Moon light, magic and making it happen!

Last night’s full moon, the Harvest moon or Hunters moon as some all it or Blood moon to others, seemed especially powerful. Of course, this has more to do with circumstances than anything else because on that occasion I was honoured to be stood in a very powerful circle with some very amazing women, all of one mindset. It was a beautiful rite and the moon illuminated us brilliantly and provided a stunning backdrop to our workings.

This event, along with a conversation that I had beforehand got me thinking about working for the self with the moon phases and I realised that so few people nowadays use the entire phase of the moon in their workings, we all want a quick fix so will often perform our magic on the night of the full moon knowing she is at the time of her greatest influence and expect instant results. However, if we use the full phase of the moon, I believe that the results are far more effective and powerful so I decided to write this entry about using the phases of the moon to their full effect.

I believe that magic works best when begun the day AFTER the full moon when the moon is in her waning aspect. Time to release and begin the process of casting off and letting go of the things that are an obstacle to the ultimate aim of the work. An example of this could be self-doubt.

By the time of the dark moon we should be ready to banish all those negatives that act as obstacles and be ready on the new moon to cleanse ourselves and make a new start. Magic on that night should be cast to put yourself in the mindset of the new beginning ready for the waxing phase in which you will be thinking about and drawing towards you the things you want to bring in to your life and positive acts that will bring the success of the overall working.

By the time we reach the full moon, we should be mentally cleansed and empowered to begin our working proper. Magic this night should be the culmination of the casting off that you did with the waning moon, the cleansing at the dark moon, the new beginning and the building up of power over the waxing phase and then to the outcome, the final conclusion.

As an example, for a spell for employment.

During the waning phase of the moon, I would think about what is preventing me from getting the job; self-doubt, insecurity, lack of confidence or even something physical for example nail biting (who wants a hairdresser with bitten nails). In the ensuing days I would take time each day to visualise these things leaving me and on the day of the dark moon I would do a working to banish these attributes.

At the new moon I would perform a working to begin my new journey without these things in my life, I would use this time to envisage myself on this new journey as a secure, confident person who no longer needed to bite my nails.

As the moon begins to wax again, I would use this time to concentrate on bringing positives forth. Increasing my confidence, envisaging myself in a job that I will love and growing with the moon in power and influence.

By the time of the full moon I will have put all the psychological changes in place, I will have a clear and untarnished intent and I will have done the groundwork for my ultimate goal. This would be the night for my employment spell, the culmination of the entire month’s work.

Of course, the workings themselves on each of the phases would change according to the individual and I personally don’t believe thought and intent are ALL that makes the magic work. I would perform a working or spell appropriate to the task at each phase to contribute towards the final outcome and it would be something that I have created myself because it is my belief that only YOUR spell will work for YOU. Of course, everyone has their personal opinion or belief of this and that is down to the individual but regardless of that, the above method provides a thoughtful and clear process of working and enables us to put in the hours required to form an effective spell rather than a quick fix and I think the universe appreciates the effort.

Photo courtesy of Paulypops

Letting go

There comes a time for us all, I believe, when we question where our path is leading and what we expect to find at the end. Personally, I have been feeling recently that my path was being stifled. I felt that I was doing more for other people and their paths and not enough for myself and I also felt that I was allowing myself to be swallowed up in things that I found trivial and had no place on my journey, these things frustrated me and I actually believe that when this happens it thwarts our progress.

As always, I turned to the universe for answers and I received them in abundance. It was so immediate, like a light had suddenly been turned on and I could see at last!

From wanting to move away and feeling guilt and hating my job and wanting to leave, I have done a complete 360 to realising I do not need to move to get the life I want I just need to change my priorities and focus and I should really stay and enjoy the home that has taken me 20 years to build into a place I love and actually where else would I find a job that allows me to work 3 days for what is practically a full-time wage. I have a good life and I have amazing friends but my focus on the poorer aspects of my life and job and having people around me who possibly exasperated that feeling were really all I needed to let go of.

So starts another phase in my journey, I feel settled and relieved to not have to make those huge decisions and things have begun to fall into place in regards to my spirituality as well. A group formed, releasing ties to another and giving the old coven a new lease of life! Autumn always seems to sort things out for me, that and the universe and so today I will give thanks in all sorts of ways to my Gods, my Goddess and my beautiful family and friends.

Oh and it’s almost Halloween!

Thoughtless in nature?

I have just returned from my annual pilgrimage to St Nectan’s glen in Cornwall, something I have been doing on the morning of my birthday for a while now. We arrive just as it opens and before the other tourists arrive we get to enjoy the atmospheric peace of a place that I consider incredibly spiritual and where I feel a profound connection to my Goddess.

