Lunar Magick Crafts

Merry Meet All,


The Full Moon is a powerful time for esbat magick!! Here are a few more suggestions for magick at the Blue Moon!! Celebrate outdoors if you can to get the most of the milky mystical energy of the Full Moon.


Use a white taper or pillar candle for this project. Dab olive oil onto the candle. Sprinkle silver glitter onto the olive oil and roll the candle into the glitter. Do this a few times to achieve the desired effect. Lift the candle and set into a candleholder. Carve sigils onto the candle. Dab essential oils onto the candle. The essential oil can correspond with the current moon phase.

If you have a candle mold, you can make your own candle. A crescent-shaped mold and wax are required. You will need paraffin or soy-candle wax (Soy is more environmentally-conscious.) Wick, candle release spray, crescent-shaped mold, color and scent of your choice.)

Melt the wax in a double boiler. Spray the mold with candle release spray and place the wick where you want it. Consider adding herbs and oils at this point or color dye. When you have blended it all together, pour the melted wax into the mold. Prop the wick with a dowel rod to avoid the wick from falling into the wax.

Allow the candle to cool completely before removing it from the mold. A candle that you make yourself contains your energy and your intent and will lend a strong energy to your magickal spellworkings because you created it yourself. One more tip: If you plan to make candles regularly, dedicate your dishes that are covered with wax only for making candles. Enjoy your candle magic!

Full Moon Incense

Here is a recipe for lunar incense to use during the ritual.

You will need:

Juniper berries, myrrh, rose petals, mugwort, moonflower, sage, and marigold. Blend these ingredients together with a mortar and pestle. Utter an incantation while you mix the ingredients together, such as

Full Moon, shining bright,
lunar energy guides me tonight,
I charge these herbs to light my way,
on a magical path, I will stay,
Powerful moon above, shine on me,
As I will it, so shall it be.


Store the incense in a tightly sealed jar. Label and date the jar and store out of sunlight. Use within three months, while it is fresh.

Make a sage and mugwort infusion and charge it with lunar energy. Clean your altar and your altar tools with the infusion.

You are now all set for some lunar energy and magic!! The crafts, lore, crystal cleansing information should give you some wonderful ideas on how to celebrate this Blue Moon.

You can also refer to Scott Cunningham's book on Wicca for a recipe on how to make full moon mead and cookies!

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch>

Crystal cleansing on a Lunar Esbat

Merry Meet All,


Here are some suggestions on how to cleanse your crystals on this Blue Moon eve. The powerful lunar energy makes it a perfect time to perform a cleansing. We use stones for healing and magic and a clearing is necessary for any type of healing work. Crystals need to be cleansed after they are purchased and before any healing work is done. There are a number of ways to do this.

The best way is simple: a bowl of water and the crystal. You should include your intent here too. Ensure the bowl is made of glass and is clean and that the water is pure and clean. Place the crystal in the bowl and leave it by a sunny windowsill or on a windowsill overnight to be charged for lunar energy. When you feel it is the right time, remove the crystal and program your intent into it for healing work.

The second way is with sea salt. Salt is good for cleansing crystals and bad. Salt is ideal for purification but salt strips a beautiful crystal of its color and vigor. I would be careful when leaving crystals in salt. Research which crystals are safe to be left in salt and which are not. If you do cleanse a crystal in salt, leave it in with the tip pointing downward into the salt. You can also try saltwater from a beach. Boil the water to remove impurities then let it cool. Do not use a plastic or metal bowl for cleansing. Salt water is good to use for crystal cleansing, but again, look up which crystals are safe for this. I heard of someone who once left a beautiful valuable opal crystal in a bowl of salt for a long time that stripped the opal of all of its color, leaving it white.

Sunlight can fade crystals of their color. Be careful when doing this. Amethyst, when left on a sunny windowsill, will strip a crystal of its lovely lavender color. Moonlight is a way of cleansing gemstones.

Bury your crystals in a jar or bowl of herbs. Use rose, frankincense, myrrh, and sandalwood. Lavender would be a good choice, too. This method takes longer than salt. Bury your crystals in the earth. Crystals are derived from the earth. This is helpful when a deep cleansing is needed. You can put the crystal in a plant pot or in the soil in your garden. Remember where you left your crystal to find it again. Place a labeled popsickle stick in the soil.

Another method to cleanse your crystals in to smudge them with burning sage, rosemary, or cedar. Light the smudge or cedar stick while passing the gemstone through the smoke. Smudge your stones after using them for healing.

The final method involves running the stone under tap water. The point of the crystal should be facing downward to run the negative energy down the drain. Never use hot water or the crystal will fracture and break. Visualize a waterfall running down the crystal.

Blessings on this Blue Moon!
Lady Spiderwitch

Blue Moon

Merry Meet All,

August 2012 is an auspicious month. August 2012 has 2 full moons, one on August 2 and the second full moon on August 31st. The second full moon is considered a blue moon. More reason to honor the Goddess on these full moons.

I hope you are having fun harvesting your herbs with the helpful information found here. I have been so busy I have not had time. I am letting my herbs finish growing first. The Full moon has been associated with harvests for a long time. Farmers often finish their harvests of the fields by the light of the moon.

Here, in Halifax, the early fall chill is in the air. The leaves are turning and falling. Students head back to school. I can hear the wind swaying through the trees.

I wish you all a Blessed Full Moon!
Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch )0(

A Herbalist's Cornucopia of Tools

Merry Meet All,

This post is a continuation of the previous post. For those of you who may be new to herbs and herb magick. I have been talking about herbs and tools but bolines are not the only herbalist's tool. There are more and you may own them in your home already.In addition to bolines, there are many more that are important. I will list them here.

