Your Personal Pot of Gold

Cauldron magic is less about the eye of a newt than it is about purification by water and pungently perfumed herbs. For a money-attraction brew, fill a big pot with fresh water and place it on your altar during the waxing moon. Place an offering bowl nearby filled with a tablespoon of honey mixed into a cup of milk. Toss a dry palmful of chamomile, woodruff, moss, and vervain into the cauldron.

Head uplifted, utter:

I call upon you, Gods and Goddesses of old,

To fill my purse with gold.

In return, I offer you honey’s gold and mother’s milk.

With harm to none and blessings to thee,

I honor you for bringing me health and prosperity.

Place the bowl outside as your offering and leave it overnight. Whatever the ancients have left behind, pour it into the ground and bow in gratitude for the generosity of the Gods towards you.

Here's a sweet bit of alchemy available to all, handed down from medieval times. Wise women of old taught their children to watch for falling leaves. To catch one in midair is the best kind of luck, direct from Mother Earth herself. Carry it with you for a season and you will be kept safe from harm and receive unseen rewards. If you are especially blessed and catch more than one falling leaf, share it with the one closest to you. You will be bound by both love and fortune.

Employment Incantation

Here is one way I got a great job on my first day in San Francisco, despite the fact that I wasn’t really qualified, and I looked like an absolute hayseed after driving cross-country for four straight days from Appalachia.

Light a gold candle, although red will also do. Repeat this incantation eight times while holding a vision of yourself at the desired job:

I see the perfect job for me;

I see a place of plenty. Upon my heart's desire,

I am set; My new boss will never regret.

This job will come to me NOW.

Harm to none I VOW. 

So mote it be.

From East to West: A Spell for Collective Healing

The ultimate alchemy is to generate positive energy that spirals outward, improving everything in its path. I know of shamans and wise women who have dedicated their lives to doing good works, including some crones who practice in the ancient rainforest to protect the trees, and aborigines who spend their “dreamtime” repairing the earth.

You can contribute to universal peace and healing by burning a white candle, anointed with rose oil, on your altar during a waning moon on Saturday, which is Saturn’s Day. Place a single white rose in water and lay a garlic clove beside some rose incense. Light the incense, then take an herb bundle, light the end, and pass the smoke over your altar to cleanse the space. Chant:

    War and grief will come to an end

    as we walk the path of peace.

    Love thy neighbor as thy self,

    all we need is love.

    With harm to none, only understanding.

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.

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.

Blessings for Home and Harmony

On a low table or chest of your choosing, place a forest green scarf and a brown candle to represent your family. Add lovely objects that you have found around your home and garden: a special fallen leaf, ocean- carved driftwood, lacey dried lichen, smooth stones, or whatever your heart desires. It is of utmost importance to add a bouquet of wildflowers native to your area that you have gathered close to your home or purchased locally. This bouquet will help integrate your home into your neighborhood and the geographic area in which you live. If possible, add a sweetly scented sachet of potpourri made from your home kitchen garden: rosemary, lavender, thyme, and mint, all of which imbue your space with positive energy. Add personal mementos like photos or a locket with a photo of your spouse and children.

Burn your favorite essential oils, the ones that create an aura of instant comfort for you, such as vanilla, cinnamon, or sweet orange neroli in an oil lamp. Finally, anoint the brown candle while concentrating on peace and bliss surrounding your home. Chant:

    Here burns happiness about me.

    Peace and harmony are in abundance,

    And here true bliss surrounds.

    From now on, disharmony is gone.

    This is a home of peace and blessings.

    Here sheer joy lives.

This consecrated space will ease your spirits at any time. Your altar connects you to the earth of which you are a part.

