Karma, what's it all about? And do I need to worry?

Good Evening,

Tonight's discussion deals with Karma and how it affects our day to day lives. Many think of the concept of Karma as it is portrayed from the Eastern Indian point of view, that good or bad deeds done in this lifetime will revisit you in your next lifetime.  I don't know that this is true as much as I know that good or bad deeds done today will revisit you tomorrow!

The Karma I speak of, is energies we create today, and how they return to us in the near future. We deal with Karma everyday, and it comes back to us, everyday. Those that follow the Wiccan path have a phrase or saying that encompasses this Karmic rule. It's called the Law of Three, that what you send out comes back to you threefold.  I break this down a little bit more specifically. The Law of Three applies to energies sent out in a ritually crafted magick circle, these are what will return to the magickal practitioner three fold.  Now, that's not to say that Karma will not return to you, in the event that you never have cast a magick circle or even consider yourself Wiccan. It will. Only I believe what we send out comes back to us with the same degree and intensity as we sent it out. I mean really! If everything we sent out came back to us three-fold!! Yikes! Just having a crabby day would become disastrous for everyone!! Obviously, this is not true. So in a magickal sense the Three Fold Law, another name for the Law of Three is applicable when a magickal practitioner casts a sacred magickal circle and does either good or harm within, and sends it forth. Now let's discuss everyday, common Karmic feedback and how it can affect us on a daily basis.

Simply, if you cut someone off in traffic today, you might very well find yourself cooling your heels waiting in a traffic jam later in the week.  If you yell at a phone solicitor, well .  .  .  you might very well be the brunt of someone's anger later that day or the next.  But knowing about Karma and respecting it can make all the difference in the world. The same holds true if you do something nice for someone, or say something kind. The 'goodness' will find you also, in a day or so. Those good days you have on occasion? You created them and you can make more and more of them happen, just by being aware that you are in control of them. So, in the case of sending out some not-so-loving energies.  .  .  having a bad day? Growled at anyone lately?  Is there anything to be done if we make an oops and respond in a 'human' way to avoid the backlash?  Yes! I burn a candle and speak to the Goddess about the situation. I apologize, if it's not possible to apologize to the person specifically, such as the random driver in traffic you cussed out or a phone solicitor you hung up on, apologize to the Goddess or the Universe or whomever your higher power is. Light a candle and let it burn down.

It's important to be truly contrite, and never play manipulation games with the Goddess, she sees and feels what is truly in your heart. If you are truly sorry, say so. Light a candle and then prepare for the backlash to be delivered to you. Oh .  .  .  did you think you would be able to avoid the consequences by apologizing and burning a candle? No, my dear witchling. It doesn't work that way. You will just negate a stronger slap back. Oh, yes, you will be given the opportunity to accept the consequences with grace and humility, but accept them you must. You did send them out after-all, now didn't you?

It does surprise me on occasion when I read blogs or posts on social networks by magickally minded people who do not follow the Wiccan belief. When they speak about revenge, payback and doing things to others magickally, they will almost always follow it up by saying, "I'm not Wiccan, so I don't follow the 'what you send out comes back to you' philosophy. Hmmmmm.  This speaks to them somehow being exempt from Karmic feedback. They are not. Karma is not Wiccan. Nor does Karma follow any religion or spiritual belief system. Karma simple .  .  .  is.  Karma is a Universal law, kind of like gravity. It applies to everyone!

The issue, I see, with people who loudly proclaim to not follow the 'Law of Three' or Wiccan belief,  is that they feel entitled to 'get back' at another, to cause harm to others, and they usually rationaliz that 'they did it to me' or 'they deserve it!.  We do not get to play judge and jury. As much as we'd like to. And I for one will not step in the way of the Goddess of Karma and try to do her job for her. That, my dear will come back to us, in a severe and usually harsh manner.  I find it to be the immature magickal practitioner that wishes to play games with revenge and payback. I know and accept that this discussion will tick some people off, primarily those who like to 'cast spells' simply to get back at others. Be that as it may. I don't believe in teaching children or teenagers magickal principles because they have poor impulse control and come at the world from an immature, hormonally induced view point. This unfortunately also applies to some adults.  But those who play in this arena will get the Karmic feedback and usually I find, many will stray away from the magickal path and in later years claim that they got into 'dark' stuff and really bad things started to happen. Again, as if there were outside influences such as demons or evil beings controlling the game, when in fact it was simply themselves getting in the way of healthy, proper magickal practice.


