Merrie Meet one and all,
Today is the eve of Imbolc and I decided that today I would like to write a post concerning the casting of a circle, and so with an acknowledgment to About.com here is a guide to the process.
In Wicca and Paganism, one of the facets common to nearly all traditions is the use of a circle as a sacred space. While other religions rely on the use of a building such as a church or temple to hold worship, Wiccans and Pagans can cast a circle pretty much any place they choose. This is particularly handy on those pleasant summer evenings when you decide to hold ritual out in the back yard under a tree instead of in your living room!
1.Start by determining how big your space needs to be. A ceremonial circle is a place in which positive energy and power are kept in, and negative energy kept out. The size of your circle will depend on how many people need to be inside it, and what the circle’s purpose is. If you’re hosting a small coven meeting for a few people, a nine-foot-diameter circle is sufficient. On the other hand, if it’s Beltane and you’ve got four dozen Pagans preparing to do a Spiral Dance, you’ll need a space significantly larger. A solitary practitioner can work easily in a three- to five-foot circle.
2.Figure out where your Circle should be cast. In some traditions, a Circle is physically marked on the ground, while in others it is merely visualized by each member of the group. If you have an indoor ritual space, you can mark the Circle on the carpet. Do whichever your tradition calls for. Once the Circle is designated, it is usually navigated by the High Priest or High Priestess, holding an athame, a candle, or a censer.
3.Which direction will your circle face? The circle is almost always oriented to the four cardinal points, with a candle or other marker placed at the north, east, south and west and the altar in the center with all the necessary tools for the ritual. Before entering the circle, participants are purified as well.
4.How do you actually cast the circle? Methods of casting the circle vary from one tradition to another. In some forms of Wicca, the God and Goddess are called upon to share the ritual. In others, the Hight Priest (HP) or High Priestess (HPs) will begin at the north and call upon the deities of the tradition from each direction. Usually this invocation includes a mention of the aspects associated with that direction – emotion, intellect, strength, etc. A sample ritual for casting a circle might take place like this:
5.Mark the circle upon the floor or the ground. Place a candle in each of the four quarters – green to the North to represent Earth, yellow in the East to represent Air, red or orange symbolizing Fire in the South, and blue to the West in association with Water. All necessary magical tools should already be in place upon the altar in the center. Let’s assume that the group, called Three Circles Coven, is led by a High Priestess.
6.The HPs enters the circle from the east and announces, “Let it be known that the circle is about to be cast. All who enter the Circle may do so in perfect love and perfect trust.” Other members of the group may wait outside the circle until the casting is complete. The HPs moves clockwise around the circle, carrying a lit candle (if it’s more practical, use a lighter instead). At each of the four cardinal points, she calls upon the Deities of her tradition (some may refer to these as Watchtowers, or Guardians).
7.As she lights the candle in the East from the one she carries, the HPs says:
"Guardians of the East, I call upon you to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven. Powers of knowledge and wisdom, guided by Air, we ask that you keep watch over us tonight within this circle. Let all who enter the circle under your guidance
do so in perfect love and perfect trust".
8.The HPs moves to the South, and lights the red or orange candle, saying:
"Guardians of the South, I call upon you to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven. Powers of energy and will, guided by Fire, we ask that you keep watch over us tonight within this circle. Let all who enter the circle under your guidance
do so in perfect love and perfect trust".
9.Next, she circles around to the West, where she lights the blue candle and says:
"Guardians of the West, I call upon you to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven. Powers of passion and emotion, guided by Water, we ask that you keep watch over us tonight within this circle. Let all who enter the circle under your guidance do so in perfect love and perfect trust".
10.Finally, the HPs goes to the last candle in the North. When lighting it, she says:
"Guardians of the North, I call upon you to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven. Powers of endurance and strength, guided by Earth, we ask that you keep watch over us tonight within this circle. Let all who enter the circle under your guidance do so in perfect love and perfect trust".
11.At this point, the HPs will announce that the circle is cast, and other members of the group can ritually enter the circle. Each person approaches the HPs, who will ask:
"How do you enter the circle?"
Each individual will respond:
"In perfect love and perfect trust" or "In the light and love of the Goddess" or whatever response is appropriate to your tradition.
12.Once all members are present within the circle, the circle is closed. At no time during ritual should anyone exit the circle without performing a ceremonial “cutting.” To do this, hold your athame in your hand and make a cutting motion across the line of the circle, first to your right and then to your left. You are essentially creating a “door” in the circle, which you may now walk through. When you return to the circle, enter it in the same place you exited, and “close” the doorway by reconnecting the line of the circle with the athame.
13.When the ceremony or rite has ended, the circle is usually cleared in the same manner in which it was cast, only in this case the HPs will dismiss the deities or Guardians and thank them for watching over the coven. In some traditions, the temple is cleared simply by having all members raise their athames in salute, thanking the God or Goddess, and kissing the blades of the athame.
