Bedazzling Birthstones

For centuries, gemstones have been assigned as symbols of image and identity. Countries have national gems. The signs of the zodiac and the twelve months of the year, as we know, have special stone correspondences, as do the planets. These systems were established long ago by the earliest astronomers and scientists. Even the twelve apostles had special stones assigned to them with sacred meanings! The very gates of heaven are covered in precious gems, according to lore and religious rites. According to the Bible, God’s own throne is made of red jasper.

Birthstones carry a long and cherished history and tradition, and you contain your stone’s energy through your right of birth. See how you can bring more of that birthstone magic into your life. For example, if you are an Aquarius, wear your garnet birthstone to help put you more in touch with your emotions and enhance your relationships at home and at work. If you are a typical travel- happy Sagittarius, now you know your birthstone is specially equipped to protect you when you are far away from home. For romantic Libra women, your opal is a “man magnet.”

Study up! Aside from adding sparkle to your appearance, your birthstone is surrounding you with magic that you can access to your advantage each and every day. If you don’t have one, think about giving yourself your special and sacred birthstone as a birthday gift!

Inner-Serenity Spell

For inner peace, take a walk in the woods, a stroll on the beach, or just relax in your backyard. Bring a stick, seven leaves from an ash or oak tree, several stones, and matches. With the stick, draw a circle on the ground and mark four directions: north, east, south and west.

Place the stones at the center of the circle. Concentrate upon your connection to the earth and how to honor that in your life. Say:

Good luck rises for me in the East;
My music rises in the South;
My wishes rise in the West;
From the North, my dreams will come true.

Sunrise Spell: Blessing Bowl Ritual

While a bowl is not a tool in and of itself, you can utilize bowls in your spellwork often and 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:

These waters cleanse my soul and being, 
Now, with a clear mind and heart, I am seeing, 
I am love; my heart is as big as sky and Earth. 
From the east to the west, love universal gives life its worth. 
Blessings to all, so mote it be. 

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.

Western Winds of Change Rite

Gather these herbs and stir together into this highly effective clearing incense:

• 1 part sage
• 1 part sandalwood
• 3 parts myrrh
• 3 parts copal
• 3 parts frankincense

This is an optimal mixture of essences to purify your home or sacred working space. Negative energies are vanquished and the path is cleared for ritual. Open windows and doors when you are burning this clearing incense so the “bad energy” can be released outside. It is also advisable to use this clearing incense if there have been any arguments or other energetic disruptions in your home. After a family squabble or, goddess forbid, a break-in, or some incident that makes your office or home or temple space feel violated or less safe, you can dispel the bad with this holy incense.

Conjuring Conviviality – a Moon Day Ritual

How you start your week sets the tone for each day to come. It makes a lot of sense to do whatever you can to up the joy quotient for yourself and your loved ones. Jasmine tea is a delightful concoction and can create an aura of bliss and conviviality. It is available at any grocer or purveyor of organic goods but homegrown is even better. Brew a cup of jasmine tea and let it cool. Add two parts lemonade and drink the mixture with a good friend. Jasmine is a vine and represents the intertwining of people. You will be more bonded to anyone with whom you share this sweet ritual. If you grow a night-blooming jasmine vine outside your bedroom window, a heavenly scent will also waft in that creates and enhances an atmosphere of love in your home.

This is also a tonic that you can indulge in alone. I recommend brewing up a batch every Monday, or “Moon Day,” to ensure that each week is filled with joyfulness. As the jasmine tea steeps, pray:

On this Moon Day in this new week, 
I call upon the spirits to guide joy to my door. 
By this moon on this day, I call upon Ishtar and Celene, ladies fair 
To show me the best way to live. 
For this, I am grateful. 
Blessed be the brew; blessed be me.

White Light of Love: A Waning Moon

To light the flower of love in your heart, time this charm for the waning of a New Moon. Place a green candle beside a white lily, rose or freesia. Make sure it is a posy of personal preference. White flowers have the greatest perfume and either of these beauties will impart your home with a pleasing aura. I like to float a gardenia in a clear bowl of fresh water, truly the essence of the divine. Light the candle and hold the flower close to your heart. Pray,

Steer me to the highest light; 
guide me to beauty and truth. 
Much have I to give. 
Much have I to live. 
Bright blessings to one and all.