As always it was an emotional time for me but possibly this time more so as I stood completely alone watching the power and beauty of the fall while waiting for my husband and our malamute-cross Arthur to join me in the base of the fall. You see they had to take a different route in on this occasion due to renovations and ‘improvements’ to access which meant Arthur could not navigate the turnstile that they have installed (I would say that anything bigger than a small spaniel would struggle). I was and still am undecided as to whether the ‘improvements’ really are an improvement; granted we were able to see more of the area on our walk down and the new stairs certainly are more sturdy and safe and we noticed parts of the falls that we had previously missed out on but with the removal of so many trees I do think that it has lost some of its raw wildness, there’s something just a little too organised and neat about it now but I do understand the need for safety first.

One thing that for me was a great improvement however was something that took me a few moments to notice but cheered me immensely when I did and that was the lack of offerings. The ledge that had previously held a shocking array of plastic, paper, fabric, crystals and general tat was practically clear and there was little evidence of tied string, ribbon and plastic in the shrubbery around the fall also. The place was not completely free of offerings, there were still some at the bottom of the stairs but I am assuming that the majority of people who deem these little gifts necessary have begun to use the temple room instead, at least I hope.

Part of me feels it would be sad for those who have left a token if it had been just removed and tossed away but another part of me feels angry at the thoughtlessness and romanticism of the idea that someone will be more remembered with the act of leaving a ribbon with their name on in a natural beauty spot that really does not require the additional ornamentation.

Of course I am aware of the tradition and meaning of clooties but I wonder how many of the people who leave these are also.

Just recently I have seen reports that an ancient tree in Glastonbury was damaged in a fire and then just days later it happened again when a well meaning visitor lit a candle and left it in place causing further damage.

What I would like to ask those who do these things is what do you think lighting a candle in a sacred place will achieve? What do you think that tying a ribbon on the growing twig of a tree will do for the memory of your loved one? What message is left when you tie plastic to a branch or leave a sock (yes I kid you not) or even a crystal?

Surely these personal acts are more effective at home in a place that your loved one was familiar with. Surely a crystal is best blessed by you in their honour and kept. Surely you do not want to add to the accumulation of rubbish that litters our countryside and sacred spaces. Surely you respect the earth. There is nothing romantic in a twig that never becomes a branch because it was strangled or a bird choking on plastic or non-degradable ribbon fibres or a tree burning from a carelessly placed candle.

I think we all know the right answer.

Please, please, please observe with your eyes, love with your heart and leave with only your memories and leave behind only your beautiful energy not your rubbish because at the end of the day, that is what it becomes.

If you want the Gods/Goddess to feel your presence you can do so in a productive way. Take food for the birds, pick up litter or even perform a rite that leaves an imprint of your energy and nothing more.

If what you yearn for is a memorial of someone in a sacred space, why not take an object you own such as a piece of jewellery, a photo, a crystal or some such to the place that has meaning for you and dedicate it there; perform a rite of remembrance and bless the item at your sacred space and then take it home to treasure.

At the end of the day, litter is litter no matter what sentiment you attach to it.

Beltaine and rebirth

As we light our Beltaine fires or dance the may pole or dance the sun up or whatever May festivities we partake in I am sure that at the forefront of our minds for many of us is rebirth. Rebirth as the earth awakens and the Goddess and God consummate their union.

For me personally, this year is a big deal. I shall be experiencing my own rebirth.

In my years before joining the Pagan community, I knew very firmly what my beliefs were, I didn’t consider the politics of the rest of the spiritual community and I lived a perfectly solitary path and felt closer to my deity.

Over the years of organising, meeting up, communing and generally being an out there Pagan, I have found my path cluttered with too much – too much politics, too much responsibility and too little time to craft for myself and my Gods. There were so many twists and turns in my path and so many re-dedications to what I felt was next and now I feel I have come full circle and it is that time for change again.

One of the most important things that I have learnt on my journey is to never be afraid to step forward, never be afraid of new beginnings and embrace change.

I have always been big on marking occasions. I like to mark endings so that in my mind there has been closure (this usually takes form of burning something that symbolises my connection to the past, this does not eradicate the past completely but sends it out to the ether where it remains part of my journey but no longer connected to my future decisions) and I like to mark beginnings as a kind of celebration to mark the start of a new journey.

A dedication rite

This kind of rite is deeply personal so the items required are your decision. I have used this type of rite in the past and at the least, I would have incense of a blend that represents rebirth, a white and a black candle for balance (and because they negate one another, I want my path to begin completely neutral so that whatever they have in store for me is not influenced by my needs/hopes/wishes) and an item that symbolically represents the journey I am about to take. I always wear a necklace so my item will usually be a pendant.

