Giveaway! Sugar Skull Keychain by Carioca Witch!

In honor of the upcoming holidays, Samhain, Halloween and The Day of the Dead, I'm hosting a giveaway for a handmade sugar skull key chain made by Carioca Witch! Nydia, owner and creator, has generously donated one of her adorable creations for this seasonal giveaway. The sugar skull is 5 inches long and is stuffed with cinnamon and apple. 

To enter the giveaway please visit Nydia's Facebook page, find some products you like and come back here to comment on them. If you are not already, become a fan of her page. Please be sure to leave your contact info in your comment so I can contact you if you win! For extra credit, start following this blog if you are not already. The giveaway will last for one week at which time I will choose the winner using random.org.

Thanks to Nydia of Carioca Witch for donating her wonderful creation! Good luck to all who enter!

Magic Monday, Mabon's Harvest Tarot Spread

Mabon, also known as the Autumn Equinox, is the second of the three harvest festivals. It is a time to give thanks for our bountiful harvest and to prepare for the dark months of the year. In the ancient world this would be a time when the crops were done being harvested and people were preparing for winter. Baking breads, cakes and taking part in Autumn celebrations all happened around this time of year. This is a time of balance as on the Autumn Equinox day and night are of equal length. It is also a time of retrospect, to look back on our year and see what we have gained, lost and where we are headed for the coming year.

A tarot spread is a great way to see where we have gone and where we are going to end up. To begin, shuffle your cards thoroughly and feel free to light some sage and cleanse the area around you before you get started. Once your cards are shuffled, cut the deck in half and then put one side of the deck on top of the other. Now take your cards one by one and create the spread you see above in the order of the numbered cards, with number 1 being at the top. The card placement meanings are:

1. What am I harvesting? 
2. What projects/endeavors are coming to fruition?
3. What are you most thankful for this past year?
4. Where is balance needed in your life?
5. What provisions do you need to make for the dark half of the year?


Write down your cards and their answers if you like and check it each month to see if it's matching up with your life as it moves forward. You may also keep this spread to look at this time next year to see what progress you have made.

Wishing everyone very bountiful Mabon blessings and a happy harvest!

Cerridwen, Welsh Goddess of Magic and Transformstion

Cerridwen is the Welsh dark Goddess of magic, transformation and wisdom. She is known as "The Keeper of the Cauldron" which is said to be full of inspiration. Her most famous myth deals with her magic cauldron and her son, Afagddu. Cerridwen is said to have two children, a beautiful daughter and a horribly ugly son named Afagddu. Due to her sons extreme ugliness Cerridwen set out making a special brew of wisdom to give her son so that he could have an opportunity to overcome his bad looks. She concocted this brew using six herbs for a year and a day and only three drops of this powerful brew were said to impart great wisdom.

She puts a boy named Gwion in charge of watching over the brew for her. Accidentally, three drops of the brew fall on his finger blessing him with the magical knowledge held within. Knowing that the brew was meant for Cerridwen's son and not him, Gwion fled and Cerridwen pursued him. As she chased after him they each continued to transform into a different animals. Gwion changed into a rabbit and Cerridwen would transform into a hound, then he transformed into a fish and she would chase him as an otter, then a bird and she chased him as a hawk. Finally Gwion turned into a kernel of wheat and settled into a pile of grain on the floor. Cerridwen then became a hen and swallowed him whole.

Nine months later she gave birth to the former Gwion who was now known as Taliesin the great bard. In this story Cerridwen and her chase represents the changing of the seasons and transformation in general. She is also seen as a lady of death which goes hand and hand with the power of transformation as we must let that which no longer serves us die in order for change.

Cerridwen symbolizes the twists and turns that life throws us into. She teaches us to understand that life can change in an instant and sometimes we need to learn to go with the flow and let the new shape your life is taking form on its own. She also represents knowledge and inspiration, fertility and the earth. We can journey to Cerridwen's cauldron for inspiration in our creative endeavors and she will impart her great wisdom to us. Since the cauldron represents the womb, where life is formed, it makes sense that Cerridwen would be associated with fertility as well as creativity.

Her sacred animal is the pig, her symbols are the cauldron and the moon and she is also associated with grain. On your altar you may leave her offerings of grain, wine or ham/bacon if you are so inclined to meat. If not leave grain or wine and have a cauldron and a representation of a pig. 

 Enjoy your journey to transformation and inspiration with Cerridwen!





Photo courtesy of Hrana Janto

Magic Monday, Make a Besom

A besom, or witches broom, is an essential magical tool. They are used to cleanse and purify a space either on or around your altar or any area of your home. A besom is seen as a symbol of fertility and sexuality and can also be used to "sweep" away bad spirits or negative energies. In the old world people would jump over the besom on their wedding day as a way to ensure fertility in their new union. Traditionally a besom is made from sacred woods such as oak, ash, birch and willow for the binding.
 
