Out of the broom closet

Until I reached adulthood, I always took for granted how supportive my family was about my connection to the craft.
I knew how cool my mum was when my friends were being grounded for meditating with candles, whilst my mum and... actually, my whole family were buying me every book they could find on wicca, paganism and druidry!

But hearing stories from all walks of life about 'witches' who are scared to leave the broom closet, makes me realize how important that support was.

I was always allowed my phases.
We all go through them...

Some phases are just that...phases; but others are with us for a long, long time.
When my family realised that my 'witch phase' was no longer a phase, and an actual religious experience, they went out of their way to get me as educated on the subject as any 12 year old could be.
I had limits set in place...no Ouiji boards for starters. (A rule I broke on numerous occasions, but hey.) And it took a lot of convincing the generations of my family that tarot was not evil, so I could get my first deck.
They collected herb and magic magazines for me.
Picked me flowers and herbs for 'potions'
Books galore.
A set of Runes.
Visits to Stonehenge.
Chi-gong balls.

I was drawing circles on my wooden bedroom floor with chalk. I was creating covens with friends (None of which were to stand the test of time), I was playing 'light as a feather, stiff as a board' in the middle of my year 7 class room. I was keeping a Book of Shadows. I was watching TOO many episodes of Charmed. I was living a magical life, and that was fine.
It was normal.
No secrets.
No hiding...
I didn't even know the metaphorical broom closet, was where a large handful of my fellow witches were residing, existed.

I wish I had true, helpful advice for anyone who is having to keep their journey on the path a secret. But I understand it is not always as simple as just being honest about it.
Speaking out is not always the best course of action.
Your family might NOT understand.
You might have tried to talk about it before, and been shut down.
Maybe you were bullied in the school yard.
I don't know your individual situations, but I can offer a few suggestions that might ease the transition.
1. Find like minded people.
In this age of technology, there are hundreds - thousands of outreaches into witchcraft! By joining private facebook groups you can openly discuss things like rituals and spellcasting online. You can find forums that are safe-havens for those of you with no support IRL.
You never know, you might find your own little family/coven online. Even with the support of my family, partner and friends...I still reached out to others who actually practiced the craft, and I fell in love with The Parlour, an online coven hosted by witchmama Veronica Varlow.

2. Educate yourself.

Learn as much as you can!
Learn the history, the traditions. Know your stuff! That way if you have to fight your corner, you can do so with accuracy and efficiency!

3. Start Small...

Test the waters.
Don't come out of the broom closet over dinner. Gently tip a question or comment into conversation and watch the reaction. Learn the limits your family might have...find a way to ease out the ultimate 'coming out' conversation.

4. Never Hide from yourself!

Even if you do have to keep a part of yourself under wraps, never lose your own way.
Be true to yourself!
Don't let anyone make you feel wrong, trust your own footing on the path, and don't feel judged by those around you.
You are who you are...and that is a beautiful person who will somehow find their time and place to flourish.

xxxx

Imbolc

The sabbat of Imbolc falls on the 2nd of February, although like every pagan holiday it has a few days le-way either side.
 Imbolc also goes by the names Candlemas, and the Festival of Brigid.

It is a fire festival, the quickening of the year, the time when the earth is pregnant with the promise of summer fruitfulness and the harvest to come.
 The Goddess returns as the Maiden, and the God as a vigorous young man who is ready to begin his pursuit of the Maiden.
It is a time for us to let go of the old, and await the new that is coming.

Brigid (sometimes spelt Brighid, Bride, or Brigit) was also honoured and celebrated at this time. She was a much loved pagan Goddess. She is a triple Goddess but at Imbolc is depicted in her Maiden form, bringing fertility to the land and it's people - making her extra special to medicine women, and midwives of old. A Goddess of fire and the hearth, with special connection to healing and poetry.
    She is often celebrated at this time with the making of "a brigid cross' or 'a bridey doll' - you can find out how to make both or either of these things by following the following link, which has even more amazing Imbolc ideas.
        
Goddess and Greenman - Imbolc/Candlemas










I'm going to share with you one way in which I celebrate Imbolc. 

To do this you will need 3 candles, a needle, and a wooden log that you have hand picked for yourself.

Focusing on your candles first, meditate and find three words that you wish to embody in the coming year. Three wishes, if you will, personal things. Personality, mind, and soul words. They can be either internal or external, in which case you will draw those things to you. My words last year were; Courage, Creative, Loved.
Next take your needle and carve these words into your candles...inscribing them with your thoughts and intentions.

