What Has Defined 2016 For You and What Will Define 2017 For You?

Edward Woodward as Spirit of Christmas Present in the 1984 movie "A Christmas Carol" adapted from Charles Dickens's novella

Good Morning My Witchy Reader,

Ah well, yet another year is coming to a close for all around the world. Yes, many Pagans see our New Year starting on November 1st, but come January 1st, with billions around the globe seeing it as a "new" beginning, that gives it a magick all it's own. As I have often said, Pagans have the best of both worlds, we can celebrate all the holidays if we choose. Today, I wish to reflect on the year that has almost passed and to think about what it has left with us. On social media, I am seeing so many people lamenting about all that went wrong in 2016. How horrible it was, and how they just want it to be over.

Hmmmm. (Tapping red tipped witchy nails on the table, as I contemplate this) What a pessimistic, morbid, melancholy way of looking back. I long to ask in the manner of Charles Dickens's Spirits of Christmases Past and Present. "Was there nothing that brought you happiness in the past year?", "Was there no joy at all in your year?", "Can you find nothing to be grateful for?", " Was there no love, laughter or enjoyment of Life?"  "Can you not see the abundance in your life, when so many in this world have only 'ignorance' and 'want'?"  

What I plan to do, is not to complain about all that went wrong in 2016, things go wrong every year and always have and always will. It's easy to complain about everything that is not perfect in your life. It is so easy to pick and separate out all that didn't work as you had hoped. The negative is so easy to notice and attract. But I'll tell you a secret. It is just as easy to pick out and attract the good, the positive and the wonderful things that have happened. It is really up to you and what you decide to focus on.

Instead I will look at the last year, 2016, and count all of my blessings. I will pick out and choose all of the wonderful things that have happened. I will be grateful for the wonderful students who have found Enchantments and come to class every Saturday morning excited and eager to learn. I am grateful for good friends that help me out in the shop when I can't be there, just so I don't have to be there all the time. I am grateful for the customers and tarot clients who come and spend time and money in an effort to keep  us in business, during a time when it is so very easy to simply shop on-line with a few short clicks of the keyboard.

I am grateful for modern medicine that allows my 17 year old cat to live with diabetes and to enjoy a full, happy life that she chooses to spend sleeping on a heated blanket all day! I am grateful for my father having successful heart surgery, and my mother having new medication and good doctors to help her with her Parkinson's. I'm grateful for my sister and brother in law for taking care of my parents and taking the spark plugs out of their car when they decide they want to go for a joy ride! Neither should be driving! Hee hee I am also grateful that they live in a town of only 700 people! 

I'm grateful for the love of family, and of reconnecting with my wonderful family, at the aunt's dinner, and long lost family and friends I haven't seen in years, all because of Facebook. I am so grateful a doctor suggested vocal exercises that turned into singing lessons that have me singing for anyone who will sit still for a few minutes! Hahaha and it makes me so very happy and it has affected my health in positive and wonderful ways. 

I am grateful for my Muse and for best friends. For those who have always believed in me, even when I have not. For those who have loved me, even when I don't feel so lovable. I am grateful that I found the Goddess so early in life and that she walks with me, each and every day, not just on Sundays or on special holidays. She is always with me, whispering in my ear, like the angels who whispered in the ear of my grandmother. Giving gentle suggestions, and encouragement and support and I'm grateful that I have learned how to listen to these Divine messages from Deity. 

I am grateful for the magick that I discovered within at an early age and that stays with me and gives me insight, knowledge and visions that allow me to help others and to give guidance when asked. I am very grateful, that at my age, I have learned how to be strong and to put aside people who are harmful, hateful and just wish to bring me down and who do not care or love me. And to not feel guilty or remorseful, as I have done these things for my better self and so I can live a happy and fulfilling life. 

I'm happy for a husband that has been with me for over 33 years and so many, many blessings that I could go on and on. It really is easy, so easy to look for and find the blessings. Truly .  .  .  good and bad are going to happen. The principle of Polarity is one of the principles of the Universe, it is how it works. Up must have down, cold must have hot, and good has bad.  I also know that when something 'bad' happens, it is up to me on how I perceive it, and what I do with it. How will I let it affect my life, what lessons will I learn and will I keep the negative wrapped around me as a shroud or will I set it aside so light can come in and I can move forward. But this is my choice and only mine. 

One of the greatest lessons I have learned so far, is Life does not happen to us, but we create our reality. In all of it's layers, and shadows, it's ebb and flow. If I do not like my reality, I create it anew. 

It is our place to decide what we will focus on and what will define our life. I, and I will only speak for me, I will focus on the good, the happy, the blessings and the love in my life! So Mote it Be!!

May you and your loved ones have a healthy, happy and loving New Years! 

Live, Laugh and Always Love, Ms. Faith 

© 2010-2016 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.

The War Between the Oak King and the Holly King

Merry Christmas, Happy Yuletide, Happy Hanukkah, Season's Greetings to one and all,


There is an ancient Celtic story that has been told throughout the centuries since at least King Arthur's time, if not before. It is the story of the Oak King and the war he has every year with the Holly King.
It is a war, a battle for dominance, if you will, that takes place each year at the Winter and Summer Solstices.

In Celtic mythology, the Holly King is considered a dark king and his image is a wren, whereas the Oak King is a King of light and his image is a robin. They are brothers but also adversaries each fighting for dominance over a half of the year.

The war starts again at Midsummer, Litha, the Summer Solstice and the Holly King and Oak King fight for dominance, with the dark Holly King winning and he reigns from Midsummer until Yule when the war starts again.  He represents the upcoming winter, the dying of the fields, the decomposition of the leaves in the forests as it turns to humus. In addition to the darkness, the Holly King represents the inner mysteries and hidden knowledge.

He reigns until Yule, the Winter Solstice, the Christmas Season. For the ancient Celts the Yuletide, Winter Solstice represents the re-birth of the Sun God, the return of the Sun and the lengthening of the days. Then they battle, the dark Holly King and the light Oak King and the Oak King wins the battle at Yule and reigns until the Summer Solstice. He represents growth, new abundance, fertility and everything new.

So right now, a few days after Yule, the winter solstice which fell this year on the 21st of December the Oak King is reigning supreme. It may not seem like it, with freezing temperatures, snow fall imminent and ice and cold an everyday occurrence, but each day the light remains just a little longer. The nights grow a little shorter, and by the beginning of February we shall see small, tiny glimmers of spring. The Canada geese start flying back, the ice starts to break up in the rivers, warming trends start to appear. Then the Oak King's season of light and warmth becomes more apparent.

This war happens every year, and it most likely started as a story created by the ancients, as so many stories were to help explain to the children and the people the turn of the seasons, the natural world around them. The Celts were known for their storytelling and the story of the battle between the Oak King and the Holly King was told for centuries until it finally found it's way into modern literature. It is found in literature such as the Golden Bough written by Sir James George Frazier originally published in 1890.  Robert Graves also mentioned the legendary battle in his book The White Goddess published in 1948.

