what you intended. This is a common choice and people will ritually burn or bury old masks, releasing the energy and prayers to the multiverse.
Whatever masks you wear, take the time to examine them. Be sure that these are masks you choose consciously and with full intent. Keep those that ensure your survival and happiness, but find ways for them to also allow for the full beauty of your true identity to be preserved and accessed. Masks can, and should, be joyful explorations of Self.
Shadow Magick
by Emily Carlin
A lot of popular spiritual practices teach adherents to better their lives by creating a positive mindset, generating positive energy, and so forth. This is great for most people most of the time, but it isn’t so easy for some. Perhaps you’re stuck in a spiritual rut and your practices aren’t giving you the desired results. Perhaps you’ve had experiences that have rocked your foundation so hard that the gentle path just isn’t cutting it. Or perhaps you look at all that love and light and just feel a little nauseated. Sometimes the only way forward is not to look at the bright side, but instead to examine the shadows—to stare in the abyss. Having a desire to look into the darkness doesn’t mean that you’re a negative or bad person; it just means that you need to travel a different path to spiritual growth.
The essence of shadow magick is taking a hard look at yourself, determining what things aren’t working, the things that are broken, and changing them. For many, the hardest part of shadow magick is seeing what those shadows really are. The shadows that dog our steps are rarely the bogeys people expect—ghosts, goblins, and the like. Shadow magick works with our internal shadows: our fears, insecurities, incorrect assumptions, weaknesses, pettiness, and irrationalities. Everyone has traits they wish weren’t there. Some people deal with these by bringing so much positive energy into their lives that there’s no room for shadows. However, that doesn’t work for everyone. Instead, some of us look to shadow magick to teach us to dive deep into the darkness and keep going down until we punch out the other side.
The fundamentals of shadow magick begin with looking into our shadow; a practice I call Looking in Dorian Gray’s Mirror. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the story The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde, it is about a young man who wishes that a portrait of him would age instead of his body. Magically, this wish comes true, and the portrait ages and bears all the scars of Dorian Gray’s soul. Over the course of time, Gray becomes more and more depraved and the portrait becomes so terrible and twisted that Gray locks it away. In the end, Gray is confronted with the portrait, looking at everything he has become—being able to see with his eyes every twist of his soul—and he takes his own life. Shadow work is about looking into that portrait every day. It takes time, discipline, and courage to look at oneself so honestly. If you cannot see what you really are, how can you ever really change and grow?
Looking at your shadows is only the beginning. Once you’ve identified the things you don’t like about yourself, you’re not allowed to just sit there and moan about them—you have to do something about it.
This is where shadow work gets tricky, because some of those things you don’t like are genuine problems that need to be fixed, and some of them are things that you’ve merely been taught to dislike that aren’t true shadows (though the feelings that keep you from accepting those traits may be). No one can tell you whether something you detest about yourself is something you need to change or if it’s just your way of looking at it that needs to change. There is no easy answer for how to understand your shadow; it’s something you have to determine for yourself in whatever way works for you. Some people use meditation, divination, or communication with spirit guides or trusted friends to examine their shadow. For you it could be any, all, or none of these things. Only you can see into your own soul.
Once you’ve leapt that hurdle, it’s time to forgive yourself for your weaknesses. Don’t laugh—it’s important. Most people who are actually motivated enough to do something about changing their lives and dark enough to do it through shadow magick are really hard on themselves. Whenever I find a new flaw in my image of myself, I tend to spend a goodly chunk of time wallowing in depression, bemoaning how horrible/useless/bad/etc. I am. It’s normal and healthy to allow yourself a bit of time to roll around in self-pity as long as you then pick yourself back up and forgive yourself.
The next step is to do some working focused on “fixing” the problem. This is often a ceremony in which you own and embrace whatever the shadow is. Embracing a shadow means allowing yourself to have whatever feeling or thought it is, but to then think about it reasonably and not act on it unless it’s truly rational and correct to do so. It’s really just a stylized way of reminding yourself to think before you act and to not get too mad at yourself for not being perfect. Sometimes the shadow is bad enough to really need to be excised rather than embraced, in which case a more focused banishing ritual would be appropriate.
Shadow magick is about being really, really honest with yourself and never being afraid to look in the dark. Do it long enough and you end up knowing yourself very well indeed. Sure, there are kinder, gentler ways of growing, but sometimes you need a good drop kick to move forward.
Looking in Dorian Gray’s Mirror
These days, people are not encouraged to examine themselves deeply, if at all. We breeze through our days playing a part: the student, the grunt, the boss, the teacher, the wife, and so on. How often during your day do you batten yourself down so that the real you isn’t exposed? Do you do it because it keeps you safe, because you think who you are is unacceptable, because it would crack your mask? Living masked day in and day out can make it very difficult to see oneself clearly. Wear those masks long enough and sooner or later you’ll start to forget the person you really are and then you’ll be nothing but the hollow mask of the character you play. Shadow magick breaks through the lies, most especially the ones you tell yourself. This simple ritual will introduce you to shadow magick and the practice of looking deep within.
Materials:
A black candle
Insight Oil*
A small mirror
Incense, if desired (dragon’s blood or a mixture of frankincense and myrrh both work well)
Paper
Pen or pencil
* To make Insight Oil, grind 1 teaspoon each of dried mugwort, sage, and yarrow into a fine powder. Mix with 3 tablespoons of jojoba oil in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Let steep for three to four weeks. Strain and it’s ready to use. For the most potent oil, make this on the dark moon and let it steep until the next dark moon.
Perform this ritual at night in a quiet, private place where you won’t be disturbed. This is most effective during the waning and dark moon. Also, make sure you have enough time to both perform the ritual and to decompress afterward. Looking at the shadow is emotionally taxing and can leave you wrung out. Give yourself time to deal with whatever comes up without other responsibilities pressing on you.
Gather your materials, shut the door, close the drapes, turn off your cell phone, and turn down the lights. Sit comfortably on the floor (or on a chair at a table) with your materials in front of you.
Take a few minutes to simply breathe and let go of the stresses of the day. Ground and center as you normally do. If you find that your mind has difficulty pushing away the thoughts of the day, perhaps you need to deal with them before performing this ritual.
Light the incense if you’re using any. Anoint your third eye with a drop of the Insight Oil. Think for a few minutes about why you want to see yourself more clearly. Think about what you hope to gain. Think about what challenges you expect the exercise to present. Are you really willing to see yourself without bias, warts and all? Take some time to write down these thoughts until you feel that you really understand why you’re doing this.
Anoint the black candle with the Insight Oil and light the candle. Pass the mirror just above the candle flame (just far enough out that the heat doesn’t hurt your fingers, but you can feel it). Envision the heat and light of the flame passing into the mirror, cleansing its energy and empowering it. If you’re using incense, pass the mirror through the smoke while envisioning the smoke imparting its energy to the mirror.
Hold the mirror to your third eye and either think or say out loud:
I will see myself clearly. I will see who and what I really am. Show me my strength. Show me my weakness. Show me all that I am. Show me joy and sorrow, pride and folly, success and failure. I see clearly. I see who and what I really am.
Look in the mirror. Look at yourself, really look at yourself. Look beyond the face you present to others, look beyond your flesh. Look deeply into your own eyes. See the kernel of “you” that lives deep within your soul. What do you see?
Take a few minutes to write down what you see. Write down your strengths, your weaknesses, everything. Who is the person that lives deep inside your true heart? What in your life needs to change in order for that person to thrive?
You may find this easy or difficult. If it’s difficult, don’t worry, you’re on the right track. If it’s easy, either you’re a near bodhisattva or you just aren’t ready to see what lies below—that’s okay too. Shadow magick only works when you’re ready for it to work, so it’s okay to put it aside and come back later.
When you feel you’ve seen all of yourself that you’re able to process now, turn over the mirror and say:
Thank you for showing me my deeper self.
If it’s short enough, let the candle continue to burn—snuff it out if it isn’t. (The candle can be reused the next time you do this exercise.) Stand up and turn on the lights. Allow yourself some time to process the experience.
A Real Balancing Act
by Alan Lucia
If we can conceive of light in all of its modes of existence, including the majority of its vibrating states unavailable to our limited human sight, we can begin to understand the ancient teaching that proclaims: “Light is knowledge.” And with this proclamation, we can most likely agree that the strongest source of this knowledge within the region of space we share is our good friend, the Sun.
This fireball has long been, and is still believed to be, a god by many cultures around the world—a spiritual being of untold powers and inherent masculine overtones. To others, however, our central star is thought to be nothing more than a physical life force, a means of energy—just one space furnace among trillions throughout the known universe.
Modern scientific studies concerning this massive body of heat and light have given us important information regarding its physical makeup. For example, the Sun’s inner creative dance between atomic particles and intense gravity is thought to produce the light we enjoy each day. And aspects of the Sun, such as its electromagnetic field, its layered surface structure, the effects of sunspots, and the vast power of outward-traveling “solar winds,” have been explained in ever-greater detail.
This life-giving source utterly dwarfs all of the planetary bodies it is thought to have spawned. Science accepts its existence as … well … just the way things are—normal fare for the entire universe. Otherwise, beyond careful observation of the physical state of things, considering the possibility that anything other than high-pressure, high-temperature subatomic bonding (fusion) is going on within the core of our central star is currently rejected by most scientists. Fortunately for us, though, many metaphysical and quasi-scientific thinkers have been striving to incorporate myriad ancient teachings, and at times newly channeled teachings from discarnate entities of differing stripes, in with today’s physical discoveries.
Many of these teachings (both old and new) are centered on the concept of Creative Consciousness and how it plays a part in the establishment and continued nurturing of each planet’s physical environment. It is taught that without some kind of preexisting exercise of cognitive awareness (intentional design), by default, all physical existence would have to materialize out of a process of unguided, random chance. Many wholly scientific thinkers are fine with this scenario. Yet most spiritually minded people of numerous paths find this hard to accept.
And who can blame them? After all, scientific hypotheses are in reality nothing more than educated guesses—just as much a shot-in-the-dark as many spiritual teachings tend to be. Not that scientific theories should be shunned or ignored. On the contrary, they should be celebrated for the general betterment they’ve helped our world realize. By obtaining more knowledge about the physical nature of our world, and our solar system at large, we’ve begun to notice a meeting place between scientific observation and metaphysical traditions.
Certain scientific beliefs once thought to be infallible are now being updated. Olden Newtonian ideas having to do with the concrete nature of physical matter and gravitational interplay between cosmic bodies have given way to more ethereal teachings due to quantum physics, and its undeniable mystical shadings set squarely upon today’s scientific community. This development would probably have pleased Mr. Newton, given that he was a strong advocate of alchemy as it was understood in his time.
