Stories from a Witches Cabinet

The Many Faces of Fae

2012-07-20T00:54:00.001-07:00

SFAWC: The Many Faces of Fae

A lot of people talk about Craft names and names that are associated with who you are within the Pagan/Witch/Wiccan community. Tonight, I was doing my new moon ritual when I became acutely aware of the different sides and personalities that I took when doing different magick/worship. When I act as a Priestess for the Goddess (Astarte), I am revered, graceful, I conduct myself with grace and manner. When I praise or do ritual with Herne I am a wild Pagan, almost faun like in my own way. Then, when I conduct actual witchcraft I take on a dark, powerful, and commanding persona. I realized that in one ritual alone that my personalities and emotions alone are vast and complex. Does this happen for anyone else?

This got me thinking about the different phases of my learning and practices. I have always been Pagan. Since the time I was born I was raised in a Pagan household. I was raised under the mantle of Herne specifically. I was taught reverence of his temple, his worship and word, I was taught the lessons of the trees and the forests. When I first began my interest into Witchcraft, I looked into Wicca (as with most beginners). My first book, admittedly, was Grimore of a Solitary Witch by Silver Ravenwolf. Even though she isn’t really held high in much of the Witch/Wiccan community I did learn a lot of valid things from this book. At this fluffy bunny stage in my life I went by the name of “Breathless Moon” which was my favourite line in a Loreena Mckennit song. I stayed as Breathless Moon for my entire studying period. It was a name that I connected with deeply (I still do), and it helped me to define a lot of what being a Witch was. I wrote three personal Books of Shadows under the name Breathless Moon while I was learning the ropes of a Goddess based religion. I always knew that the “Goddess” existed, but my grandmother is a devotee of Herne, so that is what I was taught. Wicca (or rather neoWicca) helped me to open a door and to explore a whole new world of spirituality and Witchcraft. As I grew and learned about spirituality, I began to disagree with a lot of the fundamentals of what Wicca taught. I still saw myself as a Witch, but not really Wiccan anymore. I was ready to start my path as a Priestess of the Goddess, and with help from the universe I started on my journey.

Once I discovered that I had a connection with the Goddess unlike the one I held with Herne, knew what I wanted to do. I was a healer, a teacher, a guide and to tie it all together I wanted to be a Priestess. I began to understand and explore “The Light” and its relation to how we were all connected and my spiritual consciousness began to rise. It was time for a new life. I packed all my Wicca books away, and chose a new name. I knew that my family was Elvish in origin. It was really very clear in all of our Elf like qualities, so my new name had to be something Elven. I was given the name “Faewynn”. Which in Elvish means “Spirit maiden”, which was acceptable for my new spiritual path. I still wanted to incorporate the moon in it, so I came up with Lunaise (from the root word Lunar). Around this same time, I was blossoming into a vast amount of spiritual gifts, my life was very overwhelmed. I was 16, and I dropped out of school. I knew that to emerge a priestess, I had to separate myself from the normal world and build my world up spiritually. For two years, I stayed a hermit. With rarely any contact with the outside world, accept for a wonderful woman named Linda who became my mentor. She helped me to understand the lessons that I was being given. It is in this time that I built up my connection with the Goddess Astarte and the Light.

Finally after the two hardest years of my life, one day I went deep into the woods near my house and meditated for a while. This was a hugely spiritual moment for me. In my vision the Goddess came to me and touched her finger to my forehead revealing a Blue Moon. An ancient symbol that was used for the Priestesses of many “mythological” places of Celtic Europe including Avalon. She then told me that from this day forward I was her daughter, and a Priestess of the goddess. I was to adopt the last name Evenstar as a symbol of my ascension. (sidenote: For those of you who don’t know, Tolkein based Arwen Evenstar off of a real myth of the “Evening Star” which is actually from what I have read the Goddess Astarte’s name roughly translates to. She was the personified Goddess of the Evening Star, lighting the night’s darkness and bringing hope for those who had none, this would be my life’s purpose). I emerged from the forest Faewynn Lunaise Evenstar. Priestess of the Goddess. From that moment on, my life has never been the same.

Even though I had become a Priestess of the Goddess, Witchcraft still was still a very valid choice for me. I enjoyed it’s practices and I realized that I could use it in conjunction with what I had learned as a Priestess to help people. After a few years of dabbling with the craft it has only recently become part of my life more actively. After going through a traumatic breakup with the man I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with, my natural reaction was to reopen the pages of Witchcraft and study. I had been part of an Active Witch coven for two or so years prior, but the break up really sparked my interest in it again. I needed a name for the part of me that was a Witch. Immediately the name “Willow Starknot” came to me. Willow is the tree that I am in the druid zodiac, and Starknot comes from the Pentacle, which has also been called the “Evening Star”. From that I discovered vastly new angles within the Witch community and started this Project here on tumblr and blogspot “Stories from a Witches Cabinet” to share my experience of Witchcraft as I grew into adult-hood.

My journey to where I am today took me six years of toil and struggle. But also six years of incredible self discovery. I know have many charges that I teach, and have recently took two new initiates under my wing to teach and guide them in not only the Priestesshood, but also in Witchcraft. I have become a member of a wonderful community of sister witches here on tumblr.

All in all, in my own practice, all of these things that I’ve talked about above attribute to who I am in ritual and worship. Tonight this became very clear to me and I was very proud of myself. This was just one small moment in which I have find who I am and what makes me me that I wanted to share with you.

~Faewynn Lunaise Evenstar

Introduction to Witchcraft

2012-06-27T13:59:00.002-07:00

This is a serious of posts that I am going to be making about Witchcraft and a tutorial on it as a beginners guide.

