Samhain

October 31 brings us Samhain which is traditionally considered the Wiccan New Year (We must be on year 20,000+ by now).
It is on this night that the division between the material world and spirit world grows thin and increasing paranormal activity leading up to it is not unheard of. Due to this phenomenon, Samhain is a great time to remember and connect (responsibly!) with our loved ones who have passed on to the other side.
People started dressing up on Samhain because because by dressing up like spirits, we would trick them into thinking we were spirits too. and wouldn't be bothered.

Samhain's energy lends itself to traveling between the worlds, to gaining courage to face darkness and changes in our lives, turning negative experiences into opportunites to learn and grow. It is a time to remember the cycle of death and rebirth and that after darkness comes light.

Correspondences:

Customs/Activities: Rituals to honor the dead, Halloween festivities/ trick or treating, Carving Jack-o-Lanterns, Divination

Colors: Black, Orange

Decorations: Jack-o-Lanterns, Apples, Photos of deceased loved ones, Fallen leaves, Autumn flowers, Divination tools, Candles shaped like witches, ghosts, cats, skulls etc, Statue of Goddess in Crone aspect

Food: Apples, Pumpkin, Nuts, Cider, Cranberries, Pomegranates, Ale, Cakes for the dead

Herbs: Thistle, Crysanthemum, Broom, Oak leaves, Sage, Mandrake

Incense: Apple, Nutmeg, Sage, Mint, Heliotrope

Gemstones: All black gemstones ie: Jet, Obsidian, Onyx

A Pagan Child's ABCs

A is Athame, the knife that we use.

B is for Beltaine, when partners we choose.

C is for Circle where we all are one.

D is for Deosil, path of the Sun.

E is for Esbat, when we gather round.

F is for Fire and its crackling sound.

G is for the Goddess in beauty and love.

H is the Horned One, our Father above.

I is for Imbolg, candles light the way,

J is for June when it's Midsummer's Day.

K is for Karma, the things that we do.

L is for Lammas, harvest's almost through!

M is for Moon, riding way up so high,

N is for Nighttime, which darkens the sky.

O is for Ostara, when we hunt for eggs,

P is for Pan, with hairy goat legs.

Q is the Quarters and there are just four,

R for the Rites when we open the Door.

S is for Samhain, end of the year,

T is for Tarot cards, futures to hear

U is Undines from the watery West,

V is Vervain for protection and rest.

W is Widdershins, the path of the moon.

X is the sign that's the sign of the God.

Y is for Yule and the sun's return,

Z is the Zodiac, 12 signs to learn.

Copyright 1989, Breid Foxsong

Witches Next Door

A great episode of the TLC series My Unique Family.
I'm only able to embed the first part but the rest of the parts are linked below.
Enjoy!
~City
Part 1


Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXTnZiGN-h8

Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HXBOQ9jMP0

Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avR7TftsB0I

Part 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM30cr4jwX0

Part 6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx_L-EEJjaI
***
I just learned that Kendra has closed the First Church of Wicca and has recently converted to Christianity which is causing quite a stir in the Pagan community. Opinions galore!
Regardless of her beliefs, I still think the episode is great and was really good PR for the Wiccan community in general.

If you're interested in more information about Kendra's change of faith, find it here:
http://mosmaiorum.lefora.com/2009/01/30/rip-the-first-church-of-wicca/page1/

Mabon

Today we celebrate Mabon, also referred to as the Autumn Equinox, the second harvest and pagan thanksgiving among others.
Like Ostara, it is once again a time of balance, when the day and night are of equal length, but this time the darkness grows as Winter approaches.

On Mabon we give thanks for the bounty we have received, in all aspects. We strive for balance in our lives, and to set things right. Now is the time to tie up loose ends; completing unfinished tasks before Samhain and the winter months.

Mabon Activities: Celebration of the Second Harvest, Thanksgiving, Complete unfinished business, De-clutter your environment, Walking in wild places, Gathering leaves, seeds etc to decorate your home and/or altar.

