I found out this afternoon that my street, its own little micro-neighborhood, is Halloween central. There is a kids' park a few houses down which, as we speak, is filled with neighborhood tots having a party. I've been informed that there will be a parade down the street at 5:45 pm and the non-parental adults of the street are expected to sit on their stoops, kick back with a glass of wine, hand out candy and enjoy the show.

And now I'm am completely prepared.

Although I'm lacking the hat, I've dressed myself as the hip, fun witch that I am, replete with glow-in-the-dark pumpkin tshirt and pointy boots. When I went to the wine store and asked for a sufficiently "halloweeny" wine, they offered me "Evil," an Australian Cabernet Sauvignon. Perfect! And of course, living in the yuppy neighborhood I do, I am sure that I am far from the only one who will be treating my young neighbors to organic lollipops and other assorted candy. I have to shrug.

I'm so excited! Happy Halloween everyone!

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 4:56 PM | Comments (3)

This is what Cafe Astrology says is in the stars for us today:

The Moon is in soulful Cancer all day, and mysterious Neptune is stationary as it turns direct after many months of retrogradation--perhaps fittingly uncanny for Halloween! Neptune rules unreality, dreams, mystery, and illusions. It casts a veil over our eyes. Neptune energy is extremely powerful today at its station, although it is strong throughout the week as well. Now and in the coming two or three weeks, many of the illusions we have been holding onto reveal themselves, confusing situations become clearer, and our creativity soars. Instead of thinking of this period as a time of disillusionment, however, we can see it as a time of illumination--when we increasingly see the light and become clearer, sharper, and more effective in the real world.

Very interesting!

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 9:35 AM | Comments (0)

Before Samhain was Samhain to me it was just Halloween. I loved Halloween (still do in fact) when you got to make a cool costume and go out into the cool, dark night and run around with a lot of other kids in costumes and beg strangers for candy, which you ate until you puked. Of course as an adult it's more like going out to a cold, dark bar to beg strangers for sex and drink until you puke, but I digress.

Was it because I always was a witch that I was so attracted to this day, the Wiccan New Year and arguably the most important of the Sabbats? Perhaps. But I think it doesn't take a witch to get excited by the energy Halloween brings with it, when the veil between the worlds is thin and anything can happen, the most magickally potent time of year.

Jason Pitzi-Waters wrote this week at The Wild Hunt that Halloween has become Better Than Christmas as more and more people in the US embrace the celebration of this holiday. He offers a variety of sources who suggest that Halloween's popularity comes from a fascination with the frightening and the macabre. He quotes philosophy professor Cynthia Freeland: "When we know that we are safe, we can explore this dangerous territory, deal with it in a vicarious way, and feel brave and bold that we have come to grips with some aspect of evil, some aspect of danger in the world."

There may be a bit of truth to that but I think it's actually much simpler. When the veil between all worlds - the Underworld, the Faery world, and any other world you can imagine - is thin and magick is all around, it is only logical that even those who don't usually connect with other worlds or even believe in their existence can hardly help but feel something different in the air. Everyone feels the presence of something magickal, even if they don't know what it is. They feel the excitement and it stirs their blood. To me it speaks to the power and magick of Samhain if it is so strong that everyone can feel it. What else explains such widespread allure?

It's been a busy couple of months for me and I'm not as prepared for Halloween as I would like. But I am ready for Samhain. I can feel it.

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 6:10 PM | Comments (1)

Early Friday morning, 26 October 2007, at 12:52 AM EDT, we will have a Full Moon in Taurus. Since Taurus is ruled by Venus, a Full Moon in Taurus inclines us toward sensual delights and earthly beauty. Can you think of a better time to begin a romantic weekend away? Lucky me!

Cafe Astrology says:

Full Moons always pit opposite signs of the zodiac against each other, but also invite us to work to achieve a balance between the opposing energies. The contrast between earthy, practical, peace-loving Taurus and emotional, transformative, crisis-oriented Scorpio comes full bloom today. The Moon in Taurus wants us to find emotional fulfillment through the simple, tangible things in life, while the Scorpio Sun draws our attention to complexities, intangibles, and mysteries. The Full Moon illuminates this conflict between form (Taurus) and transformation (Scorpio), and between collecting (Taurus) and sharing (Scorpio). This is a passionate and creative Full Moon, ripe with possibilities and learning experiences. Intimate relationship matters, such as personal comfort levels and values as well as sexuality, figure prominently now.

