Sunday Surprise - Midsummer's Eve or St. John's Eve

Midsummer's Eve or St. John's Eve

Taken in it's entirety from The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft by Judika Illes.

Midsummer's Eve was originally intended to coincide with the summer solstice, the day when the Sun enters the sign of Cancer, the astrological sign that belongs to the moon, and Earth's magical forces are at their height. Midsummer's Eve is a major holiday for witches and those who love them. Because fixed calendars came into existence, Midsummer's Eve, especially in its guise as the Feast of John the Baptist, does not necessarily correspond exactly with the solstice. (The solstice moves; the Feast doesn't.) Modern Neo-Pagans, however, frequently coordinate Midsummer's Eve with the solstice and so this festival may be celebrated anytime, depending upon place, traditions, and participants, from approximately June 20 through the 24th. A wild anarchic joyous festival, the ancients would have had no objection to it lingering for three or four days.

Midsummer's Eve is a fire and a water festival characterized by ritual baths and bonfires. Bonfires are built upon carefully selected magical wood with special aromatic herbs thrown into the fires. The ashes are later preserved as amulets. Bonfires are built on the shores of lakes, rivers, streams, and oceans. Just as livestock is driven between or around bonfires, so the were once driven into the sea to be buffeted by spiritually cleansing and magically empowering waves.

Midsummer's marks the convergence of Sun and Moon. The sun is at its zenith but the zodiac has entered the watery sign of Cancer, the only sign ruled by the Moon.  Children born during this 30-day period are known as Moon Children. Lunar deities like Artemis, Diana, and Hecate have powerful associations with fire and water as well as botanical magic.

Midsummer's Eve is considered the absolute optimal moment for harvesting magical and medicinal plants. Plants are ideally picked at midnight or when the first dew forms. (Rolling in the dew is believed beneficial for people, too.) Special, unique plants such as the fern seed that provides invisibility are available only on the night. Witch-hunters claimed that this was the night witches rode off to join Satan; witches, on the other hand, claimed that this was the night they congregated to celebrate the Earth and to harvest botanicals for the coming year's spells. According to the tenets of Russian witchcraft, the most powerful botanicals in the world are ritually harvested on Midsummer's Eve atop Bald Mountain.

This is the time to stay out all night reveling and then gather plants before calling it a night. It is a magical time for divination, communing with the spirits, and finding true love - or at the very least romance, flirtation, and fun.

Although Midsummer's Eve was Christianized as St John's Eve, this is perhaps the church holiday with the thinnest veneer. In Siberia a popular name for St John's Day id Ivan Travnik (John the Herbalist) or Ivan Koldovnik (John the Magician.)

In Denmark, Midsummer's Eve has been celebrated since at least the time of the Vikings and is associated with Odin. Healers gathered their botanical supplies for the year on this night. Bonfires were lit, a tradition that survives today, however, visits to the healing springs were once incorporated into the festival as well. Bonfires are still sometimes built on beaches, In Scandinavia, "maypoles" are sometimes erected at Midsummer's instead.

Midsummer's Eve bonfires and water celebrations were particularly beloved in Mediterranean regions. Midsummer's Eve pre-dates Christianity and Islam, and although the later associations have diverged from each other (on the Mediterranean's southern shore, in Muslim Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, the festival is identified with Fatima, the Prophet's daughter rather than with John the Baptist,) the rituals and associated botanicals are virtually identical on either side of the sea.

John the Baptist is much venerated by Freemasons. There is a tremendous Masonic component in Vodoun. In Haiti, John the Baptist is considered among the Iwa; his feast day is celebrated with bonfires, ritual bathing and ceremonial. Whether these celebrations arrived in Louisiana from Haiti, directly from France or even perhaps directly from Africa are unknown.

The most important annual New Orleans ceremonial during Marie Laveau's time was held on St John's Eve at the Bayou St John, the natural waterway which once connected Lake Pontchartrain, popularly known as St John's Lake, with the Mississippi River ant the heart of the Vieux Carre. When these ceremonials began is unknown. Marie Laveau presided over St John's Eve ceremonials at the Bayou St John for years. (See Hall of Fame: Marie Laveau) Celebrations included bonfires, ritual bathing, ancient snake rites, drumming, dancing, singing, and a communal meal. Once secret and forbidden, the festival's reputation (and remember, ostensibly at least this is an official Church-sanctioned feast, although certain practices - those snakes! - were consistently condemned) spread and by 1831, the Pontchartrain Railroad began running special cars to the lake for the festivities for tourists and spectators, not for the participants.

Eventually St John's Eve Voodoo celebrations became a tourist attraction. Tourists, non-practitioners, and observers came to watch, not to participate. Eventually tourist shows began to be staged for which fees were charged. Once again, it became necessary to hold true ceremonials in private. Post Civil War, the tourist fascination with Voodoo culture waned, resulting in periods of great oppression. By the late 1890s, private ceremonies as well as St John's Eve celebrations at Lake Pontchartrain were routinely broken up by the police.

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.

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Sunday Surprise- How To Plant Your Garden

How To Plant Your Garden

First, you Come to the garden alone, 
While the dew is still on the roses... 