Alchemical symbolism is often depicted the fine balance between the Sun and Moon, light and dark, male and female creative energies, and so forth. Newton, a brilliant mathematician, would have immediately appreciated our newly developed understanding that on quantum levels all matter is essentially coming from “nothing” (inconceivably minuscule disconnected subatomic particles). He would likely fully embrace today’s newest ideas that the balance of continuously interacting positive and negative (masculine/feminine) charges on a subatomic level are the best explanation of manifested physicality—with much, if not all of these minute, “fuzzy” items having no mass (traceable physical property) at all!
This kind of thing can get fairly complex, fairly quickly. So suffice it to say that the more our concrete world of olden scientific reality dissolves within the ever-growing body of newer quantum discoveries, the more the idea of pre-physical, intentionally creative consciousness presents itself as a viable explanation concerning the initial design, and following outward expression of planetary environments located throughout our family of eight planets and hundreds of moons.
As we all know, each of our planets exhibits unique environments. Obviously, the conditions we find here on Earth are absolutely essential for life as we know it. The richly varied climates we find on this planet are delicately balanced and carefully attended, or so it seems. Most people—magical thinkers and non-magical thinkers alike—agree that today’s exceptionally complex environment has taken eons to create, having gone through many different incarnations, all the while supporting countless, long-extinct species of flora and fauna.
Generally speaking, based on recent interpretations of global fossil and rock strata records, each episode in time seems to show evidence of long periods of slow adaptation within ancient species, interspersed with sudden periods of evolutionary upgrades—one period of extended life setting the stage for the next more complicated stage. A brief evolutionary chronology begins with trilobite instinctual minds that matured toward dinosaurs and primitive forestation, which eventually gave way to higher-functioning mammalian herd-like mentalities surrounded by incalculable rain forest and desert-adapted plant and insect life. Finally, we have reaching the kind of individualized consciousness capable of completing complex mathematical equations and traveling out into space. The creative process, having come full circle as that initial force of creative consciousness (Sun-based masculine design and feminine implementation), had discovered a way to express itself in bipedal human form—you and me, in other words.
To explain further, those who hold to the possibility of precognitive design often drop this part of a solar system’s development straight into the lap of its respective sun—actually two suns in most solar systems! They use terms like “Logos” or some solar god name to better relate to this designing, overseeing, primordial mind. They find planetary traits, relationships, and movements to explain the seeding strategies of this creative being. They often, and perhaps rightly so, describe these actions as being motherly, nurturing, and feminine in expression from planet to planet. They see the need for these intricate plans to find fulfillment through caring, wise, and patient implementation: again—Sun-based, “masculine” design requiring “feminine” expression; one without the other incapable of existing in a creatively meaningful way.
This is not to say that world environments are not shot through with masculine counterbalancing energies, as are the very designing Logoi themselves with feminine energies. For balance between these creative forces is evident and necessary within both physical and preexisting nonphysical states, just as each of the higher mortal and animal minds of our world show potential toward both creative gestalts of consciousness.
Creativity is therefore a mutually supportive, mutually gratifying act. Without the feminine expression of masculine design upon all worlds, that is, without these physical manifestations of the unseen work of a given Logos through the loving hands of numerous cosmic expressions we occultists often call “goddess,” only half of the story would be told. This diminished reality is thought to have been, or still to be, the condition of the universe wherever and whenever this balance fails to be embraced.
Within our star system, glad to say, it seems we have successfully struck this all-important life-engendering balance, resulting in wondrously created life forms showing up routinely on planet Earth. Here we are classified as carbon-based life forms. Some of the larger moons are thought to be capable of sustaining life forms like ours, however, other planets and moons could easily, and by as much exacting design, sustain all kinds of sentient life forms that are foreign to our way of thinking.
A Logos, expressed through its feminine energies, is not limited to creating life in only one way . . . our way. And why should She be? Simply because we don’t know of these other environs and the lives they potentially nurture is no reason they can’t exist. They too may be unaware of our existence. Perhaps such things are currently none of our concern. Then again, perhaps, as some occultists draw upon, we mortals are often in contact with these other worlds and races in many different ways . . . a matter for another article, one would think.
Speaking more of moons—146 according to NASA and many more unofficially: up to as many as 336 in our solar system as of 2011—it appears this traditional symbol of goddess manifestation is quite abundant across our solar plain. Here on Earth we’ve come to recognize our moon in numerous ways. At times, she represents powerful influences of magic and feminine creativity. At other times, this astrological body helps peoples around the world keep track of days and months, acting as a very practical calendar. Then again, in the modern Western world, using the “light of the silvery moon,” has become a means of romantic expression. And in a recent Hollywood film, Hancock, starring Will Smith, our Moon has even been used as the solar system’s largest billboard!
The fact is, without the physical presence of this space body, life on our planet would simply not exist as it does. Our oceans wouldn’t be pulled from side to side causing cleansing effects along all saltwater shorelines. And the Sun is not to be outdone in this case either. Its evaporative effects upon our world’s oceans ensure an uninterrupted amount of needed water is shifted from the saltwater bodies to the freshwater lakes and rivers of large areas of dry land. The two of them together do this essential work. Just as the two of them project many spiritual influences our way for use as we see fit. Goodly cosmic parents as we seem to have find no fault in this kind of dynamic, continuous support of their creation. They obviously take some kind of pleasure in presenting us with all manner of challenges for personal and social growth.
It’s hard to say whether all star systems have been so well governed. As with all things in this imperfect universe, chances are some are and some aren’t. And since the old occult adage, “As above, so below” is every bit alive and well these days as history has shown it to be, we can safely say that we are who and what we are precisely because the creative minds (individuals and groups) that play a part in the successful continuance of this and all planets existing within this local God/Goddess creation have given greatly of their talents and energies, just as we often do for our children, friends, extended family members, and yes, of course our magical pets (familiars).
The various enviroments here on Earth offer almost endless chances for learning adventures—some communal and pleasant, others life threatening. Through it all, these creative forces and groups of associated dimensional beings work to give their sentient populations on every planetary abode a way to personally participate in the cosmic drama of balancing light and darkness in an inward game of physio-spiritual self-evolution. The masculine and feminine energies within each of us, as across our solar system, are eventually explored to their fullest through the mounting experiences of lifetime after lifetime, until all is personally known. Until the imbalanced creatures of creation become the balanced creators of new, as yet unforeseen cosmic adventures. A future we all have open to us, should we choose to learn to absorb the “knowledge” inherent in the light directly felt from our central masculine star, or the indirect light reflecting off the feminine, mystical moon(s) that brings us so much hope, comfort, and strong magic.
Together, across all dimensions, planets, and creative populations, we are each learning how best to utilize our innate masculine/feminine energies—the kind of creative energies it takes to evolve and maintain a balanced star system like ours.
Choosing a Tarot Deck
by Boudica
As a professional card reader, I have many decks. Some are for my own amusement, others are working decks. Some of my clients prefer specific decks I have, while others like to see my latest or want to be surprised by a different deck. When you read for clients, try to use a deck that speaks to you and pleases your client visually. I think some of my clients have a personal attachment to specific decks, and that’s probably why the decks resonate so well with them.
It’s the same with you, the reader. While you may never read for clients, you still want a deck that resonates with your own personal self, and choosing a deck can be critical in making that connection to yourself.
Once upon a time not so long ago, there was only one popular deck—the Rider-Waite deck. The deck is rich in symbolism, the images simple yet elegant. It was influenced by the early occultist Eliphas Lévi, and the card’s images were artistically done by Pamela Colman Smith, who was guided by A. E. Waite. The publisher was Rider Company.
There are volumes written about the meanings of this deck, the most complete was the book written by A. E. Waite himself, which guides the user through the symbols and the images card by card, in the upright and reverse positions. It only makes sense, as he designed the deck. The book also includes layouts and meanings of repeating numbers and certain echoing card draws. It was the book that I learned from on a deck I received as a gift and I highly prized in my early card-reading days.
The popular decks that followed were all “mostly based” on the same format—four suits and accompanying court cards (called the Minor Arcana) and the “trump cards” (called the Major Arcana). While there were differences—some changes in the meanings of the suits, symbols, or imagery—the decks still follow the same basic meanings and format as the Rider-Waite deck. Oh, there are decks that diverge considerably from the original, but they do not seem to be very sought-after and have become curiosities for collectors more than working decks. Today, most decks still follow the format of the Rider-Waite deck, so a good basic grounding in that deck and its meaning will assist any newcomer to the world of tarot. I highly recommend Rider-Waite for your first deck along with the accompanying book, as it will give you all the basics you need and enable you to interpret most any other deck with ease.
Part of one’s ability to “read” cards originates from within. Depending on how intuitive and gifted you are, a deck can be immediately obvious or you may have to dig a bit to find the meaning. Know that many clients are the same way, and choosing just the right deck for client use can be as complicated as choosing a deck for yourself. There is the learning how to read, and then there is the learning how to interpret what you see. These are two very different steps, which is why I recommend a simple and well-documented deck first. If you make the reading easy and concentrate on the interpretation, the result will be a better reading overall.
However, should you be drawn to a particular deck and end up purchasing eye candy, you’ll have to figure out the meanings from there. That’s okay, but be aware that not all decks come with books, which can present a challenge to the new reader. Many decks come with the “Iddy Biddy Users Guide” in the box, and the interpretation of the deck is mostly sketchy and sometimes debatable. My advice in this instance is to find a deck that comes with a book written by the creator of the deck and/or the artist. They know best what they were looking to convey in the meanings of the cards. The new reader will find this very useful advice and a seasoned reader may discover meanings that they had overlooked or not considered. I find insights all the time in the books that accompany the decks. It is a worthwhile investment.
But in all things, we come to the point where you want a deck that says “you”! There are literally hundreds of decks out there. Which one is right for you? Well, maybe you need to look at decks before you purchase one. There are a few really good sites that offer a variety of decks for you to browse through. The major manufacturers are well represented: Llewellyn Publishing, Lo Scarabeo, and U.S. Games come to mind as major publishers/distributors who have a good-sized collection online for you to wander through. But the site that I have watched over the years is aeclectic.net. This site started as a review site of tarot decks exclusively. They received permission to reproduce a couple of cards from each deck reviewed, and then really excellent reviewers would examine the deck and list good points and not-so-good points. The images of the decks, however, were critical to the site’s success. They have led many people to their decks of choice. And there are also some short-lived decks pictured there, which makes it a valuable resource for the collector as well. By the way, there is also a plethora of spreads on that site so you can find something in a spread that speaks to you as well.
