Lunar's Magickal News Reel

Police force 'consulted warlock over horse plaiting Braiding horse hair in UK's countryside takes a magickal twist. What are your thoughts on this?

New Year's Eve gunfire has roots in witchcraft tradition From the always interesting, Professor Hex

Something for Jimmy Page's bookshelf Isn't always neat hearing about his obsession with the occult? Where else can we find info on this? Curious Led Zeppelin fans want to know!

Druids, pagans celebrate winter solstice at Stonehenge Talk about an amazing way to welcome in the Sun King!

Inviting Hestia into your heart and home

Musical Trumps from Leviathan This is so so cool. CricketSong did her own edition too. What do you think?

Aradia by CricketSong She's a talented poet, too!

Hand made Runes by Michelle Speaking of talent, these runes are absolutely GORGEOUS.

Fruits of the Season: Oranges by Zedral Z

Blue Moon magick this New Year's Eve by Kiki Someone's getting very excited this blue moon!

One holiday, one humanity, one world

We see that the celebration of a holiday at this time of the year is almost universal in human experience and occurs in every culture. Whether Christmas, Yule, Solstice, or by any other name, the resonance of late December's lengthening daylight is embedded deep in the collective consciousness of humanity, as evidenced by such celebrations on every continent.

In case you need further proof that we are all part of one world and one entity, we submit the evidence in quantum physics: in the subatomic realm there is only energy, it is one energy and it is everywhere simultaneously. Paired electrons change their spin as if they are connected, regardless of the distance between them, and the concept of "matter" vanishes, because matter does not exist except as a collection of energy.

How then can we celebrate the unity we know we share with the whole world?

Cooperation: celebrate the connected-ness of us all by working together for the common good in the spirit of cooperation and friendship. Look at your fellow man and recognize they are you, you are them, and we are all part of the supreme deity.

Ecology: When we disrespect the planet, we disrespect our own existence. We know now that our planet operates as one organism, with her components so interdependent as to threaten our entire existence when we pollute her and destroy her vegitation. Earth deserves our utmost respect and our best stewardship.

Meditation: The world and our everyday lives are a materialistic distraction from our true existence. Celebrate our unity by means of meditation or prayer, to help us better appreciate how trivial the material world is, and to help us aspire to an awareness of our one common soul.

Self-love: How do we treat the body that we have been given, this body that is part of all creation? Do we take care of it, feed it properly, and do all we can to keep it healthy? Although we do transcend our physical selves, I firmly believe that good care of the body we have been blessed with is an important way we contribute to the collective well-being of mankind.

I wish all readers of the Lunar Gazette a wonderful holiday of peace, togetherness, and joy. I can't resist embedding "One" by U2, even with its images of suffering.

Nature Dancers

This is a wonderful poem by Father Witch.

Nature Dancers

I dance this night upon a stage called earth.
Pondering the next step that I should take
In the many silent songs called life.
I must create my own dance
With the whispers of the winds
And the moon, as she cast her shadows
On my soul and silhouettes.
I can sing without words.
I can jump from star to star.
In the vastness of this dance without a song.
My spirit can truly sour,
As the silence brings forth sound.
Suddenly, music is all around.
I dance upon this stage
Until the performance is complete.
Unto this life I must accept defeat.
But, by listening to silence
And understanding life,
Death will only bring me to my feet.
I dance this night upon a stage called earth.
To a song that has no sound.
I can hear the melody.
I can see the audience of life around me.
So I shall dance until my soul is found.
My silhouettes shall spring to life
With the rising of the sun.
And they shall dance unto a different tune.
We are merely dancers in the performance of our lives.
Cast by the creator of all things.
And judged by the values that we bring-
To the dance.

How To Cast A Magickal Circle

A Magickal Circle becomes a witch’s sacred space – an area where energy raised will be confined and where outside energy will not enter. To cast a successful Magickal Circle one must first be in the correct frame of mind so take time to meditate before beginning any energy work including casting a Circle.

It is strongly suggested that the witch cleanse herself with a ritual bath using herbs and/or salt then dress in ritual clothing (or work skyclad if that is the preference).

Each Tradition may follow different steps - as well as another witch. Steps may be arranged in a different order and some may be skipped and others added. Being a Solitary Eclectic I pull from many different Traditions and sources.

