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:

Michael to the right of me,
Michael to the left of me
Michael above me
Michael below me
Michael within me
Michael all around me
Michael with your flaming sward of cobalt blue, protect me today!

From: Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells

Spiritual Assistance Spell

The Archangel Michael offers protection in all areas, however he has earned special renoun for protecting against rape. Call him by name or attract him with burning frankincense and tell him what you need.

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.

• Set aside some time - as this spell will take a while to complete
• Cleanse and purify yourself thoroughly using whatever methods you prefer.
• Light the lamp
• Speak to the lamplight, (using the incantation below) observing it, reacting to it until it burns out.
• Repeat the following incantion periodically throughout the vigil. It must also be recited at the very conclusion:

Lamp, light the way to Archangel Michael,
If my petition is appropriate,
show me water and a grave
If not, show me water and a stone.

• Be silent, go to sleep, and dream.

NOTE: The symbols of water and grave and water and stone were used at the dawning of the Common Era. Use them if you like or select others that suit you better; just announce explicitly the identies of the symbols.

Source: Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells

Michaelmas Lore

• If you eat goose on Michaelmas Day, you will not be short of money all year round.
• A Michaelmas rot comes ne’er in the pot.
• If St Michael brings many acorns, Christmas will cover the fields with snow.
• Michaelmas chickens and parsons’ daughters never come to good.
• Three things that never come to any good: Christmas pigs, Michaelmas fowls, and parsons’ daughters.
• At Michaelmas time, or a little before,
  Half an apple goes to the core;
  At Christmas time, or a little after,
  A crab in the hedge,
  And thanks to the rafter.
• So many days the moon is old on St Michael’s day, so many floods after.
• Harvest comes as long before Michaelmas as dog roses bloom before Midsummer.
• On Michaelmas Day the devil puts his foot on the blackberries.
• St Michael’s rain does not stay long in the sky.
• If it does not rain on St Michael’s and Gallus [Oct 16], a dry spring is indicated for the next year.

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. Making the Vernel Equinox a holiday called “Gabrielmas” was taken into consideration in honor of the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary on Lady Day.

This Sabbat can also be known as: the Second Harvest Festival, Feast of Avalon, Cornucopia, Wine Harvest, the Fall Equinox, Harvest Home, the Autumnal (or Autumn) Equinox, Festival of Dionysus, Alban Elfed (Caledonii, Druidic), Winter Finding (Teutonic), or Equinozio di Autunno (Strega).

The full moon closest to the Autumn Equinox is called the Harvest Moon, and farmers would harvest their corps by this moonlight as part of the Second Harvest celebration.

More Michaelmas Customs

Blackberries:
The one Michaelmas custom that survives to this day is that you should not eat blackberries after the 29th of September. There is a very good reason for this custom, namely that by this time of year blackberries are tasteless and watery.

Other fruits, particularly nuts and rose-hips also have customs associated with Michaelmas. For example, 'Hipping Day' in Yorkshire, or Michaelmas pie in Ireland (Made of apples).

Fishing:
Michaelmas marks the end of the fishing season.

Curfew:
The start of the curfew for winter night nights. The local church bell sounded each night from Michaelmas until lent. Curfew is derived from the French phrase 'courve feu', which means to cover, or to dowse a fire.

Mop Fairs (Hiring Time):
Michaelmas was traditionally time when labourers and servants were hired. As the name suggests, maids would carry mops, but other trades carried the tools of their trades. Thus the squires or the lord's of the manor could tell what skills the prospective employees had, for example, a Shepherds his crook, and a gardener a rake.

Rent:
When tenants came to pay their quarter's rent, they bring a fowl at Midsummer, a dish of fish in Lent, a capon at Christmas, and on Michaelmas Day, a goose.

Trees:
'A Tree planted at Michaelmas, will surely not go amiss'

Old Michaelmas Day Customs

There is evidence that Michaelmas was once celebrated later in the year, on the 10th or 11th of October, this is now referred to as 'Old Michaelmas Day'. There may also have been a time when both dates for Michaelmas were acknowledged.

I like the legend of teenage girls collecting crab apples at the beginning of September, and arranging them in the initials of boys they fancied. If they could still discern the initials on Old Michaelmas Day, then then true love and romance would follow. The legend conjures two unrelated thoughts in my mind, firstly, would other girls mischievously re-arrange the apples to form the initials of a different boy. Secondly, what is the modern equivalent of this courtship ritual?

It's interesting that certain customs transfer from one season to another. For example, two people snapping the the Michaelmas goose's wishbone and thinking of a secret desire. Also, the concept of a Michaelmas Pie with ring, according to this legend, the lucky recipient will be engaged by Christmas and marry by Easter. Variations on these themes occur at Christmas and possibly at Thanksgiving.