 

For The Garden of Your Daily Living,
Plant Three Rows of Peas:

 

1. Peace of mind 
2. Peace of heart
3. Peace of soul

Plant Four Rows of Squash:

1. Squash gossip
2. Squash indifference
3. Squash grumbling
4. Squash selfishness

Plant Four Rows of Lettuce:

1. Lettuce be faithful
2. Lettuce be kind
3. Lettuce be patient
4. Lettuce really love one another

No Garden is Complete Without Turnips:

1. Turnip for gatherings
2. Turnip for ritual
3. Turnip to help one another

To Round Out our Garden We Must Have Thyme:

 

1. Thyme for each other
2. Thyme for family
3. Thyme for friends

Water freely with patience
And cultivate with love.
There is much reward from your garden because
You reap what you sow. 
Happy Ostara

Sunday Surprise - Frith: A Scottish Augury

Frith: A Scottish Augury
by Jon Keeyes; (the link I had is dead…)

Since ancient times, the people of the Celtic culture have sought to know the portents of the future. Mythological and classical literature make reference to many forms of divination, but there is one that is often overlooked. In Scotland, there exists an augury called frith which was still in widespread practice even through the last half of the nineteenth century when Alexander Carmichael scoured the lands seeking the lore for his Carmina Gadelica. Most scholars will agree that Carmichael is responsible for the lasting knowledge of frith as nearly every source on the subject uses Carmichael as reference concerning the augury.

As related in the Carmina Gadelica, frith is translated as meaning augury although divination is perhaps better. Frith is a means of divining the future which allows the fritheir, or augerer, to see the unseen. A belief was held by some in Scotland that the gift of fritheireachd was inherited through the family line. Sometimes the ability appeared in one member of the family, and at other times disappeared, only to reappear in the next generation. Those who are born into a line that has held notable seers are called Clann an Fritheir which means children of the seer. Through evidence, which shall be discussed later, it appears that there were two types of frithier. One being a person who used the second sight as a tool of their frith, and others who simply interpreted the portents of what they saw in the world around them. In either case, frith became a valued gift used at special times.

The people of Scotland held to their old pagan beliefs that there were times of the year when it was proper to seek vision of what the future held. For some, such omens were important in aiding the sick, for others it gave insight into the welfare of the family and home, while for others it gave them guidance in future courses of action. Noragh Jones writes,

"It was fitting to assess whether the tides of fortune in every sphere of life were flowing in favor or dragging against."

Ms. Jones later continues with,

"Augury or the seeing of the unseen was primarily a means of working out the right times for actions and schemes (and for inaction equally) in the affairs of all God's creatures."

The art of frith was only practiced at certain times of the year or under very special circumstances. The Scottish held the belief that frith could only be performed at sunrise on the first Monday following a fire festival, called Quarter Days, or when a person or valuable object was missing. It is not surprising that the frith is associated with the Quarter Days. Such times of sacredness marked shifts in livelihoods as the stages of the year shifted through seasons. Its timing of Mondays is related to the Christian importance of the Sunday Sabbath, but in older times was, in all likelihood, done the sunrise of the Quarter Day itself. The necessity of the frith being performed at sunrise also holds importance to the Celtic belief of "in between places" and "in between times". As the sun rises, the world is "in between" night and day, sunlight and darkness, order and chaos; a time when the border between the physical world and the Otherworld is broken. Sunrise auguries were favored for it allowed the fritheir to see into the Otherworld and receive its messages. The importance of "in betweens" is furthered by the need for the frith to be performed in a door way, "in between" the inside and the outside world.

Frith, and its profound accuracy, can be found throughout folktales in abundance. Stories about the auguries made for finding missing persons or objects are still told with a pride that speaks of the achievements of the Scottish seers and augurers. Carmichael makes claim that frith originated through Celtic Christian lore for it was said that frith was created by Saint Brigid. Says Anne Ross,

"One Gaelic legend has it that when Christ was missing, Mary found out that he was in the temple by means of augury."

As the tale relates, Brigid discovered, through her frith, that Jesus was in a temple arguing with the rabbis. When Mary and Joseph journeyed to the temple, they found Jesus just as Brigid had seen. The tale continues at a later time when Jesus comes about missing once more. Mary had Brigid perform another frith of which Brigid saw Jesus sitting on the rim of a well teaching his disciples. And, when Mary and Joseph went looking, he was discovered just as Brigid had told. These tales have remained alive in Scottish folklore through prayers and poetry. One augury prayer honoring Brigid goes like this:

The augury Brigid made for her Foster-son,
She made a pipe within her palms;
TìI see the Foster-son by the well’s side,
Teaching the people assuredly.
I set the augury towards the well,
And truly that righteous work,
The King of kings teaching the people,
Yonder see I Christ assuredly.

As Christianity and Paganism in Scotland have become as intertwined as Celtic knotwork, it is impossible to determine the true origins of frith. However, in various collections of folklore, many highlanders hold firm to the belief that frith originated with the second sight long before St. Columba had brought Christianity to their land.

