Last year at a town fair I bought the two cutest little Witch salt and pepper shakers. I can't bring myself to use them though, I sit them on top of my stereo where they bring cheer into my day. I have called them Ismelda and Griselda!
My Samhain Altar
It is nearly April 30th, time to celebrate Samhain. When putting together my altar, I realized this is my first time celebrating this Sabbat so I tried to keep things simple. To start with I added a pumpkin candle – I got them last year at Halloween because I thought they were really neat. I added a red, black and orange candle to the arrangement, as well as dried oak leaves, an owl and bat – 2 totem animals of Samhain, tarot cards and a pendulum to represent the veil between worlds, honouring divination as an aspect of this holiday.
I also added Obsidian, Onyx and Carnelian, gemstones for protection, clearing negativity and strength. Lastly I added a figurine of Bast, cats are another totem animal of Samhain, mostly because of the imagery given of a Witch and her cat, I think it is nice to honour that and celebrate the stereotype in a positive and personal way.
Below is the Family Altar. Even though my parents are not Pagan, they appreciate and respect my beliefs. Each Sabbat I cook a three course meal for my entire family, and this year my Stepfather read the Samhain invocation before we ate, it was really nice and meant a lot.
I decorated it with a white pillar candle, smaller red and black candles, a pumpkin candle (I love the symbolism of it), there was also my besom, a cat in a Witches Hat (again, another ode to the history of this holiday), there were Oak leaves, Myrrh incense, my Cauldron and a Crystal Ball. All in all I think it looks great and has a really natural symbolic feel to it.
Samhain Ritual
Samhain Ritual
This is designed for solitaries, but could be adapted for a group
Tools:
cauldron (if inside, make sure it's on a heat-proof surface)
paper/pen
black and orange candles
incense and charcoal in censer
veil
rune stones or Tarot
apples or pumpkin bread, wine
Cast the circle
Invocation to the God and Goddess
Great Goddess
Dark Mother
I invite you to my circle
to assist and protect me in my Samhain rite
Great God
God of the universal cycle of birth, death and rebirth
I invite you to my circle
to assist and protect me in my Samhain rite
Statement of intent:
On this night of Samhain
I mark your passing O Sun King
into the Land of the Young
I mark the passing of all who have gone before
and all who will go after
Gracious Goddess, Mother of us all
Teach me to know that in the time of the greatest darkness
there is greatest light
Scatter incense on the burning charcoal
Facing West, say:
Lord of Shadow
God of Life, and the Giver of Life
Open wide, I pray thee, the Gates
through which all must pass.
Let our dear ones who have gone before
Return this night to make merry with us.
And when our time comes, as it must,
O thou the Comforter, the Consoler, the Giver of Peace and Rest
We will enter thy realms gladly and unafraid;
For we know that when rested and refreshed among our dear ones
We will be reborn again by thy grace,
and the grace of the Great Mother.
Let it be in the same place and the same time as our beloved ones
And may we meet, and know, and remember and love them again.
Pull the veil over your face
Still facing west, say
Behold, the West is the Land of the Dead, to which many of my loved ones have
gone for rest and renewal.
On this night, I hold communion with them.
Spirits of the dead, you are welcome here tonight.
Begin spiraling widdershins to the center, taking three or four circuits to do
so. Those who come are truly welcome to my Festival. May they remain with me in
peace.
Time of communion with the dead
(set the veil aside when done)
On a small piece of paper, write some of the things you did since last Samhain
that you regret. Fold the paper, light it and set it to burning in the cauldron.
Say:
Wise Ones
Great Goddess, Powerful God
I create this fire to let go of the past
As the smoke rises, thus do my misfortunes and regrets of the past rise from
this place and disappear as the smoke disappears.
May the energies be reversed
From darkness, light!
From bane, good!
From death, birth!
So mote it be!
Meditate on the smoke until the paper is completely burned away.
Then light the black or orange candles, while thinking of those things you've
done in the past year that have brought you happiness.