Source

Spell To Be Seen More Attractively

Fill your bathtub with water and scatter some fresh rose petals in it. Light some vanilla candles and/or incense. As you lie in the water, meditate on the image you would like to project and say these words:

Earth, Air, Fire, Sea
Let the Goddess' beauty
Shine through me

~Author Unknown

The Purpose of Mabon

As a holiday, Mabon represents the time of honoring the dead, visiting burial sites, giving thankfulness for the end of the harvest season and the bounty it provides. These are the themes of closing, letting go and remembering. For the year, the harvest and for those who were lost to land of Avalon during the year.

Although many view the Harvest season as a celebration of life, it is also a celebration of death. The bounty you gather from your garden provides nourishment for you, family and friends. But it is also the death of those plants and vegetables which have been harvested from that garden. Thus Mabon is a celebration of the cycle of life.

There are many ways to give honor during this 2nd harvest festival. One old
traditional way is to visit the burial sites of your loved ones, placing an apple on their marker. This represents the promise of the Great Spirits for renewed life (a new incarnation).

This is a Celtic festival of thanksgiving, so what a better way to give thanks than to prepare a meal with the harvest of your garden. Those that indulge in wine can brew a new batch of this home made nectar of the Gods. Those that do not indulge, can brew preserves and jellies from grapes, raspberries and blackberries. Don’t forget an apple pie for dessert.

A main course can consist of meats, most often red meats. But this is just a suggestion. In this day and age of healthy eating, you should prepare a meal that fits your personal lifestyle. However, your side dishes should consist of late summer and early fall vegetables.

During your meal, share tales and happy stories about those you lost during the year. Or share your experiences and review the lessons you feel you have learned during this past season. Reflect on your deeds and actions and give thanks for the gifts you were given.

After your meal, share the chore of cleaning up. This is a way of showing honor and respect to your host and hostess. Think of it as a physical action to show that you understand the interconnection of all life and the desire to respect what you have been given and thanks for receiving those gifts.

During the evening hours you can continue the festival with a formal holiday ritual. There are as many ways and suggestions for conducting such a ceremony as there are people on this planet.

End your evening in private reflection. It is important for anyone practicing a spiritual life to reflect on his or her actions. Record your thoughts, your emotions and your experiences. This is the true value of your book of shadows. And there is no better time to take stock of yourself and your life than during a High Holy Day.

From: Magickal Winds

Mabon - What does it mean?

Mabon is very much like Thanksgiving. Most of the crops have been reaped and abundance is more noticeable than ever! Mabon is the time when we reap the fruits of our labor and lessons, both crops and experiences. It is a time of joy, to celebrate that which is passing (for why should we mourn the beauty of the year or dwindling sunlight?), looking joyously at the experience the year has shared with us. And it is a time to gaze into the bright future. We are reminded once again of the cyclic universe; endings are merely new beginnings.

Since it is the time of dying sun, effort is also made to celebrate the dead with joyous remembrance. It is considered taboo to pass a burial site and not honor the dead. Natural energies are aligned towards protection, wealth, prosperity, security, and boosting self-confidence. Any spells or rituals centered around balance and harmony are appropriate.

From: Magickal Winds

Decorations and Activities for Mabon

Activities vary with region and tradition, as well as personal preference. Some ideas include making a Sun Wheel or wreath. Also, one could mirror the Celtic tradition of dressing a corn stalk in cloths and burning it in celebration of the harvest and upcoming rebirth.

Simple altar decorations can be obtained by taking a calm “pilgrimage” through your local woods and collecting leaves, acorns, berries, and other things symbolic of nature’s bounty. Some chose to sprinkle Autumn leaves around the house and on the sides of walk ways as decoration, though this may not be convenient if one lives in the city or doesn’t enjoy the cleanup. Alternately, the changing leaves can be dipped in paraffin and put on wax paper. After the leaves dry, they may be placed around the house or in large jars with sigils of protection and/or abundance carved lightly into them.

Going through your personal gardens with thanks and lovingly harvesting what is ready is also appropriate. Breads may be baked in the shape of the Sun, combining fruits or vegetables and grains, incorporating both of the major aspects of this Harvest. The seeds of various plants are stored through winter for replanting, and therefore, the plant’s rebirth in the Spring. A feast for friends and family always provides a cheerful abundance of energy and thanks.

Additional seeds and grains can be set out as offering to our fellow creatures, and provide a healthy chance for birds to join in the celebrations as well. Symbolic designs can be made out of the sprinklings if one chooses. Those less fortunate should not be omitted from the celebration. Small, meaningless (to you) packages of food and drink gifted to a homeless person will make their day!

To honor the dead, it is traditional to place apples on burial cairns as symbolism of rebirth and gratitude. Furthermore, it is a time to honor the elders, who have devoted so much time and energy to your growth and development. Something special is in order for these gracious people.

Source Unknown

Correspondences and Symbols for Mabon

Symbolism of Mabon:
Second Harvest, the Mysteries, Equality and Balance.

