Order this bumper sticker from Peacemonger.org.

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 4:36 PM | Comments (0)

Okay, so if my picture were in a magazine, I'd be the one with the black square over my eyes. An attempt to protect the identity of the woman who was so unfortunate as to have made THAT particular choice, rendered more humiliated by the fact that now she has a silly black square stuck to her face. Well I'm coming clean - I am a Wiccan Don't.

This past Sunday was the New Moon in Cancer. As the evening wore on, I realized that I hadn't planned a ritual or a spell or even an affirmation for the day. In the past I've let too many lunar opportunities go by and I decided I wasn't going to waste this one. I'd cast circles; I'd called quarters; I had my wand now. I was going to wing it.

From a Litha ritual I attended a couple of weeks ago I had a yellow candle charged with the intent to bring me joy in the coming year. I decided I would light this candle and ask for some joy. It was too late to write a petition spell. Besides, the last time I did a petition spell I set off the smoke detector and I wasn't looking forward to a repeat of that experience. I'd just light the candle. Sit with it for a bit, maybe meditate on filling myself with lovely yellow light, and then put it out before I burnt the building down.

In one of our classes we made a power potion. I decided to dress my candle with it because, lets face it, I could use a little joy in my life right about now and the more power this joy candle had the better.

So as midnight approached, I set out my tools, such as they are. I have a sort of altar on the desk in my home office that right now consists of a lovely witchball floating in a vase of water, a small vase of pink and white little flowers, my statue of Ganesh and a votive candle. To this I added a lotus blossom candle holder, my yellow candle, a bottle of power potion, and my wand. I was ready. But wait - no matches. I ransacked the apartment looking for matches. None. Note to self - witches should keep matches in the house.

Suddenly I had the brilliant idea to light a little birthday candle on the burner of the stove and use that to light my other candles. Well, all I succeeded in doing was dripping beeswax on the burner, which caught fire. Thank goddess for exhaust fans! Another note to self: make sure there is a gas stove in next home. I decided to risk setting off the smoke detector and lit a piece of twine, with which I succeeded in lighting my votive candle. Geez louise, I was ready to go!

I took up my wand and cast my circle. (It was the first time I'd used it - I was stoked!) Perhaps not the most eloquent of circle castings I'd ever done, but so far so good. I dressed my candle, lit it, asked the god and goddess to help me manifest its intent to bring me joy, and stood there quietly for a few minutes. The air conditioning came on and nearly blew out my candle. Then I remembered, oh yea I'm supposed to raise the cone of power! So I did this and sent my joy energy out into the universe. Right about then I heard a noise in my kitchen and ran out there expecting to see the burner up in flames again. It wasn't. But of course I hadn't thought to make a door to exit the circle as we'd been taught. So much for the sacredness of my circle! With my propensity for this sort of thing, it's clear that I need to practice cutting a door in my circle.

I did the final blessing of putting into what remained of my circle the names of others I thought could use some joy too. I got so caught up in this that I think I ended up asking for joy for the whole world! Let's just hope that there's a little left for me. It was only after I'd gone through the motion of releasing the circle, open but unbroken, that I realized that I'd forgotten to thank the god and goddess or release any of the elementals. I called a hasty "thanks guys!" and fell limply into my chair.

This, my friends, is not the way to practice magick. You know when you wince at the the picture of the unfortunate fashion choice? Well this Wiccan Don't is the magickal equivalent of cautioning you not to wear briefs with low-rider jeans. I'll remember next time to be more prepared. Or if I'm not and there's a nice New Moon that I'd like to acknowledge, I'll simply light a candle and say an affirmation. Keep it simple, silly witch.

I sat there contemplating my ridiculously imperfect efforts of the evening and said to whomever was still listening that I sincerely hoped that this witch's imperfections in no way would affect the perfection of the the joy to come to all for whom I'd asked it. Because, for whatever I lack in perfection as a witch, I believe I make up for in the goodness of my intention.

As I put my tools away and got ready to go to bed, I thought I felt some spirit still lingering about. I hoped it was kind and said good night.