These are the steps that I use when casting my Magick Circle.


~ Sweep area of negative energies using a besom and moving deosil beginning in the East. Visualize the besom stirring up and moving out stale energy from the area.

~ Light the incense and altar candles.

~ Ring bell 3 times to clear any lingering unwanted energies.

~ Consecrate the circle with each element. Starting in the East move deosil along the circumference of the circle first with the incense saying, “I walk the circle once around, to cleanse and consecrate this ground.” Walk the circle with the candle repeating the verse. Again with the water sprinkling it along the circle and lastly with the sand sprinkling it.

~ Set the Quarter Point candles.

~ Say, “Let it be know that the circle is about to be Cast. All who enter may do so in perfect love and perfect trust.”

~ Take the incense and place it at the East Quarter Point, light the candle, call the Element and ring the bell 5 times to invoke the Quarter energies.

~ Take the red candle and place it at the South Quarter Point, light the candle, call the Element and ring the bell 5 times to invoke the Quarter energies.

~ Take the bowl of water and place it at the West Quarter Point, light the candle, call the Element and ring the bell 5 times to invoke the Quarter energies.

~ Take the bowl of sand and place it at the South Quarter Point, light the candle, call the Element and ring the bell 5 times to invoke the Quarter energies.

~ Return to the altar. Pick up athame or wand in your power hand (prominent hand) and point it upward. Beginning in the East walk the circle moving deosil. As you walk visualize a beam of white or blue energy emitting from the point of the athame or wand and creating a giant bubble that encloses the entire area including beneath the ground or floor. Walk the circle three times saying, “I cast this circle on this night, I cast this circle for this rite. ”

~ Return to the altar. Pause visualizing the bubble of energy. Say, “We are between the worlds, beyond the bounds of time where night and day, birth and death, joy and sorrow meet as one. So mote it be.”

~ Stomp foot to seal the circle.


(Bibliography)
Moura, Ann. Green Witchcraft. St. Paul, Minnesota: Llewellyn Publications, 2003.

RavenWolf, Silver. The Ultimate Book of Shadows for the New Generation Solitary Witch. Woodbury, Minnesota: Llewelyn Publications, 2006.

Plant People and Root Medicine

Image by protoflux via Flickr

"I am going to venture that the man who sat on the ground in his tipi meditating on life and its meaning, accepting the kinship of all creatures, and acknowledging unity with the universe of things was infusing into his being the true essence of civilization."
~Luther Standing Bear, Lakota



The energies of the Plant People come to us through Mother Earth, and in this way, they infuse us with their energies, when we work with them. The same is true of any creature being, of course. When we realize that the creature-beings are equal to us, and use them with respect, they will teach us about themselves, and how to use them properly. Connecting to Mother Earth means connecting to all of the creature beings, and to their energies. We can use this energy in our lives to help us to heal and to grow.

Each creature being has it's own lessons to teach us, and it's own gifts it can bring to our lives. Working with Plant People, we learn of their many uses, and how they can help us to heal ourselves, or others. Each of them is different, just as each of us are different. Each part of the plant is used for different purposes. We have the leaves, the stems, the flowers, the seeds, and the roots. Grandmother Moon's phase assists us in gathering the part of the plant that currently holds its medicine. During the waxing or growing phase of the moon, we gather the leaves and flowers, and during the waning phase of the moon, we gather the roots, as all the energy of the plant is pulled inward, or downward, into the roots, as the moon wanes.

Just talking about when to gather from the Plant People is not all of the story, however. We must also be aware of how to gather properly from them, if we wish them to work with us, to the best advantage. Native people have been known to pass by seven plants, before gathering from one. This preserves the plants for the next seven generations. We also know that when it becomes tough to pull leaves from a particular plant, it means that we've taken enough from that plant already, and it is time to move on. If a plant won't allow you to harvest from it at all, don't take it personally. It could be that the plant is not fully developed, or that it is sick in some way, and it is trying to prevent you from gathering an inferior product. Wait, or find another plant to gather from.

