Hanging out in book shops is one of my favourite things to do and Booths on Lion Street is my favourite one of them all.  It’s big and it creaks!  The shelves are laden with with rare, old and new books.  The wide, wooden staircase leads to another floor with sofas to lounge upon with your pile of books.  I cuddled up with the extremely furry book shop cat and whiled away the afternoon with my wondrous witchy finds.  What bliss!

Witchcraft Books I Discovered

Of course, the section I always gravitate towards is the occult in the hopes of some previously undiscovered delights!  I wasn’t disappointed when I came across quite a few witchcraft books for sale.  The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Witchcraft and Practical Magic caught my eye and it turned out to be a rather exciting tome full of amazing fine art, spells and history of magic and witchcraft.  I can’t wait to get properly buried in it.

I also came across Rae Beth’s book Hedgewitch.  A Guide to Solitary Witchcraft which is a series of very informative letters she wrote to two of her new students.  I think this is one of the best witchcraft books for beginners as the letter format means the reader can gain deep insights and teachings of the life of a real witch who practices alone.  There’s a few pen-and-ink sketches too along with descriptions and spells for all the key celtic fesitvals.  It’s very interesting and informative reading for those desiring to learn witchcraft or simply to expand their understanding.  Plus, I think reading a real life witch’s personal accounts of her practise is always fascinating!

In the end, the cat set off my sneezing (I’m allergic to them unfortunately) so I took that as my cue to get going and headed for home with my new witchcraft books in tow.

This Imbolc festival I decided to wait until the 7th Febuary for the full moon to celebrate this auspicious festival.  The first signs of spring have sprung in my garden.  There are snowdrops aplenty whose courage in springing above the earth’s surface wasn’t dampened by the four inches of snow that fell on Saturday!  Not out of the woods yet it seems, in terms of the cold weather.

Well, I love snow and my spirits weren’t dampened as I headed out for a snowy walk with my son.  The sights were truly magickal.  Holly and hawthorn displayed resplendent, bright, red berries contrasted by the ivy, with its black berries as it roved in between the two, reminding me of the Yuletide now behind us.

Traditionally at Imbolc, the God who was reborn at Yule is now seen as a young man who is in hot pursuit of the Maiden.  In this new season, she puts aside her role of Wise Woman and dons the white robes of Maiden.

Imbolc is the first rite of spring and a fire festival.  In some covens, a maiden will be chosen and dressed in white and a crown of lights.  The presiding deity at Imbolc festival is Bride (or Bridgit).

Looking back over Imbolc rituals past, I am so encouraged to see how my intentions have born fruit.  In 2010 this is especially notable when my rekindled relationship is still the best ever, I now have a son and definitely a magickal garden and a lovely house complete with real fire. I have also maintained this blog and started two others.  It’s special to see how our intentions come to fruition.

My Imbolc Ritual 2012

This year I fully utilised the full moon’s power and did a ritual for my intentions for 2012.   I love to honour the Goddess and God at all the Sabbats so I made an Imbolc ritual cake offering to them – mini banana cakes.  I also offered fire in the form of a special candle, air by lighting incense I bought in India called Vrindavan Flower, a bulb I will later plant for earth, and a goblet of water.  We have our own water supply from a borehole in the back garden so our water is pure and sweet, making a lovely water element offering to my spiritual guardians.

Invite the Elements and Goddess and God

I then invited the elements and called upon the Goddess and God and offered them my preparations.  I bought Imbolc candles – one white and one black.  I lit the black candle and said loudly “This light represents the Wise Woman who presides over the dark winter months.  I thank her for her guidance and wisdom over this internal and meditative time. ”

Then I spent time thinking about what I’ve learned and achieved over this time period.

“Now the Wise Woman becomes the Maiden, full of youthful vitality, health and beauty and brimming with promise.”

I then lit a white candle and extinguished the black one, thinking about what I would like to begin this Imbolc.  I list these things on a special piece of paper and then bury the list along with my bulb I offered for the element of earth.

