July 11th, 2015

It occurred to me after posting my spell instructions yesterday that I had actually left out a rather important piece of information: what to do with the poppet once your spell has manifested. As such, here's a quick post-script to go along with that.

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After your spell comes to fruition, you should generally dispose of the poppet. It is important to do this safely and respectfully.

Materials:

• Scissors
• White cloth (optional)
• Pendulum (optional)
• Shovel
• A patch of dirt

First, untie or cut the thread holding the poppet against the picture. As you do so, state that the bond between person and poppet is broken. I liked the rhyme from this site, so I used a similar version:

"By moon and stars

And Goddess above

This link is now severed

With blessings and love."

Then, take apart each individual element of the poppet in the reverse order from how you made it. In my case, I removed the yarn "hair", cut open the side seam and removed the stuffing, and then undid the rest of the seaming and turned the material back wrong-side out. As you disassemble it, place the pieces on the white cloth to make them easier to transport later.

For good measure, I next recited this verse from Silver Ravenwolf's* Solitary Witch:

"The future has come, my desire was granted,

Your work is now finished, no longer enchanted.

Air will disperse and fire combust,

Water joins Spirit, earth turns to dust.

Though you must depart,

Your gifts shall remain

Blessings upon you in Goddess' name."

At this time, because I was feeling a little paranoid, I used my pendulum to check that all traces of residual energy had been dispersed from the materials. This step is unnecessary if you are comfortable with your work.

 

Pick up the cloth and carry it outside, or to wherever your dirt is. Since this was a sort of binding spell, as opposed to a banishing one, I chose to bury it on our property. Dig a small hole, remove the materials from the cloth, and bury them in the hole.

The poppet has been disposed of.

*Yes, I understand that Ravenwolf is a highly problematic source. Most of the complaints against her work are entirely valid. That, however, is a discussion for another post. I like the verbal flow of some of her verses, so I use them. If you are uncomfortable doing so, that is entirely your prerogative. Feel free to substitute that step with something else.

October 27th, 2011

First, a bit about yesterday, as I did not have a chance to go on the computer. If you are an avid reader of this blog, then perhaps you remember my post a few weeks ago about using pendulums. I used mine again last night to great effect when Ben tragically lost his bouncy ball. As he searched the living room and convinced himself he'd never see his ball again, I quietly pulled out my pendulum and found the missing toy under the coffee table in under a minute. No matter how many times I use these things, their powers never cease to amaze me. I also made Meringue Bones last night, a delicious Samhain treat that can be made out of nothing but 5 ingredients. The recipe I used is available here: http://recipes.kaboose.com/meringue-bones.html . Today, I had a choir concert, and it was truly glorious. There's something magical about music. It is literally as powerful a force as that by which the Lord and Lady brought the universe into existence; the creation of something out of nothing, of rippling sound waves where before there was only still air. Indeed, the very act of speaking, humming, whistling, or singing is an act of divine creation. Just a little something to think about...

Pendulums

After that last post detailing their use, I thought you might like to see my pendulum. It was given to me by my Aunt C as a Yule gift. :) I hold the pentacle, and divine with the teardrop-shaped metal weight.

October 9th, 2011

Of all the divination tools out there, pendulums are one of the simplest to master. Nevertheless, their power should not be underestimated: they are very accurate and effective, not to mention quick and straight-forward.

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Pendulums, unlike tarot or rune stones, are generally used only for yes or no questions. They can also be used to locate lost objects, but I'm getting a bit ahead of myself there. To begin, hold one end of your pendulum firmly in one hand, so the chain and weight hang loosely. Many pendulums have a weight at both ends; divine with whichever end you prefer. Then ask the pendulum to show you its key for "yes". It will begin to swing. Take note of the direction, as this will vary from pendulum to pendulum. Mine swings closer and further for yes, but another may swing in a clockwise circle. Then ask for "no", "maybe", and "cannot be determined". Again, all of these will vary depending on the pendulum used. If you buy a pendulum, it may come with a card that says how it will swing, for "yes", "no", etc. I would double check the meanings anyway, just in case. Once you have established the directions it will swing, state your question. Try and be clear and precise, but not too wordy. The pendulum will then swing in one of the four directions you recorded earlier, giving you your answer. If you get "cannot be determined", it may be that you need to reword your question. It could also be that there is another action that needs to be taken, before you can get the answer to your question.

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And now, the big question I'm sure everyone is thinking: have I ever used a pendulum, and to what degree of success? Of course I've used one! What's this? You want examples? Well, all right, I'll oblige you with a couple... Saturday morning, I asked it if my dad would let me stay overnight at Hazelnut's house. It kind of stalled for a moment, but then gave me a yes. When I asked my dad initially, he said no, but if you've read any of my previous posts, you know he changed his mind. Not even half an hour ago, I used it to locate a penny that my little brother, Ben, most tragically lost under my reading chair. Oh, now you want to know how to use it to find stuff? Well, I suppose I did promise you...

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To locate a missing object (this also applies to a person, pet, etc.), first determine the general area the thing is likely to be. For example, when looking for Ben's penny, I asked if it was under my desk, and got a negative response. I then tried "under my chair", and got a positive one. Then, I went to my chair and held my pendulum over various areas until I again got a positive response. I looked down in that area, and lo and behold, the one cent piece my brother had tossed my room upside down for. Ah, little brothers... Anyway, I hope this brief introduction to the pendulum proved useful in some way, shape, or form. It's simple, and as my brother could tell you, very useful. ;)