October 30th, 2016

Yesterday was a wonderful, busy day. After volunteering at Habitat for Humanity in the morning, I got changed and ready to go to SIPA's Samhain ritual. Tara met me outside my dorm around 2:45, and we drove over to Crab Orchard Campground for the event.

The ritual had originally been going to be at Devil's Kitchen Lake like Mabon, but apparently that area is now undergoing construction, so the parks department gave us the Crab Orchard spot instead. Quite honestly, it was probably a better site, anyway - for one thing, the peninsula was huge, and we had the whole thing to ourselves. There was no designated shelter, which, granted, would have been less fun had it been raining like last year, but fortunately, the weather was perfect. The sky was clear, and it was 80 degrees in the afternoon.

I explored the site a bit, and found this strawberry plant growing a baby strawberry! It seemed a little late in the season, but as warm as it was, I suppose the plants didn't mind.

Because the area was so large, we had a lot of options for where we held ritual. Tara originally wanted to use this spot, right on the lake, which had a cool, star-shaped tree stump in the ground. However, it was quite windy, and there was some concern about whether or not things would blow over, so she decided instead to use an area further back in the trees, but which still had a view of the lake.

As always, there was a potluck. I brought soda, since there hadn't been enough drinks at the last ritual, and enjoyed pizza, vegetables, pasta, cupcakes, and cookies. There was also a home-grown watermelon which I had some of later - very tasty - and apple cider.

Look at these cool Samhain cupcakes! They were filled with raspberry sauce, too, mmmm....

I hadn't been expecting to get to use my construction skills at all at the ritual, but as it would turn out, there were some pieces to construct for the Circle setup. Sean designed these elemental doorways, built out of 2x2s and fabric, which we put together using his battery-powered staple gun. This was Air, in the East.

A close-up of the elemental altar beyond the Air doorway; people had the opportunity to banish from their lives anything relating to the element Air by writing it down and then tying the paper to the wreath like a dreamcatcher.

The Fire doorway; problems relating to the element Fire were written down and the papers burned in the cauldron.

The Water doorway; problems relating to the element Water were written down and drowned in the water inside the vase.

The Earth doorway; problems relating to the element Earth were buried in the tray of potting soil.

There was also a central bonfire for burning any problems related to Spirit, or to issues not clearly covered by one of the other elements.

These were the items I brought for the ancestor altar; we've had some deaths in the family this year, so I had quite a bit more to bring than I did last Samhain.

We held the ritual after the sun went down. It was windy enough that it was impossible to keep the candles lit, but I saw a shooting star right after everyone had finished honoring their ancestors, and it was a really good, contemplative ceremony. There were also some reporters from a local newspaper who came to talk and photograph, so I may be in the newspaper sometime this week!

November 1st, 2015

And as of today, the Samhain season is over, and we move on towards the rebirth of Yule. I was thinking a lot the past few days about why we consider Samhain to be the "Pagan New Year", and the conclusion that I've come to is that the sabbat is really the final celebration of death on the Wheel; from Lughnasadh to Mabon to Samhain, we're considering the harvest and the autumn and the gradual shutdown of nature. 

Now, in the month and a half before Yule, is a fallow period of quiet contemplation. We can determine our goals for the next year, get our things in order, and be ready to begin again like the sun on the winter solstice. If we imagine the Wheel of the Year as a tree, then this period is the acorn, lying dormant under the soil. Above the surface, nothing appears to be happening, but beneath the earth, there is so much potential ready to sprout. 

I did a bunch of cleaning today, as well as redecorating. I had a lot of Samhain decorations to take down, and a few little Thanksgiving items to replace them with. It feels far too early still to decorate for Yule, and besides, those things are all at home; I'll have to be sure to pick them up over Thanksgiving break. 

I wanted to redecorate my altar, and so I shifted everything around a bunch. I've decided to try keeping an ancestor altar up year-round, and my crystals also wanted to be switched out. Then I had some sugar maple leaves I'd pressed, so I set those around as well. 

It feels a lot calmer in here after the fact, and I opened my essential oil bottle for a bit this morning, so the whole room smells like frankincense.

This is the Quartz point I received at yesterday's ritual. Since it has such a strong tie to banishing magick, I decided to set it on my altar facing one direction, with my other, invoking Quartz point facing the opposite direction. It struck me as a good way to balance out the energies.

Room Protection Pouch

Do you have problems with nosy parents, siblings, or etcetera prying in your personal space?

I recently did this spell by Honey Coyote on tumblr, where one creates an amulet-pouch filled with herbs and crystals that have protective and/or banishing properties, as well as a sigil of one's choice. The pouch I chose to sew myself so as to put some more energy into it, but a pre-made one could be used just as easily.

July 11th, 2014

A couple of months ago, Hazelnut took me to a new metaphysical shop near her house called Gypsy Haven. It's an amazing place, one which I definitely plan to frequent, and also a huge purveyor of crystals. There was too much variety almost to choose from, but I settled on a piece of Black Onyx since I didn't happen to have any yet. Having had some free time today (finally), I felt it prudent to actually get its properties researched and posted.

Onyx

Physical Characteristics: Onyx comes in almost all colors, though black and white are the most well-publicized. The red variety, depending on its composition, is either Sard or Sardonyx.

