Once in a Blue Moon Spell: Telepathy Tea

The full moon is a perfect time to unleash your prophetic potential when trying to make decisions about investments, job opportunities, or new business ventures. Sharpen your senses with any of these herbal teas:

Borage: A commonplace herb, which is ruled by Jupiter, the planet of abundance.

Mugwort: A favorite of witches for centuries; this is a Venusian infusion.

Yarrow: Drink this before any candle magic for deep knowledge.

Dandelion Root: Grind this dried root and sleep; drink in direct moonlight.

Fire Power Ritual

I am inspired by the teachings of the brilliant Yoruban priestess, Luisah Teish, who told me she keeps a votive glass candle burning in her fireplace at all times to “harness Magic Fire in another way” . On the next full moon evening, gather a group around your hearth or build a bonfire on the beach or a beautiful fire in a safety-certified fire ring in a park. Ask everyone to bring a glass- votive candle, preferably one of the seven-day candles you find at grocery stores or metaphysical shops. After everyone is comfortably seated around the fire, speak aloud:

We call upon the power of fire.

We call upon the power of the sun.

Lend us your strength and might,

On this blessed Full Moon night.

So mote it be.

  

Next, go around the fire and let each participant tell a “fire story.” This can be a personal story of fire or where they are needing power and support in their lives.  After each story, the storyteller lights a personal candle from the fire and gives thanks for the fire that warms us and keeps us alive.

Your Healing Altar: Crafting Well-Being

Creating a healing altar will safeguard your physical health and that of your loved ones. Your altar is your sacred workspace. It is charged with your personal power. Set up your healing altar facing north, the direction associated with the energy of manifestation. North is also the direction of the hour of midnight, the “witching hour,” and an altar set up facing north at midnight promises potent magic.

To ensure healthful beginnings, find a pure white square of fabric to drape over your altar to make a tabula rasa, or altar equivalent to a blank slate. Take two green candles and place them in green glass holders or votive glasses and position them in the two farthest corners of the altar. Place your incense burner in the center between the two candles and light the incense. Sandalwood, cinnamon, camphor, and frankincense are all powerful purification incenses that are perfect for the creation of a healing altar. Burn one or all of these purification essences to consecrate the space. Adorn your altar with objects that symbolize healing energy to you. You may perhaps choose a candleholder carved from a chunk of amethyst crystal, which contains healing properties; an abalone shell with the iridescent magic of the oceans; a sweet-smelling bundle of sage; a small citrus plant bursting with the restorative power of vitamins; or a bowl of curative salts from the sea.

These symbolic items, and any others that you select, will energize your altar with the magic that lives inside you. It is also important that the altar be pleasing to your eye and makes you feel good when you look at it so that you want to spend time there each and every day. After you have been performing rituals there for a while, a positive healing energy field will radiate from your altar.

Altar Herbs

Refer to this list whenever you are setting up your altar and setting your intention for ritual work. It is a concise guide to the enchanted realm of herbs, essences, plants and plant properties.

•   Benzoin can be used for purification, prosperity, work success, mental acuity, and memory.

•   Camphor can be used for healing, divining the future, curbing excess, especially romantic obsessions, and a surfeit of sexuality.

•   Cinnamon refreshes and directs spirituality. It is also a protection herb and handy for healing, money, love, lust, personal power, and success with work and creative projects.

•   Clove is good for bringing money to you, for protection, for your love life, and for helping evade and deter negative energies.

•   Copal should be used for love and purification.

•   Frankincense is another spiritual essence that purifies and protects.

•   Lavender is a plant for happiness, peace, true love, long life, chastity, and is an excellent purifier that aids with sleep.

•   Myrrh has been considered since ancient times to be deeply sacred. It aids personal spirituality, heals and protects, and can help ward off negative spirits and energies.

•   Nutmeg is a lucky herb that promotes good health and prosperity and encourages fidelity.

•   Patchouli stimulates and grounds while engendering both sensuality and fertility. It also supports personal wealth and security.

•   Peppermint is an herb of purification, healing, and love. It supports relaxation and sleep as it helps to increase psychic powers.

•   Rosemary is good for purification, protection, healing, relaxation, and intelligence. It attracts love and sensuality, helps with memory, and can keep you youthful.

