An Offering From this Witches Perspective

Greetings My Witchy Reader,

Many people have asked me as to what constitutes an acceptable offering to a Goddess or a God and when that may be a good time to give one. Well this can be quite a philosophical discussion and one could sit and debate and have a grand time discussing varying degrees of offerings.

So, please understand, here I discuss my personal views of this subject as a witch and magickal practitioner and elder in the magickal world for over 30 years. That does not make my concepts any more valid than anyone else's, they just make them mine.

Most times when one wishes to give an offering to a Goddess or a God one does so when they have worked with you and helped bring to you your desires when you have cast a spell or a prayer and things have worked in your favor.  It has seemed typical that people would put something next to a statue of the specific Deity, something they would be associated with and would give them pleasure. Such as Aphrodite coming from the foam of the ocean, is said to enjoy pearls and perhaps a bowl of sea salt, beautiful sea shells, even a polished stone of aquamarine because of it's color of water and water influences.

Some harvest gods could be appeased with an offering of bread or crops from the field, at one time a sheaf of wheat was left unharvested standing in the field "John Barleycorn" as an offering to the gods of the harvest.

Yet when I read the wonderful research out there on this topic, one of the foremost and authoritative works on Gods and Goddesses can be found in "The Witches Goddess" and it's companion piece "The Witches God" both written by Janet and Stewart Farrar and both of these incredible resources are still in print and should be in any serious magickal practitioner's magickal library, I remember my ancient history. It's one of the things I teach and it's important to take into consideration in this matter, I believe.

When you wish to give an offering, what at one time in ancient time would be 'a sacrifice' something of great value to give thanks and to show gratitude to the gods, the small, pretty or tasty items mentioned above seem sweet but inconsequential. Lets look again, shall we?  For someone who may have cast a love spell and had asked Aphrodite's help, and the spell caster's true love came into their lives they would very likely have made a trek, of perhaps miles on foot to go and gather sea shells, to collect precious sea salt, to find semi precious stones and polish them, so they shone like a drop of solid water like the aquamarine.

A person who wanted to give thanks to a harvest god would give up a piece of bread that could feed a hungry member of a large farming family, where every single scrap of bread was eaten and none went to waste. Even leaving a sheaf of wheat with its kernels in the field was a sacrifice as they could not be used to make flour or any food to be eaten. They would be consumed by the birds in the field. Willingly left out.  A true offering. A sacrifice.

So today I look deeply and consider offerings in a way many do not. But I am not saying all do not, as I do know many who do as I do. I believe an offering should be as in the old days, to put you out. To be a chore that is inconvenient for you, requires effort and causes you to go out of your way to help or benefit another.

Also, I don't feel that simply stuffing currency into a jar on a counter or writing a check, even a big one is the same thing. That's easy, and does not require any energy, hardly any effort. Because it is against human nature to write a check for more than you can reasonably afford.

So what am I talking about, specifically? These are some of the offerings I have done myself over the years, and always to give back to the Goddess and God for their gifts to us.

On Christmas Eve I deliver cookies to the first responders in my home town, the fire departments and police station, as I try to keep it in mind that while everyone is enjoying their holiday these people need to be away from their homes to keep you safe.

One morning I woke up with the voice of a woman in my ear, I know it was the Goddess, and she told me to get 4 backpacks and fill them with all sorts of equipment that will keep homeless people outdoors during our New England winters warmer, and safe from freezing. I filled them with gloves, socks, emergency heating foil blankets, granola bars, bottles of water, led flashlights, chemical hand heaters, chocolate bars, and some spare money in each backpack. I asked a police officer I knew and she distributed them to four homeless veterans she knew lived outdoors.

Have collected "Toys for Joy", for under-privileged children and distributed them at a local church. We have a pick up truck so we did that for years.

Planned, prepped and cooked a Thanksgiving dinner at a local church for 200 people every year for 13 years before we handed that job off to another generation of people who still do it today.

Picked up bagged and boxed Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets at the local food pantry to be delivered to people in the local community many of them shut ins and the elderly.

Collected non perishable foods to be brought down to the food pantry.

Collected sets of socks, gloves, scarves, hats made into Christmas packages, wrapped and delivered to the local homeless shelter, with prior phone calls to make sure every man, woman and child had a "warm" present delivered on Christmas Eve.

These are just  a few of the things I have done in the past few years, and you may find other different areas that you may wish to give offerings. An offering should be something that causes you to put in effort, it may be inconvenient, uncomfortable and may even cause others to become disagreeable with you as you do things which might inadvertently inconvenience them, as you may not be as available for a moment or they may not understand why you choose to spend an entire afternoon chaperoning a girl scout troupe on a nature walk when everyone else is going to the ball game. Or why you wish to plant trees in a field that you own, wishing to regenerate poor soil and help the earth when everyone is going to Broadway that weekend.

Or the sideways glances you receive when you say you wish to set up honey bee hives and not to harvest the honey but to only help the decimated bee colonies. And everyone with a fear of bees treats you like you have the plague even though they are as docile as lambs. No, it;s not always easy to walk this path. There are a lot of choices and many areas where you could go to give your offerings. You don't even need to give an offering. It is more for you than for the Gods, but that is another story for another time.


Blessings, Ms. Faith


Live, Laugh and Always Love,

Especially Under the Full Moon, Think of Me!!

© 2010-2018 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 receive the link to the most current weekly blog post send me an e mail with your email address. You will receive a new blog post weekly. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

A Phenomenon Called "The Dropping of The Crosses"

There are a number of phenomenon that can be perceived as spiritual or mystical, and this discussion will cover one, The situation of spontaneous breaking of spiritual or religious jewelry without apparent accident or cause is an ancient phenomenon which has become to be known as the "dropping of the crosses" which many Christians will claim to be a Christian phenomenon but it seems to cross all religious and spiritual paths.

Historically it has been written that when ones wears a religious symbol such as a crucifix, or other religious pendant as a necklace around the neck, and it falls off, usually from the chain breaking, but not with it getting caught or pulled, or any seeming reason or direct cause it is never considered coincidental. For as people share experiences with one another it is often found during these times, these short phases of time, usually over the course of a few days to a week, that others, many others also experience the same phenomenon, during the same period of time!

This, though, does not simply happen to necklaces. It happens to any piece of jewelry that has spiritual significance to the wearer, and I have seen it happen, and have heard stories of it happening to rings, bracelets, brooches, hair pieces any piece of jewelry that has religious or spiritual significance.  It does not seem to matter if the piece is well made and an expensive piece or an inexpensive piece. Also, among this phenomenon are pieces that do not break or are unbreakable and they simply disappear! Never to be seen again.