Symbols of Mabon:
Wine, gourds, pine cones, acorns, grains, corn, apples, pomegranates, vines such as ivy, dried seeds, and horns of plenty.

Activities of Mabon:
Making wine, gathering dried herbs, plants, seeds and seed pods, walking in the woods, scattering offerings in harvested fields, offering libations to trees, adorning burial sites with leaves, acorns, and pine cones to honor those who have passed over.

Spellworkings of Mabon:
Protection, prosperity, security, and self-confidence. Also those of harmony and balance.

Foodstuffs:
Grapes, Acorns, Wheat Bread, Goat, Indian Corn, Horn of Plenty, Cornbread, Corn, Root Crops (ie Onions, Carrots, Potatoes, etc.), Nuts, Pomegranates, Dried Fruits, Apples, Beans, and Squash.

Drinks:
Wine, Ale, and Cider.

Colors :
Red, Deep Gold, Orange, Brown, Maroon, Violet, Russet, Yellow, and Indigo.

Animals:
Dogs, Wolves, Stag, Birds of Prey (especially the Blackbird, Owl, and Eagle), Salmon, and Goat.

Mythical Creatures:
Gnomes, Sphinx, Minotaurs, Cyclops, Andamans, and Gulons.

Stones:
Yellow Topaz, Carnelian, Sapphire, Yellow Agate, Lapis Lazuli, and Amethyst. Also, river or stream stones which have been submerged for the Summer may be used.

Plants:
Vines, Garlands (made of these various plants), Gourds, Pine Cones, ferns, Acorns, Wheat, grains, Dried Leaves, Corn, Pomegranate, Ivy, Hazel, Hops, Cedar, marigold, milkweed, thistle, and Tobacco.

Herbs:
Myrrh, Thistles, Tobacco, Oak Leaves, Hazel, Mums, Hops, Acorns, Marigold, Roses, Sage, Milkweed, honeysuckle, Solomon’s Seal, sage, Asters, Ferns, Honeysuckle, Benzoin, Passionflower, Pine, and Cedar.

Incense:
Aloes Wood, Cinnamon, Cloves, Benzoin, Jasmine, Frankincense, Myrrh, and Sage.

Dieties:
All wine Deities (especially Dionysus and Bacchus), the Mother aspect of the Triple Goddess, Persephone, Thor, Modron, Morgan, Snake Woman, Epona, Pamona, Muses, Mabon, Thoth, Thor, Hermes, Hotei, The Green Man, Harvest Deities, and Aging Deities.

Other:
Burial Cairns, Rattles, and Sun Wheels

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.

At the Autumn Equinox we all take a moment to pay our respects to the impending dark. We also give thanks to the waning sunlight, as we store our harvest of this year’s crops.

During this festival it is appropriate to wear all of your finery and dine and celebrate in a lavish setting. It is the drawing to and of family as we prepare for the winding down of the year at Samhain. It is a time to finish old business as we ready for a period of rest, relaxation, and reflection.

The pagans of antiquity didn’t have the ability to determine astrological positions as we do today. The European peasantry, therefore, celebrated this Sabbat on September 25th; actually, the Celts marked their days from sundown to sundown, so the Mabon celebration actually started on the sundown of our September 24th. Today, with the help of our technology, we can calculate the exact day of the Equinox; the date when the sun enters the sign of Libra, the Balanced Scales, which appropriately fits the Equinox.

The Druids call this celebration, Mea’n Fo’mhair, and honor the The Green Man, the God of the Forest, by offering libations to trees. Offerings of ciders, wines, herbs and fertilizer are appropriate at this time. Wiccans celebrate the aging Goddess as she passes from Mother to Crone, and her consort the God as he prepares for death and re-birth.

The Teutonic name, Winter Finding, spans a period of time from the Sabbat to Oct. 15th, Winter’s Night, which is the Norse New Year.

Source: Wicca.com

Mabon - The Wheel Turns

The Time of Change is upon us again -
the Equinox comes, the Wheel turns…
The Goddess and the God prepare for
Their journey to the Otherworld,
as the Earth and all of Her children
prepare for the Time of Quiet and
Reflection that lies ahead…
May we use this Autumnal period
to seek for the strength and power within
to assist us on our own quests for
vision, feeling, and peace…
May we see and feel the presence of
the Goddess and the God within, though
without, the Earth begins Her slumber…
Keep us in Your light…
Who Was Mabon?

by Dana Corby

Bountiful Fall Bouquets for Mabon

Autumn gardens are filled with the makings for bouquets and arrangements that can be placed outside or, when it turns cooler and the holidays approach, brought inside for a centerpiece. Try an arrangement with the following late-blooming flowers, vegetables, berries, fruits, and leaves:

• Flowers: Sunflowers, asters, dahlias, zinnias, hydrangeas, September flower, sage, autumn bugbane
  
• Vegetables and herbs: Pumpkins, winter squash, gourds, peppers, winter wheat, dill, sage
  
• Berries and fruits: Cranberries, beautyberries, nandina, bane berries, porcelain berries, crabapples, blue cohosh berries, apples, pomegranates, mandarin oranges
  
• Colorful Leaves: Maple, oak, magnolia, viburnum, burning bush, grape leaves,
  porcelain vine

Hollow out the pumpkins, gourds, apples, peppers, or squash to create a natural vase for the other items, or cradle the goods in a basket or bowl. You can create a more formal arrangement by using only one type of flower, or combine different flowers, berries, and leaves to create a mixed bouquet in the spirit of the bountiful fall season.