In Nature: This stone forms from bands of chalcedony in alternating colors and is cryptocrystalline, meaning that its crystal structure is so fine that it is difficult to see, even under a microscope. It forms in vesicles of lava, and consists of fine intergrowths of Quartz and Moganite.

Chemical Composition: SiO2

Mohs Scale Hardness: 7 (middle)

Can be Found: Brazil, Uruguay, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Hawaii, Madagascar

Healing Properties*: Onyx's healing powers are effective but slow. To combat epilepsy, eye and ear problems, unbalanced chakras, and the like, wear Onyx for at least two weeks and up to a couple of months. Cleanse the stone weekly when used in this way. The stone is especially renown for its ability to heal skin ailments. For cases of sunburn, rash, and other topical conditions, use Onyx water (i.e. water that has held an Onyx for a number of hours) to wash the afflicted area throughout the day.

Magickal Properties: According to Greek and Roman legend, Cupid wandered past the sleeping Venus one afternoon, and, feeling mischievous, used his arrowhead to cut the goddess' fingernails. When the clippings fell to the sand, the Fates turned them into the first Onyx so as to let no part of the immortal perish. The name "Onyx" comes from "onux", the Greek word for "fingernail". This legend ties the stone to two powerful deities of love, and yet modern lore states that Onyx will actually reduce sexual desire. Scott Cunningham reconciles this opposition in his Crystal, Gems, & Metal Magic when he points out that as a protective stone, Onyx can be used both ways: to suppress desire when sex could be considered a health risk or to stimulate it by protecting life and the impetus thereof. That aside, Onyx will grant both physical and mental strength and is an aide for releasing attachments to negative people, places, memories, etc. In tandem with Amethyst, the stone is a tool for overcoming alcoholism and encouraging sobriety. Above all, Onyx is famed for its protective qualities, whether that entails keeping negative people out of one's life or warding off danger while driving through a dangerous neighborhood. By virtue of its banishing negativity, the stone is a confidence booster as well as a stress reliever. Use the stone in banishing rituals, or as a tool of divination; in particular, it is an excellent scrying stone. Other magickal uses include psychic contact with the deceased, mediumship, and past-life regression. In Chinese Feng Shui, the color black is associated with wealth and wisdom; left in an office, Onyx will assist its bearer in making wise business choices. Onyx is noted for its tendency to store the energies of its owner. This is a good thing for its bearer, as it creates a close working tie with the stone, but should one receive Onyx as a gift, be sure to thoroughly cleanse the stone of its old energy.

Chakra Association: First (Root) Chakra. Also the Second (Sacral) and Sixth (Third Eye).

Element: Fire

Energy: Projective

Planetary Association: Mars

*Magickal healing should never take the place of seeing a doctor and following any recommended prescriptions, actions, or other advice. Magick works best in tandem with physical efforts, anyway, so don't skimp on those check-ups!

February 1st, 2013

Happy February, everyone! Happy Imbolc, too (I know Imbolc is tomorrow, but we're going to the zoo, so I probably won't have time to add a post). Imbolc is a fantastic time to expel all the negative energy that has been building up in the house over the winter. First, clean the house really well physically - vacuum, mop, sweep, wash the windows, and put away all that junk that you know is piling up on the desk. Then, if you have a besom you use only for magickal purposes, grab it. Otherwise, make one. Try binding some birch branches or broom together with white ribbon. Sprinkle every room in the house liberally with salt and blessed water, and then sweep every room in a counterclockwise fashion to banish negativity. Repeat a banishing chant if desired. Finally, sweep the room again clockwise, invoking positive energy to fill the space. Don't forget to do the garage, and if possible do the closets as well. A very blessed sabbat to everyone!

July 2nd, 2012

My mom, Nick, and I took another hike through the forest preserve this morning, and boy, oh boy, it was just in the nick of time, too. It was already hot when we were out, and now it's a blistering 98 degrees. When we were finished with our walk, Nick and I discovered a water pump. Naturally, being both hot, tired, and sweaty, we wanted to cool off. Nick was convinced the pump wouldn't work, but I gave it a go anyway. After several minutes of pumping the lever fruitlessly, I began to think that Nick was right. However, I had a trick up my sleeve that Nick didn't know about - the ability to call the element water. I had called upon water before in just such a circumstance and had found it to be most effective. So, asking a bit of aid from Goddess and the water elementals, I drew the invoking pentagram of water over the pump. Giving the lever another go, I immediately felt some resistance, indicating that there was water there. A few minutes later, and the pump was merrily spewing clear, cold water, even if it did taste vaguely of copper. Once we were a bit cooler, I drew the banishing pentagram. You don't want those elementals to have to sit there all day; I'm sure they have better things to be doing than looking after a pump no-one else is using.
I spent the afternoon volunteering at my school, helping to build a parade float for our community choir, and then got home to do some reading. I've made a new deal with myself, also. I really need to get back in the habit of daily meditation and prayer. I figure that if I write it down on the internet, I may actually feel inspired to keep the promise! ;)

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And finally, about a month after I would have liked, I got a video of my Litha altar made. Check it out!