Saturday Something - Heritage of Eostar

* Heritage of Eostar *
by Lark (last updated 22 June 1998ce)

Under the full moon of March, mad hares dance before mating. If you look at her closely, you can see that the moon is a hare, the other self of the Saxon Goddess Eostre and of the Celtic Goddess Andraste. As a hare, she gives omens for battles and for love. Her witches dance by moonlight like hares in the  sprouting fields. Her power and her desire are greatest at the full moon nearest the vernal equinox. This is the moon of the Lady's mating-madness, the season of wildness, the moment of flowering, the time of renewal. What you seek at this season, you will surely find. What you pursue will not elude you long. What you plant will grow and flower.

This is the full moon of March, the balance point of day and night, when sun and moon light the skies from dawn until dusk and from dusk until dawn again. This is the season of Summer Finding in the North. Druids celebrate the equinox as Alban Eiler, Light of the Earth. English witches celebrate March 25 as Lady Day, the return of the Goddess from the Underworld. This is the month of the Hag, the Time of the Old Woman, notorious for bad weather. In the Scottish Highlands, each week of March has a name: the Sweeper, the Whistler, the Sharp-Billed One, and the Cailleach-the Hag herself. At this season, the folk who sail the North Sea ask kindness of Aegir and Ran, God and Goddess of weather and tides. Scottish fisher folk go to the shore to ask St. Columba--or Manannan, the sea God--for a bountiful yield.

The Roman year began at the new moon of March. Anna Perenna, Goddess of the turning year, began the month as a crone. At the full moon, she married the young God Mars and became the maiden Goddess Neria. Their union reconciled the lunar and solar years. Priests of Mars, the Leapers, danced and leapt in the streets, clashing weapons against shields. The fires of the hearth Goddess Vesta were lighted using fruit wood and sunlight reflected from a mirror. Vesta herself was crowned with laurel, and her priestesses led a sunwise procession through the city, visiting 27 shrines on the way and casting reed puppets into the Tiber River. Masked flute players roamed the streets in honor of the birth of Minerva, Goddess of wisdom and inventor of the flute.

This is the season when Dionysus danced down from the hills, calling the women to leave their weaving and follow him. Maenads and Bacchantes danced night-long in the mountains, crowned with ivy, mad with wine or spruce ale, and feasting on the tender flesh of Amanita Muscaria. City dwellers celebrated Dionysus and Ariadne, Lady of the Labyrinth, with music and drama contests and festivals of new wine at the full moon. The Phrygian lion Goddess Cybele held two weeks of festival at the equinox. In Rome, she had two festivals, one for the patricians and one for the common people. The Goddess, in the form of a black meteorite brought to Rome from Asia Minor, was paraded through the streets and ritually bathed in the Almo Brook, to the accompaniment of flutes and cymbals.

At the new moon of March, Osiris, consort of the Great Goddess Isis, entered the House of the Moon. Isis, who invented the sail, opened the Mediterranean for navigation in early March. In the ports, her people carried the new ships down to the sea in processions. Isis herself rode through the streets in a ship built to look like her sacred goose. Carnival parades continued the custom with floats called Triumphs carrying images of the gods, especially Dionysus and Ariadne. The Triumphs became the Greater Trumps of the Tarot deck.

In Macedonia, a traditional Carnival play depicts the marriage of a maiden to a man in a bear skin. The bear is killed by a rival, then revived by a Gypsy woman carrying a bundle of grain dressed as a baby. After the play, the actors parade through the town, scattering seeds and calling, "May wheat be ten piastres the bushel!" Bears are said to take human shape during the /winter and return to their own forms in the spring.

Chickens begin to lay in March, and eggs are plentiful by the equinox. After the lean time of the winter, eggs are a promise of plenty. Their yolks symbolize the sun. In Eastern Europe, a straw doll representing winter is dressed and adorned with a necklace of blown eggs, then burned or carried to a river and drowned on Palm Sunday.

The vegetation God Adonis dies and is resurrected at the equinox. In Asia Minor, anemones are called the blood of Adonis. When their blossoms turn the hillsides red, women weep for Adonis in the streets, and the new year begins. In England, women planted Gardens of Adonis--wheat, barley, lentils, lettuce, fennel, privet, and flowers--in pots and took them to church on Easter Sunday. Gypsies decorated a willow tree to honor the Green Man on Easter Monday.

This is the full moon of the Deer Month, the season of birthing. Artemis celebrates her festival of new fawns with cakes shaped like deer. Her priestesses are her hounds, the Alani, who pursue their heart's desire tirelessly over the roughest ground. She celebrates the full moon of April with moon-shaped cakes marked with the quartered circle and left at the crossroads to bless all who pass by. The hot cross buns of Easter tradition were originally her moon cakes.

At the new moon of March, Hera the Queen of Heaven, grown old as Theria the Crone in the long winter, goes down to her sacred spring at Canathos to bathe. She emerges as Antheia the flowering Maiden, one-in-herself, her virginity renewed. Her priestesses are all Heras, glorying in her wholeness, belonging only to themselves. Her priests are all Heracles, her glory and her secret son, the little hero who dwells in the hearts of us all.

In the woods, the Green Man puts forth sprouts from every root and branch. Even in churches, he flowers in carvings of wood and stone, on arches above doorways or hidden beneath benches. "Here, a throat come aleaf, there a branch held aloft," his green fire races through the woodlands and pulses in our blood: "this green source, this welling-forth in ever-widening circles, this 'spring'."*

*from "The Book of the Green Man" by Ronald Johnson

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Friday Form A Circle - * Satrina's Solitary Ostara Ritual *

* Satrina's Solitary Ostara Ritual *
written by Satrina J. Starlight; this had a link with it, but it’s dead :( If this is yours, and you have a site, let me know, I’ll link ya!

