Autumn Energy - Mediumship

Merry Meet All,


As I type, it's early in the morning. Birds fly overhead, cats patrol their decks, and dark clouds threaten rain. Leaves and spider webs shiver in the wind. It feels like autumn. It's almost October! The countdown to Samhain is posted on my blog page, for you keeners! The Harvest moon is here. It's time to bring in herbs. Pumpkins are turning up everywhere in grocery stores.

You can view the earlier blog entries for inspiring suggestions on how to celebrate the Full Harvest Moon. Perhaps you can celebrate it outdoors! It may be your last chance to. So be sure to check out the full moon entries.

I attended a poetry reading with Open Heart Forgery at Just Us Cafe on Spring Garden Road. The readings were wonderful. The readers have a lot of talent and creativity. I mustered the nerve to get up and read a section of my ghost story. They liked it and didn't want me to giveaway the ending! I guess they have to read it if it gets published to know what happens.

I recently bought the book Buckland's Book of Spirit Communications. It is a large red book and is all about mediumship. There are exercises and lots of fascinating information. I haven't read the book yet and when I do, I will review it on this blog.

Mediumship - "a person sensitive to the vibrations of level two: the spirit world. By adjusting his or her vibrations - consciously or unconsciously- a bridge is established between the two worlds, enabling spirit to communicate with those of this world. Mediumship is an ancient practice, found throughout history in all parts of the world."
(Definition from Buckland's Book of Spirit Communication, page 245.)

The definition above explains mediumship perfectly. I have mediumistic abilities and I studied with the Spiritual Science Fellowship - Spiritual and Psychic Development Levels to 3. It was an intense eighteen-week course. One night, we performed a seance. If we felt like we did not want to try to channel spirit anymore, we had to raise our hand. I will not lie that I was nervous. I was. So I raised my hand. After, another student told me that spirit indeed came through me. Apparently, I turned my head and the student saw only black where my head was. The spirit that came through me was a man with a big scar on his face. They asked if I knew the spirit. No, of course, I didn't. That is why in the earlier entry, I advised you to be careful of what spirits you attract during a seance. You may attract an unwelcome and nasty spirit. Another student asked to be smudged with sage after the seance was over. I agreed with that, because I certainly did not want to be bringing home that energy. The leader was not going to smudge us and wanted us to smudge ourselves once we arrived home. However, that is still carrying the energy with you. If possible, bring your own sage and smudge yourself with it if you are attending a seance at a friend's place.

The next several blog entries will focus on mediumship, so stay tuned for some great reading. If you are so inclined, you can buy these lovely reading socks right now at Chapters for under $30.00. Put on the kettle and your reading socks!


Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch )0( Harvest Moon Blessings!

Harvest by the Luminous Moon

Merry Meet all,


Open the Spell of your Soul, Magic will be revealed. Victoria Pettella

Tonight is the Harvest Moon. The Full Moon reigns tonight high in the sky. The Harvest Moon occurs in late summer or early fall, after the autumnal equinox, which has just passed. The Harvest Moon is also known as the Barley Moon or Hunter's Moon. Farmers use the ample moonlight to complete their gardening. Gardening by the light of the moon is an ancient practice. I am proud to tell you I harvested organic mugwort from my garden recently!

Two things to consider when gardening by the moon are the phase of the moon and the astrological house the moon is in. Now the autumn equinox has passed, and that is a time for endings, harvests, and contracts. Friday is ruled by Venus. Love spells correspond with Friday and Freyja. Diana is the Roman Goddess of the Hunt. Invoke her before performing a ritual.

Wiccans celebrate the aging goddess from Maiden, Mother to Crone, and the death of the God as he makes way for the Holly King. Grain is burned or ritually eaten in many faiths. Bake a batch of granola to symbolize the God's death.

A Celtic harvest moon ritual was to gather a key, a ring, or a flower, a bit of willow, a small piece of cake, a bread crust, and 4 cards (the ten of clubs, nine of hearts, ace of spades, and the ace of diamonds.) Wrap these items in a handkerchief and place under your pillow.

As you lay in your bed, say
"Luna, luna, every girl's friend,
to me, your clarity you will lend.
Let me this night in visions see
Emblems of my destiny."

If you dream of storms, trouble is ahead. If the storms end, a calm fate after strife. If you dream of a ring or the ace of diamonds= marriage.
bread = a good job
cake = prosperity
flowers = joy
willow = treachery in love
spades = death
clubs = traveling to a foreign land
diamonds = money
keys = great power
birds = children
geese = more than one marriage

Many blessings to you on the Harvest Moon
Lady Spiderwitch

Kitchen Divination

Merry Meet All,


Divination in the kitchen is a tradition that dates back centuries. Tealeaf readings have been performed for people in kitchens and parlors around the world. Tealeaf readings are popular again today. Information on how to do tealeaf readings and other types of divination are included in this entry.

Botanomancy is a form of divination using herbs by burning the herbs, leaves, and tree branches. The Druids practiced botanomancy with oak and vervain. They worshipped the spirits in the trees. They carved words onto the bark of the tree to divine the future. Seeds were cast to the wind. The seeds that didn't blow away revealed the answer. They burned pieces of wood and determined the auguries and omens from that. Botanomancy was similar to pyromancy. The Druids sacrificed certain objects to the flames, then watched the flames, and interpreted the omens from the flames.

Have you ever picked a flower then plucked off each petal, while thinking, "he loves me, he loves me not." That is one of the oldest forms of divination. Other forms are making a wish then blowing on the seeds of a dandelion on a windy afternoon. Spilling seeds then counting them while concentrating on a wish is a form of divination.

Herbs that correspond with divination are bay laurel, chamomile, cinnamon, mugwort, and sage. The priestesses of Delphi chewed on bay laurel leaves to aid them in divination and prophecy. Mugwort can be used to wash divining tools and aid in heightening psychic awareness. Sage cleans the area of any negative energy prior to performing divination. Sage can alter your awareness, making you more receptive to divination.

How to give Tealeaf readings

Tealeaf readings, known as tasseography or tasseomancy, the art of tealeaf readings. It dates back 5,000 years ago in China, when they read the leaves in cups for symbols of meaning. Turkish coffee and other types of coffee grounds have been used for tealeaf readings.

Use loose-leaf tea for tealeaf readings. Use a plain cup without markings as this gives more accurate readings. Place loose leaves in the bottom of the cup and add boiling water. Let the leaves settle to the bottom of the cup. Enjoy the cup of tea or your querent can enjoy the cup of tea and save a small amount of water. After the tea is finished, clear your mind and pick the mug up in your hands.

Say aloud or mentally say a prayer to your guides or deity, or Divine Spirit for guidance during the reading. Take the cup and swirl the leaves clockwise three times. Quickly flip the cup over, bottom side up and put it on the saucer. Tap the bottom of the cup three times. Three is the magickal number. Begin to examine the leaves remaining in the cup. The mug should be free of any pictures on the inside of the cup. You cannot derive an accurate reading from pictures on the inside of the cup.

It is a tradition to read the leaves from the rim of the cup to the handle of the cup, spiraling downward to the bottom of the cup, which represents the future. Strive to have an attitude of service for others. You can perform tealeaf readings for others should the opportunity arise. Make sure to deliver a message for the person's Highest Good and respect their free will. Be tactful when advising the person of the messages. Be honest and grateful for the opportunity to read for them.

Scrying

Scrying is a type of divination that can be performed with crystals, smoke, mirrors, bowls of water, or flames to induce visions. Scrying can be defined as peering into a surface to see into the future. I am going to talk about two methods of scrying: pyromancy, with fire and crystals and olive oil divination.

