Archive for June, 2016

The Witchy Moon, Magic, and News

Friday, June 24th, 2016

Friday, June 24, 2016: The moon phase is Waning Gibbous in the zodiac sign Aquarius until entering Pisces at 10:30 PM EST.

Element: Water
Color: Rose
Incense: Orchid (see below for magical uses)

Garden Activities:

  • Kill pests and weed
  • Harvest fruit and root crops
  • Hill up parsnips and carrots
  • Plant out asparagus crowns

Herbal Magic – Orchid

(Orchis spp.)

Folk Names: Levant Salap, Sahlab, Sahleb, Salep, Saloop, Satyrion

Deities: Bacchus, Cronus, Pan

Planet: Venus (Beauty, Fidelity, Friendship, Love, Youth)

Element: Water (Fidelity, Friendship, Healing, Love, Meditation, Prophetic Dreams, Purification, sleep)

Gender: Feminine

Powers: Love, Fertility

Lore: According to legend, Orchis was the son a Satyr and nymph. During a celebration for Bacchanalians he attempted to rape a priestess. Eventually, he was put to death by Bacchanalians. His father prayed to the Gods to give pity on him. Orchis was then given eternal life as this root, which led to the belief that Orchid roots provide a practitioner with the lusty sexuality of  the satyr.

Magical and Ritual Uses:

  • The tuber can be dried and carved into an amulet or talisman for love and romance.
  • The powdered root is considered to be an aphrodisiac.
  • Orchids are ideal for Handfastings.
  • The gift of an orchid puts romantic energy in motion. (It’s been used in the feast or cup for the Great Rite to embody the deities for fertility)

News:

Elderly relatives accused of being WITCHES by their children so they can burn them alive and claim their inheritance
Juma Kalume Musunye’s six grandchildren beat her until she fell to the ground crying, and then doused her in petrol, claiming she had used witchcraft to paralyse their mother’s hands.

‘They wanted to kill me,’ said the 65-year-old widow who lives on Kenya’s coast, where the Mijikenda people traditionally blame witches for illness and misfortune. Read more: dailymail.co.uk

Celebrate the magic of Samhain in Salem.

Thanks for stopping by,

Lisa

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References:

  • Llewellyn’s Magical Almanac
  • Llewellyn’s 2016 Moon Sign Book: Conseious Living by the cycles of the moon
  • Catherine Yronwode: Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic
  • Paul Beyerl: A Compendium of Herbal Magick
  • Scott Cunningham: Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of magical herbs

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The Witchy Moon, Magic, and News

Thursday, June 23rd, 2016

Thursday, June 23, 2016: The moon phase is Waning Gibbous in the zodiac sign Aquarius.

Element: Air
Color: Turquoise
Incense: Jasmine (see below for magical uses)

Garden Activities:

  • Plow, Cultivate, and weed
  • Harvest fruits and root crops
  • Hill up parsnips and carrots
  • Plant out asparagus crowns

Herbal Magic – Jasmine

(Jasminum officinale, Jamsminum grandiflorum, Jasminum odoratissimum)

Folk Names: Anbar, Jessamin, Moonlight on the Grove, Peot’s Jessamine, Yasmin

Deities: Diana, Vishnu

Planet: Moon (Fertility, Healing, Peace, Prophetic Dreams, Sleep)

Element: Water (Fidelity, Friendship, Healing, Love, Meditation, Prophetic Dreams, Purification, sleep)

Gender: Masculine

Powers: Love, Money, Prophetic Dreams


Photo By snopek

Lore: Jasmine is associated with the feminine and maternal aspect of the Divine Universe. It was held as a sacred herb of Diana of Ephesus, Quan Yin, and the Virgin Mary. Jasmine corresponds well with the High Priestess and the four nine cards in the Tarot.

Magical and Ritual Uses:

  • For Love: Dried Jasmine flowers are added to sachets, charms and incense to attract a spiritual love.
  • For Money: The flowers will bring wealth and money if carried, burned or worn. It’s beautiful aroma is soothing and helps to lift spirits. Dreaming of Jasmine is said to foretell good fortune and good news for lovers.
  • For prophetic dreams: Burn in the bedroom.
  • For Creativity: Store Jasmine and Quartz crystals together to promote new and creative ideas.
  • Use in rituals when you wish to conjure the feminine properties of the Moon.
  • Jasmine is excellent to burn during meditation.
  • Dress and burn a candle with the oil for Psychic protection and health to one’s aura.