It is also a custom to ask the plant if one might gather from it. This can be done by offering tobacco to the plant, before asking. Even if the answer is no, you have shown respect for the plant by offering the tobacco, and by asking, instead of just taking. If the answer is yes, you will feel it. Then you may take what you need. Also, the intent behind the offering of the tobacco, shows the Plant People of your willingness to work with them. This will encourage them to assist you. Make sure you tell the plant the reason you need to harvest from it, what it will be used for. If the plant is harvested, and it is not used, this is considered to be disrespectful of the gifts that Mother Earth provides for us all. So make sure anything harvested, is used.

The current waning phase of the moon, is the last waning phase before Winter Solstice, or the end of the Dark Half of the Year. Grandmother Moon waxes and wanes, and so, too, does Grandfather Sun. We are quickly approaching His waxing phase, which begins at Winter Solstice. Currently, He is waning. This is the best time of the year to gather Root Medicine. All of the energy of the Plant People is right now in their roots. If you work with roots, in any form, I encourage you to get out there and harvest what you can, for your use in the coming year. Of course you can harvest roots during any waning moon phase, but this is the best time of the year to be gathering them.

Just as the Plant People will teach you how to work with them, so will the Roots. Roots live in the Inner Earth, and, as such, soak up much of Mother Earth's energy. Mother Earth provides a firm foundation for us, grounding us, and so too, do roots. Just eating a bowl of Root Vegetable soup, can help one to heal. This is a very good remedy to use if you are working with your own roots, healing your roots. And this is the perfect time of year to be doing that, as well. Chop or dice any and all root vegetables you can find into a pot of water and boil until tender. You can eat it just like that, or you can puree it. Adding herbs to it only increases it's healing potential. How about some Basil for protection or prosperity? Garlic, another Root, is good for purifying the blood, and cleansing the sinuses, as is onion, another root veggie. Leeks are good for protection and blood purification, carrots for their anti-oxidants and fertility, beets for your immune system, turnips are good for protection, endings, and banishing negativity from one's life, and potatoes for healing. Add some Thyme for courage, Bay Leaf for health and healing, Oregano is loaded with anti-oxidants, and Sage will help you to purify yourself, both inside and out. Other Roots include daikon, parsnips, rutabaga, radishes, horseradish, jicama, and yams. You could always try some Ginger tea, that's another Root, one that is excellent for digestion or stomach problems.

We don't always think about the Roots of the Plant Kingdom, or realize how much we use them. This is an excellent time of year to do so. During these last days of the waning half of the year, it is important that we cleanse ourselves, to make way for new energies that are just around the corner. Roots can help us to do this, in many ways. Once you begin working with them, they will teach you what you need to know in order to work with them properly, if you treat them with respect.

Happy Hunting and Gathering... May your Roots be as healthy as those you gather!

May you Walk in Beauty,
Michelle

Here's a link to a related article about root vegetables, that includes a recipe:
Healing Benefits of Root Vegetables

Yule and Winter Solstice Gifts (Thanks to Etsy)

With Yule around the corner, now is the time to start considering getting gifts in order. Thanks to Etsy, internet shoppers have the opportunity to view unique, original, and handcrafted items. Whatever it is you are looking for, there is sure to be something to your liking on Etsy. Below are some ideas for Yule and Winter Solstice presents from Etsy shops.

Incense
Twelfth Night Resins
Yule Herbal Resin Incense Pot with Cinnamon Sugar
Winter Solstice Incense for Invoking the Holy King and Dark Mother
Smudge Wands with Rosemary for Yule
Winter Solstice Incense Powder
Yule Incense Tin

Candles
Aroma Therapy Soy Candles
Winter Solstice Holiday Candle Tree
Yule Log Candle
Winter Solstice Beeswax Candles

Oils
Winter Solstice Oils
Yule Blessings Ritual Oil

Besoms
Natural Turkey Wing Broom
Ceremonial Besom

Bath and Body
"Hearth" Yule Scrub
"Glogg" Yule Scrub
Candy Cane Lip Balm
Tannenbaum Soap
Spiked Nog and Nutmeg Soap

Jewelery
Solstice Pin
Yule Green Leaves and Red Berries Bracelet and Earrings
Vintage Sugar Berry Earrings
Pink Yule Log Bracelet

Ornaments and Decorations
Yule Altar Tile
Yule Salt and Water Bowls
Handmade Yule Log Candle Holders
Purple Goddess Ornament
Hufflepuff Elf Stocking Ornament
Goddess Magick Ornament
Pentagram Ornament
Yule Icicle Ornament filled with Herbs and Crystals
Frankincense, Gold and Myrrh Ornament
Element Ornaments
Snow Goddess Ornaments
Yule Log Tea Light Holder


Holiday Cards
Winter Solstice Card
Solstice Blessings Card
Solstice Greetings Card
Solstice Altar Greetings Card
Yule Log Card
Yuletide Greetings Card

Questions for you: Have you ever shopped at etsy before? Do you plan to shop there this holiday season? Did you have any favorites from the list above?

