Category Archives: Family

December 11, 2010 · 11:14 pm

Yule Recipes for Altar and Kitchen……..

Merry Meet my lovely friends. It is a chilly night..I’m sitting in jammies by the fire, sipping on egg nog and focusing on the upcoming Winter Solstice.   Yule is less then 2 weeks away and Christmas just a few days later.   I am about done shopping and my thoughts are turning to my kitchen and my altar.  I love cooking yummy, great smelling foods for my family to enjoy and I love “cooking” up sweet smelling oils and incenses for my use at my altar…. to anoint candles or myself,  for spells and ritual.  So thought I’d post some recipes for fun!  Some of these I have made and some I am looking forward to trying for the first time!

First some recipes for magickal workings.

Winter’s Night Yule Incense

2 parts Juniper berries

2 parts mugwort

1 part cedar

1 part pine resin

1 part laurel leaves

1 part chopped sweetgrass

½ part rosemary

This is one I have not tried yet..but look forward to making in a few days!  Can’t you just smell the pine, rosemary and cedar..must smell like a Yule tree farm!

Christmas Incense

3 parts Frankincense

2 parts Myrrh

2 part Cassia

2 part Mace

1/2 part clove buds

*from Pagan Christmas

If you don’t know how to make or burn loose incense…there is a post here on my blog about how to do it.   I love the loose incense..the smell is richer and lasts longer…and I feel very “witchy” when making it and burning it! 🙂

Winter Solstice Oil Blend

 4 drops Pine

  2 drops Orange

  2 drops Cedar

 2 drops Juniper

 2-3 lumps finely ground Frankincense

This I have made and it is wonderful!  I like to mix it with olive oil to give it a green look!  The smell of orange and pine is just luscious…for extra special scent..add a bit of ground clove too…smells like an orange pomander sitting on a bed of evergreens! 🙂

Ok..now lets head to the kitchen for some favorite Yuletide season recipes!  This is the time of year to NOT be on a diet! LOL!  Women (and men) have gathered in their kitchens for hundreds of years, cooking up feasts for their loved ones.  From ham to pie, from wassail to sides…the kitchen is full of delicious smells, the warmth from the oven and hearth, and the laughter of the family and friends who have gathered there.  This is the REAL reason for this season…..the love shared at this time of year.  In my family, my daughters learned to bake at an early age and my granddaughter Lily is learning already!   Giving a plate of homemade yummy goodness makes the receiver and the giver feel great!  So here is a few favorites to enjoy with your family!

GINGERBREAD CAKE 
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
1 c. boiling water
1 3/4 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. molasses
1/2 c. shorteningMix all dry ingredients, cream sugar, shortening, add molasses, blend all together.Pour into greased 13 x 9 inch pan, bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until center springs back. Cool in pan, cut into squares.  I love making gingerbread cake and serving it warm with Lemon Sauce or Caramel Sauce..you can also make this into loaves to give away as gifts!LEMON SAUCE1/2 c. sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. water
1/4 c. butter
1 tbsp. grated lemon rind
3 tbsp. lemon juice

Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan. Gradually stir in water. Cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in rest of ingredients. Serve over gingerbread.

Now that you have your delicious cake you might want something hot and warm to go with it to drink.  Hot spicy drinks are the perfect thing for this time of year…to sip, to make you feel warm and cozy inside!  Here’s a couple that might just fill that order!

 

 HOT BUTTERED RUM
 1 c. softened butter
1 1/3 c. light brown sugar
6 tbsp. honey
2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanillaMix all together. Refrigerate. When ready to serve, place 2 heaping tablespoons in each mug of hot apple cider and add rum to taste.  For even more great taste..add a spiced rum like Captain Morgans…Yum-O!! 🙂

HOLIDAY HOT WASSAIL
 4 c. apple juice
3 c. pineapple juice
2 c. cranberry juice cocktail
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
Lemon slicesCombine all ingredients in a large kettle and simmer.  Serve hot.  You might need to double this if it’s for a holiday party…and of course you can add brandy or spiced rum to this delicious holiday punch as well!One more recipe…and I confess I haven’t made this one though I’ve made something like it.  I think this would make a wonderful gift to give to neighbors, co-workers, your paper boy or mailman or UPS guy..(I know mine by first name! LOL).  I also think it would be delicious to have on Yule morning or Christmas morning while opening gifts!

