Saturday 18 January 2014

Spelling to Moon Phases by Starlit

image from nayleon.com
In light of the recent publication or nearly publication of Tansys' new book "Moon Magic" I have recently completed a homework through Kitchen Witch on the moon and wanted to share some of it with you...

I love the moon! I’ve spent many an evening staring lovingly into the sky and talking to her. I personally see the Moon phases as special to three different goddesses of the Greek pantheon: Artemis, Selene and Hecate – waxing, full and waning… Maiden, Mother and Crone… mind, body, and spirit. That's my Hellenic root to be fair! If I call upon deity during spell work related to the moon I tend to work with these goddesses or at least have these goddesses in mind! Admittedly I may not actually call on deity officially but the gentle embrace of each goddess floats through my mind when I work with the moon in each of her phases… and that is a lot!

I see the new and full moons as both powerful times for wishing, so the spells I’ve constructed during these periods are both wishing spells. The waxing and waning moons I see as more practical magical, and since I am a kitchen witch these tend to involve herbs, oils, candles etc.

I’ve created a really simple wishing spell for the full moon, which can be adapted depending on the time of year and the moon.

Each moon has its own personality and area it rules after all, as does each season, and each astrological sign the moon happens to be in etc. I felt having a general adaptable spell would be a good idea.

Full Moon Wishing Spell

(Calling upon Demeter) – Funny she’s not one of the goddesses I mentioned above but trust me on this one I’ve adapted the goddess to the wish! J

What you’ll need:

Ø  A glass of wine/juice/cider/mead – depends on the season maybe or what you have to hand.
Ø  A plant pot if you have to do this inside
Ø  A specific wish – be really specific about this and adapt it to the moon/season/astrological sign etc
Ø  A full moon or even a day or so either side

What to do:

Ø  At night under a full moon go outside or get to a window where you can see the light of the moon. With a glass of juice/wine.
Ø  Look up at the moon and tell her exactly what you wish, visualising the wish coming true, be specific and explain in as much detail as possible, it helps to have this wish prepared beforehand.
Ø  When complete lift you glass in a toast to the moon goddess and say, with more visualisation of the wish coming to being.

"Lunar Goddess, mother Demeter look and see!
This goblet that I offer thee!
It is yours for all you do
Gracious one of silver hue."

Ø  Pour your juice/wine into the soil or a plant pot in belief that your wish will be granted.
 
Waning Moon Protection Spell
 
After having tried everything I could think of to deal with a particular person in my life (yes even this fluffy bunny has pain in the butt people in her life!) I turned hesitantly to magic during a waning moon. I call upon the Queen of Witches from the Roman/Greek Pantheon: Aradia who is a very protective Goddess who swore to protect women and witches from aggressors to offer me assistance within this spell. I would have had Hecate in mind as well as she is also a very protective Goddess but Aradia hit this one perfectly!
 What you will need:
 
  • A brown candle (an image candle, if you can) to represent the person who is harassing you.
  • A small piece of paper
  • A writing implement
  • Honey
  • Knife, pin or athame
  • Flowing water
What to do:
 
  • Write the offending person’s name on the front and back of the candles
  • Write the following incantation on a small piece of paper
“From now on, (name) will say nothing but sweet words about me and to me.
By the power of Aradia,
So mote it be!”
  • Put a drop of honey in the middle of the paper and roll it into a ball.
  • Heat a knife, pin or your athame, make a gash in the candle and stuff the paper ball into it.
  • Light it and allow the candle to burn a little while every night for an odd number of nights, to a maximum of nine nights.
  • Throw the remnants into flowing water, but save some candle drippings or ash to sprinkle in the path of your oppressor.
Dark Moon
I get really confused with this, I would say that the dark moon is the 3 days immediately preceding the new moon and the new moon up to 3 ½ days after, so they’re separate occasions. Some though seem to put these together. During the dark moon I don’t spell, I simply meditate, read and reflect. However on the night of the New Moon I do spell… So I’ll be using this one here! You’ll notice I do not call upon deity here but ask the Universe for assistance instead.
What you’ll need:
  • 3 pieces of paper
  • A writing implement
  • 3 Candles
  • Fire proof dish or cauldron
What to do:
  • On the first piece of paper write a list of things that went well since the last new moon. (Did the previous months spell work?)
  • On the second piece of paper write a list of things that didn’t go so well since the last new moon
  • On the third piece of paper write a list of things to manifest until the next new moon. (Looking at the last list maybe some worked some didn’t)
  • Light the first candle, read the first piece list out loud and then burn it over the candle sending a heart felt thank you to the universe for it’s assistance something simple like:
“Thank you dearest Universe for my blessings this month.”
  • Do the same with the second list I like to say something along the lines of
“Please help me find strength in the areas that have not gone so well this month”
  • Read the last list really visualising your manifestations, place it under the third candle, light it and let it the candle burn out (don’t walk away from it and use a mini spell candle – so much quicker!) Saying something simple like:
“I ask the universe to assist me in manifesting these goals/wishes/aims over the next month. Guide me with love and light. So Mote It Be!”
  • Wash the ashes lists through running water or bury them/sprinkle them in the garden, keep the third list on your altar to prompt you next month.
Waxing Moon – Wintergreen Muscle Rub (recipe from recipesonline.com adapted into a spell!!)
 I suffer from headaches; some of which can be completely debilitating. I’ve used essential oils associated with specific tension relieving herbs and charged them while blending to make a tension relieving muscle rub to be applied to muscles like the shoulders, neck, and temples to help relieve headaches. It’s a drawing relaxation and soothing calmness to oneself aching muscles which makes this rub and enchantment perfect for a waxing moon. You’ll notice I do not call upon any deity to help me out here.
What you will need:
 