Both of these classic publications are part of a formal basis for early Pagan practice in the late 19th and 20th centuries.  If you can get a copy of these books you are fortunate indeed. The battle of the Oak King and Holly King, continue each year and as one gives way and the other takes over and then they switch every six months, it also notes how the ancient Celts saw the Year split into two halves, the light half and the dark half. There are, of course variations, as are typical for a legend that spans centuries. Some during the past have recognized the Kings taking control over their half of the year at Samhain and Beltaine, so each was in his full glory by the time their respective Solstice came along.

For scholars of Celtic mythology, there are many stories which discuss various concepts of history, nature and magick and for those who wish to read even more you can get a copy of the Mabinogion, which is a Welsh book of Celtic stories which were orally passed down and originated in the 12th and 13th centuries. It was then first published in print in 1838.

There is so many stories and history surrounding Yule and Christmas, I wanted this ancient story to be told once again.



Live, Laugh and Always Love, Ms. Faith













© 2010-2016 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.

A Brief Magickal History of Gift Giving

Greetings My Witchy Readers,

The Yuletide season is upon us and for many it is also Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. For some it is simply a season for gathering with family and friends, going to some holiday parties and perhaps giving and receiving a special gift from a special person.

The history of gift giving is ancient, and magickal and perhaps one of the first social interactions humans have ever engaged in. Archaeologists have found in caves, once inhabited by Paleolithic man, evidence of gifts given. A special rock, a crafted stone tool, a pierced animals tooth or shell to wear as adornment have all been found. It is felt that the male of the species that gave the most desirable gift would more easily attract the mate they were interested in. Many gifts have been found in ancient graves, from the earliest burials. Gifts given, which were intended to follow the spirit of the deceased to the next lifetime.

Even the aforementioned gift items that were tucked into graves and temples, tombs and pyramids of deceased loved ones were not only meant to be used by the spirit of the deceased in the afterlife, but to be a connection, a memory of the loved ones they had left behind.

I did title this discussion, the 'magickal' history of gift giving. Many of the above reasons for gift giving could be considered magickal, and the magickal can also be found in many other ancient gifts once given. When a gift is given, not expressly for a celebratory gift or to mark a special occasion, but one that has a special property, such as love or protection, it is considered magickal.

One of the most famous of magickal gifts recorded in history, is the gifts the Magi brought to the baby Jesus, as he lay in the manger in Bethlehem. Yet the Frankincense, Myrrh, Gold and Silver brought were not birthday gifts, but gifts of protection. The incenses have long been known to bring protective energies to surround a place where they were burnt, and were often burnt in ancient temples, and gold and silver have a long history of protective energies.

In my research, gifts were often given from rulers of one clan or tribe to another for diplomatic reasons, giving elaborate gifts often was a show of ones status in the community, given as dowries when a girl was married off so that she would have a generous start to her new household and the gifts for this type of occasion would have been objects for the household.

I found though, one of the earliest reasons for giving a gift to a loved one, was as a tangible memory. In ancient times, it was a common occurrence for a loved one to move far away, go to war, leave for an extended pilgrimage or trip and sometimes they would not return for months, years or perhaps never return. In these ancient times, there were no devices to record one's picture, and only the very wealthy could afford a portrait to be painted either in a large wall hanging portrait or a tiny picture tucked into a locket.  So the idea of having a gift, a tangible item with which one could touch and remember their loved one became an important sentimental memento. This may have been a special piece of jewelry, flowers which were carefully dried and kept, polished semi precious gemstones, a ribbon, a hair comb, something that could be worn on the body inconspicuously.  Many times these lover's keepsakes were secret, especially if the couple were not married.

Another set of ancient gifts which continue to this day, are the bride's gifts that are given by the bride's mother, or maid of honor, or close loved ones for the bride to wear as she walks down the aisle in the wedding attire. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. These were not just gifts given to the bride but were meant to bestow good luck upon the bride and the wedding festivities and to bring good luck for the upcoming marriage.

There is a deep psychology to gift giving, that many may not consider in this modern day and age, when it seems so many have so much. That holidays cycle around the calendar and .  .  .   sigh .  .  .   another gift giving holiday looms.  The psychology of gift giving is two fold. On one hand the giver gives a gift with the sentiment and emotions they feel in an effort to connect with the gift recipient.

 Secondly, the recipient then receives the gift and the emotions and sentiments are ideally also received and the connection desired is made.  The sentiments and emotions can be happiness in giving your 18 year old a new car, the joy of giving a sweetheart a special piece of jewelry or flowers, or thanks for a co-worker or boss for the pleasant profitable work experience from the past year.

If you love to give gifts, but find a recipient who does not reciprocate, it is up to you whether you choose to continue to give them gifts. I find, the magick and joy it gives me, far out weighs their lack of reciprocating.  But if you allow their lack, to adversely affect you and make you unhappy, then simply do not give them a gift.  Allowing social expectations to cause stress and negative feelings and emotions will cause you more unhappiness and that is not what the magick of gift giving is about.

Gift giving should make each person, the giver and the receiver happy. It should help make a connection and whether it is to give a memory, send love, draw protection, mark a special occasion, or to give thanks, whatever reason you choose to give, give from the heart. For those are the only gifts that matter.

The history of gift giving is ancient and covers so much more than I touched upon here, but delve into your heart.  Think about the loved one (s) in your life, and give as it moves you.  Try not to let the commercialization of the modern holidays make you jaded,and decide not to give a gift, as even a hand written card, expressing true sentiment can mean the world to someone.

Give of your heart and your love this holiday season, and you will receive it back three fold,


Live, Laugh and Always Love, Ms. Faith









© 2010-2016 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.

Things to Know When You Meet a Witch or Pagan at Yule/Christmas

Good Morning My Witchy Reader,

Witches, witches everywhere!  Yes, more and more people are 'picking up the broomstick' as it is called and choosing to follow a more natural, magickal path. Even if they do not identify as a witch, they might be what is called a Pagan. This is simply someone who chooses not to follow a Judeo-Christian Western Religion.

But, this time of the year, with Yule almost upon us, there is a lot of confusion out there as Christians start celebrating the Christmas season, whether secular or religious and I see a lot of misinformation as to not only the actual history of Christmas but where and how the Pagan history and culture comes in. In addition, people seem confused as to how we celebrate, if we celebrate, and if we do, what we celebrate.

Firstly, this blog discussion, like all of my lectures and writings, in no way ever intends to insult or to denigrate any religion or religious belief. I do not write my own personal opinion, but rather I put down the archaeological, and anthropological history of the world's cultures and people. It is important to understand that many religious texts such as the Bible are compilations of stories and myths that are meant to tell a story and to teach lessons and were not written to be considered actual factual records of events as lived by the people at the time of the stories written.