14.If the above method of casting a circle seems boring or dull to you, that’s okay. It’s a basic framework for ritual, and you can make yours as elaborate as you like. If you’re a very poetic person who likes lots of ceremony, feel free to use creative license – call upon “the weavers of the wind, the breezes that blow from the East, blessing us with wisdom and knowledge, so mote it be,” etc, etc. If your tradition associates various deities with the directions, call upon those Gods or Goddesses in the ways that they expect you to do so.
15.Just make sure that you don’t spend so much time casting the Circle that you don’t have any time left for the rest of your ceremony!
I appreciate that this is only one way to cast a circle, and that with a little adaptation it can be made completely personal and fitting to your own needs.
I hope that you found it useful and wish you everything that you would wish yourself
May the Goddess Bless and Protect you and yours
Blessed Be
Merlin
Monday, 1 February 2010
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Yuletide Musing 8th December 2009
Merrie Meet to one and all at this special time of year.
As is often my practice I have sought out input from varying sources for this Musing on the subject of Yule. What has resulted is something that I believe is a fairly comprehensive guide to the symbolism of this time of our year. I have drawn heavily from a web posting in 1997 by Akasha Ap Emrys on the topic and would like to publicly acknowledge this inspirational article.
Yule Lore (December 21st)
Yule, is the time of year when the dark half comes to an end and the light half begins. Every day, beginning with the next sunrise, the sun climbs a little higher and stays a little longer in the sky each day. Solstice Night, or the longest night of the year, is a night of much celebration. The long awaited rebirth of the Oak King, the Sun King, the Giver of Life who warms the frozen Earth and makes her bear forth from seeds protected through the fall and winter in her womb. Bonfires are lit in the fields, and crops and trees are "wassailed" with toasts of spiced cider.
In former times children were escorted from house to house with gifts of clove spiked apples and oranges laid in baskets of evergreen boughs and wheat stalks dusted with flour. The apples and oranges represented the sun, the boughs were symbolic of immortality, the wheat stalks portrayed the harvest, and the flour symbolised the accomplishment of triumph, light, and life.
Holly, mistletoe, and ivy not only decorates the outside, but also the inside of homes. It extends an invitation to Nature Sprites to join the celebration. A sprig of Holly can be kept near the door all year long as a constant invitation for good fortune to pay visit to the residents.
The ceremonial Yule log is the highlight of the festival. Traditionally, the log must either have been harvested from the householder's land, or given as a gift... it must never have been bought. Once brought into the house and placed in the fireplace it can be decorated in seasonal greenery, doused with cider or ale, and dusted with flour before set ablaze using a piece of last year's log, (kept for just this purpose). The log is allowed toburn throughout the night, then smolder for 12 days before being ceremonially put out. Ash is the traditional wood of the Yule log. It is the sacred world tree of the Teutons, known as Yggdrasil. Also known as an herb of the Sun, Ash brings light into the hearth at the Solstice.
A different type of Yule log, and perhaps one more suitable for modern practitioners would be the type that is used as a base to hold three candles. Find a smaller branch of oak or pine, and flatten one side so it sets upright. Taking great care (I still bear the scars from doing this – Merlin), drill three holes in the top side to hold candles of red, green, and white (season); green, gold, and black (the Sun God); or white, red, and black (the Great Goddess). Continue to decorate with greenery, red and gold bows, rosebuds, cloves, and dust with flour.
Deities of Yule:
Goddesses-Brighid, Isis, Demeter, Gaea, Diana, The Great Mother. Gods-Apollo, Ra, Odin, Lugh, The Oak King, The Horned One, The Green Man, The Divine Child, Mabon.
The Newborn Gods, Sun Gods, Mother Goddesses, and Triple Goddesses. The best known would be the Dagda, and Brighid, the daughter of the Dagda. Brighid taught the smiths the arts of fire tending and the secrets of metal work. Brighid's flame, like the flame of the new light, pierces the darkness of the spirit and mind, while the Dagda's cauldron assures that Nature will always provide for all the children.
Symbolism of Yule:
Rebirth of the Sun, The longest night of the year, The Winter Solstice, Introspect, Planning for the Future.
Symbols of Yule:
Yule log, or small Yule log with 3 candles, evergreen boughs or wreaths, holly, mistletoe hung in doorways, gold pillar candles, baskets of clove studded fruit, a simmering pot of wassail, poinsettias, christmas cactus.
Herbs of Yule:
Bayberry, blessed thistle, evergreen, frankincense holly, laurel, mistletoe, oak, pine, sage, yellow cedar.
Foods of Yule:
Cookies and caraway cakes soaked in cider, fruits, nuts, pork dishes, turkey, eggnog, ginger tea, spiced cider, wassail, or lamb's wool (ale, sugar, nutmeg, roasted apples).
Incense of Yule:
Pine, cedar, bayberry, cinnamon.
Colors of Yule:
Red, green, gold, white, silver, yellow, orange.
Stones of Yule:
Rubies, bloodstones, garnets, emeralds, diamonds.
Activities of Yule:
Caroling, wassailing the trees, burning the Yule log, decorating the Yule tree, exchanging of presents, kissing under the mistletoe, honoring Kriss Kringle the Germanic Pagan God of Yule
Spellworkings of Yule:
Peace, harmony, love, and increased happiness.
