One of the aspects of my practice that I feel most passionately about is working with Ancestors. I am still very much in the beginning stages of connecting with, honoring, and working with my Ancestors. However, I have a strong connection to one of my Ancestors, my paternal great-grandma, who at this point has been my Guide in everything I do relating to food and cooking.
Long story short, I was meditating in the shower one day, and all of a sudden, a random name popped into my head, so I meditated on the name and questioned who that Spirit was. At that time, I found out that she was the Spirit that had always been with me in the kitchen – and interestingly, the reason I could tell when something I was cooking needed more salt just by smelling it. As time passed, I began consciously working with her while I was in the kitchen, and our bond deepened and she was present with me more often.
One day, I was looking through old family photos and came across a picture and instantly felt the presence of my kitchen Guide, and just knew that the picture was of her. I asked my dad who the photo was of – sure enough, it was my paternal great-grandmother!
I am continuing to get to know her and learning to work with her.
In addition to working with my kitchen Guide, I am also going to read Ancestral Whispers: A Guide to Building Ancestral Veneration Practices by Ben Stimpson for Book Club XXXI to hopefully deepen my practices and gain new perspectives.
When I first began my practice, sound didn’t really play a very big role. As I began experimenting more, I realized that sound carries a lot of power, physically and spiritually. I have begun using different sounds for different purposes. For example, I clap to wake up energies and to drive away negative energy, almost as a way of cleansing. I use my singing bowl to have a tone to focus on for meditation. I listen to different music, chants, and sound effects depending on my intentions for my workings. When I want to enter an altered state to cross the hedge, I listen to drumming or forest sounds (crickets, cicadas, frogs, etc.).
Sound has become one of my most important “tools” in my magickal practice.
Disclaimer: I do not want to go into too much detail for safety reasons, nor am I encouraging you to consume plants of any sort. Always do thorough research before consuming any plants, and do not consume anything until after you have done your research and are 100000000% sure you have correctly identified the plant. Do not give any plants to others without their informed consent. Seek proper medical attention for any and all health concerns you have.
Over the past year or so, I’ve been trying to learn more about herbalism and have been incorporating what I’ve learned. I enjoy learning about the properties of plants that are growing in my own backyard. I have become particularly attached to mullein (Verbascum thapsus) and mint (Mentha spp.).
When I became sick with a terrible cold, I made tea with mullein, mint, and several other plants I found in my yard and got over the cold more quickly than I have ever gotten over any cold previously in my life. Since then, my interest in learning more about natural health has grown tremendously, and I am taking classes through Herbal Academy.
I have also been doing meditations with herbs and plants based on the Herbal Communion Spell by Astrea Taylor on the Spell-a-Day portion of Llewellyn publishing website.
Again, make sure you’re doing extensive thorough research prior to consuming any plant.
My challenge-entry is for a recent challenge that I could not do because I was sooo new. This is for Sacred Books! I am so pumped to be able to participate now that I have something to share!
I began my Book of Mirrors shortly after I joined Spells8. I think I bought it at Michael’s. It’s pretty plain, but there IS a sparkle to the cover Thus far, I have set it up into this structure:
Chronologically
Day, Date, Moon Sign with sketch, Moon Phase with sketch
I write anything of note magickally as well as how I am feeling physically, emotionally etc.
Goals/plans for the next day or few.
I recently began to pull an oracle card (I have a Celtic Goddess deck) each evening, and I am recording it on the back of my daily page: Who the Goddess is, what she represents, etc.) That way I can start to learn them all, and track any correspondences.
Here are some images to illustrate:
I just started my BOS recently. I wasn’t sure how to get started, but actually looking at what coven members shared during the challenge helped me shape what I wanted. (For now, anyway!) I have a tiny binder where I write and draw BOS stuff. I also got a mini-printer that I LOVE!! I have rheumatoid arthritis and some tremors that make handwriting sucky for me, (note the handwriting on the Book of Mirrors pic )so this way I can do both quickly and easily ! I don’t have enough content yet to have sub-sections, etc. but I do make note of the ideal moon phase for each working. Once it gets “fuller”, I will do some categorizing (my teacher skills are on point when it comes to that!)
Here are some images that incorporate some of those “styles” with basics I learned from Spells8 that are part of my BOS.
I harvested mugwort, holy basil, catnip, rosemary, oregano, thyme and lemon balm
I gave Turbo a large catnip leaf. He’s never been a big fan of dried and hadn’t had a fresh one before. Took him a bit to warm up to it and pow… goofy rolling kitty!
All my childhood I’ve been dreaming of becoming Moon Princess , might have been the influence of Sailor Moon anime that was popular at that time. But years have passed and my love and devotion to the moon as a celestial object has not subsided.
After getting my first computer and access to internet I studied hard - the Greek Mythology, Moon goddesses in other religions and the influence and power of the Moon. It calls me…
I started worshiping Hecate, because of many symbols I got in my life.
I am relatively new to wicca and paganism, I am not sure it is, specifically, Hecate that protects my dreams and fills me with energy every day. That’s why I am ,overall, a Moon GODDESSES worshiper and have not selected a single Diety, yet, or maybe never will …because…
After reading the Challenge post I realised, I don’t have to… as Moon itself is a Goddess for me.
My job in medical field has me constantly face death and sadness…
This ritual is helping me a lot. It also rises my blood sugar, giving me a feeling of happiness (that I need). Last time I drank the potion - I cried…
The other thing I do for healing my body and soul is Salt and Oils Baths with relaxing music.
North - Salt in a white bowl, Cristals specific for my Sun sign (Citrine, Carneol, Tiger’s Eye, Pink Quartz, Pink Agathe, Amethyst pendant), Grey Candle with salt imbued in it.
South - Candle in a Jar (no smell) [incoming Cauldron and a bowl with ashes]
West - A Jar with Moon water, Blue candle, Seashell [incoming Chalice]
East - Incense, Pink Candle, Key. [incoming Wand and maybe feathers]
Surrounded by my BOS, Tarot and Oracle Cards and my Books on Runes, Astrology, Mandalas and other Wicca. With my Pseudo Cristal Ball, that actually contains some materials for decorating the BOS.
I did a sea shell listening spell by @silverbear I lit the candles white to replace orange I took the sea shell to my ear listened for the ocean and I chanted “ I will listen to more than words I will hear more than sounds heeding both what’s said and what is not as clarity bounds “ then I let the candle burn out so mote it be.
I found myself in liminal space today at 7:00am it was still out the moon on one side and the sun on the other so I took this moment to use both energies to consecrate my new talisman from blessed be magick I took palo Santo and passed my talisman through the smoke to cleanse it then i lit a candle and put the necklace beside it and let the necklace take in the energy of the candle as it burned down. I chanted “ I consecrate this necklace from all negativity and take in the power to keep me safe from harm”. So mote it be