Incense –

• Basil – to help you move forward
• Cloves – will help attain goals
• Rosemary – for purification
• Mint – wash away the old welcome the new

Set up your altar, open your rite as you usually would – casting a circle, calling the quarters.

Stand before your altar and light the candles and incense.

Call to your Goddess/Gods or address whatever higher being you have a belief in.

All that is required is a statement of intent. Say aloud (or in your mind if there are people in the next room) what your new path is, what you are dedicating your self to.

Meditate a while on your decision and see if you get a response.

Take your symbol of change and pass it through the incense, state that its role is to symbolise your new path. Put it on if it is jewellery or give it a home if it is not.

Close the rite as you opened it.

Spring Equinox – Space cleansing

Sometimes, no matter how careful we are or how positive we try to be, unwanted energies can build up in a home or working space. If allowed to build up, over time these energies can affect the feel or atmosphere of a room or area. I liken it to the saying, ‘you could cut the air with a knife’; these feelings can be tangibly felt almost like a presence and can be brought on by something as simple as a disagreement with someone or someone who has had a disagreement outside and then entered your area and unknowingly brought the negative energy with them. Over time, unless such energy is dispelled, it can build and create a negative working space that will affect your crafting and even your physical well being causing depression, insomnia and just general bad luck and misery.

Cleansing the home is relatively simple and very effective.

Items needed:

Bundle of sage (you can use other herbs such as a cleansing incense for this as to your preference)

Heatproof container to carry smudge bundle and, if using the incense, a charcoal block.

(In my home I also have a clear quartz crystal cleansed and ready to use for protection and as I cleanse each room I place a crystal to hang in the window. These crystals will form a powerful grid of protection.)

Ensure all external doors and windows are closed and for a thorough cleanse you might want to open all internal doors, cupboard doors and drawers to ensure the cleansing smoke can get into all of the nooks and crannies.

Begin the rite in the way you usually begin rite or ritual; you can call the quarters/elements, invoke your deities or just ground and prepare.

Light smudge or charcoal block on which you will place your herbs.

Beginning at the front entrance of your home, walk counter clockwise around each room.

(In each room, repeat)

I cleanse and banish all past influence and negativity, leaving a positive and cleansed space.

When you are finished and have returned back to your front door, end your cleansing rite as you usually end a ritual or rite. I generally open the doors and windows at this point to release the negative energy and then when I am ready to close the doors again I will burn a blessing incense blend and carry it through the house.

House blessing/luck incense:

Basil – for happiness

Cinnamon – financial luck

Lavender – love

Dragons blood – protection

At the end of every rite, spell or ritual I make an offering to deity and give thanks.

Walking the talk – my detox

It is one thing to offer advice and to suggest that an exercise is effective but the proof really is in the practice so I would like to share with you my experience of the past week and my spiritual detox from my previous blog entry.

I began on Monday 20^th February 2017. From that day, I followed the dietary requirements for the physical detox and put away my kindle and laptop. I still retained my phone just in case anyone needed to contact me and because of the settings on my phone, I still received updates and messages from facebook which was not ideal but it brought home to me just how reliant people are on the site or at least the messaging service. Despite having notified my friends that I would not be on facebook for a week, I received messages and requests daily. And because I am admin on several community pages this meant that although I was not an actively visible presence, I still found it difficult to ignore requests and messages and it really brought home to me how consuming facebook has become in so many peoples lives, mine included.

However, the self enforced time away from browsing meant I spent less time staring at social media and more time reading and writing, meditating, practicing my craft and doing some genuine soul searching which is the whole point of the exercise and it has had an amazing outcome.

I perform this detox twice a year, it is really just like taking a breather from my usual routine and the physical changes mean my body gets a rest from trying to process the crap that gets poured into it like caffeine, alcohol, sugars and processed food – actually my general diet is not that bad but the complete abstinence is a bonus. This helps clear the mind and aids the consciousness and I ‘see’ and ‘hear’ better than at other times when the mind is full of activity and often overloaded.

It has been at the end of these periods that I have experienced some of the most significant changes in my path; not every time, in fact it has only happened a total of four times in approximately 30 years that the end result has been literally life changing.

I do not think that I can describe the feeling when this happens; exhilaration would be the closest emotion I suppose but more than that even. I feel excited for the journey ahead and unafraid of what it will bring because I know that this is what the Goddess has chosen for me but at the same time I am apprehensive that I will be up to the challenge that she has set me.

To explain how I know that this great change is about to take place is difficult. It is the knot of fear in the tummy combined with the butterfly-like sensation of falling in love or excitement. It is the innate knowledge that something is right, no more than right – completely and utterly perfectly you.

