Waning Moon Poppet Healing Spell

Merry Meet All!

It's been a few days since I've posted anything, but thought that today I would post a healing spell for you! This is by NO MEANS an alternative to medicine, but sometimes it gives you peace of mind to cast a spell, or ask for divine help when trying to overcome an illness.

I've decided to post this now as we are in the Waning phase of the moon, which can be used to assist in healing spells. The Waning moon is also used for banishment so this is the PERFECT time for this spell.

YOU WILL NEED:

• Some Fabric
• Cotton
• A Green Candle
• An Envelope
• Herbs with healing properties - I used Oak, Rosemary and Ivy.
• Incense associated with Healing - I used Sandalwood
• 7 White Candles
• Book of Shadows

OK, for any spell to work this best that it can, you should pour your own energy into it, constantly visualising your need. In this case healing. Bare this in mind when you perfrom the first part of this spell.

Take a piece of fabric and fold it in half. On it, you want to draw a human figure and then cut it out... resulting in 2 pieces of human-shaped fabric that are the same size! Next, sew the two pieces together, until you get about 3 quarters done, and then stuff it out with your healing herbs.... finally sew him (or her) up and you have your healing poppet - note, some cultures call this a Voodoo Doll but essentially they are the same thing, remember it is your purpose and energy that you have crafted into it that defines it from bad to good!

Now that your Poppet is complete, cast sacred space, and within it a circle of 7 white candles. In the center of this circle, light a green candle (for healing), light your incense and place down your poppet....

Next, on a slip of paper, write or draw an image of the illness that you are trying to banish (in black ink to banish!) and pop it into the envelope with more healing herbs. Burn this by the flame of the green candle, and bless the poppet with your chosen deity. Finally, bury the ashes of the herbs and carry the poppet with you until the illness has passed, and record it all in your Book of shadows. When the ilness has been banished, return your poppet to the Earth also.

Although this looks like a lot, it really is very simple! If you have any questions, please ask and I will be happy to help! Blessed be to all!

X
 

When the Ladys Moon is Full.... Charge your candles and make Healing Water?!

Merry Meet All,

Tonight is the night of the Full Moon, and I thought that I would take you through the reasons and uses of the Esbats and also how we can harness some of its power into our daily lives.

The Full Moon runs from day 15 to 17 of the moon cycle. She represents the Mother aspect of the Goddess and also the Green Man. She is symbolizing nature, Success, Manifestation, defence and balance.
In our magical (and everyday) lives, we can use the Full Moon's energies for the following:

• Light and Illumination
• Fertility
• Transformation
• Nurturing
• Fulfilment
• Love and Sexuality
• Maturation
• Power
• Psychic Ability
• Artistic and Creative Success
• Sudden or Dramatic changes and Miracles.
• Legal Matters
• Use day 15 for All or nothing leaps and Confirmations!

Obviously, there are more uses, but this is just to give you a general idea! Now, I thoguht that I would show you a few activities that you can perform on the Full Moon... Remember that we can celebrate the Full Moon Esbat on the day before and after the actual Full Moon Date.

Charging Candles:
YOU WILL NEED:

• Candle that you will use for your magical workings (White is best)
• Something to use to enscribe into the candle (Like a nail, or pin)
• Book of Shadows

Right, this is MEGA EASY. Take a candle that you will use for your magical workings (in Spells ETC) and enscribe symbols that mean something to you in the side of it. Next, all you need to do is record your workings in your Book of Shadows, and then leave the Candle in the light of the Full Moon overnight. Ask the deities to bless your candle, and this will enrich your magic workings.

Full Moon Healing Water:
YOU WILL NEED:

• Jar
• Book of Shadows
• Water
• Silver coloured Knife
• White coloured Flowers

Once again, this is amazingly simple. Just fill the jar with water, and place it under the full moon light. Surround the Jar with pure white flowers, blossoms or moonstones, and again, ask the deities to bless the water and those who use it. Stir it 9 times with the knife Widdershins (Moon-Wise), pouring your own energy into it, also.

When you have done this, store it in the fridge and use it as healing or to cleanse your energies when you need it. If you do not use it before the next Full Moon, pour it into the Earth - Therefore, remember that each batch of Moon Water that you make only has a moon-cycle life span.

I hope that this has been helpful to you. Remember to comment, and follow and until next time, Blessed Be.

X

Happy Mabon!!

