Mulled Medieval Merriment for Holidays & More

Start this special mixture brewing by pouring a cup of unfiltered sweet apple cider into a big pot. Go for organic fruit at the farmer’s market, but it is even better if you can make it yourself from apples you have gathered or harvested. Take a bottle of your favorite low-cost red wine and gently heat with the cider in a medium saucepan on a low flame. Add sugar, cinnamon, and cloves to your taste, but at least a tablespoon of each, and stir every six minutes. Notice how your entire home fills with the spicy sweetness of merriment. After thirty minutes, your brew should be ready to serve.

Lunar Almanac: Twelve Months of Full Moons

Many of our full moon names come from medieval books of hours and from Native American tribal traditions. Here is a list of rare names from these two branches of tradition that you may want to use in your lunar rituals.

January: Old Moon, Chaste Moon; this fierce Wolf Moon is the time to recognize your strength of spirit.

February: Hunger Moon; the cool Snow Moon is for personal vision and intention-setting.

March: Crust Moon, Sugar Moon; the gentle Sap Moon heralds the end of winter and nature’s rebirth.

April: Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon, Fish Moon; spring’s sweet Pink Moon celebrates health and full life force.

May: Milk Moon, Corn Planting Moon, Dyad Moon; the Flower Moon provides inspiration with the bloom of beauty.

June: Horn Moon, Rose Moon; the Strawberry Moon heralds the Summer Solstice and the sustaining power of the sun.

July: Buck Moon, Hay Moon; this Thunder Moon showers us with rain and cleansing storms.

August: Barley Moon, Wort Moon, Sturgeon Moon; summer gifts us with the Red Moon, the time for passion and lust for life.

September: Green Corn Moon, Wine Moon; fall’s Harvest Moon is the time to be grateful and reap what we have sown.

October: Dying Grass Moon, Travel Moon, Blood Moon, Moon of Changing Seasons; the Hunter’s moon is when we plan and store for winter ahead.

November: Frost Moon, Snow Moon; this Beaver Moon is the time to call upon our true wild nature.

December: Cold Moon, Oak Moon; this is the longest night of the shortest day and is the time to gather the tribe around the fire and share stories of the good life together.

Beryl—Stone of Power

Medieval historian Arnoldus Saxo said that warriors used beryl to help in battle and also reported that it was good for court cases. Saxo was perhaps a bit hyperbolic in his declaration that the wearer of this stone was made unconquerable and smarter and cured of any laziness! Thomas de Cantimpre’s German classic De Proprietatibus Rerum spoke about the power of the stone beryl to reawaken the love of married couples. Early crystal balls were frequently made of beryl polished into spheres, rather like J.R.R. Tolkien’s palantirs used by wizards. The Druids and Celts used beryl to divine the future, and legend has it that Merlin, King Arthur’s magician, carried a beryl ball around with him for exactly that purpose.

Brooches

Brooches symbolize virginity, faithfulness, and protection. A diamond-studded brooch is a double symbol of love and safeguarding.

Brooches were the costume jewelry of the medieval Irish, who decorated themselves with gems and valuable stones to show they were part of the aspiring warrior caste.

Green Magic - Basil Abundance Ritual

Take a few sprigs of basil before you cook and put them in a green bowl on your kitchen altar. Boil water as for tea and pour over the herb in the bowl. Now chant this medieval-inspired charm:

With bounteous hand and healthful balm, 
Blessed basil, most verdurous herb
Bring me health and heart and calm. 
Abundance I shall see by every deed and verb. 
And so it is.

Breathe in the steam from the basil bowl and fill your lungs with the smell of prosperity. Repeat the spell once more; leave the basil bowl on your altar for 24 hours. Not only will your thinking be greatly clarified, but you will begin to see signs of your wealth increasing in one week. With basil flourishing in your herb pots, you have a ready source bursting with positive money energy.

Treasure Hunting Tea: A Medieval Charm

The humble dandelion, oft abhorred by lawn keepers, hides its might well. Dandelion root tea can call upon the spirit of anyone whose advice you might need. Simply place the brew on your nightstand and say the spirit’s name seven times; he or she will visit your dreams and answer your questions. In Chaucer’s day, this method was used to find lost treasures.

Dragons’ Lair Safety Spell

After an illness or any event wherein you feel the need to rid your home of unhealthy energy, head to your metaphysical five and dime and gather these essences. Anoint your home in order to return grace to your space and protect you from harm. Simply rub any one of the following essential oils, undiluted, on your doorjamb: cinnamon, clover, cypress, dragons blood, frankincense.

