Pagan New Year: A Solo Ritual for Samhain

Samhain, also known as the Celtic New Year, is the most profound, important, and best known of all pagan sabbats. Samhain is perhaps the favorite Celtic high holiday of all. After all, it is the witches’ New Year celebration and the time to honor and commune with your elders and family members who have passed on to the other side, as well as the time to celebrate the passing year and set intentions for new blessings in the new year to come. 

Supplies:

• Altar space
• 8 candles
• Powdered incense
• Bread
• Salt
• Wine

1. Prepare for this most holy night and rite by setting up an altar. Place three candles on a stone altar to represent the Triple Goddess and five to represent the points of the pentagram. The star of the pentagram should be drawn with powdered incense of the self-lighting variety to be lit later. Gather together bread, salt, and wine for the sacrament.
   
   
2. After you have made your preparations for the altar, ready yourself by bathing and meditating. Anoint your body before dressing in a robe or gown befitting this night when the veil between the worlds is the thinnest. As you ready your body, mind, and spirit, consider what has taken place in the preceding year. Cleanse your mind and heart of old sorrows and most especially of angers and petty resentments. Bring only your best into this night. After all, this is New Year’s Eve for witches, and you want to truly connect with those who have gone on to the other side.
   
   
3. Walk alone to the place of the ceremony and kneel before the altar. Before lighting the candles on the altar, say aloud:
   
   This candle I light for the Maiden’s brightest glory.
   
   Light the candle and bow to the Maiden.
   
   This candle I light for the power and passion of the Lady, the Queen.
   
   Light the candle and bow to the Queen.
   
   This candle I light for the unsurpassable wisdom of the Crone.
   
   Light the candle and bow to the Crone.
   
   
4. Light the incense, and then gazing at the candles on the altar, say:
   
   These do I light in honor of the Triple Goddess
   on this sacred night of Samhain.
   I create this holy temple
   in honor of the Goddess and the God
   and all the ancient ones.
   From time before time,
   I pay my tribute and my devotion
   In love and greeting to those beyond the veil.
   
   
5. Now light the candles that represent the power of the five-pointed pentagram. Rap three times on the altar with your hands or with your wand. Then say:
   
   This is a time outside of time
   in a place outside of any place
   on a day that is not a day
   between the worlds and afar.
   
   
6. Pause and listen to your heart for thirteen beats, then hold your hands in benediction over the bread, salt, and wine. Now say:
   
   For this bread, salt, and wine,
   I do ask the blessings
   of our Maiden, our Queen, and our Crone
   and of the God who guards the Gates of the World.
   
   
7. Take the bread and sprinkle a bit of salt over it, saying:
   
   I ask that I and all whom I love
   have health and abundance and blessings.
   
   Eat the bread, and hold up the goblet of wine, saying:
   
   To a spirit that remains strong and true!
   
   Drink the wine and declare:
   
   By the Triple Goddess and her godly consort, so mote it be!
   
   
8. At this point, a danse macabre to any dark folk or Gothic music of your choosing can end the ritual—I suggest any music by the band Dead Can Dance. You should also spend time meditating or allowing yourself to ease into a trance state to communicate with your beloved dead. Hear the messages they have for you and let them know you.
   
   
9. When you feel the ritual has ended, quench the candles, and then say:
   
   Though these flames
   of the material world
   be darkened,
   they shall ever burn
   in the world beyond.
   This rite is ended.

Perfume of Peace Oil

This candle spell involves creating and consecrating a lovely oil you can use to instill a greater sense of peace within your mind and heart. Into a blue bottle, pour almond, soy, or any other unscented base oil, then add two drops each of neroli, chamomile, and Turkish rose essential oils. Shake the oils together to blend them. Next, take an orange and place it beside a lit lavender candle you have anointed with the potion. Chant aloud:

    By my own hand, I made this balm.

    This divine essence contains my calm.

    By my own will, I made this charm;

    This precious potion protects from all harm.

    With harm to none and health to all.

    Blessed be.

Anoint your pulse points—your wrists, throat, and heart, behind the ear lobes, and behind the knees—with the unguent and bask in a sea of calm.