Though Brigid is considered the first fritheir she is by far not the only fritheir for folklore abounds with such feats of seeing the unseen. Among Carmichael’s collection he relates the story of a man who had journeyed to Australia seeking his fortune. When his family had not heard from him in three years, the wife went to a fritheir. The fritheir saw the husband safe but poor and said that he would now write of his plight. Within three months the family received his letter. Another tale speaks of four men from Lewis who had been lost at see amidst a storm. Friends had searched unsuccessfully for them and found no signs of the ships wreckage. Through the augury of Duncan MacInnes, it was told that the men were in St. Kilda and would return in March when the bitter winter had receded. As foretold, come March the men arrived home safely.

There is an interesting element which appears in these tales. Such evidence relates that fritheirs maintained a belief in the importance of omens when performing their auguries. Yet, these fritheir simply went into a trance and, upon their return to the waking world, related the events. It appears that the art of frith, for finding lost people and objects, is closely entangled with the second sight for in most of these accounts omens were not utilized. From these tales, it can be determined that there are two forms of frith; one which employs the second sight, and a second which is determined by a persons ability to interpret omens.

It is this second form of frith that the majority of specifics can be discovered. The Quarter Day frith was performed across Scotland, the method used being almost universal. Says Noragh Jones,

"The formal rules urged that divination should be done on the first Monday of the quarter, bare-footed and bareheaded, before or at sunrise, while fasting".

The fritheir begins by circling the hearth in the center of the home three times in a sunwise direction. As the fritheir circles the flame they are to recite the Hymn of the Frith (which can easily be altered by replacing "God" with "the Gods" for those seeking a stronger pagan theme):

I am going without
To the doorstep of my house
In the name of God
Stronger of sight than all
I go out in the name of God,
I come in the name of the Son
I walking in the path, O God,
Thou O God, upon my doorstep
God before me, God behind me,
God over me, God beneath me,
God within me, God without me,
The God of marvels leading me.

Once the hymn is spoken, the fritheir proceeds to the door of their home with eyes shut or blindfolded. As the door is opened, the fritheir places one hand upon each jamb. Calling once more to the Gods for the ability to "see" the fritheir flings their eyes open and takes in the sight of all that lies before them. It is from this sight that the Quarter's future is foretold (see "Omens" at the end of this article). There are two additional methods that folklore includes depending upon the regions of Scotland. One addition relates that rather than simply standing in the doorway, the fritheir walks sunwise around the home with their gaze held firmly forward. They divine their omens based upon all that is seen in this walk. The second method reveals that the sight is taken in through the means of a "tube". The fritheir holds a stone with a hole in its center to their eye, or forms a tube out of their fingers, and looks through this. The augury of Brigid states that she used this tube to "see Christ" but it is unknown whether this second method derives from her story or vice versa. It is John and Caitlin Matthews opinion that these "seeing tubes" were "widespread in Irish Gaelic usage, where the palms are used to provide a seeing-space or tabula rasa, to block out the light or focus the seer."

Modern folk walking the Celtic path can use the Quarter Day frith as the tool of their fire festival divinations. For those living in the country, this method can remain unchanged as the omens are derived from country folk and their rural landscape. But those living in the city may need to discover new ways, and in some cases new omens, based upon their environment. Having lived in dense, urban areas, I have found several alternate forms which have functioned quite well. In one apartment I lived in, to look out the front door meant staring at a wall three feet away. But my back window looked out across a park. This window became my "door" for seeing the omens. Another alternate method is to actually leave the home and go to an outdoor "in-between" place. This is a location where two opposites meet each other. A popular "in-between" place to the Celtic people (also mentioned by Carmichael as an alternative) is where water meets a shore. This can be found at a nearby lake, stream, pond or the ocean. The fritheir can take a candle, walk three times deosil about it, then proceed to this "in-between" spot. In seeking new places, when city life prevents following the old ways, it is important to maintain the elements of the "in-between time" and the "in-between" place. It is in this otherworldly spot that the future is held in precious balance, allowing the fritheir to see into the unseen.

OMENS

"The signs are many and varied, and only some examples of them can be given. They are called rathadach and rosadach, lucky and unlucky, fortunate and mischievous"

The Carmina Gadelica

• It is a good sign if someone is walking towards you.
• It is a bad sign if someone is walking away from you.
• To see a man or animal rising means good health or a quick recovery from sickness.
• To see a man lying down mean sickness to come or a continuance of sickness.
• It was a good sign if a man is looking at the seer.
• A woman standing up is a good sign.
• A woman walking away means misfortune.
• To see a red haired woman is unlucky.
• To see a black haired woman is lucky.
• To see a brown haired woman is even luckier.
• A bird flying towards the seer means news is coming soon.
• To see a bird flying is a fairly good omen.
• To see a bird flying in a straight line from left to right is a very good sign.
• To see a totem animal is a very lucky sign.
• It means good luck if an animal was rising.
• It means bad luck if an animal is lying.
• If a trip is planned, to see a duck is good.
• If a trip is planned, to see a goat is bad.
• If a sea journey is planned, ducks flying is an especially good sign.
• If a land trip is planned, sheep rising is a good sign.
• To have three sparrows singing near the house is bad and can mean a death.
• If a rooster is crowing at dawn, things will be good.
• If a rooster crows before the light of dawn, sickness is coming.
• A cock coming towards, or looking at the seer, means excellent things to come.
• To see a rook approaching means harm is coming.
• An eagle or a hawk flying deosil means good things to come.
• To see a fox with pups is means fortune is coming soon.
• To see seven swans means peace and prosperity.
• To see a dog or a horse is a good sign.
• To see a black cat is a good sign especially if it crosses before you.
• To see a raven means a death is coming.
• A pig facing away is a bad sign for all except a Campbell.

