Crystal Magic and How It Works

Crystal magic also involves color magic and spell craft, topics that are covered in depth herein. With crystal magic, you will learn to improve your life in ways large and small. You will discover the stones that are special to you and how to fully utilize these birthstones and karmic crystals. You will undertake the magical arts of crystal conjuring and spell casting with stones. You will be inducted into the practice of healing with crystals and learn how to achieve wellness every day. Finally, you will have at your fingertips the history, description, and instructions on how to use each and every gem and crystal.

Using gems and crystals in rituals, spells, and affirmations has been part of the human experience for millennia. By incorporating this practice into your life, you will create a flow of positive energy that will enable you to enhance your work, your family, your love, and every other part of your existence.

Yes, through the magic of gems, anything is possible. Again, welcome to this glittering and magical realm, and begin a special journey under a sky where every star is a jewel you can wish upon!

Witch Craft; DIY Luck Eternal Amulets

Rarely will you see an unjeweled pagan, as they usually wear at least a single ring or pendant, and know full well that jewelry can be used as defense!

Witches know the meaning, power, and properties of each stone and metal and wield that energy for the good of others and themselves. The term amulet comes from the Latin word meaning “defense.” Indeed, amulets are a way to protect yourself that dates from the earliest human beliefs. Evil eyes might be the most global of all amulets, as they are believed to ward off a hex by simply reflecting it back to its origins. Some amulets were devoted to a specific god or goddess, offering that deity’s sheltering protection.

You can make a powerful protective amulet with only two items: a tiny muslin pouch and a tablespoonful of dried herbs. The following is a list of herbs from which to choose for the specific kind of safeguard you feel you need. Amulets are very easy to create and make nice gifts, as long as you feel your friend will truly benefit from and is aware of the special qualities and power of such. It can also be a small gift to yourself that yields big benefit. Wear your amulet as a pendant or tuck it in your pocket or purse for a “guardian to go.”

• Spanish Moss can banish poltergeists and absorb curses, hexes, and black magic.
• Dandelion provides shielding energy and also clears away the negative.
• Marigold helps you communicate with the spirit world and those who passed on.
• Burdock Root keeps travels safe and also protects you from anger and jealousy,
• Clover will guard against misfortune and invite good faeries into your life.
• Asphodel rids your home of unwanted energies and sends a ghost on its way to the afterlife.
• Betony keeps sleep disturbances at bay and forestalls nightmares for deep sleep.
• Agrimony is a defensive herb used to banish evil spirits and repels hostile magic. 
• High John the Conqueror banishes bad magic and brings good luck to you

Plan Your Week With Color Craft

Candle magic is a mainstay of witchcraft. I burn candles every night and also take them with me when traveling. For their magic to work, simply apply the basic precepts of color magic: have a clear intention of your desired outcome, and choose the appropriate color candle from the following list. On the corresponding day, begin burning the candle on your altar. Repeat this ritual for seven consecutive days with the same color candle. If you’re traveling, choose a spot to consecrate as an altar using the prosperity altar incantation.

Sunday

The Sun rules this day; use gold or red to affect a boss, a promotion, health, fame, or success.

Monday

The moon rules this day; use silver or orange to affect home, subordinates, or the emotions.

Tuesday

Planet Mars rules; yellow is the color that affects aggression, sex, conflict, and confidence.

Wednesday

Mercury rules; green is the color that affects communication, study, and quicker intelligence.

Thursday

Jupiter rules; the color blue affects medical and legal issues, money, spirit, integrity, safety, and security.

Friday

Venus rules; use indigo to affect aesthetics and beauty, marriage, relationships, theater, art, music, and family.

Saturday

Saturn rules; black is the color affecting judgment, obstacles, or property.

Witch Craft: Angel Accessing Charm for Protection

In your travels along the sacred path, you doubtless have gathered up many natural treasures, such as seashells, driftwood, crystals, and small pebbles. You can create a simple “Angel Accessing Tool” from your collection of nature’s blessings. Make an amulet any time you want to gather up the good energy of those unseen who can help and protect you (and drive away the not so helpful energy). Here’s how to make an amulet you can hang whenever you need to call upon angelic aid.

