Witch Crafting

I got a book from a really good friend of mine and I have just started it but I simply love how she describes Wicca:

"Wicca requires us, and inspires us to bravely acknowledge the shadow self (our fears, inhibition, conflicts, neuroses, and destructive patterns) and to learn from it, rather than repress it. It is a religion of joy not punishment, love not fear, practice not belief. It's a personal path of self-exploration, growth, and responsibility, helping us to understand that our lives are spiritual journeys, and providing a genuine and intimate experience of the Divine."

She goes on to write exactly what I have been thinking for years!! "Wicca directly addresses things I've known since I was a child, that the Divine is present in Nature and its cycles, that it also dwells within us, and the power of love is magical."

And just think that is only in the introduction. I will continue to update you as I read this book. If you want to read it too, it is called Witch Crafting by Phyllis Curott.

Blessed Be
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Goddess Bless

Last night was one of those ah-ha moments, when the Goddess makes herself known in your life and you feel so wonderful with her presence!!

Yesterday was our Holiday Trunk Show, a bunch of ladies get together and sell our handmade wares. This is the second one that I have participated in. It was just lovely! Great turn out, lots of people came and shared in our wares as well as cookies and the bubbly!

Last time I noticed that the wonderful Lady who's house we were at was so warm and comforting with wonders to behold around every doorway. She had rocks and crystals and pendants and charms and sun catchers scattered around the house. Last time I just took it all in for a wonderfully eclectic house. This time was a bit different for me. I noticed things that I didn't notice last time. Things still seemed so welcoming but this time it all seemed far more familiar. The rocks and the crystals called out to me. The Fairy sculptures smiled at me as I walked by. The sun catchers sparkled as I looked at them (even though the sun was behind the clouds). The house felt so wonderful.

I didn't know if I should say anything. She is a very dear friend, though fairly new, I knew that I could ask her anything. So when the festivities were winding down, I caught up with her alone and I told her I had a personal question for her. She smiled and welcomed the question. I asked "are you Wiccan?" she said "why Yes, I am" with a twinkle in her eye. I immediately began to tear up. I was SO happy to know that my intuition was right about her. Come to find out three other members of our little group are also practicing wiccans. One is a hereditary witch, both her mother and grandmother are witches.

I was and still am besides myself with this wonderful discovery!!!

The Goddess is truly within all that surrounds me!!

Goddess Bless!!!

I can't wait to spend time with my new found sisters!! No wonder we hit it off instantly!! We are planning a Yule celebration the end of December and I just can't wait!!!

Blessed Be
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New Books

Throughout this journey, I just can't get enough information. It seems like all I do lately is READ....READ.....READ! Well, I was excited to see a box in my mailbox today, more books!!

The Heart of Wicca by Ellen Cannon Reed

 

A Witch's Bible by Janet & Stewart Farrar

 

I can't wait to start reading!

 

Blessed Be

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Since I am new to this and everything that I am experiencing is new as well. I find information from every corner of the world I can. Here is some interesting information that I found regarding the next Sabbat, Yule.

The YuleSpirit

Yule is the beginning of the wheel. The Sun God is reborn, son of the Goddess. The days grow longer as the God grows stronger.

This festival is also known as Winter Rite, Midwinter, Winter Solstice. It usually takes place between Dec 20-23, the longest night of the year. The Goddess gives birth to her child, the sun, soon to be lover, and father to the child in the next cycle.

It's a time of sharing, giving gifts, and welcoming the light, by remembering the gifts of darkness.

Preparing Your Altar
Decorate circle with holly, mistletoe, ivy, pine, pine cones, a Yule Log, and place ash twigs in the cauldron (to burn for prosperity).

Yule Activities
Sing pagan solstice carols.
Decorate the Yule tree.
For personalized wrapping papers, cut a pattern on a halved potato, then dip it into tempera paint and on to plain wrapping tissue paper.
For prosperity, burn ash wood.
Yule blessings: wreath on the door, mistletoe indoors, food and clothing donations, sunflower seeds outside for birds, ring the bell to greet the Solstice Morn, and perform magick for a peaceful planet.
Gather up Yule greens after 12th night and save. At Imbolg, burn the greens to banish winter and usher in spring.
Make and burn a Yule Log.
Bake a Yule Log Cake.

Wassailing
Wassailing means "to wish health to" one's apple trees, in the hope that they will bear well. In addition, drums, bells, whistles etc. were used either to scare off evil spirits, or to wake the tree up; a libation of cider or ale was poured over the roots, and bread that had soaked in the 'wassailing' bowl was placed in the branches - an offering back to the tree.
* Wassail: 2 cups cranberry juice, 1/4 cup grenadine, 1 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup rum (optional).

Yule Fire Spell
On the darkest night of the year, gather together three dried leaves of holly and pulverize them into powder. On a clean, four-inch by four-inch piece of paper, write a single word in red ink that represents what quality you would like to be born within yourself along with the newborn Yule Sun.
Sprinkle the holly powder into the center of the paper, twist the whole thing closed with the holly powder inside. Light the wick of a red candle, and from this flame, light the holly-filled paper on fire. As it burns, see your wish fulfilled. The spell is done.

Traditional Herbs - Bay, Bayberry, Blessed Thistle, Cedar, Juniper, Mistletoe, Moss, Sage, Oak, Chamomile, Evergreen, Frankincense, Holly , Pinecones, and Rosemary.

Traditional Incense - Pine, Bayberry, Rosemary, and Cedar.

Candle Colors - Gold, Green, Red, Silver, and White.

Magickal Stones - Clear Quartz, Jet, Ruby, Diamond, Garnet, Alexandrite, Kunzite, Citrine, Green Tourmaline, Blue Topaz, and Pearls.

'Sound of Silence'

Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence

Thank you to "Just another Pagan blog" for this informative info!


These are just some things that I will be doing to celebrate this beautiful time of year. If you have any other ideas, or stories please feel free to leave a comment.

Blessed Be
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Beautiful Sunset

This was just so beautiful I just had to share.

The Glory of Mother Nature!

This was taken from my driveway, to the west.

Can you believe these colors?

The Sun God

Here is a picture I got of the Sun:

The Charge of the Goddess

Whenever ye have need of any thing, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full, then shall ye assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of She, who is Queen of all witches. There shall ye assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not won its deepest secrets; to these will She teach things that are yet unknown. And ye shall be free from slavery; and as a sign that ye be really free, ye shall be naked in your rites; and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love, all in Her praise. For Hers is the ecstasy of the spirit, and Hers also is joy on earth; for Her law is love unto all beings. Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever towards it; let naught stop you or turn you aside. For Hers is the secret door which opens upon the land of youth and Hers is the cup of wine of life, and the cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of immortality. She is the gracious goddess, who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man. Upon earth, She gave the knowledge of the spirit eternal; and beyond death, She gives peace and freedom, and reunion with those who have gone before. Nor does She demand sacrifice, for behold, She is the mother of all living, and Her love is poured out upon the earth.
She who is the beauty of the green earth, and the white moon among the stars, and the mystery of the waters, and the desire of the heart of man, calls unto thy soul. Arise, and come unto Her. For She is the soul of nature, who gives life to the universe. from Her all things proceed, and unto Her all things must return; and before Her face, beloved of gods and men, let thine innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite. Let Her worship be within the heart that rejoiceth; for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are Her rituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you. And thou who thinkest to seek Her, know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not unless thou knowest the mystery; that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, then thou wilt never find it without thee. For behold, She has been with thee from the beginning; and She is that which is attained at the end of desire.