Although its quite easy to buy a broom, crafting your own is also easy and adds your personal magical energy to it. Feel free to use any type of wood you like as not all of us have access to the traditional woods. You may also use herbs such as mugwort or thyme for the bristles.
Supplies:

• 4 foot piece of wood for the handle
• Thin branches or herbs for the bristles
• Willow or hemp twine for the binding
• Scissors and a bucket of warm water

Depending on the type of wood you are using for the bristles they might need to be soaked over night in warm water to make them more pliable. Take your handle and lay it somewhere flat. Lay your bristles along side of it about four inches from the bottom of the handle facing up towards the top of the broom. You will be flipping them over soon. Tie the bristles to the handle with your cord and make sure to tie them tight so they don't pop out later.
 
Now take your bristles and flip them over so they are facing down towards the bottom of the broom and tie them at the base of the handle with your cord. While you're doing this visualize what energy you want to empower your besom with. Feel free to recite a chant or cleanse it with sage or incense as well. You will need to let your broom dry out some before using it. You may decorate your besom with ribbons, charms or anything you wish. Now your besom is ready for use! Keep it on your altar or standing up by the front door or you may even wish to hang it over a doorway for protection.
 
I hope you enjoy crafting your very own witches besom!





Picture courtesy of Witch Way

Sedna, Inuit Goddess of the Deep Ocean

Sedna is the Inuit Goddess of the deep ocean and the Underworld. She is often depicted as a mermaid with long dark hair. Many stories of her begin with her being a mortal woman who later became a Goddess. Her myth is a sad story but it's also filled with important life lessons.
 
Sedna, daughter of a widower, was said to be quite beautiful and had many suitors after her affections. Although Sedna refused them all as she wanted no part in marriage. Then one day she was approached by a handsome man who asked for her hand and she said yes. He took her away to his island, the land of birds, all the while hiding his secret identity which was that of a bird spirit. When Sedna realized this and that the man lied to her, she became sad and pleaded with her father to come rescue her.

Sedna's father then went in his boat to save her. Although once they were both in the boat on the way home, Sedna's husband became enraged that his wife was taken from him and caused a deadly storm. He created huge waves almost sinking the boat and putting the Inuit people in danger. In order to save himself and his people, Sedna's father threw Sedna in the ocean to appease this God and when Sedna tried to climb back in the boat, her father cut off her fingers. She sank to the bottom of the ocean where her body became all the sea life.

Sedna rules over Adlivin, the Underworld, where she is said to live in a house made of whale bones. Some say that she is feared because of the dark depths she represents. The message she brings though is very important as sometimes we must all reach down into the darkness in order to have the light shine.

It is said that Inuit shamans journey to her and when they do they bring a comb to brush her long dark hair. They rely on Sedna to provide them with the creatures of the sea for the hunters to gather food for their families. Sedna teaches us to keep going through the dark days because there will always be brighter days ahead. She also helps us with inner anger showing us that bringing it to the surface and letting it out is the only way towards inner happiness.




Picture courtesy of Love Your Design

Magic Monday, Make a Witches Bottle

A witches bottle has been used for centuries to ward off or trap evil or malevolent spirits, hexes or curses. They originated in the UK around the 1500's and the practice was brought over to the states with immigration. Some old witches bottles have been found in Greenwich, Worcestershire and Pershore, England some dating back to the 17th century. The original witches bottles were made during the witch hunts and were used to protect against "witches" and their magic. They were seen to reflect the evil magic back to its sender.
 
A witches bottle is basically a glass jar with a tight lid that has sharp objects as well as liquids and other items placed into it. The bottle is then sealed with wax and usually buried. One of the main ingredients in the old witches bottles was urine or menstrual blood, although if you don't feel comfortable using bodily liquids feel free to use a magically charged oil or other personal item that identifies with you. The purpose for using these liquids was to personally attach oneself to the bottle. Although the original witches bottles were used to ward off evil magic, modern ones can also be used for protection, prosperity among other things. I will be giving instructions one how to craft the original witches bottle.
 
Supplies:
 

• One glass jar with a tight fitting lid
• Nails, pins, glass, thorns (some call for bent or rusty nails)
• Liquid such as water, magically charged oil, vinegar, wine, urine, menstrual blood
• Sea salt or regular salt
• Candle wax
• Any other personal item you would like to add

You may choose to use one of each ingredient or however many you wish. Take your bottle and place the sharp objects inside first, fill it about halfway. Then pour in your salt to match up with your sharp objects. Now fill up the bottle halfway with whichever liquid you wish to use. If you don't feel comfortable using urine (which is understandable!) you may spit into the bottle once its filled to personally connect your body with it, or place a very personal item in it. Keep in mind though that this bottle should not be re-opened once sealed to retrieve your personal item if you decide to do that.
 
After your bottle is filled, close the lid tightly and take a lit candle and pour wax around the lid and seal to secure it. You may correspond the color of the wax with whatever magical purpose you want the bottle to serve. For example black for negativity, green for prosperity, etc. When your bottle is completely finished, charge it and cleanse it with sage. Now traditionally the bottles are buried but not all of us have a yard and some of us live in apartments. If this is the case you may bury it in a flower pot and place it by your front door or patio, or it can also be hid in a closet.
 
I hope you enjoy crafting your very own witches bottle!










Picture courtesy of Tumblr