Say:
These are the lights of my successes and happiness
May they shine on
and bring joy and hope to all my loved ones
May these lights guide spirits to the Summerlands
Where they will rest before being reborn.
Rune casting or tarot to scry into the coming year.
Wine and cakes
Close the circle
When finished, leave the candles in the windows and set any remaining food
outside for the spirits.
With thanks to http://www.ladyoftheearth.com/sabbats/sabbats.html
All Hallow's Eve Blessing
To those whose feet are stilled
And those who laugh with us no more
To you we say, our love was with you here
And goes with you hence
To that place where you rest and revel.
May the dark Lord and sweet Lady
Guide your feet along the rocky paths
To the place where all is fresh and green
And lover, friends and ancestors wait
With open arms to greet you.
Go in peace, and with our blessing
Be rested and return when the Lady deems it fit
With the countless turns of the Great Wheel
We shall miss you
We shall meet you again in the green places of Her domain.
With thanks to http://www.ladyoftheearth.com/sabbats/sabbats.html
Samhain Lore
It is traditional on Samhain night to leave a plate of food outside the home for the souls of the dead. A candle placed in the window guides them to the Lands of Eternal Summer, and burying apples in the hard-packed earth "feeds" the passed ones on their journey.
For food, beets, turnips, apples, corn, nuts, gingerbread, cider, mulled wines and pumpkin dishes are appropriate, as are meat dishes.
For food, beets, turnips, apples, corn, nuts, gingerbread, cider, mulled wines and pumpkin dishes are appropriate, as are meat dishes.
With thanks to: http://www.ladyoftheearth.com/sabbats/sabbats.html
My Altar
Above is a picture of my altar, as you can see I haven’t really paid any mind to the rules of setting up an altar. I do have the candles representing feminine and masculine in the right spot but otherwise I placed things where they suited me. Like my athame being in the south, I like it there, as well as my cauldron being in the North and my crystal ball right beside it. My little Dragon also sits to the North which I guess is proper, but my censer is in the centre, my bell is south west, I don’t have my chalice on there, nor my BOS, but I pretty much placed all the other stuff there. My besom lies beside my altar but as yet I haven’t decided where to put it. I don’t have an altar cloth, the Celtic Pentagram tile that everything is sitting on was a gift from my parents, handcrafted by my stepdad, so this makes it extra special.My altar isn’t book perfect but I have to say it is a representation of me and my practices.
Creating An Altar
Creating An Altar
One of the most important tools you will have as a practicing Witch will be your altar. Setting one up can be confusing, especially if you don’t know what to put on one. The problem is, you could research until the cows come home and every site/book/person will have a different way of doing things. So let’ start with the basics.
An Altar Cloth – this is the base of your altar so to speak, the foundation on which everything else will sit. However it is not mandatory to have an altar cloth, it could be a lovely piece of wood, a flat surface that suits you – my altar has a handcrafted Celtic tile, this was made by my parents as a gift so it is very special to me. I do however have a black altar cloth on the wall above my altar, it has the cardinal points and glows in the dark.
Left Side for the Goddess:
White or Silver candle to represent the Goddess
A Statue of a Goddess if you intend to represent her that way
Your Chalice
Bowl of Water
Cauldron
Pentacle
Bell
Now I don’t think a person needs all of this on their left side. I am a Witch not Wiccan so I don’t represent the Goddess with a statue, but I do have a silver candle, this is to simply represent the feminine energy, likewise I have a gold candle to represent masculine energy.
Right Side for the God
Candle either Gold or Yellow
God Statue if you wish to represent him that way
Wand
Censor
Bowl of Salt
Athame
Boline
To represent the elements you could have:
Earth: Pentacle, Bowl of Salt, Stones, Plants, Flowers, Green Candle
Water: Bowl of Water, Seashell, Chalice with Wine, Blue Candle, Cauldron
Fire: Red Candle, Athame, Boline, Candle Snuffer
Air: Incense, Feather, Bell, Wand, Yellow Candle
Again, I don’t think you need every single thing to represent the Elements, I would suggest picking one item that suits you. Also make sure you have them in the right spot. North and South Hemisphere are opposite so Fire in NH is South but in the SH it is North.