Thank you for reading, and many blessings,
Kiki

Suggestions for comforting psychic children who see spirits

It is believed that children are much more in touch with their psychic abilities. It is fascinating to hear stories of children who can recall past life experiences, talk to invisible friends, and even see spirits. These can be enriching and exciting experiences for children, but sometimes a run-in with spirits can be very scary.

So, how can you comfort your child and ease his or her worries about spirits without discrediting their psychic abilities?

The first thing to do is let your child know that the spirits can not hurt them. You can also let your child know that he or she can communicate with the spirit by speaking to them. Your child can simply ask the spirit to leave. Let your child know that he or she can be polite, yet firm, in his or her request to have the spirit leave. One suggestion would be to say, “We thank you for visiting, but this isn’t your home. I need to get some sleep, and when you are here, I am too scared to sleep. Please leave now.” Stay with your child while he or she does this, and also add to the request in your own words, stating that you are the mother or father, and ask for the spirit to leave as well.

Before your child goes to bed, tell your him or her to imagine being surrounded by a bright circle of white light. Let your child know that the white light is warm and loving, and will help him or her relax and sleep well. This white light is a nice "psychic boundary," and a good way for empathetic people to guard themselves from feeling like they've gaining too much psychic information.

A couple other things you may want to try are smudging and sea salt. Smudging the house with a white sage smudge stick will help to purify and protect the home. While smudging, ask the spirits to leave because they are scaring your child. A highly powerful psychic boundary can also be created out of sea salt. Sea salt has protective qualities that may help to create a protected area where negativity cannot penetrate. Scatter sea salt around the edges of your child’s room to keep the spirits out.

Another thing your child might have fun putting together is a little amulet bag. Find a small bag you can have your child put crystals with protective properties. Chalcedony, hematite, and turquoise may be good ones for this project, as they are protective and help with peaceful sleep. However, your child will have fun picking out items that feel like good luck charms, and being a natural empath, he or she will be drawn to the stones that will offer the best protection and happiness!



Questions for you: have you felt the presence of spirits in your house? Have you seen anything? Share a story!

Please feel free to leave a comment or a question below. Thank you for reading, and brightest blessings!

Blogger Play and our common consciousness

It's my pleasure and privilege to contribute to the Lunar Gazette for the first time.

As you probably know, this blog is hosted on Google's blogger.com service, and it's probably the biggest blog provider out there.

Back in 2007, the folks administering Blogger added a neat feature. Since people are constantly uploading photos to their blog posts, someone thought it would be a good idea to show, in real time, the photos that everyone is uploading at any given moment. So play.blogger.com was put up in 2007 for just that purpose.

At the time, the blogger.com staff did a little article (a blog post, of course) about Blogger Play. I was a fan immediately, because I started noticing something peculiar about the photos being uploaded.

If you believe, as I do, that all humans share a common consciousness, then I thought it might be possible to detect patterns in the various pictures being uploaded to blogs at any given time--subconscious patterns that transcend the latest "trending topic" on Twitter (e.g. pictures of Tiger Woods this week...nothing like that).

This exercise has provided me with some interesting patterns over the time that Blogger Play has been up.

Some of the patterns in photos I've detected at any given time were: two circular objects, facial obscuration (by mask, veil, injury or otherwise), death, the color pink, the blues/depression, and so forth.

In all these cases I was convinced that the patterns detected were well beyond coincidence and could only be explained by our universal, connected common consciousness that influenced what photos people were uploading.

Far-fetched? I encourage you to try play.blogger.com when you have sufficient time to analyze at least thirty or so photos, and make your own decision.