And so my dear friends, let me take this opportunity to wish you all a fantastic Yule, thank you for reading these pages and to wish you all the best things that life can give you.
May the Goddess protect and care for you throughout this and every season.
Love and light to all
Blessed Be
Merlin
As is often my practice I have sought out input from varying sources for this Musing on the subject of Yule. What has resulted is something that I believe is a fairly comprehensive guide to the symbolism of this time of our year. I have drawn heavily from a web posting in 1997 by Akasha Ap Emrys on the topic and would like to publicly acknowledge this inspirational article.
Yule Lore (December 21st)
Yule, is the time of year when the dark half comes to an end and the light half begins. Every day, beginning with the next sunrise, the sun climbs a little higher and stays a little longer in the sky each day. Solstice Night, or the longest night of the year, is a night of much celebration. The long awaited rebirth of the Oak King, the Sun King, the Giver of Life who warms the frozen Earth and makes her bear forth from seeds protected through the fall and winter in her womb. Bonfires are lit in the fields, and crops and trees are "wassailed" with toasts of spiced cider.
In former times children were escorted from house to house with gifts of clove spiked apples and oranges laid in baskets of evergreen boughs and wheat stalks dusted with flour. The apples and oranges represented the sun, the boughs were symbolic of immortality, the wheat stalks portrayed the harvest, and the flour symbolised the accomplishment of triumph, light, and life.
Holly, mistletoe, and ivy not only decorates the outside, but also the inside of homes. It extends an invitation to Nature Sprites to join the celebration. A sprig of Holly can be kept near the door all year long as a constant invitation for good fortune to pay visit to the residents.
The ceremonial Yule log is the highlight of the festival. Traditionally, the log must either have been harvested from the householder's land, or given as a gift... it must never have been bought. Once brought into the house and placed in the fireplace it can be decorated in seasonal greenery, doused with cider or ale, and dusted with flour before set ablaze using a piece of last year's log, (kept for just this purpose). The log is allowed toburn throughout the night, then smolder for 12 days before being ceremonially put out. Ash is the traditional wood of the Yule log. It is the sacred world tree of the Teutons, known as Yggdrasil. Also known as an herb of the Sun, Ash brings light into the hearth at the Solstice.
A different type of Yule log, and perhaps one more suitable for modern practitioners would be the type that is used as a base to hold three candles. Find a smaller branch of oak or pine, and flatten one side so it sets upright. Taking great care (I still bear the scars from doing this – Merlin), drill three holes in the top side to hold candles of red, green, and white (season); green, gold, and black (the Sun God); or white, red, and black (the Great Goddess). Continue to decorate with greenery, red and gold bows, rosebuds, cloves, and dust with flour.
Deities of Yule:
Goddesses-Brighid, Isis, Demeter, Gaea, Diana, The Great Mother. Gods-Apollo, Ra, Odin, Lugh, The Oak King, The Horned One, The Green Man, The Divine Child, Mabon.
The Newborn Gods, Sun Gods, Mother Goddesses, and Triple Goddesses. The best known would be the Dagda, and Brighid, the daughter of the Dagda. Brighid taught the smiths the arts of fire tending and the secrets of metal work. Brighid's flame, like the flame of the new light, pierces the darkness of the spirit and mind, while the Dagda's cauldron assures that Nature will always provide for all the children.
Symbolism of Yule:
Rebirth of the Sun, The longest night of the year, The Winter Solstice, Introspect, Planning for the Future.
Symbols of Yule:
Yule log, or small Yule log with 3 candles, evergreen boughs or wreaths, holly, mistletoe hung in doorways, gold pillar candles, baskets of clove studded fruit, a simmering pot of wassail, poinsettias, christmas cactus.
Herbs of Yule:
Bayberry, blessed thistle, evergreen, frankincense holly, laurel, mistletoe, oak, pine, sage, yellow cedar.
Foods of Yule:
Cookies and caraway cakes soaked in cider, fruits, nuts, pork dishes, turkey, eggnog, ginger tea, spiced cider, wassail, or lamb's wool (ale, sugar, nutmeg, roasted apples).
Incense of Yule:
Pine, cedar, bayberry, cinnamon.
Colors of Yule:
Red, green, gold, white, silver, yellow, orange.
Stones of Yule:
Rubies, bloodstones, garnets, emeralds, diamonds.
Activities of Yule:
Caroling, wassailing the trees, burning the Yule log, decorating the Yule tree, exchanging of presents, kissing under the mistletoe, honoring Kriss Kringle the Germanic Pagan God of Yule
Spellworkings of Yule:
Peace, harmony, love, and increased happiness.
And so my dear friends, let me take this opportunity to wish you all a fantastic Yule, thank you for reading these pages and to wish you all the best things that life can give you.
May the Goddess protect and care for you throughout this and every season.
Love and light to all
Blessed Be
Merlin
Friday, 27 November 2009
27th November Musing
Merrie Meet
Firstly I must apologise for the delayed posting but things in the world of Merlin have been pretty manic since the last time I added anything onto these pages but all is back under control again so off we jolly well go.