Preparation: For decorating the altar use dyed eggs and pink and green ribbons or streamers. Prepare the altar with the God and Goddess candles and the supplies for casting the circle. Include a soil-filled cauldron, a sword, a small shovel, a small pot, a few seeds of your favorite flower or herb, a Corn Dolly, and a Grape Dolly. The Corn Dolly should be dressed in white. The Grape Dolly should be dressed in green. The cauldron should be placed in front of the altar. Begin by casting the circle. Say:

Here I am on this day, Ostara, Lady Day, Rite of Eostre,The Vernal Equinox, And the first day of the planting season. I am here to understand life, death, and rebirth,and to give reverence to those who have endured each

Bow your head to think about how Ostara fits in one of the three groups above and how it fits in the Wheel of the Year. Say:

I stand at the gate between the living and the dead on this night when both light and dark are equal. I am here to witness the union of my Goddess, Mother Earth, the waxing Lady of the Moon,and of our God, Green Man, the waxing Lord of the Sun. Conception. . . a necessary transition on the Wheel of the Year

Lay the Dollies next to each other on the pillow. Say:

Now is the time of the Great Rite between the beloved Maiden, one of the three faces of my Goddess,and her consort, the beloved Sun King,one of the three faces of my God. I watch as the Goddess is impregnated by the God with the seeds of conception

Unite the blade of the sword with the depth of the cauldron symbolizing the Great Rite. Leave the sword standing. Hold the God candle and mingles the flame with the Goddess candle. Replace these on the altar and set them closer than they were before. Say:

The Elder Gods wish to bestow upon us the gift of knowledge.Thus they shall speak

Hold the Grape Dolly and Corn Dolly up high, one in each hand. Say:

These wise words are their gifts. 'There is a time for every purpose under the heavens above. Now is the time to sow that which will be reaped come fall and winter. Now is the time of the conception of the Divine Child which is necessary to keep the Wheel of the Year turning. As I plant these seeds of child and harvest, each dependant upon the other, the Wheel of the Year turns, the land also ready to take to it seeds.It is now your time to begin your sowing of seeds, material, spiritual, and symbolic, to ready you for the coming seasons.' So mote it be.

Place the Dollies closer to each other on the pillow. Say:

The Gods have shown me the way. Now, on this day of Ostara, at this time of planting and beginning, I shall sow my own seeds for the coming seasons.

Use the small shovel to transfer soil from the cauldron to the small pot. As you are plating the seeds, you should be thinking about your goals as though they were the seeds. You can now conclude the ritual. Say:

May these newly planted seeds material, spiritual, and symbolic, bring to me plentiful fruits and bounties.

Close the circle. Serve yourself hard boiled eggs, honey cakes, and eggnog. You can leave the cauldron and sword on the altar until Beltane to remind you of the seeds sewn on this day. Also leave plastic colored eggs to remind you of the conception of the Divine Child.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Thursday This Is Your Spell – Getting Pregnant Spell

The upcoming Ostara holiday is all about fertility, so in that vein…

Getting Pregnant Spell

You will need the following:

• ace of wands,
• 10 of cups,
• the SUN,
• something for a baby you bought specifically for this ritual (a bib, a small blanket...etc.....),
• 9 red candles.

Light the candles and lay out the tarot cards one by one.
Visualize yourself finding out your pregnant, staring at a positive pregnancy test. Repeat the following:

With these cards and with this spell
I call upon the good and helpful powers.
I desire to start a family
I desire energy and love to continue.
This small item (hold up the baby item)
Is the token of the commitment
We are ready to make.
We are ready to love our children
We are ready to teach our children
And we are ready to have our children
So it is - so it shall be!

Seal this spell with kisses and hugs followed by the actions necessary to start a family. Seashells represent fertility. She can create a small seashell altar in her bedroom. If she wants to add a deity, I'd use the Goddess of Willendorf. Any round and fertile/pregnant goddess will work, and there are many!

Holed stones are also symbols of fertility. Have her carry one her person or have her wear one around her neck as a charm.
Placing one by the bed or between the matters is also good.

Eat healthy! Diet plays an extreme part in fertility. Use visualization.

She must be relaxed. Also, studies show that when the man and woman climax together the woman has a higher chance of conception.

Full moons... In tribal times and pre-electricity, women would ovulate around the Full Moon and menstruate around the Dark or New Moon. One way to get yourself onto this cycle is to start paying more attention to the phases of the moon and also going out under the moon for even a minute or two.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions / recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Wednesday What Herb Isn’t Herbal Today :( - How to Become A Witch in Nine Easy Lessons

For those who are a little slow on the uptake, this is humor…

In the 1980's it was fashionable to be interested in the New Age. This is now a dreadful faux pas within the alternative scene, and in order to be accepted in the 1990's metaphysical social set, one must have an interest in Witchcraft or Paganism. Of course, you don't have to actually belong to a coven in order to be thought of as a Witch, you can bluff your way into being accepted as a fully fledged Witch simply by knowing a few terms and dressing accordingly. This brings us to...

