The Contemporary New England Witch

The Contemporary New England Witch
Author Ms.Faith

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Archery Night was a huge success!






 Good Afternoon!

Last night the Enchantment's Women's Spirituality Group met at Hall's Archery in Manchester to spend an hour shooting arrows at targets. A great time was had by all, and I want to thank the lovely ladies who showed up to participate. Many had never used a bow before but bravely stepped up to the black line and took a shot. Then they took another!

We were lucky that our Women's group even had a lovely lady instructor from Hall's, even though our group has had in the past men instructors and they are all fantastic at Hall's, no matter who we've had.

While we were shooting arrows and hitting bulls-eyes!!!, metaphors for life started to crop up and I wanted to share some of them with you.

  • In life you don't always hit the paper target! It's true, sometimes in life one has to square off, aim and take another shot, and perhaps another but eventually you will hit the target, and if you try hard enough you will also get a bulls-eye.
  • Just let it go! The biggest issue anyone had with shooting the bow and arrows was, when after pulling the string back towards the face, was then letting the string go. There's the fear the string will hit your face and hurt you, that you haven't pulled it back properly, that after you let it go something will happen that's not right, many things crowd into your mind. When in reality all you need to do is take a breath and let the string simply .  .  .  go. Let things in your life that you no longer have control over simply .  .  .  go. You can control the string like things in your life up to a point, but then you must let them go.  We found ourselves striking the bulls-eye more often when we got to a place where we could 'let go'.
  • Don't over think things! There are several small things that need to be in place to shoot a bow successfully. But once those little things are applied i.e. having the right stance, pulling the string back properly, having the arrow notched onto the string in the correct manner etc., then just get along with the business of shooting the arrows. Over thinking things just mucks up the process. I found for myself, that when I put everything in place, took a breath and just let the string go, while keeping my mind calm and focused, the arrow found its way to the bulls-eye more times than not!
These are just a few of the metaphors that can be applied to life from a fun night of shooting with bows and arrows. Hall's Archery on Middle Tpke in Manchester, CT USA is a great place to learn, and to shoot there it's a nominal fee of $13.00 an hour. They provide all the equipment and the cost is pro-rated, which means if you shoot for 20 minutes, you only pay for 20 minutes. It's really one of the best deals in town! The facility was air conditioned (which we appreciated in the humidity and high heat waves we've been experiencing here in Southern New England) clean and the staff was professional, polite and really nice to work with.

I hope you have a happy, healthy and magickal Fourth of July holiday!

Peace and Happiness

© 2010-2013 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.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Some simple gardning magick




 Good Afternoon,
Today I will be working in the witch's gardens at Enchantments. I have flowers blooming, herbs growing and birds and butterflies fluttering amongst the blossoms. It's like a Disney movie! I just love it! I'm going to be doing some simple gardening today, fertilizing plants already planted, dead heading or snipping off the spend flowers off of the geraniums and some simple weeding as I see an occasional weed has crept into my garden.

Trust me, it's a magickal enough process to simply garden, although many may not be able to get in touch with the magick of gardening, the magickal person will. Here are some simple things to do while gardening that can help you feel the magick of the task at hand.

Light a Green Candle:  Having a green candle lit and outside in the vicinity of your gardening can help the work go more smoothly, and help you tune in to the magickal energies to be found while gardening. Take a small green candle, hold it in your hands (un-lit at this point) and close your eyes. "See" the candle glowing a bright white` and feel the energy start to pulsate within the candle. Now blow a breath gently on the candle and then place it in a holder and light it. Keep it in the area where you are doing your gardening. You may wish to shield the candle flame with a small, glass chimney if it's breezy out.

Send Energy into the Plant:  While dead heading, weeding next to or working closely with a particular plant you can help it grow by rubbing your hands together and placing them near the plant, feel the sparks of magickal energy flowing from your hands into the plant. The energy flows from the universal source of energy through your crown chakra on the top of your head through your body to be released through your hands. This is especially helpful for any sickly plants you might have.

Visualize a healthy, lush garden:  Visualization is a key technique in successful magickal manifestation.  Take a few moments to close your eyes and 'see' your garden as you wish it to be. Lush, vibrant, green and blooming. Even if it's not there yet, visualization will help it along it's way to getting there.  