CHERRY EGGNOG BREAD2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 c. eggnog
1/3 c. oil
1/2 c. nuts, chopped
1/2 c. cherries, cut upMix dry ingredients. Add eggnog, egg and oil. Mix well. Pour into greased bread pans. One large or two small.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.  I think this is a recipe that will be doubled or tripled right off the bat!  Wrap it in red or green plastic wrap, tie a silver or gold bow around it and it will make a beautiful gift.I hope you all will try and enjoy these recipes.  Money is tight for everyone this year and there may be some feelings of discontent or sadness in so many who have lost their jobs or can’t celebrate the season like they want to.  Serving delicious food and making cakes, breads, cookies etc  will put the cheer back in your heart and the skip in your step.  Make each meal a celebration of love and joy and savor the taste and the time with family and friends! 

May Peace and Plenty be the first to lift the latch of your door

and Happiness be guided to your home by the candle of Yule

-An Old Irish Blessing

 

Wishing you warm wishes for a joyful Yule season!  Autumn

 

5 Comments

Filed under Family, Loose incense recipe, Oil Blend Recipe, Recipe from my Kitchen, Spice, Yule/Winter Solstice/Chrismas

Tagged as , , , , ,

December 6, 2010 · 11:40 pm

Yule traditions and symbolism…..

Merry Meet lovely friends!  I am sitting in my easy chair with a warm glowing fire going, my daughter in the chair next to me, chili in the slow cooker, hot tea (cinnamon) in my cup and decided to write a blog post.  It has been snowy again today..we have about two inches of snow so far with more expected as the week goes on.  Winter is here no doubt!  Temps in the mid 20’s during the day, windy, brisk..and I just love it!

Earlier this week I pulled out three books I have on Yule..one is Dorothy Morrison’s book “Yule..a celebration of light and warmth.” and “The Winter Solstice.the sacred traditions” by John Matthews, and “Pagan Christmas”  by Christian Ratsch and Claudia Muller-Ebeling….all three are great books and contain a huge amount of information, history, recipes, crafts & rituals for the Yuletide season.  A common theme all 3 books is the symbolism behind our much loved “stuff” we put all over the place at this time of year.  Thought I would discuss a few of them!

Bells– Pagans, at their festivals, would originally ring bells to drive away the “demons” that surfaced during the cold, dark time of the year.  Christians are taught in the bible “to make a joyful noise”.  Bell ringing seemed to fit the bill.  Have you ever heard a bell ringing choir during a christmas eve service or mass?  Very beautiful.  Bells are very much associated with the season.

Candles-As a witch, the symbolism of a candle is about representing the element of fire, and representing God and Goddess and sends healing and protection when needed.  Candles are thought to have originated in ancient Rome when they gifted them to each other during Saturnalia.  The flame was thought to chase away dark winter demons and urge the Sun back into the sky.  At this time of year especially, my home is alight with candles to add warmth and light to my home.

Evergreens– Evergreens were used to decorate homes and halls dating back to the earliest Winter festivals.  Because the green never fades, they were thought to have power over death and destruction.  That power was again thought to chase away the winter demons and urge the Sun to come back. Evergreens in winter gave the pagans hope for a return of the light and the renewing power of the goddess nature.  I love to bring in the greens for their wonderful scent also!