Pyromancy is divining with fire. If you have ever sat around at a campfire, and gazed into the flickering flames then you have practiced pyromancy. Pyromancy is commonly performed with candles.

Light a candle of any size, color, or shape and gaze into the flame. Soften your gaze as you watch the flames. Allow yourself to be open to whatever messages or images you receive. When you sense that you are finished, close your chakras and thank Spirit or your chosen deity for their assistance.

An alternate method is to light candles setup on two candleholders and gaze between the two candles. Again, you have to open your mind and allow yourself to be open to the impressions you receive. When you are done and before you begin, remember to ground and center yourself. Close your chakras and put out the candle flames.

Some fun divinations to perform involve the use of herbs and a cauldron. Select an herb appropriate for divination. The herb should be dried and crumbling to the touch. Bay laurel, lemon balm, mugwort, or sage is ideal.

Light the charcoal disc in the cauldron. Wait until the charcoal disc is ready and cast the herbs onto the charcoal. Meditate on your wish and see how fast the herbs burn. If the herbs burn slowly, then your wish may take longer to manifest.

Sympathetic magick is one of the oldest forms of magick. The idea is that like attracts like. Again, you will need a cauldron and charcoal. Write down your wish on a colored piece of paper with a similar color of ink. Red is for love or energy, green and brown are for earthy related matters, blue is for intuition and dreams, and purple is for spiritual matters. Orange is for creativity and energy. Yellow is for intellectual pursuits. Cast the paper with your wish on it in the cauldron and watch how fast it burns. That will determine how fast your wish comes to you. If it burns slowly, your desire may take longer to manifest. Maintain a positive attitude to draw it towards you.

Olive Oil divination

There is something magickal and romantic about gazing into a cauldron on a moonlit night. This divination is simple yet powerful. Prepare yourself to perform the divination by cleansing yourself and your space. Meditate before hand to be in the proper mindset for the divination. Ensure that you will not be interrupted during this divination.

Arrange your space by placing a small silk scarf on the table. On the fabric, place a clear quartz crystal, a cauldron and a bottle of pure olive oil on the table. Work near a window if you want to catch the moonlight lands in your cauldron. Light some sandalwood incense.

Ask for a reading of the future and fill a cauldron with water. Pour a few drops of the oil onto the cauldron. The drops rise to the surface. Gaze into the cauldron and try to interpret what the oil droplets mean. This divination can be done with pure spring water or essential oils.

If the droplets seperate, you may have a big change coming into your life. If there are certain number of drops of oil, like three or four, trouble may be coming or more than one opportunity in love or employment related matters. If the oil drops spread over a surface, that is a good sign that troubles are behind you. If you keep practicing these divinations, you may become adept enough to perform readings for others. Below are a few more divinations you can try.

Fill a cauldron or bowl with spring water and scry with the water. Do this on a full or waning moon night with the best results.

Thorn apple seeds are a common magickal element. Use nine thorn apple seeds. Pass the seeds through wormwood smoke then rest them on a tray. Interpret the images in the smoke. Burn incense in a cauldron or a clamshell and interpret the images in the smoke.

Divination in the kitchen is a time honored tradition. Enjoy trying out these types of divination in your home alone or with friends. They are easy to do with practice and fun. Enjoy yourself, knowing you are keeping a time-honored tradition alive.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

Forerunners

Merry Meet All,


We don't have many castles in Nova Scotia unlike Ireland, but as I've pointed out, we do have our share of ghost lore. Nova Scotia is famous for its grim history and ghost stories that is related to the history here.

There are stories of forerunners here. A forerunner is a sign of an impending death. Here is an account of a forerunner from the book Bluenose Ghosts by the most celebrated folklorist Helen Creighton.

Imagine that its a dark foggy night in Halifax. You are returning home from work one night and you see a dark tall figure carrying a lantern ahead of you. You pause to take a closer look. His legs are so long you could walk between his legs. The closer you get, the more scared you are. He turns, and without a sound, you see that his face is your own. The apparition is a foretelling of your impending death.

The man who told this story to Helen Creighton did die a few months later. That is eerie. So a warning: If you see a dark figure that bears a strange resemblance to you, turn the other way and run!

Now you do not always have to see an unusually tall man to have an experience or a sign of impending death. This is what happened to me. No one died or was harmed. But I did have a vision of someone in pain before I ever saw or talked to the person.

It all began one night when I was at home with my family. I had a strong feeling that something was wrong, in my solar plexus chakra. I had a vision of my brother's friend, bent over in pain and surrounded by a fiery red and orange aura. I knew he was in trouble and told this to my family, mystified by my vision. I did not understand then why I was having this vision.

Fifteen minutes later, my brother's friend Thompson Rahr arrived ill and in pain. We would learn later that his kidneys had failed him. His mother arrived at our house and they all went to the hospital together. I realize now Spirit was sending me a message. I had not conversed with him that day or seen him. He has since recovered well.

Thompson's incident stirred my mediumistic abilities. Since then, I have always sensed things before they happened. Its known as second sight, intuition, and clairvoyance.

Forerunners are signs of impending death. Maybe that's why I had the vision- to help save Thompson from an undeserved fate.

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

Ghosts and Hauntings- Leap Castle

Merry Meet All,


I look out my kitchen window to a sunny autumn morning. The blue sky is a welcome relief from the relentless rain we have had the last few days, and the sun shines on the trees. Leaves are turning and dew clings to the boughs. It is a beautiful autumn morning.

Word on the Street was wonderful. I arrived in the morning and signed in for my volunteer shift. I ushered the authors to their reading tents and helped people all day. I attended a reading, and talked to my friends and visited the Fierce Ink Press booth. I like the cover and title of the book The Night has Teeth by Kat Kruger, and once I have read that book, I plan to post a review of it on this blog. The setup of Word on the Street was wonderful. I found everything easy to find and the sun shone for the whole time of the festival. Volunteers were allowed to select a book for free for their efforts and time. I was tired at the end of the day, but I felt great.

I bought a book recently for research purposes and entertainment, we all love a ghost story. The book is entitled The Element Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Hauntings by Theresa Cheung. I love this book. I like the cover of the book. The book does have one drawback and I have noticed this of other books about ghosts. It leaves out one of the scariest ghost stories I have ever heard of.

I will share the story then return to the book review. Leap Castle is a castle in Ireland with a bloody history. The castle was built by the O'Bannon family.
The O'Bannons were the "secondary chieftains" of the area, and were subject to the ruling O'Carroll clan. The Earl of Kildare tried to seize the castle but were unsuccessful and tried to seize it again within three years. By then, the O'Carrolls had regained possession of the castle.

Mulrooney O'Carroll died in 1532 and after that, the family was plagued with troubles. A rivalry for leadership broke out within the clan. The bitter fight tore the family apart. One of the brothers was a priest. The priest was holding massfor his family in what is now called The Bloody Chapel. While the priest was chanting the holy rites, his rival brother stormed into the chapel, and murdered him with a fatal blow from a sword. The butchered priest collapsed on the altar and perished in front of his family.

In 1659, ownership of the castle fell into the Darby family. But before that, there was another hidden source of true evil- an oubliette. That is the french word to forget. The ubliet (dungeon) was found near the bloody chapel. It is a room with a spike. You were put there to be forgotten about, pushed into the room, and die a slow agonizing death. A window let a person suffering in the ubliet to be able to see people walking merrily about below. That is torture. In 1900, workmen found the skeletons piled on top of each other. It took three cartloads to remove the bones. One of the workmen found a pocket watch from the 1840s but was unsure if the dungeon was in use then.