Witchcraft is a broad term that covers a large and expansive set of practices. There are a few misconceptions about witchcraft that I would like to cover first. First, Witchcraft has nothing to do with the Christian versions of "satan" or the "devil". In fact in most cases Witchcraft and Christianity have no connections at all. The second most common misconception is that if you are a Witch you are automatically a "Wiccan" which is also not true at all. Wicca is a religion that follows a set of guidelines and religious beliefs. Witchcraft is a Spiritual practice. Witchcraft is about finding your own personal power and following whatever spiritual or religious believes that fit the best for you. What sets Witchcraft apart from other spiritual practices are as follows:

A Witch is someone who uses the power of Magick, the spirits, their own energy. They are guardians of power and work with the inherent abilities of all living beings on the planet. They direct and control the natural forces of energy and the Spirits to direct a certain intent.
Witches believe in Magick (spelt with a 'k' to differentiate from stage show magicians). Magick is basically the existence of an underline current of energy that is present in all of life on our plane of reality and the ability to control that energy. It is an inherent ability of ALL witches to be able to use this 'energy' to direct will and create results
Witches do not have to work with gods. However, if they do they choose the gods that they feel most comfortable or connected with. Since witchcraft is about that individuals spirit there are many witches that believe that they are their own creators of power and choose to affiliate themselves with no gods.
Witchcraft can require certain tools to represent certain energies. These are things like Candles, Ritual daggers called Athames, incenses, totems or statues representing a certain type of energy the witch wants to call on, staves, swords, animal totems. The list of tools that a witch can use in their craft is completely up to that witch. If it feels right to them, they use it. This book will explain many of those tools.
Witchcraft is NOT just for girls. The term Witch is for both male and females. Because a "Witch" is a completely different thing than a "Wizard", "Warlock", or "Druid".
For me, Witchcraft is about uncovering and using your personal power and intent to affect or create certain outcomes.

Witchcraft is not simply defined by the things above, because it is a personal journey and the journey of each person will be entirely different. Witchcraft is truly about the person who practices it, and they will use it however they see is a benefit to themselves. Everyone has the inherent ability to be a witch, because being a witch is about being alive. Some are more open to it than others, and it comes much easier to certain people than others. It is true that there are people who are simply born witches, and by themselves have this ability unlocked already. But if ever someone wants to unlock their own personal power Witchcraft will come easily to them. It is not a craft to be trifled with, because out of all the crafts named previously, it is one of the most powerful. It can be used with helpful intent or darker intent depending on the wielder of the power.

Another thing about Witchcraft is that it is truly an ancient craft. It is as old as the awareness of ourselves. It is something to not fear, but also to not be taken lightly. Your power and how you use it defines you. Having power can be a good thing but also poisonous if you are not careful with the knowledge that is given to you. Being a Witch truly means that the ancient powers are with you, you walk in a world much older than you can even believe, and if that does not frighten you, then I bid you welcome and merry meet....

The Summer Solstice and Herne

2012-06-23T17:37:00.002-07:00

Wiccan practice says that for Litha the Oak King dies and the Holly King takes

up his crown. I am not Wiccan so I don’t really follow that tradition specifically but I do believe that the Summer Solstice has everything to do with the Lord of the Forest and King of Witches, my Patron deity Herne. The summer solstice is one of the Lesser Four Sabbats of the Witches Year. It marks the time when the sun is closest to the earth and enters the sign of Cancer. Aside from the astrological significances of Cancer the time of the Summer Solstice is a time for new beginnings not unlike the spring equinox.

It is the time when Herne as the Lord of the Hunt is ripe with power and strength because he draws his power from the sun. The sheer energy of the Summer Solstice can be used to break through barriers in your life and burst in a ray of light through the darkness that you may find yourself in. Herne as King of the Witches offers to his children his power and strength and you may come to him during this time of the summer and pledge yourself to him. However, you have to remember that Herne is the representation of the Divine male. His energy is raw, powerful and very sexual. Often times his ritual’s either include sex or masturbation of some form. If you do a ritual for Herne you can definitely expect that you lower bits will definitely feel the tingle of his raw masculinity, whether men are your thing or not. The Herne consciousness is very sexually orientated but instead of using this energy for literal sexual act you can use it to *take* what you want.

This energy of taking what you want and leaving no qualms is exactly what the Summer Solstice is all about. It was especially powerful for me this time. That energy was only amplified by the Solstice happening at the end of the Dark Moon as the New moon began. Mixing those two energies amplified the experience of both and I literally felt the whole world around me break down and change. I cried for several hours during that night.

         Unfortunately that night I was not able to do ritual. A friend of mine that I hadn’t seen in a long time came over for a visit and I was busy for most of the day and night with her and the rest of my group of friends most of which I hadn’t seen in a long while. Overall it wasn’t a bad way to spend the Solstice. However, the next night was my ritual night. Around midnight I dressed in my ritual garb, painted my blue crescent moon on my face, grabbed my Grimore, and headed out to the backyard. I am extremely lucky that my back yard is mostly private with a lot of trees and an open space for a fire pit and circle. That night I used the Dragons for my elemental guardians because I knew that I was going to need that extra power for everything I was feeling.
         I won’t go into extreme detail, but most of all my ritual involves songs and dancing. It’s how I raise and direct energy. I love to do both and the Pagan community has so many good songs that I use in almost all of my rituals. Very rarely do I ever use legitimate spells or invocations. I do use affirmations and sometimes spells if I am feeling extremely up to it. I called Herne and I gave him everything I had. I danced for him, I sang to him, and I offered him up my self. It was one of the truly most powerful nights of my life. Even though it was after the initial solstice.
         Even though, I did call on the goddess, I felt that in that night that I was the goddess. It was a really powerful experience that I know that I am truly blessed to have gone through. There is a tremendous amount of things going on in my life and before that night I wasn’t really sure if I could actually handle them. Herne reassured me that I could handle it and when the time was right he would deliver to me a Hunter of his to share in my life journey with. To be comforted by the sheer energy that was manifested is not something that every witch gets to feel during every ritual. Do I attribute this to solely the energy of the solstice and New moon? Not entirely.