In the centre you could also have your statues or Book of Shadows. My BOS lies underneath my altar on a shelf, there just isn’t that much room to put it since it is a three ring binder.
The best advice I can give for building an altar is have the basics to represent elements and so forth, but always personalize it. After all it will be a reflection of you and your own spiritual practices, you will be working with it and that is the most important thing – it has to be right for you.
One of the most important tools you will have as a practicing Witch will be your altar. Setting one up can be confusing, especially if you don’t know what to put on one. The problem is, you could research until the cows come home and every site/book/person will have a different way of doing things. So let’ start with the basics.
An Altar Cloth – this is the base of your altar so to speak, the foundation on which everything else will sit. However it is not mandatory to have an altar cloth, it could be a lovely piece of wood, a flat surface that suits you – my altar has a handcrafted Celtic tile, this was made by my parents as a gift so it is very special to me. I do however have a black altar cloth on the wall above my altar, it has the cardinal points and glows in the dark.
Left Side for the Goddess:
White or Silver candle to represent the Goddess
A Statue of a Goddess if you intend to represent her that way
Your Chalice
Bowl of Water
Cauldron
Pentacle
Bell
Now I don’t think a person needs all of this on their left side. I am a Witch not Wiccan so I don’t represent the Goddess with a statue, but I do have a silver candle, this is to simply represent the feminine energy, likewise I have a gold candle to represent masculine energy.
Right Side for the God
Candle either Gold or Yellow
God Statue if you wish to represent him that way
Wand
Censor
Bowl of Salt
Athame
Boline
To represent the elements you could have:
Earth: Pentacle, Bowl of Salt, Stones, Plants, Flowers, Green Candle
Water: Bowl of Water, Seashell, Chalice with Wine, Blue Candle, Cauldron
Fire: Red Candle, Athame, Boline, Candle Snuffer
Air: Incense, Feather, Bell, Wand, Yellow Candle
Again, I don’t think you need every single thing to represent the Elements, I would suggest picking one item that suits you. Also make sure you have them in the right spot. North and South Hemisphere are opposite so Fire in NH is South but in the SH it is North.
In the centre you could also have your statues or Book of Shadows. My BOS lies underneath my altar on a shelf, there just isn’t that much room to put it since it is a three ring binder.
The best advice I can give for building an altar is have the basics to represent elements and so forth, but always personalize it. After all it will be a reflection of you and your own spiritual practices, you will be working with it and that is the most important thing – it has to be right for you.
Elemental Altars
An altar is a great way to pay tribute to the elements. You could have a single altar with items only devoted to the Elements, or if you have the space, you could have altars devoted to each of the elements in your home. I put together some Elemental Altars to give you an idea of what could be achieved, I didn’t buy anything new or special, I worked with what I had within my own ritual supplies. Once you know what to look for, it becomes surprisingly easy to put together.
AIR ALTAR
To represent Air I have chosen Incense, Crystal Ball and Tarot cards for the intuitive/divination aspect of Air, Lavender, an Air Herb, Feathers and candles in yellow, white and purple, colours associated with the element of Air and the gemstones Amethyst, Sodalite and Aventurine.
To represent Air I have chosen Incense, Crystal Ball and Tarot cards for the intuitive/divination aspect of Air, Lavender, an Air Herb, Feathers and candles in yellow, white and purple, colours associated with the element of Air and the gemstones Amethyst, Sodalite and Aventurine.
EARTH ALTARTo represent Earth I have chosen a green candle, a cow figurine, oak and pine cones from the Earth, Salt, a Pentagram a symbol of earth, quartz crystal and a Venus of Willendorf statue to represent fertility.