Be aware of conflicting thoughts:  Send gratitude to the heavens. It may seem simple, but it can be a bit complex. sending gratitude. People want their gardens to be lush and lovely but will bemoan the amount of rain we have been getting this year. That 'contrary' thinking can slow and stunt the growth of your garden. Your garden is an extension of you and your thoughts.  Wanting a wonderfully full and amazing garden is in contrast to complaining about the wet weather we've been receiving.  Be grateful and recognize a good thing when it happens!

These are just a few simple magickal tips you can work into your gardening chores which will reward you with a lavish, blooming and beautiful garden. And don't forget, after all the hard work, to spend some time enjoying the garden! 



Peace and Happiness


© 2010-2013 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.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Be Aware of Magickal Internet Garbage!




 Good Afternoon,

I had a customer stop by Enchantments just the other day that made me think up this topic. I've spoken in the past about Internet 'crap' and that a magickal practitioner should be aware of it, and it seems like a good time to re-visit this topic.

This customer told me he was new to the magickal world  and was just learning. He had read that the athame (the ritual knife used in circle) was never to be used to cut anything, which is generally true, but that he had seen a website that told one to use the athame to carve candles and inscribe magickal symbols into ritual tools. NOT TRUE!

Yes, there is a lot of areas where a witch can go off on her own and create magick as she/he wishes, but there is some foundational principles that generally need to be followed. When one sees a common theme in just about all published work (the only sources I take seriously) and then sees something coming from left field on a website .  .  .   be aware, be very aware that you are most likely seeing a mistake or just someone's ignorance as to what should really be done.

In the case of the athame, there is only one physical cut an athame is allowed to make in it's magickal life and that's the first cut of a wedding cake after a handfasting. In truth, the cake knife a bride and groom uses to cut that first sacred slice is in fact an athame, even if it's put away after the ceremony never to see the light of day again and regardless of religion. Other than that, it is not used as a Boline, which is the ritual working tool used to cut, carve, whittle and the like for magickal usage.

Please, please, please keep reading from the published magickal masters such as Laurie Cabot, Janet Farrar, Gavin Bone, Raymond Buckland, Raven Grimassi and Scott Cunningham. Learn from the best and be wary of any of their work for free on a website as many websites pirate their works and these authors do not get the credit or any compensation for their efforts. Buy their books! Your magickal schooling deserves a financial investment and by buying their books you know you are getting solid, reliable magickal information.

Have a Happy Day and be sure to get out and enjoy some of this wonderful summer weather!


Peace and Happiness




© 2010-2013 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.

Monday, June 17, 2013

The Summer Soltice is almost here!







 Good Afternoon,

We've had lots of rain for the past couple of months, but the mid point of summer, the Summer Solstice, is almost upon us. The Summer Solstice has been a special time marking the mid point of summer for centuries. 

Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England has been a gathering site for the mid winter and mid summer calendar points for thousands of years. Archaeological evidence proves that as many as 4,000 people would gather at Stonehenge for the Summer Solstice in ancient times. The stones are aligned in such a way that an observer, standing within the stone circle, would see the sun pierce  over a specific stone, the heel stone, right at the moment of the sunrise. This happens every year in the same manner, suggesting the stone henge was built on the principles of a clock or stone calendar.

In Pagan times , long before Christianity was introduced, pagan folks would gather at outdoor venues such as sacred groves, crossroads, temples and such, to worship the Sabbats on the Wheel of the Year. The Summer Solstice was a big event as people were known to travel during the mild summer months to the celebration sites. The site of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris before the Cathedral was built was reputed to attract upwards of 10,000 people during the Summer Solstice.  In ancient times, those numbers are pretty impressive. Heck! Those numbers are pretty impressive today!

Enter Christianity.  As the early Christians were hell bent on converting everyone to the new, only, religion, they started to incorporate many concepts with which to encourage the conversion. One was to build churches and cathedrals on sacred gathering sites. This was why Notre Dame Cathedral was built. People would still come to the sacred site to worship, but now they had to go through the doors, pay their tithes  and worship as though they were Catholic.

Stonehenge was a Pagan gathering site that is still populated by Pagans every year at the various Sabbats and has not been Christianized to this day.

