Woo-Woo Stuff

     I've accomplished so much in the last five months it makes my head spin and stomach tighten with excitement and worry.  My day job can be pretty challenging and most of the time I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing. So I was shocked when I got a promotion and a raise at the end of summer last year. Around the same time I was working on my first book and on the hunt for a house or condo. At the end of November, just when I was going to put the house search on hold until spring, the right place showed up out of the blue and I closed on my new home at the end of January. 

    The last few weeks have been so hectic. Between work, a sick cat, promoting and preparing for the release of my book and packing my entire life to move, 2020 has been a whirlwind and its barely gotten started. I've made a point to remind myself to stop and look at what I've accomplished.  My inner monologue goes something like this:  Don't downplay your shit! Don't act like it's nothing and doesn't matter. You've achieved a lot and you should be proud of you!   I've been doing this a lot lately, whenever and wherever it pops in my head. It's usually followed by a huge smile and I look like a weirdo in the grocery store or at the gas station but I don't care, I'm proud of myself. Throughout my life I've never allowed myself to feel my accomplishments or be proud of myself even when people in my life were clearly proud of me.

    With everything going on in the last few months, I've also been thinking a lot about the people in my life that I would love to share my accomplishments with but can't. My aunt died a couple years ago from cancer and her absence has left a grand canyon sized hole in my heart and life. She was my aunt, my godmother and my friend. She didn't have kids of her own so her nieces, nephews and god children were all her kids in a beautiful way. I started travelling with her in summers when I was five and she showed me art, jewelry, different types and styles of food and people from different cultures and walks of life. I could go on and on about her. She was also the person that introduced me to what we liked to call "woo-woo stuff." I was on a trip with her the first time I remember seeing a crystal (it was an amethyst). She introduced me to sage, meditation, animal totems and so much woo-woo stuff. One of our favorite trips was to Sedona, AZ and I always talked to her about living there someday. She never said you have to do this or that, she just gave me information and it was my choice to use it or not. Most importantly she listened to me without judgment which was hard to come by early on in my woo-woo journey.  

The dedication page from my book.

     She was always my 2nd or 3rd phone call when something exciting happened and when I found out I was going to be writing a book, without thinking, I opened my phone to call her. For a moment I forgot she was gone and remembering she wasn't physically with me anymore hit me harder than Thor's hammer. I could hear her happy laugh and squeal when I called her with the news. She was so inquisitive, if I could've made that phone call it would've lasted at least an hour. And she would've been so excited about my new house. Day one she would've had my closets and clothes organized by season and color, there'd be ten paint options for each room to choose from and she'd be driving the sales clerk at the furniture store crazy looking for the perfect couch and accent pieces.  I miss that.  

     This book wouldn't have been written without her, so dedicating the book to her was both fitting and heartbreaking.  I know she's still around, I know she's proud of me and will continue to support me and push me forward. So much of who I am is because of her and I know she believed I was strong and capable of accomplishing anything. So to honor her, Crystals for Emotional Healing is dedicated to my woo-woo Aunt Carol and I'll continue to stop and be grateful and remind myself to be proud of who I am and what I've accomplished because anything less would be disrespectful to the people that got me here.  

~S

Book Review: Midlife Is Not A Crisis: Using Astrology To Thrive In The Second Half Of Life

     I turned 36 this year and that birthday was a doozy.  Typically, I'm not a person that panics about celebrating another birthday, but this year was different.  As my birthday approached, I began feeling

Watch out for that birthday.
It's a doozy!

an increasingly noticeable shift in myself.  My energy, my attitude, my outlook, my desires.... they were all changing.  Those changes, however, took a back burner to the anxiety and frustration I had also begun feeling.  The anxiety, fear, and frustration showed up at about the same time I found a steal gray hair on the top of head. It all came crashing in on me at that moment.  I was going to be 36 years old and what have I done? What have I accomplished? Where is my life going?  I'm closer to my 40's than my 20's and what do I have to show for almost 40 years on this earth???  

     I was a whirling dervish of crazy on the inside while faking calm and composure on the outside.  Then, right on cue, a package with a new book to review arrived in the mail.  I opened the envelope and immediately began maniacally laughing at what I found inside.  I snapped a picture of the book, sent it to a friend and told her "The universe got jokes".  Divine timing, synchronicity, coincidence, or the universe desperately wanting me to get my shit together; call it what you will, but it showed up just in time to pull me out of my crazy and give me the perspective I desperately needed.