Incense For Mabon

• 2 parts Frankincense
• 1 part Sandalwood
• 1 part Cypress
• 1 part Juniper
• 1 part Pine
• 1/2 part Oakmoss (or a few drops Oakmoss bouquet)
• 1 pinch pulverized Oak leaf

Burn during Autumnal Equinox, Mabon, or around that time to attune with the change of the seasons.

From: The Complete Book of Incense, Oils and Brews

Lady Autumn

Lady Autumn, Queen of the Harvest,
I have seen You in the setting Sun
with Your long auburn tresses
blowing in the cool air that surrounds You.
Your crown of golden leaves is jeweled
with amber, amethyst, and rubies.
Your long, flowing purple robe stretches across the horizon.
In Your hands You hold the ripened fruits.
At Your feet the squirrels gather acorns.
Black crows perch on Your outstretched arms.
All around You the leaves are falling.
You sit upon Your throne and watch
the dying fires of the setting Sun
shine forth its final colors in the sky.
The purple and orange lingers
and glows like burning embers.
Then all colors fade into the twilight.
Lady Autumn, You are here at last.
We thank You for Your rewards.
We have worked hard for these gifts.
Lady Autumn, now grant us peace and rest.

~Author Unknown

Fresh Apple Pound Cake for Mabon

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 3 cups firm apples, diced
• 3 cups plain flour
• 1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Mix together sugar and oil. Add eggs and beat well. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to oil mixture. Stir in vanilla, apples, nuts, and mix well. Pour batter into a greased 9 inch tube pan
38. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until cake is done.

Icing:

• 1 stick margarine
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat margarine and sugar together over low heat. Add milk and let come to a full boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Drizzle over the cake.

by Stella Maris

Stuffed Acorn Squash for Mabon

• 2 acorn squash, washed and cut in halves
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1/2 cup of crushed Ritz crackers
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Wash and cut acorn squash in half from stem to bottom. Scoup out the seeds and rub the inside and cut parts with butter. Put the acorn squash on a cookie sheet. Melt the butter, and mix in the walnuts, brown sugar, and crackers. Place in the holes of the squash and bake at 350 degrees for 30 – 40 minutes or until done.

by Stella Maris

Roast Mutton for Mabon

• 1 Lamb leg 7-8 pounds
• 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
• 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
• 1 clove of garlic
  

Set oven at 325 F, for 3 1/2 hours for well done.

Sprinkle roast with seasonings, take knife and make several small insertions, place pieces of garlic in Roast. (Remove cloves before serving.) Place lamb, fat side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan.

Roast till desired pink(ness). 7-9 lb.: rare: 15-20 minutes, Medium: 20-25 minutes, well: 25-30 minutes per pound.

By Gordon Ireland

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. the moon never tries to get in on the guest list or use your name to impress others. be like the moon. when others insult and belittle in an attempt to elevate themselves, the moon sits passively and watches, never lowering itself to anything that weak. the moon is beautiful and bright. the moon never shoves clouds out of its way so it can be seen. the moon needs not fame nor money to be powerful. the moon never asks you to go to war to defend it. be like the moon."

- Henry Rollins

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

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. This is the ideal time, when the moon is at its fullest and brightest, to celebrate the abundance of the summer's harvest. The traditional food of this festival is the mooncake, of which there are many different varieties.

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.

The Moon Festival is also a romantic one. A perfect night for the festival is if it is a quiet night without a silk of cloud and with a little mild breeze from the sea. Lovers spend such a romatic night together tasting the delicious moon cake with some wine while watching the full moon. Even for a couple who can't be together, they can still enjoy the night by watching the moon at the same time so it seems that they are together at that hour. A great number of poetry has been devoted to this romantic festival. Hope the Moon Festival will bring you happiness.

Farmers celebrate the end of the summer harvesting season on this date. Traditionally, on this day, Chinese family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon, and eat moon cakes and pomeloes together. Accompanying the celebration, there are additional cultural or regional customs, such as:

• Eating moon cakes outside under the moon
• Putting pomelo rinds on one's head
• Carrying brightly lit lanterns
• Burning incense in reverence to deities including Chang'e
• Planting Mid-Autumn trees
• Collecting dandelion leaves and distributing them evenly among family members
• Lighting lanterns on towers
• Fire Dragon Dances

Shops selling mooncakes, before the festival, often display pictures of Chang'e floating to the moon.

