January 26th, 2016

I've had an almost-unnerving amount of free time after my last few days of class in which to sit and read, so I've been working my way through my new books. The first one I picked up was Moon Magick, which I've seen recommended on a few different Pagan and/or witchcraft channels I watch on YouTube. I'll be honest right off the bat: I did not love this book. My review of it, therefore, may be a bit rant-y. You have been warned.

Title: Moon Magick: Myth & Magic, Crafts & Recipes, Rituals & Spells

Author: D. J. Conway

© 1995

I was first intrigued by this text because it sounded like it should be extremely comprehensive, and the formatting reinforced that impression. Also, the artwork throughout the book is quite beautiful. 

The first chapter examines accounts of the moon's effects on human behavior, while the second examines beliefs relating to the lunar year. From there, the book breaks down every lunar month into its own chapter, and lists a ton of information corresponding to each one.

These chapters begin with a quick breakdown of which lunar goddesses around the world have festivals in that particular month. It follows this with a bit more elaboration on the purposes of these festivals and the deities they are associated with. Each month also has a list of magickal correspondences, including stones, herbs, colors, animals, and etc. Conway provides surviving bits of folklore attributed to that moon, and then several simple recipes to try. Each chapter also has ideas for small crafts, incense or potpourri blends, and summaries of the myths of the relevant goddesses. She even provides sample rituals honoring those deities.

It may sound pretty decent, and I cannot deny that there are parts of this book which were quite good, and which I will use. However - I have a few pretty significant complaints to lodge against this text which prospective readers may want to be aware of. Possibly these are related to the age of the book (it turned 20 last year), but as modern Pagans continue to read books like this, the associated issues continue to persist in our community.

First: this text does a great job further solidifying the gender roles which are often assigned to women in ritual, specifically the idea that women can only relate to moon goddesses (one of the other books I'm reading at the moment is doing a marvelous job at arguing against this premise), that feminine always equates to passive, receptive, and/or negative energy, and that masculine and feminine energies are the only kind which exist. As a woman with several friends and acquaintances who do not subscribe to the gender binary, this strict adherence to the male/female division strikes me as cissexist, especially when one considers that there are many deities who are agender, genderfluid, or otherwise neither specifically male nor female. On a side note, some of her cologne or herb blends are specifically listed as being "for men", because apparently Conway's notion of gender is outdated enough that she thinks men cannot enjoy lighter scents, and that women won't like something spicier or more savory.

Another issue I take with this is that it is at times very Eurocentric. While I have no issue learning more about Artemis, Diana, and Selene, there are moon goddesses all over the world, and I would have liked to learn more about them, especially as this book is making the claim to be a global representation of moon worship. There was little information from Africa or Asia, and virtually none pertaining to North or South America. Not only that, but what information there was about non-European cultures was at times just plain incorrect. I cannot claim to be any kind of expert on mythology, but there were some instances where even as a layman, I could tell that Conway's information was wrong. In one instance, she has a "Japanese friendship branch" craft, which she claims is given for weddings, birthdays, and new homes. In six and a half years of studying Japanese language and culture, I have never heard of anything remotely like this, and google does not turn up any results which remotely resemble what Conway is talking about.

Additionally, I found several instances where the language pertaining to other countries and peoples is objectifying at best, possibly tending towards racist by today's understanding of language. For instance, it strikes me as being inappropriate to take a drink based on Indian recipes and refer to it as "exotic", and I also am not thrilled by her practice of adding cinnamon or sandalwood to an incense and thinking that somehow makes it suddenly "middle eastern". If there are actual historical precedents for any of her blends, she did not list them. She could easily have named them something else without any stereotypical overtones. 

Moreover, I object to Conway just taking traditional practices from existing cultures and re-writing them for Wiccan-flavored rituals. While I do think people should work with the deities that call to them, I think that that should in all cases be done respectfully. Appropriating bits of somebody else's culture and pantomiming their religious practice does not in any way strike me as respectful. 