     Midlife Is Not A Crisis isn't your average astrology book and Virginia Bell isn't your average astrologer.  She's lived, what I consider, a very adventurous life.  In her early 20's, she moved to Europe to work as an actress in films.  She returned to the states in the sixties to continue working in the film industry and when her Saturn return hit, she left the movie business and opened not one, but two restaurants.  She began studying astrology in the late 1980s and now works as a full time astrologer and writer.  

        Like most astrology books, her book begins with a quick astrology overview.  Then it dives into astrological life cycles; starting with the Saturn Return (age 29), leading you through the cycles, and all the way into your 80s. Well thought out and easy to follow, you don't need to be well versed in the science of astrology to follow this book. 

This book taught me that:

• I felt like my legs had been kicked out from under me during my Saturn return because that's exactly what happens.  " ...Jupiter gives us crutches while Saturn takes them away."
• "...midlife isn't just an event, it's a journey; like any great voyage, it's also an inner process, certain to change us if we pay attention."
• No, seriously, midlife is a journey that spans a decade and involves almost all the planets getting their hands dirty.  (Sooo buckle up and pick a good wine for the trip)
• Virginia Bell explains the process planet by planet, sign by sign etc., giving insight for what to expect, what to do and what not to do.  
• Knowing is half the battle....

Midlife is coming...  Do I get a dragon?? 

    When my Saturn return hit, I was completely caught off guard.  I was living in NYC and things just weren't going how I'd planned. On more than one occasion, I came home, closed my apartment door, slid to the floor and began to ugly cry harder than a seasoned soap opera star.  Saturn had brought me to my knees (which, apparently is what he does best during your Saturn return). It was a dinner with a friend and professional astrologer that helped me understand what was happening.   She sat quietly, listening to me tell her everything that was happening. At the end of my emotional dissertation, she said (in her thick staten island accent), "How old are you.... oh, well no wonder... it's your Saturn Return. That's why everything sucks."  

     I had no idea Saturn was coming for me.  I was unprepared and playing a losing game of catch up.  I also had no idea my midlife cycle was about to begin; with other cycles to follow. But thanks to this book, I know what's coming and how to prepare.  I'm standing at the precipice of my midlife cycle and I feel like I need to pull my life apart and put it back together again; rearranging everything. I felt crazy (well, crazier than usual) because I've worked so hard to get my life to where it is now.  How can I just rip it all up and start again?  How can I say this life is too small for me now and I want something bigger?  That's pretty risky; especially at my age, right? Virginia Bell's book said, "I know you feel crazy right now. It's normal and here's what to do."  I wish I had this book during my Saturn Return (because good Gods was that a shit show to behold) and I'm going to hold onto it for the future.  Virginia Bell has given us a book that will help every reader prepare for their inevitable life cycles.  Midlife Is Not A Crisis has a permanent place on my go-to bookshelf and I recommend anyone, with even a mild interest in astrology, to pick up this book and discover how astrological cycles can affect their life.  

You can find Virginia Bell in these places:
Website: http://virginiabellastrology.com/
Publisher/Purchase: http://redwheelweiser.com/detail.html?id=9781578636129
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Virginia-Bell-Astrology-213487410884/


Bright Blessings,
~A

   

Quick (kinda) Tip: Are Your Crystals Dirty??

 Tomorrow is the full moon and a lunar eclipse!  The full moon is a great time for meditation, spell work and ritual, but it's also a great time to cleanse your crystals (and anything else that needs a good cleansing).  With the added umph we're getting from the eclipse, I decided it's a good time for a massive crystal cleansing. I've been meandering through the apartment for the last hour, digging out all my crystals, rocks and seashells.  These guys are getting a good bath whether they like it or not!  But first, there are a lot of different ways to cleanse crystals:

• Earth Cleansing ~ If you're lucky enough to have a yard or a bit of earth that won't be disturbed dig a whole and bury your crystals. Once buried, visualize the old, stale, negative energy being drawn out and away from your crystals. Then visualize them being filled with new, positive energies.  Leave them in the ground for at least 24 hours, allowing Mother Earth to cleanse and restore your crystals. This method is especially good for geodes. Just make sure you remember where you buried them!

• Rain Water ~ Leaving crystals outside in the rain is a great way to cleanse them.  Put them in a secure spot or in a bowl and just let them hang out in the rain.  Spend some time visualizing the old energies dripping away from them.  Don't be afraid to put them outside in a storm.  Storm energy is a great cleanser but will also give crystals a powerful charge.  Just make sure, if the storm is accompanied by strong winds, the crystals are secure and won't get blown over. 