Now, you may well ask, how is this significant? It is believed by some who study spiritual evolution of the soul,  along with past life regression and working with the akashic record that some people will come to a place in their lives, and perhaps more than one time in their lives,  where they reach another spiritual level of being. I am careful not to say or infer that one is stepping "up" but merely reaching yet another spiritual level for them, different from where they had been prior. It is up to them to determine if the level they have reached is a better place from where they had been, and it is nice when that happens, but it is not always the case for all.

I believe even the most traumatic experiences can be healing and life affirming if one can take time to sit aside, in quiet and contemplation. I do not mean meditation, but focused, active, conscious contemplation of what you have experienced, how it has affected you, what you have learned, and how it can best benefit you and the world you interact with.

Pay attention to any pieces of jewelry that suddenly breaks, becomes lost, shatters, or becomes unable to be worn, is most important to note if the piece is of spiritual or religious significance. Especially pieces that have been consecrated or spiritually blessed in some way. Also any piece of jewelry that has been worn without being removed for 28 days, a lunar month, is considered as blessed and consecrated as if a Priest or Priestess had done so.

When this happens to me, and it has happened before, this past time over a 72 hour period every ring and bracelet dropped, broke, disappeared! I replaced, fixed some and other pieces I put aside until the energy dissipates but it was a nice place I found myself in afterwards. I do not like having my jewelry suddenly broken or lost but the lightness of being that overcame me afterwards was worth the experience preceding it.  Interestingly that the "Dropping of the Crosses" for me came at the very end of October a typically frenetic, intense, stress driven month in my business and I had spent many moments in quiet contemplation trying to find my love of humanity, in light of so much human created tragedy, and a sense of peace and tranquility.

If you walk this path of magick and wonder, looking for the way of the witch there is no way to do so without growing spiritually and to do so you have to continually shed the old skin of the past, and grow new again. The waxing and then waning we work with every month.

I think the more we do this, the more our jewelry will "drop" and we will be required to get new!! 

I will soon write a discussion on all of the magicks one can do with old, broken or unwanted silver jewelry. It can and has been used for centuries in many magickal ways and I will share these with you soon.

Blessings, Ms. Faith               Remember Always to Live, Laugh and Always Love!! 

Especially Under the Full Moon Think of Me! 

 





© 2010-2018 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 receive the link to the most current weekly blog post send me an e mail with your email address. You will receive a new blog post weekly. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Ways you can Celebrate Halloween like a Witch

Greetings My Witchy Readers!

My wands & pentacles!!  I can't thank you all enough for the wonderful comments, and really sweet thoughts and words that have been sent my way!

Tonight I am going to get a bit somber. And real, as always.  As a witch, if you are "out of the broom closet" as some like to say, meaning you are okay with people knowing you follow this path, you tend to run into a lot of people who assume all sorts of things about you come Halloween.

We hear everything from "well of course you will dress up as a witch for Halloween" to "being a witch all year why would you dress up as a witch for Halloween"? , To "You must hate that kids trick and treat for candy on Halloween, as it really is a witches holiday!" to the assumption we will all be at some far away Witches Ball and of course we all know one another. Of course.

Even some who do not want to pass assumptions do so by their very demeanor, as one such woman came into the store and did not want to assume she knew what witches did on Halloween, so practically leaning over the counter in her excitement she very excitedly started asking "So what do you do at Halloween?! It must be the biggest Holiday of the year, isn't it? It is the most important Holiday for witches right!? So how do you celebrate? What will you dress up as?" and I mentioned it is a special holiday but all 8 of our holidays were special to us. Her face looked a bit crestfallen because she did not really want to hear that, and I knew she did not want to hear the truth. I also won't lie. It is not a 'happy' celebration for many of us as much as a day and night to remember our loved ones who have passed on. A day and night of reflection, sometimes regret and memories. A time we exist not only in the present but also in the past.

The truth you say? Yes, and it has little to do with any of the above questions.  I always dress as a fashionable witchy woman, no matter the day. On Samhain eve (Halloween) I may wear a more formal outfit. But I don't wear costumes.

Samhain is our Day of the Dead, or Memorial Day.  I do spend the day decorating the out of doors and make the front yard like a spooky witches' cottage and then enjoy the children coming trick or treating. That is a tradition which I truly enjoy then afterwards no party, just a simple dinner and a late night small ritual on a special altar set to honor the ancestors.  It is also a night of reflection, what has been set aside, specifically what no longer serves you beneficially in this life, from harmful people, to bad habits, to anything that diminishes your inner light.

What is important about an ancestor altar is not what your religious or spiritual beliefs may be, but what represents your ancestors.  Many times cultural threads stretch through the decades and can connect you in this way.  Of course photos of any ancestors, or loved ones, friends, family members who have passed away is always acceptable. Pieces of their special items, small items of jewelry, or a special items of theirs is good too.

It is traditional for many to place a small plate of food on the altar and a chalice or cup of drink and this food is for the spirits of the loved ones on the other side. You can place a bowl of fava beans on the altar or a bowl of fava bean soup especially if there is any Italian ancestry,  noodles or Babcia bread on the altar if your ancestry is Polish. A glass of beer if there is Germany heritage or even if the loved one who had passed had a fancy for beer. Now, it is vital that no one touch, eat or drink the food and drink placed for the spirits of the loved ones. You choose what you wish to place for your loved ones on the other side, as you know them or your culture and family best.

 A chair, not to be sat in, may also be placed near the altar. Placing a black or purple ribbon across the chair from the top corner of the back to the corner of the seat crossing over the body of the chair so no one could sit, is a passive way to let people know this chair is for the spirits. You may also wish to place a small pillow in the seat of the chair and place a picture of your ancestor on the pillow.

Playing a favorite type of music, spraying a favorite perfume, even burning a bit of a favorite pipe tobacco of a loved one can help make that special connection that will bring them to you during this most special time of the year.

One thing, you may choose to do, as so many are choosing these days to not have a conventional burial and be buried in a cemetery so many people have no final resting place. This means to the family left behind there is no place to go and honor them and remember them. This is most important, and as the old traditions get put aside during these modern times I have seen the inner discord among people who have no sense of closure, no sense of peace, no sense of finality when it comes to their loved ones who have passed.  This is found in a "final resting place" and lacking that, an ancestral altar will take that place and provide this for those left behind.

So, I recommend for people having issues in this regard, to construct in their home somewhere a small ancestor altar. It can be a shelf, a small niche built in the wall, a small side table even a glass hutch. A wall collection of photos with a small table beneath can be an ancestor shrine.