• Rule # 1: Image is Everything. After all, what's the good of being a Witch if nobody knows you are one? You must therefore wear black at all times. If possible, stay out of the sun until you become really pale, as this makes the effect even better. For women (and adventurous males) dark eyeliner and black nail polish can enhance this look. Also wear crystals and cheap occult paraphernalia at all times, and make sure that these are as gaudy and bizarre as possible, as this can only help your image. Wearing a pentacle around your neck is an absolutely necessary accessory - the bigger the better! Capes and cloaks are optional around town - it depends on how much of a visual impact you want to make, but either of these are also crucial apparel at any ritual or gathering that you may attend.
• Rule # 2: Name Dropping is Good. Every serious student of The Craft (and I'm talking here about the term for Witchcraft, not macramé) knows the name Gerald Gardner. This man revitalized Witchcraft in the mid 1900's with his book about the true history of The Old Religion (some have called this book pure fiction, but only those picky few who like books to be based on facts). Real Witches however, never let historical accuracy get in the way of their spiritual path, so in conversations with other Witches, quote his name as often as possible (in tones of awe) and you will always be rewarded with smiles of acceptance.
• Rule # 3: Past Life Name Dropping is Even Better. Tell everyone about the past life memories that have been surfacing since you began studying the Black Arts. It is especially useful to remember a past lifetime as a Witch who was killed during the Inquisition, or at least recall a lifetime as a famous occultist. My past lives have included Aleister Crowley, Cagliostro, Mandrake the Magician, and most of the cast of "Bewitched".
• Rule # 4: Behave Strangely. Never forget why it was that you wanted to become a Witch - yes, so that you have an excuse for strange behavior. Previously labeled eccentric behavior patterns can now be accepted by others if they have a reason to explain it, even if that reason for howling at full moons while naked is simply, "He/she is a Witch, that's normal for them evidently." So, don't let your friends down, behave strangely, you can get away with it now.
• Rule # 5: Watch Occult Movies. Make sure that you watch the movie "Warlock" lots of times to perfect those soft landings after over-indulging with the flying ointments (read as mead and weed).
• Rule # 6: Ready Yourself for Sex, Money and Power. Wasn't this the other reason you were drawn to Witchcraft? In the past, adepts of the occult were known to possess charismatic, lusty and powerful personas - when people find out that you are a Witch, they may automatically assume (and therefore empower you) with these same qualities. This may sound pretty good, but unfortunately in today's world, another group of people have become even more established within the realms of kinky sex sessions and unlimited power - yes, the politicians! Beware of this elitist group of power-brokers...they don't want any competition to their manipulative monopoly over the gullible public - hence the laws against Witchcraft and divination that have remained unchanged for centuries. So, if calling yourself a High Priest doesn't lead you to unlimited sex, money and power - or if it does, but you then find yourself as the target of political and legal harassment - you may
  have to put aside your cloak and broomstick and pick up a pin-stripe suit and a back-bench in Parliament. If you can't beat them, try bribery, then if that doesn't work...join them!
• Rule # 7: Atmosphere is Essential. Your home must reflect your Witchy nature. Incense must burn continuously. It's important that visitors see clouds of incense smoke billowing from a spluttering censer in the corner of your dim, dank and dusty home, so dismantle the smoke detectors and start collecting strange little bottles of exotic looking ingredients (use your imagination and label them with names like powdered bat's eyes, or dried dragon's gonads). And if you don't like housework, you can explain that the layer of dust that covers your floors and furniture helps to neutralize the highly charged psychic energy that results from your magical spells, thereby protecting your home and possessions from electromagnetic disintegration.
• Rule # 8: Be Patronizing to Christians. In social discussions don't forget to make plenty of derogatory remarks about fundamentalist Christians, but remember to save your most biting comments for other Witches that you don't get along with.
• Rule # 9: Brag About Your Psychic Powers. Any self-respecting Witch will tell you that after their initiation to Witchcraft, their psychic powers awakened and their tarot cards (which they always carry with them) are now much easier to read (they now get something right once in a while). They will also tell you that they can now sense energy fields (in other words, they don't bump into things as often as they used to). Follow this example and brag about the rapid development of your psychic abilities since your initiation. If asked about your initiation ceremony, simply state that you were sworn to secrecy about it, then quickly change the subject by mentioning your newly awakened ability to detect Ley-lines, but try to remember that a Ley-line is not a queue for the after-ritual orgy!

Now you know how to pass yourself off as a real Witch, so place that broomstick in a conspicuous corner (one that is not clouded by too much incense smoke); pull on those black clothes; give everyone that you meet a sinister look - and your social status will improve overnight. If you do all of this successfully, you may even find yourself with enough adoring acolytes so that you can start your own coven! Good luck and Blessed Be!

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions / recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Tuesday Try A New Taste – Ostara Chicken

Ostara Chicken 
from Magick'ly Delicious 20 Recipes for the Kitchen Witch, A free ebook from Lorna Tedder, Shannon Bailey, and Aislinn Bailey

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/2 c slivered almonds
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 3 lb chicken
• salt
• pepper

Sauce Ingredients:

• 3 oranges
• 2 tsp sugar

Melt butter in a large skillet. For prosperity of your crops (and other projects!), add slivered almonds and sauté until they are as golden as the sunlight which grows stronger with each passing day of spring. Sift the almonds out of the butter and set them aside in a round bowl, preferably yellow to symbolize the sun. Add oil to the skillet you used to sauté the almonds. Cut up chicken with a sharp knife, then sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in the skillet and sauté it until it, too, is golden like the sun. Cover the skillet and cook on low for about 40 minutes.

While the chicken cooks, select three oranges--one for money, one for luck, and the third for love in the new season. Imagine the fortunes that come with each. Make a small hole in the top of the first two oranges and squeeze the juice into a cup. Peel the third oranges with your bare hands, remove the seeds and skins and place meat of the orange in the cup with the juice. Remove the chicken from the skillet and reserve the cooking juices from the skillet. Mix the squeezed orange juice, orange "meat," and sugar in the skillet with its reserved juices. Boil for about 2 minutes or until the mixture thickens to sauce. While the sauce boils, visualize the coming of a season filled with light and warmth and the return of prosperity and hope. When the sauce is ready, pour it over the chicken. Sprinkle the almonds over the entire dish and serve hot--like the sun.

Makes 4 servings -- perfect for a small Ostara feast.

(If you can't make the meal exactly as described or don't like an ingredient,not to worry - the real secret ingredient in these kitchen spells is YOU, not the garlic! Feel free to improvise!)

(From Gifts for the Goddess on a Warm Spring Morn C2001 by Lorna Tedder and Aislinn Bailey. Visit Spilled Candy for more free ebooks and magickal tips and crafts. You may freely copy, distribute, or post it to members of your circle, organization, newsletter subscribers, and/or web site with only two rules: You must print the notice at the bottom of each recipe whether you reprint the recipes individually or the entire book. The recipes have been copyrighted; therefore, the notice must stay intact.Failure to do so will be considered a violation of copyright law (not to mention karma). You must not accept any payment for use of the recipes in this book or include them in a collection for sale without obtaining express written permission from Spilled Candy Books, P O Box 5202, Niceville FL 32578.)

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions / recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Monday Make A – Egg Pinata

* Egg Piñatas *
From: Eliza

Materials:

• One part flour
• One part water
• Newspaper or grocery bag strips (1 inch by 3 inches)
• Small to medium balloons

Blow up balloons and tie ends. Strip newspaper/grocery bags. Mix one part water and one part flour together. Dip strips into the flour and water mixture and then apply to balloons. Cover them completely. Do this until each balloon has 5 layers. Set aside and allow to dry for 2 to 3 days. Poke the "egg" with a needle in one end to pop the balloon inside. With a knife, cut a circular opening. Fill the inside of the "egg" with candy or treats. All candy and treats should have wrappers on them. Seal the hole closed with more strips dipped in flour and water or use masking tape to close. Paint the balloons/eggs with tempera paint (see below for ideas on painting). Allow to dry for a day. To hang, string with yarn and a fat needle or poke two holes at the top to push the yarn or twine through.

How to paint: Our ancestors would color eggs red to signify rebirth or yellow for the rebirth of the sun. Traditional designs were spirals for creation and zigzags, symbols of the goddess. When breaking these eggs, you and your children are breaking through the shell, allowing for the "birth" of good things (sweets and candies).