• Running Water ~ Holding your crystals under lukewarm, running water is a quick way to cleanse them.  If you have access to a body of water like a stream or lake, you can hold your crystals in the water (hold on tight!). Visualize the stagnate, old and negative energies flowing down the drain or down stream.

• Smoke ~ Cleansing with smoke, or smudging, is another easy way to cleanse crystals.  There are a variety of cleansing herbs and incenses that can be used but I stick with sage.  Hold the crystal in the smoke and visualize the old energies being carried away in the smoke.  If possible, have a window open so the smoke can travel out and away.  

• Full Moon & Sunlight ~  This is the method I use most often, especially when cleansing a lot of crystals (I'll discuss this method in greater detail below).  Place your crystals on a windowsill or outside. Make sure they are in a spot where they will get full moonlight and sunlight.  The full moon light will cleanse the crystals and the sunlight will recharge them. Allowing crystals to spend some time in sunlight is especially beneficial for clear quartz but can cause crystals, such as rose quartz and amethyst to fade over time.  

My Crystal Cleansing Method

     I'm a city girl and can't readily perform all the cleansing practices I mentioned above.  I can't bury my crystals in the ground because I'm surrounded by concrete and the NYPD frowns upon burying things in Central Park.  Holding crystals in a stream or river isn't a possibility either, putting my hand in water around here might send me to the doctor for a tetanus shot.  Rain water is also a bit iffy, I'd rather not know what's dripping off the building along with the rain.  That leaves me with smoke cleansing and Full Moon/Sunlight.  Since I'm basically cleansing every crystal in the apartment, smoke cleansing is out the question. It will take too long and I'd like to avoid having to explain myself to the fire department (although, the firemen in my neighborhood are pretty cute, hmm...?).  So, cleansing with Moon and Sun it is!!  As long as the sun and moon are in the sky this method is pretty easy. 

What will you need?

• a bowl large enough to fit your crystals (the bowl should not be made of metal)
• salt for cleansing (not required, just my personal preference)
• rosemary (not required, just my personal preference)
• water  - I use filtered water but tap water is just fine. 

Place the salt and rosemary on the bottom of the bowl

     Why salt? Have you ever had a cyst, blister or sore throat? (I know it's gross but stick with me, there's a point, I swear.) What did your mom and grandmother tell you to do? Add salt to warm or hot water and gargle your throat or hold it on the cyst/blister with a clean cloth.  Salt draws out the impurities. It helps purify and cleanse the crystal.  A little salt is all you need, to much and it could scratch and alter the surface of the crystals.  Rosemary is included when I cleanse crystals because it has the ability draw out the negative while simultaneously drawing in the positive.


      

    Once the salt and rosemary are in the bowl you can begin placing the crystals in the bowl.  If your a crystal hoarder like myself, you may need to use multiple bowls.  When the sun sets I'll place the bowl holding the crystals, salt and rosemary outside on the fire escape.  Next, I'll add the water (this should be the final step. Walking around with a bowl full of crystals and water is a bad and messy idea. Trust me!). Now the crystals can be left to their own devises until morning, allowing Mother Moon and Father Sun to do the rest. Or, once the moon has risen, you can spend some time focusing on the crystals.  Visualize the energies that are no longer needed being pulled out of the crystals and drawn away from them.  Leave them out for the entire night and the following morning.  Transparent or brightly colored crystals (ie. rose quartz, amethyst, citrine) are at risk of fading from direct sunlight. Consider keeping them separate and bringing them in early to prevent fading.  The next morning, drain the water out of the bowl and bring all the crystals inside.  Rinse them off, removing the salt and rosemary.  Dry them and place them back where they belong in your home. The energy should feel lighter and the crystals are now cleansed and charged.

No water for these guys (except the 
coral in the middle.... oops!)

     Placing crystals in water is not always necessary and sometimes should not be done. There are crystals that will dissolve when placed in water for extended periods of time.  An easy way to remember this is 'ite'.  Most water soluble crystals end in 'ite'. You can also do a scratch test with a steel knife.  Try scratching a small area of the crystal, if the knife easily leaves a scratch avoid putting it in water.  Selenite, calcite, fluorite, sodalite, gypsum and lapis lazuli are some crystals that are water soluble.  Holding these crystals in running water for a short period of time is fine but they should not spend hours soaking in water.  Research your crystals before placing them in water or leave out the water altogether.  They will still be cleansed and recharged if placed outside without water.  