I am a firm believer that the divine exists within ourselves, and that we hold the power to make things happen and call on certain universal energies to help us in our time of need. This is what being a Witch is about to me. I have met the gods face to face and I know that they exist though I believe that it is within my own personal reality. The power to change your life is given to us as a divine birth rights. We are wholly apart of the gods, because it is the gods that created us. There are certain times when different energies are converging and amplify one another. Such as the Solstice and the New Moon opening up a powerful amount of new and fresh energy that we, as witches, can harness and direct. This was made such an emotional and powerful night for me because I was in a very emotional and powerful place. As Sully Erna writes “That which is like, unto itself is drawn”. I was so open and willing for something powerful and in such an open state I drew in this energy of Herne and brought it to reality.

The Summer Solstice may be one of the lesser Sabbats, but it can be as powerful as Beltane or Samhain if you open up yourself to the power that is Herne.

Blessed Be

Faewynn Lunaise Evenstar
)O(

Giving life to our Desires

2012-06-05T13:33:00.003-07:00

So, we decided last week what we wanted and who we were. We explored our personal power and what exactly that means for us individually. Let’s explore a little bit about how to take exactly to get what we want. Witches posses the inherent ability to control and manipulate energy. Our world and our individual realities are all made up of different energies. The quickest way to bring something we want into our life is to bring that energy or vibration into our lives. There are many ways a witch can draw upon certain vibrations. Using something called Correspondences or time tested things that all have similar vibrations to the intention. For example: Rose Quartz is a Stone that is a correspondence for Love because they resonate at the same frequency. You can use Rose quartz, pink candles, heart shaped totems, or anything that has the same imagery or power of love. This can all vary from witch to witch because sometimes different things have different meanings for some people. In example if you Love someone and that person gave you a gift or you have a picture of them you can use that also in whatever work you are doing for them.

The other way is affirmations. Affirmations are a powerful tool for witches (or really anyone). Since we have the ability to command energy, an affirmation can be used to command certain energies into your life. They are used in all sorts of work. You can use one in Spell work; you can write a daily affirmation that you say everyday. The trick to affirmation is like I said to command the energy to do what you want. It is generally said in a authoritative voice and many people teach to say it in the present tense. If you are writing an affirmation for health you would say something like “I AM healthy!”, bringing the energy of healthy into your life to heal you. Bringing things into the NOW is a good technique for not just affirmations but in all aspects of your life. Focusing your energy and intent on the now helps us to create realities in which we want instead of lingering in a reality of the past or dreaming of something that may never happened. This can be a key point in working with the power of affirmations.
Our next important part is not necessarily about bringing things into your life but rather gratitude. The universe is vast and wide, being connected to the energy of gratitude everyday is a positive life changing energy. If you are looking for a simple overall improvement in your spiritual life everyday practice Gratitude everyday. One of the first things my mentor taught me was to be grateful for what is already here in our life. Honor the spirit, honor our gifts, honor the divine, and if you can’t find anything to be grateful of then be grateful for the sole fact that you are. It is especially important to be grateful when even the smallest of steps are taken to get to what you want. That smile from the person you are trying to get the attention of romantically. That time they called you just to talk. Give thanks for anytime you feel an improvement in your health. For more complex things like being able to step on the break in time to avoid that car that ran the red light. All of these things are little gifts from the divine and when we accept these good things and give thanks by putting positive energy out we are more likely to attract positive energy towards us.
These things can all be used together and often highly affect in a short period of time when combined and used everyday.

