February 21st, 2017

For any and all interested parties, an anonymous magickal group has developed a spell, to be performed monthly, with the intent of binding Donald Trump and those who abet him and his policies. It is available here, but I will also transcribe it below in the event that the link does not work.

~~~~~

A Spell to Bind Donald Trump and All Those Who Abet Him

To be performed at midnight on every waning crescent moon until he is removed from office. This binding spell is open source, and may be modified to fit your preferred spiritual practice or magical system — the critical elements are the simultaneity of the working (midnight, EST—DC, Mar-a-Lago, and Trump Tower NYC time) and the mass energy of participants.

Components:

• Unflattering photo of Trump (small)
• Tower tarot card (from any deck)
• Tiny stub of an orange candle or baby carrot
• Pin or small nail (to inscribe the candle/carrot)
• White candle (any size), representing the element of Fire
• Small bowl of water, representing elemental Water
• Small bowl of salt, representing elemental Earth
• Feather (any), representing the element of Air
• Matches or lighter
• Ashtray or dish of sand

Optional Components:

• Piece of pyrite (fool’s gold)
• Sulfur
• Black thread (for traditional binding variant)

Preparation:

• Write “Donald J. Trump” on the orange candle stub with a pin or nail
• Arrange other items in a pleasing circle in front of you
• Lean the Tower card against something so that it’s standing up (vertically)
• Say a prayer for protection and invoke blessing from your preferred spirit or deity. Reading the 23rd Psalm aloud is common in Hoodoo/Conjure/Rootwork traditions. Experienced magicians may perform an appropriate banishing ritual.

Ritual:

(Light white candle)

Hear me, oh spirits
Of Water, Earth, Fire, and Air
Heavenly hosts
Demons of the infernal realms
And spirits of the ancestors

(Light inscribed orange candle stub)
I call upon you
To bind
Donald J. Trump
So that he may fail utterly
That he may do no harm
To any human soul
Nor any tree
Animal
Rock
Stream
or Sea

Bind him so that he shall not break our polity
Usurp our liberty
Or fill our minds with hate, confusion, fear, or despair
And bind, too,
All those who enable his wickedness
And those whose mouths speak his poisonous lies

I beseech thee, spirits, bind all of them
As with chains of iron
Bind their malicious tongues
Strike down their towers of vanity

(Invert Tower tarot card)

I beseech thee in my name
(Say your full name)
In the name of all who walk
Crawl, swim, or fly
Of all the trees, the forests,
Streams, deserts,
Rivers and seas
In the name of Justice
And Liberty
And Love
And Equality
And Peace

Bind them in chains
Bind their tongues
Bind their works
Bind their wickedness

(Light the small photo of Trump from the flame of the orange candle stub and hold carefully above the ashtray)

(Speak the following loudly and with increasing passion as the photo burns to ashes)

So mote it be!
So mote it be!
So mote it be!

(Blow out orange candle, visualizing Trump blowing apart into dust or ash*)

(Pinch or snuff out the white candle, ending the ritual)

Grounding and Disposal:

Afterward, ground yourself by having a good, hearty laugh, jumping up and down, clapping your hands, stomping your feet, and having a bite to eat. Grounding is very important—don’t neglect it. And remember—he hates people laughing at him.

Finally, bury the orange candle stub or discard it at a crossroads or in running water.

~~~~~

The website lists some ideas for variations; I will probably re-write the references to heavenly hosts and demons, as those are not entities I am currently working with. This is definitely a spell I will be employing, however. The next waning crescent moon is this Friday - a good night for a ritual! 

New Year's Purification Bath

As hectic as my life has been, I have tried to keep some magickal things going. The main one was a purification bath I set up on January 1st. 2016 was a disaster on multiple levels, and I knew I wanted to come out of that making 2017 a much better year. This was my first step toward doing so.

I started by collecting bath supplies to represent each of the four elements. I used bath salts for earth, a bath bomb for air (because it's fizzy and makes air bubbles), and some bath confetti for fire; it was pink and heart-shaped, so it seemed to convey the idea of fire's emotional passion. For water, I used a very special ingredient. Back in 2015 when there was that major Super Blood Moon Eclipse event, I charged a bottle of water in the moon's energy, focusing on capturing its qualities of profound transformation. I had never used any of it, wanting to save it for particularly significant moments, but I don't know that I can think of a time that has needed more transformational power than 2016 going into 2017, so I poured some of my Blood Moon Eclipse Water into the bath as well.

