Spell For Emotional Healing

Ingredients:

• 1 pink candle
• Vanilla essential oil, to sweeten the medicine. You can use any sweet smelling oil.
• Sweet smelling incense to lift and carry the spell.

Inscribe 'emotional healing' on the candle and anoint it with the oil. Light the incense and open the circle. You can use this chant, (Casting the Circle) or one of your own. Visualize a pink light flowing from the candle out to the room, the world to all of the people you know and love. That this pink light carries emotional healing with it. Focus your mind, and imagine the people you love and where they might be in their day. Keep focusing on this light until it feels right to release the circle and the magick to the world, asking that it heal without harm.

source: The Gay Mage

Ancient Greek Love Spell

The ancient Greeks also had a great many aphrodisiacs meant to instill a desire that was more than just temporary. Most of them appear to involve the rubbing of pungent or stinging mixtures onto a man’s penis. Here's an interesting one:


“Take a crow’s egg, the juice of the crow’s foot plant, the bile of an electric ray from the river, work them together with honey and say the spell whenever you work them and anoint your genitals with them.

The spoken spell is this:

I say to you, womb of
{... name of woman... }
gape open and receive the seed of
{... your name... }

Say these things as you work the substances, and whenever you anoint your genitals, and so have sex with the woman you want. She will love only you, and no one but you will copulate with her.”

DISCLAIMER:
I take no responsibiilty whatever for the consequences of this spell. Do it at your own risk.

Crow Lore

Crow is a member of the corvid family which includes ravens, magpies and blue jays. They are found worldwide. These birds are highly intelligent, adaptable and omnivorous. They can be taught to communicate with people and to count. Crows are mischievous and like to steal shiny items, but are suspicious and shy. They are territorial and won't give up an area without a fight. They are loners, seeming to like to spend time to themselves.

Some crows live in flocks called murders and musters, nesting in tree tops. There are sentinels that warn of danger. These animals have a complex language. Other crows are solitary or live in pairs. They will kill sick animals and eat carcasses they find, which is beneficial to the environment. They are called by different names in Great Britain such as carrion crows, rooks and jack daws. While it is rare, white crows have been found.


Most European traditions view crow as bad omens, problems and death. Many AmerIndian tribes believed Crow was both keeper of the sacred law and trickster.

The Celts believed that Crow was an omen of death and conflict. She was associated with death transitions. Another belief was that the birds were faeries who shape-shifted to cause troubles. Magickal qualities included bringing knowledge, shape-shifting, eloquence, prophecy, boldness, skill, knowledge, cunning, trickery and thievery. In the Middle Ages, people believed that sorcerers and witches used the symbol of Crow’s foot to cast death spells.

This bird is to be treated with care. Along with the raven, the crow is a symbol of conflict and death, an ill-omen associated with such Goddess as Macha, Badb, and Morrigan. The Irish word for crow is badb, which is also the name of a Celtic war Goddess. Although the crow was ill-omened, it was also considered to be skillfull, cunning, and a bringer of knowledge. It teaches you to learn from the past, but not to hold onto it. It is of most value when trickery is in need.

In most of England, seeing a solitary crow meant anger, but in Northamptonshire, it meant ill fortune. Crow, cawing in a hoarse voice, meant bad weather. A death omen was a crow cawing thrice as it flew over a house. The Irish believed that Crow flocking in trees, but not nesting were souls from Purgatory. Finding a dead crow was a sign of good fortune. Russians believed that witches took the shape of Crow.


Some AmerIndian tribes believed Crow was the keeper of the sacred law and could shape-shift. He protected the sacred writings of Great Spirit. Crow is an omen of transformation. The bird has been associated with the Ghost Dance movement of 1890. Crow has no sense of time and lives in the Void, having the ability to the past, present and future at the same time.

The Alaskan Athapaskan tribe believed crow created the world. Crow is considered to be the entrance to the supernatural and is associated with illusion. Along with Coyote and Raven, Crow is considered trickster. According to the Alaskan Tanaina Tribe, Chuylen, Crow, can shape-shift into a young handsome man. In this shape, he can trick people into getting what he desires. When he is in the shape of a crow, he does the same to animals.

Crow has been likened to the trickster of Native American power animals, (Coyote). There was a man who hated crows because he thought they prevented him from trapping rabbits. He decided to try to frighten them by putting mirrors on the ground facing skyward so the birds would see their reflections and be scared away. Crow, a curious bird, was fascinated by the mirrors and decided to explore them. One by one, they desecrated the mirrors’ surfaces, then flew into a tree and cackled at what they had done.


Crow Medicine

CROW - integrity and doing unto others as we would like them to do to us.

