Friday, September 29, 2017

A Spell for Cleansing and Charging Your Tools

YAY!!! It’s almost Samhain!!! This is my favorite time of the year, and the same is true for most pagans and Wiccans I know, and while I generally don’t go to many group rituals during the year, my favorites of all the rituals I’ve been to are the Samhain rituals. This time of the year, the veil between the worlds is thinnest, and it's one of the best times to do magic. 

Samhain is also a time for letting go. We want to leave those things from the past that limit us behind and prepare to move forward into the New Year. Since I use my athame to cut those ties, I cleanse it before and after the ritual, so when I cut the ties between the things of the past that I’m releasing and set my intentions for the new year, I want my tools to cut cleanly. Afterward, I want to cleanse it of any residue from the past that might cling.

The dual cleansing is just my personal quirk, but tools pick up energy from anything and everything they encounter, so unless you can ensure that your tools never touch anything negative, even negative energy, I recommend periodic cleansing and rededication. You should always cleanse and bless any tools you get, whether you get them as a gift, or you purchase them yourself. Your tools should contain your energy, and only your energy, and preferably your most positive energy. Rededicating and charging a tool also strengthens your connection with the item.

This spell works best when done on the full moon. This year the full moons fall at the first of the month, so if you choose to do this, you’ll have a cleansed athame for all your prep work for Samhain as well, and then the November full moon falls shortly after the holiday, so you’re ready for the new year.

Cleansing accomplishes several things:


  • Removes any negativity that may cling to the tool from other workings or other people
  • Allows you to strengthen your connection to your tools by imbuing them with a portion of your own energy
  • Merges your energy with the energy of the elements to consecrate the piece for sacred work




You will need:

  • Tool to be cleansed and charged
How you set up your altar will depend on the space you have available, of course, but I like to set up a small altar in each of the quarters for each of the four elements, as well as setting up my regular altar in the center of the circle. It’s always nice if you have an actual altar for this, but you can use anything as an altar, as long as you smudge it, and it will hold the items you want to use for the spell.

Earth – North
Air – East
Fire – South
Water – West

On your earth altar, place the dirt or salt. On your air altar, place your incense. On your fire altar, the red candle, and on your water altar place your bowl of water. On your center altar, place your white candle. Use your oil blend to anoint your candles.

Cast your circle. Once you ground and center again, light your candles and incense.

Visualize yourself filling with white light. It flows in and through you and becomes a part of you, just as you are part of it. Hold this white light with you throughout the ritual, taking a moment now and then to reconnect if needed.

Pick up the item you wish to cleanse and bless, and turn to the earth altar. Take a handful of the dirt or salt and let it flow from your hand back over the item. Repeat this motion three times while saying the following:

Element of Earth, I call on thee
A strong foundation provide to me
Cleanse and purify this piece today.
To banish ill both here and away

Turn to the east, to you air altar. Pass your item through the smoke three times while saying:

Element of Air, I call on thee
Purity and rebirth provide to me
Cleanse and purify this piece today
To cast off ill both here and away

Turn to the south, to your fire altar. Pass your item through the flame three times while saying:

Element of Fire, I call on thee
Tempered steel provide to me
Cleanse and purify this piece today
To burn out ill both here and away

Turn to the west, to your water altar. Scoop a handful of water from the bowl, and let it flow back over your item. Repeat this three times while saying:

Element of Water, I call on thee
Water’s purity provide to me
Cleanse and purify this piece today
To wash out ill both here and away

Return to your center altar and pass your item through the flame three times while saying:

God and Goddess, I call on thee
Unite with us to bless this piece
As my will, so mote it be


Hold your item up in front of you and visualize the white healing pure energy flowing into the item you want to charge. When you finish, release any remaining energy, and close your circle.





Friday, September 22, 2017

A Spell for Wisdom

Blessed Mabon to everyone!  The pot roast is on, and we're preparing for feasting. We've already talked about things to do for Mabon, but this week's spell is certainly as valid for Mabon/Equinox as at any other time.  On a waxing moon is best, so now would work well, and as the summer fades, we move forward toward the end of the year, and the New Year on Samhain, a time of reflection.

For me, the winter months are a time of study as well as reflection, so one of the spells I work in preparation for this study and the New Year, is a spell to bring wisdom, so that I can use what I’ve learned over the past year in the coming one. As you can tell, I tend to use different types of spells based on my goals, the time of year, and my energy level, so starting with a spell to increase understanding and knowledge and thereby wisdom, is, for me, a lovely way to start my prep for the new year.

First, of course, you will prepare your space. What symbolizes wisdom to you? Bring it to you altar. You will want to choose a shape or image that symbolizes wisdom to you. You can use anything you can carve on the candles. One thing I do is use something that represents different aspects of the need. For this spell, you could use something like knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.





You will need:

3 candles(yellow, purple, black, white, dark blue, all represent wisdom)
Mint (herb or oil-I’ve used both equally effectively)
Sage (I usually just smudge with the sage before casting the spell, but you can also mix it with the mint and burn it as an offering if you choose)
Almond oil (if you choose to use herbs rather than oils, use the almond oil alone to anoint your candles)

After smudging, and casting the circle, ground and prepare your energy. When you feel ready, carve your symbols on your candles, and anoint them. As you light them, say,

My thirst for knowledge
Seeks so deep
Where wisdom flows
From the universal sea

Mix the herbs together in your cauldron for your offering.

