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This faithful flower’s name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon daeges eage, “day’s eye” since it closes in the evening. The daisy has been used in one of the oldest love charms. To know if your true love is returned, take a daisy and intone “He loves me, he loves me not” until the last petal is plucked and the answer will be revealed. This flower is not just a boon for romance, however. It is also useful in herbal medicine for aches, bruises, wounds, inflammation, and soothing eye baths. As a flower remedy, it is quite good to help with exhaustion and is a highly regarded remedy in homeopathy. Echinacea is a member of the daisy family that has become wildly popular as a healer for colds and as a powerful immune booster, increasing your T-cell count and fighting off illnesses both minor and major. Echinacea is an herb of abundance, attracting more prosperity, but it can be used in magic workings to amplify the power.
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Adorn your altar with fresh flowers and three candles in your favorite shade of green. Also, gather a pen and paper. Light the candles and sit in front of your altar while you meditate on what will make you achieve your full potential.
Do you need to change your money habits? Your approach to spending and finances? Do you need to open your creativity? Do you need to revitalize with a vacation? Concentrate deeply, and choose three intentions for positive change in your life to write down and place under your three candles. Every night for seven days, repeat this spell:
Today I arise. This day I embrace serenity and money wisdom.
Tonight, I rest. This night I embrace an attitude of abundance and calm.
Blessed be.
Your altar is the nexus of your magical powers; it is also your medium through which you give gifts to the Roman god of abundance, Jupiter, also known as Jove. Jupiter is a rain and thunder deity who also controls fertility. He will rain abundance down upon you if you gain his favor through ritual observance. His “jovial” qualities include leadership, jollity, generosity, expansiveness, and a royal manner. Your middle finger is your Jupiter finger and you can increase your fortunes by leaving a ring on your altar overnight and then placing it upon the middle finger of either hand. Ideally, for the best result, it will be a green or gold stone such as peridot, tourmaline, or citrine. If you can find a statue or bust of Jove, you should place this symbol on the right side of the altar, accompanied by the image of an eagle, which is the ideal prosperity altar emblem, as the eagle is Jupiter’s bird totem. The eagles of Rome and America are this royal bird of the king of gods. Lapis lazuli, the beautiful blue stone beloved by the Egyptians, is also sacred to Jupiter. The alchemical symbol for this stone is the astrological sign of Jupiter in reverse, and the blue of the Lapis stone is associated with the blue of the sky god. You can increase your prosperity by remembering one of the most basic principles of prosperity: By giving, so shall you receive.
Many enthusiasts enjoy several cups a day of their favorite herbal infusion which is a large portion of herb brewed for at least four hours and as long as ten. I recommend placing one cup of the dried herb into a quart canning jar and filling it with freshly boiled water. After the steeping, strain with a non-metallic method such as cheesecloth or bamboo. Herbal infusions can be made with the leaves and fruits which provide healing aspects of this comforting brew. Many of the favorite kitchen garden herbs contain minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals including the list herein.
What do you need to attend to in your life now? This list of herbs and associations can be your guide; one of the smartest ways to approach this methodology is to brew right before bedtime and you will awaken to a freshly infused herb. Some of the most popular herbs and fruits used to create infusions are as follows:
We all have unexpected expenses that come out of the blue–car repairs, medical bills, or helping a loved one in need. I had the latter with my family and had to reach deep into my coffers to heed the call. When you need to quickly recover financially, this coin spell will fill the bill, literally.
Gather together:
On the evening of a new moon or a waxing moon phase when the moon is increasing, make a quick temporary altar where you pay your bills and handle your money–maybe it is your desk or perhaps, the kitchen table. Use your athame to create the circle of magic at this soon-to-be sacred space. Place the candles, incense, crystals, and fruit there and arrange them so a crystal, apple, and candle are each in a group. Light your candles and the incense. Take the coins in your hands and pass over the incense smoke. Place the coins in the jar. Now take the crystals in your hand and pass through the smoke, then place in the jar and seal. Pick up one piece of fruit at a time and touch to your third eye (in the middle of your forehead). Pray aloud:
This offering I make as my blessing to all,
Comfort and earthly gifts upon us shall fall.