Well, for those of you who are still with me, let us continue.  This time of the year I see a lot of  signs on church lawns and memes on social media which say "The reason for the season - Keep Christ in Christmas", and this is a lovely phrase, but it is inaccurate. The season that has been celebrated at the end of December, on or near the Winter Solstice, which falls between the 20th and the 24th of December each year and is the shortest day and longest night of the year, has been referred to as Yuletide for many centuries before Jesus of Nazareth was born.

Yule is a Sabbat found on the Pagan Wheel of the Year, and historical evidence shows an agricultural wheel of the year has been used by various ancient cultures for thousands of years. When the Catholic Church started to overtake the Pagan cultures throughout Europe and in turned made Catholicism the required and only accepted religion, they did many things to convert the Pagan population. One thing was to adopt the Wheel of the Year and Christianize the ancient Pagan celebrations such as Yule, which became Christmas. The early Catholics weren't all wrong though, as Pagans have always celebrated this Sabbat as the re-birth of the Sun God, the return of the Sun. The Christians simply personified it to (Son) and the ( birth of the Son of God)

We most easily say "Happy Holidays" as we as Pagans understand that not everyone is or should be a Christian. But when I run into someone who is adamant about saying "Merry Christmas" I say it back. Simply because it does not cost me anything and takes nothing from me.  I certainly would not get all huffy and expect people to wish me a "Happy Yule"!!  A nice, warm, considerate holiday greeting is always welcome to me.

Also, ask yourself, whether you are Christian or Pagan or if you fall somewhere in between,  if you get so offended, all upset because someone gives you a pleasant holiday greeting that does not 'fit' your image of how it should be .  .  .  what is it within you, that brings up these intense feelings? Truly, if someone wishes me a Happy Hanukkah  that doesn't threaten my beliefs or faith, nor so if someone wishes me a Happy Kwanzaa or any other holiday greeting. So, if such a greeting pushes your button it is something for you to look into, within yourself. It has nothing to do with another.

As pagans many of us have evergreens or symbols of them inside our homes as they represent everlasting  life and the return of the spring and warm summer months after the snows melts away. Evergreens are an example of sympathetic magick as they are always green, alive, they never seem to die every year as deciduous trees seem to when they lose their leaves. So, the ancients would bring the evergreen boughs indoors, and eventually these became the Christmas tree which is always symbolized as a evergreen tree. And as sympathetic magick goes, it is the imagery, the visualization that is important. So a fake evergreen tree is just as effective as a real one. I personally do not cut down real trees for this holiday as it seems like a waste of a perfectly good tree life, when a artificial one will do just nicely.

But, I do not judge. It is up to you to use what works for you.  As far as holiday foods are concerned, many Pagans started out in this life like so many others, in Christian/Jewish households or households with no religion but the ethnic culture of their ancestors. So I know many witches and Pagans that enjoy the foods of their childhoods, For me, those foods consisted of  kielbasa, pierogies, pickled herrings, babka breads, ham for Christmas dinner and stuffed shrimp for Christmas Eve. Cheese danish and bagels for Christmas breakfast, and always plenty of fancy nuts, olives, cheeses, relish plates and egg nog.

Some mistakenly think that witches and Pagans have dietary restrictions but we typically do not. Such things are specific to the person themselves. Some are vegetarian, some are vegan, some eat meat, just like people found in any demographic. Some religions have dietary restrictions for anyone that follows their religion,  but not Pagans. You get to choose what works for you.

One additional thing I want to mention, is the misconception some people seem to have that if you are not Christian that somehow we are Godless. That is so far from the truth, that I feel compelled to mention it every now and then. Whether a Pagan or witch believes in a Goddess an a God/ just a Goddess, just a God/ Mother Earth as Gaia, being Pagan in many ways brings you loser to your higher power than some Christians. As pagans/witches, we do not need to go to a church or a Cathedral to find our God. He/She is with us always, always attainable, always in touch. Many of us feel closer by being in a natural place, in the woods, out of doors, in a field or inside of a cast ritual circle. Many of us feel the Divine is not outside of us, separate from us, with us trying to re-connect. No, many pagans and witches feel the Divine is within us, each of us. We understand that no matter what we do, we cannot separate from it, it is always within us.

That concept is probably, by my understanding today, the biggest difference between Pagans and Christians. We do not have the rules that Christians are required to follow. We do not have to confess sins to be forgiven, we need no forgiveness from our concept of God. Perhaps if we hurt those in our lives, forgiving and being forgiven can put things behind us and we can move forward with no resentment or bitterness. But our God/Goddess is complete love and acceptance, no matter what we choose to do here on Earth. We are not required to do penance, or expected to act the martyr and fast, or relinquish a luxury or something we enjoy. The Goddess has given us everything on this Earth, to use and enjoy as we choose.

Many pagans make their own rules as far as relationships, sex and intimacy are concerned. But we do not engage in wild, sex crazed orgies as some seem to want to believe, and are so disappointed when they find out it is not true.  Hahahaha, You are on your own for sex crazed orgies!  As far as rituals are concerned we conduct rituals with clothes on. Some choose to wear ritual garb, like cloaks and robes, others pretty, decorative clothes that make them feel special. This is also a personal choice. There are some groups I have heard of that perform their rituals 'sky clad' which means without clothing, but most of these are in Great Britain. I suppose there might be some in the United States but in 30 years all of the groups I have participated in or been a guest at, we have worn clothing.

I am writing this article after a terse short conversation with a customer who came into my shop last week and made some misunderstood assumptions about witches and Pagans. He was not happy to be corrected and seemed to want confirmation that the more outrageous and colorful legends and lore were true.

We may be magickal, but we are human.  but are we typical, ordinary and just like everyone else, absolutely NOT !!! Hahaha As anyone who has ever really known a witch can tell you. We look at the world differently,  we interact with the energy around us and try to send it out so that it returns to make our world better and happier. Some of us are fierce environmentalists,  some strong political watch dogs,  while others of us stay close to home, stirring our cauldrons and try to make the word a better place in our own small, but significant ways. Like I try to with this discussion I have with you every week,  If one person can read my words and come away with a better understanding of others they share this Earth with,  have more acceptance and knowledge about what we do .  .  .  then I have made a difference. That is all I can ask for.

I hope you go out today, and make a difference, even if it is a small one. They all matter.



Live, Laugh and Always Love, Ms. Faith




© 2010-2016 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.

What To Do With The Space Created After Banishing The Unwanted . . .

Good Evening My Witchy Readers,

Yes, my Muse has struck me again, whereas I was wondering what my discussion would be this evening, suddenly it hit me!  With the powerful Super Full Moons we have experienced these past two months, we are pretty well versed by now on eliminating and banishing those unwanted energies from our lives that no longer serve us.

