A Year and a Day of Everyday Witchcraft, page 18
try this: You should be able to find a CD or a YouTube video that will guide you through a simple shamanic journey, although unless you have a natural gift for such things, you might be better off finding someone who can truly guide you into these mysterious realms and help you to return safely from your journeying.
September 17
Snake
There is a certain primal aversion in many humans when it comes to snakes. This is probably a survival trait written into our DNA because so many of them can be poisonous. On the other hand, some folks love them. A friend of mine had a beautiful coral-colored milk snake named Sarah, who I got along with just fine, as long as she stayed in her space and I stayed in mine. And because I have a garden and an old farmhouse with a stone foundation, I have lots of garter snakes, which are perfectly harmless and quite helpful with small pests. (Although on the rare occasion one manages to make its way into the house, I must confess I help it back outside again as quickly as possible!)
Magically and spiritually, snakes are altogether positive. They symbolize healing (like the two snakes entwined around the caduceus, the staff of medicine), personal growth, the ability to move between two worlds (since they go below and above ground), metamorphosis, transitions, and spiritual renewal.
try this: If a snake shows up as your totem animal, it is probably an indication that you are preparing for a time of change. Get ready to shed your old skin and transform yourself, inside and out. If this is something you need to do, see if you can connect with the snake spirit.
September 18
Transitions
Change is hard. Being in the midst of a transition—moving from one place or job or relationship or state of being—is even tougher. You’ve let go of the old and you haven’t quite rooted yourself in the new yet. Maybe this transition was something you wanted and worked for willingly, or maybe it was thrust on you by life, by others, by circumstance; but however you’ve come to it, your world has been shaken up like a snow globe, and that can be tough to live through. You can’t avoid transitions, but you can do some things to make them go a little more smoothly.
First: stop fighting. Most of us resist change and make transitions harder on ourselves than they need to be. Did you choose to make this transition? Then jump in and embrace the changes. Not fighting is harder if you didn’t choose the changes—whether it is dealing with illness, the end of a relationship, job or money issues, or anything else—but if the change is inevitable and there is nothing you can do to stop it, then try to go with the flow of the transition.
The second tip can be even more difficult, but it is the key to making successful transitions: focus on the positive. If you’re in transition because life threw you a curveball, try to look at the possibilities this change might open up for you. Sometimes tough transitions can be the beginning of something new and unexpected.
Remember that change and transition are opportunities for learning and growth. The lessons aren’t always easy, but the paths you take may lead you to the place you were meant to be all along.
try this: Don’t forget to lean on your spiritual beliefs either; it is always okay to ask the God and Goddess for the strength, wisdom, and guidance that will make your transition go as smoothly as possible.
September 19
Demeter and Persephone
One of my favorite Greek myths is the bittersweet tale of Demeter and Persephone, which is used to explain why we have half a year of warmth and growth and half a year of winter. Demeter, the goddess of the earth, and her daughter, Persephone, were gathering plants in a meadow. Persephone wandered off and was snatched up by Hades, the god of the underworld, who was captivated by her youth and beauty. He carried her off to his kingdom. Demeter wandered the earth looking for her lost child, and in her grief she no longer tended to the growing things, which withered and died. Eventually, Hecate helped her to find Persephone, but by the time Demeter reclaimed her daughter, Persephone had eaten six pomegranate seeds and so had to stay in the underworld for half the year. And thus, half the year Demeter rejoices in the company of her daughter, and the world blooms. The other half she mourns, and the world is gray and the plants don’t grow.
This seems like a sad ending to the story, but as Pagans, we know that it is just part of the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. The ground needs time to rest, as do those who work it. According to some of the tales, Persephone loved her dark husband, and her presence brought some light to the underworld.
try this: Eat some pomegranate seeds at the fall equinox and think of what they symbolize as you prepare for the cold months ahead.
September 20
Harvest Corn and Potato Salad
I love the harvest season because fresh produce makes it easy to whip up delicious dishes with very little effort. This is a twist on the usual boring potato salad, and I think you’ll like it. Cook the corn ahead of time or make it when you toss the potatoes into the pot, and let them both cool off before you combine them.
Cook, cool, and chop into bite-sized pieces about two pounds of potatoes. I like to mix purple ones and fingerlings (both of which I grow) because the colors look so pretty with the other ingredients, but any kind of potato will do. Small red ones are nice too.
Add the kernels from one ear of corn, some chopped tomatoes (about a cup—I like the colorful cherry or grape tomatoes), a stalk or two of chopped celery, and some chopped fresh herbs (my favorites are parsley, basil, and chives). Toss with oil and vinegar or a summery vinaigrette, and you’ll have a vibrant, bright looking and tasting harvest dish to serve for a feast or just for dinner.
try this: Vary the amounts of the ingredients depending on your own tastes, and substitute with ingredients you happen to have in the house, such as diced red onion, chopped hard-boiled eggs, or chopped walnuts.
