MOON Gemini SUN Gemini

I have been lucky enough to be inspired again by Michelle Duke & her magickal herb mixes to develop a Dark Moon Rite that will connect me more intimately with my Fae-self, harnessing the energy of Gemini to explore integration of opposing forces within myself & release me into a more natural & magickal state. The artwork in the photograph above is by Justin Balmain. I will be performing this rite on Wednesday night the 28th of May at the Witching Hour (AEST).

Gather into your sacred space the following dried herbs in 4 separate dishes…

Lavender & Sage

Bay & Dragon’s Blood

Skullcap & Thyme

Mugwort & Vervain

You will also need 4 incense coals in 4 heat proof dishes, a green candle in an appropriate holder & a cup of warm water with a teaspoon of Poppyseeds steeping in it. If you are unable to ingest Poppyseeds then substitute with a herbal tea of your choice. A journal or paper, & a pen will also be required.

Face East, light your incense coal & add the lavender & sage. Send out your prayers to the Keepers there & sit quietly in contemplation of Air… of your Mind… of your Thoughts… of your Memories… Search for any imbalance in this area & decide where you can support a more balanced Mental Body. Write these instructions down.

Face North, light your incense coal & add the bay & dragon’s blood. Send out your prayers to the Keepers there & sit quietly in contemplation of Fire… of your Spirit… of your Crafts… of your Desires… Search for any imbalance in this area & decide where you can support a more balanced Spiritual Body. Write these instructions down.

Face West, light your incense coal & add the skullcap & thyme. Send out your prayers to the Keepers there & sit quietly in contemplation of Water… of your Heart… of your Wellbeing… of your Cycles… Search for any imbalance in this area & decide where you can support a more balanced Emotional Body. Write these instructions down.

Face South, light your incense coal & add the mugwort & vervain. Send out your prayers to the Keepers there & sit quietly in contemplation of Earth… of your Body… of your Health… of your Possessions… Search for any imbalance in this area & decide where you can support a more balanced Physical Body. Write these instructions down.

Move to the center, light the candle, drink the poppyseed elixir & prepare for an internal journey…

Find yourself in a Forest, take in all that you see & become one with the space you are in. Search for tracks or signs that will lead you to the nearest Fae community. When you arrive, ask for permission to meet with someone, giving your own name. When you are together be guided by your Fae Self, be open to sharing intimate thoughts & feelings, especially the ones that came up during the beginning of this rite. Let this interaction be natural & organic. When you are ready, be sure to give thanks. Return & record your experience in your journal straight away.

Release your circle in the way that you feel most comfortable.

Snuff out the candle & relight at any time that you can revisit the words you wrote during this rite, checking in to see how you are progressing.

Toss the incense dust to the winds as soon as you can.

)O(

Cross Quarter Dreaming

I woke on the floor in a small log cabin. There was a rough-spun blanket wrapped around me. The only sounds were distant bird calls & the gentle rush of leaves blowing in the wind. When I stood the blanket fell from me & I was met by the chill of the air & a wonderful sensation of being alone.

Going through the only door found me outside, surrounded by a long neglected garden full of brambling herb bushes & nibbled on fruits & vegetables still attached to their mother plants.

I sat on a wooden armchair with the blanket in the wild garden to watch & learn, to understand where & when I had woken. A thick scrub of trees wrapped around the cabin. The sun was low & to my left, slowly heading for the horizon… Sunset.

A clear & darkening sky revealed to me the heads of the Gemini Twins, close behind the Sun… Late Autumn.

As the darkness deepened I sat under dampening air that froze the tip of my nose & made my ears ache with cold. No Moon… All night I waited but I could not find her… Dark Moon.

I slept then, under the gentle heat of the Autumn Sun & dreamed of a campfire council of my ancestors. I sat mute & watched them tell stories & dance & throw bunches of herbs into the fire. When it was down to embers, some coal was removed & ground in a bowl made of wood, along with some small black berries. They slit the throat of a boar & added his blood to the ground coal to make a paste, which was used to anoint the palms & ears & eyelids of all who were present… Including me. That’s when they came, shadowy figures moving through the small gathering, embracing some people, whispering to others. I felt the cold grasp of a bony hand from one shadow & heard the quiet voice reveal to me what I am required to do for this next turn of the Sun Wheel. Then I woke again, in the wild garden, with the sun & moon setting…

Samhain.