Well, the full super moon has passed, and was two weeks ago.  And like every Yin has a Yang, every full moon which banishes, has a new moon which brings in. Yesterday, November 29th, 2016 was the new moon and it's power is still effective for a few more days and nights.  The witch does not simply throw out the unwanted clutter, no, she in turn then decorates with new flowers and lovely things to behold.

We, never want to create an empty vacuum. Because as vacuum's are apt to do, if left to their own devices, they will fill themselves up with whatever random energy happens to wander by!!  That is why once you have eliminated the unwanted, you must actively work and put effort into placing energies into that place in your life that is left open and empty by the banishment of the full moon work.

So, let's look, theoretically, at what you may have banished and determine what you may choose to replace it with. If you have banished a harmful, bad habit such as smoking a nice converse would be perhaps adding an exercise or meditation session into your daily life. The closer to the counterpart the converse, on the same level, in this case on the physical plane is most beneficial.

Perhaps your banishment took place on the emotional plane, and you have disengaged yourself from an unwanted relationship, be it romantic, professional, social or an acquaintance,  which you can then fill the space by surrounding yourself with loved ones, current close friends, socializing and bringing in new friends and happier relationships. Go out of your way to spend time with others that make you feel good about yourself and give you a positive outlook and insight into your life. Others see it in you, take the time to see you through their eyes and see the real you, the way they see and love you.

Perhaps you left an unhappy job, or even retired from a good job. It is important to fill that "space" with a 'job' of sorts, even if it is walking in the park every day and taking pictures of nature and birds. Continuing to get up every day at the same time, planning to do things every day will make the transition smooth and positive.

If you find yourself with a space in your life and you are not sure how to fill it, burn a candle for any of the above or for any of these on the new moon phase and ask the Goddess to help you find what you desire.  Then, most importantly, try lots of new things. You don't have to commit to any one thing. Or any one person. Go on a few dates and see how it feels. Take a painting class. Take a singing lesson. Sit in on a book club, or a quilting club, or take a swim class.

Visit your local pet shelter and sit with some pups or kitties, but if you do this, realize you may very well be taking one home and be prepared for that. Take a class on indoor gardening and bring home a plant or two or three.

Burning a simply candle will not, on it's own, change your life. But it can be a first step. Then you burn it on a moon, in this case a new moon, which is the second step. Then speak with the Goddess, honestly and ask Her to help bring your heart's desires to light, third step. Then, most importantly, the fourth step .  .  .  go out, and live life!

It is important to give yourself a bit of time to let go of that which you have banished. The two weeks between moons could be that time or take more if needed. Then the new moon arrives, if not this month, then the next month, and then start living your life again. You may be pleasantly surprised what you thought you had lost has been replaced with so much more.

I know, I do, that the time we spend with energies that are not good for us may seem like a long time, but you can bring that time to and end, when you are ready. That time, might be today. A little magick can help you on your way. Start at the new moon. If it doesn't manifest within 28 days, by then it will be the next new moon, then do another spell or burn another candle. Visualize how you'd like your life to look like and before long, it will happen. Magick always happens, I promise!


In honor of this past Super Moon and the changes it has made within me as well as you, I will be changing my sign off for my blog for the future .  .  .  I will always wish you Peace and Happiness but I will send out the energy, to return threefold, to always .  .  .


Live, Laugh, and Always Love!!!


Ms. Faith

© 2010-2016 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.

We are Never Promised Tomorrow, Be Thankful Today and Everyday!

A Happy Thanksgiving Day to you My Witchy Readers,

As I sit here in a drab motel room on the top of a mountain in the very upper reaches of northern Vermont, waiting to go and see my family, looking forward to the familiar familial energies that are unique to each family, I find myself counting my blessings. Yes, today is an annual day of thanksgiving, of feeling gratitude and being comforted by the blessings in our lives.

Ah yes, it is easy to get snarky and irritated with one or another because we are so close, we can and not fear being ejected from their lives forever, but we can also choose to take a breath and center and realize, as much as we might have issues with family members or friends during the heightened energies of the holidays, our lives would be forever changed should they pass away and no longer be in our world.

We are never promised tomorrow. We are never promised love everlasting, or the fairy tale ending. We only have today and our ability to make this one day as special as we can make it. This is true for each and every day, not just Thanksgiving or another holiday or special occasion. So look around you and take notice of the loved ones in your life, the warm home you find yourself in, the food you will consume today, your health and if your health is failing, take note of the advances in modern medicine and pharmaceuticals that can make your life so much better and more comfortable.

I am grateful that I live in a country where my religious freedoms are secure, and regardless of whether your candidate was elected in the last Presidential election or not, we continue to have freedoms, rights and privileges that would be unrecognizable in other parts of the world. In regards to the past election, people have easily found so many things to complain about, and why does it seem easier to complain than to express gratitude? Yes, we have many things in our country and world today that need to be made better, many injustices and atrocities but as a human race we have every moment of every day where we can do things small to large to help make things better. As long as we do not give into despair, never give up and give in to a sense of defeat, we can make a difference in our world, everyday.

The witch uses magick, the lay person uses pragmatic means, the spiritualist uses divine energies, the intellectual uses words, the activist uses protests, the doctors use medicine, the educators use teaching methods but we all do what we can to make our world a better place for us to live in. The witch knows that what we send out returns to us, so sending out energies of gratitude and thankfulness, we know they will return to us and in turn make our lives happier and more fulfilling, A self created circle of positive energy continuously flowing back to you.

I know, for some it sounds fantastical, but for those who practice sending out positive energy it manifests readily. So think about that and those and all you consider blessings in your life, give them thought and consideration and appreciation.  Do this for a few moments everyday and notice how your life starts to change for the better. And know it is your connection to the divine, the magickal that is making this happen. Life does not happen to us, we create the life that happens around us and within us.


Blessings, This day of Thanksgiving and everyday of the year!

Peace and Happiness







© 2010-2016 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.

Another Super Moon and Other Ways To Use it to Enhance Your Life

Magickal Greetings My Witchy Readers,

This last part of 2016 we have been blessed with a number of astronomical phenomenon, such as eclipses and Super Moons. Both last  month and then again this month we have had super moons and this one in November is supposed to be the biggest, best and shiniest (my word!!) since 1948.  Well, I don't know about that, but it was truly an amazing moon and whereas last month I talked about how you can use the moon for relationship issues, starting, finishing and completing projects, let's talk about how this moon can be used for other fun witchy things.

For instance, a full moon, especially one with other fun phenomenon attached, like this super moon, is wonderful for putting out your crystals and magickal stones to charge and cleanse and re-energize. You only need to leave them out for maybe 20-30 minutes. I took mine out under the full moon and it was cloudy but the clouds broke up and moon beams shone through and touched upon my stones. I also took out some very special jewelry of mine and held it up to the clouds and waited for the moon to shine through and the jewelry was charged in only a moment. It needn't take hours.