Merry Meet Everyone, and Happy Mabon!


In this post, I wanted to go through the reason that Witches and Pagans celebrate this time of year.


Mabon is the time of year that we reach the autumnal equinox, and is also the second of the pagan harvest celebrations. The best way (for me) to look at Mabon in relation to the wheel of the year, is that if Yule is the Midnight of the year, then Mabon is its sunset.

We are using this time to connect with the season of autumn, as well as celebrating and thanking the deities for the harvests that summer has given us. At this time of year, trees, vegetables, fruit and herbs alike, are producing their gifts to us from the Earth, and we should celebrate that! Everything is ripe, and in times of old, pagans would harvest their crops to store for the winter – all the time thanking the gods for providing them.


Mabon also sees the turn of the seasons from summer to autumn and the world around us is beginning to show that. ThLook for trees near your home to demonstrate how we can begin to physically see the changes that are happening.


Your rituals and ceremonies should be adapted for your own taste and feelings for this time of year, but as a guide, I thought I would share my smaller altar with you which has been designed for Mabon and will be the part of my celebration this year. Up until this point, I have shown you how to make smudge sticks using herbs that (hopefully) you have harvested for yourself, and also a Mabon-rich incense that you can use in your own celebration.

As you can see, I have collected fruits and herbs that have strong ties to Mabon for their harvest qualities.

I collected an apple and used both Horse Chestnut (conkers) and acorns to decorate the altar. You should do your own research into herbs that mean something to your ritual (maybe herbs that you have grown or collected?). As always I have included a brief fact file of the herbs that I have used for your benefit!


I always like to leave an offering for the deities on my altar, and on my Mabon altar I have used Elf’s Leaf (Lavender) and Dew of the Sea (Rosemary) – simply, because I grew them in my garden and it seemed appropriate to give thanks for them. The altar is also decorated with colours of the season – in this case Red, Gold, Orange, Yellow and Brown.


Of course at this time of year, if you have your own garden (big or small) you should use this time to collect and store your herbs for your own personal use – whether they are for magical, ceremonial, medicinal or culinary uses.


Horse Chestnut (Buckeye):

• Buckeye is a masculine herb that represents Jupiter and Fire.
• Magically, It is used for Money, Success and Healing spells.

Oak (Tanner's Bark):

• Tanner's Bark is another Masculine herb that represents the Sun and Fire. 
• It has many uses, including spells for Protection, Health, Healing, Money, Fertility and Luck. 

Lavender and Rosemary: See Post called “Making Mabon Smudge Sticks”


As always, please feel free to comment and maybe leave pictures of your own altars and celebrations for others to see. The best way that we can learn new skills is through others! Happy Mabon and Blessed Be

X

Making Mabon Incense

Merry Meet Everyone!

I thought I would show you how I made my Incense for Mabon, to get your creative juices flowing for this week's celebration! It is so amazingly simple, that I don't even need to post pictures! All you need to remember when selecting your herbs for your incense, is to check that they are not toxic when burnt, and also the reason that you are blending them!

Mabon is all about Autumn and Harvest, so when I selected my herbs, I kept that in mind. You can use my recipe, or create your own - it is SO EASY to do!

YOU WILL NEED:

• Your chosen herbs - I used Pine Needles, Oak Leaves, Sage and Rosemary
• A 'base herb' - This should be a resin which is almost like the 'binder' for them. I used Myrrh Resin
• Mortar and Pestle
• Jar for storage
• Book of Shadows
• Charcoal Disc

Firstly, you need to select the herbs which are woodiest, as they take longer to grind. In my case, I did the pine needles and Oak leaves first - followed by the Rosemary and Sage. This is YOUR incense, so you can add as much or as little of each herb as you would like, but for info, I used a pinch of each!

After you have what resembles a rough powder, remove all of these herbs, and put your resin base in the mortar and pestle. I chose Myrrh for its strong ties to Mabon, but once again you can choose whichever you would like! My Myrrh is in gravel form so I used about a teaspoon - just enough for my liking. The reason that you want to remove the other herbs first is that resins can be sticky when you grind them - depending on the age of it.

When you have ground your resin, add it to the rest of the herbs in your jar.... shake it up and voila! Done! Now just store the mix in a cool dark place - preferably for over a week to allow the smells to permeate each other.... Write everything down in your Book of Shadows for future use! SIMPLE!