I have since planted the bulb in a pot so it will grow and bloom along with my new projects.

I then thanked the elements and Goddess and Gods’ presence and closed the circle.

This is a nice Imbolc ritual for solitary practitioners.

Please share yours by commenting below.

For Yule festival 2011 I organised a wonderful witchy gathering of eight women.  We each made festive food to share and ended up with a lot of yummy preparations!  Before we tucked in however, we gathered in a circle and recognised the time of year and absorbed the special, cosy, spicy and social, bubbly energy Yuletide brings.  We held hands, absorbed each other’s presence and cast a circle around the house, inviting the quarters and God and Goddess.

I spoke a little about Yule meaning and history before asking everyone to get out their tealights I’d asked them to bring.  These were for our Yule log.  Traditionally, each person lights a candle to represent and welcome the coming of the light and to make a wish for the days ahead.  In addition to the wish, I suggested the candle also be a light for those loved ones no longer with us and to share their memories.  This turned out to be a moving session as we each took it in turn to make our wish and honour our departed loved ones.  The Yule log was a beautiful sight at the end, glimmering in the dimmed light of the ceremony room, full of held intentions and shared memories.

Yule wouldn’t be complete without gifts, so we did a secret santa and each received something special.  My lovely material framed mirror is still hanging over my fireplace.

I made Yule incense too – frankincense, myrrh, cinnamon and dried orange peel which I burned to welcome the guests.

So this was my Yule ritual 2011.  Please share how you celebrated yours by commenting below.

The magickal, dark and rainy Samhain night went very, very well indeed!  A combination of fun, serious sharing about our deceased loved ones, feasting and a very interesting psychic development exercise.

I discovered my Samhain costume from last year – my black feather boa, black dress and a purple hat which I donned for the evening until the fire I’d lit got too hot!

I made a special Samhain altar for our ancestors and each one of us brought photos to place upon the altar.  It was kind of like they shared the evening with us!  We each said a little something about our loved ones and it turned out to be a really lovely, moving sharing session.

Then came the psychic development part.  As I’d requested, each person brought an object to the group that held personal meaning to them.  We each held our object which was wrapped in cloth or inside a bag, then passed it to the person on our left.  Then we spent five minutes on each object intuiting anything we could about it.

The results were staggering!  My object was a little hand-knitted dog belonging to my son and knitted for him by my mother.  One person picked up spirals, going round and round and swirling which was the knitting action.  Another person said “your object has a nose and a red strip” – the red was the dog’s collar!  Also, a feminine energy  and lots of love were picked up.

Another object was a feather. As soon as I held it my hads buzzed with energy so I knew it was used for ritual.  Correct! I also intuited air, wind and flight as did the others. So there we go.

Another object was a ring.  We all intuited very different things for this object from happiness to sadness and loss, travel, a gift, somehow sacred, from deep in the earth.  It turns out this diamond ring was an engagement ring belonging to her great grandmother who emigrated to New Zealand.    Her father had given it to his wife as an engagement ring but she left him after some years.  So there are all the elements we intuited there in the story of that ring.  Amazing.

We all left that exercise feeling truly happy and satisfied with ourselves.  We also learnt not to limit what we write down for fear of being wrong.  Some of us did this only to wish we’d written it down when we were proved right!!  Also we learned not to let our intelligence get in the way – intuit, don’t guess!  And, very often the first things come in your mind are usually right.

Many of us want to learn how to be psychic and this exercise demonstrates just how we can accurately intuit many things correctly by just focusing and practise.  We all have it in us.

Then it was time for the feast of Samhain we’d all prepared.  The pumpkin soup and pie I’d made were delicious.

We did some tarot reading to end the evening to get some guidance for the new year ahead.

So all in all, a wonderful festival of Samhain.  Please share what you did this year – I’d love to hear!

For this year’s Samhain feast I’m going to make pumpkin soup with cream, with courgette and cheese muffins, yum.  For dessert, I’ll make pumpkin pie.  I’ll probably look like a pumpkin after I’ve consumed my fill, but that’s okay on Samhain!

Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
2 onions , finely chopped
1kg pumpkin or squash (butternut is wonderful). Chop into chunks, remove seeds and skin.
750ml vegetable stock (Marigold’s veg bouillon powder is yum) or any veg stock will do
130ml double cream

Method

Heat the oil in a large pan and fry onions for 5 mins until they’re soft.  don’t let them colour.  Add pumpkin chunks and cook gently for another 10 mins.  It will turn a wonderful golden colour and soften a little.

Add the stock and some black pepper (leave out salt as sometime stock is salty enough).  Simmer for 10 mins until soft.  Then add the cream to the pan, bring to the boil and then blend with a stick/hand blender.  Make some croutons to go with it if you like.  Also, it’s nice with toasted, slivered almonds on top.  Serve with garlic bread or crusty granary bread and butter.

Samhain festival wouldn’t be the same without pumpkin pie, so here’s a recipe I love.  Have fun making it!  I like to offer it to the God and Goddess and then offer it to my ancestors.

Sweet Pumpkin Pie

Pastry for a 9-inch pie dish.

1/2 cup plain flour

1/2 cup wholemeal plain flour

1/2 cup butter at room temp

1/2 tsp salt

5 – 7 tblsp cold water

Combine the lot minus 3 tblsp of the water.  Mix with your hands until it resembles breadcrumbs.  Add the rest of the water bit by bit if until you get a ball of pastry.  Wrap in a buttered plastic bag or put in a tub and chill for around 30 mins.  Then make your filling.  After filling is prepared, roll out pastry on a floured surface.  Place in your 9-inch pie dish.

Filling:

1 med size pumpkin or very large butternut squash

1 1/4 cups (310 ml) sweetened condensed milk

2 tblsp cornflour

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp freshly ground whole allspice berries

1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

Chop the pumpkin in half crosswise.  Remove seeds and fibres and place cut side down on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Place in a 160 degrees C oven for around 1 hour or until it’s tender when pierced with a knife/

Scrape away pulp from the skin and discard the skin.  Place put in food processor and blend until smooth.  Do this in batches – easier to achieve smooth result.

Force through a sieve and measure 2 cups for the pie and reserve the rest for other purposes.  Combine the measured pumpkin puree with all the other filling ingredients.  Beat with a wire whisk until smooth and creamy.

Assemble and bake

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C.  Pour the filling into the chilled pastry case and smooth it out.  It should be barely 2.5cm deep.  Bake for 40 mins or until the filling is set.  cool and cut into wedges and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  Enjoy!

Enjoy!

This year I had a gorgeous baby boy.  And now of course, I spend most of my time with him and my girlfriends get neglected!   Well, it’s not that bad but I definitely don’t see them as much as I did before. So, this year I’m inspired to host a girly night to make up for lost time!  Now, some are already into Wicca and Witchcraft and others are new to such things, but I’m confident it will turn out well.

There’s a million and one rituals for Samhain I could do on the night, but seeing as we only have one evening I’ve managed to whittle things down a bit.  Here’s what I’m planning.

1)  There’ll definitely be lots of ancestor honouring!  I’ve suggested they bring photos of loved ones who have passed on.  We’ll place these on the altar and light candles for each one.  We’ll offer a feast to the Goddess and God (my faves are the Goddess Radharani and her beloved Krishna) and then offer this to our deceased loved ones.

Each of us can say a few words about our loved ones, what we loved about them, how we feel now about their passing.

2)  Divination.  It wouldn’t be a Samhain without it, now would it!  We’ll do some Tarot reading for each other for the year ahead. I’m also focusing on intuitive development using psychometry.  I’ve told each person to bring a small object that means something to them, to wrap it in a small cloth bag and not to tell anyone what it is.  We’ll each spend 5 minutes or so focusing on each object and writing down anything we intuit from it and then share this after.  Fun!

3)  Feasting.  It’s a bring and share.  I’ll be making pumpkin soup and pumpkin pie with cream. Yum.