Holly–  Holly has vibrant green leaves and bright red berries during the winter’s cold, providing a beautiful symbol of rebirth. The Celts gathered holly branches and placed them in their homes the night before the winter solstice as protection against sorcery, lightning, and death.  In Scandenavia, it was believed that holly would bring luck to the house.  In Roman Bacchus, holly was the female counterpart to male ivy and this is why wreaths were made of both and hung on the front door.  Pagans believe Holly is Masculine to Ivy’s feminine.  With this multilayerd symbolism, the holly is indeed the crown jewel of evergreens.  This is why the Green Man wears a crown of holly.  I have beautiful holly bushes in my own yard and can cut fresh stems thruout the season. 

Mistletoe– Sacred to the Druids, the berried mistletoe symbolized the semen of the gods, and was used to bring about great fertility and abundance.  Brought into the home and hung over doorways, it also protected from evil.    Why do we kiss under the mistletoe?  Norse legend  says that Frigg, loved her son Balder so much that she couldn’t stand the thought of something happening to him.  but Loki (the God of Mayhem) fashioned an arrow out of mistletoe and gave it to Balder’s blind brother.  The arrow was shot and Balder fell dead.  Frigg’s tears restored Her son to life, and in her happiness, she declared the mistletoe plant a symbol of luck, love and promise.  Kissing under the mistletoe means you are receiving Frigg’s blessing.  I think it’s also very romantic and fun!

Reindeer– Pagans believe the reindeer symbolizes the horned God Cernunnos.  Others believe they represent the stags that drew the Norse goddess Freya’s chariot..either way, reindeer have pagan origins.  And how would Santa get all over the world without them??? 🙂

Wreath–  A circle of greens…to a pagan a perfect symbol of  the never-ending cycle of birth, death, and re-birth.  Often used to represent the Sun as well.  The Romans gave wreaths during Saturnalia as a gift to symbolize goodwill, friendship, and joyfulness.  To me, nothing says Yule/Christmas more then a wreath on the front door.  And now many people keep a wreath on their door all year long..decorated for the various holidays or seasons.

Yule Log– The Celts adorned a log (symbolizing the Oak King) with evergreens (symbolizing the Holly King) to signify the  death of darkness and the warmth of the sun during the newborn  solar year.  According to tradition, the log should be burned continuously for 12 days, and a bit saved  to light the yule log for next year’s fire.  I burn my Yule log on Winter Solstice night.  I decorate it with greens from my own yard.  I also make a tabletop version…holes have been cut to support tapered candles in red, green and gold.  Covered in greens, pinecones and a big red bow!

In her book “Yule”, Dorothy Morrison has a beautiful chant to say while burning your Yule log…

Old King we thank you for all you’ve done

For lessons learned and victories won

We must however, bid you adieu

For your reign is finished, it’s over and through

Come forth young King of newest light

Be born with ease; grow strong and bright

Gain strength and stature in the sky

Shed your warmth on us, now from on high!

Now, while decorating  for the holidays, you will know the meaning behind the items you place so lovingly around your home.  You are bringing magick into your home, celebrating rituals that have been practiced since ancient times.  Warm bright candlelight, the smell of pine and fir, the family gathered for wassail while the Yule log burns.  Whether you celebrate Yule, Christmas, Hannukah…the feeling this time of year is universal.  It is approached with great love and  joy.   Take the time to celebrate the Solstice…you will make a new tradition in your own family that will be passed on to your children and grandchildren.  Blessings to you and yours, Autumn

4 Comments

Filed under Books I'm reading, Family, Nature, Ritual, Uncategorized, Yule/Winter Solstice/Chrismas

Tagged as , , , ,

November 22, 2010 · 11:30 pm

Feeding the birds in winter……

Merry Meet my friends and Blessed Full Frost Moon!  The Moon is gorgeous tonight here..huge and yellow in the sky..just a few clouds floating lazily across Her.  I have been very busy the last few days.  I have a busy week as I’m sure many of you do too.  Thanksgiving is at my house this year and my granddaughter’s 2nd birthday party is here on sunday!  I managed to get my home cleaned and decorated for Yule/Christmas the last couple of days.  Today the grocery shopping got done..Wed.  I’ll be cooking all day and getting ready! 🙂 