Personal Power

2012-05-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

I think that this is relevant for other women as it is for me. We all have to come to terms with a few serious issues as we grow into adult hood. The main issue being what exactly do we want out of life? I know that this is something men do too, but some woman have the habit of being incredibly giving to other people. I just finished a two year relationship. While I cherished and loved the time that was spent together when it was over the dust settled I was left feeling like I had just crawled out of the long dark of Moria. Who was I? Or better yet, who did I want to be? My life had become all about him and in that I completely lost myself.
            One of the things, that a lot of Goddess’s whom represent change and personal power tell us is that before anything new can happen the old has to come to an end. That to become ourselves we must travel through the dark of the forest to come back into the light of the day. This is something that I have always preached but I don’t think I had much self-practice. The forest can be a dark and scary place if we look at everything as a challenge. Yet instead of seeing it as a challenge we can look at it as an opportunity to find out new things about ourselves.
            Putting our ideals into alignment with this train of thought can yield tremendous results. Even at the utter and complete end of something you can come out feeling new and refreshed knowing that you have taken a step for yourself. All too often women and healers get wrapped up in taking steps for other people. We forget to love ourselves and to take care of our needs. We so often put the needs of others before our own. Is this a bad thing? No. One of the good qualities of the feminine is its devotion and loyalty to others. I believe that this is part of the great divinity of the feminine. By nature people who are feminine love to give their energy and love to other people. This is an exceedingly necessary part of the cycle of life. However, if this is also not tempered with self-reliance and concern for ones own self we can give to much of ourselves away. Sometimes that is not a problem but what happens when the people or person that we have given ourselves to is no longer in our lives? Now we’re trapped in the dark with no idea what to do.
            The practice of personal power is a relatively new idea, but at the same time an ancient concept. The huge spiritual wave of enlightenment in the early 1900’s brought with it women’s rights. Yet, in ancient times these things were commonplace. Married women in Rome had rights to everything the husband owned and could sue him for it in court if he divorced her. The Priestess’s of Ancient times were often held in high regards. In some places they even consulted in politics and held council positions to men in power. Wise women around the world were revered over the male chieftains or tribal leaders. The power of the women in these places was not feared or restricted but revered. With time and change the personal power of women was taken away until at one point they were no more than property of men.
            As I come into adulthood I am faced with the real world. A place where personal power is thought little of and where men and women alike are simply told what is expected of them. That doesn’t make it any more important, in fact I think it should make it more. When we loose ourselves in what other people expect when those people move on (as people do) we are left not knowing what it is we should be doing. The answer to this question is “What do YOU want to be doing?”. When I came out of the forest, there was only one thing I had in my head that I wanted to do. Write. Write so much and bleed my heart and soul out onto paper. I know that not only will it help me find myself but it will give me a chance to do something I love more than anything.
            For myself personal power is about know and not being afraid of the real things in life you want. Simply knowing who you are and what you want gives you a firm sense of solidity in your life. I don’t think you will ever know exactly everything about yourself because our realities are so vast and different from one another we are always learning and changing. Though you should at least try to know enough about yourself where you can be comfortable within your own skin. Know what you want to expect from people, know how you’d like to be treated and don’t take any other treatment besides that. Know what makes you happy, and then see yourself making positive strides towards it.

Personal Power: Pages from a Witches Cabinet
Correspondences: Red, Orange, Gold, Black
Number: 1 (your OWN power)
Astrology: Aries is a deity of Power, any days or associations to Mars, During the Waxing/Full Moon
Hera, Hecate, Maeve, and other goddess of power can all be used for Personal Power invocations.
Daily affirmations are a good way to declare Personal Power: “I AM!!” is a good simple affirmation
Make lists or journal about the things that you want out of your life, write or about the things that make you happy or sad if you want to find out who you are. Actively see yourself taking steps to better your life and put yourself in a position that makes you happy.

The Beginning

2012-05-20T23:08:00.000-07:00

I have known my whole life that I wanted to be a writer. However, the problem is that whenever I go to write something, I always reach a road block. What am I going to write about? Even at my young age, I know so much about the spiritual journey I am on. My problem is that I have no idea how to culminate this knowledge into a form that is not only legible but also enjoyable to read. I know that it is my destiny to transcribe my knowledge then to share it and teach it to whomever comes looking for it. But where do I even begin? The beginning would seem like a good start. So let me settle down, with a nice cup of tea, my glasses, and try and tell my story the best that I can.

---

As far back as I can remember I have been a child with... particular spiritual gifts. I have always been able to sense spirits or energy, and on top of that I am also an empath. I was fortunate enough to be raised in a family in which these things were common to have so I was raised to nurture and care for these abilities. My family comes from all over Europe. We have Celtic blood from Ireland to Amsterdam and the practices of pagan ways has been passed down from generation to generation. Eventually coming from my grandmother to me. My grandmother is most definitely a child of the forest, her patron god is Herne. Almost everything I was taught while growing up was at her teaching. We never called ourselves "Pagan" or "Witches" this was just a way of life for us. I would come to her with questions about ghosts, my empathy skills, spiritual questions about the divine, and so much more. Eventually as I got older I was introduced to Wicca. Wicca followers the basic principles of what I was taught growing up. The love of the earth, the world of Faeries and magick, the power of energy, and the existence of the divine Mother and Father. It wasn't to long after that I started calling myself a Witch. I finally had a name for the way that I had lived my life for all these years, and it was a name that I loved.

I decided that I didn't want to be a Wiccan, it was a relatively new term for the religion of Witchcraft instead of simply the spiritual practice. I was drawn specifically to Green Witchcraft because of its work with Faeries and other Fae-kind which I had always considered myself kin to. My practice quickly began to include many aspects of Natural Magick. I would work with the elements and the natural flows of energy. I included a lot of songs with dancing to work with the Faery, set up a Faery grotto, and began to study herbal lore/remedies. At this time, I was still in High School and going into my Eleventh grade year. Eleventh Grade was the hardest grade for me in school and my empathy had gotten so active I was becoming physically ill quite often. I eventually had to drop out because I was in such bad shape that school was not helping me or teaching me anything. It was at this time that I went into the next phase of my life.

After I left school my social life completely stopped and I was absolutely cut off from most of the world. I was a hermit only on purpose. I knew that I had to focus on healing and learning to handle not only my abilities but also Witchcraft. That was when my mentor appeared and took me under her wing. She taught me about enlightenment, world knowledge, showed me what it meant to be an empath, helped awaken my potential as a healer and teacher. She had given me so much in these two years, and for sometime it was just her and I learning or experiencing life to its fullest or lowest moments. I learned and grew to amazing and exciting new levels in that time. I experienced hardships unknown and several trials. However, after much thought, meditation, and communion with my Goddess I emerged from the darkness and was granted the tittle of Priestess. This was the start of my life's work, and a path that I always knew I was destined to take.