You can also take outside, candles that might need a boost or recharge if they haven't been used in a long time. You, yourself, can take a moon bath. I would do this during warmer months depending on where you live.  Take a chair and put it somewhere, where you know the moon will shine and you will have some privacy. Then take a bath or a shower and afterwards, wrap yourself in a sheet, nude underneath. Sit in the chair and then open the sheet and allow the moon beams to shine down upon you.  Breath in the moon light and the positive,magickal energies and exhale the unwanted, stressful, everyday energies from the week, or the month. You can inhale and visualize a positive, life affirming experience while exhaling a life experience you wish to be over with and to eliminate from your life.

For Pagans and Witches, the moon personifies our Goddess. When you look at Her, you can speak to Her, ask for Her assistance, light a candle so the moon light shines upon it and know you are in Her presence.  You can speak with Her, as an adviser, a mentor, a Mother,  a Wise Elder.  You do not need someone special, like a Priest or Priestess, to talk with Her, just simply need to talk and She will listen.

Remember the main energy of the full moon is to banish and remove unwanted energies from your life. All that no longer serves you, the circumstances, the situations, the stagnant energies and although we do not banish 'people' you can banish their unhealthy influence over you and it will be easier for you to set them aside, to the peripheral of your life. Then you are ready to prepare for all the good, positive things to come into your life during the new moon which is in two weeks.

This super moon was full  this past Monday so it's intense energy is still able  to be worked with for another day (Tomorrow, Thursday) and it's energy, being such a powerful moon, will still have energy to charge and  make  changes for yet a few more  days. But by Sunday, it will  be time to start preparing for the New Moon.

It is also important to know, even if you are  not able to see the moon during all of Her glory, because of where you live, the configuration of your home, trees which block it, or perhaps you are unable to be outside after dark  or any other reason, you can still use Her energy. Burn a candle and ask for the Power of the Moon to descend upon you and the items you are working with. Yes, it is similar to "Drawing Down the Moon" but you are not bringing the Goddess forth into your body as in that ritual, but drawing the energizing, charging,  empowering,  Goddess energies into your stones, crystals, tools or items you are working with.

This  moon is also excellent for charging crystal balls and other items with which you divine with. The moon has held great awe and power,  magick and mystery for humans on Earth for over hundreds of thousands of years. The energy of millions of humans looking up and feeling the awesome splendor of the moon is also an energy that you can tap into every time you look at Her, and feel Her  magick.

May the Moon shine her goodness over you tonight!



Peace and Happiness,  Ms. Faith








© 2010-2016 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.

How Women Were Tortured and Suffered For Our Right To Vote

Susan B. Anthony 1820 - 1906

Greetings My Witchy Readers,

For those who know and understand the path of the witch, they know that witches, both women and men were the original feminists. It was a world wide movement during the burning times to eliminate the worship of the Great Mother Goddess and with Her, to denigrate her image, the woman.  The woman who had knowledge, power,  wisdom,  strength and magick within her. This, then and now, has always struck fear deep into the hearts of some men who are incapable of appreciating and accepting women as equal partners of the human race upon earth.

With the upcoming election arriving soon, I wanted to touch upon the history of women gaining their right to vote in the United States. Many people do not know the history of the Suffrage movement. Suffrage means "the right to vote in a political election". Many people have heard of the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote, which was passed in 1920, but many do not realize that the movement started almost 100 years earlier.

During the early 1800's when the movement started, the lot of a woman was a frustrating one. There was a common belief by many at the time of the "Cult of Womanhood" where women were only considered acceptable  as long as they were pious, submissive, and womanly attending to home and children and of course her husband. Women were not  allowed to own property, and needed to have a man be her guardian and could not possess any money. Many women worked outside of the house in factories during the Industrial Revolution and made money but it was not really theirs and was handed over to the man of the house.

As ridiculous as some of the below reasons sound, this is a list of possible reasons a woman could be committed to an insane asylum in the late 1800's. This is an actual document from the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia.

Some of the more unbelievable reasons in this list e.g. being involved in politics, mental excitement (which could simply be being pissed off at her restrictive life!),  keeping bad company, even desertion of her husband! But the lot of the woman gets much,  much worse as the 19th century continued.

During these 100 years of asking, demanding, protesting and marching on Washington to somehow get the Government to consider passing an amendment allowing women to vote, as the end of the 1800's came about, so many other horrible things happened as well.  During what started as peaceful protests women were arrested, jailed and tortured by being force-fed, which for some, happened hundreds of times. They were starved, they were beaten, humiliated, verbally harassed, restrained and some committed to lunatic asylums.  Those were just the stories that the women involved admitted happened to them.

I believe this above newspaper article  refers to a woman in England, where women were suffering the same abuses and also working very hard to get their right to vote granted in England. This really was a movement that affected women on both sides of the Atlantic.

Many women, like Susan B.  Anthony, who spoke eloquently all around the North East about women gaining the right to vote and to participate in the political process, as well as becoming full citizens in their own right, worked tirelessly for decades. Sudan B. Anthony, herself,  passed away before she could see her hard work come to pass. It was another 14 years after her death before the 19th amendment was passed in Congress.

My research revealed another shocking fact concerning this amendment. Whereas the 19th amendment was passed in 1920, the last state to ratify it, was Mississippi, over 60 years later, on March 22,  1984!!!  Yes, it has only been 32 years since every state in this country has legally recognized the rights of women to vote!

I personally do not care who you choose to vote for. That is and always has been a personal choice which I respect. But please, if you are a woman, or if you are  a man who respects and believes women to be equal,  please cast your vote on Tuesday, November 8,  2016. To simply not bother because you do not think a single vote counts,  .  .  .  oh yes it does.  While, with the electoral college, perhaps a single vote might not make a huge difference in who gets into office, that single vote, every single vote cast by an American citizen makes a patriotic difference that goes back to 1776 when we won our freedom from an oppressive Monarchy and we won our right to vote for our representatives in local, state and federal office.  And every single vote cast by a woman again cements her right and privilege to be considered a full citizen of this country with all the freedoms, all the equality and all the benefits thereof.

Women today do not have the real memory of what our predecessors had to got through. But the Internet brings the documents, the research, the newspaper articles, and the diary accounts back to life for us to read, and learn and understand exactly what casting a single vote means.

One of my students told me in class  this morning, that she had not voted since Ronald Reagan ran for President, but she had in her hand her voter registration certificate and wanted me to know that she would vote in this election because I have been so passionate about our rights as women and as Americans.  That was so rewarding and touched me deeply.

For the same rights that protect Witches, Pagans and Wiccans in this country also  protect the rest of us. We are No LONGER separated in our Constitution, or by our Federal laws by gender, religion, race, culture, and hopefully soon sexual orientation will also no longer be a reason for separation or exclusion. We have come so far as a country and we can make a difference in the world we live in, just by casting a vote.