Seeing as we haven’t had a get together for a while now, I’ll make time for an informal chat, so I’m suggesting everyone comes at 5pm for a 7pm start.  We’ll definitely need 2 hours for chats!!

So there are some Samhain rituals for you to try too, if you so fancy!  Let me know what you’re planning by commenting below.

Samhain Blessings to you and have a wonderful festival.

Witches’ Sabbats

So here’s a description of all our Sabbats that those practising the art of Wicca and Witchcraft traditionally follow.

There are eight Sabbats altogether which comprise the Witches’ Wheel of the Year.  The festivals vary in importance and are divided into two groups of four major Sabbats  and four lesser Sabbats.

The Four Major Sabbats

Samhain: 31 October

Imbolc: 2 February

Beltane: 1 May

Lammas: 1 August

These comprise the ancient fire festivals and are often celebrated by witches with a small ritual fire outside or more simply with candles.  These four represent the major parts of the Witches’ year with Samhain being the most important as the start of the New Year.  At Imbolc, new life is stirring under the last frosts of Winter, Beltane the heat of the sun can be felt and the first blossoms bloom, Lammas sees the harvests gathered and Samhain sees the year come full circle again.

The Four Lesser Sabbats

Yule: 21 December

Oestara: 21 March

Litha: 21 June

Madron: 21 September

The lesser Sabbats are the two solstices of Yule and Litha, Winter’s shortest day and Summer’s longest day and the two equinoxes of Oestara and Madron where day and night are equal in length.

Click the individual names of these Wiccan holidays or festivals to find out more about how I, and other witches, celebrate these special times of our year.

Mabon ritual and walk

Here we are again almost at this wonderful, enchanting time of year.  I went for a long walk yesterday with my husband and new baby!  Well, he’s now five months old but he still feels very new to me!

For the first time this year I felt the chill of autumn, not that this summer’s been that balmy by any means, rather cool in fact.  Indeed there’s been plenty of days in our cool July where I’ve thought, “when summer arrives I’ll do this, that and this…” only to realise that we were half way though it already with the summer solstice been and gone!

I guess, because I do like a bit of heat (as long as there’s some relief like a cold shower to cool off!), I’m not fully ready for the season to turn yet.  That is until I went for my walk yesterday!

I became captured by Mabon’s enchantment once again.  All along the wooded path there were little pieces of autumn scattered on the ground.  Where chestnut trees grew, their leaves lay golden brown along the ground, the first to green in the spring and the first to turn at Mabon time.  Hazel nuts, acorns, damsons and berries black and red were sprouting everywhere I looked, conjuring visions of me with jam pan aboiling on the stove!  I do love a good jam bubbling away, especially a brightly coloured one like damson, rosehip or hawthorn berry.

This particular walk was a new discovery, a wonderful new woodland path to take and right on my doorstep.  Epona was evident when we met a beautiful Norwegian Fjord horse and rider cantering through the trees sending earth and leaves scattering.  Exhilarating!

At the end of the path we came across a circle of ash trees surrounded by oak and hawthorn, a powerful place for an outdoor Mabon ritual encircled by the guardians of oak, ash and thorn.

So, by the end of my outing I returned with a renewed enthusiasm for Summer’s end, already mentally designing my Mabon ritual, incense wafting and jam bubbling.

The Rede comes in many forms, however the key phrase and short version known by all Witches is:

“An’ it harm none, do what thou will” or “And it harm none, do what you will”

You can find copies of it all over the internet however here is a copy below for your interest.

The Wiccan Rede (Long Version)

Bide within the Law you must, in perfect Love and perfect Trust.
Live you must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give.

For tread the Circle thrice about to keep unwelcome spirits out.
To bind the spell well every time, let the spell be said in rhyme.

Light of eye and soft of touch, speak you little, listen much.
Honor the Old Ones in deed and name,
let love and light be our guides again.

Deosil go by the waxing moon, chanting out the joyful tune.
Widdershins go when the moon doth wane,
and the werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane.

