Beauty: Look Absolutely Spellbinding

Beauty…Mundane women of the world grasp at fancifully advertised chemical preparations to keep themselves beautiful, to achieve youthful skin, to stave off the effects of time– the Witch goes beyond that.  She knows that sometimes to achieve beauty and perfection, you have to get your hands dirty.  This spell is a good place to start:

Shed Your Skin Spell

This spell takes advantage of the energy of three creatures who change or freshen their appearance by literally coming out in a new skin:  the cicada, the moth or butterfly, and the snake.  And you’re going to be using in this spell one of three things:  the shed skin of a snake, the open and empty cocoon of a moth or butterfly, or the abandoned skin of a cicada.

Shudder now and get over the ‘ick’ factor– real magic requires girding up your loins and getting your hands dirty once in a while– as the gray witch will tell you.

Correspondences:

Day:  Friday– associated with Venus, beauty, and love
Hour:  1st/8th hour after sunrise;
3rd/10th hour after sunset
Planet:  Venus
Moon Phase:  waxing to full
Color:  pink, white, silver
Herbs:  for beauty– ginseng, lilac,
rose; for youth– catnip, valerian
Oil:  rose oil Stone:  rose quartz
Number: 6
Letters:  F, O, X– (no pun intended)
Symbols:  The symbol for Venus
Deities:  Venus/Aphrodite or Hathor

Items needed:

1.  The dried shell of a cicada,
a snakeskin, or abandoned cocoon
2.  A fireproof bowl
3.  A bottle of rose oil
4. A pink or white candle
5.  A red flannel bag

This spell works on the refreshing metamorphic energy of the creatures listed here.  It also works on the mind and what you see, or what you think you see.  This spell is not an instant facelift, but rather, it changes the perception of how others view you and how you view yourself.  It will give you the illusion of beauty and youth.

After the basic preparations are in place, the candles lit, the incense going, place upon your altar the fireproof bowl.  Drop within it the insect skin, cocoon, or the snake shed and light it afire– you may need a bit of a flammable oil sprinkled on the top to get it going.

When the fire has gone out and the remains have cooled off a bit, using your pestle, crush what’s left into a pulp, adding a few drops of rose oil and drippings from your pink or white candle until you get a good consistency with a nice scent.  Now take it in your hands– yes, in your hands– and roll it into a ball…drop this treasure in the red flannel bag.

Keep this bag in a secret spot, and on the evening of a full moon bring it out when you are alone in a darkened candle-lit room.  Stand before a mirror, calling to the changing energy of the creature whose remains are in the bag.  Wave the bag in a gentle back and forth motion before your face, saying:

“By the power of the creature here,
May youth and beauty shine pure and clear.
By the power of the creature within,
May I shed what’s old to reveal fresh young skin.”

  This spell is from:  “The Gray Witch’s Grimoire”
by Amythyst Raine

Published by Moon Books

 

 You’ll find more spells at
The Witch’s Corner:

Book of Shadows: page 1

Book of Shadows: page 2

Book of Shadows:page 3

Employment Mojo Magick

With the following information, you can work your own magick,  move that energy,  go after that job that you’ve always wanted.  Create these bags with successful employment energy, with positive thoughts, with high aspirations.  Below are correspondences for the correct day to create your mojo bags (in magick, timing is everything).  What elements are you going to work with?  What herbs will you use?…and stones; and more.

Employment Mojo Bag

Day:  Sunday/jobs in the healthcare or spiritual field; Monday/jobs involved with feminine issues, charities, the occult, and new-age businesses; Tuesday/armed services, law enforcement, criminology, sports; Wednesday/the arts, writing, music, jobs involving mental endeavors– rather than physical labor– desk jobs, office work, computer programming, web design, etc.; Thursday/jobs in the legal field, jobs in the financial field, jobs that leave room for growth and promotion; personal businesses involving the enterpreneur; Friday/wedding planners, florists– or other jobs involving the growing and production of plants; jobs in the beauty field– including, esthetician, hair stylist, health spas, makeup company representatives or sales marketers, retail; Saturday/self-help businesses, exterminators, guards– either within prisons or security work, architecture, all aspects– including construction, landscaping, etc.

Planet:  Sunday/Sun; Monday/Moon; Tuesday/Mars; Wednesday/Mercury; Thursday/Jupiter; Friday/Venus; Saturday/Saturn

Element: Earth/jobs grounded in the physical; Air/jobs grounded in the mental; Fire/jobs requiring high energy levels and long periods of activity; Water/jobs associated with the ethereal, jobs requiring high levels of creativity

Color: Sunday/yellow or gold; Monday/blue or silver; Tuesday/orange; Wednesday/yellow; Thursday/purple or green; Friday/pink or green; Saturday/black

Herbs: Sunday/marigold, sunflower, chamomile, frankincense; Monday/calamus, myrrh, sandalwood, gardenia; Tuesday/allspice, dragon’s blood, wormwood, pine; Wednesday/fennel, marjoram, horehound, parsley; Thursday/anise, clove, hyssop, nutmeg; Friday/apple, cardamom, foxglove, lilac; Saturday/belladonna, morning glory, slippery elm, hemp

Stones: Sunday/amber or carnelian; Monday/moonstone or selenite; Tuesday/garnet or bloodstone; Wednesday/mottled jasper or agate; Thursday/amethyst or sugilite; Friday/jade or rose quartz; Saturday/jet or black onyx

Other Items: With this mojo bag you’ll realize how important are the associations that you have with various energies and intentions. The ‘other items’ list for the employment mojo bag will be endless and incredibly varied. Of course you’re going to want an item or image that is connected, in some way, with the job or position that you desire, and this will be where your own creativity enters into the magickal picture.

Read as the spell has already happened.  I "have"...

The information for this blog post is an excerpt from my book,
“Natural Magick the Gray Witch Way”

Mojo Bags

Mojo Bags are one of the items you’ll find available at my website:
The Witch’s Corner

*Note: the photo is courtesy of Pinterest

What do you do?

What do you do?  I’m asked this question all the time, in respect to my spiritual path, in respect to religious practices and routine, in respect to practicing witchcraft.  People think in conventional terms of what they are familiar with– you have to attend a church service once a week, you have to follow this rule, you have to obey that rule, you have to undergo certain ceremonies (rites of passage) at particular set intervals, you have to follow a leader, etc.  Paganism, and especially witchcraft, is not like that, it’s not like that at all.  I keep trying to tell people, to explain to them, but I don’t think they understand.

Truth is, I don’t do a damn thing unless the urge hits me.  I might go for days, or weeks, or months without lifting one magickal finger to cast one crummy spell.  Then– Pow!– something comes up, something comes up that actually needs to be taken care of, there is a reason, there is a rhyme behind it.  Something comes up in life that needs my attention, so I take care of it with a spell, with a candle, with herbs, with a poppet, with other magickal twists and turns, whatever needs doing.

And that’s what I do.  There’s no law in my book that says I have to run around interneting people Happy this, or Blessed that– if I choose not to observe ‘traditional’ pagan holidays, that’s my choice, that’s my decision.  The sky isn’t going to fall, and  my magickal little soul will be just fine.