In fact so right that is seems madness that you did not realise this before! That does not matter, the fact that you realise it now, at this time is the important thing and that you take advantage of the opportunity that this awareness has provided you.

On this occasion, I was taking the opportunity of time out to read a collection of books from my ever growing library about a particular branch of the craft and while the very basis of my craft is that I do not pursue the practices of others, I discovered that many of the practices described in the book and even down to the practical tools used, were strikingly similar to my own. This affirmed for me something that I have believed for some time that witchcraft can be intuitive and it is perfectly viable to craft or charm or cure or bless using instinctual methods. The question ‘who initiated the first witch?’ has always made complete sense to me. Somewhere at some time the craft that we commonly assert as witchcraft nowadays, was practiced without a manual, a Rede or instructional youtube video; the knowledge came from somewhere and I thoroughly believe that is where the term ‘born a witch’ comes from.

My inspiration for charms and rite has always come from me, through meditation or inspiration from nature and I rarely refer to books for advice except to check a correspondence which often corresponds anyway and if it does not I have a choice to make between my instinct and the knowledge of the author and I am not arrogant enough to think I am always right but I am confident enough to make that choice.

To see that my instincts have lead me down a path that others have written about and are experiencing is empowering, it goes some way to acknowledging that the knowledge is all around us and is there for the taking should we reach for it.

Ask and she will provide.

I believe the Goddess is leading me on a new and beautiful journey and I am grabbing it with both hands, I will not share the details because I believe that those are sacred between me and her but I will just say that this journey is a lesson in duality that began 2 years ago.

At the end of my detox period, I spring cleaned my home. I made an offering to the old ones and gave thanks for the affirmations that I received during this period.

My acknowledgement that this exercise works is the almost overwhelming positivity that I am feeling and experiencing at the moment and since this has been the outcome on each occasion that I have performed it, I take it as a sign of success.

Of course the outcome will not be the same for everyone and it will not be the same every time you perform it; I have ended a period of spiritual detox and the message that I received was seemingly quite negative but I had faith in the message and followed it through and the outcome was eventually for the best and the new path that I was to travel became apparent then and was a positive one.

The whole point of the exercise is to rid yourself of distraction, de-clutter and open yourself for communication and connection and expansion, let the universe know that you are ready for the next step of your journey and have faith
and see where it takes you.

My review of  ~ Traditional Witchcraft. A Cornish book of ways. Amazon

My greatest disappointment is that this book is no longer available in hard cover because I desperately need a second copy as I feel the soft cover version is going to be well-thumbed.

As with many of my other favourite books, this book concerns Traditional Witchcraft and like the books of Nigel Pearson, it is easy to read and the instructions within are approachable and make a lot of sense.

I can barely express how much I enjoyed this book, it is so complete and in-depth and riveting to read. The author gives a history and details on a wealth of folk lore traditions before offering her own rites and charms so the reader has something viable to work with instead of being told to burn a candle at midnight of a certain colour under a certain moon phase with no explanation as to why as many craft books tend to. In effect she treats the seeker with respect.

I can not recommend this enough!

 

 

Spring cleanse for renewal and growth

Since it is generally the tradition to spring clean when the weather begins to become milder, it might seem odd to suggest a Spring cleanse when the frosts expected in December and January have just begun to appear in February (at least in the south of England) but I feel there is a difference between the kind of spring cleaning you give your home to freshen up the soft furnishings and the kind of cleansing I refer to here.

It has become quite usual for the first frosts to arrive around the time of Imbolc and just as the frost cleanses the earth for new growth so do I feel it appropriate to cleanse and prepare for new spiritual growth within the self.

 

Cleaning the home is a good idea, getting rid of all the old clutter and things that no longer serve because it makes us feel better – lighter but it is not essential as part of this exercise. The focus at this time should be on the self.

I begin my cleanse by setting myself a period of detoxing; this means as well as giving up the usual – drink, cigarettes, sugary and processed food, dairy and meat that are known to slow down our processing and bodily cleansing functions, I also give up watching tv, using the computer and I keep mobile phone use to necessity only. This ensures that not only I have the least artificial interference possible but it also gives the mind a rest and you will feel wonderful for it afterwards, even if it is very difficult to put into practice. Even a short period of say, three days is enough to clear and still the mind but I generally try to complete seven days.

During this period I eat only fresh fruit and vegetables, rice, grains, herbs and spices. I drink only water and herbal teas and I read and rest a lot, take daily walks in nature and meditate. It is useful to keep a diary during this period to record your thoughts and feelings, visualisations and dreams as you may find them particularly prophetic and vivid at this time.

At the end of this period I perform a cleansing and renewal rite –

Beginning with a cleansing bath. Ensure that you set aside some time where you will not be disturbed for at least an hour.

