Week Three

21 Aug 08 - 28 Aug 08
Days 17 through 24

We are learning about needle crafts in my class this week. Both my last assignment and this assignment earned me a 100%

Now I already know plenty of needle crafts, but it was a great refresher. One thing that I'm thinking of doing is a spell-infused quilt for the girls by using certain colors of fabrics and thread.

I was going to add more to this entry but my mind just shut down.

Esbats

Generally speaking, any ritual held at any time other than a Sabbat is an Esbat. Full
moon rituals are Esbats, however, some hold rituals on the New Moon as well. Full moon
rituals are normally held on the full moon, but on times where this is not possible, one
to two days before or after the actual phase will suffice.

There are 13 full moons in a regular year (12 in a leap-year). When a second full moon
occurs in a month, known as the Blue Moon, the power of the main moon of that month is
doubled. This list is of the Esbats and their correspondences



January - Cold or Wolf Moon - protection, confidence, strength

February - Chaste Moon - maiden goddess Brigid, fertility, strength

March - Seed Moon - new growth, seeds of success, seeds of spirituality

April - Hare Moon - fertility, renewal, wisdom

May - Faerie Moon - faerie power, wisdom, love, romance, good health

June - Honey or Mead Moon - marriage, love, romance, abundance, career, health

July - Herb Moon - strength, magical potency, herb harvest, health, success

August - Barley Moon - grain goddess, sun gods, bounty, fertility, marriage, health

September - Wine Moon - life's blood, protection, confidence, strength

October - Blood Moon - rememberance, protection, stability, resolutions

November - Snow Moon - frost faeries, hope, protection, warmth, healing

December - Oak or Long-Nights Moon - Merlin, goodwill, peace, love, protection

Below is a basic outline on performing ritual on an esbat.



-Cleanse Self and Space
-Altar Devotion
-Prayer/Salute
-Cast Cricle
-Call Quarters
-Unite Energies (if more than just self)
-Invocation -Preform work (such as prayers, healing, spells, etc.)
-Ground energy (Cakes and Ale)
-Thank Gods/Salute
-Dismiss quarters
-Release/Break Circle

Food for thought: How do you plan on honoring these sacred days? Do you believe all these celebrations are an important part of your spirituality? Why or why not?

Wheel of the Year

The Wheel of the Year (The Eight Pagan Holidays)
The greater and lesser sabbats form an eightfold around the Wheel of the Year. We are all a part of the great design of the Universe, changing and returning to a beginning.

The Greater Sabbats
Samhain (commonly pronounced as SOW-when) - Festival celebrated on October 31. Also known as All Hallow's Eve, All Saint's Eve, Day of the Dead, Halloween, November Eve, Hallowmas, Feast of Souls, Feast of the Dead, Feast of Apples. Samhain marks the symbolic death of the Sun God and His passing into the "land of the young," where he awaits rebirth of the Mother Goddess at Yule.

Imbolc - Festival normally celebrated on February 2. Also known as Candlemas, Lupercalia, Feast of Pan, Feast of Torches, Feast of the Waxing Light, Oimelc, Imbolg, Brigit's Day, Groundhog's Day. Imbolc celebrates the first stirrings of spring and the recovery of the Goddess from giving birth to the Sun God at Yule.

Beltane - Festival celebrated on April 30 and/or May 1. Also known as May Eve, Roodmas, Walpurgis Night, Cethsamhain, and has variant spellings. Beltane celebrates the symbolic union, mating, or marriage of the Goddess and God, and link in with the approaching summer months.

Lughnasadh - Festival celebrated on July 31 and/or August 1. Also known as August Eve, Lammas, Feast of Bread. Lughnasadh marks the first harvest, when the fruits of the Earth are cut and stored for the dark winter months, and when the God mysteriously weakens as the days grow shorter.


The Lesser Sabbats
Yule - On or around December 21, the winter solstice. Marks the rebirth of the Sun God from the Earth Goddess. A time of joy and celebration during the miseries of winter. The shortest day of the year

Ostara - On or around March 21, the spring equinox. Ostara marks the beginning of true, astronomical spring, when snow and ice make way for green. As such, it is a fire and fertility festival, celebrating the return of the Sun, the God and the fertility of the Earth, the Goddess.

Midsummer - On or around June 21, the summer solstices, also known as Litha. Midsummer marks the point of the year when the Sun is symbolically at the height of its powers, and so too the God. The longest day of the year.

Mabon - On or around September 21, the autumn equinox. Celebrates the second harvest. Nature is preparing for winter. Mabon is a vestige of ancient harvest festivals which, in some form or another, were once nearly universal among peoples of the Earth

On the Equinoxes, day and night are equally long; these are the days of great power in terms of universal balance. Witches view the Solstices as festive days, when the Equinoxes become days of reflection and self-examination.


Below is a general outline for procedure during a Sabbat ritual.