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions / recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Sunday Surprise – Fairy Info

I believe the source for this is "Garden Spells: The Magic of Herbs, Trees and Flowers" by Claire Nahmad, but I’m not sure. Even if it isn’t, it is still a good source for information if you’re inclined towards fairies…
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Fairy Trees and Flowers: The fairies care for all growing things, and these folk swarm over the garden in little bands. But some fairies are deeper and nobler of spirit than their fellow tiny beings, delightful though these are. The individual fairies are taller, more beautiful, mysterious and magical, of greater stature than humans sometimes. Often they will take on the guise of a little old man or a little old woman who appears to the keen and tender gardener and gives wise advice and secret knowledge of the life of the garden under that gardener's care. Sometimes, too, they will slip over the threshold into a human dwelling, if the door is left open to the garden in the cool of the evening, or at noon, or in the early morning. Then your home will feel enchanted, and you will know that a mystic visitor walks abroad, suffusing the house with a joyous magic. There are a number of flowers and trees which the fairies love particularly, and these are as follows:

• Rowan
• Periwinkle
• Cowslip
• Bramble
• Cuckoo flower
• Henbane
• Ash
• Bean
• Clover
• Wild rose
• Cyclamen
• Daisy
• Oak
• Valerian
• Yarrow
• Garden rose
• Rue
• Morning Glory
• Thorn
• Vervain
• Lavender
• Briony
• Elder
• Primrose
• Birch
• Thyme
• Fern
• Mandrake
• Foxglove
• Snowdrop
• Apple
• Rosemary
• Bracken
• Celandine
• Hazel
• Snapdragon
• Aspen
• Bay
• Betony
• Chicory
• Lily
• Springwort
• Lilac
• Nightshade
• Hemp
• Meadowsweet
• Honesty
• Honeysuckle

Fairy Dreams: A number of flowers there are which it is said the fairies bring into our dreams, so that we may guess something of our future and the destiny of our souls.

• Clover: A happy and prosperous marriage
• May-blossom: A new love
• Marigold: Coming wealth
• Periwinkle: A spirit watches over you
• Lilac: Luck in love
• Lily: Good luck
• Honesty: Money-luck
• Nutmeg: A change for the better
• Rose: Your heart's desire will come to you
• Myrtle blossom: A wedding
• Apple blossom: A birtH
• Rosebuds: Many blessings
• Rosemary: Everlasting love will be yours
• Sage: You will marry
• Windflower: Your love is untrue, seek another
• Poppy: A message
• Bluebell: A stormy and passionate love affair is foretold
• Buttercup: Business success
• Carnation: A secret admirer
• Crocus: Danger in love
• Primrose: A sweet new friendship
• Snowdrop: You will have secrets to share
• Iris: A letter
• Forget-me-not: Find a new love
• Honeysuckle: Tears and smiles
• Geranium: A soon-mended quarrel
• Peony: You must grasp opportunity
• Violet: Your spouse will be younger than yourself
• Daffodil: You are neglecting a friendship-make amends

Fairy Days And Hours: These are the times and days that you are most likely to see the fairies; be respectful, honor the little people; and mind not to stare at them, but seek to glimpse them out of the corner of your eye; be patient, for they are shyer than the wildest creatures of the woods.

• Twelve o'clock noon
• Bright starlit nights
• Midsummer day
• Twelve o'clock midnight
• New moon
• Midsummer Eve
• Sunrise
• Hallowe'en
• Christmas Day
• Full Moons
• May Day
• Christmas Eve
• Early evening
• Lady Day
• Walpurgis Night
• Dusk

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions / recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Saturday Special Stones – Precious & Semi-Precious Stones

Precious & Semiprecious Stones

To generate power, the stones listed below must be authentic, but they needn't be flawless or expensive.  Unpolished semiprecious stones are available for a few cents each; un-faceted stones can be bought for a dollar  or two. (Rock and craft shops are good places to find these gems.)

Amber
Amber beads are a strong protection against rheumatism. In any form, the stone wards off evil spirits, especially from children.
Aquamarine
Worn in earrings, it brings love. Worn or carried anywhere else, it brings hope to the oppressed and protects travelers.
Beryl
Engrave a frog on a piece of beryl and set the stone in gold. Anyone who touches the engraving will find its owner irresistible.
Coral
Coral loses its color when a friend is dying. It's also another protector of children.
Diamond
Worn on the left hand, a diamond repels wild beasts and evil men. It's also a generally lucky gem, and insures fidelity in a lover.
Emerald
An emerald set in gold helps its owner see into the future. Alone, it strengthens the memory and prevents possession by evil spirits.
Garnet
This stone brings good health and is a powerful protection against nightmares.
Jade
Another protection from nightmares, as well as the bearer of general good fortune.
Lapis Lazuli
Worn as beads, it protects against black magic (as do all blue stones). In any form, it wards off melancholy and insomnia.
Moonstone
If a woman in love places a moonstone in her mouth during the full moon, she can see what the future holds for her and her beloved.
Onyx
This stone protects a marriage from intruders; however, it can cause friends to quarrel.
Pearl
While pearls improve the skin, cure fevers and bring tranquility; black pearls carry bad luck.
Sapphire
One of witchcraft's favorite stones, sapphires are reputed to bring peace, happiness, and to protect the eyes.
Topaz
To cure a chest or rheumatic complaint, wear a topaz around the neck. Worn or carried anyplace else, it helps to locate buried treasure.
Turquoise
To patch up a quarrel between a husband and wife, give either spouse something made of turquoise; it brings peace to married life.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions / recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Friday Form A Circle - Spring Cleaning the Soul Ritual/Spell

* Spring Cleaning the Soul Ritual/Spell *
by Chameleon SilverCat

Like all else I find & post here, unless I specifically claim it, I  probably didn’t write it. I created this blog to share what I have gathered over the years, craftwise. Spells, herblore, rituals, and Goddess knows how much else! I feel knowledge should be available to anyone who wants it, and if it’s there for anyone to find, well. . .Anywho, I have said before & I am sure will say again – the above link is dead. If this is your work, please let me know, I will be thrilled to link to your site, your email or anything else you specify.  I don’t want credit for anyone else’s work, I just want to share what I have, and (hopefully) send folks who come here to places where they can find even more information :)
bb

Outside, I saw the first robin today. His red breast dulled by the dust bath in which he was so happily indulging. The weather is fluctuating between "...ah, nice." and "..turn on the damn heater!" Daffodils are everywhere; yellow heads bobbing in the pre-spring winds. Leaves are starting to bud out on the oak trees, the days are noticeably longer...all signs that the Spring Equinox, Ostara, is nearly here.

