Ivy Lore

Each month of the Celtic Lunar calendar bears the name of a tree. Ivy is the 11th Moon of the Celtic Year - (Sept 30 - Oct 27).

• Latin name: Osirian Ivy - hedera helix
• Celtic name: Gort (pronounced: goert).
• Folk or Common names: Ivy.
• Parts Used: leaves, bark, berries.
• Caution: Some types of Ivy are poisonous.

Herbal usage:

The leaves of Ivy can be used to make a douche for treating female infections. Ivy leaves can also be used externally for poultices to heal nerves, sinews, ulcers and infections. Tender ivy twigs can be simmered in salves to heal sunburn.

Magical History and Associations:

Ivy is the symbol of resurrection. Ivy is an herb of Jupiter and the sun, and is associated with positive ego strength. The bird associated with this month is the mute swan, the color is blue, and the gemstone is yellow serpentine. Ivy is sacred to Osiris and Saturn. It is also connected with the god Dionysus. When Zeus's wife Hera, discovered that Zeus had bedded Semele, the daughter of Cadmus, King of Thebes, Hera suggested to Semele that she should ask Zeus to unveil himself to her. When he did so, his divine flames consumed her and almost killed her unborn child, Dionysus, but for a sudden growth of ivy.

In still another story of the deities, Kissos is the name given to a nymph who dances so furiously at a Dionysian feast that she collapses and dies of exhaustion. Dionysus, grieving her untimely death, changes her into ivy. Most Ivies have five-pointed leaves which are sacred to the Goddess.

Magickal usage:

The month of Ivy is a good time to do magick for rebirth and tenaciousness. Ivy has attributes of restraint of fear and dealing with Emotions. Ivy grows in a sacred spiral, which symbolizes reincarnation, from lifetime to lifetime, and from minute to minute, day to day. Ivy travels everywhere - it spreads happily and thrives in many places where no other greenery could survive - its determination to reach through obstacles toward light and food is well known, and therefore Ivy symbolizes strength.

Ivy has many uses in Magick done for healing, protection, cooperation, and exorcism, and is very useful in fertility magick. Ivy is also equated with fidelity and can be used in charms to bind love, luck and fidelity to a person. A talisman made of Ivy would be good to give a friend since it will help ensure eternal friendship. Ivy provides protection against evil when growing on or near a house but should it fall off and die, misfortune was said to be on the way.

Ivy was sometimes used in divination: an ivy leaf placed in water on New Year' s Eve that was still be fresh on Twelfth Night foretold that the year ahead would be favorable. Should ivy not grow upon a grave, the soul of the person buried there is said to be restless - and should it grown abundantly on the grave of a young woman, then this meant that she died of a broken heart.

Ivy is also connected with the Winter Solstice and is often used for decorating at Yule-tide. Ivy, intertwined with Holly, is traditionally made into crowns for the bride and groom at weddings/handfastings. Ivy was also used in ancient times for poet's crowns, since Ivy was believed to be a source of divine inspiration. Ivy was also used by the Greeks to make victory crowns for conquering heroes in the games held at Corinth. Holly and Ivy make excellent decorations for altars. An early church council even attempted to ban the use of Ivy in church decorations because of its Pagan associations.

Recommended Reading:

• Year of Moons, Season of Trees
• Tree Medicine Tree Magic
• A Druid's Herbal
• Celtic Astrology
• Glamoury: Magic of the Celtic Green World
• The Book of Druidry

Source: Dutchie.org

Grapefruit Magick

Ruler: Moon
Type: Fruit
Magickal Form: Skin, flesh

On a dark moon, peel the skin off the fruit in one whole piece and hang the skin above a doorway for serious protection. By the full moon, the skin should be completely dried. Remove it and grind to a fine powder. Sprinkle the dust outside your home (at doors and windows) to keep enemies away for good.

Eat the flesh of the grapefruit to promote chastity and heal sexual hang-ups. When eaten during a waning moon (the full moon to the new moon period), it can left the spirits and reenergize the weary.

From Encyclopedia of Magickal Ingredients

Sign of the Rose

"I will balance you in my beauty."

If you were born between September 23 and October 22, you were born under the sign of the rose. The rose zodiac flower sign exposes the truth in all things. If you have this flower sign you have a unique ability to see the hidden meanings in things and expose the underlying evidence for what it is. You have an eye for classic beauty, and you love to surround yourself with beautiful things too. You are attracted to philosophy, poetry and art. Because you see the beauty and truth in all things, you do not tolerate injustice or cruelty. You are most happy when you are with friends and family – taking a walk and enjoying nature.

