Tag Archives: Altar

July 28, 2011 · 7:47 pm

Blessed Lughnasadh 2011…..

Merry Meet my friends!  Chances are there are some of you out there having the same weather I’m having here in Ohio!  Sweltering heat for a few weeks now! It is Hot Hot Hot!!  Though we’ve had some rain, our grass is brown and burnt from the heat.  My gardens…well some of it’s doing well and some of it not so much.  Even with watering, things are dying out.  I’ve never been a big fan of Summer because I don’t like it when it gets too hot, but this Summer has been one of the hottest I can remember for a while.  Because of this, my thoughts have turned to Autumn, my favorite time of year.  I’m dreaming of cool crisp mornings, leaves falling, pumpkins, apple picking, and warm things coming from the oven and the slow cooker 🙂 

Well…Lughnasadh, the first Harvest festival is upon us on August 1 and that just makes me smile!  Though we are in the midst of this heatwave and the peak of Summer…I can feel a bit of a shift around me.  The Sun is rising later and setting earlier, corn is tall and ready in the fields, the breeze feels different and our gardens are full and ready for harvest.  Stores even have their Autumn/Halloween decorations out on display! *sigh*  I love it!!

Today I was able to get my Lughnasadh altar ready.  I love the Autumn themed altars..more than any other.  The I kept in mind the Correspondences for Lughnasadh when putting it together and I was happy with the simplicity of it and how pretty it looked. 

Oh…the sunflower plate will hold my cakes of course! The crystals are any that are of the colors of Fall!  Green, gold, orange…aventurine, citrine, carnelian!  I have gold, orange and brown candles.  I wanted sunflowers but not luck finding them around here unless I raided somebody’s yard! LOL.  So I picked out some soft orange, purple, & yellow flowers and I LOVE the ornamental cabbage they stuck in the bouquet! The crow…well, crow’s and corn just go together 🙂  My “cakes and ale” will be homemade honey oatmeal bread, or corn bread, and a nice glass of red wine to represent the grape harvest.  I can’t wait to work at this altar.

Today I also put together a couple of herbed oils and an herbed vinegar.  I did a rosemary/olive oil, a basil olive oil, and a lemon balm/apple cider vinegar.  I lightly warmed the oils since I was using fresh herbs from my own garden.  I can’t wait to use them.  I’m going to use the basil olive oil on tomato/mozzarella stacks, the lemon balm vinegar in salad, and the rosemary oil will be great on grilled veggies and meats.  Yummy!  I really need to get more of these bottles too..I think they’re so pretty, inexpensive, and look great sitting on the counter.  Would make nice gifts as well. 

Now I’m going to be upfront and tell you that I do NOT have a formal ritual for Lughnasadh.  I’d like to write my own and frankly just haven’t had the time.  If you research it online, you will find the same 2-3 rituals written over and over again.  Scott Cunningham’s being one of them of course.  Though I don’t have one to share here with you, I can most definitely give you some ideas.  Doing a Blessing and a prayer of thanks for the bounty and abundance of the Harvest would be a perfect quiet celebration.  You can do this while eating the bread you have baked or even while mixing the ingredients to make it.  You can Honor the Sun God who is dying, to be born again by his lover, the Goddess, who is pregnant with him.  A great time to do that would be as the Sun is setting on Lughnasadh night.  Light a fire, burn some of your harvested herbs..and reflect on your year so far.  What bad habits would you like to let “die”?  What new things would you like to manifest..to grow in your life…as the Goddess is growing the God?  Smudge your house and throw open windows to allow good energy in and the negative out.  Really, I smudge for every Sabbat!  Harvest your herbs and can your veggies from your garden or make jams from the bountiful fruits that are ripe like berries, peaches and plums.  Go take a walk, enjoy the Sun while it’s still hot..you’ll remember the warmth in the dead of Winter.

I have decided to bake my breads on the weekend and I’m looking forward to it.  There is nothing better then the smell of bread baking and the taste of it warm, slathered with sweet butter…it makes my mouth water just thinking about it 🙂  I’ll be making the crab dip and the pear salad for sure as well.  Don’t forget to check out my recipes I posted in a previous post..let me know if you try them what you think! 