And that’s what I do…just exactly what I want to do.

This is the spirit of the witch…it wreaks of freedom.

witch 10

Workplace Mojo– Bad Bosses Beware

Making Magick

Image may contain: fire and candles

 As I sit here, right now, let’s put a spell together on a whim and a fancy, by the seat of our pants.  So often I’ve noticed, especially with people new to witchcraft, that we tend to rely on spells being laid out before us, all black and white, neatly listed, pre-packaged, and ready to go– kind of like fast food.  We shouldn’t be afraid to slap together a spell of our own making, our own unique creation.  Not only will it ‘feel’ good when you cast it, it will carry so much of your magickal energy and power of intention that it’s bound to cause a tremor through the universe.

Workplace Mojo

1) Intention…Let’s concentrate today on the workplace and the problems that we find there.  These ‘problems’ almost always tend to have two arms, two legs, and a great hole in their face called A Mouth.

2) Candle Color…If it’s The Mouth that’s causing problems, let’s go with a yellow candle– for the element of Air and communication.  If we just want this ‘problem’ to go away, as in banishing to other-worlds, or in this case other departments, let’s go with my favorite candle color– black.

3) “Dressing” the Candle…We’re going to do several things. First:  carve the name of your problem on this candle, and then sit quietly and hold it in your hands for few minutes, visualizing this individual, seeing in your mind what you want to happen, where you want this person to go, how you want the negative energy dispersed.

 Put a bit of oil on your fingertips, either a magickal oil made for specific intentions, or a little olive oil from your kitchen cupboard, and smooth this oil over the candle.

 Crush up or grind some herbs that are related to the energies that we’re dealing with and the intentions that we’re raising.  If you’re using a yellow candle to shut a big mouth, you’ll find that slippery elm and cloves work great for this, and I’ve discovered that dieffenbachia will also stop the flow of word vomit just as effectively.  As you grind or crush these herbs, you should chant a little chant and get yourself all worked up over this issue.  After all, if you’ve come to the point of casting magick spells to defend yourself against an individual, you’ve got a right to be pissed– so get pissed, and imbue these herbs and this candle with all that emotion and intentions.

Pour the prepared herbs in a nice line the length of your candle or in a pile on the table.  Lay your oiled candle on its side, and roll it in the herbs so that they adhere to the candle.

4)  Igniting the magick…Okay, you can set this candle up now and light it.  And while it’s burning, write down the name of the big fat old problem on a small slip of paper.  Set this paper on fire by the flame of your spell candle and drop it in a bowl, allowing it to burn to ash.

While you’re doing this, chant your little chant, get mad, stamp your feet, spit in the bowl, and just throw a good old hissy fit.  It will make you feel better, and it will direct the negative energy caused by this individual to come right back at them, full force.  It’s kind of like slapping them in the face, but you won’t leave a mark.

5)  Cleaning up…Once the candle is burned out, gather up the left-over wax, the ashes, and anything else from the makings of this spell and go bury it somewhere– but not on your own property.

Note:  If it’s the black candle you used and banishing was your intention, these would be among my favored herbs for this deed:  cloves; banishing powder– if you’ve got it;  anything ‘hot’– like cayenne pepper, black pepper; anything stinging– like nettles; anything sharp– like thorns, which you can stick right into the sides of your candle.

It would be nice if we didn’t have to waste our time and energy on this type of person and this kind of magick, but the real world dictates otherwise.  We can at least be thankful that there are measures we can take to defend ourselves and to make life bearable.

If you’re the victim of bad workplace behavior, go for it– more power to you!  If you are the perpetrator of bad work place behavior…beware.

Candle Magick

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Magick…it’s as easy as striking a match and lighting a candle– it is, really. It’s called ‘candle magick’, and there is a rhyme and reason behind it.

(I know, this post might be boring for all the practicing witches out there who do this type of magic all the time, those who’ve done it for years, those who can do it blind-folded. But there are so many new witches on the horizon, so many emails and questions coming in, bear with me– and definitely feel free to leave your own advice in the comments below. Everyone has their own little way of doing things, everyone has discovered magickal little tweaks that work for them, there is a gazillion ways to do magick. Pass your information along.)

FirstIntention

What do you want? What are you trying to change? What’s your magickal intention?  You have to know; you have to be specific; you have to have thought this out, have it squared away in your head.   It has to be strong and definite in your mind, or you will not be able to successfully move the energy along to manifest this intention into the world.

SecondCandle Color

Once you definitely know what you want, what you’re trying to accomplish with this magick, you have to decide on what color of candle you’ll need.  This is important.  The color of the candle is associated with very definite images, intentions, magick; connected even to the elements (earth, air, fire, water); connected to the planets (astrological/magickal associations).  Everything is so connected it’s unreal; most people have no idea.

Red Candles

For the element of Fire, for the planet Mars– it’s all about hot sizzling passion, whether your intention is for physical passion with a prospective mate, or just that wild over-the-top passion for justice or a particular cause.  Red candles will create the kind of energy that moves things along like gang-busters.  Think of those phrases:  “too hot to handle”, “red-hot”, “I’m seeing red”; there’s a reason for these confirmations.

Green Candles

For the element of Earth– health and money, two basic necessities of life.  Face it, you won’t be living very well if you don’t have enough of either one.  The green candle for planet Earth– Mother Gaia, the embodiment of our world, a metaphor for the Mother Goddess, representative of our physical world (our bodies).  Just as people of other spiritual paths request healing and prosperity from their god(s), so the witch turns to divinity, but in her case, it’s not a request, as divinity is part of the witch and the witch is part of divinity.  It’s a different relati0nship within the metaphysical realm.

Yellow Candles

For the element of Air, for the planet Mercury– communication, creativity, mental endeavors. it’s all about pure thought, our mind, that intangible part of ourselves that make us who we are.  Those cliques that are coming to me right now: “thoughts move mountains”, “what we think is what we are”.  The mental aspect of us is the most powerful, some believing that it embodies our soul, our spirit, that which will survive eternally.  It’s also about communication– communication with other human beings, with divinity, with ourselves.  Use the yellow candle when you have something to say, something that needs to be heard.

Blue Candles

For the element of Water…light a blue candle to invoke the Goddess, to enhance your dreams and intuition.  Use the blue candle to come to terms with your emotions, for understanding, for resolution, for enhancement.  The blue candle for the heavenly body, the Moon:  pagan spirituality, the goddess (all three aspects), magick, blessings, running with the tide (waxing and waning– drawing in, sending away).  Use the blue candle for women’s issues, with the knowledge that you are tapping into something indescribably ancient and indescribably wise.

White Candles

You can use a white candle as a substitute for any other color.  But the white candle is also used particularly for cleansing and purification.  Use a white candle for House Blessings, or for cleansing any space.  Use a white candle for invoking and honoring divinity.  Use a white candle for pure energy.  Use a white candle for inspiration, for clarity, for peace.