Source: What's Your Sign

Poplar and Aspen Tree Lore

The Poplar or Aspen is the sacred Tree of the Fall Equinox - (Aprox. September 22)

• Latin name: Common Poplar - Populus Balsamifera; Trembling Poplar - Populus Tremuloides; Balm of Gilead - Populus Candicans;
• Celtic name: Eadha (pronounced: "Eh' uh").
• Folk or Common names: All Poplar - Popple, Alamo, Aspen; Trembling Poplar - American Aspen, White Poplar, or Quaking Aspen; Balm of Gilead - bombagillia.
• Parts Used: Bark and buds (sap)

Herbal usage:

Poplar can be used as a tonic, chiefly used in treating fevers. The infusion has been found helpful in treating chronic diarrhea. Balm of Gilead buds can be used as a stimulant or tonic. A tincture of them is useful for complaints of the chest, stomach, and kidneys, and for rheumatism and scurvy. The sap collected from the buds can be used to make a healing ointment and can be used as an external application in bruises, swellings, and some skin diseases. Teas can be made from the Poplar buds and are useful in helping treat arthritis and rheumatism.


Magical History and Associations:

In Gaelic tongue the tree was called Peble and Pophuil in the celtic way. Poplar is generally a plant of Jupiter, Saturn and the Sun and is associated with the element of water. Its color is rufous (red) and the bird associated with Poplar is the Whistling Swan. The stones associated with Poplar are Amber, Citrine Quartz, Sapphire and Swan Fluorite. The Anglo-Saxon rune poem seems to refer to the Poplar as being associated with the rune "berkano".

Heracles wore a crown of Poplar leaves in triumph after killing the giant Cacus (the evil one) and retrieving Cerberus from Hades. The upper surface of the Poplar leaves was thus darkened from Hades' smokey fumes. Poplar trees are sacred to the Mesopotamian goddess Ua-Ildak. The Grass King of Grossvargula, who was seen as having fertilizing powers, went on horseback wearing a pyramid of Poplar branches and a crown. He led a procession of young men about the town and was then stripped of his branches beneath the Silver Lindens of Sommerberg.

Poplar (Aspen) is said to be the tree of the Autumn Equinox and of old age, and is known as the shield makers' tree. The Black Poplar was a funeral tree sacred to Hecate as death goddess, to Egeria, and to Mother Earth. Plato makes a reference to the use of Black Poplar and Silver Fir as an aid in divination. The Silver Fir standing for hope assured and the Black Poplar for loss of hope. The Grove of Persephone in the Far West contained Black Poplars and old Willows.

In ancient Ireland, the coffin makers measuring rod was made of Aspen, apparently to remind the dead that this was not the end. In Christian lore, the quaking Poplar (Aspen) was used to construct Christ's cross, and the leaves of the tree quiver when they remember this fact.

Magickal usage:

The Poplar's ability to resist and to shield, its association with speech, language and the Winds indicates an ability to endure and conquer. The Poplar is known as the "Tree that Transcends Fear". Poplars symbolize the magick of joy, the aging of the year, resurrection and hope - and are connected to the Otherworld. Poplar can be used in magick done for success, passage and transformation, Hope, rebirth, divinations, shielding, endurance, agility in speech and language, protection, and love - and as an aid in astral projection.

Balm of Gilead buds can be carried in tiny red bags to help mend a broken heart. These buds should be kept as close to the heart as possible. Balm of Gilead buds can also be placed under the pillow and slept on to heal a broken heart. It may take several days to feel relief, but this really works. Balm of Gilead is also effective for grief, homesickness and the blues.

Poplar can be used in protection charms of all kinds. Poplar is a good wood to burn in balefires and ritual fires since it offers protection. Shields can be made of Poplar since the wood is thought to offer protection from injury or death. Add some Balm of Gilead resin to your tinctures to enhance the "fixing" of the scent and to offer some added protection to the tincture. Carrying Poplar helps to overcome the urge to give way under the burden of worldly pressures, and aids in determination. Poplar buds can also be carried to attract money and can be burned as an incense to create financial security.

Siberian reindeer-hunting cultures carved small goddess statues of Poplar (Aspen) wood. Groats and fat were then offered to the figures with this prayer:

"Help us to keep healthy!

Help us to hunt much game!"

Poplar buds are also sometimes added to flying ointments and was also used in astral travel. A medieval recipe for a flying ointment called for Cinquefoil, Poplar leaves, soot and bat's blood obtained at the wake of the new moon.