September 21
Fall Equinox
The fall equinox, also known as Mabon, is the second of the two harvest festivals on the witchy calendar. Its actual date varies, but one thing stays the same: it is the only other day of the year, besides its counterpart the spring equinox, on which the amount of daylight and night are exactly equal. But unlike in spring, when the light increases with every day that follows, after Mabon the light decreases as we enter the dark half of the year.
We celebrate what we have harvested—both physically and metaphorically—and we mourn those things we have failed to accomplish. We bid goodbye to the summer and turn our sights toward the colder, darker days to come.
But harvest festivals are mostly times to gather together and enjoy what we have—friends, family, and food on the table. I think this is one of those sabbats when the feast table should be filled with seasonal foods, and even if you don’t happen to have a witchy group to share the day with, there’s no reason you can’t have an equinox party with your non-Pagan friends.
try this: Use this day to focus on your connection to all the witches who came before you, many of whom celebrated the same holiday in much the same way. As you sit down to your feast table, think about how important the harvest was to those who came before you, for whom a good harvest could mean the difference between life and death, and be grateful.
September 22
Faith
The element of spirit is considerably more elusive than that of earth, air, fire, and water. Perhaps its most intangible aspect is faith. Faith manifests differently for all of us, but if you’re reading this book, you probably have some kind of esoteric faith, a mystical belief in what cannot be seen, yet you still somehow believe exists.
I came late to faith. I never particularly believed in anything until I discovered witchcraft in my thirties. In the years since I found my way to my spiritual path, I have also come to have faith that, for the most part, things work out the way they are supposed to (which isn’t, mind you, always the way I want them to work out)—not always, but mostly. That I can create positive changes in my life, and if I try hard enough, there will be help from outside me. And that no matter how many times I fall down, there will be a loving hand to help me get up, as long as I am willing to make the effort. That’s what faith means to me and what the element of spirit means, at least in part.
try this: Think about what faith means to you, and put it into words. Write it down in your journal or Book of Light or just sit quietly and feel it.
September 23
Spell for Balance
One of my favorite aspects of the holiday of Mabon is that the fall equinox brings in the opportunity to work on energy for balance.
I don’t know about you, but this is a challenge I have been working on for years, and I’m not making progress with this goal as well as I would like. Still, I plug away at it—striving for better balance between work and play, time alone and time spent with others, and everything else that contributes to leading a healthy, happy, productive life.
As you prepare to say this spell, light one black candle and one white candle or wind two ribbons of those colors together. Mostly, though, focus on the places in your life that are most out of balance, and open yourself up to shifting into a new equilibrium. Say:
Black and white, white and black
Help me get my balance back
Balance work and balance play
Balance all the night and day
White and black, black and white
Help me see with clearer sight
How to balance want and need
And for new balance plant the seed
try this: Recite this spell on Mabon but also at any other time you feel the need for balance in your life.
September 24
Libra
Those born between September 24 and October 23 have the sun sign of Libra, the scales. As you might expect from this symbol, Librans tend to prefer balance and harmony, and they will bend over backward to get along with others. Libra is an air sign, so creativity and intellect are often prominent traits. Of course, as with any other sign, there are downsides on occasion: because of their eagerness to please, they may be indecisive or easily influenced.
try this: During this sun period, whether you are a Libra or not, work toward achieving balance in your life without giving up your own inner path. Creative and intellectual endeavors are also likely to shine.
September 25
Fountains
I confess: I love fountains. There is something about the sound of trickling or splashing water that just seems to naturally soothe the human soul. The great thing about fountains is that they are an easy (and often pretty) way to connect with the element of water, with no more effort on your part than it takes to set one up.
I have a fountain in my small garden pond. It helps aerate the water to keep the pond and its inhabitants (goldfish, frogs, and newts) healthy, but it is also a lovely sound to listen to while I am out pulling weeds or harvesting tomatoes. I also have a standing solar fountain in my front yard, not too far from the window nearest to the couch. If I open the window, I can hear the water burbling away. (And because it is solar, it doesn’t even use any energy.)
Of course, those fountains get put away at the end of the warm months, so I have a small tabletop fountain inside to give me my water fix during the winter.
Fountains require maintenance, and they can vary in price depending on their size and how fancy they are. But even a small, inexpensive indoor fountain can give you hours of pleasure, soothe your spirit, and help you connect to water.
try this: Get a fountain of some kind, even if it is just a small one that sits on your counter.
September 26
Orange
Orange may be the new black, but it is also the same old very useful orange, at least when it comes to magical work. Orange is the color of fall, of fire in its gentler form, and, like yellow, it also represents the sun and solar power. I use it primarily in spells for courage, increased energy, and increased confidence.
