Happy Ostara

Ostara is my favorite Sabbat.  And I am certainly not the only one (even though my basic practice is rooted in Celtic beliefs with an overlay of Bast).  Like many pagans my practice is somewhat eclectic but I still honor the strong traditions that allowed the Sabbats to survive.

 Ostara has survived through the ages.  The goddess' name Eostre evolved into Easter to suit the Christian movement through the world, but the importance of a spring celebration never changes.  The symbols of spring that are sacred to Eostre, the hare and the egg are still symbols of this celebration even if most Christian celebrants to not realize their origins or meaning. 
Symbols and rituals handed down through the ages have survived to be enjoyed in modern times in our re-establishment of old beliefs.  

Enjoy and celebrate as Eostre drags spring back into our lives.
Open all the windows and smudge and sweep all the trapped negativity out into the world to disperse and disappear.   Find early spring food to enjoy, try a light wine, wine cooler, wine punch.  Or fresh citrus drinks.  Celebrate the new in your life. 
Make an altar or a wreath to honor Eostre and make it the center of your celebration.
I made this wreath a few years ago and have not felt the urge to replace it since.  It will hang in the house today and after today I will hang it on the front door to welcome the season. 

Welcome Eostre and Welcome Spring

March Full Moon, Chaste Moon

The March Moon is the Moon of innocence and new beginnings.  It heralds the arrival of spring and is the Full Moon preceding Ostara.  Celebrate the coming of spring.  Plan your herbal garden, bless the seeds of the herbs you are about to plant.  Other new beginnings should be looked for.... a new relationship, a new job, new energy, a new pet, new travel.  All are new beginnings and fit into a celebration of spring.  Pick something 'new' that you anticipate or need in your life and build your Full Moon ritual around it.  Ask the Elements for help in creating this new beginning.
Ostara is March 20.

February Full Moon, Storm Moon

 Full Moon is tonight, February 7 at 4:54pm EST

Brigid under a Full Moon

This post is partly new and partly a previous post.  I found the bath and meditation reminder and it is exactly what I need at this time, so I thought that I would share it again.

The picture of Brigid is a reminder that Imbolc was less than a week away.  Keep in mind the changes that are taking place within the earth and how they are going to impact your life very soon.

The February Full Moon is also known as the Storm Moon as used to be a time of extreme hardship.  Cold weather, big storms, short days, diminishing food supplies.  Keep this in mind if you work magick this month.  Take that same determination that was essential for survival and use it to solve a big issue in your life.  Add the strength and power of our ancestors to your work.

If you are looking for guidance in the coming month get out your Tarot cards, Runes, Pendulums, Crystals or whatever other tools you use and ask your questions about the coming months.  You do not have to be a psychic to make use of these magickal tools.  Regular use of these items can help you establish a closer and clearer relationship with your spiritual guides.  They help to clear your mind and stop all that negative chatter from fouling up your attempts to solve problems or learn new things.

This is also the time to get out your list that you wrote for the ritual of the New Moon.  Cross out the things that have resolved themselves.  Keep the list until the next New Moon ritual, but at that time, throw away the list and create a new one on a new page.

Full Moon is, of course, a time that magical people of all traditions gather to honor the Goddess, or reflect on the universal energy or offer respect to local Gods and Goddesses.
If you do not have access to a Coven,  a Grove, a Kindred, a Clan or another gathering and you feel that a community ritual would suit you best, look for the nearest Unitarian Church.  Chances are they are holding a Circle tonight.

Along with ritual, this is a good time for relieving stress, teaching your body to relax, using meditation and essential oils can calm the mind and body and make the stresses of life easier to handle. 
Try a simple cleansing/relaxing bath as part of your ritual today.   Substitute or leave out ingredients to make use of what you have at hand.  Lavender is relaxing to the mind and body and citrus is cleansing.
Mix:
one cup of powered milk
half cup of epsom salts
half cup of sea salt
8 drops of lavender essential oil
4 drops lemon essential oil
Mix and pour into running bath water

I turn off the electric lights, light a candle and do a meditation while I am soaking in the heat and wonderful feelings from this bath.