The trembling leaves of the Poplar tree can be 'read' to divine messages from the God and Goddess, and also from spirits that drift into woods. The Poplar is the sacred World Tree of the Lakota nation. For the sun dance ceremony, a Poplar is carefully cut and lowered, then is re-erected in the center of the dance circle. While being carried the Poplar must never touch the ground. Green branches, a buffalo skull and eagle feathers were used to decorate the Poplar for this ceremony.

Recommended Reading:

• Year of Moons, Season of Trees
• Tree Medicine Tree Magic
• A Druid's Herbal
• Celtic Astrology
• Glamoury: Magic of the Celtic Green World
• The Book of Druidry

Source: Dutchie.org

Autumn Equinox in Celtic Mythology

In this variation of the legend of the Autumn Equinox, this is the day of the year when the god of light, Lugh, is defeated by the god of darkness, Lugh’s twin and alter-ego, Tanist. The night conquers day. The tales state that the Equinox is the only day which Lugh is vulnerable and the possibility of his defeat exists. Lugh stands on the balance (Autumn Equinox-Libra) with one foot on the goat (Winter Solstice-Capricorn) and the other on the cauldron (Summer Solstice-Cancer). He is betrayed by Blodeuwedd, the Virgin (Virgo) and transformed into an Eagle (Scorpio).

Two events occur rapidly with Lugh’s defeat. Tanist, having beaten Lugh, now takes over Lugh’s place both as King of our world and lover to the Goddess Tailltiu. Although Tanist now sits on Lugh’s throne, his official induction does not take place for another six weeks at Samhain, the beginning of Winter, when he becomes the Dark King, the Winter Lord, the Lord of Misrule. He mates with Tailltiu, who conceives, and will give birth nine months later (at the Summer Solstice) to her son, another incarnation of Tanist himself, the Dark Child.

Lugh’s sacrifice represents not only the sun’s dying power, but also the cycle of  rebirth, his energy remaining within the corn we have since harvested. A incarnate (of Lugh) corn spirit was thought to specifically reside within the last stalk (or stock), which was traditionally dressed in fine clothes and decorations, or woven into a wicker man-shaped form. This symbolic decoration was then harvested and carried from the field to be burned with rejoicing for the spirits release and Lugh’s upcoming rebirth.

Found at: Ravenna's Wheel of the Year

Sun in Libra

The Sun is in Libra from approximately September 21 to October 20, depending on the year.

Symbol: The Scales
Ruler: Venus
Element: Air
Season: Fall
Modality: Cardinal
Zodiac Position: 7th Sign
Metal: Copper
Stone: Diamond, Quartz, Marble
Color: Pastel Green
Flowers: Marigold; Acanthus
Anatomy: Kidneys

Keywords: just, sociable, refined, accommodating, kind, fair, diplomatic, likable, indecisive, respectful, artistic

Libra natives are generally thought to be sociable, somewhat intellectual souls. They have an almost innocent way about them that makes them very approachable. Generally quite eager to cooperate, Librans spend a lot of their time trying not to rock the boat.

In theory, Libras are peace-loving. In practice, they can quietly stir up all sorts of trouble with their ways. Because Libra enjoys balance in their lives, they seek the middle ground. In the process, they may end up trying to be everything to everyone. This is where their reputation for untruthfulness comes from. Generally, their untruths spring from a true desire for peace and fairness--although they may not be comfortable with direct and malicious trickery, they feel totally justified when they lie in order to avoid making waves. Peace at any price! In this sense, they seem harmless. But, what can result is quite a ruckus! People involved with Libras may crib about their lack of directness and their apparent inability to take a stand. Librans are experts at avoiding being the one to blame. When confronted, they'll (calmly and reasonably) say, "What, me? No, I just want peace."

"On the fence", "middle ground", "middle road" -- these are all expressions that we can safely associate with Libra.

Some more powerful signs may consider Libra a little on the weak side. This is all a matter of opinion, however! Without Libra, life simply wouldn't be as fair.

Librans are known for comparing and thinking in relative terms, instead of in absolutes. This weekend is not just a good weekend, it's better than last weekend. These people are always looking for the "best" way or the "right" way to live. Harmony is the ultimate goal, but their idealism and high expectations can mean plenty of discontent. Since life presents all of us with an extraordinary amount of choices, if Libra doesn't learn to live in the moment at least some of the time, they'll be in a constant state of unrest.

