How to Make Anointment Oil

An important part of working with candles is anointment.
Anointment is the act of rubbing a candle with oil. This cleanses and consecrates it for your use.

While shops sell special anointment oils, home made oils are easier, less expensive, and usually just as effective.
The most basic anointment oil is made with plain saffron, corn, or olive oil.

Here's how I make mine:

Ingredients:

• (1) small glass bottle with a cork stopper
• A bottle of virgin olive oil from the kitchen

Steps:

1. Fill the bottle with oil
2. Place your hands over the bottle and say "I cleanse and consecrate this oil in the name of [your deity]. May it serve me well."
3. Insert the stopper and label the bottle clearly.

You can also infuse the oil with herbs, but I have yet to do that. If you're interested, this may be helpful: Wikipedia:Infusion

Spell for Finding a Lost Pet

My cat went missing a while ago, so I decided to make a spell to try and bring her back.
She hasn't yet, but I'll let you know when she does.
Here's the spell.

Ingredients:

• (1) blue candle
• One of the cat's toys that you won't miss too much (in this case, it was a feather).
• Sage

Steps:

1. Lay out the altar cloth, set up the ingredients, and open the circle.
2. Light the sage and the candle.
3. Holding the cat toy, explain to your deity, if she's alive and it's the best thing for her, you want your cat to come home healthy.
4. Pass the cat toy through the sage smoke 3 times, repeating "With good will to all and harm to none, so mote it be, so shall it be done." with each pass.
5. Put out the sage and bury it near the back door.
6. Place the feather on the ground near the front door.
7. Move the blue candle to a window so that it can be seen from the outside. Leave it burning.
8. Open another window that the cat can get through (or prop open the cat-door- if you have one).

Notes:

• I briefly considered including Bast (goddess of cats and protection) in this spell, but I decided not to. You never want to add such a large element as a god into a working if you're not familiar with him/her.
• Be careful about leaving the candle burning. My candle holder is glass and it cracked when it got too hot, sending two pieces flying. I'm still not sure if this is a bad sign for my cat. Only time will tell, I suppose.

Black Candles

I just bought some small black candles from the nearby metaphysical shop. They were small and 30 cents apiece, but they're the first black candles I've ever bought.
Black candles are used to dispel negative energy. For example, you could use one to aid in removing something harmful from your life.
Unfortunately, black candles have gained a little bit of notoriety from people's misunderstanding of their use. To get them, you have to have a metaphysical shop near you or purchase online.
I, however, know of a hack you can use if you don't have any black candles and need some fast.

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Ingredients:

• (1) white candle
• (1) 3, 5, or 7-inch long piece of black ribbon

Steps:

1. Tie the black ribbon neatly around the white candle. (Just once around, don't wrap it.)
2. Just before you use it, anoint it and say a quick prayer: "[deity], please accept this candle and let it function just as a black candle would."

Warning: Don't let the flame reach the ribbon. This isn't something you should use if you have to burn the whole candle.

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And there we go. You have a black candle.

A Protection Sachet

There's a little metaphysical shop right near me that sells crystals, candles, incenses and books. I used to not go in there because I didn't have money, I didn't leave the house on my own*, and I don't like strong incenses.
This changed when I started going to work. I'd walk past it three times a week and, on my way back one day, I decided to stop by and take a look at their books. I didn't end up buying anything, but I came back the next week and ended up getting "Magical Herbalism" by Scott Cunningham. This is a great book and I definitely recommend it for anyone interested in herbs.

After getting this book, I got a frantic call from my friend. He's 12 and a little unstable, and he is left at home for long stretches of time.
He said that his dog was freaking out and he was seeing moving shadows and flashing lights, and hearing thumping noises. He had called his dad, but was told that he was imagining things.
I ended up walking him through the house over the phone. After a while, the disruptions stopped. I told him that the next time I saw him, I'd have a ghost-repelling kit for him.
Unfortunately, he isn't allowed to burn sage or candles in the house. This limited the options for a kit, but I found a spell in the book I had just got.
Here it is.

Items:
A 7"X7" white cotton cloth
3, 7, or 9 dried protective herbs** (I used Fennel, Juniper, and Rosemary)
An earthenware bowl
A medium-sized piece of red string/yarn

Steps:
1. Mix the herbs in the small earthenware bowl with your hands.
2. Put the mixed herbs in the center of the cloth.
3. Gather up the corners of the cloth and tie them together with the red string, saying

"I bind thee to protect this house and all within it."

4. Knot 12 more times, repeating the above with each knot.

5. Stand facing south, holding your magic knife/wand in your strong hand, and the bag of herbs in the other. (You may use your hand instead of the knife/wand)

5. Press the tip of the knife/the wand/your hand to the bag and say

"May this that I have fashioned tonight

serve as guardian and protector of this house

and all who reside within it.

May it serve me well."

(You can substitute some of these words. For example, I would change the last line to "May it serve this family well" as it isn't going up in my house. You can also use this in somewhere that isn't a house, like a boat, car, or camper.)

6. Hang the bag by its string in the highest point in the house. (If this can't be done, hang in in a closet or over the main entrance.) If it's in a car, place it under the driver's seat.

And there we go. This will protect your house. I haven't seen my friend yet, so I haven't performed the ritual, but I hope to soon.

Blessed be, and may your home be free from negative, unwanted entities.

-Gwen <3

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* What can I say? I call my generation "Generation Bubble-Wrap" because we were raised by "Generation X: the Generation that Raised Themselves" and so we're overprotected.