The Summer Solstice enters this Friday, June 21st and in the United States is recognized as the first day of summer, whereas for many Pagans it is the mid-summer marking point, as we recognized May 1st, Beltaine, as our first day of summer. Regardless of when you recognize summer to have started, we are in summer this week and I plan to enjoy it!

Going out now to plant two Witches Broom Bushes in my broom garden. I hope you get out this week and enjoy the summer in your own special way!


Peace and Happiness!






© 2010-2013 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.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

You are cordially invited to . . . Enchantments upcoming events!




 Good Afternoon,

The next few weeks have a couple of fun things happening at Enchantments that I'd like to invite you to. First our Summer Solstice (Litha) Ritual and Feast.  To be held on Saturday June 22nd in the front gardens of Enchantments at 10 am. Followed right afterwards by a pagan feast. You are invited and are asked to please bring a dish to share with others.  We celebrate Litha (a Germanic name for a Summer Goddess) to honor the God and Goddess and this time of Summer and abundance.  Litha is the only Summer Sabbat we have as the prior three were considered Spring Sabbats. It is directly across from the Winter Solstice or Yule which we celebrate 6 months from now in December.  But enough about winter!! Now is the time to celebrate the warmth of the Sun, the flowers and abundance we find in our lives.

The next activity planned after our Litha Sabbat is our Bi-monthly Women's Spirituality Group meeting. This next meeting is being held at a special time and date, 7 pm on Tuesday July 2nd and we will meet at Halls Archery located at 291 Middle Tpke West in Manchester, CT. Ladies only, as this is our Women's Spirituality Group meeting and it will cost each lady $12.00 to participate. After an hour of shooting bow and arrow we will take the party across the street to the Chinese Buffet which will cost each person $13.99 and talk about our experiences. I have conducted this archery class every year for several years and it is a blast! No worries if you have never shot a bow and arrow before, nor if you are the least athletic person you know! With the excellent instructors at Hall's Archery you will be shooting bulls eyes before you know it. The hour goes by quickly and the empowerment from such an experience is awesome.  Being able to hold a quivering bow in your hands and direct an arrow to its destination can be a metaphor in many ways into taking charge of situations in your life and directing things as to where to go and how to work them for your own benefit. We will conduct a  spirituality meeting while having dinner at the buffet. I hope you will consider coming to this event. Please call me, Ms. Faith at Enchantments 860-791-6033 or e mail me at Enchantmentsllc@gmail.com to let me know to expect you at Hall's Indoor Archery on July 2nd.


Peace and Happiness


© 2010-2013 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.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Which elements are you?

 Good Afternoon,

We all, well most of us, know the element we are associated with due to our Sun sign. Such as Virgo is an earth sign, Aquarius is an air sign and so forth. But could you have more than one element within you? I think so. And, I've come up with a mini quiz to help you determine which elements you have the most of within you. Take my quiz and then check below to see the qualities that make up a part of you.






What element are you?

To determine the element you most sync up with circle only one option for each question.

1.     When working in the garden what item would you never wear ?
a.                 gloves
b.                 hat
c.                  shoes
d.                 sun glasses
2.     Do you use an umbrella when it rains?
  
a.                 sometimes
b.                 most of the time
c.                  always
d.                 never

3.     What would bother you the most?

a.                 Being in a large, crowded, noisy & excited place
b.                 Being in the dark
c.                  Being in a dark, musty, damp cave or basement
d.                 Being alone

4.     Imagine that you are upset about a situation and you were told that if you sat or lay down beneath one of 4 trees, you would feel better. Which tree would you choose?

a.                 oak
b.                 soft fir
c.                  sugar maple
d.                 willow

5.     What would you most like to do on a perfect day off?

a.                 go shopping
b.                 take a hot air balloon ride
c.                  go on a roller coaster
d.                 travel down a gently flowing stream in a very comfortable boat.