Back into the Swing of things. Hecates Lesson

2012-01-20T13:33:00.000-08:00

Back into the swing of things

After all the holiday rush, and the busyness of life in general, I find my way back into the swing of things. As a witch and a woman I find that I have become increasingly able to flow with the waves of life. It may or may not have something to do with being a Pisces as well. I try to allow life to happen, and take me where I am needed. It is sometimes not ALWAYS where I would like to be, but much like the Doctors Tardis I have found that is always where I need to be. Life is one giant lesson, and we are all its students. So, I go where I am taken I stay there for however long I am needed then when the lesson is learned I come back on to the main path. That is exactly how I have felt the last two months. I will try my best to return to a regular swing.

Today, I want to talk about some of the lessons that Hecate’s temple teaches. In the temple of the Dark Goddess Hecate we learn of what many people call our shadow selves. Hecate is the Goddess of the passage into the underworld, of death, of change, and of our shadows. She stands at the Crossroads of life’s journey and holds a torch (or lantern) and provides for us some understanding of the road ahead. She is often depicted as a bent over hag cloaked in black and hooded. One of her methods of teaching is she removes her hood and reveals to you your own true shadow. This is not meant to frighten or scare you but only so that you may be aware of it and overcome its hideousness. She does this because she knows that only once you have released your shadow and your fear you are then able to move on past her into change. Effectively dying, or leaving your old self behind and immerging transformed into the light. She is not necessarily the goddess of the underworld, but rather the Goddess of slef-transformation.

To apply or acknowledge Hecates lesson we must first identify our shadow selves. We bring back the symbolism of Hecate’s veil. When she lifts her veil what you are seeing is not her but rather your true self. No matter how horrifying it seems. To identify our shadow selves look for what annoys you in other people. What is it that you get so negative about? What about that certain somebody can you completely not stand? This is our shadow selves. From personal experience one of the things I couldn’t stand was certain friends being to controlling. It seemed like no matter what someone did they would always get annoyed. The lesson I learned from this is simple. I was really being to controlling. I was really passing judgment of people that did not deserve it. In truth, we were both being far too judgmental and negative of issues than was necessary. I know now that one of my personal issues that I work to overcome is to not be so judgmental of people.

Don’t get the lesson wrong. I’m not saying that the people who don’t annoy you aren’t the problem, because the qualities that annoy you are still present in them. Hecate’s temple teaches that these qualities are not only in them but in you as well. So yes, that one person on your mind right now is exactly what you are thinking they are, but have you ever stopped to say “Hey, maybe I’m to blame as well”. Accepting the fact that we are not all perfect people and we do make mistakes and have flaws is not only necessary to Hecate’s teachings but also essential. Acceptance and acknowledgement is what Hecate truly teaches at the fundamental core of her lessons. The power to over come our fears and shadows is a spiritually profound phenomenon. However the power to accept ourselves in EVERY aspect of who we are, be it light, dark or in between is where the true enlightenment comes from. Hecate’s lantern is just that, one of enlightenment. The road that she travels on with you may be dark, but she teaches us that from this darkness we learn acceptance and we turn it into enlightenment.

To bring the energy of Hecate’s Lantern into your life, I would suggest several things. Keep a journal someplace where you can write and learn about yourself. Make notes of traits in people that annoy you and see if you can find that issue and flaw within yourself. Every once and a while, sit in a dark room with nothing but a single candle or lantern lighting the room and meditate on the dark side of yourself and thing about how you can acknowledge, accept, and move past it into enlightenment. Learning about the Darkness of ourselves is how we find within us the true light.

Happy Solar New Year

2011-12-31T10:26:00.001-08:00

As we welcome in the Solar New year, we are blessed with the powerful and positive energy of change. The ending of a passage around the sun to begin a new one is no small event, just as the ending of the seasons to welcome a new one. The Solar New year is the perfect time to openly welcome the positive side of change into our lives. Even though some people are afraid of change, it is a fact of life that there is GOOD change. This is also something the Temple of Hecate teaches. When we are aware of the events of our lives, it is very easy to see and ask for were change needs to be made. This can be about ourselves, or even our environment. Positive changes can be made by simply asking for them. Today, write a small list of the positive changes you want this year. This can be in the forms of Resolutions, or affirmations. You can make a spell of it if you’d like. As the new years ball drops be aware of the changes in your life that you’d like. Bringing this changes into your awareness at such a magnificent energy change will help boost them into action. Try to stay as sober, and aware of the night as possible so that our judgment isn’t impaired and our ability to stay focused isn’t lost. And as Always, Drive safe, and enjoy your evening. Have a Happy New Years. J

Housewife Withcery: A simple Room Cleansing Spell

2011-12-18T11:58:00.001-08:00

A simple Room Cleansing spell

For this spell you will need

· A White Tea light Candle

· Dried White Sage

· A broom or small handbroom

· Lavender Oil (optional)

Just as with any other cleansing spell, you will need to clean the room before you cast. Clean the room to the best of your capabilities. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but negative energy lingers in things that haven’t been moved much, and are collecting dust.

After the room has been cleansed Light your sage and Smudge the entire room. You can buy White Sage at most metaphysical shops, if Dried White Sage is not available to you, you can buy the herb fresh or in powder form and mix it with water. This sage water can be sprayed or flicked around the room. Make sure you smude the entire room. Use your hand broom to get the smoke into all the corners, behind furniture and under tables. Walk the room three times, smudging the room completely each time.

Once this is done, light the white candle and walk the room with three times continuously repeating:

“With the white light,

Of this candle burning bright

I cleanse this room

Of all negativities this night”

Once you are finished put the candle in the room somewhere safe, and allow it to burn down completely. You may wish to place it in an oil burner with some Lavender Oil to freshen up the room as well.