Source: Wikipedia

Chinese Moon Festival Story

Here it is on video:

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,
your horns point toward the west;

Wane, be at rest.

~Christina Rossetti

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 looked out of window, in the white moon light,

The trees were like snow in the wood--

'Come away,

Child, and play

Light with the gnomies;

In a mound,

Green and round,

That's where their home is.

Honey sweet,

Curds to eat,

Cream and frumenty,

Shells and beads,

Poppy seeds,

You shall have plenty.'

But soon as I stooped in the dim moon light

To put on my stocking and my shoes,

The sweet sweet singing died sadly away,

And the light of the morning peeped through:

Then instead of the gnomies there came a red robin

To sing of the buttercups and dew.

- Walter de la Mare

I see the moon

I see the moon,

The moon sees me

God bless the moon,

And God bless me.

-A nursery rhyme

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.

Cultivation and uses
The pomelo tastes like a sweet, mild grapefruit, though the typical pomelo is much larger in size than the grapefruit. It has very little, or none, of the common grapefruit's bitterness, but the enveloping membranous material around the segments is bitter, considered inedible, and thus usually discarded. The peel is sometimes used to make marmalade, or candied, then (sometimes) dipped in chocolate. The peel of the pomelo is also used in Chinese cooking. In general, citrus peel is often used in southern Chinese cuisine for flavouring, especially in sweet soup desserts.

In the Philippines, the fruit is known as the suhâ, or lukban, and is eaten as a dessert or snack. The pomelo, cut into wedges, is dipped in salt before it is eaten. Pomelo juices and pomelo-flavored juice drink mixes are also common.

In Thailand, the fruit is called som-oh (ส้มโอ), and is eaten raw, usually dipped into a salt, sugar and chili pepper mixture.

In Malaysia, Tambun town near Ipoh, Perak is famous for pomelos. There are two varieties: a sweet kind, which has white flesh, and a sour kind, which has pinkish flesh and is more likely to be used as an altar decoration than actually eaten. Pomelos are a must during the mid-autumn festival or mooncake festival; they are normally eaten fresh.

The tangelo is a hybrid between the pomelo and the tangerine. It has a thicker skin than a tangerine and is less sweet. It has been suggested that the orange is also a hybrid of the two fruits.

In Manipur, nobab is used as a major source of vitamin C. This fruit holds a high place in the culture and tradition of Manipur. Many religious rituals seem incomplete without this fruit.

The flowers are beautiful, aren't they?

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
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 1/2 cup solid shortening, melted and cooled
  
• 1 egg yolk , lightly beaten
  

Mix lotus seed paste and walnuts together in a bowl; set aside.

Sift flour, milk powder, baking powder, and salt together into a bowl. In large bowl of electric mixer, beat eggs on medium speed until light and lemon colored. Add sugar; beat for 10 minutes or until mixture falls in a thick ribbon. Add melted shortening; mix lightly. With a spatula, fold in flour mixture. Turn dough out on a lightly floured board; knead for 1 minute or until smooth and satiny. Divide dough in half; roll each half into a log. Cut each log into 12 equal pieces.

To shape each moon cake, roll a piece of dough into a ball. Roll out on a lightly floured board to make a 4-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Place 1 tablespoon of lotus seed paste mixture in center of dough circle.

Fold in sides of dough to completely enclose filling; press edges to seal. Lightly flour inside of moon cake press with 2-1/2 inch diameter cups. Place moon cake, seam side up, in mold; flatten dough to conform to shape of mold. Bang one end of mold lightly on work surface to dislodge moon cake. Place cake on ungreased baking sheet. Repeat to shape remaining cakes. Brush tops with egg yolk.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree F. oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a rack and let cool. Makes 2 dozen

Copyright Yan Can Cook, Inc. 1991.

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.
2. Combine the butter, sugar and 1 egg yolk and stir.
3. Mix in the flour.
4. Form the dough into one large ball and wrap it in plastic wrap.
5. Refrigerate dough for half an hour.
6. Unwrap the chilled dough and form small balls in the palms of your hand.
7. Make a hole with your thumb in the center of each mooncake and fill with about half a teaspoon of jam.
8. Brush each cake with the other beaten egg yolk and place on a cookie sheet.
9. Bake for about 20 minutes or just until the outside edges are slightly brown

Makes 24

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. Holding the ribbon between thumb and forefinger, as a pendulum, with the elbow resting on the table, let the ring hang in the mouth of the wineglass. Initially you should try to keep the ring still.

In a loud, clear voice, call out your own name followed by the name of your would-be love. Repeat the name of your love twice more (three times in all). Then, thinking of him/her, allow the ring to swing until it "chinks" against the side of the wineglass once for each letter as you spell out the name.