Black Candles

The black candle, for the planet Saturn…use the energy of this candle to return-to-sender negative energy, bad thoughts, curses, ill-wishes sent your way.  Use the energy of the black candle for retribution and justice.  Use the black candle to catch the bad guy, to banish something (or someone) nasty.  Use the black candle to regain personal power taken from you through injustice.

3

The following information is a paragraph taken from my online book, “Natural Magick the Gray Witch Way”:

You can work with tea candles, votive candles, pillar candles, or hoodoo seven day candles.  You’ll allow these spell candles to burn themselves out at one sitting, or you’ll light them at appropriate times over the course of a period of time. You will save the wax from these candles to be used in mojo bags; you’ll bury it; throw it into running water; or toss it in the trash. You will prepare these candles to work their magick when you anoint (dress) these candles with a variety of magickal oils– or a little olive oil, if you don’t have a stock of magickal oils on hand.  You will use your athame, or another sharp object, to carve into the spell candle the name of your target, sigils and symbols relating to your intention, or designs of your own creation. You will roll these oiled candles in a variety of pulverized crushed herbs depending on your intentions and the desired outcome you wish for your magick.

 

KATZ

It’s said of cats that they can move magickally through time and space, visiting the Land of Fairy, where no human can safely travel.  It’s also said that cats can cross the boundaries of a magickal circle, a witch’s sacred space, without breaking the circle or disturbing the energy.  Cats are also very sensitive to spirits and other paranormal entities, so watch your cat carefully, it will tell you when something is lurking about.  We personally experienced this one day as my girls and I sat watching our calico cat mysteriously circle an invisible something in the middle of the living room floor.  She tightly circled around it, hair standing on end, cautiously reaching inward to sniff whatever it was, and jerking her head back, as though to stay out of its reach.  It suddenly startled her.  She jumped straight in the air, all four feet off the ground, and took off racing out of the living-room.  Had I not seen this with my own eyes, it would have been hard to believe.  I’m glad I had witnesses to this truly remarkable incident.

It is especially unlucky to harm a black cat, as this is a favorite form for spirits to take, and not every black cat you see is actually a cat– but a spirit in disguise.  Black cats have, over the centuries, suffered greatly because of their association with Witches and their reputation as Witches’ familiars.  In Italy, even today, thousands of black cats are slaughtered every year in the name of superstition.  It’s recommended to black cat owners here in the U.S. that they keep their felines indoors over Samhain (Halloween) night, as black cats are often targeted for abuse because of their connection to witches and this holiday.

Cats are independent, intelligent, not likely to suffer fools.  They may be loyal, but the recipient of that loyalty must be deserving of it.  Cats are agile, silent, cunning, excellent and vicious hunters, aloof, and sometimes lazy.

CatnipValerianRue

Catnip is commonly used in sleeping potions, and the herb is well-known for the intoxicating effect it has on cats.  Catnip is also sacred to all Pagan Gods/Goddesses who manifest in the form of a cat or other feline creature– this would include the Egyptian goddess, Bast; as well as the Norse goddess, Freya.

Correspondences:

Element:  Water; Planet:  Venus; Energy:  Feminine (receptive)
Used in animal magick and for healing pets, increases the psychic bond with animals. Use as a tea for happiness and relaxation. Can also be used during meditation, increases psychic abilities. Useful in love magick- try burning dried leaves for love wishes.

Valerian is used in sleeping potions and dream pillows.  It’s said that the scent of valerian is irresistible to cats and if they find it in your garden, they will dig it up.

Correspondences:

Element:  Water; Planet:  Venus; Energy:  Feminine (receptive)
Valerian is a muscle relaxant and tranquilizer. Use for dream magick and sleep protection baths. Keep in the home or grow in the garden to aid in keeping harmony. May be used to purify a ritual space. Useful in consecrating incense burners. Drink tea daily, in moderate doses, during times of purification.

Rue is used to keep cats away, whether from digging in your garden, or hunting the birds gathering around your feeders.  This would probably also work to keep them off your bed and the kitchen table.  Since I find my cats’ presence at both of these places enjoyable, I’ll forego the Rue at these spots.  Cats dislike the scent of Rue, which is purported to have been used in the middle-ages as a talisman of protection against witches and their familiars.

Correspondences:

Element:  Fire; Planet:  Mars; Energy:  Masculine (projective)
Use Rue in purification baths to break hexes or curses; use in exorcism incense; use the magick of Rue to return-to-sender any negative energy or negative magick sent your way.  *Odd Note:  it’s said that Rue works best when stolen and replanted in your garden, where it will– ironically– protect your home and grounds from thieves.

Cats are considered to be the animal that is the ally of gamblers and games of chance; they are believed to bring good luck and success in these endeavors.  Following are spells of luck, gambling, and goddess invocation, through cat magick:

Lucky Cat Spell

Candles in the shape of cats are the figure candles most associated with gambling magic.  Red, black or green candles may all be used.  Let your intuition guide you:

1.  Inscribe the candle with your name, identifying information, and any lucky numbers.

2.  Dress it with Black Cat Oil, or another gamblers lucky oil.

3.  Burn the candle.

Lucky Cat Candle Spell

Lucky cat candles help fulfill your wishes.  Color coordinate to suit the nature of the wish:  use green for money, red for love, and black to resolve problems.

1.  Carve and dress the candle as you will.

2.  Write your wish succinctly and explicitly on a piece of paper.

3.  Burn the paper; use this paper to light the candle, rather than a match.

4.  Murmur wishes, incantations, and sacred verses, at least until the paper has completely burned to ash.

Spirit Petition:  Freya Cat Spell

There is an old Norse tradition of paying tribute to the goddess Freya by feeding milk to cats.

1.  Put out milk for stray cats.  If you don’t live in an area with stray cats, bring contributions to a shelter or adopt a gray stray cat.

2.  Feeding isn’t done mundanely, by rote, but as a conscious offering; speak with Freya simultaneously, explain your needs, desires, or broken heart, and request assistance.

3.  Pay attention– the response may come through the cats

 

 

Just Saying

Magick & Witchcraft

1.  People get so upset about the fine line between ‘black’ magick and ‘white’ magick.  There really isn’t any line at all.  The intensity and direction of our magick depends upon our boundaries and how deeply we will allow someone to encroach upon our territory, our person, our life…when these boundaries are broached, that’s usually when magick begins to take on shades of gray…and in that case, it winds up being about protection and self-preservation.

2.  What kind of witch am I?…The ‘me’ that I normally am naturally slips into the witch that already exists.  If you are a normally bitchy person, you’re going to be one fine and mighty bitchy witch.  If you are a passive individual, so shall you be a passive witch.  The witch that you are is so wrapped up with the psyche that is ‘you’ that it is one and the same– indistinguishable from the rest of your humanity.

Writing

1.  The best writing that I’ve ever done is writing that I get lost in.

2.  Literature Classes…The most idiotic thing– this teacher in a Literature class in high school had us read some prose, and then she had us tell her how we interpreted it.  So I read it, and I told her.  I don’t remember today exactly what it was I read, but I do remember the intensity of feeling it created and the enthralling layers of personalities and possiblities that unfolded.