I wish each of you a Blessed Lughnasadh and May the Sun God shine on you and the Goddess surround you with Love. 

Autumn

*Sources…my pictures.  🙂  My words.

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Filed under Altars, Autumn, God, Goddess, Herbs, Lammas/Lughnassadh, Photography, Ritual, Summer, Sunrise/Sunset

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June 15, 2011 · 9:13 pm

Wordless Wednesday 6/15/2011……..

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blessed Strawberry Moon!  Love and Light, Autumn

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April 19, 2011 · 8:53 pm

Beltane altar and ritual……….

Merry Meet my friends!  Hope you all had a good weekend and your week is going well so far.  We had some amazing rainstorms come thru here last night and today…Nature releasing her energy in the form of thunder, lightning, heavy rains and even flooding in our area.  I could not believe how hard it rained..and yes, I was out in it LOL….there were literally rivers across the roads and forming in yards in the low areas.  Creekbeds flowing over the banks, grocery stores and basements filled with water.  It was something else.  Also, there is more coming tonight!  So far at least, we have kept our power so that is a good thing.

A busy week here too..as my extended family is christian, we celebrate “bunny day” on Easter sunday with them.  Today I shopped for goodies for my granddaughters basket and egg hunt and I’m planning the menu as everyone is coming to my house.  Thursday is also my 53rd birthday….so I have plans with my family for that as well.  So the last few days I got busy and got my altar maypole done and got my Beltane altar ready.  Thought I’d post a few pics here for those of you who always ask to see my altars.  Now keep in mind, this altar is set up indoors for pics and for a rainy day, but it will be moved outdoors..by a roaring fire on Beltane night!  Can’t have Beltane inside and without a fire..thats just all there is to it!

This is the close-up of my maypole..which my dear husband was quite eager to help me with.  I got a wooden base, dowel rod and candle cup I turned upside down for a top.  The base was painted green and the dowel and cap red.  Hubby also screwed the dowel rod to the base for me.  Then I got out glue gun, silk flowers and ribbons and just started glueing!  Easy Peasy!  and I think its really cute.

Sorry about the fuzzy picture..I think the candles were throwing it off a bit.  Left side has my Gaia statue, my goddess statue, crystals are bloodstone, red carnelian and red jasper, sunstones and rose quartz (for love).  My large cherry quartz point….just cause its red and looked great! 🙂   Daisies are one of my favorite flowers so had to have them.  Cauldron, always there.  and the Maypole.

The left side has my working tools, a new stone heart my friend Mossie sent me (thank you Mossie) ..I thought the heart was more then appropriate for Beltane!  One of my herb seeds in its pot..sprouting well…Sage..my plant ally.  Bird feathers to represent Spring and the critters who are running all over the place now.  Greenman, my chalice, and bell.  The glass pentacle my daughter got me for Yule. 

The full view.  The green altar cloth, lots of  red candles, elemental representatives..all there.  Still to come will be strawberries, may wine, a dish of honey, and oatmeal cake.  So there you go.  What will be on your altar?  I love seeing pics of altars..I find witches so creative when it comes to their altars.

Ok so on to a ritual.  As I posted in my previous post Countdown to Beltane, I talked about the Beltane being about lust and fertility and the union of the Lord and Lady…..The Great Rite.  I decided to post this lovely solitary ritual celebrating just that.  I think its a beautiful ritual.

Solitary Beltane Ritual

 Items Needed:

One tall Green candle (for God)

One tall White candle (for Goddess)

4 corner candles

Cauldron for Balefire (if performed outdoors, make a Bonfire)

Red candles (as many as you’d like)

Rose incense and sage  to burn in cauldron

chalice of wine or juice

bread

Athame (for The Great Rite) and/or wand

Spring and Summer flowers to decorate altar

 

*Cast circle and call the corners then light the incense

 INVOCATION OF THE GOD: (light  tall Green candle)

“I now do call upon the eternal God in the ancient way, as Young Lord and Oak King – Horned One of the Forests. I bid Ye welcome and ask Thee to come forth and join Thy Lady Goddess in the Holy Rite of Sacred Union. As it is willed, so mote it be!”