Gather together

    * sections of string, at least 6 inches (15cm) in length, one for each crystal

    * small chunks of crystal (celestite, amethyst, aquamarine, muscovite, morganite, and selenite can all         help you make contact with your guardian angels)

    * a stick (a small piece of sea-smoothed driftwood is perfect)

Tie a piece of string around each chunk of crystal. Attach each string to your stick of wood so the crystals are hanging from the stick. Hang your amulet anywhere in your home you want to “make contact.”

Once you have crafted your magical tool, you should store it in a safe place and bring it out when you really need angelic intervention. When I lived in a big city that had lots of car break-ins, I made one for my car and the era of broken windows ended for me. I recommend one for your office space, too. We all need work angels! You can welcome unseen and benevolent spirits into your home and life with this conjuring charm.

She Brings You Blessings and Strength: Hecate Invocation

 

Hecate, above perhaps all others, is the original goddess of witchcraft. She is also the goddess of night, magic, necromancy, the moon, and ghosts. At “the witching hour of midnight,” the power of magic is strongest. This is also the optimal time to call down the goddess known as queen of the witches” for a power boost of blessings and strength. By honoring her and inviting her into “your life, you will receive untold gifts of wisdom, joy, and beauty.

Gather together

    * 1 large crystal, ideally a geode, amethyst, quartz, or rock crystal

    * 3 candles in sturdy glass votives

    * an image of the goddess

    * a rattle or drum

Timing: The best time to perform this ritual is midnight.

Place the large crystal on your altar, along with candles and the goddess image.

    Blessed one, all sky and earth and ocean is yours.

    May we all be blessed by you.

    May we all draw strength from you.

    I sing to thee, bright lady.

    I dance for thee, queen of all.

    In your honor, 

    Blessed be.

Now, pick up your rattle or drum and shake or beat it while dancing under the midnight sky.

Wonderful Wands

  

I see many gorgeous, crystal-encrusted wands for sale in metaphysical five-and-dimes, and I am sure they are super-powered. Bear in mind, though, that it is a wonderful thing indeed to make your own wand. Start with a tree branch that has fallen to the ground on its own. Sand and polish the rough edges, as it is a wand and not a weapon. Then give it a good smudging. Hot-glue a large quartz crystal onto the wand near the handle, and hot-glue on any crystals featuring properties that will complement your magic. Citrine makes an excellent pointer tip for your wand and aligns your self-identity with your spirit. And, after all, isn’t that the point? Here are stones I recommend for harnessing various powers with wands:

• Amber for grounding;
• Amethyst for balance and intuition;
• Aventurine for creative visualization;
• Bloodstone for abundance and prosperity;
• Calcite for warding off negativity;
• Carnelian for opening doors for you and helping you overcome any family problems;
• Chalcedony for power over dark spirits;
• Citrine for getting motivated and attracting money and success;
• Fluorite for communicating with fairies and other unseen beings;
• Garnet for protection from gossip;
• Geode for getting through periods of extreme difficulty;
• Hematite for strength and courage;
• Jade for wisdom to interpret or realize powerful dreams;
• Jasper for stability;
• Lodestone for bringing a lover back into your life;
• Mahogany obsidian for feeling sexy and emanating sensuality;
• Moss agate for powers of persuasion and healing;
• Quartz crystal for divining your dreams;
• Rhodochrosite for staying on course with your life’s true purpose;
• Rose quartz for love;
• Turquoise for safety when traveling; and
• Watermelon tourmaline for help with planning your best possible future.

Sealed in Friendship: Soul Mate Spell

If you are fortunate enough to have a soul mate, here is a special bit of sorcery to seal your fate together.

Take a white candle for purity, a red candle for deep affection, and two long-stemmed roses complete with thorns. Light the candles and hand each other a rose. Anoint the candles with honey to seal your bond with sweetness and rose essential oil for the sweet connection of friendship. Witchcraft was originally nurtured by groups of friends passing on herbal remedies and working spells together in covens.