When you are ready to burn, heat a charcoal disc (this isnt the same as barbecue charcoal!) and pop it on the top! Like I said, this was just food for thought - let me know your own recipes and comment for others to see!

Until next time, Blessed Be!
X 

Take a walk.... collect a Herb!

Merry Meet Everyone!

Ok, the idea of this post is to give people an idea of where you can buy or find herbs that will enrich your magical craft. As many of you will know, I am a member of the website 'wiccantogether' (www.wiccantogether.com/profile/MageMoonshine482) and something that was asked there was "how do I find herbs if i don't have a garden or if my garden isn't big enough to grow my own herbs?"  

Well in all honesty, as much as I would LOVE a garden big enough to plant rows and rows of herbs, it isn't the case! My garden is fairly small, in that it is about 20 square feet - however, I think that with the right knowledge you can obtain herbs no matter how big your garden is, or even if you don't have one at all and here, I will try and show you how easy it really is!

Firstly, find a grassy area - whether it is in your own garden, or maybe just take a walk... I think that you will be surprised at how much you find! Take a closer look and you should see that there are several different species all living side by side together... with some research (online or in books) its just as easy as identifying them and then researching! Below are the herbs that are all naturally found in my garden, small as it is, just to give you an idea of how simple it is!

1. Nettle (Beggar's Lice)
2. Dandelion (Lion's Tooth, Priest's Crown)
3. White Clover (Semen of Ares)
4. Blackberry (Scaldhead)
5. Ivy

Bear in mind that this took me 2 minutes to have a scout around and see what I could find, I am sure that there would be more, should I take the time to have a look... also this is in such a small amount of space! Take a walk and see what you can find... Look in people's gardens, along paths and sidewalks, Look at the trees, go for a walk anywhere, and as I said, you will be pleasantly surprised at what you find - even in suburbia!

Secondly, you can make it even more simple than that! Buy your herbs! Perhaps this isn't as rewarding as finding them yourself, but in times of need the supermarkets and online shops make gathering herbs easier than ever... which brings me on to my delivery which FINALLY arrived!

I bought an array of different herbs, for both magical and medicinal purposes online (These came from eBay and cost about £10!). The beauty with buying online is that if you know which herb you are looking for, it couldn't be easier to get hold of it! Below are some images of my herbs that I bought this week to replenish my store cupboard. As I come to use them, I will create more posts with detailed factfiles on each...

As a further thought on how plentiful the herbs around us are (and also to tie in with my Mabon celebrations) on Sunday I am going for a walk through my local forest, so you can expect another post boasting what I find!

This blog is proving to be a success, but please feel free to invite your friends - also your questions and comments are welcome.

Blessed Be

x

Deosil go by the Waxing Moon...

Merry Meet Everyone!

Firstly, let me start by saying that the Postal Service has let me down (again) so I'll have to postpone the post that I had planned (again!!). However, all is not lost, because as fate has it, today is the First Quarter of the Waxing Moon so I thought that I'd explore this whith you.

The Waxing Moon is the period of time in the moon cycle that ranges from The New Moon (Day 4) to the Full Moon (Day 14). The First Quarter happens to be today! (If you choose to follow the moon cycle, it is worth noting that although the First Quarter in this one is the 15 September 2010 - it probably won't be the same in 2011!)

OK, so what does the Waxing Moon mean to you and I? Well, The Waxing Moon is associated with The Maiden stage of the Triple Goddess, and similarly to her, It is a time for things to grow! (Nature, New Projects, New Ventures etc). The Waxing Moon is also associated to the following;

• Birth
• Growth
• Love
• Beginnings
• Attraction
• Ideas
• Positive Change

All of these are things are perfect for spellwork in this time of the moon's cycle, however, on days 12 to 14, the Waxing Moon provides extra power for;

• Increasing Power
• Fertility
• Connecting People
• Health and Fitness.

So what can we as witches do to best utilize this time? Well, The Maiden Goddess is in charge at the moment, and she is all for the new! So try something new during this part of the cycle! Even if it is something small, it will make your life more fulfilled knowing that 13 times a year, you are trying new things!

If you aren't already, following the moon can be very rewarding both in your everyday life and your magical life. Different phases of the moon bring different energies, and we don't have to be in an Esbat (Full Moon) to harness it!! 