Like Mabon, Ostara is a Sabbat of balance. The days and nights are of equal length, and the masculine and feminine energies of the Earth are held in perfect symmetry. Now is the time to do Works to bring your own life into harmony, to banish the little demons you have collected over the winter months and do a little Spring Cleaning of the Soul. With that in mind, here's a little candle magic to get rid of those inner thoughts that hold you back, rather than hold you in honor....

You will need:

• Black birthday candles
• Sea Salt or Regular Salt
• A small Bowl or Cauldron
• A book of matches
• Paper and a Pen

On the paper, write the names of those inner demons who are holding you back: Self Doubt, Carelessness, Anger, Fear, etc... Pour a thick layer of salt into the bowl or cauldron and place it with the candles, matches, and list of demons where you plan to do this rite of banishment. Cast a Circle (or define your Sacred Space in your own way). Check your list again. Make sure you aren't forgetting anything. Make adjustments as needed. Center and Ground yourself. Concentrate on your goal of ridding your life of excess emotional baggage. Pick up a black candle and Name it after one of the demons on your sheet of paper and say the following:

"I Name thee, (Self Doubt, Laziness, etc..)
Let thy Spirit be bound within this wax."

Place the candle upright in the bowl or cauldron of salt. Continue to name each candle and place it in the salt until no more are left on your list. Strike a match, and starting with the candle furthest from you, light each one and say:

"As this flame feeds upon the wax,
So may you be consumed
And removed from my life."

Watch the candles melt and disappear. Remember that each one is a problem that once resided in you. See how quickly they are consumed! When the last candle has gone out and nothing is left but dark blotches in the cleansing salt, mix the wax and salt together with your hands and place a pinch of salt on your tongue. Say:

"As you once consumed me,
So do I consume you
And in doing so,
The Balance is maintained.
For the good of all,
And with malice toward none,
So mote it be!"

Open the Circle, take the salt and wax and throw it away. Every time one of those demons tries to return, remember the flame, and just how easily they are banished from your life. In the meantime, I wish you pleasant demon hunting & a wondrous Ostara!

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Thursday This Is Your Spell - Floromancy

* Floromancy *
Unknown source

Floromancy means Divining with Flowers, btw, and is a fun activity for Ostara.

From Occultpedia:A type of divination, this time by omens taken from flowers. Floromancy is based on the belief that flowers radiate vibrations, react to a sympathetic or hostile environment and are affected by electric shocks.

One of the most popular uses for Floromancy is for love divination. In Victorian England, two flowers that had not yet blossomed would be paired, and the initials of certain lovers’ names would be placed on the stems. After placing the flowers in a secret place for 10 days, the diviner would then observe certain portents, such as, if any flower twined the other, it would indicate that the man and the woman whose initials were used were going to be married. 

The term Floromancy os sometimes also used for the belief that flowers have the power to cure disease.

 

From The Mantalogue:

Derived from Latin flor-, combining form of flos flower.

1973 Gibson Complete Illustrated Book of Divination & Prophecy (1989) 317: FLOROMANCY: Any interpretation of future prospects through the study of flowers or plants, including their colors, petals, time of planting, and where planted. Many omens concerning the gathering of flowers at Midsummer's Eve have survived to modern times; and the "good luck" commonly attributed to the finding of a four-leafed clover falls in this category.

1985 N. Drury Dictionary of Mysticism & Occult 90/2: Floromancy. Belief that flowers radiate vibrations and have curative properties in healing disease. According to practitioners of floromancy, flowers are said to respond to a sympathetic or hostile environment and are affected by electric shocks. Professor Jagadish Chandra Bose of Calcutta's Presidency College experimented with the effects of electrical currents on plants around the turn of the century and was convinced that plants possess a life-force or soul.
The most recent proponent of floromancy is American lie-detector specialist Cleve Backster, who wired three philodendrons to galvanometers on different occasions to see how the plants respond to nearby trauma. Backster monitored the plants as he placed a brine shrimp in boiling water nearby, resulting in its instant death. ..Backster's galvanometer reading showed significantly higher electrical resistance when the brine shrimps were being killed, than on other occasions - suggesting that the plants were responding "emotionally" to the traumas occurring nearby. Unfortunately, attempts to reduplicate Backster's experimental results have so far proved unsuccessful.

It is said that in the spring, if you happen to find the first flower of the season on:

• Monday - it is good fortune for the season
• Tuesday - your greatest attempts will be successful
• Wednesday - denotes a marriage
• Thursday - a warning of small profits
• Friday – wealth
• Saturday – misfortune
• Sunday - excellent luck for weeks to come

Take a question to your garden and randomly pick a petal off a pansy, without looking at it. When you examine your petal, the following information may be divined...

• If the petal has four lines in it, it is a sign of hope.
• Five lines coming from the center branch is hope founded in fear.
• Thick lines bent to the right means prosperity.
• Thick lines bent to the left mean trouble ahead.
• Seven streaks is consistent love.
• Eight streaks means fickleness in either you or those around you.
• Nine, a changing heart.

It was believed that wearing the blossom associated with your month of birth would bring exceptionally good luck. So here are the flowers and there month associations:

• January - Snowdrop, a symbol of purity.
• February - Violet, for kindness and faith.
• March - Daffodil, an emblem for sincerity.
• April - Primrose, for the new love springing up in the world.
• May - White Lily, for strength.
• June - Wild Rose, for healing.
• July - Carnation, for protection.
• August - White Heather, for good luck throughout the year.
• September - Michaelmas Daisy, for happiness.
• October - Rosemary, for kind thoughts.
• November - Chrysanthemum, for truth.
• December - Ivy, for fidelity and faithfulness.

And then there is that old "he/she loves me, he/she loves me not..." thing that you can do while pulling petals off flowers. :-)

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Wednesday Whatever – Symbols of Ostara

*Symbols of Ostara:

Foodstuffs: Hard boiled eggs, Honey Cakes, First Fruits of the Season, Nuts, Seeds, Leafy Veggies, and of course Chocolate! (now…) Anything you can whip up from the seasonal fruits and berries.

