Ending a Connection Ritual

You know, no matter how much you care about someone, sometimes you have to let them go. I'm a fighter by Nature-it's not in me to give up and I'm stubborn as hell. One of the hardest things I've had to learn IS when to let go and move on when there's no hope, and to end it on MY terms, not the other person's.

I was in a tangled emotional situation for a few months, and it took a thwack upside the head from a few Gods, some vivid lucid dreams, and my soul-sister telling me I really needed to just.let.it.go. before I decided to move on and get out of this really stressful situation before I lost my mind and my heart was broken.

Being a spontaneous Aries, I performed a ritual on the fly last night to "cut the cord" so to speak so I wouldn't have any lingering psychic connection to the other person and so I could move on. I set up my alter, grabbed a candle, my Boleyn "B" necklace (I feel a strong connection to Anne Boleyn. In a lot of ways, I think there's quite a few similarities between us, and goodness knows I have her personality, haha), two rocks, thread, scissors, and my Athame.

I wrote my name and the other person's name on a piece of paper, taped it to a rock and a crystal I had on my alter, and tied the black cord around them both, to symbolize said connection. I asked my Gods, my Blessed Dead, and the Elements to break the connection, and also to empower my B necklace with protection (to help keep me from getting hurt, just in case there's still some lingering psychic tendrils). I cut the cord, and let it sit in my cauldron over night.

This afternoon, I purified my B necklace over fire, and used a candle to kindle a fire that burned the tape, the pieces of paper, and the thread--thus ending the psychic connection to the person in question.

I won't lie, it was tough. I started crying in my circle because I know I'll probably never see this person again. It's over, once and for all. I had my iPhone (what I use to take the pictures of my ritual set up) and started to play a few songs I had uploaded on there that reminded me of the situation. It made me cry even more, but I felt cleansed and more balanced afterwards.

I'll also be wearing my B necklace tomorrow, in honor of Queen Anne Boleyn and also as a reminder that like her, I too am a strong woman.

Purification: A Spell for Good Spiritual and Psychic Hygiene

I've been meaning to write this one up for a while.  It was the second of a group of three spells that I did, beginning with the first one I posted.  (The third was private, so I probably won't be posting it here.)  This spell was done for cleansing and purification, sort of getting rid of a lot of psychic "gunk" that I could feel had built up.  I've done this type of spell before and I always feel both cleansed and protected afterward.  Which is good, since that's the point.

Here's the before photo, with all my supplies gathered together, but before I dressed the candle.

From left to right:
-my bottle of sea salt, which is my go-to for any kind of cleansing, clearing, and purification
-the small bowl I used for mixing the herbs
-peppermint, a refreshing, cleansing herb, in a teabag which I ripped open (I drink it all the time, so I always have some on hand and don't bother to keep a separate stock in with my magical herbs)
-a packet of hyssop, which is my favorite herb for purification
-a small vial of Uncrossing oil from Enchantments
-a bottle of White Light oil from Twilight Alchemy Lab
-my candle carving tool
-a white figure candle
-a silver candle plate
-my feather altar cloth (it's actually a napkin)
-my three big chunks of quartz, which I use to amplify and direct energy (one of them is long and straight enough that I sometimes use it as a wand)
-my athame

Here's the after photo:

First, I mixed the hyssop, peppermint, and sea salt together.  Then I carved my name and a purifying/uncrossing symbol into the candle, anointed it with both of the oils, and covered it in the herb/salt mixture.  I raised energy, but it was a bit unusual in that, unlike the previous spell, the energy I raised didn't seem to "fit" the aim of my spell.  In fact, it was very similar to the energy I raised with my previous spell, possibly because I used the same chant as last time.  This wasn't disastrous, it just meant that I had to work harder to sort of "bend" the energy into the right psychic direction.  It may have even been a happy accident because the energy was so strong that, once I managed to bend it the right way, it seemed to really pack a punch.

I do this spell (or some version of it) every few months.  I'll use either a plain white candle carved with protective symbols, or a white figure candle.  I've used this spell for easing anxiety, depression, and even physical ailments.  When I was having a series of "lady problems" (i.e., gynecological problems) a year or so ago, I used hyssop for its purifying properties, raspberry leaf, which is known as a beneficial herb for the female reproductive system, and lavender for general calming.