There are stores that have decks on display. Some storekeepers will allow you to handle their display decks, others will not. Displays at some of the larger retailers have deck samples that you can look at. Any way you do this, I highly recommend you actually look at the deck before you purchase and do not make an impulsive buy. I know too many people who have been very disappointed with impulse purchases of decks, and I have acquired some decks very cheap because of it.
But what should you be looking at when you purchase a deck? Well, first, what appeals to you? Are you attracted to animals or to people? Do you like elements, or symbols, or designs? Decks are complex these days. Obviously, do not choose a deck with dragons if you do not like dragons. Likewise, if you are a springy and bubbly person, choose a deck that reflects your inner self, not something that is dark and ominous. Don’t like cats? Well, then make sure your deck doesn’t have any cats in it. There are even decks with toned-down symbolism for Death and the Devil if you are delicate in nature. And then there are decks that speak with lifestyles, God or Goddess centered, Goth, GLBT, nature-based decks, and more. There literally is something for everybody out there. Find one where the images appeal to you.
Carefully consider not just the images but also the symbolism. You will find a mix of suits, numbers, names and languages on the cards. From Roman numerals to Hebrew, from pentacles to gold coins, the images can be subtle or obvious. I would like to recommend that you steer clear of decks with very little or no symbolism. The images can be pretty, but what are you going to actually read in them? Symbols are very important as some may jump out at you during a reading that will be key to that reading. Again, I go back to a good grounding in symbolism. Choose a deck that has a variety of symbols in it as well as images that appeal to you.
Besides images and symbolism, there are some boring but important practical matters to consider. How well is the deck produced? Are the cards stiff, yet pliable? This will come into play with regular use. Can you shuffle the deck without seriously bending the cards? Does the deck fit comfortably in your hands? Are the colors appropriate for you? Bright colors, pastel colors, black and white; what appeals to you?
There are also “pop decks” that may be pretty or important at the moment, only to fade away along with the interest. The Harry Potter tarot deck immediately comes to mind. It may be cute, but it may not be usable for the long term. A pop deck is not something that will stand the test of time for usage, in my opinion. And while there is nothing wrong with collecting decks, even pop decks, you will want a working deck when you are starting. Collecting decks can come later.
Finally, choose something that very clearly speaks to you. It is important to learn how to read the deck, but it is more important to choose a deck that will also express itself to you. As I mentioned earlier, not only should you know how to read the deck, you should be able to interpret what the cards are saying. So choose something that resonates deep within you. Does the deck stand out in a crowd to you? Does it feel good? Do the images tell you something? No matter what the images look like, they still have to tell you something. A good way to check this is to choose a card that contains only symbols. The Ace of Cups is a good choice. What does the image say to you? Do you get “feelings” from the symbols, the images, the card itself? And pay attention to what it says! Sometimes you can hear the deck calling, or it may be telling you to pick another deck!
So to recap, it’s not about walking into a store and purchasing a deck; it’s all about the connection between you and the deck. Choose a deck that resonates with you, that is sturdy and constructed well, and that comes with a good book. Choose a deck that appeals to your lifestyle, that has meaning to you, and that contains enough symbols to make the deck easy to read but does not confuse or clutter the cards and their meaning. Choose a deck that says you! I believe if you do the research before you purchase you will be happier with the cards that you do buy and it will become a lifelong working relationship between you and the tarot deck.
Enchanted Tea Cup
by Mickie Mueller
Tea has a long and vibrant history in cultures all over the world. Consider the importance of the Japanese Tea Ceremony, the British passion for their national drink, or the constant consumption of tea by Tibetan monks in order to stay focused during meditation.
This simple infusion of leaves in water has become a way of life for many people. It has delighted the spirit, awakened the mind, and driven economies as well. Tea is a way to offer hospitality, heal the body, celebrate life, and ignite inspiration. Tea is technically a brew made from the tea plant, whereas herbal teas are actually herbal brews. With the popularity of herbal brews that don’t include tea leaves, our culture has embraced the term “tea” for all consumable infusions or brews whether containing tea leaves or not. And why not? The ingredients in teas and herbal blends both have health benefits and can be used to create magic. Creating magic using tea is a very powerful and personal kind of magic. It is transformative in its very nature because you take the magic you make within you, for as you ingest the tea the magica becomes part of every cell in your body.
There’s Just Something About Tea
All over the world, tea has become something of a ritual. Tea as a beverage has its roots in China. Legend has it that the second emperor of China, Shen Nung, discovered tea when the wind blew some tea leaves into a cup of hot water in 2737 bce.
In Japan, the Tea Ceremony is a big event; the host spends days in preparation. The guests are first purified to get rid of any dust from the outside world, and then the tea is prepared. Each move while preparing and serving the tea is intricate and precise. The Tea Ceremony is an important part of the culture and shows respect and appreciation for social interaction between the attendants and the host. It is also an opportunity to slow down and enjoy the beauty of simplicity.
Tibetans add butter or sweetened milk to their tea, and it is said they couldn’t live without it. Everyone owns a personal tea bowl that only they may drink from. They use both hands while handling the bowl as a sign of respect. Similarly, it is important to never refuse tea in Tibet.
In the United Kingdom, tea is actually used to describe more than just the drink. We’ve all heard of afternoon tea. “High tea” and “low tea” are two versions of teas. Many people in modern times think of high tea as being the elegant version of afternoon tea, but these small meals are actually named after the tables on which they are traditionally served. Low tea is the fancy small meal of tea, cakes, biscuits, and scones that would be enjoyed in the afternoon in elegant sitting parlors, served on china at a low table like a coffee table. High tea was actually a working-class meal that takes the place of dinner. This was served at a high dinner table after the workday and would include staples such as cold cuts, steak and kidney pie, pickled salmon, and hearty bread.
In the Indian sacred text Ramayana (750–500 bce) tea was clearly mentioned, but commercial production of tea didn’t come to India until the arrival of the British East India Company in the 1820s. India is now one of the largest producers of tea in the world. The word for “tea” in India is chai, the favorite preparation of tea is Masala Chai, sweetened spiced tea with milk. In America, we call it chai tea, which is redundant since chai means tea. Every culture in the world seems to have its own tea traditions.
Make the Perfect Tea
There are some tricks to brewing the perfect cup of tea. The first and most important thing to know is that a cup of tea is actually a little tea and a lot of water, so the water you use is very important. The more pure and free from chemicals your water, the better. If you have a water purifier, use it for you tea. If not, you can use bottled spring water to get the best health benefits and the best flavor from your tea. Heat your water to just boiling and then turn it off; overboiling water depletes the oxygen from the water, and oxygen is what extracts the flavor from tea. Many teapots are designed for loose tea, which is the classic way to brew. If you prefer, you can use a tea ball or tea bags in a cup, mug, or teapot. Either way, be sure to warm your cup or pot with hot water from the tap. Always be careful not to overbrew or underbrew your tea. I’ve seen instructions to brew from 2½ minutes to 5 minutes depending on taste and variety of tea; check the tea package for exact times. After brewing is complete, remove the tea bag. You can then add sweetener of your choice, lemon, milk, or cream. For magical tea, natural sweetener is preferred over the chemical fake stuff.
Make Your Own Tea Magic
There are many ways to bring your own magical ceremony into your tea. First, choose tea with the magical properties you are looking to bring into your life. Here is a helpful list of many types of popular teas and their metaphysical properties. If you have tea ingredients that are not on this list, try looking them up in a book on herbalism, I recommend Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. Some of the teas listed are made from tea leaves or are blends and will contain caffeine. I have labeled these with “caf.” The herbal teas are caffeine free, and identified with “ncaf.”
Black tea: invigoration, awakening of the spirit, prosperity, courage, strength (caf)
White tea: the least processed tea leaves, youth, gentleness, cleansing, removing negativity (caf)
Green tea: purity, finding self, balance, health (caf)
Oolong: beauty, grace under pressure, overindulgence or addiction (caf)
Chai: overall multipurpose magical tea, herbs and spices for love, power, protection, success, healing (caf)
Earl Grey: power and success (caf)
Jasmine tea: soothe the spirit, friendship (caf)
Blooming tea: inception, potential, manifestation (caf)
Yerba maté: strength through adversity, insight (caf)
Rooibos (redbush, substitute honeybush): relaxation and calm, well-being, joy (ncaf)
Mint: healing, prosperity, travel, transforms negativity (ncaf)
Chamomile: healing, calming, prosperity (ncaf)
Ginseng tea: passion, love, prosperity, vitality (ncaf)
Hibiscus tea: lust, passion, love (ncaf)
Ginger tea: protection, health, power, love (ncaf)
Tea Additive Magical Properties
Milk: nurturing, Goddess energy
Raw (unrefined) sugar: dispel evil influences, protection, friendship, love,
Honey: healing, energy, happiness, fulfillment
Stevia : balance, wisdom, love, love of self
Lemon: purifying, protection, longevity
Now that you have chosen your tea, you may want a special teacup, mug, or teapot to use just for making your magical brews. You might look for a lovely antique teacup and saucer in a secondhand store or you may have a special heirloom one of your own. Many people prefer a nice big mug. You might like a handmade mug from a local potter, one shaped like a Witch’s cauldron, or a mug with your favorite god or goddess on it. Your magical cup should mean something special to you.
When making tea for magical purposes, it’s recommended that you boil your water on the stove, don’t nuke it in the microwave. If you want to and you have time, you can leave your water in sunlight for a day for spells dealing with success, prosperity, power, and happiness, or in moonlight for a night for spells dealing with love, wisdom, calming, and beauty. Think about whether you want lunar or solar energy and charge your water accordingly.
Transformative Tea Spells
You have your tea, water, and cup; now all you need is two to five minutes and you can charge your magical cup of tea and get some real transformative magic going! Tea spells are simple, quick, and amazingly powerful. Here are some spell ideas to get you started and give you some inspiration. Feel free to get creative and make these spells your own, or come up with new ones of your own invention.
Rooibos Tea Warm Comfort Spell
Brew a cup of Rooibos tea, and stir in some honey to taste. Hold the cup in your hands and as you gaze into the golden tea, breathe in the aroma. Picture a time in your life that you were truly happy; feel how you felt that day, hear the sounds, see the images, fill your heart with that feeling. Draw an “X” in the air above your teacup, capturing that energy in the teacup. Say the following charm:
Bush tea; bring comfort in all that I do,
I’ll carry that feeling the whole day through.
As you drink the tea, feel joy wash over you.
Earl Grey Shining Success Spell
Earl Grey tea is made from black tea and flavored with bergamot oil, which is traditionally used for spells concerning money and success. If you can, use water infused with sun energy for at least several hours. Brew your tea and trace a pentagram in the cup with your spoon. Hold the brewed tea up so that the sun is reflected in the surface of the tea and say,
Black tea and bergamot, I charge this brew,
Power of the sun, I appeal to you.
