Invocation of Michael the Archangel

If there's one presence you'd want to have on your side in the courtroom, in a dark alley, or at any time you feel threatened, it's the Archangel Michael. Michael's celestial mission is to be humanity's defender. He epitomizes justice. You can request that he come to your assistance.

Post his image, burn fragrant gum resins and use his invocation to call him...

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Book of Shadows and can be found in its entirety here: Invocation of Michael the Archangel

Archangel Michael Dream Oracle Spell

Michael the Archangel's flaming sword illuminates dreams and provides safety as you linger in dreamland. This dream oracle affirms whether a spiritual petition or request is appropriate or not. This spell is based on surviving remnants of Alexandria's Magical Papyri. The request for the dream is made using a magic lamp.



This spell doesn't assume that you have a special ritual lamp. Oil lamps were once common houseold articles, like a table lamp is today: it wan't a big deal back then for a spell to suggest using one, any more than a modern spell's request for a spoonful of salt is an inconvenience. An everyday oil lamp may be used, or you can dedicate and charge a special lamp just for spell casting....

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Book of Shadows, and can be found in its entirety here: Archangel Michael Dream Oracle Spell

Michaelmas - The Christianized Mabon

September 29th is a medieval holiday which the Church Christianized under the label of “Michaelmas,” a feast in honor of the Archangel Michael. It is thought that the Roman Catholic Church at some point considered assigning the quarter dates to the four Archangels, since they had assigned the cross quarters to the four gospel-writers....

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been combined with another and moved to The Pagan Calendar, it can be found in its entirety here: Michaelmas - The Christianized Mabon

Mabon - The Second Harvest

Mabon(pronounced MAY-bun, MAY-bone, MAH-boon, or MAH-bawn) marks the Second Harvest, the end of the grain harvest (which begun at Lughnasadh), and rests on the Autumn Equinox. The Equinox mirrors dwindling of life (and eventual progression to rebirth), as well as the struggle for balance; day and night are equal for a single day. Various other names for this Lesser Wiccan Sabbat are The Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Alben Elfed (Caledonii), or Cornucopia.


... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been combined with another, and moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar. It can be found here: Mabon - The Second Harvest

Be Like The Moon

"be like the moon. the moon will never lie to anyone. no one hates the moon or wants to kill it. the moon does not take anti-depressants and never gets sent to prison. the moon never shot a guy in the face and ran away. the moon has been around a long time and has never tried to rip anyone off. the moon does not care who you want to touch or what color you are. the moon treats everyone the same....

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Widdershins, and can be found in its entirety here: Be Like The Moon

Defeated by Love

The sky was lit

by the splendor of the moon

So powerful

I fell to the ground

Your love

has made me sure

I am ready to forsake

this worldly life

and surrender to the magnificence

of your Being

- Rumi

... more poetry and stories about the moon can be found at my new website: Widdershins

Happy Moon Festival To All

I stumbled onto this wonderful festival which has been celebrated in China for a very long time. It doesn't qualify as "gypsy" magic, but it is a great way to celebrate the autumn equinox, and gave me lots of ideas of how to honor the fullness of the moon. This year (2010) the Moon festival is celebrated on Sept 22 (which is tomorrow).

The Moon Festival is full of legendary stories. Legend says that Chang Er flew to the moon, where she has lived ever since. You might see her dancing on the moon during the Moon Festival. The Moon Festival is also an occasion for family reunions. When the full moon rises, families get together to watch the full moon, eat moon cakes, and sing moon poems. With the full moon, the legend, the family and the poems, you can't help thinking that this is really a perfect world. That is why the Chinese are so fond of the Moon Festival.

I have gathered a great selection of poems to recite, songs to sing, legends to watch, recipes to prepare, and more. If you're interested, follow the links below and enjoy creating your own "Moon Festival" celebration.

• The Chinese Moon Festival
• Legend of the Moon Festival on video
• Fire Dragon Dance on video

Poems and Quotes:

• Be Like the Moon
• Moonlight
• Defeated by Love
• Sleepyhead
• I see the moon
• O Lady Moon

Songs and Music:

• Moon River
• Moonlight Sonata
• Moonwalk
• Bad Moon Rising

Recipes:

• Mid-Autumn Moon Cake
• Easy Chinese Moon Cakes

Magick:

• Meditating on Moonbeams
• Full Moon Luck and Joy Spell
• Moon Water Tonic
• Moon Mirror Healing
• Pour Out Your Troubles
• Full Moon Meditation
• Make a Moon Water Tonic

Other Stuff:

• First moon landing on video
• What is a pomelo?