...and thorns again

I have a funny little coda to add to my "Salt and Thorns" post.  I mentioned that I used a tiny twig with thorns that I'd found lying on the ground up the street from me.  It's not very visible in the photo unless you know where to look--if you click to enlarge the photo it's on the left, in front of the piece of hematite, already partially embedded in the melted wax.

I remember it being almost completely embedded in the melted, hardened wax by the time the candle had completely burned out, and then I disposed of the wax.  I kept the mirror and hematite and cleansed them to be used again, but the thorns were stuck in the wax--and they seem more like a "onetime use" spell ingredient to me anyway, like herbs.

The other night, as I was getting ready for bed, I looked down and saw something on the floor in front of the cabinet that is my altar.  When I picked it up, I was amazed to see that it was the tiny "thorn twig" I had used in my spell.  (It was barely visible, being brown on a brown wooden floor, and I'm really glad I didn't step on it since my feet were bare.)  I kind of just stared at it for a moment, and then I stuck it back in my cabinet, right back in the spot on the top shelf where it had been before.  Obviously, it wasn't done being useful to me!  And since I had just been praying for health and protection for me and my family and loved ones, I took it as an auspicious sign.  I think I'll be keeping it as a talisman now rather than using it as a "consumable" like I do with most plant materials.

Blog Note

I don't know if anyone other than the three of us is reading this blog yet, but just in case, I wanted to make this a separate post instead of sticking it in one of the many comments I've fallen behind on.

I'm sorry for my recent absence.  As Ilyssa and Amanda know, my husband has been ill recently with pertussis* (whooping cough).  He's  on the mend, though it's a slow process, but unfortunately I think I've caught it.  I'm not sure--I'm hoping really hard that it's just a random cough!--but in case it's not, I'll probably be out of the loop for even longer.  But I'm going to try to catch up now.  It may take a while because I'm so freaking exhausted.

Whenever I'm back to my usual self, I've got some pics/text from a purification spell that I've been meaning to post.  I was actually saving it because I didn't want to post too much at once.  Um, oops.  Joke's on me!

(*PSA: If you're in your thirties, PLEASE GET THE ADULT PERTUSSIS VACCINE.  I'm telling everyone because even if you don't have contact with kids you might infect, TRUST ME, you don't want to get this yourself.  It's horrid.)

"Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep": Sending a Pet into the Afterlife

This is my baby Cuddles. She was born on July 5, 2003, to one of my mom's friend's cats, and she and her mommy came to live with us shortly thereafter. She lived a good, long life with us, filled with love and treats and lots of snuggles, but then in March of 2011, we noticed that she was vomiting way more than usual and that she was losing weight. We took her to the vet, and she gave us the worst news that any vet will ever have to give: our baby was dying. She had terminal lymphoma, and she had anywhere from a few weeks to a few months left to live.

Over a year later on May 9, 2012, at the tender age of 8, after a long and valiant fight, she crossed over to the Summerlands. I came home from school yesterday to find her lying on the floor and struggling to breathe. My dad and I didn't want to make any decisions without talking to my mother and my brother first, but the second they came home, my mother took one look at her and said that she wasn't going to live through the next 24 hours. We made the very difficult decision to take her to the vet so that she could have a quick, painless, and peaceful passing, rather than wait the 24 hours and allow her to suffer any further. The vet gave Cuddles a blanket to lie on, and I crouched down at the head of the cold, metal table and stroked her head, telling her that we love her and that Bast would take good care of her. I made sure to keep eye contact with her as the vet gave her the injection, and I watched as she passed quickly and peacefully from this life into the next.

When we got home from the vet's office, I allowed myself to just sit and grieve for a while before getting started with the crossing over ceremony, which my friend Monica sent to me. Once I was ready, I arranged the altar; I used a white candle and a green candle, in which I carved her name and her birth and death dates. I placed these around the Bast statuette that I had sitting on my altar, I propped up the Bast card from Doreen Valiente's Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards behind that, and then I placed Cuddles' picture in front of the Bast card. For the ceremony, I asked Bast and Anubis to guide Cuddles into the afterlife, and then I recited the poem Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep by Mary Elizabeth Frye. After this, I gave Cuddles one last can of her favorite food, as well as a nice healthy pinch of catnip, to take with her into the afterlife. I sent her all of my love and as much energy as I could give to her, and I asked Bast and Anubis to watch over her and to take good care of her until I can meet up with her again.