Lighting each candle in turn, let wax drip and pool onto your log, to create a standing base for your candle. Press the base of the candle into the hardening wax. Make sure it is stuck tight.

Below is an image of mine, so you can better imagine how yours may look, although there are no guidelines here, follow your gut. Place your completed log onto your altar or on the hearth to your fireplace; and in the evenings light the candles and take a second to focus on your chosen words. Manifest them into being.

Happy Imbolc!

                                                                        Merry Part.

Thoughts on The Hermit

The Hermit

A character not celebrated in todays modern society.
Someone who practices meditation, self reflection - the art of learning through solitude and silence. Think of your common idea of a hermit...one thing above all else that you might think of, intelligence is one thing that stands out as an attribute. The Hermit has knowledge, a type of quiet wisdom one can only teach oneself. 

In the tarot The Hermit card represents the need to withdraw (why this illustration on the The Wild Unknown tarot is so poignant) with the promise that you will emerge back into the modern day world shining brighter. Bringing a newfound light to others, as they bask in your spiritual glow.

The Hermits secrets are not for everyone, only those willing to climb to the highest peak, or reach into the darkest cave.
All the answers you need are within.
The Hermit comes at a time when you begin to question what we are told is normality, when you begin to believe that there is more to the meaning of life than the mundane 9 to 5.

There is a hermit in all of us...some of us tap into his spirit regularly, others have yet to find him, hiding away, scribbling questions in the depth of your soul. He's that nagging voice you sometimes here that tells you to step back, to renegotiate the cards life has dealt you. 

Carnelian

Carnelians name heralds from the Latin word "carnis", translating to "flesh". It most likely received this name due to it's colour. Carnelian also used to be known as Cornelian, deriving from the Latin word "cornum", translating to "cherry".

In Ancient Egypt, Carnelians were used in protection magic for both the living and the dead. They used to be carved into the symbol of Isis, and placed on the neck of a mummy for protection and safe passage. The living would carry Carnelian in the shape of 'The Eye Of Horus', which would protect them from the evil eye.

During the Roman times, Carnelian was typically found engraved with the head of a lion. It was worn or carried into battle, to give it's bearer courage.

Courage is one of Carnelians strongest magical attributes. Whilst it enhances physical energy, and increases courage, it does so by making you tap into your personal power.
Carnelian has strong links with your second Chakra, 'The Sacral Chakra' - which relates to your sense of self. It works in harmony with your five senses, aswell as increasing sexual desire. I keep 2 small pieces of Carnelian under my bed, to keep passion ignited. It is wonderful to work with in any sex rite, or self-gratification magic.

Carnelians element is Earth and Fire (probably why it's so powerful in sex magic) Circling your candle with Carnelian will increase any fire magic you are performing.

Carnelian stirs up action inside it's wearer, which makes it one of my favourite crystals.

Do you have any experiences with Carnelian?

Feel free to share them here.

Merry Meet and Merry Part

xoxo

Yule

Second to Samhain, Yule is my favourite Sabbat.
The Winter Solstice is nearly upon us, falling on the 21st of December, this Sabbat is here as a time of celebration to remind us that there is life returning after the darkness of winter.
Yule marks the shortest day of the year, and the longest night; the opposite side of the wheel to the Summer Solstice.

The word Yule, and the general festivities, relate back to Germanic paganism, with the first recorded use of the name Yuletide being found in 1475. In it's earliest form the term yule, or yuletide, was significant to a 12 day festival in the month of December, or sometimes just a referral term for the month itself.

As with most of Witch tradition, the true origins and rites are rather jumbled - but the general belief is that the days of Yule, are a celebratory festival during the Winter festival, rejoicing in the rebirth of the SUN, and/or the Great Horned God.

In simple terms, you are thanking the gods/goddess that you have survived a long hard winter, and are joyful that the sun is being reborn. The longest night is behind you, and their is hope.

The Oak King rules from midwinter to midsummer - the period of increasing light.
At this time of year, the Oak King defeats his brother, the Holly King, and regains control of the seasons.

For December Witches and pagans take evergreen trees indoors, to encourage woodland spirits to reside within, and stay warm and safe.

The evergreen tree was sacred to the Celts, because it did not die! Its boughs became a symbol of the eternal divine. Your gods and nature have not abandoned you, when all the greenery around you cannot penetrate the hard earth. Bringing full trees into your house is a more recent tradition, but it held the same basic priniciple. This tree would live the winter, and so would you, and when the sun returned to the earth, you would replant the tree back to nature. 

This is one example of many where Christianity twisted and distorted the pagan holidays to suit themselves - thus was born the Christmas tree. When Christianity was coming into power, they tried to place their own holidays at the time of pagan rites, that people already knew and recognised. This made the transition easier for people at this time of change.