As always, these ingredients are just things that I used. I had all of them on hand, and did not go out of my way to source anything. Feel free to make substitutions as you like - other bath products, herbs, crystals, whatever works for you. If you don't have your own Eclipse Water, substitutions there are also perfectly acceptable. You could use Storm Water, if you have some, or just empower the water that's already in the tub.

Once I had my ingredients together, I ran the bath water, and then added everything, invoking each element as I did so. I used a small lamp for mood lighting rather than the overhead, and then took my bath! I also find that it's helpful to shower after doing something like that, to make sure that all the soap is out of my hair, but in terms of set-up, it's quite simple. My only other note would be to then thank the elements once the bath is concluded.

November 13th, 2016

I didn't post this yesterday because I didn't get back to my room until late, but... it's been a week. I probably don't even have to say anything, because I think just about everybody the world over knows how Tuesday went down, but I feel the need to say something, anyway.

I have been crying all week - for myself, yes, but mostly for the millions of other Americans whose human rights are at stake. Still, some of that weight has been lessened by the outpouring of support for marginalized groups across the nation, as well as all the loud but peaceful protests that have continued almost non-stop since election day.

It was in this frame of mind that I went over to Gaia House last night. Tara had uncovered an old recording of the debate which launched SIPA as a group in 1998, and was showing it to those interested in a bit of SIPA history. Apparently, an ad had been run in a local newspaper for a workshop which essentially read: "New Age/Paganism - how the Church can battle it with the Word of God".

Tara and others were concerned by the negative phraseology of this advertisement. They attended the workshop to see what the group had to say, and then Don, one of the prominent members of the Pagan community in this area at the time, set up a debate/Q&A with the church's Evangelical Presbyterian reverend to address their concerns.

Here, a Catholic moderator introduced Don and the reverend; he had 10 minutes to summarize Evangelical Presbyterianism, and then Don had 10 minutes to summarize Neo-Paganism. Don then summarized the Pagan community's concerns with the advertisement, and followed up with a series of specific questions for the reverend to address. There was a break, and then the floor was opened to attendees for questions.

Things started off fairly tame - the reverend was clearly a conservative fundamentalist, but most of his introductory rhetoric was fairly typical and expected - the usual gamut of non-Christians worshiping false idols and needing to be returned to the Christian faith.

However, once Don and the community started asking more specific questions, it rapidly became clear just how far off the deep end this guy was. He apparently did not know that the U.S. constitution protects freedom of religion in the first amendment and thought that that was a matter left up to the states, but he was firmly against the right of any non-Christian to practice their religion openly. He also seemed convinced that Jesus endorsed violence in the name of self-defense (someone brought up "turning the other cheek" and he completely brushed this off), considered any non-Christian his enemy, though he claimed he did not mean this in a "violent" way, and he tried to pass Christians off as a minority group based on the fact that they cannot preach theology in textbooks alongside evolution.

Now, I should be clear that this man was an extremist, and I am aware that his opinions do not reflect the opinions of the majority of Evangelical Presbyterians. However, it did feel a little on the nose to watch this video now, when the rights of many are being threatened by a small, extreme, and vocal minority. In particular, I was reminded of the discrimination against Muslims which has become so prominent of late, though to be sure antisemitism and other forms of religious prejudice also remain problems.

This reverend went on to lose his position over this debate, as the views he voiced were too divisive for his community, but he apparently went on to start his own church elsewhere in the area where he continues to have a small following to this day, which no doubt says something in its own right.

However, the verbalization of all this negativity had a positive effect - SIPA was formed. So many Pagans/witches/etc. came out of the woodwork to attend this debate that they decided to form a group to practice with and support one another, and it's still around today, 18 years later.

As I was thinking about all this, I then noticed on a coffee table this little setup - for all those feeling upset, angry, and/or depressed by the election, there were candles to light and papers where one could leave a message or write down good thoughts for America.

Love was on there a couple of times, as was hope.

Now more than ever, we need both of these, hope to carry us, and love to finally trump hate.

Election 2016

I don't usually get political on this blog. When I do, it's generally embarrassing. Here I go, anyway.

I'll try to keep my thoughts on this brief - I have a lot of them, but much of what I would say has already been said by others. A lot of Americans, myself included (and, I think, a lot of folks from other countries included, as well), have been following this United States election cycle very closely. The choice, as it stands, is clear - a choice between backwards white supremacy and fascism, or the most progressive platform run by any candidate ever in the history of this country.