The same base reason that started the persecution of the witches during the burning times is the same base reason for all  of the other prejudice and bias. FEAR. Prejudice, Hatred, Hate groups, crimes against those who look or seem different are all motivated by fear, many times covered over by anger.
 Right now, our country is being held tightly in a fist of fear and anger.  I do not know how this election will shake out, I have refrained from checking my crystal ball,  haha, but I do know by casting our votes it will break apart this energy and hopefully allow a new breath of sanity,  understanding and acceptance to come back.  A single vote can do this.

Please consider doing this on Tuesday.


Peace and Happiness,  Ms. Faith





© 2010-2016 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.

How to Celebrate Your Loved Ones Who Have Passed on Samhain

Happy Samhain,

My Muse  is motivating me yet again, and I wish to tell you about an aspect of this holiday (Holy Day) of Samhain also known as Halloween that some are not aware of. It is our Day of the Dead. Our Memorial day, November 1st, Samhain. It is also our first day of our Pagan new year.

With all the spooky, scary decorations, spooky to sexy costumes, parties for young and adult, and the required trick or treating, there is still time and, for me,  a strong focus on remembering those who have passed on.

I  always serve party foods during the night of October 31st. One, it's easier to have appetizers and finger foods when going to the door every few moments to dole out the expected treats for the little monsters who come calling.

I also, seldom, if ever, have an actual party.  I primarily have the party for the spirits. I put pictures  of loved ones around the table, and  always put a plate of their favorite foods on the table, that no living person eats or touches. You can put a glass of juice, wine or  punch for the spirits also.  It is also appropriate to have a chair, that no one is allowed to sit in,  kept empty during this "spirit party" for the spirits to use if they choose.

These aspects of recognizing the spirits as being present, is a concept that is found in ancient cultures with vestiges still showing up in modern cultures like Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico  and other South American cultures, Italy, Spain as well as others. Many times, things the loved ones who have passed enjoyed from music, flowers, perfumes, a special item or jewelry is placed on the celebratory table in memory, love and respect.

In some cultures today, entire families will  bring the party to the cemetery, and have a picnic by the graveside of the deceased and sing songs, tell stories of the person's life and feast as if the person they are honoring is there amongst them. There are those of us who believe they are.

In many modern cultures like in the United States and in some religious practices, the death anniversary is a time for solemn mourning,  Masses are held in church, and the family members remember their loved one but with a sense of grief and sadness. Many of the Day of the Dead celebrations are just that, celebrations as those who are there feel as if they are being reunited again with their loved one and are together again. For many it is a time of joy as they know their loved one is with them again in a state of peace and love with no pain, illness or grief.

How ever you choose to remember your loved ones who have passed over, know that how ever you feel, however you choose to remember, that is the right way for you. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. There is no right or wrong way to honor them, or remember them. The way you choose is the right way for you.

I am presenting, another way of viewing a situation everyone of us has to go through in this lifetime. We will all lose someone we love, and we will  all grieve and feel loss and sadness. After many years, I find it therapeutic and cathartic for me, although I still feel sadness, to feel  peace and happiness knowing they can be here with me, because love is a bond even death cannot breach.

Simply thinking of a loved one who has passed, brings them to you. They cannot do otherwise. If you have words you wish to share with them, talk to them. Look at a picture of them,  or see them in your mind's eye and talk. They will hear you. They may not be able to communicate with you in a way you can hear or understand, but know they hear you.

The veil between the worlds grows very thin this Samhain eve night, and the worlds I speak of are the physical world of  reality we inhabit and the world of the absolute that spirits inhabit. Also once the spirits have been on the other side for a time, they burn off the restrictions, judgments, the control they felt they needed in the physical world and will send only love and acceptance. They no longer  look at the world as they once did. They come from a place that only knows love. Fights are forgiven, misunderstandings are no longer,  grudges are forgotten, and love remains.

I like to burn a candle on my altar with a picture of a loved one who has passed and I know they are with me and I with them. It brings me peace and comfort.That is all I can ask for.

May you be with your loved ones who have passed this Blessed Samhain season, in love and in peace. Blessed Be



Peace and Happiness








© 2010-2016 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.

The Witch With Her Tools Of Magick

Good Afternoon My Witchy Readers,

Today we will touch briefly on some of the Witches tools, that she or he uses in ritual and  magickal  practice. To start,  to quote the  "Invocation of the Elements", the author, I believe, was Scott Cunningham, for this appears in his book "Wicca - A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner" a portion of the poem which states "By wand, blade, cup and pentacle."which are considered the four traditional Witches tools.

Now, we do use many additional tools, such as the besom or broom, the boline, some use cords, as well as candles. There are many tools a witch could choose to use. But all tools, supplies, ingredients and objects the witch uses are simply to enhance and access her inner magickal power.

Our wands are made from wood, traditionally, and are always harvested from living trees. To pick up dead wood from the ground, may be simpler, but there is no living energy left in the wood, unless it has just been broken and blown from the tree tops.  We harvest the wands by cutting them from the tree and then using our finger or athame to cut the air between the actual tree and wand. First cut the wand from the tree with a saw or pruners. Then we 'cut' the etheric body to keep the energy within the wand.

Our blade, as mentioned in Mr. Cunningham's poem, is our athame. This is one of the modern witches most important and special tools. It is used to cast the magick circle, and the metal in the blade is used to seal the circle from harmful energies. The athame is never used to cut anything physical, except for one thing, in it's entire lifetime. That is the one cut, when the athame is held by the hands of both the bride and groom as they cut the wedding cake. After that initial cut, it is carefully wiped off and brought home to bring protection to the house, and of course to be used in rituals, when needed.

The above picture is Ms. Doreen Valiente considered to be the Mother of modern Wicca. She worked with Gerald Gardner as his High Priestess.

The cup mentioned in the poem, refers to our chalice. The chalice is an old name for a cup or drinking vessel. Our juice, or water or wine, whatever is being used in ritual, is drunk from this container. It is part of the Witches Cakes and Ale ceremony, from which the Catholic practice known as Holy Communion comes from. Whereas the Catholics believe in transfiguration, and believe the wine and wafer actually transforms into the body and blood of their Christ, the practice of it, historically comes from the Pagan rite of cakes and ale.

In the cakes and ale ceremony, we also drink wine or juice from a chalice and eat bread. But we understand that the wine represents the essence of the Goddess as found in the vineyards and orchards, and we consume it while reciting "May you never thirst my sister or brother, or Lady" if it is being presented to the High Priestess. When we consume a small piece of bread or cake, we understand that it represents the sustenance of the God as He is found in the grains and food stuffs from the fields. We hand out small pieces during ritual while saying "May you never hunger my sister or brother, Lady or Lord" as the case may be. Pagans do not believe in transfiguration as we know the bread and wine are merely symbolic.