Introducing Daily Reads…

I am happy to announce that I now offer daily reads! There is finally enough time in my day to share with those who are on their spiritual journey to healing & growth. If I could, I would do tarot readings all day because I feel open & available as soon as I start to shuffle, which is uplifting & deliciously invigorating. After working with a number of clients in doing these distance readings, I am very confident in my ability to receive & express the answers that they seek.

The Daily Reads involve you asking a question which is answered for you via a tarot reading summarised & sent to you email address the following day. You may require this service for a week, a month, or even a year, & if you are stuck for a question, there is always something waiting for you in the other realms so you won’t be disappointed.

Email before the end of February for details of a special introductory offer, alison@thehedgewitchery.com

Access more information here.

)O(

Hedge Wytch Mentorship

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(

Hedge Wytch Mentorship

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(

Scorpion Eclipse Ritual

Shield of Power

To be performed at the time of the eclipse (9:10am AEDT, Wednesday November 13 2012)

You will need 5 candles (preferably 1 white, 1 green, 1 black, 1 pink or purple & 1 orange or yellow; alternatively 5 white candles will suffice) & a scribing tool (preferably your athame)

Gather your items & sit in a quiet room. Focus on your breath. Visualise yourself sitting on a mountain top. You are surrounded by your guides & allies. Look at each of them, see them & know them. Ask all gathered to assist you in finding your protective symbol for this ritual. When you have found it, thank them all & return your awareness to the room. Take your athame in both hands & feel it filled with Spirit. Use it to scribe your protective symbol on each of your candles.

In the Centre of the room light the green candle & say -I am connected to Nature, to all things existing within the Universe.

In the East of your room light the purple or pink candle (if its white you will need to visualise pink or purple light emanating from this candle) & say – I open the gate to creativity, imagination & unconditional love.

In the North of your room light the orange or yellow candle (if its white you will need to visualise orange or yellow light emanating from this candle) & say – I have the strength to transform myself from Victim to Saviour.

In the West of your room light the white candle & say – I repel the snakes & seducers, the toxins & poisons.

In the South of your room light the black candle (if its white you will need to visualise black light emanating from this candle) & say – I surrender to the Fates.

Stand in the Centre & breath in the green light, feel it fill your body & your Aura space.

Stand at the East & breath in the orange/yellow light, feel it fill your body & your Aura space.

Stand at the North & breath in the purple/pink light, feel it fill your body & your Aura space.

Stand at the West & breath in the white light, feel it fill your body & your Aura space.

Stand at the South & breath in the black light, feel it fill your body & your Aura space.

Back in the Centre, stand with your eyes closed & visualise your shield, know what it blocks & what it will let pass through. Hold the image of it in your mind’s eye & commit it to memory & say – I have met the terrain that lays before me & I embrace the blessings that are upon it. I give thanks for this Shield of Power that will see me through in safety & peace. It is done! It always works! Always a blessing!

Snuff out the candles in the order in which they were lit (DO NOT BLOW THEM OUT). They can be used in this same way to enhance your Shield of Power at any time.

)O(

MOON Aries SUN Leo

My feet have finally hit the ground again after such a high over the weekend with Full Moon Tarot Meditation Circle on Saturday & Imbolc- a celebration of the awakening light workshop on Sunday…

As I sit by my fire contemplating ancient language & symbolism, I realise that holding regular Full Moon & Dark Moon Esbats as well as workshops for the Sabats, I have settled into a rhythm that holds me in a lovely place. I know that what I choose to do in the “actual” world will have an echo within as well as to my past & present selves. These regular circles & practices are setting me on a mighty course indeed!