6.     If you could design the front yard which represents you the best what would it contain? Pick the one which is the most important for you to have in your front yard.

a.                 privacy hedge
b.                 a manicured or wild grass garden
c.                  bright, beautiful fragrant flowers
d.                 a fountain

7.     Which creature are you most “in sync” with?

a.                 bird
b.                 dragonfly
c.                  bee
d.                 butterfly

8.     What would be your ideal vacation from the 4 below?

a.                 Dude Ranch
b.                 Skiing
c.                  Tropical island
d.                 Cruise

9.     What creature would you most likely pick up?

a.                 Toad
b.                 Spider
c.                  Salamander
d.                 Snake

10.                        Which pet are you most likely to have?

a.                 cat/dog
b.                 bird
c.                  reptile
d.                 fish

11.                        Which one of the four color combos is most pleasing to you?

a.                 brown-green
b.                 yellow-red
c.                  red-black
d.                 blue-green

12.                        Which of the following is the most abhorrent to you ?

a.                 Falling a great distance
b.                 Being buried alive
c.                  Drowning
d.                 Being burned

13.                        What element is your astrological sign?

a.                 earth
b.                 air
c.                  fire
d.                 water



Astrological Signs:

Fire Signs - 

Aries (3/21-4/20)
Leo   (7/23 - 8/23) 
Sagittarius (11/23- 12/21) 

Air Signs: 

Aquarius (1/21) -2/18) 
Gemini    (5/22 - 6/21) 
Libra       (9/23 - 10/23) 

Water Signs: 

Pisces  (2/19 - 3/20) 
Cancer ( 6/22 - 7/22)
Scorpio (10/24 - 11/22) 

Earth Signs: 

Virgo (8/24 - 9/22) 
Taurus ( 4/21 - 5/21) 
Capricorn (12/22 - 1/20) 

 To score yourself apply the following:



Count up number of A’s, B’s, C’s, & D’. The majority of one letter is the dominant element within you. Many people have traces of all the elements in them, and many more have two strong elements within. How did you score?  a - earth, b- air, c- fire, d- water 



Now that you've scored yourself and found out your elements, lets discuss a bit about each element and what type of personal qualities each has. 

Earth - an earth sign or someone with a lot of earth within them are usually steadfast, loyal, true and devoted. They fall in love strongly and for keeps. They are usually good with organizational tasks and give good advice to those closest to them.  Don't cross them though, as they can be true life long friends, betraying them will cause them to turn their backs on you and they never look back. 

Air - Those with a lot of air within are often in their heads. They are intellectual, trustworthy and very smart. They work well with others and can be great friends. They love with all their hearts but be sure not to treat their love lightly as they will tend to look elsewhere for the love, respect and admiration they desire. 

Fire- Those who have a dominant fire element within can be passionate, energetic, effervescent and fun to be around. They are passionate lovers and are hard workers. They tend to be truthful, sometimes this can be hurtful to others they tell their truth to! They make good friends and a fire element can be surrounded by many who wish to be with them. 

Water- Those who have an abundance of water within are caring, compassionate and loving. They can be moody with their emotions and at times just wish to be by themselves until they feel more sociable. They can be creative, artistic and are very consistent with their likes and dislikes. 


This is my mini quiz on how the elements may work within you. The ancient philosophers felt that the four elements, earth, air, fire and water along with spirit (the fifth element) were to be found in some combination within all things found on earth. I feel the same applies for us. I hope you enjoy the quiz!



Peace and Happiness




© 2010-2013 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.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

'Practical Magick' My new re-vamped class at Manchester Community College



Good Afternoon,

I am getting ready to teach a new class at Manchester Community College this semester. It's called 'Practical Magick' and it's designed to teach the beginner student, the ways of the witch. Over the last decade I have taught hundreds of students and countless classes at Manchester Community College, as well as at my own school for the magickal arts, Enchantments in Manchester, CT.  I've taken these lessons, re-vamped them, and paired them with a jazzy PowerPoint presentation to develop a new program that teaches moon magick, candle magick, potions, as well as having some fun quizzes designed to help the student find out more about their magickal selves.

So,  have you ever wondered about witches or pagans and their magickal belief systems? Maybe you have marveled at the full moon and wished that you could do something to honor it, or to celebrate in some special way the solstices, equinoxes and the four seasons. This course will guide you on your way!  Learn the Wheel of the Year, Moon Magick, Candle Magick and many more magickal topics. The final class will be a magickal potions workshop held at Enchantments, 349 East Center Street, Manchester, CT during which time students will make and bring home their own potion.  There is a $10 materials fee due at the first class, payable to instructor.