• Cleanse Self and Space
• Altar Devotion
• Prayer/Salute
• Caste Cricle
• Call Quarters
• Unite Energies (if more than just self)
• Invocation
• Enactment or Observance of Festival
• Dance or raise energies
• Ground energy (Cakes and Ale)
• Thank Gods/Salute
• Dismiss quarters
• Release/Break Circle

Week Two

13 Aug 2008 - 20 Aug 2008
Days 9 through 16

So far I'm enjoying my Magickal Handcrafting class. This week was paper crafts. I think what I liked the best is learning how to properly bind a book. I already knew how to make paper, so now with binding knowledge, I'm going to re-do my entire Book of Shadows.

I've already begun to rewrite all the basic information for Wicca (I'll do all the spells and such last) and am using markers to color code the pages. Guidelines will be in black, grey, and maybe brown. The section on love will be in pink and red; prosperity in green; healing in blues; to bring energy and confidence will be done in yellow and orange while meditations and chants will be done in purples. I don't know what colors everything else will be -- still very much up in the air.

I am liking how this craft class is really making me think about the way my magickal tools should be.

Deity

Helpful resouces:

Pantheon Index: http://www.web.raex.com/~obsidian/PanIndex.html
Godchecker: http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/index.php
Encyclopedia Mythica: http://www.pantheon.org

Read Mythology by Edith Hamilton (This is strictly Greek and Roman)
Read The Goddess Path by Patricia Monoghan

Week One

05 Aug 2008 - 12 Aug 2008
Days 1 through 8

Most people think I must be out of my mind to be doing this. By "this" I mean my "Year and a Day" training. Now I've been a practicing Pagan for almost ten years now. I've already gone through my training. It took me almost two years to fully understand Wicca and where it stood in my life. But lately I've felt like I've reached a spiritual plateau, where everything just stopped inspiring me and my soul just flat-lined. So I decided then to start from the beginning and do a bit of a spiritual journey to test my knowledge and watch my spiritual growth.

On the 5th, I decided to join the Pagan Online Campus (http://www.thepagancampus.net/) again. I used to take some classes there (that I never quite finished) and chose to register for Magickal Handcrafting. I'm thinking the best way to actually pass something is to only take one class at a time instead of two and space out my assignment instead of waiting until the last minute.

I've already done my first lesson for the week and recieved a 100% for the assignment. This week it was about basic correspondences for color and some basic crafting knowledge. I am hoping that by the end of the class I will be able to make more professional tools and then some.

Now the course is weekly, however, the only reason I will be updating this journal weekly is because that is all the time I really have to write down my feelings. With two very small children, it becomes difficult to keep a diary, so a weekly journal should work out well.

Here's to a new beginning.

Libation

In essence, libation is an offering given to the Gods. In my personal practice, I do not use wine; I do not like alcohol. So it is substituted with grape or apple juice. Sometimes liquid is not available and I offer a small meal or other offering to the Gods. Libation (as in a liquid offering) is not always needed.

Libation is an act of honoring a deity by offering a portion of wine and other liquids. In modern Witchcraft libations are usually given with wine following moon rituals. Each member pours out a small portion of wine from a chalice upon the ground as they look upward toward the moon. In some traditions remnants of the ritual meal, such as cookies, or pieces of cake, are tossed toward the moon as an additional offering. In the closing, the members perform the custom of "kissing the hand" to the moon, which involves kissing the left hand and raising it to the moon. A modern version of the older custom is "throwing a kiss" to the moon.

Source: http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/l/libation.html

Tips on Writing Your Own Conjuration

When writing your own conjuration, take into consideration the following:

• Designed in prose that is acceptable to you
• Length it takes you to make the chosen number of passes
• Specify or trigger an appropriate visualization from yourself
• Explain precisely what the circle is going to do
• May invoke quarters, ancestors, or Divinity

How to Write and Perform a Spell

Below is a basic guidline that you can use in writing a spell

Purpose of Spell:

What exactly do you hope to achieve?

Does this contradict your beliefs?

Could this harm anyone or does it attempt to take away free will?

Date, time, and astrological phase when used:

Decide what day, lunar phase, and astrological phase will work best for this purpose.

List of ingredientes and/or supplies needed:

Decide what tools you will use. This includes your ritual tools (more about ritual tools in later lessons) and your herbs, candles, stones.

Specific Location required:

Does this spell need to take place outdoors or indoors? Will a certain location enforce a part of this spell or an element?

Deities invoked during preparation and/or use:

What deity or deities should you invoke for this spell, if any. Research the deity or deities you are connected or drawn to before using them for a spell. They may have a negative effect on your spell. When in doubt, you can always refer to the God or Goddess as a blanket deity. Not all Wiccans use specific names for deity.

Step by step instructions for preparation and/or use:

Using the Spell Outline, write your step-by-step instructions.

Results:

Did the spell work?