Lunar's Magickal News Reel

Winter Solstice is a time for renewal

Cool Medieval gargoyles

50 Ultimate (and mystical) travel experiences

Wiccans highlighted on The Simpsons

Witch bottle discovery

What it's really like to live in Forks, Washington

CricketSong's "Spirit"

Michelle's Christmas ornaments and other cool art!

Leftover Magic from Zedral Z

Leviathan's For Earth Below

Kiki's Queens and kings of tarot

How To Cast A Successful Spell

~Determine Your Intention.
Decide what your desired outcome is. What do you want to accomplish with the casting of the spell? State your intention in a positive way avoiding words such as: can’t, don’t, won’t, never, etc.

~Spiritual Preparation.
For a week prior to spell casting, adopt a positive attitude. Let go of all negativity. It is vital to live in and with positive energy during this period or spiritual preparation.

~Ask The Universe.
Be clear, concise, honest and realistic with your intention. Visualize the outcome of the spell. Be able to describe with positive words what it will look like, taste like, feel like, sound like and smell like. Connect with Deity through meditation and request what you desire.

~Craft Your Spell.
Chose the right time to cast your spell. Find the right harmony within Mother nature. Should it be done on a particular lunar cycle? Day of the week? Planetary alignment? A specific season or weather condition?

Utilize the correct correspondences. Work with the harmonic energy of each ingredient. Research which color candles, particular gems or stones, herbs, elements and deities (this could include The Goddess and God or any other pantheon) that would work best for the spell’s desired affect. The use of a taglock (personal item from the individual for whom you are working the spell) will enhance the power of the spell.

Use a simple rhyme and be sure to use only words you comprehend. Keep the wording of the spell positive, avoid words such as: don’t, can’t, won’t, never. Include the duration for the spell or an expiration time. Don’t forget to use “for the good will of all” phrase. This phrase will bring the manifestation of your spell without impeding the will of others.

~Meditate.
To tap your energy you will need to be in an alpha state or altered state of consciousness. Be sure there are no distractions. Close your eyes. Take 3 deep breaths and relax. Find your magickal voice (the voice that vibrates within your body) and say “release”. Locate Deity energy. Reach out and grasp it saying “unity”.

~Focus.
While connected to Deity energy focus on your intention – your desired outcome of the spell.

~Cast Your Circle.
When casting spells the best result come from within a magick circle. The circle keeps wanted energies in and rogue energies out.

~Raise Your Energy.
By chanting, drumming or ecstatic dancing, whatever your personal preference is, be sure to raise your energy. When casting a spell within a magick circle you are not only using your personal energy but also any energies you have called to aid you with your spell.

~Cast Your Spell.
State your magickal name and the full name of the person the spell is intended for (if no name is known then use the lineage or description of the individual).

~Seal Your Spell.
Most spells have a sealing device whether it be; a wave of a wand, hand motion, sealing wax, tying of a string or using another object. This will hold the spell energies together.

~Believe.
Reject any thoughts of failure. Accept the success of your spell. Be confident in your knowledge and abilities. Trust that Spirit will carry out your desire. Remain positive and look for the manifestation of your spell but understand that sometimes the outcome isn’t exactly what we imagined it would be.


(Bibliography)
McLeod, Don. “Thirteen Steps For Effective Spell Casting”, Spiritual.com.au. November 24, 2009. www.spiritual.com.au/articles/witchcraf.htm
Hicks, Esther & Jerry. The Law of Attraction. Carlsbad, California: Hay House, Inc., 2006.
RavenWolf, Silver. The Ultimate Book of Shadows for the New Generation Solitary Witch. Woodbury, Minnesota: Llewelyn Publications, 2006.

Awareness Creates a Magickal Life

Recently, I participated in an arts and crafts show, and strangely, I had a very good time, and left feeling enlightened, even though we had very few customers. Why? Because life is magickal, if you believe.

I spent time during the show, drawing positive energy together, focusing it, and showering it over all present. I assisted others in grounding, and cleansing their personal energy, to create a more positive atmosphere. And, I met a lot of interesting people, because I kept my mind open to the possibilities, instead of focusing on the negative.

This is about making a conscious choice to think positive, to be aware of your self talk, and of your own energy, and how it is being used in every day life. If we choose to focus it, we can walk a magickal path. If not, it's like Humpty Dumpty, it will all fall down and crash all around us, taking everyone and every thing within energy range, with it.