Walk through the door and close it securely. Take the remaining essential oil and anoint every other door and window. At the witching hour, midnight, light anointed white candles and place them in every doorway and windowsill. Sing:

My home is my temple,
Here I will live and love and be healed. 
And so it is by magic sealed.

Green Magic - Basil Abundance Ritual

Take a few sprigs of basil before you cook and put them in a green bowl on your kitchen altar. Boil water as for tea and pour over the herb in the bowl. Now chant this medieval-inspired charm:

With bounteous hand and healthful balm, 
Blessed basil, most verdurous herb
Bring me health and heart and calm. 
Abundance I shall see by every deed and verb. 
And so it is.

Breathe in the steam from the basil bowl and fill your lungs with the smell of prosperity. Repeat the spell once more; leave the basil bowl on your altar for 24 hours. Not only will your thinking be greatly clarified, but you will begin to see signs of your wealth increasing in one week. With basil flourishing in your herb pots, you have a ready source bursting with positive money energy.

Lunar Lore - 12 Months of Full Moons

Many of our full moon names come from medieval books of hours and also from the Native American tradition. Here is a list of rare names from the two traditions you may want to use in your lunar rituals.

January: Old Moon, Chaste Moon; this fierce Wolf Moon is the time to recognize your strength of spirit

February: Hunger Moon; the cool Snow Moon is for personal vision and intention setting

March: Crust Moon, Sugar Moon; the gentle Sap Moon heralds the end of winter and nature's rebirth

April: Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon, Fish Moon; spring's sweet pink moon celebrates health and full life force

May: Milk Moon, Corn Planting Moon, Dyad Moon; the Flower Moon provides inspiration with the bloom of beauty

June: Hor Moon, Rose Moon; the Strawberry Moon heralds the summer solstice and sustaining power of the sun

July: Buck Moon, Hay Moon; this Thunder Moon shower's with rain and cleansing storms

August: Barley Moon, Wyrt Moon, Sturgeon Moon; summer gifts us with the Red Moon, the time for passion and lust for life

September: Green Corn Moon, Wine Moon; fall's Harvest Moon is the perfect time to be grateful and reap what we have sown

October: Dying Grass Moon, Travel Moon, Blood Moon, Moon of Changing Seasons, the Hunter's Moon is when we plan and store for winter ahead

November: Frost Moon, Snow Moon; Beaver Moon is the time to call upon our true wild nature

December: Cold Moon, Oak Moon; this is the lightest night of the shortest day and is the time to gather the tribe around the fire and share stories of the good life together

Safe Haven Potpourri

Potpourri was a medieval product revived by the Victorians, who used the symbolic meanings and powers of flowers. Grow flowers in your kitchen or outdoor garden, or buy cut flowers. Dry them, then place them in a pretty container. Choose flowers that connect with your astrological sun sign, moon sign, or personal energy. Try a mix of your personal favorites along with some of the beloved posies of Victorian and medieval times:

• Daisy opens in the morning and closes when the sun goes down; this beloved flower is associated with purity, loyalty, innocence, patience and simplicity

• Pansies are called Heartsease and represent merriment!

• Iris stands for wisdom, faith, friendship, and hope eternal

Magical Crystal Jewelry

Charging Your Jewelry with Magic

Charging a gem or crystal imbues it with your intent. Upon charging your jewelry, you can use it in spell work or anytime you want to surround yourself with the magic you put into the gemstones. While picturing your truest wish and hope, and what you ultimately want to achieve through this process, anoint a candle with an essential oil that most expresses your energy. Perhaps it is rose or, as in my case, amber. Begin by lighting the candle and gazing into the flame. Then, place the piece of jewelry in front of the candle and say aloud, “Into this jewelry, I imbue my essence and the power of this blessed earth. This gem of great hue is charged until my magic is through. So mote it be!”

You can further empower the jewel by scratching your desire into the wax of the candle. Then, each time you burn the candle, place the gem before it and think upon your quest.

You can further empower the jewel by scratching your desire into the wax of the candle. Then, each time you burn the candle, place the gem before it and think upon your quest.

To enchant all of your jewelry, you need to create and altar for this express purpose. You can prepare the way for letting crystal and gem magic into your life, and focusing your desires and dreams, with a gem-magic altar. If you already have an altar in place, incorporate some of the following elements. The more you use your altar, the more powerful your spells will be.

Now, enjoy your sacred stones.