So, if this sounds fun to you, come and take class with me as I show you how to live and practice as a witch.

This course costs $65 payable to Manchester Community College. To sign up for classes and you MUST reserve your class in advance please call 860-512-3232 Your course number is CRN20729 and the classroom, this class will be held in, is GPA (Great Path Academy building on the MCC Campus) GP143

This class will be offered again during the fall semester at MCC and again in the spring of 2014. 


I look forward to seeing you there! Ms. Faith


 Peace and Happiness!




© 2010-2013 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.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Magickal Gardening and Magick when Tragedy Strikes

 Good Afternoon,

This past week, in magickal studies class, we did some magickal gardening.  My students and I prepared, planted and then blessed our garden in front of Enchantments.

We learned that to plant plants properly, we pull apart, just slightly, the root structure of the plant and breath on it gently to infuse the plant with our life's energy thus giving it a stronger head start in the garden.

We planted Petunias which has the magickal property to soothe and calm a person. It also has the magickal properties of joy and happiness.We also planted Alyssum which has the magickal property to protect one against 'fascination' or being bewitched if hung up in the home. It also is able to rid a person of anger if worn upon the body. The third plant we planted was Geranium. Geraniums magickal properties are fertility, health, love and protection. There is an old saying "snakes will not go, where geranium grow" indicating a snack repelling quality to the plant.

We concluded our planting session by casting a circle,  holding hands, and sending out loving, growing energy to the garden. We smudged the garden and blessed it with blessed water.  This is what the garden looks like today: 
With the hard work of one particular student, Susan, the altar and surrounding area has been cleared of overgrown grasses and weeds. Doesn't it look amazing!? Ms. Eileen, Susan and myself planted the flowers and the entire front garden is truly a show piece! Thanks to the lovely ladies, three witches we, that have blessed Enchantments gardens with their special magick!

On a sadder note, let's discuss in brief, the terrible tragedy of the Tornadoes which have wrecked havoc on Oklahoma this past week. When a disaster such as this strikes, we all feel so helpless and it feels that there is truly little we can do.  But we can do something. Burn a candle. I know, it sounds simple and it is. But that doesn't make it less powerful or effective. For centuries candles have been burned at vigils and to help during the darkest of times and their special magickal energy is still effective today. You see everything, as I'm often saying, is made up of vibrational energy.  A candle has a special vibrational energy that with a bit of magickal effort on your part, syncs up with the energy of the situation in which you're trying to create change. Hold the candle in your hands, close your eyes and see in this case, people - happy, healthy, in touch with loved ones, in homes surrounded by warmth, light, good food and loved ones. After a few moments of visualization, open your eyes, light the candle and place it in a holder.

Allow the candle to burn completely down and know your loving, caring energies are making their way to a place and to people who will use that energy when it gets there. It can make you feel less helpless and more in control of being able to do something. It might also come to you to donate money, goods or services also, and if it does and this is something you can do, by all means do so. But don't dismiss burning a candle as trivial, for the magick that it brings is often quite powerful.

Our Blessings and prayers go out to all of those affected by the tornadoes in Oklahoma.

Peace and Happiness




© 2010-2013 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.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Earthing . . . a new concept for a better well being





 Good Afternoon,

Today I want to discuss a new concept I just came across called 'earthing'.  Now it's really not so new. In fact as children we, most of us, did it all the time. That is to walk barefoot on the bare earth and grass.

Proponents of earthing claim that by walking, laying on or getting your hands into the earth (as in gardening) without gloves or shoes, you connect with the vibrational energy of the earth and it combines with your personal energy and wonderful things can come of this vibrational connection.

Now quantum physicists will tell you that everything is made up of vibrational energy. Everything vibrates. Some things like rocks have a slower vibration where as electricity is faster. Humans, animals, plants, even manufactured items like a desk or a chair has a vibrational energy to it.

We all fall somewhere on the scale of vibrational energy. Animals and plants have a different level than humans for instance. All humans fall within a window but we are at different places within that window. That's why some people you meet you dislike or want nothing to do with, for no reason really. You might even have said "we're just not in sync" and you'd be right. Your vibrational energies don't sync up,  but for some people like a loved one, significant other or best friend you're absolutely in sync. This means your vibrational levels are very, very similar to one another.