Note: In divining based upon omens, new omens will need to be discovered for those people not in the country. Keep a record of what you see, listen within for their meanings, and pay attention to how the Quarter runs. Within a year, you will have created new sets of omens for your frith.

Bibliography:

Carmina Gadelica: Hymns and Incantations by Alexander Carmichael; Floris Books, Edinburgh, 1994 (link is to online book)

Power of Raven, Wisdom of Serpent by Noragh Jones; Floris Books, Edinburgh, 1994 (link to online book)

The Folklore of the Scottish Highlands by Anne Ross; Barnes & Noble Books, New York, 1993

The Silver Bough by F. Marion MacNeill; Edinburgh, 1982

The Encyclopedia of Celtic Wisdom by Caitlin & John Matthews; Barnes & Noble Books, New York, 1993

Celtic Heritage by Alwyn & Brinley Rees; Thames & Hudson, New York, 1994

Scottish Lore and Folklore compiled by Ronald Douglas; Bonanza Books, New York, 1982

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 - Hestia's Cleansing Meditation

Hestia's Cleansing Meditation
By Hestia

This is a mediation I wrote a number of years ago for an Imbolc ritual. I suggest taping it or finding someone to lead you through it. It doesn't take you down so you will have to use your own method for finding alpha. Let me know what you think.
Hestia

Take a candle and place on your right, close to hand

Earth.

You see a large depression about the size of a large hot tub, of soft, wet earth that reminds you of the mud puddles you may have played in when you were younger, or perhaps you still do. Sit and kinda roll in it. Feel it squish up between your fingers and toes. Feel it softly scrubbing away all worries about finances, work, responsibilities, commitments that you no longer seem to have the energy to face. Quiet your inner thoughts and listen carefully to the heartbeat of the mother. Let the sound help you renew your sense of foundation. Feel yourself become even more centered, your sense of balance greatly improved. Do you hear other sounds? Perhaps the sounds of things stirring in the veins of the mother? Sap running? Seeds sprouting? The much needed rest of the winter is loosening her grip. You must avoid becoming stagnant.

Air

Feel a gentle breeze blowing through your hair, tugging at any clothing you may be wearing, pulling gently at it, becoming stronger until it is a whirlwind tearing at your flesh. The dirt that was still clinging to you is "blown" off. The wind slowly rids you of all your negative thought patterns that you've been carrying with you this year. It also cleans your system of the impurities that cause sickness, giving your body the much needed health and vitality to enter this fast paced time. Your mind is clear, no longer held back with old "proven" ideals. You see things as they really are, not as you have been led to believe. New creative ideas are given the space needed to flourish with a greater capacity to remember, but also you must remember that others may not have the capacity to do as you do. Learn to communicate without demeaning others.

Fire

You see a great tower of fire, that, while you can feel heat, does not burn. Somehow you know it will not hurt you as you step into it. At first things feel uncomfortable, your blood has been very sluggish with the cold of winter, but as your blood moves faster it no longer bothers you. In fact it invigorates you. Your energy level knows no bounds. You begin to see the underlying reason, motivation of the things you are doing as well as the motivations of those around you. You no longer want to sit and think. You want to do! And then something else occurs to you, fire is hard to control. You must use this energy wisely.

Water

A large, deep lake stands before you. The water looks cool and inviting after the heat of fire, so you slowly wade in, relaxing your emotional muscles. You begin to swim around. Noticing how clean the water tastes, you cup your hands and drink your fill. Your connection with the Lady is now complete. Your psychic eye is open. You are open. You see the flow of energy around you, connecting everything together as if a giant spider had caught the world in its web. You see the relationships between you and your loved ones and notice the emotions that flow back and forth along those lines. The water your skin is drinking in feeds your creativity, giving support and encouragement to your ideas. Allowing your dreams to be fulfilled. Before you leave the water, visualize your shields. Remember that your subconscious mind needs those shields to protect itself outside of your sacred place.

Center

Move back towards the center of your sacred place. Remember the candle that was beside you and to your right as you entered this state. Pull all the sensations, thoughts, energy and feelings you experienced together into yourself and send it into the candle. When you have finished, remember to ground any excess energy and recenter yourself. When you are ready, return to the circle. Take the candle with you and use it anytime you feel that you need to reconnect with this state of mind. Also use it to clean your crystals, tarot cards, home, anything that may need extra special attention.

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.

