Tag Archives: ritual

The Festival of Light

Posted on by

There is a brightness to the rays of Father Sun at this time, a warmth when He can break through the icy winds, a yearning from life towards His mighty pull. Today I saw the first Jasmine flower & the smell was a delicious promise of heady warm nights to come. Imbolc, Brigit, Oimealg, Candalmas… This festival of light is upon us.

As I prepare my rite for this turn of the Wheel, I am feeling the ominous sensation that comes before a life changing event… like I am stepping through into something new & exciting. Perhaps it is the intense build up that has been on offer since the mating of the Earth & Water trines, or it could just be the general theme for this Year of the Snake. Whatever the case, I am aware of how important this time is for me & so my recognition of this festival is to be deep & personal & transformative.

The Rite

Set your sacred space within you, become the circle from which you have called your guides & guards & ancestors to stand watch, your deity/s to hold, the elements to keep, & ask this bountiful land to permit you. Draw a picture of yourself & describe who you are in words on that same piece of paper. Find a large rock & place it on top of this paper, preferably on the ground. Turn your back & walk away from it with the awareness that for a short while you are not you but a potent Spirit new to this world.

Find a place that you can be close to nature, for example your garden or the local park. Take a very slow walk to & around this place, looking with these fresh eyes, indulging in the smells & colours & textures & tastes that surround you. Ask this awesome new land to show you who you are now & patiently wait for a response. When you have it, give thanks & leave an offering (or be sure to take one back at another time).

Make a slow journey back to where you began feeling the new you taking form around the Spirit you. When you return take another piece of paper & draw & describe yourself with words upon it. Look at the paper from before your journey & note the differences. Burn the old you & place the new you in a significant place in your home.

Release you circle & focus on the embodiment of your newness as your instincts change & your body adjusts.

)O(

MOON Cancer SUN Cancer

Posted on by

DARK MOON RITE

You will need

a bowl of water (preferably rain or spring or sea or river or lake)

chamomile flowers

a wand

salt (preferably rock or sea)

a candle (preferably white or pink)

incense (preferably myrrh)

The Rite

Prepare you body, mind, spirit, set your space (place all of the items mentioned above on an altar at the West, & cast & call your circle as you see fit.

Light the candle on one side of the bowl & the incense on the other.

Hold your wand in your left hand (or right if you are left handed), touch the tip to your feet & conjure into your minds eye anything that is sticking your feet to the ground, holding you back from a movement that you wish to take, keeping your attention on unwanted & not helpful thought process, activating emotions that no longer serve you. Let these things all pool into your feet & enter your wand. When you have finished, place the wand tip into the water using your right hand (or left if you are left handed) & release all that is stored within into the water.

Pass the wand over the flame of the candle & through the smoke of the incense & sit it on the altar. Take the chamomile flowers into your palms, hold them close to your lips & whisper to them-

Sacred flowers of Sun & Moon & Earth I honour thee & ask that you sooth & ease the passing of the energies held in this water that they may move back into the cycle of birth death & rebirth to serve another in need of their services. And as they dissolve from me I ask you to tend to them lovingly. Thank you.

Place the chamomile flowers into the water. Gently blow your breath over them. Take the salt into your palms, hold it close to your lips & whisper into it-

Sacred minerals of this loving Earth I honour thee & ask that you hold tight to these energies as they pass from me & make their journey back to Mother Earth. Guide them with sure steps & the strong presence that you possess. Thank you.

Place the salt into the water. Lift the bowl with both hands & place it in the South.

Take your wand in your left hand (right if you are left handed) & stand in the center facing East. Hold the wand high into the air, tip pointing up, & place your right hand (left if you are left handed) palm facing the ground. Say-

I surrender to the tides as they change, I allow the currents to take me & trust that I will be swept into the perfect moments that await me. My heart & mind are strong & receptive. I am open to inspiration, I am ready to feel my way forward into – [say here what you are working towards but have been struggling to achieve] – Let this waken my will that it may be done. Blessed Be! Blessed Be! Blessed Be!

Open your circle & complete your ceremony as you see fit. Let the candle burn out naturally & dispose of the residual wax by burying it under a tree. Take the bowl of water to the furthest Western point you can walk with it & pour it onto earth, making sure all of the salt & flowers leave with it & that none of the water gets onto your hands. When you return home, rinse the bowl thrice pouring the water on earth near your back door or into the toilet if you have no back yard.

)O(

MOON Gemini SUN Gemini

Posted on by

DARK MOON MIRROR MAGICK

You will need:

  • pen & paper
  • a mirror
  • cloth & methylated spirits
  • salt
  • candle
  • incense

Set your sacred space & call your circle as you desire.

Begin by writing on the paper a list of all the things about you that seem to contradict each other. For example, I am friendly & easy to converse with but rarely spend time in social situations. Next group these attributes to form two different people, giving them names & form. Decide which of these you would like to embody most & allow it move into you until you become this person.