Crow teaches us to know ourselves beyond the limitations of one-dimensional thinking and laws. It is about bringing magic into our lives. This animal teaches to appreciate the many dimensions both of reality and ourselves, and to learn to trust our intuition and personal integrity. There is magic wherever crows are. They give us the message that there is magic alive in our world and this magic is ours to use and create a new world for ourselves with.

Crow is the left-handed guardian. Crow knows the unknowable mysteries of creation and is the keeper of all sacred law. There are several species of crow. Raven is one of these and magpies are another. Crow medicine people are masters of illusion. Do not try to figure crow out. It is the power of the unknown at work, and something special is about to happen.

Crow is also the guardian of ceremonial magic and healing. In any healing circle, Crow is present. Crow guides the magic of healing and the change in consciousness that will bring about a new reality and dispel "dis-ease" or illness. You can rest assure when ever crows are around, magic is near by and you are about to experience a change in consciousness. Crow can give you the courage to enter the darkness of the void, which is the home of all that is not yet in form.

If you have a crow as a totem, you need to be willing to walk your talk and speak your truth. You must put aside your fear of being a voice in the wilderness and "caw" the shots as you see them. Crow is an omen of change. If he keeps appearing to you he may be telling you that you have a powerful voice when addressing issues that you do not quite understand or feel that they are out of balance.

Crows are the bringer of messages from the spirit world, and is thought to dwell beyond the realm of time and space.


When you meet crow, he could be telling you that there will be changes in your life and that possibly you should step by the usual way you view reality and look into the inner realms …walk your talk… be prepared to let go of your old thinking and embrace a new way of viewing yourself and the world.

Crow is the sacred keeper of the law. Crow medicine signifies a firsthand knowledge of a higher order of right and wrong than that indicated by the laws created in human culture. With Crow medicine, you speak in a powerful voice when addressing issues that for you seem out of harmony, out of balance, out of whack, or unjust.

When you learn to allow your personal integrity to be your guide, your sense of feeling alone will vanish. Your personal will can then emerge so that you will stand in your truth. The prime path of true Crow people says to be mindful of your opinions and actions. Be willing to walk your talk, speak your truth, know your life’s mission, and balance past, present, and future in the now. Shape shift that old reality and become your future self. Allow the bending of physical laws to aid in creating the shape shifted world of peace.


More About Crows:

Crows are very vocal birds. They are sly and often deceptive in their actions. Crows have been known to build false nests high in treetops to confuse predators. The height of their nests give them the opportunity to watch everything that is going on around them. Many cultures think of crow as the keeper of knowledge for nothing escapes their keen sight.

Crows travel in groups and make mischief in teams. As one crow explores something new, others will watch closely to see what happens and then learn from it. In this way they seem to always be in council with each other. They often raise a ruckus when hunters are around, warning deer and other birds. Crows recognize possible danger and always post lookouts when feeding---thier most vulnerable time.

Their language is complex and they have a remarkable voice range. Each caw has its own meaning. Sometimes crow warns of impending danger. Other times it signals a time to join in council and make decisions. Listening to crow can teach those with this medicine how to hear the truth of what is being said.

The striking black color of crow represents the color of creation. It is the womb out of which the new is born. Black the color of night gives birth to the light of a new day. Crow is a daytime bird reminding us that magic and creation are present in both. Their ability to shift between the known and unknown world indicates new journeys.

Because crow is adaptable to all environments and will eat almost anything they can survive in almost any situation. Crow is associated with magic, unseen forces and spiritual strength. If crow flies into your life, get out of your familiar nest, look beyond your present range of vision, listen to its caw and act accordingly.


Collected from various sources including: Animal Speak by Ted Andrews.
Read more about crows and crow magic here.

Crow Moon

While researching Crow Moon, I came upon this really cool video called "Crow Moon," and I thought I'd share it here.



Here's the story line posted with the video: "An animated short created in my spare room! A flock of roosting crows, black as night themselves, are threatened by the advancing shadows at dusk. They need light for protection so with the help of the Raven Chief they take a piece of the sun and use it to save themselves from the darkness."

Storm Moon

A Storm moon is, according to weather folklore, the moon which occurs in March during shifting weather patterns in the northern hemisphere. It is also called seed moon, moon of winds, crow moon, moon of the snow-blind, and Full Worm Moon.

As the temperature begins to warm and the ground begins to thaw, earthworm casts appear, heralding the return of the robins. The more northern Native American tribes knew this Moon as the Full Crow Moon, when the cawing of crows signaled the end of winter; or the Full Crust Moon, because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night. The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of tapping maple trees, is another variation. To the settlers, it was also known as the Lenten Moon, and was considered to be the last full Moon of winter.

This is the month when Spring finally arrives, around the time of the Equinox, and we see new life begin to spring forth. As the Wheel of the Year turns once more, heavy rains and gray skies abound -- the earth is being showered with the life-giving water it needs to have a fertile and healthy growing season. This is also a time of equal parts light and darkness, and so a time of balance.