Have you ever noticed when a loved one comes home from work after a bad day, begins telling you about all the negative things that happened to them that day, and how that affects your energy level? Many times, you'll notice that they've brought you down too. You feel negative after the encounter, or sad, or depressed, or just plain bummed out. This happens in many circumstances in our lives, from random meetings with strangers, to loved ones in our homes, or even on the phone. Every encounter we have, each and every day, has the potential to affect our energy level - IF WE ALLOW IT! And that is the key.

What we allow in our lives, directly affects everything and everyone in our lives.
To be conscious of this, can assist us in correcting it, and help us in not allowing it to affect us.

So then, the next question is, how do we change it?

There are many things we can do, from grounding, to cleansing and purifying, to prayer, and setting intentions. We can also monitor our self talk, and our frame of mind, or energy, as well.

When we ground ourselves, and purify ourselves, we have effectively cleansed the negative energy out of our energy field. When we do this after encountering a negative person or event, we have chosen to re-stabilize our own energy, making it positive once more.

When we monitor our self-talk, as well as the energy we are putting out, we can head off any negativity we may be projecting onto others, which, in turn, comes back to us.

What we have to realize right now is that we are in the Dark Half of the Year, and will be until Winter Solstice. Negative energy abounds this time of year. Many are not even conscious of it, or conscious of the fact that they are spreading negative energy with every word they utter. However, if we apply the Hundredth Monkey effect to this, and take it upon ourselves to remain positive, to stay purified and grounded, and to keep our energy cleansed and our self talk positive, we assist the overall positive principle of the Universe in spreading positive energy, instead of negative.

You'll notice that a lot of bad things seem to happen more in the Dark Half of the Year, than they do in the Light Half, from Winter Solstice to Summer Solstice. Winter can be a depressing time for many, due to lack of sunlight. And yet, we can counter this, as well, by burning a yellow (Sun) candle on a daily basis.

There are many tricks we can use to remain positive. Awareness is but the first step. Centering oneself firmly in the middle of the Four Directions, can help one to remain positive, due to the Elements and Creature Beings associated with each of the Four Directions. Call on them for help, if need be. Eagle who lives in the East, can assist us in seeing the overall picture, instead of getting mired in the negativity of the moment. Coyote in the South can always help us to laugh, and laughter spreads positivity. Mother Bear in the West will share her strength with you, in times of need, so that you can stay aware, and stay positive and grounded, and not be sucked into any negative encounter. White Buffalo in the North reminds us to give thanks for what we have, and to share what we can, while also reminding us of the Sacredness of All Life.

Then there are the Four Elements. Air, in the East, can be consciously breathed into our bodies, to pull the positive life force into ourselves. Fire in the South assists us by fueling us with the energy we need to remain positive. Water, in the West, can wash away all of the negativity we've accumulated, and Earth, in the North, grounds us and connects us with All of Life.

By centering ourselves in the Four Directions, we pull their energies into our lives, and these energies assist us in staying on our Path, in staying positive, and in staying centered, no matter what happens to us externally.

If all else fails, call on Grandfather Sun, to shine His light on you. His light helps us to grow, to stay positive, and to feel those rays of energy in both our inner and outer worlds. His energy will cleanse negativity off of you, anytime you stand in His light and let it radiate throughout your being.

I see a lot of people this time of year with Solar Plexus Chakra blockages, probably due to the limited amount of sunlight we have available this time of year. Surrounding oneself with bright yellow energy, consciously changing one's aura color to bright yellow, wearing bright yellow clothing, and standing in the sunlight, can all assist in helping to remove this blockage. Just like Grandfather Sun, the color yellow is associated with laughter and happiness, which equals positivity!

Remembering to purify, to ground oneself, and to do whatever is necessary to keep our energy positive, helps to spread positive energy in the world, and this affects us all. The more who do this, the more positivity we spread. At the same time, it affects our own lives with even more positive results. Positivity multiplies in and of itself, when shared with pure intent. More importantly, it multiplies in our own lives, when we share it with others, creating magickal situations.

With practice, you can find that constant awareness of your energy, and begin turning negative events into positive experiences, just as I did at the arts and crafts show. Once you master controlling your own energy, you can then move to helping others to master these techniques. And this helps the positivity to spread, in all of our worlds.