Now take the ribbon and tie it about your neck, allowing the ring to hang down on your chest over the heart. Wear it for three weeks. Every Friday repeat the above ritual. By the end of the third week, if it is meant to be, then the loved one will come to you.

~Raymond Buckland

The "Love Sucks, I Know Nothing About It" Spell

You will need:

• Milk
• Shot of rum
• An egg
• Teaspoon of sugar
• Spritz of Lemon Juice

This spell is for those damaged souls who have been through the mill in love. They have failed, and they have failed miserably. They are not even willing to take another chance on love because they feel crippled underneath the baggage they are already carrying. This spell combines a bit of wisdom and a bit of hope and a heap of renewal energy. This spell may be performed only on the new moon. You can perform this spell on yourself or for that dismal friend of yours with his/her consent before you try to fix him/her up with a blind date.

Heat up the milk, add a shot of rum (or imitation rum flavoring), crack an egg, and stir it in (minus the shell). Add a teaspoon of sugar and a spritz of lemon juice. Take off the stove before it reaches a boil and guzzle it down quickly. Lemon heals, neutralizes, and repels negative energy , situations, and hopelessness. Milk is loving and nurturing, cures depression, and alleviates fear. Rum clears the way and brings insight, eggs are for rebirth, and the sugar will sweeten the new path of love that awaits you.

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 a particular person in mind. According to a Gypsy myth, the apple represents the heart. If you cut the apple in half horizontally, you will reveal the pentacle--the sacred symbol of the goddess and the human form. The Gypsy lovers would share these two apple halves , symbolically giving each other their hearts.

Offer half of the stem-plucked apple to the one you desire. If it is accepted, his/her heart will be open to your magic. However, a kiss must occur within thirteen hours after eating the apple. If you initiate the kiss, you have a good shot at winning your beloved's affections. If the other person initiates the kiss, you have already won his/her heart. If the kiss is mutual, the bond will last.

From The Supermarket Sorceress's Sexy Hexes

Making Beautiful Music Together

If there is not enough romance in your life, try this little spell to add that special exotic energy to an already okay relationship, or even to help a new one start off on the right foot.

You will need:

• A new music CD or cassette
• Sandalwood incense
• Sandalwood Oil
• Hot pink or magenta paper

Choose a really romantic CD that you know for a fact your SO will like, but choose one he/she doesn't own. On a Friday night, open the CD, light the incense, put some sandalwood oil on your body, and have as much fun as a person can have alone (use your imagination) while clutching the CD to your heart, saying:

Sound of love,
Love of sound,
Bring it through,
Bring it round.
Eros Audiere!

Mark the top of the CD case with a pentagram, using the oil, then pass it through the incense smoke and say:

Full of lust, love and light,
Music of the heart fly free,
Fill us with joy and might,
As we listen, may it be tonite!

Wrap the CD in the pink paper and give it to your significant other. Make sure you listen to it the first time together, and wear a little of the sandalwood oil. Play the CD again... And make beautiful music together!

From The Little Book of Love Spells

Spell to Forget an Old Flame

The old, nostalgic memories of past romances never seem to fade, though we do tend to forget the bad parts. When the influence of an old flame lingers, when the passion of a past and long-gone love refuses to die and keep interfering with the present, it is time to put it to rest. This spell will not eliminate the memories, but it will finally snuff the misplaced embers of a long-gone love.

You will need:

• Nine black beans
• A piece of black paper

At midnight, when the moon is almost black, get the paper and the beans and sit in silence, Fully remembering your old flame. Invoke your past passion, the feelings you still hold on to. Then, take up each bean in turn, say one line of the charm, and put the bean onto the paper. Do this until all nine beans are on the paper. Then fold up the paper.

The following are the nine parts of the charm to say, one for each bean:

1. Soul of bliss, perfect kiss, gone...
2. Face so fair, gone...
3. Beautiful hair, gone...
4. Arms so cofortable and strong, gone...
5. Legs so long, gone...
6. Heart of fire, gone...
7. Loins of desire, gone...
8. Thoughts so fine, gone...
9. Aura divine, gone...

Take the bean-filled paper to a graveyard and bury it at night. Say:

Our love was true,
But it did not last,
Our love is gone,
It is now past.
Joy and peace to you and I.
The flame is gone
And now: good-bye.
Lethe, lethe, lethe.

From The Little Book of Love Spells By Sophia

Love Spells - Words of Wisdom

Here is a really nice collection of thoughts and wisdom words about Love Magick, how best to go about it, and more:

1. Thread carefully never to hurt but to Honor the coming and/or return of love into your life. This means you should await for the coming of the Lover and the Beloved with the same quiet certainty that you know of the coming of dawn every morning, the Magic of twilight, the never-ending flow and reflow of the sea waves, the glorious brightness of Nanna/Sin in this Full Moon explendour every month. Every time we love, we love with the whole of who we were and are. The past won't repeat itself if one learns to wait in joyous stillness. The greatest Lover is ever within and is always eager to manifest without, if we only listen to his/her urgings! And happy hunches and pushes!