This is so important as those left behind need that millenia old tradition of going to pay respect to the memories of those who we love and miss. And having a family altar or shrine within the home actually goes back much farther than having personal individual graves. For centuries many graves were merely "borrowed" for a year, up to a few decades, and when there was nothing left but bones then they were removed and placed in large depositories such as the catacombs beneath Paris France. This was not unique to Paris. All throughout the history of mankind there have been more bodies that have no permanent grave to this day than those that do.

But throughout the centuries, not having a cemetery to go to, to pay respects to loved ones who have passed, was not an issue because everyone had a family shrine in their home. The Greeks, Romans,  Egyptians, it was a common thing and so much so it was one of the first things banished and forbidden when the Catholics took power and started the unification of the Catholic church in Europe which forbid just about everything when it came to personal worship.

But it is perfectly appropriate today to bring back the concept of an ancestor altar or a personal family shrine to have in your home to remember your loved ones. No need to go to a distant cemetery where their spirits are not there anyway. Having a personal family shrine dedicated to your ancestors goes back well over a  few thousand years. This was how so many people in so many cultures worshiped long before the first Christians built the first churches.

It is a myth that people had no religion or did not worship or have any structured, organized religions before the early Christians. There were hundreds of religions if not more before then, and now we have 4,200 recognized religions on the face of the earth as of this day. And these are religions that are not simply private based but have a public aspect.

Now having detailed a bit of what I do on Samhain eve, that is not saying all witches are staying home, passing out candy and having a quiet night with their ghosts. Some do go to Witches Balls, some work as our holidays, though sacred and as religious to us as anyone's religious holidays are not considered serious, especially this one.  It's hard to blame employers as they initially see adults dressed in costume, wearing fake blood, with various weapons sticking out of body parts by some and then others ask for the day off as it is a "religious" holiday. The confusion is easy to understand.

I could go over the history of Halloween and the reasons behind the costumes and why we celebrate with such fervor today, but that is not what this article is about. If you are interested in knowing more about "The History of Halloween" I do have a 2 hour class, by the same name,  on this upcoming October 26th, a Friday night at 6 pm at Manchester Community College.  The class is $20 per person and is course number CRN 31562 located in the Great Path building in GPA Room GP139. The lights go off and the show starts at 6 pm sharp.

You can call the phone in registration at MCC and pay over the phone for the class. You can call the phone in registration number # 860-515-3232 between 8:30-4:30 Mon-Fri  they accept M/C, Visa, Discover and Amex. They say to leave a detailed message if staff is busy.

The class at MCC is filling up quickly so if interested, be sure to call and pay for your seat as soon as possible!









© 2010-2018 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 receive the link to the most current weekly blog post send me an e mail with your email address. You will receive a new blog post weekly. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Ms. Faith is Teaching "Magick Made Simple" Classes Every Wednesday Night at 6 pm

Greetings My Witchy Readers,

I have started teaching a rotating series of classes, 10 of the most fun, interesting and most requested classes by customers, clients and even students who are not able to take the Saturday full curriculum program of classes.

The classes I am offering have been well received and I want to offer them to you! The classes are $20 a person, per class and no fancy registration or interview process or commitment on anyone's part, simply show up on a Wednesday night, pay your $20 and go upstairs to take class!

Now, we do have kitty cats and you must be good with cats. Also I do not cover all we cover in the full curriculum Saturday morning classes, but it is a taste of what I teach and it covers a lot.

The classes I am offering and what they cover as well as their dates are as follows:

"Magick Made Simple with Ms. Faith"

 Have you ever felt drawn to magick and have questions but did not know where to turn for answers? Here is your chance to learn 10 basic magickal concepts by taking classes taught by Ms. Faith, a practicing High Priestess and Elder with over 30 years of studying and practicing witchcraft, all backed up by practical application and experiences. 

These 10 classes will be held every Wednesday at Enchantments llc from 6-8 pm and costs only $20 per person, per class, and will cycle throughout the year, so you can take as many classes as you wish! There is no pre-registration or commitment, all you have to do is come into Enchantments llc the day of the class, pay at the sales counter and then head upstairs to the classroom for a magickal two hours.

If you have any questions regarding these classes, please call Enchantments llc at 860-791-6033 

10-3-18  Stones, Crystal, Minerals:  Mankind has been carrying around crystals and stones in his/her pockets or wearing them as adornments for centuries.  Learn why all stones, from a heart shaped stone found on the beach, to a diamond on your ring, have magickal meanings.  Also, learn how to positively affect your life by incorporating  them into your magickal world… everyday.

10-10-18  Past Life Regression:  It is very frustrating when someone tells me they had a past life regression reading and another person told them who or what they were in a past life!!! Gggrrrr NO!  Your soul is the soul that houses past life memories and only you can access that memory with guided assistance.  In this class, everyone undergoes a group regression where you may visit two past lives.  As a bonus, Ms. Faith will also take you on a journey to meet your personal spirit guide by using her very own “Special Journey to the Center of the Earth Meditation”, which has only been shared in her Science of Witchcraft class room setting.

10-17-18 Start Casting Circles!!  So many people I meet are so interested in practicing magick but are fearful of actually doing so.  They will read the books buy the tools and supplies and then .  .  .  not actually do anything. In this class you get a lesson in the classroom where we will discuss different types of altars, types of rituals and what casting a circle is all about.  Then you will watch an actual circle casting where you will learn about all of the tools and supplies you absolutely need, then the extras you could choose to add.

10-24-18  The Truth about Dark Magicks:  Voodoo, Hoodoo, Santeria and other so called dark practices are simply as misunderstood as other magickal practices.  Learn how you can use the protection, banishing and loving spells of these old traditional beliefs to aid you in your day-to-day workings.

No Wednesday Classes on Halloween!! The Witch is NOT In!! 

11-07-18 Basics of Spell Casting:  With this lesson you will learn to apply basic scientific concepts to your spells that will make them start manifesting and become reality.  No matter what you choose: money, love, strength or protection, you can learn to manifest what you desire.

 11-14-18  Learn To Read Tarot Quick Easy & Effective!!  Throw away the book, and learn…really learn, to read with your intuition and psychic ability.  Ms. Faith will teach you her very own techniques she has developed that cuts through years of ineffective, nonsense training, that slows down and stymies a persons natural psychic ability.  By the end of the class you will be reading the cards without having to memorize every single card.  Students must have a tarot deck (not oracle), which consists of 78 cards as indicated on the package.

11-21-18  Thanksgiving Break  

11-28-18  Divination:  Learn additional divinations that are more than the simple tarot.  Learn the witches runes, duckerin’ bars, stone divinations, crystal balls, scrying and more!!  So many ways to interpret the future and see what it holds in store for you!

12-05-18 Energy:  What it really is and how can you effectively work with it?  