Sunday Surprise – Honey/Hive Product Cosmetics

Spring is coming! And hard on the heels of Spring, is Summer. Folks are now starting to think about getting out the warm weather clothes…The ones that show a bit more skin. Skin that tends to get dry & ignored throughout the cold winter months. So with that in mind, her are some recipes to help you get your skin – and hair for that matter – ready for Summer showing off. These all use either Honey or Beeswax, along with other natural ingredients. Have fun! Materials needed, other than hive products, are readily available at drug stores and health stores.

*Compliments of Mooncrafts Newsletter* 

Honey Hand Lotion

• ½ cup Vaseline petroleum jelly
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons glycerin
• 1 tablespoon liquid lecithin

Melt the petroleum jelly over a double boiler. Add the remaining Ingredients and heat for several minutes until the mixture is smooth and well mixed,
Makes about ¾ cup. 

Honey-Rosewater Hand Lotion

•   1 tablespoon Irish moss
• ¼ cup rosewater
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ cup water
• 1/3 cup glycerin

Combine the water and Irish moss, and simmer over low heat until the mixture is thick, about 10 minutes. Strain the mixture to remove the Irish moss. Combine the strained liquid with the remaining ingredients.
Makes about one cup.

Beeswax Hand Cream 

•   ¼ cup beeswax
• ¼ cup almond oil
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 tablespoon bee pollen
• ¼ cup Vaseline petroleum jelly
• ¼ cup glycerin
• 2 tablespoons liquid lecithin

Melt the beeswax and petroleum jelly together over a double boiler. Add the remaining ingredients and heat for 4 to 5 minutes until the mixture is smooth and heated. Pour into a container while still hot since it will   harden as it cools. Makes about 1¼ cups.

Beeswax Coconut Hand Cream 

• ¼ cup beeswax
• 3 tablespoons baby oil
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 1/3 cup glycerin
• Melt the beeswax. and coconut oil over a double boiler.

Add the remaining  ingredients and heat until mixture is smooth, for about 4 to 5 minutes. Pour  into a container while still hot since it will harden as it cools.
Makes   about 1 cup.

Bee Pollen Hand Cream 

• 1/2 cup petroleum Jelly
• 1/2 Cup glycerin
• 1/3 cup beeswax
• 2 tablespoons bee pollen

Melt the petroleum jelly and beeswax over a double boiler.Add the glycerin   and heat for several minutes until the mixture is smooth and well heated. Add the bee pollen and pour into a container while still hot since the mixture does harden as it cools.
Makes about 1¼ cups. 

Beeswax Cold Cream 

• 1/3 cup beeswax
• ¼ cup glycerin
• 1 tablespoon liquid lecithin
• ¼ cup baby oil
• ¼ cup almond oil
• 1 tablespoon bee pollen

Melt the beeswax over a double boiler. Add the remaining ingredients and heat for several minutes until well mixed. Pour into containers while still hot since it will harden as it cools.
Makes about 1½ cups.

Honey Cold Cream for Dry Skin

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 tablespoon ground almonds
• 1 teaspoon liquid lecithin
• 2 tablespoons bee pollen
• 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon rosewater or cologne water

Combine all ingredients and mix well. This cream has a slightly grainy and oily texture, and in addition to using as a cold cream, it can be used for sunburn and for applying as a conditioner to the hands before doing outside work, such as gardening.

Makes about ¾ cup.

Beeswax-Almond Hand Cream 

• ¼ cup beeswax
• ½ cup almond oil
• ½ cup coconut oil
• ¼ cup rosewater

Melt the beeswax and coconut oil over a double boiler. Add the
remaining ingredients and heat until well mixed, several minutes. Pour into a container while still hot since it does harden as it cools.
Makes about 1½ cup.

  Honey Cleansing Cream 

• ¼ cup honey
• 1 tablespoon liquid soap
• ½ cup glycerin

Place the ingredients in a screw top jar, cover and shake well.
Makes about 3/4 cup.

Honey Cleansing Lotion 

• ½ cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon bee pollen
• 1½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• ¼ cup honey

Soften the gelatin in the water for several minutes. Then dissolve the gelatin mixture over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the mixture is clear.. Add the remaining ingredients. Makes about 1 cup.

Honey-Rosewater Cleansing Lotion 

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon bee pollen
• ¼ cup rosewater
• 2 teaspoons liquid soap

Combine the ingredients in a screw top jar. Cover and shake well.
Makes about ½ cup.

Honey-Oatmeal Face Mask

• 3 tablespoons honey
• ¼ cup oatmeal, ground fine
• 1 tablespoon bee pollen
• 1 tablespoon beaten egg, buttermilk, heavy cream or sour cream, optional

Combine the ingredients and mix until smooth. Apply to the freshly washed face, and let set on the skin for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse off.
Makes enough for 1 application. 
 

Honey-Avocado Face Mask 

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons dry buttermilk powder
• ¼ avocado, medium size, mashed

Combine the ingredients and stir until smooth. Cucumber puree may be substituted for the avocado, using ¼ cup puree. Avocado is good for dry skin, while cucumber is better for oily skin. Makes enough for 1    application. 
 