If you need a boost, carry an orange-colored stone such as light carnelian, amber, or dark citrine. These stones all come in a wide range of hues, so you can find the one that calls to you the most. One of my favorites is a piece of amber set into a silver sun symbol. Who wouldn’t feel better while wearing that?
try this: For increased energy, wear a necklace with one or all of these stones. Meditate on courage and self-confidence while holding a stone and staring at an orange candle. Orange clothing can give you a boost too!
September 27
Witchy Words of Wisdom:
Edain McCoy
Edain McCoy has written many books on modern witchcraft, but the one I find most useful is the one on covens. There aren’t as many books on “how to” for covens as you’d think. I wish I had found McCoy’s book back when I was just starting out with my own coven.
This quote is from McCoy’s The Witch’s Coven: Finding or Forming Your Own Circle:
Covens come in all sizes and structures, many of them good, some mediocre. A few could possibly be called dangerous. A coven may have only two members; I have known others containing as many as sixty. There are almost as many different types of covens as there are witches, and certainly there are as many different ways to run a coven as there are individual Craft traditions.
try this: If you want to practice with others, I highly recommend reading McCoy’s book. She has much witchy wisdom about why to work in a coven and how to find one.
September 28
Covens
One of the ironies of my life is that in most aspects of my existence I tend to be solitary, and yet, when it comes to witchcraft, it turns out that I am a group kind of witch. This isn’t to say that I don’t practice on my own; even witches who belong to some sort of group do magical work by themselves too. But the core of my witchcraft experience began with a group run by the high priestess who introduced me to the Craft, and I spent years practicing with them before starting my own coven, Blue Moon Circle, in 2004.
Covens aren’t for everyone. I have plenty of witchy friends who are happier being on their own. Some folks would like to be in a group but can’t find one near them or can’t find one that suits their own particular style or beliefs. And covens are much like any other relationship: it is better to be alone than it is to be with the wrong person or people. You don’t want to do magic with people who make you stressed or unhappy. On the other hand, a truly good coven is a blessing. Practicing with others is like a relationship in other ways as well. It takes good communication, compromise, and a shared commitment to make it work—and when it does, it is magical indeed.
try this: If you have a friend or two who have witchy inclinations, try doing some magic together. You don’t have to form anything as formal as a coven to practice with others.
September 29
The Speaking Stick
A speaking stick isn’t a tool that a solitary witch will need, but if you practice with others, it can be extremely valuable.
Something that originated with Native Americans and tribes in other countries, the speaking stick (also called a talking stick) can be an ornate formal stick, carved and intricately decorated, or it can be as plain as a branch that was picked up off the ground. Blue Moon Circle has used driftwood, feathers, and other items, as well as actual sticks, for this purpose.
The speaking stick’s role is simple: to give everyone in the circle a chance to speak and be heard. Toward the end of ritual, the stick is passed from person to person, and whoever holds it gets to say whatever is on their mind. Only the person holding the stick speaks. When that person is done speaking, they pass the stick to the next person.
This doesn’t sound like much, but think about how rarely we get to speak without interruption, with the full attention of others focused on the words we say from the heart. In today’s hectic world, where many feel isolated and disenfranchised, the speaking stick gives us a rare moment to speak freely and know that others are listening.
try this: If you practice with others and don’t already use a speaking stick, try it out at your next ritual.
September 30
Worry Stones
No, worry stones are not rocks that fret about things. (I’m pretty sure that rocks don’t fret, although I’ve never actually asked one.) A worry stone is simply a small, smooth oval stone that fits comfortably in the hand, usually with an indentation in the middle shaped so that the thumb can rub across it.
Worry stones have been used in many cultures, including Native American, Celtic, Greek, and Tibetan, and can be found these days in almost every Pagan or New Age shop. I have a couple of nice ones I’ve picked up in my travels. You can choose a specific type of gemstone—maybe a nice green one if you are always worrying about money, or rose quartz if you need something to keep you calm—or just find one that feels right when you hold it.
The idea is that instead of biting your nails or smoking a cigarette or just plain fretting, you stroke your thumb across the rock, and the motion and energy of the gemstone will soothe you instead. Don’t worry, be happy—or at least get a worry stone.
try this: Tuck a worry stone in your pocket or keep it on your altar until you need it.
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October 1
Ethics
Ethics in witchcraft are a tricky thing, and it means something a little bit different to everyone. Ethics, essentially, are a code of conduct—what is considered right and wrong in any given society. Witchcraft as a whole is primarily an ethical society, the problem being that not everyone agrees on what those ethics are.
For instance, the most commonly stated rule is the Wiccan Rede: An it harm none, do as ye will. But does that mean you can’t harm someone in self-defense or the defense of someone else? Does it mean every witch has to be a vegetarian? What about things that harm yourself?