There is so much nonsense in the magickal world regarding the word “energy” and it is attributed to such extreme ideas, that if everything were to be believed, we would not be able to function!!  I break it down into understandable basic terms and teach how you can feel it, sense it in others and use it to positively change your life for the better.  We will be doing an energy exercise together during class so please bring a piece of jewelry or object that has either belonged to someone for a very long time, or holds sentimental value.

12-12-18 Planetary Hours and how the planets can strongly affect your spell manifestation:  This is NOT astrology!! Oh no!! Many do not realize the planets, moon, sun and other things in space may be used to affect our magickal workings that is not found under the guise of astrology.  I will teach you how to use a planetary hours calculator, what planetary hours really are and how the planets and stars and moons can make your spells manifest faster and more effectively!!  Although this is an advanced technique many witches and magickal practitioners do not work with, I am going to share this information so you can add it to your magickal arsenal.

12-19-18 Candle Magick:  Learn the basics of using one of the witches easiest, yet most effective, spell casting methods.  Candle magick has been around for a millennia and all religions and cultures have used it; hence the reason it still exists even 5,000 years after the first oil lamps lit the darkness.  I will teach you how to carve, anoint, charge and use candles to make your magickal desires manifest the way you want!

12-26-18 & 1-02-19  Winter Break No classes 

1-09-18 Next Wednesday Night classes which will be Stones, Crystals & Minerals please read descriptions above. 

These classes keep rotating and give us a call at Enchantments at 860-791-6033 to find out which class is being held that Wednesday night and we are also planning on putting this schedule on our website at www.enchantmentsschool.com very soon!!  You can also stop by the shop and pick up a printed copy of the upcoming classes to bring home with you! The classes are filling up, and when the get full we will consider offering yet another night of classes, but that is up to the number of students who continue to show up! 

Live, Laugh and Always Love, Ms. Faith 

© 2010-2018 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 receive the link to the most current weekly blog post send me an e mail with your email address. You will receive a new blog post weekly. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

The Work of the Witch ~ This is What We do

Greetings My Witchy Readers,

Tis the Season of the Witch, but for us it is always the season of us!  But when the crisp tinge of cool air starts to turn the leaves bright colors and you can smell the earth moldering then people's imaginations turn towards the witches and the magickal ones. We are people's favorite entertainment this time of year.  Yet for those of us who are the magickal ones, we do not mind, we will help those understand our ways if they have a mind to ask and we continue on our way as usual.

Some of the things that occupies a witches typical day as I am often asked what I do during my day. Aside from a lot of research into ancient magickal ways and techniques that I can meld into my use today or write about for your interest or my students benefit, I am often involved with scurrying around E's (Enchantments) busy doing many things.

I harvest herbs and flower petals, plants and branches and twigs from the gardens to be dried or used in spell mixes, incenses or other uses.,  we will take days and make ointments or soaps to then package up and sell in the store, carve candles, anoint and charge the candles for various magickal purposes.  This year I have spent time making very large mugwort smudge sticks from our own crop of mugwort.

I recently placed inside the shop a Goddess shrine for the Ultimate Goddess, encompassing all Goddess energy so all can come and feel Her love and energy and they may write the name of someone they care abut on a slip of paper and during the full moon it is burned and blessings are said by me, myself asking the Goddess for her benevolence.

We worked hard to create a Harvest Goddess this Mabon and she stands almost 7 feet tall and is incredible!! We simply can't take her down and now have plans to make her into a seasonal goddess for each season!!

During our Mabon Sabbat Celebration we constructed a Labyrinth that was lit and those that wished to walked it after dark, and after we held our Sabbat celebration and pot luck feast.

 Also on that day, on Mabon itself, the day of our Sabbat, I was showing my students the holly tree and commenting how well it was doing since I had trimmed it in the spring and I found a "golden bough" on the holly tree.  A golden bough, traditionally is when late in the year, during the harvest season, is when one finds a branch from a tree that has on it a blossom (normally found in the spring) as well as a fruit or berry found during the harvest season. For both to be found on the same branch is considered sacred, special and most magickal. I clipped it and placed it upon our altar for the ritual and have kept it as a sacred, magickal charm. It holds special significance for myself.

Mabon was a year anniversary this year of the end of a difficult year and it speaks of new hope and a new start for the upcoming year.

Now, many might wonder at the things I find magickal, but my magickal base is druidic and no, I am not a Druid, I am a witch. But my magick is ancient and of the natural realm, and omens abound in my world and I read them to see what will happen in the days, weeks and year to come.

I use ancient magicks to affect my modern life, and most importantly I teach others and help people perform their own magick and realize we, all of us are "gifted" and I work hard to dispel the nonsense that any of us are more special or more wonderful than another, except only where others may work to prove they are less so by the harm and hurtful things they do to others.

So, in that vein, yes the witch is special and has gifts others choose to ignore or not believe is in their ability to access, so we go forth and do what we do.

We look forward to the turning of the Wheel of the Year and with each Sabbat that comes and goes a new season comes with it. To the witch, each provides a new opportunity. For growth, for action, for reflection, for forgiveness, for making another choice, for .  .  .  whatever is necessary for the moment.



Live, Laugh and Always Love, Ms. Faith






© 2010-2018 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 receive the link to the most current weekly blog post send me an e mail with your email address. You will receive a new blog post weekly. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Misconceptions About Witches - Do You Think You Really Know Us?

Greetings My Witchy Readers,

It often happens this time of year, that I find a strong need to explain to lay people and some magickal people also about who we are and what we do. More for the sake of helping people understand that an ethical witch does NOT do spells for people to remove curses, nor tell people they have evil entities in their homes then charge money to remove them, or to have people feel scared, or in danger or harm if they should cross us.

Now, having said that. They absolutely need to watch out for their own actions sending out energy that will indeed return back to them. This is especially true if another is trying to cause harm or to bring danger to a witch, her property or family.

You see, somewhere along the line with us "Coming out of the Broom Closet" and with the protection of the laws in this country, and our being a bit safer with the practice of our ways and being able to openly discuss our ways, those who are not witches and not all magickal people are witches, have developed a pretty big misconception of who and what we are.

They have seen our love of nature, our gentle ways with animals, even insects, seen us honor and respect plants as simple and perfect as blades of grass and spend hours gazing into a star filled night sky. We quietly and simply light some incense and candles and dance and sing and hug and speak of love and light, blessings and God/Goddess and then they leave and they feel they know us.

They leave with a melded concept that witches today are these people who are a bit Glinda The Good Witch of the North from the Wizard of Oz and some spaced out peace and love Hippie child still stuck at Woodstock back in 1969!  "Wow man the colors" imagine said in my best Tommy Chong voice!!  Well sadly this misconception is so wrong, simply because while the above may all be true as to loving nature and how we interact with the world, it does not automatically make us doormats when it comes to others interacting with us. That's where the trouble comes in.