 INVOCATION OF THE GODDESS: (light tall White candle)

“I now do call upon the eternal Goddess in the ancient way, as Lovely Maiden, Mother and Crone – Three-fold Goddess be. I bid Ye welcome and ask Thee to come forth and join Thy Lord God in the Holy Rite of Sacred Union. As it is willed, so mote it be!”

 “Blessed be this day of Beltane,

 Wedding day of the Goddess and God;

 Holy day of sacred marriage,

 Holy night of sacred union.”

* Light the surrounding green rituals candles and say –

 “Tonight  I celebrate the union of our Mother Earth to Her consort, our Father God, the Green Man and Great Lord of the Forests, as nature rejoices in a blaze of color and life.”

* Go to the altar and pick up chalice,  hold upwards and say –

“Blessed be the sacred union which manifests all creation!

 Behold the womb of the Mother,

The entity from which all life flows,

Blessed be the Lady!”

*Put down the chalice and  pick up the athame, hold upwards and say –

“Behold the phallus of the God,

 Fruitful principle of the universe,

 Blessed be the Lord!”

 THE GREAT RITE (Symbolic) –

 *Pick up the chalice

 “Blessed be you, my Lady,

 The Holy Bride of Heaven and Earth,

Come unite with Thy Lord in the ancient rite of sacred marriage!”

*Pick up athame and then say-

 “Blessed be you, my Lord,

 The Holy Groom of Heaven and Earth,

 Come unite with Thy Lady Goddess in the ancient rite of sacred marriage!”

* While slowly dipping the athame into the chalice, repeat:

 “Chalice to athame,

 As Goddess is to God;

 Father is to Mother,

 As man is to woman,

 Behold the sacred union of The One!”

* Replace the chalice and athame back on the altar and say:

 “By this act of love, all life comes to be;

 By this act of faith, I proclaim my place on the eternal cycle of life,

 The Lord and Lady reign eternal!”

* Now toast to the Lord and Lady by drinking from the chalice and breaking off a piece of the bread – setting aside a portion to give back to the Earth later.

 “I am a child of deity,

 I am part of the creative life force which moves the universe;

 I am part of all that is –

 Though we are apart we are always together,

 For we are one in the spirit of our Goddess and God;

 Merry meet, merry part and merry meet again –

 Blessed be!”

 *Close ritual, thank the deities and remember to give back to the Earth.

I love this ritual..I find it to be very sacred, very beautiful and very meaningful.  You may of course change the words, use different colored candles, burn a different incense.. whatever you wish..make it your own ceremony!

Now, I’m hoping you did this ritual outside, by a roaring fire.  That you are drinking wine, and that you are thinking about celebrating more with YOUR  loved one this night 🙂  After all, its not just our God and Goddess who can  be joined together in love  on this night.   Make it special.  Have a beautiful bath ready for the two of you.  A simple fresh meal…some wine….rose petals in your bed..red candles lit all over your bedroom.  Its a night for romance!  If you find yourself solitary at this time…well you can do the same for yourself…the bath, the meal, the wine, the candles…make it a special night for yourself….you deserve it either way!!

Blessings and love, Autumn

*Sources….my altar, my photography.  The ritual is from my own BOS but I don’t claim to have written it..but I have had it for a long time and no idea where I got it from..if you know, please tell me.

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March 15, 2011 · 1:46 pm

My Ostara Altar and Ritual……..

Merry Meet everyone.  I hope that you are all well and I continue to pray for Japan and the victims of all the terrible things going on over there.  The risk of a nuclear meltdown is very real  now and I am praying it doesn’t happen…..would not be good for the entire world for that to happen.  I am doing my best to stay positive and not to let it drag me down to the point I can’t help.  If I don’t have positive energy, I can’t send it out to the Universe.

So today I am undergoing a very unpleasant day of prep for a medical test tomorrow so I am close to home.  Yes, at my age, and some history, I’m having a colonoscopy tomorrow.  Nuff said.  Ugh.  It’s raining and gloomy so I finally took the time to get my Ostara altar completed and wanted to post some pics here for you.  I am quite happy with it.