Mistletoe is another ancient tradition. - Druids revered the oak tree, and the mistletoe that grew from it. During the winter when all other signs of nature had vanished, the green twigs of mistletoe and their white berries, were seen as a sign of eternal fertility.
They travelled far, and climbed high for this mistletoe to clear couples of infertility.
Often hung over their doorways, over the years we have developed the tradition of kissing beneath it.
So...don't kiss too passionately, now you know the supposed effects ;)

 Yule Logs - Originally not a scrummy, chocolate cake at all!
Can you believe?!
The Yule log was just that, a log. Harvested with your own hands, and placed in the fireplace. The log would be decorated, for the season, and then put in the fire as the main kindling, at winters end. The fire here, representing the newborn sun.
Nowadays, what with fireplaces being hard to come by. Many witches, use their yule log as a base for three candles. The candles still represent the coming sun, it's a lot safer. and you can reuse the same log year and year again.

Holly And Ivy -  A sprig of holly near the door is said to invite nature sprites. It is a deterant for evil beings, and a welcome to positive entities.
It is also a symbol of remembrance for the historic battle of the Holly and the Ivy; the one mentioned above, where the Oak King regains power over the seasons.

So...Christmas is probably more witchy than you thought.

Here are some correspondences for magical workings over the sabbat;

Colours

Gold

Green

Red
White

Animals

Stag
Reindeer

Bears

Deers

Owls

Snow Geese

Food

Gingerbread
Cinnamon

Mulled Wine
Spiced Meats

Herbs & Plants

Holly
Ivy

Poinsettias
Pine
Mistlestoe

Magic Working

Yule Log

World Peace Spells

Healing Work

Love Spells

Wreath Making

Kitchen Magic

Merry Yuletide!
Blessed Be!

Apophyllite

Would you look at this beauty!?!

Apophyllite is native to India, and it occurs in ancient lava and basalt flows. It is most often found in glassy rectangular prisms in it's natural form. It was only discovered in the 1800s, but may have been given a different name before this date, which makes it's history hard to trace.

These crystals contain a high amount of water molecules in their structure, which is firstly what makes the appearance differ slightly to that of clear quartz, but secondly that which  makes them compatible with those with a connection to the water element.

(Like me as a Scorpio)

It is believed to be a very spiritual crystal, it bridges the gap between the physical and spiritual realm - it helps your spiritual connection, and there for should aid wonderfully in divination.

It can be used also in meditation, as a crystal it is known to aid in calm and tranquil feelings; so this combined with it's breaching of the spiritual world, makes it ideal for dreamscape work, journeying, scrying, astral travel, and meditation.

If you hadn't guessed by this crystals attributes it is connected to your third eye chakra.
Apophyllite is known as an "ascension stone", which means it helps bring light and clarity to emotional situations. It helps you be more honest with yourself about things, and brings the truth from others.

I got this gorgeous gem from http://www.crystalfaery.co.uk/ 

Visit the online store, for all your crystal needs - just follow the link for 'Crystal Cavern', or feel free to browse and enjoy the other wares they have to offer.

Lusty Jasmine

Jasmine is one of my favourite flowers. It has so much more to it than most people realise.

Jasmine flowers are white and delicate, part of a climbing tree; these flowers are best picked at night, as this is when their aroma is most intense.

Jasmine for this reason has strong connections to the night, and the moon. Whenever I work with the Moon, Jasmine is usually involved.

Properties;

Antidepressant
Antiseptic

Antispasmodic

Aphrodisiac

Sedative

We all will have heard that Jasmine is an aphrodisiac, but it is so much more than that. We call it an aphrodisiac because Jasmine increases the number of spermatozoa in men, which helps reduce infidelity. And because of it's deeply relaxing nature, most herbologists think that this may be responsible for it's effect over sexual problems like impotence, premature ejaculation, and frigidity.

Jasmine is a superb hormone balancer, it helps relieve spasms of the uterus, and eases menstrual pain. Mix with raspberry leaf, in a tea, and you have a super effective womb tonic.

This does mean that it is best avoided during pregnancy...unless you are ready to go into labour, in which case go nuts!

Jasmine is a valuable remedy when it comes to severe depression. It's calming to the nerves, whilst also being warming to the emotions. Such a power combo. Burning jasmine in the home will help aid your mind, as will carring essential oil mixed into a carrier oil to apply in the style of a perfume.

See!
How amazing is Jasmine.

If you'd like posts on a specific herb or flower, comment below, and I will do my best to oblige.