•   Sage brings wisdom, purification, protection, health, and a long life. It can help make your wishes come true.

•   Sandalwood is a mystical, healing, protecting essence that helps attract the objects of your hopes and desires and dispenses negative energies and spirits.

•   Star Anise is a lucky herb that aids divination and psychism.

•   Tonka Bean brings courage and draws love and money.

•   Vanilla brings love and enriches your mental capacity.

•   Wood Aloe is good for dressing or anointing talismans and amulets you want to use for protection.

Sweet Dreams Are Made of This: Lavender Aromatherapy

Dream Mist Potion

My Aunt Edith, who introduced me to the wonders of witchcraft, had a linen closet that always smelled sweetly of lavender. I remember breathing in the smell and immediately feeling comforted. Sleeping on crisp, clean, herb-scented sheets always made for the soundest sleep and delicious dreams. (Little did I know at the time, lavender is also a moth repellent and an adaptagen, adjusting to satisfy your own energy needs.) Here is a potion for dreamers:

4 drops lavender oil

3 drops chamomile oil

3 drops orange oil

4 ounces distilled spring water

Shake the oils and water in a colored-glass spray bottle or mister.

Fifteen minutes before you retire, spray your bed linens, bath towel, pillow, and all around your room. You may want to keep a dream journal by your bed to record what happens during the night.

Healing Yourself at Home: Herbs and Spices for Health and Happiness

Pharmacopeia - The Spice Rack of Life 

Did you know your pantry is like a pharmacy?  Thankfully, it is far cheaper. Cumin is loaded with phyto-chemical, antioxidants, iron, copper, calcium, potassium, manganese, selenium, zinc and magnesium and contains high amounts of B-complex. Cumin helps with insomnia.  Cinnamon is truly a power spice. Just half a teaspoon daily can dramatically reduce blood glucose levels in those with type 2 diabetes and lower cholesterol. Cayenne promotes circulation and boosts metabolism. Clove is an antifungal and abets toothaches. Nutrient-rich parsley is a detoxifying herb and acts as anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic helping conditions from colic to indigestion. Rub it on itchy skin for instant relief! Sage is very beneficial in treating gum and throat infections. Sage tea has helped ease depression and anxiety for generations. Thyme is a cure for a hangover and doubles to alleviate colds and bronchitis. Cilantro is a good source of iron, magnesium, phytonutrients and flavonoids and is also high in dietary fiber. Cilantro has been used for thousands of years as a digestive, lowering blood sugar having hypoglycemic properties, possibly the result of stimulating insulin secretion. Ginger stimulates circulation and is an excellent digestive, aiding in absorption of food and rids bloat. Immune champion turmeric boosts production of antioxidants and reduction of inflammation. Blue Zone centenarians credit their long healthy life by drinking turmeric-root tea daily. Pack your pantry with these seasonings for optimal health and happiness. 

Ward Off the Flu With Magic!

Heart’s Ease Cauldron Cure

There is a terrible flu going around What can you do about it? Here is a soothing sip that can uplift your spirits anytime and also serves to ward off chills and fevers. This combination of herbs brings about “letting go” of illness, sorrows, worries, and doubts and reignites feelings of wellbeing. 

Stir the following together in a clean cauldron or pot:

One ounce dried rosehips

Once ounce dried hibiscus

Two ounces dried mint

One tablespoon dried ginger root

Combine the herbs, pour into a colored jar and seal the lid tightly. When you are ready to brew, pour hot water over the herbs, two teaspoons per cup. While this steeps for five minutes, write down any thoughts or fears you need to rid yourself of on a small piece of paper.  Now say each one aloud, then chant, “Begone!” After this letting-go ritual, burn the paper with sage in the cauldron on your altar. As you sip the tea, enjoy your renewed sense of self and peace of mind. 