Mortar and Pestle A mortar and pestle is a must in every witch's kitchen. It aids you in grinding down herbs, spices, roots, resins, and even cinnamon bark. Mortar and pestles come in an array of shapes, sizes, and styles. They are available in ceramic or soapstone or even wood. You can use them to grind materials together for a ritual. Put your ingredients in the bowl and grind them with the pestle. This releases the essential oils from fresh herbs.

Measuring cups Measuring cups are obvious. But they are practical and important. Measure everything. Herbs must be used in moderation. Invest in nice measuring spoons too. If you make salves and other balms, then consider dedicating your tools to that use only. They are hard to clean.

Mason jars store herbs. Make absolute sure that the jars are bone dry. Herbs will mold in a damp jar and render your herbs useless. Throw them out if that happens, wash and dry the jar, and allow the jar to air dry. Herbs and spices will keep for along time if they are crisp and dry and the jars are air dry.

'To make most herbal remedies, you'll need a short list of supplies. It includes:

Big canning jars for storing herbs and making tinctures

Cheesecloth or muslin, for straining herbal preparations

A grater (for grating beeswax)

A large, double-mesh, stainless steel strainer

Measuring cups

Non-aluminum cooking pots with tight-fitting lids

You might want to set aside a coffee grinder to use for grinding the tough spices like licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root and cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum, C. aromaticum) bark that you'll use in your remedies. Just don't use the same grinder that you use for coffee — neither your remedies nor your morning cup of Joe will benefit from that blending of flavors.

You should keep your pantry stocked with a few of the staples that are used in many herbal remedies. They include:

Aloe (Aloe vera) gel, for creams

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca), almond (Prunus dulcis), and grape (Vitis vinifera) seed oils, for facial creams

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) butter, for infused oils and creams

Coconut (Cocos nucifera) oil, for infused oils and creams

Honey, for syrups

Lanolin, for creams

Natural beeswax, for ointments

Olive (Olea europaea) oil, for infused oils and ointments

Sesame (Sesamum indicum) oil, for infused oils

Here are a few things to keep in mind when making your own remedies:

Herbs and herbal preparations do best when they're stored in airtight glass jars, out of direct light, in a cool area. Light, oxygen, and heat can degrade them.

Never use aluminum pots or containers — aluminum can react with the herbs. Stick to glass, ceramic, stainless steel, or cast iron. Use natural tools that have no chemicals in them such as lead, arsenic, or other harsh chemicals.'

Store all remedies and ingredients — especially essential oils and alcohol-based tinctures — out of children's reach. Many essential oils are extremely toxic, even in very small doses. Never ingest essential oils.

The tools shown here can be found in your cupboards. I wish you the best in preparing herbal remedies and recipes for your rituals. Don't forget the most important witch's tool- the cauldron for burning the herb preparations!!

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

* Courteousy of About.com

Popular Magickal Herbs

Merry Meet All,

Gardens are bursting with magical herbs in early fall. Here are ten popular herbs and how to use them.

Basil- Basil is strewn onto floors to purify a home. It is used as gifts to bring good fortune to people. Basil is good for love magic and love divination. Basil can be placed in wallets to draw money to you.

Sage- the workhorse of all the herbs. Sage has cleansing properties. This is a popular herb that has many uses. It is used in smudging an area of negative energies, added to infusions, soothes sore throats, and added to poultry dishes.

Lavender- Lavender is a beautiful fragrant multipurpose herb. Its beauty has been admired for centuries. Lavender is used in bath salts, shampoos, oils, perfumes, sprays, cooking, and in dried flower arrangements. Lavender is used in love spells, to bring calmness and peace, and in purifying baths and smudging rituals.

Rosemary- Rosemary is a natural astringent. It has a beautiful woodsy and minty smell. The scent alone is relaxing. Rosemary can be used to purify the energy of a room like sage. Rosemary is good for improving one's memory. Rosemary can be used in infusions, shampoos, oils, salts, dried flower arrangements, and recipes.

Echinacea- Echinacea is a lovely wildflower perennial. If you are growing it in your garden, consider yourself lucky. Bees love it and the flowers grace gardens. Echinacea boosts the immune system. To make your own Echinacea tincture, buy pure vodka, a clear dark glass jar with a stopper, Echinacea root and even some flowers. Put the root in the jar, and be sure to sterilize the jar first, pour in the vodka and allow to sit for a week. Shake the jar once a day. Distill the tincture from the root and flowers in the jar. Discard the roots in the garden. Store the jar in a dark place. Use as needed.

Chamomile- The Egyptians and Greeks used chamomile. Chamomile is useful in incense fragrances, to aid in sleep and meditation. It wards against psychic or magickal attack, and to attract good luck.

Peppermint- Peppermint is a prolific herb. It can be used to aid in purification magic, to attract money to you, to help ground you, and to rid a room of bad smells. Mint can be used in baths to refresh you and your spirit.

Thyme- Thyme is a natural disinfectant and has natural antiseptic properties. Use thyme in healing rituals. Thyme aids in enhancing your psychic abilities. Use thyme to banish negativity and for courage.

Mugwort- Mugwort aids in enhancing psychic development, for dreamwork, and is used in dream pillows.

Patchouli- Patchouli has an earthy, grounding scent. It is popular in incense blends, potpourri, and rituals. It is commonly used in oils and incenses. Patchouli is associated with love, wealth, and sexual power. Put leaves in your wallet to draw money your way. Use the earthy pungent scent to make you irresistible.