I've spoken about Karma before, and I'm sure I will again.  But, it is one of those 'magickal understandings' that sometimes takes a few tries to fully comprehend and then to accept in our lives.  If you deal with Karma and know it, pat yourself on the back. That's the first step, understanding that we create our reality, both the good and the bad! There are those who believe we create the crappy situations in our lives but wish to attribute the good things that happen to 'miracles' as if the wondrous comes from outside of ourselves. We are the miracle makers, the creators of our universe, the world we see flowing around us. By accepting that we create the good along with the not so good, we take control of our lives and then we take responsibility. The next step is changing how we react to things outside of our control, and finally we are in a place of Karmic acceptance and understanding.  At this place our lives truly become fully and consciously ours to live and to be.


 Karmic peace and Happiness!



© 2010-2012 Faith M. McCann.  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 or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website.  Please note that the copying and/or further distribution of this work without express written permission is prohibited.

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.

Let's discuss the concept of 'Giving things up for Lent' from a witch's point of view

 Good Evening,

I'm sorry I've been away for a time as I have been a bit under the weather, but I am feeling much better now, thank you! Let's discuss this provocative subject "Giving things up for Lent".  Of course witches don't observe Lent but a lot of non Christian people do follow the 'martyrdom' concept of 'giving things up'. Now, please understand that I don't condone Christian bashing and I am simply, in this discussion, discussing the differences in concepts from the Christian and Pagan points of view. I deeply respect each person's right to observe their religion as they see fit and simply because I do things, perhaps differently, does not mean others are wrong. It simply means we do things differently. I am one, that believes that two people can have opposing viewpoints and each person can be right. We must do what is right for us.
 
So, let's discuss this topic, from this witch's point of view. Firstly, I will step into the Christian arena and observe what I see in relation to this topic.  At Lent, a period of time from Ash Wednesday, which is today, to Easter, some Christians choose to give up something from their lives.  I believe this is in honor or memory of Jesus and other great teachers who practiced giving up of material and physical things in their lives.  Yet, from my research and understanding Christians today don't do this as the great teachers did. Today they give up something, usually enjoyable, for a short period of time.  Jesus, Mohammad, Gandhi, Buddha, Mother Theresa to name a few, gave up what no longer served them, in their lives.  They did not set aside a pleasure or material thing for sacrifice, which is what is done today. For after the season of Lent has passed, those that had given something up will pick up again that which they had set aside. This makes this a sacrificial gesture, to give up of something that is still desired.  The great teachers I mentioned, gave up that which they no longer had need for, no longer wanted.  Never to be picked up again. This makes the gesture a totally different concept from sacrifice and martyrdom.  Much more like the Pagan concept of giving something up  or I like to say 'putting a thing aside'.

We, as Pagans and Witches, give up that which no longer serves us. Not just for a period of time, or at an anniversary date somewhere during the year, but I believe it can and should be done often. What do I mean? For myself, I work at getting rid of, 'giving up' that which no longer serves me on a regular basis. It would be nice to say "I give up negativity!" but let's be realistic here, shall we? Negativity is the polar opposite of positivity and as with anything dealing with polarity we must have it! Why? Good question. We can't have up without down, hot without cold, light without darkness, day without night, winter without summer etc. That is the physical reality we live in.  We can have positivity and work at being positive everyday, but just like I'm almost always healthy (until this past week!) we must have our down times, our moments of weakness and negativity. It's part of the whole package.