FIRE ALTARFor Fire I chose a lantern, Horus – the Egyptian God associated with Fire, Cacti – a fire plant, A Dragon, gemstones of Carnelian, Tiger’s Eye and Bloodstone, my wand and candles in the colours of red, yellow and gold. Also my claddagh ring which is made of gold – a metal associated with Fire.
WATER ALTARFor Water I chose a bowl of water – the element in its purest form, a chalice, a Dolphin plaque – the majestic creatures of the deep, 2 oyster shells – these could also be used as offering bowls if one chose to, silver, blue and white candles, colours associated with Water and gemstones of amethyst, sodalite and aquamarine.
It is really quite easy to find small things to help represent the elements either on your personal altar, their own special altar or just around the home. For more info read the section on the Elements, it will help give you a basic understanding of the elements and provide a starting point to begin building your own elemental altars.
Water
The element of water is associated with the subconscious mind, intuition, and emotions. As the primal substance of life, it is symbolized by the womb and is related to fertility.
Direction - West
Astrological Signs - Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Rules - Emotions, feelings, love, courage, the unconscious mind, intuition, the womb, marriage, friendship,happiness, dreams, sleep, healing, menstruation, fertility, cleansing, purification, vision quests, self-healing, sorrow, reflection, psychic ability, oceans, rivers, lakes, rain, springs and wells
Types of Magick - Magick involving the sea, snow or ice, mirror, magnet, rain, cleansing and purification
Colors - Blue, blue-green, green, gray, indigo, aquamarine, white
Season - Autumn
Magickal Tools - Chalice, cauldron, mirrors
Time - Twilight, dusk
Energy - Receptive, feminine
Gemstones - Aquamarine, amethyst, blue tourmaline, pearl, coral, blue topaz, blue flourite, lapis lazuli, sodalite
Metals - Mercury, silver, copper
Plants - Aloe, apple, catnip, chamomile, ferns, gardneia, lemon, lettuce, lilac, lily of the valley, lotus, mosses, orris, passion flower, rose, seaweeds, thyme, valerian, water lillies, all water plants, willow tree
Animals - All fish, shellfish and sea mammals, serpents, sea birds, cat, frog, turtle, swan, bear
Goddesses - Aphrodite, Isis, Mariamne, Mari, Tiamat, Yemaya, Ran, Kupala
Gods - Dylan, Ea, Manannan, Osiris, Neptune, Poseidon, Varuna
Goddess Aspect - Mother
Elemental - undine
This information was taken many years ago from Branwen's cauldron I believe. I think the site is still going in the form of a forum: http://www.branwenscauldron.org/
Direction - West
Astrological Signs - Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Rules - Emotions, feelings, love, courage, the unconscious mind, intuition, the womb, marriage, friendship,happiness, dreams, sleep, healing, menstruation, fertility, cleansing, purification, vision quests, self-healing, sorrow, reflection, psychic ability, oceans, rivers, lakes, rain, springs and wells
Types of Magick - Magick involving the sea, snow or ice, mirror, magnet, rain, cleansing and purification
Colors - Blue, blue-green, green, gray, indigo, aquamarine, white
Season - Autumn
Magickal Tools - Chalice, cauldron, mirrors
Time - Twilight, dusk
Energy - Receptive, feminine
Gemstones - Aquamarine, amethyst, blue tourmaline, pearl, coral, blue topaz, blue flourite, lapis lazuli, sodalite
Metals - Mercury, silver, copper
Plants - Aloe, apple, catnip, chamomile, ferns, gardneia, lemon, lettuce, lilac, lily of the valley, lotus, mosses, orris, passion flower, rose, seaweeds, thyme, valerian, water lillies, all water plants, willow tree
Animals - All fish, shellfish and sea mammals, serpents, sea birds, cat, frog, turtle, swan, bear
Goddesses - Aphrodite, Isis, Mariamne, Mari, Tiamat, Yemaya, Ran, Kupala
Gods - Dylan, Ea, Manannan, Osiris, Neptune, Poseidon, Varuna
Goddess Aspect - Mother
Elemental - undine
This information was taken many years ago from Branwen's cauldron I believe. I think the site is still going in the form of a forum: http://www.branwenscauldron.org/
Fire
The element of fire is associated with change and passion. It is both physical and spiritual, being related to sexuality and to divinity. Fire magick is quickly manifested and filled with primal energy.