I posted the correspondences for Ostara in a previous post so I’m not going to list them again.  I think the items on my altar are pretty easy to understand why they are there, but I’ll talk a little bit about each picture.

Sorry for the pics being a little dark..but well, its raining out and I don’t have a lot of light where my altar is.  This is the left side of my altar.  As you can see, in the center is my usual working items to represent the elements..they are always there.  I have fresh cut tulips, an egg basket, lamb, chick, bunny for obvious reasons.  My little goddess my hubby gave me for Yule, cauldron where I will burn my Ostara loose incense, Gaia, and my illuminator and goddess candle.  I picked all pastel colored crystals..rose quartz, blue calcite, amethyst, citrine, green flourite..just because I love the way they look 🙂

Right side of Altar…  Greenman, god candle, my pentacle and chalice, then I have a bird house and birds nest which speak of Spring to me, A garden faery for the same reason.  Another bunny I love..looks like he’s praying to me 🙂  and my altar tools. I wanted to put some seed packs here too but I did that ritual already as I posted a couple of days ago..but that would be a great idea too! 🙂 

 

Sorry agan about the darkness…my altar cloth is pink checked by the way….very soft and Spring-like.  I used soft green and pink candles..would have loved to have added some yellow elements but I had a terrible time finding pastel colored candles this year.  Was actually told at my local craft store that nobody uses taper candles anymore! LOL..I told them I beg to differ.  Oh well, I’m happy with it and it will feel most magickal to me on Ostara night.  And I know that you all KNOW there is a Full Moon the eve of Ostara..a SuperMoon actually….so it will be a most magickal weekend!  Make the most of it!

Oh yes, I also do a simple altar on my kitchen counter for the Sabbats as well.  Here is the one for Ostara I finished today as well.  I am wanting to get a potted plant for it but the tulips worked for now. I love the sparkly stones around the candle…so pretty.  As I’m in the closet with some family members, this altar is perfectly accepted as an Easter altar 🙂  But I add the crystals which gives it the witchiness I need. 

So my altars are ready and I have decided what ritual I’ll be doing as well.  Thought I’d post another here for you all..again, I have no idea where I got this as I’ve had it for sometime.  It may have come from the internet or it may have come from a book…I’m keeping better track of those things now that I’m blogging, but I didnt’ use to unfortunately.  I love this one because it should be done outside!  A great one for the full moon and Ostara this year!

 Ostara Ritual for Outdoors

Gather the supplies you’ll need:

-Two chalices of wine or water

  -Two white candles or pastel if you’d like

  -matches or lighter

  *Two bowls are necessary if working indoors

   Arrange a small altar placing one candle to the left of the altar and one to the right.  Place the chalices next to the candles.  If working indoors put the two bowls on the floor on each side. Offer prayers of thanks to the Lord and Lady for the blessings of Ostara.  Say them out loud being thorough.  Then say:

I stand at the center and balanced be,

the change of seasons meets here in me.

From wintertime’s dark and lonely nights,

to summertime’s warm and lively light.

     

  Light both candles:

 Now at the center at Ostara am I,

not light or dark to dominate the sky;

but a time of lengthening light and day,

as we pass from balance to summer’s days.

 

Extinguish one candle to represent the balance of light and dark.

Take the chalice to your right and hold it up, saying:        

 God of the Sun and Lord of Light,

I honor your spirit in which I delight.

Pour the water or wine onto the ground to your right or into the bowl to be poured onto the ground later.  Then take the chalice to your left, hold it up and say:

 Goddess of the Earth and of the night,

I honor your spirit as the earth turns light.

 Pour the contents of this chalice on the ground to your left or into the bowl.

 Spend as much time as you’d like at your altar, speaking with your deities, meditating, praying.  When you are ready, extinguish the candle and thank the Lord and Lady.  If you performed this ritual inside, take the bowls outside and pour them on the ground as an offering to Mother Earth.