Society needs rules, and these rules attempt to bring justice, equality, and fairness. On an individual level, Libra represents these laws of civilization. Libra comes across as very civilized and rather refined.

Source: Cafe Astrology

Fall Sabbat Incense

• 3 parts Frankincense
• 2 parts Myrrh
• 1 part Rosemary
• 1 part Cedar
• 1 part Juniper

 Burn during fall and winter Sabbat rituals.

by Stella Maris

Ritual For Mabon

This Ritual is best performed during the early evening hours, just after Sunset, as this is the time of day which corresponds to the time of year. Sweep area, starting in the North and moving deosil (clockwise or sunwise direction), with your magickal broom to cleanse the Circle area and "sweep away" any lingering negative energies. Lay out the circumference of your Circle with cord, stones, etc., as necessary.

Set up the Quarter candles (North-Green, East-Yellow, South-Red, West-Blue) and/or other items symbolizing the elements at the Four Quarters (use a compass if not permanently marked out). Set up your altar as desired, and face it to the North, covering it with the red altar cloth.

Place all of the items listed below in their proper places upon it. For this ceremony, decorate the altar with the cornucopia filled with harvest items, and whatever else feels right. In addition to your usual tools and props, upon the altar should be:

• Red or Brown Altar Cloth
• Cornucopia filled with Fruits and Vegetables of the Harvest
• A Red Apple
• Bolline or another Sharp Knife (for cutting the Apple)
• Altar Pentacle or a Plate (to cut the apple on)
• A Bell
• A Second Wand decorated with Colored Ribbons (to use in the Demeter/Persephone portion of the ritual)
• A Wicker Basket (to carry the Decorated Wand in)
• Incense - Any of the following either alone or mixed together to make an Autumn Blend: Frankincense, Aloes Wood, Jasmine, Cinnamon, Musk, Cloves, Benzoin, Myrrh, and Sage

When all is set up, take a shower or bath for purification and don your ritual robe or other ritual attire. Be sure to wear your magickal jewelry. Sit quietly and meditate for a little while - to ground and center before beginning the Ritual. When you feel ready to begin, play some quiet peaceful music for the ritual.

Cast a circle in whatever way is familiar to you. After the Circle is cast, begin the Mabon sabbath Ceremony by sitting quietly for a few moments, then say these words aloud in dedication:

"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.

I thank You for Your rewards.

I have worked hard for these gifts.

Lady Autumn, now grant me peace and rest."

Sit quietly again and reflect on the meaning of the Autumn Season for a little while.

When you are ready, pick up your wand and hold it in your power hand, face the North and with your arms outstretched (kneel or stand) and say:

"The Wheel of the Year turns on and on,

bringing us all to and from each Season,

and from and to another.

What will be is. What was will be.

All time is here and now in this Sacred Space.

I now pause to watch the Wheel turn

and cast this Circle on this blessed eve

to celebrate the Season of Mabon, the Autumnal Equinox -

the time of the Second Harvest.

In this moment between time,

I come to praise the bountiful aging Goddess

and Her consort, the God of the Harvest.

I wish to give thanks and feel myself

as a part of the relentlessly turning

wheel of life, death, and rebirth.

O Great God of Wine and the Harvest,

who has been known as Mabon, Dionysus, Bacchus, and Thor -

Grant me strength and understanding

throughout this season and always.

O Great Goddess of the Harvest and the Underworld,

who has been known as Demeter, Persephone, Modron, and Morgan -

Teach me the secrets of the Mysteries and the ways of magic."

Place your wand back in its place on the altar.

Spread your hands out over the Harvest Altar and say these words:

"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 I use this Autumnal period to

seek for the strength and power within

to assist me on my own quest for

vision, feeling, and peace...

May I see and feel the presence of

the Goddess and the God within,

though without,

the Earth begins Her slumber...

Keep me in Your light..."

Lower your arms and sit quietly meditating again for a while.
When you are ready, stand at your altar facing the North and raise your arms in greeting. Say:

"Between the worlds I build this sacred altar.

Outside of time, this rite leads to the ancient way.

Where I may find Demeter of high Olympus

And conjure magic great. Be here, I say."

Place the decorated wand in the wicker basket and carry it to the North. Say:

"Persephone returns to the Underworld.

Weep not, Earth Mother,

For the Divine Child of love is here."

Carry the basket to the East; say:

"Persephone returns to the Underworld.

Although the Light is fading,

It shall return to the Earth."

Take the basket to the South; say:

"Persephone returns to the Underworld.

The cold of winter comes,

But only for a short time."