I am #withHer, plain and simple. I have already cast my vote, having voted by absentee ballot last month. Hillary Clinton is pro-LGBTQA+, supports a reformed and nuanced approach to mental health, supports autistic people and those with other neurodivergences, supports women's rights to health care and to make their own reproductive choices, and has spent decades working across party lines to create compromise and make change.

Tonight, I felt called to action. I don't usually share my spells when they're in progress, but tonight, I would like to.

If you, like me, know how critical it is that Hillary Clinton be the next POTUS, then please, take a second to lend your thoughts to this little spell.

And if you want to do something similar for yourself, I just traced a map of the US (in blue!), and inside it, wrote "Madame President Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton, 2016-2020". I then surrounded it with several stones - Copper in the center, to conduct energy and charge the spell, Spirit Quartz to draw people together in harmony towards a cause, and then Blue Lace Agate, Sodalite, Turquoise, and Emerald to activate all those powers of communication that get people to lend their voice and say, "Today, I am going to vote".

July 18th, 2015

I finished reading one of my books from the thrift store today, collected some herbs from our garden, and cleaned out the big, previously very messy, space under my bed. In other words, it's been a productive Saturday, in spite of the brutal heat, humidity, and occasional torrential downpour.

Title: Power of the Witch: the Earth, the Moon, and the Magical Path to Enlightenment

Author: Laurie Cabot

©1989

Laurie Cabot is one of the closest things American witchcraft has to a celebrity. She is Salem's official witch, and has appeared on multiple television shows as a result of this fact. She is also known for always wearing robes and a pentacle in public. As a result of her national presence, her book was naturally quite successful when it was published.

My feelings on it are mixed. On the one hand, it was popular in its time, which means it influenced development of the Craft and as such is important for putting our community's emergence into a historical context. On the other hand, it is now two-and-a-half decades out of date, and definitely reads as such.

There were two major problems I had with this text: first, the language is extremely rooted in the gender binary. The phrases "men and women", "opposite gender", etc. both appear frequently, as does the assumption that only people who identify as female experience menstruation and related bodily functions. While I recognize that even today this is a common mistake made by plenty of people, I could see it being potentially very triggering for people who are transgender, nonbinary, or etc. She does clarify later that absolute male and female are only theoretical extremes on the ends of a spectrum, but that doesn't make up for the rest of the exclusionary language. Also, and this may be due to the age of the book and changes in terminology since then, but I'm reasonably sure that she equated being bisexual with being bigender, which is obviously incorrect.

The other thing I took particular issue with was more of a community problem. Cabot uses "witch" and "Wiccan" interchangeably, even though the two are fundamentally different concepts. Also, while she does use the word "Pagan" on occasion, she mentions no other branch of Paganism besides Wicca. To be fair, she does at least acknowledge that there can be witches belonging to other religions (e.g. Christian witches, Jewish witches, etc.), which I was glad to see, as that is often overlooked.

With my two largest criticisms out of the way, here are a few of the things I liked. Her account of the early history of original European Paganism wasn't perfect by any means, but it was better than a lot that I've read, especially considering when it was written. The first fifth of the book was a bit of a throw-away in my opinion, but it improved steadily from there.

She also shares many of her personal experiences in the Craft, which I always find an interesting read. Some of her narrative comes from her coven's rituals, while other parts are drawn from workshops she's taught, or from things she's experienced with her family.

Then near the end of the book, she actually gets to sharing how-to pieces of Craft info, in addition to more theoretical content. She provides several meditation sequences which I liked, as well as a lot of spells. Most of these contained oils and herbs which I don't have easy access to, but other people might find them useful. Additionally, she provides a sample altar set up, as well as ways to cast a circle or charge objects.

Overall, this wasn't the sort of thing I'd recommend rushing to the store to purchase, but for an 89¢ find at the thrift shop, I think it was worth it. 

July 17th, 2015

Cite your sources, kids.

No, really. I've spent something like ten solid hours digging through books trying to find all the places where I had gotten info for my Book of Shadows. 12-year-old me couldn't be bothered to write any of that down, and now 19-year-old me is going batty trying to locate the original authors of rituals, spells, etc.

Obviously, one should never take copyrighted material and publish it on the internet unaltered whilst claiming it as one's own. But even if your BOS is only ever going to be seen by your eyes, trust me - sooner or later, you'll want to know where you found something. And when you've read enough books, the number of possible sources gets a little overwhelming. Keeping track of source material ahead of time makes things so much easier down the road.