Full Moon Blessing to you

Imbolc

Imbolc is a fire festival, usually celebrated on the 1st or 2nd of February.  It is the midway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.  The first signs of spring can be found at this point in the Wheel; lambing season is about to start, the earliest spring flowers are starting to peek from the earth. 
I live along one of the main migratory paths for birds and many many flocks are seen daily, flying north with great speed and determination. 
Besides the turning of the Wheel, Imbolc also celebrates the powers of Brigid.  Brigid is supposed to walk the earth again during Imbolc.  You can petition her for some of her healing powers by leaving an article of clothing outside overnight.  If she touches the article, it will help you with your healing powers and knowledge.
Imbolc is our proof that the Wheel is turning and spring is on its way.

apologies for missing Esbats

I don't know if I have mentioned it here, but I am making a living training horses and after a lifetime of not being injured by horses I have managed to get hurt twice in the last year.
This time was January 2 and probably thanks to the mud and ice I ended up only bruised and sore and not blogging much for several weeks.
I just realized yesterday that I was about to miss the New Moon and did a quick ritual late last night.  If you also missed it, it was only yesterday so go ahead and do a New Moon ritual and set the tone for the next month.
The next Full Moon is in February, but in between is Imbolc.  One of my favorite days of the year, regardless of the weather it brings spring.  I will be posting information on Imbolc which is celebrated on the 1st or 2nd.

Happy Holidays!

I don't even notice that this is a commercial for beer. Every frame of this lovely minute is a classic holiday greeting card. Enjoy! and enjoy this holiday week.

December New Moon in Capricorn

 New Moon in Capricorn, December 24, 2011 at 1:07pm EST. 


If you are trying to develop some new habits of manifesting and appreciating and you have not tried this ritual yet, now would be an good time.  The next Full Moon is near the beginning of the new year, an excellent time to take stock and offer thanks.

This is also an excellent time to do some cleansing; cleanse your ritual tools, cleanse the whole house with a sage and lemon grass smudge. 
Crystals are often overlooked and they pick up energy from anyone who handles them and can become less effective when you want them for healing or ritual.
Hibiscus Moon offers a video demonstrating several different ways to clean your crystals HERE.


================================================================== 


repeating New Moon ritual






You will need:

One candle to honor the Goddess in her new moon, blue or white is nice, any color is fine. I have a large pale blue/green candle that I use for all moon rituals.

Incense or sage for cleansing the area.

A small unused notebook and a pen.

Four items to honor the elements.
I sometimes use:
a small bottle of sand for the element of earth
a feather for the element of air
a red candle for the element of fire
a small cup of water for the element of water

When I am in a candle mood I use candles for the elements:
brown or green for earth
yellow or pink for air
red or orange for fire
blue or white for water


Cleanse the area with incense or sage. I create sacred space by simply grounding and centering and visualizing an area around myself filled with energy, closed to random or chaotic spirits and open only to those I invite.

Call the Elements.
I start with Earth. If you are using candles, light them as you call each Element.
Calling them can be as simple as 'I call the Element of Earth to attend and add energy to this sacred space' or as elaborate as you wish.

After calling the Elements, take a moment to honor Goddess, ask her to look favorably on this ritual that you offer up to her and light the candle for her.

Take a few minutes to sit quietly. Reach out to the Elements for additional energy and power. Fill the space around you with their power and energy and reflect on the new moon as an opportunity for new beginnings. An opportunity that we are offered over and over again.

Take your notebook and write something along the lines of:
I will manifest these things that I desire and need in my life and I will do so without harm to anyone else.

Then begin to write down what you need to create in your life. It can be a few things or many. Large or small, tangible or not.

Concentrate on manifesting these things in your life without harming anyone else.

Release the energy that you have created with this work and send it out into the universe to do your bidding.

Thank the Goddess for her presence in your life and put out her candle.

Thank the Elements for loaning you their energy and ask them to return to their own realms, putting out their candles (if any).

Bring yourself back to normal time/space, ground the energy creating your sacred space.
_____________________________

On the full moon take your notebook and cross off any items that have manifested in your life since the new moon. On the next new moon create a new list, leaving off the things that have already arrived. Do not just cross off and add to the old list, each new moon write down the new list.

On her blog Liz has a cleansing ritual bath that would be a wonderful way to prepare for this ritual. Check it out at Lizzie's Logic.

Blessed Solstice

And for those of you celebrating the Summer Solstice - Happy Litha!!!

Solstice

Sunrise today  7:17
Sunset today  4:38
(Denver CO)

Winter Solstice (Yule) is a very special Sabbat for me. I find myself slowing down as the days get shorter and colder, I can nearly come to a halt around Solstice. The return of the sun and the promise of another year creates energy for many of us, including me.

This is the Drumming up the Sun gathering at Red Rocks outside Denver. This one was several years ago. Tomorrow morning pagans and mystics of all types will gather again in the dark and the cold to greet the return of the sun. A ritual passed down through the eons in many different forms that survives all attempts to diminish it.

how is your holiday season going?