News:

Branded witches and cursed by spirits, Kenyan widows ousted from land
NAIROBI, June 23 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Juma Kalume Musunye’s six grandchildren beat her until she fell to the ground crying, and then doused her in petrol, claiming she had used witchcraft to paralyse their mother’s hands.

“They wanted to kill me,” said the 65-year-old widow who lives on Kenya’s coast, where the Mijikenda people traditionally blame witches for illness and misfortune.

“My son told them I had bewitched his wife.”

Hearing her screams, Musunye’s neighbours rushed out and rescued her.

“I am really bitter,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation ahead of International Widows’ Day on Thursday.

“I am old, my health is not good and my children do not care about me.”

Musunye was speaking by phone from Kaya Godoma, a centre set up in 2008 to care for elderly people ousted by their relatives. Read full story – dailymail.co.uk

Portsmouth medium jailed as a witch for ‘predicting’ sinking of battleship
My recent picture of HMS Barham leaving Portsmouth Harbour in the 1930s reminded Calum Kennedy of the unusual connection between the battleship, Portsmouth and witchcraft.

He recalls that in November 1941 Helen Duncan, a Scottish spiritual medium, held a séance at the Master Temple Psychic Centre, a room above Homers drug store at 301 Copnor Road, Copnor. During the séance Duncan indicated that HMS Barham had been sunk. Read full story – portsmouth.co.uk

Thanks for stopping by,

Lisa

References:

  • Llewellyn’s Magical Almanac
  • Llewellyn’s 2016 Moon Sign Book: Conseious Living by the cycles of the moon
  • Catherine Yronwode: Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic
  • Paul Beyerl: A Compendium of Herbal Magick
  • Scott Cunningham: Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of magical herbs

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The Witchy Moon, Magic, and News

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2016

Wednesday, June 22, 2016: The moon phase is Waning Gibbous in the zodiac sign Capricorn until entering Aquarius at 4:08 PM EST.

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Element: Air
Color: Topaz
Incense: Bay Laurel (see below for magical uses)

Garden Activities:

  • Plow, Cultivate, and weed.
  • Plant onions, potatoes, rhubarb, grapes, winter wheat, and berries.

Herbal Magic – Bay Laurel

(Laurus nobilis) G

Folk Names: Baie, Bay Tree, Daphne, Grecian Laurel, Sweet Bay, Laurel, Laurier d’Apollon, Laurier Sauce Lorbeer, Noble Laurel, Roman Laurel

Deities: Aesculapius, Apollo, Ceres, Faunus, Eros

Planet: Sun (Healing, Legal Matters, Protection)

Element: Fire (Courage, Exorcism, Health, Lust, Strength, Protection)

Gender: Masculine

Powers: Healing, Protection, Psychic Powers, Purification, Strength

Lore: Hermes invented fire by striking a pomegranate against a bay laurel. It is also sacred to Apollo and Zeus.

Magical and Ritual Uses:

  • For Psychic Powers: Burn with Frankincense on charcoal. It can also be placed beneath your pillow for prophetic dreams.
  • For Protection: Carry a Bay leaf in a mojo bag to ward off evil, negativity, and unwanted people. Place around windows and in the attic to prevent lightening. A potted bay is also used to protect against storms and invoking the protection of Apollo. Wearing a wreath of bay is used to conquer one’s fear of thunderstorms.
  • To Remove a Curse or Evil Spirits: Mix with Sandalwood and burn over charcoal.
  • To Attract Love or Romance: Use in a fire sacrifice to the gods. The oil can also be extracted and used to dress a candle which is then burned.
  • For Victory: Take three fresh Bay leaves and write the names of Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael on each leaf, then wrap the leaves in white cloth and carry them.

News:

Dabble In Magic Using This Handbook Of Witchcraft
There was a time when choosing to invoke an incantation as a means to an end would get one burnt at the stake. In today’s world, taboos seem to be falling like leaves in autumn. So one need not be fearful any longer when choosing to resort to witchcraft in a time of need.

If the thought of dabbling in witchcraft has piqued your curiosity, you are in luck. There is a new handbook you should find very useful. It is titled Witchcraft: A Handbook of Magic, Spells and Potions. This beautifully bound book includes wonderful illustrations. Read full story – huffingtonpost.com

Thanks for stopping by,

Lisa

References:

  • Llewellyn’s Magical Almanac
  • Llewellyn’s 2016 Moon Sign Book: Conseious Living by the cycles of the moon
  • Catherine Yronwode: Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic
  • Paul Beyerl: A Compendium of Herbal Magick
  • Scott Cunningham: Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of magical herbs

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The Witchy Moon, Magic, and News

Tuesday, June 21st, 2016

Tuesday, June 21, 2016: The moon phase is Waning Gibbous in the zodiac sign Capricorn.