Due to its bloody history people avoided Leap Castle. It always had a reputation for being haunted. Most people avoided it at night. Leap Castle was boarded up and padlocked for seventy years. The gruesome dungeon discovery stirred a psychic disturbance. The elemental spirit emerged from the dungeon. In 1659 ownership of the castle passed to the Darby family. The Darby family renovated the castle and turned it into a family home. Mildred Darby was into the occult, and dabbled in it, unaware of the elemental's ferocious velocity.

Mildred Darby wrote a story for the Journal Occult Review, which described her eerie encounter with the elemental. "I was standing in the Gallery looking down at the main floor, when I felt somebody put a hand on my shoulder. The thing was about the size of a sheep. Thin gaunting shadowy..., its face was human, to be more accurate inhuman. Its lust in its eyes which seemed half-decomposed in black cavities stared into mine. The horrible smell one hundred times intensified came up into my face, giving me a deadly nausea. It was the smell of a decomposing corpse." (Mildred Darby, for the Journal Occult Review.)

The elemental is believed to be a primitive ghost that attaches itself to a particular castle. It can be malevolent, terrifying, and unpredictable. After her experiments with the occult, which proves she was most unwise, things in the castle were never the same again. A sinister energy haunted the castle. The Darbys were driven out by the Irish struggle for independence. The castle was destroyed by bombs and was looted. A shell of the castle remained afterwards.

Leap Castle changed ownership again in the 1970s, as an Australian man purchased the castle, and had a white witch brought there to exorcise the castle. She explained that the spirits haunting the castle were no longer malevolent, but wanted to remain there. In the 1990s the castle was sold to the current owners. They knew about the castle's dark troubled history.

In 1991 the restoration of the castle began. A 'freak accident' left the owner with a broken kneecap for a year, and one year later the owner was back at work to restore the castle. He was up on a ladder when the ladder he stood on tilted backwards. He fell several stories and broke his ankle. That same year the owner's daughter was christened in The Bloody Chapel. The castle was full of happiness and love for the first time. Perhaps the sour spirits have finally found peace.

So my book may not include this macabre tale, but it is not a tale for the faint of heart. I would never live there but I would make a short visit. I hope the castle has found happiness, after its' long dark bloodstained history. Do you dare to roam the halls of Leap Castle? I saw a video about the elemental that haunted the castle, and will never forget it.

The Element Encyclopedia is a great book otherwise. It does include a huge amount of other paranormal lore and phenomena. It includes stories of poltergeists, ghost hunts and famous mediums. I do find this book to be a reliable source for information, if I need to research or check something for my ghost story. The book is over 550 pages.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

Mabon

Merry Meet All,


Today there is lots of excitement. Word on the Street is today, despite the ominous threat of rain, and many witches out there are also sure to be celebrating Mabon.

Read on to learn how to dress a Mabon altar. Look to nature for inspiration. The trees are turning to those loved bright colors of crimson and gold. Reflect those colors in your design. Use yellows, oranges, golds and browns. Use candles in the same colors.

Use symbols on your altar such as corn, sheafs of wheat, scythes, sickles and baskets. Fill some baskets with pinecones, chinese jack'o lanterns, pinecones- clean them first and dry them in an oven, and acorns. Walnuts and almonds are good to use, too. Use small pumpkins and other root vegetables such as squash and gourds. Tuck them into a cornucopia basket and pause to reflect on the bounty that nature shares with us and say a gratitude prayer.

Light the quarter candles on your altar and you are ready to begin your ritual! Since the equinoxes are about balance, consider using black and white candles or yin and yang symbols which represent balance.

Symbols of Mabon:

Wine and graps
Apples
Pomegranates
Corn
Pumpkins
Gourds
Corn dolls
Squashes
Seeds and seed pods
Baskets
Deity Statues

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

Book Launch and Autumn Equinox

Merry Meet All,

Many Autumn Equinox blessings to you all! Last night, I attended yet another book launch, this one was for the author Kat Kruger, and her novel The Night has Teeth, published by a new company in Halifax called Fierce Ink Press. I saw some new faces and some familiar faces. I had a great time.

The pagan Ezine Eternal Haunted Summer posted my essay on the Clay Goddess. Here is the link: http://eternalhauntedsummer.com/issues/autumn-equinox-2012/the-clay-goddess/. I am happy to be included in the autumn issue of Eternal Haunted Summer.

Tomorrow is Word on the Street, the event I have been waiting for. So many autumn blessings to you all.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitchi>

Helen Creighton Bluenose Ghosts

Merry Meet All,


Today we are going to look at another legendary master of folklore, Helen Creighton. She wrote the awesome book Bluenose Ghosts. She also wrote the book Bluenose Magic, both of which I own.

Bluenose Ghosts by Helen Creighton was an instant hit when it was published and is still a great book now. The ghost stories are told by ordinary people from Nova Scotia told over a period of thirty years. The book is blood chilling. It was first published in 1957. Helen Creighton is one of Canada's most respected and renowned folklorists.

Bluenose Ghosts is in its second edition, with a foreword by Clary Croft, another folklorist from Nova Scotia. I love this book and admit that I was scared to read some parts of the book. The ghost stories were that scary. The stories are about forerunners, phantom ships, devils and angels, headless ghosts, animal ghosts and strange lights, haunted houses and poltergeists.

Bluenose Ghosts is an excellent book for anyone interested in local folklore, or for who likes to get scared by ghost stories. Here is a tale about a headless ghost: "Liverpool (Nova Scotia) is the scene of our next story. "At Cape LaHave a headless man had to go out at twelve o'clock at night on the first day of March to put a buoy down. From the same village another man went out at the same time to mow a swath, and what you moved was your own piece. Well, this night as they were going to their different businesses they met, and it was at the spot where there is an old cannon. They both swore they saw an old-timer sitting on top of the old cannons in old-fashioned and no head on. He was wearing an old split-tail coat." (Page 158.)

Creighton effortlessly captures the voice of the people and their personalities. You hear their voice in the pages as you read, spellbound.

The quote above brings to mind the story of the Headless Horseman from Sleepy Hollow. This book is almost like a textbook on how to write local ghost folklore. It is considered a definitive work and is one of the best in its field. Her other book is Bluenose Magic, which contains tales about forerunners and poltergeists, and treasure. fairies, the Mi'kmaq, witchcraft and enchantment, dreams, divination, superstition, and home remedies. They are both excellent books. Bluenose Magic is a thicker book, but contains the magic and mystery that is characteristic of Nova Scotia. I would recommend both these books to eager readers. Bluenose Magic also has a foreword written by Clary Croft.

I hope you enjoy reading the books I have posted about in my blog and perhaps find a ghost story or two of your own.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

Local ghost folklore from a master storyteller

Merry Meet All,

Three times a bridge over these waves shall rise
built by the white man, so strong and so wise,
three times shall fall like a dying breath
in storm, in silence, and last in death.
Anonymous poem from the Halifax Herald

LOCAL FOLKLORE AND GHOST STORIES

For every wave that washes ashore, there is a ghost story.

A local author and friend of mine, Steve Vernon, has published some excellent books on the local folklore of Nova Scotia. He learned the art of storytelling from his grandfather. He narrates the book well because he blends fact, history, and folklore into a collection of compelling tales. The books are about folklore, brought to life by the skilled author Steve Vernon.

The first book is Haunted Harbours Ghost stories from Old Nova Scotia. If you read the most recent posting, the ghost lore is connected to the local history. The book contains a map of Nova Scotia. Each tale is set in Nova Scotia. The map aids the reader to know where each tale is set. He writes with a bone-chilling believability that might keep you awake at night or on edge seated around the campfire.

What is great about his books is how he brings the stories to life. You are right there with the characters, living the stories as chills creep up your spine. Ghosts roam Sable Island, the ghost ship The Teazer haunts Mahone Bay, and phantom pipers lament for lost loves. When I read this, I was delighted to find an author after my own heart- by that, I mean, someone who loves spooky macabre tales and local folklore as much as I do.