Use red ink and a white feather to write a vow of friendship to each other on a piece of parchment. First, each of you should dip the feather in the red ink and write the name of the other on the paper. Both of you should then take a thorn from each other’s rose, prick the ends of your pinkies on your left hands, and squeeze a drop of blood onto the paper atop each other’s names. As each of you completes this, speak aloud:

    Friend so dear,

    friend so near,

    our blood is mingled forever.

    Our bond is true, together forever,

    soul mate true blue.

    So mote it be.

Now your friendship is consecrated, both in the eyes of the gods, and most importantly, to the two of you. Afterwards, bury the parchment, the roses, the candles, and the feather outside in a safe place you choose together. If you don’t bury these things, you risk having your friendship interfered with.

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!

Center Yourself with the Help of a Little Candle Magic

The best way to prepare for personal ritual is to center yourself. I call this “doing a readjustment,” and I believe this is especially important in our overscheduled and busy world. Doing a readjustment helps pull you back into yourself and gets your priorities back on track. Only when you are truly centered can you do the true inner work of self-development that is at the core of ritual. Centering takes many forms. Experiment on your own to find out what works best for you. One excellent way to center is to light a candle and meditate on it. By focusing on the flame, you bring your being and awareness into focus. You can take this a step further with this spell for new insight into your life.

Step 1: Place one candle on your altar or “centering station.” Light your favorite meditation incense. For me, nag champa immediately sanctifies any space and creates a sacred aura.

Step 2: Scratch your name into the candle with the tip of your knife. Next, scratch your hope onto the candle, either in words or other symbols. 

Step 3: Light your candle and recite:

    This candle burns for me.

    Here burns my hope for [say what you are hoping for].

    Here burns the flame of insight,

    may I see clearly in this new light.

Sit with your eyes closed for a few minutes and picture yourself enacting your hopes and desires. You are setting your intention. Picture yourself in the company of people who inspire and teach you, those who bring insight and new light into your life. Let the candle burn down completely.

Correspondences of the Days of the Week

Sunday

The sun rules this day; use gold or red to get results with a boss, a promotion, or health, fame, and general success. Burning red candles on a Sunday can also help you to overcome fear and gain self-confidence.

Monday

The moon rules this day; use silver or orange to influence home, subordinates, and the emotions. Burning silver candles on Monday can promote inner peace.

Tuesday

Planet Mars rules Tuesday. Yellow is the color to use on this day to affect aggressions, sex, conflict, and confidence. To let go of anger, burn orange candles on Tuesday.

Wednesday

On Wednesday, Mercury rules. To manifest your will in the realms of communication, studying, and intelligence, burn green candles. For mental clarity, burn yellow candles.

Thursday

Thursday rules Jupiter. Burn blue candles for medical and legal issues, money, spirit, integrity, safety and security, or for a peaceful home.

Friday

Venus rules Friday; use indigo for matters relating to aesthetics and beauty, marriage, relationships, theater, art, music, or family. For physical well-being or success at work, burn green candles. For kindness and compassion, burn pink candles.

Saturday

Saturn rules over Saturday. Black is the color to burn to affect judgments, obstacles, and matters involving property. To overcome regret or guilt, burn white candles.

Color Magic: The Supernatural Spectrum Pt. II

GREEN

Ah, green, the color of fertility and luck! Green is a great color to work with if you need a little financial boost as it is heavily associated with money and wealth, growth, prosperity, and employment, as well as all-around good luck. It is also related to beauty, youth, nature and earth magic, and success in gardening. Look to green for abundance and bountiful blessings!

GRAY

Gray is a neutral color, imbuing it with the potential for balance and stability. Gray represents impartiality, cancellation, and stalemates. It can protect from negative influences and is also excellent for meditation. Try incorporating a gray candle into your rituals when you are dealing with confusion or need to remain objective about a particular matter.