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 11:28 AM | Comments (2)

On Sunday, June 25, we will have a New Moon in the water sign of Cancer. Since Cancer is ruled by the Moon, lunar influences are strongest and most easily expressed now. This will be a time of intense emotions and great sensitivity, with people responding to life through emotions rather than reason. It could be a very psychic time and you may experience prophetic dreams and other psychic experiences. Although it is a good time to follow your intuition and trust your emotional instincts, during this very vulnerable period be cautious not to emotionally wound others or allow yourself to be wounded. The effects of this New Moon in Cancer will be felt most strongly by water signs Cancer, Pisces and Scorpio.

Generally, people will be passive, easy-going, sentimental, loving and nurturing. Cancer natives tend to be caregivers so think of this New Moon as a time to renew your commitment to take of yourself and others.

A New Moon is a time of new beginnings. Especially since Mercury goes retrograde on July 4, use this New Moon energy to launch any new endeavors so that they can be marinating while Mercury does his little schizoid maneuvering. Remember that helpful things sometimes have a way of returning to us while Mercury is retrograde, so keep this in mind when taking any New Moon-inspired actions.

Spell Work

The New Moon begins at 12:05 pm EDT. After that time it will move into its Waxing phase, which is the best time to perform all types of magick for healing, attracting good luck and increasing things such as money, love, etc.

This Moon has great energies for calling upon and working with the elementals of all types. This is a time when psychic energies flow readily, allowing those who almost never sense anything to experience unusual happenings. Since Cancer rules the breasts and the stomach, this would be a good time to do any healing magick for these areas of the body.

For any of you who plan to use the Dark of the Moon to perform any banishment spells or rituals, the Moon will be void of course from 8:02 pm Saturday evening until 4:48 am on Sunday. For those of you who don't like working during a void of course Moon, perhaps the best time for banishment spells would be between 4:48 am and 12:05 pm on Sunday - also take care to check your hours to find one that gives you the best planetary energy for the work you want to do.

Correspondences

These are some of the standard Cancer correspondences. You might use these to help you tap into the potential of this New Moon in Cancer.

Metal: Silver?Stone: Pearl, Opal?Color: White, Yellow

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 7:04 PM | Comments (0)

Go see this movie. Just do it. And then TAKE ACTION.

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 7:00 PM | Comments (0)

Today is the Summer Solstice, Litha or Midsummer on the Wiccan Wheel of the Year. Often observed on the day of the solstice itself, many witches also celebrate Midsummer's Eve on June 23 and Midsummer on June 24 (this corresponds to the Christian St. John's Day). It is the longest day of the year, the peak of solar power, the Sun's equivalent to the Full Moon. It is the time of year when we celebrate the Earth's bounty and the divine couple, the Goddess and God, at the peak of their power.

Bee, Martha's Vineyard.

Christopher Penczak describes Litha in The Outer Temple of Witchcraft:

The theme of the divine couple, at the peak of their power, is constant at Litha. The Goddess is the Queen of the Bountiful Garden. Her love for the king and all of us is reflected in the lush greenery of the land. Her love makes the harvest grow. She is the Divine Mother providing nourishment with the growing plants. The energy of the land builds to its crescendo. The God is matured into his role as Divine King of the Land. He is the caretaker and protector. The solar and green attributes are merged into one, as he is both Solar King and Grain Lord bearing fruit.

Although he is at the peak of his power, all he can do now is wane. Tradition says he must face his shadow. The Shadow of the God is the Dark Lord and Underworld King. He is the Horned God and the Holy King. The God of Light faces the God of Shadow, and is defeated, as is preordained on this day. He relinquishes control of the year to the Dark God. This shift is symbolic of the shadows we must all face. They are not evil, simply another side of us that we must look at as part of our development and growth. There can be no growing season without the waning season. Death makes life that much sweeter.

On Saturday I attended a Litha ritual hosted by Unicorn Books in Cambridge. While we were joyously celebrating the warmth of summer, the Priestess leading ritual reminded us to think about the coming darkness and guided us in a meditation to travel to the dark part of ourselves to find that which we will need to protect us in the coming year. Afterward, I also was thinking that at this time of year, when it's starting to get warmer and our thoughts are turning to holidays and beach days, it's good to remember to take some of the bountiful light with us - in memory, ritual, talisman - to save some of the joy of the light to sustain us as the darkness grows.