His next book, Halifax Haunts- Exploring the City's Spookiest Spaces, is another collection of wickedly delightful spooky tales of local lore. This excellent book focuses more on the local tales of Halifax. The previous book focused on the folklore from around Nova Scotia. For every wave that washes in ashore, there is a ghost story. One tale tells us of the window at St. Paul's church. The window has been replaced numerous times yet always bears the silhouette of a man. One of the stories is about the cursing of the MacDonald bridge. The bridge was cursed three times from a Mi'kmaq man in a jealous passionate rage. The curse caused the bridge to fall twice. A chieftain removed the curse and he buried a hatchet on the site. We can hope the curse is removed for the wellbeing of those who dare to cross it. The quotation above relates to the tale here. Another tale that was a favorite of mine is the story of the famous haunted restaurant, The Five Fishermen. The Five Fishermen restaurant is successful. The hauntings are not stopping customers from dining on excellent cuisine. This book is well worth reading, whether you are from away or a curious Haligonian, you will enjoy these tales.

The next book is entitled The Lunenburg Werewolf and other stories of the supernatural by Steve Vernon. He has an uncanny talent for digging ghost stories up from their graves, so to speak, and telling them so well. The Lunenburg Werewolf is his best book yet. The cover is amazing. This book was snappy, scary, and spine-tingling. The tale of the foolish naive young girl in love who walks backward over a watery bridge in the middle of the night on Samhain, carrying a mirror, and bumps into the devil made me jump out of my seat. He knows how to set a reader's heart racing with his imagination, pacing, and vivid imagery. These tale encompass most of Nova Scotia. I marvel at the way he can dig up so many stories and yet in all the books, every tale is unique and well told.

Maritime Murders is his latest book. Maritime Murders is his most bone chilling yet. I read books about local ghost lore by other authors. Steve Vernon grips you and keeps you gripped even as you are horrified. The book is about the nastiest crimes committed from 1770 to 1938 in the Maritime area. You can read about a woman who poisoned her children with matchheads or the man who was hung three times. The murders are grisly and even though you want to look away or stop reading, you can't.

Steve Vernon does his research for each tale and it shows in the tales. The way he blends fact with the macabre in his stories make these books unique. So sit down on a misty foggy evening in a quiet old tavern for the appropriate atmosphere, and read these books. After, you may think you saw a shadow flicker out of the corner of your eye. Or is it your imagination?

Next, more local lore from another master of lore, Helen Creighton.

Ghosts of the Halifax Explosion

Merry Meet All,


Halifax, where I live, has a fascinating and grim history. The Halifax Explosion is one piece in the puzzle of many grim stories. It is also a ghost story. Halifax, or Nova Scotia particularly, is full of ghost stories.

The Halifax Explosion is the largest manmade explosion since the bomb exploded in Hiroshima. In 1917 Halifax was bustling with activity. Many people moved to Halifax to benefit from the prosperity war offers. The fateful morning of December 6 at first was no different than any other morning. Children were on their way to school and boats were loading and unloading.

At 7:30 am the French freighter Mont Blanc and the Norweigan ship Imo both weighed anchor from the Bedford Basin heading for the Narrows and points beyond. The Mont Blanc was heavily loaded with a volatile mix of wet and dry picric acid, TNT, gun cotton, and benzol, bound for the European arena. The Imo under ballast was destined for New York. At approximately 8:40 am they collided as the Imo struck the bow of the Mont Blanc. Fire broke out immediately on the Imo. The captain and crew wasted no time escaping on lifeboats. They rowed to the Dartmouth side of the harbor. The Mont Blanc burned for twenty minutes and came to rest by Pier 6 of Halifax's north end. Curious onlookers, unaware of the deadly danger they were in, stopped to observe. The ship disintegrated and exploded into fragments decimating population and property. Over 2000 people died, over 4000 injured, and 1630 buildings were reduced to rubble, and 12000 damaged. The explosion was powerful enough to be felt in Cape Breton, 240 miles away. People were killed, blinded from falling glass, wounded, and lay on the snowy ground, shivering from the cold.

Ever since the Halifax Explosion, the silhouette of a man's head in a window of St. Paul's church has been seen, the oldest Protestant church in Canada. The window has been changed many times to banish the shadowy reminder, but every time it reappears as a reminder of the horrors of the explosion. No one knows exactly how the man died, but the silhouette remains. See photo below.

The Five Fishermen building was built in 1817 as part of the First National School- the first school in Canada to offer free education. It later became the Halifax Victorian School of Art, managed by Anna Leonowens and was changed to a funeral home. Before the Halifax Explosion, was another great disaster- the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. The Snow funeral home became the place for the final arrangements of the many Titanic victims. Five years later the Snow funeral home was the macabre scene of stacked coffins piled high row upon row from the Halifax Explosion. In 1975, the building became and remained The Five Fishermen restaurant. Stories of flying silverware, and arguing voices after the doors are locked. An elderly gentleman wearing clothing from another time is spotted walking into and through a wall mirror. Two Victorian ladies climb a staircase and vanish. People feel cold spots, and locked bathroom doors open as if by themselves. Paranormal investigators frequent The Five Fishermen restaurant, as it is a magnet for paranormal activity. Now I plan to have a meal there and see this for myself. The Snow funeral home as it was in 1917 is shown below. If I see any paranormal activity, I promise to report all about it on this blog. Here is a link to learn more about the hauntings at The Five Fishermen restaurant: http://fivefishermen.com/about/hauntings.htm

I went to the Five Fishermen restaurant to see if it was haunted. I sat down to enjoy a lovely meal of seafood salad and wine. As I ate, I kept glancing at the wall of wine bottles across the room. I sensed nothing downstairs, and there was so much hustle and bustle of people entering and exiting the restaurant. After I paid for the meal, I confessed to an employee why I was really there. I was given a tour of the upstairs area of the restaurant. We chatted as we climbed the stairs. Halfway up I felt like someone was dancing over my grave. My chest felt tight. We climbed the stairs and reached the top floor. I became uneasy. We went into a small room full of wine bottles. I sensed something almost angry, oppressed, and unhappy. I wanted to leave. I was told this was a very haunted room of the restaurant. I realized that was why I kept glancing at the wine bottles downstairs. I could not remain long in that room. I told the spirit, maybe an old sea captain, I meant no harm. I sensed he was curious about me. We then went to the private dining room- the employee and I- though maybe the ghost followed us. I could almost see people from another time seated at the tables and dining. I was told a lot of mediums have entered the dining room and have wanted to leave. I sensed a spirit or two haunted that room, too.

The Five Fishermen serves excellent food. It is a haunted restaurant and needs a good spiritual cleansing. The Halifax Explosion has created a lot of residual energy that is stagnant and stuck and unable to move on. I hope I have the chance to cleanse the energy there of the residual energy.


The Halifax Explosion and The Five Fishermen restaurant are but two of many ghost stories about Halifax's grim history.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

What to do if you see a spook

Merry Meet All,

First, a note about orbs.

Orbs are, according to some people, evidence of ghosts. However, there is a lot of controversy surrounding the existence of orbs. While orbs can be photographed, the controversy is that the orbs are dust, raindrops, or dust particles caught by the camera flash. However, I have photographed more of what I thought was orbs with my non digital camera than with my digital camera.

I have posted the photo above that I took in Pleasant Bay, Cape Breton, Canada, while staying with family. I will allow you to draw your own conclusions about orbs. They may be dust on a photograph or they may be indeed be proof of the existence of ghosts. It is hard to say. Orbs appear in the photo.