May all that I do today be a success,
I step into the sun, the world to impress.
Drink all of the tea except the last few drops. Pour the last bit onto your palms and rub it in. Feel confidence brewing all through your body.
Chai Overall Magical Boost Spell
The variety of spices in Chai Masala make this tea really pack a magical punch. If you feel like you need an overall magical boost, this is the tea spell for you. Brew your cup of chai, then add sugar, stevia, or honey and milk if you like. Take in the aroma—you can already feel it filling you with magical energy. Hold your tea in both hands and say:
In tea leaves I release courage and strength,
Cinnamon promote my healing and success,
Clove bring me wealth of both abundance and love,
Ginger bring protection and power from above,
Cardamom awaken my passionate heart,
As this warm cup of chai all its gifts to impart.
Enjoy your cup of chai and feel its energy running through you, filling you with blessings of love, success, and protection.
Blooming Tea Flower New Project Spell
Tea flowers are a really unique method for brewing tea. Each serving of this tea starts as tea leaves bound with flowers, and the whole thing blooms in hot water. This can be a solitary ritual or could be a really dramatic part of an Ostara ritual for a small coven. While you boil your water, hold the flowering tea ball in your hand and focus your energy on your new project and what you want to manifest with it. Focus on the actual goals that you want to reach. Drop the tea into a clear glass mug, jar, or even a wine glass. Pour the hot water over the tea ball. Say the following charm:
Flower bloom and open wide,
Release your magic from inside.
Watch the bloom open as it changes from just a nugget of an idea into something beautiful and magical. As you drink the tea, you will also drink into yourself all your potential for your new project.
A variety of traditional and herbal teas can be as useful as a whole cabinet full of herbs if you know how to use them. Have fun working with magical tea and find new ways to incorporate their magic into your life while creating your own tea rituals and ceremonies.
A Sip of Summer
by Andrea Chavez
Lemons. From rare aphrodisiac to ubiquitous garnish, this exotic fruit should be a mainstay in every cook and magic-user’s cupboard. Lemon’s citrusy goodness can enhance a meal, clean a bathroom or a magical circle, and with a little patience and time, can become a little sip of summer in a glass.
Lemons: A History
One would think that the noble lemon would have a clearly defined history, but it is actually shrouded in some mystery. One reason for the inconsistent stories one reads could be that lemons and limes were considered to be the same fruit. They are not. True, unripe lemons are green and truly ripe limes are orangey-yellow and the two fruits are closely related, but they are indeed different species. The lemon is a Citrus x limon and the lime is Citrus x latifolia.
Most histories concur that the lemon originated in Northern India in the Indus Valley where artifacts in the lemon shape were found indicating that the fruit was important enough for people to create examples of them, but why they held such importance is unclear. Perhaps they discovered lemon’s wide array of uses.
By 1900 bce, the fruit had made its way to China, where it was known as the limung, a variation of the Persian name limun from whence we get the word lemon.
The Egyptians used lemons in their embalming process as one of the ingredients used in the scents, oils, and herbs rubbed on the body and in the linen and straw stuffing used to fill the body cavity. This might be where we get our use of lemons for purification and cleansing rituals in our magical world today. Stuff your next poppet with some lemon peel!
A Prized Treasure
Some of lemon’s most amusing history comes from the Renaissance in Europe. Lemons were rare, exotic, and therefore pricey. The farther north they went, the more they were worth. In parts of Britain and the northern countries, they were literally worth their weight in gold. This treasure garnered the attention of the Catholic Church and got a racy reputation as a result. Church officials considered the unfamiliar lemon and concluded that it was the work of the devil. While the juicy orange was round and sweet—obviously the work of God—the lemon was oddly shaped and sour. After little debate, the lemon was actually excommunicated.
The lemon dealt with this shame by becoming a treasured aphrodisiac used by the rich and famous. Even notorious playboy Giacomo Casanova used the lemon in his pursuits of the fair sex. If one thinks about it, lemon’s racy reputation becomes more clear. It has many qualities that excite the libido: It was exotic. It was expensive. It was dangerous to the point of being banned by authorities. On the physical side, it looked, well, not unlike part of the female anatomy. It smelled fantastic, and the sensation of popping the juicy little cells into a lover’s mouth was enough to send even Casanova running to the nearest black market lemon shop.
Today we might use this history of lemon’s titillating side to help increase our own magical love spell. Try adding a slice of lemon to your chalice on a Friday, the day of Venus, for a little something extra in your ritual. For a more direct route, keep a few by the bed for a little lemony squeeze with your partner.
Conquering the New World: Lemons Go to Sea
Columbus brought the lemon from the Old World to the New World during his second voyage in 1493 when he landed in
Hispaniola. Sea voyages like that one became a defining moment for the lemon because it became a medicine.
Scurvy is a nasty disease caused by a lack of vitamin C in the diet. Vitamin C is most often found in fruit, and lemon is packed full of the stuff. Sailors from the Middle Ages through the height of the Age of Sail in the 1800s were often at sea, where fruit does not grow, for many months. Explorer Vasco da Gama lost half of his men on a cruise to India in 1497 due to scurvy.
Eventually, someone made the connection that a sailor who kept and ate lemons did not get the disease. In 1753, naval surgeon James Lind discovered lemon’s antiscorbutic properties and put it all together. He started the requirement that ships must carry lemons for the crew since lemons will last up to three months if kept in a cool, dark place like the hold of a ship. That was usually long enough before landfall was made and new supplies gathered. While the rest of the world laughed at the British sailors’ dedication to their lemons, the British sailors stopped getting scurvy.
The term “limey” for a sailor comes from this practice. But why “limey” and not “lemony”? Remember, most people didn’t know that lemons and limes were two different fruit. They thought that limes were just unripe lemons. Even today, that belief is still prevalent, if untrue. Fortunately for maritime wellness, either fruit will help ward off scurvy.
Correspondences: Magic from the Mundane
With any area of magical correspondences, one should investigate the connection between the correspondence and the item and not just accept the word of others. Looking to the history of the lemon highlights some potential magical uses, such as love spells or healing work. With just a little more digging, further magical correspondences are apparent in the lemon’s chemical make-up. The so-called constituents are all hiding in plain sight.
Citric acid: Citric acid makes up about 6 to 7 percent of the lemon (an orange is only 1 percent citric acid). It is used to help strengthen bones when combined with calcium oxide to make calcium citrate. Citric acid is used in anti-acids and helps make soda pop sparkle. It improves blood circulation and can alleviate many illnesses if taken in small doses but be warned, too much citric acid will cause mouth sores.
Hesperitin: Hesperitin is good for the blood, vascular health, and keeping cholesterol in check. Here is an example of when it is good to know the origin of the word. The Hesperides were Greek nymphs who tended the garden of the goddess Hera. The same garden that grew the Golden Apple, which looks like—a lemon!
Citral (or lemonal) and limonene: These volatile oils make the lemon smell like a lemon. Lemon myrtle and lemongrass have even more citral then the lemon itself. Limonene is used in manufacturing insecticides, perfume, cleansers, some medicine, food, and most lemony things. Lemon oil is such a powerful cleaner that it is being studied for its ability to kill viruses and even cancer cells, but more research is needed in this area before it becomes the wonder-cure.
From Science to Altar
As you see, the scientific constituents of lemon can lead to many magickal ideas to harness the power of the lemon. Spells involving cleansing, healing, the Goddess, increasing passion in the blood, and just making things work better may all call upon the lemon.
Think of the culinary uses for lemon—the juice is often squeezed into a sauce, over fish, into the stir-fry, or into a plain glass of water. It creates something greater than its parts. The lemon gives the whole a boost—a kick of energy, power, taste, without taking away the original taste of the food. Just as the lemon enhances food, it can enhance magic.
The lemon is considered to be a feminine fruit and is associated with the moon despite its sunny complexion. Lemon is cooling in nature. It is the yin energy from the East, and in the West the signs of Cancer, Pisces, and Scorpio all claim the lemon. The moon’s day, Monday, is a great time to do magical work with lemons. But, as I suggested earlier, Friday and Venus could be good correspondences with lemon, as they too are feminine in nature and have the added attraction of the inspiring feelings of love that the lemon can bring to a table.
Some Quick Magical Ideas
Use lemon juice as a spritz or straight from the fruit to cleanse your magical circle.
Pop a piece of lemon under the chair of a visitor. Folklore claims that will create a lifelong friend.
Use lemon-scented soap or shampoo as part of your pre-ritual wash.
Use lemon essential oil in an infuser to brighten a room and promote the working of any spell.
Add lemon peel in a sachet for a quick whiff of the essential oil as a pick-me-up.
If the stone or crystal can handle water and citric acid, diluted lemon is an excellent addition to the cleansing process of magical crystals or, indeed, any magical tool.
For an uplifting altar display, add a bowl of lemons by your goddess statue. They will keep for a long time and can be used as needed.
A small glass of limoncello and lemon cookies used for “cakes and ale” can provide a final boost of magical power to the end of magical circle work.
The Italian Connection
I first discovered the lovely liqueur called limoncello while on a trip to Italy, where to the tourist it appears that they drink the stuff like we might drink lemonade. Rest assured this is not the case. Limoncello can pack a punch and is meant to be drunk in small, chilled, tasty amounts as an after-dinner digestivo or drink to help with digestion. A small sip of this potent lemon-infused alcohol will warm even the coldest toes on a dark winter day, invoking feelings of summertime.
If a trip to southern Italy is not in your bank account, you can make your own limoncello with just a bag of lemons, a little preparation, and some patience.
Ingredients
10–12 lemons (organic)
750 ml vodka or other neutral alcohol
4 cups water
3 cups sugar
A glass pitcher or large Mason jar
Plastic wrap or lid
Bottles with stoppers for final product
Time and patience
Peel the zest of 10 to 12 washed, organic lemons in long strips. Any type of lemon will work. The Italians use Sorrento, but the standard grocery store lemon or even the Meyer lemon (a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange) will work too. The lemons should be organic as you are using the peel, and pesticides will stay in the peel of any fruit. I use a standard vegetable peeler to remove the zest. Try to avoid the white pith, which is bitter.
Place the peeled zest in the glass pitcher or large Mason jar and add the 750 milliliter bottle of vodka (or any neutral grain alcohol). Buy what you can afford; the lemon will do the rest.
Cover and store in a cool place for as long as you like, but at least a week. Stir the mixture once a day to help agitate the peels and extract the oil.