How long did it take to work?

Were there any unexpected results?

Did it turn out how you planned?

What did you experience while casting the spell?

What should you do differently next time?

Below is a basic outline on what to do when performing a spell

Ritual Preparation

Set everything up before you start your ritual, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting something at the last minute.

Cleanse yourself and your magickal space.

Many Wiccans take a ritual bath before any major spells or rituals. Clean your ritual space, physically & spiritually.

Cast the Circle

Call the Quarters (Invoke the Elements)

Invocation of the Divine

Cast Your Spell

Using your research, decide who should be where when (if working in a group). Using the tools you decided on, raise energy for your purpose. You may decide to chant or sing during this time. When you have raised the power needed, direct it to your purpose.

Cakes and Wine

Some people choose to have Cakes & Wine after they have closed the circle.

Thanking the Divine

Release the Quarters (Banish the Elements)

Close the Circle

Source: http://institute.touchofenchantment.com


Remember that these are only guidelines. You can tweak any of it to better suit your needs at that given time.

Spell Work

Helpful resource:
Read: Before you Cast a Spell by Carl McColman

Food for thought:

Tree Meditation

Get comfortable, sit with your spine straight to allow the energies to flow properly. Also for this reason don't cross arms or legs. Close your eyes. Think of the moment that you first woke up this morning, and go through the day , event by event , letting it go , until you reach the here and now.
Now you are here, relax.

Concentrate on your toes, all of your attention focused there.
Imagine a beautiful warm golden summer ocean wave, wash over your toes ,staying for the count of three and then as it draws away again , it takes all the tension from your toes with it.

Your attention is then transferred to your feet, again the wave laps at your feet for the count of three, washing away the strain.

Your Focus is now on your calves and again up washes the delicious wave to rid you of the tension stored there

As it washes to your knees, it feels lovely against your skin

Thighs, all is relaxed.

Hips, all stress is washed away.

Belly, count to three, A feeling of peace

Chest, loving energies wash over you

Shoulders and arms, and they totally relax.

Neck , the water massages the stress away

Head , gently after the count of three it calmly washes all tension away , leaving you feeling clear and relaxed.

I want you now to imagine before you a tree. It is exuding a calm and relaxed atmosphere and you feel very welcomed and relaxed. Go to your tree . Explore the leaves, what sort of tree is it?, are there leaves? what is the texture of the bark? what is the soil?

Feel yourself being welcomed by the tree. Why not hug it in greeting? sit next to the tree, with your back leaned against it , and as you do you feel let in to the aura of this tree, and accepted at a innermost level.

You feel you are at one with the tree, and you realise that you have established an awareness that allows you to transcend into the essence of its being.

Feel your roots deep in the ground, deep into Mother Earth. Seeking nutrients and water , discovering in the darkness an intimacy with the soil. Listen, you can hear the water flowing deep underground, feel the cool caressing touch of it. Drink deep the water to quench this trees thirst.

Travel up now, to the trunk of the tree. Feel the potency, the power, feel the stability. Hidden within are secrets, secrets that will endure the life of the tree. Explore the life force here and gain strength from the knowledge found here.

Travel again now , further up the tree, to the swaying branches. Fresh air, scented deliciously with the scent of leaves. sunlight is shinning upon the leaves, giving power, giving energy, nurturing it. Feel the sun also nurturing you. Feel joy at the playful wind playing amongst the leaves and twigs .Feel joy at the beauty around you.

Slowly you travel back down the tree, to the point that you entered.
Feel the link between you and the tree slowly dissipate, slowly , lovingly, dissolve. Leaving a great scenes of camaraderie and mutual respect. Bow and thank the tree, in a means that seems suitable to you.

Slowly and in your own time, become aware of your self and your surroundings. Stretch. become aware of the other people here tonight. when your ready open your eyes.

Source: http://www.wiccanway.net/sylvan12.html

After you are done, answer the following questions:

Did you have any trouble doing this exercise?

If so, what was difficult?

How did you feel before starting this exercise?

How did you feel after this exercise?

What did you experience during this exercise?

What kind of tree was it?

What season did the tree resemble? (Were there leaves? What color were they?)

Describe the tree as well as you can and explain the surroundings.

What thoughts crossed your mind during this exercise? (You do not have to answer this, but please keep track of this in your journal. You may notice patterns that you need to address).

Magick and Energy

Helpful resources:
What is Magick:
http://www.wicca.com/celtic/wicca/magick.htm

Raising Energy:
http://www.paganspath.com/magik/raise-energy.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/on/wicca/RaisingEnergy.html

Grounding and Centering:
http://www.witchscauldron.net/cauldron/center.htm
http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/6-13-2006-99111.asp
http://healing.about.com/cs/uc_directory/a/uc_groundewing3.htm


Food for thought:
What is your definition of magick?
Why do you think it is important for Wiccans to work with magickal energy?