Obviously the next celebration in the Pagan year is Yule and so in a matter of days I will be updating this post again with some Yuletide notelets and some Yuletide cheer.
But, in the meantime please remember that whilst I may not be musing I am always thinking.
So until our next meeting, take good care of yourself and
Blessed Be.
Merlin xx
Firstly I must apologise for the delayed posting but things in the world of Merlin have been pretty manic since the last time I added anything onto these pages but all is back under control again so off we jolly well go.
Obviously the next celebration in the Pagan year is Yule and so in a matter of days I will be updating this post again with some Yuletide notelets and some Yuletide cheer.
But, in the meantime please remember that whilst I may not be musing I am always thinking.
So until our next meeting, take good care of yourself and
Blessed Be.
Merlin xx
Monday, 19 October 2009
Monday October 19th Musing on "Making A Broom"
Merrie Meet dear friends,
Today as we approach Samhain I thought it would be good to repost a topic that I found fairly recently online regarding the making of a Besom or Broom. I found it as a follow up to one of my latest visits to Glastonbury. During this visit one of my objectives was to purchase a ready made Besom - however, there were none to be had. I was begining to give up hope when I called into the Cat and the Cauldron and during my conversations there, I was aware of a voice saying "why not make your own?" I was a little taken aback by this because it was not even a remote possibility that I could make such an item, but given that this suggestion had been made I decided to go with it.
I returned to Moonshadow (the new house name) and set about the necessary research into the project. I found the following article as a result of this research and so am following this method to make my very own Besom
(reposted from the Briar-Rose website www.briar-rose.org)
"Step by Step Instructions for Making a Besom
Start with two handfuls of birch twigs at least three feet long. Possibly from a place that supplies them for wreath-making. Traditionally, you would grip them in the jaws of the vice on your broom horse, but if you don't have one I suggest 'gripping' them with 14-inch cable ties from your local computer store.
Place the cable ties on (one at the end, and one either side of where I'm going to bind with the willow withies, these can obtained online from a basket-weaving supply store. Soak the withies in a bucket of water for at least 48 hours.
If possible get the help of an assistant to hold the end of the withie tight while you wrap it around the birch. Do at least three full wraps, and make sure you catch the end you started with under at least one of the wraps.
When your three wraps (or more) are complete, take your bond poker and shove it under the wraps to create a channel through which you pass the end of the withie. Do this two or three times. The bond poker is - in this case - a piece of copper pipe, remove half of the pipe for a few inches, so it has a concave 'blade'. Traditionally it was made from the thigh-bone of a goose.
When wrap one is completed start wrap two. Rural tradition has two withie or wire wraps, but because this is for Cunning folk, do three!
Once again, using the bond poker, poke the end of the withie under the wrapped part, in order to create a knot. Pass the end under the wraps twice, then pass it through the first one that "wraps around the wraps" in order to create a sort of knot. Then pass it under the wraps once more so you can cut it off where it pokes out from underneath.
After cutting the excess from the last wrap, it is time to remove the cable ties and see if your workmanship holds true...
Now the fun part - trimming the top of the brush. Traditionally, a machete-type blade is used, or in some areas, an axe but power tools work just as well if used with extreme care and caution.
Having completed the broom head, take a nice piece of ash, ground to a point with a belt sander or more traditionally whittled with a knife, the narrower end is the one that you turn the point on.
Carefully place the point in the center of the nicely cut birch, and once you have, gently pushed the head on enough to hold its position, bang it down on the stick so the point is driven well into the head. You are aiming to have the ash pass through all three willow bindings.
If you kept everything nice and tight, the added tightness of inserting the stick will ensure the head stays on. If you are not sure, then before you attach the head, drill a hole in the stick so you can insert a wooden dowel or a horseshoe nail into it through the birch to make sure it stays put".
So, having identified what I had to do, I then set about sourcing the necessary item. The birch was difficult, no, nigh on impossible to find growing wild in the coastal regions where I live, so I had to buy from the local florist who told me when I placed the order that she had no idea how much it would cost but that it would not be expensive - when it arrived it was in bundles and the bundles were £12 each, so when I explained why I wanted these she heavily discounted the price and threw in 3m of gold ribbon and 3m of red ribbon all for £5
The next item I needed was the Willow - again not an easy item to obtain here, the florist could not get any so a little bit of ingenuity might be required here.
Now for the handle, well I could steal it from the Ash tree across from our house, but since I am not that way inclined I will leave that option alone, but I have had an offer from a colleague, he has said that he will check and if there is a long straight branch that is suitable on his Ash tree he will bring it to work for me. (I could go to the DIY store or hardware store and buy a proper broom handle but unless everything else fails I do not even consider that an option)
So once I have the Ash handle the working will begin........
I hope that your preparations for Samhain go well and until the next time we meet I will wish you
Love, Light and Blessed Be
Merlin
Today as we approach Samhain I thought it would be good to repost a topic that I found fairly recently online regarding the making of a Besom or Broom. I found it as a follow up to one of my latest visits to Glastonbury. During this visit one of my objectives was to purchase a ready made Besom - however, there were none to be had. I was begining to give up hope when I called into the Cat and the Cauldron and during my conversations there, I was aware of a voice saying "why not make your own?" I was a little taken aback by this because it was not even a remote possibility that I could make such an item, but given that this suggestion had been made I decided to go with it.