That said, it is nearing Samhain, and we all know the veil between the worlds grows thin at this time of year. The chances of meeting a ghost are better than other times of the year. If you are walking around during twilight, or dusk, or out on a full moon night, or walking in the woods on a misty foggy afternoon, especially old woods, you may run into a specter. The important thing to do, and let's see if you have been paying attention to these posts, is to not panic and remain grounded and centered. Remain calm. If I have ever run into a spook, and I thought I did a few times, I knew the ghost was less interested in me than I would like to think. 99% of the ghosts are earthbound spirits and trying to find a way to the Light. I also do not think that you have to be a hugely gifted psychic to have this opportunity, but it may help.

Once at Samhain, I walked down to the lovely Armdale Rotary, to the huge lake. The full moon was shining brightly and I wanted to admire the moon. I saw a man in dark clothes and a dark aura seated on a nearby bench. When I approached him, he vanished before my eyes. I hurried home afterwards. If you see a spirit, try to communicate with it. Be respectful and calm. The ghost might be as intrigued of you as you are of the ghost. It may try to communicate with you. If you know how to send spirits to the Light, then try to do that.

Try to take photographs of the ghost. You will have to be discreet about it. Take photos while you see the spirit, which would appear as a misty form. I rarely see a ghost's lower legs and feet. Take photos after the ghost has disappeared for comparison purposes. You are fortunate to have that experience if you do have it. Not many do.

If you can, try to document the experience. Use a voice recorder if you have one or a cell phone voice recorder. This is proof of your encounter. You might get a EVP (electric voice phenomena) recording. Also, try to invite others to share this experience with you to validate the encounter. Be patient. The ghost, if there is a ghost there, will leave and probably not return. But try your best to record and document the experience.

Your documentation should include the following:

Where it happened
When it happened (note the date and time)
The weather (if you were outdoors)
The duration of the event
Appearance of the ghost
Male or female (yes, sometimes, you can still tell)
Age and height
The posture of the ghost? Standing or sitting?
Type of clothing?
Facial expressions
Full-bodied or partial apparition
Movement of the Apparition
Did it float? Go through walls?

Consider returning later to the spot where you saw the apparition. You may see the apparition again, but do not count on it. Time is different in the supernatural realm. The apparition did not make an appointment to be there, so the spook may drift endlessly through time. Now you will know what to do if you see a ghost.

Mabon Divination with Apples

Merry Meet All,


This morning I rummaged through my herb garden. I harvested mugwort- one stalk, Egyptian mint, and spearmint, which are drying in my kitchen. Mmm the mint tea will taste good. The mugwort will be a treat. Oh how I plan to make the most of that famous witch's herb!! To learn more about the magickal properties of mugwort, please see my previous blog entries. We will return to the topic of ghosts, because I know it fascinates you as much as it does me. But since it is getting close to Mabon, I wanted to blog about divination at Mabon.

The Magic of Mabon Apple Divination

Mabon is the second harvest Sabbat and occurs on September 20-22 in the northern hemisphere. It is a time of balance, as there are equal parts of day and night. Apples are associated with harvests, and are ideal for performing Mabon magic.

Apples have always had an important place in magic. They produced blossoms and fruit and were part of the Celtic paradise. The love planet Venus rules apples. Apples can be used to help predict matters of love.

You can invoke the goddesses Pomona: the Goddess of Apples, Demeter and Persephone. Pomona corresponds with the blooming orchards at autumn. If you slice an apple crosswise, you will see the five-pointed star, the symbol of the Goddess. Here are several fun methods of divination involving apples to try during Mabon.

Peel an apple and keep the apple peel in one long piece. When the peel comes off, drop it on the floor. The letter it forms is the first initial of your true love. If a girl peels an apple in one long piece at midnight and tosses the peel over her left shoulder, she will be able to read the first initial of her future partner's name in the shape assumed by the discarded peel.

Wait till midnight and slice an apple into nine pieces. Take the apple pieces into a dark room with a mirror. At midnight, eat the apple pieces while gazing into the mirror above. When you get to the ninth piece, toss it over your shoulder. The face of your lover should appear in the mirror.

If a girl stands before a mirror at midnight, while eating an apple and combing her hair, her future husband's image will be reflected in the glass over her left shoulder. Hold apple seeds in your left hand and recite the name of a suitor for each seed, then toss the seeds in the flames. The seed that pops the loudest is the suitor whose heart burned the most for them.

Cut an apple crosswise and count the seeds. An even number of seeds shows that you have a high chance of marriage. An odd number of seeds shows that you do not. If a seed is cut in half, you will have a rocky relationship. Cut an apple in half. Eat the first half before midnight, and the second half just as the clock turns to midnight. You will dream of your lover that night.

Place apple seeds between fingers till it flies out. Shake hands, saying, "Apple seed, apple seed, apple seed, Please tell me where my true love will be, North, East, West, South, apple seed, apple seed, apple seed, Please answer this request for me." Open your palm. The direction in which the pointed end of the seed is facing is the direction in which true love or partnerships lie.

To determine whether someone loves you, eat an apple to the core until you find a seed. Remove the seed and name it by the same name as the one you love on a candle. You can carve a name onto a candle, dress it with olive oil, and roll the candle, dress it in olive oil, and roll the candle in glitter for a magical effect. Light the candle and let it burn for a few moments then drop the seed into the candle flame. If you hear a popping sound, the one you desire cannot hold back his love for you. Do not blow out the candle flame or you will incur a quarrel. Snuff the candle out to maintain a harmonious energy.

The color of the candle determines the outcome of the divination. Red and pink
correspond with love spells and divination. Also, to bind the energies within a candle, snuff it out. To release the energies from a candle, blow the candle out. Keep candles away from pets or children.

When performing love magic or spells, please remember to follow ethics. It is tempting to attempt to make that special someone love you the way you want them to, but in the end, you may learn it was not what you really wanted. The person may not be who you thought they were. Ever bear in mind the Rule of Three; whatever you send out, you get back times three. Make an effort to radiate positivity energy, and it will be returned to you.

Mabon is a potent time for divination. Magic crackles, the veil opens wider between the worlds, and an early frost chills the air. I hope you enjoy trying these divinations and have a magickal Mabon. You just might meet that special someone!

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

How to clear a home of spirits

Merry Meet All,

A house clearing is performed to rid a home of negative energy. This is best performed when there is a great need such at a lunar esbat, removing an unwanted energy from your home, after moving in and before moving out, or after a quarrel. Quarrels can sometimes cause the residual energies to linger and negative energies to become stuck.

First, cleanse yourself of negative energy by bathing with epsom salts. The epsom salts revive you and cleanse you. Epsom salts are dehydrating so be sure to drink enough water afterwards.

Smudge yourself with sage. Put on loose, light colored, comfortable clothing and wear a protective talisman. Smudge your living space with sage. Sage is powerful and regarded as a herb of wisdom. Offer the smoke to Spirit then go to every room, waving the smoke around doorways, windows, from the attic to the basement of the house. To avoid burning yourself, keep the smudge wand in a seashell or a cauldron lightly filled with salt, sand, or rice.

You may need the following items for the house clearing. Sometimes, the smudge will suffice. It depends on the degree of intensity of the house clearing. Be in a positive grounded frame of mind. A small glass bowl of sea salt, a white candle in a candleholder, a besom, matches or a lighter and a candlesnuffer, incense such as frankincense, rosemary, and sandalwood, a large crystal and anointing oil. The anointing oil is optional.

Assemble all your materials on a large flat basket or flat surface, such as a table. Place a few drops of oil on the candle. Light the candle and the incense. Pour some salt into the bottom of the bowl. Be sure the salt will not damage the crystal. Some crystals cannot be stored in salt. Put the incense in the censer.