Show me the way
To find the path,
Of understanding
Now found at last

When you are done, focus your will on your intention, in this case, you will probably use some version of how your knowledge and understanding will make you wise. As you light the mixture, say,

I drink in awareness
To quench my craving
And In my abundance,
Clarity it does bring

Let your herbs burn, and when they are ash, snuff your candles while saying,

In the Pool of Nature’s Wisdom
Body and mind do see
As my will,
So mote it be

Close your spell.

For Wisdom:

Herbs and oils: Mint, Almond, Sage, Bay leaves



Friday, September 15, 2017

A Spell for Balance and Harmony



Next Friday is the Autumnal equinox, the day when day and night are of equal length, and we switch from the growing part of the year to the part of the year for storing and studying. Depending on the deities you follow, you may see this as Persephone returning to Hades for the winter before she returns to Olympus in the spring, or as has more recently come to be associated with the equinox, the imprisonment and freedom of Mabon, son of Modon. However, regardless of which deities you associate with the equinox, it is a time of change and a time of balance.

The spells normally cast during Mabon are for protection, prosperity, security, self-confidence, or for harmony and balance. This week we’ll look at a spell for harmony and balance that you can use whether you simply want to make your home a more inviting and pleasant place to be, or you have issues with a relationship of some sort, a spell for harmony and balance can help you.

I do this spell in two parts. First, I lay out a tarot spread. The spread I use depends on where in my life I want to focus, and if you choose to use this step, you will need to choose the deck that suits your needs best. Tarot helps me know which areas need work the most. I use the Motherpeace deck, but any set you're comfortable with will work.

Smudging beforehand can help you clear negativity in your space, allowing you to focus your energy on creating the harmony and balance you desire.

For this spell, I use music to set the mood and to help me ground. I’m new to the singing bowl, so that’s what I’m using right now because they fascinate me, and the sound is so beautiful and soothing, but you can use, drums, nature sounds, harp music, or whatever works for you. When you do the spell, it becomes your spell, and the more attuned you are to the sounds, or any portion of the spell, the more powerful the spell.




You will need:
Almond oil (or some sort of carrier oil)

Pour 2 tbsp. of your carrier oil into your bowl. Use an eyedropper to put three drops of each of the oils into the carrier oil.  Blend the oils with a wooden spoon while saying,

Nature’s balance
Comes to pass
As sands flow through
The hourglass

Anoint your candles, and as you light them, say,

Seeds grow to plants
And bless us with their worth
Until their spent stalks
Return to Mother Earth

Focus on the flame of the candle, and bring the resolution you desire into your mind. Say

Show me the balance
Help me find a way
To live in peace and harmony
Every mortal day

Settle into the music and hold the pure picture of it in your mind for as long as you can with no interference or doubt. Once you finish, focus again on the candle and say,

Balance and harmony flow to me
As my will, so mote it be


Slowly release the energy you have raised and release your circle if you used one. This spell doesn’t really require one, but you will do what works best for you.


Friday, September 1, 2017

A Spell for Protection using Dragon's Blood





Between the new chalices and shot glasses, and the Anne Stokes Mythical Companions that we’ve put on sale, you can tell we’re both dragon fans. In that spirit, this week we’ll be working with Dragon’s Blood, which adds power to any spell work done using it. As you may have guessed, however, Dragon’s Blood does not come from Dragons. It comes from the sap of the Draconis, or Dragon, Palm.

The sap makes a resin that crystallizes and can then be cut or pounded in to powder for magical uses. Dragon’s blood has many uses in ritual work. Spells for protection, courage, luck, money, or power can use Dragon’s blood resin or powder for burning, oil for anointing candles, and even ink for writing spells.  Its blood red color makes it perfect for inks and dyes.

While common uses for Dragon’s blood also include increased sexuality and love, today’s spell is for protection. While not a substitute for the use of police in situations of imminent physical danger, you can use a protection spell to turn someone’s ill will away from you, and to clear negative energies and free yourself from negative influences.

You have several options when working with Dragon’s blood because it comes in many forms. You can get it in resin, powder, ink, incense, and oil. For this spell, I use the oil and the ink but you can also use a simple incense to give power to your spell since Dragon’s Blood is exceptionally potent. Dragon’s Blood ink also helps you set powerful intentions when used in writing your spells, which is how I use the ink.





You will need:

Your white candles are your representation of deity, so for my purposes, I use one white candle for the Goddess and one for the God. The black candle, on the other hand, represents protection and release of negative energy. Mullein and Hyssop carry different types of protection properties that complement each other to make it a good mix for your offering.

For something like this, I decorate my altar with items from the forest since that’s what makes me feel safest. Set up your altar using whatever represents protection and safety to you.

Magic is energy, so you always want as much energy as you can before you cast your spell. Walking your circle will help you raise that energy. Anoint your candles with the dragon’s blood oil, and grind your mullein and hyssop in your ritual bowl.

Light your candles and invoke the deity and the elements. When you finish, visualize yourself surrounded in a ball of light, and say the following:

Blood of dragon
Dark of night
Protect me from
This mortal plight

This burning candle
The shining light
A harbor of safety
In the darkest night

Light the herbal mix in the spell bowl

God and Goddess
To you I pray
Protect me now
And in future days.

Elements four
Come near to me
I embrace your power
So mote it be.


Hold the vision of the white light for a few moments until you feel ready to close the spell. Thank the deity and elements, bid them farewell, gently release the energy, and break the circle.