These are just some of many ways that the ten magical herbs can be used. I am sure you will come up with many more.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

Preparing for Fall

Merry Meet All,

Lately I have been taking a daily stroll in the mornings on the Chain of Lakes trail. I love to go on that trail because it has changed how I start my day and I get exercise and fresh air. I feel revived by the end of the walk. I start behind Crown Drive, where I live, and walk as far as Joe Howe. I take my coffee in a thermos and just my keys.

I hear the squirrels, crows, sparrows, chickadees and jays cackle up a storm. I see the insects buzzing or flying around the verdant greenery for all the pollen their wings can carry. I study the array of wild herbs, flowers and trees such as birch, maple, ash and many others.

I encourage everyone to engage in enjoying the final days of summer vacation. Before we know it, fall will be here and students return to school. I spied autumn leaves upon the ground already. People are emptying gardens of herbs, flowers, and vegetables. The last of the blissfully free days are speeding by. Soon people will be punching their alarm clocks for the extra ten minutes of sleep before returning to work.

Here are some tips to help prepare you for fall. Clean your car and check your gardening supplies. A hot day is a perfect time to take care of those things. Gardening tools and knick knacks can be left at the garden but check to ensure they are in good condition. Give your home a good cleaning. Dirt, wear and tear, and insects are sometimes unseen and need to be cleaned out. Buy school supplies and be alert for fun local pagan events. Clean your tents and camping supplies to store for next summer. Then do a meditation to welcome in clean energy and smudge your home with sage or rosemary to welcome in fresh clean white light energy. You may be amazed at how different your home feels. You will be glad you took the time to clean. A clean home reflects well on the individual and likewise.

The cleaning of your home, car, and gardening tools are a great way to use the herbs growing in your garden! Peppermint, thyme, rosemary, and lavender are appropriate. Peppermint makes anything smell clean, thyme acts as a natural disinfectant, rosemary smells woodsy and minty, and lavender disinfects too. Make an infusion to add to your bucket water with your mop to clean floors and baseboards of your home. Good luck cleaning. Welcome in the change of season with renewed energy!

Look for author talks at libraries, bookfests happen in the fall, Mabon lands on September 21st! Even though summer's end is bittersweet, there is much to look forward to in the coming months. Keep an eye on my Halloween countdown widget. The funnest night of the year is not far away!!

Now get out and enjoy the final days of summer!
Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

Harvest Esbat Moon

Merry Meet All,

The Full Moon will soon show off her milky white power and glory. I love full moons. This full moon is known as the Corn Moon. Now is the time for the harvesting and gathering of what you planted in the spring. It is also known as Wyrt (green plant) Moon.

Use this time to practice magickal workings and to focus on what you harvested in your life, not just your greens. Divinations, spells, and rituals would be good to do. This is a time to finish projects that you began. The Wheel of the Year is turning. The dark half of the year is coming.

Here is how to perform a full moon esbat. If you are in a coven or a solitary, you can still have a magical time!! Smudge and cleanse yourself and your circle area with sage, frankincense, rosemary. Prepare the area and have at hand a special full moon candle. Adorn your candle with glitter and adorn your altar with lunar symbols- silver, crystals, lunar herbs. Call on the Goddess for her blessings and guidance. Stand at the altar and hold your arms out. Face the beautiful milky moon and utter a chant or prayer to the Goddess. Light your special candle and thank your deity of choice or the Goddess for the magical enchantment.

When you are ready, and you have meditated, close the circle and end the ritual. You can make an offering to the Goddess. I filled a jar with lunar charged water- mint essential oil, a dime, + a crystal, then poured that on my garden as part of the full moon ritual. Move into the Cakes & Ale ceremony. It is done.

This might be the last time of the year that some witches get to practice a ritual outdoors. The nights will turn cooler and darker earlier. Whether you are in a coven or practice solitary, I wish you all a blessed Full Moon.

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

Full Harvest Moon

Merry Meet All,


Today I was awake early. Since I have a backdoor entrance to my lovely garden, I checked my plants. They were dry from not enough rain. I watered my garden. I had to fight my way past the magnificient spider webs to water my garden. The spiders build huge sticky webs every autumn. They are beneficial insects, and help control the insect population. The bugs and birds are busy collecting the last of the pollen. My Echinacea is in full bloom. It's a beautiful sight to behold.

The harvest season is upon us, and there is Mabon and Samhain to look forward to. The Dark half of the year will soon be here. I have spied some colorful leaves on the trees already. I've decided to leave the harvest till the end of September. I put some plants in late and I can tell they need time, such as the bee balm. It will be exciting.

Full Moon is also coming soon. So get ready for an exciting season!!

I hope you all have a wonderful harvest season. May the God and Goddess bless you with a bounty of herbs this autumn!

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

The Green Man

Merry Meet All,

I have recently read an excellent book entitled Walking with the Green Man: Father of the Forest, Spirit of Nature, by Dr. Bob Curran. The book is about the Green Man that has mystified humanity since the beginning of time. Since the harvest season is upon us, I thought this would be a good time to discuss the Green Man.

The Green Man is everywhere and is everything. I have been a witch for many years. I felt like I barely knew the Green Man till I came across this book that I learned what I was seeking all this time. I could not put the book down.

He examines the many different cultures that honor the Green Man from early Man to African shamans. I would say this is a book that needs to be read twice. There is so much information packed in it. The book is beautifully illustrated with artwork of the Green Man throughout the book. This book stands out from other books about the Green Man because it does not just focus on the art of the Green Man found on architecture, it goes into detail about the Green Man himself. It is the book I was looking for for that reason.