Recipes vary on the amount of time needed to infuse limoncello. Some will claim it can be done in a week; others say it isn’t really limoncello unless it has steeped for over six months. I say, whatever looks and tastes right to you is perfect. I infuse mine for two to three weeks or until I have a moment free to finish it off. The liquid will be a pretty yellow and smell like a vodka lemon drop.
Measure four cups of fresh, cool water and three cups of white sugar and place over low heat. Yes, use sugar; honey would be, well, just wrong! You can stir it once or twice just to get the sugar and water mixed, then leave it alone! Additional stirring will create sugar crystals, which you don’t want. Allow the mixture to reach a slow boil and let it boil for about fifteen minutes without stirring it. This forms what is called a “simple syrup.” After fifteen minutes, turn off the heat and let it sit until completely cooled. Do not rush this; just let it cool all the way to room temperature. It will take a few hours. This is where the patience comes into play.
Remove the lemon peels from the alcohol and pour in the syrup. Cover it up again. Store it in a cool, dark place; keep shaking it once a day, for as long as you wish—several days, several weeks, three months. It won’t go bad; it will just get smoother and smoother.
When you are ready to bottle it, pour the limoncello into bottles with stoppers and label it, as you should always label everything made in the kitchen.
Limoncello is meant to be sipped ice cold. You may keep it in the refrigerator or, indeed, in the freezer. It will not freeze totally due to the alcohol content, but it will get nice and slushy. Sometime limoncello will turn cloudy or milky white as it is cooled—do not be alarmed, that is perfectly fine. It is also fine if it stays crystal clear. It depends on the lemons used and other environmental factors, but both are considered to be good limoncello.
It should be sipped in small quantities. Use those cute after-dinner glasses you’ve always wanted to use! Feel free to mix it into a tonic, seltzer, with champagne, pour it over ice cream, or splash it in a tea. Your imagination is your only limit.
The Gift of Summer All Year Long
Limoncello and other lemony gifts can make beautiful Yule presents for both your magical and non-magical family and friends. Add some tales from the lemon’s exotic past to make a great conversational gift they won’t forget. But remember to keep a little bottle for yourself so on those dark, cold winter days, you can open up the stopper and take a sip of summer in a glass.
Energy Healing Basics
by Deborah Blake
You may think of energy healing as some mysterious ability that only gurus and unusually magickal people have, but the truth is, all of us have the potential to use energy to heal. You’ve probably used the most simple of healing techniques without even realizing it. When we hurt ourselves and instinctively hold on to the place that hurts, we are doing rudimentary energy healing. The mother who kisses her child’s boo-boo and makes it feel better is doing it, too.
Like any other skill, some people have more natural ability than others. After all, everyone can take art classes, but only some people are truly gifted. But that doesn’t mean we can’t all paint. In the same way, everyone can do energy healing on one level or another. Who knows? You may have a gift for healing and not even know it. In fact, that turned out to be true for me.
Energy healing is the use of some kind of natural energy (rather than medicine, acupuncture, or other external tool) for the purpose of healing. No one really knows how it works, although there are many different theories and approaches. It is generally agreed that the practitioner somehow taps in to the energy of the universe (or of God, spirits, etc., depending on what you believe) and uses that positive force to encourage the body to heal faster than it would on its own. Sometimes the results are minor but noticeable, and sometimes they can be downright miraculous.
Different Types of Energy Healing
There are a variety of energy-healing techniques, although from what I have discovered, they are all the same at the core. I’ll explain more about that in a minute. Here are three approaches that most people are likely to be familiar with.
Reiki
Pronounced ray-key, Reiki is a form of energy healing based on a spiritual practice developed by Japanese Buddhist Mikao Usui in 1922. It has since been changed and adapted by a series of different teachers, some of them Westerners. In theory, Reiki practitioners are trained to channel “ki” or “chi” energy through the palms of their hands. Through classes taught as degree levels (first, second, and master), the students are given various secret symbols and gestures that are intended to help them better transfer this energy from themselves to their patients, or use it to heal themselves.
Therapeutic Touch
Therapeutic Touch was developed by two women, a nursing educator and a natural healer, in the early 1970s. Dolores Krieger (Ph.D., RN) and Dora Kunz were interested in creating a form of energy healing that could be easily taught, and Therapeutic Touch has since been used by many in the nursing world. They used the laying on of hands in a professional setting, something completely unheard of at the time. (www.therapeutictouch.com)
Ironically, considering its name, those who use Therapeutic Touch often work about an inch or so off the patient’s body, and never actually touch the other person. Instead, they use their hands to sense the aura, or energy field, of the patient’s body, and detect any abnormalities or blockages. They then manipulate that energy to increase healing and calmness.
Natural Healing or “the Healing Gift”
There are those folks who just have a natural ability to heal. This isn’t something they were taught or learned in a classroom—it just came to them. My own healing ability is one of these, and I like to call it intuitive healing because it is a matter of listening to the intuitive voice in the back of my head that tells me what to do for my clients. Other people call it psychic healing, or simply “the gift.” Those who come from more traditional (i.e., Christian) religious backgrounds sometimes refer to this as the laying on of hands or faith healing. They believe that the gift comes from God and that God is the one doing the actual healing. Pagans are more likely to credit the healer or some universal energy that the healer is able to tap.
My Experience with Energy Healing
I discovered that I had a gift for healing after taking an introductory class on energy work. I’d been seriously ill for years, and many other folks had worked on me, often for a reduced rate or even for free. It is my belief that the gods gave me the gift of healing so that I might “pay it forward.” I have always been a psychic, so the ability was probably lying dormant all along, but once I started tapping into it, it was quite amazing.
Out of curiosity, I took a Reiki Level One class and a daylong class on Therapeutic Touch to see if there was any difference between these approaches and my own natural gift. There were certainly variations in how the energy healing was done—Reiki tends to be taught as a more rigid approach, although longtime practitioners may stray from that—but as far as I could tell, the energy at the root of all three healing styles was the same; only the method of use was different.
Since that time many years ago, I have learned many helpful techniques from a variety of energy healers using a multitude of systems, but I simply integrate them with my own intuitive gift, using whatever works best for each individual client. If you decide to follow one of these paths to energy healing, my best advice is to be flexible and to listen to your own inner wisdom—sort of like anything else in witchcraft!
Getting Started: A Simple Exercise
You can always take a Reiki class (although they can be very expensive) or look for someone who teaches Therapeutic Touch; sometimes a nursing school will have a practitioner who also accepts students from the outside. But there is no reason why you can’t do a few simple exercises on your own.
Remember, everyone has the ability to do simple energy work. If it makes you more comfortable, you can do your experimentation within a magickal circle, but it isn’t necessary to do so. You may also want to light a candle to one of the healing gods or goddesses (Apollo is a good one) and ask for whatever help that deity may wish to give.
Start by grounding and centering. Take a few slow, deep breaths. If you are sitting, feel your tailbone connecting with the energy of the earth. If you are standing, connect through the soles of your feet. Feel the energy of the earth coming up into your core (around the area of your belly button). Then open yourself to the energy of the sky, and feel it entering the top of your head and moving down to meet the earth’s energy in your core. Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and feel your core growing full and warm.
Don’t worry if things don’t happen dramatically the first time you try this; sometimes it takes practice.
Rub your hands together briskly, back and forth a few times. This helps the energy start flowing down your arms and into your palms. Then move your hands so that they are about shoulder-width apart, held out in front of you with your elbows slightly bent and your palms facing each other. If it helps, visualize yourself holding a giant invisible beach ball between your two hands.
Stay in that position for a minute and see if you can feel the energy moving between your palms. Then slowly move your hands toward each other, palms facing. See how close your hands have to get before you feel the energy. It will feel like a small, round ball or maybe just like a slight resistance to forward movement. When you reach the point where you can feel that resistance, try pushing your palms gently toward each other and then pull away and do it again. The more you practice, the more sensitive you will become to the energy, and the farther away your hands will be from each other when you start to sense it. It may help to visualize the energy as a glowing light.
Once you have formed the ball of energy between your hands, tip your left hand up over your right, as if you were pouring the energy into the palm of your right hand. Then hold your left arm out and run your right hand slowly down it, starting at the shoulder and ending at the fingertips. Keep your right hand about an inch away from the other arm as you move very slowly down. You should be able to feel the energy moving with the hand, and the fingertips of your left hand may tingle after you get to the end. Then make the energy ball again and switch hands.
As with everything else, this will become easier with practice, but you may be surprised by how rapidly your skill develops. Remember that you should never work on anyone else without their permission, and be sure to ground before you start so that you don’t pick up any negative energy from the person you are working on. Especially in the beginning, it is a good idea to visualize anything you take in going back out of you through your feet and harmlessly into the earth.
Energy healing isn’t a substitute for standard medical care, but it is a wonderful way to tap into the positive power of the universe to help yourself and others—and what could be more magickal than that?
Private Ritual for the
Death of a Parent
by Lisa McSherry
We don’t do grief.
—Joan Didion, author
For most of us, talking about how we feel is difficult, and doubly so when we are grieving. We are in pain, often combined from sorrow and anger to varying levels, and we are alienated from others because of that pain. We may feel guilty because of unfinished business we didn’t take care of in our relationship. Or we may not feel much of anything at all; it’s too distant. People avoid us or are deeply awkward in our presence. Social niceties encourage us to make it easier on them, which is exhausting, so instead we project a sense of calm, an air of not needing sympathy or of having “moved on”—as if the death of a love one was a minor part of our lives.
As I write this, my grandmother is dying, and my mother and I are having long conversations about how she is processing—or not—her grief. My grandmother was not a very nice person for most of my mother’s lifetime, which damaged my mother in many ways. Not surprisingly, my relationship with my mother was influenced by this damage. These issues are actively being presented to us in the here and now.
The death of a parent has a profound influence on us. With their death, we become the oldest in the family, we become the adults, we become the next in line to die. This article began as a straightforward ritual: outline, words, symbols; but as I am working with my mother, I realize that grieving takes place in stages, and so our rituals must also take place in different places and times.
You think that their
dying is the worst
thing that could happen.
Then they stay dead.
—Donald Hall “Distressed Haiku”
We grieve in the moment, we grieve while making funeral arrangements and arguing over who gets the tea towels. We grieve when we are alone, we grieve at the funeral. But it’s not enough. Grief is truly what happens when everyone has gone home; when you’ve thanked everyone for their help. Grief begins when we are once again alone, asking “now what?”
I had the privilege of seeing Sir Ian McKellan play King Lear several years ago. This play is about a man who has everything and then loses it all. There is an iconic moment in Act V when Lear walks on stage carrying his dead daughter in his arms. He staggers under the burden, almost falling, but refusing to drop her until he lays her gently down. Grief is heavy; it is unbearable; it is different for every one of us. Some people find losing a parent bearable—sad but not devastating. Others are crippled by their pain.