Colors: (for those who use color associations in their magic spells & rituals) Yellow, Green, and Gold.

Stones: Amethyst, Aquamarine, Bloodstone, and Red Jasper.

Animals: Rabbits! (really now, what does the most fertile creature on the planet have to do with resurrection..?), Cougar, Sea Crow, Sea Eagle, Hedgehog, and Boar.

Mythical (?) Creatures: Merfolk and any other Air or Water beings.

Deities: Eostre, Ostara (sometimes linked to Ishtar and Astarte), the Green Goddess, Lord of the Greenwood, Aries, Artemis, /Ahtene, Black Isis, Astarte, Cybele, Hecate, Luna, Mars, Minerva, and the Morrigan or Morrigu.

Plants: Roses, Strawberries, Seasonal Fruit Plants, Violets, Honeysuckle, Easter Lily, Dogwood, Daffodil, Iris, Irish Moss, /Jonquil, Apple Trees (more pointedly, apple blossoms), and Alder.

Herbs: Sage, Rose, Jasmine, Strawberries, Acorn, Celandine, Daffodil, Dogwood, Easter Lily, Cinquefoil, Crocus, Iris, Honeysuckle, Tansy, Violets, Broom, High John Root, Yellow Dock, Wood Betony, Irish Moss, and Jonquil.

Incenses would include: Jasmine, Rose, Sage, African Violet, Strawberry, Apple Blossom, and Honeysuckle.

Astrological Signs: Pisces and Aries.

 

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Tuesday Try A New Taste - Dandelion Lasagna

* Delicious Dandelion Lasagna *
from Dandelion Medicine by Brigitte Mars

Invigorate this Italian dish with vitamin-packed dandelion greens! Did you know that dandelions have 4 times the iron than does spinach?

Magical Properties: (from Suite101)

• Gender: Masculine
• Planet: Jupiter
• Element: Air
• Deity: Hecate, Brighid (Brigit, Brigid, Bride, etc),Belenos
• Power: Divination, Wishes, Messenger
• Astrological: Primary - Pisces, Sagittarius; Secondary - Aquarius, Sagittarius, Libra

Yield: Makes 6 servings.

You will need:

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 cups washed, chopped dandelion greens
• 3 cups tomato sauce
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 9 lasagna noodles
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 375-degrees F (190-degrees C). Sauté the garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, and fennel in the olive oil, stirring until the garlic is cooked. Add the dandelion greens, still stirring, and cook until they are wilted. Add the tomato sauce and paste and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Drop in the lasagna noodles and cook 5-7 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Drain and reserve. In a greased baking dish place a layer of the noodles and cover with the sauce. Spread the cheeses evenly throughout. Cover with a layer of noodles. Layer again with sauce and cheeses. Cover with the remaining sauce. Bake for 30 minutes, until cheese is nicely melted and sauce is bubbly. Serve immediately -- French bread and a green salad make nice company!

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Monday Make A - Potpourri Ostara Eggs

Hope everyone who wanted to read this article did so. I received the following comment on this:


B has left a new comment on your post "Monday Make A - Potpourri Ostara Eggs":

Please contact me at your earliest convenience with regard to the copyright laws concerning this article, Beautiful Potpourri Easter Eggs by Shae Cooke. Its use in whole or in part and/or alteration in any form is in breach of the copyright laws assigned to this article by the United States of America and Canada, and by its publication in which it originally appeared which holds full rights. Request that you pull article in its entirety from your site, and sites associated with it: witchswonderfulworld.blogspot.com as soon as possible. If you have questions please contact Bob Feinstone at bobfeinstonelegalwrite@gmail.com
Should this article not be pulled within a reasonable amount of time, legal action will be pursued. Thank you


I am pulling it off, but let me just say a few things - first off, I didn't in any way, shape or form claim authorship, I found good information (several years ago, I might add) and wanted to share it. Secondly, if someone wants to take something I wrote, and post it ANYWHERE, I have no problem with that. As a matter-of-fact, I'd be THRILLED, and sending thanks, not requests to remove it. But then again, I believe knowledge is for everyone. If something of mine had been out of circulation for years, and someone else posted it somewhere, unless they claim to have written it, how could that be anything but good..? I guess some people just can't take a compliment...
bb
dawtch

Sunday Surprise – Song of The Otherworld…

* Song of the Otherworld is Heard In the Balance of Spring *
By C. Austin;
From http://www.celtic-connection.com/myth/v-equinox.html (this link is dead :( …)

Marking the dawn of the Celtic pastoral year, the vernal equinox celebrates the Otherworld in the moment of balance which occurs as the sun crosses the celestial equator. For the Celts, the solstice and equinox observations may have enjoyed less celebrity than the festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh. However, the semi-annual equinox was carefully noted, as it also brought increased visitation from the Otherworld. On the equinox, when day and night are momentarily equal, the busy activity which keeps the human and Otherworld separate momentarily subsides. In that time of suspended activity, the conduit between the worlds yawns, the "veil becomes thin." As the contents of both worlds mingle, the resulting tumult offers an opportunity for a renewed relationship with the unseen. An open mind is required for transacting with the Otherworld. As Yeats writes

"If he is skeptical about them, and would fain reduce them one after another to the rules of probability, this sort of crude philosophy will take up all his time."

Keep in mind that such meetings occur in a fleeting instant – longer dalliances in the world of mythos can lead to madness. It must be noted though, that those singular moments of insight can last a lifetime. Whether one believes such encounters are an external journey or an internal experience, they can be considered similarly. In both instances the contents and symbols of the Otherworld are approaching the individual from without or within. The equinox is just such a time when an association between worlds can be broached. By engaging in a simple ritual, perhaps a few minutes of silence, the frenetic conversations of everyday life recede, consciousness is reduced and the underlying song of the Otherworld has an opportunity to be heard.

The symbols which cluster around the Celtic observances of the vernal equinox and St. Patrick's Day are particularly evocative in creating associations which are as useful to us as they were for our ancestors. Through symbols like the leprechaun and the magic shillelagh, one can visit the fairy kingdom of the Tuatha De Dannan. Wise and giving, lusty and tempestuous, they offer their myths and enduring company. The snake and the trefoil shamrock give evidence of the presence of the Goddess, wrapped in her verdant cloak of Spring.