What is a Moon Lodge? Ramblings from a Moon Lodge

2011-12-09T09:59:00.000-08:00

What is a Moon Lodge?
Ramblings from a Moon Lodge

A Monthly blog about Moon Time By Fae Kieran

Moon time is how many witches refer to their Menstruation Cycles. It is called Moon Time because it is said, that not only does the Moon affect the ebb and flow of the oceans but also the Menstrual flow of blood. The waters of the womb. It is also called moon time because it generally happens every 28 days, like the phases of the moon. Much of today’s society curbs Moon time under the category of “just dealing with it”. We take a lot of medicine and stuff our bodies with chemicals and the gods know what else just so we can function properly. And while I am all on the bandwagon for functioning normally we as a society have all but forgotten the spiritual and sometimes necessary purging and healing woman should go through during their moon time. Let’s face it, it is part of nature. No matter how much midol we take, it still sucks. But there ARE a few things that you can do that will usher in surprising results.

In ancient days, woman of a tribe or village would gather during their moon times and they would be taken care of by the elder woman and younger maids (to young for puberty) of the village. During this time, they would bleed on the earth, throw it into the fire and with it cast away their pains and discomforts. They would speak ill of their husbands, laugh about the small things, cry over the big things, scold their children, and so on and so forth. All in the dedication of their gods and for a higher spiritual purpose. Now a days women are nothing but scolded at their attitudes. They are called several names, and there is no excuse for her behavior. Yet, what if this is what a woman is SUPPOSE to do? What if this is all just a natural cycle of her healing? Women have a lot of responsibilities that are taken for granted, and often over looked. More often then not, they are the ones who cook, who clean, who take care of children, who create energy and supply it for those around her. Modern Feminism would have you believing that these things are only for a Neolithic society. While this still holds true, I think these things are part of what makes the female…female. The Divine aspect of life of the goddess on this planet. The Goddess lives within each and every woman, and to nurture her and care for her is to accept the divine feminine in each of us. This includes Moon Time.

I could ramble on for hours about the divine female, the degradation of women, the idea of modern feminism versus feminine spirituality, and the subjugation of moon time by the patriarchal society we live in. But I won’t this time. Moon time is a sacred time for women. It allows us to purge our bodies of the negativity that we have sucked up and collected over the last 28 days. This can be done in any way we see fit. We can either let nature take its course, or there are a few things we can do that provide both spiritual AND physical relief.

The first is, to take care of ourselves. As a spiritual advisor and teacher my first prescription for any patient or charge is, take care of yourself. Your body is a temple for the soul. It is the only body you will have for this entire life time. So, that puts it on the of the list. Only put the best you can find (and in some cases, afford) into your body. This means, no processed foods, no sugars or caffeine and nothing addictive like drugs or alcohol for the duration of moon time. All of these things have a massive negative impact on the functionality of your body and energy flow. Now, there are several alternatives, and none of these things are set in stone. If you’re the type of person who CAN’T live without morning coffee don’t deny yourself morning coffee. Perhaps drink a smaller cup, or even decaf. If you deny yourself anything, you begin to crave it. This begins a negative cycle and the downfall of all the work you put into it because people generally tend to then scarf tons of what they are craving for. Defeating the purpose of everything you are working for. This method will work for most of the things I listed. I’d try your best however, to stay away from *all* drugs and alcohol. Unless you have a prescription from your doctor that is necessary for your well-being. Stay away from recreational uses of drugs or any mind altering substances. This can have negative impacts on your brain and energy patterns that actually increase the side affects of PMS.

Next, I strongly recommend some sort of daily exercise on top of some sort of spiritual exercise like yoga. Daily exercise can help to alleviate cramps and allow your excess energy to be released. On top of spiritual exercises that allow for the flow of energy to move through you’re chakras. This doesn’t have to be Yoga. Tai Chi is another alternative. If you’re not hot on the exercise, try going on a solitary walk with nature for approx. 30 minuets. I would add a daily meditation to the mix, it doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Ten or Fifteen minuets listening to some relaxing music is all it would take. I suggest also getting into the routine of grounding and centering several times during the day. Along side the benefits Grounding and Centering has for you energy flow, it can help keep those rising emotions quelled when they begin to peak over the edge.

My last bit of advice for this column is writing. This is something else I prescribe quite a bit of. Unfortunately in today’s society we don’t have the benefit of public moon lodges for women to go to and “Let it all out” so we have to use what is readily available to us. Whether that is a blog like this, or your own personal journal is all up too you. Getting it all out is a very helpful and age old tactic that healers have used for centuries. Have you ever been really upset, told someone what was bothering you, then suddenly felt a ton better? That’s the subtle magick of getting-it-all-out. Consider yourself lucky if you have a friend or loved one you can use as a shoulder and an ear, because not everyone does. This simple technique takes some practice. You can’t simple write “I am upset, bad day” and expect everything to be better, although that is a good start. And remember you’re not J.R.R Tolkien or J.K Rowling here. You don’t have to write an award winning and time lasting novel. It could simply be a paragraph of incoherent ramblings. It isn’t important.

Moon time for women is not just “that time of the month” it can be turned into at truly prolific spiritual experience every single month. It is all up to us. The female is a sacred vessel, and everything she does serves its purpose to not only herself but to the whole of divinity and life.

Witchcraft.

2011-12-07T11:35:00.001-08:00

Witchcraft.