Hopefully, we can negate some of it, but we need to be more specific rather than just giving up negativity. We can choose to give up hanging out and surrounding ourselves with negative people for instance. This may be difficult to do at work, but I often advise people that find themselves in a difficult work situation to simply "do your work". You do not need to socialize, hang out after work or be friends with these people. Really! You do not. You just need to work with them, and in the work place today there is simply too much socializing and befriending which, quite frankly, makes for a less efficient work place and more drama than most people need.  If you find yourself in this place, go to work, do your work and then leave and keep your social life where it belongs, outside of work in your own personal time and space. Trust me, your employer will thank you for this!

You may choose to watch less news, which is dedicated to bringing the world's worst situations, disasters and maladies right into your living room. Do you watch everything you can regarding the latest political races, well that's bound to bring some serious negativity into your life as that's what that machine feeds off of.  I find I can still be well informed by being aware of current events and the political process without consuming a large diet of it everyday. I find that I'm happier and I see the world in a better light when I limit my exposure to the news and politics.

Do you want to be healthier? Rather than giving up chocolate or fattening foods, alcohol or smoking for a short period of time for 'religious purposes' a witch would look at her overall nutritional diet and make the healthy changes that will last a lifetime. All things in moderation unless they are very unhealthy for you or dangerous such as alcohol or smoking which you might wish to banish from your life for a longer, healthier existence, or cut down drastically for improved health.

I've heard of people giving up all sorts of things they find pleasurable and fun such as sex, funny movies, red meat, dancing, chocolate and desserts all for Lent. Never will you find a witch giving up what the Goddess has given us to have and enjoy in our lives simply to be a martyr for our religion. I frankly, don't get this concept! To me, it's akin to giving up laughter, happiness, friendship and joy! Why? These are parts, valuable parts of our lives that are necessary and make our lives meaningful and worth living! I can simply imagine how bereft my life would be without the things and people I enjoy in my life, I don't need to experience it to appreciate it.

Some people fast, actually giving up food!! This is a concept that, except for medical purposes, I fail to get.  I find I can emphasize with the starving and hungry without starving myself, and it's a sacrifice that one cannot do for very long without perishing.  Then again others choose this time to be more charitable to others, kind of the flip side or opposite polarity to sacrifice, to give unto others. Rather than giving something up, they choose to give of themselves to others. I personally try to do this all the time, not just at a certain time, and I don't do it to benefit myself and to raise my status in the eyes of my Goddess. I try to be charitable to others because what I send out comes back to me and I would like people to be kind and charitable to me.  It's simply common courtesy and why it should be wrapped up with religion is beyond me.  Being a kind, generous, thoughtful and compassionate person should be the norm, not the exception, but .  .  .  that's just this witch's opinion!
 
 Give up what no longer serves you. Put aside that which no longer benefits your life, what no longer brings you joy, happiness or a sense of well being. But to sacrifice and be a martyr? Jesus wasn't a martyr, nor were any of the other great masters I mentioned earlier in this discussion. They were simply wise men and women that had come to a place where some things no longer worked for them, so they set them aside. They did not 'give a thing up' which is a sacrifice, they set a thing aside, which is a choice. There's a tremendous difference, if you think about it.

Peace and Happiness
 

© 2010-2012 Faith M. McCann.  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 or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website.  Please note that the copying and/or further distribution of this work without express written permission is prohibited.

 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.

Happy Valentine's Day!

 Happy Valentines Day from me to you!

I know, I know,  many people, yourself perhaps,  are a bit jaded when it comes to day exclusively set aside for love and romance. True, many of the concepts floating around are valid, such as: 'if you love someone you should show it year round' .  .  .  but .  .  .  we sometimes get caught up in the process of living and just put it aside. Or .  .  .  'you should know I love you, without a special day to commemorate it' and Oh! Let's not forget, 'it's a day created by chocolate factories, florist shops and card shops!, all commercialization!'  Maybe, .  .  .  but maybe it's a day that you can use for it's very specific energy to make your life happier and more filled with love? Let me show you how.  .  . 