The four-leaf clover reminds us of the later solar worshipping invaders of Ireland, just as the leprechaun's pot of gold recalls the educated, priestly class of Druids who controlled the gold trade routes connecting Erin to continental Europe. T. L. Markey writes

"In the so-called primitive stage of many societies, webs of associations, highly symbolic in nature, are frequently woven between periods of the day, cardinal points, seasons, colors and social-spiritual values."

The "primitive" dialect of symbols which was created by our ancestors still exists in our unconscious minds. These symbols are composed of both personal and universal matter, and it is our association with those symbols which allows us to hear the language of our soul. Tending to those associations tends to the soul and renews the ligature that binds mortal to mythos. This year as you celebrate St. Patrick's Day or the equinox, take a moment to enjoy the multi-layered experience of our ancestors.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Thursday This Is Your Spell – Ritual Use of House Cleaning

* The Ritual Use Of House Cleaning *
by Monti ElfDragon – Found in my collection of ‘Stuffs”
but also located online at Pagan Speak

I am someone who hates housework, who is totally disorganized, forgetful,and a stressed out mom of 3 little witchlets (each one a wyld chyld). I have a major problem of finding time for ritual and personal spiritual growth. Well, along came the Spellcraft Tapestry Spring Cleaning Edition. And I have discovered that I am starting to enjoy cleaning. I know this sounds silly. I can hear you housework haters out there........." this witch chick has lost ALL her marbles!"

Now, let me explain what I have started doing. This amazing thing that has turned a drudgery, something to be put off. Into something to look forward to. As a Kitchen Witch, I try to make everything I do, every moment in my life magical. Because I have so little time for ritual. I decided to incorporate specific rituals in everything I do. I have turned cleaning into a magical ritual. This works for me. It may not work for others in just this way, so experiment. Make it your own. I started to make my own cleaners. When I make them, I create them magically. That is, I ritually charge them with what is needed in my life. Or what I need to be rid of. I also magically charge any store bought cleaners with specific intent.

Each day before I start to clean. I ground and center. Then meditate on what I need to do that day. I meditate on what I want in my life(good habits,love, peace, joy, prosperity, etc.) And/or the things I want to be rid of,(anger, resentment, bad habits, strife, stress, etc.) I then light the appropriate color candle and incense. I have found that when I meditate on the things to do and the things I want/don't want in my life. I can visualize the need with the appropriate chore. As an example, I have been feeling the need for clarity and organization of thought and deed. The chore that came to me was; cleaning & polishing mirrors and glass. Cleaning is pretty mindless sometimes. So visualization comes easily. I just asked the Lord and Lady for what I needed. And visualized being organized(able to accomplish everything I set out to do). And, visualized myself with clarity of mind and purpose. I may not get everything accomplished that I set out to do that day. But I find that I accomplish more than normally.

Believe it or not, but scrubbing the toilet is great for getting rid of anger and resentment. Visualize all your anger and resentment into the toilet bowl, add it to all the yuck in the bowl. As you are scrubbing the toilet see yourself scrubbing away your anger, resentment, or anything you want gone from your life. Then flush, as the yucky water is flushed away, see those things you want gone being flushed away as well.

Cleaning the woodwork and oiling/polishing it down, is great for adding good things into your life. Although for me it filled me with wonderful ideas, thoughts and feelings(ways to reach my goals).

Laundry

I also magically charge laundry detergent to cleanse all psychic yuck that collects, as well as the mundane dirt. Imbue your fabric softener with things you want in you and your family's lives. Putting clothes away for me, the disorganized person that I am. Is a treat my family looks forward to. They are very lucky if it gets done in a timely fashion. So, when I fold/hang them I visualize order in my mind, in my life. As I fold my families clothes. I fill each article of clothing with love and peace for each member of my family. If there is some really nasty things going on in your life or the lives of family members, i.e. rough time at work or school, or an illness. A few drops of an appropriately charged oil in the laundry works wonders.

Scrubbing Floors and Walls

If you make your own cleaners, or if you use commercial cleaners, as you are mixing them up. Visualize the cleaner not only cleaning away the dirt and grime, but psychically cleaning your home/room of any bad psychic energies. When you mix up your rinse water, add a couple of drops of a protection oil, or a peace and harmony herbal infusion. The direction in which you clean will be determined by whether you are wanting to bring something into your life (clockwise), or getting rid of something(counter-clockwise)

Dishwashing and Spiritual Growth

I really must give Diane (St. Lucy, Mom) credit for this one. This is her sink meditation. Put a pagan picture above your kitchen sink, or something that comforts you (I have a lovely view of my woods as well as my prayer to Brigit, a few Witch Bottles, plants and such). As you run the water, stick your hands in the water and see the stream washing away all of the schmoo that builds up in your aura......and down the drain. Then make a mental note of something you want to get rid of, and visualize it coating the dishes. As you wash the dishes see the problem being washed away. It helps keep the stress levels down a lot. I also say my prayer to Brigit out loud as I'm finishing up the dishes. I also try to say it every time I am at the sink. Even if its just to get a drink of water.

"Great Goddess Brigit
I ask for your inspiration
In all my endeavors
Help me to learn new things
Please give me the gifts
Of poetry and creativity
Help me to clean out the old and musty
In my mind and heart
Show me how to make mundane tasks
A joy and Honor to you
Make my hands, my lips, my mind
My heart and my soul, a blessing to you
Forge me into your instrument
That I may be a blessing
To you and the Old Ones
As well as a blessing to all I meet
May they see your love and power in me
Teach me to Honor you in being
A wife, a mother, and keeping a home
I dedicate my life to you
My body, soul, heart, and mind
To your service
So mote it be ! ! “

Vacuuming

Vacuuming the carpet is when I come up with some of my best ideas. Also with 3 small witchlets, 2 dogs and 1 cat. I have to vacuum at least twice a day. Every other night after the family is in bed. I mix up some baking soda, salt and powdered herbs. I infuse this mixture with peace and love, and let it sit overnight to absorb odors, then vacuum it the next morning. It keeps the house smelling fresh and the family happy. At least once a month I use this vacuum cleaner spell to get rid of unwanted energies that may have built up. A simple ritual that can be adapted for just about any need or purpose.