2. Consider the importance and responsibility implied in Love Magic. You are responsible for those you captivate, never to manipulate or play power-over games with.

3. Don´t lose any opportunity to say that you care about people in your life. You never know how long for you are going to be in this life, and they in yours. Cherish the moment that was, the people you were with. In the end, if your love turned into ashes, I sincerely hope the fire was joyous and high while it lasted!

4. It is a strong sense of self within that makes the Magic of love manifest vibrant and free without. You don´t become someone only because somebody loves you. You are already yourself, you deserve love as much as to be loved.

5. Be practical. Allow a reasonable amount of time for the courtship of the unaware Beloved (2/3 months perhaps?) to develop if you are working a spell. At the end of your chosen deadline, if you get unsatisfactory signs (the keyword here is reciprocation), be gracious and MOVE ON to the next Real Thing. Many times it is necessary to lapidate your rough diamond (or human being in question).

6. My rule-of-thumb: if someone makes me angry or impatient, I move on. Sexual tension has a degree of expectation THAT IS NOT ANXIETY OR FRUSTRATION. In modern jargon, get results that please you and show potential.

7. Fight for your Beloved-To-Be and yet allow yourself to be grabbed. Think of Enlil and Ninlil, She who descended to the Underworld for him, who made then her his queen. Think of Ereshkigal, who demanded Nergal to get back to her and become her consort in the Underworld, rejoice at Nanna and Ningal, and the Eternal Return of Dumuzi to Inanna... who demanded him first to meet her standards! Romeos and Juliets died before they could build forever afters. Forever afters need everyday practice. Happy practice one makes be in all levels!

8. Most of all, ask the gods to send your ways who you need and not who you might think you want. This is what I mean about waiting in perfect stillness for something the universe will bring your ways for sure if you keep wishing and witching in perfect love and perfect trust and timing to assess your goals and the gods´ designs for you.

9. Love for me is a tie that binds in freedom to be together for as long as the bond lasts. And I see no reason why the bond won´t be everlasting if both partners willingly work towards such goal.

10. And, if s/he makes you feel at ease and not much concerned about showing your WORSE, as well as little vulnerabilities, be alchemical and LET THE PROCESS BE THE GOAL. Because if in doing the simple, everyday details of your lives together you can make things extraordinary, think of what the extraordinary will be when the occasion arises! When you do nothing together (i.e. when anything and everything goes - a favorite expression where I come from) and it is fun, the Lady and Lord will be smiling upon you, and Love Everlasting will be yours to make be and come true.

Take these words into account before you put into practice these spells or other spells of now and of olden days to bring the lover and the beloved to your ways.

By the Wings of my Desire, by the god and goddess who my heart, mind, body and soul inspire, may the Lover and the Beloved be One within and without yourselves in all worlds you dare to fare!

By Lishtar

The Secret to Magickal Power

Nothing can resist the will of man when he knows what is true and wills what is good. Learn how to will. How can one learn to will? This is the first Arcanum of magical initiation.

- E. Levi

To Make a Wish Come True

Draw the sign of the waxing Moon with a thorn onto a short, fat beeswax candle (a white votive candle is perfect). Light the candle, gaze into the flame, and concentrate on your wish as you chant:

Gracious Lady Moon,
Ever in my sight,
Kindly grant the boon
I ask of thee tonight.

Blow out the flame but hold its light in your mind for as long as you can. An answer will be revealed to you.

From: Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard

Reconciliation Spell

For friends who have had a misunderstanding, this will clear negativity.

You will need:

• Blue candle (for peace and healing)
• Lavender (for peace and purification)
• Sugar
• A rose (healing, love)
• Lavender oil

Here’s what to do:

Bless ingredients.
Anoint the candle with the oil.
Say:

Spirit, grant us clear minds and steady hearts,
a new road, and light burdens.
As I will, so mote it be.

Sprinkle the sugar in a circle around the candle, saying:

May our words and thoughts be sweet once more.
Sprinkle lavender in a circle outside the sugar, saying,
May our souls know peace.
Sprinkle rose petals in a circle outside the lavender, saying,
May our hearts know love again.

Note: This spell does not bring you and your friend together again, nor does it dictate your actions. It merely asks that each heart be healed.

source

A Banishing Ritual

One of the most basic and useful ceremonial rituals of magick is called the *banishing ritual*, or "lesser ritual of the pentagram."

A pentagram (or pentacle) is a five-pointed star with the point up. The banishing ritual is helpful in psychic protection and healing since it forms a protective barrier against malevolent forces. The psychic barrier it creates can be made to permit entry of desired (constructive) forces and the exclusion of negative ones. Thus, the banishing ritual is an essential first step in almost any formal full magick ceremony. The ritual requires that you use a magical implement or "weapon", such as a ceremonial knife, wand, or simply point your index finger, to "draw" the pentagram in the air at each of the cardinal points (four directions). Also, you will be chanting ('vibrating') some Hebrew names of God.