Light of Venus: A Shrine for Loving Magic

To create your altar, find a small table and drape it in richly colored, luxurious fabrics—perhaps red satin or a burgundy velvet scarf. Take one red and one pink candle and arrange them around a sweet-smelling incense such as amber, rose, or jasmine. Decorate your altar with tokens that represent love to you: a heart-shaped chunk of ruby glass, potpourri made with rose and amethyst, a photo of your lover. Fridays are the time for spelling love, right before dawn. Before you light your candles, anoint them with a love oil of your choice.

Scent your wrists, your throat, and your left breast over your heart with the same oil. Jasmine and rose have very powerful love vibrations to attract and charm a lover. If you desire sexual results, look into the flame of the red candle; if your desire is affection or flirtation, look at the pink candle instead. This simple spell, said aloud, will create loving magic:

    Venus, cast your light on me,

    A goddess for today I’ll be.

    A lover, strong and brave and true,

    I seek as a reflection of you.

June 21, Summer Solstice

 June is summer reaching its full glory. There have been many rites around the world to acknowledge the longest day of the year. The Japanese climb Mount Fuji at this time, for it is free of snow during two months in the summer. The Native American tribes of the Southwest and Great Plains hold ceremonies to honor the life-giving sun. Incan, Mayan, and Aztec midsummer rites honoring the sun gods were among their most important ceremonies. 

Oral Fixations

Food can be foreplay, a wonderful prelude to a night of love, feeding each other, and placing a little whipped cream and chocolate in strategic spots. I recommend consuming these aphrodisiacs for your pleasure:

• Almonds, or erotically shaped marzipan
• Arugula, also called “rocket seed”
• Avocado, referred to by the ancient Aztecs as the “testicle tree”
• Bananas and banana flowers
• Chocolate, quite rightly called “the food of the gods”
• Honey, as the term “honeymoon” came from a bee- sweetened drink served to newlyweds
• Nutmeg, the traditional aphrodisiac for Chinese women; eat enough and you will hallucinate
• Oysters, prized by the Romans for their effect and resemblance to female genitalia
• Strawberries, often mentioned in erotic literature 
• Coffee, a stimulant for many things
• Garlic, the heat to light the flame of desire
• Figs, another symbol of ultimate femininity; just eating one is a turn-on
• Vanilla, captivating for both its scent and its flavor
• Wine drunk from each other’s mouths can be quite erotic 

Relationship Corner

As you walk into your bedroom, the relationship corner will be the back right corner. Your love and sex energy have to be nurtured there, and you might as well consider placing your altar there to serve as your personal erotic wellspring.

Look at this area with a fresh eye—what is cluttering your love corner with dead energy? Half-empty perfume bottles or near- empty cosmetic bottles could be impairing your relationship energy. You must clear unhappiness out of this space, clear the area of any clutter by getting rid of all unnecessary objects and tidying up.

To cleanse the area, ring a hand bell anywhere clutter has accumulated, giving special attention to your bed and pillows. Here are a few tips:

• Never bring old pillows into a new home. Old pillows can cause poor sleep and bad dreams. They can carry old sexual energy and can kill a relationship.
• Never place your bed in the center of a room, as this will cause anxiety and get in the way of a healthy sex life.
• Never have the foot of the bed facing the door, as this brings very bad luck.
• To keep your lovemaking fresh, always make the bed and change the linens often.

Place these objects in your bedroom to attract loving energy:

• 2 rose quartz crystals of equivalent size r Pink, orange, or red fabric
  
• 2 red candles
• Images of two butterflies 

Fire Making

Here is a ritual that requires diligence and patience. Fire making by rubbing sticks together is very difficult and time consuming, but the few folks I know who have accomplished it have certainly felt transformed.

I was inspired by the teachings of the incredible ritual designer, Luisah Teish, who told me she keeps a candle burning in her fireplace at all times to approach Maui’s Magic Fire in another way. On the next full moon, gather a group and 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-encrusted votive candle, preferably one of the seven-day candles you find at grocery stores or metaphysical shops. Begin a round of storytelling with the tale of Maui stealing fire. After you have told the story, light your own candle from the bonfire and say:

Thank you for the fire, Mahuika.