The pentacle, also known to many as the pentagram is used for protection. Now the pentagram is a five pointed star geometric shape. A pentacle is when that shape is made from some material, such s metal or wood,  making it three dimensional and with a circle surrounding it. This is used in the center of the altar as an altar pentacle and is the focus point on the altar. It represents both the Goddess and God,  all the elements, divine energy and it brings protection and by placing an object upon it, it will charge or empower the object with no further actions necessary. The altar pentacle can be as simple or as fancy as you desire.

The besom or broom, has ancient historical significance, and was first used as a tool of domestication of the woman. She would use it to keep the cottage clean, and to sweep away vermin and debris. The broom became associated with the witch in reference to flying centuries ago, when the first witch hunters started to interrogate suspected witches. We will get back to the broom in a moment, but let me say the following:

It was curious how all across Europe, that suspected witches, under torture and duress would all come out with the same stories of flying to Witches Sabbats, to dance with a tall, dark man, with a tall hat and sign his book. They all had the same stories of doing evil deeds and harming others. But to modern scholars this is no mystery, as the witch hunters, sent forth by the Catholic church in Rome all used the same book "The Malleus Maleficarum"  also  known as "The Witches Hammer" written by two Dominican Monks, which was a tutorial used by every witch hunter and detailed the procedures used to arrest, torture, interrogate and eventually kill suspected witches.

In this manual of horrors, it details very clearly the questions the witch hunters were to ask and the torture techniques to employ until the witch confessed. So of course the stories are the same. The manual used was the same all over Europe. Eventually these 'beliefs' written down in this book by the two Dominican Monks became the basis for almost all of the rumors, lies and legends that still surround witches today.

The broom was thought to be used as a mode of transport by witches from these early witch hunters and so they made the stories become "true" by confession under the most awful torture. As a side note, today we have a term "3rd degree" mostly in reference to burns. This term originated during the witch hunts and persecutions of the Medieval Era, from the 3 levels  of torture inflicted on a suspected witch. The 3rd degree was the most advanced, as it is reported that no one could survive this level of torture. Confession, during this era, never saved a witch but only ended her torture by often equally cruel and barbarous methods of execution.

The broom or besom we use today, is not used in ritual to sweep the floor but to sweep the air around the circle. We start low, about a foot above the ground and using a sweeping motion go around the circle once, then go around again, this time with the broom at mid or waist level. Then a third time we go around with the broom at head height or a bit higher. This helps cleanse the area of stagnant, stale energy and prepares the area for ritual work.

We are free to openly use and display our tools today, in our modern society.  We have laws which protect our religious practice and gives us religious freedoms. But in ancient times, a  witches tools  would be hidden amongst ordinary kitchen tools, so they would not stand out during a witch hunters search of the suspected witches home. Also in ancient days, although the pentagram was an ancient magickal symbol for many studying the Eastern religions, it was not found in the country witches cupboard of tools. She used what was practical, more than what was decorous.

 For instance the boline, was a simple herb knife. It was a small sickle, that could hang on a cord  from the waist and was readily used in the garden to cut herbs, as well as in the home to carve symbols in candles, or other necessary jobs requiring a blade. It is believed, with little historical evidence to back it up, that the boline had a white handle, while the athame had a black handle to differentiate between the two blades for ritual purposes. Again, this is more magickal, witchy lore as I have yet to find any firm historical documentation. But as always, I continue to research and look for more of our magickal ways in the faded mists of history.

As Samhain comes near, the Witches Sabbat of the end of the year, the last harvest and the first day of our New Year, all occurring on November 1st, please remember it is also our Day of the Dead. Our Memorial day if you will. A day to remember the souls of loved ones lost, but for myself, I also always remember the souls of those persecuted, tortured and murdered, many times for crimes they never committed, but whose torment eventually led to our ability to practice today the ancient ways of the wise ones. The Craft of the Wise, The Wise Women of the Village, The Cunning man's magick, and to learn the knowledge of the Old Crone.  This Samhain, if you wish to remember and honor those who have gone before us, take a moment on Samhain Eve, October 31st,  after dark and light a candle and give thanks.

There is so much legend and lore, magick and mayhem that I am so lucky to be able to share with you all.

I would like to thank a very dear, true friend (M.K.) for first suggesting this blog, many, many moons ago  and for continuing to give me the encouragement and support to allow me to present my words to you every week and I hope to be able to do so for many moons to come.


Peace and Happiness - Ms.Faith









© 2010-2016 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.

Rare Super Moon in Aries this Sunday October 16, 2016

Good Morning My Witchy Readers,

Well today is a special day for moon lovers.  Today, October 16, 2016, is the day of the Super Full Moon in Aries. Many call it a power moon. It is colloquially known as the Hunter's Moon also the Blood Moon and the Harvest Moon. It's interesting how many groups of people over the centuries have given the moons, throughout the year, special names. From The Native Americans, the Colonists, the Old Farmer's Almanac etc. This moon is given it's folk names of Hunter and Blood Moons, due to the time of the year where hunters go out into the woods and forests and start hunting wild game, as well as The Harvest Moon, which recognizes that it is the harvest season before winter sets in.

But the Super  Moon designation is more scientific and is attributed to this moon by Astronomers, those scientists who spend their time gazing into the night skies to see what the space around our planet holds. The scientific explanation of the super moon is when the moon is in it's closest proximity to the earth as it orbits around the earth, while being in a full  moon state. This can also happen while the moon is new, but as we cannot see the new moon, it seldom gets the same attention.

Also, just as a reminder from fifth grade science class, the sun is a star that though it rotates it seems to stay stationary, while the  planets orbit around the sun, which gives us our seasons. The earth rotates on it's axis every 24 hours, which gives us our day light hours and night time hours, while our moon orbits around the earth every 28, plus a little more, days, which gives us our waxing to full moon and then waning to new moon phases. Of course, for an Astronomer, there is more to all of this, but in a nutshell this is what you need to know.

Now, for the witchy aspect of this Super moon, it is over-all positive energy. A very strong, positive energy which will affect everyone on the planet to some respect. It is a full moon, so primarily, it is an excellent time for eliminating the harmful, unwanted, stagnant energies from your life. You can also push to the peripheral, those toxic people that seek to bring you down, to control you, who seek to judge you, and who simply do not see you for the wonderful person you are. You will also see that relationships that have come to their natural and reasonable conclusion, will end and become a part of your past. This is not a bad thing, though it may be upsetting.

Every relationship has a birth, a life and a death. Sometimes it is the five minutes you spend with the cashier, in line checking out of the market, never to see her/him again. It could be a long term relationship with family or close friends. Many times those who divorce go through such angst, anger and stress because they truly believe they are meant to be together "till death do you part." when they simply needed to come together, perhaps from a past life, to continue and then finish off the relationship, so they can move ahead. Relationships may have bumps along the road, but if they become intolerable, it may be that they are nearing their natural end.