The Chinese Moon Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, is a popular East Asian celebration of abundance and togetherness, dating back over 3,000 years to China's Zhou Dynasty. In Malaysia and Singapore, it is also sometimes referred to as the Lantern Festival or "Mooncake Festival."

The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month of the Chinese calendar (usually around mid- or late-September in the Gregorian calendar), a date that parallels the Autumn Equinox of the solar calendar...

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website The Pagan Calendar, and can be found in its entirety here: The Chinese Moon Festival

Chinese Moon Festival Story

Here it is on video:

Stories behind the festival can be found at Widdershins:

• Chang E Flying to the Moon
• Jade Rabbit Pounding Medicine
• Wu Gang Chopping Laurel Tree

Fire Dragon Dance

This is really wonderful! I love fire, fireworks, dragons, and full moons. Here we have it all! The Fire Dragon Dance complete with fire, fireworks, all performed during the Chinese Moon Festival.

0 Lady Moon

0 Lady Moon,
your horns point toward the east;

Shine, be increased:

0 Lady Moon...

... I am so sorry to do this to you but this post has been moved to my new website, Widdershins, and can be found in its entirety here: O Lady Moon

Sleepyhead

As I lay awake in the white moon light,

I heard a faint singing in the wood,

'Out of bed,

Sleepyhead,

Put your white foot now,

Here are we,

Neath the tree

Singing round the root now!'

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Widdershins, and can be found in its entirety here: Sleepyhead

I see the moon

I see the moon,

The moon sees me

God bless the moon,

And God bless me.

-A nursery rhyme

... More moon poetry and stories can be found on my new website, Widdershins.

What is a Pomelo?

Pomelos are a must during the mid-autumn festival or mooncake festival;

they are normally eaten fresh.

The pomelo (Citrus maxima or Citrus grandis) is a citrus fruit native to South East Asia. It is usually pale green to yellow when ripe, with sweet white (or, more rarely, pink or red) flesh and very thick pudgy rind. It is the largest citrus fruit, 15–25 cm in diameter, and usually weighing 1–2 kg. Other spellings for pomelo include pummelo, and pommelo, and other names include Chinese grapefruit, jabong, lusho fruit, pompelmous, Papanas, and shaddock. Pomelos are also referred to as chakotara in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India. In the Indian State Manipur this fruit is known as Nobab....

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Eating To Live, and can be found in its entirety here: What Is A Pomelo?

Mid-Autumn Moon Cake

Filling:

• 
  
  1 can (17-1/2 ounces) lotus seed paste
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

Dough:

• 
  
  4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2-cup non-fat dried milk powder
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs...

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar, and can be found in its entirety here: Mid-Autumn Moon Cake

Easy Chinese Moon Cakes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks
•  1/2 cup salted butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup strawberry (or your favorite) jam

(traditionally red bean paste is used so if you want a more authentic version, you can use a can of red bean paste instead of the jam)

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees....

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar, and can be found in its entirety here: Easy Chinese Moon Cakes

A Gypsy Spell For Love

Suppose there is someone in whom you are very much interested. He or she seems to notice you but makes no move to develop a relationship. This is the spell to use. It is not a spell to draw that loved one to you, but more to "open the way," so that if there is interest there, he or she will feel free to make advances.

Set a wineglass on the table. Then suspend a ring (traditionally the mother's wedding band) from a length of red silk ribbon....

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Gypsy Magick and Lore, and can be found in its entirety here: A Gypsy Spell for Love

Apple Love Spell

Twist the stem of an apple. On each rotation call out a letter of the alphabet. Begin with A. The letter you call out as the stem comes off will be the initial of your true love. If you do not trust your luck, you can purposely pull the stem on a particular letter (this is called using your will). Once you have pulled the stem from the apple, hold it between your teeth and make a wish to be with that particular person. If you have pulled a random letter (not someone you have in mind), --say, S-- then ask the Goddess to bring this S to you.

The second part of the spell can only be performed if you have...

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Gypsy Magick and Lore, hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com, and can be found in its entirety here: Apple Love Spell