People want to think that because you have a sweet, peace loving, gentle nature that you cannot be fierce, ferocious and fight like a demon from Hades should what you love be threatened. While we never send out harm, do not think all of our spells are pink love candles rolled in powdered sugar and glitter!! No, no!  We can and do use protection spells, we use spells to banish harm from our sphere, to put up protective walls and to keep harm away from our doorstep.

I will do spells to stop someone from doing physical harm to me, to stop words which will bring danger or harm to me or my business or home. I do truth spells primarily to see and hear what has happened and to know the truth about a situation before I jump to conclusions. It is at times amusing at people's reactions when I seem to know exactly how a situation occurred when there was no possible way I could have any knowledge of what happened, but I do.

I am a witch and I do not allow any walls or boundaries to keep me hemmed in. I will use brick dust popular in HooDoo culture, or black salt in VoDou. I have used jar spells found in Santeria and holy water used as a protection magick found in Catholicism, yes, it is all magick. None of it is evil or unholy,

I have had people say they were afraid to come into my store, simply because of the 'programming' from their church. Truthfully, if another church or religion warns you from going into a store or a place of worship, as Enchantments is also a spiritual place of worship, realize they are not warning you away from 'demons' or evil spirits from that other religion! No, no. Sadly it comes down to economics and has always, even centuries ago come down to economics. They are warning you in an effort to stop you from discovering something that might take you and your money away from the house of worship you may attend now.

Rather than encourage everyone to explore, experience and try all religions and sects and find the one which fits them the best as not any one is the right one for all, regardless of the "one path" concept some want us to believe in, they, today, still engage in a centuries old practice of lies, story telling, legends and lore which hold no truth but are in the realm of fantasy with which to scare small children and threatening you and your loved ones with eternal damnation and hellfire if you do not do as you are told. (Sigh) The sad thing is intelligent, educated adults still have that fear based knee jerk reaction, that just perhaps the nightmares from their childhood may indeed be true should they stray and not make it back to the "one path" before they die.  Frankly, I think it is an awful psychological thing to do to a person, a type of Post Traumatic stress which follows them the rest of their lives if they are not strong enough to shed the nonsense and start to think and them reason for themselves.

As a true witch, and I say "true" to mean I have none of that baggage to contend with. I never did and so was lucky  enough to be able to start off my magickal life quite young, around the age of 10-12 yrs of age with no church infused nonsense cluttering up my head.

But enough of the background, back to the current day. I can't tell you how many people think they know me, and I do not mean those who are customers, clients or students. Of course they only get a glimpse of who I really am. The Ms. Faith version of me.  But I speak of those who have been close friends, those I allowed to become close, loved ones, the best of friends and I ended up being the shocked and surprised one when at the end of the relationship it became so sadly clear they had no idea who I was. They thought I was, apparently running through the fields blowing bubbles like a Breck Shampoo commercial!  Then they were shocked when I brought out the dark Goddess when they tried to lie, betray and treat me like crap because "Oh, she's so sweet, she will simply lay there and take it!"  Hee hee, I think some may still be looking for the flesh that was seared off of their bones when I was done with them! Figuratively .  .  .  of course .  .  .   yes, of course.  .  .

Do not think you have failed, or are a poor witch, or are not a wise, powerful or effective witch when you need to be forceful, defensive and have to kick some magickal ass because when threatened, when pushed into a corner and when your very health or life is threatened you have many magickal tools at your disposal. The Goddess gave us all. "Lest In Thy Self Defense It Be, Ever Mind The Rule Of Three"

The world can be a harsh environment. It is not all sweetness and light. People can be stupid, blind to who you are, even if you tell them clearly. You need to use your voice more strongly still. This is most true around Halloween when people really think they know you, when in truth they don't know you at all. I do use the opportunity to try to educate those who are willing to be open and listen, ask questions and engage in an open intelligent conversation about different beliefs and customs. But, I do draw a distinct line at trying to impart any information to those who simply do not wish to know we do not turn people into toads, or fly on brooms and cannot cast a spell on their spouse. To those small minded people I simple smile and maybe wiggle my fingers at them. Why? I really don't know, but it seems to make them happy, as if I did something especially witchy, just for them.

At the end of the day, some days you will feel like Glinda, all sweetness and light, spreading glitter and cheer all over Munchkin Land and at the end of other days you will feel like the Wickedest Witch of them all and not be at all remorseful because some people really should know better! But the one thing I have never, ever promised my students, not a one, is when you learn to practice and be a full fledged witch of all the things you will be, perfect is not one of them.

We may be magickal, we may be spiritual, we may be fantastical, amazing and all around glitterific but we are still human and as much as we take others into account for their shortcomings and mistakes realize that is seldom granted to us. We, the magickal ones, are so often held to a standard much higher than any other, by those who couldn't possibly hold to the standards they expect us to maintain. But .  .  .  then again, many of us, have reached a place where we simply do not care, the magick calls us and it is so much more important.

I am simply telling you this, so you will be aware and hopefully not too disappointed when you encounter it yourself. Or if you see it displayed amongst others.

Also use your common sense when listening to others. I have heard such rot from some magickal people simply jealous of another's success or perceived fame, or from disgruntled students who simply could not keep up with the expected curriculum and instead of being honest about their shortcomings chose instead to lash out and cast lies and dispersion on others to make themselves look or feel better.

I have heard lies about myself from ridiculous nonsense that I do blood rituals! No surprise that came from a thief and liar that stole student files as well as product from my store and school and toddled off down the road to open up her own school of magick that failed in a month or two before she left this area of the country with her warlock tail between her legs.

I have had lies told that the material I teach is not my own,  I did not know the curriculum even though I literally and literately wrote the book of my school's curriculum, blah, blah, blah .  .  . 

I tell you this to make you aware that if you know of a magickal person, a witch, they have some ame or have carved a place for themselves in the magickal community and are still there 10, 15, 30 years later yet those saying the hateful things, who are they? Ask yourself what motivates them to say these mean things? Why are they even telling you these things? Were you in direct danger from that person, probably not.  Then listen to the story they tell, disparaging the other person and see how they  themselves look in the story? Are they the poor put upon victim? The poorly treated innocent? Do they come off as the hero, the more intelligent one even though they themselves have never published a book, nor taught a class or done anything the other had done.

Look at those stories with great skepticism because they are told to you as one tells a fairy tale and to get you to believe nonsense about another, and sadly, it is so easy as so many want to believe us capable of nonsense and foolish magickal dross.