Supplies:

• Vacuum cleaner
• Powdered herbs (for specific intent), mixed with equal parts
• Baking Soda and Salt
• Quarter Candles, Altar candles, Candle of intent
• Incense

Gather supplies at your altar (or the center of your house). Ground and center. If you are doing a home purification ritual put the quarter candles at the cardinal points in your home (not all in one room). Establish sacred space as you light the quarter candles. You can do a full blown circle, or this simple one; (for this one light the quarter candles before or after you establish sacred space, your choice. Or you can omit the quarter candles.)
Face north;

"Here in the center of the world I stand.
Earth is before me, Air on my right hand.
Fire is behind me,  on my left water lies,
As I stand here between
The earth and the skies."

At your altar, prepare your powdered herbs with a mortar and pestle, while visualizing your intent. Mix equal parts of herbs, salt and baking soda in a large ceramic bowl or vessel, still visualizing your intent. For increasing Magic, stir with your hands clockwise. For decreasing Magic, stir with your hands counterclockwise infusing it with your intent.

Starting at your front door move deosil for increasing; widdershins for decreasing/banishing Magic. Sprinkle the herb/salt/soda on your carpet. If you so desire you can draw (sand paint) runes, pentacles or other magical symbols of your intent, saying appropriate words for each symbol. Or words such as these for purification/house blessing:

"Begone and leave, all hate, strife, ill will, and bad luck!!
In the Names of the God and Goddess I cleanse this house!!
This home is a sacred sanctuary of peace
For Myself, My Family, and our Friends!!
Anger and misfortune have NO place here!!"

Do this in every room of your house. When done return to the altar. Visualize your intent. For purification, see the salt, soda, and herbs drawing in, absorbing the negativity, anger, strife, whatever is troubling your house. Cense your vacuum cleaner, saying these or similar words:

"I ask the Lord and Lady
And the guardians of the quarters
To bless this home,
Grant us harmony, knowledge, freedom,
Love, healing, perception, pleasure,
Friendship and happiness.
Grant us riches, treasure, prosperity,
Employment, stability,success,
Business and money.
'An it harm none, So mote it be."

Starting at your front door, vacuum in a clockwise direction. When finished, throw out the vacuum cleaner bag (outside). Visualizing all that psychic goop/bad luck/bad feelings / illness/whatever, is being thrown out with the bag.

These are just a few ideas that I have come up with that work very well for me.I also have 3x5 cards tacked up all over the place with all this information. In my laundry room, with my cleaning supplies, the inside of cabinet doors all over my house. My family thinks I'm crazy but it helps me jog my memory. Since I have started doing this, I have received many answers to my questions. Figured out ways to organize my time and life. Gotten rid of unwanted thoughts, feelings, anger and things that were keeping me down. I've welcomed the new thoughts, feelings and ideas into my life joyfully. I realized, that even though I don't have everything I want or need, that I am not where I want to be"yet", I am well on my way. Each day, I wake up to the joy that life has to offer. I am becoming more patient with myself and others. I am accomplishing more each day, and feeling good about myself. I am more at peace.

I still find I get sidetracked, but I try to get back on track quickly. And figure out why I got sidetracked in the first place, and ways to prevent it next time.

The following are some oils and herbs that I have found useful in ritual cleaning:

Oils

Prosperity: Almond, Bergamot, Honeysuckle, Mint, Peony, Bayberry, Hyssop, Clove, Ginger, Nutmeg, Pine, Basil

Healing: Carnation, Mimosa, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Eucalyptus, Lotus, Clove, Pine, Lavender, Myrrh

Protection: Basil, Frankincense, Lavender, Myrrh, Bergamot, Cinnamon, Cypress, Rose Geranium, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Gardenia

Purification/Cleansing: Bay, Benzoin, Chamomile, Camphor, Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Lavender, Lemon, Lemon Verbena, Myrrh, Peppermint, Pine, Rosemary, Sandalwood,

Success: Bergamot, Clove, Ginger, Lemon Balm, Apple Blossom

Happiness: Lavender, Lily of The Valley, Marjoram, Apple Blossom, Lotus, Magnolia, Basil, Orange

Peace: Lavender, Gardenia, Passionflower, Skullcap, Cumin Seed, Lilac, Magnolia, Narcissus, Rose, Tuberose

Blessings: Benzoin, Cumin Seed, Rue

Harmony: Basil, Cumin Seed, Lilac, Narcissus

Love: Rose, Jasmine, Basil, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Clove, Ginger, Lavender, Lemon, Lemon Balm, Lemon Verbena, Lime, Neroli, Orange, Palmarosa, Rosemary, Yarrow, Ylang-Ylang

Herbs

Purification/Cleansing: Anise, Bay, Calamus, Chamomile, Camphor, Cedarwood, Eucalyptus, Fennel, Hyssop, Lavender, Lemon, Lemon Verbena, Lime, Mimosa, Parsley, Peppermint, Pine, Rosemary, Thyme, Valerian, Vervain

Protection: Angelica, Anise, Balm of Gilead, Basil, Bay, Bergamot, Calmus, Carnation, Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Cinquefoil, Clove Clover, Cumin, Cypress, Doll, Rose Geranium, Heather, Honeysuckle, Hyssop, Juniper, Lavender, Lilac, Mugwort, Orris, Patchouli, Pennyroyal, Peppermint, Pine, Rose, Rue, Sage, Violet, Woodruff

Peace/Harmony: Cumin, Gardenia, Lavender, Lilac, Loosestrife, Meadowsweet, Narcissus, Pennyroyal, Tuberose, Violet

Love: Apple Blossom, Basil, Chamomile, Catnip, Chickweed, Cinnamon, Clove, Gardenia, Rose Geranium, Ginger, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon, Lemon Balm, Lemon Verbena, Marjoram, Mimosa, Myrtle, Orchid, Orris, Peppermint, Rose, Rosemary, Thyme, Tuberose, Vanilla, Violet Yarrow

Healing: Allspice, Angelica, Bay, Carnation, Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Citron, Eucalyptus, Gardenia, Heliotrope, Honeysuckle, Juniper, Lemon Balm, Mugwort, Peppermint, Pine, Rose, Rosemary, Spearmint, Thyme, Violet, Willow, Wintergreen, Yerba Santa

Prosperity: Allspice, Basil, Bergamot, Chamomile, Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Clove, Elder, Ginger, Honeysuckle, Jasmine, Nutmeg, Orange, Patchouli, Peppermint, Pine, Sage, Woodruff

To make an infusion to add to your rinse water steep 1 to 2 small handfuls of herb in 1 quart boiling for 30 minutes. I hope you find something useful in this article. Like I said before experiment, make it your own.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.