Fill my coffers with silver and gold.
In this time of great need, I will be bold.
For the good of all, young and old.
Fill my coffers with silver and gold.
And so it is.
Extinguish the candles and incense and place on your altar for future use as well as the vessel containing the coins. When you go to sleep, dream of everyone you love, including yourself, receiving a harvest of material and spiritual wealth.
Ask any feng shui master and they will tell you that water fountains are excellent feng shui and can enhance your prosperity quotient.
Gather together:
For those of us who can’t pull off a fountain in our home or garden, this works just as well to get the money flowing. Stand in your home’s front door area and identify the far left corner. This is the prosperity area and, therefore, the perfect place for this ritual. Place the smooth river rocks in the bottom of the container and carefully pour the water in, avoiding any spilling. Take up your wand and speak aloud:
In the name of goddess, I dedicate this space.
Peace and prosperity flows throughout this place.
Everyone here will enjoy abundance and grace.
With harm to none. So mote it be.
Take your wand and gently stir the surface of the water so it swirls and circles.
Repeat the spell, then bow and say thank you to abundance energies.
Take the vessel of water and pour it into the roots of the nearest tree, ideally right outside your home or one of your larger potted plants. This will keep the flow of abundance in your personal space.
I don’t know about Thursday’s child being “full of woe.” I am a Thursday’s child and I simply can’t relate. Thursday, originally named after the powerful Norse god Thor, is also classically associated with Jupiter, who stands for joviality, expansion, and all things abundant. Here’s a Jupiterian spell that will bring excellent opportunities your way.
On a waxing moon Thursday, light one green and one purple candle. Take a sage smudging bundle and put it inside a seashell or fireproof dish. Now, place a concave-shaped rock beside a vase filled with your favorite yellow flowers; dandelions are an excellent choice. Stand in front of your candlelit altar with arms outspread while saying aloud:
As above, so below,
The wisdom of the Mother shall freely flow.
To perfect possibility, I surrender.
So mote it be.
Unless you are already a practitioner of magical arts, you may very well be casting spells unconsciously that throw obstacles in your path. To clear the way to greater wealth and happiness, pick one perfect white rose during the new moon and sit in front of your altar. Light a white candle with your eyes closed. Empty your mind and breathe deeply. When you feel a buzzing at the crown of your head from inhaling and exhaling so mindfully, stare into the flame and repeat seven times:
I am alive.
I have power.
It is real.
I now receive
The flow of plenty
With grace and gratitude.
So mote it be!
I first heard the wisdom of the visionary teacher and writer Louise Hay 25 years ago when my dear friend Duncan gifted me his well-worn cassette tape of her speaking about how to develop a mindset of abundance. I admittedly brought a bit of a scarcity mindset to California with me from West Virginia and was eager to learn new ways. I loved Louise Hay’s insights, which were wholly new to me. Duncan patiently explained to me his takeaways from Hay’s wisdom and how it had worked for him and changed his life for the better. When paying bills, instead of resenting the utility that had supplied water and electricity, write the check, seal the envelope, and say aloud “Thank you, Pacific Gas and Electric, for supplying me with power for my home and trusting me to pay you. Blessings to you, PG&E!” We even began a ritual of paying bills together and then walking to the mailbox and pronouncing our gratitude to all the recipients of our money. We even added the finishing touch of kissing the stamped envelopes and saying “Thank you!” before dropping them in for mailing. We got some looks of surprise at our mailbox rituals but we believed wholeheartedly in Louise Hay, and doing that had been working for Duncan. Soon, it began to work for me and I fully embraced the mindset. Most surprising of all, I stopped being filled with dread and worry when bills came in and started paying them the same day they came in, whenever possible. In addition to adopting an attitude of abundance, it helped my credit score!