If anyone else has anything to add on this (or any other subject!) feel free to comment! I get lots of emails at my "wiccantogether" inbox (Mage Moonshine) but for everyone to benefit, please sign up and comment on here - it literally only takes a few minutes, and you could be helping newcomers (as well as the more experienced of us!) That doesn't mean to say that you can't continue to email me though - I love hearing from you all!

Anyway, Until next time!
Blessed Be!

x

Making Mabon Smudge Sticks!

Merry Meet Everyone!

Well I had hoped that I was going to receive a delivery today for my witch cupboard, which was going to be the topic for discussion on today's post! Alas, it hasn't turned up (Cheers, Postal Service!) but never fear, as prepared as I am, I have a back-up plan for today!

Next week is Mabon; So i've had a look around the garden for herbs that I can use in part of my celebration! This year, I have decided that I am going to make smudge sticks and (good as I am) I've stuck it all up on my blog so that you can see and try yourself! What's more it's easy (PHEW!)

Similar to Lughnassadh (Lammas), Mabon is all about the harvest of the year - so for me, there is nothing more perfect for these celebrations in collecting your own herbs that you have grown or from your neighbourhood. Obviously, if that isn't possible (you may not have a garden!) then buying them is perfectly acceptable too! I'm not going to explain Mabon in too much depth (that's another post!) but try to bear in mind the reason behind the celebration.

So anyway, my garden doesn't boast a huge array of herbs, however, I do have Elf's Leaf (Lavender) and Dew of the Sea (Rosemary). As always, I will add a 'factfile' of information on the herbs that I am using at the bottom of the page - See yesterday's post for Lavender information!

OK... so firstly, I should explain that I am using fresh ingredients from my garden, so if this is to be ready for next week's celebration, I need to make it now, to give it time to dry out! But WHY use smudge sticks?!
Well, in its most simple form, smudging clears a space (or an object) of negative energy - think of it like a cleanser! It is similar to an incense in that they smell nice - but furthermore, they're actually disspelling negativity for you! Feel free to cleanse yourself, a room, and object - the possibilities are endless!

So let's get to it!

YOU WILL NEED:

• Freshly harvested Herbs
• String
• Book of Shadows

Firstly, As shown in my picture - you need to collect your materials... do your research and find out if they are toxic if burnt first though!! These are my bunches of Elf Leaf and dew of the Sea!

Next, you need to wrap a length of string around one end of the combined bunch - try to put all the woody ends together as it holds (and burns) better.

As I have in my picture, you need to wrap the string every-so-often along the bunch.

When you reach the end. Wrap it around again and finally tie it off at the bottom of the smudge stick!

See - I told you it was easy! Now all you need to do is hang it somewhere that isn't humid so that it can dry out - this can take anywhere from a few days to a week! Be careful to wrap the smudge stick tight enough to stop it from falling apart - but not so tight as it cuts the flesh of the herbs! Make sure that you record it all in your book of shadows so that you can look back for future use!

Also, When you light the smudge, the idea is to let it smoulder (it's the smoke that you want after all!) but it's probably better to use a candle to light it, as they can take a while!

So that's it for today! - Tomorrow I should (finally) receive my order, so no doubt there will be another post to look forward to! So until then.... Blessed Be, and Happy crafting!

ROSEMARY (DEW OF THE SEA)

• Magically, Dew of the Sea is used for Purification and Protection (see above!!)
• Spells dealing with Youth, Love, Lust, Sleep and to increase Intellect.
• Medicinally, Tea can be made from dry flowering tops to improve circulation and ais digestion - however caution **** - Rosemary can be toxic, so if taking it internally, always do so professionally!

Blessed Be

Moonshine Witch x

Healing Salves and Pansys!

Merry Meet All!

Ok, well let's kick this off on a good foot... The life of the witch made use of his kitchen today and made a healing potion for the skin, which I will talk you through in a moment, but first I thought I'd show you something that I found in my garden this morning.

This tiny little plant is a wild Pansy or Heartsease and whilst I was looking for potion ingredients in my garden this morning for my healing Salve he jumped out at me! Heartsease is a gorgeous little plant which is reasonably common in Britain, although they are so small that one can be forgiven for missing them!
There's a little information which can be given about them, and it seems only right that he should make it onto my blog, afterall, he has taken up residence in my lawn!

