Herb and Candle

I took the day off work today and had the house to myself. So I used this opportunity, which just happened to be on a day of the full moon, to do some crafting....candle crafting that is. I had decided to make what I wanted to call "Hermes candles" as a way to open gates to the Upperworld and Underworld.  Working with herbs that would help connect to spirits and connect to Hermes as a gatekeeper and messenger between the three planes of the world tree. I chose to work with three herbs....Mullein, Wormwood, and Yarrow.  I began working each individual herb in the mortar and pestle. As I pressed the pestle into the herbs, I asked the spirit of each herb to be present; and to ignite the properties that I needed present for my intentions. I thanked the herb for its help with my workings.  Once each herb was ground individually, I blended the three together. I believe this is an important step in the enchantment process. As I blended with my hand, I was enchanting the herbs wi...

Pick up any book or go to any website that talks about different gods, and you may be instantly overwhelmed. Multiple pantheons, with multiple gods and goddesses within those pantheons.  So many personalities, histories, myths and legends.  When first starting out on a pagan path, one of the first things many seekers feel they need to do is select a patron god and/or goddess. This alone can feel synonymous to visiting the food court of a busy shopping center. A bunch of pushy vendors offering free samples to  win you over.  So it may seem when researching the vast array of pantheons within various belief systems, pagan or otherwise. (I say this because depending on your definition of paganism, some gods may not fall under that category.) The question remains...how does one go about choosing which god is right for me?  The short version to this question, in my experience, is that we don't choose. But rather, the gods choose us. Firstly, we must determine our over...

It has been several months since I have posted anything here, as I have been going through quite a year of transformation. I have seen the results of some of my spells from last year come to fruition in ways that I wasn't expecting. While 2012 was one of the most difficult years of my life, things have completely turned around for me this year.  There is still much transition that I am going through, and I am seeing the full force of the Tower card from the tarot being played out.  Transformation can be a wonderful, yet painful thing.  Just as labor pains come before the blessing of a child, so it can be in our lives for positive changes to take place. I spent a little over a year in a very toxic, abusive relationship.  Even now, I have a hard time saying that out loud.  Not only did I live with fear, but also with shame.  I was ashamed that I allowed myself to get in this situation.  I was ashamed that as a witch I felt so powerless to get out o...

Depending on your view of tarot and your path, it may be beneficial to place your new tarot deck on your altar and dedicate it. Invite your gods and/or any benevolent spirits to connect with you through your deck. Present it and make it available to them as a means of communication.

Here is my simplified altar after getting rid of some of the clutter. I've felt the need to simplify my life as much

As I step off the porch with bare feet I feel the cool richness of the earth beneath me, the refreshing crisp air of an early December night, and I take notice of the stars shining against the black of night.  With the chalice in my left hand, and cut apple revealing it's sacred star in my right hand; I venture out to leave my offerings that have adorned my altar the previous day.  As I kneel down before the old tree I take a moment of silence as my heart is filled with gratitude.  I place the apple at the base of the tree and know that I'm giving back a gift that already belonged to the earth.  I slowly tip the chalice and let the aromatic wine pour over the fruit.  As I rise, I look up once more and I feel the connection between myself and deity.  Seeing the stars glistening above the branches, I recognize the world tree in the place where I stand.  The old tree becomes the stang which connects this world to the upperworld and the underworld.  ...