In the midst of all this busyness, I got a call from my daughter Kate asking me to come for a visit..of course I went..I never turn down a chance to see her and my darling little Lily.  After visiting a bit, we decided to do a project  that Lily would enjoy.  We decided to feed the birds!  This is a great fun project ..even for the little ones…because its fun and easy.  The idea is to make “ornaments” for an outdoor tree.  I have listed some ideas below and the how-tos on how to make these natural bird feeders.  Lily had such a great time and stuck with it for quite some time.  We then went out and decorated a tree in their yard.  We made a memory for all of us! 🙂

I have always loved birds…I just love watching them and we have had feeders and a bird bath for as long as I can remember.  My particular favorite, cardinals. who mate for life by the way, give my soul a lift when I see them at the feeder or sitting on a branch singing or you catch that bright red on a snowy winter day.  We get alot of birds here in Ohio in the winter.  Those beautiful cardinals, blue jays, finches, sparrows, titmice, doves, woodpeckers and other birds I’m not sure of the names of 🙂  We live near a wetlands and get alot of different species.  We have  had a heron land in our yard many times to visit our pond.    We keep our feeders filled and try to keep our bird bath clean and filled with water that isn’t frozen.   We have a koi pond with a waterfall and at any time during the winter, we will see birds bathing and drinking at the waterfall.  We have alot of trees for shelter also.

Some other ways to feed the birds..especially if you’re on a budget is to get creative.  Yes, bird feeders are nice but there are fun ways to feed them and to have fun while you’re doing it! 🙂

Bagel or Pinecone Treat  Take some regular bagels and slice them in half. Spread the cut side with either peanut butter or honey. Sprinkle the bagels with birdseed that you can purchase at nurseries or any place that sells pet supplies. To hang the bagels on your tree, thread a short length of cording through the center of the hole in the bagel and knot the ends to make a loop. Hang the treat on various branches of the tree for the birds to feed on. If you wanted you could also use yarn to hang the treat on the tree, so that in the spring the birds can re-use the yarn in their nests. Jute or hemp is good too for hanging.  You can do this with a large pine cone as well.

Cereal Garland
 String some dry cereal such as Cheerios on the string.  I also like to use apple jacks or fruit loops.   When hanging the cereal garland on the tree, group several strands together so it’s easier for the birds to eat. Drape the garland all over the tree as you would with your Christmas tree.

Corn on the Cob Treats
Wrap some wire around the top of a corn cob, leaving a loop for hanging.  Hang the corn cob on the branches of the tree by the wire loop.  The squirrels and chipmunks will love this too!

Apple Treats
Cut a short length of wire and fold it in half. Wrap the loose ends of the wire around the apple stem, leaving a loop to hang the apple with. Hang the apples from the tree branches with the wire loop.  Birds love fruit and berries.  Try to have trees that will bear fruit and berries in your yard.

Some other natural ways of feeding and sheltering  birds…grow flowers that have seed heads such as sunflowers…leave the seed heads on the flowers instead of cutting down the flowers. Throw  your left over or stale bread, muffins, nuts, berries right on the ground.  Keep a water source.  Use a live christmas tree…after christmas..put it in your yard to help shelter birds.  Hang bird houses.  Plant trees.  The birds will come to your yard if you make it “homey” for them! 🙂  Oh yes, you will want to have a camera and a pair of binoculars available as well.

                            “Watching birds has become part of my daily meditation affirming my connection to the earth body.”….Carol P. Christ

I think this quote is so true.  Watching birds..the beauty of nature…will help you to feel the connection to our Mother Earth.  And caring for her creatures….that connects Mother Earth  to us! 🙂  So feed the birds this winter, take time to watch them while you’re having your morning cup, listen to their song, and appreciate the beauty that is right there for you to enjoy.

Blessed Be, Autumn

6 Comments

Filed under Family, Full Moons, Granddaughter, Mother Earth, Nature, Winter

Tagged as , , ,

November 5, 2010 · 7:05 pm

My favorite things…..