So, I give thanks for my life & my love as I continue to be guided by my ancestors, the Fae & my own intuitive voice, dancing the Wheel again & again…

)O(

MOON Pisces SUN Gemini

So many things are being pulled into my world, my vision, my consciousness. It feels like the various forms of processing our Earthwalk are being stripped of language & ownership, & being set free as a concentrated essence that is seeping through my skin! I feel the buzz as it enters my nervous system. It fills me. I want to explode. And then I do, usually through my heart first, a bursting of warmth that throws me back as it rips me open. Then I feel my feet become magnetised to the Earth so that I am left swaying in the atmosphere like a plant growing in a running stream. My head fills with blood & begins to pulse sending my Dreams & desires out into the Universe. My fingers tingle. My ears block out all external sounds & I begin to hear singing. I will always be left with a song or a melody from these moments. When this passes I feel elated, uplifted, regenerated, like every day of my life should be celebrated! From when I open my eyes to see all that has been created, to when I drift off to Dream knowing my life is what I made it.

)O(

Tribes Woman of The Hedge Realm Part 2

This is a sacred time… Moving towards Dark Moon in Gemini, of which there are two this year… The Eclipse only hours away… The harvest is in & the cold winds are rising… The Fae Gate stands invitingly open every which way I turn… I love this time of year.

Memories abound of my life as a childhood Princess, called often Alison Maria Angel Chicken Plum Pek-pek Bramich by my Father. He placed us on 20 acres of farming land at the Northern end of The Great Dividing Range. Our land was always home to many animals, both domestic & wild. We grew our own food, or our neighbours did. The Land & the Animal Kingdom held us in a rhythm that has never truly left me. It was in this magickal place that Mother Earth began showing me things…

The communication between animals was the first discovery I remember, a discovery that felt more like a distant memory than something new. I would look deep into the eyes of the cows or the kangaroos or the dogs or the fish, whatever would hold still long enough to be able to commune with me. I would hold their gaze & think really hard about something then gauge their reaction. I surprised myself with the thoughts I would muster, not always in a good way. Never the less, the animals always reacted, in varying degrees. Dogs spoke back very clearly into my mind (I actually thought it was out loud but their mouths didn’t move- I was totally fascinated). Cows sent me feelings that reminded me of when my Mother gave me a hug. I even tried my Mind-Speak method with bugs!

It was an amazing time. I learned a lot about myself during this process. This was before I began school; I must have been 3-4 years old. I remember thinking about the way the animals reacted to me & wondering what that meant about me. Why did the cow make me feel that way even though we ate cow meat? How could the dog trust me so much? The Animal Kingdom was seeing me as something way more loveable, trustworthy &powerful than I thought could be. So, I tried to raise myself to the challenge! There was one time when we were out assisting with the birthing of a calf & the mother was having a lot of trouble. I thought of how the cows usually made me feel & so I put my hand on her flank & sent that feeling through my hand & into the cow. Her breathing changed & the noises began to subside. Before long the calf was born in a flood of fluid & legs. I will never forget that moment. Since then I have been very comfortable about using Mind-Speak with my cousins from the Animal Kingdom.

It was different with the birds. We had so many birds! My Father had aviaries filled with dozens of rare, probably illegal, Feathered Beings. I was a little older when I started trying to understand what they were always chattering about. I began with learning their calls, both the wild birds & the ones in the aviaries. I don’t know nearly as many any more, but there was a time when I had quite a store of bird calls in my memory bank. Then I started listening to the way they communicated between each other, both within a species & between differing species. Birds are quite the social creatures! They seemed to be always discussing where food was abundant, what predators were around, what the territorial balance was…So organised are the Feathered Beings!

When I was about 6 years old I saw a Silver Crow. I ran about telling everyone I knew but alas, no-one was excited, barley anyone believed me! It was after this that the Fae Gate opened for the first time to let me re-enter the Faery Realms. I was playing in The Creek, an amazing sculpture of white, orange, red & brown clay surrounded by scrub. The bubbling water spoke to me & announced that I was required to make preparations for the King & Queen of the Faery Realm were on their way. Well, you can imagine my excitement! I enlisted the girl from next door to assist with the building of little houses & boats & carriages & gardens & swimming pools & food & drinks for the special guests. We worked whenever we could get away from our chores & family obligations for months on end! The outcome was magnificent, of course, & when the Royalty arrived, we were proclaimed honorary members of the Royal Court & given the title of Princess until further notice. My Dreaming at this time was very much based in the Fae Realm & I spent hours exploring the wonders that lay beyond the Fae Gate.