If you want love in your life, magickally speaking, celebrate a day that celebrates love on a grand scale!  Just like any other magick, if we push it away, away it will be.  We must bring it into our lives, as we do with our other magickal goals, i.e. money, tranquility, health and protection.  If you are perfectly happy with how you are and already have that special someone or for whatever reason, don't want a special someone, love magick can also bring in the loving energies you do want. Perhaps from family, friends, co-workers and just pleasing harmony from strangers.  Having love energies in your life doesn't necessarily mean hot, wild, rip your clothes off passion, .  .  .  although.  .  .  it could!

It could just be the energetic push you need to wake up in the morning smiling and happy. With your pet greeting you at the end of your day and friends looking you up to go out and visit with them. Loving energies should always be welcome into your life and even if you have the best relationship with your significant sweetie, strengthening and enhancing love energies is always desired. Never just assume that because you have love, it's good and solid and no further work needs to be done. BIG mistake!  Like a plant or animal, or any living thing, it needs to be fed, nurtured and cared for. The energy called love. This way it stays in your life and doesn't die. For love can very well die, depending on how much you neglect and take it for granted. 

This time of the year is also the best for getting supplies for your year round love spells.  Heart shaped plates, heart covered goblets, cloth with hearts and roses designed on it, red and pink items, all aid in successful love spells. Check out your stores carefully for inexpensive, heart and love inspired pieces to decorate your love altar or to use while casting your love spells.Also save and dry the rose petals from roses you may recieve, to be used in future love potions and spells.

The following is a recipe that I found on the Internet. The proper credit is given at the end of the recipe. I did not create this recipe myself, and I do not own any rights to this recipe or photo,  but I strongly recommend it as it's pretty to look at, sweet and tasty, and the perfect treat for your special Valentine!

Cherry Chocolate Kisses

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened, but still cool
1 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons maraschino cherry “juice”
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
Granulated sugar, for sprinkling the cookies
36 milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute.

3. Reduce the speed to the lowest setting and slowly add the powdered sugar and salt.

4. Add the cherry juice and the almond extract until combined.

5. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

6. Increase the mixer speed to medium and add the cherries.

7. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, and place the balls on a baking sheet, approximately 2 inches apart.

8. Using your thumb, gently press each cookie in its center until the cookie is about 1/2-inch thick.

9. Sprinkle each cookie with a little granulated sugar.

10. Bake the cookies until the bottoms are lightly browned, about 14 minutes.

11. Once removed from the oven, immediately press a chocolate kiss into each cookie’s center.

12. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Servings: approximately 36 cookies

http://www.thecurvycarrot.com/2011/03/04/cherry-chocolate-kisses/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gypsys-Melting-Pot/238568062871826

http://gypsysmeltingpot.com/


 Peace and Happiness and have a beautiful Valentine's Day!


© 2010-2012 Faith M. McCann.  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 or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website.  Please note that the copying and/or further distribution of this work without express written permission is prohibited.

 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.

Sex Magick . . . YES, We're going there!!

 Good Evening,

This topic is a little racy, perhaps a tad naughty, but it's part of the magickal world and an area that you can work with if you choose. Like all of my topics and discussions, I've said it before, if it works for you great! If it doesn't, no judgment, just leave it alone as it may be meant for another.

Sex Magick. Now what is this all about you may ask? It's about creation. No, not just procreation which is a natural, magickal result of unprotected sex, but creation as in making things manifest in your life.

Magick is all about creating or manifesting things in your life that aren't there at the present moment. Or, eliminating things that no longer serve you.  Burning a green candle, which you've surrounded by money attracting herbs and anointed with money oil will indeed bring in an increase in financial flow, but its also useful in manifesting the things that the money would buy.  The same can be done using sex with or without a partner. Don't think of the finances that your spell will bring in, but the items you would normally buy with the money.  The money is simply a vehicle, not the ultimate goal, so visualize the ultimate goal.