When I finished telling this teacher my breathless interpretation of this prose, she quietly and unceremoniously told me that I was wrong.

“Now”, she begins, “this is what it really means…”

I was stunned and crestfallen– had everything that I had experienced during my reading been false?

Moral:

Some people should never teach art or literature…those people who are trapped inside an invisible box they can’t see out; those people who are trapped in small minds and small lives; those people who can only justify their existence by feigned superiority; those people who insist that everyone must view the world through their eyes; those people who color all flowers red and all leaves green; those people who only see the sky as blue.

Age

1.  The older I get, the nearer the past seems.

2.  Life doesn’t slow down as you get older, it winds itself up tighter so that you have to run faster.

~ Amythyst Raine

Amythyst autumn 1

*Note:  This blog post is an excerpt from the last newsletter I published for The Witch’s Corner (December 2011)

Poppets: Love ’em or Leave ’em; Cure ’em or Curse ’em

 When you purchase poppets from my website, they are charged and ready to go– all that’s left is for you to add a ‘personal’ touch with a photo, a lock of hair, a signature, etc.  But did you know that there is a ritual to ‘breathe them to life’ ?  Well there is, and I’m passing one on to you which I wrote myself.  It would be preferable to work this magic within a cast circle.  If you aren’t a practiced occultist, know that this ritual is not a requirement– but I won’t tell you that it doesn’t make a difference, because it sure can.

ImageAssemble those items that correspond to the four elements– a bowl of water, a lit candle, an incense of your choice, and a bowl of salt.

1.  Cast your circle & call the quarters.

2.  Have your altar prepared, the color of your altar cloth, the herbs and stones present all corresponding to your intentions.

3.  Upon this altar place the items belonging to the elements.

4.  Take a few moments to ground yourself, to gather your energy, to fill your mind and this magical space with your intentions for this poppet.

5.  Lay the doll upon the altar.

For the element of Earth:

Take a handful of salt and sprinkle it across the figure, saying:

“I infuse you with Earth, that you feel physical touch.”

For the element of Air:

Take the doll in your hands and hold it in the smoke of the incense, turning it, moving it, that it is consumed with the smoke, saying:

 “I infuse you with Air, that you think.”

For the element of Fire:

Lay the doll upon the altar once more and hold the burning candle above it, saying:

 “I infuse you with Fire, that your passion be unquenchable and you feel the heat of my fury (or love, hate, etc.)”

For the element of Water:

Dip your right hand into the bowl of water and sprinkle the water upon the poppet as it lay on your altar, saying:

 “I infuse you with Water, that your emotions be overwhelming.”

6.  Leave the poppet lay on the altar.  Take a deep breath and slowly lean over it, until you hover above it’s mouth, your own lips almost touching it.  Exhale now, allow your breath to escape from your body in one long warm draught of air.  And this breath shall enter the poppet and give it life.

7.  Open your circle, dismiss the quarters.  Do with the poppet what you must, according to your intentions.
____________________

http://ladyamythyst.webs.com/poppets.htm

 

 

Court Case Mojo

The one time in your life, when you will be relieved of any control over what happens to you, what happens to a loved one, what happens to a victim, or what happens to a perpetrator, will be in a court room.  The one time when fate and destiny will definitely lay in the hands of a single individual (a judge), or a group of individuals (a jury), will be in the court room.  In a world of perfection, justice would prevail in these episodes 100% of the time; but we don’t live in a perfect world, and once in a while, this system– created by men, flawed by humanity, fails.  And when it fails, it usually fails in a big way, an irreversible way, an in-your-face-I’m-gonna-wreck-your-life way.  But we don’t have to close our eyes and wait for the consequences of this system to strike us in a helter-skelter totally unpredictable whimsical fashion.  We can take control of destiny, of fate, of our own circumstances, or those of a loved one, through very old, very powerful, very successful mojo…Court Case Mojo.

Herbs:  The herbs most likely used for court case magick include: calendula, cascara sagrada, deer’s tongue, dill, little John the conquer root, black mustard seed, poppy, shame brier, sumac, sugar, tobacco, slippery elm, cayenne pepper, cloves, belladonna.  For really vile cases, the most poisonous, disgusting, prickly, thorny types of herbs and substances you can think of is what you should be using.  (I’m sure there’s more than I’ve listed here, but this is a good start.)

Personal concerns:  hair, finger-nail clippings, saliva, bodily fluids/secretions, blood.  Items such as a piece of jewelry, a button from clothing, under-garments, a used Kleenex or handkerchief, a spoon, a shoe, dirt from a footprint; anything the target has touched, put in his/her mouth, an image (photograph), a signature, a hoodoo poppet, a doll (as in the Barbie doll types, with the correct hair color, dressed and named as the target) etc.

The methods:

The first method is one of my favorites and one of the most effective.  This type of spell-casting is not for the squeamish, or anyone who’s heart is not into what they’re doing 100%.  You can have no doubt that you are in the right and the target (damn them) are in the wrong.  You know when it’s right.  You can feel it, you can smell it.  The air around you will be charged with energy, with entities (spirits), it will almost unexplainably propel you along.  I don’t know how else to explain it, but when you’re called upon to cast this kind of mojo, you will know…

Hexing Poppets

These are the poppets that make the White Witches squirm; the poppets that people find the most intriguing and sometimes frightening; the poppets that wreak of mystery, foreboding, power, retribution, and revenge. In some circles, you might find controversy and arguments where use of the black hexing poppet is concerned, but you won’t find it here.

This poppet is considered one of the ‘big guns’. When someone in your life is making circumstances impossible, when someone is wreaking havoc in people’s lives, when someone is being just plain mean and nasty above and beyond what’s acceptable– it’s time for a magickal kick in the pants.

Day: Saturday

Planet: Saturn

Element: Earth/the physical realm, manifestation (bind the target’s ability to physically harm); Air/communication, the mental realm (bind the target’s ability to speak out of turn or inflict mental pain); Fire/passion and purging (destroy the target’s will power and protective armor); Water/emotions, visions, intuition (pick up empathically the target’s next move, stay one step ahead of them, and invade their dreams)

Color: black

Herbs: Return to sender/ginger, nettle, thistle; deflection/anise, blackthorn, ginger, nettle, paprika; retribution/cayenne pepper, blackthorn, belladonna, hemlock; curse/belladonna, cloves, dragon’s blood, hemlock, pepper, wormwood

Stones: jet, obsidian, onyx (black), sardonyx, tourmaline (black)

Other Items: this will be interesting…thorns; nails– especially coffin nails, if you’ve got them; razor blades, shards of glass; poison; personal effects– you betcha’; if you’re a gritty kind of witch– a chicken heart pierced with straight pins, snake sheds, a spider’s carcass– or flies; bodily secretions– of the disgusting variety; spit inside the poppet– with vigor and emotion; a slip of paper upon which you’ve vented your anger and thrown a curse upon the target; images or objects connected in some way with the behavior of this individual or the problems that have been created because of them.

(This spell is an excerpt from my online book, “Natural Magick the Gray Witch Way”.)