Sage Wisdom: Increase Your Psychic Potential and Maintain Good Energy

Every healer and wise woman should grow a pot of sage or a big patch in your garden. Sage is a must to have on hand for clearing energy. It also increases psychic potential. Most kitchen witches are highly imaginative and very inventive folk. Whether your passion is growing an artful garden, throwing pots, cookery or music, you can stay in better touch with your personal muse. Call her to you anytime, day or night, by your own design. This is especially important if you are feeling uninspired or struggling with a bout of writer’s block

Head out to your garden or the sunny spot on the deck where your hardiest sage grows. Take three large and extra long sticks of your favorite incense and bind strands of sage around the incense with purple thread. Tie it off and you have a sage wand. Before any creative endeavor, you can light this wand and wave it around your workspace, filling the area with inspiration. Close your eyes and meditate upon the work you will begin. You have cleared your space, invited the muse and your work will be superb, worthy of notice from the gods and goddesses.

An Essential Guide to Essential Oils for Common Ailments

Use these oils in bath water, diffusers, dabbed onto pulse points, or sprays to infuse your home with the healing vitality of these plant essences:

Allergies: Melissa, chamomile

Headaches: lavender, geranium peppermint, linden.

Immune boosters: hyssop thyme, rose, jasmine.

Insomnia: clary sage, hops, lavender

Colds and flu: pine, thyme, eucalyptus, lavender

Tummy troubles: peppermint, chamomile, basil

Cramps, yarrow, sunflower, linden

Arthritis: marjoram, rosemary, eucalyptus, pine

Fatigue: rose, clary sage, neroli, bergamot

Simple Salt Magic: Clear Out the Bad Juju

The one thing every household has in the kitchen is salt, plain white grains or the larger kosher crystals. This most common of cupboard condiments is also an essential in magic, dating back thousands of years and used by Egyptians, Chaldeans, Babylonians and early European tribes for purification, protection and cleansing. Salt is often utilized in Hoodoo, sprinkled on doorsteps and pathways to keep bad spirits away (as well as bad people!) and added into witch bottles to clear energy. During the early Roman Empire era, soldiers were paid in salt, it was so valuable. Long have these grains been used to preserve and improve the taste of foods. Perhaps the highest working of salt is as a healer; it is essential in the diet for good health and external uses in baths and rubs can be enormously relaxing. Salt removes negative energy and can vanquish a headache in short order with this magical application.

Fill a tea kettle and set it to boil. Pour hot water into a mug and add a full tablespoon of salt. Once it has cooled to a warm temperature, place the mug to both temples and hold it there for a long moment. Now, dip your forefinger of your left hand into the salt water and rub your temple and your forehead gently in circular movements. Sit or lay flat in silence for a time, with your eyes closed.. Place the cup on your  altar for a period of 24 hours so it can draw out any negative energy in your home; On the next day, throw the salt water from the cup onto your front step or sidewalk to keep the bad “juju” away. As you walk down your front path, you’ll notice you feel very clear-headed and peaceful

Pendulums Are Divine: Power Your Decisions With Magic!

Tell Me Yes or Tell Me No: Pendulum Divination

If you are having a hard time donating or getting rid of some of your belongings or simply can’t decide and find yourself surrounded by piles of confusion, pick up a pendulum You do know what to do on an unconscious level so the pendulum is a tool for gleaning information from your deepest self. Some of the best pendulums are the ones you can make yourself by tying a piece of string or rawhide to a pebble, crystal or coin. You should tie it so that the weight points down.  Each time you use it, ask the pendulum, “Show me yes or show me no.” The pendulum will swing up and down, giving you answers. I recommend keeping a journal of your work with the pendulum. Not only will this give you a record of yes-and-no responses, but it will also help you track their effectiveness.  Soon, you’ll be able to see patterns of information emerging from your unconscious and the universe. I can’t recommend this highly enough. You will learn so much about yourself and your place in the world from this. I know people who absolutely depend on their pendulums for help with shopping and all manner of decision making. Most New Age shops now sell pendulums on delicate chains. Do try this easiest form of divination. It is fun and full of surprises!

Put a Wreath On It: Magic Starts at the Front Door

Oftentimes, your kitchen is the heart of the home. Something about cooking and sharing food brings people together. An herbal wreath hanging on the kitchen door can be a source of love and luck. You’ll need the following for your creation:

• Freshly cut herbs of your choice
• A wire wreath frame, available from most craft stores
• Either string or florist's wire, ribbon, and a hot glue gun

This is truly one of the simplest craft projects you can ever make - simply use the wreath frame as a base, and use string or the florist's wire to anchor the fresh herbs into place. Finish it off with a colorful ribbon, or other magical decorative touches you may want to add.