Honey Protein Face Mask 

• 1 tablespoon honey
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice or cider vinegar 
  1 tablespoon bee pollen
• ½ teaspoon wheat germ oil or glycerin
• 1 egg white, at room temperature (1 small whole egg may be substituted) 

Combine the honey, pollen, and lemon juice. Mix well until the honey  softens. Add the remaining ingredients. 
Makes enough for 1 application.

Honey Face Mask for Oily Skin 

• 4 tablespoons honey
• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley

Combine the ingredients and stir until smooth.
Makes enough for 1   application.

Honey Face Scrub 

• 2 tablespoons bee pollen
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon liquid lecithin
• ¼ cup each of almonds, walnuts,   oatmeal, whole wheat flour, corn meal
• 1 tablespoon rose water
• ¼ cup water

Combine all the dry ingredients. Add the honey, rose water, and liquid lecithin. Stir until smooth, and add in enough of the water to make a smooth paste.
Makes about 2 cups. 

Honey Hand Cleanser 

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon liquid soap
• 1/4 cup almond or walnut oil

Combine the ingredients and mix until smooth.
Makes about 1/3 cup.

Soapless Hand Cleanser 

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon oatmeal or ground almonds
• 1 tablespoon glycerin
• 2 tablespoons witch hazel

Combine the ingredients and mix until smooth. This may be used to remove dirt from the hands and fingernails, and is less drying on the skin than soap and water.
Makes enough for 1 application. 

Beeswax Lip Balm 

• 2 tablespoons beeswax
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Melt the ingredients over a double boiler. Pour into container
while still hot since it will harden as it cools.
Makes about 1/4 cup.

Honey Egg Shampoo 

• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons liquid soap
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon witch hazel
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon wheat germ oil or almond oil
• 1 tablespoon rosewater or cologne

Place all the ingredients in a screw top jar, cover and shake well.
Makes about 2/3 cup

Honey-Pollen Shampoo 

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup glycerin.
• 1 tablespoon witch hazel
• 1/4 cup orange flower water or cologne
• 2 tablespoons bee pollen
• 1 teaspoon liquid soap
• 1 tablespoon alcohol

Place the ingredients in a screw top jar, cover and shake well.
Makes about 1¼ cups.

Honey-Milk Conditioner For Oily Hair 

• 1/3 cup hot water
• ¼ cup glycerin
• 2 tablespoons liquid lecithin
• 1/4 cup Sage
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons dry buttermilk powder

Combine the hot water and sage, and let set for 10 minutes. Strain the liquid, and discard the sage. Add the remaining Ingredients to the strained liquid, and mix well. Apply to freshly shampooed hair, let sit on hair for about 2 minutes and rinse off with warm water.
Makes about 1/2 cup.

Honey Herbal Hair Conditioner 

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup glycerin
• 1/4 cup sage
• 1/2 cup dried chamomile flowers  or cup nettle leaves
• 1/4 cup rosemary leaves
• 1/2 cup witch hazel
• 1 tablespoon liquid lecithin

Place all the ingredients in a screw top jar. Shake well and let
sit for 1 hour. Strain to remove herbs, discard the herbs and pour the liquid back   into the jar.
Makes about 1/2 cup.

Honey Treatment for Very Dry Damaged Hair 

• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Stir for a minute or so until the mixture is smooth. Apply to
freshly shampooed hair, and let soak in for 10-12 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.
Makes enough for 1 application. 

Blond Hair Highlighter 

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon Irish moss
• 1/4 Cup molasses

Soak the Irish moss in the water for 5 minutes. Then simmer for several minutes over low heat until the mixture is thick. Add the remaining ingredients. Apply to freshly shampooed hair and let soak for 3-5 minutes. Then rinse off with warm water.
Makes about 1 cup, enough for two applications.

Jack "Gray Crow"

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 - The Lost Heritage Of The Elder Races.

Our kind is not the first to live on the green earth, and it shall not be the last. There have been civilizations of which we have no knowledge which have vanished with hardly a trace. In time, we shall follow them, for we are related to more than merely those of humankind. The legends of the Old Religion say that "Single is the race of Gods and men, and from a single source we both draw breath." The Gods are our kin; so also are the Elder Ones - for at length it becomes impossible to separate one from the other. It is given to each race to have this world for a while - to learn and to progress upward toward a finer plane; then, when sufficient development and sufficient wisdom is attained, to depart for another realm of existence, leaving behind their lands and works for a newer, less-developed people to try to understand and attempt to use. We do not know how many earlier races there have been, only that some were non-human and pre-human. Ancient lore speaks of the Tuatha de Damnu, the Tuatha de Danaan, and those whom we call Elven or Faery.

The worlds to which the Elder races ascend are superior in every way to this world of ours. They are places of beauty, of Magic, of mystery, of brilliant and joyous color. Life goes on there, and all manner of normal events, though on a higher level of existence. Death also exists, though its meanings and imports are not so dread as here - being merely an intermediate change in lives, throughout which consciousness and memory is retained. All of the arts and sciences, love, and even love-making are far more compelling and enthralling in those far regions.