Beef Tongue Court Case Spell

This quaint little spell is steeped in hoodoo tradition, and if you are squeamish, it could be a bit of a challenge.  I have actually had the pleasure of using this delightful twisted magical gun when I was going through the legal proceedings of a nasty divorce and had reached the point where I’d had enough.  Of course, right in the midst of the best part of the spell, our neighbor lady knocked on the backdoor.  My girls practically bowled her over to keep her out of the house so I could finish the job.  This spell will work for you, I can tell you this from personal experience, so stick with it and see it through– make the gray witch proud.

Items needed:

1.  A raw beef tongue (You should be able to find this in the meat department of your local grocery store.)
2.  Several slips of paper and a pen
3.  Pins and needle and thread
4.  A strip of red flannel cloth large enough to wrap up the tongue
5.  Cayenne pepper
6.  Four Thieves Vinegar

Make sure you have a decent place to work where you’ll have plenty of room to spread things out and get comfortable, this may take a while.

1.  Begin by writing the names of the judge, the attorneys, adversaries, witnesses, anyone connected to your case who may have a negative impact or influence upon it or you on these small slips of paper– one name per slip!
2. Using a sharp knife, cut small slits into the beef tongue– a slit for each slip of paper.
3.  Insert one name paper into each slit.
4.  Sprinkle the tongue with cayenne pepper and Four Thieves Vinegar.
5.  Close the slits in the tongue with straight pins, or do what I did– sew the slits shut with needle and thread.
6.  Wrap the tongue in red flannel and place it in your freezer while the court case is in progress.  When you’ve reached the end of this ordeal and all is said and done, remove the tongue from your freezer and bury it in the earth.

(This spell is an excerpt from my book, “The Gray Witch’s Grimoire”.)

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For anyone reading this who is especially sensitive to the darker energies and may have gotten a case of the heebie-jeebies as they’ve read their way through this blog post, don’t worry, you’ll be fine, believe me.  You might feel better if you’d 1) light a white candle, 2) choose a nice incense– like sandalwood or nagchampa, and light it up, and 3) sit a few small bowls of salt out about your house, or sprinkle (asperge) your space with salted water.  It’s okay– strong energy usually leaves an impression…that’s the point.

The New Moon


New Moon:

The night of the dark moon represents a time to cast spells that will reveal secrets, a time to cast spells that will perpetuate beginnings.  The time of the dark moon is also excellent for divination.  Although some witches view this phase of the moon as a time to refrain from magic, the gray witch knows that now is the time to step into the shadows and grab the powerful energy found there.

 

 September
Wine Moon

Herbs:  lilac, mugwort, marjoram, rose, thyme

Stones:  sapphire, bloodstone, rainbow obsidian

Scents:  gardenia, rose, lilac

Colors:  brown, yellow-green, amber

Trees:  hazel, larch, bay

Deities:  Demeter, Ceres, Isis,

Astrological Signs:  Virgo, Libra

Elements:  Earth/Air

Crafting Your Magic: Feminine energy is highlighted, receptive energy.  Cast magic to draw inward, magic to draw those things– both intangible and material– to you that you need to fill the void.  The Goddess is in the spotlight.  Work magic to benefit female issues, such as fertility, independence, and protection.

The Wine Moon works its magic in the area of love and relationships.  Cast spells to discover your soul mate, find a lost love, or nurture a secret desire.  The energy of Libra will bring balance to all magic cast at this time, and its energy promotes the very essence of love and sex.  Cast spells now to promote healthy sexuality and to maintain or regain physical health of the reproductive system.

Concentrate on the third eye chakra, opening the doors to psychic experiences.  Prepare to enter the autumnal dark months with the clairvoyant vision to see well beyond, into the light of the future.

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The above material is an excerpt from:

The Gray Witch’s Grimoire

by Amythyst Raine

Magickal Accidents: The “Oops” Factor

Sometimes our magickal endeavors don’t always work the way they’re suppose to.  Sometimes we mess up and get a whole lot of scattered energy running amok with all kinds of consequences, both for us and our targets, and sometimes even innocent bystanders.  I’ve heard over and over again, “Never do magick when you’re angry”, but at the same time, “Cast your spell while you’re all revved up emotionally, in the heat of the moment, because this is when you are the strongest and your magick will be most successful.”  You hear lots of things, honestly, and sometimes I don’t know whether it’s good to take all this in, or whether it’s best to follow your own instincts.  I guess it depends on how serious a situation is that you would want to cast a spell to change it; or how threatened you feel in order to cast; or how out-numbered; or pissed off; or ‘revengeful’…I know, ‘revengeful’ sounds awful, but it can feel so good (oops).

Everyone has cast a spell that they wished they could take back.  If they say they haven’t, they are probably lying, or they’re in denial.  Because, in spite of what Hollywood movies & tv shows tell us, witches are not some mysterious drop-dead gorgeous immortal creature who can rise above everything– or destroy anything that gets in her way.  Absolutely not– we’re mortal, just like the rest of humanity, and we make mistakes, just like everybody else; and sometimes we even lack good judgment– occasionally, once in a rare while (oops).

Romance is a biggy.  People fuck up here all the time, especially if jealousy and spite come into play, but sometimes just because we can be mean-spirited.  Say you jump on the magickal band-wagon to split up a couple because…because she was a real bitch and you want to teach her a lesson; or because he was dating you first and things were moving along smoothly till she showed up; or because they were crappy to you for a long period of time and by the time fences were mended and you were really getting to know them and possibly to like them, you had already thrown caution to the wind and cast this great big black spell to split them up (oops).

Then there’s those god-awful “love me forever” spells that are just a disaster waiting to happen; because if you’ve went ahead and cast one of these idiotic spells, you could be in for a rude and irritating awakening when you open your eyes some morning and decide you cannot stand anything about the guy in bed next to you.  You decide it’s time to gracefully move on; you decide that there’s ‘bigger fish in the ocean’ (older relatives always tell you this); or you just plain can’t stand the way he whines, eats his food, leaves junk all over your house, or clips the hell out of your trees and flowers when you’re not around to stop him– you also may not like how he belches after a can of pop, or forgets to brush his teeth, or any number of things, but that’s beside the point.  The bottom line is that you want him to “Go Away”…If you’ve already cast one of these sappy “love me forever” spells, while you were caught up in the heat of passion so hot your ass was sizzling no less, when your energy (and hormones) were raging, you are in for one nasty surprise.  To get rid of this love-lorn target, you may find out it’s going to take a lot more than a candle in a cauldron.  These are terrifically difficult spells to break.  What it may take is an attorney and a restraining order (oops).

Money spells– I’m not even going there.  No amount of money is ever enough; and when it is enough, it never seems to arrive on time, it’s always late.  I’m just not sure that spiritual things are in tune with financial issues, and I know that this might not apply to everyone, but for me, this is my personal experience.  Sometimes I believe it’s like ‘selling your soul to the devil’ (which is a really ironic and weird way for a pagan to put it) but that’s the truth– you give up almost everything, like your dignity and self-respect, to grovel and beg the universe for some currency.  It’s too human.  It’s too beneath what we’re really here to learn, what we’re here to experience; it’s the least important thing there is to cast magick for, yet we all do it, we’ve all done it…we’ve sold our proverbial ‘soul to the devil’ for some extra moolah (oops).