This Super moon will also highlight many hidden things. Dishonesty, illusion, lies, deception will all  come to light in the next 28 days.  The moon's energy is effective for the typical 7 days, which is the three days before, day of, and three days afterwards for magickal workings. But the highlighting of things in the dark will continue to be illuminated for the 28 day lunar cycle,due this moon being a super moon.

Procrastination, projects that need  to be completed can be easily accomplished now. Broken relationships that you wish to repair, people you have hurt or those who have hurt you or in some way you have fallen out with, that you wish to keep in your life, can easily be remedied and those  relationships will then step up and continue on a higher, better level than before. You see, this moon can banish as well as bring in. It is powerful in both areas.

Aspects that can be brought in are healing, forgiveness, acceptance and understanding, which are all very close in vibrational energy. If you wish to heal emotional, spiritual wounds, first of  all forgive yourself, then look around you and look at those who have hurt you.  Accept them for who they are.  I do NOT mean accept their hurtful actions and the things they may have done or said to you, but accept who they are, because we can't change them. If you can forgive them fine, if not forgive yourself for any hurtful feelings you may be holding inside against them and allow yourself to move on with a clear mind and an open heart.

Allow healing of spirit, soul, body and mind and most especially, healing of your heart, is the energy of this super moon. Allow yourself to live, love and laugh.

One additional aspect of this moon, is to be aware of your ego. The Aries influence of this moon makes one cocky, so you maybe feeling a bit entitled,  a little full of oneself, but being aware of this you have options. You can tweak it and make it confidence, self assurance, discipline, and pride in you and all you do. If you do feel yourself getting a bit cocky, simply dial it down and realize we are all on this path, experiencing, laughing, loving and interacting with one another.

If this super moon can teach you anything, it is we are each where we are supposed  to be, right now. We have the total control of where we will  go and where we will  find ourselves tomorrow, next week  and next month. Truly, no one else controls our lives, but us.

Allow yourself to open up to the healing, the spirituality, the  love, the happiness and the fresh path that winds before you. Taking one step at a time, be sure to slow down for a moment to notice the beauty that is all around you and always take a moment and look at the full moon and feel the magick within.

So spend a moment looking at the moon this evening, and ask for all it's magickal  powers to come into your life and bring it's positive energies to you. And it will!


Peace and Happiness, Ms. Faith






© 2010-2016 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.

Recognizing and Dealing with your Shadow Self

Good Evening,

Tonight I wish to discuss with you your 'shadow self'.  Carl Jung spoke of the shadow part  of the human psyche and suggested it was the unknown aspect. I agree we all have a shadow self, but I disagree that it is unknown. If we look carefully enough, we can see and recognize our shadow self.

We, each of us, are products of light and love and all of the beautiful aspects of the divine soul. But once we enter a physical body, we are also  given the opposite side of the coin, the darker side. Everyone has a shadow side, everyone. Even those who after death were deified, such as Jesus or Ghandi or the Dalai Lama. If you are in a physical body you have a shadow side. Knowing this, is the first step to  dealing with it and learning to  control it, rather than it controlling you.

We,  many of us, wish to personify the love and light and beauty of our higher, spiritual side. But as humans, we often struggle with the side of our personalities that exhibit guilt, jealousy, anger, bitterness, deception, hate, judgment, pettiness, or any emotion or behavior that is not of the highest and purest of our soul.

Understanding we have this side of us, is the first step. Many choose to deny it, thinking "I'm a good person, so this doesn't apply." But the very best person has a shadow side, and denial will only delay the work you need to do, to get to a higher, more beautiful level of human understanding and interaction with others.

The work of dealing with your shadow side, is first to recognize your issues. Perhaps you tend towards passive aggressiveness, or you might try to manipulate others in your life. You might tend towards anger and fighting to get your way. Maybe, you tend toward avoidance and simply turning your back and hoping it will all go away. Look closely into your heart and soul and see what your shadow self is in relation to you.

The first step is listing some of the qualities of your shadow self. Sit down, get a piece of paper or your computer and start a list. A list of some of the 'darker' qualities of you. Maybe qualities you wouldn't be so proud of sharing with others. These are your shadow qualities. Once you have identified them, then you can sit back and think about these qualities.

Do not jump to the conclusion that because you have recognized these qualities, and now know you have them, that you must work on eliminating them. Not at all! No, these qualities can assist you in your day to day life, but you must go through them one by one and see if you allow them to assist you or if you allow them to get in the way of your happiness and your interactions with others.

The shadow self does not at all mean, bad or undesirable. All aspects are divine, but how does it serve you? Perhaps as a rule you are timid and shy. You can dig deep and pull up another aspect that might be anger, but which gives you strength. It might not benefit you to interact with people on a regular basis with anger, but if confronted or threatened it can come out and protect you and give you the strength needed in an emergency situation.

Perhaps you wish to have more interactions with friends and loved ones, but you avoid people and focus totally on work or business, ending your week tired, exhausted, resentful and unhappy. You just want to hide away and not be around others. By digging deep, and pulling out the qualities you desire, to go out and spend time with friends and you end up having a great time.

Oh, is the shadow self  in these above examples hard to pick out? Could the shadow self be on one side or the other? Exactly.  Living in the light, which brings you happiness, strength, courage and confidence is the opposite of the shadow self. The more introspective you get, the more you might realize that you awake with your shadow self and walk with him/her for your entire day or week. Allowing the light within to peek out only occasionally.

Yes, that's right. The shadow self may be your normal persona, the place where you feel most comfortable. I see this in people who are automatically on the defensive, as soon as anything slightly controversial is presented. The people who pride themselves on getting in people's faces, being loud, obnoxious, rude, insulting, demeaning and offensive. They are proud to give people the finger in traffic, they will start screaming and yelling before even considering having a civil conversation. They attack easily, criticize as if it were expected of them and simply do not care  if it affects others or not. This is the shadow self on a power trip!

The one thing Jung did not touch on, at least to my knowledge, is a concept I have noticed and continue to marvel at. The shadow self likes company and looks for and seeks to engage the shadow self of others in their sphere.  This explains groups that form and become an entity of hate and exclusion, such as gangs and hate groups.  Many times when someone gives their shadow self full reign, they often find others who are attracted to the shadow and they become close friends feeding off each other's darker energies.

When this happens and you recognize this, you have a choice to make. You can either stay away completely from those whose shadow selves are  given full reign, but if you live with or work with people like this, it is your work to work on your bright side, your blessed side, and try not to be drawn into the darkness, if you can help it. And if you do not succeed today, tomorrow is another day to do the right thing for you. Whatever that may be.

Working with your shadow self can be a life time endeavor, but it helps make your life more fulfilling and rewarding to have all the aspects in play and choosing which aspects to use rather than letting them use you.

Those that wish to do serious work  with their shadow selves, may choose to have a dhadow self book or journal, where you can record and journal your feelings, experiences and interactions with your shadow self. Over time, this unique magickal tool can be very useful in understanding you and the path you walk.



Peace and Happiness

© 2010-2016 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.