When I began school, the play area I was drawn to was rows of Pine Trees, probably about 4 rows with 20 trees in each. The trees were magnificent, old, wise Standing People. I would make things out of the carpet of dried pine needles that lay at their feet & occasionally they would speak to me. I would feel the air quiver & that would be my invitation to put my ear against the trunk of nearest tree & listen. Often I would be standing there for quite some time before I was given any message. The main theme behind these messages was about local environmental issues or misuse of animals or abuse of children. I know, heavy right?!! But in my childish way, I did what I could. I told people how bad it was that trees were being cut down to make more houses & that there were already enough trees that had to leave this place because of all the farms. I told people how the Ingham Chicken Factory next to our school had too many chickens in the sheds & they had no feathers, which meant they were really sick. I also stopped telling on the naughty girl because I knew that her life at home was terrifying. Instead I became her friend so she could have sleep overs at my place & not have to be at home as much. She was really mean to me, but I was OK with that. Through all of this, my wise council of Standing People kept me strong & clear & sure about myself.

I was really blessed to be able to grow & learn among the creatures & beings of the Land for they compliment the teachings of the Father & the Mother & the Society. Being in a family with 4 kids, in a time when you could let your kids play on the street, in a place surrounded by friendly neighbours meant that I was often given the freedom to explore the other realms that exist among us without being held back or questioned or ridiculed. This means that these other realms became such a deep part of me, of my perception of this world. In the 30 years that have transpired since this time, I have always had access to these places because I was never told with enough force that they don’t exist.

This is the childhood that I asked to receive me & assist me to become the person that I am to be. Everything that I needed was there for me, in many forms with many messages to guide me along my true path.

Thank you for hearing my truth. There is more to come!

)O(

Samhain Dreaming

I stood at the gateway watching the veil become so thin that I could see shadows moving around behind it. There were two sentries, my usual Jackal-headed men, & they stepped aside when the time was right. I moved through the gateway, the veil felt like mist…

The next thing I remember was becoming aware that my entire being was tiny particles, scattered on a horizontal plane about 20 meters from the Earth below. My consciousness was removed, looking down from above – a bit like the sensation of astral projection. My particles had a soft green glow. Another set of particles on the same plane moved over mine. They had a deep red glow. I knew who it was: we had been connecting for some time. She began sinking & blending with my particles, & as I watched, some of me fell to the ground, as did some of her. When this transformation was complete, my consciousness met my newly Blended particles & my form began to return.

I was moving along a path & as I went I realised that it was in fact my family tree. I could see clearly the placement of all the family that I knew & even the places of the ones that I did not know. I stood in my place on this tree & began the search for my Spirit Tribe connection. When I saw it, it was a bright tunnel of light that moved through me & went forever above & forever below. I allowed my Spirit form to separate from my body & flew in both directions wrapping this tunnel of light with colourful ribbons, making strong my connection with my Spirit family & ancestors. This done, I sat, in my body again, & allowed my Spirit Tribe to moved through & communicate what I needed to hear. I am so grateful for this process & have been gifted with some very powerful tools to support the flow of love through my life.

When I cam back to me, I was sitting around a fire with my Mothers Mother, Pilili. She has been in my Dreaming often & has shared many mysteries & treasures with me over the past few moons… She was brewing a potion over the fire & telling me about the process. I could feel all of my beloved dead gathered around, just beyond the light cast by the fires flames. My beautiful familiar, Iimaja, was purring at my feet… She & Granny were the only dead that I was able to see & communicate with, & I am thrilled that I was able to connect with them both. There was also another aspect of me sitting opposite me by the fire, but she did not say anything, just stared into the flames.

Leaving this space was difficult. I feel so at home on the other side of the veil… But leave I did & with a sack full of love & wisdom & stories & spells over my shoulder.

)O(