I returned to Moonshadow (the new house name) and set about the necessary research into the project. I found the following article as a result of this research and so am following this method to make my very own Besom
(reposted from the Briar-Rose website www.briar-rose.org)
"Step by Step Instructions for Making a Besom
Start with two handfuls of birch twigs at least three feet long. Possibly from a place that supplies them for wreath-making. Traditionally, you would grip them in the jaws of the vice on your broom horse, but if you don't have one I suggest 'gripping' them with 14-inch cable ties from your local computer store.
Place the cable ties on (one at the end, and one either side of where I'm going to bind with the willow withies, these can obtained online from a basket-weaving supply store. Soak the withies in a bucket of water for at least 48 hours.
If possible get the help of an assistant to hold the end of the withie tight while you wrap it around the birch. Do at least three full wraps, and make sure you catch the end you started with under at least one of the wraps.
When your three wraps (or more) are complete, take your bond poker and shove it under the wraps to create a channel through which you pass the end of the withie. Do this two or three times. The bond poker is - in this case - a piece of copper pipe, remove half of the pipe for a few inches, so it has a concave 'blade'. Traditionally it was made from the thigh-bone of a goose.
When wrap one is completed start wrap two. Rural tradition has two withie or wire wraps, but because this is for Cunning folk, do three!
Once again, using the bond poker, poke the end of the withie under the wrapped part, in order to create a knot. Pass the end under the wraps twice, then pass it through the first one that "wraps around the wraps" in order to create a sort of knot. Then pass it under the wraps once more so you can cut it off where it pokes out from underneath.
After cutting the excess from the last wrap, it is time to remove the cable ties and see if your workmanship holds true...
Now the fun part - trimming the top of the brush. Traditionally, a machete-type blade is used, or in some areas, an axe but power tools work just as well if used with extreme care and caution.
Having completed the broom head, take a nice piece of ash, ground to a point with a belt sander or more traditionally whittled with a knife, the narrower end is the one that you turn the point on.
Carefully place the point in the center of the nicely cut birch, and once you have, gently pushed the head on enough to hold its position, bang it down on the stick so the point is driven well into the head. You are aiming to have the ash pass through all three willow bindings.
If you kept everything nice and tight, the added tightness of inserting the stick will ensure the head stays on. If you are not sure, then before you attach the head, drill a hole in the stick so you can insert a wooden dowel or a horseshoe nail into it through the birch to make sure it stays put".
So, having identified what I had to do, I then set about sourcing the necessary item. The birch was difficult, no, nigh on impossible to find growing wild in the coastal regions where I live, so I had to buy from the local florist who told me when I placed the order that she had no idea how much it would cost but that it would not be expensive - when it arrived it was in bundles and the bundles were £12 each, so when I explained why I wanted these she heavily discounted the price and threw in 3m of gold ribbon and 3m of red ribbon all for £5
The next item I needed was the Willow - again not an easy item to obtain here, the florist could not get any so a little bit of ingenuity might be required here.
Now for the handle, well I could steal it from the Ash tree across from our house, but since I am not that way inclined I will leave that option alone, but I have had an offer from a colleague, he has said that he will check and if there is a long straight branch that is suitable on his Ash tree he will bring it to work for me. (I could go to the DIY store or hardware store and buy a proper broom handle but unless everything else fails I do not even consider that an option)
So once I have the Ash handle the working will begin........
I hope that your preparations for Samhain go well and until the next time we meet I will wish you
Love, Light and Blessed Be
Merlin
Monday, 12 October 2009
Musing 12th October 2009 concerning Samhain.
SAMHAIN
Samhain is one of the most powerful of the Pagan Sabbats. It is the Witches' New Year. The turning of the wheel is most celebrated at this time.
Summer, with its related growing season is truly gone by Samhain. The long nights of Winter are just around the corner. We realize that the Sun God is dying and that the days are getting shorter. During this time of the year, the Crone aspect of the Goddess is the dominating figure. We welcome and honour Her as being such.
Common practices include looking back upon the last year, and rituals to help to promote a happy and healthy New Year. We also recognize this as the Last Harvest of the last growing season. The harvest can be of prosperity, health, love, and other bounty.
We find that the veil is thinnest between the worlds at this time. We often set plates of food on the table for our friends and relatives that have passed on. This is done to honour them and to promote the belief that no one or no thing should be left out of the bounty from the past year. Many people believe that this is where 'trick or treating' originated from.
You will find that because the veil is thinnest, divination can be very powerful at this time. Deceased ancestors and other spirits are easiest to contact. Rituals to honour the dead are performed on Samhain night, and divination is at its high point. Scrying into a fire, a glass, or a dark bowl is a popular method of contacting the dead on this night, and guided meditation for the purpose of past-life regression is most successful on this night as well.
Spirits will help you in divination, and you may also wish to contact the recently departed to strengthen your karmic ties with them if you wish to help ensure that you will be together again.