For centuries, witches have known that luck is neither random nor mysterious. Thanks to the wise women in my family who share their “trade secrets” openly, I learned very early in life that my fate was mine to guide, and that I could manifest my will through the tools of magic. When in a pinch, I have used witchcraft to replenish the coffers. I have also used prosperity spells to find a good home I could afford to rent, attract job opportunities, and help others. People have always marveled at what they perceive as my “good luck,” or suggested that I have a fleet of guardian angels behind my every move, but natural-born good luck has nothing to do with it.
I learned very early in life that my fate was mine to guide, and that I could manifest my will through the tools of magic. When in a pinch, I have used witchcraft to replenish the coffers. I have also used prosperity spells to find a good home I could afford to rent, attract job opportunities, and help others in need. People have always marveled at what they perceive as my “good luck,” or suggested that I have a fleet of guardian angels behind my every move. But luck has nothing to do with it.
As soon as you approach your prosperity consciously, you will see that you have the power to choose abundance. When you increase your material wealth, you reduce the need to worry about such worldly matters or just getting by day to day. Then, you can move on to achieving true prosperity and abundance, expanding your mind through learning, pursuing your pleasures, spending time with family and friends, and enjoying your life.
Witches have always been concerned with real prosperity. Abundance, luck, good fortune, and security are all matters of hearth and home, where good witches preside. The legacy of the pagan approach to prosperity is evident all around if you look with open eyes and ears. It is certainly no accident that paper money has ancient symbols! Every little child knows to look for four-leaf clovers for good luck. These types of “superstitions” are actually common-sense folk wisdom passed down through the centuries.
Every day is an opportunity for growth in every aspect of your life, and the level of your success is entirely up to you. For some, success means a lot of money; for others, success signifies a wealth of real estate; for yet another, success might be making a beautiful painting or sculpture, or a burgeoning garden. Why is this important? Because first, you must know what you want in order to make it manifest. Once you are clear about this, you are on your way to attaining your desires.
Friends are some of the greatest loves of our lives. If you are looking to add new friends into your life, try this spell. Find a comfortable place to sit with a pink candle and two rose quartz crystals in front of you. Light the candles and say: I light the fire of fellowship; in this candle, I see the flame of friendship.
Brightest blessing I now seek.
The spirit of friendship I welcome here, to share with me love, life,
and light. And so it is!
Sit in a meditative state and ponder the qualities you want in your friends. Extinguish the candle, then place it and the two rose quartz crystals on your altar. Repeat the spell every night until the pink candle has completely burned out, and new and interesting people will begin to enter your life.
Whether it is a high holiday or a humble family get-together, festive beverages add to the celebratory aspect of the occasion and bring people together in joy and appreciation of each other. How many times have you been to an event where, after you were introduced to a food, dessert, or drink that was completely new to you, you loved it and were asking for the recipe? Parties and group rituals are a wonderful way to share delightful treats with the special people in your life. These gatherings make our lives meaningful and will become memories you will treasure.
We are experiencing a witchy renaissance here in the early years of the twenty-first century. I get frequent requests from friends and, thanks to the quick connections of social media, questions via Facebook about how to handle the stress, strain, and busyness of modern life. I am honored to be able to help in any small way and am constantly seeking new methods for healing magic and insights and spells for sacred self-care.
One thing I do know, both from my personal experience and from my circle, is that spellwork and habitual ritual can be healing in and of itself. Rites and ritual gatherings regulate our lives, individually and as groups. Anthropologists, psychologists, and other students of the human race have shown that ritual has existed since the dawn of humanity and has always played an important role in culture. Scholars of the psyche, including Freud, who eloquently addressed the role of ritual, speak of the power of ritual and how it brings people together physically and emotionally. Ritual creates “communities” from which spring a sense of unity, harmony, and belonging.