     This is the cleansing method I'm using today but remember there are multiply ways you can cleanse your crystals.  Cleansing and recharging your crystals is vital to keeping them clear and working at their highest ability.  Think about how you feel after a long shower or bath. You're cleansed, energized and ready to work and your crystals will feel the same after a good cleansing.  Don't forget to include seashells, coral and other rocks you keep around. These guys carry energy too and also appreciate a good cleansing.  Some crystals need to be treated like a Mogwai: no food after midnight and absolutely no water!  Always cleanse a crystal when you first bring it home and before working with it in a healing capacity.  Crystals hold memories and energies and we have no idea what they go through before they find their way to us.  Clearing that energy and giving the crystal a clean slate is very important.  Remember to use visualization and make sure your crystals get good and cleansed on a regular basis (whatever schedule works for you).

Happy crystal cleansing!

Bright Blessings,
~Amethyst~

Outside waiting for the Moon to rise

The Harvest Mocks Me

     My tarot cards certainly aren't timid.  This morning, before the sun came up, after a night of violent tossing and turning, I sat bleary eyed and shuffled my deck.  Before I could complete my usual regiment of shuffling and cutting, shuffling and cutting, shuffling and cutting...  a card flipped out of the deck and landed in my lap.  It was this guy.... 

Harvest  ~  The Green Witch Tarot 

    .....and at first I was confused.  I haven't exactly been in a harvesty mood (my cup runneth over but there's a bug in my drink).  Yeah, things have been murky and the last bit of tarnish on my silver lining just won't come out no matter how much I scrub.  This card represents so much... happiness, positive abundance, renewal, reward etc.  It mocked me. It reminded me of everything I've wanted and worked for and how far I still am from attaining so many of those things. You sir, with your smiling face and bountiful vegetables mock me.  As I was shoving the cards back in their bag I heard a soft message that made this cards presence in front of my face this morning make sense.  Work....

    I pulled the card out and looked at it again.  This man with a smiling face, this happy pair and their overflowing harvest.  How did they arrive in this place? What was the work behind the harvest? If I want to arrive at this place of positive abundance what is the work I have to do to get my ass there?


"....With a sense of revelation and insight comes renewed energy, but also a time of accountability or reckoning resulting from actions taken, choices made, and opportunities ignored. There may be a need for self assessment as to whether one's decisions have been beneficial or detrimental to personal growth and spiritual peace.  Some form of atonement for past actions may be initiated or forced upon oneself through the judgments of others. Along with this evaluation is the potential for a rebirth, with new insight as to direction or possible changes in one's life, and even an influx of psychic awareness and understanding through an altered state as the second harvest is celebrated with the wine of life. With revelation and insight comes renewed energy for further transformative action."  -The Green Witch Tarot Companion 


What aspect of your life needs to be reevaluated?  
Does a hard decision need to be made and, if so, are avoiding making the choice?
Have you made a bad decision and now a course adjustment is required (don't beat yourself up, shit happens)?
Your efforts will be rewarded but only if you get off your ass and get started.
Do you hold yourself accountable for all actions, both good and not so good?
Are you afraid of rebirth? If so, why (if there's something in the shadows holding you back turn around and look it dead in the eye)??
Self care/Restorative care is important. Don't be afraid to take a time out and do you.

    Nothing lasts forever, including the smile on that guys face.  His harvest was bountiful but inevitably his table will be empty and the work toward an abundant harvest will begin again.  The cycle...  Constant hard work and attention is required of the farmer to ensure this bounty and constant work and attention is needed to continue moving forward positively, creating a bountiful life.  And it seems greater challenges and obstacles find their way into our path the more we grow and our spirit expands but with each cycle through we acquire more tools to deal with the hard work that comes before the harvest.   I may not be at that table today but I'll be there again because I've sat there before. 


Work, Work, Work, Work, Work....
~A

It's Harvest Time!

