Treasure Hunting Tea: A Medieval Charm

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

Vision Quest: New Moon Conjuring Incense

You can access your prophetic capabilities with a Wednesday incense ritual using:

• 3 palmfuls ground chicory root

• 1 palmful ground cloves

• 3 palmfuls cinquefoil*

*Cinquefoil is in the dandelion family. If you can’t find any, substitute dried fern fronds or dandelions from your front yard.

Mix and burn the herbs in your fireplace in an outside sanctuary spot or on your altar while concentrating on a question. Maybe you are considering a new home, or whether to take a new job or pursue a business venture. Use this time to cleanse your mind of all concerns, worries and thoughts, making way for pure insight. Answers will come.

Lucky Charms and Ring of Power: A Protection Spell

Most people don’t realize that the classic charm bracelet is decorated with magical symbols representing the wearer’s wishes. For wealth, wear a Roman coin on your bracelet; for love, try a heart. For protection, a pure silver ring worn on the right pinkie has the greatest magical power, especially when engraved with your birth sign or astrological glyph and the sacred pentagram. To instill the ring with protective power, clasp it over your heart and call out:

Ring of power, shield and encircle me. 
By your charm, I am free.

Blessed be me. All are one. 
Blessings to all and harm to none.

Exorcise Your Demons: Community Healing Gathering

Here is an ancient way of casting out demons and bringing new tidings for your friendships and family. Buy a big bag of dried beans and invite all your friends over. In ancient times, many pagan people—from the Greeks to the Incan Indians—believed that beans contained evil spirits.

Ideally performed during an eclipse when that which is hidden is revealed, procure bags of beans and invite your tribe over. Go to your roof, a hill, or wherever you can “get high.” Give everyone a handful of beans and start throwing them down one at a time, with each toss calling out whatever you want to kiss goodbye—a job, a bad relationship, whatever your personal demons may be. After you have discarded all the discord from your life, you and your friends can celebrate the lifting of your burdens.

Moon Cakes and Ale: Full Moon Festival

Here is a pagan ritual I have performed on weekends, when the full moon shines bright. Over the years, I have added many embellishments, such as astrological or holiday themes. This basic ritual, Moon Cakes and Ale, however, is a timeless and powerful classic.

Gather a group of friends either outdoors under the moon or in a room large enough for dancing, drumming, and singing. Have the guests bring a cake of their choice as well as a cider, mead, beer or juice to share. Place the offerings in the center, on an altar table. Then light a sage leaf and green and brown candles for home and hearth.

Once everyone is seated, the host or designated leader intones:

Gods of nature, bless these cakes, 
That we may never suffer hunger. 
Goddess of the Harvest, bless this ale, 
That we may never go without drink.

The eldest and the youngest of the circle rise and serve the food and drink to everyone in the circle. Last, they serve each other. The ritual leader pronounces the blessing again. Then everyone says together, “Blessed be.”

The feasting begins, ideally followed by a lot more ale and lively dancing. A wonderful way to keep a group of friends connected is for a different person to host the circle one Saturday each month.

Count Your Blessings: Morning Moon Meditation

Plan this for an early morning when you can still see a sliver of the moon as the sun rises. Sit in a comfortable position in front of your altar and meditate. Think about your blessings. What are you grateful for at this moment? There is a powerful magic in recognizing all that you possess. Breathe steadily and deeply, inhaling and exhaling slowly for twenty minutes. Then chant:

Great Goddess, giver of all the fruits of this earth, 
Of all bounty, beauty, and well-being,
Bless all who give and receive these gifts.
I am made of sacred earth, purest water,
Sacred fire, and wildest wind. 
Blessings upon me. Blessings upon thee, 
Mother Earth and Sister Sky.
So mote it be.

A wonderful practice is to record your gratitudes in your Book of Shadows or a thankfulness journal. At the end of the lunar year, you’ll have your own Book of Blessings you can reflect upon and share with others.

Dis-Spelling All Fear: Full Moon Rite

For overcoming panic, anxiety or your innermost fears, you can turn to your banishing block touchstone. You probably already have a crystal you turn to, but if not, allow me to recommend the rose-red marvel known as Rhodochrosite. This striking stone is also invaluable for overcoming fear and paranoia (mental unease). Rhodochrosite abets a more positive worldview. One of the simplest and best aspects of this crystal is that it will help you to sleep more peacefully, shoving apprehension, worry, and woe out of your mind so you can heal body and soul. Your dreams will be positive, too. This is a remarkable stone for affirming the self, allowing for absolute self-acceptance and self-forgiveness. Rhodochrosite brings together the spiritual plane and the material place. This crystal is important because it permits the heart to feel hurt and pain deeply, and this processing of emotions nurtures growth.

Sit on the floor, legs crossed, and breathe deeply nine times. Take the touchstone into your hands and chant:

That which came from the sky, enter into me. 
As was the moon full, so am I now.
And so I go, with this light, full and bright. 
So mote it be.

Repeat this at least six times, until you feel the energy of the stone passing into you. Now, go conquer!