Walking the Labyrinth—A Path of Grace to the Inner Self

At the Grace Cathedral on California Street in San Francisco, scholar Lauren Artress oversaw the installation of not one but two labyrinths. Sue Patton Thoele, author of The Woman’s Book of Soul, invited me to go there one fine day a few years ago. I remember squeezing it into my schedule, feeling hurried, and hoping it would not take more than half an hour or so. I am a bit embarrassed to admit this, but I know I am not the only busy life-juggler who has found herself surprised by the Sacred.

When we got there, a magnificent stillness presided over the entire cathedral. We chose the indoor labyrinth instead of the outdoor one, as there was a distinct chill in the foggy air that day. We read the simple instructions and, as told, removed our shoes to tread the path in bare or stocking feet. For my part, I had already begun to calm down, thanks to the peaceful atmosphere. As I walked in the light of the stained glass shadows, my schedule started to seem petty. Suddenly it seemed as if I could give this just a little more time.

Sue, an experienced labyrinth walker, had gone ahead and seemed to be in a reverie, as did the tourists, students, and random folks who populated the nave. I checked the instructions again just to make sure I performed my barefoot ritual “correctly.”

As I began, thoughts skittered through my head, and I had to struggle to focus and be in the now. With no small amount of effort, I was able to have an authentic experience. As I walked the winding path, a replica of the labyrinth on the floor of Chartres Cathedral, I felt a growing excitement. This was meaningful; perhaps there was hope even for me and my over-busy “monkey mind.” My breathing relaxed and I had a growing sense that I was going somewhere. When I reached the center of the labyrinth, I looked up at the soaring high ceiling of Grace Cathedral. At that exact moment, the sun struck a stained glass window and a golden shaft of light shone directly upon me. I was mystified, and a beaming Sue, having completed her walk, noticed what was happening to me. I studied the window to see if there was any kind of symbol from which to draw further meaning. To my astonishment, the sun had lit up a window that contained the medieval tableau of a sword in a rock. As a lapsed medieval scholar, I immediately recognized Excalibur of the famous Arthurian legend. Tears came into my eyes, and I realized this was a message. I had often felt a bit guilty for not completing my master’s degree in medieval studies. At that moment, I knew I had to complete that quest. One of my specializations was the Arthurian saga, and here, in no uncertain terms, Arthur’s sword had spoken to me as I stood in the center of the labyrinth. Exhilarated, I retraced my steps, and returned as I entered, brimming with joy. Now, I truly understand what it means to be “illuminated.”

Birthstone Blessings: Rejuvnating Rings

Sit in a comfortable position with your birthstone placed in a bowl or dish in front of you. Think about the blessings in your life and gifts your particular stone offers. What are you grateful for at this moment? There is a powerful magic in recognizing all that you possess and in having an attitude of gratitude. Breathe steadily and deeply, inhaling and exhaling slowly for twenty minutes. As you meditate, send the positive energy into the bowl containing your personal gem. Now, the birthstone blessings are there any time you need them.

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Rings of Rejuvenation

Gemstones and crystals have transformative powers and magic that has been worked with since olden days. Bring birthstone blessings into your life by using these Rings of Rejuvenation.

Sapphire has violet energy. Worn on the first Saturday of the month on the middle finger of the right hand two hours before sunset, the stone is said to be a curative for kidney ailments, epilepsy, tumors, and sciatica.

Diamond, which contains rays of indigo light, is good for maintaining the health of the eyes and nose, managing asthma and laziness, and maintaining sobriety, especially if worn on the right pinkie on Friday during the waxing moon.

Emerald has green light rays and can help with the heart, ulcers, cancer, asthma, and influenza. Wear emerald on the right pinkie on Wednesday two hours after dawn.

Pearls radiate orange rays and operate as a curative if worn on Monday morning by the individual afflicted with insanity, diabetes, colic, or fever.

Topaz has blue rays and helps with laryngitis, paralysis, hysteria, scarlet fever, and assorted glandular disorders if worn on the right ring finger on Thursday mornings

"Moon Day" Rite to Begin a Joyful Week

Jasmine Joy Ritual

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.

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 sprits 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.

Celebrate the Rebirth of Nature: Create a Spring Altar:

One of the most vital ways pagans can keep in touch with nature is through the creation of seasonal altars. Your altar helps you to maintain balance in your life and deepen your spiritual connection to the world around you. A seasonal altar is your tool for ceremonies to honor Mother Nature and receive the deep wisdom of the earth by blending the energies of shells, feathers, leaves, flowers, herbs and all of the gifts of the season. Your calendric altars are the middle ground between earth and sky, the meeting point of the four elements. Creating these altars is very life-affirming.