     The produce aisle at the grocery store is overflowing with colorful treats from mother earth and people trying to pick a good piece of fruit.  The days are hot and steamy and

farmer's markets are sprouting up in empty parking lots and city side walks.  Sweet corn signs are everywhere, the line for fresh baked bread goes on for days and sunflowers the size of your head are sold by the bushel. We've reached the halfway point between summer solstice and the autumn equinox.  It's time for Lughnasadh, the first harvest.  Pronounced loo-nah-sa, the Celtic Sun God Lugh (Loo) is honored at this time. There are many spelling variations and different names for this sabbat.  Lunasa is the Gaelic word for the sabbat and the month of August.  Other names for the sabbat are August Eve, First Harvest and Lammas. Lammas is a common name and it means "loaf-mass" most likely because of the grains harvested at this time and subsequent bread making.  Native American traditions refer to this time as the Festival of Green Corn and honor the Corn Grandmother.

     The first of three harvests (followed by Mabon and Samhain), a major theme for this sabbat is abundance.  It's a hard trend to miss because it's everywhere you look.  Gardens are teaming with bright flowers, farms head into overdrive to bring in the harvest and there is a lot to choose from. Grains, corn, fruits and veggies, abundance is everywhere.  At this time of year, we also begin our farewell to the sun.  Nights have come earlier since the summer solstice and the shorter days are more noticeable now.  Despite the raging heat we experience now, this is the beginning of the end of summer. 

     

Lughnasadh Colors 

Gold 

Green

Brown

Orange

Yellow

White

Themes

Abundance 

Fertility 

Gratitude 

Harvest 

Renewal 

Regrets and Farewells

Not that Sirius...

...This Sirius

     Random Fact:  I'm sure you've probably heard the term Dog Days of Summer, right?  Ever wonder where it came from??  It's all Sirius' fault.  Sirius is part of the constellation Canis Major or Big Dog and it's one of Orion's hunting dogs.  At this time of year, when Sirius rises with the sun, ancient Romans and Greeks believed Sirius (from the Greek word seirios meaning scorcher or glowing) added fuel to the sun's fire causing more heat to beat down on them.  Ancient Egyptians recognized that the Nile's flooding season began when Sirius showed up and this marked the beginning of the fertile season in the valleys.  

     So it's Lughnasadh, what are you gonna do? Here are some ideas:

Corn Dolly 

• Go on a nature walk
• Wander through a farmer's market 
• Bake some bread
• Make corn dollies
• Volunteer at a local farm
• By some extra fruits and veggies for someone that may not be able to afford them
• Bring home some sunflowers
• Throw a potluck dinner party
• Get your hands dirty with some gardening
• Reflect on where you are in life: what have you been working on? Is it flourishing or do you need to rework your plans?  
• Take time for gratitude and count your blessings. You're probably way more blessed than you realize. Here's a simple gratitude exercise for Lughnasadh.

• You'll need a candle (preferably one of the colors mentioned above), a pen and paper or journal, a jar and some kernels of corn (You can use anything related to the season. Kernels are just a suggestion.)
• Light the candle and spend some breathing deeply and reflecting.
• Then, count your blessings.  Really go deep and express everything you are grateful for. Say them out loud. Each one counts as a kernel and should be added to the jar.  Eventually the jar will begin to fill up and you'll start to see there is much more in your life to be grateful for than you may have realized.  Keep the jar and continue to add to it during the harvest season.
• Once you're done with the jar spend some time journaling, focusing on the themes of Lughnasadh. 
• You can do this with your family, group or alone.

For more information check out these books: 

• The Wiccan Year  by: Judy Ann Nock
• Seasons of Witchery  by: Ellen Dugan
• Sabbats  by: Edain McCoy 

     Enjoy the remaining days of summer and the first harvest. Remember, all that dies shall be reborn.  

~Blessed Be

We All Come From The Goddess/Hoof and Horn

This is one of my favorite chants for this time of year. 

I find myself humming/singing it all the time during the harvest season.

~BB~

Amethyst 

PS ~ If the title of this post reminded you of a certain 90's movie then my work here is done.  **Cackles and drops her book of shadows**

Decisions, Decisions

Sitting at work, so early in the morning and I want to be anywhere but here. This work isn't my passion. Work doesn't fill my heart or ignite my imagination. Suddenly all the things that do fill me up and set me aflame rushed into my mind. I felt pulled toward my cards (I always have a deck in my bag obvs) and drew a card while no one was looking. Of course, the card that jumped out is the 7 of cups. The fairies are literally pulling her hair toward the answer or begging to make a decision (shit or get off the pot/cauldron witch).

When you are lost in daydreams where do you go and is that where you really want to be?

If so, what does the map to that place look like?
What choice do you make for yourself in this moment?

Prioritize. What comes first? What can wait?