Some other excellent oils for anxiety or a quick pick-me-up include frankincense, marjoram, hyssop, neroli (orange blossom), jasmine, nutmeg, and valerian. You can apply them directly to the skin or use them for dressing your candles!

Candle Calm Spell

With this spell, you can create a week of blissful and composed calm! On a Monday evening during the waning moon, anoint a black or gray candle with violet essential oil. Place the candle on your altar beside a vase of fresh violets or other purple flowers. Sit in front of your altar as twilight begins, and when the sun is completely gone, light the candle and chant:

    Care and woe, begone.

    I am the mountain, the river, the tree, the grass, and the moon.

    I receive my strength from Nature, and she is my center.

    Tomorrow and the next, all gladness will enter.

    Harm to none, only good.

Dispel Your Fears: A Rite for Good Riddance

The world can overwhelm us at times with problems relating to work, illness, and all manner of problems that get in the way and want to stay. But these problems are not beyond your control! The ultimate best times to release bad luck and unwanted negative energies are immediately after a full moon or on any Friday the thirteenth.

For this spell, get yourself a big black candle, an obsidian sphere (or at least an obsidian crystal), a piece of white paper, a black ink pen, a cancellation stamp (readily available at any stationary store), and a big flat rock that is slightly concave in the center. Write on the paper what you wish to be freed from—this is your release request. Place the candle and the obsidian on the flat rock, and light the candle near an open window so the negative energy will leave your home. While the candle burns, intone:

    Waning moon, most wise Cybele,

    from me this burden please dispel.

    Upon this night so clear and bright

    I release (my request) to the moon tonight.

Bury the candle’s base in your garden for thirteen minutes so that it stands in the earth as it burns. Take your stamp and mark the paper “cancelled.” Put the candle out; fold the paper away from you and place it under the flat stone. Repeat this process for twelve more nights (thirteen total). On the last night, which should ideally be the beginning of the new moon phase, burn the paper and bury the candle, ashes of the paper, and flat rock far from your home. Give thanks to the moon for assisting you, and let go of your troubles.

Peace of Mind Blessing Bowl

While a bowl is not a tool in and of itself, you can utilize bowls in your spellwork often, anytime you are inspired to do so. Three simple ingredients—a red rose, a pink candle, and water—can bestow a powerful blessing. The rose signifies beauty, potential, the sunny seasons, and love for yourself and others. The candle stands for the element of fire, the yellow flame of the rising sun in the east, harmony, higher intention, and the light of the soul. Water represents its own element, flow, the direction of the west, emotions, and cleansing. This ritual can be performed alone or with a group in which you pass the bowl around. Float the rose in a clear bowl of water, and light a pink candle beside the bowl. With your left hand, gently stir the water in the bowl and say:

    I give myself life and health, refreshing water for my spirit.

    I give myself time to rest and space to grow.

    I am love. My heart is as big as the world.

    I am peace of mind. So be it, now and always.

Keep the blessing bowl on your kitchen altar for three days and three nights. Dry the red rose and keep it on your nightstand or desk where it will always fill your heart with love.

Serenity of the Setting Sun: A Spell for Mondays

To clear energy and prepare for a week of calm clarity, find a blossom of your favorite white flower—iris, lily, rose—one that is truly beautiful to your eye. Monday’s setting sun is the time for this spell, enacted immediately after the sun goes below the horizon. Anoint a white candle with clary sage oil and place it on your altar. Take your single white blossom and add that to your altar in a bowl of freshly drawn water. Place sage leaves on a glass dish in front of the lit candle and speak aloud:

    This fire is pure; this flower is holy, this water is clear.

    These elements purify me.

    I walk in light with nothing in my way.

    My energy is pure, my spirit is holy, my being is clear.

    White light burns bright in me and all the words I say.

    So mote it be. And so it is.

Burn the sage in the fire of the candle, then put in the glass dish where it can turn into ash, smudging your space with consecrating smoke as it burns. Stand in front of your altar and breathe in slowly and deeply six times. On the last, strongest exhalation, blow the candle out.