Direction - South
Astrological Signs - Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Rules - Energy, sexuality, passions, love, authority, transformation, purification, candle flames, sun, blood, healing, destruction, will, creativity, flame, heat, bonfires, hearth fires, protection, courage, strength, phsyical exercise, self-knowledge, loyalty, vision, illumination, power
Types of Magick - Candle, storm, time
Colors - Red, gold, crimson, orange, white
Season - Summer
Magickal Tools - Wand, candles, dagger, burned herbs or requests on paper
Time - Noon
Energy - Projective, masculine
Gemstones - Red jasper, bloodstone, garnet, lava, quartz crystals, ruby, carnelian, tigers eye, rhodochrosite, agates
Metals - Gold, brass
Plants - Allspice, basil, cacti, chile peppers, cinnamon, garlic, heliotrope, hibiscus, juniper, lime, mustard, nettle, onion, orange, red peppers, red poppies, thistle, almond tree
Animals - Lions, lizards, salamander, snakes, praying mantis, ladybug, bee, scorpion, shark, phoenix, coyote, fox
Goddesses - Brigit, Freya, Hestia, Pele, Vesta
Gods - Vulcan, Ra, Agni, Hepaetstus, Horus
Goddess Aspect: Temptress
Elemental: Salamanders
This information was taken many years ago from Branwen's cauldron I believe. I think the site is still going in the form of a forum: http://www.branwenscauldron.org/
Direction - South
Astrological Signs - Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Rules - Energy, sexuality, passions, love, authority, transformation, purification, candle flames, sun, blood, healing, destruction, will, creativity, flame, heat, bonfires, hearth fires, protection, courage, strength, phsyical exercise, self-knowledge, loyalty, vision, illumination, power
Types of Magick - Candle, storm, time
Colors - Red, gold, crimson, orange, white
Season - Summer
Magickal Tools - Wand, candles, dagger, burned herbs or requests on paper
Time - Noon
Energy - Projective, masculine
Gemstones - Red jasper, bloodstone, garnet, lava, quartz crystals, ruby, carnelian, tigers eye, rhodochrosite, agates
Metals - Gold, brass
Plants - Allspice, basil, cacti, chile peppers, cinnamon, garlic, heliotrope, hibiscus, juniper, lime, mustard, nettle, onion, orange, red peppers, red poppies, thistle, almond tree
Animals - Lions, lizards, salamander, snakes, praying mantis, ladybug, bee, scorpion, shark, phoenix, coyote, fox
Goddesses - Brigit, Freya, Hestia, Pele, Vesta
Gods - Vulcan, Ra, Agni, Hepaetstus, Horus
Goddess Aspect: Temptress
Elemental: Salamanders
This information was taken many years ago from Branwen's cauldron I believe. I think the site is still going in the form of a forum: http://www.branwenscauldron.org/
Earth
Earth is the element that is most stable and dependable. It represents abundance, prosperity, and wealth, and is creative but in a practical, physical manner.
Earth is that which sustains all life and on which the other elements rest.