There are so many wonderful things that others have written about today's celebration that I thought I'd point you to a few of my favorites.

I've been reading Midsummer: Magical Celebrations of the Summer Solstice. It's part of Llewellyn's series of books about the Sabbats. In it, Anna Franklin gives a comprehensive overview about the origins of Litha, how cultures around the world and throughout history have celebrated the Summer Solstice, and covers magickal themes and traditions, Gods and Goddesses of Midsummer, rituals, correspondences, spells and divination, recipes and herb craft. She gives you everything you need to know to create a meaningful Litha celebration for yourself. I particularly enjoyed her section on Animal Totems for Midsummer, one of which is the Bee.

The honeybee orientates itself on its journey by the angle and position of the sun, and the Celts regarded it as a messenger who traveled the paths of sunlight to the realm of the spirits. Being winged, bees share with birds the ability to carry messages from this world to the world of spirits, and the old practice of telling the bees in the hive all the family news originated with sending messengers to souls in the Otherworld.

One of the pagan participants at Street Prophets posted a great diary On The Summer Solstice. Alexandra discusses how after the King has taken up his mantle, with the privileges of kingship, come responsibilities. She equates this to how we as adults, and as witches, must take responsibility for following our true will, knowing what it is we want our life to become and making it happen.

So this is the challenge of the Summer Solstice. Know your kingship! Own your kingship! Be yourself, in all the wonder and glory and  beauty that you as a child of the divine possess! And with your soul in right relation to the Divine, set in harmony with the flow of the world, rule! Know your true will, and live it.

The Arizona Daily Star did a nice article about the Sonoran Sunrise Grove's solstice celebration:

Ancient Gaul celebrated the Feast of Epona, named after a goddess who represented fertility and agriculture. Stonehenge, built between 3000 B.C. and 1600 B.C., aligns directly with the rising of the sun on the longest day of the year. Ancient Druids (and thousands of current ones) gathered there around the summer solstice. Scholars even tie the Christian feast day for John the Baptist (June 24) to pagan solstice celebrations, because the solstice also represents light's triumph over the dark. The solstice, which falls on June 21 this year, has been a time to ask the gods for a bountiful harvest.

Thanks to my blog friend John Campanelli for the amazing photo of Summer Solstice at Stonehenge.

At Litha and always, may your heart be filled with warmth and joy, may your life be filled with bountiful blessings, and may you always know your true will.

Blessed be,
Nixie

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 12:16 PM | Comments (0)

On Sunday, June 11, the Moon will be Full in the fire sign of Sagittarius. The energy of the Moon in Sagittarius can manifest as idealism, spontaneity and animated enthusiasm, or it may make us feel restless, with a desire for adventure, change and motion. It's a good time for sports and travel. People often feel extremely philosophical, intuitive or prophetic during a Sagittarius Moon. It also stimulates our aspirations for self-improvement and is a good time for intellectual affairs. This Full Moon in Sagittarius will feel particularly advantageous for those with Sagittarius, Aries, and Leo Sun signs.

The Full Moon in June goes by many names: Rose Moon, Moon of Horses, Lover's Moon, Strong Sun Moon, Honey Moon, Aera Litha (before Litha) Moon, Brachmanoth (break month) Moon, Dyad (pair) Moon, and Strawberry Moon.

The power of a June Full Moon brings us abundant but restful energy. The Earth tides are turning and it is a time of light. It is a time to protect, strengthen, and prevent; a time for decision-making and taking responsibility for present happenings. It is an ideal time to work on personal inconsistencies but also to strengthen and reward yourself for your positive traits.

Mercury goes retrograde on July 4, before the next Full Moon on July 10, so now would be a good time to use this strong Full Moon energy to complete any projects before the Mercury retrograde throws a monkey wrench into your efforts.