How many of us have hired a magickal hit-man? Huh?  Who’d be willing to ‘fess up to this one.  I can only imagine the eventful, unexpected, grandiose, or sublime ways this spell could go awry– it would be like a loose cannon; it would be like trying to teach an old maid to shoot a handgun…yeha, and get out of the way.  She’d be shooting the hell out of everything in front of her, but most likely missing her intended target and leaving a bloody trail of victims who happened to be in the line of fire (oops).

Magick, like everything else in life, needs to be learned and practiced in order for anyone to be really good at it.  It needs to have some personal guidelines, and most important of all, it needs to be practiced with a little restraint and a whole lot of common sense.  And, like everything else in life, you’ll find people who will listen to advice like this and take it into serious consideration; and then there are those people who have to learn everything the hard way (oops).

Magick is a learning experience, and some people never learn…

witch 60

Feather Magick

(I originally wrote this post for Moon Books Blog)

bird 7

The element of Air…the wind in our hair, the sun on our lips, the call of birds we hear with our eyes closed, to magnify all the other senses. And with those calls, we feel the magick; we feel the power; we know how to direct the energy of the feathered creatures into our daily lives, to find and keep love, to bring tranquility and healing, to expand knowledge, to protect us, or to inspire us.

Every feather I find is a gift. It’s carefully tucked away in a special box, or gently placed between the pages of a book. It will lay there and pulsate with unused energy, dormant magick, until I feel the need, until I hear the call…then I’ll bring it out. I’ll combine the feather with candles, herbs, incense, and often personal items. I’ll open myself to the spirit of the creature, the energy of Air– and often the other elements as well. I’ll cast a circle to contain my magick and protect me from all the other energies and entities swimming around the universe, or I’ll throw caution to the wind and leave myself open and vulnerable. It’s my call.

At the center of it all is the creature:

Blue Bird/communication & eloquence: the element of Air is mingled with Water– one pure thought, the other emotions and inner mysteries. I choose incense and herbs with receptive (feminine) energy to draw into myself the magick of eloquent communication touched with the right amount of intuition and insight: calamus, jasmine, hibiscus, columbine, pansy, or lilac. I choose incense and herbs that quiver with the energy of Air: lavender, bittersweet, goldenrod, sage, or slippery elm. The candles– one is yellow (Air); one is blue (Water); one is white and carved with personal intentions, goals, and wishes. To the cauldron I add the Blue Bird’s feather and perhaps a slip of paper holding the name of someone who needs to hear me, really hear me, maybe for the first time.

Blue Jay/protective magick: you know when you’re not safe, when you’re vulnerable and unprotected. Sometimes it starts as an uneasy feeling, or dreams in the night that stay with you during the day. You know. The Blue Jay’s raucous, obnoxious, aggressive behavior will cast a spell of protection around you; the bad boy of the bird world, like a strutting gutsy gun-toting bad boy on the streets. With the energy of this bird, your enemies will keep their distance, think twice about attack, think twice about crossing you. The candle is black, the herbs and incense pungent, stinging, obnoxious, even poisonous…cloves, allspice, cayenne pepper, belladonna, hemlock, black cohash, thistle. You will make a mojo bag to keep with you at all times, a bag that will contain at least three of these herbs, the Blue Jay’s feather, and a stone of black onyx.

Cardinal, Goose, Swan/Love:

Cardinal: the very color of this bird sparks with the energy of Fire…passion, lust, love, and raw sexuality. It wreaks of sweaty sheets; breathless whispers; the fierce mingling of bodies, the beautiful struggle to get ever deeper, closer; ecstasy so intense it leaves you exhausted. The red feather of the Cardinal carries desire, sexual fantasy, the raw instinct to mate, the pure unadulterated energy of sex. Save this feather for a special occasion, a special someone, because once this energy is released, you will no longer have control.

Goose: loyalty, fidelity, passion for a one-and-only love. The Goose mates for life, and this is the energy its feathers will carry. The magic of this bird is a love that will out last time, a love to grow old with, a love that is unquestionable, a love that you can trust– forever, perhaps through more than one lifetime. The magic of the Goose engulfs the mystery of soul mates. It is the energy that draws two people together with a first look, a connection that is keenly felt but can’t be explained.

Swan: the Swan is first love, new love, delicate and genteel love. It is the spiritual beauty of a new union. The Swan’s energy encompasses naïve enthusiasm, an awakening, a coupling of the mind as well as the body. The energy of theses feathers contain the gallantry of the knight in shining armor, the fair maiden, and happy-ever-after endings. Love magick of the Swan has nothing to do with reality; it embodies the fantasy of what we wish love were like. Beware the magick of the Swan, it can lead you into illusions and a lust to chase forever an unrealistic ideal…but this magick has its place.

Dove/healing rifts: this bird is the epitome of peace, and it’s this energy which can be used to heal rifts; to bring enemies together; to end feuds; to bring a sense of well-being to people, or a space. On a white sheet of paper, write the names of those involved in the dispute; but write them not in a single row, or on opposite ends of the paper– write the names one on top of the other. Lay the Dove’s feather on one edge of this paper and roll it up, tying it with white ribbon, creating a scroll. Either keep this token in a secret place and let the magick bubble and brew and build over a period of time, or unleash its energy in one furious burst by throwing it into the flames of a roaring bonfire.

Owl/wisdom: oh, be gone, the ways of the fool…bring with the feather of the Owl wisdom, the ability to judge truthfully, insight that reaches beyond what we can see or feel, and the means to keep in check all those things in life which can so easily unseat us. The spirit of this bird encompasses wisdom from the universe, the past as well as the present, it wreaks of ancient energy, the ancestors. Guard its magick well…there are those who would not wish wisdom upon you, for with wisdom comes discernment.

Robin/domestic bliss: heal the wounds of domestic strife, or enhance the energy of a happy home with a feather from the Robin. The magick of this bird is centered around hearth and home, family and familial connections. If the energy here is tainted, every other aspect of life will fall into the great abyss. Like the center of a wheel, the energy of the home supports and connects all those who touch it. Sweet Robin, bring with your energy the Mother’s great blessing upon our hearth and the loved ones seated ‘round it.

Sparrow/ambition: be cautious with the energy of this bird, for ambition, once released, can feed upon itself and devour the one who dared to wake it. Temper ambition with common sense; sensitivity to those around you; and a sense of balance above all else. The energy of the Sparrow is frenzied, highly concentrated, and too strong for some; but it may just be the push that’s needed to ignite motivation.

Raven/occult mysteries: the feather of the Raven is sacred to women like me. Within it lay the secrets of magick and manifestation; energies unseen; impossibilities realized. The magick of the Raven is wild and untamed; it carries the energies of the Wild-Woman, the Crone, the Sage, the Wizard, the Witch. The Raven will whisper in your ear, teaching you that which is considered forbidden by some. The Raven will send out it’s call, and if you’re of the right mind, the right spirit, to hear it, there will be no turning back.