Next, take your mirror & wipe it clean with the methylated spirits & cloth. Sprinkle it with salt & then prop it against a wall where you can look into it comfortably. Light the candle & burn the incense in front of the mirror. Consider the other person that was formed from your attributes & allow their form to enter the mirror.

Look into each others eyes, recognising the differences & honouring each other for their own unique qualities. Now explore how you fit together, now move together, now communicate with each other. Be aware that this is how you divide yourself & how those divided parts support each other. Allow the mirrored form to emerge & embrace each other… At this point you can choose to merge together as one. Burn the paper together, they must be on fire at the same time.

Finish & close your ritual in a way that suits your desires & give thanks. Dispose of incense & paper ash on the next windy day off a high point.

)O(

 

MOON Gemini SUN Sagittarius Lunar Eclipse

Posted on by

This eclipse gate is an opportunity to gather valuable information & understand this information within the context of your life. We can do this by searching the deep dark places & facing the shadows with courage, bringing to them clarity & cutting through all the things that may be holding you back… Sound like fun?? Here is a ceremony that I will be doing at the Witching Hour on Saturday night:

You will need: a candle, a bowl, a jug of Holy water (alternatively spring or river or ocean water will suffice), writing implements

Ceremony: Create your sacred space in whatever way suits you. Hold the empty bowl in your hands & feel it becoming an extension of your body. When you feel connected breath three long slow breathes into it & place it down gently. Hold the jug of water in your hands & open your emotional body to it allowing your heart to pulse through it. When you feel the connection say “Waters of Awakening I call thee” & gently pour the water into the empty bowl. Hold the candle in your hands & allow the Celestial Beings to move through you & into the wax. When you feel the current say  “I reconnect to all that is & honour the source of life itself” & light the candle. As you hold the lit candle, let go of time & thought & inhibitions… feel them oozing off of you & seeping into the ground. When you are present & open & empty, begin to drip the wax onto the water. You will know when to stop, you will feel it, & when you do, place the candle in a holder & gaze into the bowl under the light of the candle. Gently open your mind to receive what lies upon the surface of the water, what lies beneath the surface. As information comes to you write it down without explanation or justification. When you have gathered all that you can, release your sacred space & allow the candle to burn down in a safe place. Pour the water with the wax into a river or the seas or a hole under a tree.

Follow up: About 3-9 hours after you have performed the above ceremony, revisit the information you found & begin to piece it all together.

)O(

MOON Taurus SUN Taurus Solar Eclipse

Posted on by

Begin by marking your circle space with a combination of ground salt & rosemary. Then stand in the center with your arms outstretched, palms facing up. In this pose welcome Earth, Air, Fire & Water, welcome your ancestors, welcome Divine Masculine & Divine Feminine, welcome all of Creation. If you wish it, feel free to couple elements with directions here, to light a candle, incense, whatever feels right for you.

Sit in the center & enter your Power Place. From here take a journey to find all things that make you feel sensual & desirable & alive… Things that awaken all of your senses & insight reactions. Acknowledge what these things are, without judgement or analysis, & feel your physical body’s response as you gently come out of meditation.

Place your hands on the ground (this would be perfect to do out of doors) & take three deep breaths, each time you breath in, draw up energy from Mother Earth through your palms, & each time you breath out offer Her something in return.

Take a seed (it is to be swallowed so ensure it is small & not toxic, such as a sunflower or sesame or pumpkin seed) in your palm & whisper into it all the healing that you wish to offer to your body, for example green smoothies, regular sex, walking, more sleep, etc.. When you have filled the seed with your whisperings, swallow it using water.

Now think on your animal totem, guide, companion, teacher, & walk around in your circle as that animal, making the noises, displaying the personality. Note the impact this process has on your consciousness.

To finish, stamp your feet on Mother Earth, place you palms on the ground, ring a bell or clap hands & give thanks to Earth, Air, Fire & Water, to the lands spirits, your ancestors, to the Divine Masculine & the Divine Feminine, all of Creation.

)O(

Samhain Incense blend

Posted on by

Aurora & I came up with this blend for our gathering this Samhain…

Sage

Wormwood

Rose

Rosemary

Nutmeg

Cinnamon

Mugwort

Bay

Myrrh

Patchouli

)O(

Samhain & the Meet the Wytches gathering

Posted on by

Tonight we meet by my hearth to remember our ancestors, our beloved dead & our deepest most ancient selves. Under the watchful presence of Hekate & Cernunnos we will light the candles & burn the offerings to show our respect & reverence for the thinning of the veil & the longer reach of our prayers.

After our ceremony we will be breaking bread & toasting wine, meeting over friendly banter & divination for the future & heartfelt words for the past.

Whatever your plans for this turn of the Wheel, I wish you deep peace & love & happiness.

“I am tomorrows ancestor

The future of yesterday

And what I am in the here and now

goes rippling out all ways.

Goes rippling out always.”