YELLOW

In need of a little pep in your step? Yellow is an energizing color that will bring you optimism and invigoration! Intelligence, charm, attraction, learning, inspiration, persuasion, confidence, divination, psychic power, wisdom, happiness, memory, and friendship are some of the meanings associated with the color yellow. Because yellow is the color of the sun, expect an awakening and stimulating effect from burning yellow candles.

BROWN

Brown is a color that connects us to the earth. Its magical uses are related to animals, home, family, grounding and stability, balance, strength, hard work, protection, and material things. Use this candle when you feel like you need to bring things back into perspective, or when you are casting a spell to protect your home.

PINK

Love, honor, fidelity, morality, and friendship are just a few of the associations with the color pink. It is a color for affection, affinity, romance, beauty, self-love, faith, and devotion. Pink also carries a feminine energy and can be a catalyst for reconciliation.

ORANGE

Orange is infused with the energies of adaptability, stimulation, attraction, encouragement, ambition, creativity, and success. It is also the color of justice, which makes it of great use in all legal matters. Orange is also the color of opportunity, so you may find an orange candle to be a useful tool when manifesting success in business, networking, or career changes.

PURPLE

Purple is a color symbolic of power, authority, healing, spirituality, ambition, and wisdom. Burning purple candles can be conducive to business progress, tension relief, meditation, exorcism, and deepening spiritual awareness.

Metamorphosis Ritual

Choose a place in your home or wherever you feel secure to do this deeply personal ritual. Allow it to be dark. You are in the dark cocoon and about to burst out into the light. Cast your circle of change by moving clockwise around the room three times. Notice as you walk that you can feel the darkness increasing. You are creating a magical space in which you will work for your desired change.

Stand in the middle of the circle and speak aloud what you want to get rid of in your life. Speak the truth from the safe center of your sanctuary. Close your eyes and turn to the east. Now, using creative visualization, call up the element of air. Picture a piece of the day sky filled with clouds and the night filled with stars. This is the element of air. Wait until you feel its presence fully entered in the circle and speak aloud:

I face the east; I am air. I call upon the powers of the sky and the stars to aid me now.

Now turn to the south and visualize a flaming red ball of sun, which is fire, heat, and life. You will know the element of fire is present by the heat you feel in your circle. Speak aloud: 

I face south; I am fire. I call upon the powers of flame and heat, the passion of fire to help me through. Burn away the old, my former self.

Now turn to the west and visualize the waters of the world— oceans, rivers, creeks, and lakes— all merging into a single drop of the holiest water. Speak aloud: 

I face the west. I am made of water. I call upon the powers of water, more powerful than any stone. I ask the waters of life to cleanse me and purify me, ready me for total change.

Now face the north and visualize the green of the earth, the soil and seeds of change. Speak aloud:

I face the north. I am grounded in this earth. I call upon the powers of earth, our planet, to give me the strength to change.

Stand still in the center of your circle and feel the energies of the elements, the powers of the four directions, and the strength of nature’s helpers. Relax into this energy and allow visions, ideas, and inspiration to arise. Welcome new feelings and sensations. You should be open to experiencing new patterns of thought. Thinking in a new way is one way to shed your old skin. Now begin to move and stretch in your circle of magic. Reach up as high as you can, and bend and bow as you emerge from the cocoon of your old self. Breathe deeply, inhaling and exhaling slowly and fully. After ten breaths, you should begin to feel a buzzing sensation at the top of your head. This is the signal that you have arrived at a new level of consciousness. You have shed your old limits; your transmutation is complete.

Walking counterclockwise, retrace the steps of your circle. As you walk, speak your gratitude to the elements and the directions, taking care to give thanks for all the help you have received during this circle of change. Your circle is now open.

As you go through the next few days, reflect on your new feelings and impressions. New people will come into your life. New opportunities will arise. You have given yourself the gift of new life. Enjoy this new post-metamorphic phase of change and treasure it. 