Direction - North
Astrological Signs - Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Rules - The body, growth, money, creativity, birth, death, material gain, fertility, birth, healing, rocks, trees, animals, manifestation, materialization, crystals, silence, metal, empathy, grounding, employment, stability, success, runes, strength, practical wisdom, mystery
Types of Magick - Gardening, grounding, magnet, image, stone, tree, knot, binding
Colors - Black, brown, green, gold, white
Season - Winter
Magickal Tools - Pentacle, salt, images, stones, cord magick
Time - Midnight, night
Energy - Receptive, feminine
Gemstones - Rock crystal, emeralds, peridot, onyx, jasper, azurite, amethyst, royal azute, tourmaline,tourmalanted quartz, rutilated quartz
Metals - Iron, lead
Plants - Cedar, cypress, comfrey, honeysuckle, ivy, grains, magnolia, patchouli, primrose, sage, vetivert, nuts, oak
Animals - Cow or bull, bison, stag, dog, horse, gopher, ant, bears, wolf
Goddesses - Ceres, Cerridwyn, Demeter, Gaia, Persephone, Epona, Kore, Mah, Prithivi, Rhea, Rhiannon
Gods - Adonis, Athos, Arawn, Cernunnos, Dionysus, Herne, Marduk, Pan, Tammuz, Thor
Goddess Aspect: Crone
Elemental: Gnomes
This information was taken many years ago from Branwen's cauldron I believe. I think the site is still going in the form of a forum: http://www.branwenscauldron.org/
Earth is that which sustains all life and on which the other elements rest.
Direction - North
Astrological Signs - Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Rules - The body, growth, money, creativity, birth, death, material gain, fertility, birth, healing, rocks, trees, animals, manifestation, materialization, crystals, silence, metal, empathy, grounding, employment, stability, success, runes, strength, practical wisdom, mystery
Types of Magick - Gardening, grounding, magnet, image, stone, tree, knot, binding
Colors - Black, brown, green, gold, white
Season - Winter
Magickal Tools - Pentacle, salt, images, stones, cord magick
Time - Midnight, night
Energy - Receptive, feminine
Gemstones - Rock crystal, emeralds, peridot, onyx, jasper, azurite, amethyst, royal azute, tourmaline,tourmalanted quartz, rutilated quartz
Metals - Iron, lead
Plants - Cedar, cypress, comfrey, honeysuckle, ivy, grains, magnolia, patchouli, primrose, sage, vetivert, nuts, oak
Animals - Cow or bull, bison, stag, dog, horse, gopher, ant, bears, wolf
Goddesses - Ceres, Cerridwyn, Demeter, Gaia, Persephone, Epona, Kore, Mah, Prithivi, Rhea, Rhiannon
Gods - Adonis, Athos, Arawn, Cernunnos, Dionysus, Herne, Marduk, Pan, Tammuz, Thor
Goddess Aspect: Crone
Elemental: Gnomes
This information was taken many years ago from Branwen's cauldron I believe. I think the site is still going in the form of a forum: http://www.branwenscauldron.org/
Air
The element of air is associated with mental processes and the mind. It is creative and is that which causes magickal intentions to become manifest. It is also associated with higher consciousness and wisdom, divination, and purification.
Direction - East
Astrological Signs - Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Rules - Mind, mental and psychic work, intuition, knowledge, abstrat thought, wind, breath, clouds, inspiration, hearing, herbal knowledge, plant growth, purification, freedom, revealing truth, finding lost things, instruction, telepathy, memory, learning the secrets of the dead, zen meditation, new beginnings, illuminations
Types of Magick - Divination, concentration, prophecy, visualization, wind magick, karma
Colors - White, yellow, light blue, lavender, gray
Season - Spring
Magickal Tools - Athame, sword, censer, incense
Time - Dawn
Energy - Projective
Gemstones - Aventurine, topaz, mica, flourite, crystals, amethyst, yellow or blue stones
Metals - Tin, copper
Plants - Acacia, anise, aspen, benzoin, clover, dill, frankincense, lavender, lemongrass, myrrh, pine, primrose, vervain, violet, yarrow
Animals - Birds, insects, spiders
Goddesses - Aradia, Arianrhod, Athena, Nuit, Urania
Gods -Mercury, Hermes, Shu, Thoth
Goddess Aspect : Maiden
Elemental: Sylphs
This information was taken many years ago from Branwen's cauldron I believe. I think the site is still going in the form of a forum: www.branwenscauldron.org
Direction - East