Correspondences:

• Colors: Green, yellow, light purple
• Gemstones: Bloodstone, aquamarine
• Trees: Dogwood, honeysuckle
• Gods: Isis, the Morrighan, Artemis, Cybele
• Herbs: High John, pennyroyal, wood betony, apple blossom
• Element: Water

Use this month for magical workings related to rebirth and regrowth. New life is blooming during this phase of the moon, as is prosperity and fertility.

Jugged Kaunengro

Jugged Kaunengro is a traditional Romany recipe for hare or rabbit stew.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons flour
• Salt and pepper
• 1 hare, jointed
• 3 and a quarter cups strong stock, hot
• 1 lemon, peeled and sliced
• 1 onion, stuck with 3 cloves
• 12 black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Quarter cup flour
• 1 cup of red wine

Instructions:

Season the flour with salt and pepper. Dredge the joints with the sesoned flour. Put the hare into the stew jar with the hot stock, lemon onion, and peppercorns. Cover the jar tightly and stand it in a deep pan of cold water. Bring this to the boil and simmer for 3-4 hours (depending on the age of the hare). Remove the hare from the jar and keep hot. Knead the butter and flour together and stir into the stock with wine. Heat the sauce, stirring until smooth and thick.

From: Journey Folki

Stuffed Baked Shooshi

Here we have a traditional Romany recipe for stuffed baked rabbit (Shooshi). I, personally, am not big on rabbit, but given the season (Easter), it seemed appropriate to upload this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 rabbit, jointed
• salt
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 generous cup of bread crumbs
• 2-3 stems fresh thyme
• pepper
• 2-4 slices fat bacon
• 1 cup milk or water

How to:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Soak the rabbit joints in salted water for an hour, then dry well. Mix together the onion and bread crumbs. Place a layer of rabbit in the bottom of the casserole or baking dish and sprinkle half the onion mixture over it. Lay 1-2 stems of thyme on top. Season with salt and pepper and add the rest the rest of the rabbit joints.

Season the second layer of rabbit with salt and pepper and sprinkle the rest of the stuffing mixture over the top and add a stem of thyme. Lay the slices of bacon on top and pour the milk or water over all. Cover and cook for 2 hours until the rabbit is tender.

From: Journey Folki

Robins - Omens and Signs

• A wish made on the first robin of spring will be granted, if however the bird flies away before the wish was finished you will end up with 12 month's bad luck.
• A robin entering the house was a sign of a death in the family.
• Killing a robin - extremely bad luck
• Causing a robin injury - a similar injury to the perpetrator
• Robin entering a house or church - omen of death
• Steal an egg from a robin's nest, and all the milk produced in the area will be discoloured.
• If a robin is ever seen to hop over the threshold of a door then it is an omen of a forthcoming debt, except for the month of November, in which case it is considered lucky.
• The robin has also been used to forecast the weather, if it is heard singing from cover then bad weather is on the way, conversely if the robin sings from an open branch then good weather is coming.
• I have also heard tell that if a robin ever finds a dead body it will cover the corpse's face with moss and leaves as a mark of its love for the human race.

It's the Vernal Equinox

A traditional Vernal Equinox pastime is to go to a field and randomly collect wildflowers (thank the flowers for their sacrifice before picking them). Or, buy some from a florist, taking one or two of those that appeal to you. Then bring them home and divine their Magickal meanings by the use of books, your own intuition, a pendulum, this post on the meanings of flowers, or by other means. The flowers you've chosen reveal your inner thoughts and emotions.

A Ritual for Ostara

For this ritual, you'll want to decorate your altar with symbols of the season. Think about all the colors you see in nature at this time of year -- bright daffodils, crocuses, plump tulips, green shoots -- and incorporate them into your altar. This is also a time of fertility in the natural world -- the egg is the perfect representation of this aspect of the season. Symbols of young animals such as lambs, chicks, and calves are also great altar adornments for Ostara.

In addition, you'll need the following:

• Three candles -- one yellow, one green, and one purple
• A bowl of milk
• A small bowl of honey or sugar

Perform this ritual outside if at all possible, in the early morning as the sun rises. It's spring, so it may be a bit chilly, but it's a good time to reconnect with the earth. If your tradition normally requires you to cast a circle, do so now.

Begin by taking a moment to focus on the air around you. Inhale deeply, and see if you can smell the change in the seasons. Depending on where you live, the air may have an earthy aroma, or a rainy one, or even smell like green grass. Sense the shift in energy as the Wheel of the Year has turned. Light the green candle, to symbolize the blossoming earth. As you light it, say:

The Wheel of the Year turns once more,
and the vernal equinox arrives.
Light and dark are equal,
and the soil begins to change.
The earth awakes from its slumber,
and new life springs forth once more.