I just started adding footnotes to my pages. If something was from a book, I noted the title and author. If it was from a website, I noted the username and URL where it could be found. It's simple, and doesn't take up much space. It's also quick, provided you aren't trying to do it all at once seven years after the fact.

There's still some I haven't found yet, so I guess that means I need to make another trip to the library.

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.

~~~~~

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.

July 10th, 2015

My spell from yesterday manifested, so now I'm happy to share it with you all. I made a lot of it up on the fly, but it worked out even better than I had hoped! This was my first time trying a poppet spell, but I had read a lot about them and felt comfortable with the idea.

This spell was specifically geared towards helping my girlfriend get her hair cut how she wanted it, but could be easily adapted to any spell where the desire is to manifest a physical change in one's appearance. As such, it is not a glamour spell - this one is to change your appearance, not to change other people's perception of it. You can do it for yourself or for others, but the instructions here are written in the style of doing it for another person.

Because poppets are a particularly potent form of magick, I was careful to fully cleanse and consecrate my work space before even casting a circle. If you are experienced in poppet magick, then feel free to work at your own discretion. If you, like me, are new to the concept, cleansing the surrounding area with the elements is a good place to start. Without further ado...

~~~~~
Hummingbird's "Changing Your Look" Poppet Spell

Materials: 

• Fabric scrap
• Should represent the person in some way; it could be their skin color, favorite color, a scrap from an old shirt of theirs, or etc.
• Marker
• Gingerbread cookie cutter (optional)
• Needle
• Black thread
• Stuffing material
• Cotton balls work well for this
• Lavender (optional)
• Slip of paper
• Scissors
• Something to represent how the person looks now and how they want to look
• In my case, this was brown yarn for hair. 
• A picture of the person

Cast a circle. If you so choose, you can invoke a deity or deities at this time. Fold the fabric scrap in half and draw the poppet shape on it, either by outlining the cookie cutter or by free-handing a basic human figure. Sew about 3/4 of the way along the outline, leaving the last section open. As you do so, you might recite a chant of your choice. I used Starhawk's classic Kore Chant, since it is literally about changes. 

Carefully cut out around the poppet shape and turn it right-side out. Stuff it with cotton, and if you wish, add some lavender to ease any frustration or anxiety associated with making the change. Also, write the individual's name on the slip of paper and stick it inside the poppet*. Then, finish sewing the remainder of the poppet closed and tie off the thread.

At this point, you should add whatever decoration you're using to represent the person's current appearance. In my case, I sewed on several lengths of yarn to show my girlfriend's hair at its original length. Then, stating your intent out loud, ritualistically alter the appearance of the poppet to show the desired look. I did this by cutting the yarn into the hairstyle she wanted.

Finish up by tying the poppet to the image of the person and stating out loud that they are now bound together.

Thank any deities or spirits you have called, and release the circle.

To dispose of the poppet after the spell manifests, see this post.

*In this case, the paper is the taglock. Therefore, you're best off using the person's full name. Alternatives include adding a lock of hair, fingernail clippings, or etc. but unless you are doing the spell for yourself, these can be hard to come by. A second, small photo of the person would also suffice.

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.

June 11th, 2015

I meant to make this post yesterday, but I couldn't for the life of me remember what I wanted to talk about until like 11:00 last night, so obviously that didn't happen.

Purchase from Silver Bonsai

I've been interested in the concept of threshold magick for quite some time, but it was brought back to my attention earlier this week while skimming through Scott Cunningham's The Magical Household. He has a section dedicated solely to the role of the threshold, and what it can mean to the magickal practitioner.

There is an old belief that spirits cannot enter a place unless they are invited, and this is the real point of the threshold as a magickal construction. When one casts a circle, one is establishing a temporary threshold, and as such must then carefully invite in those spirits or other powers which one is working with. The physical doorway acts similarly; doubtless, you've heard stories about vampires or other entities which cannot enter a home until they are asked.