When the Lady’s moon is new, kiss the hand to Her times two.
When the moon rides at Her peak then your heart’s desire seek.

Heed the North winds mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail.
When the Wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast.

When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss you on the mouth.
When the wind whispers from the West, all hearts will find peace and rest.

Nine woods in the Cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow.
Birch in the fire goes to represent what the Lady knows.

Oak in the forest towers with might, in the fire it brings the God’s
insight.   Rowan is a tree of power causing life and magick to flower.

Willows at the waterside stand ready to help us to the Summerland.
Hawthorn is burned to purify and to draw faerie to your eye.

Hazel-the tree of wisdom and learning adds its strength to the bright fire burning.
White are the flowers of Apple tree that brings us fruits of fertility.

Grapes grow upon the vine giving us both joy and wine.
Fir does mark the evergreen to represent immortality seen.

Elder is the Lady’s tree burn it not or cursed you’ll be.
Four times the Major Sabbats mark in the light and in the dark.

As the old year starts to wane the new begins, it’s now Samhain.
When the time for Imbolc shows watch for flowers through the snows.

When the wheel begins to turn soon the Beltane fires will burn.
As the wheel turns to Lamas night power is brought to magick rite.

Four times the Minor Sabbats fall use the Sun to mark them all.
When the wheel has turned to Yule light the log the Horned One rules.

In the spring, when night equals day time for Ostara to come our way.
When the Sun has reached it’s height time for Oak and Holly to fight.

Harvesting comes to one and all when the Autumn Equinox does fall.
Heed the flower, bush, and tree by the Lady blessed you’ll be.

Where the rippling waters go cast a stone, the truth you’ll know.
When you have and hold a need, harken not to others greed.

With a fool no season spend or be counted as his friend.
Merry Meet and Merry Part bright the cheeks and warm the heart.

Mind the Three-fold Laws you should three times bad and three times good.
When misfortune is enow wear the star upon your brow.

Be true in love this you must do unless your love is false to you.

These Eight words the Rede fulfill:

“An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will”

The altar tools used to weave magic are the most powerful and beautiful symbols for me.  I’ll list those most commonly found in the Craft.

The pentagram is the much misunderstood symbol of the four elements and spirit. Don’t you just hate it when Hollywood represents it as a maligned symbol of Devil worship.  Anyway, I have a beautiful stained glass one hanging in my living room window and a lovely, smooth, wooden one on my altar, carved from oak.  The pentacle is the five pointed star with a circle around it and the pentagram is the star without the circle.

As well as encompassing all the elements and spirit, this Wiccan symbol represents the element of earth and is placed on the north area of the altar, usually with the colour green, a bowl of salt or a plant to represent earth.

Chalices are Wiccan symbols of the Goddess, symbolises femininity and water and is placed on the west area of the altar with the colour blue.  It holds wine in certain Wiccan rites namely Wine and Cakes and the Great Rite.

The wand represents creation and is traditionally the length of the owner’s forearm.  It’s fun making your own – I made mine from beech wood.  The wand represents fire and can rest on the south area of the altar along with the colour red.

The athame, or the witches’ ritual knife, is used to cut air and cast the Circle in which a witch performs her magical works.  The athame represents the element of air and sits on the east side of my altar with the colour yellow.

I mentioned the Circle above.  The Circle is one of the most powerful Wiccan symbols and is a most sacred space which protects and holds the magical energy performed within its boundary.

On that note I wouldn’t be a witch without my besom or broomstick which is traditionally used to symbolically sweep and cleanse the Circle.  I actually don’t use mine for this purpose, but it sits outside my front door and is used to keep the entrance clear of leaves!  I bought it in Glastonbury and it reminds me of that wonderful, spiritually charged place!  Besoms are leapt over at handfastings to signify moving from one stage of life to another.

The last but not least in the Wiccan symbols is the Book of Shadows.  This is an important part of a witch’s Craft in which is recorded all magical workings and their results along with any thoughts and feelings along the way.