Family Full Moon Wish Spell

Today is the Full Moon. In honor of Her loveliness this night, here is a sweet Full Moon Wish Spell to share with your children.

Family Moon Wish Spell

Time: Any Full Moon

Tools: Bonfire or fire pit (or small cauldron)

Scraps of white paper

Silver and blue markers, pens, colored pencils, or crayons

Herbs: jasmine, rose, lavender & rosemary

1. Set out a bowl of the mixed herbs for each member of the family who will be participating.

2. Gather in a circle around the bonfire or cauldron. Hold hands and meditate for a moment, mentally casting the circle. Have someone call each of the four directions.

3. Pass around the paper and writing instruments. Have everyone write down everything they wish to manifest by the next full moon. Do not hold back on this step, even if it seems ridiculous, put it down.The younger members who cannot write yet can draw pictures or have older members help them. Remember to vigilantly watch anyone younger than ten around the fire.

4. Welcome the Moon Goddess by saying:

Tonight we welcome the Moon

Round as the mother's womb

We send our wishes out into the night

To be heard by the Goddess bright

From full to dark then full again,

Please grant us our wishes by then.

5. Have everyone throw their wishes into the fire, followed by a handful of herbs to seal the spell.

6. Clasp hands again and watch the papers curl and burn. Meditate on the idea of your wishes soon being fulfilled.

7. When you are ready, break the silence and open the circle.Do not forget to thank the Goddess and God.

8. Bring out snacks and drinks and enjoy the fire. Feast and talk.

Yule Countdown

Welcome December! Today begins the countdown to the Winter Solstice, or Yule, as the ancients use to call it. The longest night and the shortest day of the year. In northern climates this is the darkest and coldest time of year. The sun seems weak, even dying, and we fear winter will last forever. But as soon as the solstice passes, the days begin to grow longer again. The Solstice is a turning point on the wheel of the year, when the sun symbolically dies and is reborn from the womb of the Goddess.

As we countdown the days til Solstice this year. I hope to share with you some of the meaning and myths of this sacred time of year. Let's begin.

Clean House

Everyone in the family can help clean house before Solstice. Be sure to sweep under the rugs and shake out any feather beds you might have! When you empty the dustpan or throw out the vacuum cleaner bag, name some of the things you want to get rid of. Then steep some rosemary and bay leaves in hot water and add the scented water to the pail when you wash your floors, to bring protection for the new season.

What inner cleansing do you need to do at Solstice time? What is left over from the past year--what dust lurks in your corners? What would you like to get rid of or leave behind?

Patchwork Cloak Update

This is a long over due update, because I took a couple of weeks of of working on my cloak. But now that the Harvest Gathering is only two weeks away, and seeing as how I wanted to wear it for the ritual there, I am working on it again with renewed vigor. Here is a glimpse of some more of the embroidery, which is all that is left to do besides the finishing edges. I am loving how it is coming out and I think that it is going to be an amazing cloak. Not only is it all done by hand, there are prayers, spells, and enchantments of all sorts tucked here and there. Under the lace pieces are charged crystals and charms are attached in various places. Most all of the embroidery has special meaning to me in some way. This is a very personal cloak and I know that the 'magick' woven into its creation will serve me for many years to come. I will post a photo of the finished cloak in the next two weeks. Blessings.

Crazy Quilt Cloak Update

I have been working as much as possible on my crazy quilt 'magical' cloak. I have quite a bit done on the embroidery, the hood is completely finished, unless I decide to add something else.:) The lace patches hold crystals and amethyst, charged on my altar. I am hoping to have it finished by then end of August, that is the ten year anniversary of my beginning the pagan/Goddess path. I hope to wear it at the Harvest Gathering ritual in September. I am really enjoying working on it.

I hope everyone had a Blessed Imbolc/Brigid's Day. We had a lovely celebration as a circle. I can't begin to say how wonderful it feels to have a circle of sisters that I know I can count on and who can count on me. Its such a blessing to know these women and to grow together as a circle with each ritual we share. I love them all deeply and I am learning a lot about myself as I learn about them. So a heartfelt thank you to my circle sisters, Glorymoon, Wolfsong, Mari, Tumbleweed, and Rachel. Blessed be.

Day 17!

Well I have made it seventeen days of doing yoga everyday. I am quite proud of myself, actually, I have been known to be gung ho for something one week and over it the next. But yoga seems to be my thing. I enjoy it so much and even more everyday. The changes in my body and mind are miraculous in my opinion. I feel wonderful. I have so much more energy and my outlook on things is greatly improved. I have had no bouts of depression since I started. I can do more and have more to give to my family, and believe me they need a lot.
Sophie alone, consumes my day and energies. She is constantly on the go. She needs much to stimulate her mind and body. She is so advanced for three that she needs things that my other children were not ready for at this age. So I am in fact relearning to mother a three year old, because she is unlike the others. On the other hand, it is very entertaining and I am learning as much as she is. We are now at a point in her discipline where she has simply been refusing to do as she is told or doing what she is told not to do. When I got stern or angry with my other kids, they would become repentant and mostly obey. Sophie, she gets angry right back and even more defiant. She has a mind of her own, in a whole different way than I remember three year olds having. So.....I am working on a new plan of discipline for and with her. I will let you know how it goes. Keeps me on my toes, that one does, but I can't remember ever having such fun and a constant source of joy!
I found, at the used book store, the book "Magical Herbalism" by Scott Cunningham. I had been looking for it for some months now, since I decided to combine my herbal medicinal knowledge with the magical properties of herbs also. So I am appropriately excited about finding it again. The winter months are a great time to study herbs and create medicines and beauty products from the herbs you've dried. Since I can't be out in the herb garden, this is the next best thing. I can dream of my gardens and plan them by immersing myself in herb and garden books. Oh such fun!

Well, here, finally is a photo of the athame that David gifted to me. Isn't it gorgeous?! It is about a foot long from handle tip to blade tip. In the photo you can see that it has some rust on the blade and a bit of tarnish on the hilt, but David can clean that all right up. I cannot wait to get it purified and on my altar! Woo, hoo!