Next, go around the fire and let each participant tell a “fire story.” This can be a personal story of fire, or another myth or legend. 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. 

Festive Friday Frolic

Venus rules this most popular day of the week. Small wonder that this is the night for a tryst! To prepare yourself for a night out flirting, you should take a goddess bath with the following potion in a special cup or bowl. I call mine the Venus Vial. Combine:

1 cup sesame oil
6 drops orange blossom oil
4 drops gardenia oil

Stir with your finger six times, silently repeating three times:

I am a daughter of Venus; I embody love.
My body is a temple of pleasure, and I am all that is beautiful.
Tonight I will drink fully from the cup of love.

Pour this potion into a steaming bath and meditate on your evening plans. As you finish, repeat the Venus spell once more. Don’t use a towel, but allow your skin to dry naturally. Dress up in your finest Friday Night Out garb and dab a bit of the mixture on your pulse points. When you are out and about, you will most definitely meet lovely new people who will be drawn to you. You will receive compliments, and indeed, you will be at your sexiest. The rest is up to you. 

Invoking the Goddesses Part II

Isis

Isis is the only goddess who could guarantee the immortality of the Egyptian pharaohs, resurrecting them as she did Osiris. Her worship spread and became an enormous cult that appealed to the entire Roman Empire. She has great appeal as a divine mother. Isis is the daughter of Nuit, the goddess of the sky, and of Seb, the god of earth. The ancients worshipped her as the Queen of Heaven, and she is often depicted with wings.

Isis is the link between birth and death and can be invoked in rituals designed to celebrate existence under our banner of stars.

Juno

She watches over the daughters of the earth, and as such attends nearly every female need and function. The Latin word for a female soul is juno, and as the mother of all women she can be invoked in any woman’s mystery of birth, menses, croning, and death. Some of her aspects include a goddess
of fate, Juno Fortuna; of war, Juno Martialis; of marriage, Juno Domiduca; of bones, Juno Ossipage; of mother’s milk, Juno Rumino. Because Juno is a special protector of brides, you can invent a Juno-centered ceremony to celebrate your own nuptials or those of a friend who espouses women’s spirituality.

Kali

She is the Hindu goddess of the ever-cycling nature of creation and destruction. Kali can be called on to protect and defend women of any age. If you are afraid for yourself, pray aloud to Kali in her destroyer aspect, which wears a necklace of skulls that will scare off any attacker. If someone is recovering from an abusive relationship, Kali can be called on to help with healing and renewing courage and self-esteem. Kali is not to be feared, but respected and admired. One of Kali’s aspects is the Indian goddess, Vac. This incarnation of Kali is the “Mother of All Creation” who spoke the first word, OM, which gave birth to the universe. She also invented the Sanskrit alphabet.

An image of Kali in your office or cubicle will keep trouble at bay and keep you strong and active and fully in your power. Give offerings to her occasionally with your girlfriends in your life with “womanpower” rituals.

Persephone

She is the Greek goddess of the underworld. She spends half of the year, fall and winter, with her husband, Hades, in the underworld, and the other half, spring and summer, above with her mother, Demeter. Persephone is a wonderful deity to invoke once winter has ended, since her return from below marks the beginning of spring. Also, if a dear friend is moving, you can create a pomegranate ritual to ensure regular visits. Persephone is also associated with the element of earth. During equinoxes, you can design rituals with plants, flowers, trees, and fruits of the seasons and acknowledge Persephone’s transition to the other world. This goddess represents the balance between light and dark.

Selene

She is the full moon, another Greek aspect of the lunation cycle. She sheds light on the world and on all of us, inside and out. Her mythology is that as a teacher of magic and all things supernatural, she passed her special knowledge on to her students. She is also a mentor, and her light illuminates our intelligence and ability to think clearly with logic.