What separates a house's threshold from, say, the doorway into Super Target? I was reminded of a quote from The Dresden Files: Summer Knight. (For those who haven't read the books, a summary; Harry Dresden works as a wizard in downtown Chicago, helping the CPD with supernatural murder cases, and etc. Quasi-Pagan, film noir, and urban fantasy style. Kind of great. I definitely recommend it.) The quote goes like this:

I stepped across her threshold. Something tugged at me as I did, an intangible, invisible energy. It slowed me down a little, and I had to make an effort to push through it. That's what a threshold is like. One like it surrounds every home, a field of energy that keeps out unwanted magical forces. Some places have more of a threshold than others. My apartment for example didn't have much of a threshold - it's a bachelor pad, and whatever domestic energy is responsible for such things doesn't seem to settle down as well in rental spaces and lone dwellings. Murphy's house had a heavy field surrounding it; it had history. It was a home, not just a place to live. 

-Jim Butcher, Summer Knight, ch. 7

Personally, I disagree with the sentiment that rented spaces do not have strong thresholds, but really believe that it comes down to the last statement - in order to have a strong threshold, a place needs to be a home, not just a place where one stays, transiently. This is, in my opinion, the key difference between the thresholds of public and private spaces. In a store, a museum, or etc., the theory is that anyone is welcome, and as such, very little boundary exists. That being said, a case could be made for places like expensive stores, fine restaurants, or etc. - that feeling of unease one gets upon entering may well be a result of crossing a threshold where one is not wholly welcome. Even though the space is technically public, it still caters to a specific clientele and is really only trying to invite them in. 

 Regardless of the semantics of public boundaries, in a home, we consciously and unconsciously project a desire for privacy and exclusivity, and this carries over to the energy of the place. If one were renting a place longer than the short term (say, more than a couple months), I see no reason why the same kind of barriers and protections couldn't be readily established.

As a young adult living at home, I recognize that our house has a main threshold, of course, but other zones have them, too. In open areas, like the living room, the boundary is shaky and not very defined. However, my own room has a much stronger threshold. I keep a very clear division between my space and everyone else's, and even if the rest of my family doesn't know anything about magick, they sure know that this space is mine, and mine alone.

If your concern is that your boundaries may not be strong enough, and you would like to lend more power to the sanctity of your living space, consider some of these ideas.

• Establishing wards is one way to get the ball rolling, by deliberately marking out one's territory on the astral and calling powers to defend it. 
• Redecorate. Get rid of clutter and objects you have no use for or connection to. Try to have the bulk of your furnishings be ones which you, personally, enjoy. 
• Cleanse. It's one thing to leave the energies of, say, a family heirloom intact, but if you're buying anything, especially secondhand, and all the more so if you plan to use it for magick, it's always a good idea to erase the energy imprint of old owners and replace it with your own. 
• Care for your home. Whether it's a city studio apartment or a fixer-upper in the country, be proud of your place. 

The next suggestions for threshold enhancements come paraphrased from Cunningham's book

• Hanging a gourd outside on both sides of a door prevents negativity from entering
• Chalk a circle on the door to stop ghosts from entering (do not use if you like ghosts)
• Dill and garlic both have protective qualities; hanging them near the door will stop ill-disposed people from entering
• A bag of salt or bells hung on the doorknob will stop negative spirits (see also: these amulets)
• A blue door repels evil, as does leaving two crossed needles under the mat
• Ferns, lilies, marigolds, and juniper can all be grown around the door in beds or pots for added protective benefits
• There's no end to what can be done with keys. Any number of protective spells have been devised employing them

January 25th, 2015

One of my New Year's resolutions was to start keeping a dream journal again. It's a lot easier said than done - the last thing I want to do when I wake up is write, and I have to make sure to always have a notebook and pen next to me, because I want even less to have to get out of bed to write. That being said, when it's done consistently, the benefits of having such a journal are significant.

One result is that you begin to remember more of your dreams, and more frequently. A month ago, I was remembering almost nothing of anything that happened during sleep, whereas now, I can always at the bare minimum recall some major images and themes. More and more frequently, I find myself remembering dreams in greater detail, and sometimes even having multiple dreams in one night. This is, to reiterate the fact, after only a month. As a practice maintained, you can expect to remember your dreams in detail almost every night.

While interesting from a purely theoretical perspective, dreams can actually tell us a lot about ourselves, and by recording them, we can determine underlying patterns to our mental and physical health, among other things. To put this in context, allow me to explain first that I've been recording my dreams on and off again since middle school. As such, I have a lot of material to examine. Also, I have what I am finally self-diagnosing as a generalized anxiety disorder, which tends to manifest itself as OCD. Bearing these things in mind, I've realized over the course of several years that I tend to dream about water when my emotions are particularly strong about something, and that if I'm headed into a period of especially bad anxiety I dream about drowning. It gives me a bit of a heads up into my mental state and the chance to head things off at the pass, so to speak.