Mix together sea or rock salt with cleansing herbs such as rosemary, cedar, burdock or sage. Pour this mixture into a warm bath and have a good long soak, clearing your mind and mentally preparing yourself with positive thought and releasing negativity. When you pull the plug, the negativity will symbolically drain away with the bath water. If you do not have a bath, you can use the same ingredients as a salt scrub instead of body wash.

After your bath, dress in something loose and comfortable. Close the curtains or blinds, light some candles, put on some soothing music, light some incense and generally set up an atmosphere of relaxation.

Set up your altar as you would for a generic rite, add to this a bowl of herbs that represent renewal, success and luck;

Mint – for creativity

Dill – for luck

Copal resin – renewal and cleansing

Ginger – success

A yellow candle which represents focus, intuition, fresh ideas and inspiration.

A bowl of base oil.

A bowl containing an offering for deity; this could be whatever is appropriate to your chosen patron deity or a generic offering of wine, mead, honey and milk or consecrated/blessed water.

Begin the rite as you would usually, casting a circle, calling the elements or whatever it is that you would normally do.

Take the candle and coat it in the oil and then roll the candle in the herbs and light it and place it in holder.

Sit before the candle and close your eyes and take some time to meditate. Focus on how clear your mind is, how you feel cleansed and ready for renewal and growth. This would be a good time to seek guidance from a higher source or your guides as to where your path will lead next.

When you have completed the meditation, close your ritual as you would usually and leave the candle to burn down while you take your offering outside or to an appropriate place and pour it into the earth with thanks.

I believe that this short period of detoxing and cleansing provides a good starting board for spiritual progression and at times when I have performed this, I have found that I will achieve a break through of something that I have been working on or the will to begin something I have wanted to start up and I have even found myself set upon a new spiritual path or direction that has brought a positive change to my life.

 

 

January 2017 – Tools

Since I am so bad at keeping an up to date blog I have decided the best use of these pages are to combine with my other activities, one of those being that I help run a Facebook group for those wishing to learn about the craft. It’s an advice page, set up because in the latter part of 2016 I witnessed some truly shocking advice offered to new-comers to the craft on a couple of Facebook groups so a small group of us oldies got together and set up the page so that new-comers could not only ask questions in a secure environment but also be offered (hopefully) sound advice from a range of sources and experience. This blog will concentrate on some of the usual topics that come up as an accompaniment to that advice page. My first topic of choice is a very brief guide to…

Tools of the craft, cleansing and consecration

One thing I would like to stress is that for many, tools are not essential and in many situations you will find yourself unable to access your tools so please do not fall into the trap of believing that tools are always essential, that’s a myth upheld by those who make the cool stuff that often ends up costing us a fortune. Another myth is that you desperately need that gorgeous Nemesis now chalice to hold your ceremonial wine or mead and that only the finest jewel encrusted Boline will do. You really do not, if you decide you want to acquire tools for your workings a cheap wine glass and a sharp kitchen knife are equally as effective, but better still make your own tools. If you really want a working kit, put some of yourself into it and make them personal to you and your craft. But I do empathise in wanting the pretty stuff!

The tools 

Altar cloth

The altar cloth is not limited to use by Pagan’s only. Many other faiths use the altar cloth to protect the surface of their sacred working area. One thing that it can also provide when used on a Pagan altar is symbolism. Many people choose altar cloths with a pentagram or other symbol embroidered or printed on and this replaces the need for a physical item of that symbol or maybe an altar cloth in the colour that represents the occasion. Really for most of us the altar cloth as a practical tool in that it protects our altars from spillages from melting candles etc.

Athame (ath-a-may)

It’s a ceremonial dagger and usually has a black handle. It is used in the directing and projecting of energy, much like a wand. It will generally have a pointed tip but not sharp edges so it is not the most practical of altar tools. The athame is also used in casting a circle and cutting an entrance/exit in the magical circle during ritual. By cutting of course we are not referring to the physical act, as stated previously the athame is not sharp enough for that, in this instance cutting is the symbolic act of temporarily opening the circle should the celebrant need to step outside of it for a time.

The written history of the Athame, as a magickal tool comes to us from the Lansdowne Manuscript dated 1202 and the Sloane Manuscript dated 1307. These manuscripts were great magical works and this information was evidently known and practiced well before these manuscripts were written. These are considered to be the only survivors of the Witch and book burnings of the inquisitions. The material contained in these manuscripts is Quabalistic in nature. In the book, The Key of Solomon, L.W. de Laurence’s 1914 translation of the manuscripts states that the Black Handled Knife “…is for making the Circle wherewith to strike terror and fear into the Spirits. It should be made on the day of Mercury, the Hour of Saturn, tempered ‘thrice’ by fire and dipped into the blood of a black cat and juice of hemlock.”