Stones with Purpose: What to Wear and What it Does

Agate—Ensures you speak the truth when worn on an amulet; attracts favors from powerful people

Black Agate—Ensures success in business and in athletic competition if worn on a short chain or in a ring

Amazonite—Brings luck when worn while gambling

Amber—Brings love into your life; increases sexual pleasure

Amethyst—If worn by a man, will bring a good woman into his life

Bloodstone—Brings court victory in legal matters 

Carnelian—Protects from lightening

Cat’s-Eye—Helps retain beauty and life, depressing when worn as a ring

Coral earrings—Attracts men to your life

Dark Peridot Ring—Raises your spirits; brings you money 

Diamond with a Six-Sided Cut—Protects; ensures victory in conflict if worn in platinum

Diamond Set in Onyx—Incites loyalty in partner; overcomes sexual temptation

Frog-Shaped Jewelry—Protection while traveling, especially travel across water; potent if includes aquamarine gem

Geode Worn as Jewelry—Attracts love; helps women avoid miscarriage

Jade—Attracts love to your life if shaped like a butterfly 

Lapis Lazuli—Offers health, growth, protection if in the form of beads on gold wire

Moss Agate—Healthy harvest if worn while gardening 

Opal Earrings—Awakens psychic powers 

Everyday Sacred: A Ritual Guide to the Days of the Week

Each day of the week has specific correspondences and meanings. Here is an at-a-glance guide to the days of the week, gleaned from the mythologies of centuries put to practice for different types of ritual. I do a money-enhancing ritual every Thursday, or “Thor’s Day,” which is the day for prosperity. Perhaps you want new love in your life; if so, try a “Freya’s Day” ritual on a Friday night.

Sunday is the day for healing and vitality, as well as creativity and new hope. It is a day of confidence and success. This is the day ruled by the Sun, so it corresponds to fire and the sun sign, Leo. The colors for this day are gold, orange, and yellow, and the sacred stones for this day are also in those colors, amber, citrine, carnelian, and topaz. Sunday’s herbs and incense are cloves, cedar, chamomile, frankincense, amber, sunflower, and heliotrope.

Monday or “Moon Day,” is a dreamy day for intuition, beauty, women’s rituals, and your home. Monday is associated with the element of water and the sign of Cancer. The clouds are shiny silvers, pearl, pale rose, white, and lavender, which are reflective like the moon. The gems and stones are similarly shaded moonstone, pearl, quartz crystal, fluorite, and aquamarine. The herbs and incense are night blooming jasmine, myrtle, moonwort, vervain, white rose, poppy, and camphor.

Tuesday is the day for action, as mighty Mars rules it. Now you can seek your passion, surge toward your goals, find your destiny, and be strong and courageous. “Mars’s Day” is the time for high energy in your career, for physical activity and sports, for aggression in meetings and negotiations, and for strong sexuality. Both fire and water come into play and the astrological assignations are Aries and Scorpio. Red is the day’s color, and the corresponding gems and crystals are ruby, garnet, carnelian, bloodstone, and pink tourmaline. Incense and herbs for Mars’s Day are red roses, pine, carnation, nettle, patchouli, pepper, and garlic.

Wednesday, or “Odin’s Day,” is when the planets of communication, Mercury and Chiron, rule. This is the optimum time for writing, public speaking, intellectual pursuits, memory, and all other forms of communication. It is also a day to recognize your karmic duties through astrology and your Chiron sign, an important asteroid placement in your chart. Through introspection, try to find your “sacred wound” and heal it so it does not hold you back in life, trapping you in old patterns and relationships. The element for Wednesday is earth and the sun sign is Virgo. Colors for this mercurial day are light blue, gray, green, orange, and yellow. The crystals are sodalite, moss agate, opal, and aventurine. The herbs and incense are cinnamon, periwinkle, dill, sweet pea, cinquefoil, and ferns.

Thursday is the day for business, politics, legalities, bargaining, good fortune, and material and fiscal wealth. In other words, it is money day! The elements that come into play are water and fire, and Jupiter, the planet of abundance is the ruler. Pisces and Sagittarius share this planet as ruler. The colors are blue, purple, and turquoise. As you might suspect, the crystals are turquoise, sapphire, amethyst, and lapis lazuli, so favored by the Egyptians. The herbs and incense for the day are saffron, cedar, nutmeg, pine, oak, and cinnamon.