Noland Comics on Facebook

December Full Moon, Oak Moon

Also called the Cold Moon. 
The Full Moon reigns supreme in this time before the solstice as we approach the longest nights of the year.  This is a good time for ritual concentrating on the Moon. 
This is also a good time for winding up unfinished projects, letting go of grievances and losses and focus on the coming year. 
Winter Solstice is on the 22nd.

spam and spam and spam

You would not believe how much spam has been generated by the little blog post over a year ago titled  House Cleaning Witchy Style.  Fortunately Blogger has caught them, at least many of them, I haven't actually checked the post comments for a long time.  I am willing to bet that of the companies trying to use this post as a launch point for their ad, MOST of them have not read the post - they would probably be horrified.
LOL - just had to share.  What has drawn the most spam on your blog?

December New Moon

Sagittarius New Moon at 1:10 am EST
I have been posting our repeating New Moon Ritual, but honestly I have not been keeping up with it myself.  I just started a workout program, recently started changing my diet, reorganized my work life with a better schedule.  I am ready for good changes in my life and I am going to commit to this ritual.
If you are seeking change in your life, join me.

______________________________________________

repeating New Moon ritual






You will need:

One candle to honor the Goddess in her new moon, blue or white is nice, any color is fine. I have a large pale blue/green candle that I use for all moon rituals.

Incense or sage for cleansing the area.

A small unused notebook and a pen.

Four items to honor the elements.
I sometimes use:
a small bottle of sand for the element of earth
a feather for the element of air
a red candle for the element of fire
a small cup of water for the element of water

When I am in a candle mood I use candles for the elements:
brown or green for earth
yellow or pink for air
red or orange for fire
blue or white for water


Cleanse the area with incense or sage. I create sacred space by simply grounding and centering and visualizing an area around myself filled with energy, closed to random or chaotic spirits and open only to those I invite.

Call the Elements.
I start with Earth. If you are using candles, light them as you call each Element.
Calling them can be as simple as 'I call the Element of Earth to attend and add energy to this sacred space' or as elaborate as you wish.

After calling the Elements, take a moment to honor Goddess, ask her to look favorably on this ritual that you offer up to her and light the candle for her.

Take a few minutes to sit quietly. Reach out to the Elements for additional energy and power. Fill the space around you with their power and energy and reflect on the new moon as an opportunity for new beginnings. An opportunity that we are offered over and over again.

Take your notebook and write something along the lines of:
I will manifest these things that I desire and need in my life and I will do so without harm to anyone else.

Then begin to write down what you need to create in your life. It can be a few things or many. Large or small, tangible or not.

Concentrate on manifesting these things in your life without harming anyone else.

Release the energy that you have created with this work and send it out into the universe to do your bidding.

Thank the Goddess for her presence in your life and put out her candle.

Thank the Elements for loaning you their energy and ask them to return to their own realms, putting out their candles (if any).

Bring yourself back to normal time/space, ground the energy creating your sacred space.
_____________________________

On the full moon take your notebook and cross off any items that have manifested in your life since the new moon. On the next new moon create a new list, leaving off the things that have already arrived. Do not just cross off and add to the old list, each new moon write down the new list.

On her blog Liz has a cleansing ritual bath that would be a wonderful way to prepare for this ritual. Check it out at Lizzie's Logic.

November Full Moon - Snow Moon

The Full Moon in Scorpio-Taurus is on November 10 at 3:16 pm EST

The November Full Moon is often known as the Snow Moon, Beaver Moon or Tree Moon.
This is a time of year to strengthen bonds with family and friends.  The winter is coming and depending on others used to be necessary for survival.  This is an old attitude that perhaps we should rely on more.

This is a good time of year for divination, remember that at Samhain the curtain was at its thinnest, that hasn't suddenly changed.  Get out your Tarot cards, Runes, Pendulums, Crystals or whatever other tools you use and ask for guidance in the coming months.

Full Moon is, of course, a time that magical people of all traditions gather to honor the Goddess, or reflect on the universal energy or offer respect to local Gods and Goddesses.
If you do not have access to a Coven,  a Grove, a Kindred, a Clan or another gathering and you feel that a community ritual would suit you best, look for the nearest Unitarian Church.  Chances are they are holding a Circle tonight.