They make adjustments in their life to cope with the burden of grief. Life is details: the stories that families tell come from growing up together, sharing meals and experiences. Death wrenches those details away. What is left is pain.
The Five Stages of Ritual
I didn’t write a single ritual, I wrote five, each designed for a different stage of the grief cycle. You may wish to alter their form or content, or repeat one or several, or never do another. As I said, grief is individual and you know your needs best.
To create sacred space, physically clean the area you are going to use and then set it up with the items you will be using in the ritual. Cleanse yourself, consciously relaxing and letting as much of your negative emotions go as possible. (Showers are great for this.)
Face east and imagine a door opening. Say: “I call upon the powers of air to guide me and inspire me.”
Face south and imagine a door opening. Say: “I call upon the powers of fire to give me the energy to complete this task.”
Face west and imagine a door opening. Say: “I call upon the powers of water to support me emotionally and help me understand my psyche.”
Face north and imagine a door opening. Say: “I call upon the powers of earth to strengthen and ground me.”
See a sphere forming around you, enclosing you and your ritual space completely. Say: “As above, so below, I stand between the worlds and beyond the bounds of time.”
To open the circle, bow to the four directions, and imagine the sphere dissolving while saying: “I thank the powers of air (fire, water, earth) for their presence here. Go if you must, stay if you will. Blessed be.”
Accept Your Grief
Part of every misery is, so to speak, the misery’s shadow or reflection: the fact that you don’t merely suffer but have to keep on thinking about the fact that you suffer. I not only live each endless day in grief, but live each day thinking about living each day in grief.
—C. S. Lewis
Grieving can be frustrating. It is upsetting to be so upset; it’s hard to be discombobulated by something as intangible as emotions. Thus a major component of the grieving process is learning to accept that we are grieving and allow it to run its course. I’m a firm believer in praying “Please let me learn this lesson quickly so I can move on” and the loss of a parent is definitely a Cosmic Lesson. There is no use in your feeling terrible because you feel terrible; this ritual can help you accept that you are grieving.
Process
Choose a time when you will be alone and uninterrupted. Have a good-sized mirror nearby, as well as tissues and a glass of water.
Create sacred space. This can be done formally or informally, with as much detail as you require.
Meditate on the quality of your grief, of your pain.
When you are ready, look at yourself in the mirror. Say “I am <name your feelings>.” If it seems appropriate to shout it, do so. If you want to curse, or ramble on, go ahead.
Do your best to name as much of what you are feeling as possible. (You may want to journal this. If you do, make sure you also talk aloud—you need to hear how you feel.)
Promise to take care of yourself.
Promise not to let anyone tell you how you should feel.
Promise to respect your feelings.
Create a self-care plan to support you through this time. (You know best what you need, but I suggest making sure your plan includes extra sleep, quiet time, and plenty of distractions [jigsaw puzzles are ideal] when you need them.)
When you are ready, take several deep breaths. Drink your water.
Open the circle.
You may want to hold a stone during the ritual, and then carry it around with you to help you remember to respect your feelings. Good stone types include amethyst, apache tears, jasper, and sodalite. Some people may prefer to use rose quartz or hematite.
Forgive Others
Long after your parent is laid to rest, you’ll be dealing with the awkwardness and insensitivity of others. During the emotionally draining period near the end you will find yourself extra-sensitive to the emotional wobbles within the people around you. It is a time when many decisions must be made, and that leads, almost inevitably, to disagreements. Much of the tension will arise from poor communication, but it will also come from the need of others to do something—anything—to fix the situation, rather than letting your grief run its course. To help you forgive:
Choose a time when you will be alone and uninterrupted.
Create sacred space. I strongly recommend having an image of Buddha or Tara to contemplate—their loving compassion is the energy you want to manifest.
Sit comfortably in a chair, with your back upright, and your feet flat on the floor. Breathe slowly, deeply and rhythmically for at least five minutes. Don’t hurry this exercise. Let your body and breath slow to a peaceful, comfortable rhythm before going further. You want to be as relaxed as you can be.
Imagine yourself surrounded by a thick, warm blanket or shawl. Let it settle softly about you, comforting and protecting you within its thick folds. Feel yourself snuggling into it, feeling safe and warmed.
Visualize that the person that you are having difficulty with is sitting across from you. They are not allowed to speak to you or touch you without your permission or an invitation to do so. As clearly as you can, tell them your truth. Tell them about your anger, your pain, the hurt that you feel. Stay as centered on your own feelings and pain as you can. Say everything you need to say, leaving nothing back. End by saying:
<Full name>, I forgive you for the pain you brought to me, whether real or imagined, deliberate or unintentional.
Breathe deeply and release your hurt. Give yourself permission to feel hurt in future situations, but promise to let it go so it doesn’t stagnate within. You may wish to offer a personal prayer to Buddha or Tara.
Stay within this feeling of safety as long as you wish.
When you are finished, imagine the blanket melting into your body, becoming an invisible shield to support you from the idiocy of others.
Open the circle.
Dealing with the Pictures in Your Head
The death of a parent is usually accompanied by many difficult scenes—hospital room tableaux, arguments, quiet time spent looking at their face, last requests, bad news, smells. Even if you weren’t present when mom or dad died, your brain will make an image of it, perhaps one that is even worse than reality. Many of us in the grief process will also be reluctant to talk about the dead, either because we don’t want to remind others of our grief or because we don’t want to speak ill of the dead. This keeps the images in our head strong and vibrant.
For this ritual, you want to do some research and preparation. Find out as much as you can about how your parent died (if you weren’t there); write down in as much detail as possible what you can remember about the difficult scenes. Write it all out.
Choose a time when you will be alone and uninterrupted.
Have a fireproof container, matches, and be prepared to put out a fire (just in case).
Have a bunch of cheap paper, a pen (perhaps a nice one), and a bunch of beautiful paper.
Create sacred space.
Document everything you can about the pictures in your head. What evokes them? What don’t you know? What is the worst thing about them? Use the cheap paper.
Spend as much time as you need documenting the worst you possibly can.
When you are ready, burn the pages.
Think about that scenario and reframe it in a more positive light. You don’t have to make it sweetness and light, but a few changes will often make a big difference in how awful the scene made you feel.
Write that new scenario on the gorgeous paper.
Releasing Anger
For those of us who were abused by or had extremely difficult relations with our parents, their death comes with particularly mixed emotions. Eventually, you may settle on rage as your primary emotion. Anger can be cleansing and supportive, but rage tends to be destructive. I offer this ritual as a way to process that emotion.
Choose a time when you will be alone and uninterrupted.
Have at hand a red candle, cheap writing paper and pen, very nice writing paper (and perhaps a really nice pen), a white candle, a fireproof container, and matches.
Create sacred space: face the east, and call upon air to help you express your rage clearly. Face the south, and call upon fire to help your rage burn up and out of you. Face the west, and call upon water to help your emotions flow freely within the circle, cleansing your spirit and restoring yourself. Face the north, and call upon earth to allow you to safely ground your rage, and to sustain and support you through the releasing process. As you call the directions, visualize a circle of white light forming around your working space, shielding you and protecting you with the elements you’ve called in.
The Goddess Kali is particularly appropriate for this ritual, but if you haven’t worked with her before, then I recommend Sekhmet, Nemesis, or Lyssa.
Light the red candle and begin to write or draw your rage on the cheap paper. Focus on making the issues clear and how what happened made you feel; avoid paying attention to the other person’s guilt or motivations. Using “I” statements helps here.
Next, hold the paper between your hands, focus your awareness on the red candle, and begin to chant, shout, scream, or make whatever sounds help you to feel the rage come up and leave you. Send the rage into the red candle, watching the flames burn brighter and hotter as the force of your anger fuels them.
When you feel you’ve released as much rage as you can, burn the papers.
Light the white candle.
Shift your focus to feeling calm and at peace. As you do so, write or draw on the fine paper your strengths, those qualities which are wonderful about your self.
When you are finished, read or describe those qualities aloud. Speak in the present tense and acknowledge your strength, your beauty, your intelligence.
Open the circle (let the candles burn out).
A really quick and dirty (non-ritual) version of this (with thanks to the authors of About Grief for the idea) is to turn on your vacuum cleaner and scream and shout while cleaning up. This is an excellent cathartic mechanism if you just need to blow off some steam.
Ritual Script:
The Conversation You Never Had
Many of us have difficult relationships with our parents. Many of us don’t get the chance to heal those relationships or even find a sense of being able to move on and past those problems. Death is the final barrier to closure, and our grieving process can be prolonged by guilt and a re-emergence of memories of those long-buried pains. We may find ourselves fiercely angry or deeply ashamed. As hard as it might seem while we are feeling this way, the keys to integrating our emotions lie first in expressing, then in understanding, and finally in forgiving.
Choose a time when you will be alone and uninterrupted.
Place an extra chair and a picture of the deceased across from you. (You may also want to have a glass of water. You’re going to be talking a lot.)
Create sacred space.
Start talking. Explain what happened. Tell them how you feel. Tell them what they did wrong. Go ahead and express whatever emotion seems appropriate in the moment. Mock them. Cuss them out. Really get into it.
At some point you’ll realize you are repeating yourself. When you do, take a break. Stand up, walk around, do jumping jacks or anything that gets your blood moving a bit.
Sit down again, and tell the story again, only this time talk about what you learned from it. Try to avoid being cynical—you want to find the positive and bring it into the circle.
Now tell a story about a shared experience that makes you laugh and regard the deceased fondly. This is as much a part of your experience as the negative.
Say aloud ,“<full name>, I forgive you for the pain you brought to me, whether real or imagined, deliberate or unintentional.”
Open the circle.
I find myself drawn to specific rituals within the larger world, most notably those from the Jewish tradition. I offer them to you to incorporate into your own rituals as you see fit. Upon hearing of a loved one’s death, grief is expressed by tearing one’s clothing. That torn clothing is worn for the seven days following (shiva is the term, Hebrew for “seven”). During that time mirrors are covered and mourners grieve intensely by not going to work, not wearing shoes, sitting on low chairs, and not watching any entertainment. For the thirty days after that, the mourners begin to re-enter society, but continue to refrain from attending parties or celebrations, they do not shave or cut their hair, nor do they listen to music. These practices recognize that when a major change in life has taken place, the survivor needs to step out of everyday activity for a while. A year after the death of a parent, the family gathers again at the grave site and unveils the grave marker. This ritual marks the end of the mourning period for the family.