Next, light the yellow candle, representing the sun. As you do so, say:

The sun draws ever closer to us,
greeting the earth with its welcoming rays.
Light and dark are equal,
and the sky fills with light and warmth.
The sun warms the land beneath our feet,
and gives life to all in its path.

Finally, light the purple candle. This one represents the Divine in our lives -- whether you call it a god or a goddess, whether you identify it by name or simply as a universal life force, this is the candle which stands for all the things we do not know, all those things we cannot understand, but that are the sacred in our daily lives. As you light this candle, focus on the Divine around and within you. Say:

Spring has come! For this, we are thankful!
The Divine is present all around,
in the cool fall of a rain storm,
in the tiny buds of a flower,
in the down of a newborn chick,
in the fertile fields waiting to be planted,
in the sky above us,
and in the earth below us.
We thank the universe* for all it has to offer us,
and are so blessed to be alive on this day.
Welcome, life! Welcome, light! Welcome, spring!

Take a moment and meditate on the three flames before you and what they symbolize. Consider your own place within these three things -- the earth, the sun, and the Divine. How do you fit into the grand scheme of things? How do you find balance between light and dark in your own life?

Finally, blend the milk and honey together, mixing gently. Pour it onto the ground around your altar space as an offering to the earth. As you do, you may wish to say something like:

I make this offering to the earth,
As thanks for the many blessings I have received,
And those I shall some day receive.

Once you have made your offering, stand for a minute facing your altar. Feel the cool earth beneath your feet, and the sun on your face. Take in every sensation of this moment, and know that you are in a perfect place of balance between light and dark, winter and summer, warmth and cold -- a time of polarity and harmony.

When you are ready, end the ritual.

Tips:

• Instead of "the Universe", feel free to insert the name of your patron deity or the gods of your tradition here.
• If you're doing this rite indoors, take your bowl of milk and honey and pour it in your garden, or around your yard.

source: paganwiccan

About Ostara

Oestre, Easter, the Spring Equinox, Vernal (Spring) Equinox, Alban Eiler (Caledonii).

March 20 - 23 Northern Hemisphere

September 20 - 23 Southern Hemisphere

This is the official return of the young Goddess after her Winter hibernation. Traditionally celebrated on March 21st

The Simple Facts

The Spring Equinox is the point of equilibrium - when light and darkness are in balance but the light is growing stronger. The balance is suspended just before spring bursts forth from winter. Night and day are of equal length at the equinox, the forces of male and female are also in balance. Ostara is a festival of balance and fertility. It is a celebration of birth and new life. A day when death has no power over the living.

Spring has arrived, and with it comes hope and warmth. Deep within the cold earth, seeds are beginning to sprout. In the damp fields, the livestock are preparing to give birth. In the forest, under a canopy of newly sprouted leaves, the animals of the wild ready their dens for the arrival of their young. Spring is here.

The Easter Bunny also is of Pagan origin, as are baskets of flowers. Brightly colored eggs represent the child within.

Traditionally, Ostara is a time for collecting wildflowers, walking in nature's beauty and cultivating herb gardens. Half fill a bowl with water and place a selection of flowers into it for display in a prominent position in your home.

This is the time to free yourself from anything in the past that is holding you back.

Sources: varied

Personal Housekeeping For Oestara

We live in an age where guilt is more often encouraged then pride, where we are encouraged to dwell upon our 'negative' points and habits. This is not the way of the Witch. As Witches we must learn to be as honest about our plus points as society would like us to be about our minuses.

Advertising, probably the most pervasive kind of propaganda, encourages us to think of ourselves as 'less than perfect' unless we look and dress like the people in the adverts and possess all the things that the advertisers would like us to spend money on. It is worth bearing in mind that if we truly needed these products then there would be no need to put them into commercials!

However, to return to the 'personal housekeeping', write a list of 20 of your plus points, things you are good at, and 20 minus points, things you would like to improve. Try not to be influenced by stereotypes - many female Witches include 'outspoken' on their list of negatives, while males will describe the same quality as positive! If you absolutely must include your physical attributes on the minus list, then make sure that these are things which you can sensibly expect to change, but don't fall into the advertisers' trap. From the perspective of the Witch it is far more important that you should come to terms with the person that you are, rather than worry about the way people see you.

One of the first tasks of the Witch is to understand and accept themselves, with all their good and bad points, because it is only when you understand yourself that you will be in a position to understand others, and therein lies a good portion of Witches' Magic.

From: Kate West

An Oestara Ritual

The main points of Oestara are those of balance and of spring.

This ritual is best performed outdoors. In advance you will need to collect a small handful of old leaves and write on each something that you would like to be rid of. Also take a small number of seeds or seedlings (if these seedlings come from the seeds you planted at Imbolg, so much the better), one for each new thing that you wish to attain.