Curran explores the significance of the Green Man in the medieval world to its development in the modern world. He explores the appeal of the Green Man to the ancient world to the modern time. He includes Robin Hood, demigods such as Herne the Hunter, from the King of the Woods to the Jack in the Green. Curran explores the interconnection of Man and Nature throughout history.

I will add this book to my collection. I have finally put the pieces together. It is easy to find information in depth about Goddesses. When it comes to info about the God, I find very little. The Green Man transcends cultures and time. Cernunnos, Dionysius or Pan. The Goddess and the God are intended to be interconnected. If that were so, why should it be so hard to find reliable scholarship about the Green Man.

Hail the God! He sacrifices himself for the harvest to feed the many to ensure a good harvest. The Oak King falls to open the way for the Holly King. The cold winter will soon stretch before us.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch</i>

Cat Magick

Merry Meet All,

Today I am posting a topic on cats. Recently my cat needed medical attention, and it pushed me to blog about cats. I hope the cat people out there will be able to relate to this post.

First off, I can hear you all chanting,"Cats own you."This is a fact. They choose you. They expect love and care and they get it. My cat is spoiled. She has a large blue litter box, a large blue striped litter mat and litter locker. Whoever invented litter lockers was a genius. She sleeps on the table and does whatever she wants. She naps anywhere she pleases. She is the one and only in my heart.

So I thought you would be pleased or inspired as you read this post full of suggestions to practice some cat magick in your own home. Let's get started.

I set up a cat shrine. I put down a cloth on a flat surface. I set down a Bast cat statue, my animal totem Tiger figurine for Mishra, an animal skull I found on a hike, a bag of catnip, tiger's eye, blue tiger's eye, a jade stone, a bright shimmering blue cat's eye crystal in the shape of a heart, two cat tarot decks; one in a cool black tarot bag with the face of a cat on it, and the other in a box on the altar. A dried rose and two books on cat magic and lore that I bought. The first book is The Good Cat Spell Book by Gillian Kemp and the second book is Your Magickal Cat by Gerina Dunwich. I love both these books.

You can set up a shrine for your kitty using mine as an example, or get creative and try your own. Use your imagination!!

Here is a spell on how to make a witch cat jar to protect your cat. With a red permanent marker, label the jar 'Witch cat jar' and draw a cat on the jar. Open the jar. Make sure it is clean. Add purple beads, straw strands from your besom, birch leaves, sage and catnip. Store the jar somewhere special.

Do you know your cat's astrological sign? My Lady Shadow is a capricorn. If you know the birth date of your favorite feline, then it will easy to find out the cat's sign. The astrology of your cat can reveal a lot about your cat's personality and temperament. Shadow is loyal and stubborn, but will not share as much affection with others as she would to me. Steadfast and loyal, they make a great companion/ animal familiar because they do not wander off.

Do not be surprised if your cat prefers to be involved when you are practising magick.

I also want to post one more note: Sometimes our furballs fall ill. It happens. I urge you all to avoid pet stores for medicine. Seek the medicines at a vet hospital. I know you pay more but you pay for quality medicine to help your pet achieve the best health. Trust me on that. I speak from experience. They deserve it. Meow!!!


Blessings to you and your familiars,
Lady Spiderwitch + Lady Shadow

Magic of Autumn

Merry Meet All,

Don't wait till Samhain to practice magick. Autumn offers plenty of ideas. Mabon is a Lesser Sabbat, when darkness and light are evenly balanced. Mabon is the second Sabbat in the season of Water and the second harvest festival. The days begin to darken and the Wheel of the Year ends here and is renewed at Samhain.

To honor the God and Goddess at Mabon, which is a time of gratitude, consider creating a personal Mabon Gratitude prayer. Try to think of as many things as you can that you can be thankful for. That could be family, friends, your spiritual practice, pets, a talent for music or writing, whatever comes to mind. Date it and decorate it if you wish. Put it in your Book of Shadows. Anoint a small white candle with frankincense essential oil for spirituality and purification on your altar, light the candle, and meditate on your prayer of gratitude.

The symbols of Mabon are autumn foliage, cornucopias, acorns, hazelnuts, crops, sickles, apples, gourds, and rich fall colors. The gemstones that are popular during fall are flourite, garnet, labradorite, tiger's eye, and tourmaline. The herbs, oils and resins are allspice, cedar, hazel, oak and oakmoss, patchouli, sandalwood, tobacco, willow, and sage.

Some popular activities of fall are gathering leaves, creating an autumn display, enjoying cider, seed gathering, creating a besom, hay-rides, stargazing, and making apple dolls. Pumpkins are also popular now. Create a ring of leaves by weaving the ring of leaves one into another till you complete a full circle and put the ring of leaves beneath a large ripe pumpkin. Set autumnal decorations around the pumpkin.

Create your own incense from findings in nature on a long nature walk. Dry and store and grind with your mortar and pestle. Blend the incense, visualizing bright energies flowing into the incense blend, and store in a large jar in a spot out of the way of sunlight. Burn it on charcoal in your cauldron.

Enjoy the season of Mabon,
Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

Autumn Magic

Merry Meet All,

I hope you enjoyed reading the previous post about the ghost tour I was on. This post will be a different topic than that. But not to worry, fall is almost upon us and there is plenty to look forward to. The dark half of the year is coming.