I have taught students about vibrational energies for several years being a firm believer in the energetic world of vibration. Now along comes 'earthing' and I'm loving it! Why not!? It makes perfect sense, I'm surprised it hasn't been around longer, but then again .  .  .  maybe it has. Remember the 'tree huggers' of the seventies, the hippies 'peace love and joy man' of the sixties? They were all getting into, and getting off on, the energy of nature and the natural world around them.

So now we have a concept that has been coined 'earthing.' Today, it is believed by those who are following this concept that earthing can bring about a wellness of being, as well as increased good physical health. Now, I caution against those who develop a medical problem, that wish to avoid the doctor and just go walking around their front lawns. If you have a medical issue please seek out competent medical care but by all means enhance it with getting out in the sun, walking barefoot on the grass or along a beach and every now and then plant a flower or green plant and use your hands. Ditch the shoes and gloves which prevent you from absorbing the natural energies from the earth. See how you feel after doing a bit of earthing!


Peace and Happiness







© 2010-2013 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.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Let me clear up some things about me as a witch and about being Wiccan




Good Afternoon,

Recently I had someone come into Enchantments, he is a ghost-hunter, and ask me some questions about a place he's investigating that's haunted.  He was told by someone that the place in question had been inhabited by a woman, now dead, who was believed to be a Wiccan. Now that she's passed on, all sorts of paranormal activity has been going on.

He started to tell me some things, her magickal items. they had found in the place when I stopped him cold. He had said they found all sorts of bones from animals, mostly birds. I told him pointblank "She wasn't a Wiccan." I know this because we don't use animal remains, bones or blood in our practice. Not under any circumstances. This falls under the 'an' it harm none category'.

He had  come to me to see exactly what he was dealing with, and while I can say she wasn't Wiccan, at least not an educated in our ways, Wiccan witch way, I wasn't really able to help him other than to say she wasn't practicing Wicca.  He wanted to know if I could do a house cleansing. I do house blessings and cleansings of unwanted energies but I draw the line at homes under the influence of ghostly presences. I have ghosts at Enchantments and I can communicate with spirits but by my own definition I am not a medium, nor do I wish to be one.  The elimination of ghostly spirits I leave to those who enjoy that work. Not every witch is a medium. Besides I like the spirits that inhabit Enchantments and have no wish to see them go.

Also, Wiccans believe in God. Now, take a moment for that to settle in. While we may choose to worship the female aspect of the Godhead, Goddess, that doesn't mean we don't believe in God. Quite the contrary. I have had more people that will start off a conversation or make a remark similar to: 'Even if you don't believe in God, I respect you and your beliefs .  .   .  " Wait! What? Somewhere along the line just because we are not Christian in our beliefs people think that we've thrown out everything religious or spiritual in the process. That's just not true. Actually, if you want to be picky about it, I worship two Gods! The Goddess and the God, both aspects of one divine, amazing, all encompassing force but I stop and take recognition of the female aspect and again with the male aspect.  Just because I don't follow the Bible or practice Christian theology does not mean I am without God.

Finally for today, not every magickal person who does fortune readings uses the same tools. I use tarot, crystal ball, runes and stones but I do not read palms. I've had people come in and ask for a palm reading and look crestfallen because I don't use that divination method. Not every artist uses a paint brush. But that doesn't make the sculpture or flower arrangement less  beautiful or visually satisfying, now does it? If you want a reading, that should be the goal, not the method it is achieved by. The reading and it's accuracy should be what you're looking for, not necessarily someone to hold your hand.

I hope today's discussion clears up some misconceptions you might have had!



Peace and Happiness!







© 2010-2013 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.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Happy Beltaine! A bit of history about the MayPole and Sex!




 Happy Beltaine!

The first day of the Celtic Pagan Summer! Wow, it certainly has been a long winter! I know many of you look towards June 21st as the first day of summer, but if you recall June 21st has for centuries been also referred to as midsummer. Remember Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream? It took place towards the end of June.

But no matter, we can all agree to celebrate warmer weather, flowers in full bloom and trees leafing out, all over.