Friday is doubtless everybody’s favorite day of the week, as it is ruled by Freya, the Nordic Venus, goddess of love. Friday is all about beauty, love, sex, fertility, friendships, and partnerships, the arts, harmony, and music, and bringing the new into your life—new energy, new people, new projects. Haven’t you met a lot of people on a Friday night out? Air and earth are the elements and the signs of Libra and Taurus are the astrological signs. Pale green and deep green, robin’s-egg blue, pink, and violet are the colors, and the crystals are emerald, pink tourmaline, rose quartz, as well as jade, malachite, and peridot. The herbs are incense for Fridays are apple, lily, birch, pink rose, verbena, ivy, rose, and sage.

Saturday is ruled by Saturn and connects the elements of air, fire, water, and earth. It is a time for protection, discipline, duty, binding, family, manifestation, and completion. The sun signs are Capricorn and Aquarius, with their colors of black, brown, and deepest blue, Saturday’s crystals are amethyst, smoky quartz, jet, black onyx, obsidian, and darkest garnet. The incense, plants, and herbs for this day are ivy, oak, rue, moss, myrrh, deadly nightshade, mandrake, hemlock, and wolfsbane. (Many Saturn herbs are poisonous; please exercise caution when using them.) How do we use these magical correspondences in ritual? You can create your own ritual simply by choosing candle colors, crystals, and incense from the list that matches your intent and go from there. I have included some sample rituals that draw from these magical correspondences. 

Phases of the Moon

Performing a ritual at the optimal time of the lunar cycle will maximize your power. As you read, keep this basic magical guideline in mind: Each lunar cycle begins with the new moon phase, when the moon lies between the sun and the earth so its illuminated side cannot be seen from the earth. During the next two weeks, the moon gradually waxes until it has moved to the opposite side of the earth. When the moon has reached the far side of the earth, its lit side faces us as the full moon. Now it begins to wane until it apparently vanishes. Then it cycles again.

The entire cycle takes approximately a month, during which the moon orbits the earth. To determine the sun sign governing the moon on any given day, you will need a celestial guide or almanac. My favorite is Llewellyn’s Daily Planetary Guide. The moon moves into a new sign every two to three days.

Invoking the Goddesses Part I

 Below is a group of goddesses you can invoke and honor in your ritual work. I strongly advise placing images of a goddess on your altar when you need her aid, her strength, or her special qualities. Please refer to the chart on page in the back for a quick breakdown.

Aradia

She is the Italian “Queen of the Witches” who descends to earth to preserve the magic of the goddess, Diana, her mother. Through Aradia’s lineage, she is also a lunar deity. She is affiliated specifically with Dianic Wicca. Aradia is an excellent goddess to invoke for protection of for any moon rituals you perform or create.

Artemis

She is the Greek goddess of the moon. In her Roman form, Diana, she is the deity to whom Dianic witches and priestesses are devoted. She is a bringer of luck, the goddess of the hunt, and a powerful deity for magic and spell work. As the huntress, she can help you search out anything you are looking for, whether it is tangible or intangible. As a lunar deity, she can illuminate you. Invoke Artemis when you want to practice moon magic, and study her mythology further to design original lunar ceremonies. Enshrine her to bring good luck.

Athena

She is a goddess who rules both wisdom and war. Athena is a deity to invoke if you are doing ceremonies for peace, learning, protection, or any work-related issues. She can help you overcome any conflict with friends, families, or foes.

Bast

She is the cat goddess and the Egyptians’ great protector. Her domain includes cats, childbirth, healing, passion, pleasure, joy, and happiness. Bast is associated with the element of fire. Call upon her to watch over you when you travel. If any of your feline friends are taken ill, pray to Bast and create a healing altar and ritual for your cat with a statue of her on the left side. Bast is a wonderful deity to develop a relationship with, and she can come into your life in the form of a stray cat. Remain open-minded about unexpected new animal friends. They could be Bast on a mission!