Of less importance, but still irritating to me, Conway cites herself a couple of times, which from a scholarly perspective is a problem, especially as I don't think any of her other books can be considered especially authoritative in their fields. Not only that, but she also interrupts herself a few times to recommend other Llewellyn products. I can't decide if that was her choice, or something Llewellyn advised her to include, but in either case, I don't need to be marketed to while I'm trying to read.

TL;DR: If you're looking for very general, beginner information about lunar deities, it might be worth skimming through Moon Magick and seeing what appeals to you. However, I would take what Conway says with a grain of salt, as her historical information in this text strikes me as very suspect at times, and her treatment of South and East Asian deities in particular is often exotifying. It's definitely the sort of thing I'd borrow or buy used, rather than paying full price.

Lammas Bread and Protection Spell

Lammas is celebratory of the first harvest of the year, which more often than not largely involves gathering up the grain: maize, wheat, barley, etc. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that baking bread with this freshly-harvested grain is a typical activity of the Lammas season. Hundreds of years ago, the first loaf to be baked was broken into pieces and crumbled into the corners of the granary, or other grain-storage facility. This was intended to protect the grain against pests, spoilage, and other forms of damage. An adapted version of this Anglo-Saxon charm is a great way to involve the whole family in the Lammas ritual - even young children can help measure the ingredients for the bread (not to mention all the help with crumbling the bread later!).

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Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 cups bread flour (have some extra on hand)
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds (toasted)
• 2 tbsp active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups "scalded" milk (heated to almost boiling)
• 3 tbsp smooth peanut butter
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

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Directions:

In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Add the peanut butter and honey to the hot milk and stir until combined. Allow liquid to cool to 115 °F, then stir into flour mixture. Knead gently for 15 minutes, adding some of that extra bread flour until a smooth, elastic dough is achieved. Lightly wipe with vegetable oil, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a warm spot until dough size has doubled. This step may take several hours, so be patient. Then, punch down the dough (gently, again - food doesn't respond well to violence). Shape into two loaves, and let rise again until doubled. Bake at 375 °F until golden brown and delicious.

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Protection Spell:

Once cooled, take one of the loaves and break into quarters. Step outside the home, and, beginning at the North or Northeastern corner of the building, set down one of the bread pieces. Recite a blessing of protection. A simple version is:
I call on the spirits
Of north, and south, east and west
Protect this place
Use your creativity. Leave the bread for the local wildlife, and continue around the house, repeating the procedure at the four corners of the property. Then enjoy the other loaf!

Extras:

While I am certainly no expert on the subject, bread can be baked in a vast variety of designs and shapes. If one appeals to you in particular, and especially if it reflects a theme of Lammas, go for it! The bread can also be baked in a wreath shape. Holes are cut in the bread, and candles can be inserted. Consider using 12 candles, for the wheel of the year. They don't have to be large; even tea lights in a sturdy glass container will do nicely. Or, just leave the bread in traditional loaves. It's your call.

Recipe/spell from here.