Finish by carrying the basket to the West; say:

"Persephone returns to the Underworld.

The Earth shall lie in slumber

Until the Light of this Divine Child

Once more grows in strength and shines full upon us."

Place the basket on the floor before the altar. Ring the bell three times.
Take your bolline in your power hand and the apple in the other. Say:

"Reveal to me your hidden secrets

That I may come to understand your sacred Mysteries."

Set the apple on the altar pentacle (or plate) and cut it crosswise (with the bolline) to reveal the pentagram in the core. Contemplate this hidden sacred symbol for several moments. Then say:

"In life is death, in death life.

All must follow the sacred dance into the cauldron,

Time after time, to die and be reborn.

Help me to remember that

Every beginning has an ending

And that every ending has a new beginning."

Take a bite of the apple.
What is left put outside later to share with the birds.
Say:

"Holy Mother, Demeter,

Comfort and protect me in my times of tribulation.

Instruct me into the Mysteries.

You, with your daughter Persephone, have the power

To lead me to new understanding."

Now is the time for meditation and any spellworkings you may need or desire to end your sabbath celebration. Appropriate Spellwork for Mabon include those for protection, wealth and prosperity, security and spells to bring a feeling of self-confidence. If no spellwork is to be done at this time, then proceed with the Cakes and Ale Ceremony - or whatever is your practice, followed by Releasing the Magic Circle.

Please note this ritual is based on the Northern Hemisphere correspondences of elements and their colors, and directions and so on.

Found at: Proud To Be Pagan

Autumn Equinox - the Welsh Mythology

• Color of the day: Yellow
• Incense of the day: Coriander

Once again the Sun’s path crosses the celestial equator, and the day and the night are now again of equal length. On the Gregorian calendar this is the first day of autumn, but on the modern Celtic calendar it is midautumn.

This holiday is more commonly known by its Welsh name Mabon. Mabon means “divine youth.” It is the name of a mythic hunter hero whose story is told at this time of year. At the beginning of time, Mabon was born to the mother goddess Modron. That we only know his mother and not his father attests to the matriarchal lineage of the early Celts.

The equinox marks the time when Mabon was three nights old and stolen from his crib. For the next three months, the heroes Cai and Bedwyr will search for him and ask all manner of birds and beasts for help. But, according to legend, it is only the salmon who can give them direction. On Yule, the heroes retrieve the divine child by freeing him from a prison in Gloucester.

Like Apollo, Mabon is a hunter with a bow and a musician with a harp. He is a Sun god. Mabon represents the Sun that is waning in strength during this quarter of the year and that will begin to return only after the solstice. The waning of the light is frightening and depressing, and it is necessary for our own sake to use magic at this time to help in the quest for Mabon.

The strongest act of magic that one can do at this time is to participate in the celebrations of the yearly cycle. As one integrates the yearly cycle deep into one’s unconscious, serenity and confidence are gained. This is the peace that comes from knowing and accepting that the light will return when it is time.

Spell by Robert Place
Found at Llewellyn's Spell A Day

Autumn Equinox in Greek Mythology

In Greek mythology, Autumn begins as Persephone returns to the Underworld to live with Hades, her husband.

We have posted a number of posts about Persephone, to see all of them, here's the link: Persephone.

In short, the myth says that Demeter’s daughter, Kore, had taken a day to pick flowers in a meadow when the Earth opened up, and Hades pulled the girl into the Underworld to become his bride. Kore’s name became Persephone when she married Hades.

For nine straight days, Demeter searched for Kore, with no success. In misery and despiration, Demeter questioned Helios, the Sun God, who informed her that her brother, Zeus, had given the girl to Hades. Furious, Demeter left Olympus to roam the Earth disguised as an old woman, ending up settled in her temple at Eleusis.

Soon after, she cursed the Earth so it would yield no crops. Zues sent her a frantic message inquiring as to why she had prevented growth on the planet. She replied that there would be no regeneration of vegetation on the Earth until her daughter, Kore, was safely returned.

Zeus immediately dispatched Hermes into the Underworld to retrieve the girl. Hades, not wanting to relinquish his bride permanently, convinced Persephone to eat some pomegranate seeds before she returned to her mother, Demeter. Demeter was yet again distraught when she learned of this trickery! Finally, Zeus declared that Kore-Persephone would live with her mother during one half of the year and return to her husband, Hades, during the other half. In thanks, Demeter lifted the curse on the Earth, creating Spring. Every year hence, during her time of greatest sorrow, Demeter renews the curse, as her daughter returns to Hades and the Underworld.