Along with ritual, this is a good time for relieving stress, teaching your body to relax, using meditation and essential oils can calm the mind and body and make the stresses of life easier to handle. 
Try a simple cleansing/relaxing bath as part of your ritual today.   Substitute or leave out ingredients to make use of what you have at hand.  Lavender is relaxing to the mind and body and citrus is cleansing.
Mix:
one cup of powered milk
half cup of espsom salts
half cup of sea salt
8 drops of lavender essential oil
4 drops lemon essential oil
Mix and pour into running bath water

I turn off the electric lights, light a candle and do a meditation while I am soaking in the heat and wonderful feelings from this bath.

Full Moon Blessing to you

A guest post by T.Thorn Coyle

A post on The Wild Hunt, just in case you missed it...

Guest Post: Theology in Motion

feeling stuck?

Here is a quick checklist on directing your thinking to enable you

to manifest what you need 

instead of dwelling on the opposite.

Manifest Anything

Our thoughts create our reality, don't let yours run amok.

Samhain

The Brits called her Morgan Le Fay, the Celts called her Morrigan. She was the ruler of the Isle of Avalon and the death Goddess. "The ambivalence with which she is traditionally represented echoes our own fear of her deep and ancient wisdom." Michael Babcock
It seems fitting to think of her on Samhain.  I don't recommend calling on the Morrigan on this night for special favors unless you already have a relationship with her, but a recognition of her power and her connection to our rituals this night would be appropriate.

Samhein, Samhain, Samhuiin, Halloween, All Hallow's Eve, Oiche Shamhna, Nos Calan Gaeaf, Hallowmas, All Saints Day, Hollantide. Those are just some of the names from the British Isles. The day to honor the dead is known around the world and is usually at this time of year.

What we call the thinning of the veil between worlds is a force that people from ancient times have felt and honored. Even the Catholic Church at the height of its power in Europe could not stamp out this festival and had to settle for co-opting it. It is a powerful, mystical time of the year.

In Celtic lore, the Great Horned God dies at Samhein and passes into the underworld. He will be reborn at Yule and the Wheel will turn again. The Goddess is now seen in her Crone aspect, healer and destroyer as the winter progresses.

This is the end of a  year. It is a time to look back on the year just passed, honor the dead who have crossed over during this year and take accounting of our own lives. It is a time to be honest with ourselves about what we have accomplished or failed to accomplish and what we want to do in the coming year.
Not in the way of making resolutions that has become a silly game played on January 1st, but a real committment to move forward with our lives.
In the last few years I have begun celebrating Samhain as the end of the year and the Winter Solstice as the beginning of the next year.  The time in between is for meditating and thinking and making plans for the future.  It is a quiet time of the year in nature and I try to take advantage of that and quiet down my own life, my thoughts and my energy. 

Celebrate Samhain with an acknowledgement of the thinning of the veil, send thoughts, requests or just good feelings to those that you know who have passed to the other side and might be listening on this evening.   I will set an extra place at the dinner table tonight just in case a passing spirit wants to stay for a while and be included in an earthly ritual.

Other than the spiritual side of the day, there is also, Trick or Treat, costume parties, time to act silly and see how you look in black and orange, pumpkin carving, corn mazes, haunted houses (the fake kind), and at least locally, the Witches Ball.

Have fun and be safe.

(reposted with some editing from 2008)

October New Moon

New Moon in Scorpio on October 26, 2011 at 3:56pm EDT

If you are having some financial woes, try this chant on this New Moon to help get you going again.  


On the night of a dark Moon, stand facing the North and say 3 times 3 this chant as you toss a fist full of Tea up into the air. By the next full moon you will have gained the money you desire.

“Money hearken and hear my plea,
I need money to come to me.
Bring thee money to my stead,
Money to buy a loaf of bread.”

By the next full moon you will have gained the money you desire.

You don’t have to use the last verse if you don’t feel it suits your thoughts or purpose in the magick. But it is a very old chant from generations passed and I find they understand my desires for whatever the need be.

by: Lady Abigail
All rights reserved under the US copyright laws and statues.
Copyright © 12312003
Thanks to Lady Abigail for her permission to publish this information

________________________________________________________________________________________________
And our repeating New Moon ritual:






You will need:

One candle to honor the Goddess in her new moon, blue or white is nice, any color is fine. I have a large pale blue/green candle that I use for all moon rituals.

Incense or sage for cleansing the area.

A small unused notebook and a pen.

Four items to honor the elements.
I sometimes use:
a small bottle of sand for the element of earth
a feather for the element of air
a red candle for the element of fire
a small cup of water for the element of water

When I am in a candle mood I use candles for the elements:
brown or green for earth
yellow or pink for air
red or orange for fire
blue or white for water


Cleanse the area with incense or sage. I create sacred space by simply grounding and centering and visualizing an area around myself filled with energy, closed to random or chaotic spirits and open only to those I invite.