Don't spend so much time staring at the choices before you that you forget to make a decision.

Summer Solstice ~ Litha

  

    


     Summer Solstice or Midsummer is much more than just the longest day of the year.  This day has deep, magickal roots all over the world and has been celebrated by a myriad of cultures for centuries. A solar/fire festival, Midsummer is a celebration of light, the powers of the Sun and the coming abundance of Mother Earth.  Summer Solstice (I tend to interchange the terms Midsummer and Summer Solstice) occurs around June 20th - June 21st when the Sun enters the zodiac sign Cancer. The longest day and shortest night happens on Summer Solstice day, bringing the Sun to the height of its power.  Although the hottest days of summer are still ahead of us, the Summer Solstice marks the end of the light half of the year and the beginning of the dark half of the year (the days slowly start to get shorter as the sun sets earlier each evening).  Midsummer has many names including:

• Summer Solstice and Midsummer 
• Litha
• Feast of Epona (ancient Gaul)
• All Couple's Day (Greece)
• Vastalia (ancient Rome)
• Gathering Day (Wales)
• Feill-Sheathain (Scotland)
• Thing-Tide (Scandinavia)

  

    Because of the power this day (and the days surrounding the Solstice) holds, it's a great time to perform spell work for protection, fertility, abundance, renewal, love and cleansing.  Nature is growing and blooming at every turn.  The Summer Solstice gives us wee mortals a chance to revel in the beauty of nature and celebrate all that Mother Earth gives us.  Midsummer is generally a time to party, feast and get down with your bad self at a community or family gathering (these ancient gatherings took place at Midsummer and are the root of what we now know as family reunions which usually take place in June.) Mother Earth likes a good a party too. Use the power of the Summer Solstice to:

•  Honor and commune with the fairy kingdom (Leave the fairies an offering of food ie. milk, honey, butter, wine, bread etc)
• Garden witchery (make a fairy garden and kill 2 birds with 1 stone)
• Herbal and garden magick
• Invite a bunch of pagan folk over and make the most of the sunshine with outdoor ritual followed by a rowdy picnic/bbq
• Gather fresh herbs and hang them to dry (Vervain was traditionally gathered before dawn on Midsummer and pine cones gathered on the day are considered powerful protection amulets.)
• Harness the protective power of the sun and make protection amulets.  Next year, bury the amulet on Midsummer Eve and make a new one on Midsummer Day.

     

     Although all Sabbats are associated with fire in some way, this element is most important and honored at Midsummer because of the hot sun.  Balefires have been a prominent component of Midsummer for centuries and continue to be lit today.  Traditionally, a balefire was lit on the eve of Midsummer, burned/tended to throughout the day of Midsummer and then allowed to burn out. Summer Solstice activities (feasting, spell work, etc.) took place around the balefire making it the focal point of the day (symbolic of the sun's extended stay in the sky).  In some traditions, all lights in the home were extinguished and re-lit using torches lit from the balefire to bring the power of the sun into the home.  Farmers sometimes lit two fires side by side and walked their livestock between them. This practice had two purposes: 1. the smoke purified the livestock while the fire offered symbolic protection. 2. the heat from the fire caused pests like ticks to fall off the animals.  Once the balefire has gone out the ashes that are left behind are sprinkled in the fields to bless the crops and bring fertility.  The most important thing to note about fire during Midsummer is its similarities to the sun. Fire can cook your food, heat your home, light the way, burn you, and purify.  The sun provides warmth, provides plants with energy to grow and thrive, lights the way, heats you up and can give you one hell of a burn if you're not careful.  There are countless activities that can be done during Midsummer that include fire/sun:

• Light a bonfire. If a bonfire is too extreme, make a fire pit. If you're like me and don't have access to a yard, then use your cauldron. Light a few gold and green candles (gold represents the sun and green represents nature) in your cauldron.
• A simple spell to release that which no longer serves you: write down what you want to release on a peace of paper and throw it into the fire. 
• Place votive candles in a dish with some water.  The floating votives are pretty, provide some ambiance, and can also double as a scrying tool.
• Do some candle magick
• Practice safe sunbathing and work on your tan a bit
• When the sun begins to set, light sparklers and dance with the fireflies.

Summer Solstice folklore: June is a popular month for people to get hitched.  Ancient societies believed it was bad luck to marry in the month of May because this time belonged to the God and Goddess (Beltane). May is the month of sacred marriage between the Goddess and God, so people waited until June to walk down the aisle.  A nursery rhyme/old poem reflects this belief in its lyrics: 

"Married when the year is new, he'll be loving, kind & true,

When February birds do mate, You wed nor dread your fate.