  • A dark blue or amber glass container (I used one with a roller ball)
  • 9 drops Peppermint oil
  • 5 drops Clove oil
  • 9 drops Wintergreen oil – for pain relief
  • 6 drops Ginger oil – for warming and unknotting sore muscles
  • 3-4 teaspoons of the carrier oil of your choice (I used Jojoba)
What to do:
  • Gently drip 2 of the 3-4 teaspoons into the blue vile
  • One by one drip each essential oil into the carrier oil charging them one by one
      • Peppermint“I draw the cooling and warming effect of peppermint to this blend.”
      • Clove“I draw the natural powers of pain relief into this blend”
      • Wintergreen“I draw natural powers of pain relief into this blend.”
      • Ginger“I draw the ability to warm and unknot tired muscles to this blend
  • Swirl the blend together visualising a warming, calming, soothing white light swirling in the blend – when you feel it’s ready whisper “So Mote it Be!”
  • Cap it and label it – it’ll keep in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight for up to a year.
Swapping Moon Phases
The intent of the “recipe spell” above is about drawing healing into the jojoba oil by using the healing oils of the herbs, but you can swap this one around and charge the essential oils for banishing tension during a waning moon.
So instead of saying “I draw…” you would say “I use the warming and cooling effect to banish…” Changing the wording to change the intent of the spell and to match it to the moon phase is the simplest of adaptations to make.
 
Go on have a go at some moon magic, she's listening you know! xxx )O( xxx
 
 
 
 
 

Saturday 4 January 2014

The Magic of Words by Starlit Energies


We all use them, some are more eloquent then others. Some use big complicated ones, others plain and simple ones. They come in all different shapes and sizes. They are the everyday; thousands are exchanged daily and oh Goddess they are powerfully magical. I am of course talking about words.

“Words are, in my not so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic, capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it.” — Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II

As a child I was told by my grandmother: “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all!” Oh how I wish I could abide by this truly respectable saying! We use thousands of words daily, do we realised truly how powerful they are? Words like love, friendship, hate and anxiety, what a different outcome each of these words have on the speaker and the receiver.

As a witch, I take words extremely seriously. Words have power in them; a spell is often cast by simply thinking or it speaking it out loud. Ever told someone that they’re beautiful and found out later that that person was considering starving themselves because they’ve been told they’re too fat? Ever told someone you hate their guts, only to find out later something bad had befallen them? Ever told someone they are talented, and watched them grow creativity into a success in their desired field? You don’t think of these things as magic, but they do have magical results… don’t you think? It is the simplest of magical behaviours. By letting someone know that you believe in them, that you have added your desire for their success to theirs you have just strengthened the blessings in that person's life.

 If will power, intention, belief and the power of words are mixed together in the great cauldron mixing pot you’ll be surprised what happens! Once you enter the magical realm, you enter your magical place, your mind space, and suddenly every word is accountable. I wouldn’t suggest using them lightly, after all in my humble opinion spell casting is nothing more than making a deep felt wish and releasing it into the universe with all your minds power behind it.

The magic of words is what helps us all to survive; they can give us comfort, and feeds us courage. Thoughtless speech on the other hand can cut us to shreds and leave soul level emotional scars. A good word can give you wings; while a mean word will be the stone around your neck. The truth about words is that they are with us even if our voice is silent… so not only do we need to be aware of what we’re saying out loud, we also need to be aware of our own self chatter.

I’ve noticed I am one of those overly humble people that always go around and hide my light under my bushel! I’ve not been doing myself any favours. Worst I’m a person that constantly doubts their own talents and or self-worth.

By saying: I could never be as good as "Name of the Person you think your-self lesser then", you have already made the conscious decision that you will never be as good as.... It will never happen, because you have already given up the fight. The universe will just quit trying to bring good things to you. I have run away from positive things in my life, just because I believed I did not deserve them or that they would turn bad somehow. I’m changing this and I implore anyone reading this to work on doing the same.

A closing thought. The next time you decide you want to say something negative, want to tear yourself or someone else verbally down. The next time you feel the urge to think a hateful thought, I ask you to first think of the consequences. What if you just cast a spell into the air? How would you feel if your wish came true?

Be careful when using words. Be kind without being a pansy. Be sure you really mean what you say and don't just speak in anger. There is Power in the use of Words!