 This is a very simple and beautiful ritual that will add beauty to the Sabbat for you.  As Spring comes in…whether like a lion or a lamb…honor Mother Earth and her greening.  No matter what is going on in the world, one thing is constant.  We can count on the turning of the wheel of the year, that Spring will come again after a long, cold, snowy winter.  That trees and flowers and grass will bloom and grow, that critters will come out and bask in the Sun and gather food again, that we will shed our heavy winter clothes and head outside to our gardens, porches, picnics, and we too will re-connect with the Earth Mother.  And She will re-connect with us.  I wish you all a Blessed Full Moon and A Blessed Ostara.  May Spring bring you great joy!

Love and Light, Autumn

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January 30, 2011 · 6:15 pm

Imbolc Altar and my Book of Shadows……

Merry Meet my friends!  Hope you all have had a wonderful weekend.  Imbolc is just a few days away.  As I have posted here, I have been busy with my cleaning and organizing and getting ready to invite the Celtic Goddess Brighid into our home and to celebrate the coming of Spring.  Monday, I will do the more “everyday” cleaning like dusting and sweeping and wiping down bathrooms etc.  Tuesday I will smudge the house good.  Wednesday..Imbolc..which is also the New Moon by the way….I will spend time celebrating with my family.  That night I will be doing a ritual and lighting candles all over the house..and throwing open the doors to invite Brighid and all the good that Her coming brings. 

When I posted about Imbolc on a previous blog post, I wrote all the correspondences for this Sabbat.  When I put together my altar..I kept those in mind of course.  My altar cloth was a simple white cotton cloth.  I threw a green scarf across it to represent Brighid’s Mantle.  I then put all the tools that are always on my altar, my athame, wand, cauldron, elemental representative of candle, incense, salt and blessed water.  My pentacle tile and statues of Gaia and Greenman which are definitely appropriate for Imbolc. 

I then added my Goddess/God candles..red and my Fire candle is also red.  I place crystals of  Amethyst, bloodstone, garnet, onyx, moonstone, and red jasper. I have a gorgeous cherry quartz point in the center of my candles.   I have a bit of sunflower seeds and some healing herbs there as well.   I have a printed picture of Brighid in her Maiden aspect..beautiful as I picture her.  A poetry book to represent her being the Goddess of poetry.  Silver candlesticks and celtic symbol to represent her being the Goddess of smithcraft and honoring her being Celtic (as am I!).  My potted daffodils and   cakes and ale will be added when I’m ready to work at my alter.  I’m making the Lemon Poppyseed Bread I posted here..and I’m going to have spiced wine to drink.  I also have added 7 tealight candles in red and white…those are for  one of the rituals I’ll be doing Imbolc night…along with some special sisters of mine.  I look forward to working at this beautiful altar which I find magickal and beautiful. 🙂 After looking at this, I realize I forgot my lamb statue..I’ll add that in also..remember Imbolc means  ewe’s milk. 

I have been spending time when I can adding to my Book of Shadows…it seems to be a never ending process.  I am always adding information from books I’m reading, or from my facebook friends or from groups I belong to on facebook, and from the internet.  I DO use my computer to make up my pages.  Now I know that can be a controversy…many will say it should be all handwritten.  But my BOS is a very beautiful, fairly expensive book..and I have terrible handwriting…I want not only for me to easily read what is there..but I plan on passing down this book to my children and grandchildren and  I want them to be able to read it as well.  I love being able to change the fonts, the print size, add pics and flourishes.  There is some of my handwriting in the book..I make notations, add info etc in my own hand. 

Here is my BOS and a few examples of some of my favorite pages………

These are just a few of the pages I’ve done….I am getting more creative as I go along 🙂

When I look at my altar and my Book of Shadows…I feel so much pride and inspiration.  I try to live my life everyday in a way that speaks to my soul, that makes me happy, that honors the Divine, Mother Earth, the Elements.  I am proud of my path! Being a Witch, discovering my true self…has been Goddess sent…I am soo blessed to have the joy of all that this path I’m on entails.  I know so many of you know exactly how I feel.  When my day isnt’ the best day, or my mood is poor, or I feel overwhelmed,  all I have to do is have a sit at my altar, or go outside.  Light a candle, or grab a crystal.  I can read one of any beautiful inspiring quotes or poems in my BOS or just connect with the Goddess by sitting quiet and listening for Her message.  And then there’s the Moon! Ahh the Moon…how wonderful that we are so aware of Her mysteries, Her energy, Her power.  How wonderful to be a Witch!