You can create a wonderful outdoor altar for spring by planning two seasons ahead and planting floral bulbs, flowers that are the very harbingers of spring such as tulips and lily-of-the-valley. When the bulbs begin to grow and bud, place an image or statue in the center of your altar, which could be a stone bench, the top of a rock wall.  It could be a bust of a mythological youth to represent Hyacinth, immortalized in myth and in the gorgeous flower itself. Throughout the spring, you can stand inside your circle and pray and chant for the rebirth of nature that is spring.

Chamomile Calm: Brew Your Own Bliss

I hope you have a patch of chamomile growing in your herb garden or on a sunny windowsill in your kitchen. This lovely, aromatic herb will reward you many times over by “volunteering” to grow in every crack and crevice once you’ve given it a start in your back yard,  The delicious tea from this plant will inspire sweet dreams, calm your nerves, soothe and tone your skin, and ease a tummy ache. A symbol of energy and patience, sacred to the Saxons, and treasured by both Egyptians and Romans, this most loyal of garden herbs is “The flower of equilibrium.”

While brewing this mildest of teas, chant this medieval charm:

With bounteous hand and the healthful balm,

Oh scentful chamomile, most verdrous herb,

Bring me health and heart.

Drink in the scented steam and look for increased insight the rest of the day.

When the Stars Align: Astrological Secrets to Finding Your True Love

The specialized astrology of relationships is called “synastry;” it is endlessly fascinating and well worth anyone’s study.  By learning the sun and moon signs of your love interest and comparing them to your own, you can determine your compatibility in every regard.  A basic knowledge of synastry, the sexy side of the stars, can take you far!

The best relationships happen when one person’s moon sign is the same as the other’s moon.  Opposites also attract, as many a lusty Leo and quirky Aquarian can attest, so you should also check out the person right across from you in the zodiac.  Some of the most delightful and exciting sex happens when people are very different and complement each other with refreshing new sex techniques.  This section will provide you with the basics.

FIRE LOVERS

Fire signs are intense, usually positive, and often impetuous.  Fire signs get things moving.  They are passionate and need a matching enthusiasm in the bedroom in their partner.  Fire signs belong together.  Sparks can also fly if your moon or Venus is in a fire sign.

Warrior Aries angers easily, but the “kiss and make up” part can be fun.  Tell a Leo he or she is wonderful and sexy (as she or he really is), and you will be amply rewarded with dramatic fireworks between the sheets.  Adventurous Sagittarians like to make love outdoors.  Try a hike followed by skinny-dipping and an erotic workout.

AIR LOVERS

Air signs are the great communicators and philosopher/techies of the zodiac.  They are always thinking.  These fun and social creatures really get along with everyone, although earth signs may try to keep them too grounded.  They live in the world of ideas and can at times intellectualize sex.  You can turn this trio on with sex toys, porn, and books of erotica.  Geminis are very verbal during sex, so a little erotic talk can drive them crazy with desire!  Libras are the most partnership-oriented of all signs, so a very romantic approach is likely to work extremely well with them.  Libras are ruled by Venus and have refined lovemaking to an art form.  Aquarians are wildly experimental.  Together, you’ll go through all the Kama Sutra positions and beyond.

EARTH LOVERS

Earth signs are at once solid, practical, and extremely sensual.  Grounded and security-oriented, they are the most involved with the physical body of anyone in the zodiac.

Taureans are ruled by Venus, so they are very amorous.  Bring a fine wine and some food into the bedroom for an after-sex snack.  Soft fabric, good music, perfumed oils – all senses are explored with Taurus Bulls in bed.  Virgos are not stereotypical fussy neatniks.  They are highly skilled and service-oriented lovers – two wonderful attributes, erotically speaking.  Capricorns work just as hard in the bedroom as they do in the boardroom.  Support them as they strive for success and you will be amply rewarded by an attentive lover who will sweep you off for weekend trysts.

WATER LOVERS

Water is the most emotional and sensitive of the signs.  Water signs feel things intensely, and their empathy and sensitivity can make for exquisite sex – a passionate group, to say the least.  Cancers are very nurturing; this is a lover who will take care of you and meet your every need, sexual and otherwise.  They are home-oriented, so the bedroom should be a place with every comfort and erotic toy.  Scorpios are reputedly the most passionate of any sign – they are walking sex, and they know it!  They love mystery and want to make love for hours.  in bed and out, they want to dominate and own you.  Whisper that you want that, too, at the exact right moment for ultimate pleasure.  Pisceans are dream lovers, so intuitive they can anticipate your every need and give you unceasing sensuous attention.  These trysting Fish would never get out of bed if they didn’t have to!