Think of something you need, for example, let's say you need a new car. Focusing your mind and having a good visual of you driving a new car is what you first need to establish. Get the visual, think about it long and hard. Don't put any energy into how you will get it, let the universe decide that. For truly, who knows? Maybe you'll get a hand me down car when someone else gets a new one. Perhaps it will be a gift. Maybe the financing will work in your favor and a special sale held by the car dealer will allow you to be driving a new car with little or no money down.  It doesn't matter the means of acquiring the car, just see yourself driving a car.

Now, let's set the scene. Talk with your partner and have you both share the same visual. Talk it out, describe it in detail so you both have the same imagery in your mind's eye of you in a new car. Now, maybe the car is used but its new to you. Plan your encounter and get down to business. When the ultimate moment comes, and you know what I'm talking about, the orgasmic release that one or both of you experience (and it doesn't have to be romance-novel simultaneous) visualize the imagery again of you driving a new car.  Doesn't sound romantic? That's O.K.  Magick is used for practical, necessary, needed things and the act itself has all the romance needed. It's a short momentary visual, try to hold it during the climax as long as possible.  If you go all gaga in the head, and lose the visual, well .  .  .  I guess you'll just have to keep practicing until you get it right! 

This can be done alone, with just yourself but a partner will help make the magick stronger and quicker to manifest. But make no mistake, the visual along with the climax makes for powerful magick and there is legends and lore of this type of magick having been conducted for centuries.  Sex magick also can effectively be conducted while safe sex is being practiced, as long as climax is achieved, this is the only goal.

This type of magck is primarily used for manifesting things in your life, rather than banishing things out of your life. Bringing in, creating new, starting fresh are all elements of this type of magick.  Ideally this magickal sexual act would be conducted within a magick circle. When the sex act is conducted in a magickally cast and consecrated circle it  is called The Great Rite.  Witches look at the sex act as the ultimate act of love and magick between the God and Goddess and as above, so below .  .  .  we are merely emulating the Great Mother Goddess and her consort the Father God, by coming together and creating the ultimate in magick. To do this, cast a circle around your bed in your bedroom. A typical altar is not necessary as the bed acts as the altar in this case. The only tools needed are you and your partner.

The Great Rite can be conducted with no specific magickal manifestation intended, and that's o.k. also. The act, in and of itself, is incredibly magickal and very powerful. The release of chemicals, hormones and magickal energy within the body has the ability to heal, renew and rejuvenate the practitioners and that's just helpful all around.

Practice sex magick and keep a journal of the magickal manifestations you are trying to achieve and pay attention to how they manifest, just like any other spell. Keep these notes in your book of shadows, or perhaps you'll wish to have a separate sexy book of shadows, but keep them so you can go back, pinch a bit here, tweak a bit there and soon you'll become very proficient with sex magick.

So, now you know .  .  .


Peace and Happiness!






© 2010-2012 Faith M. McCann.  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 or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website.  Please note that the copying and/or further distribution of this work without express written permission is prohibited.

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.

. . . and now a word from our sponsor!

 Good Evening,

I do try to keep the marketing primarily on my website and the magickal interesting tid-bits here on my Witch's blog, but every now and again I am reminded to mention what got it all started, my book that I wrote for the students and fans of Enchantments.  This is more than a simple reminder and I will be brief, but I wanted to let you know and see the latest look for "Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies'  © 2010

 I am really excited about this new look. We've done away with the spiral binding and the book now has a professional binding that is clean looking and functional. The book can still be laid fairly flat and worked with as a workbook in that way.  With the new binding, although a more expensive process, we are still offering the book at it's current retail price of $37.99 .  There is an additional charge of $11.41 to cover tax and shipping. We will ship anywhere in the world!