Grieving is hard work, and it is not accomplished in anything like a linear fashion. You will need time to rest and gather your strength for the next round. Go ahead and take that sleeping pill; one won’t turn you into an addict, and you need the sleep. Whatever you choose to do, I know your way of dealing with your grief is exactly what you need to do.
Give sorrow words. The grief that does not speak
Whispers the o’er-fraught heart, and bids it break.
—Malcolm in Macbeth
For Further Study
“Jewish Mourning Rituals” found at: www.religionfacts.com/judaism/cycle/mourning.htm
Lewis, C. S. A Grief Observed. New York: Harper Collins, 1961. pg. 22
Marasco, Ron, and Brian Shuff. About Grief: Insights, Setbacks, Grace Notes, Taboos. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 2010.
Nuland, Sherwin. How We Die: Reflections of Life’s Final Chapter. New York: Vintage Publishing, 1995.
Pinsky, Robert. “‘The Year of Magical Thinking’: Goodbye to All That,” New York Times, October 9, 2005. found at: www.nytimes.com/2005/10/09/books/review/09pinsky.html?pagewanted=all.
Safer, Jeane. Death Benefits: How Losing a Parent Can Change An Adult’s Life—For the Better. New York: Basic Books, 2008.
Repair and Regenerate
the Aura
by Calantirniel
An aura, simply described, is the active energetic body that permeates and surrounds our physical bodies. It is part of us rather than separate from us. While not visible to our physical eyesight, it is often described as egg-shaped and can extend on average (for humans) about an arm’s length from the body all around and even farther if the person is spiritual, vital, and aware. We are more expansive if we feel safe and happy, and we pull the aura in closer if we feel the need to protect ourselves. Plants, animals, and even inanimate objects also have auras. There are a number of different ways of seeing and defining the aura, and descriptions for various layers that go beyond the scope of this article. Anyone can use these techniques to work with these unseen energy bodies for uplifting their spirits, revitalizing their health, and improving their connection to source.
If you have access to a metaphysical vendor that provides Kirlian photography or other comparable technology, you may wish to have your aura photographed and even interpreted. Keep in mind that while these machines can provide very useful information, an experienced human aura reader will likely be more accurate, so it is good to choose someone who provides this service with the photograph. Since our auras are always changing, you may wish to date this photograph so you can later see patterns that were developing, patterns that are leaving, and changes you decide to make with this knowledge.
If you don’t have access to this technology, An easy and inexpensive way to define the auric field is to use dowsing rods or even a pendulum. With dowsing rods, start some distance from the person and walk toward them, with the rods being parallel. When you start to approach the person’s auric field, the rods will come together and touch at the point that the aura of that person ends. When using a pendulum, approach the person with it swinging forward and backward, and upon reaching the aura’s border the pendulum will instead swing left to right, at the aura’s border. Do this several times in different places because the aura field may not be perfectly egg-shaped and could need some energy work.
As you dowse and define the aura, you may notice other senses starting to work, perhaps senses you did not know you had. It cannot be overemphasized: your intuition, or your inner sense of knowing, sometimes described as your inner guidance or “compass,” is the most important of these senses. If you can see the aura at this point, that is wonderful—but not necessary. It is much more important to “sense” it, and not just the feel of it, but even to somehow sense colors (which are visually defined as different levels of frequency or vibration). Some of you who will study the layers of the aura can then use this technique to determine each layer, including the electromagnetic layer that is the closest to our physical bodies, most often appearing white and sticking out from the body about one or two inches. Whether you see or sense these colors, please know that no one color is better than another, as we all have different purposes in our lives at any given time.
Here’s a basic rule of thumb: If the colors are clear, light, bright, and vibrant, the aura is healthy in these areas. In areas they appear or feel dull, dingy, muddled, or murky, energetic healing techniques will be needed to restore the aura’s vibrancy.
These areas can be holes or tears, which can allow undesirable energies to enter as well as allow a person’s energies to leak out. For those who feel sensation, these areas can feel like a “draft.” The person can often feel drained. This type of damage is really common because when we go into the world, we inevitably “brush” our auras across other people and things, which can inadvertently tear them. This is also the case when we physically injure ourselves and can see the area of the injury needing energetic healing. Interestingly, like a cloth that gathers dust, this is also the way we pick up residual energies, some of which can weigh our energies down and deplete our vital force. We can even do this to ourselves by not getting enough sunlight, fresh air, exercise, good foods, and water, and can overdo it with processed foods, alcohol, drugs, and other influences (like anger and depression) that weaken our aura.
While most of this damage happens accidentally, sometimes the causes of damage are rather deliberate, since many people who live in a fear-based paradigm believe it is easier to steal, threaten, or disempower another rather than to build and empower themselves. This is certainly most unfortunate.
|
COLOR |
CLEAR, VIBRANT |
DULL, DINGY |
|
Purple |
Very good intuition, active interest in spiritual matters |
Can be conflict between logic and intuition, prone to headaches, tension |
|
Blue |
Communication, honesty, a good sense of fairness and justice, calm, reflective |
Overcaregiver, sensitive, may experience loneliness, feeling low, prone to sinus, throat, or mouth sensitivities |
|
Green |
Nature lover, often healers or teachers, true friendships, warm, giving, open-hearted |
Closed-off heart to others (green with envy), may feel lost, uncertain, heart/ blood/circulatory ailments |
|
Yellow |
Sunny, optimistic, may be learning new knowledge, curious, focus and intellect work in sync with willpower |
May take on too many projects and not finish them; can lack focus, appear indecisive, nervous, fear, stomach/digestion issues |
|
Orange |
Creative, warm personalities, nurturing, intelligent, positive, self-knowledge |
May overanalyze, feel blocked, emotionally drained, deny needs, lower digestive or female reproductive problems |
|
Red |
Physically active, passionate, deliberate, purposeful, practical, strength and vigor |
Can have quick temper, impulsive anger, overwhelmed by desire, control issues, letting go, survival, colon or male reproductive-area problems |
|
Brown |
Lover of the countryside, traditional values, down to earth, family ties to farming, banking, mining |
May feel hemmed-in, restricted, energy may need cleansing and recharging |
|
Pink |
Inner child, self-love, purity, innocence, compassionate |
Being too hard on self, not loving or nurturing the inner child, relates to the heart area |
|
White |
Purity of purpose, can be spiritual or religious, can look light golden |
Usually a light cleansing needed |
|
Black |
Not usual; as a temporary measure, it means strong protection and almost appears invisible |
Old issues (karma, past lives, ancestral) that need to be cleared, usually old anger, feeling stuck, blockage, holes, healing energy and repair needed |
It is common for more than one color to be present in the aura, and the differences you notice usually have a valid explanation. For instance, I had my aura read many years ago right after a Reiki I attunement. While much of it appeared to be a clear peridot or apple-green color, there appeared to be a beautiful light warm purple color on the top of my head (signifying good intuition at the time). If a color you see is in between two other colors, it will often have qualities of both of the colors that create that color.
Another thing to keep in mind: Colors on the left side are usually future energies being received, and colors on the right side are usually passing or past energies being given into the world or projected, and even things being released. During that same aura reading, I had some orange energy on my left side near my arms and hands, and shortly after the reading I went into a highly creative cycle. If I had already gone through this highly creative cycle, my aura would have reflected this orange color on my right side.
The main qualities you can expect from these colors in auras are listed on the chart on page 351. Upon review, you may notice a similarity to the chakra system—indeed, they are interrelated.
Restoring Your Aura
Now that you know what an aura is, and how to define it by seeing or sensing it, you can learn a technique to restore it to its proper working order.
Create protective spiritual workspace with the method you usually use. Some may simply ask to be surrounded by protective and loving white light, while others may call on their spirit guides and/or a deity like Jesus, Buddha, Isis, or Odin. If you like working with an angel, Archangel Michael is highly recommended. If you are working on another’s aura, ask these spiritually protective forces to determine and reinforce healthy, balanced working boundaries.
Cleansing the aura: Use a scanning or sweeping motion either downward or counterclockwise with your hands alone, and either actual or visualized tools like a crystal (black tourmaline with citrine works well here), a crystal or oak wand, a golden or crystal comb, even your fingers. Many people don’t think of this, but using an actual raw egg as a crystal is one of the best auric “vacuums” around. Please dispose the liquid contents of the egg by flushing it down the toilet, and the shells are best placed in outside trash, preferably away from your land (if the egg cracks before you are done, immediately get a new egg, and dispose of all used eggs properly).
Repairing the aura: After cleansing, you may notice those murky-colored areas or places that feel like a draft still exist. I like “darning” or sewing the aura together with an astral needle and healing thread at the hole to patch it. I also like “filling” and smoothing as if you have wood putty to fill in the holes or rough spots in wood. If you are attuned to Reiki or another healing energy method, use symbols to call healing energies along with these techniques. To extend this repair work, the person can regularly take a flower essence designed to tighten the aura and provide protection. Two great choices in the single flower formulas are Yarrow from Flower Essence Services (FES), and Fringed Violet from Australian Bush Flower Essences. Two flower/gem blend formulas that work very well are the Yarrow Environmental Solution formula from FES, and the Guardian blend from Alaskan Essences.
Regenerate the aura: Begin by rubbing your hands together briskly while visualizing “breathing” energies from the top of your head and the bottom of your feet into your body from the sky (including Sun, Moon, stars) and through the Earth and all of her life (imagine you have roots that move). Now feel this strong energy between your hands, then while breathing deeply in and out, arms moving in crisscross fashion, surround your body as if it were in a cocoon, top chakras first, allowing this energy to fill the large egg-shaped space (any color that feels right is good as long as it is a clear, light, “sparkly,” or bright color). When reaching your feet, breathe in deeply and “grab up” the energy, tossing it above your head and allowing it to fluff and fill out your area in a natural, unforced way. Intend that your energy now replenishes through spirit working through you, rather than from you, which will lessen the tendency to allow others to deplete your energy. In fact, you may find yourself replenished instead of drained when others need energy from you!
Maintain your renewed aura by regularly smudging with sage, using crystals like black tourmaline and citrine, taking cleansing baths, spraying around you with rosewater, and regularly taking the flower essences mentioned in aura repair section above. Keeping your aura clean and strong can also lead to better physical health over time.
If you find yourself in a pinch when you are really drained and low on energy—hug a tree! May you always feel vital and re-energized!
Dark Moon Meditations
by Autumn Damiana
In “Wicca 101,” we learn about the different phases of the moon (waxing, full, and waning) and how they relate to the three faces of the Great Goddess (Maiden, Mother, and Crone.) We are also taught that the moon determines when and how to go about doing our witchy business. Technically, the “dark” moon refers to the very end of the waning moon, right before it becomes new again and cannot be seen in the sky. However, the phrase “dark moon” has come to include the entire waning moon phase. This is traditionally a time when only banishing spells are cast, and the focus is on more introspective work such as divination, study, and meditation. Most magical folk have little trouble with divination and study, but for some reason, many of us don’t meditate regularly. Some of us have never been taught or don’t realize that we already know how. Others are unaware of the importance of meditation, and may also not realize how useful the practice can be.