** The herbs listed on the page are:
Angelica [NOTE: Looks a lot like Hemlock, which is VERY poisonous. DO NOT CONFUSE THE TWO.]
Asafoetida
Ash (twigs and leaves)
Avens
Balm of Gilead
Basil
Bay laurel
Betony
Cyclamen
Dill
Elderberries (berries or leaves)
Fennel
Fern
Flax
Fumitory
Horehound
Hyssop
Jumiper
Mistletoe
Mugwort
Mullein
Peony roots
Periwinkle
Pimpernel
Rose geranium
Rosemary
Rowan
Rue
St. John's wort
Snapdragon
Terragon
Trefoil
Vervain

How to Cast a Circle

When I started practicing Wicca, I was unclear on how to cast Circles. I didn’t know if the rules were passed down through Covens, if they were purely intuitive, or even if they had casting rules. I started to wonder if everyone knew how to cast Circles and I was just lacking in spiritual knowledge. Finally, I came upon a small piece about  it in 'Living Wicca: A Further Guide for the Solitary Practitioner.' I found out that I have been creating Circles all my life! (Although mine were usually portable.)

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This is how I create Circles.

Close your eyes, feel the energy of objects around you, and find a good place for your circle.
Glance around, visually establishing the borders of your Circle.
Use a Wand, Athame, your hand, or your mind to direct energy around you in a clockwise circle. Many people envision this circle on the ground, eye level, chest level etc. Just do what comes naturally to you. As your energy moves around you, picture it flowing out in vibrant color or light (mine is purple light) like ink from a pen, creating a protective circle around you. Allow your energy to orbit you like electrons around a nucleus, weaving trails of color around you and forming a strong, positive wall. This should help you focus your energy efficiently and protect you from most outside forces. To break the circle, imagine allowing a seam to open near the top of your circle. Push your way through it, allowing any remaining energies to ground and spread into the earth.


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After breaking a circle, you may feel a bit aimless. This is because you are used to having energy focused on something. If you just used this energy, it is quite natural to a little feel confused, aimless, disoriented, or even a bit tired.
Sit down. Drink something. Focus on a small physical or mental craft. I usually write poetry, draw, or carve wands. Don't worry. Focus will return.

Ostara

I woke up this morning, threw on my cloak, and headed out with my little sister to make myself my first broom.

His name is Ozwald. I later researched and found that 'Oswald' (pronounced oz-vald) is German for 'divine power'. Fitting, I suppose.

Although I much prefer staffs, I couldn't find a suitable branch on such short notice and suck with a broom instead. =)

Here's how I made him.

Materials Used:

• The broken handle of an old gardening tool
• The straps off a straw bale
• A large bundle of twigs
• 2 sturdy sticks about 7 inches long and a centimeter wide.
• A wood burner

I took the bundle of twigs, made sure that they were of roughly equal length, and separated them into groups of 4. I took the first 2 groups and tied them at the top. Then I tied them to the first stick. 

I did the same to the other 2.

Then I weaved in the second stick through the groups and tied up the deal.

It ended up looking like this, but much tighter.

Then I tied the handle to it, thought up a name, wood burned said name into it, spontaneously added a sprig of mint and a sprig of thyme, blessed it with sage smoke, set it out by the door, and went back inside.

It took a medium amount of time and --while it doesn't look very pretty (I should use a different rope next time)-- It works.

I should have also taken pictures of the process, but I am quite happy with Ozwald. He was fun to make and offered me some bonding time with my little sister.

All in all, this was a great Ostara. =)

Happy Spring!!

Blessed be. <3

My first Sabbat

On November 1 this month, I had my first Samhain ritual. I was originally going to do it on October 31, but I didn't feel so great. Anyway, I read up on ritual design (covered in 'Living Wicca: A Further Guide for the Solitary Practitioner' by Scott Cunningham) and created a ritual I really liked. Here it is:

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Tools
Chalice (a drinking glass)
Pomegranate juice (pomegranate is the "fruit of the dead" in Greek culture)
Red candle
Candle Holder* (Optional in the sense that you don't need a special holder. You will want something to keep it still so that it doesn't burn the place down.)
Wand/Athame (I used my own wand. She's a Scorpio wand made out of sycamore wood. Here's her little bio.)
An un-carved pumpkin* (to symbolize the harvest)
Incense*
*optional

Altar Layout
The Chalice and juice (symbolizing the Goddess) is set on the right side of the altar (as well as the incense), and the Wand/Athame and red candle is set on the left. The pumpkin is placed in the middle, along with any pictures/items associated with the deceased.

Steps
The Circle is cast with the Wand/Athame. (BTW, when I started Wicca I didn't really know how to cast a circle. Mr. Cunningham addressed it lightly in his before mentioned book, but it is mostly intuitive. If you do not yet know exactly how to cast Circles, I wrote a post that may help you.)
The candle is lit.
The Goddess and God are called to the Circle thus:

"Goddess of the silver moon, the fertile earth, and the wide seas. God of the golden sun, the wild forests, and the free skies. Please join my circle and watch over this ritual."

 A thank you and farewell is said to the deceased.

"I honor those who have left us this turn, and thank them for their love and inspiration. Their physical form will be missed, but their spirits linger on in a flame, in a whisper, and in the hearts of all they have touched. I wish them safety in their passing, and know that part of me stays with them, and them with me."

Pour the pomegranate juice into the chalice.

"I thank the Goddess for suppling us with our last harvest and guide the God in his passing in this turn.

Blessed be."

Drink half of the juice, snuff out the candle, break the circle, and gather up the tools. Leave the rest of the juice outside for the departed.


Other notes
The Altar itself was our oak dining table. (facing South)
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