In Israel Regardie’s book, The Golden Dawn, published in 1989, the method of “making” the “Air Dagger” is a very long ceremonial ritual. The Air Dagger is considered to be the equivalent of the Witches Athame. This is where so many get confused as to what direction the Athame should correspond to. The Athame may be used as an Air Dagger, but it’s not necessarily an Air Dagger. Considering the age of the manuscripts that deLaurence translated and the initial printing of The Golden Dawn, in 1937, there was a change of attitude as to the Athame, i.e., no more blood used in consecration. Further history shows Greek vases with women commanding Spirits with a short bladed knife. The Clavicle of Solomon, (from The Lesser Key of Solomon, or Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis, the Clavicula Salomonis,) published in 1572, mentions the knife as an “Arthana” of which Athame may be a subverted form of the word.

Bell

Mainly used in Wiccan rite but not necessarily always used in Wiccan rite and not by all Wiccans. The bell is a feminine symbol and a vibrational tool. The toll of the bell helps achieve the right vibration or energy in the circle. Ancients have used Bells for years to mark beginnings and endings, purification, energizing and cleansing an area for ritual use, changing and enhancing awareness and for calling the spirits.

Hung from a cord the bell symbolises the human soul suspended between heaven and earth.  It sits on the left hand side of the altar.

Besom

Also know as the witch’s broom, the besom is one of the most famous but also practical of the witch’s tools, we use it to clear the ritual area.

A besom is traditionally made from an ash stave onto which birch twigs are tied around one end and fastened with willow. The product of this is a round broom rather than a flat one.

It is said that in a ‘traditional’ witches broom the end of the stave that is hidden would be carved into a phallic shape and the broom would have been ridden during fertility rites.

The flying witches broom is symbolic of the mind taking flight during more elaborate rites in which the witch would smear the shaft of the broom with flying ointment and ride the broom naked, the flying ointment would enter the system via the mucus membrane of the genitals and produce hallucinations of the sensation of flight.

It is also the tool that is used most commonly during hand-fasting where the couple are encouraged to jump the broomstick.

Boline

Whereas the Athame is more of a ceremonial knife or dagger, the Boline is a true working knife most commonly used to chop herbs for spell-working but also used for inscribing candles and cutting ritual cords in Wiccan traditions. Another difference between the two is that the Athame is black handled and the Boline has a white handle.

Book

Some refer to it as a book of shadows or grimoire. It is not necessary to give it a name unless your tradition indicates you should do so, book of shadows was very much a Gardnerian invention and therefore quite modern. It is useful, however to keep a record of your workings, dreams, spells and rituals so why not let it be a part of the kit. Another however, is that although there are some very impressive leather-bound book of shadows out there it simply isn’t necessary, an exercise book from any stationery store is equally as effective.

Chalice

In Wicca a chalice, as a feminine principle, is often used in combination with the Athame (ceremonial black-handled knife), as male principle. Combining the two evokes the act of procreation, as a symbol of universal creativity.For most ritual use it is just used as a container from which to drink mead/wine or ale as an act of grounding at the end of ritual. 

Candle

Candles are mainly used as representations on the altar. Sometimes used by colour to represent the four elements, sometimes to represent a magical intention and even to represent the Goddess and God. In magical workings they can be anointed for a specific purpose or inscribed upon for spell work.

Cauldron

The cauldron would have been used as a cooking receptacle in days gone by but for our purpose as an altar tool it would be used for scrying, for brews and even for burning paper and other items used in magical rites.

The Cauldron is related to the element water and therefore the west. It is feminine and symbolic of fertility.

Censor and incense

The censor is used to burn the incense and incense is much like the use of the candle. Herbs, resins and sometimes essential oils are mixed and ground to a fine powder to produce an incense to represent a specific magical purpose or occasion. The herbs, oils and resins should first be charged with your intent. 

Cords

The most popular known use of the cord is for the purpose of hand-fasting. The cords are used to fasten the couple’s hands together in a symbolic rite. But cords are also often used in magic; to form a physical circle for magical workings, take an initiates measure and also cords are used by some traditions to indicate the wearer’s rank within the coven, this is usually indicated by the colour of the cord.

Dish 

This could have come under the heading of bowl or offering dish. A very simple tool but to some essential, it is used to hold offerings or libations. I personally use a very plain wooden bowl and use this when making an offering into the ground to my personal deities. Most often after magical workings I will mix some milk with honey and if I can, something personal from myself (blood, hair, saliva) and pour this into the ground at a place that is either sacred to me or my chosen deity. Or it can be used to hold symbolic offerings on your altar.