Beltane

Beltane is one of the four fire-festivals, celebrated on May 1st. It is named for the god Bel, meaning "fire". In Ireland, the same god went by the name Beli, possibly making the name of the sabbat "tree-fire". One of Beltane's other names is Cetsamhain, or "first Samhain", and it is opposite Samhain on the Pagan calendar. Unlike Samhain, however, which honors the spirits of the dead, Beltane focuses on all that is alive. Along with Ostara, and, to an extent, Imbolc, Beltane is a fertility sabbat. In Pagan mythos, Beltane marks the point where the God is first unioned with the Goddess, bringing her into her phase as the Mother. From their union, then, springs the life that now flourishes. Also, as it is a fire-festival, the element plays a major role in the celebration of the holiday.
According to tradition, on Beltane Eve, all fires are extinguished. Then, on the day of, "need-fires" are kindled using the nine woods sacred to the Celts, and all other home fires are relit from these. Then people would run through the smoke of the need-fires to purify themselves, and their cattle were driven through the smoke for the same purpose. On the same day, the cattle were moved to their summer pastures. Another well known tradition, even to non-Pagans, is the dancing of the Maypole. The pole itself is symbolic of the God's fertility, and the ribbons, once wrapped around said pole, signify the Goddess. The dancing is said to bring abundance and good fortune, and receives relative popularity to this day.
Personally, I am a decorator, so one of my favorite things to do for each sabbat is get my altar set up. At Beltane, any symbol of spring is appropriate, but more commonly one sees flowers, miniature maypoles, candles (it is a fire-festival, after all), chalices/cauldrons, swords/athames, wreaths of flowers, antlers or other horns, and any other fertility symbols. Goats, rabbits, bees, faeries, pegasi, and satyrs are all associated with Beltane, so pictures or other representations of the creatures are appropriate. In particular, Beltane has a strong connection with faeries, so if you follow a tradition honoring them in any way, now is a great time to do so, either by including faerie statues or pictures, or by leaving them offerings.
This lovely little recipe is one I found on the 'net here, and can be left as an offering to your faerie friends, or enjoyed by your family as Beltane fare.

Fried Honeycakes

1/2 cup sweet white wine
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1 cup honey
2/3 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Oil for frying
1/8 teaspoon salt
Beat the wine and egg in a medium bowl. Combine the flour, cinnamon, salt and sugar in a small bowl. Stir into the egg mixture. Let stand 30 minutes. Combine the honey and nutmeg in a small bowl. Heat 1/2-inch of the oil in a frying pan until hot, but not smoking. Drop the batter into the oil 1 tablespoon at a time; fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Dip into the honey.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen

October 22th, 2011

As I mentioned yesterday, Mom got a CD of Halloween music, one song of which was about Samhain. It talked of Soul Cakes, an old Pagan snack made and offered on Samhain Eve. Curious, I did a bit of research and found a website (URL at the bottom of the post) that tells both the history of and a recipe for Soul Cakes.

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By the 8th century, Soul Cakes were sunny yellow cakes rather like a cross between donuts and cookies. Some were simply plain, others marked with symbols (pentagrams, runes, crosses, and the like). On the night of Samhain, they were given to beggars and mummers, the first trick-or-treaters. Others were offered to the ghosts of the dead, who wandered the earth this one night of the year. The site's recipe is as follows:

Makes 12 to 15 2-inch soul cakes

For the Cookies:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground fresh if possible

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground fresh if possible

1/2 teaspoon salt

Generous pinch of saffron*

1/2 cup milk

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup currants (optional)**

For the Glaze:

1 egg yolk, beaten

To Bake:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the flour, the nutmeg, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Mix well with a fork.

Crumble the saffron threads into a small saucepan and heat over low heat just until they become aromatic, taking care not to burn them. Add the milk and heat just until hot to the touch. The milk will have turned a bright yellow. Remove from heat.

Cream the butter and sugar together in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon (or use an electric mixer with the paddle attachment). Add the egg yolks and blend in thoroughly with the back of the spoon. Add the spiced flour and combine as thoroughly as possible; the mixture will be dry and crumbly.

One tablespoon at a time, begin adding in the warm saffron milk, blending vigorously with the spoon. When you have a soft dough, stop adding milk; you probably won't need the entire half-cup.

Turn the dough out onto a floured counter and knead gently, with floured hands, until the dough is uniform. Roll out gently to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Using a floured 2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out as many rounds as you can and set on an ungreased baking sheet. You can gather and re-roll the scraps, gently.

Decorate the soul cakes with currants and then brush liberally with the beaten egg yolk. Bake for 15 minutes, until just golden and shiny. Serve warm, with cold pumpkin juice.

If desired, one could etch designs into the dough before brushing with the egg.

*Saffron is an amazing spice, and is great to use if you have it. However, it can be really pricey, so if you don't want to spend a ton of money on your Soul Cakes, the saffron could be replaced with yellow food coloring.
**One could also use dried cranberries, blueberries, raisins, etc.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15536354