Merry Meet again my lovelies….

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.”  ~Thornton Wilder

This is a beautiful quote…it is indeed the moments that we are appreciative of our “treasures”  that make us feel happy,  joyful, and grateful.  I have so much going on right now in my life..some of it very stressful indeed…that I am physically feeling the effects of my emotions.  I don’t feel well and I’m sooo tired and I know it’s that I feel my life is out of my control right now and I’m worried about my loved ones who are going thru some trials right now in their lives.

But I have lit a fire, I have my candles going and my crystals are out and I have quieted enough to comtemplate what is good in my life.  So I’m listing some of my favorite things..just little things that make me happy!

* A fire in my fireplace  *The smell of my pumpkin spice candle    *my new flannel jammies..pink!   * Old Black/White Classic movies   *The sound of the heat kicking on ..on a cold night      *A good book to curl up with     *My red tartan plaid wool blanket         *Looking at my cats curled up with me or at my feet      *A glass of red wine     *Oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins for dinner      *A fresh swept floor    *The Full Moon shining bright in the sky   *Soft instrumental music    *Holiday music!    *a stack of magazines and catalogs to look thru      *an extra hour’s sleep      *A misty morning sunrise          *A pink glowy sunset  *The comfort of knowing I’m a child of the Goddess    *The pleasure of being a Witch and all that life entails     * Dried herbs hanging in my kitchen      *The smell of fresh laundered towels     *A long soaking hot bath with oils and lit candles         *Crocheting a blanket for my Lily    *My hubby who keeps checking in on me and my daughter…asking if we need anything      *Knowing I have nothing I HAVE to do tomorrow     *My Spirit Sisters          *My facebook friends         * Talking on the phone with Daughter #2 while Daughter #1 snoozes on the couch          *Hearing my little granddaughter Lily saying “Hi Nana” on the phone  The chilly drizzly night   *The deer I’ve been catching in my yard lately     *A new piece of jewelry    *An old piece of jewelry     *The New Moon dark nights      *The smell of patchouli incense       *A card from a friend in the mail     *puppy breath    *Chili cooking in a crockpot    *Football Sunday     *Online Holiday shopping     *A compliment   *A hug    *an I love you     *The chiming of my grandfather clock     *Lavender lotion   *A great pen    * Journaling 

 LOL..I could go on forever…”these are a few of my favorite things”…the song..rings in my head right now!  What do you love?  Make a list…I am nowhere near done, could have listed 100 more!  But I wanted to show the things I could list just in my view or happening to me while I was writing this post.  There is so much about life to be thankful for….Life is about the little things, after all, there is way more little things packed into a day then the big things.  I believe the more we focus on the sweet small things, the less the big not so great things won’t bother us so much. 

Take time everyday to find the sweet little things in your life.  Just sit and look around.  If you don’t find them, then you are really not in a good place and I hope that isn’t true for any of my readers.  If that is the case..then find just one thing…I know you will find just one thing.  Then find the 2nd thing….if thats all for today, that is fine!   Tomorrow, try for 3!~ 

I wish you all a life filled with YOUR favorite things, joy, love, blessings, peace and the ability to recognize that you have those things!  Blessed Be and Blessed New Moon!

2 Comments

Filed under Family, My Favorite Things, Quote

Tagged as , , ,

November 2, 2010 · 10:04 pm

Giving Thanks…..

Merry Meet my friends!  I hope you all had a wonderful Samhain..I know I did.  It was a gorgeous weekend weather wise for us..cool and crisp and sunny!  Just perfect.  We spent Beggar’s night at my daughters so we could pass out candy for them while my little granddaughter went out trick or treating with her mommy and daddy.  She is almost 2 and only made it to 6 houses before she had enough and wanted to go home!  She wanted to be with me and her grandfather and Auntie!  We had great pizza and ate candy and visited…it was a nice night.  Samhain night was just for me at my altar..quietly honoring my loved ones and ancestors and yes, my pets, who have passed on.  It was a beautiful experience and I believe that some of them came for a visit.  On Nov 1 night, I shared a beautiful formal circle celebration ritual with my sisters in spirit…it was magickal also.  While I was outside doing my ritual…two gorgeous Does decided to walk across our yard..not far from me…stopped and checked me out and then walked on their way!  It was so amazing as I have always felt that Deer are one of my totem animals.  I find them so mystical and I think it was a message from my ancestors!  For me, a perfect Samhain..and I hope yours was too.