Realize the rumors fly!! And apparently so do I! In the night sky, if you look hard enough, and slightly squint, during a cloudy night during a crescent moon you may see me on my broom flying around the skies above Enchantments!! Cackle!!

So now I take a different tactic. I have some close trusted witches of Enchantments who know the truth, and the names and the stories and will one day tell the story of Ms. Faith, the real witches of Enchantments and hopefully continue to teach magick as it is meant to be taught and practiced. To make the witch manifest what she needs in a way that harms none, but make no mistake do not cross us, or you will always remember that you did.  Not that you will be harmed but to lose a little magick in your life would be sad and bleak indeed.


Live, Laugh and Always Love, Ms. Faith

© 2010-2018 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 receive the link to the most current weekly blog post send me an e mail with your email address. You will receive a new blog post weekly. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

"Real" vs "Fake" This Witch's Perspective

Greetings My Witchy Reader,

It is interesting how I come about my topics to discuss with you, and it is usually when a concept or idea is visited to me a number of times in a short time, as today for instance. This morning I had a short lecture with my magickal studies class during a test review concerning naturally occurring items as opposed to man made items, or even items made from petroleum based products.

Now now do not jump ahead, unless you have read my work extensively you may be surprised at my perspective, but wait, we will get there. Then I come home and doing some research I came across a blog by a woman who is a self described crystal expert and she seems to have some scientific background, as in she has familiarity with the scientists laboratory and working with crystals and the acids used to clean them, which can be very dangerous and needs to be done by an experienced person, which as a scientist she seems to be. So I watched to see what I could learn. The chemical cleansing of the crystals was academic and interesting but again nothing the average person could or should ever do. We are better off to purchased already mined and cleansed crystals.

Then she went on to write an entire article how any man made crystal, stone or mineral was completely useless and without any energy if it was not completely from the crust of other earth. That even crystals that had been subjected to heated treatments like amethysts or sapphires no longer had their natural energies and so for were useless.  Hmmmm, a bit harsh and I may add hasty in her condemnation. It is also an immature and inexperienced  magickal opinion, in my opinion and I will explain why I feel this way.

Now, before I elaborate I will say, I completely respect another's right to not wish to work with materials or ingredients they are not comfortable with, and if you are not able to sense any energy, then admitting that is a good thing, but the work needs to be done within you, it is not the materials fault. No, it's not, not even if it is man made, nor even if it is made of petroleum products.

For example, petroleum products come from dinosaur goo, or crude oil. Then it is refined down to various substances and if I use it in an ointment I call the petroleum jelly dinosaur fat, and the mineral oil, also comes from dinosaurs, at one time long ago and that has an ancient magickal energy that I can sense and I respect. Also these ingredients have a special quality. They are inert. Which means you can use them, add other oils and herbal essences to them and they will stay pure and not go rancid, even after years. You can use them on your skin and they are non toxic. Even mineral oil has been refined down to a super pure level where it is sold as a baby laxative. Think about that for a moment! You feed this to babies as a medical treatment and it is safe and non toxic to babies!! 

Using the base oil of almond, corn, or any other base oil you have to consider the magickal properties of the base oil, such as corn will bring money and abundance and fertility to a potion, but is that really what you want in your love potion???!!!! Maybe not? Plus it will go rancid within 6 months and that is a shame especially if it is a special oil, and just perfect for you.

Now let us discuss 'fake' vs 'real' . If you are a witch and practice a full fledged practice, it probably looks something like this: You have an altar, and on your altar one of the most special, sacred items is the altar pentacle. Usually a silver disk that is placed in the center of the altar that acts as a patent where various items are placed during the ceremony.

There really is no altar pentacle that is not man made, unless one were to cut an apple in half cross wise, and place a half in the center, but this is seldom done, if at all. Most Wiccans revere not only their altar pentacle, but any Goddess or God statues which would be man made and let us not forget the use, the heavy use of candles, and not only are candle man made and always have been, but paraffin is again a petroleum based product and before you even say beeswax, there is no religious precedent in our practice that requires beeswax candles. With the global crisis concerning the bees and their rapid decline due to the human mass use of deadly pesticides unless your religious practice decrees use of honey or beeswax by thousands of years of tradition, then it is not appropriate.  There are a few religions this applies to and for them it is appropriate and there is enough for them, and by allowing spare use, then the bees can reproduce and split hives and overcome the decline.

We, as pagans, do not need to use the bees byproduct as a novelty when we can easily use other products nowadays. Our candles can be paraffin, or nowadays soy candles, there are candles made from olive oils and many other base materials. The energy of the candle comes from the energy of the flame, the lit candle flame. The color of the candle is also magickal, as color is a magickal system, of itself.

By simply saying a thing must be dug out of the earth to have energy and anything man made, discounts so many things we know have energy, because they are man made. Consider the energy of an engagement or wedding ring, or any significant piece of jewelry a lover gives another.  It does not have to have a stone for it to have energy and to be special. A man created athame, consecrated in a magick circle, or a sword, or a wand made out of metal, a quilt hand stitched, a love letter or poem hand written from the heart. All of these may not be what is called "natural" but they brim over with energy that can be felt and is considered of the utmost importance.

No, in this witch's opinion, to cavalierly discount something as having no energy because of this or that, to me demonstrates that perhaps that person is simply not capable of sensing energy. And of you are not capable of sensing the energy in something you think has no energy, are you really sensing the energy in something that you think should? And is your sensing accurate?

Allow me to go one step further into the more magickal if you will. The world of energy sensing called psychometry. I am not sure as to the origins of this, but it strikes me as something the Romani Gypsy's would have been adept at. You use your hands for this and you use a piece of jewelry that belongs to someone you do not know. Ask a friend to get something a watch, or a piece of jewelry worn by someone in their family that you can hold for a few minutes.

You practice, by first washing your hands well. Dry them well. Then sit and become comfortable. My students would go into the brain wave state of alpha and a meditative ritual trance that they practice as part of their training at Enchantments. Then rub your hands together, hold the piece, it does not have to be cleaned. It is better that it not be polished or cleaned beforehand. You are trying to sense the energies from the person it belongs or belonged to. Even if the person had passed on. If it is a person who has passed on, you may find you have natural medium tendencies.

Then quiet yourself and simply start to talk. Out loud and say what pops into your mind. What you see, what you hear, what you smell, anything, no matter how outlandish or disconnected or strange. Remember it is the memories and energies of another person you do not know, so it wouldn't necessarily make sense. I have seen this done and have done it myself and there is no way one can know the information you pick up if it were not from the object. Unless you may be reading the person, that is always possible.