On the metaphysical end of the spectrum, recording one's dreams offers a lot of possibilities. For instance, it makes an interesting means of divination. There's all sorts of spells about placing a given herb under one's pillow to dream about a future lover or some such, but I generally go one simpler - often, a particularly vivid dream may give an indication of how the following day will go. Just two nights ago, I had a repetitive dream about triumph over obstacles, and then yesterday I aced the audition I had been worried about. Also, dreams may involve astral travel or meeting with deities and other spirits.

This barely touches on all the things one can learn; consider it my pitch to you to start a journal if you don't already. Sweet dreams...

Image source

December 23rd, 2013

It is bitterly cold outside - I had trouble getting the car started after work! Yikes! Yule is past, but if you're bundled up indoors and looking for a project, here's a great one to put together this holiday season:

Yule Seed Amulets

The legend goes much like this: malevolent spirits are just that - malevolent. And on the solstices, like Samhain, the veil separating the Otherworld from ours is much thinner than its usual. These Astral nasties may choose to come bother we mortals with a string of bad luck. Fortunately for us, lesser spirits of this variety have a few consistent weaknesses. For one, they abhor salt. For another, they tend to be a bit OCD. By mixing salt and protective herbs in a small jar, any spirit of ill intent passing by it will be forced to sit and count the jar's contents, keeping them from making mischief until they leave at sun-up.
Making yourself one of these amulets is a fun, easy way to keep your home clear of negativity - moreover, the kids will get a kick out of putting them together, too. Once finished, hang the completed jar on doors, set on the porch, or hide in other creative places around the home. They also make great gifts.

Supplies:

• Glass jar of desired size
• Tightly fitting lid for the jar
• Yarn, ribbon, twine, or thread
• Salt
• Enough protective herbs to mostly fill the jar (examples include...)
• Anise
• Basil
• Bayleaf
• Belladonna
• Black pepper
• Chamomile
• Chives
• Cinnamon
• Clove
• Comfrey
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Lavender
• Lime
• Mint
• Nutmeg
• Willow
• Other decorations (optional)

To Make:
Pour a layer of salt into the bottom of the jar. Then add herbs until it is full.
Seeds are the best option, although in the case of cinnamon, ginger, and other like spices, a ground powder may be better. Whole or crumbled leaves can also be used as desired. Just remember that the goal is to give our less pleasant visitors something to count, so definitely include at least one ingredient that is small in size. The herbs listed above are just ideas - you only need to use one variety, and may certainly employ something not on my list. Including layers or mixtures of different herbs might make the amulet prettier. Even glitter can be added - this is an especially good option for a jar going in a child's room. Once you have the contents to your liking, screw on the lid tightly and if it is meant to hang on, above, or next to a door tie on a piece of yarn or ribbon. Other decorations may be added as desired - a small pentacle charm, for example, or other carving of a protective symbol. Sigils of protection can also be drawn or painted right onto the glass.

 

This larger jar might get set among the flowerpots or next to the stoop.

January 15th, 2013

Eek, it's finals week! I've got tests Wednesday through Friday, and although for the most part I'm feeling pretty confident, I have had some trouble the past two nights getting to sleep and staying asleep, and then even once my brainwaves have slowed down to a sleeping state, I keep having nightmares. As such, I've decided to make and empower a sleep sachet, and call upon the Baku, a Japanese Shinto spirit who eats nightmares and turns them into happiness and good fortune.

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Baku's Sleep Sachet

• A piece of blue or purple cloth, at least 4" X 4"
• Scissors
• Ribbon, possibly matching the color of the cloth
• Rosemary (dream recall)
• Lavender (peaceful sleep)
• Tumbled Agate, Amethyst, and/or Geode
• White slip of paper
• Pen

First, cut the cloth into a square if (like me) you just grabbed a weirdly-shaped fabric scrap because it was on hand. Remember, keep it at least four inches on each side!  Then, using the scissors or another, similar implement, make holes around the fabric's edge, spacing them evenly. This way, the cloth can be turned into a draw-string pouch later. In Circle, cleanse, consecrate, and empower all the supplies. You might recite an empowering invocation that draws on the associated powers of the herbs, and stones, for example, asking for protection from night terrors while bestowing kind, insightful dreams and restful sleep. Place the herbs and stones in the center of the fabric. Then, on the slip of paper, write the following, three times: "ばく, 食べて ください." This is Japanese for "Eat it, Baku!", the spirit's traditional invocation. If desired, say the invocation out loud as it is written. The Japanese phrase is pronounced "Baku, tabete kudasai." Next, roll up the paper and put it in the center of the cloth, also. Thread the ribbon through the holes cut previously, and draw tightly closed. Then say a final blessing over the pouch, perhaps holding it in your hand: "Through this cloth, magick seeps to bring me a good night of sleep, and dreams that come be peaceful and kind, remembered tomorrow in my waking mind.". The sleep sachet is done. To use, just set it either under your pillow or next to your bed. Sweet dreams!