 

Plantain: Magickal or Mundane

The perfect carpet of suburban green lawn does not exist at our house; at least not yet, but that might change once my husband gets his hands on it.  We don’t have a conventional lawn right now at all, we have what’s been called “pasture”.  Within it grows numerous types of plants, many of them labeled ‘weeds’ by the more pristine lawn connoisseurs.  (A weed’s a flower too, once you get to know it– I saw this quote just yesterday somewhere, probably Facebook.)

One of the wild green things growing freely in our lawn is a plant called Plantain.  You can see it in the foreground of this photo.  It grows with wild abandonment in our yard, most often in cliquish little clumps here and there.  In the early stages you won’t see the long seed stems, just the wide green leaves close to the ground.

Every year I gather bunches of plantain, filling a large glass jar, squashing the leaves down, getting as much as I can into one container, on my knees, going from one island of plantain to another, front and back yard.  This is an extraordinarily versatile plant, both magickally and mundanely speaking– which I value greatly. I’m going to start with the conventional side of plantain, some of the practical uses it can be valued for, sort of like nature’s medicine cabinet…

For Insect Bites:

Cover fresh insect stings (from bees, wasps, or hornets) with wet crushed plantain leaves.  Replace the leaves as they dry out.  The idea is to press out the poison, to draw it out, as well as to relieve any discomfort at the same time.

For Inflammation:

Wrap bruised wet plantain leaves around the infected area, keeping them wet by covering them with a plastic bag or a wet cloth.  Be sure to keep the leaves wet.  It’s been said that plantain works on infected finger sores where conventional antibiotic ointments have failed.

An Herbal Ointment:  Plantain Liquefied Ointment

(An ointment is a soothing healing balm made with a base of oil, lard, grease, or petroleum, into which you’ve added herbs and plants for medicinal purposes.  It’s most simply made by heating your base and adding your other ingredients; then pouring the mixture into a container to cool and thicken, and this process can be helped along if you wish by adding bees wax, coco butter, or honey.  If you’ve a mind to, you can add a couple drops of benzoin, glycerin, or a preservative to the mix, but I’m a purist at heart, and either I’ll use a batch of ointment up in good time, or I’ll eventually toss it out and make a new one as needed.)

2 1/2 cups fresh plantain leaves
1 1/2 cups wheat germ oil
1/2 cup honey

Mix the what germ oil and the honey in a blender, adding fresh plantain leaves.  Blend well, then scrape this mixture into a container of your choice (I prefer small glass jars), and be sure you label it.  To help the mixture harden up to the right consistency, add 2 1/c tablespoons of hot bees wax.

Now the fun stuff, we’re going to leave the conventional world behind and look at all the wonderous magickal– wiccan, pagany, witchcrafty ways we can make use of Plantain.  This is a plant that I use a lot– I mean a lot— for a variety of magick and intentions.

First, I’m a fuss-budget, a worry wart– a mother– and I want my family to be safe whenever they are traveling in a vehicle, and I don’t care if it’s across town for a gallon of milk, or across the country to visit family.  There must be, absolutely must be, a small bag of plantain and calamus root in everyone’s vehicle.  It’s priceless, believed to protect travelers from harm, and as I’ve said before, I take a good deal of stock in it– my oldest daughter has totaled two cars on Omaha’s freeways, and she’s walked away without a scratch both times, her mojo bundle of herbal magick tucked beneath the driver’s seat.

Another protective use for plantain is to keep your property safe from theft:  in good old-fashioned mojo tradition, fill a blue flannel bag with plantain and place it in the four corners, or at the four compass points, around your property.

Use plantain magickally to cure illness:  it’s believed that by writing the name of the inflicted person three times on a small piece of paper, wrapping this paper in a plantain leaf, and laying the leaf on the heart of the patient, you can chase out the disease and restore good health. (I know I sound like I have a lot of faith in plantain’s magickal and mundane abilities, but for gawd’s sake, use some common sense– you can mix good old folk magick right along with a fabulous thing known as ‘modern medicine’.  I don’t want to hear of anyone stopping routine medical care by competent medical professionals and replacing it with folk remedies alone…really.)

If you’re the victim of someone with a big mouth and a little brain, you can stop one and/or the other with a mixture of crushed dried plantain leaves and slippery elm (Shut yo’ mouth…says it all).  I think I’d prefer to do a little candle magick with this combo– oil up a yellow candle with a good oil of your choice, roll it in the herbs, place it in a cauldron or other fire-proof container and burn away…and just for good measure, I’d place a slip of paper with the target’s name on it beneath the candle– and if you get your hands on a photo of them, which is so darn easy to do in this internet/Facebook world, you can really go to town. Knock yourself out.

Spell-Crafting Consultations with Amythyst

For years I’ve been asked, “Will you cast a spell for me?”, and for years my answer has always been, “No”.  I still won’t directly cast spells for you, but I will directly consult with you to put a spell together, a spell that you will be able to understand and cast yourself, even if you are a novice at magickal spell crafting.

I will do this one of two ways:
1) through telephone consultation, or 2) through email

Spell-crafting includes spells for love, money, employment, health, healing, hexing, as well as spells for personal private intentions that are specific to you and you alone.

click  Here

Money Chain, Money Charm…keep it going

I ran onto this at Tumblr, and although I don’t usually get into the chain letter thing, this was just too intriguing to ignore, especially with the oddity and uniqueness of the timing and the extra days:

This year July has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. This happens once every 823 years. This is called money bags. So copy this and money will arrive within 4 days. Based on Chinese Feng Shui, the one who does not copy, will be without money. Figured I’d pass this on!

Just for a little extra “oomph”:
3. Keep It Flowing
This is another spell based on hoodoo tradition– gotta’ love it. It’s one of those money spells that won’t make you filthy rich, but it will protect you from running out of money for life’s essentials. (One of these days I’ll come up with a spell to make us filthy rich, until then, this will have to do.)

Items needed:
1. A small bowl or a decorative container that
resonates with your own energy

 2. Salt

3. Drawing powder

 4. Rice

 5. Crushed mint leaves

 6. An open safety pin– for this spell I could also suggest, in place of a safety pin, a brooch that you will leave open, unclasped. This could be something that resonates with the idea of money, or in my case– I used my grandmother’s brooch, a deceased family member who loved me and who would want me to have all that I needed, a family member who would help me in life any way that she could, and who will help me from the spirit world.

 Fill your bowl or open container with a handful or pinch of each of the ingredients listed above, depending on the size of your receptacle, usually an equal amount of every ingredient used. Within the center, place the unclasped safety pin or brooch. If you’ve used a brooch that belonged to a family member, it would be a good idea to include an invocation to this spirit, as well as a thank you for their help.

 Keep this bowl in an open place within your home, and when you feel it needs it, refresh the ingredients; perhaps at regular intervals, such as every third full moon.
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The spell “Keep It Flowing” can be found in my book,
“The Gray Witch’s Grimoire”

How do you deal with hexes, curses, & negativity?