After the ceremony was finished, I didn't feel any better, but I felt confident that Cuddles had gone where she needed to go. At one point, I was in the kitchen and I could feel her presence on the counter, where she always used to rest. And then, right before I went to bed, I caught a glimpse of her in the upstairs hallway. She was plump, healthy, and full of energy, and that was when I knew for sure that she was ok.

Spontaneous Spell: For The Passing Of A Beloved Pet

While it's nice to have a perfectly laid out ritual with all your tools on hand, sometimes life throws a curveball at you and you have to make do.

On Easter, we had to put down my anam cara, my Aunt's beloved 18 year old Schnauzer-Poodle mix, Buttons. I grew up with Buttons; it was due to our instant bond that we took her home instead of her sister, Patches. She was my baby, my beloved pet before I was able to own a dog of my very own. There's also a certain irony that she came into my life: like Anpu and Anupet, Buttons was as black as night. Even in my mundane life, I was always watched over by a black canid.

No one was expecting it, least of all me. Sure, she was 18 and moved more stiffly with each passing week. But she was still so full of life that I thought she'd live to see at least 19 or 20. When my poor hysterical Aunt called to tell us the news, it hit me like a sack of bricks. The only thing I could think of was that it was my duty as a Daughter of Anpu, Wepwawet, and Anupet to do everything in my power to ease the pain of Buttons' passing for her and for my family.

I couldn't bring my tools and I was too much in shock to think to bring some prayers from my Book of Shadows, so I winged it: I donned my talismans, anointed myself with some of my magickal oils, and used my very outfit as part of the ritual. I wore a black shirt with a black skirt and boots: black, like the fur of Buttons, black like the land of Kemet, and black like the color of my Jackals. For eyeshadow, I wore silver and lined my eyes with kohl, almost mimicking the Wedjat.

As we brought her to the emergency vet, I was Googling Kemetic akhu prayers on my iPhone and even making up a few of my own, right off the top of my head. Once we were in the room, I began invoking my Gods who dealt with death and dying-Anpu, Manannan Mac Lir, Wesir, Het-Hert, etc and praying for an easy passing for her.

I started petting her and sending energy to her in my attempt to make her transition from this world to the Next as quick and painless as possible. I sent a few prayers to my akhu too, asking them to aide Buttons on her journey and to welcome her with open arms.

I held on as they put the IV in, and whatever I'd been doing, this spontaneous ritual…it helped. One moment she was here, and the next, I reached out to sense her energy, and she was gone.

When we got back to my house, the first thing I did was to find a picture of Buttons and place her on the Ancestor Alter in my living room, and over the course of the next few days, I wrote a series of poems in her honor and to thank my Gods for Their help in my spontaneous ritual.

While I pretty much made up this ritual as I went along, I believe that my efforts did help: that night, as I was falling asleep, I bolted upright because I could swear I felt Buttons nuzzle my knee. I'd like to think it was her way of thanking me for what I did.

Sometimes, the best and most effective rituals are one borne out of spontaneity, need, strong emotions, and some energy work.

"Fire My Spirit" - Another Elements Spell

Tonight I decided to do yet another elements-related spell, simply because Snake has been poking at me to do some reconnecting with the world around me and I haven't exactly been doing that (sorry Snake!). I decided that I could either blame it on grad school or listen to his advice, and I decided I should probably listen to him!

This is what I would call the "before" picture, which I have not as of yet done when it comes to documenting my spellwork; usually I just take a picture after everything's already been taken care of, so I decided that this time I wanted to photograph what my spell candles look like before I do that. Here you can see the candle that I'm going to use, my Witches Brew oil (which I bought on 13 Moons but is currently out of stock :( ), sea salt for Earth, lavender for Air, cloves for Fire, and a dried red rose for Water. I was going to use the silver Sharpie to outline the carvings I planned on making in the candle, but it didn't pan out the way I hoped it would. In other words, it didn't do anything. Boo.

And here is the finished product! I carved the name of each element and its corresponding triangle symbol on four sides of the candle, and carved the word "Spirit" and a pentacle across the bottom of the candle so that the words wrapped around it. After that, I anointed the candle with the Witches Brew oil, and then I sprinkled each element's corresponding herb onto the appropriate carving (sea salt for Earth, lavender for Air, etc.). I used Wendy Rule's song "Elemental Chant" to raise energy, and then I recited a prayer to the elements for balance featured in Dorothy Morrison's book Everyday Magic: Spells and Rituals for Modern Living before lighting the candle.