People have asked about the Maypole which is predominant at this Sabbat or Holiday. This Holiday or Holy Day is a day where the ancients recognized the importance of procreation to keep the species alive. This was important, so as to have babies to keep the tribe, clan or village growing and becoming stronger. The Maypole is a metaphoric example of the concept.

The pole in the center is representative of the phallus which is the male member. Traditionally it is wrapped around with white and red ribbons representing the female genitalia.  Once wrapped and decorated thee Maypole signifies the coupling of the Goddess and the God, or intercourse. Without of course, having babies would be difficult!
Ms. Faith's Maypole Beltaine Celebration 2008


Today the ribbons take on many hues and after the ribbons are affixed at the top of the Maypole, people stand around and call out alternately 'Sun' and 'Moon'. Those that called out Sun will start walking in a deosil or clockwise direction, whilst those who called out Moon would start walking in the opposite direction. As people come up to others they dip and raise going over or under the other's ribbons. Slowly the pole becomes encased in the pretty ribbons wrapped tightly around.

Both men and women can dance the Maypole dance, though I believe in ancient times only boys were the ones to hold the ribbons and dance the dance. I'll have to check my facts on this one though. As I get older the magickal memory starts to fade a bit!

So whether you dance round a Maypole, jump a Beltaine Bonfire or just have a lovely feast today, I wish you a Merry Beltaine and a Happy Summer!


Peace and Happiness!









© 2010-2013 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.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Beltaine Bundles





 Happy Afternoon,

Our Wiccan Sabbat of Beltaine is just around the corner on May 1st.  This is the celebration of the Goddess and God getting handfasted and performing the Great Rite, which in turns fertilizes the earth and provides great bounty and abundance for the upcoming year.  This Sabbat also marks our traditional first day of summer!

Whew! That's a lot to put into one Sabbat ritual!  There are many ways to celebrate such a Sabbat and this year at Enchantments we will be building a Beltaine fire in which to burn Beltaine bundles. These little bundles of wooden sticks and branches are used as petitions to ask the Goddess and God for blessings during the upcoming year.

Taken from the long version of the Wiccan Rede there are 10 woods mentoned in the Rede, with only nine being meant to be burnt. The portion of the Rede containing the woods of Beltaine is as follows:

"Nine woods in the cauldron go, burn them quick and burn them slow.
Birch wood in the fire goes to represent what the Lady knows
Oak in the forest, towers with might, into the fire it brings the God's insight
Rowan is a tree of power, causing life and magick to flower
Willows at the waterside, stand ready to help us to the Summerland
Hawthorne is burned to purify and to draw faerie to your eye ,
Hazel thee tree of wisdom and learning, adds its strength to the bright fire burning
White are the flowers of Apple tree that brings us fruits of fertility
Grapes grow upon the vine, giving us both joy and wine
Fir does mark the evergreen to represent immortality seen
But - Elder is the Lady's tree, burn it not or cursed you'll be"

We'll be making bundles of three sticks of each of the nine woods, which again are: Birch, Oak, Rowan (or Mountain Ash), Willow, Hawthorne, Hazel, Apple, Vine, and Fir.

We'll  place little slips of paper into the bundles with that which we desire the Goddess to grant us, and then throw them into the fire already started. It's fine to start a fire in a fire pit with a bag of charcoal (outdoors this must happen, do NOT burn a Beltaine fire indoors for safety's sake!!) Then throw the bundles, tied with a bit of ribbon or string onto the Beltaine fire and allow to go up in smoke.  The idea is the smoke will bring our desires to the realm of the Goddess and the God and they will be answered.

Afterwards it is customary to celebrate with a Beltaine feast.  I wish you a Happy and Healthy Beltaine!


Peace and Happiness 


© 2010-2013 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.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

A magickal thing happened in class the other day . . .





Good Afternoon,

Sometimes unusual, magickal, witchy things happen to me and I want to share them with you. Just this past Saturday I had two magickal moments and when things like these happen, it makes me stop and wonder at the magick of it all.

The first magickal moment happened in Saturday morning Magickal Studies class.  The students and I were gathered around the work table in the classroom and we were working with clay. The day's curriculum was for us to make witches runes out of clay and protective house amulets. We were all seated around, chatting and working our clay when the conversation turned to the various Wiccan/Pagan songs and chants that have been developed over the past few decades. There really are a lot of them and many are quite good.