Spell Work

The Moon will be completely full at 2:03 pm EDT. Note that the Moon goes VOC at 10:34 pm, so best to use this Full Moon energy for any spell work in the time leading up to the hour when the Moon is completely Full. Magickal powers are at their height when the Full Moon illuminates the night, so spells are likely to be most effective performed at midnight the night before or during an hour leading up to 2 pm on Sunday that has the best planetary correspondence for the work you want to do.

A Full Moon in Sagittarius is a good time to work spells relating to travel, sports, truth and honesty and for healing the thighs or liver.

Correspondences

Some common correspondences with the June Full Moon are listed below.

Aine of Knockaine

Deities: Aine of Knockaine, Isis, Neith, Green Man, Cerridwen, Bendis, Ishtar

Nature Spirits: Sylphs, zephyrs

Herbs: Skullcap, meadowsweet, vervain, tansy, dog grass, parsley, mosses 

Colors: Orange, golden-green 

Flowers: Lavender, Orchid, Yarrow

Scents: Lily-of-the-Valley, Lavender

Stones: Topaz, Agate, Alexandrite, Flourite

Trees: Oak

Animals: Monkey, Butterfly, Frog, Toad

Birds: Wren, Peacock

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 5:34 PM | Comments (0)

I'm not ashamed to admit it - I loved Charmed. Since the series finale aired a couple of weeks ago I've been bemoaning the lack of a fun witchy show to watch. Then along came Hex.

Set in a remote British boarding school, Hex is the story of Cassandra "Cassie" Hughes, a shy social outcast who discovers she has unique powers that provide a terrifying link to the past.

Longing to be popular, but only truly loved by her lesbian roommate Thelma, Cassie goes to great lengths to be accepted by the "in crowd" at her cliquish English boarding school, Medenham Hall. Thelma, who couldn't care less about being ostracized, is appalled at Cassie's attempts to fit in with the superficial classmates who treat them so badly.

While stopping for a cigarette in one of the old buildings on campus, Cassie's future is forever altered when she unearths hidden ancient artifacts - a discovery that leaves her cursed with supernatural powers that have their roots deep in Medenham Hall's history. As she begins to recognize the extent of her new abilities, Cassie is bewildered and terrified by the visions that haunt her. She soon discovers that there are certain advantages to being a student endowed with mystical powers, when she learns how to manipulate the people and situations around her.

However, Cassie realizes that her new gift comes with a price. Her tragic fate is sealed with the appearance of Azazeal, the leader of a group of fallen angels who were banished from heaven for tasting the pleasures of mortal women. Azazeal kidnaps Thelma in a bid to get to the one human sacrifice he's really concerned with, Cassie. But when Cassie confronts him and demands to see her friend, it's Thelma who pays the ultimate price.

Hex airs Thursday nights at 10 pm on BBC America.

Hex is creepier than Charmed ever was, but this is a feature, not a bug. It's edgier and promises to be very entertaining. Frankly, I think the British do television better than their American counterparts (well, networks anyway - HBO and Showtime are doing a good job of keeping me entertained, but alas, no witches there yet). Thursday nights are back to being must-see-TV and thank goddess for Tivo!

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 11:24 AM | Comments (2)

Describe one of your most spiritually moving moments.

One? I have to pick just one? As I've been moving along on my path to learn the craft I have had a few particularly spiritually moving moments, many of which have come during meditation and classs work. And that doesn't begin to cover significant moments that happened long before I decided to begin formal study and yet were still spiritually moving. How to choose, how to choose.

I'll go for the most recent.

Thursday evening last week was our final meeting of Witchcraft 2 with Christopher Penczak and our second degree initiation (I'll be writing about this later). As we all stood together in our sacred circle, these people who have shared study, energy and friendship during this class, Christopher anointed each of us and conferred upon us the titles of Priest and Priestess. As each one of us received our blessing as Christopher moved around the circle, I could feel the energy in the room growing and was filled with an overwhelming sense of love and happiness to be sharing that moment with my sisters and brothers in the craft. It was one of the most spiritually moving experiences I've had.

Thank you to Witches Weekly for the Q&A.

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 10:54 AM | Comments (0)