Found at: Widdershins

Bleassings of the Season

Blessings of my first frost on you

Blessings of the goose-stitched sky

Blessings of the trees in sunset glory

And warm hearths at the end of the day.

Blessings of the harvest set before you

Blessings of the food that comfort brings

Blessings on the fire that stays within you

Blessings on the fire that cannot stay.

Found at: Magickal Winds

To Autumn

O Autumn. Laden with fruit, and stained

With the blood of the grape, pass not, but sit

Beneath my shady roof, there thou may’st rest,

And tune thy jolly voice to my fresh pipe;

And all the daughters of the year shall dance,

Sing now the lusty song of fruits and flowers.

-William Blake

Wild Rice with Apples and Walnuts

Here's another yummy recipe for Mabon:

• 1 cup wild rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

Cook rice and oil in water for 50 minutes.

• 1 cup walnuts
• 1 rib of celery, chopped
• 4 chopped scallions
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 red apple, peeled and chopped, set aside in lemon water
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

Combine nuts, celery, onions, raisins, drained apple and lemon rind and set aside.

• 3 T. lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• pepper, to taste

Whisk together juice, salt and pepper, garlic and oil and add to cooked rice.

Add fruit mixture to the rice (to which has been added oil, spices and juice) and mix well. May be served cold or heated.

Found at: Conscious Bites Nutrition

Sweet Potato Casserole

Here's a yummy recipe for Mabon:

• 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and steamed until completely soft
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 Tablespoons melted butter
• 2 T. sugar
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 t. nutmeg

Mix juice, eggs, sugar and spices and blend thoroughly with potatoes using an electric mixer. Spread into a greased 9″x13″ pan.

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 c plus 2 T. brown sugar
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/4 c. chopped butter
• 1/2 c. chopped pecans

Mix together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter and nuts until crumbly, spread on top of sweet potatoes and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

by Stella Maris

Harvest Morning Muffins

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup grated apples
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbs. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 12-muffin tin or line it with paper liners. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend the eggs, sugar and oil until well combined. Stir in the grated apples and carrots. In a separate bowl, sift the flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Blend the dry ingredients with the apple mixture until just combined. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins.

~Source unknown

Rhodium Oil Spell To Lure Dogs

This perfume oil allegedly attracts dogs and was once used by thieves in order to lure dogs away. Play with the proportions until you achieve an effective fragrance.

 

Blend the following essential oils with a carrier oil, such as jojaba oil:

• Essential oil of cedarwood
• Essential oil of rose geranium
• Essential oil of palmarosa
• Essential oil of sandalwood

 You can then wear the oil as a perfume, or use the oil to mark a trail.

 

Note: It may work on other animals too. Experiment and see.

Found in: Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells
Ingredients at Amazon: Cedarwood Oil, Rose Geranium Oil, Palmarosa Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Jojoba Oil

Pacify Dogs Pow-Wow Spell

Pow-Wow strongly incorporates the use of spoken charms. This one is used to soothe a threatening dog and provide protection - excellent for those forced to walk past a snarling, snapping canine.

The charm must be repeated three times before you reach the dog (or the dog reaches you!)

Dog, hold thy nose to the ground!

God has made thee, me and hound.

Then form the sign of the cross three times.

From: Pow-Wows

Old Earache Cure

Cure for earache: Find a dog that had just recently had puppies. Get some of her milk, warm it and put it in the ear. The natural antibodies in the milk will help fight the disease.