Call the Elements.
I start with Earth. If you are using candles, light them as you call each Element.
Calling them can be as simple as 'I call the Element of Earth to attend and add energy to this sacred space' or as elaborate as you wish.

After calling the Elements, take a moment to honor Goddess, ask her to look favorably on this ritual that you offer up to her and light the candle for her.

Take a few minutes to sit quietly. Reach out to the Elements for additional energy and power. Fill the space around you with their power and energy and reflect on the new moon as an opportunity for new beginnings. An opportunity that we are offered over and over again.

Take your notebook and write something along the lines of:
I will manifest these things that I desire and need in my life and I will do so without harm to anyone else.

Then begin to write down what you need to create in your life. It can be a few things or many. Large or small, tangible or not.

Concentrate on manifesting these things in your life without harming anyone else.

Release the energy that you have created with this work and send it out into the universe to do your bidding.

Thank the Goddess for her presence in your life and put out her candle.

Thank the Elements for loaning you their energy and ask them to return to their own realms, putting out their candles (if any).

Bring yourself back to normal time/space, ground the energy creating your sacred space.
_____________________________

On the full moon take your notebook and cross off any items that have manifested in your life since the new moon. On the next new moon create a new list, leaving off the things that have already arrived. Do not just cross off and add to the old list, each new moon write down the new list.

On her blog Liz has a cleansing ritual bath that would be a wonderful way to prepare for this ritual. Check it out at Lizzie's Logic.

October Full Moon

Full moon at 10:06pm EDT

The weather is still mild, if possible go outside tonight and enjoy the power of the Full Moon.  A Full Moon Ritual does not need to be anything elaborate or take a lot of planning.  Light a candle, say hello to the Goddess, meditate in the light of the Moon.  Big elaborate rituals are great events, but just taking time to bow out of the modern world for a few minutes and share the wonder that people have felt for thousands of years when they watch the Full Moon can be a wonderful, powerful experience.
Many of us associate the Moon with the presence of Goddess, take a minute and tell her so.

Repeating New Moon Ritual

New Moon on September 27 at 7:09am EDT 

I am still doing this repeating New Moon ritual.  I just love it.  To me it is the perfect way to celebrate the cycle of cleansing, renewal and stepping forward.





You will need:

One candle to honor the Goddess in her new moon, blue or white is nice, any color is fine. I have a large pale blue/green candle that I use for all moon rituals.

Incense or sage for cleansing the area.

A small unused notebook and a pen.

Four items to honor the elements.
I sometimes use:
a small bottle of sand for the element of earth
a feather for the element of air
a red candle for the element of fire
a small cup of water for the element of water

When I am in a candle mood I use candles for the elements:
brown or green for earth
yellow or pink for air
red or orange for fire
blue or white for water


Cleanse the area with incense or sage. I create sacred space by simply grounding and centering and visualizing an area around myself filled with energy, closed to random or chaotic spirits and open only to those I invite.

Call the Elements.
I start with Earth. If you are using candles, light them as you call each Element.
Calling them can be as simple as 'I call the Element of Earth to attend and add energy to this sacred space' or as elaborate as you wish.

After calling the Elements, take a moment to honor Goddess, ask her to look favorably on this ritual that you offer up to her and light the candle for her.

Take a few minutes to sit quietly. Reach out to the Elements for additional energy and power. Fill the space around you with their power and energy and reflect on the new moon as an opportunity for new beginnings. An opportunity that we are offered over and over again.

Take your notebook and write something along the lines of:
I will manifest these things that I desire and need in my life and I will do so without harm to anyone else.

Then begin to write down what you need to create in your life. It can be a few things or many. Large or small, tangible or not.

Concentrate on manifesting these things in your life without harming anyone else.

Release the energy that you have created with this work and send it out into the universe to do your bidding.

Thank the Goddess for her presence in your life and put out her candle.

Thank the Elements for loaning you their energy and ask them to return to their own realms, putting out their candles (if any).

Bring yourself back to normal time/space, ground the energy creating your sacred space.
_____________________________

On the full moon take your notebook and cross off any items that have manifested in your life since the new moon. On the next new moon create a new list, leaving off the things that have already arrived. Do not just cross off and add to the old list, each new moon write down the new list.

On her blog Liz has a cleansing ritual bath that would be a wonderful way to prepare for this ritual. Check it out at Lizzie's Logic.