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.

July 5th, 2012

Happy 4th, er, 5th of July! I largely spent yesterday's holiday cataloguing a plethora of new Pagan music in my Book of Shadows. I like to keep a list of my favorite songs at the end, so that if something terrible were ever to happen to my computer, I have a hard-copy backup list. Then we went to see some local fireworks and ate home-made ice cream. Mmm...

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It occurs to me that while there are many instructions available on the internet for setting up one's Book of Shadows (BOS), there are substantially fewer on how to personalize it, and really make things your own. As such, here are some tips that can be used alone or en masse, where personalization of the BOS is concerned.

• Handwrite everything. Yes, it can be time consuming, especially if you type faster than you write, but the more time that is put into something, the more meaningful it will be. Handwriting also leaves your personal energy signature on the pages, imbuing them with a little bit of you.
• Make use of font, sizing, and other formatting options. Some people just can't go the handwritten route, and that's okay, provided that what is typed isn't just copy and paste. Take the time to bang things out on the keyboard, and then use some simple formatting tools to make pages well organized and attractive.
• Make the cover matter. If you intend to buy a pre-made BOS, make sure that the page layout is pleasing, and take a good look at the cover. It should either be visually pleasing to you, or should give you the option to adapt it if you aren't satisfied. If you're like me, using a three-ring binder, the front cover likely has a pocket allowing you to insert anything you want. Get creative: consider pictures, drawings, paintings, prints, printed images, collages, etc. 
• Add pictures. You don't have to be a brilliant artist to add images to your BOS - that's what a camera is for! Photograph rituals, altar set-ups, your first robe, new tools, any gatherings you may go to, etc., and add these photos to the appropriate pages with a bit of glue or tape.
• Color-code. One of the most successful decisions I made in designing my BOS was to color-code it. I chose to highlight titles in green, tools needed in a spell or ritual in orange, and things to be spoken aloud in yellow. You can choose any colors you like, and can certainly highlight additional things if you feel there is something else you ought to draw attention to.
• Doodle in the margins. One way to add a little glamour to an otherwise text-coated page is to add small, meaningful drawings in the paper's margin. If you have instructions for a spell to draw love, for example, that requires some symbols of love, one could draw in stylized hearts, cupid silhouettes, roses, and/or doves. Just make sure things don't get too crazy - you need to be able to read the page, after all.
• Use colored ink. If a page is focused on a prosperity spell or chant, consider inking the page in green pen, or printing it in green, if you opt for the typed style. A friendship spell could go pink, a section on astral travel purple. 
• Include examples. Whether you are writing the names and uses for plants or the recipe for an awesome tea you tried at your coven-mate's house, using a physical representation of that item in your BOS can help jog the memory and make the pages more special. Pressing flowers and leaves between the pages of a heavy dictionary for a few days can leave them ideal for insert into a BOS. You could slip in that tea bag, a knotted cord or other spell-leftover, or even a baggie of ingredients if you so chose.
• Use page protectors. This isn't so much a tip for personalization as it is for protection of your personalization. It can be really upsetting to go to the work of making a page stunning, only to ruin it by spilling candle wax all over it. Prevent such damage by using clear page protectors, which are inexpensive and will take the brunt in the wax spill, not the page.

I hope I have inspired some creativity where the BOS is concerned. Enjoy the making. Remember: all acts of love and joy are my rituals.

July 3rd, 2012

Happy Esbat, everybody! So far, my goal of working more meditation and magick into my life is looking good. I read through a number of spells today, and got some great ideas for prosperity spells that I'd like to try. I wrote in my Book of Shadows, my journal, and even accomplished some more of my summer homework while I was at it! 