Brigid

She was a Celtic solar goddess of poetry, smithcraft, and healing before the Catholic Church canonized her as a saint. Brigid is dually connected to the elements of water and fire. One way to bless water for ceremonies, your altar, and home is to pray to Brigid to sanctify the water. She is a guardian for all animals and children, taking care of all matter related to child rearing. Brigid is also a goddess of inspiration. You can create creativity rituals or purification rites that include Brigid.

Ceres

She is the great Roman grain goddess. Think of her every time you have some cereal, which is named after her. The early summer festival, the Cerealia, honors Ceres for supplying the harvest and an abundance of crops. Any ceremony for planting, growing, and cooking could involve this bounty-bringer. If you are going to plant a magical garden, craft a ritual with Ceres and make and outdoor altar to this grain goddess.

The Eye Goddess

She is an extremely ancient Mediterranean deity depicted as an all-seeing eye. She was a goddess of justice in the form of a pair of huge, unblinking eyes, and no transgression could be concealed from her. The Eye Goddess’s first appearance was around 3500 BCE. You can conjure the Eye Goddess’s powers of justice with the depiction of eyes and invoke her assistance any time you need the truth brought to light. You can also practice simple protection magic for the home and for your car with eyes watching out for you. Her symbol is sometimes mistaken for the evil eye, which makes workers of mischief nervous and causes thieves to think twice before committing a crime.

Hathor

She is the “cow goddess” who represents life, beloved in ancient Egypt for her ability to bring fertility. Hathor was also associated with royalty, and her priests were artists, singers, dancers, trained midwives, and seers. As the celestial cow, she held the golden disk of the sun in between her horns. Hathor’s other sacred animals include the lion, cobra, falcon, and the hippopotamus. The sacred sistrum, a rattle used in ritual,
was used to summon her. Mirrors were also her sacred tool. During spring rains and floods, you can stage a ritual dance for her to sanctify the joy of life. Invite your friends and let your imagination run wild with headdresses, costumes, and masks. Rattle, drum, and sway into the great dance of life.

Hecate

She is a crone goddess who shows her face in the dark moon. Hecate is the goddess of where three paths meet and the banisher of evil, which serves us well in rites of closure, “letting go,” and getting rid of any negatively charged aspect of your life. Any time you want to bring something to an end, invoke Hecate for help. Funeral rites or ceremonies of remembrance, especially those for older women, are appropriate occasions for summoning Hecate. As the personification of the dark moon, she is also the goddess of divination and prophecy.

Try creating a dark moon prophecy circle and invite her for deep and wise insight. Design a ritual during the dark moon with Hecate for ultimate feminine wisdom and a fresh new beginning.

Hestia

She is the goddess of home and hearth whom the Romans knew as Vesta. Hestia is associated with the element of fire and is concerned with the safety and security of the individual as well as families. As goddess of the hearth, she rules the kitchen, making it possible to perform magical baking recipes with your mixing bowl serving as a cauldron, enchanting it with spices such as cinnamon and cloves. Hestia is the perfect deity to help design a new house. She is a blessing there to help you with cleaning and purification rituals in your living space and sacred space.

Hokmah

She is the holy spirit, an ancient Hebrew goddess of wisdom, the Gnostic Sophia. Hokmah is also related to Egypt’s Ma’at, mother of creative works of power from which the universe was formed. It was believed by scholars that bereshith, the very first word of Genesis, really refers to this goddess of wisdom. The book Targum of Jerusalem discusses the first words of Genesis and the goddess of wisdom at length. Bereshith is traditionally translated as “in the beginning.” Hokmah appears often in pre-Christian and early Christian writings, and Philo of Alexandria described her as the spouse of Jehovah. King Solomon himself decreed that Hokmah must be obeyed in “The Wisdom of Solomon,” a chapter not included in the biblical canon and established as apocryphal. Hokmah’s symbol, like that of Venus, is the dove.