Astrological Signs - Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Rules - Mind, mental and psychic work, intuition, knowledge, abstrat thought, wind, breath, clouds, inspiration, hearing, herbal knowledge, plant growth, purification, freedom, revealing truth, finding lost things, instruction, telepathy, memory, learning the secrets of the dead, zen meditation, new beginnings, illuminations
Types of Magick - Divination, concentration, prophecy, visualization, wind magick, karma
Colors - White, yellow, light blue, lavender, gray
Season - Spring
Magickal Tools - Athame, sword, censer, incense
Time - Dawn
Energy - Projective
Gemstones - Aventurine, topaz, mica, flourite, crystals, amethyst, yellow or blue stones
Metals - Tin, copper
Plants - Acacia, anise, aspen, benzoin, clover, dill, frankincense, lavender, lemongrass, myrrh, pine, primrose, vervain, violet, yarrow
Animals - Birds, insects, spiders
Goddesses - Aradia, Arianrhod, Athena, Nuit, Urania
Gods -Mercury, Hermes, Shu, Thoth
Goddess Aspect : Maiden
Elemental: Sylphs
This information was taken many years ago from Branwen's cauldron I believe. I think the site is still going in the form of a forum: www.branwenscauldron.org
Initiation Altar
Recently I completed my initiation into the Firefly Outer Circle of the Council of Elders. It was a wonderful and deeply personal experience and I don’t think I can really put in to words how it felt and what it meant to do this. I felt such a sense of accomplishment that all of my hard work had paid off, and I was truly committed to walking this path, alone and with Firefly, to learn and grow and become.
I thought I would post a picture of my altar, how it was set up for my half of the initiation.
I thought I would post a picture of my altar, how it was set up for my half of the initiation.
There is a candle for each cardinal point or element, and at the centre is a purple candle for spirit. As you can see there is a pentagram on the tile, this is the top of my altar, I took everything else off to perform this ritual. There was a candle for the Goddess (silver) and God (gold) also but since I am not a Witch who worships Deity, they were there more for the symbolism and the representation of balance.
The Blue Moon
What is a Blue Moon? It is the second Full Moon in one month; a rare occurrence and a time to perform magick that needs a little power boost to make it happen faster.
At the end of March I decided to do something I haven’t done before – celebrate the Full Moon in all her glory, this one was extra special because it was a Blue Moon. I decided to cast a couple of spells but I will be keeping mum on those, however just before midnight I lit a white candle anointed with Lunar oil and lit some Moon incense. There was a slight breeze that night here too and I think there is nothing more powerful than standing in a breeze and letting the air wash over you, I find it can be quite profound. I always feel incredibly energized afterwards.
I felt very sure of myself that night, like I finally really connected with the power of the Moon. I think from now on I will take the time to pay homage to the Full Moon, even if it is just lighting a candle and some incense.
My Initiation
About 2 years ago I joined an online school called The Firefly Academy; it’s a Wicca/Witchcraft school with a fantastic range of courses and a wonderful teaching staff. After doing the prerequisite courses I qualified to be initiated into the Outer Circle of Firefly as a Priestess.
I chose the name Nephthys Darkmoon as my magical and priestess name because I had received it. One night in bed this name kept going through my mind and it felt right, it felt like it was meant to be me, meant to be mine. Nephthys is the Egyptian Goddess of divination, hidden knowledge and dreams, and I have always been fascinated with her, so much so I have part of her name in my business. Darkmoon is the phase of the moon I like best, going outside and seeing a clear sky full of stars is just fantastic!
On March 26th I performed my initiation and it was an incredible experience, it felt amazing to honour those who had taught me and it felt amazing to have achieved something so wonderful. Now I look forward to the path ahead with Firefly and my own spirituality as Lady Nephthys Darkmoon.
(If you are at all interested in checking out the Firefly Academy go to: http://online.fireflyacademy.org/)