It is an Irish custom to place black candles in the windows for protection against evil spirits and to leave plates of food out for the spirits who will come and visit you on this night.
The Crone is called upon during this night, the dying God is mourned, and we reaffirm our beliefs in the oneness of all and in the knowledge that physical death is not the end.
Other names for this Sabbat include Halloween, Shadowfest (Strega), Martinmas or Old Hallowmas (Scottish/Celtic). Samhain is the Celtic name for this Sabbat.
Many covens and circles celebrate this most sacred of pagan holidays as groups, often opening their circles to non-initiates and others who wish to participate. I find myself preferring a solitary ritual, perhaps with some socializing earlier or later in the evening. For me, much of the meaning of Samhain suggests such a practice, though traditionally it is a communal celebration.
Samhain is pronounced as sow-in (in Ireland), sow-een (in Wales), and sav-en (in Scotland). It marks the end of the harvest, the end of the year, and the death of the god. Self-reflection becomes not simply a custom, but a necessity. One cannot (or at least should not) allow the Wheel of the Year to turn without some kind of examination of what has occurred. How have I spent the last year? Did I grow or remain stagnant? Did I live according to the values I claim to embrace? These are questions which must be addressed in solitude and solemnity.
Just as Samhain ends the old year, it must begin the new, though many witches do not celebrate the New Year until Yule. Reflection should continue during this dark time, but reflection should be accompanied by a growing sense of the changes to be made and the light to be sought.
The Goddess tells us: "And you who seek to know Me, know that your seeking and yearning will avail you not, unless you know the Mystery: for if that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without." We must look inside ourselves for self-knowledge and for the spirit that will sustain us in life's trials. Silence is one of the keys to seeking truth, for we cannot hear the answers in the midst of this noisy world in which we walk everyday, nor in the noise of holiday celebrations however joyous.
Samhain is also said to be the time when the veil between the living and te dead is thinnest, allowing us some communication with those who have departed. How befitting this is for such a time of endings and beginnings. Reflections on death can be as instructive as the self-examinations just mentioned. When we think of those who have died, it reminds us of time passing by and of things we could have or should have done. These reminders, coupled with our lists of past and future actions, encourage us to take our New Year's resolutions far more seriously. We know our time is limited, and most of us have much to do in our allotted time. Most of us have to make a living somehow, but death reminds us that we had better spend some of that time in pursuit of our other dreams lest they be lost in the struggle merely to survive.
Colors:
Orange, Gold, Silver, Black
Herbs:
Rosemary, Acorns
Crystals:
Obsidian, Smokey Quartz, Jet, Amber, Pyrite, Garnet, Quartz, Sandstone, Hematite
Food:
Pork, Rosemary, Pumpkin, Apple, Turnip, Nuts
Blessed Be!
Samhain is one of the most powerful of the Pagan Sabbats. It is the Witches' New Year. The turning of the wheel is most celebrated at this time.
Summer, with its related growing season is truly gone by Samhain. The long nights of Winter are just around the corner. We realize that the Sun God is dying and that the days are getting shorter. During this time of the year, the Crone aspect of the Goddess is the dominating figure. We welcome and honour Her as being such.
Common practices include looking back upon the last year, and rituals to help to promote a happy and healthy New Year. We also recognize this as the Last Harvest of the last growing season. The harvest can be of prosperity, health, love, and other bounty.
We find that the veil is thinnest between the worlds at this time. We often set plates of food on the table for our friends and relatives that have passed on. This is done to honour them and to promote the belief that no one or no thing should be left out of the bounty from the past year. Many people believe that this is where 'trick or treating' originated from.
You will find that because the veil is thinnest, divination can be very powerful at this time. Deceased ancestors and other spirits are easiest to contact. Rituals to honour the dead are performed on Samhain night, and divination is at its high point. Scrying into a fire, a glass, or a dark bowl is a popular method of contacting the dead on this night, and guided meditation for the purpose of past-life regression is most successful on this night as well.
Spirits will help you in divination, and you may also wish to contact the recently departed to strengthen your karmic ties with them if you wish to help ensure that you will be together again.
It is an Irish custom to place black candles in the windows for protection against evil spirits and to leave plates of food out for the spirits who will come and visit you on this night.
The Crone is called upon during this night, the dying God is mourned, and we reaffirm our beliefs in the oneness of all and in the knowledge that physical death is not the end.
Other names for this Sabbat include Halloween, Shadowfest (Strega), Martinmas or Old Hallowmas (Scottish/Celtic). Samhain is the Celtic name for this Sabbat.
Many covens and circles celebrate this most sacred of pagan holidays as groups, often opening their circles to non-initiates and others who wish to participate. I find myself preferring a solitary ritual, perhaps with some socializing earlier or later in the evening. For me, much of the meaning of Samhain suggests such a practice, though traditionally it is a communal celebration.
Samhain is pronounced as sow-in (in Ireland), sow-een (in Wales), and sav-en (in Scotland). It marks the end of the harvest, the end of the year, and the death of the god. Self-reflection becomes not simply a custom, but a necessity. One cannot (or at least should not) allow the Wheel of the Year to turn without some kind of examination of what has occurred. How have I spent the last year? Did I grow or remain stagnant? Did I live according to the values I claim to embrace? These are questions which must be addressed in solitude and solemnity.