Silently ask the elements, the Goddess and the God to be with you, then when you are ready, dig a hole large enough to give space to the seedlings you wish to grow and place the dead leaves into it. Say, 'Lord and Lady of this time of balance, these are the things I wish to be rid of. As these leaves wither and rot, may I let go of those things that might hold me back'.

Next place one or two seedlings on top of the leaves. Say, 'Lord and Lady, these are the things which I wish to attain in the coming season. Let them grow strong and true from the remains of the old'.

As before, thank the elements, the Goddess and the God.

Remember that for ritual to work, you should give more thought to your preparations than the time you actually spend performing the ritual. In this case, that preparation includes carefully choosing the things you wish to leave behind and the things you wish to take on.

On a more practical level, it will also include selecting plants appropriate to your area and climate outside, as well as a suitable place to plant them. If you cannot perform your ritual outside, then you can either scale down everything and work with a single plant pot or you can dedicate your leaves and plant indoors and go out to plant them at a later date.

Source: Kate West

Oestara

It is no coincidence that the name for this sabbath sounds similar to the word 'Easter'. Eostre, or Ostara, is an Anglo-Saxon Dawn Goddess whose symbols are the egg and the hare. She, in turn, is the European version of the Goddess Ishtar or Astarte, whose worship dates back thousands of years and is certainly pre-Christian. Eostre also lives on in our medical language in the words 'oestrous' (the sexual impulse in female animals) and 'oestrogen' (a female hormone). Today, Oestara is celebrated as a spring festival. Although the Goddess put on the robes of Maiden at Imbolg, here she is seen as truly embodying the spirit of spring. By this time we can see all around us the awakened land, the leaves on the trees, the flowers and the first shoots of corn.

Oestara is also the Spring Equinox, a time of balance when day and night are equal. As with the other Equinox and the Solstices, the date of this festival may move slightly from year to year, but many will choose to celebrate it on 21 March. In keeping with the balance of the Equinox, Oestara is a time when we seek balance within ourselves. It is a time for throwing out the old and taking on the new. We rid ourselves of those things which are no longer necessary - old habits, thoughts and feelings - and take on new ideas and thoughts. This does not mean that you use this festival as a time for berating yourself about your 'bad' points, but rather that you should seek to find a balance through which you can accept yourself for what you are.

There is some debate as to whether Oestara or Imbolg was the traditional time of spring cleaning, but certainly the casting out of the old would seem to be in sympathy with the spirit of this festival and the increased daylight at this time encourages a good clean out around the home.

Source: Kate West

Chocolate Bunny Ostara Ritual For Children

For this ritual, you'll need the following:

• A bag of jellybeans
• Marshmallow Peeps -- chicks, bunnies, etc.
• A chocolate rabbit for each particpant
• A glass of milk for each participant

Arrange your ritual supplies on your altar so they look pretty. Kids can do this -- typically the chocolate rabbits end up in the center, surrounded by an army of Peeps and several rings of jellybeans. A quick note -- you might want to perform this ritual well in advance of mealtime, or all the kids will be too full of candy to eat a real dinner.

First, give everyone present a handful of jellybeans. Point out the different colors in the jellybeans, and what they can represent. As you call out each one, eat the jellybeans in that color. Feel free to be a bit goofy. Say something like:

Behold, little jelly eggs, small symbols of the season,
How we adore you!
Green is for the grass that springs from the land!
(eat all the green jellybeans)
Yellow is for the sun shining above our heads!
(eat all your yellow jellybeans)
Red is for the tulips that grow in our garden!
(eat your red jellybeans)
Pink is for Aunt Martha's new Easter hat!
(eat your pink jellybeans)
Purple is for the crocuses that sprout along our driveway!
(eat the purple ones)

Continue this until all the colors are gone -- if you really want to have some fun, make the kids take turns naming off the colors and what they mean to them. When they're all gone, call out:

Hail! Hail! to the mighty jelly bean of Spring!

Next, hand out the marshmallow Peeps. As you do, say:

Behold the Peep! The Peep is life, brought back in the spring!
Little Peep chickens, we honor you!
(bite the Peep chicks)
Little Peep bunnies, we honor you!
(bite the Peep bunnies)

Continue this until the Peeps are all gone -- it's probably a good idea to limit each kid to just two or three Peeps at the most. When the Peeps have all vanished, call out:

Hail! Hail! to the mighty Peeps of Spring!

Finally, distribute the chocolate rabbits. Say:

Behold the great chocolate rabbit!
As he hops through the land, he spreads joy and happiness!
O, how we adore the chocolate rabbit and his great big chocolate ears!
(eat the rabbit's ears)
Praise the chocolate rabbit, and his delicious chocolate tail!
(eat the rabbit's tail)
Honor this chocolate rabbit, and his chocolate hoppity legs!
(eat the rabbit's legs)
He is a wonderful rabbit, and he is special indeed!
(eat the rest of the rabbit)

When the rabbits are all gone, say:

Hail! Hail! to the mighty chocolate rabbit of Spring!