Holding your magical weapon and facing east, extend your arm out straight in front of you. In this ritual you will use the full sweep of your arm to draw the pentagram in the air. Follow the description below by beginning at the lower left and sweeping your magical weapon up toward the right, etc. as shown. Do not bend your arm at the wrist or elbow. While you do this, visualize the lines and eventually the star as vibrant white, floating in the space before you. You are projecting energy to do this, and the result will be a gleaming 5-pointed star floating in the east; visualize this as vividly as you can.

Now you will energize it further by piercing the center of it with your magical weapon and vibrating (speaking slowly in a slightly lower than normal pitch) "Yod-He-Vau-He".

Here's a description of your 5-pointed star:

Approximate points on a round clock face --
1. Begin at 7:30 position.
2. Point to 12 oclock position.
3. Point to 4:30 position.
4. Point to 10:30 position.
5. Point to 2:30 position.
6. Return to 7:30 position.

Then turn slowly to the next cardinal point in sequence, and as you do so, with your arm still extended in front of you, visualize a white line connecting around to the cardinal point. Trace a similar pentagram with the appropriate words (see below) and following the same procedure. Do this for each of the cardinal directions.

The names to intone, or vibrate are the following:
East -- Yod-He-Vau-He
South -- Adonai Tzaboath
West -- Eh-Ei-He
North -- Agla.

Now complete the white line drawn back to the center of the eastern pentagram. Note that the cardinal points must be followed in a clockwise order, and the pentagram must be drawn in the manner illustrated; to do otherwise would change the function of the ritual. The result of all this should be a large bright white pentagram visualized hanging in mid-air at each of the four directions, all tied together by a bright white line. You could now, for example, visualize the pentagrams moving out to the circumference of your home, thereby protecting all within.

There is also a somewaht simplified version of this ritual in which the pentagram is traced only once overhead and then is energized with one of the four names, such as "Eh-Ei-He". Oftentimes the simplified version is sufficient, but naturally the effect of the full version is more complete.

One of the primary uses of this ritual is to ward off psychic attack -- that is, when another is (consciously or unconsciously) attempting to harm you, cause sickness, accidents, bad dreams, emotional upset, or to force you to do something against your will. Fortunately this doesn't happen very often. The world of the magician is fairly safe for the pure of heart. Psychic attack usually depends upon vulnerabilities. If you are not vulnerable you are safe. Thus unificaition with the true will is the greatest protection possible. And the use of the banishing ritual is never hurtful. You can even use it to hold off negative aspects of yourself.

Other forms of protection sometimes helpful (depending upon one's personal belief systems) are recitation of the 'Lord's Prayer', the 23rd, and 91st Psalms.

Author: Paul Hansford

How To Formulate A Pentacle

A Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy (c. 1565) spuriously attributed to Agrippa gives detailed instructions as to how pentacles should be formulated:

But we now come to speak of the holy and sacred Pentacles and Sigils. Now these pentacles, are as it were certain holy signes preserving us from evil chances and events, and helping and assisting us to binde, exterminate, and drive away evil spirits, and alluring the good spirits, and reconciling them unto us. And these pentacles do consist either of Characters of the good spirits of the superiour order, or of sacred pictures of holy letters or revelations, with apt and fit versicles, which are composed either of Geometrical figures and holy names of God, according to the course and maner of many of them; or they are compounded of all of them, or very many of them mixt.

source: 3drecursions

September Moon Names

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

Acorns Moon ~Wishram
Autumn Moon ~Passamaquoddy
Barley Moon ~Mediaeval English, Algonquin
Black Butterfly Moon ~Cherokee
Black Calf Moon ~Sioux
Blood Moon ~other
Calves Hair Growth Moon ~Dakota
Corn Moon, ~Algonquin, Pueblo
Corn Maker Moon ~Abernaki
Deer Paw Moon ~Omaha
Drying Grass Moon ~Arapaho, Cheyenne, Sioux, Algonquin
Freshness Moon ~Mohawk
Fruit Moon ~Algonquin
Harvest Moon ~Neo-Pagan, Colonial American, Algonquin, Hopi
Hay Cutting Moon ~Yuchi
Leaf Fall Moon ~Kiowa
Little Chestnut Moon ~Creek
Maize Moon ~Natchez
Mulberry Moon ~Choctaw
Nut Moon ~Cherokee
Rice Moon ~Anishnaabe
Ripe Moon ~San Juan
Scarlet Plum Moon ~Sioux
Singing Moon ~Celtic
Snow Goose Moon ~Cree
Soaproot ~Pomo
Sturgeon Moon ~other
Yellow Leaf Moon ~Assiniboine, Taos
Wine Moon ~other

Source