~UCLA Folklore Archives

42 Superstitions About Dogs

1. Being followed by a strange dog - bad luck (especially black dogs).
2. Alternatively, being followed home by a strange dog might indicate good luck.
3. A dog walking between a courting couple indicates a quarrel will soon take place.
4. Black dogs are generally considered unlucky, especially if they cross a traveller's path or follow someone and refuse to be driven away.
5. To meet a dog with her whelps was considered in the highest degree unlucky.
6. It is good luck for dogs to come to your house.
7. A strange dog coming to the house means a new friendship.
8. Meeting a dog - good luck (especially Dalmatians).
9. To meet a spotted or black and white dog on your way to a business appointment is lucky.
10. Three white dogs seen together are considered lucky.
11. If a dog does not like a man, it is a sign the man has a bad character.
12. A greyhound with a white spot on its forehead - good fortune.
13. A home where a well cared for, happy greyhound lives will never be haunted by malicious spirits.
14. When a dog is staring intently, at nothing, for no apparent reason, look between the dog's ears and you'll see a ghost.
15. A dog with seven toes can see ghosts.
16. The ancient Greeks thought dogs could foresee evil.
17. Howling dogs mean the wind god has summoned death, and the spirits of the dead will be taken.
18. A dog howling at night is a sign of bad Iuck.
19. A dog howling for no reason means unseen spirits.
20. Dogs howling at a crossroads mean the goddess Hecate is near.
21. A howling dog outside the house of a sick person was once thought to be an omen that they would die, especially if the dog was driven away and returned to howl again.
22. The howling of a dog four times while under the front porch - harbinger of death.
23. A dog howling three times means a death has occurred.
24. A dog which gives a single howl, or three howls, and then falls silent is said to be marking a death that has just occurred nearby.
25. If a dog howls at night, it is a sign of the death of a friend.
26. If a dog sits and howls at the moon, it is a sign of death.
27. The spectral black dog (barguest) - a harbinger of death.
28. If a black dog appears in your car when you are driving alone, you are in danger of an accident.
29. Seeing an ambulance is very unlucky unless you pinch your nose or hold your breath until you see a black or a brown dog.
30. If you are sick, touch a piece of bread to your lips and then give it to your dog. You can detect how serious your condition is depending on whether the dog eats it or not. 
31. From a elder South Dakota Lakota Sioux Indian: if a member of the tribe would get sick they would lay with a dog and the sickness would transfer from the tribal member into the dog.
32. One old charm which was often used for childrens' illnesses was to take some of the patient's hairs and feed them to a dog in between slices of bread and butter; the ailment was believed to transfer to the animal, healing the patient.
33. If you have your new-born baby licked by a dog, your baby will be a quick healer.
34. If a dog eats grass, it is a sign he needs a tonic.
35. A dog eating grass means it's going to rain.
36. If a dog lies on its back, it is a sign of rain.
37. A dog sitting with crossed fore-paws indicates rain.
38. Give your dog a bath and it will rain for sure.
39. Fishermen traditionally regard dogs as unlucky and will not take one out in a boat, or mention the word 'dog' whilst at sea.
40. If the inside of a dog's mouth is black, it is a sign he is well-bred.
41. To keep a new dog, measure its tail with a cornstalk and bury the latter under the front step.
42. At one time a dog that had bitten someone was immediately destroyed to protect the person from rabies (even if the dog was healthy).

Collected from various sources
Art by: Ron Krajewski

The Goddess Gula

The Great Physician,
Queen of Physicians,
Lady of Birth and Mother of Dogs,
The Lady Who Restores To Life

Other names: Bau, Bawa, Belit-Illu, Belitis, Damkina, Damgalnunna, Gam-Tum-Dug, Gula, Gula Bau, Gulu, Innini, Ki, Meme, Ninisina, Ninisunna, Ninka, Ninkarrak, Ninki, Ninlil, Ninmah, Nintinuga, Nintu, Nm-din-dug

• Origin: Mesopotamia
• Animal: Dog
• Herbs: Tarragon and Bay
• Star: Sirius, the Dog Star
• Mystic Number: 93
• Color: Red
• Day: Sept 19
• Consort: Ninurta, Ninurtu (Ningirsu), Ninib (sun-god), Pabilsag, Abu, moon man
• First mentioned: 4,500 B.C.E.

Bau (also known as Gula), Goddess of Healing and Life, was once among the most significant deities of the Sumarian pantheon. She is intensely associated with dogs and may appear as a dog-headed woman. It is very tempting to associate her name with "bow-wow." Dog and puppy burials have been found amidst her temple ruins.

Field of influence: The internal heat of the earth. Healing, therapeutic arts. She was the Goddess who wrote a man's destiny at his birth, was petitioned to change this destiny, to heal diseases and to prolong lives. Patron of physicians; Goddess of inflicted illness and restored health. Also associated with the underworld; possibly a former death goddess. Could cure or cause sickness.

Appearance: A mature goddess, stocky and short in stature. Her black hair was straight and held in place by a gold circlet inset with pieces of carnelian. She wore a full-length robe of bleached wool with long sleeves. Also known as Gulu, (the earth-goddess, mother goddess; and Ninmah, goddess of the underworld) - she sits below ground with her dog, where the cosmic serpent begins to rise. She is the patroness of herbs, healing, life, as her flowered garment shows. Hands lifted in prayer, she sits with her dog, defender of homes, while before her a Scorpion Archer mounts guard at the uttermost bound of the earth (cosmic sea), to defend against demonic powers and protect the rising and setting sun.

