New Year, New Moon Greetings My Witchy Readers,
Ah, can you feel that sense of relief, the sense of the weight being lifted? The burdens of the past year being removed from your shoulders? The astrological shift has occurred and the heavy, difficult hard changes that came crashing down during the last part of last year for so many has finally lifted and the changes have done their work and darkness has been moved out and now all that remains is space for light and love.
Let us look back for just a moment. For so many who has come to me, from students, to clients and customers, to people I know personally, the past several months from about the beginning of August, due to many factors, many of them astrological and the planetary shifts and changes do affect humans, whether we follow astrology or not. Just look at how the moon affects people when it is full.
We've all heard the stories of the full moon making people more "crazy" in one way or another. Simply put the moon affects the water on the earth, it affects the oceans and causes the tides to ebb and flow, without the moon we would have no waves. Well, humans are over 70 percent water so why would it not affect us? Of course it would and it does. So . . . if the moon can affect us, other planets and astrological phenomenon can and does, I believe also has an affect on us. Knowing such only helps us understand it is not us losing our minds, but helps us get a grip and work with whatever may be going on.
Having said that a lot happened since August 1, 2017 astrologically, that affected people. We had of course, new and full moons, but we also had eclipses, and Mercury retrograde combined with all of the above and then a Super Moon in December affecting that water I mentioned making us soooo emotional, and interestingly the planets Venus and Jupiter came closest in our night skies in November of 2017, which is astronomical but looking at it in a astrological way it could affect us, considering Venus is the Goddess of Love and passion and romance and joy, happiness, fun and all things sexy!! Oooh la la, and Jupiter the God of wealth, health, the physical but in the aspect of stability, work, work, work, and where these two aspects are so close in a relationship it could cause some issues where one wants to play and have romantic fun while the other is always saying "sorry love, have to work, I'm soooo busy, busy, busy!!" which could have caused all sorts of issues during that time.
I am just throwing out these scenarios, as other scenarios taking these concepts into consideration could have come up for you in your life. But issues did abound indeed. Then to finish off the year, as if it was not difficult enough, we ended the year with Mercury in retrograde yet again. The shadow phase of Mercury retrograde ended on December 31st, so even I took some time to shake off the shadow and rest, renew and get strength back and review and then look forward to the new year.
A short period of time to reflect is always healthy and helpful. Then set it all aside. Take from the past the lessons you needed to learn and then . . . take the rest out to the trash, and get rid of it. Whether you lost opportunities, a job, friendships or acquaintances, whatever you feel you may have lost, look back and take from them the lessons learned, the experiences and the knowledge of what you went through, no matter how difficult or painful. Those are yours. That knowledge is priceless and can never be taken from you. You are now smarter, sharper, have a keener sense of (in my case Bull s#*t) perhaps your boundaries have been more clearly defined, your sense of integrity and truth more finely established, and remember the most important thing, YOU are stronger, you made it through and that which is left in the past? HA! It's gone and simply trash! Useless and not worth a moment of your precious time.
So, onward to the upcoming year and YES this year 2018 will be an amazing year, because you will make it so. YOU create your reality and you will create all the wonderful, exciting, amazing things you will soon experience. For instance, I'll share about my life. I started singing lessons last year and after well over a year, I am starting to sound respectable in recordings where I don't cringe! haha I am proud of my performances in recitals, and I plan on doing some stand up comedy!! I have never ever thought of stand up comedy, but then again I never thought of jumping out of a plane at 15,000 feet back when I was 38 years old either, until someone suggested we all go as a group, "It will be fun they said!" The only reason I did it, was I was so terrified of heights, I couldn't live with the thought that one day I would be 80 years old and look back and know I was too scared to have done it and to live with that regret. So I did it.
That is the attitude to have this year. Is there something you want to do? Do it. Is there something that scares the hell out of you? Then absolutely do it! At least just once. To say you conquered it, not the other way around. So looking at the new moon that is coming in two days, and right now we are in the 7 day phase with which we can successfully cast new moon magick, we can do a number of easy things to start our year off right to send the right energy to start off our year.