The word “Witch” in it self is practically impossible to describe in its fullest. It requires so much more than just spells, herbs, and the phases of the moon. And no matter how hard anyone tries, the true meaning of the word is not ever going to be written down. The reason for this, is because it is about self-explanation, self-discovery, self-knowledge, and self-love. The word will continually change as it has over the years and as it will continue to in the years to come. As more knowledge is unlocked, as human consciousness continues to grow and expand. The word will grow and change. It is a word that encompasses many of all paths and a sense of age old knowledge mixed with the new lessons being learned by young witches today.
Witchcraft its self is a spiritual path. It is not a religion. However, there are religions that are made up of witches, the followers of Wicca for one. Witchcraft is not bound to anyone God, or set guide of standards and rules. There is no one book that all Witches believe to be their rules, and there is no limit as to the different types of culture that any one witch can use in her practice. All of these things makes the term Witch broad and vague. A witch may pray to the Gods and goddess of Ancient Greece one moon phase, and at the same time lay out an offering for the old Celtic Gods. It is limitless. Each witch picks pathes and cultures that she herself feels connected to. It may be from her heritage, or just her favorite place in the world. There are many similarities in all the worlds’ religions so mixing and matching them together to fit what works best for you is the best way to work the magick.

Taking up the mantle of witchcraft comes with responsibilities however. Any body can become a witch, but not everybody will appreciate the powers and the gifts that we are naturally born with. As witches, it is our birth right to attune ourselves to the powers of natures and to teach and learn that throughout our lives. We should honor the gods in all the work that we do, knowing that when our work is completed and our time to pass in to the Summer Havens comes, the world is even just a fraction better because of our time on it.

Being a witch is about loving who you are. Yet, that is still only a part of our cause on this planet. We must learn about the Goddess, what she really is and of her consort the King of the Woods. The God and The Goddess surrounded by lore buried so deep into every religion, sometimes we hardly know where they are. Each has changed over the ages and with the different cultures, knowledge of the universe, and spiritual awareness. A Witch must learn the phases of the moon, and the individual powers that it possesses. She must grow and learn about life, death, and rebirth. She must listen to voices of those who came before, her spiritual guides, and the Gods who guide her path. She may want to learn to read the stars, or gaze deep into a scrying glass or read the cards/runes. She should learn the language of the trees, hear the chirp of the birds and buzz of the bees, to be aware that each animal has a message for her. She should understand that her feelings are a blessing, and that her body is a temple, a temple for her spirit, which is part of the goddesses great light. She should learn that the secret is her will, which her world is shaped by this secret and power. Above all she must learn Faith, and that everything happens for a reason.

It is with this, that only the beginning of the word Witch is described.

Day 32. A favourite piece of Witchy Artwork.

2011-12-07T10:20:00.001-08:00

It makes me giggle. Because its true.

Day 31. A favourite witchy movie

2011-12-07T10:19:00.000-08:00

Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman are both my favourite actresses

Day 29. Water Element

2011-12-07T10:18:00.000-08:00

Water is my primary ruling element, and dragons are my favourite mythological creatures.

Day 28. A Witchy I want It now

2011-12-07T10:17:00.000-08:00

I Want the handmade charmed book of shadows from Tallpoppy Studios , for a completely novel reason. I loved watching the show growing up, and I still love it today.

Day 27. A picture of Nature. Elemental Earth.

2011-12-02T10:28:00.000-08:00

Sexy.

Daily Witchery: Turning the Mundane into Magick

2011-12-02T07:27:00.001-08:00

Daily Witchery:

A lot of witches preach “Daily Witchery”. They emphasize the correspondences of the days, the colors, the positions of the moon, and make it a practice to have affirmations, meditations, and gods know everything else they can think of. But, time and time again, I’ve been asked what IS daily witchery? Why is it important for a witch to do these things? And this is always my answer. It’s not. It’s alright ladies…unbunch your stripped stockings and listen to what I have to say.

I fancy myself a “Housewife Witch”. Most of my magick is so…simply mundane that there is barely any thought or effort put into it…but at the same time it is uniquely abundant and the results are almost instantaneous. Most witches will tell you that Magick is beautiful and simple, and it doesn’t require spells, rituals, or the like. Life, is magick, and daily life can be just as magickal as YOU the witch want to make it. Yes, I still honour the gods with Ritual, I do a little spell or charm from time to time, and I practice affirmations. But only for as long as I need them.

Many people go out of their way and try to practice “A spell A day”. And I commend these brave witches, and am glad they have the supplies and means to bring such wonder into their lives daily. However, not every one of us can do that. Who has time for daily spells, or the means to supply themselves with the required materials for such all the time. I don’t know about you, but buying a red candle to light every time its “Aries Day” would get a little expensive after a while. Us modern day witches have houses to clean, husbands and children to care after and feed. Animals to bathe, feed, and play with. And lives to live. Plus catchy and witty Witch blogs to write! ;)

So…what do we do then? How do we find time to mix and mingle with daily witchcraft when we are so busy living our daily lives? The solution is simple: Make your daily lives more magickal! I know what you’re thinking “What? Faewynn, now you’re just not making any sense.” Well how about this…when you are sweeping your floors (or vacuuming them) have you thought about this…You’ve charged your Ritual Broom/Besom to cleanse away negativity what about the rest of your cleaning supplies? Who says we can’t charge a vacuum to “suck up” all of the negative energy in the house? As long as we dispose of the vacuum bag properly who will ever be the wiser? “Mom, why are you always vacuuming?” Are you vacuuming, or taking an active step to make your house more peaceful and negativity free? Especially if you have to deal with angst ridden or emotional roommates or children.