Healing Wreath: These are the ideal herbs for a wreath that brings curative properties including lavender, barley, comfrey, rosemary peppermint, borage, olive, eucalyptus, apple blossom. Brown and green ribbon add a touch of healing color.

Protection Wreath: Hang this guardian wreath on your front door using heather, holly, dill, foxglove, garlic, sandalwood, snapdragon, mustard, foxglove, mistletoe, mugword. White and blue ribbons add security and serenity.

Abundance Wreath: Greet prosperity at the door with herbs associated with money magic which include clover, chamomile, sunflower apple, cinnamon, myrtle, basil, and bay leaf. Weave in gold and green ribbon to add to your luck.

Love Wreath: Don’t wait until Valentine’s Day to  try this; love should be 24/7, 365.   Invite love into your home than by hanging a wreath full of love herbs on your door?. Any combination of these will work beautifully and I recommend using herbs that personally resonate for you among these options: allspice, clove,  catnip, fig, bleeding heart, periwinkle, tulip, peppermint, violet, daffodil, lavender and  marjoram to l Adorn with pink and red ribbons to let the universe know you're ready to welcome love into your life.

Sweeping Change: Using Your Magical Broom

As a magical tool, the broom was born of the practical magic of sweeping the ritual area clean before and after casting a spell. With focus and intention, you can dispel negative influences and bad spirits from the area and prepare a space for ritual work. In bygone days, pagan marriages and Beltane trysts took place with a leap over the broom, an old traditional element of handfasting, or pagan wedding. While this happens more rarely now, the broom has grabbed the popular imagination as the archetypal symbol of witches.

Your broom is an essential tool for energy management. Obtain a handmade broom from a craft fair, not a machine-made plastic affair from the supermarket. A broom made of wood and woven from straw will be imbued with the inherent energies of those natural materials. Also, do not use your ritual broom for housework, as this would mix up energies in your home and sacred space. Many of you may well consider your home to be sacred space in its entirety. Keep your regular household implements separated from your ritual tools nonetheless.. If you treat your ritual tools with the utmost respect, they will serve you well. Over time they will become deeply imbued with magical energy through exclusive use in your workings. The Wiccan tradition holds brooms in high regard, and some witches have an impressive collection of brooms, each named to distinguish between their roles as “familiars,” or kindred spirits.

Sweeping Change Spell

Say this chant aloud as you harness the power of your magical broom:

Sweep out all the bad, sweep out all ill,
Where I do the Lady’s will.
Besom, besom, Lady’s Broom
Sweep out darkness, sweep out doom.

Taking the Waters—a Releasing Ritual

Sarasvati is a Hindu goddess of the arts, and originally a river goddess. She is invoked by individuals seeking to improve the flow of their creativity and self-transformation.

A bath blessing that will both relax and purify you is a rare and wonderful thing. To prepare yourself, place 1 quart of rough sea salt or Epson salts in a large bowl. Add the juice from 6 freshly squeezed lemons, 1/2 cup of sesame oil, and a few drops of rose and jasmine oils. Stir until the mixture is completely moistened. You can add more sesame oil if necessary, but do not add more lemon because it will make the mixture overly astringent and potentially irritating to your skin.

When your tub is one-third full, add one-quarter of the salt mixture under the faucet. Breathe in deeply ten times, inhaling and exhaling fully before you do this recitation. You may start to feel a tingling at the crown of your head. The water should still be running when you proclaim:

Sarasvati, O Harmonious One,

Goddess and mistress, I ask your guidance.

Remove from me any impurities

Of heart, spirit, and mind. I open myself to you.

My wish is to once again become whole,

Free of pain, sadness, and all that is better in me.

When the tub is full, it is time to step inside and breathe deeply ten more times. Repeat the prayer to Sarasvati, and use the rest of the salt to gently massage your body. Rest and rejuvenate as long as you like, allowing yourself to feel refreshed and renewed by the ministrations of this Hindu goddess of harmony and artistry from whom eloquence, inspiration, and blessings flow.