Blessed Be, Autumn

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December 19, 2010 · 10:54 pm

Yule Altar…………..

Merry Meet my friends!  Yule is just two sleeps away and I am so excited.  This year is even more magickal with the Long Night’s Full Moon, the lunar eclipse and a meteor shower thrown in for good measure!  The energy, beauty and magick will be amazing!  Today I got my altar all ready to go and I’m really happy with it. 

I chose a black altar cloth as it is the longest night and all the gold, red, green and white decorations look fabulous against it.  My Yule log is the centerpiece of course.  This is not one I will burn but one I made specifically for my alter.  Its is a small white birch log with white pine greens and holly from my own yard.  Pinecones, cinnamon sticks, gold star tinsel and a big red bow finish it off.  The red candle is for the Holly King, the green candle for the Oak King, and the gold candle for the Return of the Sun King.  I anointed it with Yule oil a lovely witch sister made for me.  (Thanks Mossy) 

Also on my altar is my cauldron to burn my loose Winter’s Solstice incense.  I have scattered gold glittery stars, pine cones, a beautiful stag statue, orange pomanders, a cardinal, a rosemary tree, the elemental reps, and my working tools.  A beautiful silver chalice to hold mulled wine and later I will add my “cakes” to enjoy during my ritual.  There is also crystals of Garnet, tiger’s eye, Aventurine..red & green of course… and a picture of the Oak King and Holly King I printed out from the internet.  and of course lots of candles!!

I have so much fun setting up my altars and put alot of time and thought into them.  When I sit down to work at it I want it to have all the magick I can muster from the “things” on it, and to feel that the elements are working with me, in sync, to accomplish whatever spell or ritual I am performing.  I always bless and consecrate it as well.  Whether your altar is a whole room, a shelf on the wall, a dresser or table you set up then put away, or you take it all outside, setting it up for each Sabbat is a ritual in itself.  Put your own magick and your intention into each item you place on it.  Take pics and save them in your BOS to remember in the future what you did in the past.  Or you can start a blog and talk about it there..LOL.

As I don’t think I will be back on my blog between now and Tuesday I want to wish all my friends in the Southern Hemisphere a very Blessed Litha..may your Summer Solstice bring you Love and Light!…and I wish all the rest of you a very Blessed Yule.  May the long night be full of love, magick, time with loved ones, may your candles burn brightly, and may your heart be filled knowing that the Sun returns again! 🙂  Thank you all for sharing this season with me!

Much Love Light and Blessings, Autumn

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October 15, 2010 · 6:34 pm

My Samhain Altar………

Merry Meet my witchy friends!  Today I finally got my Samhain Altar ready…my favorite altar I think for my favorite time of year!  I had so much fun choosing the fabric for the altar cloth..and I found the perfect one.  It is in indigo, black and orange..the colors representative of Samhain…it has Jack O’Lanterns, witches hats and witches brooms…just cheerful and fun.

My Samhain altar is about fun and seriousness at the same time.  The fun stuff is the owl, the pumpkin and raven, black roses, skulls etc.  The serious stuff…the pics of my ancestors who have gone on before and I will be calling on on Samhain night!  The witchy stuff..an orange Goddess candle to represent the last harvest festival, and the black God candle, to represent him dieing and waiting to be reborn in the spring.  Other harvest reps are the pumpkins, indian corn, acorns and leaves.  Crystals are jet, obsidian, black tourmeline, red river carnelian, orange carnelian and orange jasper.  There is a large piece of obsidian that could be used for scrying..as diviniation is very powerful at Samhain.  I have the reps for the quarters as always, one change is my cauldron is representing Air as I  will be burning loose incense rather than a cone or stick.  My atheme and wand are always on my altar of course.

My ancestors pictures are precious to me…these are mostly pics taken when they were young.  My maternal grandfather, both grandmothers, both sets of great grandparents and a great great grandmother.  An aunt who died when she was 2 years old..all mean much to me.  I call on them often and I can’t wait to visit with them again on Samhain night!  There is also pics of my two chihuahuas..Pepper and Charlie…my girls are in the pics too..but thank Goddess they are still with me!!  The thinning of the veil is a very magickal mystical night for all witches.  Who would you like to hear from that night? 