Lastly, I'd like to offer a gentle reminder to stay purified during the remaining days of the Dark Half of the Year. It affects us all. It's that important.

Until next time,
May you Walk in Beauty...
Michelle

Lunar's Magickal News Reel

Paganism, Just Another Religion for Military and Academia

iPhone Application to Promote Witchcraft It's about time!

David Bowie Used Witchcraft To Get Over Coke Paranoia Ziggy played with more than just a guitar.

Martin Lecture Series explores Neo-Paganism

BWW INTERVIEWS: Creators of My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding I totally want to go to Toronto to see this.

Sports Illustrated Curse? When magick and sports team up... (with video)

Indianapolis Schools Block Atheist Sites No "alternative spirituality" allowed in schools. That is like an ever-lasting detention to me.

A Pagan Thanksgiving Celebration Let's do what Pagan's do best: FEAST!

Magickal Tea Blends

Making a magickal tea is a wonderful way to bring magick into your daily warm cup of tea. By combining herbs with magickal energies and holistic benefits, you can create a tea that assists you in whatever energy and magick you wish to draw into your life. There are different ways to make teas that have both holistic and magickal benefits.
1. Use herbs with holistic benefits that have magickal color correspondences.
2. Use herbs with holistic benefits that have magickal numerical correspondences.
3. Have a favorite loose tea? Add a small hint of an herb with magickal properties in it to draw those energies to you during your day.

How to make the blends
Through research, recommendation, and recipes suggested by herbal manuals and magickal guides, get together the herbs that you need. Have a clean work area, and use a clean bowl to mix the herbs in.

Safety precautions
Do not blindly mix and match herbs. If you haven’t used an herb before, read up on it and research it! Make sure you know what the herb is, what it is meant to do, and if there are any side effects. People react differently to herbs, and it is important to know what herbs you will react well to. To be safe, herbs available in natural food stores and with tea suppliers are not poisonous. Use your head and avoid herbs that say “toxic” (duh) and come from a questionable source. If you are unsure about an herb, find out if it is consumable. Some are not. For example, wormwood and mistletoe are poisonous. And they taste disgusting. If you have any medical conditions or are on medication, then you need to find out if there are any herbs that could harm you. For example, there is a list of herbs that women who are pregnant should avoid. I always say: “When in doubt, throw it out.”

Once you have found herbs to your liking, make a small test sample. Some herbs taste better than others, and combining massive amounts of specific herbs can make a tea taste pretty gross. If you know some herbs taste pretty yucky together, you can add a “tea base.” That means you can get black tea, green tea, white tea, or rooibos tea to use in addition to the herbal tea blend you are putting together. Don’t drink your tea on an empty stomach. This is a personal guideline I follow. Have you ever gotten medication from the pharmacist that reads “take with food”? I use this same rule with tea blends.

Once the tea loose tea is prepared
Use a tea strainer, or tea bags to strain the blend. You can charge your tea, i.e., give your tea a “magickal kick,” a number of different ways.
When stirring, stir in a clockwise direction. Stirring clockwise draws magickal energy into the tea.

Close your eyes while stirring the tea and envision the cup glowing brightly. You can also use color correspondences in this case, and envision the cup glowing in the color of the magickal energies you wish to draw in your life. For example, if you have a love tea, then envision the cup glowing red. If you have a tea for abundance and prosperity, then envision the cup glowing green.
Try saying a simple mantra, prayer, or incantation. It doesn’t have to be anything grand, or in Latin. Just something small to remind you of the magickal intent of your tea. One I use for prosperity is “Money, money, come to me. In shades of gold, in shades of green.”

For the more magickally minded, draw a circle or perform a ritual to consecrate the tea while it is still loose and dry. This is great if you made a large quantity of the tea, and wish to really charge it with the magick of the universe.
Think about when you use the tea. By combining a tea with the magickal correspondences of the day of the week and the moon, you can use the tea when it is very potent.


Magickal Tea Recipes
Chai Love Tea
1 1/2 tsp. Chai Rooibos (or any rooibos)
1/4 tsp. Damiana ** Note: in large doses, damiana can be toxic to the liver. Eliminate this from your recipe completely if you are concerned.
1/2 tsp. Lemon Verbena
1/2 tsp. Catnip
Pinch of Cinnamon
Tiny pinch of Ginger

Bring water to a boil. Mix the tea blend with 1 1/2 cups of water. Add vanilla creamer to bring more loving energies (and yummy energies) of vanilla into the drink.