Why Meditate?
Many believe that the whole point to meditation is to find “inner peace.” This is an attractive idea but also quite a challenge, considering that adepts may dedicate their entire lives to this goal. However, that doesn’t mean that you should completely abandon your quest for inner peace. The beauty of meditation is that it can provide you with all sorts of other benefits that will help you find whatever you ultimately want out of life. These benefits can manifest in a variety of ways, from reduced stress to greater emotional stability to an overall feeling of better health and well-being.
As a Pagan, Wiccan, or Witch, there are also a few other reasons to meditate. One reason is the health advantage. Magic and ritual can overtax the system, and meditation is a good way to balance and recharge the body. Another good reason is that meditation is a way to train the mind. Because we often use visualization in our Craft, it is important to practice visualization techniques. It is also a good idea to learn how to focus, which can only be accomplished when you figure out how to deal with or ignore distractions. Meditation can help in both of these areas. Lastly, most spiritual traditions or disciplines stress the importance of knowing the Self. You can easily explore this inner terrain through meditation, which can boost your intuition, enhance your psychic abilities, deepen your awareness and understanding, and bring you into harmony with Universal Oneness.
Basic Meditation
Stereotypes of meditation abound, such as the idea that you must empty your mind completely or that you need to remain absolutely still while holding unnatural or unfamiliar poses. No wonder so many of us find meditation so mystifying! In fact, there are hundreds of meditation styles and techniques, and while these stereotypes stem from actual practices, they are of an advanced nature and can take years to master. Effective meditation does not have to involve complicated or hard-to-learn methods, nor does it have to be formal or ritualized, unless you want it to be. Here are a few sample meditation exercises, which you may be familiar with:
1. Breathing slowly and purposefully.
2. Listening to the sound of your breath or your heart beating.
3. Grounding and centering.
4. Using prayer or meditation beads.
5. Repeating or chanting of a sound, word, mantra, or phrase.
6. Conscious relaxation; letting go of worry, stress, and tension.
7. Participating in a guided meditation or journeying exercise.
8. Walking or following a labyrinth or other circuitous path.
9. Spending a few moments in quiet contemplation of something specific.
10. Engaging in stretching, yoga, dance, or any body movement.
The secret to getting the most out of meditation is to decide what you would like to accomplish, and then choosing the method best suited to help you achieve that goal. This way, you won’t ever have to be frustrated that you are “forcing” the practice or feel that you are not doing it right. Start with any of the above meditation ideas that seem easy to you, and practice just relaxing or listening to your inner Self. Experiment and see what happens. Everyone is different; while some may be able to meditate sitting still in silent reflection, others will prefer to move around, chant, or engage in freeform meditation just “zoning out.”
Any kind of meditating during the dark moon is appropriate because of the moon phase’s emphasis on introspection. However, if you really want to take advantage of the dark moon’s specific energies to give your meditations extra oomph, tailor your meditation topics and goals accordingly. Just as with spellwork, the dark moon is a good time to concentrate on anything that you would like to banish. You can meditate to relieve stress or anxiety, decrease time spent loafing in front of the computer or TV, or work on letting go of grief, resentment, anger, addiction, illness, or any other form of negativity. A meditation can even take the form of an actual spell. You can also use the dark moon to meditate on subjects such as completion of a cycle, death and rebirth, endings, the shadow self, or why disintegration and destruction are sometimes necessary.
Working with Dark Goddesses
The Great Goddess has many different aspects, and one of the ways we work with, worship, and understand her is through Her many identities. Here is a short list of some goddesses that embody a “heavier” energy compatible with the dark moon phase. You might want to say a prayer to one of these goddesses before a meditation, or establish an ongoing dialogue with one or more of them during the dark moon.
Sekhmet: The Egyptian lioness-headed goddess Sekhmet once wielded the scorching heat of the sun against humankind because they had lapsed in their worship of the gods. A goddess of war and vengeance, Sekhmet also represents loyalty, the healing arts, and the fiercely protective nature of a mother lioness. Call on Sekhmet to help “tame” you when you feel out of control or to help discover, understand, and heal the imbalances within you.
Kali: One of the most complex and often misunderstood goddesses in India, Kali has a fearsome reputation as a bringer of death and destruction. However, Kali destroys only what stands in the way of new creation. She represents the conquering and yet transformative power of time, which marches ever onward, bringing necessary change whether we like it or not! Kali is the perfect goddess to call on to overcome fears or other obstacles blocking you on your life’s path or impeding your personal progress.
Morrigan: A powerful and ferocious Celtic warrior goddess, Morrigan is a favorite among modern Pagans. Known as “the Phantom Queen,” she is the goddess of battle, strife, the circle of life and death, and prophecy. Often represented as a raven or a crow flying above the battlefield and feeding on the dead, Morrigan can also appear as a beautiful young woman or an old hag. Because of this, she has a reputation as a shapeshifter. Morrigan can teach you how to adapt when necessary, but she can also show you how to take control and change your fate. Her most valuable lesson is in recognizing which approach is the right choice.
Lilith: This is a controversial figure from ancient Jewish legend. Purported to be the first wife of Adam, Lilith was created at the same time and out of the same earth as he was. As a result, she felt she should be regarded by Adam as an equal and refused to be ruled by him. When Adam continued to assert his dominance, she left both him and the Garden of Eden behind, instigating “the first divorce” and causing herself to be replaced by the more submissive Eve. Today, Lilith is considered an archetype of a strong, confident, determined, and independent woman. Work with Lilith to build these traits in yourself or to overcome adversity from others.
Hecate: A Greco-Roman triple goddess, Hecate is synonymous with sorcery, the night, and the moon. In recent times, Hecate has been identified with the moon’s waning phase and is usually depicted as the Crone or Wise Woman. And yet, because of her threefold aspect, she has been worshiped in times past as embodying all the phases of the moon and all of the stages of life. Regarded as the patroness of Witches, you can ask Hecate to aid you in any form of divination or magic. Call on her to help you understand the Mysteries or to gain wisdom of the Self through introspection.
Specific Meditations for the Dark Moon
A General Meditation for Letting Go
Lie down outside under the waning Moon (or hold an image of it in your mind). Breathe in and out, slowly and deeply, until you start to relax. Speak to the moon, and ask it a question such as “what do I need to cut out of my life?” or “how can I let go of what is no longer serving me?” Continue to breathe deeply, concentrating on the image of the moon, and let your mind wander until an answer comes to you naturally. Whatever the answer is, even if it seems silly or makes no sense, meditate on it for some time and see what else surfaces. When you are satisfied that you have accepted the answer and given it serious consideration, thank the moon and allow your consciousness to return to normal.
Breaking Bad Habits or Behaviors
For this meditation, you need to obtain a long stick that you can break in half with your hands. (Don’t do it yet!) You will also need a small ball of black yarn or a skein of black embroidery floss. The string represents the bad habit, behavior, pattern, or just general negativity in your life. The stick represents the platform supporting this negativity. You will meditate on whatever you want to change while you wind the yarn around the stick.
For example, say I want to meditate on quitting smoking. In this instance, the black yarn would represent everything negative about smoking, such as the health risks, the cost, and the smell. The stick would represent whatever has been supporting my smoking, like addiction, stress, and stubbornness. As I wrap the stick with the yarn, I will meditate on all the ways that smoking has affected me, the reasons I want to quit, the relationship between my habit and the behaviors that justify it, and all of the other thoughts, ideas, and emotions that come up during the meditation.
Whatever ideas you choose as your focus, take your time winding the yarn, and really think about the symbolism between it and the stick. When you have finished, look at the stick and see how tangled up it is. Now, will yourself to change and break the habit or discontinue the negative behavior or pattern, and at the same time, break the stick in a few places. Finish the meditation by unraveling the yarn off the broken stick, symbolizing that if you break the support structure for your bad habit, you can also break the habit itself. Save the yarn, and repeat the meditation with a new stick as needed.
Contemplating Death and Other Endings
On the full moon, select a single cut rose, carnation, tulip, or other ornamental flower in full bloom. Place the flower in a vase full of water where it will not be disturbed and that will be comfortable for you to meditate. This meditation lasts the entire two-week period of the dark moon, and involves observing the flower every day as it fades.
The directions are simple: set the flower in its place on the day of the full moon. Sit in front of it for at least a few minutes, and note its exact size, color, scent, texture, overall appearance, and anything else of interest. Write these observations down, if you wish. Revisit the flower every day, and mark its changes. These may not be apparent right away, but over time, it will be obvious that the bloom is dying. Resist the urge to clean up the petals or pollen, and refrain from changing the water, even if it becomes stagnant or the flower starts to mold. (I know it can be smelly or gross, but this is part of the natural cycle.) Continue to meditate on the flower every day for at least a few minutes, witnessing the changes taking place as it degenerates.
During these times, keep in mind the idea that eventually everything ends or dies. This is not meant to be a harsh or depressing view of life, but rather a reality check that can be used constructively to help understand that death is simply the precursor to rebirth. Ask yourself, what has recently ended in your life, is ending now, or perhaps needs to come to an end? Why? How does this affect you? What will be the next step or stage? Meditate on these questions and ideas, and know that there are no right or wrong answers. Every thought or feeling you have on the subject is valid and should be acknowledged. Again, write these in your journal if you wish. On the last day of the meditation (the new moon), think about what you have learned from the flower and thank it for sharing its lessons with you. You may then clean it up by putting the flower in a compost pile, a yard waste bin, or somewhere outside to continue decomposing.
These meditations are just a few of the many suitable ideas for the dark moon phase. Naturally you should feel free to change them to fit your particular needs, as well as make up your own meditations—the more personal and meaningful, the better. Like many things in life, meditation will become easier and more enjoyable with practice, but because there are so many different ways to meditate, it should never be boring or feel like a chore. Now that I have shared a little bit about meditation and why I believe it to be such a worthwhile pursuit, I hope that you will be inspired to start a regular dark moon meditation practice. After all, this is exactly what the time of the dark moon is for.
1. To address the limitations of totem animal card decks, I created “The Last Totem Card Deck You’ll Ever Need.” It is specifically designed to help you get in touch with literally any totem animal in the world, even extinct or mythological ones. You can find out more information in my book DIY Totemism: Your Personal Guide to Animal Totems (Megalithica Books, 2008).