Weekend Witchcraft- Playing With Fire

I find with witchcraft, as it is all aspects of life really, it can be so terrifyingly easy to limit yourself. 

Just as I once sought the earth for grounding, when the ocean is my home, I am so easily tied to my main elements of the air and sea, that I often forget I can command anything else. It sounds silly, but its true.

It struck me yesterday that, though I don't think about it, I call it up more often than I realize. When darkness falls, either from the setting sun or a stormy day, I often light candles to warm up the apartment. I love having a few lit candles in the living room and the kitchen at night to walk around without the need for turning on the lights. It gives me warmth and comfort, and keeps the utility bills down.

Yesterday I summoned fire at my altar with just an orange tea light to give me the energy and strength to get everything done that I needed to. It worked! I was able to stay on my feet despite the lack of sleep, though it proved to be a bit too much for me, as I broke a bowl in my kitchen, but! If you can channel it better (I'm sure remembering to eat helps) that I, it can work wonders for you. 

The Element of Fire

ANSKRIT/IRISH/LATIN: Tejas/Tine/

DIRECTION: South

ASSOCIATIONS: Action, the will, passion, sex, lust , anger, desire, energy, work, purification , destruction, strength, protection

QUALITIES: hot, dry, light, active

GENDER: masculine, projective

MAGICAL POWER: To will

COLORS: red, orange, gold, yellow

ARCHANGEL: Michael

ELEMENTAL BEING: Salamanders

ELEMENTAL KING: Djinn

ANIMALS: Lion, Tiger, lizards

PLANTS: Celtic trees - Thorn, Holly, Oak. Herbs - Basil, Cinnamon, Garlic. Natives ? Spanish Dagger, Oaks, Juniper, Sunflower, Chiletepin

STONES: Amber, Bloodstone, Carnelian, Citrine, Diamond, Garnet, Ruby, Tiger's Eye

METALS: Brass, Gold, Steel

MYTHOLOGICAL BEINGS: Dragon, Phoenix

KERUB: Lion

TAROT SUIT: Wands, (Swords)

TAROT TRUMPS: Sun, Strength, Emperor

RUNES: Thurisaz, Kenaz, Naudhiz, Sowilo, Ingwaz

ZODIAC SIGNS: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

PLANETS: Sun, Mars

HOUR: Noon

DAY(S): Sunday, Tuesday

SEASON: Summer

LIFE CYCLE: Youth and adolescence

ALCHEMICAL SYMBOL: upward pointing triangle

TATTWA SYMBOL: upward pointing red triangle

QABALISTIC SEPHIROT: Netzach/Victory, Geburah/Judgement, Chokmah/Wisdom

MAGICAL TOOLS: Athame, Sword, Wand, Staff, Candle, Flame, Scourge

CHAKRA(S): Solar Plexus

TYPES OF MAGIC: Banishing, Exorcism, purification, tantra, sex, empowering, protection, success

POSITIVE CHARACTERISTICS: Energetic, enthusiastic, courageous, daring, faithful

NEGATIVE CHARACTERISTICS: Stubborn, greedy, jealous, angry, resentful

OVERBALANCE: Dominating, egotistical, violent

UNDERBALANCE: Apathy, boredom, feelings of inferiority, laziness, lack of energy

Weekend Witchcraft, the Work Altar

Its no secret that I love my job. I adore working from home and all of the little joys that come with it, like wearing whatever the heck I want (and that gets really weird went left to my own devices, let me tell ya), to putting magick into my work space. Here's what I've got going on at the desk, where the desktop known as Sorceress and my work place resides 90% of the time:

I recently purchased the Motivation candle of the Reiki energy charged candle line from Some Enchanted Evening. Its a nice heady scent of frankincense and myrrh with a cute charging affirmation card, and has really helped to keep my head in the game and remember what matters most. Next we have a green oak leaf I crafted from clay and carved an old symbol for earth into. This used to go on my altar, but now it resides here. On it rests clockwise from the top, a somewhat rare crystal form of malachite, a tumbled hematite, a beautiful sparkling citrine, and a piece of fluorite.

Once the charms come off they go on my body and around the keyboard. Malachite is great for success and grounding, hematite is wonderful for focus and guidance, citrine for inspiration, and fluorite for knowledge retention.

A moss agate worry stone to calm anxiety when deadline's grow closer, a tiny pocket pentacle that I basically use to remind myself of Kaijana's presence, and a compass charm to keep me moving in the right direction, and away from facebook and the glorious Tumblr.

I also wear a beautiful fluorite ring in its rare blue form to organize my chaotic thoughts, which tend to jump about like my cat at 3am if left to their own devices.

What do you do to stay focused at work or in the classroom?

Weekend Witchcraft; Autumn Adventures

Fall is one of the most important times in my personal practice to get outside. In Massachusetts, autumn gives way to winter all too quickly. With the harvest in full swing, I always hold autumn to be the most important time to get outside and see what the earth and her patrons have created this season.

This area is known by my family as the prison camp, an area where TB patients were treated back in the early 1900's. This morning we found what appear to be the foundations of the old hospital.

We came across what appears to be a small orchard, possibly planted to supply the hospital and the surrounding buildings of this place with healthy food. This little field of a few equidistant trees still produces apples, which as far as taste and sight can tell us are yellow delicious and red delicious.

I still have nearly a dozen of this little darlings in my kitchen, and I hope to put them to use as yummy all natural snacks and offerings for the last harvest holiday on Samhain.

The crisp and bright autumn air breathes life into my lungs and I truly hope everyone gets outside and experiences the Earth's wonders, great and small, before the winter winds sweep through these trees.

Weekend Witchcraft; Hematite for Mindy, Body, and Soul

If there is a single stone I constantly recommend to others time and time again, its hematite. 

Hematite is a hefty iron oxide mineral, its weight making it a tricky one to mold into jewelry. I wouldn't recommend it for earrings, but I do highly recommend it for daily wear. And here's why.

Hematite is one of the most effective stone's for grounding, in every sense of the word. If your thoughts tend to wander away from you, you have trouble focusing, or simply need a push to keep yourself on task, this is the perfect stone to stay motivated and energized. 

I wear a small hematite ring on a daily basis, and as such I charge it at least once a week in this little cauldron on my altar, which currently holds a bit of Taurus potpourri, to keep it in tuned with my personal needs and charged to my energy, but you can charge and cleanse hematite in any way you see fit. 

Worn daily hematite can act to ground yourself in ways far more than the physical and mental. This stone can actually act as a guidance charm. Lately my life is at a cross-roads, which is not a place I like to be, but since I started remembering to wear my hematite ring 24/7 it works exactly as its entry in The Book of Stones tells of it: 

"Carrying or wearing a Hematite can assist one in bringing one's dreams and aspirations into reality and in learning the difference between a true vision and a fantasy."

You can find hematite rings for $2 at the most at your local occult stores, or you can also purchase your own specially crafted Guidance Amulet from my store at Eerie Enchantments.

the Guidance Amulet, currently for sale at Eerie Enchantments

Whether you're feeling a little lost, or feel that your dreams are out of reach, I personally recommend hematite in any form that isn't magnetic (simply because if it touches your electronics, kiss those babies goodbye), to reaffirm your goals and help you find the path towards the life you have always wanted. 

Further hematite reading:

• Hematite via Charms of Light
• Products at AzureGreen
• Details & Further Info