Just as Samhain ends the old year, it must begin the new, though many witches do not celebrate the New Year until Yule. Reflection should continue during this dark time, but reflection should be accompanied by a growing sense of the changes to be made and the light to be sought.
The Goddess tells us: "And you who seek to know Me, know that your seeking and yearning will avail you not, unless you know the Mystery: for if that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without." We must look inside ourselves for self-knowledge and for the spirit that will sustain us in life's trials. Silence is one of the keys to seeking truth, for we cannot hear the answers in the midst of this noisy world in which we walk everyday, nor in the noise of holiday celebrations however joyous.
Samhain is also said to be the time when the veil between the living and te dead is thinnest, allowing us some communication with those who have departed. How befitting this is for such a time of endings and beginnings. Reflections on death can be as instructive as the self-examinations just mentioned. When we think of those who have died, it reminds us of time passing by and of things we could have or should have done. These reminders, coupled with our lists of past and future actions, encourage us to take our New Year's resolutions far more seriously. We know our time is limited, and most of us have much to do in our allotted time. Most of us have to make a living somehow, but death reminds us that we had better spend some of that time in pursuit of our other dreams lest they be lost in the struggle merely to survive.
Colors:
Orange, Gold, Silver, Black
Herbs:
Rosemary, Acorns
Crystals:
Obsidian, Smokey Quartz, Jet, Amber, Pyrite, Garnet, Quartz, Sandstone, Hematite
Food:
Pork, Rosemary, Pumpkin, Apple, Turnip, Nuts
Blessed Be!
Friday, 25 September 2009
Pause For Thought, 25th September 2009
Merrie Meet
Whilst trawling through the pages of the website I walked into this short posting by Summerfey and it struck a chord, because I have been asked this question many times "Are Wiccan and Witch not the same?" Summerfey answers that point very eloquently in her short description - which is quoted here
You can be both a Wiccan and a Witch, these two words are not the same.
One of the biggest sore points among Wiccans is the improper usage of the terms "Wiccan" and "Witch". Too many people use the terms interchangeably, presuming that they both mean the same thing. They do not.
Wiccan
Wicca is a religion, and someone who follows that religion is called a Wiccan. Sometimes it can be difficult to accurately define Wicca, and not all Wiccans will define themselves the same way. Observing the 8 Wiccan Sabbats, honoring the Gods and/or Goddesses, creating sacred space for rituals, to name a few. Many traditional Wiccans also feel that belonging to a coven is also a requirement and that those who practice their religion as a solitary, should not refer to themselves as Wiccan. Personally, I'm still not sure on that point. Typical Wiccans also practice magick, and therefore are also witches. You cannot be a "natural Wiccan" any more than you could be a "natural Christian".
Witch
The practice of witchcraft is not associated with any religion; therefore you can be a witch and yet also be a member of any number of religions (or none). Using the natural energies within yourself, along with the energies of herbs, stones or other elements to make changes around you is considered witchcraft. Though the skills and gifts that are part of witchcraft can be inherited from parents or grandparents, you aren't automatically a witch just because your grandmother may have been one. The use of magick takes practice, experience and learning. On a side note, a male witch is called a witch, not a warlock
.
Pagan
While I'm explaining terminology, I thought I would throw in "Pagan" as well. Paganism refers to a variety of non-Christian/Jewish/ Islamic religions that are usually polytheistic and are often nature-based. Wicca is only one Pagan religion, but there are others such as Santeria, Asatru, or Shamanism. Many people do not necessarily identify with a specific religion, and just use the broad term "Pagan" to define their spiritual path. Pagan religions are distinct and separate from each other, and it should not be assumed that they are just different names for the same faith.
I hope that this proves useful
Until the next time
Love and Light to all and
Blessed Be
Merlin
Whilst trawling through the pages of the website I walked into this short posting by Summerfey and it struck a chord, because I have been asked this question many times "Are Wiccan and Witch not the same?" Summerfey answers that point very eloquently in her short description - which is quoted here
You can be both a Wiccan and a Witch, these two words are not the same.
One of the biggest sore points among Wiccans is the improper usage of the terms "Wiccan" and "Witch". Too many people use the terms interchangeably, presuming that they both mean the same thing. They do not.
Wiccan
Wicca is a religion, and someone who follows that religion is called a Wiccan. Sometimes it can be difficult to accurately define Wicca, and not all Wiccans will define themselves the same way. Observing the 8 Wiccan Sabbats, honoring the Gods and/or Goddesses, creating sacred space for rituals, to name a few. Many traditional Wiccans also feel that belonging to a coven is also a requirement and that those who practice their religion as a solitary, should not refer to themselves as Wiccan. Personally, I'm still not sure on that point. Typical Wiccans also practice magick, and therefore are also witches. You cannot be a "natural Wiccan" any more than you could be a "natural Christian".