Here are some ways for you to enjoy the rest of the summer vacation. Go for a nice long walk on a nature trail and enjoy the sights of bees, birds, dragonflies and butterflies buzzing around the flowers. Collect the seed heads if they are dried to plant them next spring. Dry some herbs to make a refreshing cup of herbal tea and share with your friends. Put plant supports in your garden if some of your herbs and flowers have grown tall. Remember to water your garden on hot days and to mow the lawn to keep the lawn in good shape. Keep your gardening tools in good condition. Watch a sunrise.

Trim back plants and spread fallen leaves on your garden. The leaves will turn into mineral nutrients. Earthworms turn them into fertilizer. Plan where and which spring bulbs you want to grow next spring. The leaves protect the spring bulbs from a harsh frost. Plant chrysanthemums in your garden for a splash of fall color.

Keep your garden, lawn, and decks clean. Put tools away and after the frost, put your garden knickknacks such as ceramic toadstools, fairy statues, or what you use to decorate your garden in an easy to find spot for next spring. Leave an offering of thanks to the spirits and faeries who assisted in tending and protecting your garden.

Decorate your altar to correspond with the arrival of autumn. For example, my altar cloth is a light beige brown print with white and beige oak leaves all over it. The light beige brown color of the cloth reminds me that fall is not far. Make a wreath of corn, leaves, dried leaves, or corn stalks and hang it at the door. Display leaves in a basket with corn, gourds, or small pumpkins. Add a ribbon for flair. Other activities can include candle making, soap making, salve potions, visiting an apple orchard, and making ciders and bread recipes.

The cold season seems a long way off, but with the proper preparation, the transition will be easier. It is almost time to prepare for that. Autumn Equinox lands on September 21-22 next month. I wish you all a wonderful autumn season.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch>

Ghost Tour of the Halifax Citadel

Merry Meet All,


As I type, it is misty and rainy. Clouds darken the sky. Ghosts are congregating at the Halifax Citadel. For those who do not reside in my ghost-ridden town, the Halifax Citadel is an old preserved fort and a national historic site. Last night I had the eerie honor of exploring the fort by light of a lantern to learn of the bizarre legends that haunt the citadel. The Citadel is star-shaped. (They had help from the Goddess.)

The tours are seasonal and run from July to October. The Halifax Citadel is a 19th century fortification with steep masonry walls surrounded by a ditch up to nine meters deep. It is not advised therefore to climb the earthen walls out into the gun openings, which slope directly into the ditch and are especially slippery and dangerous when wet. Low doorways and uneven steps and floors add to the atmosphere.

Every hour the sentry changes. The sentry is changed at the main gate in a formal ceremony. The noon gun is fired at the noon hour, a tradition that has been maintained every day except Christmas day since 1856. Signal masts still stand that sent coded signals to both the citizens of Halifax and to the other forts that protected the harbor. The Halifax Citadel was a key British and Canadian navel base. Barracks were the homes of some Canadian soldiers. It was where they ate and slept and stored their supplies.

I arrived and bought my ticket. A large crowd arrived and soon we all stepped into the Citadel, eager for ghost stories. The sun set and stars twinkled over our heads. Our guide was dressed in costume. His name was Adam. I felt a shiver of excitement as we followed him to different spots of the Citadel. The first ghost story hearkened to the past.

The Grey Lady haunts the Citadel. According to questionably brave security guards, she strolls the second floor at night, smelling of roses, and wearing a 19th century dress. The security guards are responsible for checking the lights and shutting the place down at night. The Citadel has a high turnover rate due to the apparent hauntings. She was supposed to be marrying a man with a checkered past. He was married to a woman from Bermuda. He wanted to gloss over his past-and the fact that he had two wives. The Gray lady- I can't recall her name because her real name is uncertain, went to the Holy Trinity Church expecting the groom to arrive. He never did. The carriage driver rode up to the Citadel to pick up the groom. The guard told him the groom had shot himself unable to find any other way to hide from his past. The driver went to the Church, left with the duty to tell the expectant bride the horrible news. He was dead. She went in hysterics and did not believe him and still does not believe it. Her spirit searches the grounds of the Citadel for her love. Romantic, n'est pas?

We continued on the tour and stopped around a corner. I wondered why we stopped. We stood near the location of a shed that was torn down. It was documented and approved by the government as an actually haunted spot. Weird sounds, windows and doors opening and closing led to the removal of the shed. The employers refused to set foot in it. We were also told the tale of the wells in the Citadel. They are boarded up. The water is unfit for consumption. The reason is the first well was tampered with by rats. The water was slimy. The second well contains the remains of a Sergeant. They found bits and pieces of his body. The wells are boarded up and have but almost but been forgotten.

The creepiest part was when we entered the Citadel. I felt uneasy the moment I entered. I became claustrophobic and chills ran amok over my body. I had the strong sense I should leave. I felt unwanted there. I was given the opportunity to turn back but then I would have had nothing to blog about. I gulped and walked with other mystified citizens of Halifax. We entered a small auditorium, where Adam told us more chilling tales. A female guard had a haunting experience. In a separate room, the female guard watches the monitors to see what is happening in the Tides of History rooms-the auditoriums. She saw a man rifling through papers and drawers. The papers are blank and the drawers are empty. It is staged. She ran over to see him but when she arrived, he was gone. She was in tears and was given another position in her job. She refused to enter that room. Her sister was braver and was also a guard. She worked at night also, watching the monitors to see the goingons of the rooms. She had her scare when she glanced up at the monitor and saw a man's face looking at her. The face filled the screen. The men who lead the ghost tours recreated the event. They realized it took great effort to be able to look in the camera and that it was impossible, unless you were four feet above the ground. She found her courage after also refusing to enter that room. One night, a ghost called her name in a stage whisper, "Debra!" There was only 1 person who called her that and he had passed away a few months before-her father. She also changed her job at the Citadel and became Head of the Night guards of the Citadel.