HEARTSEASE (Wild Pansy)

• Pagan's and Witches mainly celebrate this little plant at Midsummer (Litha)
• Magically, Heartsease has strong connections to the Heart, and thus, is used magically in spells and potions relating to the Heart (Heart-break?!), love and fertility!
• Medicinally, as a member of the Violet family, his leaves and flowers are good for Skin disorders, releving Cystitis, Acne, Chest problems inclucing coughs and enhancing the circulation!

It's a shame, because given that we are in September, he is a straggler because they finish flowering in August!

Anyway... back to my Healing Salves!

These are Incredibly easy to make, as long as you have an aim, and can research the appropriate herbs... feel free to adapt my potion for your own personal use! This (as an example) can be used to treat spots and Acne....

YOU WILL NEED:

1. Herbs - I Used Elf's Leaf (Lavender) and Priest's Crown (Dandelion Leaves)
2. Saucepan or Cauldron
3. Carrier Oil - I used Olive Oil
4. Strainer
5. Beeswax
6. Jars
7. Book of Shadows

OK... so First off, I chose both Elf's Leaf and Priest's Crown for their medicinal properties (See the end of today's post for a factfile of both herbs.

I decided to cast a circle to make my potion in, since I cast a spell into it, but that's your choice! 

Over a low heat put your herbs and oil into your cauldron or saucepan and stir occassionally. The idea is to extract the properties of the herbs out of them and into the oil so you don't want the oil to be too hot or you'll cook them! Since I used Elf's Leaf, you can get an idea of when this is finished because you will be able to smell it in the oil - but in my case, I infused for about an hour!

"Blemishes, Spots, Marks and Scars,
I Cast my Circle here today,
I Make this potion in Sacred Space,
to Banish you away.
Leaf of Elf and Crown of Priest,
all go into my brew;
Their magic secrets I unlock,
to cure my skin of you."


Once you are satisfied that the herbs have diffused into the oil, pour the contents of your cauldron into a strainer and remove the spent herbs - Usually when I use herbs, I return them to the Earth when I have finished but since these were covered in Oil, they were discarded! 

Next, I grated beeswax and added it to the oil - Then it just needs to cool in jars! to ensure that it is the consistency that you want it to be dip a metal spoon into the mix and let it cool - that way you can either add more wax to thicken or more oil if it is too runny, but essentially it is your choice! Finally, add your findings to your Book of Shadows!! Easy Peasy!

I'll leave you for today with the herb factfiles below but feel free to comment; in the meantime Blessed Be and be sure to check back for more in the life of a witch!

DANDELION (LION'S TOOTH / PRIEST'S CROWN)

• Dandelion can also be referred to as Lion's Tooth, for it's flowers - or Priests Crown in reference to it's leaves.
• Magically, The seeds of Lion's Tooth can be used for Divination (Ask and Blow!!!)
• It is a masculine herb that relates to Air and Jupiter.
• Medicinally, the sap can be applied to verrucas and warts and Priest's crown is good for the skin! It can also be used to aid digestion (eat the leaves in the Spring as an after-winter detox but beware, they are bitter!!)
• Try making Lion's Tooth Oil for muscle pains and to aid the sinuses, also, drink an infusion of Lion's tooth for Headache!

LAVENDER (ELF'S LEAF)

• Elf's Leaf are used in spells relating to Love (particularly in attracting men), Psychich awareness, happiness, Creativity, Money, Business, Peace and Healing!
• Burn Elf's Leaf at Litha as an offering to the gods.
• Elves are supposedly attracted to it!
• Medicinally, is good for the skin, anxiety, headaches, flatulence nausea, haltiosis, and may even prolong life!

The Diary of a Witch.

Merry Meet to All!

So here's the thing, I'm an eclectic Wiccan and I live in a small village in Southern England. I guess that I should start by explaining the reason for this blog. Well, living in the sticks is great and I am so in touch with the natural world, but the problem is that I have no-one that I can share my craft and findings with. You know... Share my experiences with!

So I guess that this is a good place to start!

Anyway, this could end up like an electronic version of my Book of Shadows but we'll see where it ends up! I'll be posting pictures and videos of my garden, rituals, crafts and ideas for us to share. Hopefully we can get some feedback and discussion going too! The idea is to help Neophyte witches as well as the experienced, as well as helping myself...

...Check back daily, as I update with new posts.... I look forward to tomorrow (and my diary's first post) and of course to meeting you all.

Blessed Be.