If you have been having trouble communicating with someone, set out a blue cloth or paper with a spiral drawn on it. Hold a large piece of blue tiger’s-eye in your hands, thinking of clearing away all the communication difficulties. Then, coax your playful cat to come over and visit. Roll the stone on the cloth, bat it back and forth with the cat, playing until the cat gets tired and walks away. Leave the stone on your altar most of the time, but keep it with you when you interact with the person. Once the situation is resolved, cleanse the stone and put it away.

Retrieved from http://www.workingwitch.com/spells/animal2.html

Items Needed:

Take all the materials outside to the garden. Mix the milk and honey together and pour it into a container. Place the branch in the container and set it aside.

Poke a stake in the ground at the beginning and end of each row, then sow the seeds and/or set the plants. Tie a ribbon bow around each stake, saying to the seeds & the plants in that row:

Pick up the container and using the branch, asperge the garden with milk and honey. Consecrate it saying:

Water the garden thoroughly and tend to its need each day.

By: Dorothy Morrison
Retrieved from www.freespellsonline.com

To ensure safety before taking a long trip, get out a map of the area through which you are going to be traveling. Cast a circle, and then, using a green pen, trace the route you’re going to take. After you have done so, take a piece of white chalk and lightly color over the entire itinerary with a thin layer, visualizing the white chalk as a glowing light of protection along the route and say:

“Guard and Guide our trip, and all who venture on this road. See us safely to our destination, see us safely home. Blessed be.”

Visualize your self arriving safely. Fold the map, with the crystals inside, and tie it with a white ribbon. Keep it in your alter or in a safe place until you return.

Author not listed
Retrieved from http://www.everythingunderthemoon.net/spells/travel-protection-spell.htm

An Encouraging Spell

Everyone knows about binding spells, but most often they are used to control a negative aspect. This spell is a form of a binding spell, but is used to preserve good feelings.

If you have found a job you love, and are happy with the way things are going, take something that represents your work and place it in an ice cube tray. Add water and put it in the freezer. Call on the goddess Brigit and say:

“Mother of industry, hear my plea: May my work continue and be pleasing to me. May my labor find favor and bring wealth to me.”

Written by Paniteowl (Taken from Llewellyn’s 2007 Witches’ Spell-a-Day Almanac - November 19th)

Self Esteem Spell

Items Needed:

• 1 purple spell candle
• 1 white spell candle
• White muslin cloth (about 4″ by 4″)
• Purple or white embroidery floss
• 1 piece of paper
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 drops lavender oil
• Writing utensil

Steps:

Write down at least ten things you like about yourself.

Light the candles, saying:

“I am loved by the Lord and Lady. I am an important part of this universe.”

Place 2 drops of lavender oil on your list, saying:

“I am a wonderful person with an important place in life.”

Read your list outloud.

Fold your list with the bay leaves inside, saying:

“I am blessed with many gifts. I have much to offer.”

Think about what a wonderful person you are while the candles burn down.

When the candles are gone, place the candle wax and your list on the muslin cloth.

Fold the corners of the muslin cloth together and tie with the embroidery floss.

Keep your charm for one month

Everyday for the next month spend a few minutes reflecting on your wonderful qualities.

Written by Lady Morgana Sisco
]]> http://savanah.touchofenchantment.com/blog/2008/10/31/self-esteem-spell/feed/ http://savanah.touchofenchantment.com/blog/2008/10/03/a-samhain-candle-spell/ http://savanah.touchofenchantment.com/blog/2008/10/03/a-samhain-candle-spell/#comments Fri, 03 Oct 2008 08:54:53 +0000 Savanah http://savanah.touchofenchantment.com/blog/?p=12 A Samhain Candle Spell
By LadyHawke, The Mythmaker

Items Needed:

One pillar candle in pumpkin, orange, or black.
Very Finely grated apple peel
Three or four vibrant colored fallen leaves
A Block of Paraffin wax
A heavy, thick nail
An empty coffee can
A Poem, verse or prayer to the Dark Goddess, as an offering from your to Her.

1. Cleanse and purify all ingredients in whatever manner works for you.

2.  Wearing a heavy glove, heat the nail by holding it over a flame for a minute or so.  It doesn’t need to be red-hot, just nicely warm.

3.  Using the hot nail, make nine deep holes in the pillar candle. (Top to bottom)  Reheat the nail as needed.  Nine is the number of the final harvest, just prior to completion and manifestation.  It is also “the power of three times three,” three being the number sacred to the Dark Goddess.