Focus on the broom, bowl and candle. Picture them vibrating with a clear, vibrant positive energy. Concentrate as hard as you can on white light and imagine it filtering every inch of your living space.

With the besom, sweep counterclockwise around the entire house, beginning at the front door. Continue this until you have made a circle of the entire house. As you sweep, visualize the negative energy being drawn out of your home. Chant a prayer if you feel like it. Sweep the negative energies out the door and out of the house.

Pick up the candle and incense. Walk clockwise around the inside of the house three times, letting the smoke penetrate each corner. As you do this, offer a blessing or a prayer. "I welcome positive energy into my home. No darkness may enter here," or something to that effect. "By the power of three times three, OR earth, air, fire, and water, be gone, all unclean things!"

Place the clear quartz crystal, amethyst, or hematite, in a spot of the home to ward against negative energy. Snuff out the candle. As you are clearing your home, remember to be respectful or perform the ritual with reverence.

Clean up your tools and visualize your home filled with radiant energy. Leave the house and go for a walk. Return when refreshed. Do not be surprised if you feel the home being truly blessed by radiant energy. I smudge my living space with sage every full moon. Do what feels right for you. Good luck with the house clearing.

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

Spirits, Phantoms, Poltergeists, oh My!

Merry Meet All,


In the other blog entries, I discussed the veil between the worlds, how to hold a seance, and the arrival of the Fall/ Crone season. Now I am going to look at the different types of spirits you may encounter if you do hold a seance. (Remember only channel positive spirits from a higher source.)

A variety of spirits or energies are out there. It's like looking at the different colors of a rainbow. The colors range from light to dark. Rainbows are a beautiful phenonemon.

First, there are the garden variety of ghosts. They are sometimes referred to as earthbound spirits, trapped on a plane of existence and unable to move on to the Light. They may have a message or a warning for the living and those who were closest to them. Or they are just trapped spirits.

Poltergeists are manifestations of a restless energy. They move objects, make noises, cause electronic equipment to malfunction, and other unpredictable things. They are noisy and distracting. The word poltergeist derives from the German word poltern ("to make noise") and Geist ("ghost") and the form literally means "noisy ghost". The destruction and noise that poltergeists create has no known cause. The haunting can last from a few hours to several months. They are disembodied spirits of a low order, a lower energy level. You would not want one in your home.

Crisis Apparitions

A crisis apparition appears when the living person is experiencing the condition that will lead to his death. A famous example is the 1893 sighting of Vice Admiral George Tyron by guests at his wife's tea party. The vice admiral, dressed in his formals, walked through his home at the same time that his ship sank with him off the coast of Syria.

Nonhuman entities are a lower level of entity. That can include fairies and shadow people. They have never incarnated as human beings. We cannot ever determine how much intelligence an entity or spirit has. I will not try to do that here. But I can confirm their level of high or low energy and what that means for us. Most spirits are easy to encourage to move on, but some like to stick around. Poltergeists would fall into this category, and tommyknockers, shadow people, and other forms of lower energy spirits. Nonhuman entities do not think like us. They do not premeditate and strive to present themselves as human at first, and only consistent interaction with them will reveal their true form. They call for a more aggressive means to force them to leave.

Residual hauntings have to do with a location. The haunting is tied to the location of a home. Ley lines are an example of a location-based anomaly. A ghost who repeats what he did over and over again in an area where he died is a great example of a residual haunting. The haunting is permanent and is impossible to clear from an area. A traumatic moment in time has a powerful impression on an area. The ghost will replay the moment in time for an eternity, which is sad. The ghost cannot move on to the Light. A person might hear a child's toy playing or doors opening and closing. They are harmless.

Shadow people have a human appearance. They are the shadows you see out of the corner of your eye. People have reported seeing them. They have red eyes. They are of the lower energy realm and the energy they radiate is generally malevolent. Telling them to go away may not be enough to get them to leave your home. You do not want these beings in your home under any circumstances. They are fleeting and quick. If you tell them to leave, you may find more of them in your home later. Try ignoring the ghost. They want attention and will do anything to get it. It will be hard. Stick to your guns. Get help from someone. It will be hard to deal with alone. Turn on the lights, yes, even at night. You do not have to leave lights on all night long, but they hide in the dark, don't they? Meditate on white light filling your house. Lloyd Aurebach wrote a book entitled Ghost Hunting: How to Investigate the Paranormal. He covers the subject in depth and will have information on how to deal with shadow people. Pray you never need to.

Before you leap to clear a house of a ghost, I caution you to first determine if a home is actually haunted. Logic and common sense prevail here. If you have tried everything and are grounded and centered, and still believe you have a haunting, then you may clear the home of the spirit/s. I urge you again to perform with a trusted friend or other person. Most spirits will leave a home on their own. Concentrate on white light and positive energy. They may not want to be there with you, either.

The next entry will discuss how to clear your home of a haunting. Believe me, I've been there!!!

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

How to hold a seance.

Merry Meet All,

In the recent post, I talked about the veil between the worlds. Today we are going to look at how to contact spirits, cleanse a sacred space for the ritual, and how to protect yourself.

You can start to create a safe, protected space by first physically cleaning your living space and second, setting up the ritual space. Shower or bathe to purify yourself and remove any negativity. This step opens you up to the ritual. Put on a protective amulet or talisman that you hold sacred. Wear a ritual robe or loose clothing. Smudge your living space with sage, frankincense, rosemary, and/ or sandalwood. Asperge the corners of your living space with saltwater. Use your besom to sweep any lingering negative energy away and open the door of your home to cast the energy away from your space. This initial step may seem like a lot of work, but it is worth it and is important. This will help you create a boundary. If you don't go to all the work, you may end up with more trouble than you were prepared for.

If you plan to sit during the ritual or stand at an altar, you should still erect a circle or triple circle. Not all spirits are good. It is vital that you set up sacred space and a defensive boundary to shield yourself. Light a white candle and consecrate, cleanse and dedicate the candle to the purpose of the ritual. Anoint the candle with oil. Use a sturdy candleholder to support the candle. Let the candle continue to burn. The spirit may be attracted to the heat source.

It is vital that you are in a proper frame of mind. Do not perform this is if you had an argument with a spouse or neighbor. Turn off the phones. Meditate first to open your chakras, and get you in the frame of mind.

Meditate with the intent of being calm and grounded. Ground and center yourself. Put a shield around yourself. Again, all this work is to protect you. If you have a spirit guide or animal totem, ask for their guidance during this ritual. They may rescue you from trouble at the last moment.

Setup your ritual/ seance space. Use light colors. Goth black is too dark and may attract darker energies into your living space-and refuse to leave. Use the washroom before you begin. Invite a friend over to keep you company and maybe help if things get out of hand. Say a prayer, cast your circle, and meditate again. Close your eyes and clear your mind. Do not use oiuja boards. They never bring good energy. I do not believe in them and refuse to ever have one in my home. They are more trouble than they are worth.

Open your chakras. With the white candle burning, the ambient incense wafting in the air, and maybe soft music playing, and your protective shields up and cast circle, you are ready to begin. Ask for a message from a loved one/ ancestor/ deceased relative. You must concentrate on communicating with a higher energy/ positive energy. You may recieve messages from many spirits. It is better if you do this with a friend or a group of people, unless you are SURE you can handle it by yourself, at which point you must be experienced. If you attract a malevolent entity, and this may happen, in spite of your shielding and circle, send it away. Be firm. Say something like, "You are not wanted here, but we thank you for your presence. Now it is time for you to move on." If it refuses to leave, end the seance. Recast your circle and strengthen your shields. They seek vulnerable people. Strength is the best defence. This is why it is imperative that you are careful.