This book is one of the only items that  Enchantments ships mail order and you can place your order over the phone with a major credit card or from our website using PayPal at  www.enchantmentsschool.com  The book is shipped out the next business day. If you let us know the name of the recipient of the book I will be happy to autograph it for you.

Thanks for letting me share with you about the new look of my book and I hope you have a great rest of your day!   Ms. Faith


© 2010-2012 Faith M. McCann.  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 or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website.  Please note that the copying and/or further distribution of this work without express written permission is prohibited.

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.

Love, Sex and Lust magick!! Tis' the season!

Good Evening,

Now, I bet you the title of this discussion got your attention, didn't it? Haha! Yes, I will admit that going along with popular lore and legend that witches do seem to have a bit more and then some in the love and lust department. Maybe its because we're so close to nature, maybe its because we're so in tune with our own feelings and emotions or perhaps its because so many of us are extra empathic? Regardless of why, I often find it's true.

It's true that some of the lustiest, happiest and passionate people I have met are Pagan.  I believe there is a correlation to the "sinfulness' many religious belief systems put on sex, love and lust and how 'bad', 'dirty', 'immoral' the act is considered to be by many. What a shame. Something so beautiful and perfect being considered so wrong and bad. I just don't get it, but then I'm a witch, so I don't get a lot of things main stream religions teach, and I'm happy with my ignorance!  But for you, my witchy reader, we'll be Pagan today and discuss this juicy topic with no preconceived notions. I'll let you decide! If it works for you .  .  .  Great! If not .  .  .  then leave it alone, it may be meant for another.

With Valentine's Day, just around the corner, let's discuss some correspondences relating to love, lust and sex spells and magick.

Color:  Reds, pinks, mauve, silver and golds
Herbs: Damiana, Rose, Basil, Clove, Sweet Pea, Apple, Jasmine, Lavender, Daffodil and Lilac to name but just a few, there are many, many herbs associated with love, lust and sex.

People think of Friday as the 'Love' day of the week, and they'd be right. It is a very strong, all purpose love day and if you attribute the magickal qualities of the days of the week, Friday is most definitely a day for love. But, what about a Wednesday for instance? Do you need to wait until Friday to do magickal things associated with love? NO! Everyday can be looked at through love-colored glasses. Let's look at the days of the week and their generally known magickal attributes, shall we?

Sunday - all around success, good fortune and a huge YES day!
Monday - a day for family, female matters, divination, moon magick
Tuesday - drive, ambition, moving forward, taking control, good day to start
Wednesday - communication, both verbal and emotional
Thursday - abundance, prosperity, all encompassing success on the physical level
Friday - love, lust, sex, desire and romance
Saturday -  banishing, eliminating

These are just a simple over-all understanding of the energies that are found to be stronger on these days. Well, you have no need to wait until Friday, as each days' special energies can be melded into your needs in relationship to love. For instance a spell could be cast using the following energies of each day:

Sunday can be a day of success in finding, keeping love in your life.
Monday can be a day of family love, friendships and bringing in new loves
Tuesday is a day full of empowerment, passion, lust and sexual drive
Wednesday is a day to communicate your feelings of love, to share them with another
Thursday is a day to enhance your love life or the love you have in your life, allowing it to grow and become greater than it is
Friday would still remain an awesome all around love day to cast your sweetly loving or passionate desire spells,  which leaves Saturday.  With Saturdays' strong ability to banish things from our lives we can banish many things that hinder a relationship, i.e. jealousy, stress, anger, bitterness, lack of time to spend together, frustration whatever may be holding back your perfect relationship.

You can use the energies at hand, with simple focus of the mind and 'seeing' / visualizing your end result, to truly create the life you live and the love you find within it.

Foods for Love and Romance

These foods have been known for a very long time as foods of love.  Using some or all of them in your Valentine's day meal  can make for a fun, spicy encounter.