4.  Next melt a block of the paraffin wax in the coffee can.

5.  As it melts sprinkle some of the grated apple peel into it.  You can also add any other ingredients that appeal to you and be in keeping with your goal. Dragon’s blood oil, cinnamon, patchouli, graveyard dust

6.  Pour the melted paraffin into the holes you made in the candle, filling them.

7.  Next melt the second block of paraffin wax in the coffee can.

8.  Carefully dip one of the fallen leaves into the paraffin, and quickly lay the wet leaf on one side of the candle, smoothing it on.  The hot wax should help seal it in place.  If it doesn’t, use a small paintbrush to paint the leaf onto the candle with more hot melted wax.

9.  Repeat this process with all the leaves until your candle is covered.

10.  Allow the candle to dry and cool.

11.  Take the candle to a crossroads at midnight on Halloween (October 31^st) or on the actual Samhain cross-quarter date, November 7^th.  Alternately, choose the darkest moment of a dark moon, preferably in Scorpio on a Saturday. Just such a date arrives on the Saturday before Halloween.  The moon is in Gemini all night, goes void of course at 3:31 am, and enters Scorpio at 5:08 a.m.  The new moon begins at 7:50 a.m.  So if you choose this date, do your work between 5 and 7 a.m., and focus on doing it in the darkness, before sunrise.

12. Sitting as near as you can safely sit at the juncture of the crossroads (off the pavement of course) hold the candle in your hands.  Channel the energy of the Dark Goddess, of the final harvest, of the changing seasons, into the candle as you say:

“I dedicate this candle to the Crone, the Hag, the Witch
Because she is a part of me.
A part I do not fear.
A part I honor.
She is Wisdom.  Knowledge.  Experience.
She is Patience.  Peace.  Tranquility.
She is Power.  Strength.  Courage.
She is, I am.
She is, I am.
She is, I am.
I charge this candle by the powers of the Dark Goddess.
Whenever I light it, I invoke Your energies into me.
I get in touch with my inner crone.
So mote it be.”

13.  Light the candle, and recite the poem or verse you have written in Her honor.  Spend a few moments there, embracing the energy of Samhain.

14. Take the candle home, wrap it in a soft dark colored cloth, and keep it out of the light.

15. You will use this candle whenever you feel the need to get in touch with the energies of the Crone, or the Dark Goddess.  When you’re dealing with a death, or helping others to deal with it. When you’re trying to ease the way for someone who is suffering.  When you need the wisdom of experience. When you need to banish something negative from your life.  When you need to sharpen your powers of divination.  When you seek the final harvest.  Light the candle, recite the verse, and experience the energy.

Reprinted with permission. Retrieved from http://maggieshayne.com/wicca.html#Spell%20of%20the%20Month (This url is updated with new information each month)

I know that WI and IL are not doing much better. We have hundreds of farm acres under water and thousands of people are being asked to leave their homes with no idea on when they can return. Many of these people don’t have anywhere to go.

So, here’s my request. Please think about the Midwest. Send your thoughts,energy, prayers to those in need and to those working so hard to help. With so many of our troops overseas, we are very short on available hands right now. If you work spells, now would be a good time to ask for the rain to quit until we are able to handle it.

Thank you & bright blessings,
Savanah Fahrney-Day

I like to keep several books for organization purposes. I try to start a new set of books each year, as I grow and change. Since I am a Sacred Sisco Tradition (SST) Witch, my year starts at Yule instead of Samhain or January 1st. At the beginning of each book I have a blessing written specifically for that book. I also end each book with a closing. I write a little about what I learned (related to that particular book) during the year and where I would like to be next year. By breaking this down into several different books, I realize I learned a lot more than I would have thought and that I am able to verbalize what I wanted better than when I only kept one book.

I have a book for prayers, chants, songs, and morals. I always include my personal morals and values in this book. This changes slightly each year as I learn and grow. It also seems to take up more room each room. I write down my goals for the year here, allowing space to remark as I complete or revise them throughout the year. If I don’t meet a goal, I note that at the end of the year. This allows me to either revise it or come up with a new plan to complete it. I like to review my long-term goals on a monthly basis and my short-term more frequently. I also include the standards (Wiccan Rede, Witches Creed, 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief, 13 Goals of a Witch, etc) in this same book.

A meditation/visualization journal split into two sections allows one to record any exercises that are interesting as well as have a section for journaling meditation experiences. A separate dream journal works well, as long as you leave space to go back to a certain dream. It is not uncommon to suddenly remember something about a dream or realize what it meant days, weeks, or even months late when you are consistently recording your dreams. Depending on where you feel the most drawn, you may have one book on healing therapies or a book on psychic development. Some choose to keep these together, while others have a separate book for each healing modality and psychic ability. Make sure you allow yourself plenty of room to write and stay organized.