At the end of the seance, thank the spirits and help them move on to the Light. Asking spirits to show up and give you messages and not help them to the Light is not showing respect. They need to be helped, too. So show respect and offer a prayer. Smudge your home with sage to remove the unwanted lingering energies. Open the door to symbolize their exit. Close the door and let the candle and sage die down. Ground and center yourself and be sure that your home is clear of energies. You will know, because you will feel a change in the vibrations in the room. Sit down and ground yourself with some food and a drink. Do a visualization to feel your roots reaching into the earth and drawing up energy.

Once grounded and centered, and your home space is free and clear, you should perform something to take your mind off the ritual. Go out to a movie, call a friend, or walk outside. Do not stop till you feel good. Put out the candle before leaving. Sprinkle salt on your windowsills to keep them out and pour steeped sage tea around your property to ward away negative energies.

Remember to focus on positive vibrations and Higher energy.

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch

The Veil to the Unknown

Merry Meet All,


The moon is in its waning crescent phase, transitioning to waxing. The moon will be ripe and full nearing the end of the month. The moon is in Leo. The New Moon shines this Saturday. Concentrate on new beginnings and opportunities during the New Moon. The Full Moon rules on the 29th. Gather your silver and white lunar candles for those auspicious dates.

In the previous post, and in other posts, I have mentioned the veil between the worlds. Some of you may have heard of it before. But what is it, exactly? The veil is ethereal and elusive. It makes me think of fog or mystical mists. Those who are truly psychically gifted may be able to see the veil between the worlds. The veil is powerful during Midsummer and Samhain. The ancient Celts celebrated Samhain.

The veil is thinnest from October 15 to October 31st, the most important night of the year for Witches and Pagans. Divinations are popular at Samhain, the best time of year to contact our ancestors. We are more receptive to the energies around us. The veil between the world lifts and the dead walk among the living at Samhain. The veil is invisible to most. I was sure one Samhain a year or two ago I saw a strange golden haze in the air. I assumed that was the veil between worlds. It was close to Samhain. If you can see it, I urge you to become rooted to your spots and meditate right then and there on it. You are truly fortunate.

To the ancient Celts, Samhain was sacred. The dead were welcomed into homes to seek shelter from the cold. The animals were brought in and food was shared or offered to the dead. Modern witches may perform meditations, rituals with a coven or as a solitary, and visualizations to contact the dead. Many Witches and Pagans set up a plate for their ancestors at the dinner table at Samhain. Mirror magic, divinations, burning candles, are performed during Samhain. It is a time to honor the dead and faeries, and the Sidhe, and to establish boundaries between the living and the hungrier ghosts. As the Celtic sholar Marie-Louise Sjoestedst expressed,"This night belongs neither to one year or the other and is, as it were, free from temporal restraint." I could not have expressed it better myself. Witches stare in mirrors for visions, omens, and divinations. The veil is down, and it is easier to visit the vast land of the dead-temporarily.

There is a saying about a magic spell a witch or a lovelorn woman can perform: "On Halloween, look in the glass, Your future husband's face may pass." Who knows? It may come true that you see a future loved one.

The veil between the worlds is a wonder. However, it is not to be played in jest. The world of the dead is powerful. Remember to cast a circle or a triple circle with sacred consecrated sprinkled salt around your circle, if you choose to practice divinations and magick. You must shield yourself against the nasties, if they are out there. Our ancestors are different from nasties. You will know the difference. Be careful.

I will be posting more on Samhain as the time comes. Stay tuned!

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

Spirits of September

Merry Meet All,


Today the wind is howling in the trees. The Hurricane Leslie passed us and is on the way to Newfoundland. I am thankful we are spared. The moon is in its waning crescent phase. Samhain is 49 days away. I'm excited. The waning moon is a magical time to clear away what you no longer need, what no longer serves you, and a time for banishings. Think of it as clearing the way to derive the full effects of the waxing moon. I always pay attention to moon phases.

Despite the sunshine splashing through the trees, I know that Fall is the time when the veil between the worlds grows thin, especially at Samhain. My favorite time of year is almost here. I will share how I plan to celebrate, and will be posting information here about Mabon and Samhain, so be sure to check it out. Divinations are fun to try during Mabon and Samhain. I will be covering how to dress up an altar for the upcoming Sabbats, as well. Polish your cauldrons and dust off your broomsticks!! Collect apples to make cider and garnish with a cinnamon stick. The cold dark season is here and we will be ready for it!! Sip your cider while you read these posts!

Last night, I watched a hilarious movie called Ghost Town. It seems appropriate for the season. I am still working on my ghost novel. I am fascinated by ghosts. I have posted before about ghosts, and as it is the autumn season, will be posting a lot more. I recently bought the book The Ghost Hunter's Survival Guide by Michelle Belanger. The book was published by Llewellyn, but what struck me was that her book was not pagan at all. It was a good book to read, though. The subtitle is Protection Techniques for Encounters with the Paranormal. She includes techniques on how to ground, center, and shield yourself. I liked her direct, down to earth style in her writing. She teaches you how to protect yourself, cleanse and ward a home against spectral invasions, and some different types of ghost hunting and how other cultures trap spirits. She shows how to use tingshas and how to sweep the energy of a room with your hands. Personally, I would prefer to use a besom than to make sweeping motions with my hands, but that's just me. The book shows you how to remove parasitic attachments. It is a great reference guide on how to permanently remove troublesome spirits from yourself and your home. I enjoyed it and I recommend this book.

I would also include pentacles in my home for protection. I have pentacles at nearly every window. A few other techniques that work for me that she did not include, as the book was not pagan, is to sprinkle salt on the windowsills and pour steeped sage tea all around my property. Peaceful spirits come and go from our homes but if you want a spell with extra potency, try the sage and salt. Remember to have a bath with salts first to purify yourself before you protect your home. You wouldn't do laundry when you are all dirty, right?

You should pour the steeped sage tea around your property during Samhain. The veil is thin and it is when the dead travel among the living. That is the perfect time to for protection. Hang a bundle of sage by a door at a window. There will be lots of info here coming up!!

Hang onto your broomsticks!
Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

Secrets of the Trees

Merry Meet All,

Wasps are buzzing by the window and the wind is rustling in the trees. The harvest season is upon us. I bought a pumpkin yesterday and enjoyed a savoury bowl of squash soup. This is the time to honour the earth for the bounty it offers us. The leaves are turning those cherished shades of gold and crimson. This is the time for long walks in the woods when the wind is strong. Let the wind blow your aura clear, refreshing you. Listen to the voice of the Green Man in the trees. Gather acorns and seeds and colourful leaves to press in a book.

I love trees. Where I live, I have a lovely graceful birch tree outside my window. It shelters insects, birds, and protects wildlife and homes. The beautiful tree is a symbol to me of endurance and strength. The birch tree has been graced by sparrows, chickadees, cats, and squirrels.

When I lived at home, we had a lovely old large maple tree in our backyard. We added an apple and cherry tree but the maple tree, to me, was incomparable. It graced the far left corner of the garden. The tree stood up to many storms and withstood the test of time. Every fall was a treat, as colourful leaves would spill down on the lawn. I used to sit beneath the tree and be lost to dreams.

Magickal Powers of Trees
Apple trees: Healing, prosperity, love, and youth
Ash: Protection
Birch: Protection, purification, fertility, renewal
Elder: Healing, protection, prosperity
Elm: Protection
Hawthorn: Cleansing, marriage, protection
Maple: Divination, love
Oak: Healing, strength, longevity

Celtic Tree Lore
The Oak Tree- Duir- June
The Oak tree was revered by the Druids. It is known as the King of the Forest. It represents the Oak King in Pagan, Wiccan, and Druid lore. The Oak King rules from Yule to Midsummer. The Druids believed that dryads, or wizened old men, lived in the trees. The wood of the oak tree was seldom wasted: the wood is used for wands, medicine, and for Yule logs.