You can summon the eternal wisdom of Hokmah with an image of a dove on your altar. Ignored and redacted from history, she holds vast beneficial power. You can design a women’s mystery rite by meditating on this ancient spirit. Allow inspiration to come and be literally filled with the holy spirit. Her wisdom will enlighten you and reveal how the rite should be designed.

The Lord and Lady of Magic

Wiccan traditions frequently address twin deities and energetic dualities. The early Celtic goddess Danu, matriarch or the Tuatha de Danaan, or People of the Goddess Danu, is one of the goddesses venerated through this modern earth religion. Wicca is based on “the old ways” that hold a sacred connection to earth and to spirit—secrets, legends, and lore from European fertility cults that survived in various forms through the ages. Similar influences can be traced farther back in history to Paleolithic peoples who worshipped a hunter god and a fertility goddess. They represent the twofold principles of feminine and masculine energy inherent in nature. Wicca is enormously popular today, in part because it gives us freedom to create our own way of worshipping. Understanding the primal aspect of nature and the world as revealed in the gendered mysteries and myths, you can begin to plan rituals customized to fit your truest nature.

The God represents the sun. He is born on December 21, the winter solstice, and grows steadily until June 21, the summer solstice, when his power reaches its fullest. After Midsummer, his power wanes and he expires with the shortening daylight hours. On the longest night of the year, he is reborn again. The God is seen and represented in the physical and tangible. He can be seen in the hunt, in harvest, and it vitality, strength, sexuality, and passion.

The Goddess is creator of all; the Horned God is her consort. The Great Mother is the keeper of the cycles of birth, life, death and rebirth that are reflected in nature and the seasons. In some modern traditions, the God rules the physical world while the Goddess governs intuition, dreams, and the mind.

The Triple Goddess is a combination of the Maiden, the young, sweet girl; the Mother birthing us all; and the Crone, the wise older woman. The three faces of the Triple Goddess are reflected by the waxing, full, and waning phases of the moon. 

Inspiration Altar: Unleash Your Creative Powers

Your personal altar is the ideal environment to incubate your ideas and can be a touchstone for daily conjuring and contemplation. By preparing your home and sparking your inner flames, you can clear away personal blocks and invite in friendly spirits who will aid you in personal pursuits, no matter what your line of work is.

On a low table or chest, place an orange or gold scarf and the following elements: yellow, orange, and gold candles for stimulating intelligence and clarity; bergamot oil for energy; and vanilla incense for mental power.

In an amber or clear glass bowl on the altar, place cloves and sage leaves or bundles. Next, add items that symbolize your personal creativity—perhaps a poem you wrote, a figure you sculpted, or a photograph you took of the altar.

Place benzoin, an herb for all-around mental strength and clarity, in your incense burner; it will bring inspiration from the psychic realm. Add any gifts from nature that inspire you— luminous shells, chunks of quartz, or feathers. Arrange your altar in a way that pleases you and stimulates your senses. Now, anoint the candle with bergamot essential oil while you meditate to clear your mind of any distractions. This is an essential step in opening the mental and spiritual space necessary to create, whether your intention is to create a ritual of your own design or an art project. Once you feel focused, light a sage leaf and wave it gently around so the cleansing smoke permeates your altar space. Light the anointed
candles and the incense with a candle. Now set and speak your intention:

By my hand,
And by the blessing of the spirits,
The fire of my creativity
Burns bright,
Burns long,
Burns eternal.
Blessings to me and all who create!

The Bounty of Nature

The following list of herbs can be used in ritual work whose intention is prosperity. Try these alone of in mixtures, tinctures, or incense. You can also plant a prosperity garden and refresh your abundance altar with herbs and flowers grown by your own hand.

Prosperity herbs include: allspice, almond, basil, bergamot mint, cedar, cinnamon, cinquefoil, clove, clover, dill, ginger, heliotrope, honeysuckle, hyssop, jasmine, myrtle, nutmeg, oak moss, orange, peppermint, pine sage, sassafras, vervain, and woodruff.