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A month or so ago, I was writing to a dear friend of mine who enjoys learning about different belief systems. I was describing Air elementals to her, and found a beautiful image of a painting by Josephine Wall, called The Spirit of Flight. Then, a few weeks later, I won a prize in a drawing off my mom's blog. Since she didn't want it to seem as though the drawings were rigged (which of course, they weren't), she drew a second time and told me that she would get me a different bookmark later. Today, she happened to be at Barnes and Noble and got me that bookmark. I wasn't with her, nor did she ask me which I wanted. But when she came home and gave it to me, the print on the bookmark was the very same print I had seen a month ago.

 

The bookmark is gorgeous, and I know I will treasure it both as a high-quality bookmark, as well as a wonderful visual of Sylph magick.

February 8th, 2012

2000 BCE - Here, eat this root.
1000 BCE - That root is heathen; here, say this prayer.
1850 CE - That prayer is superstitious; here, drink this potion.
1940 CE - That potion is snake oil; here, swallow this pill.
1985 CE - That pill is ineffective; here, take this antibiotic.
2000 CE - That antibiotic does not work anymore; HERE, EAT THIS ROOT.

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One of the places Hazelnut and I visited last weekend was a winter market. A lovely woman was there who, among chakra blankets and natural crystal candle-holders, was giving free samples of hibiscus tea. The tea also came with an informative packet talking about different types of tea and their properties. Therefore, on behalf of www.alternativesmarthealth.com, today I'd like to share some unorthodox uses for tea.

• To clean carpets. Sprinkle dry, used green tea leaves on a musty carpet and let sit for ten minutes. Then vacuum up the leaves.
• To shine wooden floors. After cleaning the floor as per the norm, rub a bit of black tea brew into the wood and let air dry. Be careful, however, not to use too much water, as this can be damaging to the wood.
• To polish furniture. Dip a soft clothe in a strong-brewed tea and wipe down scratched tables, chairs, etc. The tannins in the tea will re-color light or scratched areas.
• To clean mirrors and windows. To remove greasy and/or stubborn fingerprints from glass, rub a damp teabag over the area or fill a spray bottle with tea and spritz.
  
• To clean toilet bowls. Leave tea leaves in the bowl for a few hours, flush, and scrub the bowl with a brush.
• To soothe a sunburn. Sponge sunburned areas or areas with other mild burns with cooled chamomile tea. Do not use this if the skin is broken.
• To soothe tired eyes. Warm, wet teabags can reduce puffiness and pain in tired eyes. Just place one over each eye, sit back, and relax.
• To soothe bleeding gums. After getting a tooth pulled (or if an older child looses a tooth), try biting down on a cold, wet teabag, as the tannic acid in the tea helps the blood to clot.
• To shine dry hair. Rinse hair with unsweetened tea and leave to dry for a while. Then, rinse again with water.
• To soothe acne. Wash face with green tea, because of it's mild antiseptic properties, or with calendula flower tea, as a natural alternative to benzoyl peroxide.
• To tenderize meat. Marinade tough meat in black tea to increase tenderness.
• As a compost additive. Pouring strong tea in a compost bin increases the decomposition process, and encourages the growth of friendly bacteria.
• To help houseplants. On occasion, use brewed tea instead of water for plants that prefer acidic soil, such as ferns. A few used teabags in the bottom of a planter adds nutrients to the soil, as does spreading tea leaves in with the mulch.
• To dye fabrics. Green and black tea can both be used to dye fabric, as well as paper, to create a beige, antiqued look.

For the record, I have used none of these, and cannot vouch for their effectiveness. Just thought I'd share. Additionally, these might be that much more effective if you empowered the tea for your intent before using it..... ;)

January 29th, 2012

Yikes. This week has been downright scary. It's a new semester, and my schedule is different. I don't have an elective, for one thing, so I'm way more stressed than usual. It's nice, therefore, to be able to just sit in my room for a while and unwind, listen to some music, and really ground. Let's face it, sooner or later everyone gets stressed. (In my case, sooner.) When that happens, we make bad choices, we can't think straight, and it's hard to concentrate. It's also hard to do magick, making it all the more difficult to solve the problem. However, if we only ground and center, we can clear our heads long enough to do something about it. I found this great spell online, which uses storms as a metaphor for life's difficulties. It's simple, and without long ritual attached, so one could do it in a circle with candles and crystals, or in the hall right before that job interview you've been dreading.

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Storms within
and storms without
storms above
and storms below,
in my center
only stillness
Its my will,
and it is so.

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Snow Blessing

This seemed appropriate, given the weather today. Have a safe, blessed winter season, friends.