I found out curiously, that where I have a degree of success using psychometry on pieces of jewelry and small personal items, I seem to have much more sensitivity and accuracy on buildings and of all things ancient foundations!  Once I was asked to touch an old stone wall in upstate Vermont, that the owner (my mom) had no idea what the wall's history was, they had recently purchased the property.

I didn't think I would have much luck but I didn't think it would hurt to try, so I walked down the field and sat on the wall and touched it with my palms. I allowed myself to get quiet and then sat and allowed the sounds and smells to flow by. I didn't see as much as I felt, and smelled and heard. I could hear the jangling of horses bridles, and the snorting and stomping of horses feet, the creaking of carriage wheels and I could smell hay and leather, foods cooking, fires in fireplaces burning. I could sense lots of movement and sense weariness and a sense of needing to move on. I knew this place had been a tavern and a place like a stagecoach stop.  It was near an old dirt road and in such an out of the way obscure place in Vermont it seems unlikely but this is what I sensed.

It was about a year maybe two later that my mother had a visitor come around who used to live in her house or in the neighborhood and wanted to meet the new people who bought the house and they had a nice visit. She knew the history of the land and told my mother that indeed the old foundation now hidden by the grass in the lower field had been an old tavern over 150 years before!! It is always so nice to get validation and it made my mom happy to know this.

Learning to sense energy is important because you never know when you will sense energy and how it will feel, and everything on this earth has an energy. Everything.

Ancient scholars, thousands of years ago, felt that all things on earth, all things natural or man made have all come from the four elements, earth, air, fire and water, combined with spirit. A combination of some or all of these things. And they are right. You see, since the beginning there has been nothing but what has been on this earth. Everything has come from Her, Mother Earth. Simply because there is no where else for anything to have come from. Panspermia aside, but that's a discussion for another time!

So if you find yourself, in this New Age of the magickal, metaphysical, holistic and energy work in a place where you are honored and blessed to be teaching others, give them all of the information and be careful to not disrespect an area simply because it may not work for you but it may work for another.

As any who read my work know the only exception I make to this is the rule  that as long as it breaks no law, such as practicing medicine without a license. So I do not advocate giving any medical advice even herbal if one is not licensed by your state to give medical advice. Please check with your state licensing board to find out how you may become licensed if you wish to sell herbs, ointments, or give any sort of healing services. We at Enchantments do not do any of this, as we stay firmly in the magickal world dancing around our cauldrons and are happy to do so!!


Can you sense the energy today?


Live, Laugh and Always Love!! Ms. Faith











© 2010-2018 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 receive the link to the most current weekly blog post send me an e mail with your email address. You will receive a new blog post weekly. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

Your Magickal "Family"

Greetings My Witchy Readers,

So many people talk with me about their magickal path and the reaction of their families. It is many times not the warm and accepting reactions one would hope to receive from their relatives, even immediate families. Yes, sadly Pagans have to deal with the same ignorance, fear and in some cases hatred and rejection as those who are of an orientation that is not accepted in their families.

Nowadays, it can be a wide range of orientations (I use this term as the best I can find)to cover sexual, religious, cultural, race, occupation, political, even athletics (some do not like girls playing 'boys' sports!!)  We seem to be developing more intolerance and more things to dislike about one another than learning to accept each other with one another.

So yes, pagans, whether they be witches, Wiccan, or a host of other non Abrahamic religions. As I am a witch and Wiccan I will stick with these for my discussion.

Many times we find our families either confused, or they make fun of our path, "going to turn me into a toad" or asking us to put a spell on someone they don't like, or other stupid comments. I say stupid because they are always being smart asses and not just ignorant by this point. Then there are those who will pull us aside at a family function to try to do some quickie Christian conversion and perhaps salvation work if possible usually between turkey and cheesecake and their third glass of wine!

The inevitable yet sad truth I must impart to you, should any of this sound familiar is this and simply this, you will not change them nor will you educate them if they are not open and willing to learn. It is as plain as that. But that does not mean you cannot have family.

Your "family" is who you make it of. Who you surround yourself with. The loved ones, the supportive ones, the people who care for you and who understand you. They may be the magickal ones you find. And you will find them. Many times, a new witch on  the path, this is her or his first spell and request of the Goddess, to send like minded people to them. So they can have fellowship with others like them.

I caution you, strongly against trying for the large, huge gatherings and expecting all and everyone to be loving, accepting and just perfectly wonderful.  .  .  .  Honestly, we are talking about humans, still. Magickal or not. That is also one of the first surprises for many new on the magickal path. That magickal people like groups of people everywhere, are just like people everywhere.

What I mean is there are wonderful magickal people, and not so wonderful magickal people, some are kind and some not so much, just like any group. So a small group of magickal friends, that you love and trust and these are the people who will become your family.

Again, do not stress and go to extremes trying to get your birth family or even in laws to accept your path, if they do, they do and if not then you know. At least they are not faking it, like some family members will do. Those members are apparent because they initially seem as if they are cool with what you do and how you believe but then little comments pop out that will leave you a bit confused.

But it is really clear, if you listen carefully. For instance, I had one instance when someone I know said to me in a conversation amongst a larger family gathering as everyone was chatting and many conversations were happening, " Even though you don't believe in God blah, blah, blah" the tail end of the sentence really was irrelevant as the first part floored me. She obviously had never ever listened to a word I ever said, even while smiling inanely and nodding and saying how much she understood. Not prejudiced, totally accepting of all religions, yep. Completely clueless, as most pagans I know have God/Goddess in their lives daily, moment to moment more than most Christians I have ever met. By their own admissions, God is there in church when they go, where for us our creator is everywhere, in everything in every moment in the holy and in the obscene. It can't be separated because to us all things are God/dess. 

Then when having a very serious family issue dealing with a loved one and illness being told by a family member, who knows quite clearly what I am and who I am, "What does God want you to do?" again completely misses everything. I have set these people aside as they have demonstrated they care not for me and at all about what matters to me, but more about pushing their agenda. Some are obvious and I have greater respect for those, at least they are honest rather than covert and sneaky, but those who follow this path are smarter than most consider us. It is called the Craft of the Wise after all.

So carefully consider those in your life and do they support, love, encourage and bring you light or do they seek to bring you darkness? Only you can determine that.

I hope you only have light in your life.


Live, Laugh and Always Love, Ms. Faith






© 2010-2018 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 receive the link to the most current weekly blog post send me an e mail with your email address. You will receive a new blog post weekly. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.

A "Hauntingly" Real Story of the Spirit of a Victorian House Coming to Life Again!

Greetings My Witchy Readers,

Well this discussion is sure to titillate and entice you as it is not only filled with the shadows of spirits from a Victorian age but it is true and it just happened in the last month and is still happening as I write this piece!