 

This is the shiny that I chose to use as an amulet, something that I can keep on my person at all times in order to keep the energies of this spell with me. One of the reasons I chose it is because of its five-petaled design: hello subtle pentacle! haha Another reason I chose it is because it features the five colors that represent the elements: garnet (red) for Fire, peridot (green) for Earth, topaz (blue) for Water, citrine (yellow) for Air, and amethyst (purple) for Spirit. Why is it that I keep choosing to do work with the elements? That I couldn't really tell you for sure. All I know is that I really enjoy this type of spellwork and it really does make me feel more connected to the world around me...who knew that my spirit animal would know what he was talking about? ;D

Beltane Ritual 2012

Hello all!

As promised, here is my Beltane 2012 Ritual. I'm not going to post the entire ritual, but the break down looked like this:

Invoke The Deities With Prayer: I was working with my Mother, Brighid and An Dagda, Boann, Aengus Og, Caer Ibormeith, Aine, Manannan Mac Lir, and Fand, who are the Deities I honor on the Irish side of my spirituality.

State Goals for This Year's Ritual: New growth, one goal of which involves finding a full-time job doing what I love: writing/editing.

Now, the spell I used for this ritual involved apple seeds, as apples are often equated with Female Divinity and what better way to invoke new growth into my life than by using fruit? I also used a magickally charged green candle for money and prosperity that I bought in Salem from the store Hex Old World Witchcraft and Witchery to represent the power of fire and of prosperity and new growth.

I anointed the seeds with my magickal oils (Protection, Bergamot for luck, etc) and then charged them after my Invocation to my Gods and Goddesses. So they'd be charged for things like finding a new job doing what I love, good health, things like that.

Then I held the seeds over the fire and recited the spell, visualizing a positive outcome for each goal and asking my Gods to bring it forth as the Wheel of the Year turned. Once that was finished, I thanked my Gods for Their help in this endeavor and for all of the good things in my life and ended the ritual.

Also note that I offered my dinner in thanks for all of the positive things in my life and in honor of Beltane to my Gods. It was one of my favorite dishes from Fuel if anyone is curious, and it seemed to be a hit.

I'm going to leave the seeds outside in my backyard garden to help them grow to fruition; there's a nice purple flower in one part and aside from being one of my favorite colors, purple is also a power color as well, which will give the spell a boost (magickally speaking).

All in all, it was a great Beltane and I'm looking forward to celebrating the Solstice in June!

Introduction: Amanda

Hey all!  I’m Amanda, and like Thea and Ilyssa, I consider myself to be a Witch; or more specifically, a dual-faith Eclectic Irish Celtic and Kemetic Pagan Witch. On the Irish “side”, I am the Daughter of Brighid and on the Kemetic “side” my “Parents” are Bast, Anpu (Anubis), Anupet, and Wepwawet. Lots of Fire and Chthonic energies in my spiritual line-up, heh. Makes life interesting is all I can say.

I’ve been some form of Pagan since I was about eleven or twelve, but it was until I hit sixteen that I really took the first steps on my Path. However, it’s only been in the past few years that I really buckled down and started working on honing my Witchcraft. I’m an energy reader (clairsentient, to be exact) and for a long time I’d work with visualizing and manipulating energies to manifest the goal of whatever ritual I was working on. I have also been working more with my Beloved Dead, having recently expanded my ancestor alter and started to deepen the relationship I have with them.

With my spells, since I’m currently working part-time and can’t afford all the nifty Pagan tools I’d love to own, I use what I have with a dash of energy work. Like Thea and Ilyssa, I completely agree that you don’t need to spend a fortune to get the job done.  Need illumination on a topic that’s been bugging me? I’ve used a candle and a crescent Moon necklace I own to represent the power of the Moon to bring the right answer into my life. As a belly dancer, I’ve often incorporated not only the actual dance itself, but also various props and accoutrements that I’ve acquired over the years too.

Sometime over the weekend I’ll post my Beltane ritual for new growth, which involved a candle, a cauldron, and some apple seeds.