I just had to post this pic too..this is my male cat Jasper…1/2 of my familiars…coming to bless and approve my altar.  He does this everytime..the minute I’m done setting up…here he comes..he jumps up..sniffs around..bats the crystals around..plays with my wand and then jumps down.  He is a very witchy cat and I love him!

I mentioned that I would be burning a loose incense recipe on Samhain night…my next post will be about that..the recipe and the how to’s….I’ll post in the next day or so.

Merry Part until then..Samhain Blessings to each of you, Autumn

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September 29, 2010 · 11:07 pm

My Mabon ritual…..

Merry Meet my friends…I hope that you all had a Blessed Mabon/Autumn Equinox/Ostara and Harvest Moon!  It was a gorgeous night…the Moon?…well She was amazing and beautiful.  Red Orange as She rose in the sky…then lightening in color with an orange aura around Her….then higher She climbed and larger and brighter She shone…it was glorious!  Here in ohio it was HOT and muggy that night but I spent time outside to receive her energy..it was magickal indeed.

About 11:00 I went to my altar.  I had prepared it days earlier.  I now added some wine and some oatmeal cookies for myself and as an offering.  I centered and grounded and felt myself giving my heart, mind and soul over to the magick I was about to be a part of.

The Circle was cast, the Lord and Lady invited in…the elements called on….and I felt myself wrapped in love and peace.  On my altar was a black candle and a white candle.  I lit them ..and spoke the words..of a Balance Spell…to balance my life as the Earth was balancing day and night..as summer turns to Autumn and light turns to dark.  As I raised my voice…I felt the love of my sisters and their voices, from all corners of the Earth, raise with mine.  I felt strong and powerful and the energy and love was amazing.  After the ritual, I drank wine and ate my cookie and lingered in the amazing atmosphere that had been created.  I had never felt anything so strong as that night.  I truly felt my sisters there with me, the Goddess approving and loving what had been created.  When the goose bumps calmed down and I felt like I couldn’t sit quietly anymore….I released the elements, Thanked Goddess and God for helping me in my ritual and took down my circle.

After pacing around a bit, I realized Iwas too pumped up to sleep….so I took another trip outside to do a happy dance under the Harvest Moon!   It was a perfect night in every way!  and then……I got on facebook and expressed my joy along with my sisters and others who were like minded that night!!  Ahhhh  I love being a Witch!

Since then, I have done my best to ensure that I find that balance in my life…I have alot going on in my personal life, but so far, I have not been overwhelmed..I have still found time for my craft, time with my family, time for myself (well a little bit) and keeping up with my home and the mundane things we all have to do everyday!

I shared this for one reason…to show that magick indeed exists, that sisters can share an amazing night together though separate, and that taking the time to really celebrate the Moon and the Sabbats can make a huge difference in your everyday life.  I wish you all joy and happiness and Blessings,

Autumn

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August 1, 2010 · 10:08 am

Blessed Lughnasadh 2010………

Merry Meet my friends.  Today, August 1 is the first Harvest festival on the wheel of the Year…Lughnasadh or Lammas…it is a celebration of the coming harvest season, the days getting shorter, the crops at their full bounty and the cooling weather.  In the southern hemisphere it is Imbolc (for my aussie friends !).  In ancient times the God of Grain, or John Barleycorn as legend knows him, sacrificed himself so that the people would have plenty of food for the coming winter.  In some Traditions, the Goddess becomes the Reaper, and presides over the passing of the God, who willingly gives his life to bless the harvest.

Lughnasadh is a time of giving thanks for summer’s bounty, and of completion, and of finishing projects begun in the spring.  It is also a time of ritual housecleaning in preparation for the nesting energies of fall and winter.  Symbols of the Sabbat include sheaves of grain, garlic braids, sunflowers and corn.  The colors of Lughnasadh are the golds and dusky hues of the turning Earth.