Deity information can be kept with Sabbat & Esbat information or you may choose to keep two separate books. I have four books on deity information alone (Greek/Roman, Celtic, Native American, and Misc.) My Holy Days book contains information on the Sabbats & Esbats, as well as other holidays celebrated in the SST. It includes the dates and meanings as well as my ideas on how to celebrate each one, how I celebrated it, and ideas for next year.

I have two books that I do not update every year. The first includes basic information, such as magickal symbols, magickal alphabets, basic correspondence charts (herbs, crystals, days, months, colors, moon phases, etc), and information on the properties of my tools. I have left space in each section, so I can add to it. Each new tool I receive, purchase, or make is listed (sometimes with a picture if I am proud of my craftsmanship), along with a complete description of it. I like to list what it is made of, how it was made (if I know), who it came from, etc.

The second is basically a book of contacts and websites. It contains the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all my magickal friends as well as notes about them (birthdays, family members, how we met, lodging space available for visiting, if they can stay here – space-wise & personality-wise). I also use this book to keep track of websites that I love, what I love about them, products/services they offer. If my computer ever crashes again, I won’t have to try to remember all those sites saved in my favorites folder. Another thing I use this book for is courses/workshops. Every course/workshop I take is recorded in here (whether it is online or in person). Contact information, course notes, costs, and other courses offered is all listed. It can be time consuming, but I feel it is well worth it. I also list all of my students (by magickal name) as they complete my courses. On those blue days (where you can’t help but think of “everybody hates, guess I’ll go eat worms”), I use this section to cheer me up. It reminds me that even though I don’t get paid a lot, I still receive some wonderful rewards.

The last book I have is for spell, incantations, herbal remedies, and rituals. I keep everything organized by type, then purpose so I can find it quickly. If I’m looking for a spell for prosperity, I flip to spells, then to prosperity and can find what I want without going through the whole book. I’ve heard that you should only record spells that you have done, but I don’t feel that is necessary. If you leave plenty of space to note if/when you used it, how it felt, and the end results, you can keep all of your spells & rituals together without having a separate book or file that can get forgotten about.

Most people understand what Easter stands for, although it’s easy to get distracted in today’s materialistic society. Ostara is a Pagan/Wiccan holiday that celebrates the first day of spring.  Ostara is also my wedding anniversary, so this is a very happy time of year for me. Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, while Ostara looks forward to warmer weather (especially for those of us with snow & freezing temperatures) and the new planting season. We have been able to successfully meld these two holidays into one big celebration in our family, without anyone feeling left out or offended.

Unfortunately, I had a small accident (I fell halfway down my staircase) and was unable to move without pain. My oldest son (2 1/2) was in my arms when I fell, but, luckily, was not hurt. I immediately started doing Reiki on myself. As soon as I was able , I called over to my parents’ house and they all started working on me. My oldest son put his hands on my ankle and started praying (isn’t he cute?) for “Mama’s owwie gone”. Then, he “threw” it away.  With everyone working together, I was able to move around with minimal pain.

After we arrived at my parents’ house, I used the Chi machine. For those of you that have never hear of a Chi machine, it is a wonderful device that you place your ankles on. When you turn it on, it starts a gentle side-to-side motion that helps realign the body. This allows your energy (Chi) to flow freely and speeds healing. After about five minutes with the chi machine and all the Reiki energy I’ve received, I’m feeling great. I have a slight headache (but that may be the puppy barking and kids hollering).

Now, we’ve had an egg hunt, ate a wonderful stew, and ate homemade ice cream/custard. On the 20th, I spent some time meditating and praying. I think celebrating a holiday with family is the greatest ritual/blessing we could ask for.

Savanah

There are literally dozens of different ways to breathe. Some people breathe in their noses & out of their mouths. Some people only breathe through their noses; some only breathe through their mouths. There is belly (diaphragm) breathing, shallow breathing, deep breathing, and more.

In this course, I will refer to three types of breathing: conscious, counted, and unconscious. During normal day-to-day activities, most people are breathing unconsciously. Unconscious breathing occurs when you are not thinking about your breathing. It is the most common type of breathing.

Conscious breathing is a type of breathing during meditation. Conscious breathing occurs when you are concentrating on your breathing and only on your breathing. You may be thinking about how you inhale, where you are breathing from, how you exhale, if you hold your breath, and more.

Counted breathing is another type of breathing during meditation. During counted breathing exercises, you are keeping your breaths to a steady count. Some breathing exercises require you inhale for a set number of seconds, hold, exhale for another set of time, hold, and then repeat. Other exercises involve only one hold, while some exercises do not involve holding at all.

For more information on types of breathing and meditation, please check out my free Meditation & Relaxation course.