(To learn more, be sure to check out This Week in Astrology.)

For me personally this Full Moon represents an important milestone. While happily timed to coincide with a romantic getaway, the circumstances behind this particular new romantic prospect are what make this Full Moon so significant to me - so thrilling, welcome and powerful.

Taurus V2 © 2007 Azurylipfe at deviantART

For one thing, I'm a Taurus, and having a Full Moon in my sign is generally an auspicious time. A time for getting out there and enjoying life, for luxuriating in all beautiful things, for embracing the earthy Goddess in myself. When that can be shared with a romantic partner, even better. I've also had a bit of unrest and disappointment in the love department lately and this Full Moon finds me happier than I've been in a long time, embarking on a new romance with a lovely new man who treats me like a princess. I so deserve this happiness. We know that the Full Moon is a time of culmination and the promise of fulfillment, an emotional time full of romance, fertilization, and relationships. This could not be more true for me right now.

While Cafe Astrology presents the contrasts between the energies of Taurus and Scorpio, for me this Full Moon marks a powerful confluence of all of these energies. Not only are they not in conflict but I find myself experiencing both transformation and emotional fulfillment. For the first time in a long time I feel the excitement and passion that comes from meeting someone new who excites me on an intellectual as well as a physical level. The first weekend away with this new man, happening as it does on this Full Moon, truly is ripe with possibilities and opportunities for us to learn more about each other in many ways. It's emotional and sensual, practical and passionate, tangible and intangible, peaceful and mysterious - all at the same time. It's what a favorite television heroine of mine referred to as "za za zou." I felt it before when we first met but this weekend I have a feeling that my cup will be running over with it.

What can this Full Moon mean for you? We all want to experience the best of Taurus' earthy qualities. The Full Moon is a time to realize that which was begun at the last New Moon, so think about what you have manifested for yourself and celebrate that. If you feel you need some transformation in your earthly world, use the Taurus/Scorpio dynamic to make that change happen. My own personal situation notwithstanding, this Full Moon seems particularly charged for dealing with intimate personal relationships. Make some plans for a lovely evening at home, with lots of special touches to make the most of Taurus' sensual nature and Scorpio's emotional one. Collect beautiful things and share them with someone special!

Do remember that Mercury is still Retrograde. This means that communications can be challenged. With emotions and passions running high, be careful not to say something you don't mean or can't follow up. On the flip side, a Mercury Retrograde is a good time to reflect, rethink and redo. It's actually a good time to return to things you wished you had a chance to do over or differently. Was there a job you applied for and never heard back? Give them a call - the results might surprise you. A love affair you wish you could rekindle? Now is the perfect time. Just be careful that if it's a new love you want you don't inadvertently call back someone you would be happier to leave in the past!

Spellwork

A Full Moon is one of the best times to connect to the Moon's power; it's a time when our magickal abilities are at their strongest. Working with the energy of the sign in which the Full Moon occurs makes this an opportune time for casting spells or performing any work to enhance or change the area of your life influenced by that sign.

A couple of things to keep in mind: The Moon is in its Waxing phase leading up to the exact moment that the Moon is Full and in its Waning phase afterward. Although some believe that the effects of the Full Moon can be felt for three days - the day before, the day of, and the day after - those of us who are sticklers for spell timing will want to pay particular attention to the purpose of any spells cast during this Full Moon and plan accordingly.

Again, with Mercury in Retrograde the potential for wonky communication is high. Make sure any spells you cast are worded very carefully. You will get what you asked for even if that wasn't exactly what you wanted!

Correspondences

Since our Harvest Moon occurred in September, this year's October Full Moon is the Hunter's Moon or the Blood Moon. These terms come from the tradition at this time of year of slaughtering animals that would be laid up as food for the coming winter. In Celtic traditions the October Full Moon was known as the Moon of Celebration and was associated with courage, protection, prosperity, healing, inspiration and spirituality.

In addition to things associated specifically with this month's Full Moon in Taurus, an October Full Moon is a good time to focus energy on letting go of things that do not serve; inner cleansing; Karma and reincarnation; justice and balance; and cultivating inner harmony.

Here are some basic October Full Moon correspondences.