Workings/Rituals: Balance, Protection, Gratitude, Prosperity, Security, Self confidence, Harmony, the Mysteries, Equality

Colors: Dark red, Orange, Yellow, Gold, Brown, Purple, Forest and Earth tones

Decorations: Cornucopia (Horn of Plenty), Dried leaves, seeds & flowers, Vines such as Ivy, Apples, Pomegranates, Acorns, Indian corn, Wine, Gourds, Pine cones, Grains, Grapes

Food: Breads, Grains, Seeds, Nuts, Dried fruit, Legumes, Corn and corn bread, Squash, Apples and cider, Pomegranates, Roots, Carrots, Onions, Potatoes, Stews, Wine

Incense: Benzoin, Myrrh, Sage, Pine

Gemstones: Carnelian, Sapphire, Lapis lazuli, Yellow agate

Merry Mabon!
~City

Full Moon

The Full Moon phase is actually 3 days; the day before, the day of and the day after the actual Full Moon. The Moon's power is at its peak and any spell work done at this time will get an extra boost.

Magick for any purpose can be done during the Full Moon but workings for: Beauty, Blessings, Divination, Fertility, Happiness, House blessings, Inspiration, Intuition, Judgement, Love magick, Lunar goddess invocations, Obtaining, Omens, Power, Prophetic dreams, Psychic powers, Shapeshifting, Spirit conjuration, Transformations, Unions, Wisdom and Wishes will especially benefit from this Moon's energy.

Happy Casting!

~City

Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon September 4

September is a month normally centered around the home and a time to prepare your space for the coming fall and winter. The Harvest Moon itself was traditionally a time for farmers to gather the remaining crops before the cold. The light of the full moon allowed them to harvest long into the night.
In modern day with our advanced technology and lights, this Full Moon has become more of a time to clear clutter (Both physical and otherwise) and organize your space before having to spend most of your time indoors.

Harvest Moon Correspondences:

* Colors: Brown, green, earth tones

* Gemstones: Citrine, Chrysolite, Peridot, Bloodstone, Olivine

* Trees: Bay, Hawthorn, Hazel

* Deities: Demeter, Brigid, Freya, Vesta, Hestia

* Herbs: Wheat, Valerian, Witch Hazel, Skullcap, Fennel, Rye

* Element: Earth

* Nature Spirits: Trooping Faeries

* Workings for: Balance, Cleansing, Removing negativity and all clutter (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual), Creating change

* Activities: Picnic with lots of locally grown fruits and vegetables, Cleaning, Organizing, Magick up your living space (ie, create a kitchen altar)

Have fun and Bright Blessings!
~City

Every Day Magick

Incorporating Magick and Spritiuality into Daily Life

The rat race: We know it well. Between 9-5, housecleaning, grocery shopping, children, spouses, errands, appointments, pets and our own needs somewhere in there, where does a Witch find the time to feed his/her spirit or practice magick?

Kitchen Witch may mean different things to different people but to me it means incorporating, not separating, magick and spirituality into daily life and not requiring fancy tools or equipment to work magick.

I admit it's very easy for spiritual practice to fall by the wayside when life gets hectic but being Witchy doesn't have to take up a lot of extra time or money. Simply changing the way you approach daily tasks can make all the difference. Almost every situation in life can be suited to a magickal purpose. Do everything with intent.

~Keep a list of herbs/foods and their magickal properties on the inside of a cupboard door. When using the ingredients, charge them with a magickal purpose.
*Refer to the Basil post for cooking with magickally empowered herbs.

~Say a silent blessing before eating.

~Cleaning is obviously cleansing and can be used to remove negativity as well as dirt. Visualize white, sparkling light when washing the floor, windows etc. Visualize negativity flowing down the drain when you are finished the dishes.

~If you make your own household cleansers, put magickally charged herbs in the mixture.

~Sprinkle basil charged with removing negativity on your floor or carpet before sweeping/vacuuming.

~When driving or walking, use that opportunity to move toward a goal.

~Smudge your living space with sweet grass, sage, or another favorite dried herb/incense to remove negativity.

~Keep your space as clean as possible. Clutter breeds negativity and who feels like working magick when there's a pile of dishes waiting?

~Using the bathroom is good for removing negativity or something you want out of your life.

~Practice being in the moment. This is hard for a lot of people. Try NOT to multi task sometimes; instead focusing solely on every nuance of what you are doing at that time. If you are eating, notice how the food looks, how it smells, how it feels, tastes, etc. Try doing this for the entire meal. If you are walking somewhere, pay attention to the sound of your feet on the sidewalk, the feel of the ground beneath your feet, the feel of your legs moving, the feel of your clothing, the breeze on your skin, the sun on your face -- you get the idea. This really helps people to focus and comes in handy magickally as well.

Any other ideas for living magickally every day? I would love to hear them!
Please comment at the end of this post or visit the City Kitchen Witch page on Facebook.

Bright Blessings!
~City