Sacred Animal: Dog/Bitch; it is uncertain whether Gula was imagined as having canine form or the dog was sacred to her, since the antiseptic action of a dog's tongue in licking wounds was early recognized. She was sometimes addressed as Bawa, which may have been either a name or an epithet, and could have been onomatopoeic ('bow-wow').

Occupying a threshold between the world of the living and the dead, a faithful friend and guardian of Hades, the dog can symbolize a connection between consciousness and the unconscious.

Legends: Helped breathe life into mankind after the Great Flood. After seeing the terrible destruction wrought by the Flood and losing her husband to the Netherworld, Gula became interested in caring for the sick and wounded in the Great Above. And so, after the raging of the storm god NinUrta, she smiles down upon them as the rainbow or as in Hungary in the mirage of the sun called the "déli BÁB" on the the moist lowlands of Hortobágy. She feeds them, brings new life and is the protector of birth, the mother, the baby and life in general. In all the folds of her skirt are hidden unborn children.

Historical information: The Sumerian BAÚ saw her prominence around 2,500 BC and earlier. She was once the third in rank among the ancient Sumerian gods. She is also called GULA by Sumerians and is mentioned to be the goddess of bounty, a healer, provider of harvest and food, giver of birth and fertility etc. She was also BABA the life giver (midwife) who helps bring life into the world, GAL-AMA =the great mother, or NIN-AN-NA the queen/lady of heaven.

She has a prominent role in incantations and incantation rituals intended to relieve those suffering from disease. And could also be invoked to curse those who trample upon the rights of rulers (elections were held in her temple) or those who do wrong with poisonous potions.

Various Sumerian hymns praise her as the giant Gúla, who heals, she is the queen of heaven, and is the "light of the world". She is also called the quickener of the dead, which may refer to the idea that she may quicken the rebirth of the spirit of the dead and shorten their stay in the underworld.

In her later Babylonian incarnation, Gula Bau, spirit of healing, walks the Earth accompanied by her pack of hounds.

Offerings: Build her an altar featuring dog imagery; appropriate gifts would include contributions to dog shelters and hospitals, or acts on behalf of dogs in need.

Birthing ceremony: In the southern Hungarian city of Szeged it was recorded that the women celebrated her in a closed ceremony, where only mothers were allowed. The eldest most respected mother offers to the goddess, a plate of pastries and wine to thank the successful birth of the new mother. Not performing this ritual means that the girl or boy will not find a suitable mate in their adult life. Similarly in Sumerian cylinder seals show a row of women lined up to offer cake and drink to the goddess BAÚ sitting on an elevated throne.

Sources: Encyclopedia of Spirits, Wiggage, and the work of Dr. Ida Bobula

Gypsy Spell For Love

Perhaps 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 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.

The Seeker should 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.

From: Secrets of Gypsy Love Magick

To Enchant an Apple

Pick your apple

When the Moon

Has waned three days;

Breathe upon

Its green cheek,

Rub it with

A scarlet cloth,

Saying:

Fire sweet
And fire red,
Warm the heart
And turn the head.

Kiss the red half,

Put it later

In another's hand -

Who holds it

Shall weaken,

Who eats it

Shall be yours.

From: Crone's Book of Magical Words

To Draw Love Into Your Life

It is never a good idea to work magic to make a particular person love you. First because it interferes with that person's free will, and is thus against the Wiccan Rede. Secondly, because you will never know if they love you for yourself or because of your magic, which, in the long term, will be self-destructive. It is however, perfectly alright to work to bring love into your life.

This spell is most effective when worked on a Friday when the energies of Venus are strongest. Take a pink candle and carefully inscribe your initials into it about half way down. Surround the letters with 7 carefully engraved hearts. Annoint this with 7 drops of Rose oil and place it in a secure holder surrounded by 7 small pieces of Rose Quartz. (Many rock and gemstone supplier sell bags of mixed stone chips, and if you know your stones, these are excellent for working spells.)

Before you light the candle, close your eyes and visualize the Goddess Venus standing before you, ask her to bring love to you and then light the candle. Keep it close to you whilst it burns. Ensure you have enough time to let it burn all the way down, without having to leave it unattended.

When your candle has burnt all the way down take the pieces of Rose Quartz and annoint each one with a drop of Rose oil and wrap them in a pink cloth. Tie this tightly with gold thread and carry it with you for a full cycle of the Moon, 29 days.

From: The Real Witches Year
Ingredients at Amazon: Pink candle, Rose oil, Rose quartz, Pink Cloth, Gold thread