If you listen closely, as you sit outside, you can hear the faeries and dryads whispering to you. They may share warnings, lore, or magic. I hear the whisperings in the wind. I have been told the same from other people so it is not just me. If you are sensitive, or psychic, or a witch, or both, and you listen hard enough, you may hear them too. Remember that tiny acorns bloom into mighty oaks.

October 20th is the frost date. Be sure to gather your herbs, fruits, and vegetables before the frost.

Have a wonderful Fall season
Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

Crone Season

Merry Meet All,

I am the entire Universe within the Void.

The Wheel of the Year has turned again. We are nearing the dark half of the year. Already it is getting darker earlier in the evening. The wind is chillier. Richly colorful leaves flutter to the earth. Pumpkins appear in grocery markets.

This time of the year is the time of the Crone. The attributes of the Crone are wisdom, love, intuition, pragmatism, and fortitude. The images of the Crone are frightening. Humans fear death and the Crone reminds us of old age and death.

The Crone has earned her position in life and was once seen in more respect for the knowledge and wisdom she gleaned throughout her life. She was once revered. Today our society is harsh. The Crone is forced into nursery homes and turned into a vegetable.

The associations with the Crone are old animals, dark colors, heavy clothing, late fall and winter, the waning moon, and the hours from sunset to dawn. The Crone is associated with Witches. The Crone may appear in different cultures, including the Celts. The Celts had a special love for the number three. Their deities appeared in groups of threes: Maiden, Mother, and Crone. The deities were Morrigan, Cerridwen, Brighid, and the ancient Matronae.

The Sheela-na-gig is my favorite example of a Crone. To me, she truly embodies the Crone. Ancient stone carvings depict her squatting and displaying oversized genitals. These women appear emaciated, with or without eyes, a large misshapen toothless mouth, green stringy hair, and torn clothing. Despite the images, they were considered lucky for they forewarned of death. She was seen at the shores of a river, washing the clothing of those who were soon to die in battle. The sexual organs were a holy symbol of birth and life that symbolized the life giving and regenerative powers of the Crone/ Goddess. Artifacts date back to the Neolithic Ages.

She is an enduring example of a life-death goddess. She cannot be destroyed. Her name means "hag". Just as she is seen as a giver of life, she walks the twilight shadows of darkness and death. She is the keeper of the Underworld. The Crone holds secrets and knowledge. She is the keeper of herbal lore, remedies, and wisdom. In our society where death is feared, and women are portrayed as sex goddesses, the Crone is pushed away and only seen at Samhain, the wicked witch in fairy tales. She is more. The Sheela-na-gig's pose is confrontational, daring you to defy death and to accept growing old gracefully. The cold season brings people indoors. Take this time to reflect on the Crone and what she may represent or gift you with in your life.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

Green Abundance

Merry Meet All,

It's pouring rain here in Haligonia. I am munching on a slice of onion bread from the local Farmers Market. The toast tastes good after being soaked in the rain. I hope you are all warm and dry.

Autumn Equinox occurs on September 22, 2012. I know you are all eager for that. The moon enters Capricorn on that day and goes into second quarter in the afternoon. Be aware of being affected by lunar energy on that day. The sun enters Libra. There will be strong spiritual energy on that day and a good excuse to celebrate! Mabon is a time of balance. The hours of day and night then are equal. Mabon is known to some people as the Witches "Thanksgiving". Feasts are held to show gratitude to the earth for providing green abundance.

On a different note, Word on the Street takes place on September 23. For those of you who don't know about WOTS, it is an exciting annual book fair and festival. I never miss it. I always attend the festival. Check out book fairs and festivals in your area.

The full moon reigns on September 29th. The Celtic Tree of the month of Ivy begins on September 30th. September has lots to look forward to. I wish you all a merry month of activity.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

Pagans on Campus

Merry Meet All,


Today the moon enters Taurus, an earthy sign. The moon is in its waning phase. The color for today is black. Today many of you are returning to school and work. If you are off to college, and you are worried you are the only pagan on campus, read this post for some helpful information.

If you are not allowed to use candles, consider using artificial candles. I know, I can hear you groan and I identify with your suffering. How can you get that satisfying energy going around your altar with a fake candle? Well there are always alternatives. These candles even flicker!

Fill your Ipod with music to get you in the mood for some magickal spellworking. Bring a special crystal or talisman with you and set up an altar that is subtle enough to not earn questions but still fulfills your needs for an altar. If you are asked questions, make sure you can logically and calmly answer their questions. Education is key. Getting angry and upset, trust me here, only worsens situations.

Consider practicing outside. I am sure there are one or two spots outside where you will not be disturbed. Create a portable altar kit that you can bring everywhere with you.

Find or start a local pagan group. You may be shocked when you find you are not the only pagan on campus. That's impossible. That said, you may have a roommate who is not informed at all of pagan practices and thinks your athame is evil. Again, be educated about your spiritual path. Not everyone is going to see your way and you have to try to get along with this person. Do not leap to move into another dorm room because you may run into the same problem again. It is almost a guarantee. You may have to live with that person till June. It is a case of grin and bear it. You may just luck out and find someone who may be more than curious. I hope that would be the case.

Pray to Minerva, the Goddess of Education, for education and guidance. If you are in the Northern tradition, appeal to Freya. If you are being attacked for your pagan beliefs, pray to Hecate. But try to concentrate on the positive. Good luck with your studies and finding other pagan friends on campus. Tip: See if they wear a pentacle.

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch

Summer's Finale

Merry Meet All,

I hope you are all having a wonderful Labor day weekend. I have had a quiet weekend, which always leaves me with time for introspection. People are either leaving town or returning to town. If you are planning on driving, drive safely! The photo above I took last night at the Armdale Rotary, not far from where I lived.

I also hope you are celebrating the final day of summer vacation before the reality of work/ school looms before you. I myself am volunteering at the Writers Federation of Nova Scotia and attending meetings too. Prepare now for the return to work or school to spare yourself the frantic search for your cellphone or other important things you will need tomorrow. I wish you all a happy and memorable return to work and school.

Supplies Get your supplies together, organize them and leave them somewhere easy to find. Keep clean shoes and an outfit in an easy to find place so you are not racing frantically at the last minute. Ask your deity or a deity who corresponds with study and intellectual matters to aid you as you return to school. Catch up with friends you have not seen all summer.

Lunch and snacks If you bring a lunch to school, I know I will sound like your parents here, but healthy snacks are cheaper and better for you than any from a vending machine. The machines eat your money. I bought myself a real thermos, a new pencil case, and a backpack. I'm not a student but I write and take books with me and these things do help. I will probably save $20-$30 dollars I would otherwise have spent in cafes. I like cafes, but I have to be realistic on what I spend. Besides, I eat organic food and make a lot of my own dishes the way I want them and I know what ingredients are in them and I can't stomach processed food anymore. I am aware of the chemicals laced in processed food. It is my deep hope the entire world embraces organic food. That may take a miracle. Even potato chips can be organic and better tasting!

That said, I am shocked when I hear some witches and pagans say they don't eat organic food. If the point is to have a reverence for the earth, then eating organic food should be a part of that. I can't believe it when I see them leave cigarette butts on the ground. Perhaps this school year you can make a new resolution to be more earth-friendly. It may cost more initially, but the payoff makes it worthwhile.

Now find a good friend and enjoy the summer finale!

Blessings,
Lady Spiderwitch