Deities: Ishtar, Astarte, Demeter, Kore, Lakshmi, Horned God, Belili, Hathor

Nature Spirits: frost faeries, plant faeries

Herbs: pennyroyal, thyme, catnip, uva ursi, angelica, burdock

Colors: dark blue-green

Flowers: calendula, marigold, cosmos

Scents: strawberry, apple blossom, cherry

Stones: opal, tourmaline, beryl, turquoise

Trees: yew, cypress, acacia

Animals: stag, jackal, elephant, ram, scorpion

Birds: heron, crow, robin

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 3:33 PM | Comments (1)

You'll know a Sheep gal when you see her. She's the one wearing the sumptuous cashmere sweater and the fabulous accessories sitting in her impeccably decorated home. Sheep, you see, are the aesthetic arbiters of the Chinese zodiac. These gentle creatures live for beautiful things. They may have the maxed out credit cards to prove it - as a sister sheep friend of mine likes to say, sheep eat paper - but that is beside the point.

In addition to being born in the Year of the Sheep, I also happen to be a Taurus. I got touched twice by the finger of the Goddess who bestows that which makes us crave sensual, earthly delights. So can you blame me for being unable to resist getting a Stephen Kris "Pink Mink" ring when one almost literally dropped in my lap? Surely you cannot!

Stephen Kris is a jewelry designer who lives in Greenwich Village. His "Pink Mink" ring is the original design worn by Sarah Jessica Parker on Sex and the City. Each sterling silver ring features a pouf of genuine mink topped with a freshwater pearl.

A dear friend of mine runs a jewelry gallery and has a number of friends who are jewelry designers. I happened to be visiting her when she opened a box she had just received from Stephen and she said, "You are going to love these." As she spread the treasures on the counter my pulse quickened. Trying on one ring after another I very nearly swooned. I couldn't leave without one.

They come in a variety of colors. Appealing to the witch in all of us, each color has a different meaning. The bright pink one Carrie wore was for Seduction. My new white one stands for Tranquility.

If the temptation strikes you, you can get your own "Pink Mink" ring at the Laura Preshong Gallery in Boston. Ask for Lisa.

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 11:16 AM | Comments (2)

A crazy wind has blown into Boston today. A wind that blows you along as you walk down the street and bends the trees so they're bowing to the earth. A wind that whips leaves into spiral dances of ecstasy. It quickens the heartbeat and everyone is feeling it - the energy is palpable in the air.

Some Goddess has decided that she's had enough of this stay-to-the-party-too-late Summer weather and she sent in this wind to blow it all away, with Autumn coming in on its tail. Thrilling!

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 6:12 PM | Comments (2)

Okay, so I'm not intent on luring you to a house made of food, but I thought I better leave a few crumbs otherwise none of you will ever be able to find me, given how far off the path I've strayed lately. I apologize for the continued absence. I will try to get back to being a dutiful and entertaining blogger soon - promise.

So, here are my crumbs:

1. I have blue jays and cardinals and other little birds I never expected to see in the city hanging out on my back deck. I even have a resident squirrel. This is cool.

2. I met a new man and for the last few weeks I've been floating a few inches above the Earth and acting like a giddy teenager. It's wonderful to have someone courting me, to feel desired and appreciated, to experience that frisson of anticipation for a romantic weekend away. These things come when we make room for them.

3. A dear friend has been painting crows lately and has agreed to do a commissioned piece for me. I'm so excited! I can't wait to see the creative amalgamation of my experiences and his vision manifest in paint. Stay tuned.

4. Samhain is coming soon. I can't wait. I realize I'm late to the party but in the next few days I am going to make up for my recent lack of connection. I am witching it out this year - I don't care what anyone thinks. I found some over-the-top hats at a shop on Beacon Hill of all places and I'm going to get one to wear to ritual. This week I'm filling my place with pumpkins and cauldrons and spiders - oh my. The way that some people prepare for Christmas, I'm in the mood to prepare for Samhain this year. Forgive me for being over the top and obvious - I'm finding my way back.

As it is with fields, sometimes lying fallow is a necessary part of fertility. So, I guess that's what I've been doing, lying fallow to allow myself a needed rest and re-energizing so that I can return better and more creative than before. Thank you for hanging in there with me.

Blessed be!

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 6:28 PM | Comments (3)