-Brian Boothby

)O(

Hedge Wytch Mentorship

Posted on by

This mentorship program is for anyone who is connecting with themselves as a Spirit, anyone who is searching for something more than meets the eye in this vast & glorious world. You will be taken on a journey through the turn of one Wheel of the Year, a journey that will connect you to your Spirit, your path & your environment in a deep & profound way. It will equip you to maintain your own spiritual practice & inspire you to delve deeper into your own magickal gifts & sacred skills.

Your mentor will be The Lady Le Faye, founder & high priestess at The Hedgewitchery. Known to friends & family as Alison, the Lady Le Faye has very strong connections to her ancestry. She is the Granddaughter of the now deceased Tribal Elder of the Karawara Islands, East New Britain Province PNG, & is the descendant of a long line of farming folk originating from Wales & England. She was raised to respect the laws of the land, the spirit of the Creator & the importance of holding ceremonial space. Alison began her training as a Hedgewitch 22 years ago at the age of 16 & has been under the guidance of her Shamanic mentor for the past 4 years. In her role as a High Priestess she provides community based rituals, this mentorship program & various spiritual teachings. Alison has had formal training in Reiki, Aromatherapy, Western Medical Herbalism, and Homeopathic First Aid & has a current First Aid Certificate. She is also a qualified Naturopathic Nutritionist.

During the course of this Year & A Day (one full turn of the Wheel of the Year) you will be connected with your broadest self, your various guides, guards & guardians, your personal internal world, your own ancestral ritual & magick, your innate magickal gifts & talents, & your sacred skills.

Beginning at April 30, you will be invited to attend Dark Moon & Full Moon circles, any Wheel of the Year Festivals & a minimum of 2 face to face or skype sessions with The Lady Le Faye (at a time that suits you both) every month. Upon completion of your Year & A Day journey, you will be initiated into Hedge Wytchcraft & ready to step out on your own & explore the magickal world that surrounds you.

There is a limited number of places for each intake so please register your interest as soon as possible via alison@thehedgewitchery.com

)O(

Reset Ceremony Dark Moon in Sagittarius

Posted on by

For this Dark of the Moon I intend to reach parts of myself that seem to be hidden most of the time, the parts of me that are capable of making my dreams come true. This ceremony is my process that I share with you for your own use or reference. Blessings to you all as you journey into this Dark Moon…

You will need:

A small candle

A pen

A piece of paper

Sage or Gum leaves

A fireproof bowl

2 small jars

Matches

The process:

Light your candle. Sit & gaze upon it in search of your most important future dream. When you see it look deeply into it so that you know all the details clearly. Then close your eyes & see it again, deeply & clearly.

Stand facing each direction in turn, saying your prayers to the 4 quarters, the masculine & feminine, above, below & within.

Tear the piece of paper in half. On one half write down all things that you do not see in your future dream – items, people, personality traits, habits, identities. Take it to the West & say

I offer these things to the watery currents that they may pass with ease

Set the leaves into the fireproof bowl & tear up that piece of paper into small pieces, laying them on top if the leaves. Set them on fire & keep it burning until the paper is turned to ash (you may need to add more leaves). Place the ash into a jar with a few unburnt leaves on top.

Fold the other half of the paper in half. On one side, write all the things you already have that you see in your future dream. On the other side write all of the things you must acquire for your future dream. Take it to the East & say:

 I offer these things to the wisps of air that they may rise through me

Place more leaves into the fireproof bowl & light them. Hold the whole piece of paper over the flame until it catches & then set in on top of the burning leaves. When the paper & leaves are ash place this ash into a small jar.

Stand in the centre facing East, arms stretched out. Focus on your breath. Feel the West behind you pulling at all the things you have offered to the waters. Feel the pull of the light & shadow at your finger tips, widening your realm of possibilities. Feel the Earth below you, holding you to your path. Feel the Sky above you, keeping you focused on the journey ahead. Feel the East before you sending you the threads that will bring you all the things you have asked for. Feel your core, your centre, your inner depths & stay in this place for as long as you can.

Bring you hands together in prayer position & give thanks for the manifestation of your dream to each direction in turn, the 4 quarters, the masculine & feminine, above, below & within.

Allow the candle to burn down naturally. Place the excess wax in the jar with the ashes & leaves of the West. They must be mindfully disposed of into water, not the jar, just the contents.

The ashes of the East need to be scattered in the East of your home at the next sunrise you observe (preferably before Full Moon).

You are now reset so take the actions required & your dream will become manifest.

)O(

Hedge Wytch Mentorship

Posted on by

I see them coming, these kindred spirits drift towards me through the mists of time & as they near I can hear their souls calling my name, the name that cannot be spoken. When I emerge from the shadow, allowing their eyes to find mine, an understanding is realised. This is the beginning…

We can then dance through the Wheel of the Sun, of the seasons & the stories that connect us all. And we can then delve down deep through the Wheel of the Moon, of the tide & the rhythm that holds us all.

This kindred spirit, this radiant Soul will unfold in the course of our journey. Through ceremony & prayer we will walk to the place where truth & peace can be normal, where magick is in all things & where life is as easy as being.

This is the Hedge Wytch Mentorship.

)O(