Once you are grounded in a good understanding of your own sign, your own astrological chart, and those of your friends and significant others, you can begin to use this new knowledge to enhance your life and well-being and to bring joy to the lives of others.  Astrology is an excellent tool to help you understand yourself and others.  It is also a science handed down through the centuries.  Each sign and planet has many associations and magical correspondences.  By learning about these correspondences, you can begin to wisely wield the art of astrology.

Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow: A Money Spell

Pot of Gold Abundance Altar Blessing

Cauldron magic is more about the acts of brewing something new than it is about purification by water. To attract money, fill a big pot with fresh water and place it on your altar during the waxing moon. Pour a cup of milk with a tablespoon of honey and a tablespoon of ground clove into the pot as an offering. Toss handfuls of dried chamomile, moss and vervain into the vessel. With your head raised high, say aloud:

I call upon you, gods and goddesses of old, to fill my purse with gold. 

I offer you mother’s milk and honey sweet.

With harm to none and blessings to thee, I honor you for bringing me health and prosperity.

Place the offering bowl on your altar and leave the aromatic mixture there to instill your kitchen with the energy of abundance. After four hours and forty-four minutes, go outside your home and pour the offering into your kitchen garden or into the roots of a shrub. Now bow in appreciation of the kindness of the gods and goddesses.

Spell Bottle Secrets

Spell bottles, or magic bottles have been around since the 1600’s and were often filled with hair, nails, blood and other kind of ephemera. Now, they are used to empower us and adorn our sacred spaces.  Though their popularity has wanted since the Elizabethan age when there were called “witch bottles,” they are still used for a variety of intentions and your magical kitchen can display many of spell bottle! You can customize your own spell-in-a-bottle with crystal stoppers and you should let your imagination run wild as to the usage and positive purposes with which you can fill your vessels: put one in your garden to keep your plants healthy, one in the bedroom will bring love and happiness and a spell bottle on the living room mantel will protect your home. Spell bottles are used for protection primarily, but you can also put symbols if your dreams and desires in them- cinnamon for the spice of life, a rose for romance, rosemary for remembrance.

For a Happy Home:

To ensure that your home is peaceful, secure and grounded in “good vibrations,” gather a teaspoon of clean, dry soil from outside your home and put it into a bottle with smoky quartz crystal, or brown jasper any dark, earthen-colored semiprecious stone. Place the bottle in a potted herb on your windowsill and think about the sanctity of your space every time you water your plant. As your plant grows and thrives, so will the tranquility of your space.

For Luck in Love:

A bottle with a rosebud or rose petal, rose essential oil and rose quartz next to your bedside will help with love. For six days, rub oil from the bottle onto a pink candle and burn it for one hour. On the seventh day, your romantic prospect will brighten.

For Fast Money:

For luck with money, place three pennies and some pyrite, green jade or peridot in a bottle and put it on your desk or workspace.  At least three times a day, visualize a lot of money and shake the magic money bottle. After three days, your fortunes will improve.

Magical Meals: Peace & Love Nut Roastie

Did you know nuts are "brain food?" Yes, your favorite healthy snack is making you smarter! Nuts are one of the healthiest things we humans can eat, packed with positive proteins, beneficial oils and oh-so-very tasty. This nearly effortless nut roastie is a great snack for movie night at home, party time and makes a savory appetizer for special meals. Here is what you need:

10 ounces mixed nuts

8 ounces day-old bread

1 medium-sized white onion, chopped

1 ½ cups veggie stock

Soy or tamari sauce

2 ounces unsalted butter

1 teaspoon dried sage

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and start sautéing the onion in the butter until they soften. Mix the nuts together with the bread in a food processor or stir vigorously until blended well, transfer to a large bowl.  Heat the stock to boil and pour into the mixture in the bowl. Stir in the onions. Season as you see fit with salt, pepper and sage. Pour in a tablespoon of the soy or tamari sauces to add zing to your roast and give one last stir. Spoon the roastie mix into a greased baking dish and bake for a half hour. Notice as your kitchen fills with a fantastic aroma. Heating the nuts brings out more of their natural oils and intensifies the flavor. Like herbs and flowers, nuts have magical properties which are mainly to increase love and also feelings of conviviality and peace, thus the name of this dish. When you serve this roastie, you are quite literally “sharing the love.”

Rite of Connection

Before you enjoy this friendly repast together, hold hands and recite:

Sister, brother, tribe of the soul, ones who care.

Merry may we meet again to share.

Breaking bread and quaffing mead

We draw closer in word and deed.

Blessing of love to all!