Psychic Tea
1 1/2 tsp. Black Tea
1/2 tsp. Mugwort
1/2 tsp. Thyme
1/2 tsp. Calendula
1/2 tsp. Jasmine

Bring water to an almost boil. Mix the tea blend with 1 1/2 cup of water. Add honey sweeten, or cinnamon for another “psychic energy boost.”

Healing Tea
1 tsp. Lavender
1 tsp. Chamomile
1 tsp. Rosehips
1/2 tsp. Echinacea
1/2 tsp. Eucalyptus
1/2 tsp. Spearmint

This recipe can make one strong cup of tea, or two cups of tea. Bring water to an almost boil. Add honey or lemon to flavor. Do not add milk, since it will curdle in this drink!

Study and Creativity Tea
1 1/2 tsp. Green Tea or Black Tea (I use a green tea with coconut and ginger in it)
1/2 tsp. Rosemary
1/2 tsp. Orange
1/2 tsp. Lemon Verbena
1/2 tsp. Yerba Mate

Bring water to an almost boil. Mix the tea blend with 1 1/2 cups of water. Add honey, milk, or lemon for flavor. Don’t add lemon and milk together--the milk will curdle!

Reflections:
*What is your favorite cup of tea?
*When do you like to have a cup of tea?
*Have you tried any of these recipes? How did it work for you?
*Do you have any recipes you wish to share?



(Bibliography)
Burnie, Geoffrey, ed. The Little Guide: Herbs. San Francisco, California: Fog City Press, 2000.
Daniel, Marilyn F. Kitchen Witchery. Boston, MA: Weiser Books, 2002.
Dugan, Ellen. Natural Witchery: Intuitive, Personal, and Practical Magick. Woodbury, Minnesota: Llewelyn Publications, 2007.
Elkins, Rita, M.H. The Pocket Herbal, 2nd ed. Pleasant Grove, Utah: Woodland Publishing, 2002.
Hopman, Ellen Evert. A Druid’s Herbal For Sacred Earth Year. Rochester, Vermont:
Destiny Books, 1995.
Moura, Ann. Grimore for the Green Witch. Woodbury, Minnesota: Llewelyn Publications, 2004.

Submissions being taken for The Lunar Gazette!

What we are looking for:
*Articles on magickal, supernatural, and spiritual topics with references.
*Essays on history, mythology, and religion with references.
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*Interesting interviews with interesting folk.
*Magickal crafting lessons.
*Magickal recipes - i.e. - incenses, oil blends, spell kits, cooking recipes.
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*Something unique, original, spiritual, and enlightening.

What we are not looking for:
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Please send all submissions to thelunargazette@gmail.com

Please send them in .doc or .jpg compatible format. That way it’ll be nice and easy for me to read and publish to the site.

When you send a submission, please write your bio in the email message along with any of your website addresses. Whether it is a blog, an etsy page, or a myspace, please consider your publication a way to meet other like minded-folk, network and promote your personal craft!

Looking for a few good writers

Looking for Team Members to join the Lunar Gazette crew!

Team Members have the following responsibilities:
-Writing an article at least once a month.
-Helping to promote The Lunar Gazette through sharing blogs and posting on other blogs.
-Just spreading the spiritual news and magickal energy that will become The Lunar Gazette.

If you are interested, please send a message to thelunargazette@gmail.com.
Please write a little about yourself, what you plan to write about, and a link to your own blog and work.

Thanks again for the interest!
Blessings,
~Kiki~

Welcome to the Lunar Gazette

The Lunar Gazette is an online blog/zine with thoughtful articles, creative writing, artwork and magickal crafting. It is a place of open-mindedness and thoughtfulness. We are geared towards Pagan communities, with an emphasis on Wicca and witchcraft. We are curious about spirituality, the supernatural, magick, and how to improve our lives through creativity, thought, and spirituality.

Welcome aboard! I am Kiki, the founder and creator of the Lunar Gazette, and I am excited about the many talented writers and interesting readers who I am sure will become part of the Lunar Gazette family! Please stay tuned for articles and posts!