If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll know.

Marry in April when you can, Joy for Maiden & for Man.

Marry in the month of May, and you'll surely rue the day.

Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea you'll go. (or and happiness you'll always know)

Those who in July do wed, must labour for their daily bred.

Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see

Marry in September's shrine, your living will be rich and fine.

If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry.

If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember.

When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last."

Summer Solstice/Midsummer is a powerful time during the wheel of the year. Work on your tan, reflect on the light half of the year, make plans for the dark half or have a few rowdy companions over for a bbq, fire pit and sparklers.  Spend some time thinking of all that Mother Nature provides and the harvest that is still to come.  Create a fairy garden or an amulet to protect your home, property, animals or yourself (these could be good projects for the kids).  It doesn't matter what you do as long as you enjoy the longest day of the year!! 

Brightest of Blessings to you all, 

~Amethyst~

Sources:

Sabbats: A Witch's Approach To Living The Old Ways   by: Edain McCoy    (great book!)

Seasons of Witchery: Celebrating The Sabbats With The Garden Witch   by: Ellen Dugan 

Herb Talk ~ Lavender

     

     We're more than halfway thru the month of April and I'm itching to get outside and play in the dirt.  I'm anxiously waiting for the nights to warm up so the jungle in my house can be relocated to the patio for the spring and summer months.  I've also decided that Lavender is going to be one the new additions to that jungle so I thought I'd discuss it in this addition of Herb Talk. Lavender (Lavendula officinale) is a member of the mint family and there are 39 known species of Lavender.  Spike, Nard, Elf Leaf and Nardis are some of the folk names for Lavender.  Its ruling planets are Mercury and Jupiter.  Lavender is a masculine herb and it is associated with the element of Air. 

This is a Lavender sachet that I keep in my pillow. 

It's Lavender with a few red rose petals added in. I've had trouble sleeping for my entire life and putting this simple sachet in my pillow has really helped.

Lavender is high on my list of must have herbs and is always present in the exploding herb cabinet. It has a strong and unmistakable scent and its purple coloring makes it appealing to the eye.  One of Lavenders' main magickal uses is in spell work regarding love. To attract love using Lavender: 

• Write love notes on paper that has been rubbed with Lavender oil.
• Spray clothing with Lavender scent.
• Put Lavender sachets in drawers with clothes to make them smell good and attract love.
• Mix Lavender, rose and mint to create a powerful love/attraction formula.

Lavender is also a relaxing, purifying and cleansing herb.  It will calm your nerves, help you sleep and can be used for healing purposes.  Scatter around the house to create peacefulness and plant outside your home for peace and protection.  Burn Lavender to find your way to dream land (I sleep with Lavender sachets in my pillows and it helps this insomniac get to sleep.)  Mixing Lavender with chamomile and making a tea will also help alleviate insomnia.  Smell some Lavender the next time your feeling a little blue or anxious  and your mood will instantly elevate.  Lavender is also a natural antiseptic/astringent.  When you have a minor skin ailment (bug bit, sunburn, small cut etc) use Lavender oil to take the sting out and help get rid of the germs.  Lavender is also considered lucky so add it to a mixture to add some extra umphhh.

Interesting Tidbit:  The scent of Lavender attracts men.  Lavender water and/or the essential oil was worn by prostitutes centuries ago to attract customers and to advertise their profession.

Will Lavender kill me??

Lavender flower is not toxic and won't kill you.  Lavender is used frequently in teas especially teas intended to relax and help someone sleep.  It is also used for cooking and baking in some parts of the world.  Lavender flowers can be candied and used as decorations on baked goods.  There is also Lavender sugar (and it's yummy).  To make Lavender sugar you'll need:

• 4 tablespoons dried lavender flowers
• 3 cups sugar

Place Lavender and sugar in a food processor. Pulse to mix evenly, and until you see flecks of lavender evenly distributed throughout the sugar.  (Thank You Whole Foods!)

Although the Lavender plant is o.k. to ingest the oil is poisonous and should not be ingested! A few drops in the bath is one thing but don't put it in your tea.***

So Lavender is amazing herb.  The smell of it is it relaxing and its also visually appealing.  Use it for purification and cleansing purposes and put some in your pillow to help you sleep.  No neosporin?? Lavender oil can be used in a pinch when you have bug bite or sunburn.  Keep it in and around your home to promote peacefulness and provide protection. Use it in your love drawing mixtures and if your a lady of the evening dab some behind your ears.