These magical moments are very important; they signify that we have stepped out of the routine of the ordinary day to day and are exploring a higher consciousness. I believe a moment spent in ritual is embracing life itself. Even 5 minutes of sacred time can change your life for the better. And that is my hope for you: a life enriched through these easy enchantments and simple spells. May you enjoy much peace of mind, prosperity, love, and sheer joy!
Participating in ritual can change your life. Even practicing one ritual can uplift and inspire you for years, and regular involvement can lead to spiritual riches. Ritual is soul work. Increasingly, with our hectic workday schedules, you may find yourself creating rituals and meditating alone, praying by yourself, and performing daily spiritual practices solo.
In addition to planning more intricate proceedings, you should also craft little on-the-spot private rituals that serve immediate spiritual needs. You can celebrate your gratitude to a deity that is special to you or light a candle and meditate at your altar on a holy day. Your rituals should reflect the ebb and flow of you outer life and your inner work.
This kind of ritual is simple and pure; I call it real ritual. Your spiritual pursuits should be a mix of simple, solo ceremonies and more complex ones that you perform alone or with others. The work of the soul is stimulated by interactions with others and grows in your time alone. Rituals enliven and add meaning to each day. Your simple daily ceremonies and practices are the individual threads that weave the fabric of your life rather like a tapestry quilt that grows thread by thread, stitch by stitch, and square by square. You need the threads, the patches, and the squares to hold together the tapestry of a rich, memory-filled, and meaningful life.
You can choose from the wealth of correspondences in the appendices to add layers of meaning, depth, and effectiveness, building your knowledge, expanding your experiences, and connecting you to the world’s wise traditions. Also, by keeping a Book of Shadows or personal ritual journal, you will have your own set of measurements and memories of what has worked for you. The appendix gives ingredients that you can add to your ritual “recipe.” Let’s say you want to create a personal and private ritual to get a new job. You can look up the best time to do it in the Ritual Resources section and you will see that a Thursday new moon would be an optimum choice to perform such a ritual.
There are also different divinities you can choose from to call upon for help in this ritual, from jovial Jupiter to the very sympathetic and helpful Lakshmi, to name just two. There are also a variety of herbs and plants you can choose from to assist with money matters, along with correct colors for candles and essences for both incense and oils that supply abundance. When you create your new job ritual, therefore, you can select the right traditional correspondence that matches your need and you are halfway there.
Focus and attention concerning your intention are of equal importance. In terms of the language of your original ritual, you should write from your heart, which will ensure that the words will personally affect you and work for you. Believe in yourself and believe in your intention and the right words will flow. There is no exact science to writing rituals. Just match the words and correspondences to your intention, and you will be a creator of rituals.
It is natural that once you are completely comfortable working with the realm of existing rituals, you should begin to trust you own intuition and create your own. Listen to your inner voice and trust yourself. Correspondences are a start, but you must take a leap of faith and delve into the depths of your own psyche for rituals you create, enact, and share with the world.
While we know there is no exact science to ritual design, there is an art to it, and the knack is developed from participating in group rituals, learning from the experienced elders, performing private rituals, and endeavoring to craft rituals on your own for every season and reason. The art of creating rituals is the work of the heart, and while it is not always easy, it is the work of creating joy in your life. With each ritual, you are taking a step to a reality of your own creation. Rites and ceremonies serve many purposes in our lives. They can be designed to fulfill one person’s wish, help a member of your spiritual circle, or help heal the entire world like the Dalai Lana’s sand mandala ritual. There are no limitations to the scope of rituals you can design. Where there is need, you can supply intention and inspiration and, in so doing, spread bliss in your wake. Rituals can change the world, and your rituals will most certainly change your world. When you are designing ritual, you are really designing the life of your dreams.
But just what is so magical about mushrooms? One cup of cremini mushrooms provides either a good, very good, or excellent source of fifteen different vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant phytonutrients. They have even been reported to be an anti-cancer food and aid in the reduction of high cholesterol. Some, like the shiitake mushrooms beloved of Japanese cuisine, even boost the immune system! Mighty magical indeed!