Seeding the Future - New Moon Ritual

What are your intentions for the coming months? What you can imagine, you can bring into being. This ritual will aid you in getting what you want and need for yourself and loved ones. Nothing says “new beginnings” like planting a seed, so use the power of a growing plant to bring success to your own new moon projects.
Assemble the following:

• A flowerpot filled halfway with soil
• Enough soil to fill the pot
• Seeds (nasturtiums are oh-so-easy to grow)
• Eggshells
• A small piece of paper

Get everything together and write your intentions on the paper in as few words as possible and roll into a scroll. Place the scroll in the pot, and then crush some eggshells on top of that. Fill the rest of the pot with soil.

Repeat the following:

I plant this seed when the moon is new, 
Manifest my intentions, I ask it true. So mote it be.

Keep repeating this as you plant your seeds, and give them a little water. After the ritual, keep the pot somewhere sunny and you should start seeing some success in your plans when the plant begins to sprout. Keep it healthy and thriving to keep the magic going. You can perform a ritual like this anytime you feel the need and the moon is new. You can also be very specific in your intentions: new love, an interview for a new job, finding a new home you love. I find that the more specific you are in setting your intentions, the more powerful the spell.

Serious Moonlight

Since prehistory, we have looked into the night sky with wonder. The moon is both magical and majestic. She rules the ocean tides, the crops in our fields and our moods and emotions. The moon is mysterious and reflective. Aside from the sun, our brightest star and the source of life, the moon is the singlemost important light in our sky. Every culture in the world, both past and present, has moon lore, myths, rites and a great respect for our favorite “night light.”

The early Babylonians called the moon “the boat of life,” while the Taoist Chinese believed the moon was a white dragon. A most unusual perspective came from the usually reasonable Plutarch, who theorized that girls grew into women as a result of a female essence that came down from the moon. The very name of our galaxy, the Milky Way, comes from the mythical white cow that jumped over the moon. It may well be that no other celestial object is as revered as the moon. A common and beloved ritual—baking, decorating, and eating a birthday cake—is descended from the Greek custom of celebrating the monthly birthday of the moon goddess Artemis with full-moon cakes.

To this day, modern Pagans “draw down the moon” in some rituals. In Asia, it is said that the moon is the mirror that reflects everything in the world. Some cultures consider the moon to be male and the sun female: for example, the Japanese honor the sun goddess Amaterasu and her brother the moon god Tsukiyomi. In this book we have explored some of the myths and lore of the moon, supplying you with many approaches to ritual from the treasury of our human history. Let Luna be your guide as you design and develop your own moon ceremonies and rites of the night.

Astrological Almanac – Green Witchery Wisdom

Plants carry potent energy you can use to amplify your magical workings. Use the signs of the sun, moon and stars to your advantage and, over time, you will come to know which ones are most effective for you. Make sure to use your own astrological chart in working with these herbs. Here is a guide to the astrological associations of plants you may grow in your kitchen garden or keep dried in your pantry:

Aries, ruled by Mars: carnation, cedar, clove, cumin, fennel, juniper, peppermint and pine.

Taurus, ruled by Venus: apple, daisy, lilac, magnolia, oak moss, orchid, plumeria, rose, thyme, tonka bean, vanilla and violet.

Gemini, ruled by Mercury: almond, bergamot, mint, clover, dill, lavender, lemongrass, lily and parsley.

Cancer, ruled by the Moon: eucalyptus, gardenia, jasmine, lemon, lotus, rose, myrrh and sandalwood.

Leo, ruled by the Sun: acacia, cinnamon, heliotrope, nutmeg, orange and rosemary.

Virgo, ruled by Mercury: almond, cypress, bergamot, mint, mace, moss, thyme and patchouli.

Libra, ruled by Venus: catnip, marjoram, mugwort, spearmint, sweet pea, thyme and vanilla.

Scorpio, ruled by Pluto: allspice, basil, cumin, galangal and ginger. Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter: anise, cedar wood, sassafras, star anise and honeysuckle.

Capricorn, ruled by Saturn: lemon thyme, mimosa, vervain and vetiver.

Aquarius, ruled by Uranus: gum, citron, cypress, lavender, spearmint and pine.

Pisces, ruled by Neptune: clover, orris, neroli, sarsaparilla and sweet pea.

December 21 - Longest Night Fire Ceremony

December is named for the Roman goddess Decima, one of the three fates. The word Yule comes from the Germanic jol, which means midwinter, and is celebrated on the shortest day of the year. The old tradition was to have a vigil at a bonfire to make sure the sun did indeed rise again. This primeval custom evolved to become a storytelling evening and while it may well to be too cold to sit outside in snow and sleet, congregating around a blazing hearth fire, dining and talking deep into the night is important for your community to truly know each other, impart wisdom and speak to hopes and dreams. Greet the new sun with stronger connections and a shared vision for the coming solar year.

What you need:

• Candles in the following colors: red, yellow, green, blue, white and black
• Herbs: tobacco, rosemary, lavender, cedar, sage, and rose petals
• Incense: copal, myrrh, or any resin-based incense
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 chocolate bar per person
• Bells, rattles, drus, and other noisemakers
• A firepot, fireplace, or safe place for an outdoor fire
• Paper for written intentions

The candle colors represent the six directions: north, south, east, west, up, and down (or sky and earth). They also represent the different people of the world.

Gather your friends together at dusk on the shortest day of the year and ask them to bring a colored candle (assign them a color), a noisemaker, and an open mind. Ask them also to write out what they want to purge from their life and bring the paper into the circle. The Solstice Fire Ceremony serves to bring positive new influences into our lives and also to dispel what no longer serves for good. This “letting go” can be anything. For me, one year ago, it was cancer, and this year it was too much clutter. For you, it could be an unhealthy relationship, a job that makes you miserable, or a cramped apartment.

Here are the steps to the ritual:

Build a fire at 5:00 p.m. and have it burning brightly as your guests arrive. Place a big bowl of herbs, flower petals, and incense near the fire.

Create a circle around the fire and ask the eldest in the group to slowly draw a circle of sugar around the fire.

When the elder has moved back into place in the circle, each person should light his or her candles from the fire and place it in the sugar circle, creating a mandala.
Ask the youngest person to lead the group in this chant:

My life is my own 
I must but choose to be better, 
Vital breath of life I breathe 
No more pain and strife! 
Wise ones, bring us health and life 
Bring us love and luck Bring us blessed peace 
On this Winter’s Day. 
Into the fire, we toss the old Into the fire, we see our future 
On this, our longest night. 
Harm to none and health to all!

Everyone should rattle and drum away, making merry and rousing the good spirits. The spirits of the wise elders will join you.

After the drumming, start around the circle, beginning with the eldest. Allow people to speak about what they want to release from their life, and have them toss their “letting go” paper into the fire. Then the eldest person should lead the group in a prayer for collective hopes for the coming your, and anyone who wants to add something should also speak out wishes for positive change, for themselves and for the world.

Thank the wise elders and ancestors for their wisdom and spiritual aid by throwing some chocolate into the fire. Be sure to keep some for members of the circle to share and enjoy. The Mayans held the belief that a plentitude of offerings to the ancestors would bring more blessings. They also believed that fire ceremonies helped support the planet and all the nations of the word. Gifts to the fire signal to the elders that they can return through the door and to the other world, until you call upon them for help in the future.

Lunar Astrology is the calendar by which early humans marked the passing of time and how they evolved their calendar, which is a lunar calendar. You should keep track of the moon and see what works for you.

Indonesian Full Moon Ceremony

Nearly every temple in Bali celebrates this monthly event.

Essential elements for this ritual are incense, offerings of fruit and lots of flowers, rice, and holy or blessed water.

Gather a group of like-minded folks and head to the nearest body of water—a lake, pond, creek, river or the ocean. Nature will be your temple.

Begin by sitting in a circle and making garlands of flowers. You should talk, laugh or be silent as you wish, but most important, be comfortable. When everyone is settled with a garland of flowers, place the garland around the neck of another person. Light the incense and set the rice and holy water in the middle of the circle.

Go around the circle and offer the water to people, sprinkling it on them gently with your fingertips in the Balinese fashion, and offer everyone a cupful of the holy water to rinse their mouths with so the worst they speak will be holier. Each person should make a fruit or flower offering to the gods, and lay it near the cleansing smoke of incense. After the offerings are made, everyone should anoint their neighbor’s forehead with grains of rice and speak blessings aloud for each person. If a body of water is accessible, get wet, even if it is just to dip your hands or walk in the water.

Silently acknowledge the blessings in your life through prayer and meditation, and, again, give quiet thanks to the gods for the gift of your life. Unlike most Western-based rituals, there is not much talking during the Balinese Full Moon Ritual. Bask in the tranquility and listen to your thoughts.

Lammas Day, August 2 – Harvesting Happiness

This major sabbat denotes the high point of the year; the crops are in their fullness, weather is warm and the countryside is bursting forth with the beauty of life. Pagans know we have the heavens above to thank for this and the gods of nature must be acknowledged for their generosity with a gathering of the tribe and a feast, ideally in the great outdoors. Ask invitees to bring harvest-themed offerings for the altar: gourds, pumpkins, bundles of wheat stalks and corn, or fresh pickings from their garden, and food to share in thanksgiving made from the same, like pies, tomato salads, cucumber pickles, green beans, corn pudding, watermelon, lemon cakes, berry cucumber, apple cider and beer brewed from wheat, hops and barley. This celebration of the reaping from summer season should reflect what you have grown with your own hands. Fill your cauldron or a big beautiful colored glass bowl half-full with freshly-drawn water. Get packets of tiny votive candles for floating in the water. At the feast table, make sure to have a place setting for the godly guest Lugh who watched over the plantings to ensure this bounty. Place loaves of Lammas bread by his plate.

When all guests have arrived, everyone should add a food offering to the plate of the god and light a candle to float in the cauldron. Cut a slice of Lammas bread for Lugh and begin the ceremony with this prayer of thanks:

Oh, ancient Lugh of the fields and farms, 
We invite you here with open arms, 
In this place between worlds, in flowering fields of hay. 
You have brought the blessings we receive this Lammas Day. 

Begin the feast and before the dessert course, everyone should go around the table and speak to their gratitude for the gifts of the year. Storytelling, singing, spiral dances and all manner of merriment is part of Lammas Day.

Sacred Grove Solstice Spell - June 21

Celebrating the season of the sun is best done outdoors in the glory of nature’s full bloom. If you have a forest nearby or a favorite grove of trees, plan to picnic and share this rite of passage with your spiritual circle. Covens often have a favorite spot. All the better if a great oak is growing there, the tree most sacred to Druids. Gather the tribe and bring brightly colored ribbons and indelible markers. Form the circle by holding hands, then point to east, south, north and west chanting:

We hold the wisdom of the sun, 
We see the beauty of our earth. 
To the universe that gives us life, we return the gift. 
Deepest peace to all, 
And we are all one. 
Blessed be. 

Each member of the circle should speak their wish for the world, themselves or loved ones and write it on a ribbon. One by one, tie your ribbon to a tree. Each flutter of the wind will spread your well-wishes.

Blessings From the East: Prayer to Honor the Summer

For summer festivals such as the Summer Solstice on June 21, you should honor the deities who gift us with such plenty. Light yellow and green candles at your altar and on the feast table and offer this appeal: 

Oh, Lady of Summer Who brings and sun and life-giving rains, May each harvest bring the crops that fill our cups. The rivers and oceans, fields and farms are yours. We honor you today and give thanks to you for all we have. A toast to thee, blessed be!