We were led outside. I needed to use the bathroom and was forced to- after having the jeebers scared out of me, make my way across the Citadel. There were few lights. We were carrying lanterns to see our way around. I skittered in the dark to the bathroom like a scared squirrel. I hurried back, as images of vengeful ghosts flooded my mind. I had to run a long way to keep up with them. I freaked but found them. The scariest part was to come. We had to go through the tunnels. The tunnels run for miles within the Citadel. Enemies of the army were at a disadvantage. Attack was impossible because of the structure of the Citadel. I was not comforted by that. I felt my breath leave me, I felt my chest tighten, and fear gripped my body. I stumbled in the dark and followed the mother with her kids in front of me. We followed the tour guide through a seemingly endless tunnel, lit by a lantern and a cell phone. The ceiling was low and the tunnel was narrow. We did not need to go through the whole tunnel. I was terrified.

Eventually, after learning more ghost stories that curdled my blood, the tour ended. I was RELIEVED to leave the dark, quiet, unsettling Halifax Citadel. I felt weak and drained. I boarded a metro transit bus to go home. I smudged myself with sage. I calmed down soon and after checking on my kitty, I went to sleep exhausted. I slept surprisingly well.

That was my ghost tour of the Citadel. I would say I got my money out of it -and maybe a bit more. The ghost tours are affordable and run on schedule, weather permitting. Do you dare to explore the Citadel and learn of the restless spirits of the past? Let us remember that they deserve peace and rest.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

The photo is from whygocanada.com.

Herb Crafts

Merry Meet All,

Today, as promised, I am going to post more information about herbal crafts. I will follow that up with a post about my super creepy experience on the scariest ghost tour I ever had. So make yourself a hot cup of tea and get comfortable.

How to make a faery talisman of protection for children

Supplies needed: pink candle, rose quartz crystal, herbs, pink fabric, needle and thread, embroidery thread, scissors, a bowl, and a sewing machine.

Make an infusion of rose water and soak the fabric in it to purify and cleanse the material. When it has dried, cut the material in to a heart shape. Leave a hole at the top and stuff the sachet full of herbs. Empower the sachet for good energy. Attach the triquetra to the heart.

Hang it where your child sleeps, knowing your child will sleep safely.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

Herb Crafts

Merry Meet All,


Herb crafts are fun to do. Herbs are known for their power, beauty, and fragrances. The crafts are easy to do.

Essential oils can be made from herbs to consecrate, anoint, and in blessings prior to rituals. Oils enhance spells with their powers and scents. Sew herbs into sachets and pillows or blend into incenses for a Sabbat or Esbat. There is no limit to the number of different crafts you can make. Use your imagination!!

How to make a dream pillow

Dream pillows can help you rest and feel better as you dream. They enhance your dreams. Here is how to make your own dream pillow.

Select the fabric and cut it into two pieces around 6' by 11'. One piece will be the top of the pillow and the second piece will be the bottom piece. Opt for organic cotton or unbleached cotton for the fabric. Sew the 2 pieces together so the wrong side is facing the outside. Stitch the three sides of the fabric together. Turn it right side out so the right side is on the outside.

Fill an organic unbleached cotton pouch or mesh bag with the herbs of your choice for your dream pillow. Also, consider the color of the pouch. Purple or blue are associated with rest, dreams and the subconcious. Mugwort, flax, chamomile, and lavender are soothing herbs. Add fragrance oils and orrisroot, which is derived from iris flowers. In an earlier post, I discussed mugwort in the Fires of Litha post, and you can check that post for more information about this magical herb. Seal the outside and tie with string.

Slide the herb-filled pouch or bag into the pillow and pack a bit of pillow stuffing around the bag. Remember the herbs need to have breathing space. Now that you have made your dream pillow, let the dream pillow's scents and magic carry you off into the ethers.

How to make an herbal sachet

Herbal sachets are useful for a variety of purposes. You will need a bowl, a wooden spoon, the sachet, a sewing machine or sewing needle, thread, and scissors. Clear your mind and focus on your intent. If you want to, you can ask your deity of choice for guidance.

Use equal amounts of the herb/s. Use herbs that complement your goal and each other. Stir deosil as you blend the herbs together by hand or with a wooden spoon. Focus on your intention for the sachet. If your goal is protection, concentrate on that while you are creating the sachet. Once the sachet is full of herbs, secure the sachet by drawstring or tying the sachet shut with an attractive ribbon. You can use a ribbon and sachet that corresponds with your intent. Tie the ribbon at the top of the sachet and hang from the drawstring in an auspicious spot of your home. You can leave the sachet on your altar to empower it.

How to make a healing poppet

Healing poppets are created to aid in spells relating to health. Call on Brighid, Demeter, and Hestia for aid during the project. Visualize sending your energies of healing into the poppet and making the other person healthy.

Correspond the color of the poppet to your goal for the healing poppet. The cotton can be dyed with natural dyes to achieve a desired color. Cut the material to the sizes you want. Be sure to cut the material twice for both sides. Leave some material along the edges. Make sure both sides of the material are even. Use pins to hold the material in place. Stitch the poppet carefully. Do not sew the top of the poppet closed. Leave an opening for the herbs.