Transition to the Otherworlds is made by Magic of the mind. The one making it becomes insubstantial, invisible, then vanishes altogether from the perception of the earthbound. Returns are possible, but become less and less likely. This Magic method is said to be known to the highest adepts of the Craft. The method for this transition, however, generally must be sought out and gained by the individuals, for it involves not just surface knowledge, but a deep understanding within the very depths of the soul. It cannot fully be written, and is not easily passed between people by any normal means.

One seeking this manner of transformation is advised to study the lore of the Elven Folk, who are perhaps the closest to us and of whom some knowledge yet remains. The ways are of moonlight and forest, silent meadows and mists, of candles and firelight, and the Magic of being "between the worlds." Myth and legend have the keys, and the practice of spells and Magics will condition the mind and the body for the change.

from: A Grimoire of Shadows: Witchcraft, Paganism, & Magick

by Ed Fitch, posted by Elder Pagan

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 – Imbolc – History, Origin & Ideas To Celebrate It

* History And Origins Of Imbolc *

Compiled By Meredith

Imbolc is one of the four greater Sabbats. Most traditions celebrate it on February 1st or 2nd, or on the first Full Moon in Aquarius. Other names for Imbolc, include; Brigantia (Day of Brigid, England), Candlearia (Mexican Craft), Feast of the Waxing Light (unknown), Disting-id (Teutonic), Candlemas (Christian, The Purification of the Virgin), St. Brigid's Day (Irish), Oimelc (ewe-milk, Celtic), Lupercus or Lupercalia (Feast of Pan, Roman/Strega), Fest of Lights (unknown), Antihestria (Greek, for the Festival of Flowers), and in our culture Groundhog Day. Some contributed meanings to the word Imbolc are "in the belly" or "in milk" and refers to the pregnancy and lactation of the ewes. This Sabbat is a celebration of Spring’s coming, and an end to the dark, cold days of Winter. In Celtic traditions, this is a holiday associated with Brigit, and has survived to this day in Ireland as St Bridget's Day. (Who was reputedly a midwife at the birth of Christ.)

The Romans dedicated the holiday to Venus and Pan, and the Greeks to Diana. In Norse traditions it was known as Disting-id and was a time for readying the Earth for planting, usually by sprinkling it with ashes, salt, and herbs. Candlemas rituals, are done by Catholics. Some of whom bring their candles for the coming year to the church to be blessed by a priest. Americans celebrate Groundhog's Day, where we find what our chances of an early spring will be.

Imbolc is traditionally a time of new beginnings, with planning, starting over, and making way for the new. In our modern lives the season has little impact on our daily life. But for our ancestors it would have been very different. In the northern hemisphere the ground is often still covered with snow at this point, and might have been too hard to till and prepare yet for spring planting. Our ancestors would have been living off of their stores from the previous harvest. This would have been a time of reflection and looking back, evaluating the stores they had put by, wondering if there would be enough, and at the resolutions that had been made. Being mostly house bound this was the best time for working on things for the house. Sitting in front of the cook fire while the stew simmered and working on a quilt, dipping candles from the tallow in the stores, making the small repairs which they would be too busy to perform during the growing season.

Traditions

Bread spread with butter was left on window sills on Imbolc Eve as a gift for the Lady, who was thought to visit each household that night, along with an ear of corn for her white cow. For those a bit more modern, try leaving buttered bread, an ear of corn, and a saucer of milk for Brigid on your doorstep. Reputedly butter and butter churns are sacred to Brigit. Sometimes the handle of the churn dash was turned upside-down and stuck into the ground with a cake placed on the flat top. In Scotland, on the last day of January, the ladies of the household would dress a corn dolly or a sheaf of oats (fertility) in woman's clothes and lay it in a basket or on a pile of reeds called a "Bride's Bed" next to the fireplace. A club, rod, or wand (often with a pine cone tip) was laid next to the doll. The women would then call out three times

"Bride is come! Bride is welcome!"

and discreetly withdraw so that the phallic "God" would impregnate the "Goddess." When the night was over, the women returned and checked the ashes of the fireplace or some type of sign. This could be the imprint of the club in the ashes, a footprint or any other mysterious symbol. If they find one, the coming year will be fruitful.

Decorations

Decorate your Imbolc altar with Goddess images, lights, and candles, as this is a Sabbat associated with light. Set out a bowl of snow to slowly thaw and remind you of the approaching spring. Corn dolls are also appropriate, as are seeds and any sprigs of early-sprouting plants you can find. Imbolc is a festival of the home and hearth, and you can keep a fire in your fireplace all day or a small fire burning in a cauldron on your altar. Now is also a good time to buy new plants for your house.

Herbs

Snowdrop, Bay, Heather, First Flower of the Year.

Incense

Rosemary, Cinnamon, Wisteria Frankincense, Myrrh, Basil, Jasmine, Camphor, Lotus

Colors

Black, White, Pink, Green, Orange, Red.

Food

Dairy products, Salmon, Lamb, Pork, Sprouts, Eggs, Spicy foods such as Curries and peppers, onions, Chives, Spiced wines, Seeds, Herbal teas, and round foods.