 Celebrate this time by feasting on fresh corn, vegetables, and berries, thanking the God for his transformation into the soul of the harvest.  Lammas is a time to rid yourself of negative thoughts, emotions, or behaviors.  Go to a farmers’ market  and enjoy the abundant harvest of the local artists and growers. 

Harvest herbs from the garden, and make flavored oils and vinegars to keep a taste of summer in your pantry all winter long.  Ritually bake and bless a special loaf of bread, using grains native to your home, and share the bounty of the first harvest with family and loved ones.  Be outside!!  Play in nature, feel the breeze, hear the wind, feel the warmth of the sun, smell the grass, spend time with your loved one.  Honor the God for his sacrifice and the Goddess as she ages into her Crone stage.  Be One with Nature!!

Yesterday I baked a loaf of Herb and Crunch Wheat bread…using my own dried herbs that I grew myself..and yes, I did use my bread machine as I was very busy yesterday and couldn’t attend to making bread from scratch..that is fine.  If you have to go buy a good bakery bread..that is also fine!

Herb and Crunch Wheat Bread

2 lb loaf recipe

1 1/2 cup water

2 cups bread flour

2 cups wheat flour

2 tb sugar

2 tb dry milk

2 tb butter, softened

2 tsp salt

2 tsp dried basil leaves

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

2 tsp quick active yeast or bread machine yeast

2/3 cup dry-roasted sunflower seeds

This is a really good flavorful bread, great as a grilled sandwich!  Try it!!

My altar is done and decorated in red, green, gold, rust..the colors of late summer.  I have an offering of blackberries, blueberries, apples, bread and honey.  I am using a green candle for the Goddess and a red candle for God.  Sandalwood incense, sunflowers and dried wheat.  You may use any bounty of late summer such as squash and corn to decorate too.  Make it beautiful!

My family and I will have a feast tonight and partake of the bread.  A bonfire will be had and I will offer the bounty to the God and Goddess as an offering and thanks for the season and harvest to come.  May the Lord and Lady bless you with a bountiful season of abundance, love, light, family and joy.  Blessings to you all.

Autumn

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April 26, 2010 · 4:58 pm

Beltane altar……

It’s Beltane time my witchy friends..saturday May 1!  This Sabbat is all about Spring, fire, passion, fertility, the Union between the God and Goddess, and faeries!  It is the celebration of Spring being here, flowers, trees and shrubs blooming, young animals being born,  Father Sun burning bright and bringing warmth and longer days, and the faeries coming out to help our gardens bloom! 

I set up my altar a couple of days ago.  I used a white base cloth for light, bright days of summer, with a grass green over cloth to represent Spring and everything greening up in nature.  I place a red taper candle to represent Goddess and a white taper candle to represent God.  I used my Gaia and Greenman statues to represent the Earth waking up and greening also.  I have a faery, rose quartz, and a small potted blooming flower.  I still need to make my mini Maypole yet.  I also have the usual elements of my Athame and wand, and the 4 items representing the Elements which is my incense burner, a small green candle, a bowl of water and a bowl of salt.  It looks lovely and a very good representation of Spring.

I’m hoping if the weather is good to have a bonfire in our outdoor fireplace, to plant my herbs into their outdoor pots and I’ll do my Beltane ritual in the morning..to represent the coming of the Sun King as the Sun is climbing in the sky.  I will leave a crystal point and a bit of bread with honey as a gift to the faeries and ask them to help me with my gardening and herb growing.  They also will help to attract the butterflies, birds, insects, ground critters etc to my yard and care for them.  

I hope to find time to make oatmeal cookies or granola as grains are a good thing to eat for Beltane..along with dairy foods.  Homemade granola on yummy yogurt would be perfect!  I’m not going to have time to do May baskets but that is a lovely way to welcome Spring and to show your neighbors or friends appreciation for being in your life.  How nice would it be to find a May basket hanging on your front door on May Day!  I think I will though get a bouquet of spring flowers..daisies are my favorite!…for my own home.  Open windows and let the fresh air in and the negative old air out!  Start fresh  on anything you want to change in your life..now is the time!

I hope to spend the day with both of my daughters and my grandaughter having lunch and spending some time together. I hope that you have someone to share this wonderful Sabbat with…

with much Love and Blessings…Autumn

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