Deity representation

The title speaks for itself, these are symbols or representations of the deities that you worship or are working with at the time. Not by any means essential, in fact many Pagans I know don’t work with deities or do but do not have physical representations of them upon their altar. If you do want to work with representations of deities but do not want a statue/picture/image then you can still do so by working with coloured candles and many other things that are symbolic of the deity that you are working with. 

Pentacle 

The pentacle can represent the element of earth (also the 5 elements) but it is also a representation of the mother goddess and is a strong protection symbol. 

Stang/ Staff

While not really an altar tool, the stang itself can be used as a replacement altar in its entirety.

The stang is usually fork topped (and made of ash but this is not essential) and used within traditional witchcraft.

The staff is usually blunt ended and is an item most commonly seen used by druids. It can be a replacement for the wand or athame in ritual workings.

Wand

In Gardnerian Wicca, the wand is symbolic for the element of Fire, though in some traditions it instead symbolises Air. It can be made from any material, including wood, metal and rock, and Wiccan wands are sometimes set with gemstones or crystals.

In his BOS, Gerald Grdner stated that the wand is “used to summon certain spirits with whom it would not be meet to use the athame”. Frederic Lamond states that this referred to elemental spirits, who were traditionally believed to be scared of iron and steel.

I have used many sources for the above, mixing my own advice and descriptions with that of sources from books and www and in doing so do not cite them as my own, this has been done for the sake of convenience.

Cleansing of tools

If you feel the need to cleanse your tools, if they were commercially purchased for instance, there are several methods of doing so.

By cleansing, we free the item from all past influences and energies and prepare it for our personal use.

Cleansing by moonlight:

This is an incredibly powerful and popular method of cleansing, I find it especially so with crystals and jewelry and yet the method is possibly the easiest and takes the least amount of effort.

Take the items that you wish to be cleansed and place them outside where they will be bathed in the full moon’s rays. It’s as simple as that and should you wish them to have that extra little oomph, leave the items from moon rise (the morning of the full moon) to moon fall and sun rise the following day. As simple as it sounds this is an incredibly effective way to cleanse.

Cleansing by water:

A little thought and care should be used with this method. Are your crystals suitable to be doused in water? Be especially careful with the likes of azurite, angelite, phenakite, boji stone, selenite and similar.

However items such as athame, chalice, jewellery, stone etc will do well in this method.

I do not believe that running an item under the tap at home will sufficiently cleanse, some do. I personally feel that a natural water source should be sought out. A river, stream or the sea. Again the method is simple, take your item to the source and hold it in the flow until you consider it cleansed. You may want to state your intent aloud or chant a simple charm whilst doing so.

Cleansing by incense:

To cleanse an item in incense I would usually blend the incense myself:

My basic mix –

Bay, Rosemary, Parsley, Benzoin

Bless each ingredient (or just add your energy) and blend well with pestle and mortar before placing on a smoldering charcoal disc.

Or you can just use a smudge bundle. This is a bundle of, most often used, white sage but a mix of lavender and sage can also be used.

By this method, you would light the incense or smudge bundle and pass the item to be cleansed through the cleansing smoke.

You can create a ritual in order to cleanse your items and combine this with consecration, which really just means that you are dedicating your tools to their purpose and in doing so you would keep them for that purpose only.

Charging of the tool is done by empowering it with your energy, forming a relationship with it and making it your own. Some people place their tools near them while they sleep – not advisable with a Boline or Athame!

The above is a very brief guide and is non-specific in tradition, it is also very simplified in respect to charging and adding intent. As with everything further research is advised.

Further reading – Scott Cunningham books are good beginner guides in an easy to understand format.

Doreen Valiente – An ABC of witchcraft past and present

Janet and Stewart Farrar – A witches bible

Laurie Cabot – Power of the witch

There are hundreds more that I could recommend but the above are particularly helpful and easy to understand for beginners on this particular subject.

 

Doreen: An English Witch

The Marlborough theatre and bar is a little gem nestled in a narrow backstreet in Brighton. It has a cosy and relaxed atmosphere and the bar staff are welcoming and friendly but when I stepped inside on the Friday evening of the 25^th November 2016, I was slightly apprehensive.

You see, I was about to watch a play about my craft hero, Doreen Valiente and I’d already struck up correspondence with the play’s writer and director. What if I hated it? What if this depiction of someone I had admired since childhood destroyed the vision I had of the woman who had been such a huge influence in forming my path? How awkward!

As it turned out, I need not have worried.

I never met Doreen but I think that it is virtually impossible for anyone to have read her books and not get a very distinct impression of the person that she was; this is something echoed by those who did know her and by Philip Heselton who wrote her biography.