In the meantime, Gabby, one of the cats of Enchantments had decided to take a nap on one of the girls knapsack/pocketbooks that was laying on the work table. The cats of Enchantments adopt all of the students and insist on taking class with us, every Saturday.  Well, Gabby was taking a well deserved catnap and we were working clay. One of the girls mentioned a Pagan song, 'Ancient Mother' and quickly found it on her smart phone, so the rest of class could hear it. When it started to play, she placed her phone upright on the table for all to hear, and then the most unusual thing happened!

As soon as the music started to play, Gabby woke up and went to the phone and picked the phone up by its soft case with her teeth and started to walk away with it. It fell out of her mouth, and she started to rub against it, paw at it and try to pick it up again with her teeth. All the while meowing and putting up quite a fuss. I believe she really enjoyed that version of 'Ancient Mother'!

Everyone had stopped making their clay pieces and were just staring at Gabby. The song ended and she stopped her antics. Really amazing!

Later that day I went out to dinner and shopping with a friend of mine. We were in a discount store and were walking down the aisles looking and just chatting. I noticed ahead of me in the aisle a large support column that had a store phone affixed to it. As I started to walk by this column, a very strong inclination overtook me and I found myself reaching for the phone. I had almost touched it when it started to ring. I pulled my hand back, because I knew the call wasn't for me. I couldn't have told you why I felt such a strong need to pick up that phone, but I was going to, until it started ringing. Then I dropped my hand and continued on my way.
My friend noticed what had happened and wanted to know how I knew the phone was going to ring. That's just it, I didn't know it. I just had a strong urge to pick up that phone.

These are just a couple of magickal moments that have happened to me lately. Do you notice the magickal moments in your life? Or perhaps you call them coincidence or happenstance?


Peace and Happiness


© 2010-2013 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.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

The Ghosts of Enchantments




 Good Afternoon,

It is such a pretty spring day with the daffodils and tulips around Enchantments blooming and making merry.  Not a day where one would automatically think of such a gloomy subject as ghosts, but we do have them here at Enchantments.

We have a number of ghosts or spirits if you will.  One is a very nice lady ghost who is often heard to say "Hello", at times right behind where you are standing.  On quiet days, when the road traffic is light, I can hear a group of women speaking amongst themselves in the upstairs classroom of Enchantments. As I climb the staircase they are very easily heard, but when they hear me ascending the stairs they become quiet.

We have had in the past a male ghost who made a habit of smoking cigarettes or some type of tobacco and it would be smelled especially in the stairways of this old Victorian home, built in 1899.  He also seemed quite fearful of me! We spoke with him once using an oracle board and he expressed his wariness when I was around. Perhaps he had good reason. I soon afterwards demanded he stop smoking in the building and if he couldn't then he was to leave. He has been quiet ever since.

We also have a small, gray kitten that has been seen by customers in the store on the bottom floor of Enchantments. A ghost kittent that is. We have cats, real, living cats in Enchantments but they are restricted to the upstairs, the classrooms and the attic where they have no chance of running outside and possibly getting hurt or lost.

I don't see the ghosts of Enchantments as often nowadays as I did when we first moved in, I like to think they have settled down and have grown used to us. Yet, every now and again a sensitive customer will remark that they have seen one or have been poked by one.

I believe they are harmless and merely curious and I like to believe they look over the goings on at Enchantments. I personally like them and would never banish them.  Walter, the smoking ghost, well .   .   .  he may have been banished but only to a better place. 

I invite you to come to Enchantments someday and perhaps you will have a ghostly encounter. 


Peace and Happiness





© 2010-2013 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.

Monday, April 1, 2013

The Last time my Intro to Pagans, Witches and Wicca will be offered at MCC!





Good Afternoon,

If you have thought about taking my class at Manchester Community College "Introduction to Pagans, Witches and Wicca" this will be your last chance. This program is a four class course that starts this Monday, April 8th and runs from 7-9 pm, and concludes on Monday April 29th with a potions making workshop at Enchantments. The course costs $65.00 and you have until this Thursday to sign up for the program. Call 860-512-3232 with a credit card to sign up right away! I hope to see you there! Ms. Faith







© 2010-2013 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.