The new moon is on January 18, 2018. From three days before, the day of, to three days after you can do new moon magick. New moon magick in the tradition I work and teach is to bring in new, fresh, starting energies. Whereas in my tradition full moon magick is to eliminate and banish, to get rid of the old, unwanted energies we have become done with, that no longer serve us.
So to look at bringing in, anytime in the next 6 days, you can do any or all of the following. A full cast circle is not necessary to cast. Many of these fall under "folk magick" beliefs like a groom picking up and carrying his new bride over the threshold of their new home to make for a long, happy marriage. It is called sympathetic magick but it does have an energy that is sent out to return to the sender.
Cleaning out the house of any old, unwanted items, clothing, clutter, things that you don't use or need. Putting them in the trash, recycle or goodwill brings new fresh energy into the home,
Once the home has been cleaned and de-cluttered, smudging the home and any people living in the home is a wonderful way to cleanse any stagnant, old energy clinging to the home, especially a new home. You must use desert sage. Common garden sage grown in New England, that has a broad, fuzzy grey leaf will not work. That is used in Native American ceremonies and is sold in many stores but will not cleanse the area of the old stagnant energies. Desert sage is grown in the Southwest of the United States, and stores that are reputable like Enchantments carry it and will be honest about its use with you.
On the New Moon have a big feast. Eat whatever you would like to, the menu is up to you. But to have a big, fulfilling, satisfying meal, with delicious good food that makes you feel full and good. This is sympathetic magick also, which represents if you are full at the beginning of the year, you will stay full throughout the year and never go hungry.
Be sure at this meal you have a good drink, sparkling juice, cider, spring water, plenty of refreshing drink so you never thirst throughout the year.
Wear clothes that make you feel special on this day, this day you will set the tone for how you feel and look for the upcoming year. No worries for some people I know who are going into the hospital on this day, because even though you will be wearing a hospital johnny the health care you are surrounding yourself with will spread through the year and good health will be yours!!
Do you know your car needs an oil change or a little bit of work? Take care of it, don't wait. Clean the litter and mess out of your car. I just did this and cleaned out the trash bin in the garage that has been getting full over the past several months. I just love seeing the full trash bags knowing all of that unwanted trash is going away.
Sweep the front of your home, or business. The sidewalk or the steps, or even the curb if the street is that close. BUT it is important NOT to sweep out into the street or towards the street, but sweep side to side, as you do not want to sweep good things away from your home or business.
Having a witch, a Priestess or a spiritual clergy person come in to bless your home is always a good thing to do in the beginning of the year. Many will do this for a donation to their church or temple. You can also do this yourself, but it depends on how you feel about it. Some people are comfortable doing this themselves and others prefer a professional to come in and do it. Go with what you feel best with.
Using a liquid called Florida water, a liquid we sell at Enchantments, and many witch shops carry it, is excellent to use to cleanse surfaces, desk tops and hard items at work where often people cannot smudge. It does the same thing. It is often added to floor wash water, to help eliminate negative energies that walk in on our shoes. Florida water is very complex and difficult to make, taking many ingredients and over a month to make properly, so purchasing a bottle is much more cost effective than trying to make your own. It can also be put in a spray bottle and used that way, and can be used as a body spray. But it does have an alcohol base like a cologne for those who are not sensitive to alcohol.
Placing a green candle in the north quarter of your home, a yellow in the east, a red in the south and a blue in the west surrounding your home, will create a circle of the elements surrounding your home. These candles can be inside, or if it is not too windy or if you have a candle container that will protect the flame you can place them outside.
To complete the circle without all of the ceremony that a Wiccan would do, you can connect the candles by pouring salt from each of the candles making a continuous circle of protection. Leave the salt where it is for 3 days. Then it can be vacuumed up and the protection circle will remain, as the energy of the salt will stay in essence. The same can be done outside the home and if so, simply leave the salt. it will disappear back into the ground. It does not need to be put in a heavy circle. It does not need to be seen, you know it is there.
These are a few of the things you can do to start your new year off right and as you think about things, and start to practice some of these concepts I am sure other ideas will come to you. When they do, if they make sense to you, then do them. As long as they are eliminating the old, the "trash" whether actual or metaphorical and bringing in the new and the wonderful to fulfill your life. Now that is real magick!!
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.
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