Bright Blessings,

~Amethyst~

***I am not a doctor and I don't play one on TV. Do your research before you consume any herbs via potions etc.

Sources: Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by: Scott Cunningham
The Encyclopedia of Magickal Ingredients by: Lexa Rosean

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2367

Mother Moon

Greeted by Mother Moon as I walked into work this morning.  #fullmoon #pinkmoon #moon #sunrise #moonset 

Magickal Aha

   


     I was 14 years old when The Craft was released. I've seen it so many times I could close my eyes and watch it on the back of my eyelids without missing a scene. By the time the movie was out in theaters I was already hiding witchy/pagan/magickal books under my bed, far away from judgmental eyes. I learned a lot from that movie: don't mess with someone's free will, if a night on the beach with friends causes marine life to wash ashore it's time for new friends and make sure your mom is asleep before you start trying to levitate your friends.  The most important thing I learned was that:         

"The only good or bad is in the heart of the witch."

     I was so struck by Lirio's (dope name) words and I've carried them with me since the first time I heard her say them.  Truth be told, a lot of those books hiding out under my teenage bed weren't very good.  At that stage in my studies of witchcraft I didn't know any better and I was just grabbing any book with the word witch on it.  So many of them drew a deep line right down the center of magick. There was white magick and black magick (I disliked those terms right from the start), pick one and use it. You could either be Glinda or Bellatrix.  Lirio's words were an AHA moment (for lack of a better phrase...  no seriously, I'm sorry) for that 14 year old novice. Magick was everywhere and it was neutral.  It would go wherever I directed it with whatever intention I attached.  The realization was freeing and also a warning. I was in control but I had to be careful with my words, actions and intentions.  

"Careful girls, you don't want to end up like Nancy."

     It was an unexpected moment at a movie theater in some mall in New Jersey.  In the years since, I've come to expect and have even grown accustomed to odd synchronicities and regular whacks in the head from the universe.  Did you have one of these moments early on in your magickal life?  What was the lesson? How did it present itself?  Tell me in comments!  <3 

BB

~A

Squad Goals...  minus the crazy

Book Review: Numerology, Plain and Simple

     Numbers and I have never been friends. Math class was my worst fear growing up and it took tutors, extra credit and regular begging to the math gods to get me through it with a passing grade.  I've always been better with words.  History, literature, philosophy etc were always my preference and once I passed my last math class (a requirement to graduate college) I was sure that numbers and I were done for good.  Goods Gods, was I wrong.  It turns out you not only need math as an adult but sometimes studying numbers can be fun.  **Enter Numerology**   If you google the meaning of numerology this is the definition you'll find: 

1. 

   
   

     That's a pretty short description for an incredibly broad topic that dates back to 5th century BC or thereabouts.  Numerology, Plain and Simple is the latest in the Plain and Simple series and provides a good starting point for those unafraid of the numbers and interested in studying numerology.  The author, Anne Christie, has written a number of books (see what I did there.... haha... **clears throat**  sorry) on varying topics including numerology, astrology and Egyptian magick.  Numerology, Plain an Simple begins with a brief history of numerology, offering information about Pythagoras, Kabbalah and early correlations between letters and numbers.  After that, make sure you have pencil and paper handy because the rest of the book is spent exploring different methods and equations of numerology. You'll discover everything from your Name Number, Heart Number and Karmic Number.  

By the end of this book I discovered that:   

• My name number is 5 and the description of 5 people is fairly accurate.
• My personality number is a 9 and the description was again, fairly accurate. 
• It's possible to calculate the  compatibility of a relationship (romantic, business etc) using numerology
• Numerology can be used for predictions, for both long-term and short-term forecasts.
• Use numerology on your home or business address and see how those numbers affect your life.    

     If you're looking for extensive, in depth history and explanations you won't find it in this book. With its modest 150 pages, Numerology, Plain and Simple is just that... short, sweet and to the point. This is not "the only book you'll ever need" if you decide to take your Numerology education further but it's a great starting point.  Well written and organized, Anne Christie's book is the perfect starter book for anyone interested in the realm of numerology.  Numerology, Plain and Simple is published by Red Wheel/Weiser Books and can be purchased here.



Brightest Blessings, 
A