I get asked this question all the time, whether through emails or, as in this case, a comment left at my website.  This individual had some very good points and this is a typical situation.  The answer is really much more simple than you’d think:

The Question:

I have been browsing around the internet for a place to inquire about a specific problem I have, and I am hoping you can answer my questions. I married a woman who is a wiccan (I guess that’s what you’d call her) back in 2006. We did get divorced in 2011 but that unfortunately has not ended my problem. She has been casting curses upon me nonstop (she admitted to doing so multiple times) and now she’s saying she isn’t but nothing has changed. Basically, since I’ve known her I’ve been unable to hold down a job, my health has been affected, everything is always falling apart for me (it’s much more complex than that but that’s just a summary). Now as I said, she admitted to being responsible for all of this just 2 years ago and now she’s saying it’s not her, but everything’s still the same. What am I to do at this point? I have asked her what she wants, what I can do to make peace with her, etc., but nothing has worked. Like when you’re dealing with a witch that just hates you and wants you to suffer no matter what, what can be done? Thanks for your time.

My Answer:

Magickally speaking, Chris, there are spells to throw back negative energy sent your way through hexes and curses. Mundanely speaking, you’re still dealing with energy, the nasty energy of people’s negative thoughts and wishes– this is something you can also shield yourself from and rise above. I’ve dealt with plenty of people who weren’t witches (and a couple who at least think they are), who have treated me badly…aside from actual spells to break their negative magick, it helps to put life (and these people) in perspective– in the end, they are not important, their ill-wishes and negative feelings can only impact you *If You Let It*…in layman’s terms– you have the ability to tell them to fuck off (whether you do so literally to their face, or you do so figuratively in your own mind.)……and that’s about all I have to say about this 😛

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You’ll find  more information on protection/defensive magick at these links:

Protection Magick the Gray Witch Way, click  Here

The following spells can be found in my book, “The Gray Witch’s Grimoire”  :
hex; bind; binding negative behavior; return to sender; divide and conquer; bind me not; reverse the curse; breaking another witch’s spell

Mojo bags for protection & retribution can be found in my book, “Tarot: A Witch’s Journey”  :
(pages 226 and 235)

Spell Casting, Spell Crafting for Successful Magick

(Excerpt)…

Saturday:  boy, oh boy, the planet is Saturn, the color is black, and this is “THE” day for revenge and retribution.  I consider Saturday “Hoodoo Day”, and I can almost hear jazz music playing down the street and smell the incense burning while some old priestess is hunched over her bowl of chicken hearts cackling to herself.  This is the day to magickally ‘clean house’.  If there’s an idiot in your life, you can get rid of him today, just give Saturn a kick to wake it up and stand back so you don’t catch the fallout. 

to read the complete article,
click  Here

Happy Beltaine!

 

Traditions:  love/sex magic, leaping the bonfire to bring luck, dancing ‘round the Maypole, honoring garden and house spirits, fertility magic

Pagan Lore:  The Maypole…in ancient Irish history there was a sacred tree believed to be the forerunner of the maypole.  It was thought that dancing around this tree on Beltane would send energy to the womb of the Earth and awaken her.

May Day Baskets…comes from the ancient Beltane Eve tradition of a young man leaving a garland of flowers at the door of a young woman who has caught his eye.  This was an invitation, and if accepted, the young couple would steal away for a night together in the forest, awaiting the Beltane sunrise.  In modern times, the garland was replaced with a basket of sweets.

Youth and Beauty…it’s said that at sunrise on the morning of Beltane, those women wishing to recapture their youth, as well as all women wishing to retain their beauty, should go out into the grass at the break of dawn, sweep up the morning dew within their hands, and bathe their faces with it.

This holiday is one of the most Pagan.  It is a celebration of fertility.  To the modern world, it’s more commonly known as May Day.  What the Roman Church tried so hard to control, to portray as evil, sinful, or dirty is the very thing celebrated at Beltane…human sexuality.  The ancient rites of Beltane celebrate the copulation of the God and the Goddess (the priest and the priestess); and in some Wiccan traditions this celebration of sexuality is honored with a ritual known as The Great Rite.

What was once considered wonderfully human, delightful, a miracle of life, and in some cases a spiritual act, was degraded by the Roman Church, the same church which branded women as evil and with it the emotions of lust and passion.

Modern-day Pagans have reclaimed the celebration of human sexuality and the miracle of fertility that accompanies it.  People still dance around the Maypole, a phallic symbol, while they hold brightly colored streamers spilling from the top of this pole, symbolic of the creative force of sex.

The information above was taken from,
“The Gray Witch’s Grimoire”
by Amythyst Raine
Moon Books/JHP

Correspondences for Beltaine

Herbs: cinquefoil, frankincense, marigold, meadowsweet,
woodruff

Altar Flowers/Herbs: daisy, hawthorn, lilac, primrose, wildflowers, rose

Feast Foods: barley cakes, oat cakes, red fruit, elderflower drinks, herbal salads

Animals: honey bees, cats, horses, rabbits, white cow

Incense: frankincense, lilac, passion flower, rose, vanilla

Rituals/Spells: bale fire, fertility magick, sex magick, handfasting, beauty magick, love spells, The Great Rite

(From “Natural Magick the Gray Witch Way”
by Amythyst Raine © 2011)

When did you first know you were a witch?

 I knew that there was something ‘different’ about me before I was old enough to know that there was a name for it. One of the earliest magickal experiences that I remember took place when I was about four years old, hidden in the cool shade of a grove of trees on a terraced hillside at my grandmother’s farm.

The day was very hot, but beneath the canopy created by the large grove of trees that covered the hillside, it was very cool; and I squatted on one of the wide terraced ‘steps’, beneath a tree that had small round leaves lining it’s branches. I took hold of one of the small new twigs at the base of the tree; and I slid my hand along it’s length, filling my palm with the cool green leaves.

As my head was bent and I was examining these leaves, I heard a noise. I looked to my right, through the fence lining this edge of the grove, into the world of brilliant hot sunshine, to see a large white cow grazing in the field beside me, only a few feet away.

The wind came then, through the tops of the trees. I froze as I listened to it, the roar starting at the opposite end of the grove and working it’s way through the tree tops towards me, till it was directly overhead. I realized that this wind sounded like voices, voices that seemed to come directly from the trees.

It was then that a realization dawned on me, leaving an indelible print so strong that this memory is still starkly vivid to me fifty years later. It was a realization that I was too young to form into words…but I knew.

This blog post is an excerpt from my online book,
“Natural Magick the Gray Witch Way”

© Amythyst Raine 2011

Other topics covered in this book includes:

How Does Real Magick Work; Forms of Magick; The Mysteries of Magickal Manifestation; Creating Magickal Space; Magickal Supplies; 12 Months of Magick; 7 Days of Magick; Animal Magick; Magick for Love n’ Money; Mojo Magick; Magick Oils, Potions, Powders; Crystal Magick; Candle Magick; Magickal Alphabets & Symbols; Witches’ Bottles; Essential Oils; Kitchen Magick, Good Luck Charms; Questions & Answers; Magickal Substitutions; Terms & Lingo