Give everyone a glass of milk, and raise your drinks in a toast to these three symbols of the season.

To the jelly beans!
To the Peeps!
To the chocolate rabbit!
We drink in your honor!

Drink your milk, and sit back to enjoy the sensation of being stuffed with ritual candy.

source: paganwiccan.about.com

Magickal Properties of Flowers

As spring arrives, our gardens begin to bud and eventually bloom. For hundreds of years, the plants that we grow have been used in magic. Flowers in particular are often connected with a variety of magical uses. Now that spring is here, keep an eye out for some of these flowers around you, and consider the different magical applications they might have.

• Crocus: This flower is one of the first you'll see in the spring, and it's often associated with newly blooming love. The crocus is also known to enhance visions and bring about intuitive dreams.


• Daffodil: The bright petals of the daffodil are typically found in shades of white, yellow or even pale orange. This flower is associated with love and fertility -- place fresh ones in your home to bring about abundance. Wear this flower close to your heart to draw love and luck.


• Cowslip: The fragrance has healing properties.


• Dandelion: The leaf of the dandelion is used for healing, purificaiton, and ritual cleansing. To bring positive change about, plant dandelions in the northwest corner of your property. The bright yellow flowers can be used in divination, or placed in a sachet to draw good energy your way.


• Echinacea: Also called purple coneflower, this garden mainstay adds a little bit of magical "oomph" to charmes and sachets. Use it for prosperity related workings. Burn the dried flowers in incense, and use on your altar during ritual as an offering to deities.


• Goldenseal: This sunny yellow flower is often found growing in the wild, alongside roads and in fields. Use it in money spells, or for business dealings. Work it into charms connected to matters of financial gain or legal issues.


• Hibiscus: This lusty flower incites passion -- use it to attract love or lust, or for prophetic dreams about your lover. Burn in incense, or carry in a sachet to bring love your way. Red Hibiscus flowers are used in love potions and placed in wreaths in marriage ceremonies.


• Hyacinth: This flower was named for Hyakinthos, a Greek divine hero who was beloved by Apollo, so it's sometimes considered the patron herb of homosexual men. Hyacinth is also known to promote peaceful sleep, and guards against nightmares. Carry in an amulet to help heal a broken heart or to ease grief when a loved one dies.


• Lily: The Easter lily or Tiger lily is associated with all kinds of Spring connections -- fertility, rebirth, renewal and abundance.


• Marigold or Calendula: Add calendula to your bath to win the respect and admiration of your peers. String garlands of calendula around the outside doors to stop evil from entering the house.
  


• Morning Glory: Morning Glory seeds under your pillow will stop nightmares. Grown in the garden, blue morning glories will bring peace and happiness.


• Narcissus: Named for another Greek figure, the Narcissus helps promote polarity and harmony. Its calming vibrations bring about tranquility and inner peace.


• Passion Flower: Placed in a house, it calms problems and troubles and brings peace. Carried, it attracts friends and popularity. Placed beneath the pillow, it aids in sleep.


• Rose: Used in love and harmony spells. Roses planted in your garden will attract fairies. Rose petals sprinkled around the house will calm stress and reduce household upheavals.


• Snapdragon: Place a vase of fresh snapdragons on the altar while performing protective rituals. If someone has sent you negativity energy (hexes, curses, etc.), place some snapdragons on the altar with a mirror behind them to send the negative energy back to the sender.
  


• St. John's Wort: wards off fevers and cold when worn; burn to banish evil spirits; gather it on a Friday and wear it to cure melancholy -- (also known as Hypericum).


• Sunflower: Sunflowers growing the garden guard it against pests and grant the best of luck to the gardener.


• Tulip: The tulip appears in many different colors and varieties, but is typically connected to prosperity. You can use the different colored variations in color magic -- use a dark strain such as Queen of the Night for full moon rituals, or bright red flowers for love magic.


• Violet: In Roman myth, the first violet sprung from the spilled blood of the god Attis, who killed himself for Cybele, the mother goddess. However, today the violet is associated with tranquility and peace. The leaf offers protection from evil, and can be sewn into a pillow or sachet for a new baby. Carry the petals with you to bring about luck and enhance nighttime magic.

Petition to Hekate

A petition for her patronage is recorded in the third century by Hippolytus in Philosphumena:

Come infernal, terrestrial, and heavenly Bombo (Hecate), goddess of the broad roadways, of the crossroad, thou who goest to and fro at night, torch in hand, enemy of the day. Friend and lover of darkness, thou who doest rejoice when the bitches are howling and warm blood is spilled, thou who art walking amid the phantom and the in place of the tombs, thou whose thirst is blood, thou who doest strike chill and fear in mortal hearts, Gorgo, Mormo, Moon of a thousand forms, cast a propitious eye on our sacrifice.

source: The Gay Mage

Song for Hecate

O Lady of the darkest soul of night
Mother of Midnight, Ancient Shadow Queen
Bringer of Visions, give to me the sight
To see the sacred in all living things.
And in cold death, still beauty may I see
When You take back into Yourself
the beauty that was me.