Chocolate has from almost its first uses, been associated with love, lust and sexual desire. Considered by many to be an aphrodisiac. Indeed, modern scientific studies have concluded that the brain chemicals that are released when chocolate is consumed, are the same that are released when someone falls in and is in love.  Chocolate is indeed some powerful stuff, truth be told. 

Vanilla,  also is known for its strong love attracting qualities and is often paired with chocolate in small quantities to enhance the flavor of the chocolate.

Strawberries, pumpkins, apples and cherries have been known to carry love attracting and enhancing qualities and are found in many pastries and desserts.

Cinnamon, ginger, sugar and clove are spices that have been associated with love for centuries.

Whipped creme', chocolate of any kind, strawberry ice cream, red jello, red hot candies, candy hearts ad marshmallows are all modern day love confections that can bring a spark of romance and passion to an encounter.

Using foods associated with love, surrounding your area with candles of pinks and reds, having romantic flowers with loving energies in your area are all components of love spells. They are actually spells in and of themselves. A good, effective spell many times is how you prepare for an occasion rather than a recipe that one follows step by step.

Magick truly is a way of life, with each step you take throughout your day containing magick and wonder.  True magick isn't just what is done in ritual at a certain time during a certain moon, it is who you are and what you do every moment of your magickal life.

Do you want love in your life? Then manifest it! Be loving, love yourself, love others and be kind. Use the natural gifts of the Goddess and create magick. This is the surest way to create the magick of love in your life!


My next discussion will be a bit naughty, as we'll discuss real sex magick!  Be back in a few!


Peace and Happiness








© 2010-2012 Faith M. McCann.  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 or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website.  Please note that the copying and/or further distribution of this work without express written permission is prohibited.

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.

Happy Imbolc~Feast Days and why Pagans find food to be sacred.

 Happy Imbolc!

For the Pagan first day of spring, here in Southern New England we are experiencing lovely spring-like weather. Yes, we know .  .  .  winter is sure to return with a snowfall or two, but for us, we know in our hearts .  .  .  it's SPRING!!!  We just don't say so, but our ancestors have declared this the first of spring for centuries in Western Europe.  Indeed, in Great Britain and Ireland they often have spring like weather much earlier than we do here in New England, but we seemed to have matched them this year. At least for the immediate time being.

Now to clear up any confusion, especially if you have a Witches Calendar, which clearly indicates Imbolc is tomorrow!, let me explain.  When the early Christians started to absorb and integrate the Pagan holidays into their calendar (for how else would the Pagan population have followed so smoothy the early Christian holidays, if they were not our own?) they moved Imbolc from the first of February to February 2nd.  They did this for other Sabbats, for instance Samhain, which was given three days of holiness, October 31st, November 1st and 2nd and again they did this for Imbolc. They changed the date to February 2nd and called it Candle Mass, to honor the candles that are lit to welcome in the burgeoning Sun.  In modern times in this country, we recognize this date as Ground Hogs day, also a traditional holiday to welcome in the spring or to foretell a longer winter.  Well many Pagans and Wiccans alike tend to follow this Christianized date and still today celebrate on the 2nd of the month.  Yet, it matters not! Celebrate as you can, as I will celebrate Imbolc this Saturday with my magical studies students in morning class.

Now onto the topic of the day, Feast Days and why pagans find food to be sacred.  Of course each person will feel about things as they will, but food has always been and, I think,always will be sacred and special. Our practice has its roots in ages long ago, but at a time when food for all was scarce and difficult to come by. A time when everyone knew the feel of hunger and want. I could discuss in great detail the history of food, but I'll keep it specific to the topic at hand.  The Sabbats were a time, it is debated, that from 2 times, to 4 times to possibly 8 times a year, a Sabbat was conducted in ancient Celtic times and the focus was primarily the foodstuffs to feed everyone.  A number of animals were slaughtered to provide fresh meat for the populace, and great ritual was believed to have been conducted in and around the slaughtering and preparing process.  I can only believe that the early spring Sabbats were a bit leaner, depending on the condition of the food stores (grain and root vegetables placed in storage) and if they had survived the winter with no rot or vermin infestation they would have had more, if not, then much less. When one knows what hunger, real hunger, feels like then a feast with plenty to eat does become sacred. For without food, we die. Our village, our town, our communities cease to exist.  For the ancient Pagan cultures, that many try to emulate in ritual and belief today, extinction and death due to starvation was a very real and constant threat. 