Empower the herbs and chant to build the energy. Fill the poppet with the herbs and stuff them in neatly. Seal the opening of the poppet. Be creative with your poppet. Use buttons for the eyes and embroidery floss for the nose and mouth. Thank your deity for the guidance for guiding you during the creation of the poppet. Check for stray threads and snip them. Leave the poppet on your altar to empower it for as long as you feel is necessary.

The powers of color for poppets:

Red is for passion, love and creativity
Orange is for success, happiness and ambition
Yellow is for clairvoyance and communication
Green is for healing, earth matters and growth
Blue is for emotions and intution
Purple is for royalty, psychic and mediumistic abilities and intuition
White is for purity, spirituality, and clarity.

I hope you enjoy making these crafts. I will offer a Part-Two for more herbal crafts tomorrow, so be sure to check in to read them. May the Goddess bless you.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

Wildcrafting Herbs

Merry Meet All,

Autumn is a magical time. Summer lingers on, but fall is around the corner. Gardens are ripe with many blossoming herbs. This post will tell you how to gather and dry herbs for your magical workings, crafts, and other related projects. The photo above was taken from my own garden. See the bee?

How to gather herbs

Wildcrafting is the gathering of herbs in their natural environment. When you are searching in the wild for chicory, nettle, or Echinacea, please respect the earth. Collect only as much of a plant or herb you need at the time. Never deplete an entire patch of wild raspberry or nettle. Let the patch or tree continue to grow in its wild state. Leave an offering for the plant and the Goddess. Nature maintains a natural balance.

A difference can be found in the taste of store bought herbs and your own garden grown herbs. Herbs should be gathered when they flower. When gathering herbs, cut above the node on the stem. Pick off the faded leaves and store in a dry place. When gathering flowers, cut the flowers just before they flower. Seeds should be gathered when they turn a brown color. Collect roots in the dormant season.

Ensure that you are selecting the correct herbs when you are wildcrafting. Bring a friend and a guidebook with you. You might mistake poison ivy for another plant.

People have been using herbs since millenia. Today they are still popular in oils, perfumes, and potpourris.

Fresh herbs should be picked before the heat of the midday sun or the volatile oils will evaporate. The drying of the leaves intensifies the flavor. Small leaves dry faster than large leaves. As a precaution, do not take more than two cups of any one of medicinal herbs in twenty-four hours. Some herbs are stronger than others. Moderation is advised.

Now is a good time to use your boline. Try corresponding the color of the plants and the earth element with your tool for cutting. The color of the scissors could be green.

Next, wash the herbs in a nearby lake- the water element, or your kitchen sink. Once clean, bind the herbs with embroidery floss or a rubber band. Tie a loop around the ends and hang the herbs from string in your kitchen to dry. Allow the herbs to dry for several days out of the way of direct sunlight. When the herbs are crisp to the touch, they are ready.

For instance, lemon balm has small leaves on its stems. When it is dry to the touch and easily crumbles, it can be ground in a mortar and pestle, and stored in a dry canning jar. While the leaves are drying, the tiny black seeds fall out. Store bundled herbs in a paper bag to collect the seeds.

If you are freezing the herbs, wash and dry the herbs in cold water first. Press the leaves in plastic bags. Put the leaves in single layers in the bags. Remove the hard stems and do not thaw the herbs before you use them.

If you want to store the herbs in jars, label the jar and write the date on the jar. Ensure the jar is not damp or wet. This causes the herbs to mold. Store somewhere dark and out of sight in a cupboard or pantry. The herbs will be properly prepared and easily accessible for your cooking or magical purposes. Be sure to be able to differentiate which herbs are safe to use for cooking and magic spells.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

Bolines

Merry Meet All,

The harvest season has arrived. Many witches/ pagans/ wiccans/ heathens, are out in the gardens gathering herbs, roots, flowers, or grains. We are all familiar with what to harvest and when- but are we familiar with what to use to harvest?

Bolines are a common tool in witchcraft for harvesting herbs. Bolines are the witch's utility knife and are used for cutting items on the physical plane. Athames are used for cutting energies and draw energies on the spiritual plane. Bolines are used to cut cords, herbs, roots, and ribbon. A boline can be used to carve on candles or runes. A boline has a crescent-shaped, sickle-like shape. The handle of the boline is usually white, a polished burnt bone.

The boline resembles a scythe more than a knife. This is why bolines are associated with the harvest, because the scythe associates with the cutting of plants and grains from the ground. The blades of bolines curve inward in a crescent. The sharp edge is on the inside of the crescent and a boline has one sharp edge. Be careful how you wield a boline to avoid harming yourself or something else. Bolines remind us of when hand held sickles were used in harvesting crops. Bolines were used mostly for harvesting plants and herbs for magickal use.

There is some debate about how to use a boline. Some witches believe the boline should only be used in ritual. Keep in mind the true function of the boline. It can be used in ritual and mundane activities. A boline can be consecrated, cleansed and dedicated to magickal purposes. Some witches believe a boline is not even necessary. Do what feels right for you.

Bolines are a important tool in your arsenal. Like all ritual tools, the boline should be dedicated prior to use. Enjoy your boline and may it serve you well in all your magickal workings!

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

Autumn Blessings

Merry Meet All,


The Wheel of the Year turns again!! Autumn Equinox is around the corner on September 21. Mabon is the next Sabbat. The harvest season beckons us to get out in our gardens and reap what we sowed.

Autumn harvest encourages us to reflect on what we accomplished within the last year since last Samhain. But for now, we will focus on the actual harvest. Most witches love to grow herbs in their gardens, both indoors and out. Herbs have many magickal properties and witches like to make the most of them. Corn, wheat, and grains like barley and oats are harvested at this time.