Now, its November and it is the month of Thanksgiving.  For this month, via my facebook page and here on my blog, I will be talking about thankfulness and gratitude and random acts of kindess.  As a Witch, and a daughter of the Goddess,  I believe that Love is why we are here…what the world is all about..What Goddess and God, however you see them…want for us.  I found this quote and I thought I needed to post it here….

“It is literally true, as the thankless say, that they have nothing to be thankful for.  He who sits by the fire, thankless for the fire, is just as if he had no fire.  Nothing is possessed save in appreciation, of which thankfulness is the indispensable ingredient.  But a thankful heart hath a continual feast.”                  ~W.J. Cameron

I totally believe this quote to be true.  If we live without gratitude…then we have nothing…because we don’t notice it, don’t appreciate it, take it for granted.  If we aren’t grateful for what we have…then it might as well not be there!!

 I learned of the book “Simple Abundance” by Sarah Ban Breathnach about 16-17 years ago on a tv show.  I was struck by the idea of finding something to be thankful for every day.  I bought the book, read it, and it really did change my life.  I started a journal right then and to this day, I keep a journal and write in it; sometimes everyday, sometimes once-twice a month.  In these journals (I have about 20 now), every day that I write in it, I write what I am grateful for on that given day.  Sometimes, it’s hard to find something…but with practice, I learned that it got easier and easier.  Finding gratitude in the small things has changed my life for the better.  I am happier with what I have and who I am.

What are you grateful for today?  It could be big stuff…like the birth of a child, buying a house, money coming your way, a marriage.  But most days..it could be that it wasn’t raining, that the baby slept thru the night, that you didn’t burn dinner, that your mother was in a good mood, or that your husband helped you clean up dishes after dinner.  But even those mundane everyday things, noticing them and appreciating them makes your life better!  Soon you will notice, the sun shining in the window onto your breakfast table, the pretty pitcher that was your grandmothers that you serve your OJ in, the smell of your kids fresh from their bath, the feel of your cat curled up next to you,..I could go on and on.  But you get my point.  Everyday make a point to NOTICE something to be thankful for.  Maybe you would be inspired to keep a notebook or a journal and jot them down…soon that list will grow and grow.  Something bad happen to you or you had a bad day?  Find the silver lining…it’s there I promise.  I have been thru alot of sad and terrible things in my life and yet, I have found the silver lining in almost every situation.  This wasn’t always the case I promise you..I’m not Mary Sunshine…but finding a way to find grace in every day…made my life lovely.

Today, I will thank each of you who come to visit my blog.  I appreciate you and am thankful for you.  I have a lot of readers but not alot of subscribers.  Sign up to follow me..I’d love to have more of you as subscribers.  It just means you’ll get an email when I write a new post.  Thank you so much for those who leave comments too.  I am also grateful today for being an American and having the right to vote!  I voted..did you?

Until my next post, thank you and Blessed Be, Autumn

2 Comments

Filed under Books I'm reading, Family, Granddaughter, Quote, Ritual, Samhain, Thank You!

Tagged as , ,

October 27, 2010 · 8:10 pm

The Dumb Supper……..

Merry Meet my friends…Samhain draws ever nearer and I find myself thrilling to it.  Darkness falls earlier each night…the wind is brisk and leaves are falling…jack o’lanterns are showing up on porches…the veil in thinning…Magick is afoot!

Samhain is about honoring our ancestors; our loved ones who have passed beyond the veil.  One way to do this is to have a Dumb Supper.  This year, my family will be having one.  A Dumb Supper or Silent Supper is just that..everyone present stays silent during the meal.  There are a few particulars about the meal too….it should be held in sacred space.  You can accomplish the sacred space in your own kitchen or dining room simply by casting a circle, cleansing and consecrating it.  All table service should be black..this includes the tablecloth, plates, glasses, napkins etc.  I don’t have black dishes so I accomplish this with a visit to a party store and I buy the heavy plastic dishes.  Third, I only use candles for lighting or oil lamps…this gives the space the beauty and somberness it deserves. Lastly, each guest should bring a prayer for their loved ones who are being honored and they may bring their divination tool of choice also.

The chair at the head of the table can be shrouded in black…now the Spirit chair.  Then you may leave other chairs empty to represent the loved one you’ve lost or your ancestor.   When setting the table, place a black votive candle at each empty chair that represents a deceased loved one or ancestor and a white votive candle at the Spirit Chair.  Light each candle. Place your hands on the shrouded chair and ask for Spirit to be with you. Walk to each ancestor’s chair touch it, explaining that the ritual is being done in the ancestors’ honor.

The host of the feast sits in the chair opposite the shrouded chair. As each guest enters the room, he or she should go to the Spirit chair, touch it, then go to each of the ancestors’ chairs and place a prayer under each plate or say a simple prayer silently. The guests then take their seats, join hands and pray a wordless blessing of the meal and for all present. The host serves the empty chairs, beginning at the head of the table. Then the host serves the living guests from oldest to youngest.

After the feast is done and all have finished eating, all join hands, silently asking for the blessings of Spirit on the living and the dead. Now is the time to gather each prayer left under a plate and burn it in the flame of the candle by that plate, catching the ashes in a container. On the sign from the host, the guests leave the area, stopping by empty places or ancestral altar on their way out.

After the host thanks Spirit, the guests return to share any impressions they received during the feast. The table is cleared, and divination can be done. Allow the candles to burn until all have gone home, and then snuff each candle. Throw the candle ends and prayer ashes into a moving body of water, or bury them off the property.

I find this to be just a beautiful way to honor our loved ones…the meal should be simple, delicous and beautiful.  Even if its just your immediate small family, this ritual can be very touching and magickal.  While you are silent, or during divination after the meal, listen to see if anyone has a message for you…do you feel their presence? 

My paternal grandmother was a christian woman whom I loved dearly…and whom I believe gave me my early understanding of the witch in me!  She was a witch and didn’t know it!  She had a huge garden that she loved spending time in..she taught me to know when veggies were ready to be picked..how to shell peas and snap green beans and make homemade apple sauce and apple butter.  She made her own home remedies..she taught us to lay in a hammock and look at the starry sky…taught us to listen for the birds, how to make a doll from hollyhocks..she was wonderful!  A meal at her house ..even breakfast..was a 7 course meal full of things made with love from her garden.  I often feel her near to me…and I know she is aware of our lives and whats going on with us.  I will celebrate her at my Dumb Supper..along with other grandparents, a good friend and yes, even my two little dogs.  And this year, I have a baby grandchild who was lost in early pregnancy but I believe I will know in another life. 

Beggar’s night in my area, is on saturday night the 30th.  My family will celebrate that as well!  We live on a windy country road and pretty far from the road and we don’t get trick-or-treaters here, so we head over to my daughter and son-in-laws house for the evening.  She makes chili, cornbread and an apple dessert.  This year my nearly two year old granddaughter Lily will be going out to collect her candy in her darling lady bug costume while us grandparents and Auntie will pass out candy at their house.  Then we have a nice casual meal and just enjoy being together!  I can’t wait!

I send my wishes to you all for a Blessed Samhain..and my your ancestors and loved ones come thru the veil to spend some time with you.

Blessed Be, Autumn

2 Comments

Filed under Family, Ritual, Samhain

Tagged as , , ,