A Rite to Quell a Restless Mind

One of the most powerful benefits you can gain from having a wand of your own is that it can focus and direct energy. And there are times when we all need that! I often experience “monkey mind,” when my thoughts race around, preoccupied with the various anxieties and stressors of the day. For that reason, I have been creating more rituals and meditations to counteract a wandering mind, one of the woes of our over-busy world.

Needless to say, for the following spell you will need a wand. They are very commonly available from new age shops as well as online. If you find a fallen branch that appeals, you can sand it till it’s nice and smooth and adorn it to your heart’s content if you like by wrapping copper wire or other metals and attaching crystals. I recommend one large one at the end which you use as pointer, with which you can direct energy and draw circles, etc. This crystal can also be a marvelous tool for focusing your mind.

All you need for this spell is your wand and one candle corresponding to the color of your chosen crystal. For example, if it is an amethyst, pick a purple candle. Sit in a darkened room, light the candle, and speak this spell while holding your wand and looking through the crystal at the candle flame.

Intone these words:

    My mind is bright and clear,

    I feel no worry or fear.

    Into this brilliant crystal, I peer.

    I call forth focused energy here.

    So mote it be.

Depending on how anxious and worried your mental state might be, you may need to repeat the spell. When you begin to feel quiet and peaceful in mind and body, you can extinguish the candle and keep it at the ready when you next need to reel in your wandering mind.

Banish Your Woes: A Thursday Candle Spell

We all need a health and happiness boost sometimes. This spell, aimed at supporting mental and emotional well-being, is best performed when the hardy spirit of Thor is in ascendance. On any Thursday, take a blue candle, dress it with cedar or bergamot oil, light it, and say nine times:

    Fears and woes, I take respite;

    worries and cares, you’re out of sight.

    Stronger and happier I will grow each day;

    my soul has found its way.

If you do this for several weeks, your friends will notice as your health blooms and you simply beam with a bright, jolly, and renewed sense of self and well-being.

Presence of Peace: Citrine Spell

To begin this comforting ritual, anoint a yellow candle with calming and uplifting bergamot oil, then light it to bring mental clarity. Place a yellow rose in a vase to the left of the candle. To the right, place a bowl containing at least two citrine or quartz crystals.

Next, you will need saffron water, which is made quite easily by simmering a single teaspoon of saffron from your cupboard in two quarts of distilled water. Let the saffron water cool to room temperature and pour it into the bowl of crystals. Put your hands together in prayer and dip them in the bowl. Touch your third eye in the center of your forehead, anointing yourself with the saffron water. Now, speak aloud:

    Goddess great, fill me with your presence.

    This night, I am whole and at peace.

    Breathing in, breathing out, I feel your safe embrace.

    And so it is.

Sandalwood Stillness: A Grounding Spell

Sandalwood has been used for thousands of years in India. The woody, sweet smell clears your mind and reconnects you to the earth. This simple spell can actually be used every day as a prayer, or to prepare for meditation.

To begin, light a stick of sandalwood incense and “smudge” the area with the soothing smoke. Anoint a brown candle with sandalwood oil and light it.

To a scentless base oil, such as canola, olive, or light sesame oil, add:

• 6 drops sandalwood oil
• 2 drops lemon oil
• 2 drops amber oil

Warm this concoction in a clay oil lamp or carefully heat it on the stove over a very low flame. When it is warm to the touch, dip your left ring finger into the oil with care and anoint your “third eye,” located in the center of your forehead, just above the eyes.

    Sitting in the cross-legged lotus position, whisper three times:

    Come to me clarity, come to me peace,

    come to me wisdom.

    come to me bliss.

    I sit in stillness, I sit in peace.

    As above, so below; and so it is.

Meditate for twenty minutes, and then massage the warmed oil into your feet. You will be utterly and blissfully grounded now.

Silence Your Inner Critic: An Encouragement Spell

As the sun sets on a waning moon day, you can quiet the inner voices of negativity and criticism that get in the way of simple joy. When our moon ebbs, another grows forth, so this is an excellent opportunity to send away that naysayer inside of you and allow a more blissful, self- accepting side of yourself to shine through.

Gather together:

• 1 teaspoon of patchouli resin

• 1 teaspoon of rose hips

• 1 vanilla bean

• A charcoal disc

• 1 gray candle

Grind together a teaspoon each of patchouli, rose hips, and vanilla bean. Burn this resin-based mixture on a piece of charcoal on your altar (charcoal wafers are available from metaphysical stores in packs of ten). Light a gray candle for protection and meditate on the flame. As you meditate, think about how you sometimes doubt yourself and your instincts. Visualize clearing that from your mind. Think about your talents and your potential as you chant:

    La Lune, Goddess of the Moon,

    as you may grow, so do I.

    Here, tonight, under your darkest light,

    I shall embrace all within me that is good and right,

    and bid goodbye to all the rest.

    Blessed be.

Blow out the candle and cast it into a fireplace, outdoor firepot, or wherever it can be melted down completely and safely. You must completely destroy the candle, as it now contains the energy of your inner critic. You should feel lighter and brighter almost immediately!

Candle Consecration for Peace and Love

I have recently been making, burning, and giving away candles with the word “peace” written on them with crystals embedded in the soft candle wax as a way to spread love and goodwill. I highly recommend this practice, which you can do for yourself using crystals of your choice.

If possible, perform this spell during the night of the full moon for the greatest effect. Place your newly made peace candle on your altar and light some rose incense, which represents love and unity. Then, light the candle and chant:

    I light this candle for hope,

    I light this candle for love,

    I light this candle for unity,

    I light this candle for the good of all the world

    that we should live in peace.

    And so it shall be.

Sit in front of your altar and meditate, eyes closed, for a few minutes while visualizing peace in the world. Let the candle burn completely for full charging. Whenever the world around you feels chaotic, light this candle and meditate on a sense of peace enveloping you. Trust me, it will.

Sigil Spell for Hope

Carving symbols onto your candles is a simple and profound way to deepen your magic. What symbols are meaningful to you? Certain crosses, vines, flowers, hieroglyphs, and many other images have deep magical associations, so you should feel free to delve in and experiment to find the symbols that work best for you in your spells. The term “sigils” is derived from the word seal. A sigil is a magical glyph or symbol that is used in ritual to deepen focus or intensify magical powers. Methods for devising sigils for spellwork include using the planetary glyphs of astrology, runes, Enochian tablets, letters, numbers, or even mystical cyphers such as hermetic crosses or kabalistic signs.

If you are like me and have the artistic skill of a toddler, you can simply carve hearts, suns, and stars into the sides of your pillar candles. Whenever I am feeling low or distressed, I cast the following sigil spell. I take a bright yellow pillar candle and carve a sun into the side. Then I light my candle and intone:

    Sol, our star,

    bring your light

    which none can mar.

    Burn long and bright;

    keep bad news afar.

    Send negativity out of sight.

    So mote it be.

I then meditate on the candle flame and just breathe in and envision sunnier days.

Aphrodite's Oil of Love

This oil stimulates desire and prowess in men. For women, follow the same instructions, but instead of the ginseng and yohimbe (which are greatly stimulating to men), substitute pinches of saffron and ground dong quai (also known as angelica root), long honored in the orient as a tonic for females.

In a favorite bottle or jar, ideally red or pink, mix together the following recipe with a silver spoon:

• Five drops rosemary oil
• Five drops patchouli oil
• Ten drops yohimbe extract1
• A pinch powdered ginseng root
• Two tablespoons light sesame oil

You can use the oils on your fingers to anoint candles, or even to massage your lover’s body.

Beyond Essential Oils: A to Z Oils for Candle Enchantments Pt. 4

Rose oil is a favorite for its warmly perfumed scent. It is distilled from rose petals and used primarily as a fragrance. Originating in the Southern Andes, rose oil is great for nourishing and hydrating the skin and will envelope you in a delightful and elevating aroma. Rose essential oil is very useful in love spells as well as in energy management.

Rosemary oil, a woody and sweet-smelling oil, is a healer to use for flu, coughs, headaches, depression, muscular stress, arthritis, rheumatism, fatigue, and forgetfulness. Rosemary oil is stimulating and will perk you up if you do a head steam with it. You can also put a couple of drops in the bath to help aches, pains, and sniffles go away. It is unusual in that it can both relax you and stimulate your mind. Rosemary has a very cleansing energy and can imbue your home with coziness and contentment.

Sage oil has been around for a very long time. Gaining popularity in the Middle Ages, this spicy and uplifting oil contains natural antidepressants, as well as antibacterial and stress reduction properties. It is great for aromatherapy to reduce the user’s anxiety and clarify their conscience.

Spruce oil is alternatively referred to as Black Spruce. It’s a woodsy and rich oil that can promote mental clarity for its user. It is also very grounding for when you feel scattered. This has long been used as a medicinal by Native Americans, who value the positive effects it provides to mind, body, and spirit. Smelling the scent in a mist or diffuser can aid breathing, bring relaxation, and help you sleep. You can use it in purification rituals as it is used in Native American traditions.

Star Anise oil derives from the commonly used spice and is prized for the power to prevent misfortunes. Strongly and pleasantly scented, star anise essential oil increases psychic power. It can also be used in love spells and can bring back a lost love. It can change your fortune in many directions.

Tangerine oil has a very bright aroma that is wonderfully rejuvenating and stimulates mental clarity. It can also be used to both support the immune system and boost moods at the same time. Tangerine essential oil will bring a happy heart and a clear mind.

Tea Tree oil has been used by aborigines in Australia for centuries and is a powerful antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic. It has a fresh camphor smell and is used for space clearing and energy management. It can rid your home of negative energy swiftly and can be used to ward off malevolent spirits. Use tea tree essential oil to clear out and reset vibrations after an illness.

Thyme oil is an old-time curative highly valued and widely used by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. It confers boldness and is also a restorative to anyone who has faced challenges or great loss. It is a favorite in greenwitchery and house magic as a protectant.

Valerian oil comes initially from Europe and Asia and engenders an overall feeling of relaxation in its user. It can be used to deter restlessness and promote a full night’s rest and is a great and nurturing aroma for girls and women. Valerian is also an anointing oil and is said to bring luck to your endeavors. It was especially popular during medieval times, when it was regarded as a major healing herb for many maladies.

Vanilla oil is obtained from the bean of the same name and has one of the most comforting, heartening and sweet scents of all. It is very useful for cheering yourself up, or for cheering up anyone else who needs it. It is excellent in house magic to create a cozy and safe sanctuary and very useful in spellwork for love and romance. It raises your personal energy level and is good for imbuing your home with positive, pleasant energy. Vanilla also helps with mental focus.

Western Red Cedar oil has a woody, strong and refreshing aroma and is powerful for grounding. It can also be used in nature spells and working with forest and plant deities and energies. This essential oil promotes longevity and helps you to retain youthful looks and energy. If you want to connect with Mother Earth, use Western Red Cedar oil.

Yarrow oil is good for both body and mind and can help with anxiety, tension headaches, muscle aches, and restoring overall mental wellness. It has a cooling effect on both emotions and muscles. A very pretty plant, flowering stalks of yarrow were bundled together and hung on front doors to ward off any evil, including people. The oil brings courage and will make you lucky in love, and it can also heal a broken heart or spirit.

Ylang-ylang oil benefits both the mind and body. This richly perfumed essential oil is a mood booster, anti-inflammatory, and aphrodisiac. Ylang-ylang instills confidence and overcomes shyness and is exceptional in sensual spells and love charms.

Beyond Essential Oils: A to Z Oils for Candle Enchantments Pt. 3

Lavender oil is my number one essential oil because it is so versatile. It is a natural antibiotic, antiseptic, sedative, antidepressant, and topical treatment for scalds and burns, as well as a good detoxifier. Lavender promotes healing, and the lovely scent has a calming effect and is widely used in aromatherapy.

Lemongrass oil is calming and balancing with a protective energy. Native to Asia, lemongrass has long been used to repel negative spirits from entering the home. The sharp and bright citrus scent can lift up those who are feeling blue and in a rut. It is also a love attractor. Lemongrass essential oil can help with a fresh start in life.

Lime oil comes from the fruit of the citrus tree. Traditionally lime oil’s bright and fresh aroma is great for clearing any blocked energy channels and releasing creativity, as well as dispelling melancholy.

Mandarin oil has been in use since twelfth-century China, where it was beloved for its divine citrus scent and applications as a medicinal for both body and mind. This richly fragrant oil brightens moods and emotions and alleviates stress and insomnia. Mandarin can help you reconnect with your inner child and the innocence of youth.

Mugwort has long been used in magical workings starting in Mesopotamia and expanding in Europe, Asia, and now the world. It is used by shamans for dreamwork and achieving new levels of consciousness. Mugwort is especially good for the mental plane as it helps overcome headaches and soothes anxiety for mental balance and calm.

Myrrh is another precious essential essence from pre-Biblical times and is prized for its warm and lightly musky smelling resin. Hailed for the considerable anti-inflammatory benefits it provides, it is great for reducing pain and calming blotchy skin. An excellent anointing oil for candles, for lamps, and for yourself, this will connect you to the sacred dimension.

Myrtle oil is pressed from the myrtle tree, which was dedicated to Aphrodite in Ancient Greece. This slightly sweet and camphor-scented oil contains balancing benefits. It can be used to increase mood quality, prevent allergies, and clarify and cleanse emotional blockages. Myrtle is marvelous for us in goddess rites.

Narcissus oil has roots in classical Greek mythology and is indeed a visionary essence. It takes you to the realm of imagination. If you want to have intense dreams to feed your creativity, narcissus can bring those to you. Use it in conjunction with more grounding essential oils so you can also attend to practical matters as you explore.

Neroli oil is extracted from the bitter orange tree, originally found in Egypt, Algeria, France, and Spain. This essence contains regenerative qualities, making it a perfect topical to alleviate upset skin and even reduce redness. It is a goddess oil with a gentle feminine energy that both lifts emotions and helps overcome fear and worry. It can be used to get messages from dreams as well as astral travel.

Nutmeg oil is a warm, spicy essential oil that is sweet and somewhat woody. It blends beautifully with other essential oils in the same spice family and strengthens the combination. Nutmeg is very lucky and is wonderful in money magic. It is also fortunate for love and instills loyalty in a relationship.

Oakmoss oil has an earthy energy to match the name and can ground you and remind you of what you are supposed to accomplish during your life. It is very uplifting and brings inspiration. Oakmoss essential oil is an attractor of abundance and is highly recommended for money spells. It is also associated with older women and any rituals of cronehood, and elder woman’s wisdom should include oakmoss oil.

Peppermint oil is a wonderful therapeutic for headaches, skin irritations, and depression. It is not surprising that peppermint oil is regarded as one of the world’s oldest medicines. It is first rate in money magic as well as healing work and can be useful in divination.

Pine oil is renowned for its familiar clean scent and will restore your spirit when you feel gloomy. This earthy and fresh-scented oil is very useful in house magic and is connected to longevity and nature spirits, especially those of the woodlands and farmlands.

Beyond Essential Oils: A to Z Oils for Candle Enchantments Pt. 2

Dill, commonly found in Southwest Asia, gained popularity in eighth century France when Charlemagne ordered its mass cultivation due to its powerful healing properties. This fresh and bright oil calms the body as it quiets nervousness and anxiety.

Eucalyptus oil comes from the leaf of the eucalyptus tree, native to Australia. Fresh and minty, eucalyptus oil carries medicinal, antiseptic, and pharmaceutical benefits. These powerful properties are most often released by adding a few drops of this oil into water. In eucalyptus oil, we have an all- purpose therapeutic for coughs, colds, respiratory ailments, and insect bites. If you start to feel cold symptoms, use five drops of eucalyptus oil in a hot bath or in a bowl prepared with boiling water for a head steam.

Fennel oil is native to Southern European lands and is made from the seeds. It is very stabilizing and will focus your mind and aid in difficult work or challenges. Fennel seed oil has a buoyantly spicy and slightly licorice-like smell that opens the mind and helps with understanding. In a steam or diffuser, this is a helpmate essential oil at work and for space clearing before spells and rituals,

Fir oil, also known as Balm of Gilead, comes from the balsam fir tree. It has been in use since ancient times and is associated with forest spirits and tree magic. Druids claimed it helped with shapeshifting. It is an awakening essential oil and rebalances the heart and mind. 

Frankincense oil is an ancient essence that has long been considered precious. This earthy and woody oil is perfect for clearing blocked nasal passageways to promote better breathing. Native to regions of Northern Africa, its benefits can be obtained by inhaling or massaging at pressure points. It is prized for use in magical workings including the highest kinds of spiritual ritual work. It keeps evil away.

Geranium oil is extracted from the South African flowering plant Pelargonium graveolens, and its sweetly floral oil is a true anti-inflammatory. Geranium offers emotional stability and lifts mood as well as immunity.

Ginger is native to Southern China and is a favorite around the world for the taste of its sharp spice. Ginger essential oil is very much a protector and is believed to ward off ghosts and negative spirit energies. It will also spice up your love life and is good for romance rituals. Ginger is a money attractor and will draw wealth toward you.

Hyssop oil is native to the Mediterranean region and is rich in spiritual properties. With a minty smell, this oil can be used to purify and abet the release of grief, sadness, and depression. It is protective oil which can be used for space clearing after an upset or for peace in your home environment.

Juniper Berry oil has a feminine energy and is sacred to earth deities. This essential oil has a sweet and woody aroma that makes it a great addition to aromatherapy and as an anointing application. It also has a strong clearing property for use before spellwork.

Beyond Essential Oils: A to Z Oils for Candle Enchantments Pt. 1

Agrimony oil has been used since ancient times and is very highly regarded as an all-purpose healer for the body. Turn to agrimony for help with sleep. It is a protective herb which brings about a sense of well-being and ease. Remember agrimony essential oil for your wellness rituals.

Amber oil is derived from the resin of tree sap. You can tell by its delightful scent that it contains much magic and is excellent for love spells. Amber will ground and balance your personal energy; it is also beneficial for purification psychic shielding and protection. 

Basil oil is used in making perfumes, as well as in aromatherapy. It is extracted from the leaves of the basil plant; far from only being a culinary herb, this oil serves to aid in alertness, lifts the mood, and as a bonus, repels insects. The scent of this splendid oil is often spicy, warm, and healing. A must for money magic.

Bergamot’s origins trace to Southeast Asia, where it was prized for its spicy and floral scent. Bergamot oil is most often used to lift moods and alleviate stress. Bergamot is like liquid sunshine. Send anxiety packing with bergamot essential oil, which is also exceptional for house magic. 

Black Pepper oil, derived from the common peppercorn, is an oil that promotes emotional wellness and relaxes the nervous system. Aside from the common usage of flavoring meals, black pepper oil can be administered topically for stimulating the senses and engendering courage. It is also a protectant and can help keep bad energy and bad people out of your home.

Caraway oil enables us to rise above the earthly plan and see life in spiritual terms. It strengthens mental alertness and enhances memory. Caraway essential oil will protect your aura and empower visionary dreams if you sprinkle a couple of drops on your pillowcase at night before sleep.

Cardamom oil has a rich and spicy scent and is ideal for anyone who wants to deepen their spirituality in magical workings. It has a strong feminine energy and brings out generosity and open-hearted love. If you want to have greater happiness in love, try cardamom in romance rituals.

Carnation oil comes from a sweet small flower yet offers steadiness and strength, and it is also a guardian essence. Carnation will uproot buried emotions and help you process them so you can renew and reset. Carnation will improve communication and open your mind and heart to new experiences. If someone has been ill, carnation oil will support the renewal of stamina as it helps release the weakness and sadness of sickness and eases the way to a return to joy.

Cinnamon oil is beloved for its strong earthy and spicy scent. It is excellent for prosperity and protection. When properly diluted, cinnamon oil also serves as a great topical oil and brings anti-aging properties that work by enhancing circulation beneath the skin. Cinnamon essential oil brings money and blessings.

Citronella is best known for keeping insects at bay, but it is a truly wonderful antidepressant that is uplifting and encouraging. The sharp aspect of the scent clears the mind, too. Using it in a steam or a diffuser will keep the energy of your home clean.

Clary Sage oil is as magical for your skin as it is for your spellwork. When applied topically, it stimulates the skin and circulation while it soothes the mind. It is a natural antidepressant; and as its name hints, it brings clarity. It has a distinctly earthy aroma. Clary sage also brings visions and can open up your psychic ability.

Coconut oil is a sweetly scented favorite. Originating in Southern and Central America, coconut oil’s plethora of healthy fats are a great addition to anyone’s skincare and overall health. It also boosts moods and energy wherever its scent can go. Coconut oil’s happy perfume aids memory retention, balances emotions, and stimulates weight loss, and it is a base oil that support and blends with other oils seamlessly.

Coriander oil is a clearing essential oil that abets overall health. With a fresh and fragrant scent, coriander oil is also a great aphrodisiac!

Prepare Your Own Sandalwood

While vanilla and amber is perhaps my favorite oil combination, I have recently moved into a sandalwood oil phase and am delighting in its powers. Sandalwood oil, ruled by both the sun and the moon, is very suited for use in protection and healing. It can be used as a massage oil and is ideal for friendship magic in particular.

To prepare this oil, stir together six teaspoons of powdered sandalwood and two cups of a neutral oil, such as sesame or almond, in a glass bowl. Heat the mixture gently over a flame, taking care not to bring it to a boiling point. After cooling, place it in a colored glass jar and seal it securely.

Sandalwood oil can also be used to cast wishes for yourself and your loved ones through candle magic. Anoint a red candle (to spark love and devotion) with the oil and place it on your altar. Speak your desire aloud three times while lighting and gazing on the candle, and you are sure to receive what you ask for.

Carrier Oils and Their Uses

A carrier oil is a vegetable oil that is used to dilute essential oils without diminishing the effect of the essence. It ensures that essential oils used topically are comfortable on the skin. Each essential oil carries specific vibrations that hold much curative power. These base oils support other ingredients, including essential oils, and can be a vessel for healing in and of themselves. 

Apricot kernel oil, with its warmth and resilience, is especially good for women. Apricot protects love and nurtures women at every age and stage of life.

Avocado is thick, dense, and earthy, a powerful element in any love potion. It also is excellent for drawing forth money and is helpful in business and financial matters.

Borage oil brings a connection with the higher mind, as well as courage, a sense of honor, and the ability to cope with whatever life sends your way. It is said to encourage truth and resolution in legal and relationship problems. If you feel you are being deceived, turn to borage.

Evening primrose oil abets clairvoyance and paranormal gifts. It will help you to see clearly.

Grape-seed oil is regarded by some as the “food of the gods” because of the way it augments spiritual growth. This should be one of the oils that you turn to for anointing candles or any statuary of gods and goddesses before rituals.

Jojoba oil absorbs extremely well into the skin, bearing anything mixed into it along with it. It is also a remarkable anointing oil. It should be used in recipes that help to deal with depression and support perseverance in hardship.

Olive oil was named “liquid gold” by the ancient Greek poet Homer, and rightly so: It is about vitality, money, success, and joyfulness.

Sunflower oil is permeated with the energy of our sun and is powerful and life- giving. Use it when you desire rapid growth and amplification of positive energy.

Sweet almond is a gentle, all-purpose oil ready to increase the energy of other ingredients.

An Oil Blend for Friendship

This blend of oils can be used for anointing candles and dabbing pulse points. It contains oils for the four directions, representing alliance, and will strengthen the bond between you and your friends. To create the blend, have a get-together with some of your best friends.

You will need the following essential oils:

• Lavender
• Rose
• Musk
• Honeysuckle

Mix these oils together in equal parts. Then, have each friend dip a forefinger into the oil mixture and stir clockwise. Raise the bowl of oil and pray together:

    In the name of union,

    in the spirit of friendship,

    I bless this oil as I exalt the bonds that bring us together,

    and so it shall be.

Complete the consecration by dabbing this magical potion on each other’s pulse points: wrists, temples, throat, knees, elbows, over the heart, and behind the ears. Make sure you all leave with your own vial of this companionship essence, which you can use any time a spell requires it.