Element: Earth:
Color: Black
Incense: Cinnamon (see below for magical uses)

Garden Activity:

  • Plant potatoes and tubers
  • Trim to retard growth
  • Pick mushrooms
  • Prune to promote healing
  • Mow lawn

Herbal Magic – Cinnamon

Cinnamomum Zeylanicum, C. verum

Folk Names: Ceylon cinnamon, Sweet Wood

Deities: Aphrodite, Venus

Element: Fire (Courage, Exorcism, Health, Lust, Strength, Protection)

Planet: Sun (Healing Legal Matters, Protection)

Power: Healing, Love, Lust, Power, Psychic Powers, Spirituality, Success


Photo by Dennis Brekke

Lore: Cinnamon was burned to purify temples in ancient China. It also promotes health, vigor and libido.

Magical and Ritual Uses:

  • For Love: Add to oils, powders, and mojo bags.
  • Cleansing Incense: Mix with Frankincense, Myrrh, Camphor, and Sandalwood, burn every day for 14 days to purify your home. The insencse can also be used to smudge the body or gifts received from unknown parties or the dead.
  • To Draw money: Place three Cinnamon sticks with Fast Luck oil in a green bag, add Nutmeg with money drawing oils. Place in an amulet for good fortune
  • When burned as an Incense: Aids in healing, concentration, high spiritual vibrations, stimulates psychic powers, and enhances protective vibrations.

News

Summer solstice events and pagan sites around Britain
The summer solstice festival continues until June 21 on the campsite set closest to Stonehenge, and visitors can enjoy free access to the sacred site to celebrate the summer solstice from tonight at 7pm until 8am tomorrow (sunrise will be at 4.45am). Offerings include various food stands, a real ale bar and cider festival, as well as fire twisters and musical entertainment by night. Read full story – telegraph.co.uk

On the Summer Solstice, it’s not just neo-pagans like me who should be reconnecting with the natural world
We have a deep and undeniable relationship with nature – from the fact that our bodies naturally wake up when they see sunlight, to our tendency and need to live beside water, to the spooky fact that the menstrual cycle is the same length as the lunar month. Read full story – independent.co.uk

French woman accused of murdering daughter on beach blames witchcraft
A French woman who left her baby daughter to drown on a beach blamed “witchcraft” when she went on trial for murder on Monday.

Fabienne Kabou, 39, who was described as having “remarkable intelligence … but subject to irrational beliefs”, travelled to Berck-sur-Mer with her only child, Adélaïde, in November 2013. Read full story - theguardian

Thanks for stopping by,

Lisa

References:

  • Llewellyn’s Magical Almanac
  • Llewellyn’s 2016 Moon Sign Book: Conseious Living by the cycles of the moon
  • Catherine Yronwode: Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic
  • Paul Beyerl: A Compendium of Herbal Magick
  • Scott Cunningham: Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of magical herbs

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The Witchy Moon, Magic, and News

Monday, June 20th, 2016

Happy Summer Solstice/Litha to all in the Northern Hemisphere and Happy Winter Solstice/Yule to all in the Southern Hampshire!

Monday, June 20, 2016: The moon is full in the zodiac sign Sagittarius until entering Capricon at 7.55 AM EST.

Element: Earth
Color: Ivory
Incense: Lily (see below for magical uses)

Activity:

  • A great time for sport and adventure
  • Tackle things that need improvement
  • Plant potatoes and tubers
  • Trim to retard growth

Herbal Magic – Lily

Lily (Lilium sp.) Some are poisonous

Deities: Juno, Kwan Yin, Nepthys, Venus

Planet: Moon (Fertility, Healing, Peace, Prophetic Dreams)

Element: Water (Fidelity, Friendship, Healing, Love, Meditation, Prophetic Dreams, Purification, Sleep)

Powers: Breaking Love Spells, Protection

Lilies are associated with a fertility goddesses in some Mediterranean religions. In some Christian lore the white lily is associated with Mary and a symbol of purity. It is also believed the lily came from the tears of Eve when she was banished from the Garden of Eden.

Magical and Ritual Uses:

  • A fresh lily can be worn to break love spells.
  • Plant lilies in the garden for protection against ghosts and evil.
  • Protects against the evil eye and unwanted visitors.