O great Hecate, beneath Your waning moon
I stand dark-hooded on the shadowed road
and face three choices, though all roads lead to You
All stories end at last, untold and told.
O Crone of Wisdom, give to me the sight
To see the dance within all things
of darkness and of light.

O Ancient Lady, Mistress of the Night
You of three faces, Maiden, Mother, Crone
Protector of Witches, dancing with delight
On Your brown Earth, together or alone.
Dark Mother Goddess, give to me the sight
In death, in life, may I behold
Your Mystery dark and bright.

~Rhiannon Asher

Spell To Quiet a Noisy House

• Lavender (crushed fine)
• Salt
• Sugar

Mix all three ingredients in a small bottle. Cover tightly and put it somewhere in your home where no one will disturb it. This will help keep things peaceful and quiet.

I wonder if this really works!

source

Work Some Coffee Magic

• Sprinkling ground coffee in the four corners of a room, or brewing coffee in the room will make the occupants work harder.
• Add a brewed pot of coffee to the bathwater for energy. It will give you extra stamina and push you to forge ahead and work longer hours. The coffee bath is more beneficial than drinking it because it will not cause undue stress and there is no risk of overdosing.
• Carry whole coffee beans in the pocket for success in love.

source: Encyclopedia of Magickal Ingredients

March Moon Names

What follows is a list (in alphabetical order) of the names given to the March moon. Also listed is the tradition and/or origin of that moon name:

Amaolikkervik Moon ~Inuit
Big Famine Moon ~Choctaw
Bud Moon ~Kiowa
Budding Trees Moon ~Medicine Wheel
Buffalo Calf Moon ~Arapaho, Sioux
Catching Fish Moon ~Agonquin
Chaste Moon ~Medieval English
Crow Moon ~Algonquin
Crane Moon ~Potawatomi
Crust Moon ~Algonquin
Deer Moon ~Natchez
Death Moon ~Neo-Pagan
Eagle Moon ~Cree
Fish Moon ~Colonial American
Green Moon ~Pima
Lenten Moon ~Cherokee
Little Frog Moon ~Omaha
Little Spring Moon ~Creek, Muscokee
Lizard Moon ~San Juan
Long Days Moon ~Wishram
Moon of Winds ~Celtic
Moose Hunter Moon ~Abenali
Much Lateness Moon ~Mohawk
Rain Moon ~Diegueno
Plow Moon ~Janic (full)
Sap Moon ~Algonquin
Seed Moon ~Janic (dark)
Snow Crust Moon ~Anishnaabe
Snow Sore Eyes Moon ~Dakota
Spring Moon ~Passamaquoddy
Strawberry ~Cherokee
Sugar Moon ~Algonquin
Whispering Wind Moon ~Hopi
Wind Strong Moon ~Taos
Windy Moon ~Cherokee
Worm Moon ~Algonquin

Source

Simnel Cake

A wonderful spiced & fruited cake which heralds the advent of Spring, simnel cake has a fascinating cultural heritage with roots that stretch back to the Romans and Athenians. In Britain, known as the Shrewsbury Simnel, it is simply made using white flour, fragrant spices and is generously studded with dried fruits and pungent peel.


Like a Christmas cake, it is covered with pale sweet almond paste. The decoration is plain - twelve little balls of smooth paste. A specially baked simnel cake is a wonderful gift to take to your mother for Matronalia, Mother's Day, or Mothering Sunday Tea Time. Decorate it with crystalised flowers and tie some yellow ribbon around the side.

INGREDIENTS:

For the almond paste:

• 400 g icing sugar, sifted
• 250 g ground almonds
• 1 large egg yolk, beaten lightly
• 3-4 tablespoons orange juice
• 5 drops almond essence

For the cake :

• 250 g plain flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 280 g currants
• 250 g sultanas
• 110 g mixed peel
• 160 g butter
• 160 g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 200 ml milk, to mix

You will also need:

• a sifter,
• nest of bowls,
• food processor or electric beater,
• spatula,
• wooden spoon,
• 24 cm round cake tin,
• baking paper,
• brown paper and twine,
• rolling pin,
• thin metal skewer.

To make your own almond paste you will need:

• a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
• Don't be tempted to use store-bought almond paste because it contains lots of sugar and few almonds, it will turn to liquid under the grill.

Directions:

Place icing sugar and almonds in food processor bowl. Process, slowly dripping in egg yolk, orange juice and almond essence. The mixture should form a pliable paste. Set aside a small portion for balls with which to decorate the cake. Roll out the remaining paste into 2 circles which are the approximate size of the tin. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F.

Use a sturdy non-stick cake tub or line the buttered base with baking paper. As the baking period is long (1-1 1/2 hours), prevent the cake drying out by wrapping a double thickness of brown paper around the pan and securing it with twine.

Sift flour, salt and spices together, then stir in fruit and peel. Cream butter and sugar thoroughly until light and creamy then beat in eggs one at a time, until the mixture is fluffy. (Reserve a drop of egg yolk for brushing over top layer of almond paste.). Stir flour and fruit into creamed mixture (you may need to add a little milk to give the mixture a dropping consistency).

Place half the mixture into a greased and lined cake tin. Place one pre-rolled round of almond paste over the top. Cover with remaining cake mixture. Before baking the cake, give the pan of mixture a sharp tap on to a firm surface. This settles the mixture and prevents holes from forming in the cake.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 1-1 1/4 hours or until a thin metal skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out without a trace of stickiness. Level the cake by placing a weighted plate on top of the cooked cake while it is still hot.

Turn out cake on to a wire rack after leaving it to settle in the cake tin for between 10 and 15 minutes. Peel off paper and leave to cool completely.

Cover the top of the cake with a second round of almond paste. Roll 12 small balls of paste and place evenly around the top of the cake. Brush the top with a little beaten egg and very lightly brown under the grill until the almond paste turns light golden brown. Remove and leave to cool.

NOTE from someone who tried this recipe:

I did give the pan it's tap to get rid of air bubbles but almost had a disaster when I went to take everything off so that I could set this on a cake rack to cool.. the almond paste in the middle was still liquid and was leaking down the sides of the cake at a great rate, so I quickly shoved it as neatly as I could back into the springform and let it cool completely before loosening it again. At least my baking paper helped stem the flow before I lost it all. Some of my twelve little balls slipped off while I had this in the oven the second time... so I'd advise not to put them too near to the edge of the cake.

Celebrating Matronalia

In ancient Rome, the holiday of Matronalia was celebrated each year at the beginning of March. This annual "festival of women" was held in honor of Juno Luciana, a goddess who watched over married women and those in childbirth. This aspect of Juno was associated with childbirth. The name lucina was thought to have come from the Latin word lux (light); thus, when a child was born it was said to have been “brought to light”.

In this aspect the goddess was a lunar deity, often paired with Diana and depicted as holding a torch. In the worship of Juno Lucina, women untied knots and unplaited their hair – sympathetic magic to prevent entanglements in the delivery of babies. She was in charge of newborn infants, and a woman in labor might make offerings to her so that she would have a safe delivery of a healthy child.

Women and girls prayed to her and brought offerings for prosperity in marriage. Gifts were exchanged, people feasted on similla, cakes decorated it with 12 balls of marzipan around the edges. and everyone treated the ladies exceptionally well on this day. Cakes with a similar name, simnel cakes, are associated with Mothering Sunday in England from which Mothers’ Day is derived.

Children of all ages were expected to pay a formal visit to their mothers and to bring a Simnel cake as a gift. In return, the mothers gave their children a special blessing. This custom was so well-established that masters were required to give servants enough time off to visit out-of-town mothers - provided the trip did not exceed 5 days!

Juno was the Roman Mother Goddess, known to the Greeks as Hera, and her original name to the Romans was Junonius. Juno is a counterpart of Janus and the divine watcher over the female sex, so this month is considered the best time to marry. As Juno Moneta, guardian of wealth and money, she had a temple on the Capitoline hill in Rome where the empire’s coins were minted.

Among Juno’s attributes, she is queen of heaven, approximating Frigg in the Northern Tradition, and Mary in the Christian. She is ruler of the high point of year, when there is maximum light and minimum darkness (the northern Summer Solstice).

Later on, Matronalia evolved into Mother's Day in Europe, and was shifted to the fourth Sunday of Lent. During the Middle Ages, those who had moved away from home would return on this day to their "mother" church, visiting their families who still remained in the village. Servants were allowed to pick flowers from their masters' gardens, and given the day off to return home; hence, the custom of bringing one's mother some flowers on Mother's Day.

In the United States, Mother's Day actually falls in May, and is held in honor of humanitarian work carried out by women during the Civil War.

Hymn to Hera for Matronalia

Let us sing now of Hera, the women's goddess.
she who rules from her throne of gold.
Let us sing now of Hera, child of earth,
daughter of that most ancient of goddesses.
Let us sing now of the queen of gods.
Let us sing now of the most beautiful goddess.
There is no one more beloved than you,
womanly Hera, no one we honor more.
There is no one more revered than you,
queenly Hera, no one more blessed.
Above all others, you are the most honored.
Above all others, you are the most beloved.

~Homer