Witch
The practice of witchcraft is not associated with any religion; therefore you can be a witch and yet also be a member of any number of religions (or none). Using the natural energies within yourself, along with the energies of herbs, stones or other elements to make changes around you is considered witchcraft. Though the skills and gifts that are part of witchcraft can be inherited from parents or grandparents, you aren't automatically a witch just because your grandmother may have been one. The use of magick takes practice, experience and learning. On a side note, a male witch is called a witch, not a warlock
.
Pagan
While I'm explaining terminology, I thought I would throw in "Pagan" as well. Paganism refers to a variety of non-Christian/Jewish/ Islamic religions that are usually polytheistic and are often nature-based. Wicca is only one Pagan religion, but there are others such as Santeria, Asatru, or Shamanism. Many people do not necessarily identify with a specific religion, and just use the broad term "Pagan" to define their spiritual path. Pagan religions are distinct and separate from each other, and it should not be assumed that they are just different names for the same faith.
I hope that this proves useful
Until the next time
Love and Light to all and
Blessed Be
Merlin
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
22nd September Musing
Merrie Meet, good friends
Today is the day I am choosing to celebrate Mabon (the Autumn Equinox), the time when day and night are split into equal parts. Lady Moon moves from her third quarter, in Gemini, into her fourth quarter in Cancer. It is a time of balance and equilibrium and the festival is all about abundance, a key part of which is sharing. The giving and accepting of abundance promotes even more abundance for both giver and receiver.
Warm coloured clothing is favourite, red, orange,maroon, deep gold, russet, brown and dark violet and these colours can also be echoed in table decorations along with seasonal items such as pine cones, apples, horns of plenty. It is also a nice touch to place a set of balance scales filled with wild acorns, grapes and autumnal leaves asa a centrepiece.
The time of year can also be reflected in your choice of menu - nuts, onions, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, berries, apples, garlic, cider, fruit wine, bread, roast beef, chicken and cheese are all symbolic of the season.
The festival is sacred to Ceridwen, a Goddess of Autumn and in Druidic terms honour is placed upon the Green Man. One can offer gifts of blessed water or wine to a favourite tree, and of course not forget the nature fairies and others by leaving them a thimble filled with wine and some berries or nuts.
Together with thoughts of balance, this time is great for starting a winter project and traditionally this would be considered the time to begin making quilts. It is an ideal time to give thanks for friends and family, the food on the table, the clothes that we wear, the work we perform and the goodness in our lives - but it is a good idea to be specific in naming these thoughts.
On an entirely different subject, over the past 2 days I have been reading JK Rowling's "Tales of Beedle the Bard" and the first two tales - "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot" and the "Fountain of Fair Fortune" both carry terrific messages underneath what are very pleasant short stories. Unfortunately because of copyright issues I am unable to reproduce these tales on this page, but I would certainly recommend to anyone who reads my Musings to invest in a copy and retell these tales to their young and not so young, and furthermore take particular note themselves to see if they are applying the lessons in their own lives.
So I will now take my leave, wish you a fantastic Mabon, and ask that the Goddess hold you in her care until we meet again.
Love, Light and Blessed Be
Merlin
Today is the day I am choosing to celebrate Mabon (the Autumn Equinox), the time when day and night are split into equal parts. Lady Moon moves from her third quarter, in Gemini, into her fourth quarter in Cancer. It is a time of balance and equilibrium and the festival is all about abundance, a key part of which is sharing. The giving and accepting of abundance promotes even more abundance for both giver and receiver.
Warm coloured clothing is favourite, red, orange,maroon, deep gold, russet, brown and dark violet and these colours can also be echoed in table decorations along with seasonal items such as pine cones, apples, horns of plenty. It is also a nice touch to place a set of balance scales filled with wild acorns, grapes and autumnal leaves asa a centrepiece.
The time of year can also be reflected in your choice of menu - nuts, onions, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, berries, apples, garlic, cider, fruit wine, bread, roast beef, chicken and cheese are all symbolic of the season.
The festival is sacred to Ceridwen, a Goddess of Autumn and in Druidic terms honour is placed upon the Green Man. One can offer gifts of blessed water or wine to a favourite tree, and of course not forget the nature fairies and others by leaving them a thimble filled with wine and some berries or nuts.
Together with thoughts of balance, this time is great for starting a winter project and traditionally this would be considered the time to begin making quilts. It is an ideal time to give thanks for friends and family, the food on the table, the clothes that we wear, the work we perform and the goodness in our lives - but it is a good idea to be specific in naming these thoughts.
On an entirely different subject, over the past 2 days I have been reading JK Rowling's "Tales of Beedle the Bard" and the first two tales - "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot" and the "Fountain of Fair Fortune" both carry terrific messages underneath what are very pleasant short stories. Unfortunately because of copyright issues I am unable to reproduce these tales on this page, but I would certainly recommend to anyone who reads my Musings to invest in a copy and retell these tales to their young and not so young, and furthermore take particular note themselves to see if they are applying the lessons in their own lives.
So I will now take my leave, wish you a fantastic Mabon, and ask that the Goddess hold you in her care until we meet again.
Love, Light and Blessed Be
Merlin
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