I opened Enchantments, A School for the Magickal Arts and Witch Shop, in 2004 in a small rented shop and two years later, moved to our present location and bought a building that had been built as a home in 1899-1900, which was at the very end of the Victorian age but as with any age it lingered.  A small family lived in this home and since we purchased this building and converted it to our small witch shop and school, and made very few changes save for improvements such as a new roof, new windows which retain the character of the original and we acknowledge the energies of the original occupants.

When I first took ownership and we were starting to clean and fix the place up in preparation to open for business, I met our spirit co-inhabitants one evening as I was cleaning up from a painting project in the center sales room. After I had turned off the radio, and while I was gathering the brushes and other painting materials I heard, very distinctly and clearly, a woman's voice say behind me "hello".  Just that. I stood still for a moment, then said "hello", as one would, if one were polite.

When we first bought the building we now call Enchantments and the changes the gardens have undergone.

2008-2010



Then I went off to wash up and wished it had not been at eleven o'clock at night when this had happened but I suppose there is never a bad time to be welcomed in!  Since then a number of people, all women,  have seen a spirit, who manifests and appears to wear period garb of the Victorian era, but of the middle class era.  She is always seen in the same outfit, but I won't say as everyone who comes to me tells me the same description and I keep it to myself to see if they are picking up the energies accurately. It is always possible they could be picking up someone else, so I do not believe in putting it out in print to 'color the waters' if you will.

We moved into Enchantment's current building in November 2006 and so have been here, at 349 East Center Street, Manchester, CT for 13 years and the bottom floor is the retail store and tarot room and we have a kitchen and bathroom, the second floor is a ritual area, classroom and office area.

A few years ago, I had a strong vision to change a back sales room into a tarot card reading room, but to decorate the room in such a way it would be like a Victorian seance room, without really considering where the idea came from? I draped the room with beautiful cloth from the fabric store and painted the ceiling black and with indirect lighting.  All of a sudden it took on an entirely new look.

Then just a month or so ago, I was again struck with another image one day, it flashed into my mind's eye that I take the upstairs office that had fallen into disuse and move every single item that had any 'office' function out and turn the room into what I had seen in my mind's vision, a magickal parlor or salon.  I could see the center coffee table and I am not really a coffee table kind of person. I could see the side tables, the small knick knacks I had collected over the years, and I started to bring things from home, my friend and Priestess I work with started to bring things from home and all of a sudden the magickal parlor was created! It was done! Right down to the chocolates in the pressed glass candy dish and the tarot deck and pendulum in a period dessert plate on the table!

I had such a feeling of compulsion, of feeling pushed until it was done and then my friend and I found ourselves sitting in the parlor, the store locked up and just relaxing and at peace and so happy as if we really needed to do this!!  Now, I suspect the house or maybe.  .  .  ? Maybe the woman spirit in the house wants a room for herself upstairs?  I find I do not spend much time myself up there now that it is completed but it is such a comfort to know it is done and when I walk by or into the parlor it feels so right. So perfect. As if I had done something really .  .  .  kind?  What a curious word, but it fits!

And now this week! Goodness, well again. Gardening time is upon us and we typically plant annuals and do a similar type of gardening every year, but this year again, I started to walk into the garden and found myself transfixed, just standing there for minutes which I found out were actually 20 or 30 minute stretches, looking at the garden, trying to figure out what I was going to do? It seemed so important and this year it is so different, I went with all perennials with just geraniums as annuals.

I found my choices at the nursery curious, but thought I was choosing for color and growing habit as I was familiar with all of the plants I purchased. I had just gone with entirely different plants in mind.  I found myself placing, and spacing and re-setting and moving here and even digging up and replanting from the day before other plants, and being as specific as if I was planting this garden for the very Queen of England herself!! But it seemed every bit as special, until I had every plant placed just perfectly.

The next day we spent placing an iron archway in the newly created rose garden, placed gazing balls, cast iron low garden fencing, whimsical garden decor.  That night I was doing research, as usual, and I thought to search 'typical Victorian garden plants and features' and even though I had studied Victorian gardens and the era years before I had not consciously thought about it when I was putting this garden together. Which I thought was really cool, as I went down the list of plants and I saw that every single plant, and I mean every single on was on the typical Victorian garden list. Now, many are that I do not have, considering my planting area is fairly small as gardens grow! (Cackle, I crack myself up!!)

The Victorian Friendship & Love Rose Arbor

But!!! And this is where it gets, cool and creepy and all sorts of spooky even for me!! It even mentioned the cast iron garden edging, that my husband found gathering webs in the garage corner at home, the gazing balls, the archway!!!! that my dad gave me 10 years earlier and we really did not need or want but I could not get rid of it, and now it is where it is supposed to be!! Picture follows:

Then, as Internet research goes these days the sites I was on took me to another site of Victorian decor in 'Painted Ladies' what one calls Victorian houses of the era that are colorfully painted. And the very cool thing is the magickal parlor that came to me and I recreated with all of the knick knacks and pieces I had from home and my friend and priestess had at her home and we brought all of them in and made the parlor, this apparently was what made a Victorian parlor.  Now I honestly did not know this! My research was pretty much restricted to Victorian gardens and societal etiquette as well as funerary practices. You know, the typical. I had no idea how one decorated in Victorian times, and the magickal parlor upstairs could have been in Victorian Home and Garden Magazine!

As I  was putting the roses in, and I simply could not settle for a few, I think I finally stopped at 8 rose bushes, ramblers, shrub and climbers and 10-12 lavender plants. After I finished planting the roses and placing the rose garden decor I stepped back and found myself saying under my breath "finally the rose garden is back!" and that startled me, besides the fact it was weird!  because there is no evidence anywhere on the property that there had ever been any gardens on the site, but gardens are easily erased in a mere few years after being seeded over with grass. But I know "someone" there is happier now.

The energy of the store, the upstairs school, the outside gardens, the entire space of Enchantments feels relaxed and more comfortable and peaceful. It is a place that is loved and the people who come there enjoy doing so and it can be felt.

I have even happily found people sitting in the lawn chairs enjoying the gardens while sitting under the shade trees. This year I have installed a special bench, a metal bench in front of the rose garden, which is dedicated to friendship and love. Hence the name of the garden. There is a spell on the bench that any two who sit there will be lifelong friends and anyone will always have love in their lives.  An enchanted bench? What did you expect in a witch's garden? A toad?

This is the story of the spirits of my Victorian Painted Lady and She is lovely indeed, please feel free to stop by and if we are not open have a sit in the garden if you would like. But do not pick any of the flowers, that is a no no in a witch's garden unless she is there to give permission. But you wouldn't do that, now would you? Hee hee

© 2010-2018 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. 

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