Shekina

She is the female deity who is “God’s glory” and the spouse of an ancient Hebrew god. Older rabbinical texts describe her as the “splendor that feeds angels.” She was the only one to get away with being angry with the Hebrew god. She is associated with Sophia and Mari-Anna. Having been redacted from all biblical texts, Shekina was veiled in obscurity until some medieval cabbalists rediscovered her. Glimmerings of Shekina show up in passages of the Talmud telling the story of the exiled Israelis wandering into the wilderness with Joseph’s bones and a second ossuary, or “bone box,” containing “the Shekina” in the form of a pair of stone tablets. Be very creative in designing rituals, altars, offerings, and ceremonies honoring this deity, since you are rebuilding a lost part of goddess history. One daring ritual could include calling a women’s circle and rewriting the tablets of wisdom. Call upon your inner Sophia and inner knowledge for guidance in this highly original approach to ritual.

Sige

This Gnostic goddess charges us to be silent. In Roman mythology she stands for the secret name of Rome, which could not be spoken aloud, and thus she is depicted as a hooded woman with a finger to her lips. Gnostic texts speak of Sige’s origins as the mother of Sophia. She is the primordial female creator: out of silence came the logos, or the word. The cult, rituals, and folklore regarding Sige were held so strictly secret that we know nothing about them now.

But, since creation comes out of silence, there is complete creative freedom for you to recreate new myths, stories, and celebrations for this obscure deity. Silent celebrations, quiet meditations, and secret spells no doubt have the approval of Sige.

Sunna

She is the ancient Germanic goddess of the sun, proof that our big star is not always deified as male. The Teutons also referred to this very important divine entity as “Glory of Elves.” In the great Northern European saga, the Poetic Edda, Sunna was said to have a daughter who sheds light on a brand-new world. Other sun goddesses include the Arabian Attar, the Japanese Amarterasu, and the British Sulis, “the sun’s eye."

Venus

The Roman goddess of love, Venus is associated with ultimate femininity, ultimate sexuality, ultimate fertility, and all that is beautiful. The word veneration means to worship Venus, and she should be venerated in all the love spells of your own design as well as celebrations and circles taking place on her day—Friday. The lore and mythology of Venus is well known, as she has been imprinted on our consciousness as the beautiful naked nymph on a half shell rising out of the foamy wave of the ocean. Honor her by creating venerable dances on the beach, and write love prayers and poems inspired by the love in your own heart. 

Crystal Closure

If you are having a hard time getting away from a relationship that you feel isn’t good for you any longer, get closure by wearing morganite until the other person gets the message.

Relationship Rescue

If you and your mate are simply not getting along of late, turn to this romantic remedy rock: moonstone. Moonstone can reunite loved ones who have parted in anger. This lovely, shimmering stone also imparts luck in love. Keep moonstone around, by all means!

Liquid Love: Spicy Cinnamon Liqueur

This popular beverage gives peppy energy and can also be a love potion. These few ingredients can lead to a lifetime of love and devotion:

1 cup vodka

2 whole cloves

1 teaspoon ground coriander seed

1 cinnamon stick

1 cup simple sugar syrup

Pour the vodka into a bowl and add in the herbs; cover and place in a cupboard for two weeks. Strain and filter until the result is clear liquid. Clean the canning jar and dry it thoroughly, then put the clear liquid back in. Add the simple syrup and place back on the shelf for a week. Store this in a dark-colored bottle that seals; you now have liquid love! You can drink it “neat” on its own or add this to hot chocolate, water, tea, or milk for a delightful drink to share with your loved one.

Yummy Spa Scrubs: Luxe Locks DIY Shampoo

For medium to oily hair only

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon baking soda

Take a large bowl and pour the water in. Fold in the baking soda and stir well until it has dissolved. Now, pour it over your wet hair while in the bath or shower. Massage the mixture into your hair, paying special attention to the scalp. If you tend to have oily hair, concentrate your efforts around the hairline and at the crown of the head. If you have long hair, you can double up on the amounts. Rinse thoroughly.