The play centres around a fictional relationship between Doreen and a young female seeker and their meetings in Doreen’s snug living room. Both actresses play their part with ernest and depict their characters with realism, the seeker with clear apprehension and awe of her teacher and Doreen with mirth at her young trainee’s naivety. Throughout the play telephone calls are cleverly incorporated to provide an insight into the many craft relationships that Doreen had with some other notable Pagan’s and to weave in to the tale the situations and limitations that followers of the craft came up against at the time.

Whether it was the brilliant combined writing talents of Roman Withers and Gavin ‘Archie’ Caine or the talent of Sharon Drain that captured the very essence of Doreen so well I cannot say, though I am inclined to believe it was a big dash of both, but capture her they did. The down to earth manner, the eccentricities, the wicked sense of humour and the depth of spirituality and warmth were all aspects of Doreen that made her into the iconic figure that she is and they were all portrayed brilliantly in an emotionally charged and beautifully acted production.

 

I was around 10 years old when I first discovered Doreen on the shelves of the adult section of the local library and her words forged a life changing path for me; her teachings lead me on a life time relationship with my Gods and an appreciation of the spiritual world and now some 10 years later (ok a few more) I wonder what 10 year old me would have made of all this and I believe she would have been enthralled.

You can purchase the DVD of the play here Doreen:An English Witch the DVD

A very personal review

This review was intended for Amazon but they don’t really like reviews unless the purchase can be verified and since my copy of Doreen Valiente Witch came straight from the Doreen Valiente foundation, I can’t verify. Besides, since this biography is concerning a subject that has shaped much of my craft life, I felt it was deserving of a blog entry and even if no one else reads this, I will have stated my two pen’orth and have a record of this feeling at this time.

My relationship with Doreen began when I was around 10 years old. I was a bit of a loner at times during my childhood and would often slink off to seek solace at the local library (which was little more than a large wooden hut at the bottom of our road). The staff grew so accustomed to seeing me there that they either failed to notice or turned a blind eye when I wandered in to the adult section. It was there that I read biographies of the likes of Oliver Reed and Steve McQueen (yes I was odd) and then one day I picked up a book that attracted me because of the word Witch.

Even as a child I had a fascination with all the things I should not have, I would sneak downstairs to watch Hammer horror films after my parents had gone to bed and I knew that a witch was just like the hags in the movies, filled with evil and malice. Therefore you might have thought that I would have been disappointed when I opened the pages of ‘Where witchcraft lives’ but I was not; a witch was nothing like the Hammer cliche and although I couldn’t possibly have understood most of what I was reading, certain phrases leapt out at me; she was in touch with nature and heard and felt the things that I did. Later in life I managed to come across another copy of the book at a time that I needed it most and it made sense. I felt that corny phrase so often used, that I had come home and therein began a life-long fascination with the Mother of modern Witchcraft so as you can imagine the story of Doreen’s life is something I have waited many years for and this is a very welcome addition to my book shelf.

Despite the very easy-going pace of the book and the laid back style of Philip’s writing, his interest and excitement of the project is not disguised. That Philip Heselton likes and has empathy with his subject is obvious and I felt his excitement at each newly discovered fact and secret revealed but mostly what I felt from this book was warmth.

Doreen’s life was an extraordinary one; it is no wonder that she has gone on to be, maybe not one of the best known but certainly the most influential contributor to modern Paganism and Witchcraft, dare I say – ever! A bold statement I know but in the days when Wicca was finding its feet and Witchcraft in its various forms was re-emerging, there is one name that keeps cropping up. It does not matter if you consider Crowley, Gardner, Farrar, Evans-Jones, Cochrane (the list could go on) … you will find a mention of Doreen in there somewhere.

And what is most interesting about the fact that she might not be the best known but is considered by many as probably the most influential is what it says about her character. She did not do the things that she did for the fame and certainly not for the money; she was a genuine Witch and pioneer, working toward a realistic functioning craft that people could respect alongside all other religions.

What is so great about Philip’s book is that it says all the above and more; it shows an honest portrayal of a wonderful woman, it tells a story of a life that should never be forgotten and I have to admit that in the last couple of chapters I may have lessened the value of my signed special edition by shedding  a tear or two as John Belham-Payne and Ashley Mortimer shared their experiences, the former about his and Julie’s relationship with Doreen and the latter as he described how he became involved and got drawn into the passion of Doreen’s vision.

I thank you Philip, I believe Doreen would be blushing but happy with a job done terribly well.

P.S. I used the word relationship to describe how I felt about Doreen even though I never met her but she has stood at my shoulder for many years with every calling of a quarter and every charm, not physically or even in spirit but in her teaching and guidance, she is always there.