News:

Honey Moon on the Solstice: It hasn’t happened since 1948
It’s rare, all right. A full Moon last landed smack on the Solstice in the 1940s. It’s the kind of thing that would have inspired the Mayans to shove a few extra in-laws from their pyramids – the sort of coincidence that would have made the Stonehenge folks haul additional stones into position. But that’s what’s actually happening this Monday, June 20. Read full story – hudsonvalleyalmanacweekly

Solstice: Don’t expect much sun as Druids and Pagans head to Stonehenge to mark first day of summer
While isolated showers should fade away during this evening, much of the UK will then be dry overnight with clear spells.

Northern Ireland and western Scotland will experience outbreaks of light rain later today.

And the south-east of England will also hold onto a lot of cloud, some areas thick enough to give a few spots of rain. Read full story – metro.co.uk

Summer solstice 2016: Everything you need to know about the longest day of the year
Summer heat has been in full swing across much of the country the last few weeks, but not until Monday’s summer solstice can we officially — or at least, astronomically — say goodbye to spring.

The 2016 solstice occurs at 6:34 p.m. Eastern Time on June 20, marking the first day of astronomical summer and the longest day of the year in Earth’s northern hemisphere. Read full story – washingtonpost.com

Thanks for stopping by,

Lisa

References:

  • Llewellyn’s Magical Almanac
  • Llewellyn’s 2016 Moon Sign Book: Conseious Living by the cycles of the moon
  • Scott Cunningham: Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of magical herbs

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The Witchy Moon, Magic, and News

Friday, June 3rd, 2016

Friday, June 3, 2016: The moon phase is fourth quarter (waxing), it falls under the zodiac sign Taurus until entering Gemini  at 11:01 PM EST.

Activity:

  • Mow lawn, destroy weeds, and pests
  • Harvest fruit and root crops

Element: Air
Color: Pink
Incense: Thyme

Herbal Magic – Thyme

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

Folk Names: Common Thyme, Garden

Powers: Health, Healing, Sleep, Psychic Powers, Love, Purification, Courage


Photo by H Flannery

Thyme is a perennial shrub, and a member of the mint family. With over a hundred varieties, the most common being garden and lemon Thyme.

The Greeks used Thyme “to make a burnt offering.”  In the Middle Ages, Europeans placed it under pillows to promote sleep and ward off nightmares. Women would also give the leaves to knights to bring courage. Thyme was also placed on coffins and burned as incense during funerals to send one into the next life.

Deities: Ares, Fairies, Mars

Gender: Feminine

Element: Water (Dreams, Fidelity, Friendships, Healing, Love, Meditation, Prophetic Dreams, Purification, Sleep)

Planet: Venus (Beauty, Fidelity, Friendships, Good Fortune, Love, Money, youth)

Magical and Ritual Uses:

  • To stop nightmares or have prophetic dreams: Place beneath your pillow, or burn on charcoal and take in the aroma. (it is also great for meditation)
  • For Money: Plant THYME in the garden. Fold a dollar bill around THYME leaves, then fold again to make a packet, tie it up, and bury it on a full moon at the middle of a crossroads.
  • Growing various types of THYME: Encourages the devas to be lively.
  • To see Fairies: Carry in an amulet or sachet.
  • Money-Protection: Combine THYME, MINT, and BAYBERRY.
  • For purification: Burn prior to a ritual to cleanse the area. In spring, make a cleansing bath composed of MARJORAM and THYME to ensure all the sorrows and ills of the past are removed.
  • THYME is also carried and smelled to give courage and energy.
  • For good health: Thyme is burned or worn in an amulet. It is excellent in healing spells.
  • It is also used to communicate with friends and relatives who have passed.  THYME can be most useful on SAMHAIN.

Entertainment

The Conjuring 2: Movie Review
Between the fantastic talent of and chemistry between Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, and the vision of James Wan, The Conjuring 2 demonstrates incredible potential for the emerging franchise. Real full story – cinemablend.com

News

First shamanism museum opens in Seoul
South Korea’s first shamanism museum, located at Geumseongdang Shrine, opened its doors in Eunpyeong-gu, northwestern Seoul last week.

The shrine, close in style to the traditional Korean house, or hanok, was founded to appease the spirit of Prince Geumseong (1426-1457), who was ordered a lethal dose of poison upon charges of trying to reinstate the deposed King Danjong. Read full story - asiaone.com

Blogspot

References:

  • Llewellyn’s Magical Almanac
  • Llewellyn’s 2016 Moon Sign Book: Conseious Living by the cycles of the moon
  • Catherine Yronwode: Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic
  • Paul Beyerl: A Compendium of Herbal Magick
  • Paul Huson: Mastering Herbalism: A Practical Guide
  • Scott Cunningham: Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of magical herbs

Thanks for stopping by! Have a blessed weekend!

Lisa

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