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Malachite Bone Soother

One healer recommends this malachite bone cure: Using tape or a soft cord, create a band with a small piece of malachite. Tape or wrap the band to the injured or bruised area and leave it overnight. The benefits should start within one day as the inflammation is greatly eased by the miraculous coppery green crystal. I have a bad ankle from a really bad sprain and a subsequent really bad break, and my malachite ankle band is invaluable when the ache-inducing rain is coming on.

Carnelian

 If you have lost your lust for life and fallen into a pattern of old habits and uncreative day-to-day drudgery, this is the stone for you. Carnelian, also referred to in bygone days as carbuncle, is a type of quartz from the chalcedony gem family. Among the more abundantly available stones, it is found in Peru, Iceland, Romania, Britain, India, Pakistan, and the Czech Republic. Carnelian is a clear stone and is most commonly thought of as red, thus the name, but also comes in orange and occasionally very dark brown. It is found in pebble form and is translucent.

Carnelian has a long history and was used to cleanse other stones. It is an earth stone and acts as an anchor to the earth. Carnelian is thought to eliminate fear of death and is grounding and clarifying. In olden days, it was used as a sort of backward mirror to recall historical events. It is a lucky stone for people pursuing business ventures and for women hoping to have children. Carnelian is linked with the lower chakras and can heal holes in the etheric body and give support for letting go of anger, old resentments, and emotions that no longer serve a positive purpose. Orange carnelian is especially beloved for its ability to promote energy and vitality—to warm the emotions.

Part of the tradition around carnelian is that if worn at your throat it overcomes timidity and lends the power of great and eloquent speech. Like some other red stones, carnelian also gives your courage. In addition, wearing carnelian can offer you a sense of comfort with your environment and create the proper atmosphere for meditation and total clarity of mind and thought. Carnelian as a pendant or belt gives you control of your thoughts and understanding of others.

Opal—Cupid’s Stone

In the classical era, humans believed that opals were pieces of rainbows that had fallen to the ground. They also dubbed this exquisite iridescent gem Cupid’s stone because they felt it looked like the love god’s skin. The Arabs believed opals fell from heaven in bright flashes of lightning, thus gaining their amazing fire and color play. The Romans saw opals as symbols of purity and optimism. They believed this stone could protect people from diseases. The Roman name for opal is so beautiful and evocative—cupid paedros, meaning “a child as beautiful as love.”

Saint Albert the Great was one of the most learned men of the thirteenth century, a student of the natural sciences as well as theology, literature, and languages. He fancied mineralogy and waxed on about opal: “The porphanus is a stone which is in the crown of the Roman Emperor, and none like it has ever been seen; for this very reason it is called porphanus. It is of a subtle vinous tinge, and its hue is as though pure white snow flashed and sparkled with the color of bright, ruddy wine and was overcome by this radiance. It is translucent stone, and there is a tradition that, formerly, it shone in the nighttime, but now, in our age, it does not sparkle in the dark, it is said to guard the regal honor.”  

Opals had many superstitions attached to them. There was the belief that an opal wrapped in a bay-laurel leaf could cure any eye disease and combat weak hearts and infection. In the Middle Ages, opal was called ophthalmios, or “eye stone.” The great Scandinavian epic the Edda contained verses about a stone forged by the smithy of the gods to form the eye of children, doubtless a reference to opal. In olden days, it was thought that an opal would change color according to the mood and health of the owner, going dull and colorless when the owner died. Blond women favored opals because they believed they could keep their hair light in color. (I trust they were not using black or dark blue opals!)

It was ever believed that an opal could render the wearer invisible, making this the patron stone of thieves. Black opal has always had top ranking among opals, being the rarest and most dramatic type. One legend told that if a love relationship was consummated with only one party wearing black opal, the gem would soak up the passion and store it in its glow.