Today, I try to emphasize the understanding of what we have and how very fortunate we are to live in this day and age. We do not know hunger as the ancients did. Yes, there are third world countries where hunger is a real threat, but in the United States today we throw away enough food everyday from our homes and restaurants, food stores and other locations that could feed a small country.  Everyday! Yes, there may be individuals who have known hunger, but in this day and age it just is not a community wide understanding or experience.

We are lucky and blessed!  If you have consumed anything today more than a thin, watery disease ridden gruel with no flavor or nutrition, you are blessed. If you could easily place your hand on a slice of bread within moments of reading these words, you are as fortunate as any king or queen that ever existed, in this respect.  We have the ability to go to a store and buy as much food as we want or can afford. Many times we are restricted to having enough space to store it.  In ancient times when you ran out of food, you went without. Sometimes for longer than a body could survive.

I feel many Pagans today, because we strive to be in-tune with nature and the physical world, on some level we understand and can appreciate this.  We celebrate all the Sabbats with good food. Much of it is made by individuals or the best is purchased for the feast.  We have sparkling juice, punch, breads, cakes, salads, and in many cases as we celebrate in the morning hours, egg and potato dishes.  You can celebrate in the afternoon or evening and the menu is what you make of it.  I find it nice to have fresh greens and fruits for the Sabbat feasts and fresh baked bread for the cakes and ale part of the ceremony.  Fresh flowers are also a nice touch for the occasion, but its up to you to make it what you will.

As challenging as we may find our day to day life to be, I find great perspective in remembering how the ancients lived and in turn feeling so very blessed to have it so much more comfortable and easy today.  I take the energy of the Sabbat and meditate on those thoughts and in this way it becomes very meaningful to me and I hope it will be to you.

So plan an Imbolc feast for today or this week. Invite over some like minded friends and celebrate! Celebrate spring, celebrate life and love and most of all celebrate the times we find ourselves in. When you take that next bite from a fresh piece of bread or a ripe piece of fruit, take but a moment to realize how very lucky you are.  And .  .  .   you are. Blessed Be and Happy Imbolc to you and yours.

Imbolc Spring Omelet

This omelet utilizes many spring ingredients such as cheese, and fresh greens in the baby spinach.  It is a light dish, but substantial enough to act as a main dish or if served with many other foods a lovely side dish.

Eggs, beaten. 4-6 large ones for an omelet to serve 2 -3 people.
baby spinach  a small handful
feta cheese appx 1/2 cup
sliced ripe tomatoes (one large or two small)
fresh mushrooms sliced thinly

Have all the fillings ready to use and nearby in individual bowls. Heat up a large skillet (an electric fry pan works well with this recipe)  Add the beaten eggs to the skillet and cook on medium for several minutes until the egg has cooked and is only slightly moist on top. Then place as much of the fillings on as you wish. I place the mushrooms first, then the feta cheese. Then the tomatoes and finally I place a handful of the spinach on top.  Try to arrange the fillings on one side of the circle of eggs. Then take the undressed side of the eggs and with a spatula flip it over the side with the fillings. Cover the pan for just a few moments to let the steam from the omelet permeate all of the fillings and melt the cheese. Then uncover and slide onto a platter.  Garnish with some baby spinach leaves and a few slices of fresh tomato along the top then a small sprinkle of the feta cheese.  This is a recipe I whipped up just for you, my witchy reader, I hope you try it and enjoy it.

Peace and Happiness





© 2010-2012 Faith M. McCann.  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 or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website.  Please note that the copying and/or further distribution of this work without express written permission is prohibited.

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.