Gemstones

Amethyst, garnet, onyx and turquoise

Spellwork

Catalyst spells, spells for beginnings, rejuvenation spells, purification spells, spells for good luck and for future endeavors, and initiatory rites.

Totem Animals

Wolves, Bears, Stags, Eagle, Raven, Groundhog

Poems

This medieval Anglo-Saxon plowing charm, recorded by Berger, was said by the farmer while cutting the first furrow.

Whole be thou Earth
Mother of men.
In the lap of God,
Be thou as-growing.
Be filled with fodder
For fare-need of men.

The farmer then took a loaf of bread, kneaded it with milk and holy water and laid it under the first furrow, saying:

Acre full fed,
Bring forth fodder for men!
Blossoming brightly,
Blessed become;
And the God who wrought the ground,
Grant us the gifts of growing,
That the corn, all the corn,
May come unto our need.
If Candlemas day be fair and bright,
Winter will have another flight
If Candlemas day be clouds and rain,
Winter is gone, and will not come again.

~E. Holden

* Ideas To Celebrate Imbolc *
Compiled By Meredith

Homemade Butter - In memory of our ancestors, and devoting your efforts to Brigit, you and your family can take turns making homemade butter. You will need;

• 1/2 pint whipping cream
• A jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Fill the jar 1/3 1/2 full of cream. Screw the lid on tightly and begin shaking the jar or rolling it back and forth on the floor or table top. The cream will begin to thicken and then small pieces of butter will begin to form. Continue shaking or rolling the jar until the butter forms a solid mass separate from the thin buttermilk. (It should take 10-15 minutes) You may add a dash of salt if you wish. The butter may be formed into different shapes using small cake molds or cookie cutters. Sample the butter on crackers or steamed vegetables Remember to keep any left-over butter refrigerated..

Spring Search - Take a hike with friends or family. Be on the lookout for signs of spring. Take souvenirs home, such as acorns, rocks, sticks etc. to make wands with.

Make a Priapic Wand - Take a stick about a foot long, and affix an acorn or pinecone to the tip with glue, wire, or twine. Use it in your Imbolc celebrations, and put it to "bed" with your corn doll.

Corn Dolls - Corn dolls, traditional portrayals of the Maiden, are common symbols of Imbolc. Dried stalks of wheat and grass can be found cheaply at craft stores. Tying a sheaf of wheat in three places, to represent the Triple Goddess, and wrapping it in a lace hanky can make simple corn dolls. To make a more complicated doll, bend the sheaf in half, tying it an inch or so below the bend. Make a small braid and poke it through just below the tie to serve as arms. Tie it again to mark the waist. Spread the ends of the sheaf out as a skirt, draping it over a cardboard cone if necessary to give it support. You can decorate it further as you wish, with a small straw hat, flowers or leaves, or just leave it plain.

Spring Cleaning - When you've completed your Spring-cleaning don't toss your old clothes and such, donate them to a local shelter for example. Go through your cupboards and donate canned foods or hold a canned food drive in your community.

Make Some Noise - Wake up early in the morning, take out all the noisemakers you can: pots and pans and whistles, go outside and joyfully make noise to wake up the sleeping Mother Earth. Bang away, wake her up! Little kids love a reason to let loose. Be nice to your neighbors though!

Planting rituals - You could also hold a ritual blessing over the seeds you plan to use in this year's garden.

Candle Making - Make and bless candles for the year to come. Children will enjoy helping you make candles. Wax can be purchased at your local craft store, in sheets or in blocks. Sheets are safest to use with small children, as no heat is involved. The sheets are simply rolled around long wicks. For older kids, melt the wax in a double boiler over low heat, or in a large empty can, with it's paper wrapping removed. Dip the wicks in one at a time, let the wax to harden before you dip again. You can use orange juice cans or milk cartons as molds. Wash them, then attach a length of wick to a pencil and allow it to hang inside the mold. Pour in the wax, and when it is cool and dry, remove the pencil and peel off the cardboard. Candles can be decorated, with whatever you would like, by pressing the objects into the wax while it is still slightly warm. You could also add scented oils, in small quantities, to your candles.

Fire - Clean your fireplace, sweeping clear all the ashes, then bless your hearth, and light a fire. Have an outdoor bonfire ritual, as a reminder of the warmth of spring to come. This would also be a good time to burn any Yule greens that still remain.

Bride's Crosses - In Ireland, people make Bride's Crosses woven of rushes or withies and in the shape of a three or four-armed cross. Or if you don't have these items, weave a Bride's cross out of wheat or barley purchased from the craft store or one out of the local grasses with dried seed heads. This custom may derive from an earlier fire ceremony in which this cross would have been ignited and cast into the winter skies of February to hasten the coming spring.

Dance the Spiral Dance! - Spiral dances are always fun. Grab hands and snake through the grass or the living room, wherever you do your ceremony. For those who cannot or do not want to do spiral dance, this is an excellent time to participate in the rhythm, by beating drums, shaking maracas and rolling rattles.

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.