Taa-daa! See, know you’ve turned a mundane and everyday task into something magickal and wonderful. And You’ve barely lifted a finger differently. Clever aren’t you! Know I’m sure you’ve got a billion new simple ideas just waiting to be explored. How about sewing on little magickal symbols on to cleaning cloths and using lavender water to spruce up countertops after cleaning? When you’re making dinner, why not create or say a little charm to bless the food or after words give a small portion of dinner to nature outside? When you’re spending time with your animals are you trying to bond with their energy to help make it part of your own? Have you ever thought you can use this energy for different magickal purposes just like animal totems? When you’re spending time with your children or your husband is your time devoted to loving and caring about them? Do you try to connect, talk, learn and teach from each other? Even this is a simple form of magick that you can get into the practice of doing. There is a reason the dinner table is such an important place.

My Housewife Witchery can be as simple or complex as I make it. You don’t even have to be a housewife OR a Witch. Magick is in everything I create. From the candles I burn in certain rooms, to the herbs I put in the food I cook. From the time I spend with my Boyfriend and Friends, to every day when I sit here on the computer during my alone time relaxing, and writing to you. Did you know, writing could be a spell? Even simple journaling can have such a powerful effect on your life, that it brings about drastic changes. Not a writer? That’s okay to. You don’t have to be J.R.R. Tolkein to be able to write about your day.

Even in your workplace, there are simple and little magickal things that can be done, like a coffee break can be a time used for magickal grounding and centering. If you’re greeting people, is it done with a smile? One of the ones that can brighten peoples days and turn them around? Even the simple effort of completing a task can be turned magickal. All you have to do is look.

This simple magick is easy and can be made almost readily available with little or no new supplies to your daily life. Out of everything I suggested, there is *maybe* only one thing you didn’t already own, The Lavender Oil to make Lavender Water. This simple form of Magick teaches us that we don’t have to perform Daily Magick, but that magick is a daily occurrence in our lives. Even the breath in your chest is a gift, and can be turned from mundane, to unique if channeled into Grounding and Centering. From the Broom in your cleaning cupboard, to the spice rack already in your kitchen, magick is there. All you have to do, is pick it up and use it. Blessed be. J

` Faewynn Lunaise

Check out My Blogs New FB Page

2011-12-02T06:45:00.000-08:00

^Click the Picture Above^

Daily Witchcraft

2011-12-01T05:22:00.001-08:00

Today the Moon is in Pisces. My ruling sign. Pisces ruling heavenly body is generally accredited to the watery planet Neptune, however since Pisces is water, the Moon plays a huge influence on the constant ebb and flow that a Pisces lives. When the Moon is in my sign, it is always a harder day than normal. Since Pisces are primarily emotions when the moon pulls on me, it can either benefit me greatly, or leave me lacking sorely. It is even worse when this happens during my Moon time (which luckily, I'm not in). For others the Pisces moon can also be beneficial or not. You may experience inward thinking on how you feel about many things, and your focus might turn to how others feel about you. Pisces moons are good for spells of love and affection, and also spells of healing both inward and outward. And remember if you find yourself over reacting to the small things, just ground and center and rethink "Should I really be getting this upset?" Burn candles of light blue, and soft calming incense when the moon is in Pisces to calm the ever turbulent Pisces waters.

Day 26. A Witchy Podcast

2011-12-01T05:20:00.001-08:00

A Darker shade of Pagan

^Link above. )O(

Day 25. How do your close ones feel about your Witchy Path?

2011-12-01T05:17:00.000-08:00

Do they know? Why, or Why Not?

I was, extremely lucky and unfortunate to have been born into a family that was already Pagan and followed an Earth Worshipping Path. I know that, and have been told that by tons of people. I know so many people whose parents don’t know, or even…they spouses don’t. And this isn’t something I could live with. I have had so much support from friends, family and lovers throughout my life, and sometimes I’m easy to forget how lucky I am.

Although, my family doesn’t call themselves witches, they still do worship the goddess and god. Each in their own way.

Witchcraft was something that I discovered myself and simply applied to my own inherent gifts, abilities, and beliefs.

Day 24. Moon Sign

2011-12-01T05:11:00.000-08:00

Day 24. Moon Sign. Sagittarius. :) The Archer, which is cute...because Aretimis is one of my goddesses, and I love bows. :D

From my Natal Chart

More than anything, Lunar Sagittarians have a need for personal freedom and space. They are extraordinarily happy and easygoing folk, as long as they don't feel caged in or cooped up. Lunar Sagittarians have a simultaneous need for activity. Meeting new people, going out in the world, and travel are all important to their sense of well-being. They love open spaces, and, in their homes, a roomy and bright environment. There's a bit of a teacher in Moon in Sagittarius, and definitely a helpful spirit. They easily forget appointments and the like, and some are even considered irresponsible. However, it is hard to stay angry at a Lunar Sagittarian! They are so cheerful and upbeat, and their optimism is catchy.

Day 23. A favourite Candle

2011-12-01T05:05:00.000-08:00

Currently my favourite candle is the Lavender and Vanilla Candle from Glade.

Day 22. Current Moon Phase

2011-12-01T05:02:00.000-08:00

The Current moon phase is actually Waxing. A Waxing moon is the most commonly used for any type of positive spellwork.

Day 21. A Favourite Scent

2011-12-01T04:59:00.001-08:00

Day 21. A favourite Scent
Lavender

Lavender is a strong, but subtle blessing in my opinion. It has several magickal afffects, and several holistic purposes. It is my go to scent for anxiety and stress relief of any kind for anyone.