I have wonderful potent herbs growing in my garden. Herbs such as bee balm, mugwort, sage, lemon verbena and echinacea, lemon balm, egyptian mint, spearmint, peppermint, and chocolate mint are growing profusely in my garden. Woodruff, chives, and clover grace my garden. I will have a good harvest of herbs this year. I face this turn of the wheel with a tinge of sadness. I love to see my garden blooming and as leaves start to turn and a crisp chill cools the air, I know the garden will be preparing for winter.

This is a time to give thanks for the fruits from the earth and to honor the harvest deities such as Lugh, Pomona, Ceres, and Demeter. They are all associated with the harvest and grains. As you gather herbs, grains, or apples from your fields, take the time to thank the deitites and faeries who nurtured our gardens when we weren't looking. This can ensure your garden will grow strong next year.

Leaves turn into gorgeous colors in the fall. They blanket the earth with a rich fiery carpet of crimson, green, brilliant yellows, and oranges. I always leave them to shield my garden for the long winter sleep. Consider keeping leaves on your garden this fall, instead of supporting landfills.

Autumn is a magickal time of year. Bright blessings this autumn. Enjoy the harvest with your friends and families.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell Review

Merry Meet All,

Today I am going to talk about a great novel I read and that I encourage everyone else to read. I love this book. It is entitled SecondHand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell. She must be a witch or else have really done her research.

The book is 325 entertaining pages long and I loved it from cover to cover. The book is written in a funny, witty and warm way. Lily Ivory is the main character, who is hoping to settle down and have a quiet life in San Fransisco, managing her own vintage shop Aunt Cora's Closet. She has a witchy knack for sensing vibrations of antique clothing and jewelry. When a client is murdered, she is suddenly the one who may be able to solve the murder, which may be a good thing since the evidence points to her. A male witch gives her a gargoyle for an animal familiar. Lily teams up with a sexy "myth buster" and solves the mystery of the missing children. A sea hag claims the lives of the children as vengeance for her own missing children.

I can't recommend this book enough. It sits proudly on my bookcase shelf. I have read the book more than once. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I have.

Over the next few weeks, I plan to post everything you need to know about harvest time and the upcoming Sabbats, Mabon, Samhain, and Yule. So hold onto your broomsticks for some fun reading.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch</i>

Merry Meet All,

Today I had the honor of being interviewed by a friend who is also an author. The interview is on his blog site at http://www.dawsonwalton.wordpress.com.


I am posting it here so people can read it on this blog, as well, if they would like. I was happy and honored to be interviewed about my writing. I hope you enjoy reading this interview.

This interview is with Heddy Johannesen, an up and coming writer.

"So Heddy, tell us about yourself, what do you write?

I like to write nonfiction and fiction. I like to write poetry, but I feel my success lies in nonfiction and fiction. I am currently at work on my second novel. I have over twenty magazine articles published and have been published in anthologies, Ezines, and they were mostly nonfiction.


What has been your proudest moment as a writer?

I can't say specifically which one was my proudest moment as a writer. I have a few, the best one being when I published my book of poetry, Metamorphosis, and the success that came with it. The book is in the U.S., the UK. And George Elliott Clarke reviewed my book in the Chronicle Herald. My other proudest moment was when I reached 13,000 total page views of my blog. I loved it that people enjoyed reading my blog that much. My blog is about finding the sacred in the mundane and how to live more spiritually. I think that in today's crazed, rat race world, there is a cry for something meaningful and people have found that in my blog.

What would you like to see happen in the future with your writing?

I would like to publish my ghost story, because it is personal to me on a few levels. I learned about my family history as I researched it and it has challenged me from the beginning. I feel like I am sharing something personal with readers, and I hope that they get that sense if they read it. I am also a medium and I once lived in a house that seemed haunted, and I tried to put that experience in the story. How it felt. I remember nights when I laid still, every hair on end, listening to sounds in the house when I knew people were asleep. I am a witch too. The paranormal is a popular topic in books today, like Twilight and Harry Potter. There is a demand for paranormal books right now. I love being challenged.

Besides writing, what are you most passionate about?

Writing about witchcraft comes naturally to me. I have several magazine articles published in Wiccan/Pagan magazines that reflect the content of my blog. The topics ranged from history of pagan bonfires to herb magic to how I honor my chosen deity. I have magazine articles published on health and well-being too, with a spiritual focus.

Besides my writing, I am passionate about my garden and of course, my pet cat Shadow and the environment as well.

If you could give a new writer advice, what would it be?

If I could give a new writer advice, it would be to read everything under the stars, read widely in your chosen genre, never say no to an opportunity, and practice, and practice your writing and always try to be the best you can be. I try to be positive and pour myself into everything I do. Drink lots of coffee. Be open to constructive criticism about your writing. Be flexible. Support the writers around you in your community and they will support you too. Join a critique group.

Where can people find your work?

I am included in the Salt Lines anthology, and my book of poetry, Metamorphosis, can be found at Bookmark on Spring Garden Road.

My blog can be found at http://lady-spiderwitch.blogspot.com and I can be found on Facebook and Twitter.

On a personal note, I have read excerpts of Heddy's upcoming book and all I can say is Wow I can't wait to read it in its' entirety."

Thanks are in order for Author Dawson Walton for interviewing me. The link to his blog is posted at the top of the page. Feel free to browse and read about it.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

Corn Moon blessings

Merry Meet all,

Many happy Lammas + Full Moon blessings to you!!


Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch