The Contemporary New England Witch

The Contemporary New England Witch
Author Ms.Faith

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

'tis the season . . . What do you want for Christmas?

 Evening Greetings,

I sit this week pondering how I'll feed my soul this holiday season. Now we've made it past Thanksgiving, truly a holiday designed to feed the body, no matter how you look at it, I used to find the Christmas/Yuletide season strangely unsatisfying.  I found my soul was hungry for something deeper, more fulfilling than just trying to buy tons of presents. That was until as a young adult, when I started to become aware of the world around me.


Around this time, I first went to new York City, it was the week before Christmas with a friend and her family who were all New Yorkers and very familiar with the city.  I found it fascinating, exciting and shocking, in the respect that there were people sleeping on heating grates, on pieces of cardboard and most surprising were the people hurrying past, no one noticing or seeming to care.

In my town of approximately 55,000 today, there's a different public view of the  homeless. We don't see them, not figuratively as I observed in a large city, but we really don't see them.  Our town has always been progressive in many civic ways, and we've had a homeless shelter for over 50 years, so we don't have people sleeping on the sidewalks. Almost as if they don't exist. My trip to NYC  made me realize that we do have homeless, they were just not as obvious as those in a big city, but they are there. I started to take notice of the 'unnoticed' in my community.

I wondered how I could affect a positive change. I wanted to help the wheel turn in a way which benefited my community and in turn gain fulfillment, because as magnanimous and philanthropic as we may want to believe ourselves to be, we all get something out of everything we do.  Whatever the benefit, however small, it benefits us in someway.  I'll give a bit to the bell ringers outside the stores, as I personally couldn't imagine standing outside in all sorts of crazy cold weather ringing a bell, and I think its important as they remind people that there are other causes out there besides our own.

We've always contributed to various charities through the mail, like so many do. Then I started to read news stories about the distribution of funds, misuse or the charities not even getting the monies. This is not true for all and many charities are valid and very much needed. But I found writing a check to be an easy, convenient and soul starving action, for myself personally.

So I started looking for a different way to get my 'holiday charitable fix' and to do it in a way that resonated with me and the energies I wanted to experience.  I wanted to feel good in my heart during the holiday. Yes, giving that special someone a special gift from the heart qualifies. Quality in thought and sentiment is always more special than quantity.  Yet I also found I wanted to give back to my community, but not by writing an anonymous check.  So over the years I've done the following things between Thanksgiving and Christmas in an effort to give back.  Maybe some of them will appeal to you should you find your soul hungry for a 'holiday charitable fix'!

Every year my town has toy drop offs at fire houses around town.  People drop off the toys and a few days before Christmas families that have low incomes can bring a child and choose a toy for free.  We would collect the toys once a week and transport them to the main collection point. 

On a Sunday before Thanksgiving and Christmas the local food bank packages up bags of groceries, turkeys and pies enough for a family and these are distributed to the many families that qualify by having so little they couldn't afford food for the holidays. So many wonderful volunteers show up to grab at least one family's food to deliver to them.  On a good day you could deliver to 4 -6 families.  Many people have no idea how  some people, in our community, live under the weight of poverty.  Homes with no food in  the cupboards, let alone a tree or anything to go under it.

A few years ago we hosted a drive collecting new hats, gloves, socks and scarves. We contacted the local homeless shelter and found out the number of females and males that were staying there and my students  brought in enough for all the residents to each have a package of new warm clothing. I spent a lovely day wrapping each package and we delivered them on Christmas eve.  Everyone received one and I still remember the smiles on some faces, the thanks and God bless you's.  I personally don't believe it really  matters what our personal vision of deity is,  I returned their blessings in like manner. It wasn't the place to announce my status as a witch, as it shouldn't make a difference.  What made a difference to me was the feelings of doing something for someone, a person you don't know and will most likely never see again, and looking in their eyes for just that moment. That connection. 

Several years ago I noticed an emergency response to a home in our neighborhood on Christmas Eve. I thought about the first responders and it occurred to me that they are there. 365 24/7  I know I didn't give them much thought, but if you need them, even on a holiday, Sunday, at midnight, they're always there for us.
I hope we never need them, but I'm so grateful we have them. In my community we have both a town force and a volunteer force of first responders.  Shortly after that fateful Christmas eve I started my own tradition, one that has become very special to me.  I'd like to share it with you.

The week before Christmas we normally celebrate Yule on the Solstice. Much more about that in a later discussion! My point being Christmas Eve and Christmas day are quiet and restful days for me.  During the week before I bake lots of Christmas cookies.  I make up several trays or plates of assorted cookies and on Christmas eve, we stop by  the fire departments, emergency rooms and the police department in our town.  Just having an opportunity to say thanks in person feels great, for me. 


. When I do these things it  makes me happy to know I'm making others happy, or helping in some way, no matter how small. To many of these people who work so hard to keep us safe and help us when in crisis, hearing a sincere thank you means so much. It doesn't happen as often as it should.


This tradition is a very special one and for many years has been a private one for me. I'm glad that I can share this and some of the things I've done in the past to fulfill my spirit at Yuletide with you.  I'd love to hear of things you do to give back to your community this time or any time of the year. Please send in a comment and others can benefit from your ideas and suggestions also.

I commented just today how the Internet, the world wide web, really is like a spiders web. One that connects us all to each other and allows us all to benefit from one another and share with everyone. This is a very powerful, magickal tool to my trained witches eye and I hope we someday learn to use it for the potential it holds rather than the virulent harm caused by viruses and other man created mayhem.  So, please, if you'd like to comment on this discussion and share ways to give back to your community, post a comment.   Thanks for playing!

Peace and Happiness

 
© 2010 Enchantments, LLC Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com

If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Christmas Pudding and Divination for the Upcoming Year

 Evening Greetings,

I spent the better part of the evening last night preparing and cooking the Christmas pudding.  As a modern day pagan we might wish to call it Yule pudding, but its not traditionally called that.  As far as Yuletide and Christmas is concerned modern Wiccans celebrate along with everyone else this time of year and we'll spend this next month discussing all sorts of Christmas and Yuletide traditions.

As I've just finished making a Christmas pudding also known as a Plum pudding, I wanted to share the history, legend and lore of this special dish with you.  I'm going extremely traditional this year it seems! To start with it has its meager beginnings somewhere in the 1400's, and I feel it's important to know a bit about the way people consumed food in the 15th century to truly understand this traditional dish.  It also has a fun magickal component, which is kind of necessary for things in my life. I just love the magickal in all things, don't you?!   

Because of the nature of the world during the 15th century, food was prepared and preserved quite differently than what we do today.  At the end of the harvest season, having little grain to feed the animals, as most was utilized for human consumption, many of the animals would be butchered for the winter, to help sustain the village or castle keep.  The natural refrigeration of winter made it somewhat more successful in keeping perishables like meat fresher longer.  People also heavily salted meats, as well as pickling meats in brine, and drying meats for consumption throughout winter. .  This was important as food poisoning was just as prevalent in these times as now. Most likely more so.When food went to waste it was not readily replaced and it could have meant the difference between survival and starvation and often did. 

So a common manner to make small amounts of food go further, meats, vegetables and grains were first mixed together in what today we would call a soup or stew.  It was called pottage. Pottage was made and recorded throughout history from at least the 15th century, and likely before. You might remember an old nursery rhyme from years ago:

Pease Porridge hot,
Pease Porridge cold,
Pease Porridge in the Pot
Nine Days old

The word pease was an old version for the plural form of pea.  Originally in the 1700's the rhyme used the word pottage instead of porridge.  Pottage was made in a large cauldron or soup pot with water or broth as a base. Then oats, and other grains such as millet was added making it like a porridge.  Ah, but then it went awry (in this witch's humble opinion).   You read the line in the nursery rhyme, 9 days old?  Yes, it went terribly wrong.

For you see, it was common to then add to the oats cooking in the cauldron bits of meat, some root vegetables would be added, suet (which is the fat from a slaughtered animal. mmm yummy!) and then it was cooked and cooked and cooked. Consumed by the family,  at times for every meal of the day, taken off the heat, allowed to cool and then without refrigeration left to sit until the next day, when it would be reheated and more scraps of meat added, perhaps some leftover vegetables and another handful of oats. Add more water, stir and re-heat. So on, and so on. Nine days worth if the rhyme is anything to go by!

This might have been an interesting and not bad tasting dish when first made. But this daily method of reheating and adding to the pottage would continue for days if not weeks before a new batch would be made.  Again, I wonder as to the constitution of 15th century people because the potential for food poisoning with these cooking techniques was great, and humans are pretty much the same today, biologically speaking,  as we were then.  I find it hard to believe that severe stomach aches at the very least, were not daily occurrences.

Pottage was the forerunner of today's Christmas pudding. Over generations dried fruits were added to the mixture and when the addition of dried plums or prunes were added it became so popular the term plum pudding was adopted and has stuck ever since, even though many recipes today do not include prunes. The addition of sugars and alcohols like brandies, whiskeys and dark beers such as stouts and porters not only added to the taste, but with the alcohol also helped kill bacteria and aided preservation. And if the cook decided to re-soak the final dish with additional brandy before serving,  people tended to feel pretty good about their Christmas pudding. It soon became the one item always found at a Christmas dinner, regardless of whatever else was typically served either regionally or familially.

This may have been a reason those 'no fun at all' Puritans, along with Christmas and Yule, outlawed Christmas pudding.  Seriously! It wasn't enough to talk badly about it, or strongly preach against the over-indulgence in, but they passed a law in 1646 which decreed :

A Christmas dinner with more than three courses was illegal and which forbade the consumption of “abominable and idolatrous” Christmas pudding and mince pies on December 25th.*
 
The addition of breadcrumbs as a thickener finely brought the pudding to the recognized consistency of what today we would call a cake. Let me explain some early culinary terms and how we might look at the same today.

In the 16th and 17th centuries what the people commonly referred to as cake was what we would call today in America a sweet bread. Made out of a yeast flour mixture and kneaded, it was a baked loaf of bread but with fruits, sugars and sweets inside and frosting or sweet glaze outside.  An early Colonial American 'cake' would be closest today to our cinnamon roll loaf or even some of the sweet Polish fruited breads found around Easter today.  They did have bread, and it was hearty, plain wheat flour and yeast risen bread or corn bread, both very similar to what we would recognize today.  

In contrast the 'puddings' of the time would be more similar to the cakes we are used to today. Delicate, sweet and lighter, as the invention and development of leavening, aside from yeast, was being introduced,  Used as a dessert.  So Christmas puddings became cake-like in appearance and taste, and over time the meat was eliminated in favor of more dried and sweet fruits and a heavy dose of spices such as cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg.

An interesting side note. Many people are aware of the reputation of spices in ancient times having the value of currency, and the spice route through the far east and the Orient was growing stronger and spices were becoming more popular.  Many have suggested that the spices were used to make the food of the day, remember the pottage, taste more pleasant.  I don't believe this to be the only reason.  I believe the flavor enhancement was a nice benefit, but the reason, in my opinion, that the spice trade flourished is the medicinal qualities of these spices when it came to food consumption.

Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg , mace, ginger and black pepper all have similar qualities of having microbial benefits of being  anti-bacterial and anti-fungal working in the intestines to keep one from succumbing to the ravages of severe food poisoning. In addition,  these spices have very strong preservative qualities which I believe in combination became very important to the health of the ruling classes, which at times were the only people who could afford these luxuries. 

I believe the ancient wise women and the cunning men  knew of these properties after their introduction to the Western world, because they were skilled at determining the medicinal, magickal and food value of the foods and herbs they worked with.   Most likely by putting them through the same sorts of testing to determine the magickal,  medicinal qualities of a plant, as they would have any herb, plant or flower they worked with.

Sometime in the 17 or 18th century, the exact timing has become obscure, the addition of silver coins and rings and other small things were added to the pudding while it was being prepared to help divine the futures of the dinner guests at the Christmas dinner, during the upcoming year.

 Silver coins were added for prosperity, rings for love and happiness and if the recipient was single then a possible engagement or marriage within the upcoming year was fortold, a wishbone from a small chicken or duck was added for good luck and a thimble or button would prophecy poverty and spinsterhood. Nowadays people tend to leave the thimble and buttons out. I don't blame them. What a downer. Oh Merry Christmas, oh! so sorry you'll be poor and alone for the upcoming year. Well Cheers everyone!  I chose not to include thimbles or buttons in my pudding this year.

When mixing the pudding up appx 4-5 weeks before Christmas everyone in  the household traditionally takes a hand at stirring the pudding a few times, in a clockwise direction and each can make a wish. Then the pudding is steamed. Some do the traditional version and put it all in a cloth sack and steam it, but I purchased a Christmas pudding basin or pan (it looks like a modern bundt cake pan) and steamed it for seven hours.  You really do have to babysit it for seven hours.  Adding water when the level drops, adjusting the heat to keep up the steam, but by the end you have a 'responsibility' to this pudding.  It becomes almost precious!

The recipe I used has raisins, brown and golden, dried currants, dried cranberries and cherries and chopped raw almonds. Fresh diced apples, orange and lemon zest and brown sugar. I substituted rice flour bread crumbs instead of regular to make this recipe gluten free, as some family members have food allergies and its nice for the whole family to enjoy a dish like this. I recommend searching the Internet for a recipe that appeals to you.   I've also included a picture of the ingredients right before I mixed it all together and put it in to steam.  The large glass bowl is filled with dried and chopped fresh fruit and nuts that have been soaking in brandy for several hours, along with orange and lemon zest.

There is also another important component to this recipe. Brandy. You put about 4 Tablespoons of brandy in the batter and of course the alcohol cooks out after seven hours of steaming. Then today after it had cooled, I pricked it with a skewer and doused it in brandy again, almost 8 Tablespoons this time, covered it in greased paper, covered it securely with its metal top and placed it in a cool, dry cupboard where it will sit, quietly getting soused until the end of December.

I, at one time, in a previous incarnation in this life, was a culinary school trained chef. Believe me I looked over many of the sanitation and food safety rules with this traditional recipe and it is safe, the addition of the brandy is a  form of preservation as there's no refrigeration in the curing process.  Some traditionalists actually make next years Christmas pudding this year, and allow it to sit for a year in its brandied bliss.  By not having any meat present and using vegetable shortening instead of animal based fats also keeps it safer.

For those worried about the inclusion of brandy, no worries as this dish is suitable for children, and no little Johnny won't get a hangover! For you see before serving, this early English version of a fruit cake, but oh so much more tasty, needs to be steamed at least an hour or more before serving, effectively eliminating any raw alcohol.   It can be served with a heavy sprinkle of sugar on top, or a glaze of confectionery sugar and milk. Some people add brandy to this sweet glaze, but this is a danger for children, so eliminate brandy in the topping if little ones are present.

Also, and this is VERY IMPORTANT. Everyone must be told about the inedible coins or rings you've included. People even familiar with this tradition have been known to break their teeth because of not carefully checking for the coins first. IT IS A CHOKING HAZARD for CHILDREN,  so please eliminate the addition of the trinkets if children will consume this dessert.  If you add the trinkets, I recommend that everyone be told, and when everyone has a serving in front of them, have them search through their pudding to make sure they find a coin or ring if its present.  I put two rings and three coins in my pudding, and no one will get to taste a bite until I personally see all five bits of silver reappear.

The person that finds the trinket gets to keep it also. A side note, make sure you scrub clean with soap and water any coins or rings you intend to use, even ones purchase especially for this. In England they sell these trinkets just for the Christmas pudding tradition. Then put the trinkets in the water you intend to steam your pudding over for 10 minutes or so.  This will sterilize them and make them safe for addition to the pudding.

Some folks serve this traditional Christmas dish doused again in brandy, and light it and present it in the dining room after the lights have been shut off.  I would again be careful of this if children will sample this dessert as yes, the brandy that is alight will burn off alcohol but the cake itself will absorb a goodly amount that wouldn't be affected by the flame. It's not nice to get the little ones drunk dear.  So a nice alternative that any child and adult will enjoy,  is serving your piece of Christmas pudding, with a couple of big spoonfuls of fresh, homemade whipped cream.  And, no! The all-ready prepared, in an aerosol can whipped-cream is not worthy of this most ancient of holiday dishes.

I'll have a photo of the finished dessert in  .  .  .  about a month!

Peace and Happiness



Some of the information I presented in the above discussion can be found in the following website:



© 2010 Enchantments, LLC Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com 

If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Color Magick

 Evening Greetings,

I sit here in my office and watch as the sun glances through the window striking my crystal ball on a table set before the window.  The prism of colors that fractures from the union of sunlight and crystal has me thinking of the magick inherent in colors.  Color is a magickal system all by itself and can be combined with other systems to add extra energy and power to your life as well as your spells.

Some simple color magick can be utilized with candle spells.   By burning a candle of a certain color the vibrations of that color resonate to attract certain magickal properties to surround you.  As I said earlier color is a magickal system in and of itself, and it can be a pretty big topic as color is everywhere and always around us. For tonight's discussion though, we'll stick with the magickal properties of the colors for now.

Initially work with one color at a time.  In the case of candle spell work, one candle of a single color.  The magickal properties associated with each color are:

Black - banishing harmful energies, surrounding  yourself with strong protection.  The protective qualities of the color black is also a reason so many magickal people wear black.  It helps us from absorbing all the energies around us, especially when we develop our psychic sense to a heightened level by the work we do.  It can be uncomfortable to be in crowds and around certain people if you're sensitive to picking up others energies, so black helps in this regard. Be careful against wearing black too regularly though, as it is thought to have a downside of making the physical body less strong, and possibly more open to illness and disease, if over-worn.  In the cycle of life, black denotes the aspect of procreation. The time before birth, the darkness of what comes before.

White -  An all purpose color with candles. White is also the combination of all colors in light energy. White is also used to represent the Goddess and the Maiden aspect of the Goddess.  The best substitute color to use when the color you need is not available. In the cycle of life, white denotes death. The color of the bones of the skeleton, which is all that remains after death and decay. 

Red- Love, lust, passion, change, strength, courage, stamina and endurance.  The color of life's blood and in the cycle of life, red denotes life. Red can be used for the well known aspect of drawing loving and passionate energies to someone. It is also very effective in bringing stamina, energy and strength to the physical body.

Pink - A loving color and it speaks to the love found in relationships not of a carnal nature. The romance of young love, friendships and familial relationships.  A color often seen in the auras of expectant mothers and in the auras of new born babies.

Blue - A color of effective communication, it also works on emotional healing. It is a color that helps rid the emotional body of stress and anxiety it is holding onto, allows one to put emotional hurts in the past. Also bring peace, serenity and calming to the physical body.

Green - Abundance, fertility, money and prosperity, fortune.  Physical healing, magickal gardening and new growth.  We use the color green for money spells as in our culture green along with silver and gold represent the colors of our money.

Brown - This is the best color for animal magick.  It is necessary to be cautious when casting magick for animals. This should only be done to help comfort a sick or injured animal.  If an animal is very ill or injured, animal magick may make it easier for them to move onto the other side, leaving this life behind. Be aware that this is a possibility and even a responsibility as an owner of animals.  But you must know that if its time for them to move on, this will make it easier, yet not everyone is good with this understanding.  Of course, first and foremost an ill or injured animal needs to be brought to a veterinarian.  Any magick to help the animal convalesce should be done after wards.

Yellow - The color for students of any subject. It taps into the intellect and helps with studying, retaining knowledge, and recalling information under pressure.  This is also a color to bring truth about a situation into your life. A word of caution, be sure you really want the truth, because you will get what you ask for.

Orange - a great color for change for the better. Especially if you are unsure of another color or if it doesn't fit in any of the given categories, then orange is the color for you.  Orange is good for general change, and also good for business change and making things work better and more efficiently in business.

Purple - a color for divination, meditation, communing with deity, when striving for peace, tranquility and serenity on a soul level.  Whether light or dark purple depends on you and which shade brings you the inner feelings you're looking for. You'll know when you see the right shade.

Silver - The color of the moon and of lunar Goddesses.  Also a color for money and success.  Silver is a color that is general to the female and the feminine in modern Wicca.

Gold - The color of the Sun and of the sun Gods. Also a color of success and money. Gold is general to the male or the masculine in modern Wicca.


When using color magick in candle spells and color is a very important part of candle magick, have a color that is suited to the work to be done. It will add extra energy to your spell, an extra layer if you will. A timely holiday hint, this is a great time of the year to buy candles!!  The time after Thanksgiving to New Year's is a big season for all sorts of candles to appear. You can get silver and gold candles just about anywhere this time of year, also tons of red and green candles. Because of the holidays season,  green and red very common, and are probably the most commonly burned colors for spell casting.  I know, I sell more red and green candles year round than any other color.

So, keep your eyes open as you holiday gift shop and you'll be able to pick up many items for use in your year round spell casting.  You can find fun plates to set up candle spells in great colors. Greens swirled with silvers and golds for money magick. Reds with silvers and golds for love, and reds and greens mixed or swirled together for physical health and healing spells.

I hope this sends you out into the holiday retail world this month  and allows you to step back from the craziness of the stores and see things from a witch's perspective. 

Peace and Happiness








© 2010 Enchantments, LLC Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com 

If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Magickal Names

 Evening Greetings,

Did you enjoy your day yesterday? I hope that you did.  Thanksgiving Day is a big holiday in New England.  I learned recently, on a documentary on the History Channel regarding the origins of Thanksgiving, that for well over two hundred years after that 'first' Thanksgiving feast in 1621, Thanksgiving was only recognized locally as a holiday in New England.  I found that interesting as I would have thought the settlers that traveled westwards would have brought the concept of a day to give thanks with them.  Tradition. Another part of the modern magickal movement, ooh I like the way that sounds!, is choosing a magickal name.

Many in the magickal world choose to adopt a 'magickal' or nickname to use.  The origins of a magickal name goes back again to the burning times. The times in the past when just a belief in the magickal was dangerous and the practice of was a guarantee of torture and death if discovered.  Yet, for many, practicing alone was not desirable. Humans seek others of similar beliefs and we always have and always will.  So, by bringing others into the coven they would run the risk of someone being forced, under duress, or with other ambitions, into telling a coven members name to the witch hunters.  So the practice of adopting an alias to protect oneself and others  developed. 

You see, if you only knew everyone by their magickal name, no other, even under the worst degree of torture   could give out more than a false name.  This was designed to lead the witch hunters astray.

Today, modern witches do use magickal names and for varying reasons.  There are those, like myself, who choose a magickal name to be used in the ritual circle and while working magick with a few other like minded people.  No one else is privy to this name.  I will tell you, Faith, was the name I was given at birth and I choose to keep my magickal name to myself, and less than a handful of people know my magickal name today.  I use the name Ms. Faith as my professional name. 

Others like the anonymity a magickal name gives them.  They use it as a protection on internet sites like face book and the like.  With the computer technology we have today its far easier to find a specific Mary Smith by location or approximate age than it is to find a "Willow Moon-Beam Star Fire Diva" which even in the magickal world is a bit outlandish for a magickal name!!

But you get my point, I hope.  When asked about choosing magickal names and if someone should, I always bring the choice back to them.  I can't choose your magickal name anymore than I can choose whether you should have a magickal name.  Yet, for many the choice of a 'new' name is a stepping off point for their magickal journey, others choose a name after being on the path for several years. Some keep the name they were given at birth and finds it works out just fine with magickal workings and without.

Some of the magickal names I've encountered over the years, Morrigana, Moon-something (its really popular to put the word moon before other words like -glide, beam, ice, walk, etc. Many choose Deity names i.e.  Diana, Luna, Bridget, Cernunnus, Kether.  Some choose to use names derived from the animal kingdom, such as Wolf, Phoenix, Serpent, Jackal, Raven, Gazelle and such. Still others like titles such as Lady or Lord before their chosen name, for a medieval flavor.   It's really up to you.  Again, I would use caution as to where and when you choose to use a magickal name.

Many people won't understand, so using a magickal name will only confuse them and possibly shine derision your way. A witch stands apart by her very nature, its not necessary to blast the line in the sand with everything you do. It will just make it harder for people to understand and accept you.

So, will you choose a magickal name? You can if you'd like to.  Just choose a name that resonates with you. One that makes sense and pleases you.  A magickal name, the best magickal names fit the person like a glove. There are some people I know that their magickal name is so perfect for them, I couldn't imagine them going by any other name.

So, how to find your name? That's a bit tricky. They're many ways from meditating on it, looking through sites of magickal names on-line, (yes they have them!!) or perhaps you'll choose a name that means something to you for sentimental reasons.  Whatever name you choose, wear it (use it) for at least a year. If you don't like it, change it.  Be careful as some fall into the place of changing their magickal name as often as they change clothes. It then becomes somewhat of a joke. Your name is your identity, and as such it should  be very special.  You can change it once or twice but if you are changing more than that I would suggest you stay with your given name.  Perhaps a magickal name is not meant for you other than the one you have as your given name.

Whatever reason you choose, whatever name you go by, one thing should prevail.  It should make you feel special, make you feel 'your authentic self'.  Maybe the name you have already does that. If so, that's wonderful. If not, choose another.  Have fun! 

Peace and Happiness





© 2010 Enchantments, LLC Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information please see www.enchantmentsschool.com

If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving!

 Thanksgiving Eve Greetings,

Oh my! There's so much going on! Pies baking, turkeys being prepared, houses being cleaned and so much activity.  Mmm, everything smells soooo good, doesn't it? Tomorrow many will gather around a communal dining table with family and friends. There will be talk of what we are grateful for.  A very nice tradition really.

As a witch I've been asked many questions and this holiday reminds me of one of the more unique questions I had been asked "What do witches eat?".  Fair enough, and I assume the person was going towards vegetarian or meat eating, at least that's what I tell myself!  Also, how a modern day witch would observe a day like Thanksgiving. This is one of the holidays celebrated in this country today that did not directly come from a single early pre-Christian holiday.  All of the harvest festivals are Thanksgiving for us,  in a sense.

Firstly, we eat whatever anyone eats. Some witches/pagans are vegans, vegetarians and the like.  Many of us also consume meat. Each person needs to take responsibility for what they consume and to make peace with it. Not all of us are vegetarians for instance. A food consuming style is not specific to witches or pagans. Well .  .  .  except we love to eat. The celebratory aspect of the feast, with friends, making merry and enjoying the bounty of the earth. I've never met a pagan or witch who didn't love food. 

Some of us consume alcohol and some do not, again a personal choice that should never be dictated by anyone save yourself.  My family will be enjoying a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with the pre-requisite turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.

How witches today observe this holiday is to again think of the abundance in our lives.  Today many are stressed with the economy and the prospect of not having enough. If you are able to read this discussion, you're very lucky.  There are those who do not have a place to sleep inside, in the warmth, let alone a computer. Even an old crappy one with dial up!  Yes, we have abundance in our lives. Maybe not a lot of dollars in our wallets, but health, family, friends, a purpose for living, a love of life, maybe we just have love. That's special in so many ways. We use this time to think back on the past year and reflect. The winter months are time for reflection for us. Deep reflection.  Where have we been? What have we sowed that now we are harvesting? Metaphorically, in our lives. For another planting season is just around the corner.

  Einstein quipped,  "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". If you're not pleased with what you've harvested this holiday season.  If you're reflecting on your past year and giving thanks for what you have and you find you want something else, or more or less of something in your life, then now is the time to plan. What seeds will you plant in the spring, so that next year at this time you are pleased and satisfied with your harvest?

As a  witch I am always learning, always delving deeper into myself to know the ultimate alchemy. Think about this, this holiday season. About knowing who you are and what makes you happy, what makes you fulfilled.  Be thankful for what you've done up to this point and strive to change that which no longer serves.

My wish for you is to have a wonderful holiday, in exactly the way you want it.

Happy Thanksgiving!



© 2010 Enchantments, LLC Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com 

If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Pilgrims, Puritans and religious tolerance?

Evening Greetings,

With Thanksgiving right around the corner people tend to think of the origins of Thanksgiving with the common imagery of the Pilgrims, ' Indians' and the first  Thanksgiving feast.    Yet by 1621, the legendary date for this first Thanksgiving,  settlers had been here for almost fifty years prior.

Early settlers had settled at Jamestown, Virginia in 1607 and many trips backs and forth to England had already taken place. What has always surprised me was the apparent lack of survival  skills the settlers had.  They came to this land with a few soldiers leading them, remember Captain John Smith.  They had of course the captains to sail the boats, and precious few other resources. Both the settlers in Jamestown and later in Plymouth suffered from lack of food and supplies.
 
Why? Europe had been farming and agriculture was a known concept  for several hundred years by this point, so planting seed and harvesting at a later time was common. These early settlers appeared extremely religious, so much so, they sought out a separate land to practice their faith in.  They appeared to be ill equipped to survive on their own. We've all heard how Squanto helped the new settlers. He was a Native American who showed a deep  compassion, especially for one kidnapped by white explorers and stolen from his family and familiar lands only to be returned  years later. Yet, he showed them what was needed to survive. He showed them simple planting techniques, along with fishing skills. 

When discussing the Plymouth colony, the Pilgrims were surrounded with the abundance of the land we're familiar with here in New England. The forests are replete with large deer, turkeys and many other animals and birds that were familiar in the old country, not to mention the abundant fishing, lobsters and shell fish the shores provided. To me, a resourceful Yankee, a country girl by upbringing,  its surprising that they hadn't a stronger ability to hunt, trap and fish their way through the first few years.   If it hadn't been for Squanto,  they wouldn't have survived at all, according to the historic record.

The early settlers were also not, in this witch's perspective, the wisest with inter-personal relationships involving the Indians. The Jamestown settlers needed desperately for the Native Americans to help them survive, yet they would accept their help one day such as learning to fish with a net, and the next kidnap and torture members of their tribe for  information.  The Native Americans from the  Jamestown area took this badly, as one would expect, and allowed the settlers to fend for themselves one winter resulting in 'The Starving Time' when over 400 settlers died with only a few dozen survivors.

Almost fifty years later in Plymouth colony and Massachusetts bay colony, there were two distinct groups of new settlers.  The Pilgrims who left England were Puritans and considered themselves 'separatists' as they sought for religious freedom separate from the Church of England, while the Puritans also left England as pilgrims, those on a religious quest,  for religious purposes and believed in 'purifying' the Church of England from the influence of the Roman Catholic Church.  They wanted a 'pure' religion without the flavor of Catholicism  in the Anglican Church.

The two groups did not agree with each others religious views.  The Pilgrims as 'separatists' ran the risk of being accused of treason against the Church and State of England.  The Pilgrims remained the smaller of the groups with the Puritans religiously controlling Boston and Massachusetts for several years.  The Puritans passed the law making Catholicism illegal in Massachusetts, and it was until until the Revolutionary period in the 1700's

 Yet , while today we tend to look at this period of time, the founding of our country, as a basis for our country's strong foundational principle of religious freedom, do not make the mistake of thinking that freedom at this time meant free or tolerant.  You had the freedom to be a Puritan or Pilgrim depending in which colony you resided. Period. 
I see a strong reason why these groups left the old country seeking a far away place to practice their religion intolerance, as they saw fit.  They wanted no tolerance for any other belief but their own. The Pilgrims and Puritans though both strongly religious groups did not see eye to eye with each other,  but tolerated living in the same general area.  But for those who differed from their ways, Quakers, Catholics, Baptists etc  were treated horribly.  Aside from the witch trials that started creeping up in the early 17th century, many people were horribly tortured, humiliated, and ostracized from society as well as being forced to flee for their very lives, just because they believed in God, but just in a different way.

Yes, the Quakers for instance, have records detailing the tarring and feathering of believers before being run out of town. Sounds kind of tame if cartoons are to be believed, but imagine being dragged out of your home, your clothes torn from your body until you were naked.   Then hot pitch was poured over your body. It would not kill you, but take hot tar, like hot gravy and pour it over your body, it would burn awfully. It wouldn't clean off either. It would have to wear off. They would then cover you with feathers which would stick and cling, a form of public humiliation.

They would often be tied by their wrists to the back of a horse drawn cart and the animals spooked and set to run. You would be dragged behind the animals and this would have the affect of scaring the animals further. It was very possible to die from being dragged behind any horse drawn conveyance. Knowing the 'tolerance' of our fellow man even today I can only imagine the stones and rotten vegetables and other unmentionables thrown at those being 'run out of town' . History has a way of sanitizing the past, where we can read of it with fascination yet never fearing it could happen to us.

The early settlers and then immigrants have been discriminated against, and the Native Americans fared even worse. The Puritans and Pilgrims agreed in one area. They believed the indigenous peoples were not human. As the Native American did not believe in the white man's God so therefore they were not equal with the human race, in their eyes. There is much accepted history as to the Native Americans plight since the settlers came to these shores.  

Interestingly though, the only tolerance shown in these early days were from the Native Americans towards the settlers who were as different from those living in the tribes as one could be, yet the initial interaction between the Pilgrims and Native Americans only demonstrated tolerance on one side.  The so called heathen or what was seen as the Godless side. 

I can see these times setting the concepts, that our founding fathers in later days would use, as a basis for our Constitution and Bill of Rights, but it was not because of the 'love of ones fellow man'  as practiced by the Pilgrims and Puritans. 

I do believe in the adage that "Those that do not remember the past, are condemned to repeat it."- George Santayana   Those who have been reading The Life and Times of a Contemporary New England Witch may wonder at this choice of topic.  I live in a country that allows me religious freedom by law, and sadly enough the same religious intolerance is still found in our country amongst those in many communities. Oh, I'm not talking just about witches now, but other 'accepted' religions also. For instance religious beliefs based on Middle Eastern culture is now openly suspect, and it seems every decade provides a new 'witch hunt'.

As I write this, I just saw a newscast on the local nightly news about two women who were not allowed inside a recreational facility because of religious head ware,The Muslim woman's hijab, scarf.  This is 2010, they were going to a little girls birthday party. This happened locally for me, just in the next town over. In Connecticut, in the United States.

Today the word 'witch hunt' is used to label any group that is singled out with an especially vigorous fervor.  We've had  McCarthyism, with Communists targeted,   Japanese Americans held against their will  in government  internment camps during World War II, Gays targeted during the first years of the Aids crisis, Muslims are regarded with suspicion and distrust.  I speak about this because I'm a witch. The original target.

For centuries it was considered a good thing, the right thing to torture and kill people who differed in political, religious and social beliefs. Whether it was state or church sanctioned, execution for being different was engaged in and condoned for  far longer,  thousands of years longer, then the mere fraction of time we've been so-called civilized. .

Could we have true witch hunts again today? I've been asked this often.  I believe we can, should we ever allow our laws to be shaped in a way that goes against our Constitutional foundations. They have held us in good sway for over 230 years, because the law, unlike humans can be unbiased and just, if we allow it to be. 

  Groups and beliefs that have been targeted in our country's history : witches, women, immigrants, gays, communists, Muslims,  The Irish, Africans, Italians, Greeks, Japanese, Chinese, just name every immigrant culture! Catholics, Quakers, Gypsies, the homeless, the mentally ill, orphans, the elderly .  .  .

That's not to mention groups people seem o.k. with hating i.e attorneys, politicians, entertainers/ athletes who get caught being human and not superhuman.  But I would bet if you had a politician or attorney in your family or friend set, you would be proud of them. Yet its culturally o.k. to say some pretty horrid things about them on late night t.v, for humor.  It's o.k. to publicly speculate about entertainers that go into rehab, have their lives ripped open on a very public stage, their private mistakes becoming public humiliation, and so many people salivate at the entertainment value.


It does remind  me of the stocks and pillory back in the day. That we allow any group to be belittled, denigrated or humiliated for any reason today, and we stand by accepting it socially, makes me cautious that what we've done in the past we may be condemned to repeat.  Can witch hunts ever happen again? Of course, absolutely. They're happening all the time. 


Peace and Happiness


© 2010 Enchantments, LLC Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com 

If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Monday, November 22, 2010

The Full Moon & Pumpkin Pie

 Full Moon Greetings,

 Happy Thanksgiving week!  Did you know that pumpkin pie is the perfect love spell for a woman to offer a man? Pumpkin,along  the various spices used, sugar, even molasses all have the same magickal properties for affecting males with loving and lust energies.  Apple pie works equally as well with women.  So men could bring an apple pie to the dinner to impress the ladies while the ladies .  .  .  bring on the pumpkin pie!  Heating the pie a bit before serving brings more 'heat' and passion to a relationship. Food magick is a particularly favorite topic of mine.  But more of that later. For tonight, let's get a little crazy under the full moon. 

What a beautiful full moon it was last night! Remember we get to celebrate and do magick utilizing the full moon for three additional days after the 'official' day of the full moon.  Typically full moon energy lends itself to banishing or eliminating unwanted energies from our lives.  But, oh beware! beware! Of what you choose to let go of.

Some thought must be given to what you are really doing. First, can you imagine something you would like out of your life? Yes .  .  .   well that was easy.  Now, are you ready to take notice and take responsibility for that 'something' being in your life to begin with?   huh?

Just what I said. The things you want out of your life the most, are in your life because you allowed them in, in many cases brought them into your life, yourself.  No one else can be blamed, not for the banishment magick to work.  It's no one's fault but your own, but hey! don't be upset, these things served you when you first brought them into your life.   Now you just choose to set aside 'what no longer serves you.'

For example, you wish to get rid of a bad habit, or a tendency such as procrastination. You decide to do a spell that is going to help you eliminate your habit of procrastination. Take a moment to realize that you procrastinate because you get something from it, maybe its more time for other things, it has served you (or it wouldn't have become a habit to begin with)  Now you can change if you wish, but notice the worst of the 'bad habits' i.e. smoking, drinking, over eating, debauchery (I've heard things!) are more bad because they are fun, naughty or exciting, desirable.  They are also hard to quit, simply because people feel some kind of 'good' when doing the bad habit.

To do a spell to help you set aside this bad habit, you  really , really have to need it to be gone. Until then you may have some manifestation, but not as much as you'd wish.  No magick will stop you from doing what you really want to do, or cause you to do something you really don't want to do.

Lets discuss how to utilize the full moon for banishment or elimination magick?  Again you can use candle magick. Witches use black candles for these types of rituals.  Yes, black candles are a stereotype but its a stereotype based on truth this time.  We use the color black as protection, banishment or getting rid of.  Color is a magickal system in and of itself and we'll discuss color magick in greater detail at another time.

Take a black spell candle and a small bottle of a nice banishment oil.  Basil, peppermint or sandalwood are all good choices   Hold the candle by its base and wet the tip of your fingers with some of the oil. Drawing the oil across the candle from bottom to top, then again from bottom to top, continuing until the entire candle is dressed with the oil. Make sure the oil is well absorbed. Visualize yourself with the 'thing' you are banishing out of your life while preparing your candle.  If you did a new moon spell two weeks ago you can visualize the same end result if you are flipping the spell this time. 'Flipping the Spell'  is a concept we can look at in detail in another discussion.  Simply put its just looking at the other side of your spell. For the new moon you may have spelled to bring in efficiency and time management,  when now during the full moon you will banish procrastination.

Burn your candle on any day, although Saturdays lend themselves nicely to banishment and protection spells as this is in the realm of Saturn. 

To answer a few commonly asked questions regarding full moon magick, no you cannot banish a person, no matter how much they deserve it!  Now, now we've discussed this before. 

If you'd like to banish some stress from the upcoming  holidays, visualize yourself in the evening, perhaps Thanksgiving evening, after all the guests have left. Perhaps you'll be watching television and relaxing.  Visualize yourself extremely relaxed, stress free and happy. See yourself thinking back over the day and smiling at the memories.  Along with the candle burning, this visual can be very effective.  One note, do not change your visual each and every time. Keep it the same for the duration of the spell. Or every evening spend just a few moments visualizing this 'end result'.

Also, many people report having effective manifestation even without burning a candle. If you are good with visualization you can start with that. The candle spell just adds power and effectiveness to your magickal goal. Its up to you how much effort you put into it.  Happy Spell Casting! 


Peace and Happiness





© 2010 Enchantments, LLC Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com 

If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

A Handfasting is an ancient Celtic engagement ceremony

 Good Evening,

Today was a thoroughly lovely day.  I officiated at a handfasting ceremony for a sweet couple this afternoon.  They were surrounded by loving friends and family and the energy of love was palpable.  So tonight, I wanted to discuss with you Handfastings. I'm often asked many questions about what they are, and how similar or different are they from what we know of wedding ceremonies in this country.

The handfasting ceremony seems to have its origins in ancient Scotland and Ireland where a couple in love, or by contract,  would betroth or promise themselves to each other for a year and a day, a trial marriage if you will. Iif they wished to part after a year and a day, they could with no consequences.  What we might call an engagement period today, but they would live as man and wife. A curious note, they would be able to live together in just about anyway, except that they could not have sex during this time. If they did succumb to temptation, the couple became permanently, legally married and were no longer handfasted.  I know! Just a tiny hitch there, huh?  Sounds like they had small print and disclaimers even in medieval times! 

This practice was in use during a time when the church, canon law rather than civil law, controlled the entire state of the marriage union. It's an interesting historical note that although the church controlled so much of day to day life, a man and a woman could hand fast themselves to one another, with no witnesses, no officiant, no banns read, no license, church or anything but the two of them, and it was accepted as legal, official and binding. This may have happened as young lovers wanting to be together, yet finding themselves in a social or politically unfavorable situation, would declare their commitment to one another. The handfasting as an official declaration of a couple's dedication to one another was considered a legal period of 'trial marriage' during these times, which was recognized and approved of by the church.This would make it impossible to be forced to marry another, and would be what today we would call an elopement.

In ancient times a man and woman would 'join hands' as a physical declaration of the mutual desire to be a couple.  The clasping of hands was the handfasting over time took on an element of having the couples hand's tied at the wrist.  There's a some varying thoughts surrounding handfastings of whether the bride and groom were tied together or not. It is said so the bride wouldn't run away!

Marriages at this time in history were very often contracts of financial and other political benefits for each side of the partnership. Marriages were arranged and brides were often bartered for land, political gain, money and goods. But this was the custom of the day, and I believe few brides ran away, the times and culture simply did not give one anywhere to run to. In general women were resigned to their political and societal fate, yet the ancient concept of handfasting, following clan rule, was a respected and legal way out of an arranged marriage, and may have gained favor as love started to outweigh other factors in the politics of marriage.   In any case, the term 'tying the knot' did originate with the legend of tying of the wrists of the couple during the handfasting ceremony.  

Marriage and the love that surrounds it calls for symbolism and makes it one of our more enduring rituals of life.  The ribbons that tie the wrists of the couple together are symbolic of the ties that will keep them together for that year and a day. Historically, after a year and a day if the couple decided to stay together then they were married officially for life, typically by a priest in church. Did you know these early church weddings, in the early medieval times were commonly held on the front porch of the church, never inside? 

Today modern pagans and those who wish to bring the handfasting experience into their lives re-affirm their vows or promises to each other on the anniversary of a year and a day of their commitment to one another. So on the day of their anniversary, they celebrate and the next day, they ask each other the question "do you want to do it again with me?"  Theoretically if one says no, they do not wish to continue,  it is said that both will part with no hostility or anger. Each year the question is asked, so that none take the relationship for granted and each has an opportunity to re-affirm their love or dissolve the relationship.

Modern handfastings often perform a ritual that has its origins in ancient African cultures. The 'jumping of the broom' consists of a corn broom or broom made of some natural material, decorated and laid upon the ground. The couple, hands still clasped, jump over the broom which is symbolic of the couple's willingness to jump together over any and all obstacles they will face in their life together. In ancient Celtic tradition, the couple would jump through a bonfire together, as passing animals or objects through bonfires gave special blessings to those touch by the fire.   I can only imagine the jumping the broom tradition was incorporated into modern pagan handfastings because witches love their brooms,  and it's a lot less dangerous than the blazing bonfire. It is only meant to be symbolic and the broom works quite nicely.  

Just about every couple that has been married in our times and culture has employed one custom that comes from the ancient handfasting ceremony. Th double edged knife held by both the bride and groom was a magickal knife called an athame. This is a common tool used by today's witches, and traditionally does not cut anything physical. It is used to direct energies. With one exception,  an athame is allowed to make the first cut of the wedding cake. This is considered a magickal cut, or action that blesses the blade of the ritual tool and blesses the couple with good luck and protection during their marriage. 

One wedding custom that also stems from ancient times is the groom carrying his bride over the threshold. In ancient Rome it was believed that evil spirits lurked waiting to cause trouble. A new wife, should she trip while entering her new home for the first time, would cause the newly wedded couple to have an unhappy, unlucky union. The groom would carry her over the threshold to prevent these evil spirits from causing her and their marriage harm.

There are two types of ceremonies I perform when I conduct handfastings. One is symbolic only with the couple going through all of the parts of the ceremony.  The other is the same except it is called 'legal'. The difference is if the couple acquires the licenses required by the state. I in turn file the license in the town hall after the ceremony and  it's legal.   If I conduct a legal ceremony it needs to be dissolved, if desired, in a court of law according to the laws of your state.

These are just some of the curious history surrounding what today we call handfastings.


 Peace and Happiness



© 2010 Enchantments, LLC Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com 

If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Collateral Happiness

 Frosty Greetings,

Is it me, or was today cold? It was the first day this winter where I've been cold all day. Brrrr,  well, I suppose its time to wear warmer clothes, and dream of stirring a cauldron on a sunny Southern beach!  Congratulations all of you who actually followed the discussion through all the steps of Anatomy of a Spell and Spell Manifestation.  Tonight we're discussing another element of manipulating the energies around you and thereby creating your reality. Isn't this fun? now you're doing the work of the witch, regardless of what you call yourself.  How about changing the atmosphere around you? Let's discuss empathy.

Collateral Happiness

An interesting title to be sure, and it comes down to ones personal emphatic state.  Many people will say they are empathic, or call themselves empaths, but truthfully everyone is, many are just not aware of it. Or have never explored the term and concept of being an empath.   Part of the human condition is being empathic, that is to say you can sense the energy in a room, or from a person. It's helped keep us alive for over a million years. Now, just because people are not aware or conscious of this ability, does not mean they are not being affected by their empathic tendencies.  It has been proven that we sense far more intimately all sorts of energies during the course of our day. Hidden, subtle clues, signals from people that keep us safe, help us find our significant others, closest friends, and repel us from those who are far removed from our energy. 

There is another side to empathy.  The flip side. When we sense or can feel the energy in a room, a person or a situation, the energy is called receptive. We are absorbing or taking in the energy and receptive empathy will actually allow us to physically and emotionally feel different for a small while. The flip side is projective empathy.  Where a person themselves can change the energy in a room, or make someone feel differently just by being with them. I believe everyone has the ability inherent to do this, some personalities are stronger than others, but like all we do in the magickal world,  it can and should be practiced and developed.

What I'm saying is you can affect change around you by being the attitude you wish to create. Happiness is infectious, in a good way!  Now, before those of you start wagging fingers 'Oh, oh, I thought we weren't supposed to do magick to affect change in other people?"  Listen carefully, I'm only trying to affect change within me. I'm not casting a spell, I'm just utilizing what I'll call inner magick, that special spark of magick from within that when I send it out, it comes back to me magnified.

We can't use magick to specifically change the disposition of another. Yet,  you are empowered to be as wonderful, exciting, happy and exuding of joyful energies as you want.  By doing so, you can't help but be happy and you will attract that energy  at least threefold.  I find this to be true. Be a projective empath, and an easy start is to smile. I mean seriously smile at people today. Not a smirk, or sideways almost there smile, but a full out, full power, this is 'the graduation day photo going to grandma' smile.  You will be rewarded with lots of smiles in return. I smile at other drivers when driving,  and when they let me go before them, or offer another courtesy.  Rather than a small wave. I wave and give them a full smile, and it makes me feel great! A little instant feedback there.

Hmmm, do I sense some of you would feel a bit foolish doing that, a full smile at everyone in an entire day?  My goodness you need to do this drill more than I realized!! There will be homework at the end of this discussion. 

Look, we all can pretty much agree that there are people whom we encounter in our day to day lives that can adversely affect our mood, our emotions and our entire day sometimes!  People who are angry, moody, unhappy, drama queens, poor me victims, etc, always angry or moaning and complaining.   Energy works the same way whether the energy is a lighter level such as  happiness, joy and excitement or a lower level energy like anger, sadness, grief, and stress.  We are capable of absorbing, receiving, sending and affecting. The only concept to be aware of is that you are changing the energy around you, not a specific person.  Send loving, happy energies into the area which surrounds you, and if it affects others then that's their choice.

Beware though, that sometimes this sending out of happy energy around some intense or angry people or in some places may cause you to wish to leave the vicinity as the energy may be too strong at the moment, too much for you to be comfortable around. This could be the case in an angry or extremely sad situation. If you feel compelled to leave the area, go with it. You'll always be right.

I call this collateral happiness because of two of the common definitions found on en.wikipedia.org of the word collateral : "Collateral damage is damage that is unintended or incidental to the intended outcome".  Then as "An item of value offered as security" .  The former speaks to the phrase collateral damage with the word damaged substituted by happiness. 'Happiness that is unintended or incidental to the intended outcome'. This is apt. The intended outcome is you being happy. Remember we can only affect change within ourselves. But, with this kind of internal energy I think its O.K. to leak a little bit. The subsequent 'leakage' will affect the people around you.

Well, alright don't take issue with my advice if you work in a maximum security prison, or say in a Chucky Cheese's.  There are very powerful forces in the universe that even I won't mess with!  But typically the resulting "collateral happiness' that starts to occur around you is unintended, but a happy occurrence.


 In the later definition,  I see it referring to the item of value offered, in this case, your smile and happiness, which is a great item of value to so many people in your day. And it is offered as security. Security that you will be a friendly face and voice in their day, and your energy will be the energy others want to be surrounded by.  People find others more approachable when they are smiling and friendly.

The witch uses all sorts of ingredients, tools, tides, moons and opportunities to affect needed change in her life.  The next couple of months historically prove to be stress-filled, anxiety ridden for so many people. Family and personal relationships in general seem heightened and sadness and grief are enhanced for many this time of year. Over the next few weeks we'll touch on magickal ways to make the atmosphere around you happier, more serene and tranquil. Less stress-filled and crazy.  I've worked for many years to reduce the stress in my life, and there are some concrete ways to sense almost immediate change. I look forward to sharing them with you. 

For your homework:  Plan on creating some collateral happiness tomorrow, and smile at people, I dare you!

Peace


© 2010 Enchantments, LLC Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com 

If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

The final two steps to Spell Manifestation

 Evening Greetings,

Ah, now our discussion has reached the last two steps of Spell Manifestation. The last two areas that might trip you up if you're not careful. So let's dig right in!

Fear

Yes, we all have feared something at one time in our lives. Many times education about a topic, experience with that subject helps alleviate fear, or at least gives us reason to be cautious.  Yet some fears are given to us at an early age, beliefs instilled into us by the Gods and Goddesses who raise us. The adults. The parents.  If a belief is instilled early enough, it is what today we refer to as 'hard-wired' into us. Things learned in early life are insidiously difficult to change, many times we're not even conscious of the effect they have on us. 

When it comes to the magickal world many people are interested in it.  Yet some come from a place where they were taught to fear this world. If you have fears, (not of casting a spell incorrectly) but of doing or believing in magick and believing deep inside that you will go to hell, or be punished after death or some such nonsense, it will seriously affect  you spell manifestation. Most likely nothing will occur in your spell casting. Because your deepest belief surrounding this is fear based.  You are in reality stopping the spell from manifesting.  The best I can advise is to read about this world more. A lot more. There's something to be said about  the more one is educated in an area, the more 'expert' you become in that area, the more comfortable and less fearful you will be.  It is also the way to increase your psychic ability, to read as much as you can about the magickal world.  It's all within, we just need to unlock it!

So if you have a deep prevailing belief in this path may be wrong for you. It most likely is. There are so many variations of a spiritual pagan perspective that you should stick with what you feel is acceptable. Maybe its o.k. just to carry certain stones with you.  Burning candles as in candle magick has a long history in Catholicism, so that may be acceptable, or maybe you just need to be surrounded by beautiful surroundings and green growing things? Not everyone is meant to be a witch, and this path is not the right fit for everyone. But listen to your inner voice and follow it. Well .  .  .  as long as it doesn't tell you to harm yourself or others!

If anything,  this path helps more people to shed fears and embrace a beautiful, exciting, natural world. To notice it, to appreciate it and to take part in it, as it is all around you. If your spells are not manifesting in the right ways, look at your inner most feelings. Do you have a fear about what you're doing?


When anatomy of a spell is not followed properly

The final step, and initially this was a step not included in the first version of my Spell Manifestation I handed out to students when I first opened my school. At that time I had ten steps and started adding a few more as they developed.  It seems silly, but this step could be the very first one. If you don't follow anatomy of a spell properly, the spell won't manifest as you intended.

Anatomy of a Spell
1. Have a Magickal Goal
2. Choose the method of casting the spell
3. Charm or enchant ingredients of spell
4. Cast spell
5. Trust and believe in spell manifesting

I discuss my version of Anatomy of a Spell in greater detail in the discussion entitled "Do you want to cast a spell?  Here, let me show you .  .  .  " on November 3, 2010

Like any good cook knows, if you don't follow the recipe you may come up with something less than desired. So follow each step as directed, then refer to spell manifestation when the spell starts to take shape.  By being diligent and recording your progress you'll be an excellent spell caster before you know it.



Tomorrow's discussion is going to be a fun one I think.   I call it  "Collateral Happiness"

Peace



© 2010 Enchantments, LLC Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com

If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Spell Manifestation 11 and 12

 Evening Greetings,

Just four little steps left to cover.  Tonight we will be discussing the steps 11 and 12  When direct non-magickal means are readily available and manipulation of others against their will.   Yes these steps will also make your spells manifest in funky and many times undesirable ways.


  When direct non-magickal Means are readily available

When someone wants to cast a spell it is always to create change. Why else would we do it? If everything was wonderful, warm and fuzzy then why would we want to change it?  So, spell casting equals creating change.  Yet, sometimes the most troublesome difficulties are capable of being handled without spell casting.  Or maybe spell casting can help, or enhance the situation making it easier for you to physically do what must be done. Too vague? Let me clarify my point.

This time of the year brings up many issues for people relating to family and friends. The relationships in our lives.  Many times I have students that want a spell to make the holidays go easier. Well, don't we all!? I assure you, casting a spell for money and making it manifest is by far easier than affecting positive, beneficial change in inter-personal relationships.

I've often been asked for a spell or some magickal means of dealing with a troublesome family member over the holidays.  I once taught a woman who had a disagreeable brother-in-law.  She was desperate for some magick, a spell, an amulet or talisman, something to help her deal with his negative attitude just for the holidays until he went back to his far away home.

When asking about the specific issues, she shared that her sister and brother-in-law came and stayed with the her throughout the holidays. My first suggestion was,  .  .  .  oh! some of you have jumped ahead!

"Why don't you have them stay in a hotel?'  Well, it seems simple doesn't it? She turned this down.  I don't remember why.   Then the suggestion of reducing the length of their stay, rather than two weeks Yikes!, how about a night or weekend? Again, no.  But she would have bought any spell I would have sold her, to magickally make it happen.  I didn't sell her anything. They wouldn't  worked the way she wanted them to anyways. Why? When direct non-magickal means are readily available. That's why.

She could have simply made other arrangements, but she was scared of confronting him, fearful of making any changes and not confident in doing it herself. A spell, some might feel is easier because it could handle things instead of you. Well, I can't give you that.  You are intimately involved with every spell you cast. It can't work without you being in the front and center of its manifestation. In this situation,  if she had cast a spell to have her not be so affected by him over the holidays, the spell very well could have manifested in a way that would have forced a confrontation, forcing her into the very situation she wanted to avoid.

She was also trying to manipulate him, to magickally make him become a nicer person by spell casting. See the next step to get more detail on this part.  There are some situations in life that are opportunities to stand strong, even if its scary and that can be very hard for some people. I'm sorry that spell casting won't help with this, but the work to be done so you can accomplish this is so much more important on your magickal path. 

Spell work does not do the work for you. It aids in coaxing energies favorably in your direction. To help those not familiar with the physics of spells and magick, this metaphor may help make things simpler.  Imagine you are lying out on a hot day. You wish for a breeze but the air is still and quiet. You pick up a little paper fan and gently start to wave the air over your face.  You become cooler and more comfortable. It really is a lovely, quiet, hot and lazy summer day.

Well, you are the magickal practitioner, the one lying in the sun.  The tools you need to conduct your spell are simple for this spell, the fan.  You cast the spell, waving the fan.  The spell manifests, cool air flowing over your skin, making you more comfortable.  Yes, I suppose you could have done a spell to make the breeze pick up right then and there, but you didn't need to. Everything you needed was right there for your use.  Can you see the magick in this story?
In spell casting we are moving the energies that will eventually make us more comfortable. If that's the magickal goal?  In all spell casting scenarios we are moving the energies, as the movement of the fan moved the air.

The path of the witch does not lay smooth and well worn for those who are fearful of confrontation and scared of being the authentic person inside.  Magick, if anything else, makes one responsible for their path and before long I find people wish to be proud of their path, then more open, as they find out what is truth and what is illusion.

For only you make the final decision as to what your life is.  Not magick, not Wicca, only you.


Manipulation of others against their will 

This is a curious step.  Well, let me see, we already covered harming others didn't we? Oh, yes that was Step 5, a little bit of Step 6 and some of Step 8. Yeah, harming others is a pretty big no- no in my Book of Shadows. But, hey, that's just me! 

This step does refer to harming others but not in the way you might think.  Let me list a few areas in spell casting where this applies:

Love spells, attraction spells
Healing spells
Protection spells
Spells to keep my kids from i.e. hanging out with the wrong crowd, doing drugs, getting poor grades, etc
Spells to keep my husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, stalker faithful.  What? Something amiss?  I just put 'stalker' in to see if you were still paying attention! 

All of the above spells are not o.k. if the person you are thinking of is not aware of the spell or is not good with it.  No, "I'm casting this spell and you're gonna like it!" , and no,  you can't convince me that its for their own good, you know best, blah, blah, blah.  The exception is spells for very young children. To keep them safe and healthy. And, don't get me wrong, if you want to cast a spell to keep your teenage son from getting into trouble, hanging out with the wrong element,  you can! Just get him to go along with it.  It has to be his desire. The earlier steps still apply. He's got to have a need, a deep desire for these things to come to pass, not just to make mom happy.

Same goes for the person that you want to keep faithful. I had a lady that came into the store and she was divorced from her husband. He had cheated on her and left. She wanted a spell to make him come back and then be faithful. I've been a witch for many years, decades in fact, and I could not begin to tell her how to do that. I know she was in pain, that she still loved him, but she needed to move forward. I told her that unless she changed her focus, and just ask for loving energies to come into her life, her spells would not work.

  She did purchase a spell kit we make, "How to heal a broken heart". It has some visualization and imagery that is very helpful. The work she needed to do was to focus on herself and start seeking her happiness within herself.  Magick will not cause someone else to become, change, do something, stop doing anything. No matter how you spell.  It doesn't work like that.  Magick affects change within and around the practitioner, that's you. That should be the only thing in your life you wish to change and control. You. No one else. Magick won't work for you that way.

I want to thank you for the comments being sent. I've been publishing every one, so keep them coming. It's very rewarding to know my work is being enjoyed, and I truly enjoy writing for you. If there are any questions either on topic or off, please send them. I have plenty to discuss with you,  but I'd also like to address any areas of study you are particularly interested in.

Peace





© 2010 Enchantments, LLC Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com 

If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Spell Manifestation Steps 9 & 10

Spell Casting Greetings,

It takes a dedicated spell caster to be following these steps.  Many wish to wear the garb, use the arcane language and act the part, but for those of you following my witches blog you are seeing how much work and understanding it takes to become adept at what we do.  Well the good news is we are past the half way mark. 

Tonight we will discuss steps 9 and 10 of spell manifestation:  Need and When its not supposed to.

Need

 I intended Spell Manifestation,  as I use the phrase,  to be specific as to how and why your spells don't seem to work out as you expect them to. Frankly, no one is concerned when their spells work out perfectly! So, the work comes when our spells manifest and yet, are not quite right. 

You must have a need. For whatever you spell for, you must have a need. This is the primary reason doing spells for others doesn't work.  Yes, you can design a spell, put a small spell with all the components together and the directions, what we call a spell kit,  and give it to someone for their use and teaching them how to use it, that's just fine. But casting a spell for another, without their presence and participation just doesn't work.

There must be a need for the magickal goal.  For instance a person may come into my store, Enchantments, and ask for a love spell to be cast for her. The person may be just the nicest person going, but I don't really have a need for her to find true love and happiness. Yes, it's a nice altruist attitude, but it doesn't contain 'need'.  Need, does not mean nice to have, but necessary to have.  Must have.  It should make no difference in my life if that customer gets her personal desires for love met. I can help her choose candles, stones, herbs and the like to help her create her spell. And honestly, I hope all does go well for her, but, and I don't kid myself, the need is hers not mine. Becoming too involved with your clients personal stuff is not ideal.  It also puts you in the precarious position of teetering over that precipice between a humble reality and a super power trip. You need to be working on your stuff, in my witch's opinion.  If the spell doesn't manifest as expected, or you see no manifestation then you might look at this step and the visual you used to determine if you had a true need.

When it's not supposed to: 

I've heard it before  "But Ms. Faith, you said 'When it's not supposed to' wasn't a decent answer to the question of  why spells don't manifest the way we want. Yet now its here in Spell Manifestation number 10! I'm confused" 

Let me explain. Yes, I did start this discussion by saying that it wasn't a good enough answer, in light of,  it's the current, most prevailing answer out there. I have yet to find a list of solid reasons as why our magick  doesn't work out, on the internet or in any books.  Of course, I haven't read every book, as I'm very busy with the practice at hand, but it's not common. It's so uncommon I came up with Spell Manifestation to address this very issue. 

Let me tell you about Spell Manifestation, step 10 in its entirety.  "When it's not supposed to and the reason will become apparent within 30 - 90 days". This happens when other energies that you have already put out there come into conflict with what you're doing. Yes, we put out energies every moment,  which color our days, weeks and months ahead of us. Our energy being directed in certain directions, by us, although without the aid of spell work or many times without conscious awareness.  This is why  I can read someone's tarot cards and tell them what will be happening in the next few months of their lives. They have already put the information, the energy out there. I just read it back to them.  We are alive and creating energy 100% of the time, yet we are aware, in my opinion,  of about maybe 10% of it, at any given time.

So back to Spell Manifestation.  Let me explain more clearly. I cast a spell once to find a building to house Enchantments. I looked at two buildings prior to the one I finally purchased, and each of the prior buildings, in my inexperienced eye, was perfect. In reality, it was more like "we'll make it work, somehow".  I really wanted each building, but right at the last moment the deal fell through, over seemingly silly, trivial minutia.

Each prior deal went long enough, actually longer than they should have, one took over three months, that by the time the building we did purchase went on the market, we had enough experience, and knew it truly was what we wanted, all the required approvals already met, that the deal went through in one week. I had wondered what was holding things up? My spells are pretty strong and have been very effective over the years so I was in a confusion regarding what was going on. Then when the building we did buy came up and we bought, everything went much smoother, I can now see the other two buildings really would not have worked as well as this one.

There will be times when things are already set in your future, by you remember.  Then we decide on a course of action, cast a spell and it doesn't work.  When its not supposed to speaks to the energies already in motion, manifesting in a different direction perhaps, but your latest spell didn't work because it went in opposition to what you've already been brewing in your cauldron.  The truth to look for in this step is the knowledge that is to come. Within 1-3 moon cycles  you will know, absolutely why your spell did not manifest.  That if it had, this, this and that would not have happened and so on .  .  .



I'd like to thank Karen for her recent comment.   "I TOLD you to write a book! If they're reading your blog in other countries they'll be more than willing to read a book Faith"  Karen

I thank you for your enthusiasm and support.  I have published just this year,  my first book, the full details just below, and am working on another manuscript I hope to have published sometime next year. But as much as this 'blog' is helpful in getting information out there, there is so much more in this vast genre, I could never put it all in print.  I am also aware that not everyone can take classes at my school, or are not in a position to be 'out of the broom closet' and open about their interests, and as I believe knowledge and information are valuable and necessary, I hope those that cannot train with others can learn through my words.  My book is also available via mail-order on my www.enchantmentsschool.website. If there is ever a problem ordering through the website, as it is at times under construction, please call Enchantments at 850-791-6033 and with a credit card we can ship out your order that day! 

I thank you all for reading my work, and I hope it brings to you what you wish.

Peace


© 2010 Enchantments, LLC Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com 

If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Spell Manifestation Steps 7 & 8

 Greetings! and Bonjour ou Bonsoir to my readers in France,

Its exciting to see the places in the world my blog is being read. I have an awesome group of people in France that are looking at my blog everyday and I want to say to them and everyone, all awesome,  who reads my blog, a big thank you!!  We have lots of readers in the United States, and some of the other countries that are reading my work are Mexico, Russia, Sweden, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland and South Africa!  It's really an amazing thing how the Internet has made the world a true global community. It's also a bit surprising to me, that there is so much interest in the way of life of a simple New England witch.  I deeply appreciate the interest and readership.

I also welcome comments and questions.  So, if you have any, please send them along and I'll answer at the end of the discussion any questions that don't have to do with that days topic.   For all of my readers, let me assure you, as I often assure new students and customers in the store "There are no bad, silly, crazy or 'stupid' questions." Not in my eyes. Any question you do not know the answer to is a question worth asking.

Now, onto our topic of the day or night as it were.  The next two steps to Spell Manifestation:

Too many magickal goals:

It is a common occurrence working with magickal study students, that I am asked about casting a spell that touches on more than one magickal goal. This is not recommended for ideal spell manifestation.  This is an excellent example of what I term "Thinking like a witch", whereas in our modern culture, multi-tasking is a trait that is desirable and even rewarded.   Whereas from a witches point of view, at least from this witch's point of view, multi-tasking is a way to do many things, barely well enough to get by.  An expert, master or highly talented person in any field will tell you they became so proficient by focusing completely on the skill at hand, to learn it as well as possible, to become a master at what they do.

Multi-tasking does not lend itself to effective spell casting. period. So no,  my little witchlings, to become a master spell caster or sorcerer/sorceress you cannot cast a spell that brings a lover to you, while paying your bills, and taking care of the malaise you are feeling from doing so many things all at once!

Only one focus per spell. With any spell, make sure your visual is solid and clear. Have a visual of yourself when your spell manifests as clear and sharp as if you took a picture of yourself in the future after your spell manifests. How will you look? Happy, relieved, at peace, excited? See this 'picture' in your minds eye all through the casting of the spell.

It is possible to cast a spell for one magickal goal one day and a spell for something else the next, but be careful about this, because the visual for the first spell needs to be very fixed and focused and so does it for the second spell.  You will most likely have better results by sticking with two spells per month. One to bring in and one to banish.  Please read my discussion "Moon Magick" on November 6, 2010 for more details regarding bringing in and banishing spells utilizing the moon.


Worry, Self doubt, Skepticism and Bragging


This step is actually two sides of the same coin.  One one side we have worry, self-doubt and skepticism and on the other bragging and threatening.  The former speaks to the normal feelings of doubt that anyone new to a skill or path might initially feel.  If you've ever tried anything new, be it martial arts, pottery, tennis or even flute playing, you would probably be less than thrilled with your first few attempts. We can be very critical as a culture of ourselves and our attempts at first trying something new.  I've taught in other fields over the years and adults across the board are harder on themselves when first learning a new skill than any instructor would ever be on them.

We start learning this as children. Most children when young enough have no issue with trying to walk, stumbling and plopping down on their behinds again and again until they get it, past failed attempts not even registering.  Then somewhere along the line, they start to get down on themselves "I'm no good at this, I can't do this."  I would see this often in the decade or so I taught young children in the martial arts. When a 6 year old would come into my class and without even trying, plop down and arms crossed in defiance, sulky expression, would inform me they aren't any good at this and just can't do it, I would look at the parents and ask them why, how was it that someone so young could feel that way? Who's been role-modeling this to the child?Inevitably one or both parents would look sheepish and admit it was them. Usually saying "well, I'm hard on myself, so that's probably where they get it." Yes, it is.

 A child with no negative role modeling has the opposite trouble. They think they can fly, or do anything!! Keeping them safely in check is the issue then, but that's o.k. It's easier to keep a child in check that thinks he can fly than to convince a child that has been told and absolutely believes they aren't capable and not worthy, the opposite.  Guess what? Most of us fall on one side of this issue or the other,  at least when it comes to learning something new.
So, if you're brave enough to try a spell, realize that by squashing it by doubting your ability, worrying that it won't manifest or that you've done something incorrectly will only hold up the physical manifestation.  Yes, its hard not to be skeptical, and trust me, I'm more skeptical than most about many things I encounter, but have faith in yourself and your ability to make magick happen.  It will.  I mean,  would you be even interested in this world, if you didn't believe in magick?  Even the academics that read my work, I'll wager, somewhere deep down inside, maybe deeper than some, there still lingers the belief, the hope that magick happens.

I'd like to assure you all. It does.  It becomes easier when you start to 'think like a witch', for me that means, to believe in the magickal, to live for the magickal, to love because of the magickal.

This is also one reason we work with simple concepts such as the First Five magickal goals: money, love, health, protection and tranquility. Each are easy enough for anyone to imagine having a bit more of in their lives. 

Now, the other side of the coin.  Bragging and threatening. Both have low level energies.  Now please take note, there's a difference between bragging and talking about a spell you cast. And, by the way, you can discuss a spell you cast, in defiance with an old magickal concept of never discussing a spell cast with anyone, ever. This hearkens back to a time when, as we've already discussed, talking about any magickal workings could cost you your very life. Please refer to my discussions "Witches! What .  .  .  Who are we really? Our history from Goddess to Sorceress" October 15. 2010 and "To keep Silent .  .  .  Is this still relevant today?" November10, 2010.

I feel that its not practical to not discuss your spell casting. We do it all the time in magickal studies classes. Witchcraft, although a solitary practice for many, still requires one to be taught. Learning with others helps a student tremendously to be able to discuss what they did, what went right, what went wrong. We learn from one another and in turn share our knowledge. Even if we do the work solitary, much of the learning process is enhanced by working with others. So the discussion of magickal workings is fine and I believe necessary for a well rounded magickal education.  Just be sure the ones you discuss it with are of a like mind. And, that your choice to discuss it with them stems from an academic place and not a place of bragging or power-tripping.

Bragging about what you did, can harm your manifestation and make it fizzle flat. Bragging is equal to trying to 'show off'  in front of another and the energy that is attracted is not beneficial to your spell casting.  Neither is threatening.  For example,  "You'd better watch it, I cast a spell."  Or even without an actual spell being cast, warning others of how powerful you are, how gifted,  "you'd better watch it, I am a powerful witch" all is designed to put another in a place that is subservient to you and perhaps to illicit a bit of fear, awe or admiration.   This is not beneficial to your work. With these energies in your magickal world you will find your magickal  ability waning.

For those of you who have been following this witches blog, are you seeing why its so improbable for someone who is bent on harming others with their spell casting to actually cause an effect? The negative is directed inward where it is harmful to the practitioner, while the positive is directed outwards where it then returns back to you magnified. 

I wish you well with your spell casting and tomorrow's discussion will touch on steps 9 & 10: 

Need & When its not supposed to


Until we discuss again, peace

© 2010 Enchantments, LLC Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com 

If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.